Oregon State football continues skid

Oregon State dropped their fourth straight game to the University of Washington on Saturday. With the 69-27 loss, the Beavers fall even deeper into turmoil heading into the annual Civil War game with Oregon. We all know that the season started on a sour note, with a loss to FCS Eastern Washington. But then it appeared that the Beavers woke up. They won their next six games, leaning on a potent and dangerous passing game. Quarterback Sean Mannion was growing play after play. Receiver Brandon Cooks turned into the most electrifying play maker in the country, high pointing passes in double coverage, making defenders miss in the open field. Then Stanford made a trip to Corvallis.

Both teams entered the game with one loss. Stanford had lost two weeks prior to a Utah team that the Beavs had beat earlier in the year. Confidence was high for the Beavers. But that was soon squashed. The 20-12 losing effort left many fans with a lot of questions. Where was that high octane offense? Why go for it on fourth down so many times in field goal position? What happened with the defensive collapse at the end of the first half? Can this team bounce back again? The answer was a simple no.

USC then made a trip to Corvallis, and came away with a 31-14 victory over the Beavs. The offense looked inept, the defense was lost giving up a huge touchdown pass on USC's first offensive play. USC asserted their dominance over the Beavers by having two rushers go over 100 rushing yards. There was no rhythm on either side of the ball for the Beavers. A trend that continued the next week at Arizona State. The Beavers dropped their third straight game by a score of 30-17. The score looks close but that is not indicative of what took place on the field.

The Beavs looked flat, while this could be a result of playing their fifth late night game in a row. But this is the game they signed up to play, so their should be no excuses. The defense forced some punts, but the offense was unable to take advantage. As a result the defense got tired and began giving up big plays. Arizona State running back Marion Grice put up 118 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. With the absence of a rushing game Mannion had to put the ball in the air 46 times. While he did go a respectable 31 for 46, he did throw four interceptions.

Now we have a quarterback who is struggling and losing confidence. This is around the time that the offensive coaches would start simplifying the passing game, to restore confidence in a quarterback going into the latter part of the season. But not Mike Riley and Co., nope the passing philosophy continues to be long developing routes deep down field. This puts not only tremendous pressure on Mannion, but also on a struggling and shuffled around offensive line.

This brings us to Saturday against the University of Washington. This was a gut-check game. A game that was going to tell us what team are we going to see close out the season. The team that battled back through adversity to win six in a row? Or the team that has faltered three weeks in a row? Four quarters later we got our answer in a 69-27 defeat. Fans of this program have to be left speechless after a performance like that. The schemes on both sides of the ball were head scratching, starting with the defense. Washington was starting true Freshman Cyler Miles at quarterback, in place of injured veteran Keith Price. This game marked Miles first start at quarterback in college, this should have been an absolute gift for the reeling Beavers. The defense failed to put pressure on the young Miles, by only rushing four defensive lineman. This allowed Miles to scan the field and take what was given to him. This also showed that the Beavers defensive staff must have failed to know that Washington has one of the nations best running backs in Bishop Sankey. The defense was not in position to make any play against the all-everything Sankey, who had two touchdowns and 158 rushing yards at halftime! Thats right at halftime! Once again no halftime adjustments were made, as three Washington running backs went over 100 yards rushing. The offensive play calling continued to put Mannion and Co. into horrendous positions. With long developing pass routes and still no running game, the Beavers failed to put up any points in the first half. Mannion's confidence continued to be chipped away at all night. The only relief came when the clock hit zero in the fourth quarter, signaling the game was finally over.

There were two devastating blows as a result of the Washington lose. One, it marked the teams fourth straight lose. Two, we witnessed the University of Washington's program ascend, while the Oregon State program fell further into their descent. Washington did what Oregon State had to do, over come adversity and right the ship. Drastic moves may need to be made, because what recruits are going to want to be a part of mediocrity? Who is going to want to play in a stadium that is half new, half relic? Who is going to want to play for the "little brother" of the state? Questions need answers. The program is on life support, and needs to be resuscitated fast.

"Gravity" A Modern Sci-Fi Masterpiece

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Director Alfonso Cuaron delivers the science fiction masterpiece of the 21st Century with "Gravity." The film is a stunning visual achievement. George Clooney and Sandra Bullock deliver with aplomb.

"Gravity" brings to us the horrors of the unknown of space, juxtaposed with the beautiful scenery it provides. The film opens up with a breathtaking scene that last for minutes without any cuts. It is visually arresting. The cinematography makes the film. Usual Cuaron cinematographer Emmanual Lubezki crafts a magnificent film with his camera work. Lubezki captures the beauty of space with overall shots, as well as creating claustrophobia with point of view shots. The camera never stops moving, giving the audience the uneasy feeling of space.

The actors of the film deserve special mention. George Clooney as the veteran mission commander Matt Kowalski gives the film it's rock. Clooney plays Kowalski as a cool customer. Even when things seem bleak Clooney gives us reassurance that things will be okay. The star of the film Sandra Bullock gives a performance for the ages. Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a mission specialist on her first space exploration. Bullock allows us to connect with her character by wearing her emotions. Bullock takes us on an emotional roller coaster, as we learn about her emotional past, and with the chaos that ensues around her. What makes the performances even more impressive is that it's a two person show. Clooney and Bullock are the only characters we see on screen, and they keep our attention through the whole run time.

The credit of "Gravity" goes to director Cuaron. Cuaron, who also co-wrote and produced, created a sci-fi classic with layered themes. The heavy theme that is played on is the feeling of shipwrecked and abandoned, as well as the resilience to survive. Also with the spiritual theme, as Bullock grapples with the chaos around her, battling the inner demons of her past, and the will to survive. "Gravity" an instant classic that will be talked about for a long time.

At A Glance

 "Gravity"

Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron

Starring: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

Rated: PG-13

Run Time: 90 minutes

Blog Post #2 "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia"

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Describe: "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is an American show that started out on the station FX for it's first eight seasons. Season nine has been moved to the new sister network of FXX, with the show being renewed for a tenth season. The show airs on Wednesday nights at 8:30 pm. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" falls under the sitcom genre. On Wednesday November 13, 2013 saw the season finale of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" with the episode titled "The Gang Squashes Their Beefs." This episode has the five main characters trying to make up for the wrong they have caused others during Thanksgiving. The primary characters of the show are Dennis (played by Glenn Howerton), Mac (played by Rob McElhenney), Charlie (played by Charlie Day), and Dee(played by Kaitlin Olson). The fifth main character of the show is Frank (played by Danny DeVito), who was introduced in the second season as Dennis and Dee's father. The show was created by stars Howerton, McElhenney, and Day. Ads that were shown during the episode were the new Call of Duty:Ghost, Payday candy bars, and Christmas Best Buy ads. 

Analyze: All the characters of the show are narcissist, so no matter what subject the show covers the characters only talk about how everything will affect them. The show is a comedy that deals with current subjects in a humorous matter. The characters almost always talk in a crude manner, and dress like normal people would dress. This gives us the audience the feel that these are everyday people. The show is shot with a hand held camera, giving us the feeling that we are there with the characters. The show isn't really like any other show on TV today, but it is reminiscent of "Seinfeld" with how the characters only care about themselves. What makes the show unique is the dialogue. How the characters talk and what they talk about is hilarious. They cover topical subjects but the way in which they talk about them with ignorance, is almost like a mirror of society today. We all have an opinion on events happening today and we like to voice our opinion, but not all of us do our research. This is how the characters talk, they have no idea what is going on, but they like to hear their own voices. 

Interpret: All the male characters disregard Dee as a dumb girl, even though she does have some pretty good insight. They make fun of her appearance and constantly tell her to shut up while the men talk. This often causes the gang to break up into teams against one another. Beside that I do not really see any stereotypes in the show. I do believe the commercials shown during the show do reflect the target audience. With the commercials of new video games and savings on consumer items come holiday season, and the show catering to the teen ages to adults, these commercials do fit the demographic. If I were a visitor to this country I feel this show would give an accurate depiction of US culture. The show is about people who are all about themselves and at the end of the day do not accomplish anything. 

Evaluate: The strengths of the show are the acting and the writing. Also what really helps the show is that the three leads created the show and have a hand in writing episodes. You can tell in their performances that they are comfortable with what they are acting out and the subject matter they are covering. One weakness of the show is the low prediction cost. You can tell while watching that the show is made on the cheap. This does not hinder the show, because it is focused on characters, but the horizons could be broadened with more funding. Critic reviews on metacritic.com have given the series positive reviews, that have continued to rise as the series goes on. Critics agree the the series is very similar to "Seinfeld." Noting that the comparisons are drawn from the characters. 

Engage: I became a regular viewer my freshman year in college, and have continued up to today. All of my roommates are regular viewers as well as my father. I am a fan of the show on Facebook, and enjoy the updates and insights they provide. Something that everyone might not know about the show is the actors Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney are married and have two kids together. The aspect makes the show even more funny because they usually clash on the show. 

Conclusion: While researching the show I learned that the show was Danny DeVito was brought on the show to boost ratings, as he was a huge fan of the show. What surprised me is how the show came to fruition. Series creator Howerton and McElhenney came up with the idea of of a guy telling his friends he may have cancer while he only wants some sugar for his large quantity of coffee. I guess it shows that we all start small. For more information visit the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" website.

"12 Years A Slave" A Review

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                Wow is the only way to describe what you have just seen when you walk out of the theater after watching "12 Years A Slave." Director Steve McQueen, with his third full feature film, constructs one of the best films of the year. The film follows Solomon Northup, a born free African American who is abducted from his family and sold into slavery. Northup witnesses and endures the harsh truth of slavery in the 19th century antebellum south. 

             The performances of the film are astonishing. Starting with Chiwetel Ejiofor as Northup. Ejiofor's performance is something to behold. The portrayl of a man who has had his life ripped apart, and wants nothing more than to return to his family is harrowing. Ejiofor most profound moments do not come with dialogue, but with his facial expressions. As the film progresses and the horrors of slavery begin to take their toll, we are able to see the pain and suffering on Ejiofor's face. On the other side we get a portrait of ultimate evil by Michael Fassbender. Fassbender plays slave owner Edwin Epps. Epps is a deplorable human being, who has complete disregard of his slaves. Fassbender is terrifying in his performance, as he holds nothing back to give us a realistic image of that point in time. Famous faces show up throughout the film. Actors such as Paul Giamatti as a ruthless slaver. Benedict Cumberbatch as a God fearing plantation owner. As well as Brad Pitt as a Canadian laborer who befriends Northup. 

           The film is shot beautifully and honestly by cinematographer Sean Bobbitt. The film is shot with no bars held. We are forced to look at the brutality that was slavery in America. This is what makes the film work, it makes us look at the sins of the past to make sure we do not allow it to happen again. Famed composer Hans Zimmer provides an exceptional score for the film. Zimmer's score is completely heartfelt and is timed perfectly.

           McQueen, who directs is third film, creates an instant classic. "12 Years A Slave" is not for the faint of heart, but it is the most important film of the year. Surely to be nominated in numerous categories come award season, as well as front runner for best picture. A truly poignant film that will leave a lasting impression on you. 

At A Gance

" 12 Years A Slave"

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Michael K. Williams, and Brad Pitt

Rated: R

The state of football as we know it

                       Since the beginning of the 2013 NFL season there has been 39 players go down with season ending ACL injuries. Players are placing blame to the NFL office, due to the new league rule against hitting players in the head. Washington Redskins defensive back Brandon Meriweather has been vocal in his opposition of the new rule. Meriweather states in a Sports Illustrated article, "To be honest, you've got to go low now, end peoples careers."


                     There would be merit to that, if it wasn't completely false. Meriweather has been fined and suspended one game this year by the league for repeat offenses of hitting defenseless offensive players in the head. What is evident today is that defensive players do not know how to tackle correctly. What viewers and fans see on Sundays is a gross execution of tackling. In no way are you supposed to launch yourself head first into an opposing player. The malicious intent to devestate the health of an opposing player is detrimental  to the future of this great sport.


                 On ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown" commited an ultimate sin. The crew of Chris Berman, Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson, Chris Carter, and Tom Jackson reflected on the comments Meriweather gave in his interview. Ditka, Johnson, Carter, and Jackson are all former professional football players, so their insights are normally very valuable. This was not the case on Sunday morning. The four former players all agreed that Meriweather was right in his message, but wrong in the way he stated it. This was extremely disappointing. None of these men even once brought up the proper way to tackle. You are not supposed to fly toward another player with reckless abandon and lay a knock out hit. You are supposed to come under control, scrap the side of your face across their chest. wrap up and drive. This is designed to not cause injury, and is a healthy alternative. Not to mention that the torso of the body offers a bigger target, and more sure tackle, than the head or the knees do.


             So why is this not being discussed? To be honest there is no explanation to why it is not. This is supposed to be a disciplined game, but with the way defenders are conducting themselves, it is not. It is depressing to see former players, who are ambassadors of this game to the next generation, condoning this agregious display of what is now football. This is supposed to be a game of strategy, a game of preparation, a game of perseverance. But what it is being turned into is a blood sport, a game of targeting. This is the discussion that needs to be brought up by the experts at ESPN, who have over 100 combined years of experience in the game. The problem needs to be properly identified and diagnosed by those who the fans listen to. This is a very pivitol point in time for the future of this great game.  The future of this game is at your door step ESPN.