I took advantage of a light EPL and college football schedule and took in "Winter's Bone" on the Time Warner PPV. This is the indie movie from the summer that is starting to get the "little movie" push for some Oscar nominations.

It's actually quite good. Jennifer Lawrence dominates as the 17-year old Ree, mature way beyond her years, who is raising her brother and sister due to her having a zoned-out Mom and a meth-cookin' Dad. They live in the backwoods of the Ozarks, and yeah, despite the meth, they're dirt poor, too.

See, Dad is in trouble with the law and has a court appearance coming up. But, as part of his bond, he has signed over his home. When he doesn't show up, the bondsman says they probably have a week left in the house. Ree has to either find him to haul his ass back in or prove, what everyone thinks, that the guy is already dead and they can stay in their home. Her trek in finding him, gives us many surprises along the way.

Lawrence is real strong here. She's in virtually every scene and is terrific. She just wants to find out what happened to her Dad, but has to deal with a multitude of indifference, bullshit and violence along the way. I think a nomination would not be that surprising. But let's face it, so few have actually seen the film. John Hawkes is also very good in his few scenes in the supporting role as Lawrence's erratic uncle, Teardrop. Hawkes is more widely known as the brother of Kenny Fuckin' Powers on "Eastbound and Down", but gets back in the indie spirit here, delivering a great line here.

Ree: "I am always afraid of you."
Teardrop: "That's because you're smart."

Not for everyone and certainly not a must-see, for now. But come Oscar time, this one may show up again.

Meal of Links

Glenn Beck. Pants on fire. But go see his movie.

Groupon says no. To a $6 million offer from Google.

This made me laugh.

Exercise Yard

I was in and out of last night's MAC Championship Game. The old alma mater pulled one out of its posterior and got a miracle 4th down completion late. Followed by a TD off a Northern Illinois blitz that left a Miami receiver as open as Denny's. Miami then hung on for a 26-21 win.

So, Miami wins the title in 2010, after winning only 1 game in 2009. Let's see where they go bowling.

Visitor

37 Down: Critic Maslin (5 letters) Answer: Janet

Why would anyone be upset with the Browns loss to the Lions today?

Sure, they should have won and the defense still sucks. And sure, a third down run after the 2-minute warning would have run more time off the clock. And sure, they gave up an 88-yard game-winning TD drive, riddled with bad clock management, to a rookie quarterback, helped by one of the dumbest pass interference calls ever. A penalty so obvious, the ref had to call it.

But this game was basically played for shits and giggles. By both teams. It was like they were facing their own offenses and defenses in practice, but the results counted and everyone got paid. Save it for the games that really count.

Like next week against the Bengals.

Meal of Links

Mark Bittman with the best advice for prospective Thanksgiving chefs. Calm the fuck down!

Check out this guy. Not a fan of Lego Rock Band.

Matt Taibbi with a terrific piece on the appeal of Sarah Palin. The first WWE politician.

Exercise Yard

My football fan woes continue:

My alma mater, Miami, wins one game this year.

My beloved Michigan finishes last in the Big Ten.

And, of course, the Browns losing to the Lions on the last play of the game.

Visitor

None. On a nice, sunny fall Sunday.

Opening Day

















Gale and I attended yesterday's opener and, well, what can you say when it's the longest rain delay in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays. They do have a dome, but not hard to figure why they had to play that game yesterday. It was the only time Toronto was in town this year and when the Indians specifically lobbied for a Friday start this year, you don't have the leeway you have when you open on a Monday.

All of the tired antidotes like a dome or open up for two weeks on the road are silly. What they should do, if you open up this early, is make sure it's a divisional opponent to make sure you have a chance for a makeup down the road.

As for the weather, I'll give you the straight scoop. It was pretty cold, but the little drizzle we had early in the game was tolerable. Then after Hafner homered in the third, the rain picked up. I'm not saying this was storming or anything, but it was steady and quickly became unbearable.

We actually spent a good portion of the 4th inning in the back concourse, so it was kind of a relief when they called for the tarp. It made no sense to stick around, so we headed for The Happy Dog. Heat, no bathroom lines and guaranteed seating made that an easy choice.

Parking

Considering there may not be many sellouts this season, all prices were jacked up. Hanna Garage, where I parked, was $20. BTW, today, it was $5.

Pregame Drinking

At Alesci's. We were there, probably around 1:00. Crowded, but not asses to elbows until around 2:00. Pretty cool. Got to see some of the younger folks from the older days. Our favorite bartender returned from Arizona and told us he and Andy Marte have became friends as Marte visited his establishment out west. Also saw one of our regular Army guys, who has done three tours in the current war, two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. He's now headed to Hawaii. I'd say that's well-deserved. And one of my favorite young women is now in law school. Had a good time catching up with all.

Swag

















Got a Corona Light combo keychain/bottle opener from a Corona Light girl, as I was actually drinking one at the time. And of course, the Opening Day Schedule Magnet, as ever.

Batter's Eye/Market Pavilion

















The Batter's Eye in right field has been changed in a major way. In years past, it was one of the few ways you could beat the system. That is, you could arrive early, buy a cheap ticket, and sit at the many tables and chairs there and still view the game. You didn't have to buy anything.

Well, the Indians have figured that out and have sent the tables and chairs to the Market Pavilion area, where the view is not so great. Even the chairs around the bar have been eliminated.

OSU Presence

















Can I attend any sporting event in this town and not have to suffer through some Columbus-based items? As I walked into Progressive Field, the Ohio State Spring Marching Band is playing "Hang On Sloopy". Then the band plays both of the anthems.

As the Indians take the field, the lineup is displayed over the strains of the Ohio State fight song. Now this may have been for Scott Lewis, who started yesterday. Let's hope it's not every game. And now that Lewis is disabled, maybe that'll be shelved, as well.

Herb Score Tribute

















After Tom Hamilton introduced the players, we had the National Anthems of Canada and the U.S. and there was a tribute to Herb Score, whose wife threw out the first pitch. I'll say this, it wasn't very good. They had lots of time to prepare, but the only call they had from Herb was from Len Barker's perfect game. WTF? No home run calls, especially from the Jacobs Field era. I mean, he did call two seasons where the Indians made it to the World Series. Did he make no exciting calls during that time? Very strange. The Indians usually do a much better job on these things, but something was severely lacking yesterday.

Bigass Flag

















I loves me the huge flag.

This Clown Is Still There

















Yep, needlessly inserting himself into things. Like team introductions.

Be Careful, Hafner

















If suckiness ensues, look out Travis Hafner. The paint job in Pronkville has been jettisoned by this easily-replaceable banner.

New Food Section

















This is the new All-You-Can-Eat vending station, sponsored by ampm. As you can see, not very busy, but staffed by hard-working employees.

Stupid New Gimmick

















This is duh-umb. They eliminated some rows at the back of Section 101. This is where this Progressive SUV will honk its horn, turn its lights on, open up its doors and turn after an Indian home run.

After Hafner's homer, we got to see it in action. it is lame. You wouldn't even know it was there, unless someone pointed it out to you. And you can't hear any noise and it barely rotates. In true Progessive Field form, about 8 employees guard it at all times.

The View

















42,000 people inside the park. But I think I see the "Luckiest Man in Iraq" driving over the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge" before the delay.

What Did We Learn From The Game?

Or should I say 4 innings?

Player Speed Comparison: Dirt is slow...Kevin Millar slower. Millar thrown out by Choo at second yesterday. Should have been thrown out by Choo at home today, but Shoppach dropped the ball.

Dirt is old...Kevin Millar older.

I wish the little kid next to us, at his first Opener, could have stayed to the end of that loss. Me, too. Then I could have said, "Get used to it, kid."

New Nickname: The hitless Mark Derosa was christened "Oh-fer-rosa" by Gale. Little "Apprentice" shoutout.

Scott Lewis is terrible. One time through the lineup and they figured him out.

Wedge Boo Factor? About 25%.

Travis Hafner actually looked good.

Big upgrade on music. I heard music from 2009 and almost had a heart attack.

Meal of Links

Folks, try to relax. It's not good for you.

How to pawn crap. Stay classy, San Diego.

Mouth-to-snout? Yes, some guy saved a dog.

Simon Cowell Knows Talent



Exercise Yard

Miami lost the Frozen Four in an overtime thriller. Boston U. pulled their goaltender with 3:30 to go. Around the 90-second mark, I thought the boys were gonna do it. But BU scored two goals in the final minute and then scored the OT winner.

It's not that the teams I root for never win. I came to grips with that eons ago. But it's these knee-to-the-groin affairs that get tiresome. For 56-and-a-half minutes, Miami had the number one team on the ropes. Not a great game, but hard-working, really solid. Then it all fell apart, the tying goal came with 17 seconds left. 17 seconds!

In overtime, both teams had their chances. Then with about 8 minutes to go, a Miami defenseman blocks a shot and the puck dances agonizingly through the air, virtually taunting every Miami fan along the way. "Yes, I was blocked, but your goalie can't see me. So, I will float slowly through the air. The guys who see me, can't do anything about it. Watch me, as I will arc directly over the goalie's left shoulder and land snugly into the net for the gamewinner." I swear it took an hour for that thing to land. Awful to watch.

To add more insult, Steve Cady, one of Miami's Athletic Directors, the coach when I attended, came out for his duties as the Tournament Chairman. That meant he had to hand the trophy to Boston U. OK, rub more salt in there. Ugh!

Next up? Let's see how the Cavs do.

Visitor

62 Across: FDR's Fala, e.g. (15 letters) Answer: Aberdeen Terrier

Always a shock when a current ballplayer dies. So, another young pitcher, Nick Adenhart, lost his life in an auto accident. Here's how Vin Scully talked about it on the Dodger broadcast, and, you know, he's right:

"If I may speak for every member of the Dodger organization, our heartfelt and deepest sympathies to the mother and family of Nick Adenhart, and to every member in the Angels organization, for the untimely accident and death of young Nick last night at the tender age of twenty-two. Nick, from Maryland, had pitched six scoreless innings and was in a car with three friends, and a driver apparently went through a red light and T-boned the car, killing three of the four, including Nick, and one other member is in critical condition. And if there is one thing I’ve learned in all my years — and I haven’t learned much — but the one thing I’ve learned: Don’t even waste your time trying to figure out life.

Ground ball through for Andre Ethier, and life continues for those who still have it. And with a leadoff single, Russell Martin will be coming up.

But I would say, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a moment and say a prayer in memory for Nick, especially for his parents. What a shock to lose a twenty-two-year-old."

Amen.

Meal of Links

Seder for dogs.

My ERA is 81 runs less than Carl Pavano. Rumor has it, he didn't even hit 85 on the gun. Eric Wedge to mention "Grinders" in 5...4...3...2...1.

GM can still advertise in Comerica Park for free. The Tigers owner says, "Why not?".

Hitch vs. Ken Blackwell...Guess Who Wins



Jan leaves "The Office". I love boxing, so I'll have to watch this new show on Fx, "Lights Out". She will star as the (ahem, pediatric, no less) orthopedic surgeon wife of an ex-heavyweight champ.

Exercise Yard

Miami won its first game at the Frozen Four and meets Boston U. for the national championship of hockey. The boys played a really good defensive game and absolutely smothered Bemidji State. And while on Easter Bunny watch, I'll be viewing.

Visitor

30 Down: Southfork surname (5 letters) Answer: Ewing

Awkward high-fives, everyone! Tiger Woods is back.



























Boy, it was really easy to watch sports today. The Cavs won, and LeBron ran over a ref and then fell on the court and acted like he was dead.



Then I had a 1-2-4 finish in Fantasy NASCAR.

Then Tom Izzo proved he is a great coach once again. As Michigan State humbled Louisville. Izzo's teams always play tough defense and his teams always rebound well. And he'll play you anywhere, anytime.

Later on, it's dark out and Tiger does his thing. Still the only athlete around who can move the needle. When he's on, people watch. And more often than not, he delivers.



Meal of Links

Stem cells for larger breasts. Hey, now!

How does a gas pump know your tank is full. It's science.

The government forces the CEO of GM to resign. Are we on the hook for that $1 salary or what did we really pay to get rid of him?

Exercise Yard
















Well, the alma mater finally came through. After years of coming up short, Miami finally makes the Frozen Four. And that is pretty cool, as Miami does not compete for many national titles.

Visitor

None, a rainy Sunday.

My alma mater, Miami, actually gets to do a little dancin' at March Madness this year. First time since the days of Wally World, ten years ago. And we are not coached by Abe Vigoda, as someone implied, although he may have better health than Charlie Coles. Typical Miami game last night. If they can keep the score in the 40's and 50's, they have a shot of winning. If the score heads north of 60, it's trouble. North of 70, they're done.

Am I the only one who thought the refs blew the timing at the end of the game? OK, 6.6 seconds left, and Akron guy misses a foul shot. Miami rebounds, but the clock does not start right away, later the refs say .6 seconds went missing and I agree with that. Miami pushes the ball up court and sinks a three at the buzzer to win the game, at least everyone thinks so. Clearly, the clock does not start on time, so the refs ADD .6 seconds to give Akron one more chance. Now, hold the phone. If the clock did not start for .6 seconds at the START of the possession, why are we adding .6 seconds at the END of the possession? In other words, Miami did not take 7.2 seconds to hit that shot. Even with the clock error, it was still done within the prescribed 6.6 seconds.

I thought it very simple. As long as the Miami guy shot the ball with more than .6 seconds on the replay, which he did, the game should have been over, as the game ended as the ball went through the nets. I don't understand how they added more time and I think there would have been a major controversy if Akron had won with that extra time. Now follow me. 6.6 seconds on clock, clock does not start right away, everyone agrees on .6 seconds. When the Miami guy launches the shot, there are maybe 1.2 or 1.4 seconds left, when it should have read .6 or .8, using the .6 seconds explanation. So, that means there was actually less time than what the clock showed, and it would have gotten to 0.0 quicker, not later, with a correct clock. Someone tell me why they added more time, outside of causing me to invent expletives? Again. I still don't get it.

I like the fact Miami got placed in the Midwest Region...at Spokane, WA. Huh? We get to face the Ducks of Oregon. Reference Paragraph 1. We're done.

Meal of Links

Let's all get on the bandwagon early with one show that is about to become a regular on my schedule. "The Riches" debuts Monday on F/X at 10:00. You might as well start watching now, instead of me imploring you to save shows I like from cancellation. BTW, I probably had three programs cancelled on me this year. "Kidnapped", "Knights of Prosperity" and "The Class".

Things I've tried lately:

Diet Pepsi Jazz. The Caramel Cream variety. I've decided this shit ain't very good, and it's really fizzy. Why do all the Diet Jazz products seemingly need vanilla ice cream in them to make them taste better? On second thought, what made me think liquid caramel soda would be good? Hot butter caramel smoothies, yes. Fizzy soda with the slightest hint of melted Kraft caramel taste, yuck.

Pringles Select. I don't know who comes up with this stuff, but the idea of high-grade Pringles is kinda funny. But these were unbelievably good. I got the Szechaun Barbecue variety. Good spice, good crunch, and they come in a bag. But head for the mouthwash immediately.

Trader Joe's Soy and Flaxseed Oil Spicy Tortilla Chips. OK, this is even more of a WTF? than the Pringles. I'm not sure if Barry Bonds likes these or if we use the Cream or the Clear for dipping, but these babies were pretty good and I did not really care if they were healthy or not. With TJ's fresh salsa, I vote yes.

How Walt Disney changed everything. BTW, Orlando is one of the Top 25 Most Dangerous Places to Live.

Exercise Yard

I kind of liked this tribute to goal celebrations in soccer. I wish there was a better film of Robbie Fowler snorting the touch line, but there are some gems in here. The music (especially the last goal with "Psycho Killer") that was chosen for each goal made me laugh, too.



Joey Barton of Man City getting knighted by Corradi (who also does a mean "Street Fighter" celebration, BTW) always makes me laugh.



Visitor

None, it's Selection Sunday.