Blog #100 - Get to know the Bean behind Bean's Blog - Personal Power Rankings

My word, does time fly or what? Feels like just yesterday I started this Blog Page, thinking I'd get a handful of followers and maybe 3-5 views per blog. Since creating the page in March, over less than 7 months, we've accumulated 250+ followers, 14 blogs of 40+ views, all-time highs in Site Sessions and Unique Visitors, and 100+ Monthly visitors. It's crazy to think I used to write these in a Google Doc to myself -- a way to blow off steam. And now I'm spewing those thoughts to other people -- a dangerous notion -- but something's I'm extremely grateful for.

In trying to think of a way to Celebrate Blog #100 -- I wanted something that gave readers more information about the man behind the blog. And what better way to do so than with our favorite Thursday Segment -- Power Rankings. So today, I'll be giving a much more brief version of PRT -- covering several topics of interest to me, giving you my personal picks, short blurbs, and more context to the writer of these blogs.

This is also a send-off for Power Ranking Thursday as we'll be taking a hiatus from this segment -- Football season in full swing, basketball on the way -- we need to return to this segment in the offseason. Without further ado, The "Get to know the Bean behind Bean's Blog" Power Ranking Extravaganza! My personal favorites from my personal favorite Topics.

Favorite TV Shows of All Time

1. The Sopranos

2. Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul

3. The Wire

4. Game of Thrones

5. Peaky Blinders

6. Succession

7. Band of Brothers

8. Barry

9. Entourage

10. Andor

The Top 6 (really 7) can move around any day, but that's my Golden Group. Rewatching The Sopranos with Emily and reading the Oral History has reminded me how smart, hilarious, and before-it's-time this show was. Breaking Bad had the biggest moments and was such a phenomenon and ground-breaker in TV -- and I think Better Call Saul in some ways is even better as a follow-up. The Wire is just an all-time Character-show, a gripping and alarming portrayal of that world.

Game of Thrones Seasons 1-6 is peak television that fell off, but deserves shine for how shocking, ballsy, and well-acted it was. Peaky Blinders is a personal favorite -- Tommy Shelby played by Cillian Murphy will always be my GOAT. Succession is a modern masterpiece -- a return to the hilarious, dramatic HBO Sunday Night Show (Sopranos-esque to me).

Personal preference with the last spots -- Band of Brothers is as encompassing and terrifying as any show I've ever seen. Barry is catered to my exact taste -- dark, hilarious, original and beautifully-shot. Entourage is an all-time vibes show that makes me laugh to no end. And Andor is the best written IP show or movie of all time, and can't be understated how prevalent to real-life/current day it is (even for a Star Wars show).

Favorite Movies of All Time

• The Departed

• Inglourious Basterds

• Moneyball

• The Dark Knight

• Good Will Hunting

• The Social Network

• No Country for Old Men

• Boogie Nights

• The Wolf of Wall Street

• Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back

• Avengers: Infinity War

• One Battle After Another

Genuinely tried to rank these 1-10 but couldn't do it -- so just a bulleted-list for Movies. I added One Battle After Another after seeing it last week to be a prisoner of the moment, and also as an advertisement to go see this movie ASAP because it fucking rules. But any movie you see here is an absolute classic and is more than deserving of your time if you haven't seen any of them.

Favorite Foods

1. Pizza

2. Smash-burgers

3. Shrimp Fajitas (or Nachos/Quesadilla/Taco/etc)

4. Sushi

5. Vodka Sauce Pasta

Switching from the Living Room to the Kitchen -- my 5 favorite foods. Pizza is the chalk pick, but it's undeniable. If I had to pick one style of Pizza, it'd be New York Style -- but I've never tried the coal-fire New Haven style. Thin > Thick crust always (although Detroit style also rips).

Smash-burgers double as a favorite and what I think I'm best at cooking -- so long as I have a Blackstone. Thinly-sliced onions and Jalepenos down first, smash a patty into the veggies, American cheese always. Burger sauce + pickles and bacon if you got it -- unmatched.

I started getting Shrimp at Mexican restaurants in High School and now it's literally the only thing I'll order at one. I used to be all Nachos -- now I rotate between Chos, Fajitas, Enchiladas, and quesadillas. I got a shrimp burrito last week with fajita veggies smothered in queso and I saw God.

Sushi is another late-blooming food interest of mine, but it's soared up my list since. And I don't even think I've had super high-quality Sushi -- I'm more of a Sushi AI all-you-can-eat type of guy. And I'd have zero problem taking down 5 rolls and some Crab Rangoons there.

And since I felt childish picking mac & cheese at #5, I went with the adult version: penne a la vodka. A nice spicy vodka sauce is as good as it gets on pasta -- and I don't discriminate on noodles, but prefer a rigatoni or penne or rotini for mine.

Favorite Alcoholic Beverages

1. Espresso Martini

2. Moscow Mule

3. Whiskey Sour

4. Beach Bum

5. Margarita

I wish I could be the cool guy who orders an Old Fashioned or Bourbon on the rocks. And I'll do it occasionally, but I'd be lying to myself and all my loyal readers if I said I wouldn't rather sip an Espresso Martini. Whether I just need a kickstart of energy or am trying to feel classy, can never go wrong (Napoli III, Basso, Cooper's Hawk have my favorites for you St. Chuckster's).

Moscow Mule is a classic -- Emily likes to swap out the vodka for tequila for a Mexican Mule, and I'll get ignorant on those any night. Whiskey sour isn't one I go for super often, but is my new go to if I feel like a whiskey drink. Kona Big Wave is my favorite beer, and the only thing that elevates it is going half-and-half with a Mango Cart for a Beach Bum. And lastly, the classic margarita -- always on the rocks never frozen -- always normal not spicy like my girlfriend and mother prefer.

Favorite Country Singers

1. Thomas Rhett

2. Luke Combs

3. Morgan Wallen

4. Kenny Chesney

5. Jason Aldean

3 currents and 2 classics for this Top 5. I have more Thomas Rhett on my playlist than any other artists, and Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen are right behind (Wallen being a classic example of being a much "Better Musician than Person" as Pardon My Take likes to say about athletes). Kenny Chesney was my family's #1, so I listened to a ton of him growing up. Jason Aldean was the 1st country singer I remember liking without family-influence (and Zach Brown Band - 1st concert).

Favorite Rappers/Hip-Hop Artists

1. Drake

2. Juice Wrld

3. Post Malone

4. Lil Uzi Vert

5. Lil Dicky

Another chalky #1 pick I know -- Drake is essentially the Pizza of the rap world. But the guy's got a list a mile-long of hit songs, what can I say. Juice Wrld (RIP) was the late high school-early college obsession -- I still remember when a friend of mine found a Soundcloud playlist of unreleased songs that we'd listen to non-stop. Post Malone has just been steadily pumping out great songs for so long -- White Iverson was the 1st to me and I've been hooked ever since. Lil Uzi Vert was THE High School rapper -- every single house party, it was Lil Uzi Vert playing.

And Lil Dicky is my guilty pleasure pick -- Emily laughs every time one of his songs comes on from my playlist. But I genuinely like his songs and have forever. From the Youtube music videos and freestyles to his latest album with a bunch of songs from his show Dave -- I'm happily a 0.001% fan according to Spotify last year.

Favorite Podcasts

1. Pardon My Take (Sports)

2. The Ryen Russillo Show (Sports)

3. The Big Picture Podcast (Movies)

4. The Watch (TV)

5. A New Untold Story / Your Mom's House (Comedy)

These 3 categories are the Spotify-Rankings before we get into the Home Stretch with all sports Rankings. PMT is mine and every other 20-something dude's favorite Sports podcast. PMT gives me the entertaining/funny stuff, Ryen Russillo gives me the deeper analysis -- as well as quality life advice. The Big Picture is my 1st listen anytime I leave a movie theater and need a recap, and they do great movie drafts. The Watch keeps me up to speed in the TV world, and ANUS and YMH keep me laughing non-stop.

Favorite Cubs Players

1. Anthony Rizzo

2. Derrek Lee

3. Kris Bryant

4. Carlos Zambrano

5. Kyle Hendricks

I'll be quick Cardinals fans (or skip ahead for all I care, you scumbags). Anthony Rizzo is Mr. Cub, I'll love that man till the day I die, he was everything to this organization. Derrek Lee is who got me into Cubs baseball -- Tall ass 1st Baseman that did everything well. Kris Bryant not only helped bring home a World Series, but an MVP and ROTY as well. The Big Z is the coolest player I've ever seen -- big motherfucker, threw gas, switch-hit at the plate, and hit fucking NUKES. And Kyle Hendricks, the Professor. Unsung hero of the World Series, precision > power pitching, and absolutely owned the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Honorable Mention Kyle Schwarber, greatest home run I've ever seen in the 2015 NLDS beating the birds.

Favorite North Carolina / Iowa Athletes

1. Tyler Hansbrough

2. Luka Garza

3. Armando Bacot

4. Kennedy Meeks

5. Brady Manek

6. Jordan Bohanon

7. Cooper DeJean

8. Peter Jok

Thought 4 from each team was fair. Hansbrough is the greatest college basketball player of the 2000s, made a young Bean a UNC fan. Luka Garza is the 2nd best CBB Player of the 2000s (argue with a wall) and led my favorite Hawkeyes' teams ever. Armando Bacot bleeds Carolina Blue and was a consistent force. Kennedy Meeks was on a Title Team and was physically my favorite player on those teams (meaning he was enormous and I loved that). Brady Manek made me believe in miracles in March of 2022. Jordan Bohanon is a legend and stalwart that gave his all to Iowa. Peter Jok was the smoothest, most badass Hawkeye Hooper I watched in the 2010s.

Favorite Blues Players

1. TJ Oshie

2. Pat Maroon

3. Alex Pietrangelo

4. Ryan O'Reilly

5. Jordan Binnington

I'm not the biggest hockey guy in the world, but I do love the Blues, and some of my favorite memories in College were from watching the Blues during their magical Stanley Cup Run. Binnie put the team on his back on several occasions during that run and was the best goaltender on Earth in 2019. Ryan O'Reilly wasn't a Blue for long, but he was the leader of a Stanley Cup Winning-team and took home the Conn Smythe. Pietrangelo to me (IDK if this is backed by facts) was the carry-over guy from the mid-2010s to the 2019 team, was the captain, and is a Blues legend. And I don't give a fuck how good Pat Maroon really was as at hockey -- that guys bleeds blue and gold, is the hometown kid, and scored the biggest goal in the history of the franchise as far as I'm concerned.

But my all-time favorite, despite not being apart of the team that brough a Cup to St. Louis, will always be TJ Oshie. He was a fan-favorite with the teams and is who I was drawn to the most when I first started watching Blues Hockey, and even if it wasn't for the organization, his Olympics performance in 2014 made him a legend. Oshie is a Blue for life.

Favorite NFL Players

1. Steven Jackson

2. Calvin Johnson (Megatron)

3. Cam Newton

4. Luke Kuechly

5. AJ Green

Gonna try to cook through the next 3 -- Steven Jackson was St. Louis Rams football in my childhood (I sadly missed the boat of the Super Bowl team). Megatron was my idol growing up and made me want to play football. Cam Newton was so fucking cool to a 14-15 year old obsessed with football -- so different. Luke Kuechly was a monster, made every tackle and did everything right at LB. And AJ Green was a freak of nature, thought he'd go down as one of the greats.

Favorite NBA Players

1. Russell Westbrook

2. Nikola Jokic

3. Derrick Rose

4. Zach Randolph

5. Kenneth Faried

Russ gets the #1 spot for his absolutely dominant years in OKC -- often the butt of the joke now, but his prime was unbelievable and he's overly disrespected (Fuck you KD). Jokic is my current favorite player because I've never seen someone play like him -- his passing is other-worldly and he's the most skilled guy I've ever seen. Young Derrick Rose played so much like Russ and I loved watching his Bulls teams. ZBO was a junkyard dog -- not real athletic, but strong as fuck and skilled beyond belief. And the Man-imal Kenneth Faried is my personal pick -- I've never seen a more ferocious rebounder in my life.

Favorite MLB Players (Non-Cubs)

1. Hanley Ramirez

2. Carlos Gonzales

3. David Ortiz

4. Prince Fielder

5. Felix Hernandez

I thought Hanley Ramirez was the coolest motherfucker to ever walk on a baseball field. Swaggy, fast, hit for power. Carlos Gonzales, CarGo, was an electric factory. Blazing speed, punished baseballs in Denver -- as 5-tool a player as they come (I really liked that 2010 Rockies team with him, Tulo and Matt Holliday). Big Papi was that DUDE, and he and Prince Fielder were birds of a feather (big motherfuckers that utterly raked baseballs). And Felix Hernandez is the pitcher I was always most drawn to -- maybe because he didn't pitch against the Cubs much -- but he threw GAS and had so much swag on the mound.

Most Hated Athletes

1. Grayson Allen

2. Willson Contreras

3. Yadier Molina

4. Kyle Singler

5. Draymond Green

And finally, the last category, and probably the most important -- my most hated athletes. 2 Dukies, 2 Cardinals, and one loud-mouthed, dirty basketball player.

Grayson Allen made me feel hatred that I didn't know was possible, especially for a person I have never/will never meet. The fact that he stuck around Duke, played on great teams (won a Natty I'd like to forget about), and was such a smug, dirty-playing douchebag that Duke fans love, fuels a hate that will never end. Kyle Singler was on OG-hate for me, taught me a lot about what it takes to be a hater. This guy just had one of those faces you'd pay any amount of money to sock repeatedly.

The two Cards here -- Yadi Molina and Willson Contreras -- are hated for very different reasons. I hate Yadi because he was terrific at his job -- he was great against the Cubs, he was probably the best defensive catcher ever, he was part of an era for the Cards where they dominated the division. Willson Contreras on the other hand, is a traitorous cocksucker that should be tarred and feathered. Left the Cubs after being a part of a World Series team, saying he wanted to be part of a "better organization." Since his arrival, he's led that "better organization" to 3 straight seasons of missing the playoffs. Fuck you forever, Willson.

And Lastly, good ol' Draymond Green closes things out on this list. Draymond was a hell of a basketball player -- for about 3 1/2 seasons. He'd be in an "Inside the NBA" segment of Shaq trying to name "who he play for" if he wasn't drafted to Steph Curry's team. He made his mark as a defender, and a very good one at that. But the last 5 years, because of what he did in the Warriors runs, he has been an absolute hack who gets a favorable whistle because he screams at refs like a child. Over-rated, undeserving of his success, dirty, delusional asshole. That is all.

PHEW! If you made it this far -- please know that I appreciate you and your support of this page. And if there are any topics you're interested in reading about for future blogs, please let me know!