American Idol Top 10 and on Song Picks

Here I have my song picks for each theme, starting with the Top 10. If a contestant picks the song I picked for them, I promise to vote for them 17 times. Why 17? If you knew me you wouldn't have to ask. Anything BOLDED is an addition, mentioning if an idol covered the song.

Top 10: Songs of Billy Joel

Jessica - Just the Way You Are
Erika - Piano Man Covered instead by Colton
Colton - We Didn't Start the Fire
Skylar - You May Be Right (Sort of a country twang to it)
Phillip - Only the Good Die Young Covered instead by DeAndre
Elise - Don't Ask Me Why
Heejun - My Life COVERED AND *VOTED 17 TIMES FOR*
Joshua - It's Still Rock and Roll to Me (No idea actually for Josh)
DeAndre - Tell Her About It
Hollie - Uptown Girl

Top 9: Songs of their Idols

For this week, some of the Idols' idols have been revealed, so I have to guess at some and match the others. Bolded artists are ones that have been confirmed to have one of their songs covered. A question mark means I am not too sure that the Idol picked that artist to cover. Also, I changed some song choices, but if any of the contestants pick any of the songs I picked for them I will vote for them 17 times.

Skylar Laine (Miranda Lambert) - Over You (Previous pick: The House that Built Me)
Colton Dixon (Daughtry) - September (Previous pick: No Surprise)

Heejun Han (Lifehouse?) - You and Me (Previous pick: Hanging by a Moment)
Jessica Sanchez (Mariah Carey?) - Hero (Previously assigned to Elise Testone)
Hollie Cavanagh (Led Zeppelin?) - Stairway to Heaven (Previously assigned to Joshua Ledet)
Phillip Phillips (Dave Matthews) - You and Me (Would be cool to have two songs of the same name the same week--could happen seeing as the two guys to do that are best friends)

Joshua Ledet (Beyonce?) - Survivor

Elise Testone (Sheryl Crow) - The First Cut is the Deepest
DeAndre (Smokey Robinson) - Ooh Baby Baby

Top 8: Songs of the 80's
Wow, that was disastrous. I wasn't even close, except for Skylar. Oh well. There is an entire decade for this week's theme, but I'll vote for a contestant if they either sing a song by the same artist or sing a song I really really like.

Hollie - Call me by Blondie (Perfect for her voice!)
Colton - Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield (But don't make it sound like the Glee version)
Skylar - 9 to 5 by either Dolly Parton or Sheena Easton (Different songs, both could suit her... ok maybe not the Sheena Easton one. I just really want someone on AI to sing that.)
DeAndre - Open Arms by Journey (Or anything by Foreigner... but Open Arms would be great for him)
Joshua - Eye of the Tiger by Survivor (Not the best song choice but he's hard to pick songs for)
Phillip - Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PHILLIP! This song is right down your alley)
Elise - Jump by Van Halen (She's found a niche with the rock songs so she should stick to it)
Jessica - Alone by Heart (I really couldn't think of anything else, but I know she'd kill this song)

2012 MLB Predictions

The 2012 Major League Baseball season is almost upon us, so it is time for me to make some predictions. I will predict each team’s record, as well as award winners and who will win each playoff matchup. I’ll give a quick sentence or two on each team, explaining why I think they’ll do well or not. As you will see, I spend more time discussing American League teams than National League teams, but that’s because the Mariners are in the AL and play mainly AL teams. An asterisk denotes one of the two wild card teams.

Now with reviews from after the regular season!

AL EAST1. New York Yankees: 98-64
The Yankees do have aging veterans, but they also added Michael Pineda to their rotation and are still one of the top hitting teams in the league. I see them playing inspired ball for Mariano Rivera this season, given that this is Rivera’s last.
They won the East just like I thought.  They were 3 games worse than I predicted.

2. Tampa Bay Rays: 91-71*
Many believe the Rays have the best rotation in the American League and they might. Their weaknesses are lack of a jumpstarter on offense and experience. They should at least contend all the way to the end of September.
I was just one game off, but they did not make the wild card like I predicted.  Just too much talent in the AL with the resurgences of the O's and A's.

3. Boston Red Sox: 88-74
Following that disastrous final day of the regular season, the Red Sox will come back still competitive but will again fall short. They will probably have this one season with new coach Bobby Valentine as a kind of “getting used to one another” experience but they should be in the race all season.
Well, I kinda knew they wouldn't make the playoffs again, but I didn't know they would finish in LAST with less than 70 wins!  Way off here.

4. Toronto Blue Jays: 79-83
The Jays suffer from the curse of playing in a very tough division. They are a team that is getting better and has some good young hitters. They will need one of the “Big Three” to struggle, either this year or next, for them to have any shot in the next two years.
The Jays struggled more than I thought they would but for a while they were playoff contenders.  Oh well.

5. Baltimore Orioles: 65-97
The O’s have an extremely shaky rotation that every other team in their division will beat up. They have good hitters in Markakis, Jones, and Wieters, but they may decide to rebuild, causing Markakis or Jones to possibly be traded.
Next time I'll REALLY look at a team's rotation before saying that!  I was a whopping 28 games off.  Good for the O-birds.

AL CENTRAL1. Detroit Tigers: 96-66
There is no easier division to pick the division winner in than the AL Central—the Tigers are clearly the best team, lead by last season’s Cy Young and MVP Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and new signee Prince Fielder. They might be the first team to clinch their division crown this season.
The Tigers won the AL Central, just like I predicted, but they weren't as dominant as I thought.  They weren't the first to clinch their division.  Their defense was suspect as I should have seen.  

2. Kansas City Royals: 78-84
This team will be competitive, and they have good young hitters in Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler. They need to resign Alex Gordon and get a few good arms in the rotation before being a serious contender in the AL.
Another ho-hum season for the Royals.  I was only off by 6 games.  Will they ever get better?  Who knows.

3. Chicago White Sox: 74-88
There are too many question marks on this team. Will Konerko keep up his numbers, despite his age? Will Jake Peavy get back to his old form? Will Adam Dunn bounce back? Will Robin Ventura be a good Major League manager? Nine times out of ten a team with this many questions doesn’t make the playoffs.
The White Sox gave the Tigers a run for their money, but the Tigers have too much more money (to spend on players) than the Sox.  Off by 11 games.

4. Cleveland Indians: 72-90
They were a tale of two teams last year, and they did very little to improve this team. The veteran leaders on this team are constantly injured, leaving the young guys to try to lead, but it is too much pressure. This team is still a few moves and years away from being a consistent contender like they were in the 90’s.
Only off by 4 games, the Indians struggled off and on like I thought they would.  

5. Minnesota Twins: 69-93
This has all the makings of a team headed down the toilet. Mauer and Morneau are neither durable nor playing as well as they have in the past, their rotation is lead by Carl Pavano, a middle of the order guy at best, and they lost two notable contributors this offseason (Joe Nathan and Michael Cuddyer). My prediction is that Mauer asks for a trade and Morneau retires early.
Only off by 3 games, and the Twins turned out to be even more horrible than I thought they'd be.  Who plays on their team, again?  They are the AL's Houston Astros... well that is until the Astros move to the AL next season.  

AL WEST1. Texas Rangers 93-69
The Rangers are the reigning division champs and they will be again. Yu Darvish will be good, but not great, seeing as he pitches in Texas. But they will hit as well as ever and be in quite a few high scoring games.
I am very proud to say I got their record EXACTLY right!  Too bad they didn't win the west like I predicted.  They had competition, but it was from a team I didn't expect.  

2. Los Angeles Angels: 89-73*
The addition of Pujols to any ballclub adds at least ten wins, so the Angels became instant contenders when he signed with them. I see a bit of an adjustment period, similar to the Red Sox last year after they signed Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, but the Angels should be good enough to nab one of the wild card spots.
Another team I got EXACTLY right with the W-L record!  But... we can't forget the A's, who made the Angels a third place team.  

3. Seattle Mariners: 78-84
Nope, no playoffs this year (again), but I got us at an 11 game improvement from last year, something I think most of us would take. We will have quite a few bright spots this season, but all the pieces aren’t there QUITE yet. It takes a lot longer to rebuild in baseball than most other sports.
I was off by only 3 games, which means an 8 game improvement, which is something.  The Mariners had a bad run through parts of September that prevented them from getting back to .500.  Oh well.  

4. Oakland Athletics: 65-97
Their number 3 hitter is Coco Crisp. They lost Andrew Bailey and Gio Gonzalez in the offseason. They signed a guy well past his prime in Manny Ramirez. Things look bleak for the A’s this year, and not just with their team, but with their stadium situation.
To be 29 games off is kind of embarrassing, but who saw this coming?  No real stars on their team, just a lot of guys who work hard and play hard.  


NL EAST1. Philadelphia Phillies: 95-67
They still have that amazing rotation. Until that rotation gets broken up, they will continue to win.
The Phillies are an aging ballclub and I should've seen that.  They were injury plagued and it dropped them 14 games from what I predicted.  

2. Atlanta Braves: 86-76
They had an up and down season last year, and I think they will have another. A lot rest on Jason Heyward.
The Braves were really good this year--I'll even say the best non-division winner.  I should've picked them to win wild card.  

3. Washington Nationals: 84-78
They will be one of the most improved teams and they will have a lot of bright spots this season, especially if we get to see Bryce Harper.
This Nats team came together a lot faster than I thought it would.  They almost won 100 games!  

4. Miami Marlins: 79-83
They have talent, but I see way too much potential chaos on this team. Too many big egos and Hanley Ramirez still isn’t happy about the switch, although he did accept it.
Boy what I right about them being a let-down; but they were even more of a let-down than I thought!  10 games off.  

5. New York Mets: 72-90
They get Johan Santana back, but too many poor front office decisions lead them to this mess. They need to go in rebuild mode sooner rather than later.
I was only two games off, but they didn't finish in last place.  

NL CENTRAL
1. Cincinnati Reds: 87-75 (Win tiebreaker)
With two of the game’s biggest stars leaving this division, it is now the Reds’ to lose. Joey Votto should emerge as the best first baseman in the division now.
No tiebreakers needed as they won the division by 9 games and I was 10 games off.  

2. St. Louis Cardinals: 87-75*
Sure, they lost Pujols, but they still have a good rotation and good depth. They won’t repeat as champs, but they should still be contenders.
I was only ONE game off for the Cards.  I knew they'd still be pretty good without Albert and I was right.  

3. Milwaukee Brewers: 81-81
Losing Fielder will hurt them, perhaps even more than the Cardinals losing Pujols. They will compete, but miss out on the playoffs.
I was only two games off for the Brewers and they competed just like I said, but too much other talent to deal with in the NL.  

4. Pittsburgh Pirates: 71-91
Another losing season? Yup. They’re headed in the right direction (I believe), but I think next year they’ll end their strike. They *might* come close this year.
And they did come close this year (a two game swing would've put them at .500).  But a 20th straight losing season for the Buccos.  

5. Chicago Cubs: 70-92
Former Mariner prospect Bryan LaHair at first base? Desperate much? I feel so bad for Cubs fans.
Cubs were even worse than I thought--other teams really put the smackdown on them.  Off by 9 games.

6. Houston Astros: 59-103
I will try to name five players on the Astros. Wandy Rodriguez, Carlos Lee… uh… I’m stumped. They move to the AL next year, so perhaps that will be good for them.
I find it really hard to believe the Astros did WORSE than what I predicted them to do.  Not many teams fail to win 60 games.  Off by 4.  

NL West1. San Francisco Giants: 93-69
Getting Buster Posey back, getting Melky Cabrera (A good gap hitter in a good park to hit doubles in), and holding onto Lincecum will keep the Giants not only competitive, but return them to being division champs.
Division champs: Check, Low to mid 90's in wins: Check.  But who could've seen Melky being suspended for 50 games?  I knew he'd be good and I was right... well, until he got suspended.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers: 88-74*
I think the Dodgers emerge this season. I mean, after all, they have two of the NL’s best players in Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp.
Only two games off for the Dodgers, but they did not get a wild card spot like I thought they would.  But they were close.

3. Arizona Diamondbacks: 82-80
I think last year was a bit of a fluke. They will be competitive, but won’t have the magic they did last season.
Pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one.  I was just one game off.

4. San Diego Padres: 75-87
Hard to say if they should go in rebuilding mode. They keep letting go of their best players (Peavy, Gonzalez).
Again, nail, meet hammer.  One game off here.  

5. Colorado Rockies: 73-89
Good hitters? For the most part. Good pitching? Heck no. They almost need to build a roofed stadium to get pitchers to come to Colorado.
Oh, Rockies.  When will you stop being the Rockies and be the ROCKIES?  Off by 9 games.  Yeesh.

Awards:AL
MVP: Robinson Cano, Yankees (Will be either Mike Trout or Miguel Cabrera)
Cy Young: Felix Hernandez, Mariners (Felix fell out of the race in September, sadly)
Rookie of the Year: Jesus Montero, Mariners (Monterro wasn't horrible but he's nothing compared to Mike Trout)
Coach of the Year: Joe Girardi, Yankees (With the surprising A's and O's either Showalter or Melvin gets this)

NL
MVP: Joey Votto, Reds (No shot for Votto--injury plagued.  Will go to Ryan Braun,  Buster Posey, Yadier Molina or someone else)
Cy Young: Tim Lincecum, Giants (Oops.  Tim's struggles were known to all Giants fans.  This will go to Clayton Kershaw, Craig Kimbrel, or someone else.)
Rookie of the Year: Bryce Harper, Nationals (Bryce might actually get this.  His biggest competition is D-Backs pitcher Wade Miley)
Coach of the Year: Don Mattingly, Dodgers (Not too likely as the Dodgers failed to make the playoffs.  This could go to either Davey Johnson of the Nats, Dusty Baker of the Reds, or Fredi Gonzalez of the Braves)

2012 MLB Playoffs

Wild CardsAL
Angels at Rays: Rays

NL
Cardinals at Dodgers: Cardinals

Divisional RoundAL
Rays at Yankees: Yankees in 5
Rangers at Tigers: Tigers in 4

NL
Cardinals at Phillies: Phillies in 3
Reds at Giants: Giants in 4

League Championship SeriesAL
Tigers at Yankees: Yankees in 6

NL
Giants at Phillies: Giants in 7

World SeriesGiants vs. Yankees: Giants in 6



Well, there you have it. My 2^nd favorite team, the Giants, winning the 2012 World Series, making them the 2^nd professional team with the team name of Giants to win a championship this year. My 2012 Mariners preview will come shortly after this, with player and team predictions.

My 2012 Seattle Mariners Preview and Predictions

The 2012 Mariners season is almost upon us, and while the expectations from the fans isn't that high, there is a sense of muted optimism in the air. The Mariners traded for Jesus Montero (right) to be their catcher and hitting star for the future. We signed a few Japanese imports (Kawasaki and Iwakuma) and this is a young, hungry team. I will go over each player briefly that is expected to make the 25 man roster. I will then predict the Mariners final record, who will lead the team in certain categories, and other stats.


Starting pitchers

Felix Hernandez - Two years removed from his Cy Young season, Felix looks to get his 2nd crown and again lead this pitching staff. I expect another solid season barring injury (knock on wood), and if he gets the run support he needs, he could actually be near the top in the AL in wins.

Jason Vargas - One of the pitchers rumored to be traded this offseason was Vargas, but instead the younger Michael Pineda was traded. Vargas has a lot to prove this season, like can he be a rotation mainstay? For the time being, he is expected to be Felix's #2, but if this team struggles early on, he could be out the door in a trade.

Hector Noesi - Acquired in the trade for Michael Pineda, Hector Noesi has been named the #3 starter for the club and will be given every chance to hold onto it to season's end. He's only 25 and from the Dominican Republic, so he could have a bright future with this ballclub.

Blake Beavan - He had a great emergence last year, showing he has the stuff to start in the Major Leagues. He replaced Doug Fister and did a really good job. Now the question is: Can he keep it up for a full season? His consistency will determine how long he holds a spot in the rotation.

Kevin Millwood - Kevin was somewhat surprisingly named the 5th starter, but he has a ton of Major League experience, and he can use that experience to help guys like Vargas, Beavan, and Noesi. I don't think many people expect him to be a rotation mainstay, but we'll see how he does.

Bullpen

Brandon League, Closer - Brandon had an all-star season last year, but many including myself won't forget the awful week he had where he blew five games in a row. Brandon's main problem is his confidence, and once he starts pitching poorly he loses a ton of it. League is also a player with a good chance to be traded before the deadline. But for now, he is the team's closer.

George Sherrill, Left Hander - George is in his 2nd stint with the team, and I expect him to be one of the team's more consistent relievers. He will mostly be used as a LOOGY (Lefty One Out GuY), but if he pitches well enough he could be the main set-up man for League.

Shawn Kelley, Right Hander - He pitches well--when he's healthy. The M's have to be careful to not overwork their bullpen, especially Shawn.

Erasmo Ramirez, Right Hander - Who knows what his future holds, but he is given a job on the 25 man roster. Expect him to not see too much action this year, especially if he struggles, which if he does, he will be sent back down.

Tom Wilhelmsen, Right Hander - Here's a guy that came out of nowhere last year. He is good for either mop-up work or pitching two or three innings in relief. He is currently the only Mariners pitcher with a Win as of this moment.

Hisashi Iwakuma, Right Hander - Some thought Iwakuma would make the rotation, but the coaches decided they didn't want to put too much pressure on the Japanese import. If he pitches well, he has a good shot of sneaking into that rotation at some point.

Lucas Luetge, Left Hander - A rule 5 draft pick, but he could surprise us. He is mainly in the bullpen to be the only other lefty, other than Sherrill. Don't expect him to be put in difficult situations.

Steve Delabar, Right Hander - He was decent after a call-up last season, but he has been so-so in his career, even in the minors. Hard to say what will happen to him, but part of me thinks he won't be on the roster when the season finishes.

Starting Lineup

1. Chone Figgins, 3B - Chone had a somewhat sub-par first season in Seattle, then last year was a disaster, hitting under .200 in 2011. Chone has now been given the leadoff spot in the order for the time being, and frankly, there isn't much more we can do for him to succeed. If he continues to struggle AGAIN, he will be out the door by the trade deadline.

2. Dustin Ackley, 2B - Dustin started off his Major League career really hot last year, then cooled down, but still had one of the best averages on the team last year. He is expected to be one of our most consistent hitters in just his first full major league season. I also look for his defense to improve. He may be moved to spots 1 or 3 in the order this year.

3. Ichiro Suzuki, RF - Ichiro struggled last year, and of his three yearly usual accomplishments, he achieved none. No 200 hits, no gold glove, and no All-Star appearance. Manager Eric Wedge thinks moving him to #3 will be good for Ichiro, whether or not it takes off any pressure is to be determined. We'll see how he handles it, but I don't expect him to finish the year hitting #3. I also worry he might get injured, given his age.

4. Justin Smoak, 1B - Justin started last year off really hot, but by mid-May and June he struggled, then got injured. He dealt with a lot, like the passing of his father, so we gave him a pass. But now is the time for Justin to prove he can be a middle of the order threat. Otherwise, we might have to start looking for a replacement first baseman for the future.

5. Jesus Montero, DH - As mentioned earlier, Jesus was acquired for Michael Pineda in a trade that will probably benefit both clubs. He is easily one of the best hitting prospects and is an early contender for AL Rookie of the Year. He'll be put into the middle of the order straight away, so we'll see how he handles it. He will see time at catcher, but they want to ease him into the position, so he'll only get a 1/3 of the catching duties, at most.

6. Mike Carp, LF - Carp was arguably the best power hitter on this team last year, and he is being rewarded with not only a spot on the roster, but a spot in the starting lineup in left field. Mike can also take over at first every now and then for Smoak and can also DH for Montero when Montero is catching or resting. Carp can hit anywhere from 3rd-7th in the order, and I expect him to do well.

7. Miguel Olivo, C - Miguel actually led this team in home runs last year, which is pretty sad, seeing how he didn't even hit 20. He's been put in a difficult situation with the Montero trade and will have a good chance of being dealt at the trade deadline. Until then though, I expect Olivo to hit well given the competition he now has.

8. Michael Saunders/Franklin Gutierrez, CF - With Guti again hurt, Michael Saunders will start the season in centerfield, given the hot spring he had. Saunders really struggled last year, and he is down to his last chance to make this team. Guti should be back before May starts and hopefully he can recover to the rangy and solid-hitting centerfielder we saw in 2009.

9. Brendan Ryan, SS - I recently read an article on Bleacher Report that said shortstop is our weakest position, and I don't blame them. Brendan is an average defender, with good hustle, and an average bat at best. You usually want a top of the lineup hitter or a defensive whiz at this position, neither of which Ryan fulfills. We might see a prospect come up at some point this year and see if he can take over (Nick Franklin, perhaps). Brendan Ryan is expendable, just like Jack Wilson was, so he might get traded as well.

Bench

John Jaso, C - I don't know a ton about John, seeing as we just acquired him this offseason, but I have the confidence that if we traded Olivo that he and Montero could together handle the catching duties. There is also Adam Moore, who creates a bit of a logjam at the catching position. I look for one of the three expendables (Olivo, Jaso, or Moore) to be gone by July.

Kyle Seager, INF - Because the club is continuing to stick with Figgins and Ryan, Seagar again is relegated to the bench and spot starts. He has the potential and he was a college teammate of Dustin Ackley's, so he could form a good middle infield combo with Ackley if given the chance. If Figgins or Ryan are traded or released, expect Seager to get a ton more starts.

Casper Wells, OF - Casper was acquired last year for Pauley and Fister along with Furbush and Chance Ruffin, and he played pretty well, especially when he hit a home run in four straight games. Casper is pretty much this team's fourth outfielder this season, so with the injury to Guti and Ichiro being a prime injury suspect, look for him to get a few starts.

Munenori Kawasaki, INF - Kawasaki at the very least should be a good fill-in at three infield spots, occasionally starting for Ackley, Ryan, and Figgins. If he plays well and Figgins/Ryan struggles, then he could get a lot more starts.

PREDICTIONS
Record: 78-84 (Range 70-92 to 85-77)
Batting leader: Ackley
HR leader: Smoak
RBI leader: Smoak
Wins leader: Felix
Saves leader: League
Team MVP: Felix Hernandez

Well, there you have it. Unless by some miracle, look for this season to be more of a building-block type season than a playoff run. If all goes well, I expect a serious playoff push next season in 2013. This team is coming together, we just can't get impatient and blow it up... again.

Star Wars Prequels vs. Originals - I settle the debate

Ever since Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was finished and came out in theaters, there has been a long debate about the prequel and original trilogies. Which order do you watch them? What did Lucas do wrong in the prequels? How come people say the prequels are worse? Well I'm going to answer those questions, and more, as well as provide a top ten list as to the ten things I would've done differently with the Star Wars prequels. From this point on, PT means prequel trilogy (Episodes I, II, and III) and OT means original trilogy (Episodes IV, V, and VI).

Right from the start, the prequels were almost doomed to fail. Well maybe fail is too harsh a word, but if you put the box office numbers aside and look at the quality of the films, yes, they did fail. If their goal was just to do extremely well at the box office, well then job well done. But at the same time, they failed to create a prequel trilogy that completed the series well. After the PT was made, it sticks out like a sore thumb, but it's half the series. But given the success of the OT, the prequels just had no chance of living up to the hype.

One of the main reasons the PT was even created was so that we could see how this "Anakin Skywalker" guy became Darth Vader. To be honest, seeing Vader in the original trilogy as this mysterious guy who has choking powers is a lot more frightening and real than knowing underneath his suit is a charred, whiny, older Hayden Christensen. Some have suggested that the prequels should have focused on Obi-Wan and had Anakin as a minor character, but that's not what the people wanted.

We know George Lucas dropped the proverbial ball with the PT. The story, characters, emotions, and realism is all lacking from the PT, where as all of these things can be found in every film in the OT. I know there's no way that the PT could have been perfect or satisfied everyone, but here are the top ten changes that, at the very least, would have satisfied a lot more Star Wars fans:

10. No Jar Jar Binks, Qui-Gon Jinn, or Mace Windu.
I would cut each of these characters from the prequel trilogy, each for a different reason. Jar Jar is obvious. Qui Gon because he was too bland, too boring, and in a way, contradicts what Obi-Wan said in the original trilogy when he said Yoda taught him. Mace Windu because he was only created to appeal to Samuel L Jackson fans. Mace Windu really added very little to the prequel trilogy. He was also miscast, as SLJ is best at playing Bad-A** Motherf***ers and he was forced to play a wise mentor. If you keep the Mace Windu character, cast someone else, such as Louis Gosset Jr.

9. Make Anakin brown-haired, Padme blonde
You might think of that as an odd and almost unnecessary change, but since seeing Anakin/Vader without the helmet in “Return of the Jedi”, he just clearly appears to be dark-haired (or at least formerly). Making Anakin a brunette and Padme a blonde makes it still possible to have a blonde baby (Luke) and makes Padme more believable in being stupid. One of the kids who almost played Anakin was brown haired, and his name is Michael Angarano. He would've made a better Anakin than Jake Lloyd.

8. Introduce Anakin at an older age
You’ll see a lot of my changes have to do with Anakin. I feel he was poorly handled in the prequel trilogy. Instead of listening to some 9 year old who looks to never obtain puberty, we get to see Anakin at the teenager stage, just like Luke, and see him grow up. One of the problems with the prequels is that Anakin was introduced at age 9, then we saw him at 19, and never got to see him grow up.

7. Make Anakin a bit of a rebel, similar, but not the same to Han Solo
When we first met Anakin in the Phantom Menace, he was an innocent boy who tried to help out some strangers. What they should have done is made him a bit of a Han Solo type—make him arrogant and selfish, but not so much we hate him. Anakin should have been the Han Solo of the prequel trilogy—a bad guy that you like. This makes his transition to the dark side much easier.

6. Have love NOT be forbidden by the Jedi
There was nothing that said Jedi weren’t allowed to form attachments in the original trilogy, so I don’t know why Lucas introduced it in the prequels. Maybe he got a "hard on" from the “forbidden love” Anakin and Padme had. This also confused me a bit because I wondered how Jedi were supposed to reproduce. So they just randomly pop up in families with no Jedi history? That makes it so the Jedi could never be extinct. They should have made it so Anakin and Padme’s relationship was not forbidden, and perhaps have given Obi-Wan a love interest. Or not.

5. Focus on relationships and developing characters, not lightsaber duels and special effects
I think this one speaks for itself. A lightsaber was ignited (turned on) about 15 times in the original trilogy. That number was about 100 for the prequel trilogy. Also, use more realistic backgrounds and less green/blue screens. I know they wanted a Star Wars trilogy with more special effects, but if you watch just a little bit of the special features of any of the PT films, you'll see they went way overboard with the effects.

4. Have Padme be killed by a Sith to help turn Anakin to the Dark Side
This is something I feel George Lucas really dropped the ball on. We know Anakin was attached to Padme starting in Episode II. So, in Episode III, they should have killed her off, causing Anakin to go into a depression. At that point, Palpatine could have consoled him and said things like “The Jedi couldn’t protect her, but if you join me, there won’t be anything we can’t do.” Anakin wouldn’t even have to know who killed her. There’s a possibility even the Sith could have framed the Jedi into it.

3. Have Anakin turn to the dark side, not to save Padme, but because he is just downright pissed
What should have happened is Palpatine (or his apprentice—Maul or Dooku) doing things to piss off Anakin and then frame the Jedi Council—such as killing Padme. When he has Anakin angry enough, he could tell Anakin “I could help you. I am trained in the ways of the force. I will help you seek revenge.” It makes much more sense than simply turning to the dark side just to save one person. I mean, the way the current PT is, Anakin murdered children, Jedi, betrayed all his friends, just to save one person, who he later caused the death of. Makes Vader look like the stupidest idiot to ever live.

2. Have Yoda be a mentor, not a fighter
In the prequels, Yoda was both. But he should have been just a mentor, like he was in the original trilogy. He should have said things like “Long gone, my fighting days are” and stuff like that. He could still have taken on apprentices and relied on his apprentices (such as Obi-Wan) for lightsaber combat while using his force powers for anything else. Perhaps they could have even been a few Jedi, like Yoda, who did not have lightsabers, because they either can’t hold one or they are too small to hold one, like Yoda.

1. Have Obi Wan go into a depression, change his name
I really think that Episode III should have been about Anakin already turned somewhat evil and Obi-Wan going into a depression. Episode II would have focused on their friendship, how Obi-Wan always did the right thing while Anakin focused on his personal needs. In Episode III, Obi-Wan would have quit the Jedi order and gone to Tatooine and adorned his nickname “Ben” Kenobi. Yoda then summons Obi-Wan for help, saying Anakin (Now at this point Darth Vader) needs to be killed. Obi-Wan comes out of “retirement” to take on Anakin and cause his disfigurement.

BONUS: Have Luke and Leia’s conception be unknown to Anakin
Now that the prequels are finished, whenever I watch Empire Strikes Back, it doesn’t make too much sense that Vader is surprised that his son is alive and is Luke. In ROTS, Vader/Anakin knew that someone would have stumbled upon Padme and tried to save the babies. So, my idea is that Anakin gets her pregnant, but Padme never tells him, because Anakin would be away all the time with his Jedi business, or perhaps they would have broken up or been in a huge fight. Furthermore, the Jedi could have forbidden her to tell Anakin because they could see Anakin was falling to the dark side. That way, when Darth Vader finds out he has a son in ESB, it comes as a real shock.


Star Wars is Star Wars. The way I look at it, the PT was great for it's special effects (which actually were pretty good--and the score by John Williams was amazing as usual), and the OT was great for it's story and characters. They each have their strengths and weaknesses.

But in what order should we watch them? If you had to choose between real life order (IV, V, VI, I, II, III) and Star Wars chronological order (I, II, III, IV, V, VI), I'd go with real life order, because that's how they were actually made. But, here's my #1 suggested order: IV, I, V, II, III, VI. It would be like watching a series with flashbacks. You'd start with A New Hope and end with Return of the Jedi. You'd be left in anticipation for a long time about Han Solo after watching Empire Strikes Back, because you'd have to watch II and III after that. But III is the darkest of the six, and the darkest points of a movie are usually right before the happy ending, which would then be Return of the Jedi (VI). Make sense? I'm not surprised if it didn't.

So there you have it. It will be interesting to see what happens with Star Wars in the future. Will there be remakes? More prequels/sequels? Episode 3.5? (Dear God no). Will there ever be a NEW Star Wars film to hit theaters? Only time will tell. My suggestion: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: The Movie. If 20th Century Fox and LucasArts are desperate for money, there's your script (yes, I know it's a video game). But it would not interfere at all with the Original Six and would still be Star Wars themed.

American Idol Season 11 Top 13 Predictions

Well, I did this last year, and I believe the year before as well, so I will do it again this year. Last year, I was way off, saying Scotty (Who won) would finish 9^th (and no better than 6^th) and Haley (who was 3rd) at 12^th. But I wasn’t too far off on anyone else. Also I will pick one song I’d like to hear each contestant sing the most just like I did last year, and I will try to give them something current to sing, but no guarantees.  This now includes my recap as to how well I predicted (updated May 24, 2012) in RED.  Here we go, in alphabetical order (by last name):

DeAndre Brackensick
DeAndre sort of bugs me. He cannot help but hit his falsetto every few seconds in his performances. Just once, I’d like to hear him sing a song with no falsettos. And America didn’t even vote for him, but he could get far based on his youthfulness and marketability.
Predicted finish: 11^th-5^th
Song he should sing: Ooh Baby Baby by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (His voice is JUST like Smokey Robinson’s!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uThnUmWRCCs
Result: 8th - I was right on the money with DeAndre, with 8th being exactly between 11th and 5th place.  I was getting a bit worried when he survived the first few eliminations, but he left at 8.  

Hollie CavanaghI like Hollie. She’s young, good-looking, and fun to watch. She needs to stay away from Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears songs so she doesn’t get compared to them too much. Perhaps she could sing a sort of pop/rock song, sort of like Kelly Clarkson. She is a wild card—could go early or could go far.
Predicted finish: 9^th-3^rd
Song she should sing: Because of You by Kelly Clarkson (And pour her heart out into it, otherwise it won’t work): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biff2Rx5VZw
Result: 4th - Higher than I thought she'd finish, but she did survive some close calls, having been in the bottom 3 or 2 FIVE times prior to her leaving.  She was indeed a wild card, and she got lucky.

Colton DixonColton is my favorite this year. I was a fan of his last year, but he got cut. No one is really as happy as Colton to be in the Top 13. He could sing almost anything, and he’s extremely marketable. If he gets star power, he could REALLY be a contender to win. He’s got a fanbase and a lot of people (ahem—girls) love him. He can sing rock songs as evidenced in his performance of “What About Now” by Daughtry.
Predicted finish: 8^th-1^st
Song he should sing: Light on by David Cook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS-movP04Lw
OR
Laid by Matt Nathanson (if it was deemed suitable for TV audiences): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI_6MMIQgac
Result: 7th - Everyone was surprised by his elimination, but he still fell into that range I had him in.  I had a slight inkling that he would be a surprise elimination, seeing as the save was used just before him leaving.

Heejun Han
Heejun is someone I feel made it to the Top 13 based on popularity, and not talent. He’s good, but not great. He will become a Vote for the Worst Pick and get decently far based on his popularity. He has no shot of winning, however.
Predicted finish: 9^th-5^th
Song he should sing: Invisible by Clay Aiken: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYaLwoTRDTQ He could make this a funny performance, haha.
Result: 9th - Still in the range, but barely.  I said he had no shot of winning, yet I said he could get as high as 5th.  My bad.  The talent level was too high for a VFTW pick to get that far.  He was too inconsistent and it cost him.  

Jermaine Jones
I was shocked when he was announced in the Top 10 via America’s votes. He’s got a hugely deep voice, but he really has no shot of winning. However, you look at Melanie Amaro on the X Factor. She was cut, then brought back, and then she won it all. You never know. But my guess is he gets cut somewhat early for a lack of range.
Predicted finish: 12^th-7^th
Song he should sing: Hard to think of one, but I’ll go with Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Vfxq7Hs_I so he can put his own spin on it.
Result: 12th (Disqualified) - Well, still in my range, but he would have been much closer to the center of the range had he not been DQ'ed.  Hard to say how far he would have gone--Joshua, another black singer from the South got to 3rd.  

Skylar LaineSkylar is this year’s Lauren Alaina, but perhaps EVEN BETTER. She has the chops, the confidence, the style, and she already knows what genre she is in. She could and should sail far through this competition. If any girl has a shot of ending the string of male winners on this show, it’s her. But I think she’ll fall just short.
Predicted finish: 7^th-2^nd
Song she should sing: Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUO9Hok7wBY
Result: 5th - Right in my range for her, but she really had tough odds going against all that talent in Phillip, Jessica, and Joshua.  Had she been on season 10, she might've beaten Lauren Alaina, but we'll never know.

Joshua Ledet
Joshua is a wild-card. He’s someone the judges love more than America does. I see him as the Jacob Lusk of this season, really good, but hampered by the lack of real star power. Perhaps Joshua will emerge with some. We shall see. He’s someone that if he had the fewest votes early on, that the judges would save.
Predicted finish: 8^th-3^rd
Song he should sing: It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World by James Brown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwuO2dfqrF4
Result: 3rd - Again in my range but on the very cusp of it.  Much better than Jacob Lusk.  He did "emerge with some [star power]" like I said he might.  And guess what?  He sang the song I picked for him, and not only that, but it ended up being one of his BEST PERFORMANCES!!!  I nailed that song selection.

Shannon MagraneI honestly was a bit surprised to see her make it, but her tall frame kinda stands out, doesn’t it? She has a really good voice, but it doesn’t stand out to me. And she’s only 16… wow. I see her falling through the cracks and suffering an early elimination, especially if she doesn’t make herself stand out… with her voice. She has a little bit of Kelly Clarkson and Katy Perry in her voice…
Predicted finish: 12^th-6^th
Song she should sing: Firework by Katy Perry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXOfB5m6e28
Result: 11th - She took on WAY too big of songs, especially for only being 16.  There was a 16 year old that could handle songs like that, but it wasn't her.  She needed to sing more relevant pop songs and not those huge ballads, but she never got the chance to.  

Phillip PhillipsAnother one of my favorites is Phillip… Phillips. What a name. He’s got that soulful rocker thing to his voice and, like James Durbin last year, he is one of my picks to make the final two. I think the girls will love him and he will avoid the bottom 3 every week. He has been compared to Dave Matthews.
Predicted finish: 6^th-1^st
Song he should sing: You and Me by the Dave Matthews Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD9CrZODlNA
Result: Made final two?  Yep.  Avoid bottom 3 every week?  Yep.  He did eventually sing a DMB song but it wasn't You and Me.  Oh well.  He won.

Jeremy RosadoAnother wild-card pick of the judges, Jeremy definitely has the voice and the personality. He is just missing star-power and marketability. Jeremy wasn’t put through by America so I don’t see his fanbase being that strong or supportive. But hard not to like this guy.
Predicted finish: 10^th-5^th
Song he should sing: Without You by David Guetta (He needs to sing something current): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lyzEovLOWM
Result: 13th - The FIRST to be outside my range.  Not only did he not have starpower or marketability, but his voice wasn't that great, either.  Likability only gets you so far. 

Jessica SanchezThis is another girl that many people think can win, but I see her as another Thia Megia. Here is what they both have in common: Both young, not white, 16 years old, and both appeared on America’s Got Talent. I think Jessica is slightly better, but we’ll see. She can make it far, but I wouldn’t be shocked if she got a surprise early elimination.
Predicted finish: 8^th-3^rd
Song she should sing: Circle of Life by Elton John (I hear a lot of Jennifer Hudson in her voice, and if they did a Disney songs week, this would be the song for her): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erbr3L2NRo4
Result: 2nd - Just BARELY outside my range for her, but had she NOT been saved, she would have been in my range.  So I blame the judges.  She's definitely better than Thia Megia.  I said I wouldn't be surprised if she got a surprise early elimination, and technically she did, but the judges saved her.  She did get the farthest out of anyone who has ever gotten the save.

Elise TestoneShe’s sort of a no-name, having not seen much of her in the Hollywood rounds. She could be this year’s Pia Toscano, because last year I didn’t know much about Pia. Elise benefited from having a great Top 25 performance and America put her through. Her age (28 years old) works against her, though.
Predicted finish: 11^th-5^th
Song she should sing: The First Cut is the Deepest by Rod Stewart (Sheryl Crow’s version): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK9eLe8EQps
Result: 6th - In my range, but barely.  She did much better than I thought she would.  She had that bluesy voice that really worked well with certain songs.  I hate to say it, but I underestimated her.
Erika Van PeltIn my opinion, she had a very average wild card performance and the judges put her through based on her desire. I don’t see her generating any sort of a fanbase, so she’s my first pick to go in the Top 13. It wouldn’t shock me if she got halfway through the Top 13, though. She has a husky sort of Cher voice, so she should sing a Cher song at some point. That is if she gets the chance to.
Predicted finish: 13^th-7^th
Song she should sing: It’s in His Kiss (Shoop Shoop Song) by Cher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwGGZTZ-3pM
Result: 10th - Right in the middle of my range for her.  She should've covered a Cher song somehow... oh well.  Not much else to say about her.  

Ok, using those predictions, this is the order of the Top 13:

(Actual finishers at that place in red--BOLD for correct picks)

13. Erika (Jeremy)
12. Jermaine  (Jermaine--HA!)
11. Shannon (Shannon--HA AGAIN!)
10. DeAndre (Erika)
9. Elise (Heejun)
8. Jeremy (DeAndre)
7. Heejun (Colton)
6. Hollie (Elise)
5. Jessica (Skylar)
4. Joshua (Hollie)
3. Colton (Joshua)
2. Skylar (Jessica)
1. Phillip (Phillip--predicted winner from the start)
Most places off: Jeremy (5 places--finished 13th, predicted 8th)
Fewest places off: Jermaine, Shannon, and Phillip (all correct), Joshua (just 1 spot off)

Well, there you have it. Phillip Phillips beats Skylar Laine in the finals. I instantly have this feeling I did it totally wrong, and I have Hollie and Joshua too high (NOPE, I had them too low!) while having DeAndre, Shannon, and Jermaine too low (only DeAndre was too low of those three). Oh well. Go Colton and Phillip!