All posts by Brian Wray

Brian Wray is a writer for Writtalin. A self-proclaimed hipster who makes his home in San Diego, he recently escaped LA after working in production and casting for the past 2 years. His interests are tennis, recording music, and more tennis. Follow his various works at BrianWrayMedia.com. And Twitter him @BrianWrayMedia

If you had read my preview about the French Open, then watched the tournament unfold, you probably think I’m a hack who hasn’t the slightest clue what I’m talking about. And you might be right. So I’ll try again. But this time I’m going to analyze what makes Rafael Nadal a French Open winning machine. And it begins and ends with his psychological make-up. Please stay awake…. Putting Nadal’s Run In Perspective On Sunday, Rafael Nadal extended his French Open champion streak to nine. This gives him a comfortable leadRead More
Has anybody ever asked you, “what are you planning to do with that degree?” Usually this is posed with an undertone of condescension. The person expects your reply to reflect the ‘worthlessness’ of your degree. But the person asking this question usually misunderstands the value of college degrees in general. So let’s take a look at how we’ve evolved, or devolved, to this paradigm (it’s not an article about college until you’ve used the word paradigm). 30-60 years ago, people went to school to study what they loved. And thatRead More

Posted On May 30, 2014By Brian WrayIn Miscellaneous

Open Mic Night: A Rush Of Emotions

As most of you can tell, whether it is due to my ironic writing style or my bio at the bottom of this page, I am a loud and proud hipster. If they had a parade, I would be gyrating my bum on the lead float. Of course, I would be wearing aviator sunglasses, a denim jacket, and rocking a nice fade haircut. But that goes without saying. What I’m getting at here is that I perform at a lot of open mic nights. And I love it. Here’s why.Read More
After the usual 5 month hiatus following the Aussie Open, springtime in Paris has arrived. But a breeze of intrigue and uncertainty has befallen this French Open. The perennial favorites are still the favorites, but where they will finish remains a mystery. Let’s examine these perennial particulars and make some fun predictions…. Roger Federer Whether the year is 2004, or 2014, Federer is always a favorite to win a tournament. If you type in ‘longevity personified,’ you will see his image next to Ron Paul and Jesus. And it isRead More

Posted On May 21, 2014By Brian WrayIn Internet, The Scene

Red vs Blue: The Forgotten Series

There’s nothing funnier than parody. Growing up, I had a number of friends who adored the video game Halo like it was their first girlfriend (and in a few cases, it still is). They would wake up in the morning and play, come home from school and play, go to bed and probably still play. Halo was not just a game, it was a culture. It had one of the biggest online communities this side of JDate. It was a legitimate excuse for any young boy not to turn inRead More
In case you’ve been living under a rock, on Jupiter, then you know the NFL Draft happened last weekend and a defensive player from Missouri got drafted by St. Louis in the seventh round. He was really good in college, played on a really good team in a really good conference, and was the defensive player of the year in that conference. He’s a tad undersized for his position but he makes up for physical deficiencies by playing with maximal effort all the time. He attacks the quarterback with frequency,Read More

Posted On May 11, 2014By Brian WrayIn Miscellaneous

What You Should Do if Surrounded by Children

One of the worst feelings in the world is to be surrounded by a bunch of small children. This can happen just about anywhere, anytime. But since school is on its way out for the summer, it is time to watch your back if you are planning to use a public swimming pool. Here’s why:   Kids Love Swimming A human being’s first love affair is with the pool. Kids love this stuff! They are like cats on a scratching post, or cocaine addicts when they see a line. TheyRead More
The tennis clay court season is in full swing (silly puns), and the tennis tour has landed in Madrid this week for the Madrid Open. Sure, some say it’s just another tournament. But those of us who follow the sport know better. The Madrid Open is a revolutionary event where things are done a bit differently than your average tourney, thanks in part to this man: Ion Tiriac Ion Tiriac is financially wealthy, but he also has a wealth of ideas when it comes to shaking things up at theRead More

Posted On May 4, 2014By Brian WrayIn Sports, Sports Takes

2014 NBA Playoffs: The Best In Awhile

At the risk of using excessive hyperbole, let me just say… the 2014 NBA Playoffs have been nothing short of scintillating. Aside from the Heat machine and their stompage of the Charlotte Bobcats, every series has been tight. For that matter, nearly every game has been contentious. As of Friday, May 2nd, there are three series going to game 7s. Additionally, we have another three that could easily go the distance (currently at game 6). Bottom line, you need to hang onto your pants, because they could fly off fromRead More
Blackout. To any sports fan, it is the most painful word in the dictionary. It generates anger, frustration, disappointment, and horror from deep inside. We become less nice people. Some of us throw things, while others prefer to go the hunger strike route. And then there are a few brave souls who will contemplate the unthinkable – yep, giving up beer. Too drastic for me, but I see where they are coming from. Television blackouts stink. If you live in LA in 2014, you know this fact firsthand. Only 1/3Read More

Posted On April 15, 2014By Brian WrayIn Sports, Sports Takes

Bubba Goes Green, Again: The Masters Recap

It’s over. The champ has championed Augusta National for a second time in three years. Bubba Watson dons the coveted Green Jacket yet again. What’s the best part of all this? Maybe the fact that we won’t hear Jim Nantz utter the cliché, “coveted Green Jacket,” for another year. I kid, I kid. The best part of the 2014 Masters was the outpouring of talent on display by the sport’s young, up-and-coming stars. Such as: Gary Woodland I raved about this guy after day one, and what did he doRead More

Posted On April 10, 2014By Brian WrayIn Sports, Sports Takes

Through Day 1: The Masters

The Masters is well underway in Augusta, and there are several unfamiliar faces atop the leaderboard. Allow me to introduce you to… Jonas Blixt: -2, tied for 5th He’s a world number 56, and is competing in his 3rd major and 1st Masters. At one point today, this 29-year old was in the lead by a couple strokes. It’s beginning to look like he may be falling back to earth after bogeying two holes late in the day, but still, what an effort. This came on a day when manyRead More

Posted On April 8, 2014By Brian WrayIn Sports, Sports Takes

It’s Here: I’m Happy

Spring showers bring baseball flowers. Baseball time equals happy time. It started just over a week ago and will last until the leaves change to orange and brown. Baseball is more than just a change in weather, and an outdoor activity, it’s an association with memories. I am very fond of the days in my youth when I would attend baseball games with my family. Living a short drive away from Qualcomm Stadium, we were all about the Padres. From the age of 6, I attended anywhere from 2-5 gamesRead More
I thought I’d briefly inform you of a show coming soon. You’ll be remiss if you miss it. Called I Wanna Marry Harry, it’s a show that brings 12 man-thirsty young women to a house in Berkshire, England. Of course, they are under the assumption that they are there to meet Prince Harry. The twist? Harry is not actually on the program. Instead, the manly man protagonist is a Prince Harry look-a-like named Matthew Hicks. Well done, Seacrest, well done. We all remember Joe Millionaire (also a Fox show), whereRead More

Posted On March 28, 2014By Brian WrayIn Advice For Men, Manzone

A Man-Date: How Two Male Friends Go Out

When you think of two guys going out, your brain immediately goes to a show on Bravo. But that’s not what I’m talking about. It’s a common misconception that bros cannot go on a date with one another. No, there are no romantic overtones or sexual innuendos intended here. Just two bros enjoying one another’s company. It’s called a man-date, and it exists. I embarked on a man-date of my last night. My buddy and I met at a Brewhouse in Burbank, with the sole intention of having a beerRead More