Scribbler's Rave & Favorite Five: The Valentine's Day Goosebumps Playlist

One of the most wonderful aspects to music about love, romance and intimate relationships is how it can make you want to be in love no matter what your dating or marital status is.  Although my alter ego's favorite music to perform and produce is hip hop, the triumvirate's consensus choice of listening pleasure is R&B because it's one of the best genres at capturing the aforementioned sentiment.  So as a tribute to one of the sweetest, most romantic "holidays" ever conceived, what you all are about to read is what will likely go down as the most difficult "Rave & Favorite Five" I've ever had to consider.  Get your chocolates ready and, depending on your situation, keep your Kleenex handy...

"This Is the Best You Can Do"...Says Who???

Until a recent desire to listen to Freddie Jackson's Just Like the First Time album, I never paid much attention to the lyrics of "Look Around".  I immediately recalled an argument ten years ago with the ex-girlfriend who inspired the New Problem Tuesdays brand.  With writing clearly on the wall, one of her last ditch efforts was this paraphrased declaration: "This is the best you're gonna get!  No one's gonna love you better than me!"  Considering our troublesome behavior, how many weekends I lost to mindless arguments and suffering frequent migraines, I had no desire to go down the same path as Big Dadi and Momma Scribbler during their twelve-year marriage and knew I could do better.  So in this semi-Valentine's Day edition of "Says Who???", I will discuss how these types of assertions can come across as presumptuous...

Views from the Nosebleeds: Super Bowl LI Recap

For the first three quarters of Super Bowl LI, it seemed like the most entertaining aspect was Lady Gaga's halftime performance--and even that received mixed reviews.  On top of the Super Bowl commercials rivaling the bust statuses of Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell sans three or four, it was looking like the high-flying Falcons were well on their way to a third consecutive postseason blowout victory and the first Super Bowl in franchise history.  As a football fan, I was deflated at returning to the 80s and 90s when playoff and Super Bowl beatdowns were par for the course because I enjoy competition.  However, leave it to Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the Patriots to help save the day...

It's Okay...You Can Say It...Tom Brady Is the G.O.A.T.

I'm not here to talk about Tom Brady and "Deflategate", especially when my favorite quarterback of all time admitted his offensive line sprayed silicone on their jerseys and my favorite receiver said he used stickum to catch the ball better.  I'm not here for his Make America Great Again hat, his association with President Donald Trump, his "immigrant wife", him knocking up two women at the same time or any of his other White male privilege faux pas, not when the great Michael Jordan cheated on his wife, was a notoriously stingy tipper and orchestrated some of the greatest shade ever known (i.e., the Isiah Thomas snub from the Dream Team).  I am here to discuss football and why we can now set ourselves free of the long-debated quarterback G.O.A.T. debate, which has usually included Dan Marino, Peyton Manning in this generation and the consensus favorite in Joe Montana.  While it could be considered being a prisoner of the moment, even people who want to see a box of those Make America Great Again hats dropped on Brady's head from ten stories high have conceded: TB12 is the G.O.A.T. and here's why I won't argue with anyone about it...

Scribbler's "Get Out of My Brain!" Countdown of the Month (February 2017)

Picture this: the February edition of "Scribbler's 'Get Out of My Brain!' Countdown of the Month" nearly featured songs primed for Black History Month, leftover Christmas music, nostalgia and shameless plugs all in one post.  Could've been the most interesting combination of songs ever, right?!?!  Well, unfortunately for Gladiator, Ransom Rellic and my alter ego twin A.J. Throwback, the extension of the holiday spirit only lasted until January 3rd while The Jackson 5 whiffed on two shots to get in on this brain space work.  So while this month's lineup may not be as intriguing without that factor, there's still plenty to love about this band of merry misfits including the first re-entry of this series...

Views from the Nosebleeds Special Edition: Super Bowl LI Prediction

Everyone will salivate over the seventh Super Bowl appearance in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era ad nauseam.  Heck, folks are also already crowning Brady the best quarterback of all time over Joe Montana--although I'll wait until he wins to have that conversation.  However, here's a fun fact few people will mention: the NFC South is the only division where all four teams have been to a Super Bowl in the past 20 years and two of those teams have reigned victorious.  While the Patriots have dominated their division over the past 15 years, the Falcons have clawed their way through one of the toughest divisions in football to break an 18-year hiatus, looking to win the first championship in their 50-year history.  So of course, you've come here because you're expecting a prediction, right?!?!  Patience, my friends...analysis first, prediction last...