A Merry Hunt

Vertically Striped Radio - Episode 136 - 11-24-11 - Thanksgivingish

It's the VSR Thanksgiving spectacular! Craig has a long list of things for which he is thankful that lead the show in some unexpected directions. That include Dinosaurs, Hot Mustard, and what is likely the dumbest utterance of “Alligator” in human history. (And of course, Craig is thankful for the Muppets.) 


Craig also has a Magnificent Seven list of his Top 7 Cookies, the VSR Holiday Gift guide with unique gift ideas for that hard to shop for person, and Craig and Luke prepare Egg Cakes in the inaugural (and likely Final) edition of “Cooking with Craig” and then things wrap up with a music recommendation of “Thankful” by Caedmon’s Call.

Vertically Striped Radio - Episode 135 - 11-19-11 - Stuffing the Prius

Tim Tebow is taking Denver by storm, and Craig is confused as to exactly what to think. Can a terrible quarterback also be great? It defies logic, althought that is the result of the early returns of the Tebow era. Craig, Face, and The Whale spend a full segment discussing the state of the NFL. 


We also deal with the dangers of hippos as pets, the sucess of McDonalds despite not being good at anything, and Craig's status as a professional Prius stuffer. In between all that, Craig has a new edition of "Something to Think About" and also "The Week in Wankery" and finishes up with the Vertically Striped Music Recommendation of "E. Watson" from the new Decemberists album "Long Live the King."

Vertically Striped Radio - Episode 134 - The one with Capitalist Fox

It was an odd day on the show, made odder by a Skype caller by the name of capitalist.fox who every time we put him on the air he or she did nothing but play vulgar music. So that was fun. 


The callers we did entertain who actually spoke included Face and the Whale as the Magnificent Seven counted down the Top 7 Sports injustices. Then the Ed called in and things fell apart in a very Ed like way. Ed rambled for longer than we probably should have let him, but then he helped us discuss the changes we would make to NFC uniforms. During this segment we came to learn that Ed really likes gold in a uniform. 


Craig wrapped things up by briefly discussing the confusion that is the AFC West, and a few other random topics with Face and The Whale before wrapping things up with a music recommendation from Peter Mulvey of "The Dreams".

Vertically Striped Radio - Episode 133 - 11-05-11 - Don't call me Amigo!

Craig is lucky to be alive after the Ed nearly killed him this week. He used his new lease on life to chat up some new "Something to Think About" ideas with Face. Among other ideas, Craig hates being called Amigo, and has a great idea to intimidate opponents in a stadium or arena. 


Craig also had his Magnificent Seven Top 7 Favorite words in Spanish and a music recommendation from Ben Folds Five of the song "Army". 


It was a short show because Craig was getting ready to take the family to see the Lion King at the Temple Buell theater. (How sad is it that an hour and 20 minutes qualifies for short show status?)

 

A difficult scenario for the Cookie Monster...

Sage Advice from a Video Game Character

My official position on Tim Tebow.

With the benching of Kyle Orton, I find myself in an odd spot when it comes to my favorite team, the Denver Broncos. In Tim Tebow, my team is now starting a quarterback who is a really good guy that is beloved by the entire city. That'd be great if he had even a modicum of competence, but sadly he's a fundamentals lacking trainwreck. 


The fervor and irrational exuberance behind him is baffling to me. Although I want with all my heart for him to be a great quarterback leading the Broncos to championships, however I believe him to be a severely below average quarterback who will lead us to 5-11 caliber seasons for as long as he is behind center. Whenever the man takes the field, you'd think that he's the Beatles at Shea Stadium. The crowd gushes with the enthusiasm of a 14 year old girl.


The entire city of Denver has a man-crush on Tim Tebow. It's more than somewhat embarrassing, considering his skill set. The passion supporting him has led to non stop booing of Kyle Orton which in turn has led to the inevitable crushing of Orton's confidence. Orton has every right to hate the city of Denver. I wouldn't blame him. The crowd in Denver has booed him unmercifully at the first tiny sign of trouble all season. It has reached the point that he fell apart psychologically, becaming a shell of the quarterback he once was. Before all this drama of, Kyle Orton, while not a great quarterback, was better than Timmy. We've seen this flavor of quarterback psyche destruction happen before in Denver with Jake Plummer falling apart with a rookie Jay Cutler on the sidelines. The Denver crowd has an amazing ability to destroy a quarterback's confidence when there is what they perceive to be a better option holding a clip board.


Orton always was limited and he now has so little belief in himself at that at this point that I'm fine with giving Tebow a shot. In fact, doing so seems to be the only logical thing to do at this point, but don't mistake the Broncos' utter lack of options with me having faith in Tebow's ability. It's great that he's money from inside the 5 yard line, but at some point, an NFL quarterback must actually be able to throw the ball downfield.


The Broncos have nothing to lose this season, they are not putting things together for a playoff run. They may as well use 2011 to discover what exactly they have in their second year quarterback. Sadly, I believe that what they have with Tebow is a first round drafted quarterback who should have dropped to the 3rd or 4th round. Denver doesn't have a quarterback controversy, that requires actual NFL quality quarterbacks. What the Broncos have is a gaping hole at the position. 


Here is my problem. I really like Tim Tebow, yet I find his play so astonishingly bad that I constantly find myself denigrating his play to fellow Broncos fans. It is to the point people think I hate him. I need to make this point very clear: I don't hate him, I just don't want him as the quarterback for my favorite team. He doesn't have the necessary skills. His accuracy is laughable, and his release looks like it would be more fitting on a pitchers mound than behind center. I can't say that too loud in this town, as the natives see such statements as sacrilegious, these types of heretical thoughts are worthy of torches and pitchforks. Tim is beloved, and for good reasons, sadly none of those reasons seem to involve his skill at playing the quarterback position in the NFL.


I so badly want to be wrong about this belief. I want Tim to prove that he belongs and that he is capable of leading the Broncos for years to come. I have zero issues cheering for the man. I just think I'm an early adopter to realizing how truly terrible he is. The people of Colorado won't put up with dreadful play and loss after loss after loss from anyone, not even the sainted Tim Tebow. I don't know how long it will take Denver to turn on him, but it will happen. And when it does, know that while I have never believed in him, I do like him. I won't be booing the man when everyone else starts to do so. Just as I'm not irrationally waving the pom-poms for him now. I'll still like him, even as he proves to be what I thought he was all along. No, I'm not going to be the one booing, I'll be the guy with the sad but knowing grin on his face, quietly muttering under my breath, "I told you so."

Vertically Striped Radio - Episode 132 - 10-29-11 - The VSR Halloween Spooktacular

Episode 132 is a Vertically Striped Radio Halloween Spooktacular that seems destined to take it's place alongside "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." From a Ghost story for kids from 1973, to a spooky story from Dave Eggers, to Craig's off the board fears involving small children, trips to the grocery store, and Tim Tebow to Jerry Fairish from the LCS Hockey Show regaling us with stories from his haunted past. It's a lot of fun wrapped up in a spooky package with a odd choice for the music recommendation thrown in at the end. Happy Halloween!

Vertically Striped Radio - Episode 131 - 10-22-11 - The Third Duck

What kind of a podcast would spend almost their entire show discussing Mighty Ducks 3? Oh yeah, this podcast. The He-Man Movie Watchers Club convenes on Episode 131 for it's most ridiculous and longest meeting of all time to discuss a lousy Emilio Estevez vehicle. I'd just like to say I'm sorry for letting this show happen. I really am. 


Joe, Nalax, Face and Craig disect D3 in terrible detail this episode. Also, there was some news and a brief discussion of the NBA Lockout. Things then wrapped up with a music recommendation of "Family Tree" by TV on the Radio.