The Jacket has got to be one of the more interesting episodes in Seinfeld's history. It's more the behind the scenes stuff that occurred rather than the episode itself.
Jerry is browsing through jackets and finds himself a nice suede one. It fits him well and after a little concern about the price, he buys it. There seems to be this obsession over the fact that he loves it so much. To the point of Kramer taking his old jacket. Outside of that, the next big plot involves Jerry, Elaine, and George. All three are to meet and go to dinner with Alton Benes, Elaine's father.
For the guest stars before this episode, it consisted of small named actors or ones that they found on the street. Seinfeld went all out and got Lawrence Tierney. The Inside Look on the DVD for this episode goes really into the casts feelings about the actor and the character. Larry David based Alton on a girlfriend's father, but the cast and crew were scared. This is a guy in his 70s that still had that same personality that he had in movies from the 40s and 50s. Those mob films, gangster ones. It's funny that his career was still going high a year and a half later when Reservoir Dogs hit theaters. Even from what I read, the crew of The Simpsons had issues with Tierney when he voiced a store security guy for an episode a few years later.
The idea of parents appearing in episodes from time to time is not unusual. Unfortunately, Tierney taking a knife off the set was a breaking point. A shame, though, because Alton terrifies Jerry and George very well. Talking about war and a tail gunner getting killed feels dark but still funny considering who he is talking to about it. Even early on in the episode, Elaine is uncomfortable having not seen her father in a while.
Outside of Jerry's main plot, George's is singing Les Miserables and they show it a handful of times. It helps a bit considering Jason Alexander being involved in theater. Kramer and Elaine have their own little story of their own. Kramer is watching birds for a magician and needs someone to watch them for a few minutes. He tried to get Jerry and George to do it, but they didn't. A funny bit includes Jerry knowing how his neighbor functions. Elaine winds up late to meet her father and the two. Her explanation is the opposite of how she was in The Busboy in that she is very animated about what happened with watching the birds. We do get a mention of her job at Pendant Publishing, a place that will have quite a bit of episode plot lines for her.
The ending is what you would expect out of anything Larry David writes. With what he and Jerry wrote for the episode, it's a great one. All four characters have their moments and are hilarious. Improvement of the stories and characters with each passing episode shows the genius of this sitcom.
Score: 8 out of 10
Next week's review is an episode NBC hated.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Monday, January 29, 2018
NFL Super Bowl Prediction 2018
This upcoming Super Bowl is either going to be very grand or very disappointing. There is no third option for how this will end up. For the sake of this, let's get into both sides.
Right now, the Philadelphia Eagles are riding high on their defense. This is the group that has been on a high level in their two games, but in order to win, they need to keep it going for 60 minutes. Keeping eye on the running backs of New England is critical. Nick Foles proved worthy last week, but it will be a daunting challenge to pick apart the Patriot defense. So far the run game hasn't exactly been firing on all cylinders, and it might have to rest onto the passing game. Keys to winning include getting the rushing attack to prosper, staying on a high level on defense and Foles playing it smart.
There is no happy ending for the Patriots. A dark cloud will still hang over both Belichick and Brady, whether they win this Super Bowl or lose. If they were to win, they need the defense to actually play for 60 minutes, not just the second half. Who do you cover, though? Philly has receivers that can move anywhere on the field they want. Obviously, the passing game is still strong, but running the ball, like the Eagles, is a daunting one. Keys to victory include playing defense for all 60 minutes, getting the ground game going, and avoiding huge pressure like the last two weeks.
As much as I don't care for both these teams, it's going to be a New England victory. I would go 28 to 21. The Eagles can only do so much on offense without over-relying on the defense. That being said, I could see the city of brotherly love winning it, but a potential riot could occur. I would hope this would be a good game, so let's see how things go on Sunday.
Right now, the Philadelphia Eagles are riding high on their defense. This is the group that has been on a high level in their two games, but in order to win, they need to keep it going for 60 minutes. Keeping eye on the running backs of New England is critical. Nick Foles proved worthy last week, but it will be a daunting challenge to pick apart the Patriot defense. So far the run game hasn't exactly been firing on all cylinders, and it might have to rest onto the passing game. Keys to winning include getting the rushing attack to prosper, staying on a high level on defense and Foles playing it smart.
There is no happy ending for the Patriots. A dark cloud will still hang over both Belichick and Brady, whether they win this Super Bowl or lose. If they were to win, they need the defense to actually play for 60 minutes, not just the second half. Who do you cover, though? Philly has receivers that can move anywhere on the field they want. Obviously, the passing game is still strong, but running the ball, like the Eagles, is a daunting one. Keys to victory include playing defense for all 60 minutes, getting the ground game going, and avoiding huge pressure like the last two weeks.
As much as I don't care for both these teams, it's going to be a New England victory. I would go 28 to 21. The Eagles can only do so much on offense without over-relying on the defense. That being said, I could see the city of brotherly love winning it, but a potential riot could occur. I would hope this would be a good game, so let's see how things go on Sunday.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
MLB Hall of Fame 2018
Some big names in Major League Baseball got the call to be in the Hall of Fame. The four were huge deals to the teams they were on in the 90s and 2000s. These were Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero, and Trevor Hoffman.
Out of the four, Jones is probably the one who saw a lot of success. He was a full grown Atlanta Brave, the first pick in 1990. He was a September call-up in 1993. After an injury the following year, Jones started showing his worth in 95, finishing second in Rookie of the Year honors while slugging 23 home runs and 85 RBI's. The postseason showed what kind of contributor he was, and it ended with a World Series trophy. For the next eight years, he was on the warpath with his average, homers, and runs. Wear and tear started to get to him later on, but he was able to cobble together over 2,700 hits, over 460 home runs, and finishing above .300 for a career batting average. He also won the NL MVP in 1999. Defensively, he ends his ride to the Hall with a .954 fielding percentage. Definitely worthy of the Hall.
Thome was a very young player when he was a September call-up in 1991 for the Cleveland Indians. That being said, he didn't start to become a factor until 1994. For the next decade he was crushing the ball and drawing over 100 walks almost every year from 95 until 04. He was part of the revival of the Indians and their two World Series runs in 95 and 97, both ending in loss. An off year in 2005 resulted in Thome still being able to play for quite a bit longer, still getting 20 plus home runs a year between 2006 and 2010. For a 22 year veteran, his hits may not seem great at just over 2,300. His home run count is huge, and was one of the few at the time to get to 600, especially in an era of steroids. He is also one of the few to have a primary position at both third and first base at some point in his career, where he fielded fully until 2005. I didn't think he was going to get in as a first ballot, but I still think he would have gotten in just on home runs alone.
Add in another September call-up with Guerrero. Like Thome, he was a young player when he started in 1996 with the Montreal Expos. However, he didn't start to shine until 1998. After that, he was wowing many with his ability to hit the ball any way he can along with his home run ability. He didn't slow down when he signed with the Anaheim Angels. His first year with them, he won the MVP in the American League. Guerrero was still putting up monster numbers even late in his career. In the end, he put up over 440 home runs along with over 2,500 hits. His career strikeout total is below 1,000, a rare feat today. He struggled defensively early on, but got the hang of it once he went to Anaheim. Certainly a guy that deserved a first ballot.
You can't mention Mariano Rivera without talking about Hoffman and putting these two in as the best modern closers in the MLB. This is a guy, as the media has discussed in their stories, who started as a shortstop and converted to a relief pitcher. It took a few years, but he is in. Most of his damage was done in San Diego, where he was traded to after beginning his career in 1993 with the new expansion Florida Marlins. From then on, he put together 552 saves with them, getting at least 30 in all but two years with them. (1994 and 2003, with 03 being an injury year) Hoffman would get to just over 600 in his final year in the league with Milwaukee in a forgettable 2010 season. He was part of the best and worst of San Diego baseball. Armed with a changeup and Hell's Bells for an intro, he leaves a huge legacy as far as relievers go.
There were a few that are getting closer. Edgar Martinez and Mike Mussina showed big progress. Even steroid allegation players in Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds were getting closer, but small increases compared to the formers. Others such as newcomer Johnny Damon are off it for good when he couldn't get five percent. Just a quick thought. I think MLB's idea of Hall of Fame voting is very outdated and should follow the NFL and Basketball.
Who do you think gets in next year? Who should have gotten in this year? Give your thoughts.
Out of the four, Jones is probably the one who saw a lot of success. He was a full grown Atlanta Brave, the first pick in 1990. He was a September call-up in 1993. After an injury the following year, Jones started showing his worth in 95, finishing second in Rookie of the Year honors while slugging 23 home runs and 85 RBI's. The postseason showed what kind of contributor he was, and it ended with a World Series trophy. For the next eight years, he was on the warpath with his average, homers, and runs. Wear and tear started to get to him later on, but he was able to cobble together over 2,700 hits, over 460 home runs, and finishing above .300 for a career batting average. He also won the NL MVP in 1999. Defensively, he ends his ride to the Hall with a .954 fielding percentage. Definitely worthy of the Hall.
Thome was a very young player when he was a September call-up in 1991 for the Cleveland Indians. That being said, he didn't start to become a factor until 1994. For the next decade he was crushing the ball and drawing over 100 walks almost every year from 95 until 04. He was part of the revival of the Indians and their two World Series runs in 95 and 97, both ending in loss. An off year in 2005 resulted in Thome still being able to play for quite a bit longer, still getting 20 plus home runs a year between 2006 and 2010. For a 22 year veteran, his hits may not seem great at just over 2,300. His home run count is huge, and was one of the few at the time to get to 600, especially in an era of steroids. He is also one of the few to have a primary position at both third and first base at some point in his career, where he fielded fully until 2005. I didn't think he was going to get in as a first ballot, but I still think he would have gotten in just on home runs alone.
Add in another September call-up with Guerrero. Like Thome, he was a young player when he started in 1996 with the Montreal Expos. However, he didn't start to shine until 1998. After that, he was wowing many with his ability to hit the ball any way he can along with his home run ability. He didn't slow down when he signed with the Anaheim Angels. His first year with them, he won the MVP in the American League. Guerrero was still putting up monster numbers even late in his career. In the end, he put up over 440 home runs along with over 2,500 hits. His career strikeout total is below 1,000, a rare feat today. He struggled defensively early on, but got the hang of it once he went to Anaheim. Certainly a guy that deserved a first ballot.
You can't mention Mariano Rivera without talking about Hoffman and putting these two in as the best modern closers in the MLB. This is a guy, as the media has discussed in their stories, who started as a shortstop and converted to a relief pitcher. It took a few years, but he is in. Most of his damage was done in San Diego, where he was traded to after beginning his career in 1993 with the new expansion Florida Marlins. From then on, he put together 552 saves with them, getting at least 30 in all but two years with them. (1994 and 2003, with 03 being an injury year) Hoffman would get to just over 600 in his final year in the league with Milwaukee in a forgettable 2010 season. He was part of the best and worst of San Diego baseball. Armed with a changeup and Hell's Bells for an intro, he leaves a huge legacy as far as relievers go.
There were a few that are getting closer. Edgar Martinez and Mike Mussina showed big progress. Even steroid allegation players in Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds were getting closer, but small increases compared to the formers. Others such as newcomer Johnny Damon are off it for good when he couldn't get five percent. Just a quick thought. I think MLB's idea of Hall of Fame voting is very outdated and should follow the NFL and Basketball.
Who do you think gets in next year? Who should have gotten in this year? Give your thoughts.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Chappelle's Show at 15: Quintessential Sketches
WARNING: THERE IS OFFENSIVE WORDS IN REGARDS TO ONE SKETCH!
Back when Comedy Central was more than just South Park and Tosh.0, it had some brilliant shows. They struck gold with Reno 911! in the summer of 2003, but earlier that year, they also had Chappelle's Show. From comedian Dave Chappelle, it was a huge hit for the network and these two shows combined with South Park and The Daily Show, were big ratings in a two year span. Chappelle was often controversial, but very funny without feeling dated like South Park.
Of course, most will know of the comedian's leaving during production of the third season, his leaving to Africa, and not doing much in a ten year span. He has since opened up on it in this past year as he has done Netflix specials and getting back in the spotlight. Comedy Central is still keen on airing reruns of his show, so let's get to the sketches that are must watches. Just some very quick thoughts.
Popcopy: From the pilot episode, it's how not to do your job. From spreading peanut butter and chocolate on a toilet to talking personal stories in front of customers, it's a gut buster with the stuff that creators Chappelle and Neal Brennan came up with.
Clayton Bigsby: Also from the pilot, one of the show's most controversial sketches. A blind black white supremacist. Just that idea alone is humorous, but the lengths he goes to stop black people confuses and impresses the whites. Very funny.
Tyrone Biggums: The only recurring character to appear in both seasons, it's a crack addict who finds himself doing things like appearing on Fear Factor for money and telling middle school kids about drugs. Chappelle does the character so well in making him so strung and out of control, especially in their Red Bull parody skit.
When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: This is brilliant. It's over the top stuff that shouldn't be a big deal, but is hilarious. I don't want to get too far into these three skits, but the one at the nightclub is a good one.
The Racial Draft: For a skit centered around all sorts of races, it is genius and funny. Imagine a sports league draft but with acquiring and trading certain people of race. Trust me, it may seem like poor taste, but it does it in a way that doesn't feel as offensive. It's something that may need a second watching. Still, it's a skit that is funny.
True Hollywood Stories: Two skits with the late Charlie Murphy talking about encounters with Rick James (who did guest star in this skit) and Prince, both portrayed by Chappelle. The amount of stuff Murphy goes through is a testament to both him and Donnell Rawlings' contributions as other characters on the show.
The Niggar Family: A white family with the name Niggar set in a 1950s setting. Think Leave it to Beaver, but with the offending word as a crutch for the jokes, especially as Chappelle enters the skit as the milk man. It's a genius skit that is a gut buster and will make you wonder what other skits could have happened if Chappelle didn't end the show abruptly.
The Wayne Brady Show: Brady has taken over the show, and Chappelle rides in his car. It's shock value done well. Most will know Brady mainly for Whose Line Is It Anyway? and his consistent improv. Choking a bitch and using a gun may not work on Whose Line, but it sure is funny here. Chappelle's emotions alone make it good. His guest star is just icing on the cake.
Dave Gets Revenge: Surely, Chappelle has characters that go bonkers. Himself however in this skit, his antics are amusing and get funnier with as he goes through the revenge of the people who wronged him. The last one at a comedy club is one that needs to be watched, especially for that ending.
Do you have your own favorite skits? Which ones here do you think are the funniest? Give your thoughts here in the comments. Until then, laugh your ass off at this show. One of Comedy Central's best, if not, best show.
Back when Comedy Central was more than just South Park and Tosh.0, it had some brilliant shows. They struck gold with Reno 911! in the summer of 2003, but earlier that year, they also had Chappelle's Show. From comedian Dave Chappelle, it was a huge hit for the network and these two shows combined with South Park and The Daily Show, were big ratings in a two year span. Chappelle was often controversial, but very funny without feeling dated like South Park.
Of course, most will know of the comedian's leaving during production of the third season, his leaving to Africa, and not doing much in a ten year span. He has since opened up on it in this past year as he has done Netflix specials and getting back in the spotlight. Comedy Central is still keen on airing reruns of his show, so let's get to the sketches that are must watches. Just some very quick thoughts.
Popcopy: From the pilot episode, it's how not to do your job. From spreading peanut butter and chocolate on a toilet to talking personal stories in front of customers, it's a gut buster with the stuff that creators Chappelle and Neal Brennan came up with.
Clayton Bigsby: Also from the pilot, one of the show's most controversial sketches. A blind black white supremacist. Just that idea alone is humorous, but the lengths he goes to stop black people confuses and impresses the whites. Very funny.
Tyrone Biggums: The only recurring character to appear in both seasons, it's a crack addict who finds himself doing things like appearing on Fear Factor for money and telling middle school kids about drugs. Chappelle does the character so well in making him so strung and out of control, especially in their Red Bull parody skit.
When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: This is brilliant. It's over the top stuff that shouldn't be a big deal, but is hilarious. I don't want to get too far into these three skits, but the one at the nightclub is a good one.
The Racial Draft: For a skit centered around all sorts of races, it is genius and funny. Imagine a sports league draft but with acquiring and trading certain people of race. Trust me, it may seem like poor taste, but it does it in a way that doesn't feel as offensive. It's something that may need a second watching. Still, it's a skit that is funny.
True Hollywood Stories: Two skits with the late Charlie Murphy talking about encounters with Rick James (who did guest star in this skit) and Prince, both portrayed by Chappelle. The amount of stuff Murphy goes through is a testament to both him and Donnell Rawlings' contributions as other characters on the show.
The Niggar Family: A white family with the name Niggar set in a 1950s setting. Think Leave it to Beaver, but with the offending word as a crutch for the jokes, especially as Chappelle enters the skit as the milk man. It's a genius skit that is a gut buster and will make you wonder what other skits could have happened if Chappelle didn't end the show abruptly.
The Wayne Brady Show: Brady has taken over the show, and Chappelle rides in his car. It's shock value done well. Most will know Brady mainly for Whose Line Is It Anyway? and his consistent improv. Choking a bitch and using a gun may not work on Whose Line, but it sure is funny here. Chappelle's emotions alone make it good. His guest star is just icing on the cake.
Dave Gets Revenge: Surely, Chappelle has characters that go bonkers. Himself however in this skit, his antics are amusing and get funnier with as he goes through the revenge of the people who wronged him. The last one at a comedy club is one that needs to be watched, especially for that ending.
Do you have your own favorite skits? Which ones here do you think are the funniest? Give your thoughts here in the comments. Until then, laugh your ass off at this show. One of Comedy Central's best, if not, best show.
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Seinfeld: The Baby Shower Review
Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David wrote every episode of Seinfeld prior to The Baby Shower. This one here was headed by Larry Charles, who was responsible for a number of episodes up until its fifth season in 1994. It's an episode that attempts to give Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer a story with their paths crossing altogether.
For the title episode reason, Elaine is holding a baby shower for Leslie, a girl she knew in college. She doesn't have a place, so Jerry give her his apartment as he is going out of town to do some stand up. Something about her friend makes her want to do this. and gain George went out with Leslie once and got chocolate sauce on a shirt, resulting in him wanting revenge. Kramer's story is getting cable installed for free for Jerry from Soviet cable installers.
With Kramer's story, it becomes something you will see out of Charles' episodes. Jerry decides to get cable installed and gets a visit from the FBI. Kramer squealed and the cable installer was undercover. The result is Jerry trying to escape and getting killed. Charles was always known for dark plots and absurd moments. Whether these helped Seinfeld or not is up to you. In The Baby Shower, it is used very well and funny. Check out the bloopers for this episode as Jerry can't stop cracking up when Kramer starts mumbling about the death of his friend. It turns out to be a dream and the stand up is cancelled because of a snowstorm.
Everybody gets together by the end of the episode. The night of the shower, George gets Jerry and readies his revenge on Leslie. Kramer has the cable installed and the installers begin eating up the food. One of the additional stories includes Jerry going out with a girl once and not calling her back This one loses her shit.. In the end, things go south for everybody except Kramer. Leslie is still not pleased about Elaine. George's shirt gets worse, and Jerry gets the cable uninstalled with unforseen consequences.
There's not much else. One of the recurring things is the mentions of the Kennedys within a five year span. Other than that, another solid episode that stays consistently funny throughout. Not the greatest of story lines, but it's getting there.
Score: 7 out of 10
Next week, a nice jacket and Alton Benes.
For the title episode reason, Elaine is holding a baby shower for Leslie, a girl she knew in college. She doesn't have a place, so Jerry give her his apartment as he is going out of town to do some stand up. Something about her friend makes her want to do this. and gain George went out with Leslie once and got chocolate sauce on a shirt, resulting in him wanting revenge. Kramer's story is getting cable installed for free for Jerry from Soviet cable installers.
With Kramer's story, it becomes something you will see out of Charles' episodes. Jerry decides to get cable installed and gets a visit from the FBI. Kramer squealed and the cable installer was undercover. The result is Jerry trying to escape and getting killed. Charles was always known for dark plots and absurd moments. Whether these helped Seinfeld or not is up to you. In The Baby Shower, it is used very well and funny. Check out the bloopers for this episode as Jerry can't stop cracking up when Kramer starts mumbling about the death of his friend. It turns out to be a dream and the stand up is cancelled because of a snowstorm.
Everybody gets together by the end of the episode. The night of the shower, George gets Jerry and readies his revenge on Leslie. Kramer has the cable installed and the installers begin eating up the food. One of the additional stories includes Jerry going out with a girl once and not calling her back This one loses her shit.. In the end, things go south for everybody except Kramer. Leslie is still not pleased about Elaine. George's shirt gets worse, and Jerry gets the cable uninstalled with unforseen consequences.
There's not much else. One of the recurring things is the mentions of the Kennedys within a five year span. Other than that, another solid episode that stays consistently funny throughout. Not the greatest of story lines, but it's getting there.
Score: 7 out of 10
Next week, a nice jacket and Alton Benes.
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Time to Pitch: MLB's Potential Rule
Next month, Spring Training will begin for another season of Major League Baseball. Some new faces will appear on certain teams and the farm systems will see who has potential. In the midst of this is something that has caused a rift between both the players and the league. Commissioner Rob Manfred is looking to implement a pitch clock in order to combat length of games.
It's not a surprise that baseball games take forever. Some of last year's World Series took almost or over four hours. One game took over five in a shootout with extra innings. Essentially, here's how it goes. What Manfred is looking at is a 20 second clock to where the pitcher has to throw a pitch. Some sites are also saying one of things is for a batter to be in the box within five seconds left. Warnings are given at first for a violation and future ones will result in either a ball or strike. In an attempt also to cut mound visits, there would be one per inning for each team. A second one would force a team to change pitchers. Whatever proposals there were have been rejected by the players.
Regardless of what happens, Manfred seems poised to implement new change of pace rules this year. I see this as overusing his authority. Really, I don't think the problem is pitchers taking forever. It's not like it takes 10 minutes to throw a pitch. I can't see the mound visit thing working at all. Honestly, I see that part making games longer if you're forcing them to bring in another pitcher. Manfred is going to see a lot of criticism if his plans are to be put in place. Now, the clock has been in use in minor league areas the last few years, but whether that works here is a different story.
An ESPN article from a few days ago discussed players talking more about other aspects such as time between innings and instant replay. I can buy into the replay aspect because it seems like every sport now is taking forever on calls that should be instantly recognized within 30 seconds to a minute, adding into the total time of a game being played. Five minutes may not seem much, but it would certainly make it seem more bloated. Realistically, I don't see MLB cutting down time between innings. If that were the case, it would force teams to cut down on 7th inning stretch activities, especially if it's a team like the Yankees that like to play that overplayed God Bless America song every time on TV in their home stadium. Every league is looking to make more money. Baseball is not going to cut commercial time to get revenue from the same Viagra and beer commercials.
Anyway, I see this pitch clock rule being a failure if implemented. It will just make things worse for teams and cause some teams to lose heartbreakers because they had to change pitchers in the second inning. MLB is lucky to have had a resurgence a little bit due to these last two World Series. They still have a long way to go to win back a lot of old fans and get new ones, and Manfred's ideas right now to make games quicker are going to hurt them.
It's not a surprise that baseball games take forever. Some of last year's World Series took almost or over four hours. One game took over five in a shootout with extra innings. Essentially, here's how it goes. What Manfred is looking at is a 20 second clock to where the pitcher has to throw a pitch. Some sites are also saying one of things is for a batter to be in the box within five seconds left. Warnings are given at first for a violation and future ones will result in either a ball or strike. In an attempt also to cut mound visits, there would be one per inning for each team. A second one would force a team to change pitchers. Whatever proposals there were have been rejected by the players.
Regardless of what happens, Manfred seems poised to implement new change of pace rules this year. I see this as overusing his authority. Really, I don't think the problem is pitchers taking forever. It's not like it takes 10 minutes to throw a pitch. I can't see the mound visit thing working at all. Honestly, I see that part making games longer if you're forcing them to bring in another pitcher. Manfred is going to see a lot of criticism if his plans are to be put in place. Now, the clock has been in use in minor league areas the last few years, but whether that works here is a different story.
An ESPN article from a few days ago discussed players talking more about other aspects such as time between innings and instant replay. I can buy into the replay aspect because it seems like every sport now is taking forever on calls that should be instantly recognized within 30 seconds to a minute, adding into the total time of a game being played. Five minutes may not seem much, but it would certainly make it seem more bloated. Realistically, I don't see MLB cutting down time between innings. If that were the case, it would force teams to cut down on 7th inning stretch activities, especially if it's a team like the Yankees that like to play that overplayed God Bless America song every time on TV in their home stadium. Every league is looking to make more money. Baseball is not going to cut commercial time to get revenue from the same Viagra and beer commercials.
Anyway, I see this pitch clock rule being a failure if implemented. It will just make things worse for teams and cause some teams to lose heartbreakers because they had to change pitchers in the second inning. MLB is lucky to have had a resurgence a little bit due to these last two World Series. They still have a long way to go to win back a lot of old fans and get new ones, and Manfred's ideas right now to make games quicker are going to hurt them.
Friday, January 19, 2018
NFL Championship Predictions 2018
There were certainly crazy games last week. With that in mind, here comes the Championship Games.
I really didn't think the Jacksonville Jaguars would be in the title game for the AFC. They need more than just luck to get past New England. Nobody expected them to get this far, and their confidence is through the roof. They would need to not give up much on defense, and keep giving Leonard Fournette the ball. Add in issues with Brady's throwing hand, I wouldn't say it will be a close game, but honestly, who knows? People do forget about Dion Lewis being a factor. He could easily shred the Jags. Still though, I'm buying into the underdog. Not to mention Tom Coughlin in the front office. He knows the ways to beat the Patriots. It's why he has two Super Bowls and is part of the Ring of Honor in New York.
Minnesota had probably one of the craziest finishes in playoff history and erased demons of the past. Now there is a chance to play the Super Bowl at home. The last thing the Vikings have in their way is the Philadelphia Eagles. For Philly, it's just pure luck. It's mostly the defense. The question marks lie into how well Nick Foles can play and if the run game will actually get yards. Even with a touchdown, LeGarrette Blount only mustered 19 yards. It has to be more than just defense contributing for Philly. Minnesota needs a mistake free game from Case Keenum, and like the Eagles, get the ground game going. The defense can't bend like it did against the Saints.
Personally, I see a Jacksonville vs. Minnesota Super Bowl. Two weeks from now will be my thoughts on whichever two make it into the big game. Who do you think gets in?
I really didn't think the Jacksonville Jaguars would be in the title game for the AFC. They need more than just luck to get past New England. Nobody expected them to get this far, and their confidence is through the roof. They would need to not give up much on defense, and keep giving Leonard Fournette the ball. Add in issues with Brady's throwing hand, I wouldn't say it will be a close game, but honestly, who knows? People do forget about Dion Lewis being a factor. He could easily shred the Jags. Still though, I'm buying into the underdog. Not to mention Tom Coughlin in the front office. He knows the ways to beat the Patriots. It's why he has two Super Bowls and is part of the Ring of Honor in New York.
Minnesota had probably one of the craziest finishes in playoff history and erased demons of the past. Now there is a chance to play the Super Bowl at home. The last thing the Vikings have in their way is the Philadelphia Eagles. For Philly, it's just pure luck. It's mostly the defense. The question marks lie into how well Nick Foles can play and if the run game will actually get yards. Even with a touchdown, LeGarrette Blount only mustered 19 yards. It has to be more than just defense contributing for Philly. Minnesota needs a mistake free game from Case Keenum, and like the Eagles, get the ground game going. The defense can't bend like it did against the Saints.
Personally, I see a Jacksonville vs. Minnesota Super Bowl. Two weeks from now will be my thoughts on whichever two make it into the big game. Who do you think gets in?
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Political Comedy An Unfortunate Crutch
As Saturday Night Live aired yet another set of political sketches, the question that some may wonder is this. Is this kind of humor used too much as a crutch? You might as well say it is now for the last year or so. Seems like anything you hear from comedians is liberal bullshit. There's no equal bashing. I get the world and Hollywood is still bitter over Trump becoming president a year later, but nobody is that bitter, are they?
The fact that in the last few months, several SNL alumni are getting sick of the political stuff and worry about oversaturation says a lot. Especially when you have someone like Dana Carvey, who was funny as George HW Bush, expressing worry. You watch the show for funny characters. That has always been the glue of these guys. From the Olympia Cafe bits to Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, you want to see them try. They didn't go overboard with both Bush presidents, Bill Clinton and even Obama. I'll blame it partially on these Collegehumor writers taking over as head writers last year, but things could change with last months Weekend Update anchors becoming head guys. Whether all these writers realize the potential fatigue is all another question.
Even then, you would be able to find something funny in an SNL skit than you would these late night comedians who keep bitching and moaning about Trump, politics, etc... in a never ending cycle. Sadly, these things are what get ratings. You can blame some of it on the unfunny Stephen Colbert, who took over the late show in 2015. It's basically his Comedy Central show, only without the young college guys who do bong shots as his main audience. Jimmy Kimmel can get very vocal about political things. A reason why he struggles at times with Republican viewers ever since the Las Vegas Shooting back in October. Seth Meyers doesn't even surprise me with his late night show. Seems like anything he talks about is Trump before getting his guests and talk to them about life. You don't see anyone like Jimmy Fallon anymore where he just wants everyone to laugh, even if some of the jokes aren't that funny.
Of course, anyone who has seen my blog will know my disdain for the Jon Stewart type comedians. (https://sullivanentertainment.blogspot.com/2017/05/political-comedy-is-unfunny-today.html from a blog I made back in May) Colbert is a prime example. There's still the TBS late night show with the horribly unfunny Samantha Bee. She doesn't even try. She is just another arm chair politician molded like Stewart. At least with some Stewart jokes, you could get a chuckle despite trying to play armchair politician himself. As far as other types go, there is still John Oliver and Bill Maher. Unfortunately, these people get ratings from people whose high priority in life is scoring drugs and figuring out what college to go to if they are smart enough to get accepted. If this is your main source of news, you're better off without it.
With all the stuff going on in Hollywood with the sexual accusations, political sayings, and everything in between, entertainment is a shell of its former self the last few years. Something will change. It's like anything that may be considered overstaying their welcome. Eventually, it could get stale. If things don't change, it will be a collision course of turmoil where even both sides get tired. Making fun of Trump should be put in these shows. Overusing this idea will make things way worse than they should.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Seinfeld: The Busboy Review
The Busboy is a weird episode to air out of order. When it first hit television, it was at the start of summer 1991. Why, I don't know.
In this episode, Jerry, George, and Elaine are enjoying dinner at a nice restaurant. As they discuss things, a busboy puts a menu way too close to a candle. It catches fire and the three caught sight of it with George putting out the flames. A manager comes out to find out what happened, and George tells him of the busboy leaving them there and Elaine making a sarcastic remark.. The result is the busboy being fired, and him giving a glare at George. That persuades him to go to the guy's apartment and apologize to him with Kramer in tow after Elaine helps him find the guy's place.
One issue some executives had was that Jerry didn't have much screen time. That will definitely shock some that the creator and star didn't have a plot despite writing the episode. With the Inside Look, the other members of the cast were happy they were give a chance to shine. Really, Kramer doesn't have much of a story either other than accompanying George to see the busboy. Both of them make things even worse when the busboy's cat runs out of the apartment and. Elaine's story is a boyfriend that she is trying to get rid of. He has to be on a morning plane to Seattle. This is one of the highlights of this episode as she tries desperately to get moving after oversleeping and explaining what happened to Jerry and George with taking him down. Just the breakdown alone at the end is hilarious.
The ending is a weird one considering the whole "no hugging, no learning" mentality. For the busboy, he is happy George got him fired and things are on the up and up. However, he gets in a scuffle with Elaine's boyfriend, resulting in a tumble off screen. That's basic gist for the episode. Elaine has to help her guy and George has to help with the busboy after their injuries. It's a solid episode. Not as good as Pony Remark, but still a good one to watch.
Score: 7 out of 10
Next week, cable hookups get Jerry in trouble
In this episode, Jerry, George, and Elaine are enjoying dinner at a nice restaurant. As they discuss things, a busboy puts a menu way too close to a candle. It catches fire and the three caught sight of it with George putting out the flames. A manager comes out to find out what happened, and George tells him of the busboy leaving them there and Elaine making a sarcastic remark.. The result is the busboy being fired, and him giving a glare at George. That persuades him to go to the guy's apartment and apologize to him with Kramer in tow after Elaine helps him find the guy's place.
One issue some executives had was that Jerry didn't have much screen time. That will definitely shock some that the creator and star didn't have a plot despite writing the episode. With the Inside Look, the other members of the cast were happy they were give a chance to shine. Really, Kramer doesn't have much of a story either other than accompanying George to see the busboy. Both of them make things even worse when the busboy's cat runs out of the apartment and. Elaine's story is a boyfriend that she is trying to get rid of. He has to be on a morning plane to Seattle. This is one of the highlights of this episode as she tries desperately to get moving after oversleeping and explaining what happened to Jerry and George with taking him down. Just the breakdown alone at the end is hilarious.
The ending is a weird one considering the whole "no hugging, no learning" mentality. For the busboy, he is happy George got him fired and things are on the up and up. However, he gets in a scuffle with Elaine's boyfriend, resulting in a tumble off screen. That's basic gist for the episode. Elaine has to help her guy and George has to help with the busboy after their injuries. It's a solid episode. Not as good as Pony Remark, but still a good one to watch.
Score: 7 out of 10
Next week, cable hookups get Jerry in trouble
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Big Trouble in Little Ball's World 2
A father should be proud of their children. They also hope for them to succeed in society and do their part of working hard. This does not apply to LaVar Ball, the loudmouth loser who hasn't done a damn thing in his life other then keeping his mouth open. This time, he has criticized the Los Angeles Lakers, the team his son Lonzo plays for. The criticism was stemmed towards head coach Luke Walton, who took over last season and ESPN's Jeff Goodman putting up an article regarding the elder Ball and what he had to say.
I don't even need to know how this was going to happen. LaVar is a moron, and teams are finally noticing how much of a head case he is for the NBA. The fact that other coaches like Rick Carlisle are getting tired of this idiot and ESPN's article, which gave LaVar free reign to say whatever he wanted, shows something that could spiral out of control. Even with criticism from TNT's Reggie Miller about saying the other sons, LiAngelo and LaMelo, not having any shot of being in the NBA says a lot as well. This league is banding together to stop a guy, who didn't amount to anything in college basketball, that is trying to cause nothing but trouble. And that's considering most of the family is in Lithuania, where LiAngelo and LaMelo are playing basketball.
Let's be honest. The Lakers haven't done well in the last five years. With a group that is young, it's not always a guarantee that they will be good instantly. This kind of stuff takes time. Walton is going to be given more time to develop them into a solid team. If it pays off, you will see why he was lured away from the Golden State Warriors, where he did very well during Steve Kerr's absence in the 2015-16 season. LaVar needs to understand that. Unfortunately, he is too brain dead to even figure that out. He wants championships immediately and wants to live in the spotlight. The stuff he wanted as a kid and didn't get because he sucked at basketball.
I swear, this guy is going to get him and his family killed. Either that or ruin his boys futures. LaVar is desperate for attention, and unfortunately, is given a huge platform. Hence why I'm writing this. I know I will be writing another one of these in the next month or two because of what will happen during the season and what could come out of his mouth. The NBA has to find a way to curb his behavior. However, the question is, will it be too late? Are they past the point of no return? I don't know. Only time will tell whenever they cross that bridge.
I don't even need to know how this was going to happen. LaVar is a moron, and teams are finally noticing how much of a head case he is for the NBA. The fact that other coaches like Rick Carlisle are getting tired of this idiot and ESPN's article, which gave LaVar free reign to say whatever he wanted, shows something that could spiral out of control. Even with criticism from TNT's Reggie Miller about saying the other sons, LiAngelo and LaMelo, not having any shot of being in the NBA says a lot as well. This league is banding together to stop a guy, who didn't amount to anything in college basketball, that is trying to cause nothing but trouble. And that's considering most of the family is in Lithuania, where LiAngelo and LaMelo are playing basketball.
Let's be honest. The Lakers haven't done well in the last five years. With a group that is young, it's not always a guarantee that they will be good instantly. This kind of stuff takes time. Walton is going to be given more time to develop them into a solid team. If it pays off, you will see why he was lured away from the Golden State Warriors, where he did very well during Steve Kerr's absence in the 2015-16 season. LaVar needs to understand that. Unfortunately, he is too brain dead to even figure that out. He wants championships immediately and wants to live in the spotlight. The stuff he wanted as a kid and didn't get because he sucked at basketball.
I swear, this guy is going to get him and his family killed. Either that or ruin his boys futures. LaVar is desperate for attention, and unfortunately, is given a huge platform. Hence why I'm writing this. I know I will be writing another one of these in the next month or two because of what will happen during the season and what could come out of his mouth. The NBA has to find a way to curb his behavior. However, the question is, will it be too late? Are they past the point of no return? I don't know. Only time will tell whenever they cross that bridge.
Friday, January 12, 2018
NFL Divisional Round Predictions 2018
A week in the books already and the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs begin Saturday. Let's get to the games.
Saturday's games are the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles match late in the afternoon. The night game is between the Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots. With Philly and Atlanta, it comes down to Atlanta beating up on Philly. If Carson Wentz was under center, I would say otherwise, but whoever is starting is going to have a bad performance. If it is Nick Foles, this is going to be different since this isn't the 2013 version that surprised everyone. The Falcons are top 10 defense this year and are very good at stopping the run, particularly refusing backs from getting touchdowns. With the experience of the postseason last year and last week's victory against the Rams, they can ride that momentum to the Championship game. Philly's keys to victory are the defense to not bend, get the receivers going and rely on running the ball. I don't see two of these going well.
Tennessee was a shocker in their victory against Kansas City. Now they have the task of stopping New England and hoping to make it back to a Championship game for the first time since 1999. It is only their seventh appearance in the postseason since the start of the 1994 season and they need perfection to even pull another upset. Marcus Mariota needs more than just luck as the Patriot defense struggled throughout the year, ranking second to last in pass defense yards given up and in the lower half for rush defense yards. Obviously, New England's passing is at the top, but the question is the defense and if the ground game will show up like it did the last two games of the year. I'm all for the upset with Tennessee, though realistically, it's a losing effort for coach Mike Mularkey.
Sunday's games are two rematches from this season. The early game is the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers, while the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings are the final game of the Divisional Round. Jacksonville gave Ben Rothelisberger one of his worst games ever, picking him off five times. Their defense is good, but their magic won't work Sunday. The offense was putrid against Buffalo, and the Steeler defense will pulverize Blake Bortles. Leonard Fournette will struggle for yards and the Jaguars will be having issues scoring points. A lot can happen between October and January. The Steelers will win. How much they will win by is a question mark.
Week one saw the Vikes and Saints in a Monday Night game with Minnesota notching a victory. These are the two best teams not only in the NFC, but the entire league. They can throw the ball well and attack on the ground with duo running backs. The defenses can create turnovers and make big plays when necessary. Minnesota has to stop the Saints rushing prowess, which has run rampant throughout the season. Shut down Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, they will get their victory. Calm Case Keenum and he will do fine in his first playoff game. New Orleans has to put a lot of pressure on Keenum to make him throw a costly interception. Stop him and Latavius Murray, and a Championship game for the first time since 2009 (Both faced each other in the NFC Championship that year) will be theirs. I'm buying into Minnesota solely on their defense. Either way, this might be the best match up for the playoffs.
Next week, we will discuss the Championship games.
Saturday's games are the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles match late in the afternoon. The night game is between the Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots. With Philly and Atlanta, it comes down to Atlanta beating up on Philly. If Carson Wentz was under center, I would say otherwise, but whoever is starting is going to have a bad performance. If it is Nick Foles, this is going to be different since this isn't the 2013 version that surprised everyone. The Falcons are top 10 defense this year and are very good at stopping the run, particularly refusing backs from getting touchdowns. With the experience of the postseason last year and last week's victory against the Rams, they can ride that momentum to the Championship game. Philly's keys to victory are the defense to not bend, get the receivers going and rely on running the ball. I don't see two of these going well.
Tennessee was a shocker in their victory against Kansas City. Now they have the task of stopping New England and hoping to make it back to a Championship game for the first time since 1999. It is only their seventh appearance in the postseason since the start of the 1994 season and they need perfection to even pull another upset. Marcus Mariota needs more than just luck as the Patriot defense struggled throughout the year, ranking second to last in pass defense yards given up and in the lower half for rush defense yards. Obviously, New England's passing is at the top, but the question is the defense and if the ground game will show up like it did the last two games of the year. I'm all for the upset with Tennessee, though realistically, it's a losing effort for coach Mike Mularkey.
Sunday's games are two rematches from this season. The early game is the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers, while the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings are the final game of the Divisional Round. Jacksonville gave Ben Rothelisberger one of his worst games ever, picking him off five times. Their defense is good, but their magic won't work Sunday. The offense was putrid against Buffalo, and the Steeler defense will pulverize Blake Bortles. Leonard Fournette will struggle for yards and the Jaguars will be having issues scoring points. A lot can happen between October and January. The Steelers will win. How much they will win by is a question mark.
Week one saw the Vikes and Saints in a Monday Night game with Minnesota notching a victory. These are the two best teams not only in the NFC, but the entire league. They can throw the ball well and attack on the ground with duo running backs. The defenses can create turnovers and make big plays when necessary. Minnesota has to stop the Saints rushing prowess, which has run rampant throughout the season. Shut down Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, they will get their victory. Calm Case Keenum and he will do fine in his first playoff game. New Orleans has to put a lot of pressure on Keenum to make him throw a costly interception. Stop him and Latavius Murray, and a Championship game for the first time since 2009 (Both faced each other in the NFC Championship that year) will be theirs. I'm buying into Minnesota solely on their defense. Either way, this might be the best match up for the playoffs.
Next week, we will discuss the Championship games.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Net Neutrality Hell
Some people will label high powered individuals as the worst. Ajit Pai may be someone many will not care for, especially for what he did last month. He repealed Net Neutrality, and the result is a lot of death threats. It has gotten to the point where he cancelled an appearance at a CES show. This isn't the first time an FCC chairman or something of this caliber has resulted in this kind of nonsense. Why the anger over this?
For the last six years, there have been fights to get rid of Net Neutrality. I remember when SOPA was the big thing in late 2011, early 2012. Lots of people responded by fighting back. That seems to be the case for this recent repeal as big corporations plan to fight back. What Net Neutrality gives is the inability to charge extra for certain sites or additional speed. With it gone, phone companies and/or providers can make it harder to access a frequented site in order to squeeze out more money. While it is a little uncalled for these people to issue death threats to Pai, you can't blame them.
I'll just say this. Not everyone makes 50 grand a year and lives on having all sorts of channels and high speed internet. Some resort to cutting the cord or using only a few sites. If one of these sites were to not work or be very slow, they may not have any choice due to their budget. The average person has to survive on paying bills for their house, car, dental, etc... if they even have a decent paying job.
Sometimes, Congress and other high powered chairmen individuals don't understand the working men and women that bust their asses for 40 plus hours. People like Pai don't care. But they better get used to this kind of hell. It will be a lengthy battle for having strong internet freedom and the ability to not worry about providers slowing you down on purpose. This is far from over.
For the last six years, there have been fights to get rid of Net Neutrality. I remember when SOPA was the big thing in late 2011, early 2012. Lots of people responded by fighting back. That seems to be the case for this recent repeal as big corporations plan to fight back. What Net Neutrality gives is the inability to charge extra for certain sites or additional speed. With it gone, phone companies and/or providers can make it harder to access a frequented site in order to squeeze out more money. While it is a little uncalled for these people to issue death threats to Pai, you can't blame them.
I'll just say this. Not everyone makes 50 grand a year and lives on having all sorts of channels and high speed internet. Some resort to cutting the cord or using only a few sites. If one of these sites were to not work or be very slow, they may not have any choice due to their budget. The average person has to survive on paying bills for their house, car, dental, etc... if they even have a decent paying job.
Sometimes, Congress and other high powered chairmen individuals don't understand the working men and women that bust their asses for 40 plus hours. People like Pai don't care. But they better get used to this kind of hell. It will be a lengthy battle for having strong internet freedom and the ability to not worry about providers slowing you down on purpose. This is far from over.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Seinfeld: The Pony Remark Review
Season 2 of Seinfeld started to rise in what made the show great. The Pony Remark is not just a good episode. It's a great one. For the title of it, it has the involvement of Jerry's family and people you will never see again. It is a couple's 50th anniversary and Jerry, Elaine, and Jerry's parents go to it. This is the first time seeing Barney Martin's take of Morty. It is also the first time seeing the obnoxious but funny Uncle Leo, played by the late Len Lesser. Both characters really add to the humor.
At the dinner, Helen mentions horses to Manya, the wife of the 50th anniversary couple. Jerry and Elaine make conversation about that and ponies, with Jerry saying he hated people with ponies. Manya reacts negatively to it. He tries to damage control what he said, even after she leaves the room. It is one of the funniest moments for this episode. The next day, Jerry gets a phone call and finds out Manya died.
Whether or not you want to view this as Jerry's remark killing Manya is up to you. Anyway, that's the main plot, The funeral has some funny scenes with him, Morty, who tries to avoid paying full fare back to Florida by airplane, and Elaine. She tries so hard at getting Manya and her husband Isaac's apartment.For this episode, she is consistently funny throughout it and one of the shining moments so far for the character.
There isn't much to the B-plots. Jerry has a championship game in softball. George isn't seen until halfway through the episode. It's strange. There's not anything, but he is part of the softball team as well. Kramer's plot is building levels in his apartment and making a bet with Jerry about doing it. He doesn't do them and doesn't adhere to the agreement of going out to dinner for not building the levels. Just the argument before and after the bet is hilarious due to Jerry believing in the project failing and flipping out when Kramer doesn't want to do it.
It's a constantly funny episode. They make good use of the parents. Leo's debut is good. With exception from George, the use of the main four was getting better and funnier. All the ingredients necessary to make an episode really worth watching.
Score: 8 out of 10
Next week's review is George trying to make peace with a busboy.
Score: 8 out of 10
Next week's review is George trying to make peace with a busboy.
Saturday, January 6, 2018
NFL Wild Card 2018
Another season, another set of NFL playoffs have started once again, beginning today. Here are some quick thoughts and predictions.
Today's games should be an easy one. The early match up between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans is one sided favored towards the Chiefs. Offensively, they are an explosive bunch and the defense can hold its own and play well. With questions on both sides for the Titans, Arrowhead should be happy to get a win unless there's some unforseen circumstances like blowing it against the Colts four years ago. On the other side is the LA Rams having their first home playoff game in Los Angeles since the 1989 season against the Atlanta Falcons. Both sides can play with tough running games, defenses that don't give up, and good arms to throw the ball. It all depends if Atlanta can keep up and hang in the game, but the Rams seem destined to get into the Divisional Round. That's who I think advances.
Sunday's matches could see any of these four win. The early game is the Buffalo Bills going up against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Buffalo could win, but it all depends on LeSean McCoy actually suiting up from last week's ankle injury. They can prevent passing touchdowns, but the run defense is one of the worst. Facing the number one rushing team is a huge task, as well as Tyrod Taylor needing a perfect game. It should be in the books as a Jacksonville win, but don't rule out the Bills entirely. Blake Bortles could throw interceptions and rely on Leonard Fournette to help the Jags. I think it goes to Jacksonville winning. The question is: How much with they win by?
New Orleans and Carolina are the last match of the weekend. For the Saints, a much better defense and a punishing ground game bolstered them into the playoffs. That's who I see going further into the postseason. As strong as Carolina's rushing is, it is inconsistent. The passing is far from great, but not horrible. It all depends on how the defense can perform. They can pull off an impressive win, but every facet has to be near perfect. Any mistakes, and it could be a blowout.
Next week, we will look at the Divisional Round and who should advance to the Championship game.
Today's games should be an easy one. The early match up between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans is one sided favored towards the Chiefs. Offensively, they are an explosive bunch and the defense can hold its own and play well. With questions on both sides for the Titans, Arrowhead should be happy to get a win unless there's some unforseen circumstances like blowing it against the Colts four years ago. On the other side is the LA Rams having their first home playoff game in Los Angeles since the 1989 season against the Atlanta Falcons. Both sides can play with tough running games, defenses that don't give up, and good arms to throw the ball. It all depends if Atlanta can keep up and hang in the game, but the Rams seem destined to get into the Divisional Round. That's who I think advances.
Sunday's matches could see any of these four win. The early game is the Buffalo Bills going up against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Buffalo could win, but it all depends on LeSean McCoy actually suiting up from last week's ankle injury. They can prevent passing touchdowns, but the run defense is one of the worst. Facing the number one rushing team is a huge task, as well as Tyrod Taylor needing a perfect game. It should be in the books as a Jacksonville win, but don't rule out the Bills entirely. Blake Bortles could throw interceptions and rely on Leonard Fournette to help the Jags. I think it goes to Jacksonville winning. The question is: How much with they win by?
New Orleans and Carolina are the last match of the weekend. For the Saints, a much better defense and a punishing ground game bolstered them into the playoffs. That's who I see going further into the postseason. As strong as Carolina's rushing is, it is inconsistent. The passing is far from great, but not horrible. It all depends on how the defense can perform. They can pull off an impressive win, but every facet has to be near perfect. Any mistakes, and it could be a blowout.
Next week, we will look at the Divisional Round and who should advance to the Championship game.
Friday, January 5, 2018
Thursday, January 4, 2018
When Will The Swatting Stop?
In today's world, it has become common the last three, four years, to hear the term swatting. The term means someone makes a phony call to someone they don't like over a video game. They call the police to report a fake murder or kidnapping, yada yada yada. The swatter gets enjoyment out of a SWAT team or group of cops trying to arrest or possibly kill the swatted. Unfortunately, it has become fatal for a Wichita, Kansas man who had no involvement.
As most sites have made aware by now, two people were playing the newest Call of Duty game online. It was a wagered bet at $1.50. They lost the match and started bickering. What came across was the suggestion of saying they would swat each other. One gave an address. A California man, Tyler Barriss, was given the task supposedly by one of them, and decided to make a phony call about killing his father, tying up his mother and brother, and pouring gasoline all over the house. This tragedy culminated in Andrew Finch being shot and killed. Barriss, as of now, is looking to stand trial and is being extradited to Wichita.
I don't even know where to begin. I first heard of these incidents back in 2014 and it seems like now these days, it's almost like a common occurrence. This Finch guy should not have died, but unfortunately, the cops didn't have much choice on taking caution. They have to treat these things very seriously despite these calls being phony. The downside is the manpower and costs to deploy SWAT teams and even diverting local police to check out the situation while real crimes occur. A sad reality is that Barriss should not have even been making this phone call.
Barriss has been involved in making a few hoaxes that have landed him in jail. As reports have come in to websites, one was at K-ABC 7 in 2015. He was to spend a couple years in prison beginning May 2016, but got out in eight months. He would spend another seven months on another conviction of violating an order that was supposed to last until around this time. Really, they should not have been easy on this guy. He should have still been in a cell until May of this year. Either way, I hope they take into account the stuff he has done, because Barriss should be spending the rest of his life in prison. He is unfit for society. This is also considering that last month, he was looking to hoax a convention center in Dallas, Texas. For a Major League Gaming conference. Not to mention the FCC because of the net neutrality hearings.
I don't blame people for getting pissed about this. Either he gets a life long sentence or he gets the death penalty. Regarding the cop, I don't know. I don't think he'll get fired, but with him being on leave at the moment, a suspension would seem out of the question. Barriss has no remorse or regret of accidentally having Finch killed. He will live with that for the rest of his life, no matter how much he denies the whole thing. Something has to happen to prevent these tragedies. Play safe, and don't forget, it's just a video game when you're playing online.
As most sites have made aware by now, two people were playing the newest Call of Duty game online. It was a wagered bet at $1.50. They lost the match and started bickering. What came across was the suggestion of saying they would swat each other. One gave an address. A California man, Tyler Barriss, was given the task supposedly by one of them, and decided to make a phony call about killing his father, tying up his mother and brother, and pouring gasoline all over the house. This tragedy culminated in Andrew Finch being shot and killed. Barriss, as of now, is looking to stand trial and is being extradited to Wichita.
I don't even know where to begin. I first heard of these incidents back in 2014 and it seems like now these days, it's almost like a common occurrence. This Finch guy should not have died, but unfortunately, the cops didn't have much choice on taking caution. They have to treat these things very seriously despite these calls being phony. The downside is the manpower and costs to deploy SWAT teams and even diverting local police to check out the situation while real crimes occur. A sad reality is that Barriss should not have even been making this phone call.
Barriss has been involved in making a few hoaxes that have landed him in jail. As reports have come in to websites, one was at K-ABC 7 in 2015. He was to spend a couple years in prison beginning May 2016, but got out in eight months. He would spend another seven months on another conviction of violating an order that was supposed to last until around this time. Really, they should not have been easy on this guy. He should have still been in a cell until May of this year. Either way, I hope they take into account the stuff he has done, because Barriss should be spending the rest of his life in prison. He is unfit for society. This is also considering that last month, he was looking to hoax a convention center in Dallas, Texas. For a Major League Gaming conference. Not to mention the FCC because of the net neutrality hearings.
I don't blame people for getting pissed about this. Either he gets a life long sentence or he gets the death penalty. Regarding the cop, I don't know. I don't think he'll get fired, but with him being on leave at the moment, a suspension would seem out of the question. Barriss has no remorse or regret of accidentally having Finch killed. He will live with that for the rest of his life, no matter how much he denies the whole thing. Something has to happen to prevent these tragedies. Play safe, and don't forget, it's just a video game when you're playing online.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Hurting YouTube: Logan Paul
I have been doing YouTube videos for the last six and a half years, almost five with the current channel I have. There have been a lot of changes and features that have come and go on that site. It has been amazing, but also terrifying. If anything was an indication a few days ago, it shows an issue that the site has struggled to deal with. That is the way certain personalities are such as Logan Paul.
This kid did a video in Japan. He went through a forest and found a dead body. It was the result of a suicide, and this forest in particular was known for people taking their own lives. The video has been removed due to the big uproar over it being uploaded. Lots of people are pissed about Paul putting it on YouTube. He has along with removing the video, apologized about filming him and seeing the dead body.
I didn't see the video because I don't really follow the biggest YouTube stars. The closest thing I've seen to anything repulsive on YouTube was a gamer, who had a decent amount of subscribers, being pissed about singer Justin Bieber being in NBA 2K13. Whichever one had Jay-Z producing it. This guy was livid, and I want to say he wanted to see Bieber dead. I get he's not everybody's cup of tea. I could care less what he does with his career. But to want him dead is pretty low for a YouTube personality.
It's not a joking matter with suicide. There's nothing funny about it. I have a friend who's father killed himself when she was a teenager. That's rough. Outside family members I knew knew someone that committed suicide last year. Especially with the audiences that these most popular personalities get on YouTube as sites have talked about, some people could think about ending their lives. There's always someone that is depressed and think everything is hopeless. The thought of being gone from the world may seem like something that they think should happen. There's sites that are talking about suicide prevention.
That being said, YouTube has found itself in the middle of this controversy once again. A number of times, the personalities they have on there have gotten themselves in the media spotlight for the wrong reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't do anything. They don't listen nearly all the time.
If YouTube wants to do anything, they have to start putting in ground rules regarding these big named personalities. If they don't, more pandemonium will happen and the controversy will get worse. Something has to be put in place now.
This kid did a video in Japan. He went through a forest and found a dead body. It was the result of a suicide, and this forest in particular was known for people taking their own lives. The video has been removed due to the big uproar over it being uploaded. Lots of people are pissed about Paul putting it on YouTube. He has along with removing the video, apologized about filming him and seeing the dead body.
I didn't see the video because I don't really follow the biggest YouTube stars. The closest thing I've seen to anything repulsive on YouTube was a gamer, who had a decent amount of subscribers, being pissed about singer Justin Bieber being in NBA 2K13. Whichever one had Jay-Z producing it. This guy was livid, and I want to say he wanted to see Bieber dead. I get he's not everybody's cup of tea. I could care less what he does with his career. But to want him dead is pretty low for a YouTube personality.
It's not a joking matter with suicide. There's nothing funny about it. I have a friend who's father killed himself when she was a teenager. That's rough. Outside family members I knew knew someone that committed suicide last year. Especially with the audiences that these most popular personalities get on YouTube as sites have talked about, some people could think about ending their lives. There's always someone that is depressed and think everything is hopeless. The thought of being gone from the world may seem like something that they think should happen. There's sites that are talking about suicide prevention.
That being said, YouTube has found itself in the middle of this controversy once again. A number of times, the personalities they have on there have gotten themselves in the media spotlight for the wrong reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't do anything. They don't listen nearly all the time.
If YouTube wants to do anything, they have to start putting in ground rules regarding these big named personalities. If they don't, more pandemonium will happen and the controversy will get worse. Something has to be put in place now.
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Seinfeld: The Ex-Girlfriend Review
Let's kick off 2018 beginning with Seinfeld's second season. When it aired on NBC, it had a weird airing of their episodes. For the sake of this, I am going by the DVD order that they had.
The Ex-Girlfriend is in basic terms, a Jerry and George centric episode. George has had enough of his latest girlfriend, Marlene. Whether he should break up or not is the question. Jerry suggests getting it done quickly. During the episode, he does make the break up official, but with one issue. George enlists Jerry to get some books he left at Marlene's apartment. What does happen is Jerry falling for this Southern type girl. I wish I had more to say regarding this episode, but that's the main plot. The ending for it is hilarious in itself, especially when you watch the bloopers for these first two seasons.
George does have a plot of his own, and it showcases what audiences would love about him. He goes to a chiropractor and is in and out in a flash. With that he decides to not pay for the bill, or at least the entire thing. This is the kind of character we would see as time went on. A cheapskate who does not want to be ripped off or have to pay exuberant amounts for stuff he views as worthless. As far as Elaine and Kramer go, they have miniscule plots. Elaine's story is one about her neighbor and how it's lead from saying hi to just nodding to no nod. It's kind of funny, but a very weak one. Kramer's is about fruit. One of the nice things about Seinfeld is it's continuity, and it is nice to see them come back a few seasons later with his disapproval of bad fruit. He hates the cantaloupe and wants something that will taste good.
That's about it for the episode. All four characters are getting fleshed out more into the eccentric selfish jerks you grow to love. The actress playing Marlene does a very good job with the Southern accent. Overall, it's a solid open to their first actual season on the air during TV season.
Score: 7 out of 10
Next week's review: Who had a pony growing up? The Pony Remark, Seinfeld's first very good episode.
The Ex-Girlfriend is in basic terms, a Jerry and George centric episode. George has had enough of his latest girlfriend, Marlene. Whether he should break up or not is the question. Jerry suggests getting it done quickly. During the episode, he does make the break up official, but with one issue. George enlists Jerry to get some books he left at Marlene's apartment. What does happen is Jerry falling for this Southern type girl. I wish I had more to say regarding this episode, but that's the main plot. The ending for it is hilarious in itself, especially when you watch the bloopers for these first two seasons.
George does have a plot of his own, and it showcases what audiences would love about him. He goes to a chiropractor and is in and out in a flash. With that he decides to not pay for the bill, or at least the entire thing. This is the kind of character we would see as time went on. A cheapskate who does not want to be ripped off or have to pay exuberant amounts for stuff he views as worthless. As far as Elaine and Kramer go, they have miniscule plots. Elaine's story is one about her neighbor and how it's lead from saying hi to just nodding to no nod. It's kind of funny, but a very weak one. Kramer's is about fruit. One of the nice things about Seinfeld is it's continuity, and it is nice to see them come back a few seasons later with his disapproval of bad fruit. He hates the cantaloupe and wants something that will taste good.
That's about it for the episode. All four characters are getting fleshed out more into the eccentric selfish jerks you grow to love. The actress playing Marlene does a very good job with the Southern accent. Overall, it's a solid open to their first actual season on the air during TV season.
Score: 7 out of 10
Next week's review: Who had a pony growing up? The Pony Remark, Seinfeld's first very good episode.
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