Wish I would've met you. Now it's a little late.

[intertribal]

Q: Anyone know where the title of the post comes from?
A: "Hey Man, Nice Shot" by Filter. One of my favorite songs-I-don't-own, one I tracked down after I heard it in this awesome X-Files episode starring Giovanni Ribisi as a loser-mechanic who hangs out at the arcade with Jack Black, lusts after his jock-boss's wife, and has the power to control electricity, "D.P.O" (for Direct Power Outlet). He goes about killing the jocks that teased him in high school and trying to force the lady to love him back by giving her husband heart attacks. It's one of those Carrie-style episodes, you know, revenge of the magical nerds - always amusing. I've taken to saying that Carrie is my favorite teen movie. Maybe I should just buy the song. It's definitely about a newscaster who shot himself on the air (on a snow day, so all these children were home from school watching), but well. It's a good song. And I really fucking miss the X-Files. It's never on air anymore.

Man, I love how articulate NFL players are when they talk to the media. Courtesy of Adam "Pacman" Jones:
- "That's stupid. It's so stupid I have no more comments." (this reminds me of Homer Simpson: "Because they're stupid, that's why, that's the reason everybody does everything.")
- "If I beat myself up, who will take care of me?"
- "Football means a lot to me, but it's not everything."
- "It's not like I'm taking it pretty good."
- "I love me some me."
Granted, it's not just the NFL. A lot of athletes do not have verbal media savvy (can they pose for commercials? yes. but damn, the promo line better be short, and if it's a print commercial, even better). Obviously if English is a second language, that's another issue. But Roddick, for example, has no excuse. And the athletes that can compose sentences never tell reporters anything interesting. It's always, "well, they played a great game" and "we're gonna do our best" and "we want to get this win for coach" and the rest of that stiff, rehearsed, Remember-the-Titans drivel. They always look all shifty when they say it too, like little kid actors trying to remember their lines.

Which is why I appreciate:
- "I got one on. Don't worry about it. I'm not telling you how many times it took me, but I got one on." (on a particular hole at a golf course)
- "I won't let them take any reps away from me. I'm selfish."
- "It was a bad throw and it was a mistake but I didn’t want it to hurt us down the road so I pretty much forgot about it. I was more upset I didn’t make the tackle." (on an interception returned for a touchdown - I'm telling you, in this neck of the woods, quarterbacks are expected to tackle as well as pass, run, and receive. what's next? kicking duties?)
- "I'm going to have to take those guys out to dinner tomorrow night if my dad gives me the credit card."
- "We all had to come together and make sure that the same cancerous attitude didn’t eat our football team up again."
Seriously, he uses words like "cancerous." What athlete uses words like cancerous? Unless they're describing an actual tumor?

- Jason Mraz strikes me as a real douche. At least he does in this video. It's just like, take your whores and get out of the tropics. You're not cool. You're like millions of other consumerist assholes who think you're being unconventional and care-free. GTFO!!!!!!! Sorry, videos like that bring out the worst in me.

- Taylor Swift sucks. Her voice is wretched, even for country. "Love Story" is the most pathetic song and video I've ever had to hear. Ever. Yes, that's how bad it is: "Little did I know that you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles, and my Daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet" and I was crying on the staircase begging you "Please don't go." You'll be the prince, I'll be the princess, it's a love story, baby just say yes." Are you kidding me? That's what passes for country lyrics these days? Crazy politics aside, country used to have pretty good lyrics. Give me "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood any day: "Right now he's probably buying her some fruity little drink cuz she can't shoot whiskey, right now he's probably up behind her with a pool stick showing her how to shoot a combo... Right now she's probably up singing some white trash version of Shania karaoke... Right now he's probably dabbing on three-dollars worth of that bathroom cologne, oh and he don't know that I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seat... maybe next time he'll think before he cheats."

Comments

list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

Oh, I remember that song!

The X-Files isn't on anymore??? wtf, not cool.

I actually think Homer sounds more articulate.

the whole doing things "for coach" bit creeps me out.

well, good for an athlete standards are not necessarily standards i'd like to make my own...

I get the impression that music videos for heavily commercialized artists are not so much up to the discretion of the artist in them. They hire directors, producers, concept designers, whatever... Not that that means Jason Mraz isn't a douche. It really really bothers me that he uses "God forsaken" wrong. The appropriate phrase would be "God given," I take, from the context, and these two are very much not the same.

I didn't make it through the Swift video. I saw stick-figure, air-brushed, wedding dress, barbie woman and just ran the hell away.

For once I am not gonna try to analyze anything and just say that I kinda like the "Before He Cheats" song. Because I think if I thought about it too much, I would ruin that. And I don't care enough about this song to really need to do that, right.

Also, you are so going to be one of those old people bitching about the younger generation's music and fashion, lol.

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it played on the rock/alternative stations sometimes, which is probably why I recognized it on the X-Files. No, it's not on anymore, as far as I know. Not on SciFi at 4 p.m., haven't seen it on TNT at 2 a.m. lately. Although sometimes it does seem to play at the 2 - 4 a.m. slots (like when I was at school). So maybe they just don't play them over winter. Who knows.

Well, Homer was scripted.

Sometimes it's ok to do things for the coach. But sometimes it's creepy. It's a fine line, really. Ok, that sounds really bad. But sometimes players genuinely want to win so that the coach will have a winning first season, or because (in our case) the coach's father just died, and "he's had our backs all year, so now we have to have his back." But I think it works in Nebraska because Pelini is really close to the players, and always thinks of them first. Like he doesn't want to lose not for himself, but for his players. So it works both ways. I think it's creepier when the coach is really high and dry above the rest of the team.

True. But I don't care, especially considering how hard it is to talk with mics and cameras shoved in your face. I think to be articulate and wry under those circumstances says a lot.

Yeah, Mraz probably didn't plan the video out from scratch. I still think he's a douche for agreeing to be in it at all, though. I think he does agree to have that stupid concept be his image, however.

Isn't it awful? (the swift video). Jesus Lord. I've never seen something so hideous in my life. LOL yeah, sometimes that's how I am with country too, just don't think about it too much. Anyway obviously I like the song too - not enough to buy it, but enough.

I am? Damn!

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

The fine line sounds really bad? But yeah, I agree about it being creepier the more distanced the coach (or authority figures generally) is. Usually. Except for 'strategies of condescension.' 'Cause then it's like, 'Oh, yay, the authority figure is just one of us! We love you! We will be devoted to you forever!' and then that's kind of creepy in and of itself, esp. when it really is a 'strategy' and you really get screwed up the ass. And...getting farther and farther from the subj. of football.

yeah, i mean, i wouldn't make definite judgments off of media coverage of anyone generally speaking.

a douche or a whore, yeah, probably.

I'm pretty sure all of Swift's songs are just as bad. I think I partly like the Underwood song because I think she's hot. And I rarely think blondes are hot, so that's saying something.

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

probably think she's hot because of the leather and the baseball bat. and those hips, damn. (sidenote: clearly i am attracted to 'child-bearing hips' on the basis of the evolutionary advantage they provide)

but wtf? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfy0j7g8h0g&feature=channel

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

Carrie Underwood is... pretty much the definition of a stereotypical All-American Girl. She's hands down the most successful American Idol contestant. Although that song is pretty fuckin' ridiculous and I can't stand the lyrics (football players that can't concentrate because of a girlfriend are the bane of every team's existence - see Tony Romo), I think the video's cute. Well, mainly the part where she's wearing a football uniform. Now that's hot (screw the cheerleader uniform).

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I didn't know who she was until this entry of yours. I was very disappointed in her. :( :( :( lol. not really. i would probably think most women with leather and a bat were sexy. especially if they swagger.

but don't you see, distracting men is the way you prove to yourself that you are worth something in the world! ugh. yeah, the football uniform is kinda cute. and the policewoman with the baton.

...all this just goes to show why i'm bad w/ women, really.

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

Aw, poor Carrie Underwood. Ha ha. That's ok, I'm sure she has plenty of fans.

Oh man, that whole distracting men thing... is so much bullshit. Come to think of it, it is kind of out there as a romantic ideal; never occurred to me before. It's very teen-angsty, you know. If it were me, I would be like, "get your mind on the FUCKING GAME" - and that doesn't just apply to football. I'm seriously allergic to loser slacker boys that don't work hard and at least try to be competent. Allergic. And to ones who aren't passionate enough about what they're doing with their life that they'd rather just get laid.

On a related note, Andre Agassi totally fell apart when he was married to Brooke Shields. Could not play worth a damn. Of course, he was a rebel without a cause back then, who refused to play in Wimbledon "on principle" because you have to wear white in that tournament. Then they divorced, he achieved some kind of spiritual center or something, decided to just suck it up and wear white to Wimbledon, and won the whole thing on his first try (and he was like "goddamnit all those years I boycotted Wimbledon WHY DID I DO THAT"). And when he married Steffi Graf his tennis actually got better, considering his age. I think that's how good relationships should be, the relationship helps each person's individual goals/passions. This is not to be taken as the same as marrying someone who can get you a good job or country club card or something, I mean... well, hopefully you know what I mean.

Although that sort of reminds me of my mom trying to get my dad to hang out with her instead of doing his Ph.D. work when they were dating. Apparently he was like, "no, I have to study!!!" so I don't think my mom was successful.

Because women think distracting men is the way you prove your worth or because you think those uniforms are cute?

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

Yup, and it's one of those romantic ideals that supposedly independent women seem to fall into way too often. Like Tara breaking up with her boyfriend because he "likes physics more than her" and would "never spend time with her." Ugh.

Lol. And yeah, I totally agree about healthy relationships being able to support both people as individuals.

I mean, sometimes it can be really taxing, when one partner has a really all-consuming task, and you do have to learn to balance things, but it shouldn't be a matter of 'giving up' your own life for the other person. Which is what women do all the fucking time...

Well, I meant the latter, but probably both, with different types of women under different circumstances.

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

Like Tara breaking up with her boyfriend because he "likes physics more than her" and would "never spend time with her."

that's like, beyond dumb.

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

i know. But it really makes her sad and upset. This is true for far too many people.

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

I take it there's nothing she likes more than him?

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

on the contrary. he is usually irrelevant. but you could say there is nothing she likes more than validation. especially social validation, especially romantic, especially male.

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

sounds like a winning combination. /sarcasm

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

(because i made the mistake of clicking on "Teardrops on my Guitar" or whatever....auaghghghgh)

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

LOOOOLLLLL I remember that song. That gives "Love Story" a run for its money. I think on musical merits alone, Teardrops sucks.

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

yeah, and she's like Sparkle Princess. wtf.

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

I think I understand what you mean by strategies of condescension. I think that's a bit more applicable to politics than football, because good coaches do spent like 24/7 with the team, but yeah. I don't think that's what Pelini does. Of course, I'm biased, but I don't get that vibe from him. Callahan, on the other hand... boy.

BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I see analogous processes to a 'strategy of condescension' in the proper, more narrow use or whatever...actually, those are more interesting to me because less overt. like how authority figures (profs, whoever) who downplay that get followings and adoration, but only because they're in that position of power. if they actually were just 'one of the guys' or somehow destroyed their authority, they'd lose it. but that's just me, not bourdieu. he coined the term to talk about like, lords who play cricket to keep up good relations, or politicians who give speeches in a folksy accent, or try to prove they can play ball and walk the dog and drink beer or whatever. the thing with politicians is it's usually a conscious strategy, but what i'm talking about more generally is often unconscious.

? sorry...

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's definitely more politicky than I think football could ever be, unless you're talking about athletic directors... Anyway, part of that is definitely at work in Nebraska, even with Pelini, but it's sort of... I don't know, fucked up and probably not quite what you're talking about. Pelini basically has to say that he will give his children's lives for the football program, that he has no personal ambition other than vaulting Nebraska to a national championship, that he is essentially the servant of the people in this endeavor. And I'm not sure how much authority he really has, because he answers to Osborne, who is like God and who definitely listens to people's bitching and moaning, and if Osborne doesn't think he's coaching to satisfaction he will be fired. We definitely want Pelini to be a "regular guy", just like any other Nebraskan, not some NFL elitist-outsider like Callahan, but I honestly feel like the people have more authority over Pelini than the other way around.

No, you're fine. That's just me being stubborn.

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

I'm talking about their authority just in relation to the team. In relation to the fans and their boss and whoever else, it gets more complicated. But it's not as if professors don't have bosses, or if they teach badly, they won't get fired (even as a result of student reviews), or they don't have a mindset that they're really a small part of helping students approach the world more critically, all in service of the Good, without personal ambition. I'm just talking about how it relates to how well they're 'liked' and how much devotion they receive. The authority I'm talking about derives from their position (coach). It doesn't really matter how illusory it is, until the illusion is broken. But do players have more authority over Pelini than the other way around? The people, well...that's a weird relationship, because it's not as if he's their coach. Obviously he has some sort of power over them insofar as they care about football, but that's a different thing. So I think I'm disagreeing with you on that point.

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

er *So I don't think...

first i typed "So I think I'm not disagreeing..." then failed to change it appropriately. blah.

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

Yeah, obviously I have the best perspective on relationships with fans (and in some ways, with the boss), than with the players, because no one really knows what that relationship is like other than it seems to be functional, as far as those types of relationships go. I really don't think the players have more authority over him than the other way around, but I have no idea if he uses strategies of condescension with them.

Re: list of reactions...

[royinpink.livejournal.com]

i think i need to come up with another word for it, since it's somewhat different than bourdieu's idea. blah.

Re: list of reactions...

[intertribal.livejournal.com]

it can be your pet theory!