...For The Ride Home: Harper calls it quits, Ashton and Demi don't, and the world loses an R&B icon

We get the whole group together for the second-to-last photo of the season (and yes, I know this is an old image). First and foremost, Roger earned back all the cool points he lost last week. A couple great lines can do that for a dude with awesome white hair. Instead of offering a stream of conscious, all encompassing take, I am going to say this: Something about everything that's going on doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem interesting. What we are boiling down to is almost exactly the way last season ended, and if we end up seeing that they need to start over - AGAIN - when next season starts, I may jump the shark. When is Matthew Wiener going to write around a different plot line than "Oh goodness, what are we going to do as a company?!" Seeing everybody get fired was admittedly sad. But watching Bert leave felt so anti-climactic, you felt as though it was just another day. And that shouldn't happen. His last name is Cooper, for God's sake. Besides, do you really think he's gone for good? Really? Come on, now. Watching Don give away money - or be charitable in any fashion, for that matter - is becoming grating. So what? We get it. You have a ton of money and you don't mind parting with it for people who may need it (though there was no reason to buy that painting, if you ask me). His idea? It was fine. Of course it's going to result in something wonderful for the company, and of course it's going to make sure this season doesn't end on an apocalyptic note. But, blah. Give us something earth-shattering next week, Matt. Please. I'm begging you. Nice to meet you, Week 29.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Jason Whitlock think the Brett Favre story is made up. Really? (Deadspin)

Solomon Burke died over the weekend, and if you fancy yourself a rhythm & blues fan, you should care about this. Rest in peace, big fella. (Rolling Stone)

Goodness. The Huffington Post is going to spend a quarter of a million dollars on shuttle buses for Jon Stewart’s rally. Wow. (The Wrap)

So, has anyone watched “Parker Spitzer” yet? I caught a few minutes and it was…not good. Kathleen Parker needs to really, really hone her television skills. (Wall Street Journal)

Ashton and Demi: Still going strong. (New York Post)

Dame Dash and Jay-Z back together? (All Hip-Hop)

Laura Dern and Ben Harper are getting a divorce. Wait. Laura Dern and Ben Harper were married? (The Daily Mail)

Your weekly “Mad Men” link. (Entertainment Weekly)

...For The Ride Home: Figuring out much online writers get paid, Brett Favre is awfully close to a mess and if John Lennon were still alive

I don't care what you are doing tonight. I don't care if you have plans you couldn't wait to come across for months. I don't care if it's going to be a first date. A blind date. A second, "well, we will be able to tell if this is going to work out after this" date. A night with your loved one. A night with your children. A night out with your boys. A night out with your girls. Call whoever it is you need to call and cancel those plans. Walk to the nearest bankrupt Blockbuster and rent this movie. Now. Rent it. If "Up In The Air" was 2009's 1A, this was 1B. Colin Firth is utterly captivating. Cap-ti-vating. Goodness, gracious. No wonder 2010's movies have sucked. 2009 was playing way above its own pay-grade. "Up In The Air." "A Single Man." "An Education." Hell, even "Crazy Heart" was probably better than anything out so far this year (and that's not to diminish "The Social Network" or "The Kids Are All Right," either). One more time. Go. Rent. This. Movie. OK. We say goodnight (because it means goodbye) to Week 28 differently, considering I plastered a movie poster up here rather than a nifty jingle to send you party animals into the party wild. Alas, I shall never let you down, though, as you will find a video at the bottom of this particular post. And while it may not be much of a jingle, it is far funnier than whatever the normal, well-adjusted people consider is funny. In fact, if there was a Venn Diagram for what is indeed is funny, this would be on it. Before you get to that video, though, you must power your way through the following links, links we offer for you fabulous people to ponder through an October weekend. We hope to see you back here bright eyed and bushy tailed Monday morning for more funtastic fun. Until then, though, enjoy a pretty autumn weekend, try to get a few more rounds of golf in before the weather becomes unbearable, and as always, love you, miss you.

Pretty much the most comprehensive roundup you’ll find today concerning all of this Brett Favre, Jenn Sterger, naked photos, sexual voice mails business. (The Big Lead)

Ohhh. So I guess I’ll have to begin checking for new “60 Minutes” podcasts now that a new season has begun, eh? (Detroit News)

Very, very interesting: How writers get paid on one of the bigger entertainment Web sites. $10 per thousand new visitors is a good place to start. (Business Insider)

And now Rick Sanchez says Jon Stewart is the classiest dude in the world. (ABC News)

The Page Six editor is leaving, and that caps off a shake-em-up week in the world of print media. Naturally, Donald Trump weighs in. (The Daily Beast)

I link this only because of my unrequited love for Genesis and Phil Collins. (Popmatters)

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is moving to “Good Morning America.” Has there ever been a more meteoric rise for someone who literally came from nowhere? (People)

Tomorrow would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday. No word on whether or not he would have shown up on any of McCartney’s latest dates had he been alive. Somewhere, Ringo thanks God once again for being the luckiest man in the history of music. (USA Today)

Oh. Oh. I think I want to buy this. (Alternative Press)

...And if you don't think this is funny...

NFL rookie hazing prank damages players’ reputation, my ego

Football season = fun season in The Unusual Suspects camp (seasonal depression notwith-standing). And with the huge, HUGE Steelers v. Ravens game set to start around 72 hours from now, it’s safe to say I’m in the zone. Is there a bigger rivalry in the sport today? Methinksnot. I would be happy to debate that point with whomever, just keep it clean.

Anyways, as much as I love professional football, there’s occasionally a story that makes my skin crawl – see Roethlisberger’s hijinks, Ray Lewis walking after committing murder and the rampant citations for domestic abuse. Add to that list the story of Dez Bryant, rookie wideout for the Dallas Cowgirls. Boom.

As the story goes, Bryant refused to carry shoulder pads for the team’s veterans after practice earlier this year, which is apparently something all first year Cowboys are supposed to do; a hazing of sorts. The act of rebellion caused a slight stir in the media after those veteran players spoke out against the pompous rookie.

So to get back at Bryant, his teammates did what any reasonable fraternity of overgrown men would do: they stuck him with a team dinner bill of nearly $55,000!! According to Tweets from the players and staff, everything on the menu was ordered (some items multiple times) and many bottles of wine were purchased to go. Obviously, this wasn’t the Olive Garden.

Now I know, who am I to judge how anyone, much less a multi-million-dollar-earning NFL player, spends their money? Typically, I could care less. But there are two things that grind my gears about this situation.

1. There’s a lot of talk about a potential NFL lockout next season if owners and the players union can’t agree on some new terms. One of those terms, obviously, is more money for the players… What kind of message does this prank send the owners? I realize this stuff is common in NFL locker rooms, but giving the owners public PR gaffes like this is just like giving them dozens of rounds of live ammunition at the negotiating table. I don’t want to see replacement players next year and I sure as heck don’t want a lockout.

2. Stories like this expose what a shallow, resentful, jealous person I can be, as I can’t help but gag at the thought of this kid, probably five years younger than myself, shelling out in one night more than I make in a year - as a part of a joke no less! I know these guys make huge bank, but millions of dollars doesn’t mean anything to me… that’s not even real. But to hear $55,000, a hopefully reachable figure at some point in life for the common Joe with a college degree, it’s so… deflating I guess is the best word.

So until next time, let’s keep these fun little stories under wraps, ay boys? My pride needs some time to recover.

See you at 4 p.m. for The Ride Home.

...For The Ride Home: Vincent Chase makes a movie about celebrities, Fox News controls the world and is 'Family Guy' in trouble?

Who could have ever thunk this guy would ever be lauded as heroic for his actions? Not this particular blogger. Episode 10 brought it last night, and it was met with a gigantic "It's about time," from, well, me, and those who I speak with about such things. We finally saw the "Mad Men" crew pick up the action on last night's episode as Don lets yet another individual in on his deepest, darkest secret. Dude was shook. He clearly couldn't take the thought of losing everything, which must lead us to ask the following question: Exactly how confident and how sure is the real Don Draper (or, well, Dick Whitman)? He exudes such emotions on a consistent basis so much that it's simply weird to see him act the way he did last night (the acting, though, was utterly incredible. Who says Jon Hamm isn't one of the best in the game?). Betty, on the other hand, came across in the same light as Mr. Campbell - nice. They both went to bat for Don when both of them clearly had the chance to bring everything he's worked for down. Oddly enough (and because the "Mad Men" writers are smarter and better at what they do for a living than most of us), they were also the two people who could have benefited the most from Don going away for good. Or could they? Joanie and Roger's saga continues, and to be completely honest, I was hoping Joan would have kept it. Something within me still longs for those two to be together permanently. And Lane! Oh, Lane, you poor, poor thing. He just needs to catch a break. Any break. As always, comments, thoughts, arguments are encouraged in the section so designed to display such a thing, and as always, I'll be checking back throughout the day to partake in such an activity. For now, though, hello Week 27, and hello links.

A 25 year old and a 26 year old land jobs at The New Yorker. I will now proceed to drink until Thursday. (Splitsider)

Vinnie Chase made a movie! Vinnie Chase made a movie! (Popmatters)

This writer left The Huffington post because she wasn’t getting paid. That seems fair, right? (Mayhill Flower)

Fox News holds all the clout in political media. In related, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this is true” news, seasonal change can bring upon seasonal sicknesses such as colds, sore throats or ear infections. (Politico)

A little late on this, but it’s still sad: Max Weinberg will not be back with Conan when he starts his new show. (Rolling Stone)

Mindy Kaling: Still one of the funniest women on television (Twitter)

My God, Peyton Manning is good. (Yahoo)

Is this the beginning of the end for “Family Guy?” (Hollywood Reporter)

Your “Mad Men” recap, friends. (Entertainment Weekly)

...For The Ride Home: Weezer announces tour dates, ESPN ombudsman reacts to things and how to talk like a vampire

For as long as Michael Cera continues to make movies, I will continue to go out of my way to make sure I see them. It may have taken nine months to get to it, but alas, I finally was able to take in an evening with the accompanying flick last night. It was pretty Michael Cera-ish. Had no idea it had such an interesting cast, though, which was a pleasant surprise. If you don't like Michael Cera, don't see this movie. But if you like him, well, hey. Why not? Welcome to Thursday. We here at The Unusual Suspects sincerely hope you are having a wonderful day-before-the-final-day-of-the-work-week. This is your reminder that we will indeed offer our next installment of Blogspot Banter tomorrow, so be sure to check back for that (in addition to the always-wonderful post about movies we haven't seen yet, of course). "30 Rock" flies its way back onto your television sets this evening, so this is your friendly reminder that yes, it is the best show on television today, and yes, you ought to check it out at 8:30 (new time!). And finally, well, "Outsourced" looks awful. If you think it's mildly interesting, rent the movie and then shun the television show. OK. Now that we've done all that, we encourage you to click a few links and have a fabulous rest of your Thursday.

ESPN ombudsman finally speaks about all the madness that’s been happening. And it appears as though no one is happy about the things he said. (Deadspin)

If you pass along links, we will use them, friends. “…off in the open field, no bricks in sight, stands Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger with 37 million readers online wondering whether he could soon run the largest newspaper site in the world.” (Buzz Machine)

David Gregory speaks. News junkies listen. (Washington News Council)

Hey! Hey! Tomorrow is National Punctuation Day! (St. Petersburg Times)

Never, ever got into them. But I know there are gabillions of you who did. Weezer announce the first batch of dates for the tour in which they will play their albums from front to back. (Pitchfork)

How to talk like a vampire. That’s pretty much all you need to know. (CNN)

I was happy I got to see it last night as it happened. Letterman made it awkward, I thought, after harping on what he harped on for as long as he did. It was still worth seeing, though. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBA players want to know how much money commissioner David Stern is getting paid. So, this means we don’t already know? Hmmm. (TMZ)

Woody Paige. Suicide. And depression. Read this. (Denver Post)

...For The Ride Home: John Mayer quits Twitter, the New York Jets say goodbye to a Super Bowl run and Penelope Cruz is pregnant

Hope to sit down with this tonight. Woody was up for an Academy Award last year for his performance, so it's got to be good, right? I hate having those "well, I kind of want to watch this only because I know I should watch this and there is a possibility I may really like it, but not love it" kind of movies come through Netflix. It seems I've come through a patch of those types, too. Hello, Tuesday. First and foremost, I must apologize on behalf of this blog's other brain. He seemingly fell out of touch with his schedule and was unable to offer anything to you lovely, pretty faces this morning. Send all of your hate mail to him. That said, though, I will more than make up for today's lack of a post tomorrow when I offer up the big, old comprehensive review of this year's Video Music Awards. And when I say it's going to be long, goodness, it's going to be long. Promise. Until we get to tomorrow, though, we must offer up these links for your reading pleasure, and relay our most sincere wishes that you and yours have a lovely middle-of-September evening. Enjoy it, friends. The warm days are slowly disappearing.

Oh, when it rains, it pours. Kris Jenkins is out for the rest of the season after last night’s loss to the Ravens. Now, there’s even talk of his career being in jeopardy. (ESPN)

Jay-Z and Eminem began their stint in New York last night. Who wants to make the trip for tonight’s finale with me? (MTV)

Interesting: Reporters and the notion of outing somebody who is gay. Not quite sure what to make of the dude from ESPN. (Bay Area Reporter)

Fox News executive winds up on airplane with three pretty big-name news anchors. Fox News executive complains. (New York Times)

Penelope Cruz is pregnant. Good for her. Watch “Vicky, Christina, Barcelona” tonight. Tonight. (People)

Mike Scioscia thinks the Major League Baseball season should be cut from 162 games to 158. How about, like, 94? (Bleacher Report)

John Mayer quits Twitter. Sad to see him go, actually. We linked a few Tweets from him, I believe. Dude can be funny when he doesn’t get in his own way. Yes, I know we just lost 50 cool points for admitting that. (New York Daily News)

Vince Vaughn and Kevin James are going to tour together. Hmm. (Pollstar)

...For The Ride Home: Tim Allen throws his hat in for 'The Office,' the NFL does a crazy number, Dave can't stop touring and don's forget the VMAs

We say farewell to a short Week 24 with Eminem and Rihanna's "Love The Way You Lie." Can't seem to get this CD out of my car this week, and I even won a poker game last night while listening to the entire thing from front to back. I've said it before and I will offer it now to you, my friends: Rihanna really plays the sympathetic woman part awfully well. It's completely awful what she had to go through to get there, but there's something about hearing that voice sing those words that makes it feel a bit more sincere than when the others sing it. Anyways, how are you? It seems like we never had a chance to catch up all week, right? The usual seasonal depression is setting in and when you couple that with my recent failures at the only things I deem important in life - a career, a family, love - it suggests this fall may be a bit worse than others in the past. Now, I'm not saying I want to jump off a bridge, or any such nonsense, but if I happened to be walking on one and someone nudged me the right way, I wouldn't fight it. Anyways, what all of this also means is that the NFL season begins this weekend. Or, well, it began last night. But the first weekend is this weekend. Some of us will be rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some of us will be rooting for the New York Jets. Others, well, others will not matter. From the bottom of our bottomest hearts, we sincerely hope you have a wonderful September weekend, and before we get ready to meet back here Monday, again, we must remind you, love you, miss you.

Don’t forget: Sunday, the Video Music Awards go down. Expect something about that at some point on this here blog. In the meantime, check out Eminem – the man who is set to open the show – and the five greatest VMA performances he’s offered. (MTV)

Yep. The NFL is the most popular sport in America. Last night’s game’s numbers were outstanding. (Sports Illustrated)

High school journalism funds are cut. “They feel the money can be used in better ways.” For what? Catering prom? (The Topeka Capital-Journal)

A social news service? Hmm. (New York Times)

The Vandals vs. Variety. (Reuters)

Your weekly “who is going to replace Michael Scott” update. Today’s edition? Tim Allen. (Third Age)

I know I’m only a season in, and I know it’s been spoiled to see that she’s not on “House” anymore. But I love Jennifer Morrison. Love, love, love her. And now, she’s taking her talents to… “How I Met Your Mother.” (Showbiz Spy)

Wow. Said last night how disappointed I was knowing I wasn’t able to catch Dave Matthews this year while knowing the band is taking next year off. Today, fall tour dates are announced. Happy day. (Pollstar)

Guess who said it: “I don’t smoke pot. I’m not gay.” (USA Today)

...For The Ride Home: 'The Wire,' Tevez is about to call it quits and LFO lead singer dies

Saw this the other day. It was...fine. The movie itself was actually a bit funnier than I had anticipated. The story, though? Not so much. Charlie Day completely steals the movie, but that's expected. It felt as though it dragged a bit, too. And that's odd, considering it's a romantic comedy, for God's sake. In any case, welcome to Thursday and the middle of September. I'm going to cut this short because, well, I'm out of time. Work calls, friends. Work calls.

“The Wire” as American Noir. If there would have been a Ride yesterday, this would have been there. (Popmatters)

Tom Brady was in a car accident. This would be a good time to remind you that the NFL season kicks off tonight. (WEEI)

OK. If anybody shuts down “Fresh Air,” they need to resign as soon as possible, anyways. (Jackson Free Press)

LFO frontman dies. Sad. (MTV)

Justin Bieber takes up three percent of Twitter. Honestly? (The Telegraph)

Carlos Tevez is thinking about quitting international soccer. (Deadspin)

...For The Ride Home: Burger King is up for sale, CBS News to lay off tons of more workers and Eminem finally falls from the top

So, this sits on my DVD player in a Netflix envelope, waiting to be placed into the movie-playing device. Opened it to find it runs nearly two-and-a-half hours. That kind of got in the way. One billion doubts about this movie, but we will see how it turns out, I suppose. Matt Damon. Morgan Freeman. Have to trust them, right? Anyways, welcome to Wednesday, and, more importantly, welcome to September. That's correct, friends. School is back in session for most every high school and, I think (though it seems like it's been decades since I've been there) some colleges even. The leaves will begin to turn. The weather will get colder. The days become shorter. The fall depresses me. No, honestly. That can be a post someday. But it does. It's going to be hard to get through the next few months. Still frantically trying to catch myself up on 437 things that need to be caught up on before this weekend, so for the second straight day in a row, I must cut this paragraph short. But that doesn't mean I don't love you. Besides, it should give you some extra time to reflect back on the "Dancing With The Stars" cast, and the decision to keep Bob Bradley as coach of the United States Men's Soccer Team. And we all know how much you'd like to put that time to use. So go, friends, go!

First and foremost (and because it’s always good to keep this in the family): A collection of art for you to check out. And it’s even on Blogspot to boot! (Portfolio)

So, about that new show on FX based around Louis CK… Here’s a commentary. (Popmatters)

The Washington Post is going to put out an iPad app. And people seem to really care. (Yahoo)

If you work at CBS News, update your resume. (The Daily Beast)

This is long, but it’s a fantastic read. Yes, TMZ has changed everything. Everything. And, as something I’ve been saying now for quite a while, they get it first. Yes, they may pay for the news, and yes, they brake hundreds of ethics codes, but they get it first, and they get it right. There’s something to be said for that. (Village Voice)

Mo Williams and LeBron kiss. Make up. (Deadspin)

So, who wants to buy Burger King and shut every single one down in the world with me? (Forbes)

Conan names his new show after himself. How egotistical! (ABC News)

Katy Perry ends Eminem’s run at the top. Dude had a good run. Actually, a great run during these days. Irony: Finally received my copy of Recovery in the mail today, too. (Billboard)

...For The Ride Home: Doc's kid makes John Wall look silly, Emmys fashion and movies you may want to check out this month

To begin Week 23, we offer a picture of both Jan Jones and Christina Hendricks at last year's Emmy Awards ceremony. And that, naturally, segues us into Monday's official "Mad Men" recap (as always, any and all suggestions/comments are welcome in the forum below). Before I begin - and because this was brought to my attention by the better half of this blog - keep in mind these recaps will contain spoilers. If you don't want to know what's going on with the show, kindly scroll to the links. You there yet? OK. Good. So last night, we got to relive when Don and Roger first met, and this, to me, provided some of the greatest moments of the entire series. To see how eager and wide-eyed Don was initially, and to see how dismissive Sterling was to him, was simply fantastic. Now to the award. Oddly enough, I felt this was the first real time we got to see Don's drinking (kind of) get in the way of his professional life. When he rushes back from the awards ceremony to pitch ideas to LIFE, all you can do is cringe as he mindlessly throws ideas against the wall to have nothing turn out well. And yes, the writers are way too smart for you to even begin to think that showing that kind of episode on the same night as the Emmys wasn't done on purpose. Peggy continues her "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore" moments, but - and I honestly hate to say this - there are times when she simply becomes more annoying than confident or empowering. For as bad as she treated Don's former secretary when she "needed to get over" the fact that Don slept with her and she wasn't happy with the fallout from that, Peggy needs to consider getting over a few things herself instead of pouting all the time. Still love her, though. And finally, Pete stood up for himself and laid a little bit of the law down. "He always looks like he's over-acting," my roommate said. He's right, but at this point, you have to think it's done on purpose. Have to. Whew. That was a lot. As you digest that, take some time to click on a few links and enjoy the second to last day of August. Be happy, friends.

John Wall gets crossed the eff up by Doc’s kid. Remember when I talked about ooking a kid a bunch of months ago? Yeah, watch this video. (The Big Lead)

A look at the best movies September will offer. Mildly excited for the new Clooney movie. (Popmatters)

Ooohhhh. ESPN travels to high school and treats everyone and the town like poo. You HAVE to read this. (Sacramento Bee)

So, exactly how many people turned out to that rally in D.C. over the weekend again? Depends on who you talk to, really. (Yahoo)

Emmys fashion. The young girl from “Modern Family” looked fab. Absolutely. (NBC)

It’s a Monday tradition. Your “Mad Men” recap. (Entertainment Weekly)

And speaking of both of those above things, Ms. Christina Hendricks talks about how hard it is for her to find dresses these days. (New York Daily News)

Tiger stumbled back to assure himself another week on the tour Sunday afternoon. Here’s a recap of the People article that his ex-wife granted. (Bleacher Report)

...For The Ride Home: Tiger and Elin talk, Christina Hendricks named spokesperson of London Fog and Brownie goes back to New Orleans

"Last night. She said." And then I have no idea what is sung after that. It's weird how the older you grow, the more you find yourself liking music you dismissed when you were at the age in which you should have liked the said dismissed music. The Strokes are slowly gaining ground on my conscious and I'm not quite sure what to do about it. The same kind of thing happened with Hanson, but, as you read earlier, we already scratched that itch. Anyways, welcome to Wednesday, a hump day for the ages. Why? It's the last of such a day August offers. Can you believe it? Summer is gone, friends. Its last breath will be uttered next weekend, and, only if the plans I happened to make last night are followed through will the summer truly go out in style. How about you? Oh, nevermind. I'm sure a "how was your summer?" post will be lurking somewhere around the corner by either one of us. Or, wait. Maybe even both of us (gasp!). Before we get around to any reflection, though, we must deal with the current, and we currently offer you wonderful readers the following links to enjoy on this, the last Wednesday of August 2010. Remember - eating healthy may assure your life to be longer. Just sayin.'

Elin talks. The world listens. (People)

Tiger talks. The world listens. (TMZ)

Michael Brown returns to New Orleans five years after that incredibly big storm made its way through the city. Naturally, he loves his life. (Westword)

Fox News talking head leaves Fox News to delve back into print journalism. Score one for the good guys! (Mediaite)

Lifehouse is going to tour in the fall. In shocking news, Kris Allen will open the shows. No Name Face is one of my favorite “nobody can ever know this is one of my favorite CDs” CDs. (Pollstar)

Elisabeth Hasselbeck supports gay marriage. And she wants you to know she’s not nearly as conservative as you think. This is certainly going to lose her Republican votes when she tries to run for president in six years. (New York Daily News)

I like Chris Broussard. But why write such things as this? Especially about Baron Davis? (Sports By Brooks)

When there is ever a link involving her, rest assured we’ll link it. Christina Hendricks is the new spokesperson for London Fog. She’s fabulous. (Fox News)

...For The Ride Home: Heidi and Spencer have been lying all along, Cheryl Hines is single and a must-read for those who are in their 20s

OK, OK. I know I promised to babble about Hanson in today's Ride. But as I sat down to compile this opening paragraph, I thought, "Wow. There is way too much to say than a mere one paragraph. This needs an entire post." So, to the six of you who read this blog, the Hanson stories must wait one more day. Promise it'll only be one day, though, and, of course, promise it will be worth it. In fact, I'd go as far to say that you definitely would like to check back tomorrow morning for a full Hanson-related post. And don't worry. You can thank me then, not now. I'll understand. Oh, and I need to take a moment to sincerely thank you wonderful, fabulous friends for offering up movie titles yesterday. I believe that may have been our most-commented post yet, and all of you can rest assured that I will take each suggestion and give it a shot. Much, much love to you fantastic people for that. Moving froward, I made it a half-hour into this movie last night, and I plan on finishing it as soon as this post goes live. Really can't explain why I put it on my Netflix list, but, hey, it's pretty short, and it has Morgan Freeman, Bill Macy and Christopher Walken. It can't be all that bad, right? Right. We've come across a few rainy days now for really the first time this summer, and, to be honest, I kind of dig it. Summer's gone, anyways. There are few better things in the world than a warm rain, you know. I'm not sayin' but I'm just sayin.' In any case, enjoy the following links, be ready and be excited for tomorrow's long-awaited Hanson diatribe, and be nice to those you may meet in public. Nobody likes to be treated badly, you know.

Hey, look. Further Seems Forever is reuniting with the guy from Dashboard Confessional! (Alternative Press)

Brazilian referee stabs soccer player in the chest after arguing over a penalty. Wow. (Deadspin)

The Baltimore Sun’s magazine is coming back. Who said all news about newspapers was bad, again? (Baltimore Brew)

For those who watch Candy Crowley on CNN. Here’s a profile that is worth your time. (Washington Post)

Cheryl Hines is officially back on the market. (People)

Just in case you haven’t read this by now (and if you happen to be in your 20s, and you haven’t read this by now, shame on you). The current batch of 20-somethings are taking longer to grow up than previous generations. Keep an eye on the five milestones. (New York Times)

So, about all that Heidi and Spencer stuff. It’s a lie. (Radar)

A nice read on Joe Scarborough. There was once a time in my life when I religiously watched Olbermann’s show on MSNBC and some of the best moments of the night came when he threw to Joe’s “Scarborough Country.” Funny dude. (GQ)

...For The Ride Home: Alanis is pregnant, Arcade Fire rule the world and yes, 'Inception' was stolen from Donald Duck

My God, she's a doll, isn't she? Saw her on Jay Leno's show last night, and in a rare move by celebrities I tend to like, she came through and lived up to expectations. The following was brought up by my roommate after walking in to see me watching her: Is it too bad that the best role she'll ever get (Up In The Air) already happened? My answer: No. She's proven herself on some level already (A Tony Award and an Oscar nomination), and she seems to have a level head on her shoulders. So, with the exception of the upcoming "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World," I think there may be nothing but goodness in her future. Oh. And she's a doll. Welcome to Wednesday. I was up way earlier than normal this morning, and found myself sort of lounging around a hot August afternoon. I now come away feeling guilty for doing such a thing. I should have ran, walked, swam, drove, anything to be outside. But alas, I am now, at the very least, caught up on sleep. Or, well, I hope I am. Tweeted this last night, so all other reflection on the friendly between the United States and Brazil will be passed over this time around. The only real thing to add is that I do believe Bob Bradley will be out by the end of the year, if not month, which is what some outlets are saying. The United States just didn't look good. You, though. You can look good, should you follow a few of the below links and have yourself a wonderful Wednesday evening.

Alanis Morissette is pregnant. Here’s hoping her kid says “Thank You” whenever she yells “You Oughta Know” something about being “Ironic.” OK. I tried. (Us Weekly)

Why TBD is important. And no, TBD is not a sexually transmitted disease. (Recovering Journalist)

Wow. Dude working in the pressroom brings guns to work. For some reason, this isn’t surprising to me at all. Silly press people. (Providence Journal)

OK. So Jennifer Lopez will not be a judge on “American Idol” now. Hello, Kara. How are you doing? (The Huffington Post)

Oh, what a mess they have at my beloved New York Jets facilities. The more this goes on, the more Rex Ryan will get out of hand. (USA Today)

The new Arcade Fire record debuted at No. 1. Hipsters promptly start burning copies of CD in the streets. (Pitchfork)

Hey, look! Norah Jones is going to play Farm Aid. Who’s in for a trip to Milwaukee? (Pollstar)

Read/heard about this earlier in the month, but if CNN picks it up, it must have traction, right? Was “Inception” inspired by Donald Duck? Way too many jokes to make here. (CNN)

...For The Ride Home: Esstential movie performances, is Tiger Woods someone you'd root for, and "Mad Men" Monday!

Week 20, week 20. Hello. Welcome back. How do you do? On a scale of 1 to 100, how much did you miss us (anything under 500 is unacceptable)? What have you been up to? Do you enjoy bagel sandwiches? All of these are pertinent questions, and though tradition expects me to return from vacation beginning with Monday's Ride, I thought of penning a "let's catch up" post, but alas, such things have not happened. I justified that by telling myself I would toss out a few things in this particular space, but then I remembered, "NO! This space is reserved for 'Mad Men' talk!" So here we go. We find out Joanie has had two abortions last night, which in an odd way is acceptable and predictable at the same time, while inexplicably not taking anything away from her character. And that's hard to do. More evidence of Don's life crumbling comes when he gets news out west that Anna is probably going to die. This, in turn, led to a few lines that were noteworthy uttered by Don, though they escape me now, a day later (maybe I should start taking notes when I watch). The Brit's life is crumbling as well, leaving the door open for a "what's going to end up happening with this character" discussion that deserves far more than a mere Ride paragraph. Though, all of that said, the scenes from next week finally suggest that after the last two episodes' worth of build-up, "when will this come to ahead" material, we are going to see a few things explode, which excites me beyond belief. The writers made it a clear point to suggest that even before next week's previews began when Joanie sits down at the table to announce to everyone that it is now 1965. Oh, and, as you will see if you follow the link below, any thoughts on Anna having a messed-up leg and the correlation it may have with the journalist Don ran into at the beginning of the season? Just food for thought. Whew! As always, all suggestions/comments are welcome as I will check back through the day and evening to see if we can't share some valuable "Mad Men" chatter. Oh, and I saw "The Kids Are All Right." Anyways, check out the links, check back tomorrow, and try not to write too many checks. It's always good to save money in a recession, you know.

The Premier League kicks its season off Saturday. I’d give you a full post about it, but something tells me you may never come back if I do. Instead, I’ll note that Manchester United beat Chelsea for the Community Shield, and whoever wins the Community Shield typically has a pretty good shot at winning the Premiership. I’m not sayin’ but I’m just sayin.’ (Soccer Blog)

An updated list of essential film performances. Leo in “The Departed” and Boogey make an appearance. (Popmatters)

Wolf Blitzer has been at CNN for 20 years. Here’s a profile on the guy. (The Baltimore Sun)

Magazine circulation is down. This is bad. Really bad. (Paid Content)

Any magazine that labels itself as the “Anti-Maxim Magazine” is a magazine I want to check out. (Boston Globe)

That long-awaited Jay-Z memoir is finally going to see the light of day. Good. Now you know what to get me for Christmas. Just send it to The Unusual Suspects headquarters. (Rolling Stone)

John Goodman wants you to know how to lose weight. Love, love, love him on “Treme.” (Showbiz Spy)

Tiger shot 602 over-par this weekend. Question that may just be made into a post: Do his recent struggles incline you to begin rooting for him to do well this weekend at the year’s final major? (Los Angeles Times)

Man Men. Expect these every Monday. (Vanity Fair)

Kovalchuk deal shows a major chink in the NHL's armor

First things first – a hearty welcome back is in order for my blogging-better half. Oh how we’ve missed his witty repartee and essential Ride Home links… He’s going to read this and think I’m being mean-spirited and sarcastic, but I assure you, friends, nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, since his arrival a few days ago, I have not heard from him in any way, shape or form, which has been upsetting for me. I suppose in due time. Maybe he’ll post a comment today.

☺

On to the matter at hand: I’ve used several thousand words on this very blog to express my criticisms of aspects of various sports (most notably football), but I have given the National Hockey League a pass so far.

As I’ve noted before, the NHL is my favorite professional sporting league; however, there’s one thing that, to borrow a line from Peter Griffin, really grinds my gears – the ridiculously lengthy contracts that are doled out like those cheesy biscuits at Red Lobster (I’m hungry).

Case in point is the New Jersey Devils’ signing of Ilya Kovalchuk. At 27 years old, Kovalchuk just inked a 17-year, $102 million deal… so if my simple math is correct, that would make him a Devil until after his 44th birthday. Unless Kovalchuk somehow has the same tenacity, vigor and mental illness of Mark Recchi (who I think is still looking for a team to sign him at the ripe age of 48), then something is just wrong with this picture.

Why even bring a deal like this to the table? I realize this contract will in all likelihood never be fully carried out – and yes, I know people will say “who cares” for that reason alone – but at what point is hockey making itself the butt of a joke with these contracts?

For a sport like hockey that is fighting tooth and nail to reaffirm its spot as a top sport in the U.S., laughable stories such as these are detrimental to the image of the league. Part of the allure of the game is that its players are not like the A-Rods, Roethlisbergers and Kobes – and by them I mean spoiled rich kids.

According to CapGeek.com (and as reported by NHL Blogger Adam Gretz), in addition to Kovalchuk, here are some of the longest NHL contracts in the last decade:

Rick Dipietro (Islanders): 15 years, $67.5 million
Alex Ovechkin (Capitals): 13 years, $123.5 million
Henrik Zetterberg (Red Wings): 12 years, $73 million
Vincent Lecavalier (Lightning): 11 years, $84.7 million
Marian Hossa (Blackhawks): 12 years, $62.4 million
Roberto Luongo (Canucks): 12 years, $64 million
Johan Franzen (Red Wings): 11 years, $43 million

Of these players, the average age at the start of the contract was 27. The average age by the end of these contacts is about 39 and some change. A bit much in my humble opinion. Perhaps it’s time Commissioner Gary Bettman considers a maximum contract length rule… unless he prefers to have his contemporaries snickering behind his back.

Snickering… I told you I was hungry. Go enjoy some lunch and check back in at 4 p.m. for your Ride Home links. Love as always.

JaMarcus Russell - Black eye #486 for the NFL

So is it still considered a fall from grace even if you never did anything graceful? And know this: JaMarcus Russell hasn’t had a graceful moment since he peaked as an LSU Tiger back in 2006.

If you haven’t heard by now, Russell, who was recently released by the Oakland Raiders, was arrested Monday for possession of a controlled substance. What controlled substance you ask? Well he’s a multi-millionaire who spent three years living the glitz and glamour life of a starting quarterback in the NFL, so obviously it must have been a high profile drug… right?

Nope. Not even close. In true JaMarcus Russell form (see: embarrassing, disappointing, lazy) he was busted with codeine-laced cough syrup. Specifically, Russell was indulging in his cocktail du jour, a concoction called “Purple Drank” that includes the following fresh, seasonal ingredients: codeine, promethazyne, Sprite and Jolly Ranchers.

Even his fellow drug abusers are pointing and laughing at this one. Purple Drank?! Really?! It sounds like the next in a line of successful sugary kids’ drinks from the makers of Tang. Maybe someday the astronauts will drink it from outer space.

I don’t think anyone is necessarily surprised to see this kind of behavior from Russell (the lethargic, drowsy feeling caused by the drug certainly helps explain his performance on the field, hey-yo!), but it’s yet another black eye for the NFL, a league that has become so strife with off the field problems that it’s quickly becoming a caricature of itself.

Something has to give soon, right? I realize that other professions aren’t in the same spotlight as NFL superstars, but when are there enough high-profile off-the-field incidents for someone to say enough is enough? Truth be told, I’m not even sure what the solution or outcome should be, but isn’t that what suits like Roger Goodell are paid the big bucks to figure out? I know we live in a very, sometimes entirely too forgiving country (Michael Vick what?), but at some point Goodell and his cronies need to realize the big-picture harm they’re doing by not solving this problem.



Come back for The Ride at 4 p.m. guys and dolls. xoxoxo

...For The Ride Home: Make way for Mr. West, Ben Roethlisberger news and John Stamos is headed to "Glee"

I cannot get songs from this album out of my head! Yes, that's an exclamation point, too. Last week, I posted a performance of "Like A Dog" along with The Ride, and even that wasn't enough. Sat down earlier this week to pen a column paying tribute to this entire record. That, too, was not enough. Because when I sat down to compile the material for today's Ride, I couldn't get the line "Despite what you believe, I stay away from trouble," out of my head. So alas, instead of another performance that you clearly have no interest in, I thought I'd spare you with a simple picture of the album cover. Should have had a Powderfinger week, damnit. Ahhh, goodness. Moving forward, it's Wednesday, raining and cold. Wait, it's June, right? Has to be, because a pitcher made his major league debut last night and the world stood still for two hours. Come on, Nats. You started him against AAA-Pittsburgh. It's not that big of a deal. Can't be. Anyways, if it happens to be raining and cold wherever you are, it may be a good night to settle in with a bottle of wine and catch up on some blog reading. There is our World Cup prediction. There are countless signs of summer to acquaint yourself with. And, of course, there are the links below that you may use at your own leisure. Whichever it be, we hope you enjoy. Honestly, though.

He’s coming. Kanye West to perform at the BET awards later this month. Taylor Swift, coincidentally, pulled out of the ceremony today. (All Hip-Hop)

Sexism, the Chicago Tribune and hockey. Love Christine Brennan. (USA Today)

The New York Times’ ombudsman will pen his last column this weekend. So does that mean they are accepting resumes? (Media Matters)

The headline says it all. “Back To The Future” and “Jurassic Park” will become video games. (Yahoo)

Whoa. John Stamos is going to join the cast of “Glee.” No word on if Michelle or Stephanie will join him. (TV Guide)

Police have released tapes of the interviews done during the Ben Roethlisberger case. Just when you thought the story had begun to fade, too. This seems damning. (ESPN)

Anybody happen to be in Nashville? Anybody like Conan O’Brien? Anybody like Jack White? You might want to click on this then. (Pitchfork)

Oh, wow. Larry King’s wife overdosed. (Fox News)

...For The Ride Home: Isley brother dies, settle down, Xtina, French actresses and comic books in film

It's been a whirlwind of a last couple days, and after finally coming to a rest last evening, I decided to pop the accompanying movie in. It was the absolute most perfect way to begin World Cup week. And, as an added bonus, it's a well done film to boot. If you claim to be a futbol fan, rent it sometime before Friday. You won't be disappointed. In other news, the comment of the day goes to my father when I called him to share some very exciting news.
Me: "Hey, I have some exciting news. It's reason to celebrate. And no, I'm not getting married."
Dad: "Isn't that reason enough to celebrate?"
It's a Tuesday in early June. Go fall in love, or something. Watch a sun set. Cook out. Exchange kisses. Do the things all the normal people do in June when they find love. I mean, honestly. If you can't fall in love in June, you aren't capable of feeling feelings. Before you partake in such lovely actions, though, be sure to click on a link or two, read about how great baseball is (note - except in my opinion), and celebrate the fact that my sister turned 24 yesterday. Yeah, she doesn't read this, but any shout out is a good shout out, right? Now don't forget to be nice to others.

Marvin Isley, bassist for the Isley Brothers, died last night. By this particular writer’s account, “This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)” is the second best song ever written. Rest in Peace, Mr. Isley. (Washington Post)

Aaron Rodgers vs. Tony Kornheiser. (The Big Lead)

The Huffington Post is not for sale. Duh. (Business Insider)

Neat: The 50 words that confuse New York Times readers. Note the absence of the words “Daily,” “News,” “Observer” and “Post.” (New York Times)

Only because there seems to be a huge audience for this kind of stuff. What exactly is the proper way to capture a comic book in film? (Popmatters)

Any Spitalfield fans in the house? They are going to reunite. “I Love The Way She Said L.A.” is imperative summer listening. (Alternative Press)

The stars keep biting the dust. Portugal’s Nani is out of the World Cup. Spoiler Alert: Expect a full-on prediction/preview post tomorrow. (Fox Sports)

Interesting: The top 10 most stunning French actresses ever. (Vanity Fair)

She’s right. Chill out, Xtina. (Gracious Kristi)

Signs of Summer: Major League Baseball

Despite the agonizing fact that the official start date of summer isn’t until June 23, we’ve already had a few waves of summer-like weather in my neck of the woods. Its days like these that energize and invigorate the lion’s share of us who live in areas with over 225 days a year of “gray” weather, and these nice days deserve their due.

With that said, every Tuesday and Thursday until the official start of summer we’ll bring you an ode to the signs of summer, one marvelous item at a time. And PS - we would love it if you would pepper in your thoughts as well.

Today we pay homage to Major League Baseball.

As a kid growing up in western PA, it was pretty much a rite of passage to play organized baseball at some point in your life, even if only at the tee-ball level. I started when I was nine, and man was I awful that first year. I played right field from the fourth through sixth innings on a team filled with awesome 10 and 11 year olds and finished the year with an extremely disproportioned number of errors to hits. Truth be told I think I only made solid contact two or three times all year.

But those two or three instances had me hooked… as well as CONVINCED that I would play in the Majors someday.

Of course that dream would never come to fruition for me and my beastly five foot, three inch frame, but man I did love the crap out of the next seven years that I played. My best childhood memories have to do with aspiring to be a Major Leaguer, most notably getting the save and three RBIs in the peewee league championship a few years after my abysmal rookie season.

Still today, after 17 agonizing seasons of following my losing team, I still get that little flutter every April. That excitement that can only come with walking into a Major League ballpark - smelling the hot dogs and stale beer; watching a perfectly executed 6-4-3 double play; hearing the crowd heckle the ump for a blatantly bad call at the plate (and of course hearing the “lemonade!” guy three aisles away all game); uncomfortably shifting in your seat when your team is down two runs in the bottom of the ninth with the bases juiced and your cleanup hitter coming to the plate…

That’s summer man. Period.

And how appropriate a topic, with yesterday being the MLB Draft… However, I have to say the MLB Draft sorely lacks in the pomp and circumstance department, especially compared to the NFL, NBA and even the NHL.

“And with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft, the Cleveland Indians select some dude you’ve never heard of who may or may not ever play a game in a Major League ballpark, and even if he does, by then we’ll have practically forgotten about how great he was supposed to be in the first place.”

Huh… Cool… (remote switches back to the Food Network)

This year there were three players worth mentioning - Bryce Harper, Jameson Taillon and Manny Machado (who analysts must have annoyingly compared to A-Rod 25 freakin’ times). I’m no expert, but I will make one comment: I’m proud of my Pirates for taking a chance on the 17-year-old freak of nature Taillon. Impending Tommy Johns surgery notwithstanding, he could really be someone at the pro level, and signing him at least gives me some semblance of relief that the Buccos are committed to winning pretty soon.

For God’s sake Bob Nutting…

Rant over. More baseball talk here, if you'd like.

See you at 4 p.m. for The Ride. Don't forget to fill out your All-Star ballot.

...For The Ride Home: Love Ms. Williams' response to her recent unfortunate incident, a Temptation dies and food critic pays with food stamps

Can't get this song out of my head. There was a time in my life that "Odyssey No. 5" from Powderfinger was easily one of the three best records I had ever heard in the history of forever. Still might be, actually. If not, you can't go lower than 10. Front to back, it is one of the rare "complete" albums ever made, if you know what I mean. Can't imagine there's anyone out there who knows who these guys are, or gives any type of a poop about them, but if there is, let's run away and get married right now. Bumped into one of their crew members not too long ago in a bar (yes, he was Australian, which proved he wasn't lying, duh), and it made my month/decade. Unfortunately, he had nothing but horror stories about the guys in the band, and called the lead singer a name not fit to print on such a blog as this. Numerous times, actually. Still can't ruin that record, though. Never. Anyways, we are back! That was said with excitement, which was why an exclamation point was used. Week 10 and we are still kicking. Got way too sunburned over the weekend and even suffered from a bit of poisoning, I have now concluded. More on that tomorrow, though. June is here, so that means summer must be right around the corner (that is, if you don't already feel summer-y). We sincerely hope that each one of you had a fantastic holiday weekend, and we also sincerely hope that you find yourself back here, ready and eager to click on some neat links. Because if you happen to not be, well, then you probably aren't reading this particular post, and that's heartbreaking. Be good, and remember: This holiday means tomorrow is the official middle of the week. How quick that went.

See, this is funny. Have to root for Ms. Paramore now. Have to. (Twitter)

Which do you think Sidney Crosby would rather have? The opportunity to still be playing this season (Stanley Cup finals), or signing on to become the richest man on ice since Scott Hamilton? Either way, he’s about to experience one of those things, and we bet you can guess which one it is. (The Hockey News)

A look at the life of an unemployed restaurant critic. Ironic: He is now forced to use food stamps. (Seattle Times)

When you’re old and decrepit like us, the occasional story about a college newspaper makes you remember being young and interesting. University fires adviser. Staff keeps him aboard. Great stuff. (Sun Sentinel)

Ali-Ole Woodson, a member of the Temptations, died Sunday. Sure, he wasn’t an original member, but hey, they Temptations are the Temptations. (Contact Music)

Avril Lavigne’s boyfriend saved her life, consequently making things less complicated. In related news. Sum 41 will be appearing on the Pacific Sun/Hot Topic stage three miles from the Warped Tour parking lot closest to you. (ShowbizSpy)

Celebrity Rehab can’t find enough celebrities to go to rehab. Honestly? That’s like going to an Arena Football League game and not being able to find enough players to sit the bench in the NFL. Work harder, VH1. (TMZ)

Dennis Hopper died. And now it gets ugly. (San Jose Mercury News)