Noel Murray
@noelmu.bsky.social
Freelancer for hire. You know me from: The A.V. Club, The Dissolve. Posts about food, TV, movies, the Braves, pretty scenery. Husband of @donnadb.bsky.social .
Reposted by Noel Murray
yeah but those are ads for things you aren't consuming at that point whereas starting every sporting event with some dimly lit undressed studio and an actor standing outside of the key light mumbling about something or other and YOU ARE ALREADY WATCHING THE EVENT, THEY DON'T NEED TO SELL YOU ON IT
Same reason every single car, candy bar, and drug does, now
February 15, 2026 at 6:40 PM
yeah but those are ads for things you aren't consuming at that point whereas starting every sporting event with some dimly lit undressed studio and an actor standing outside of the key light mumbling about something or other and YOU ARE ALREADY WATCHING THE EVENT, THEY DON'T NEED TO SELL YOU ON IT
Reposted by Noel Murray
It's one of my favorite columns of the year...
So I'm making it free for all to read with this gift link!
Most improved/least improved teams
Best/worst free agents
Best trades
Spring story lines
And of course we play the popular game, "Name 6 Rockies!"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...
So I'm making it free for all to read with this gift link!
Most improved/least improved teams
Best/worst free agents
Best trades
Spring story lines
And of course we play the popular game, "Name 6 Rockies!"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...
February 14, 2026 at 2:07 PM
It's one of my favorite columns of the year...
So I'm making it free for all to read with this gift link!
Most improved/least improved teams
Best/worst free agents
Best trades
Spring story lines
And of course we play the popular game, "Name 6 Rockies!"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...
So I'm making it free for all to read with this gift link!
Most improved/least improved teams
Best/worst free agents
Best trades
Spring story lines
And of course we play the popular game, "Name 6 Rockies!"
www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...
Reposted by Noel Murray
A good hard rain got a pond we walk by every day up from “dry” to “about a quarter-full.” Made the frogs happy; they were ribbiting like crazy this morning.
February 15, 2026 at 3:07 PM
A good hard rain got a pond we walk by every day up from “dry” to “about a quarter-full.” Made the frogs happy; they were ribbiting like crazy this morning.
Reposted by Noel Murray
Ticket to ride the Bonspiel highway/ tell all your vice-skips they can go my way
February 14, 2026 at 10:52 PM
Ticket to ride the Bonspiel highway/ tell all your vice-skips they can go my way
All the mentions of ‘freeze' and ‘rock' in curling mean that I spend much of the Olympics quietly rapping 'White Lines' to myself.
February 14, 2026 at 10:47 PM
All the mentions of ‘freeze' and ‘rock' in curling mean that I spend much of the Olympics quietly rapping 'White Lines' to myself.
Reposted by Noel Murray
If nothing else, he’s upgrading his beer choices.
Breaking: Nick Castellanos close to Padres deal
February 14, 2026 at 6:24 PM
If nothing else, he’s upgrading his beer choices.
Reposted by Noel Murray
it’s Love Week at the A.V. Club so I wrote about how every theme park dark ride today has its roots in the basic human need to make out
Underneath all of its technical wizardry and mouthdropping complexity lies a basic ride concept born in the 19th century, rooted in romance and our eternal, desperate need for intimacy.
Romance is at the heart of the modern theme park dark ride
The genesis of the multi-million dollar immersive theme park extravaganzas of today lies in the basic human need to snuggle.
www.avclub.com
February 14, 2026 at 7:06 PM
it’s Love Week at the A.V. Club so I wrote about how every theme park dark ride today has its roots in the basic human need to make out
Reposted by Noel Murray
New Wingspan expansion: The Americas, which adds tiny hummingbirds, with their own uses and scoring properties. Complicates the usual strategies in fun, fascinating ways.
February 14, 2026 at 8:44 PM
New Wingspan expansion: The Americas, which adds tiny hummingbirds, with their own uses and scoring properties. Complicates the usual strategies in fun, fascinating ways.
Reposted by Noel Murray
Saw this going around and I hope Ken added that the next day Brian got offed by the very same bikers.
February 14, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Saw this going around and I hope Ken added that the next day Brian got offed by the very same bikers.
Reposted by Noel Murray
Gasoline Alley by Frank King from February 14, 1921. The direction of the strip changes forever when baby Skeezix arrives on Walt Wallet's doorstep.
February 14, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Gasoline Alley by Frank King from February 14, 1921. The direction of the strip changes forever when baby Skeezix arrives on Walt Wallet's doorstep.
Reposted by Noel Murray
I have a friend who said, of Starfleet Academy, that this took them out of it - that seeing a person in a wheelchair in the 32nd century seemed unrealistic, since medicine in Star Trek "should be able to cure whatever was wrong with them."
That's not the case, for any number of possible reasons.
That's not the case, for any number of possible reasons.
February 12, 2026 at 9:52 PM
I have a friend who said, of Starfleet Academy, that this took them out of it - that seeing a person in a wheelchair in the 32nd century seemed unrealistic, since medicine in Star Trek "should be able to cure whatever was wrong with them."
That's not the case, for any number of possible reasons.
That's not the case, for any number of possible reasons.
Reposted by Noel Murray
sports equinox is when all major U.S. pro leagues have at least one game. sports solstice is when none of them do. we get them in the summer sometimes but in the winter only when the NHL goes on break and the NBA has its all-star-weekend during that break
Wait, what's a sports Winter Solstice?
February 14, 2026 at 5:35 AM
sports equinox is when all major U.S. pro leagues have at least one game. sports solstice is when none of them do. we get them in the summer sometimes but in the winter only when the NHL goes on break and the NBA has its all-star-weekend during that break
Reposted by Noel Murray
A Bill Evans biopic debuted at Berlin. David Rooney's review in THR is v. positive and my friend Bilge Ebiri reported back to me "Good Movie." The opening is set at the Vanguard during the '61 performances.
In 2005 every note from there was released in one spot.
open.spotify.com/album/0rdlBk...
In 2005 every note from there was released in one spot.
open.spotify.com/album/0rdlBk...
The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961
open.spotify.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:11 PM
A Bill Evans biopic debuted at Berlin. David Rooney's review in THR is v. positive and my friend Bilge Ebiri reported back to me "Good Movie." The opening is set at the Vanguard during the '61 performances.
In 2005 every note from there was released in one spot.
open.spotify.com/album/0rdlBk...
In 2005 every note from there was released in one spot.
open.spotify.com/album/0rdlBk...
Reposted by Noel Murray
It's also on their website: drawnandquarterly.com/books/acme-n...
Acme Novelty Library #21 – Drawn & Quarterly
drawnandquarterly.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:14 PM
It's also on their website: drawnandquarterly.com/books/acme-n...
Reposted by Noel Murray
Drawn and Quarterly announced it on their Instagram
February 14, 2026 at 5:48 AM
Drawn and Quarterly announced it on their Instagram
I’d heard about the upcoming slate of Criterion titles but hadn’t heard that Chris Ware (I presume) did the cover for Sentimental Value.
February 14, 2026 at 4:17 AM
I’d heard about the upcoming slate of Criterion titles but hadn’t heard that Chris Ware (I presume) did the cover for Sentimental Value.
Loophole: Tell your editor you’ll have the piece done “EOD” and then never go to bed. Infinite deadline!
February 14, 2026 at 12:11 AM
Loophole: Tell your editor you’ll have the piece done “EOD” and then never go to bed. Infinite deadline!
Reposted by Noel Murray
A really fantastic and personal piece by @odienator.bsky.social about BOYZ N THE HOOD.
Praying for that fool: ‘Boyz N the Hood’ turns 35 - The Boston Globe
Globe film critic Odie Henderson reveals why he loves John Singleton’s Oscar-nominated masterpiece.
www.bostonglobe.com
February 14, 2026 at 12:02 AM
A really fantastic and personal piece by @odienator.bsky.social about BOYZ N THE HOOD.
Reposted by Noel Murray
Nick Castellanos in the 7th inning after being pinch hit for in the 5th:
February 13, 2026 at 11:17 PM
Nick Castellanos in the 7th inning after being pinch hit for in the 5th:
Reposted by Noel Murray
You can’t be cool until you’ve crashed out so hard the lights in the building flicker
February 13, 2026 at 11:18 PM
You can’t be cool until you’ve crashed out so hard the lights in the building flicker
Reposted by Noel Murray
wy make it sound mad ominous tho
Neil Armstrong eating his last breakfast on Earth before leaving for the moon
1969
1969
February 13, 2026 at 10:43 PM
wy make it sound mad ominous tho
Reposted by Noel Murray
Thomas Anderson, Armand Hammer, Zach Bryan, Dry Cleaning, Al Green, Husker Du, Nandipha808, Grant Peeples, and Tommy Womack all get the full treatment at the latest Consumer Guide at my And It Don't Stop Substack robertchristgau.substack.com/p/consumer-g...
Consumer Guide: February, 2026
One of the great interpretive singers of our epoch takes on Lou Reed, abstract and impressive amapiano, the most explicitly leftist album in far too long, and a reliable Nashvillian with 11 winners
robertchristgau.substack.com
February 13, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Thomas Anderson, Armand Hammer, Zach Bryan, Dry Cleaning, Al Green, Husker Du, Nandipha808, Grant Peeples, and Tommy Womack all get the full treatment at the latest Consumer Guide at my And It Don't Stop Substack robertchristgau.substack.com/p/consumer-g...