In Defense Of Tim Tebow

So, I read an article on Yahoo! Sports today about Tim Tebow's days possibly being numbered with the New England Patriots, and if they got rid of him, he may not get picked up by another team.  This annoys me greatly.

Now, before we go any further, I would like to put this right out there on Front Street: I am unapologetically a fan of the Florida Gators, and have been since I was 11 years old.  I wanted to go there desperately, but when I didn't get in, it did not waive my fandom.  So I didn't have the grades; I'm not going to hate on them because I am not as smart as I should be.  (This is no knock on the University of South Florida, where I would end up for my freshman year.  They are an amazing institution that gave me a chance, and I am forever grateful to them.)  But this is SO much more than just being a fan of a Gator alumnus.  Understand that this entry is not titled "IN Defense of Aaron Hernandez".  We will deal with that briefly in a moment.

Now that we have established THAT: I do not understand the lack of perceived logic in NFL franchises.  I will be the first to admit that when Denver drafted the two time National Champion and Heisman Trophy winner in the first round, I was a bit shocked.  I was one of those that wondered if his style of play would translate to the NFL (Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Mark Sanchez, Gino Toretta).  I admired the moxy and faith in the Mile High City's choice, and I looked forward to seeing him play.

We live in a time where we clamor for "quality guys" to be role models for our children (sorry, Mr. Barkley... your commercial in the '90s about "I am not a role model" didn't hold water then, and it still holds no water... if you are in the spotlight, it comes with the territory and you have no choice), and then here comes a guy who is not only a quality kid (he spent his final year in college's Spring Break with his missionary parents in a third world country helping out), but he understands the spotlight and takes time with every charity that he can.

He helped get the Broncos to the playoffs, and even won a playoff game.  And then, the downward spiral hit Mach Speed.

He would get traded to the New York Jets, where he got LIMITED playing time behind Mark "Mr. Butt Fumble" Sanchez (look it up, people).  They cut him loose after last season, when he would be picked up six weeks later by the Patriots.  In the third Pre-Season Game, where they got WAXED by Detroit 40-9, Tebow didn't see a down.  I am not saying that he should play more than backup Ryan Mallett, but I am asking to give him a shot.

The argument has also been put forth about him being put out at fullback or tight end, but I ask the question: Has anybody approached this with HIM that is not in the press?  I think betting against him being open to it would be losing money, although I am also sure that if he had his preference, he would rather be throwing the ball.  He just seems like the type of kid, as he put it would "go wherever they tell to".

I also wonder if the Patriots had foresight just a little too late by bringing him in.  My first thought when it was announced that he was now reunited with one of his favorite teammates from his days at the University of Florida, Aaron Hernandez.  With Hernandez's behavior starting to teeter on unstable, my thought was that they brought Tebow in to play babysitter.  Maybe had they been on the closer side of that six weeks, Tim could have spent some more time with Aaron.  (By the same token... Tebow's college roommate?  Riley Cooper.)

My hope is that someone (even if it is ESPN's College Gameday) will get a hold of him and keep him on our televisions for years to come in some capacity.  We NEED quality kids like him for our children to look up to.  Whether you agree with his convictions of faith or not, THIS is what professionalism is.  So stop tearing him down.

Rob

Everything You Need To Know About The Alamo Drafthouse

OK, so I am a little bit late on getting this blog entry done (I have a job and stuff, people), but Chad and I were invited to the press event for the soon-to-open Alamo Drafthouse that is in Richardson, Texas last weekend, and I thought I would share some of our findings with you all:

- This is a theater chain that handles first-run, retro, and independent films.

- It has a built-in pub called the Glass Half Full Pub, which can seat up to 100 people.  Outside, it has a neon that fills up a mug of beer, old school style.

- There will be seven auditoriums, seating anywhere from 45 to 247 (the largest auditorium in the 15 locations they have opened so far, which also has a 60-foot wall-to-wall screen).  Each auditorium features 4K digital projectors, and one of the auditoriums has 35mm capability as well, so if you are an old school film nut, this is the joint for you... ON MULTIPLE LEVELS!!!!!

- Each auditorium has leather seats with retractable arms.  The location also features a 3,000 square foot kitchen with a full-service menu, where everything is made by hand from scratch every day.  There is also a bar within the kitchen that mirrors the one in the Glass Half Full Pub, so the bartender outside will not have to handle the drinks for the theaters.  This makes things more efficient all around.

- The servers are trained basically to be ninjas.  The goal of the Alamo is an "unobtrusive movie watching experience".  The way this is achieved is with ample space between the table and where the server moves, so as not to block the view of the moviegoer.  There is also no light you turn on for service or flashlight to see what is going on.  You simply write what you need on a  piece of paper and clip it to the table.  The server will come and grab it from you and handle business from there.

- Do you like to run your yap or let everybody that is not there know where you are via your phone?  Then take it up the street, Jack.  The Alamo has a STRICT no talking/no texting policy.  You get one warning, and after that it's, "Hit the bricks, Junior!"  Also, any child under the age of 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult, and if you have a baby, you can only see films on the designated Baby Day, which is for shows before 2 PM on Tuesday.

- Hate that half-hour of advertisements you have to sit through before the trailers?  They have that covered as well.  There is a 30-minute pre-show that is custom made to work with the film you are seeing.  Trust me: from what I have been told by some pretty well-versed people in the Alamo Drafthouse culture, you WANT to get there early.

- Seating is 100% reserved, so you don't have to fight with someone's Aunt Brunhilde for a particular seat.  It's already there.

Now, if that wasn't cool enough, it's about to get REAL.

- Each Alamo has its own theme.  The theme for the Richardson location will be technology gone wrong via robots.  To go along with this theme, for the Alamo's soft opening (August 6th - 8th), there will be the following films shown for an admission price of $2.00 and half-price food:

     - Robocop

     - The Iron Giant

     - Weird Science

     - The Transformers Movie (1986... where "You Got The Touch" CAME FROM)

     - Short Circuit

     - *batteries not included

     - Jimmy Neutron

- The Grand Opening will be August 9th.

- From time to time, there will be special events like:

    - Sing-A-Longs: where there is a music theme and everyone sings along.  Think of it as a cross between karaoke and group therapy.

     - Quote-A-Longs: where the movie plays with its famous quotes for you to work with.  It's one of the only times you CAN talk during the film.

  - Afternoon Tea: have you ever thought, "This Ivory-Merchant film could use some atmosphere?"  Watch a movie, have tea and crumpets (seriously... that's a thing) during these screenings

     - Sports Events?  Chad and I got to spend some time with the COO Bill DiGaetano, who told us that yes, they do major sports events.  For instance, during the last World Cup, they were open 24 HOURS A DAY to get all of the games.  Chad's wife, Jules (who is of British descent) was VERY interested.

So, what happens before then?  So glad you asked:

     - In the Saturday nights leading up to the opening, you can watch a movie in their parking lot.  Last Saturday night, they screened "Dazed And Confused," with a muscle car show, pinball arcade, and DJ playing '70s tunes.  This week, it's "The Lost Boys," and next Saturday night, it is the greatness of "The Goonies"!

     - And mark your calendar for July 25th, because after they have their advance screening of "At World's End" WITH SIMON PEGG, EDGAR WRIGHT, AND NICK FROST, they will show the other two parts of the "Blood & Ice Cream Trilogy" in the parking lot, consisting of "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz".

In summation, it's simple kids: CINEPHILES, YOUR BOAT HAS COME IN!!!!  We will be definitely making repeat trips there for movies and more!

Podcasting: Another Reason I Love Living In This Age

I know.  I have missed two weeks on "The Soundtrack of My Life".  We will get back on track soon, I promise.  Something else has kind of taken my focus tonight, and I thought this would be a good place to get it out there creatively.

For those of you that have known me, even for a little while, what I am about to say will not shock you: I have been deeply rooted in music and audio broadcasting since I was VERY young.  Some would argue that I am borderline obsessed with it.  (Not arguing with that.)  Even when I wasn't old enough to grasp what doing radio was, I was doing voices for friends.  Being smaller than everybody else (seriously, I was... I know for those of you that know me in this phase of my life, this is hard to believe), I had to find something that would make up for my utter lack of athletic prowess or knowledge of handyman-type things.  I found that this was my niche, and I kind of kept up with it as time went on.  I was always fascinated by radio, and thought being a DJ on the radio would be the greatest thing EVER.

When I was a junior in high school, and had amassed quite a collection of tapes, I would make mix tapes for friends (and maybe for a lady or two...), and kind of became known on certain class trips as the guy to bring the music.  It really gave me kind of a rush to find that place where you could entertain people and liven up a bus trip simply with the music you played instead of trying to get everyone to agree on a radio station that would play three songs and then do ten minutes of commercials.  (Some of those memories have fueled the project I am doing here this year.  I can hear certain songs that take me to SPECIFIC PLACES AND TIMES, and even smells in some cases.  Like The Fresh Prince said, "... how a smell from a girl can strike up nostalgia...".)

I got my one and only shot at radio when I was in college, when in my Freshman Spring Semester, I got a three hour shift on Friday mornings on the USF Campus "Radio Station" WBUL.  I put that in quotes because for all intents and purposes, we could claim to be a radio station.  However, to hear us, you had to tune your TELEVISION to Channel 30, where you would be treated to some "hi-res" graphics that I think came from a Commodore 64 or something of its ilk, with our audio.  (Editor's Note: I was supposed to play alternative music.  I played whatever I was feeling at that time.  Even then, I wasn't going to let The Man dictate my playlist.  :-) )  My next door neighbor in the dorm, Matt Landeed (who is still a friend to this day) was my co-host, and it was AMAZING to do.  Sure, nobody listened, but the point was: WE WERE ON THE AIR.  I taped every show to cassette (which I foolishly got rid of before I left Florida), and I was incredibly proud of it.

As a result of that, I kept on making mix tapes and playing music at parties for friends, and the occasional wedding.  Before I knew it, I actually had another DJ job for a place some of you might remember....

Incredible Universe.

For the uninformed, imagine an electronics store that was infused with a roller rink.  Each department had it's own mall store type area, there was a full-blown karaoke studio that recorded audio AND video (so for those of you that don't know, now you know how THAT started in 1994), and an awesome multimedia open-aired DJ mini-studio where I could control every television and speaker in the building.  It was truly me in my element.  I was even able to transfer to a store in Dallas when I moved from South Florida, and even changed the game up a bit here.  My first day, the first song that I played was "Thank You" by Boyz II Men.  I will never forget that because my phone started ringing off the hook.  What I didn't know was that the head cheese of that store would not let any other DJ play anything but '50s and '60s music.  The REALLY odd thing was that in the about a year and a half that I was there, he never told ME that.  I guess he just trusted me.  What a great feeling THAT was.  

It was about that time when my mobile DJ career really started to take off, doing weddings, birthday parties, Halloween stores (did that, and had a lot of fun), and other things of its ilk.  This would end up leading to the karaoke career that would come next, and the DJ career that would take me up until 2010. All of this is leading to this...

About four years ago, everything changed.

I was sitting around talking to one of my closest friends, Chad Womack, and he introduced me to this thing called a "podcast".  I already was on my third mp3 player (my first was an old lunky 40GB Creative, then an 80GB iPod, and my current 160GB), and didn't really have an interest in talk radio on my iPod.  I was more interested in having my entire collection in something the size of a credit card and the thickness of a pocket Bible.  He kept on me and met quite a bit of resistance.  And then, he invoked the two words that got my attention:

Kevin Smith.

At this point, he was just getting the original Smodcast off of the ground (even before the Smodcastle), so I thought, "I will try this, and if I don't like it, I can bail."  After one episode, I was hooked and listened every week.  At one point, I was listening and subscribing to more podcasts than I could make time to listen to, and still could not get enough.  Sure, I have over 33,000 tracks I could listen to, but why, when I could listen to people talk about stuff that I cared about, like pop culture and geek stuff?

And then, in the immortal quote from "Despicable Me,"... Light Bulb.

I already had the equipment sans a RCA to USB converter to record on my computer, so I used what I had to form a makeshift studio in my office at the house, just to see if I could actually do this.  Chad had been putting a bug in my brain for months to try it, and I was really gunshy.  Who would listen?  Why would they care what I think?  What could I talk about that we don't all talk about sitting around hanging out?

His answer?  "Just do it.  Stop thinking about it."

Fast forward to 2013.  The Clubhouse Podcast has almost completed it's third full season (and we don't take a hiatus of more than one week at a time, kids).  Sure, we don't have Kevin Smith numbers, but we do have a lot of fun.  The Fox & Hound live shows have grown to a level that none of us knew were possible.  We are on iTunes, which is just kinda cool to be able to say, and some friends of the show have been kind enough to give us some great reviews.  And the total genius of it is that anyone can be a "radio star" now, so the true variety instead of flooding the marketplace, makes it that much more awesome.  There is a show for anything that you can think of (and even some stuff that you haven't).  Now granted, the "quality" can vary whether you speak of production or content, but the true students of the form use all forms to help make their specific craft even better.

Would I like it if you would indulge me and listen in and/or subscribe to the show on iTunes?  Of course.  Check us out at least once live each Sunday night at 7PM Eastern/4PM Pacific or subscribe and check it out wherever you go.  But, just knowing that I live in the age where I can feed a dream that doesn't require having millions of dollars and massive numbers of employees to just put on at all is enough for me.  The show has evolved.  It will continue to evolve.  Each and every listener, host (Cody started co-hosting with me which I am thankful for... and Chad has stepped in and stepped up), guest host (there are WAY too many of you to list... you know who you are), contributing member (Big Don from RaceTalk 39X was HUGE here getting it started), and those of you that have helped this word-of-mouth campaign stay alive (The Empire itself), makes this thing more and more fun with each episode.

Chad: I can't thank you enough for pushing me to this.  It has affected me more than you will ever realize on multiple levels.  You have been 100% committed to this thing from the get-go, unwavering when I waffled, understanding when I have been enigmatic. No matter where this thing goes, all of us can say that we did it our way, in every incarnation of the show, even when the only way to hear it was to go to the Library of Congress website.  And trust me, the dream is JUST.  GETTING.  STARTED.  The dream is bigger than anyone realizes.  I got plans, kids.  It's just a means of how we're going to get there.  And all of you play a part in it.  Other facets of my life play a part in it.  The Empire one day will be exactly that.

And for those of you toying with doing your own?  Just do it.  Stop thinking about it.

Rob

This Is A Life? Chapter 10: The World Changes

In 1982, my fourth grade year began.  My teacher's name was Mr. Fraebel, and his wife was from France. The cool part about that was that he took it upon himself to teach his classes each year a bit of French, and we would begin and end each day in brief French conversation.  He was also a very innovative soul, and kept us involved in the school as a whole.  He actually had us do our own class choir, and we performed a couple of times during the school lunch period.  We called ourselves "Fame" and I even made the flyer for it by tracing the logo off of the soundtrack record that I had.  (I didn't understand copyright infringement back then.  Cut me some slack.  :-) )  The reason that I picked the video I picked for this is two-fold:  1 - This album was released and absolutely took the world by STORM, and 2 - During a "Fame" performance, we played this song, and at one point, Mr. Fraebel stuck the mic clear up in my grill, and I was singing to the entire lunch room.  So, I guess you could say that this was truly my first performance in front of my peers.

We'll do it all again Monday!

Rob

This Is A Life? Chapter 9: Evolution Continues...

So, we reach the third grade in the fall of 1981, and my second grade teacher would also become my third grade teacher.  I was really starting to understand at this point what "clicks" were, as there were certain students that were in my class that were separating themselves from me, as they felt that their athletic prowess or "popularity" were different from others of us.  Sure, it stung a little bit, but I continued on with my development within reading comprehension and wanting to help out.  The song for this particular entry is not only a favorite of mine from those days, but I also had another version of this song on an album called "Chipmunk Rock".  That's right, I have this ON VINYL done by Alvin, Simon, and Theodore.  Be jealous.

See you Friday!

Rob

This Is A Life?: Chapter 8: The New Decade Dawns

As the '80s started, so did my 2nd grade year of elementary school.  This was the point where the geek in me really started to manifest, as I was made "A/V Guy" of the class.  That pretty much meant that I was responsible for wheeling the projector in from the library on Movie Day, making sure that the Listening Station was always working, threading film strips (kids, ask your parents about those) and synching them up with the tape playing as they went, etc.  My second grade teacher, Mrs. Griffin, took me under her wing and helped me feel more comfortable in my self by fostering the talents that were starting to come to the surface.  She was an IMMENSE influence on me, and probably the first non-family to be a true mentor to me.  My guidance counselor, Mr. Boyle, was the same way.

This time in my life was also when Mom would share with me the GREATNESS of James Bond.  This film came out that same year, and it would be the first time that I would publicly screw up a lyric, as I thought "Maybe I'm an open book" was "Maybe I'm a lonely goat".  Don't ask; I was 7.  Cut me some slack here.  Trivia: this was also the first, and only to this day, theme played over the opening credits of a James Bond film that had it's artist in said opening credits "performing" the song.

Have a great weekend, friends!  We will do this all again Monday!

Rob

This Is A Life? Chapter 7: First Grade

I entered the first grade in the fall of 1979.  As the world was about to be turned on its head with what could be considered one of the most progressive decades in the history of the United States, I was starting to become aware more and more of my surroundings and that maybe I was a bit of a smart cookie.  My reading level was three years ahead of my classmates, and I was starting to come to the awareness of my geekiness.  My first grade teacher was Ms. Heiney (and yes, it is pronounced EXACTLY how you think it is), and she was very good at her job.  I remember her constantly keeping our attention with her lesson plans and fostering our creativity.  Kickball was THE thing to do at this point, and my love for basketball was starting here as well.  When I think of those days, this song always comes to mind:

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  See you Friday!

Rob

This Is A Life? Chapter 6: The Journey Heads South in 1978

So, right around my fifth birthday, Mom packed us up and moved us to South Florida.  I spent a very short time with my grandparents in Tampa, but we wound up in the Fort Lauderdale area in a suburb named Lauderhill.  Looking back, those years were incredibly important in shaping whom I am now, especially from a "learning tolerance before I could learn intolerance" standpoint.  We weren't rich by any stretch of the imagination, and my mom worked very hard as a woman in the computer industry.  So, many could consider where we lived in those days to be "the hood".  That didn't really matter to me.  I had friends that I played outside with and rode bikes with, and that was all that really mattered.  Not the color of their skin or the place they came from.  They were my friends, plain and simple.

Before we settled in the area where my elementary school would be (Royal Palm Elementary, represent!), we spent some time living in a hotel called the Oakland Park hotel.  I went to a day care close to there for a while, and every time I hear this song, it makes me think of those times.  Seemed like it played every day when I ate breakfast.

See you Monday!

Rob

This Is A Life? Chpater 5: May 25th, 1977

If you want to truly pick the first day that shaped who I would be to this day, this would be it.  For the uninitiated, this was the day that "Star Wars" was released.  (For those of you too young, this is the original, even though it is listed as "Episode IV: A New Hope"... don't try to figure it out; your brain will explode.)  I remember the theater my mom took me to in Iowa to see it.

You see, there was a time when theaters only showed one movie because there was only one auditorium in the building.  There was only one concession stand, which was located in the lobby.  The auditorium itself was very plush and even had a balcony.  I remember the lobby of the theater being adorned with what are known as "lobby cards," which were letter-sized pieces of card stock which featured stills from the film that was being featured on that particular day.

The time that followed when the lights went down would activate and never let go an overactive imagination that carries me to this day.  If you know ANYTHING about me, you know how much of a "Star Wars" fan that I am.  I have them on just about every format (VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray).  Goodness, I even have the LaserDisc trilogy THX copies, which is the ONLY way you can get the original versions of the films digitally.  Yeah, I'm that geeky.  Not scared of it.

I have probably seen the films over fifty times each.  (The prequel trilogy is different; probably ten times a piece there.  Less time to do it.

More coming Friday!

Rob

This Is A Life? Chapter 4: Songs From The Madre, Part 4

The final part of this particular era of my life comes this song, which is probably the one that I most associate with my early life in Iowa.  Mom could play a heck of a guitar, and I often wonder what stopped her from playing.

I promise, the stories will get more interesting from here.

Rob

This Is A Life? Chapter 3: Songs From The Madre, Part 2

We are still in my early childhood here while still in Iowa in this series.  I actually remember quite a bit of those years, including doing the requisite bath in the sink (I even remember "Hee-Haw" being on the small black & white TV that we had in the place back then.

One year for Christmas, my mom even made me a denim jumpsuit and gave me a little Mickey Mouse guitar that had a wind up music box type thing inside of it.  (It was the '70s; leave me alone.)

Some of my best memories of the little apartment we had were those times of singing with Mom while she played acoustic guitar.  This is another one of those that I distinctly put in that time frame, and if you don't know Croce, you'd better get educated.  Dude was AWESOME.

I promise these will get more in-depth as time goes on.  No pun intended.

Rob

This Is A Life? Chapter 2: Songs From The Madre, Part 1

The next couple of entries in this journey are a couple of songs that are distinctly attached to my early childhood.  My mom was a music major for a bit in college (go figure, right?), and she could play the heck out of a guitar.  There was a repertoire of songs that she would sing to me, but a couple of them really stood out.  This entry's selection is one of them:

To this day, when I hear this song, I think of the guitar my mom used to play that she stripped and stained herself.  At one point, she also had a 12-string that she played, and I still love the sound of a well-played 12-string guitar.  For a bit, this song was even her ring tone on my phone when she would call.

The other part of this chapter comes Monday, so check back!

Rob

This Is A Life? Chapter 1: July 2nd, 1973

This is where we start the new series that should take us through the year of 2013.  I turn 40 this year, and I thought it might be fun to take a couple of entries a week and use the vast knowledge of both a career in the DJ arena and also the vast knowledge of my own life and combine them and tell the story of my life via music.  Kind of a "Soundtrack Of My Life" thing.

Where else to begin but the beginning?

I was born on July 2nd, 1973 in Greenfield, Iowa.  I am told that it was around 8:00 in the evening to Connie Ervin and Bob Ervin.  I can't personally tell you much more than that.  I mean, sure I was there, but I don't remember much.  From what I have gathered, I got out of the hospital before Mom did, and at a certain point, a makeshift bed was made for me out of a drawer in the dresser of the hotel my extended family was staying in.  I am named after both of my grandfathers (maternal and paternal, respectively), so no real exotic story there.

For the song that will go with this entry, I have decided to go with what was the #1 song in the country on that day.  I give you: Billy Preston's "Will It Go 'Round In Circles".

We will do this each and every Monday and Friday for the remainder of this year.  I can't wait to share some of the stories of my existence with all of you, so make sure you keep reading!  (It's good for my self esteem.  :-) )

Rob

My Next Thirty (Eight) Years

So, I had a birthday this past weekend.  I have now completed 38 laps around the sun.  The same day was my 20 Year High School Reunion.  As I have been driving around my home area of Southeast Florida for the last week, it has got me to thinking:  As I turn 38, what knowledge have I gained?  As I have now been out of high school since the summer that "Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves" was released, what can I pass on to future generations that I have learned in this life? So, I came up with this list, which I will give one item for each year:

1. Try not to wash a thumb drive.  It can give you a panic attack.  (This actually happened to me today.)

2. Don't go to bed angry.  You won't fall asleep, which will in turn make you angrier.

3. Your significant other is not a mind reader.  No matter how well they may know you, it is still imparative to let them know if something is on your mind.  I have always said, "If YOU don't tell me, I don't know."

4. Leave as little open to interpretation as possible.  It will keep you out of SO many awkward situation.  And as fun as it is to give the "awkward turtle" hand signal, it's more fun to not do that.

5. HUGS.  ARE.  AWESOME.  It's as simple as that.

6. Working with teenagers will teach you more about yourself than you will ever teach them, by a country mile.

7. Next time you have popcorn, cut up an apple and mix it in there.  The taste result is nothing short of genius.

8. There will come a day when you WILL say the same things about kids that your parents said about you when you were a kid.  It's the circle of life; get used to it.

9. Learn how to love unapologetically.  It's AMAZING what it will do for you on multiple levels.

10. Like my mother always told me, "Try as many things as you can.  As long as it doesn't hurt you or anyone else, it's OK." (I would like to add, "and within the law". Just sayin'.)

11. Two words: Courtesy.  Flush.  Learn it.  Love it.  Live it.

12. There is an entire world outside your door.  Explore it every once in a while.

13. Your beliefs are your beliefs.  That doesn't necessarily make them right or wrong; they're just yours.  And there's nothing wrong with that.

14. TiVo/DVR's are one of man's greatest inventions.  So are iPods, the wheel, fire, and Wi-Fi.

15. Bullying ANYONE is just plain wrong.

16. Only ask questions that you actually want the answers to.  Because you WILL get them.

17. I should have done this list when I was younger.  38 things is a LOT.

18. Marriage is one of the few things that, no matter what anybody tells you, people's advice should be taken very lightly.  It's like snowflakes: each one is different.  What works for "everybody else" may not work for you.

19. Pay attention.  To EVERYTHING.  Details make all the difference.

20. It doesn't matter if it's cliche or not:  Send the women in your life flowers every once in a while.

21. Just because you are not a poet or a musician, you can still be profound.  Just speak from what you feel, and the rest will take care of itself.

22. Turn signals are a WONDERFUL thing.

23. Making someone laugh and/or smile is one of the most awesome feelings in the world.

24. ALWAYS have a "Plan B".

25. The original "Looney Tunes" cartoons will hold up FOREVER.

26. Be passionate about SOMETHING.

27. Sometimes, activism is simply doing what you believe in without having to tell anyone about it.

28. Everyone is the same.  No one is better than anyone else.  We all came into this world the same way, and the end result is the same for everyone.

29. Own and embrace your birthday and age. Trust me: it makes getting there a WHOLE lot easier.

30. If you are talking, more often than not, you are not listening.

31. MTV, VH-1, BET, and CMT will not show videos all day EVER AGAIN.

32. Your family is SO much more than the people that you are related to.

33. Rollercoasters are AWESOME.

34. It's OK to apologize.  There is no statute of limitations on doing so.

35. There is a difference between debate and argument, but in both cases, it's alright to admit when you are wrong.  And it is also alright to change your point of view from time to time.

36. Learn about other cultures by actually visiting them.  The Internet and TV can only do SO much.  Traveling makes memories that last a lifetime.

37. Michael W. Smith said it right: Friends are friends forever.  No matter how far they are from you geographically, never let them go in your heart, in your prayers, and in your thoughts.  The right ones are there no matter what.

38.  And this could be the most important one of all: Learn how to say "I love you" to each and every person you interact with socially.  ESPECIALLY IF YOU MEAN IT.  Whether it is a friend, a family member, a person you go to church with, or even someone you just think needs to hear it.  "Love your neighbor as yourself" isn't just a quote from the Bible; it's a lifestyle for all of us.  It will amaze you just how good it will make you feel.

Well, it's late enough, my dear reader.  I hope this entry finds you well, and if you are not, I hope this entry picked you up a little.  And know that I love you.

BB

An Open Letter To Sports Fanatics

(Remember that this does not reflect each and every one of you.  You will know if this applies to you.)

Dear Sports Fan(atic):

I see a lot of things going around these last few years that disturb me.  Things that disturb me on a level that hurts me to my very core.  Sure, things like Global Warming or the lack of peace overseas, or just Kim Jong Il in general qualify under this category.  But there is this one thing that makes me fear for the future of humanity on a level that is only reserved for Skynet.

It is the sports fanatic.

I understand that everyone has their favorite teams.  Lord knows that I make no bones about what teams I support.  If you didn't know at least one of them, you probably don't read much of my blog, or follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or listen to The Clubhouse With Rob And Cody each and every Tuesday night on Ustream at 8 PM Eastern/5 PM Pacific.  But there is something I have learned in my many years on this planet.  Wisdom that I would like to impart to the sports fanatic.

But before I do that, let me explain something.  If you have noticed, I am purposely using the phrase, "sports fanATIC".  Using the word "fan" is a shortened version of the word "fanatic," but I honestly believe that losing those last four letters COMPLETELY changes the meaning of the word.  For those of you that are "sports fans," this open letter may not, and probably does not, apply to you.  Feel free to keep reading, and then lavish me with praise on this subject.  For those of you that are "sports fanATICS," get ready, because it's on the way.

Here is a nickel's worth of free advice:  YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME/PERSON'S CAREER/ANYTHING ELSE TO DO WITH THE TEAM.  Sure, you can argue that if you stop supporting said team/artist/athlete, they may lose in the long run.  But understand that your world should not start and end with the performance and win or loss by said entity.

Sports and entertainment are meant for just two things: escapism and to take your money.  You are meant to enjoy said event and root for the team or artist that you prefer.  What that does NOT mean is that you have the God-given right to infringe on someone else's right to support something that you do not.

I understand the concept of the rivalry.  As a Gator fan, I have many friends that support Florida State (and even a few Georgia fans), but that does not mean I have to take the time to talk trash to them and put the dirty laundry of their players on the front lawn of every fan I come across.  When I was younger, I was that type.  If my team lost, I was almost impossible to be around.  Luckily, I had a friend tell me at about the age of 20 that in the end, it's not that big of a deal.  Be happy when your team wins, do an "aw, shucks" when your team loses, and that is IT.  SERIOUSLY.  THAT.  IS.  IT.

Whether your team has 9,000 championships or has never one a single one, it doesn't matter.  Wear the colors, even sport something with the number of your favorite player on it.  Show spirit; it's awesome.  But just because someone else doesn't have the same beliefs and allegiance as you does not make them a lesser person, nor does it make the players/artists/bands under that banner any kind of racial, sexual, or any other kind of slur that you feel this overwhelming need to thrown.  I see too many people out there that feel it is their moral and social obligation to tell you how great their team is, and if you are their opponent, how much your team sucks for not being their team.  Many of you will say, "But Rob, you live in DALLAS.  It's different there."  Trust me, it's not.  Yes, it's bad here, but this is an epidemic that is in every corner of the globe.  Watched a soccer match recently?  A couple of years ago, I even saw bad sportsmanship in a game of collegiate squash.  COLLEGIATE SQUASH.  What's next, the World Chess Championship marred by a scandal of players dipping the opponents pieces in unsavory things?

I also understand the concept that when these individuals sign to do that which they do, they understand that there will be public scrutiny.  But human decency should also play a role here.  They will be role models to people across the globe, but that doesn't mean that it's OK to take shots at their families.  That doesn't mean that it's OK to throw things at them.  That doesn't mean that you should shout hateful things to provoke them in a litigation happy society.  If ever there was an example of walking a mile in someone else's shoes, this is it.

So, support that which you love.  Be happy in the victories, be encouraging in the losses, but most of all, it all comes down to two very powerful words, that we ALL need to understand.

GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP.  Here are a couple of tips before I close:

- Be polite during a game.  Win or lose, if you are with someone supporting the opposition, remember what we used to do in little league.  Shake their hand and genuinely congratulate them on a good game.

- Don't walk up to people YOU DON'T KNOW and talk trash about the logo on the apparel that they are sporting.  You are asking for events that are unnecessary.

- Be careful on what you put out there for public consumption.  You would be amazed on how many times what people have put on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and other places just makes me plain SAD.

- You never know whom you know may support the things that you are going out of your way to bash.  And if they return fire, remember that you brought this on yourself.

- Basically, STOP THE TRASH TALKING.  It's juvenile and unbecoming.  Remember how we started this thing.  You had nothing to do with the outcome.  You are basically living vicariously through someone else's performance, and it just doesn't suit anyone well.

I hope this has served some of you well.  If I have offended you in any way, please go back and read this post again.  There is no offense intended, just some friendly advice.

Until next time...

BB

Rob Reviews Movies: Tron: Legacy

Been a while since I reviewed a movie, but I feel the need here to try to get back in the mode.

Since I retired from the DJ\Karaoke business, I have been spending a lot of Saturday night with some good friends watching movies I missed out on in theaters due to time constraints.  It has also been a time for us to start whittling down on the "Sharla List".

Sharla Parker is a good friend of mine who is the youngest of the circle of friends that I spend the most time with, and has missed seeing a lot of good movies.  Therefore, we have created a list of movies she has to see.  Yes, the list is long and distinguished, but we ARE getting there. So, do not expect a TON of new release reviews.  Some may be twenty years old, but it's about what I have watched recently.  In some cases, the review will come down to the question of "Does the flick still hold up?"

This week, though, I went off of that not-so beaten path, and watched a flick that I was TOTALLY bummed to miss in IMAX at the theater with "Tron: Legacy".

Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) leaves his son for work in 1989 and disappears.  His son, Sam (Garrett Hedlund) follows a strange lead that ends up with him in The Grid, a "world" his father discovered 25 years earlier (If you didn't see "Tron" you don't have to in order to keep up.  Plus, it TOTALLY doesn't hold up.), now controlled by a new villain.  Sam must fight to not only get back to our world, but save the one he's in.

Going into this film, I was worried about a watered-down, all eye candy, version of the original.  I was pleasantly surprised to find a good story with great visuals, and even the IMAX sequences were included in the correct aspect ratio on the Blu-Ray.  There was never a time in this film where I felt the story dragged, and even the subplot (won't ruin it here) helped enhance the story that was already there.  Daft Punk did a GREAT job with the score (they even cameo in the film), and even has tempted me to purchase it.

So, on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the best), I will give this a 7.  Would have ranked it higher, but not a lot of people want to embrace their "inner geek".  Mine lives on the outside.

Hopefully, I will have at least one of these for you each week.  So, until then...

BB

New Releases For The Week Of April 3rd, 2011

Three posts in one week? What is this, some kind of shenanigans?


New Movie Releases We Didn't Get To On The Show:
- Born To Be Wild: Animals and stuff.

- American: The Bill Hicks Story: If you know ANYTHING about stand-up comedy, you know this name. A guy who was taken too soon, a talent that was completely different than anything anybody else was doing at the time, and a guy who was highly respected in the community. I am highly interested in this.


DVD/Blu-Ray Releases We Didn't Get To On The Show:
- Taxi Driver (Blu-Ray): Travis Bickle. One of the great all-time film characters. If you haven't seen this film, do yourself a solid.

- Sarah Palin's Alaska: Because you can see Russia from there.

- Life Unexpected: The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons: Interesting concept of a girl who shows up on the doorstep of two people who haven't been together for a LONG time and lets them know she is their daughter. Problem is that it's on The CW. Is that network still a thing?

- Degeneration X: One Last Stand: I might check this out, but I want a definitive anthology here.

Hope you all enjoyed last night's episode. If you misssed it, you can still get to it on the archive. Just go to the show's website, click our logo and you are on your way!

BB

Grading WrestleMania XXVII

I will try to make this a regular feature on my blog, but I'm not guaranteeing anything.  Now, if you want the full skimmy, make sure you listen to The Clubhouse With Rob & Cody each and every Tuesday night on Ustream!

What we are going to do here is give a grade to each match on the card, in the order they actually happened last night.  Original?  No.  Do I care?  Also, no.

U.S. Title Match: Sheamus (c) vs. Daniel Bryan

Since this didn't happen (it was a dark match that wasn't for the title, but it was still a lumberjack match that turned into a battle royal for the lumberjacks won by The Great Khali), I still wanted to put it here anyway.  Because that's how I roll.

Grade: Incomplete

World Heavyweight Title Match: Edge(c) (With Christian) vs. Alberto Del Rio (With Brodus Clay)

Wow, Vince.  Way to make sure that this is a belt you didn't invent by burying it at the bottom of the card.  Especially since this match was a LOT better than it had to be.  A lot of finisher attempts and reversals, and what I feel was the exact right amount of outside interference.  But I don't believe Christian could Tornado DDT Brodus Clay.  Phsyics just don't work out here.

Grade: B+

8 Man Tag Match: The Corre (Tag Champs Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel, Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett, and Ezekiel Jackson vs. Santino Marella, The Big Show, Kane, and Vladimir Kozlov)

Kozlov was attacked by The Corre at Axxess, so he was replaced by Kofi Kingston.  Well, that's ONE way to get him on the card.  (The rematch for the IC title would have been another, along with a Tag Title defense, but that would make too much sense).  The time it took me to type this is longer than the match itself.  This could have been done on "Superstars," for the love of the Almighty.

Grade: F- (That's right.  An F-.)

Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes

A few high spots here that I didn't expect to see out of this match.  Rey coming out in his "El Capitan de Mexico" outfit gives this bonus points.  Did like Cody blocking the 619 halfway in.  Also good to see Cody get the win

Grade: B-

Randy Orton vs. C.M. Punk

I never thought I would say this, and I did last night: Punk should NEVER WORK FACE AGAIN.  His heel character has really come a long way, and both of these guys worked well last night.  Only one groan (all of a sudden, Randy has to sell the knee before he kicks Punk), but a GREAT finish in a match that had some great moments, and was a LOT better than it should have been.

Grade: A-

Jerry  "The King" Lawler vs. Michael Cole (With Jack Swagger, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was the special guest referee)

We lost the feed during this match, so I just have to go with the ending, when we got the feed back.  Without Austin, this fails miserably, especially with Lawler not being able to use the piledriver.  I now have to concede that Cole is the GM, which makes this even lamer.

Grade: D+ (only because of Austin does this not go worse)

Triple H vs. The Undertaker (No Holds Barred)

Still don't understand why this was where it was on the card.  I had such majorly high expectations for this match, and it started out REALLY strong.  However, it seemed like the longer it went, the more it just kind of waned.  A FOREVER finish, and we never got to see the sledgehammer used.  Granted, HHH using the Tombstone and not letting "Old School" happen were great spots (and a LOT of false finishes), but the ending still bugs me.  And no HBK shenanigans?  I'm kind of torn on that.

Grade: B-

6 Person Mixed Tag Match (Trish Stratus, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, & John Morrison vs. Lay Cool & Dolph Ziggler)

I'll give this match a little props here: Congratulations to Snooki for showing a little athletic prowess here.  Made me wonder if she trained with Kelly Kelly.  Quick match, and the guys never got involved.  Not even Vickie really had a reason to be there.  And THIS ranked above HHH/Taker on the card?

Grade: B

WWE Title Match (The Miz (c) vs. John Cena)

The entrances were AWESOME, although it seems like Vince is doing everything he can to keep Cena face in the fans' eyes (the choir, the red, white, and blue, the "all about the kids").  The crowd was DEAD by this point, and I think it affected the match itself.  Riley has pretty much become a non-factor to The Miz, who has really become over as a MONSTER heel.  It was also good to see The Miz retain.  I think we all anticipated The Rock's shenanigans, but him Rock Bottoming Cena kind of took a bit of the heel heat away from last Monday night.  Kind of ended the Showcase of the Immortals on a whimper, but still not a bad match.

Grade: B-

That's it!  Remember to tune in tomorrow night to interact with Cody and myself LIVE!

BB

New Releases For The Week of March 27th, 2011

Caution!  There may be multiple entriest today!

Movies In Theaters This Week We Didn't Get To On The Show:

- In A Better World: The Golden Globe and Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film (which I called) as a father deals with both problems in a war torn country and a son that is being terrorized by a bully.

- Cat Run: Two childhood friends start a detective agency.  It's like Encyclopedia Brown, but grown-up and with hot women.  Kinda.

- The Elephant In The Living Room: A documentary about people who have exotic pets.  If none of them are a miniature giraffe, I'm out.

DVD/Blu-Ray Releases We Didn't Get To On The Show:

- All Good Things: Kirsten Dunst falls in love with Ryan Gosling, who may or may not be a killer.  And not in a "Valley Girl" kind of way.

- In Plain Sight: Season 3: Mary McCormack is a good lookin' lady.  And she was on "The West Wing".

- Made In Dagenham: It's like "Norma Ray" in Britain.  And something tells me that it was pitched that way.  Also based on a true story.

- The Secret of NIMH (Blu-Ray): Part of me wants to re-watch this, but another part of me fears that it won't hold up.

- Big Time Rush: Your kids know about this.  It's OK that you don't.

- UFC: Best of 2010: Or, "SPIKE TV about 19 hours a day".

Music Releases We Didn't Get To On The Show:

- Sum 41, "Screaming Bloody Murder": These guys are still kicking.  And for you trivia kids: The name of the band comes from the fact that they formed on the 41st day of summer.

- Unwritten Law, "Swan": The guys that brought you "Seeing Red" release new material.  That's all I've got.

- Wiz Khalifa, "Rolling Papers": When the only song you have will be played on "Dr. Demento" in five years, that's what you've got.  Just sayin'.

Stay tuned!  May have something else for you kids later today.

BB

New Releases For The Week Of March 20th, 2011

Hey!  We've got stuff to put in here!

DVD/Blu-Ray New Releases Not Covered On The Show:

- Stand By Me: 25th Anniversary Edition: Seriously, if you (or anyone you know) haven't seen this film (Sharla?), do so.  It's a little piece of greatness, and shows you that Stephen King doesn't always do horror.

- The Sandlot (Blu-Ray):  Pay no attention to the sequel.  This is one of the great movies of our time, and severely unappreciated by the public in general.  And it's INCREDIBLY quote-able.

- WWE Elimination Chamber:  This will always have that special place in my heart, due to this being the first PPV that Cody & I did the live pre-show for.  Did I mention that you can attend our next on on April 3rd at Fox & Hound in Richardson, Texas for... WRESTLEMANIA XVII?  There, I just did.  Get the information from our website:

http://www.theclubhousewithrobandcody.com/

- 2011 Daytona 500:  If you would like to relive NASCAR's Great Race, you now can.

Music New Releases Not Covered On The Show:

- Jennifer Hudson, "I Remember Me": And in a few years, that will be the list.

- Josh Kelley, "Georgia Clay":  Don't let the fact that he is Mr. Katherine Heigl fool you.  Dude's got talent, and you should check his stuff out.

- Ke$ha, "I Am The Dance Commander + I Commander You To Dance: The Remix Album":  So, there's THAT.

- Kirk Franklin, "Hello Fear":  Like him or not, the guy can make a gospel album.  "GP are ya wit' me?  OH YEAH, ME AND THE CHURCH AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE!"  I commander you to dance.

- Michael Card, "An Invitation To Awe":  One of Christian music's godfathers keeps getting it done.

- Panic!  At The Disco, "Vices & Virtues":  These guys know how to title a song, but I only really know one of their songs.

- The Strokes, "Angles":  A lot of buzz is surrounding this album (it's been over 10 years since their debut with "Get Free" if you can believe that), so I may check it out.

- Tommy Shaw, "The Great Divide":  The latest from the guitarist from Styx.  Don't be fooled, though: dude's got pipes, too.

That will do it for this week!  Hope you are all well, and don't forget to click on our website above so you can join Cody & I each and every Tuesday night for an ALL-NEW episode of The Clubhouse With Rob & Cody on Ustream at 8 Eastern/ 5 Pacific.  If you have missed any episodes, you can also listen on our archive there as well!

BB