Yeah, as always, that's some sick cover art. Gilby got an advanced listen of this thing over at Relapse, and reports that "it's fucking amazing". Honestly, the Red Album still blows my mind and it's been about two years now. Here's a link with more of the cover art and the track listings.
The band announced in this blog post that they had to cut their summer tour short, but says that they will be touring during November and December to promote the new album. As always, when they come to New England, the roomofzen will be there.
This video is 30 minutes, but well worth your time if it loads:
If you don't have that kind of time, here's something shorter:
We have received the following information through correspondence with the folks at Justin.Tv:
"Hi, I would like to talk with you about your post that claims we paid Stephon Marbury to broadcast on Justin.tv. That is a complete lie and I'm baffled as to why you would write that, especially without talking to anyone at the company. Please call me."
So, I'll accept that we were misinformed. I've taken down our previous post, which hopefully considered the possibility that Marbury was paid. We had heard some rumblings around here to that effect, and it seemed to make sense. I in no way meant to baffle the people at justin.tv by presenting a scenario in which a professional athlete might require compensation for a live media appearance. It's still hard for me to believe he's getting nothing, but I'll take them at their word.
We've all been wondering what team out there has enough to gain from taking a chance on Michael Vick. When Brett Favre informed the Vikings that he will not be returning to the NFL, they became the clear front runners. Their current quarterback situation, a duel between Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, is not a recipe for success. Michael Vick, at his best, is better than both of these two guys. By signing him, the Vikings at the very least would be gaining a guy that can be a dangerous situational weapon. They're also gaining a guy who will push their current QBs to take their game to the next level. At best, they're gaining a starting quarterback and maybe the most feared ground attack we've seen in a long time.
And, I'm sure it won't be lost on Vikings fans that this was the first visiting quarterback to win a playoff game at Lambeau Field.
The commercial at the start of this video is one of my favorites (Vick throwing the ball out of the stadium):
The NFC East, for as long as I've been alive, has been one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL. The spirit of rivalry between all 4 teams is fierce, and inter-divisional games are always tight regardless of how either team has fared throughout the rest of the season. Former Giants linebacker Carl Banks called these divisional matchup "body bag games". From the fires of these intense rivalries, a strong sense of camaraderie and respect is forged between the executives, coaches, players, and fans of this historic division. It was this camaraderie and respect that caused me tremendous sadness this morning as I learned that Jim Johnson succumbed to cancer at the age of 68. Since he joined the Eagles in 1999, Johnson has been a nightmare for the Giants. Every matchup featured new wrinkles and new blitzes that were extremely well-disguised. I have cursed this man hundreds of times. But, he has been instrumental in my life as a sports fan, and it would be hard to find someone in the entire NFL for whom I have more respect.
"From 2000-08, Johnson's units ranked second in the NFL in sacks (390), 3rd down efficiency (34.0%) and red zone touchdown percentage (43.9%), and fourth in fewest points allowed (17.7 per game). During his 10-year tenure in Philadelphia, the Eagles earned seven playoff berths, five trips to the NFC Championship game and one Super Bowl appearance (following the 2004 season).
As the Eagles' defensive chief, Johnson's defense has produced 26 Pro Bowl selections: Brian Dawkins (7), Troy Vincent (5), Jeremiah Trotter (4), Hugh Douglas (3), Lito Sheppard (2), Asante Samuel (1), Trent Cole (1), Michael Lewis (1), Corey Simon (1), and Bobby Taylor (1).
Four of his defensive assistants have gone on to successful careers with other NFL franchises: Steve Spagnuolo (head coach of the St. Louis Rams), John Harbaugh (head coach of the Baltimore Ravens), Ron Rivera (defensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers) and Leslie Frazier (defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings).
Prior to his tenure in Philadelphia, Johnson served as the linebackers coach with Seattle in 1998. That year, Johnson helped the Seahawks register 10 touchdowns on defense, including eight interceptions returned for scores, second-most in NFL history. He arrived in Seattle after a four-year stint in Indianapolis, the last two as defensive coordinator. While with the Colts, Johnson helped them secure a berth in the AFC Championship game at Pittsburgh in 1995.
Johnson spent eight seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (1986-93). After overseeing the Cards defensive line for four seasons, Johnson excelled as their secondary coach, helping Aeneas Williams become the first rookie cornerback to lead the league in interceptions (6) since 1981."
The Eagles first home game comes on September 20th, a week 2 matchup with the Saints. I'm sure there will be a ceremony to honor Johnson. If that is the case, for the first time in my life, I will be rooting for the Eagles to win.
1- T.O. and I are so in sync lately. I can't even handle it. When it comes to sports, there is nothing I like more than watching talented players, and I am giddy about being able to appreciate TO again now that he is over in the AFC. I have also been going out of my way to convince everyone I can that Michael Vick needs to be reinstated to the NFL immediately. TO is on the same page, of course. In a league where everyone seems to be terrified to speak out against the commissioner, guys like Owens are more valuable than ever:
I will direct you to a direct quote from Babcock (our CFO)which was given to me when I was preparing to write my own piece on Vick's case:
"If we can't throw a guy in jail, take everything he has, make him pay for his crimes, and then turn him loose with the freedom to get it all back, then we've really lost our way as a nation."
The man has paid for what he has done, and he did not receive the celebrity discount on his jail time. He spent nearly two years in prison. As far as we know, he has committed no crimes since. He should now be free to put his life back together. It is not our job as a society to punish him further. If our goal as a society is really to rehabilitate crimals when possible, then we should want them to get back on their feet. We should hope that they can all find work and build a life that keeps them clean, and that helps the future generations not make the same mistakes. This Vick case is a great scenario. I wish all released inmates had skills as marketable as Vick's...we'd certainly see significantly fewer repeat offenders.
2-I've hosted and attended many Big Lebowski parties over the past 8 or so years. Nothing that I've experienced rivals the Seattle Lebowski Fest, which Jim Caple recaps in this column. Caple describes the event as a cooler man's Star Trek convention: where fanatics gather in meticulously constructed costumes to mimic the mannerisms and recite the lines of their favorite characters.
Caple also introduces us to the real life dude, Jeff Dowd. I had no idea that such a man existed. The greatest quote comes when Dowd explains that he wasn't actually in to bowling, and instead was really into running:
"Well, you had to be in shape to drink all those White Russians and make love to all those women."
Here he is, the real dude, with Jeff Bridges:
alright.
3-I'm not going to waste too much time justifying this, I'm going to try to just jump in to it. I'm a married man. My wife has watched virtually every Celtics and New York Giants game since we've lived together (and many before that as well). Most of the time, she enjoys that. It's only fair that I have taken in my fair share of reality tv as well. So yes, I have watched every episode of this season's Bachelorette. And, I'll admit that most of the time I enjoy that.
Judge me if you want, but I know there is at least one other member of the roomofzen staff who is in the same boat. Also, let me just point out that this is really not much different than Rock of Love or Flavor of Love. In fact, in the last episode, we had to watch Jillian and Ed rub lotion all over each other as foreplay, and then we learned that the night came to an abrupt end because Ed was too tired and couldn't get it up. If that's not entertainment, then I don't know what is.
You may be wondering whether or not this is appropriate for the roomofzen, and I assure you that I would never post this unless I felt like I had a chance to be correct in my prediction for tonight's finale. Here it is:
So, we're now down to two men, Ed and Kiptyn. However, because of the unusual way this season has unfolded, we cannot assume that Jillian is limited to picking one of those two men tonight. Ed has already left and returned to the show. To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about this. If it is indeed, a competition, then once you're gone you should have lost your chance to win. However, we're all supposed to be worrying about Jillian "finding love", so clearly the integrity of this competition means nothing.
Anyways, because of the way things have gone, we have to assume that a previous contestant could appear. Now, there were only two eliminated contestants not present at last weeks "Men Tell All". One was Wes, who is off promoting his new country album, and who may have been too controversial (I actually think he came into the show with a much more realistic and attainable goal ((promoting his music career)) than any of the other men, but this isn't the time for that) to feature. The other was Reid, who was the last man eliminated. Chris told us that Reid was not in attendance because he had "a prior engagement." I thought it seemed strange: these guys get paid for being on the show, and they are obviously all doing it as an attempt at fame. So, why would Reid not be there? Plus, I imagine that the men knew about this WAY ahead of time, and were told that they all had to be there. So, I wonder exactly what must have kept Reid away.
At the end of the show, they showed a preview of tonight's finale. There was a definite screenshot of Reid in there. And then, I suddenly remembered Chris's words: "a prior engagement". A clever play on words? I think so. Reid seemed like he had the best chemistry with Jillian on the dates in Spain and Hawaii, and I was surprised to see him go. My prediction: he returns, finally tells her that he loves her and wants to get married. She will then choose him.
It's a little out there, but if it happens, remember that you read it on the roomofzen first.
A little note here: When Reid does this, he won't actually mean that he wants to get married. But, he will say it anyways. No guy wants to get married after spending 6 MONTHS dating a girl. Nevermind 6 weeks, with her dating 29 other dudes simultaneously, including banging a few of them in the fantasy suite. It's completely unrealistic, but you have to say that's what you want if you want to stay alive in this game. Kiptyn, Ed, Jake, and Michael S. all knew that. Reid clearly didn't understand what it took to be a champion. It's not surprising that he's from Philadelphia.
UPDATE: I was close, but not quite on the money. Reid did return in a minivan, looking quite disshevled. He did also propose to Jillian. Then, in typical Philadelphia fashion, he was sent home crying right before a winner could be crowned. The winner was Ed. Worth mentioning that Babcock picked him to win in week 2.
Kid Rock often makes me cringe. But, he has also done a lot of things (and the best example of this was the great speech he gave inducting Bob Seger into the rock n roll hall of fame) that are badass. This performance, in my mind, is one of them:
It's a beautiful day for grilling. The roomofzen will resume heavy operation this week. You can expect some NFL conference previews, some thoughts on why college football coaches should look to Asia to bolster their offensive and defensive lines, and my own theory on how tomorrow night's Bachelorette finale will play out.
Wall Street- Shareholders of Roomofzen.com received news from top executives within the firm that the website's value has hit an all-time high. In a statement given from the corporations Amesbury, MA offices CFO Ben Babcock stated that "Despite these trying economic times the site is currently valued at $1036.60, an all time high. For those of you who have difficulty in math, that is a 1250% increase in value since the company went public in 2007."
The news could not have come at a better time for the site, which is mired in the traditionally slow part of the fiscal year that falls in between Basketball and Football seasons.
"Typically you see a lack of interest in sports blogs during this time of the year, " said Babcock, who spoke with us via cellphone from the porch of his top floor penthouse in Amesbury's exclusive neighborhood, known to the world as "near downtown". "While no one can deny the impact of Baseball on American culture and on sports media in general, there is no disputing that it is rather boring; especially when compared to spending a morning in a rocking chair, listening to Ragged Glory and smoking cigarettes, as I am doing right now. This has always been one of our slowest portions of the year in terms of actual output, our customers know this, and they brace themselves for an increased number of youtube videos and fewer podcasts." He then added with a sigh, "We all must make sacrifices in these difficult economic times, we here at Roomofzen.com are no different than anyone else. We put our Boner Salad T shirts on one sleeve at a time, too."
However, Babcock was quick to point out that with the start of both the NFL and NCAA football seasons right around the corner the site plans nothing short of total dominance in the third quarter. "You can rest assured that our staff and its subsidiaries have been ramping things up in the "offseason". The blogging industry requires a lot from its employees. This summer has not been wasted, rather this is a time where we encourage personal development in the form of bachelor parties, NASCAR race attendance, vomiting into shrubs, that sort of thing...we can always find ways to improve, whether that means something as exorbitant as purchasing Playstation 3 or something as simple as switching aftershaves, we are constantly looking to improve the quality of our product and grow our brand."
Rumors have been swirling in recent weeks about whether or not the company had plans to tap into either India or China's ever expanding blog market, which boasts cheap labor costs and literally billions of assholes that fit the bill of the company's target demographic. Mr Babcock, however, refused to comment on these allegations calling them "Unfounded, ridiculous, and absolute typical communist hogwash. We're an American company, and that is really where we are at right now. But, in today's economy you need to remain versatile and flexible, literally and figuratively, and so I won't rule anything out at this point. We've got a long way to go to get to where we want to be, but we're on our way"
Here at Roomofzen, we hold the work of Kendrick Perkins in high esteem. His tough, physical play not only embodies the spirit of the Celtics, but has also been a crucial part of their recent success. He has developed into one of the most feared interior defenders in the NBA. He has done this quietly, as his name rarely mentioned by members of the national media when they discuss the Celtics. For this reason, we decided that we wanted to find a way to show Perk how much we appreciate him. He's getting married on Saturday, and a wedding present seemed to make perfect sense. So, we scoured the Internet, found his wedding registry, and purchased him an electric burger maker:
It seemed like the perfect gift: well-suited for a man who relies on his size and strength to keep the opposition out of the paint.
We received word this morning that the burger maker was returned, and that our money would be refunded. We're not really sure why our gift was rejected, but we accept this decision with no hard feelings. Perhaps Perk just didn't feel right about fans spending money on him when he is already rich. Perhaps he is trying to stay trim in the off season, and thinks that this gift could cause him to put on weight. Perhaps he was upset that our card only spoke of the hard work that he puts in, and mentioned nothing of his wife to be (you can only use 180 characters). I am also fully aware that he may just feel creepy about someone he doesn't know sending him a wedding gift. It would certainly be understandable.
All of these reasons are plausible. While we may never know what Perk was thinking when he sent back the burger maker, I'd like to think that his reasoning was rooted less in the nature of the gift itself, and more deeply connected to the nature of his being and the reasons why he plays basketball. Many NBA stars use their talents to build up themselves up into icons. Their fame and their desire to be treasured and exalted by the fans and media seem to be the driving force behind their success. They take on nicknames, endorse shoes, and develop signature moves all in an effort to become household names. In an ironic twist, these incredibly strong, rich, and talented men spend an incredible amount of time worrying about what we ordinary people think of them, and how they can make us like them more.
Perk is a different type of player. He will never be a superstar, because his game is far too practical for today's market. He fights for rebounds, he keeps opposing big men out of the paint, and he makes sure that nobody gets to the rim easily (even if it means a technical foul). Many see no glory in this work. But, men like this change games, and over time they change the fortunes of teams. Their work is thankless, and it requires incredible strength of character. Like all of those who do noble work, Perk must resign himself to the belief that he receives his fulfillment simply in knowing that his work is important and that it is appreciated by his teammates. He must not get drawn in to seeking approval from the fans and media, as this can only lead him to a dark place. Soon, he might be trying to change his game to please the fans, losing part of his own identity and effectiveness in the process. Accepting a burger maker from people that you don't know would be one step down the dark path. I understand that, and we certainly don't want him to compromise his integrity.
Again, I am fully aware that he may have just been creeped out. But, unless we get to talk to him, we'll really never know.
I know people are probably sick of us posting nothing but videos for the past month. With nothing happening but baseball, and with the weddings, vacations, and summer programs that have been going on, we have all been extremely busy. However, I promise you that this week we have started preparing to unleash a full onslaught of NFL preview material. You can expect it at the beginning of next week.
In the meantime, another video. As cynical as I may be about ESPN, I really enjoyed the ESPYs. In particular, I thought this video about Nelson Mandela (who won the Arthur Ashe award) was fantastic. I am pretty well read on Mandela, and still I had no idea about the rugby world championships of 1995. It is a great story, and although I am hesitant to weigh sports too heavily among those factors that affect human relations, I don't think there is any denying this story of an example that sports can be a very powerful force in the world.
Sprite is one of those sodas I always forget about. But, it is always refreshing and delicious when I have it. It's clear, light, and caffeine-free. Very innocent overall. I certainly never thought I'd see an ad like this for it:
I have been in love with TO ever since he left the NFC East. It feels so strange to suddenly love someone you have hated for so long, but I can't help it. Between knowing that Dallas is going to suck this season and knowing that I no longer have to worry about the Giants secondary contending with his size, I have no reason to be angry or to hate this man. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy his antics, because they will no longer be at my expense.
Important note: Randy Moss is still, and will always be, my favorite NFL player. Nothing Owens does now can change that.
Outside The Lines featured new amateur footage of Pacman Jones making it rain during NBA All-Star Weekend in Vegas at Club Minx.
I don't want to paint Pacman as a victim of public opinion, because it sounds like some pretty ugly shit went down after the camera cut out. But, this definitely does not look the way I pictured it looking. From the way it's been described and sensationalized by ESPN, I was expecting to see Pacman pull up in a tank and start shooting the place up. Instead, it looks like he's pretty calm. He's throwing money around, but so are other people (they show them carrying money away in buckets before Pacman even gets going). It also looks like there were more people (Jermaine Dupri) who were riling things up. It seems like whatever the final conflict was arose from many different causes, not just Pacman Jones making it rain. Also, I think Jones's role in the shooting of the employee who is now paralyzed has been a little skewed. I had no idea that it happened outside and that a man hidden behind a tree started shooting when people came out.
Again, I'm not trying to take any stance on this case. I'm just scratching my head. What's happening in this video really doesn't look so bad.
I just took in the Sheed Press Conference on the radio, and I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't fully erect when it was finished. I was excited when I found out about this move, but the full impact of it didn't sink in until today. Everything about the way the press conference unfolded was encouraging. Sheed said that the only member of the organization that he was expecting to be there was Danny Ainge. His voice sounded ecstatic as he thanked his three teammates for showing up to support him. He emphasized how excited he was to be playing with the big three, his desire to focus his energy on the defensive end, and his willingness to play however many minutes and take however many shots are necessary for the team to win.
Here are some highlights:
some other reasons to be excited:
At the beginning, Danny Ainge spoke about how well Wallace fits in with the Celtics' system, and said that he doesn't think it will take more than 2 practices for him to be completely familiar with everything the team does. He's not usually a "drink the kool-aid" type so I believe him.
Sheed talked about how taken aback he was from the fact that KG, Ray, and Pierce all went to Detroit together to meet with him and tell him how much they would love to play with him. KG was in LA. Pierce and Allen were both in different places. However, this was that important to them. The money was similar from every team, and when you add in the impact of three superstars flying out and asking to be your teammates, how could he say no and how could he not give everything he has to this.
All of the big three were borderline giddy: Ray talked about how he was already thinking about making a play for Sheed during last season because he knew it would be perfect. KG said it was like going back to the AAU days. Pierce said that the move gave him an extra boost in his workouts.
When you really contemplate Sheed: how could you not love this move? The guy is a fierce competitor, he has a fiery personality, he defends better than anyone in the league in the post, and he has insane range. The biggest complaint I can muster is that he's a hothead on the court: that fits this team and I'll take it! Honestly, what is the concern? Since when has this team been worried about technical fouls?
The guy is most likely here for the next three years, and it will be interesting to see how this effects the type of money Ray is willing to settle for at season's end.
Finally, and most importantly, the Cavaliers absolutely cannot beat the Cs in a 7 game series now.
