We're the Underdogs

This time we got a hunch,
We're the underdogs--Weezer

Weezer's 7th album, Raditude, was released this week. Like the Redskins, Weezer has played a very important role in my life. Steve was responsible for buying the first Weezer album (the blue album) in November 1994 after he saw the video for Buddy Holly, a song that would later be the final song played at my wedding.

I remember sitting in my basement, playing video games with Steve, icing my swollen face post-wisdom teeth removal, hearing the album for the first time. I really enjoyed it, and then the final song, Only in Dreams, came on. An eight minute epic rock masterpiece with a spectacular guitar climax. Its the sound of doves crying on top of Mt. Everest while eating oreo cheesecake. Holy shit, I thought. I was hooked. I loved his band.

Two years later, they released Pinkerton. 10 songs, 28 minutes of pure emo pop power and raw emotion. This was the soundtrack of my long distance relationship and my missing of home. I would listen to it over and over again in my East Quad dorm while trying learn French.

Then the band took a long break so Rivers Cuomo could attend Harvard. In the meantime, Radiohead arguably became my second favorite band behind the Beastie Boys, I graduated college, and finished a year of law school.

After moving back home, I walked into the old Tower Records on Rockville Pike in May of 2001 and picked up the Green album. Very slick, tight, short power pop songs. It lacked the overflowing emotion of Pinkerton, and the guitar solos matched the vocal melodies verbatim, but still a great album that fans underappreciate. That fall, Joey and I went to the Patriot Center to see their show. They kicked ass, and it was cool to see Rivers starting to embrace his inner rock star.

Rivers Cuomo didn't realize how much the fans loved to hear him shred, so in May 2002, the band put out Maladroit, their hardest sound of all the albums. The power pop chords was still there, and there some undeniably great tracks on the album.

The first legitimate question marks with the band arose in 2005 when it released Make Believe. The story is that this is a product of Geffen Records pushing the band around, and that Rivers though of calling it, Either Way, I'm Alright. Though it has some great songs, it starts out with a screamingly blatant attempt at a hit single, Beverly Hills, and gets way, way too syrupy on My Best Friend.

Three years later, they released the Red Album. Everything's going great until track 7, 8, and 9, which were written and sung by the other members of the band. Tragic mistake. The result was a collection of things that didn't feel like an album, especially when considering the 5 bonus tracks itunes provided for the deluxe package, several of which were much better than 7,8,9.

And now Raditude. Its got some genuinely Weezer pop punk. Some great tunes. But the problem is failed attempt at irony or parody with the song Can't Stop Partying, which includes a cameo rap verse from Lil Wayne. Its awful. Its either Weezer's biggest mistake or a middle finger from Rivers Cuomo to his fans who still demand Pinkerton II.

What does this have to do with the Redskins? The Redskins and Weezer are entities that have had past greateness, are still capable of magnificent things, but need to get their mojo back.

This week the Skins visit Atlanta. The last time the Skins played there, Patrick Ramsey rallied them from a 17-0 deficit to win in week 2 2003.

I've said several times now that I'm calling for/envisioning a 3 game winning streak that gets us to 5-5. I have no basis in football or fact to support this. I'm just going with it. I don't know how they get it done, but it will take at least 1 special teams or defensive touchdown.