Kicking Television

Sunday night, I watched The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special.  While it took about 20 seconds to remind me how much I despise Morgan Spurlock, there was some worthwhile content within the program, as well as this clip, which may now serve as a spoiler alert:

Obviously, the internet is tilted in choosing which side to back in the Leno vs Conan war.  Anyone online who is actually taking Leno's side is likely doing so from an AOL account in between visits to the Columbia Record Club.  I can only speak for myself, but it seems the most impressive thing about Conan's statement today is the backbone he's shown by passive-aggressively calling out NBC and Leno himself.  Keep in mind that while it's easy to look at this as simply a "Jay vs Conan" battle, the fact remains that NBC also disrupted the lives of hundreds of Conan's staffers (most of whom are not millionaires!) to have them move across the country, only to change their mind six months later.

That said, I can't help but be curious as to how many of those pledging their loyalty to team Conan have actually been watching The Tonight Show on a consistent basis.  Again, I can only speak for myself, but my DVR is set for Letterman every night, and to be honest, the sporadic Conan clips or episodes that I have seen in the last several months have been subpar for the most part.  His guests have been mediocre (I swear Bradley Cooper is on once a week), they still don't properly know how to use Andy Richter, and aside from the reliable by-the-numbers "fish out of water" bits, the writing hasn't shown any bite.  This is another key reason why Conan's words today seemed so shocking - they had a fearlessness to them that has been missing from his personality on the air.  

Hopefully this is just another turning point for Conan.  After all, he spent most of 1993 trying to "be a talk show host" and was basically canceled for his efforts; only when he realized that the end was near did he finally show his real personality and succeed.  Perhaps this week is another turning point, though this time his success will likely come with another network.  For what it's worth, I'd be leery of any involvement with FOX, but if Conan is willing to take a pay cut in the name of freedom, he'd no doubt be able to put together a killer 2-hour block with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central.

Then again, the pastures of Spain are lovely this time of year. 

Sad Songs are the Keys that Get Our Tears Out of Eye Jail

Tomorrow evening, I will be witnessing the Bob Odenkirk and David Cross reunion show, and my inner nerd-o-meter will be peaking at alarming heights.

For no reason other than my own nostalgia, these are my five favorite Mr. Show sketches:

GloboChem
The highlight of the first season, and the first Mr. Show sketch I remember seeing. Rarely has repeated swearing been used better on television.


McHutchence vs Greeley
I still think of this whenever I see any political ads. Every election cycle, we hear artificial buzz about various SNL political bits, but nothing they've never come close to nailing the entire ridiculous nature of these productions. Every posed shot and cheesy effect is pitch perfect.


Teardrop Awards Show
I find Brian Wilson's output to be vastly overrated. Of course Pet Sounds was great, but he wrote a lot of songs that are pure garbage. (Listen to "Busy Doin' Nothing" and marvel at the supposed genius of a man giving directions to his house, then dialing a telephone!) So the concept of a song about mouth sores seems right up his alley. The overly joyous Clapton-clone is tremendous, as is just about every line the presenters deliver.



Pre-taped Call in Show
Bob seemed to play the angrier characters most of the time, but David is great, simmering in his rage for 3 minutes, and then revealing the finest-timed ending to any of the sketches (with bonus points to the chronology of David's hair growth).



The Audition
Best written sketch in the show's run. David once revealed that an unknown Charlie Kaufman applied to write for Mr. Show but didn't get the job. This seems like the kind of thing Kaufman would have written.

Plugs for the Program

Months after the original announcement was made, the Office-spinoff-that-in-fact-is-not-a-spin-off-but-in-fact-a-completely-original-show-from-the-executive-producers-of-The-Office finally has a title and timeslot. Public Service, starring Amy Poehler, will debut in August, and will be set in the town of Pawnee, Indiana. Will this setting prompt the same local pride that Scranton, Pennsylvania has burst with? It's not likely for several reasons, the main being that Pawnee, Indiana is not a real city. But where could Public Service rate in the canon of television shows set in the state? Let's examine a few of the contenders.

Good Morning Miss Bliss (1988)
The precursor to Saved By The Bell, this Hayley Mills vehicle took place at John F. Kennedy middle school in Indianapolis. It aired in prime time and focused more on the teacher than the students. After one season Hayley Mills was sent on her way, the setting moved to California, and The Max opened for business. The first time I ever saw a rerun of this this program, I had already consumed hours upon hours of Saved By The Bell, so witnessing this theretofore undiscovered alternate-dimension of a show was befuddling to say the least. It's like growing up worshipping the Monkees TV show, and then watching Head. Nothing really makes sense at that moment.


Hang Time (1995-2000)
Another teen school concept, the Deering Tornadoes were a slightly less intimidating team than the Hickory Huskers. However, Deering's head coach was Reggie Theus, who inexplicably would go on to actually become an NBA head coach. Did he put Hang Time on his career resume? The story is amazing on several levels. (What was not as amazing was Theus getting fired in less than two seasons.) Hang Time showcased some of my favorite athletic-based sitcom elements: soundstages disguised as abnormally tiny gyms, mismatched uniforms, and crowds that remain completely silent just before tip-off. Hoosier hysteria!




Eerie, Indiana (1991)
Creepy things happen out in the sticks. The teenage protagonist took the form of a young Fox Mulder in examining strange happenings in the town of Eerie. The opening credits create instant sympathy when you realize he was forced to grow up in New Jersey. While the second half of the credits feature laughably painful special effects, this clip showcases a directing style that's shockingly savvy for a network program.



Wouldn't it be great if the entire episode was just 44 minutes of various objects popping out of cereal bowls?

Close to Home (2005-07)
This CBS courtroom drama revolves around aggressive young prosecutor Annabeth Chase, who returns to work after having her first child. The legal drama is set in the Indianapolis suburbs and comes from Jerry Bruckheimer. It differs from his other procedurals by delving closely into Annabeth's personal life and how her responsibilities at home may interfere with her job. She's assigned tough cases, which she is determined to solve to keep her community safe.

NOTE: This description comes from TV Guide, as up until 10 minutes ago I had no idea this show existed. Let's move on.

One Day At a Time (1975-84)


The gold standard of Indiana-based programming, Bonnie Franklin moves to the circle city with her daughters, Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli. Hilarity ensues with frequent visits from the building's mustachioed super, Schneider. This show was top-rated for nearly a decade, and even featured a young Mark Hamill as Schneider's kleptomaniac nephew. Tool belts all around.


Armed and Famous (2008)
For a show that aired only four times before getting cancelled, this reality bomb generated no shortage of great moments. From group taser sessions, to LaToya Jackson walking the streets of Muncie as a prostitute, to Erik Estrada screaming at a recently stabbed activist, the series could be summed up with the cast's dedication to the craft of fine police work.

One that we can't talk about

I engaged in my first meaningful debate of the new year a bit before midnight struck in the Central Time Zone. The walls of our chosen drinking establishment were adorned with flat screen televisions, most of which were tuned to ABC's coverage of the holiday - a broadcast which carried a ludicrously complicated title, something along the lines of "Dick Clark's New Year' s Rockin' Eve 09 with Ryan Seacrest, guest-starring Lionel Ritchie, featuring the Jonas Brothers, with street reporting by a screeching former American Idol contestant, weather with Shoeshine McGinley, and sports with Dirk LaNeck." (All joking aside, that chaotic logo looks like a graphic designer's nightmare.)

As has been the case with the last couple times I've seen Dick Clark on television, he still significantly slurs his words as the result of a stroke suffered years ago. He has a tendency to mis-speak, and the physical shape that his mouth takes to form words is jarringly mechanical. And while everyone either knows or has known in the past someone who's had a similar ailment, either from a stroke or simply old age, we obviously are not used to seeing an individual on national television with this impairment (NOTE: This of course excludes Scott Weiland.)

Among my group of acquaintances, Dick Clark's appearance was met with equal parts horror, pity, and an overall sense of discomfort. I on the other hand thought it was great. "This is a man whose career has been made in the public eye. I think it's great that he doesn't go hide in private just because he's sick." I nobly declared. "It's not as if he's being exploited. He knows he's slurring his speech, and likely knows that he'll be mocked by lushes in bars. It's great to actually see someone front and center on national television batting through something that apparently is only acceptable behind closed doors."

My congregation was unmoved. Furthermore, a quick unscientific study of other bar patrons revealed that I was clearly in the minority.

"It's just so sad to watch!" This was the most common sentiment. People apparently don't like to feel uncomfortable and awkward while counting down to the New Year. They'd much rather save that burning shame for the following morning.

"He should not be on TV," one particularly survey subject offered. "He can barely speak!"
"But he had a stroke," I countered, "and he's still speaking more clearly than half the people in this bar!"
"But half the people in this bar aren't the ones on national television," she vollied back.
"Very true," I conceded. "But I'd rather watch Dick Clark slur through a speech impediment than listen to the perfectly enunciated conversation that Ryan Seacrest is currently having with one of the Jonas boys." (I think the particular Jonas at that moment was Donnie.)

For 2009, I'm hoping for an increase in public figures who refuse to hide from the world as a result of limitations. Roger Ebert has already done his part. Since Ebert lost his lower jaw to cancer, his appearance has become disarming as you would expect. But at the same time, his mind is still functioning perfectly, as evidenced by his must-read blog. It would be great to see others follow this example and continue to utilize their skill set, even if other aspects of their body fail them. No blemish is too big or too small so long as you can fulfill the job requirements. Camera operators with scabies. Roadies in wheelchairs. Mall cops with a glass eye. Investigative reporters with tourrette's syndrome. It's time for all of you to walk out your front door (or roll out) and face the world head on.

Yes we can.

Drew Carey is dead inside

Apparently this took place on The Price Is Right today:



What the hell is wrong with Drew Carey? This is a history making moment and he couldn't care less! His comatose reaction makes me think something fishy is going on at the TPIR home offices. And how irate must that woman be who came within 500 dollars herself! None of this is adding up. Was Drew Carey neutered before taping? I am beside myself with equal parts confusion and rage

UPDATE: Will Leitch has a take on this phenomenon that involves re-shooting the segment, the ghettos of Connecticut, and Slumdog Winnebago owners. It's the best theory I can think of thus far.

NBC wants you to steal this show

The story beyond the screen of "Friday Night Lights" is a common one. People who watch it love it (as do the majority of TV critics,) but that group of people is few and far between, as the landscape of television watchers goes. After two seasons of below-average ratings (and reading NBC head/party boy Ben Silverman's "30 Rock-themed" non-endorsement), it looked as if time had run out on the Dillon Panthers. But surprisingly the show was renewed for a 13-episode season in an agreement between NBC and DirecTV that seems puzzling in its logic.

In exchange for DirecTV ponying up a hefty percentage of the production budget, season three of FNL will debut in October only on homes currently subscribing to DirecTV (about 15% of homes with televisions.) Then in February or March of 2009, the season will be re-run on NBC as a midseason replacement. Hulu.com, which houses many NBC shows for online viewing, will not make FNL episodes available until they air on NBC.

For viewers of the show who don't have DirecTV, the message seems simple. If you want to watch this show without waiting a year, you'll have to download it illegally. Granted, NBC has tried this type of move before, previously allowing "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" to air on the USA Network before airing on NBC, but shows like "Law and Order," "CSI," "Without a Trace," or "NCIS" have fan-bases that, while large, are not nearly as passionate about the shows that they watch. (Translation: The people who watch those shows in primetime are old.) On the flip side, people who watch "Lost," "24," or "Friday Night Lights" are rabid in their fandom. Consider the pattern set this past season by viewers of "The Wire," which HBO posted OnDemand a week before each episode's air date. The show had dismal ratings because most fans had already watched each episode on demand by the scheduled "over the air" debut each week. This didn't matter on HBO, which doesn't rely on advertising dollars or the ratings that dictate said ad cash, but the experiment is surely something that would never be tried by a network program.

So who does the "FNL" deal benefit in the end? You could make a reasonable argument that it benefits DirecTV by giving them an early jump on air dates, although a smarter move for DirecTV would have probably been to try and buy out NBC's rights completely and make "FNL" an exclusive property, similar to their NFL rights. From a cost standpoint, it benefits NBC on the front end, but makes no sense on the back end. Ratings (and subsequent ad dollars) should nosedive even further from their mediocre averages last season. Had NBC allowed DirecTV to broadcast each episode a week in advance of the network broadcast dates, the show would likely garner much more respectable ratings.

The big winner in the end will be BitTorrent sites hosting illegal copies of the show for downloading, as they will be the primary source of product for over 85% of the population. Those who already use torrent sites will continue, and likely many people who have never used those sites will start doing so shortly after the DirecTV premiere. It also represents a victory for fans of the show, a rarity when it comes to underwatched programming. They get what they wanted - more episodes. They'll just have to a bit more creative in how they find what they're looking for.

Mind Explosion

The 24-hour Human Giant Marathon aired on MTV and MTV2 on Friday and Saturday, and proved to be one of the more bizarre and engaging exeperiments in recent TV history. The Human Giant crew stayed on-air live for 24 straight hours, and apparently also got control of the Times Square jumbotron (a priviledge that they used to full potential by broadcasting the creepy Aphex Twin "Come to Daddy" video to the population outside.) Throughout the 24 hours, they guys got help from Ted Leo and his inadvertently unplugged amp, Tegan and Sara's Canadian cuisine, Bob Odenkirk revealing the real names of rappers, Michael Showalter showing sketches from "The State" that did not feature him, and Tapes 'n Tapes proving that Clell Tickle's marketing campaign has worked to perfection. The entire rundown is available here.

While Human Giant got a million hits on their webpage throughout the telecast, insuring that they will get a second season, the news was not all joyful. The risks of live television were exposed on Friday night, when cast members of The Office, The Daily Show, and Arrested Deveolpment were involved in a disturbing hostage standoff/murder/suicide/resurrection that was broadcast uncensored to a shocked nationwide audience. The footage is chilling. And so are the accents.

We Were Dead Before Reaching the Top 12

First off, there are good reviews of The Hold Steady show in Indy written here and here. (UPDATE: There's also a killer photo of keyboard player Franz Nicolay's mustache here that is a must-see.) I made a last-minute decision to attend, and am very glad I did. When you take into account that the band dedicated "The Swish" to Tony Dungy (a proud Minnesota alum), went through the most alcohol I've seen a band drink on stage since Guided By Voices broke up, and waxed poetic about people on the coasts who think Minneapolis and Indianapolis are the same place, it was a killer show. They have secured a spot on my personal "I'll see this band anytime they play within 3 hours of me" list. But moving on.

Tomorrow brings the release of two anticipated albums. The first being the US release of the debut effort from 29-piece collective I'm From Barcelona. Back in December, I predicted that this would be one of the best albums of 2007, so don't say you weren't warned. These are killer pop songs at their finest, and at times it's refreshing when there's no underlying subtext to the lyrics. For example, the song "Oversleeping" is about oversleeping. "Treehouse" is about building a treehouse. "Collection of Stamps" is about...you get the idea.

On the other end of the lyrical spectrum, new Modest Mouse comes out tomorrow as well, and is getting pretty solid reviews thus far. The band who I definitely would have voted "least likely to ever have a top 10 single" before 2004 now has Johnny Marr in tow, and while I don't expect Kidz Bop to be covering anything off the new album, you can never say for sure. Let's all hope at least that nothing from the new release makes it's way into any "zombies of random decades"-related American Idol advertisement.

Live From New York, It's Peyton Manning

During a release party for the Colts Super Bowl DVD, Peyton Manning spoke to the media about the influx of appearance offers that he has turned down since the Super Bowl. However, one offer was apparently too good to pass up - the chance to host Saturday Night Live, which he will do on March 24th (his 31st birthday.)

It will be interesting to see how Manning performs on SNL. Tango aficianodos will be the first to note that Manning has been more than comfortable on the stage in the past. Still, it would be hard to imagine that anything Manning does could surpass Joe Montana, who put on the career-defining performance of SNL-athlete hosts 20 years ago when he played the part of Sincere Guy Stu and uttered one of the most brilliant deadpan lines in the history of the show:



(All apologies for only having the audio, but I scoured all over for video and came up empty. Damn you NBC and your constant smiting of online video.)

The Arcade Fire doesn't care about Black people Donnellys

Over the last couple years, a trend has developed which I have been wary of supporting. It's the practice by television shows of turning portions of their episodes (usually the final scenes each week) into music videos for bands looking to strike it big via TV soundtracks. When used correctly, it can turn out excellent. More often than not though, the practice inspires laziness among writers and strips away creativity when you can just order up another "montage of slow-dissolves featuring characters looking pensive while a Coldplay or Joseph Arthur song plays" sequence for three minutes. "The OC," which seemed to kick this practice into high gear, airs its final episode tonight. Presumably the finale will not contain a Death Cab for Cutie reference, but who can be sure?

Several months ago, one of my East Coast associates (who used to write for this blog before deciding he was too big to be a team player) showed me a DVD of NBC pilots. One of the pilots I watched was "The Black Donnellys," written and directed by Paul Haggis, the man behind "Crash" (a movie I absolutely hated, but clearly it got him some clout.) The pilot itself is quite good, providing all the exposition and subplot necessary to set up a series, and it's directed and shot better than any other show on network TV. The climax of the pilot has rattled in my head ever since - not so much for the content, but the manner in which the on-air vision worked perfectly with the song playing in the background, "Rebellion (Lies)" by The Arcade Fire. It's one of the best songs on one of the best albums I've heard in the past 10 years, and the way it worked within the scene was just magic. Again, usually I despise this practice, but this was the exception. It just worked here. From the time I watched the pilot, I had been anxiously awaiting the day that NBC finally pulled the debacle that was "Studio 60" in favor of "The Black Donnellys."

And now that day is upon is (or at least will be on Monday night) and yet my excitement has been severely tempered. The show is available to watch online, but when I checked out the final scene, the propulsive strings and driving percussion of "Rebellion (Lies)" was nowhere to be found.

The Arcade Fire had been replaced by Snow Patrol. Unbelievable. Is there any show on TV that hasn't used a Snow Patrol song? When the nuclear holocaust hits and the only things that survive are cockroaches, I have a sneaking suspicion those cockroaches will be singing "Chasing Cars." Apparently The Arcade Fire wouldn't clear the song, which is understandable based on the content of the scene, but it makes what was a truly epic sequence look much more ordinary by comparison.

I would still recommend "The Black Donnellys" as a show that (based on the pilot) has a lot going for it: The Irish mob in NYC, tremendous use of shadows and lighting, and "Smalls" from "The Sandlot" in a starring role, but its moment of magic has been left on the cutting room floor. Hopefully there will be another down the road.

Indy Idol

For the last 6 seasons, television executives at CBS, NBC, and ABC have been at a loss for words. Each year, American Idol marches over the competition like Napoleon traipsing through Italy. Time and time again, the networks have tried something, anything, to slow down the ratings juggernaut, but nothing has worked. The Idol train has rolled on, leaving a wake of destruction behind. The season premiere of Idol last week was watched by 37.3 million people - the 2nd largest number in this history of the show! But this past week, one man decided he had seen enough. He took it upon himself to not only slow down the Idol juggernaut, but to kick it all the way down to third - third! - place.

That man's name? Peyton f'ing Manning.

For the week of Jan. 15-21, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships:

1. "AFC Championship Post-Game Show," CBS, 47.7 million
2. AFC Championship: New England at Indianapolis, CBS, 46.7 million.
3. "American Idol" (Tuesday), Fox, 37.44 million
4. "American Idol" (Wednesday), Fox, 36.94 million
5. "AFC Championship Post-Game Show," CBS, 29.39 million
6. "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 21.94 million
7. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 21.41 million
8. "Golden Globe Awards," NBC, 20.04 million
9. "Desperate Housewives," ABC, 17.14 million
10. "NCIS," CBS, 15.95 million

I for one will not attempt to explain how the AFC Chamionship Post-Game Show ended up in both 1st and 5th place, but it's good to see that between the Colts and Idol, Grey's Anatomy was bumped down to 6th place. Of course Grey's is still #1 with a bullet in the highly coveted "18-49 year old homophobes who routinely call co-workers faggots" demographic. 2nd place in this demo? You guessed it: According to Jim.

More shocking than Jack Bauer's beard

By 8pm Sunday night, I found myself feeling ready to throw up over a football game that would not be played for a week. This is not the kind of behavior that should be acceptable from a 28-year-old man, but my hatred/fear of all things Tom Brady-related is difficult to harness. I decided the best way to calm myself would be to dive into the 2-hour premiere of 24. After all, there's nothing more calming on a Sunday evening than suicide bombers, bombing raids, and Jack Bauer apparently turning into a vampire. But the best moment for me came 7 minutes in to the new season when I sat up and wondered, did I just see Stephen Merchant working at the counter-terrorism unit?



Blink and you'll miss him. Who knows what the rest of the season has in store, but I'm hoping that at some point Gareth Keenan can serve as a team leader for a raid on a terrorist compound.

What do Martin Luther King and Ponch have in common?

Watch the video here. The reaction of the woman wearing the Bears jersey when she realizes who she's talking to is tremendous.


MUNCIE -- After being stabbed in the leg, a community activist got into a shouting match in an ambulance with a star of a reality show being shot in Muncie, Indiana.

Randall R. Sims, 53, was listed in fair condition Thursday at Ball Memorial Hospital, according to hospital spokesman Neil Gifford.

Before being taken by ambulance to the hospital, Sims exchanged angry words with -- and announced plans to sue -- actor Erik Estrada, a reserve city officer starring in the CBS-TV reality series Armed & Famous.

Muncie police arrested Cynthia Shouse, 28, on a preliminary charge of domestic battery with a deadly weapon. She was being held without bond Thursday in the Delaware County jail.

Two boys in Shouse's home, ages 10 and 11, were released to a grandmother, according to police reports.

Police responded to Shouse's residence around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday after the woman called 911 and reported Sims had been stabbed, police reports said.

"Basically, they got into a fight," MPD detective Barry Privett told The Star Press. "There was probably alcohol involved, and she ended up stabbing him."

"Shouse indicated that she had been drinking with Sims and that he was abusive to her and that she stabbed him because he would not leave and would not get off of her," the affidavit said.
Police believe Shouse might have been acting in self-defense, but because she was uncooperative, they were forced to arrest her, Privett said.

Celebrity officer Estrada assisted at the scene and eventually became involved in a shouting match with Sims in the back of an ambulance, which Estrada had entered after being asked to remove handcuffs from Sims's wrists.

The argument began when Sims -- who referred to Estrada by the name of another Hollywood actor, Emilio Estevez -- said he didn't want to appear on Armed & Famous and intended to sue the former CHiPs star.

Sims is best known locally for his role in ultimately successful efforts to persuade city leaders to rename Broadway in honor of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Apparently referring to those efforts, Sims told Estrada he knew nothing about King and had only been in Muncie "for two days."

Estrada told Sims he had been in town for six weeks, also noting he had been born in a Harlem hospital and grew up in Spanish Harlem -- a Manhattan neighborhood that has battled problems with crime and poverty, and was cited by King in a landmark 1967 speech in which he called for an end to the Vietnam War.

The encounter between Estrada and Sims ended with an exchange of obscenities before the celebrity officer left the ambulance.

Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle said Thursday night that he had not yet seen footage from the event and could not comment on whether Estrada had acted appropriately in his dealings with Sims.

In the past 14 months, Sims has twice been charged with driving while intoxicated, in November 2005 and again last Oct. 26. Both cases are still pending in Muncie City Court.
Shouse was convicted of burglary in 2000, and remains on probation in that case, according to Delaware County court records.

She also has misdemeanor convictions for driving while intoxicated (in 2002 and 2004), criminal conversion (2002), battery (2003) and driving without ever receiving a license (2005).
While Shouse was uncooperative, police also filed a battery report on her behalf against Sims, Privett said.

Police also cited Sims for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.

That deserves a wow

I've heard good things about the show Friday Night Lights, but as with most shows, I'm hesitant to jump in mid-stream. Luckily Bravo was showing a marathon of the season thus far on Saturday, so thanks to my trusty DVR I was able to catch the first half-season in a weekend. The show itself is pretty good, and my main criticism of it thus far is the ridiculous scripted play-calling within the games (at one point, facing a crucial 4th-and-1, the fictional Dillon Panthers run a ridiculously stupid double reverse. Another time, trailing in the final seconds, the team runs two straight sweeps. Is Mike Martz their offensive coordinator?)

Alas, my criticism that the play-calling within the show are too far-fetched to be believed may take a backseat this morning, after witnessing the real-life insanity of the Fiesta Bowl. A quick rundown of the finish to a game that Hollywood could never recreate.

• Oklahoma, down by 8 with 1:30 left, scores a touchdown. The Sooners then throw an incomplete pass on the 2-point conversion, but Boise St. is called for a penalty. On the retry the Sooners convert, but are flagged for a penalty of their own. They follow by succeeding on their 3rd try and tying the game.
• On the next play from scrimmage, Boise State's quarterback throws a terrible pass right to an Oklahoma DB, who runs it back untouched for TD, putting OU up 35-28 with a minute left.
• Boise State rebounds and drives to midfield with time running out and facing a 4th-and-18, when the Broncos pull out the hook-and-ladder and it works to perfection for a game-tying touchdown with 7 seconds left. Just insane. But it gets better
  
• After Oklahoma scores first in OT, Boise State lets a halfback take the direct snap on 4th-and-2, and the halfback throws a touchdown pass. Naturally.
• Boise State goes for the win instead of another overtime, and on the ensuing conversion attempt, they pull out the Statue of Liberty! This was the point where I screamed out loud in my apartment.

You can witness the insanity below, and the sequence is (hyperbole aside) maybe the most amazing thing I've seen in sports. By the end of it, I wouldn't have been surprised to see Rudy or Radio make a play. The playcalling of Boise State is the true mark of a coaching staff whose collective cojones cannot be contained in Tostito's bags. Oh yeah, after the game, Ian Johnson (who scored the winning conversion) proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend. Unfortunately it was ruined by FOX blowhard Chris Myers interviewing Johnson (with his girlfriend right there) and saying "So I guess you're going to propose to your girlfriend now." Way to ruin the surprise, Myers! Why don't you remind them that Boise isn't even really a state while you're at it, killjoy.



UPDATE: Here's the Chris Myers fiasco, about 1:00 into the clip below. Gotta love how dismissive he is in introducing the whole thing. And I have no idea who the local sports hack is that pops up at the end of the clip.

When Nerds Collide, part 2

The ongoing Stephen Colbert vs The Decemberists feud has proven to be an entertaining back and forth volley of challenges, counter challenges, and overall one-upsmanship. Now it appears that there is a date set for the final duel. Stephen Colbert accepted The Decemberists latest counter challenge for a guitar solo duel (and showcased a hilarious '80's look in the process.)

Mark your calendars for "The Colbert Report" on December 20th. It should be a classic battle.