Brian and Greg Answer Colin's World Cup Questions

Brian Phillips and Greg Bartram answer my simple minded World Cup questions entering the knockout stage of the tournament. - Colin G.

1) After group stage, whose stock is rising and who is falling?

Brian - To me the knock out stage (16 remaining teams, single elimination) is all about match-ups. We're seeing parity in this year's field. No one's stock is falling faster than host Russia. Uruguay exposed them 3-0 in the group finale. Spain will make quick work of them. I'm certainly more intrigued by Sweden after what they did to Mexico.

Greg - Agreed with Sweden, but I also thing El Tri still has a trick or two up their sleeve. This is a team that made the US look disinterested at home here in Columbus, so I think there's more here. Russia made out like bandits umping out to an 8-1 goal differential, but I think that was the adrenaline of being at home. I expect them to crater. Speaking of stock falling...Argentina? They barely made it, and out of a perennial powerhouse like that with a player the caliber of Messi to stink up the joint that badly...

What games are you most looking forward to in the first knockout round?

Brian - Brazil/Mexico for me. Can Mexico return to the form they showed against Germany? Can Brazil stand up to the physical game they'll see from El Tri? A not 100% Neymar should expect to be knocked around again. Will the center ref offer any protection or let them play? I am also very curious about England/Columbia. Heavy expectations again on the Brits. Does Harry Kane have another goal or two in him?

Greg - Brazil/Mexico, as Brian says, but also and especially France/Argentina. I think France dominates this. Uruguay/Portugal...Sorry, Suarez...you go home sad, methinks.

Do you feel the use of replay has been a success?

Brian - I have loved the replay. The ones I've seen they've gotten correct, and in important spots. And they've been efficient in the process.

Greg - I think VAR has been effective. I haven't seen one that they got wrong. The goal against Germany would've been a crime to let slip away. Not too much to break up the flow, but keeping the game legal...I'm all about it.

What teams would you put your money on at this point?

Brian- I'm liking France right now., but I'm glad I don't have money on this. Expect some surprises. The final four will be all Europeans.

Greg - I was all about the Sons and 'Ssons of Iceland, and sorry they didn't advance. Portugal's an interesting story, underdoggy because of the country's size, but turning out some of the word's best...Ronaldo has been a machine. And here's your Michigan debate...you have Michigan, but you root for the B1G, right? Same thing for El Tri. The US looks better the deeper Mexico moves...maybe their defense should Build a Wall?  I'm feeling Portugal

The Pencilstorm Interview: Aaron Lee Tasjan - by Erica Blinn

Ohio's own Aaron Lee Tasjan, on tour with Social Distortion, will be in Columbus, OH: Wednesday, June 27 at Express Live!

When you experience a live performance by ALT and his incredible band, you will witness four dudes who have figured out how to build a rocket ship out of songs to transport themselves to a far better place, and they'll take you with them if you only believe. - Erica Blinn

EB - Your new album Karma for Cheap comes out this Fall; in a previous interview, you said that if this record doesn't find the commercial success you're hoping for that you'll probably quit and open a chain of Chinese buffets. Is that still your plan or has it changed?

ALT - That plan changes daily. I'm always planning for a forced retirement. My manager will likely release a statement to the press about all my "years of service" and how everyone is "sad to see me go" meanwhile I'll be reluctantly agreeing to go to hair cutting school after a long talk with my Dad.

EB - What is an experience you've been hoping for on the road but hasn't happened yet?

ALT - A gig where I don't worry about anything.

EB - What planet would you most like to visit and what is the main attraction that is drawing you there?

ALT - I know a girl who was in the running to go to Mars so I guess I'd visit there. At least there's a chance I might know somebody.

EB - Of the planets that you have visited, which has been your favorite?

ALT - There's this planet on my front porch...it has an inflatable pool and a bubble machine and a person who has stolen my heart. It's my favorite planet in the universe.

EB - Which pair of animals should've been left off "The Ark"?

ALT - Mean-spirited snakes.

EB - In your opinion, how many strings does the ideal guitar have?

ALT -  Keith is king.

EB - Who would you say has had the least influence on you?

ALT - Ryan Adams's recent Instagram posts.

EB - When would you say would be the best time to exact revenge on someone and how would you do it?

ALT - When they're least expecting it. I would use a palm pilot. No one even knows the technology any more.

EB - What is your favorite thing to get from the ice cream truck?

ALT - Flintstones tangerine push pop.

EB - Shaken or stirred?

ALT - Shake, rattle and roll.

EB - Sunrise or sunset?

ALT - Sunrise in the evening, sunset at dawn.

EB - Would you say that you tend to: a) overreact b) under react c) react appropriately d) none of the above

ALT - I act like I don't know what I'm doing.

EB - You've competed in a lot of pageants over the years; what is one of your favorite memories from your time in the pageant industry?

ALT - I played the Mayor of the munchkins in the Delaware Children's Community Theater production of The Wizard of Oz. I got to wear a sash for the role. That was as close as I ever came to winning a pageant.

EB - If you could only wear one thing every day for the rest of your life what would it be?

ALT - Sparkle shoes and/or David Bowie's outfit in the Diamond Dogs photo by Terry O'Neill.

EB - What is your favorite Quentin Tarantino film?

ALT - Jackie Brown. I like the happy ending.

EB - Which of your prize winning show horses is your favorite?

ALT - Oprah Whinniefrey, Oats-Hay Simpson or Pony Bennett.

EB - What's the most money you've ever spent on Sparklers?

ALT - I've bought far more fireworks than I've ever set off.

EB - If you could be any dinosaur, which would you be?

ALT - Dinosaur Jr.

EB - If you were just starting on this record today, what would you do differently?

ALT - Record a cover of Party In The USA by Miley Cyrus. 

EB - Was there any fun gear that you used on this record? What were some of the effects pedals you used/acquired specifically for this record?

ALT - We used a lot of tape varispeed to make the guitars sound like they're melting. I used a fair amount of Sheryl Crow's guitars on this album, too. Please don't tell her. 

EB - If your band was more like the T.V. show Survivor how would touring be different (if at all)? Who would be voted out of the van first?

ALT - Me. I'm far and away the most annoying one of our whole band. Everyone knows it. No one is bigger or better at being annoying than me.

EB - No further questions, Your Honor.

Aaron Lee Tasjan's new record Karma For Cheap comes out this Fall on New West Records.  

Cavs Draft On Tap - by Ben Galli

NBA Draft Night is almost here!  A rich pageantry of collegiate wunderkinds, characters, and conspiracy.  With free agency the dominion of old money teams, the draft is the easiest way to level the playing field.  It's the aspiration for a better future. And a reward for being losers.  The right pick can change fandoms and legacies.  The Warriors aren't the Warriors if they don't find a Draymond Green with the 35th pick.  Is Klay Thompson playing better than what you expected from the 11th pick in a weak draft?  

The Cavs pick 8th this year. Perhaps the only prized possession from the Kyrie "The World Is Flat Enough" Irving trade.  It's not the best pick and the Cavs are probably looking at the 2nd tier of talent available, but with the right development they could be picking up a star.  Here's a look at the Cavs' prospects heading into Thursday night.

Dream Scenario:  Maybe the only thing that can save this summer for Cavs fans is if Cleveland somehow found a way to trade this pick to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard thus convincing LeBron James to stay.  It's a stretch.  Would Kevin Love, maybe Rodney Hood, and the 8th pick be the best offer on the table for the Spurs?  Doubtful.  

Realistic Best Case Scenario:  One of the players with superstar potential falls to the 8th pick.  It is a precarious position though where Cleveland remains on the outside looking in.  The best players in the draft seem to be the Aytons, Doncics, Bagleys, and Jacksons.  Deandre Ayton can be a monster, a sleeker Joel Embiid.  Doncic seems to be the real deal.  I'll predict he'll be the funnest player to watch from this draft. 

The Cavs won't have a chance at these guys.  But they can hope that a Michael Porter Jr. might fall to them.  Facing concerns with the back surgery that sidelined him for most of his freshman year, Porter's ceiling is the roof.  Porter has a really nice skill set for the NBA.  He's long and a pure scorer.  And if LeBron leaves, there will be no shortage of ego in the Cavs locker room.

Most Realistic Scenario:  The Cavs take a gamble on another player with high upside.  I see Trae Young and rising Kentucky Wildcat Kevin Knox as picks that make sense for a franchise that may need to take risks.  Mikal Bridges from national champion Villanova and Miles Bridges of Michigan State (no relation) should be really solid pick ups.  Less of a risk plus less boom and bust potential.

The Anthony Bennett Scenario:  It's a real shot in the dark to try and predict who's going to be a bust in this year's draft.  You can only guess.  The worst thing the Cavs could do is trade this pick for average talent disguised a la a Trojan horse; perhaps much like the Isaiah Thomas deadline deal was.  Getting talent on level with the likes of Avery Bradley and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope won't convince kings or peasants.  

My Gut Scenario:  I'd hope that somehow a Michael Porter Jr or Jaren Jackson Jr become available for Cleveland.  Not likely though.  I think the Cavs take a chance on Kevin Knox.  And hope he follows in the steps of Devin Booker.  Collin Sexton remains an outcome.  Trae Young would be the most polarizing.  For all the hype it brings, draft night can be a cruel night.  The wrong pick can set franchises back years.  But the right pick can keep a city and franchise buzzing for a decade.

How # Watershed Wednesday Became a Thing - by Nick Jezierny

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook (not to be confused with Love/Hate the band).  I enjoy seeing what friends are doing and eating, plus I find out about some things happening around town.  That’s the love part.

The hate part is the shared political posts, fake news, and extreme right & left pages that I’m asked to like.

So during the election season last year, I decided that I was going to post a “Song Lyric of the Day” for the month of November.  I ride my bike 8 miles (each way) to work and listen to the 200-plus songs I’ve loaded onto my iPod Shuffle.  That first day, Black N Blue’s “Miss Mystery” came on and “I’m tied to the track, just waiting for the train” became the first lyric I posted.

I continued this each day, writing the lyrics on the white board that is built into my workstation (re: cube) at the office and photographing and posting them.  Typically, it’s a song I heard on my ride in or one over the weekend or one that pops into my head for no good reason.

I haven’t stopped doing this, only missing days when I’m out of the office.  I think the whiteboard is a nice touch, as opposed to just typing the lyrics. 

At some point, I picked a Watershed lyric and it was on a Wednesday.  That’s when I used #WatershedWednesday and started tagging Colin & Joe, who are Facebook friends.  It’s cool to get comments from them, such as the time Joe wondered how I even knew the song “One-Word Title.”  I enjoy comments from  people I don’t know.  I even appreciate learning the correct lyrics — I’ve guessed wrong a few times or relied on speculative Internet sites to get the words.

But my favorite part about #WatershedWednesday is I take my classic iPod and select Music < Artists < Watershed < Play All.  I’ve got 98 songs loaded on there — Twister, Star Vehicle, The More It Hurts, The More It Works, Fifth of July, Brick and Mortar, Three Chords and Three Chords II, a few of the Singles Series, the Obvious EP and the cover of “Paint the Town Red”  I listen to those songs every Wednesday, and I swear it makes it my favorite day of the workweek.

Live Taping of Rock & Roll Book Club, Gramercy Books, Tuesday June 19th: Thomas O'Keefe & Joe Oestreich's "Waiting To Derail" - by Ricki C.

Shy, socially-backward, book-reading child that I was, libraries were my first love, bookstores were my second.  (True story: My senior year of high school in the prehistoric ages of 1970, a few of us cut school and went up to the river to hang out.  My best friend Dave Blackburn & I were being the lives of the party and a girl named Christine George – who I had gone though 12 years of Catholic education with, at St. Aloysius and Bishop Ready – looked at me being a rock & roll clown, shook her head and said, “I can’t believe you’re the same person I went to grade school with.  In third grade we were all absolutely SURE you were mentally retarded, but you still got straight A’s.  We all thought the nuns just felt sorry for you.”)    

My current favorite indie bookstore in Columbus (Bexley, to be precise) is Gramercy Books at 2424 E. Main Street, right across from the Bexley Public Library (how perfect).  At 7 pm on Tuesday evening, June 19th, Gramercy will host a live taping of the Rock & Roll Book Club, presented by Mark Danzter, Patrick Buzzard, Chuck Johnson & Ryan Smith.

The subject of the podcast is the long-awaited Thomas O'Keefe book Waiting To Derail: Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown, Alt-Country’s Brilliant Wreck (co-written with Joe Oestreich).  Joe – as many Pencilstorm readers are certainly aware – is the bass player & co-lead singer of Watershed: Columbus, Ohio’s power-pop dynamo.  (Oestreich will be appearing at Gramercy Books for an author talk on July 13th.)

My previous experience with a live presentation of the Rock & Roll Book Club was an event at the Upper Arlington Public Library back in 2015, but next week will be the first time Dantzer, Buzzard & Co. will record their podcast LIVE for re-broadcast on July 2nd.  (The book being covered in 2015 was Joe's Watershed memoir Hitless Wonder, and Watershed's other co-founder/co-lead singer/guitarist - and Pencilstorm mainstay - Colin Gawel played a live set that evening.  Those Watershed boys are so literary.)  

There will be an ample supply of Waiting To Derail on sale at the store during the Rock & Roll Book Club taping, so support a local business, buy your copy at Gramercy Books, and maybe skip Amazon for once, okay?   

It's mid-June, not-quite-summer, we're done with rain, rain, rain, so get yourself over to Gramercy in Bexley on Tuesday for some books and rock & roll; it's easily my favorite combo, and I wish it could/would be yours.  - Ricki C. June 16th, 2018.

The Emperor's New Clothes - by Ben Galli

As many expected, the Warriors defeated the Cavs in the 2018 NBA Finals.  Twas a disappointing end to LeBron’s 2nd run in Cleveland if he does indeed choose to leave.  I could hazard a guess that the next few weeks will reach levels of virtual insanity with the different sources, takes, and rumors surrounding where LeBron James will play next season.  

And we all know that no one really knows. But will that stop the legions of us whose hopes and dreams have been lit anew or those of us yearning to grasp tidings from Brian Windhorst that Cleveland still has a shot?  No, dear reader, I think not. So it’s very possible that I write this simply as a way to cope with the craziness the next few weeks will bring, but hopefully it also gives you some solace for your angst and anticipation.  

LeBron’s Options:

I took the options listed here, based on Vegas odds, and immediately eliminated Chicago, Oklahoma City, and Washington which were inexplicably hanging out near the bottom of this list.  (shout out to Ovi though!)

Golden State (+5000) - I mean in all seriousness folks, this really isn’t gonna happen.  It would be good optics for LeBron (from a brand standpoint, not as a competitor) to at least take a meeting with Golden State if approached.  Nothing wrong with listening to the winningest franchise in the NBA currently. But joining this team is another story entirely. I don’t see one player on the Warriors let alone anyone with any concern for LBJ’s legacy to be for this marriage at all.  Chances: The same as Javale McGee winning the 2019 Finals MVP.

Boston (+5000) - Boston’s many trade assets plus overall talent has invited many “experts” to nab them as a dark horse pick but much like the Warriors, LeBron has too much bad blood with the Celtics.  Unfortunately this means that we’ll never know if LeBron would be petty enough to go to whatever team Kyrie Irving was on just to take the spotlight back from him. It just won’t be in Boston. Chances:  Same as the earth being flat.

Cleveland (+3000) - The tweet below pretty much sums up my thoughts on the Cavs chances too.  Unless Cleveland can pull off close to a miracle in trades, there’re no good basketball reasons for LBJ to stay.  Can they trade Kevin Love for a star or will they have to include their 8th pick? Can they even trade Tristan and JR’s cap burdening contracts?  And the last 2 trades the Cavs front office have made, aren’t getting them high praise anymore. They basically traded superstar Kyrie Irving for a handful of average role players and the 8th pick in the draft.  The draw to stay in Northeast Ohio will come from family. It’s already being reported as such.

I lived in Northeast Ohio for the greater part of my childhood, some 15 years.  And it wouldn’t take much to be talked into leaving Northeast Ohio winters for sunny beaches and famous friends.  But there is something to be said for the ties that bind. And although Cleveland would seemingly be the worst basketball situation for LeBron to pick, I do think they’re his second most likely option especially if he’s being honest with how much influence his family may have.  Chances: How much does LeBron Jr. want to play under his father’s shadow or carve out his own path?

San Antonio (+2000) - There’s a lot of mutual respect on either side of these aisles.  LeBron greatly admires Pop and the Spurs’ culture. Pop looks at LeBron as a near perfect player.  Someone that cares about the beauty of the game as much as he does. And that type of potential cohesion of great basketball minds along with possibly teaming up with Kawhi could be enough for LeBron to seriously consider this option.  But San Antonio means nothing to his family and LeBron wouldn’t want to commit multiple years to that small of a market. Probably the most interesting move basketball wise but everything else says no including how much salary the Spurs have to shed to afford him.  Chances: Remember the Alamo? It’s not good.

Houston (+1000) - The biggest draw for Houston is that they have LeBron’s other bff, Chris Paul.  They also have likely league MVP James Harden and the 2nd best team in the league. But the trick for Houston is what they’ll have to give up to get James.  They would need to get rid of Ryan Anderson’s 2 year, $42 million contract for starters. If they can’t do that, they may need to trade up to 6 players to match LeBron’s salary in the also necessary sign and trade.  Not knowing who the Rockets can keep and certain questions about Harden’s commitment might be enough to keep James away from Houston. Chances: Houston, we may have a problem.

New York (+750) - The Knicks are here because they’re a big market (the biggest) and they’re the most important franchise in the NBA.  The Lakers are the most well known but the NBA gets lifted to another level when there’s a contender in Madison Square Garden. Hiring LeBron approved Dave Fizdale to be head coach is a shrewd move but I don’t see LeBron and his family trading Lake Effect winters for East Coast ones.  Chances: About as good as James Dolan is an owner.

Miami (+500) - Familiarity, location, and the Tao of Pat Riley most likely has Miami this high on the list.  They have a proven track record, a flashy, suave winner at the helm, and a nice no income tax plus nice weather combo with which to attract talent.  But Miami would have to make some moves to free up space and don’t currently have the most attractive pieces at least compared to most of these other teams.  And I don’t think LeBron pictures his legacy as going back and forth between the Cavs and the Heat. Chances: More Fredo than Michael.

Philadelphia (+350) - From a purely basketball talent perspective, LeBron probably couldn’t find a better spot than Philly.  Embiid and Simmons are on their way to becoming superstars and at ages 24 and 21 respectively, no other franchise can boast 2 young guys at their level.  Like these 2 could be the future of the NBA at each of their respective positions. The Sixers also have the cap space to sign LeBron. Although they don’t have enough to sign another max free agent, they have plenty of assets including the number 1 pick of the 2017 draft in Markelle Fultz and the 10th pick this year.  They could perhaps be the best trade partner for a Kawhi Leonard (who was recently seen privately by someone who’s also Philadelphia’s chief medical doctor).

That means Philadelphia can potentially present a lineup including Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard (or Paul George), and Ben Simmons.  That’s more talent than the Warriors big 4. There are questions of fit in the City of Brotherly Love however. Multiple sources say there are concerns with how LeBron will fit particularly with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.  LeBron’s not really played before with as dominant a big man as Embiid and Simmons is a younger version of LeBron minus a semblance of a jump shot. I think they can make it work because although LeBron has usually been a ball dominant player, he doesn’t need to be.  With a proper point guard, LeBron can play off the ball and maybe work more out of the post. A way to transition into the twilight of his career.

Philly is also in the East and with Boston really the only major threat in their way, a Finals trip would be easier to come by.  But what about legacy? LeBron would still be joining 2 budding superstars and history may not look kindly on him coasting to titles on their team.  LeBron’s got a few games in play here and one them is ending up as the GOAT. How his next move will affect his legacy in this regard is something on LeBron’s mind.  LeBron’s future as a brand and his business plans are another of the games LeBron has his mind on. Philly’s proximity to NYC and it’s own status as the 4th largest television market in the country make that relatively palatable.  

But Philly doesn’t set off fireworks when it comes to where LeBron’s family may want to settle for the long run.  LeBron of course has the option of doing a 1, 2, or 3 year deal with player options. He can really play in any city while his family settles into their top choice.  But I sense a different mood this time around. Chances: About as good as Joel Embiid never getting injured again.

Los Angeles (+200) - The L.A. media hype machine is working overtime right now.  Its symbiotic relationship with the Lakers only growing stronger in times like these.  Laker Nation just caught some hopeflakes on their tongue and they’re drinking all of the Kool-Aid. So of course the media will drum up reports of free agents going to L.A. to get those ever profitable clicks.  And the media perpetuates its own bias in favor of advertising and LeBron to L.A. rumors gain credibility even though the Lakers really haven’t signed a superstar in free agency since 1996 with Shaquille O’Neal. (unless like me, you count 2006 (Jimmy Jackson)).  The rest of the league will hope that history repeats itself and Los Angeles is shut out once again.

It may not be so simple this year.  Out of all the teams listed, the Lakers come closest to hitting all of the marks.  They may not have the most talent presently but they’re the only team that can sign 2 max free agents, and have the assets to trade for a 3rd.  In 1996, Jerry West was the architect of that monumental Shaq signing. Magic Johnson who took on the mantle of ‘Mr. Laker’ from West is the new guy in charge now and the Lakers have been prepping for this summer of LeBron since the moment he took over.  They can free up $18 million if they can somehow trade Luol Deng which isn’t likely, but simply stretching his contract would allow them to sign James, another max free agent like Paul George/Chris Paul, and still retain young stud Julius Randle.

The Lakers are already set for the long term future with a lot of young talent in Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart.  If LeBron signs along with a Paul George, the Lakers have choices. They’re young talent is probably 2 years away from entering their prime.  In two years, the Warriors are going to have to consider losing Klay Thompson or Draymond Green. This sets up L.A. perfectly 2 years from now and with Ingram, Kuzma, Ball, and Hart currently on rookie contracts, for a long time after that.  And if one year can’t be sacrificed in the quest for rings, a couple of those guys can be traded for veteran talent, possibly a superstar.

And believer you me, it will be easier to get veterans to take under value contracts with L.A. than it was in Cleveland.  And that’s another area L.A. does strongly in. LeBron has 2 mansions in Brentwood alone and his family spends the summers here.  His sons play basketball on teams in L.A. during the summer. It’s a place his family is already familiar with and I can only imagine the slumber parties at Jaden Smith’s or whoever else’s the kids think are cool these days.

I also do not want to discount the final aspect that also helps Los Angeles.  For someone looking to get their Hollywood production company off the ground, setting up home base in the 2nd largest market in the country, while under the guidance of a legendary basketball star turned billion dollar business entity based in that area makes a lot of sense.  If LeBron truly wants to set some roots down and transitional smoothly from the end of his NBA career to his dream of becoming a mogul, nothing could really be set up better for him. And if LeBron tells his family he wants to go to L.A., I don’t think he hears any sobbing.  

I think Los Angeles makes the most sense for him because it hits so many marks.  He might have to wait one year longer for true title contention but this team would be very close with the addition of two superstars.  It would take all of that falling into place and LeBron not being swayed by friendship in Houston, mentorship in Philadelphia, and knowledge in San Antonio.  But Magic doesn’t care. He’ll do what it takes, wink-winking his way to LeBron “buying” a small minority stake in the Lakers once he’s retired. I’ll also predict that he’ll play for about 4 to 5 more years before he ends his career playing one year wherever LeBron Jr. plays, if he’s ever as lucky as his father.