TR Salutes- New Eminem Song

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

This is by far his best work in a long time. The lyrics aren't safe for work. But he does get an official TR Salute because he is the first rapper I've ever heard of to use the word "bidet" in a rap song. The closest any rapper I had previous heard to saying that word was Red Man on MTV Cribs when he referred to it as his "booty wetter".

Congratulations, Eminem. I salute you.







That's how I roll.

TR Salutes: Number Muncher

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter


Enough said.





That's how I roll.

TR Salutes: Cooper: Photographer Cat

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

You don't have to be a cat lover to appreciate this awesome photography- you just have to like stuff that's awesome. This idea is genius and straight from the "why didn't I think of that??" department.

Seattle couple Deirdre and Michael Cross decided to affix a light-weight digital camera to the collar of their cat, Cooper to see what he sees while they are away.

From September, 26th 2009- April, 11 2010 Cooper's photography can be seen at the Peggy Notebart Nature Museum in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Cooper's homepage can be seen here and his Flickr photostream can be seen here.










That's how I roll.

TR Salutes: Larry Johnson's Hair Tackle of Troy Polamalu

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

Sure it's a few years year old, but I still love it. It's easily my favorite NFL play of the past 5 years and represents all that is good about sport (as they say in England).

I can't wait until this guy gets an interception.










That's how I roll.

TR Salutes Harland Williams

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com





joke @ the 4:00 mark of the below video is outstandingly crude.
















I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

T.R. Salutes: Ghoulies

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com

Best movie poster of all time. I remember seeing this on the shelf at the video rental place when I was Kindergarten and just being mesmerized. I had no idea that adults could have ideas that were as disgustingly silly as the ones my friends and I had. I never wound up seeing the movie, but it could never live up to my expectations that the poster created. I don't want a story arch, static and dynamic characters, rising action, protagonist, antagonist, falling action, a love interest, a beginning, middle and an end.

I just like green dudes coming out of toilets hinting that they'll bite your buns. That's all I need, really.

T.R. Salutes: Tom Durkin- UPDATED

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com


He's a horse racing announcer for Saratoga, Belmont, and (I think still) Aqueduct. I think he still does the KY Derby and he has done the Breeder's Cup for several years but didn't renew his contract to do so starting in like 2005. It's probably better that I stop winging it and let you read his Wikipedia profile. The point is, he's awesome. Not that it is surprising, since he's from Chicago.

He's a consummate professional, though rarely consummates his relationships with other professionals while he is working, especially while eating consumme. His knowledge of the sport is extensive, and he always manages to mix in just enough silliness when necessary, to remind us all that we are watching horse racing for the purpose of having fun.

Since I don't know a whole lot about the guy, so my salutation of him will have to be primarily via YouTube replays of his most memorable calls. In a way, I feel sheepish about posting these because they're basically his funniest moments, and he doesn't fancy himself any kind of comedian. After decades of flawless announcing these moments of whimsy are anamolies, but memorable and likable all the same.

9/5/09 UPDATEUPDATE: We have an unprecedented INSTANT CLASSIC. This is Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward from 9/5/09. You can read more about the race here.



UPDATE: I TOTALLY forgot about this one and it's in my top 3 favorite of his calls. The 2004 Belmont Stakes where the horse racing world was positive that Smarty Jones was going to win the triple crown and everyone was cheering him on. He was a feel-good story for a lot of reasons and everyone was thoroughly prepared to explode with delight. I was at that race that day, the attendance was 120,000 which broke the previous record of 100,000. If I recall correctly, as I always do, that was the day Ronald Regan died. Anyway, you can hear in Durkin's voice how exuberant he is when it looks like Smarty will win ("..it's been 26 years...."), and how crestfallen he is when he utters, "...Birdstone wins the Belmont Stakes." This and the call in the last clip of the bunch are masterpieces of race calling, and of letting your human-side into your voice, but not your comments.




Arrr


A horse with a stupidly long name


"No need to call it" a good example of a less humorous call, but one that illustrates his appreciation for the sport.


Durkin's memorable call of a VERY foggy race. This couldn't have been done any better.


He was in fine voice for a horse named Doremifasolatido


Ohnoitsmymothernlaw- Good race, funny call.


Finally is my favorite sports announcing job ever, and it was done by Mr. Durkin. Allow me to put this race in context for you. The race is the Breeder's Cup Classic which is the biggest horse race of the year, monetarily, in North America. Horses come from all over the world for this race, and this is the one race every single trainer wants to win. Also note that it was on 10/27/2001, making it the first major sporting event after 9/11. While baseball and football regular season vailiantly played immediately after 9/11, those were regular season games. No major sport had had a post season yet, and the Breeder's Cup is like the entire playoffs in one day, culminating in the Breeder's Cup Classic. Furthering the patriotic undertones, several of the favorites for this race were European horses, with Tiznow being America's hope, basically. Tizow won this race last year, and if he could somehow manage to upset the favored European invaders, he would become the first horse to repeat as winner of the BC Classic. Oh, I forget to mention that this race took place in Belmont Park, a track located in New York City. It was almost the horse-racing vesion of Rocky against Drago, but on American soil. I think you'll find that Tiznow showed determination of Balboan proportion in the race as well. Here is Tom Durkin's call, my favorite call in the history of sports. Tiznow is wearing pink.

T.R. Salutes- The Chicago Accent

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com


Little is known about the Chicago accent. What little is known to most people about the Chicago accent is due to "Da Superfans" sketch on Saturday Night Live, the one that made "Da Bearss" a household phrase.

As a Chicago transplant of 4 years, I have yet to find very many great examples of the Chicago accent, or pockets of the city where it thrives. There seem to be a few commonalities with the instances in which I have heard it: It was from someone who seems to be decidedly blue collar, never in a northside neighborhood, oftentimes this person either worked with, or was talking about food and/or alcohol, and they are infinitely more prevalent at White Sox games than at Cubs games. Lastly, one of their tip off words that they have the accent is that they pronounce Chicago as "Chi-caw-go". Subtle, but noticeable. They are also great people 100% of the time. As far as I am concerned the gold standard (and fitting every criterion I listed) is below. He's a little bit Wisconsy, but the best I've found on YouTube anyway.




That dude can be seen here as well.




This one isn't all bad, the description in the margin by the poster of the video is useful as well.


This is a parody, but a doozie of a parody.


This one is a doozie. You can tell she has the accent when you hear the "A" sound.

T.R. Salutes: Crap Rap

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com

None of this are remotely worksafe, dignified, decent or respectable. In other words, they are awesome.


Gangsta Boogie



The Stanky Leg


Burbans and Lacs



I Got That Fire, by Juvenile


Any TR Slyder Scholar worth their salt knows that only one video could close out this list. Waxamill got that crap rap game on lock, kid.

T.R. Salutes: The Ghettoblaster

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com


THE best fad of the 1980's. Accept no subsitutes.

























F. Yeah!

T.R. Salutes: The Jheri Curl

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com


This should come as no surprise to T.R. Slyder scholars. I never shy away from celebrating Jheri Curls. I wish there were a Jheri Curl Petting Zoo. That would be a good name for a punk band.

T.R. Salutes: The Handling of the Captain Hostage Situation With The Somali Pirates

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com


I loved it. LOVED it. The wars you inherited, but this was your first military crisis under your watch.

I knew this had to be an open and shut case. We simply had to say "You are filthy Somali Pirates. We are the United States Military. You do not kidnap us. It's extremely simple. We are not something that you fuck with. If, however,you attempt to fuck with us, we will leave your bodies cold and lifeless. Is any part or that unclear?"

I loved what we did to those punks. Like a friend of mine would say, "You run up, you get done up", or as Brother Tupac said, "you better back the fuck up, before you get smacked the fuck up"

I like how it was handled. No U.S. casualties, and a few causalities of the guilty parties. We had a captain with an AK-47 in his back, and some Navy Seals had a clear shot at the heads of those gun-wielding gorillas. Whoever those nameless SEALs are, you are heroes in my book, and I am thankful that you exist.

It sounds pretty simple to me- If I fuck with the U.S. I WILL get fucked up.


Some pirates forced an AK-47 into the captain's back. Then what happened? Their heads were blown off. I like it.

T.R. Salutes: The Power Glove

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com


Probably the coolest thing possible.