The Last Jedi is about character growth, like it or not

[Spoilers, of course]

The interesting thing to me, with regard to the newest movie of the Star Wars anthology, is how many of the criticisms of the film exist because viewers don't like the fact that director Rian Johnson actually made a film rather than another episode of Star Wars.

After seeing The Force Awakens, most viewers said "that was good, I can't wait to see what happens next" whereas after The Last Jedi, anticipation for the 9th movie in the series has been blunted, because there was so much to digest from this movie. While this movie indeed carried on the overarching story, it was also an excellent thematic lesson in and of itself. The themes that the movie bore, most notably of failure and the ability to grow from those failures, allowed characters to develop beyond the archetypes we had already been accustomed to.

Let's take a look at two criticisms in particular, and I'll try to put your mind at ease. First, and most damning, is perhaps the one that came from Mark Hamill himself, who said he disagreed with how Luke Skywalker was portrayed in The Last Jedi, because the Luke he knew would never give up in the face of adversity like the fall of Ben Solo. Never mind the fact that most Star Wars fans remember his origins as a whiny farm boy, but his earlier failures are central to the plot of this particular movie.

If you need any help with this concept, Yoda is there to help spell it out explicitly for you (Aside - the criticism that Yoda seemed to have been shoehorned in to this movie also remain unfounded, because he is so integral to the moral to this story). In order to teach, one must pass along strengths, but also weaknesses and failure. Too late, Luke learned the dangers of hubris, which the Jedi's failures a generation ago should have passed on to him. Now, understanding these lessons, he can and did share those with Rey, and used Kylo Ren's own arrogance and anger against him, in order to stall for time for the Resistance.

A broader question, aside from the implications of the Force and the Jedi, is what the heck did the Finn/Rose story have to do with anything? Many people have said that they would have been ok with their story line had they been successful, but frankly, they had to fail. The point of their mission was to fail.

There were three important characters that needed to be a part of this story line. The first is Poe Dameron, who slowly saw the light as the movie progressed. He achieved an early success, destroying a dreadnaught in the opening scenes of the movie, but was reprimanded for the high cost of the attack. Shortly thereafter, an attack on the bridge killed most of the top leadership, including Admiral Ackbar, and severely wounded Leia (in a scene that I am growing more comfortable with) putting Admiral Holdo in charge, as a character that Poe did not know or trust.

Holdo had the best intentions in mind, but Poe remained unconvinced, and dispatched Finn and Rose on their mission to Canto Bight. Ultimately, he learned that patience would have been rewarded, and his brashness led to a further decimation of the resistance as transports were destroyed after the betrayal of the coder. By the end of the movie, on Canto Bight, Poe made two decisions that showed he now understood the value of assessing potential costs with gains, and patiently waiting for all information to come available.

The second character is more obviously Finn. Upon awaking from a medical stasis, he immediately wants to know the status of Rey. To him, the galaxy is mostly about him, and the woman who first ever treated him like a human being. His goal upon encountering Rose was to take the tracking beacon away from the Resistance fleet.

Being sent to Canto Bight with Rose opened his eyes to the plight in the galaxy. Yes, he could not fight those that he did not hate, but now, he learned that the Resistance wasn't fighting because they hated the First Order, necessarily, but because people like the stable hands needed the support of those stronger than them. By the end of the movie, the cause for Finn was no longer vengeance or self preservation, but doing right for those that needed help. Rose put it best when she told him that the war would be won by protecting who they love, not killing who they hated.

And that brings us to Rose, who was introduced to us in this movie, and might just be the most underappreciated character in The Last Jedi. Really, she is at the heart of where I think the franchise is headed. She is the every-woman, brought up from the lowest rungs of society to a mechanic's role in the Resistance. She comes from nowhere, like Rey, but without the sensitivity to the Force. In a movie that lays bare the failures of the doctrinal Force teachings, her heart and determination are the characteristics that drive any success in this movie.

That, I believe, is where this franchise is heading with episode 9. The only Skywalkers left are Leia and Kylo Ren. This franchise, then, is no longer about the Skywalkers, but rather about the Galaxy. The Force is guided by the Light and the Dark, but the Galaxy, like humanity, has Good and Evil at his poles. Unlike the Force, which requires balance, inherent Good doesn't require Evil to rise to its equal. This movie sets up the possibility of so many stories outside the characters we know, and sets up a climax in which the Galaxy, not necessarily a particular character or bloodline, prevails.

College football is still broken

Do you know how I know that college football is broken? The college football playoff remains an absurd, arbitrary  waste of time. There was, as I'm sure most everyone has heard, a vociferous debate as to whether or not the Alabama Crimson Tide should claim the final spot, or the Ohio State Buckeyes.
I think for most people who watch the games and have followed the season, and those that just want the best teams in the playoffs, it was an easy choice. Alabama is a more talented team than Ohio State, and deserved a spot in the playoffs over the Buckeyes.
Of course, if you think that what a team accomplished during the season is what should qualify a team for the playoffs, then Ohio State should be in the playoffs, as they were in the Big Ten Championship. But then, if winning during the season is important, what disqualified UCF, who was undefeated? And why was Wisconsin viewed so begrudgingly?
And if winning a conference was so damn important, why wasn't Auburn even considered? Alabama didn't even win their own division, falling behind their cross state rivals. Georgia, who won the SEC, did indeed make it to the playoff, but then they skipped over the runner up to get to the next best team, because people just said they were better.
That's why UCF wasn't considered, by the way. There was no way they could have made playoff, no matter how well they played, because they were in the wrong conference. If the ultimate goal was a national championship, then UCF wasted their time. So much for "proving it on the field".
Sure, there is still a four team playoff, but getting there is still fairly arbitrary. This year proved that college football still needs to be mended. If the third place team in a conference gets into the playoff when conference champs are dismissed out of hand, or a team has no means to get to the finale through their own virtue.
If fans or the NCAA want to crown a champion, they need to ensure that every team has a legitimate chance at that championship. The only way to do this, and I've said it thousands of times, is to automatically include every conference champion in a playoff at a bare minimum, before adding wild cards or at larges.
That's 10 conferences. Add a pair of wild cards (so Wisconsin and Alabama this year) to round it out at 12, and THEN let it be played out on the field. Otherwise, the national championship is still just a beauty pageant, and the most enjoyable tactic for fans of particular teams is to keep interest provinicial and follow the home town team or alma mater. UCF won American Conference. Wisconsin won the Big Ten West. Auburn won the Iron Bowl. That should matter, and it's more fun when it does.

Stability and success

One thing that has been a real problem for the Blackburn Rovers ever since Venky's took ownership of the team is the absolute turmoil atop the team. They took control of the team in 2010, and have averaged a new manager every season, although that number is skewed heavily by the whirlwind of 2012-13 when Henning Berg and Michael Appleton combined to manage for 124 days after the team had been relegated under Steve Kean's leadership.
Then, the Rovers simply swapped out their manager every year after that, it seemed. Paul Lambert left of his own accord, not wanting anything to do with he mess in Blackburn, but all others were let go by the team. Last year, Owen Coyle was fired and Tony Mowbray was hired, but not before the damage was done, and the Rovers were again relegated.
Then, Venky's did something crazy: nothing. Mowbray, a fairly popular manager, was allowed to keep his job, and perhaps because of the stability, there weren't nearly as many significant departures as one might expect during the summer transfer window, though there were a few midfielders and backliners that found work elsewhere.
More impressive was the investment in the attackers. They signed all three of their leading scorers, Dominic Samuel, Bradley Dack and Joe Nuttall just in the last few months, including an impressive outlay for Dack. This is a completely different change from the disinterest Venky's showed for years.
And how is it working? You'll have to forgive them if it isn't perfect, but they are only one point out of the playoffs with two games in hand. Sure, they now play on the third tier, but this "patience" and "trying" thing seems to be working.

Ranking the teams in the Steve Miller Baseball League

I've had this dumb idea since Friday. Here is the dumb idea:

Idea: A baseball league in which all teams are named after things Steve Miller calls himself in "The Joker"

— Ryan Henning (@RhinoandCompass) October 19, 2017

If you don't know "The Joker" by Steve Miller, well, you probably do.

There has been some positive response to this idea, so I will do you all the service of ranking all the nicknames of the Steve Miller Baseball League from best to worst.
1. Space Cowboys
2. Midnight Tokers
3. Gangsters of Love
4. The Sinners
5. The Smokers
6. Maurice
7. The Pickers
8. The Jokers
9. The Lovers
10. The Grinners.

Maybe we can get one of those short season leagues with college players going in the Plains. Valentine, Nebraska is calling out for a team called "The Lovers"

Lafayette redevelops with a foot in the past and in the future

The city of Lafayette, Indiana, opposite the Wabash River from the college town of West Lafayette, is an old, history laden town, reflective of the nearby Rust Belt more so than its contemporary suburb to the west. Lafayette, being the larger town, has always tried to establish itself as an important regional center, independent of its neighbor, despite sharing its name.

West Lafayette is a constant state of rejuvenation because of its transient and youthful population. Cash comes into the town, through the state university and the tuition that comes from Chicago,Indianapolis and further afield. Lafayette sees a little bit of an economic boost, as the city hosts some student housing, and downtown is right across the river from some of Purdue's Greek residences, but for the most part, Lafayette is on its own.

Because of the stability of Lafayette's population, as opposed to the transience in West Lafayette, there is a greater stake in any redevelopment, with an overwhelming demand for long term utility, as opposed to cashing in on the latest craze. Despite a lower amount of cash flow for residents of Lafayette, the economy is reliable, and residents are able to be patient and considerate when looking forward.

Lafayette's 5 points intersection

Lafayette is home to some important manufacturers, with Subaru, Caterpillar and Alcoa, among others, all maintaining operations there. The town's history as a railroad and river town make it a historic hub for unrefined raw materials as well, with everything from grain to chemicals all passing through the region.

While the downtown area frequently sees new vendors move in, thanks to the easy accessibility from Purdue's campus, the rest of the city has remained in something of a stasis, aside from the burgeoning population at the outer reaches of the city and the fleet of chain restaurants along I-65. The growth at the outer reaches of the city, unlike the updates that West Lafayette sees, has more to do with the similar expansion of its corporate operators, rather than the success of Purdue University. 

With that in mind, the city of Lafayette is attempting to update some of the older portions of town, so as to accommodate a growing population, and to maintain the city's livability for residents who haven't spent their entire life in this little corner of Indiana. Lafayette, most importantly, is trying to stay Lafayette, rather than having its image being covered up by West Lafayette.

The most ambitious part of their redevelopment is the Five Points intersection just at the top of the hill coming out of the immediate Wabash Valley, and nearly approaching the suburban/interstate sprawl of I-65. It is essentially the outermost reaches of the original Lafayette.

Another factor in the desire to renovate this particular part of town, at the multi-faceted intersection of Main, South and 18th Street is that it is the nexus of many routes passing through town, connecting many different neighborhoods, including downtown, the Interstate sprawl, the neighborhoods to the north and retail to the south. It's a high traffic tract of land.

The 5 Points intersection of days past

With the renovations of Columbian Park nearby, the Five Points segment of the city can be a showpiece for the city of Lafayette. Most to the point, with the visibility, coupled with its central location and distance from Lafayette's younger, hipper neighbor, this is a development that can be Lafayette.

Right now, the city of Lafayette is rightly looking at the existing structures In the area in an attempt to renovate, rather than replace those buildings. There are a few notable historic buildings in the neighborhood, including a former firehouse that now serves as a municipal museum. One relic of the past that the city will likely try to amend is the nightmare inducing intersection itself.

West of the intersection, highway 26 splits to become the two primary, one way arteries through downtown Lafayette. 26, or South Street, then intersects with 18th Street a few hundred feet later, while 18th, continuing South from 26, intersects with Main Street, which continues northwest to encounter South Street where it splits. Confused? Why wouldn't you be?

I'm no city planner, but this junction, this confused mess, would be well served by being reorganized into a square or plaza, to account for all of the intersecting roads, and to get cars to slow down for local businesses. Never mind the central location, and the connectedness of the roadways, the platting of this area commands attention all its own.

Five Points represents what could be an important inflection point in the city. It depends on how deeply Lafayette commits to the changes for the region. Will they spruce up the historic structures that occupy the intersection now? Or will it be completely gutted, turning the intersection into a modern focal point for the Greater Lafayette area, complete with reworked traffic patterns and all new commercial structures?

Right now, it appears that the city will move towards the former option, which makes sense. Lafayette is latching on to its past and moving forward as its own pace. Lafayette will be Lafayette, and nothing more. 

Halloween is the worst movie time

I like a lot of movies. I like good movies. I like bad movies. I like sci fi, espionage, mystery, comedy and even the occasional romantic-type movie. I don't care for horror, though. I'm not going to see It, even though it's getting phenomenal reviews, and I'm not going to go on a binge catching up with classic horror movies of yore.
I don't mind going to movies that scare me, or startle me, so long as there is a reasonable explanation to whatever spooked me. There was a killer on the loose or something like that. Demons aren't real. Ghosts aren't real.
 Like I lead with in my categorical run down of movies I like, I like sci fi. Generally speaking, the contents of those movies are pretty fictitious. Star Wars is great, and that series is based on an entire fictional galaxy. But Star Wars isn't out to scare me.
So I don't mind being scared, and I don't mind movies with a little bit of imagination in their premise, but I don't like it when the two are paired. If I am totally honest, I guess, the truth is I don't like being afraid of things that aren't real. I don't want to lay awake thinking about ghosts or devil clowns, because they don't exist.
But damn, if they exist in my mind when I'm trying to sleep. Halloween movies are the worst.

Crowning a 2016 champion - The Rhino and Compass college football simulation

Back in the headier, more earnest days of my blogging career, back when I was still working with Steve Pallotto on a more regular basis, we sought out to change college football. There was one major flaw, as we saw it, with how the game crowned a champion. 1) Preseason polls and opinion had way too much to do with who was ultimately granted a chance to compete for the national title. So how do you eradicate opinion and rely solely on performance? Ensure that only conference champions make a post season tournament, and seed those teams based on record and the strength of their conference. 

So we made 12 conference, later upped to 16, thanks to a change in NCAA membership, with conferences based on geography, and set non conference schedules (to determine those conference strength metrics) based on a team's record the prior year, not unlike the NFL. Conference champions were measured only on their in-conference schedule.

I couldn't find recaps from last year, so that's probably good news for you, but as we get going into the 2017 session, I do have a look at who won the 2016 Rhino and Compass football simulation. Rather than boiling down the conferences, team by team, (you can ask for details if you want them later, you weirdos) why don't I instead just run through the champions and the post season tournament? Oh, all right, here are two teams I will mention: Minnesota finished 6-6 (4-3 in conference) in the Midwest, and finished 5th, while Purdue went 5-7 (1-6) in the Great Lakes. OK, here are the champs, with their post season ranking.
1. Oklahoma
2. LSU

3. Miami (FL)

4. Western Michigan

5. Utah

6. USC

7. North Carolina

8. Western Kentucky

9. Pittsburgh

10. Georgia

11. Mississippi

12. Ohio State.

13. Oregon

14. Wisconsin

15. Colorado State

16. Temple

First off, there were some obvious surprises out of this list, particularly when compared to the actual results of the season. Alabama was bumped by Mississippi, Florida State couldn't overtake Miami, Penn State was beaten by Pitt, Clemson was unable to challenge Georgia, Oregon topped Washington and Colorado State succeeded over Colorado. 

Within our closed system, though, things went mostly according to seed in the first round of the playoffs. There was one upset, #15 Colorado State eliminating LSU in the first round, but otherwise, all the lower seeds won. 

The same could be said for the quarterfinals. Western Michigan took three OTs to top Utah in the best game of the set, while Oklahoma only narrowly defeated Western Kentucky. North Carolina and Miami (FL) had easier times with their opponents.

Western Michigan made it to the Cotton Bowl in real life last year, losing in a better game than had been expected to the Wisconsin Badgers. Miami went to the Russell Athletic Bowl, defeating West Virginia when they got there. In our simulation, they both made it to the National Championship game, Western by defeating Oklahoma rather handily, and Miami requiring double OT to dispatch North Carolina.

In the end, it was the Miami Hurricanes who took down Western Michigan for the national title (Rhino and Compass style, at any rate), collecting a 44-20 victory. For the record, Miami also defeated Wisconsin in the playoffs, way back in the first round of our tournament. Can they repeat in 2017? Find out in a few months.