Rounding 1st: Baseball Predictions

Well, the baseball season is well underway. It is about 1/4 through the season, so why not try to gauge the year so far...

Division Winners - AL
East - Boston
The Yankees are surging, but Boston will continue to get better with Smoltz joining the rotation near the end of the year.
Central - Detroit
It is unbelievable, but Verlander and Willis are back... the big thumpers will continue to drive in enough for the Tigers to make the playoffs.
West - LA Angels
They have been treading water long enough, expect the Angels to make their move later in the season, with the addition of a healthy Gurrero, Shields, and Escobar.
Wild Card - Texas
They have enough power to get into the playoffs, but with only a mediocre pitching staff, I don't believe they will be able to win the division this year...



Division Winners - NL
East - Philadelphia
Expect to see their name for a few more years... While the Mets finally have a closer, the Phillies are 16-6 on the road. They will improve their home record.
Central - St. Louis
They will squeak by this year with the help of Pujols, Ludwick, and Ankiel. Don't be surprised if they add a pitcher or two before the trade deadline.
West - LA Dodgers
Even without Manny, the Dodgers are in complete control of the division. They have a good mix of young and veteran talent, and have a very deep roster.
Wild Card - Milwaukee
Even without CC Sabathia, the Brewers have the confidence and ability to play in the postseason. They have solid producers, good pitching, and tons of power.

Awards - AL
MVP - Jason Bay (BOS)
It should probably go to Longoria (TB), Cabrera (DET), or Hill (TOR), but Boston will make it to the postseason based on his steady production and good fielding.
Cy Young - Justin Verlander (DET)
He is tearing up the league right now, and as much as I want Grienke (KC) to win it, there is no denying this years comeback player of the year.
ROY - Elvis Andrus (TEX)
David Price (TB) may steal this one, but Elvis has made a major impact to the Rangers. This agile SS has improved the defense, and added speed to a powerful roster.
Manager - Cito Gaston (TOR)
Gaston has really helped this club play with more confidence and grit this year. They might even steal themselves a playoff birth...

Awards - NL
MVP - Albert Pujols (STL)
As amazing as Ibanez (PHI) has been playing, he will not be able to continue at his current pace. Pujols, however, will continue to dominate pitchers around the league.
Cy Young - Johan Santana (NYM)
He is earning every penny of his monstrous contract. With a 1.50 ERA and 75 K's through 60+ innings pitched, he is dominating hitters like Pedro used to...
ROY - Kenshin Kawakami (ATL)
No one is really stepping up right now, so Kawakami wins by default. The Braves also have fellow pitching prospect, Tommy Hanson, waiting in the wings; expect him to win it this or next year.
Manager - Joe Torre (LAD)
The Dodgers have been tearing it up, and don't plan on looking back on the rest of the NL West. The Yankees must be kicking themselves right now... but who cares?

So, there you have it... Any thoughts on if Toronto or Kansas City can steal a pennant? Or if Worth (PHI) can become a contender for MVP? (not that crazy, considering the MVP has been a Phillie two of the last three years)

Updates

First thanks for all the people checking out the site please continue but we need to see your comments.All you need is account either with Google or a Instant Message service such as AOL instant Messenger ,yahoo Im etc. Love to hear what everyone has to say and your comments will be important for future projects for Luckie Street Tribune.

Also we have a new member of Luckie Street Tribune Justin Smith(Justin's Personal blog). A very talented individual will be writing for this blog and also will be apart of are video and audio projects for this site.Expect more updates to come for the Luckie Street Tribune in the weeks to come.

Top 10 Reasons To Watch Chuck!

Every year, there is one show on television that fans rally behind in order to save. These are often shows that are different, well written, and have a loyal following. For some reason, however, these shows are often canceled before they have a chance to gain a larger audience.

Two years ago, Jericho fans were successfully able to bring back their show, if only to give the show a proper ending. Last year, fans of Moonlight were not so lucky...

What would have happened if Journeyman had not been canceled? For that matter, what if The Office had been canceled? These questions will never be fully known. The one thing that is known, however, is that Chuck is one of the most unique shows on television, and it would be a shame to let it go. AND NOW WE DON'T HAVE TO!!!! So now... the Top 10 Reasons to WATCH "Chuck"!!!


10. The Buy More - also known as Buymoria, the Buy More has become a central character in the show. The Buy More is a complete rip-off of Best-Buy, as is the "Nerd-Herd", which is a complete rip off of the "Geek Squad". Many of the episodes take place in the Buy More, and the Buy More is the perfect place for the show to gain some advertising revenue (hint, hint... NBC!).



9. Guest Stars - From week to week, Chuck is able to get some wonderful and unexpected guest stars. Not only do these actors bring a wonderful energy to the show, but many even appear in multi-episode arcs, such as Chevy Chase, Rachel Bilson, and Scott Bakula. Other guests include Michael Clark Duncan, Jenny McCarthy, Andy Richter, Nicole Richie, Ben Savage, Michael Strahan, Jordanna Brewster, Morgan Fairchild, Gary Cole, Jerome Bettis, Dominic Monaghan, and Reginald VelJohnson!



8. Captain Awesome! - Played by Ryan Partlin, the character of Dr. Devon Woodcomb has become, in a word, AWSOME!!! He is the brother-in-law of Chuck, and he is awsome for many reasons; mostly his nickname, but who cares. He is often the only one of Chuck's friends he can rely on for matters of the heart, or sanity. Originally, his character was supposed to be revealed to be an enemy spy, but his character was liked so much, that they decided to give him a more permanent on the show. Not only is he married to Chuck's sister, but he is also the only person outside of the military who knows who Chuck really is...



7. Buy More Crew - Since joining the cast in season 2, Tony Hale - better known for his role as Buster on the cult-hit Arrested Development - plays the Assistant Manager Emmett. He has added some wonderful energy to the already talented cast. Morgan, Chuck's best friend, always is there for laughs, even though he usually gets Chuck into trouble. Anna and Big Mike are also wonderful additions to the cast. The coup d’état, thankfully, is Jeffster. It is Jeffster who brings the funny. Jeff is that creepy guy you meet in the store who makes you want to walk in the opposite direction and head for the exit. He owns his own spy equipment, and has perfected stalking to an art form. Lester is the "brains" of Jeffster, and he has a range of skill sets such as: ___________... Couldn't really think of anything, but he is still better than Jeff. Also, much like The Office, this diverse crew at the Buy More provides tons of additional online content. This content includes Morgan's Vlog, Buy More Instructional Videos, and Nerd Herd Review...



6. Adam Baldwin - (Major John Casey): Casey is pure man, which is the total opposite of Chuck. He is often the one who has to get Chuck out of trouble, much to his own chagrin. He is quick to cut Chuck back down to earth, but he is also capable of providing some funny moments. Though he would never admit it, he really does like Chuck. It is also nice to see Adam Baldwin get a role like this after Firefly was canceled several years ago. With only a handful of grunts, he is able to say so very much.



5. Charles Carmichael - Chuck's alter ego; While Chuck has been living his double life as a spy/buy more employee, chuck has had to undergo some major changes. None are more obvious than his actual transformation into a true spy. While he may not have the brawn to compete with some of his adversaries, he has been able to show his wit and leadership skills time and again. This dynamic has actually helped the show to improve from week to week. Rather than just having Chuck get into trouble every week, and then be saved at the last minute, Chuck is now able to get himself out of trouble. It is also very funny to watch Chuck squirm with his new responsibilities.



4. Music/Action Scenes - This is what makes Chuck such an enjoyable show. It is really hard for a show to pull off action scenes from week to week, but Chuck is able to do so flawlessly. Add in their amazing use of music, which Chuck has used perfectly from week to week. Adding Rush's Tom Sawyer to a storyline or having Cake's Short Skirt/Long Jacket as its intro have allowed the music to tell the story, keep the action fresh, and to include often ignored music into our living rooms from week to week. Very few shows can leave a viewer wondering, "Who sings that song... I have to have it!" Chuck is one of those shows.



3. Yvonne Strahovski - (Sarah Walker): Just the thought of her as your personal bodyguard/cover-girlfriend would be enough to send any man into a coma, (the good kind) let alone a computer-nerd like Chuck. There is more to it than that, though. She is a wonderfully talented actress, who is able to handle the physical as well as emotional scenes with ease. Yes, she is beautiful, but there is more to her character than that. Add to that her wonderful chemistry with Zach Levi, and her ability to kick some serious a**, and that is what makes this show worth watching for the guys out there... if nothing else!



2. Zach Levi - (Chuck Bartowski): Hands down, the coolest nerd ever to walk the planet... How Zach Levi has gone unnoticed until now is a complete mystery. He is charming and funny as Chuck Bartowski, a simple computer nerd who is thrust into the spotlight and is forced to save the world from numerous baddies. Zach has been able to give his character real heart though, which could have been overlooked by most actors. He has shown amazing character growth over the past two seasons, and is able to handle both comedy and drama as if he had been doing this for years. Chuck has become a bit of a hero to the eyes of nerds across the world. If we were suddenly asked to save the world, we would have our mishaps. Sure, things wouldn't always go according to plan, but Chuck is able to adapt to any situation. His character is truly funny, but he is pretty real. He is capable of great things, even if he doesn't know it...



1. Tone & Character/Story Progression: When we first met Charles Bartowski, he was just an ordinary guy living an ordinary life. Sure he didn't have much to show for his life, but he was real. All of a sudden, he is forced to become the hero... From week to week his life is put in jeopardy, all while trying to conceal his new life from his family and friends. What would you do? Chuck has not only been able to handle his double life, but from week to week, he has grown into a true spy. They have done a wonderful job at keeping the show light-hearted, but they do not ignore the fact that Chuck's existence can cease to exist at any given notice. The story has also been able to progress from week to week in a way that does not leave you feeling lost (like Lost). It takes real talent to be able to make an audience laugh one minute, and then to quickly bring its characters back down to real life the next. There is never any situation that the writers have not fully thought out and planned carefully. It is reminiscent of Burn Notice in its ability to slowly bring the story forward; likewise, it also has a wonderful blend of action, drama, and comedy like Burn Notice or Psych. Along with it's amazing ensemble, great musical choices, and guest casting, Chuck has consistently gotten better from week to week. That alone should qualify it as a no-brainer to be brought back for another season; and if the season finale was any indication of what is to come... We haven't seen anything yet.



So there you have it... I really hope that viewers will begin to notice what an amazing show Chuck is. It is a treat that NBC has extended its life by another half-season to gain a larger following. It certainly has earned its chance.

Peavy to the White Sox? Not so fast...

According to MLB.com, the Chicago White Sox have agreed, in principle, to a trade with the San Diego Padres that would send All-Star pitcher Jake Peavy to the Southside of Chicago.

This deal, created after Wednesday night's victory, would bring some much needed pitching to the 4th place White Sox. Also involved in this trade would be two of the Sox's lefty pitchers, Clayton Richard and Aaron Poreda, who are two highly regarded prospects.

Kenny Williams, the Sox GM, has always been aggressive in trade attempts. Gavin Floyd, John Danks, and Carlos Quinten were all brought to the team through trades. In fact, Kenny Williams has probably been the most active GM in the league, in regards to consistently acquiring both young and veteran talent through trades.

Peavy, whom the Padres attempted to trade during the off-season, does have a no-trade clause attached to his contract. While his agent states that while Peavy likes the mid-west, it is common knowledge that he would much rather stay in the National League (Peavy likes to hit). Could this be a potential deal breaker? Who knows...

So now, we pose the question to you... What do you think Jake Peavy should do?

Should he go to the Chicago White Sox? They are in 4th place, with a slumping offence, but have tons of potential.

Or should he stay with the Padres? There, he can continue to hit, but will probably watch as the Padres lose the division the Dodgers.

Also, what teams should try to better themselves in the next few weeks?

- Will it be the Blue Jays; who are shocking the world?
- Maybe the Royals, who have a plethora of young talent?
- Or will it be the Yankees, who are desperately trying to reclaim their footing after stumbling out of the gate?

Lady GaGa, Stripped.

"What the hell is a Lady GaGa?"

I poised this question to Andre about a month ago, i really was confused. Even though i have never heard a song by this "artist", i wanted to know what makes this Lady actually GaGa. So i decided to do about as much research and opinion-free journalism as FoxNews, which equates to minimal research and my opinion spoon fed to the readers of this blog (the few, the proud).

Because i am lazy and dont feel like writing with creativity, i will go over my top views on how this pop music star retained the name of Lady GaGa in top 5 format...

5. She is a Queen Killer, ripping off the classic Radio GaGa

"All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio blah bla"

4. She is a real mench, who enjoys playing Ga-ga.....VERY NICE!

The comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, despite his lanky frame, was noted for being a champion ga-ga player in his Habonim days. According to his official online biography, Cohen won the Habonim UK ga-ga championship on multiple occasions and in 1992 led his country to a silver medal in the world ga-ga ball championships eventually coming in second to the undefeated Australian Habonim team.

3. She clearly doesn't have a lactose intolerance...You Scream, I Scream

Damn! I think i just Ga-Ga'd, do you have a towel?

2. She has one of those annoying little dogs, and dresses them up with clothes from this store

this dog is thinking, "kill me now"

1. Pop music has come to an all time low, and even Brittany Spears' pantie-less trash self couldn't top this "Lady" from using a name "ga-ga"

I Love Pop Music

Whose ready to let the dawgs out?!

Kdubs

100 Days of Mark Steele

Will the real leader of the GOP please stand up?

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Anyone?

Today marks the one hundredth day of Mark Steele’s tenure as the RNC chairman. During that short – yet memorable – time in office, the gaffe-prone Steele has become the face of the party. Unfortunately for the GOP, that is probably the worst news possible. One day he’ll make a fairly moderate remark, the next he recants it; he continuously makes any moderate Republican wonder if there is room for him or her at the GOP table. Things are so bad for Steele that he was reportadly snubbed by the major networks after asking to appear on the Sunday morning talk shows following Sen. Specter's departure from the party. Steele is to the GOP what the 1919 Black Sox were to baseball. Now the only question is: will there be a “Babe Ruth” to save the party?

For conversation’s sake, let’s take a look at the “saviors” of the party:

Sarah Palin – Governor of Alaska. The young, former VP nominee is proud of the fact that she prefers teaching abstinence to high school instead of safe sex measures (which may be the reason why her seventeen-year-old daughter had a baby out of wedlock), is proud of the fact that she is not the smartest person in any room she walks in (she’s just a regular person like you!), and has never met an interview that she couldn’t butcher, literally.

Bobby Jindal – Governor of Louisiana. The young governor (he’s only 35) is apparently unaware that it is not 1950, mocked the government spending millions of dollars for early volcano detection in Alaska only five years after suffering the greatest natural disaster in the country’s history, and is proud of the fact that he once took part in an exorcism.

Mitch McConnell – Senate Minority Leader. At age 67, it is doubtful that McConnell will be a future leader of the party, but he is still a very vital member of the GOP. Is most famous for having opposed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, campaign contribution reform, and for his recent comments regarding the closure of Guantanamo Bay, claiming that the Democrats could be releasing “murderers” into the streets. Under his vision and leadership, the GOP has gone from 55 to 40 senate seats.

John Boehner – Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. Boehner is well known for his disdain for President Obama’s style of government, even releasing a video asking Americans if they “feel safer.” He openly cuts down a sitting president, that along with Boehner’s opposition to economic reform, his close ties to lobbyists, his involvement in the Mark Foley Scandal, and his knowledge of global warming, are enough for him to expect a rapid downfall in the near future. The one thing going for him is his relationship to young people, as evidenced here in this video.

Eric Cantor – Minority Whip of the House of Representatives. Perhaps no man has championed the GOP’s position on the stimulus bill as has Cantor. The mere idea of helping our country’s backbone, lending institutions, escape collapse has Cantor screaming “Socialism!” For a man who claims that the Democrats are wrong, he seems to have very little answers to offer instead of his criticisms; simply put, he is a “no” man. He apparently has little to no respect for the president as well, skipping a major speech by the president to attend a Britney Spears concert. Oh, and it helps a lot when you stop telling people that you were considered to be a VP nomination by John McCain, especially when it’s not true.

Other party leaders include:

Newt Gingrich
Mike Huckabee
Mitt Romney
Jeb Bush
Rudy Giuliani
Rush Limbaugh
Bill O'Reilly

and...

Jonathan Krohn, a 13-year-old boy

So there you have it, the GOP.

E3 Predictions

It's that time of the year when all of the Video Game industry meets for the annual event the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).E3 conventions history is filled with huge gaming announcements that have shaped the industry for years and this year looks to do the same. In the past E3 huge event with between 40 and 60 thousand people filled the Los Angeles convention center. In the past three E3 conventions it has become a low key event geared towards industry insiders and press with less fan presence.Do it less then stellar opinions and coverage, E3 is going back to large scale with huge TV displays, loud music, long lines and Booth Babes(yep they brought them back).Since I am resident gamer for Luckie Street Tribune I have decided to give some E3 Predictions.



Microsoft-Last years the Xbox360 had a very successful showing with the New Xbox Experience and Netflix integration.Also with footage of Gears of war 2 and probably the biggest announcement of Final Fantasy 13 taking away a game that once was a Sony PlayStation3 Exclusive.So what to expect from this years E3 for Microsoft.

Game play of Halo:ODST- This originally looked to be an expansion for Halo 3 with a separate campaign without series hero Master Chief. But since this is one of the Xbox360 blockbuster games of this year its going to be more of a full fledged game. I am thinking it will be more of a strategic Shooter similar to Tom Clancy Ghost Recon:Advance War Fighter Series and the Halo series strong multiplayer.

Grand Theft Auto 4 Expansion- Given the Success of The Lost and the Damned this one is a no brainier.But what will it be about is the question

More Entertainment-Since Netflix has been a great success and Microsoft wants the xbox360 to be the entertainment hub expect an announcement of some type of media or social network integration.If Sony or Microsoft have some type of social network such as Facebook integrations on either console it could be a real winner.

Windows 7 gaming and Zune games- Since Windows 7 is being released later this year expect Microsoft to show some games using Windows 7 OS. Also Zune may have more game functionality to compete with the Ipod touch and Iphone.


Few Mystery games and Alan Wake- I think Microsoft is looking for another game on the lines of Halo and Gears of War series,so I would not be surprised to see a game with a huge Budget and big time developer come out of this E3.Also,Alan Wake a adventure game has been in development for a long time, so I see Alan Wake with a 2009 release and either a gameplay trailer or a playable demo at E3


Sony- The PlayStation 3 has had a up and down life.Its has had strong games but seems to never figure how to get out of third place.A good showing at E3 will go along way in insuring a good remainder of 2009

God of War III Release Date- This is Sony's big gun and I expect to see a longer trailer showing gameplay footage and closed door playable demo.God of War will not be released this year given the developers history the release date will be February or March 2010.

Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted 2- These games will be playable at E3 and a release dates in the fall of this year

NetFlix- Given the success of Netflix on the xbox360, I see a similar relationship between NetFlix and PlayStation 3.Also another possibility is Sony could make a deal with blockbuster to counter Microsoft and netflix

Heavy Rain- A game that shows the PlayStation 3 power will have a big showing at this years E3. Also expect a lot of comparisons to Xbox360 exclusiveAlan Wake.

Rockstar Games exclusive game- Rockstar developer of Grand theft Auto series signed a deal for a exclusive Sony title on the PlayStation 3 which is much need since losing Grand theft auto 4 exclusivity. It will be a action title similar to grand theft auto series but will not be L.A Noire which at this time is most likely canceled

No way in Hell- $ 100 price cut on the PlayStation 3 would be great for sales for this console.But, Sony is in such financial trouble they will most likely keep the price the same until the fall.

Nintendo-The Wii has been a huge success in the main stream market but still can not get the hardcore gaming community on there side. Will Nintendo have a better presence and a less embarrassing press conference from the last two years?

Wii Sports resort and Motion plus-This game was announced last year but expect a release date and gameplay demo showing more of the motion plus control. Also I see a few more games using motion plus for example Red Steel 2.

Mario or Zelda teaser trailer- To make nintendo loyal fans happy there will be a teaser for either Mario or Zelda.Other then a teaser trailer they will not give it a release date.

Wii Fit 2- I might be stretching this prediction but I can see Nintendo announce Wii Fit 2 do to the success of the Wii fit. Also expect a lot of games similar in style to wii fit or using more of the Wii balance board


Other predictions

Half life 2 :Episode 3- Valve has been working on this one for awhile ,I see an announcement that it does exist.Valve tends to be quiet about what they are developing but I think they will give information out at E3.

On-live - Announced at the game developers conference expect more footage from them at E3.Also will be interesting to see developers and companies that support this project.

All things Hero and Beatles- There will be Guitar hero 5, Dj Hero and Guitar Hero: Greatest Hits all playable on the show floor. Also more footage of Rock Band:Beatles and possible a playable demo.

I could go on for awhile but I will have to wait and see if some of these predictions are right.E3 is June 2-4

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...

Quick, what is the fourth most important day of the year?

In case you were wondering the three most important days of the year are:

1. Baseball's Opening Day

2. The Last Day of the Baseball Season

3. The birthday of our dear lord Jesus Christ, and by Jesus Christ I'm referring to blond, good-looking, lightly-bearded or clean-shaven Jesus Christ, not hippie-looking Jesus or swarthy, more Middle Eastern Jesus – who's probably more historically accurate – not that guy. I mean clean-shaven or lightly-bearded-like-Mike-Piazza Jesus, blond, almost Swiss-looking Jesus.

and

4. May 4 – Professional Baseball's Birthday.

That's right, on this day in 1871 the Fort Wayne Kekiongas defeated the Cleveland Forest Citys 2-0 in the first game of the newly formed National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP or NA).

Memorable events from this game include:

1. The 2-0 victory was the lowest scoring baseball game throughout the league’s first four years.

2. Despite winning the first game, the Fort Wayne Kekiongas would soon find themselves in baseball infamy as the first professional team to collapse, folding before the end of August of that season.

3. It was the first rainout in baseball history. Even though the home team had already completed a full nine inning defensive outing, baseball rules still had teams playing nine complete innings, regardless of whether or not the home team was winning. So the home team was at bat in the bottom of the ninth, having already secured a victory, when the game was rained out.

4. Deacon White, the catcher of the losing Cleveland club, played in this game. The league’s best catcher would later join the Boston club and become part of the “Big Four,” a group of players who defected from the star Boston club to play for the Chicago club while still under Boston’s contract. The defection of the “Big Four” caused the eventual breakup of the league as the owners would take control of the league, issuing a “reserve clause” that would give ownership the power. This system would not be challenged until Curt Flood fought the reserve clause 1969, nearly 100 years after it began.

So there you have it, baseball’s birthday. It should also be noted that on May 4, 1869 Henry “Father” Chadwick released the first of what would become an annual baseball book that would evolve into Spalding’s Official Baseball Guide, a popular annual publication that was printed for many years, eventually merging into the Sporting News’ Official Guide Book. Chadwick wrote nearly every modern rule on the sport. In fact, when the first game was played on May 4, 1871 pitchers threw underhand, were not allowed to bend their elbow, and from 45 feet away. By the end of the NA, pitchers could throw with bended elbows, baseball mounds were moved back to the modern distance of 60 feet 6 inches, and the curveball entered baseball – which would forever change the way the game was played, as baseball games went from a hitting league to a pitching league. However, it would be several years before pitchers were allowed to throw overhand. The rules at the time still required the pitcher to throw from no higher than their waist belts – a rule that was sometimes bent (here is another photo).

So here's to you baseball. Hope you don't mind, but I brought in a special friend to sing "Happy Birthday" to you.

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Be sure to check back on more baseball related history, as my nine part series The National Association: The Creation, Operation, and Downfall of Baseball’s First Professional League is sure to engage, enlighten, and some other word that starts with “e” baseball purists.

At The Movies: The Soloist

The Soloist is a character-driven drama staring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx.

Jamie Foxx plays Nathianial Ayers, the Julliard dropout living on the street. While the former prodigy is now suffering from schizophrenia, he still retains a love of music; most notable of which would be the work of Ludwig van Beethoven.

Robert Downey Jr. plays LA Times Writer Steve Lopez. His true-life friendship with Nathanial Ayers is the plot of this movie...

Overall, this film has been getting mixed reviews, but there are two sides to every story.

On the one hand, the script could have been better. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't. For those of you who have seen the movie, you know what I mean... It is based on a true story, so let's keep it at that.

Now, here is where the movie gets interesting. What Foxx was able to bring to the table in this movie shattered all expectations. Yes, he has won an Oscar in the past (Personally, I thought he was better in Collateral, but who cares). His determination to bring this character to life was unbelievable. I have no doubt that he will receive some kind of nomination for this film. If he does not, it will be a shame. Foxx consumed himself into the role by learning to play the cello and even chiseling his teeth in order to show a more realistic appearence. The performance shown on the screen is a captivating piece of art that is so very true to life.

While Robert Downey Jr. has yet to win an Oscar, his time will come. He is brilliant, and truly puts his heart and soul into everything he does. Steve Lopez, while he has more screen time, is clearly not the intended central character. He is purely the catalyst for the story to take place. Downey knew exactly how far to take his character in order to let Nathanial Ayers' story engulf the audience. It is Jamie Foxx, though, who truly steals the show.

Overall... While the plot is thin, the acting more than makes up for it.

Is it worth seeing? Yes. For those of you who are music lovers, go ahead and see the movie. The Jamie Foxx performance will make you question how his talents have almost gone unnoticed since his Oscar-winning performance.

Theatre or rental? That depends... The music is definitely intended to be heard in a theatre, so please enjoy the quality / surround sound that the theatre provides. For those of you who have your reservations, go ahead and wait until the movie comes out on DVD.

Yeah, I just twatted, so what?

Thank you twitter, you have allowed a whole new layer of impersonal connection between people.

If Facebook and Myspace weren't intrusive enough, someone creates a network where all you have to do is update your status (tweet), and then everyone knows what you are thinking, doing or neither.

I would be lying if i claimed i never twatted. Yes, i have twatted. I was curious and everyone else was doing it (at least it wasn't a bridge this time). Did i enjoy it? Not really, it was rather shallow and unsatisfying.

The whole idea of twitter is ridiculous. Unless you are Megan Fox twittering to tell me that you want me to tweet you soon, i could care less (I'd so tweet that).

This form of social network is producing a whole new breed of stalkers, or twitsters (people who think they're hipsters because they read peoples tweets, get a life and some relevancy), who either have too much time on their hands or are so involved with themselves that they feel an urge to tell everyone what they are thinking or doing.

I cannot claim tweet virginity, however i wont try to claim to be a born again social networker and say my past tweet didn't count. But what i can do is address the redundancy which is Twitter. Remove twitter from your I(need a life)phone and Crack Berry, take a deep breath and know you wont waste anymore time on that pointless self indulgence website. Go back to the how can i block that person again Facebook and the awkawrd friend requesting strangers on Myspace. Because i vow, if twitter remains strong for 6 more months, i will start a social network site called "Teebag", and the next big topic of conversation will be asking friends "why haven't you 'teebagged' me yet?"

Still wondering why this guy is still relevant?


Kdubs

CrAzY pIcTuReS

Now I know what you're thinking, "You can't spell 'crazy pictures' with alternating caps. That's ridiculous. Do you hear me, you ridiculous man?"

Ridiculous as it may be, we here at the Luckie Street Tribune take our photojournalistic standards very seriously. Here are some of the most important photos and the stories behind them. Who knows, this information could very well save your life one day.

CrAzY pIcTuReS
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Prior to his days as VP of the Denver Broncos, Jim Saccomano recalls his glory days as bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

One of the greatest invention in the history of inventions, perhaps even greater than Mountain Dew.

Okay, seriously man, this Swine Flu s%$t has gotten out of control!

Hello, I’d like some bottled beer. Yes sir, some bottled beer sounds really nice. That would really hit the spot… that bottled beer. Seriously dude, give me a f%@#$#g bottled beer or I’m gonna’ kick you f#@$%g ass!

I love the RED SOX. Seriously, it isn’t baseball without watching the RED SOX. (hint: you better get this or I’ll never speak to you again)

Mr. Ed, out of the closet and proud of it.

I feel pretty, oh so pretty… [alternate caption: Strawberry Glue didn't mind getting heckled by the other horses so much, but what did disturb him was his owner constantly berating him and telling him that he would become strawberry glue if he didn't start performing better in races.]

Dude, you are so baseball, but you don’t even know it.

You guys said, “Don’t worry Frank, we’ll all dress up too.” You always do this. I hate you.

Three baseball players, three cups.

Why yes, it is a new uni, and I get my own number and everything. What do you mean I look like a douche? Stop that, stop laughing at me!

Damn Yankees.

Quick, what’s the one thing worse than the 1980s White Sox jerseys? Why their failed prototypes of course! (Here is a second look)

Son – Daddy, why is that man bleeding yellow out of his stomach?
Father – Because I like tequila, son.

Is it just me or does this look suspiciously like the logo that Family Guy used to display Peter’s retardation in the episode where he found out that he was in fact retarded? It does, doesn't it? Thus proving my point, that all soccer fans are retarded.

Tired of waiting for Brett Favre to make up his mind, the citizens of Green Bay made it up for him. Brett Favre, 1969-2009.

Also available, albeit less popular among his wedding day guests, was the "wedding night" bobble head doll.

Texas Rangers Management: Hell, I can't decide on our team colors.
Intern: (sarcastically) Why don't you just pick them all.
TRM: BRILLIANT!!!

No Bob, I'm not going to "wait it out" any longer! You said that if I wore these socks I'd have the ladies all over me in an instant. And don't say, "Well it worked last night," because those were hookers. I hired hookers last night.

Juan knew it was time to go into rehab when he struck out looking on three straight pitches in the second inning because a beer vendor was walking up and down the left field bleachers. Unfortunatly, a similar event unfolded in the seventh inning as a churro vendor did the same.

Tony considered himself to be an individual person -- never falling into certain trends and fads -- his whole life. That all changed when he went to the park on June 13, 2009.