Shields, songs and lookalikes; we're all over the map

A few more totally unrelated items for your reading pleasure.

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The Red Shield?

Not too protective yesterday, was it?

Not sure how much of it anyone saw but the lethargy in the first half was brutal, Leo said it was like they were “walking in cement” and I find that more troubling than anything.

This was the second-biggest game of the tournament (Venezuela was the most important and everyone knew it) and they had set it up so a lot of guys got some rest the night before in the Argentina game.

How’d that work for you?

Not so well, as it turns out.

Yes, they still have a mathematical chance to finish in the top five, they need two wins and a Venezuela loss in the last two days or perhaps one win and two Venezuela losses (although that could set up three-way ties and my mind can’t get around that math) but that’s the longest of shots.

What they needed to do was come up big in the two games they had to have – Venezuela and Puerto Rico – and they didn’t.

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Isn’t it supposed to still be summer?

Then why is it like 11 C outside this morning down here in the Falls?

Should have packed something other than shorts, I now realize.

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I’ve got Spain easily over Germany, France over Turkey and Lithuania over Germany today, by the way.

I do like the way they’ve set up the tournament, even if it does drag on and on.

There’s an off-day every other day in this round, the Group E games are today, Friday and Sunday; Group F goes Thursday, Saturday, Monday and it’s far better that way.

One of the biggest problems with these international events is that they can be more tests of survival when they run games daily through the first two rounds like they are in Argentina with the FIBA Americas thing.

I’m not sure when you push the games together like they tend to do that you get the best team winning all the time and the calibre of play diminishes the further you get into the tournament.

With something as significant as the European championship – with bragging rights as well as Olympic berths on the line – the extra days are worth it.

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This is a leftover but it fits perfectly into the regular routine, doesn’t it?

Q: You like to do music here, so I am wondering this what are your top 5 cover songs of all-time?

Mine are K.D. Lang's Hallelujah, Manfred Mann's Blinded by the Light, Hendrix All Along the Watchtower, and 2 Guns N Roses tunes, Live and Let Die and Knocking on Heavens Door and honourable mention to Metallica for Turn the Page.

Cheers...

Doug B, Toronto

A: Okay, I know it took some time to get to this, sorry about that. But it’s pretty cool.

A story: A friend’s sharing music one day and I’m not sure who was more surprised: Me by the fact Metallic did it or the friend by the Bob Seger version.

Now, I like the Mettalica version, sure, but it’s not Seger.

Anyway …

I’ll give you Knocking On Heaven’s Door without a doubt and will add these to the list, which is certainly not definitive but just ones I can remember:

With A Little Help From My Friends, Joe Cocker.

I know it’s blasphemous to cover The Beatles but, man, does Cocker do a good, soulful job.

I Fought The Law, The Clash

It’s the Clash! Doesn’t matter who did it first, they did it well.

Twist and Shout, The Beatles

Except for the screaming teeny-boppers in the videos I’ve seen of it, it’s really good.

Respect, Aretha Franklin

I wasn’t sure that this was cover, or remake, but something in the dark recesses of my mind told me it was. Yep, originally Otis Redding. But if anyone thinks it’s other than Aretha, that’s entirely understandable.

And this one, which is a classic video of a cover band and the original guy. Who doesn’t love Dylan? Who doesn’t love The Byrds? Who can’t listen to this without at least humming, if not singing?

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How about those Argos, eh?

Doesn’t totally releasing your starting quarterback nine games into a season to replace him with a guy who hasn’t taken a snap the entire year smack of desperation?

I know the Lemon fellow didn’t look good too often but to cut him completely? I don’t know about that.

Maybe this Jyles guy is the answer, or maybe he’s not; but I do imagine there’ll come a point in time when they’d like to at least have the option of going to a guy who is familiar with the team, its system and the offence.

So far this season they’ve whacked a defensive co-ordinator – and that’s a silly move in the middle of CFL season because I don’t think new coaches can do much in such a short time frame – and now cut loose the starting quarterback.

And you wonder why they can’t win?

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Wanna start?

Mail. Here. Please.

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I have no idea how I got to be watching tennis the other day – it’s not something I generally do – but …

Novak Djokovic/Jason Kapono

Separated at birth? Or is my mind playing tricks on me?

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Let me get this straight.

There is going to be a month of practice and breathless analysis and eight games that don’t matter and all the Leaves fans have to worry about is who is going to make the third line?

And they say training camp and pretend games isn’t too long.

Seriously, if there were one thing I’d change about North American pro sports it would be to cut every training camp/exhibition season in half.

Every sport.

Four games (two for the football), a week or maybe 10 days of work and let’s get going; this endless nonsense of games that don’t matter and tedium of training camp bores me to death.

And, truth be told, it bores the players, too. I can’t tell you how many times a HOTH has mentioned how long and boring the pre-season is; they want to play games that count.

Let them.

End o’ rant.

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Comments

[LeeZ]

Without a doubt, the greatest cover of all time is Hendrix's take on Watchtower. I mean, with all the conflict in the world, the bombs, the dictators, the strife, the hatred, can we not as a people, as a race -- the human race -- come together and agree on that one simple, objective fact??? After Watchtower, however, subjectivity enters into it. Ike and Tina Turner's Proud Mary is an amazing cover, completely transforming the original (a great version in its own right). As far as Hallelujah is concerned, personally I like Rufus Wainwright's take on it better than, say, Jeff Buckley's. Johnny Cash's Hurt (originally 9 Inch Nails) is incredibly moving, given that Johnny put his own sad, personal stamp on that song. Nothing Compares to Y by Sinead. Incredible. Me and Bobby McGee. Janis takes Kristofferson's song and totally makes it her own.

[LogicalDude]

I'm turning 32 next month and up till now I had no idea that Respect was a cover from Aretha Franklin...my entire world is crumbling around me now.

[Turk in TO]

Doug, you mean Lithuania over Serbia, not Germany.

[Lorie]

Hey Doug!
So many great covers there - and you, Doug B. and LeeZ mentioned some real classics. I love finding the unexpected interpretations, where an artist from one genre of music records a song from another genre producing surprising results. So....that being said, a couple of unexpected pleasures: Placido Domingo sings with John Denver who wrote and recorded the song originally (and for an added bonus, continue watching for a cover of a Frank Sinatra classic):
http://youtu.be/xaEj421RDv8
And then my favourite singer from Forest, Ontario - Emm Gryner - does something unforgettable with an Ozzy Osbourne tune, "Crazy Train".
http://youtu.be/BET0DXss6pk

[doug]

I had forgot about Joe Cockers Beatle cover, I do love that one..speaking of look-a-likes (and Kapono and Djokovic do look alike) I get at least a couple times a month without fail for all my adult life...did anyone ever tell you, you look like Paul McCartney??...my response I wish I had his talent and bank account but thankfully not the last wife he had, he can deal with her....cheers..

[Mike kovacs]

Labatt Park in London is now officially Canada's favourite ballpark!

http://www.baseball.ca/eng_news_story.cfm?NewsID=1981

[skinny]

NIce to see Nash say that "if he only knew the lockout would take so long" that he would have wanted to play for Canada.

Funny thing is, everyone on Earth has known it would last this long, as no meetings had been scheduled, and for the entire summer, there was no movement by either side.

I just wish people would be more honest when they speak, and not just say what others might want to hear.

[The J]

Players hate training camp and Preseason? Well on the bright-side they probably wont have to worry about it this year.

[Nick M]

Agreed LeeZ,

I was going to mention the Johnny Cash cover as well!

[Cluck Kent]

Cut the preseason? Are you crazy? The Raptors have played some of their best games in preseason.

[Nick M]

Disclaimer: It may be kind of late for this question and I have been very 'irregular' since July!
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Why is Kleiza not playing for Lithuania?
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Secondly, and this is for Doug and fellow 'irregulars'. I have been checking out the box scores following Jonas but have not watched any of the games. He seems to be doing quite well against good competition. Anyone watching have a grade for his play?

Blogger's note: Kleiza had knee surgery in February and isn't ready; was never going to be, may be back first of 2012

[Nick M]

Sorry, brain lapse on the Kleiza question!

[J]

"NIce to see Nash say that 'if he only knew the lockout would take so long' that he would have wanted to play for Canada.
Funny thing is, everyone on Earth has known it would last this long, as no meetings had been scheduled, and for the entire summer, there was no movement by either side.
I just wish people would be more honest when they speak, and not just say what others might want to hear."

Just wondering, but is it only honest when it aligns with your personal, subjective position? Hindsight is great, but just how much money would "everyone on Earth" have bet out of their own pockets on the actual length of the lockout?

[Dario]

Hi Doug,

In terms of cover songs, one band stands out and that is Nouvelle Vague. They are from France and turn Alternative 80s music into a cool Brazillian Jazz sound (except for the latest album that is). Here is their version of I Melt With You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=516ZUtOeWMg&feature=related

I think you mentioned wanting to find a band similar to Simon & Garfunkle to listen too. This may fall into that category as well. I also recommend their video for Dance with Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekQZPozjCX8 They take a scene from the movie Bande A Parte, and slow it down slightly so that it flows to the music. Hope you enjoy.

[Thane]

Good list of covers, Doug! I'd add a few though.

Hurt, covered by Johnny Cash (originally by Nine Inch Nails).

Learning the Game, covered by Natalie Merchant (originally by Buddy Holly (who would be 75 yesterday!))

Take this Waltz, covered by Leonard Cohen (originally a poem by Federico Garcia Lorca).

Also, Hallelujah by the hundred thousand different people who have covered it is good, but nothing compares to Cohen's original.