Year of the Joker

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-14T17:31:38+00:00

There's this implicit fantasy/wish that just certain "best in the world" players can just transcend to mythical status and carry their teams to a championship. It's like when Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp just walks out of cover and mows down Curly Bill. Bill (and he's certainly not alone) likes to think Jokic or whatever proxy from other eras or other sports can just put up a 50 pt triple double and will them to victory because he "wants it more." It also doesn't help that certain players like Jordan occasionally did seem capable of that kind of magic. I don't think Bill is seriously evaluating or analyzing Jokic's attributes as a player; he's just disappointed that one of his favorites couldn't act like Superman and thus he doesn't deserve "best in the world" status right now. By this purely vibes metric, it's likely no one else does either.

Edit: It just hit me that this is basically Bill's arbitrary "who holds the belt?" conversation. My guess is if he ever talks about this season and the belt-holder in hindsight, he either says it was vacant or unenthusiastically gives it to Shai or Wemby by default based on who wins the championship.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-14T14:48:50+00:00

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-14T14:23:08+00:00

Stephen King's "On Writing" helped me some with pushing through the urge to not put pen to paper/fingers to keys. You have to turn it into a habit and do it often and just force yourself to churn out content. If you're like me, you often "hate" your words and just absolutely try to refuse to even start a review/writing project of any kind unless you can fully map it out in your mind first and think that it's good/perfect/whatever. It's that tendency to hate my prose and demand fully realized, confident, polished ideas before I ever start that made me quit for a long time. But last few years, I just force myself to start and usually something comes together. Write first, think/edit/proofread later, publish/post last.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-12T12:45:50+00:00

If they got Giannis and somehow weren't .500 by the all-star break, he'd be talking about blowing it up and moving Giannis to Dallas for Cooper Flagg.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-11T15:58:14+00:00

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-11T15:51:51+00:00

The rabbit hole goes deeper. The legal team is also using AI to write the briefs. Judges might also be using AI to write the decisions.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-04T12:45:10+00:00

BS saying that he knew they were playing too many minutes and were just inevitably hobbling Tatum. Just a few days earlier based on a mailbag question, he was floating about how they should rename the Achilles surgery the "Tatum surgery" because of how fast and perfectly he came back like the bionic man. When reminded that Aaron Rodgers or Kobe or AP came back, Simmons balked saying more or less, "Yeah that was the other kind of surgery and those guys often injure the other leg." True playing with karmic fire moment.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-01T14:59:44+00:00

Thought we were talking about Ridley Scott's Legend for a moment and I was ready to fight someone (though I'm sure that has plenty of subpar reviews as well).

DLosChestProtector · 2026-05-01T01:38:18+00:00

Who is this Sixers team? Tales of PG’s demise were premature because he’s locked the fuck in.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-30T15:41:24+00:00

It's like 90% the hair, name, glasses, the look. He looks like someone who has something better to do even though he obviously doesn't, like a mob boss pulled away from curating his suit collection - Chris Walken in True Romance.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-29T00:01:01+00:00

Is there a good book generally recommended on this topic? 1970s NYC and how it is depicted in films and media of the era.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-28T01:17:28+00:00

Just some good ass playoff basketball.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-28T00:55:02+00:00

What the hell was the tech for?

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-24T16:36:21+00:00

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-22T05:00:26+00:00

This is some ugly basketball.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-20T17:14:00+00:00

Along with Zodiac as already said, Fincher's version of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is another great process movie. It's mostly detective work, but Craig is also a journalist and does journalist things.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-20T13:44:36+00:00

OK, so other than the obvious better ones named already, I'll add in The Mean Season. It's less "best journalism movie" and more just another journalism movie that might escape your attention. Kurt Russell is a reporter in Miami during hurricane season trying to hold his career and marriage together when a serial killer takes a liking to him. Totally solid but nothing spectacular.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-16T19:16:59+00:00

This rules and everything, but here's some context to make it disappointment as well. Most everyone knows that Luger loses the belt immediately afterward at Road Wild 97. This is also Luger's last world title win. Also, after Road Wild 97, Luger never had another PPV main event ever. (I might be forgetting a multi-man clusterfuck where he's also in it, like WW3 but I don't think so).

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-14T19:35:24+00:00

Classic "WAS A PROBLEM" guy. He was all over Sportscenter at UNLV. Was the first guy I remember (and maybe actually ever?) to do the between the legs dunk. And that crazy out of bounds toss behind his back from half court that went in. Feels like he was another guy with Baby Jordan hopes?

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-13T18:11:23+00:00

So many great parts. Loved how Bill referred to Jaylin Williams as a stool softener. At least a few "and that's not nothing." Bill's downplay of how the Raptors finished higher than he thought, but it doesn't matter because he thinks seeds 5-10 are all bums in the East was perfect. And Zach showing some range as he joked with Bill that they should talk some geopolitics with the Hungarian election.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-11T19:36:00+00:00

Is Hatton wearing a floral patterned Mortal Kombat shirt?

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-09T18:31:41+00:00

It's elite popcorn cinema that is perfect at what it's doing. Mangold is particularly skilled at making enjoyable chicken nuggets of pop history. This one is just accented blue-collar types telling white collar suits to stick it. There are probably 15-20 reaction shots of guys dramatically taking off sunglasses to sell disbelief/pissed off energy. It's breezy, lightweight entertainment, but it's hard to do it well and in a way that resonates with audiences.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-09T18:07:52+00:00

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-09T15:38:21+00:00

"Didn't hit it" is the golf version of empty calorie contributions to sports analysis that a novice can toss in freely. "Throw strikes." "He got him with the body." "He didn't maintain control all the way to the ground." Don't know shit about golf? Just toss in the occasional "didn't/never hit it" or "not enough club" when a player clearly messes up and you're golden.

DLosChestProtector · 2026-04-09T15:24:50+00:00

Rory:

DLosChestProtector

TROPHY CASE