Archive - Sports RSS Feed

MARCH MOVIE MADNESS 2!!!

***UPDATE!!: The tournament has already begun. We are no longer taking submissions. ***

Okay gang, it’s time for

The idea for March Movie Madness started out on a whim last year and became an eduClaytion sensation as thousands of votes were cast by readers to pick the best of a crop of movies selected by some of us who thought it might be fun. Well, this new site needs broken in proper, so I’m bringing the Triple M back like Hammer Pants. Check the deets.

WHAT (is this?): A tournament of movie heroes/protagonists representing 64 entrants of which you could be one. Each contestant will select a movie hero (man/woman/other) that they love and write no more that 50 words on said character.

Matchups between the assembled movie characters will be entered in a bracket randomly created and organized by Challonge.com. Rounds of our contest will loosely mirror the March Madness NCAA College Basketball tournament which begins next week.  Your character will go head to head in a simple poll to be determined by readers. You must explain why you’re individual rocks the most in less than 50 words (and keep the language family blog style please). Each round is single elimination. Just like in Highlander, there can be only one.

WHY (should you play?): Because it’s fun and you’ll meet some new peeps. Last year it was like Love Connection up in here. Contestants also get to rock their website (although you don’t need a website to enter!) for as many rounds as they survive. So you will make new connections and grab some exposure for your site. But there’s also a sweet prize.

THE PRIZE: There’s an organization called Hello Somebody that aims to feed and educate children in order to break the cycle of poverty in some tough places around the world. Learn more about this organization’s story here. Hello Somebody also offers these really sweet watches for sale. Each one purchased helps provide important necessities like clean water to people who need it.

The winner gets a watch, whichever color/model you like. If the watch isn’t your thing it still makes a great gift for someone you know, and the money goes to a good cause.

RECAP: So here’s a chance to have some fun and do some good. The movie debates got fun last year, especially as our competition spilled over onto other sites. It’ll be like summer camp all over again only without the kid who refused to take a shower or change his shirt all week.

Important:

  1. If you enter the tournament be sure to let us know who you are taking in the comments section. Priority goes on a first come, first served basis! If you’re top pick is taken you’ll at least know by perusing the comments.
  2. I have no idea what kind of response to expect since I’ve been all Adam Absent from the interwebs for the past couple months. If we happen to get more than 64 people interested then I have a pseudo-idea about what to do, but let’s focus on filling all 64 spots first.
  3. If I forgot anything or you still have questions then ask away in the comments section.

HOW TO ENTER!
Use the form below. I’m hoping that this will be organized and streamlined (hence the 50 word MAX). The sooner all the spots fill up the sooner I can unveil the bracket! Voting begins next week. Let’s do this.

 

Who are you taking?!?! Let us know in the comments.

Is Seattle Giving Up Coffee for Skittles?

Tropical Skittles, one of the first variations...

Image via Wikipedia

I love Skittles. They are simply delicious, yet my adoration for their sweet tastiness is complex. So I am getting a kick out of the crazy run they are getting as a result of a football player and his mom.

Marshawn Lynch is a running back for the Seattle Seahawks who is also known for being very hard to tackle. Sometimes, he will run over every player on the other team and keep going.

A couple of weeks ago, he made one of his folk legend type jaunts. Then the cameras showed him meeting his mother on the sidelines. It was a sweet moment. The announcers explained why she was holding a bag of Skittles, because when Marshawn was a kid he used to get them for great runs or touchdowns.

I. Love. That. This kid’s running down the field just smashing other children and thinking “Skittles Skittles Skittles…” That’s just a funny thing for a football player to even chant. Continue Reading…

Look At Me In Tennessee!

I am uber proud today to announce that one of my favorite guest posts I’ve ever written is appearing live at Jessica Buttram’s site.

Not only is Jess a terrific person who’s insanely funny but she’s also a terrific person. And while I’m at it I should mention that she’s also now a fellow resident with me in Knox McCoy’s Awesometown. So congratulations to her on this week’s induction!

Today’s topic is hopefully timely and should make you smile. Or laugh. Or at least think about where I stand with the Rockettes. Haha, that will make sense to you later. Maybe. It’s what we in the trade* call a “teaser”.

But don’t hang around here all day, the fun’s over at the Buttram’s! Be sure to take your comments there too because I’ve left a challenge for you to do better than me. See you over there!

*The trade of tomfoolery.

I’m a Big Loser

When I was in my early 20s I got sucked into the fun world of betting football games online. Yes, I was stupid but then again scientific studies* show that most guys are at their worst between the ages of 21-23.

Let’s just say what started off well sure didn’t end that way. But hey, it was the 2000s and we were young, crazy kids. That’s what free credit cards were for.

Next time Gadget...

*throws self into steel radiator*

One particular Sunday afternoon, I was in my room watching the hapless San Diego Chargers play the solid Baltimoron Ravens (who would go onto win the Super Bowl) before dinner. My relatively safe wager was somehow reliant on the Ravens holding a big lead at halftime.

I was in great shape when the call for dinner came, but as I walked down to eat the stupid Ravens fumbled. The Chargers recovered and were suddenly in field goal range as I picked up my fork. Unbelievable, their kicker John Carney kicked a long field goal as the first half expired. I lost my bet. And my money. It was the only points the pathetic Chargers scored all day. I wasn’t very hungry after that. Continue Reading…

Steelers-Ravens: Chick Flick Edition

Nothing like a good rivalry to get the juices flowing. By juices I mean that sweet Skittles flavor that will soon be mine after my Pittsburgh Steelers take out the Baltimoron Ravens of Miss Thoughts Appear.

To be fair, Thoughtsie doesn’t follow her team that closely. You can read a funny story about this over at her site today.

I’m really putting myself on the line for this one though, so you know I’m counting on the Black & Gold to payback those dirty birdies for week one’s Baltimore smackdown.

What’s at stake, you ask? Well…

If the Ravens win (gag) I have to watch whatever chick flick TA says. Then I have to write a “Movies Teach Us” guest post for my Maryland pal.

However, after my Steelers take out the Ravens, she has to send me some sweet treats. She is, after all, known for her delectable treats. All I know is Skittles need to be included somehow! Hmm, can you make Skittle cookies? Cupcakes? I need ideas. That’s where you come in. Continue Reading…

World Series At Work

A lot of us have history right under our feet. Some of it changed the world while other events are just fun to talk about.

My hometown of Pittsburgh is loaded with historical landmarks and significance. A short walk through Oakland reveals markers and statues and great, old buildings where important things took place.

Today’s short video is timely as the World Series is currently going on between the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. I thought I’d show a little glimpse of one of my workplaces where one of the biggest moments in the history of sports occurred.

If you’d like to see the short clip of this historic blast click here. You’ll see what Forbes Field and Pittsburgh looked like a half century ago as the camera follows the flight of the ball through the air and over Yogi Berra’s head.

Do you have any cool landmarks near you?

Music City Miracle

Kerry Meacham and I will be rooting against each other on Sunday when his Tennessee Titans visit my Pittsburgh Steelers for a game at Heinz Field. But if my boys have to lose, I’ll be glad for Kerry and his wife. He’s a great guy and the author of today’s guest post in which he recounts a rare perspective of one of the greatest plays in NFL history. You should read his blog and find him on Twitter. Okay Kerry, the field is yours!

~*~*~*~

When Clay asked if I would write a guest post for his blog, the first thing that popped into my head was the Tennessee Titans. Just so you know, I’m a true fan, but my wife is a fanatic. One of her parameters for me accepting my current job in St. Louis was that we would still go back to Nashville for all Titans’ home games. Done.

My wife and I at this year’s first home game, where we WAXED the Baltimore Ravens 23-16 thank you very much.

Yes, you’re right. When I wear that jersey people are constantly bugging me for an autograph thinking I’m the real Chris Johnson (#28). I constantly have to remind them that he’s the one with the dreads. Sheesh, people can be so annoying when you look like a sports celebrity.

Each year when we go to the first Titans’ home game, I get a feeling of anticipation like I did that first season the Titans came to Nashville in 1999. It was an exciting time, and Nashville was all abuzz. My wife and I bought season tickets when they became available, and we ended up with seating on the second row in the south end zone. It was truly a Cinderella year where the Titans won every home game during the regular season. Momentum built each week they won. Continue Reading…

Whose Side Are You On?

Time for a little friendly wager my lovelies. Actually, I don’t call people “my lovelies” but rather stole that turn of phrase from Miss Alberta herself, Leanne Shirtliffe. And I don’t channel her without cause. You see, Ironic Mom and I have issued stakes for this weekend’s hockey opener in which my Pittsburgh Penguins, beloved hockey team of me youth, travel to Calgary where Leanne’s Flames await their defeat.

What’s on the line you ask? Good question, lovely even.

We’ve wagered the finest chocolate from our hometowns, but here’s the extra sweet hook: YOU are the one with a chance to win our booty. Or bounty. Our bountiful booty? Hmm, this paragraph just got awkward like Flames goalie Mikka Kiprusoff who’s lost to the Pens every chance he’s had since 2005.

So here’s how this works for yous. Nevermind if you are a hockey lover or completely clueless about the sport. To get in on the fun and take a shot at winning some exotic chocolate from a faraway land, just do the following:

1. Predict the outcome/score of the game. (Hint: make up numbers and put a team name by each one)

2. Share a hockey or skating memory that you experienced or made up.

You can leave your hockey or skating memory at one of our blogs (like here in the comment section) and leave your prediction for the game’s outcome at the other blog (like IronicMom.com). Entries close before the start of the game on Saturday.

This is gonna be fun like playing Jenga with an igloo.

Of course, this is a competitive wager with tasty stakes. As such, you should feel free to layeth the smack down and talk it up. For example, we know the Penguins are superior to the Flames, but why? How many ways are there to make fun of Canada?

In the name of diplomacy I would like to point out that the letters in Calgary Flames can be rearranged to spell the following phrases:

Flyer Scam Gala

Gram Lays Fecal

Cagy Elf Alarms

Clay Frames Gal

So there you have it, a showdown for the ages, or at least all ages, is upon us. Whose booty will you back?

What’s your guess for the final score?

Be sure to check out Ironic Mom’s site and leave something north of the border.

Gamer Girls

A 14-year-old girl named Lexi Peters is tired of looking like a boy. On video games that is.

The Buffalo teenager loves hockey and plays the NHL video game put out by Electronic Arts (EA) each year. EA games have long allowed players to create their own characters that can be customized by name and appearance. The thing that bothered Lexi is that created characters are always male.

Someone else to beat the Flyers. You go girl.

With the encouragement of her father, Lexi wrote a letter to EA executives explaining that a lot of women and girl hockey players around the world would enjoy being repped by the proper gender. Lexi was soon told sorry but nothing could be done, especially with the NHL in control of licensing. But the story didn’t end there.

According to Ben Maller of The Post Game where I discovered this story, lead producer David Littman of EA heard about Lexi’s letter and took action. He received approval from the company’s legal team and the NHL. Not only will NHL 12 include a female avatar but the company is even using Lexi’s likeness as the base template.

Girl gamers are a dominant force in the multi-billion (with a B) dollar industry and EA is finally catching on. According to a 2010 study by the Entertainment Software Association, women are more than casual participants in the world of gaming. Consider the following stats: Continue Reading…

When A Diamond Was A Guy’s Best Friend

1907 Pittsburgh baseball team, Pittsburg NL (b...

Image via Wikipedia

I used to live for baseball. Hard to believe now, but when I was a kid my life revolved around the game.

I could play with my friends in the backyard all day every day of the summer. As soon as I was old enough I joined a local team and played for years. Shoot, I’d even go inside early some nights (before the street lights even came on!) just so I could watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on TV while I dutifully kept stats in my score book.

I dreamed of being a big leaguer some day and making a living on that field they called the diamond. Just about anybody who met me after the age of 13 would probably be surprised to learn of this childhood passion of mine.

The game we once called America’s past time is more past its prime than anything these days, but few things can pour nostalgia over me like baseball. When I put on a glove and catch that first long throw in many months, the muscles in my hands and arms remember. And when I hear that thump in the glove or crack of the bat, my mind recalls a thousand days beneath a ball cap cursing the sun for blinding me in the face of a high fly ball but then begging that same sun not to go so I could have just one more turn at the plate.

Baseball is as close to poetry as I’ve ever come. Continue Reading…

Page 1 of 41234»