The Maddenoliday

Well, today is the maddenoliday, and sadly I don't have my copy. I'm still very much on my football kick (the 360 has been overworked with NCAA 08 recently) - I'm so ready for the start of the season, I'm probably going to be sick of it by week two... or not.

Anyway, I've been accused (by Meghan) of not updating (often, ever, at all; you get the point). I'm actually constantly brainstorming ideas to keep you entertained, however there always seems to be a mitigating factor (and when facing a lack of a mitigating factor, I just defer to laziness). Well here is an update, and though I may not have 6-pack abs, I'll give you a 12-pack of cold, hard refreshment from your daily grind:

1. My twin turns 26 on Saturday - an early happy birthday to you Val!

2. This graphic is great - that is if you're interested in finding out how quickly the water comes at you after your header off the Tobin. Still we can cling to hope... a four game lead is better than a no-game lead... http://www.boston.com/news/multimedia/Whats_wrong_with_the_Red_Sox/

3. Great ad - I'd never seen it until recently, you may have seen it, but if you haven't, I won't ruin it.



4. Just in case you don't care about the Sox, or much else about sports (what kind of bizarre human being are you anyway??), but are still thinking about finding a reason to run yourself through with Ian's marine sword, listen into WEEI and/or watch NESN on Thursday and Friday for the Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon. After about 7 seconds you'll want to kill yourself... that is after you donate your life's savings to them.
http://weei.com/pages/681493.php?

5. Two words: "Oh Yeah"... too bad it gets cut off at the end, but you get the idea.



Always classic... I'll probably get in trouble for that. But just in case I didn't:

5a.



6. And if I'm not already in enough trouble, Meghan really hates this ad. They play it before every movie we go see, and it drives her insane. For what its worth, I'm not about to go sign up either, but I've been thinking a lot recently about our men and women abroad. Even if this ad drives me a little crazy, it makes me think that I'm pretty lucky to be sitting in a stadium seating movie theater - I don't always buy into the argument that our armed forces are protecting our "rights" to freedom - but if they're taking the fight to terrorists abroad, then it should hopefully make us feel safer here. Taking two and a half minutes to remember that once in a while isn't such a bad thing. Doing it more often would be better.




(Plus, the music absolutely kicks ass. I may have listened to it 5 times while typing this.)

7. And on a FAR less serious note (yes, I'm completely switching gears here), I just about completely fell out of my seat when I watched this-




8. Hmmmm... Facebook. Interesting. We'll see. (lets see me keep up with my blog first).

9. Did I mention I was pumped for football? I think I did. If you don't have time for anything else, make time for this. You'll be ready too.




10. I would post a video of Giada here, really, just because I can, and because I don't think I'd get that many arguments... but I know I'd get one. And I'm in enough trouble as it is.
However it does bring me to my one rant of the night: the television. I promise I won't ramble long, but:
1) Why doesn't Comcast carry the NFL Network? I know, I know, its money. But still. I have unbridled anger at this, I'm just keeping it in until the day we're blacked out of a Pats game because of it.
2) Comcast can screw.
3) Why can't the Food Network have a decent programming lineup on its HD channel? Is it that hard? Just stop showing the same episode of Barefoot Contessa 30 times a day.
4) Comcast can really, really screw.
5) When are the rest of the HD channels coming? This is starting to get annoying. I don't need the weather channel HD, fyi. Let's work on this.

11. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Madden at least once more, as it and Giada are plotting my imminent divorce. Bill Simmons most recent podcast is basically just 50 minutes of him talking about video game football with his buddy. Most likely the best train ride I've ever had to work. I can't wait to get the game... Saturday can't come soon enough!

And yes, I'm completely comfortable turning 26 and being excited about a video game. If this makes you uncomfortable, I'm sorry.

12. Red Sox 2, Devil Rays 1. Batlimore 12, NYY 0. Step away from the ledge. Good night everyone.