Ultimate Mock Draft - Round 2

33. Oakland - Ben Grubbs (OG-Auburn) - The Raiders' shiny new offensive toys won't have much room to operate without some improvement along the O-line. A stud like Grubbs could be one of the keys to the team's potential turnaround.

34. Detroit - Charles Johnson (DE-Georgia) - Kalimba Edwards led the lions with 7 sacks last year. That's not very good. The Lions hope that adding Johnson and the return of Shaun Rodgers will free up another very large man to sit on Matt Millen until his contract runs out.

35. Tampa Bay - Justin Harrell (DT-Tennessee) - Tampa's defense has hemorraghed talent over the last few years, and Harrell is a big enough guy to create opportunities for the few that remain.

36. Cleveland - Ryan Kalil (C-USC) - Last summer's key free agent signing, center LeCharles Bentley, will probably not be back this year, but if Ryan Kalil is till on the board at this spot, who cares? He has been called a "can't-miss" center prospect and could protect Vinnie Testaverde well into the next decade.

37. Chicago - Zach Miller (TE-Arizona State) - Rex Grossman sucks.

38. Arizona - Tony Ugoh (T-Arkansas) - Levi Brown would have been a bit of a stretch at their spot in the first round and Ugoh's pass protection skills make him a better fit for a Cardinals team that would do well to get the ball in the air by any means necessary.

39. Atlanta - Anthony Spencer (DE-Purdue) - Assuming the Dirty Birds don't reach for a safety here (similar caliber players in that position will be available in the next round), look for them to follow the trend of shoring up both trenches. Or they could add another receiver that can't catch, because that has worked well so far.

40. Miami - Arron Sears (G-Tennessee) - Sears played four different line positions during one game while at UT, which is good because Miami has lost five lineman from an already poor unit. Sears may be called on to cover multiple positions during the same play. Brady Quinn is going to get hurt.

41. Minnesota - Jason Hill (WR-Washington State) - The Vikings say that Tavaris Jackson is their QB of the future, but suspect QB + comatose WR corps = losing to the Lions...maybe.

42. San Francisco - Daymeion Hughes (CB-Cal) - STH really likes the idea of prospects playing pro ball close to where they went to college. This is huge for Hughes, who will be saved the hassle of moving out of his studio apartment.

43. Buffalo - David Harris (ILB, Michigan) - London Fletcher and Takeo Spikes' replacement fails to have a kick-ass name, but a team that lost three of its most productive defenders can't afford the time it would take to convert safety Sabby Piscitelli into an NFL linebacker.

44. Atlanta - Michael Bush (RB-Louisville) - We also like the idea of coaches and players being reunited on a new team. We live in our hearts, what can I say?

45. Carolina - Steve Smith (WR-USC) - This pick needs to happen just to have two Steve Smiths at the same position on the same team, but when you take a look at the Panther's depth chart at WR, it needs to happen for a lot of other reasons, too.

46. Pittsburgh - Samson Satele (C-Hawaii) The versatile Satele could compete to replace Jeff Hartings at center, but he is versatile enough to be plugged in at guard as well? The Steelers organization loves guys they can move around while keeping the unit intact. A remarkable athlete, Satele was injury-free throughout college and named an all-state performer in basketball three times in high school. The Steelers' scouting department also never overlooks another potential All-NFL Hair Team member.

47. Green Bay - Brandon Jackson (RB-Nebraska) - The Packers could team Jackson with Vernand Morency to form a RB tandem the likes of which has never been seen. They could also make the running game just viable enough to keep games close during Brett Favre's last(?) run at a championship.

48. Jacksonville - Drew Stanton (QB-Michigan State) - Jacksonville did well with a Drew last year and looks to start a trend. Stanton is far more mobile than Lord Byron, but the Jags will exercise restraint and not attempt to convert him to a WR.

49. Cincinnati - Quentin Moses (DE-Georgia) - He replaced David Pollack at UGA and everyone likes a familiar situation...except maybe the Bengals during the last year.

50. Tennessee - Anthony Gonzalez (WR-Ohio State) - The six WRs on the Titans' depth chart accounted for a total of 49 receptions last year. Oh boy.

51. New York Giants - Tank Tyler (DT-NC State) - If NC State is such a D-line breeding ground, why is their team never very good? They must spend all their time prepping for the combines. Regardless, the Giants needs healthy bodies in their front seven and Tank never missed a game due to injury while playing for the Wolfpack.

52. St. Louis - Tanard Jackson (CB-Syracuse) - Syracuse has someone worth being drafted? You betcha. Jackson's lack of big-play capability won't be an issue on a team that hasn't won with defense in years.

53. Dallas - Marcus McCauley (CB, Fresno State) - A precursor to the Fresno State fourth round bonanza, McCauley lands in a spot that will allow him to develop without being put on the spot immediately. No word on his FG holding abilities.

54. Kansas City - Trent Edwards (QB-Stanford) - There absolutely must be a Trent at QB for the Chiefs. Absolutely. Must. Plus, Edwards is a steal this late for a team that desperately needs someone to groom.

55. Seattle - LaMarr Woodley (DE-Michigan) - Grant Wistrom's retirement means the team once again has a hole at DE. Woodley has a chance to be a star on a strong Seahawks defense that won't let opponents key on him as a pass rusher.

56. Denver - Eric Weddle (S-Utah) - In 2005, Weddle locked down Calvin Johnson and limited him to two catches for 19 yards. This accomplished defender will be able to immediately contribute to the scariest secondary in the NFL.

57. Philadelphia - Tony Hunt (RB-Penn State) -
Eagles Fan 1: You know what the Iggles need?
Eagles Fan 2: What?
Eagles Fan 1: A big back.
[Repeat ad nauseum]
Andy Reid finally caves.

58. New Orleans - Rufus Alexander (OLB-Oklahoma) - Rufus brings his time-travelling phone booth to New Orleans to provide some much needed playmaking ability. If the Saints can address some concerns on defense, they will prove to be much more than a one year wonder.

59. New York Jets - Tim Crowder (DE-Texas) - The Jets hope to have found the edge rusher they lacked last year. Based solely on name, I'm predicting now that Crowder goes on to be a sports commentator or 60 Minutes contributor.

60. Miami (from New England) - Jonathan Wade (CB-Tennessee) - Losses on the D-Line mean that a deluge of passes flood the secondary requiring Wade-ing. Groan. Plus other Wades have been successful in Miami.

61. Baltimore - Josh Beekman (G-Boston College) - This pick beefs us the Ravens' line. Look for McGahee to rip off runs over 4 yards, something unheard of last year with Jamal Lewis.

62. San Diego - Brandon Meriweather (S-Miami) - Aside from the ego thing, who wouldn't want to be drafted by an already great defense? You are instantly on a winner with very little pressure to lead. Too bad the head coach was an afterthought. Just for a season, it would have been great to see a truly elite team play coachless. I bet the Chargers would go at least 11-5.

63. New York Jets (from Chicago) - Craig Davis (WR-LSU) - See pick 37. Teams assume an erratic QB becomes more dependable with more targets. If only they were as smart as I. Let's say they draft Troy Smith here and he goes ape on every team that passed him up. The Bears would be a lock to return to the Super Bowl and be stomped by the coachless Chargers.

64. Tampa Bay (from Indianapolis) - Victor Abiamiri (DE-Notre Dame) - A leader at every level, Abiamiri will be a cornerstone for the next generation of Bucs defense, or a very large financial consultant. It could go either way.

Onward and upward! - Round 3 -

Or check out the - Team By Team Breakdown -

Ultimate Mock Draft - Round 4

Welcome to day two! The fourth round could see a ton of movement given the number of teams with multiple picks. San Francisco currently hold four this round and New Orleans is slotted to take three players between picks 123 and 126. Should everyone stand pat, there look to be some very interesting situations unfolding. Detroit puts their future in the hands of another Houston QB, something that has never worked out very well in the NFL. A large number of picks fall into one of two categories, a small school standout or a player overshadowed by a big name for most of their career. Akron, UTEP, Lane, Kent State, Hampton, and Fresno State (twice) all have their name called this round, each team hoping a former star will boost their profile with recruits. On the other hand are the schools we all know well, but names we don't. Doug Datish replaced Nick Mangold, a first round pick of the Jets one year ago, Rhema McKnight had to share the spotlight with a player who may not even be drafted this year in Jeff Samardzija, and Tim Duckworth saw Ben Grubbs, the guard he played opposite at Auburn, taken off the board early in the second round. No matter where they hail from, all these players have a legitimate shot to not only make their respective teams, but to make an impact early and often in their careers.

100. Oakland - Ikaika Alama Francis (DE-Hawaii)
101. Detroit - Kevin Kolb (QB-Houston)
102. Tampa Bay - C.J. Gaddis (CB-Clemson)
103. Cleveland - Andy Alleman (G-Akron)
104. San Francisco (from Washington) - Courtney Taylor (WR-Auburn)
105. Arizona - Paul Soliai (DT-Utah)
106. Minnesota - Marcus Thomas (DT-Florida)
107. Houston - Johnnie Lee Higgins Jr. (WR-UTEP)
108. Miami - Daniel Bazuin (DE-Central Michigan)
109. Atlanta - Jacoby Jones (WR-Lane)
110. San Francisco - Jay Moore (DE-Nebraska)
111. Buffalo - John Beck (QB-BYU)
112. Green Bay - Usama Young (CB-Kent State)
113. Jacksonville - Brandon Frye (T-Virginia Tech)
114. Cincinnati - Matt Spaeth (TE-Minnesota)
115. Tennessee - Baraka Atkins (DE-Miami)
116. New York Giants - Chansi Stuckey (WR-Clemson)
117. St. Louis - Justin Durant (OLB-Hampton)
118. Carolina - Nate Harris (ILB-Louisville)
119. Pittsburgh - Brian Robison (DE-Texas)
120. Seattle - Darius Walker (RB-Notre Dame)
121. Atlanta (from Denver) - David Irons (CB-Auburn)
122. Dallas - Doug Datish (C-Ohio State)
123. New Orleans (from Kansas City) - Kenny Scott (CB-Georgia Tech)
124. San Francisco (from NY Jets) - Yamon Figurs (RS-Kansas State)
125. New Orleans (from Philadelphia) - Rhema McKnight (WR-Notre Dame)
126. New Orleans - Clark Harris (TE-Rutgers)
127. New England - Dwayne Wright (RB-Fresno State)
128. Tennessee (from Baltimore) - Enoka Lucas (C-Oregon)
129. San Diego - Fred Bennett (CB-South Carolina)
130. Chicago - Paul Williams (WR-Fresno State)
131. Indianapolis - Michael Johnson (S-Arizona)
132. Pittsburgh (compensatory) - Juwan Simpson (OLB-Alabama)
133. Atlanta (compensatory) - Kareem Brown (DT-Miami)
134. Baltimore (compensatory) - DeAndre Jackson (CB-Iowa State)
135. San Francisco (compensatory) - Mansfield Wrotto (OG-Georgia Tech)
136. Indianapolis (compensatory) - Corey Hilliard (OT-Oklahoma State)
137. Baltimore (compensatory) - Tim Duckworth (OG-Auburn)

Day Two continues... - Round 5 -

Or check out the - Team By Team Breakdown -

Daily Commute: Actual Commute Photos

The city of Philadelphia has emerged from its brutal month-long winter (remember the 70+ degree days in January?), and spring is fully up and running. Extra long lunch breaks outside, beautiful women shedding oversized outerwear, unpredictable winds that make sitting in the sun a requirement, this is such an easy time to live in Philly. I'm a big fan in all seasons, but spring seems to be when everything is at its best here. Accordingly, there should be plenty of photos coming throughout the season. I've established a working relationship with my new camera (now with 1/3 less megapixels!) and hope to have taken my last subway ride for a while. The pictures from the past week's commute:

Save

Catacombs under City Hall

First blossoms, seriously I'm a geek about spring in Philly.

Ahem

I also love when business spills on to the street.

Daily Commute: The Resurrection

Following in the proud tradition of Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer, Rocky V, and Long John Silver's, I am resurrecting a franchise that maybe should be left in the archives. My work commute photos have been on hiatus as a result of a broken camera, but Seth was nice enough to ship me his (quite) old Olympus so I could start up again. To prepare you for the upcoming return of more poorly composed, badly lit, and clumsily executed pics you may or may not have despised before, here are five pictures from my personal archive. Appropriately, the theme of my morning crossword puzzle was a quote: "Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm."

30th Street Station, Philadelphia

War Eagle Mill, Arkansas

Great Sand Dunes National Park - Middleofnowhere, Colorado

Just off the 16th Street Mall - Denver

Denver Botanic Gardens - Um, Denver

Actual commute pics will be back next week!

Can We Be Pragmatic in the War on Drugs?

It's time to elect a new mayor here in Philadelphia, and not a day goes by without at least one candidate proposing some dynamic new policy that is sure to wipe out all social ills in one fell swoop. The strategies range from improbable (a steep toll for all cars entering Center City during peak hours) to ethically questionable (random pat downs in traditionally crime-ridden neighborhoods), but all of them are espoused in hopes of rallying the voting public and propelling the candidate into office. They are often borrowed from successful operations in other cities, but all usually make their appeal by an apparent effort to "get tough" on something. Pragmatism has never tested well in the polls; therefore no one should be surprised if the words "safe injection sites" never reach the public ear.

What is a safe injection site? U.S. residents not intimately involved with the harm reduction movement may have never heard of such a thing, but the concept is just one of many ideas centered on reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases related to drug use. Safe injection sites are essentially government provided health facilities for intravenous drug users to inject drugs (purchased elsewhere) in a safe space under the supervision of trained professional staff. It is not an easy thing to accept, tax dollars enabling drug use (and I hope readers feel free to post thoughts, whether incensed or inspired by the idea, in the comments section), but as time passes, it is becoming more and more apparent that our country's drug problem isn't going away. The substances may change with the decade and the social class, but addiction is something that crosses all political and socioeconomic lines, from Brittany in rehab to the guy sleeping on my stoop. Until we find the cure-all that completely erases this element from society, it behooves us to treat the public health issues that it imposes. This is where these sites come in to effect. Clean needles help to prevent spread of HIV, Hepatitis C, and other diseases, protecting not only the user, but also the people that they come in contact with. Staff are given instruction on dealing with preventing overdose during use, potentially saving thousands of lives, not to mention (if you prefer to think about it economically) the millions of dollars in emergency care that are associated with overdoses.

The worth of such services are obvious when viewed from the perspective of those who use or are directly affected by the use of intravenous drugs; however, the issue is clearly much more complex than that. The United Nations recently gave warning denouncing state sponsored facilities in Canada (as well as those located in Australia, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland) stating that Canada is “encouraging illicit trafficking.” This is the obvious case against such practice, and there is a widely held fear of an influx of "undesirables" and, accordingly, crime to the immediate surrounding areas. It is reasonable to think that even if a city was in favor of safe injection on the whole, it would be nearly impossible to find a neighborhood that wouldn't actively oppose setting it up in their back yard.

This was certainly the case in Vancouver, B.C. prior to 2003. The city's Downtown Eastside has long been known as an area struggling to deal the presence of a large number of illicit drug users. As the problem grew, businesses in the area found fewer and fewer consumers willing to enter an area with such an openly visible drug culture. The documentary Fix: The Story of an Addicted City chronicles the fight to win the support of lawmakers and neighborhood groups to bring North America's first safe injection site to the city. Despite fierce opposition, an advocacy group made up of users and their allies was eventually able to convert a former retail space into a facility, called Insite, under an exemption of Canada's controlled substance laws.

Now, three years after its inception, Canadian officials are assessing the program's impact on the estimated 5,000 neighborhood users and the surrounding community. Research by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (more details can be seen here) found that the program not only took drug use off the street to the tune of 600 visits per day, but it also made it safer for the users, increased enrollment in treatment plans, and had no effect on relapse rates by former users. 456 overdoses resulted in zero fatalities. Hard numbers are difficult to produce regarding any change in the rate of blood-borne illnesses, but participants were practicing safe injection in the facility and being educated about the dangers of sharing needles in the street. Criminologists hired by the government have been quoted as saying that none of the fears voiced by the community regarding legal injection have been realized. Is this not progress?

Despite the positive health outcomes associated with the programing, widespread growth remains nonexistent. The U.N.'s scolding comes at a time when funds for Insite and other similar initiatives have been threatened to be cut. There are obvious social and political roadblocks that prevent more cities from adopting such measures, but should communities be forced to hit rock bottom before offering some solution that takes the problem for what it is? The other plans that call for more guns and more cops are going unheard in areas that can afford neither. Those that can afford to sweep drug use into the jails must remember that once an inmate is released, prison health becomes public health. Enormous steps have been taken in the fight against AIDS, but how often do we hear about the more than 4 million cases caused by unsafe injection? Across the nation, needle exchange programs are becoming more common and acceptable; safe injection sites take the next logical step to ensuring a safe environment for a very real and largely ignored portion of society.

Big city mayors, like the one who will soon take over City Hall here in Philadelphia, are in a unique position to implement cutting edge techniques where they are needed most. Concerning illicit drug use, safe injection sites may or may not be the answer, but the safety of the public warrants innovation in all areas. Let's hope that we have the presence of mind to seize ideas, no matter how personally unsettling they may be, when they present themselves.

The opinions preceeding belong solely to Beej. STH has no standard drug policy or position.

Go Slow

Lately I’ve been looking for a way to slow things down. We are inundated by the world’s latest and greatest, but there is only so much one person can keep up with. This can be chalked up to commercialism, but it is also just the reality of life in our time. The internet has supplemented more traditional information avenues so that we have legitimate access to every video, song, or writing submitted for public review. Last week, Pischl’s article about the fleeting nature of fame, even if it is well-deserved fame, started a weeklong train of thought regarding how we can embrace the things we enjoy while they are readily available, or before we forget they ever existed.

The question continued to ferment after an interview with the founders of Dork Magazine, in which we discussed how great it is to go through old movies and music and find something personally resonant. Even greater is if that thing found its way to you without expectation, whether it be a rating from Rotten Tomatoes, lauding or loathing from a friend, or a general perception of what it represents (see Prince’s reputation as a Michael Jackson rip off or sexually deviant sideshow, more on that later). Taking photos on my walk to work has been one way I’ve been trying to grab some of these moments, but I am always looking for more. Thankfully, the same technology that makes the new available also makes the past revisit-able.

Yesterday, I had the sublime pleasure that is a work snow day, and when one is snowed in, there is no better way to spend it than watching movies. In the pre-Netflix days, this usually meant choosing from my fifteen-title library, only three or four of which I actually watch. Slightly more ambitious movie watching involved a trip to Blockbuster or TLA (a local and much preferred alternative), but I always manage to spend three hours looking for the perfect selection. Netflix has changed that, because the truth is that it doesn’t matter what I watch as long as it is something. (There are a few specific situations where this rule does not hold, but Netflix doesn’t really carry “adult movies” anyway.) Not to sound like I’m shilling for them, but did I mention they have 70,000 titles? They are also piloting a program that allows members a certain allotment of online movie watching per month to eliminate those occasions where one finds themselves without anything to watch.

Some might say that the lag between ordering and watching is a major negative, but that is particularly why it fills my recent need for slower living. So by the time The Godfather II and Leaving Las Vegas showed up, I had completely forgotten they were even in my queue. By eliminating all that indecision at the rental store, I was able to watch two great movies that I had never seen before without the buildup. Also, it allows for more subtle timing. Watching Nicholas Cage try to drink himself to death was a twisted yet genius Valentine’s Day choice that I never could have pulled off intentionally. I feel like I can repeat this same scenario for the rest of the winter. I’ve got sixty movies already lined up, and I am free to add more on a whim. It’s a beautiful thing.

Another random and fantastic blast from the past came during half time of the catatonic and misnamed Super Bowl XLI. I didn’t grow up in a Prince-loving household; in fact, the general rule was that pop music was guilty until proved innocent. I certainly knew of him, but my only real exposure was from 1999 being played at every school dance ever held. Seeing how little I really knew or cared about the man or his music, I passively adopted the general perception he was the pop culture enigma that gained a strange cult following based on his own general strangeness. I was vaguely aware that “The Artist” was a seriously influential musician, but generally shared most people’s ambivalence towards his upcoming performance on the largest stage in television (my expectations for scheduled entertainment are so low that as long as Michael McDonald is not involved, I’m happy). The performance has been rehashed ad nauseum because of the sexual overtones, but I’m still wowed by how much the entire package affected me. I got it; the showmanship is just part of a much larger package. The man is a master musician. Throw in some rain and an obvious yet perfect song selection, and you have something great. Give or take five years, and I might not have cared, but Prince will always define this particular Super Bowl Sunday for me. For a few minutes, stadium rock didn't seem like such an archaic concept, and something old was something new for me.

This morning, I woke up to read that one of the NBA players that Pischl wished to bring back to prominence, Tim Hardaway, had already gone to work on his reemergence. It reminded me that some people and things are better left in the past. I agree with the emerging notion that Hardaway’s comments may do more to progress the issue of sexuality in sports than even John Ameche’s existence and that the general media coddling doesn’t really change attitudes; however, the words still sting the ears of anyone who thinks we can and should be doing better as a society. Differing opinions should be embraced, but a blind seething hate is something that I wish time would have forgotten.

It is unfortunate that things only seem to slow down so that we can hash out the ugly things we can’t seem to shake. So many good and interesting things go flying by into internet archives and old shoe boxes, but it’s comforting to think that they might just be waiting for the right time to reappear.

Daily Commute, The Denver Edition

Another bitterly cold week in Philadelphia, combined with a lack of gloves, kept me from taking any new photos this past week. I've decided to pull out a few from the archives; I did something similar for the year I lived in Denver (there are lots of older posts on the subject if you look through my other writings on this site). The two cities have a starkly different look and feel, and I think can be seen in even a random picture of trash cans. Maybe that's just because I took it. The thin air in Denver made me forget to turn off the date stamp thing.

Just a note to visitors who may not have been following this series, I know these are not "good photos." There are plenty of sites out there that provide them better than I ever could. This is documentation of finding something interesting or worthwhile in the midst something mundane, walking to work.

I'm not sure if the person who put the Welch's can there was trying to make some sort of statement, but it made me laugh.

There was nowhere near as much street art in my Denver neighborhood, but the alleys did stay pretty well-tagged.

The different building styles by era are really crazy; there was never any attempt to make the new fit in with the old Cap Hill buildings. Every block seemed to have both a 1890s old money stone manor and a 1950s aluminum sided high-rise eyesore (not the one pictured).

There are no houses in the alleys of Denver, only banged up trash cans.

I only took this one because someone had taken the time to chain up their shopping cart with a nice lock.

Daily Commute - Part 3 February 5, 2007

This past week has been entirely too cold to pause for very long en route to the subway. I did get a few pictures of the most substantial snowfall we have had; it amounted to about a half-inch and was all gone by 2 p.m. that same day. Here are five of my favorites.

There are a few of these guys standing guard outside the Presbyterian Historical Society, which I manage to forget exists despite the fact that it is across the street from my apartment.

A lot of maintenance goes into upkeep of the brick sidewalks and walls along the streets, especially when a car plows through the wall at 3 a.m. one morning.

Did you ever notice that In-Sink-Erator has a complete monopoly on the garbage disposal industry? I have never seen one that was another brand, at least when I've looked, which hasn't been all that often.

Getting a head start on the art of tossing cigarette paraphernalia on the street.

Another one of the half-dozen very old cemeteries that I pass every day. I've read that hundreds of soldiers were buried in Washington Square, as well. One day Philadelphia will be a huge oil reserve.

Have You No Sense of Perspective Sir, At Long Last?

Football season is four days from being over and the Eagles have cleaned their lockers for the winter, but stories and scuttlebutt are flying over the airwaves like training camp is days away. Say it isn’t so. I absolutely cannot believe that the city of Philadelphia has swallowed the story that a genuine quarterback controversy exists within the Eagles franchise. Yet, the message boards are all a-titter with the latest scenarios of Donovan McNabb being traded away for a starting middle linebacker, defensive lineman, power back, and number one draft choice...or maybe just a third rounder. Meanwhile, the fans envision the immortal Jeff Garcia’s scrappy mojo propelling the team to the Super Bowl victory that Donovan could never bring. Last week, Andy Reid’s veto of his injured QB’s press conference was the latest supposed "sure sign" that the coach was planning on letting Garcia maintain his momentum right through next season. Unfortunately, McNabb is actually giving these people credence by saying he’s not jealous or worried about his job, but just by acknowledging that he could be he seems like he’s trying to convince himself of that fact, as well.

I’ve never been a huge Eagles’ fan, but I do admit I like to see them win, if only because it makes this city an easier place to live. People are happier, the sun shines brighter, and my utilities cost less. Otherwise, I am fairly indifferent having grown up a Lions fan. This fact makes me something of an expert on the subject of “Jeff Garcia really not being that great.” He came into a similar situation in Detroit last year (replacing the starter) and wowed no one by throwing three touchdowns, six interceptions, and winning only one game (against the Browns). This is not to say that everything was his fault - the Lions are a veritable graveyard for NFL quarterbacks. But Eagles fans are always lauded for their supreme understanding of the game - shouldn’t it be painfully obvious that this one person is not, in fact, capable of propelling his team to victory by virtue of his competitive will?

A parallel situation is playing out on the red carpets of Los Angeles this winter movie season. Here comes Eddie Murphy, storming back into cinematic relevance with his supporting performance in Dreamgirls. He brought home a Golden Globe and stands a decent chance to win again at the Oscars. In recent years, we all forgot Eddie was still making movies. I stumbled across a mid 80s SNL clip of him on YouTube and felt myself reminiscing about how funny this guy was, just like Richard Pryor, Mitch Hedberg, or Bill Hicks. The only thing is, those other three guys took their routines to Valhalla while nobody knows where Eddie took his funny. But back to the SNL-era Eddie (or Delirious, Trading Places, and Coming to America-Eddie). While not the funniest guy of all time, there was an era when he was edgy and insightful and as good as it got in comedy. Jeff Garcia had his stretch like that, too; back in San Fran. Pro Bowls, playoffs, about as valiant an effort to replace Steve Young as anyone could have mustered.

(I know, again with the NFL and Hollywood link, but the Eagles and Saints were both compelling stories. This also says something about my winter, which has been entirely made up of Netflix, the theater, and bowl games/playoffs. Next week will contain neither, I swear.)

Then comes the dry spell. Something changed - mainly the people on the receiving end of their deliveries. Eddie started going for the family market, because a movie that is rated PG can bring in waaaaay more at the box office than a movie in his raw R-rated tradition. 2000-2006 saw the following edgeless parade of mediocre films: The Nutty Professor II, Dr. Doolittle II, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, I Spy, The Haunted Mansion, and animated voice-over after animated voice-overs that I don't want to even mention. Garcia had lost Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens, and eventually found himself on the wrong side of a salary dump. Attempted resurgence went appropriately unnoticed during seasons in Cleveland, Detroit, and here in Philadelphia for the first two-thirds of 2006. These guys had fallen completely off the general radar of the American public.

Certain situations are tailor-made for an aging veteran ready to make their last run at the big time. They usually involve some sort of a reduced role in the overall scheme and a reevaluation of what they do best as a professional. They are surrounded by younger cast members who are all performing at a high level. It turns out that Eddie Murphy can do some of his most celebrated work by not being funny at all in Dreamgirls. It also turns out that Jeff Garcia can be a reliever who does the minimum required of him to win the game (most of the time): getting the ball to Brian Westbrook. It was a feel good situation for both these men and they have been duly celebrated in the process. On the way to lunch I pass an SUV permanently parked in a downtown parking lot with stickers on the windows saying something to the effect of “You should drive a car from the same dealer as Jeff Garcia.” It was an underdog story and we ate it up in predictable fashion. But what comes next is not something upon which you should bank the future of the franchise.

The first time I saw a preview for Norbit, I knew things had returned to status quo. Jokes about fat people. Irrelevance. That is what we’ve come to expect if we are paying any attention to the situation at all. Jeff Garcia has had some really great moments and was part of a turnaround (along with a reborn defense and a complete reconfiguration of the offensive scheme), that had this city bubbling over with excitement. But he is no Donovan McNabb. He couldn’t single-handedly bring home a championship, even an NFC Championship. As Garcia made his best effort, on the sidelines stood the face of the franchise, who has taken similar teams to the cusp of the Super Bowl four different times. Are people really eady to get rid of him?

I hope that Donovan takes something away from his experience this year. He saw an aging veteran lead his team with fire and determination that wasn’t afraid to play his role when necessary. If he can blend that attitude in with his already outstanding skill and (most of the time) execution, he will make Philadelphia a great place to be. McNabb shouldn’t feel his territory has been intruded on; a situation was taken advantage of by a willing veteran who will fade back into the scenery with the coming of the next year. If Donovan wants to see who really runs the city, all he has to do is look up right behind the Jeff Garcia stickered SUV at the 35-foot billboard with himself on it. He is head and shoulders above his competition, but someone forgot to tell him about that.

Monday Mosey

This quote may be a bit melodramatic for a Monday morning, but since I've decided to make the photos I take to and from work everyday a regular feature on SixTalkingHeads (click here for the initial entry), I thought I would share a bit of the underlying philosophy.

I have learned that what I have not drawn I have never really seen, and that when I start drawing an ordinary thing, I realize how extraordinary it is, sheer miracle.

- Frederick Franck, " The Zen of Seeing"

It was easy to see things differently this morning, as they were blanketed by the white stuff for only the second time this winter. But here are five photos from the five snowless walks to work last week.

This is across the street from my apartment and is said to be the most haunted place in Philadelphia. I think that all stems from the Nicholas Cage movie, National Treasure, that was shot here, because it was scary bad.

They just don't make paint like they used to.

He's a chip off the old block.

This corner is a free publication bonanza with about twenty different honor boxes.

More broken ankles than an And1 Mixtape Tour video.

Daily Commute

I've been back in Philadelphia for nearly four months now, and on most days I have made the trip from Southeast Center City to the area right around City Hall for work. Assuming twenty work days a month, this works out to 160 times that I have had to cover a certain strip of the city. I try to vary my route as much as possible, but you can only cover eighteen blocks a very finite number of different ways. In an attempt to keep this art of my day interesting, I started bringing my camera along several weeks ago. Although I enjoy taking pictures, I'm by no means a photographer. The photos are more for recording something that caught my eye than for artistic expression. It is a really old camera. The batteries are taped in place, and I'm convinced that it's insides are not resistors and circuit boards but pulleys and levers. Perhaps a squirrel is involved. Regardless, it does the job of documenting my daily commute. Have a look.

Washington Square Park is surrounded by high-rise apartment buildings that make you dizzy if you look at them for too long.

The blueprint sign is in blue print. Clever, no?

Graffiti and the weather seem to be two of the biggest variables for the commute. New tags and paste ups appear every day if you look for them.

Ol' George Washington stands guard at an eternal flame in the square that bears his name.

The great thing about a city with so much physical history is that you never know who might have used the same set of steps that you are walking up. It could have been Ben Franklin or an 18th century homeless guy. Steps don't care who you are.

On to part two of the walk, click here

Daily Commute, Continued

Continued from part 1
Some more shots from the second leg of my walk to work...

I call this first one Hipsters Are Bad for Business. Just kidding hipsters.

I'm very thankful for our forefathers' impracticality in building, all the extra detail and decoration give a lot of personality to the structure itself, which ends up adding to the personality of the city as a whole.

Rodin's The Thinker gets a super close-up. I went to his museum a few weeks ago and was taken aback by the depth and volume of naked old men (Balzac in particular) sculptures. This is not an artist who shied away from the realities of the human form. Definitely worth a visit, though.

The Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul has always been one of my favorite Philadelphia buildings, although it is tucked away along the Ben Franklin Parkway. The contrast of the oxidized dome and sculptures with the dark rich stone exterior is striking.

Rising up in the background is the soon to be completed Comcast Center, which will be the tallest building in the Philly skyline. The tower will feature waterless urinals and other energy efficient design aspects. Well done.

There it is! Now that it is getting cold, I've been taking the subway more often, and everyone knows nothing could possibly make that experience more interesting.

The Saints Go to Hollywood

Someone needs to come up with a title for this movie we are all watching. It is the old adage about life imitating art on the most mainstream levels: football and cinema. The elements are familiar ones; take one part inspirational “rag-tag group realize the potential within” (Dangerous Minds), one part “local community bonds in the wake of a tragedy” (We Are Marshall), and one part “improbable title run” (Hoosiers), and you’ve got the 2006 New Orleans Saints. A one season turn-around this improbable and viewer friendly has never come around without an entire team of script writers, directors, production crew, and major studio dollars dedicated to shoving the entire package down our throats (I’m half-expecting Sean Payton to take his shirt off a la Matthew McConaughey should the story end with a Super Bowl win).

The fact that NFL fans have so willingly pitched tents in the Saints’ camp may say something more about a collective post-Katrina guilty conscience or the lack of compelling storylines in today’s league, but we may also be witnessing a truly unique event in sports history. Even my grumpy fellow Philadelphians had nothing bad to say about the team that bounced the Iggles from the playoffs this past weekend, a departure from the norm so suspiciously Hollywood, that I can’t help but wonder if we are all just unknowing extras. Films often carry the tagline that they are “Inspired By A True Story,” which means they’ve repackaged the original to be more enjoyable (re: more profitable). However, when you take a look at the storyline, how could it be improved? As far as back-story goes, it doesn’t get much grittier than having your home city wiped out by a natural disaster. New Orleans’ struggle to rebuild itself has been well documented, and the Saints’ success is not necessarily representative of the level of resurgence throughout the region. However, in the wake of an unimaginable tragedy, we all want some sign that things are improving. Throwing our own support behind a team that is helping its fans heal is our own contribution to a situation we feel otherwise helpless to improve.

The team itself set up the stage for 2006 by several decades of marginal existence, just like a sympathetic central character should. There are probably a dozen names one could conjure up from the Saints of days gone by, but they are merely that, names. Bobby Hebert’s existence is only brought to mind when discussing odd pronunciation (George Costanza). Archie Manning has some of the most famous sons in the country. Oh, and they had those linebackers. A smattering of post-season one and outs did little to overcome their status as a mediocre NFL team in a second tier NFL town. Then come the wrath of nature, a year of displacement, new coach, new QB, flash rookies, all of which would be covered in the first 10 minutes of the feature film.

This is an indicator of just how scripted the whole scenario seems. It comes ready-made with a slick glossing over of the details that we all find so tiresome in our own lives. Often, stories are simplified into a galvanizing moment followed by a resolution to succeed that is satisfied by some sort of validation, be it an outright championship or a Rocky I personal victory. Tedious processes = insert montage or ignore completely. I wonder how many Sixers fans were watching the Eagles lose and thinking, “Gee, I wish a storm would wipe out our city so the Sixers would have something to rally around, and we could have our own worst-to-first title run.” Maybe none, but you have to admit that the rebuilding process, stripping a team of its recognizable players and sacrificing current success for the chance to build around Kyle Korver is a pretty bleak process. Screen time is rarely dedicated to the slow decline and desperation that more often precede a moment of self-determination. A single identifiable turning point is part of the formula that makes a movie work. Never mind the nearly thirty new players brought in over the off-season, including a quarterback in Drew Brees that many people thought was a lateral move from Aaron Brooks. The Saints’ obscurity in recent years made the new additions irrelevant, because nobody knew who was on the team before now. Even last year, the team was a nomadic footnote, not a feel-good story. Everyone had the privilege of tuning in right when the miracle was getting underway at that first game back at the Superdome. We were spared the details and stumbled upon a team and a community ready for their close-up.

The cast is a charismatic if unseasoned one. New to this particular stage, Reggie Bush brings a sense of electricity and dynamism that compliments Deuce McCallister’s working man appeal. Everyone knows someone who looks like Drew Brees, which lends a sense of accessibility to his character and the job he does leading the charge. Brash Joe Horn has been around since the old days and his veteran presence lends a connection to the recent and regrettable history of the team. Solid role players form a defensive cast that play the parts required of them without trying to muscle in on the big names’ screen time. Overseeing the operation is Sean Payton, a baby-faced coach that is willing to challenge the conventions of an old man’s league with innovation and guts. Finally, The Fans are playing the sports movie role of girlfriend/wife/family of someone who has unexpectedly found themselves thrust upon the verge of greatness, the anchor that serves as a constant reminder of what this team represents and exactly what is at stake. I can’t seem to find an IMDB.com profile for any of these guys, but I’m sure their agents are on it.

It remains to be seen how the screenplay will unfold. It may well be the case that they come up short to a far superior AFC team, but the journey will have been the victory. Rocky fans know that sometimes there are 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th chances. The plot arc may return to earth after this season or be the start of something that is great for years to come. There are a hundred different scenarios, but they have all been played out on the big screen. This should all seem very familiar.

An Unlikely Affair With Arkansas

Like most of college basketball fans coming of age in the early/mid 1990’s, I had no idea that Arkansas was a member of the Union. The state’s name itself simply referred to the Razorbacks basketball team that was dominating the NCAA, and nothing more. Should a governor be mentioned, I assumed they meant coach Nolan Richardson. I was as surprised as anyone to find out that “The Arkansas Legislature” wasn’t Corliss Williamson’s nickname. Any other information regarding the state, including the annual evening news puff pieces about President Clinton’s home town, was quickly disregarded, because it was just one of those places that never sunk in as being real. Kind of like Timbuktu, the name comes up often enough, but does it mean anything? With the disregard I had paid to the place’s very existence, I could never picture myself setting foot in this land of make-believe. And yet, as of June 2006, I have been there and would like to share my findings.

A few years back, my father, in his infinite randomness, started making regular trips from his home in Florida to a small Ozark Mountain town called Eureka Springs. Every time he would return with glowing reviews of the land and people he found there. My brother Jon and I made the trip down from Denver to meet up with him this past summer to see it for ourselves. Dad stayed on with a friend for a few days after Jon and I headed back home, and when I spoke to him later that week, he had put an offer down on a house and was arranging to start a new job at the Eureka Springs Hospital. Fast-forward to December; Jon and girlfriend head back to Arkansas to spend the holidays. Next thing I know, they’ve given notice at their jobs and are moving down to join the old man at the end of the month.

From what I saw during my visit, Northwestern Arkansas looks to be one of the fastest growing areas in the country, with the growth vaguely centering around the largest job markets: Fayetteville and Bentonville. The two major corporate headquarters (Wal-Mart and Tyson Chicken) in the area plus dirt cheap real estate, scenic locations, abundant recreation, and some genuinely interesting places to visit add up to a destination that I suspect will draw an increasing number of people in the near future. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at this mystery state.


Arkansas: “The Land of Opportunity.”

Nickname: The Natural State

Geography: No one can really say for sure. Sits somewhere roughly mid-country, maybe. However, it is fairly mountainous, so we can say definitively that it is not in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, or Kansas. Actually, the only way to find it is to follow the signs from Paris,Texas or fly (a third route, not approved by the Six Talking Heads involves rafting down the Arkansas river from Buena Vista, CO).

Climate: Mostly hot, with a chance of ice storms in the winter. Regardless, it always seems to be no-shirt season to some residents.

Official Language, Religion, and Demographic Information: Southern, with a strong concentration of Walmartish sects in the Northwest.

Major Cities: Arkadelphia, Bald Knob, Bonanaza, Bono, Elaine, Flippin, Marked Tree, Marmaduke, Quitman, Stutgart, and Texarkana.

Economy: Tourism, agriculture, and vanadium. Ok, enough joking. Just do what Wal-Mart tells you to do.

Wildlife: Razorbacks, apparently. Perhaps Scotty Thurman is still on the loose, most likely hanging out in one of the region’s extensive underground cave systems. And chiggers, able to seek out and imbed themselves into even the most well protected body, including one’s nether regions.

State Motto: No, Deliverance was not filmed here.

I have to admit, Arkansas was a charming place to visit. Check it out if you are ever in the area hunting razorbacks, protesting outside of Wal-Mart HQ, or if you get hopelessly lost on the way to work. Eureka Springs developed as one of several havens for wealthy urbanites that sought out natural springs for relief from the nasty diseases readily available in the early 1900s. Preservation has ensured that these small mountain getaways still feature stately old Victorian homes perched on lots that are cut into the side of the local mountain. Not only are the towns picturesque; the numerous waterways with high bluffs on either side provided some of the most visually striking canoeing I’d ever undertaken (this was a main draw for my dad, who has recently been amassing what he calls his “plastic navy”). Buffalo River is designated the National Scenic River for the entire USA. Eureka itself has a great sense of community for a town of roughly 2,000, and I can imagine my opinion of the population will only improve now that I am related to 1% of it.

Good luck with the move, Jon and Mo!

Non-Arkansas thoughts from the past week:

• Is it just me, or does the $68 million ponied up by the City of Philadelphia and members of the region’s art community for Eakin’s Gross Clinic feel less like an investment in the arts, and more like a kid not caring about a toy until some other kid tries to take it away. The arts do great things for a city’s image, but it is a vibrant current art scene that attracts creative people to stay long-term. That money, even a fraction of it, could have gone to any number of local artists who are still trying to pay rent or helped open a gallery somewhere outside of slimy Old City. That single painting is going to sit in a single room and die slowly. Sigh.

• Even non-techies are giddy about the new iPhone. I read that there was actual hooting coming from the audience when some of the new features were being demonstrated at the MacWorld event. Apple knows how to make an entrance. They are expecting to sell 10 million of the phones which will retail for about $400-$600!

• I’m getting those bald spots on my legs from years of pants rubbing against the back of my calves (some people’s come from years of crew sock abuse, something I’ve managed to avoid despite hereditary inclinations). And so begins my own slow decay.

• Finally, I walked into work this morning to find what looked a lot like a puddle of urine in the hallway outside my organizations cluster of offices. Luckily, someone had the presence of mind to throw down some newspaper...and leave it there. 2007, I like you already.