Catacomb 3D: Id's 2nd 3D try

With Hovertank, Id Software knew that things could get better if you keep working at your projects and get better with the technology. The capabilities was there. It was just a matter of fine tuning it to where you can outline a future project and do so much more and convince people to get computers. Catacomb 3D takes the first person approach, but in human format where you only see your hand on screen. This isn't a review. Maybe down the road, I will give a detailed one, but these are quick thoughts.

As I said in the Hovertank review, (http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/04/hovertank-dos-review.html) John Carmack was a genius with engines. Whatever he did with Catacomb 3D, there was decent improvements. It's the little details like the walls actually having textures and not being random colored walls. Enemies looked a bit more detailed and the hand sprite is not bad.

The way the game plays, it's like a lot of Id games. Part of it is like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, and though published by them, Heretic. You have ways to heal yourself, use special weapons. There are lots of secrets with enemies. Like the Commander Keen games before this, you're hunting for keys. It feels like a big blueprint for how to be successful and be one of the most recognized companies in the world. Everything feels set up so that when Id did make Wolfenstein, they knew what worked and what didn't.

On May 5th, a review of Wolfenstein will be uploaded to this blog to commemorate 25 years of its original release in 1992. Hope to see you then. Do check out Catacomb 3D.

Major League Baseball: April 2017

With the end of April, there have been some interesting storylines for Major League Baseball. Certain teams most expect to get a postseason spot are struggling. Some divisions are shaping up to be a tough one. Let's take a look.

The American League East is one where pretty much everybody has a fair chance at the division and potentially a wildcard spot. For the Baltimore Orioles, they have put up good numbers despite pitching problems. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are getting runs while having some strong pitching, especially with good bullpens. At Tampa Bay, the Rays are okay. It's a matter of how both the batting and pitching will sustain a 162 game season. Really, the Toronto Blue Jays are a shocker for struggling so much this month. While this isn't a panic mode compared to other sports, if things don't go to a winning side in May, changes are going to happen.

In the AL Central, it's close with similar stuff like the East. The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians have picked up with some good pitching and decent power at the plate. Starting off strong was the Minnesota Twins, but they have fallen a little flat. Age is a factor for the Detroit Tigers, and the Kansas City Royals doesn't have much going for them. The death of Yordano Ventura doesn't help. I really can't say much on the West division. They are either hot or cold. The Houston Astros are at the top with some young players on the mound and at the plate. Power is not a problem for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, and Seattle Mariners. Can they avoid slumps and can the pitching help carry them to a division title?

Getting into the National League, it's all a matter of what the Washington Nationals do. They look to be the East's top team and maybe of its league. They got power and great starters when healthy. The Philadelphia Phillies are a surprise, but I would wait until the end of May to see how this division looks. It is a surprise the New York Mets are in last place, but they could flick the switch to be a great team depending on the health of their pitchers. That can also be said for the Miami Marlins, but with their batting, specifically Giancarlo Stanton. Relying on a few 40 plus year old pitchers, I don't have much confidence in the Atlanta Braves.

It is tight in the NL Central with the Chicago Cubs leading the way, but barely. Can they avoid the championship hangover? Their batting and pitching is good, but it has to be better if they want to defend their title. As far as the other teams go, the Milwaukee Brewers is surprising with the run support. Like most of the AL West, can they avoid slumps? The pitching might be a problem if they can't get past other teams. Despite being in second place, pitching is also a concern if I'm the St. Louis Cardinals. If it can't carry them, it will be a long year. Not much can be said for the Cincinnati Reds. On any day, they can get the hits and runs while dominating fro the mound. Can it do that for the whole season?

San Francisco is the big storyline in the West. The Giants lost their main starter for a few months after a mediocre start to begin the season. With some good batters, someone has to step up for the starting pitching and the bullpen can't suffer another collapse. Fear is not a worry for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. Having hot bats and surprisingly exceptional pitching has propelled these two to the top of the division. The Los Angeles Dodgers are not far away with the same kind of stuff, and they could be a first place team at the end of May. Anything can happen in this division. And the San Diego Padres are the same old, same old. They got power, but can't hit for anything and their pitching is pretty mediocre. It's another year of disappointment for the city.

Keep your eyes on the AL East and NL West. The teams could flip flop in divisional races as the year goes on. I would say the NL Central and East will see certain teams improve from where they are right now. And the West could come down to two teams at the end of September. For 2017, it will pack some big surprises.

Quick Update: 4/29/17

This is just a little update on what is going on. Due to finding an actual job, there won't be many updates in the late afternoon and evenings about the blogs that I write. Instead, I'm altering it to where updates are going to be late in the morning and in the early afternoon with midnight updates along with planned blog uploads at midnight and noon. I still intend to make a blog or two every day. Reviews and YouTube uploads will still go as planned on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Happy reading.

Speed Limits Are Necessary

Safety will always be a concern for driving on the road, no matter where in the world you are. One of those aspects is the use of speed when using the car. That's why we have speed limits in certain parts of the world. Some people in areas like Germany have highways like the Autobahn where there are no limits. Judgment has to be made on how fast you want to go. Unfortunately, some people think that going faster will get them quicker. Maybe a couple miles isn't bad to some, but when it's excessive at 5 to 15 miles more than the actual limit, the cops will breathe down your neck and catch you.

It happens in village and town limits. Citizens wonder why the cops are in the town. That should be very obvious. I get 30 miles an hour is a bit slow for a limit, but it's there for a reason. In areas where children may be present or individuals walking across the street, the last thing that should be on their mind is a car going 40 to 50 miles an hour barreling down exceeding the limit. Even though villages and towns will allow passing in certain areas, is it really going to hurt someone who is behind a car that follows the speed limit? Yeah, there are ones that go under the limit which makes sense, but the patience wears thin on ones that don't like others following the exact speed limit.

Some people even think passing a bus is a good idea when it isn't. I've never seen that myself, but my younger brother has. He saw a car pass a bus and the driver ultimately got busted. There is no reason to do it. It is extremely dangerous to not just the children who may have to walk across a street, but any cars that are in the vicinity and could get damaged. You have to let these buses and their drivers do their jobs without fear of potential incidents.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is to take it easy and relax when it comes to speed limits. You will get to places on time, even with following a speed limit and following the rules of the road. Plan ahead depending on the time of year and what can occur at the specific time you go to a specific place. Add in patience and you will make it a safe experience without causing any harm or damage. If only some people realized that.

YouTube Videos: April 21-27, 2017

Some new videos for the viewing pleasure. A couple of NASCAR 98 Saturn videos, and a Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Genesis video.

Last week's videos: http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/04/youtube-videos-april-14-20-2017.html

Night Trap, Another Sega CD Release

When the Sega CD released in October of 1992 to U.S. stores, it's launch lineup was not the most impressive. Quite a bit of the full motion video lineup was there on day 1. Night Trap was one of those games. Like the genre, it was not held to high regard but it had its following, especially when idiot Senators (who have never played video games) targeted it as being a game where you kill girls when it was the complete opposite. You were trying to save them. It would also be released on the 3DO and the Sega 32x, which required both the 32x and CD add-ons. Today, it is going to be re-released this year for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to honor it's 25th anniversary of coming out.

The history behind this game is intriguing. In 1987, Hasbro had plans to release a console of their own that ran on VHS tapes. Night Trap was filmed around that time. The system which was called Control-Vision never saw the light of day due to pricing at a time when the Nintendo Entertainment System was a lot cheaper and popular. At 300 dollars, Hasbro thought it wouldn't have sold well if it launched in 1989. Along with Sewer Shark, the game didn't catch interest until Sega looked to companies that could give them titles for the Sega CD. Looking at Night Trap, it is a cheesy 80s horror product, but with hordes upon hordes of vicious bad guys that are way stupider than the Wet Bandits, although this pre-dates Home Alone. There's nothing gruesome, especially compared to all the Friday the 13th, Elm Street, and Halloween films. If it were a movie, it would get maybe a PG-13 rating. Maybe PG since the standards weren't so strict back then.

Unfortunately, a sad reality is that Sega CD never gets games re-released. The only one that really has is Sonic CD, which has seen releases outside of it's 1993 release on Windows in 96, GameCube in 2005, and a re-done version in 2011 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Obvious games like Batman Returns and NHL 94 can't come out because of licensing. Arcade ports like Final Fight will never see the Sega CD version re-released because people want the actual arcade game. With all the compilations in the last 20 years, you would think a Sega CD game here and there would be nice. I don't know if emulation is a factor, but another big downside is that there isn't many games that can be picked that have a following. Some games are in limbo like Lunar. There's other factors but overall, it's kind of hard to figure what titles from this add-on could get a modern re-release.

Night Trap is one of the cult classics of the 90s and Sega CD. It doesn't have a putrid reception compared to later FMV games, but someone's mileage will vary on whether they think it is good or bad. It will be digital, but it will also get a physical release on PlayStation 4. There will be a low print run from publisher Limited Run Games. If stuff like this can come out, Sega and a few surviving third party companies that made games for the add-on can sure as hell do something like this for whatever original titles they might have. It's about time there is some love given to this add-on for at least one of its games.

Oklahoma City Thunder: What Now?

You could have probably written off the Oklahoma City Thunder for this 2016-17 season. Losing guys like Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka would definitely be seen as a problem and the thoughts of a playoff run could be something that could come in a another season or two. Their big star is Russell Westbrook, who has carved his name into being one of the greats of this modern era of NBA Basketball for the past eight seasons prior to this one.

Despite the number of young players, the Thunder put up a respectable 47-35 record in the Western Conference. Westbrook was mostly their offense, despite several players near or above 1000 points themselves. Their defense was one of the better ones in terms of rebounding and stealing the ball. The numbers on both sides were on the side of being one of the better teams in the league and middle tiered material. Of course, we look at their future now after losing in the first round to the Houston Rockets in five games.

It all starts with what happened five years ago when the Thunder went on that magical run to the NBA Finals only to lose to the Miami Heat. They had Durant, Ibaka, Westbrook, and sixth man that year, James Harden. Their numbers on offense were in the top three and the defense was one of the better ones. We can talk what ifs forever on what could have been a dynasty in the making. You think about it, they could have won a ring together. They could have been one of the young teams others could imitate. With Harden going to Houston and his career really taking off, you have to wonder. That's not to say Oklahoma was horrible. They posted really good records in the regular season. There's always one team that's an obstacle to them and they are sent packing and watching the finals on television.

If I am the Thunder, I am doing whatever is necessary to keep Westbrook with them for the rest of his career as he will enter his tenth season in October/November. With Durant playing for Golden State and Ibake with Toronto, they need someone that can lead the charge and take a bit of punishment until they get people that can get used to their style of play. If they can gel together, they can still keep making playoff appearances. It's just a matter of how much longer fans have to wait and how much frustration will mount if they don't win a championship.

Right now, their biggest priorities are Westbrook and Steven Adams. Keeping them both will be important for years to come. Getting some better players, whether through the NBA Draft or free agency could give them players to compliment them and have bench guys that could carry the load while the stars take a breather.  Either way, they are on the clock. Oklahoma can't afford to lose any more players. Otherwise, that first overall pick could be calling for them in the future.

Stopping the Bleeding: ESPN Layoffs

People get let go all the time. Sometimes, they are fired because of not being a big asset to their company. Other times, it's not because of effort and the company may have no choice but to give them the axe. ESPN, who has ran into some issues the last few years regarding a losing subscriber base and is attempting to stop the bleeding of losing money by laying off a number of their personalities and writers. It's not just some of the young ones. With 15 plus year veterans like Jerry Punch and Ed Werder on the list of people gone, a lot of people at one of the biggest sports networks ever were not safe.

The channel began back in the fall of 1979 and quickly became a place to find sports 24 hours a day. Getting stuff in the 80s like NASCAR and college sports eventually netted them some of their current operations of the NFL and MLB. Despite the Internet's presence in the 90s and 2000s, fans were still eager to check out highlights and scores via SportsCenter and other programs from a wide net of personalities. In recent years, however, things have not gone the network and Disney's (who has had ESPN since 1995) way. In an era now where streaming is a big deal and competitors like Fox Sports 1 and NBC Sports Network want their share of the pie, many people have left the leader of the sports television industry unsubscribed.

As far as layoffs go, ESPN let go of a number of writers in college sports and a bit of hockey people, especially as the Stanley Cup Playoffs enters its second round. Some beat writers for certain teams and radio hosts were gone. Several anchors have been given the axe. It's a changing of the times, unfortunately. Like certain other channels, it's a miracle they still exist. I think it has to do with watching the highlights and scores at, even if you have a phone that can give you the daily updates on how others are doing. Sure it's nice to have everything in the palm of your hand, but for big sporting events, you want a decent sized television and seeing this stuff live.

One site has said that some anchors that were still around had their roles shrunken down. Whether they could be gone is a matter of what ESPN might do. It's not a surprise. Some of these people are pretty old, but at the same time, they are at that age in the prime of their career in broadcasting. Sadly, people like Doug Glanville will be missed while we still have morons like Jessica Mendoza acting like loudmouth fans instead of professional broadcasters. That's the nature of the beast. You have to move on, no matter how painful it might be.

Jabrill Peppers: Health Issues or Hiding Something?

The NFL Draft is tomorrow and there will be plenty of players that could go the first round and be potential playmakers or busts. One of those in question was Jabrill Peppers out of Michigan University. He was a versatile player that could excel on defense and be a hard nosed tackler and maybe a decent return man. Some analysts have put him as a first round pick, but that could change to later rounds. If anybody has heard the story by now, Peppers had a diluted sample and it is counted towards being a positive sample in a drug test.

ESPN's Adam Schefter was given a statement from Creative Artists Agency, a group that represents Peppers. What a spokesman said was that he was sick and is known for having cramps. At the NFL combine a few months ago, the statement said he was given a substantial amount of water, which was eight to ten bottles. I drink two to three bottles a day, but I wouldn't think a sample would be diluted. If anything it would be clear or yellow, depending on the hydration of the individual.

Could it be health issues, though? Maybe. However, I wouldn't be too sure... yet. The NFL should look into it and see if maybe Peppers took drugs before the Combine and if he did, go through the league's drug program if he gets picked by a team. Some players still think they can sneak in some PED's or drugs and not get caught. With all the tests now these days, it's next to impossible combined with social media and everybody's damn cell phones.

Whatever the case, the damage is done at the worst possible time. Peppers could wind up being in one of the later rounds. Maybe he can defy the critics and put up a good rookie effort in the NFL and show why some teams should have drafted him in that first round. Only time will tell tomorrow night if he gets picked. Whoever does might have someone they can depend on in certain facets of the game and grow into a potential Pro Bowler/All-Pro if he doesn't wind up with anymore positive tests. If not, say hello to the documents for your banning via Roger Goodell.

Head Hunting: When Will It Stop?

Bad blood is imminent in any sport. Things can go from peaceful to rowdy with one play. That's why I do blogs and not play in major sports. If I were in one, I would act like an enforcer in hockey. I would want to knock people out. That being said, Matt Barnes of the Boston Red Sox should know that just because something bad happen to one your teammates doesn't exactly mean you go after the person that caused the bad thing to occur.

This past weekend, the Red Sox faced the Baltimore Orioles.  It's been a close battle for first between these two and the New York Yankees to begin this young 2017 season. The Friday game was the main source for what would lead to a four game suspension. Oriole player Manny Machado slid into second base and hit with his cleat Red Sock Dustin Pedroia. Looking at it, there was malicious intent, I see it as accidental, even with the late slide. Apparently, Barnes did not see it that way and what he did Sunday is nothing short of embarrassing and very dangerous. Late in the game, Barnes throws at Machado's head and he gets ejected from the game. Words are exchanged between Pedroia and several Orioles.

Whether he wants to say it was accidental or not, that was a very sore thing to do. Certain teams are trying to prevent facial injuries, especially when Giancarlo Stanton got plunked in the face back in 2014. Some of the Chicago Cub players have a helmet that protect the side of their face. There's a few other teams in the National League are doing that as well, and I hope this is something that is required by Major League Baseball. I get Barnes was frustrated at Pedroia getting hurt, but what he did could really damage someone. At worst, it could be death, even with the helmet. I'm reminded just now of an episode of Seinfeld where Kramer gets kicked in the head while wearing a helmet and is lucky to be alive, but acts weird in the next episode.

This is simply bad blood that could be seen throughout the season and maybe even the playoffs in October. I would not be surprised if it gets to where a brawl may ensue. For now, the Red Sox are going to have to pay for this with Barnes' suspension and rightfully so. Machado is someone who has had a few incidents himself, but compared to a bat incident in Oakland in 2014 and a fight last year in a game against the Kansas City Royals, he should not be blamed for this.

There's all these unwritten rules, regardless of sport, but this kind of unwritten rule could get someone killed. Hopefully, it's a few lifetimes from now where this kind of incident happens, but this isn't entertainment nor funny to hit someone like Futurama's take on baseball in one episode. It's a matter that shouldn't have occurred and casts baseball under a dark shadow.  I get hitting someone in the leg or foot, but not anywhere from the back up to the head. What a stupid thing to do.

Hovertank (DOS) review

You can owe a few things to Id Software. In between the time from the first set of Commander Keen games to Wolfenstein 3D, they had to still oblige to the last place they were at, Softdisk Publishing. The result were some games that were secondary type stuff. Some of it has what would set the tone for eventually their Wolfenstein series and other franchises. Hovertank, from early 1991, is an indicator that computers were able to do things that you wouldn't think otherwise on any format back then for consoles and computers.

So the basic gist of Hovertank is that you are saving people from death. That's it. You are in a nuclear war trying to save all sorts of individuals and eradicating all sorts of demons and tanks and several other enemies.Your tank can do everything as long as you don't get hit a few times.

John Carmack is a genius when it comes to game engines. Commander Keen was able to scroll a screen, putting DOS computers up to par with what an NES or Sega Master System could do back in 1990. Hovertank showed that 3D was very possible. That being said, it is a tech demo. There isn't too many animations, but there is some distinctive colors on the walls and enemies. The humans look like a prototype for what the later Commander Keen human characters would look like Sound effects are minimal and there isn't any music. Then again, what DOS games didn't back then?

Hovertank is rinse and repeat gameplay. There are 20 levels where you rescue people and defeat any enemies that get in the way. These bad guys can kill humans. Each time you save one you earn money, which is ten grand per saved person. A time limit is in the game. Whatever is left will grant you more money. You do have health, which can be depleted by being shot or touched. Get hit three times, you're finished. Once all the humans that are left alive are rescued, a teleportor will open to take you back to base for money and fixing the tank if any damage was taken.

I really don't have much to complain about. Your mileage may vary on the repetitiveness. You might feel a little sick with the tank bobbing up and down like a ship, so I wouldn't recommend playing it for too long. I'd say take a break after every 20 to 30 minutes of play. It does keep track of how far you have gotten and can go to the last level you were on. If you interested in how Carmack and the rest of the Id crew got their start in 3D, then this is worth checking if you are a fan.

Final Score: 6 out of 10

The Simpsons Shorts: Watching TV, Jumping Bart Reviews

Check out last weeks review of the first short, Good Night. And there might be spoilers. Read at your own risk.

http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-simpsons-shorts-review-good-night.html

Short #2: Watching TV:

Watching TV feels like a very basic concept, even for cartoons. Sibling fights are pretty common. It's intriguing for 1987, a time where cable wasn't 100 plus channels. You might have a couple, but main sources of programs were on the main three if you weren't brave enough to check out Fox. Bart and Lisa have very basic fighting in between commercials and changing the channel with Maggie getting yelled at for changing it. You might get a chuckle out of it.

The final bit will feel a little weird. Homer sounds like a father bonding with his family, talking about what a typical family could do. Being interrupted by Bart that what they are watching is back on and him being sad is worth a chuckle. It's like Good Night. You'll get a couple laughs out of it.

Final Score: 6 out of 10

Short #3: Jumping Bart

The cue that is seen in Jumping Bart is being more cartoon like. Klasky-Csupo did a good job of showcasing Bart's pain when Homer tries to get him to leap into his arms. Not to mention a little improvement in small stuff in the background. This is the first short that will make you laugh in every segment. It's the first we get to see Homer as a dopey father rather than someone intelligent like in the first two shorts. Yet, he's still serious in wanting his son to jump.

Bart's voice feels like a work in progress with showing different emotions.Other than that, this is the first solid short in their short first season on The Tracey Ullman Show

Final Score: 7 out of 10

Next week will be reviews of Maggie shorts, Babysitting Maggie and The Pacifier. Thanks for reading.

Wolfenstein 3D Homebrew: Sega Genesis Demo Impression

Over the last few years, Wolfenstein 3D has gotten some treatment from a YouTube user who has shown some stuff he has done for a Sega Genesis port he is developing. He has put up a new demo recently for the first time in two years which allows players to do the first episode similar to shareware, but also have an opportunity to play the second episode by beating the first. Credit has to be given to gasega68k for getting it to work on a stock Genesis and to play surprisingly well. Here is a link to his YouTube channel and his topic on Sega-16.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClyrLCLBRUDofXRHxBdIlDQ
http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?25663-wolfenstein-3d-demo-for-sega-genesis

Wolfenstein 3D has not been a widely ported game. After it's debut on DOS computers in May of 1992, console versions wouldn't come until 1994. A widely censored SNES port and Jaguar port would release that year, followed by a 3DO version a year later. All three were their own set of levels, witht the 3DO version having the original 60 levels Mac computers would get their own version based on the console ports. A very long time would pass before releases on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 would have exact ports of the DOS version. Lots of people tinker with the idea of what systems could potentially do at their limits and gasega68k was able to get the DOS version to not only work, but not be plagued with issues.

Obviously, graphics and audio are going to take a hit when going on to a Genesis system. Yet, Wolfenstein looks fantastic on it. Other than some pixelation up close and some blurryness, it doesn't come off as an eyesore. The animations are all there. Color palette wise, it does well on the Genesis. Some colors are either washed out or dull looking, but it's to be expected and this guy has did the best to his abilities of what was capable. The same can be said for the audio. Gasega68k put up the best at handling the audio capabilities of the system. Sound effects are very good on the guns, doors and enemies with them being identical. Other ones replicate stuff like collecting treasure and keys with the system's soundchip. The music is very good. DOS and Genesis music have some similarities and some tracks show that. Some of them feel a bit more livelier (some are good, some are decent) but still retain that run and gun attitude and getting out alive.

As of the latest updates, it is about as close to the PC as you can get from a gameplay perspective. Options are there to load and save games along with checking high scores. You can pick your episodes (which will be the case whenever this is finished), difficulty, and get on with the episode chosen. It plays very well. This can be played with three or six buttons to run, fire, strafe and open doors and passageways. Nothing is altered. Everything is in their original locations. Enemies, ammo, walls that can be pushed, you name it. There isn't any slowdown or framerate issues. It'll take a level or two to get used to the controls, but by the end of an episode, you will play like a pro like on DOS computers.

I do have my concerns a little bit with at least one level of the game. One in particular will be the secret level of Episode 4 where 75 officers come after you once you fire a shot. The PC version glitches out at a certain number of enemies in one area. Other than that, it's the same Wolfenstein that you grew up and loved, which I have since 1995 on Windows 95 with a demo of it. I wish the best of luck to gasega68k and his efforts. I look forward to seeing this and the other episodes.

Demo Final Score: 8.5 out of 10

Bill O'Reilly: Unstable Journalist

I know this is a political blog and one of my intentions was to avoid it, but this could have very serious implications as far as ratings go and a different network being the top cable news channel.

http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/02/what-is-this-blog.html

My thoughts on cable news is that it is a joke. MSNBC, Fox, and CNN are all power hungry for ratings and will do whatever is necessary to spread their political views across. One of the clear victors has been Fox for a long time, but it could come tumbling down in the wake of Bill O'Reilly's departure. One of their mainstays, he was let go following a scandal of sexual harassment, which other Fox people have been accused of. It ends a run of "The O'Reilly Factor", one of the biggest, if not, biggest news show in all of cable.

It all starts at the very top with Roger Ailes, who created Fox News in 1996 and was in charge of the channel for a very long time. Last year he was sued by Gretchen Carlson, who worked on the network, for sexual harassment. Some people inside the company were not fond of him as well, In the end, Fox ended up paying millions to Carlson. That's what's happening right now with O'Reilly. A lot of women were not fond of him. They didn't act like the way he acted. Obviously, when there's accusations, there are others that will open up and say they were harassed. It's not hard to see why he is a hated figure and a powerful one.

O'Reilly was one of Fox's rating kings. He was someone that could get people to listen to him over a lot of controversial topics. Pretty good for a guy who used to work on Inside Edition. ("We'll do it live!") My impression of the guy is that he was unstable and came off as a loudmouth male version of Nancy Grace. For as much I didn't care about Barack Obama, the interview he did a few years ago on the then President was one of the most unprofessional and very rude interviews I have ever seen out of anything judging by the few snippets. I would say he is a step above comedy news people like the unfunny bitch Samantha Bee and idiot Stephen Colbert who try to be armchair journalists, but not by much.

It really wouldn't surprise me if O'Reilly did mistreat and harass women. He seems like the kind of person that would combined with his approach to stuff. However, there has to be actual evidence in order to show that. Saying what happened may not always guarantee a win for victims. Whatever the case, it's not a stretch to say Fox News is going to struggle for a while. With a number of their big name people gone in the last few years, it's a tough sell to listen to newcomers compared to other networks that have people like Wolf Blitzer.

If what is confirmed is true, it'll be a black eye for O'Reilly and Fox News. It would be tougher to get women to work at the network due to being afraid of what could happen. They're not the first network to deal with this, but their reputation could be a lot more damaging than sports broadcasters scandals. Life is going to be hell for who knows how long and be a punching bag for late night comedy and The Simpsons.

Madison Bumgarner's Date with Dirt

For the last three years, the San Francisco Giants have had success with pitcher Madison Bumgarner leading the way for them. Even though he has been there since 2009 and has three World Series championships, he was never a lights out guy. He put up respectable numbers between 2010 and 2012, but it wasn't until 2013 where he started to pick up. Since then, his strikeout numbers have have gotten higher each year. The earned run average was below three each year. And his bat has a little pop with getting home runs. It has been a tough going for San Francisco to begin 2017, and this incident could mean they could be out of playoff contention even before they are eliminated.

Bumgarner, this past Thursday, was riding a dirt bike in Colorado as the Giants had an off day before facing the Rockies. He wound up in an accident that left him with bruised ribs and a sprained left shoulder, which is his throwing arm. This has serious implications as he could potentially be out until early to mid June. It could be longer. It could be shorter That depends on how he feels with throwing the ball. You're putting a lot of strength into throwing it and sending to the catcher at 90 to 100 miles per hour. It's like golf in a way. If your body is not healthy enough to hit a golf ball, you're going to have a very tough time playing 18 holes unless you fix the problem.

Right now, San Francisco is in the midst of a mediocre start, which is still part of their hangover last year when they struggled during the second half of the 2016 season. With a loss last night to Colorado, they are now 6 and 11. Their pitching staff can be good, but some of their guys tend to be streaky. Matt Cain and Jeff Samardzija are inconsistent at times. Matt Moore hasn't done much since his 2013 campaign with the Tampa Bay Rays. Johnny Cueto can be good when he can play a full season. Their offense is far from putrid, but it could be better. Relief pitching could still be an issue.

Until there is a clear timetable of being out and coming back, Bumgarner's injury could be a reason that the Giants don't make it back into the playoffs. I know he's not the only factor, but he is a very important player that is needed at the right time. Case in point being the 2014 World Series and stopping the Royals in Game 7 as a reliever. It is early in the season and way too early to talk playoffs, but the NL West is looking different to begin this year. Colorado and the Arizona Diamondbacks are sitting at first and second in the division respectively. It will be a long road ahead to get past these guys, even if they struggle and give the Los Angeles Dodgers first place sometime this season.

Things could get better or worse. The length of time for Bumgarner's injury will make it either a very long season or one where expectations could be a bit higher unless San Francisco struggles more like they are right now.

A Powerful Judge

People will always be in awe of certain baseball players. In the case of batters, there are some that are amazed at the hits, defense and clutch performances. Pitchers have to outsmart their opponents and find ways to get them out. For the 2017 season, they will have that ultimate question. How do you stop New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge? If he hits a ball, how do you react?

The Yankees are in a bit of a retooling right now and this season will be a test to see how some of the veterans play with a slew of up and comers. So far, it has paid off in this very young year and Judge is one of the catalysts that helps them on to victory. Coming up in mid-August last year, he belted his first hit, a home run into center field at Yankee Stadium. After that, he struggled. His average was below .200, had 42 strikeouts in 84 at-bats. There was some power, but you would hope he would improve as gets accustomed to the league, especially with other young "Baby Bombers" like Tyler Austin, Gary Sanchez, and Greg Bird.

Whatever he worked on, Judge has become the guy that could get Yankee Stadium to sell out in regular season games and the playoffs if they play strong baseball. The home runs he has put up so far, (five already) a few of them have been absolute blasts. Prior to this latest game against Pittsburgh, he launched a deep one against the Chicago White Sox that was near the top of the bleacher rows in left center field. His size might help with his strength. This is the kind of guy that should be playing football or basketball at six foot seven and at about 280 pounds. 

His power should scare any pitcher (or fielder depending on where its hit in the infield) that has to face him. That was very evident from last week's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. With reliever Jumbo Diaz at the helm, Judge hit a pitch that almost hit Diaz in the head. The exit velocity was clocked in at 116 miles per hour for a single. There will be a lot of veteran aces that will figure things out and some of the youngsters who will study film on Judge. However, Judge could be an unstoppable force that could get Yankee Stadium rocking and be a face of the team since Derek Jeter and maybe Major League Baseball if puts up strong numbers for the next five years.

How he will fare in other stadiums for a full season will really determine his place for rookie of the year and his career. This could be the type of player who averages 30 to 40 home runs a year, but an issue being the strikeouts. It is his session that he can't adjourn. With other young players to lead the way, a World Series is not out of the question.

YouTube Videos: April 14-20, 2017

Here are some of the YouTube videos I have uploaded from this past week for your viewing pleasure. A few NASCAR 98 videos from the Sega Saturn version.

Throwing it away: Aaron Hernandez

If you no doubt heard about this in the last 24 to 36 hours, it will come off as a huge shock. Not long after considered not guilty of a double murder, former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez was found in his prison cell hung in the early hours of the morning of April 19th. You wouldn't think it's surprising considering some people think they didn't commit a crime and being on the other side is too much for them. In the case of Hernandez, who I think was still trying beat out his current reason for being in jail for life without parole, it makes no sense. Why kill yourself (if he really did) when you know you have a fighting chance, even if it's very slim, to get out?

Hernandez was a part of the Florida Gators for college football, playing with Tim Tebow and winning a national championship in 2008. He wasn't huge until his last year in 09, picking up over 800 yards and then declaring for the draft after that year. After you hear what he did, it represented what Florida was under coach Urban Meyer. Guys like Hernandez did whatever they want and didn't face much punishment. Whatever the case, he goes to the NFL in 2010 and gets drafted in the 4th round by the Patriots.

For his first NFL season, Hernandez put up decent numbers along with Rob Gronkowski, also drafted that year. The two tight end duo seemed like it would work, and it showed the next season. Both would put up very strong numbers. Gronkowski put up 1000 plus yards and 17 touchdowns. Hernandez was over 900 yards and 7 scores. This was a big threat that made it to the Super Bowl, only for the team to lose again to the perfect season killer New York Giants. Hernandez would sign a deal that would keep him with the Patriots until 2016. For 2012, he numbers were okay, but the tight end position was marred with injuries that year. He would put up decent numbers in the playoffs that year, but without Gronkowski, the offense couldn't do much to fool anyone at the most important time.

The pivotal point was 2013, where Hernandez would find himself in the midst of the reason he would be put into prison a few years later. In mid-June, Odin Lloyd was shot and killed. A little more than a week later, Hernandez is charged with murder and arrested. More charges pile up as police in Boston looked again at a double murder that he may have done the year before Lloyd's death. Almost a year later, the double murder gets him indicted, where police found evidence of the weapon Hernandez may have used after a word exchange with the victims led to the homicides.

More than half a year later, the trial for Odin Lloyd begins. Not too long, a verdict is given and Hernandez is sent to prison for life without parole. Then came another trial this year for the double murders, which he is declared not guilty a week ago. And then comes him hanging himself. From what I've said on other sites, attorneys were trying to get him out and try to drop the charges. Murder is a very serious offense. Especially with being let off the hook for what happened in 2012, maybe there would have been a chance to get out. As I said, it would have been very slim. Especially at that time when the Boston Marathon bombing occurred a few months prior to his arrest.

That being said, even if he was let go, he could have been a repeat offender and be one of those people who was constantly in and out of jail. There's the stories about being with gangs. I don't know if it was in high school. It might have been most likely when he was in Florida and Massachusetts. Who knows? I think he would have been out of the NFL very quickly, even if he played a few more years. Not a lot of teams would tolerate what he did.

Right now, Hernandez leaves behind a fiance and four year old daughter, who will no doubt be hearing a lot of shit. Some of it rightfully so, and other times uncalled for. It sucks to be that kid, and she'll be the subject of a lot of ridicule. Whatever he was charged of now is vacated. I don't know much about legalities, but Hernandez is now an innocent because of his suicide. However, that's going to be fought tooth and nail by the victims families to put the guilty moniker back on him. They might also try to get any money that's left from him. The Patriots could also have to pay depending on whether the conviction is dropped or not. If dropped, it's going to cost them a few million.

I hate to sound cold, but I think Hernandez did everybody a favor. Even if he did get out, he would have been a burden. No doubt in my mind, he would have seen jail time a whole lot that would have turned into a life sentence for a lot of repeat offenses.

Hernandez could have been one of the greatest tight ends and tight end duos with Gronkowski. But he threw it all away because of his way of life and everybody is paying for it on both sides. A long legal battle could ensue.

PestStation 4

I would say this is one of the more nerve racking things to talk about. This is something for anyone that intends on owning a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, or has one already. Certainly, this could apply also to other CD systems of the last few generations of gaming. The hoopla right now is about cockroaches. For the last few days, some websites have made stories from people that maintain consoles and talk about the issues that they deal with on a daily basis.

One of the common issues is dealing with cockroaches. They explain about how they get in. Basically, the vents on both the PS4 and Xbox One are a good enough size for them to get into the system, shit on the boards, and maybe fry the system to where it won't work. A lot of it they say has to do with the temperature getting hot enough for the roaches to get in, hit the power supply and ruin your system. Also said was not giving it enough space for it to cool.

It is a problem if you live in big cities or apartments. Unfortunately, you might not have a choice in the kind of housing. There are suggestions that they put up. One was putting it higher up and off the ground. That's what I do now these days with my Xbox 360, though my reason is different. One guy suggested mosquito netting for ones in apartments and getting rid of any in the one you live in. Another downside from what I've read is Sony not helping and returning anyone's PS4's if they get sent to them because of cockroaches.

I'm inclined to agree with some of the methods. You have to give your console more than enough room, have it off the ground, and make sure there is enough space for it cool without becoming a nest for insects to invade. It'll probably turn off a few people from buying systems, but I would think they are smart enough to not foolishly leave their systems on the ground. Buy at your own risk.

PlayStation 4 1 TB For 300 dollars

The PlayStation 4 has been on the warpath since releasing in November 2013. It capitalized on the mistakes of both Nintendo and Microsoft and has since made it to over 50 million units. However, one issue that persists other than now with cockroaches was that the base model was 500 gigabytes. Looking at it now with all the games file sizes, it's not enough. Someone at Sony must have been smart enough to realize that, because they've made a big change.

PlayStation 4 will still have a price of 300 dollars, but you are getting a 1 terabyte system. It was way overdue and is going to persuade many people who were optimistic to possibly purchase the system. As far as potential price drops go, maybe it might be 1 terabyte and 250 in a year or two, but that's a big question mark. But, as Sony continues on, they are reaching their peak with this system and it has a few more years of getting this system to steamroll the competition before focusing on a new system if they think the industry will want another console from them.

Either way, it was still overdue and I think hitting it at the right time. It will definitely be harder for Nintendo to compete despite the Switch's strong debut. Microsoft will have to step up their game once again in order to not lose any of its audience. With a number of games that cater to older and newer gamers, 100 million users may not seem out of the question.

The Simpsons Shorts Review: Good Night

Today marks the 30th anniversary of one of television's biggest set of characters. A quick drawing before a meeting, Matt Groening would introduce the world to The Simpsons. They made their debut on April 19, 1987 on The Tracey Ullman Show. Animated by Klasky-Csupo, it followed Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. A lot has changed since then, and as the shorts went on, they made progress on animation, voicing as they continued on and eventually becoming their own show.  A quick warning, which I will do for every review of whatever show I'm reviewing, there will potentially be spoilers, so try to watch an episode however you can.

For their first short, Good Night, it's a basic concept. The parents say good night to their children. However, kids have imaginings of their what their parents say. Keep in mind for these shorts for anyone new to them is that the family's characteristics are not what you think of now these days. It might feel a little weird hearing Bart ask Homer a serious question that isn't sarcastic. Lisa's thoughts of bed bugs is something that a child might be afraid of. Who wasn't afraid of sleeping in their own room?

That being said, the animation does look very crude. It was really Klasky-Csupo's first real effort and they would improve it more and more until their departure at the start of the 4th season with leftover episodes from the 3rd production season. Some might find it hard to listen to some of the voices. Lisa still sounds the same. I think Bart was a matter of consistency and perfecting it when the shorts were new. Homer is a case of imitation as Dan Castellaneta went for a Walter Matthau approach. Then again, he is a different kind of parent compared to the show and delivering the very first joke of the franchise. Marge's voice comes off sounding like a grandmother in this first short. Luckily, improvement is a key and it was a work in progress as the shorts went on, even into the first few seasons of the TV show.

You are going to get a few chuckles from the kids reactions in an otherwise okay short.

Final Score: 6 out of 10.

On a final note, the best chance you are going to find these shorts are on YouTube. The Tracey Ullman Show hasn't been run for a very long time in reruns in the United States and a good majority of the shorts have not appeared on any DVD of The Simpsons. Fans should persuade Fox to do a disc of all the shorts. Stop by this upcoming Tuesday with a review of the next two shorts, Watching TV and Jumping Bart. Happy viewing.

The Weather Channel: Is It More Than Weather?

In the 1980s, the rise of cable channels was becoming a noticeable thing. CNN, MTV, and many others were riding their way to many viewers who wanted more than the main three (four when Fox came around) channels for their entertainment.  One of the early ones was The Weather Channel around mid-1982. For the Atlanta based channel, it focused on obviously weather 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They did many things that made people want to stay updated in an era where you had to wait until a part of the day to get your local weather or get radio updates if they weren't stuck on airing song after song.

For a very long time, that was all they did, which was give you weather. That was, until the early 2000s, when they decided to put less focus on 24 hour weather and started putting out other programs. The first that comes to my head is Storm Stories. It was one of Weather Channel's biggest shows, which focused on recollections of people who survived some of the most dangerous storms. However, it started a trend of trying to keep people interested in other weather related shows, especially in an era now where ratings are a big deal for cable.

So when did it become more than weather? It didn't... kind of. They still believe in staying focused on what the channel's focus has been since 1982, but without being 24 hour forecasts. Some of it has been prediction type stuff. Some have been similar to Storm Stories like some of the tornado shows they have done. However, they have gone overboard a few times. One of those examples was showing movies for less than year a and was met with a lot of criticism. It's a case of trying to be a ratings success. Some of which has been a hit and miss.

You look at it today, even when it turns 35 in May, and you see there is still a big focus on weather. I think they got it to a point now where they give you forecasts throughout the day and barring very severe weather, having weather related shows. Like ESPN, they have bottom graphics keeping you updated on the weather in your local area and a few other areas around you. Really, I would criticize the constant promotion of their meteorologists. They shove these personalities down your throat so much before you even watch what they have to say. And it's a good bulk of their ads. About 30 to 40 percent. Maybe they want you to get to know who these people are and like them. Who knows?

It's a miracle The Weather Channel has stuck to one thing for the most part, hence the channel. With internet and using phones, we're able to track a few things without tuning to a TV. Even with that, people are still going to be glued to this cable channel, especially in the wake of any severe weather outbreak. If it still survives after another 10 to 15 years, it will be very commendable with the advancements in technology.

Nintendo Switch Update: April 2017

I'll keep this short and sweet, but Nintendo put up some good numbers with their new Switch system. Debuting at the start of March, it has performed beyond expectations. There are a few things that could be fixed from some people's complaints but overall, it's first month was good. The numbers are at 2.4 million sold worldwide, which is excellent considering releasing at this time of the year.

For as good as that is, I would still stay a little optimistic for now. There hasn't been too many titles, physically and digitally, despite the strong selling of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Other than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and a few other titles that might come out the next two to three months, Switch owners are going to have to bear it until Splatoon 2 is released in July. This is going to be one of two tests to see if people will still be interested in the Switch. One is now when Mario Kart comes out at the end of this month until Splatoon 2. Then there is whatever else until whenever Super Mario Odyssey comes out. I'm expecting a November release, much like most of the main Mario games the last 10 years since Galaxy.

It could still go either way. People want to see Nintendo succeed, but also put up an effort. They are hitting on the right cylinders. Right now, they have to keep putting up a strong push to keep the Switch relevant until the heavy hitters come out. Mario Kart 8 will be the first true test to see if people will instantly go for it or stick to the Wii U version. Play the cards right, and Switch system numbers could be from 50 to 70 percent near the total numbers of Wii U systems.

Check out some of my previous Switch blogs:

http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/02/nintendo-switch-last-hurrah-or-comeback.html
http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/04/peta-and-virtual-cows.html

Virginia Tech Massacre 10 years later

In the midst of writing an update blog, it never dawned on me about one of the deadliest massacres on a college campus and of the United States ten years ago. It's easy to forget how much time has progressed since April 16, 2007, and really, how tragic and heartbreaking it was and the amount of blaming on certain things.

On that day, Seung-Hui Cho, a student at Virginia Tech, unleashed fire in two separate areas on the morning of April 16th. Within two hours, he would end up killing 32 students, injuring 23 from either gunfire or other cause of injuries, and then put the gun on himself. Like any shooting like this, a lot of questions were raised. How was this guy able to get a gun? Was there something wrong with him? Should he have not been able to purchase weapons? A lot of this was talked about, as well as his mental health and past events that should have waved red flags. Unfortunately, nothing was done and it led to a bit of outrage about guns, mental health, and a few other things. In a way, it was like what happened in April of 1999 when the Columbine Massacre happened. A lot of questions were raised on it and as the years went on, discussions were made on the two boys that caused the massacre in Colorado.

I remember being at home on Spring Break in high school and heard about it at some point during the day. Later on, I heard my father saying to me something about the blame being put on video games, which frustrated me. You hear that whenever there was shooting back in the 2000s. That was to the point where even Dr. Phil McGraw talked about it. Like any gamer, I was in disgust when Fox News had on the biggest moron in the world of video games, Jack Thompson, on. If this name isn't familiar to anybody, he was a lawyer (who has been disbarred for the last 8-9 years) and has gone after video games after some big shootings. That included Columbine in 1999, and shooting at Heath High School in Paducah, Kentucky, less than a year and a half before Columbine. He had also went after numerous Rockstar Games products, notably Grand Theft Auto and Manhunt.

What Thompson went after this time was a game called Counter-Strike. Specifically an Xbox version of it. (Xbox was still being made, but ended that year) He would go on to criticize Bill Gates for the game, though Valve created it, not Microsoft who allowed it onto their system and computers. I remember reading an article that there was nothing really violent and stories from people who roomed with Cho that he played mostly Sonic the Hedgehog. I really haven't heard much about blame being put on video games in recent years other than maybe what happened at Sandy Hook in 2012, but I think this quote from Jason Della Rocca says it all about most people's feelings. "It's so sad. These massacre chasers, they're worse than ambulance chasers, they're waiting for these things to happen so they can jump on their soapbox." When MSNBC had Thompson appear and read Rocca's quote, Thompson got very frustrated, called Rocca a few names and if my memory is correct, tried to compare what happened to September 11th in 2001.

It gives me grief to no end about the scapegoating for the format. There's all this supposed research. All these people that say murder simulators, training to kill. That's nothing but a bunch of bullshit to get 15 minutes of fame or act like they know everything before the truth is heard. That's what happened with Columbine, Many blamed video games and ultimately, the truth was heard on the two shooters. It's sad when hundreds of millions that play video games throughout the world are instantly generalized by one person who went on the rampage and the media puts out a scapegoat without looking at what caused the rampage. To that point, I remember not too long watching a couple videos of a rally in New York City that had gamers expressing their view and showing the positive side of gaming through the group, Empire Arcadia. Here are the links.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvCYSHLkQWU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIjtGCv-IsU

That's the thing that the media tends to ignore. A line that NFL player Michael Strahan said in 2006 to newspaper reporters was along the line that most do in order to get more people to read. You sell on the negative, no matter the format. Anything positive is an afterthought. You see in news headlines on television, Papers will have the front cover decked out with something that catch everyone's attention. Gamers have to deal with all sorts of bullshit that happened a long time ago, may happen in the present, and possibly occur in the future. There's an enjoyment to video games to many as much as some people have with viewing movies or going to see a concert for a band or singer you like. I think one of the downsides is that video games are often looked down and maybe still looked at today like cartoons as being for kids.

Video games have been around since the 1970s. My father grew up during its start as a teenager. My older siblings got to see the NES era begin. For my younger brother, myself, and others of the late part of Generation Y, we've seen the rise of 3D. It's still a young format compared to other things like movies and music. However, we still see stereotypes being set among us. Despite that, we stick together and continue to do what we love. We're not going to let the media ruin something that is enjoyed by many because they generalize an entire group.

In the end, Virginia Tech is still one of the biggest tragedies in the United States. Thompson was disbarred a year and half later and culture still thrives on violence with stuff on various formats. It was a wake up call to many things regarding health and weaponry. What it also did, however, was show that gamers are not going to give up on defending what they love when the media makes a bunch of bad assumptions. (mostly Fox News and their legion of idiots) Let the world shine brighter so that these incidents can be prevented in the future and no bloodshed can happen.

Plans for the Blog (4/16/17)

This is going to be short, but here goes. I've been testing the waters out the last two months and have tried to get content out every day. It's learning the ropes as you continue on and this past week, I've gotten some of my highest pageviews through sharing my posts throughout the day they are published. Thank you for viewing them if you are reading this blog. That being said, I do want to plan out my intentions with this, and here is a few things you might expect.

1. 1-2 blogs a day: My intentions are to have this site get new blogs every day. I will plan out at least one. Sometimes, I might pull off two because either I might plan that or something sudden came up, like what happened to Charlie Murphy recently. (http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/04/health-issues-and-famous.html) Either way, I hope to keep people coming to the blogs. If you know people that would like my content, tell others and follow the blog.

2. Specific blogs: I'm thinking of putting out certain things on certain days. I want to review every short of The Simpsons beginning April 19th and continuing to do so starting Tuesday the 25th. Every Tuesday, you'll get to see a new review. I also liked the fact that my channel trailer blog got 30 views, so every Friday starting next Friday, I will put up what I have done on YouTube for the week and keep doing that unless I don't put up any videos for the week.

That's about it for now. I want to have a schedule on the content and again, give a sincere thank you for anyone viewing the blogs and continuing to show up and read them. It's greatly appreciated. Here's to hopefully a stronger future.

Damaging a career: Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick was immediately put into the stardom when he took over for the San Francisco 49ers in the middle of the 2012 season. Replacing Alex Smith who got a concussion, he found his way to making it to the Super Bowl, but to lose to the Baltimore Ravens. His 2013 season was his first full starting season and he didn't disappoint. He could run. He could throw. The team, even though they lost in the NFC Championship game, looked like they had a future quarterback for years to come. Then, 2014 came, and while he had a good year, it was not a strong one, missing the playoffs and coach Jim Harbaugh gone after that season.

For 2015, Kaepernick struggled and was benched. His numbers were far from good, and one would think this past season he would have been the starter under Chip Kelly's offensive scheme. However, the former coach decided to go with Blaine Gabbert, who didn't exactly light things up. Kaepernick was put in towards the middle of the year and posted some good numbers. They didn't translate to wins, though. San Francisco only won one game under him and he was let go after this past season. However, the point of this blog comes from what he did during pre-season.

You see games on television or in person and you see the National Anthem. The ones at the games, playing or spectating, look up to the flag. Kaepernick decided to kneel. It drew a lot of backlash and criticism. As far the NFL goes, some players on teams like the Miami Dolphins did it as well. Others, like the entire New York Giants team, stood for the Anthem. Kaepernick's reasoning was that because of the oppression of African Americans. The last few years haven't exactly been positive things, especially with shootings in the United States and a bunch of other things. He still hasn't been picked up and it begs the question on why he hasn't.

I think it comes down to two things. The first is obviously the protest he did. I'm not an expert on public relations despite going for mass communications, but this is truly a nightmare that will never be fixed. No matter how much stuff he does to help his image or others, he's still going to be really hated. I wouldn't be surprised if teams are concerned about what he could possibly do off the field and in interviews. The National Anthem is something you don't take lightly. Personally, I would stand up for it like everyone else. And especially considering the last few years, there are better ways to show protest than kneeling.

The other, which is also a huge factor, is if he can play. Could he have the energy to play well and start all 16 games in a season? This week, 49er coach Kyle Shanahan talked about why Kaepernick was not a fit for the offense he wants. Kaepernick's style of play is similar to other quarterbacks like Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, and Robert Griffin III. However, Wilson is really the only one who has developed into a passer, putting up huge numbers the last two years. Newton kind of has, but his numbers were far from the strongest last year compared to 2015. Shanahan also said about not doing everything, which you see a little bit. Guys like Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, and Joe Flacco have all done well as pocket passers that ultimately got them Super Bowls. Sometimes, they do have to run, but getting the ball to their receivers is a huge key to their success and a huge shot for the Hall of Fame (Flacco, I'm not sure yet).

I'm inclined to agree somewhat on the idea of repetitiveness. A team has to cater to Kaepernick's approach to the game. Whether he adjusts to another system is another story. If he wants to be relevant again, he's going to have to do a lot more to not only repair his image if he wants to, but also work on passing mechanics. He needs to show the NFL that he can still play, and he needs to put a very strong effort to be the starter for a team that is desperate for a quarterback. Or at the very least, have a backup in case things go sour with the other starter, which seemed to be the case this past season. He is still young enough to last a long time in the league and has big talent, but he has to put up the effort. Otherwise, he's a case of what if's along with other mobile quarterbacks like Michael Vick and Randall Cunningham.

Only Colin Kaepernick can dictate where he wants his career to go. If he changes for the better, then he can try to win back the fans. If he can't, then good riddance. He had everything and it crumbled around him. Whatever he does will affect his future, whatever he has left of a future.

Are 300 Million Dollar Movie Budgets a Possibility?

With The Fate of the Furious out in theaters now, it has a long road ahead of it if Universal intends on getting any profit out of this eighth film in the Fast and Furious franchise. Looking at its budget, it is at 250 million dollars. That is a far cry from the original's 38 million in 2001. Then again, they didn't build up the ante of being more than just street racing and working for the cops and FBI for the first few films. Even though since they have made huge success since the fourth one, Fast and Furious, are we getting to that realm that a 300 million dollar budget is inevitable?

Part of me thinks now we're heading towards that root. I'm more inclined to believe the thought process of Jay Chandrasekhar that we need those 20 million dollar budget films. From Back to the Future and Rain Man to Home Alone and Aladdin, these were movies that were able to succeed with decent budgets and give massive profits from a different era of film. I really don't know if you can justify Fate of the Furious' budget, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of cars if they weren't digitized (which they probably were) were destroyed in production with multiple takes. If you look at the commercials, they show some big damage with stuff like a wrecking ball and guiding a missile towards another car.

You look at comic book movies and it's hard to justify having these budgets since The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers being over 200 million. Sure, there are scenes that make sense to see why, but you have to wonder how much of this is going to the actors. Some people don't realize that behind the scenes, there is always some deal being made to where you get someone to appear in the film you want. Sometimes, they accept or reject and go somewhere else. It's really baffling and eventually these Marvel and DC films are going to crumble and hurt themselves and the companies that distribute (Disney and WB) if people grow tired of these films. Look at the last Ninja Turtles movie. Not even having throwbacks to the 80s cartoon helped it at the box office. There are exceptions like Deadpool and the latest Wolverine films, but those are rarities.

Animated films are something I wouldn't be surprised would get 300 million dollar budgets, but it seems like mostly Disney products would be the first if it gets to that. I wouldn't rule it out entirely, but I think a lot of companies know the risks. Even Disney has mellowed out a little bit since 2010 when Tangled came out that November and had a 260 million dollar budget. It barely two times its budget all together worldwide. And it's not like it had all sorts of big name actors in it, either. Either way, they trimmed down a bit to 150-165 million for their other original films. Frozen and Zootopia topped at 150 mil while Wreck-It Ralph and Big Hero 6 were at 165 mil. The Pixar stuff varies, so it's hard to know what the budget is going to be for those. Since Toy Story 3, they have had mostly 200 million dollar budgets. The brand name can only get you so far, but we'll have to see when Cars 3 comes out in June and other other sequels the next few years like Toy Story 4 and The Incredibles 2.

Maybe it might not happen during the end of the 2010s, but the idea of a budget of 300 million could be seen in the 2020s. Film companies are going to have a tough time getting profits if it becomes reality. Hopefully it doesn't.

Fumbling a Classic: The NES Classic

For well over a decade, there have been many plug and play systems with a set number of number of built in games. I've had a few over the years and they still work fine. If there was one that could have done it well, it was Nintendo. With a background of many titles from the last 35 to 40, they would give fans what they wanted. In the midst of this, however, was a big fuck-up that really shouldn't have happened in the first place. I'm talking about the NES Classic system.

Back in November, Nintendo released the NES Classic to stores. They had 30 built games. Some first party and some were third party. You would think theoretically this would be a home run and it was... kind of. From what I understand, not many places got enough stock and one of the problems now is scalpers selling them at ridiculous prices. Underestimating that many would not care is nothing short of baffling. If there's a candidate for the most stupidly loyal fanbase, Nintendo would probably be at the top if not, near it. And I'm not talking about the casual people who want to relive what they had in the late 80s and early 90s. Some are willing to pay hundreds without turning the other cheek. They did put out another shipment, but this is probably one of the most surprising things to come out of this company.

Nintendo has announced that they are discontinuing the NES Classic. It's not a surprise people are pissed about this. Whether you grew up on an NES like my family did or not, many are going to be very disappointed. For one of the hottest products this past Christmas, for it to not last even six months is a tragedy in itself. Nintendo really dropped the ball on this. Millions grew up on this 8-bit system. It was a lot of people's first system and for some, their only one. From a simplistic age and the titles they offered, they should have known it would have been a bigger deal than what they expected.

Honestly, who knows what the factor is for discontinuing. I'll say this as a heads up, but the more I do blogs about Nintendo, the more you'll know how I feel about them. Their Japanese division is one of the most incompetent companies in all of the world. They almost have a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde personality. At times, they do understand what audiences want. However, the other side is having no goddamn clue about what goes on outside of Japan. They put up a good effort or the minimal. When there's a hot product like they had with the Wii back in 2006, you try to give people what they want, not kill it off so quickly. I know it's apples and oranges, but, come on.

Speaking of Wii, there is the Virtual Console, which has continued on with Wii U, 3DS, and the new Switch system. That might make a little sense, but the audience for the Switch is different from what the NES Classic is going after. My family had an NES from 1987 until at least 94 or 95. I've had my own since June of 2009. If i didn't have one, I would have asked for this immediately. The NES isn't exactly the most reliable machine for video games. One of the few mistakes Nintendo did was not re-releasing it at a good time. For its top loader to come out in the fall of 1993 is one of the big blunders before they made mistake after mistake starting with the Nintendo 64.

I know it's been hacked and a couple of other things, but it's not like the NES is going to be forgotten as the years go on. This is one of the most important systems for the industry, especially in America where it helped recover from the Video Game Crash of 1983. Even with some of Nintendo's illegal methods, this is a part of history. I doubt we'll get anything sincere since President Reggie Fils-Aime is a puppet, but Nintendo better have a good explanation for this if they have any. There is no reason to kill off something that you could easily sell to many and make a good profit off of. The NES Classic was reasonably priced. There was games you could easily put tons of hours in. It did it right compared to other plug and plays. But now, it's just another black eye full of backlash that they haven't evaded since 1996. Stuff like this is why people give Nintendo the finger and not take them seriously.

Police Squad: Victim of a Different Era?

TBS has put a lot of stock into their line of comedies and continues to do so with Angie Tribeca. The police procedural from the minds of Steve and Nancy Carell has entered its third season of solving crimes with lots of gags all around an episode. For people to still be interested in it says a lot. Then again, there's not too many parody shows these days. However, it draws similarities to the cult favorite, Police Squad, a show that some considered shouldn't have been cancelled very quickly.

Police Squad is from Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Brothers, David and Jerry. Their first big project was the movie The Kentucky Fried Movie. It was not a huge hit in 1977, but they built their reputation beginning with Airplane! three years later. The humor to their approach on disaster films catapulted the film to major success that summer in 1980. Almost two years later was Police Squad in March of 1982. It was built on competent cops solving cases while dealing with all sorts of visual gags, word gags, and a few other things that suited their style throughout the 80s and early 90s. With Leslie Nielsen as Frank Drebin, how did it wind up getting cancelled after four episodes with two airing in the summer?

The show aired on ABC, and the head of the network, Tony Thomopoulos thought people really needed to watch it to give it any appreciation. I'll interpret that he thought nobody would understand the fast pacing of the jokes and gags. I do think it's a pretty bad reason to cancel a show, but you gotta think about it for a second. Back then, the Zuckers and Abrahams were kind of new to the world of Hollywood. Not long after was a few more movies together such as Top Secret! in 1984 and reworking Police Squad into the The Naked Gun films from 88 to 94. Your biggest sitcoms were shows like M*A*S*H and Happy Days. Nobody was doing the style of comedy they were doing back then. 

This is probably a big hypothetical, but how long could the show have lasted if it didn't get cancelled so quickly? Personally, I don't think it would lasted a long time. I'd say two to three, maybe four years, tops. It's hard to know if people would have kept on watching it after it's initial start. Television is a different animal compared to the movies. Eventually, some of the stuff you liked a few seasons prior may not garner the same reception in a current season. Police Squad was so elaborate in its comedy, it would have had the issue of being a little stale if it continued for a good length of time. Even getting to the last few episodes of the show a few years ago, it felt a little repetitive.

If Police Squad aired today, it would have a run similar to Tribeca. How many episodes, though, I'm not sure. No doubt, it is a victim of the era it was in, but it worked much better with The Naked Gun films. I think what has helped Tribeca is that it is thorough in its parody. It isn't a cheap thing done by the Friedburg and Seltzer duo. There is care put into it, and it's nice to see something similar to Police Squad. Abrahams and the Zuckers were amazing together with their movies. Let's not forget the importance of their only TV show and why they were a force to be reckoned with in the 80s.

Health Issues and the Famous

Another day, and you hear about another death of a Hollywood celebrity. If people thought Bill Paxton's death was very shocking, I wonder how much shock there is on Charlie Murphy. Today, he passed away from a battle of leukemia at the age of 57. Similar to other deaths, you want to hear if it's legit. I don't really trust TMZ, because they are nothing more than paparazzi losers. It is confirmed by other sites beyond them. The last thing you think about is someone having some health issue that you wouldn't think otherwise.

Sometimes, you don't want things leaked to the press or tell them what has happened to you. For some of these celebrities or famous individuals, they don't want to be bombarded with all sorts of questions that otherwise become the number one topic for who knows how long. For Murphy, he probably wanted to continue on with doing his work as an actor without having the media breathing down his neck. Considering he has seen heartbreak with the passing of his wife due to cancer in 2009, you would think he would talk about his situation a little bit. You know what, it is his personal life, though. He has the choice to talk about it or not.

One actor that comes to mind for me is Michael J. Fox. For over 25 years, he has had to deal with Parkinson's Disease every day. When he found out about it in 1990, he decided to not say anything to anybody outside of family. That would come to a complete stop around the end of the decade, where he opened up on what he has suffered. Now these days, he focuses on trying to find a way to cure this disease and give awareness to it. In one of the biggest stunts to understand Parkinson's, Fox spoke in front of a Senate committee. He did not take any medicine and as it showed, you saw the effects of what would happen without keeping it at bay. Luckily, he's still around, and still trying to find the cure. He's even made fun of himself in stuff like Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he manages to get Larry David kicked out of New York City.

For a guy that had the nickname Sweetness, NFL player Walter Payton had issues that were anything but that. In early 1999, he announced to the public that he had liver disease and decided to get people aware of donating organs. At the start of November, he unfortunately succumbed to bile duct cancer. For me, I don't know how long he had this, but he could have been saved if his liver disease wasn't that severe before he announced it. Some people, famous or not, don't try to find a solution to their problems. By the time they do, it is too late. The treatment you get may not be enough, but you might be able to defy the odds, like ugly suit (and overrated) reporter Craig Sager. If only people could make that initiative when they find out and immediately attempt to get it dealt with.

Whether or not you view this next guy as a good or bad person, it's still a shocker he passed. Satoru Iwata took over as President of Nintendo in 2002. He oversaw the big rise of the DS handheld and Wii home console in 2004 and 2006 respectively. However, he was part of some of the big screw ups of the company, like not embracing online for the GameCube and the disaster of the Wii U. After 2009, they started to struggle and his approach at times was subject to huge criticism. Even though he still continued on, he noticed health issues a year before his passing and died from bile duct caner due to a tumor in July 2015 at the age of 55. Stress is a major issue. When you're in the level that Iwata had, your decisions will affect the outcome of a whatever you are in charge of. There probably was some from of panic, especially when Wii U didn't put up the numbers Nintendo did. You hear a lot of things of overworked people, and stuff like ulcers, but it happens to everybody in a company. It's sad, but unfortunately, it may hurt you at some point.

Out of all the people, you wouldn't think of someone like Charlie Murphy passing too soon. Wherever he is now, I'm sure Prince and Rick James will talk stories with him and maybe the Chappelle's Show skits. It's a shame.

Check out the blogs I did following the death of Bill Paxton

http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-shock-of-death-part-1.html
http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-shock-of-death-part-2.html
http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-shock-of-death-part-3.html

Disney Remakes and It's 2010s Resurgance.

Another weekend, another top three performance by Disney yet again. In it's fourth weekend in theaters, their live action remake of Beauty and the Beast was number two at the box office, beaten barely by The Boss Baby, which entered its second weekend. Worldwide, it has made almost a billion dollars with impressive runs domestically and internationally. It is unbelievable that it's able to make that much very quickly. How and why do these films garner so much success at the box office?

For the 2010s, Disney has lit up the decade. It has had a big resurgence and has had a big era since at least the mid 90s. Their animated films on their own have picked up quite a bit. I see them as a lot more confident in putting them in theaters compared to the decade prior where direct-to-video was one of their big moneymakers. Stuff like Tangled, Wreck It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, and Zootopia shows that they can do well if they have the right people involved. Especially if you have people who worked on other project, whether from Disney or not. Of course, their Pixar library has done well despite a few bumps with things like Cars 2. The live action material still has its hits and misses.

With the remakes, it goes back to when Alice in Wonderland hit theaters at the start of 2010. I think what helps with these films is the curiosity of what could possibly happen if you were to see it. In the case of Alice, when it's headed by Tim Burton, you know there will be a style that he has done since the days of Beetlejuice and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Not to mention how it is different from the animated film. It didn't have the strongest reception, which is the case with most of these live action adaptations, but made it to over a billion dollars. Disney had this and Toy Story 3 that year as the top two films that with over a billion each. Woody and the gang made just a little more.

While these next two weren't remakes, they caught some attention. The first was Oz: The Great and Powerful in early 2013. I should say these movies had very expensive budgets. We're talking at least 200 plus million with a few of these films. It made big money, but did not make it to half a billion worldwide and had a mixed reception.  The next one was Maleficent in the summer of 2014. From what I understand, this is the villain from Sleeping Beauty.  The star power helps when you have Angelina Jolie as the title character. I'm not saying that's the only reason it did well, but it gives a little edge when you make hit after hit. At the same time, you do get to see Maleficent's origins and what she would become. If the idea of a live action Sleeping Beauty does come into fruition, it could be bigger. Once again, there wasn't a hugely positive reception but made over 750 million worldwide.

The last two years prior to 2017, Disney has gotten back into doing remakes.  Two years ago, they did Cinderella, which made over 500 million worldwide, and had the cheapest budget of the remakes at 95 million. However, its reception was a bit stronger as it was well received. Last year saw The Jungle Book hit theaters and it was very huge, critically and commercially. Prior to Beauty and the Beast, it was the biggest remake of these films. It's an intriguing thing because you wouldn't think of these necessarily translating well into live action. Cinderella is an odd choice out of the films Disney has done to be put into live action. The Jungle Book would be a lot more demanding due to the many characters and set pieces that are seen. Whatever they did with these two, it worked. The company must be feeling very confident considering they got  the same director for Jungle Book, Jon Favreau (Elf, Iron Man 1-2) to direct the live action Lion King film.

What helps a bit is that there are people who obviously grew up on some Disney films as kids, whether seeing them in the theater or seeing them on VHS, DVD or TV. As some have kids of their own, there might still be that love for Disney and you want to show your child some of the stuff you grew up with if they weren't very stubborn in protecting the films. When you look at the company's output since the 1930s, a lot of these animated films have that timeless appeal. Even if you don't have a kid, you could be very excited or concerned and have a certain emotion when you do see the final product in theaters. As I said, it's curiosity for the most part.

I think as long as they don't deviate too much from the source material if it is that and the animated versions, Disney could wind up doing more versions of their animated films in live action. Whenever The Lion King comes out, it's going to be very huge. When it came out in 1994, it was nearly a billion dollars worldwide. It could possibly reach that mark very quickly in live action. If the reception is still good, who knows what it will take at the end of the 2010s and into the new decade. People will always be intrigued and Disney will find a way to put butts in seats.

Channel Trailer 2017

I run a YouTube channel and have done videos for the last four years. This is a new channel trailer for anybody looking for videos on games. I'll explain more in a later blog.

TV Review: The Merrill Howard Kalin Show

Public access television is one of the more intriguing things to look at for viewing programs. Sure, we hope things are like Wayne's World, but that's not the case at times. I don't know who had the bright idea of having someone with developmental issues host a cooking show, The Merrill Howard Kalin Show ran on public access at some point between 1990 and 1992 in Illinois. Produced in cooperation with the Little City Foundation in Palatine, this is one of those shows that started off promising, but quickly headed for disaster. I heard a few bits from Opie and Anthony and The Lazlow Show (the GTA guy), but for the sake of this, I'm gonna pretend that I didn't watch those two's videos and look at the entire video of Kalin.

I do advise anyone reading to wash their hands before, during, and after preparation of food. Not to mention cleaning utensils and other stuff between prepping food. From the intro up until the first set of commercials, Kalin prepares chicken and salad. I'm not sure if I agree with the idea of tearing the skin off chicken with your own hands. A knife would have been useful. Then comes the barbecue sauce which he only puts on one side of each chicken he had on the cutting board. After that came the salad. Outside of the lettuce, Kalin did a good job with cutting cucumbers and tomatoes. He kind of babbles on about cooking and saying that his method is the right thing. Really, the only thing to complain is not cleaning the cutting board. Contamination of food is one thing that puts certain eateries and restaurants out of business. Other than that, this was the best part of the show.

After the first set of commercials came the Jello. With this part, Kalin looked out of touch and was slow to adapt to different things. However, this is where you see things head for disaster. He cut a banana fine, but this is where he starts doing impressions. I'm not the best impersonator on the planet, but this guy does it so horribly. No matter what celebrity he does, it's his voice but with a different pitch. That's what ruins the second part and third part which we'll get to. He overloads his Jello with apples and the banana, which he doesn't even do a good effort and still contaminates it by not cleaning his utensils and cutting board. He is focused completely on that, even when he starts doing the stuffing. That's an example of how not to make food.

The third part seemed like Kalin ran out of things to discuss. He showed off the finishing product of chicken and stuffing, along with getting some salad. That's the only thing he really had. He took a bite of salad and a piece of tomato. He still has that focus on the Jello. Even with that, he doesn't try any of the chicken or stuffing. Not even the Jello. Kalin goes on about telling people to not cook alone, leaving that impression that he thinks everybody still lives with their parents, which wouldn't surprise me if he did at that time. Then he goes on about where people can write to him and then does more awful impersonations. After that is talking about the next show talking about Motorola and expectations for the show (if there were any episodes after that) and concluding the show.

Anybody's guess is as good as mine as to how many episodes there were for this. There was at least three, considering the end credits mentioned about staying tuned for a fourth Merrill Howard Kalin Show. How many of these actually made it to public access, I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if Kalin's family did not want people outside of Palatine to see these kind of disastrous shows. The idea seems nice on paper, but my goodness. I'm gonna assume someone regretted doing this after noticing how he made it look like a joke.

If it wasn't for that first 10 or so minutes, this would be a 1 out of 10. But with how competent Kalin was with the chicken, salad, and to a certain extent the Jello, this is a 3 out of 10. Honestly, this shouldn't have even been filmed in the first place.

Sonic Mania: A Summer Hit?

One of the projects that has a caught a lot of attention for the industry is one of the new games in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Sonic Mania, which is set to release sometime this year, is one that many have set their eyes on. It's approach is eerily similar to what was seen on the Genesis from the original trilogy. That being said, it could be one of the big and possibly surprise hits to come out this year from Sega. However, this all goes back to when Sonic CD came out on modern systems in 2011.

Sonic CD released on the Sega CD in the fall of 1993 and it's only re-releases were on Windows 95 in 1996, and an emulated version for Sonic Gems Collection on the GameCube in 2005. In 2009, an Australian named Christian Whitehead began work on the game with the use of his engine, the Retro Engine. Unlike most old games that have been re-released in the last eight to ten years, this was built from the ground up. With it finished, Whitehead showed off the game as a proof of concept and talked to Sega about it. Within two years they put up a release of it on Xbox 360 and made to the PlayStation 3, Steam, and IOS systems.

The game had a multitude of features while retaining what it did well (or failed depending on perspectives) for the re-release. It's positive reception lead to Whitehead developing a few other ports of the series. With a another member of the Sonic community who would form Headcannon Games, the IOS got the first two Genesis Sonic games in 2013. Like CD, it retained what was good along with adding in certain features. The most notable being Hidden Palace Zone in 2, which was something magazines showed in 1992. And it has come down to Sega allowing Whitehead and a few companies to headline and create the next new Sonic game with Mania.

With what has been seen in the videos on YouTube, Mania will keep people wowed. Graphically, it looks phenomenal. The impression I get is being similar to Sega's ill fated 32x add-on and the game, Knuckles Chaotix. It blows that game out of the water as far as visuals go. Everything from the colors and backgrounds to the animations is amazing. From what I've read, it's a 32-bit engine and that it's going for things that you wouldn't have expected on 16-bit systems. Nostalgia overload will set in on a few. That Sega look is there and is about on par with, if not, better than what a Neo-Geo did.

Whitehead's stuff comes from the days of the Genesis, and Mania is going after the style of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic and Knuckles. It looks like it'll be a lot of fun. Expanding some of the levels of the originals intrigue me a little bit. Some of the newer levels look inspired from other games. This is a game made by fans for fans. It wants you to explore. It wants you to go fast. The different styles of play from each character adds a bit of value to the playthroughs. Whatever it's doing could be a sign for things to come if the game were to sell and be held in high regard.

Sega has been on the ups an downs for the last 10 years, and they have tried to improve their image. With accepting Whitehead and a few others since 2009, this could be a brand new chapter for the company and for other projects beyond Sonic the Hedgehog. If Mania takes off, who knows what kind of project could be seen next. The minority has begged for many franchises to come back. A lot of companies could come to Whitehead to head a major project that will feel like a labor of love. Mania will come out on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Hopefully, it catches everyone's attention whenever it cout.

Dolan the Asshole

We go through another season of NBA Basketball and the New York Knicks have failed... again for the umpteenth time since 2001. They can never get themselves out of the cellar. Even with some of their big players, it's not enough to get even 40 wins. This year has been all kinds of embarrassment as they celebrated 70 years of basketball, which was when the NBA first started. Once again, owner James Dolan has found himself in the spotlight again, and the league will not do anything about it.

I'm sure some have heard about it already, but this past Tuesday, the Knicks faced the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. A lawyer, Mike Hamersky, was having a quick beer at a bar after getting off work. A season ticket holder, he saw Dolan heading out to a limousine and said he should sell the team, which sounds like something you would hear the last 10 year or so years. Dolan heard it, and went back to Hamersky to call him an asshole and put up some wild accusations. The pudgy owner confirmed the story on Deadspin and told his take on the story. He accused Hamersky of being an alcoholic and told his security crew to make sure he didn't get into the Garden. Supposedly, a security guy did follow Hamersky, and the Knicks PR put up a statement, possibly written by Dolan about what happened and their thoughts. Sadly, this situation is not without precedent.

Back in February, beloved Knick legend Charles Oakley was arrested after security had to drag him out of Madison Square Garden. Oakley has never been liked by Dolan as he is not invited to participate in the team's activities with former players. What happened two months ago is up for interpretation. Some could say Oak said a few negative things by Dolan, or Dolan wanted him out because of what would happen. A night or two after the incident, Dolan goes on The Michael Kay Show and puts up an accusation that Oakley had an alcohol problem. He would ban the former great from the arena, fire a head of security for the incident, and the PR group dug a deeper hole that really made the situation a lot worse. In the end, a lot of people stood up for Oak while Dolan got even more hated. There was a meeting between the two and the ban was lifted.

Two years ago, Dolan got sent an angry email from a Knicks fan that had grown up with the team since their early days in the 1950s. In response, he berated the fan and accused him of not only being an alcoholic, but that he had done nothing positive in life. From this past Tuesday and these two examples, the NBA did nothing. This is a big punch to the face for the league, and its sad that there is no intervention because of the way Dolan acts.

The owner has been one of the most controversial and most hated in the league since his daddy, Charles, gave him the team in 1999. From what I understand, he is a very private person. One of his policies on MSG channels is that you can't criticize the Knicks no matter what. Marv Albert would do that one time in 2004, and he's been working at TNT ever since because Dolan didn't want to hear negativity from one of the biggest play-by-play announcers in the NBA.  He fumbled a lot on Detroit Piston legend Isaiah Thomas, which ultimately led to a lawsuit between Thomas and Anucha Browne Sanders regarding sexual harassment. Sanders would win her suit. The way Dolan has handled Phil Jackson has been subpar. There's just a lot of bad things that have occurred.

I don't get why Dolan gets frustrated and says stupid things. The Knicks have been a poor representation of the NBA for the last 15 years. How is that not surprising when he sees fans act that way? When you're that bad for so long, of course the damn fans are going to say to sell the team. He lacks any sort of professionalism. He's never worked hard at getting anything. The same things that are heard every day are going to be that way until he either sells the team (which he probably won't) or passes away.

If he says something even more derogatory or racist, what is commissioner Adam Silver going to do? Give him a slap on the wrist? The foot has to come down eventually, even as all those idiots in Manhattan sell out Madison Square Garden every game. The NBA can't keep dodging this stuff. They have to eventually punish Dolan, whether it's a huge fine or getting rid of the team. If I was in charge, I would get rid of Dolan, his PR guy Jonathan Supranowitz, get rid of their media policy, and try to get someone that is basketball oriented to be the owner instead of a cable TV oriented owner.

Something has to happened soon. Stalling is only going to make things worse. If it doesn't, shame on Silver.

Check out some earlier NBA blogs:
http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/03/tecmo-super-nba-basketball-sega-genesis.html
http://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/03/rest-sports-ultimate-decision.html