Reading stack: Tuesday's links

• "Do you have any problems with fans who refuse to differentiate between you as an actor and your role? Elina Shatkin asks Nick Offerman, who plays — do I even need to say it — Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation. Yeah, I'm sure I'm guilty of that. As well as deep mustache envy.

Offerman also compares Swanson to Superman in this interview, which is stunningly appropriate. Now that I think about it, Offerman should be playing Superman instead of Henry Cavill. [LA Weekly]

• Remember when Kurt Loder was the face of MTV News? (Remember when you watched MTV? They brought back Beavis and Butthead, and I barely click over.) I forgot that Loder also wrote for Rolling Stone, but he now has a book of film reviews out. In an interview with his old employer, Loder talks about some geek favorites that he either didn't like or has changed his opinion on over time. [MTV.com]

• I think I speak for a majority of Michigan football fans who are happy to see former coach Rich Rodriguez get hired by Arizona as its next head coach. The fanbase seemed pretty split among those who wanted Rich Rod fired and those who thought he deserved one more year. (The "must go" crowd may have been bigger after Michigan's 52-14 loss in the Gator Bowl.)

I can't deny that I'd had enough of Rodriguez after two years (I could hear my father saying, "A coach should get five years," though I seriously doubt he'd have liked Rich Rod either) and was happy to see him go. But my sympathy for him increased after reading John Bacon's book "Three and Out." I'm sure he'll have a much easier time in Tucson. [AnnArbor.com]

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• You've probably seen lists like this before, but I bet the particulars have changed over time. Here are Netflix's top 10 most rented movies. I wonder what that list would've eventually looked like if Netflix had followed through on plans to go all streaming content and kick DVDs over to Qwikster. Anyway, the top three movies are abysmal choices. Well, less than good, at least. [Hollywood Reporter]

• Would you see a third installment of the Before Sunrise-Before Sunset movies with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy? I enjoyed both, though probably liked "Sunset" more because it was a look at how the two characters had changed over a decade, and it wasn't as romantic as many may have imagined.

I also liked how "talky" a movie it was, how Richard Linklater treated it like we were just following these two through Paris. (When I saw it in Kansas City, I distinctly remember at least a half dozen people walking out around 30 minutes into the movie.) And I loved the ending. 

So it looks like Linklater, Hawke and Delpy are up for making a third one. What are they going to title this one? [Slashfilm]

• I'm not usually interested in album reissues with previously unreleased tracks. Most of the time, as with deleted scenes from movies, those songs make it clear why they were left off the original album. Plus, isn't the whole venture just a money grab? Of course, if you're a diehard fan of a musician or band, you're probably buying in. 

When it comes to The Rolling Stones, I might qualify. I enjoyed the reissued "Exile on Main Street" (thanks for the gift, A) quite a bit. So I'll probably pick up the "deluxe edition" of "Some Girls." If the other unreleased songs are anything like "No Spare Parts," which was just released, I'll be thrilled. [The Amplifier] 

Reading stack: Tuesday's links

• I'm really eager to read John Bacon's book on Rich Rodriguez's tenure as Michigan football coach. (Even though I realistically won't get really into it until after baseball season ends.) Not only do I expect it to confirm several beliefs I've long held, but it sounds like there's plenty of other inside stuff that is rankling a lot of people close to the program. [MVictors]

• The list of movies currently in theaters that I want to see is growing. (No, I haven't seen "Moneyball." Yes, I know I write about baseball.) That concerns me since the baseball playoffs are about to begin. Between that and sneaking in some Michigan football, I don't know how much "leisure" time will be available. I just hope "Drive" stays in theaters for a week or two.

Oh, this is an interview with the director, Nicolas Winding Refn. He shoots his movies in chronological order. [The A.V. Club]

• With DC Comics rebooting its entire comic book line (I've read a few of them on the iPad, out of curiosity, and intend to write about them soon), a trio of forensic psychologists would like to see comics creators be more responsible about depicting mental illness. They feel the Batman line, in particular, with several "criminally insane" villains in its rogues gallery (i.e., The Joker) perpetuate dangerously negative stereotypes. [New York Times]

• I already wasn't thrilled about my height. But apparently, I have some getting shorter to look forward to. And it might be happening sooner than I would like to admit. Actually, it may already be happening. To you, as well.

But if height loss indicates all the other stuff that's going wrong with you, you might be ready to die anyway. So get some smokes and a bottle of whiskey and just ride it out. [Wall Street Journal]

• As a comic book-loving kid, one of my absolute favorites was "The New Teen Titans" by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. At one point, my life's ambition was to draw like Perez.

If you'd have told me those two were coming out with a new Teen Titans story — 25 years after they first began working on it — I would've been excited to read it. And I was, for many, many years. Even within the last six years. But now, I'm not sure I can work up too much excitement for it. [The Beat]

Watch Out, Kids! It's Joe Paterno!

With Michigan playing Penn State this afternoon in football, I keep thinking of the Big Ten Network commercial with Joe Paterno going nuts at the end, like he's going to kill the kid if he refuses to play for him. Or he's really having some internal problems. (Maybe he's saying "prostate," not "Penn State.")

Here's the whole ad. I've been imitating Coach Paterno's "Come to Penn State!" all week, which is surely annoying everyone around me.

Saturday's Alright For Winning

Back before I became a full-time baseball blogger, I probably would've had a lot to say about Michigan's 38-34 victory over Notre Dame yesterday. But after watching sports so closely and analytically for so long, it was nice to just sit back and enjoy a game completely as a fan, not a semi-pro sportswriter.

Fortunately, it was one of the most exciting college football games in my recent memory. And though it was so much sweeter because Michigan won, I honestly think I would've been happy with the effort, regardless of the result. I mean that. After last year's 3-9 record, just being competitive in a meaningful football game against a fierce rival was going to be enough for me.

Running offensive and defensive schemes smoothly, with some know-how, rather than ineptness and clumsiness, was a pleasure to watch. So was watching the coronation of Tate Forcier, the 19-year-old freshman for whom the word "precocious" might have been invented.

23 of 33 passes completed for 240 yards. A 31-yard run for a touchdown. Eluding tacklers. Throwing on the run. And leading a game-winning scoring drive that a senior quarterback might not have run with such calm and precision. This kid's going to be really fun to watch over the next four years.

I really wish my dad could've seen that game. I would've loved high-fiving and hugging him after that one. And I know he'd love Forcier.

Hail to the Victors.