It Happened! It Really Happened!!

Theres something magical about the Boston Red Sox. I've been excited about Arsenal, I've freaked out about the Patriots, same goes for the Celtics and Bruins. However, theres something different, some connection I've formed with this team over the years. To me they're more than just a team. They're a collection of brothers I never had. Theres something special about the whole deal, when you walk into Fenway Park for the first time, soaking up the summer sun. Wolfing down a Fenway Frank and then washing it down with a Big Gulp sized mug of Coca-Cola. Yup, everything about the Red Sox is magical. So when I found myself glued to the TV this evening, surrounded by several close friends who all were greatly invested in the same cause, I began to feel the magic again. That magic about the Red Sox that I thought had been lost during the seasons of 2011 and 2012. The Red Sox are fun again, the Red Sox are all guys you love. They're not a bunch of high-paid divas who have egos bigger than the size of Texas. When the Sox won it tonight, oh lord, I don't think I've ever jumped higher. I don't think any sports victory has ever felt as good as this one (except for 2004 but thats a given). 95 years, 95 freaking years! It took the Red Sox 95 years to win a World Series at Fenway Park. I jumped out of my seat and hugged the closest person next to me. I pulled out my phone to call one of my best friends from high school, the closest Red Sox fan I have, my hands shaking the whole time. It happened, IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED!! The magic was back in full swing. It took me back. I remember back in 2006, my mother surprised me by taking me to a Red Sox game. It was a surprise because the reason we were even in Boston in the first place was that I had an appointment at Children's Hospital. We got out of the hospital with time to spare, hustled our way to Fenway and bought our tickets. It's the kind of story I'm going to tell my kids someday. That game ended with Big Papi hitting a walk off single to win it. Just like tonight, I grabbed the stranger next to me and hugged them (I must have been like 13 at the time) and the whole place exploded into euphoria. This whole World Series takes me back to that moment, where every David Ortiz at bat made you drop whatever you were doing and watch, when Red Sox pitchers weaved beautiful games of strikeouts passion. That was the feeling tonight, the Boston Red Sox are World Champs, It happened! It ACTUALLY HAPPENED!!!

Arsenal v Liverpool - Let's Settle This

The time has finally come. A time for me and two of my best friends (both Liverpool fans) to begin our biannual tradition of not speaking and being sworn enemies during the weekend. Why you ask? It's Arsenal vs Liverpool of course! Funny thing, Liverpool and Arsenal aren't really even traditional rivals. Sure, they're both two of the dominant forces in English football but they aren't rivals in any respect other than the fact that they frequent the Top 4 of the table. In recent seasons, this hasn't exactly been the case. Arsenal has been the better of the two over the past few seasons but hardly an elite team. Liverpool has gone through a lean period but have had a renaissance this season, bursting out of the gate. Arsenal has done the same and occupy the top of the table with Liverpool biting at their heels. So without any further ado, lets do a quick comparison of the two teams. Lets finally settle who's better, Liverpool or Arsenal (with as little bias as I can do). We'll break it down into several parts: history, current day squads, and managers.

History

Liverpool:

18 English First Division Titles
7 FA Cups
8 League Cups
5 European Cups

Arsenal:

13 English First Division Titles
10 FA Cups
2 League Cups
0 European Cups

So, setting the guidelines here, lets simply count the trophies that actually matter to English clubs (Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and Champions League). Throughout the history of English football there have historically been two dominant teams: Liverpool and Arsenal. Manchester United lurked in the background but were hardly the domestic power they are now until Sir Alex Ferguson showed up in the 80's. In fact, one can actually coincide Liverpool's lack of Premier League titles since 1990 with Man U's rise to dominance. That's beside the point however. Liverpool easily wins the trophy debate in the fact that they've won a sizeable amount of each significant trophy available to English sides. Especially in that they've won 5 European titles while Arsenal has only reached a lone final in 2006 that they lost to Barcelona. However, Arsenal's merits domestically can't be faulted. 10 FA Cups is an absolutely brilliant achievement and no other English side has gone through a season unbeaten like Arsenal did in 2003-2004. One can argue that that side was the best team that ever graced an English pitch. Arsenal however, have never had the period of extended dominance that Liverpool had under Bill Shankly or the Bob Paisley years (in which Liverpool won 20 honours in 9 years). Liverpool's history is a bright one, with their European successes being the major thing that separates them from Arsenal. The 2005 Champions League Final which they won over AC Milan has to be considered the greatest final in that competition ever. Arsenal's history is blighted by the fact that they haven't won a trophy since their last FA Cup victory in 2005. Liverpool's most recent trophy was a 2012 victory over Cardiff City in the League Cup. In a matchup of history, Liverpool will beat Arsenal every time.

Advantage: Liverpool

Strikers

Liverpool: Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge

Arsenal: Olivier Giroud and Nicklas Bendtner

Clearly, Liverpool has the major advantage here. Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez have been in fantastic form. Suarez, despite only playing four games in the league has 4 goals and an assist. While Suarez was on his 10-game biting ban, Englishman Daniel Sturridge picked up the slack big time with 8 goals through his first 9 games. Liverpool's biggest strength are their two currently world class forwards since they have literally put the team on their back for the first two months of the campaign. Arsenal meanwhile would love to have such a luxury on their side. Earlier this month I wrote an article about how much Olivier Giroud has improved as a player. Despite playing a world class level for the first 9 games of the season (plus Champions League and Cup games) he's still vastly underrated. Giroud has been an absolute monster for Arsenal this season. Unfortunately, he's the lone man at the top of Arsenal's formation and does a lot of their attacking heavy lifting. Arsenal's next best attacking option is the always entertaining but never productive Nicklas Bendtner who put in an abomination of the display yesterday against Chelsea. So simple math here, Arsenal has one in-form world class player, Liverpool has two.

Advantage: Liverpool

Midfield

Liverpool: Steven Gerrard, Philippe Coutinho, Jordan Henderson, Lucas Leiva, Victor Moses

Arsenal: Mesut Özil, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta

This is taking into account everyone who is healthy, since Arsenal is missing Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Mathieu Flamini. Even so, Arsenal's midfield ranks as one of England's best if not one of the best units in Europe. The addition of Mesut Özil has turned Arsenal into a creative force. The dream of uniting Santi Cazorla, Özil, and Wilshere in the same team has yielded mixed results so far but thats mostly down to Cazorla trying to regain fitness more than issues between the two. Arsenal's midfield is always prone to events of attacking brilliance (the tiki-taka goal vs Norwich stands out) and is the best quality of this year's team. Meanwhile, Aaron Ramsey has emerged as an attacking threat seemingly out of nowhere. However, because of Flamini's injury the team lacks a true defensive midfielder. Arteta does a solid improvisation but he lacks Flamini's grit. Liverpool has also been able to assemble a strong midfield as well due to Jordan Henderson's improved form and the attacking flair of Victor Moses. They also possess the always class Stevan Gerrard who can still channel his younger self and score a screamer when the time calls for it. The biggest threat on the field is Liverpool's own diminutive wizard, Coutinho. Nobody doubts that the attacking trinity of Coutinho, Sturridge, and Suarez has nearly limitless potential and will be the source of most of Arsenal's worry during the game. On a strictly talent basis however, Arsenal has the better midfield.

Advantage: Arsenal

The Back Line

Liverpool: Mamadou Sakho, Martin Skrtel, Kolo Toure, Daniel Agger, Jose Enrique, Aly Cissokho, Glen Johnson, Simon Mignolet (GK)

Arsenal: Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen, Kieran Gibbs, Bacary Sagna, Nacho Monreal, Carl Jenkinson, Wojciech Szczesny (GK)

Probably the most improved area for both sides this season. Liverpool, trying to accommodate Luis Suarez into their new and improved side, has gone with three at the back several times this season. Kolo Toure has shown he still has a lot left to his game and Martin Skrtel, an afterthought at the start of the season, has forced his way back into the team. Liverpool's full backs, Enrique and Johnson, have acted as both traditional full backs and also wing backs this season, excelling at both. Arsenal's defense has improved greatly, especially at the end of last season and the beginning of this season, the abomination against Aston Villa in the season opener notwithstanding. Per Mertesacker has rebounded from a tough start to his Arsenal career to become one of the best centre halves in the Premier League, some with Laurent Koscielny. Thomas Vermaelen meanwhile has struggled since being awarded the captaincy after Robin van Persie's departure last summer. While Arsenal have only conceded the first goal of a match once this year, the fact still remains that up until last weekend they hadn't kept a single clean sheet. They're still prone to lapses in concentration and sometimes don't close down on the ball enough. These are usually moot points when they play lesser competition but against better teams, when they're not guaranteed to have as much of the ball, this becomes a bigger and sometimes fatal issue. At this point, separating Simon Mignolet and Wojciech Szczesny from each other is near impossible as both have been in fantastic form this season. Szczesny is definitely more of a risk taker than Mignolet and so far hasn't been entirely punished for that attitude. In a match like this both men will need to be in top form.

Advantage: Dead even split, both units have been in fine form to start the season. Neither back line seems better or worse than the other.

The Manager: Arsene Wenger vs Brendan Rodgers

One is an established legend at his club and can be credited for revolutionizing English football when he arrived. The other might be well on his way to that kind of status. Arsene Wenger's record speaks for itself, in his 17 years at Arsenal he has won 3 league titles and 4 FA Cups. His team has qualified for Champions League every year that he has been in charge and has never failed to make it out of the group stages of that competition. The only thing that Wenger is missing from his resume is a European title. Rodgers on the other hand has a resume that pales in comparison but one has to note that Rodgers has transformed Liverpool from mid-table to title contenders in one and a half seasons, made several incredibly shrewd signings, held on to Luis Suarez, and brought tiki-taka successfully to English football. Rodgers is an innovator with a vision, the same kind of attitude that Wenger brought to Arsenal in 1996. Wenger has had his doubters over the past few years, most of the press thinking that he's lost it since Arsenal hasn't won a trophy since 2005. It's a fair criticism, but theres still no better tactical manager in the Premier League today. Rodgers has done very well at Liverpool, especially in the transfer market. The signings of Sturridge, Coutinho, and Mignolet have galvanized the team. In the second year of his revolution the players finally seem comfortable and have bought in. The next thing Rodgers needs to do is dream big, sign a marquee player, like the way Arsenal broke the bank to sign Mesut Özil. Right now, if someone could pick one of these two to manage one game, they'd pick Wenger. Check back in a few years however and Rodgers might be the preferred option.

Advantage: Arsenal

So Have We Actually Decided Anything?

On paper, Arsenal has the better talent and have been the more convincing team with the way that they've played. However, Liverpool possesses Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, which gives them a chance to win every game that they're in. The game will likely be played at both ends, with both teams getting lots of chances. For teams that play such attacking style, the play will be wide open. For the past few years, Arsenal and Liverpool have been in similar situations, showing they can play with the big boys but mental errors and bad luck have kept them from realizing their potential. Now both have matured and both are legitimate title contenders. This game is a benchmark for how far both sides have come and should be humongously entertaining. I think both teams are very evenly matched, there will be goals aplenty. Since the game is being played at the Emirates I see the Gunners narrowly snatching a victory. However the tie could easily swing towards Liverpool too. 2-1 likely the final score.

Counting Down the 20 Coolest Characters in Anime - #2 Asuka Langley Soryu, Neon Genesis Evangelion

"What are you stupid?"

I mean, I guess for some people this one doesn't make as much sense as say, Simon. I'm following up the pinnacle of awesomeness with a character from Evangelion? Blasphemy I say! Conventional logic tells us that the characters from Evangelion aren't so much cool as they are screwed up. Asuka Langley Soryu's cute smile and lovely features hide the fact that she's a deeply broken girl on the inside. So she's a crazy girl with psychological issues and a bad case of the Hedgehog's Dilemma, yea buddy that sounds real cool. But hey, I said before this list isn't about which character is coolest than who despite the tagline for this series. Characters can be cool is several ways and what makes Asuka so cool is the fact that she's a really good character. One of the best developed and most loved characters in anime. She's actually my favorite character of all-time, if I may fanboy a little here.

Asuka actually doesn't show up until about eight episodes into Evangelion's run. In a show whose principal characters to that point are: a meek and awkward 14 year old boy and  a seemingly emotionless girl who may or may not be entirely human; Asuka is a breath a fresh air. She certainly has the most personality out of the three EVA pilots, mostly due to the fact that she's prodigiously smart and exceptionally skilled when it comes to piloting the EVA. To some, Asuka acts like an alpha bitch and has a rather rude personality but it's shown that theres much more underneath. Asuka's distractors however are definitely outweighed by the number of fans that she has. She's easily the most popular of EVA's three main characters (though Rei has a rather large fanbase herself). Most of it comes from the fact that she's the epitome of the tsundere, a title that has been given to several other female characters on this list. Of all the tsundere's in anime, Asuka might be the most famous of all of them. Her personality often leads to the shows more hilarious moments (this being EVA those disappear later in the series). So yes, Asuka's personality is awesome, Tiffany Grant does an amazing job voicing her even though her Japanese counterpart is the more famous one. Asuka becomes known for frequently saying "baka" in reference to Shinji. In Japanese it's basically a word for stupid. As an EVA pilot, Asuka is lethally effective and has her moments of badassery. The episode where she and Shinji have to synchronize their moves together to beat an Angel has to be one of my favorite episodes in any anime ever. In the new Rebuild of Evangelion series, Asuka remains awesome, though is much more friendly than she was in the original series. However, she gets a pretty sweet eyepatch in the third movie.

When I say that Asuka is a very good, deep, complex character I really do mean it. Evangelion is a show that goes deep into the minds of humans and is one of the best analyses of the human condition that I have ever seen. It was the first show that I ever watched that made self analyze myself and I think any show that affects you in a real way is a great one. Asuka's condition is rather complex. As a child, Asuka was left without a mother and she resolved that she was never going to need anyone ever again. Behind Asuka's loud and confident personality theres a girl who is broken and alone. Evangelion explores the Hedgehog's Dilemma that humans are too afraid to get close to one another because they are afraid of being hurt. Asuka's makes up for how alone she feels by pushing people away and being mean even though deep down she just wants to be close to someone. Her illusion of being grown up means that she thinks that she doesn't ever need anyone because she's mature beyond her years. Theres much more to Asuka's condition than I've listed here, you'll have to watch Evangelion to really get the whole story. However, that is what makes Asuka such a great character, the hidden layers beneath the surface. Sure, what you may find could be distrubing and uncomfortable but that is what Evangelion does. Asuka isn't the biggest badass on this list but she's the one with the most depth and that is what really counts for me.

I Just Have to Post This Here

The best image from Arsenal's 4-1 rout over Norwich City this past weekend. Probably the finest display of attacking football I've ever seen Arsenal put in since the days of "The Invincibles". That picture above was the aftermath of an amazing team goal scored by the Gunners English middie Jack Wilshere.

High times to be a Gooner indeed. COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!!

Counting Down the 20 Coolest Characters in Anime - #3 Simon, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

"Remember this! This drill will open a hole in space. And that hole will become a road for those to follow! The hopes of the fallen and the hopes of those who will come...Combining these into a double helix, I'll dig a hole to the future! That's Tengen Toppa! That's Gurren Lagann! My drill is the the drill...THAT CREATES THE HEAVENS!!!!"

I'm going to admit; doing this character without spoiling too much from Gurren Lagann is going to be quite difficult. Well, don't say I didn't warn any of the people reading this. Anyways, most people argue that the coolest character from Gurren Lagann is the original badass leader of the team (the previously covered #6 on the list Kamina). However, those people are forgetful that as awesome and as manly as Kamina is, he's only around for six episodes. Everybody knows who the real drive behind the team came from, the actual pilot of the Gurren Lagann himself, Simon. Simon starts the series as a timid, occasionally brave boy who stands in Kamina's shadow but by the end of the series one could argue that Simon has surpassed Kamina in every foreseeable way.

From humble beginnings to the badass in the above pic

Simon begins the series as a humble digger, the best digger in his village. Of course, his best friend is the rowdy Kamina. The two make a pretty awesome pair, Kamina with the motivation and Simon with the skills to make the impossible possible. (or the possimpible as Barney Stinson would have you refer to it as) Once the two escape from underground and find themselves fighting the beastmen, it becomes clear that Simon is one hell of a badass. For one, he's able to fight much bigger units one on one even when he's in his tiny Lagann unit. Once he and Kamina form the full Gurren Lagann, it's where Simon really is able to show his stuff. However, despite his skills Simon doesn't really have a whole lot of confidence in himself, he draws most of his confidence from Kamina (who has plenty to spare). After Kamina's death Simon is forced to find himself and it's him who takes charge of Team Dai-Gurren and leads them to victory. It doesn't come easy of course, but Simon makes it look that way. In fact, Simon is so freaking manly that the sheer power of his manliness is enough to destroy nearby units because of the fact that he's just so goddamn manly!! In the second half of the series, Simon becomes the biggest badass in the show, fusing the Gurren Lagann to all kinds of things like the Moon, giant spaceships, Spiral Energy itself, etc. By the end of the series, while trapped in another dimension, Kamina even notes that Simon is now taller than him, showing that Simon has finally grown into his real role and has even surpassed Kamina as a man. Simon possesses Kamina's way with words and blends it with his own unique badass style and finds greatness.

Too much awesomeness in one picture

Gurren Lagann is a show literally about kicking logic to the curb and doing the impossible. It takes awhile for Simon to really grow into his own, but that is what makes him such a realistic and relatable character. How else was Simon supposed to act when the man who he drew his inspiration from passed away. Kamina was the driving force behind the team before then, however, one can't ignore that Simon was the one the whole time setting the example with his badass fighting. Simon finally grows into himself and blends Kamina's style with his own to become the ultimate champion of manliness (this is Gurren Lagann deal with it). I think that the viewer can really relate to Simon's journey of maturation and having to find himself because it's something that everyone goes through. Sure, most of us won't find ourselves by piloting a giant robot that draws it's power from pure awesomeness but the message still sticks. Like Kamina says "Don't believe in the me that believes in you, believe in the Simon that believes in you".

Like I said earlier, most people find Kamina to be synonymous with the Gurren Lagann franchise and find it easy to forget that Simon is actually the lead protagonist. I'm not saying that you should disregard Kamina as an awesome character, definitely not, he is #6 on this list for a reason after all. Gurren Lagann is about the maturation of a young man at the same time that it's about ridiculously awesome action and explosions. Simon belongs on this list because he is literally everything that Gurren Lagann is about.

Counting Down the 20 Coolest Characters in Anime - #4 Kallen Stadtfeld, Code Geass

"You fellas know full well what this badass mother can do!!"

Certainly took long enough for a Code Geass character to show up on this list right? Most lists would have already had Lelouch or Suzaku inhabiting them but this list is different. I found those characters to be interesting and badass each in their own way. To be honest, how could any other character other than Kallen show up in this spot? In my opinion she's the most interesting (and badass) character in the show. Especially in an anime like Code Geass where almost every character is awesome and well developed. You might as well pick the best of the best.

The Guren Mk-II in it's most advanced form

Kallen is a half-Japanese, half-Britannian girl who feels much stronger about her Japanese roots than she does her Britannian side. (she perfers her Japanese last name Kozuki to her Britannian one, Statdfeld) It's implied that she was led to join the rebellion against the Britannian Empire by her late brother, who the group regards as their leader and inspiration (kind of like Kamina). Once Lelouch begins to manipulate the rebellion towards his own ends, Kallen becomes his most important soldier since she is the most skilled Knightmare pilot at the Black Knights disposal. Meanwhile, she lives a second life (similar to Lelouch) as a regular Britannian student. As one of the Black Knights, Kallen is a fiery tsundere whose personality hardly matches the soft-spoken and delicate student she poses as. Like I said before, Kallen is the most skilled pilot among the Black Knights and it's no surprise that the first super model Knightmare that they receive, the Guren Mk-II, becomes her's to pilot and one of her trademarks. As a pilot she's able to fight Suzaku's super powered Lancelot on even terms and even with Suzaku's superpowers she's able to overcome him in almost every fight they have. In the second season of the show, of which she's held prisoner for most of the season, in her return she promptly dispatches a Knight of the Round and his personal guard. By the end of the show she and her mech are operating on a higher level than anybody else. In addition to being a badass she also has a great personality. The first time you watch Code Geass she doesn't entirely stick out, mostly because you're trying to figure out Lelouch's machinations and the Lelouch v Suzaku storyline dominates most of the show. However, each time you watch through it, Kallen sticks out more and more. Also, it doesn't hurt that she's clearly an expy of G Gundam's Domon Kasshu, from the headband to the fact that her mech's ultimate technique is a laser arm attack that causes other mechs to explode. Yea, the Guren Mk-II might actually be the most broken mech (other than Gurren Lagann) in anime. Of course, it wouldn't be the same beast if it wasn't Kallen at the controls, considering it requires almost super human skills to even pilot the thing.

Kallen the student and Kallen the soldier

As someone who is half-Japanese, half-Britannian, Kallen has one of the most interesting backstories in the show. Everything about her is in pairs. She's a tsundere so her personality flip-flops between being a sweet, cute schoolgirl to being a sassy, fiery battle tested soldier. She lives a double life between school and fighting a rebellion for her country. The man she loves, Zero, is the same man, Lelouch, that she goes to school with and becomes friends with. Everything about Kallen is split into twos. The real struggle for her though is the struggle of identity that she has between being Japanese and Britannian. What makes her ally more on the Japanese side of things when she can enjoy all the perks of being Britannian? Not only that but Kallen is probably the most heroic character in the series. Considering that this is show in which characters make morally compromising decisions almost every episode, it says a lot that she's able to stay above it. Throughout the series, Kallen is incorruptible and holds on to her ideals and justice.

Kallen is a badass, Kallen develops well as a character, and she's easily my favorite among what is an extremely deep pool of awesome characters in an anime. She has the right balance of being badass and having an excellent character to develop. Code Geass is one of the best shows out there and is a must watch for anyone who is a fan of anime. Hell, I'd argue that anybody can really enjoy this show. So there we go, #4.

Counting Down the 20 Coolest Characters in Anime - #5 Shinobu Sensui, Yu Yu Hakusho

"When Toguro told me about the many achievements of the new Spirit Detective, Yusuke Urameshi, I could feel the hands of the universe tugging at my arm. In the trial against humanity, the defense now had an able attorney. At last I could begin the sentencing."

You know what this list has been missing? A bad guy. Sure we've had anti-heroes and morally ambiguous characters but we haven't really had a good, old fashioned villain. So why not open up the list to my favorite villainous character ever (Sherlock's Jim Moriarty is in a close second). Why is my favorite villain ever? Well let's break down what makes a good villain. Awesome Start of Darkness backstory, a badass level that exceeds even the main character, and the ability to match wits with the protagonists and beat them. So, how does Shinobu Sensui meet all these requirements? Just read below.

Shinobu Sensui was the Spirit Detective who preceded Yusuke Urameshi. Sensui was picked at a very young age for the role and possessed a very black and white view on demons. He saw demons as the ultimate evil and that he had to protect humans from demons at all costs. He was also extremely powerful for his age. However, in his youth Sensui saw something that changed his life forever. He saw humans slaughtering demons and bathing in their blood. (probably the most gruesome thing you see in Yu Yu Hakusho) This event through a heavy shade of gray into Sensui's black and white morality and he was unable to deal with what he saw. He resolved to make humans pay for the things that they had done to demons and disappeared. He reappears and executes an amazingly well thought out plan to "judge" humanity for their sins. So there we go, awesome Start of Darkness backstory. Now we're on to the badass quotient (spoilers lie here so beware). Sensui is easily the most dangerous adversary that Yusuke and his pals have to fight. Not only does he predict their every move but he manipulates them in unwinnable situations many times scoring a mental victory when he suffers a physical one. You always feel like he's operating on a higher level than the protagonists. He never appears worried about the success of his plan even when the protagonists get a victory against him because he has planned so well. He knows with certainty that his plan will succeed and to give him credit...it does. He's the only adversary that actually defeats Yusuke and succeeds in his goal. He knew that Yusuke would bet everything on a one on one fight with him even though Sensui knows that Yusuke cannot match his power in any way. So there he's badass manipulator and strategist. Adding on to that, the dude is the most powerful human in the show. He's mastered the Resshūken, an elegant style of fighting that relies on using one's arms to block before using strong kicks to counterattack. This style requires one to have mastered every single other style of martial art...badass. Then theres his Sacred Energy technique which essentially makes him a living god. The dude is powerful, theres no doubt about that. Can you see why I love this guy as a villain?

I love a villain that is cold, calculating and an expert strategist. There is no doubt that Shinobu Sensui is all of these things. From his backstory, to his personality, to the way he fights, the man is literally made of cool. Most Yu Yu Hakusho fans will admit that Sensui is by far the show's best antagonist and it's hard not to see why. Seriously, go out and watch the Chapter Black arc of Yu Yu Hakusho. You will not be disappointed

My Thoughts on GTA V (So Far)

The thing about Rockstar and the Grand Theft Auto franchise is that they really can never go wrong. When has Rockstar ever failed to deliver a good Grand Theft Auto game or even a good game in general? I mean sure, not everybody enjoyed L.A. Noire (haven't played it, just read the reviews) as much as they do Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption but nobody denies that it's a good game. So when it comes to evaluating a Grand Theft Auto game you're really evaluating it in comparision to previous GTA games rather than comparing it to other games on the market. With that said, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas remains the top dog among it's GTA bretheren. You can't find anyone who didn't enjoy San Andreas. It had the best characters, best story, and the best map out of any GTA game before. GTA IV was supposed to blow our minds as the franchise made the leap to next-gen consoles but other than having nice graphics I wouldn't say it exactly took the franchise to the next level. If you ask fans of the series which they like better, most will probably take San Andreas over IV. Some might even argue that they enjoyed Vice City more than IV also. It's not that IV is a bad game. I personally thought that IV took out some of San Andreas' best features and added ones that at first were entertaining but then later got repetitive. As funny as things like this are it got pretty annoying when your cousin would call you in the middle of a mission asking you to go bowling. Seriously, you had the most needy group of friends ever in GTA IV. With this all said, we finally come to the newest and probably the most hyped game in the series GTA V. The game came out last month and I'm sure that many people have already posted their first impressions and their thoughts. But hey, I'm a college student on a budget who can afford to be dropping 60 bucks on games left and right, especially after FIFA 14 came out. So I picked up the game this past week and I figured I'd post my first thoughts about it here.

So GTA V takes the series back to the world of San Andreas which is essentially a replica of the actual Los Angeles. When the game first starts you get dropped right into the middle of a bank job, where the game breaks down a few of it's new features. You now have the ability to switch between characters, which is pretty freaking awesome. That aside, the game's opener is fast-paced and sets the tone for the game, well sort of. We get introduced to one of the three main characters, Michael. He's one of the guys on the bank job who faked his death and is now in witness protection. He got put up in a ridiculously nice house in Los Santos and has two kids and a wife. It would be a great life except for the fact that this is a GTA game and there are no "normal" characters to speak of. We also meet Franklin, a former street gangster who's trying to make good (sort of). He works for a car dealership and takes part in repoing cars that people can't afford. It's not an entirely legitimate business but he's good at it. Through a strange series of events Franklin and Michael cross paths and shenanigans ensues. What kind of shenanigans you ask? Well this is a GTA game so you'd expect to be jacking cars, shooting people, and blowing stuff up. Well, yes and no. The early stages of the game feel more like a life simulator more than anything. Seriously, GTA V has more distractions that any other GTA games befores it. You can go through a daily set of activities and never have to leave your real, physical house. You can play tennis with your wife, ride a bike with your son, browse the fake internet. Hell the game lets you sit on the couch and watch TV. Yes, the game lets you watch the TV programs that exist within the game you're playing. You are playing a game to watch fake TV. Of course, there is some merit to this because this being a game made by Rockstar, these programs are often hilarious. But like I said, early missions (especially Michael's) are missions that feel like they came out of a The Sims game more than a GTA game. However, once you get a little farther into the game, things start getting awesome. You spend the early game switching between Michael and Franklin, doing missions on both sides. Having two characters to switch between is a great feature because it exposes you to a whole cast of characters on both sides. There is a third main character, Trevor, but I've only just gotten to the part where he's been introduced so I haven't really gotten to know him yet.

GTA V feels very similar to GTA IV in the way that the main character moves. I feel like the programmers thought the ragdoll physics from GTA IV were hilarious and figured they might as well keep them. This leads to some pretty humorous results and your character can actually die if you run full speed into a wall (realism ftw?). However, this also means that your character can be rather cumbersome which will cause you to fail a mission on more than one occasion (or maybe it's just me). The car physics are much better as well and they feel really smooth. Plus this game has a much better environment for driving than IV did.The graphics are certainly an improvement over the drab surroundings of the previous game's Liberty City. Of course, you could chalk that up to one being a replica of New York and the other being a replica of Los Angeles but one can't ignore how good GTA V looks. Los Santos definitely isn't short on things to do. Sure, most of them are monotonous and don't really make sense. Some of them make me just want to yell "GO OUTSIDE!!" to some people but there are a fair share of good features here. I mean, the game's tennis mini-game is probably on par with a regular tennis sim which is definitely saying something. The creators clearly put a lot of time and effort into these distractions so you might as well enjoy them all.

The game world is beautiful and there is so much to see and explore

So as I said before, I've only owned the game for about a week and haven't played a ridiculous amount of it but enough to make up my mind about the game. The best new feature in my opinion, is the bank heist missions. I've only done one, but I don't think I've ever gotten more of a kick out of a GTA mission in my life. Your buddy Lester lays out the plans for the heist. You then get to pick the people you take on the heist with you, each of them have stats that determine how effective they'll be. The higher the stats, the higher a cut they'll want from the score. I've found that the benefits of bringing the best possible people outweigh their costs. For example, on the heist I did, I picked a cheap gunman to back me up. He ended up getting wasted about halfway through the mission and wasn't there when I could have used him. I still made it through alright, but theres no doubt he could have helped. There is a benefit to bringing the guys with weaker stats however because their stats improve with every successful heist but their cut doesn't change. You can develop guys to be experts without them leeching large amounts from your score. I love it when a game lets you take multiple options to achieve an objective. It allows for the player to flex their creative muscles which is always welcome. That and the fact that the heists are ridiculously fun missions to play in general. Also, it would be a shame if I didn't mention how great the game looks and feels. The area of Los Santos is bright and colorful, the game world feels alive and looks absolutely beautiful. It's an improvement on GTA IV in pretty much every way. It feels like theres so much to do all of the time, not to mention that the map is massive and you can kill hours just by driving and exploring the game world. I could mention everything else that you can do but the list would drag on for ages.

Overall, I've really enjoyed GTA V so far. There's nothing that you can point out and say that they left out or is disappointing. They've brought back the things from San Andreas that made that game so good (the most glaring thing being able to fly planes again) and added loads of new features. The heist missions are a blast and the ability to play as three distinctly different main characters adds some diversity to the game. We've never doubted Rockstar's ability to make good games and nobody has doubted that GTA V would be good. It's just nice that the game has lived up to expectations and at points even exceeded them. GTA remains the king of sandbox games and this one is probably the best of the bunch. I don't think any GTA will ever have the same amazing cast of characters that San Andreas did but theres no question that GTA V is a better game. Also, I can't express enough happiness that the game is back in Los Santos. So, if you haven't picked up what is probably the biggest release of the year yet, go pick up what should be the swan song for this current generation of consoles. And a hell of a swan song it is.

Le Magnifique Olivier Giroud - The Emergence of Arsenal's French Striker

Arsenal fans...Oliver Giroud heard you. He's been training all summer for the chance to prove you wrong. Inconsistent? Wasteful? These are adjectives that Arsenal fans lobbed at the Frenchman last year. Now all of a sudden the guy is a much improved player in all areas of his game. You Arsenal fans wanted Luis Suarez to come in and fix Arsenal's striker woes when the answer was right under you noses the whole time? Don't you know that the bid to get Suarez was just an elaborate ruse to force Real Madrid to pump more money into signing Gareth Bale thus forcing them to try and recoup that money by selling one of their star midfielders? Theres only one Arsene Wenger, remember that. The same Arsene Wenger that the fans were blasting last year for continuing to start Giroud. The guy knows football, that's already been established. It's time that the fans stop questioning and begin admiring.

Goals like this illustrate how much Giroud has improved

First off, Giroud is the perfect fit for the Arsenal style of play. He's a big, strong striker who is very good with the ball at his feet. His first touch is incredible for a player of his size. His vision is excellent and he is capable of assisting and scoring in any situation. Arsenal fans saw last year that he was great at getting himself into scoring positions. It was just his finishing that needed work. Now all of a sudden Giroud has that element into his game and it suits Arsenal perfect. Arsenal plays a 4-2-3-1, a formation that leaves Giroud all alone up top to lead the line. Many times Arsenal's offensive play revolves around their three front attacking midfielders (normally Cazorla, Özil, and Walcott) working the ball in the box and finding scoring chances. Giroud is great at getting himself into the perfect positions where one more pass seals a goal. Think of him as the ultimate reward for Arsenal's attacking play. The midfielders work the ball in and lay it off to a guy who taps it in with one touch. That kind of thing is so important, especially for an Arsenal team that missed many of those opportunities last season. That was Robin van Persie's game when he was at Arsenal. Arsenal's style of play opens teams up defensively, it's just a matter of working yourself into the right positions to make a play. Giroud has elevated himself to that level this season. Just watch videos of his goals against Aston Villa, Sunderland, and Napoli. Those are chances Giroud would have put wide last season. This season he's finishing them. In an offense that revolves around quick, fluid passing; something like this is invaluable. This isn't a product of Mesut Özil's arrival at Arsenal. This is simply the product of a player who made it his goal to improve himself this season and Arsenal is benefitting greatly from it this season. However, it's not just his positioning thats improved. Other times, Giroud uses his big frame to hold the ball up so that Arsenal's midfielders can get behind him. After that, it takes one beautifully touched pass from the Frenchman to seal goals for guys like Walcott or Lukas Podolski. I have to give a huge amount of respect to Giroud for working so hard to improve himself, even Arsene Wenger has noticed this.

So yes, all the Giroud haters seem to be gone as are most of Arsenal's haters this season. Let's face it, without Giroud or Aaron Ramsey this season, theres no question that Arsenal is in a whole lot of trouble. I hope that Arsenal fans really begin to appreciate the brilliance of the Frenchman. It really is amazing what one year of experience in the Premier League can do for a player. Remember, it took Arsenal legend Thierry Henry a long time to adjust to playing in the Premier League and look how he turned out. Even Robin van Persie took his time to come good for Arsenal. It's a matter of patience and it looks like that patience has finally been rewarded for Arsenal. Let's celebrate how hard Giroud has worked at this and enjoy how great his form is.

Counting Down the 20 Coolest Characters in Anime - #6 Kamina, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

"JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!!!!!!!"

So here we are getting closer and closer to the end of this list. (sure has taken awhile hasn't it) But finally we're getting to the best, the cream of the crop. The characters that make every other character in anime looks like giant pansies. Okay, maybe not so extreme. But if theres one character on this list that puts nearly all others to shame it's none other than the mighty Kamina. I mean really, theres no way I could make a list like this without including this guy. He makes it on the pure basis that there is pretty much nobody as manly or badass as he is. Attitude like his is what makes Gurren Lagann one of the best shows around.

The guy has really worked his way up the ladder in terms of iconic anime characters and when I say he worked his way up I might as well be lying. Anime fans took to Kamina like few characters before him and he became an instant classic. He's extremely quotable, in fact pretty much everything that comes out of his mouth is hot-blooded awesomeness. Theres few other characters that actually get you ridiculously pumped when you watch their show. Let's put it like this; if I could have anyone give my team a pump up speech before a bug game, I'd want it to be Kamina. I don't think that theres a character more manly, more hot-blooded, or more inspirational than this guy. Of course, there may be a few challengers. During the series Kamina is the first to take up arms against the Spiral King, many times getting himself in trouble because of his rashness. However, he's really the only whose willing to step up and really fight them. Many times he ends up in trouble and he ends up relying on Simon to help bail them out. However, this is hardly a one man show. Simon and Kamina are a fierce team. At the beginning of the series Kamina is the inspirational force that drives Team Dai-Gurren. Hell, he even brings himself back from the dead at one point to help them win a battle. Kamina's belief of "kicking logic to the curb and doing the impossible" is the constant them throughout the series and it is the core foundation of Team Dai-Gurren's beliefs.

However, what really makes Kamina such a fascination character is how behind his big talking, he really just like anyone else during the situation. We find out later in the series that Kamina is actually a pretty weak character, that Simon was actually the driving force behind his success. It was Kamina's ability to motivate and inspire that enabled the team to accomplish everything that they did. Deep down, Kamina was scared, just like anyone else would be and yet he still talked brash and arrogant to his enemies because he knew deep down they'd win. He took the core beliefs of Team Dai-Gurren and took them to his grave. His role as a mentor to Simon and to the rest of the team cannot be understated. The ideas the a team's success is all down to one person is a lie. Kamina represents the desire to exceed one's preconceptions of their self and do the impossible. We all need that Kamina in our life, that person that will always believe in you no matter one. That person that gives you the strength to stand on you own two feet and give you the power to succeed on your own merits.

Putting Kamina on this list is a no brainer because he's simply just too awesome. He exemplifies that over the top, thinking outside the box action that happens in every episode of Gurren Lagann. It was really just an inevitability that Kamina would appear on this list and I think that anyone who watched Gurren Lagann will agree with me. For being unbelievably awesome, Kamina is #6.

Counting Down the 20 Coolest Characters in Anime - #7 Yusuke Urameshi, Yu Yu Hakusho

"Since I started this tournament I learned the value of what you gave away, and I won't let it go. Even if I have to give up my life."

This is where we get to probably the most nostalgic part of this countdown. I mean, I literally rushed home from school everyday when I was 12 to catch Yu Yu Hakusho and Dragonball Z airing back to back on Toonami back in the day. So its no surprise that when it comes to the protagonist of Yu Yu Hakusho, Yusuke Urameshi, writing this gives me a lot of nostalgic warm fuzzies. It's not just me that feels this way either. Yusuke Urameshi is one of the most iconic characters in anime history and in an era (80's-90's era anime) when many protagonists were perfect little boy scouts in anime (Neon Genesis Evangelion a major exception as well) Yusuke is a breath of fresh air.

Always the joker

So yes, Yusuke Urameshi begins the story of Yu Yu Hakusho as a delinquent whose just kind of a jerkass that doesn't really care about school or anything really. However, it's clearly shown that Yusuke is one of those jerkasses with a heart of gold and his antics are more hilarious than anything. He does definitely earn his reputation as a bad boy since nobody can take him in a fight. However, it's also shown that his reputation is largely inflated and exaggerated by people that don't really know him. So in the first episode, Yusuke actually dies (yes...the protagonist dies in the first episode) trying to save a kid from being hit by a car. However, it turns out that Yusuke's actions were pointless as the car wouldn't have actually hit the kid and Yusuke's pushing him out of the way actually gives the kid one or two more scrapes. Of course, this doesn't change the fact that Yusuke did something ridiculously unexpected by risking his life to save a little boy. So Spirit World doesn't exactly have a place prepared for him in either heaven or hell so they decide to give Yusuke the chance to get his life back. Yusuke isn't originally thrilled with this idea since he thinks that nobody will miss him since he was such a jerkass. However, after observing his funeral as a spirit, he realizes he was much more important to people than he realized and resolves to earn his life back. Through this ordeal, Yusuke does get his life back but with a catch. The interim king of Spirit World, Prince Koenma, recruits him to be a Spirit Detective and protect the living world from the threat of demons. Yusuke is snarky, a smart ass, but extremely good at his job as Spirit Detective. Thats what makes him such a great character (doesn't hurt either that Justin Cook does a phenomenal job voicing him). Not to mention the fact that he basically makes a friend out of everyone who fights him mostly because he's a strong fighter and great guy. Don't even get me started on how awesome his signature Spirit Gun attack is. (I'd take that thing over a Kamehameha any day) He's the kind of character who cracks jokes in the face of danger, isn't scared of anyone, and will be a smartass until the end. Yusuke's moments of hilarity rival the number of moments he has being a badass.

Throughout the series you feel that Yusuke is constantly growing as a character. Despite being a jerkass its made abundantly obvious that there is more to Yusuke than meets the eye. However, there is so much for him to learn as the series moves along. For example, during the Dark Tournament Arc, Yusuke realizes the value of mortality and that theres so much more to fight for rather than just testing one's strength against another's. Yusuke learns that in his position there are people he must protect and he can't afford to lose. Yu Yu Hakusho uses the theme of maturing and growing up throughout it's run. Yusuke's journey and development as a character are the same kind of developments that people make when they're 14. He's a very relatable protagonist which is rare for most shounen characters since most of the time they're too busy screaming and shooting beams at each other to really develop their characters. Don't get me wrong, Yusuke does his fair share of that in the series but Yu Yu Hakusho makes time for Yusuke to slow down and really develop his character. It feels as if the entire show is the road that Yusuke takes to adulthood, evaluating his priorities and watching them mature as he matures as a person. He remains the lovable, snarky protagonist that he always was, but you really get a sense of how far he's come since his initial appearance.

I'm a little biased here I know because I absolutely love Yu Yu Hakusho because it holds such nostalgic value for me. However, the reason I really love him as a character is because he's a masterfully developed character for a shounen series that you can really root for and relate to. Anyone who watched Yu Yu Hakusho will find it nearly impossible to dislike Yusuke, because lets be honest, snarky protagonists are the best kind of protagonists.

Counting Down the 20 Coolest Characters in Anime - #8 Seras Victoria, Hellsing

"I did what you told me...In return you're going to help me...send these Nazis to hell!!"

How interesting it is that another Hellsing vampire finds it's way onto this list. After all, Alucard has already clocked in on this list and theres no other vampire in the series that should be able to top his level of awesomeness? That's where popular perception is wrong because Seras Victoria is without a doubt Hellsing's best character. While appearing adorable and innocent on the surface, deep down we know that Seras is capable of producing moments of epic badassery and she is an interesting outlier when it comes to discussing the series' main themes.

Glowing red eyes of doom? Check

It sounds like the beginning of a comic book superhero's story. Seras Victoria was just an average police girl who worked in a small town in England. Then one day a vampire rampaged the entire town turning everyone into ghouls, including her partners. Trapped against the vampire, Alucard came to Seras' aid. Unfortunately, such aid required shooting her through the chest in order to kill the vampire. Before Seras 'dies', Alucard drinks her blood, turning her into a vampire. From then on, Seras becomes Alucard's "vampire apprentice" if you will. However, it takes Seras a very long time to adjust to becoming a vampire as she's not really comfortable with many of the things that it entails (drinking blood, sleeping in a coffin, etc.). Watching her grow as a vampire apprentice though is either chilling or utterly badass as we see this sweet and innocent girl turn into a wild, sadistic killing machine. It's debatable how much she really controls this either. Seras really becomes a great character when she finally accepts her life as a vampire and drinks blood for the first time, turning her into a true vampire. From then on in the series Seras becomes easily the coolest and best developed character around. Like Alucard, she's able to wield guns with firing power beyond what any human could possibly control. This leads to her essentially wielding two tank cannons as if they were rifles and shooting down an airship with them. Seras has all of what makes Alucard a badass but is nowhere near as creepy or scary as he is, probably because she used to be a human before the series' events. It's even shown that she possesses even more power than Alucard does, a scary proposition for anyone who opposes the Hellsing Organization.

Before becoming a badass, Seras comes to terms with what she is

Seras is an interesting character when it comes to discussing some of the themes that the series brings up. For one, Alucard talks down to those that he consider too weak to cope with their humanity and turn themselves into monsters like vampires. However, he is the one that made Seras a vampire. Perhaps, Seras' wish to become a vampire was different in the respect that it was her only way of staying alive. It wasn't that she was afraid of her humanity, she was simply afraid that her time on Earth was going to be cut short and becoming a vampire would enable her to stay alive. During her time as a vampire, Seras is hesitant to drink blood because she's afraid that becoming a true vampire would cause her to lose what made her human in the first place. This is what I think Alucard saw in Seras, someone who could become a vampire but recognize the gift that they were given. Someone who still respects their humanity and wishes to preserve it, something that Alucard had probably forgotten long ago. When Seras does become a true vampire it appears that her humanity is lost but after she's done fighting she turns around to her fellow soldiers and gives them a smile. Seras is still in there and she hasn't lost what made her Seras in the first place. Being a vampire does not have to define what Seras is and the conceptions that people have of monsters maybe isn't always the correct one.

I always found Seras' to be Hellsing's most interesting character. There is no shortage of interesting character in the anime/manga but none of them struck me in the way that Seras does. In a show where the characters philosophize about the importance of one's humanity, Seras is the character that represents such a debate. Watching her transform from a scared girl to a powerful vampire is the show's most compelling character development and the fact that she retains her bubbly personality afterwards is an added bonus.

2013 MLB Postseason Preview

Last night the MLB regular season came to an end when the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Texas Rangers in a one game playoff that decides whose going to play in a one game playoff against the Cleveland Indians. Thats not just a run-on sentence, that's also baseball. The MLB postseason is probably the most unpredictable of any of the major sports because it really does feel like any team has a shot. Sure, there are years where in the NFL and NBA theres maybe a surprise team that comes out and shocks everyone but I mean look at the past year in those sports. Did anyone really see anyone else than the Heat or the Ravens winning? Those sports are tailored to the favorites while in baseball any team can get hot and take the title. So who exactly is going to do it this year?

Making predictions as to who will win the World Series is a risky proposition because every team really does have an equal shot. Well, maybe not those guys who are in one-game playoffs. So lets start there and make this a little easier on ourselves.

Indians vs. Rays

Let's call the Indians baseball's most surprising team on the AL's end of the spectrum. Thats the Terry Francona effect. You know, the guy doesn't get enough respect for what he accomplished in Boston. everyone gives credit to the fact that the Red Sox had superior talent like Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, blah blah blah. Does anyone else understand how hard it was to manage all those personalities? Anyways, Francona has done a super job in Cleveland, a team thats been hovering around the mediocre spectrum for most of the past few years. Meanwhile, the Rays enter this game having won 7 out of their last 10 and they've had everything to play for in these past few weeks. Meanwhile, Cleveland has won 10 out of their lat 10. So this is really a matchup of baseball's two hottest teams. But lets get to the issue at hand, who wins this one game matchup. I'd say advantage to the Rays. A one-game playoff is all about who you've got on the mound that night and having thrown out a reigning Cy Young award-winning pitcher last night the rays can turn to their other ace, Matt Moore. Seriously, this dude knows how to handle pressure. His 2nd ever major league start was in the playoffs against the Texas Rangers in 2011 and he pitched flawlessly. This dude can handle a one-game playoff. Cleveland likely counters with Ubaldo Jimenez who has been phenomenal in recent starts finally getting back to the form that made him one of baseball's best pitchers back in 2010. Then theres the manager factor, Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon against Cleveland's Terry Francona. I shouldn't have to remind any other Red Sox fans about how Maddon frequently ran managerial circles around Francona during Francona's tenure in Boston. I like both of these teams, but I think the Rays have an advantage in a one-game series. If it were a regular 5 gamer I'd probably take the Indians but something tells me Rays here.

Pirates vs. Reds

Everybody loves the Pirates, they're baseball's darlings at the moment. How could they not be? They'd gone since 1992 without a winning season and the past two seasons have given their fans hope before crashing and burning right before the finish line. This year, the Pirates put up a complete campaign, even challenging for the division title. They had to settle for a wild-card spot but they'll take it considering how long it's been. However, it's likely that they'll be wishing that they had enough to push through that division title. I mean, lets face it the Pirates aren't exactly a spectacular baseball team. Their lineup, with the exception of Andrew McCutchen is pretty mediocre. They traded for Justin Morneau midseason to bat cleanup despite the fact that Morneau hasn't been cleanup worthy since about 2009. That and their opposition are the Reds, who have been down this path before. The Reds likely send Mat Latos to the mound, meanwhile the Pirates ponder their options between AJ Burnett and Francisco Liriano. I mean, sure, these guys were brilliant for them in the regular season but are they exactly guys you put your trust in for one game? Believe me, I want the Pirates to win and they definitely can win this one game. In fact, they're the team that probably gets hot at the right time all the way to the World Series. After all, the Pirates gave their all to get here and might not get a chance like this again. So then theres the Reds who have playoff veterans on their roster, boast a heavy hitting lineup, and have solid pitching. So theres no reason why they can't take this one game. I really find myself at a loss here because this is just one game and anything can happen. So lets see, I just spent most of this paragraph ripping on the Pirates so I'll pick them. In fact, I'm going to pick them because they're the underdogs and everyone has been discounting them from the picture simply because they're the Pirates. So thats why I'll pick them.

The Rest of the Field

Lets sum up who the media tells you are the favorites. The Red Sox, Tigers, Dodgers, and A's are all the popular picks for the title. My question though is why everyone seems to be discounting the Braves as a viable contender. I mean, they were the NL's most consistent team throughout the regular season, boast great pitching and a solid lineup. But enough about that, let's size up the contenders through each of the main facets of the game.

The Lineup
1.) Red Sox
2.) Tigers
3.) Dodgers
4.) Braves
5.) Cardinals

Call me a homer but the Red Sox easily have the deepest lineup in the bigs right now. The Tigers boast the twin headed giant of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder (which could probably win 2-3 games by itself) and a strong rest of the lineup. However, from top to bottom, the Red Sox are the best. Theres no easy out in that lineup. The X-factor for the Sox is Will Middlebrooks who, after his recall from his exile in AAA in the middle of the year, has been on fire. When he's hitting the Sox are an offensive force. Not to mention that they still boast David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Mike Napoli. Plus an incredibly deep bench that boasts a player for every situation. The Dodgers, like the Tigers, have the star-studded lineup that makes them a favorite in their neck of the woods but, as the Red Sox proved, even the hottest hitters can be shut down with a good pitching performance. Both the Braves and the Cardinals boast strong and deep lineups.

The Rotation
1.) Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu/Ricky Nolasco)
2.) Tigers (Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, Doug Fister)
3.) Red Sox (Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Jake Peavy/John Lackey)
4.) Braves (Kris Medlen, Julio Teheran, Mike Minor)
5.) Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, Shelby Miller, Lance Lynn)

Dodgers have an easy advantage here. Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball at the moment hands down and Zack Greinke is an ace on his day. Not to mention the wealth of options they have for a 3rd starter. Ryu and Nolasco are both worthy candidates. Max Scherzer has certainly caught a lot of flak in the past few weeks due to people discounting his high win total as a product of massive run support. Either way, the Tigers have a fearsome three at the top of their rotation. One of them being Justin Verlander, remember him? The guy who could carry a team to the World Series all by himself? The Red Sox on paper have a great rotation. Jon Lester is a monster in the playoffs however Clay Buchholz is lacking in playoff experience. John Lackey brings a great deal of experience from his time on the Angels but since that huge Game 7 win back in 2002 as a rookie, he's struggled in the playoffs since. Jake Peavy has looked more like the 4-time All-Star and one-time Cy Young winner that he used to be since joining the Red Sox. The Braves have the most talent on paper for a three man rotation with Medlen, Teheran, and Mike Minor. However, these guys all lack experience. The Cardinals have a great ace in Adam Wainwright and an excellent number two in Shelby Miller. The big question is whether Lance Lynn can put his inconsistent regular season behind him. The A's meanwhile are relying on a 40 year old Bartolo Colon to be their ace for the postseason.

The Manager
1.) Jim Leyland, Tigers
2.) Terry Francona, Indians
3.) Joe Maddon, Rays
4.) John Farrell, Red Sox
5.) Mike Matheny, Cardinals

The most veteran member of this group, Jim Leyland, tops the list here. You can't doubt manager experience when it comes to the postseason. Leyland has navigated two Tigers teams to the World Series in his time as manager and he definitely has his best team yet here. Francona ranks number two here mostly because he's won two World Series titles and knows what it takes to keep a team cool and relaxed during the postseason. I don't think he's as good tactically as Joe Maddon or John Farrell but he's got more playoff success than the former and more experience than the latter. Maddon is probably the best tactical manager in the game but has often been exposed in the playoffs. John Farrell has a lot to prove considering he engineered the Red Sox turn around from worst to first this year. He's totally changed the Red Sox for the better. They do things now that they never did during the Francona era. (play small ball, steal bases, bunt, practice patience at the plate). In a few years Farrell will get up higher on this list. This is just the first time anyone has seen him in the playoffs. Mike Matheny has done a fantastic job in St. Louis this year navigating through injuries. He would have easily been manager of the year if Clint Hurdle didn't work miracles in Pittsburgh.

So...Who Wins?

If you can't tell from the picture above, I think that the Boston Red Sox have the best shot to win it all this year. This isn't just because I'm a homer and it's not just because they're the popular pick. For one, they've been the most consistent team this season. They've had nary a bad spell this season and have been in control of their division since April. They've navigated through adversity, such as losing their ace for most of the season, and have come out the other side fine. From top to bottom they're the most complete team (deep lineup, solid rotation, lights out bullpen). I just think the Red Sox have the most tools at their disposal to win the whole thing this year. Finally, they're such a close-knit team. These are no longer the toxic Red Sox of the past two seasons. These are a bunch of players who clearly love playing with one another and play hard every night. So thats that, the Red Sox are my pick but it wouldn't be a preview if I didn't include talk about the other teams.

Detroit Tigers

Why They'll Win: Great starting rotation, best one-two punch of hitters in their lineup, excellent manager.
Why They Won't: the bullpen is still weak and the rest of the lineup beyond Miggy and Fielder aren't as strong as other teams. Max Scherzer definitely hasn't pitched as well recently.

Oakland A's

Why They'll Win: It's a Billy Beane team, they simply find ways to win. Lineup is super hot right now and they can go 5-deep in their rotation.
Why They Won't: They just don't stack up as well talent-wise to the Red Sox or Tigers. Also, while their rotation does go 5-deep there are other teams here that go 4-deep with more quality.

Cleveland Indians

Why They'll Win: Proven manager with a winning pedigree and are the hottest team entering the postseason right now.
Why They Won't: God hates Cleveland, a championship team from Cleveland would likely set off the apocalypse. All jokes aside, Cleveland's been hot but Ubaldo Jimenez can be hot and cold and doesn't have a great track record in the postseason. In fact, most of Cleveland's players don't. Can the team keep relying on guys like Scott Kazmir?

Tampa Bay Rays

Why They'll Win: Their best two starting pitchers are as good as anybody's. Like the A's they're a great team that finds a way to win. They've been playing for their playoff lives the past few weeks, expect that mentality to continue into the playoffs.
Why They Won't: When was the last time the Rays really made noise in the playoffs? (2008 when they made the World Series). Their lineup doesn't exactly strike fear into opponents and Fernando Rodney isn't exactly what he was last season.

Atlanta Braves

Why They'll Win: Boast the best young talent of any team (especially their rotation). Have the league's best closer.
Why They Won't: Track record in the playoffs hasn't been great the past few seasons. Rotation is great but these guys still have barely tasted playoffs before.

St. Louis Cardinals

Why They'll Win: They have a bonafide ace whose won two World Series titles and plenty of players who have been here before. They're the Cardinals.
Why They Won't: Back end of the rotation does not inspire the same kind of confidence as the front. Teams can expose them like the Giants did last season.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Why They'll Win: Hottest team since May, the Dodgers have momentum and money on their side. Most talented team on paper. Have the kind of players (like Yasiel Puig) that make the difference in postseason games.
Why They Won't: The Dodgers are the sexy pick to come out of NL bracket but over the course of 7 games would you take them over the playoff-tested Cardinals or the youthful Braves? I'd put more money on Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez disappearing when their team needs them most.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Why They'll Win: They're unbelievably excited for the postseason and they have the "Nobody Believes in Us" card to play. Bullpen has been great all year, expect the same here. They have one of the top-5 players in the league right now.
Why They Won't: They've had a great season definitely but they don't stack up well talent-wise against they other teams in the bracket. Can their lineup stack up against guys like Kershaw, Medlen, Wainwright, or Greinke?

Cincinnati Reds

Why They'll Win: They have the talent to contend with any team in the bracket.
Why They Won't: They don't inspire confidence in the way that the other teams in their bracket do. They don't have the spirit of the Pirates or the talent of the Dodgers. I can see them beating Pittsburgh but going farther than the ALDS is unlikely.

And with all this said...PLAY BALL!!

Also heres a look at my pre-season predictions...

Blue Jays to win the East? Nationals to win the World Series? Boy was I off...