My NBA All-Star Starters Solution

I like fans having input in the NBA All-Star Game, but clearly, the current system is flawed. While the millions of Chinese fans are great for the league, some of their votes are making the problem even worse.

I'm one of the biggest Allen Iverson apologists in the world, but he probably shouldn't even make the team, much less start. Yi Jianlian, averaging 10 points on 40% shooting, finished behind only starters LeBron James and Kevin Garnett among East forwards. Thankfully, sanity prevailed in the West, with the incomparable Chris Paul beating out Tracy McGrady at the last second. T-Mac shouldn't be anywhere near the All-Star game this season, but with the throngs of Chinese fans watching Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets, his popularity gave him a shot. However, you can't blame China for Bruce Bowen, averaging 2.8 points, inexplicably finishing third among West forwards.

My solution: Let the coaches and/or players select the teams, and let the fans choose the starters after the teams are chosen. That way, the fans feel involved without ruining the integrity of the game. Some will argue that the All-Star Game is nothing but an exhibition, so why not let the fans see who they want to see? I'd argue that game means much more to the players than the fans, particularly players who don't make it every season. If you're stupidly voting for McGrady, Yi, or Bowen, chances are you've seen them play several times anyway. You'll probably have more fun seeing borderline guys like Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh, or Devin Harris, because they're excellent players and not constantly on national TV.

Not bad for a "one-trick pony"

A few days ago, I watched Oliver Stone’s Wall Street. While it’s a solid film, I was shocked that Michael Douglas received the 1988 Best Actor Oscar for playing Gordon Gekko. Don’t get me wrong, Douglas did a great job, but I could easily imagine Alec Baldwin playing Gekko equally well, if not better. On the other hand, I can’t picture anyone but Mickey Rourke playing Randy “The Ram” Robinson in The Wrestler.

It’s hard to be pathetic and charismatic simultaneously, but that’s exactly what Rourke pulls off. While The Ram is a deeply flawed person, his magnetism inside and outside of the ring is so undeniable that I couldn’t help but root for him. The Ram was the most popular wrestler of the 1980s, but for reasons that become quite obvious, he struggles economically and personally in the present day.

It should be noted that this review is written from a wrestling fan's perspective. The Wrestler perfectly captures the drama and fun of a great match, the backstage lingo, and the hardships of the business, but liking wrestling shouldn’t be a prerequisite for enjoying the film. Ultimately, The Wrestler is more of a character study than a wrestling movie.

The Ram’s CZW match – an obvious homage to ECW, Extreme Championship Wrestling – encapsulates everything that made ECW popular with its blood-thirsty fans, and yet, horribly brutal on its performers. Non-fans might scoff at the notion that a “fake” sport would rip their performers' flesh with barbwire, thumbtacks, razor blades, and staple guns, but I assure you, there is zero exaggeration in the scene. Even the fans chanting “USE HIS LEG! USE HIS LEG!” after a fan hands The Ram his prosthetic leg is something that could easily have happened in ECW.

While Rourke's performance is as good as anything I saw all year, his two main co-stars, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood, are also excellent and integral to the film's success. Cassidy (Tomei), like The Ram, has clearly made some wrong turns in her life, but her son is her first priority. The same cannot be said about The Ram. No matter how much he wants to be a good dad, his personal issues get in the way. Cassidy tries to help The Ram with his daughter (Wood), and through his charm and obvious affinity for Cassidy, The Ram boosts Cassidy’s self-esteem in the often degrading world of stripping. Tomei and Wood both expertly convey conflicting emotions about The Ram, who can be the coolest guy in the room or the world's biggest loser within the same scene.

A film’s editor rarely gets much credit, but there was nary a wasted shot in the film. At no point did I think, “Why is this scene in the movie?” Scenes like The Ram playing an antiquated wrestling video game as himself against one of the neighborhood kids reveals multiple traits: The Ram clings to the glory days of the 1980s, he's desperate for companionship, he's broke, he's competitive, and he still connects with people when given the opportunity. Rourke is getting ample Oscar hype, but Andrew Weisblum deserves consideration for Achievement in Film Editing.

Without spoiling anything, Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wrestler” sets a perfect tone for the end of the movie. What can I say? I’m a sucker for The Boss. (See my previous post for more on Springsteen's new album.)

For any wrestling fan, The Wrestler is a must-see. And fans of great filmmaking should appreciate an intricately told story, compelling drama, some good laughs, and Oscar-worthy acting. If you see this film, there's a good chance you'll never look at wrestling or Mickey Rourke the same way again.

The Boss and NPR give us a belated Christmas present

For a limited time, you can stream Bruce Springsteen's Working on a Dream, which will be released on Jan. 27, for free at NPR.org. Listen to the full album at the top of the page, or scroll down to listen to the tracks individually.

I can't ever remember a major artist like Springsteen streaming a new album for free before it's released. This could become a trend if the album sells well. At the very least, it's an interesting experiment.

Ben Stiller, I've misjudged you

I never thought I'd say this, but Ben Stiller directed and co-wrote the funniest movie I saw in 2008, Tropic Thunder. While I've enjoyed some of Stiller's work, particularly his guest spots on Curb Your Enthusiasm, I've never found him nearly as funny as his most devout fans. However, Tropic Thunder has me rethinking where Stiller fits in the comedy pantheon.

This movie not only has tons of laughs, it’s also a lot smarter than I anticipated. Every film buff loves a movie within a movie, and Tropic Thunder delivers several meta jokes about war movies and the movie business in general that work on multiple levels. For instance, the film opens with three trailers and a commercial that are perfect spoofs of different genres and also introduce the main characters.

Of course, Stiller didn’t do it alone. Robert Downey Jr. plays a critically acclaimed white actor who is so devoted to his African-American persona that he never breaks character, even when there are no cameras around and he and his costars are in dire straits. The idea, like much of the film, is delightfully politically incorrect, but ironically, Downey does a tremendous job playing a stereotypical black character in a war movie even though Tropic Thunder is obviously portraying it as a ludicrous concept. Tom Cruise rightfully got many accolades for playing a hilariously vulgar and nearly unrecognizable character, but to me, Downey steals the show. The Academy almost never gives comedies a fair shake, but I’d argue that Downey delivers a borderline Oscar-worthy performance.

Stiller, Jack Black, Brandon T. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey and the rest of the cast all have their moments too, but Nick Nolte deserves special recognition. Amusingly, Nolte’s hardened war veteran has a similar hairstyle to his mug shot from a few years ago. His gravelly delivery of campy war lines is exemplary. After a few years of obscurity, it was nice to see Nolte hit it out of the park.

Finally, gross-out gags have become far too common in comedies, but I’ll defend Stiller’s character unwittingly playing with a decapitated head because it was so over-the-top and original. Just like Jeff Daniels unleashing his explosive diarrhea in Dumb & Dumber made any subsequent potty humor in a movie passé, Tropic Thunder reaches the pinnacle of severed-body-part humor, and no film should ever attempt that sort of joke again.

In sum, Tropic Thunder has it all: A stupendous cast, big laughs, smart writing, the ultimate gross-out joke, and it even looked fabulous, being quite possibly the most expensive comedy ever made. Trust me, if you haven't seen this film and love to laugh, rent it. Now.

BREAKING NEWS! The DAYS Salem is in Missouri

Like Springfield on The Simpsons, fans of Days of our Lives have often wondered which state Salem is in. With the male characters being Bulls, Cubs, and Bears fans, you'd naturally assume Illinois or another Great Lakes state is the answer. However, this photo says otherwise. Behind the honorable judge Karen Fitzpatrick in today's episode is obviously the Missouri state flag.

Mystery solved. Now if we could only figure out how a "small town" has multiple direct flights per day to anywhere on Earth, we'd really be onto something.

Defer every time

After this weekend's underwhelming playoff football, two things became clear. One, if you go against my picks every week, you could make a small fortune. Secondly, coaches should defer every time they win the opening coin toss.

This certainty has never been more obvious than in the Eagles-Giants game. The Eagles made a field goal to end the first half and then received the second-half kickoff, giving them two consecutive possessions. Receiving in the second half is the only way you can get two straight possessions without recovering an onside kick or something similar. Plus, the Eagles had the wind at their backs in the fourth quarter, and the wind was a major factor in that game. I'm still trying to figure out why Giants coach Tom Coughlin chooses to receive every time he wins the opening toss. I suppose you can score first and grab the always fickle momentum, but in my opinion, that's not a good enough reason.

Interestingly, video-game dorks like myself have been deferring for years. When people play Madden, they generally play 5-minute quarters or less, giving both teams about two or three possessions per half. Obviously, the lack of possessions in a standard Madden game magnifies the advantage of getting an extra possession, but it's still an advantage in real football. If you play a random, experienced Madden player online, about 95% of them will defer without fail. This Christmas, I played my 13-year-old cousin Jackson, a smart kid and a good football player, and he defers every time.

Are Madden players really smarter than Tom Coughlin? In this case, yes we are.

Divisional Round Picks

Titans -3 vs. Ravens: Went back and forth on this one all week but settled on the Titans despite center Kevin Mawae being ruled out. Kerry Collins throws deep well, which is the Baltimore defense's only weakness. John Harbaugh seems like a fine young coach, but I'll take Jeff Fisher. Joe Flacco winning a second playoff game as a rookie would be unprecedented.

Chargers +6.5 at Steelers: I'm expecting a close game. San Diego's defense makes me nervous but not as much as Ben Roethlisberger's concussion.

Giants -4 vs. Eagles: There's no question the Giants aren't quite as good without Plaxico. However, people are reading too much into the Eagles' Week 14 win in New York. The Giants' running game should be the difference.

Panthers -9.5 vs. Cardinals: Pick of the week. Apparently, the Cardinals won their Super Bowl last week, giving their coach a Gatorade bath after a first-round win. What's next? NBA teams dropping confetti after regular season wins? Oh, wait...

Season Record: 3-7 (This is starting to hurt my credibility.)

Picks of the week: 1-0! (That's more like it.)

YES, it was pretty good

Inevitably, I'm going to compare any new Jim Carrey comedy to the Ace Ventura flicks, Liar Liar, and Dumb & Dumber, my favorites of his career. While I don't think Yes Man has as many laughs per minute as those films, it's definitely worth seeing if you're a Carrey fan.

Carl (Carrey) has been in a funk since his divorce, and despite his friends' best efforts, he finds creative excuses to avoid any social gathering. But after attending what amounts to a say-yes-to-anything seminar, Carl's life is suddenly full. Naturally, this mentality provides ample opportunity for humor, though Carl isn't nearly as manic as some of Carrey's earlier characters. Other than Carl's alcohol and Red Bull binges, he is basically an extroverted, lovable smart ass after finding "yes." Carrey certainly had plenty of one-liners in my favorites too, but his delivery in Yes Man is generally much more dry than in his previous films.

Zooey Deschanel, who plays Carl's love interest, Allison, should be getting more work after this movie. She was charming, funny, beautiful, and it wasn't difficult to imagine her quirky character falling for Carl's insanity. She has a different appeal than your typical female lead, and I found it refreshing.

Ultimately, Yes Man didn't live up to my wildest expectations, but if you're looking for a tolerable date movie, this is it. Carrey has plenty of good lines, the ladies should enjoy the love story, and the overall message is uplifting.

Opening Pandora's music box

Recently, a friend introduced me to Pandora.com, and it's become one of my favorite ways to find new music.

Here's what to expect when you sign up: After a brief and free registration process, Pandora asks you to input one of your favorite bands or songs. Let's say you picked The Beatles; Pandora will then play a Beatles song, such as "Across the Universe." You've now essentially created a customized internet radio station. If you love "Across the Universe," as any rational human should, click "thumbs up." Now your new station will play the song regularly and, more importantly, seek other songs that have similar musical qualities. Some of the songs it finds will be Beatles songs but many won't.

After "Across the Universe" is finished -- you can also skip to the next song if you desire -- let's say your station plays the Doobie Brothers' "Listen to the Music." If you hate this song, click "thumbs down," and your station will never play it again. All of your thumbs up/thumbs down selections will affect what kinds songs your station seeks. If you're seeking a specific sound, add more "seeds," such as The Beatles, Doobie Brothers, Across the Universe, The Who, etc.

Just trust me on this one. Register and play around with it for a few minutes. It's remarkably simple, but I'd recommend reading Pandora's tips for optimizing your stations if you get hooked. Here's one tip of my own: If you're using Pandora primarily to find new music, you probably want to avoid clicking "thumbs up" on a bunch of songs you've already heard a million times. There's also an option that allows you to take the song off all your stations for a month, which definitely comes in handy.

Finally, you can only skip six songs per hour on one station, but there's no limit to the amount of stations you can create. You also can't rewind songs or play any song on demand, but you can pause a song. These limits allow the site to remain free.

Seriously, just give it a try. Happy listening.

(Pictured: "Pandora" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.)

Cox on Scrubs; and I don't mean Perry Cox

In Scrubs' presumed final season, which begins with two new episodes Tuesday at 9 eastern on ABC, three unknowns remain:

1. How will the show conclude J.D.'s arc? Will he finally grow up? Will he step out of Dr. Cox's shadow? Will he and Elliott end up together...again?

2. Will we find out The Janitor's name?

3. How will Courtney Cox, who's playing Dr. Kelso's replacement, Dr. Maddox, fit in?

Regarding No. 3, since I avoid season previews because of their spoiler potential, it's impossible for me to say what her role will be and how the other characters will respond to Maddox. Clearly, adding Cox to the cast is somewhat of a publicity stunt. ABC, which has seemingly promoted the show more in the past month than NBC did in its previous seven seasons, wants to get a lot of bang for its buck. Anytime a show tries a publicity stunt, the jaded will declare the show has "jumped the shark."

However, if I were a betting man, I'd say that no matter what kind of character Maddox is, it will work. Scrubs had numerous guest stars in previous seasons, many of whom had less comedic experience than Cox, and they almost always worked. Heather Locklear, Colin Farrell, Heather Graham, and even Tara Reid had successful appearances despite their lack of comedic chops. Cox, on the other hand, was one of the stars of Friends, one of the most successful comedies of the past 20 years. Until I see otherwise, I'm assuming Cox will fit in well. Bill Lawrence and the rest of Scrubs' writers deserve the benefit of the doubt.

I'm just hoping Maddox's presence doesn't mean we've seen the last of Kelso. He got his big send off last season and is retired, but they could easily write him into an episode or two. (What has two thumbs and loves Bob Kelso? The Mayor! I thought we'd met?)

Wild Card Picks

Atlanta +1.5 at Arizona: Maybe this is the week Arizona gets rolling again, but I can't get past its horrendous finish. Matt Ryan has been solid all year, so I can't bet on him crapping the bed now.

Indy -1 at San Diego: I know Manning generally isn't as good against 3-4 defenses, but the Chargers couldn't stop the pass at all season. SD is lucky to even be here. Don't let last week's shellacking of a terrible Broncos defense sway you.

Baltimore -3 at Miami: Great match-up for the Ravens. They can be burned deep, but Pennington doesn't have the arm to exploit them. This is my pick of the week.

Minnesota +3 vs. Philly: I'm picking Minnesota if only because I can't force myself to pick every road team. Yes, it's difficult to pick Tarvaris Jackson over Donovan McNabb, but the Metrodome is one of the toughest places to play in football. Plus, Adrian Peterson is an absolute force of nature and might touch it 30 times or more. I changed my mind on this pick about 30 times.

Season record: 2-4

(See, this is why I don't actually gamble.)