Recently, Canon Review reader Ben W. requested that I watch the movie V for Vendetta and write up a review on it. Well, some two weeks later, I have finally gotten around to it. V for Vendetta is a 2006 film produced and written by the Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix, Speed Racer) and directed by James McTeigue. Based off of a series of graphic novels by Alan Moore (The Watchmen), V for Vendetta stars Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Fry, Stephen Rea, and John Hurt. In V for Vendetta, a rebel known simply as V (Weaving) tries to bring down a totalitarian government in futuristic Britian. Along the way, he meets a young woman named Evey Hammond (Portman) after rescuing her from a group of policemen. On Guy Fawkes Day, V blows up the Old Bailey courthouse, and promises to blow up the Parliament building on the next Guy Fawkes Day. A few notes about this film, and there are spoilers ahead, so if you haven't seen it, than I suggest you enjoy another fine post at The Canon Review.
- Hugo Weaving plays the titular character V, and even though he is behind a mask the whole movie, Weaving manages to make V a larger than life character due to his voice acting and use of body language. Even though his facial expression never changes, Weaving is able to convincingly portray V as angry or compassionate or humourous or whatever emotion the script calls for. I feel that Weaving was perfectly cast as V, which is somewhat odd because he was not the first choice for V, as he was to be played by James Purefoy. But Purefoy apparently had trouble with the mask, so Weaving was called in as a replacement.
- As for the rest of the cast, Natalie Portman did an excellent job as Evey Hammond, a young woman who found herself heavily involved in V's quest for revenge and rebellion, and really V's only true friend. To be honest, I had my doubts about whether or not Portman could pull off a role like this, but I must admit that I was wrong, and she was nearly as great as Weaving in this film. Stephen Fry also does an excellent job as Evey's boss and friend Gordon Dietrich, while Stephen Rea more than holds his own as the dogged inspector Eric Finch, who in the course of his investigation of V finds out a little more than he had bargained for. However, even though Rea is a talented actor, I don't think the film's script explained properly the type of person and the beliefs that Rea's character had.
- It is safe to say that this movie has a rather anti-government slant, to say the least. With the exception of Rea, there seemed to be no redeemable qualities of the men that were in charge of the government or had major roles in the government. The men in charge seemed to be either sniveling cowards unable or unwilling to own up to their mistakes or men of great cruelty who would shoot somebody in cold blood without provocation if they felt that person was a threat of any sort to their government. Meanwhile, V is portrayed as the great hero, almost a savior type figure, but he is not afraid to spill the blood of innocents if it means getting vengeance on those that have wronged him. Evey, unsurprisingly, was kind of disgusted by V's rather militant and aggressive ways. To me, I think the film portrayed the two sides as too one-dimensional, as the government is automatically evil while the terrorist is the true hero in this film. I really think they made it too simple, if that makes any sense. In situations such as this, things aren't as black and white as this film made it out to be, and I feel that by glorifying V and portraying the government as the most despicable of people, the film almost seemed to be calling for some sort of anarchist to rise up and take control. Yes, it's just a movie, and yes, V probably was justified in pursuing revenge in the way he did, but I just don't feel we got enough justification from the other side, as instead the film makers chose to portray them as one-dimensional evil archetypes. Just my opinion.
- Since this is a Wachowski Brothers picture based off of a comic book, I somewhat expected that the film would be full of over-the-top special effects and explosions and whatnot. However, although there are a few special effects and explosions, the director James McTeigue does not rely on them like a crutch, unlike the way the last two Matrix films did. McTeigue and cinematographer Adrain Biddle (who died shortly after completion of the film) were able to captivate the mood and spirit of the story and were able to enhance the film with their excellent use of shadowing and visuals. The explosions in this film are quite memorable, which is something I usually don't say in a film review, and the final fight scene was quite well done, even if it went a little over the top with the amount of gore. Also, I must say that the score provided by Dario Marianelli really added a lot to the film as well.
- I'm not going to say too much about it, because I don't want to spoil it, but if I had experienced what Evey experienced at the hands of V, I don't think I would be that understanding of his actions, whatever his motives may have been. Just saying.
Overall, this is quite a good film that is well acted, well filmed, and has a story that will really make you think after seeing the film. My only real complaint is that, except for Evey, V, and Dietrich, every other character in the film seems to be too one-dimensional. But every other aspect of the film is well-done, so overall, I'd give V for Vendetta an 8.5 out of 10. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any comments about this or previous posts, or ideas for future reviews or posts, than share them either by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
An Announcement, and other stuff
No new review today, well maybe a slight review, but anyway. I would first of all like to plug the internet's only web-zine dedicated to wrestling video games. It is called Axe Bomber Magazine and features an exclusive interview with the creator of the upcoming XBOX 360 Arcade Game Action Arcade Wrestling. Also, I write a couple of pieces in it, so good for me. Axe Bomber Magazine was put together by my good friend Sonny Bone, and I must say that he did one heck of a job with it. There's a lot of interesting stuff in there, so check it out at http://www.phantomgreen.com/axebombermag/. Also, sometimes this week I will be developing another blog dedicated to discussing the best films of a certain year and expressing which film should have really won the Best Picture Oscar that year. We are going to start with 1980 and go from there, so look out for that in the next couple of days.
Tomorrow, I will watch and review V for Vendetta, which is something I told reader Ben W. I would do a week ago, while Wednesday will feature the big Canon Review NFL Preview. Spoiler Alert: Peyton Manning will be good next year, and the Buffalo Bills will not be so good. After that, we will see. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any ideas for future posts at the Canon Review, from old Nintendo games to wrestling shows to movies and tv shows to whatever, than send those ideas to me at KtheC2001@gmail.com or by leaving a comment on the blog.
Tomorrow, I will watch and review V for Vendetta, which is something I told reader Ben W. I would do a week ago, while Wednesday will feature the big Canon Review NFL Preview. Spoiler Alert: Peyton Manning will be good next year, and the Buffalo Bills will not be so good. After that, we will see. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any ideas for future posts at the Canon Review, from old Nintendo games to wrestling shows to movies and tv shows to whatever, than send those ideas to me at KtheC2001@gmail.com or by leaving a comment on the blog.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Canon Wrestling Review: WCW Saturday Night: January 5, 1991
I wanted to watch and review some pro wrestling today, so here I am, watching the first episode of WCW Saturday Night from 1991. Will it be any good? We can only hope.
We start with Sid Vicious, which is always a good sign. Sid's opponent tonight is Pablo Crenshaw. An odd name combination to be sure. Pablo looks a little bit like Cheech Marin, while Sid Vicious looks like himself. A video plays of Sid laying out a challenge to Lex Luger, and the match begins. Boot to the gut by Sid, followed by the human frisbee move, where Sid just threw Pablo Crenshaw from the top of his shoulders and sent him spinning down to the mat. Sid continues to dominate with some clotheslines and a big legdrop where he actually got pretty high off the ground before finally finishing things off with the powerbomb. Just a squash match here, so I'll give it a 1 out of 5.
To the back, where Paul E. Dangerously is interviewing the 'healthiest man in WCW' Rip Rogers. Rogers has challenged Brian Pillman to a match where pinfalls are not allowed in the first five minutes. Why, you ask? Because Rip Rogers is the Marathon Man and will show that he can go all night long to get the job done. So, warns Rogers, Pillman better watch his carbs or otherwise The Marathon Man will beat him. The match is next, and a video plays of Pillman talking about the match, saying there will be no limit to the punishment he dishes out on Rip Rogers. The match starts with a shoving contest. Pillman hits a shoulder block and goes for the pin, but falls do not count right now. Pillman rolls up Rogers for four straight small packages, but once again falls DO NOT COUNT as of now, even though the ref counts as if they count. Rogers bails to the outside to regroup. Back in, Rogers takes the advantage after a boot to the face from the corner and a clothesline. Rogers throws Pillman out and goes to the top, where he connects with a double axe handle, sending Pillman into the guardrail. The guardrail collapses to the floor upon impact, although since there are no fans behind the rail, so nobody's in danger. Back in Rogers with a headbutt, but Pillman reverses a whip to the corner. However, Rogers counters an attempted monkey flip and Pillman is sent to the ground. Rogers goes for the cover, why I don't know, since it was his idea to have no pinfalls in the first five minutes and we're still not past the five minute mark here. Back up, the two counter and escape a series of moves, which culminates with Rogers turning a body press from Pillman into a cover, but it won't count. We have eclipsed the five minute mark. Pillman tries to grab Rogers from behind, but Rogers ducks and Pillman goes flying out of the ring. On the outside, Pillman counters an attempted bash into the guardrail with one of his own, and climbs up unto a stage just outside the ring, where he leaps and hits Rogers with a clothesline. Back up, Rogers gains the advantage by whipping Pillman into the apron, and then gives Pillman an airplane spin, making both men dizzy. Rogers whiffs on an elbow drop, and Pillman sidekicks Rogers before both men go into the ring. After a slam, Pillman goes to the top and tries to hit the big splash, but Rogers got the knees up. Rogers can't take advantage, as Pillman reverses an attempted turnbuckle smash, dizzying Rogers. Pillman up top, Rogers ducks to take away the possibility of a flying body press, but Pillman instead goes with the sunset flip, which gets the three count. Interesting little match featuring two rather good workers, but the stipulation and the constant covers made the match a little confusing. Still, not bad. I'll give it a 2.59 out of 5.
Highlights are shown of Z-Man winning the Television Title from Arn Anderson on the previous episode of Saturday Night. Then we get an interview with Z-Man promoting this show's TV Title match against Dr. X, which I think is a named that has been used by like 62 wrestlers at this point. Up next is Reno Riggins against Beautiful Bobby Eaton. Eaton is shown before the match talking up his upcoming match with Z-Man at the next Clash of the Champions. Riggins has the words 'Las Vegas' on the back of his tights, and his name is Reno, so he must love the state of Nevada. Match starts with Eaton giving Riggins an armlock and then a quick elbow to the face. Reno reverses an Irish whip into the corner and delivers what Jim Ross calls a handspring elbow, but the camera missed the handspring so I can't tell. Riggins is whipped into another corner, goes behind a charging Eaton and rolls him up for 2. Eaton gets up, and shakes Riggins' hand as a show of respect. Well, that was nice. Eaton then headlocks Riggins and punches him in the face. Irish whip, Riggins reverses, leapfrogs Eaton twice, than hits a high dropkick on Bobby Eaton. After a series of counters, Eaton gains control with a diving clothesline. Riggins eats a fist to the head, and goes out to the floor. Back on the apron, Eaton delivers another clothesline to send Riggins right back out. Back up, Riggins tries for a slingshot attack, but Eaton wisely moves out of the way and lets Riggins land on his butt. Eaton with a few heel tactics and punches, but Riggins fires some punches of his own and whips Eaton in the corner. Riggins goes for another handspring elbow, but Eaton is ready and bulldogs Reno down to the mat, setting him up for the Alabama Jam legdrop. That connects, and Eaton gets the win. Quick match, but rather fun and Riggins got a lot of offense in for a prelim wrestler. I'll give it 2.32 out of 5.
Terry Taylor is interviewed by Paul E. Dangerously, and he is not happy about being passed over for a TV Title shot by Z-Man. So in response, he promises to beat the former TV Champ Arn Anderson and warns the fans that if he has to become more outspoken in getting a title shot, than by golly he will. A commercial for WCW Main Event advertises a Norman/The Juicer vs. Freebirds tag match, and an interview with future Wrestlemania main eventer Lawrence Taylor. Sounds like a must see show. The next match seems like a must-miss show, as the Renegade Warriors of Chris and Mark Youngblood take on two guys you've never heard of, Chuck Coats and Ed Brock. The Warriors are a Native American tag team with face paint on, while Coats and Brock are two typical meathead looking guys. Chris rolls up Coats for a quick two count. For the next four minutes, the Warriors dominate their opponents with a series of flying attacks, such as a double axe handle and a dropkick from the apron to the floor by Chris on Coats. The match ends with a sit-down splash from the top rope by Chris on Ed Brock. Nothing but a showcase match for the Warriors as they get ready to face Arn Anderson and Barry Windham at the next Clash. Since nothing was botched, I'll give it a 1 out of 5. Afterwards, a promo for Wrestle War '91 is shown, featuring the War Games cage match. For some reason, Michael Hayes is dressed up like Uncle Sam, declaring "I want you, for WrestleWar". Well, all right then.
This next match should be fun, or the opposite of fun anyway, as a character named Minotaur faces off with Mountain Man Bailey. Bailey sports coveralls over a wifebeater and a blonde mullet, while Minotaur has his right arm covered up in a leather sleeve for some reason. Minotaur crawls in the ring and the match starts. Minotaur pounces up from a squatting position and shoulder blocks Bailey all the way to the outside of the ring. That proves to be the highlight of the match, as the rest of the match has Minotaur do a move on Bailey, look crazily into the camera for 20 seconds, than repeat. At one point, Minotuar yells out "The Power of ..." well, I couldn't exactly make out the rest, although Jim Ross claims he said "The power of the Minotaur". It's usually not a good sign when the announcers talk about the 'tortoise-like pace' of a wrestler, and this was no exception. Minotaur finishes off Bailey with an elbow drop to end this match that was about three minutes long, but felt like 15. I'm giving this an 0.25 out of 5.
Lex Luger comes out next to face Mike Sample, who is too dumb to face the camera when being introduced, probably because his name is actually Mike Samples, not Sample as the ring announcer indicated. I'm 1000 percent sure who's going to win this match, and if you know anything about wrestling, you are too. A video plays of Curtis 'Big Cat' Hughes who promotes the upcoming football match against Lex Luger. What is a football match, anyway? Luger dominates for the first two minutes with a body slam and a shoulder block and a couple of other power moves before Samples gets a couple of blows in, which Luger totally disregards and goes right back on the attack. Two clotheslines, one of which had Samples falling to the ground well before the move connected, and a flying shoulderblock from the second rope gives Luger the victory. Another squash match. I'll give it a 0.56 out of 5.
Hey kids, remember to call the WCW Hotline at 1-900-909-9900. You can talk to Lex Luger every Friday, awesome! Michael Wallstreet and Gregg Sawyer are the next match, and Alexandria York, Wallstreet's manager, predicts with her computer that Gregg Sawyer will lose in less than six minutes. I don't even need a computer to figure that out. The match starts, and Wallstreet takes 45 seconds to take his suit off, leaving a mere 5 minutes and 15 seconds for Wallstreet to fulfill York's prediction. A clock comes on the screen counting down from 6 minutes on. Ross and Bob Caudle are really putting over Wallstreet on commentary, more than any other wrestler on this show thus far, which is somewhat surprising. Anyway, after a few moves, Wallstreet back suplexes Sawyer out of a headlock. Wallstreet elbowdrops Sawyer five times in a row and then goes for the cover, but lifts Sawyer up. Wallstreet tries a backdrop, but Sawyer counters with a sunset flip for one, which seems to make Wallstreet angry. Wallstreet throws Sawyer to the outside, beats up on him some, and both men come back in. The finish comes about 10 seconds later when Wallstreet catches Sawyer with the Stock Market Crash, making the computer right once again. Not the worst match on the show, I'll give it a 1.1 out of 5. Afterwards Missy Hyatt interviews Wallstreet, who says nothing worth repeating. Paul E. Dangerously comes out and is upset that Missy Hyatt is doing his job, so the two have words before Alexandria York stumbles through a couple of lines and Paul E. leaves.
Up next is Z-Man's first Television Title defense against the mysterious Dr. X. I'm going to say that Dr. X is being portrayed by Skip Sheffield, although I might be wrong about that. Arm twist and takedown by Z-Man to start, and here comes Terry Taylor to ringside. This might be trouble. The two exchange holds while Z-Man keeps an eye on Taylor. Taylor leaves and joins the commentary team, while Z-Man locks up Dr. X in a bow and arrow hold. The two seem to have some trouble decided what to do next before Z-Man hits a hip toss and dropkicks Dr. X down. Z-Man tries for a boomerang body-press, but slips and ends up doing a Shiro Koshinaka style hip-attack on Dr. X which gets two. An obvious botch, but at least two went on as if it was planned. Dr. X pounds away on Z-Man in the corner and does some rudimentary arm work while Taylor complains about being passed over while insisting that he's not complaining. This has heel turn written all over it, but I can't remember if they actually went through with it or not. Anyway, the arm work goes nowhere, as Z-Man uses that same arm to clothesline Dr. X down. Z-Man hits an awful looking sidekick and a better looking dropkick before finishing Dr. X off with a top-rope dropkick. These two had very little chemistry for whatever reason, and it made for a sloppy match. I'll give it a 0.59 out of 5.
Clips are shown of the Freebirds tricking Rick Steiner in a match from two weeks ago, giving the Freebirds a shot at the U.S. Tag Team Titles. The Freebirds then gloat about their ruse some. The next features the "greatest rock n' roll band of all-time' The Freebirds of Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin. I highly dispute their claim. They are facing two nobodies in Jimmy McKinnon and Keith (not related to Bret or Stu) Hart. Keith Hart has a wispy mustache that you may normally see on a 16 year-old. Hart reverses an arm drag, but is shoved to the ground for his efforts. Hayes continues to punish Hart and throws him to the outside. To the outside, Hayes flattens McKinnon with a left and Hart accidentally trips over him. That doesn't stop Hayes from picking up Hart and whipping him into a high backdrop from Jimmy Garvin. Back in, Hart takes three straight body slams and a clothesline from Garvin, and Hart is bumping around like a pinball for the 'Birds, so I give him props for that. Hart catches Garvin with a boot and gets a tag to McKinnion, who proceeds to get pounded by Garvin. Gutwrench Suplex by Garvin and he tags out to Hayes, who delivers two side slams to McKinnon. Hayes sets up McKinnon, and Garvin traps Hart as the Freebirds deliver stereo DDTs to their opponents for the victory. Another squash, but not a totally boring one. I'll give it a 1.3 out of 5. After the match, Norman talks about his upcoming match with Sid, which I believe was the match of the year for 1991.
Gordon Soile presents that week's WCW Classics, which features the Sting vs. Ric Flair match from the first Clash of the Champions. That's a great match, but I won't review it since only the final five minutes are shown. I'll just say that I highly recommend that match if you are a wrestling fan,as it's a lot better than anything else on this show. Afterwards, Sting and Flair pontificate about their long-running feud, and each man threatens to defeat the other in their own unique way. Arn Anderson talks about his upcoming match with Terry Taylor, which is coming up next. Shoving match to start, and Arn goes to work hammering away at Taylor with a series of punches and kicks. Taylor gets out of the corner with a sunset flip that gets two, but Arn is angered by that and continues to pound away on Taylor. Taylor dodges a charging Arn Anderson out of the corner, and body slams Arn down. Taylor goes to work on the left arm on Arn, slamming it against the ring post. Taylor continues to wrench on that arm, and then delivers a backbreaker to Arn that gets a two count. A bodyslam by Taylor gets another two count, and Taylor continues to work on the arm. Arn finally gets up and bodyslams Taylor with his good arm, but misses an elbow drop, allowing Taylor to take the advantage once again. Anderson reverses an irish whip and hits his patented Spinebuster on Taylor, but he can't make the cover because his arm hurts too much. Back up, Anderson decides to stomp Terry Taylor in the head, and he goes to work trying to disfigure the handsome features of Taylor. Irish whip, Taylor goes for a sunset flip, but Arn bends down and punches Taylor in the face. Anderson covers, but only gets a two count and goes with a reverse chinlock instead. Taylor is able to escape and back suplexes Anderson, but misses an elbow drop. Anderson tries to do a Vader splash, but Taylor got the knees up. A jawbreaker sends Anderson flopping down on the mat. Taylor eats a knee to the face. Anderson goes to the top but is thrown off by Taylor, who then follows up with a series of punches. Back up, Anderson reverses an irish whip, Taylor ducks a clothesline and hits a flying body press, but Arn turns it around on Taylor and covers him. Anderson puts his feet on the ropes and gets the three count. Very good television match here, as both men were ready to go and really came up with a good story for the match. I'll give it a 3.24 out of 5.
Jim Ross interviews Lawrence Taylor from LT's restaurant, who is Lex Luger's coach for his upcoming football match with Big Cat Curtis Hughes at the Meadowlands. Taylor insults Paul E. Dangerously and Curtis Hughes some and promotes the football match, which will feature both competitors in full football gear and the winner is the man that knocks his opponent out of the ring. Kind of like a sumo match, only with football pads. Taylor insults Paul E.'s name, saying it sounds like a girl's name. Not long after this, Taylor and his Giants went on to win the Super Bowl when Scott Norwood missed a 47 yard field goal. Tonight's main event is Tim Horner vs. George South. Really? That's the best they could do? Ok then. Horner starts with a quick arm drag, followed by another arm drag. Horner and South do a nice sequence of moves which concludes with a pair of dropkicks and an arm drag into an arm bar by Horner. Horner and South exchange armlocks before Horner does two more arm drags, making it five thus far. South gets a couple of punches in and Irish whips Horner, but it's reversed and Horner monkey flips South to the mat before giving him a wristlock. Irish whip by South, reversed by Horner, and after a couple of counters Horner ends up rolling up South with a bridge to get the three count. Quick match, but competitive. I'll give it a 1.6 out of 5. Afterwards, Missy Hyatt and Paul E. Dangerously bicker about each other. Paul E insinuates that Missy is a tramp, which draws a slap from Missy, and that's the end of the show.
Overall, this episode wasn't too bad for a wrestling program of that era. There were a couple of quality matches, but also a couple of matches that probably could have been better as well. Overall, I'd give the show a 5.2 out of 10. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this post or other previous posts, or ideas for future posts, than share them either by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at kthec2001@gmail.com. I leave you with a couple of videos from this episode:
We start with Sid Vicious, which is always a good sign. Sid's opponent tonight is Pablo Crenshaw. An odd name combination to be sure. Pablo looks a little bit like Cheech Marin, while Sid Vicious looks like himself. A video plays of Sid laying out a challenge to Lex Luger, and the match begins. Boot to the gut by Sid, followed by the human frisbee move, where Sid just threw Pablo Crenshaw from the top of his shoulders and sent him spinning down to the mat. Sid continues to dominate with some clotheslines and a big legdrop where he actually got pretty high off the ground before finally finishing things off with the powerbomb. Just a squash match here, so I'll give it a 1 out of 5.
To the back, where Paul E. Dangerously is interviewing the 'healthiest man in WCW' Rip Rogers. Rogers has challenged Brian Pillman to a match where pinfalls are not allowed in the first five minutes. Why, you ask? Because Rip Rogers is the Marathon Man and will show that he can go all night long to get the job done. So, warns Rogers, Pillman better watch his carbs or otherwise The Marathon Man will beat him. The match is next, and a video plays of Pillman talking about the match, saying there will be no limit to the punishment he dishes out on Rip Rogers. The match starts with a shoving contest. Pillman hits a shoulder block and goes for the pin, but falls do not count right now. Pillman rolls up Rogers for four straight small packages, but once again falls DO NOT COUNT as of now, even though the ref counts as if they count. Rogers bails to the outside to regroup. Back in, Rogers takes the advantage after a boot to the face from the corner and a clothesline. Rogers throws Pillman out and goes to the top, where he connects with a double axe handle, sending Pillman into the guardrail. The guardrail collapses to the floor upon impact, although since there are no fans behind the rail, so nobody's in danger. Back in Rogers with a headbutt, but Pillman reverses a whip to the corner. However, Rogers counters an attempted monkey flip and Pillman is sent to the ground. Rogers goes for the cover, why I don't know, since it was his idea to have no pinfalls in the first five minutes and we're still not past the five minute mark here. Back up, the two counter and escape a series of moves, which culminates with Rogers turning a body press from Pillman into a cover, but it won't count. We have eclipsed the five minute mark. Pillman tries to grab Rogers from behind, but Rogers ducks and Pillman goes flying out of the ring. On the outside, Pillman counters an attempted bash into the guardrail with one of his own, and climbs up unto a stage just outside the ring, where he leaps and hits Rogers with a clothesline. Back up, Rogers gains the advantage by whipping Pillman into the apron, and then gives Pillman an airplane spin, making both men dizzy. Rogers whiffs on an elbow drop, and Pillman sidekicks Rogers before both men go into the ring. After a slam, Pillman goes to the top and tries to hit the big splash, but Rogers got the knees up. Rogers can't take advantage, as Pillman reverses an attempted turnbuckle smash, dizzying Rogers. Pillman up top, Rogers ducks to take away the possibility of a flying body press, but Pillman instead goes with the sunset flip, which gets the three count. Interesting little match featuring two rather good workers, but the stipulation and the constant covers made the match a little confusing. Still, not bad. I'll give it a 2.59 out of 5.
Highlights are shown of Z-Man winning the Television Title from Arn Anderson on the previous episode of Saturday Night. Then we get an interview with Z-Man promoting this show's TV Title match against Dr. X, which I think is a named that has been used by like 62 wrestlers at this point. Up next is Reno Riggins against Beautiful Bobby Eaton. Eaton is shown before the match talking up his upcoming match with Z-Man at the next Clash of the Champions. Riggins has the words 'Las Vegas' on the back of his tights, and his name is Reno, so he must love the state of Nevada. Match starts with Eaton giving Riggins an armlock and then a quick elbow to the face. Reno reverses an Irish whip into the corner and delivers what Jim Ross calls a handspring elbow, but the camera missed the handspring so I can't tell. Riggins is whipped into another corner, goes behind a charging Eaton and rolls him up for 2. Eaton gets up, and shakes Riggins' hand as a show of respect. Well, that was nice. Eaton then headlocks Riggins and punches him in the face. Irish whip, Riggins reverses, leapfrogs Eaton twice, than hits a high dropkick on Bobby Eaton. After a series of counters, Eaton gains control with a diving clothesline. Riggins eats a fist to the head, and goes out to the floor. Back on the apron, Eaton delivers another clothesline to send Riggins right back out. Back up, Riggins tries for a slingshot attack, but Eaton wisely moves out of the way and lets Riggins land on his butt. Eaton with a few heel tactics and punches, but Riggins fires some punches of his own and whips Eaton in the corner. Riggins goes for another handspring elbow, but Eaton is ready and bulldogs Reno down to the mat, setting him up for the Alabama Jam legdrop. That connects, and Eaton gets the win. Quick match, but rather fun and Riggins got a lot of offense in for a prelim wrestler. I'll give it 2.32 out of 5.
Terry Taylor is interviewed by Paul E. Dangerously, and he is not happy about being passed over for a TV Title shot by Z-Man. So in response, he promises to beat the former TV Champ Arn Anderson and warns the fans that if he has to become more outspoken in getting a title shot, than by golly he will. A commercial for WCW Main Event advertises a Norman/The Juicer vs. Freebirds tag match, and an interview with future Wrestlemania main eventer Lawrence Taylor. Sounds like a must see show. The next match seems like a must-miss show, as the Renegade Warriors of Chris and Mark Youngblood take on two guys you've never heard of, Chuck Coats and Ed Brock. The Warriors are a Native American tag team with face paint on, while Coats and Brock are two typical meathead looking guys. Chris rolls up Coats for a quick two count. For the next four minutes, the Warriors dominate their opponents with a series of flying attacks, such as a double axe handle and a dropkick from the apron to the floor by Chris on Coats. The match ends with a sit-down splash from the top rope by Chris on Ed Brock. Nothing but a showcase match for the Warriors as they get ready to face Arn Anderson and Barry Windham at the next Clash. Since nothing was botched, I'll give it a 1 out of 5. Afterwards, a promo for Wrestle War '91 is shown, featuring the War Games cage match. For some reason, Michael Hayes is dressed up like Uncle Sam, declaring "I want you, for WrestleWar". Well, all right then.
This next match should be fun, or the opposite of fun anyway, as a character named Minotaur faces off with Mountain Man Bailey. Bailey sports coveralls over a wifebeater and a blonde mullet, while Minotaur has his right arm covered up in a leather sleeve for some reason. Minotaur crawls in the ring and the match starts. Minotaur pounces up from a squatting position and shoulder blocks Bailey all the way to the outside of the ring. That proves to be the highlight of the match, as the rest of the match has Minotaur do a move on Bailey, look crazily into the camera for 20 seconds, than repeat. At one point, Minotuar yells out "The Power of ..." well, I couldn't exactly make out the rest, although Jim Ross claims he said "The power of the Minotaur". It's usually not a good sign when the announcers talk about the 'tortoise-like pace' of a wrestler, and this was no exception. Minotaur finishes off Bailey with an elbow drop to end this match that was about three minutes long, but felt like 15. I'm giving this an 0.25 out of 5.
Lex Luger comes out next to face Mike Sample, who is too dumb to face the camera when being introduced, probably because his name is actually Mike Samples, not Sample as the ring announcer indicated. I'm 1000 percent sure who's going to win this match, and if you know anything about wrestling, you are too. A video plays of Curtis 'Big Cat' Hughes who promotes the upcoming football match against Lex Luger. What is a football match, anyway? Luger dominates for the first two minutes with a body slam and a shoulder block and a couple of other power moves before Samples gets a couple of blows in, which Luger totally disregards and goes right back on the attack. Two clotheslines, one of which had Samples falling to the ground well before the move connected, and a flying shoulderblock from the second rope gives Luger the victory. Another squash match. I'll give it a 0.56 out of 5.
Hey kids, remember to call the WCW Hotline at 1-900-909-9900. You can talk to Lex Luger every Friday, awesome! Michael Wallstreet and Gregg Sawyer are the next match, and Alexandria York, Wallstreet's manager, predicts with her computer that Gregg Sawyer will lose in less than six minutes. I don't even need a computer to figure that out. The match starts, and Wallstreet takes 45 seconds to take his suit off, leaving a mere 5 minutes and 15 seconds for Wallstreet to fulfill York's prediction. A clock comes on the screen counting down from 6 minutes on. Ross and Bob Caudle are really putting over Wallstreet on commentary, more than any other wrestler on this show thus far, which is somewhat surprising. Anyway, after a few moves, Wallstreet back suplexes Sawyer out of a headlock. Wallstreet elbowdrops Sawyer five times in a row and then goes for the cover, but lifts Sawyer up. Wallstreet tries a backdrop, but Sawyer counters with a sunset flip for one, which seems to make Wallstreet angry. Wallstreet throws Sawyer to the outside, beats up on him some, and both men come back in. The finish comes about 10 seconds later when Wallstreet catches Sawyer with the Stock Market Crash, making the computer right once again. Not the worst match on the show, I'll give it a 1.1 out of 5. Afterwards Missy Hyatt interviews Wallstreet, who says nothing worth repeating. Paul E. Dangerously comes out and is upset that Missy Hyatt is doing his job, so the two have words before Alexandria York stumbles through a couple of lines and Paul E. leaves.
Up next is Z-Man's first Television Title defense against the mysterious Dr. X. I'm going to say that Dr. X is being portrayed by Skip Sheffield, although I might be wrong about that. Arm twist and takedown by Z-Man to start, and here comes Terry Taylor to ringside. This might be trouble. The two exchange holds while Z-Man keeps an eye on Taylor. Taylor leaves and joins the commentary team, while Z-Man locks up Dr. X in a bow and arrow hold. The two seem to have some trouble decided what to do next before Z-Man hits a hip toss and dropkicks Dr. X down. Z-Man tries for a boomerang body-press, but slips and ends up doing a Shiro Koshinaka style hip-attack on Dr. X which gets two. An obvious botch, but at least two went on as if it was planned. Dr. X pounds away on Z-Man in the corner and does some rudimentary arm work while Taylor complains about being passed over while insisting that he's not complaining. This has heel turn written all over it, but I can't remember if they actually went through with it or not. Anyway, the arm work goes nowhere, as Z-Man uses that same arm to clothesline Dr. X down. Z-Man hits an awful looking sidekick and a better looking dropkick before finishing Dr. X off with a top-rope dropkick. These two had very little chemistry for whatever reason, and it made for a sloppy match. I'll give it a 0.59 out of 5.
Clips are shown of the Freebirds tricking Rick Steiner in a match from two weeks ago, giving the Freebirds a shot at the U.S. Tag Team Titles. The Freebirds then gloat about their ruse some. The next features the "greatest rock n' roll band of all-time' The Freebirds of Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin. I highly dispute their claim. They are facing two nobodies in Jimmy McKinnon and Keith (not related to Bret or Stu) Hart. Keith Hart has a wispy mustache that you may normally see on a 16 year-old. Hart reverses an arm drag, but is shoved to the ground for his efforts. Hayes continues to punish Hart and throws him to the outside. To the outside, Hayes flattens McKinnon with a left and Hart accidentally trips over him. That doesn't stop Hayes from picking up Hart and whipping him into a high backdrop from Jimmy Garvin. Back in, Hart takes three straight body slams and a clothesline from Garvin, and Hart is bumping around like a pinball for the 'Birds, so I give him props for that. Hart catches Garvin with a boot and gets a tag to McKinnion, who proceeds to get pounded by Garvin. Gutwrench Suplex by Garvin and he tags out to Hayes, who delivers two side slams to McKinnon. Hayes sets up McKinnon, and Garvin traps Hart as the Freebirds deliver stereo DDTs to their opponents for the victory. Another squash, but not a totally boring one. I'll give it a 1.3 out of 5. After the match, Norman talks about his upcoming match with Sid, which I believe was the match of the year for 1991.
Gordon Soile presents that week's WCW Classics, which features the Sting vs. Ric Flair match from the first Clash of the Champions. That's a great match, but I won't review it since only the final five minutes are shown. I'll just say that I highly recommend that match if you are a wrestling fan,as it's a lot better than anything else on this show. Afterwards, Sting and Flair pontificate about their long-running feud, and each man threatens to defeat the other in their own unique way. Arn Anderson talks about his upcoming match with Terry Taylor, which is coming up next. Shoving match to start, and Arn goes to work hammering away at Taylor with a series of punches and kicks. Taylor gets out of the corner with a sunset flip that gets two, but Arn is angered by that and continues to pound away on Taylor. Taylor dodges a charging Arn Anderson out of the corner, and body slams Arn down. Taylor goes to work on the left arm on Arn, slamming it against the ring post. Taylor continues to wrench on that arm, and then delivers a backbreaker to Arn that gets a two count. A bodyslam by Taylor gets another two count, and Taylor continues to work on the arm. Arn finally gets up and bodyslams Taylor with his good arm, but misses an elbow drop, allowing Taylor to take the advantage once again. Anderson reverses an irish whip and hits his patented Spinebuster on Taylor, but he can't make the cover because his arm hurts too much. Back up, Anderson decides to stomp Terry Taylor in the head, and he goes to work trying to disfigure the handsome features of Taylor. Irish whip, Taylor goes for a sunset flip, but Arn bends down and punches Taylor in the face. Anderson covers, but only gets a two count and goes with a reverse chinlock instead. Taylor is able to escape and back suplexes Anderson, but misses an elbow drop. Anderson tries to do a Vader splash, but Taylor got the knees up. A jawbreaker sends Anderson flopping down on the mat. Taylor eats a knee to the face. Anderson goes to the top but is thrown off by Taylor, who then follows up with a series of punches. Back up, Anderson reverses an irish whip, Taylor ducks a clothesline and hits a flying body press, but Arn turns it around on Taylor and covers him. Anderson puts his feet on the ropes and gets the three count. Very good television match here, as both men were ready to go and really came up with a good story for the match. I'll give it a 3.24 out of 5.
Jim Ross interviews Lawrence Taylor from LT's restaurant, who is Lex Luger's coach for his upcoming football match with Big Cat Curtis Hughes at the Meadowlands. Taylor insults Paul E. Dangerously and Curtis Hughes some and promotes the football match, which will feature both competitors in full football gear and the winner is the man that knocks his opponent out of the ring. Kind of like a sumo match, only with football pads. Taylor insults Paul E.'s name, saying it sounds like a girl's name. Not long after this, Taylor and his Giants went on to win the Super Bowl when Scott Norwood missed a 47 yard field goal. Tonight's main event is Tim Horner vs. George South. Really? That's the best they could do? Ok then. Horner starts with a quick arm drag, followed by another arm drag. Horner and South do a nice sequence of moves which concludes with a pair of dropkicks and an arm drag into an arm bar by Horner. Horner and South exchange armlocks before Horner does two more arm drags, making it five thus far. South gets a couple of punches in and Irish whips Horner, but it's reversed and Horner monkey flips South to the mat before giving him a wristlock. Irish whip by South, reversed by Horner, and after a couple of counters Horner ends up rolling up South with a bridge to get the three count. Quick match, but competitive. I'll give it a 1.6 out of 5. Afterwards, Missy Hyatt and Paul E. Dangerously bicker about each other. Paul E insinuates that Missy is a tramp, which draws a slap from Missy, and that's the end of the show.
Overall, this episode wasn't too bad for a wrestling program of that era. There were a couple of quality matches, but also a couple of matches that probably could have been better as well. Overall, I'd give the show a 5.2 out of 10. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this post or other previous posts, or ideas for future posts, than share them either by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at kthec2001@gmail.com. I leave you with a couple of videos from this episode:
Friday, September 3, 2010
Your Canon Review 2010 College Football Preview Extravaganza
Today marks the start of the 2010 College Football season. Normally, I'm pretty pumped about the start of a new season, but this year it seems like the college football season has sneaked up on me for whatever reason, so I'm not quite as excited as usual. Heck, it almost seems as if the NBA Finals just ended last week. I guess that time really does fly. Anyway, with the start of the college football season at hand, I decided to make a few predictions and see if any of them will hold up at the end of the season. Below are my picks for each conference champion, my prediction for the National Championship and winner, and my Heisman Trophy prediction. Let's get this started, shall we?
ACC: The good news is that the ACC seems to have more quality teams this year than in recent years, but don't expect any team from the conference to compete for a National Title. In the Atlantic division. Clemson has a talented defense but must replace All-American running back C.J. Spiller. Florida State returns All-ACC Quarterback Christian Ponder, but it might take more than a year to rebuild the defense, which was just awful last year. I expect Boston College to represent the Atlantic division in the ACC Title Game. RB Montez Harris is a premier playmaker, and an already tough defense gets a big boost from All-American LB Mark Herzlich's return from his bout with cancer. In the Coastal division, there are four teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the conference. Defending champ Georgia Tech returns playmaking QB Josh Nesbitt, but may have lost too many quality players to repeat this year. Miami has talent all over the field, but it remains to be seen if they can show consistency throughout the season. North Carolina may have the most talented team in the conference, but an offseason full of off-the-field issues may keep some of that talent, including star DT Marvin Austin and WR Greg Little, off the field. Virginia Tech is my pick not only to win the Coastal Division, but to also win the conference as a whole. Offensively, they have two running backs in Ryan Williams and Darren Evans that have 1,000 yard seasons in their college career, while Tyrod Taylor is a playmaker at quarterback. Defensively, they only return four starters, but head coach Frank Beamer and Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster are two of the best and the business, and they should be able to build yet another strong defense in Blacksburg.
Big East: There are four teams with a legitimate shot at taking home the crown this year, but don't expect the National Champion to come from this conference. Defending champion Cincinnati has a new head coach and lost a lot of players from last year's team, but QB Zach Collars should be one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. This may be Connecticut's best chance at winning a Big East crown, as they have a lot of returning starters coming back and RB Jordan Todman is one of the best in the nation. Even though Pitt lost to Utah tonight, they are too talented to dismiss from contention at this point, and RB Dion Lewis is a bonafide Heisman candidate. My pick, however, is West Virginia. Yes, they have questions at quarterback, but with receivers Jock Sanders and hotshot freshman Ivan McCartney, as well as Heisman candidate RB Noel Devine, the offense should be potent enough to complement a solid defense and bring coach Bill Stewart his first conference title.
Big Ten: Every team in the conference outside of Minnesota should have a decent chance at making a bowl game this year, but realistically there are only three teams with a legitimate shot at winning the conference this year. Ohio State is being thought of as a National Championship contender, and with good reason, as QB Terrelle Pryor leads a talented offense that complements their always stout defense. However, Ohio State has a tough schedule, playing Miami next week and other Big Ten powerhouses Iowa and Wisconsin on the road. Iowa, who wrapped up a stellar season last year with a win in the Orange Bowl, brings back a tough defense led by All-American DE Adrian Clayborn, but QB Ricky Stanzi must be more consistent this year. Wisconsin has a potential All-American in RB John Clay and a solid defense led by S Jay Valvi and LB Chris Borland, which I feel will be enough to get the Badgers the Big Ten title.
Big Twelve: Nebraska will win the Big 12 North, of this I am sure. Even though they lost DT Ndamukong Suh and their quarterback situation is questionable at best, the talent on the defensive side of the ball alone should be enough for Nebraska to steamroll over the other Big 12 North teams, escepially since Missouri recently dismissed RB Derrick Washington from their team. In the Big 12 South, it should once again be a battle between Texas and Oklahoma, although Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson may be good enough to upset a few of the big boys of the Big 12. Oklahoma has a strong defensive line, and with playmakers such as RB Demarco Murray and WR Ryan Broyles, they will be able to put up points. Texas lost a large amount of players, but as the saying goes, they don't rebuild, they reload. If QB Garrett Gilbert lives up to the hype, and I believe he will, than Texas will repeat as Big 12 champions.
Pac-Ten: The most wide open of the Power conferences this year, as there are six teams with a good shot at taking the title home. Defending champ Oregon has had a rough offseason, but with RB LaMichael James and DE Kenny Rowe leading a veteran team, the Ducks still must be taken seriously. USC still has oodles of talent on both sides of the ball, but a lack of depth could submarine Lane Kiffin's first season as head coach of the Trojans. Arizona has eight returning starters on offense, including QB Nick Foles, but in order to win the Wildcats must overcome an inexperienced defense. Stanford is led by QB Andrew Luck and coach Jim Harbaugh, two men many expect will be in the NFL sooner rather than later, but like Arizona, must become better on defense. Oregon State has two potential All-Americans in WR James Rodgers and RB Jacquizz Rodgers, and yes they are both brothers. If QB Ryan Katz develops quickly and if Oregon State can survive a tough early schedule, than the Beavers have a good shot. My pick, however, is Washington. QB Jake Locker is the best player in the conference and may be the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he is surronded by top notch skill players on offense. They have to get better defensively, but in a wide-open race, Locker and company will put up enough points and restore the Washington program to its previous heights.
SEC: In the West division, defending National Champion Alabama has to be the choice here. Yes Arkansas has Heisman candidate QB Ryan Mallett, and Auburn and LSU are tough teams as well. But the Crimson Tide are just too talented, with a core led by Heisman winner RB Mark Ingram and LB Donta Hightower. In the East, some are picking South Carolina as a potential dark horse, and they did look good tonight against Southern Miss. But I have a hard time believing that QB Stephen Garcia can lead the Gamecocks to glory, and coach Steve Spurrier may feel the same way. That basically leaves Florida and Georgia. While Georgia WR A.J. Green is a beast, and the offensive line is among the best in the nation, the Bulldogs may have a hard time adjusting to the new 3-4 scheme on defense. Plus, it would help if the Bulldogs didn't have a player arrested every week. That leaves Florida, who lost QB/Savior Tim Tebow and a host of other talented players, but coach Urban Meyer has a whole bunch of talented players willing to show what they can do, and they should do well enough to get to the SEC Championship Game. However, nobody's going to beat out Alabama this year, barring major injuries or suspensions, of course.
Other Confrences: Boise State and TCU are preseason top-10 teams who some feel have a shot at the National Championship. Therefore, it stands to reason that they are my picks to win the Wac and Mountain West conferences respectively. However, TCU will face a challenge from Utah and BYU on the way. In the MAC, Temple, led by sophomore sensation RB Bernard Prince, should be able to win that conference. Houston has the best team and the best player (QB Case Kessum), so they should be able to win the conference. Although, SMU and UCF may have something to say about that. In the Sun Belt, Middle Tennessee St., led by dual-threat QB Dwight Dasher, should win easily if Dasher isn't suspended due to off-field issues. If he misses too many games, look for Troy to become the favorite.
National Championship Game: Boise State comes in to the season ranked number 3, and many people believe that if they get past Virginia Tech on Monday Night, they have a wide open path to the National Championship game provided that two or more major conference teams do not finished undefeated. Well, I'm going to say that the Broncos beat Virginia Tech and everybody else in their path, and will play for all the marbles. But the dream will end there, as Alabama becomes the first repeat national champion since the 1994-95 Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Heisman Trophy: Well, if my PAC-10 prediction comes true, than Washington QB Jake Locker will have to put together a Heisman worthy season. Of course, you can't count out last year's winner, Alabama RB Mark Ingram. West Virginia RB Noel Devine and Pittsburgh RB Dion Lewis also could easily put together huge seasons, and don't be surprised if Oklahoma RB Demarco Murray, Boise State QB Kellen Moore, and Houston QB Case Kessum makes a run at the trophy as well. The preseason favorite seems to be Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor, but I'll go slightly against the grain and select Jake Locker as the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner. The top 5 contenders are:
1. Locker
2. Pryor
3. Devine
4. Kessum
5. Ingram
Dark Horse: Florida QB John Brantley.
Well, that was a little longer than I expected, but what can you do? Over the next few months, it will be fun to see whether I hit any of my predictions, or the 2010 College Football season proceeds to make me look like a fool. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this or other posts, or ideas for future posts, than let us know them either by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at kthec2001@gmail.com.
ACC: The good news is that the ACC seems to have more quality teams this year than in recent years, but don't expect any team from the conference to compete for a National Title. In the Atlantic division. Clemson has a talented defense but must replace All-American running back C.J. Spiller. Florida State returns All-ACC Quarterback Christian Ponder, but it might take more than a year to rebuild the defense, which was just awful last year. I expect Boston College to represent the Atlantic division in the ACC Title Game. RB Montez Harris is a premier playmaker, and an already tough defense gets a big boost from All-American LB Mark Herzlich's return from his bout with cancer. In the Coastal division, there are four teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the conference. Defending champ Georgia Tech returns playmaking QB Josh Nesbitt, but may have lost too many quality players to repeat this year. Miami has talent all over the field, but it remains to be seen if they can show consistency throughout the season. North Carolina may have the most talented team in the conference, but an offseason full of off-the-field issues may keep some of that talent, including star DT Marvin Austin and WR Greg Little, off the field. Virginia Tech is my pick not only to win the Coastal Division, but to also win the conference as a whole. Offensively, they have two running backs in Ryan Williams and Darren Evans that have 1,000 yard seasons in their college career, while Tyrod Taylor is a playmaker at quarterback. Defensively, they only return four starters, but head coach Frank Beamer and Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster are two of the best and the business, and they should be able to build yet another strong defense in Blacksburg.
Big East: There are four teams with a legitimate shot at taking home the crown this year, but don't expect the National Champion to come from this conference. Defending champion Cincinnati has a new head coach and lost a lot of players from last year's team, but QB Zach Collars should be one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. This may be Connecticut's best chance at winning a Big East crown, as they have a lot of returning starters coming back and RB Jordan Todman is one of the best in the nation. Even though Pitt lost to Utah tonight, they are too talented to dismiss from contention at this point, and RB Dion Lewis is a bonafide Heisman candidate. My pick, however, is West Virginia. Yes, they have questions at quarterback, but with receivers Jock Sanders and hotshot freshman Ivan McCartney, as well as Heisman candidate RB Noel Devine, the offense should be potent enough to complement a solid defense and bring coach Bill Stewart his first conference title.
Big Ten: Every team in the conference outside of Minnesota should have a decent chance at making a bowl game this year, but realistically there are only three teams with a legitimate shot at winning the conference this year. Ohio State is being thought of as a National Championship contender, and with good reason, as QB Terrelle Pryor leads a talented offense that complements their always stout defense. However, Ohio State has a tough schedule, playing Miami next week and other Big Ten powerhouses Iowa and Wisconsin on the road. Iowa, who wrapped up a stellar season last year with a win in the Orange Bowl, brings back a tough defense led by All-American DE Adrian Clayborn, but QB Ricky Stanzi must be more consistent this year. Wisconsin has a potential All-American in RB John Clay and a solid defense led by S Jay Valvi and LB Chris Borland, which I feel will be enough to get the Badgers the Big Ten title.
Big Twelve: Nebraska will win the Big 12 North, of this I am sure. Even though they lost DT Ndamukong Suh and their quarterback situation is questionable at best, the talent on the defensive side of the ball alone should be enough for Nebraska to steamroll over the other Big 12 North teams, escepially since Missouri recently dismissed RB Derrick Washington from their team. In the Big 12 South, it should once again be a battle between Texas and Oklahoma, although Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson may be good enough to upset a few of the big boys of the Big 12. Oklahoma has a strong defensive line, and with playmakers such as RB Demarco Murray and WR Ryan Broyles, they will be able to put up points. Texas lost a large amount of players, but as the saying goes, they don't rebuild, they reload. If QB Garrett Gilbert lives up to the hype, and I believe he will, than Texas will repeat as Big 12 champions.
Pac-Ten: The most wide open of the Power conferences this year, as there are six teams with a good shot at taking the title home. Defending champ Oregon has had a rough offseason, but with RB LaMichael James and DE Kenny Rowe leading a veteran team, the Ducks still must be taken seriously. USC still has oodles of talent on both sides of the ball, but a lack of depth could submarine Lane Kiffin's first season as head coach of the Trojans. Arizona has eight returning starters on offense, including QB Nick Foles, but in order to win the Wildcats must overcome an inexperienced defense. Stanford is led by QB Andrew Luck and coach Jim Harbaugh, two men many expect will be in the NFL sooner rather than later, but like Arizona, must become better on defense. Oregon State has two potential All-Americans in WR James Rodgers and RB Jacquizz Rodgers, and yes they are both brothers. If QB Ryan Katz develops quickly and if Oregon State can survive a tough early schedule, than the Beavers have a good shot. My pick, however, is Washington. QB Jake Locker is the best player in the conference and may be the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he is surronded by top notch skill players on offense. They have to get better defensively, but in a wide-open race, Locker and company will put up enough points and restore the Washington program to its previous heights.
SEC: In the West division, defending National Champion Alabama has to be the choice here. Yes Arkansas has Heisman candidate QB Ryan Mallett, and Auburn and LSU are tough teams as well. But the Crimson Tide are just too talented, with a core led by Heisman winner RB Mark Ingram and LB Donta Hightower. In the East, some are picking South Carolina as a potential dark horse, and they did look good tonight against Southern Miss. But I have a hard time believing that QB Stephen Garcia can lead the Gamecocks to glory, and coach Steve Spurrier may feel the same way. That basically leaves Florida and Georgia. While Georgia WR A.J. Green is a beast, and the offensive line is among the best in the nation, the Bulldogs may have a hard time adjusting to the new 3-4 scheme on defense. Plus, it would help if the Bulldogs didn't have a player arrested every week. That leaves Florida, who lost QB/Savior Tim Tebow and a host of other talented players, but coach Urban Meyer has a whole bunch of talented players willing to show what they can do, and they should do well enough to get to the SEC Championship Game. However, nobody's going to beat out Alabama this year, barring major injuries or suspensions, of course.
Other Confrences: Boise State and TCU are preseason top-10 teams who some feel have a shot at the National Championship. Therefore, it stands to reason that they are my picks to win the Wac and Mountain West conferences respectively. However, TCU will face a challenge from Utah and BYU on the way. In the MAC, Temple, led by sophomore sensation RB Bernard Prince, should be able to win that conference. Houston has the best team and the best player (QB Case Kessum), so they should be able to win the conference. Although, SMU and UCF may have something to say about that. In the Sun Belt, Middle Tennessee St., led by dual-threat QB Dwight Dasher, should win easily if Dasher isn't suspended due to off-field issues. If he misses too many games, look for Troy to become the favorite.
National Championship Game: Boise State comes in to the season ranked number 3, and many people believe that if they get past Virginia Tech on Monday Night, they have a wide open path to the National Championship game provided that two or more major conference teams do not finished undefeated. Well, I'm going to say that the Broncos beat Virginia Tech and everybody else in their path, and will play for all the marbles. But the dream will end there, as Alabama becomes the first repeat national champion since the 1994-95 Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Heisman Trophy: Well, if my PAC-10 prediction comes true, than Washington QB Jake Locker will have to put together a Heisman worthy season. Of course, you can't count out last year's winner, Alabama RB Mark Ingram. West Virginia RB Noel Devine and Pittsburgh RB Dion Lewis also could easily put together huge seasons, and don't be surprised if Oklahoma RB Demarco Murray, Boise State QB Kellen Moore, and Houston QB Case Kessum makes a run at the trophy as well. The preseason favorite seems to be Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor, but I'll go slightly against the grain and select Jake Locker as the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner. The top 5 contenders are:
1. Locker
2. Pryor
3. Devine
4. Kessum
5. Ingram
Dark Horse: Florida QB John Brantley.
Well, that was a little longer than I expected, but what can you do? Over the next few months, it will be fun to see whether I hit any of my predictions, or the 2010 College Football season proceeds to make me look like a fool. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this or other posts, or ideas for future posts, than let us know them either by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at kthec2001@gmail.com.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Canon Book Review: The Machine
Yesterday, I finished reading the book The Machine: A Hot Team, a Legendary Season, and a Heart-Stopping World Series: The Story of the 1975 Cincinnati Reds by Joe Posnanski. Posnanski's an excellent writer, in fact he's one of the few writers that I make a point to read on a regular basis. Plus, any book about baseball, particularly about baseball in the 1970s, will pique my interest, so I figured I would give this one a shot. The Machine is about the 1975 Cincinnati Reds, a.k.a. The Big Red Machine, one of the most remembered and best teams in the history of baseball. The team was full of superstars such as Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Johnny Bench, and was managed by Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson. The '75 Reds won 108 games in the regular season, swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS, and won one of the most thrilling World Series of all-time in seven games against the Boston Red Sox. A few notes about this book:
- The book is about the team as a whole, but the story is primarily driven by the team's four superstars (Rose, Bench, Morgan, and Tony Perez) and manager Sparky Anderson. The divide is made clear in a story from spring training of that year, where Sparky made it clear that the four superstars were going to be treated differently from the rest, and that everyone else on the team were 'turds'. I'm 99 percent sure that if a manager called his players turds in today's game, there would more than a few complaints and trade demands and other problems, but such was the game back then.
- Sparky Anderson, to me, was the most interesting man in the book. On one hand, he was a gruff fire-breathing manager who demanded respect from his players and made damn sure that everyone knew he was in charge. On the other hand, there were a few times where he would appease the large egos of his superstars (for example, asking Pete Rose if he would like to play third base instead of demanding he do so). On one hand, he wasn't afraid to go against the grain on the baseball diamond, such as relying on his bullpen more than any other manager in his time would do. On the other hand, he was such an old-fashioned man that he refused to speak to his son for over a year due to his long hair. On one hand, Sparky was a confident man who would make public statements such as "This is the best team in baseball", but on the other hand, he spent every moment until the end worrying about his job, to the point where he would be kept up at night with ulcers. Sparky seemed to me to be a man of many contradictions, and a man who is rather hard to place in one simple category, if that makes any sense. Which, I suppose, is what made him so fascinating to read about.
- One of the themes throughout the book is that the team would constantly needle each other about all sorts of things. For example, Joe Morgan would rag on Pete Rose and Tony Perez if they happened to be in a slump, and when Joe Morgan made a comment about needing a rest, he found a pillow and a sleeping bag in front of his locker. Anderson would try to get them to stop all the jokes, but on the rare occasions they did, it seemed as if they played worse. So the needling, led primarily by Perez, would continue. Most of it was good-natured, although a couple of players didn't always find it so funny.
- Of the four superstars, Perez comes across as the best person of the bunch, as he seemed like a friendly guy with a sense of humor and was so respected that to a man, every person on the team cited Perez as the leader of the clubhouse. Pete Rose has had a rather star-crossed life, as you may know, but in this book he seems like a decent enough person who was driven by one thing and one thing only, to play baseball each and every day as hard as possible. Pete was, and is, a little too full of himself, but the game would be better off if more players played the way Pete did. Joe Morgan comes off as quite an arrogant person, as those people that watch him commentate on ESPN may have figured, but then again, it's hard to be humble when you're the best player in the game.
- To me, Johnny Bench came across in this book as an arrogant jerk who for whatever reason, seemed to resent the fact that Rose was more beloved in Cincinnati than he was. Bench seemed like the type of person you meet who just can't wait to tell you how awesome he is. He seemed to be addicted to fame, yet would never sign autographs for fans. He and Rose seemed to have a strong rivalry to the point where when Joe Morgan got to Cincinnati, he was warned that he could only be friends with Johnny or Pete, not with both (btw, Morgan chose Pete). Some of hie teammates, like Ken Griffey, did not seem to have a high opinion of Mr. Bench as well.
- Speaking of Griffey, one of the most fascinating things to come from this book was that Griffey felt as if he was cheated out of stardom by the Reds due to a variety of factors. Griffey was told by Anderson not to steal because the player hitting behind him, Morgan, did not like players running when he was trying to hit. According to Griffey, he could have stolen 70-80 bases if allowed to run. I find it a little dubious, since Griffey never stole more than 34 bases in a season, but that's what he believes. Griffey was also frustrated by the numerous occasions where he would get a big hit to win a game for the Reds, including the game-winning hit in game 2 of the World Series, only to see one of the bigger names like Bench get all the glory. He might have something there.
- Throughout the book, Posnanski dedicates a few lines here and there to other events taking place in 1975 (i.e. the end of the Vietnam War, Bruce Springsteen producing and releasing Born to Run). While these tidbits are interesting, they really didn't seem to fit in with the rest of book, and I felt as if he just included them just to pad out the book some instead of linking those events to what was happening with the Reds at the time.
Overall, there are a couple of minor issues, like the one I just mentioned and the feeling that Posanski didn't devote enough space to other members of the machine such as George Foster. But overall, this is a rather entertaining read that kept my interest from beginning to end, and really captured what the Big Red Machine was all about. I would give it a 7.7 out of 10. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this post or other previous posts, or ideas for future posts, than share them either by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at kthec2001@gmail.com.
- The book is about the team as a whole, but the story is primarily driven by the team's four superstars (Rose, Bench, Morgan, and Tony Perez) and manager Sparky Anderson. The divide is made clear in a story from spring training of that year, where Sparky made it clear that the four superstars were going to be treated differently from the rest, and that everyone else on the team were 'turds'. I'm 99 percent sure that if a manager called his players turds in today's game, there would more than a few complaints and trade demands and other problems, but such was the game back then.
- Sparky Anderson, to me, was the most interesting man in the book. On one hand, he was a gruff fire-breathing manager who demanded respect from his players and made damn sure that everyone knew he was in charge. On the other hand, there were a few times where he would appease the large egos of his superstars (for example, asking Pete Rose if he would like to play third base instead of demanding he do so). On one hand, he wasn't afraid to go against the grain on the baseball diamond, such as relying on his bullpen more than any other manager in his time would do. On the other hand, he was such an old-fashioned man that he refused to speak to his son for over a year due to his long hair. On one hand, Sparky was a confident man who would make public statements such as "This is the best team in baseball", but on the other hand, he spent every moment until the end worrying about his job, to the point where he would be kept up at night with ulcers. Sparky seemed to me to be a man of many contradictions, and a man who is rather hard to place in one simple category, if that makes any sense. Which, I suppose, is what made him so fascinating to read about.
- One of the themes throughout the book is that the team would constantly needle each other about all sorts of things. For example, Joe Morgan would rag on Pete Rose and Tony Perez if they happened to be in a slump, and when Joe Morgan made a comment about needing a rest, he found a pillow and a sleeping bag in front of his locker. Anderson would try to get them to stop all the jokes, but on the rare occasions they did, it seemed as if they played worse. So the needling, led primarily by Perez, would continue. Most of it was good-natured, although a couple of players didn't always find it so funny.
- Of the four superstars, Perez comes across as the best person of the bunch, as he seemed like a friendly guy with a sense of humor and was so respected that to a man, every person on the team cited Perez as the leader of the clubhouse. Pete Rose has had a rather star-crossed life, as you may know, but in this book he seems like a decent enough person who was driven by one thing and one thing only, to play baseball each and every day as hard as possible. Pete was, and is, a little too full of himself, but the game would be better off if more players played the way Pete did. Joe Morgan comes off as quite an arrogant person, as those people that watch him commentate on ESPN may have figured, but then again, it's hard to be humble when you're the best player in the game.
- To me, Johnny Bench came across in this book as an arrogant jerk who for whatever reason, seemed to resent the fact that Rose was more beloved in Cincinnati than he was. Bench seemed like the type of person you meet who just can't wait to tell you how awesome he is. He seemed to be addicted to fame, yet would never sign autographs for fans. He and Rose seemed to have a strong rivalry to the point where when Joe Morgan got to Cincinnati, he was warned that he could only be friends with Johnny or Pete, not with both (btw, Morgan chose Pete). Some of hie teammates, like Ken Griffey, did not seem to have a high opinion of Mr. Bench as well.
- Speaking of Griffey, one of the most fascinating things to come from this book was that Griffey felt as if he was cheated out of stardom by the Reds due to a variety of factors. Griffey was told by Anderson not to steal because the player hitting behind him, Morgan, did not like players running when he was trying to hit. According to Griffey, he could have stolen 70-80 bases if allowed to run. I find it a little dubious, since Griffey never stole more than 34 bases in a season, but that's what he believes. Griffey was also frustrated by the numerous occasions where he would get a big hit to win a game for the Reds, including the game-winning hit in game 2 of the World Series, only to see one of the bigger names like Bench get all the glory. He might have something there.
- Throughout the book, Posnanski dedicates a few lines here and there to other events taking place in 1975 (i.e. the end of the Vietnam War, Bruce Springsteen producing and releasing Born to Run). While these tidbits are interesting, they really didn't seem to fit in with the rest of book, and I felt as if he just included them just to pad out the book some instead of linking those events to what was happening with the Reds at the time.
Overall, there are a couple of minor issues, like the one I just mentioned and the feeling that Posanski didn't devote enough space to other members of the machine such as George Foster. But overall, this is a rather entertaining read that kept my interest from beginning to end, and really captured what the Big Red Machine was all about. I would give it a 7.7 out of 10. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this post or other previous posts, or ideas for future posts, than share them either by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at kthec2001@gmail.com.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Canon MST3K Review: The Giant Spider Invasion
With a name like The Giant Spider Invasion, you expect that giant spiders will invade Earth and cause a ruckus. Well, in that aspect this movie did not disappoint. However, the movie did manage to disappoint in nearly every other way possible. Yet The Giant Spider Invasion is one of those movies that is so bad that it's good, and made for a rather humorous episode of Mystery Science Theatre 3000. The Giant Spider Invasion was made in 1975 and was directed by Bill Rebane, who made a career out of directing low budget horror films like this one. The movie stars a bunch of people that made their living doing guest spots on TV shows and playing small roles in movies, including Alan Hale (The Skipper on "Gilligan's Island") and Barbara Hale (no relation, but she did play the role of Della Street in the Perry Mason series). A few notes about this episode, and yes there are spoilers ahead:
- The movie takes a while to get going, choosing to introduce the characters of the film before the spiders start their invasion. This isn't a bad idea, however, the characters are so unlikeable that I just couldn't wait for the spiders to start killing people off. The worst of which is white-trash farmer Dan Kester (Robert Easton), who cheats on his wife, and tries to bed his much younger sister-in-law all in one night. His wife, Ev (Leslie Parrish), is a woman that is either drinking some alcoholic beverage or offering sarcastic remarks towards her husband, although it's hard to blame her considering the lout she's married to. Then there's the sherrif (Alan Hale), who seems like a pleasant enough fellow but spends the entire movie either eating or telling bad jokes or on the phone. Not to mention the stuck-up sexist NASA scientist Dr. J.R. Vance (Steve Brodie), who looks like a heavier Mean Gene Okerlund with a bad rug on his head, and sucks as a scientist to boot.
- The movie starts off with a giant explosion that takes place in Dan Kester's pasture at night. Dan, being the genius that he is, decides that now would be a good time to crash the bed instead of checking out the GIANT EXPLOSION on his property. At the very least, he could have got the heck out of there. Then again, I probably would have done the same thing. There's a man who crashes his motorcycle, and then something happens to him. You can't tell what, because the camera shot has no light whatsoever, and this would not be the first time that the film was shot in almost complete darkness.
- So, with a giant crash out in the middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin, NASA decides to send it's top man, Mean Gen, I mean, J.R. Vance, to meet with a Dr. Langer (Barbara Hale). This leads to a hilarious scene where the two meet, and Vance assumes that he's meeting Dr. Langer's husband, then her father, than her brother, before finally Dr. Jenny Langer informes the pig that it is actually she that has the appointment with a dumbfounded Vance. I guess J.R. Vance is a man from a simpler time, where women weren't astronomers and stay at home in the kitchen. Personally, I was hoping that Langer would slug Vance, but no such luck. Unfortunately, that was the last interesting scene in the movie involving the two until the end.
- Eventually, the giant spider makes his appearance after a subplot of the farmer and his wife finding that all their cattle have been mutilated, but they found diamonds in some rocks (Of course, they failed to notice the spiders that were in each rock, to the point where Ev fixed herself a Bloody Mary without noticing the spiders in the blender.) Normally, I'm not the type of person that roots for the monster or bad guy in films, but in this case, I was cheering for the Giant Spider as if the Falcons scored a touchdown. First the spider kills off Ev, which is unfortunate but not a big loss, but then the Spider disposes of both Dan and his lecherous Charles Manson look-a-like cousin Billy. The spider should have been given an award from the townspeople for that alone.
- The giant 'spider' in this film was actually a bunch of spider legs around a Volkswagen Beetle. In one scene where the spider attacks a slow-pitch softball game, you can actually see the tire tracks the 'spider' leaves behind in its wake. Well, at least it's better than some crappy CGI image of a giant spider that would be used in a film like this today.
Overall, this movie has a lot of issues. For one, there are multiple scenes where Alan Hale is talking on the phone with someone and you're supposed to hear what's being said, but the audio is so low that you can't make out what they are saying. There's a couple of other scenes where you can't hear what the characters are saying, and there are quite a few scenes that are so dark that there's no telling what's actually happening. The effects are cheesy at best, the acting is mostly second rate, and the plot is easy enough to follow, but full of holes. Nevertheless, it's such a cheesy movie that it's actually quite funny even without the digs given by Mike and the Bots, and there are certainly worse movies to watch. Overall, the movie would get about a 2.9 out of 10, but the episode is a solid 7 out of 10. Remember, if you have any ideas for future reviews, or comments about this or previous reviews, then send them to me either by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com or by leaving a comment on the blog.
- The movie takes a while to get going, choosing to introduce the characters of the film before the spiders start their invasion. This isn't a bad idea, however, the characters are so unlikeable that I just couldn't wait for the spiders to start killing people off. The worst of which is white-trash farmer Dan Kester (Robert Easton), who cheats on his wife, and tries to bed his much younger sister-in-law all in one night. His wife, Ev (Leslie Parrish), is a woman that is either drinking some alcoholic beverage or offering sarcastic remarks towards her husband, although it's hard to blame her considering the lout she's married to. Then there's the sherrif (Alan Hale), who seems like a pleasant enough fellow but spends the entire movie either eating or telling bad jokes or on the phone. Not to mention the stuck-up sexist NASA scientist Dr. J.R. Vance (Steve Brodie), who looks like a heavier Mean Gene Okerlund with a bad rug on his head, and sucks as a scientist to boot.
- The movie starts off with a giant explosion that takes place in Dan Kester's pasture at night. Dan, being the genius that he is, decides that now would be a good time to crash the bed instead of checking out the GIANT EXPLOSION on his property. At the very least, he could have got the heck out of there. Then again, I probably would have done the same thing. There's a man who crashes his motorcycle, and then something happens to him. You can't tell what, because the camera shot has no light whatsoever, and this would not be the first time that the film was shot in almost complete darkness.
- So, with a giant crash out in the middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin, NASA decides to send it's top man, Mean Gen, I mean, J.R. Vance, to meet with a Dr. Langer (Barbara Hale). This leads to a hilarious scene where the two meet, and Vance assumes that he's meeting Dr. Langer's husband, then her father, than her brother, before finally Dr. Jenny Langer informes the pig that it is actually she that has the appointment with a dumbfounded Vance. I guess J.R. Vance is a man from a simpler time, where women weren't astronomers and stay at home in the kitchen. Personally, I was hoping that Langer would slug Vance, but no such luck. Unfortunately, that was the last interesting scene in the movie involving the two until the end.
- Eventually, the giant spider makes his appearance after a subplot of the farmer and his wife finding that all their cattle have been mutilated, but they found diamonds in some rocks (Of course, they failed to notice the spiders that were in each rock, to the point where Ev fixed herself a Bloody Mary without noticing the spiders in the blender.) Normally, I'm not the type of person that roots for the monster or bad guy in films, but in this case, I was cheering for the Giant Spider as if the Falcons scored a touchdown. First the spider kills off Ev, which is unfortunate but not a big loss, but then the Spider disposes of both Dan and his lecherous Charles Manson look-a-like cousin Billy. The spider should have been given an award from the townspeople for that alone.
- The giant 'spider' in this film was actually a bunch of spider legs around a Volkswagen Beetle. In one scene where the spider attacks a slow-pitch softball game, you can actually see the tire tracks the 'spider' leaves behind in its wake. Well, at least it's better than some crappy CGI image of a giant spider that would be used in a film like this today.
Overall, this movie has a lot of issues. For one, there are multiple scenes where Alan Hale is talking on the phone with someone and you're supposed to hear what's being said, but the audio is so low that you can't make out what they are saying. There's a couple of other scenes where you can't hear what the characters are saying, and there are quite a few scenes that are so dark that there's no telling what's actually happening. The effects are cheesy at best, the acting is mostly second rate, and the plot is easy enough to follow, but full of holes. Nevertheless, it's such a cheesy movie that it's actually quite funny even without the digs given by Mike and the Bots, and there are certainly worse movies to watch. Overall, the movie would get about a 2.9 out of 10, but the episode is a solid 7 out of 10. Remember, if you have any ideas for future reviews, or comments about this or previous reviews, then send them to me either by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com or by leaving a comment on the blog.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Canon Restaurant Review: Sonny's BBQ, Commerce, GA
Earlier today, I had the opportunity to dine at Sonny's BBQ in Commerce, GA with my family. This was not my first time dining at this restaurant, and usually have enjoyed the food, although it had been some 18 months since I had last ate there. So I had hoped that this dining experience would also be a delightful one.
We got to the restaurant at around 7:30 or so and were able to be seated as soon as we walked into the door. The restaurant had a healthy crowd in the place, but by no means was it packed. Then again, it was a little late in the day, and I'm pretty sure that they were more crowded an hour before. Anyway, the interior of the restaurant was rather well-lit, and the walls were covered with various nic-nacs like signs and license plates and other similar items. The tables and the chairs were colored lightly brown, and the overall setting of Sonny's is rather casual, but not too causal. So basically, you won't look too out of place whether you're wearing a nice shirt and pants or just a plain t-shirt and jeans. There are four different televisions, one in each corner of the dining area. They weren't big-screen television sets or anything, but they are big enough that you can at least tell what's going on on the screen, especially if you are close to one of the corners.
Once we were seated, we order our drinks right off. My dad and I both ordered cokes, while my mother ordered an iced tea. When we got our drinks, our waitress, a woman named Dixie, had accidentally given us two iced teas, but realized the mistake before I had actually even noticed. Other than that, she was quite an exceptional and friendly server who constantly made sure that we had everything that we needed. We ordered our food next, and I went with the Dry Rub Ribs plate, which also came with two sides and two slices of garlic bread. For my sides, I went with a bowl of Sonny's original recipe BBQ beans and an order of fries. Meanwhile, my parents both ordered the Big Deal sandwich combos, which is a big barbeque sandwich with your meat of choice between two slices of garlic bread. They both chose the pulled pork sandwich, and both ordered fries, although for their second side they had different choices (mom ordered coleslaw, dad ordered a bowl of beans).
Our food came in what I felt was an appropriate amount of time. One thing I noticed right away was that there were a lot of ribs and french fries on my plate. There was a lot of meat on those ribs, and they were barbecued to near perfection, although I had a little trouble getting the meat off of one of the ribs. The beans were some of the best beans that I have ever had. Even though I ended up taking some of my food home, the beans were so good that I made sure to finish them while still at the restaurant. The garlic bread was freshly cooked and rather tasty, while the fries were pretty good, but I have had better before from this location. My parents both were rather pleased with their food, and they noted that while it was filling, the food still did not leave you feeling stuffed.
Overall, I rather enjoyed my dining experience at Sonny's BBQ of Commerce, GA. The service was excellent, the food was rather good, and the place was quite clean as well. Out of 10, I'd give Sonny's BBQ of Commerce, GA a 7.89 out of 10. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts or issues with this or other posts, or future ideas for reviews, than feel free to share them by leaving a comment, or by sending me an e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.
We got to the restaurant at around 7:30 or so and were able to be seated as soon as we walked into the door. The restaurant had a healthy crowd in the place, but by no means was it packed. Then again, it was a little late in the day, and I'm pretty sure that they were more crowded an hour before. Anyway, the interior of the restaurant was rather well-lit, and the walls were covered with various nic-nacs like signs and license plates and other similar items. The tables and the chairs were colored lightly brown, and the overall setting of Sonny's is rather casual, but not too causal. So basically, you won't look too out of place whether you're wearing a nice shirt and pants or just a plain t-shirt and jeans. There are four different televisions, one in each corner of the dining area. They weren't big-screen television sets or anything, but they are big enough that you can at least tell what's going on on the screen, especially if you are close to one of the corners.
Once we were seated, we order our drinks right off. My dad and I both ordered cokes, while my mother ordered an iced tea. When we got our drinks, our waitress, a woman named Dixie, had accidentally given us two iced teas, but realized the mistake before I had actually even noticed. Other than that, she was quite an exceptional and friendly server who constantly made sure that we had everything that we needed. We ordered our food next, and I went with the Dry Rub Ribs plate, which also came with two sides and two slices of garlic bread. For my sides, I went with a bowl of Sonny's original recipe BBQ beans and an order of fries. Meanwhile, my parents both ordered the Big Deal sandwich combos, which is a big barbeque sandwich with your meat of choice between two slices of garlic bread. They both chose the pulled pork sandwich, and both ordered fries, although for their second side they had different choices (mom ordered coleslaw, dad ordered a bowl of beans).
Our food came in what I felt was an appropriate amount of time. One thing I noticed right away was that there were a lot of ribs and french fries on my plate. There was a lot of meat on those ribs, and they were barbecued to near perfection, although I had a little trouble getting the meat off of one of the ribs. The beans were some of the best beans that I have ever had. Even though I ended up taking some of my food home, the beans were so good that I made sure to finish them while still at the restaurant. The garlic bread was freshly cooked and rather tasty, while the fries were pretty good, but I have had better before from this location. My parents both were rather pleased with their food, and they noted that while it was filling, the food still did not leave you feeling stuffed.
Overall, I rather enjoyed my dining experience at Sonny's BBQ of Commerce, GA. The service was excellent, the food was rather good, and the place was quite clean as well. Out of 10, I'd give Sonny's BBQ of Commerce, GA a 7.89 out of 10. Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts or issues with this or other posts, or future ideas for reviews, than feel free to share them by leaving a comment, or by sending me an e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.
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