So I have been watching the Contender, largely because I will check out at least the better part of any season of reality television that Mark Burnett is willing to attach his name to. I figure I owe the man that much after all. Anyway, there are a couple things that should be noted. 1) The show has all the quality characters you expect amidst the boxers, by that I mean there are people who are involved for significant family dramas and there are people who are just in it for the money. There are conflicts of personality and there are conflicts of style and all the key ingredients of any quality program. 2) The celebrity-host model fits in really well. This isn't a Mark Cuban style rip off, let me tell you, Sly Stallone really works, he's not authentic in some way, I don't take him seriously, but look at him in the same vein as you would The Donald and he'll stick to your ribs. Not to mention they put an old boxing trainer (literally, the physical embodiment of every stereotype you think of in a boxing movie, the washed up old white-ethnic guy with a scraggly voice) in the mix, a la George and Caroline. 3) The drama in this program is in-fucking-tense. They've done alot of things to enhance that feeling of course, most notably involving the boxers families so significantly in the show. The very fact that its a boxing show, whose contestants are up and coming boxers, means that its drawing from communities who are often in down and out situations, people who are trying to raise their families either out of poverty, or into something unique, through boxing. Maybe that could be there in American Idol as well, but there seems to be something unique about the boxing aspect. Maybe its the idea of getting knocked out that didn't really apply to Lindsay Cardinale, but what do I know. Anyway, all this was merely to say that while I like this show, I'm not sure Katie could handle it. Thats not even to mention that the dude who lost last week and was so incredibly optimistic about what it had taught him, the dude who they showed saying that "I see nothing but goodness and beauty before me" in voiceover while he played around the room with his baby daughter, is the one who killed himself a month or so ago. Its pretty hardcore.
I have watched the NCAA tournament for about as long as I have really been a sports fan, probably pretty regularly for the past 12-15 years. I know I can't remember every game I have ever watched, but I cannot imagine that there was ever a series of games as exciting as the 4 games which comprised the elite 8 were this past weekend. 4 games, 3 in overtime. The Big Ten even ended up with half of the Final Four. While I would have really liked to see the Badgers take down the evil monster that is UNC, the games were close enough that its hard to even care. Katie timed her "spring break debate trip" very well, since she missed the intense heat of the tournament, but she'll have to tolerate three final games. Luckily for her the Wolves appear to suck enough not even to end up in the Western Conference Playoffs, meaning there will be few significant sports viewing demands put on her until we are once again ready for some football.
A brief debate shout out to those who were debating at CEDA Nats and the NDT. Most notably were the successes of Meiches (quarters at CEDA) and Maggie (walked over in sems at CEDA, quarters at the NDT), both former students of mine. I would never take credit, per say, for their success even when I was their coach, and I certainly wouldn't claim to have anythign whatsoever to do with these recent and extraordinary accomplishments, but I will say that I am incredibly proud to have ever been involved in their careers in any way. Thats not even to mention the Josher, who had a tough CEDA nationals and prolly got a bit "seniored-out" regarding their shot at the NDT, but who I am 100% confident has some incredible showings to come. Finally, mizzle prizzles to those Minnesotans who I didn't coach, including Stillwater's own S. Apel, the guy who puts the DC in AC, J. Oie., and someone whose arguments could not possibly have gotten any crazier in college then they were at Wayzata, D. Falt-y-sack. There might be more, who I am then by ommission insulting, and I certainly don't mean it in that regard. Besides, I can just update them in if I remember who you are. Suck it.
Has anyone tried Diet Cherry-Vanilla Dr. Pepper? I am really curious, but I am not just gonna buy one without some sort of endorsement. Now keep this in mind: Diet Dr. Pepper is in actuality closer to tasting like regular Dr. Pepper than, for instance, Diet Coke is to tasting like Coke. Notably, however, both Diet Coke and Goat Urine are approximately equally different in degree, from original Coke. Obviously one is a better tasting beverage, but neither of them tastes remotely like Coke. Diet Dr. Pepper is at least in the same league. That said, if this Cherry-Vanilla thing tastes just like a flavor shot in a diet soda then screw it, I can add grenadine and vanilla extract to real DP if there's something about the flavor combo. I am also confused because I have been told that Dr. Pepper itself was originally a cherry flavored soda, which I think is crap, cuz it tastes like almond and thats the way I likes it.
Hippo and I were reading Lacan's Seminar VII this afternoon on the couch and she noticed that there is potentially some tension in the interpretation of Sade that occurs here and that in Kant avec Sade. Very smart on her behalf I should say. She also has decided that there are a couple things in the apartment which she doesn't usually get to investigate that she would very much like to. First and foremost is the refigerator. She does like to climb in down by the crisper every now and then, but more often than not she comes running when she hears it open and either just walks around in between the door and the fridge proper, or lays down next to the open front. I have no idea what this fridge thing signifies, but I think the hopping up in Katie's sock and underwear drawers is a pretty clear sign that she is excited for Katie's return manana. Hippo sends her purrs out accross the interweb in a true spirit of love.
Peace,
MB-K
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