Cooler on online

Since Brandon has moved to Montana he's taken to listening to country music. Well the other day he tells me that he's found the Just South of North theme song. I had a listen and I wasn't too sure about that. But perhaps, he's found the new Brandon theme song.

Also, I think he liked this video because William Shatner is in it.

Worst DVD commentaries

Star Trek V - Considered the worst of all the Star Trek films (I disagree, it's actually pretty entertaining), it was directed by none other than William Shatner. To listen to him talk about this movie just reinforces that (a) he's a crazy, lunatic, and (b) he should never be allowed to direct another film. He would say things like "See this part where I'm climbing up the rock signifies the human race progressing" and "You know... movies have budgets and sometimes you just run out of time without getting the shot you want. I remember a lot of this film was shot on the first take." ... explains a lot.

Titanic - Really James Cameron? We have to hear about how you went hugely over budget, spent more money than the gross national product of Haiti and created a sloppy movie that looks cheesy 12 years later? Congrats, you are a true visionary. Oh oh, yes lets break down the scene where Rose stripes too, because this is soooo important to the plot.

Any Oliver Stone movie - Just as you will recognize with everyone of his movies "crap, I'm watching a Oliver Stone movie" ... you will recognize that "crap, I'm listening to Oliver Stone talk about one of his movies and my ears are starting to burn."

Listen, the guys is entertaining, but much like Cameron he can't admit he just did something for the hell of it, he's got to come up with some obviously made up grandiose reason. Like Tom Cruise in a wheelchair. WHY?

Braveheart - Mel Gibson does the commentary, and it's exactly like watching the film in normal mode. Why? Because Gibson says like 10 things during the entire commentary.

"Yeahh....... right here.... yeah that's great scenery .... Wow.... great shot."

Thanks Mel.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Yeah having Leatherface do the commentary was a bad idea.

Ernest Scared Stupid - I just put this on here because I hate this movie, it scares the crap out of me every time.

Happy Groundfrog Day!

Today was Groundfrog Day.

Not sure what that is? It's the Northwest's version of Groundhog Day.

Today the Northwest Frognostication Ceremony took place in Snohomish, WA.

Much like Punxsutawney Phil predicts the weather for the next eight weeks, so does Washington's very own Snohomish Slew the bullfrog. And Slew gets his prediction out a few days before Phil.

Snohomish Slew, who also goes by the title of Meteorologist Frognosticator extraordinaire, will come out tomorrow to make a prediction if the Northwest will be enjoying spring soon or another eight weeks of winter.

His predictions are of course announced by his scribes.

The question is, did he see his shadow?

Around my house in Issaquah we didn't. But then again it seems like spring has been here for a few weeks.

Leave Charlie Sheen alone!

Okay sure he likes porn stars, does an inordinate amount of cocaine, has quite a few anger issues and will probably die young. But let's accept this: Charlie Sheen is an American Hero.

1. He fought for the freedom of the United States from the Russians in the war epic "Red Dawn" ... what other American can say that he fought against the Russians?

2. He fought for America again, in Vietnam, in the movie "Platoon" ... and granted he ended up shooting his own commanding officer... but we'll just forget that one.

3. He was in "Young Guns", which every woman in her 20s loves for some reason. He was also in "Eight Men Out," a movie that is interesting to nobody except for baseball fans. However, come on, the guy was involved in the Black Sox scandal? I would love to get banished from baseball forever...

4. "Hot Shots!" a spoof of Top Gun, meaning that Sheen not only fought in wars, he flew jet planes. Suck it, Tom Cruise.

5. He also had a part in "Loaded Weapon 1" with his brother, Emilo Estevez. Yes that is right, he is brothers with Emilo Estevez, the greatest hockey coach of all time.

6. He was a member of "The Three Musketeers" meaning that not only can he fight wars in modern times, but also be a swashbuckler in a Disney movie time piece. Something The Rock could never do.

7. And are we forgetting that Sheen was perhaps the greatest closer in MLB history...

So go ahead, judge Charlie, but chances are, he's had a lot more fun than you. (Granted it's with hookers, but whatever)

Taco Bell is about to lay the smackdown on a law firm

A story came out a little while ago that an Alabama law firm, one of those places that love stirring up trouble to make a buck, was suing Taco Bell for advertising their ground beef products when in actuality their taco meat is allegedly something like 36 percent meat. Not so, apparently. Here are some print ads that Taco Bell is running...

So this law firm in Alabama will probably be sued into oblivion for an obvious attempt at winning a frivolous lawsuit. I'm not sorry for their at all.

Remember the good ol' days?

(Sigh)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY!

Today is Casey's birthday and to celebrate this guy's special day, let's look at great moments in his life...

1. Once as a small toddler, Casey discovered a penny and an electrical socket. It was then where Casey also discovered the effects electricity.

2. As a child, Casey discovered this team called "The Seattle Seahawks." Little did he know that this would lead to an addiction of Northwest football that only caused pain, disappointment and a whole lot of Marshawn Lynch You Tube Vidoes.

3. In grade school, teachers complimented Casey on his squirrel drawings, and then promptly told him to stop wearing his MC Hammer pants to school.

4. In middle school, Casey was once reprimanded for going to school dressed as a Power Ranger ... sans pants ...

5. In High School, Casey and his football teammates were under the harsh coaching of Bud Kilmer. Wanting to go to college at Eastern Washington University, Casey was the plucky backup quarterback of the West Canaan Football team and studied on the bench instead of looking at his clipboard of plays. When the star quarterback (Who was oddly enough, Paul Walker) went down with a knee injury, Casey was thrust into the starting position. Casey started calling his own plays in the huddle and even confronts the coach in the locker room refusing to take the field if he injects one of the players with a cortisone shot. The coach doesn't and Casey leads the team to victory. True story... I did not just copy the plot to Varsity Blues.

6. In college, Casey penned a campus-wide column popular to many and was the better half to a popular "Eastern Rangers" column where he partnered with a drunk vagrant with red hair.

7. Casey went to Nebraska and became one of the three people living in that state.

8. Casey moves back to Washington and gets married. However their relationship is kind of weird because they like to dress up in costumes...

9. Casey is now happily residing in Washington for his 32nd Birthday... wait, that's right isn't it?

Epic Marmit of Greatness.

Well done Washington, well done

Looks like I did the smart thing by moving to Montana, unless of course I want to go drive on a highway somewhere.

Epic Photo: Sunset in Pablo, MT

Just another Montana sunset...

Walgreens stores to carry their own brand of beer

Brandon called the other night in a fit of glee. I hadn't heard him this excited since the Eastern Washington Eagles won the National Championship.

I had to actually wait about five minutes for his squeals of excitement to calm down before he could explain why he was so excited.

Now his dollar would go further.

The reason for Brandon's new found fortune is the fact that the Drugstore chain Walgreens will now be carrying their own brand of beer.

The Walgreens private label, called Big Flats 1901 is dirt cheap too. The cost will be around $3 for a six-pack and around $11.50 for a case of 24 cans.

"In this tough economy, consumers are looking for value and ways to make their money go (further)," a Walgreens rep told the Chicago Tribune in the article. "Big Flats 1901 offers our customers a premium lager at a great price."

Winery Exchange is where Big Flats 1901 is made. They also provide private-label beer for the grocery chains Costco and Trader Joe's.

Mt. Rainier time lapse video of lenticular clouds

Yesterday I noticed some cool clouds up on Mount Rainier on my way to work. So did this camera.

TacomaWeatherCam.com captured this great video of lenticular clouds over Mt. Rainier on Jan. 26, 2011.



According to Komo 4 News the clouds are actually very common.

The cloud is formed when warm, moist air runs into the surface of Mt. Rainier. The mountain's topography forces the air upward, which cools and condenses the air -- turning it into a cloud.

As the air sinks back on the other side of the mountain, it dries out and the cloud dissipates. That's why it just hangs over the summit area.

Although it looks like it is "hanging" over the mountain, air is continually flowing over the summit, as the video proves.

Terrible dance moves

If you ever hit up the dance clubs in Polson, Montana then you'll find Brandon there. (By dance clubs I mean, VFW Hall and Eagles Club)

Recently Brandon got tired of performing only the "fist pump" at the club. His trademark move.

So he headed to YouTube to find some dance instruction videos he could follow. Well he found one. And now he's performing these moves. (And yes, wearing the same outfit)

Why Casey has a crush on this basketball player

Casey keeps talking about Jimmer Fredette. Apparently he's really good at the game of basketball. Here's some reason I think he likes him so much.

1. Casey is a notorious front-runner and Brigham Young is currently 20-1 on the season. Just wait until he trades in his Hawaii jersey for a BYU Cougars jersey, it's only a matter of time.

2. His name is Jimmer, which might be the coolest name ever. The question becomes, do people call him "Jim"?

3. Jimmer's oldest sibling, Lindsay, was Miss Teen New York in 1998. Casey loves his teen pop stars and loves Robin from "How I Met Your Mother." In fact he has "Lets go to the Mall" on his iPod.

4. I'm not sure about this but I'm pretty sure Jimmer has won Back-to-Back-to-Back AAU Championships. If Casey doesn't like this, Fred McGriff would approve.

5. He's also leading college with 26.7 points per game. He has scored 40 points for the third time in four games when on Wednesday night he led BYU to a 71-58 victory over previously undefeated San Diego State.

Epic Photo: Here is the view from my dad's office

Logging... way cooler than what you people with degrees do.

Jay Cutler is my favorite player

That dastardly Jay Cutler is up to no good again. After they found out that he had a sprained MCL, he was spotted in a Chicago restaurant with a slightly noticeable limp.

What a pansy. Man up! Who the heck goes to a restaurant with a limp?

Sure Cutler has proven that he's more of a headache than a quarterback. Ask Broncos fans. But Michael Vick has done much worse and we love that guy.

Sure some guys have played on sprained, torn and riddled MCLs before and allegedly Drew Brees played on one all season. Whoop de doo. Do you guys want a ribbon or something? Injuries are different from person to person, and if Brees' injury was so bad, why are we hearing it just now? Sounds like a load of crap to me.

Cutler was knocked out of the game. Plain and simple folks. Whats really telling is how players on Twitter and nearly every single football fan in America has switched from "what a wimp" to "I'm not questioning his injury, I'm questioning his attitude," argument because he had an actual legitimate problem.

Even after everyone had been proven wrong, they still wanted to pile on. Granted, it wasn't like his leg fell off, but if that's the way football is going to be played - you can count me out as one of the fans.

What was most telling was how his team came to his side to support him after this. I would venture to guess that they assumed he couldn't plant his foot or move effectively against a good Packers defense. Keep in mind the Bears' offensive line was about as effective as a stripe of toilet paper. While Brees can tout his toughness about playing with a knee injury, he was playing behind a line that won the Super Bowl last year.

Culter on the other hand, was smashed to pieces all season.

Yet our fat, uneducated and completely nonathletic masses of football fans wanted to see more. They want to see every player sell out on every single play and make the ultimate sacrifice.

I'm sorry to say folks, but Jay Cutler has already done that. He's in the National Football League. That takes a lot of selling out with your body every single day and making sacrifices just to get there.

How many people have you hear "Oh I was an ankle twist away from playing in college" or "my knee gave way" from athletic blow hards?

Come on you ninnies, I thought you were supposed to play through those injuries.

We spent all season freakin' out over the safety of players in terms of head injuries. Why should they be just as protective of their other limbs?

And I'm sorry if this isn't the sixties, but even in that Stone Age, players were knocked out because of injuries. I'm going to also venture to guess that a Johnny Unitas with a bum leg still didn't have to contend with the type of players that Cutler had to.

If your problem wasn't with the injury, but was rather with his attitude afterwards (sullen on the sideline)... are you kidding me? The dude was just taken out of the biggest game of his life with an injury. I'm going to venture to guess he was just as pissed as everyone else that he was out of the game.

Now please, just stop. Especially you hockey trolls. I don't care that Scott Bleydelajamiererule played without two knee caps and a face. Ten people watch hockey and they all live in Canada.

Dude films himself getting ran over by train

Do not try this at home.

This guy is an idiot. He films himself getting ran over by a train and survives.

New AFC and NFC Championship trophies

Last year during the Super Bowl weekend celebrations the NFL announced that they would be redesigning the AFC and NFC Championship trophies.

The AFC wins the Lamar Hunt Trophy and the NFC wins the George Salas Trophy.

For all the previous years the trophies used to look like this:

Oak with a tough forged metal look. Pretty dominate and recognizable.

Now the redesign of the Lamar Hunt Trophy and the George Halas Trophy will look like this:


The NFL says it wanted to change the look of the AFC and NFC Championship game trophies to coincide with the look of the Lombardi Trophy.

The new championship game trophy took nine months to design. Tiffany and Company makes it, which is the same company that makes the Lombardi Trophy.

I think the new trophies are very futuristic looking and they do resemble the Lombardi Trophy.

What are you're thoughts on the AFC and NFC Championship trophy redesigns?

Rubber Trailer

These are the types of movies that Brandon comes up with while the snow piles up outside his apartment window.

Yeah, cabin fever has set in.

When Robert, an inanimate tire, discovers his destructive telepathic powers, he soon sets his sights on a desert town; in particular, a mysterious woman becomes his obsession.

Chris Sharma Anthology

If you follow rock climbing then you know who Chris Sharma is.

In 2010 he won the Earth Treks Roc Comp Presented by Mountain Hardwear with some just plain sick moves.

Check it out:



It also was recently shown to me that Prana actually has an anthology that covers basically Sharma's entire career since 1994. It's a pretty awesome collection for one of the best rock climbers in the world.

You can check it out over on the Prana site.

“Climbing has been the window through which I've viewed the world over the past 17 years. The rich experiences of traveling the globe in search of awe inspiring climbs has helped me to grow as an athlete and as a person. I am so grateful for the people who have opened my eyes to this incredible activity and for the good fortune that I've had along the way.”
~Chris Sharma

New Bear Grylls Degree Commercial

I absolutely love these new Degree commercials with Bear Grylls. Very entertaining.

"Put on the meat ponchos."

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Trailer

The trailer for the fourth installment of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is out. Titled "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" it again stars Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. However, there is no Keira Knightley or Orlando Bloom.

Check out the trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides below and let us know what you think. Excited for the new movie?

The Sark will be back

UW signed head football coach Steve Sarkisian through 2015 with a brand new contract, meaning that the Huskies should at least be competitive through then. Remember when he got here? Boy those Dawgs were terrible. Now the Cougars are the ones that are the laughing stocks of the Pac-10 conference.

Sarkisian, 36, receives an additional two seasons from his first deal. Sarkisian’s guaranteed compensation will be $2 million to $2.25 million this year, to $2.4 million for 2012 and to $2,550,000 in 2013. The additional years will pay Sarkisian a guaranteed $2.7 million in ’14 and $2.85 million in ’15.

Meanwhile Coach Wulff  at WSU will receive a six-pack of Busch-Lite and a circus of midgets for his contract extension through next week.

A fantastic night of basketball

Just let me spell this out to all of you...
Eastern beats offensively loaded Lumberjacks to end five-game losing streak
Granted they're not going to compete for the national title, but it's signs of improvement for this team.

EWU Women improve to 3-1 in conference
Watch out Lady Griz and Montana State!

Okay, so things are going well in Cheney... now lets take a gander in the Palouse.

WSU knocks off Arizona State
I love the Cougars right now, they're one of the most interesting teams in the state.

Now, surely Gonzaga won right?

GU falls to Santa Clara
WHAAAAT?!?! They're losing to WCC teams? But they were supposed to go undefeated and make it to the NCAA Tournament.

Like I said, great night of basketball.

Squirrel Appreciation Day

It's like Christmas, only a little bit different.

No matter how you feel about squirrels, they are remarkable creatures. These small mammals are some of the most successfully adapted animals to both fragmented habitat and urban living.

While many may see them as vexing pests that consume vast quantities of bird food and scavenge ridiculous things for nesting materials, take Jan. 21 to look at them in a new light -- as a reminder of the wildlife around us. I personally love the little guys and helped raise four orphaned babies over several weeks one summer.

In case you were wondering: Squirrel Appreciation Day was created by wildlife rehabilitator Christy Hargrove of Asheville, North Carolina.

Do while all the squirrels in the world are probably hibernating. Tip your caps to them today!

Portlandia

Portland is pretty much the coolest city in America. And now it's so trendy that they are making a sitcom about it called "Portlandia." It debuts on IFC tonight, January 21.

Staring Fred Armisen of "Saturday Night Live" and Carrie Brownstein, the vocalist/guitarist from the Portland band Sleater-Kinney, will star in the series.

Check out a short trailer:



And if you've never visited Portland, Oregon. Well then you my friend are missing out.

What team are you rooting for?

Let's take a look at the team still left in the quest for the Super Bowl. It's pretty slim pickins.

New York Jets - Mark Sanchez is actually one of the more stand-able USC quarterbacks in the league, however he's not the main guy on this team. We have the coach that trash talks and plays with his wife's feet. They have a cornerback with roughly 1,032 children. They also have LaDanian Tomlinson back from the dead. If you like that kid on the playground that brags about being able to dunk but can't make a lay-up, this is your team.

LIKE-ABILITY - Two stars

Pittsburgh Steelers - They have dirty players. They have a creeper quarterback. Their head coach whines about calls. Their fans are perhaps some of the most annoying individuals on the face of the planet. They already have two Super Bowls this decade. Oh, and their offense is boring as tar.

LIKE-ABILITY - Zero Stars

Chicago Bears - Many people want their quarterback to suffer diabetic shock out on the field because he's a big douche. Their offense is about as flashy as a 1992 Honda Accord. If they make the Super Bowl, the score will probably be in single-digits. They also knocked the Seahawks out of the playoffs.

LIKE-ABILITY - One Star

Green Bay Packers - Their quarterback is quickly becoming legendary with his better-than-Farvian play. Their coach might be legally mentally handicapped. They have perhaps the best and most standable fans in football. I mean how can you not root for the smallest market in the NFL? Their defense is underrated yet terrifying. They overcame a lot of adversity throughout the season. I think we have a winner.

LIKE-ABILITY - Four Stars

By the way, if it's a Bears-Steelers Super Bowl, I'm not watching it.

Saving Newspapers: The Musical

Here's how to save the newspaper industry from their eventual demise. The funny thing, Brandon and I had this idea years ago. For newspapers sake I hope it works.

An open letter to Snooki

A few weeks ago Brandon posted about how Snooki, one of the "stars" of Jersey Shore wrote a book.

Please note, I use the term "stars" very loosely here. Very very loosely.

Anyway, one of the radio personalities in Seattle, Jubal Flagg from Movin' 92.5, recently wrote an open letter to Snooki. I think it pretty much sums up how Brandon feels too.

Woman falls into fountain while texting

I've warned Brandon about walking and texting. He never believed me. Until now. Watch as this woman falls into a fountain while texting.



And all of you who felt sorry for her, don't worry she's going the American way and taking legal action against others.

The woman at the center of a new viral video -- after she fell into the fountain of a Pennsylvania mall while sending a text message -- told Good Morning America Thursday she's looking into her legal options in the wake of the humiliating incident.

Cathy Cruz Marrero said mall security didn't respond until 20 minutes after the incident, and she contacted the security department the next day to complain about their inaction.

She also is looking into who uploaded the video in the first place since it was a security tape.

Vince Young wants to start... fat chance

Hey Vince Young? You want a starting job? How about you stop acting like a spoiled football player and exude things like character, hard work, intelligence and a spine. Oh wait, you have none of those things.

Vince Young has his sights set on competing to be a starter for an NFL team.

Young says in a segment aired by ESPN on Wednesday night that he will work to let his next team know he's an elite quarterback who just wants to win games and be the best. Asked if he could work as a backup, Young laughed.

"I'm going to go into the organization, the team, and compete. That's all I can do, and let them make their own decision after that," Young said. "Definitely I am a starting quarterback, an elite quarterback in the NFL. I want to go ahead and start. But like it always is, the coaches have the last word."

Tennessee owner Bud Adams actually had the last word Jan. 5 when the Titans announced that they would either release Young or try to trade him away because he's not in their plans for 2011. Adams agreed with coach Jeff Fisher the quarterback drafted No. 3 overall in 2006 had to go after an incident Nov. 21.

That's when Young cursed at the coach and blew out of the locker room. The Titans placed him on injured reserve two days later, and Young had surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right thumb. But the team can't release Young until Feb. 7, and a trade won't happen until the NFL has a new labor deal.

No I'm not a Titans fan bitter at young for ruining the 2010 season (yes I am), I'm just a realist (well that's true too, because Vince Young will never be a good quarterback in the NFL. Let's look at Young's track record.

1. Awesome career at Texas where he was coddled.
2. Drafted to the NFL and regarded highly by many.
3. Played on a very good NFL team.
4. Had maturity issues when he got booed. Went missing, had to be coaxed back by Jeff Fisher.
5. Had marginal success as a starter.
6. Freaked on said coach that actually supported him in the beginning.

Sounds like a winner to me.

Epic Photo: Seattle agrees with this photo

Eight percent of sports fans leave games drunk

I'm actually thinking this number is a little low, because how could you get through the Seattle Mariner's season last year without drinking profusely...

The study was conducted by the University Of Minnesota, who stopped a sampling of fans after football and baseball games and got them to take a breathalyzer test. Sixty percent of fans had no alcohol in their system, so we're presuming at least some of the tests were conducted after BYU games. Forty percent had drank, and eight percent were over the .08 BAC legal limit.

Apparently they've never been to an Eastern Washington football game where everybody leaves at halftime to return to the parking lot and drink.

Mariners already off to good start to the season

Milton Bradley already making Mariner fans feel great about 2011...

LOS ANGELES -- Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley was arrested Tuesday by the Los Angeles Police Department's West Valley branch.

Bradley was booked on a felony charge of uttering criminal threats.

A woman contacted police in the Van Nuys district of Los Angeles about 8:50 a.m. saying a man had threatened her. Bradley was arrested at a residence in Encino, CA.

A criminal threat under California law is a threat of immediate harm made to another person when the defendant intends to, and does, cause fear in the person threatened. The punishment for criminal threats in California is up to three years in state prison. Criminal threats are also considered a strike under the state's three strikes law.

Bradley was released Tuesday afternoon after posting $50,000 bail. He has a court hearing on February 8.

Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik released this statement on Tuesday night:
"After reaching Milton Bradley's representatives tonight I was able to confirm that Milton had been arrested, and subsequently released, in Los Angeles. While we do not yet have full details on what occurred, we are aware of the situation and take it very seriously. We are in the process of determining the full circumstances of what occurred today. Until we have more information, we will not be able to comment further."

Yet another home run in free agency for the Seattle Mariners...

Hold Me Closer Tony Danza

If you follow the blog then you know that we love Barats and Bereta around here at JustSON.

And I'm pretty sure Elton was singing to Tony in that song....



Also, Scott and Zander's Crazy Night coming soon? Perhaps the next big thing from Barats and Bereta?

The NFL sucks

Boy is this Super Bowl looking like it's going to suck. Other than the Packers being mildly interesting, what other team would you want to win?

The Steelers? Their quarterback is a creep.

The Bears? Their quarterback is whiny pile of crap.

The Jets? Their coach talks about feet a lot.

If NFL fans would pull their collective heads out of their arses, they'd realize , that this year's serving of football has been pretty terrible and that the remaining playoff games are going to be gawd awful. Another Steeler's Super Bowl? I'd rather watch the Home Shopping Network.

I think that the past couple of years of NFL football have been pretty unremarkable. That parody they always talk about doesn't actually exist as Pittsburgh, New York, Indianapolis and New England always seem to have somebody in the big game. You want to talk about how the NBA and MLB have inequity problems... We've seen the Steelers win two Super Bowls and the Patriots win three, that's half of the Super Bowl Champions of this decade.

We've seen the NFL preach character and playing for the team (and fans will constantly rag on other sports for having image problems) yet continue to play guys that are more violent and have a worse rap than their other sport counterparts.

There are serious, serious health problems we haven't even begun to delve into. Love your fantasy football team? Great they'll all be in nursing homes by the age of 50 the way things are going.

The artificial set-up of the league to make everything "fair" hasn't really helped the bad teams and in reality rewards those terrible owners. As a fan you can't get too crazy when your team goes from last to first because they got a cake schedule. The best part about the NBA and MLB? If your team is doing well, chances are it isn't a fluke, chances are the organization is well-run, made the right choices and the athletes are hungry for a championship. It's easy for a team to go from 5-11 to 10-6. In fact you can almost predict it. There's a certain spontaneousness about the other leagues that the NFL lacks.

And the fans... wow. Hey congrats you watch your team once a week. You're a real die-hard. Too bad "you don't really know the game" and "you just root for who has the prettiest uniforms" and "you just regurgitate whatever they say on PTI to carry on a 'sports' conversation."

Die hard NFL fans couldn't hold a candle to die-hard MLB and NBA fans who actually know a thing or two about their sports.

If the NFL goes on strike, I will be delighted if this bloated league loses some fans. It needs to wake up.

Hooray Cougars!

I like how when this happens to Gonzaga players, we go absolutely apesh**, but when it's Washington State players, well you know...

PULLMAN, Wash. -- Washington State starting point guard Reggie Moore has been suspended indefinitely by coach Ken Bone.


Moore was in street clothes as Washington State beat Stanford on Saturday.


Moore last month received two misdemeanor citations in Whitman County involving marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The Whitman County prosecutor's office said Moore was cited after a Dec. 11 search of a dormitory room. Other details were not available.


The charges each carry mandatory minimums of one day in jail and a fine that usually ranges between $250 and $500.

It could be worse though, it could be the WSU football team instead.

Bears fans were apparently excited about beating Seattle

Jeremy is a member of the Goal Line Bandits, perhaps the most fearsome fan group in all of professional sports (they're responsible for at least a few Spokane Shock wins) and he's also a Bears fan. He was a little pumped after beating the Seahawks on Sunday...

Epic Photo: Best Sports Graphic Ever

What should he get ??? and ??? for Christmas?

In case you needed motivation for this Hawks-Bears game

Epic Photo: Winter Outdoor Classic in Spokane

Here's a photo from the Winter Classic in Spokane, Wash. at Avista Stadium. I don't want to be a Debbie Downer since outdoor hockey is awesome, but those sight-lines look terrible and I think this is taken from at least midway up Avista Stadium's seating.

Lets complain about a problem that doesn't exist

Apparently people are freaking out over Oregon's court because of the reflection from the LED ribbon around the Duck's new arena (see the reflection in that photo). I personally think that's a load of crap because...

(1) Every arena in America now has the LED ribbon
(2) Every arena in America has a basketball court that reflects the ribbon (Watch an NBA game you dolts!)

But alas, people are quick to condemn Oregon's court which is very, very Pacific Northwest-y.

If USC coach Kevin O'Neill had the urge to cover his eyes to avoid watching his team's discouraging 68-62 loss to last-place Oregon on Thursday night, he can at least take solace that he wasn't alone.

TV viewers from coast to coast had the same experience as a result of the headache-inducing glare from the iridescent ribbon board lining the upper level of Oregon's newly built Matthew Knight Arena.

The above photo offers a glimpse of the blinding reflection visible throughout the first-ever game at the $237 million arena built to replace venerable MacArthur Court. Add in the fact that the ribbon board changed color from white to yellow to green to blue every few seconds, and it made watching the game feel like staring into a strobe light.

Hard as it may be to believe, complaints over the glare actually overshadowed reaction to the unveiling of Oregon's crazy new basketball floor. The court is framed on all sides by a forest of brown-and-tan fir trees, an homage to the school's picturesque Pacific Northwest setting and to Oregon's 1939 national title team nicknamed "The Tall Firs."

Like the famed blue "Smurf Turf" at Boise State's football stadium, Oregon's forest floor is meant to be an iconic design that will immediately be recognizable to TV viewers nationwide. The design already generated buzz this summer and will surely draw more attention in the coming weeks.

Considering how much thought went into everything from the steeply tiered seats to the duck's epic entrance from the rafters to the "Deep In the Woods" slogan on the floor, it's tough to believe nobody bothered to check how the court would look on TV. Whether that's true or whether somebody just signed off on the TV image too quickly, that's a pretty brutal oversight.

Isn't this one of the dumbest things you've heard? There's an LED reflection everywhere, but since it's a new court, people have to complain.

Eastern not the only school with red turf

Canyon High School in Texas has taken a page out of Eastern Washington's playbook and has gone with red turf. Chances are Canyon's stadium is also probably bigger than EWUs.

It looks pretty similar to EWU's turf, and there's also word that a college will be unveiling orange turf in the Alamo Dome. Uh-oh, we've open Pandora's box of football fields.

Sicily's volcano erupts

Remember the movie "Volcano" starring Tommy Lee Jones? Remember how terrible that movie was? Here's kind of a real-life "Volcano" as Mt. Etna has erupted but there's no immediate danger, just some awesome photos at night.

I might be running at this point. Although you have to think that all these villages that still exist, probably still exist because they weren't built in a lava flow.

This is actually what Casey wants to do

You've probably seen "Grizzly man" about the guy that lived with bears and eventually was eaten by them. It was probably the most entertaining documentary I've seen, and I'll be honest, I was rooting for the bears to eat that annoying guy.

Meet Levi Holt. He lived with wolves, and unlike that idiot in Grizzly man, he picked a smaller animal.

Like most young children, I grew up with an innate fear of wolves. It wasn't until I was a bit older and saw a wolf in a zoo that I realised how far away this animal was from the mythological creature I'd learned about in books and films.

I grew up in a small village in Norfolk and was always interested in the natural world and wild animals. I knew I wanted to work with them in some way when I was older. In my 20s, I read about an American naturalist, Levi Holt, who ran a wolf research centre in Idaho and I thought, "That's where I want to go." I sold everything I had and raised enough money for my plane fare. When I met up with biologists working on the reservation, they took me on as a basic field biologist, teaching me how to track wolves and collect data for them.

Even though the other biologists and scientists thought it was dangerous, I soon wanted to get closer to the wolves really to understand their behaviour. I couldn't help wondering, "Could a human become part of their family?" If I could, I thought, imagine what information I could share.

Now I think Holt is a little more sane than that Grizzlyman guy. Why? Grizzly Bears are so much bigger than humans, even playing around could be deadly. There's also several documented (more than several) of Grizzly attacks on humans that are just brutal, brutal affairs. While wolf attacks happen, I'm thinking they're probably a lot less severe than bear attacks. You also have to consider that there's also a natural connection between canines and humans that's probably an instinct thing.

I also found this excerpt interesting...

The other time, I wanted to get a drink from the stream and one of the wolves stopped me dead in my tracks, growling, snarling and nipping me. I thought, "This is the end, he's going to finish me off." An hour or so later, he started to lick my face and we both went to the stream for a drink. There I saw evidence of recent bear tracks and droppings, and I realised this was why he guarded me. I would almost certainly have been killed but, more importantly, my tracks would have led back to their young, so it was for their protection.

Animals... they're pretty effing smart.

Taiwan Jones could be second or third-round pick

Well no wonder he left, Taiwan Jones is actually pretty highly touted by the NFL.

Jones said he submitted information to the NFL Draft Advisory Committee by a Dec. 15 deadline in order to get a projection of where he might be drafted. The response he received was second or third round, and that helped in his decision to declare for the draft by the Jan. 15 deadline. But it wasn't the only response that mattered.

"Even with the positive response I received, my decision was still hard for me to make," Jones said. "My biggest concern was that I felt like I was letting my teammates down by leaving early. But they gave me a lot of support in making this decision and I appreciate that."

Although unable to play in EWU's last 2 1/2 games of the season because of a foot injury, Jones led the team to a 13-2 record and the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision title. He rushed for 1,742 yards and 14 touchdowns in 12 games in 2010, and averaged 7.9 yards per carry in his 24-game career as a running back.

"I felt like I made the best decision as far as being able to help my family and do something I've always dreamed of," said Jones. "I get to do something that I love."

Everyone was a bit concerned about his leaving, but watching the guy play, he's certainly ready for the next level.

Epic Photo: Casey got a new car

Apparently somebody traded in the Neon...

Fandemonium!

That's the EWU bookstore. Looks like people want their National Championship gear.

EWU Championship Gear is here!

Here's a photo from the EWU Bookstore. Looks like the gear is in. Too bad I already spent 150 dollars on gear already...

NOOOOOOOOO!

Here's the bad news from the Spokesman...

Eastern Washington junior running back Taiwan Jones, who was the Big Sky Conference co-Offensive Most Valuable Player, is entering the National Football League draft, The Spokesman-Review confirmed Friday morning.


Jones, who rushed for 1,172 yards for the FCS national champions despite missing the last two playoff games with an injury, was in California and could not be immediately reached for comment.

Now for those of you that are throwing your arms up and going "Why is he leaving, he should stay in school!" think about the following...

1. He's effing awesome.
2. He's been somewhat injury-prone.
3. He's not coming out unless some team had said they're going to pick him.

So while it would be great to have him for another season, this is probably the right move. Best of luck to him!

Journalists forced to strip

I don't we've had to do this yet in the United States... hopefully they never do this to print journalists. (Seriously, have you seen an attractive journalist? I think not)

Journalists invited to a party hosted by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were forced to undergo an intensive strip search Thursday, taking off pants, shirts and bras. Now the Israeli Press office says sorry for the stripping.

The controversy was dubbed "bra-gate" by the Israeli press, owing to the fact that Al Jazeera reporter Najwan Simri Diab (above) was turned away from the party after she refused to remove her bra for security.

Seriously? Bombs in bras?

(Okay, yeah I can believe that)

Big Lo on New Day Northwest

If you are a true Seattle sports fan (and by that I mean any Seattle sport) then there is no doubt that you've heard of Big Lo. Or at least seen him at the games.

He is literally Seattle's biggest fan at 6 feet 8 inches. Yeah, the dude is big. At the Hawks home games he sits in the South endzone right behind the goal post with his trademark "Sea" and a picket fence in the air.

If you don't know about Big Lo, here's a story from the Seattle Times back in 2005 on him.

Anyway, he was King 5's New Day Northwest today representing the 12th Man. It was a funny segment where he even showed off the new "I survived Beastquake 2011" t-shirt. Pretty awesome. Enjoy this photo story from the New Day Northwest facebook page.

Go Hawks!

The Northern Rangers go HD

For 2011 the Northern Rangers have decided to go HD. That's right, all of our adventures will now be in High Definition! So tune back in as we show you everything that we see, only now, it will be crystal clear.

To start off the HD Northern Rangers we decided to show you one of our favorite hikes, Poo Poo Point, and the views from the top. Check it out:

How to deal with an Ewok attack...

Glacier Park is an awesome, wonderful place in Western Montana. It's an American treasure and people love coming here to experience nature at it's best. There is plenty of wildlife to see, but you have to respect the wildlife. The most dangerous isn't the Grizzlies, it's these little bastards...

Glacier National Park has seen a rash of...

1. Stolen speeder bikes
2. Kidnapped Princesses
3. Stormtroopers with their helmets bashed in

After initial park ranger investigations, it has been discovered that these nefarious little buggers have indeed invaded the Northwest Montana ecosystem. While not dangerous unless provoked or bribed by rebel forces, Ewoks should be treated with the utmost respect.

When going out camping make sure that...

1. You carry a supply of Ewok spray or a C-3PO unit that they will worship as a god. OR have an expendable Red Shirt from Star Trek.
2. Carry a blaster and make sure you have better aim than those inept Stormtroopers.

Also make sure that you keep all garbage cans covered and if you do become entrapped in an Ewok trap make sure you have a R2 unit to cut you out.

Here is a photo of the Ewok's natural habitat...

As you can see, it's much more technologically advanced than even the largest settlements in the state of Montana. If you see one, walk away slowly and look for the nearest Seven-Eleven. Ewoks do not like Slurpies. Also make sure you avoid the ring-leader of all Ewoks...

This douche should be avoided at all costs. You can find him at some of the most dangerous spots in Montana...

1. Washington-Grizzly Stadium
2. University Alum's granddaughters birthday parties
3. Special political events
4. A crack house.

So please be safe, and be aware of Ewoks in their nature habitat in Glacier National Park and Western Montana.