Monday, February 28, 2011

To Quit, and How?

As a lifelong Washington Redskins fan, it is obvious the team is the scourge of the NFL, and has been for the past 20 years. A friend who shares the same affliction and I were pondering if one was to 'quit' the Redskins, to abdicate his/her loyalty, which would be the best option to follow?

A.) Quit football entirely

B.) Start rooting for another team, which begs the follow-up question, do you choose 1.) another team based on locality (Redskin -> PA team fan) or must you 2.) 'exile' your loyalty to an offbeat team, to avoid any appearance of jumping on a bandwagon (Carolina Panthers, anyone?).

Option B1 is the least realistic option, followed by A, and B2.

Friday, February 11, 2011

RRD's Grammy Picks

Based on a combination of who deserves to win, and my personal preference(s). My choices in bold, projected winners with ***.


Song of the Year
'Beg, Steal or Borrow' -- Ray LaMontagne
***'Forget You' -- Cee-Lo - It has been everywhere
'The House That Built Me' -- Miranda Lambert
'Love the Way You Lie' -- Eminem Feat. Rihanna
'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum

Album of the Year
'The Suburbs' -- Arcade Fire
'Recovery' -- Eminem
'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum
***'The Fame Monster' -- Lady Gaga - LG is everywhere, KP makes terrible music
'Teenage Dream' -- Katy Perry

Best New Artist
***Justin Bieber
Drake - Terrible to lose to JB
Florence and the Machine
Mumford and Sons
Esperanza Spalding

Record of the Year
'Nothing on You' -- B.o.B. Feat. Bruno Mars
'Love the Way You Lie' -- Eminem Feat. Rihanna
'Forget You' -- Cee-Lo
***'Empire State of Mind -- Jay-Z Feat. Alicia Keys - An instant and immediate classic
'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
'King of Anything' -- Sara Bareilles
'Halo (Live)' -- Beyoncé
'Chasing Pirates' -- Norah Jones
***'Bad Romance' -- Lady Gaga - Anything but KP
'Teenage Dream' -- Katy Perry

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
'Haven't Met You Yet' -- Michael Bublé
'This is It' -- Michael Jackson
'Whataya Want from Me' -- Adam Lambert
***'Just the Way You Are' -- Bruno Mars
'Half of My Heart' -- John Mayer

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
'Satisfied' -- Jewel
***'The House That Built Me' -- Miranda Lambert - ML has had a great awards season, I see no reason for it not to keep going
'Swingin'' -- LeAnn Rimes
'Temporary Home' -- Carrie Underwood
'I'd Love to Be Your Last' -- Gretchen Wilson

Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo with Vocals
'Don't Stop Believin' (Regionals Version)' -- 'Glee' cast
***'The Only Exception' -- Paramore - Are Glee remakes really music?
'Babyfather' -- Sade
'Hey, Soul Sister (Live)' -- Train

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
'Airplanes, Part II' -- B.o.B., Eminem & Hayley Williams
'Imagine' -- Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare
'If it Wasn't for Bad' -- Elton John & Leon Russell
'Telephone' -- Lady Gaga & Beyoncé
***'California Gurls' -- Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg

Best Pop Vocal Album
'My World 2.0' -- Justin Bieber
'I Dreamed a Dream' -- Susan Boyle
***'The Fame Monster' -- Lady Gaga - SB is pop?
'Battle Studies' -- John Mayer
'Teenage Dream' -- Katy Perry

Best Country Song
'The Breath You Take' -- George Strait
'Free' -- Zac Brown Band
'The House That Built Me' -- Miranda Lambert
'I'd Love to Be Your Last' -- Gretchen Wilson
'If I Die Young' -- The Band Perry
***'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum - Biggest country song of the year

Best Country Album
'Up on the Ridge' -- Dierks Bentley
'You Get What You Give' -- Zac Brown Band
'The Guitar Song' -- Jamey Johnson - Forward-thinking, vastly underrated album
***'Need You Now' -- Lady Antebellum
'Revolution' -- Miranda Lambert

Best Rock Song
'Angry World' -- Neil Young
'Little Lion Man' -- Mumford & Sons
***'Radioactive' -- Kings Of Leon
'Resistance' -- Muse
'Tighten Up' -- The Black Keys

Best Rock Album
'Emotion & Commotion' -- Jeff Beck
'The Resistance' -- Muse
'Backspacer' -- Pearl Jam
'Mojo' -- Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
***'Le Noise' -- Neil Young

Best R&B Song
'Bittersweet' -- Fantasia
'Finding My Way Back' -- Jaheim
'Second Chance' -- El DeBarge
***'Shine' -- John Legend & The Roots
'Why Would You Stay' -- Kem

Best R&B Album
'The Love & War Masterpeace' -- Raheem DeVaughn
'Back To Me' -- Fantasia
'Another Round' -- Jaheim
***'Wake Up!' -- John Legend & The Roots
'Still Standing' -- Monica

Best Contemporary R&B Album
'Graffiti' -- Chris Brown
'Untitled' -- R. Kelly
'Transition' -- Ryan Leslie
'The ArchAndroid' -- Janelle Monáe
***'Raymond V Raymond' -- Usher

Best Rap Song
'Empire State Of Mind -- Jay-Z & Alicia Keys - Jay-Z and Eminem split their votes
'Love the Way You Lie' -- Eminem & Rihanna
'Not Afraid -- Eminem
***'Nothin' On You' -- B.o.B & Bruno Mars
'On To The Next One' --Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz

Best Rap Album
'The Adventures of Bobby Ray' -- B.o.B
'Thank Me Later' -- Drake
***'Recovery' -- Eminem
'The Blueprint 3' -- Jay-Z
'How I Got Over' -- The Roots

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
***'Crazy Heart' -- Various Artists - T-Bone Burnett is a master, Ryan Bingham is a worthy muse
'Glee: The Music, Volume 1' -- 'Glee' Cast
'Treme' -- Various Artists
'True Blood-Volume 2' -- Various Artists
'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' -- Various Artists.