Rufus Khan: Blog From the Local Speakeasy

College Football: Another Playoff Proposal

2009-03-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

With spring football descending upon us, I have decided to post about college football again. I am among the many who have problems with the NCAA's current system of determining its "national champion." While the Bowl Championship Series does a better job than the previous bowl system, it bothers me that only the top two teams in its final rankings have the opportunity to play for the championship. College football's Bowl Subdivision (1-A) is the only sport on the planet (I believe) that has computers decide who plays for the championship and, more importantly, who does not. I have seen proposals for 4-team, 8-team, and 16-team playoffs. While I think sixteen teams is too inclusive, I think four, even eight teams is too exclusive if BCS tie-ins are included, which would be a requirement for commissioners of the BCS conferences to even consider a playoff. With all that being said, here is my proposal:

1. In its current state, the BCS is basically four games, although one is repeated as the BCS Title Game. I am proposing reducing this number to three.
2. At the end of the season, the top 12 teams in the country would be placed in the new BCS playoff.
A. The winners of the six current "BCS conferences" would receive automatic bids.
i. Conference championship games would be eliminated.
B. The teams would be seeded according to their BCS ranking.
C. The top four teams would receive first round byes.
i. To receive a first round bye, a team must have won its conference, but winning a BCS conference would not be a requirement.

Here is what the 2008-2009 playoff would have looked like:

Top 12 Teams (Rankings prior to conference championship games, seeded according to above system)
1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. Southern California
4. Utah
5. Texas
6. Florida
7. Texas Tech
8. Penn State
9. Boise State
10. Ohio State
11. Cincinnati
12. Boston College

ROUND 1 (Game played at home stadium of higher seed)
5 Texas vs. 12 Boston College
6 Florida vs. 11 Cincinnati
7 Texas Tech vs. 10 Ohio State
8 Penn State vs. 9 Boise State

ROUND 2 (Game played at home stadium of higher seed)
1 Alabama vs. Penn State/Boise State
4 Utah vs. Texas/Boston College
2 Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech/Ohio State
3 USC vs. Florida/Cincinnati

ROUND 3 (first two BCS Bowls, "home" team determined by seeding)
Alabama/Penn State/Boise State vs. Utah/Texas/Boston College

Oklahoma/Texas Tech/Ohio State vs. USC/Florida/Cincinnati

ROUND 4 (BCS TITLE GAME, site of game rotates between BCS sites, "home" team determined by seeding)
Winners of BCS Bowls

Questions/Issues with my proposed system:
1. Which current BCS game would be removed?
-My choice would be the Fiesta Bowl. It does not have the same type of tradition associated with it as the other three BCS bowls have.

2. What would be the future of the current bowls not included in the BCS?
-I don't think they mean all that much right now, and I don't think a playoff system would change that. If fan interest dwindled, the number of bowls could be reduced.

3. What about the financial concerns about this proposed system?
-I am not an accountant or an economist. Maybe somebody who understands economics better than I do could explain to me why this system would or would not work.

I think every team that could have had a legitimate claim for inclusion in the national championship picture would be included in this playoff. The first five teams excluded in 2008-2009 would have been TCU, Ball State, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, and Georgia (I doubt anybody, even fans of those teams, would argue that they should have been in the national championship discussion this past season). Boston College's inclusion over Virginia Tech is due to its higher BCS ranking prior to the ACC Championship Game; the same applies to Alabama's #1 ranking. This system would not be without its flaws, but most of those flaws already apply to the current BCS.

Wisconsin Football: 2009 Winter Prospectus

2009-02-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

Note: All images found via Google image search. If you were the original poster of an image that appears here, please tell me and I will give you credit. Okay, so spring practice for college teams has not even begun yet, but February is a difficult month for me due to the lack of football. I may be the world's biggest Wisconsin fan (maybe a slight exaggeration, but I live and die with the team), and I hate the 7-month wait between bowl games and fall camp. Since the unpleasant end to the 2008 season, I have been looking forward to fall 2009, when we can only hope our Badgers improve on their disappointing 7-6 season. Following is my (limited) analysis of Wisconsin's recruiting class, its returning players, and its 2009 schedule. Until spring practice is concluded and the 2009 media guides are released, this may be the best you can do for your fill of Wisconsin football!

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN 2009 RECRUITING CLASS
IF THERE IS NO STATE LISTED AFTER A PLAYER'S HOMETOWN, IT IS EITHER A WISCONSIN CITY OR AN OBVIOUS LOCATION (E.G. CHICAGO)
QB 5 Jon Budmayr 6- 194 Chicago
RB Montee Ball 5-11 220 St. Louis
WR Kraig Appleton 6-3 190 East St. Louis, IL
WR Jeff Duckworth 6- 194 Cincinnati
TE Jacob Pedersen 6-5 220 Menominee, MI
TE Brian Wozniak 6-4 225 Cincinnati
OT Casey Dehn 6-6 285 Owatonna, MN
OT Ryan Groy 6-5 305 Middleton
OG 72 Travis Frederick 6-4 310 Walworth, WI
OG Zac Matthias 6-4 297 Saginaw, MI
DE 11 David Gilbert 6-4 220 Fort Lauderdale, FL
DE* Shelby Harris 6-3 245 Mequon
DE/DT Tyler Dippel 6-4 248 Hartford, WI
DE/DT Pat Muldoon 6-4 248 Cincinnati
DT 91 Jordan Kohout 6-4 265 Waupun
LB** Chris Borland 6- 213 Dayton, OH
LB** A.J. Fenton 6-1 215 Erie, PA
LB Conor O'Neill 6-1 195 Fort Lauderdale, FL
CB*** Darious Thomas 5-11 175 Dallas
S**** Josh Peprah 6- 195 Dallas
S***** Dezmen Southward 6-1 200 Fort Lauderdale, FL

* could become a DT in the future
** could end up playing offense
*** could end up playing safety
**** could become a LB in the future
***** nobody really knows what position Southward will play

Potential Stars:
Budmayr, Ball, Appleton*, Duckworth, Pedersen*, Dehn*, Gilbert*, Harris, Borland, Southward* (incredible athletic ability)

Other Probable Impact Players:
Groy, Frederick, Muldoon, Kohout, Fenton, O'Neill

* possible "boom or bust" type player (has the look of a star, but if this player does not turn into a star, do not be surprised if he rarely sees the field)

Groy, Harris, and Kohout, the first three commitments in the class of 2009, are the three top ranked prospects from the state of Wisconsin in this class, but only Kohout is expected to play early; Frederick and Dippel, two later commitments, round out the top 5 in-state players of 2009. Wisconsin's 2009 recruiting class only has five players from the state of Wisconsin, but they happen to be the state's top 5 players.

Wisconsin fans got a pleasant surprise in May when Budmayr committed to the Badgers over a scholarship offer from Notre Dame. Budmayr joins 2008 redshirt Curt Phillips this spring to make two freshmen competing for the 2009 starting QB job. Ball, another early commitment, is very highly regarded, and could end up playing a large role in the offense in 2009. Duckworth's skill set is reminiscent of former UW receiver Luke Swan, and he could also end up seeing major playing time in 2009. Appleton (pictured above in red with his teammates, two of whom signed with Illinois) with is the highest ranked commitment Wisconsin has received at WR in quite some time; he also may be a contributor in the passing game right away. Fans are excited by the athletic ability of Pedersen, Dehn, and Southward, all of whom were lightly recruited in high school; while the expectations for these players are not particularly high, their athleticism could allow them to make a major impact before their career is over.

Gilbert, a Florida native, is an intriguing prospect; he reminds some of former UW star Erasmus James, others of another UW star, Travis Beckum. At the very least, he should be a similar player to O'Brien Schofield. The three LB commitments, Borland, Fenton and O'Neill, all played on highly successful high school teams, and were leaders on their respective teams. Cincinnati natives Wozniak and Muldoon chose Wisconsin over other major offers (Wozniak: Louisville and Maryland; Muldoon: Ohio State and Boston College, among others). Matthias, Thomas, and Peprah all fit the profile of the type of player the coaching staff was targeting this recruiting cycle: "football players" rather than just "athletes."

OTHER 2009 FRESHMEN (REDSHIRTS IN 2008)
QB 10 Curt Phillips 6-3 215 Kingsport, TN (pictured)
RB 22 Erik Smith 5-11 195 Chicago
RB/FB 28 Dextavious "Dex" Jones 6-1 220 Chicago
FB 42 Sam Spitz 6-1 245 Chicago
WR* 20 T.J. Williams 6- 180 Kenosha
TE/DE 46 Zach Davison 6-4 235 Des Moines
OT 65 Joe Schafer 6-5 285 St. Paul
OG/DT 66 Peter Konz 6-6 300 Neenah
DE 97 Brendan Kelly 6-6 240 Minneapolis
DE 90 Anthony Mains 6-6 240 Naples, FL
DE 94 Tyler Westphal 6-6 240 Menasha
DT 55 Eriks Briedis 6-5 265 Miami
LB 43 Leonard Hubbard 6-1 230 Springfield, IL
LB 53 Mike Taylor 6-2 205 Green Bay
CB/S 14 Marcus Cromartie 6-1 175 Dallas
S 24 Shelton Johnson 6- 175 Dallas

* could end up playing DB

Potential Stars:
Phillips, Westphal, Hubbard, Cromartie

Other Probable Impact Players:
Konz, Kelly, Taylor

CLASS OF 2008 PLAYERS WHO SAW PLAYING TIME AS TRUE FRESHMEN:
RB/FB Bradie Ewing , TE Jake Byrne, OG Kevin Zeitler, OG/C Jake Current, DE Brendan Kelly* CB Antonio Fenelus, CB/S Devin Smith, S Kevin Claxton**, P Brad Nortman

* medical redshirt
** could end up playing LB

OFFENSE*:
Offensive Coordinator: Paul Chryst (**5th season)
RETURNING STARTER
QB DUSTIN SHERER/Scott Tolzien/Phillips/Budmayr
RB John Clay/Zacchaeus "Zach" Brown/E. Smith/Ball
FB Mickey Turner/Jones/Spitz/Ewing
WR1 Nick Toon
WR2 ISAAC ANDERSON
WR3 DAVID GILREATH
TE1 GARRETT GRAHAM (pictured)
TE2/HB Lance Kendricks/Turner/Byrne
LT GABE CARIMI
LG Jake Bscherer/Zeitler
C JOHN MOFFITT
RG Bill Nagy/Current
RT Konz/Josh Oglesby

* offensive "starters" may change based on the personnel package used
**in Chryst's first season as OC, he shared the duties with Brian White

Sherer started the final seven games of the 2008 season at quarterback, but did not impress. It is fans' assumption that there will be an open competition for the QB job in spring and fall camps, and with relatively low expectations going into the season, Phillips and Budmayr should be given every opportunity to see the field early. Clay (pictured, top of post) showed star potential (884 yards, 5.7 yard per carry) as a redshirt freshman in 2008, but do not count out steady performer Zach Brown, or Ball (the leading rusher in Missouri high school history) for that matter. Gilreath, Anderson, and Toon all showed steady progress in 2008, and the WR position should be solid in 2008 if a decent QB emerges. Jefferson is Wisconsin's best deep threat since NFL star (and fellow Cleveland native) Lee Evans, but injuries have left the rail-thin receiver shaken, making some doubt if he will ever be a productive player again for the Badgers. Freshmen Appleton and Duckworth are candidates for early playing time, and could be a formidable duo in the near future. Graham may be the Big Ten's best returning tight end, and there is solid depth behind him. Kendricks showed the potential to be a solid receiving threat as a sophomore. The offensive line must replace 3 starters from 2008's unit, but there is no shortage of experience or potential among potential starters Bscherer (3 years in the program), Oglesby (2 years, multiple starts), Current, Nagy (3 years), and Zeitler. 2008 4-star lineman Konz could be a darkhorse at right tackle, pushing Oglesby in the race to replace Eric VandenHeuvel.

DEFENSE:
Defensive Coordinator: Dave Doeren (*4th season)
DE1 O'BRIEN SCHOFIELD
DE2 Brendan Kelly
DT1 J.J. Watt/Jeff Stehle
DT2 Daniel Moore/Briedis
MLB Culmer St. Jean/Hubbard
OLB1 Blake Sorensen/Taylor/Kevin Rouse
OLB2 JAEVERY McFADDEN
CB1 NILES BRINKLEY/Fenelus
CB2 Aaron Henry/Mario Goins
FS CHRIS MARAGOS/SHANE CARTER**/Johnson
SS JAY VALAI /Aubrey Pleasant

*in Doeren's first 2 seasons as DC, he shared the duties with Mike Hankwitz
** started in 2008 before losing job to Maragos

The defensive line was disappointing in 2008, and must replace 3 of 4 starters. If there is one area of the 2009 team fans should be worried about, it is DL. There is plenty of PT to be had if one of the freshmen (e.g. Kohout, Muldoon, Briedis) steps up. Watt, a transfer from Central Michigan, and former junior college transfer Daniel Moore appear to be the starters inside, but a starter has yet to emerge at end opposite O'Brien Schofield. 2 of 3 starters must be replaced from another disappointing unit from 2008, the linebackers. However, there is a good combination of talent, potential, and experience here. Returning startery McFadden is set to move back to his more natural position outside, with St. Jean in the middle and Blake Sorensen playing opposite McFadden. Fenton, Borland, and O'Neill are all candidates to see the field as true freshmen, especially on special teams. The defensive backs struggled in 2008, but some of their struggles can be attributed to an unproductive front 7. Brinkley was a surprising contributor at one CB spot, and is expected to be a solid starter in 2009. Henry's (pictured, bottom) return gives the secondary a leader, and a potential star. Valai (pictured above) was the defense's enforcer in 2008, and an offseason dedicated to improving his coverage skills should make him one of the most feared DB in the Big Ten.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
K PHILIP WELCH
P BRAD NORTMAN
PR GILREATH
KR GILREATH/?

Welch was excellent as a freshman in 2008, and while Nortman had his highs and lows, he was a true freshman. Look for the kicking unit to be solid for years to come. After a very good freshman season returning kicks, Gilreath (pictured) was a disappointment in 2008. He could potentially be replaced if a better option were to step up. Possibilities could include Erik Smith, Isaac Anderson, Maurice Moore, Aaron Henry, Antonio Fenelus, and anyone else gives the return game a spark.

Head Coach: Bret Bielema (4th season, 28-11)
OTHER PLAYERS LISTED IN DEPTH CHART:
QB 16 Scott Tolzien (Junior) 6-3 200 Chicago
QB 18 Dustin Sherer (Senior) 6-3 213 Indianapolis
RB 30 Zach Brown (Jr.) 5-11 210 Royal Palm, FL
RB 32 John Clay (Sophomore) 6-1 240 Racine
RB/FB 20 Bradie Ewing (So.) 6-1 222 Richland Center
FB/TE 36 Mickey Turner (Sr.) 6-4 252 Camdenton, MO
WR 1 Nick Toon (So.) 6-2 215 Middleton
WR 3 Maurice Moore (Jr.) 5-11 170 Dallas
WR 6 Isaac Anderson (Jr.) 5-11 176 Minneapolis
WR 7 Kyle Jefferson (Jr.) 6-5 175 Cleveland
WR 85 David Gilreath (Jr.) 5-10 170 Minneapolis
TE 82 Jake Byrne (So.) 6-5 255 Fayetteville, AR
TE 84 Lance Kendricks (Jr.) 6-4 230 Milwaukee
TE 89 Garrett Graham (Sr.) 6-4 237 Brick, NJ
OT 67 Josh Oglesby (So.) 6-8 330 Milwaukee
OT 68 Gabe Carimi (Jr.) 6-7 300 Cottage Grove
OT/OG 78 Jake Bscherer (Jr.) 6-7 300 Sturgeon Bay
OG 70 Kevin Zeitler (So.) 6-4 285 Waukesha
OG 76 Bill Nagy (Jr.) 6-4 300 Cleveland
OG/C 60 Jake Current (So.) 6-3 285 Troy, OH
C 74 John Moffitt (Jr.) 6-4 320 Guilford, CT
DE 50 O'Brien Schofield (Sr.) 6-3 235 Chicago
DE/DT 45 Daniel Moore (Sr.) 6-2 280 East St. Louis, IL
DT/DE 87 J.J. Watt (So.) 6-6 265 Pewaukee
DT 79 Jeff Stehle (Sr.) 6-6 290 Constantia, NY
DT 95 Pat Butrym (So.) 6-4 284 New Berlin
LB 15 Culmer St. Jean (Jr.) 6-1 230 Naples, FL
LB 27 Blake Sorensen (Jr.) 6-1 220 Minneapolis
LB 41 Kevin Rouse (So.) 6- 230 Chicago
LB 47 Jaevery McFadden (Sr.) 6-2 225 West Palm Beach, FL
LB 52 Elijah Hodge (Sr.) 6- 227 Fort Lauderdale, FL
CB 7 Aaron Henry (So.) 6- 200 Immokalee, FL
CB 23 Mario Goins (So.) 6-1 186 Copperas Cove, TX
CB 26 Antonio Fenelus (So.) 5-10 180 Boca Raton, FL
CB 29 Niles Brinkley (Jr.) 5-10 177 St. Louis
CB/S 10 Devin Smith (So.) 5-11 185 Dallas
S 8 Aubrey Pleasant 6-1 200 Flint, MI
S 12 Jay Valai (Jr.) 5-9 200 Dallas
S 21 Chris Maragos (Sr.) 6- 189 Racine
S 25 Shane Carter 6-2 202 Troy, OH
S 37 Kevin Claxton 6-2 205 Fort Lauderdale, FL
K 18 Philip Welch (So.) 6-3 190 Fort Collins, CO
P 98 Brad Nortman (So.) 6-3 215 Brookfield

2009 SCHEDULE (2008 record):
September 5 NORTHERN ILLINOIS (6-7)
September 12 FRESNO STATE (7-6)
September 19 WOFFORD (9-3*)
September 26 MICHIGAN STATE (9-4)
October 3 Minnesota (7-6)
October 10 Ohio State (10-3)
October 17 IOWA (9-4)
October 24 (open date)
October 31 PURDUE (4-8)
November 7 Indiana (3-9)
November 14 MICHIGAN (3-9)
November 21 Northwestern (9-4)
November 28 (open date)
December 5 Hawai'i (7-7)
*FCS (Formerly 1-AA) opponent; only 2008 FBS (1-A) opponent was South Carolina

Even college football's so-called "experts" are not making any predictions for the 2009 season yet, but I'll take a quick stab at it. I'll call Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Wofford, Purdue, Indiana, and Hawai'i wins. Ohio State will almost certainly be a loss, and Michigan State looks awfully good, although it must replace its QB (Brian Hoyer) and RB (Javon Ringer). That leaves Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Northwestern as tossup games, none of which I am comfortable predicting at this point. In my humble opinion, the Badgers will finish no worse than 6-6, but could be as good as 10-2, based on an easier schedule than 2008. Less than 8 wins could have people calling for Coach Bret Bielema's job, so this is a pivotal season for the UW football program. Look for the defense to step up behind the leadership of Valai and Henry and lead the Badgers to another New Year's Day bowl game.

Perfection Goes Fourth

2009-01-05T23:19:00.001-08:00

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Midnight Marauders (November 9, 1993)
1. Steve Biko (Stir It Up)
2. Award Tour (Chorus By Trugoy the Dove a.k.a. Dave of De La Soul)
3. •8 Million Stories (Problems)
4. Sucka Nigga
5. Midnight (The Night Is On My Mind)
6. We Can Get Down
7. Electric Relaxation
8. Clap Your Hands
9. Oh My God
10.†Keep It Rollin' (Featuring Large Professor)
11. The Chase, Part 2
12. Lyrics to Go
13. God Lives Through
14. Money Maker
15. Hot Sex
16. Oh My God (Remix)
17. Jazz (We've Got)
18. One Two Shit (Featuring Busta Rhymes)
19. Scenario (Remix) (Featuring Leaders of the New School)
Produced by A Tribe Called Quest (essentially Q-Tip), except:
•Produced by Skeff Anselm
†Produced by Large Professor

In 1993, street-oriented hip-hop was hitting the mainstream, and although A Tribe Called Quest already had established their own formula for success, they decided to roll with it. While the jazz samples prominent on People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm and The Low End Theory are still there, the drums hit much harder, helping to give the beats more of an edge. The album has a narrator who appears throughout*, suggesting Tip, Phife, and Muhammad were quite aware they were releasing one of hip-hop's definitive albums. The pictures of many hip-hop legends on the cover of Midnight Marauders are consistent with this assumption. The artists pictured, according to Wikipedia, include:

Afrika Bambaataa
AMG
Ant Banks
Awesome Two
Beastie Boys (Mike D, Adrock, MCA)
Black Moon
Busta Rhymes
Casual
Chi Ali
Chuck D
Cold Crush Brothers (Almighty KG, Charlie Chase, Easy AD, Grandmaster Caz, DJ Tony Tone)
Daddy-O (of Stetsasonic)
Dallas Austin
De La Soul (Posdnuos, Dave & Mase)
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
Diamond D
Doug E. Fresh
DJ Jazzy Joyce
Kool DJ Red Alert
DJ Ron G
DJ Silver D
Dr. Dre
Grandmaster Flash
Heavy D
Ice-T
Jazzy Jay
Jungle Brothers (Afrika Baby Bam, Mike G)
DJ Kid Capri
Kool Moe Dee
Large Professor
Lords of the Underground
MC Lyte
MC Serch
Neek The Exotic
Organized Konfusion
The Pharcyde (Fat Lip, Imani, Romye, Slim Kid Tre')
Prime Minister Pete Nice
Rashad Smith
Rock Steady Crew (Crazy Legs, Mr. Wiggles, Pee Wee Dance, Ruel)
Sean Combs
Skeff Anselm
Souls of Mischief
Special Ed
Sweet Tee
Too Short
Whodini (Grandmaster Dee)
Zulu Nation Supreme Council (Zulu King Muhammad, Unknown)

Basically, if somebody asked me what hip-hop was (I'm a hands-on guy), Midnight Marauders might be the first album I played for that person. It's about as perfect as an album can be.

*The version I have linked is a re-release that includes six additional tracks recorded between 1991 and 1993, but (for the most part) sacrifices the narration.

Perfection 3D

2009-01-05T12:46:00.000-08:00

SHOW & A.G. (Showbiz & Andre the Giant)
Soul Clap (March 17, 1992)/Runaway Slave (September 22, 1992)
1. Intro
2. •Soul Clap
3. Catchin' Wreck
4. Party Groove
5. Diggin' In the Crates (Featuring Diamond D and Lord Finesse)
6. †A Giant In the Mental
7. It's Up to You (Featuring Lord Finesse)
8. Soul Clap (Original Version)
9. Still Diggin' (Featuring Diamond D)
10. Fat Pockets
11. Bounce ta This (Featuring Dres of Black Sheep)
12. More Than One Way Out of the Ghetto
13. Silence of the Lambs (Remix)
14. 40 Acres and My Props
15. Runaway Slave
16. •Hard to Kill
17. Hold Ya Head
18. He Say, She Say
19. Represent (Featuring Big L, D'Shawn, and Lord Finesse)
20. Silence of the Lambs
Produced by Showbiz except:
•Produced by Showbiz and Diamond D
†Produced by Showbiz and DJ Premier

1992. What a great year for hip-hop. With the releases of such classic albums as Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's Mecca and the Soul Brother, Gang Starr's Daily Operation, Redman's Whut¿ Thee Album, and, of course, Dr. Dre's The Chronic, some albums were inevitably going to get lost in the fold. It's too bad Runaway Slave had to be one of them. In terms of instrumental samples, I would be hard pressed to name five albums better than this one.

The D.I.T.C. (Diggin' In The Crates) crew was still in its infancy at this point. Lord Finesse, the group's founder, had released two albums, and Diamond D had released the classic Stunts, Blunts, and Hip-Hop earlier that year, but Runaway Slave was the first album to refer to the crew by name. It also marked the first album appearance of Big L, the finest battle rapper who ever lived.

Because the two logically fit together, I am including the Soul Clap EP with the song list, although I have linked it separately. This is the only place you will be able to find the classic tracks Catchin' Wreck and Diggin' In the Crates, and (the not quite classic) A Giant In the Mental and It's Up to You.

Runaway Slave is a remarkably consistent album. A.G. is not the most talented MC—like the majority of the D.I.T.C. emcees, he is mostly about punchlines—but the beats, courtesy of Showbiz, fit his style well enough that the listener doesn't notice The Giant's defincies on the mic. I'm not sure if anybody reads this blog (I mainly post here to vent my opinions; I don't care if anybody else sees them), but if anybody reads this, and can name any albums with better instrumentals than Runaway Slave, I wouldn't mind hearing them.

Anyway, I'm not going to bother writing a detailed review of Runaway Slave. It would suffice to say it is a classic album, and it's a shame it has been out of print for so long. Thank God for the Internet! Until next time (Tribe's Midnight Marauders), peace, I'm outta here.

Perfection, Part Deux

2009-01-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

THE BEASTIE BOYS
Paul's Boutique (July 25, 1989)
1. Shake Your Rump
2. Johnny Ryall
3. Egg Man
4. High Plains Drifter
5. The Sounds of Science, Part 1
6. The Sounds of Science, Part 2
7. 3-Minute Rule
8. Hey Ladies
9. Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun
10. Car Thief
11. What Comes Around
12. Shadrach
B-Boy Bouillabaisse
13. A Year and a Day
14. Stop That Train
15. Dropping Names
16. Lay It On Me
17. 59 Chrystie Street
18. Get On the Mic
19. Mike On the Mic
20. Hello Brooklyn
21. AWOL
Produced by The Dust Brothers; The Beastie Boys; and Mario Caldato, Jr.

A lot of people who claim to be hip-hop "purists" seem to think the Beastie Boys are less deserving of their respect because they have been accepted in rock & roll circles. As a result, many people who have otherwise good taste in hip-hop never hear Paul's Boutique, dismissing the Beastie Boys as "frat rap," whatever that means....Sure, the lyrics on this album are often immature, but the production is so revolutionary (Paul's Boutique is nearly 20 years old, mind you) that it still sounds like it could have been released in the underground last week.

A few notes: B-Boy Bouillabaisse is a compilation of songs the Beastie Boys began recording between 1986 and 1989. Some (A Year and a Day, Stop That Train) are more complete than others (59 Chrystie Street, AWOL). The original CD had the entirety of B-Boy Bouillabaisse on one track, with the songs in a different order. Apparently, the file for 59 Chrystie Street is titled "59 Christie Street."

Because Paul's Boutique was released before samples had to be cleared, the list of songs sampled is incredible. Here's a list of the samples from Wikipedia:

1. Shake Your Rump
"That's the Joint" by Funky 4+1
"Cut the Cake" by Average White Band
"8th Wonder" by the Sugarhill Gang
"Jazzy Sensation" by Afrika Bambaataa
"Good Times Bad Times" by Led Zeppelin
"Dancing Room Only" by Harvey Scales
"Funky Snakefoot" by Alphonze Mouzon
"Tell Me Something Good" by Ronnie Laws
"Unity" by James Brown and Afrika Bambaataa
"Get the Funk Out Ma Face" - Brothers Johnson
"6 O'Clock DJ (Let's Rock)", "Born to Love You", & "Yo Yo" by Rose Royce
"Super Mellow", by Paul Humphrey, Willie Bobo, Shelly Manne, & Louis Bellson

2. Johnny Ryall
"A.J. Scratch" by Kurtis Blow
"Sharon" by David Bromberg
"Mr. Big Stuff" by Jean Knight
"One of These Days" by Pink Floyd
"Momma Miss America" by Paul McCartney
"Magnificent Sanctuary Band" by Donny Hathaway
"Military Cut (Scratch Mix)" by DJ Grand Wizard Theodore
"(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)", & "The New Style" by the Beastie Boys

3. Egg Man
"Superfly" by Curtis Mayfield
"Sport" by Lightnin' Rod
"Pump it Up" by Elvis Costello
"I'm Ready" by The Commodores
"Drop It in the Slot" by Tower of Power
"Dance to the Music" by Sly & the Family Stone
"Bring the Noise" & "You're Gonna Get Yours" by Public Enemy
The lyrics in the song's middle eight (starting with "We all dressed in black...") are interpolated from the Beastie Boys' earlier punk rock song "Egg Raid On Mojo."
Aliens
Cheech & Chong's Next Movie
"Jaws Theme" by John Williams
"Shower Theme" by Bernard Hermann, from the film Psycho

4. High Plains Drifter
"Those Shoes" by The Eagles
"Suzy Is a Headbanger" by The Ramones
"Your Momma Don't Dance" by Loggins & Messina
"Put Your Love (In My Tender Care)" by The Fatback Band

5/6. The Sounds of Science
"Back in the USSR", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)", "The End", & "When I'm Sixty-Four" by The Beatles
"Don't Sniff Coke" by Pato Banton
"Walk from Regio's" by Isaac Hayes
"My Philosophy" by Boogie Down Productions
"Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" by James Brown

7. 3-Minute Rule
"Feel Good" by Fancy
"Brave and Strong", & "Poet" by Sly & the Family Stone

8. Hey Ladies
"The Ballroom Blitz" by Sweet
"Party Time" by Kurtis Blow
"Holy Ghost" by the Bar-Kays
"Shake Your Pants" by Cameo
"Pumpin' It Up" by P-Funk All Stars
"Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang
"Machine Gun" by The Commodores
"Jazzy Sensation" by Afrika Bambaataa
"Change Le Beat/B-Side" by Fab 5 Freddy
"Come Let Me Love You" by Jeanette "Lady" Day
"Heartbreaker", & "So Ruff, So Tuff" by Zapp & Roger
"Ain't It Funky Now", & "Funky President" by James Brown
"Hey DJ" by Malcolm McLaren & the World Famous Supreme Team
"High Powered Rap" by Disco Dave & the Force of the Five MC's (Crash Crew)

9. Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun
"Time" by Pink Floyd
"Mississippi Queen" by Mountain
"Last Bongo in Belgium" by the Incredible Bongo Band

10. Car Thief
"Hurdy Gurdy Man" by Donovan
"I'll Bet You" by Jackson 5
Woodstock (Max Yasgur speech)
"Drop the Bomb" by Trouble Funk
"Rien Ne Va Plus" by Funk Factory

11. What Comes Around
"Moby Dick" by Led Zeppelin
"It's Hot Tonight" by Alice Cooper
"Put on Train" by Gene Harris & The Three Sounds

12. Shadrach
"Say What" by Trouble Funk
"Catch a Groove" by Juice
"That's the Joint" by Funky 4+1
"Do Your Dance" by Rose Royce
"Never Let 'em Say" by Ballin' Jack
"Funky Drummer" by James Brown
"Hot and Nasty" by Black Oak Arkansas
"Sugarhill Groove" by the Sugarhill Gang
"Loose Booty" by Sly & the Family Stone

13. A Year and a Day
"That Lady, Pt. 1 & 2" by The Isley Brothers
"Ebony Jam" by Tower of Power
"When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin
"High Powered Rap" by Disco Dave & the Force of the Five MC's (Crash Crew)

14. Stop That Train
"Draw Your Brakes" by Scotty
"Save the World" by Southside Movement

15. Dropping Names
"Into the Night" by Sweet
"Hey Pocky A-Way" by The Meters
"The Well's Gone Dry" by The Crusaders

16. Lay It on Me
"Let the Music Take Your Mind" by Kool & the Gang

17. 59 Chrystie Street
"Here We Go" (Live) by Run-DMC
"Rocket in the Pocket" by Cerrone
"Buffalo Girls" by Malcolm McLaren
"Burundi Black (Pt. 2)" by Burundi Black
"Are You Experienced?" by Jimi Hendrix
"Change Le Beat/B-Side" by Fab 5 Freddy
"My Philosophy" by Boogie Down Productions

18. Get on the Mic
"At the Fever" by Lovebug Starski

19. Mike on the Mic
Lloyd Lindsay Young quote.
"At the Fever" by Lovebug Starski

20. Hello Brooklyn
"Breathe" by Pink Floyd
"Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash

21. A.W.O.L.
"Good Times" by Chic
"Good to Go" by Trouble Funk
"Loran's Dance" by Idris Muhammad

I didn't feel the need to write a complete review of this album, because most people who are going to listen to it already have. Beyond that, if your views on hip-hop are similar to mine and you have not heard it (for whatever reason), I think the samples used for the beats on Paul's Boutique speak for themselves. Production-wise, this is one of the 10 best albums ever released.

Perfection

2008-12-22T12:59:00.000-08:00

I am entertained by and can listen to music from just about any genre, but I am most knowledgeable about hip-hop. The most talented producers in hip-hop are able to sample other forms of music to form a new—but equally creative—style of music. When hip-hop is done well, there is truly nothing like it.

For me, hip-hop is at its best when the producer uses samples to create a song that is complex enough musically to be respected by fans of other styles of music, yet retains a sound that is distinctly "hip-hop." Simply calling this a "beat" without explaining what this means would be selling it short; to an outsider, a beat is just one element of a song, its source of rhythm. In hip-hop, the beat is the song's source of music, not just its source of rhythm.

The best emcees (MC=Master of Ceremonies, Mic Controller, etc.) use strong beats as their source of lyrical content. For me, the best beats allow the MC to rap with an edge; lyrics do not have to be violent or sexually explicit, but I cannot stand non-threatening, emotionless music. A lot of the best rap lyrics come from emcees who have either witnessed or experienced life in the streets.

My next few posts are going to be about ten albums that exemplify my taste in hip-hop, albums that are perfect for someone who feels the way I do about music. Like any other style of music, there are many sub-genres within hip-hop, and while I do not identify with any one in particular, I explained what I feel makes good rap music in this post's second paragraph. I will list the albums (with a download link through zshare) in chronological order, beginning with the album released the earliest. If an album's track listing here appears different from another site's track listing, this is probably because I removed the album's skits, which I generally believe are useless.

THE D.O.C.
No One Can Do It Better (June 16, 1989)
1. It's Funky Enough
2. Mind-Blowin'
3. Lend Me an Ear
4. Let the Bass Go
5. Beautiful, But Deadly
6. The D.O.C. and the Doctor
7. No One Can Do It Better
8. Whirlwind Pyramid
9. The Formula (Featuring Dr. Dre)
10. Bridgette
11. Portrait of a Master Piece
12. The Grand Finale (Featuring N.W.A.)
Produced by Dr. Dre

I first heard No One Can Do It Better as a college freshman. While I loved N.W.A. and knew The D.O.C. wrote lyrics for the group, my only experience with The D.O.C. as an MC had come on 1988's Parental Discretion Iz Advised, from N.W.A.'s revolutionary debut album Straight Outta Compton. He caught my attention with with his lines: "I know the Doc makes you want to take a Valium; so buy a bucket, cause I'm coming, it's my album; and for the record, meaning my record, check it; listen to the single and you'll be like, 'Yo, I've got to get it!'"

Sure enough, the album's first single was the highly energetic, Run-D.M.C.-inspired The D.O.C. and the Doctor. While I had not heard this song as a single before I heard the album, I would have purchased No One Can Do It Better immediately after hearing this single. The beat is simple enough, featuring a cutting organ sample and a heavy drum beat, but The D.O.C.'s voice makes this track what it is. He shouts his lyrics into the microphone: "Yo! And now your ear drums, are full of the big beat; but you're attached, like ankles are to feet, so you listen; and as it plays, you pump it louder; but to your speakers, you're sparking some gun powder!" In case you were wondering, and if the N.W.A. affiliation was not enough of a clue, "The Doctor," to whom The D.O.C. is referring is the now legendary Dr. Dre, the DJ and producer for this album.

On the album-opening track, It's Funky Enough, The D.O.C. asks the listener, "Y'all ready for this?" The line was famously sampled in 1991 by 2 Unlimited on Get Ready For This, an extremely popular dance single in the early 1990s. It's Funky Enough is far from the best song on No One Can Do It Better, but does a great job of energizing the listener. The album's second song, Mind-Blowin', is much more subdued, but also much stronger lyrically. Revolving around an extremely funky piano sample, Mind-Blowin' is sure to make your head nod.

If you were worried about the album losing energy, Lend Me an Ear should ease those concerns. In the uptempo style of Rakim or Big Daddy Kane, The D.O.C. truly shows his talent as an MC. Following Let the Bass Go, a slower song with (obviously) a strong bass line, is Beautiful But Deadly. This song may be the album's greatest achievement. While other songs put The D.O.C.'s lyricism on display, Beautiful, But Deadly shows his unique ability: without disrespecting women (although he does use the word "bitch" twice, he does not refer to as bitches; rather, one specific woman), he shows that he can rap about the opposite sex without sounding soft. The beginning of the second verse stands out: "She's all about the bank roll, you can tell by the gold; eyes deep enough to engulf your soul, She's like Medusa; but you won't turn to stone if you watch her; one fatal look is all it takes and she's got ya!" Using a hard rock rendition of the Funkadelic melody Cosmic Slop, Beautiful, But Deadly closes the first side of No One Can Do It Better with a bang.

Opening side two is the album's lead single, The D.O.C. and the Doctor, followed by the title track. The beat on No One Can Do It Better is ahead of its time, sounding like something DJ Premier might have produced in the mid 1990s. Following Whirlwind Pyramid, another uptempo track, is The Formula, the album's third single. The Formula has a relaxing, three-part beat, changing smoothly with each verse, and sounds like it could have fit in on Dr. Dre's 1992 debut, The Chronic (in fact, Dre does make an appearance on this song).

A track that did not make the cut for the album, but was included in this track listing, is Bridgette. While Bridgette has a strong beat, its subject matter (a "dumb ho") does not fit in well with the rest of the songs on No One Can Do It Better. Portrait of a Master Piece is another fast song that shows The D.O.C.'s lyrical ability, as he raps over a futuristic sounding, uptempo beat for nearly three minutes without any breaks. The album is concluded with The Grand Finale, a posse cut featuring members of N.W.A.

In my view, No One Can Do It Better is at least among the top five rap albums ever recorded, and may be the best ever. It is difficult to find any other album with its combination of beats, lyricism, and versatility. Tragically, The D.O.C. was involved in a car accident shortly after finishing the album. While he survived the accident, his larynx was crushed and his vocal cords were severed, permanently altering the way his voice sounded. His combination of great lyicism and an incredible voice ("It's mostly the voice that gets you up; it's mostly the voice that makes you buck; a lot of rappers got flavor, and some some got skill, but if your voice ain't dope, then you need to chill." -GURU of Gang Starr) had The D.O.C. well on his way to being one of the best emcees of all time.

(P.S.: I reviewed this album for English class three or four years ago, so if my English professor from that semester happens to read this and thinks some of it sounds eerily similar to something she has read before, she is probably right.)

A Forgotten Classic: Help!

2008-09-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

In my 25 years of listening to music, I have never heard a band or artist who made better music than The Beatles. Sure, there have been better individual guitarists, bassists, drummers, even singers, but the truth is, The Beatles are better than all of them because they wrote better songs, and performed them perfectly.

The Beatles' music defies classification. It could be considered "pop" music; after all, they are the most popular group in the history of pop/rock music, but that would be selling it short. Calling The Beatles' music "rock" doesn't really work, though, because it doesn't sound like the rock music being released by their contemporaries.

A Beatles album that is shockingly underrated is their 1965 release Help! The Beatles have four albums ranked in Rolling Stone magazine's top ten albums of all time, and five in the top fifteen. Where is Help!, you may ask? Number 332!?! Okay, I understand: within the next eighteen months, The Beatles would release Rubber Soul and Revolver (ranked # 5 and # 3, respectively, by Rolling Stone, in case you were wondering), but these two classic albums overshadowed another classic.

Granted, there is some filler on this album. George Harrison was still progressing as a songwriter, and his two contributions to Help!, I Need You and You Like Me Too Much are awful. Tell Me What You See and It's Only Love (which does grow on you after a few listens) aren't too strong, either. Still, take away those songs and you still have an excellent 10-song LP.

The album opens with the famous title track, a song Lennon said he wrote about the mounting pressures of stardom, although it seems to be disguised as a love song. After the solid but forgettable McCartney track The Night Before comes the classic Lennon song You've Got to Hide Your Love Away. The song is incredibly energetic; even without drums or bass, Lennon's vocals drive the Dylan-esque melody, although it feels abbreviated at just 2 minutes, 7 seconds.

Following I Need You is McCartney's extremely catchy Another Girl. Despite the song being rhythmically similar to The Night Before, Another Girl's skillful guitar work makes it a memorable track. You're Going to Lose That Girl, led by Lennon, is a call-and-response track that is reminiscent of The Beatles' earlier work. The first side of Help! is concluded with one of the group's signature tracks, Ticket to Ride. Although it can certainly not be considered "metal," Ticket to Ride is a much heavier than other music being released in 1965, which is just one reason the song is unforgettable.

Side two of Help! is opened with the requisite Ringo Starr song Act Naturally. While not a particularly strong track, Act Naturally seems to fit Ringo's role in the band, and on the album, perfectly. Following is the album's weakest stretch, It's Only Love, You Like Me Too Much, and Tell Me What You See, then McCartney's I've Just Seen a Face (Falling). Like McCartney's previous tracks on the album, Falling is more catchy than it is good, but its fast tempo and upbeat lyrics make it memorable.

In contrast, McCartney's final contribution to Help!, Yesterday, is much more subdued. In what is essentially just a solo track (with Paul on acoustic guitar and vocals, being backed by strings), McCartney sings of heartbreak and regret in perhaps The Beatles' best-remembered song. Although the album seems over after Yesterday, there is one more song, Lennon's Larry Williams cover Dizzy Miss Lizzy. Although undoubtedly misplaced on the album, Dizzy Miss Lizzy once again displays Lennon's vocal talents in an old school, rock and roll love song, one of Help!'s strongest tracks.

The main reason, in my opinion, for Help! being so underrated is its poor choice of song order. While Help!, Ticket to Ride, and Act Naturally are well-placed, it was a mistake to group most of the album's weakest songs together on the second side. One could argue that I Need You and You Like Me Too Much should have left off completely, and Tell Me What You See is also noticeably weak. Yesterday would have been the perfect way to end the album; Dizzy Miss Lizzy, instead of being put at the end, could have been placed between two of the weaker songs on the second side to re-energize the album.

Despite the presence of filler and some poor placement of songs, Help! is one of the best albums ever recorded. Containing four of The Beatles' best-known songs (Help!, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, Ticket to Ride, and Yesterday), as well as several other catchy, memorable songs, the album was the first to truly make the group's music historically significant; before, one could argue that The Beatles had just been a pop culture phenomenon. As if this wasn't enough, Help! was followed by Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band within less than two years, making up (in my opinion) the best two-year stretch in the history of modern pop music. Number 332? I don't think so!

"Blue Collar" Comedy, Get "Crunk", Part 1

2008-07-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

And now for something completely different. Along with sports, music is my "other" passion, and I like to think I have pretty good taste in music. I enjoy, at least on some level, every style of music other than country ("We don't play country music [on MTV] because it sucks." -Dave Attell).

Since when was it cool to be stupid?

I understand we as Americans have always found humor in others' stupidity, so that isn't what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is the trend in the past five years or so of dumbing down our culture, which has now reached the point that movies like Witless Protection are now being shown in theaters.

To show readers I'm not trying to be biased against those "Blue Collar" rednecks (since when did having a blue collar job become synonymous with being a redneck, anyway?) I'll discuss this trend in hip-hop first. I've been listening to rap music for most of my life, and I'll admit, about two-thirds of it isn't trying to sound intelligent, anyway. However, this has reached a whole new level recently.

1997, the year The Notorious B.I.G. was murdered and the East Coast/West Coast media feud finally ended, saw the rise of Southern record labels such as New Orleans' No Limit and Cash Money. At first, our reaction to their absurdly simple and blatantly offensive lyrics was, "Are you serious?" But we were soon hooked by their pounding bass lines, catchy samples and unforgettable hooks.

By 2003, Atlanta was the new capital of the hip-hop world, and newer artists like Lil' Jon, Ludacris, and other Southern artists received the majority of airplay on radio stations that played "jams." Southern hip-hop artists, at least those who were prominent in pop culture, sacrificed musical integrity for spins in the club and airplay on BET (don't get me started on "Black Entertainment" Television). I'll stop here with hip-hop, because I've found another blog that states my views better than I can in this case: What The South's Reign Really Meant: A Semi-Defense of Hip-Hop's Most Notorious Region. At the risk of sounding racist, I see the dumbing down of hip-hop as conservative politicians' attempt (conveying their views through record executives) to portray black people as dumb and shallow, but that's for another day.

I'll condense my views on modern-day pop music to one paragraph. First, and most importantly, SINGING WITH ARTIFICIAL EMOTION, ESPECIALLY SADNESS, DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE SOUL!!! YOU MAY SELL A FEW RECORDS, BUT TO THOSE OF US WHO ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, YOU JUST SOUND LIKE A PUSSY!!! Second, sounding serious when you're singing about subjects that are far from serious (the Fountains of Wayne song Stacy's Mom and Sisqo's The Thong Song, despite being old, are the best, i.e. worst, examples I've heard) isn't funny; in fact, you sound like an idiot. There is only room for one Weird Al in music, and even that is sometimes too much.

What everyone's talking about

2008-07-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce this...blog. Basically, I'm just going to use this blog to vent about sports, music, or whatever else is going through my mind. I like to think my opinion differs from most, particularly public figures, so maybe every once in awhile I'll say something interesting. I'll update any time I feel like venting and have a few extra minutes.

Anyway, the number one story in sports right now seems to be retired Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre and his desire to return to the NFL. Most recently, Favre (or his agent) wrote a letter to the Packers asking for his release. As a lifelong Packer fan, I have this to say to Brett: Fuck you!

You read right. I appreciate everything Favre has done for the organization. Ron Wolf, Mike Holmgren and Favre are equally responsible for reviving the Packers. In addition, the longevity of Favre's career is nothing short of amazing. However, that doesn't give him the right to do what he's doing now.

It was difficult not to become emotional when watching Favre's retirement announcement. He really sounded like he was finished, and like he had thought long and hard about his decision. If he wasn't 100 % sure he wanted to retire, he shouldn't have announced his retirement! When Favre went public with his decision, the Packers began to move on. I am certain that if he had told Packers General Manager Ted Thompson he needed more time before deciding whether to return, he would have been given more time.

If Favre had been with the Packers for the entire offseason, the team would have been better off with Favre on the team. This was a team that nearly played in the Super Bowl last season. Unfortunately for them, he was "retired" for four months and the Packers had no choice but to move on with Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback.

Rodgers is the most unfortunate part of this story. He waited patiently backing up Favre for three seasons, and I'm sure he benefited from watching Favre play, even if Favre wasn't attempting to mentor him as the Packers' "quarterback of the future." In limited game experience, Rodgers has displayed a strong arm and solid leadership skills. This isn't to say Rodgers is going to be a successful NFL starter, or that the Packers would not be better off with Favre as their quarterback. However, it isn't fair to Rodgers or the Packers for Favre to decide in June (according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, although the story wasn't broken until early July) that he wants to return.

I don't want to see Brett Favre playing for another team, and I don't think Brett Favre wants to play for another team. Favre brought the Packers back to the Super Bowl, and lasted through the rebuilding of the franchise after that. Through his leadership, the Packers were one of the best teams in the NFL last season. If the Packers think it's in their best interests (i.e. if they think they are equipped to make a Super Bowl run) to bring Favre back, they should do it. It doesn't look like that is going to happen, though.

The Packers are being unfairly vilified for hesitating to let Favre return. They aren't completely without blame—the way they handled Favre's inquiries about a possible return was downright disrespectful—but Favre essentially gave the team permission to move on when he retired. It is presumptuous of Favre to expect the team to expect the Packers to welcome him back, especially considering Aaron Rodgers' situation.