Can the boys in gold dodge a bullet this season ?

Sports Illustrated has Joey Porter on the cover this month and asks, "Do the Steelers have what it takes to make another Super Bowl run? I've been a Pittsburgh fan since I was in junior high, so don't get it twisted when I say their chances are getting slim. Most haters say last year's win was a fluke, but I disagree.
It was an excellent combination of good players, tenacity, a few trick plays and some good calls in our favor tht gave them the ring; and really, when isn't that the case? But with Jerome Bettis retired, Antwaan Randle El gone due to his free-agent status, and Big Ben not playing up to par in the pre-season after his motorcycle injury and now getting his appendix out, the outlook to another superbowl sort of grim. I'm still hoping they can do it, but unless A.) Big Ben really gets back into the game and excels and B.) Porter keeps up his game onslaught all season, then the odds are definitely against them.

Mel's creative genius continues with his next masterpiece

Mel Gibson, world reknowned actor extrordinaire and star of such classics like Bird On A Wire, Maverick, the Chili Con Carne Club, and (of course) What Women Want, has traded in his comedy/tragedy masks for a silky pair of puffy director's pants. His latest masterpiece, Apocalypto, is currently in the works - and not a moment to soon I might add. After his recent alchohol-fueled, Semetic loving-challenged tirade, the King of Malibu Rum needs a little redemption. The question remains, If Mel made the Passions and then it came out that he hated Jews, does this South American epic spell out Mel's unspoken hatred of Mayans? In my unbiased professional opinion, yes. When the end comes, can Mel outrun his fate?

Snizakes on a Plizane!!!!!!

With all the current worries about liquids on planes, only Samuel L. has caught on to the reality we should be fearing: snakes. This movie was as good - and bad - as I had hoped. It's not often you go to a movie knowing it's going to suck. Usually you have a slight hope that maybe, just maybe it'll redeem itself, only to be let down once again when the credits roll. When you know its gonna be ridiculous, you can let loose and just laugh till it hurts, as did everyone else at the theatre with us. Please go see this. I can guarantee you'll only be dissapointed if you go in thinking it will be good.

Moving on to (not bigger but) better things...

My new Macbook, baby...
Originally uploaded by russdogg.

Last Tuesday I flew back to Hawaii, where I'm working on Island Football's yearly pre-season magazine. Being back on Oahu after a good twelve months on the mainland has had me kind of re-examining my life over the last year. I can easily say my circumstances have greatly improved; monetarily I may not be too much better off (haha), but my living situation and life direction have definitely recieved an upgrade. Last year I was desperate to work on the mag, broke after my month in China and working with my brother on a start-up web company. Now I'm living in L.A., taking Flash Design classes at UCLA and doing freelance web work; I actually had to turn down a full-time job oportunity because it came the day I was flying out. Last year I had scraps to work with and took a while to get paid; this time I had my flight paid for and they bought me a laptop worth over 2 G's as compensation, 2 weeks before I even flew over. I really feel blessed to be able to keep traveling around and still get paid. That freedom is something I've been reluctant to give up, so hopefully I can keep things rolling in the right direction.