Shacklin the Masses

-Guess what happened this weekend? All four road teams covered, with the two AFC dogs winning outright. I hope you followed the steps I layed out in my last post. If you were able to carry out steps 1 and 2, you most certainly were able to accomplish step 4. And if at any time you got step 3 done, well that's just icing on the cake. Another 4-0 weekend for the trout against the spread (3-1 in the pick'em format). Quick thoughts on the games:

• The Indy game was a fucking snoozefest. Typical Baltimore-style game, I hate that team and I'm glad they're out.
• Philly-NO was the game of the weekend, except I can't really remember anything about it. Draw your own conclusions as to why that might be the case.
• After watching the NFC games this weekend, it seems like Chicago is going to get hammered next weekend unless they are playing in -10 degree weather with hurricane (named Ditka) force winds. They look like crap, while my man Deuce and the rest of the Saints look dangerous. I don't think there's any question about who most folks will be pulling for from here on out. When the Pats and Saints win next week, what percentage of the country will be pulling for the Pats, 10-15%?
• The Pats game was certainly entertaining, but that was some seriously sloppy shit. I still can't believe we won that game, although SD definitely did not deserve it. SD's execution was about as crisp as Fayed's Sunday night on 24. That play by Troy Brown, though. Holy shit. I love that guy. An absolutely indispensable guy from the dynasty. The Pats better retire his number.

This weekend wasn't all about football, though, as we saw the premieres of 24, The Hills, Rome, and Extras as well as the continuation of The White Rapper Show. Let's break these down separately.

• 24: I had heard one of the main characters was going down early, but I assumed it would be Audrey (mostly because she sucks and brings nothing to the table). I didn't see it coming with big Curtis; I was pretty stunned with this one. I've read several takes on his death this morning and most people weren't surprised at all and aren't really all that broken up about it. Why wouldn't Jack just shoot him in the leg or something? Why didn't Curtis take out Assad while he was falling down and dying for like 45 seconds? I also thought it was great in the previews for next week where Buchanan was like "I thought you were done?" and Jack followed that with "Not after this!" Man, I did not see that coming. I really thought this show was fucked now that Jack was hanging it up. Naturally, it was laughable that Jack was back on his feet within 20 minutes of being released by the Chinalians and kicking ass. And it was laughable that Kumar was playing a high school kid. And it was laughable when Morris and Milo sorta got into it. OK, there were like 17 times where I laughed at the ridiculousness, but who gives a shit? As always, enormously fun to watch. What a show.
• The Hills: Brought the pain. Despite giving us no context for the dismissal of beard kid or the riff between Hi-D and Audrina, I loved every second of this show. The scene where LC and Whitney first went into the editor's office for a discussion of each other's summers, I thought LC showed some remarkable restraint. Could she have been blamed for knifing the editor right there? "Lauren, on the other hand, chose not to go to Paris and stayed with her boyfriend, how'd that work out for you?" Great stuff. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what appears to be this season's breakout star: Spencer. This kid appears to be a smoother version of beard kid and also might be the most loathsome character on TV these days. Playing Heidi like that...well I just hope he has a run-in with a pack of chainsaw-wielding, rabid wolverines. Yo Heidentification, it's all good even if you're pregnant, I still love you.
• Rome: Not sure if I like this show that much. I think people give it more leeway because its an HBO joint, even though it's not really any better than your run of the mill network drama. A lot more tatters though. Clearly, I'll be watching the rest of the season, but don't let anyone try to convince you that it's in the same realm as Sopranos/Wire. In fact, punch them in the face if they try to tell you anything of the like.
• Extras: Good start for the second season of this show, particularly the scene with Andy giving direction to the old actor. This show was not that good last year, despite what people who worship at the Ricky Gervais altar would have you know. Orlando Bloom was actually pretty hysterical in the first episode, and the Thin White Duke delivers in the second. You should probably watch this show.
• White Rapper Show: Eh. It was ok. Actually, maybe not. This show kinda sucks. Sullee was the only one with a good verse. Plus they kicked the hot chick off the show, who wasn't all that hot anyway. Looks like Sunday night is pretty stacked this year, so this one might fall out of the rotation.

-Finally, American Idol comes back tonight. You can call me whatever you want, but I love this show in the first few weeks before they get it down to the more talented people. You watch it tonight and tell me it's not hilarious.

Ok, goodbye.