Friday Diversion

A little something to help pass the time as you wait on the San Jose Sharks to come in at 3-1. As always, this is some of the best reading I've come across over the course of the past week, with a tip of the cap the the Dotcomrades.

The Unfinished
By D. T. Max

Chances are that if you're reading this blog, you will enjoy immensely the writing of David Foster Wallace. I received an email from a loyal dotcomrade about a month ago which stated: "I'm halfway through "a supposedly fun thing i'll never do again". I'm not sure who's imitating who, but the similarities are uncanny."

Seeing as I'd never read Wallace to that point and he's been dead for 6 months, we'll have to chalk it up to coincidence. But needless to say, I'm a fan of his work. I especially love his conception of what writing should be: "Fiction's about what it is to be a fucking human being." And: "Good writing should help readers to become less alone inside."

This is an in-depth look into the life and work of the great David Foster Wallace.

Thanks to MC of the Callaghan Auto Parts Empire for turning me on to Wallace in the first place.

Welcome To The No Benjamins Association
By Bill Simmons

One of the finest pieces that the Sports Guy has ever penned, this is an in-depth look at the current and future financial state of the NBA. To say that things look bleak for the professional sports landscape in the coming years would be like saying that Lebron James has a knack for making things happen on the court.

The Starter Jacket Trend
By Patrick Ronan

A look back to the early 1990's when we all rocked the Starter jacket. All of my friends had them. The Raiders. The Dolphins. The Bills... I'm proud to say that the only Starter I ever donned was that of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and I still get a little teary-eyed when I see a borderline-homeless walking the streets of Toronto rocking that fabled black-and-blue pullover. And yes, that Starter "S" zipper needs to make a comeback in a serious way. And I'm anxiously awaiting the follow up piece on Zubaz...

This American Life: Plan B
Click HERE for a complete synopsis

A reader emailed me the link to this most excellent podcast saying that the first act ("Cuevo Man") reminded her of me.... We'll go ahead and call it the back-handed compliment of the week.
There are four separate acts of entertainment in this fantastic podcast, each touching on the subject of what becomes of our lives when our Plan "A" doesn't quite work out. The first act involves a man who is paid to be a professional partier (Cuervo Man!). Act III invovles a plan to kidnap Frank Sinatra Jr. in order to raise capital (how had I never heard this story before?), and Act IV will bring you into the fascinating world of telemarketing, courtesy of Wire Tap's own Jonathan Goldstein.




The Adam Carolla Podcast (with Bill Simmons)

If Chicago Public Radio's "This American Life" is considered high-brow podcasting, Adam Carolla's foray into the medium is the exact opposite. The Sports Guy stops in to discuss all of the pressing issues of the day, including tipping the bathroom guy at the strip club, politically incorrect movie pitches ("Just One of the Gays"), Carolla's "spunk-shui", and an unbelievable story involving Norm McDonald and his best friend's lawnmower.




The YouTube clip of the Week comes courtesy of my buddy Flats, who alerted me to the ongoing prank war over at College Humour. Believe me when I say that the Yankee Stadium Proposal Prank is phenomenal:



But I have to give the nod to Streeter for pulling off the Half-Court Hoax at the Terps game (video evidence can be seen HERE). That was sheer genius.