January 9, 2007 we will celebrate 24mas with the return of Jack Bauer. Here’s some weird “Fan Film” that someone cobbled together from the show and some other movies that could act as a prequel of sorts to Season 6.

“Sir, we have a national security matter.”
“Good for you.”

So here’s the trailer to next year’s live-action Tranformers movie. Honestly, I’ve been skeptical that anything would come of this franchise ever again. But this two minutes have made me soften my stance a bit. But only a bit. Remember, Michael Bay is still involved. Then again, I did enjoy The Rock. So, maybe there’s hope for this potential crapping on my childhood.

“Modest hopes, but they kept a man alive.”

Chad Johnson Not Available

Originally uploaded by Woodmania.

The NFL regular season wraps up this weekend. And, unfortunately, that looks like Bengals season will end, as well. A lot of goofy scenarios have to take place (none goofier than the Oakland Raiders actually winning a football game) for Cincinnati to somehow get a stay of execution. But it all begins with a win over the hated Steelers who come to town.

And why did I put that sign up from the NFL Netrwork about Ocho Cinco? From Bengals.com:

“Chad Johnson’s struggles in the last two games not only put a dent in the Bengals playoff chances, but his bid to become the first player in NFL history to lead his conference in receiving yardage four straight seasons is in jeopardy. His lead is down to 24 yards - 1,316 to Marvin Harrison’s 1,292 - and Harrison’s Colts teammate Reggie Wayne is just 76 yards behind.”

So, not only does the team need him to have a good game, but Chad needs to have a good game for his own numbers sake. I don’t care why he does it, but we need Ocho Cinco to come up Mucho Big-go.

“What do you say we cut the chit-chat, a-hole?”

De Blimp! De Blimp!

Originally uploaded by Woodmania.

This isn’t official, but I think it’s safe to call Eric the winner of the 2006 Sock Point contest. I’m gonna be on vacation next week so the official countdown will probably not come down for a couple weeks. But it’s probably not too premature for Eric to start his victory lap. Also when I get back next year, I’ll try to update the career standings so we’ll see how he matches up with previous winners like MOe and Logan, as well as those who regularly compete for the title like the Goat and Amy.

No, that picture has nothing to do with anything. I just felt like showing Lisa pointing at randomly passing blimps.

Quote Standings
Eric 79
The Goat 58
Amy 49
Logan 45
Kerry 32
Tom the Dog 27
Zandra 20
MOe 20
Greg Burgas 20
dupree 17
Nagel 13
Herb 11
Doodyhead 9
Z-man 9
Maderer 6
Jeff 6
Amy Louise 4
Mona 4
Jeremy 4
Rinnert 3
Natalie 2
Joel 2
Bill D 1
Kyle 1
Dale 1
Nik 1
Scipio 1
Lisa 1
Dave Bohman 1

And here’s the standard explanation of the contest for those who just got here and have no idea what is going on: At the end of every blog entry, I leave you with a quote. Be the first one to make a comment stating where the quote from and you get a point. Anyone can guess. Even if new entries are put up, all previous unclaimed quotes from 2006 are still fair game. Whoever has the most points at the end of the year is the winner.
I’m gonna put a link on your name, unless you tell me otherwise. For those of you who are not linked right now, I don’t know where to send people. Let me know if there’s a link location to point to.

“His name contains both the tool of his trade and what he does with that tool.”

No Outside Drinks In The Theater!

Originally uploaded by Woodmania.

This weekend, I’ll be flying south for the winter. Well, just for a week. But I’m trying to figure out what to do with this here site while I’m away. I’m looking for something that I can throw out there without a lot of effort on my part but have some marginal entertainment value. So expect more pictures with pretty much no content behind it. In fact, I probably won’t even do quotes next week. So how can you get Sock Points? I’m glad you asked. You’re going to have to earn them. Not that you don’t earn them before now. You’ll just do it a different way for a week.

I’m going to have a make-your-own caption contest. If you want to get a good start in the 2007 Sock Drawer Quote Contest Standings, you better come up with some clever quips about whatever visual imagery I present that day. I’m not sure if I’ll give out one point per day or just hand them out to everyone who takes a shot. So, yes, I’m counting on you commentators to carry me next week. Don’t let me down!

“This is your plan?”
“No, no. I’m just thinking.”
“I don’t think you are.”

I know it doesn’t mean much but I like to give out an annual award to, what is in my mind, the best comic of the year. And by best, I mean the one I find the most enjoyable. So the only standards are mine. Last year, it was the Human Torch/Spider-Man limited series. I was so confident in the selection, I called the race over in July. This year, not so much. I considered another Dan Slott winner, She-Hulk. Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men is another that I’ve enjoyed quite a bit. But both of them started new volumes in the middle of this calendar year and neither of them put out twelve issues of content in ‘06. So they had that going against them. Based on output and the actual delight that each issue brought me, the 2006 Top Drawer Comic of the Year is Exiles.

The Exiles are a group of heroes that go from alternate world to alternate world righting wrongs. Doesn’t exactly sound like exciting stuff, unless you know enough about the differences between the worlds they go to and the one readers are most familiar with. It’s definitely for the fanboys and fangirls out there. This year, the Exiles crew took part in a World Tour storyline where they worlds the team visitted were places that were considered fan favorites: the New Universe, Marvel 2099, Squadron Supreme, Future Imperfect, and even the Heroes Reborn world. It was great to see some of these “classic” storylines revisitted. Not only did the Exiles stop on these worlds, but they drafted some new teamates as well, plus the lucky mulleted mutant, Longshot.

How good was writer Tony Bedard’s work? I was actually secretly happy that Chris Claremont got sick so we could get a few more issues of Bedard’s run before that has-been took over my favorite comic of the year. (Yes, I wished ill of someone so I could continue to enjoy a comic book. I know, I’m evil.) And the rotating pencillers of Paul Pelletier and Jim Califore brought quality and consistency coming on a regular basis.

Exiles is not going to win any major awards (unless you count this as “major”) but it was the title that brought the most joy into my weekly reading list. That’s what makes collecting comic books worth while and Exiles was the most worthwhile in 2006.

If you want a Sock Point, leave a comment saying what comic you would consider for your most enjoyable title of the year.

Who Dey

Originally uploaded by iLoveAvegan.

The Cincinnati Bengals were certainly in the giving spirit yesterday. What would you like, Broncos? Four turnovers and even more insane drops that killed scoring drives? It was gift-wrapped for you. A ninety nine yard drive that makes a rookie look like John Elway? Let’s put a bow on that. A missed extra point that would have tied the game? Check under the tree. It looks like Cincinnati will get a lump of coal in the form of missing the playoffs. As near as I can tell, unless they can knock off the rival Steelers and get help, this season is done and over with when 2006 is. So, even though they outplayed the Broncos, costly mistakes pretty much killed this game and, likely, this season.

Standard Sunday Sock Point rules. You get a point for talking about this weekend’s football.

Merry Christmas!!

"Happy Holidays, Son."
Originally uploaded by Woodmania.

I was enjoying a Christmas Parade along Main Street USA last year when something irked me. Ironically, it pissed me off because it is designed to not offend people. Here’s a float where Goofy is exchanging yuletide pleasantries with his son. But what does he say to his boy? “Happy Holidays, son.” Happy Holidays?! That’s what you say to people when you’re a soulless bastard corporation appearing to care about consumers, not a father who’s supposed to know the most basic information about his own offspring. Tell him to have a happy whatever-the-hell-he-celebrates and make sure you are neutered because we cannot have your species procreate anymore.

A Sock Point to anyone who wants to express some holiday cheer or make fun of large corporations who try to not offend people during this time of year. Or both.

Looks like I’m going back to local musician Ryan Parker for this week’s YouTube offering. He’s not poking at the Bengals… this time. It’s making light of all these crazy little college bowl games that will fill the ESPN airspace until the end of the year.

“Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?”

Denver Broncos Cheerleaders: Rear View

Originally uploaded by Jeffrey Beall.

It’s down to the final two games of the season. If you wanna make the ployoffs, you gotta win some playoff-type games. Even though Chad Johnson loves his McDonalds, he hopefully leaves some room for Champ Bailey. Marvin Lewis is actually taking the team to Denver a day early to get used to the infamous low oxygen levels. I’ve heard unless you can get there a week before, try to show up as late as possible. We’ll see if this team gets winded, especially those who are fueled by Egg McMuffins and Big Macs.

“It was so far right, it voted for Pat Buchanan. On purpose.”