Apparently the Church of Scientology is ready to claim Tom Cruise (the infamous couch jumper) as it’s own Jesus. No, seriously. According to this article, Leader David Miscavige also believes that in years to come the Mission: Impossible actor will be worshipped like Jesus for his efforts to raise the profile of the religion.

One more thing about Tom Cruise, listen to the reaction of Oprah’s female fans when he gets introduced. Who’s crazier, him or them? If grown women acted like that when you walked into a room, you might go a little off the deep end yourself. These women are lunatics. When they start screaming for Katie Holmes to come out it’s like they’re possessed. If a few of them ran down on stage and threw Katie in a pot of boiling broth and started doing tribal dances around the fire it wouldn’t have been much of a stretch. yikes.

Finally, no Tom Cruise post would be complete without this gem of a video clip. If you’ve never seen it before, Tom gets water squirted at him on a red carpet and proceeds to chastise the perpetrator like he’s his father for what seems like an eternity. You’ll get classic lines like “Why would you do that?”, “Do you like making less of people?”, and “You’re a jerk!”. high comedy.

4 potential Super Bowl matchups.

Patriots-Saints: This is my preferred choice. I’m rooting for the Pats all the way. Casual fans would get behind the Saints. The story of the year versus the football team of the decade.

Patriots-Bears: Rematch from the Super Bowl 21 years ago. This is probably the least sexy of all Super Bowl Matchups, so CBS is hoping it doesnt turn out this way.

Colts-Bears: Uber-offense versus Uber-defense. Manning going for his first title against one of the best defenses in the league. I’d least like to see this matchup.
Colts-Saints: Two high-powered offenses going head to head…this one would probably be alot of fun. Reggie Bush would return a punt for a touchdown…you just know he would.

Who do i like this weekend? Like i said, my heart is rooting for both road teams. But i really don’t see how the home teams are going to lose.

Should be fun.

+ Directv / TiVo issues are apparently happening to alot of folks recently. The problems revolve around the Season Pass function not working properly. I got screwed by it the other day when the TiVo didnt record The Office and i had to buy it on iTunes for $1.99. Maybe i should sue them? They better get this fixed before LOST comes on. Lord knows i don’t want to have to manually record it! geesh.

+ for a while most of us thought that LOST would go about 6 seasons. The way it looks now, it will be lucky to last 5. The show’s braintrust have already said that Season 4 will be run just like FOX’s 24, 22 straight episodes, and that they are in talks with ABC regarding the hows and whens of wrapping up the show. Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof often speak about the X-Files, and how the show overstayed it’s welcome and, as a result, didn’t pay off loyal viewers in the end. Glad to know that they are willing to learn from other’s mistakes. full story here.

+ this game is a very addicting one. I’ve gotten through the last level with a final score of somewhere around 18000 points. You spend money on weapons to kill things which earns you more money. But when you clear a level, you gain interest on your money, so the idea is to optimize. Use just enough weapons to get you through so that you can maximize interest. i know it doesn’t sound fun, but there’s something inherently enjoyable about blasting a sheep to smithereens, no?

i can’t remember which albums i purchased in the past 12 months, nevermind which ones were actually released in 2006. So here’s a list of the music that moved me from this past year, in no particular order. I won’t even pretend to be one of those fancy shmancy music writers who use words like ‘apoplectic’ and ‘sonicality’, so don’t expect anything other than the facts.

X&Y, Coldplay – This disc is first on the list because it was the one i couldnt take out of the CD changer the first few months of the year. Solid from front to back, it has become my favorite Coldplay album. Though i wasn’t able to get out and see Coldplay in concert this year (or ever), their performance on Austin City Limits was inspiring enough to make me put on black jeans and a black shirt with white sneakers. I fit right in with the amish teens that hang out at the local Getty station. Standouts on this album for me are “Talk”, “A Message” and the wonderfully anthemic “Fix You”.

Plans, Death Cab for Cutie – Not unlike it was with Coldplay, it was a performance on Austin City Limits by Death Cab that elevated their music to another level for me. Not that their live show is going to change anyone’s life or anything, it just breathed some extra life into the music for me. I can’t decide what i like most about this band, Ben’s voice or his writing. If forced to choose, I’d probably go with the latter; the pictures that he paints with his lyrics seem to resonate with me more than most. Who else could so brilliantly paint the scene of a troubled marriage with a line like “Still we say goodnight from our own separate sides, like brothers on a hotel bed”. Standout tracks for me are “Soul Meets Body”, “Crooked Teeth”, and “Your Heart is an Empty Room”.

How to Save a Life, The Fray – My favorite album to sing along to from 2006. Like most folks, i was reeled in by the catchiness of “Over my head”, but this was one bait and switch that paid off in spades. From start to finish this album is chock full of stuff that i like. Nothing that will blow your mind, or make you want to sell all of your possessions and be a Fray Groupie, it’s just enjoyable music. I’d compare this album to Hootie & the Blowfish’s “Cracked Rear View” from the mid-90′s, but to do that I’d have to admit how much i loved that album and i just don’t think i can do that online for the world to see. Standout tracks to me are “Over My Head” (despite being overplayed), “All at once”, and “Look after you”.

The Morning, Andrew Osenga – It’s always more fun when you know the guy who makes the art. Such is the case with Andy’s The Morning. I love pimping this disc because i consider him a friend, but honestly, even if i didn’t know him I’d still consider this album a favorite for 06. We already knew he could write a story-song with the best of them, but this offering proved that he can play his electric guitar with his amp set on “11″ and still pluck on your heartstrings through the noise. Few are better at crafting a story, and by the time you get to the line “Let your love rage like a lion / and let your heart break like a lamb” you realize that you’re listening to something special. Standout tracks for me are “Santa Barbara”, “Early in the Morning”, and “White Dove”.

Who You Are (Live), The Desperation Band – I wondered if maybe I liked this album a little more than i should because I got a chance to see them live in November. But after Erica had a chance to listen to this disc a few times, she agreed that it was a keeper. The worship set they led was phenomenal, both sonically and spiritually (at least for me it was). Led by Glenn Packiam, Jon Egan, and Jared Anderson, this band is overflowing with talent and it shines through on this live recording. Though you might not hear these songs being sung at your local church, I’m not sure that i’ve heard better worship songs this year than “Ready Now”, “Endlessly”, and “Chasing” (we do actually do ‘Endlessly’ at FLCC). I’m looking forward to seeing where they go from here.

Under the Iron Sea, Keane – I was torn between this disc and Snow Patrol’s “Eyes Open”, but in the end i had to give the nod to Tom Chapin’s vocals. I love this guy’s voice. The album has a seamless quality to it that i really like. It can go from upbeat pop song to melodic ballad without you even realizing that the song has changed. The track that convinced me to purchase the album was the catchy “Crystal Ball”, and in the end it’s not even one of my top 3 songs on the disc. Those would probably be “Leaving So Soon?”, “The Frog Prince”, and “A Bad Dream”.

Mockingbird, Derek Webb – Probably my favorite album of the year. I’ve been listening to Derek’s music for 10 years now and i personally don’t think he’s ever sounded this good. That’s a good thing too, because he has so much to say. This album hit me in places where i needed to be hit. Critics of this album wished that he would have eased the mood a bit with a few lighter tracks, but i like the fact that the album nevers lets up in getting in your face. I love the groove of “Mockingbird”, the message of “King and a Kingdom”, the beauty of “Rich Young Ruler”, and the closure provided by “Love is not Against the Law”. My favorite track, though, is definitely “A New Law”. It’s a call to Christians to think, act, and live the way we’re supposed to: according to the Spirit of God in us and not according to the religious rules we’ve created to make our lives “safer” and “easier”. When i look back over the year it’s probably the disc that influenced and inspired me the most, and for that reason it’s anchoring this list.

Honorable Mentions – Denison Witmer’s “Are You a Dreamer”, Hillsong United’s “United We Stand”, Snow Patrol’s “Eyes Open“, Sufjan Stevens’ “Illinois”, and Paul Baloche’s “A Greater Song”.

My Postseason prediction of a Saints-Ravens Super Bowl is still in tact. Of course, neither team played last week, so there was never a chance of it getting derailed.

Lots of great games this weekend. If only it was the Cowboys in Chicago instead of the Seahwaks…arrggg…i’m still not ready to talk about that.

Let’s take the games in chronological order:

Indy at Baltimore, 4pm Saturday – forecast is calling for warm weather but a good chance of rain throughout the weekend. Probably won’t play much of a factor, though. Indy’s defense probably faced it’s toughest test last week in Larry Johnson, but they’re facing a much more resilient QB this week in Steve McNair. This guy knows how to win, and the Ravens defense almost always has him in a position where he can do so. Since I’m picking the Ravens to go to the Bowl, it’s obvious that i think they’ll win this game. I can see Peyton throwing 2 touchdowns and 2 picks, but i don’t know if it will be enough. Of all the NFL QB’s, i think Manning spends the least time on his butt, so it will be interesting to see what kind of pressure Ray Lewis and Co. can put on him. I think they get to him early and often, and the Ravens win a close one with defense and special teams. Ravens 27, Colts 20.

Philly at New Orleans, 8pm Saturday – I think the Saints will March all the way to Super Bowl XLI, so the question is: How are they going to stop Brian Westbrook? Honestly i have no idea. Not even sure if they can. I do, however, think that with 2 weeks to gameplan Sean Payton is going to have an awful lot of chincanery coming for the Eagles Defense. I bet you’ll see Reggie Bush line up in 6 different spots throughout the game. I think you’ll see alot of Deuce McCallister running right into (and through) the Eagles front 4. I think you’ll see Brees take some big shots down the field at opportune times. The Eagles will score, but the Saints will score more. Saints 37, Eagles 24.

Seattle at Chicago, 1pm Sunday – Forecast is calling for a wintry mix and that might be a good thing for the Bears if it means that Grossman only throws 15 times. Then again, Shaun Alexander had a monster game against the Packers in the snow on a Monday Night a few weeks ago, so he could slash the Bears Defense for some big runs. The Seahwaks don’t belong here, they should be sitting on thier lazyboys sipping Starbucks. But thanks to that shiny, wax-coated football that slipped out of Tony Romo’s hands, the Seahwaks will be freezing thier hineys off in Chicago and it could be a long day. Look for Chicago’s defense to score twice and knock Hasselback out of the game early. Bears 24, Seahawks 10.

New England at San Diego, 4pm Sunday – Two powerhouse teams locking horns. The newbie QB versus the playoff stud QB. The coach looking for redemption versus the coach looking to add a 4th Super Bowl ring. The best offensive player in the game versus an offense with little star power outside of their quarterback. The game has all the makings of a classic, and i don’t know which way to go. I mean, honestly, if my life was on the line, i don’t know who i’d take. I think the Chargers have too much firepower on offense to ever be out of this game. On the other side, if San Diego comes out scorching and goes up 14-0 in the first quarter, i don’t know if the Pats can catch up. I’ll be rooting hard for the boys from New England, but i can see them having a tough day against a team that can hurt you on both sides of the ball. Hoping that I’m wrong, I’m predicting Chargers 34, Patriots 17.