Frank

I have a ritual that many would consider masochistic. I roll my own cigarettes. Rolling cigarettes has become a kinetic meditation in anticipation of the self reflection I engage in while smoking.

A smoker has hundreds of options to satisfy their addiction, but rolling cigarettes with Natural American Spirit organic tobacco is the most satisfying and cost effective option out there. Please don't get me wrong; I am not advocating that anyone pick up this dangerous habit. If you don't smoke, then don't [do not] smoke. It is a dangerous and costly addiction. But if you smoke or know someone who smokes, then you should read further because I can show you how to make smoking less addictive, less costly and maybe even less dangerous.

I think that hand rolling cigarettes with American Spirit organic tobacco is less dangerous because I know it is less addictive than buying pre-rolled cigarettes made by major manufacturers such as Marlboro or Camel. I know this because I used to smoke cigarettes like that (it's been years but I think my brand was Camel) and when I switched to rolling, I went through withdrawal. I was addicted to the additives in pre-rolled cigarettes. The process employed to infuse the 600 chemical additives into the tobacco has been compared to the free-basing of cocaine into crack. American Spirit doesn't have any of the additives that I attribute to a major portion of my addiction to pre-rolled cigarettes.

It might only be wishful thinking but by being less addicted, I think I smoke fewer cigarettes. Since they are not full of additives, each cigarette lasts longer and I can actually spread one cigarette over numerous smoke breaks.

By itself, smoking fewer cigarettes is less dangerous, but also I believe the less chemicals being ingested the better. The addictive nature of the chemicals added to cigarettes was further impressed upon me when I switched to organic tobacco and went through another, less extreme withdrawal from the pesticides sprayed on plants while they're growing.

Smokers could enjoy these possible health benefits without having to roll their own cigarettes, but pre-rolled packs of organic American Spirit cigarettes (at around seven dollars) cost about twice as much as many other packs. A way around the high cost is to hand roll cigarettes.

One pack of pre-rolled American Spirit organic cigarettes costs more than a pouch of the same organic tobacco. A pouch can make around three packs of hand-rolled cigarettes. I spend a little bit more for filters but I figure I spend around nine dollars a week toward my addiction. That's a far cry from a three dollar per pack-a-day smoker of Marlboros or Camels (which is what I was when I switched to rolling my own). I save over 500 dollars a year when compared to the average brand of pre-rolled cigarette and I save it by using a higher quality, possibly safer product.

But here's the best part of it: As I take the minute to roll the filter and pinch of tobacco around in the roller before I wrap it up inside a paper that I lick close, I get to reflect on the paradigm that there is a best of something that is no good at all.

I'm beginning to think Brett Favre isn't human.

It appears not even a badly bruised right elbow, nor a partially separated left shoulder, will prevent the 38-year-old quarterback from extending his record streak of consecutive starts to 250 games next Sunday.

However, this comes as a mild surprise considering how Favre has been the Engergizer Bunny of the National Football League since 1992. Football is all this man knows and the NFL is better for it.

Yes, Favre's been criticized for leaving the Green Bay Packers hanging the last two offseasons while he contemplated retirement. He even struck me as bit selfish after he acted uninterested in grooming the Packers' quarterback of the future and 2005 1st round draft pick, Aaron Rodgers. However, even as Favre inches toward Social Security, he remains one of the best quarterbacks in an otherwise watered-down era for quarterbacks.

Watch ESPN at any time of day and chances are, regardless of what program is on, you'll be overwhelmed by coverage of one of five quarterbacks: Favre, Tony Romo, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger. It only gets worse when two of the five are playing each other. Why? Because they are basically the only NFL quarterbacks who won't make you sick to your stomach to watch.

Of 34 quarterbacks who've thrown enough passes this season to qualify on the league leaderboard, only four have a quarterback rating (which ranges from 0-158.3) of 100 or higher: Brady, Romo, Roethlisberger and David Garrard. Favre was among this bunch until his last start and is fifth in the league with a 97.9 rating. At 89.4, Manning has had an off year after posting ratings of 99.0, 121.1, 104.1 and 101.0 the previous four seasons.

Of the 34 quarterbacks on this list, half have a rating of 85 (which is nothing special) or higher and the other half are below this mark. What's worse, this median doesn't just separate the adequate from the inadequate; it separates the quarterbacks at the end of their careers from the quarterbacks who are supposed to be the future of the league.

Nine of the 17 quarterbacks with passer ratings in the top half of the league are at least 30 years old. Jeff Garcia, 37, and Kurt Warner, 36, were handed starting jobs because their younger counterparts haven't lived up to expectations. Journeyman Jon Kitna, 35, has maybe one more good season left in him. Chad Pennington, 31, has already lost his starting job and can only hope to continue his career as a backup.

Among those in the bottom half of the list, 11 are younger than 30 years of age. Of course, even Manning had a rating of 71.2 his rookie season, but Kellen Clemens is the only rookie in that group and his rating is 56.9. Twelve of the 17 were 1st round picks, although Trent Dilfer, 35, and Steve McNair, 34, are simply doing the best they can at their age. Two – Eli Manning (75.0) and Alex Smith (57.2) – were No. 1 overall draft picks within the last four years. Three – Philip Rivers (81.1), Joey Harrington (79.7), Vince Young (65.3) – were top five picks within the last six years. These guys were supposed to be the "fantastic five" of NFL quarterbacks.

Teams have gotten so desperate for competent quarterbacking that the Carolina Panthers had to bring 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde out of retirement to replace an injured Jake Delhomme, despite having 2002 No. 1 overall pick David Carr on the roster. Carr got a chance and used it to guarantee himself a place among the NFL's most disappointing No. 1 picks, throwing five interceptions to three touchdowns and getting sacked 13 times in six games.

But even the quarterbacks in the top half of the league in passing offer little cause for celebration.

Garrard has thrown only nine touchdowns this season in eight games, but his zero interceptions are his claim to being an effective play-caller. Garrard, Jay Cutler and Derek Anderson all play in small markets, so they don't get the kind of media coverage to be recognized as some of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. Of course, it hasn't taken much to be a top quarterback this season. Eight of the top 17 quarterbacks have touchdown-to-interception ratios below 2-to-1.

Which brings us back to Favre. He's second in the league in yards, fourth in touchdowns, and third in completion percentage. He's as exciting as ever to watch. He's still unafraid of trying to thread the needle with his passes. Sometimes it costs him, but more times than not, he burns the defense and shows why he's the greatest of all time.

I had the pleasure of witnessing the worst and best of Brett Favre when he played the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in November. He made two ill-advised throws that resulted in interceptions and gave the Chiefs a chance to take control of the game. But, when his team needed him most, he hit Greg Jennings for 60-yard touchdown to put the Packers up for good. With the victory, Favre joined Brady and Peyton Manning as the only current quarterbacks to beat all 31 other NFL teams.

Sadly, Favre appears to be the last of a dying breed. The last of a group of quarterbacks who can run onto the field with the game on the line and just wing it. And maybe that's the problem with quarterbacks today. Maybe they're being overprotected by their coaches and limited by offensive coordinators with rigid schemes.

Whatever the cause for today's quarterbacking woes, Favre provides an escape to a golden era. Cherish this throwback, and all the drama that comes with him, while you still can.

Bad news in Beijing if you slurp your soup. Don't belch either. Or fart. Oops, strike that colloquial vulgarity. The PC term is "pass gas," but don't do that either. If you do, remember your manners and say: "Excuse me."

Welcome to Beijing. Now enjoy the Olympics. The Chinese capital's Civility Campaign aims to foster a better social environment, and that means minding your manners and being courteous to those around you.

Well, that shouldn't be hard, but for those prone to spitting (unsure if this includes athletes), sanitary bags for "civilized spitting" are available, otherwise please accept your 50 yuan fine ($6) and have a nice day. Ironic, considering that spitting is a favorite pastime in China, with some travelers describing in colorful terms how everyone hacks then leaves the ground covered in slimy spats.

But you've got to love courteous cops. Penalizing you with a smile then turning their backs to reserve the stern punishment for those pro-democracy rabble-rousers. Trouble is, how do you keep a lid on widespread torture of grassroots activists, censorship of the media, religious intolerance and, according to Human Rights Watch, repression of ethnic minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang? Then there's Amnesty International weighing in with criticisms of the Olympics being used as a catalyst to perpetuate detention without trial.

Yes, I can imagine it's hard for the Chinese government to maintain the façade of a good social environment while it spits on the rights of its citizens and the foreign press. The preoccupation with civility has become a farce - and in the past, a feast. Thousands of doves were released in cities as part of a beautification drive, but residents had no time for urban aesthetics and although I haven't tried it since I was a child, I believe dove is best served with sweet and sour sauce.

Now the civility campaign is once again a test for its citizens to impress the world with orderly conduct and good manners. But tough luck for some foreign visitors to Beijing's parks, who were said to be disappointed that they couldn't find benches to sit on, as they were all taken up by "men lying full-length, blissfully snoring the afternoon away."

Well, I wouldn't begrudge some hard-working citizens a bit of siesta in the sun. And perhaps, rather than venture out to the countryside, spending time in a park is better than milling about on Beijing's busy streets, especially when one considers the level of pollution in the city. That's of major concern to Olympic organizers who are said to have urged China to clean up its act. There's talk that some endurance events might have to be postponed because of the impact of the filthy air and clogged traffic.

Maybe that explains the hacking and spitting. Having lived near an oil refinery, I believe the daily sulphur dioxide emissions I was exposed to caused a number of allergies, an itchy palate being among them. The only relief I could get was by clucking my tongue, and then noisily clearing my throat.

I wonder how the manners minders would react if I did that in Beijing? Wave their batons with a disapproving nod of the head maybe. Then smile and tell me to have a nice day. And amidst the belching fumes, advise me not to pass gas.

You know how it sounds and feels. You're at a party, enjoying the conversation, food and background music when a new melody begins. Your ears perk up and zero in. The tune is distinct enough to recognize within just a few notes. Your hands clap, your arms swing, your body twists, your legs jump. You're moving in place. You scurry to gather all your partners and lead them to the dance floor. It's just the right song, your favorite song, and you're ready.
Yes, everybody has different favorites. But it has been my experience that my five favorite dance songs are guaranteed to get everyone movin' and shakin'. You can be at a small party, a reunion, a wedding, wherever there is music, and these songs will lead everyone out onto the dance floor.
Even while driving, these tunes have your hand patting the wheel, your foot tapping the pedals or your fingers snapping. As the music plays on, you're singing along, or at least humming if you've forgotten the words.
The first selection on my play list is an old oldie, which slides over several generations, titled In the Mood by Glenn Miller.http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=3844 It was the number one song in 1940 and was a big hit again when it was rerecorded in 1943 and 1953. I'm sure back in the day the dance was swing but today it doesn't really matter how you move to it. For some it evokes times past but for the younger dancers it is a chance to create new memories to a great, big band sound.
Next up is Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels' 1966 Devil with a Blue Dress On. Everyone knows at least the beginning lyric, "fee fee fi fi fo fo fum" and the chorus "Devil with the blue dress, blue dress, blue dress, Devil with the blue dress on". (I'm sorry if the tune is stuck in your head now). But that song will get any party started.
The have-to-play song at any high school or wedding dance still has to be My Girl, written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, two of the Miracles out of Motown. The song was a number one seller for The Temptations in 1965. First of all, it is a good choice and a safe bet for the young male who doesn't dance. All he has to do is get up his courage, ask her to dance and then just rock back and forth. Later, it is a tearjerker for the reception guests watching the father-of-the-bride swaying with his daughter. At all the dances in between it is a sweet opportunity to let dancers catch their breath after the rock and roll or as a romantic close to the evening.
My next selection is the been-around-forever, sure-fire, everyone-get-out-on-floor collection that is sprinkled throughout the evening. Take your pick. The set includes YMCA - give everyone a lot of room, the Chicken Dance - extra amusing with old ladies with bad knees, the Hokey Pokey - the little kids are so proud when they join the circle, and We Are Family - always good for a show of unity by family, friends and anyone else who happens to be around. One or two of these songs may be enough. It is best to spread them out or paramedics may be needed. All of these are a good but challenging workout for the drunks. Each is a dance anthem requested by many.
The last, the best and my all time favorite song to dance to is Gimme Some Lovin' by the Spencer Davis Group. Steve Winwood co-founded the Spencer Davis Group and recorded this song in England.http://www.stevewinwood.com/bio.full.htm A year later, 1966, the song became a hit in the United States. You can't not dance to it. It has the perfect combination of beat, rhythm, and sound for dancing. I don't even know the words, except of course "gimme some lovin'. And it doesn't matter because I don't have to know the words to move my feet. I think a lot of people will agree that a party dance is just not complete without Gimme Some Lovin'.
Now, you may have noted that several of these songs are from the mid sixties. I was a teenager then and just starting to pay attention to music and groups. Maybe that is why these songs have stayed with me. My first dances were to songs by music giants of the time, including Elvis, the Beatles, The Supremes, The Beach Boys, The Monkees and so many more. To me, that era will always be hard to top for dance music. Those oldies will always be my goodies.

The constrictions of social appropriateness and behavior serve a purpose: to minimize any offense one might receive, or feel they receive by the ignorance, carelessness, or otherwise indifference of someone else. Today's age has especially seen a big push for people to tiptoe around these issues and peoples feelings. All of this political correctness dilutes our ability not only to express ourselves but also causes us to avoid issues that, quite frankly, need to be discussed rather than avoided.

There have been many people over the course of popular entertainment to question the appropriateness of being politically correct. Many comedians used it to demonstrate our differences (Richard Pryor as a good example), Bill Maher had a show named for it, and now Sarah Silverman in blackface is at least broaching the subject on a shock level intended to be offensive. Which it is.

In a recent episode, Sarah has a run-in with a black man and decides to take a walk in his shoes by becoming black herself. Her good natured attempt, however, lands her painted up in blackface. As she happily walks down the street she receives jeers and name calling and incorrectly attributes it to her "being black." In the end, she sort of learns a lesson, but in true fashion ends up more superficial than before.

The goofiness of the show aside, race relations and how we deal with them are important. Letting things slide by in our politically correct world unnoticed and untouched seems to defeat the purpose of forward progression. Why shouldn't we all be able to put our preconceptions on the table and work from there. Because of not, we're just going to mire ourselves in a nasty, racist quagmire.

In the late 1980's, a little-known rehabilitation counselor started frequenting a jazz caf̩ in Los Angeles. It wasn't out of the need to provide extramural guidance to traumatized patrons with a penchant for pulsating rhythms, but to satisfy a burning ambition Рto sing.

His musical prowess was noticed in 1975, and a recording contract followed. Two years later, he was destined for bigger things – his first world tour. Now, 30 years later, jazz supremo Al Jarreau is back on the road, and judging by the reviews of his "Givin' It Up" album tour with fellow jazz heavyweight George Benson, he is still commanding audiences be it in Germany, Bulgaria or South Africa.

At the risk of gloating, I've seen many bands and musicians in accordance with my diverse tastes – take your pick from one extreme – Metallica to punk rock in the form of the now defunct Australian band, Midnight Oil, rap in the vein of Jay-Z and Rihanna, R & B greats Randy Crawford, Roberta Flack, Al Jarreau and others, Simply Red, reggae icons Peter Tosh and Lucky Dube, dancehall pioneer Shabba Ranks and the sub-baritone ska influences of Shaggy, the jazz of Herbie Hancock, Jonathan Butler and Pieces of a Dream, to Hugh Masekela and his Afro-jazz sounds, among others.

The point of all that, is that among the stellar lineup, one artist tops my favorites list – Al Jarreau. Which is why I've done the laborious task of listening to some 17 albums that he's recorded over the past 30 years in an endeavor to find the best five. Opting for the best five tracks, would have been much easier, but somehow listening to roughly 12 hours of his music seems worth the effort. Some familiar hits were glossed over in preference for replaying unfamiliar tracks, which added more time to the study.

The criteria for selection was as follows:

Using a combination of Impressionistic and Panoramic Criticism as musical styles in the critique, albums were picked on the basis of there being at least five songs that had subjective appeal, whether or not they enjoyed commercial success, although that counted as a positive. Albums which had two or three favorite tracks were discarded, and at no point were songs simply added in to make up the numbers. The "Best Of" compilation was obviously omitted, given that selected hits were chosen from various albums, as was a "live" record of earlier hits for the same reason. An exception was made of the live studio recording of "Tenderness," which featured cover versions of contemporary favorites. A difficult choice had to be made in excluding his latest album, Givin' It Up, for the reason that it would be folly to single out Jarreau from the collaboration with George Benson.

In reverse order then, album #5 is the 2002 release All I Got, the second record under the GRP label after Jarreau's long association with Warner Bros. The opening track "Random Act of Love," is a perfect introduction to the album that's urban funk – a major departure from the funky/soul hits from his earlier years. Next up is the duet with the distinctly gritty voice of Joe Cocker, whom I've never been a fan of, but their harmonizing on "Lost and Found," is an uplifting tune that expertly merges their varying styles. "Until You Love Me," slows the pace down, and doesn't come across as yet-another mushy love ballad that's been the staple of R & B and a host of other genres over the years, but is a slick and well-composed song. "Oasis" continues in the same mould, before the South African-influenced "Jacaranda Bougainvillea" sees Jarreau retain his style, with creative lyrics that inspire:

" … There is a tree on the street and in the forest.
Lavender dream whispered a poet.
Bright potpourri. The envy of orchids,
When it's dressed in a pink and fuchsia twine.
Jacaranda tree and the Bougainvillea vine.

Oh Mandela, that garden you made,
Is a vision of the prayer, you must've been prayin' everyday … "

The album concludes with an a cappella version of the standard "Route 66" that makes this album one of his best, although some of the tracks on the record like "Life Is" and "Never Too Late," just don't have that visceral effect, and that's to be expected as no one person buys a record and usually enjoys listening to ALL of the tunes.

Weighing in at #4 is the 2004 release "Accentuate the Positive," on the Verve label, previously known as GRP. Here, Jarreau rejoins one of the jazz industry's most influential producers in the form of Verve chairman Tommy LiPuma, who has helped guide the careers of George Benson, Michael Franks and Diana Krall, and it's Krall rhythm section that provides the backing for Jarreau, not to forget his wife and son putting in an appearance. "Nearness of You," is a soothing, slow jazz song that Jarreau interprets in his own way, given that the 1938 hit by Hoagy Carmichael has been done by a host of artists, among them Pat Boone, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand and others. Another standard that is emulated by Jarreau is the classic "My Foolish Heart," which he gives the same delicate treatment - an intimacy in which his voice coaxes you into comfort. And the same can be said for another classic, the Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke hit "Midnight Sun," which shines through in the same slow, jazzy mould, before Jarreau ups the tempo on "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive," and teases again by slowing it down on "Betty Bebop's Song," providing what I believe is his most serious, all-round jazz album, that represents a departure from some of the R & B, urban funk and fusion jazz tracks characterized on some of his other albums.

Which brings me to the Warner Bros. label for my #3 choices, the 1980 release of "This Time." The times signaled an end of disco and the growing influence of rhythm and blues and pop. Michael Jackson and Prince were becoming hugely popular, and although Jarreau didn't enjoy the plaudits of his contemporaries, he had already cemented his reputation as an artist of note by garnering two Grammy Awards. "Gimme What You Got" and "(If I Could Only) Change" are slow ballads, but lack the sophistication of later romantic songs, but nevertheless have Jarreau's distinctive voice that carries them along, progressing to the more up-tempo "Love is Real," and "Distracted" that symbolize his style of music. One of my all-time favorite tracks is on this album – "(Spain) I Can Recall" and for good reason that it also features on his "Best Of" album. It starts slow, before building to a crescendo that tests Jarreau's vocal range and his ability to vary his tempo to maximum effect. It's a feel-good, pulsating track that's hard not to admire and definitely is the standout track on the album.

A year later, Jarreau recorded one of his most popular albums, but which doesn't feature in my Top Five, given that only three songs from the record make it on my top five list. In 1983 however, he recorded "Jarreau," which is my #2 choice. It opens with the catchy "Mornin" track, followed by "Boogie Down" and both epitomize Jarreau's uncanny ability to use his voice as an instrument. If he stopped singing intelligible lyrics and you heard a musical accompaniment that sounded somewhat strange and unfamiliar, but a delightful sound that was in tune with the beat, that'd be Jarreau's improvised voice. And to once again illustrate his ability to vary pitch, "I Will Be Here For You (Nitakungodea Milele), slows things down, while "Step By Step," takes us back up with an infectious beat, capping it off with the funky "Black and Blues" – marking Al Jarreau at his best.

And rounding off my #1 choice that's seen a journey from 2002, to the 1980's to 1994, is the live studio recording of "Tenderness." Jarreau has an all-star cast - Marcus Miller, Kathleen Battle, Joe Sample, David Sanborn, Kenny Garrett, Philippe Saisse, Michael Brecker, who died earlier this year and Paul Jackson Jr.. They are joined by some friends and guests in a studio to record the album. Recording a live album, with a studio audience present, means no room for mistakes and that's what makes this album all the more special. It open with the 1963 Brazilian-inspired hit "Mas Que Nada" by Jorge Ben and Jarreau expertly handles the language challenge, once again varying the tempo of his voice with ease, creating a worthy rendition of a popular classic. He follows that up with another evergreen hit, "Try A Little Tenderness" by Irving King, the pseudonym for the British songwriting team of James Campbell and Reginald Connelly and Harry M. Wood. It's full of soul and you can sense Jarreau engaging the audience's familiarity with this tune that is every bit a touching ballad as it a happy tune that inspires the crowd to respond enthusiastically to his interpretation. The Bernie Taupin ballad "Your Song" follows, and next to Sir Elton John, Jarreau does an equally commendable version, with a recognizable lilt, and the same can be said for the John Lennon and Paul McCartney song "She's Leaving Home," which he captures with such poignancy that Beatles fan would be proud. Which brings me to the final song in the selection, aptly titled "My Favorite Things," the tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music. Soprano Kathleen Battle and Jarreau open with a haunting, yet inviting pitch that transforms into a well-orchestrated interchange of roles. Their voices complement each other and one has the urge to sing along, except it's difficult to match their soaring vocal range. Given that the two artists represent different genres of music, they somehow manage to meld the two disciplines with such consummate ease that it could be likened to Queen's groundbreaking Bohemian Rhapsody and whilst the Freddy Mercury written hit was the band's magnum opus, in my view the duet with Battle is Jarreau's most definitive interpretation and his best collaborative achievement.

And on the eighth day, Osborne said, "Let there be Bo!"

That's right. If you check any recently printed calendars in Nebraska, you'll notice they have eight-day weeks. That's the time it took interim athletics director, and Nebraska legend, Tom Osborne to oust former head football coach Bill Callahan and replace him with fan favorite Bo Pelini.

OK, most of that isn't entirely true, but for Nebraska football fans, it isn't far off. To put it mildly, the last four years have been a living hell for Husker Nation and only now are rays of sunshine beginning to break through.

It's hard to describe exactly what Cornhusker football means to Nebraskans. I would say it's like the obsession with Kansas basketball in this region, but it really isn't.

In Kansas, sports fans on this half of the state have the Chiefs and Royals in addition to Kansas basketball and suddenly Kansas football figures into the equation. Fans in central Kansas have Kansas State and Wichita State to root for. Southeast Kansas has Pittsburg State football (it's actually a pretty big thing there). Along the Oklahoma border there are plenty of Sooners fans. And western Kansas can pick and choose between all of thee above or even venture over into Colorado and follow the Broncos, Rockies, Nuggets and Buffaloes.

Not so for Nebraskans.

There isn't a single major professional sports team in the state. They have the Omaha Royals, but the O Royals are so popular up there, the team is trying to build a smaller stadium to accommodate their typically scant crowds. The College World Series is played in Omaha every year, but that's more of a national event that only Omaha can take pride in.

No. Imagine what hockey means to Canadians. Imagine what soccer means to Brazilians. Imagine what baseball means to Dominicans. Now add them all together. Cornhusker football is like a favorite son to Nebraskans and for 40 years before Callahan's arrival, their son could do no wrong.

In four seasons under Callahan, Nebraska suffered two losing seasons and lost a total of 22 games – equal to the Cornhuskers' total number of losses the previous 11 seasons. There was the 70-10 loss to Texas Tech in 2004. There was the loss at Kansas in 2005. And just as Callahan seemed to be turning the program around with a Big 12 North title and Cotton Bowl appearance in 2006, 2007 was downright unbearable.

Nebraska was embarrassed at home on national television by USC and didn't help matters the following Saturday, beating Ball State by just one point at home. Then came another forgettable performance on national television against Missouri two weeks later that was the first of five straight losses, including a 76-39 loss at Kansas, and the beginning of the end for Callahan. But before Callahan was fired, his defense set Nebraska records for points allowed in a game and in a season and appropriately finished the season with a 65-51 loss at Colorado. By then, Nebraska's five national championships were but a distant memory.

This season was such a disgrace that Nebraska's official athletics Web site has already replaced links to the 2007 coaching staff, roster and schedule with links for 2008.

Enter Pelini.

The book on Pelini is relatively thin:

He's not a household name. However, he was widely regarded as a hot coaching commodity heading into the offseason. Popular opinion was he'd be a head coach somewhere before the calendar turned.

He's a defensive-minded guy. He played safety at Ohio State from 1987-90 and was a team captain his senior year.

He's intelligent. He was named Academic All-Big Ten three times.

He's well traveled. He was an NFL assistant for eight years, most recently at Green Bay. In 2004, he was co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Oklahoma. The last three seasons he's been the defensive coordinator at LSU.

He gets results. His defenses ranked third best in the nation every season he's been at LSU. In 2006, the LSU defense had its lowest yards allowed per game average in 30 years and led the SEC in six defensive categories. This season, despite his best defensive player battling injuries all season, Pelini's defense is fourth in the country in turnovers forced.

All of those factors were certainly vital to Osborne as he searched for a coach who would be able to restore respect for Nebraska's defense, formerly known as the "Blackshirts." However, the year Osborne highlighted on Pelini's résumé was 2003.

That year was Pelini's first and only season in Lincoln as defensive coordinator under former coach Frank Solich. That season, the Blackshirts were No. 11 in the country in total defense, No. 2 in scoring defense and led the nation in pass efficiency defense.

When Solich was fired before the team was to play in the Alamo Bowl, Pelini was named interim head coach and guided the Cornhuskers to victory. Many Nebraska faithful hoped former athletic director Steve Pederson would remove the "interim" from Pelini's title. Instead, Pederson gave Pelini a token interview and hired Callahan.

Osborne wasn't just trying to hire a crowd-pleaser, though. I like to think he saw a little bit of himself in Pelini during the interview process. Osborne took the reigns as Nebraska's head coach before his 36th birthday, after all, and Pelini turns just 40 next week.

Older candidates with head coaching experience were available – most notably Turner Gill, 45, a fantastic quarterback for Osborne and former Nebraska assistant coach who has almost single-handedly turned Buffalo into a respectable Division 1 program. Many thought he would get the job because of his close relationship with Osborne.

However, I think the bond between Osborne and Gill is what caused Osborne to go with Pelini. While Osborne surely feels Gill will be a great college coach someday, I think he also realized if Gill were to take the Nebraska job and fail, he might never recover. To fail in front of the very fans who once rooted for him as a player would be devastating. Osborne and Gill always had a father-son relationship and Osborne may have been trying to protect Gill.

And, again, I want to believe Osborne saw himself in Pelini. It's no secret Osborne took pride in his Nebraska defenses. They didn't receive the Blackshirts moniker for nothing. He knows that for Nebraska to compete in the Big 12 again, it needs to have a dominating defense. To achieve that, there was no better candidate than Pelini.

If Osborne is right, don't be surprised if Nebraska starts printing its own money with "IN TOM WE TRUST" stamped across the back.

I read a book by William Greider called the Soul of Capitalism. He argues that Capitalism is flawed, but not as a system. It is flawed because we Americans have allowed our version of it to get messed up. It's messed up by companies, the government, etc. But the solution is not an (un)glorious revolution. The solution lies within the system.

This book is brilliant and won't change your life. But its one of the most pragmatic texts I've ever read. Greider understands more than how to compromise – he understands how to get things done.

One problem that he sees is that "in the economic sphere, efficiency trumps community." On page 35, Greider expounds, "Maximizing returns comes before family or personal loyalty. What seems priceless in one realm may be wasted freely or even destroyed by the other. Human experience is sacred to society, a marketable commodity in capitalism."

He says that often managers and CEOs believe that if the company doesn't do well, everybody loses: a plant might close, and then 200 workers lose their jobs, for instance. One must be a slave to the bottom line – otherwise shareholders, employees and everyone else loses out. This makes companies aloof and unconcerned for anything but one figure: the stock quote. Then, companies try to "externalize" operating costs wherever possible: dumping waste into ponds, squeezing more work out of employees without compensation, etc.

Greider quotes one Reverend Emil Brunner as having said, "This system is contrary to the spirit of [Christian] service. It is debased and irresponsible, indeed we may go further and say it is irresponsibility developed into a system" (35). At this point Greider admits that his book will likely not offer new ideas but rather will revive "valuable ideas and insights from the distant past" (36).

Nowadays, firms are not so roguish. Even so, they still do not act in the public interest. "As the era of deregulation reduced legal restraints on firms, as new technologies and globalization quickened the competition, one major corporation after another was persuaded to back away from its long-standing commitments to employees and communities, even to national identity. The corporation's unwritten ‘social contract' was torn up. Some firms who hesitated suffered the disfavor of financial markets. Others charged ahead enthusiastically and boosted returns enormously, often by pushing their costs onto others – their workers and communities, the environment and, more discreetly, their own customers. The most aggressive companies became the most esteemed" (37).

But, wait, there's a counterpoint, Greider argues. "Many large and small firms resisted and prospered nonetheless. Whether this choice reflected the personal values of managers and owners or simply smarter business strategies, their success does hint that there is much more space for successful alternatives, even in the global context, than the stern sermonizers of the free-market culture are willing to acknowledge" (38).
And so Greider agrees with Reverend Brunner: Irresponsibility is the heart of the American problem. One of the solutions Greider proposes is the Employee Stock Ownership Plan. "Instead of capital hiring labor, labor hires capital" (64). This is feasible, he argues, because "Many large and successful companies today do not own great assets themselves. Their control derives from the insider's role in organizing the contractual relationships among all of the various elements that contribute to production: the employees; the suppliers; the providers of capital; and the firm's controlling insiders, who may or may not own the factory or contribute much of their own capital to the enterprise" (64). Therefore, labor, if it banded together, would also be able to wield these same resources.

Greider argues that if employees own the company, they will feel more invested in it and therefore go out of their way to help it. For instance, employees may not share with management suggestions for improvement that they notice because management will use it against them: If they notice that four people a job that could be done by three, one is fired. However in an ESOP, what is good for the company is good for the employee, and so those sorts of improvements are made. Greider cites Solidarity, a temporary employment agency, as a good example of a working ESOP. However, it is still in its infancy. Another caveat Greider throws out is that employees must be given substantial decision-making opportunities in order for this system to work.

So what do I think of all this? I think its fascinating. Does it work? I think it depends. It depends on so many other factors. It's like saying whether the right offense will help a football team win the Super Bowl. Yes, it certainly helps and is even crucial, but there are so many other factors: quality of players, dedication, coaching, funding, etc. In the same way, having an ESOP is no guarantee of success.

But an ESOP system seems to do one critical thing for society: it begins to put the power back in the hands of those to whom it belongs. It begins to heal the labor vs. capital divide in our economic system. It would theoretically, bloodlessly, do what Marx dreamed of doing – putting labor and capital on equal footing. And the change wouldn't be overnight; it would certainly take time. But it appears promising.

One fallacy in citing Solidarity is that in its current state, it is relatively young. Big splashes turn into tiny ripples: what looks big in 2007 could easily fade away by 2017. Reality erodes more steadily than water. Perhaps the workers, after ten or fifteen years of delayed gratification will say, "Enough is enough." It seems all too probable that big ideas die softly and complacently, and this could be one of them.

But I hope that ESOP's gain ground and popularity. I am so sick of corporations influencing America for the worse that anything that limits a few powerful, greedy guys in suits sounds fine by me. I want to stick it to the man. But I want to be practical. I don't want to pull a Bolshevik revolution where the people who were getting oppressed suddenly find themselves doing the oppressing. I don't want to pursue narrow ideals so far that I lose my innocence. And so that's what I like about this idea. It works within the system. There's no glorious revolution, no need of thought police. Greider seems to understand the art of pragmatism. It's not even compromise. It's just tweaking the current system to do what we want. And Greider's book is full of these sorts of solutions. The ESOP suggestion is just tool in the shed.

Winston Churchill said something interesting about Democracy. He said that Democracy was the worst form of government except for every other form of government. I feel that way about Capitalism. It's the worst except for every other system. And so Greider, arguing for benevolent Capitalism, struck a chord with me. I want benevolent Capitalism, and Greider lays the groundwork, it seems, for that to happen. I love the idea that if mutual fund companies would stop investing in companies that practice antisocial behavior that they would better fulfill their mission statement. That sounds too good to be true, but he demonstrates thoroughly how it would make sense.

I would exaggerate if I said that Soul of Capitalism changed my life. But I would not exaggerate if I said that it gave me economic perspective and emblazoned my hope in Capitalism and gave me a buffet of healthy, pragmatic remedies to our current problems.

For every statistic in baseball, there's an all-time leader, a single-season leader, a single-game leader, even single-inning and per-nine-inning leaders. Then ballplayers are broken down as to how well they perform during certain innings, in specific situations, against different opponents. As if that isn't thorough enough analysis, there are more "Greatest of All-Time" rankings than you can shake a proverbial stick at.

Which got me to looking at "Greatest Pitcher of All Time" rankings from any sources I could find. The most respectable ones I could find were from Hardball Times and, oddly enough, Forbes. The two rankings concurred on Humboldt native Walter "Big Train" Johnson, Roger Clemens, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Greg Maddux, Tom Seaver, Warren Spahn and Christy Mathewson as seven of baseball's Top 10 pitchers of all time.

AskMen.com compiled its own list of the Top 20 Major League Baseball players, which included just two pitchers: No. 6 Nolan Ryan and No. 12 Clemens (I suppose you can count No. 4 Babe Ruth, too).

To these publications' credit, they span from the dead ball era to the steroid era, so they don't appear to be bias toward a certain era (although Johnson, Alexander and Mathewson all pitched in the dead ball era) and they specify the criteria of their rankings.

However, these rankings lack in color. As in, the color of the pitchers on their lists.

Pedro Martinez was the only minority pitcher on Forbes' list. Bob Gibson was the highest ranked black pitcher on Hardball Times' list at No. 14, and is one of only three minority pitchers on the 40-pitcher list.

With all due respect to the pitchers on these lists, these rankings don't do justice to the black pitchers who have served as pioneers for today's minority pitchers. So, based on raw statistics and legend, here's my list of the Top 5 black pitchers to play professional baseball.

5. Vida Blue – LHP 6'0" 189 lbs. Born: Mansfield, Louisiana
Career Stats (1969-86): 209-161 W-L, 3.27 ERA, 2175 SO, 37 SHO, 1.233 WHIP
Legend: Blue, who was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics (Oakland Athletics franchise) in 1967 and played for the Kansas City Royals 15 years later, is perhaps underappreciated because he didn't live up to the lofty expectations he might have set for himself in 1971. That season – his first full one at the Major League level and three years after MLB lowered the pitcher's mound – he led the American League in ERA (1.82), shutouts (8), WHIP (.952), hits allowed per nine innings (6.03), and strikeouts per nine innings (8.68). He was also second in the AL in wins (24) and strikeouts (304). He was rewarded with the American League Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards that season.

Vida Blue, who deserves bonus points for being left-handed, having played for the Royals, and his sweet name.
Photo: AP file photo

Blue had two more 20-win seasons after 1971, was a six-time All-Star selection (starting three All-Star games), and was part of back-to-back-to-back World Series Championships with the Athletics, but he was never elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. From 1970-82, his ERA was lower than the league ERA every season but one, but his record over that span was a pedestrian 190-125. Still, Blue was one of the first black left-handers to find significant success in the Major Leagues. In The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers by Bill James and Rob Neyer, James ranks Blue as having the second best fastball from 1970-74 and the 10th best fastball from 1975-79. He ranks 51st all-time in strikeouts and 92nd in career victories. Blue was also a superb athlete, as Buck O'Neil noted in his autobiography I Was Right On Time. His spirit lives on today in Dontrelle Willis.

4. Ferguson "Fergie" Jenkins – RHP 6'5" 210 lbs. Born: Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Career Stats (1965-83): 284-226 W-L, 3.34 ERA, 3192 SO, 49 SHO, 1.142 WHIP
Legend: Unlike Blue, Jenkins shined throughout the prime of his career with seven 20-win seasons in an eight-year span. In 1971, Jenkins won the National League Cy Young, led the league in wins (24), games started (39), complete games (30), and innings (325). Think about that. Of 39 starts that season, there were only nine he didn't see to the end. That kind of durability is unheard of in baseball today.

He also led the NL in strikeouts in 1969 (273) and the AL in wins in 1974 (25) and was a three-time All-Star. His 3,192 strikeouts rank 12th all-time, his 284 victories rank 28th all-time and he's 21st in career shutouts.

Ferguson Jenkins, the first successful Canadian pitcher, despite his vices.

The Cubs almost missed out on enjoying Jenkins' services as a starter. After the club acquired him in a trade from the Phillies in 1966, O'Neil, who was a scout for the Cubs at the time, convinced the team to try him as a starter. Unfortunately, he was never started a game in the postseason.

As the first Canadian to win a Cy Young, Jenkins was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. However, he had to wait until 1991 to become the first Canadian inductee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This was supposedly because of a 1980 customs search where he was found in possession of cocaine and marijuana. Nevertheless, Cubs fans today only wish Kerry Wood and Mark Prior had Jenkins' longevity.

3. Pedro Martinez - RHP 5'11" 170 lbs. Born: Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic
Career Stats (1992-present): 209-93 W-L, 2.80 ERA, 3030 SO, 17 SHO, 1.030 WHIP
Legend: I know what you're thinking. But if African-Canadians can be on my list, then an exception can be made for an exceptional African-Dominican. Martinez, unlike the other pitchers on my list, is a pitcher I've actually had the pleasure of getting to see, rather than just hearing stories about. And what I've seen is Martinez – all 5'11" of him – become one of the most dominating pitchers during a hitters' era.

He's done so by being unafraid to pitch hitters inside during an era when batters have otherwise been able to own the inner half of the plate (with the aid of body armor). While some could argue that it's easy to pitch inside when you're in the American League and you don't have to worry about stepping in the batter's box yourself, but Martinez made a name for himself as a hardnosed pitcher in the National League with the Expos, leading the NL in hit batsmen in 1994.

Pedro Martinez in his prime - and his curls' early stages - with the Red Sox.

Regardless of league, there's no arguing Martinez's numbers. He's a three-time Cy Young winner (1997, 1999, 2000), an eight-time All-Star selection, and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. He's the active leader in ERA, having led the NL in ERA once (1997) and the AL four times (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003). He led the AL in wins in 1999 (23) and in strikeouts in 1999 (313), 2000 (284), and 2002 (239). At 35, he's 15th in career strikeouts and tied with Vida Blue in career victories. Bill James rated Martinez's fastball as the sixth best from 1990-94 and the third best from 1995-99 and Rob Neyer rated his change-up as the fifth best all time.

Of course, Martinez also owns all the intangibles a superstar should, from his jheri curls to his infamous throw down with Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer. However, I'll always remember him for his laid back attitude, his feisty pitching style, and his role in helping the Red Sox win their first World Series in 86 years in 2004.

2. Bob Gibson - RHP 6'1" 195 lbs. Born: Omaha, Nebraska
Career Stats (1959-75): 251-174 W-L, 2.91 ERA, 3117 SO, 56 SHO, 1.188 WHIP
Legend: One of my greatest regrets is that I wasn't alive to watch this man pitch, but I still take pride in Omaha's own Bob Gibson. And Gibby could do it all.

Playing all 17 seasons in the National League with the Cardinals, Gibson displayed his athleticism with 24 home runs, 144 RBI and 13 stolen bases in his career – as a pitcher, I remind you.

On the mound, Gibson was masterful. He won two Cy Young awards. He was a nine-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner. Bill James rated his fastball as the fourth best from 1960-64 and second best from 1965-69 and Rob Neyer rated his slider as the third best all time. He led the NL in wins in 1970 (23), in complete games in 1969 (28), in shutouts four times, and he lasted long enough to be the oldest player in the NL in 1975. But no year compared to 1968.

That year, on his way to winning the NL Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards, he led baseball with 268 strikeouts, and a 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts (both post-dead-ball era records). Gibson nearly single-handedly forced baseball to change its rules. To encourage more offense, MLB lowered the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10 inches the next season.

Bob Gibson and his wild follow through.
Photo: Sports Illustrated

Gibson was also clutch in the World Series. Back in his day, there were no Division or Championship Series, just the World Series. In nine World Series starts, Gibson went 7-2, throwing eight complete games, striking out 92 batters while walking just 17, and posting a microscopic 1.89 ERA en route to two World Series titles.

Over his career, he was noted for being able to throw just as hard in the eighth inning of games as he did in the early innings. You could say his career reflected his gift for finishing strong. After having only one 20-win season before turning 30, he had four in five seasons from age 30 to 34. All time, his 3,117 strikeouts and 56 shutouts rank 13th, and his 251 victories rank 44th. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.

Like Martinez, Gibson made his living by pitching inside – a fact he relished. In Stranger to the Game: The Autobiography of Bob Gibson, he wrote: "It was said that I threw, basically, five pitches – fastball, slider, curve, change-up, and knockdown. I don't believe that assessment did me justice, though. I actually used about nine pitches – two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a change-up, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman."

1. Leroy "Satchel" Paige – RHP 6'4" 180 lbs. Born: Mobile, Alabama
Career Stats (excluding Negro League stats, 1948-65): 28-31 W-L, 3.29 ERA, 288 SO, 4 SHO, 1.279 WHIP, 32 Saves

Legend: This is why I included "Legend" as criteria for my list. Satchel was as much myth as he was man. His Major League stats don't look like much – and they aren't – because he didn't make his MLB debut until two days after his 42nd birthday (assuming he was actually born 7/7/06). Still, he pitched until he was 46, making twice as many appearances his final season than he did his first two Major League seasons combined.

Always a showman, Paige was selected to the All-Star game his last two full seasons. He was even a part of the Indians' last World Series Championship, albeit a small part, pitching a perfect 2/3 of an inning in Game 5 of the 1948 Series. The Braves had broken the game open with six runs in the top of the seventh to take an 11-5 lead. Whether Paige was brought in to stop the bleeding or to save younger arms from having to work, he got the Tribe out of the inning.

He returned for one game in 1965, at the age of 59. Thanks to Kansas City Athletics owner Charlie O. Finley, who invited several Negro League alums to play, Paige got the start on Sept. 25 and threw three scoreless innings. That appearance made Paige the oldest player in baseball by far, but even from 1949-53, he was the oldest player in the league. When he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, he became the first enshrined Negro Leaguer.

Satchel Paige during his Monarchs days.
Photo: AP file photo

How did Paige last so long? Well, according to Bill James and Rob Neyer, he reinvented himself many times over. In James' half-decade rankings, he rates Paige's fastball as the fourth best from 1925-29 and third best from 1930-34. Neyer rates Paige's fastball as the seventh best of all time among starting pitchers. According to James and Neyer's research, Paige was almost exclusively a fastball pitcher from 1926-38, tossing in an occasional curve now and then.

But after suffering a serious arm injury during the winter of 1938, which took the oomph off his fastball for the rest of his career, he learned to incorporate more curveballs and change-ups. He also began mixing up his pitching motions, including his famous "hesitation pitch," and arm angles from which he delivered pitches. According to James and Neyer, from 1951-65, Paige was throwing "[e]verything, including the kitchen sink." In all, he used at least nine different pitches to keep hitters off balance, depending on what pitches caught his fancy from appearance to appearance.

However, most of these tidbits are from his Major League days, which fall far short of his overall career. To really get an idea of who Satchel Paige was, you're better off reading his autobiography, Maybe I'll Pitch Forever, or Buck O'Neil's autobiography, I Was Right on Time, of which O'Neil devotes nearly half the book to Paige. And no recap of Paige's career would be complete without telling the story of how his best friend, O'Neil, got the nickname "Nancy."

According to Buck's version, when he and Satchel were together with the Kansas City Monarchs, the team was staying in Chicago for a game against the Chicago American Giants. The Monarchs had just played in South Dakota, where Satchel met an Indian girl named Nancy, who accompanied Satchel to Chicago.

However, Satchel's fiancé, Lahoma, made an unannounced appearance in Chicago to see him. Thinking on his feet, Buck was able to have Nancy's luggage moved out of Satchel's room to the room that was between his own and Satchel's without Lahoma noticing.

Later that night, Satchel felt the urge to visit Nancy – Buck liked to think it was to apologize – so he went out in the hallway and began knocking on her door while whispering loudly, "Nancy! Nancy!" This, of course, got Lahoma's attention, so she came out in the hall to see what Satchel was up to. Buck could also hear what was going on, so he up and ran to save Satchel's hide.

"Yeah, Satch. What do you want?" Buck said.
"Why, Nancy," Satchel said. "There you are. I was looking for you. What time is the game tomorrow?"

I guess those kind of stories don't fit on most "Greatest of All Time" lists. Well, they top mine.

Source for statistics: Baseball-Reference.com

Hello scholars, and welcome to my blog. Today, I'm going to tell you all what I have been doing for the past few weeks when I'm not blogging.

The project I'm speaking of is an as-of-yet untitled documentary film about a Mr. Loren Pickford, a jazz musician, poet, and painter in his 60's who I came in contact with through a friend.

I'm attempting to reveal an in-depth character study with this film, so I will start from his life at an early age, and work towards how he ended up in Kansas City.

Loren was born to a poet mother and successful painter father, but he chose music and story telling as his first form of expression. Soon, Loren became a local fixture around the Fresno, California jazz scene, and earned an excellent reputation. He began to play his alto saxophone with such luminaries as Ray Charles, Jackie Wilson, and even opened for Miles Davis.

Living the classic bohemian life, he's lived in Amsterdam, Paris, Colorado, New York, and finally settled down in New Orleans for his longest stay of 18 years. Here he lived in the apartment that Tennessee William's wrote A Streetcar Named Desire and married his landlord. He continued to garner critical acclaim from the music rags like Down Beat and All Music as he played around town and painted constantly… Then Katrina came, washed away his home, and killed several of his neighbors.

He still looks pained to this day when he talks about that time. So, essentially, with no home and few possessions left, Loren and his wife, Sheila packed their bags and set out for California to live with a friend. Instead, on his journey to the coast, his car broke down in Kansas City, and without knowing anyone here, his wife and him moved their few possessions into a home, and have been here ever since. Loren pays the rent by playing clubs like The Golden Ox, The Blue Room, and Jardine's while his wife works at a hotel.

Since meeting him a few weeks ago I've been documenting a few shows, and was even invited down to his house in "the hood" (Troost Street in Kansas City.) Here, my film crew and I were invited in for a pot of ol' New Orleans Gumbo and corn on the cob. Afterwards Loren played us a few songs based on the flood, including a particularly moving 2007 version of Randy Newman's Louisiana 1927. After the meal, he showed us his impressive collection of art, which he had saved from the flood.

When he speaks, his deep gritty voice booms out of his throat and echoes around the walls. He smokes incessantly and drinks whisky straight up as he tells his many stories. Some include, his job working at a hotel with Tom Waits, playing the riverboats of the Mississippi, and going out on the road with his band.

Now he also teaches piano, and plays for old folks and children through a program that was set up by the government to help out of work New Orleans musicians find work. I find his humanitarian spirit and continuing interest in the world and people to be infectious. I now consider him a personal role model, which makes this project all the more enjoyable.

However, as I've discovered before, the hardest part of filmmaking is not starting the movie, but completing it. Wish me luck, and hopefully Ill get this damned thing done and out to festivals.

Until next time,

This has been Bart Vandever, good evening campers.

The year's almost over and it's been a great one for independent films and blockbusters alike. This summer, cineplexes featured giant robots, the triumphant return of Jason Bourne and an Emo Peter Parker. Likewise, arthouse audiences got their fair share of competitive Donkey Kong, unwed teenage pregnancy and real girls.

But the most unexpected trend of film in 2007 was the complete lack of a darling independent or small-budget film. Every year moviegoers pick a film to latch onto — My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Fargo and The Royal Tennenbaums all filled this void in the past — but this year lacked that. This is especially weird because this year featured new offerings from the Coen brothers, Wes Anderson and David Cronenberg.

In other words, 2007 is the Year of Cult Indecision (And 2008 is more-than-likely going to be the Year of Films With a Second Life on DVD). The following is a list of the best films of the year that nobody saw. All box office information comes from boxofficemojo.com.

The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Budget: $30 Million
Domestic Gross: $3,806,000
Widest Release: 301 theatres

No two ways about it, The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford was the best film of the year. The film featured some of the most beautiful cinematography since Conrad Hall and because of this the environments and nature in general became a character in and of itself. Nick Cave's haunting score matches the visual tone and desperation of the film perfectly.

For a film that deals so prominently with myths and the real men behind them, Brad Pitt is a perfect fit as Jesse James both for his media-centric public life and for the vulnerability and world-weariness he brings to the role.

But it is Casey Affleck who should be remembered for his role as Robert Ford, a man so obsessed with fame that he kills his idol to achieve it. A lesser actor would have just occupied space, allowing the events leading up to and following James' death to dictate a reactionary course. Affleck makes every choice a conscious one and by the film's conclusion he achieves the most unlikely emotion for a character so despicable — sympathy.

Control
Budget: €4.5 Million≈$9 Million
Domestic Gross: $746,219
Widest Release: 29 theatres

It's a good thing I managed to see this film when I was in England over the summer because Control barely saw the light of day stateside.
The film, which chronicles the meteoric rise and suicide of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, is shot in stark black and white by director Anton Corbijn, a man who made his name photographing the band during their heyday.

Corbijn's hands are all over, but his greatest feat as a director was capturing the hopelessness and desperation of late 70s London. There's an extra layer of grime all over the city's and condemned buildings, abandoned cars and the weight of the economic recession looms over the Curtis and his wife Deborah, making their love seem impossible, or at the very least unlikely.

Critics almost unanimously hailed Sam Riley's performance as the troubled Ian Curtis, and rightfully so. Simply put, Riley is amazing. His portrayal is thoughtful, intense and almost too earnest, especially during the film's ultra-mopey final fifteen minutes. But he, Corbijn and the film, are never better than during the film's musical performances.

Eastern Promises
Budget: $25 Million
Domestic Gross: $17,266,000
Widest Release: 1,408 theatres

Eastern Promises can be summed up in three words: Intense, intense, intense.

Between this and A History of Violence, his last film, purists worry that director David Cronenberg may be inching ever-closer to a big-budget sellout film. They needn't worry because as long as his films continue to expertly handle age-old dichotomies such as good versus evil, the budget is irrelevant.

Cronenberg's films all have a certain number of themes present. Namely, human fragility, vulnerability and duality in all its nasty forms, but what makes him so special (and Eastern Promises so outstanding) is his ability to implement these themes in different ways with each of his films. In A History of Violence fragility was displayed in its literal form; bullets shattered faces and broken-noses-driven-into-brains caused seizures. And rather than cut away from these shots the film held on them, not to glorify the actions, but give them eerie weight and real-world repercussions.

Eastern Promises features this same commitment to deglorifying violence, but it's fragility takes the form of Naomi Watts, a nurse who aids in the delivery of a premature baby and discovers secrets in the dead mother's journal that place her in the sights of the Russian mafia.

Cronenberg's new posterboy, Viggo Mortensen solidifies his place as one of film's premier badasses, if not by his quiet, morally conflicted turn as a Russian "driver," than for a fight scene that embodies vulnerability. In critic-speak words such as "brave," are usually shorthand for "The actor/actress was naked a lot." In Mortensen's case both definitions of the word apply.

Into The Wild
Budget: $20 million
Domestic Gross: $15,837,476
Widest Release: 660 Theatres

It's beautifully shot. It's expertly acted. It's written and directed by Sean Penn?

Okay, now that the mandatory Sean Penn-sucks reference is out of the way, let's move on to the rest of this outstanding film. Into The Wild is the second book adaptation on this list (Jesse James was the first) and like that film it has the following elements going for it: An excellent lead performance (this time by Emile Hirsch), pastoral, lush cinematography that gives the landscape its own personality and a soundtrack that is memorable long after the film is over.

Where the film differs from Jesse James is its focus entirely on Chris McCandless, Hirsch's character. This is quite an accomplishment for Hirsch as an actor. It would be easy to blow off McCandless as a misguided or inexperienced hippie kid that got what he deserved (That's what many readers thought of him when his story first appeared in Outside magazine). Instead, he's presented here as a complicated kid, both angry at the world he lives in and himself for being a part of it for so long.

All of that said, Hirsch couldn't have done it alone. Someone had to write it and someone had to direct him. Penn did such a good job on the other side of the camera, maybe he should think about staying there.

Rescue Dawn
Budget: $10 million
Domestic Gross: $5,484,375
Widest Release: 505 theatres

The one constant in director Werner Herzog's controversial 45-year career has been obsession. Sometimes obsession manifests itself in Herzog (His own Hubris is documented in the excellent Burden of Dreams), but obsession often manifests itself in the film's protagonist. Rescue Dawn is no different.

Shot down on his first solo flight, Dieter Dengler (played by Christian Bale) finds himself stranded in the Laotian jungle and is eventually captured and placed in a North Vietnamese Prison. And that's all in the first 30 minutes.

What follows is violent, dirty film, in which the characters all descend into a world of torture, starvation and entrapment. Except for Dengler, whose smile never fades and optimism never wanes. Dengler's obsession is hope and it nearly kills him.

Rescue Dawn skillfully dodges the politics of the Vietnam War and any potential allegory within it by focusing solely on Dengler and his unbreakable spirit. Herzog is notorious for putting his actors through hell and during the filming of Rescue Dawn Bale was nearly drown, drug behind a water buffalo, and ate a live snake (Something I would think PETA would frown upon).

But beneath all the blood, the grime, the human suffering and the actors' ridiculous commitment to their roles is a beautiful film with a simple message: No matter what life throws at you, you're not defeated until you give up.

A stoic, dry-humored treasure hunter searches for a lost artifact with a dark secret. Along the way he encounters mercenaries, monsters and Nazis. Yes, it's the plot of every Indiana Jones movie, but it's also the plot of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the new adventure game for the Sony Playstation 3.

Sony hasn't exactly had the best track record with exclusive titles lately. Lair was a huge disaster and both the solid Ratchet and Clank Future and the mediocre Heavenly Sword are underselling. And despite price cuts and Blu-Ray giveaways the Playstation 3 still isn't jumping off shelves. Uncharted is exactly the game the system needs. It's a gorgeous game from top to bottom and demonstrates the Playstation 3's ability to deliver a quality, narrative-driven game that's a blast to play from start to finish.

You play as Nathan Drake, a supposed descendent of Sir Francis Drake and like his ancestor, Nathan has a bit of an obsession with El Dorado. When Nate finds a map that leads to an uncharted island (hence the game's title) he sets out to find the lost city of gold and drags his pal Sully and his documentary filmmaker/love interest Elena along for the ride.

Gameplay in Uncharted is a combination of platforming, combat and driving. Nearly all of the platforming elements (jumping, climbing and swinging) in Uncharted are accomplished via the X button. Nate hurls himself off of cliffs, swings on vines and climbs up any surface with a pronounced ledge and the simple control scheme makes it a breeze to get from Point A to Point B, even if Point B happens to be at the top of an Aztec Church or the bottom of a rusted-out U-boat.

And it all looks remarkably realistic thanks to the animation system developer Naughty Dog implemented. There's never a single way for Nate to do anything in the game, so a jump that he cleared perfectly the first time, he might short the next. Uncharted is full of these idiosyncrasies. He trips going down stairs, clutches his side when he's injured or flinches when gunfire or grenades get too close for comfort.

Combat is reminiscent of last year's Gears of War. Nate can attach himself to any surface for cover and pop out from behind it in order to take accurate shots at enemies. This isn't anything that hasn't been done before, but it works well. When in close, Nate can forgo weapons in favor of his fists in order to dispatch his enemies. Again, there's nothing particularly new about hand-to-hand combat, but it's reliable.

The driving? Not so much. There's actually only one point where you actually drive a vehicle (a jet ski), but it's so frustrating that you probably won't want to do it anymore than is required. Having to stop the vehicle midstream to take shots at enemies with a superior vantage point essentially makes you a bullet magnet. But that notwithstanding, the segments are just plain dull.

While gameplay varies in quality and enjoyability throughout Uncharted, the game's audio and visual quality is always outstanding. Outdoor environments teem with life and movement and when played through a surround sound system, the jungle effectively surrounds you. Water ripples realistically and Nate's clothing gets increasingly wet as he treads further into ponds and rivers.

Indoor environments are moody and dimly lit, making them even more dreary and abandoned. The complete lack of ambient noise or the inclusion of faint echoes intensifies the eerie sense of isolation and guilt that comes with trespassing on an ancient gravesite.

The result is a highly polished showcase game that, while lacking anything groundbreaking, is still an excellent addition to the Playstation 3's library. Uncharted plays like a solid Hollywood action movie. Indy would be proud.

As most of you know (you freaking should if you don't… I mean come on, it's like all I talk about) I play a bunch of video games. What you may not know is that I purchased an Xbox 360 console not so many months ago. Since then I've acquired some killer software to go along with Microsoft's king of consoles, ranging from the latest first person shooter to a fairly expensive piece of group gaming goodness.

Now I'm a connoisseur of games, and am very discerning about what I buy. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway, damn it) my collection is short but distinguished. As for picking the order of which is best out of the great material I have, I might have a hard time. But I'll give it a shot.

The last game on my list is also the first game I got with the system. Gears of War is arguably the first of the modern day shooters, and introduced a gritty, visceral feel to the game that had previously not been fleshed out in the genre. It also used an intuitive camera that followed the actions of your character. Hide behind a wall and the camera skirts to the side a bit so you can see around the corner. Hunker down and sprint and the camera lowers as well, shaking as you run for cover. And who could forget the splashes of blood hitting the screen as you chainsaw an enemy in half?

One of the cooler features of Gears was the re-introduction of co-op play. Sure Doom 3 had co-op, but it wasn't this badass. Gears co-op lets you play two player split-screen blah blah. Standard stuff. But the interesting part is the dynamic between the players. If your teammate is injured you can run over and revive him. Dying actually seems to matter when you don't respawn after 30 seconds. There's some incentive to play better personally as well as with a teammate.

Gears also featured some amazing graphical detail using the Unreal 3 engine, which makes sense because Epic, the games developer, created it. The models are incredibly detailed and lifelike while the environments feel completely natural. Really, one of the only things that I would criticize heavily is that the ride is way too short. But of course, a sequel is planned and I'll have to pay another $60 to experience it. Fucking Microsoft.

And speaking of Microsoft, the long-awaited, third entry in the Halo series comes in as the fourth game on my list. All the way back in 1999 Halo was announced for the PC and, if you can believe, I was ecstatic. [rant] But then that corporate motherfucker Microsoft came in, bought Bungie (the development studio in charge of production), and shit on the PC by making Halo an Xbox exclusive and delaying the PC version for a further three years. [/rant]

My gripes of corporate antics aside, Halo is simply a lot of fun. With two Halo titles under their belt, Bungie has further refined their baby into the most user-friendly and easy to play version yet. The second game introduced many things, such as dual-wielding weapons, and the third simply improves upon the formula and makes it all smoother. In addition to the badass new Covenant weapons, the detachable turret makes for some interesting gameplay.

Halo 3 also uses the Unreal 3 graphics engine to great effect if not quite as well as Gears. But the first level is inspiring as you battle your way through a lush jungle setting. The Master Chief (main character) also has never looked better, his SPARTAN suit now scarred and beaten from the previous encounters of the first two games.

Pretty graphics don't necessarily make the game, however, and my third game is placed so because of its stellar gameplay mechanics. The Orange Box is also here because it's actually FIVE GAMES for the price of one. It's not often you find value like this in the oh-so-expensive hobby of gaming.

I could go on about the first three games offered in this set, Half Life 2 and the two episodic installments that follow, with their moving storyline, great physics, and so on. But the real gem here is the pseudo side-project called Portal that breaks all the rules of time/space.

Portal introduces an interesting element into the first person shooter genre, aside from the fact that you don't actually kill anybody. Portal has you step into the augmented legs of a research participant using a portal gun to solve puzzles, always involving finding your way to the exit. The portal gun eventually allows you to shoot two portals, one orange and one blue, onto certain surfaces of the room. Walk through one, come out the other. It seems simple enough, but then other factors like conservation of momentum come into play. And sometimes just figuring out what the hell you're supposed to do can be a rewarding challenge.

The gameplay is good enough on it's own to stand tall, but it's the presentation as a whole that makes the game. As you progress through the levels, each harder than the next, you're guided and given hints by a weird, female voice. "If you become lightheaded from thirst, feel free to pass out," says the voice at one point. The sense of humor adds so much character to the game and makes it one of the funniest games I've ever played. Even the credits are funny, as the computer sings you a touching song about your trials throughout the test.

Ok, so all of the games on my list so far have been in the first person shooter genre… sort of. The second game on my list is a bit of a departure from that crowd, and is by far the most expensive game I've ever bought. At roughly $185 Rock Band is three times as expensive as a regular game, but those regular games don't come with a plastic guitar thing, microphone, and digital drum set, do they?

Rock Band is the latest adaptation of group/party games that use other peripherals in addition to the normal game controllers. In the same vein as Guitar Hero, Rock Band takes the next step from solo shredding to the battle of the bands. You can play with up to four people in this game; one on lead guitar, one on bass, one drummer, and the singer. Bringing four players together to play one game makes for a great group dynamic and an incredibly unique experience that hasn't really been attempted before.

While the song set isn't as extensive as the new Guitar Hero game, the multiplayer element more than makes up for it. You simply can't get this feeling from any other game. And with song packs (including sets from Black Sabbath, Queens of the Stone Age, and Metallica) already in the pipeline, available for download, you can expect Rock Band to be very long lived and the centerpiece of a gamer's collection.

And now, the moment of truth. The number one game of my collection is: Mass Effect, the new role-playing game from BioWare studios. This game is said to be the most immersive, intriguing, and enjoyable game that has come out in recent history. Maybe even Ever. But here's the problem: I uh… don't quite have it yet. My brother got it for me for Christmas, so it'll be a few weeks until I actually have it. So why do you have it as your number one game if you haven't even played it yet? you might ask. Well, I'd just have to say "here's hoping." I mean, it's BioWare we're talking about.

1. Larry Craig gets confused

I won't begin this mistake by saying everyone and their mother has heard about Senator Larry Craig's proposal for a bathroom rendezvous, but everyone and their mother has heard about Craig's proposal for a bathroom rendezvous this year. There is no way around it.

On August 27, the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call revealed that Craig had been arrested for lewd conduct in a Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport men's bathroom on June 11. In fact, he tried to solicit sex from an uncover officer. Big mistake! In an interview by the arresting officer, Craig denied wrongdoing and claimed that he was a victim of entrapment, but later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct on August 8. As a result, he announced his intention to resign from the Senate at a news conference on September 1, but later released a statement stated that he would stick around and just not run for re-election in 2008.

Allegations of Craig's homosexuality began in 1982 when investigative journalists pursued a rumor that he used cocaine and engaged in sex with male teenage congressional pages... It seems like Craig has been in the closet for a long time. Probably in an attempt to divert attention away from the nagging questions, Craig led an extended effort that pushed for more severe punishment of Representative Barney Frank for his involvement in a gay prostitution scandal in 1989, which just makes this mistake in 2007 greater.

The price of his mistake was only $575, but he was asked by Senate GOP leaders including Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Trent Lott (R-MS) temporarily step down as the top Republican on the Veterans Affairs Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, and Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Since this incident, eight gay men came forward to the Idaho Statesman alleging either sexual encounters with Craig, or attempts by Craig to engage in sexual encounters.

To top it off, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed an amicus curiae brief stating that the secret sting operation used by the police was not "carefully crafted" to avoid ensnaring innocent speech.

Really? Please just face it, Senator, you belong on this list for this mistake.

Advice: Either watch your stance gentlemen or just hold it. No one wants be arrested.

2. Bush's Continue involvement in Iraq

This mistake doesn't take much explanation because it could also belong on the Top Mistakes of 2002 through 2006.

There are currently about 130,000 American troops in Iraq —