Man I love my job. Seriously, it's got to be just about the best job in the world. I get to minister to teenagers and help to shape generations and point them toward God's plan for their own lives as well as the lives of others. Really, what could be better than getting to do something you love?
Something else that I really enjoy is the NFL. I know, I know, how in the world is that even almost related to my job as a youth minister? Well that's the thing, it's not. But because of the fact that I like the NFL as much as I do, I keep up with the things that go on with it. It's fun to know what is going on. But this got me thinking about the differences between being in ministry and being in the NFL. So here is a list of differences between the two careers.
Top 10 Differences in Youth Ministry and the NFL
10) 40 Times- In the NFL there is a lot that is based on how fast a person can run a 40 yard dash. There are guys that have earned loads of cash because they could run that far in less than 4.5 seconds. Really seems like a crazy thing to base employment on. Imagine if a church made it's youth ministry candidates run 40s and used that to help determine who they hired. Maybe instead of an actual 40 they could take times on how fast they can get down the center aisle of the sanctuary.
9) No Agents to deal with- In the NFL guys have agents that come in and represent them to make sure they get the best possible contract deal. Sounds great, but that can lead to tension between the team and the player and result in guys holding out for a better pay package. Imagine if youth ministers had agents or threatened to hold out...imagine if youth ministers had actual contracts....
8) Training Camp- In the NFL guys have to go through two-a-days in the heat of the late summer to train and practice and get prepped for the new season. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea at times for youth ministry. Actually we call it The National Youth Workers Convention.
7) Different Career Ending Injuries- NFL players are always one bad hit or one bad cut away from ending their careers. They have to deal with things like concussions, torn muscles, torn ligaments and torn tendons. Any of these could potentially end the career of a player. In youth ministry our career enders look a little different: lock-ins, road trips, mission trips, Youth Sundays and parents. The names may be different, but the results can be the same.
6) Scouting Combine- This is where all those college hopefuls gather to audition for the scouts, coaches and general managers of various teams. This can make or break where you are selected. In youth ministry we call this the interview process. You meet with the hiring committee, then (in some churches) "audition" with the youth group to see how you "fit". Not really an exact science in either profession.
5) Free Agency- In the NFL when your contract runs out and you aren't resigned by your team, you can become a free agent and have a chance at landing with another team. Many free agents are highly sought after and there are battles between teams to sign them. In youth ministry, well, not so much.
4) Salary Cap- In the NFL there is a limit to how much a team can spend as far as player contract from year to year. This helps to ensure equality among teams. There is also a salary floor which says the minimum amount a team can spend (which is kind of interesting as well) to ensure that teams stay competitive. In youth ministry, there is neither.
3) Fantasy Leagues- Every season there are tons of folks who put together fantasy football teams online and compete. It takes being a fan to a whole different level. I can't really imagine this being the case with youth ministry. For starters what kind of statistical categories would you base it on? Although the interaction from the players could be a nice thing to have.
2) Endorsement Deals- If I were an NFL player I would want to have an endorsement deal. The company could hook you up with what ever it is you are endorsing, you get paid extra and you get to be in commercials. In youth ministry, well there just aren't that many nationally known products (or youth ministers) to endorse. I guess we could get deals from Bible publishing companies, but really what else is there? Pizza?
1) The Draft- In the NFL many of the top college players are selected in the draft. The bigger the school and the bigger the stats you put up the higher you will probably go. It doesn't really guarantee success, but it sure looks good. In youth ministry, thank God they don't do a draft. If all churches went by were numbers and where you got your training (if you got any training), well I would be out of luck probably. Maybe I would be able to catch on as an undrafted free agent eventually.
Peace and Love y'all.
Showing posts with label Top 10 Lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Top 10 Lists. Show all posts
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Lent
Well today is Ash Wednesday, so that means the beginning of Lent. Time to give up something for the next 40 days or so (until Easter at least I guess). I've done this in the past but to be honest not always very successfully. I will go for a little while and then end up breaking it for one lame reason or another. So this year I am going to really try to stick with my Lent. Here are 10 things that I considered for this year.
10) Hating on the Dallas Mavericks- This has got to be my least favorite team in pretty much any sport that I care about (and that is really saying something when you consider the Yankees, Patriots and Lakers are out there). I'm just not a fan of this team, and have even been known to use their name as a derogatory term. Alas, I'm afraid that this would be just too difficult for me to stick with for what is basically the remainder of the season.
9) Dating other girls- I suspect that this one doesn't actually count for two reasons: 1) I'm married and Roni would do me serious bodily harm, and 2) you should really give up something that you do anyway. To be honest, I wouldn't date anyone even if Roni was cool with it (which again she for sure is NOT).
8) Showering (or hygiene in general)- I do like to shower and bathe and brush my teeth and all those things, so to give it up would fit that requirement. However I don't think it would take long for people to beg me to break my Lent with this one, and I'm not sure that is a good thing.
7) Blogging- Really I'm not consistent enough right now for that to be a big deal. I don't think it would have the same effect to tell someone that I gave up blogging for Lent and them respond by asking something like "You blog? Who knew!"
6) Spending time with my kids- Again not a great idea. Roni would not go for it and I don't think that my kids would like the idea much either. But besides that, there are three of them, there's no escape anyway.
5) Going to bed late- I've tried this before when it wasn't Lent and I'm just not sure that I can do it. Come to think of it though, maybe that would be a good idea. Hmmm.
4) Talking- Just in general you know. I could do the whole monk thing and go for 40 days of silence. The main problems here are that I don't think people would leave me alone and would keep talking to me, speaking is part of my job, and I like to get to talk to my wife and kids too much.
3) Bathroom time- No way. Just not going to happen. First of all I don't think it would be looked at favorably for me to start using the trees behind the house as my spot. Secondly, well without this time, I don't know that I would ever be able to get away from the rest of the world. Third, I'm just not thinking that friends and family would be understanding of my suddenly deciding to wear Depends for 40 days.
2) Texting- Now were getting crazy. Without this, how in the world would I be able to communicate important messages to my youth and friends and family? Without this how would I get up to the minute reports about what's going on in the world of sports? And without this, how ever would I be able to get those great forwards about Jesus and how I'm ashamed of Him if I don't retext the message to at least 10 folks?
1) Giving stuff up- Let's be honest here. I'm not good at giving stuff up really, at least not like this. I once gave up the XBOX for Lent. I think that is the only time that I have stuck with it. I think the best thing I could give up is this idea that I have to give something up.
Well there it is. My list of possibilities for going without this Lenten season. Peace and Love y'all.
10) Hating on the Dallas Mavericks- This has got to be my least favorite team in pretty much any sport that I care about (and that is really saying something when you consider the Yankees, Patriots and Lakers are out there). I'm just not a fan of this team, and have even been known to use their name as a derogatory term. Alas, I'm afraid that this would be just too difficult for me to stick with for what is basically the remainder of the season.
9) Dating other girls- I suspect that this one doesn't actually count for two reasons: 1) I'm married and Roni would do me serious bodily harm, and 2) you should really give up something that you do anyway. To be honest, I wouldn't date anyone even if Roni was cool with it (which again she for sure is NOT).
8) Showering (or hygiene in general)- I do like to shower and bathe and brush my teeth and all those things, so to give it up would fit that requirement. However I don't think it would take long for people to beg me to break my Lent with this one, and I'm not sure that is a good thing.
7) Blogging- Really I'm not consistent enough right now for that to be a big deal. I don't think it would have the same effect to tell someone that I gave up blogging for Lent and them respond by asking something like "You blog? Who knew!"
6) Spending time with my kids- Again not a great idea. Roni would not go for it and I don't think that my kids would like the idea much either. But besides that, there are three of them, there's no escape anyway.
5) Going to bed late- I've tried this before when it wasn't Lent and I'm just not sure that I can do it. Come to think of it though, maybe that would be a good idea. Hmmm.
4) Talking- Just in general you know. I could do the whole monk thing and go for 40 days of silence. The main problems here are that I don't think people would leave me alone and would keep talking to me, speaking is part of my job, and I like to get to talk to my wife and kids too much.
3) Bathroom time- No way. Just not going to happen. First of all I don't think it would be looked at favorably for me to start using the trees behind the house as my spot. Secondly, well without this time, I don't know that I would ever be able to get away from the rest of the world. Third, I'm just not thinking that friends and family would be understanding of my suddenly deciding to wear Depends for 40 days.
2) Texting- Now were getting crazy. Without this, how in the world would I be able to communicate important messages to my youth and friends and family? Without this how would I get up to the minute reports about what's going on in the world of sports? And without this, how ever would I be able to get those great forwards about Jesus and how I'm ashamed of Him if I don't retext the message to at least 10 folks?
1) Giving stuff up- Let's be honest here. I'm not good at giving stuff up really, at least not like this. I once gave up the XBOX for Lent. I think that is the only time that I have stuck with it. I think the best thing I could give up is this idea that I have to give something up.
Well there it is. My list of possibilities for going without this Lenten season. Peace and Love y'all.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Explorers Anonymous
So one of the last things I wrote on here was about Dora the Explorer and how there were some things about it that just made me go "Hmmm." Well here is a little bit of a follow up to that post for you.
Top 10 Signs my two year old is watching too much Dora
1) When he can name pretty much all the characters on the show, but still struggles to say the names of his sisters.
2) When he suddenly screams "DORA!!" when he is supposed to be going to sleep.
3) When he knows the answers to the questions Dora asks, but still doesn't speak in complete sentences to me.
4) When he has figured out how to open both the DVD player and case and can almost work it all on his own.
5) When he cries because he doesn't get to wear the Dora costume around the house.
6) When the first thing he does in the morning is to walk into the living room, point at the TV and say "Dora."
7) When he seems to believe that he can let himself out the front door and roam around on his own.
8) When you are afraid that you will have to have an intervention at the age of two.
9) You start seriously considering the idea of starting a Dora the Explorer support group.
10) When we go to Gran'maw's house and he immediately goes to the movie selection and begins bringing in all the Dora tapes.
Peace and Love y'all.
Top 10 Signs my two year old is watching too much Dora
1) When he can name pretty much all the characters on the show, but still struggles to say the names of his sisters.
2) When he suddenly screams "DORA!!" when he is supposed to be going to sleep.
3) When he knows the answers to the questions Dora asks, but still doesn't speak in complete sentences to me.
4) When he has figured out how to open both the DVD player and case and can almost work it all on his own.
5) When he cries because he doesn't get to wear the Dora costume around the house.
6) When the first thing he does in the morning is to walk into the living room, point at the TV and say "Dora."
7) When he seems to believe that he can let himself out the front door and roam around on his own.
8) When you are afraid that you will have to have an intervention at the age of two.
9) You start seriously considering the idea of starting a Dora the Explorer support group.
10) When we go to Gran'maw's house and he immediately goes to the movie selection and begins bringing in all the Dora tapes.
Peace and Love y'all.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Greatness of Metallica
So I was walking over to the house today around lunch time and the guys at the construction site had the radio going. The song that was playing was "The Memory Remains" by Metallica. Now, I have only owned one CD by Metallica ever in my life, but it was a disc that I really enjoyed. As I was walking and and listening to the song playing, I got to thinking about a few things that I have been informed that Metallica helped to inspire. So this of course got me thinking and wondering what else they may have influenced. So I decided to make a list. Here you go.
1)The Faux-hawk- That's right, believe it or not I have been informed that the fauxhawk was inspired by James Hetfield, the lead singer. I think it was on a day when he had really bad hat hair combined with some serious static electricity. True story.
2) The chin only gotee- Again Mr. James Hetfield is responsible for this look. After being burned in a pyrotechnics accident he grew out only his chin hair to cover the scarring. On a side note, the three little pigs would like to dispute this, claiming they had the look first by the hair of their chinny, chin chin.
3) The Beatles- I know!! It seems that Metallica is so incredible that they once traveled back in time in order to help a little band from Liverpool get their start.
4) The Titanic- Though the great ship was not directly inspired or influenced by the band, had they been aboard on April 15, 1912 they would surely have been able to prevent the great ships sinking by their mere presence.
5) A Cure for cancer, AIDS and the eradication of the H1N1 flu- In the future scientists will discover the cure for these and many other diseases simply by playing all of Metallica's albums backwards. Tipper Gore really was on to something.
6) Mythology- The ancient gods were actually based on the band members of Metallica.
7) The Book of Revelation- It was actually a glimpse of a Metallica show that John saw.
8) Chuck Norris- He had to be inspired somewhere along the line to be as awesome as he is right?
9) The American Revolution- And you thought it was just taxation without Representation...we've already talked about the Metallica time machine.
10) The extinction of the dinosaurs- They just really rock that hard man...and there is that time machine again.
There you have it. My list of things that Metallica is somehow linked to. Peace and Love y'all.
1)The Faux-hawk- That's right, believe it or not I have been informed that the fauxhawk was inspired by James Hetfield, the lead singer. I think it was on a day when he had really bad hat hair combined with some serious static electricity. True story.
2) The chin only gotee- Again Mr. James Hetfield is responsible for this look. After being burned in a pyrotechnics accident he grew out only his chin hair to cover the scarring. On a side note, the three little pigs would like to dispute this, claiming they had the look first by the hair of their chinny, chin chin.
3) The Beatles- I know!! It seems that Metallica is so incredible that they once traveled back in time in order to help a little band from Liverpool get their start.
4) The Titanic- Though the great ship was not directly inspired or influenced by the band, had they been aboard on April 15, 1912 they would surely have been able to prevent the great ships sinking by their mere presence.
5) A Cure for cancer, AIDS and the eradication of the H1N1 flu- In the future scientists will discover the cure for these and many other diseases simply by playing all of Metallica's albums backwards. Tipper Gore really was on to something.
6) Mythology- The ancient gods were actually based on the band members of Metallica.
7) The Book of Revelation- It was actually a glimpse of a Metallica show that John saw.
8) Chuck Norris- He had to be inspired somewhere along the line to be as awesome as he is right?
9) The American Revolution- And you thought it was just taxation without Representation...we've already talked about the Metallica time machine.
10) The extinction of the dinosaurs- They just really rock that hard man...and there is that time machine again.
There you have it. My list of things that Metallica is somehow linked to. Peace and Love y'all.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Where the Action Is
As long as I can recall, action figures have been a staple of the toy industry for boys. These have been G.I. Joe, Masters of the Universe, Star Wars, and so on. These figures allowed little boys (and sometimes bigger boys as well) to create and live out adventures in their imaginations. One of the best parts was always the little stickers and such on the packages that would proclaim what the special "action" was the figures could perform. "Kung Fu chopping Action!!" "Weapons actually fire!!" These were the things that would, at times, draw me to the figures that I wanted to play with. These were the things that were so cool about the toys.
Now there are "alternative" action figures for sell at select Wal-Mart stores. These are figures that I'm sure some would call "the original action heroes" and they are, but I just wonder what kinds of adventures and actions people will be able to come up with that will be all that different from the other action figures they have. Starting soon, in the Wal-Mart stores that sell the most Bibles, they will also offer Bible Action Figures. So far there are three that I know of. With that in mind, here is my list of who would be good "Bible action figures" and what their special action could be.
10) Noah- With super hammering action (Ark and animals not included)
9) King David- With spinning sling arm action (Bathsheba and Goliath sold separately)
8) Samson- With donkey jawbone swinging action (Philistines soldiers sold separately)
7) Daniel- With super praying action and lion with non-working jaws
6) Aaron- With staff and miniature golden calf statue
5) Moses- With 10 Commandments and burning bush (Israelites sold separately)
4) Balaam- With talking donkey (batteries not included)
3) Elijah- Alter & sacrifice included (Prophets of Baal sold separately)
2) Paul- Comes with scraps of cloth for healing, and a viper (snake, not car)
1) Jesus- With rising hand (squeeze his knees) "miracle" action (Apostles sold separately)
What do you think? Peace and Love y'all.
Now there are "alternative" action figures for sell at select Wal-Mart stores. These are figures that I'm sure some would call "the original action heroes" and they are, but I just wonder what kinds of adventures and actions people will be able to come up with that will be all that different from the other action figures they have. Starting soon, in the Wal-Mart stores that sell the most Bibles, they will also offer Bible Action Figures. So far there are three that I know of. With that in mind, here is my list of who would be good "Bible action figures" and what their special action could be.
10) Noah- With super hammering action (Ark and animals not included)
9) King David- With spinning sling arm action (Bathsheba and Goliath sold separately)
8) Samson- With donkey jawbone swinging action (Philistines soldiers sold separately)
7) Daniel- With super praying action and lion with non-working jaws
6) Aaron- With staff and miniature golden calf statue
5) Moses- With 10 Commandments and burning bush (Israelites sold separately)
4) Balaam- With talking donkey (batteries not included)
3) Elijah- Alter & sacrifice included (Prophets of Baal sold separately)
2) Paul- Comes with scraps of cloth for healing, and a viper (snake, not car)
1) Jesus- With rising hand (squeeze his knees) "miracle" action (Apostles sold separately)
What do you think? Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Performance
So there is a lot of talk and such right now in the world of sports about the use of PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs). It seems to be focused primarily on Major League Baseball, but the NFL has also been looked at in the last few years. Really the NBA and NHL are the only "big" leagues that you haven't heard much about as far as PEDs go.
Now, all of this did get me thinking. In some regards I can understand the thinking behind taking these drugs. You are looking for an edge, something to be able to continue on at a high level. It got me to wondering though: what are some professions that we should start testing for PEDs? Here is a list of 10 that came to mind (with a nod of thanks for the contributions from R-Dub).
10- Administrative Assisstant- Think about it. Who would ever think to test an Administrative Assisstant for PEDs? What would the signs be? They answer the phone faster, make copies more quickly and their typing ability soars through the roof. Things to be on the look out for if you suspect your Administrative Assisstant is juicing.
9- Female Fashion Models- Signs that maybe there is rampant use of PEDs in the modeling world: They actually look like normal healthy human beings, they are able to get into and out of their turns on the runway with greater fluidity.
8- Journalist- Mainly print journalists here. Look for stories that are better and acurate quotations of what was said by those who were interviewed and deadlines reached on time.
7- Author- Less confusing plots and the number of books written to sky rocket.
6- Artist- Paintings make more sense and sculptures are of things that can be recognized.
5- Scientists- Look for experiments that go faster and yield more immediate results. Also look for better calculations and formulas.
4- Photographer- They will do better getting young children to not cry and to look at the camera. Also the pictures will be composed better and the process will go faster for everyone.
3- Seamstress/Taylor- Sewing ability and stats go through the roof. Thread flying off the spools.
2- Preacher- Sermons become more concise and to the point. It would seem that one side effect of PEDs, the "roid rage" has been around for years in the pulpit--we have just always called them Southern Baptists.
1- Librarian- Look for books to be back on shelves quicker and new books to be in earlier. Also look for threatening late notices warning of more than just a "fine" for overdue books.
So that's it. These are professions that have never to my knowledge had any history of testing for PEDs, but with the obvious explosion and expansion of their use, it may now be time to consider testing these very professions. Peace and Love y'all.
Now, all of this did get me thinking. In some regards I can understand the thinking behind taking these drugs. You are looking for an edge, something to be able to continue on at a high level. It got me to wondering though: what are some professions that we should start testing for PEDs? Here is a list of 10 that came to mind (with a nod of thanks for the contributions from R-Dub).
10- Administrative Assisstant- Think about it. Who would ever think to test an Administrative Assisstant for PEDs? What would the signs be? They answer the phone faster, make copies more quickly and their typing ability soars through the roof. Things to be on the look out for if you suspect your Administrative Assisstant is juicing.
9- Female Fashion Models- Signs that maybe there is rampant use of PEDs in the modeling world: They actually look like normal healthy human beings, they are able to get into and out of their turns on the runway with greater fluidity.
8- Journalist- Mainly print journalists here. Look for stories that are better and acurate quotations of what was said by those who were interviewed and deadlines reached on time.
7- Author- Less confusing plots and the number of books written to sky rocket.
6- Artist- Paintings make more sense and sculptures are of things that can be recognized.
5- Scientists- Look for experiments that go faster and yield more immediate results. Also look for better calculations and formulas.
4- Photographer- They will do better getting young children to not cry and to look at the camera. Also the pictures will be composed better and the process will go faster for everyone.
3- Seamstress/Taylor- Sewing ability and stats go through the roof. Thread flying off the spools.
2- Preacher- Sermons become more concise and to the point. It would seem that one side effect of PEDs, the "roid rage" has been around for years in the pulpit--we have just always called them Southern Baptists.
1- Librarian- Look for books to be back on shelves quicker and new books to be in earlier. Also look for threatening late notices warning of more than just a "fine" for overdue books.
So that's it. These are professions that have never to my knowledge had any history of testing for PEDs, but with the obvious explosion and expansion of their use, it may now be time to consider testing these very professions. Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Where's my Ring?
So it is the Friday before the Super Bowl. Every year I think of some of the greatest players are that I have seen that were not fortunate enough to win the Super Bowl. As I was thinking about this today, I came up with ten guys that I felt were great players who just weren't quite able to get it to all come together enough to get that ring. So here is my list of guys that came up short.
10) Boomer Esiason (QB- Bengals, Jets, Cardinals)- Boomer was the QB for the Bengals team that went to Super Bowl 23. They were close that year, losing in the end to the 49ers. Boomer was the NFL MVP that year (1988), was a four-time Pro Bowler and is (or was) a top 10 NFL QB in career marks.
9) Warren Moon (QB- Oilers, Vikings, Seahawks, Chiefs)- Moon is the guy that would be the all-time leader in passing yards if you combined his CFL yards with this NFL yards. He was the 1990 NFL Newspaper Ent. Assoc. MVP as well the AP Offensive Player of the Year. He was a 9-time Pro Bowler as well.
8) Bruce Smith (DE- Bills, Redskins)- Smith retired as the NFL's all-time leader in QB sacks with 200. He had at least 10 sacks in 14 of his 19 seasons in the NFL. He was an 11-time Pro Bowler as well. He helped lead the Bills to 4 straight Super Bowls in the early 1990s, but came up short each time.
7) Thurman Thomas (RB-Bills, Dolphins)- Thomas was the main cog in the Bills K-Gun offense that helped them make those 4 Super Bowl runs. He was the 1991 NFL MVP as well as a 5-time Pro Bowler. He also won the Heisman Trophy in 1987 at Oklahoma State.
6) Randall Cunningham (QB-Eagles, Vikings, Cowboys, Ravens)- Cunningham was one of the first truly mobile QBs to play in the NFL. He was the the 1998 NFL Newspaper Ent. Assoc. MVP. He was a 4-time Pro Bowler and led the 1998 Vikings to the NFC Championship game with a 15-1 record, but missed the Super Bowl.
5) Tim Brown (WR-Raiders, Buccaneers)- Brown was a receiver for the Raiders and Bucs in his career. He made the Pro Bowl 9 times in his career and is the 4th all-time leading receiver. He played in one Super Bowl with the Raiders, but lost to the Bucs.
4) Cris Carter (WR-Eagles, Vikings, Dolphins)- Carter was one of the greatest wideouts of all time. He is one of only 5 receivers with 1000+ receptions. He was on the Vikings team that made it to the NFC Championship game in 1998 only to lose to the Falcons. He was an 8-time Pro Bowler.
3) Derrick Thomas (LB- Chiefs)- Thomas was the 1989 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year as well as a 9-time Pro Bowler. He finished his career with 126.5 sacks. He never was able to get to the Super Bowl and passed away a few weeks after being injured in a car accident.
2) Dan Marino (QB-Dolphins)- Marino was one of the greatest QBs of all time. With his size and quick release he had all the tools of a Super Bowl winner. After playing in the Super Bowl in his second season it seemed that this was just the first of many. It was would turn out to be his only one. He was the 1984 AP NFL MVP as well as Offensive Player of the Year. He was a 9-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
1) Barry Sanders (RB-Lions)- Easily the greatest running back of his time. He made it to the NFC Championship game one time in his career, falling to the Redskins. He is the 3rd all time leading rusher in the NFL. He was the 1997 AP and Newspaper Ent. Assoc. MVP, the 1989 Offensive Rookie of the Year, and a 10 time Pro Bowler.
So there it is. My list of some of the best players to never win a Super Bowl ring. I know that there are some that I have probably left off, but hey, it's my list. Peace and Love y'all.
10) Boomer Esiason (QB- Bengals, Jets, Cardinals)- Boomer was the QB for the Bengals team that went to Super Bowl 23. They were close that year, losing in the end to the 49ers. Boomer was the NFL MVP that year (1988), was a four-time Pro Bowler and is (or was) a top 10 NFL QB in career marks.
9) Warren Moon (QB- Oilers, Vikings, Seahawks, Chiefs)- Moon is the guy that would be the all-time leader in passing yards if you combined his CFL yards with this NFL yards. He was the 1990 NFL Newspaper Ent. Assoc. MVP as well the AP Offensive Player of the Year. He was a 9-time Pro Bowler as well.
8) Bruce Smith (DE- Bills, Redskins)- Smith retired as the NFL's all-time leader in QB sacks with 200. He had at least 10 sacks in 14 of his 19 seasons in the NFL. He was an 11-time Pro Bowler as well. He helped lead the Bills to 4 straight Super Bowls in the early 1990s, but came up short each time.
7) Thurman Thomas (RB-Bills, Dolphins)- Thomas was the main cog in the Bills K-Gun offense that helped them make those 4 Super Bowl runs. He was the 1991 NFL MVP as well as a 5-time Pro Bowler. He also won the Heisman Trophy in 1987 at Oklahoma State.
6) Randall Cunningham (QB-Eagles, Vikings, Cowboys, Ravens)- Cunningham was one of the first truly mobile QBs to play in the NFL. He was the the 1998 NFL Newspaper Ent. Assoc. MVP. He was a 4-time Pro Bowler and led the 1998 Vikings to the NFC Championship game with a 15-1 record, but missed the Super Bowl.
5) Tim Brown (WR-Raiders, Buccaneers)- Brown was a receiver for the Raiders and Bucs in his career. He made the Pro Bowl 9 times in his career and is the 4th all-time leading receiver. He played in one Super Bowl with the Raiders, but lost to the Bucs.
4) Cris Carter (WR-Eagles, Vikings, Dolphins)- Carter was one of the greatest wideouts of all time. He is one of only 5 receivers with 1000+ receptions. He was on the Vikings team that made it to the NFC Championship game in 1998 only to lose to the Falcons. He was an 8-time Pro Bowler.
3) Derrick Thomas (LB- Chiefs)- Thomas was the 1989 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year as well as a 9-time Pro Bowler. He finished his career with 126.5 sacks. He never was able to get to the Super Bowl and passed away a few weeks after being injured in a car accident.
2) Dan Marino (QB-Dolphins)- Marino was one of the greatest QBs of all time. With his size and quick release he had all the tools of a Super Bowl winner. After playing in the Super Bowl in his second season it seemed that this was just the first of many. It was would turn out to be his only one. He was the 1984 AP NFL MVP as well as Offensive Player of the Year. He was a 9-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
1) Barry Sanders (RB-Lions)- Easily the greatest running back of his time. He made it to the NFC Championship game one time in his career, falling to the Redskins. He is the 3rd all time leading rusher in the NFL. He was the 1997 AP and Newspaper Ent. Assoc. MVP, the 1989 Offensive Rookie of the Year, and a 10 time Pro Bowler.
So there it is. My list of some of the best players to never win a Super Bowl ring. I know that there are some that I have probably left off, but hey, it's my list. Peace and Love y'all.
Top 10 Super Bowl Ads of All Time
Ok, so I saw this on MSNBC.com and thought I would share it with everyone minus the economic stuff behind it and without all the set up as well. These are, according to MSNBC.com, the top 10 Super Bowl commercials of all time (dramatic music crescendos in the background)!!!
10) Master Lock--"Shot Lock" (1974)
9) Coke--"Parade Balloons" (2008)
8) Budweiser--"Sleigh Ride" (2004)
7) E*Trade--"Money Out the Wazoo" (2000)
6) McDonald's--"The Showdown" (1993)
5) Budweiser--"Frogs" (1995)
4) Apple--"1984" (1984)
3) Reebok--"Terry Tate Office Linebacker" (2003)
2) Budweiser--"Respect" (2002)
1) Coke--"Mean Joe Greene" (1979)
So there they are according to msnbc.com. Hope you enjoyed these and if you want the other information that goes with them, you can click right here for that. What is your favorite ad from Super Bowls past? Peace and Love y'all.
10) Master Lock--"Shot Lock" (1974)
9) Coke--"Parade Balloons" (2008)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
8) Budweiser--"Sleigh Ride" (2004)
7) E*Trade--"Money Out the Wazoo" (2000)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
6) McDonald's--"The Showdown" (1993)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
5) Budweiser--"Frogs" (1995)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
4) Apple--"1984" (1984)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
3) Reebok--"Terry Tate Office Linebacker" (2003)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
2) Budweiser--"Respect" (2002)
1) Coke--"Mean Joe Greene" (1979)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
So there they are according to msnbc.com. Hope you enjoyed these and if you want the other information that goes with them, you can click right here for that. What is your favorite ad from Super Bowls past? Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Beard
So I was looking at this list today of pictures of celebrities that had made "bad choices" in what they decided to wear out in public. For the most part, I don't really care what they are wearing or what not, but this picture of Joaquin Phoenix grabbed my attention. I knew that he had retired from acting to follow a career in music, but I wasn't sure about his new look until I saw this. So It got me thinking about what else he could do with a beard like that. Here is what I thought of.10) With that beard he could be getting ready to play the Unibomber in some kind of biopic.
9) He could be getting ready to move to Seattle and join a grunge band.
8) He could be heading to the Pacific Northwest to give up both movies and music and become a lumberjack.
7) It could be that he has started trying to live his life according to the Torah.
6) As a supporter of PETA he could be starting a refuge for small animals on his face.
5) It could be that he just really likes being single and would like to stay that way.
4) He is just a really big fan of Cousin IT and plans to enter various Cousin It look-a-like contests.
3) He thinks that the Taliban look is the height of fashion.
2) He is hoping to be part of a relaunch of the old show Grizzly Adams.
1) He's just a really big fan of Jack's beard from the show LOST.
Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Growing Up
So I was thinking about some things the other day concerning adulthood. You know how there are things that you did as a kid (pre-Jr. High) that now as an adult you just really don't do anymore...and for good resaon; some of these things would cause people to talk about you in those "hushed" tones and behind a hand. So I decided that my top 10 tonight would be some of these things. So without further ado, here they are.
10) Have a regular bedtime- I'm talking about one that is enforced mainly. I realize that many people do have a bed time since they have to be at work early, but as an adult there aren't too many who someone there to enforce that for them.
9) Play outside for hours on end- Now we are too tired from working all day to go home and just play outside until it is dark or time for supper.
8) Have "Good clothes" and "Play clothes"- I remember having to change out of what I wore to school everyday first thing before I could go out and play.
7) Have sleepovers- Remember the days of inviting your friends over to have a sleepover? You would stay up late and watch TV and tell stories and play...whatever you played...and then finally go to sleep. Man those were the days. I remember one such time that we were at Justin's house and thought we could be really sneaky and go from the couch (against the far wall of the living room) around the island with the stove (closest to his parents' room) and not get caught, even though we were supposed to be going to sleep. We made it a few times before his mom came out and caught us.
6) Watch Saturday morning cartoons- Maybe it's because all the cartoons now seem to suck on Saturday morning. Why would you want to get up early for these? I guess I'm just old and biased, but the cartoons on Saturday morning when I was a kid were awesome.
5) Play games like tag, chase and hide-and-seek- For some reason those games were awesome. We would run around in the front yard or on the playground at recess and just play.
4) Sleep in your parents bed- You know like if you woke up in the night from a bad dream or because there was a storm or something like that. The place that you wanted to be was in the bed with Mom and Dad...usually right in the middle.
3) Pass notes to the "special" someone- You know the kind I'm talking about. Dear so-n-so will you go out with me? Check one. Then there were the big boxes usually just two-Yes and No- but sometimes with that third option of Maybe. Really glad I get over that one.
2) Wear the same clothes for days on end- Okay granted this was mainly just in the summer. But come one, it was such a hassle to have to get up in the mornings and pick out new clothes when there was a chance you had just slept in the ones you had on the day before anyway. By the time you actually changed they were more or less able to walk themselves to the hamper.
1) Bathe only once a week- Yes I remember being one of those kids who did this in elementary usually in the summer once again. We would take a bath on Saturday night so we could be ready to go to church the next morning. Yeah, hard to believe that was the case now.
So those are the things that come to mind. Feel free to share anything that I might have forgotten here. Peace and Love y'all.
10) Have a regular bedtime- I'm talking about one that is enforced mainly. I realize that many people do have a bed time since they have to be at work early, but as an adult there aren't too many who someone there to enforce that for them.
9) Play outside for hours on end- Now we are too tired from working all day to go home and just play outside until it is dark or time for supper.
8) Have "Good clothes" and "Play clothes"- I remember having to change out of what I wore to school everyday first thing before I could go out and play.
7) Have sleepovers- Remember the days of inviting your friends over to have a sleepover? You would stay up late and watch TV and tell stories and play...whatever you played...and then finally go to sleep. Man those were the days. I remember one such time that we were at Justin's house and thought we could be really sneaky and go from the couch (against the far wall of the living room) around the island with the stove (closest to his parents' room) and not get caught, even though we were supposed to be going to sleep. We made it a few times before his mom came out and caught us.
6) Watch Saturday morning cartoons- Maybe it's because all the cartoons now seem to suck on Saturday morning. Why would you want to get up early for these? I guess I'm just old and biased, but the cartoons on Saturday morning when I was a kid were awesome.
5) Play games like tag, chase and hide-and-seek- For some reason those games were awesome. We would run around in the front yard or on the playground at recess and just play.
4) Sleep in your parents bed- You know like if you woke up in the night from a bad dream or because there was a storm or something like that. The place that you wanted to be was in the bed with Mom and Dad...usually right in the middle.
3) Pass notes to the "special" someone- You know the kind I'm talking about. Dear so-n-so will you go out with me? Check one. Then there were the big boxes usually just two-Yes and No- but sometimes with that third option of Maybe. Really glad I get over that one.
2) Wear the same clothes for days on end- Okay granted this was mainly just in the summer. But come one, it was such a hassle to have to get up in the mornings and pick out new clothes when there was a chance you had just slept in the ones you had on the day before anyway. By the time you actually changed they were more or less able to walk themselves to the hamper.
1) Bathe only once a week- Yes I remember being one of those kids who did this in elementary usually in the summer once again. We would take a bath on Saturday night so we could be ready to go to church the next morning. Yeah, hard to believe that was the case now.
So those are the things that come to mind. Feel free to share anything that I might have forgotten here. Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Breakfast Time
So one of my favorite things is cereal. I dig cereal for breakfast, I dig it for a snack, I dig it at night. The thing is, it's basically all the "kid" cereals that I like. I'm not so much into the "healthy" adult stuff really like Grape Nuts or Shredded Wheat. Those just don't do it for me. So since I dig all the kids cereal, it made me think a little bit about all the weird "mascots" that these breakfast foods have. So here are ten that I thought were weird to be representing breakfast and breakfast cereal.
10) The Bee- I get the thinking behind it with it being Honey Nut Cheerios, but most people that I have ever met aren't really all that keen on bees.
9) Cap'n Crunch- Is he a pirate? Is he a regular sailor in the Queen's Royal Navy? And what's up with his eyebrows being on his hat?
8) The Chef- Does it really require a dude in a chef's hat to make Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Does it take a chef at all for cold breakfast cereal?
7) Lucky- This one makes a bit more sense seeing as how the cereal is full of items that are supposed to bring luck. Still...
6) The Elves- You know Snap, Crackle and Pop...three little elves who make Rice Crispies "talk" to us. Snap, crackle and pop aren't usually the sounds you really want to hear while eating, well anything really.
5) The Furry, Fluffy, Fuzzy Monster- This is the newest representative of Honeycombs. I just don't really understand him. Is it that this is what you're kids will act like if they don't get Honeycomb, or is it that it turns them into this after they eat it? Either way, I'm not sure I want that happening.
4) Sonny- Is Sonny a bird? I guess he is since he is coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. Just saying...
3) Tuccan Sam- Another bird hawking cereal. Sam just loves his Froot Loops. I guess it's because they are brightly colored like his beak.
2) The Rabbit- You know I actually saw a commercial once where the Rabbit got the Trix. No lie. I only saw it one time, and it was a little girl sitting on the front steps and she gave him his own bowl of them. Regardless of who Trix are intended for, why is a rabbit the mascot?
1) The Wolf- Cookie Crisp has a wolf as their mascot. It is because of his howl I believe...Coooo-oooo-oookie Crisp. Yeah, he's still a wolf and it's cookie flavored and shaped cereal...go figure.
Anyway, I just thought these were some weird mascots for cereal and I wanted to share them with you. Peace and Love y'all.
10) The Bee- I get the thinking behind it with it being Honey Nut Cheerios, but most people that I have ever met aren't really all that keen on bees.
9) Cap'n Crunch- Is he a pirate? Is he a regular sailor in the Queen's Royal Navy? And what's up with his eyebrows being on his hat?
8) The Chef- Does it really require a dude in a chef's hat to make Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Does it take a chef at all for cold breakfast cereal?
7) Lucky- This one makes a bit more sense seeing as how the cereal is full of items that are supposed to bring luck. Still...
6) The Elves- You know Snap, Crackle and Pop...three little elves who make Rice Crispies "talk" to us. Snap, crackle and pop aren't usually the sounds you really want to hear while eating, well anything really.
5) The Furry, Fluffy, Fuzzy Monster- This is the newest representative of Honeycombs. I just don't really understand him. Is it that this is what you're kids will act like if they don't get Honeycomb, or is it that it turns them into this after they eat it? Either way, I'm not sure I want that happening.
4) Sonny- Is Sonny a bird? I guess he is since he is coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. Just saying...
3) Tuccan Sam- Another bird hawking cereal. Sam just loves his Froot Loops. I guess it's because they are brightly colored like his beak.
2) The Rabbit- You know I actually saw a commercial once where the Rabbit got the Trix. No lie. I only saw it one time, and it was a little girl sitting on the front steps and she gave him his own bowl of them. Regardless of who Trix are intended for, why is a rabbit the mascot?
1) The Wolf- Cookie Crisp has a wolf as their mascot. It is because of his howl I believe...Coooo-oooo-oookie Crisp. Yeah, he's still a wolf and it's cookie flavored and shaped cereal...go figure.
Anyway, I just thought these were some weird mascots for cereal and I wanted to share them with you. Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Puckisms
So I have three kids for anyone who didn't know that. The oldest two are my girls and they are 6 and 3, and the boy is 1. The girls I call Boo and Puck. This is needed background information for the rest of this blog to make sense to you. Puck is a very funny little girl to be just 3 years old. The thing is she, says things that just make me laugh a lot of times. After hearing yet another Puckism this evening, I decided that I would share some of them with you in my Top 10 list for this week. I really do hope you will appreciate them as much as her mother and I do.
10) "I had a big worm poopie."
9) "I'm going to lay over this way so I can pick my nose."
8) "Airplane coming out my booty." (This is when she toots and you ask her what that sound was)
7) "Moma look! It's a big daddy poopie."
6) She has a headfore, a brush teeth and a roll bed.
5) "Excuse me booty." or "Excuse me mouth." (Toots and burps respectively)
4) "Thank you for Amen." (That is how she ends her prayers)
3) It's not yesterday, it's last day.
2) She tells us about when "she was a baby."
1) "Hello toot; come here toot; I love you toot."
Again these are just a few of the things that she says or has said. They are really very funny when she suddenly throws them out there to us, and we laugh (sometimes I'm not supposed to, but still). I hope you can appreciate these at least a little bit...especially if you have an understanding of it all. Peace and Love y'all.
10) "I had a big worm poopie."
9) "I'm going to lay over this way so I can pick my nose."
8) "Airplane coming out my booty." (This is when she toots and you ask her what that sound was)
7) "Moma look! It's a big daddy poopie."
6) She has a headfore, a brush teeth and a roll bed.
5) "Excuse me booty." or "Excuse me mouth." (Toots and burps respectively)
4) "Thank you for Amen." (That is how she ends her prayers)
3) It's not yesterday, it's last day.
2) She tells us about when "she was a baby."
1) "Hello toot; come here toot; I love you toot."
Again these are just a few of the things that she says or has said. They are really very funny when she suddenly throws them out there to us, and we laugh (sometimes I'm not supposed to, but still). I hope you can appreciate these at least a little bit...especially if you have an understanding of it all. Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Well the Weather Outside is Frightful
So as I sit here to write this at 10:05pm (I know it's later than usual), it is currently 34 degrees outside. It is late November and the cool weather finally seems to have arrived for real. With this comes the thoughts of what there is that is nice about these cooler times. So here are the Top 10 things that this weather brings to mind.
10) Electric Blankets- Now to be honest I haven't used an electric blanket in years, but once the weather gets cooler like this (at least for Texas) it brings back memories of growing up and going to Nanny and Daddy Bill's farm and sleeping in the bed with the electric blanket on.
9) Chili- In my house we eat chili whenever really, but it is particularly good when it starts getting cool outside. There is just something about that bowl of warm food that is awesome.
8) Hot Chocolate- Once it starts getting colder outside, there is nothing like a cup of hot chocolate. It is one of my favorite things to have on a cold day.
7) Jackets- I've always liked wearing a jacket once it starts getting cold. I can't really explain what it is about it that I like so much, but there is something about the look and feel that makes me almost look forward to the cold.
6) Toboggans- Again, they seem like they could be worn almost any time, but once it starts getting cold that is when I love to wear toboggans. Once again, I really can't explain what it is.
5) The Holiday feel- It seems that once the colder nights and days hit, that is when you really start to get into the mood of the holidays. There is just something about the cool weather that sparks something that makes me ready to get together with others and celebrate.
4) Turning on the heater- I know some of these sound crazy, but hey it's my list. I dig that first time that I turn on the heater and can use it for an extended period of time without feeling overly stifled by it, both in the house and the car.
3) The smell of fireplaces- I really dig the smell of a fireplace in use. It brings back memories of going to the mountains on family vacations and smelling the smoke in the air. There are few things like it I find.
2) Football playoffs- It is at this time of year that the football playoffs are getting underway, and this is the kind of weather that is just awesome for it. It just seems to fit.
1) Snuggling- This is the thing that I like. Sitting down on the couch with Roni and sharing a blanket with something to watch on TV is my favorite thing about the cold weather like this.
Well that's it. Those are the things that I dig about the weather getting colder and staying that way. I hope you are able to find some things that help you to enjoy the cold. Peace and Love y'all.
10) Electric Blankets- Now to be honest I haven't used an electric blanket in years, but once the weather gets cooler like this (at least for Texas) it brings back memories of growing up and going to Nanny and Daddy Bill's farm and sleeping in the bed with the electric blanket on.
9) Chili- In my house we eat chili whenever really, but it is particularly good when it starts getting cool outside. There is just something about that bowl of warm food that is awesome.
8) Hot Chocolate- Once it starts getting colder outside, there is nothing like a cup of hot chocolate. It is one of my favorite things to have on a cold day.
7) Jackets- I've always liked wearing a jacket once it starts getting cold. I can't really explain what it is about it that I like so much, but there is something about the look and feel that makes me almost look forward to the cold.
6) Toboggans- Again, they seem like they could be worn almost any time, but once it starts getting cold that is when I love to wear toboggans. Once again, I really can't explain what it is.
5) The Holiday feel- It seems that once the colder nights and days hit, that is when you really start to get into the mood of the holidays. There is just something about the cool weather that sparks something that makes me ready to get together with others and celebrate.
4) Turning on the heater- I know some of these sound crazy, but hey it's my list. I dig that first time that I turn on the heater and can use it for an extended period of time without feeling overly stifled by it, both in the house and the car.
3) The smell of fireplaces- I really dig the smell of a fireplace in use. It brings back memories of going to the mountains on family vacations and smelling the smoke in the air. There are few things like it I find.
2) Football playoffs- It is at this time of year that the football playoffs are getting underway, and this is the kind of weather that is just awesome for it. It just seems to fit.
1) Snuggling- This is the thing that I like. Sitting down on the couch with Roni and sharing a blanket with something to watch on TV is my favorite thing about the cold weather like this.
Well that's it. Those are the things that I dig about the weather getting colder and staying that way. I hope you are able to find some things that help you to enjoy the cold. Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Top 10 Joes
So here is the continuation of last weeks top 10. Last week I gave yo my top 10 COBRA characters from the G. I. Joe universe. Again these were my all time favorite toys growing up (other than when we got a Nintendo). Anyway, we played with the figures as well as read the comics and watched the cartoon. To say we were fans might be an understatement. This list should probably be more fluid than it is seeing as how there were so many great characters and to be honest I can't remember them all. Oh and in case you are wondering about what it was that brought this on last week, it was the fact that these toys have been re-released in the last year and I would love to be able to collect them for Knight. Now, here is the list.
10) Duke- To be honest it took me a while to warm up to Duke. When we were kids and had his action figure or watched him on the cartoon, well, we didn't really like him. As I have thought about it in later years, I have come to realize that he really wasn't that bad and was a pretty good choice of leader for the Joes.
9) Recondo- The thing that gets him on the list was the fact that he was the focal point of a Special Missions issue early on in that series run and I really liked that issue for some reason. It showed what an incredible asset he was to the team. On top of that he had a really sweet Australian style cowboy hat that was tied up on one side and flat brimmed on the other.
8) Hit-n-Run- This guy was cool for some reason that I really can't put my finger on. He wore the dark green camo fatigues, a helmet with infra-red goggles on it, and had his face painted camo green. He also had a duffel bag with a rope and grappling hook. To this day, he is one of the ones that I will pick anytime I make an "elite" team of Joes.
7) Outback- Red headed with a bushy beard; camo pants and a white t-shirt with the word Survival on it (all the letters stood for something); a green Rambo-esque headband. These were just some of the things that made Outback cool. On top of that, he had a sweet gun and his arms were flippin' huge.
6) Spirit- The lone Native American Joe. Spirit was a tracker and came with an eagle as a pet. He was cool in that era because for some reason I always made a connection between Indians and ninjas. An Indian was just as good as ninja was in a fight I thought. Plus his rifle was made to look like it shot small arrows, like a crazy crossbow.
5) Gung-Ho- Ahhh the Marine. The guy was just awesome. He had an M-79 grenade launcher for a weapon, wore kind of an aqua green outfit and had the Marine Corp insignia tattooed on his chest. That and he had big frapping arms as well.
4) Scarlett- She was the original female G. I. Joe. She was from the South, had flaming red hair and carried a crossbow. On one glove she had two throwing stars, and on the other she carried a derringer pistol. The thing that made me like her so much though was the fact that she was a skilled martial artist and hung out with Snake Eyes.
3) Stalker- Stalker was just cool. Another one of the original Joes, he was an Army Ranger and had served with Scarlett and Snake Eyes in Vietnam. He wore a green beret and it always struck me that he would be tough.
1) Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes (tied)- These guys were just it man. I loved them both so much it was incredible. Storm Shadow started with COBRA looking for revenge on who it was that killed his uncle the Hard Master. He was trained as a ninja and he just kicked butt. He had swords and a bow and arrow (one of his figures did). On one figure you could see the family tattoo on his forearm. Snake Eyes has got to be the coolest guy ever. He was the strong silent type who never showed him face due to sever burns. He had a pet timber wolf named Timber and one of the coolest swords ever. He trained to be a ninja with Storm Shadow's family and has the same tattoo. Both of these guys were a big part of the reason that I not only collected but wanted to be a G.I. Joe.
Well that's it. Check back next week for a fresh top 10 list. Peace and Love y'all.
10) Duke- To be honest it took me a while to warm up to Duke. When we were kids and had his action figure or watched him on the cartoon, well, we didn't really like him. As I have thought about it in later years, I have come to realize that he really wasn't that bad and was a pretty good choice of leader for the Joes.
9) Recondo- The thing that gets him on the list was the fact that he was the focal point of a Special Missions issue early on in that series run and I really liked that issue for some reason. It showed what an incredible asset he was to the team. On top of that he had a really sweet Australian style cowboy hat that was tied up on one side and flat brimmed on the other.
8) Hit-n-Run- This guy was cool for some reason that I really can't put my finger on. He wore the dark green camo fatigues, a helmet with infra-red goggles on it, and had his face painted camo green. He also had a duffel bag with a rope and grappling hook. To this day, he is one of the ones that I will pick anytime I make an "elite" team of Joes.
7) Outback- Red headed with a bushy beard; camo pants and a white t-shirt with the word Survival on it (all the letters stood for something); a green Rambo-esque headband. These were just some of the things that made Outback cool. On top of that, he had a sweet gun and his arms were flippin' huge.
6) Spirit- The lone Native American Joe. Spirit was a tracker and came with an eagle as a pet. He was cool in that era because for some reason I always made a connection between Indians and ninjas. An Indian was just as good as ninja was in a fight I thought. Plus his rifle was made to look like it shot small arrows, like a crazy crossbow.
5) Gung-Ho- Ahhh the Marine. The guy was just awesome. He had an M-79 grenade launcher for a weapon, wore kind of an aqua green outfit and had the Marine Corp insignia tattooed on his chest. That and he had big frapping arms as well.
4) Scarlett- She was the original female G. I. Joe. She was from the South, had flaming red hair and carried a crossbow. On one glove she had two throwing stars, and on the other she carried a derringer pistol. The thing that made me like her so much though was the fact that she was a skilled martial artist and hung out with Snake Eyes.
3) Stalker- Stalker was just cool. Another one of the original Joes, he was an Army Ranger and had served with Scarlett and Snake Eyes in Vietnam. He wore a green beret and it always struck me that he would be tough.
1) Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes (tied)- These guys were just it man. I loved them both so much it was incredible. Storm Shadow started with COBRA looking for revenge on who it was that killed his uncle the Hard Master. He was trained as a ninja and he just kicked butt. He had swords and a bow and arrow (one of his figures did). On one figure you could see the family tattoo on his forearm. Snake Eyes has got to be the coolest guy ever. He was the strong silent type who never showed him face due to sever burns. He had a pet timber wolf named Timber and one of the coolest swords ever. He trained to be a ninja with Storm Shadow's family and has the same tattoo. Both of these guys were a big part of the reason that I not only collected but wanted to be a G.I. Joe.
Well that's it. Check back next week for a fresh top 10 list. Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Top COBRA characters
The other day we were shopping in Sulphur Springs for Knight's birthday that is coming up. As I was looking at the toy (which I almost always do) I found something. In case you didn't know or realize this, G.I. Joe toys have been re-released in the last couple of years. These are the good ones too; updated with new molds and weapons and such. I am very excited about this and would love to be able to collect these to share with Knight as he grows up...you know that kind of father and son bonding thing. Anyway, here is a new top 10 list for you today. I am taking from my first list of toys and expanding on #1, which was G.I. Joe. So here for you to read over, a list of my top 10 favorite G.I. Joe characters, starting with the COBRAs.
The COBRAs
10) Serpentor- The totally created COBRA Emporor. When a few of the higher ups in the COBRA organization decided that COBRA Commander had lost it, they genetically engineered this guy from the DNA of past military rulers such as Ghengis Kahn and Alexander the Great. He had all the potential of being the ultimate leader...until he took an arrow through the eyeball in battle.
9) Wild Weasal- He was the lead pilot for COBRA. He flew the Rattler which was a pretty freaking cool aircraft.
8) Scrap Iron- This guy was evil and ruthless. He once climbed to the top of a telephone pole with a portable missle launcher and blew up a car holding an innocent driver, a woman, COBRA Commanders son, and the Soft Master (Storm Shadow's uncle). Now that's just cold blooded.
7) Fred- Yeah I know. It doesn't seem like a very bad dude with a name like Fred. The thing is, these were the guys who were the elite soldiers for COBRA. They moved them into neighborhoods to start the process of recruiting for the organization. That is how you build a terrorist organization it would seem. There was even one of the Fred's who took over as COBRA Comannder for a while.
6) Barroness- She was the lone female officer for COBRA. She was however divided between her loyalty to the organization and her love for Destro.
5) The Twins (Tomax and Xamot)- These two brothers were mirror images of each other. The only difference was the scar that one of them had (I confess I don't remember which one it was). They led the Crimson Guardsmen (the Freds) and were every bit as bad the guys the were in charge of.
4) Zartan- The master of disguise. Zartan was a mimic of uncanny skill. It was he who killed the Hard Master (Storm Shadow's other uncle) while trying to kill Storm Shadow. He could make himself up to look like anyone and was the leader of a group of bikers called the Dreadnoks. On top of that, he liked to live in the swamp.
3) Destro- This guy was all about the money really, supplying COBRA with the weapons that he manufactured. Mainly, he just sold to the highest bidder (like all evil black market weapons dealers do). The dude wore a chrome mask and later a gold one. It was a family tradition dating back centuries. Regardless of the reason, he was one bad dude whose face you could use a mirror to see how badly he had just whipped you.
2) Firefly- This guy was just bad. As a kid, this was the COBRA guy that we just loved. He looked flipping awesome and had a sweet bio. The guy was known for his ability to destroy things without detection. As his bio says, no one ever saw him go in or come out. That was what we loved about him...that and he looked like a ninja.
1) COBRA Commander- The top of the heap here. He was the leader of the largest terror organization that there was. He was a man that was so ruthless and cruel that he was ok with torturing his own son and killing him if need be...all in the name of power. No one ever knew who he actually was or what he really looked like. He wore the classic COBRA helmet, but with a full metal shield covering his face. When he was relaxing at COBRA HQ, or was addressing his troops, he wore a simple yet effective hood over his entire head with nothing but holes for his eyes. All in all he was a hardcore bad guy that always gave the Joes fits.
There it is. My list of the Top 10 COBRA characters. Check back next week for the list of my Top 10 Joes. Peace and Love y'all.
The COBRAs
10) Serpentor- The totally created COBRA Emporor. When a few of the higher ups in the COBRA organization decided that COBRA Commander had lost it, they genetically engineered this guy from the DNA of past military rulers such as Ghengis Kahn and Alexander the Great. He had all the potential of being the ultimate leader...until he took an arrow through the eyeball in battle.
9) Wild Weasal- He was the lead pilot for COBRA. He flew the Rattler which was a pretty freaking cool aircraft.
8) Scrap Iron- This guy was evil and ruthless. He once climbed to the top of a telephone pole with a portable missle launcher and blew up a car holding an innocent driver, a woman, COBRA Commanders son, and the Soft Master (Storm Shadow's uncle). Now that's just cold blooded.
7) Fred- Yeah I know. It doesn't seem like a very bad dude with a name like Fred. The thing is, these were the guys who were the elite soldiers for COBRA. They moved them into neighborhoods to start the process of recruiting for the organization. That is how you build a terrorist organization it would seem. There was even one of the Fred's who took over as COBRA Comannder for a while.
6) Barroness- She was the lone female officer for COBRA. She was however divided between her loyalty to the organization and her love for Destro.
5) The Twins (Tomax and Xamot)- These two brothers were mirror images of each other. The only difference was the scar that one of them had (I confess I don't remember which one it was). They led the Crimson Guardsmen (the Freds) and were every bit as bad the guys the were in charge of.
4) Zartan- The master of disguise. Zartan was a mimic of uncanny skill. It was he who killed the Hard Master (Storm Shadow's other uncle) while trying to kill Storm Shadow. He could make himself up to look like anyone and was the leader of a group of bikers called the Dreadnoks. On top of that, he liked to live in the swamp.
3) Destro- This guy was all about the money really, supplying COBRA with the weapons that he manufactured. Mainly, he just sold to the highest bidder (like all evil black market weapons dealers do). The dude wore a chrome mask and later a gold one. It was a family tradition dating back centuries. Regardless of the reason, he was one bad dude whose face you could use a mirror to see how badly he had just whipped you.
2) Firefly- This guy was just bad. As a kid, this was the COBRA guy that we just loved. He looked flipping awesome and had a sweet bio. The guy was known for his ability to destroy things without detection. As his bio says, no one ever saw him go in or come out. That was what we loved about him...that and he looked like a ninja.
1) COBRA Commander- The top of the heap here. He was the leader of the largest terror organization that there was. He was a man that was so ruthless and cruel that he was ok with torturing his own son and killing him if need be...all in the name of power. No one ever knew who he actually was or what he really looked like. He wore the classic COBRA helmet, but with a full metal shield covering his face. When he was relaxing at COBRA HQ, or was addressing his troops, he wore a simple yet effective hood over his entire head with nothing but holes for his eyes. All in all he was a hardcore bad guy that always gave the Joes fits.
There it is. My list of the Top 10 COBRA characters. Check back next week for the list of my Top 10 Joes. Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, October 31, 2008
(My) Top 10 Costumes
So with it being Halloween and all, I thought that I would do a top 10 list related to the day. Now, this is in no way based on anything other than my own brain, so therefore it is all opinion and, much like some the information given by our presidential candidates, not really supported by what you would call evidence or facts. So here we go with my top 10 costumes for Halloween.
10) A different person- Just dress normal but tell people you are someone else.
9) A Hobo- Pull on some ratty old clothes and have some facial scruff along with a long stick with a red bandana tied to the end to carry your belongings and there you have it.
8) A trailer trash woman- Put the hair up in rollers, smear some green facial cream on, add a hair net and a long, pink terry-cloth bath rode and you are there.
7) A Whoopie Cushion- So at Wal-Mart you can find a costume that is this. Can't blow it up and have people sit on you though I'm pretty sure.
6) A Ninja- Some black clothes, a hood and mask to cover your mouth and nose and you're good.
5) A Pirate- Big crazy looking pants boots and big floppy hat with an eye patch and a stuffed parrot and there you go.
4) The Roaming Gnome- Saw a kid dressed like this today. The red pointy hat, a blue shirt, brown pants and a big white beard and Travelocity will be knocking on your door...or some people with a garden.
3) A cat- Get some ears and a tail, decide what color you're gonna be, add some make-up for the nose and whiskers and you can be purring in no time.
2) A Gorilla suit- No one will even know it's you in there.
1) A Clown- You want to scare people? Then this is the costume for you. Thanks to Stephen King these supposed jolly, fun loving types scare the pee out most of my generation...stupid people eating monster that looked like a clown, as if they weren't already creepy enough.
There you go. Some of the costumes that seem to catch my attention. Peace and Love y'all.
10) A different person- Just dress normal but tell people you are someone else.
9) A Hobo- Pull on some ratty old clothes and have some facial scruff along with a long stick with a red bandana tied to the end to carry your belongings and there you have it.
8) A trailer trash woman- Put the hair up in rollers, smear some green facial cream on, add a hair net and a long, pink terry-cloth bath rode and you are there.
7) A Whoopie Cushion- So at Wal-Mart you can find a costume that is this. Can't blow it up and have people sit on you though I'm pretty sure.
6) A Ninja- Some black clothes, a hood and mask to cover your mouth and nose and you're good.
5) A Pirate- Big crazy looking pants boots and big floppy hat with an eye patch and a stuffed parrot and there you go.
4) The Roaming Gnome- Saw a kid dressed like this today. The red pointy hat, a blue shirt, brown pants and a big white beard and Travelocity will be knocking on your door...or some people with a garden.
3) A cat- Get some ears and a tail, decide what color you're gonna be, add some make-up for the nose and whiskers and you can be purring in no time.
2) A Gorilla suit- No one will even know it's you in there.
1) A Clown- You want to scare people? Then this is the costume for you. Thanks to Stephen King these supposed jolly, fun loving types scare the pee out most of my generation...stupid people eating monster that looked like a clown, as if they weren't already creepy enough.
There you go. Some of the costumes that seem to catch my attention. Peace and Love y'all.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Top Birthdays
Ok, I know that this is a little late (it is technically Saturday) but we will go ahead and count it for Friday. This is the day for the Top 10 list. I have thought about this all week and in the past couple of days in particular. Here is what I have decided. Since yesterday (the 23rd) was my birthday, I figured that I should do a list based on that. So here you go, this is my list of top 10 birthdays that I have had in the last 33.
10) 5 years old- Okay, so I don't know that there is anything about it that I just really recall as being super special, but it meant that I was now 5 and would be able to go to school the next year.
9) 13 years old- This was the first time that I had a group over to spend the night and for my birthday. This was also the first time that I actually stayed up for 24 solid hours and let my imagination run wild while outside in the dark.
8) 17 years old- For this birthday, I got to go to Cowboys game with Dad and Bryan and my uncle and cousins. Cowboys won and set a franchise record for total yards allowed in a game with 62.
7) 18 years old- This was above all else cool for no other reason than I turned 18 and was that much closer to graduating from high school.
6) 21 years old- This was my first birthday after I had finally moved off to Canyon. We tried to get mugshots done without actually getting arrested, but the Amarillo PD didn't go for it.
5) 24 years old- This one stands out for the fact that Roni went to a great deal of trouble to invite my group of friends to Abernathy for the weekend so I could celebrate with them. We had a skating party in Lubbock that year.
4) 30 years old- Again, Roni went to the trouble of contacting friends and family and having them send me cards and such. It was a good birthday.
3) 16 years old- You had to know that this was going to be close to number one. I mean after all, this is when you get to legally drive.
2) 23 years old- This was the year that I got married. Even though it wasn't on the day, it was just a couple of months later that Roni became my wife. I was engaged on this birthday.
1) The day I was born- Hey without this one, there wouldn't even be a list to consider.
So there it is. The top 10 birthdays that I can think of. Peace and Love y'all.
10) 5 years old- Okay, so I don't know that there is anything about it that I just really recall as being super special, but it meant that I was now 5 and would be able to go to school the next year.
9) 13 years old- This was the first time that I had a group over to spend the night and for my birthday. This was also the first time that I actually stayed up for 24 solid hours and let my imagination run wild while outside in the dark.
8) 17 years old- For this birthday, I got to go to Cowboys game with Dad and Bryan and my uncle and cousins. Cowboys won and set a franchise record for total yards allowed in a game with 62.
7) 18 years old- This was above all else cool for no other reason than I turned 18 and was that much closer to graduating from high school.
6) 21 years old- This was my first birthday after I had finally moved off to Canyon. We tried to get mugshots done without actually getting arrested, but the Amarillo PD didn't go for it.
5) 24 years old- This one stands out for the fact that Roni went to a great deal of trouble to invite my group of friends to Abernathy for the weekend so I could celebrate with them. We had a skating party in Lubbock that year.
4) 30 years old- Again, Roni went to the trouble of contacting friends and family and having them send me cards and such. It was a good birthday.
3) 16 years old- You had to know that this was going to be close to number one. I mean after all, this is when you get to legally drive.
2) 23 years old- This was the year that I got married. Even though it wasn't on the day, it was just a couple of months later that Roni became my wife. I was engaged on this birthday.
1) The day I was born- Hey without this one, there wouldn't even be a list to consider.
So there it is. The top 10 birthdays that I can think of. Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, October 17, 2008
The Top...
So today is the day that I give you a "Top 10" list. So without further delay, here you go.
The Top 10: Action Figure Toys from the 80's
10) Thunder Cats- They were huge and had battery operated rings that you pressed into their backs and their eyes lit up.
9) Star Wars- All the characters from the movies. And I do mean ALL the characters. In fact if you were in the movie even as the camera panned the landscape you got an action figure. On top of that, they had about the coolest vehicles ever created.
8) Marvel's Secret Wars- All the classic characters- Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Dr. Doom, Iron Man- plus a pretty sweet base you could get.
7) The Lone Ranger- You had the masked man in all his cowboy glory. The six-shooters fit in the holsters on his hips, plus he had his trusty mount Silver. Tonto was sold separately Kim-mo-sabee.
6) The Karate Kid- Daniel and The Kobra-Khas. All had that great 80's karate chop/kick action and something to use it on.
5) WWF Wrestlers- These were at the height of the WWF's popularity (at least in the 80's) and were cooler than they should have been by far. They had no moving parts and were basically nothing more a rubber mold of popular wrestlers in the WWF...but for some reason they were pretty cool. Maybe it's because of the fact that you could make them do flips by dropping them on their toes...
4)M.A.S.K.- Some of the sweetest toys of the decade I thought. Cool cars that transformed into things like jets and boats and helicopters. Plus all the drivers had some sort of super powerful helmet/mask that shot stuff from the visor (at least on the cartoon)
3) He-Man and the Masters of the Universe- Bulging muscles, big weapons and a green and orange tiger in battle gear. And they were spring loaded at the waist so they twisted and sprung back for some kind of action.
2) Transformers- These were so very cool, they were almost the number one toy. Sweet cars and planes, boom boxes and tape recorders. It didn't matter what kind of object it was, it was cool to figure out how to transform it into its robot form.
1) G.I. Joe- The absolute coolest action figures EVER. Seriously, they had everything you could want in an action figure. They had multiple points of articulation, awesome guns and cool vehicles. Plus they were soldiers who had "file cards" on the back of every package so you knew who was who and what their story was. These are by far the best in my book.
There it is. The first Top 10 list. If you have any thoughts let me know. Also (shameless plug here) if you like what you've read so far, please sign-up to follow this blog as we see where it goes from here. Peace and Love y'all.
The Top 10: Action Figure Toys from the 80's
10) Thunder Cats- They were huge and had battery operated rings that you pressed into their backs and their eyes lit up.
9) Star Wars- All the characters from the movies. And I do mean ALL the characters. In fact if you were in the movie even as the camera panned the landscape you got an action figure. On top of that, they had about the coolest vehicles ever created.
8) Marvel's Secret Wars- All the classic characters- Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Dr. Doom, Iron Man- plus a pretty sweet base you could get.
7) The Lone Ranger- You had the masked man in all his cowboy glory. The six-shooters fit in the holsters on his hips, plus he had his trusty mount Silver. Tonto was sold separately Kim-mo-sabee.
6) The Karate Kid- Daniel and The Kobra-Khas. All had that great 80's karate chop/kick action and something to use it on.
5) WWF Wrestlers- These were at the height of the WWF's popularity (at least in the 80's) and were cooler than they should have been by far. They had no moving parts and were basically nothing more a rubber mold of popular wrestlers in the WWF...but for some reason they were pretty cool. Maybe it's because of the fact that you could make them do flips by dropping them on their toes...
4)M.A.S.K.- Some of the sweetest toys of the decade I thought. Cool cars that transformed into things like jets and boats and helicopters. Plus all the drivers had some sort of super powerful helmet/mask that shot stuff from the visor (at least on the cartoon)
3) He-Man and the Masters of the Universe- Bulging muscles, big weapons and a green and orange tiger in battle gear. And they were spring loaded at the waist so they twisted and sprung back for some kind of action.
2) Transformers- These were so very cool, they were almost the number one toy. Sweet cars and planes, boom boxes and tape recorders. It didn't matter what kind of object it was, it was cool to figure out how to transform it into its robot form.
1) G.I. Joe- The absolute coolest action figures EVER. Seriously, they had everything you could want in an action figure. They had multiple points of articulation, awesome guns and cool vehicles. Plus they were soldiers who had "file cards" on the back of every package so you knew who was who and what their story was. These are by far the best in my book.
There it is. The first Top 10 list. If you have any thoughts let me know. Also (shameless plug here) if you like what you've read so far, please sign-up to follow this blog as we see where it goes from here. Peace and Love y'all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)