...For The Ride Home: Klinsmann speaks, the lead singer from Staind has carved out a nice little life and Jen & John back together?

Saw this last night. It was...good. Fine. Sure. Adequate. A nice night at the movies. For those who want to begin Oscar chatter, though, please keep it to yourself. No way this thing should be up for anything (and the same goes for "Inception," crazy people). Two highlights: One, seeing Vicky from "Vicky, Christina, Barcelona" do a wonderful job with the female lead. Hopefully, Rebeca Hall can become a huge star as a result of this particular flick. Two, though it took around 45 minutes, once I was able to look at Jon Hamm without thinking of the words "Don" and "Draper," I was completely sold on him as a good actor. I was a bit worried he wouldn't translate well onto the movie screen, but he held his own. It's all right. And that's all. Hello, Wednesday, and hello to you. Did you check out our goodbye to the summer? There has admittedly been some dispute over which day is indeed the first day of fall (today or tomorrow), but I keep hearing/reading conflicting reports, so we must go with what we first discovered. Besides, regardless of if the official first today is today or tomorrow, we can all agree that it's here, and that's all that really matters. Sad, sad times. In any case, before you move on with your final day of summer or first day of autumn, we invite you to click on a few links below and have a wonderful Wednesday evening. Be good, friends.

Juergen Klinsmann speaks about why he wasn’t hired as the U.S.’s manager moving forward after this year’s World Cup. Ut. Oh. (Fox Sports)

Wow. How many times does Scott Weiland have to pull stunts like this before people stop going to Stone Temple Pilots shows? I mean, my God. He’s ruined so many things and people still flock to him for some reason. (Rolling Stone)

Words of advice, writers: Go to grad school. (The New Yorker)

Have you ever wondered about all those anonymous sources celebrity magazines cite? Read this. (Los Angeles Times)

Jen Aniston and John Mayer back together? (Showbiz Spy)

If you would have told me the lead singer from Staind was going to begin charity work and eventually establish himself as a prominent acoustic act that can tour at will 10 years ago, I would have blasted “Mudshovel” at 11 and turned the other way. Good for him. (Pollstar)

What is going on with Ashton and Demi, anyways? (USA Today)

Casey Affleck talks to Jay Leno about the Joaquin Phoenix mess. Remember: The dude is back on Letterman’s show tonight. (Entertainment Weekly)

Bob Bradley's extension proves the United States is fine with just being the United States

I was sitting at my desk at work Monday night when the sports editor at my newspaper got up from his desk, walked down the isle and quietly asked, “Did you hear they re-signed Bradley?” I had no idea what he was talking about, never once even considering that he could have been speaking of the United States Men’s Soccer Team’s Bob Bradley. Especially after this post we had a few weeks ago.

But alas, it was him. The news broke that the manager received a four year extension on his contract, solidifying him as the leader of America’s 2014 squad at the next World Cup. From the press release announcing he signed an extension…

CHICAGO (Aug. 30, 2010) – U.S. Soccer has agreed to a four-year contract extension with U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley. Bradley led the U.S. to an undefeated record in group play at the 2010 FIFA World for the first time en route to a first-place group finish for the first time in 80 years. After finishing the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying cycle with more goals than any other team in the world, Bradley will again be at the helm through qualifying and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Well, that’s one way too look at it. For another…

…The question now remains if this was the right move or should USA Soccer have gone after (German legend, Jurgen) Klinsmann or someone else. Well, while I may be proven wrong in four years, here is why I think that Klinsmann would have been the better choice.
1. It’s Time For A Change – Even if a manager wins a World Cup, it’s almost necessary to make a change with a national team every four years. Bradley did a good job in his four years but it’s clear that there were mistakes during the 2010 World Cup and a need to change it up. The history of coaches staying on for two consecutive World Cup is not good and most do worse in their second World Cup (just remember Bruce Arena). Bringing in someone new (like Klinsmann) would help to bring new energy and life into the team.
2. Klinsmann Is No Stranger To USA Soccer – Many have argued that Klinsmann would not work out because he’s German and it’s best to have a manager who’s American. This kind of thinking is a bit simplistic and not always true. While Klinsmann is German, he’s been living in the USA for several years, and even helped out with the Galaxy for a bit. It wouldn’t be the same as a manager who has been with a club in Europe and he knows about the national team. Klinsmann is probably the most Americanized foreign manager that USA Soccer could hire.

There are more reasons and much more expansion from the piece if you click here (which really is a must-click if you care at all about this kind of stuff). The above material and subsequent list as to why the choice was wrong is the popular opinion. It seems that the general consensus is that if this wasn’t an all-out “bad” move, then it was certainly a “safe” move. And depending on your outlook, “safe” is nothing more than a synonym for “bad,” anyways.

Me? Count me in the majority. One aspect of this not listed in the above material is the United States’ reluctance to decide on Bradley quickly. If they were going to stay with him, they should have signed him on immediately after the World Cup concluded. If they were going to get rid of him, they should have made that clear by the time we got crushed in that friendly against Brazil. To wait like this shows that the people behind the scenes didn’t and don’t have the utmost confidence that Bradley is the right guy. And that’s a problem. Especially when you have someone like Klinsmann – one of the greatest international players of the last 20 years – waiting in the wings. Who cares if he is German? Honestly, though.

This is a pure sign of being content with mediocrity. The Americans set getting out of group play as the biggest and only goal at the 2010 World Cup. That happened, but not with assurance. Yes, the United States won its group for the first time in 80 years, but Bradley and his boys could have easily been on the outside looking in. The poor performance in the knockout stage only reiterated how far away we are from the rest of the world in terms of advancement of skill. It should now be unacceptable to not win a match in the second round of a World Cup. Extending Bradley only extends an unfair (to fans) rationale that suggests a best-case scenario that features losing. And if he continues to refuse to move away from that 4-4-2 formation, advancing in any tournament will not be guaranteed. That was proven by two instances in July in which he was forced to make substitutes early in the second half, a clear admittance that his initial decisions were poor.

All that said, at least he was at the head of a team that gave us this..



Best sports moment of the year. Without any doubt.

...For The Ride Home: LeBron and ESPN, the greatsest front page ever, more "Avatar" and don't forget about the World Cup

We send you off into the weekend at the end of week 15 with a little Tom Petty for you to chew on. I would normally then use this space to blabber about LeBron James and his decision last night, but there are three links below to help quench that thirst. Besides, that should probably deserve its own post, right? Right. And speaking of posts, that is precisely why I am not able to use this space to rant about LeBronedict. Instead, I shall use this space to explain to you lovely faced readers that I am not going to be here next week. Yes, that's right. I know. Grab those tissues and formulate your own dart board with my face on it (though I'm assuming you don't even really know what I look like). This is the first of two very, very, very, very much-needed week-long vacations that I am taking from life, this blog, work, more work and yes, even more work. It was suggested to me that I blog about what I am about experience, and yes, I will have access to a computer, but barring some burning flame within me that just insists upon writing, I can't imagine using my time away from time to consume myself with silly technology. Combine that with the cell phone I no longer use, and I will have completely removed myself from this depressing world I struggle with each day more and more. This doesn't mean I don't love you, the fantastically loyal reader, though. And you have to know that by now, right? You have to. That said, considering I am responsible for each day's ride, two normal posts a week, and that silly movie piece every Friday, you will probably notice how thin next week will end up being. No worries, though, friends, because even though I spoke with my better half about this, he insisted on writing his usual posts during the week on Tuesday and Thursday. That doesn't mean he loves you more than I, though. Damnit. Anyways, I look forward to coming back completely re-energized and ready to chat about any and every thing. That may or may not include posts about the following: The World Cup final, LeBron, Heat, Food, Vacations, "Inception" or books, among other things. And yes, if you only understood how disappointed I am that I won't be able to tackle "Inception" the week it comes out, that means you'd understand how disappointed most Cleveland residents are. Anyways, be good. Don't forget to check back periodically next week, and as always (especially if I don't make it back alive) miss you, love you.

Oh wait. You didn’t hear? Oh. LeBron James went to Miami last night. Let the ESPN bashing begin! (New York Times)

That’s still not enough? Here’s how the hip-hop community responded. Hint: Mc Hammer loves the idea. (MTV)

And finally, yes. This is the greatest front page the world has seen in years. Words like “classic” and “genius” are warranted. (Twitter)

What the Associated Press’ oil spill reporting team plans to find out. They are taking over 200 journalists. Something’s got to give, right? (Columbia Journalism Review)

Told you I was going to keep linking these. Today? 2010’s numbers up to this point. Goodness the music industry is dying. (Pollstar)

The octopus picks Spain. Hey, look at this. So did we! Over a month ago! We even had the Netherlands in the final four! Don’t forget to tune in Sunday. Then all you soccer haters can breathe easy. (Washington Post)

Oh my God. Are you kidding me? Another version of “Avatar” is coming to theaters. And it’s longer. (Vanity Fair)

For all my indie friends in the house. She & Him’s video for “Thieves.” (Spin)

So far, it’s been the summer of “blah” movies. Yes, yes. That is correct. Here’s hoping “The Kids Are All Right” changes pace a bit. (CNN)

...For The Ride Home: Emmy nominations are out, all LeBron all the time, Jen Aniston dates and Ronaldo has a baby

It's here. Having seen "Precious," "Up In The Air," "An Education," "The Hurt Locker" and pretty much every other important movie from last year (aside from "Crazy Heart," which will be here soon enough), I am now confronted with one of the last celebrated movies of 2009 I have yet to see. She better bring it. I'll be rooting for her to bring it. So hopefully, well, she brings it. If nothing else, that scene when the two kids start grooving in the car always makes me smile. So it's got that going for it. Welcome to Thursday, the second to last day of the week. It's been an odd week, hasn't it? I just haven't found my footing. Maybe I'm already in vacation mode (more on that tomorrow). Maybe the heat is just getting to me. Maybe I need to take a break from running as I come up on a month straight of running at least five miles a day, every day. Maybe I'm just restless. Maybe I can't get over that new "Downfall" show. Who knows. All I know is that we had LeBron going to the Heat first yesterday, and that's all that matters. Speaking of that, we have provided not one but two links concerning the said topic below, links that we sincerely hope you find interesting. While you're at it, we suggest clicking on a few others, too. What else are you going to do? Sit next to an air conditioner all day? That's what we thought. Now don't forget to be nice to others.

Because the only themed week we’ve ever done (so far) had to do with Norah Jones: An extensive Q&A with the singer. (AV Club)

All signs point to Bob Bradley leaving the United States Men’s National Soccer Team head coaching position. Or, well, we can only hope. (The Big Lead)

Mitch Albom attacks LeBron, the media and pretty much everything surrounding this whole mess. Well done. (Detroit Free Press)

Speaking of that, here’s Michael Wilbon’s column relating the NBA free agents to his own experience as a free agent. (Washington Post)

2010 as the year of “no comment.” Interesting. (Politico)

It’s really weird to think the Emmys are only a month and a half away. Nominations we will be rooting for: Anything “Dexter,” “Mad Men,” “30 Rock” and “Modern Family.” (Los Angeles Times)

Cristiano Ronaldo has a baby. And names it…well, you won’t be surprised. (People)

Jen Aniston goes on a date with some guy from “True Blood.” This is supposed to be important because everyone loves “True Blood” and not “The Bounty Hunter.” (Showbiz Spy)

...For The Ride Home: New Pee-Wee Herman movie, Billy Corgan is maaaaaaad and yes, the concert business is dying

Gave this movie a shot last night. It's John Krasinski's directorial debut. Also, unbeknownst to me, it features two "Wire" alumni. It's bad. Really wanted to like it. It's an IFC movie, so it has all the indie credibility, and it has a boatload of recognizable figures. But it's simply too scatterbrained. The movie tries to be too smart - in a smuggier than smug way, mind you - and it becomes overbearing. And I like smug and smart. This just didn't work, though. And it's not really funny. This was supposed to be a funny movie. It's not funny. It was, however, the first time you don't see Jim Halpert while looking at Krasinski (even though you have to suffer through the first hour and ten minutes to get there). In any case, welcome to Thursday, the beginning of July and, well, the first day of the rest of your life. How do you do? Good? That's good. Does it seem a bit cooler outside than it's been, or is it just me? Come on, now. It's July. I want 1,000-degree weather, damnit. Had a fabulous dinner last night as I warmed up some spaghetti, turned on side A of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and sat at the dinner table with nothing else going on. It was peaceful. Honestly. It was. That said, before you try and emulate a nice dinner of your own tonight, take a quick look at the following links, leave some nice book suggestions for my partner who clearly isn't literate and try to take a walk. They are romantic.

Kate Gosselin is going to record a holiday album. I’m not even going to make a snarky remark after that. (Popeater)

Billy Corgan walks off stage after hecklers shout at him during the first show of this latest club tour the Smashing Pumpkins are doing. Songs sacrificed? “Today” and “Freak.” (Spin)

Stephen A. Smith leaves The Philadelphia Inquirer. Again. This is the second time within the last two years. He says he’s got bigger and better things. Like what? “Quite Frankly 2” on Spike TV? (Philly.com)

First Larry King. Now Anderson Cooper? (The Wrap)

Police reopen the sexual assault case against Al Gore. It can’t have any weight, can it? (Wall Street Journal)

Judd Apatow will produce a new Pee-Wee Herman movie. Tentative title? “Knocked Up.” (Access Hollywood)

I’m going to keep linking these types of stories. It fascinates me how quickly the summer concert business crumbled. (Pollstar)

The top five goals of the World Cup so far. Headlined, of course, by Landon Donovan. (The Big Lead)

...For The Ride Home: Larry King says goodbye, Eminem sold way more records than you thought he would and Robin Williams as The Riddler?

This song came on this morning while I was out for a run. Haven't heard it in years, and it was an absolute delight to hear it again after so long. Once saw them on a three-band bill at an outdoor amphitheater. They opened the show. Vertical Horizon was second. And Third Eye Blind was third. I lost about 75 dude points after admitting that, I understand. Too bad these guys went away, actually. They were a little different than the other lame-rock groups. The slower song was the bigger hit, but this tune has a bit of a tounge-in-cheek feel to it that's fabulous. Anyways, welcome to Wednesday, or as some may say, the last day of June. NBA free agency begins at 12:01 tonight, and where will all of those young superstars land? It shall be interesting to see how it plays out. Early thought: If LeBron goes to Miami to play with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, he will be a five letter word that I am not allowed to type on a blog that has such young eyes. In any case, before any of that drama comes to fruition, take a look at a few of these links to get you firmly over the hump that Wednesday always provides.

Eminem sold 741,000 copies of Recovery in its first week. That’s awfully, awfully impressive in today’s fickle music world. Can’t imagine another record will top that this year. (Rolling Stone)

Oh, wow. Blogger writes about how good it is to hear about a story regarding heterosexual molestation from a priest as opposed to homosexual molestation. Outrage ensues. (D Magazine)

The media industry really is in trouble. Playboy cuts jobs to save $3 million a year. (Chicago Business)

A vote for Jurgen Klinsmann to become the next United States National Men’s Soccer Team coach. (Fox Sports)

It’s true. Verizon will carry the iPhone in 2011. AT&T stores around the world are immediately put up for sale. (Christian Science Monitor)

Robin Williams wants to play The Riddler in the next “Batman.” Good luck. (Showbiz Spy)

Erin Andrews is going to stay at ESPN. College coaches rejoice. (USA Today)

Larry King’s show is finally coming to an end. Here’s a look at some of the man’s worst moments. (The Hollywood Reporter)

...For The Ride Home: We had this Steve Carell story months ago (dangit!), NBA free agents do meet and the death of concerts is imminent

...And there's the video of the Chris Brown incident we alluded to yesterday. It's now time to make your own call. We still stand firmly in our position that it was a bit put-on. I'm not sayin' but I'm just sayin.' Hello, hello. Happy Tuesday to you pretty faces. June is almost gone and as my roommate said this morning, "I'm still stuck on June 1." Me too, actually. It's a bit sickening to know the Fourth of July is right around the corner. It seems like just yesterday it was cold and rainy. But alas, here are we, nearly ready for the MLB All-Star game while hearing rumblings about how college football season is only a couple months away. Where does the time go, friends? Where does it go? As you ponder that particular question, take some time to click a few links, and inexplicably be excited for this new Harry Potter movie that has all the Harry Potter fans excited. Be good, and remember to stop at crosswalks for pedestrians.

Oh contraire. The NBA free agent summit indeed did occur. Remember: Thursday’s the day. (ESPN)

This is something that deserves its own post, and possibly even more. This summer’s concert season is slowly becoming the most disastrous within the last decade. More and more acts cancel/postpone dates and sometimes entire tours (citing various untrue reasons, mind you). Today’s victim? Rihanna as she cancels her tour opener in Washington. (Pollstar)

Get ready for special editions of GQ, Vogue, Glamour and The New Yorker. (New York Observer)

At least he knows it: The “Sh!t My Dad Says” guy recognizes that he is the luckiest guy in the world. Him and Ringo Starr, that is. (I Want Media)

The stereotypical “soccer will still never catch on in America” column. This time from Jay Mariotti. (Fanhouse)

OK. Hold on a second. We had this Steve Carell leaving “The Office” story literally in April. Why are people only finding out about this now? (San Francisco Chronicle via The Associated Press)

Wait. Jay-Z and Eminem are going to do an album together? (All Hip-Hop)

Love Kelly Ripa. No. Really, I do. She’s funny, pretty and seemingly smart. And she looks absolutely fabulous for nearly 40. Hell. She’d look absolutely fabulous if she was nearly 29, too. (People)

The United States bows out of World Cup. Sources say tournament will continue.

The United States' dreams of hoisting the World Cup trophy for the first time in the country's history came to an abrupt end Saturday when the Americans lost 2-1 to Ghana, a team ranked lower than them in the Fifa world standings, and a team that sent the U.S. packing four years ago by the same score.

When Michael Bradley got loose late in the second half and couldn't convert, I said to myself there was no way America could pull it out. His chance was simply too golden and his effort was a bit too rushed. The sequence itself was indicative of how the United States' World Cup went - a ton of great chances wasted by players who were either unlucky or un-skilled.

Those chances notwithstanding, the biggest amount of blame should be shouldered by coach Bob Bradley (even though the first Ghana goal showcased super-keeper Tim Howard's fault more than anyone else on the field). His insistence on staying in the 4-4-2 formation was ultimately what did the U.S. in. Flash back to the match against Slovenia to see how successful the Americans were in a 4-5-1 during the second half, and you need no more argument. The decision to sit Maurice Edu in favor of Ricardo Clark coupled with the under-use of Benny Feilhaber didn't make things any better, either.

Even with all of those things said, the most alarming problem the United States faced was acting as though they had won the entire tournament after that incredible Landon Donovan goal against Algeria. In a rare moment of intelligence, Alexi Lalas described that instance as more of a moment than a goal. He was right. It was up to the Americans to take the win and advancement in stride, rather than shed tears over advancing...out of group play. The fact that the squad was unable to bounce back efficiently was a direct result of the manager. He should have leveled his players' heads out. He should have added perspective in the locker room. And most importantly, he should have led a charge that forced his players to act as though they have been there before.

He didn't do any of that, and now it may be an idea to look elsewhere when it comes to Brazil in 2014. The Americans should have gone further than they did here, and the readiness to accept mediocrity as success is more troublesome than anything. This team got the country interested in the sport again, if only for a minute or two. But this team also succumbed to a lack of talent, and, ironically enough for a team that came back so many times, a lack of heart in the end (we're looking at you, Jozy Altidore).

Where does this leave us? That's hard to say. Getting further into the knockout stages needs to become common practice rather than a barely-obtainable goal. And hopefully within the next four years, someone tells Mr. Bradley that. That is, if he's still around, of course.

In the meantime, this gives us an opportunity to show the video of one of my favorite moments in sports history...



...it gets better every time.

...For The Ride Home: Tilda Swinton is fab, Kinks bassist dies, Tweedy covers Beyonce, and a year ago today, two icons died

Well, they say you can't go home. Or at least Bon Jovi does. But I am. And what better way to end this exhausting 13th week than to post Jay-Z's "On To The Next One" video? Remember when he premiered it on New Year's Eve? A night with grandma. Dancing with my brother and sister. Watching my dear friend throw up around midnight in front of his brand new girlfriend. Ahh, yes. Probably the best New Year's Eve, like, ever. Do not forget to have your television tuned to your local ABC outlet at around 2:30 tomorrow afternoon to take in the monumental United States knockout match. If we win, I might just run around my hometown naked. That's true, too. Hopefully you enjoyed this week. We offered up another installment of our Blogspot Banter series. We saw an end come to our Signs of Summer series both here and here. We broke some breaking news that "Entourage" will be done after the next season. And we had a wonderful discussion on birds. Was it as fun for you as it was for us? Good, that's what we thought. Before you run and enjoy for first official weekend of summer, though, take a glance at few links, buy some red, white and blue face paint and don't forget to tip your bartenders this weekend. Do not forget, friends. Love, you, miss you.

John Wall went No. 1 overall last night, and here’s a look at how Bill Simmons’ day went. More importantly: The Hawks wound up with Jordan Crawford, just like I had hoped. Love his upside. (ESPN)

Pete Quaife, the original bassist for The Kinks, died. Favorite song of mine: “A Well Respected Man.” (Rolling Stone)

Washington Post hires blogger thinking he’s a conservative. Turns out, he’s a liberal. And now he’s fired. (Politico)

According to this link, professors tend to believe journalists aren’t smart enough to handle certain stories. Thanks, college. (The Atlantic)

An interview with Tilda Swinton. “Michael Clayton” will forever be in my top 10 movies, ever. And until recently, I could confidently say it was in the top 5. And my God, she’s absolutely fabulous in it. (Popmatters)

Like we said up top: 2:30 tomorrow. U.S. vs. Ghana. Get your mind right people. This tournament is only a success if we get to the semis. (Philadelphia Daily News)

A year ago today, Michael Jackson died. So much could be said and linked, but we opt for this interview with the phenomenal guitarist that showed up in “This Is It,” Orianthi. (MTV)

That said, Farrah Fawcett also died a year ago today. Man, she was beautiful. (The Money Times)

Wilco’s frontman covers “Single Ladies.” It doesn’t get better for that band than Sky Blue Sky. I’m not sayin’ but I’m just sayin.’ (Pitchfork)

...For The Ride Home: Lollapalooza after-shows, beat reporters have no spine and don't forget about tonight's NBA Draft

Imagine my happiness when I realized this record finally came in the mail yesterday. Shuffling it into my CD player in my car on the way to work, I arrived with a smile on my face, thus proclaiming to everybody at work that there was a smile on my face and the reasoning behind a smile being on my face. I said this then, and I shall repeat myself now: If you can't smile after listening to this record, you don't know what music is. I cannot begin to put into words, or a blog post, or a column, or, well, yeah, you get it, how much I root for these guys. There was never, ever a time when you heard a bad story about any of them. ANY OF THEM. Nobody ever accused them of doing anything wrong, ever (aside from writing tunes that ended up being the absolute biggest songs in the world, and yes, I'm sure you were annoyed). They are all now married. All now grown up. And all now still making music as a band together. Nobody thought they were bigger than the others. Nobody spoke out about "other interests." Nobody was caught coming out of a club stumbling drunk at 15-years-old. Nobody was rumored to have an affair with some type of mistress. None of that. They were once the biggest act in the world and then they went away. And that's it. Now they've released the official album of the summer of 2010. Goodness, you have to love that. OK. I'll get off my soapbox now and offer a few links for you wonderfully pretty readers. Hopefully, you enjoyed our breaking news in today's earlier post, and hopefully, you will enjoy our second installment of "Blogspot Banter" tomorrow. Until then, enjoy your Thursday, have a banana and spend time with your elders. They know more than you.

Forget the actual Lollapalooza festival. Check out the after-shows featuring Minus The Bear, The National, Devo, MGMT and The New Pornographers. (Alternative Press)

Italy, the defending World Cup champions, were knocked out of the tournament this morning. Great headline: Italian loafers. (Fox Sports)

Boy, this magazine really stumbled upon a gold mine with this Ed Rendell story. Yesterday, he addresses affair rumors, today he talks about meeting up with a prostitute. (The Philly Post)

Interesting. A vote for the notion that a beat reporter would have never used the McChrystal quotes in fear of “burning bridges.” (Press Think)

Five reasons not to buy the latest iPhone. Not listed? Reason number six – Because cell phones are the death of us. (Yahoo)

Jen Anniston has been told to stay away from Branjoilina. Oh, come on. But she’s so cute! (Showbiz Spy)

Don’t forget: The NBA Draft is tonight. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who have no picks going into it, are trying to maneuver their way into tonight’s festivities. (ESPN)

Kim Kardashian is dating Miles Austin. Does this mean the Cowboys will win this year’s Super Bowl? (New York Daily News)

Whoa. Had the highest of hopes that once the divorce news broke, nobody would find much wrong, and we could all just live with the fact that a separation happened amicably. That’s clearly not happening. Al Gore accused of sexual assault. (People)

...For The Ride Home: Lady Gaga falls, a newspaper with no ads and America advances (party this weekend!)

Yes, I know I've been guilty of using quite of a bit of hyperbole in my day. And yes, sometimes (meaning, well, all the time) I get caught up in moments and make grand statements that people dismiss easily. But the above goal is probably my favorite sports moment of all time, right next to Michael Jordan's series-clinching shot over the Utah Jazz. Sat through 90 minutes of a match, and just like millions of other Americans, went from being the completely down-and-out guy who thought we were going to be gone from the tournament, to having my roommate hold me up for nearly a minute after I jumped into his arms, yelling "Oh My God" over and over again. Must go home this weekend for the first time in a long time, so those who know where my mother lives: Round-of-16 party, my mom's, 2:30, be there or never speak with me again. Wow. Still can't get over that. So, anyways, how did you like the bird discussion? Wanted to switch it up a bit. I think a few birds read it themselves, and when I went to do the same thing today, I found a bird perched on my front porch, staring me in the eyes, waiting to chill out. Weird. It's Wednesday, and man, it's hot. As you get over the hump for the week, take some time out to click a few links, be good to your neighbors, and get as drunk as a rat tonight as you celebrate the United States winning its group in the World Cup.

Have to lead with this: U.S. 1. Algeria 0. Bill Clinton is happy. (The Original Winger)

Lady Gaga falls. This is only news because this is an anti-Gaga zone. (TMZ)

This shall be interesting to see how it plays out: Eliot Spitzer is going to host a show on CNN. Here’s hoping the topic of sex appears somewhere. (New York Times)

A non-profit Web-based news agency released its first print edition. What makes it different? There are no advertisements within any of its pages. (The Bay Citizen)

Been waiting a few weeks for this. James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem frontman, sits down with former Ride topic, Terry Gross, on “Fresh Air.” (NPR)

Didn’t catch wind of this story until last night, but after hearing it, this only worsens my mood toward Chris Paul. Five ways the point guard leaves New Orleans. (Bleacher Report)

Interested in this, only because Rolling Stone essentialy broke the story, causing the fall out. McChrystal is now gone. Petraeus takes over top commander position. Who knew a music magazine could cause such a stir amongst the politicals? (Los Angeles Times)

Katy Perry got a ton of stitches in her leg after partying. When is it going to become cool again for a woman entertainer to simply act normal, dress normal, hold herself with grace and do nothing more than be good at what she does? (USA Today)

...For The Ride Home: Messi really, really likes Oasis, Harry Potter's thoughts on Bieber and remember Bush?

All my day's plans have been canceled and I now find myself with a second-straight Tuesday to stick around my house. It's odd, actually. Was up for an early, early lunch and, after figuring out that I would not be doing what I thought I'd be doing, took a quick power nap. Woke up in a sadder-than-normal state and tried to cure that with a run. Still a little bummed. Don't quite know what to do about it, either. In any case, we welcome you to Tuesday with Matchbox Twenty's "I'll Believe You When." Yes, you think Rob Thomas is a tool. Get over it. He's always said he wants to be Tom Petty and this song is the closest he's ever come in his career. And it's even a live version to boot. As of this writing, we are exactly 1-for-2 in our World Cup picks. Hey, who would have thought France simply just wouldn't show up this year? Uruguay didn't let us down though. With any luck (which, it seems, is something that comes few and far between these days), the Americans will clinch things tomorrow morning (set your alarm. Be patriotic). Before all of that, though, enjoy the following links as you wander through a warm summer night.

Begin this Tuesday’s ride correct: A video for Peter Gabriel’s cover of Tom Waits’ “In The Neighborhood.” (Rolling Stone)

Wow. Journalism school nixes entrance exam to try and up the enrollment numbers. (The Rebel Yell)

Lionel Messi, the world’s best soccer player, offers to pay Oasis any amount they desire to reform for a celebration concert should Argentina win the World Cup. Side: “Don’t Look Back In Anger” is the best Oasis song. (NME)

Heather Mills is going to compete in the 2014 Winter Paralympics. Stop. (The Arizona Republic)

Six degrees of John Mayer’s manhood. (GQ)

Bush is reuniting. Gavin needed to figure something out while his wife blew up like that. (Pollstar)

28.2 million people watched the final game of the NBA season this year. Eat that, hockey. (ESPN)

Ha! Harry Potter thought Justin Bieber was a woman. Ha! (MTV)

...For The Ride Home: World Cup official is gone, the official video for Ron Artest's new single and The National

Found time to watch this over the weekend, as if this didn't give it away. Wasn't so sure about Mo'Nique winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but when the last 15 minutes of the movie comes around, she pretty much seals it up. My heart is still with Anna Kendrick, though. The movie was...good. I had heard it wasn't as good as expected, so going in with low expectations helped. Any movie with Lenny Kravitz has to be gold, though, right? Anyways, hello, hello. We begin week number lucky 13 with some links and, more importantly, the first day of summer. We kicked off our final Signs of Summer post today when I suggested a few records to spin throughout the coming months. It will officially conclude tomorrow when my better half mans the helm for his picks. Remember, any and all suggestions for additions to the list are welcome. Before you take a look back at that, though, use a few minutes out of the day to check out a couple links. Summer is officially here, so you wouldn't want to not start the season out correctly, right?

The NBA draft is in a few days and it’s becoming more and more interesting to see what happens to Evan Turner. Here are scenarios regarding what the 76ers would do with AI, should they draft Turner. (The Big Lead)

A look at the people behind longform.org, a site for those who haven’t give in to the A.D.D.-type reading world. Or, um, readers who enjoy long stories. (New York Observer)

Numbers are down for people who visit portal Web sites. Like, way down. (The Wrap)

Because I know these guys seem to be everybody’s darlings: A long, introspective interview with the drummer from The National. (Popmatters)

Hey, hey, hey. That referee that completely screwed the United States out of a goal was not asked to ref any more games this World Cup. Now, if we just win Wednesday, justice will be served. (Yahoo)

Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr are engaged to get married. She’s pretty. (People)

Idol reporters continue to work through the off-season. According to Slezak, the minimum age to get in the contest will now be 15. Seems a bit young, don’t you think? (Entertainment Weekly)

Remember that crazy victory speech Ron Artest gave last week? Here’s the video for that first single he was talking about. (All Hip-Hop)

...For The Ride Home: Ms. Paramore is angry at journalists, student newspaper is censored by principal and America Ferrera is engaged

Best. Victory. Speech. Ever. Didn't want the Lakers to win, and rushed home to catch the final seven minutes, but count me in the small group of people who root for Ron Artest. Yeah, he's nuts, but aren't we all? If my friends decided to hate me forever when I displayed a fit of nuts-ness, I'd be friendless. "I want to thank my psychiatrist, and my new single is coming out soon." How fabulous is that? That's a rhetorical question. Played to a draw this morning, and man that was scary. Need to see how the result of the England game turns out (best case scenario is a draw. Worst case, England wins), but Wednesday should be awfully interesting. Can't understand why we can't get out of the gate early, but it's killed us (Side: I'd give you a complete post on these things, but you've made it clear you could care less about soccer). The game kind of reminded me of this performance, actually. The switch to the 4-5-1 in the second half clearly made the difference, and while many of you will point fingers at the ref (yes, we did get robbed of a goal), the Americans' play in the first half was why the U.S. didn't win. Just keep those fingers crossed that England doesn't get a result today, and we should be OK. Week 12 went by quick, but that doesn't mean we don't still love your pretty faces. Looking to work, work, work after work on a Friday night and through Saturday (pretty much what every other 26-year-old does on a Friday night in June, right?), so alas my points on the nerd-o-meter are skyrocketing, but that doesn't mean you can't have a lovely late spring evening. Before you do that, though, check out a few links, grab a bottle of wine, and get ready for the last weekend before the beginning of summer. Yes, friends. Love you, miss you.

"Maybe I really am just bored with giving music journalists the benefit of the doubt. Like they're really gonna let people know what we would want to tell them. Yet still, I want to have faith in people. And anyways, what WOULD we want to tell people if we had that much space to write about ourselves? It would probably end up just the same. Does it ever bug you guys? Do you ever feel like some people are just missing it?" Read the behind the scenes stuff surrounding the article in question a little while ago. The majority of her criticism is justified, but it still stings a bit only because I feel for the writer. I know I’m biased, but he’s just trying to do his job, and if you can’t find something to write about when on assignment following a band, you need to find a way to not come home empty handed. Tough situation. (MTV)

Really interesting: Inside the mind of an anonymous online poster. (Boston Globe)

Student paper questions validity of gym class. Principal destroys copies of newspaper. (The News & Advance)

Tackling the obtuse notion that journalists can’t handle public criticism. Hey, watch it! After Ms. Paramore’s attack, can’t we get some love? (PBS)

Diego Maradona wants you to know he’s not gay. The headline says it all. (Deadspin)

Because I believe I once wrote “Islands” was the 21st or 22nd best song of 2009: Catching up with The XX. (Pollstar)

The Golden State Warriors have a new logo. They’ll need it when they slip in the playoffs next year. Remember where you heard that first. (Yahoo)

America Ferrera is engaged. Still need to catch up on how “Ugly Betty” ends. Shame it’s off the air. Neat fact: We share birthdays, to the day. We were destiny. My heart is broken. (MSNBC)

“A 2008 survey of more than 30,000 U.S. women published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that nearly 40 percent reported that they'd had a sexual problem at some point in their lives.” (CNN)

...For The Ride Home: Al Gore was messin' around with Larry David's ex, Brandon Flowers' solo album and books

"Nobody ever had a dream 'round here, but I don't really mind that it's starting to get to me." We give you The Killers and an actual full-band live version of "Sam's Town" on this Tuesday. The day began awful, as I put my streak of 10 on the line with Portugal over Ivory Coast. Because of the draw, I now have no shot at $100,000. I was going to buy you all Swedish Fish, too. I now sit, cramming in as much work as I can on a day off. That's a bit of an oxymoron, isn't it? Oh, well. Game six of the NBA Finals is on tonight, and the goal is to be done with what I want to be done with by then. Here's hoping. Before I move on to all of that, though, I present you fabulous friends with the following links. Try saying that three times fast. Eat healthy, enjoy the summer air and please always try to stay away from mean people. They are the worst. Be good, now.

If you like to read, read this. Now. Has the Internet killed professional book reviews? (Popmatters)

As if you didn’t get enough of The Killers up top. An interview with Brandon Flowers regarding his upcoming solo album. Bonus: You can listen to his first single, too. (Spin)

Glenn Beck is mad at the Washington Post. Goodness, he’s annoying. (Yahoo)

Bloggers are whores. Or so says this lady. (Splice Today)

Oh boy. Miami’s Dade county is changing its name to Wade for the week. This whole NBA free agency class thing is getting out of hand. (Sports By Brooks)

Sexual pictures featuring….Betty White. (Dime Wars)

Seven reasons to root for a Game Seven tonight in Los Angeles. Really hope Boston clinches tonight. (Fox Sports)

Oh, none of us wanted to see this. The story behind Al Gore’s divorce involves him cheating on Tipper with Larry David’s ex-wife. (New York Daily News)

...For The Ride Home: Deaths at Bonnaroo and the CMA Fest, Tom Izzo needs to stop talking and the Tonys are good

We begin week 12 with Jennifer Carpenter because I came across without a doubt, the best episode of "Dexter" I've seen in my short history with the show. Kind of ruined her when I found out she's married to him in real life while she plays his sister on the show. Can't get over how fabulous that episode was last night, though. Goodness, gracious. You want to know what else was fabulous? Drawing with England Saturday afternoon. We stole one there, friends. Let no one fool you. That said, if we don't make it out of group play now, I may never watch soccer again. Anyways, welcome to the middle of June, or, as some may call it, the last week before the first week of summer. Does it feel like summer yet? Just wondering. I can't really decide on that particular question yet, myself. We need more sun. It seems like it's been raining just a tad bit too much. Ahh well. I suppose you can't complain too much as long as the snow isn't approaching astronomical heights. And I like the warm. It makes things sexier. Speaking of sexy, the links below are mighty sexy. You ought to check one of them out before jumping in on our HBO debate that is clearly set to tear the world apart. Don't forget to be nice, now.

Camp kid asks Tom Izzo if he’s going to coach the Cleveland Cavilers. Izzo turns kid down. Question: Why did LeBron not comment on Mike Brown and Danny Ferry being fired, yet he now wants the world to know he’d be happy with Izzo coaching the team? (ESPN)

Somebody died at Bonnaroo. Somebody also died at the CMA festival. Bad weekend for music lovers. (The Tennessean)

An interesting take on when the mass media localizes its sports coverage. Hello, ESPNBoston.com. How do you do? (National Sports Journalism Center)

University of Chicago students give life to a magazine known for its nudity. Silly college kids. (Chicago Tribune)

A vote for the Grammys learning a thing or two about how to run an awards ceremony…from the Tonys. Still would like to see “Memphis.” (New York Daily News)

What? You didn't think we’d link something pertaining to the U.S. soccer game? It did a 6.1 rating. Not bad, though it would have been nice had the number been just a little higher. Who’s in for Friday morning? (USA Today)

Conan O’Brien ends his tour tonight in Atlanta. Naturally, he stopped by TBS today to make some news. (TMZ)

Jack Kevorkian has no regrets about anything he’s ever done. Why is this reporter so scared? (CNN)

...For The Ride Home: The Tonys are this weekend, Jay-Z remixes M.I.A., a day in the life of Hanson and the World Cup begins

Write these words back down!!!! Goodness, four exclamation points. Need to start the weekend off correctly, and it's hard to think of a better way than this classic Thursday tune. "Full Collapse" is one of the great (not good, great) records of the last decade. Still can't understand all the comparisons to Morrissey and The Smiths when they first hit. Silly music critics. Who needs them, right? We bring week 11 to a close with happiness. Why is that, you ask? Two reasons. One, the World Cup has officially kicked off. And two, we saw record numbers again this week. You make our hearts full of love. Love for you, the fantastically attractive reader. The only thing left that this week could offer is an American win tomorrow afternoon (coverage begins at 1:30. Watch it or be deported). Before we can move forward, though, we must offer these links and suggest you take a look at at least two-and-a-half of them. Also, if you'd like to join our conversation on this consistent flow of remade films, we'd love that as well. Either way, enjoy June, share a kiss or two and don't forget, dear, dear friends, love you, miss you.

Mexico had to rally late to draw with South Africa. Almost got excited. France/Uruguay is going to be an awfully interesting match to watch. (ESPN)

Jay-Z remixed M.I.A.’s “XXXO.” Check it out. (On Smash)

Slate wants to find better words to use in social commentary. Words up for discussion: “Tweet” and “Like.” Amen. (Slate)

Somebody says he can make Newsweek profitable again with 18 months. Honestly? (Business Insider)

We tried telling you about Coco and Jack White in Nashville. We tried. (Rolling Stone)

Hanson has been around for 18 years? Holy mmmbop. Neat read, especially if you root for these dudes, kind of like we do. (Popeater)

Angelina Jolie will play Cleopatra in a bio pic. Keep hearing “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” is pretty good. Is it? (CBS 8)

Jan Jones was in a car accident. That’s what you get when you mess around on Don Draper. (Fox News)

The Tonys are this weekend. You ought to give it a glance if you can. Here’s a writer who thinks “American Idiot” has a shot at making some noise. (Los Angeles Times)

Also this weekend? Bonnaroo. If you happen to be in Tennessee this weekend, well, yeah. You get it. (The Celebrity Café)

Your official World Cup prediction/preview post

As the headline reads here, “Only idiots try to predict the World Cup.” That’s why we are going to keep this short. The tournament kicks off Friday, and much like our Double Features, we know it’s hard to find the perfect balance of knowledge, opinion and conciseness, so the following is only done with the thought in mind that this is a mere blog – not a book, column or 2,000 word preview story. Blogs are meant to be short and to the point. So, well, without any further ado, the following is short and to the point. Full disclosure: Don’t spend your hard earned money on these picks. This is, after all, the most unpredictably important event in the world of sport.

Group A: France may be a lock, but that’s about the only thing this group offers that is certain. Even South Africa may have a shot at writing history, playing the role of the host team making it out of group play. While it’s highly unlikely, though, it must be noted that this may be the best worst team of any group. If you don’t want to take the chance, the best advice is to flip a coin for Uruguay and Mexico. The Mexicans are feisty, but you need not forget their play away from home. Too hard to fully believe in them.
Who advances? France, Uruguay.

Group B: Argentina is your lock here, but only because we want to see manager Diego Maradona run naked through the country. A bit of a sleeper pick here is Nigeria, as the country’s squad seems to be coming together at the right time. Greece is good, but being close to home may put Nigeria over the top. Notice how the words “South” and “Korea” weren’t even mentioned.
Who advances? Argentina, Nigeria.

Group C: We may know the answer to this group by Saturday evening. England has some of the world’s most premier footballers, and everything points to the Americans joining the English in the knockout stage. Then again, we saw how awful the United States looked in 2006 when it had the same expectations. But hey, my body didn’t get burned for nothing. It’s fate.
Who advances? United States, England.

Group D: Before injuries, Germany may have been a good pick to win it all. Now, well, at least they are all but promised to get to the round of 16. The rest of this group seems to be up for grabs. Yes, Serbia has been playing well enough lately to garner a 15 world ranking, but Ghana and Australia seem to have other things on their minds. Sure, Ghana may be a bit of a sexy pick here, but you can’t turn your back on the Serbians just yet.
Who advances? Germany, Serbia.

Group E: The Dutch seem to be one of the more lauded picks throughout the entire draw. They are youthful, talented and can score at will. Cameroon has the talent to make a run, but seem to be lacking leadership. The winner of the Denmark/Cameroon match will most certainly be the second team out of this group. Our pick? Cameroon keeps it together on semi home soil.
Who advances? Netherlands, Cameroon.

Group F: Italy looks good. And I mean good. They also have quite possibly the easiest draw in terms of the group stage. If they don’t make it out undefeated, something may be wrong. Paraguay is the clear cut favorite to make it out, but stranger things have happened on the World Cup stage. Hard to pick against one of the most experienced squads in all of the tourney, though.
Who advances? Italy, Paraguay.

Group G: The group of death that doesn’t look nearly as deadly as it once did. North Korea may lose each match by a three goal minimum and Brazil is practically a lock now that the Ivory Coast has lost its best player. That said, who makes it through in the second spot? Well, I think we all know the answer to that question.
Who advances? Brazil, Portugal.

Group H: The favorite to win the entire prize lies here, along with an interesting pair of Chile and Switzerland. Honduras will most likely be a non-factor, but with Spain dominating most every minute they appear on the pitch, the second team out may very well turn into a crap shoot.
Who advances? Spain, Switzerland.

Teams through to the quarterfinals: France, England, Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Semis: England, Netherlands, Germany and Spain.

Finals: Spain over England, 3-1.

Whew. Now the top 50 goals. Ever.

...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)

...For The Ride Home: Steve Nash to work for World Cup, Tom Cruise is likable again and Anna Kendrick

Hello, hello. We kick off week 11 with a short ride. Going to spend the majority of the day on the road, so we needed to make sure we were still able to provide you with a proper send off into the rest of the day. Up top, you will see a commercial for MTV's movie awards that were held last night. The beginning of the show had Tom Cruise recreate his impossibly funny character from "Tropic Thunder," as you will see if you follow a link below. And if you don't want to click the link below, you can play the video above and laugh until you puke. In any case, enjoy the following tidbits, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for one of the last signs of summer. Be good, now.

Swimming with sharks saves lives. There is something inherently wrong with that headline. (CNN)

Can't decide on this outfit from Anna Kendrick. Love her times a gabillion, though. Lifetime pass for "Up In The Air." (TMZ)

Hey, this is neat. Steve Nash will work the World Cup for CBS. (Bleacher Report)

Know we are late on this, but it happened Friday night, and it can't be ignored. The greatest basketball coach to ever live, John Wooden, died. Here is Michael Wilbon's take on the Wizard. (Washington Post)

"Tropic Thunder" is the funniest movie of the last three years. Can't say that enough. Tom Cruise brought his brilliantly funny character to last night's movie awards. Why does he have to be so hatable? (Popeater)

How great is this? Kobe doesn't give a "bleep" about where LeBron James ends up. Fabulous. (Fox Sports)