Summer 2013 Random Thoughts

March Madness time! Oops! It's already April! | Credit: ESPN

 Back when I was a kid, I used to love these warm summer days. I would run around, play basketball or finish our video games. I did not mind the heat. I was living my life carefree. Fast forward twenty years from then, I find the weather excruciating. I avoid running outside as if there is a signal number one storm. I still play video games but even if two electric fans are set at my direction, I still end up getting dehydrated. Upon checking Manila’s historical weather then (from https://weatherspark.com/history/33313/1993/Metro-Manila-Philippines), it was pretty much the same as what we have now (35 degrees Celcius).

Twenty years back, we suffered those untimely brownouts because of power plant concerns during the Ramos regime (our president was even jokingly called “The Prince of Darkness” then). I can still remember my cousin and I going outside to play his Gameboy during one of those brownouts. In the present time, we never have those electrical failures yet I would not dare going outside for an hour. You probably need to bribe me with a scene of bikini-clad women and sand if you want me to stay out for that long.

As people would ask now, anyare? (What happened?)

Things change. As Yoda said, “always in motion is the future.” I would not be able to predict what I will do months or years from now. Am I going to view life differently? Will my attitude change? I do not know. Case in point, I wrote forty seven blog write-ups in 2010. This year, we are already past the first quarter and I am just writing my third article (that is, if I end up finishing this). There are external and internal factors of which I am not able to fully control. (Those or I blame Twitter because it makes expressing my views a lot easier and up-to-date.)

Either way, let us make this summer count (before the heat starts to burn my brain cells further).

Random Thought # 1: With regard to your inability to predict your future, how were your March Madness picks?

Horrible. I am just glad I do not have a money league or else I would have been wasting more cash because I made the wrong picks. To be fair, I got the first round (usually tough) quite right. My problem was more on picking the best teams. I do not closely follow college basketball so I have no idea which team is really the best (honestly, even experts fail at predicting March Madness). It also becomes a concern that I have past history of which teams have performed well. I think I should unlearn those things and just go with what is presently the best.

I picked the Kansas Jayhawks to win it all. As it turned out, they fell in the Sweet Sixteen because they crumbled in the waning minutes of their game against the Michigan Wolverines. I can still remember how confident I was of my pick then only to find out that the game went into overtime minutes later.

It is tough to predict the winner, but it is fun to watch the madness unfold. You just do not know what will happen. Who would have known the 9-seed Wichita State would reach the Final Four? What about the Michigan Wolverines? How ‘bout them? Who would have known that the most controversial American college basketball team exactly twenty years ago would be on the spotlight again this year?

Random Thought # 2: Speaking of which, any thoughts on the Fab Five reunion in Atlanta? Especially on the probability that Chris Webber will miss the reunion.

Even present day fans still remember the timeout incident | Credit: Yahoo! Sports

I understand C-Webb if he decides to pass up on the chance to meet his old time buddies. People will always remember his choke moment. (For those who do not know, he called a timeout in the closing seconds. Only problem was, they had no more timeouts.) Back in 1999, I was watching Fox Sports where they featured a poll on which were the all-time biggest chokes in sports history. You guessed it right – Chris Webber’s boo-boo topped the list.

Such embarrassing moments taint you. I can easily visualize a scenario where Chris Webber gets caught by the cameras during the national championship game and the commentators begin discussing the biggest highlight (or lowlight) of championship game twenty years back.

When Bill Simmons interviewed Jalen Rose (C-Webb’s college teammate), he mentioned that it appears that Chris has shut out everything that happened to him in college. For Chris, it seemed that everything began when he was an NBA rookie. He did splendidly in his NBA days. He did not win a championship, but he will be remembered as one of the best players that electrified the city of Sacramento.

This brings me to a realization. Chris Webber’s past is tainted due to that one crucial moment. It was brutal. However, his career did not end from that. If anything, he could just have used that as a learning moment or motivation in his pros. We hate it when we crumble at the worst possible moment. But, how we respond from it is what matters more.

I brought this point up because I remember reading something about what Michael Jordan said about missing shots in the clutch. He admitted that he missed (choked as connoted) a lot. But these are when he learned and improved on.

C-Webb, I hope you man up and attend the Fab Five reunion. After all, you were a winner. It is time to act like a winner again.

Random Thought # 3: After staying in the Bottom Three, Lazaro reached the Top Three in ‘American Idol.’ What the hell, America?
The most disappointing thing was, he did not excel in his “We Are The Champions” performance either. Yes, it was better but it did not mean that it was Top Three-worthy. Thus, we witnessed Burnell prematurely leaving the Idol stage. He was not the best contestant, but he offered so much entertainment from the Guy Side.

It is what it is. With how the producers manipulated the final lineup, we are bound to have one male contestant who will overstay. I am not saying that Lazaro does not deserve to be a finalist. I am just noting that he is the weakest contestant left.

Random Thought # 4: Who would you pick as the 2013 American Idol winner?

Country girls y'all! | Credit: FOX

At gunpoint, I am picking Kree Harrison. I know that there is an apparent lack of emotion when she sings. It seems like she makes singing effortless when she performs. However, she has the best demographic likeability factor.

Before the Top Seven results show, I actually thought Janelle could snag some of the leadership rankings. However, her bottom two placement shows that the country vote on her side is not strong enough to propel her past the other contestants. We have to take note that she emotes better and is more likeable (some personality factors that have resonated in the past).

Either way, Kree should have the country vote for her once Janelle gets eliminated. Another thing going for Kree is that she is less threatening than Angie is. Kree is also less polarizing so I have a feeling that she will get more votes than her other Top Three counterpart, Angie.

Random Thought # 5: Given the viewer ratings drop, are you actually enjoying the season?

Yes. I definitely enjoy it. I do not care if ‘American Idol’ is getting less popular. I like the performances better. And for those who are complaining that it is female-heavy, I can simply refer you to Seasons 8 and 9 which were insanely male-heavy. Outside of Allison Iraheta (who actually hit Bottom Three in the early stages then), was there a strong female singer in Season 8? I never heard any TPTB conspiracy theory then. In Season 9, Crystal Bowersox was the only female contestant in the Top Five.

Go whine all you want on how rigged ‘American Idol’ feels like, but facts are facts. Imbalance of talent per gender happens from time to time.

Random Thought # 6: Any drinking game suggestions on ‘American Idol?’

I promise that this is the last Idol topic in this blog entry.

Drink a shot of liquor every time a judge says the following:

Darling.

Marshmallow.

I love you.

In it to win it.

Ok-eh

That was hot.

For me

I adore you

The show/night started right here

Yo. (Duh)

Random Thought # 7: Is Bioshock Infinite ‘Game of the Year’ material?

Game of the Year? | Credit: Bioshock Infinite

I do not play a lot of games in recent years, so I cannot judge this one (Candy Crush, maybe? But, I do not play that game either). However, I have to say that I am very much entertained on how interesting the storyline and the game art is. Columbia (the game’s setting) is plain surreal. It is not as dark and morbid as the first Bioshock is, but it compensates in the way that it offers a good twist on American history. I missed the telekinesis spell. Speaking of which, isn’t telekinesis the coolest spell in mainstream media. The Jedi/Sith used it. Jean Grey made it devastating. Sylar of “Heroes” upped the ante. It is simple yet it is powerful. There is no more fun way of decoding locked items in “Bioshock Infinite.” However, its setting and gameplay – I mean, who does not want to have a roller coaster type of aerial action – more than made up for what it does not have.

Random Thought # 8: With both Fall Out Boy and Paramore due to release their new albums this April, music has become more fun than ever for me.

If only the Foo Fighters could also release an album. Either way, I would not mind if they delay it to next year. It makes my favorite band songs more spread out through the years. I would say that I like what Fall Out Boy has done in its first two singles. They are nowhere near to the emo/scream days of ‘Take This To Your Grave’ and ‘From Under the Cork Tree.’ Their songs are catchier than what they had a decade ago, but as I mentioned in my introduction, things change. In the case of Fall Out Boy’s music, it evolved to something better. The quality of the vocals has been better than ever. Call them mainstream, but if a kick-ass rock anthem from them is what rock and roll needs to be saved (sorry for the pun), so be it.

As for Paramore, I have to say that I am slightly unimpressed with “Now” and “Still Into You.” There is something missing in the instruments (aside from the obvious downgrade of missing the Farro brothers). It does not feel full-blown as before. They were able to create a full-blown rock song in “Renegade” which was Farro-less, so why not now? “Still Into You” feels like a modified eighties Madonna/Cindy Lauper meshed with some rock when I first listened to it. I know Paramore is experimenting, and I hope it eventually evolves to something better.

But you know what, if you love something, you end up finding ways to like it more. After a few repeats, I am hooked with “Still Into You.” Maybe, Hayley’s voice is all I needed.

I am expecting Paramore to evolve their music. That’s what happens when band members leave. Heck, Fall Out Boy did not have that drastic change when they produced “Infinity On High.” My favorite band Smashing Pumpkins had undergone several changes through the years. For better or for worse, I am sticking with Paramore. Because that’s what fans do.

Some things change. Some things don’t.