Friday, January 30, 2004
E.K. Nation Super Bowl Prediction Jubilee
Well, it's time for E.K. Nation to divulge what the score of the Super Bowl will definitely NOT be.
Carolina will not take a 6-0 first-quarter lead only to see New England not recover to take a 10-6 lead in the third quarter. The Panthers will then definitely not score a touchdown and a field goal to go up 16-10, and then the Patriots will definitely not get a touchdown to go up 17-16 late in the fourth quarter. Carolina will be prevented from advancing to the Patriot 30-yard-line with a few seconds remaining, and then John Kasay's last-play, 47-yard field goal to win 19-17 will surely not happen.
Again, the final score of the Super Bowl will assuredly NOT be Carolina Panthers 19, New England Patriots 17.
WILL NOT BE THE HERO ON SUNDAY
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
E.K. Nation's Academy Award Nomination Prediction Supernova Review
PICTURE:
So what is the reaction here in E.K. Nation? Well, first, we are very happy to see Keisha Castle-Hughes get the Best Actress nomination she thoroughly deserves for Whale Rider. This is E.K. Nation's favorite nomination; we feared she wouldn't get any recognition. But boy, did she ever, getting not the supporting nod her film company promoted her for but the big one. Her tearful speech near the end of the film was absolutely heartbreaking. It was almost as if she was not acting at all, it seemed so real. Oh, and while we haven't seen every film nominated, so far the pick for E.K. Nation's Best Picture of the year is indeed Whale Rider. Trust me when I say you really do want to see a film about a young girl who dreams of becoming chief of her Maori tribe.
We're pleased with the nominations of Johnny Depp, whose truly original performance in Pirates of the Caribbean is the sort of action-film role usually overlooked by the Academy, and of Patricia Clarkson, who deserved one for The Station Agent but got one for the indie film Pieces of April. And now that we have seen House of Sand and Fog, we also like the nomination of Shohreh Aghdashloo, who turned her wife role--normally a throwaway, one-dimensional role--into a genuinely affecting portrayal of an Iranian woman who tries hard to understand the disruptive world around her but still manages to find time to care for the despondent.
Among the surprising leave-offs is Scarlett Johannsen, whom we thought would get at least a supporting nod for Lost In Translation, if not a lead nomination for Girl With A Pearl Earring. We suspect Academy voters split the Johannsen vote between those two films and two two categories, leaving her with not enough votes for either film in either category. Indeed, I have heard of a vote count procedure at the Academy where if one person has votes for two different films, and one tally eventually takes a large lead over the other, they stop counting the votes for the lesser one and count only the remaining votes for the larger one from then on, even if the ensuing votes for the lesser category would have eventually overtaken the larger one and been enough for a nomination. Did that happen here? We don't know. And we will never know.
We are displeased with the Best Picture nomination for Seabiscuit. While not a horrible film, it suffers from lackluster storytelling, which is definitely not the case with Whale Rider or The Station Agent, to name two films that should be there. As we predicted, there was a weak entry into the Best Picture top five and it was indeed Seabiscuit. We appeal to Academy voters: Watch these three films again, and then re-think about which ones really deserved the nomination. But we do like the premise that the Academy did wish to nominate at least one smaller film, Lost In Translation, over a grander-scale epic like Cold Mountain.
Now that the nominations are in, we'll fire up another round of predictions, this one being the Immediately-Post-Nomination stage: PICTURE: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. No question it's the favorite here, and it will win. DIRECTOR: Peter Jackson for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He'll get one, finally. ACTOR: Sean Penn in Mystic River. The guy's been nominated a few times before; this time it's his. ACTRESS: Charlize Theron in Monster. She inhabited her character like few other actors we have ever seen. SUPPORTING ACTOR: The favorite is Tim Robbins, but suddenly we here at E.K. Nation think this is the category where there will be an upset. Right now, the feeling, now that he's been nominated, is Djimon Hounsou in In America. SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Renee Zellweger in Cold Mountain. We're told she hops onto the screen after a while energizes a slow narrative. We'll see it soon, and we'll tell you what we think afterwards.
What We Got: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, Mystic River, SeabiscuitSUPPORTING ACTOR:
What We Missed: Lost In Translation instead of Cold Mountain
What We Got: Alec Baldwin, The Cooler; Benicio del Toro, 21 Grams; Tim Robbins, Mystic River; Ken Watanabe, The Last SamuraiSUPPORTING ACTRESS:
What We Missed: Djimon Hounsou, In America instead of Jeff Bridges, Seabiscuit
What We Got: Marcia Gay Harden, Mystic River; Holly Hunter, Thirteen; Renee Zellweger, Cold MountainACTRESS:
What We Missed: Shohreh Aghdashloo, House of Sand and Fog and Patricia Clarkson, Pieces Of April instead of Scarlett Johannsen, Lost in Translation and Laura Linney, Mystic River
What We Got: Diane Keaton, Something's Gotta Give; Charlize Theron, Monster; Naomi Watts, 21 GramsACTOR:
What We Missed: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Whale Rider and Samantha Morton, In America instead of Patricia Clarkson, The Station Agent and Jennifer Connelly, House of Sand and Fog
What We Got: Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl; Ben Kingsley, House of Sand and Fog; Jude Law, Cold Mountain; Bill Murray, Lost In Translation; Sean Penn, Mystic River.DIRECTOR:
What We Missed: Nothing.
What We Got: Sofia Coppola, Lost In Translation; Clint Eastwood, Mystic River; Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingNot a bad day for E.K. Nation's predictions. 22 of 30 for the six categories? We'll settle for that, including 90% on the actors.
What We Missed: Fernando Meirelles, City of God and Peter Weir, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World instead of Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, 21 Grams and Anthony Minghella, Cold Mountain
So what is the reaction here in E.K. Nation? Well, first, we are very happy to see Keisha Castle-Hughes get the Best Actress nomination she thoroughly deserves for Whale Rider. This is E.K. Nation's favorite nomination; we feared she wouldn't get any recognition. But boy, did she ever, getting not the supporting nod her film company promoted her for but the big one. Her tearful speech near the end of the film was absolutely heartbreaking. It was almost as if she was not acting at all, it seemed so real. Oh, and while we haven't seen every film nominated, so far the pick for E.K. Nation's Best Picture of the year is indeed Whale Rider. Trust me when I say you really do want to see a film about a young girl who dreams of becoming chief of her Maori tribe.
We're pleased with the nominations of Johnny Depp, whose truly original performance in Pirates of the Caribbean is the sort of action-film role usually overlooked by the Academy, and of Patricia Clarkson, who deserved one for The Station Agent but got one for the indie film Pieces of April. And now that we have seen House of Sand and Fog, we also like the nomination of Shohreh Aghdashloo, who turned her wife role--normally a throwaway, one-dimensional role--into a genuinely affecting portrayal of an Iranian woman who tries hard to understand the disruptive world around her but still manages to find time to care for the despondent.
Among the surprising leave-offs is Scarlett Johannsen, whom we thought would get at least a supporting nod for Lost In Translation, if not a lead nomination for Girl With A Pearl Earring. We suspect Academy voters split the Johannsen vote between those two films and two two categories, leaving her with not enough votes for either film in either category. Indeed, I have heard of a vote count procedure at the Academy where if one person has votes for two different films, and one tally eventually takes a large lead over the other, they stop counting the votes for the lesser one and count only the remaining votes for the larger one from then on, even if the ensuing votes for the lesser category would have eventually overtaken the larger one and been enough for a nomination. Did that happen here? We don't know. And we will never know.
We are displeased with the Best Picture nomination for Seabiscuit. While not a horrible film, it suffers from lackluster storytelling, which is definitely not the case with Whale Rider or The Station Agent, to name two films that should be there. As we predicted, there was a weak entry into the Best Picture top five and it was indeed Seabiscuit. We appeal to Academy voters: Watch these three films again, and then re-think about which ones really deserved the nomination. But we do like the premise that the Academy did wish to nominate at least one smaller film, Lost In Translation, over a grander-scale epic like Cold Mountain.
Now that the nominations are in, we'll fire up another round of predictions, this one being the Immediately-Post-Nomination stage: PICTURE: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. No question it's the favorite here, and it will win. DIRECTOR: Peter Jackson for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He'll get one, finally. ACTOR: Sean Penn in Mystic River. The guy's been nominated a few times before; this time it's his. ACTRESS: Charlize Theron in Monster. She inhabited her character like few other actors we have ever seen. SUPPORTING ACTOR: The favorite is Tim Robbins, but suddenly we here at E.K. Nation think this is the category where there will be an upset. Right now, the feeling, now that he's been nominated, is Djimon Hounsou in In America. SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Renee Zellweger in Cold Mountain. We're told she hops onto the screen after a while energizes a slow narrative. We'll see it soon, and we'll tell you what we think afterwards.
Monday, January 26, 2004
E.K. Nation's Academy Award Nomination Prediction Supernova
Since we at E.K. Nation are quite possibly the biggest Oscar freaks of any heterosexual males, this is a fun week for us. We now offer--and don't reserve any Vegas trips; we don't know how bad this will get, especially since we haven't seen most of the moviers we will make mention of here--our predictions as to whose name will be read at the ungodly hour of 5:30 a.m. Pacific time tomorrow...
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Alec Baldwin, The Cooler; Jeff Bridges, Seabiscuit; Benicio del Toro, 21 Grams; Tim Robbins, Mystic River; Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai. Baldwin and Robbins are respected actors whose work should score them their first acting nominations. Possible sneakers: William H. Macy's charming-but-limited work as an old-time radio announcer in Seabiscuit, even though not really Oscar material, was the best thing about the film. Also, Bill Nighy's aging rock star in Love Actually was a high point, but the film suffers from having just too many damn people in it for one person to get nominated, or for that matter, noticed. Case in point: Hugh Grant, the best thing about Love Actually, has scarcely been mentioned as a possible nominee, which is usually the case every time he's in a film. But he deserves a nod here too. What more does he need to do? Should get in but won't: Bobby Cannavale's funny work in The Station Agent as a lonely but garrulous coffee vendor won't be nominated, even though this category tends to offer more chances for comedic work than the lead role categories. It would be surprising if he were to be nominated while Peter Dinklage got passed up for his lead role. E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: Tim Robbins.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Marcia Gay Harden, Mystic River; Holly Hunter, Thirteen; Scarlett Johannsen, Lost In Translation; Laura Linney, Mystic River; Renee Zellweger, Cold Mountain. Johannsen is actually a lead actress in her film, but the strategy here is to push for her in this category because of a better chance of getting the nomination. And after failing to win the last two years in the lead category, Zellweger enters the Supporting Actress race with a good chance to win. Possible sneaker: Shohreh Aghdashloo, House of Sand and Fog. We're seeing this one tonight; we'll have a better idea why she is being touted as one of the possible five nominees. If she gets in, Hunter is out. Also, Keisha Castle-Hughes of Whale Rider(see below) and In America's Sarah Bolger are possibilities. Should get in but won't: Emma Thompson had one scene in Love Actually in which she spoke no words but her face told the entire story, but same as Nighy, she'll miss out because of the film's being too jumbled and crowded. E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: It's close between Zellweger and Johannsen, but for now, we'll go with Johannsen, who had not just one but two acclaimed films this year Translation and Girl With A Pearl Earring.
ACTRESS: Patricia Clarkson, The Station Agent; Jennifer Connelly, House of Sand and Fog, Diane Keaton, Something's Gotta Give; Charlize Theron, Monster; Naomi Watts, 21 Grams. Clarkson is a risky pick, but it was so good, and we think the Academy will honor her acclaimed film at least once; this category is the best shot. Watts will finally get recognized; we felt she deserved a nod for Mulholland Drive. But this one will belong to Theron, who will win for her stunning work in Monster. Possible sneaker: Uma Thurman is actually getting some support for her work in Kill Bill, Vol. 1, but we wouldn't bet on it. Should get in but won't: Keisha Castle-Hughes deserves a spot here for her work in Whale Rider, especially for the speech she gives near the film's end. Rarely has a youngster put forth such a breathtaking scene. However, younger actors--Hughes is barely a teenager--tend to do well in the supporting categories no matter how large their roles are (see Tatum O'Neal and Anna Paquin), so Newmarket is pushing for Castle-Hughes there instead, where she actually has a bit of a shot. Favorite Who May Miss Out: Cold Mountain's Nicole Kidman has been nominated two years running and won last year, plus her film wasn't as highly-rated as others in this category. E.K. Nation's GUARANTEED Winner: Charlize Theron. Write it down.
ACTOR: Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl; Ben Kingsley, House of Sand and Fog; Jude Law, Cold Mountain; Bill Murray, Lost In Translation; Sean Penn,Mystic River. Had Depp played his role straight, like Errol Flynn may have done, Pirates would have been an absolute snooze-fest. Fortunately, he went with a highly-effective drag-queen/Pepe LePew tack, and gave one of the best performances of his career. He's never been nominated for his typically strong work; above all, that may be the one reason he'll get into the top five. Murray will finally get a nomination after his wonderfully understated performance in Rushmore was denied in 1998. Possible sneaker: We're sure American Splendor's Paul Giamatti would get in if he were actually well-known and his film were bigger. Should get in but won't: Peter Dinklage of The Station Agent. One way to put this is, his textured performance makes you forget he's a dwarf. Favorite Who May Miss Out: Like Kidman, the Academy may simply be tired of Master and Commander's Russell Crowe (three noms in the last four years). E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: Sean Penn, who just picked up the Golden Globe for his highly-acclaimed work in Mystic River and was also given rave reviews for 21 Grams.
DIRECTOR: Sofia Coppola, Lost In Translation; Clint Eastwood, Mystic River; Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, 21 Grams, Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; Anthony Minghella, Cold Mountain. The Academy won't miss out on a chance to nominate a woman director; Coppola would be the third behind Lina Wertmuller and Jane Campion and would comprise half of the first nominated father-daughter directing team with dad Francis. Innaritu is an underdog here but the Academy often brings in an unexpected nomination, such as David Lynch's for Mulholland Drive two years ago. Favorite Who May Miss Out: Peter Weir of Master and Commander. We have a feeling that the battle scenes and technical achievements will overshadow the directing of actors here; that's why we think Cold Mountain's Anthony Minghella will make the cut; his film seems much quieter and more dependent on the actors. E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: That would be Peter Jackson, who didn't win for the first LOTR film and wasn't even nominated last year; this year marks the completion of his huge trilogy project and we think the Academy was simply holding back to give Jackson the accolades when all was said and done with this massive achievement.
PICTURE: Cold Mountain, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, Mystic River, Seabiscuit. The Academy is notorious for skipping highly-acclaimed pictures over crowd favorites or epics and doesn't usually take any chances. That's why such a safe-sounding five nominees predicted here. Lost In Translation will probably be a victim of that. And there is usually a weak nominee (see The Green Mile); hence, we place Seabiscuit in the top five. E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: In any other year, Mystic River might be a lock, but the completion of the LOTR trilogy seems to be the opportunity to crown not only Return of the King but also the previous two films as sort of a group gesture. We'll go with Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Alec Baldwin, The Cooler; Jeff Bridges, Seabiscuit; Benicio del Toro, 21 Grams; Tim Robbins, Mystic River; Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai. Baldwin and Robbins are respected actors whose work should score them their first acting nominations. Possible sneakers: William H. Macy's charming-but-limited work as an old-time radio announcer in Seabiscuit, even though not really Oscar material, was the best thing about the film. Also, Bill Nighy's aging rock star in Love Actually was a high point, but the film suffers from having just too many damn people in it for one person to get nominated, or for that matter, noticed. Case in point: Hugh Grant, the best thing about Love Actually, has scarcely been mentioned as a possible nominee, which is usually the case every time he's in a film. But he deserves a nod here too. What more does he need to do? Should get in but won't: Bobby Cannavale's funny work in The Station Agent as a lonely but garrulous coffee vendor won't be nominated, even though this category tends to offer more chances for comedic work than the lead role categories. It would be surprising if he were to be nominated while Peter Dinklage got passed up for his lead role. E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: Tim Robbins.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Marcia Gay Harden, Mystic River; Holly Hunter, Thirteen; Scarlett Johannsen, Lost In Translation; Laura Linney, Mystic River; Renee Zellweger, Cold Mountain. Johannsen is actually a lead actress in her film, but the strategy here is to push for her in this category because of a better chance of getting the nomination. And after failing to win the last two years in the lead category, Zellweger enters the Supporting Actress race with a good chance to win. Possible sneaker: Shohreh Aghdashloo, House of Sand and Fog. We're seeing this one tonight; we'll have a better idea why she is being touted as one of the possible five nominees. If she gets in, Hunter is out. Also, Keisha Castle-Hughes of Whale Rider(see below) and In America's Sarah Bolger are possibilities. Should get in but won't: Emma Thompson had one scene in Love Actually in which she spoke no words but her face told the entire story, but same as Nighy, she'll miss out because of the film's being too jumbled and crowded. E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: It's close between Zellweger and Johannsen, but for now, we'll go with Johannsen, who had not just one but two acclaimed films this year Translation and Girl With A Pearl Earring.
ACTRESS: Patricia Clarkson, The Station Agent; Jennifer Connelly, House of Sand and Fog, Diane Keaton, Something's Gotta Give; Charlize Theron, Monster; Naomi Watts, 21 Grams. Clarkson is a risky pick, but it was so good, and we think the Academy will honor her acclaimed film at least once; this category is the best shot. Watts will finally get recognized; we felt she deserved a nod for Mulholland Drive. But this one will belong to Theron, who will win for her stunning work in Monster. Possible sneaker: Uma Thurman is actually getting some support for her work in Kill Bill, Vol. 1, but we wouldn't bet on it. Should get in but won't: Keisha Castle-Hughes deserves a spot here for her work in Whale Rider, especially for the speech she gives near the film's end. Rarely has a youngster put forth such a breathtaking scene. However, younger actors--Hughes is barely a teenager--tend to do well in the supporting categories no matter how large their roles are (see Tatum O'Neal and Anna Paquin), so Newmarket is pushing for Castle-Hughes there instead, where she actually has a bit of a shot. Favorite Who May Miss Out: Cold Mountain's Nicole Kidman has been nominated two years running and won last year, plus her film wasn't as highly-rated as others in this category. E.K. Nation's GUARANTEED Winner: Charlize Theron. Write it down.
ACTOR: Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl; Ben Kingsley, House of Sand and Fog; Jude Law, Cold Mountain; Bill Murray, Lost In Translation; Sean Penn,Mystic River. Had Depp played his role straight, like Errol Flynn may have done, Pirates would have been an absolute snooze-fest. Fortunately, he went with a highly-effective drag-queen/Pepe LePew tack, and gave one of the best performances of his career. He's never been nominated for his typically strong work; above all, that may be the one reason he'll get into the top five. Murray will finally get a nomination after his wonderfully understated performance in Rushmore was denied in 1998. Possible sneaker: We're sure American Splendor's Paul Giamatti would get in if he were actually well-known and his film were bigger. Should get in but won't: Peter Dinklage of The Station Agent. One way to put this is, his textured performance makes you forget he's a dwarf. Favorite Who May Miss Out: Like Kidman, the Academy may simply be tired of Master and Commander's Russell Crowe (three noms in the last four years). E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: Sean Penn, who just picked up the Golden Globe for his highly-acclaimed work in Mystic River and was also given rave reviews for 21 Grams.
DIRECTOR: Sofia Coppola, Lost In Translation; Clint Eastwood, Mystic River; Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, 21 Grams, Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; Anthony Minghella, Cold Mountain. The Academy won't miss out on a chance to nominate a woman director; Coppola would be the third behind Lina Wertmuller and Jane Campion and would comprise half of the first nominated father-daughter directing team with dad Francis. Innaritu is an underdog here but the Academy often brings in an unexpected nomination, such as David Lynch's for Mulholland Drive two years ago. Favorite Who May Miss Out: Peter Weir of Master and Commander. We have a feeling that the battle scenes and technical achievements will overshadow the directing of actors here; that's why we think Cold Mountain's Anthony Minghella will make the cut; his film seems much quieter and more dependent on the actors. E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: That would be Peter Jackson, who didn't win for the first LOTR film and wasn't even nominated last year; this year marks the completion of his huge trilogy project and we think the Academy was simply holding back to give Jackson the accolades when all was said and done with this massive achievement.
PICTURE: Cold Mountain, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, Mystic River, Seabiscuit. The Academy is notorious for skipping highly-acclaimed pictures over crowd favorites or epics and doesn't usually take any chances. That's why such a safe-sounding five nominees predicted here. Lost In Translation will probably be a victim of that. And there is usually a weak nominee (see The Green Mile); hence, we place Seabiscuit in the top five. E.K. Nation's Early Favorite To Win: In any other year, Mystic River might be a lock, but the completion of the LOTR trilogy seems to be the opportunity to crown not only Return of the King but also the previous two films as sort of a group gesture. We'll go with Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
Friday, January 16, 2004
Why Can't Women Soccer Players Be Honest?
How come when a man says women soccer players should wear sexier, more revealing outfits to attract more attention to the sport, all the women in the game provide a completely typical and predictable reaction: "How dare he?" and "He's a schlub" and blah blah friggin' blah.
What's wrong with trying to be sexier so that you get more attention? Is that really such a bad thing? Let's ask Brandi Chastain what she thinks of suggestions that women athletes should try that. Her striptease after the game-winning shot remains the only thing people remember about that match. Or maybe we should ask the Australian women's soccer team, the Matildas, what they think?
Chickies, stop playing dumb, and start being honest. What the guy said makes sense. Your sport isn't getting any attention. Just for this, I'm going to put the Matildas' Amy Taylor in the E.K. Nation Babe Hall of Fame. And it won't be because of anything she did on the pitch.
What's wrong with trying to be sexier so that you get more attention? Is that really such a bad thing? Let's ask Brandi Chastain what she thinks of suggestions that women athletes should try that. Her striptease after the game-winning shot remains the only thing people remember about that match. Or maybe we should ask the Australian women's soccer team, the Matildas, what they think?
Chickies, stop playing dumb, and start being honest. What the guy said makes sense. Your sport isn't getting any attention. Just for this, I'm going to put the Matildas' Amy Taylor in the E.K. Nation Babe Hall of Fame. And it won't be because of anything she did on the pitch.
Michael, Michael, Michael
If there is a spectacle that inspires more bewilderment than Michael Jackson's entrance to the Santa Maria courthouse this morning for his arraignment on child sex abuse charges, I don't know what it is. It's simply a frightening American circus.
Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live, January 10, 2004
A seven-year-old boy in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, had to be rescued by a locksmith this past weekend after getting stuck in a supermarket toy machine. And so begins Michael Jackson's most recent letter to Penthouse.
Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live, January 10, 2004
DON'T PUT YOUR FINGER IN YOUR EAR. YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT FINGER'S BEEN!
E.K. Nation's N.F.L. Playoffs Prediction Spectacular, Part III: Freddy vs. Jason
Like those unwanted, uncalled-for, undesired sequels that the Friday The 13th franchise has generated, and like Jason himself, here comes another set of predictions. Just when you thought they were dead.
AFC Championship: Indianapolis defeats New England 24-21 in overtime. NFC Championship: Philadelphia defeats Carolina 31-10.
SUPER BOWL XXXVIII: Now that the Rams are done, I must come back with a new projection. I believe my Colts-Rams pick was the closest I had ever come to predicting the two teams in the Super Bowl. Still staying with my original pick--Indianapolis--to win it all, but this time, it will be a defeat of the Eagles by the score of 41-25.
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
The Hot Stove
Yes, I've been putting all comments about the Giants' off-season acquisitions on the back burner. Maybe it's time to comment, eh?
Also, this compulsive need to re-sign/acquire unspectacular players like Jeffrey Hammonds and Michael Tucker. Yes, we need players out there but can't we get something better? I know we don't have much money to play with.
And the worst move so far has been letting Rich Aurilia go. That leaves Neifi Goddamn Perez as our starting shortstop. Are you kidding me? Maybe we could have kept Richie in one spot in the order all year; that way he wouldn't have felt the need to take a drastic pay cut so that he could skip off to Seattle where he just might be able to find that one spot and stay there. And I still resent Neifi for hitting that damn home run in the last game of the 1998 season against us.
A.J. Pierzynski will be a decent replacement for Benito Santiago, but he won't reach that right-field porch very often.
Why did we spend money on Alberto Castillo? We already have a backup catcher in Yorvit Torrealba, who I actually thought would be given the chance to start more often this season.
And this "SBC Park" bullshit. Come on. Pick a name and go with it, Puff Daddy.
What I Like: I like the re-signing of Matt Herges. Watching him in the playoffs last season, I saw a bit of an indicator that he can bring it. He got the Giants out of at least one big jam.
I like the re-signing of J.T. Snow, simply because I like his defensive work and when his swing is flawless he shows flashes of Will Clark. He's not the best player at the position, obviously, but there's just something simply comforting about having him around another year.
And I like the dumping of Jose Cruz Jr., more for his sake than that of Giants fans. He needed to get out of town. I feared he wouldn't be able to handle coming back after his complete meltdown in Game 3.
What I Don't Like:The departure of Tim Worrell. If Robb Nen were sure to be 100% this year maybe it wouldn't be that big a deal, but then again I would have kept Worrell over Nen.
Also, this compulsive need to re-sign/acquire unspectacular players like Jeffrey Hammonds and Michael Tucker. Yes, we need players out there but can't we get something better? I know we don't have much money to play with.
And the worst move so far has been letting Rich Aurilia go. That leaves Neifi Goddamn Perez as our starting shortstop. Are you kidding me? Maybe we could have kept Richie in one spot in the order all year; that way he wouldn't have felt the need to take a drastic pay cut so that he could skip off to Seattle where he just might be able to find that one spot and stay there. And I still resent Neifi for hitting that damn home run in the last game of the 1998 season against us.
What I'm Not Sure About:Brett Tomko can eat up some innings, which will be necessary this season, but what good is that if you give up five-and-a-half runs a game?
A.J. Pierzynski will be a decent replacement for Benito Santiago, but he won't reach that right-field porch very often.
Why did we spend money on Alberto Castillo? We already have a backup catcher in Yorvit Torrealba, who I actually thought would be given the chance to start more often this season.
And this "SBC Park" bullshit. Come on. Pick a name and go with it, Puff Daddy.
Wednesday, January 7, 2004
E.K. Nation's N.F.L. Playoffs Prediction Spectacular Redux
Time for a reset. I was unhappy with my prediction that the Ravens would win 26-6. The Ravens' offense was so horrible for most of the game, they were lucky to take it to the final minute. If not for Will Demps' interception return, Baltimore might have lost by the 26-6 score I thought they'd win by.
A couple of friends neglected my blog advice and wagered on Green Bay. They asked, what the hell happened, and meanwhile I was blabbing about how I'd predicted the game would go into overtime, which it did, therefore the Packers couldn't cover, the option they had taken. Also, I was happy about the Colts' winning by 31 points, just as I had predicted, and Carolina's win was close to the 27-17 forecast.
So now I must reset: a new weekend with two different matchups than I had planned on, and two that stay the same.
AFC Divisional Playoffs: Indianapolis defeats Kansas City 28-21, and New England defeats Tennessee 35-11.
NFC Championship: St. Louis defeats Philadelphia 27-21. AFC Championship: Indianapolis defeats New England 24-21 in overtime.
SUPER BOWL XXXVIII: Still staying with my original pick--Indianapolis defeats St. Louis 34-14. Tug McGraw (1944-2004): Quick note about the recently departed Tug McGraw: Anyone who can answer the question, do you prefer grass or artifical turf, with the response, "I don't know. I've never smoked artifical turf," gets my vote. So long, Tug. You will be missed.
News Flash Of The Millennium: Jason White sucks. I think he broke Michael Flatley's record for most toe touches in one minute every time he dropped back to pass. The hell was that?
From the In Case You Were Wondering, And If You Were, Get Something More Important To Do Dept.: I do have an opinion on Pete Rose's latest admission. My thoughts will be forthcoming.
A couple of friends neglected my blog advice and wagered on Green Bay. They asked, what the hell happened, and meanwhile I was blabbing about how I'd predicted the game would go into overtime, which it did, therefore the Packers couldn't cover, the option they had taken. Also, I was happy about the Colts' winning by 31 points, just as I had predicted, and Carolina's win was close to the 27-17 forecast.
So now I must reset: a new weekend with two different matchups than I had planned on, and two that stay the same.
NFC Divisional Playoffs:St. Louis defeats Carolina 37-14, and Philadelphia defeats Green Bay 24-7.
AFC Divisional Playoffs: Indianapolis defeats Kansas City 28-21, and New England defeats Tennessee 35-11.
NFC Championship: St. Louis defeats Philadelphia 27-21. AFC Championship: Indianapolis defeats New England 24-21 in overtime.
SUPER BOWL XXXVIII: Still staying with my original pick--Indianapolis defeats St. Louis 34-14. Tug McGraw (1944-2004): Quick note about the recently departed Tug McGraw: Anyone who can answer the question, do you prefer grass or artifical turf, with the response, "I don't know. I've never smoked artifical turf," gets my vote. So long, Tug. You will be missed.
News Flash Of The Millennium: Jason White sucks. I think he broke Michael Flatley's record for most toe touches in one minute every time he dropped back to pass. The hell was that?
From the In Case You Were Wondering, And If You Were, Get Something More Important To Do Dept.: I do have an opinion on Pete Rose's latest admission. My thoughts will be forthcoming.
Friday, January 2, 2004
E.K. Nation's N.F.L. Playoffs Prediction Spectacular
Back in September, I unloaded the following NFL regular season predictions on unsuspecting readers of what was then known as E.K. Sports: I got six of the division champs right--St. Louis, Philadelphia, Green Bay, New England, Baltimore and Indianapolis--missing only Kansas City and Carolina. Plus, Denver, the team I picked to win the AFC West, got in as a wild card team. So I had an okay regular season, if, of course, you discount the fact that I had Atlanta and San Diego as wild card teams--that's the philistine pig ignorance E.K. Nation readers have come to expect, the same ignorance that leads one to pick California to win the NCAA tournament. Tampa Bay didn't make the playoffs--nobody could have seen that coming--so they can not lose to St. Louis in the NFC Championship game, and the matchup I foresaw as the AFC Championship game, Indianapolis vs. Denver, will happen this weekend instead as a wild-card round game.
Here how I'm guessing it will go down:
Here how I'm guessing it will go down:
NFC Wild-Card Round:Carolina defeats Dallas 27-17, and Seattle defeats Green Bay 27-24 in overtime. AFC Wild-Card Round: Baltimore defeats Tennessee 26-6, and Indianapolis defeats Denver 48-17.
NFC Divisional Playoffs:St. Louis defeats Carolina 37-14, and Seattle defeats Philadelphia 17-13. (Note: To me, Seattle is like Steve Martin in the opening moments of "Roxanne", explaining to Kevin Nealon and Ritch Shydner before a brawl, "I don't really know karate," making them put down their guard right before swift-kicking them both to the ground. Green Bay and Philly would be Kevin and Ritch here.) AFC Divisional Playoffs: Indianapolis defeats Kansas City 28-21, and Baltimore defeats New England 16-10.
NFC Championship:St. Louis defeats Seattle 27-3. AFC Championship: Indianapolis defeats Baltimore 42-20.
SUPER BOWL XXXVIII:Staying with my original pick--Indianapolis defeats St. Louis 34-14.
E.K. Nation's Games of the Year
Honorable mention goes to such games as Barry Bonds' double walk-off home runs against the Braves in August, and his home run in his first game back against Arizona after his dad's death (I was there, which probably makes it more meaningful to E.K. Nation). Also, the Blazers' three straight wins over Dallas in the NBA playoffs to force Game 7 before losing; Ohio State's memorable upset over Miami in the Fiesta Bowl; my first-ever trip to an NFL game, the Seahawks' 24-17 win over the Bears at Seahawks Stadium in October; and pretty much every other baseball playoff game that didn't get mentioned here.
But here are the top five sporting events of 2003 that had the most impact on me as a sports fan:
But here are the top five sporting events of 2003 that had the most impact on me as a sports fan:
5. The Steve Bartman Game (Chicago, Illinois, October 14):It was one of those rare games that had me feeling really sorry for a franchise. It's not like the Yankees or the Dodgers can lose a game like this and get sympathy from me. But for the Cubs, of all teams, to lose a game in this manner, well, that's just a big order of pathos supreme at the sports world drive-thru.
4. Niners Defeat Giants In Controversial Playoff (San Francisco, California, January 5):
Honestly, this one had me thinking, at least for a moment, that any Super Bowl win garnered by the 49ers this year would be a bit tainted because of how this one ended, an interesting no-call on what looked like a pass interference play. After all, that's how I felt about the Patriots' Super Bowl win after their benefitting from a horrible call against Oakland in the snow. But then I thought, screw that. Take it when you can get it. We all get burned.3. Avalanche Loses Twice In OT to Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 21 and Denver, Colorado, April 22):
The first loss wasn't so bad, a 3-2 overtime loss on a Richard Park goal that was necessary only because Colorado scored twice in the final few minutes to tie it at 2. Plus, there was the cushion of one game left: But in that Game 7, Andrew Brunette stunned me and all the other Avs fans with an overtime goal to end the series.
2. Giants Lose First-Round Series To Marlins (Miami, Florida, October 4, 2003):
The Giants fell behind early 5-1 and all seemed lost, but they managed to rally and tie it at 5-5. Even so, I knew they were going to lose the game, and they did, when Florida got a run-scoring single which wound up scoring a second run when the ball got away from catcher Yorvit Torrealba, and then finally when Ivan Rodriguez held onto the ball while tagging a barreling-home J.T. Snow. It was the first time ever in MLB history that a team lost a series when its potential tying run was thrown out at the plate. Even so, I felt okay about it, because they went down fighting and scrapping, and I had already suffered my worst loss ever as a sports fan the day before. I also managed to keep from throwing stuff when the last out was made. It was an exercise in self-restraint.
1. Giants Lose Heartbreaker To Marlins (Miami, Florida, October 3, 2003):
My worst loss ever as a sports fan. But it still is, by far, the Game of 2003. At one point I actually abandoned the game for a time to take a shower, while the Marlins were batting in extra innings. But I came back to watch the go-ahead run scoring in the 11th, and then suffered through Jose Cruz Jr.'s horrible misplay of a Jeff Conine fly ball in right. I still remember distinctly clapping my hands and shouting, "Yes!" when that fly ball was in flight, and then staring in wide-mouthed disbelief at the screen for a good two minutes. Then, we saw Tim Worrell make that amazing bare-handed grab of the screwball grounder to save the run and, for the moment, the game. Then we saw Worrell get two strikes on Ivan Rodriguez--"one strike away" is the dreaded phrase--and then, finally, the play that effectively ended the Giants' season, Rodriguez's line-drive single which scored two runs and a Game 3 victory for Florida. There has never been a game that riled me up, made me happy and angry and relieved and stunned all over a short span. It still hurts, but what can you do?
