Jackson Vs Ortiz: Bellator continues to fall behind the 8-Ball

In my best Paul Harvey voice here. Hello fight world! This is the Crypt Keeper. Standby for craaaappp! Before you get all defensive, read on further as I'm talking about one bout in particular. And in my sites today is the red-headed step child that's always behind the 8-ball, Bellator MMA.

Bellator directly in my site.

Before I get into the match I'm loathing, let me get those of you who don't know me up to speed on my opinion on Bellators current state. With Zuffa's purchase and integration of Strikeforce into the UFC, a lot of fighters were let go for various reasons. Some good, some bad, but none the less there were a good number of fighters looking for a new organization to call home. Bellator had the opportunity to really step up here, add some weight to their roster, and gain some main line credibility as a viable threat to the UFC just as Strikeforce was before their buyout. Bellator dropped the ball. Fighters that should have been picked up were left to walk. And instead of looking at a strong future, they pulled a play out of Dixie Carter's book, and started snatching up big names that should be retired or are just garbage. Essentially Bellator is now the TNA to UFC's status as the WWE of cage fighting. Is sad. It's not to say Bellator doesn't have any good fighters. They do. Their overall product just isn't up to par, and they're too blinded by the well polished turd in their hands to realize it's a turd.

So fast forward to the fight I'm talking about. The recently announced debacle between Quinton Jackson versus Tito Ortiz. What the french toast? Now that we know what match has my blood pressure up, lets take a look at the fighters. Then I'll go into the match.

Lets start with Jackson, who I have respect for. He stepped away from the UFC and admitted he just can't hang with the big dogs anymore. He's close to retirement and is looking at that horizon. He probably has one good fight left in him, but essentially he's done. His attitude reflects this as well. So now he has a contract that allows him to test the waters of the fight world to see if it's really still worth it to him, and he can start making a transition to "professional wrestling" with TNA. A world where his name can still pack an arena, and net some big money. He's at that stage where a crowd chanting, "One more time" actually means something. Rampage, more like Junkyard Dog these days, is a good veteran to Bellator to test its people against to see if they really are ready for that next level. Could Jackson hold a belt? Possibly, but he probably wouldn't hold that strap for very long.

Now for the Huntington Beach Bitch Boy. This classless dingle berry just needs to leave the fight world. It doesn't matter if he wins or loses, he's a bad sport and brings down the fight world anymore. Win, lose, or draw he always has a story about how he broke this, strained that, or some other training mishap that took away from his a game, but he fought anyways. Hey jackass, this isn't the WWE! You don't have to play a heel character! This guy has an excuse for everything. If it was just when he lost, it would be one thing. You could chalk it up to being pissed about the loss. But even when he wins he has something ugly spewing from the suck on his face. Then look at his record. Over the better part of the last decade, his loss record has quickly added up to almost match his win record. Some of those loses are to fighters that are not even up to Jackson's caliber. It's sad. Very, very sad.

The fight itself is good purely for nostalgia purposes. But really it's nothing more than a trip down memory lane as both are far from their prime. It should in no way be the Main Event status it's being given. It's like watching Hulk Hogan go one more round with Ric Flair. Will Tito do the Flair Flop? It's ridiculous. For me, it shows just how involved Spike TV/ Viacom really are with their programming. This fight is entertainment, not a fight. And I know I'm not alone in this opinion. If Bellator really wants to be taken seriously as a fight organization, and not as a stepping stool to "professional wrestling" they really need to change their game up.

TNA Wrestline Sting Vs Hogan. Purely a nostalgic match. So Sad.

This "fight" has the potential to go either way. It could be a money maker provided Tito takes it seriously, and does everything he can to actually deliver a fight. Or it could be just another match on Jackson's path to TNA. Either way, it's a gamble that Bellator has placed way too much in. Queue the music, I'm out. In the words of Paul Harvey, "Good Day."

Reading Solutions

I love to read. For me, ereaders are a wonderful invention. Instead of carrying 5 books in my bag, I have a library on a device that takes a fraction of the space. I grew up with the family bookstore down the road. So it surprises me when I come across someone who says they don't like to read, or don't read. 

There are so many worlds, and new people in books. You don't need electricity to see it. If you get interrupted or have to stop reading, you don't miss anything. It's still sitting there waiting for you to comeback and pick right back up from where you left off. I just don't get how people are so turned off by books. They'll read countless magazines, spend hours reading posts on Facebook and Twitter, countless articles and reports from news sites. People can't even make it through dinner without text. So given how much people already read, it kills me that people won't pick up a book. 

Technology could be the key to this though. Even with Barnes & Noble bowing out of the tablet market, there's still hope. Another company could easily pick up where they've left off and fallen short. Amazon is making a killing. And Kobo is making the mix interesting now with their Arc. Sony, in typical Sony fashion, has an over priced ereader that could use some sprucing up. However, Sony has proven time and time again that it shouldn't be written off. Then you have the plethora of apps for cell phones by all the above and then some. With tablets taking off, these apps could really capitalize if they were marketed better. If more companies would make a better device with an up-to-date version of android, and actually upgrade them to the newer versions like they do tablets and phones, there would be an even bigger market. 

Why do I believe this? Because people love multitasking devices with the most current software. Communication, entertainment, and internet access everywhere. Something to entertain the kids, something to keep everyone in touch, something to help out with scheduling, navigation from time to time, and something to take you away for just a little while. We have the capability. We have the access. We need to get the word out, and more people involved. Not just the big companies. Public libraries could increase their traffic dramatically if they were to get involved. I've come across a couple, but not many. What's that? You need to return your book, but can't get off work to drive? That's okay, it's an ebook and you're connected to the internet! Pretty sure I just heard a "Ka-Ching!" Plus libraries have audiobooks. What's that, another electronic item in your basket? Ka-Ching! The possibilities are endless. Big companies are starting to take advantage of some of these options, as are a handful of libraries. 

So maybe some of these people feel they don't have time to read. Maybe they're a bit intimidated. Just maybe, they don't want to carry extra weight. The technology is the cure to these issues. Get the advertising out there people. Encourage people to read. If people got away from the TV for a little bit and started reading, like the days of yester-year, our countries education levels could start to see an improvement as well. You don't have to unplug to read anymore. Instead, plugin and read up.

Undead Snorefest

So time for a little opinion kiddies. The zombie thing has been played out. Don't get me wrong, I love a good zombie. But it's gotten pretty ridiculous recently. Movies, TV, video games, books, comics, advertisements, radio, slippers, magnets, the list goes on. Much like an apocalyptic story, they're everywhere.

Growing up, my favorite monster quickly became the zombie. For the most part, if you wanted a zombie tale, you were looking for reading material. There were a few zombie movies out there, but not a lot. You had versions like the mummy. Cheesy and barely inspired stories. Then you had George Romero's original trilogy. Those were great movies that made you double check the doors at night. I would watch those with my dad on many occasion. Just about every Halloween, he'd paint his face up zombie style too. I even remember going with him to see Return of the Living Dead 2, while my mom and little brother were across the hall watching Throw Mama From the Train.

Zombies had that appeal because they weren't common. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and various others were a dime a dozen. They even had their own cereals, courtesy of General Mills. Now I know some of you are saying, "What about Frankenstein's monster?" He was just that, a monster that was pieced to together by several dead people, and therefor not a zombie. Even the Monster Squad stayed clear of zombies, with a loosely connected mummy that was essentially nothing more than a wad of toilet paper.

Fast forward a few years. New breeds of zombies were starting to come out, and the first Resident Evil games stepped forward. This combined with the monsters and demons from Doom coming to eat you, zombies had a new platform. Even a good remake of Night of the Living Dead found it's way into theaters. And for about a decade it was good. While there were some absolutely horrible movies made, there weren't a lot. The entertainment biz was taking care to make good zombies. Then came the early 2000's to present. Zombies crawling from the ground, zombies made by viruses, zombies that aren't really zombies, but are merely people infected by viruses, people turned into zombies because they're bit by a mosquito that had previously fed on a zombie. Zombies have joined their undead brethren in becoming a dime a dozen. There are few zombie movies that I enjoy anymore.

The biggest allure that zombies had was that you didn't know what you were going to get because there just were that many of them. Now, you know just about everything you need to just by seeing an ad for the new show. What's worse is when Hollywood takes a great book and then tries to convert it to the big screen. I weep for World War Z, as I do for the many other books that Hollywood has done completely wrong. While most of the world is excited to see what new zombie movie is on the horizon, I'm patiently waiting for Netflix. That way, when I fall asleep my snoring doesn't bother anyone. At least the Walking Dead, hasn't taken a huge fall on its face yet.

Orange is the New Black... or is it?

Time for a brief show review. So after seeing some light advertising on +Netflix and my wife coming home saying we needed to check it out, I gave Orange is the New Black a look. After seeing some great originals on +Netflix I was looking forward to seeing what they had in store for me this time.

Lights, camera, and what is this? It took me a couple attempts to get through the first episode. The first half of it is horrible. It's easily confused with skinamax. There's virtually no story, and lots of sex going on. We're not talking artistic in a Sparticus kind of way either. It's just a raw, in your face, amateur film. I got about 15 minutes in the first time before I had to turn it off. I was disappointed. But wait, I'm not done yet.

So the first part of episode one was garbage. The next day I was thinking to myself, maybe I didn't give it the chance it deserved. So I went back and turned it back on. After a second time, the first part of episode one is garbage. But once you get past that, it does start to get better. So after the first episode I'm thinking maybe. But I just don't know. So I watched the second episode. It continued the trend of slowly getting better. And it had that little something that started to draw you in. Not so much a connection with any character, but the story line itself.

Before I knew it, I had watched all of its episodes. As a whole, the show is just okay. But individually the episodes are good. Each episode focuses on specific people, in specific settings. So they take a life of their own. And while they're nothing spectacular, they have just enough to keep you coming back for more. The last few episodes, however, that's you're meat and potatoes of the show. A lot happens, and it's fast. Those few episodes are what the entire season should have been. While not as intense, or insane as OZ was a decade or so ago, it grabs you. And every so often you catch yourself going, "Holy cow!" There are a few easily predictable scenes. Fortunately these are little things that don't take away from the show.

The actors are good for the most part. They take characters that are just meh, and really make them into something you're interested about. While there are a couple that are pretty stale. For instance, Kate Mulgrew really lets you see her chops, in a persona (and accent) that's light years away from her Star Trek days. In contrast though, Laura Prepon just isn't impressive at all. Every time you start to think she might do something with her character, you're left with nothing. She may very well have left her best work on "That 70's Show," because you certainly don't see it here.

So in all, it's an alright show. If you're a fan of police, crime, and prison dramas, this is really nothing more that a season filler for another show, or an in betweener for those brief periods between season. It will pull you in for a few minutes. But after that, it leaves you with little. Personally, I'd recommend Lilyhammer, or House of Cards before this. Keep em coming +Netflix, I'll keep watching. But this is just my opinion.

What Exercise Should Be

There's one word that so many people hate. Even the hardcore individuals who do it, and preach it everyday. Exercise. It hurts, and isn't something we look forward too. But exercise isn't exercise when it's something you enjoy. At that point, it no longer seems like work.

I, like so many others, HATE running. I can't stress that enough. I've tried to get into it. Even when I was in the USMC I hated it. For a while I even ran twice a day during those years. That actually made me hate it even more. Briefly I enjoyed lifting weights while I attended NMMI. But it wasn't a heavily crowded gym, and I had a good friend to lift with, who was very knowledgeable. It was a rush to see my max increase. But after that, it bored me to death. And I know I'm not alone on this. However, everyone has something they enjoy.

Some love running. Some love weights. Some live for bicycles. The list goes on and on. For me it's swimming. For that matter, it's just about anything that has me completely surrounded by water. SCUBA, snorkeling, so long as I'm in the water, I'm happy. It's the one exercise that isn't exercise to me. It doesn't matter what I'm doing in it, just that I'm there. When I'm in the water, it's a whole different world. Above the water is noisy, people laughing, screaming, having fun, and the chaos of life is nearby. But under it, below crashing waves, and the splashes of divers, it's a silent and peaceful world. Much like riding my motorcycle, it's a place that lets me clear my mind, and just enjoy what nature has provided me.

But it doesn't end there for me. A pool is good, but it's not the best. Don't get me wrong, I love going to the pool too. But I like moving water. A lake, creek, or river a great. But the ocean is ultimately where it's at. Riding the waves, hovering in the water, and feeling the undertow and currents pushing me here and there. And then there's SCUBA. You can go to the same spot often, but no trip is ever the same. Strap an air tank on your back, some fins on your feet, and then you make an escape into the deep blue. The fish in the area vary, every approach on the coral is different, and sometimes you'll find a boat, or some other man made creation to explore. And sound. Sound is totally different under the sea. Crabs, and lobster clicking away, boats cruising by, bells and various things banging and clanging. To those who are land locked, these things don't seem so special. Once you're under water though, you can't tell where it's coming from. Not only that, but how close it is. You're surrounded by muffled, unique sounds, and all the chaos of the world is blocked out.

You can kick, pull, wiggle, and more. But there's nothing like that feeling in the water where you briefly get that point of weightlessness. You're in a space all your own. That's how exercise should be. It's not work. It's just an escape that helps you reset. And at the end of it, when you're all done, you'll realize just how hard you pushed yourself without knowing it. You'll know from the aches and pains. You won't curse it though. You'll welcome it, and go back for more.

Me in the East China Sea

The Man's Bike

So, when you take a look at motorcycle's, for the most part it's a man's hobby. Yes, there are some women in it, but for the most part it's just men. Most of the women that are around, are just a long for the ride. The old saying is, "A man's home is his castle." If that's true then his thrown is either the recliner in the living room, or the toilet in the main bathroom. Then again, I've been in some people's homes where they have a TV mounted in the bathroom too. But that's a different story.

No, for some people, home is truly where you leave it all behind. For me there are two simple pleasures in life that I just can't get enough of. The ocean, and riding. So when I say home is where you leave it all behind, it's because it's something you are able to enjoy and leave all the stress and garbage life tosses at you behind. That's why when it comes to riding my bike, it truly is a therapeutic event. It can be a ride to the store, around town, or just home from work. This is also why you'll often see a lone rider riding down the road in the rain. It's an escape that no beer or drug can replace. 

You see a man's physical bike can vary. Some like sport bikes, others cruisers, yet others move their ape hangers as high as possible, and many get their pipes as loud as they can. Everything from a rice burner to a barcalounger say something unique about the rider. But for those that move beyond the occasional weekend trip, and just love the ride, they've found the Man's Bike.

A man's bike is that two wheeled monster that you get on all by yourself, rev up, and cruise down the road with. You don't even have to have a destination. You clear you mind of all your troubles, and enjoy feeling the air move around you. You lean into turns, giving a little more gas, and feel like Superman weaving in and out of the clouds. A man's bike reminds you that your mortal, but challenges you to push harder anyway. It also reminds you to slow down enough and pay attention, otherwise you'll lose control and pay a hefty price. This is much like life. 

A man's bike has feelings too. (I'll use it here as not everyone considers their bike a she. For some it really is a he.) It's not some weekend warriors toy, that's bright and shinny. They're worn and dirty from constantly being outside and used. And if you don't pay enough attention, sometimes it'll get moody. You'll go out to start up for a ride, and you'll just get a whine. You add the choke, and still, just a whine. It's as if it's saying, "Who do you think you are, and just where have you been?" You'll actually have to give a bit of a push to get it to kick over, as a way of apologizing. And if it's accepted, you'll be riding down the road. If not. Well, you'll be paying a pretty penny for the shop to pamper it for a bit. 

A man's bike, is really an extension of the man that's rides it. You're key to getting out, being reminded what life is, and what you need to do when you shut down and go back inside the house. Some of us need to ride a little more often, less we forget what we have. Some of us need to ride more often, to be reminded of things we've lost. Some of us need to ride, to celebrate what we have and what we've lost. Some of us just need to ride. A man's bike, just another part of a man that's often over looked.

Just one view of my current ride.

High Noon in the Virtual World

Time for some game talk. Video games that is. I took a lil bit of hiatus for a bit, and didn't play very much. But the last few weeks I've been revisiting my Xbox collection. Some COD and Halo with a mix of Gears of War and various other shooters for the most part. And it got me thinking, what's the best shooter?

It's a tough choice really as there have been a plethora over the years. And I'm not talking the scroll and shoot platformers like Commando and Contra. I'm talking 1st person shooter. The first real experience for this, outside of arcades, was with the NES and Sega Master System for those who had the light guns. Most everyone of the NES generation, myself included, remember Duck Hunt with bitter sweet memories. Sweet for all the duck we massacred, and bitter for every time that stupid dog laughed at us. After 30 years, I'm sure most of us would still like to shoot that mutt. I know I would.

For those with computers, Wolfenstein and Doom are what really set off the 1st person shooters. To further the phenomenon, the ports to SNES and Genesis helped them to reach even more people. For me Doom was really the number one spot, and held that spot for years. Then came a new arcade boom. Real people were used for a number of shooters like Mad Dog McCree and Crime Patrol, where short but engaging. There was nothing like standing in an arcade front of a big screen at high noon, or taking down the drug lords. For me it was a little bit of a thrill when I played Crime Patrol because it was filmed in Albuquerque, the place I now call home. The only way you got to see these gems was if you were fortunate enough to have a 3DO. A system way ahead of its time. Fortunately you got to see some arcade hits like Terminator and Revolution X, on SNES and Genesis but it wasn't the same. You really had to have a few quarters to pump into the old machines to truly get the full experience with them. The Atari Jaguar was another rare gem, of which my favorite game coincidentally was a shooter as well, Aliens Vs Predator.

There were a few others here and there, but really you had to fast forward a little bit to get to the era of shooters. We're really in the middle of it right now. We've seen various incarnations of Doom, and Wolfenstein. But it really started to take off with Halo, and it's just escalated since then. It's one of the series I've been playing as of late. Those who play multiplayer games online can spot a Halo fan virtually immediately, as they're the ones that are always jumping around. Which can be fun, as you hear the hardcore Call of Duty fans complain about it all the time. Yet another series I've been playing. Aliens Vs Predator and Aliens Colonial Marines offer a little something different, but fall just short of the full experience. Gears of War has a decent story as well, but is still missing that little something for me as well. To me it feels like a revised version of Doom with the characters on steroids, and guns inspired by Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi. The new incarnation of Ghostbusters is great, but doesn't offer anything outside of the story line. Sad, because it could be so much more than it is. The latest Duke Nukem offers a blast from the past, but concentrates too much on the mini-games, and feels like it ends too soon. Multiplayer here suffers too.

Let's not forget the lovely world of mobile tech either. You have Metroid Prime Hunters, Unit 13, and a number of other compact shooters for your fix with the portables. But you can't forget your tablets, smartphones, mp3 players, etc. NOVA, and Modern Combat are easily at the top of the list and make for great alternatives to Halo and Call of Duty. But they still suffer from poor controls that still have a long way to come, and limited multiplayer abilities.

So when it comes down to it, what is the best shooter? I think it varies for everyone. For me, it goes back and forth depending on my mood. Sometimes I want to shoot aliens hell bent on wiping out human kind. Other times I might go "camping" on Call of Duty just to upset some kid who's keeps trying to run into the same building. Other times I'll say it's not enough, let get out a sports game. Whatever it is though, it better have a good online multiplayer capability if it wants me to keep coming back. What do you prefer?