Kinetic

And then spins off into a show called Dinosaur Island, which is how I referred to Lost when I was dismissing it after seeing the first few previews. My universe is course-correcting itself.

The series ends with Jack snuggling comfortably with Montana Wildhack on the planet Trafalmadore. Book it. I enjoyed both episodes, but I really hope that the people on the island figure out how to stop the island from coming unstuck in time sooner rather than later. It made all of those scenes seem a little disjointed, I thought.

Pittsburgh: 31 Arizona: 20 MVP: Roethlisberger, although many will argue that any number of guys on the defense deserved it more. Warner will have over 300 yards through the air, but will also have several costly turnovers. Let's say two picks (one a pick-six) and one fumble lost. Fitzgerald will have another monster game, and will account for Arizona's two TDs. Willie Parker will be a non-factor, but Roethlisberger will pick Arizona's secondary apart.

You went to school in Athens, didn't you? Were I not past the point of no return, my two football seasons there would have gotten me to swear the sport off forever. I had always romanticized the idea of college football Saturdays in southern college towns, but man was the reality ever a fucking nightmare. Goddamn Auburn almost killed my cat.

Agreed, but everything else in that segment was both conceived and executed really well. Orton is fantastic. And I'm digging the HBK/JBL thing a lot, too. Good show tonight.

And rightfully so. Remember his brief tenure as Giants starter? He was terrible. That's what makes his phoenix-like (har har) rise from the ashes so remarkable. But the thing with Warner is that he doesn't handle pressure that well, and he has a tendency to fumble when hit. You would think that would play right into Pittsburgh's hands, although you would have thought that about Philly, too.

I called Pittsburgh getting to the Super Bowl sometime late in the season, either after the Dallas game or the second Baltimore game. Their presence doesn't surprise me at all, and I fully expect them to win. Arizona is obviously a complete shock, and I absolutely would have ranked them as the NFC playoff team least likely to make it to Tampa. I'm on the Cardinals bandwagon right now, but, like I said above, I doubt that they'll be able to beat Pittsburgh.

Fucking A+ game there. I'm actually somehow excited about seeing the Cardinals in the Super Bowl.

I thought about making the subtitle "and don't say this thread." If only I had it to do over again.

I am not perfect in this regard, either. I've been known to clear a room (or at least a corner of a room) discussing draft prospects or the finer points of Bowie's 70s output. But, y'know, it's interesting when I'm talking about it.

It's good to see so many people mention cars here. There's this assumption from a lot of guys that all dudes are into cars, but I always suspected that being interested enough in cars to actually want to have a conversation about an engine was really more of a fringe thing.

I do live in Bremerton. There's a real dearth of nubile college girls here, so that would be much appreciated.

Raheem Morris is officially the new head coach of the Buccaneers. I'll let you know how I feel about this sometime in late December.

The Grover Cleveland of TSM, perhaps?

I've really only been active on this board for two full, nonconsecutive years: 2002 and 2008. In '02, I won POTY as part of an awards ceremony that I threw for myself. In '08, I won this thing. I'm forced to conclude that I'm really good at message boarding.

I'd like to be thrilled about this, but it's just so puzzling that the Glazers would wait until 3 weeks after the season ended to make the move. You would imagine--and it's obviously been speculated on, given how sudden and unexpected this was--that they've got a Shanahan or a Cowher lined up. Otherwise, why do you fire a guy who, despite his weaknesses, is at least a proven commodity? I'm not at all upset to see him go, but just a little concerned that they won't be able to find an adequate replacement. Harley's point is fair enough, although it should be pointed out that Gruden inherited both Brad Johnson and Michael Pittman and that they both won a Super Bowl with him. Earnest Graham is still young and only got on the field due to injuries. Ike, Galloway, and Bryant have all had good seasons in Tampa. I'm torn on Garcia. Bringing Griese back the second time was totally inexcusable, as was signing Charlie Garner and Tim Brown. And having Tim Brown return punts! Fuck. Good riddance.

Taylor Swift facts: 1. Taylor Swift has just turned 18. 2. Taylor Swift has just released her sophomore album, Fearless. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard chart. 3. Taylor Swift sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a 76ers game when she was only 11! 4. Soon, I will make Taylor Swift my hillbilly teen bride. Discuss.

Oh, yes. The Decline of Western Civilization Part ll would have been the inspiration for Metal Ed, had I not done that before seeing the movie. I remember being particularly impressed by Paul Stanley's interview. I sort of dig "Talk Dirty to Me" and, to a lesser extent, "Once Bitten, Twice Shy." I heard a hell of a lot of hair metal growing up, because my dad was a major proponent of the stuff. To this day, he considers it to be the best form of rock music and that whole period to be rock's golden age.

You could make that argument about any Blur album. They had that whole 90s syndrome, where the ability to fit 80 minutes of music on one disc became a justification for doing so. For me, The Great Escape is really their only album where they approached consistency. I agree with Byron on the two songs he mentioned, but then you've also got "Country House," "Best Days," "Charmless Man," and "The Universal." I've got a lot of weird sentimental stuff tied up with this album, though, so it's possible that I'm not to be trusted.

lolz.

Mercifully, no. There were plenty of times when it could have happened. There was once instance when I was about 13 where I jerked off in the middle of the day at my great-grandparents' house, only separated from my entire family by a door. I could hear everyone milling around outside, and any one of them could have walked in at any time. I shudder when I think about it now. Getting caught would have destroyed my adolesence.

At the same Wild Wilderness Drive-Thru where that goat picture was taken, I met this guy: Coolest bear ever. Highlight of my 2008. Oh, and I'm voting for me. I'd advise everyone else to do the same.

FWIW, Here Come the Warm Jets is the Eno album I find myself coming back to the most often. It falls off a little in the second half, but that three song run from "Needles in the Camel's Eye" through "Baby's On Fire" is fantastic stuff.

I heard a Robyn Hitchcock cover of "More Than This" recently. A very pretty song, and it translated to an acoustic version extremely well. Someone could have a huge hit covering that song today. T-Pain, maybe?

I don't even remember what the explanation for Crash Holly's existence was. He was Bob Holly's cousin or something??