Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Week 4 - Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (Plus Picks!)

Here kitty, kitty, kitty...

Hello again, Vikings fans! Welcome back to Ten & Six with Mike Otto.  Again, lifelong Vikings fan Mike Otto is with us this season to break down the Purple and the rest of the league.  It's Week 4, which means we're entering the quarter-pole for the 2012 NFL season.  Yes, already.

So Mr. Otto: Talk to us.

(Editors Note: A large chunk of this column was hammered out by Mike and myself during the days before the regular officials and NFL struck a deal).

Well, another wild and, at times, ragged week in the NFL is complete!  Another week of hard-to-believe upsets, controversial play calls, and player/commissioner animosity.

My picks went 6-10 last week, but my Vikings played their most complete game in over 2 years, so I'm a happy guy.

(Editors Note: Mike's pick for Thursday night's game between the Ravens & Browns was posted on our Facebook page here. Yet again, he picked against the Browns.  Yet again, he was correct.  OK, I'll shut up now.)

No one can deny the replacement officials have lost control of the situation.  The tension and anger with some coaches & teams is building and nearing a breaking point.  I am not denying any of that, as it is a very serious problem that only the real refs can fix.

However, throughout the history of the NFL, calls have been missed almost every week, sometimes on much greater stages than what occurred Monday night.  Unless proof of direct intent to alter games through bad calls comes to light we cannot blame these poor bastards known as the replacement refs.

They are just guys who got an opportunity to better their lives and, regardless of the challenges that came with that opportunity, said, "Hey, I'm gonna give it a shot."  If Roger Goodell knocked on my door and asked if I wanted $25 grand to ref maybe five weeks of football I'd be a fucking idiot not to take him up on it.  Do I know the game well enough to give it a good effort and do an average job?  Hell yes!  Will I be as good as the guys who do this every year? Probably not.

For guys like T.J. Lang & Josh Sitton to insult these poor bastards (from the comfort of their multi-million dollar homes), saying "they knew what they were getting into..." yeah, they knew they were getting into $25 grand!  Which is probably what you wipe your ass with.

Hey Josh Sitton & T.J. Lang, maybe you should work on those screen door blocking techniques before you open your big dumb mouth and let words fall out.  Maybe next time.

(Mike's Late Note: The replacement officials will be gone for this week's games, so this can all be put behind us.  All things considered though, I think they did a decent job.  The Packers lost that game because they played poorly for 3 quarters.)

Now that I've got that off my chest, on to the picks for this week!

(Mike is currently 25-24 (including last Thursday) so far this season.)

Carolina (1-2) at Atlanta (3-0)

Is the sophomore slump in effect for Cam Newton?  It sure seems like it.  After losing only one game in college, Killa Cam hasn't even sniffed a winning record in the NFL.

It doesn't get any easier this week as the Panthers travel to Atlanta to take on one of the best teams in the league.  Julio Jones looks unstoppable with Matt Ryan throwing him the ball.  Falcons roll 38-21.

New England (1-2) at Buffalo (2-1)

Ohhh poor little Boston is 1-2!!  Poor little bitches!  Hey Belicheck, YOU DON'T get to grab a ref when he's leaving the field.  That ref isn't starstruck, he doesn't care who you are or what you've done.  He's probably thinking about the frozen burrito he's going to eat tonight.

The entitlement attitude displayed by some coaches and teams really bothers me.  Whether they deserve to or not, I think Boston gets back to .500 this week with a 28-20 victory.

Tennessee (1-2) at Houston (3-0)

Tennessee pulled off the upset last week against the Lions with the aid of two special teams touchdowns.  They will more than likely need four special teams touchdowns to beat the Texans.

Houston might be the best team in the NFL right now.  They win this one easy 35-17.

San Diego (2-1) at Kansas City (1-2)

Next to the Packers and Bears, I hate the Chargers Most.  Not really sure why, just do.  Phillip Rivers and Norv Turner are a big part of it.  It will be fun to see Norv on Proactiv infomercials after he gets fired.  It will be even more fun to see Phillip Rivers on Stay Free Ultra Dry commercials in the offseason.

Kansas City is coming off a big road win against the Saints and I think they build on it this week.  Chiefs win a close one 24-21.

Seattle (2-1) at St. Louis (1-2)

If you haven't heard, Seattle is coming off a hard fought victory on Monday night.  St. Louis is coming off an all-to-common thrashing by their last opponent... DA BEARS.

The Seahawks fought, clawed, pushed, and shoved until the final minute to win that game.  The Rams were thoroughly mounted by the Bears for four quarters.

The Seahawks defense is mean and will win them this game, just like it won their last one.  Hawks roll 23-10.

San Francisco (2-1) at New York Jets (2-1)

The Jets are in trouble.  You don't normally say that about a 2-1 team, but most teams don't have fat, doomed Rex Ryan as head coach.  "Revis Island" is no longer accepting tourists for the rest of the year and this does not bode well for their playoff hopes & (foot fetish) dreams.

The Niners are coming off a loss where they were beaten at their own game by my favorite 11.  They are angry, they are hungry, and they are still scary good.  Did I mention Rex Ryan is fat and doomed?  I mentioned that, right?  Niners win 28-17

Miami (1-2) at Arizona (3-0)

The Cardinals are a surprising 3-0 and they're getting it done the old-fashioned way: hard-nosed defense and ball control offense.  They are for real.  Kevin Kolb out-performed former teammate and convicted dog murderer Michal Vick (fuck you, Michael Vick).

No Reggie Bush for Miami?  No chance for Miami!  Cards win at home 20-6.

Oakland (1-2) at Denver (1-2)

Oakland pulled off a stunning second half comeback last week against the Steelers behind a big day by Darren McFadden.

Seems like Peyton Manning is still trying to figure out timing & chemistry with his new teammates.  They had better hurry up.  A season can get away from you real fast.  Broncos get back in the win column this week with a 24-17 victory.

Cincinnati (2-1) at Jacksonville (1-2)

God, I just don't care about this game.  Let's say... Bengals win 20-10.

New Orleans (0-3) at Green Bay (1-2)

The Packers offense is ranked 28th through 3 weeks of the season.  This, more than anything else, is the reason they are 1-2.  All the delusional Packer fans in the world can't change that.

The Packers offense has a great chance to get healthy against a Saints defense that is just godawful.  I just don't see a Drew Brees-led team starting 0-4.  Saints pick up a huge road win and put the Packers in a tough early season hole.  31-28 Saints.

Washington (1-2) at Tampa Bay (1-2)

Last week I apologized to Josh Freeman and put him on a big game.  What happened?  The Ford Pinto that is Josh Freeman broke down (once again) with a stinky 10-28 performance and made me look stupid (once again).  At least we know he's good at one thing consistently.  So listen up, Freeman!  I don't think you're qualified to throw my trash away, much less throw a football for an NFL team!  You're as mobile as a sloth after a mid-day nap and as accurate as a pre-Iraq War New York Times article!  Time to watch a real QB play ball this week, Joshy boy.

RG III and the 'Skins win this one 28-13

New York Giants (2-1) at Philadelphia (2-1)

Philly is garbage.  Michael Vick is trash.  Their fans are scumbags.  Andy Reid can't manage the clock.  Have fun wallowing in your own misery, you fucks.  Way to sign Vick a $100 million contract after a few good games.  Fuck yourself, Philly.  Giants win 24-10.

Chicago (2-1) at Dallas (2-1)

The Bears are a tough test in Dallas, but the Cowboys are a different team at home.  Tony Romo really seems to feed off his home crowd and Jay Cutler seems to hold the ball too long.  That could be a problem with Demarcus Ware coming after him.  Cowboys win 20-17.

And with that, on to the Purple!

The Vikings are coming off their biggest win in over two years.  All three phases of the game were clicking for my favorite squad and it was a breath of fresh air.

The refs gave the Niners two extra timeouts, but it didn't matter because the Vikings played well enough to overcome a referee mistake (can't say that about the Packers).

Follow up a victory against the Niners with a victory in your first divisional game of the season and suddenly the league will be paying attention to the Purple.

There's no reason we can't win this game.  We took the Lions to the wire twice last year, only to come up just short both times.  If the refs don't miss a blatant 15-yard facemasking penalty committed on Joe Webb in the final minute the Vikings win one of those games for sure.

Unlike Packer fans, none us that bleed purple flew to New York, none of us stood outside the Metrodome protesting, and their was no national outrage.  Why, you ask?  For one, we're all adults with real lives.  Second, the happiness of our lives does not depend on football wins and losses.

My point being, we almost won last year when the team was much less complete.

Before we get into this week's game, though, let's look at the positives and negatives from last week.  First, the positives:

-Play calling: I was hard on Bill Musgrave last week and, to his credit, he put together a great game plan against a great defense.  The players, to their credit, executed it to perfection.

-Defense: For the first time in over two years the Vikings won the turnover battle.  Wow, has it been that long?  Sadly, yes, but well done.

-Christian Ponder: It's starting to look like he could be "the guy."  It's been so long since this team has had "the guy" at QB that I don't even know exactly how to feel.  I keep waiting for rug to be pulled out from under me.  Ponder that.

-Offensive Line: Ponder wasn't sacked once!  Against a defense as fierce as the 49ers, that might be the biggest accomplishment of them all.

-Penalties: Only one penalty last week!  How about that, Packers fans?

Now, the negatives:

-Toby Gerhart: Frazier and Musgrave inexplicably allowed Gerhart to touch the ball after two consecutive fumbles.  We were quickly rewarded with another fumble.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-1) at DETROIT LIONS (1-2)

Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:

Key #1: Establish the pace of the game.

We can't win a fast-paced, quick-touchdown type of contest.  Look for the Vikings to try to open the game with a long, methodical drive like they did against the Niners.

Key #2: Knock Matthew Stafford down early.

He's got a tweaked hamstring, so his mobility may be affected.  If we can get a couple hits and a sack on him early he might start to rush some throws, giving the Vikings an opportunity to grab an interception.

Key #3: Keep a safety deep.

We don't have a corner that can cover Megatron one-on-one over the course of an entire game.  He's a threat to take it to the house at anytime and the Vikings can't let him beat them single-handedly.

Matchups To Watch: 

Matchup #1: Jerome Simpson vs. Louis Delmas

The Vikings get their best deep threat receiver back after his 3 game suspension for smokin' the weed.  Yes, Chong Simpson is fast and athletic while Delmas   is a step slow for an NFL safety.  I hope to see the Vikings take a couple shots deep.

Matchup #2: Christian Ponder vs. The World

Ponder played the best game of his career last week and still faces plenty of doubters and questions.  This kid is dedicated (I can call him a kid because he's younger than me!).  I mean, he dumped his girlfriend to focus on football! (And he could have any woman in MPLS)  If CP7 follows up last week with another stellar performance against an average Lions defense it's time to throw those middle fingers up to everybody.

(Editor's Note: Kacie McDonnel, above, is CP7's now-ex-girlfriend.  Also, 'gratuitous' is in the eye of the beholder)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY QUARTERBACK NOW!

Mike's All Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week:

Running Back Adrian Peterson: 19 carries, 120 yards, 1 touchdown

Adrian has been consistently great against the Lions, topping 100 yards more times against Detroit than any other team.  The longest run of his career came against the Lions, an 80 yard scamper back in 2009.

Final Takes:

Vikings beat the Niners, Niners beat the Lions, ergo Vikings should beat the Lions!  Oh, if only it were that simple!

I don't see any reason the Vikings can't win this game if they come out with a solid gameplan and execute.  They need to keep the balance of run/pass they had last week, which kept a great defense guessing all day.

I want to see 15-20 touches for Adrian, 5-6 intermediate throws to Rudolph, and at least 1-2 completions of 20+ yards to Chong Simpson.  Add in the 9-10 receptions that Percy will get and there is no way we lose this game.

The Vikings discovered an identity last week for the first time since 2009.  They now have the model for victory, it's just a matter of keeping it fresh and recreating it week after week.  I find myself being legitimately excited about this squad.  We've got the pieces, now let's put the puzzle together!

Win this game and the rest of the league will have to start respecting us as a legit playoff contender.  Suck a dick, America, here comes the Purple!

FINAL SCORE:

Minnesota Vikings: 23
Detroit Lions: 20

Bam! 3-1 here we come!  For more of the always entertaining Mike Otto, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@SwervinTaters).  He'll be commenting on the game this Sunday in between creeper tweets directed at Kacie McDonnel.

Of course, this blog has a Twitter home too (@NewestIndustry1), which you should follow if you want to watch someone attempt to crush Mike's attempts to woo Ms. McDonnel.  We're also on Facebook here.  Stop by and give us a like and we will personally guarantee you that the Vikings will make the playoffs (guarantees not void on any planet consisting of vegetation).

Songs Of The Week #7: TCDroogsma

Shovels & Rope, Matthew E. White, Grizzly Bear, Calexico, & Adelyn Rose

Hello again, music fans and welcome to Songs Of The Week #7!  We're changing it up a bit this week as, despite our best efforts, all of our regular contributors were out being young, social, attractive, fulfilled... basically enjoying life to its fullest.

Well, nearly all of them.  Unsurprisingly, TCDroogsma was still VERY available to have a listen to the songs this week.

Hopefully you've take our advice already and started download the podcast for yourself.  If you haven't, be sure to follow this link to sign up.  It's free music, everybody!  What's better than that?!?

So, TCDroogsma, take it away!

01. Shovels & Rope - Birmingham (from the album O' Be Joyful)

 
TCDroogsma:

     Dear The Current: That's enough of this completely mythologized, Americana bullshit!  I realize I didn't pay for this song, but I want my money back.  In fact, you should be paying me to listen to this.

     Honestly, even my love of boy/girl vocal combos can't save this trainwreck.  This song actually contains the line, "Pulled her covered wagon of the BQE, said 'this'll ever be the last you see of me."  Seriously, Teen Wolf was more realistic than this.  Stands up better too.  If I could give this song less than zero I'd do it (though, ironically, I'd give the song "Less Than Zero" a three of five.

Final Score:  TCDroogsma - 0/5

02. Matthew E. White - One Of These Days (from the album Big Inner)

   
TCDroogsma:

    The first couple of times I listened to this one it didn't even register.  I made out some vague metaphors about a woman and some water and that was about it.

     As the week went on, I started to notice the way this song is structured.  It very patiently builds verse to verse, starting with just drums and a bass guitar, adding strings, adding horns, and coming to a brilliant drop out that leaves the vocals all alone.  Sadly, there isn't much payoff after that.  For a song I was willing to dismiss as Ray Montagne on his worst day ever, the fact that I found any redeeming quality is a win.

Final Score: TCDroogsma - 2.5/5

03. Grizzly Bear - Yet Again (from the album Shields)

TCDroogsma:

     Now, I know that in the indie rock world Grizzly Bear is a big deal.  They're a relevant, album-driven band and they deserve my full attention.  Hell, Jay-Z even shouted them out.  In this regard, I have failed.  I think I only know two Grizzly Bear songs and I cannot recall either of them off the top of my head.

     Everything I've read about Shields claims that it is an album that demands repeated listens to appreciate all of its beauty.  Based on this lead single I would imagine that's true (this one did grow on me as the week went on).  However, I would imagine this was made the lead single because it is immediately accessible.  It is made accessible by the fact that it sounds like 800 other indie rock songs that come out each week.  If you told me this was the new single from Sea Wolf I wouldn't even bat an eye.  This is not to say it's a bad song (it's not), but it is not a particularly memorable one, either.  I almost would have preferred if they'd put out one of the "difficult" songs as a single just to see what all the fuss is about.

Final Score: TCDroogsma - 3/5

04. Calexico - Splitter (from the album Algiers)

 
TCDroogsma:

     To be completely honest, I've never totally gotten the appeal of Calexico.  All of their songs sound pretty much the same to me.  I suppose being the best kinda-Mexican-inspired indie rock band in the world is not actually that difficult of a feat.

     Anyway, "Splitter" sounds like every other Calexico song you've ever heard.  Even though there's a great plinking-piano bit and some intriguing horns, they're both drowned in the mix by an acoustic guitar.  Yes, the horns are drowned out by an acoustic guitar.

     There is absolutely nothing memorable about this song.  The second it ends I completely forget everything about it.  I would imagine this is the aural equivalent of having sex with Zooey Deschanel.

Final Score:  TCDroogsma - 1/5

05. Adelyn Rose - It Means Shadow (from their Tour EP 2012)

 
TCDroogsma: 

     Not a great song, but definitely one that grew on me as the week went on.  The fuzzed out, somewhat off-kilter guitars give this song a bit of a 90's vibe, which, if I'm the target audience, is always a good thing.  The hooks in this song are not instantly memorable, but if you find this song coming up randomly a year from now, I promise that the hook will come instantly to the front of your mind.

     Rose's voice is double-tracked and cuts pretty clearly through the fuzz, yet still somehow manages to sound un-polished.  Really, quite a job their by whoever produced this track.  I have not paid any attention to the lyrics in this song.  I'm going to go ahead and assume they have something to with a shadow.  Maybe?  I dunno.

Final Score:  TCDroogsma - 2.5

Well there you go everybody!  Thanks for stopping and again, sorry for the delayed post.  We're all busy, busy people.

As always, this blog is in no way affiliated with The Current, Minnesota Public Radio, or the artists.  It is also not affiliated with any parent companies, big tobacco, the Obama administration, Skull & Bones, Sam Walton, Chrysler Motor Corp., ConAgra, the British Royal Family, or the NFL and its subsidiaries. Though we're certainly available for the right price.

For more TCDroogmsa he can be found on Twitter & Instagram under that name.  He can also be found on his own blog Flatbasset.  He actually may be affiliated with a few NFL subsidiaries.  Not sure.

This blog, of course, maintains a Twitter account (@NewestIndustry1) and a Facebook page here.  Be sure to stop by and give it a 'like' if you'd like to make sure MinneSarah makes it backs next week to make this column readable again.

         

Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Week 3 - San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings (Plus Picks!)

Pull Your #84 Jerseys Out...

Well hello football fans! Welcome to Mike Otto's Ten & Six: Week 3. This week Mr. Otto will break down this Sunday's Minnesota Vikings/San Francisco 49ers “contest” and give us his picks for the rest of the league. So far this season Mike is sporting a 18-14 record with the picks and 1-1 picking the Purple's games. Mr. Otto, the floor is yours.

It was a crazy week in the NFL! The Patriots, Ravens, Saints, & Cowboys all lost & my picks still managed to go 9-7! I like that, but I can't help lamenting what could have been had the teams who are “better on paper” all won. If the NFL has taught us anything over the years it's that who is "better on paper" doesn't mean a damn thing.

The hardest part of picking games is locating upsets and trap games. This proves even more difficult during the early stages of the season. That being said, I can still do better (much like my favorite football team). Let's see if I can hit a few upsets this week.

St. Louis (1-1) at Chicago (1-1)

St. Louis & Brad Samford pulled off a legitimately epic comeback against RG III and the rest of his kinda-just-OK-at-football Redskins.

Can we all just accept that Jay Cutler will never be elite? He's a good QB who can have great games but is also prone to the occasional stinker. He's a risk-taker. High risk, high reward. He is also a genuine prick and I consider him the A.J. Pierzynski of football. Funny, two of the biggest douchebags in sports play in Chicago. Now that just makes sense. Bears D is too good to lose this one at home. Final score 27-14

(Editor's Note: Yup, Brad Samford)

Buffalo (1-1) at Cleveland (0-2)

Perhaps the strangest occurrence last week was the Weed Whacker himself, Brandon Weeden, throwing for 300+ yards. He got a lot of help (good protection, lots of short passes, Trent Richardson) and the Browns still lost! Ouch. Poor Cleveland.

C.J. Spiller had a huge first half for the Bills last week as they dispatched the Chiefs easily. I think they get this one too. Final score 21-10 (Cleveland just loves disappointing home crowds).

Tampa Bay (1-1) at Dallas (1-1)

I have trashed Josh Freeman's ability to be a successful NFL quarterback twice this season. Well, Mr. Freeman's ears must have been burning because he has had two impressive performances and his team's 1-1. So no more! Josh Freeman, you are everything and I am nothing. You are a stellar individual, a pillar of strength in the community, while I am a sad little man of poor quality, stature, and standards.

The Bucs coaches are letting Freeman air it out and it's working. The Tampa Bay secondary looks elite and this does not bode will for a certain dim-witted quarterback with a star on his helmet.

Last week was really a CLASSIC Tony Romo Era-Cowboys let down game, wasn't it? Like so many times in the the past, Tony Romo & the rest of the Cowboys came out and laid an egg after a big win the week before. Every time you think, “Wow, this team is gonna turn the corner!” they come out and remind us all that Romo isn't Aikman, D'marco Murray isn't Emmit Smith, & Little Dezzy Bryant isn't Michael Irvin.

Sidenote: My co-worker (an avid Cowboys fan) said “I am done with football” after last week's game. Sure, haven't heard that before. Bucs win 21-17

Jacksonville (0-2) at Indianapolis (1-1)

Poor Jacksonville barely managed 100 yards total against the Texans last week. I'm not entirely certain anyone has ever taken the time to teach Blaine Gabbert how to throw a spiral.

It is apparent, however, that somebody taught Andrew Luck. Man, did he have some zip on that ball last week! Looked surprisingly elusive as well. Colts win 24-10.

New York Jets (1-1) at Miami (1-1)

An interesting matchup here and a tough choice. The Dolphins surprised me last week with that offensive explosion. Reggie Bush is going nuts, topping 100 yards rushing in 5 of his last 6 games dating back to last season.

Rex Ryan and the Jets can't beat good teams that have a strong defense, so they rely upon a fast start to win games. I don't think they get it this week and fall to the Dolphins in a close game in Miami. Final score 23-17.

Kansas City (0-2) at New Orleans (0-2)

The Saints defense is worthless and it's killing this team. It may be a passing league, but if Drew Brees has to continue throwing the ball 50 times a game and only connecting on half of them it's gonna be a long season.

The Saints get a chance to establish the run a bit more against a sad Kansas City Chiefs team. To be fair, I'd be sad if I lived in Kansas City too. Matt Kassel got severely out-performed by Ryan Fitzpatrick (ugh, that has to hurt) and the Chiefs defense looks like garbage. The Saints can't lose this game, right? Saints roll 35-17.

Detroit (1-1) at Tennessee (0-2)

Wow. It's getting ugly quickly for the Titans. Jake Locker is pressing and looks lost. CJ(No)K is blaming everyone else when he needs to look in the mirror. He also needs to learn how to hit a hole and stop dancing around in the backfield. Perhaps he should just give up and sign a contract with “Dancing With The Stars” already.

The Motor City Kitties take this easily 28-7

Sidenote: Can we just change Chris Johnson's nickname from "CJ2K" to “The Million Dollar Baby?”

Cincinnati (1-1) at Washington (1-1)

Washington lost defensive star Brian Orakpo for the season last week and I think it damages their playoff hopes. They could have won last week's game against the Rams if it wasn't for hot-head Josh Morgan and a terrible special teams effort. Redskins punter Sal Rocca can't block the rush & punt the ball! Come on! That special teams coordinator should be in hot water.

The Red Menace Andy Dalton won an unlikely shootout against the Browns last week, but can he win road games? Naw, probably not. RG III single-handedly carries the 'Skins to victory this week. Final score 27-21.

Philadelphia (2-0) at Arizona (2-0)

Two teams with big upset victories last week. Two teams I can't believe are 2-0. The Eagles are the first team since 1983 to win their first two games while committing 8 or more turnovers. That won't last. To keep winning they must cut back on the turnovers.

The biggest strength for both of these teams is their defensive front 7. Those groups are big, mean, and tough. Whichever team's offensive line performs better will win. I mean, one of these teams has to lose, right?

The Dog Murderer will continue to throw picks this week and the surprising Cardinals improve to 3-0! Go Kevin Kolb! (I feel dirty writing that) (Editors note: Me too). 20-13 Cards on top.

Atlanta (2-0) at San Diego (2-0)

Did you know that “San Diego” is German for “A Phillip Rivers Vagina?” Also, fuck Norv Turner. What an overrated coach. Can't wait until the end of this year, the Chargers miss the playoffs, and Norv Turner will finally get the ax. Get his pock-marcked face off my TV once and for all!

Atlanta is the most complete team in the NFL and I think they will end the regular season with the best record in the NFL.  Atlanta wins on the road 31-21.

Houston (2-0) at Denver (1-1)

Peyton Manning is frustrated with questions about his arm strength. I think he's actually just frustrated with his weak-ass arm.

Two weeks into the season and Houston looks scary good on both sides of the ball. This will be, by far, their biggest test yet this season and we should have a better understanding of just how good the Texans are come Sunday night.

I think this game could go either way, but I'm betting Peyton Manning wins the game in the 4^th despite the aforementioned questionable arm. 34-28 Broncos win.

Pittsburgh (1-1) at Oakland (0-2)

Roll over, boy! Roll over... Good Oakland Raiders! Good boy, yes you are!

In what may be the football equivalent of a Globetrotters/Generals game, Big Ben Rapistburger will somehow avoid sack after sack while getting the ball downfield.

The Raiders, on the other hand, will get Carson Palmer-ed once again en route to another impressive defeat. I do like Darren McFadden though. I think he could have a big game. Final score 31-14 Pittsburgh.

New England (1-1) at Baltimore (1-1)

This might be the game of the week! Neither of these teams want to be 1-2, but one of them will be after this weekend.

Wes Welker is seemingly being phased out, but that was before they lost Aaron Hernandez. If the Patriots want to win this game I think they're going to need Welker.

The Pats have the better quarterback, but the Ravens are the more physical team. I think that the Ravens will try to slow the pace of this game and make it more of a “grind it out” contest. 1-2 will indeed sting... FOR THOSE LITTLE BOSTON BITCHES!! Ravens win 27-24.

Green Bay (1-1) at Seattle (1-1)

I will just come out and say it: This is going to be a close game that the Packers will lose. Sorry Green Bay fans, but this is a big time trap game.

If the Seahawks are allowed to establish Marshawn Lynch and get him into Beast Mode, as I think they will, the Packers will be tripped up just enough by a good Seahawks defense. Boom! There's your upset game. Seahawks win 24-17.

Now for the Purple:

Well, last week was a tough game for our favorite squad. After the loss I went through a range of healthy emotions, starting with anger, into rage, then back to anger, and then ending up at a hatred of everything.

After a week of decompression, I think I can analyze last week and this week's games properly. Let's look at what we're left with: Just the facts.

The game against the Colts was almost identical to the game against the Jags except for the most important part: the outcome.

I am disturbed with the play-calling on both sides of the ball for the Vikings.  I want to see more risks taken early in the game on offense. Christian Ponder has masterfully executed touchdown drives in the 4^th quarter when we had no choice but to throw every down. How about infusing a few of those plays into our 1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd quarter offense instead of going run, run, checkdown, punt every freaking time!

In my opinion, if we have smarter coaches and a more aggressive gameplan we beat the Colts last week.

Let's look at some positives & negatives from last week. First, the positives:

-Percy Harvin: He is a beast. Our offense would be very sad without this guy. I'm talking sad-clown-scaring-children sad.

-Christian Ponder: For the first time in a long time the QB isn't our biggest problem. Let him air it out early! See what happens. What do you have to lose this week? We're not going to get to the end of this game and say, “Wow, a few more 2 yard runs and we'd have won this game!”

-Matt Kalil: Through two games he's only give up one sack. Keep it up, rook!

And the negatives:

-PLAY CALLING: It lacks creativity offensively and shows no faith in our downfield passing game. If I'M getting that vibe how do you think Ponder and the receivers feel? Our favorite play call is a quick screen to Percy out in the flat. Really re-inventing the wheel with that one, aren't we?!?

On defense, can someone please explain to me why Erin Henderson is being asked to cover Reggie Wayne 30 yards downfield? Maybe the Tampa 2 isn't the defense to call when teams have 3 or more receivers on the field. I hope Zygi Wilf is paying attention, because if this is a season-long trend the coaches need to go! Just drive a dump truck full of money up to Bill Cowher's house. Fuck it.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (2-0) at MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-1)

Three Keys To The Vikings Not Being Embarrassed:

Key #1: Surprise the 49ers with your gameplan early.

Take some shots downfield right away. Fuck it, what do you have to lose? Nothing! What do you have to gain? Everything

 

Key #2: Stop the run.

The 49ers are going to gouge us with the pass down the middle of the field. There is no avoiding this. If we can't stop the run either it's going to be a blowout.

Key #3: Lock Bill Musgrave in a closet before the game.

No, seriously.

Matchups To Watch:

Matchup #1: Vernon Davis vs. Marvin Mitchell or Mistral Raymond.

Oh god, we're doomed.

Matchup #2: Randy Moss vs. The Downtown MPLS Metermaids.

Move, bitch, get out the way, get out the way bitch, get out the way! I'm excited to see Randy back in the Metrodome even if he's not playing for my favorite team. San Francisco is going to score some TD's and I hope Randy gets one of them.

Mike's All Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week:

Punter Chris Kluwe

I hope he stretches before the game, 'cause it's going to be a long day. 6 punts, 49.5 yards per punt with 2 inside the 20. Wooo!

Final Takes:

The 49ers are big, strong, and fast. First, I want to get out of this game with no major injuries to our big guns. Second, I want this team to put up a fight. Get angry! This is your home turf! If Musgrave is calling bullshit run plays and we're down by more than 10 points audible out of that shit! The players need to take control of their own destiny.

Erin Henderson is injured and I wouldn't mind seeing a little Audie Cole out there. Again, what do you have to lose?

Somehow find a way to win this game and it's a season-changer. I hope the Vikings believe in their chances more than I do.

I think the Vikes would need 30+ points to win this game. As much as I want to believe this will happen, it probably won't.

FINAL SCORE:

San Francisco 49ers: 28

Minnesota Vikings: 13

Enjoy the game and GO PURPLE!

There you have it, folks. If anybody has a vacant, soundproof closet available tomorrow afternoon, feel free to hit up Mike Otto on Twitter (@SwervinTaters). Even if you don't have a closet and a borderline pathological desire to see more passing plays, you should probably still give him a follow for his Vikings commentary. Second to none.

This blog also has a Twitter home (@NewestIndustry1) and a Facebook page here. If (read: when) the Vikings lose this Sunday you should stop by the page and give us a “Like.” It would cheer us all up. We're in this together, people!

TCDroogsma Presents: Flatbasset-September '12 (Prairie Pup Mix)

Don't mess up my bangs, I got them things perfect...

Well hello, fans of free music and/or prairie dogs.  Thanks for stopping by. If you're new to the Flatbasset Mix game, let us explain what you're looking at right now.

Flatbasset - September '12 (Prairie Pup Mix)

TCDroogsma, when he's not busy judging mp3's and judging food, likes to make these mixes for everybody.  They're typically between 10-12 songs and usually roughly 40 minutes long.  Follow the link above to download the free mix or to just give it a listen.  Do yourself a favor and check that out.  That being said, let's find out what TCDroogsma has to say about this mix.  Ay, TCDroogsma, what's good?

Not much, ominous blog voice.  How you feeling?

Blogs about to hit 1000 views.  We're feeling real good.

Good. Glad I could be a part of that.

Actually, just the other day somebody told us that, after reading your 'Songs Of The Week' column that, when it comes to music, you are a "little pissy bitch."  You cool with that?

Who would say something like that?

Not relevant.

I suppose not.  I just call 'em like I, err... hear 'em.

God, you just bleed cliches, don't you?

Now who's being the pissy bitch?

And now you're lashing.  Listen, you have anything to say about this mix or are we just going to call each other names?

If it's up to me we'll just keep arguing.  However, I fucking killed this mix, so maybe I'll say a few things about it.

Good.

Asshole.

01. Jack White - Love Interruption

One of my co-workers and I were in a heated debate the other day about whether Bob Dylan or Jakob Dylan was better.  If you know me, you know which side of this debate I was on.  As we were arguing the merits of 'One Headlight' versus 50 years of unlistenable bullshit another co-worker walked by and simply said, "Jack White."

When I asked him what the fuck he was on about he told me that he thought we were debating 'voice of a generation' types and that Jack White was going to go down as the Bob Dylan of this generation.  I was intrigued.  I've never thought of Jack White this way since so much of his music is self-mythologizing yarns that don't totally apply to modern life.  Still, I spent a good chunk of the week listening to old Jack White stuff trying to figure out if he might be right.  I feel like this song is one of the bullet points in the Power Point presentation for Jack White: Cultural Touchstone.

02. Domo Genesis & Alchemist - The Feeling

It's no secret that I'm a big, big fan of free mixtapes.  Sure, you have to slog through a lot of terrible songs to find the gems (which is typically true of fully-realized, record-label-backed hip-hop albums too), but it's totally worth it when you find gems like this. This track is from Domo Genesis & Alchemists mixtape No Idols, which you can, and should, download here.

Domo Genesis is one of the small army of Odd Future MC's.  Much like Hodgy Beats' Untitled mixtape from earlier this year, I found this album growing on me the more I listened to it.  Domo Genesis is a solid, sometimes great MC, and Alchemists vinyl-crackling beats are fucking stellar throughout.

  
03. Building Better Bombs - The Action Pact

THIS CITY IS NOT TAKING US SERIOUSLY, SO WE ARE SERIOUSLY TAKING THE CITY!

Realest talk.

04. Despot - Look Alive

Gingers of the world unite!

I've known about Despot for a while now thanks to his affiliation with the Def Jux crew, but he's got, like, zero official releases.  There's a long-standing rumour that he's putting together an album with Ratatat, but that rumour's been going on for years now.  I'll believe it when I see it.

Anyway, you might know him from his guest spot on El-P's "Tougher Colder Killer" or from his smoking hot opening verse on Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire's "The Last Huzzah!"  Here's hoping that Ratatat collaboration sees the light of day sometime.

05. Fugazi - Sweet And Low

After I threw that Eno instrumental in the middle of last month's mix I thought I'd throw on an equally enjoyable instrumental that has almost nothing in common with "Deep Blue Day."  I love that a band that's as lyrics-based as Fugazi could crush an instrumental like this.  I'll bet the guys in Mogwai cry every time they hear this song.

06. Marijuana Deathsquads - Top Down (w/Channy & Astronautalis)

Who would've thought that this is what Building Better Bombs would morph into?

"Top Down" is from the new MDS mixtape Tamper, Disable, Destroy, another freebie that you can download here.  If you don't know, Marijuana Deathsquads is essentially a collective built from the ashes of Building Better Bombs and Digitata.  Ryan Olson (who put together Gayngs), as the story goes, was having MC's & musicians over to his studio over the course of the summer recording whatever came to mind.  Eventually he cut it all up and built this mixtape out of the verses and beats.  For better or worse, this is an incredible portrait of where the Twin Cities are at in summer 2012.

07. Peter Adams - The Observatory

I know nothing about Peter Adams.  This was a Current SOTD years ago and it's one that I've been meaning to get into the mix for nearly as long.  While I can't explain exactly what I love about this song, I can tell you that I do, in fact, love this song.  Just enjoy it.

  
08. Rick Ross - 3 Kings (w/Dr. Dre & Jay-Z) / Brother Ali - 4th King

Alright, so here's the story.

Producer Jake One has a huge client base for his beats.  If you remember, he produced some G-Unit tracks a while back, provided the beats for Freeway's Rhymesayers album The Stimulus Package, put out his own awesome White Van Music with an army of guest MC's, and has been doing work with Brother Ali, among others, since.

Now, when Jake One & Brother Ali were working on Ali's new album Mourning In America, Dreaming In Colour, Jake One passed along this beat that, evidently, Brother Ali decided not to use.  Jake then brought the beat to Rick Ross, who took it and signed up Dre & Hova for his, 'these are my peers, no, really' track "3 Kings."

The parent album for this song, God Forgives, I Don't has been one of the biggest hip-hop albums of the year.  Brother Ali, who still had the beat, decided to spit his own verse and give the song away as "4th King," (hence the line, "best verse on a song I ain't even on").  I love the way Ali flips Dre's shamelessly  promotional line "You should listen to this beat through my headphones" into "You should listen to this beat while you're occupying."  Either way, adding the Ali verse makes this song a nice little snapshot of just how spread out the hip-hop world is these days.

09. Bloc Party - V.A.L.I.S.

Even though I wasn't particularly kind to Bloc Party's single "Octopus" a couple weeks ago, I did still pick up the parent album Four and make it my Album Of The Week last week (meaning I listened to it first every day).  Even though I still think it's the least exciting Bloc Party album, it's still a Bloc Party album, which is a pretty fucking good thing.

I don't completely understand what Kele Okereke's on about in this song ("he's not the real me, but I can hear him from my future"), but I'll be damned if he doesn't sing it with conviction.  Not to mention, that 'show-show-show-show-me' bit has been in my head for 10 days straight.

10. Soul Position - Keep It Hot For Daddy

"I'm just playin', but really I'm not."  Classic.

11. Big Star - September Gurls

It's a September mix!  It was either this or Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends."

This is THE classic Big Star jam.  Of course, most people from my generation learned about Big Star via The Replacements' classic "Alex Chilton."  When you hear Chilton sing lines like, "Oh, I love you... nevermind..." it's easy to feel the same way 15 year old Paul Westerberg must've felt.

So there you have it everybody, Flatbasset September mix.  I certainly hope you all enjoy it.  Try to remember that put these mixes together to sound more like an awesome 40 minute block of the radio rather than, say, a Get Cryphy DJ mix.  I'm just not that talented.  It's just a bunch of tracks I was feelin' at the time.

Well thanks for stopping by and dropping the mix off TCDroogsma.  I'm glad we were able to put that bitterness from the top of the column to rest.

For more of TCDroogsma's pissy bitchiness, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter or Instagram (TCDroogsma) or keep an eye on his personal blog Caffeine & Obscenities.

As always, this blog is on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1), which you should follow to keep up on our posts/tweets by our regular contributors.  Also, if you dig the mix, stop by our Facebook page and give us a 'like.' It's the least you can do for 40 minutes of free bangers.

Songs Of The Week #6: MinneSarah & TCDroogsma

Cat Power, Stars, Bill Fay, Two Gallants, The Valdons...

 Well hello again, mp3 junkies.  Welcome to the 6th installment of Songs Of The Week, in which we ask two of our regular contributors (typically MinneSarah & TCDroogsma) to give us their thoughts on The Current's 'Song Of The Day' podcast.

As we mention each week, please head over to The Current's website and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  Free music is free music.

Also, as always, MinneSarah & TCDroogsma have not read each other's comments prior to posting.

Cat Power - Ruin (from the album Sun)


MinneSarah:

     Now, I'm not a fan of Cat Power, the singer (I'm 110% in favor of cat power, the thing), but I really did like her voice in this song.  The song starts with a latiny/samba beat and then builds with piano and guitar. I expected her to build in vocal intensity as well, but this just isn't that kind of song.  The lyrics are about traveling the world and and remembering not to bitch about your own problems when you get home.  An annoying section is when she names off countries she has visited, and as the song goes on, they change to cities.  It sounds like you don't know Belfast ain't a country, Cat Power.  This whole deal was pretty low key, I give it three stars because it was fairly catchy the more times I listened to it.

TCDroogsma:

     Holy shit!  In a year that's been filled with musical surprises, Cat Power putting out a song that is actually not terrible has to rank near the top of the list.

     Don't get me wrong, the lyrics to this song are completely fucking atrocious.  Some 'Americans don't know how good they've got it' type shit.  Frankly, coming from a performer who famously charges between $30-45 for a ticket only to get stage drunk, get stage fright, freak out, and walk away from the microphone after 6 songs, she can fuck right off with this 'holier than thou' stuff.  However, the groove that this song catches (with the looping piano and guitar stabs) is pretty fucking brilliant.  Chan Marshall's delivery is spot on as well.  The fact that she manages to make such mind-numbingly stupid lyrics into a catchy, enjoyable song is quite a surprise too.  Not to mention the fact that her new pixie haircut is foxy enough to retroactively make Kim Deal hot.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 3/5
                  TCDroogsma - 3/5


Stars - Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It (from the album The North)

MinneSarah:
    

     What are our neighbors to the North up to these days?  Making inspirational songs for your favorite 80's teen movie soundtracks.  Their signature whooping vocal choruses and heavy reliance on synthesizers are actually a net plus for this song.  However, the lyrics are fairly ridiculous and sound like a prescriptive public service announcement...from the 80's.

TCDroogsma:

     Sweet fucking Christ.... From stale platitudes about geopolitics to stale cliches about romance.  Tough week, MPR.  Much like the Cat Power bit up above, Stars works up a nice groove.  Sure, it's the same groove they've been working up for 12 years, but if it ain't broke...  Plus, it's no secret that I'm a huge sucker for boy/girl singing combos. Lyrically, the title tells you everything you need to know.  Smartly, they managed to steal Peter Hook and Bernard Summer's instruments to build up hooks.  Always a good call.

     Not a bad tune, but if you had told me this was a Stars single from 1999 rather than 2012 I would've believed you.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 2.5/5
                  TCDroogsma - 2.5/5


Bill Fay (w/Jeff Tweedy) - This World (from the album Life Is People)

MinneSarah:

     Okay, ever wonder what the British Bruce Springsteen sounds like?  Listen to this song.  There isn't a lot of lyrical content, maybe two verses that are about the proletariat that built this world in the factories, and much of it is repetitive "This World...this world....this world."  Wait, Bill, This World?  Oh, okay, that's a uniter.  In any case, it skews Jayhawks and (appropriately) Wilco with some violins, which is probably the worst dis I can give a song (in my opinion).  The last ten seconds are the best, I gotta give it props for a relatively epic ending, and I'm not just saying that because it was over.

TCDroogsma:

     Let's all stop kidding ourselves to two minutes: If Jeff Tweedy wasn't involved with this song nobody would be listening to it.  It wouldn't be getting any airplay on MPR and I wouldn't be sitting here struggling to write a critique of a yet another acoustic, singer/songwriter, 'the world is confusing and we're all alone' dirge.  So thanks for lending your voice to this one, Jeff Tweedy.  You owe me 10 minutes of my life back.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 1/5
                  TCDroogsma - 1/5


Two Gallants - My Love Won't Wait (from the album The Bloom And The Blight)

MinneSarah: 

     Yes!  This song is extremely guitar driven.  When it gets loud (which it does at the beginning), everything gets loud, guitars, drums, screaming lyrics.  The lyrics are a lovelorn threat, as creepy as they are romantic.  The vocal delivery is passionate and manic, matching the lyrics perfectly.  The song ends on an old timey piano interlude that sounds defeated and spooky.  Be still my beating heart - seriously - these guys might be outside my house with a pocket full of rocks this very moment.

TCDroogsma:

     Let me apologize right off the bat.  I really, really like this song and I find myself completely incapable of explaining why.  I suppose that, since the Song Of The Day tracks are typically meticulously constructed singles it's nice to hear a song in which the band turns some guitars up, hits some power chords, and actually let's go of things a bit.  This song sounds like the bastard child of Helmet & Badly Drawn Boy.  This is a compliment.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 4/5
                  TCDroogsma - 4/5


The Valdons - All Day Long (from the Twin Cities Funk And Soul compilation)

 

MinneSarah:

     I heard on The Current that they are working to uncover the funky soul hits of the 60's and 70's from the Twin Cities.  It's reassuring to know that Minnesota music in the 60's wasn't all Dylan.  For that, I commend the project.  I may be as primed as most Current listeners, as I've been seen rocking out to the new Heavy album, and any upbeat music  that can prolong my summer high is much appreciated.  However, this song ain't my scene, and while it's great for what it is, it's generic enough that we can see why the Valdons never really hit it big. 

TCDroogsma:

     Hot damn!  Taking a trip in the Way Back Machine to 1970's MPLS was a good choice!  I'd imagine this is the type of song that people who are genuine Funk and/or Soul fans would find unremarkable, but since I almost never listen to music in those genres it seems very refreshing.  Even pre-Prince Minneapolis was going fucking hard.

    
Sidenote: If someone could put together a YouTube video of Adrian Peterson clips soundtracked by this is would be, arguably, the greatest thing ever posted to the internet ever.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 2.5/5
                   TCDroogsma - 4/5

Well there you have it everybody.  Thanks for checking out this week's edition of Songs Of The Week.  Of course, neither this website nor its contributors is affiliated in any way with the artists, The Current or MPR.  They're merely judgmental music fans.

Be sure to vote in the poll at the right of the page for your favorite Songs Of The Week.

For more MinneSarah, be sure to find her on Twitter & Instagram or any place else where the 90's are celebrated as the greatest decade for pop culture ever.

For more TCDroogsma, be sure to find him on Twitter, Instagram, or on his personal blog Caffeine & Obscenities. Based on his wardrobe we suspect he may be contributing blog posts directly from the 90's.

This blog is also on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1), which you should follow to stay updated on new posts and random retweets from our contributors.  We're also on Facebook here and it would just make our Fall if you stopped by and gave us a 'like.'