8.30.2004
NHL: RIP?
Recent rumors suggest that if the NHL and NHLPA cannot hammer out a deal by January 2005, team owners in the NHL may disband the league and start anew.
Since the Lightning were one of the very few to make a profit during last year's season, and it took going all the way to the Stanley Cup finals to create the team's first profit in years, it's quite obvious that something is wrong with the current setup of the National Hockey League.
The players' union is afraid of a possible salary cap, and will hear of no such option in labor talks. The problem is that NHL players demand a salary that is disproportionate percentage-wise to the share of business the NHL pulls in via attendance and TV share when compared to other major sports.
The NHL insists that the players salaries are the source of major financial losses across the league. The players point out that the two teams that made the finals this year were low payroll teams, proving that a team does not have to spend ridiculous amounts of cash to build a championship team.
The truth, of course, lies somewhere in the middle. Most NHL players do not deserve the ridiculous salaries they get. However, it doesn't excuse the shoddy business practices on behalf of the NHL over the past 15 years, during which the league has seen a steady decline in popularity.
Not to say that the other professional sports have done any better, with MLB being the Yankees vs. the world, the all-style, no skill NBA (as proven by the olympics), or even the soon-to-be-cut Brock Lesnar in the NFL.
The existing collective bargaining agreement expires on September 15th, and if a deal is not reached by then (which doesn't appear likely), this year's season will likely be shortened or cancelled altogether if nothing is agreed upon. This is disasterous for the NHL, as a strike will deplete the already diminished fan base.
But will the NHL disband and the team owners start anew? Not likely, or, at least, not in the next year. NHL players want to play and regardless of what kind of new CBA is worked out, they will get more money in the US and Canada then they can in Europe. If the NHL were to fall apart, it would more likely be a gradual result of a shortened or cancelled season this year.
Here's hoping things can be worked out in the next two weeks.
Recent rumors suggest that if the NHL and NHLPA cannot hammer out a deal by January 2005, team owners in the NHL may disband the league and start anew.
Since the Lightning were one of the very few to make a profit during last year's season, and it took going all the way to the Stanley Cup finals to create the team's first profit in years, it's quite obvious that something is wrong with the current setup of the National Hockey League.
The players' union is afraid of a possible salary cap, and will hear of no such option in labor talks. The problem is that NHL players demand a salary that is disproportionate percentage-wise to the share of business the NHL pulls in via attendance and TV share when compared to other major sports.
The NHL insists that the players salaries are the source of major financial losses across the league. The players point out that the two teams that made the finals this year were low payroll teams, proving that a team does not have to spend ridiculous amounts of cash to build a championship team.
The truth, of course, lies somewhere in the middle. Most NHL players do not deserve the ridiculous salaries they get. However, it doesn't excuse the shoddy business practices on behalf of the NHL over the past 15 years, during which the league has seen a steady decline in popularity.
Not to say that the other professional sports have done any better, with MLB being the Yankees vs. the world, the all-style, no skill NBA (as proven by the olympics), or even the soon-to-be-cut Brock Lesnar in the NFL.
The existing collective bargaining agreement expires on September 15th, and if a deal is not reached by then (which doesn't appear likely), this year's season will likely be shortened or cancelled altogether if nothing is agreed upon. This is disasterous for the NHL, as a strike will deplete the already diminished fan base.
But will the NHL disband and the team owners start anew? Not likely, or, at least, not in the next year. NHL players want to play and regardless of what kind of new CBA is worked out, they will get more money in the US and Canada then they can in Europe. If the NHL were to fall apart, it would more likely be a gradual result of a shortened or cancelled season this year.
Here's hoping things can be worked out in the next two weeks.
8.22.2004
Rock Against Ass
Some of you may be asking yourselves "Where has Neil gone to?"
Actually, I'm sure none of you have asked that question, but I'm here to answer it for you anyhow.
Before After
That's right folks, I was busy with getting a job and a haircut, and, as a result, I have gone from looking like white trash to resembling a 12 year old boy.
Ladies - look out!
Some of you may be asking yourselves "Where has Neil gone to?"
Actually, I'm sure none of you have asked that question, but I'm here to answer it for you anyhow.
That's right folks, I was busy with getting a job and a haircut, and, as a result, I have gone from looking like white trash to resembling a 12 year old boy.
Ladies - look out!
8.10.2004
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
Why is it so hard to make a funny movie? Why do audiences enjoy the worst comedies? I'll never understand why Friends was so damn popular and how "Bruce Almighty" managed to make an ungodly (no pun intended) amount of money. Sure, it was a decent flick, but not worth the praise or money it got, in my opinion.
I expected Anchorman to be this year's funniest movie. The previews were hilarious, advance reviews were glowing, and Will Ferrell can do no wrong. Even Nick over at CHUD.com called it the funniest movie of 2004. What a major disappointment it was. I'm not saying it was a horrible movie, but it sure didn't come anywhere close to my expectations.
Ah yes, expectations. That must be the problem. So it was with great pleasure that I enjoyed the film "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" this past weekend. To be honest, I didn't expect much. In fact, I was planning on seeing another movie, which ended up being sold out. And so I reluctantly decided to check out the dumb stoner comedy from the guy who directed "Dude, Where's My Car?" I'm sad to admit that I did see "Dude" in theaters, and I'm even more sad to say that I did not ask for my money back afterwards.
"Harold and Kumar" relies a lot on racial stereotypes. The main characters, an Asian-American and Indian-American, fit into their respective stereotypes in some respects, but for the most part are just average Americans. Harold is a number-cruncher at a desk job, and Kumar is a drifter whose father expects him to become a doctor. The two roommates decide to enjoy some weed after a long week, and amidst their high-ness, they decide they want to get some White Castle burgers.
But who cares? The journey unfolds with a series of hilarious situations. This is not to say that the film is anything new or that some of the jokes aren't things we haven't seen before (most are, actually), but for some reason it all works. Even if you're sober.
And so I suppose it was that I didn't expect much from "Harold and Kumar" that it took me by surprise so much. I'd go as far as to say that it's the funniest movie I've seen in the last two years.
And hey, any movie where Doogie Howser, M.D. snorts a line of coke off a stripper's ass out of the sun roof of a moving car is a-okay with me.
Why is it so hard to make a funny movie? Why do audiences enjoy the worst comedies? I'll never understand why Friends was so damn popular and how "Bruce Almighty" managed to make an ungodly (no pun intended) amount of money. Sure, it was a decent flick, but not worth the praise or money it got, in my opinion.
I expected Anchorman to be this year's funniest movie. The previews were hilarious, advance reviews were glowing, and Will Ferrell can do no wrong. Even Nick over at CHUD.com called it the funniest movie of 2004. What a major disappointment it was. I'm not saying it was a horrible movie, but it sure didn't come anywhere close to my expectations.
Ah yes, expectations. That must be the problem. So it was with great pleasure that I enjoyed the film "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" this past weekend. To be honest, I didn't expect much. In fact, I was planning on seeing another movie, which ended up being sold out. And so I reluctantly decided to check out the dumb stoner comedy from the guy who directed "Dude, Where's My Car?" I'm sad to admit that I did see "Dude" in theaters, and I'm even more sad to say that I did not ask for my money back afterwards.
"Harold and Kumar" relies a lot on racial stereotypes. The main characters, an Asian-American and Indian-American, fit into their respective stereotypes in some respects, but for the most part are just average Americans. Harold is a number-cruncher at a desk job, and Kumar is a drifter whose father expects him to become a doctor. The two roommates decide to enjoy some weed after a long week, and amidst their high-ness, they decide they want to get some White Castle burgers.
But who cares? The journey unfolds with a series of hilarious situations. This is not to say that the film is anything new or that some of the jokes aren't things we haven't seen before (most are, actually), but for some reason it all works. Even if you're sober.
And so I suppose it was that I didn't expect much from "Harold and Kumar" that it took me by surprise so much. I'd go as far as to say that it's the funniest movie I've seen in the last two years.
And hey, any movie where Doogie Howser, M.D. snorts a line of coke off a stripper's ass out of the sun roof of a moving car is a-okay with me.
8.03.2004
Doom 3
What on Earth could make me wake up at 9am and scuttle all the way down to the mall? Doom 3, of course.
Myself and John arrived just after the mall opened to secure our copies of what is the most anticipated videogame in a long, long time. The dorky guy behind the counter at Babbage's was complaining that he had to work all day, so he wouldn't be able to play until late. Containing my evil laughter was harder than you might imagine.
As he grabbed my pre-ordered copy from a bin, he tore off a receipt that had been taped to the cover of the game. The tape managed to pull off a piece of the packaging on the front... a nice chunk of paper taken right out of the center of the monster's mouth on the cover. Ruined.
What the fuck?
Much to the amusement of the guy behind the counter and my comrade John, I asked for another copy of the game. Shit man, if id is making me pay $55 instead of the regular $50 for this bad boy, I'm going to get that extra five bucks' worth.
Sigh.
So then after rushing home to install, the game wouldn't even load. Wasn't recognizing my graphics card at all. Horrible. After two and a half hours of fussing and uninstalling the game and reinstalling hardware drivers and a whole other load of nonsense, it worked! Game on.
I've got the sucker running at 1024x768 with medium textures, very impressive considering that my graphics card is three years old and this is probably the best-looking PC game I've ever seen. That's what optimizing your system will get you.
So I'm roughly 3 hours into the game now (I'm taking a break to let my eyes breathe) and it's already managed to scare the shit out of me on numerous occasions. We're not talking like "Ooh, look at the scary monster." This is jumping out of your chair and screaming "HOLY SHIT!" when after walking into a room outlined with lit candles and squirming pieces of bloody flesh, you walk over a pentagram in the middle of the room and a shitload of Imps come from God knows where and proceed to make you pee yourself. Since the game is a remake of the original Doom, I can only imagine how crazy it will become when you finally go through the portal and into Hell for the last part of the game.
Time to squeeze in some more Doom 3 before work....
What on Earth could make me wake up at 9am and scuttle all the way down to the mall? Doom 3, of course.
Myself and John arrived just after the mall opened to secure our copies of what is the most anticipated videogame in a long, long time. The dorky guy behind the counter at Babbage's was complaining that he had to work all day, so he wouldn't be able to play until late. Containing my evil laughter was harder than you might imagine.
As he grabbed my pre-ordered copy from a bin, he tore off a receipt that had been taped to the cover of the game. The tape managed to pull off a piece of the packaging on the front... a nice chunk of paper taken right out of the center of the monster's mouth on the cover. Ruined.
What the fuck?
Much to the amusement of the guy behind the counter and my comrade John, I asked for another copy of the game. Shit man, if id is making me pay $55 instead of the regular $50 for this bad boy, I'm going to get that extra five bucks' worth.
Sigh.
So then after rushing home to install, the game wouldn't even load. Wasn't recognizing my graphics card at all. Horrible. After two and a half hours of fussing and uninstalling the game and reinstalling hardware drivers and a whole other load of nonsense, it worked! Game on.
I've got the sucker running at 1024x768 with medium textures, very impressive considering that my graphics card is three years old and this is probably the best-looking PC game I've ever seen. That's what optimizing your system will get you.
So I'm roughly 3 hours into the game now (I'm taking a break to let my eyes breathe) and it's already managed to scare the shit out of me on numerous occasions. We're not talking like "Ooh, look at the scary monster." This is jumping out of your chair and screaming "HOLY SHIT!" when after walking into a room outlined with lit candles and squirming pieces of bloody flesh, you walk over a pentagram in the middle of the room and a shitload of Imps come from God knows where and proceed to make you pee yourself. Since the game is a remake of the original Doom, I can only imagine how crazy it will become when you finally go through the portal and into Hell for the last part of the game.
Time to squeeze in some more Doom 3 before work....
|
2003 - 2005 Reverend Hughes |
