Saturday, May 12, 2007 Welcome, everyone, to the reincarnation of Around The Horn with me. I am Ethan (or, if you so prefer, IareEthan). For those of you who are unfamiliar with this feature, it was originally started by an MPL veteran named Longhornguy who is no longer participating in league play, but still shows up to offer some fine birthday presents when the time is right. Once he left league play, however, he dropped the article as well. I picked it up and wrote about whatever I desired. Then I dropped it. And now I’m back. The question was posed to me, with the summer months approaching, if I would care to pick up Around the Horn once again and I was obliged to take Jim up on his offer. I’ve written screenplays, I’ve written for high school newspapers. I’ve written for college newspapers. I’ve done all of the scholastic nonsense in between. This column, however, is a whole new challenge. This isn’t structured like a report, like an article, or like a screenplay…I’m free to write what I want and how I want. More importantly, if I can put together an article largely unrelated to the MPL, for the MPL, and still manage to entertain…that means plenty to me. That is the goal here; to entertain...to inform, and perhaps even provoke thought. As an aspiring writer any feedback, whether positive or negative, is certainly welcomed and appreciated. That said, let’s get down to business… Let’s talk about the NFL offseason, shall we? he biggest story of the offseason from this perspective is all of the movement in New England. As an Eagles fan, my opinion may be slightly jaded, but I am SICK and TIRED of hearing about the Patriots. When looking at the moves they made, the instant reaction both from fans and media members alike has been to crown them SuperBowl 42 Champions, and with good reason. Of course the season doesn’t start for months so it is all pure speculation at this point, but I fell into that trap as well. But, standing back and observing the moves they made, their offseason suddenly looks a bit more modest. The Patriots got Wes Welker for 2nd round and 7th round draft picks, and signed him to a five year $18 million contract. All of that money and two picks for an average wide receiver and a good kick returner? They got Donte Stallworth for a monster of a contract that many suspect will be void after the upcoming season reaches its end. So the Patriots are, essentially, renting an impact wide receiver. What if that hamstring starts acting up again? Stallworth was a warrior for the Eagles when he was here last year, but given his history, there’s a definitive possibility he’ll be missing some games. Randy Moss. What more is there to say? How about this: Is he the game breaking receiver that set records in Minnesota, or is he the washed up pile of mediocrity from Oakland? Many assume the answer is the former but if it’s the latter, you’d better sit down for this statement: The Patriots may be better off with Jabar Gaffney, who really came on strong toward the end of last season. In my opinion, it’s extremely difficult to criticize the Patriots for striking a deal with Adalius Thomas. They gave him the big bucks, but boy is he worth it. He’ll do some great things for an already strong Patriots defense. What you have here, in my opinion, is the product of the media’s hype machine. The moves the patriots made this offseason have a high-risk high-reward feel to them. Financially, they made out on these deals, considering Moss’ restructuring and Stallworth’s pending departure at season’s end, but they’re also halting the progress of some young prospects in the meantime. Didn’t the Patriots draft CHAD JACKSON with the 36th pick of last years draft? Is one year long enough to wait before casting him to the #4 WR slot, at best? The Patriots could be a VERY good team next season, but they won’t be unbeatable. They’ve got a heavy, heavy cloud of expectation hovering ominously over them right now. The last time I can recall something like this happening in the sports world is when the Lakers signed Karl Malone and Gary Payton for bargain basement deals, only to be defeated by the “inferior” Eastern Conference in the finals. Regardless of what athletes say, they are mindful of expectations, and it can be trying. We’ll see how New England handles their own this season. One thing is for certain: They have put together a Madden dream team. One thing I’ll be doing for each column is giving my “Obscure Movie Recommendation.” One of my passions is movies; I have a collection of DVDs exceeding 230. Not a staggering number but none too shabby either, as evidence that despite my age, I have seen my share of movies. The Obscure Movie Recommendation is simply a good movie that may not have gotten main-stream coverage. This week, I’ve got to recommend “13 Conversations About One Thing.” There’s only so much you can say about a movie such as this, because so much of it is open to interpretation. However, what this movie is essentially about is the stories of various characters and their struggles with life, love, happiness, and perception…all somehow woven together. Don’t be turned off by Matthew McConaughey’s presence in this movie; I don’t like him either. Yet I must admit, he does a fine job. Every now and then you’ll run into a film major who will recommend a movie similar to this and you’ll end up watching it and seeing something that wasn’t deep, but was a jumbled, confusing mess misconstrued as something profound. This movie is not that. If you’re a philosophical thinker and enjoy applying that to film, check this one out. In another realm of the entertainment world, there are video games. Is anyone else completely shocked by the mass appeal Nintendo’s Wii has gotten, and the rather modest sales of the Playstation 3? I know there’s some gamers here, so maybe this will grab some attention: I feel as though, given the success of Sony’s previous two system’s, the third edition has been an undeniable fiscal failure thus far. I don’t see how that can be debated. Sony will continue making the Playstation 3. Consumers will continue to buy it, and enjoy it. But the fact is, for the first time in a decade not only is Sony not looking to lead the gaming generation, but it’s falling flat on its face in dead last. What does that mean? Nothing to me; I don’t take pride in my games, I play what I like and let that be that…but I’m well aware of the term “fan boy” and what goes along with it, so I’d love to hear from some from the Sony side of the yard. The purpose here, however, isn’t to thrash the Playstation 3. It’s too pricey for me at this time, but if it drops, I’ll probably pick one up. The purpose here is to praise the Nintendo Wii. THIS is what gaming is all about at it’s core: The game! The graphics are nothing spectacular by any means, “boasting” only a slight upgrade from the Gamecube in my opinion, but the games are extremely innovative and addictive. There are some games (For example, a Tank Mini-Game found in Wii Play) that will have you playing for hours on end. A simple concept, destroying enemy tanks, is made absolutely enthralling by the control scheme. Multiplayer is where this system really shines however. I can’t tell you how much fun I had shagging some golf balls in Tiger Woods 07 with my brother in law, only to have him pull a muscle in his shoulder on the 16th hole. I love American conditioning. Health hazards aside, the Nintendo Wii is certainly worth it’s $250 price tag. The big story in the MPL for this week is two-fold. First, Sully wins the championship. Congratulations go out to him and a big “ha-ha” to all of his doubters. Where you at, Run? It’s funny that he won the thing with the Lions though. I swear, that team’s overall team and player ratings don’t look to shabby at all, but once you actually start playing with them it’s almost as if there’s an unwritten intangible rating where Detroit, true to their real-life nature, seems as though they TRY to lose games. Much respect to Sully for the big win. Then, of course, there’s the draft. The first thing that stands out to me is the absence of two players, Moneyball and RuntheRock. Each of them have raised some eyebrows with some controversial comments over their time in the MPL, but they both also brought a stiff level of competition. Year in and year out, they were contenders. That competition will be missed. “So it goes.” Kudos to the first person to identify that quote. Anyway, in their place the MPL welcomes back some wily veterans in Rashad and Lildave. Rashad, a three time champion, and Lildave the constant competitor will help ease the competition lost by Money and Rock’s absence. If I had to pick a favorite right now, it would have to be the Bengals. Rashad has been uncharacteristically silent since putting his name into the MPL draft hat, but he won’t fly under the radar, that’s for sure. The Bengals are a complete team, and despite Rashad’s previous leave of absence, I’m sure his skills are still intact. If you’re looking for a sleeper, look no further than the Broncos. While making the playoffs would be a first, and quite an accomplishment for the interim man in charge, I’m not talking about a playoff sleeper. I’m talking about an MPL Bowl sleeper. The guy that I played who was using the Falcons last season was no NIT competitor, he was a contender for the MPL title. He had terrific manual defense, a great rushing attack, a suitable passing game, and an ability to take off with the quarterback at all the right times. This season, he’s still got the mobile quarterback with improvements in his team all across the board. Jim seems to be improving as time progresses, so watch out for Denver in the MPL this season. Normally, my random thoughts will be quite random, sometimes odd, most times laughable. This week I have a serious issue to address. About two weeks ago, myself and many around me were hit with a tragedy: A sudden and unexpected death. My sister’s significant other, and a friend of mine, passed away as a result of a car accident on a windy back road. I do not aim to pay respects here, I’ve already done that. I do not aim to elicit condolences, as they lack a certain level of sincerity through the internet. The point here is the way that this tragedy has affected my perception of life. Everyone here, I’m sure, has been unfortunate enough to lose someone close to them. A lesser number may have lost them completely unexpectedly, and it really sends your mind into a tailspin. After that initial shock is gone, the mourning process begins. It often doesn’t end. There’s a certain void when a loss of life is suffered…but as the mourning process progresses, for me at least, life changes indefinitely. While working full time, going to school full time, maintaining a relationship with my girlfriend of over three years, and of course maintaining my close-knit bond with friends and family…there are a lot of stressful times where I rush from point A to point B, and struggle to maintain an optimistic outlook. Is this what life is about? All of the horrible things we see and hear? The hectic, stressful rush to meet society’s demands? After this passing, I have come to realize I am doing what I do not for society (is that selfish?) but for myself and those around me. I have begun to appreciate the small things in life…whether it be the smell of freshly cut grass that wreaks havoc on my allergies, or the irritating (yet necessary) discussions I conduct with my girlfriend about our future. Life is beautiful. In spite of all of the negligence, all of the demands, and all of the atrocities which plague our world, life is beautiful. That wealth of knowledge, in my opinion, is completely invaluable.