1. Trashy Britney Spears
Admit it. You know that you are loving every second of this. Like, what the hell possessed her to half-ass her first major performance in years? The images of a distressed, confused and slightly intoxicated Spears attempting to dance to her “comeback” single on the VMA’s has been burned into our memories for good. It’s like when Michael Jackson was caught on camera dangling his baby over a balcony – you knew nothing would ever be the same again. He will always be that guy who threatened the life of his own kid. Spears is the pop star who had a bad weave and wore poorly-fitting clothes in a disasterous comeback attempt. No matter what she does from now on, she will always be remembered for this not-so-kind moment in time. All I have to say is, “Gimme More.”
2. “Around the Horn”
The return of football season means this ESPN show is ready to once again hit its stride. The self-named show of competitive banter is the easiest and most entertaining watch of ESPN’s afternoon programming. Sports columnists from across the country may battle for points on 10 topics of the day, but the real contest is seeing how they can one-up each other. There is no better odd couple on TV than The Denver Post’s Woody Paige and The Chicago Sun Times’ Jay Mariotti. Paige’s random chalkboard messages are the perfect counterbalance to Mariotti’s blistering critiques. Some argue that the writers are merely playing exaggerated versions of themselves. I say the daily battle of egos is a welcome and fun break from the rest of the network’s programming. After all, it is just a game.
3. “Stronger” by Kanye West
Yes, he is the most obnoxious singer/writer/rapper in the history of music. His sense of self-worth is out of control, not to mention he would probably be miserable to hang out with because he would demand the spotlight. But he is the best rapper out there right now, no questions asked. It looks like he’s going to beat 50 Cent in sales for their respective new albums and it’s all because of his killer debut single, “Stronger.” The original by Daft Punk is good to begin with, but adding Kanye’s rhymes makes it the song of fall 2007. It’s the best single out there because it’s incredibly catchy without being annoying at the same time. I don’t mind that the radio stations are playing it twice an hour because I actually want them to.
4. The Emmys
Three primetime dramas have won four Best Drama Emmys – “Hill Street Blues,” “L.A. Law” and “The West Wing.” Knowing that random tidbit won me free beer and a Budweiser t-shirt at a bar in Athens, GA this summer. But that’s not the only reason why I love the Emmy’s (although it is a good one). The ceremony is one of the most underrated of all the awards shows. It doesn’t have the prestige of the Oscars or the hipness of the Grammys, but it does allow the stars of our favorite TV shows to shine. Most people haven’t seen the Best Picture nominees but everyone has seen an episode of the shows nominated for Best Drama or Best Comedy. The accessibility makes it easier to watch and more fun to root for the nominees. Why watch this year? It will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest and he’s scheduled to be in a musical number. How could you turn that down?
5. “How I Met Your Mother”
This is one of the most underrated shows on TV right now. It doesn’t get the critical buzz that “The Office” does, but it consistently delivers the best stories for a sitcom on a week-to-week basis. The key is the characters. I actually care about these people and cringe when things go wrong in their lives, or laugh when they do something funny. Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney steals the show as the ladies’ man with unbridled confidence in everything he does in life. The show could have died quickly if it had relied on its story crutch – it’s a series of flashbacks from the main character who lives in the year 2030. Instead it’s barely noticeable because the show has found its own footing in present day. I can’t wait for the third season to start on Sept. 24.
6. “Pony Up!” by The Knuckleheads
It’s not easy being an SMU fan. But there is something to be excited about this season and The Knuckleheads’ YouTube video perfectly captures the hopes and aspirations of every Pony fan with the song, “Pony Up!” The video is such a hit that the athletic department got The Knuckleheads to clean up some of the saltier parts so the video could be shown on the video board at Ford Stadium. Named after the new marketing campaign, the song rolls through the roster with rhymes and insight only a true SMU fan could have. Some of my favorite lines are about DeMyron Martin’s sideburns and Justin Willis’ off-the-field issues from last season. The football nerd in me chuckles at the references to Rusty Burns’ pistol offense and the kicking team’s swinging gate formation.
7. L.A. Law reruns
You will have to search long and hard to find these, but it is well worth the effort to relive the late 1980s at this Los Angeles-based law firm. It’s being rerun on the AmericanLife TV network. Never heard of that channel? Well, it’s only found on the higher tiered digital cable or satellite package and airs at 10 p.m. on Sunday nights. The stories suck you in immediately and always end with a big payoff. This is unquestionably Steven Bochco’s best series. Right now they are airing episodes from the middle of season one, so there is still plenty of time to get caught up and get into the mix of serious and funny storylines at the firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak.
8. NCAA Football 2007
I really don’t care much for video games, but this one is an exception. Forget the Madden franchise, the real fun comes from the games played on Saturday. I’ll use different schools depending on what mood I’m in. If I’m up for a challenge I’ll use SMU as my team. If I feel like demolishing someone, I’ll use USC. But I think my favorite team so far is Georgia. They don’t suck, but they don’t completely dominate either. It’s just the right challenge for when I need a break from the newspaper or classes. The graphics are always amazing. My favorite part is the different stadiums the designers have accurately recreated. But the best part is having SMU win a national championship. If I can’t have it in real life, at least it can happen in the only video game I’ve purchased in the last five years.
