Pyrate News

2012 Grammy Awards Recap: The Good, The Bad, The Weird

2012-02-13T17:23:00.001-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: February 13, 2012

Last night, the 54th Annual Grammy Award Show aired. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to watch; however, Twitter and Facebook kept me updated with the events of music's biggest night.

Adele was the biggest winner at the 2012 Grammys. She won six Grammys including Album of the Year.

My favorite part of award shows are the winners of awards and seeing who got snub. It doesn't matter what award show it is, there is always someone I feel shouldn't have an award over someone else; and the Grammys are no different.

Here is my recap of the awards given out:

The Good

Obviously, the person who had the best night was British singer Adele. She won every category she was nominated in, including Record ("Rolling In The Deep") and Album (21) of the year, and took home a total of six Grammys. She was rolling in the gold by the end of the night.

Another big winner was Kanye West, who dominated the rap categories. His classic hip-hop album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was award graciously for its high production value, lyrical content, and powerful messages. West won the categories of Rap Song and Collaboration ("All Of The Lights"), Rap Album and others. Yes, all of the lights were shining heavily on West at the Grammys.

The Bad

My bad is J. Cole not winning best new artist. This is by far the biggest snub of the night. His album Cole World: The Sideline Story was one of the best hip-hop albums to come out all last year. The production, content and his performance was near the top of the game and I felt like he should've been rewarded for his efforts.

However, the main reason he should've won over Bon Iver, the band who did win, is because J. Cole is a true new artist in the music industry. Bon Iver has been releasing music since 2008 with their debut For Emma, Forever Ago. After four years in the industry, how can they still be considered a new artist? J. Cole made his label debut less than a year ago in September 2011.

Also, he should've received a nomination for best rap album. The only person nominated who didn't deserve it was Lil' Wayne with The Carter IV. I would've gladly switched The Carter IV for Sideline Story.

The Carter IV is not a quality hip-hop album and was only nominated because it sold a lot of records. Now, if this was the Billboard Awards, I would understand the album getting a nomination; however, I thought the Grammys were about rewarding the highest quality of music in the industry, and The Carter IV falls very short of that bar.

The Weird

The weirdest thing to me was Chris Brown's F.A.M.E. album winning Best R&B Album. Chris Brown cannot sing and shouldn't be rewarded for his studio produced voice. All I know is this, it's a sad day in R&B music when Chris Brown wins album of the year.

Also weird, Rhianna's Loud being nominated for Album of the Year. Really? This boggles my mind, especially when there are other albums (like West's Dark Fantasy) that were better. I just don't get it.

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To Think The Knicks Are Great Now Is Lin-Sane!

2012-02-12T15:52:00.001-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: February 12, 2012

This has been a crazy month for the New York Knicks (13-15). After looking like their season was just about over, with multiple injuries to star players Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudamire while already being almost ten games under .500, a nobody from off the bench breathed new life into the team.

"Linsanity" is sweeping across New York City thanks to Jeremy Lin getting the Knicks in playoff contention, but is the celebration premature.

Well, that nobody has a name now, and it's Mr. Lin. Jeremy Lin.

Lin, who was just days away from being released by the Knicks before his breakout game versus the New Jersey Nets (8-21), has led this largely under-performing team back from the depths of the league and has them in playoff position. In five straight wins, Lin is averaging 26 points while shooting over 50%, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. He is the first Knick to put up numbers like this in a five game stretch since Stephon Marbury in the 2004-05 season.

Add in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers (15-12) where Lin out-dueled "The Black Mamba" Kobe Bryant, and Lin has his teammates, coaches, Knick fans and the whole city of New York excited for what seems to be wild ride to the end of the season.

However, I can't pretend, like most fans, that the Knicks are completely rid of their problems.

One major problem is the play of Anthony and Stoudamire. I know the lockout this off-season cut into some practice time for these two to learn how to play together; but a lot of the times this season, it looks as though they have never worked on that aspect at all. Their offense consists of one pass to either two and the rest of the team standing around waiting for them to create some type of shot.

Of course, with Lin running the point now, that could change; but my best guess is that Lin will defer a lot to the two superstars because they're superstars and he's only had five good games.

Speaking of those five games, they weren't against the best in the league. Their only game against a playoff team was against the Lakers; but, I can't call them one of the best teams because their defense and offense (which reminds of the Cleveland Cavaliers (10-16) two years ago when a certain king use to rule) seems to be in a flux right now. No player, outside from Bryant, seems to know what they're doing on the court.

Until I see how well Lin performs against a defense like the Chicago Bulls (23-6) or Miami Heat (20-7), I can't be sure that he is the answer long term.

Also, lets not forget one thing, Lin is from Harvard University. Harvard athletes historically don't pan out well at the professional level.

Remember Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick last season in the NFL? He and the Bills got off to a fast start to begin the year. They started 5-2, beat the divisional powerhouse New England Patriots and some were mentioning Fitzpatrick in the MVP discussion. Ftizpatrick even got himself a long-term deal with the team worth around $35 million. Then, after beginning so well, the Bills lost their next seven games, finished the season 6-10, and missed the playoffs.

So, I ask you, should we really give Lin the key to the greatest city in the world after only five games and act like everything is fixed with the Knicks?

Just think about it, how many Harvard grads do you know have had an impact on the NBA? Can't think of any? That's because there are none. Only two other players (Ed Smith and Saul Mariaschin) have come from Harvard and to play in the NBA, and they didn't last very long. So, I can't believe that five games from Lin has cemented his place in the league.

I'm extremely happy to see the Knicks winning games and finally playing with some enthusiasm. However, they should've had that spark coming into the season, with the main charge being Anthony and Stoudamire. Those two have to get healthy quick, so they can get some quality practice time in; and the Knicks coaching schemes, role-players play and chemistry have to improve drastically before I can say Knicks are Lin-credible.

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State Of The Union Address Didn't Answer One Major Question

2012-01-25T01:13:00.000-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: January 25, 2012

Last night, President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address. According to him, the union has come a long way since he took and office and it's only going to get stronger.

"The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we've come too far to turn back now," said President Obama. "As long as I'm President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place."

President Barack Obama (center) delivering his 2012 State of the Union address (Vice President Joe Biden (left) and Speaker of the House John Boehner).

This was the most he talked about the present state of the country. He spent the majority of the speech telling Congress his vision for the future of the union. His overall vision is equality across the board, creating a stronger economy with more jobs and less debt and building innovating technology for the future.

The way he plans on making these dreams a reality is by getting rid of the value system of politics and getting back to American values.

"So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I'm reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those 50 stars and those 13 stripes," said President Obama. "No one built this country on their own. This nation is great because we built it together. This Nation is great because we worked as a team. This Nation is great because we get each other's backs.

And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we're joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong."

Of course, all these promises of a better country with politicians of different parties working together was greeted with rows of applause. However, what wasn't answered was how exactly was it going to change? What is going to make the two parties actually work together and build a better country for the poorer majority and not the richer minority?

Since Obama has been in office, the two sides have bickered and fueled the perception that politicians only care about themselves and their rich constituents.

I want to hear about what the government is going to do to change the mindset and operate effectively and efficiently. Not just a "leaner, quicker, and more responsive" government, but a government with reasonably thinking heads on capitol hill.

In case you all forgot, this is the major reason why the US credit rating was lowered for the first time ever last year.

According to washingtonpost.com, Standard&Poor (S&P) lowered the rating because “political brinkmanship” in the debate over the debt had made the U.S. government’s ability to manage its finances “less stable, less effective and less predictable.”

It said the bipartisan agreement reached that week to find at least $2 trillion in budget savings “fell short” of what was necessary to tame the nation’s debt over time and predicted that leaders would not be likely to achieve more savings in the future.

It rarely, if ever, happens the two sides work together to get things accomplished; and, just like S&P, I don't see that changing anytime soon.

I did notice, throughout the speech, President Obama spoke about getting rid of $2 trillion worth of debt as if it was a good thing though. Huh?

From the education system to the national debt to financial discrimination, America has a lot of problems. However, that's just what's on the surface. The underlying problem is how the republicans and democrats cling to "rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common sense ideas."

Once that problem is fixed, everything else will make a turn for the better also; and, until that problem is fixed, all of President Obama's other dreams for the future of the union will not come true.

To see the whole State of the Union address go to Pyrate TV.

Tweets To Kyle Williams Are From Hurt, Not Hate

2012-01-24T20:55:00.000-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: January 24, 2012

If you haven't heard by now, the New York Giants have beaten the San Francisco 49ers in a thrilling overtime game 20-17.While Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and the rest of the offense played nearly flawless and Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and the rest of the defense played very well (only giving up two huge touchdown plays), majority of the sports world seems to think the reason the Giants are going to the Superbowl is because of 49ers wide receiver/punt returner Kyle Williams.

Kyle Williams (above #10) trying to block out the crowd noise after a hard day on the job. However, I don't think it is going to be that easy to block out the fans on Twitter.

You don't believe me when I say almost everyone blamed Williams for the Giants victory. Just look on Twitter. The tweets that were being sent out Sunday night were numerous and continued on until through Monday night; and all of them said pretty much the same thing-- YOU SUCK!!! (for 49er fans) and THANK YOU!!! (for Giant fans).

More Than Just A Game

Now, I read through a lot the mentions about Williams and some were actually hilarious and creative for the moment. However, others were a little shocking to say the least.

The thing I found most interesting was other people tweeting the fans that were threatening Williams were taking things a little too far. They said it was just a game and shouldn't be taken that seriously.

I'm sorry to say but sports it's not just a game. Not in the United States of America anyway. Not when more people pay attention to their fantasy football team than to the presidential candidates and their particular platform.

No sports, the NFL in especially, is a lucrative business; where there's a lot of money riding on the players shoulder's. From the owners down to the gambling fans, fair or not, there's a lot of other people's money riding on the performance of the players; and, when a player performs as horribly as Williams did, some people get money taken out of their pocket.

Sometimes Emotions Get In The Way

Even for the fans who are non-gamblers, the game can still mean a lot. Those true die-hard 49er fans, who live-and-die with every play, literally do live-and-die with every play. I know because I'm the same way.

Whenever my Yankees, Knicks or Giants are playing, I go through emotional roller-coasters, especially during playoff games. For every ounce of happiness I felt when Williams fumbled the ball, 49er fans felt an once of heartbreak and loss. Some of those tweets were from people who were grieving because they realize that their season is over and they came so close.

Of course, the main culprit behind the end of the 49ers' season is Williams. No matter what any of his teammates say to the media they know, like we all know, without those two fumbles, the 49ers have a much better chance at winning that game. The picture below sums up how Williams' teammates really feel about him. Look at how Vernon Davis (with the helmet on) and Michael Crabtree (#15) are looking at Williams. You can't tell me they ain't thinking some of the things people were tweeting.

I'm not saying what the people were tweeting was right or wrong. All I'm saying is people should understand where the anger comes from and not jumped on people for their tweets and act like they have no connection to what's going on on the field. In this time of social media,it's so easy to express yourself at any given moment that sometimes those hurt feelings come out in a very hateful way.

To see both Williams' turnovers go to Pyrate TV.

AFC and NFC Championship Match-up Preview

2012-01-21T14:17:00.002-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: January 21,2012

AFC Championship Preview

Baltimore Ravens versus New England Patriots

This is going to be the ultimate showdown and prove which side of the ball wins in the playoffs. Will it be Ray Lewis and the Ravens star-studded defense; or will it be Tom Brady and the Patriots high-octane offense? Conventional wisdom would tell you defense wins in the playoffs, which would mean the Ravens should win. However, the offense they're going up against is just as powerful as they are and shouldn't be take lightly.

So, since both sides are equal (the Ravens ranked 3rd in defense and the Patriots ranked 2nd in offense), in terms of talent, this game is going to come down to both team's deficiencies . That is the Ravens' offense and the Patriots' defense. Joe Flacco and the rest of the offense have shown signs of greatness, but most of the time it seems like they've never played on the field together before. Their ineptitude at scoring is shocking to me considering all the weapons they have at their disposal. If Flacco can somehow manage to use all these weapons, I think he'll be able to slice through the Patriots' 31st ranked defense and pull out a win for the Ravens.

Result: Ravens 24- Patriots 17

NFC Champions Preview

New York Giants versus San Francisco 49ers

I'm just going to honest-- the Giants are going to win this game. There is nothing that can stop them. No one on the 49ers defense, no coaching schemes, NOTHING CAN STOP THE GIANTS!

Ok. Now that I got my biased New Yorker opinion out of the way, lets get on to preview.

I can't even lie-- this is going to be a very close game. It's not surprising either because these teams are built the same way. They're built to play hard on defense and control the ball on offense. Which is why this game will come down to turnovers. Eli Manning and Alex Smith have been known to lose the ball often; and, whichever one reduces the number in the turnover category will win the game for their team.

Result: Giants 31- 49ers 28

Tom Brady Showed Everyone Why Tim Tebow Won't Make It In The NFL

2012-01-15T19:13:00.001-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: January 15, 2012

In a game surrounded by Tim Tebow mania and talk of whether he could lead the Denver Broncos to the Superbowl, it was fitting to see Tom Brady put on one of the greatest quarterback performances in NFL playoff history and show everyone what a real quarterback looks like.

With a remarkable performance by Tom Brady (right), Tim Tebow's (left) deficiencies were highlighted even more.

Brady put on scoring clinic. He threw for five touchdowns in the first half, setting the playoff record for most passing touchdowns in the first half; and finished the game with a total of six touchdowns, tying the playoff record.

The New England Patriots won the game 45-10.

While this was going on, Tebow could barely complete a pass. However, that's nothing new. Tebow rarely completes a lot of passes during games, although, it seemed even more magnified last night.

The reason for this is because Brady was scoring at such a high rate of speed. By the end of the first half, Brady had more passing touchdowns, 5, than Tebow had passing completions, 3. Seeing a statistical mismatch like this increases the magnifying lens on Tebow's quarterback play and puts on full display his lack of skill at the position.

Yes, Tebow won two national titles in college; and he has done a good job leading the Broncos to a division title this year, but his lack of ability to throw the ball is the reason why he won't last as a NFL quarterback.

As much as I dislike Brady and the Patriots, I have to admit that Brady is the model of perfection when it comes to playing quarterback. From his calmness in the pocket, keeping his feet still, reading the coverage and throwing a perfect spiral. Now look at everything Tebow does. It's almost the exact opposite.

People want Tebow to succeed because they feel like he is a good person off the field and he may be. However, a quarterback needs more than a kind heart to win a Superbowl. It takes skill, hard-work and the determination to want to get better.

All he has to do is watch Brady's performance yesterday and try to play half as well as Brady played. If he needs more motivation, here's another alarming stat. Brady had 26 passing completions in yesterday's game. That's equal to the total number of passing attempts Tebow had for the entire game.

Unless Tebow realizes he has to make changes to his mechanics and how he plays overall, he will definitely be out of the league sooner than later.

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Iman Shumpert May Be Another Knick Draft Bust

2012-01-13T22:56:00.001-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: January 13, 2011

The New York Knicks have a history of being terribly bad at drafting players in the first round. Their picks over the last decade have done little to disprove this notation either; and, honestly, Iman Shumpert, their first round pick last year, may continue the tradition.

Can Iman Shumpert break be the first great first pick the Knicks have drafted in over two decades?

I haven't seen the Georgia Tech product play much in this short season, but from what I've seen I'm not sure if this kid has what it takes to be great. Last night's loss versus the Memphis Grizzlies is exhibit A.

It seemed like as soon as the game started he started jacking up shot after shot. By the middle of the first quarter, he was already 0-9 on his shots. He finished the game 5-20. On a team with Amare Stoudamire and Carmelo Anthony, I don't think it's within the team's best interest for an inconsistent rookie to run down the court and shoot the first shot he sees.

However, to be fair, Stoudamire did get benched early because of foul trouble and Anthony's left wrist was bothering him; but, even when they were in the game, Shumpert was still throwing up shots.

At first, I thought maybe Coach Mike D'Antoni told him to shoot more, but a quick camera shot of his face after another Shumpert heave proved otherwise. I can understand D'Antoni's frustration. It wasn't just the fact Shumpert kept shooting and missing, but he also was not passing the ball to wide open teammates. Here's the crazy thing-- he is listed as a point guard!

I'm not trying to jinx Shumpert at all. I want him to be great and break this tradition of terrible first round picks; but, the fact is that the Knicks haven't had a viable pick in the first round since David Lee (who now plays with the Golden State Warriors) was drafted in 2005; and haven't drafted a great player since Patrick Ewing in 1985.

That's a long time to not have drafted a great player considering they have had high draft picks numerous times over the last couple of years.

It would be in everyone's best interest if Shumpert can develop and be the great player he thinks he is now. After watching a couple of games this season, including last night, I know he has very long way to go before this is possible. I hope Shumpert works hard and listens to the coaches and veteran players around him to make this happen because the last thing the Knicks need is another first round draft bust.

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Kobe Bryant Is STILL The Best Player In The NBA

2012-01-12T19:59:00.003-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: January 12, 2012

The past two nights in the NBA have been very pleasant to watch. While I am a New York Knicks fan, I also happen to be a Los Angeles Lakers fan as well; and, the things Kobe Bryant has been doing to his opponents is nothing short of greatness.

Kobe Bryant has been flying above the rest of the league lately, showing his legs still have lift in them.(Noah Graham/Stephen Dunn/Getty)

He is also proving why he is still the best player in the league today.

On Tuesday night, Bryant scored 48 points in a win against the Phoenix Suns(complete with enough dunks and alley-oops that would make cross-town rival Blake Griffin jealous) and last night he scored 40 points against the Utah Jazz. These are the *two highest scoring totals of any player so far this season.

"Yeah, it's not bad for the seventh best player in the league," said Bryant, taking a shot at the ESPN player rankings that was released at the beginning of the season listing the **best players in the NBA.

According to ESPN.com, Bryant,33, has 324 points through his first 11 games this season, ranking him third in scoring since 1985 among players who were at least 33 years old. Do you know the two people ahead of him? Knick legend Bernard King and "His Airness" Michael Jordan.

However, it isn't just the fact Bryant is scoring at an unbelievable pace for his age that makes him the best player. It's the fact that his overall play seems to have risen to another level as well. Over the last five games, along with him averaging 36 points, he's averaging over five rebounds and five assists and shooting above 50%. Add in the fact he is the only superstar player on his team, making every shot that more difficult to get off, and you are witnessing a player that can't stopped.

I know alot of people would not agree that Bryant is the best player in the league, but honestly whose better? LeBron James? No he isn't. Isn't it ironic that on the same night Bryant completes back-to-back 40 point scoring games, two of the top trending topics on Twitter were #MoreClutchThanLeBronJames and #LeBrickJames for James' performance in the Miami Heat's game against the Golden State Warriors.

While James does have the physical attributes over Bryant and his overall numbers are better, the fact that he continuously comes up short at the end of games almost makes his great numbers meaningless. This is something else that separates Bryant. In all my years of watching sports, I have never heard anyone say Bryant couldn't hit the clutch shot or didn't come up big in the fourth quarter, whereas with James, it has been prevalent throughout his entire career.

Bryant may be in his 16th season but thanks to his "special" off-season knee surgery and all the people who said father-time was catching-up with him, he is still playing at an elite level; and better than every other player in the league.

*Update January 14: In last night's win versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bryant scored 42 points, making it his third strait 40 point game. According to ESPN.com, this is the first time he has scored 40 points in three straight games since 2007, when he did it in five straight games.

**Update January 14: Ric Bucher makes a new list of the top seven players in the NBA.

Update January 15: Even though the Lakers lost in a competitive match against the Los Angeles Clippers, Bryant still scored 42 points-- making it his fourth straight game with at least 40 points.

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Who's To Blame For the NBA Lockout?

2011-11-14T10:16:00.000-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: November 14, 2011

The NBA owners' Wednesday deadline for the National Basketball Players Association to accept the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) proposal has come and gone, with no announcement from the NBPA that they will accept it. Even though the two sides met Thursday and Friday, they couldn't get a deal done and it looks like we won't see any NBA action for a very long time.

NBPA President Derek Fisher and the rest of the players have the power to stop the lockout, but they continue to choose not to.

I've read a lot of reports about what's going on at these meetings and what both sides want in the new CBA. Thanks to USAToday.com, I've read the entire owners proposal to the players. From what I can see, the main points of disagreement revolve around:

The BRI Split

The Salary Cap/Tax System

Maximum Length of Contracts

Of course, both sides have contributed to keeping this lockout extended into the regular season, but which side should hold more stake than the other? To me, the answer is obviously the players.

I'm usually all for the "many" standing up to the "few elite," and I was initially on that stand in this situation as well. But, as time went on, and I began to think about it and hear more about the situation, I realize want the players want out of this deal makes no sense to me.

My main gripe with them is the Basketball Related Income (BRI) split. The NBPA managed to get 57% of the split in the last CBA. The owners say they lost a lot money because of this and they want to reduce the split to 50-50; or have a conditional agreement, where the NBPA receives between 49-51% of the split depending on the amount of revenue generated for that given year.

This seems more than fair. Either both sides get the same amount, or if the league does well, the players get more of the split. Why must this be so hard to compromise on?

But, giving that it's taking so long to agree to this, I'm guessing the NBPA doesn't want either. No, they'd rather put the whole season on hold, or bring it to an end, just to get a guaranteed 51% or 52%.

I saw a report that said each percentage is worth about $13 million dollars, so I understand the difference between the percentages. But, in my mind, I feel like the owners deserve that money more than the players do.

The NBPA wants that extra money to give to their current players and for their future players. But, that's all. The owners have to run an entire league. They have to not only pay the players. They have to pay the coaching staff, front office staff, security guards, concession stands, the electric, water, gas bill and etc. Of course, some of that 1% or 2% will go in the pockets of the owners; but majority of it will actually go to keeping the league running and that's what I agree with it.

Basketball is by far my favorite sport and I really want to see the NBA get back to business; and if agreeing to this current proposal will save a 72-game season, then why not agree to it? America's economy has taken a huge nose-dive since 2005 (when the last CBA was agreed to) and the owners have to keep the league going. Fortunately for the players, they can't just get fired like other people in this country, so just accept the deal.

I hate when I hear players on TV and Twitter say, "we really want to get a deal done so we can get back on the court for our fans sake." No they don't. They want to get a deal that's going to pay them the most money and this is the main reason why the NBA has yet to start.

I see the owners trying to bend over backwards to accommodate the players with more money, guaranteed contracts and more years on contracts; but I don't see that same thing from the players in trying to help the Owners keep the league healthy and make it grow.

If the players really care about playing again, they would get some sense of urgency and realize that the league is in danger. They have to decide what's more important: the growth of the league or the growth of their bank accounts.

The ball is in their court.

Will Henry Skinner Be Another Innocent Man Put To Death?

2011-11-08T20:27:00.001-05:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: November 8, 2011

Less than two months after Troy Davis, a man convicted of killing an off-duty cop in Savannah, Ga, was executed with little evidence against him, another man in Texas is going through a similar situation.

Henry Skinner is set to be executed. But are the courts about to kill an innocent man?

According to cnn.com, Henry "Hank" Skinner was set to be executed tomorrow for the 1993 killing of his girlfriend and her two adult sons. The only thing he's hoping will stop the process is DNA at the crime scene, which he says isn't his.

CNN writers Ashley Hayes and Bill Mears write:

"All the district attorney has got to do is turn over the evidence and test it, and let the chips fall where they may," Skinner told CNN's Kate Bolduan in 2009 in an interview from death row at the Polunsky Correctional Institution in Livingston, Texas. "If I'm innocent, I go home. If I'm guilty, I die. What's so hard about that?"
On Thursday, the Texas trial court denied Skinner's latest motion asking to have the crime scene items tested.
"We are deeply disappointed that the trial court has denied Mr. Skinner's request for DNA testing," Rob Owen, Skinner's attorney, said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the trial court's order offers no explanation for its conclusion that DNA testing is not called for in this case."

The case then went to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which is Texas' highest criminal court. Luckily for Skinner, the court granted him a stay of execution. This will give him and his lawyers more time to prove his innocence with the DNA.

This is an interesting case to me because it makes me think, why are the courts so eager to kill a man who could be innocent?

While there seems to be some evidence against Skinner, if he's saying he's innocent, why wouldn't the courts want to look at every piece of evidence to make sure they're taking the right life.

I'm pretty sure a lot of people on death row proclaim they're innocence; but, if there is evidence to help possibly free a man, why does he have to go through hoops and hurdles just to get it tested?

In the coming days, as they begin to test the DNA for evidence, we could find out if it proves Skinner right and innocent.

Image source here

2011 NFL Mid-season Report and Awards

2011-11-05T21:44:00.001-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: November 5, 2011

We have reached the halfway point in the NFL season and, so far, it has been a very entertaining season. Some teams have been surprising, for exceeding far past even their own expectations and for being so terribly bad they make the game of football unwatchable; and other teams have been the same bad they've always been.

Here are the best and worst players and teams in the first-half of the NFL season.

In this report, I'll tell you about the most shocking teams and give out mid-season awards, to those players who have shown exceptional skill in the first half of the season. Awards are given based on current stats and teams are judged by their performance on the field.

NFL MVP: QB Aaron Rodgers GB

This was easy. The reigning Superbowl MVP picked up right where he left off last season. Not only is his team the only undefeated team left in the NFL, but he is playing at an exceptionally high level. He's doing things that other greats have never done and it's time to start considering him as, if not the best, one of the best in the league.

Offensive Player of the Year: WR Calvin Johnson DET

Calvin Johnson is another record breaker in the first-half. He is the first WR to catch two TDs in each of the first five games to start a season. The result, he now has 11 total TDs and is eyeing Randy Moss' record for most TD receptions in a season. Johnson has proved that he is the biggest offensive target when he steps on the field.

Defensive Player of the Year: SS George Wilson BUF

I know no one knows who this is, but he is a big part of the Buffalo Bills resurgence this season. He is the only player in the top three for total tackles, solo tackles and INTs. Add in a forced fumble and you have a player covering both the run and the pass at a high level.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: QB Cam Newton CAR

I was thinking Andy Dalton should get this because his team is winning; but, after seeing what Cam Newton is actually doing this year, it was clear he has been the best offensive rookie so far. Not only is he leading all rookies in passing categories, but he is in the top five of all rushing categories as well. Newton is carving up defenses with his arm as well as his legs. He just has to transfer his stellar play into wins for his team.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: OLB Ryan Kerrigan WAS

Ryan Kerrigan has done things that no other defensive rookie has done. He is the only rookie to be in the top six in tackles, INTs, forced fumbles and pass defended. Plus, he is the only rookie to score a defensive TD. Kerrigan is doing everything and anything he can to help the Washington Redskins win.

Coach of the Year: Jim Harbaugh SF

With virtually the San Francisco 49ers team Mike Singletary had last season, Jim Harbaugh has managed to equal the same number of wins they won all last season (6-10) in the first-half of this season (6-1). He has somehow managed to make former number one overall pick Alex Smith into a NFL QB and that itself is a coaching accomplishment. In his first year as a head coach, he looks as if he belongs on the sideline and he is proving it each Sunday.

Kicker of the Year: Jason Hanson DET

Many don't think kickers are important but they play a big role in football games. In the first-half, no one has done a better job than Jason Hanson at using their feet to help their team. He is tied for most field goals made and is perfect on extra points. But, what sets him apart from other kickers is his work on kickoffs. He is in the top three in KO yards and touchbacks.

Best Shocking Team: Detroit Lions

This was an easy one for me. Nothing about the Lions has been good in over a decade. They've set record lows for being bad, like being the only team in the modern era to post a 0-16 record during the regular season. But this year, they got off to a 5-game winning streak, which combined with their winning streak to end last season set the franchise winning streak record. Plus, they're just fun to watch. Whether their on defense, with Ndamukong Suh, or on offense, with Johnson, you just have a feeling that you're going to see a highlight play on every possession.

Worst Shocking Team: Philadelphia Eagles

In a hetic off-season, they signed A LOT of the top free agents; so, they were dubbed the dream team. How did they respond? They just lost four of their first five games and looked nothing like the team we saw last season. With all their new additions, they had to learn the offense and defense, and it seems like their now getting the hang of it. By the end of the season, they could turn things around; but no team in the first-half has been as disappointing as the Eagles.

Ugliest Shocking Team: Indianapolis Colts

I knew the Colts weren't going to be what they usually were. How could they? They lost Peyton Manning for the whole season and had no back-up ready to step in and play. I can understand all of that. But, what I can't understand is why they are so horrible as a team. Yes, the offense was going to struggle, but how does that affect the defense? The least they could do is attempt to keep the Colts in a game, but they're letting offenses run and pass all over them. I've never seen an offensive player effect the defense so much. This season proves that Manning should've won the MVP every year. With him, they're a title contending, 11 or 12 game winning team. Without him, they're winless and a disgrace to the professional game of football.

Possible Ideas For "Paranormal Activity 4"

2011-11-03T21:10:00.001-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: November 3, 2011

The "Paranormal Activity" franchise has done well for itself in the past three years. From being a simple little indie horror movie to setting the box office record for a horror movie on opening weekend, with its latest installment "Paranormal Activity 3". According to ign.com, Paramount is planning on releasing a follow-up next year.

What should we expect from "Paranormal Activity 4".

"I can't imagine that we wouldn't make a number four, and I imagine [Paramount Film Group president] Adam Goodman this morning is thinking about the challenge," said Head of Domestic Distribution Don Harris. "I'm sure he's thinking, 'Now what do I do?'"

That's a good question. What could they do now? So, I've thought about some ideas for "Paranormal Activity 4".

SPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVEN'T THE FIRST, SECOND, OR THIRD MOVIE BUT PLAN ON IT, STOP READING NOW!

Follow the Grandmother's Story

They could explore the grandmother's involvement with the witches. The whole reason Toby (the spirit) is after the first male in the family is because of an agreement she, or someone older like her mother, made with the Toby. What did the family get in exchange for the first-born male? What events lead to them making a deal Toby?

Follow Hunter's Story

Since the first three movies are about Toby getting Hunter, the baby in "Paranormal Activity 2", the fourth film could be about what happens after the possessed body of Katie takes Hunter. At the end PA2, they leave the room, but we never see what happens after they leave. Did the possessed Katie make it out of the house with the Hunter? Was Hunter able to grow up, and if so, what connection does he still have with Toby?

Follow Diane's Story

In the first PA, Micah bought an Ouija board and Toby used it to spell out the name Diane. When Micah looked up who this could be, he found out a woman from the 60s named Diane had some of the same things happen to her. She was later killed during an exorcism. For the fourth movie, they could explore or flesh out the Diane character and how she relates to the family. What connection does Katie have to her? What did Diane do that would make Toby mention the name to them?

These are just a few of the options they could explore. I'm sure there are many more. All I hope is, whatever the makers decide to do, they don't mess up the PA.

This next movie could either make or break the franchise. We've seen this happen in recent memory. Remember the former Halloween King franchise, "Saw".

"Saw" burst on the scene much like PA. It was simple and low-budget with a good story. Then, "Saw II" was released with a better story and more characters. Then, "Saw III" and another sequel and another and another. By the end of it all, there were seven movies made and only the first three were really good and made any sense.

I really don't want to see this happen to the PA franchise. If they try the same scary tricks as the first three movies or the fourth contradicts something previously mentioned, the franchise could be hurt forever. So Goodman, choose wisely.

Image source here

Rangers and Cardinals Both Winners Regardless Of World Series Outcome

2011-10-28T18:14:00.000-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 28, 2011

With the first game seven of the World Series in almost ten years looming, it's easy to only focus on who's going to win tonight. Although, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that both the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals have overcome incredible odds and should be happy with their season no matter what the outcome.

The Fall Classic has delivered on what its name states, with two teams that should be happy just to be in this position.

The Lone Rangers

The Rangers are by no means a Cinderella team. No, there Cinderella story happened last year when they made it to the WS. Not everyone, but some ESPN MLB Analysts had them reaching the WS again this year.

However, I didn't think they would, and it wasn't just because my New York Yankees play in the AL (although that was part of it). I felt like the Rangers were on an emotional high last year, which propelled them into the WS and they couldn't recreate that magic a second time.

Last year, there were talks of the Rangers almost going out of business because the the owners couldn't find anyone to buy the team. The MLB had to take over the baseball operations of the team just to keep the sinking ship a float.

There was also a lot of controversy around the team. It was revealed that Manager Ron Washington had been using cocaine the season prior and their best player, Josh Hamilton, had also struggled with drugs and alcohol.

The Rangers were done.

Then, last July, against all odds and speculation, the Rangers caught the biggest fish on the trade market, Cliff Lee. A month later, Nolan Ryan, a former pitcher for the Rangers, bought the team. So, in a month's time, they got a ace pitcher and an owner. All this emotional satisfaction propelled them to the WS last year.

What did they have this year? They lost Lee to free agency, Hamilton has been hampered with a strained left groin and possible sports hernia for the last month and they had no emotional boost at the end of the season to get them over the hump of a long season.

No. All they had was a great manager who made the right moves at the right moments, a great owner who filled the hole left by Lee and a great team that stepped up when their best player was injured.

From a team on the brink of nonexistence, with a player addicted to drugs and alcohol and a manager using cocaine, to back-to-back AL Champions and possible world champions is remarkable.

The Early Bird Doesn't Always Get The Worm

The Cardinals are the Cinderella team this year. They didn't have all the issues the Rangers had, but they shouldn't had even made the playoffs let alone get to game seven of the WS; and what they did to make the playoffs broke MLB records.

At the beginning of September, the Cardinals were over 10 games back in the wild-card race to the Atlanta Braves. It was looking like their season was over.

I thought it was over as well. Throughout September, I kept seeing commercials telling people to buy their post-season tickets now because the Braves were going to be playing in October. There was no point in paying attention to the wild-card race anymore, so I didn't.

Then, with a week left in the season, all of a sudden, the Cardinals were only a few games behind the Braves. By the end of the week, the Cardinals were the NL wild-card team and the Braves were left to wonder, "What the heck happened?"

What happened was a team plagued with injuries all year finally got all their pieces back at the right time and made everything click. They won 23 of their last 31 games and proved it's not how a team starts the season but how it ends it.

All They Did Was Win

I know, in the world of sports, moral victories aren't often praised because it's all about winning. Yes, these two teams won the games they needed to get to this point, but the adversity they overcame to get here was half the battle. The character they've shown shouldn't be overlooked just because one of them won't wave a banner next season.

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NCAA Approves Reforms To Athletic Scholarship

2011-10-28T11:35:00.000-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 28, 2011

In the heated discussion between whether college athletes should be paid to play, the NCAA has cooled downed a bit.

Will an extra $2,000 in scholarship money be enough to stop the scandals? (From right to left: NCAA President Mark Emmert, Northwestern University President Emeritus Henry Bienen, and Knight Commission Co-Chairman Brit Kirwan, chancellor of the University of Maryland System. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

According to USA Today, the NCAA adopted a number changes to the athletic scholarship, one of them will give student-athletes $2,000 extra in grant money. NCAA President Mark Emmert was at the forefront of the change proposals.

"This is certainly not play for pay," Emmert said. "This is a recognition that for four decades or more, the (athletic scholarship) model has been unchanged."

The extra money is to better represent the cost of attending a college institution. An athletic scholarship generally covers room-and-board, meal plans, tuition and other academic fees. However, students need money for other things while on a college campus; and, with schoolwork and athletics being so time consuming, getting a part-time job is almost out of the question.

The extra money will also come with an increase in academic standards to qualify for the scholarship. The NCAA has also increased the Academic Progress Rate (APR) for teams to qualify for bowl games and tournaments, which the NCAA projects will increase graduation rates by 50%.

USA Today Writer Andy Gardiner writes:

In applying the APR to teams' postseason eligibility, the NCAA will use a cutoff of 900 for two years before moving to 930. For the 2014-15 school year, teams falling below 930 can remain eligible if their two-year average is at least 940. The strict 930 requirement takes effect in 2015-16 without exceptions.
Had that bench mark been in effect last year, it would've sidelined seven teams that reached the Division I men's basketball tournament, including champion Connecticut, and eight that played in bowls.
Along with the APR, initial eligibility standards have been raised for incoming freshmen, beginning in 2015-16, from a 2.0 grade point average in core high school courses to a 2.3. Transfers must carry a 2.5 GPA (also up from 2.0), starting in 2012-13.

This topic also comes up with the recent college scandals involving student-athletes. College football players at University of North Carolina, University of Southern California with Reggie Bush, University of Miami, Ohio State University and other schools have had players suspend due to them receiving improper benefits.

When the scandals are revealed, the school's wins, trophies and championships are rescinded and wiped from the history books.

While it's good the NCAA is being proactive in trying to stop the scandals in their sport, I don't think $2,000 is going cut it. Not when college sports is a billion dollar a year industry and the employees (because that is literally what college athletes are) are getting paid nothing.

There are video games and merchandising sold with the athletes likeness being represented. Even though they may not put a name on the back of jerseys or display their real name in video games, everyone knows whose jersey they are buying and who they are controlling when they are playing games.

When Bush played at USC, everyone in the stadiums had on number five jerseys. It wasn't because it was the president of the school's favorite number or because it had any significant meaning to USC's history. It was because Bush was on the field breaking records and doing amazing things.

USC made millions of Bush and Bush got 0% of it. The school didn't pay him, so he went with someone that would pay him.

For people who say it's okay for the coaches and athletic directors to get paid millions of dollars a year because it's their job need to think long and hard about that statement in reference to student-athletes.

Is it not a job for them? If they miss an assignment continuously, do they not get benched? If they don't live up to expectations, do they not get cut? If they don't get playing time, do they not go to another team? It's the same job and the same worries the pros do and have. They just don't get paid for it.

Like I said, I'm happy the NCAA is being proactive in this fight against scandals plaguing their sport but $2000 isn't enough in a billion dollar industry.

Are Remakes Really A Bad Thing?

2011-10-27T16:07:00.009-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 27, 2011

Remakes are nothing new in the entertainment industry and, in the coming weeks, there are even more scheduled to be released. I always hear people talk about how there's no more creativity in the world and how everything has already been done; but is this really a bad thing?

"Beavis and Butt-Head" is being remade for this generation starting Oct 27. I think it's great but, for some reason, people don't like remakes.

Honestly, I don't see anything wrong with taking a classic and remaking it for the hear-and-now. When it's done well, it can become great in its own right. It could even become bigger than the original with the new generation. For example, the reboot of the 1960s classic "Planet of the Apes."

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" set itself apart from its predecessor. With its well crafted story and memorable moments, it carved out its own lane and has jump-started a new series of ape movies.

This is what I mean by done well. Some creative thought and effort went into making the product fresh and new. At times, this can actually be more difficult than making something brand new. Think about how hard it would be to take something great and elevate it one more level.

Also set to be rebooted tonight is "Beavis and Butt-Head." I'm not sure how much better than the original this will be but the preview trailers look funnier than anything I can remember on the original.

Of course, parents and TV activist would probably say there's no need to bring back the two most famous couch-potatoes in history but, it was one of my favorite shows as a kid, I'm happy to see it back on the air.

Other remakes scheduled for release next month is "Halo: Combat Evolved" and the Motorola Razr. "Halo" redefined a generation of video-games and proved first-person shooters can work on a console system. It's being remade with better graphics and new controls but retaining the same the story, levels and weapons of the original. The Razr was the most popular cellphone ever (until the iPhone); and is being remade with a Android operating system and will be the thinnest touchscreen ever.

I'm excited about both of these products. Will they be better than the originals? Most definitely and the nostalgic feeling will make them worth buying.

Remakes can be a phenomenal experience. They can either bring you to a place the original couldn't or make you remember a different time in your time life when all you had was the original; and that can be just as satisfying.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that people shouldn't try to be creative because I welcome fresh and new ideas all the time. But, don't think just because something is a remake it's going to damage the original product. Don't let a "few bad apples" ("The Thing.", "Nightmare on Elm Street", "Charlie's Angels") ruin what could be a great experience.

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Tim Tebow Proved He's Not An NFL Quarterback

2011-10-24T16:10:00.002-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: Ocotber 24, 2011

After stumbling out the gate at the beginning of the season, the Denver Broncos decided it was time for the Tim Tebow era to start. No better time either. They were playing a win-less Miami Dolphins team, in the state Tebow won two college national titles and his college teams were being honored at the game. The sun was shining on Tebow to be great, and what happened?

Tim Tebow (above) got the win for the Broncos; but the win can't mask the fact that he is not a quality NFL quarterback.

He stunk!

Tebow groupie's will say, "That doesn't matter because they won the game." Yes, they won the game; and yes, Tebow lead them on two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and ran in the 2-pt conversion to tie the game.

But, all that was in the last three minutes of the game. For the first 57 minutes he didn't do anything. Their rally was more on the Dolphins ineptitude to function as a quality football and close out their opponent than it was Tebow leading them to a win.

Just look at Tebow's play. The only time he is steady on the field is right before the ball is snapped. After that, he legs never get set and his head constantly moves side-to-side. It's as if he isn't sure about what's going on on the field. When he did throw the ball, his passes were erratic, overthrown and never a tight spiral. If you look at the drives for the Broncos before the fourth qt. meltdown by the Dolphins, they punted eight times, missed two fields goals and Tebow fumbled the ball the away.

This is not the look of a quality NFL quarterback.

It's like the age-old question that is usually asked in sports when a team has a big lead and still loses the game, "Did they lose it or did their opponent beat them?" Well, the Dolphins lost it more than the Broncos beat them.

Let's look at the facts. The Dolphins were up by three scores with three minutes left in the game. Ask anyone who watches football, in this situation, the winning team should win. Then, after the Broncos scored, the Dolphins couldn't recover the the onside kick; and the Broncos go down the field and score on the terrible Dolphins defense. Then, in overtime, with the ball, the Dolphins fumbled it away and let the Broncos make a field goal to win the game.

This is why the Dolphins lost. Not because of Tebow, but because of their mistakes down the stretch.

Let's get back to Tebow's quarterback play and compare it to the gold standard of the league right now, Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has been playing near perfect at the quarterback position and did so again on Sunday. He is calm, cool, collect and every pass is right on target like a heat seeking missile. It seems like the only time he misses a completion is when his receivers drop the ball. He is a quality NFL quarterback. A Superbowl winning quarterback.

Tebow is more like a Michael Vick or Mark Sanchez type of player; he's an unconventional quarterback who could win some games and probably get to a conference title game, but he will never win nor get to a Superbowl.

But, nonetheless, the Tim Tebow era has started with a win in Denver. How long will it last? I'm not sure; but, if he continues to play like he did on Sunday, not for long.

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5 Children TV Shows Nobody Else Watched

2011-10-23T21:36:00.002-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: Ocotber 23, 2011

Recently, my friend on Facebook posted a link on my page to a video mash-up of the great TV shows from the 90s. Majority of the shows I did watched as a kid; but I couldn't help but notice, some of the other shows I grew up watching wasn't included in the video.

Reboot was one of my favorite shows as a kid. Unfortunately, so many others missed out.

Although, I shouldn't be surprised. Whenever I mentioned these shows with my friends during those "shows we used to watch as kids conversations," they never had a clue about what I was talking about. They looked at me with puzzled faces, like I just asked them to explain E=MC2.

But, I still don't understand. These shows were on all the channels we watched as kids: Kids WB, Nickelodeon and ABC Kids.

Here are five shows I watched but no one else did (click on the title to see the intro to the show):

Reboot
This show takes place entirely in a computer. What I loved most about the show were the names of the characters. They were all computer related, with the exception of the main character whose name was Bob. Huh? But, Bob, Dot and Enzo battled Megabyte (a computer virus in Mainframe). Whenever the user inserted a game, a purple square would come down on Mainframe and they could jump in the game and start battling each other.
Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad
Another computer based show. The show was about a boy named Sam who could get transported into his computer. When Sam is in the computer world, he becomes Servo, a cypertronic suit that would battle the evil Kilokahn. It was very similar to Power Rangers in style, but I loved this show. I even had the Servo action figure.
Beast Wars: Transformers
This show was exactly like the regular "Transformers." The names were similar, with a few tweaks here and there. For instance, the leader of the Maximals (the Autobots of BW) name is Optimus Primal, instead of Optimus Prime. I recently watched the entire series and it was a much deeper show than I could've imagined as a kid. It dealt with issues like aliens putting humans on Earth and giving them technology to help them survive.
Max Steel
This was a definite classic for me. This show was about a teenager who gets covered in some kind of green ooze substance. The ooze gives him superpowers and he uses them to fight terrorists for his dad who's in charge of spy agency. This show was a lot of fun with action throughout each episode. There was even a game for "Max Steel," which was one of my favorite games to play on Sega Dreamcast. How did people not know about this show?
Animorphs
This show was based on a book series of the same name. A group of kids meet an alien and the alien gives them the power to change into the first animal they contact. With this power, they would have to fight evil aliens which were spreading around the world. This show was on Nickelodeon so I'm surprise more people didn't watch it.

I have tried to figure out why I seem to be the only one of my friends who watched these shows. Maybe it was the style of the shows. All the shows were mostly made using CGI. With the exception of Syber-Squad (which used human actors but when they transferred into the computer, they used CGI) and "Animorphs"(which also used human actors except when they were morphing into animals).

TV shows using CGI wasn't as common or popular when I was a kid as it is today. But I loved shows like that because they were different than anything else on TV visually.

Or, maybe it's because they didn't stay on the air long enough. Other than "Reboot," none of the shows lasted longer than two years. People probably just didn't get enough time to get into the shows. The odds of me or anyone else catching these shows on TV had to be pretty slim.

Whatever the reason, I seem to have been on an island all by myself with these shows. Hopefully, now when I mention them, people won't look at me like I'm crazy.

Paranormal Activity 3 Is Great... If You Saw the First Two In the Series

2011-10-22T20:11:00.002-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 22, 2011

I just saw "Paranormal Activity 3" with my sister and it was great. It has the same quiet induced suspense like the first two films and enough shocks and awes to satisfy the die-hard horror movie fanatic. I was pleased with the movie. However, my sister was not.


To understand how it all begins, you have to know how it all ends.

Unlike me, she hadn't seen the first two movies. She only saw "Paranormal Activity." Unfortunately for her, PA3 is mainly about "Paranormal Activity 2."

PA3 explains all the events from the second movie. It explains why the ghost wanted the baby, why the spirit is haunting the girls and why the spirit doesn't like kitchens.

That's why you must see PA2 in order to understand and truly appreciate the ending of PA3.

When the credits rolled, I said, "WOW! I can't believe that just happened!" Meanwhile, my sister is still staring at the screen with this look of disappointment and probably thinking, "Is that it?"

Don't be the one with that look on your face.

Save yourself the time, money and disappointment and watch the first movies, or at least PA2, before you go to see PA3. It will be well worth it.

No One Benefited From the Las Vegas GOP Presidential Debate

2011-10-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: Ocotber 19, 2011

Last night, I watched the GOP presidential candidates debate in Las Vegas. Some candidates did better than others; but overall, I wasn't impressed much. I don't feel like there was a clear-cut winner, but I did have my favorite candidate. I'll break down each candidate's performance.

(AP Photo/Isaac Brekken) The GOP candidates did more harm than good in the Las Vegas debate. (From left to right: Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann)

Rick Perry

He was the leading candidate for the nomination coming into the debate. Although, after watching last night, I don't know why. He was ducking and dodging questions like Neo in "The Matrix" dodging bullets. It seemed like he was more concerned about bashing President Barack Obama and his fellow GOP candidates than putting forth anything positive for himself. He was doing a lot of back-tracking and covering up his past decisions as well.

Herman Cain

The debate started off with everyone taking shots at his 9-9-9 plan. He tried to defend it; but all he kept saying was look at his statics, not anyone else's, and you'll see why his plan would work. Usually, when a lot people say something won't work, it probably won't; but his determination in defending it would make a lot of people like him. He had more fight and charisma than any other man up there. While his plan and some of the things he said were off the wall (like poor and unemployed people have their self to blame for their situation), it's all about how well you can sway the crowd.

Mitt Romney

This is the candidate whose Mormon faith was brought up two weeks ago by a supporter of Perry. Once again, it was brought up here as well, much to my chagrin. But, the one conclusion I have about him from the debate, he's a punk. I don't even know how many times the other candidates cut him off while he was speaking and didn't get his full 30 seconds of answer time. He just let them do it; and when he tried to cut them off, they wouldn't let him. He was just too nice. He's like the high-school boy who tries to ask out the popular girl in a very courteous way, but still gets turned down because he was just too nice.

Newt Gingrich

I don't have much to say about him. Only because he didn't say much during the debate. He was definitely a loser last night. He gave a few answers but didn't last long in the spotlight.

Michele Bachmann

Earlier, I said Cain had more fight than any other man on stage. Well, Michele Bachmann is not a man and she had more fight than anyone on stage. Her answers were definite and truly stood by them. However, I didn't like a lot of her answers. She kept talking about Ronald Reagan's policies and how President Obama is to blame for everything wrong with the country. I couldn't agree with anything she was saying really; but, like Cain, she made people listen and answered all the questions with what she felt was true, no matter how wrong she really was.

Ron Paul

This was my favorite candidate. I agreed with a lot of his answers and he just made sense on a lot of issues. He said things like cut military spending and told Bachmann the realities about Reagan and not the myth. He seemed like a person who does things for the people and not for the select few rich ones. Well, I guess that is what a republican used to be. However, he also came across as this cooky elderly man. He was the smallest one up there and he kept bobbing and moving around while he answered every question. It's like he wanted to show the crowd he still had a little bit of youth left in him. Nonetheless, he gave the best answers.

Rick Santorum

I had no clue who this guy was, but I was loving everything he was saying. Not because he was talking about any of his own policies, but because he was calling people out on their former policies. Remember the back-tracking I mentioned Perry doing, this guy was the reason. As a matter of fact, he called out Romney and Cain and cause them to flip-flop on some of their previous decisions. Like I said, he didn't bring anything new to the table; but he was definitely trying to take what Cain, Perry and Romney had off of it.

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The Vikings Should Trade Donovan McNabb To the Raiders

2011-10-17T10:54:00.002-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 17, 2011

Things aren't looking good for Vikings QB Donovan McNabb. The Minnesota Vikings are last in the NFC North, with a record of 1-5, and they have no chance of winning their division or getting a wild-card into the playoffs. The Viking's season is theoretically over.

Donovan McNabb has played well but the Vikings have only won one game all season.

While the Vikings record should be better (they held the lead going into the fourth quarter in their first four games of the season but lost all four), with the exception of Sunday night's beat-down by the Chicago Bears, McNabb hasn't played terribly.

However, the reality is they're 1-5 and need a scapegoat. No one plays that role better than McNabb.

So, here's what Minnesota should do. Trade him right now. Let their number one draft pick Christian Ponder man the sinking viking ship and see where he can take it.

Luckily for the Vikings, a starting QB position just opened for the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders QB Jason Campbell injured his collarbone and will be out for a few weeks. Their back-up for Campbell: Kyle Boller.

The Raiders are competitive for the first time in a long time. Do they really want to give Boller an opportunity to dropped them out of contention for the lead in the AFC West? He proved his doesn't do well with pressure when he played for the Baltimore Ravens. If he starts the next few games, the Raiders could wave bye-bye to their playoff hopes.

If I'm a player or coach for the Raiders, regardless of the recent misfortunes of McNabb, I would rather have him under center than Boller.

The only thing that would stop a trade from happening would be stubbornness. Stubbornness from Raiders Head Coach Hue Jackson, feeling like he can win with Boller despite what the world knows; and stubbornness from Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier, feeling like the season isn't over and they can still make a comeback.

The NFL trade deadline is tomorrow, Oct 18. A trade makes sense for both sides.

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Magic Johnson Still Talking About Bringing the NFL to L.A.

2011-10-16T22:35:00.001-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 16, 2011

Great football on the west coast has been confined to college for the last ten years. With USC keeping California in the football national eye, it's easy to forget the pro west coast teams haven't been as competitive.

Magic Johnson is eager to get NFL football back in L.A.. Is his excitement premature?

All of that could change by the end of the 2011 NFL season.

For the first time in a decade, all CA teams have a winning record (San Francisco 49ers 5-1, San Diego Chargers 4-1, Oakland Raiders 4-2) this late in the season. With these teams having promising seasons ahead of them, the talk is even louder about bringing the NFL to the largest city in CA: Los Angeles.

None louder than Magic Johnson.

Speaking with ESPNLosAngeles.com, Johnson says he still wants L.A. to be home to a NFL team.

"I'm truly excited. It's going to improve our community and help our community," said Johnson. "We need jobs, we need more conventions to come to our city, and then of course ... I'm a football fan.

I used to be a season ticket holder for the Rams and the Raiders when they played here. I want football here. I'm tired of cheering for everybody else's team. I want to cheer for my own team."

While a stadium is still trying to be acquired, two questions still linger over the City of Angels. First, would a NFL team last in Los Angeles?

I know the sports world has of memory span of two seconds, so I'm sure people forgot why there is no team in L.A. in the first place.

The Rams and Raiders both called L.A. home in the 80s and early 90s. However, in 1995 due to poor attendance, the Rams skipped town for St. Louis. The same year, The Raiders went back to Oakland, their birthplace, because Al Davis couldn't get city support to build a new stadium. Oakland fulfilled his wishes.

At a time when the economy was doing well, L.A. didn't support its teams, why would it support a team now?

The second question that needs answering is how will a team actually get to the city? In a league that just went through an off-season long lockout because the owners said they weren't making enough money, expansion is out of the question. The only option is relocation of an established team.

Looking at the current NFL standings, a team with a bad record and no historical significance to the city would be the best choices.

The two teams that popped out are the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers. Both are in very small markets, have no history with their city and have rookie quarterbacks with huge potential, who could lead a new franchise into the future of L.A. football.

But will the NFL let a small market, which probably needs the jobs more than a city like L.A., lose a NFL team?

These are decisions that need to be made before Johnson can celebrate a new L.A. NFL team. But, until then, choosing to root for a trio of winning CA teams will have to suffice.

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There Is No Separation From Church and State In America

2011-10-14T20:38:00.002-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 14, 2011

Last week, Republican Mick Romney came under fire because of a comment made by a Texas pastor, who supports fellow Republican Rick Perry, about Romney not being a Christian; and for this reason, no one should vote for Romney to receive the GOP presidential nomination. This made Romney have to explain why his Mormon faith shouldn't stop people from voting for him.

Religion has interfered with state numerous times, even though the two are suppose to stay separate.

So, instead of Romney talking about issues that affect this country, he has been talking about his religion. Even yesterday, he was still defending himself and criticizing Perry for the comments made against him.

Romney may have to fight this religious battle more than his competitors to win the nomination because majority of Americans would probably be scared off when they hear a politician is Mormon.

This is just another case in which America and Americans have proved there is no such thing as separation of church and state in this country.

Looking around, I can see a lot of contradictions to this piece of The Constitution. On courtroom walls and on American money it states, "In God We Trust." The American national anthem says we are one nation under God, and America has a national holiday which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

There are many more examples like these around the country. Some of the states boundaries have also been affected by religion.

According to History Channel's "How the States Got Their Shapes," states like Utah and New England have been alter drastically from what they once was were. All because the government didn't believe in its religion (the former) and because the states couldn't agree on one main religion (the latter).

No matter what the The First Amendment states, religion has never strayed too far from government activities.

Of course, many people still believe the two institutions should stay separate.

According to the washingtonpost.com, yesterday, a homeless shelter ended its church-service requirement. Anybody who wanted to receive the benefits of the tax-supported shelter, had to go to a Christian church service.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State stepped in and sued the shelter to stop this unconstitutional action. The suit was dropped after the shelter changed its policy.

While this event is a victory for people who support The Constitution, the history of American and people's fear of a Mormon president, proves the idea is good in theory but is rarely, if ever, practiced.

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How NBA 2K12 Became The Greatest Sports Game Ever

2011-10-11T00:58:00.000-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 11, 2011

When NBA 2K11 was released last year it was praised as the best sports game ever. So, when the release date for NBA 2K12 was announced, few thought it would be better than its predecessors. Well, it is better and the NBA 2K franchise can now be called a dynasty.

The three different covers of NBA 2K12 featuring (from left to right) Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

So, how did the NBA 2K series get to this point?

Give the Customers What They Want

NBA 2K has always been a good basketball game. It has great graphics and gameplay. However, the controls were not as interactive as one would hope and there were a lot animated sequences executed when pressing one button, which would result in a call going against the user. 2K Sports have heard the the cries and have virtually fixed all the control issues from the previous installments. As we all know, supplying the demand will always work well for a product.

Make A Gimmick That Works

Last year, NBA 2K11 allowed us to play as, arguably the greatest basketball ever, Michael Jordan. The user would play through ten of his greatest games and try to match his achievements. Anyone who played those games, knows how hard it was to do what Jordan did in real-life in a video game.This made sport fans truly appreciate the NBA.

This year's edition allows users to appreciate the history of the NBA even more. NBA 2k12 attempts to answer a question all NBA fans have argued about since Jordan won his sixth title: Which is the greatest team ever? This is the closest fans will ever get to solving this question, as it spans many eras, and once again 2K Sports makes the experience feel real.

Allowing users to play as old-timers is a great gimmick. It has been done before but never in such a large scale, and never with each all-time great player playing like they did when they were in the league. NBA 2K12 is more than just a NBA game. It's a NBA experience.

The Fuel That Started The Fire

Probably no one contributed more to making NBA 2K what it is today than EA SPORTS. After the 2005 video game season, a lot of critics and players (including me) were saying ESPN NFL 2K5 was actually a better football game than Madden NFL 2005. This is first time in a long time a football game rivaled Madden for the NFL crown.

So, to stop 2K Sports from making an indisputable better NFL game one day, EA SPORTS bought the exclusive rights to make NFL games.

Like I always say, "what once was first will one day be last." I say this here because since EA bought the NFL rights, it seems 2K Sports has focused all their efforts into making NBA 2K outshine NBA Live; and it has worked. Last year, EA SPORTS didn't release it's newly titled NBA Elite 11 because they knew it simply wasn't going to measure up to NBA 2K11 and be a major flop; and this year, there is no sign of an NBA Elite 12 on the horizon.

Prepare For Next Year

NBA 2K12 is the best sports game ever made. The only question now is, can it accomplish what it's 2-time cover boy Jordan has and three-peat next year?

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3-D Vision Doesn't Show People Anything New

2011-10-06T22:41:00.003-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 6, 2011

When Disney re-released "The Lion King" in theaters last month, no one (not even Disney) expected it to sell as well has it has. Thrown in the fact that it was being released solely as a 3-D picture, and Disney would've never thought TLK would be the number one movie for two consecutive weeks. With such success from a 17-year-old movie in 3-D, people must love the effect 3-D has on a movie, right? Wrong!

"The Lion King" came back in a big way with 3-D, but is it enough to save the struggling industry?

In fact, when it comes to 3-D, it's the exact opposite. According to usatoday.com, people aren't falling in love with 3-D as much as the entertainment industry would've liked. The movie, phone, video game and t.v. industries have seen an influx of 3-D with little profit to go along with the high cost of production.

There are plenty of reasons why 3-D isn't as big of hit as one would think. When it comes to t.v., there just aren't enough channels broadcasting 3-D picture to justify buying a t.v. with 3-D capabilities. For video games and phones, 3-D can only been seen using certain features or holding the device the proper way. The movie drought is because people don't want to spend $3-$5 extra for a ticket.

However, even if people got over the previously stated problems, 3-D still wouldn't become a mega-hit among consumers. The disconnect between consumers and 3-D can be summed-up with one easy explanation: 3-D doesn't enhance the quality of any device using it. I know the industry wants people to feel immersed in the product but 3-D doesn't achieve this.

I have seen what 3-D can do and I didn't feel like I witnessing anything groundbreaking. I wouldn't waste $3 or hundreds of dollars on this technology because it's not as great as advertisers make it out to be.

Of course, a movie like TLK is going to sell at the theaters 17 years later. However, it wasn't because of the addition of 3-D. Anyone who saw TLK recently, saw it because they got the nostalgia feeling of seeing it as a child, they have kids now who wanted to see it or simply because it's a great movie. The 3-D vision has nothing to do with it.

Even so, 3-D isn't going anywhere no time soon. There are more original 3-D movies and remakes of classics, like Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" and James Cameron's "Titanic," scheduled for release next year. While the remakes will sell, the originals will no doubt flop. Until a true immersion experience of 3-D is created the masses aren't going to buy into it.

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"How I Met Your Mother" Combines The Best Elements Of Two Classic T.V. Shows

2011-10-05T20:54:00.000-04:00

By: Martin Rand, III
Date: October 5, 2011

Every once in while, my sister will tell me about a new show she has starting watching and tell me I should watch it too. More often than not, she's usually right. The show would be funny and instantly becomes one of my favorites. Well, I now need to add "How I Met Your Mother" to the list.

HIMYM cast from left to right: Alyson Hannigan, Jason Segel, Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris.

From the first time I watched this show I was hooked. It was obviously funny and displayed some of the most charismatic characters I've seen on t.v. in a long time. Each character has their own distinct personality and the actors/actresses brings them to life.

The story is what keeps me watching. I love well written and organized stories. Whether it's movies, t.v. or video games, if the story is well I will continue to come back for more just to see how everything ends. The story for HIMYM is told in reverse, so sometimes something will happen and the narrator will say, "I'll get to that later" or "More on that on that later." So far, everything has fit together well like the pieces to a puzzle.

While I was watching an episode of HIMYM one day, it hit me exactly why I loved this show. Aside from the previously stated reasons, I realized the show evokes elements from two of my all-time favorite shows.

With it being a comedy and centered around a group of friends living in New York City, the obvious comparison is to "Friends." While it's not as funny as "Friends," HIMYM is the funniest sitcom since "Friends" went off the air in 2004. The quirky characters always meeting at the the bar right below their apartment is exactly like the "Friends" cast meeting at the coffee shop below their apartment. The only difference between the two is there is a central story to HIMYM whereas "Friends" had to build a plot as the show went along.

The comparison to "Friends" was pretty easy to make. The second show was a bit trickier to figure out. It sounds weird but HIMYM also takes elements from the animated comedy "Family Guy."

The breakaways in action is what these two shows have in common. Anyone who has watched FG knows when something random is said, the show will cut-away to another scene that better explains the randomness that was just said. HIMYM does something very similar.

While HIMYM doesn't say random things like FG, it will say things and then cut to a random funny scene. The scene will either better explain what was just said or the scene is foreshadowing events to come later in the show. I'm not sure why breaks in the show work but theey do. The prove is in FG and HIMYM.

HIMYM is well on its way to becoming a classic in its own right. Now in its seventh season, it's still gaining more viewers. Following traits from two of the greatest will do that for a t.v. show.

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