To the Pain!

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1.) About a month ago, maybe more, my cousin Bryan suggested that I check out a show called “Full Metal Jousting.” Now, at the time, I was in the middle of moving into a new house and didn’t really have the time to check it out.  This week, however, I had the time and let me tell you something: Full Metal Jousting is AWESOME!

The unintentional comedy runs high and the production value looks like it is through the roof. These guys don’t put on armor like you’re use to seeing in museums, they put on armor that makes them look like freaking Iron Man.

Did I mention the unintentional comedy? Here are just a few “quotes” from the show (I put quotes in quotes because I didn’t write them down when I was watching, so this is mostly from memory.)

Jouster named Mike says in episode one: “Everyone told me I was crazy, they said that I didn’t have good enough insurance to be doing this.” Yeah, I may be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that All-State doesn’t carry a Jousting plan.

After winning the first joust of the season (against Mike, who it should be noted is a United States Marine vet), jouster Joshua had this to say: “Jousting felt incredible. It’s just such a rush, like knocking somebody out or seeing your child born.”  Such sweet sentiment.

It also needs to be said that the jousting that takes place on the show is pretty darn badass. I mean, these guys get JACKED UP when they take a shot and fall off their horse. One guy gets hit in the face (IN THE FAAAACCCEEEEE!) with a lance, had blood all over his face, went to the ER and got staples put in his head and then came back announcing “I’m out for at least a week.”  Tough.

Another great aspect is that on the one hand you have these HUGE ex-marines who are jousting against guys who are philosophy majors and work at “Medieval Times.” It’s the classic case of “nerd” vs. “meat head” only in this competition, the nerds are at a distinct advantage cause they are used to riding horses and “jousting.” And they also have red hair, which seems to be a necessity in order to be good at jousting for some odd reason.

It is really easy to mock the show and the participants, but in all sincerity, what they are doing takes a lot of guts (or at least, a mid-life crisis). I would never, ever, EVER go anywhere near a joust, but I absolutely love watching it on TV.  Full Metal Jousting, I salute you.

2.) Has Adrien Brody officially transformed himself into “V” from “V for Vendetta?” Also that commercial with him and Andre 3000 and that other guy just makes me really sad for what has become of Mr. 3000. Sure he can still put down sweet verses on other people’s tracks, but he recently said that he doesn’t foresee another Outkast album anytime soon and that is terrible. Outkast can’t go out with the terrible “Idlewild” as their last album, can they?

Also, how come in that commercial, the three guys nod and say “What’s up?” to a group of three girls, and the girls just smirk and keep on walking. I don’t understand, these three guys are supposed to look cool, but they can’t even reign in these ladies. What gives?

3.) Bounty Gate! Bounty Gate!

My prediction is the league suspends Greg Williams for a year and fines him $500,000, suspends Sean Payton for 4 games and fines him $250,000, suspends all the players involved at least 4 games and gives them various fines, takes the Saints first round and second round picks, and fines them $1,000,000.

If the Raiders had been involved in Bounty Gate (and there is a chance that their new coach was, but I mean if it had been the Raiders paying to take people out), Goodell would summon Mark Davis to his office, and chop off one of his hands.

4.) I know I’ve been talking about Cena/Rock a lot lately, but I just have to get this off my chest. Last Monday, John Cena cut such a terrible promo that it has to be mentioned. Basically, here was the gist of what he said (in an empty arena with a very, VERY serious face): “I’m a big Boston sports fan and there is one thing that no Boston sports fan will ever forget. And that’s when the Patriots went undefeated but lost in the Super Bowl. But you know what the Patriots going 18-1 taught me, it’s that nobody remembers second place.”  Ummmm, hows that again? Nobody remembers second place except for EVERYBODY REMEMBERING that the Patriots came in second place? My brain hurts. John Cena, you’re an idiot.

5.) So, you know how I always talk trash on things and then end up liking them? Well, that happened to me in a big way this week. I was in the car listening to 88.5 and I heard a Bon Iver song for the first time ever. I listened and was like, “This is crap, what’s the big deal? What an overrated piece of garbage.”

Then, when I got home, I couldn’t get that darn “I was not…MAGNIFICENT” line out of my head. So I went on iTunes and listened to it…and then listened to it again…and then the next morning I bought the album.

That’s just how I roll.

Anyway, that’s all I got.  I’ll see you at the list!

• adrien brody
• bon iver
• bounty gate
• Full Metal Jousting
• greg williams
• john cena
• saints
• sean payton
• the rock