Friday, August 31, 2012

The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 1

Welcome to the first college football Saturday of the year!  Take it in.  Live it up.  All is right in the world again.  Here's your guide to all the Big 12 games this weekend plus a few handpicked goodies that I'll be watching.

Big 12 Schedule


See you next week, TCU.  

11:00 a.m. FX: West Virginia vs. Marshall
I'm not as crazy about West Virginia as the rest of the Big 12 bloggers, but this should be a fun introduction to the Mountaineers.  Plus, it's the first Big 12 game of the year.  Prediction: 42-21, West Virginia.

2:30 p.m. FSN: Iowa State vs. Tulsa
Tulsa is actually favored to win this one, but I think Iowa State will pull away in the 4th quarter.  A Paul Rhoads team is always fun to watch and the QB and linebacker play will be good for K-State fans to pay attention to.  Prediction: 28-21, Iowa State.

6:00 p.m. Jayhawk TV: KU vs. South Dakota State
This one is not actually on a channel that most people can see, which is frustrating.  KU is the biggest question mark of the league and I'm excited to see what Weis has put together.  Prediction: 17-7, KU.  UPDATE: Cox appears to be carrying the game on WIBW. Yay!

6:00 p.m. FCS: OSU vs. Savannah State
Have you heard how bad Savannah State is?  They are really, really, really bad.  Freshman Wes Lunt should have a great game, but unfortunately it won't prove anything.  Hopefully no one gets hurt in this cupcakiest of cupcakes.  Prediction: 52-7, OSU.

6:00 p.m. FSN-SW+: Texas Tech vs. Northwestern State
Texas Tech is pretty shaky in openers, so this one might be close into the 4th quarter.  I have no idea how many channels you have to get to get to FSN-SW+, but if you get it, check in on the 4th quarter and see how Seth Doege's doing.  Prediction: 35-30, Texas Tech.

6:10 p.m. K-State HD.TV: K-State vs. Missouri State

I've already previewed this game, but if you decide you want to watch it after all, it's just $9.95 and you get K-State HD content for a month.  Go ahead and treat yourself.  It's just one click awayPrediction: 35-7, K-State. 

7:00 p.m. Longhorn network: Texas vs. Wyoming
Other than KU, Texas is the team that I'm most curious about.  So naturally, the game is on the Longhorn network.  Will David Ash make it through the whole game healthy?  Will he throw an interception?  Will he get sacked?  Will he be able to move the ball?  How good are the running backs?  Will the much-heralded defense preserve a shut-out?  I'd take this game over the OU game any day.  Prediction: 24-10, Texas. 

9:30 p.m. FSN: Oklahoma vs. UTEP
I would love nothing more than to come home from the K-State game, eat a bunch of pancakes, and watch OU sweat their way through this game with UTEP.  I think OU is overrated this year (and most other years) and I'm interested to see how Mike Stoops handles the downgrade to assistant coach on his brother's team.  Landry Jones shouldn't really be tested against UTEP, but I'm curious to see if he's as good a quarterback without Ryan BroylesPrediction: 31-14, OU. 

Sunday, 5:30 p.m. FSN: Baylor vs. SMU
This one should be pretty exciting, and not just because it's college football on Sunday.  Baylor has to replace RGIII, Terrance Ganaway, and Kendall Wright from last year's 10 win squad.  SMU... is also pretty good?  During all the realignment brouhaha last year, they openly petitioned for Big 12 membership and were very quickly dismissed.  This one could get chippy.  Prediction: 30-27, Baylor.

Best of the Rest


 Al Golden and his merry band of speedsters come to town next weekend.  Watch them closely, Cat fans.  The cheap orange tie has powers we can't yet understand.

2:30 p.m. ABC or ESPN2: Nebraska vs. Southern Miss
Southern Miss lost their super coach Larry Fedora to North Carolina, so don't expect the Golden Eagles to give Nebraska too much trouble.  This will be a good one to check in on instead of watching the TERRIBLE commercials on FSN.  FSN commercials are the living worst.  Prediction: 35-17, Nebraska.

2:30 p.m. ABC or ESPN2: Miami vs. Boston College
This is probably a better 2:30 commercial option for K-State fans.  Al Golden begins his second year as head coach of the Hurricanes, with junior quarterback Stephen Morris leading a group of 15 freshmen.  It's the old battle of recruiting vs. coaching and it holds significant implications for the Cats.  I'll probably switch off quarters between this one and the Iowa State game.  Keep an eye on Miami - they're not your average non-conference foe.  Prediction: 30-20, Miami.

6:00 p.m. ESPN: Clemson vs. Auburn
Auburn and Clemson really hate each other, for some reason I can't remember.  Maybe it has something to do with trees?  Or is that Auburn and Alabama?  Either way, Clemson is without Sammy Watkins and Auburn still has Gene Chizik to deal with.  Lots of offense, questionable coaching, general good times.  Oh, and Brent Venables is now the defensive coordinator for Clemson, so that's something.  Probably be a good one to check in on during halftime of the K-State game or in the 4th quarter if the score is close.  Prediction: 28-24, Auburn. 

7:00 p.m. ABC: Michigan vs. Alabama
Michigan just suspended their top running back and defensive end.  If Alabama only has Denard Robinson to worry about, it's over before it even begins.  It's really a shame to see Bama face off against one of the more dynamic (read: crazy) offenses in college football.  Saban's just going to shut them down and then get field goals all night.  Sigh.  Prediction: 17-7, Alabama.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

K-State vs. Missouri State preview

Missouri State Bears

Okay, you got me. I don't really know much about the Bears. All the cool action shots on Google images turned out to be pictures of Mizzou. 

Missouri State went 2-9 last year but did go out on a win over Youngstown State.  Fun fact: K-State's own Andre Coleman is currently an assistant coach at Youngstown State.

Players to watch
Matt Thayer, tight end.  Considered by some to be the best tight end in the FCS.  Maybe Coach will let us run a tight end play or two if Missouri State does.
Ashton Glaser, Quarterback.  Glaser transferred from Mizzou and will be playing his first game as a Bear.  He spent most of the week on twitter, making sure that everyone was ready for his breakout performance.  I'm sure Meshak will take the time to introduce himself.

Strengths
Penalties.  Believe it or not, Missouri State averaged fewer penalties per game than K-State.  This is important, since K-State seems to be more penalty prone in the first game of the year.
Time of possession.  Though not as high as K-State's, Missouri State kept the ball an average of 29 minutes per game, compared to K-State's 34.  We might want to score a touchdown before the 58th minute this year.

Weaknesses
Second quarters.  Last year, the Bears were outscored 102-36 in the second quarter.
Rush defense.  Missouri State ended 2011 ranked 107th overall in rush defense.  Hubert, Pease, Rose and Klein should be salivating over that.  Klein, if you remember, had the worst rushing game of his career against Missouri State finishing with -2 yards in 2010.

Fun facts
K-State and Missouri State tied for 103rd in pass defense last year.  Somehow I still don't think it will turn into a shoot out.  
KU's own Terry Allen is currently the head coach of the Missouri State Bears.  Allen has faced Snyder 7 times in his career but has yet to beat him. 
Series History: K-State leads, 2-0.


Kansas State Wildcats

 This picture gives me chills.  So grateful to have both of these guys on our side.

Did you know that... Snyder hasn't lost an opener since his first year at K-State, back in 1989?  That year he lost to Arizona State, 31-0.  Pretty amazing then, that he turned around the next year and won the opener against Western Illinois 27-6. 

Snyder ball: From 1992-2002, K-State went undefeated in non-conference games.  Consistency.

Players to watch

Linebacker battle.  Justin Tuggle and Jarell Childs are battling it out for the starting position and should split snaps on Saturday.  Tuggle has never played linebacker in a game situation, but Childs has been plagued by injuries.  It should be a healthy competition for tackles.
Secondary.  Bubba Chapman replaces Garrett full-time and Ferguson takes over for Hartman.  The passing attack from Missouri State should be pretty tame, but it will be interesting to see if the new guys make some noise in a game setting.
Special teams.  It'll be interesting to see what Snyder has worked up for the new kick-off return rules.  I'm guessing we'll stay conservative and see a lot of knees in the end zone for this game, but if we get a short kick, keep an eye out for #16.  

Strengths
Run game.  We need to exploit the holes in Missouri State's rush defense early and often.  That allows us to run basic plays, get several running backs (and Braden!) involved and keep a stranglehold on time of possession.
Defense.  Missouri State doesn't have a very powerful offense, though they were marginally stronger on the ground than through the air.  Expect to see the defense swarming and watch out for Nigel Malone on corner blitzes. Will Coach Hayes keep the 3rd down pass rush package?  If #44 is on the field, good things are about to happen.

Weaknesses
Defensive line.  This line is young and struggling with depth.  Watch it as the game wears on and see if you notice a drop-off in skill.
Offensive line.  Finney and Puetz are the only linemen with consistent game experience.  Keep an eye on the newbies for false starts, sacks, and/or general hoss abilities.

Trap level
Medium.  Openers are hard for us, what with the butterflies and the limited playbook and the FCS opponents and the lack of TV time.  Luckily, they don't seem to panic, but they do seem to forget they're keeping score.

Keys to Victory
Show up.  Play football.  Make good choices.  This should be an excellent warm-up game, and hopefully we can put it away early enough to get some of our rookies rotated in.  Snyder typically runs about 5 offensive plays in the opener, so mastery of those 5 offensive plays would also be helpful for victory.  It's really better for everyone if we keep the tricks in the bag, since we have Miami coming to town next week and OU for our first conference game.  Keep it vanilla, keep everyone healthy, and spread the plays around.  More people with stats = more preparation for Miami.

Goal of the week
#17 - Complacency.  Coach has been talking about it in every single interview since the Cotton Bowl.  Let's hope our players got the message. 

Prediction
K-State wins, 35-7.  Offense looks good, Hubert goes over 100 yards, and the second string defense loses the shut-out in the 4th quarter.  At the post game press conference, Snyder discusses some things that we can improve. 



Breaking Bad 5.7 - Say My Name

 Oh Mike.  Your Heat moment broke my heart.  I miss you and your one-liners already. 

We gather together today, to say goodbye to a dear friend.  Mike Ehrmantraut warmed our hearts as a gruff, grumbling, Ensure-guzzling hitman.  He was an efficient Grandpa, throwing tails and using balloons and pig toys to distract his victims.  We cheered when he punched Walt, and were worried when he took Jesse on a joyride.  His death is almost as tragic as Omar's, foiled by the most unlikely drug villain in Albuquerque.  He should have been smarter, but his time was up.  As Hank wisely predicted, even pros slip up eventually.  Walt got him again, and our Breaking Bad world seems uncontrolled without him.

 

1. Will Skylar and Jesse team up to defeat Walt?

Susan: I really think so.  Skylar had that great scene in Fifty-One where she told Walt that she wouldn't live in a house where killing was written off as "shit happens."  Then, two episodes later, Landry/Todd tried to make peace with Jesse by brushing off the death as "shit happens."  I'm still pretty high on the show's writing, even in the wake of questionable plot manipulations, and I think these repeated phrases are important.  Mike and Jesse both made a point of telling Walt that what was happening now was on him - another nice repeated phrase that I found important.  Jesse and Skylar both want out.  Now I'm just waiting for them to find the ricin in the wall and hatch a plan.

Steven: There is that nice moment when Walt and Jesse are retrieving the methylamine.  (Jesse: Vamonos. Skylar: I wish.)  That moment made me think that there's a distinct possibility of them joining forces.  But do we have time for that to all come together in a measly 9 episodes?  I don't know.

2. What does Walt think about his new partner?

Susan: I think he sees him as a sucker.  Walt established in this episode, and all season long, really, that he has no problems making the dishonorable choice.  Walt convinced Jesse to go along with the methylamine plan, got Jesse to convince Mike not to kill him, and then refused to pay him his share.  No way Walt pays Landry/Todd.  He was probably gearing up for a fight about it, but now he'll use him even more than Jesse.  Walt probably should have been more concerned about Landry/Todd writing down the recipe to his classic coke.  As Stringer taught us, you don't take notes on a criminal conspiracy.  The real problem, I think, is that Landry/Todd appears to be a bit of a psychopath.  He had no problem killing the kid, and would probably have no problem killing Walt or anyone else who got in his way.  Oh God.  What if he just straight up shoots Hank?  There's a definite precedent, and he would have no idea about his relationship to Walt...

Oh, and my apologies for being wrong last week. Landry/Todd is the new Jesse, not Walt.  At least for now.

Steven: Walt sees Todd as a motivated new employee.  Todd isn't a genius, but he does have work ethic.  After all, he was willing to shoot a kid in the chest because he took his job so seriously.

3. Will Landry/Todd's oft-mentioned Uncle get to laundry guy before the DEA can flip him?

Susan: I wonder how much the laundry guy knows.  He could probably give enough details for a sketch, and he should be able to identify their cars.  I doubt he knows their actual names, though.  I bet he gives enough for a sketch and then gets killed by the Uncle.  So maybe from the sketch, Hank will figure it out, but then the guy gets killed so he can't testify or do a line-up and... no case. 

Steven: I kind of feel like this will turn out to be another ironic moment, where the laundry guy will have just told the DEA everything and then get murdered needlessly. Walt will have another person killed for no purpose.

4.  Will Hank ever find out?


Steven: If he does, I think it will come right at the end.  Second-to-last episode or last episode. There has just been too much time and too many opportunities for this to be a good plot arc. At this point, it has to be a reveal, a moment of clarity, where Hank finally sees the whole picture and Walt goes walking off, first with a limp, but then his foot straightens out and his hand moves easily at his side. Maybe Walt will have just come in for a cup of coffee. Maybe Hank will drop his own cup to the floor, sending ceramic bits and coffee splattering everywhere. Or maybe Walt will just have a box delivered to ASAC Schrader.  Hank: "What's in the box, Walt?  What's in the box?!"  Well, that one got away from me.


Susan: The DEA part of this show is so problematic.  We're supposed to believe that Gomez catches the lawyer that quickly?  How often could they be tailing him to have that much information on his bank visits?  He can't be visiting the bank more than once a month, right?  Also, why didn't Hank come up with this brilliant idea before now?  It's still interesting that Hank's boss is so keen to get him to drop Fring already and focus on other cases.  Maybe he's just as curious about Alvin B. Gutierrez' roofing hammer as I am.

Oh, and yes.  Hank will absolutely find out. Fearless prediction?  It will happen in the next episode. 

5.  Now who do you think the machine gun is for?

Susan:  Declan. This distribution plan is just not going to work.  Are they going to sell in Walt's territory too?  Are they supposed to sell for a certain amount that they agreed upon?  I have no idea how meth distribution works in that type of system, but it seems like Walt is pretty far out of the loop and could get ripped off very easily.  Also, are Declan and his crew in charge of muscle as well?  It's not like Mike just managed the money.  He managed a whole host of problems that Walt knew nothing about.  How's he supposed to get his materials?  Is Walt handling payments to the Vamonos guys?  What about vetting the people they work with?  Ugh.  It's not going to work.  Declan should just start stockpiling Walt's product, use the 15 million to pay him while he's gathering, kill him, and then cut the regular product with the real blue.  These are meth heads.  It really doesn't need to be classic coke. 

The other option is Landry/Todd.  If he sells his recipe to Declan, Walt could have a serious problem with his young partner.  

Steven: Very possibly for Jesse.  This entire season they've been foreshadowing the showdown between Jesse and Walter.  How many times have they physically fought, broken up their partnership, and disagreed on essential points?  Enough.  I think in the last eight episodes, we are finally going to the thus far hinted at climax between these two characters, and I also think that only one of them is going to make it out alive by the last episode.  I will reiterate what I've said before, Jesse walks off at the end and never turns back.  (By process of elimination, I have decided that this is a better prediction than my original:  "Mike or Jesse will be the only character to make it out alive by the end.  I see one of the two of them boarding a bus out of Albuquerque with nothing but a duffel bag full of money and never looking back.")

6.  How long will Declan be satisfied with 35%?

Steven: Not long.  Not long at all.  Declan is another possibility for the machine gun Walt picks up in the cold open of episode one.  I see Declan planning a heist of some sort or taking a hostage, some way so that he can get Walt to cook for him and take a bigger chunk of the pie.  That's what drug dealers are all about, right?  We already know he cares more about the methylamine than the quality of the meth, but this is the only way he can currently get it.  Eventually, Declan will figure out a way to have his cake and eat it too.  I have no doubt about it.  I do wonder who will get killed over it, though.  Maybe the dude with the crazy, three-stooges-esque hair cut?

Susan: See #5.  Declan needs to get Landry/Todd's notes, stat.  Declan will not provide the support that Mike would have in this situation, and so everything that is about to rain down on Walt is just that - on Walt.  He's killed his last safety net and he has no idea.  He's just worried about the names.

Additional thoughts:

-It was a nice touch to have the lawyer call him and get Mike to give up his location.  It played very similar to the scene in Madrigal where Chow called Mike to get him to come over.  Mike's spidey sense was tingling then, but he lost his touch as this season wore on.  Just another example of Walt infecting and destroying everyone he's around.

I love Mike, but I still prefer this version.  Sorry your life had to end with such amateurs, old buddy.

- The scene where Jesse finally quits is just a master class in manipulation.  Every tack that Walt tries is something specific and pointed and relevant to the show's history.  He mentions the go-carts because Jesse invited Walt to ride go-carts in Season 4.  He mentions that Jesse has no one in his life, but leaves out the fact that he subtly convinced Jesse to get rid of Andrea and Brock.  When he talks about all the people they've killed, he singles out Gale, the only one Jesse has killed.  It is endlessly cruel and you're never quite sure that Jesse will get gone and stay gone until the commercial break closes the scene.   

- The walls are closing in on Walt, but they're still moving very slowly.  For all of the planning and talking and repositioning, this was an extremely tense episode.  Mike's death was pretty quiet, but enormously affecting, due in large part to the acting and writing in the episode's biggest scenes.  The plotting this season has been unrealistic, but they do right by the characters.

- The first scene with the lawyer and bank lady is just a perfect example of the show's style.  The small talk, the music, the camera angles, the casting - perfection.


We've got one episode left this year.  Will Hank find out?  Will Skylar make a move?  Will Walt Jr. eat more breakfast?  Will Walt skip town?  Will the roofing hammer return?  Anything can happen.  Hopefully something will.  Check back Monday (yes, Monday!) for all the answers and more. 


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Nine Keys to a K-State National Championship


In keeping with the preseason spirit of reckless optimism and pointless prognosticating, I've developed the nine essential keys to a K-State national championship.  Please read them before September 1st, as they may all be null and void the instant the season starts. 

1. Win all the games

No seriously.  This is kind of a big one.  Other schools may be able to go to the national championship without a perfect record, but we're not one of them.  In order to win the championship, we must win the championship.  Plus all the other games.

2. Win all the games by at least 10 points

In addition to winning all the games, we have to win all the games by a large margin.  If we win close games, that means we got lucky, or the refs were wrong, or we cheated, or we got an extra down, or they put more time on the clock.  In order to defy all odds, we must beat all teams by at least 10 points and probably never be behind at any point in the season.  Probably a good idea to win all the coin flips too, just in case they decide to quibble about that.  Oh, and we must never, ever, under any circumstances whatsoever, salute

3. All other teams in the top 25 must lose games to unranked AND weird opponents

If Oklahoma loses to Notre Dame, even if Notre Dame only wins 1 game all year, they will still get into the national championship over us in a tie-breaker situation.  If LSU loses to Louisiana Tech, but wins all their other games, they too would get into the national championship over us in a tie-breaker situation.  The difference is legacy, and it means way too much in the eyes of the people who get to make these decisions.  In the LSU circumstance, it would be considered an aberration and overlooked because of the SEC's strength of schedule.  In the Oklahoma circumstance, they get a pass because it's Notre Dame and all the other Big 12 schools play FCS non conference teams.  Any team with a storied history trumps K-State, even with an undefeated record.  In order for K-State to make it to the national championship, we must control all the things we can control AND all the things we can't.

Now that we've established the three keys to winning the national championship, here are some changes I'd like to see this year which could improve our chances of accomplishing that feat.

This is the kind of effort we need on every down.  

1. Improve our pass defense

It was actually looking much better in the Cotton Bowl.  It'll be interesting to see how Coach Hayes handles the pass defense this year.  Toward the end of last year, with Hartman increasingly injured, Coach Cosh asked Arthur and Nigel and David to do a lot more pass coverage and it wasn't always successful.  I'm hopeful that Hayes understands the strengths and weaknesses of his players a little bit better and can develop interesting schemes to accommodate them.  Replacing Hartman and Garrett is no easy task, though.  OSU and OU should be less deadly through the air this year, but we'll need to be better to survive West Virginia, TCU and Texas Tech.

2. Develop a more balanced offense

This is talked about a lot, and is usually paired with comments about Klein's hinky throwing motion.  I think that's just silly.  Collin's deep ball can be a thing of beauty, and is typically right on the money, except if you're Tramaine Thompson.  He didn't use it that often, because I don't think the O-Line gave him enough time, and the receivers didn't do a good enough job of working the routes to get open.  Klein can get it there, but he needs the time and the personnel to support him.  Last year they made a habit out of throwing on first down which was beautiful and helped open up the run game when things got too tight in the middle.  But really, I think most of the people who complain about Klein's throwing motion just don't understand Snyder ball.  Snyder doesn't want to run a quick strike offense.  It's the antithesis to our time of possession, grind it out style of play.  Coach values good plays on every down.  That means taking the time to set up the offense and giving the defense plenty of time to rest and work on their strategies.  For every successful completion, expect to see a 2 yard run.  Snyder's a marathon style coach in an increasingly sprint style league.  Don't expect that to change.  Having a better balance just means that we get to run more 2 yard run plays when we want.

3. Continue and improve our crazy turnover margin

I will concede our luck/magic/wizardry in one key area of last season: turnover margin.  We recovered a huge number of our own fumbles last year and that saved us in most of those close victories last year.  This year I think we should focus more on causing fumbles than recovering our own.  It's probably better if we don't have to rely on that aspect of our game quite as much.

Remember when RGIII had more TDs than incomplete passes?  That was all over by the time he left Manhattan.


4. Sack some people

I miss sacking people.  Sure, we sack KU once a possession, and those poor Texas QBs never make it through a whole game against us, but how about Landry Jones or Geno Smith or Casey Pachall or Seth Doege?  That would be great, and might slow down those breakneck air raid offenses long enough to get our young safeties in position every once in awhile.  With Hayes in charge it will be interesting to see if the schemes look more blitz happy this year.  I think it depends on the strength of our linebackers (excellent) and defensive tackles (not so much) more than Hayes' personal philosophy though.  Still, it'd be nice to see the Lynch Mob back to its full potential again.

5. Open up the playbook

Snyder is an offensive mastermind.  This is pretty much universally accepted.  Unfortunately, though, he is also extremely stingy about using his tricks.  Why use an anvil when a hammer will do and all that.  Historically, when he has a second year starter at QB, he opens up the playbook a little more.  I have no idea what he has in the arsenal but some of my favorite plays would be:
  • Harper running the wildcat, possibly throwing a pass to Collin 
  • No more carries for Braden Wilson - give those to Pease instead and use his size as a decoy fullback
  • 2 back set with Rose and Hubert and switch off carries. Hubert has proven himself a reliable blocker and Rose will easily get lost in the mix
  • More short screen passes to our speedsters, Harper and Lockett
  • Mix in screens with tight end plays.  More and more and more tight end plays
  • Air out the deep ball more often after short yardage runs 

 6. The return of perfect 3rd quarters

Do you remember back in the 90's, when we had all those great teams and that stifling defense and those perfect, flawless, glorious third quarters?  I'd like to see that return.  I don't so much mind the slow starts in the 1st quarter, as they've always been a hallmark of K-State football.  But in the 90's, those halftime adjustments were amazing to behold as we routinely put teams down in those first 15 minutes of the second half.  Some of our best offensive drives this season came in the third quarter (Texas Tech, Cotton Bowl, KU) and I think we're really close to getting that back.  It's a testament to our rockstar coaching staff and might make our 4th quarters a little less... cardiac.  I think everyone would appreciate that.
 
That's it!  We do all of those things and I'm sure we will be raising the BCS trophy high above our heads and gatorade showering Coach and creating a new Stand Up video in January 2013.  Purple, get ready to roll.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

How We'll Do and Why - K-State Football Preseason Picks 2012

  
Last year this picture was tragic.  Can we reverse it in 2012?


 It's that time of year where time has stopped completely.  4 days to kick-off and I can't sleep, I can't focus, I can't even put this post together in a timely fashion.  We're dangerously close to selling out all of our home games and everyone seems particularly primed for a record setting season.  Collin Klein, the most perfect QB Coach could ever dream of, is healthy and ready for his senior season.  Arthur Brown, the most perfect linebacker Coach could ever dream of, is back and ready to fight, unimpeded by his brother's controversies.  The Lockett legacy is alive and well, healthy and ready to break and set all the records.  There are questions on the Offensive and Defensive line, changes in the kicking game that negate some of our deadliest weapons and infinite questions about talent vs. luck.  Did I mention I can't sleep?  I'm so excited about all the potential for this team, a chance for the perfect Snyder team to pull off a perfect Snyder season.  But with those expectations come huge waves of fear and anxiety about all the potential heartbreak.  A&M is gone now, but Iowa State has proven to be the bigger threat. Will this be the year?  I'm almost afraid to look.

OFFENSE

 
Andre McDonald is my #1 pick for offensive breakout star.  Unfortunately, he has to sit out the first game due to pet problems, so it could be a rough year for my predictions.

#18 Andre McDonald 

I love tight end plays. They seem so sneaky and efficient. Look at all that blocking he's done all game, oh wait, he's a receiver too! It just makes sense, and after Stanford got so much use out of their tight ends during the Andrew Luck era, I want to do that too. So Andre is my guy. I realize that he's the opposite of Coach's guy and he gets into weird trouble and he's probably not the best "family mentality" player on the team. So it must drive Coach crazy that he keeps saving our skins time and time and time again.  I'm cheering for him, and hoping that he can grow up both on and off the field. We need him.

#33 John Hubert 

Robert Rose is still my favorite running back, but you've got to admire Hubert's skills as a human pinball. He always keeps his legs churning and can slip through holes and while he may not have the speed or the elusiveness of some of the greats, he bounces off players better than any running back I've ever seen. He was seriously overshadowed last season by the Bryce Brown drama and Klein's running game, but he saved us in tight games. When the offense stalled the most (Missouri, Texas, Iowa State, Arkansas) Hubert was there, quietly moving the chains. If we can get the Klein/Hubert backfield to look a little bit more like the Bishop/Hickson backfield - wowza.

Perfect example.  Collin is the one who scored, and he's looking to the ref for confirmation.  Puetz has his back turned on the play and is already signalling.  And he was RIGHT.
 #50 Nick Puetz 

Nick is young, and is our most frequent false starter currently on the team (bye bye Hanson) but Nick does one thing that I absolutely love. He always - ALWAYS - calls the outcome before the refs. If we got a touchdown and the refs haven't signaled yet, look at #50. If he signals, it's a touchdown. Same with fumbles, first downs and receptions. Nick knows, and he gets SO excited about it. Keep rocking that signal, Nick. We see you and we love it.

#86 Tramaine Thompson

Tramaine is my favorite kind of wide receiver because he has to use his entire body to catch a ball. Have you ever seen him catch a ball flat footed? He's not great for yards after catch, because he's typically extended as high and as far back as he can go, usually resulting in some sort of spectacular back flip. It's amazing to watch and exhibits that tremendous toughness and effort that Coach is always talking about. This kid will not be limited by his size.  PS - Check out the link to see a picture of him.  Is that what you pictured?  That mustache is amazing.

I bet BJ was a good roomie too.  Shalin has some big shoes to fill.

#66 BJ Finney

Finney is a classic Big 8 kind of football player. A team captain as a sophomore, already a Rimington trophy candidate, running the very young offensive line and besties with Collin. That's quite a bit of success for a former walk-on from Andale, KS.  Some people think our O-Line was pretty great last year. I disagree. I'll be paying close attention to them this year, and I expect Finney to lead his band of unselfish brothers into battle for Collin and John and Braden. 

DEFENSE


It's always a good sign when the top 5 image searches for your cornerback feature him with the ball in his hands.


#24 Nigel Malone 

I feel bad about completely missing Nigel in last year's preseason predictions. He came out of nowhere, and was one of the only highlights in that dreadful Eastern Kentucky opener last year. Interceptions, especially the way Nigel does them, were such an exciting part of the defense last year. That, and the famous Frank Alexander step, were the only reasons I rewatched the OU game from last year. Don't do it. It's not worth it. There's nothing to be learned from it except how to experience deep emotional pain and suffering. As a K-State fan, that's not exactly something we need to practice. Simply put: you can't do it any better than Malone.

#23 Jarard Milo 

Currently Thomas Ferguson is beating him, but come on. The dude is Goolsby's brother. Gooooooooooooolsby.  We gotta get that chant back.

 Of course the Preacher's kid is the pump it up captain of this team.

#50 Tre Walker 

Better known as "the deacon" Tre is one of the most exciting and excited kids on the defense. He made the goal line tackle at Miami, he's frustrated by the nickel package that doesn't allow him to play every down and he's as outspoken as Arthur is reserved. He's the yin to our extraordinary Arthur Brown yang and is the bright shining star of the rejuvenated Lynch Mob. This year, he takes over for Emmanuel "Too Tall" Lamur in the 4-2-5, which means that Walker will get far fewer plays off.  It's your time, Tre.  Preach.

#42 Meshak Williams

Meshak is our sack machine. He and Adam Davis were monsters on the defensive line last year, and with Coach Hayes running the defense this year, I'm hoping they get even more chances to blitz and stomp and sack and rage. Meshak sacked poor Jordan Webb twice in the first 5 minutes of the KU game last year. If our linebackers are as good as advertised, expect to hear much more about the Meshak sack package.

SECRET WEAPONS

#44 Ryan Mueller

Did you know that Ryan Mueller played a key role in securing our victories over Eastern Kentucky, Iowa State and Texas A&M? Do you know which side of the ball Ryan plays for? Did you even know he was on the team? Ryan was a member of our super studly 3rd down pass rush package and is our most unsung secret weapon on defense. Remember that all important fumble in the Cotton Bowl that got us our first touchdown of the game? Ryan recovered it. Mark my words - he could be the next Jordan Voelker.

#21 Jonathan Truman and #47 Jared Loomis

Typically, when you talk special teams, you think of the punter, the kicker and the return guy. While all those guys do a great job, it's not exactly a secret. Our top two secret special teams weapons are Jared Loomis and Jonathan Truman. Truman had the memorable goal line punt catch in the OU game, as well as a momentum shifting fumble recovery against Baylor. In a season that was won on inches and magic, those plays cannot be overestimated. Jared Loomis is the special teams player that created that Baylor fumble and has been named the Special Teams captain this year. His best game of the year came against Texas, proving that walk-ons at K-State always give it their all when we need them the most.  We win by eliminating mistakes, and that's what makes our Special Teams so deadly.

He's the one lurking right over Coach's shoulder... constant vigilance.

Bonus pick: Guy who holds the headset cords for Coach

I have no idea who this kid is, but I have huge respect for him. Can you imagine how stressful it would be to hold coach's headset cords and follow him around the whole game? What if you got distracted and watched the game and he started moving without you? What if you tripped or had to sneeze or needed to go to the bathroom? This guy gets no downs off. Though, can you imagine the inside information he has, by virtue of always being within earshot of Coach? I'm so jealous. He came by the library's info table on the second day of classes and I wanted to ask him so many questions, but didn't, because that would be creepy. So instead, I just smiled a huge cartoonish smile (also creepy) and gave him directions to Seaton Court. Luckily Seaton Court is super hard to find, so I don't think he noticed. Good on you, headset cords guy. You manage your responsibility in the most consistent way you can.



Fearless prediction: We win 11 games this year.  If we beat OU, then we lose to Iowa State and drop the bowl game.  If we lose to OU, then we drop the Texas game and win the bowl.  Or we win them all.  It's 11-2 or 13-0.  Nothing in between.  That seems general enough to be accurate, right?  Since I was the only person in the world to be right last year, I figure it's time to get a little foolish.  

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Breaking Bad 5.6 - Buyout

This is what happens when you make your meth boss your father figure.

We're building to something.  It's a very slow build, but there are only two episodes left this year, so it's bound to be something.  This week, on a very special episode of Breaking Bad, the barrel claimed another victim and its first dirt bike, Mike and Jesse tried to quit but were thwarted by the unlucky 666, Gray Matter reappeared in an attempt at relevancy, Jesse met Skylar for the second time in the show's history and Mike inexplicably didn't shoot Walt.  Again. 

1. What is Walt's plan?

Steven: To sell Declan the methylamine, then to orchestrate an elaborate heist involving a sick elephant, road barriers, flares, and fake police officers, then siphon the methylamine out of Declan's truck and back into a pre-prepared hole in the ground. Then they'll replace the stolen chemical with kid's mouthwash, which Walt has rigged to explode upon the first cook.

Or, you know, they start selling Heisenberg blue to Declan and his guys. Distribution problem: solved! But I hope it's the first one.

Susan: You know what would make this plot more interesting?  If Declan were Declan from Revenge, in the craziest crossover event ever.  Honestly, I think (hope) his plan has something to do with fake meth.   We have all those weird asides in the episode about fake food.  Hank rants about miracle whip vs. mayo on the bug, Jesse and Walt watch that bizarro commercial about the kelp caviar and then Jesse laments the absence of truth in advertising, yo, about his poor scabby lasagna.  I'm hoping this was all pointing at some super secret fake/diet meth that Walt will sell to Declan... or sell him the methylamine and then make his own fake/diet meth?  Then again, there's always the Mentos plan.  Still seems like a pretty stupid idea to let Declan and his gang find out that he's Heisenberg.  Surely the DEA has a mole somewhere in this operation.

2. Is Landry/Todd the new Walt?

Steven: I can see an argument for this one, however, I don't think he has a big enough chip on his shoulder. (Oh, I just got it, the transformation of Mr. Chip-on-his-shoulder to Scarface!) While Landry/Todd may be causing problems for Mike and Walt and Jesse just like Walt caused problems for Gus, I don't think the algebra works out perfectly. More likely, I think that Landry/Todd is the newest incarnation of "the cost of business." Remember in the first two seasons when Walt and Jesse kept making heaps of money and then losing it immediately? Or for that matter, remember every season? Well, this strikes me as the most recent iteration of "there is no money in this business." I assume the dead kid will eventually come with a hefty price tag, if not a prison sentence.

Susan: This is my question, so obviously the answer is yes.  Landry/Todd uses a lot of the same language in his speech to Walt and Mike that Walt used to beg for his life in Box Cutter.  I think he is way too ambitious for this group, and it makes me super nervous that they're keeping the meth in the safe, in the bug office.  Haven't we already established that the bug people are skilled burglars?  Wouldn't they just take it for themselves and sell it?  Also, I worry about the dirt bike kid causing more trouble.  I don't know why we get that news scene where we learn the kid's name.  It seems like a lot of new information to get about an old problem.  Landry/Todd, Walt, Lydia, Mike and Skylar are all nearing the same height of threat level liabilities.  Which one will boom first?  Or will they all boom at the same time?  Ooh, ultra boom.  I like the idea of that.

3. Will we see the tarantula again?

Steven: Ah Chekhov, how you've ruined me. I must now ask this question with every loaded gun and vial of ricin. Landry/Todd isn't the kind of guy to do something as subtle as murder by poisonous spider, but then again I don't really know him that well, do I? In the cold open of "Dead Freight," the tarantula represented danger, namely the danger of that kid getting killed, which is eventually what happened. The last person who examined the tarantula died. Therefore, bearing that foreshadowing in mind, I'm going to make a bold prediction that Todd is not long for this world.

Susan: I think yes.  It kind of reminds me of the turtle roaming around the Mexican desert with that guy's head on it.  It has the same sense of slow, quiet, forboding.  Again, it seems like there are lots of little bombs laying around, waiting for the perfect moment to go boom.  The ricin in the wall, the spider in the jar, the bug in Hank's office, Walt's fancy new watch, Alvin B. Gutierrez' roofing hammer... I really freakin' need that roofing hammer to come back into play.  I like the idea that all of these things have a part to play in this slow moving season.  I hope I'm paying attention for a reason.  Why did Walt take the time to take off his watch before he scienced his way out of the bug office?  Why do we see Landry/Todd's car?  Why does Mike take the time to warn Walt not to park so close to the bug headquarters?  Why did Walt hide the ricin in his bedroom?  WHY????? (Shakes fists at the sky, Revenge style.)

4. Is Skylar still putting her family first?

Steven:  I think the cul-de-sac crew answers this best.    Let's look at the evidence: Skylar has cooked books, put a man in the hospital, laundered money, kept her murderous, drug cooking and dealing husband as the head of the house, and she hasn't tried to resolve the situation. If you're worried for your kids' safety because there's a bear in the house, you get rid of the bear. You don't threaten the razor-toothed, furry thing. You don't try to figure out a way to minimize its bear-ness. You GET RID of the bear. Her argument that she won't be able to see her kids if she's in prison or that they'll think poorly of their father is self-centered in nature. It's what Skylar wants, not what the kids need. Namely what the kids need is to not get mauled by a freakin' bear.

Susan: Hmm, is the answer no?  It seems to be a very hesitant no.  Is that what you meant, Steven?  I'm not quite sure...

All bears aside, I think she's trying to.  In her own selfish way.  Skylar is such a flawed character, that I truly believe she thinks she's putting her family first.  What she's really doing is putting herself first and trying to have and eat all the cake, plus the cookies and brownies and car washes.  There is absolutely zero reason for her not to go to Hank, come clean and get herself and the kids to safety.  But she's scared of letting them down and doing time for her own infractions and looking bad and having the kids know the truth and letting Jr. and Holly live with Hank and Marie and shutting down the cushy "green beans from Albertson's" lifestyle she's been living.  Seriously?  Deli vegetables?  That's flashier than Walt's Rolex.  Also, can we just mention the most amazing dinner table scene of all time?  We watched the second half of this episode 3 times and Steven practically laughed himself off the couch every time. 

(Second crossover idea - Breaking Bad + Cougar Town = Laurie's talking threat meth cakes.  Move over Mike, the pastry muscle has arrived.)

5. Is the DEA finally going to run across Jesse or Walt in their tails?

Steven: Shouldn't they? Having just come off watching The Wire, I'm again and again left suspicious as to how good these DEA agents actually are. Not only do they not have any bugs out on Mike or even know his connections, but Walt has a bug on them. I know that this is important to plot, because if Hank knows about Walt then we won't get the family drama side, as Walt will be on the run ("Live Free or Die"?), but this is bordering on audience-cruelty. Just give us a clue, a shadow of a clue, that Hank and his department know what they're doing with this case, and I'll feel the stakes raise again. I used to be so worried that Walt was going to get caught, and now I feel like he's a ghost working outside of the laws of physics, visible only when he makes it so. I need stakes, yo!

Susan: To be fair, The Wire is an impossible standard.  If we wanted perfect television, we'd just watch The Wire again.  And when we did, we'd realize than even the natural po-lice never got up on the roof to do the actual surveillance.  No, the people on the roof were Herc and Carver and that old dude and the cute guy that never got a storyline and occasionally Kima.  Never Bunk, never Daniels, never McNulty.  We know by now that Gomez is not a very good cop, and we're reminded of that fact when he's fooled instantly by Mike.  No, I think that Hank was promoted solely to get him off surveillance, which gives the show the tiny little loophole of incompetent police work to extend the secret another couple of episodes.  But it's thin, and it ruins the stakes.  Remember when every episode was nailbitingly tense?  When Jesse and Walt were stuck in the RV?  When Walt had to run into that car to prevent Hank from getting to the laundry?  When there was an open house going on while they were cooking in the basement?  This business with the shoddy DEA and Skylar staying mute is so aggravating to watch, and it belongs on a lesser show.  At least do something like The Wire, where miscommunication + incompetency = Herc ruining a child's life and raining devastation upon the masses.  Oooh, crossover #3!  (Walt and Jesse hide their death barrels in the abandoned row houses in Baltimore and run into Chris and Snoop.  They all talk technique, and show them how they evolved from Alvin B. Gutierrez' roofing hammer to their heavy duty nail gun.  Boom - it's all connected.)

6. Is Gray Matter going to make a return?

Steven: Sadly, I don't think so. What this conversation does for me is show Walt's true aim: to catch up with his college friends. Walt, I now realize, will not be happy until his meth (carpet) empire is listed on the NYSE. That is how large his ego is, which is why the sky's the limit, and when the sky's the limit, everything is expendable.

Susan: I referred to Gray Matter a couple of weeks ago as a mistake the show made in the beginning when it was trying to find its feet.  The fact that it's brought up now illustrates to me that they're still not quite sure what to do with this end game.  Sure, it's a little bit illuminating and it provides us a reason for Walt to decline the buyout.  But Walt doesn't need a reason.  We already know and accept Walt as a megalomaniac.  Hopefully Gray Matter stays dead and we can move on to more intriguing aspects of the show.  Like why Mike didn't just shoot Walt.  Or why he left his keys in the same room with him.  Or why we have so many scenes with Skylar doing nothing.  Or why no one is looking into Fring anymore and wondering where Tio got the freakin' bomb.  Or that godforsaken roofing hammer.

Best line: The whole dinner table scene was golden, from facial expressions to blocking to dialogue to Jesse slurping water, but my favorite line, and the part that kept getting Steven, was the long awkward silence after the scabby lasagna speech and then Jesse saying, "Yeah... it's bad."  

Random fact of the week: in the scene where Walt whistles while he works, he is whistling Queen's "Lily of the Valley."  Ominous. 



As the show gets darker and more popular, the internet is exploding with memes and mentos commercials and carpet empires and all sorts of shenanigans.  My favorite one from today?  Breaking Bad the movie!



Aaron Paul keeps tweeting that the bottom is going to fall out in the next episode.  Does that mean someone will learn something they don't already know?  I sure hope so.  I'm a little tired of knowing everything all the time.  That's why I watch Dexter.  (Final crossover - Dexter finds out about dirt bike kid, hunts down Walt and gets him on his table.  Then, just as he raises his knife, he falls over dead.  Cut to earlier in the day and we see Jesse in Dexter's kitchen, slipping ricin into his credit sequence eggs. He appears on the scene, yells out "ricin, bitch!" and Deb overhears him and falls in love.  Walt, fresh from his victory, comes home to find Skylar in a bloody bathtub, Holly crying on the floor.  Hank arrives on the scene and is disgusted by Walt's lack of tears.  He finally puts all the pieces together and takes his watch and car before sending him to jail.  Saul, Badger and Masuka buy the Lazer Base.  Hilarity ensues.  Boom: Rebooted.)  



Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Breaking Bad 5.5 - Dead Freight

Say hello to my little friend?

All aboard, you junkies!  This week Vince and company treated themselves to a good old fashioned train robbery, abandoning plot, character, and plausibility in the process.  But they seemed to understand every single rule they were breaking because they ended the episode with a wallop of a sucker punch that left me sleepless for most of Sunday night.  There's not much to the first 58 minutes of the episode, but the last minute has (hopefully) set the stage for the final 11 episodes in this maddening series. 

1. Did you see it coming?

Susan: I didn't and I feel bad about it.  There were so many clues!  The train whistle at the end of the cold open.  The talk between Lydia and Walt about swearing on their children's lives.  Mike's ominous warning about witnesses.  The instructions to Landry/Todd about the necessity of keeping this between them.  Jesse's insistence on stopping the killing.  Skylar's insistence that the children weren't safe around Walt.  She's right of course.  Walt has no idea when and where the collateral damage will happen.  But we should know by now that there will always be some.  No plan has been without it, and yet I still didn't connect the dots until the kid had a bullet in him.  This is what I truly love about the show.  I spend so much time speculating and predicting and then, when something really is about to happen, I'm too busy looking the other way.  It's not like Vince tries to hide it - he puts it in the first minute of the episode - but by that point my mind is already racing in the wrong direction.  It makes me feel like Walt.  So anxious for the adventure, the big boom and trouble and collapse that I miss all the signs pointing to the immediate danger.  Vince!  You got me again.

Steven: Now I do!  Re-watching this episode is like re-watching Fight Club;  I keep smacking my head and muttering, "Oh!"  First we have the cold open with the boy too young to drive riding his dirt bike around the desert and collecting tarantulas (i.e. inviting danger).  Then we have Mike almost kill Lydia and hatch a plan to go grab the rest of the methylamine, thinking he knows exactly what the DEA will do next and therefore what they should do next.  Next Lydia wants Walt to swear on the lives of his children.  Also, Lydia calls the area where they'll pull off the heist a "dead zone."  Mike tells Walt: "You want to do this heist even if it means killing a couple of innocent men."  They stress to Todd the importance of nobody else finding out about the heist.  "Nobody.  Got it?"  The final clue comes when Skylar asks Walt, "Out burying bodies?" because of the dirt on his hands.  With that, all of the pieces were set into place.  Now, the question is. Did I see it coming?

I did have a thought at the back of my head that this kid represented a variable they hadn't figured in.  As far as I got, however, was to feel very nervous about the heist, knowing that they hadn't considered everything yet.  When it happens I was shocked but not surprised.  That is, I was upset emotionally but it all made perfect sense logically.

The one and only time I watched The House of Sand and Fog, I never made it past a certain scene.  I watched the tension grow and grow, everybody making the worst decisions possible, until this one scene, at which point I couldn't handle what was about to happen.  I could see other audience members stopping in the same way here.  I, however, will push through.

2. Did the train robbery break the barrier of suspension of disbelief?

Steven: Honestly?  A little bit.  The complexity of the heist and the blind courageousness of the characters feels author, not character, driven.  That being said, I love all three of the Oceans movies.

Susan: It does seem highly convenient that Walt and Jesse are able to pull off this train robbery so quickly.  In Skylar's one scene this week, she mentions that it's only been 2 days since Walt's birthday.  The timeline on this show can be maddening.  Not only that, but the train stops exactly where they want it to stop.  They have exactly enough time to finish.  They all get out safely.  The engineers are none the wiser.  And then - boom - the kid with the worst luck in the world meets the man with the most luck in the world - and the balance of power is shifted forever.  Kids are a frequent bargaining chip on this show, from Andrea's brother Tomas to Andrea's son Brock, to Lydia's daughter to Mike's grand daughter to Walt Jr. and Holly and on and on and on.  The killing of this kid, this innocent blood shed because of terrible bad luck is sure to tip the karmic Gods against the Heisenberg empire once and for all.  We saw the cracks last week.  This is the watershed moment, the point of no return, the moment when nothing goes right ever again.

3. Does Todd/Landry make it through the next episode?

Susan: I'm so bummed.  Maybe that's why it was so heartbreaking for me to see Todd/Landry shoot the dirtbike spider kid.  I just got him back and now - poof! - he's gone again?  After 5 lines and a bullet?  I don't know how they'll keep him around, but then again, I don't know how they've kept Jesse around for this long.  The last time I felt like this about a character was Damian Lewis on Homeland and I really didn't like what they decided to do with him.  I'm sure it's time to cut ties, and if they don't, it will probably harm the overall story.  If we get any sort of backstory on Todd/Landry in the cold open or in the beginning of the next episode, he's a goner.  I'll be sad either way.  I wish Mike would have shot him.  Or Walt.  Sigh.

Steven: I have no earthly idea.  I feel like he should in order to increase the tension, which this show is all about.  They didn't resolve the Gus Fring problem until there was no other way to write an episode with him still alive, so I think that Todd is safe for now.  Very possibly, he'll just be another name on Lydia's list of whom to keep quiet.  Incidentally, I'm starting to think I know why Walt will need that machine gun.  Actually, I have a pretty good idea of a LIST full of reasons. 

4. Will Jesse finally get out now?  Will Walt let him?

Steven: I hope so!  Jesse is an interesting character to me in that he's been involved in cooking meth for the entire show and long before -- unlike Walt.  Yet he keeps finding out new things about the trade he's in.  These kids who are harmed, the families that are destroyed, the overdoses -- they all smack him across the face as if completely new knowledge.  Whereas Walt knew exactly the kind of world he was getting into.  This, though, doesn't strike me as unbelievable.  Talk to an active addict about the damage he's causing by using and you'll get a sarcastic laugh.  He might say, "I'm just having fun" or "winding down" or what have you.  Never mind the innocent people harmed down in Colombia or Mexico, the laws broken and mules whose lives were endangered or lost bringing it across the border, the physical, emotional and mental damage he's causing himself, or the amount he's harming his family and close friends who have to watch him sink into addiction and quite possibly die prematurely from it.  No, the average addict is full of denial, dishonesty and selfishness about his own condition.  Like the addict who just wants to use, Jesse just wants to cook.  He doesn't want to see kids get killed, his girlfriend asphyxiate on her own vomit, and he certainly doesn't want to have to kill Gale or anybody else.  I want this episode to be Jesse's bottom just like I wanted Bubble's trip to the mental ward to be his, but what I want for the characters and what the show gives me have not always lined up.  Have they ever lined up?  Not really.  Also, I don't see Walt letting him out.  They are all too enmeshed at this point. 

Susan: When I think of Breaking Bad, the first image that comes to mind is Jesse.  It's not Walt.  It's not guns or meth or filtered horizons or Azteks or axes or Hank or Gus or Badger or Gale or solo eyeballs or Saul or the Rumba or Jane or any of the other amazing things I love about this show.  It's Jesse.  Plain and simple.  I don't think Jesse can get out, and I think that's supposed to be the worst collateral damage of the show.  Sure this innocent kid got shot, point blank, without hesitation.  Sure, a whole plane of people went down and Walt has completely corroded his soul and rained down unhappiness on everyone and thing he touches.  But it's Jesse's soul that is the major tragedy of Breaking Bad.  This train robbery was his plan, and he soaked up the attention from Walt and Landry/Todd.  He was even the one to reiterate to him the importance of keeping it between them.  So no.  I don't think Walt will let him out.  I think Jesse will continue to accept himself as the bad guy and slowly but surely let his life and soul and spirit be crushed because he picked the worst possible father figure in the universe.  Isn't is strange how much better Mike seems than Walt?  Mike kills people for a living. Quickly, efficiently.  And yet we root for Jesse to turn to Mike instead of Walt.  Heartbreaking.

5. Is Flinn (Junior) finally going to start doing some investigating of his own?


Steven: He does finally seem angry enough to try a little detective work on his own.  Plus Skylar and Walt are refusing to tell him what the problem is.  If he is anything like a real person at this point, he'll be full of anger and curiosity, the combination of the two can lead to great obsessive investigations.  I do wonder how he'll go about it, though.  Will he start tailing, plant a bug, sneak into the house and hide somewhere?  It would be interesting to see him playing a bumbling detective.  Although I do feel a bit like he'll come across the vital information by mistake.  And then there's the sneak peek from next week where Skylar seems to be on the verge of spilling everything to Marie.  So maybe Flinn won't need to discover anything.

Susan: I sure hope so.  Isn't the kid at all curious?  After all this time and all the crazy behavior he's witnessed, you would think he would start taking a little bit of action by now.  If not that, at least talk to Hank about what's been going on so they can investigate it together.  He's already helped with the Fring investigation last season and started this one idolizing Hank for his amazing police work.  Put it together already!

6. What happens when Mike can't pay his guys off?


Steven: Here is yet another loose end that could get them all put in prison.  YET-ANOTHER...  But really: Walt is going to kill everybody.

Susan: Oh geez.  I have no idea.  They keep teasing this and I don't really get why.  So one of them tells Hank.  That's how he's going to find out?  How anti-climactic.  You know what loose end really bothers me?  Andrea.  Jesse and Andrea break up off screen, then he talks about it for half a second, and then we never see her or Brock again.  Seriously?  They had kind of a big role to play in getting us to the current situation.  You would think they'd give her more of a goodbye than that.   

Best line: "Give me a break.  You guys were going to murder me.  I thought you were professionals." - Lydia Rodart-Quail
Runner-up: "Everyone sounds like Meryl Streep with a gun to their head." - Mike

Next week - Mike says goodbye.  Again.  And Jesse gets mad about using kids.  Again.  And Skylar cries and looks like she's about to confess.  Again.  So maybe something totally different will happen!  We'll be here regardless, waiting for Gus/Gale/Badger/Jane/Saul to return.  I miss Saul.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Breaking Bad 5.4 - Fifty-One


Walt Jr. had to sacrifice his bacon for this tradition.  It's the tipping point we've all been waiting for...

Well folks, we're halfway through the 8 episodes of Breaking Bad we get this year.  Are you happy?  Sad?  Nervous?  Frustrated?  Exhausted?  I'm a little bit of all of these after an episode that turned out to be strangely quiet.  Walt celebrated 51 by replacing the Aztek with two very attractive lease deals, Lydia forgot to check the mirror before she left for work and screamed into a pillow, Skylar went for an inappropriate swim, Hank got promoted and Mike decided to stop being sexist and start getting real.  Why did any of this happen?  I don't think we'll understand that until the dust clears in September.  We'll speculate anyway.

1. What exactly was that episode all about?


Susan: I was really upset when I watched this episode the first time.  On first viewing, it seemed like such a step back for the show.  In feeling and scope, it felt like one of those weird diversions for character development like "Peekaboo" or "Fly" or any of the times they gave Marie that weird go-nowhere klepto storyline.  After watching it a second time, I feel a lot better about it.  I think Breaking Bad might be one of those shows that is telling a story that the majority of the audience really doesn't care about.  We all love the science tricks and the surprises and the dark humor and the noose tightening around Walt and Jesse.  But those are just the tricks.  This show is really about families, about brotherhood, about a marriage and children and what you do and how you do it and how that affects the people closest to you.  It's starting to feel a little bit like Lost to me in that sense.  Sure, faith and forgiveness and all that, but what about the ANSWERS?  The scenes between Walt and Skylar are really strong, but honestly, I want to get back to the cooking.

Steven: The shifting of control. In this episode Walter does what he wants (moves back in and buys the two cars, which is the ultimate stand, replete with manly engine revving and justifying without really wanting approval), Hank is promoted to ASAC, Lydia fakes police tracking out of desperation, and Skylar walks into the pool, also out of desperation.

To me, this shows what has to happen when the normal order is disrupted: people adjust. All around people are losing their control, and they aren't liking it.

2. Have we reached the peak of Walt's success?

Steven: I think so. What took Gustavo Fring years to develop -- a chicken delivery system capable of moving the product all over the American southwest -- a thriving business capable of laundering his enormous profits, and innumerable supply contacts, Walt has tried to replicate over the course of one year. ONE YEAR! If I were Walt, I would've already had 27 nervous breakdowns just trying to manage the logistics of the business side, let alone killing, what, three different drug runners? Walt's limiting factor is, as it always has been, his own mortality. The ticking time-bomb of a watch that Jesse gives Walt for his birthday, reminds us of what we saw in the opening of episode one: that Walt is not in the clear from cancer. Now he's cooking in random people's houses, hoping all of the nanny-cams are disabled, and hoping that nobody forgets their diabetes medicine and is willing to risk coming back inside. We now know that Walt is willing to do anything to keep the meth running, but does he have the intelligence, the strength, or the time to actually execute any of it?

Susan: If this episode does anything in terms of plot, I think it does show us Walt at the pinnacle of his success.  And it's pretty damn depressing.  In the first half of the episode, we see Walt ditch the reliable Aztek for a mid-life crisis car and then buy Walt Jr. the famous Challenger from last season.  The scene where he decides to get rid of the Aztek is telling, I think.  Walt seems most annoyed by the fact that the Aztek could go for another 200,000 miles.  He doesn't want anything that reliable.  He wants change, excitement, risk, forward progress.  Gus was always characterized as being overly cautious, only working with stable, reliable people.  And he drove a Volvo station wagon.  Walt has no desire for caution, as evidenced in nearly every decision he's made this season.  But by the end of the episode, the cracks are starting to appear. The Heisenberg hat has a thread loose.  He cuts his head shaving.  His wife is chain smoking in the living room, willing his lung cancer to come back and get him out of her house forever.  And then the episode closes on that watch, tick, tick, ticking to the inevitable boom.  There's a lot of talk about Walt's "magic" in this episode.  My guess is that he's run out, just in time for the great methylamine heist next week.

3. How mad are you about Hank's promotion?


Susan: So ticked!  I hope something better comes from this.  Otherwise it feels too contrived to move Hank just because he's too close to figuring out Walt's secret.  The man noticed that Lydia was wearing two different shoes.  The suspension of disbelief about his Walt blindness is getting a little hard to handle.  There have always been murmurs about Gus or Mike having a mole in the DEA.  If that's the case, and this is a way of keeping Hank away from the operation, then I'm okay with it. Another thought from that scene is that Hank mentioned that they were assembling a surveillance team for Mike.  Finally!  I hope that will play in to the "Walt gets a new car" storyline, because otherwise I don't really know why that's needed.   

Steven: Eh. I don't believe for a second that he's actually going to give up his "day-to-days, including Fring." It feels a bit to me like the turn in the romantic comedy when the ex-girlfriend shows up, or the boy has to move across the country; it's a temporary obstacle to the inevitability of Hank discovering the truth -- "White is Heisenberg. Heisenberg is White!" -- and then goes running off to spit copiously and shower... Too obscure? Okay, I'll get back to Breaking Bad.

4. Will Skylar kill Walt?

Steven: I believe it's a definite possibility. The bedroom scene is terrifying. It's actually more aggressive, I think, than the scene at Jesse's house where Walt and Jesse beat the crap out of each other. Walt keeps asking Skylar what her plan is and then proceeds to poke holes through each plan. The reason they won't work is because she hasn't arrived to the ultimate solution, which is to take Walt out of the picture entirely. Skylar has already cast her lot with Walt, and claims that she only cares for her children's safety. So, either she's going to turn her and Walt in, throwing herself at the mercy of the courts, or she's going to kill Walt and make it look like an accident so that she can stay with her children. She admits that she's waiting for Walt to die, so the next logical leap is an active role rather than a passive one.

Another prediction: maybe it will be Jesse who does Walt in. Supporting points: during the Lydia conversation, Jesse votes to not have her killed. The reason? He doesn't want any more blood on his hands. In the same conversation, Walt says he is willing to do anything to keep the business going. Again, if Jesse really wants to achieve his goal, he can't just keep voting against Walt and hoping nobody dies; he'll have to act.

This all, of course, contradicts my previous prediction that Walt will defeat all of his enemies but cancer will get him in the end, like the real Heisenberg.

Susan: I don't think she has it in her.  She'll just keep smoking and hoping.  I'm actually wondering if Walt Jr. might play a bigger role in all this.  He has a really strong relationship with Hank, and now that he's staying with Hank and Marie, that will reinforce it.  I don't think Walt Jr. will kill Walt, but I think he might be the one to blow the case open for Hank. 

5. Is somebody going to flip and tell Hank?


Steven: They have to, right? From a plot-perspective, the only reason to keep Hank in the dark this long and to have Hank be this close to the family, is for someone to clue him in. He's missed all of the obvious moment-of-realization on-ramps, so I feel like they're just waiting for the vehicle of that realization to be one of the other characters. But who? Skylar has her motivations. As do Jesse and Lydia. A real twist, though I'm not holding my breath, would be for Mike to turn Walter in. I guess this episode just makes me ask more questions. Looking back at this one year (four seasons), an impossible amount has happened. And looking ahead at next week's methylamine heist, it seems like an impossible amount can still happen. I'm kind of exhausted at the prospect of one more year passing over the course of a paltry twelve episodes...

Susan: Again, I think this is Walt Jr.'s reason for existing (other than eating breakfast).  I kind of wonder about Skylar too, after we saw how good Marie held up under Hank's questioning.  Poor Marie.  She gets played by everyone.

6. Did Skylar walk into the pool on purpose/ as part of a plan?

Steven: Just like with Walt, I'm not sure when she's thinking and when she's just shooting from the hip. She freely admits to Walt that she hasn't figured out a plan yet. Why so lazy, Skylar? Have you cooked the books for an ongoing business, coerced someone into selling their car wash, struggled to launder millions of dollars in drug money, had a baby, confronted your sister about her shoplifting, seen your brother-in-law lose the ability to walk, your husband develop and beat cancer, had an affair, and inadvertently caused your male-mistress to fall into a coma THIS YEAR? No, that would be an insane amount to happen to a person in ONE YEAR! Okay, okay, I guess I can give her another episode or two to figure out how to deal with Walt. But no more than that!

Susan: I can't decide if the random weird shot of their bedroom door by the pool was heavy handed foreshadowing, or a sign that Skylar had a plan all along.  From the way she plays that scene, it seems like she's just reacting.  Walt is giving that nauseating speech about surviving cancer and how everyone helped him time and time again. He could just as easily be talking about his meth business, and Skylar is the only one who knows it.  When he directs his thanks to her, it's too much for her to take.  She has to shut him up, and she tried yelling last week.  Her plan works, but she knows it's a thin one.  The only thing she can do now is wait.  Slightly off-topic - Anna Gunn is so much better at being an angry wife than a scared one.  Let's see more of that.

Best line:
This was a great episode for Marie, so I'm giving her the best line of the week.
Walt: Did you know that a year ago tomorrow was the day I got my diagnosis?
Marie:  Really?  It seems longer.

Next week - a heist!  And Landry/Todd is involved!  And Lydia meets Walt!  And... it looks like the show is completely different yet again.  Sheesh, Vince.  This reboot is taking forever.