So the shammies, er Grammies, have come to a close, and I, for the first time ever, watched the whole thing. Why did I? Because I bought into the hype. Yep, I wanted to see friggin Eminem and Elton John. Oh, and I watched almost every second of the show. Why did I? Because I didn't want to miss the performance. And I'm not an idiot either. I knew that they were gonna have the performance at the end of the show. If they didn't have it at the end of the show, people like me would tune out right after Eminem left the stage. I knew this. I know how TV works. But still, I watched the whole show. Just in case.
So anyway, I stayed tuned to the show, I watched Eminem and Elton, and it wasn't bad. It was kind of cool. But when it was over, and they hugged, and held each other's hands in the air, and everyone gave them a standing ovation... I just thought to myself "This is just disturbing..." and I don't know why...
Seriously man, it wasn't a bad show. Fauth Hill looked smokin', as did Beyonce from Destiny's Child. Damn Beyonce is hot. U2 took home a few awards. Good for them. Moby performed "Natural Blues" with Jill Scott and Blue Man Group. But the big question remains: Steely Dan?
Now, I don't like to be judgemental and make comments on music that I don't know, because I've never heard this album, but STEELY DAN? They weren't very good in their prime. Matter of fact, they kinda suck. Kid A anyone? Hello? Kid A? That's right, they shoulda won.
Side Note - Did anybody see when Steely Dan actually won? Well, Stevie Wonder presented the award, and one of the dudes from Steely Dan went and shook his hand, and another guy from the band stuck out his hand to have Stevie shake it, and Stevie didn't respond, and he took his hand away, and then stuck it out again, waiting for Stevie to shake his hand... how absurd. This old fogie is so senial that he doens't even realize that Stevie can't see the guy sticking his hand out. See, Stevie's blind. Dude, ya know?
mike powers @ 11:28:55 PM

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held up an injunction against Napster, and it may have to shut down. Talk about chasing shadows. Even if they do shut down Napster, they will never shut down the swapping of free MP3s. Two things that really bother me:

-Have you ever watched that show "Cribs" on MTV? If not, it's this program that shows actors and musicians and other celbrities' houses, and attempts to make you feel as bad about your insignificant life as possible. I mean, I've seen dudes on that show that I've never even heard of, and they have the best friggin' houses. Houses you and I dream about. Besides it flaunting MTV's ultimate goal of entirely eliminating music from its programing, it also shows you just how rich these assholes are. I watch this, and I see how Tommy Lee has the nicest house in the world, or even Silk the Shocker, and I just shake my head. I know the name Silk the Shocker, but have no clue who he is. I may nearly be entirely Hip Hop illiterate, but I know this guy hasn't sold many records.

-Also, I don't care if they do shut down Napster. They were just about to start charging people $4.95 a month to download music from other people's libraries, and you'd only be allowed to download songs by artists who are under BMG record labels. And that's another thing. When Napster inked the deal with BMG, they used BMG's actual name. The name is some German name, and when I heard reports about the deal, they would say "Napster has signed a deal with B______(insert crazy German name), and plans on charging people blah, blah." See, they released the statement, and most people didn't know what BMG's real name was. That way, people don't respond by saying "They signed a deal with BMG! They signed a deal with the devil!" Rather, as I did, people responded by saying "Who the fuck is B_____(insert crazy German name)? I've never heard of them." That's my theory anyway...that's how I responded.

So anyway, i'm gonna miss it, but screw it. I'll just borrow someone else's CD and copy the MP3s onto my computer. Then, if I want, I'll burn a copy. When I'm done I think I'll give the industry my big fat middle finger.
mike powers @ 9:40:51 PM

The big story about the XFL is that their ratings were only half of what they were last week. This is the a huge story. Well, you jackasses, half of what they got last week still exceeds what they projected for ratings when the league started. They had a 10 share last week, and had a 5.1 this week, which is more than the 4.5 that was predicted by the "experts." People are just crossing their fingers that this league will fail. I know I bashed it a little bit, but i hope it stays around and gets better. People are just too damn negative, man.
mike powers @ 11:38:29 PM

The Blue Jays are pissed off because they traded David Wells to the White Sox for pitcher Mike Sirotka, and some minor leaguers, and Mike Sirotka will now miss the entire season with an injury. The Jays claim that the injury, a torn labrum, was a pre-existing condition, and that he had it before the trade. They contend that the White Sox knew about it, and are mad as hell. Talk about another poorly run orginanization. Don't those guys know about physicals? They are Physical tests that people are supposed to pass before you hire them. I mean, I remember when the Celtics tried to trade Dino Rahja(not sure of that spelling, don't care) and they couldn't trade him because he failed a physical. Its not like he was a good player either. I don't think he even played after he wasn't traded. For God's sake, I even had to have a physical to play highschool football. But nope, that is too much trouble for the Jays. They go out and trade a multi-million dollar, 20 game winner and don't even bother to put the dude they get in return through a few simple tests. The Blue Jays deserve what they got. Its their own stupid fault.
mike powers @ 11:33:34 PM

Rumors that Eminem will be performing "Stan" with Elton John on the Grammies February 21, or some such date, have apparently been confirmed. I think I speak for all of us when I say "What the fuck?"
mike powers @ 11:24:16 PM

The Yankees inked Derek Jeter to a ten year deal worth 189 million dollars. He's not worth it. Sure, Jeter is a great shortstop, but does he deserve to get a pay day this big? In my opinion, Jeter is the Don Mattingly of the 21st century. He's a guy who's a very good player, but the fact that he's on the Yankees makes him way better in the world's eyes than he actually is. The guy can hit, but he has never hit more than 24 homeruns, and has driven in 100 RBI once. Other than that one 100 RBI season, his next best total was 84, followed by 78. Last year he only drove in 73 runs, and only hit 15 homeruns. Other than the seasons in which he hit 24 and 15 HRs, he had 10, 10 and 19. That's a total of 78 HRs in 5 years. Is this a guy who is worth 189 million? I know that he's one of the top three shortstops in the game, and this is a very hard position to fill, but 189 million? I know the guy has a .322 lifetime batting average, but 189 million? Many say yes, because of the rings.
Baseball is a sport of individuals, but a team is what wins the World Series. Baseball is not like football. Joe Montana is the greatest QB ever. I don't care what anyone says. Why do I reason this, in light of the fact that there are QBs with better numbers? Because Joe won the Big Games. He was the type of guy who could single handedly take a team to the playoffs. He was the type of guy who could construct a game winning drive. Sure, he had a good team around him, and, sure he had Jerry Rice, but he was the reason they won. Same goes for Michael Jordan. In sports like Hockey, Football, and Basketball, one guy can make a world of difference. One guy can win it all. Not so for baseball. Joe Shmoe the backup catcher can have as many rings as anybody else.
Jeter has the rings. Yeah, and so doesn't Jim Leyritz. This is baseball. Rings don't mean much in baseball. I'm not saying that Jeter wasn't a big part of them winning those World Series. He certainly was. But for you, or anyone else to say he's worth that kind of money, a guy whose highest HR total was 24, and has driven in 100 runs only once, because he has some rings, is just plain stupid. Would Jeter have that many rings if he'd been on the Twins? I don't think so. And the fact that he played in a very good Yankees lineup helped his numbers, which aren't eye popping. He scores a good amount of runs, 125 per 162 games played, but this is because he plays on a team that has some guys that can drive 'em in. And those guys are getting old.
Now, let's look at something. Peolple feel that there is a debate over who the best shortsop in the game is, and most will say that Rodriguez is. Well, he is. But who is number two? Is it Nomar or Jeter? Amazingly, many people will tell you its Jeter. Well, let's take a look:

Rodriguez
G 790 R 627 H 966 HR 189 RBI 595 SB 133 AVG .309
Garciapara
G 595 R 451 H 812 HR 117 RBI 436 SB 58 AVG .333
Jeter
G 786 R 605 H 1008 HR 78 RBI 414 SB 108 AVG .322

So, as the numbers show, Rodriguez is the best, followed by Nomar, and then Jeter. But wait a second...Look at how many more hits, runs and stolen bases Jeter has than Nomar. And Jeter isn't that far behind in RBI. Well, Jeter has played in the league a year more than Nomar. Look at the games played. The disparity doesn't exist because Nomar is somewhat injury prone. Jeter has been in the league for five years, Nomar for 4. Despite that, Nomar has way more HRs and more RBI.
So, the people who say Jeter is the best will point to the rings. I've heard people, and by people I mean sports media, say that A-Rod is the best, Jeter is second, and Nomar is third. They reason that A-Rod is first because of the numbers, and Jeter is second because he has the rings. That doesn't make any sense. A-Rod doesn't have the rings either. So how can A-Rod be better than Jeter if he doesn't have the rings? That whole argument is a bunch of BS. The guy with the better numbers is the better player. Period. You put Nomar, or Rofriguez, on those teams, they have the numbers too.
You know what though? I think its great that George mis-spent his money.

mike powers @ 5:29:56 PM

Reason # 586 why I hate the music industry:
I was listening to a supposed "alternative" station up here in Boston, which just happens to be one of the most popular stations in the city, because Stereophonics was on. For those of you who don't know, they are a rock band from England. So anyway, the band is playing a sold-out show tonight in Boston, and the DJ who was interviewing them said to the band that he was impressed that they sold out considering that they get little to no airplay in Boston, and that it was a testament to them that they sold out. The DJ also wondered why such a good band would have a tough time getting across to fans in the US, and wondered why they don't get any airplay. The fucking DJ was wondering why they don't get any airplay. I'll tell you why, you idiot, because retard DJs like you opt to play acts like Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit on your station, rather than play talented bands like Stereophonics. What planet is this guy living on? It's like a restaraunt owner wondering why hot dogs aren't a big seller in their restaraunt, knowing that they don't sell hotdogs.
Incidently, if you guys want to hear some music that is fresh, at least to you, check out "Traffic," "Hurry up and Wait," and "More Life in a Tramps Vest" by Stereophonics. The band will also be releasing a new album called Jeep sometime soon this year.
mike powers @ 4:56:41 PM

Running back Robert Smith of the Minnesotta Vikings has announced his retirement. Smith is only 28 and has rushed for 1,000 yards plus the last four seasons. He only played in the NFL for eight years, and became a free agent after this season. Smith would certainly stand to make some nice cash this offseason, but the reason for his retirement is really unclear, and baffling. He isn't injured or anything, but supposedly wants to pursue a career in medical research. Okay there Robert. I wonder how long it'll take him to realize that working for money isn't fun, and playing a sport for boat-loads of cash is a much better idea.
mike powers @ 10:04:19 PM

It was on this day 37 years ago, February 7, 1964, that the Beatles arrived at New York's JFK Airport, and changed the world forever. Sure, the Beatles had been in England before, but their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show cemented them in the American conscience forever, and in that of the world. This, it must be remembered, was in the day before the internet and MTV, and nobody had really been introduced to the Beatles before this.
Why were the Beatles so important? Because they were the first rock and roll geniuses. I can't remember it, and you probably can't, but there was a time when rock and roll was new, and the Beatles were right there when it was in its infancy. They were revolutionaries. What the Beatles did with the album format, and what they inspired in people can never be underestimated. Their output in such a short time, between '64 and '70, is unmatched and unfathomable.
They were the greatest band of all time, and 37 years ago today stands as the single most important moment in the history of moments. If you're not a fan of the Beatles' music, then you must acknowledge them as the greatest band ever. If you don't recognize them as the best band ever, then you are an idiot. Get off my site.
mike powers @ 9:49:26 PM

I hope you guys caught the historic first game of the XFL last night. Talk about boring. I was pretty excited about this game, because we could all use more football, but bad players vs. bad players can't be disguised. Some people came up with the hypothosis that if everyone sucks, then you won't be able to tell that they suck, because they will be playing on an equally bad level. Well let me tell you something: if your highschool QB can't throw, it doesn't matter if the defenders are just as bad defending as he is throwing; the level of play will be sub-par. Thats what these guys looked like last night; a bunch of crappy highschool kids. Sure, some of them were really bug and fat, but it didn't matter. Lack of talent is lack of talent.
Things that made no sense include the punting rule, where after 25 yards the punt is live, and the returner gets no free kicks, but instead gets a 5 yard radius safety zone. This means that if the returner gets under the ball, then he's the only one who can catch it. In other words, the ball is live, but you can't get it if your on the kicking team, unless there is nobody on the receiving team anywhere in your vicinity. Confused? Me too.
The league also says that DBs can bump and run all the way down the field. Hence, there is no five yard bump zone. The catch? the DB has to be in front of the receiever to bump him. This means that if the receiver gets behind the DB, then the DB can't bump. In other words, there is no set 5 yard zone, but unless the DB is fucking Superman and can stay in front of the receiver past 5 yards, then he can still bump. This is a completely incoherent rule, that doesn't have any real validity.
Things I enjoyed included the run for the ball that replaces the coin toss, the strippers(er, I mean cheerleaders), and the fact that I knew some of the bums who were playing in the game from the NFL. I really, really hated the dumb ass names that the players had on the back of their shirts though.
mike powers @ 6:17:10 PM

I just saw this headline on SonicNet.com and knew you guys would have to know about this huge news-breaking story: Alleged Puffy Gunshot Could Have Wounded People. That was an actual headline. You mean people might have been wounded by a bullet? What is this world coming to?
I just really wonder who the hell would take the time to write that headline, and why they would proceed to write an article.The headline says it all doesn't it? Madness I tell you.
mike powers @ 6:38:18 PM

Tiger Woods sprained some ligaments or some such nonsense the other day when a fan who trying to get an autograph came up behind Woods and Woods stepped on the dudes foot, hyer-extending his knee. Woods was pissed and supposedly glowered at the guy. He said afterwards that the fan yelled at him for not giving him an autograph. That seems just a little bit far fetched to me. Okay, so maybe the guy was a little over zealous, but who wouldn't be? Woods is like a frigging god and when people get in his presence they get pumped. Not like Woods stays and signs autographs either. I mean, you see the really good guys in Sports, the Pedro Martinezes and the Cal Ripkens and these guys have WAY more fans and play in WAY more games and they stay and sign their butts off. What does Woods do? He hurredly makes his way through the crowd and signs a few hats, and has an attitude about it. I think that a guy in his position should be a little bit more respectful, and understand that he being the best golfer that has ever played, not to mention the first superstar black golfer, has certain obligations.

"People get aggressive. That's the way it is," Woods said. "That's one reason we have security. Some of you say, 'Why do you have so much security?' It's for instances like this, so they don't happen. Unfortunately, it happened today

See, I thought security was to prevent people from stabbing, or trying to tackle Tiger or something. Last time I checked, you don't have all that security so that fans can't get close to you. Oh no, you hyper extended your knee when you had incidental contact with a fan! God forbid. You could've hyper-extended your knee driving a car, ass. If you have all that security to keep the fans away, then you seriously have your priorities fucked up, Tiger.

mike powers @ 2:00:20 AM

It is a very sad day in the music world as Jennifer Lopez takes over the number one spot on the Billboard charts with her album J.Lo. Sigh. There go the Beatles. Lopez also has the number one movie at the box office. Impressive. She reportedly also dumped Puff Daddy. Bravo. In light of all of this, I don't really mind that she has the number one album. Could be worse. O-Town could be number one. O-Town is actually number 5. the horror... the horror...
mike powers @ 6:46:11 PM

So this Limp story gets even better. I'm sorry, but those idiots who run this half-ass Australian show should be dragged through the streets and be left to the dingos. Why do you ask? I'll tell you why. See, there was some girl who was at the Big Day Out last Friday, and she was caught in this massive swell of Aussie flesh and she passed out, was trampled on, and had a heart attack. This girl was only 15. Now, if you had been a good little Slippy reader and read the story below you would know that the reason Limp canceled out on this tour was because the promoters refused to beef up security. The reason that Limp wanted to beef up security was becase they didn't want people to get hurt or killed. Well guess what? After the promoters lambasted Limp and said something about the security measures being assinine, this poor little girl died. Now the greedy promoters who refused to pay for extra security look really good. Viva La Australia.
mike powers @ 6:38:59 PM

Aw shucks. Tens upon tens of concerned Australian Limp Bizkit fans will miss out on seeing their favorite band play Australia's Big Day Out festival. Limp took themselves off of the tour because the people who run the show refused to beef up security on the floor, where several people were injured the other day. In an official statement the promoters said:

"The Big Day Out has a principal commitment to crowd safety and the security of all patrons. The measures proposed by Limp Bizkit were substantial, untested and radical changes to the existing structures and procedures in place for the show as understood by Australian safety authorities, including the police and planning bodies.

"Additionally, the changes would have required substantial revisions of existing safety protocols and the promoters were unprepared to introduce these measures at short notice and with little preparation for security staff."

Now, I'm not one to begrudge anyone for taking Limp Bizkit off of their roster, but I guess that the people who run this show are just cheap A-holes who won't pay for extra security. I mean, what of the Australian morons who wanted nothing more than to see their favorite piece of trash band play? They probably paid top dollar to see Limp, and now, because the promoters are too cheap to pay for a couple of extra security guards, they are left with an emptiness inside. Serves 'em right though. They are, after all, Limp Bizkit fans. Imagine being a Limp Bizkit fan? Would you have to have a frontal lobotomy done for such a travesty to occur? Oh, you're a Limp Bizkit fan? Get the hell off of our site.
So now the Aussies are left to see the the other bands on the roster, including Men at Work, Olivia Newton-John, AC/DC, and everyone's favorite whacky Aussie, Yahoo Serious.
mike powers @ 9:51:23 PM

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