All Good Things…

Brand new policy at eBay:

Due to the nature of magazine subscription services and the general inability for ordered items to be delivered within 30 days of the purchase date, eBay does not permit the sale of magazine subscriptions on the site.

Hope y'all got in when I did. That four year subscription to ESPN: The Magazine only cost me $11 total and will pay for itself the second I start reading it.

48 months of a bi-weekly magazine in the 24/7 internet age? Seemed like a good idea at the time.

That (Comic) Book-Leg Guy - Superman: Doomsday

Well, it took 15 months on That Bootleg Blog beat, but I'm now finally ready to explore a side of myself I rarely discuss publicly. I'm a superhero geek.

Yeah, that was about as painful as I thought it'd be.

It began with those 1960s Spider-Man cartoons, continued through various incarnations of Super Friends on Saturday mornings, then peaked during the Bruce Timm-created Batman, Superman and Justice League series that ran, off an on, from 1992-2006.

Yeah, I said "peaked". While I was either in college or a college graduate.

During all those years, I also had a relationship with the comic book industry. I collected for most of the 1980s, before stopping cold turkey. My brother picked up the baton and made the weekly comic shop stops until 1993, so between the two of us, we followed pretend adventures for more than 10 years.

These days, I'm still a sucker for a superhero story. To that end, Warner Bros. has released the direct-to-DVD adaptation of 1992's "Death of Superman" storyline.

In summary, for those of you who've read this far: DC Comics' "Superman" title was at odds with the early '90s ABC television show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. A Lois Lane/Clark Kent marriage arc for the comic book was tabled so that the TV show could do it first and a gaping creative hole opened up. To fill it, the comic book guys decided to "kill" Superman.

I watched this new movie version online last weekend via Netflix Direct on my laptop and it was decidedly…OK.

Superman's nemesis is an unstoppable monster called "Doomsday", who is released from his underground imprisonment by a team financed by Lex Luthor. The monster runs amok, kills (on camera!) everyone in his way, then faces the Man of Steel for a final showdown that ends badly for ol' Supes. The rest of the movie revolves the impact of his death, the emergence of a "new" Superman and the never-ending character development of Lois Lane and Lex Luthor.

My biggest gripe is with the animation. Everything seems…stiff and little off. Superman is given what I think are supposed to be defined cheekbones, but it just makes him look like he's got lightning bolts under his eyes. Luthor is outfitted in an all-white get-up and rocking the mock turtleneck. He looks like a stick of roll-on deodorant. Lois is wearing a skirt that looks more like a belt. I mean, not to get all fanboy, but when Radioactive Man got injected with shrinking serum in issue 234, how come his costume shrinks too?

I'm sure I don't know.

The comic book storyline ran for 52 weeks, introduced four "new" Supermen and was able to more deeply explore concepts of Superman's death and (spoiler alert!) return. In about 80 minutes, the movie does its best, but this streamlined, made-for-TV version seems more concerned with showing off its PG-13 rating ("Supes killed a guy!") than following any continuity. Although, points for the credit "Anne Heche as Lois Lane". Those words, alone, are unintentionally eight kinds of awesome.

Here's your surprise verdict of the week: Kinda fun, but for us hardcore fanboys only.

The ONLY Major League Baseball Preview You Need to Read

I received an e-mail from That East Coast Bias Guy a few weeks ago, asking if I'd be interested in participating in the baseball preview over at Tailgate Crashers.

In 2006, I coordinated their preview write-up…and correctly predicted the St. Louis Cardinals would win The World Series. In 2007, I wrote my own preseason piece…and correctly predicted the Boston Red Sox would win The World Series. Pretty sure I'm the only analyst (and guaranteed to be the only Black one) that hit the WS winner two years running.

Now, with that bit of self-congratulatory backslapping claptrap out of the way, I have to direct y'all to my old employer – where you'll find a week-long preview of the 2008 Major League Baseball season. We've resurrected the "25 Questions" feature where the most anticipated queries are answered (spread over the next five days), there are individual division-by-division write-ups and – later this week – we'll have our division winners and World Series predictions (although, consider mine a "proclamation").

Do I like the Johan Metropolitans? Maybe the DoucheSox will repeat? How 'bout the Indians or Tigers or Yankees? Keep checking in all week at Tailgate Crashers, wait for my pick, place your bet and then get rich.

Lost - "Meet Kevin Johnson"

What Aaron Liked: I'm actually OK with the return of Harold Perrineau's "Michael" character. I've always thought the writers mishandled his storyline in the immediate aftermath of the first season finale, when his son Walt was abducted. He went from playing a moderate role in the evolution of Jin and Sun's relationship, as well as an occasional foil for Locke, to being written as an annoyance to the castaways – for the unforgivable sin of wanting to find his son. I dug a lot of last night's smaller moments, like when Michael challenged Tom to "prove it" with regards to his claims about Widmore (see "What Aaron Didn't Like" for more on that). I thought Ben's incredulous "you detonated the bomb?" line was terrific, as was the performance by Ken Leung who wore his living room humiliation really well, before dropping the line of the night about, of all things, pound cake.

What Aaron Didn't Like: After almost four full seasons, here's what we know about the Rousseau character: she doesn't trust anyone and that goes double for Ben. Yet after about 10 seconds of "run, b*tch, run" persuasion from Ben, she suddenly believes his claims about an imminent attack?! Weak. Really weak. Why anyone on the island would take anyone else's word at face value – at this point in the narrative – is just beyond any realm of believability. And, while it's admittedly too early too make judgments, Rousseau's episode-ending fate sure seems like a sh*tty payoff for a character who was written to be a lot smarter over the years. Similarly, I was surprised to see Sayid give Michael up so quickly. When, Sayid isn't all torturing n' stuff, he's a pretty cerebral guy and it seems like he overplayed his hand there.

For the first time that I can remember, the flashback device was used as a straight-up exposition. OK, I guess they all are, but if you saw last night's episode, you know what I mean. I thought the Michael story was told as well as it could be, but it sure felt like someone hit the brakes right in the middle of a good ride as the flashback ended up overstaying its welcome a bit.

And, the wife and I argued this well into the night: Who was that wee Negro in the upstairs window of Michael's mother's house? We both agree that it was supposed to be Walt, but there is no way in hell that was Malcolm David Kelley, right? Mrs. Bootleg swears it was, but I sure seem to remember a 7'4", 41-year-old Walt towering over the fallen Locke in the season three finale before climbing back up his beanstalk. Assuming I'm right, I say "boo" you Lost writers for assuming you could stick any ol' child out there like that.

Verdict: Well, it wasn't the absolute clunker that Kate's episode was last month, but it was certainly an abrupt end to the previous three weeks of eeeeeeexcellence.

Upcoming Travel Diaries – The Prequel

Where: San Francisco, CA

Trip Dates: April 5 – April 10

Is the Cam Fam Coming With?: Yes

Potential for Blog Fodder: High…with the boy on spring break from his preschool – and who doesn't need time to recharge their batteries after months of snack time and nap time? – we're taking advantage by spending five nights in Aaron's favorite American city.

Of course, it earned this appellation after all the nights I spent there without my family. In fact, this'll be my first time in The City while the sun's up since 1997.

We'll be renting an SUV while we're there, which in itself is an act of insanity. I've braved the roads of Boston at rush/happy hour and San Francisco is a kajillion times worse, kids. But, we've got friends and family to visit, so I'm content to take an airbag or two to my mug, if it means something to write about.

The only certain destinations are an A's/Indians game in Oakland on April 6 and a stop to see some of my wife's family during the week.

Guess which one I'm looking forward to.

My hope is to get about two hours out of Jalen at the baseball game, before he turns on the sport's, uh…"methodical" pace. He loves the legendary "Homer at the Bat" episode of The Simpsons and the possibility of Darryl Strawberry serving up my Mr. Pibb and chicken strips behind Section 116 is…wait, don't wanna jinx it. Currently, Jalen's most excited about seeing this guy, which is understandable since I can't name much of the 2008 roster, either.

Meanwhile, a visit with Mrs. Bootleg's side of the family looms. Who are these people? Well, we had one of her cousins at our wedding – open bar that wifey and I paid for. Early in the evening, I glanced over and found several barely-sipped beverages in front of him. Turns out, he was ordering Courvoisier and other libations he couldn't otherwise afford just to test them…to see if he liked them. That night, the results of my identical test on him came back.

Another cousin – female, but at our wedding, too – bowled over every single woman to catch Mrs. Bootleg's bouquet. Then, there's her aunt who CAN'T CONTROL THE VOLUME OF HER VOICE! Sweet, sweet lady and a phenomenal cook, but she can't say anything without YELLING. Right about now, is where I'd make the comparison to Sinbad, but it's been 15 years since he's been in the news and…wait, what's that you say?

Sinbad's beefin' with the Clinton campaign?!

And, there's your convenient blog conclusion.

Flippin' Thru – The ESPN Shop Catalog (March 2008)

If you ever buy one thing from any online sports apparel shop, you become the weekly recipient of catalogs from every sports apparel shop.

Let's do this thang…

Page 02: The results of an ESPN.com poll break the initial sticker shock of Nike's College Twill Jerseys ($74.99) and matching shorts ($59.99):

ESPN.com voters sized up the all-time NCAA Tournament Underdogs

1.) George Mason (2006)

2.) Villanova (1985)

I think I'll stop here, since no one needs any further proof that ESPN.com voters are morons. Wait…you do need more proof? Then, just read the user comments that they've incorporated at the end of every story on their website. Bonus points if the story has anything even remotely to do with race.

Page 04: Crocs Collegiate Beach ($34.99) – According to the catalog, Crocs are "the original, cool, comfort design that sparked a phenomenon". Oh, white consumers…is there anything you won't turn into a phenomenon?

Page 07: Nike Lacrosse Reversible Practice Jersey ($34.99) – Perfect for the sports fan in your life who's had it up to here with the well-to-do and disconnected douchebags of professional sports.

Page 11: Fashion has officially passed me by. At least, that was my first thought when I discovered that this wasn't for women ($99.99). And, neither was this or this ($89.99 and $124.99, respectively). Pretty sure that Will Smith's fashion sense from the first season of Fresh Prince will hold up better than any of these. And, he wore denim shorts, people. Denim!

Page 13: Majestic Hardwood Classic Player Image Tee ($19.99) – I know this subject's been beaten to death on infinitely funnier blogs than mine, but can a Black man really wear the Larry Bird shirt? Wouldn't Bird's legendary grit, court sense and basketball intelligence cancel out the whole athleticism-and-only-athleticism of the Black guy wearing it? Plus, the whole "Black Boston fan" thing. Does such a Negro exist?

Page 13: adidas NBA Championship Banner Tee ($25.99) – Really, New York Knicks, I'm not sure what's worse: seeing your shirt alongside the multiple, more recent championships of the Lakers (boo!) and Bulls or the fact that there's actually room for all two titles that you've won (none since 1973).

Page 23: Majestic MLB Scoring Streak Ringer Tee ($24.99) – Pass. Aaron can't wear "ringers" as I've discovered that the "rings" around the sleeves and collar draw far too much attention to my bony girl arms (and accompanying elephant's butt smell) and my roll-of-dimes neck. I'm 180 pounds and 96% of that is my head. Only former Phoenix Sun Kevin Johnson knows my pain.

Page 23: Majestic MLB Intersection Stadium Tee ($17.99) – I've been an A's fan for over 25 years and I'm just now discovering that their ballpark is not on the corner of "CripBlood Boulevard" and "Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue". Would've lost a bet on that one.

Page 24: Majestic Cooperstown MLB Laser Jersey ($74.99) – I nearly leapt out of the ass-crater I've created in our couch when I saw the A's were represented by former ace and Roger Clemens-killer, Dave Stewart! Then, I discovered numerous jersey rules violations that brought me back down to earth. For one, Stewart was an Athletic from 1986-1992 (much like Rocky V, 1995 is not recognized) and never wore the 1970s colors on this jersey. Two, this is a cheap knockoff of replica jerseys, which are – themselves – less expensive imitations of the more awesome "authentic" ones. Still, I left the catalog opened to page 24, atop the snoring corpse of Mrs. Bootleg this morning. I'll let'cha know how it goes.

Page 24: Majestic MLB Impact V-Neck ($44.99) – The Montreal Expos are featured prominently, which is depressing on several levels, but none more than this: Major League Baseball is attempting to make money off of a franchise that they, themselves, killed off with the strike in 1994, shady back-alley ownership agreements and, of course, the original Mr. Bojangles. Good to know that rappers will have something cool to wear in their videos, though.

Page 25: Majestic MLB Banner Pride Tee ($17.99) – For all the sh*t they get, I can honestly say that I've never known one of those stereotypical a-hole Yankee fans. Sure, I saw lots of 'em when I went to Yankee Stadium last summer, but I've never known one. That said, if Nick or Joe or NYJon were to ever start rocking the "26 World Championships, B*tches" shirt… Full disclosure: I own the A's version of this shirt, but since it only features the four championships won in Oakland, it's more "modestly historic" and less "look, I'm a d*ck!".

Page 26: Majestic MLB Momentum Women's Tee ($17.99) – Mrs. Bootleg's owns a few A's and (sigh) Padres t-shirts and jerseys. I'm proud to say that none of them are pink. She's a keeper…unless someone wants to make an offer for her. The boy and the cat go, too. Package deal. This is non-negotiable.

Page 27: Reebok MLB Clubhouse Lining Shoe ($69.99) – I own more A's personalized jerseys and t-shirts than anyone in their 30s should ever admit. Yet, it's still comforting to know that the crown to the Loser Kingdom sits atop the head of anyone who'd wear these.

Page 33: ESPN SportsCenter Boo Yah Tee ($17.99) – I stand corrected.

Title: Lost - "Ji Yeon"

What Aaron Liked: The evolution of the Sun and Jin characters over the course of these four seasons has been a kick to watch. Yunjin Kim's performance, especially, has been equally convincing as the docile wife from the first year to the strong, confident presence she exudes now. So, it goes without saying that I enjoyed the hell out of pretty much everything that involved Sun this week, with her slow-turn reaction to the reveal of her adultery as my far and away favorite. Jin's "Wherever Sun goes, I go" declaration to Juliet was also a wonderful moment and one that inadvertently highlights how poorly developed some of the other characters are despite receiving 10x the screen time. Finally, after boring y'all to tears with my obnoxious declarations of "I saw that coming" in previous weeks, I can honestly say that I whiffed on the whole flash-forward/flashback mash-up Sun/Jin twist. I did let Mrs. Bootleg know that I thought something was up, but that was 50 minutes in and after the Sun pregnancy was resolved. No partial credit for me. You've won this round, Lost.

What Aaron Didn't Like: Michael's back. Of course, it's too early to draw any conclusions, but for reasons that escape me, this wasn't the surprise it really should've been. He return was first announced last August by the show's creators. A wave of the white flag to those intent on spoiling these things or a manufacture of buzz for a show that needed a spark after an uneven third season? Discuss. Oh, and please tell me I wasn't the only one creeped out by Hurley's "goooooooooood" line, when Sun informed him that none of the other Oceanic Six would be coming to, uhh…"visit" Jin. I was just waiting for "at last…we're alone" and the bestiality to begin.

Verdict: Three straight strong episodes have finally taken the taste of that Kate-based hour from a month ago out of my mouth. And, I do believe I detected the stench of plot forwarding and question answering, so I'm good.