Given that the holidays are coming, I figured I would mention that I have fucking idea what to get anyone on my list.

and its a short list! Just...legit have no idea what people need or want. I also admittedly have the hardest family to shop for. I am almost positive that every gift I've ever gotten my dad has been returned or exchanged.

My mother, is easier, but she also wants things that ultimately don't get used. She's thrilled to get them...but ask me how many times she's used her fit bit, her ipod, or spotify?

at any rate, that leaves my brother, and other loved ones that i see much less often and have even less of an idea what to get them. 

should be a disappointing christmas for everyone...

nothing to say

and thats ok.

this blog keeps coming up in my mind as a place i should be dumping ideas, and pictures, and random shit. sometimes it's just nice to know it's here, even if i don't have shit to say.

Ushering in a new era

welcome to summer, 2014 yalls.

what a fucking year. 

so many changes...some good, some less good. 

I am writing today because I feel...excited. Life has its ebbs and flows and, over the last week or so, I have been invigorated anew.

Hopefully I'll have some time to post this summer. Camping trip coming up with the boys tomorrow!

That, will hopefully be worth documenting on some level. Golf first, then big fires, grilled meats, and beer. ever so much beer...

More to report on Sunday, hopefully after some well mannered frivolity. 

CHEAU

Boobs

I'm a grown ass man. I can say something.

boobs are fucking great.

'nuff said




CHEAU

Snow days.....blow days

I wanted to put up a whole blog post today about how many cool things there are to do in the snow. It feels like one should be able to find a plethora of things to do in a snow storm. snowmen....snowballs...snowboarding, skiing. i mean whatever else people do in the snow.

it was not until i consulted with one of my confidants that I came to realize that we, I, and people around me, don't do SHIT in the snow.

here's how i picture myself in a good snow storm....

ya know...living life to the extreme. taking full advantage of the illy powder and dope conditions.




in reality....this is what the fucks be goins on....during a snow storm.

aint no shame in that. i have to be honest, while I would LOVE to be one of those guys that gets out that and carves up a mountainside with my snowboard or skis, i'm actually ok with being the guy that works from the comfort of say....a living room....and subsequently has access to cold beers that taste so good when they hit your lips....
















naturally one always aspires to be more, so i won't let go of the snowboarding dream. but in the meantime, i will also not feel bad about my other snow-day pastimes (shoveling....television, and beer that helps me feel warm in the cold).  

Music breakdown

music rules.

what doesn't rule...is the time it takes to weed through the sea of bands and songs, and pulling out only the tastiest licks...leaving behind the shit music that brings nothing to the table other than noise and clutter.

that being said, i would like to make a point to speak about music on a more consistent basis. there is enough good music out there that its worth looking into a little more. i will rely on the input of others also, since i think one of the best ways to learn about something new, is to learn it from someone who loves it.

I have mentioned music on here before, but not with any consistency. Change is in the air, friends.

So, look to the blog for music reviews in the near future. maybe a history of a particular genre. who knows what the fucks i'ma be layin down. thats the beauty of kzzy. it stands for whatever it wants....and i post whatever i want. whenever.


boom.



we'll be catching y'all on the soonness. brace yourselves.


CHEAU

Sports Wrap-up....Superbowl edition

In two weeks, pitchers and catchers will report for Spring Training.  NASCAR will run the 56^th Daytona 500, NHL clubs will be tightening up for a push towards the playoffs and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be in full swing.  Although I look forward to all of these events on the calendar, and the prospect of warmer climes and both sunnier and longer days, I can’t help but acknowledge the sadness that comes with the end of the football season.    And what a season it was for the Seattle Seahawks and the stadium-shaking, earthquake-inducing 12^th man.

It’s difficult for an east coast, AFC-affiliated observer to be fully plugged into the happenings of a west coast, NFC-affiliated franchise, but for some time now, the 12^th man has been rumbling, screaming and stomping their way to send a message to the rest of the NFL: DEAFENING IS OUR ROAR.  The “Legion of Boom” (surely no more accurate a nickname exists for a team today) not only lowered the boom last night on Peyton Manning’s quest for a second Championship, but they put everyone on notice while doing it.  With speed, ferocity, instinct, will, and sheer brute force, they pushed, pounded, smashed and steamrolled their way in a 43-8 drubbing of the Denver Broncos to capture the franchise’s first Super Bowl Championship in its 38 year history. 

Prior to the game, the comparisons were everywhere – the league’s number one defense against the number one offense.   The speed, strength and tenacity of Seattle’s vicious attack vs. the cerebral, record-setting, all-time greatest offense in NFL history.  The number one seed in the NFC vs. the number one seed in the AFC.  And once the ball was kicked off, that’s about where the comparisons stopped.  The Denver safety on the first play from scrimmage was eerily reminiscent of the safety forced by the Giants defense in Super Bowl XLVI against Tom Brady.  From that moment, it was clear that someone wasn’t ready for this.  We all know that the titans of the game can recover and adjust from mistakes, but when your first snap of the ball results in an ugly, unforced error, it just doesn’t bode well.  It didn’t in 2011, and that was all Seattle needed to light the fuse last night. 

We’ve heard all about how offense wins games, but defense wins Championships.   If there’s any doubt about this now, I invite you to go back and watch Super Bowls XLII, XLVI and last night’s game again.  Two of those three featured the two greatest single-season offenses ever assembled in the history of the NFL – one of whom didn’t lose a game until the Super Bowl that year - and yet neither of them hoisted the Lombardi trophy.   Records may be broken, and Hall of Fame resumes bolstered, but if you cannot play sound, strong defense, you will always be vulnerable.  Just ask Tom Brady in 2007 and Peyton Manning today.  Between them in those years, they combined for a staggering 105 touchdowns and 10,283 yards.  Yet in 2007, Brady threw for 2 TD’s while last night, Manning only 1.  A good defense can, will and has twice now, beaten the greatest two offenses in NFL history, on the biggest stage.  After watching Manning and Brady all these years, two things have become evident.  First, it’s been a joy, and a privilege to have watched them together and head-to-head for so long.  The NFL will be weaker when they’re both retired.  Second, although it sure can be fun watching a team put up video game offensive stats week in and week out, I can’t help but think they’re hiding something.  Like the lack of a good defense and any punch in their game.  It’s been true now for some time here in New England and with the exception of 2006, it’s been true for Manning his entire career.  The greatest field general of our time has seldom had the defense required to win a Championship.

With all the norms and standard thinking, Seattle threw everything out the window last night.  A second year quarterback in Russell Wilson against the future Hall-of-Famer and greatest single-season QB in Manning?  Didn’t matter.  The young, trash-talking marquee players of the Seahawks?  Didn’t matter.  The mis-categorized “anemic” offense of Seattle vs. the record-setting offense from Denver? Didn’t matter.  The fact is, if you have a defense that plays the way Seattle does, you don’t need to average 38 points per game.  Hell, they would have won the game last night after their first touchdown.  It’s amazing to realize that Seattle only had to score 9 points to win the Super Bowl.  What’s more is that Seattle did very little in the way of disguising their formations, their intentions, or their playcalling.  What they did was outrun Denver, outhustle Denver, and outhit Denver.   They didn’t try to be cute or try and confuse a quarterback who, at this point in his career, really can’t get confused.  They went after him.  They did what every good defense does – run hard, and hit hard.  They never once allowed Manning to settle in, get comfortable and establish any type of rhythm whatsoever.  When Manning completed a short pass, there were two Seahawks on the receiver with crushing hits.  When he handed the ball off, the back not only got surrounded and stood up, but he got pushed back.  The Broncos could not move the football.  Seattle, on the other hand, moved the ball with speed, agility and sheer will with bruising touchdowns by Marshawn Lynch and two more in the air from Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin; both of whom had no business scoring since several Broncos missed the tackles they should’ve made.  What was that about defense?   Seattle outplayed, out willed, outmuscled, and outran the vaunted Broncos.  Frankly I don’t think anyone in the NFL could beat them last night given the way they played that game.  I also can’t help but think that Tom Brady was watching the game and was thankful he didn’t have to face those Seahawks.   Deafening was their roar indeed.

Seattle hasn’t exactly been a bastion of pro sports success.  Their last Championship (NBA) was in 1979 – and that team now resides in Oklahoma City.  A city that’s given us Frazier, Starbucks, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden and Jimi Hendrix (just to name a few) once again, at long last, has their Champion.  With the loudest fans in the NFL, the most intimidating homefield advantage, an average player age of just 26 ½, and a solid core of players under contract (including a QB they still don’t have to commit big, long-term dollars to), they may very well be setting up to get even louder in the seasons to come.  Congratulations to Seattle, to the Seahawks, and to the 12^th man. 

its monday.....after the superbowl

Now, provided people kept in mind that today was Monday, I trust that people aren't fighting off hangovers and the such.


With that said, I would like to reserve any comments about the game, until my colleague G5 holds court, and gives the sports world, and the world entire...."the business"

Given the nature of sports, and football in particular, it will serve little to no purpose for me to postulate on the reasons denver lost the game. I will reserve that right for those who have a much better understanding of this very dynamic game we call football.


That said, i will leave y'alls on this note...

beer is delicious. even with a lopsided gam,e folks came over, held it down with a few brews and some good food....and now life can get back on track until August when we look to the preseason for a glimpse into what gifts the 2014-2015 season will bring.


the G5 sports wrap-up will be available for your reading pleasure as soon as its contents are delivered to my email.


keep that head on a swivel.



CHEAU

thinks about drinks

Today, I wish to open up the topic of alcohol.


mainly, my transition from:

drinking in college



to....
















today




The journey started with Mikes Hard Lemonade.

That shit sucks.

It's exactly the kind of thing you drink when you know nothing about drinking. Now I grant you...some people acquire a taste for similar beverages. I can't say I'm one of them...but I won't throw them all under the bus. I will just say this....Mikes is full of acid. its tastes like lemonade enough that you can get them really cold

...and get girls to drink them with you....and it makes for a fun day in high school or college. 


After too many rounds with Mike's or the like...its just too much., however. Hopefully you find better alcohol before it burns a hole in your stomach.

From Mike's, I went to hard liquor.

Liquor is good...because it gets you there....faster, for cheaper. And when you're in college....thats all the fuck that matters...plus you can turn it into tasty drinks with lots of shit mixed in...and its a guarantee for a good night.




I'll be the first to admit that i wasn't an early adopter of drinking. i didn't really drink regularly until my sophomore year of college. maybe thats embarrassing to admit, but whatevs.

Anyway, I think most people drink beer first, or at least second. i didn't...i didn't drink bud light until...idk...a year or two into drinking. it quickly became the most prevalent beverage at the parties i went to, but when i was buying or looking for booze, it was usually hard liquor. at least during college. raspberry vodka...malibu....other kinds of rum....other kinds of vodka.

pussy drinks.










 ..basically.



When I finally got into beer, it was light beer only. and really...whatever was around. if i had a choice, i drank bud light. naturally you end up doing shots of this or that throughout a lifetime....but my beverage of choice, was bud lights.

and then i found...

 

 This is not the king of beers, this is not a staple of any beer fridge (unless you have women coming over...they sometimes like blue moon). This is the segue drug of the beer world. Its what opens you up to looking into beers that aren't bud, miller, or coors. this is a chance to taste something fairly mild, and let it bring you into a world where beer can be more than a way it get you drunk. it can be a DELICIOUS way...to get you drunk.

I say this because Blue Moon led me to Sam Summer....then to the other Sam seasonals. which led me to darker beers....more bitter beers....IPA's, Lagers, Stouts....the list goes on. I shall dedicate the next entry to the beers Ive been trying, and giving them a fair rating in terms of how they stack up against some classics. 

i shall be including the input of others into the posting so as to have a balanced opinion. 

be on the lookout. 

in summary....

booze is great. there are so many sub categories of booze that i really must dedicate a full posting to each sub category, and get some opinions of people who actually know. that will be fun. we haven't even touched on wine yet...which when we start talking about our Culi-ningus segment here on kzzy....we open up a window into food, wine, and merriment.

ya know?

ok, this has taken some time out of my day that i really don't have, and as such...i shall renew my efforts to have a productive work day.

good talk

CHEAU

As promised...

This week's sports wrap up...courtesy of one George Bryant...

And now...In his words


"The latest chapter in the Brady-Manning / Brady-Del Rio / Manning-Belichick  odyssey has come to a close.  On Sunday, we saw who the better quarterback was (at least this year), we saw who had the better team, and we saw how very quickly expectation and entitlement can be turned into defeat, disappointment, and quite frankly, for the more passionate among us, sheer frustration, bitter rage and utter disdain for everything we thought we knew and had come to expect from a team who, for better or for worse, took us all on one hell of a roller coaster ride in 2013-2014.

After allowing my rage to subside, the disappointment to wash over me and its waters recede into the expanse of yet another football offseason where we, the most fortunate and spoiled fans in the NFL ponder what it will take to reach the top of the mountain again and recapture the glory, I still have trouble sorting through the mess inside my head of what happened yesterday.   Serenity now… serenity now… 

It can be argued that Tom Brady had one of his best seasons, however inconsistent he may have seemed at times.  Entering the season without the three biggest pieces of his offense last year in Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker, he was literally left to his own devices to find a way to replace 224 receptions, 22 touchdowns and 2,627 yards.  Julian Edelman stepped up in a big way this season, but I can’t help thinking that his production is more a result of who’s throwing him the ball and how this offense is geared towards smaller, quicker receivers and the quick slant / over-the-middle game more as opposed to him being a legitimate ProBowl-caliber receiver capable of catching 100+ balls and 1,000+ yards every year.  It’s also clear that Danny Amendola still has yet to fully grasp the concept of this offense and Brady’s timing, patterns and routes.  He was targeted once yesterday.  TARGETED ONCE.  Guess who else was targeted once yesterday?  Matthew Slater.  A Special Teamer.  I can’t continue trying to figure this out or I will suffer an aneurism.Serenity now… serenity now… 

it can also be said that Coach Bill may have done his best work this year, coaching this team to an unlikely AFC Championship game in the face of everything they had to withstand – the loss of Mayo, Wilfork, Spikes, Talib for a time, Amendola for a time, Gronkowski for more than half the season, Hernandez, Welker, Tebow… wait, what?  Except for him, every loss was huge.  And as they stacked up, we had to know the levee would break.  It had to.  How can you lose the two anchors – the two field generals – of your defense and still get to a Conference Championship?  They did.  How can you have two rookie wideouts, and two slot receivers under 6’ tall, one of whom misses four games, and still make it to within one game of the Super Bowl?  They did.  It’s for this one reason alone that I say no matter how much you may dislike Belichick, his treatment of the media and his methods of managing his team, you cannot deny the man is one of, if not the best, as an NFL head coach.  How many teams struggle to be successful, and scores of others literally languish in and out of every season knowing they have no shot at even playing .500 football?  Yet here we are, once again disappointed that we’re not in a Super Bowl, but that we’ve played in FIVE Super Bowls since 2001 and EIGHT Conference Championships in the same span.   I still take Bill Belichick over any coach in the NFL, and it’s not even close.

What is close, however, is the end.  The ever-closing window on the New England Patriots and their chances at seeing the top of that mountain, and hoisting another Lombardi trophy.  Tom Brady will be 37 entering the 2014-2015 season.  By most assumptions, that gives him 3 solid years left before his age dictates just how far he can go on the field.  The Patriots have to be prepared for the fact that he has two very good seasons left in him before they have to start figuring out who will be drafted or brought in to take over as the face of this franchise.  And although the Patriots are arguably the best in the game at moving forward and being consistent with the “DO YOUR JOB” and “NEXT MAN UP” mantra, I can’t help but think they need to start going all-in on Tom Brady.  Quarterbacks like this are generational; they don’t come around often, if at all, and they must capitalize on what they have before his age gets the better of him.  

Two years ago, I scoffed at the idea that the Patriots needed more offensive weapons, needed more ways in which they could average or eclipse 35 points a game.  The offense was fine as it was and was not the reason they couldn’t get over the hump in big playoff games.  Now, the story is different.  The defense is trending in a positive direction.  Injuries notwithstanding, they have a core who can make plays, turn the ball over and take away the opposition’s biggest threats, even if the linebackers are average at best in coverage situations.  The offense, however, has lost too much punch.  While they’ve gained what has shown to be a potent running attack with Ridley and Blount, the running game has become complimentary; it’s a passing league.  The league changed several rules just to make the passing game a more prominent part of today’s NFL.  And with that, the Patriots must respond in kind.  It’s clear that Tom Brady is deficient when it comes to connecting on a deep pass with any accuracy.  They can’t stretch the field with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Austin Collie.  Running Gronk up the seam is always a nice chunk play, but that leaves him exposed and prone to further injury; a fact that we have seen now for three years is devastating to this team’s ability to move the ball and score in the red zone with any efficiency.  What the Patriots lack now is the ability to open up the field and keep a defense on its heels and spread out. Amendola and Edelman are both great options in an underneath passing attack allowing Brady to keep the chains moving, but they have nothing to show out wide up the sidelines or over the middle downfield.  Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson may develop into just what they need, but forgive me if I reference history and the Patriots past failures in drafting reliable wide receivers.  Although it was injury that kept them out this year and not lack of talent or inability to grasp the playbook, we still saw moments of confusion and misunderstanding highlighted by Brady openly “communicating” to them where they should have been on certain routes.  

 Perhaps it’s the perpetual front-and-center idea of “value” that caused them to pass on the likes of Anquan Boldin and Mike Wallace, but this offense would look drastically different with tall, long, physical receivers who could go up and get the passes Brady overthrows or get open downfield to be able to pick up more yardage and extend drives.  It’s hard to say the Patriots should swallow their pride and break the rules that made them the most successful franchise in football over the past fourteen years.  What we do know is that quarterbacks like Tom Brady can change a franchise for a decade or more.   And we all must resign ourselves to the fact that it may all be over inside of five years.  Tom Brady is 7-8 in his last 15 playoff games.  It would be nice to see him cement his career with another Championship without having to do it with retreads, rookies and punt returning slot receivers.   There’s no shame in going all in. "

FUCKING SHIT

Well....congrats Denver and Seattle......


FOR RUINING MY FUCKING WEEKEND!!!!!!!

i am going to let G5 give you the business later today...or this week. i don't think you're ready for it world....


but kzzyers....i know you're up for the challenge....

Boom goes....your face!!

I can still touch my toes.


Good morning to anyone who will ever read this. It's morning. I've gotten my day off to an early start. already had some good conversations with people, so i'm in a good mood.

that being said...i have several things i need to get off my chess.


firstly, the anticipation of Brady v Manning for the AFC championship, is fucking giving me heart palpitations.

I mean, these guys are both champions. First ballot hall of famers. playing some of the best football of their careers (see: peyton manning), and just as everyone wanted, they are going to be facing off on Sunday for the fucking AFC championship. Both teams have weaknesses on one side of the ball or the other. Patriots most notably have lost countless players, and have still managed to be in this spot. Denver on the other hand, has had a fairly solid receiving core all season with the likes of welker, decker, etc. still managed to lose several games, probably because of their defense....and it just makes for a hell of a matchup now that we are heading into the superbowl stretch.

whichever team wins, they will be going up against a very solid NFC....should be a hell of a Superbowl too.


In other news, its been a decent winter. Weather-wise anyway. some snow, so it feels like winter, but warmer days mixed in there so we aren't buried under bullshit piles of snow, especially here in the city. I can't speak for the burbs, as i'm sure up where booty on the street reporter, Tony Steel lives, i think they got a bunch more.

anyway, glad to be heading towards spring in the next few months....and with spring, comes one of the greatest past times of them all....

Golf.

until such time as i see fit to post again, i bid you all...a good day



CHEAU