5wide

I'm looking forward to watching The Hobbit. But, personally, I wasn't a fan of the book. In fact, the LOTR trilogy is one of the few movies that I liked better than the book(s). I did enjoy the LOTR books though, much more than The Hobbit. I like Tolkien's world creation better than his actual writing.

Not 100% sure what you're asking...

 

Nightwing?

Yes. Should they pursue that course with a separate movie, do you think they'd consider going the Nightwing route? He's a little cooler than Robin, IMO. The movie left the impression that Bruce Wayne was retired and he was leaving all the "Batman" stuff with the Robin guy.

Two thoughts - first, as the initial post stated, I think expectation plays a role. If you're a clear favorite to take gold then it probably would be a disappointment. Especially, considering that if you were a favorite, it probably means you have beat your competition on more than one occasion in other competitions in the years leading up to the olympic games.

Second, the Olympics seem to have a different feel to me than other sporting events. And, by that I mean that it seems the athletes in the games seem to just enjoy being a part of the games. That doesn't mean they are just happy to be there, but it doesn't have that "winning is the only thing" feel that normal events we watch have. There seems to be more of an appreciation for the privelege of being an Olympian from both athletes and fans. Many train all their lives for one shot at the gold. The lucky ones might get to compete in two or three games. And, favorite or not, it all comes down to that one performance. In the normal sports we watch, its an annual thing, we judge careers and greatness by titles, so its win or bust. We don't appreciate teams like the Buffalo Bills who accomplished one of the most amazing feats in NFL history by appearing in 4 consecutive Super Bowls. Or the Atlanta Braves who won a mind-boggling 14 consecutive division titles in the National League. Both of these teams are often remembered in a negative light because of their lack of post-season success. The Braves a little less so since they did get a title, but their amazing feats are overshadowed by post-season failures.

Much of it falls back to expectation thought. Obviously, if I were a member of the USA Men's Basketball team, I would be more than disappointed with a silver. But, in most cases, I think people are elated to win a silver a medal. Or, do you "lose" a silver medal?:idunno::lol:

Finally got out to see the movie last night. Great movie. I thought it ABSOLUTELY stood up to The Dark Knight, but I'd say The Dark Knight was a little better all in all. I'd have to go with DragonFire's A+ versus A++ comparison.

 

Count me as one that really liked Bane's voice. I thought Michael Cane's performance was borderline heartbreaking - great work on his part. I was a little disappointed by the ending, though. I felt like it was too much of Christopher Nolan's bowing down to Warner Brothers' desires. I wanted a clearer "the end of Batman".

 

Spoilers (Highlight To Read):

 

Also regarding the ending, Nolan has long touted his disdain for the character of Robin. His obvious allusion to Robin taking up Batman's mantle (and thereby giving way to Warner Brothers' next series of comic book into feature action movies) was kind of a let down, personally.

 

As with others, I'd have to agree that the Robin character wasn't tough to call: orphan and loner with a penchant for doing good and fighting crime. At least his name wasn't "Dick Grayson".

 

As someone who grew up a relative comic book geek, I was pretty positive that Miranda Tate would play Talia al Ghul...although going into the movie, I had hoped they were going to do a little more with her as a character. I thought it ended up being very well done, though. I, for one, was not positive, but was curious as to whether or not she was the climber when Ra's al Ghul explained that he was the father of the climber.

 

I thought Catwoman was absolutely as well done as she could have been.

 

For some reason or another, I really appreciated Cillian Murphy's brief appearance as Dr. Jonathan Crane.

 

Also, did anybody else think Daggett's assistant Stryver looked creepy as hell?

NW?

You guys should go the NHL route...call it a tie if you only have one beer. I don't drink but this thread is a hoot.

Of course, then it might have to be called the Chicago Blackhawks challenge. :idunno:

Who watches ABC? I'm surprise the 4 people who actually do caught this mistake. :sssh:

Thought an updated chart of the current round might be useful at this point.

7.01 Stanton Bums ® ~ ekubum - RB David Wilson NYG

7.02 Northern Kentucky Golden Domers ® ~ RB LeGarrette Blount TB

7.03 Mauk Ridge Maniacs ~ Wildcat Dad - DEF San Francisco

7.04 Kalamazoo Wings ~ LC99 - WR Laurent Robinson JAC

7.05 Junction City Jailcats * ~ UKMustangFan - WR Lance Moore NO

7.06 Southern KY Bionic Roosters ® ~ LCDAWGS19 - DEF Baltimore

7.07 Sawville Gym Shoes ~ Jim Schue - RB Daniel Thomas BAL

7.08 Maytown Mirkers ~ WildcatScratchFever - RB Felix Jones DAL

7.09 Northern Kentucky Blazers * ~ Bigblueinsanity​ - WR Anquan Boldin BAL

7.10 Middle Fork Mustard Seeds ~ 5Wide - WR Michael Crabtree SF

7.11 Shelby Cardinals - tdouth ~ OTC until 9:48 PM CST Tuesday 7/31

7.12 Big Creek Moonshiners ~ Da champ -

7.13 Jungle Junkies ~ HammerTime -

7.14 Bushwood Country Club Gophers ~ AverageJoesGym -

7.15 Atwood Fighting' Amish ~ NEERFAN

7.16 Paducah Rabbit Fists ~ 00Rocket28 -

^Booooo hisssss

I think this is the third time I've drafted him. Hopefully, he can produce enough to stay on my roster all season.

Mustard Seeds select...

WR Michael Crabtree SF

Mustard Seeds select...

TE Vernon Davis SF

What makes one a top driver?

Was Terry Labonte a top driver? He's still racing part-time, but he had 26 full schedule seasons. In those 26 years, he won 22 races, 2 Winston Cups, finished in the top ten 14 times, and finished in the top five 7 times. He won two races in each of his two championship seasons. In '96, out of 31 races, he posted 21 top five finishes, finished outside of the top 20 six times and only once was he below 30th.

What about his brother Bobby Labonte? From 1995 to 2003, he won 21 races, finished in the top 10 in all but two seasons, including one Winston Cup championship in 2000. In 1999, out of 34 races, he posted 5 wins, 23 top fives, and 26 top tens...good enough for second place in the standings. A great season by any standard, yet not good enough for a championship. He is still racing a full schedule, but hasn't finished in the top 10 in points, nor won a race since 2003.

Kurt Busch? In the ten seasons prior to this year, he won at least one race every season with a total of 24 wins. He has one Cup championship. But, he finished outside of the top 10 six times during that span.

Jamie McMurray has won 6 races in his career, but has never finished better than 14th in the standings.

Jeff Burton won 15 races from '97-00 and finished in the top 5 in points every season. Since then, he's won 6 races (21 total) and has finished in the top 10 for the season 4 times.

I don't think anyone doubts Jeff Gordon's greatness. But his last championship was 2001. He's won 4 races since 2007, including two winless seasons (and he's winless this season to date).

Ryan Newman? In his first four full seasons, he finished in the top 10 every year and won 13 races. He won 8 races in his second full season (2003) and only finished 6th in points (tied for his best). Since then, he's won 4 races and has two top 10 finishes.

Kyle Busch? He won 8 races in 2008 and finished 10th in points. His first full season was 2005. Since then, he's won a race in every season with 24 total. He's finished the season in the top 10 4 times with a career best of 5th in 2007. Ironically, he won only one race that year.

Kasey Kahne? Fourteen career wins, two top 10 finishes (career best 8th).

Carl Edwards? First full season in 2005. He won 16 races in his first four seasons, and that includes a winless second season. He won 9 races in 2008 and finished second in points. He has 4 top five finishes in points, including runner-up twice. Including this year, he's won only 3 races since those first four years, yet he was 4th and 2nd in points the previous two seasons. He's currently winless and ranked 11th this season.

Brad Keselowski is just getting started. This is his third full season. He's won six races. Three wins last year when he finished 5th in points. He has 3 wins this year to date and is currently 10th in points.

Clint Bowyer has won 6 career races. He finished in the top 5 in points twice (2007, 2008) with a top 10 finish in 2010. He's currently 9th in the standings with one win in 2012.

Kevin Harvick has won 18 career races and has finished the season 5th or better five times (career best is 3rd). He's currently 6th and winless in 2012. But, he won 7 races over the previous two seasons and won five times in 2006. Twelve of his wins came in three season, meaning he won 6 times in the other eight years.

Denny Hamlin has 19 wins since his first full season in 2006, including 8 in 2010 when he finished runner-up in points. He's won a race in every full season of his career, including two this year where he's currently 5th in the standings. His worst finish for a season is 12th in 2007. He's finished 9th or higher every other year.

Jimmie Johnson? No debate, but his career has been so amazing I had to note his accomplishments. His first full season was 2002 when he won 3 races and finished 4th in points. He has won at least two races in every season, including this year. His career worst finish for a season is 6th place, which happened last year. He has 57 career wins and everyone is aware of the 5 championships. He has at least 20 top 10 finishes in every season (and is on pace to continue that streak this year). He's finished in the top 5 in over 40% of his starts, top 10 in over 60%. Pretty amazing.

Greg Biffle? Since 2003, he's won 17 times with 5 top 10 finishes in points, including runner-up in '05 and two third place finishes. Six of his wins came in the 2005 runner-up season.

Matt Kenseth? 2003 champion who started full-time in the 2000 season. Also has one runner-up finish. He's won 22 races and has finished in the top 10 eight times. He's won once in 2012 and currently leads the standings.

Tony Stewart? Again, no doubt, but worth mentioning. Began full-time in 1999 and has finished 9th or better in the standings every season except one (11th in 2006). He's won at least two races in every season except one (2008, one win). Three-time, and defending, champion with one runner-up finish. 47 career wins, including three this season where he's currently 7th in the standings.

Jr.? As previously noted, he won 15 times from 2000-04, his first 5 full seasons. He finished in the top 10 three times, including a career best third in 2003. Since then, he's won 4 times and has two top 10 finishes. For his career, he's won 19 times, he's finished in the top 10 five times (top 5 three times), and he's currently second in the standings in 2012 with one win this year.

Who are the top drivers?

He's definitely an above average driver. That should have been an option in the poll. If forced to pick between the two, I think he's closer to a top driver than an average driver.

I suppose everybody has their own definition of top driver, so it is subjective. Plus, there are so many variables that determine success in NASCAR - pit crew, equipment, luck - that are separate from just the ability to drive.

I think Tony Stewart is the best driver in the series and I've felt they way since his first title in '05. Yet I doubt many agreed when he finished no better than 6th in the standings for the 5 years after that.

For whatever reason, the transition to Hendrick wasn't as smooth and successful as many expected. But, based on last year and this year, it seems that they have ironed out the problems and are running consistent. Last year wasn't great, only 12 top 10 finishes, but it was their consistency that got them in the chase and that is the key to winning races. Put yourself in position to win on a weekly basis and they'll come. It looks like they have figured that part out. He knows how to win. He won 15 races from 2000-04.

He's definitely a contender for the title in 2012. He just needs to avoid bad luck. A couple of bad races will likely derail anyone's chances and that type of thing can sometimes be completely out of the drivers control - blown engines, getting caught in wrecks, etc. I think luck plays a bigger role in NASCAR than any other sport.

I really like what Boston has done this off-season. I think swapping out Terry for Allen is an upgrade for them. Terry is a better player at this point in their careers, IMO, and he's better suited to play that 6th man role. Courtney Lee was a nice pickup. And, I like the additions of Melo and Sullinger to give them some size and depth in the paint.

I think Boston got better. Good enough to beat Miami? Probably not, but you never know. Especially if they can stay healthy.

They probably won't finish better than Chicago through 82 games, but come playoff time, I think they'll be the more dangerous team.

Mustard Seeds select...

RB DeAngelo Williams CAR

I think Baltimore and Pitt are once again neck-and-neck with each other. I take Pitt in that battle because they have Big Ben and Baltimore has Joe Flacco.

Cincinnati's chances depend on Andy Dalton, IMO. They have the makings of an explosive young offense. Green is a stud on the outside, Shipley seems like an ideal slot guy, and Gresham is a good young TE. They need a #2 to step up to replace Simpson. I think BJGE will serve to replace Benson and Scott is a solid backup. The question is whether Dalton is ready to take control of this offense. If he is, I think they'll be right there with the other two battling for the division. If not, they'll finish third again. My guess? I think Dalton will be ready. There may be a few hiccups, but overall, I think we'll see a much more aggressive and potent offense from the Bengals. The defense should be better.

Cleveland will finish last again.

I'll say...Pitt, Cincy, Baltimore, and Cleveland...in that order.

I'll take Philly. They are the most talented team in the division and finally put it together down the stretch winning 5 of their last 7 and actually giving themselves a chance to win the division despite the terrible start. The defense played much better as the season progressed. The offense remains one of the most explosive in the league. I think they get it done this year.

But, I expect the Giants and Cowboys to be right in the mix as well. Any of the three are capable of winning the division and the Super Bowl.

Once again, I'm most confident in my last place pick. The Redskins. Although they might be better, I don't think a rookie RGIII is ready for the three teams (and QB's) he'll have to face in the division.

His concussions likely cost me the championship last year. I didn't think he'd be picked before the 8th round this year...

Risky, for sure.

Mustard Seeds select...

RB Jahvid Best DET

Definitely did not disappoint, but it wasn't my favorite Superhero movie, nor my favorite in this trilogy. I do agree with the "slow burn" comment, and I actually enjoyed that aspect of the film. Not nearly as much action as the Dark Knight, but it was still great. I love Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. I wish Bane would have been easier to understand.

Batman Begins is still my favorite of the three.

Batman Begins, Iron Man, and The Avengers are my top three comic movies.

He lives! :lol:

Vacation...you know how it goes. :idunno:

I tried to explain that it would interfere with my fantasy football draft, but the family just wouldn't listen.

Is the season opener this Thursday?

Mustard Seeds select...

WR Brandon Marshall CHI

That was the point I made in an argmument here in the office. '12 would have to make this a transition game. If they played only in the half court, then they would get smoked.

I think the 2012 team would stand the best chance if they played by the old NBA rules that didn't allow zone defenses.

I think the current rules and the international rules would both benefit the '92 squad.

1. I think too much attention is placed on the entire roster. In a real completitive game, all 12 guys are not going to play. So, take the bottom 3 or 4 guys from each team and forget about them. For the minutes they'd play, it would be a wash. Jordan, Pippen, Mullin, Drexler, Robinson, Ewing, Malone & Barkley. That's the 8 guys you need to match up with for the majority, IMO. If you want to go 9, add Magic or Stockton (if you want to assume him healthy, I think he was injured during the '92 games and didn't play much).

2. I think the "old" argument has been debunked. The '92 team wasn't that old and probably had more players in their prime than the current edition.

3. No one can argue the athleticism of this team, so that's their big advantage. I think the '92 squad is stronger in the paint and probably a little craftier (if that's a word).

Now that the 2012 squad has added the "brow", I think they'd win. He'd dominated Laettner.:lol: