5 on 5 Roundtable Smacketology: Grantland's "The Wire" March Madness Bracket

Grantland.com attempted a great idea today by merging two of the greatest ideas of all time, the Wire and bracketology. However, as all Wire fans know the process of selecting the top characters and attempting to put them in a bracket is going to vary drastically based on the panel. We have gathered 5 huge Wire fans to offer their breakdown and analysis of the bracket by answering 5 big questions. The following panel consists of Sean Bair, Nate Grefe, Abraham Kim, Saar Ziv and Jake Rainwater. Several of the panelists gave some quick insights before taking on this arduous and rather delicate task. To check out the bracket and Grantland article, click here.

Nate: I am a long-time Wire fan, and a huge fan of this Smacketology idea. When ranking something, it is important to clarify what the conditions or values are, and Grantland conveniently fails to mention any criteria. What makes a “top character”? It will be difficult to impossible to eliminate your personal preferences, but you have to do your best to be impartial. I am trying to make my judgments based on what the character brought to The Wire, and not just how much he was onscreen. I’m much more interested in the part they play in the themes or messages of the show, and the general depth or progression of the character.

Saar: Started following the show about 5 years ago and have watched every season multiple times since. In my analysis of the show I probably give a little too much weight to the broader impact of each character and the aspects of society they were meant to portray, rather than take them for their entertainment value, but with a show like The Wire its hard not to do so.

Sean: Alright, so this bracket truly merges two of my favorite things in the Wire and March Madness. That said the focus here may be on the Wire, but I am considering the basics of college basketball when analyzing this bracket. Also, big ups to Poot who I really wish I could’ve argued would win the NIT with a clean conscious. Alright, lets get it…

1. What is your biggest gripe with the seeding of the bracket?

Abe: I had a few problems with the the port region. First, all the match ups consist of one person from the street against a taxpayer or POlice. Second, as much as I love Avon (my second favorite character in the Wire. 'WEST SiDE'), he has the easiest road to the Final Four. Do you really think Avon will lose to Dukie in the Sweet 16 and then Colvin in the Elite 8? GTFO of here. Give Avon a challenge at least. "Fuck them East Side BITCHES."

I don't even understand why Cheese Wagstaff is even in the Smacketology. Omar should be the only "dead" #1 seed. Marlo definitely got screwed, he is hands down the #1 seed in the East not Stringer Bell. The McNulty vs Daniels match up is too early I would have expected that at least in the sweet 16. McNulty is a 2-seed with his drinking alone ("What the fuck did i do?"). SHIEEEETTT Davis ain't a 2-seed. And Wallace? Come on, he's a snitch who tried to come back to the game. He shouldn't be even ranked.

Saar: I think the biggest problem with Grantland’s seeding is that they didn’t give enough consideration to what the characters represented and to their complexity, focusing too often on the character’s likeability or controversial nature. The best example of this to me is Clay Davis receiving a 2-seed; while there is no doubt Clay is an important part of the show, portraying the sleaziness of city politics, it is almost comical to me to have him on the same line as Michael and Marlo, and I would say he got that seed almost exclusively based upon the way he says a certain four letter word. Bunk as a 1-seed, Prop Joe as a 2, and Snoop as a 3 also fall into this category of being overrated for how likeable/memorable they are.


Jake: In general, the brackets are lopsided. I don’t know whose package the Grantland staff was copping from but it certainly wasn’t that WMD! The biggest problem is that 5 of my favorite characters find themselves in the East Baltimore Region. Elsewhere, Bubbles got a raw deal with a 7 seed. To me it seems the bracket was set up to give this sympathetic character a nice story with an upset over the number 2 seed Clay Davis who should be no higher than a 5 seed. We follow Bubs through his ups and mostly downs through five seasons. In season 4 we find him at the complete bottom, ending with his attempted suicide and breakdown after he accidentally killed Sherrod. I love how he finally overcomes his addiction in Season 5 and gives the Wire its most heartfelt and uplifting story line. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7qisQrpqUE Him walking up the basement steps and joining his Sister for dinner seems like one of those March Madness moments when that impossible upset happens. The only thing missing is Gus Johnson.

I think the biggest match up that happens too early is Wee Bay(4) vs Lester(5). Wee Bay is one of my favorite Wire characters and utters one of my favorite lines, "Fuck it then, For a pit sandwich and some tater salad I'll go a few more murders.". Also his showdown with his wife De'Londa at the end of season 4 is one of my favorite scenes in Wire history. It just seems a little unfair that a character who really only appears in Season 1 gets a higher seed than Cool Lester Smooth, who is a prominent character in every season and could easily be a 2 seed. Lester advances to the sweet sixteen.

Sean: I had the pleasure of hearing about this idea before I saw the actual seeding. Instantly my mind was racing with potential characters that were poised to make deep runs and characters I thought were incredibly overrated and vulnerable. Checking out the East Baltimore region.. Are you kidding me?!? Seeds 1-4 could all easily make the final four. Wee-bay and Bodie were the two characters I thought were a lock to knock off most higher seeds and they have to get through Stringer and Marlo respectively. I cannot imagine what those two would do in the Hamsterdam quadrant against the likes of Bunk, Clay Davis, and McNulty (Hamsterdam is so weak that I got Wallace coming out as a four seed, more on that later). That said its either “play, or get played” and I know neither Wee-bay nor Bodie backing down from shit.

Nate: First of all, I think the seeding is generally poorly done, and it particularly harms The Ports and East Baltimore, but for different reasons. The Ports is the weakest of the four branches, confounded by Pryzbo, Dukie, Carcetti, and Serge all being wildly over-ranked. Yes, that means Pryzbo wouldn’t be ranked. Exactly. If the bracket favors anyone it has to be Avon, who has no competition coming out of The Ports. On the other hand, East Bodymore is full of tough matchups. The 1,2,3 of Stringer, Marlo, Bodie in one pool is simply awful planning, and I see little to no separation between those three. The root of this problem is Bodie’s 3 seed, where he deserves a 2 spot over, say, Clay Davis or Michael, and is leagues ahead of the other #3’s. Street legends Bodie and Marlo are outstanding characters and deserve better than meeting in a Sweet 16 matchup. Shame to see either exit so early.

“You know what the most dangerous thing in America is, right?” Well, it’s not Brother Mouzone, not going up against the Bunk. It’s a shame though; Mouzone should have been higher than an 8 seed, which would’ve earned him a more favorable matchup.

The single biggest ranking error is Bubbles at a 7 seed, and he should trounce the over-rated Clay Davis. Maybe those two should have switched seeds…

2. Who wins the NIT bracket?

Jake: My final 4 for the NIT bracket includes Slim Charles, Ellis Carver, Gus and The Greek. The fact that these characters were left off the bracket is a criminal offense. In the bracket, Gus and the Greek are one-season characters that simply can’t match with the always evolving and well rounded talents of Slim and Carver. I love Carver because of his development from idiot western district cop to his Daniels/Bunny Colvin type rise in the force. You really see his transformation complete when he makes the call reporting his own officer Colicchio on an incident. One of my favorite lines, “Then I’m a rat.” But Slim emerges as the winner in the NIT bracket who stole every scene he was in. On a Sunday morning!

Sean: An interesting question, but I got to go with the constantly underrated Ellis Carver. I was appalled to see minimal characters such as Brother Mouzone and Ziggy Sabotka get the nod over him and with Herc making the bracket I don’t understand how he was possibly left out of the final 32. Not only does Carver offer five seasons as a major character with great comic relief, but he develops more as a person than any other character. From the immature, “western district way” cop who was ready beat the hoppers longer and harder than they beat their own dick, to the man punching the shit out of his steering wheel after Randy is placed in the group, home the selection committee should be shamed for this decision. Picking anyone else to win the NIT is simply a lie, and I’m not willing to fight on that lie.

Saar: To me the exclusions of Slim Charles and Randy are borderline criminal, especially since those two are among my favorites outside of the main characters, but I think its hard to argue against Carver in the NIT bracket. As one of the characters to have a considerable role in each of the five seasons, Carver has ‘seen some shit’ over the duration of the show, and his character development as a career minded officer adds a lot to the police department aspect of the show. Carver is also one of the more likeable police in the show due to his fair and considerate treatment of the corner boys and the people of the city.


Nate: “Once you in it, you in it.” So how did this man among boys not get in it? We all know who the winner of the left-offs is: Slim Charles.

Other notable tournament castoffs? How do you have Serge and Ziggy (ugh) going to the show but leave off their better, more interesting halves, the Greek and Nicky? Also, I’m shocked that Butchie and Carver get left off over the likes of Levy and Rawls.

In terms of NIT play, Slim Charles is the clear 1, but his competition (tougher than most might think) is Randy. Randy’s outburst in the hospital, post-arson, is the most heartbreaking scene in any of The Wire’s 5 seasons, and it’s criminal that he and Slim aren’t fighting for a spot in the Elite 8. Take the 4-5 matchup in Ports: Carcetti and Dukie? Really? Slim Charles and Randy clearly belong over those two.

Abe: This is easy but let me give you the championship round. Slim Charles vs. Jay Landsman.

Slim Charles: The Barksdale Organizations new muscle once Wee-Bay goes to jail. I still don't understand why Cheese Wagstaff is in the tournament when Slim capped his ass.

"The game the same. Just got more fierce"

"If it's a lie, we fight on that lie."

Jay Landsman: One of the clear cut funniest characters on the Wire. If he isn't reading porno mags, he is always up on McNulty and Bunks shit. Although he works under Rawls, he respects good POlice and talent. So many classic quotes I can't pick one but here's one from season 1 I remembered and went back to find.

(Looking at McNulty and Bunk) "Look at them, Cole. Don't it make your dick bust concrete to be in the same room with two noble, selfless public servants?"

Winner: Landsman

3. What is your tightest matchup?

Sean: Bodie v Marlo is a really tough one. Marlo was ruthlessly perfect and you had to respect his obsession with his own respect, but for me the toughest call was Michael v. Omar. Omar really does have it all. The whole Robin Hood concept is brilliant, but the show is almost written for the guy. If you think about his quotes it is almost unfair. However, there are no real Omar Littles in the world (even though he is based on 3 or 4 different stick up artists). That said, I do buy Michael as a 100% potentially real person. I really do not need to explain to anyone how great Omar is so I’ll just highlight things that for me make Michael greater. Michael is a great brother. This might be the older brother in me, but Michael thinking of Bug before anyone else in the world is priceless (sorry Omar, but I don’t love light skin gay dudes). Michael doesn’t mess with that “owing niggas for shit.” He plays it tight and for himself. No handouts needed. Lastly, Michael is smart as sin and I would say equally smart as Omar. He sees Snoop coming and takes care of it then realizes he can make it happen as the next Omar. And for those saying Michael is just a boy that can’t hang I think he’d kindly respond with “That’s just your knee.”

Saar: It is an absolute travesty to me that Bodie and Marlo have to face each other in the second round, which is easily the tightest matchup for me; that could easily be a final four matchup if I were making the seeds. Other tight ones are Michael vs. Omar in the West region final, Wallace vs. McNulty in the Hamsterdam final, and Stringer vs. Marlo in the East final.

Nate: The way I see it, there are two first-round matchups that present the opportunity for late drama. Wee-Bey vs. Lester is probably the toughest initial matchup, and I think these are the two closest opponents, despite radically different styles. Expect OT in this East Bmore battle. The other close call is going to be D’Angelo and Snoop, a brutal first rounder. I'm a huge D'Angelo fan and I think sometimes people forget what a tough character he was in the first season.

Avon won’t break a sweat on his way to the Final Four, but Stringer’s gonna be looking like Ewing in the fourth quarter when he has to face whoever survives the clash of the titans: Bodie vs. Marlo. I can’t overemphasize the enormity of this matchup, probably the tightest in the tourney.

Other predicted slugfests include a meeting of the gentle giants, D’Angelo and Michael, and Bunk vs. Bubbles in the Elite 8.

Abe: Hands down Cutty vs. Chris in the West Baltimore Region. This is way too tough for me. Cutty and Chris are both in my top 15 of favorite wire characters and are fairly close to each other too (12 and 13 respectively) and to have them match as the 4th and 5th seed? Too hard.

Cutty was a soldier. Straight muscle back in the day in West Baltimore. After having a stint in jail and getting out, he goes back to the game for a little bit but it's not the same for him and gets out. He starts his own gym and lives a life getting hoppers off the streets and into the ring.

"The game ain't in me no more none of it."

Chris is soldier. One of the more ruthless killers in the Marlo Stanfield Organization and maybe all of Baltimore. He is smart, collective and always a step ahead of the competition. He emphasizes the importance of family/organization to Michael. The thing I love most about Chris is how he shows compassion for Michael, trains and schools him to be a soldier of the game. It makes you believe that even behind the ruthlessness he is human.

"When you with us, you with us. Just like we be with you"

"You never want to be the last man to a party, you feel me?"

"You can look him in the eye now... No matter who he is or what he done you look him right in the eye."

This is too hard like the 6 OT game Uconn vs. Syracuse on March 12, 2009.

Jake: Tightest first round match up has to be Chris Partlow(4) vs. Cutty(5). Classic first round barn burner that comes down to the final seconds. While Partlow controls most of the game with his flashy play, Cutty sinks his free throws at the end and wins this tough first round match up as the more well rounded and complicated/conflicted character. “Any man still standing at the end of the round, you can't call him soft. That's a rule, a'right?”

4. What based on the seeding is your biggest upset?

Nate: Judging upsets has to be based completely on seeding, regardless of whether you agree with the ranking or not. Bubbles(7) will easily best Clay Davis(2) in the first round. I also see D’Angelo(6) eeking it out over Snoop(3). That leads to D’Angelo vs. Michael, which should be a match for the ages, and I will go out on a limb and say that #6 edges out #2, D over Michael, powered by his Gatsby interpretation.

Reginald Cousins, 2012’s Cinderella story, will surge from his lowly 7 seed to meet Bunk in the third Round and will defeat his portly opponent, advancing to the Final Four.

If you don’t consider Bubbles perseverance a huge upset, consider my last pick for possible upset: Bodie over Stringer. I see Bodie’s depth overtaking Marlo in the earlier rounds and I think his evolution as a character should push him past Stringer. To be honest I think vote-wise this is very unlikely, and some might say not even a contest, but what would hometown hero Preston Broadus say? “I don’t give a fuck. I’m right here.” R.I.P.

Jake: Based on seeding, Bubbles is an almost sure upset over Clay Davis. I also like D'Angelo upsetting Snoop in the first round. I like all 5 seeds to upset in the first round except Wallace who will hold seed against Levy even though both characters are vastly over seeded. In the second round, I like Bubbles to continue his run and upset 3 seed Jimmy McNulty. I also like both 3 seeds on the right side of the bracket. Look for Bodie to upset Marlo and Bunny Colvin to take out Prop Joe.

Sean: Personally I think Prop Joe and Major Colvin are two of the weakest 2 and 3 seeds. That said Serge has always been a dark horse for me and I have him knocking them both off before eventually falling to Avon. I mean Prop Joe openly refers to him as “my nigga,” it really doesn’t get better than that. The man who took care of the Greek’s dirty work was as hard if not harder than any of the muscle bred in Baltimore, just look here. Disciplined and rock solid, he is the model lieutenant for any of these organizations. Serge’s knock is that he only plays a minimal role after the second season, but that role is still phenomenal. As seen here

Abe: Davis has his moments but the #7 Bubbles over #2 Davis. Bubbles was apart of the street. He has been through it all. Rehab, relapse, being an informant for Major Crimes. Bubbles was a hustler finding ways to make a dollar into two dollars. And by the end of the show, he's clean far from the crazy lifestyle you first meet him in.

"Thin line tween heaven and here."

"Much obliged..."

"Ain't no shame holding on the grief, as long as you make room for other things too."

I wouldn't call this next match up an upset but because Grantland decided to make Lester Freamon a 5th seed: #5 Freamon over #1 Stringer in the Sweet 16 of the East Baltimore Region. I'll be honest, all the other #1 seeds will make the Final Four except Stringer. Freamon is what Landsman calls, "Natural Police." After spending years in the Pawnshop unit, Freamon begins to demonstrate his true skills as "Natural Police," in Cedric's unit. If he isn't listening in on a wiretap, he's polishing miniature dollhouse furniture. He is relentless, like McNulty, in following any lead, paper trail, wiretap, etc. He is an teacher to the younger generation of detectives. This is easy Freamon over Stringer.

"Same fuck-ups in the same shit detail, workin' out of the same shithouse kind of office. You people lack personal growth, you know that."

"I don't want to go to no dance unless I can rub some tit."

"It's the shit that happens while you're waiting for moments that never come."

Saar: My biggest upset pick is Frank Sobotka making it to the final of the Ports region. Frank to me is one of the most underrated characters in the whole show, while I understand that him being in only one season limits his potential, I also think that he stood for a lot more than his opponents Prop Joe and Bunny Colvin, and his quote “they used to make shit in this country, build shit” is one of my favorites.

5. Who you got winning it all?

Sean: Who you got winning it all?Final Four—
• Westside—Michael Lee
• The Docks—Avon Barkesdale
• Hamsterdam—Wallace
• East Baltimore—Bodie
Finals—Avon v Bodie
GOAT—Bodie“This game is rigged man. We like them little bitches on the chessboard.” It is my favorite quote from all five seasons and it is the reason Bodie is the greatest to me. The Wire is incredibly complex, but the concept that Bodie can play the game “perfect” and lose brought me to tears. This dude just lived in the street. Boys Village? Joke. Jail post Hamsterdam? Joke. Check his grandmothers? Joke. Busted for kicking the cop car? Joke. That “off-brand bull shit” couldn’t hold him because he was just too raw for anything but West Baltimore. Started off as a recklessly violent youngster slingin for D, I liked him from day one. Bodie was just built for the game and couldn’t win. The thing was even though Bodie was “just a gangster” I couldn’t stop agreeing with him. Through his rise in the Barkesdale organization he did everything the right way all the time. I mean by season four he was legitimately the moral voice of the show against Marlo. True to his people and true to the game Bodie will always be not only my favorite, but the greatest character in Wire history. RIP. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFUBJ6j1h8I&feature=related

Saar: I have Bodie beating out McNulty and Omar beating Avon (again) to make the final. This sets up a finals matchup of the two most street tested characters in the whole show, which I have Bodie winning by a slim margin. I understand that Bodie as the best Wire character might seem a bit crazy to some, but to me he embodies what the show is about better than any other single character. As a character Bodie has all the credentials of a champion; he is present from beginning to end, beating the odds by surviving through years in the game, his street-smarts, ambition, and toughness make him the ultimate soldier, and his distinctly Baltimore ways make him impossible to dislike. But what sets Bodie apart to me, is the fact that his story is the ultimate story of inner city life, and through Bodie we are able to experience the streets and learn firsthand the harsh realities that accompany inner city life in America.

Abe: My final four is obvious: Omar, Avon, Bunk and... Lester. Lester just beats out Marlo in double OT with a 4-point play.

The Championship round? Omar vs. Bunk. No Lester... No, its Bunk. Its ironic though Omar vs Bunk: two african americans who grew up in West Baltimore. Both attended Edmondson High. One is a gay gangster who never curses and abides by a code. He robs drug dealers. As some fans call him, "a modern day robin hood." Another is an alcohol abusing, cigar smoking "Murda" police who, generally throughout the show, works most murder cases alone and is fairly independent. Two people on the opposite sides of the law who seem to have a growing relationship throughout the five seasons.

Omar: "Don't get it twisted I do some dirt too but I ain't put my gun on nobody who was apart of the game..."

Bunk: "A man must have a code."

Omar: "Oh no doubt."

Winner: who else? Omar Little.

Jake: My final 4 is Omar(1), Bunk(1), Avon(1) and Bodie(3). As much as I love Avon and want to pick him to win the whole thing, I think Omar is one of those all time TV characters and the true lasting image of the show. When the President says you are his favorite character that goes a long way. But at the end of the day, “the street is the street, always.” Don't matter to Omar if this a Barksdale joint or not. Omar over Bodie for the win.

Nate: My Final Four will consist of Omar, Avon, Bubbles, and Bodie. I sincerely hope that Bunk is not selected over Bubbles, for while Bunk is a great character who brings passion and comedic relief to the show, Bubbles is on a whole other level. Bubbles’ struggles, both on the streets and mentally, are a constant reminder of the effects of the drug trade and addiction at an individual level.

I think that Bodie and Stringer are incredibly close in terms of importance to the show, and while Stringer gave some fantastic speeches Bodie, lives the game. The growth and influence of his character are unparalleled in The Wire and his attitude and wit add surprising and exciting elements.

So, from bottom to top:

4th Place: The game comes to a halt as Avon swaggers across the diamond and into the 4 spot. Second biggest thug in the game behind one Marlo Stanfield.

3rd Place: Bodie cements his position in the top 3, forever fuckin with the police and holding down his corner

2nd Place: The Bubbles Depot is open for business. He and Omar are the most unique characters in the show, and Bubbles’ overall depth is astounding.

1st Place: Omar comin’. Omar Little is the most recognizable character from The Wire probably most relatable man ever to pull off a rip and run. It's hard to describe just why he's so great, or why he beat out all the other deserving candidates, but if you've seen the show, you just know. A modern day Robin Hood, Omar is one of the strongest, most unique characters ever created for television, and he is unquestionably and forever the greatest Wire character.

And finally we have two bonus questions

6. Why don't you think that Stringer Bell is deserving of a Number 1 seed?

Abe: Sringer Bell reminds me of every Duke team in the past 10 years coming into the tournament: a lot of talent but never gets the job done ever.

There's something about String that pisses me off. Stringer took the game and tried to make it into a business. I understand he wanted to make "clean" money however that's not what the Barksdale Organization is about. Economically speaking, he wanted to put the best product on the street. But I'm all about the street. You want to run West Baltimore you need the real estate, it doesn't matter if you're putting out the best product, it's about people knowing you're name and owning the corners.

I also give him no respect because he got hustled by the number 2 seed in the Hamster Region Clay Davis in season 3. Davis milked Bell of his money. You really can't be apart of the street and then try to become a business man. Jay-Z said it best, "No matter where you go, you are what you are player."

Also because he tried to make selling drugs business like, he gave up Avon. He basically snitched on Avon. HOW THE HELL DO YOU SNITCH ON AVON??? You snitch, you die. Gosh, he deserved to die by Omar and Brother Mouzone.

(Avon to String)

Avon: "I ain't no suit wearing businessman like you. I'm just a gangsta, I suppose. But I want my corners"

7. Sean - How Do I Justify Wallace making the Final Four?

Please do not think that I am overlooking the fact that he only made it to age 14 or was featured in just the first thirteen episodes. In a show designed to give an honest replication of “the game” Wallace death makes perfect sense. The Wire is “the game” and Wallace represents a lost voice within that game. There are a few big time stick up boys (Omar and the future Michael), a few kingpins (Avon, Qyntel, and Marlo), a few Jew lawyers (Levy, and Herc kinda haha), and a few brilliant detectives (Bunk, McNulty, and Lester), but Wallace is just every kid out on that corner with no options. Yeah Bodie, his heart does pump kool-aid, but so what? He, like Bodie, did the absolute best he could with the cards he was dealt and that meant developing a drug habit, getting killed by his two best friends, and leaving his little brothers and sisters stranded without juice boxes, crab chips, and any guidance. Wallace and the multitude of hoppers like him are all casualties of the drug war that we as fans sadly forget about because of David Simon’s brilliant writing that has us focusing on the five swinging dicks in the entire department that can actually do police work, the forty degree days, and the shotguns and briefcases. RIP.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hor_gOBU_GU

Logic - Young Sinatra

Up and coming rapper Logic dropped a mixtape last fall that ranks as probably my favorite mixtape of all time, and my favorite hip hop production of 2011. One of the first things I wanted to write about on this blog was music I was into and I've been meaning to say this for months now: Logic is the shit. I love Watch the Throne, it might be the most swagged out album of all time. I liked Take Care and Return of 4Eva but I haven't really gotten into them. Of any genre, the recording that I have listened to most in the last couple months is not by a big name and it wasn't sponsored by a multi-million dollar deal like J. Cole's or A$AP Rocky's. Logic's Young Sinatra mixtape blew my mind and if you're a fan of hip-hop, jump on this now.

Logic is a young kid out of Maryland, a.k.a. the stomping grounds of Mittens and Frat Boy Griff, who's been making music for a couple years and 2011 saw the release of his sophomore effort: Young Sinatra. From Track 1 to 22, it's much better put together than any mixtape (or album for that matter) I've heard in a long time, and his lyrical ability and creativity are off the charts. Young Sinatra samples the likes of Lykke Li, Jay-Z, and Queen Latifah even throwing in snippets of Stewie Griffin and Star Wars. Logic even borrows Nas and AZ's "Life's a Bitch," a song as old as he is. Don't let the idea of Stewie Griffin and Lykke Li on a rap album fool you, there's serious talent here and the great production manages to be diverse without sounding fragmented, giving the album a great flow start to finish.

Speaking of flow, this kid can rap. He's a true lyricist, quick-witted and clever, filling his verses with complex wordplay and clever punchlines. Young Sinatra presents Logic at his finest, rapping fast over fun, sample-heavy beats, setting his sights on the top. In a recent XXL interview Logic said: "to be honest and in no way am I trying to sound arrogant, I’m not going to be the next anyone. I am and will be known as the first Logic." I fully agree with him on this, and I expect Logic to blow up and keep his sound and his passion. He's dedicated, talented, refreshingly humble, and he's here to stay.

Best of the Best:
- "One" The tape starts off with a bang, sampling Frank Sinatra himself
- "Shine On'
- "All I Do" - catchy, head-bobbing song, complete with Gumby music video
- "Mind of Logic" - fucking banger, probably my favorite track on the mixtape
- "Young Sinatra II" (see III here, even better)
- "Let Me Go"

p.s. had to note: featured Phil Ade drops a great Len Bias reference on "Are You Ready." Respect

I'm going to see this guy at a free show in Alexandria, VA (near DC) April 14th, who's coming with me?

HP Allstarz First Round Mock Draft

For those who don't know, HP Allstarz is the premier fantasy baseball league out there. You think your league is better? I laugh at you. Anyway for the fantasy baseball fans out there, he is Mock Draft 2.0 for the 1st round of the draft that will be taking place on March 25th.

1. Nosh - Miguel Cabrera: This is a known fact that Noah will be picking Miggy barring another alcohol relapse where he ends up in the middle of nowhere with a naked dude in the trunk of his car.

2. Dylan - Albert Pujols: Another fact. A Pujols fan with the ability to DH

3. Rob - Matt Kemp: Number 1 ranked player in fantasy last year. Rob jumps on him as the obvious number 3 pick

4. Neil - Joey Bautista: Here is where things get fun. Bautista's power is for real and there is not a lot separating Votto, Fielder and AGon. Bautista is a shoe in for 40 home runs and plays a more coveted position in fantasy. Oh wait, he plays two.

5. Smith - Troy Tulowitzki Position scarcity has never been something that dominates HP Allstarz. At the same time my argument above stands. Smith likes Tulo and he plays SS. A top 5 producer if he can play a full year. He is 27 and plays in Colorado. Will hit .300 with 30 plus bombs at SS

6. Tank - Robinson Cano: Has him in the Keeper league as well. Why not have him in both leagues. The best 2B and it is not even close. What is not to like about his consistency.

7. Dan Bell - Joey Votto: I think he is the best of the AGon, Fielder group. Not as much power as Fielder but he will hit over .300 and plays in a wonderful hitters park

8. Scharf - Adrian Gonzalez: People thought his power numbers would jump in Fenway. Turns out it was the average that spiked as he developed into one of the best opposite field hitters in the game. Expect .320 and 35 home runs.

9. Juice - Justin Upton: It's hard to believe that Juice wont take an Outfielder here. I think this is Upton's year. Fantastic first full season. Sophomore slump in 2010. Huge 3rd year with a ridiculous slugging percentage. Why not 40 home runs in his 4th season. Also 20 bags

10. Monte - Jose Reyes: If he stays healthy, he will finish in the top 5. I may be more of a Reyes fan than most, but his approach in the box last year was amazing to watch. He seemed to finally put it all together. Now in a new park in Miami, I believe the warm weather creates a nice atmosphere for Jose to have a monster year.

11. Bill - Carlos Gonzalez: 5 tool outfielder who proved that there is no fluke about his game. I think at the end of the day, CarGo will be the guy here. Entering his 3rd full year, I expect 30/20 .300. Doesn't hurt that he plays in Colorado either

12. Big Rames - Prince Fielder: DOY!

13. Abe - Hanley Ramirez: I think all the question marks surrounding him right now will have evaporated by draft day. With SS and 3B eligibility, he is a sleek pick in a great lineup. 20/30 .300 potential. I can see Hanley lacing balls in the outfield as Reyes rounds third and coasts into home to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead. God Dammit!

14. Pat Bell - Evan Longoria: RBI machine at 3B. Real power threat who should hit better than he did last year. ROOOOLEN!

15. Jake - Jacoby Ellsbury: I doubt he hits 30 home runs again but his bat is legit and so is his speed. 40 stolen bases to go along with 200 hits. Contributes across the board and no reason to think he wont do it again.

Enjoy!

Thoughts on Spirit and Spiking

A couple hours ago I flipped to the Iowa State-Oklahoma State basketball game just in time to see Tyrus McGee get called for a taunting technical for pumping his fist and screaming after drawing an 'and-one.' In the Auburn game just hours later both Kenny Gabriel and Chris Denson were given technicals for hanging on the rim "excessively." To me they both looked like pretty innocent slam dunks and as if the player was simply regaining his balance before dropping 10 feet. Earlier in the season Markel Brown of Oklahoma State received technicals for celebrating in a way deemed to be "taunting" behavior and was ejected after making two of the best plays of the college season. That neutral zone between normal and excessive got a lot smaller a couple weeks ago when the NCAA issued a memorandum to its officials citing a need to crack down on this sort of thing to prevent tensions building and exploding like in the Cincinnati-Xavier brawl earlier in the season. The NCAA and the Officials Coordinator John Adams are trying to cover their backsides after the nasty, widely televised fight and the sport is suffering. I watched that game and that brawl, and there were no over-the-top celebrations or increased trash talking after dunks. What there was was 40 minutes of intense play with above average physicality and competitiveness in a rivalry game that was not well-handled by the refs. In other words, the celebrations and the taunting after dunks weren't the problem, it was the general attitude of the players, especially on the losing end and with the defenders who lashed out after failing to make a play. Somehow the higher-ups missed that and the players are now suffering for having fun playing a sport and doing it with some passion. Honestly, it's shameful. Let the kids play the game.

This got me thinking about taunting and the nature of celebration in sports. To give you my honest opinion up front, I love celebrations in sports and I'm one of those people who think that so long as it doesn't delay the game or harm or personally attack anyone, why not? If a guy wants to hang on the rim for 10 minutes let him. His team will be a man down at the other end and when they get scored on and come back up the court he'll be called for basket interference. People, specifically administrators, seem to think that athletes can't understand sportsmanship for themselves. I've never heard a player complain after the game that he felt taunted, and I guarantee you what bothered him more than the thunderous dunk was the excessive elbowing. He probably regrets being posterized, but if he hates the dunking player or attacks him later in the game, that's a lack of mental toughness on his part. Get over it.

Anyway, as I was writing this, my thoughts wandered to ultimate, and the ever-controversial subject of spiking the disc. As someone who has never spiked once, I am still a huge fan of it. Unless an opponent is throwing it at me or tearing up the disc, go wild. I think it's funny and entertaining to anyone watching, and it gets the team fired up. That's my short story; below is my longer diatribe, wherein I try to explain why I believe that spiking has to become an understood and respected part of the sport. Like any other aspect of ultimate or a celebration in any other sport it must be done with respect for the opponent and without expressed malice. Referees don't regulate self-officiated ultimate, the athletes do, and that puts a responsibility on the shoulders of the players in a fashion unlike any other sport. It is up to them to understand the rules and the reasons that they are in place.

Regardless of the intent, it's the perception that matters in sports. In ultimate it doesn't matter whether you were trying to foul the player or not: if he feels like you did he is going to call it. In basketball it matters whether the ref thinks you fouled someone, and regardless of your intent you may indeed have acted inappropriately. So there are rules to define what this inappropriate behavior is, and in ultimate spiking is in a grey zone. 'Legally' according to the rulebook it isn't banned, but many players feel like it is ruining the game and spikes can certainly create problems on and off the field. I think that spiking doesn't have a place in the "game" but it is most definitely a part of the "sport." Sports: competitive. Games: not. Ultimate can be both. I will not try to answer or explain the question of where ultimate is heading and whether becoming more sanctioned and competitive is good for it or not. Brief opinion: I personally fully approve, and I believe that silly teams, silly tournaments, and great (and maybe drunk) people will always be in demand in ultimate frisbee. So back to the perception of spiking. It is unquestionably the most controversial facet of the sport among ultimate players. Ari Weitzman wrote a Skyd article on this subject that produced a wealth of interesting dialogue, and I recommend reading it. This is my take on spiking, and I welcome criticism.

The big question comes down to is spiking spirited? The answer is absolutely yes; if done correctly. Is it a violation of the "Spirit of the Game?" Well I can tell you the spirit of ultimate is changing, just as the rules and expectations of sportsmanship have been tweaked in pretty much any other sport or athletic event over the years. Sportsmanship is hard to define but attempts typically include the phrases 'graciousness in winning or losing' and 'respect for an opponent.' Weitzman says that spiking is a sign of respect, and while he may believe this, I believe that in the moment most players spike the feeling inside them is not an overwhelming amount of respect for the guy they just skied. That respect is felt and comes across most sincerely through one's hard play and after the game as they think about how fun, talented and/or spirited the opponent was, perhaps capped by going over to give a handshake or have a brief conversation about how well an opponent played. If he played by the rules, didn't make bad calls, and maybe even went out of his way to say something nice afterwards it would make no difference to me how much an opposing player spiked, so long as he was appropriate about it.

I think one common defense of spiking, other than it being fun, is that it is an emotional, instantaneous celebration, not a thought-out decision. There are times where players spike in the heat of the moment and may or may not regret it later. I've seen teammates apologize to the other team almost immediately after spiking to prevent any bad feelings. However, anyone who has ever seen a serious game knows that this is by no means always the case. Plenty of times the scoring player will turn around and or/yell something before spiking, or even engage in a prearranged or group spike (see Freechild's grenade-type spike with NexGen).

In ultimate as opposed to basketball, the reaction time after a big play is much more drawn out. In basketball you dunk and start yelling even before your feet touch back down on the ground, then you have to run back to play defense. In ultimate once you score play is halted for minutes and you have time to run around and think more about your actions. The NCAA's recent crackdown is targeted at defining taunting as opposed to a "normal" celebration. Players of any sport are going to celebrate, and what makes that celebration acceptable is the class of it. When I say class, I don't mean maturity but rather the style or act of celebration. So whether it's a quick elbow spike or launch out of bounds, "excessive" will forever be an ambiguous term by nature and it is much easier to instead hammer out what taunting is and how it is unacceptable.

I said earlier that perception is crucial in sports and I believe this primarily applies to better understanding or managing the way the other guy handles the situation, not just the one spiking it or the guy shouting after the dunk. Profanity or any personal attacks or offensive gestures are clearly inappropriate (which I'll get to later) and if you can't understand that you probably shouldn't be around people, much less playing a sport. Weitzman's article also says that whenever an opponent spikes the disk, even at him, he feels that it is not really directed at him, but more of a celebration of the opponent's achievement. I find that hard to believe. You're kidding yourself if you think people spike only because they are pleased with themselves. In ultimate, like any other sport, your success relies on you besting an opponent: that's ultimately what you are celebrating. You have done something great, and perhaps more importantly you have done it in spite of your opponents' efforts. No one spikes during a game of toss, now matter how great the catch is; you spike because you caught it over a crowd of defenders. The implication of dominance or besting an opponent is unfortunately inherent to the act.

When a celebration crosses into the unacceptable is when it becomes a personal, inappropriate, or hurtful act. A "f**k you!" or throwing the disc at an opponent: wrong. Saying "let's f**king go!" or spiking the disc: perfectly fine. It is the type of spike or the utterance that comes with it that makes all the difference. Players have to come to understand that the spike or celebration may come and is allowed, and if it doesn't affect another person or the game, you must let it go. You should be more worried about giving up that break or when you got beat deep, not this kid's celebration that has nothing to do with you. Now, if he/she spikes the disk on the edge there is a problem unless the owner of the disk has consented to their disk potentially being ruined. And that is not something that is automatically consented to when someone volunteers a game disk without the teams discussing it before the game, everyone should understand that. The spike on the edge should be decried by everyone on either team because it delays the game and no one likes playing with a taco-ed disc.

The question of personal attacks, or "taunting" seems to have an obvious answer: simply inappropriate and unquestionably illegal. The TMF has come to ultimate with the addition of observers and I fully approve of the ability to punish players for celebrating in a way that denigrates another player, team, or anything affiliated with them. This is my definition of taunting. Making eye contact with an opponent and nodding, maybe jawing a little saying something like "let's go" or "I'm great" is fine. Saying "you can't stop me," "suck it," or other foul language in a derogatory context or clearly directed at another person are not OK.

Like it or not spiking has become part of ultimate and part of its spirit and it is here to stay. Along with self-officiated ultimate players finding a way to maintain acceptable spiking (ie no taco-ing) under fear of penalty, I believe that the responsibility weighs heavy on the defender to understand that spiking is a part of the game and not get upset. Any mentally tough athlete knows you shouldn't get mad at another player if he beat you deep, you should focus on yourself, and spiking should be the same way. Both the offensive and defensive player must eventually accept that spiking is part of ultimate and equate those codes of conduct with their knowledge about any other rules.

Getting back to basketball and thinking about Markel Brown get ejected, I can't help but feel that the young man got cheated. Yes, he stared at the guy he dunked over and he roared, but did he taunt him? Absolutely not. If he said anything directly to the player like "you suck" then there would be a problem. But a little jawing and a prolonged stare? Even if the defender felt taunted, he should understand that competition is what he signed up for and shouldn't feel any need to retaliate or escalate. The NCAA cited a need to crack down on this stuff to prevent tensions building and exploding like in the Cincinnati-Xavier brawl earlier in the season. What they have done is clamp down on players' ability to play with passion, discouraging highlight reel plays and any outburst, regardless of whether it is offensive or not. Don't get me wrong, a player can go overboard, but the new insistence on closely regulating the issue is infuriating to players and coaches and is eroding the heart of the game. That type of competitive intensity is what makes good players great and what exhilarates audiences and teammates as they observe their player's success. Don't punish an athlete for being excited and don't try to regulate passion out of sports.

Music Album Dump: Young the Giant

For those looking for some new music, give West Coast indie rockers Young the Giant a listen. Don't expect to be blown away but their eponymous debut album, released near the end of 2010, features 12 incredibly catchy tunes that conjure images of sunny beach days and warm memories of summer. While many critics attack the band for sounding unoriginal, I find their blend of west coast pop rock rather infectious and addicting. Think Beulah without horns and a little more ferocity or Coldplay without a whiny Chris Martin.

Young the Giant relies on the soaring vocals of lead singer Sameer Gadhia and the melodic shimmery guitar playing of Jacob Tilley. The lyrics may leave something to be desired but their sound is unmistakably warm and catchy. The first track "Apartment" is a mid tempo opener that doesn't necessarily suck you in but showcases Young the Giant's summery sound and impressive vocals from Gadhia. "My Body" is maybe the most popular track and most catchy with a driving bass and head rocking chorus that demands multiple listens. The other standout and radio hit is "Cough Syrup", my favorite song off the album that strikes a balance between Young the Giant's rock and roll and mellow guitar sound.

The rest of the album evokes those summer memories with the breezy "I Got", "12 Fingers", "Strings" and "Your Side". The back of the album rocks with the steady lush melodies of "Garands and "St. Walker" the latter sounding almost Chili Peppers like minus their lead singer Anthony Kiedis. The last track "Guns Out" is another melodic head nodding slow grooving track that lead singer Sameer Gadhia really impresses with his vocal range.

All and all you have a very solid album that you can pop in and sit back and enjoy all 12 track as they blend together to form a very warm sounding summery blissful sound that occasionally rocks out.

Top Tracks: "My Body", "I Got", "Cough Syrup", "Garands", "Guns Out"

Another Freaks and Geeks Post

Sorry for the Freaks and Geeks overload, but I just finished watching the series again and decided I’m not done writing about it. This is mainly because of how the series ends for its protagonist, Lindsay Weir.

A quick summation of the Lindsay storyline in the finale, “Discos and Dragons,” for those of you who have better things to do with your free time than repeatedly watch an entire television series: Lindsay gets accepted into an academic summit at the University of Michigan for the summer, but after hearing about the competitions and ranking system it involves, she isn’t sure whether or not she wants to go. Mr. Rosso, her guidance counselor, loans her his copy of The Grateful Dead’s “American Beauty” to help get her thoughts straight. Lindsay listens to it, loves it, and talks about it to some deadheads at school who tell her they’re planning on following the Dead this summer for a week and a half once school gets out. Lindsay appears intrigued, and at the episode’s conclusion we find out why. To the peaceful tune of “Ripple,” she boards a bus ostensibly headed for Ann Arbor but gets off at an earlier stop to meet up with the deadheads instead, electing to spend her summer rocking out at concerts instead of matching wits with the best minds Michigan has to offer. She happily boards their VW Microbus, and the series ends.

And I don’t like it.

I didn’t like it the first time I saw it, and I didn’t like it the second time, either. So this time I decided to think about why, if only because doing so made it easier to justify watching the series for a second time. The reason I came up with is extremely self-centered but also accurate and simple: I would never do what Lindsay did.

For most shows I like, this isn’t a big deal. Homer Simpson and I, for instance, have very little in common apart from a fondness for blue pants. The same is true for G.O.B. Bluth, Michael Scott, everyone on It’s Always Sunny, etc., but I love these shows anyway because the main appeal doesn’t lie in how realistic the characters are. It lies in the jokes. In other words, I don’t watch these shows to relate to them; I watch these shows to be entertained. If I see myself in any of the characters, that’s a nice bonus (or, in the case of It’s Always Sunny, downright terrifying), but it’s not essential.

Freaks and Geeks is different. It’s definitely funny (thank you Harold Weir and Bill Haverchuck), but I don’t think you can say that the comedy was what inspired such a devoted cult following for the show. The joke-to-minute ratio is too low, and the interludes between laugh out loud moments are long and, on occasion, pretty agonizing.

The biggest strength Freaks and Geeks has, then, (for me, anyway) is how true to life the characters are. The show isn’t pornographic adolescent escapism in the vein of 90210 or The O.C. It’s grounded very strongly in reality, and reality isn’t always very much fun or consistently peppered with hilarious one-liners. It can be a painful, awkward place—especially from ages 14-18—and Freaks and Geeks reflected that. You didn’t watch this show to futilely long for the glamorous lives of Brenda Walsh or Seth Cohen. You watched it because it was comforting to realize that, while you were dealing with all your insecurities and angst in high school, a lot of other people were, too. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have made a television show about it.

This is what made the finale of Freaks and Geeks so jarring to me. After spending the season relating to the main characters (mostly Sam, but all of them at some point or another) (even the parents) (damn it, I’m getting old) almost too easily, to have it end with the protagonist making a decision that I was far too good of a kid to ever make was a bit unsettling. When I was in high school, lying to my parents about anything was a terrifying ordeal. Lying to them about where I was going to spend a week and a half was completely out of the realm of possibility. And since Lindsay isn’t supposed to do things that I wouldn’t do, the ending of Freaks and Geeks was a bit of a disappointment for me.

Having said that, it did make perfect sense for the character. The major story arc for the series consisted of Lindsay trying to leave behind her identity as a mathlete and trying to decide whether or not she wanted to. She made a clear choice in the finale. The fact that I would have made a different one ultimately just means I’m not as similar to a television character as I thought, which really shouldn’t be cause for frustration.

Anyway, great series. Now, onto Undeclared.

The Quietest Freak

Recently, I’ve been working my way through Freaks and Geeks for the second time and am proud to report that it’s still funny, just in case anyone was worried.

(Quick side note: the fact that Freaks and Geeks lasted for 18 episodes whereas Two and a Half Men just aired episode number 189 is proof that we live in an unjust world. So is the existence of human trafficking.)

By now, the legacy of Freaks and Geeks has been well-documented, given how many people involved with the show have since gone on to bigger and more Muppet-oriented things. This is pretty easy to understand, as it’s clear right from the premiere that the actors in this show were very good at their jobs. However, I don’t think anyone watching in 1999 would have been able to predict that Seth Rogen would become as big of a star as he is.

This isn’t because he’s especially bad in Freaks and Geeks. It’s more that his character, Ken Miller, isn’t given very much to do. Granted, he does get a storyline to himself towards the end of the show's run when he starts dating “tuba girl” Amy Andrews, at which point you start to get a better feel for his strong comedic chops (his conversation with the guidance counselor Mr. Rosso about possibly being gay stands out as particularly hilarious in my mind). But apart from that, he mostly exists in the show to make the occasional wry, smartass comment while the rest of the freaks experience the bulk of the emotional arcs. This was not Undeclared, where he was basically just playing a beta version of the Seth Rogen archetype we all know and love today.

What’s most surprising about this is that, out of all the people involved with Freaks and Geeks, Rogen has become most strongly associated with its Apatowian brand of humor. I don’t think you could call him the biggest star to come out of the show given how famous James Franco and Jason Segel both are, but Franco has recently shifted his focus more towards turning his life into a postmodern, possibly serious art project, while Segel has lately branched out into the aforementioned Muppet and mediocre-looking romantic comedy territory. Rogen, on the other hand, has largely stuck with movies filled with awkward moments (like Freaks and Geeks), hilarious moments (like Freaks and Geeks), and ultimately happy endings (like most but certainly not all episodes of Freaks and Geeks): The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Pineapple Express, Funny People, 50/50. I know these aren’t his only movies, but I think it’s fair to say he’s more well-known for them than he is for, say, Donnie Darko.

There are moments throughout Freaks and Geeks where you catch a glimpse of how funny Rogen can be, but by and large the heavy lifting is left to the other actors. It would have been pretty easy to peg Franco and Segel as future stars watching this show 12 years ago, but the fact that Rogen turned out to be the standard-bearer for its style of humor was a pleasant surprise.

Now we just need to get Joe Flaherty more work. He has some of my favorite lines of the series as Sam and Lindsay’s dad.