NFL Playoff Predictions

All season long I have been providing the Suite Spot faithful with weekly recaps of some relevant information and some well, not as relevant. I have provided my weekly Power of 5, enabling men and yes even women to be one step ahead with NFL knowledge.

Well the regular season is over and there is no reason to live in the past and recap anymore... Without further ado, The Suite Spot brings you its first annual NFL playoff prediction blog.

NFC-

1st round

#1 Giants, bye

#2 Panthers, bye

Wild Card Matchups

#4. Arizona vs. #5 Atlanta-- NFC West Champion Cardinals take on a Falcons team that won two more contests than the Card's during the reg. season. Look for this to be a game fueled with High-Octane offense. Arizona's passing game, and Atlanta's balanced attack will make this an exciting three hours Saturday afternoon. Home field will prove the edge for the Cardinals as I have them winning this one in a close shootout.

Arizona

#3 Minnesota vs. #6 Philadelphia-- If the Eagles show up, they will win this game, if the Philadelphia Soul ( the cancelled Arena Football team, sorry Jaws!) shows up then Minnesota has a chance. Adrian Peterson will need to run over 200 yards for the Viks to have any shot. He won't, Eagles Roll on the road big!

Eagles

Divisional Round

#1 Giants vs. #4 Cardinals- Its unfortunate for Arizona, it really is. Geographically unfortunate that is. This team can't win on the road, and above the mason dixon where temperatures get a bit chilly. Arizona won three games on the road- San Fransisco in September- Warm, St. Louis in a dome, and Kurt Warner's old time haven, and at Seattle staying in the same time zone. They will lose this game for this reason. I don't even need to get into how the GGGG-men are a better team.

Giants

#6 Philadelphia vs. #2 Panthers-- This is where the road ends for the Eagles. The O-line and two-headed Carolina running attack will carry the Panthers to victory. I just can't see a team this consistent losing to a team that is anything but consistent. Sure the Eagles have won when they needed to down the stretch, but they did tie the Bengals. If you can't beat the Bengals in regulation, forget about OT, then you won't beat the Panthers.

Panthers

NFC Championship--

Giants vs. Panthers-- Panthers will avenge their OT loss to the Giants in this one and will do what it takes to beat the GGGG-men. The Giants haven't been the same since Plaxico shot himself in the leg, in doing so he took his team down with them. Panthers will be in the Superbowl.

Panthers

AFC-

#1 Titans, bye

#2 Steelers, bye

Wild Card Matchups--

#5 Colts vs. #4 Chargers-- Two hottest teams in football, adrenaline pumping on both benches. So to me it comes down to your leader and how this adrenaline is used effectively and controlled. Peyton Manning vs. Philip Rivers advantage Manning. Peyton will out duel Rivers in this matchup. Colt DE Dwight Freeney will pressure and disrupt the sloth- ike Rivers in the pocket and Peyton will show off his hall of fame caliber skills.

Colts

#6 Ravens vs. #3 Dolphins-- Defense prevails, and Chad Pennington's arm is as weak or weaker than Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's bone marrow. Raven's and rookie QB Joe Flacco win this one, in the most boring of any of the wild card weekend matchups.

Ravens

Divisional Round

#1 Titans vs. #5 Colts-- Colts are too hot, winners of 9 straight, and the Titans are underrated. This is going to be a good game, and Keith Bullock and the Titans will be ready. Unfortunately again I think this game comes down to clutch activity and leadership. Peyton vs. Kerry.. Yikes!! Kerry Collins has been great this year, but they won't have enough defense under the hood to stop this attack. Look for Peyton to open the field up and use TE Dallas Clark a lot in this game.

Colts

#2 Steelers vs. #6 Ravens-- Big Ben suffered a concussion on Sunday and should be ready for the game. Who cares! This isn't the year of Big Ben. This is the year of Joe Flacco, and though he doesn't light up the stat sheet. He has plenty of help on defense. Ray Lewis and the best Safety in the NFL, Ed Reed, are going to walk out of Heinz Field on their way to the AFC Championship game to face the old Baltimore Colts. Oh the Irony!

Ravens

AFC Championship--

Colts vs. Ravens-- Unfortunately for Flacco, all good things come to an end, and though they didn't win the division, the Colts will dismember the Ravens and play for their 2nd Superbowl in three years. I can only see how many endorsement deals are waiting on Peyton's agent's desk. If the Ravens are to have a chance, they will need to blister the colts with solid running through the tackles, the colts are too strong on the ends. I don't see this happening . Colts roll!

Colts

Superbowl-- Colts vs. Panthers

Panthers have been too good this season, and I think this is the year they get their franchise's first ring. They are strong on defense, strong on offense, well coached, and have poise, charisma, and this year more will than any other team. It will be an exciting game, and either Deangelo Williams or Jonathon Stewart will walk away with the Superbowl MVP trophy. The team is that strong and will prove it against a tough colts team. Weeks of preparation are better suited to scheme and stop a passing attack, but when you have linemen and RB's who know how to hit holes, that's just a matter of execution. If you can scheme to stop Peyton's attack and execute and grind out the run game you have what it takes to beat this team. Carolina will do this and walk out of Tampa with the Vince Lombardi trophy!!

Panthers

Pandemic is Contagious

Looking for a last minute gift? The Suite Spot recommends the new board game Pandemic as one of the best and most innovative games to come out in years and the perfect unique holiday gift. The players must cure 4 distinct but equally deadly outbreaks that are rapidly spreading across the globe. The great part about this game is that the players have to work together to find the solution, so playing the game is a fun collaborative experience. It's not all roses and sunshine though, each session of Pandemic is a tense and exciting affair. As the disease spreads organically across the board, the players prospects for winning become increasingly bleak. Even better, the game is really easy to pick up and play, takes only about 45 minutes, and provides a wealth of different game play options and tactics despite its simplicity. The game has been difficult to find for quite awhile now, but has recently been put back into wide circulation. Catch this Pandemic at your local game store for about $30, but you might want to get vaccinated first. 

Looks pretty cool, right?

Don't look cool enough? The Suite Spot officially recommends smoking as the cure for a cool deficiency. You can pick up cigarettes in packs of 20 at most local stores for about $5 a pack. Grab some today!

Shine On!

Feeling blue this holiday season? Between the holidays and the economy, everybody is a bit off their game. One other element that could be affecting you just might be Seasonal Affective Disorder. That's the effect that the winter season has on our mood, particularly if it reoccurs each year. A variety of factors could be the root of the problem, from the cold weather to family stress. The most common cause is the lack of light that we all suffer from this time of year due to staying inside and the shorter periods of daylight. One sure fire way to treat the winter blues is to add more light to your life. Particularly effective are full spectrum lamps. These are lights that produce a true white light that closely resembles the sun's rays as opposed to dim yellow incandescent lamps or overly harsh fluorescent bulbs. An additional benefit is that the light simply looks better than regular lamps so you'll find it easier and more pleasant to read or do other household tasks. I've had one as my desk lamp for years now and I swear by it. Ask for one for Christmas or make it a nice gift for a loved one who could use some cheering up. 

The Wrestler

Mickey Rourke stars as what looks to be a cross between Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Randy "Macho Man" Savage in one of the best and most interesting movies of the year. In fact, if it wasn't for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Wrestler would rank as my clear cut most anticipated movie of the season. That said, a flat footed tie with the Brad Pitt vehicle is nothing to be ashamed of. 

Suite Spot Tip: Don't even look at the Bill Simmons review he posted this week as it includes a spoiler early on that is best left unseen, especially for wrestling fans. You already know the movie is going to own, no need for the review!

This kid is never going to have any friends...

There's a very good chance you may have already seen this since it went crazy viral on the 'net yesterday, but I couldn't resist talking about it. It's hands down the biggest WTF news item I've read in a quite some time.

Nice family photo, huh? Happy parents doting on their adorable 3-year old son. His name?

Adolf Hitler Campbell.

That's right. Young Adolf's parents named him after the infamous German leader because "no one else in the world would have that name." Well... that's true. Or they could just be white supremacists.

The Campbell's story hit the newswire after a local supermarket refused to put the young lad's full name on his birthday cake. I imagine that supermarket will make the same refusal should the Campbell's ever order one of Adolf's two sisters a birthday cake there as well. Their names?

JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell.

Ain't that America?

The cable-free life

$93.16. That was the total of my last Comcast cable bill.  That was September.

Here I am three months later with NO interest in giving them my business again. 

If you are anything like my friends or family, you're probably wondering what prompted this shocking decision.  Why would a man that has had cable for 25 straight years and still enjoys solid TV programming turn away from this American household staple?

Here goes.

The immediate cause was 18 months of frustrating service with Comcast.  Overpriced PPV movies, channel package realignments, and continual rate increases all coupled with crappy customer service got my goat.  The only thing that kept me hanging on was the fact that neither DirectTv nor At&t U-verse were available at my residence.  They still aren't.

The next factor was the rapidly growing availability of legal, mainstream programming on the web.  Hulu, ABC.com, and other sites started streaming high-quality television episodes with limited commercial interruptions at no cost to viewers.  Oh, and did I mention that its being done with better picture quality than standard definition programming?

The tipping point (thanks Malcom) came when nbcsports.com streamed the Beijing Summer Olympics...live! This opened my eyes.  Why couldn't, and why shouldn't, all content be offered via this medium?!  

Give it another year.

Over the past three months I've consumed all of the content a television lover could ever ask for:  

• Live broadcasts of the presidential debates and the resulting SNL parodies
• Live college basketball games of my alma mater
• Live NFL games in their entirety and highlights of every almost sport
• Sitcoms, dramas, reality tv, music videos, cartoons, and late night talk shows
• News
• Films

Give it a chance and save yourself some money.  Pay off some of that credit card debt.  Put an extra gift in someone's stocking.  Here, i'll even help! I only ask that you help me find a way to watch my Yankees come September.

The Suite Spot's Guide to a Cable-Free World

• Hulu.com:  NBC, FOX, Comedy Central, FX, and now films.  Try The Office, House, Arrested Development, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
• ESPN360.com:  Live college basketball/fooball and NBA.  Stick with the college sports.  The NBA is garbage.
• NFL.com:  Thursday and Sunday Night Football
• ABC.com / CBS.com:  Most of their network shows.  Try Lost and Survivor.
• Netflix.com:  Films, TV Series.   Try The Shield, Weeds, Dexter, The Office
• Sprint Phones:  Discovery Channel, NFL Network, NFL Radio, ABC, Music Videos  

UFC 92 Preview/Prediction

It's the biggest card of the year and the UFC is not being shy about it. The Ultimate 2008 features not one, not two, but three Main Event fights on the card and the Suite Spot is here to break it all down for you:

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson 

vs. 

Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva

Who is Rampage Jackson?

He was the funny and likable star of The Ultimate Fighter reality show who laid out UFC poster boy Chuck Liddell and was on the precipice of major crossover fame before losing his title last spring and subsequently leading the LAPD on a chase through the streets (and sidewalks) of the city. He's facing 3 years of jail time if convicted. Still, his powerful strikes and devastating slams make him one of the most dangerous men in the world. 

Notable Wins: Chuck Liddell x2, Dan Henderson, Ricardo Arona

Notable Losses: Wanderlei Silva x2, Shogun Rua, Forrest Griffin, Sakuraba

Who is Wanderlei Silva?

They call him "The Axe Murderer". Do you need to know anything else? Wanderlei (pronounced Van-der-lay) is the former PRIDE Middleweight Champion and 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix tournament winner who basically went 6 years without losing a fight in his weight class. Though a darling of the online fight community, he hasn't quite been the same since Mirko Cro Cop practically kicked his head off in late 2006. His lighning fast knockout of Keith Jardine last spring quieted his critics. Another win against Rampage would put him in line for a title shot. 

Notable Wins: Sakuraba x3, Rampage Jackson x2, Hidehiko Yoshida x2, Dan Henderson

Notable Losses: Tito Ortiz, Mirko Cro Cop, Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell

Breakdown:

Both fighters feature a brutal, aggressive style that begs for a highlight reel knockout. As such, this is probably the most hotly anticipated fight on the card despite not being for a title. Both fighters have something to prove and they'll come out throwing. That said, Wandy holds 2 brutal KO victories over Rampage and that's got to give Jackson pause. Wandy will jump all over any hesitation. 

Silva by knockout in Round 2 

Frank Mir 

vs. 

Antonio Rodrigio "Minotauro" Noguiera

for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship

Who is Frank Mir?

He's the former UFC Heavyweight Champion who is back from serious injuries due to a car crash in 2004. He's had trouble getting back into shape but finally looks to be back to the form that snapped Tim Sylvia's arm. He is enjoying increased fame due to his recent win over Brock Lesner and his coaching stint on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter. He is one of the worlds great submission fighters, especially for a big man. 

Notable Wins: Tim Sylvia, Brock Lesnar, Tank Abbott

Notable Losses: Brandon Vera

Who is Minotauo Noguiera?

The Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion is probably the greatest fighter in the history of MMA this side of Fedor. "Big Nog" has fought and defeated a who's who of MMA and shows no sign of stopping. He showed his coaching chops and gregarious personality on The Ultimate Fighter so his popularity is at an all time high. There is no one tougher in the cage or more dangerous on the ground. 

Notable Wins: Heath Herring x2, Mirko Cro Cop, Josh Barnett, Dan Henderson, Tim Sylvia, Ricco Rodriguez, Mark Coleman, Bob Sapp

Notable Losses: Fedor Emelianenko x2, Josh Barnett, Dan Henderson

Breakdown: 

The winner of this fight will battle Brock Lesner later this year to unify the Heavyweight belt. Both men would relish that chance. These are the two best submission artists in the Heavyweight division, so this one should probably end up as a battle on the ground. Both guys can submit anyone at anytime so it could be over quickly. The Suite Spot believes; however, that this bout will stretch into the later rounds and Mir's conditioning (though much improved) won't hold up to Nog's legendary motor. 

Noguiera retains UFC Interim Heavyweight Title by submission in Round 4. 

"Sugar" Rashad Evans

vs.

Forrest Griffin

for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

Who is Rashad Evans?

He won season 2 of The Ultimate Fighter and is undefeated in 13 fights. A standout wrestler in college, he knocked Chuck Liddell out cold last spring and is also a PC. 

Notable Wins: Chuck Liddell, Michael Bisping, Stephan Bonnar

Notable Losses: none, but controversially drew with Tito Ortiz (many say Tito should have won)

Who is Forrest Griffin?

He is the winner of the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter, thrusting the UFC into the mainstream with his legendary brawl with Stephan Bonner in the finale. He parlayed that notoriety into two straight bouts against the consensus #1 Light Heavyweight fighters in the world (Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson). Forrest emerged victorious in both meetings, snatching the title in the process. His wry sense of humor and relentless fighting style make among the the most popular fighters in the UFC. 

Notable Wins: Rampage Jackson, Shogun Rua, Stephan Bonnar

Notable Losses: Tito Ortiz, Keith Jardine, Dan Severn

Breakdown:

This is just an amazingly even matchup. Evans possesses superior striking power and wrestling while Forrest has the edge in jiu jitsu and stamina. Both are cabable of formulating great gameplans, but I believe that Griffin's trainer Randy Couture's knowledge of wrestling will negate Rashad's greatest advantage. 

Griffin retains UFC Light Heavyweight Title by split decision. 

It all goes down on December 27th from Las Vegas. Enjoy!

NFL Brief-- Week 15

The Playoffs are around the corner, Christmas and Chanukah are also upon us, and teams are shopping for the final playoff spot as we struggle to shop for that final perfect gift. Small sidebar, instead of the mass population trying to be politically correct every year and using the term holiday season for the month of December, lets just call it Christmakah, it is used by few already, has a good ring to it, and satisfies both affiliations without degrading either. Jewish people do believe in Jesus, as just a carpenter, but I'm sure his carpentry skills could create one hell of a Menorah, and yes Christians he would make the oil burn forever if that would make you happy. To be honest in a recession like we are in now, bring on those loaves of bread and endless fish I've read about, we could use it, the second coming couldn't come at a better time. It would help my 401k, feed the hungry, and he would be able to cure Cancer and AIDS, cancer first because you can't do anything about getting it, AIDS second because you should have listened better in 5th grade. Was that a bit of a tangent? (Yes for those of you who think I don't want a cure, I do! Cancer should come first in my opinion!) Where was I? Oh yeah, Football and Playoffs!

NFC- Giants and Arizona have spots wrapped and put under the tree, yet with the way they are playing they are going to be the first ones opened and returned to the store. The Cardinals got smoked by the Vikings, and the Giants look like a college team without having a real running attack since Brandon Jacobs has been hurt. Carolina is the best team in the NFL and should clinch that division. They will beat the Giants next Sunday night. Minnesota looks good in the NFC North. Leaves two wild card spots. I feel the Eagles will win out and take one by having Tampa or Atlanta taking the other, giving either of those teams the other spot. My guess is Atlanta I know a lot of people think I'm done not to include the Cowboys... but that's my opinion and we'll see how it plays out.

AFC- Pitt, Tennessee have it locked, and Denver is very close to doing the same. Leaves the AFC East and 2 wild cards up for grab. The Colts will take one wild card, also watch out for Peyton's team to pull a Giants of last year and win the Superbowl going in as a wild card. AFC east is a mess, three teams dead-locked at 9-5. so many scenarios so I'll keep it short. The Patriots will make the playoffs by winning the AFC east and not because of who is on the field, but who is on the sideline. Coach Belichick will find a way to get his team back to the playoffs

On to this week's Power of 5--

1. Panthers- defense wins, add a running game and strong O-Line you win a lot
2. Steleers- Gutsy win over the Ravens, even if the refs forgot the rules of what constitutes a TD
3. Giants- much like DMX or an old lady, they are Slippin' Fallin' and they can't get up
4. Colts- Yes they are behind Tennessee in their division, but if the two played, Colts would win
5. Tennessee- Kerry Collins has laid off the bottle for the first 12 weeks, maybe he picked it back up

As always, thanks for reading-- comment, become a follower, get involved, http://the-suite-spot.blogspot.com/

Suite Spot Turns 1000

Thanks to all of our readers... keep it up 2000 will come quicker than 1000 did... we appreciate all your support and we hope to only make visiting this blog more of an experience... thanks again-- Herbie, Beardo, Tooms, Keith... The Suite Spot

C.C. Sabathia Run, Run Sabathia Run!

C.C. Sabathia is a hell of a pitcher. The Yankees are in dire need of help at the top of their rotation. As such, they have rewarded C.C. with the largest contract in the history of pitchers, $161 million over 7 years. 

That said, Sabathia is not without question marks. He is pushing 300 pounds, making him among the heaviest players in the history of baseball. He's only 28 years old, but he has averaged nearly 210 innings per year since 2001. That's an ungodly workload and ensures that there's considerable wear and tear on his arm. He's pitched over 500 innings the last 2 years. That alone makes him virtually unsignable for many teams as even the most durable pitchers (Kevin Brown, Pedro Martinez, etc.) break down after that kind of abuse. In addition, he has a lifetime 7.92 ERA in the postseason, and a history of poor performance against the Yankees chief rivals: the Boston Red Sox. 

Nonetheless, the Yankees were under a ton of pressure to get this deal done. They are still smarting from losing Johan Santana (still the absolute best pitcher in the game) to the crosstown Mets. They suffered through a poor year in 2008 due to an aging lineup and lack of depth on the pitching staff, finishing far behind both Boston and Tampa Bay. They absolutely must contend in their first year in the New Yankee Stadium. 

Quite frankly, C.C. Sabathia is a big risk to be rewarded with such a large contract; however, for the Yankees he is a necessary addition. He is likely to be placed on a fitness and conditioning program immediately and his workload will be drastically reduced to protect the huge investment. I am confident that the Yankees will come to rue this monster deal as it winds down, but in 2008 they simply had to pull the trigger. 

Still, the Yankees might not even be the best team in their own city as the acquisition of elite relief pitchers J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez will make the Mets extremely dangerous. Look out for the Mets in 2009! And if Boston locks up Mark Teixeira? Yikes!

NBC takes gamble; gives Leno 10PM slot

After what has seemed like endless speculation about whether or not Jay Leno will stay with NBC once Conan O'Brien takes over The Tonight Show in May 2009, the peacock network dropped a bombshell this week:

Leno is staying and they're moving him to 10PM.

For months, Leno has been taking jabs at NBC on his late-night program and for the most part, it seemed like the supposedly disgruntled host would probably end up on either FOX or ABC as a direct competitor to Conan. Not the case - Leno has changed his tune and seems happy to be staying around. The magnitude of this move is immeasurable. NBC is taking a huge gamble and there are a number of things to consider...

• By moving Leno into the prime-time 10PM slot, NBC is effectively saying good-bye to original programming in that block. No more hour long dramas means NBC saves money. Considering that Sunday Night Football consumes all of its respective night, that means NBC potentially has to program only 8PM to 10PM, five nights a week. That's a mere 10 hours of original programming, 3 or 4 of which are almost assuredly going to be reality shows. This is an entirely new model for the evening TV landscape.
• Despite the fact that Leno is currently a ratings darling, that too may change. Consider what he'll now be going up against - CSI: Miami and CSI: NY are both huge ratings grabbers for CBS and FOX still airs 10PM local news broadcasts on most of its affiliates which often do much better than competitors 11PM broadcasts. Will a traditional late-night audience be around at 10PM?
• More than anything though, this unfortunately speaks directly to NBC's faith in Conan O'Brien. The Late Night host admitted this week that much of his success is owed directly to having Jay Leno as a lead-in and he said he was thrilled for that to continue. Personally I can't see how he could possibly be happy about this since it's sure to hurt his numbers as he tries to gain new fans in May. While it's expected that Conan will bring his sizable viewership numbers with him, he's still a much newer, fresher, and younger host, while Leno's style still hearkens back to the days of Johnny Carson - a style many still prefer. Having Leno continue as Conan's lead-in not only takes away from the monumental transition on The Tonight Show, it practically negates it. You may recall the feud between Letterman and Leno when Carson retired. Granted Leno isn't retiring and that's the point - the average American isn't going to view this as anything other than, "Oh hey, all those shows start an hour earlier." Also, consider this: currently Leno leads right into Conan - a HUGE help. Once the regime change takes place, the 11PM news will be in between them. Will Leno's legion stick around for that 1/2 hour? Number will probably drop off.

Of course, lost in all of this mess is Jimmy Fallon, who's taking over the Late Night seat. What does everyone else think though? Is this move a risk for NBC, or a more-of-the-same safe bet?

NFL Brief- Week 14

Its a good thing I wait until the football week is fully over to write this column. and yes that means staying up till near midnight to watch the Monday nighter. I still don't fully understand why if all primetime TV is driven by the east coast, why must the games start so late. Is it so the east coast can watch the first half but fall asleep before its over, or so that the west coast can get home from work for the second half, and miss how it all started. Games are stories, and we should have the ability to get the setup, the climax and the end of every one. Now I do, but I as others sacrifice sleep which leads to bags under the eyes and other flaws in appearance. I guess that's another argument altogether, but it is apparent that it bothers me. Regardless, this Monday nighter was great. The Carolina RB tandem of Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart teamed up for 299 yards en route to a 38-23 dismantling of the Bucs. Get prepared now, sportscasters will start overusing the saying that is overused every year during December, "Carolina can now control their own destiny." I'm not sure if I like that one as much as "Seal their own fate" but you don't even need to keep your ears remotely open to hear these phrases used in the next three weeks. Ron Jaworski of ESPN said it 10 times in the 4th quarter last night, other's will use their "Jaws" in coming weeks to beat this to a bloody pulp. The fact is, the Panthers (10-3) play the GGGG-Men (11-2) in week 16. They win that game and win out.. they secure home field and a bye throughout the playoffs. There IS still a lot to play for in the remaining 3 weeks. Look at the AFC east if you don't believe me. Three teams at 8-5, divisional matchups still on the table, and with the wildcard most likely to come from another AFC division, winning the east is paramount for the Jets, Patriots, and Dolphins to make the playoffs. Should interesting and equally entertaining!

This weeks power of 5--

1. Giants- Loss to Eagles, but still the best team in the NFL
2. Titans- Decisive victory over the lowly Browns, big tests with Steelers and Colts in weeks 16 and 17
3. Panthers- ~~300 yards on the ground, solid D, big test week 16 vs. GGGGG-Men
4. Steelers- Roethlisberger is an uninspiring/ plain QB who finds a way to win almost every week
5. Colts- its hard not to like a Peyton led team down the stretch

As always thanks for visiting us at The Suite Spot, please comment, tell your friends and get involved!

If Kong is wrong than I don't want to be right

Recently it has surprised me to hear that many have not heard of the superb documentary "King of Kong". This fantastic film is the best documentary of this decade and one of the best films that I've seen in a long time. It documents the battle between longtime Kong Kingpin Billy Mitchell and newcomer Steve Wiebe over the all time high score in Donkey Kong. It may sound silly to you, but this is one of the funniest, most dramatic, and just plain best movies in quite awhile. If you haven't seen it, find another friend who has also missed out and watch it with them. You'll look like you have amazing taste. It'll be our little secret.

OJ Sentenced-- Finally Justice is Served

It took more than 13 years, but finally OJ will be seeing hard time... judge Jackie Clark of the Nevada County Court system delivered a moving speech before giving OJ near max time for his armed robbery and kidnapping incident in Vegas this past October. The Suite Spot would like to know your thoughts on the verdict... Please let us know using by posting a comment. I feel to a point that this gives a percentage of the people who thought he was guilty 13 years ago for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson a sense of relief... OJ is a criminal, and is finally being treated as such.

In his words...

"Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. The Suite Spot is more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first - The Suite Spot or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."

The Stripper from NYC

Friday night June 27, 2008 was not the typical night for me and a few friends. Myself and two guys were out to have a typical guys night out... Pregaming at the crib, watching the Yankees lose, drinking some bud light 40's, making fun of people we know, and deciding where we wanted to head out to. After a few forties were in the tank, we decided to head to an upper east side bar where young, slutty girls, often still in college with fake id's go to score a slightly older man with a job and the ability to pay for her drinks. Girls who start to mature at 24 and by 25 are somehow ready to settle down forgetting that the ages of 18-23 existed, especially if the doctor gave them a thumbs up once annually. The music at this place is conducive to hooking up, 90's and 80's tunes that everyone who is in or has been to college knows every lyric of, and hip-hop that makes these 18-23 year old's bootys shake and grind on each other and us men. Only two of us were allowed to flirt with the vixens on the floor as the others held true to their girlfriends and got drunk looking.

By 4 a.m. we were sauced, mildly successful and ready to head home. We left the bar and hailed a cab. The cabbie proceeded to drive right past our destination two blocks until we finally got dropped off. That was the single best mistake a cab driver has ever made. He deserves more of a tip we gave him to say the least. Walking back up those few blocks we spotted this blond haired woman aged about 23, wearing a short skirt and walking a little dog. Being as drunk as I was, I decided to ask her what kind of dog she had, when hearing it was a Yorkie I noticed a distinct upstate New York accent and told her we had gone to Syracuse. She was from buffalo and right then knowing her for 30 seconds asked us if we cared for a beer. She was too hot to say no, so we headed up to her 4th floor apartment, walked inside the door. She lived alone in this real nice 1 bedroom joint with many instruments spread across her living room. She handed us a few fresh beers and the conversation started...

I asked , "What were doing at 4:30a.m, just walking your dog, or getting out of work?"
"Just got out of work" She said.
"Ahh, where do you bartend?"
"I'm not a bartender!"

Right then and there I smiled, couldn't contain it really, there is only one other profession that I could think of at the time that would keep a girl like this out so late. She must have been a...

"I'm actually a stripper!" She said as she bent down, me and another friend noticed she was not wearing anything underneath her skirt and immediately believed her. She then asked if we cared to do some drugs, she opened a full box of drugs she said she got from her bouncers. You name it, it was in there, pills, pot, snow. Everything was in there. We passed on them and started joking and talking about our night out and how there were some good strippers in the making at the bar we were at. She explained how she was stripping to make enough money to record her own CD, as she was really an aspiring artist trying to make it big in NYC. (We've all heard that at one time or another) By 5:30 a.m I was awake talking to her, one friend was dead asleep, and the other was playing her instruments (musical). She told us where she was stripping at and told us to come by at one time or another as soon as she got done her tour. Her and her co-workers were going on a month long tour to promote the strip club. She gave me her number and said to keep in touch as we were "now neighbors" and when she was done her tour that we'd get together.

We woke up the next day, laughed it off and checked the strip club's website, sure enough the tour was listed and she was the cover girl. She picked up my first phone call and made plans she later cancelled, second call went unanswered. I guess I'll never see this dame again unless I pay for the experience.

NFL Brief- Week 13

Hope every member of The Suite Spot faithful enjoyed their Thanksgiving, ate a lot of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, pies and whatever your favorite dish might be not mentioned. That said, after attacking my second helping of all the fixings I headed to the downstairs of my grandparents house to watch the traditional turkey day Lions game. It took me only 25 years to figure out why they put the Lions on Thanksgiving. Tryptophan folks, tryptophan!!! This amino acid that has been proven to cause drowsiness is the perfect supplement to a healthy nap for any Lions game. When I turned the game on it was the beginning of the second quarter, the score was already 21-3 in favor of Tennessee. I knew the game wouldn't be close, but please at least let me catch up with family I haven't seen for a year before I turn out the lights. The Lions ARE THE TRYPTOPHAN of the NFL, and its a shame that the people who schedule games haven't figured this one out for any part of the last 15 years, maybe they have been in a sleep-induced coma? Maybe I'm mad, or maybe I just want to enjoy football a little more after such a delicious feast.

I don't even want to give Plaxico Burress any ink here, but is it necessary to have a gun in a nightclub, and own it without a permit. Obviously you shouldn't have a gun in your pocket if you don't know that there is a safety button that will prevent it from "accidentally" shooting yourself in the foot. A player like this should be fired forever. If I, working for any other company was caught doing things criminal, my employer would have the right to can me, the NFL should do it right now, fire Plaxico and use this as a precedence. Criminal behavior should be allowed in the NFL as much as O.J. Simpson should have walked. There is no place for it.

On a lighter side--- this week's power of 5

1. Giants- will find a way to win with/without Plax
2. Titans- running game and defense too strong
3. Steelers- Best run D in the league, and a secondary to go with it
4. Panthers- Stewart and Williams proving to be a deadly 1-2 punch at RB
5. Dallas- With Romo back and D getting healthier, watch out

As always please check out the website, http://the-suite-spot.blogspot.com/ and thanks for supporting

A Monopoly on stupidity

Here's a quick way to tell if someone is an annoying and foolish lemming: Ask them if they like the game Monopoly. If they say no, ask them why not? They will almost certainly claim that the game simply takes too long. Then ask them if they play with the "free parking scoops the pot of accumulated taxes and fees rule". They'll say yes and claim that it is how everyone plays. Then you say that it's not actually in the official rules and that people just made that rule up over the years. They'll retort that it makes the game much more fun. Wow.

Really? A game who's duration is solely limited by the amount of money in circulation but is claimed to be too long by all is made more fun by putting more money back in circulation? Amazing.

Monopoly is an expertly crafted game and should be played by its intended rules for optimal fun and duration of play. Do yourself a favor and read the rule book, or if you're one of the aforementioned annoying lemmings, then I'll quickly review the most 3 most ignored ignored Monopoly rules.

1. Free Parking is just that. A free space to park your token for one turn. Nothing happens if you land there. Accept this fact and the world will be a better place.

2. There are 12 Hotels and 32 houses. That's it. If you run out then you can't build anymore. This is one of the most powerful strategies for any but the most basic Monopoly player, but rarely does the common player take advantage of it. Create a housing shortage and dominate.

3. If a property is landed on and the player decided not to purchase it outright, the property then goes up in an open auction for all the players (including the one who initially declined to purchase). This rule ensures that all the properties get purchased in a timely manner and speeds the game up significantly. Brilliant, right? Wrong! It's in the damn rulebook but I've never seen a casual Monopoly game use this rule.

In conclusion, please allow the Parker Brothers to rest in peace by playing their game with the proper rules. You'll have alot more fun and you'll be far less annoying to me. Thank you.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

The Suite Spot wishes you and yours a safe and happy Turkey Day!

The Suite Spot Weekly TV Round-Up: 11/16 to 11/22

I'm about to go on a giant FX rant, so bear with me because right now, it's pretty much the only network on TV where everything is worth watching. In the last Round-Up, I mentioned that both Nip/Tuck and Damages will return in January and dates for premieres have since been announced. Nip/Tuck's WGA Strike-shortened fifth season will resume on Tuesday 1/6 with eight new episodes to go in the season and Damages will follow on the next evening, Wednesday the 7th with its season two premiere. I honestly can't say enough good things about both of these shows and they each deserve your viewership. FX is doing some amazing things for an ad-supported cable network. Check out the latest promo for Nip/Tuck, set to Kanye's "Flashing Lights:"

And speaking of January premieres, ABC has announced that Lost will return a month earlier than expected on Wednesday, January 21st with two new episodes back-to-back. However, the real buzz about the show right now is focusing on the official season five poster released by ABC yesterday. See any clues?

In other ABC news, the alphabet network did some slashing this week and shit-canned three popular, but ratings challenged, series: Dirty Sexy Money, Pushing Daisies, and Eli Stone. All three series were cut short during last year's writer's strike and despite their season two renewals, they just couldn't find an audience. However, one new show is making the grade and ABC has extended freshman drama Life on Mars to a 17 episode order. It's one of the better new shows this season. So check it out and hopefully ABC will give it the back 5 for a full 22.

That's all I got for this week. If you're looking for something good to watch this weekend, then Sunday evening is your night with Entourage (the season five finale) and 24: Redemption (the two hour season seven prequel).

Question of The Day

11 Weeks through the NFL season, The Suite Spot wants to know who you think will play in and win this year's SuperBowl? Let us know!

NFL Brief- Week 11

This week I was fortunate enough to have the Patriots play on Thursday, helping me take a weekend off from the sauce, and to focus only one game at a time. Not the usual Sunday, where I head to my normal drinking establishment, order 16 wings, add an order of onion rings and endless pitchers. I take in 5% of every game, play Buck Hunter Safari buzzed at halftime and sleep like a baby after a full day of pigskin. If that last sentence sounded too manly, there are girls at the bar as well. They may gossip about Saturday night, a few of them bring the Sunday New York Times crossword and focus on that, while a few are die hard fans and get involved in the ruckus and some even play Buck Hunter.

Sounds like a great Sunday right, well maybe the Patriots should play on Sunday day more often not on national TV or in prime time. Save that for when Tom Brady comes back. The Patriots are 6-1 in non-prime time non nationally televised games this year, and 0-3 when they are!
The Patriots lost to the Jets on Thursday night, 34-31 in OT on what was supposed to be Matt Cassel's coming out party. ruined by a flawless effort by Brett Fav-re and a 100yd performance by RB Thomas Jones. The Patriots down 24-6 at one point, came back to tie the game with one second left on what could be the catch of the season. Randy Moss caught a pass sealed with perfection in the northeast corner of the endzone to tie the game with only one tick on the clock, only to lose in OT because of poor zone defense, leaving the middle of the field open for the Jets, ultimately leading to a 30 odd yard FG to propel the Jets into sole possession of 1st place in the AFC East for the first time since 2001.

Elsewhere, the Giants were dominate, running for over 200 yards and crushed the ravens, 30-10.

The Eagles and Bengals tied, yes you can have a tie in the NFL. Is it time for Andy Reid to go, I think so, with 4th and 1 with ~~ 1:30 left in overtime, on their own 40 odd yard line, he punted the football and played for the tie/loss. Now they are 5-4-1, when a win is what they truly need in a tough clustered NFC east division. Andy Reid needs a diet, and a new profession as bad as Toyota needs a new ad campaign. (Can we be saved by something besides zero?)

Power of five:

1. Titans- Gutsy comeback win over the Jags, oh and they are 10-0
2. Giants- I'm pretty sure this team is better than last years super bowl champion team, actually I'm positive
3. Panthers- Two RB's over 100 yards this week, a ground attack comparable to UPS
4. Jets- Gusty win over the Pats, big test this week vs. the Titans
5. Cardinals- Kurt Warner will have two WR's with over 1,000 yds and one of them missed 2.5 games with a broken face.

delicious 4 layer nacho dip -- it's easy

If you're like me then I'm sure you often say, "Man, I could sure go for a delicious and easy to make nacho dip" I think we can all agree that this is a common dilemma. Well fret no longer friends, because we're proud to present the official nacho dip of the Suite Spot. Here's the recipe:

-1 regular size package cream cheese (reduced fat is also ok, but fat free won't work well)

-1 small can of diced green chilies (mild creates the best flavor balance, but go for hot if you're feeling frisky)

-1 two cup bag of grated/shredded cheese (Kraft Mexican blend works well, but any cheddar or jack combo would work nicely)

-1 can chili (vegetarian with beans is the least greasy, but meat can add some good flavor too)

You'll also need a medium-sized and microwave safe casserole dish (one of the regular square ones is good) and something to dip (I prefer Tostitos brand "Scoops" as this is a hearty dish).

Simply spread the cream cheese over the bottom of the casserole dish. Then pour the chili over that, spreading evenly. Next, spread the green chilies evenly. Finally, put the whole bag of cheese on top, covering the surface completely. Pop this into your microwave for 10 minutes at full power and you're in flavor country.  Careful, it's hot!

Sink or Swim

In life’s challenges, we will either sink or swim. Work, sport, game, and politics – they all must end with either success or failure. It’s a harsh but exhilarating fact of life that fuels our competitive nature and keeps us coming back for more.

Outwit, Outlast, Outplay, right Mark Burnett? Survivor's producer couldn't have adopted a better tagline for his hit TV show. But this concept transcends Survivor. We watch bar fights, sporting events, and political campaigns understanding that the competitors will do whatever it takes to win - and there will always be winners and losers. We strive to get accepted into the most prestigious universities and start our careers in Fortune 500 companies to position ourselves for success. This is competition. This is capitalism.

When we lose, we admit defeat. It's back to the drawing board. Sport teams sign free agents, recruit new talent and make trades to get ready for next season. Reality TV rejects return to their normal lives and are sometimes lucky enough to use their recently found fame to pursue new careers. And what about us? What happens when the circumstances cause us to lose our jobs or force us to shut the doors of our businesses? Some seek additional education, some hone their trade skills and polish up their resume, and others explore new ventures.

We we win, we prepare for the challenges ahead - the next season, the next immunity challenge, the next project.

In today's wild financial climate we see unprecedented foreclosures, layoffs, and plummeting 401Ks. Why? In short, banks lent to unqualified borrowers, unions bled corporations, CEOs took exorbitant bonuses, and investors went running scared. Companies like Lehman Brothers, AIG and General Motors failed. For all intensive purposes they should be out of the game. "The Tribe has spoken."

Whether it's AIG, GM, or Fajita Grill, a bailout is unjustifiable. Where's the capitalism? Where's the competition?

Music

Periodically, I’d like to share a few noteworthy musical selections. Along with citing the artist, title, and music video link (if located), I’ll give a reason why I think you need to check it out. Enjoy!




Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show
Because it should have been one of Deadwood’s ending credit themes





Chinese Democracy by GNR
Just because

JCVD is a Knockout!

Jean Claude Van Damme delivers a devestating performance as himself in this semi-autobiographical tour de force. The film has garnered rave reviews across the board and around the world and the Suite Spot would like to join in endorsing it as one of the best films of the year. Kudos to Van Damme for the soul-baring performance and for such a daring career move... not that he had much to lose at this point. Bloodsport it is not, but JCVD is not to be missed!

UFC 91 Preview/Prediction

Huge fight Saturday night at UFC 91 as Heavyweight Champion Randy "The Natural" Couture takes on Brock Lesner. This is a pick'em fight according to odds makers, but the Suite Spot will take a stab at predicting the winner.

Who is Randy Couture?
He's the most beloved and decorated champion in the history of the sport. He retired briefly after being finished by Chuck Liddell 2 years ago but then returned to the Heavyweight ranks to snag the title from a heavily favored Tim Sylvia. He then beat down another heavily favored opponent in Gabriel Gonzaga in his first title defense. Legal issues with the UFC kept Randy out of action for over a year but that's all in the past now. At a remarkable 45 years of age, "The Natural" looks to be in great shape and is ready for a new challenger to his throne.

Who is Brock Lesner?
He's the former WWF Champion whose pedigree includes the 2000 NCAA wrestling title. He left the pro-wrestling biz a few years back to try to tackle the NFL. Though he wowed scouts at the combine, he was eventually cut by the Minnesota Vikings. Since then, Brock has turned his attention to mixed martial arts. His UFC debut was an impressive though ultimately unsuccessful bout with former champion Frank Mir. This was followed closely by an utter domination of PRIDE FC veteran Heath Herring. This win silenced many critics who touted Brock's lack of skill and reliance on brute strength. Still Brock has something to prove and will have to take on all comers, starting with Couture.

How can Randy win?
Randy has more experience in big fights than anyone in the game and his gas tank has yet to be emptied. If he's in any kind of shape resembline his last outing, he'll be able to set a blistering pace that would exhaust Brock after a couple of rounds. Randy is no stranger to 5 round title fights, so one would think that the longer the fight goes the more conditioning will come into play. Randy is also renowned for his ability to formulate and stick to an effective gameplan over the course of his fights. One of his trademarks is imposing his will on his opponents with a combination of clinching up against the fence and brutal wrestling takedowns. That could be easier said then done against the massive Lesner, so look for Randy the change up his game a bit with a stick and move boxing style and judicious use of submissions when the fight inevitably goes to the ground.

How can Brock win?
Lenser is a giant! He will enter the Octagon at well over the 265 weight limit while Couture is a relatively small 220 pounds. In addition to this superior size and strength, Brock is also much faster and more athletic than the elder champion. Brock was able to land a devastating right hand in the opening moments of the Herring bout from which Heath was never able to recover. If he can pull a similar moe against Randy, than it could be much the same story on Saturday night. Look for Lesner to try to smother Couture with mat wrestling as he did against Herring. He'll try to lay on top of Couture in an effort to prematurely exhaust him. If Randy has lost any kind of edge in the past year, this strategy may prove successful.

The Suite Spot believes that Randy Couture will retain his title with a submission in the 4th round. Randy's skill and superior conditioning will prove to be too much for Lesner, but Brock will lay quite the beating on Couture in the meantime. So much so, that Randy may never be quite the same after the fight. Meanwhile, Brock will learn from his war with Couture the things he needs to dominate the UFC's Heaveyweight division for years to come. Enjoy the fight!

Bobbin' for life

If we're not in a merge I think I'm history... even though I teach science. That's a little joke.
-Bob, Survivor Gabon

Bob Crowley is a remarkable man. He's wears every one of his 58 years on his face and yet he competes physically with those at their physical peak. He is clearly devoted to his chosen profession of teaching, yet he is also an accomplished outdoorsman. He has a large and loving family as evidenced by the letters he received from home and he's a friggin' log roll champion!

Then there's Randy Bailey. As self-described in his official bio he's "angry, blunt, mean and sarcastic", and "admits he's a train wreck with no living relatives besides an older brother, from whom he hasn't heard from in years." Wow. Seems like a real winner. However, though he has aged rather poorly in the looks department, he is actually quite the physical specimen given his middle age, regularly equaling or besting the younger cast members in challenges. In addition, he's deftly kept himself safe from tribal council sendoffs with a combination of clever alliances and ingenuity in camp.

Both have seen their best years pass them by yet both succeed in the game. How do they do it? Bob is a machine. Be it in camp or in the challenges, he never stops. You can see this is not just come ruse for the game either, his sinewy body has clearly been put through its paces with years of action and repetition. His natural ability and breadth of skills never fail to amaze. One gets the feeling that Bob would like to win the game as something of a personal test. The money or fame at stake is secondary to the challenge at hand and a loss would be chalked up as an educational experience rather than a disaster.

Randy, on the other hand, plays with a measured style should not be mistaken for lethargy as he has shown to be as strong and agile as any. He is clever and resourceful, as shown with his fashioning of fishing gear from fragments of his glasses. To me, he is reminiscent of a crocodile in that he'll lull you into ease with a lack of activity, then strike in a sudden flurry. His personality around camp certainly turns other off but he makes no apologies for his persona. His competitive spirit has no equal and is that of someone with nothing to lose and something to prove. I believe that he feels that his life would be validated with a win and therefore losing is not an option.

So what can we learn from this? I believe that there are two ways to deal with most situations. The Bob way is to play hard, try your best, and know that even if you fail you can take pride in the fact that you did things the right way. The Randy way is to take an opportunity and grab it by the throat, trying to exploit whatever advantage you can. This could provide an easy path to success, but in the event of failure, you must ask yourself if your course of action was worth it.

These two men are clearly polar opposites in life while producing startlingly similar results in the game of Survivor. The path Randy has chosen is easy to fall into, but results in lots of loneliness, pain, and a resentful attitude towards the world. The path Bob has chosen has left him happy, healthy, and surrounded by loved ones. I respect Bob and envy the honerable way he has lived his live and he is reaping the rewards accordingly. I pity Bob and the fruits of his actions are self-evident.

Think about this when presented with an obstacle in life. While sometimes it may be tempting to choose a Randy-like solution, I think the world would be a better place if more people could channel their inner Bob.

Question of the Day

What is the best rivalry in college sports? Let The Suite Spot know! Name the sport and the teams involved

NFL Brief - Week 10

We all knew a girl from high school that was the queen of the class, a member of the "snob" squad, wore the best clothes, was the head cheerleader, and was dating the captain of the basketball team. Girls wanted to be her, and guys wanted to be with her. Flash forward 5-7 years and she couldn't go to/ finish college because she got pregnant on accident, now has two kids, is married only because of those kids, and that head of the cheerleading team frame looks worn and battered. (Yes I knew someone who did and does fit this description) On the other end of the spectrum, you have the academic, not well taken care of and developed girl who had brains, but lacked social skills, reputation, and looks. Someone who wanted to be involved with the social scene, but was not, and was at times an outcast. But with a little fixer-upper, maybe contacts instead of glasses, a good hair cut, and some confidence, and you have a modern day successful beauty who is laughing at said head cheerleader all the way to the bank. Not to mention she is now being chirped at by all the boys from the basketball team. She's the Laney Boggs of the real world. (If you don't know Laney Boggs, do yourself a favor and watch one of the only decent chick flicks with Rachel Leigh Cook starring in She's all That)

10 weeks into the season, San Diego is the team that peaked in high school. They are 4-5, some had them picked to go to/win the super bowl before the season started. They beat the Chiefs this week by 1 pt, mostly because the Chiefs are as miserable at football as my friend Leo at Buck Hunter. Is Ladanian Tomlinson the next Shaun Alexander, dominate the NFL for 2-3 years and two years later be a free agent looking for a one year deal? Please tell me it isn't so LT! Maybe its time for a new coach in San Diego to motivate these stud players. Oh and they are in the second worst division in football.

Conversely, the Arizona Cardinals is this year's Laney Boggs, a goal line stand to stop them from losing to the 49ers, Kurt Warner in the running for MVP halfway through the season, a WR corps second to none in the NFL, and a flashy new RB in Tim Hightower who has "Edged" out Edgerrin James in only 9 games in the league. Yes they play in a weak division, but when is the last time Arizona hosted a playoff game, I'm not even going to bother wikipedia for the answer! It will happen this year!

This week's Power of 5

1. Titans- Still undefeated still #1
2. Giants- Dominating the most competitive division, is Eli ready to repeat?
3. Panthers- Great defense, and a running game only getting stronger
4. Patriots- learning how to win w/out brady = eating clock like it's Tiramisu
5. Redskins- if Clinton Portis is healthy, they will be dangerous

As always, please post your comments let The Suite Spot know what you're thinking!

What a Time We Live In

In these tough financial times, the plebeian masses can always turn to one singular form of salvation: the Dollar Value Menu. Where else but this latter-day horn of plenty can one gorge oneself for so little money. As recently as the mid 90's, a double cheeseburger from McDonald's would cost you upwards of $3. Now it is only a buck. Factoring in inflation, the savings are obscene. So while the price of everything seems to be going up while wages stagnate and the market crashes, find solace in an American classic... for just a dollar.

The Suite Spot Weekly TV Round-Up: 11/2 - 11/8

Welcome to the newest weekly column here at The Suite Spot, where I'll be bringing to you the week in TV. A sort of "in case you missed it" crash course covering anything boob-tube related. If it's on TV, then I probably watch it.

If you have any sense of television history, then you've probably heard of a little cartoon called The Simpsons. This past Sunday marked the show's 19th "Treehouse of Horror" special, and while I personally think they usually suck, this one had an extremely relevant highlight - a spoof on the Emmy winning/critically-acclaimed AMC drama Mad Men. If you aren't watching this show, you should be. Now. Anyway, The Simpsons beautifully re-created the entire opening sequence (frame for frame) from Mad Men. Take a look:



Moving on to Monday night Prison Break made an effort to shake things up a bit by killing off original cast member Brad Bellick (played by Wade Williams, pictured above). This entire season has been much better as the show has been re-created into a heist drama, but Bellick's presence has been a non-factor. The idiotic redneck we grew to love over the first three seasons has played no role in this season's machinations and frankly, it seems to me that his death was inevitable from the get-go. I don't see it impacting the remainder of the season at all.

On to Tuesday night, nothing new was on save for the Presidential Election, which brings me right into Wednesday night. Anyone still watching South Park? For the most part, I try to catch it, but it's hard to figure out when episodes are new since seasons always tend to take off months at a time. However, I caught this one and I'm glad I did. Kudos to Matt Stone and Trey Parker because they must have worked their asses off following the announcement of Obama winning late Tuesday night. The duo re-cut the entire episode all day Wednesday, even going so far as to included exact phrasing from Obama's acceptance speech into the episode. While it's clear that much of the episode is ambiguous and would have worked had McCain pulled off a victory, it's still impressive to think that whole chunks of the episode were prepped mere hours before it aired. You can see the whole episode at South Park Studios.

Also on Wednesday night, FX freshman drama Sons of Anarchy continued with its trend of getting better and better each week. Embroiled in a cat and mouse game with the ATF, I'm really looking forward to see how Clay and Jax can get SAMCRO out of this mess. I'm especially impressed with Agent Stahl (Ally Walker, pictured). She's been relentless in her pursuit of the club, but after her run-in with Otto at prison, I don't see it ending the way she wants. In other FX news, the network announced this week that both Nip/Tuck and Damages will return in January. Here's the latest promo for Damages:

Moving on to Thursday night and Grey's Anatomy, ABC suits dropped a bombshell this week when they announced that last night's episode, "Rise Up," would be Brooke Smith's last. Apparently execs at the Alphabet network weren't too happy about Erica's (Smith) lesbian storyline with fellow doc Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez). Personally, I didn't care for the plot too much either but it is November sweeps. However, was it really necessary to fire Smith? Anyone else see it? To be honest, her exit wasn't too bad. Considering everything that happened (her lesbian epiphany coupled with Callie's reluctance and the whole Denny Duquette mess), I thought it made sense.

One parting shot - FOX released its mid-season schedule this week, and after a year of delays, 24 is finally scheduled to return with its seventh season with the traditional two night, four hour premiere on Sun. 1/11 and Mon. 1/12. In case you haven't seen it yet, here's the latest promo:

So what does everyone think? Good column? Let The Suite Spot know in the comments! Especially if there's something big you think I missed!

Question of the Day

This year it is probable that one of the two best college football teams does not play for the championship. How do we solve the BCS conundrum?? Let The Suite Spot!!

NFL Brief- Week 9

Gonna make this one quick today as everyone should be out voting, and watching the precincts report, percent by percent.

Small sidebar, but why is 47% reporting so much more exciting than 46% reporting. I find it extremely exciting but I don't even know why. I will rush back and forth from the TV tonight making dinner just to make sure I don't miss that extra percent, call it kiddish, or maybe I have ADD, but I watch for the extra percent.
Anyways...

Quote from a basketball teammate of mine last night during a timeout, " Okay guys, lets treat this like McCain and the election, according to the polls we're down 15 and our time is running out, lets comeback and win this thing."

Maybe that's what Marvin Lewis said before the Bengals picked up their first win of the season, my guess it sounded a little more like, "Guys if you do like me at all, try harder so I can have a job a little bit longer." Whatever variation was said, the Bengals upset the under-performing Jaguars to pick up their first win of the season. It was good to see the lowly Bengals get a win, only to have the coach start talking about making a playoff run. Lewis said in the post game, if we win out guys, we have a shot at the wild card. Are you kidding me? I also have a shot at having child with Britney, but the chances are as slim as the Olsen twins. But you can't fault optimism, you can only appreciate it... to a point!

Elsewhere a distinction between the league's elite and the wannabes is becoming clearer after week9. Leads us to this week's Power of 5.

1. Titans- Learning how to win close games helps win Superbowls 19-16 OT win vs. Packers. Being undefeated halfway through the season lands you #1
2. Giants- Dismantling of the Cowboys last week, big test next week on the road vs. the red hot E-A-G-L-E-S
3. Panthers- Idle last week, here's hoping no- one got in a late night incident after leaving any form of a club
4. Steelers- Big Ben hurt, Parker hurt, Miller hurt, Defense, healthy as a mule!
5. Cardinals- Yes that's right, Cardinals. Don't look now, but Kurt Warner is a valid MVP candidate

As always, you can read more at The Suite Spot, http://the-suite-spot.blogspot.com/ comment, become a follower, make it a website you visit daily!

Question of the Day

Sticking with the food theme, Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch Doritios? Let the Suite Spot know!

Time for Some campaignin

JibJab.com provides this hilarious video about our candidates...

http://sendables.jibjab.com/sendables/1191/time_for_some_campaignin#

Enjoy, The Suite Spot

Question of the Day

Favorite type of girl scout cookie? Just ate a Thin Mint and it was tasty... let the Suite Spot know!

NFL Brief- Week 8

NFL Brief Week 8

You know when you get that really bad hangover, the one that doesn't go away after one day one. The one that drags for a few days maybe even a week. Your body just feels lethargic, your mind empty, and your motivation in shambles. That's what we call a bender, when you can't rebound after a one day hangover, you are experiencing a bender, all the bread and carbs can't help you, only time. The Lions and Bengals have been on a bender since Sep. 7th. Sure they've both had there fair share of "shots". Bengals QB Carson Palmer is hurt leaving them with a backup from Harvard, oops. The Lions traded their #1 WR in Roy Williams to the Cowboys. At least Detroit tried to build for the future by taking three top round picks from Dallas in this trade, but their senior management only drafts WR's and doesn't realize there are other positions that help teams win games. What good is a RB after all if he has no Offensive line/ TE to block for him.
The Lions defense shows up absent on the attendance card, and the Bengals D plays like a first grader who gets held back because his skills don't improve to a second grade level. Ask the Titans why they are 7-0, because they play tough defense which creates turnovers and/or good starting field position. They have allowed a league low 87 pts this season compared to Cinci's league high 217 and Detroits 212.

There is a chance, and a good one at that these two teams go defeated for the entire season.
Lions remaining schedule- @ Bears, Jags, @ Panthers, Bucs, Titans, Vikings, @ Colts, Saints, @ Packers
Bengals remaining schedule- Jags, Eagles, @ Steelers, Ravens, @ Colts, Redskins, @ Browns, Chiefs

Its a shame the Bengals play the Chiefs the last game of the season, because if they didn't Rodger Goodell should have cancelled the Lions Vs. Packers and Bengals game and had first ever "Toilet Bowl" between the Lions and Bengals. It would be the only time anyone might tune in ON PURPOSE to watch these teams play. A few days ago my blog, http://the-suite-spot.blogspot.com/, I asked which team will win a game first, Lions or Bengals, and this response was classic: "Lions. According to wikipedia, a lion would kick the crap out of a Bengal. Thus, the hapless lions get my vote."

Who says long snappers aren't important- Did anyone watch the Giants vs. Steelers game on Sunday, the highly touted matchup of the 5-1's. Where Steelers long snapper Greg Warren tore his ACL, backup snapper goofed the snap on an ensuing punt leading to a game tying safety, and subsequent TD helping the GGGGG-men Steel the game from Pittsburgh, 21-14. Next time someone tells me a bullpen catcher isn't important....

Undefeated team- Titans
Defeated only teams- Lions, Bengals

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Fashion Faux Pax

Last night I went to a Coldplay concert... solid show by the way. A lot better live than on a studio cut album. Either way, I tailgated pretty heavy, enjoyed a few frothy adult beverages. Drank the finest of beer in Pabst Blue Ribbon. (Hey it is good after the 3rd one or so) Was hand-fed a few Doritos and Svedka shots and proceeded into the show. After enjoying the show, we headed back to the car where I had a chicken cheddar sandwich from Lenny's (a delectable NYC sambo shop) waiting for me to devour and help cure what was to be and is a daring hangover. So I forgot to eat the sandwich, woke up a bit buzzed for work, threw on my black dress pants, arrived at work only to have a co-worker tell me I was wearing navy blue socks. I guess you can never be to careful or sober for that matter.