Malik
(12/29/08)
I have been
limited on posting as I deal with stresses (family members in town
and my brother's wedding...congrats Rob and Amber) and the joys of
massive snow and vacation. Anyway, this limited schedule
should continue for only one more week as I enjoy my final week of
vacation.
The NFL season is
over. At least it is for all I really care since the Seahawks
are done for 2008. Holmgren has coached his final Seattle game
and it was only fitting that the Seahawks faced one more defeat.
At least the season did see some high points.
The Seahawks
finally have a tight end that will help us forget about the shame of
Jeremy Stevens. I'm talking about the impressive rookie
Carlson. Now this is something the Seahawks have needed...it's
just too bad that we don't have a blocker for the rush yet, but
maybe 2009 will see that situation change.
This year also saw
some impressive plays from a few surprising faces. Koren
Robinson helped to redeem his past by making a few awesome plays
(like the single longest scoring play in Seattle history). We
also some some amazing defensive player, especially in Josh Wilson
(and his abilities to both intercept and to fill in for Burleson on
return duty). Even Branch was pretty amazing...when he was
actually healthy. Most of all, Seneca Wallace showed that he
could step in at QB when the shit hit the fan. If only he had
an offensive line to protect him, he could have been amazing.
Sadly, the season
had one big problem that out weighed all the good; injuries.
The year started with all starting receivers injured. Engram
and Branch did return, eventually, but we never could find a return
for Burleson or Obamanu. Then we saw the defense collapse as
Tatupu fought a knee problem for the start of the season, and the
unstoppable Kearney was shut down with a return of an old problem.
There was also the glass status of Hasselbeck being focused on as
the offensive line collapsed. In fact, we ended with some
receivers active, but without our starting QB or offensive line.
Yes, the entire starting O-line was gone by the end of the season.
The only bright side of that was that Wahle (the master of
penalties) was removed before he could do anymore damage.
Yes, the season
was a low point for both Holmgren's career and for the legacy that
Seattle was forming as the best of the weak NFC West. This is
a season that will, hopefully, remain an anomaly as players come
back in with health in 2009. Hopefully 2009 will also see some
less predictable coaching and play calling as Jim Mora works his
(supposed) magic on showcasing what the boys in blue can do best;
win.
Anyway, this post
will need to end now. Too much to do and not enough
time...nothing like chores and responsibilities...especially on my
own birthday. Happy birthday to me...now do some work.
Blah!
Malik |
Malik
(12/31/08)
It's finally time
for this unusual year to end. I say my only regret in 2008 was
not knowing that three more songs came out for Rock Band than
actually did. I had no idea that the 3 holiday songs came out
from The Pretenders (awesome cover of Blue Christmas), Barenaked
Ladies (boring as hell on guitar), and Billy Squire (not a bad song
on guitar, but not the best either).
Luckily, I found
these songs while downloading the new stuff for this week.
Keeping in mind that I'm playing only on expert guitar, these are
mostly good songs. The sole exception is the Snow Patrol song.
While I like having new artists on Rock Band, Snow Patrol is giving
too much of a chord-fest. I'm talking about like PDA, but
worse. If you like slowly coming chords, than this is a song
for you. If you like quality or variety, then just walk away
now.
The other three
songs are far better, in both guitar and in overall sound. I
mean we are talking about three classics of classic rock. The
James Gang song is fun and frantic, with a non-stop feel that keeps
you strumming like a mad man. Jethro Tull offers some speed
and changing progressions with a great sound. The only down
side is that it does get repetitive. Lastly, Deep Purple is
always awesome...but Space Truckin is a song for the vocals and
drums more than anything else. Bass comes in a close third,
with guitar being almost and after-thought. The only exception
is the fast and crazy part a bit before the solo...and it is fast
and crazy. Think of the verses in Almost Easy, but faster and
more frantic.
Still, all of the
classic rock songs are three dots on guitar. So, it's nothing
overly complex or crazy. However, there is still plenty of
room for fun, even if you are a fan of only playing the hardest of
the hard songs.
I would wrap up
this post with some review of 2008. I would. However,
how is my best game of 2008 all that important. I mean X-Play
called Fable 2 the best of 2008, and while I love that game I would
call Rock Band 2 the best. Meanwhile, some have said Fallout
3, and others have looked to LittleBigPlanet (which is an awesome
game). There is even GTA4 in the mix. How do you call a
game the best of the year without sounding like some ass who is
imposing your thoughts as absolute? You can't. So, I'll
just say all of those games mentioned in this paragraph to be
awesome. Try them and whatever else you want. It's your
own sense of fun that matters.
As for 2009, I see
more of the same coming. There will be four Guitar Hero games
(my guess...counting GH: Metallica and GHWT2). I also see
nothing that will capture imaginations like LittleBigPlanet or
Fallout 3. 2009 will be good...but nothing nearly as amazing
as 2008 was. I also see no new Rock Band game, not counting
the non-RB Beatles game. I do see about three or so new genres
for RB DLC, however, and quite a few new bands (and probably more
Barenaked Ladies to go with their holiday song. I also hope to
see some more ska...but that's me and my love of ska. Last of
all, I see a crazy year for myself as I contemplate a site overhaul
(the layout is starting to get to me about now) and as I deal with
home repairs after blizzards striking in the last few weeks.
However, in the end, I see 2009 starting good (with me
drunk...before the inevitable hangover) and going pretty good (if
not a bit low key) before ending much like 2008 did; with no new
hardware, but some good games and good fun.
Malik |
Malik
(1/2/09)
Time for my first
post of 2009. To start the new year on the wrong vibe, it's a
short one.
Rock Band DLC for next week is a Roy Orbison six pack. I'm
happy to have more artists come to RB, so this is cool to me.
However, I can just picture the forums in the magical interweb
exploding in talk of "OMG, this is teh rOck BAnd, not old person
band". Well, I guess it sucks to be close minded about music.
While I don't know much of his work by name, Pretty Woman is enough
to make me happy since it has such a great old school feel to it.
Malik |