Rag Mop hitmakers 1950 / MON 5-13-13 / QB Steve who won Payton Award / 1986 Tom Cruise/Val Kilmer action film / Metal-joining technique / Small Indian drum

Constructor: Allan E. Parrish

Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium


THEME: MEAS.— four theme answers start with words made from letters M, E, A, and S

Theme answers:

• 20A: Chicago Cubs spring training site (MESA, ARIZONA)
• 26A: "Rag Mop" hitmakers, 1950 (AMES BROTHERS) — "hitmakers," HA ha. Whatever you say.
• 48A: You've heard it many times before (SAME OLD STORY)
• 56A: Metal-joining technique (SEAM WELDING)

Word of the Day: Steve MCNAIR (9D: QB Steve who won a Payton Award) —

Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009), nicknamed Air McNair, was an American footballquarterback who spent the majority of his National Football League (NFL) career with the Tennessee Titans
[...] McNair led the Titans to the playoffs four times, and the Ravens once, and played in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans. He is the Titans' all-time leading passer. McNair was selected to the Pro Bowl three times, was All-Pro and Co-MVP in 2003, all as a Titan. // On July 4, 2009, McNair was fatally shot by his mistress, Sahel Kazemi, in a murder–suicide. (wikipedia)

.

What the hell is a "Payton Award"? Dude was a 3-time Pro-Bowler and you go with "who won a Payton Award"??? Is that some award named for Walter Payton? (A: yes) OK, because I know *you* don't know, here you go: "The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division IFootball Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors. The honor was first given in 1987 to the outstanding player in the division, but in 1995, eligibility was restricted to offensive players, as the Buck Buchanan Award for defensive players was inaugurated" (wikipedia). This is an odd accomplishment to put in a Monday clue. Also, it's Monday, and you don't even say what *team* the guy played for? He remains the leading passer in Titans' history. What the hell? In short, that clue is an Absurdity. Why am I talking so much about this clue? Well, a. it is terrible, as I say, but b. there's not a lot else to talk about. It's a remedial theme type with a grid filled mostly with tired, predictable stuff. Heavy on the crosswordese. A six-letter prefix related to intestines (and at least three prefixes overall). None of this is really doing it for me today. The long non-theme Acrosses are confusing, as they have roughly the equivalent length of the themers, but aren't. Inelegant, and slightly confusing if you're trying to figure out the theme (which is not the kind of theme you notice 'til you're done). Only noteworthy moment of the entire solve was when I utterly blanked on the capital of New Jersey—even with many crosses in place. Pathetic. Oh, and I went with TABOR over TABLA at 51D: Small Indian drum.


Hoping for better stuff tomorrow. See you then.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld