Marty Stuart  - Hillbilly Rock - 1990 -  (Album - Hillbilly Rock)

The 90's had all kinds of stars and Marty Stuart was a true original.  With a bunch of hits over the years, he had a great following. This is a very cool song that was as much fun to play on the radio as it was to hear on the radio.  It was a short, catchy little song with a "big bass" bouncy bass line, dancy beat and it was almost impossible not to sing with.  It has that bluesy riff, great vocals and backing vocals too.  It was just "cool".  Marty Stuart was one of those guys too, with his loud signature clothing choices, hair style, and his "way",  he was also just flat out "cool."  Stuart also became an incredible ambassador for country music for many years.  It is no surprise that his very successful style of marrying many types of music was exceedingly respected within the music undustry as he is a five time Grammy Winner, and he's in the Country Music Hall Of Fame.  Im a fan.  This is one of the really great songs at the start of country's biggest decade.  Marty Stuart is a terrific artist and you can see him this summer with Hank Williams Jr at Blossom!

This past Friday morning, I got the gut-wrenching news that the good-est boy ever, my childhood pup at my dad's house, Spike, had passed away. He died peacefully around midnight on Thursday, accompanied by my father and his "sister," Moosey.

Spikey, also known as Ralph or whatever other random name we wanted to call him in the moment, was born half Miniature Pinscher and half Chihuahua. His little stature contradicted so perfectly with his big dog mentally, as he would bark at everything and act like he was a real tough guy despite his ability to fit in a medium-sized purse. Spike was brought up around my all-time favorite canine, Molly, our white German Shepard. When she went to go live on that farm up in the sky, Spike needed another companion; and that's where the Moose came in.

Spikey was always a momma's boy to our dearly departed Sandy, my father's long-term spouse, and he had such a zest for life even in his elder years! I could go on and on about the memories made with that little pup by our side, but my favorite times were whenever we would all go fishing together. He loved going on car rides to anywhere, and I hope one day to have my own dog like him in that and so many other ways. He was a buddy to everybody once he got to know them, and every person who met Spike surely felt the same.

Ralph lived to the old age of 18 or 19, depending on who you ask, and had a good life showered in affection. I would always joke with my dad that I was coming down to his place not to visit with him, but with the dogs. The day prior to Spike's last, my father told me he was nearing the end, and I can't help but feel guilty for not having gone to say my goodbyes. I thought that maybe if I didn't acknowledge it maybe he'd just bounce back like he has before. Truth be told, he's been on his deathbed for years now, or at least that's what the vet has told us before. With this on my mind, I've long been appreciative of every moment I have gotten to spend with him.

I was only five years old when Spike entered into my life and my heart, and I really can't remember a time without him. As silly as it sounds, I thought he would be around forever and always. Spikey's up there with Molly and Sandy now trotting around in the fields of glory and enjoying as many soft tacos and plates of spaghetti as his little heart desires. Although I'm relieved to know he can finally rest and reuinte with his dog-mom, he will be missed dearly. I'm all torn up....

Rest in Paradise, Spike.

#2 - Keith Whitley - I'm No Stranger To The Rain - 1989

Keith Whitley deserves a lot of credit for a lot of good things.  He debuted in 1985 and Country didn't know it yet, but it was looking for a few heroes to show up and change the path of country.  Whitley, Randy Travis and others all hit about the same time to set the stage for the Neo-Traditionalists movement.  Fans loved Whitley for every reason there is to love a new superstar.  This was the last single released during his lifetime, as he died suddenly at 34. This song was a #1, and was the CMA Single Of The Year for 1989. This song is the perfect country song about tough times and overcoming them. It struck a nerve with many battling demons as Whitley quietly was.  It's a song of strength, resolve and the ongoing battle that simmers slightly below the surface for many.  His delivery on this is perfect, the song is beautiful and the message is clear. Songs this honest, relatable and good is the reason why millions of us love country music.  It speaks for many, and makes others feel empathy for many and it is a testimony for good.  This was in the middle of an incredible run of #1 songs he had going, as he was just starting to sing along side the new superstars he paved the way for before his very sad and untimely death.  This song is better than most songs of any kind, it's fantastic and so was he. Keith Whitley with his relatively short run, is in the Country Music Hall Of Fame.  This is a country music masterpiece.

The ONLY reason this isn't my #1 - Because #1 is one of the most played songs of any kind of the 20th century on radio and was a #1 song in virtually every country on earth at one time or another over the course of many years.

Last Week #3

My Full Profile On Keith Whitley

It's really that time of the year. We are ordering pizza all the time with football, and indoor parties and when we are SICK of cooking.  Then there are the leftovers and you can't wait to eat them.  I am not big on cold pizza as many are.  I mean, I'll eat it, but I prefer it hot.  But getting that right is tough.  There methods that can make it better, and in some cases, better than the first time around.

Check This OUT!

The ONLY And PROPER Way To Reheat Pizza

For my entire life I never remember us being a good west coast team, new Browns or old.  Losing to the Rams is not unheard of as they did win the Superbowl a few years back.  But truth be told, this week and last at Denver, we didn't lose to the Broncos or Rams, we lost to the Sean's.  Sean Payton and Sean McVay, two Superbowl winning coaches that saw us coming and constructed very confident game plans against us, knowing as coaches and organizations, they clearly had the upper hand.

It would be easy to sit here and bash Stefanski, but being honest, that's not fair, nor productive. Taking nothing away from Stefanski, the two Sean's are just light years ahead of him and both have far less talented rosters than us.  Let's clear this up right here. The Browns have significant injuries to many pivotal players and that can't be hidden or minimized.  We're playing a QB that was on his couch two weeks ago resting his 38 year old self.  But Joe Flacco played extremely well and didn't embarrass himself or the Browns. He looked really good considering.

I knew each of the last two games would be tough for us to win, because good NFL coaches know it's December and know how to win games that need to be won.  Both Sean's devised game plans that used our strengths against us and that's the sign of real football IQ.  They both knew the tendencies and predictability of our staff and counted on them to play into their hands, and we did in both games. They each knew that we want to throw the ball as much as possible with two QB's that are different, one being a rookie and one being rusty and we did. In the last two games, we threw about 90 passes and just scored 31 points total.  Only about 3 teams have run the ball as well as us in the entire NFL, and yet we refuse to do it to control the game. 

The Broncos and Rams both knew that going in. They knew that we would NOT play to our own strengths, even under these incredible circumstances of injuries and with new or geriatric QB's.  They were counting on the desire for us to implement a passing game that overall has not been effective all year.  We did it, and we lost.  It's just being outsmarted by far better football people that know you better than you know them - and know you better than you know yourself.  They breathed a sigh of relief we had no desire to figure it out.  They also have their first team QB's on the field and we don't.  But the coaches haven't gotten that memo yet.

Over the course of time our defense gets worn down, and plays poorly late and that's a problem. They're an attacking bunch and they have a tough time late in games when we can't move the ball or we turn it over.  No one has turned the ball over more than us in the NFL.  And you get that when you have injuries, third stringers playing and players being asked to do things that are not their strengths.  We're not scoring points and we're not this offensive machine we think we are.  But we're determined to prepare that way.

And here come the Jags with Doug Pederson who is another fantastic head coach.  He took the Jags from the outhouse, to a playoff win last year and then gave the Chiefs all the could handle in the playoffs before bowing out.  They are good, they are trying to get playoff games too and they're going to want to beat the Browns.  He's a good football man and this is critical for the Browns with many teams we are wrestling with for the playoffs having easier games this week than us.  But the Jags may be dealing with their own injured QB issues today.

And BTW - name a starting QB.  You're fooling no one except yourself thinking this strategy makes a difference. The Jags couldn't care less.

BUT through it all, the Browns still have their destiny in their own hands. Just win and things take care of themselves.  But winning in the NFL is hard when good competition is standing in your way.   And even harder when you're standing in your own way.

GO BROWNS

In case you missed some of my articles this week on WQMX.com, here is a recap. Grab a coffee and let's get you caught up. Thanks for reading and listening every day!

BROWNS - Ya Think Ya Know A Guy

Eat Of The Week

50 Favorites From 40+ Years - #3

Forgotten Jukebox - CB-92

Country Music Memory Lane - The Influencers (Revisit)

Wynn At The Movies And More

Box Office Results - Beyonce

#2 – Hunger Games

#3 Godzilla

New This Week - The Oath / The Cello / The Boy and the Heron / Eileen / Poor Things / Magazine Dream

Barbie - Will premiere on Max December 15th

Will Smith - Will star in I Am Legend 2 with Michael B. Jordan

Nicolas Cage - Says he “Has 3 or 4 movies left in him”

Macaulay Culkin  - Got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday.

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane (link)

Also - My 50 Favorites Over 40+ Years This Week #3 (Link)

You read that right! The streaming giant just announced that it will be offering the Grand Theft Auto Definitive Edition Trilogy of games to subscribers via its mobile app. This would include Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. These games were originally released for the PlayStation 2 in the years 2001, 2002, and 2004, respectively. You could also play them on PC or Xbox, but nothing beats a PS2 in my opinion. 

Certain subtle differences can be found between the original games and the Definitive Edition ones, but even as a lifelong player of these specific titles, I hardly notice. I don't know if they added anything at all, but they removed or changed some little things such as content that may not sit as well in 2023 as it did in 2003. 

Last year for Christmas, my brother gifted me a copy of the GTA Definitive Edition trilogy for the Nintendo Switch. I've played it lightly, mostly taking it with me on road trips or wherever I need something to kill a little time. I can only assume the Netflix version will be nearly identical, but I'm curious how playable it will actually be without a controller. I know they offer other games on their app, but most every mobile adaptation of a traditionally controlled video game that I have played is garbage. I guess we'll just have to see, come December 14th when the trilogy will be available on Netflix Games. 

If you're considering playing them all but wondering which one to begin with, I'd have to recommend GTA III since it came out first. As you go newer with the games, the maps get bigger, the gameplay and graphics improve, and the stories become more intricate, offering a progressively immersive experience. Starting with GTA III allows you to appreciate the evolution of the series and witness the advancements in early open-world gaming.

If you're thinking about cracking into just one of the three games, I urge you to go with San Andreas. I consider it an absolute masterpiece; it's one of my all-time favorite videogames, without a doubt! I probably could have mastered an instrument or learned a foreign language in less time than what I've dumped into this specific game through my years, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

When I first saw the headline that Netflix was adding Grand Theft Auto, my mind instantly jumped to the conclusion that they must be making film adaptations of the games. Wouldn't that be so cool? I think so, but unfortunately, it isn't much more than a new platform picking up a few old titles. Still, I appreciate the continued revival of these legendary GTA's and the opportunity Netflix is giving its subscribers to feel like they're in the early 2000's again. Whether it's an original player rekindling their love for the games, flooding themselves with the nostalgia, or a new player experiencing the joy of Rockstar Games' finest for the first time, I love to see it! 

It's what some call thirsty Thursday, so what better time than the present to rank my top ten beers! 

When people ask me what type of beer I like, "cheap" is the best word I can answer with. I'm a simple guy who prefers longnecks over cans, and drafts best of all. I'm not into IPA's, stouts, porters, or any of that fancier or more mature stuff. I generally like an easy-drinking, lower percentage beer over a bolder one with a strong flavor; if you get what I'm saying here. 

So, let's get into this list! I'd really love to hear how you feel about my choices and how they compare to yours. 

10. Coors Light

9. Michelob Ultra

8. Dortmunder Gold

7. Miller Lite

6. Shock Top

5. Busch 

4. Busch Light

3. Coors Banquet 

2. Miller High Life

1. Corona Extra

As always, thank you so much for reading this and for listening to 94.9 WQMX! 

Working the overnights, it's all but necessary for me to have some form of caffeine each shift, and there's hardly anything I prefer more than Monster's Khaotic blend. It's a full flavor "Juice" variant of the drink characterized as Tropical Orange in flavor. For me, it's like a sweet nectar that I must force myself not to slurp down too quickly! It tastes so good, but the flavor it quietly replaced, Khaos, was even better. I miss that and the old Monster Mad Dogs with all my heart. I can't emphasize enough how badly I want those Mad Dogs to come back....

Once or twice a week, I will stop by my local gas station to restock on the Khaotics. I can only carry about four of them at a time to the counter, so that's generally how many I will scoop up while taking advantage of that 2-for-$5 deal you'll commonly find. Unfortunately, I don't think they make multipacks for this variety like they do for other Monsters. Most places I've bought this specific drink from run out of them relatively quickly and are slow to replenish, but somehow this new Marathon I discovered has been reliable. When a store is out of the cans I like best, I gravitate towards Grape NOS if they have them. Otherwise, it's the O.G. black and green cans of Monster. 

I loathe artificial sweeteners and in turn any low calorie, sugar free, low carb, etc. types of energy drinks. It seems as though I'm way in the minority on this however, as there are oodles of options in those categories as opposed to what I call "full-flavor" drinks. As much as I love sweet stuff, I'd rather have water than a diet pop any day of the week. 

Ultimately, I just wanted to give a shoutout to my go-to drink, my nightly friend, Monster Khaotic. If you've never had it but enjoy the original blend of Monster, I'd highly recommend giving it a try! I think it's particularly appealing as a morning time drink with it's orange juice sort-of base flavor. It's a bit more mellow tasting than the original Monsters too and feels less like a battery on your tongue! Whether you drink coffee, energy drinks, or both; let's give a hand for caffeine on this hump day!