Ginormous

This weekend I watched most of Nebraska's game against Texas, then hopped on the bus to Tyson's Corner. Yes, the bus. I know I always tell people not to take the bus. "Have you seen the people who ride the bus?" I ask. "They let anybody on the bus!" But Tyson's is so close, it's almost stupid for me not to get there somewhat regularly.

I went to see The Prestige, though I can't exactly say why. It was mostly good. The cast is really good in the top four, and solid everywhere else, so the acting is quite good. I like the overall story as well. It jumps back and forth a lot, so you have to figure out who is doing what and when, but that's okay. I'm not sure the writers did a good enough job of making sure that the audience knows what's going on at all times, but there's nothing wrong with making people think a little more than usual. I usually watch movies to escape from thinking too much, so I never experience movies like this the way the makers intend. When I start thinking about it, I stop paying attention, if that makes any sense. I got part of the "surprise" ending, but not the whole thing.

Now that I think about it, I had heard before going to see it that David Bowie was in the movie. I forgot all about him and didn't even remember him until I linked to the IMDB page just now. I think this means two things: a) He did a great job of playing his character and not David Bowie. Very serious, very "clipped" (that's the best word I can think of) and b) I really don't see David Bowie often enough to recognize him without unless I'm expecting it.

Went home to watch LSU beat Fresno State 38-6. LSU too fast, Fresno State not good enough at skill positions.

Sunday was fun. I went to the National Zoo to see the new Asia Trail, which was good. I'm particularly fond of the red panda. When I win the lottery and plant a huge forest of bamboo in my back yard, I'm going to import a few and let them go wild.

Lunch at Chipotle in Chinatown, then a short walk to the National Portrait Gallery. When you're in town, you might want to stop by. Pack a lunch and a new pair of shoes. That place is Ginormous. I was in there about three hours, and I'm not sure I saw everything. There are many very impressive pieces of art in there. I looked at a big portrait of Toni Morrison and thought, "That guy cheated. It looks too real. There's no way anybody can paint something that looks that real." Then I saw the entries in the Portrait Competition.

The winner is another painting that looks like a photograph. I'm not a huge painting afficianodo, but there are some things I like:

Frontier landscapes that people made when the West was being pioneered

Ships at sea with a storm on the way

Italian religious paintings with colors still bright after 400 years (or however long it's been)

Details. I really, really like little details that an artist can add to a painting that make it so much better. It's often a little thing or something most people wouldn't think about adding, but it will work so well that you can't imagine it any other way. The first prize winner is here:




So if you're in town, I encourage you all to go see the Portrait Gallery. They had it closed down for what seemed like several years. With all the stuff in there, I can see what took them so long. Well done.

Ah, now I remember...

...why I used to hate the Miami Hurricanes with such gusto. Not because of the brawl they had with Florida International this past Saturday, but because they used to recruit bigmouth jerks like Lamar Thomas, who shot their mouths off about how great they were and mercilessly taunted their opponents. So it did my heart good to hear that he'd been fired as an announcer for praising the Miami Hurricane players for fighting on the field, and even adding that the two teams should meet after the game and get it on some more.

As it just so happens, Lamar Thomas was involved in one of my favorite college football plays of all time. In the Sugar Bowl against Alabama, Miami was getting hammered. Deep in their own territory, Thomas caught a long pass down the left sideline and was headed for the end zone. George Teague caught up with him, reached around, and took the ball right out of his hands before he could score. The play was nullified by an offsides penalty on Alabama, but it still prevented what could have been a big momentum changer in that game. Alabama went on to crush Miami 34-13, with Miami's only TD coming on a kickoff return. One of my favorite games ever.

Miscellaneous Items, Various Topics, and Sundry Others

Three good words there. The first is used the most. The second gets you out of jams when you don't know what else to say. The third is my favorite, but you can only use it in conjunction with "others" so possible uses are limited.

First things first: My buddy Corey has started his own myspace page. I'm taking bets on how long it takes him to get seduced by a 45 year old man.

It did my heart good to see this, a home video of Florida basketball coach Billy Donovan dropping the crystal trophy they got for winning the NCAA title last year. Stupid Florida.

In case you haven't taken notice of this story, there's some interesting stuff going on at Gallaudet University in DC. A lot of students don't like the new choice for university president and feel that they're not being paid attention to enough by the administration. So they shut down the university for three days with protests. Friday night, 133 students were arrested. The really interesting aspect from an outsider's point of view is what happens when a deaf person gets arrested and put in handcuffs. Since they communicate with their hands, it's like tying them up and putting a rag in their mouths at the same time. Only considering what it must be like to be deaf in a hearing world, you'd have to multiply it by many, many times to get the full effect.

The Mighty Saints improved to 5-1 yesterday with a 27-24 win over the Eagles. You can see highlights of the game here. The Eagles entered the game leading the league in sacks, but didn't get Drew Brees down once. How? I'll tell you. The offensive line protected well on pass plays, and they mauled the Eagles defensive front on power runs up the middle. The latter allowed them to get the defense back on its heels a little bit and set up play-action. Second, the game plan was a great mixture of the aforementioned runs and p-a, plus quick passes that allowed Brees to get rid of the ball before pressure could get to him, either from the front four or blitzes. The run game and quick passing made it tough for the Eagles to blitz as much as they wanted to.

As for the game itself, it was a matter of big runs on either side. Saints went up 10-0 and 17-3 at halftime. Eagles came out in the second half and scored 21 straight. Saints bounced back immediately and tied it at 24, then held the Eagles with 8:26 to go in the game. The Eagles never saw the ball again. The Saints drove and drove and drove, getting first down after first down. On 3rd and 1, Deuce McAllister bulled ahead for a first down and brought it to the two minute warning. McAllister ran great and tough the whole time he was in the game, with only a hamstring pull taking him out of the game in the first half.

This brought us to an interesting turning point in the game. Sean Payton, who has done seemingly everything right so far this season, called for three straight kneel downs. The Eagles were out of timeouts, so the Saints were able to run it all the way down to three seconds before calling their last timeout and kicked a field goal to end the game. A lot of people probably knew what he was doing, but may not have agreed with it. Why not at least try for a touchdown before settling for the kick? He didn't want Donovan McNabb to have the ball again is why. Score early and you give them a chance to tie. Score late and that chance never happens. If Carney misses the kick he looks like a dope who doesn't have confidence in his team. If Carney makes it he looks like a smart, clever coach who is always thinking ahead. Carney made it, so Payton looks pretty smart.

Words of Praise

I like classical music, oldies, African acapella, and a various songs from other genres of music. But my favorite songs are the hymns we sing in church. I don't know exactly why. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that I've been singing them for a long time, and I have a familiarity with them that I don't have with other songs. Part of me would like to believe that it's because the words of the songs are written in praise of the One who made us all. If this is the reason, then it comes as no surprise that I really like the passage in Paradise Lost that depicts Adam and Eve going forth to praise God. In Book V, they begin:

These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almightie, thine this universal Frame,
Thus wondrous fair; thy self how wondrous then!
Unspeakable, who sitst above these Heavens
To us invisible or dimly seen
In these thy lowest works, yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and Power Divine:
Speak yee who best can tell, ye Sons of light,
Angels, for yee behold him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, Day without Night,
Circle his Throne rejoycing, yee in Heav'n,
On Earth joyn all yee Creatures to extoll
Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.

They continue on, entreating the different part of Creation to give praise to the Maker. I just think it all sound really nice. A lot nicer than Atlas Shrugged, and that's my favorite novel. Milton put out some pretty good stuff, like Raphael explaining free will to Adam and Eve:

Attend: That thou art happie, owe to God;
That thou continu'st such, owe to thy self,
That is, to thy obedience; therein stand.
This was that caution giv'n thee; be advis'd.
God made thee perfet, not immutable;
And good he made thee, but to persevere
He left it in thy power, ordaind thy will
By nature free, not over-rul'd by Fate
Inextricable, or strict necessity;
Our voluntarie service he requires,
Not our necessitated, such with him
Findes no acceptance, nor can find, for how
Can hearts, not free, be tri'd whether they serve
Willing or no, who will but what they must
By Destinie, and can no other choose?

That's good stuff, boys and girls. I especially like the part about us not being ruled by Fate. I don't happen to believe in fate or destiny, whichever name you decide to give it, so that has great appeal to me.

I've started Book VI, which depicts the battle between the faithful and unfaithful angels in heaven. Things get really good here. Abdiel, the lone angel to remain faithful among those called away by Satan, smiting him a great blow to the head. Then after much fighting, Satan squaring off against Michael, the greatest warrior in Heaven. And they talk trash to each other! How great is that? The buildup is even better than the blow:

They ended parle, and both addrest for fight
Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue
Of Angels, can relate, or to what things
Liken on Earth conspicuous, that may lift
Human imagination to such highth
Of Godlike Power: for likest Gods they seemd,
Stood they or mov'd, in stature, motion, arms
Fit to decide the Empire of great Heav'n.
Now wav'd thir fierie Swords, and in the Aire
Made horrid Circles; two broad Suns thir Shields
Blaz'd opposite, while expectation stood
In horror; from each hand with speed retir'd
Where erst was thickest fight, th' Angelic throng,
And left large field, unsafe within the wind
Of such commotion, such as to set forth
Great things by small, If Natures concord broke,
Among the Constellations warr were sprung,
Two Planets rushing from aspect maligne
Of fiercest opposition in mid Skie,
Should combat, and thir jarring Sphears confound.
Together both with next to Almightie Arme,
Uplifted imminent one stroke they aim'd
That might determine, and not need repeate,
As not of power, at once; nor odds appeerd
In might or swift prevention; but the sword
Of Michael from the Armorie of God
Was giv'n him temperd so, that neither keen
Nor solid might resist that edge: it met
The sword of Satan with steep force to smite
Descending, and in half cut sheere, nor staid,
But with swift wheele reverse, deep entring shar'd
All his right side; then Satan first knew pain,
And writh'd him to and fro convolv'd

Take that, jerk. And tell the Robot Devil I said hello when you get back to Hell.

Gold, baby. Gold.

In his first four games, Reggie Bush didn't score a single touchdown. His longest run was 18 yards, and his longest reception 32 yards (on a little brush play by a WR that held up the linebacker for a split second, allowing him to get loose). He's been an absolute disaster, right? The way I ask the question hints at the answer, boys and girls.

Absolute disaster, no.

As I wrote about briefly here, I would have seen the logic in trading down from #2 for more picks and try to fill more holes in the roster. But the exciting move, and the good PR move, was to draft Reggie Bush. Yesterday, the exciting part paid off for the Saints in a big way. With less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Saints down by four, he returned a punt 65 yards for his first touchdown of the year. It ended up giving the Saints the margin of victory in a 24-21 win.

This was the first big game-changing play he made with the ball in his hands. But that doesn't mean he's been ineffective with the ball in other ways, or that he's been ineffective without the ball. Noboy on defense wants to get beat by a rookie, and nobody on defense wants to end up on the highlight reel. Three big things come to mind:

1) Play action. Play action to Reggie Bush is gold, baby. Gold. The whole defense flows towards him, trying to make sure he doesn't break free for a big gain. That draws the linebackers in and the safeties over, creating huge areas of open space for the receivers to exploit. Marques Colston has had a great start to his career, and a nice chunk of it is due to getting single coverage. Another chunk goes to Drew Brees for finding him, and the rest is the fact that Colston is 6-4, knows how to use his body, and is tough to bring down after the catch.

2) Fake it to him. Reggie Bush comes in motion behind the QB. Deuce McAllister up the middle. One and sometimes two guys go with Bush to the outside, leaving McAllister all kinds of room up the middle. Why? McAllister is the established player. McAllister is breaking off big runs on normal running plays. Because defenses are scared of the highlight reel. Reggie Bush streaking down the sideline is the last thing they want to see. And let's give some credit to Deuce. He knows what he's doing, and he takes full advantage of the space that Bush creates. They also run play where they fake a throw to him on one side of the field, then come back to the other. Works like a charm.

3) Short passes. The Saints are running a short passing game anyway. They've had a few big pass plays, but most of it is in the 7-10 yard range to the receivers. Again, if you're going to run this sort of attack, the receivers need to have space, and they get it from Reggie Bush. With his abilities, you want to give him the ball quick and give him time to work against a defender. Sean Payton lines him up in the backfield or at receiver, and he runs routes within ten yards of the line of scrimmage, which matches him up against linebackers or safeties, an easier matchup than going against corners. It also draws the defense's attention back toward the line of scrimmage, giving the others time to get downfield. Just because these aren't 50-yard plays down the sideline doesn't mean they're not important. Keeping drives alive, with twelve catches for first downs. He leads the league in receptions, by the way, with 34. Yesterday he became the second player in league history to catch ten passes and return a punt for a TD in the same game.

It's possible that I'm overstating his impact, but I don't think so. The way I see guys swarm to him when he gets the ball tells me that they plan for him and make a commitment to stop him.