If you can't believe Kurt Warner is what woke me from my blogging hibernation you're in the same boat as me.
But I had to write about him. Mainly, because I still hear people wonder if he's a hall of famer. If you ask me, it's a no brainer. Two league MVPs, one Super Bowl MVP, three Super Bowl appearances. The most prolific passer in Super Bowl history (#1, #2, and #3 on the "most passing yards in a Super Bowl" list and most career Super Bowl passing yards in history). Super Bowl appearances for two franchises. Second highest "passing yards per game" average for a career. Most games with a perfect passer rating in history. Only quarterback to throw 14,000+ yards for two teams. One of two players to ever throw 100+ touchdowns for two teams.
Even if those numbers aren't enough for you to put him in the hall of fame, think about the teams he did all of that for. Yes, every team he played for had great wide receivers, which is bound to inflate any quarterback's numbers. Forget that. Think about the franchises he did this with. The St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals.
Growing up, there were two franchises that every fan of the NFL laughed at. Yeah, the 'Aints and Browns and Bungles were legendarily bad at times, but they still had fans. Nobody cared about the Rams and Cardinals. They were awful, and never seemed good enough to compete.
Before Warner, the St. Louis Rams hadn't been to the playoffs in a decade. They hadn't won a championship since the early '50s. They hadn't been to the Super Bowl since...well they never went to the Super Bowl without Kurt Warner.
Before Warner, the Arizona Cardinals hadn't been to the playoffs in a decade. They hadn't won a championship since the late '40s. They hadn't been to a Super Bowl since...well they never went to the Super Bowl without Kurt Warner either.
All Kurt Warner ever did in the NFL was win. And he put up hall-of-fame-like numbers doing it. Best of all though, he brought relevance to two franchise that were so insignificant nobody remembers just how bad they are.
How is it still a question?
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Friday, January 29, 2010
Saturday, November 21, 2009
BB Sighting
I'm starting a rumor.
Barry Bonds was offered the newly-available baseball coach position at Arizona State. He first wants time as an assistant, so they made him hitting coach.
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Barry Bonds was offered the newly-available baseball coach position at Arizona State. He first wants time as an assistant, so they made him hitting coach.
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Friday, November 20, 2009
Buying Spree
I respect The Clash too much to not buy all of their albums.
Public service announcement.
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Public service announcement.
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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Niners Are Back
It’s funny that it took me writing a blog about the 49ers to realize that the Giants season is painfully over (baseball Giants, if your mind is fully in NFL mode). They had a good year but have fallen short of making the pla…okay, that’s enough. This is about the 49ers.
This isn’t a blog about my predictions for the 49ers season, because that would be lame. Hopefully everyone has been able to see that they have a great defense, with one of the best secondaries in the league backing up (Defensive Player of the Year) Patrick Willis. They won’t get a ton of sacks this year -- and most of the sacks they do get will be coverage sacks -- but the defense will not give up many points.
Hopefully everyone sees that the offense, while not great, is going to be “just good enough” for them to keep games close and give themselves an opportunity to win.
And everyone must know about Mike Singletary by now. What he’s done to the team in the 10 months since he was named Head Coach is extraordinary. As head coach of the 49ers he’s 7-5 (extrapolated to a single season, 9-7). Mike Nolan, the head coach he replaced midseason last year, was 18-37 (extrapolated to a single season, 5-11).
Not many people know about Jimmy Raye, the 49ers offensive coordinator, the one calling the plays on offense. He’s been around the block, having been an offensive coach in the NFL for the past 32 seasons between 10 teams, so if you haven’t heard of him you should feel a little embarrassed (or start asking yourself, Why am I reading an NFL blog when I don’t care about football?). Jimmy Raye isn’t discussed in the press as often as Singletary is, really only having been mentioned during preseason when describing his Frank Gore-leaning “run first” offense.
And the “run first” offense has seemed successful so far. They are 2-1 after three games, with giving up a last second 32-yard touchdown the only thing between them and perfection.
That “run first” offense, though, is what will keep the 49ers from being a great team this year.
I was more bored than usual today, so I took a look at the drive charts from the 49ers first three games. The offense has been pretty balanced so far, scoring 60 points and giving up 52, but it hasn’t been strictly “run first”: they’ve rushed the ball 81 times and passed it 95, a 46% run rate.
When they’re leading, they’ve run the ball 58 times and passed 53 times, a 52% run rate; when they’re tied, 11 runs and 13 passes, or a 46% run rate. They depart from “run first” when they’re trailing, running 14 times and passing 29, for a 33% run rate. But, like Mike Singletary said in his post-game interview after losing to the Vikings, “It doesn’t make sense to run the ball when you’re behind.”
After hearing that, it made me wonder, does it make sense to run the ball when you’re tied? Or when you’re winning, for that matter. I can understand late in the game, when you’re trying to run out the clock, that running has its advantages. But when your offense is on the field for the sole purpose of scoring points, why would you try to rely more heavily than usual on the run?
Looking at the numbers, the 49ers don’t rely any more heavily than usual on the run when they’re up or tied -- in most cases. Actually, when ahead in the first, second, and third quarters, they have run the ball 36 times and passed it 40 times, for a 47% run rate. Even when losing in those quarters, they have run it 8 times and passed it 11 times, for a 42% run rate.
But something happens to Jimmy Raye’s play calling when it gets to the fourth quarter. Understandably, when losing in the fourth quarter the 49ers pass often: 4 run plays, 18 pass plays, 22% run rate. Surprisingly, though, this “pass first” offense has been very effective. When losing in the fourth quarter, passing the ball 78% of the time, the 49ers have scored two touchdowns on two drives. Every time this season when the game has been on the line, Jimmy Raye has put the ball in quarterback Shaun Hill’s hands and Shaun has led the team to a touchdown (both, coincidently, have been 80 yard drives).
At a 22% run rate, it’s safe to say Jimmy Raye gets far more aggressive with his play calling when his team is losing in the fourth quarter. But when the 49ers are leading in the fourth quarter he becomes equally conservative: 22 rushing plays, 13 passing plays, a 63% run rate. Take out one long drive in Seattle, where they were leading and went on a 6 run, 11 pass drive that ended with a field goal, and Jimmy Raye has called run 89% of the time when leading in the fourth quarter. Actually, take out the Seattle game completely, where the 49ers won by two scores, and Jimmy Raye has called run 91% of the time when leading in the fourth quarter. In those games, the 49ers were leading 20-16 (4 points) against Arizona and 24-20 (4 points) against Minnesota.
Of course, if it works out, it works out. A win is a win. All that stuff. Yeah, that’s true, but what about when it doesn’t work out? That’s the problem with the 49ers offense. It’s not great; it’s going to be “just good enough” for them to keep games close.
In game one against Arizona, the 49ers’ final drive of the game consisted of three rushes, zero passes, and a punt. Game three against Minnesota, three rushes, zero passes, and a punt. Both games ended with the 49ers’ opponent driving with a chance to win the game as the clock wound down: Arizona got the ball with 0:43 left and a chance to win; Minnesota got the ball with 1:29 left and won.
This “run first” offense -- which apparently means “only run” when leading by less than one touchdown -- will kill the 49ers.
Mike Singletary constantly harps on learning from failure, to “take it, chew it, spit it out”; to “learn from it”. Hopefully he and Jimmy Raye learn from the fourth quarters against Arizona and Minnesota. Otherwise, Brett Favre’s miracle pass won’t be their last heartbreaking loss this season.
[Click To Continue Reading]
This isn’t a blog about my predictions for the 49ers season, because that would be lame. Hopefully everyone has been able to see that they have a great defense, with one of the best secondaries in the league backing up (Defensive Player of the Year) Patrick Willis. They won’t get a ton of sacks this year -- and most of the sacks they do get will be coverage sacks -- but the defense will not give up many points.
Hopefully everyone sees that the offense, while not great, is going to be “just good enough” for them to keep games close and give themselves an opportunity to win.
And everyone must know about Mike Singletary by now. What he’s done to the team in the 10 months since he was named Head Coach is extraordinary. As head coach of the 49ers he’s 7-5 (extrapolated to a single season, 9-7). Mike Nolan, the head coach he replaced midseason last year, was 18-37 (extrapolated to a single season, 5-11).
Not many people know about Jimmy Raye, the 49ers offensive coordinator, the one calling the plays on offense. He’s been around the block, having been an offensive coach in the NFL for the past 32 seasons between 10 teams, so if you haven’t heard of him you should feel a little embarrassed (or start asking yourself, Why am I reading an NFL blog when I don’t care about football?). Jimmy Raye isn’t discussed in the press as often as Singletary is, really only having been mentioned during preseason when describing his Frank Gore-leaning “run first” offense.
And the “run first” offense has seemed successful so far. They are 2-1 after three games, with giving up a last second 32-yard touchdown the only thing between them and perfection.
That “run first” offense, though, is what will keep the 49ers from being a great team this year.
I was more bored than usual today, so I took a look at the drive charts from the 49ers first three games. The offense has been pretty balanced so far, scoring 60 points and giving up 52, but it hasn’t been strictly “run first”: they’ve rushed the ball 81 times and passed it 95, a 46% run rate.
When they’re leading, they’ve run the ball 58 times and passed 53 times, a 52% run rate; when they’re tied, 11 runs and 13 passes, or a 46% run rate. They depart from “run first” when they’re trailing, running 14 times and passing 29, for a 33% run rate. But, like Mike Singletary said in his post-game interview after losing to the Vikings, “It doesn’t make sense to run the ball when you’re behind.”
After hearing that, it made me wonder, does it make sense to run the ball when you’re tied? Or when you’re winning, for that matter. I can understand late in the game, when you’re trying to run out the clock, that running has its advantages. But when your offense is on the field for the sole purpose of scoring points, why would you try to rely more heavily than usual on the run?
Looking at the numbers, the 49ers don’t rely any more heavily than usual on the run when they’re up or tied -- in most cases. Actually, when ahead in the first, second, and third quarters, they have run the ball 36 times and passed it 40 times, for a 47% run rate. Even when losing in those quarters, they have run it 8 times and passed it 11 times, for a 42% run rate.
But something happens to Jimmy Raye’s play calling when it gets to the fourth quarter. Understandably, when losing in the fourth quarter the 49ers pass often: 4 run plays, 18 pass plays, 22% run rate. Surprisingly, though, this “pass first” offense has been very effective. When losing in the fourth quarter, passing the ball 78% of the time, the 49ers have scored two touchdowns on two drives. Every time this season when the game has been on the line, Jimmy Raye has put the ball in quarterback Shaun Hill’s hands and Shaun has led the team to a touchdown (both, coincidently, have been 80 yard drives).
At a 22% run rate, it’s safe to say Jimmy Raye gets far more aggressive with his play calling when his team is losing in the fourth quarter. But when the 49ers are leading in the fourth quarter he becomes equally conservative: 22 rushing plays, 13 passing plays, a 63% run rate. Take out one long drive in Seattle, where they were leading and went on a 6 run, 11 pass drive that ended with a field goal, and Jimmy Raye has called run 89% of the time when leading in the fourth quarter. Actually, take out the Seattle game completely, where the 49ers won by two scores, and Jimmy Raye has called run 91% of the time when leading in the fourth quarter. In those games, the 49ers were leading 20-16 (4 points) against Arizona and 24-20 (4 points) against Minnesota.
Of course, if it works out, it works out. A win is a win. All that stuff. Yeah, that’s true, but what about when it doesn’t work out? That’s the problem with the 49ers offense. It’s not great; it’s going to be “just good enough” for them to keep games close.
In game one against Arizona, the 49ers’ final drive of the game consisted of three rushes, zero passes, and a punt. Game three against Minnesota, three rushes, zero passes, and a punt. Both games ended with the 49ers’ opponent driving with a chance to win the game as the clock wound down: Arizona got the ball with 0:43 left and a chance to win; Minnesota got the ball with 1:29 left and won.
This “run first” offense -- which apparently means “only run” when leading by less than one touchdown -- will kill the 49ers.
Mike Singletary constantly harps on learning from failure, to “take it, chew it, spit it out”; to “learn from it”. Hopefully he and Jimmy Raye learn from the fourth quarters against Arizona and Minnesota. Otherwise, Brett Favre’s miracle pass won’t be their last heartbreaking loss this season.
[Click To Continue Reading]
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Into The Pride
Have you seen this show, Into The Pride? Unbelievable. So good in fact, we invented a drinking game.
So grab a beer, tune to Discovery Channel Thursdays at 8:00, and enjoy.
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1) Every time Brutus, the dominant male lion, charges the lion tamer dude everybody drinks.
2) Every time the lion tamer says Cleo, the first person to stand up gives out a drink.
3) Every time he says Shizzle, the last person to say Minizzle drinks.
4) Every time he expounds a personal internal monologue that is embarrassingly external everybody drinks the entire time he speaks.
So grab a beer, tune to Discovery Channel Thursdays at 8:00, and enjoy.
[Click To Continue Reading]
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
August Giants Update
Only 56 games to play -- two-thirds of the season is already over -- and the Giants are still in the thick of things. Here are updates to my predictions, because I know you care oh so much.
A lot has happened since the last time I wrote an update. For one, the Giants made a couple of trades that destroyed one of my more anticipated predictions. While they did trade away Alderson at the deadline, as I predicted, it wasn't for anywhere near the player I was hoping. Freddy Sanchez is a decent player, but I have a feeling Alderson will become a great pitcher in the majors within the next few years. I don't think Freddy Sanchez will ever have the type of impact that Alderson is capable of having.
Getting Freddy Sanchez also changes the importance of tracking Emmanuel Burriss's progression the rest of the season, considering he isn't even on the major league roster right now. Also, the emergence of Eugenio Velez as an on-base machine and Nate Shierholtz as a legitimate extra-base hitting threat has reduced Fred Lewis to an occasional blip on the lineup radar.
Across the board my predictions look like they will fall short. But my numbers for Lincecum and Cain are holding up fairly well, and the important prediction -- the Giants' final record and potential playoff appearance -- are lining up fairly well so far. It looks to be an exciting final third for Giants fans at the least.
Randy Winn (predicted .300): .265
Aaron Rowand (predicted better than .271, 13 HR, 70 RBI): .277, 14 HR, 67 RBI
Fred Lewis (predicted .290, 20 HR, 20 SB): .256, 7 HR, 13 SB
Emmanuel Burriss (predicted .260): .238
Pablo Sandoval (predicted batting title): .327, second in the NL
Tim Lincecum (predicted 17 wins, lead the league in strikeouts): 18 wins, 1st in strikeouts
Matt Cain (predicted top 10 in strikeouts): 13th in strikeouts
Jonathan Sanchez (predicted top 10 in strikeouts): 27rd in strikeouts
Giants (88-74): 89-73
[Click To Continue Reading]
A lot has happened since the last time I wrote an update. For one, the Giants made a couple of trades that destroyed one of my more anticipated predictions. While they did trade away Alderson at the deadline, as I predicted, it wasn't for anywhere near the player I was hoping. Freddy Sanchez is a decent player, but I have a feeling Alderson will become a great pitcher in the majors within the next few years. I don't think Freddy Sanchez will ever have the type of impact that Alderson is capable of having.
Getting Freddy Sanchez also changes the importance of tracking Emmanuel Burriss's progression the rest of the season, considering he isn't even on the major league roster right now. Also, the emergence of Eugenio Velez as an on-base machine and Nate Shierholtz as a legitimate extra-base hitting threat has reduced Fred Lewis to an occasional blip on the lineup radar.
Across the board my predictions look like they will fall short. But my numbers for Lincecum and Cain are holding up fairly well, and the important prediction -- the Giants' final record and potential playoff appearance -- are lining up fairly well so far. It looks to be an exciting final third for Giants fans at the least.
Randy Winn (predicted .300): .265
Aaron Rowand (predicted better than .271, 13 HR, 70 RBI): .277, 14 HR, 67 RBI
Fred Lewis (predicted .290, 20 HR, 20 SB): .256, 7 HR, 13 SB
Emmanuel Burriss (predicted .260): .238
Pablo Sandoval (predicted batting title): .327, second in the NL
Tim Lincecum (predicted 17 wins, lead the league in strikeouts): 18 wins, 1st in strikeouts
Matt Cain (predicted top 10 in strikeouts): 13th in strikeouts
Jonathan Sanchez (predicted top 10 in strikeouts): 27rd in strikeouts
Giants (88-74): 89-73
[Click To Continue Reading]
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The Hurt Locker
When I started this blog I told myself I would never use it to post short randomness about what I did during the day, because, honestly, nobody gives a shit. But, I just watched the movie The Hurt Locker and was moved to write a post about it.
Long story short, The Hurt Locker follows a military EOS (Explosive Ordinance Squad) team around the streets of Iraq as they detonate and disarm bombs. And that's about all there is to the story, but there's a lot more to the movie.
What really stood out for me was the realism of the story. Unlike most other war movies, there was no grand mission or set goal, it was just three soldiers driving around doing their jobs. I don't know what it's like to be in Iraq, or in any war, but The Hurt Locker seemed like a more realistic depiction of what actually happens in wars today than any other movie I've seen.
The movie also got me thinking about what I will be doing in the Peace Corps, in a roundabout way. I hopefully won't be disarming any physical bombs, but the way the three soldiers went about their jobs -- doing a lot of good by saving a few people at a time -- at the end of the day they did little to change the balance of the war. They saved lives, but with every bomb they disarmed another was armed. It was a never ending loop of attempted destruction and death.
I imagine that will be very similar to my life in the Peace Corps. Hopefully I will be able to change many lives. Hell, I'll be happy if I can change two people's lives. But in the end, with all the hard work I will put into it, it will have little impact on the bigger picture, on the human condition in whatever area I end up going. I have to be realistic about that, just like the soldiers were in The Hurt Locker. They knew that more bombs would replace those they disarmed, but it didn't stop them from going out and doing their jobs. Every bomb disarmed was another life saved. Every person I will meet will be a new chance to change someone's life.
Anyways, if you have a chance, I recommend seeing The Hurt Locker. It really talked to me on a personal level, and the way it was written and directed, I doubt I'm the only one that will take a personal lesson out of it.
Plus it's directed by the chick who made Point Break. Do you need to know anything else?
[Click To Continue Reading]
Long story short, The Hurt Locker follows a military EOS (Explosive Ordinance Squad) team around the streets of Iraq as they detonate and disarm bombs. And that's about all there is to the story, but there's a lot more to the movie.
What really stood out for me was the realism of the story. Unlike most other war movies, there was no grand mission or set goal, it was just three soldiers driving around doing their jobs. I don't know what it's like to be in Iraq, or in any war, but The Hurt Locker seemed like a more realistic depiction of what actually happens in wars today than any other movie I've seen.
The movie also got me thinking about what I will be doing in the Peace Corps, in a roundabout way. I hopefully won't be disarming any physical bombs, but the way the three soldiers went about their jobs -- doing a lot of good by saving a few people at a time -- at the end of the day they did little to change the balance of the war. They saved lives, but with every bomb they disarmed another was armed. It was a never ending loop of attempted destruction and death.
I imagine that will be very similar to my life in the Peace Corps. Hopefully I will be able to change many lives. Hell, I'll be happy if I can change two people's lives. But in the end, with all the hard work I will put into it, it will have little impact on the bigger picture, on the human condition in whatever area I end up going. I have to be realistic about that, just like the soldiers were in The Hurt Locker. They knew that more bombs would replace those they disarmed, but it didn't stop them from going out and doing their jobs. Every bomb disarmed was another life saved. Every person I will meet will be a new chance to change someone's life.
Anyways, if you have a chance, I recommend seeing The Hurt Locker. It really talked to me on a personal level, and the way it was written and directed, I doubt I'm the only one that will take a personal lesson out of it.
Plus it's directed by the chick who made Point Break. Do you need to know anything else?
[Click To Continue Reading]
Friday, July 31, 2009
Peace Corps Update
The past few months have been rough on me. Going to the beach, reading, relaxing, it’s all been a real bane on my life. Not having a job really, really sucks. But all of that just made it even more exciting to find out last Friday that I was nominated for placement in the Peace Corps.
Yes, after five months of waiting, I’m back on the path towards joining the Peace Corps. I’m not officially a Peace Corps volunteer yet, but I’m far closer to being one than I was just a week ago.
The next step for me is getting medical and dental exams completed, and then I continue with the waiting. I won’t find out where I’m going until sometime between December and February, and I won’t be leaving the country until June 2010.
While I don’t know exactly where I’ll be going, I do know one thing, I’ve been nominated for sub-Saharan Africa. Yep, Africa. It probably wouldn’t be the place I would choose if I had a choice, but I’m getting really excited about the prospects of going there.
Because I don’t have any language skills -- I can barely even speak English -- there’s a limited number of places in Africa that I can go. A lot of the countries in Africa speak French as their official language and some speak Portuguese. I most likely won’t be going to any of those countries. There are a lot of countries that speak English as their official language, and after doing a little research there’s a good chance I’ll be going to one of these:
Botswana
Ethiopia
The Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Namibia
South Africa
Swaziland
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Over the next couple weeks I’m going to be doing as much research as I can on all of these countries, just so I have a better idea of what I might be getting myself into. I’ll write about what I find on this blog.
Of course, all of that research could be for naught -- my recruiter told me there’s still a 50-50 chance I won’t be going to Africa. It’s all very confusing, but Africa is the region where I most likely will be going.
I’m really excited about it all. I’m more excited for this than I’ve been for anything else in my life, as far as I can remember, and I can’t wait to be able to tell you more.
[Click To Continue Reading]
Yes, after five months of waiting, I’m back on the path towards joining the Peace Corps. I’m not officially a Peace Corps volunteer yet, but I’m far closer to being one than I was just a week ago.
The next step for me is getting medical and dental exams completed, and then I continue with the waiting. I won’t find out where I’m going until sometime between December and February, and I won’t be leaving the country until June 2010.
While I don’t know exactly where I’ll be going, I do know one thing, I’ve been nominated for sub-Saharan Africa. Yep, Africa. It probably wouldn’t be the place I would choose if I had a choice, but I’m getting really excited about the prospects of going there.
Because I don’t have any language skills -- I can barely even speak English -- there’s a limited number of places in Africa that I can go. A lot of the countries in Africa speak French as their official language and some speak Portuguese. I most likely won’t be going to any of those countries. There are a lot of countries that speak English as their official language, and after doing a little research there’s a good chance I’ll be going to one of these:
Botswana
Ethiopia
The Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Namibia
South Africa
Swaziland
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Over the next couple weeks I’m going to be doing as much research as I can on all of these countries, just so I have a better idea of what I might be getting myself into. I’ll write about what I find on this blog.
Of course, all of that research could be for naught -- my recruiter told me there’s still a 50-50 chance I won’t be going to Africa. It’s all very confusing, but Africa is the region where I most likely will be going.
I’m really excited about it all. I’m more excited for this than I’ve been for anything else in my life, as far as I can remember, and I can’t wait to be able to tell you more.
[Click To Continue Reading]
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Giants Update
People are starting to talk about them. That can mean only one thing. They're destined for an epic fail, and soon. As before, all stats are extrapolated for the entire season.
Randy Winn (predicted .300): .268
Aaron Rowand (predicted better than .271, 13 HR, 70 RBI): .297, 18 HR, 72 RBI
Fred Lewis (predicted .290, 20 HR, 20 SB): .253, 10 HR, 12 SB
Emmanuel Burriss (predicted .260): .238
Pablo Sandoval (predicted batting title): .338, third in the NL
Tim Lincecum (predicted 17 wins, lead the league in strikeouts): 17 wins, 1st in strikeouts
Matt Cain (predicted top 10 in strikeouts): 13th in strikeouts
Jonathan Sanchez (predicted top 10 in strikeouts): 33rd in strikeouts
Giants (88-74): 90-72 (Can they keep this up?)
[Click To Continue Reading]
Randy Winn (predicted .300): .268
Aaron Rowand (predicted better than .271, 13 HR, 70 RBI): .297, 18 HR, 72 RBI
Fred Lewis (predicted .290, 20 HR, 20 SB): .253, 10 HR, 12 SB
Emmanuel Burriss (predicted .260): .238
Pablo Sandoval (predicted batting title): .338, third in the NL
Tim Lincecum (predicted 17 wins, lead the league in strikeouts): 17 wins, 1st in strikeouts
Matt Cain (predicted top 10 in strikeouts): 13th in strikeouts
Jonathan Sanchez (predicted top 10 in strikeouts): 33rd in strikeouts
Giants (88-74): 90-72 (Can they keep this up?)
[Click To Continue Reading]
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Great Debate
I don’t know if you’re like me, but if you are, you love to debate. Debating is one of the greatest ways to: A) waste hours spouting nonsense, B) yell as loudly as possible at someone and not have them walk away in disgust, and C) get so pissed off at some idiot that you never talk to them again (until the next morning, of course, when you’re back being best friends).
I can understand why there are people out there that don’t see the benefit of debating when those outcomes are bound to arise. I understand, but I don’t understand in a way that will ever stop me from debating.
And I will debate anything. Who cares if I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia and know almost nothing about the Middle East. I’ll debate until the end of the Earth that they are a bigger threat to the United States than Iraq ever was. As long as it will lead to an interesting and informative debate, I don’t care what we’re talking about; I’ll always have an opinion worth arguing -- well, worth arguing in my own mind at least.
For example, there are few people that are further from an expert in rap as I. I’ve never attempted to rap -- I’ve never even attempted to beat box. I’m a 6’3” awkward-ass white guy. I’m like the Dave Chappelle of dancing: whenever I get on the stage everyone laughs their asses off, and when too many people start watching I run off to a dark corner never to be seen again. One time I accidently drove through Watts and came out with tears streaming down my face and a car that smelled like urine for three months. True story.
But that doesn’t mean I won’t have an argument over who the top five rappers of all time are. Actually, this is the most argued debate I have had over the past year or two. Every single time I get drunk with Philly Phan Jim we argue who the best rappers of all time are. Every time. (Oh, and for the record, he is not a rapper but I’d like to believe “Philly Phan Jim” would be his stage name if he were.) My list never changes, his list seems to change every day, but we continuously argue the shit out of that debate even though, when it comes right down to it, neither of us know what the hell we’re talking about.
Just to prove that I do know what the hell I’m talking about, here’s my list:
The problem with 2Pac is I’ve heard his music so often it’s starting to go stale, which puts 2Pac on the same level as The Beatles in my book. And I don’t care who laughs at that statement. 2Pac and The Beatles are the only two artists/bands that I love so much I’m starting to hate. It’s hard to find a song 2Pac’s made that isn’t good, and memories of great times come to mind with almost all of them. If you don’t own any 2Pac albums I feel sorry for you. Go out and buy All Eyez On Me and Greatest Hits to start.
2) Notorious BIG
Another rapper with a seemingly infinite number of good songs, it was mind boggling to learn that he was only alive long enough to see one of his albums released (a fact I didn’t realize until watching Notorious -- which is a good, not great, movie that everyone who cares about music should watch). Ready To Die and Life After Death are must owns for everyone.
3) Nas
This pick kills Philly Phan. You see, he’s a Jay-Z fan. I think Jay-Z is the Derrick Jeter of rap: everyone loves him and calls him the greatest when in reality he’s above average and found himself in a perfect situation. With Derrick Jeter, it was being the most outgoing, loveable player on the Yankees during the dynasty years. With Jay-Z it was being the most outgoing, loveable rapper after the coastal rap wars. What that has to do with Nas, I don’t know, but everyone seems to hate on Nas simply because he isn’t Jay-Z. Yeah, Jay-Z has made more money, but Nas has more hall-of-fame worthy songs. Listen to Illmatic and Stillmatic and you’ll know what I mean.
4) Andre 3000
Some people like Big Boi better, but it’s obvious Andre 3000 is the genius in Outkast. Just listen to any of their albums and hear the words Andre says. He’s brilliant. Big Boi has a more traditional flow, but there’s just something about Andre that makes him great. I don’t really know what it is. And if you haven’t heard the soundtrack to the movie Idlewild, buy it now. And listen to Speakerboxxx/The Love Below to hear the brilliance of Andre without Big Boi around.
5) Method Man
Being the best rapper in one of the best rap groups of all time should be enough to put him on this list, but add Tical and Blackout and it puts him over the top. Blackout is one of the best rap albums ever made, so if you don’t own it you should buy it. I still haven’t heard Blackout 2, but I can’t wait. I know it’s going to be great.
Don’t agree with me? Let’s start a debate. Leave a comment.
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I can understand why there are people out there that don’t see the benefit of debating when those outcomes are bound to arise. I understand, but I don’t understand in a way that will ever stop me from debating.
And I will debate anything. Who cares if I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia and know almost nothing about the Middle East. I’ll debate until the end of the Earth that they are a bigger threat to the United States than Iraq ever was. As long as it will lead to an interesting and informative debate, I don’t care what we’re talking about; I’ll always have an opinion worth arguing -- well, worth arguing in my own mind at least.
For example, there are few people that are further from an expert in rap as I. I’ve never attempted to rap -- I’ve never even attempted to beat box. I’m a 6’3” awkward-ass white guy. I’m like the Dave Chappelle of dancing: whenever I get on the stage everyone laughs their asses off, and when too many people start watching I run off to a dark corner never to be seen again. One time I accidently drove through Watts and came out with tears streaming down my face and a car that smelled like urine for three months. True story.
But that doesn’t mean I won’t have an argument over who the top five rappers of all time are. Actually, this is the most argued debate I have had over the past year or two. Every single time I get drunk with Philly Phan Jim we argue who the best rappers of all time are. Every time. (Oh, and for the record, he is not a rapper but I’d like to believe “Philly Phan Jim” would be his stage name if he were.) My list never changes, his list seems to change every day, but we continuously argue the shit out of that debate even though, when it comes right down to it, neither of us know what the hell we’re talking about.
Just to prove that I do know what the hell I’m talking about, here’s my list:
1) 2Pac
The problem with 2Pac is I’ve heard his music so often it’s starting to go stale, which puts 2Pac on the same level as The Beatles in my book. And I don’t care who laughs at that statement. 2Pac and The Beatles are the only two artists/bands that I love so much I’m starting to hate. It’s hard to find a song 2Pac’s made that isn’t good, and memories of great times come to mind with almost all of them. If you don’t own any 2Pac albums I feel sorry for you. Go out and buy All Eyez On Me and Greatest Hits to start.
2) Notorious BIG
Another rapper with a seemingly infinite number of good songs, it was mind boggling to learn that he was only alive long enough to see one of his albums released (a fact I didn’t realize until watching Notorious -- which is a good, not great, movie that everyone who cares about music should watch). Ready To Die and Life After Death are must owns for everyone.
3) Nas
This pick kills Philly Phan. You see, he’s a Jay-Z fan. I think Jay-Z is the Derrick Jeter of rap: everyone loves him and calls him the greatest when in reality he’s above average and found himself in a perfect situation. With Derrick Jeter, it was being the most outgoing, loveable player on the Yankees during the dynasty years. With Jay-Z it was being the most outgoing, loveable rapper after the coastal rap wars. What that has to do with Nas, I don’t know, but everyone seems to hate on Nas simply because he isn’t Jay-Z. Yeah, Jay-Z has made more money, but Nas has more hall-of-fame worthy songs. Listen to Illmatic and Stillmatic and you’ll know what I mean.
4) Andre 3000
Some people like Big Boi better, but it’s obvious Andre 3000 is the genius in Outkast. Just listen to any of their albums and hear the words Andre says. He’s brilliant. Big Boi has a more traditional flow, but there’s just something about Andre that makes him great. I don’t really know what it is. And if you haven’t heard the soundtrack to the movie Idlewild, buy it now. And listen to Speakerboxxx/The Love Below to hear the brilliance of Andre without Big Boi around.
5) Method Man
Being the best rapper in one of the best rap groups of all time should be enough to put him on this list, but add Tical and Blackout and it puts him over the top. Blackout is one of the best rap albums ever made, so if you don’t own it you should buy it. I still haven’t heard Blackout 2, but I can’t wait. I know it’s going to be great.
Don’t agree with me? Let’s start a debate. Leave a comment.
[Click To Continue Reading]
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