The Rundown: Back to the Beginning

Back on Wednesday, November 7, 2007, I launched a daily feature called The Rundown, designed to bust out my top five somethings each and every week.

That first Rundown featured my Top Five Man Crushes.

I was secure enough to admit to them then and I'm secure enough to admit to them now, as we're going back to the beginning and breaking out the revamped Rundown of the men I love most.

Top Five Man Crushes, May 2009 Edition

5. Dana White
I don't care what anyone says about him. He's my boy. I love him. Dude has busted his ass to get the UFC to where it is and that is worthy of my admiration. Yes, he swears more than a boat full of drunken sailors and launches personal attacks on journalists via video blog from time to time, but he's a hard worker and an inspiration and that gets you some love.

4. Chuck Klosterman
The original #3 on the list has taken a step back because there hasn't been any new work, at least not that I've enjoyed. Just as your favorite musicians fall out of your memory from time to time when they don't have an album out, Klosterman has released any of the Klosterman that made me fall in love with his style since IV and that was a long time ago. I still got love for him though...

3. LeBron James
Despite the fact that the Cavs are down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference playoffs, it ain't got nothing to do with LeBron. It's the fact that he is without a definitive Robin that D12 & Co. have him one step from elimination. King James is the best player in the world and a basketball impresario the likes of which we haven't seen since Magic. Sorry Michael, but he's got you trumped. Yeah, I said it. Can't wait 'til he heads to Brooklyn with my relocating Nets and his pal Jay-Z.

2. Don Cheadle
This is still my dude. There may not have been any massive movie roles or a staggering number of appearances in the public eye, but I'll still fight you over Don Cheadle. And when he rocks the role of "War Machine" Jim Rhodes in the next Iron Man, you'll all be loving him like I do.

1. George Stroumboulopoulos
While I may joke about my dream scenario as an author being to end up on Oprah's couch, that's only because if Oprah endorses you, you sell a bazillion books and make serious loot. I really want to sit down on those red leather couches and shake hands with my boyfriend George Stroumboulopoulos so I can hear what he thinks about The Rules of Engagement. Then we'll talk about how shitty popular music is these days and laugh about his time at MuchMusic before heading out for a pint and exchanging numbers so that we can stay in touch forever...

I HEART GEORGE!

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Odds & Ends & Updates

The last 24 has been a pretty busy time, so I figured what better space to keep everyone up to speed than right here...

My interview with Cabral Richards - TV's Cabbie on the Street is up at Bugs. Gotten some nice feedback from the crew and even earned a few votes at both BallHype and ShowHype for my troubles.

That post was actually my third of the day yesterday at B&C with the other main one being the continuing saga of Barry Bonds, Marc Ecko and Injustice... seriously. People are tossing around terms like injustice, morality and disapprobation about baseball players and balls. I don't even know what that last word means. You can get the latest here.

Somehow, in the process of just riffling through emails last night, I got another job too.

Yours truly is now a proud member and contributor at Epic Carnival, one of the top sports oriented sites around. It boasts a roll call of some of the best from various sites and I'm honoured to have gotten the invite. My debut post should be up some time tomorrow after noon, so go read it and tell them how much you love me...

What else?

I started reading the Don Cheadle / John Pendergrast book "Not On Our Watch" today at Chapters and I gotta say, it's equal parts motivating, depressing, sickening, educational and ultimately exceptionally well done and really, really sad. The situation in Chad / Darfur is dire and has been for years, yet still, nothing is getting done. The book outlines way you can get involved, and I intend to however I can. Learn more by visiting Not On Our Watch.


Other than that, not much to report. Settling in for a quality two hours of television - Grey's followed by flipping between The Hour and Score Tonight to see if I get a shout out for the interview.

Until tomorrow... you stay classy readers!

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The Rundown

I like the idea of having things that will appear on specific days - like the Things I Learned This Week that will appear every Sunday. For one, it makes determining what I'm going to write a little bit easier and two, if it's good, you get used to it and make a habit of coming back, at least on those specific days.

With that in mind, Wednesday is going to become home to The Rundown.

What is The Rundown?

It's going to be a list of five somethings. Top 5 Movies, Top Five Albums, Top Five Songs and on and on and on. But it won't only be mundane, normal stuff like that. What else is going to be covered? Stuff like this week's:

Top Five Man Crushes

I have no problem admitting to having man-crushes. I actually got the idea from my interview with Cabbie, because he used it in reference to his favoute athlete ever Eddie George.

Anyway, on with the show...

5. Robbie Williams, Pop Star
The "fat one" from British Boy Band Take That became a fav well after harmonizing on "I Want You Back." It actually started when I first heard the song "Angels," which has since become a karaoke favourite of mine unfortunately for those in attendance. What is it about Williams that I love? It's the mixture of arrogance, charisma and showmanship coupled with the willingness to be extremely open about who he is and the things he's done. Plus, I'm sure he'd knock back a few pints of the dark with me if I ever ran into him... and that's cool.

4. Johnny Depp, Actor
I actually don't think this one needs much explaining. Anyone who is as ridiculously talented as the former 21 Jump Street star and has the integrity to march to the beat of his own drum is aces in my books.

3. Chuck Klosterman, Writer
Everyone needs to have their model of who'd they aspire to be like and Klosterman is one of mine. It's not just that he is a writer, but also what he writes, how he writes and who he writes for. Beyond his own novels - Fargo Rock City, Sex Drugs & Cocoa Puffs, Killing Yourself to Live and IV - Klosterman writes his own column in Esquire, does numerous guest spots on ESPN and The Magazine and pretty much does it all in the exact same way I one day aspire to.

2. Don Cheadle, Actor / Activist
Listen. You can say whatever you want about whoever you want, but if you say something bad about Don Cheadle, we're fighting. Dude is just lights out every time. He can be funny, serious, part of an ensemble or carry a movie all by himself, which speaks volumes about his talent. But it's more than that. Cheadle is also the co-founder of Not On Our Watch, an organization that focuses global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities as in Darfur and is also very outspoken about racism, an issue close to my heart. Seriously, I'll fight you over Don Cheadle. And he ain't even #1...

1. George Stroumboulopoulos
Every Canadian knows this man or at least they should. Those of us who grew up in and around The GTA met him on The Edge 102.1. Some watched him on The Nation's Music Station, Much Music which I gotta say was painful,, other than The New Music. But where Stroumbo has gotten his most attention - and deservedly so - is as the host of CBC's The Hour. Part talk show, part news magazine, all Stroumbo... it is hands down the best show on Canadian television and one of the best on TV period. YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW PEOPLE! George is intelligent, well-spoken, funny, self-deprecating, sarcastic and just plain effin' awesome. When I grow up, I wanna be George Stroumboulopoulos...

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If there is something you want to see in The Rundown, let me know in the comments section. Nothing is off-limits...

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