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Sunday, March 31, 2013

Tony Signore, with his Navy, cruises past Guadalcanal, where his Blind Boys forced out the Ewing Forces.  Tony threw oranges at the men, so as to "prevent scurvy".

Stalingrad:  1-Lou Reed Vs 2-Nick Lowe
Guadalcanal:  Upset win by 9-Blind Boys of Alabama over 2-TRex
Alamo:  4-Rilo Kiley Vs 3-Dave Stewart
Bulge:  4-Hayes Carl

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Frampton Comes Alive

                                          2013 Stormtrooper Award:  PETER FRAMPTON

For his heroics in the Battle of The Alamo, lowly 15-seeded Peter Frampton wowed the hundreds of Mexican troops as he advanced into the mission.  He took down 2- Dr John, an enormous shocker.  He also put away 7-Shirley Bassey.  He killed Davey Crockett.  On 30Mar13, the amazing Frampton was finally put down by 3-Dave Stewart.  Frampton was able to do his amazing work while keeping that annoying voicebox pickup in his mouth at all times.  He confused his opponents, often throwing his voice to another part of a room, like a ventriloquist.
   12-Led Zeppelin and  13-Emmylou Harris were also qualifiers for this prestigious award, but Frampton outshone them all. 

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Sometimes the Lights are Shining on Me

And other times I can barely see.
General Santa Anna Ewing addressing his bands at his first round post-game meeting.

"Ok. Role Call.  Fleetwood Mac? (Silence).  The Jam? (Quiet coughing)  Nick Cave? (More silence and then somebody drops something that sounds like a quarter) BAD? (Nervous mumbling) Garbage? (Some one way in the back whispers "They Gone!")  Who said that?" As the flustered General  looks up he notices rows and rows of empty seats.  Slumped down in one chair, hat pulled over his head, looking disheveled, a sleepy Keith Richards responds, "Where am I? Where are my mates? General...what have you done to my mates? Blood transfusion, please." Then he fell off his chair.

General Ewing had no comment.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Ewing Troops Advance!! Glory!!

VETERANS IN ALAMO HOLDING UP SO FAR

     (San Antonio, TX)- As Signore surrounded the Alamo with perhaps thousands of troops, he had to be disappointed after his first seige that ended in him accomplishing nothing.  7-Shirley Bassey took out 10-Nora Jones.  Nora Jones has, perhaps the most wins in Star Wars history, but today she was slaughtered.  Brandi Carlile put up a crudely made ladder to scale the east wall, but Rilo Kiley was there to put a quick end to the lesbian.  Most satisfying was 5-Devo, a surprise high entry, from the effects of the George Harrison Wounded Warrior rule, putting down FUN along with its puppet, Abe.  Abe was seen in the early morning hours waking up his sleeping troops.  "Hey let's get up, The Fun...let's go.  Lets go.  Time to get up.".  Abe gathered some snares and a long stick with a sharpened edge.  He boldy led Fun to the front gate of the Alamo.  Abe knocked on the door, Devo opened the door, and blew them half-way to Johannesberg. 

                             Tony Signore laments the loss of ole Abe.  "Just a kid, just a kid".......



GUADALCANAL DIARY
     (Guadalcanal)- Things not going quite as well as planned over at Guadalcanal.  The Rolling Stones, a brutal and callous lot, took out the Black Crowes and warned, "Any more stupid ass bands like this rolling around here, and we will kill them and burn their stupid bodies." And how about the upstart 6-Timmy Thomas?  He took out Kate Edmundson, never taking his hands off his organ, all the while mumbling words to his only hit song. 
     Not sure what the hell happened over by the swamps on the east ridge.  The Blind Boys, took out 8-Fleetwood Mac.  "We were counting on Fleetwood Mac to be victors, and they ended up losing to a bunch of blind idiots.  We will now deploy the Rolling Stones over there to take them out, but this is a move we did not plan on", said Mark Ewing.  "And I just got word that the stupid 14-Mavericks took out 3-B.A.D.  "NOOOO!!!!", cried out a dejected Ewing.  I had huge plans for Big Audio Dynamite.  I had them on the Big Board.  Now I have to move Timmy Thomas over that way, but that is OK, I still have 2-TRex going to win that seige.  I know my guys will win Guadalcanal.  Count on it." 

EWING'S DEPLOYED TROOPS: Zeppelin, The Cars going for Stormtrooper Award?

   In Stalingrad, Ewing has taken on some admitted hits.  The good news is, 12-Led Zeppelin, causing worry.  Zeppelin took out 5-Wilco!  "A big win for us,  said Ewing, as he gulped down a large bowl of pilfered Borsch over the kitchen sink. "Please Comrade, no more questions, I have to make new plans."

Led Zeppelin Live in Stalingrad!!

      "No Quarter", cried Led Zeppelin, remembering how Tony always said he really liked his beloved Wilco.  Led Zeppelin is charging through Stalingrad!  They don't belong and they don't care.  They proudly show their loyalty to the Ewing cause, and look to fighting to the death.  Zeppelin to take on 4-Bruce Springsteen this weekend.  Should be a game worth watching.

Zeppelin garnered loot and secret codes vital to the Signore campaign.   Ewing has some crack troops trying to decipher a scribbled note, they think is attributed to Signore.    "Have you ever sheen the Raiders of Lost Ark?",   "Oh let me tell ya, ya gotta see it.  This guy, Indiana, always finds the treasure first, but there's always this other guy that wins the treasure.  He travels around all over and finds treasure.  No he's not a pirate, he's Indiana.  Go see it.  It's really good.  He has a whip and I think a monkey.  Ewing said, "We thinks it's code, we are on to something big.  No one could possibly give a drunken movie review like that...or could they?"

     Ardennes Mntns, The Bulge:  Very tough war going on.  And we have taken casulites.   Emily VanDusen put up a fight, but ended up having Grace Potter go down to 3-Radiohead.  That had to have scared Signore.  Frank Lalonde-he gone.  He chose Joan Jett as his muse.  But he gave her no support.  Joan Jett lost to Hayes Carl, and Frank was no where to be found.  He is MIA, but we think he's gone.  Gone. What do I mean gone?  He's gone.  Gone. And there's nothing we can do about it.

     12-Cars take down 5-The Kinks!  Yes, The Cars seem to have their headlights aimed at winning a Storm Trooper Award.  This is big.  The Kinks were good but The Cars were better. Cars looking to take out Hayes Carl later on.  Kinda like the way they dip.
    As deadline came, 10-Warren Zevon was advancing on 7-The Time Jumpers.  The Time Jumpers appear to be caught with their pants around their ankles.  Zevon promised he "will rape them and kill them, but he will take them home....."
   Keeping on fighting, Bro......

Keep Away From Run-around Sue

The beautiful slaughter.  When the Nazi's attacked Russia, they ran into hundreds, no thousands of willing souls ready to sacrifice the ultimate prize, their precious borscht.  "Medals! We get Medals Boris!"
Wilco, they gone!  But like the precious borscht, some groups must pay a price. Wilco, no medals for you.  Led Zeppelin takes out a high-seed.  "Cascading guitar riffs," screamed a jubilant Jimmy Page. Otherwise things progress as per normal in this bracket.  Russians 5 - Nazis - 1.
Blind Boys are showing they have vision.  "I hate the Blind Boys," Ewing choked out between tears.  Can they continue their run against Rolling Stones?  Also 14-Mavericks took out 3-BAD.  So happy.  So, so happy.
Abe forgot to bring his team to the show.  "Fun, you ask? That wasn't Fun at all.  I've had more Fun at a rectal exam." He vowed to be better next year, but Fun, we hardly knew ye. Look for upsets today in the Alamo rent-a-car division.  Upgrade to full-size? Maybe next year Ewing will take this division more serious.  French fry prediction? Shelby Lynn, part of the Hot Blocks, takes out somebody named J. Commons.  Is that a hip-hop band? Again, Ewing needs to put more thought into this division next year.
Kinks lose to Cars, but looking forward to a 4-Carl vs 12-Cars show down. 3- Radiohead got a scare from 14-Grace Potter. If you think they are done, you have another think coming...there will be NO OTHER upsets today from my teams.  I don't have time for time-wasting! Out.


Wednesday, March 20, 2013

George Harrison is Dead

Sweet 16? Yeah, the time has come, and all things must pass.  Here comes the sun and koo koo ca choo.... everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey....

Here are my picks:
Stalingrad will be a bloodbath.  The Luftwaffe will lay this division to ruble. Lou Reed will have no problem with make-shift groups and pretenders (Why aren't they in it this year? Sorry Chrissy). Springsteen makes a run, KOL and The Basher (King of Cool) Nick Lowe. In other words, no upsets.

Guadalcanal should play out as well, with one exception. Look for one of the Hot Blocks to surprise. Niko has been here before and first-time player Kat Edmondson looks strong as well.

Alamo car rental - "Can I up grade to a mid-size, please?" "Is that a service agent sleeping behind that wall?" "Who wants to run cars with the Johnny Larson?"  Beatles, Kiely, Stewart, Dr. John will advance, but again, Hot Blocks candidate N. Jones has been to the dance and knows how to win.

Bulge will be a great and wonderful slaughter. Yes Harrison will show last year's winner the door. Bye Gram Parker. I like new-comer Hayes Carl to squeak in and Radio Head as well.  ZZ Top may be the strongest team in this bracket.  Tres Hombres enter the tournament hot.  Fear the beard.


Powerful 3-Dave Stewart muses about his one way ticket to Atlanta for the finals.... sitting tight in The Alamo, waiting to advance.  Listen to his not so veiled references to his hated enemy, Mexican General Antonio 'Tony-fishbones' Signore.  Yeah Yeah Yeahs should be his first victim.

More Sweet 16 Predictions!

Well, I knew I should be studying, but then President Obama is on Sports Center making his Sweet 16 picks.  Obama has chosen George Harrison to beat Lou Reed in the finals.  "God, I hope not", said a visibly shaken Mark Ewing.  "I will NOT be buying that CD."

Dick Vitale stopped by and presented his Sweet 16:

1-Lou Reed, 4-Bruce Springsteen, 3-Kings of Leon, 2-Nick Lowe
1-Rolling Stones, 5-The Jam, 3-BAD, 2-TRex
1-The Beatles, 4-Rilo Kiley, 3-Dave Stewart, 2-Dr John
1-George Harrison, 4-Hayes Carl, 6-Black Keyes, 2-ZZTop

"Yes, I have The Black Keyes winning over Radiohead, mark that down!!", said Vitale.

Ewing Predicts The Sweet 16

Star Wars Guru Mark Ewing showed up and boldy predicted The Star Wars Sweet 16:  "Well, I looked into the Crystal Ball, and The Ball looked into the Abyss.  It came out blood red."

Here are the Sweet 16:

Stalingrad:  1-Lou Reed, 12-Led Zeppelin, 3-Kings of Leon, 2-Nick 'the knife' Lowe

Guadalcanal:  1- Rolling Stones, 5-The Jam, 6-Timmy Thomas, 2- TRex

Alamo:  1- The Beatles, 5- Devo, 3-Dave Stewart, 2- Dr John

Bulge:  1-GHarrison, 4-Hayes Carl, 3-Radiohead, 10-Warren Zevon

Ewing has seen so far into the future, you know.  He sees things.  "Yes, there it is," said Ewing.  "Warren Zevon WILL send home ZZTop.  Led Zeppelin will beat down Bruce Springsteen and that is a shame, but THAT is what WILL happen.  I'd like to see them do it, in those flashy green Unis.  Look for Timmy Thomas to be in the pack as well.  I can't get enough of him banging away on that electric piana."  Ewing is particularly proud of his Alamo squad.  "I have assembled some tough sons a bitches to hold down that ole Mission.  We see Abe walking around with The Fun.  They are setting deer snares.  Abe will be killed within days, I must say.  Days."

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Kick It Off

Midwest 16 seeds:  Patti Smith at The Floaters  Winner:  Patti Smith

Midwest 11 seeds:  One Direction at The Shins[2012 Runner-Up]  Winner:  One Direction

East 16 seeds:  GParker [2012 Champ] at Bob Dylan

West 13 seeds:  Wayland Jennings at Emmylou Harris

Home teams ID'd by the bottom team listed on the TV. 

Sunday, March 10, 2013

2013 Final Star Wars Rankings
Advantage Key: Tony
Advantage Divisions: Stalingrad, The Alamo


Stalingrad* 1942
Tony

01- Lou Reed
02- Nick Lowe
03- Kings of Leon
04- Bruce Springsteen
05- Wilco
06- The Heavy [Dan]
07- Alejandro Escovedo
08- Jimi Hendrix [JeffB][KK]
.........below bands deploy to Guadalcanal.............
09- Blind Boys of Alabama
10- Niko Case
11- Kate Edmundson
12- The Band Perry [Diane]
13- Wayland Jennings
14- The Mavericks
15- Rhianna [Julia]
16- Black Crowes

The Alamo* 1836
Mark: I see Mexicans!

01- The Beatles
02- Dr John
03- Dave Stewart
04- Rilo Kiley
05- Devo
06- Jamie N Commons
07- Shirley Bassey
08- Rozzi Crane [Sandy]
.................below groups deploy to Bulge ........
09- The Avett Bros
10- Warren Zevon [KK]
11- The Beach Boys
12- The Cars
13- Joan Jett [Frank]
14- Grace Potter [Emily]
15- Little Big Town
16- Graham Parker (2012 SWC)

Battle of the Bulge 1944-1945 (Ardennes Mountains, Belgium)
Tony

01- George Harrison [KK]
02- ZZ Top
03- Radiohead
04- Hayes Carl
05- The Kinks
06- The Black Keys
07- The Time Jumpers
08- Sir Tom Petty [2012 Stormtrooper]
.............below groups deployed to The Alamo........
09- Johnny Cash
10- Nora Jones
11- Shelby Lynn
12- FUN [Abe]
13- Brandi Carlile
14- The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
15- Peter Frampton
16- Kelly Willis

Guadalcanal 1942
Mark:  I see Japs!

01- The Rolling Stones
02- T Rex [KK]
03- Big Audio Dynamite (BAD)
04- Nick Cave
05- The Jam
06- Timmy Thomas
07- Garbage
08- Fleetwood Mac
.........below groups deploy to Stalingrad......
09- Alabama Shakes
10- Aimee Mann
11- One Direction
12- Led Zeppelin
13- John Lennon
14- Fairport Convention
15- Ween
16- Patti Smith

KK-denotes division is Kirby Kile Eligible by being deceased
Banned: The Who 2013-2014 (by George Harrison- Wounded Warrior Rule 2013). 

Play-ins:  1p- The Shins (2012 SWLoser), 2p- Emmylou Harris, 3p- Bob Dylan, 4p- The Floaters

Phase Two Has Wild Finish!

Meet the 1-Seeds!  Lou Reed, The Beatles, George Harrison, and The Rolling Stones

             09Mar13:  Ewing and Signore met at Mularkeys.  They went for a pizza with pepperoni, green pepper and mushrooms.  They drank Train Wreck Beer.  The complicated re-seedings, combined with the scrutinization of the massive rules index turned into a 3 hour ordeal.  Incredibly, even more rules, more music groups and more beer was introduced.  Wounded Warriors and Hot Blocks.  Groups were cut down, new groups were brought in, and it ended with Mark getting injured by a particularly heavy pen and  Tony talking about the plight of crippled Viet Nam veterans. "Some have no legs, Mark", Signore stated more than once.   Now the dust has cleared.  I will try to explain what happened.
     Guest Coach Diane finally named her group:  The Band Perry.  Four groups were announced as 'locked-in', but new rules being talked about made them seem nervous.  2-George Harrison locked in since Tony tried claiming him in Phase 1.  13-Joan Jett: locked in due to sanctions brought against Frank Lalonde.  09-Alabama Shakes, locked-in when Diane tried claiming at a lower seed. 08-Sir Tom Petty locked-in with his 'magic' status as last year's Stormtrooper Award Winner. 
     Reseedings of many groups occured next, although some groups were frozen from moving due to rules.  The upstart Jamie N Commons was a surprise surge, going from 15 all the way up to 6. As some dust had cleared, at the top of the heap stood 4 icons that all passed the proddings of eligibility:  Lou Reed, The Beatles, The Who, and The Rolling Stones.
     But it wasn't done yet.  The Bon Scott Big Balls Rule kicked in.  A coin that seemingly rolled 'tails' 90% of the time, dictated that 14-Emmy Lou Harris (replaced with The Yeah Yeah Yeahs)  and 16-Bob Dylan (replaced with The Beach Boys) would be cut down. 
     The Ewing Down Syndrome:  Mark took the 4-Blind Boys of Alabama down to 9, and let Bruce Springsteen move up to 4.  Tony moved 2012 Star Wars Champion 11-Graham Parker down to 16, and allowed The Beach Boys to take over at 11. 
     The unwritten rule of Hot Blocks was put in my Signore.  Can't explain it too much here, but you may see a lot of hot woman dominating the 10 and 11 blocks from now on.
     And then the biggest move of the night:  The Wounded Warrior.  Signore challenged Mark's 2-George Harrison, by threatening to move Harrison all the way up to a 1-seed, at the expense of The Who being eliminated from Star Wars for 2 years.  The locked-in status of Harrison could not help him now.  Mark had the choice to re-claim Harrison further up the chain if he was willing to ban The Beatles.  After much thought, Ewing felt he could NOT allow that to happen, and gave in.  The Who is banned.  The Beatles stay put at a strong 1-seed defending The Alamo.  George Harrison is now owned by Tony at  the 1-seed at The Bulge.
  Controversial.  The George Harrison.  Harrison is in extreme high demand in Star Wars when both players realized that the "All Things Must Pass" CD is a double import and would cost the loser more money than usual.  Both players want their opponent to be hit hard and often, with financial losses suffered.  I wonder what team will be linked to George Harrison.  The fans will certainly keep an eye on that team.
      The Grand Rapids Airport is crazy right now.  Diane and Julia are already gone.  They left in a cargo plane headed for Guadalcanal.  Jeff Blaauw and Led Zeppelin are being held up from boarding a flight  to Stalingrad and can't find their IDs.  Dan is headed to Stalingrad too.  Frank and Emily are headed to The Bulge. Frank hasn't had so many one-liners since, well, yesterday.   Sandy, Abe and FUN are renting a minivan and driving to San Antone, Texas.  Abe looks particularly gallant in his Mexican Army Blues.  Tony is missing.  Mark is still in the states,  shuffling papers pondering his next strategic attack.  Let the games begin.
  

     Play-in groups were determined:  1P-The Shins (2012 SW loser), 2p- Emmy Lou Harris, 3p-Bob Dylan, and 4p- The Floaters.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Jamie N Commons joins up with Ewing Forces

 
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcJ_Td--IhM 
Here is the Audio clip :  Rumble and Sway.  Check it oot.
 
(Edwards AFB)- General Mark Ewing came home from a rough day from school and cracked open a Magic Hat ElderBetty.  He turned on the Conan Obrien, something he had not done in quite a while.  The musical guest was Jamie N Commons and on the strength of one song, "Rumble and Sway", Ewing convinced him to join The Ewing forces.  "Ah The Conan.  What's up with his hair?  Anyway, I really liked The Jamie N Commons Band".  Ewing brought him into the Star Wars Skirmish to subdue the rebel Signore forces.  Commons will replace 15-Joan Armatrading.  "Hate to lose her, since Joan has had a fine music career and finally got a Star Wars invite, but right now we feel Commons offers the best chance for a fine win.  Commons will be deployed to the Battle of the Bulge where he may face the likes of Sir Tom Petty and The Who.  Commons could be the kind of surprise that may catch Signore with his pants very loose on his idiot body.
   Tony "The Ice Boy" Signore WAS caught with his pants completly down.  "Who be dat, guys?", clucked Signore, as he shuffled through dozens of papers on a hastily made card table near a frozen swamp. "I need a file on this guy, where my files?  Where's my hat? Ah the wind just blew my papers all over.  Need a paperweight thing.  Does anyone have some chap stick? Where's my fishhook, oh yeah, its still with the fish.  It was hot that day......"
 
 

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Neko brings leadership to Signore's Teams


Norah Jones Ready to Rumble


Kat Edmonson tunes up for Star Wars


Shelby Lynn preps for tourny..


Is that a bulge in your pocket?

It has come to my attention that there are many things that must be done.  Historic meetings are all well and good, but time marches on.  Winston Churchill once said, "If you're going through hell, keep going." But Winston never had the white chili  at Champs Bar in Middleville.  I need to list guest bands for 2013.
Abe has never let me down.  His picks are both thoughtful and thoughtless. "Fun," he said between sips of Sunday afternoon beer. "Ok," I replied.  Fun it is.  Abe likes to have fun, he is fun, and he says fun stuff.  I officially approve.
Dan once told me that he loved Darren Daulton.  I agreed with him, I too loved him.  But during Darren Daulton Day in front of thousands of phillie fans, he said this, "That will be the end of this dispensation. I really don't know how to explain it. I don't know what words to use so people won't think I'm goofy. But by Dec. 21, 2012 [the last day recorded on the Mayan calendar], people will have a pretty good idea. It's all about consciousness and love. We have the ability to create whatever we want. We're all made of energy." Dan's pick is The Heavy. Now only Dan and I know how very close Dan came to a one year ban. Censorship Dan? Hell yes. Let me know how the Women's NCAA basketball tournament is going.  Better run Dan, faster than my bullet. I approve The Heavy. 
Diane's pick is controversial. She picked Alabama Shakes. I want to use the new Johnny Cash Challenge (featuring The Wounded Warrior) Rule. She has another pick, so I can not comment further.  My lawyers are advising me on this one. Morley Shafer has called me twice today. Call it what you want, but this may end ugly. 
Julia, Rihanna. I approve, but Julia is on thin ice. She needs to do research. Not just name the first pop artist that pops into her head. Julia, one more cup of coffee for the road, one more cup of coffee before I go to the valley below. Look for a low seed here. 
Harold never even asked to enter a team.  I have seen H manage his teams during crunch time.  He gets jittery and makes poor decisions, maybe he needs  a thick and frothy Slim Fast. He  does not want to lose respect from his players. I think Star Wars will be good for him, whether he knows it or not. Kelly Willis will represent him.  Approved.
Jim will enter in with Jimmy Hendrix. This is a good pick.  First ironically Hendrix may be held back by the rule named after him. Does he have experience to be excluded from the Jimmy Hendrix Experienced Rule? When I refer to Jimmy, am I talking about the team or the coach? Why didn't I use him as my Kirby Kyle? Jim's initial pick was Justin Timberlake.  He had to be replaced when he became violently ill after drinking a soda.  Timberlake had this to say as the ambulance drove him away, "Purple haze all in my brain, lately things don't seem the same, actin' funny but I don't know why, 'scuse me while I kiss the sky," Yes Justin. Hendrix approved. 

Coach Signore