Are Baseball Players Paid Too Much?

It would be easy for someone to agree that Major League Baseball players are paid too much. Most people in North American are not paid anything close to what the average player makes and jealousy can set in. I am going to say that Major League Baseball players are not paid too much. Would you rather see the owners keep all the revenue or see the players, who do all the work, get a large payday?

The ticket prices for baseball games are pretty expensive, but people compare them to prices twenty years ago. Comparing today's prices to prices in the later 70's or early 80's doesn't make much sense, everything has went up in prices since the Reagen administration. Owners say the prices are going up because of the cost of player's salaries and the player's say it is due to the greed of the owners. I'm sure that there is truth to each side, but I think a lot of it is due to the lucrative price that new ballparks come with. I know cities usually throw in some money for a new ballpark, but the upkeep and the maintenance is pretty high on newly constructed stadiums.

Most major league baseball players do not have a huge signing bonus and a hefty contract when they first sign with a team out of high school or college. Many players wait for three or four years even before they get the chance to compete in spring training. Minor league players get paid a blue collar wage and usually have to play in winter ball to helps pay the bills. These players ride on buses from small city to smaller city and are away from their families just as much as major league players, if not more. I think the pay days that Major League players get once they make it, it well deserved.

Does Baseball Need A Salary Cap?

A salary cap system makes fiscal sense, any normal business, except in professional sports, does a person's salary multiply 15 times their previous amount. Their performance might increase 10 percent from the previous year, and by the way, the word "year" is loosely used, since their "year" ranges from 5 months to 9 months.

Someone who is doing their job and they do that they are supposed to 30 perfect of the time, can be rewarded handsomely. I am describing someone who batted .300 and is due to for a new contract.

Baseball needs a salary cap before all this over-spending will affect the fan, even more than it already has. Baseball is an event just 10 years ago, you could get tickets, a hot dog, and popcorn for a family of four and spend around $80 dollars. You're lucky if you don't spend that amount of money on two people going to a game and sit behind a support beam.

Luxury taxes that are paid by teams who spent well over the league average has to pay huge dividends to the league and then that money is given to the smaller market teams such as Tampa Bay and Kansas City. The shared revenue has even cut into merchandise and national television contracts, there were talks with the league that they were thinking about also taking a percentage of the local revenue, which is a large portion of the extra money a team acquires and basically all revenue the team makes would go to the league and then separated back, accordingly.

I would like to see the salary cap at around 130 million. It is still large and only a few teams were affected. I think it is essential. I do not believe MLB can afford to have another free-spending of an off-season as they did this year. I cannot see a rational person, in a salary cap system, giving a middle-relief pitcher 10 million a year.

This would even things out and maybe help out the common fan that just wants to share the experience the joy and fanfare of a professional baseball game. This game basis itself on history so strongly, MLB is able to do so 'cause going to a baseball game in the summer is as common as going to picnic or the community pool...sadly, I think the youth of America is missing out on watching an MLB game due to over-inflated prices as well as over-inflated egos of team owners and MLB Player's Association.

The Greatest Baseball Players Of All-Time

When judging the greatest baseball players of all-time, different criteria is met to determine who makes a list. My list is of players who left everything on the field each game. The players that compile my list have always ran-out a groundball and were methodical with their approach to the game.

Pete Rose - Charlie Hustle had over 4,000 hits and was a part of World Series teams with the Cincinnati Reds. He was the face of their organization until his passion for the game led to a gambling addiction. He was one of the greatest to play the game for his productivity and his approach to the game as a player.

Sandy Koufax - People argue that to be considered the best, he would have had to play longer, like Nolan Ryan. Well, I don't consider Nolan Ryan great for that reason, a lot of his records are due to him playing for over 20 years. Koufax was the most dominant pitcher during his short time in the league and was their ace in the World Series. Koufax retired at the age of 30 with the highest career winning percentage of any pitcher to play this game.

Ty Cobb - The Georgia Peach was the most prolific hitter in Major League history. Just like Rose, he was adored during his career, but after his retirement, his adoration turned to resentment. Off the field antics and his overt racism, caused Cobb fans to turn into haters. You cannot compare Cobb to any player in the modern age.

Babe Ruth - The love of the longball started with the Bambino. Some would argue that the steroid problem of today is because athletes want the adoration that Ruth received due to his home-run prowess. Ruth was one of a kind, I don't see another player busting out of the gates like Ruth did. Ruth also had one heck of a fastball.

Jackie Robinson - Robinson came into the league and was the first African-American player in the majors. MLB retired his #42 all across the league in a show of respect to what Robinson accomplished for breaking the color barrier and for his feats on the field. Robinson ran circles around the competition when he debuted and he never slowed down until he hung up his cleats.

Walter Johnson - "The Big Train," could be considered as the most feared pitcher to ever play the game. He threw at a sidearm angle and his balls would come barreling at the batter at near 100mph. Johnson was the all-time leader in strikeouts for over 55 years, until Nolan Ryan surpassed him in the early 80's. Johnson was one of the first five players inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1936.

Roger Clemens - Clemens' legacy will end up being the best pitcher of the modern-day game, yet tainted. The Rocket has nearly accumulated 350 wins and has a stellar K/9 ratio. Many thought that Clemens was finished after his tenure with the Yankees, but he proved during his time on the Astros that he wasn't ready to quit. His time on the Astros showed that one pitcher can make a difference in the swagger of a team.

The Beauty Of Baseball

I recently watched the PBS documentary, Ken Burns' "Baseball," and it made me remember why baseball was so beautiful. Baseball is full of beautiful pauses in the game. It is one of the few major sports with no running clock. Unlike a sport like golf, baseball doesn't stop with the sun sets; they just turn on an elaborate structure of lights. When today's game of baseball begins to look ugly, just look at the past to make it beautiful again.

Small-ball, which is a term that most people use when discussing teams that move players around the bases, is an art-form. The lead-off hitter gets a base hit. The next batter comes up and lays down a sacrifice bunt and moves the runner to 2nd base. The runner at 2nd, steals 3rd base and the next batter hits a fly ball and the runner at 3rd base scores on a sacrifice fly. The beauty of sacrificing your at-bat and helping the team with scoring men on base, it's one of the truest forms of teamwork. The first baseball field didn't have a wall that if a player hit the ball over, it was a home-run. "Small-ball," is a return to a way the game was once played, back in Cooperstown in the 1860s.

The bases on a baseball diamond at 90 feet apart, imagine if these numbers were different. A lot of the beauty of this game wouldn't happen. If the bases were 88 feet apart, runners would get thrown out at 1st base constantly. What if the bases were 92 feet? A lot of the great double play combinations would ever have taken place. A player like Ozzie Smith probably wouldn't have had a Hall of Fame career if this was the case.

Baseball's reputation has been tarnished due to rumors of performance-enhancing drugs. All sports have been affected by these drugs, but baseball has taken the greatest damage. The beauty of baseball has faded, due to allegations of cheating, but it needs a facelift to make this sport graceful again. It may not be soon, but if baseball survived the Black Sox scandal in 1919, they should be able to get through this.

Comparing Mike Mussina To Don Sutton

There are many borderline Hall of Fame pitchers. Sometimes it takes something indescribable that puts that pitcher over the line. Don Sutton is not in the Hall, he wasn't considered a dominant pitcher during any point of his career, mostly due to pitcher at the same time as Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver. Mike Mussina is in the same boat. Other pitchers have overshadowed Mussina during his career. Pitchers like Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, and Randy Johnson has made what Mussina has accomplished seem average. Here are some of the comparisons that make Sutton and Mussina's careers parallel.

Mussina and Sutton both spent about half of their careers on dominant teams. Mussina has been a N.Y. Yankee for nearly half of his career; the other half was spent on the lowly Orioles, where he was second-banana to Cal Ripken Jr. Sutton spent half of his career on the L.A. Dodgers and the other half bouncing around non-contenders. Most of the time, Sutton and Mussina wasn't even the best pitcher on their own team. Sutton played with Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, while Mussina pitched with Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Mariano Rivera. Most of their careers they were not considered the ace of the staff.

There are many stats that make Sutton and Mussina sound like clones. Their win-loss percentage is close, as well as their strikeouts per 9 innings. Both pitchers are not strikeout pitchers; they are very methodical with their approach. Durability has been a common thread with both Sutton and Mussina, they have regularly pitched over 200 innings each season.

Sutton and Mussina have played in All-Star games and World Series. Many consider them to have had great careers, but they will always be overshadowed by their own teammates. It is a shame, they both deserve to be remembered as one of the reasons their teams were successful.

The Case For Burt Blyleven Making Hall Of Fame

Blyleven played during a time where multi-channel ESPNs and regional Fox Sports Net channels were not in existence. MLB Extra Innings packages on DirecTV wasn't even invented, unless you caught the highlights on Sportscenter where Chris Berman uses a nickname of Burt "Be Home" Blyleven, you would just think that he was an average pitcher. His career ERA was 3.90, but his early career was his peak, but he kept a roster spot on small-market teams. His record was 287-250, just 37 games over .500, but from 1982 until the end of his career in '92, his ERA was over 4.00. If a pitcher wins nearly 300 games, it nearly negates this feat once a pitcher reaches his 250th loss, like Blyleven.

An arguments that Blyleven has for his induction is that his numbers are measurable to Nolan Ryan's. Blyleven does not have Ryan's no-hitters or his dominance of one-hit games either. Blyleven's win-loss record has a lot to do with Blyleven's teams not scoring many runs, thus having him lose many one-run games. He pitched in a different era than what today's pitchers will be held up to. Middle-relief pitching was approached as need-based, rather than a necessity, Blyleven pitched in almost 300 career complete games. Let's crunch some numbers, in his 22-year career, Blyleven pitched a complete game in over 40% of the games in which he has started. Blyleven has never ranked higher than third in the Cy Young voting and has only played in two All-Star games in his 22-year career.

Bert Blyleven will not be immortalized into the Hall of Fame. Sometimes players start racking up statistics just cause longevity and not exactly superb play. Blyleven's 3701 strikeouts are amazing, but his K/9 statistic of 7.4 per 9 innings isn't super spectacular, but nothing about Blyleven really is.

Why Baseball Needs More Complete Games

If Major League Baseball starting pitchers threw more complete games, injuries would be more common, but salaries would probably go down for middle relief. The starting pitcher's frequency of throwing a complete game has dropped off significantly since the early 1990s. The scientific analysis of injuries and the direct correlation of innings pitched per season has piled up over the years. Pitchers like Phil Niekro, Burt Blyleven, and Nolan Ryan thrived on pitching complete games and also pitched well into their 40s. Most of the pitchers who are into their 40s, (i.e. Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine) do not get much farther than the 7th inning.

Middle relief has almost become an art-form for a manager to use. Bringing in a lefty for a batter who doesn't hit lefties well, then come back out and yank him for a right-handed pitcher for the next three batters. The odds would favor the pitcher in these scenarios, which is positive for the manager. Middle relief and/or set-up men are getting huge contracts to come in and face one to two batters a game. Reducing the middle relief pitchers on your roster would decrease your payroll, a GM could add a few more possible starting pitchers, in case one of your rotation would have arm troubles. Injuries would happen, since they would be pitching more than 300 innings a season.

This method worked in the days of the strikeout pitcher like Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver, I don't see why this couldn't work in today's game. Although it seems easier said than done, it would only take one or two youthful pitchers to be damaged from overuse (Kerry Wood and Mark Prior) and the middle relief pitcher would, once again, be getting huge contracts.

How Not To Build A Baseball Team

Before I write my article, I would like to inform my readers that I am a Chicago Cubs fan and I have been a fan since I was old enough to walk.

I'm supposed to explain how to build an all-time great baseball team. As I mentioned before, that would be like asking a one-legged man the best way to run the 100-meter hurdles. I admit that I may not be the best to explain how to build the best team, but from my experience as a Chicago Cubs fan, I can explain how a person can fail at this.
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The Cubs have been a bad team, some say they are cursed, I say that they are trying too hard. The best shot the Cubs have had in the last 20 seasons was in the middle of what many people call "The Steroid Era." They were 5 Outs away from the World Series when a fan of theirs interfered in a game. I am not sore at Steve Bartman, or am I mad at him. I am somewhat relieved that it was someone named Steve Bartman and not Bobby Roberts, my given name. To go from good to bad, so quickly, I believe many of their players used performance-enhancing drugs, which is known to break down the body. Sammy Sosa, Kerry Wood, and Mark Prior haven't been the same since that season and only time will tell if they were using any illegal.

The Cubs couldn't even win during a period of time where they were neck and neck with the cheaters 'cause they are in love with the "home run" and the "strikeout." They draft and pay a high price for free agent who can do either one of those things, sometimes both (Jose Hernandez and Mark Bellhorn, they both can hit 30+ HRs and SO 175+ a season). This past season they paid a high price for a few free agents and let Juan Pierre go to the Dodgers. Pierre led the league in hits and was a 2nd half monster for the team, I agree that the Dodgers overpaid for Pierre, but that's the nature of the beast. I'm positive that they will give Carlos Zambrano a new contract after this season that will make him a highly paid pitcher, he's pitched a lot of innings and i am certain he will break down once he receives the "payday" all professional athletes dream to receive.

All the trends that are prominent in MLB at this time go against what could make the Cubs a winner again, except one. I believe if the Cubs can play "smallball," like their cross-town rivals, they have a shot. I've watched many of the games since the Steve Bartman debacle and the Cubs worst problem is stranding runners on base. The Cubs are usually top 5 in HRs every year, except last year, but historically many of those coming back from injury. The Cubs were in many games last year that they had no business even being in, if they played "smallball" and didn't strikeout by trying to go deep at every AB, they would have been a .500 team, and last year the Cardinals were just a few games above .500 and they won the World Series.

Carlos Zambrano is asking for a pay increase. After Ted Lilly received more money that Big Z is making, of course he should ask for a pay increase. This is his last year on his contract and he could walk and make as much or more than another "Z" which would be Barry Zito. Zambrano is 25 years old and in his prime. He has many years left in his arm, even if he has pitched more than 200 innings each of the last four seasons. If the Cubs can secure Zambrano with a long-term deal, it would possibly help change my argument that whatever the Cubs do is a failure, especially when it comes to building a great team.

I am trying to write this article without any bias, I am a Cubs fan, but I am not fanatical about them. I watch them as if I'm watching a car crash and I'm trying to investigate every aspect of it and why it happened. I would like to see them win, just so i can stop hearing the word "curse" be thrown about as if the world is full of witches and warlocks. I am 26 years of age, I have seen the Cubs close to the World Series twice, 1984 (I was quite young) and then in 2003. Since I was born over half of the league has been in a World Series drought, just the Cubs have been made "not making the World Series" into an art-form, not quite like Marty Schottenheimer's art of blowing big games, but give the Cubs a few more years...The offseason isn't over yet, maybe they'll sign Ernest Byner.

Bobby Knight: The Greatest NCAA Coach

Bobby Knight has been commanding troops on the hardwood for over 40 years. Besides being a "chair's worst nightmare," Knight has won 891 games as a Division I coach. He has won three NCAA Championship (1976, 1981, 1987) and led the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1984. Knight's methods of coaching have been in question, but you can't argue that they are successful. He has never had the elite players that Coach K, Dean Smith, and Roy Williams have had at their fingertips. Coach Knight has always gotten the best out of the players the he's recruited. Isiah Thomas might be the only player that he coached that would be considered great.

Knight started his career at the age of 24 when he took the coaching job at Army. He spent six seasons there before he headed to Bloomington, Indiana. At Indiana he had his greatest success. He had all three of his championships at IU and his 1976 team to a perfect 32-0 season. It was the last time that a team have went undefeated in NCAA Division I. Knight has mentored some future coaches. Coach K, Lawrence Frank, Isiah Thomas, and Steve Alford have all spent time under Knight.

Bobby Knight has been in the headlines for his extra-curricular activities. He lost his job at IU for grabbing a student's arm and allegations of abusive behavior toward his student-athletes. Coach Knight landed a job at Texas Tech, which had no success in its basketball program before hiring him. Knight has achieved a few NCAA appearances and one Sweet Sixteen as the coach of Texas Tech.

Graduating his players has been high on Coach Knight's list of achievements. He has been an against the NBA's age restriction. He fears that young men will just use the college game and not actually attend class.

You may not like him, you may even hate him, but you can't deny what Bobby Knight has given to the sport of basketball. He has turned kids into young men and is the best coach in NCAA history.

My Workplace Horror Story

Everyday was hell, being a bill collector was worse than being in debt. Working in bill collection is not an easy thing to do. I was 21 years old and need a job while I went to college. I worked 20 hours a week for a bank doing bill collection. I don't recommend working in bill collection, it is very stressful and you put yourself in situations of abuse.

As a bill collector, you are scum. You end up feeling this way at some point. You know that you are doing this job in the best interest for the bank. The people who you call, they owe the money that you are calling about, but somehow you end up feeling bad for bothering them. These are all rational feelings that you have when you are collecting past due loans. You work around 200 accounts in a day and 95% of the customers are legitimately past due. The 5% that would fall under "bank error," makes your own mind wonder if you could be caught in a situation sometime in the future.

At least once a day I would feel like crying. I would call an account that was still in a deceased person's name. I call the residence and I asked for the person, not knowing that they are passed away. The person who answers the phone has 2 ways to react to this situation. The first scenario would be for them to just explain to me that the person is no longer with us and state the person who has taken over the payments. The second reaction is the one that made this job a living hell. The caller would start crying. I would immediately back out of the conversation and wished them a peaceful evening. After laying my phone headset on my desk, I would stare at my computer monitor for a few moments attempting to hold in my emotions. I was responsible for bringing back painful memories of their lost ones. I have honestly never gotten over this.

I worked as a bill collector for the next two years. Unfortunately, I was good at the job. I was even promoted to High Balance collections. In January 2004, my office was merging with an office in Cleveland, OH. Since I just started a semester of college in Indiana, I couldn't move with the company. I was a happy man.

How To Professionally Reject A Job Offer

When on your job search, you will go through many interviews that you must endure to find the job that best suits your skills. On your search, you may get job offers that do not fit certain job criteria that you are looking to meet. Turning these jobs down is something that cannot be avoided. You must stay professional and courteous when rejecting job offers. You never know when you will run into these employers again. The company could be an important customer for a corporation you could be working for in the future. Here are some important ideas to remember when turning down a job offer.

Don't be afraid of a job offer. Interviewing is a skill that you will need to keep fresh while on your job search. You could be offered jobs after going on some interviews. Being afraid of turning down a company could lead you to miss out on some opportunities out there. You must remember that the rejection wouldn't be taken personally. They are a business and you are only looking out for your own professional interests.

Don't brag or boast about another offer. When turning down an offer, do not bring up that you are taking another offer over their company. Tell them that you appreciate the opportunity to work for their company, but you respectfully decline the offer. You do not have to explain why you are turning the job offer down. Sometimes the less you say, the better it sounds. The company doesn't want to know why you aren't taking the position, don't bore them with the details.

Send the company a Thank You card. A nice way to assure that you are not burning any bridges is to send the company a Thank You letter after your rejection. When writing the card, make sure it is professional looking. You want to write positive things about the company and wish them luck on their candidate search. If you interviewed with more than one person, you should send a Thank You card for each person that you interviewed with. Even though you do not wish to work for this company, you still want to show them that they didn't make a mistake in offering the position to you.

You will not have to reject any job offers, but you must realize that it is a part of the process. You should not be afraid of turning an offer down, the worst thing you could do is to accept a job that you wouldn't be happy with.

Is the #65th Seed Necessary?

The #64 and #65 teams are necessary for the prestige of the NCAA tournament. A lot of the actions and decisions the tournament committee makes are due to the pageantry of the event.

The NCAA tournament builds itself up as the ultimate Cinderella event. Anything that would help market thing event as that, the NCAA embraces. The Opening Round game winner will most likely be ran out of the gym by a #1 seed, but the fact that they can mark down this win as an actual NCAA tournament victory means a lot to the school who wins. The odds that the winner of the SWAC conference tourney will most likely play in this opening round game. It isn't predetermined that the game will feature a team from the SWAC, but history states there is a strong chance. The SWAC probably enjoys that a member of its conference has a chance to win a tournament game.

I think it's important to smaller teams that the #64 and #65 teams play a game. It builds confidence that leads up to the winner's game against the #1 seed. A #16 seed has never beaten a #1 seed. This game could lead to something like that happening. The only thing the NCAA should think about is naming this game something different than "Opening Round game" or the "Play-In Game." If they could call this the "Ultimate Cinderella Game" or something to that effect, I think the prestige of it would grow as well.

Tipping Can Be Difficult

Tipping can be difficult. There are a wide variety of questions that you need to ask yourself before you leave a tip. This article will help you become a smart and informed tipper. I’ve been a member of the service industry for a few years. Before I became a server, I struggled with tip percentages, mostly because I was uninformed.

Be aware of your surroundings. Is the place you’re eating is a fine dining restaurant or a place where they give out bibs? At a fine dining establishment, the variety of your food will be different. Tipping on food should be at least 15-20%. If any alcoholic drinks are purchased, the tip should be 20-25% for your drink portion. These percentage calculations should be a base. If your service was extra special, don’t be afraid to show your appreciation with a tip higher than the base. If your server doesn’t fulfill your needs, you can tip a lower amount. The lowest you should go should be 10%, not tipping should be on extremely rare occasions. “Stiffing” your server is very rude and usually ends up costing the server money. The only way it would be justified is if your server was verbally or physically abusive. In that case, please notify the manager of the restaurant. They should take care of you.

Know where your money is going. When you tip your server, not all the money is going to him/her. Most restaurants have the server tip out busboys, bartenders, hosts, and possibly food runners. The normal percentage that the server would tip these people would be about 1% of their total sales, each. If your bill is $100 dollars and you leave a 20 dollar tip, 5 dollars of that money is probably going to someone else in the restaurant. This is important information to be aware of, because if your server takes good care of you, it is important to take care of them.

Servers are taxed just like everyone else. Servers are usually paid somewhere between $2.50-$4 per hour. That wage depends on what the state’s minimum wage. They don’t get paid the minimum wage, because they get tips and exempt. Their hourly wage basically takes care of the taxes on their wages they claim every night. A server has to claim at least 8% of their total sales, as tips. If a server claims less than 8% on a nightly basis, they could get audited when they file their taxes.
I hope this information is very useful and can help you become informed about the art of tipping… and remember, take care of your servers and bartenders, I’m here all week.

How To Dress For An Interview

"Dress like you don't need the job," was the advice that my grandfather once told me. The better you look, the better you will appear to the employer. I'm not advising you to rent a tuxedo and a limousine, but looking your best will help enhance the overall appearance of viable candidate to the company.

The first thing any candidate needs to wear to an interview is confidence. Your attire will enhance your confidence and will make you stand up taller and feel more confident.

If you are male, a tie and a sports coat are a must. You need to be cleanly shaved and your hair must be styled. You do not need to shave off all facial hair, if you have a neatly groomed mustache or beard, you may keep them. White should be the choice of your button-down shirt that you wear with your sports coat. The white shirt will make your tie be more noticeable and will stand out. Choose tie color that will demand respect, but do not choose a tie that is too flamboyant. A solid color or a tie with a simple striped pattern should be your first choice. Make sure that your belt matches your shoes. This is a problem that many men overlook. Your possible employer could look at that as an act of incompetence.

The ladies have more choices than men when picking out interview attire. First, make sure that your ensemble would not be considered "overtly sexy." Necklines and dress-length should be modest, hem-lines higher than the knee should be avoided. Make-up should be worn to an interview, but used conservatively. If you are choosing a business suit, make sure that it is not too baggy, but not too tight. You may want to accessorize your outfit modestly. A necklace, watch, and earrings are the only pieces that would be needed.

Looking professional for an interview can help you make a positive first impression. Smile, Relax, and dress for success, you'll land the job.

How To Lose Your Job

Today's job market is flooding with candidates that can do your job either just as good as you or better. Losing your job is easier now than ever before. Job websites like Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com has made employees interchangeable. Here are some easy ways to lose your job.

Do not adhere to the dress code. Casual Friday is a thing of the past. You should start Casual Monday thru Thursday. Feel free to dress casually on Friday if you want, but I'm sure you will either be written up or reprimanded by then. Dress Codes give superiors power when trying to enforce the code. If you do not respect the dress code, you are taking a little power away from your superior, which is always a great way of losing your job.

Show up late to work, everyday. Make sure that you are showing up late enough for everyone to notice. If your boss arrives later than you and wouldn't notice if you showed up 20 minutes late, then take a longer lunch. Possibly bring in a cup from the restaurant that you were at and slurp it up in your cubicle when you get back.

Don't shave, or possibly bathe. An unprofessional appearance is another way to lose your job. To add some creativity, possibly shave your facial hair into different mustache shapes like a Hulk Hogan or a Hitler. You do not need deodorant, make sure that you get some nice pit stains in that Oxford shirt that you tie-dyed last night.

Date you boss's daughter or your boss. If you date your boss's daughter, make sure that he catches you with her, preferably at his house. If you try the "date your boss" scenario, make sure that you get a lot of photos. You will need to head to your local Kinko's and make a few large posters and hang them up in the employee lounge (this could even be useful if you date the boss's daughter).

Do not do any work, ever. This way is probably one of the hardest ways to lose your job. I have known plenty of people that never do any work and they get to keep their job. You will need to really go out of your way to show that you are not doing anything. Maybe take a walk around the office a few times a day and chat up the hot new temp in accounting. Play Solitaire on your computer, if you win, you must do dance. If that doesn't work, just take a nap.

Those were some ways to lose your job, feel free to add any extra creativity when practicing these methods. If these reasons do not get you fired from your job, you need to keep your job.

Nostalgic Album Review -Phantom Planet - The Guest

Jason Schwartzman is a great actor, but people may forget that he used to be the drummer for Phantom Planet. Here is the review for "The Guest," which you may recognize a song called "California," which appeared as the theme song for the tv show, "The O.C."

“Let’s hope these guys don’t run away and become famous actors. Oh, I think one may have already done that.”

After being together for six years and they are still only in the younger 20s, these guys have definitely gone through their awkward stage of life together. They have a great sense of quality songwriting that rivals elder bands in the business, but for some reason, they were dropped from their first label after their first album didn’t do as expected. Luckily for you, the guys bounced back in a big way and released their first album on Epic Records entitled, “The Guest.”

“The Guest” is extensive with the amount of quality songs it withholds. “California” was the first single that was released. It’s an anthem-type song that includes a piano interlude, but what really completes the song is the drumming. Usually the listener’s ears don’t guide towards that area too often, it was refreshing to hear that.

Another “anthem-like” tune would be the song, “Anthem.” Which is a song about how the whole world needs a song, but I think it deals with the songwriter’s struggles with attempting to write a song that will have mass appeal and meaning to everyone, which is almost impossible. It’s almost an anthem to any struggle songwriter trying to save the world with their guitar.

For a change of pace, there’s the tune, “Turn Smile Shift Repeat.” It’s a jingle that more or less sounds like it could have been a song on Radiohead’s Amnesiac. Their use of loops along with the eerie vocals is a change of their usual style. It’s risky, but seems like a nice addition to the album. Other additions that deserve merit are “Hey Now Girl,” “Nobody’s Fault,” and “Lonely Day.”

It doesn’t seem like Phantom Planet will be searching for another record label after this album. It looks as if they have a winner on their hands. Let’s hope that the drummer and lead singer don’t leave the group to further their acting careers. We’ll all be saying “Awwww…..Fudge!,” if that ever happens.

Interview: Quarashi

I interviewed Oman from the Icelandic rap group, Quarashi a few years ago. They started off pretty hot, but didn't have much success here in the States. I have actually seen him in a few commercials over the last few years, not bad. Here is the interview with Omar.

Sweetbob - What are some things that are different about U.S. and Iceland, besides the image that many American men of scandalously-clad, blonde women around every corner?

Omar Swarez - There’s a lot more diversity in the looks of women over in the U.S., I mean we have pretty women back home, but they look the same. Here you have the different colors, religions, and everything. We like it a lot.

Sweetbob - Being a music journalist it’s very easy to write about bands and paint them into a corner. Your style is quite eclectic and mixes alternative with electronic loops and you throw in other genres in your sound. What bands influenced you to be a musician with such a broad style?

Omar - For me it was a lot of rock music and heavy rock music and I was in a death metal band once. I heard Ice Cube’s album “The Predator” and I went over into hip hop. I listened to about everything to Swedish pop to hardass music. Public Enemy and Black Planet were big influences. All the guys have diverse tastes in music so it’s a melting pot of everything that comes together on the album. South American influences can be found on some tracks from the producer and the drummer. I can’t forget to talk about Old Cypress Hill and Snoop Dogg and Led Zeppelin as well.

Sweetbob - What would you say are the most important steps to achieve a record deal for a band just starting to get their name out in their local area?

Omar - Just play and play and play more live shows. We noticed that it helps us getting recognized more by playing more live a lot. We play more now than we have in the last 3 years in a week’s time. We never played a lot at home we only did 4 or 5 shows a year. Cause the Iceland scene isn’t very big at all. We’ve been playing a lot of radio shows here lately. It has helped us get our name out. So, just play live a lot and also have fun with it too.

Sweetbob – Are you worried about being exhausted and worn out on the Warped Tour since it spans across the country and it lasts so long?

Omar – Yeah, I’m thinking that if we don’t kill each other, we’ll be okay. It will be really tough at first, but we’ll get used to it.

Sweetbob – I know the last couple years at the Warped Tour seems like all the bands I’ve talked with were like, “We just got out of the masseur’s trailer.” So they’ll take care of you.

Omar – I hope so.

Sweetbob - It’s time for the question that I have to ask. Where did the name Quarashi come from and was that the original name of the band?

Omar - It’s always been the name of the band. One of our MC’s lived in Phoenix and it was his tag name. He saw it in a book and he thought it looked cool. When it was time to name the band that was the only thing that came up. It means “supernatural” in some language. It’s also the last name of the prophet Mohammed, but it’s spelled differently and pronounced differently. We didn’t know that at first, so there was no meaning behind that.

Sweetbob - Who came up with the concept for your video for “Stick’Em Up?”

Omar - That was originally the director’s idea. It was going to be a fixed boxing match, but we didn’t like the glamorous Las Vegas style that he wanted to have. We wanted an undergound boxing match, like in the movie “Snatch.” The scruffy looking people in the video help amplify the power of the song. We all came up with the look and the feel of it. It turned out great.

Sweetbob - What are the bands that you want to meet the most during your stint on the Warped Tour this summer?

Omar – Personally, I don’t know more than half the bands on there. A lot of the bands aren’t very popular. NOFX, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and I think Jimmy Eat World is on there. I think. I heard great things about the Bosstones though.

Sweetbob – Yeah, in 2000 when they got on stage they shot a guy out of a cannon and they got everyone on stage that they could. The security guys were going nuts.

Omar – That’s what I heard, plus they go out 100% in suits in 110-degree heat.

Sweetbob – Those guys are drenched by the end of their set. If you had the pick for the next single, what song on “Jinx” would you choose personally and why?

Omar – Personally, I would choose “Copycat” cause it is pretty hard and I don’t know, it’s an exciting song and it gets the crowd going. I think it would have a great video too.

Sweetbob – In “Copycat” are those guitar riffs at the beginning a loop or recorded live?

Omar – They are a live recording.

Sweetbob - Since Stick’Em Up came out, have you had any opportunities to meet some people that you’d never thought you’d meet?

Omar – Well, not too many, just Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter (laughs) that’s about it. We’ve met a few bands on the road. Cypress Hill and some people we grew up listening to and I’m a huge fan of Tenacious D. We didn’t get to stay and watch them cause we had to get on a bus, but I would have loved to watch them. Plus, The Apex Theory and The Lost Prophets we are tight with.

Sweetbob - What’s in your cd player right now?

Omar - Tenacious D, of course

Sweetbob - What are some favorite things that Quarashi likes to do in-between shows while on the road?

Omar - Just look around and sightsee, we love New York. All the radio shows are over the weekend, so we hang out in New York during the week. Then we go to the shows and then again come back in NY and hang around.

Sweetbob – Have you been to CBGB’s?

Omar – Yeah, we played there about 2 years ago.

Sweetbob - Are you able to make it back to Iceland often, if ever?

Omar - We won’t be able to go to Iceland until September and that’s after we finish with the Warped Tour and after we go to Japan and Austrailia. We’ll get to come home in a few weeks. Then we’re off to Europe for an extended period of time. It will be hectic.

Sweetbob - What bands out there right now would you like to tour with?

Omar – System Of A Down, cause they are great!
Weezer
Tom Waits, but that will be very unlikely

Sweetbob – I hear his two new albums are pretty darn good.

Omar – They sure are. He has a different style than us.

Sweetbob - Let’s say a fan wanted to get back stage at a Quarashi show, how would they do so?

Omar - Usually just ask. We’re not dirty or sleazy or anything like that. I don’t like to hang out backstage, cause there’s nothing to do back there. So I just go through the crowds and watch the bands and talk.

Sweetbob – Well Omar, it’s been fun, I plan on going to the Warped Tour in Chicago so if I see you in the crowd or being bored backstage I’ll say what’s up. Good luck on the tour.

Omar – Thanks, take care.

Interview: Smile Empty Soul

This interview is an oldie, but goodie. It was conducted backstage at a concert after their song, "Bottom Of The Bottle" hit big. They were great guys and every time I met them, they always remembered me. I hope you enjoy it.

Bobby Roberts - What area are you from originally?

Ryan Martin- Santa Comida, California

Sean Danielsen - Los Angeles County

Bobby - Where did you meet each other?

Sean - We all met there

Derek Gledhill- We met from bands

Ryan - We were all in different bands, it’s such a smaller community out there.

Sean - Smaller meaning 250,000-300,000 people

Ryan - Well, I meant for bands. All the people in bands know each other

Sean - That’s true

Bobby - Did you guys have a different name before?

Sean - Yeah, we had a different name, but we changed it even before we were signed

Bobby - Did you have any indie albums out there before your major-label debut?

Sean - Yeah, “Radio In A Hole,” was the song that got us signed, it’s the only song that was on any indie album that is on the new one.

Bobby - What was the process in getting signed?

Sean - We were giving some demos out as much as possible and one got to a producer named John Parker. He produced our record, he signed us to his label, Throwback, it’s a production label. From there we got picked up by Lava.

Bobby - What are some goals you had while recording it?

Sean - To make sure none of it is filler bullshit. We are pretty proud that every song we have on there is quality. Well, we put enough effort in every song to hopefully make it quality, to us it’s quality.

Bobby - Is there anything that you haven’t achieved yet?

Ryan - Two girls at one time. Hell Yeah!...I don’t know, I just want to play really big places. But at the same time I want to play smaller places too.

Sean - Yeah, and you want to sell 10 million fucking records and play the Forum.

Ryan - Yeah, well at least it’s a goal! We’ll definitely play the Forum.

Bobby - What are your musical influences?

Sean - We are all influenced by a lot of the same people. I know I am influenced by John Lennon, Deftones, Radiohead, Nirvana, Bush...

Derek - All of those and Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots

Bobby - What are some bands that you want to tour with?

Sean - Deftones and Foo Fighters, I think they would be cool.

(while looking at the wall staring at promo pictures backstage at the venue)

Sean - Ratt, Nick Taylor, Jerry Corbett of Sugarloaf...

Ryan - Who the fuck is Sugarloaf?

Sean - Todd Snyder, Wade Hayes, Coco Taylor, Oh dude, Yum-Yum, I’d really love to tour with them.

Bobby - How did you get the treatment for your video?

Sean - Didn’t have one. They were sort of floating around in our heads. We just showed up the site where we were shooting it and we shot most of it even before we got our deal. Patrick Kiley, the person who directed it, he’s like a real director. He just said he’d do it for free. He liked out bands, so it was cool. We just showed up with a bunch of our friends at this place that he got the permits for and we were just throwing around ideas.

Bobby - Pretty sporadic?

Sean - Yeah

Bobby - What was the best thing about Lava?

Sean - Everything

Ryan - Yeah they are pretty sweet

Sean - They pay a lot of attention to us. We’re not worried about a lot of things. If this song would have came out and did nothing, we were scared about them dropping us.

Ryan - That’s the thing about Lava. We looked around at other bands that signed with Lava and they have a great track record. Look at Simple Plan, their album was out for 9 months before they really started getting a buzz. A lot of labels would have shelved the band and did the whole thing over. They stand by their artists and that’s one thing that attracted us to them.

Bobby - I interviewed Simple Plan not too long ago and they said the exact same thing. Lava stuck with them and now they are headliners on Warped Tour. Is “Bottom of the Bottle” autobiographical?

Sean - Yeah, there’s personal shit in every song we’ve got. Some of the songs are almost entirely personal.

Do you get to read reviews?

Sean - I try to stay away dude. I don’t like to read reviews and interviews.

Ryan - They butcher whatever the fuck you say. There’s one I’m not even going to say.

Sean - I haven’t even read any, have you? (Talking to Ryan)

Ryan - Yeah, I read one that fucked us.

Sean - The Stuff Magazine one?

Ryan - No, different one. Pretty fucked up dude.

Bobby - I think I saw one that said you sound like a mix between Silverchair and Days of the New.

Ryan - YAY! (sarcastically)

Bobby - Do you think that pigeon-holes you?

Sean - They can fucking suck my cock

Ryan - Yeah, whoever said that can fuck off

Bobby - Whenever you started the band....

Sean - Oh, hold on, (speaks directly into tape recorder) If you ever review our album, or supposed to and you didn’t listen to it and you just admittedly only listened to our single, fuck you! Okay, go ahead, I’m sorry.

Bobby - What was the goals of the band when you first got together?

Ryan - Well, for me it was to have fun and secondly to make some sort of living off of it. If I can pay my bills and be able to travel and play music. You know, that’s awesome.

Bobby - What about you Derek?

Derek - I don’t want to work, I’ve worked my whole life.

Sean - Of course we’re in it for fun.

Bobby - What are some of the oddjobs you used to have?

Ryan - I was a character at Magic Mountain. I used to be Wiley Coyote and Bugs Bunny.

Sean - (points to Derek) He worked at a burger place for 7 fucking years. I kid you not.

Derek - I have part ownership

Sean - I was a paperboy, then I worked at go-karts, Petco, and Mailboxes Etc.

Bobby - What do you think of Piere’s so far?

Ryan - I think it’s pretty cool

Sean - It’s pretty different

Derek - Reminds me of Roadhouse.

Ryan - Fuck yeah! Patrick Swayze

Sean - I’ve wandered around a bit. I’m wondering what it’s going to be like tonight since we’re pretty brand new still.

Bobby - Any rituals before you get on stage?

Derek - Focus our energy and just get ready

Bobby - How did you come up with your name?

Sean - It’s basically about society and how empty people walk around with fake smiles on their face.

Bobby - What was your name before?

Sean - It’s a secret, you don’t want to know.

Derek - I’m sure you can find out on the internet

Bobby - Explain what “Nowhere Kids” means to you?

Sean - It’s basically about us and all of our friends in Santa Clarida. Kids in that area’s attitudes is just about partying and just living for the moment than about having a future. Many don’t have a future, they are fucked. I’m mean they are 25 and they aren’t even focused.

Bobby - What was the farthest place you’ve played?

Sean - Buffalo, NY, wait, Connecticut is farther. Hartford, Connecticut.

Bobby - What was some of your bad road experiences?

Derek - Van broken into...

Sean - ....By a crackhead....

Derek - ....hit a deer and crashed a van.

Bobby - Still got the van?

Ryan - No, we have a tour bus. Thanks Lava!

Bobby - Anyone listen to the song on the radio and want to buy the album. What more does the listener get when they buy the cd instead of just “Bottom Of A Bottle”?

Sean - If you hear our single and you take it in and think to yourself that this is a gimmick song. At least listen to the record before you judge us, because when you listen to the album you’ll find out that we’re a deeper band than that. We’re not a fucking one song band.

Ryan - It’s like hearing something totally out of context. You’d be listening to different parts of a conversation. You’d hear “Bottom Of A Bottle” is somewhat out of context, but it makes sense with the rest of the album.”

Sean - ...and if you hear just one song and you judge us by that, you’re a cocksucker.

Ryan - A cock sucker, ladies and gentlemen.

Sean - Well, at least for me, I’d never judge a band by just one song. And I’m mainly directing all of this toward that one interviewer that can suck my dick.

Derek - and all that STUFF

Ryan - Yeah, and all that STUFF. It’s not cool to do an “album” review when they only listen to the first song on the record and admit to it. That shit is fucking whack.

Bobby - They did that?

Sean - It wasn’t in the magazine, it was on their website.

Nostalgic Album Review - Slick Shoes

Slick Shoes started very hot with releases on Tooth & Nail, but then hit a wall a bit later in their career. They broke up a few years ago and it was a sad day. Here is a nostalgic album review of "Slick Shoes" their self-titled album.

“A great punk band that is due for some kudos.”

Pop punk is a music form that has submerged the rock scene with bands like Good Charlotte, MxPx, and Blink-182 being in the forefront. Slick Shoes has been in the game for just about the same amount of time as these bands, but as not yet receive the allure as the group I mentioned before.

Slick Shoes has released their self-titled release, “Slick Shoes, “ on Tooth and Nail Records. This is the guys’ fourth LP and has seemed to be one of the long mainstays on Tooth and Nail throughout the years. Slick Shoes has done little “experimenting” with other genres like many are doing these days. They have stayed true to their sound from the beginning and their fans seem to appreciate it.

“Slick Shoes” shouldn’t surprise any of their fans. It’s sticks to the same formula that got them where they are today. A fast drumbeat and a melodic guitar, it seems to be the blueprint of many of the tracks. “Alone,” is one of the solitary songs that is different, they have added strings to the song to give it more of a ballad-feel.

“So Much More” and “No More Words” are the two tracks that stick out the most in the baker’s dozen that Slick Shoes recorded for this LP. The rest of the album is a bit bland and sounds similar, which may or may not be a good thing.

Slick Shoes haven’t changed in the last few albums, we should all be happy.

Using Wiki In Your Business

Wikis are becoming more prominent in everyday life. Wikis are websites that visitors can add, remove, and change information without even being a registered user. They are easy to use and the information on most wikis are vast and contain up-to-date information. Wikipedia is a wiki that works as an online encyclopedia. Besides the occasional mix-up in information, Wikipedia is today's encyclopedia. An encyclopedia company can not keep up with the fresh information being added to Wikipedia on a daily basis. Businesses can use a wiki to gain knowledge of different business practices. Fresh ideas are always being added to internet wikis everyday.
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Businesses will use wikis in the future to setup corporate websites that management can share information throughout the company. Wikis can help streamline practices throughout the company, especially if the company's offices are scattered all over the world. Wikis will bridge the gap that distances between offices cause.

Nostalgic Album Review - THEstart - Shakedown!

I've always liked THEstart, but they have never received the mainstream love. I have met Aimee Echo a few times and a few of the other members a well. I saw them in concert twice and I think they have a great stage show. Here is a nostalgic album review for THEstart's "Shakedown!"

“theSTART proves that a style that is a combo of New Wave/Punk Rock works.”

Having a drummer from now an almost legendary band, Snot (due to the tragedy with their lead singer and tribute album released earlier this year), theSTART is on their way. They mix the style of new wave and punk rock, which is odd enough, but if you throw in a woman with an infectious voice, it’s golden.

“Shakedown!,” their major label debut, is proving to be a solid record. Since they’ve toured with bands like Sugar Ray, Uncle Kracker, Weezer, and now touring with Incubus, they are already building up a loyal following. Their single “Gorgeous” is already getting added to many stations across the U.S. and Canada. There hasn’t been such an interesting band with a girl lead singer that has come along since Garbage. theSTART has the potential to be just as successful.

Their first single “Gorgeous” has some outstanding riffs in it that goes a long with the chorus perfectly. If it weren’t for those pertinent riffs, the single wouldn’t be doing as well as it is. Some other superlative tracks would be “Melt,” “Hang On Me,” and “Glimmer Man.” The last two that were mentioned has some solid potential for being singles.

theSTART seems to be going in the right direction professionally, I sure hope they keep their style, its unique and very entertaining.

Nostalgic Album Review - System Of A Down - Toxicity

System Of A Down was just normal rock band until the release of "Toxicity." I have spoken with him back in the day a few times and he's one of the most politically-charged amazing people. I could talk to that guy for hours and I could never be bored. Here's a nostalgic album review of System Of A Down - "Toxicity."

”System Of A Down does it again, even better!”

It seems like System Of A Down has come out from nowhere within the last couple years, but it wasn’t like that at all. They have been a staple in the L.A. scene and they have definitely outdone themselves with their latest release, “Toxicity.”

With the nearly platinum, eponymous release, “System Of A Down,” which included hits like “Sugar” and “Spiders,” which was also released on the Scream 3 soundtrack. The soc-political hard rockers were up for a big challenge to surpass the quality that Rick Rubin (producer) and the band had set for any other SOAD release. In not so many words, they met their challenge.

With more of their songs concentrated more towards singing, instead of yelling which dominated their debut album, it is very noticeable that they are overall better musicians. Serj Tankian already has an unique voice, when they add in harmonies to bring that out, it’s quite smooth. “Deer Dance” does an outstanding job melting a harder song’s power with some nice guitar riffs. “ATWA,” the song that is written in the perspective of Charles Manson about his views on the environment, is surely an eerie track. The beginning is so docile and tame and then out of nowhere it breaks out into an all-out war between guitar and drums, it’s surely unique. Other tracks that are winners are “Shimmy,” which deals with Serj being a straight A student, but has no passion for school, and “Needles.”

Rick Rubin is known for bringing out the best in the artists he works with, this could be one of his best works to date. Radio program directors are drooling at the number of possible singles this album could contain, expect three to four to hit MTV and the airwaves.

If you were a fan of their debut album on American/Columbia Records, you will be thrown to the back of your chair with this album.

Nostalgic Album Review - Trik Turner

Trik Turner was kind of a one-hit wonder. I was able to actually hang out with them at a show once and they wanted me to go to Milwaukee on their bus with them. I declined for some reason and probably was a smart idea. Here is a nostalgic album review of Trik Turner's self-titled album.

“Tell you friends and family about Trik, they are good group of guys from Arizona.”

Trik Turner, an Arizona-based rap-rock band, is not just a single person; it’s a full band. Their RCA self-titled debut album is complete with rocking, rapping, and grooving, a full set of emotions on a 12-track album, not too shabby.

With their single, “Friends and Family,” fans may get the wrong impression of these guys. The single almost sounds like an Everlast tune, but these guys have some anger and some flow that is unleashed in the rest of the album. “Friends and Family” is definitely a good track, but not one that reflects their overall sound.

A song that may exemplify their sound more would be the track, “Father.” At the beginning it has a foreign-sounding guitar riff, then it ignites into a rap explosion with a guitar detonation. Complete with DJ loops and a back-forth rap attack, it’s a nice tune to judge their complete sound with.

For the slower side of Trik’s sound you should journey to “Not Like You,” it’s about a relationship gone wrong. It’s a testament to their diverse tempo structure on this album. It makes for of an interesting listen.

“Ish” is a tune that appears later on Trik’s debut album. The song proves that they can hang in the whole rock band w/ a DJ fad. Their DJ can hang with the band and for some of “Ish,” he leads. Some other tunes that are worth mentioning include “Let It Rip” and “Sacrifice.” Plus, they also cover the hip-hop classic “Black Sheep,” not to shabby.

Trik Turner has some ground to cover since they are one of the newcomers in this rap/rock genre. If they keep adding songs like the eclectic mix that is represented on their self-titled album, Trik Turner should be a successful faction of musicians.

Trust Company - Lonely Position Of Neutral

We like to review some old albums that have been forgotten over the last few years. Trust Company was a good band for their genre, but flamed out after their sophomore album didn't sell very well. Here is a nostalgic review of their debut album "The Lonely Position Of Neutral."

“Trust me, this album is a keeper!”

With the success of hybrid bands, which use heavy guitars and aggressive lyrics, the numbers of these bands are set to explode in 2002. Bands like Linkin Park, Adema, and Hoobastank have had great success within the last calendar year and there are plenty more ready to take their spots as the elite bands of the moment. TRUSTcompany is set to release their debut album on Geffen/Interscope and would readily step into the spotlight.

“The Lonely Position Of Neutral” is the name of TRUSTcompany’s first attempt at a major label record. It is loaded with melodic screaming, heavy guitars, and some insightful lyrics. Their first single “Downfall,” is a prime example of what sort of vocal style they have. They are playing “good cop/bad cop” with their vocals, with a screaming vocalist and a very melodic one. It brings depth to the songs that many nu-metal/modern rock bands cease to snatch.

TRUSTcompany does show their softer side with “The Fear” and “Hover.” Those tracks are a lot slower than the remainder of the album, but shows that they can handle these softer songs with ease. Another aspect of a song that is enjoyable is something that the group did on “Deeper Into You,” they have multi-layered guitars., it’s quite attention-grabbing. “Faling” and “Slipping Away” are two other tracks that are worth your time.

The greatest fear that this band should have is that TRUSTcompany’s sound may become saturated by other bands that are sent from other labels to re-create the magic that band like Linkin Park made. It’s almost inevitable that their will be at least a few bands from each label to give TRUSTcompany a run for their money. The genre that this band is in will be overflowed, from what you’ll hear on “The Lonely Position of Neutral,” it’s hard to think that this band won’t be the one to float to the top.

Nintendo shits their pants. Or according to them someone put poop in 'em.

Uh oh. Did you feel that? It was Nintendo's shudder when they realized that they might not have the upper hand anymore. The Wii Motion Plus, what once seemed like another nail in Microsoft and Sony's coffin, now looks like one of Nintendo's old forays into forgettable peripherals. Motion controllers are old tech now and the other two guys might of caught up in an overzealous leap.

Don't get me wrong here. Nintendo isn't crashing and burning right now. But now they are playing defense to justify themselves. Unfortunately it's not coming off very well. Nintendo definitely had us drinking their Kool-aid for sure. People were storming stores looking for plastic wheels, boards with pressurized feet, and analog sticks with an accelerometer in them. In the wake of Project Natal (Microsoft's motion tech) and whatever Sony's will be named motion tech, this makes all of Nintendo's efforts either look very archaic or very childish. Did I mention expensive? No one really knows what the price will be for Natal and PS3's tech but, there were some clues dropped for anybody who wants to pay attention. They did say that Natal was going to be packaged in with 360 units. That can't be said yet with Motion Plus and at 25 bucks a pop you just paid 100 bucks to get everybody on your system up to date. Not to mention the 3 other Wiimotes you bought to get everybody to play. $220 now if you are keeping score. How many Natals do you need to have 4 people play? One. Now you have a place with a bunch of white plastic laying around.

Yet you are going to have the forum dwellers post with all their exquisite apathy and shrug. Looking cooler than ever before. They will say that Nintendo's works just fine and it's good enough for them. Or that Natal and Sony's tech isn't that great. What was Nintendo's new tech? The heart monitor. That will definitely see as much use as the Wiispeak. Maybe it'll be easy to point out how horrible the presentation was for Natal and laugh. Yet I suppose everybody is easy to forget about last years Wii Music and Ravi Drums. You could say Natal-station3(whatever) won't work as advertised. Fair enough I say. I am not holding my breath for being able to show my girlfriends new dresses they should buy and have an online fashion party. But people are playing it and their impressions are way more positive than I thought were going to be.

In the end maybe this the best thing for Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, and all of us. Competition will spur more innovation. Maybe it'll spur better use of motion controls in actual games. Whatever it is, it will definitely be a unique time to be a gamer. Less party games though. Oh god the party games.



Oh and what the fuck is up with that Milo? Peter, seriously?

Causal market kills video games? Not yet.

Alot of numbers are in and it looks like another year of Nintendo domination. Along with that comes the chorus of forum bodies and comment-posters apathetically singing or debating the death or marginalizing of the core market. Yet a closer look at the numbers and you might be able to read something most people won't see when they take a look at just what titles they were. 

Looking at just these 5 games in these 3 markets 3 of the 5 games are Nintendo with Mario Kart at the top spot. With GTA 4 and COD: World at War on the 3 and 5 spot respectfully. Mario Kart at number one was 24% of sales and Wii Fit was right behind that at 23%.  Neither of them  were at those 2 same spots in all 3 markets (USA, JAP, UK). Wii fits lowest ranking came in USA at 3 (20% 4.55 mil). The number 1 game here in the states is our own GTA 4 at 5.18 mil (22%). How did GTA do everywhere else? It did great in UK ( 2nd spot with 1.85 mil) but, not so good in Japan ( 256K for 4th out these 5). COD: WOW did pretty well here at 4.46 mill (19% which garnered them  4th).  In the UK they broke a mill and were 20% of the sales but the game wasn't even released in Japan (for obvious reasons). But if it were and say that it got about the same as GTA 4 then you got Smash making a run for its money.

        Also what are the positions in the Market? The USA is the biggest with a whopping 63% of total sales with UK at 20% and Japan at 17%. So we already know that USA has the biggest pull in the industry. GTA 4 US sales alone beat out Mario Kart in the other markets. 

So what is that telling me? That casual games  may not be taking over anytime soon. Sure you could say that not all these titles represent the top Japanese sales but their hardware sales have been slowing down.  In addition what is the real casual games here? Wii Fit is made for that market no doubt but some could argue that Mario Kart isn't. Smash barely has any of the "dem Wii bowling is fun" motion controls and a lot more complicated than what I would call casual. If the US and UK markets are growing then you'll should start seeing that core games definitely are a viable market and may stave off that popular and sensational mentality of the death of it.