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“Just Before Your Time” TV Shows Millenials & Gen Z Should Binge During Quarantine

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It’s an odd time to be a sportswriter given every American sports league has been postponed or cancelled. Lucky for you, I am also obsessed with TV and movies. Now that we don’t have any sports to watch, there has never been a better time in the history of the world to binge watch TV shows. But what should you watch? So often we forget about how good shows from the past were, given we’re usually just trying to keep up with what’s current. In doing that however, we miss out on so much. Based on conversations with other people my age (early 20’s), I’ve come to realize that most either haven’t heard of these shows at all or just haven’t watched them. It’s true, these were our parents’ shows, but they are just as enjoyable today as they were when they originally aired. They all stand the test of time and are definitely worth a binge. Here are the top 5 shows young(er) people might’ve missed but definitely need to watch during the age of social distancing and quarantines.

5.Mad Men (2007-2015)

The most recently-aired show of the group, Mad Men will introduce you to the world of advertising in the turbulent 1960’s. Arguably the wildest decade of the twentieth century, ranging from the Civil Rights movements, counterculture, the assassination of JFK, the space race, etc. you get it all. This show introduced Jon Hamm to the world as Don Draper: advertising creative executive. Draper is the epitome of what every 15-year-old boy strives to be when they grow up – wealthy, handsome, and suave (in business and with the ladies). Every girl likes Don and every guy wants to be him. He’s also hiding a huge secret that is essential to understanding why he is the way he is. If I made this show seem like it’s only for testosterone-filled men I apologize…the show also dives deep into the women’s empowerment movement with characters like Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) and Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks). Women were still thought of as second-class citizens behind men in the 60’s, and these ladies prove to be strong-willed role models that young and old women of today can look up to. If I’m still not enticing you to watch this show, then I’ll let the Emmy awards speak for themselves.

4.Entourage (2004-2011)

The lone comedy on the list, Entourage follows Hollywood rising star Vinny Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his boys: E (Kevin Connolly), Drama (Kevin Dillon), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), plus his agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven). Most of us will never be famous actors, and will never experience the sex, drugs, and rock and roll that go along with it. Be so that it may, Entourage is the closest we will ever get to that lifestyle, and shows why fame can also be exhausting despite the money and girls. As entertaining as Vinny and his boys are, the show isn’t what it is without Ari Gold. Early on in the show, Ari’s character isn’t much more than a pervy-douche Hollywood agent, but the smartest thing the writers ever did was make him a likeable character. His one-liners usually aimed at his gay Asian assistant Lloyd would be too taboo for TV nowadays but are hilarious nonetheless and remind you just how much society has changed in the last 15 years. Unlike Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad, where viewers are required to follow the story attentively, Entourage is not that type of show; It’s easily digestible show with episodes ranging from 20-30 minutes. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

P.S. The movie is much better than the reviews say. 

3.The Wire (2002-2008)

Stated by me to be the most underrated show of all time since it never won a single Emmy, The Wire is one of the most entertaining shows I’ve ever seen. Set in Baltimore “B-more”, Maryland, the show revolves around the Baltimore Police Department and their relationship with the crime scene largely centered on drugs. One of the most interesting things about the show is that you aren’t necessarily seeing things through the eyes of one person. You could consider the main character to be Detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), but you see things through the lens of various cops and criminals throughout the show which gives you a more well-rounded view of the characters. Idris Elba and Michael B. Jordan also played key roles in the show, with Elba acting as the mastermind of the “Barksdale crew”. A fan favorite is Omar Little (Michael K. Williams), who is the sawed off shotgun-wielding gangster who robs drug dealers. There are so many aspects of this show show you just how complicated the police department and crews run in the city. After watching this show you’ll feel like you know “Bawlmer” like the back of your hand.

2.The Sopranos (1999-2007)

As one of the most famous TV shows of all time, I’m surprised more people my age haven’t watched The Sopranos. It’s commonly referred to as the show that changed TV and it solidified HBO as a premium cable network. Plus, everybody loves the mafia. Some of the best movies ever made dealt with the mob, and The Sopranos is basically a prolonged, modern day (in 1999) Goodfellas. You get to see the world through the eyes of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), who tries to balance life between the mob and his family. Trying to hide the fact that he’s in the mob isn’t easy for him in an age where his kids have access to TV and the internet, and it’s a constant struggle for him to keep that side of his life hidden. While constantly in the high-intensity, masculine environment of the mob, Tony’s confides in his wife Carmela (Edie Falco) and therapist Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) proving that he’s not the average mobster. It’s popularity has never dwindled for those that watched the infamous series, as they are making a prequel movie about the early life of the show’s protagonist Tony Soprano, who is portrayed by his real life son, Michael. Better watch the show now before the movie comes out!

1.Band of Brothers (2001)

I’m not sure how long this coronavirus pandemic is going to last, so if there’s one show you NEED to watch over the course of the next few weeks/months it’s Band of Brothers. It’s a ten episode miniseries that chronicles the story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division, and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord, through V-J Day. What makes this show so unbelievably good is that they used accounts from the actual men who served in Easy Company, making it arguably the most historically accurate depiction of WWII in television and movie history. The great thing about miniseries’ is that they get straight to the point. Over the course of ten hours you learn everything about what these men went through to (spoiler alert) defeat the Nazi’s. Executive produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and a cast featuring Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Donnie Wahlberg, and David Schwimmer, every person needs to watch this show. Even if you’re not a war show/movie person, the shot of patriotism it’ll give you is more than enough reason to watch. ‘MERICA.

If you’re keeping track, that’s 4/5 HBO shows on the list. I don’t have a bias toward premium cable television, it just so happens that they’ve made some of the best TV shows of all time. And if you think I left a show off my list, there’s a reason why Breaking Bad didn’t make the cut: most people I know have seen it. While it was on at the same time as Mad Men, it was absolutely the more popular of the two, even among the younger demographic. However, it you haven’t seen Breaking Bad, it is a must-watch as well. I clearly have watch a lot of TV in my day, and I’m proud to say I feel like I’ve chosen the right shows. I love bad reality TV as much as the next person, but instead of filling your head with that nonsense while quarantined, try out one or more of these shows listed above and experience what well-written TV is like. If you could care less about my recommendations, at least watch them to understand more Family Guy references.

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NCAA Will Grant Spring Sport Athletes Another Year of Eligibility

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The above statement, released by the NCAA today on Twitter basically states that they are granting spring sport athletes another year of eligibility. It was heartbreaking when the NCAA announced that they were cancelling games and championships for the rest of the season knowing how hard the athletes worked for this  year.

And while it sounds great on the surface, what are the real consequences to another year of eligibility across all spring sports?

Impact on Graduate Programs

Now that this season has been cancelled, each spring athlete effectively “redshirted” this season, meaning that they have another year of eligibility. This means that a ton of seniors will be seeking out opportunities to compete next year as “fifth years”. Some programs endure more turnover (players quitting/transferring) than others, and a lot of the time they don’t notify the coaching staff until after the season or over summer. Since coaches are then forced to quickly replace those players that left, fifth years are a relatively safe option since they are more experienced than a player out of high school or junior college.  However, schools that don’t experience as much turnover and have a whole new batch of freshman slated to enroll in the fall will be forced to cut the seniors or take away the scholarship of a high school recruit.

So if you’re a college coach and figure the best way to “win now” is to keep the senior and cut the freshman, the school will be forced to admit more students into its graduate program. On the flip side, if the coach determines he’d rather keep the freshman, the senior must now scram to find another school with an open spot or accept that their career is over. Usually graduate programs only admit so many students in a year, putting a strain on the schools that don’t have the capacity for additional students. And unless the student is willing to pay full tuition price (unlikely), that’s an additional scholarship they’ll have to dish out, which brings me to my next topic.

How Will Scholarships Work?

A sport like baseball is already extremely limited in their scholarship-giving abilities (11.7 scholarships for a 35-man roster) so I highly doubt that schools could afford to keep additional players. And in being so, I’m sure most athletes wouldn’t be able to afford to pay full tuition plus room and board. Also, does this mean that the roster will be expanded to make room for the seniors that will now be fifth years? Not only is it very seldom that a player receives a full scholarship, but now the NCAA would undoubtedly have to step in to cover the cost of additional players. These are questions that will need to be answered by the NCAA, which I’m sure will happen in the coming weeks.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I was a college athlete, so I understand how painful this would be. If I were still in school right now I’d be doing everything in my power to get that extra year of eligibility. But sometimes the most logical decision is the toughest to make, especially when it involves retiring from a sport you’ve played your whole life. As tough as a decision like this would be, it would make the most sense to just cut your losses and start preparing for the real world (if there aren’t fifth year opportunities out there).

I still think it’s ridiculous they cancelled the rest of a season that goes into May and June. The NCAA could’ve very well delayed the season like the NBA and made a decision at a later date. Although, it’s not 100% the NCAA’s fault. When schools started kicking students out of the dorms it made it difficult to justify keeping the athletic programs active. Ultimately, hindsight is 20/20, and I’m sure a lot of things could’ve been done differently for a more favorable outcome, but this is our reality. And yeah it sucks, but life has a weird way of knocking you on your ass from time to time. As disappointing as this is for all the athletes out there who will never play collegiately again, my advice can be better summed up in the following tweet:

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The Sports World Has Given Coronavirus the Attention It so Desperately Wanted

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March 11, 2020 will officially go down as one of the worst days in sports history, courtesy of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Here’s a quick rundown of what went down:

And just for good measure, of course they had to throw my favorite actor Tom Hanks into the mix.

I never thought I’d say this, but it’s finally time we show COVID-19 some respect. March Madness is by far the biggest sporting event of the spring, and a major money machine for the NCAA. So the fact that no spectators will be allowed in the games is a major blow and will cause serious monetary implications. What’s even more scary is that this could get worse…they could very well end up canceling the entire tournament amid fear that players could catch the virus whenever and wherever.

While it’s unlikely that the entire NBA season will come to an end, it is postponed until further notice after Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. It’s not clear how long this hiatus will last, but it would be devastating if the entire rest of the season was cancelled because of this. I couldn’t imagine being in the front office of a title-contending team like the Lakers, Bucks, or Clippers right now knowing that all the offseason moves they made might’ve been for nothing.

The Ivy League took it one step further by already canceling the remainder of the season for all spring sports. To have trained tirelessly all offseason just to have the rest your season cancelled just as it’s getting started is truly devastating from a college athlete’s perspective. Not to undersell the impact this has on NBA players and other professional athletes, but those guys have already made it. For most college athletes, they get four years to play the sport they love before being unleashed on the real world. I truly couldn’t feel worse for all the seniors in the Ivy League who will miss out on the rest of their season because of it. You might be saying “it’s just sports” or “those Ivy League kids are going to be rich anyway” but it’s so much more of that. If you’re in that group, I apologize if this comes off as pretentious, but unless you played sports in college (which I did) you wouldn’t get it. It takes such a high level of commitment and dedication to play sports in college and especially the Division 1 level.

I haven’t even mentioned the implications this could have (and is already having) on the NHL, MLB, PGA Tour, and the Olympics. The NHL is nearing the end of its season which means the playoffs could be affected, the PGA Tour has no plans to cancel any events, but as we near The Masters it’s something to keep in mind as a possibility, and there’s a good chance the MLB season could be delayed or have empty stadiums. However, in my mind the biggest question pertains to the status of the 2020 Summer Olympics due to it’s close proximity to China, where COVID-19 originated. What’s interesting, though, is that they have less confirmed cases and deaths than the U.S. The Olympics are by far the most important sporting event of the year in terms of global impact, so if they were to get delayed or canceled, it would be devastating.

Of course overall public health is the main concern and is the driving force behind the decisions these league commissioners and board members have been making, BUT I do think they have been premature and excessive. And yes, I can admit COVID-19 deserves respect while at the same time saying that the sporting cancelations are excessive. The following chart shows the death rate from COVID-19 as of 10 pm 3/10/20 via worldometer:

AGE
 DEATH RATE
confirmed cases		 DEATH RATE
all cases
80+ years old
21.9%
14.8%
70-79 years old
8.0%
60-69 years old
3.6%
50-59 years old
1.3%
40-49 years old
0.4%
30-39 years old
0.2%
20-29 years old
0.2%
10-19 years old
0.2%
0-9 years old
no fatalities

As you can see, the elderly are most at risk from dying from the virus which isn’t surprising since underlying health conditions such as emphysema, hypertension, diabetes, etc. are more common. And from what I’m gathering, people in good health like Tom Hanks, Rudy Gobert, and college/pro athletes experience mild symptoms. I’m really not sure what happens next, but all I can do is remain optimistic that this thing doesn’t get even more out of hand than it already is (unlikely). And thanks to the news and internet, the hysteria is growing more rampant everyday. The next most important thing COVID-19 could take away from me is the Eagles concert scheduled in April. If I am denied a live rendition of Hotel California by Don Henley 2020 will officially be the worst year in history.

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Sports Illustrated Hates Mookie Betts

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New Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani, the Angels’ two-way “sensation” recently landed the cover of Sports Illustrated. I think it’s great that they got two of the area’s best players to grace the cover in what should be an exciting season for both franchises. However, I do have an issue with the cover. The first thing that struck me when I saw the cover was how considerably taller Ohtani is than Betts. The second thing (which I have a problem with) is that Betts is looking up at Ohtani. Imagery is a powerful thing, and when I look at this cover, it seems to me like Sports Illustrated is saying that Mookie is the one with something to prove. Ohtani looks like a seasoned vet while Mookie looks like some young prospect that just got called up and is staring at his idol. Any time a guy has to angle his head more than 45 degrees up he’s better off not looking up at all or just praying there isn’t a camera around to capture the size differential. In Mookie’s case, both things happened, and he’s stuck resembling Ralphie in A Christmas Story looking up at Santa Claus.

Mookie Betts is a former MVP, World Series Champion, 4x All-Star, 3x Silver Slugger, and 4x Gold Glove winner, yet he’s looking up to Ohtani?? His only accolades include winning Rookie of the year back in 2018 and being the most over-hyped player in baseball. I’ll acknowledge that he has great potential, but I’m the type of person that needs to see it to believe it…and Ohtani hasn’t been overly impressive yet; its probably because he’s only played just over 100 games in each of his first two seasons. Once he can stay healthy for an entire year and puts up some Betts-esque numbers, I’ll put some respect on his name.

The only pose that wouldn’t come off as disrespectful to Betts is if they were both facing the camera – I don’t care if they’re smiling or not, just facing the camera. Even if they were facing each other, Betts would look inferior due to his height, being that he’d still be forced to look up at Ohtani. I demand a re-shoot.

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‘The Bachelor’ Finale Pt. 1 Recap + Alice Springs, Australia Is the Most Disappointing Proposal Location Ever

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The first installment of the finale of Peter’s season of The Bachelor aired last night, and yikes was that an uncomfortable two hours. As with most of the season, Hannah Ann didn’t do anything especially memorable other than capturing the hearts and minds of Peter’s family. Hannah Ann is to the Bachelor what Oklahoma is to college football. She’ll be a strong title contender all season, even show flashes of being the favorite, but will eventually lose to someone from Alabama. On paper, she should be everything Peter wants. Their relationship hasn’t had any hiccups thus far, she’s polite, beautiful, and would probably make a great life partner. I could listen to her say “oh my word” forever.

But, as has been evident all season, Peter wants a challenge. And if Victoria F. wasn’t enough of a nightmare, Peter now wants a woman who is the complete opposite of him – but she’s hot. At least Victoria F. liked to party and is open to premarital sex (allegedly) like Peter. On the other hand, Madison is saving herself for marriage and doesn’t even drink alcohol. Now, that’s not the end of the world, but for a guy like Peter who is famous for having sex four times in a windmill and is the type of guy (according to his younger brother) who comes home from trips and likes to go clubbing.Not ideal for a girl who probably goes to sleep by 9 pm on a Saturday night to rest up for church on Sunday.

And we finally found out who Peter’s mom was hysterically pleading with Peter to BRING HOOOMMMMEEEE.

It was regarding Hannah Ann, which was a surprise to me BEFORE I saw how well she interacted with his family last night. Madison had already met them in person and she’s Peter’s clear #1 – I thought for sure that’s who Peter’s mom was referring to. But nope, as far as first impressions go, it’s tough to win over the hearts of your potential future in-laws when you immediately start talking about the ultimatum you gave their son (Madison claims it wasn’t an ultimatum but it really was). Then on their date a couple days later, Madison realizes it’s never going to work between the two of them and ends things with Peter.

However, I think there was a collective cheer around the country when Madison stood up for herself against Peter’s mom, who is officially the WORST. Do I agree with Madison’s ultimatum? No. But Peter’s mom is in no position to lecture Madison on the choices she’s made for herself or her relationship with Peter. Let her and Peter figure that one out on their own. It was also super unfair of her to cry and beg Peter to choose Hannah Ann when she could clearly see that his heart was with Madison. Like, doesn’t she already see how hard this is for him? Now he’s gotta worry about keeping his mom from being hysterical over him choosing another woman?? Why can’t they just support their son’s decision like every other Bachelor’s family? They just went about everything the wrong way, and while their overbearing parents shtick was cute in the beginning, after last night I am not a fan of the Weber’s.

I’m predicting that in tonight’s episode we’ll see Peter end things with Hannah Ann and he’ll go after Madison (since we saw in the preview that Madison regrets her decision). The only thing throwing me for a loop is that according to Chris Harrison “even Peter doesn’t know how it will end”. Have Peter and Madison just been dating since the show ended and he’ll propose tonight? That’s the most logical scenario, but since nothing with Peter this season has been logical, all bets are off.

Why Alice Springs?

Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns, I could go on and on. How in the hell did Bachelor producers land on Alice Springs, Australia of all places as the location for the finale/proposal? I’m pretty sure this website doesn’t have a largeAustralian following, so I’ll be completely honest…Alice Springs could be the worst city The Bachelor has ever gone to, and they’ve been to Cleveland! It’s about as exciting of a location as Victorville, CA. I thought maybe there was more to Alice Springs than we were shown, but then I watched this tourism video about the city and my assumptions were confirmed – total shithole, which actually makes it more like Blythe than Victorville; it’s never a good sign when the first half of a tourism video is spent talking about an old post office. However, I will give credit where credit is due. Uluru is a badass rock. 10/10 would climb if given an all expenses paid trip to Northern Territory.

Australia, Northern Territory, National Park Uluru-Kata Tjuta listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Ayers Rock or Uluru, sandstone rock sacred place for the Aboriginal people

But, a cool rock in the middle of an otherwise desolate region doesn’t excuse Bachelor producers for this decision. Imagine being Hannah Ann or Madison and thinking you’re on your way to the Great Barrier Reef or Sydney but all you get is a dusty picnic in the desert with flies circling you the whole time?

I guarantee Madison doesn’t break up with Peter if they go snorkeling instead of a helicopter ride over a big rock.

The only logical explanation for why they would choose Alice Springs of all places down under is that the city paid ABC a ton of money to film there. I might not be their key demographic but I’m sure a ton of people watching The Bachelor last night thought Uluru looked like a great place for a vacation. I mean who wouldn’t want to climb that thing? More power to ‘em.

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LeBron Is Making the NBA MVP Race With Giannis Interesting After Big Wins Over Bucks and Clippers

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At this point in the season, the MVP Award is a two-horse race between Giannis and LeBron. I’d be lying to you if I said I had been watching the Bucks closely this season. I recognize that they’re having a historic season and are one of the best teams in the league, plus ya know…GIANNIS…but since I can’t watch them on TV unless they’re on a national network (ESPN, ABC), it makes it hard to keep up. But since I live in Los Angeles and can watch the Lakers whenever I want, I am continuously amazed by the performances LeBron gives on a nightly basis. It’s most evident how much he means to the Lakers when he goes to the bench. I have been very vocal in previous blogs about how bad the Lakers bench is, and that they are a completely different team with him in the game. In addition, he leads the league in assists, which shows how he isn’t just a scorer, but a playmaker that gets other guys involved and makes the whole team better. Since I will clearly come off as biased if I just talk about the things I’ve seen, I’ll let the stats do the talking to determine the argument.

PLAYER GP MIN PTS FGA FG% 3 PTS Made 3P% FT% OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK
Giannis Antetokounmpo 57 30.9 29.6 20 54.7 1.5 30.6 63.3 2.3 11.5 13.7 5.8 1 1
LeBron James 59 34.9 25.7 19.6 49.7 2.2 34.7 70.4 1 6.8 7.8 10.6 1.2 0.5

So as you can see, statistically, Giannis is having the superior season so far. He is averaging more points, rebounds (offensively and defensively), and has a better field-goal percentage. The only significant stats LeBron is leading in are assists and free-throw percentage. However, I do want to take your attention over to “MIN”. Lebron is averaging four more minutes per game than Giannis. This goes back to how bad the Lakers are without LeBron, which doesn’t allow him to rest as much during games. Instead of Jared Dudley subbing in the last few minutes of garbage time, LeBron is forced to stay in the game to secure the lead.

LeBron is 35 years old and has been playing in the league since he was 19. He has played in 1,257 games over his 17-year career and 34.9 min/game is actually his lowest average in a season so far. From 2004-2008 he averaged at least 40 minutes per game, with 42.5 min/game being his highest mark during the 2005-2006 season. The most minutes Giannis has ever averaged in a season was 36.7 in 2017-2018. Giannis, 25, has played in 735 less games than LeBron and they are still putting up comparable numbers, with LeBron carrying a heavier load.

LeBron has already won four MVP’s. A fifth would just be icing on the cake at this point and would tie him with Michael Jordan – an ode to his jersey number. And while I don’t want this to feel like a pity prize (like when Leonardo DiCaprio won the Best Actor Oscar for The Revenant, which wasn’t even close to his best role), if the season ended today I think the award should go to LeBron. To do what he’s doing at his age and with Anthony Davis as his only real help among an inconsistent supporting cast is unprecedented. After beating the Bucks and Clippers in back to back games this weekend they’ve solidified themselves as the best team in the league which is even more impressive considering their third-best player is a toss up between Danny Green, KCP, and Kyle Kuzma. LeBron’s leadership above all else is what separates him from the pack and is what makes his teams so successful. You can hate him off the court all you want (he irritates me every now and then) but you can’t discount the player he is on the floor and the VALUE he’s added to this 2019-2020 Lakers team. It is the Most VALUABLE Player after all…

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‘Love is Blind’ is Trash TV But I Enjoyed Every Second of It

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I’ve allowed myself to become a die-hard fan of The Bachelor, and I have no regrets about it. I let myself be a fan of one “trash tv” show and that was it. I haven’t gotten involved in any E! or Bravo shows, which is tough because social media is dominated by clips from those shows (KUWTK, Real Housewives, Project Runway, etc.). That was until Love is Blind starting sweeping the nation as Netflix continues it’s run of dominance in every facet of Hollywood and is now producing reality tv shows.

People get engaged before ever seeing each other in person? They have to get married within a month of their engagement? It’s set in Atlanta, not Los Angeles or New York? It had all the makings of a show I thought I would hate…but I didn’t. It took an episode for me to fully commit, but after that I was hooked. I had to make it to episode ten to see if anyone got married. And surprisingly, two actually did! The craziest part about this show is that it was filmed in 2018, which means these couples had to keep their relationship a secret for over a year! Bachelor couples having to wait a couple months to announce seems hard enough, but Love is Blind took it to a whole new level.

One of the biggest issues I had with the show was that I didn’t get a “where are they now” portion in the season finale. So, when I heard they were releasing a reunion show on March 5th I was ecstatic. I had to know if Barnett and Amber and Cameron and Lauren were still together. I knew Cameron and Lauren would still be together given Cam cries every time he even thinks about how amazing Lauren is, so the big mystery in my mind was Barnett and Amber.

Amber doesn’t really have a job (by her own choosing), her living situation consists of jumping from friend’s house to friend’s house, and she has a ton of debt. In all honesty, Amber is a loser. It’s weird saying that about a girl because that term is usually reserved for men, but it’s true. She said a large portion of her debt is from buying makeup, c’mon now. And Barnett has his own home, a good job, and a good family (Amber has a good family too), so I didn’t think they’d last more than a couple months. But to my astonishment, Amber and Barnett were still together! Biggest shocker since Arie dumped Becca for Lauren on season 22 of The Bachelor.

The best part of the entire night was when Amber went OFF on Jessica for outwardly flirting with Barnett the entire time she was engaged to Mark. Jessica and Mark were never going to work, and it was surprising to that Mark couldn’t see that. She was uncomfortable about his age the minute she heard about it and seeing that he wasn’t some tall, blonde hair blue-eyed stud didn’t help his case. At the reunion, Jessica ended things friendly with Mark and attempted to do the same with Amber, but she wasn’t having it. If another woman so much as touches Barnett, she’ll beat her face in, so Jessica should just be thankful there was a room full of cameras and witnesses when she was all over Barnett.

Then there was the apology between Carlton and Diamond who ended things on the show just about as badly as I’ve ever seen a relationship end. I saw why it would’ve been hard for Carlton to come out to Diamond, but at the same time, he probably should’ve told her before they got engaged. Diamond also could’ve had a better reaction but in the moment that’s a pretty shocking thing to hear and it’s understandable why she needed some time to process. However, the minute Carlton called her a bitch it was game over. He still had only known this girl for about two weeks, so regardless of whether or not they were engaged, she wasn’t going to stand for that. But at the reunion we learned that they had been messaging each other a little bit and were friendly at that point. They’ll never date again but there will always be love, baby.

Kenny For President

I have never seen a person handle adversity as gracefully as Kenny did. He had just been dumped on the altar by a woman he was ready to marry and what does he do? He addresses the crowd in with a speech I can only assume was something out of an Abe Lincoln speech, my God.

“Today is not our day, but I love each and every one of y’all, and it’s something that I’ll cherish and be grateful for forever.”

Now THAT is a man. The guy just had his heart ripped out of his chest and he still had the courage to give family and friends a closing speech. And of course I couldn’t mention Kenny’s speech without mentioning how Kelly’s mom capped it off by whispering “God I love this guy” to someone.

I think every parent would want their little girl to end up with a guy like Kenny. Once again…KENNY FOR PRESIDENT.

We also learn that Damian and Giannina have gotten back together after he dumped her on the altar, and she went running around Atlanta presumably looking for answers. While they seem to be doing great, I still can’t make sense of the two of them. We already know that Damian isn’t phenomenal in the sack, plus he’s the most robotic person I’ve ever seen speak. Giannina on the other hand is very bubbly and has a lively personality. Apparently opposites do attract because on paper these two couldn’t be a worse fit for each other.

One of the parts about the show that really made it work was that they were all from the same city: Atlanta. My biggest concern with his process going into it was “how are they going to get married in a month when they don’t even live in the same city. That remains one of my concerns with The Bachelor. While relationships are always about compromise, moving to a different city, let alone a different state is a much bigger decision than moving in with your husband who lives 30 minutes away from you. So, I’d like to see Love is Blind come make its way to every city around the U.S. – matchmaking people that aren’t as shallow as Bachelor contestants and are prioritizing love over Instagram followers!

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Sports

The Rams Should Be in on Signing Tom Brady. But Why Aren’t They?

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Since everyone has an opinion on where Tom Brady is going to land, I might as well throw my two cents in. In a perfect world, Tom Brady would be on his way to becoming a Los Angeles Ram. However, there are a lot of things that hinder this possibility, but mostly it’s Jared Goff. Goff just signed a four-year $137 million contract last year, so being that they have so much money invested in him, they aren’t looking for another QB.

However, this is Tom Brady we’re talking about. Only two years removed from an MVP award and coming off a 2019 season in which he had no offensive weapons and still led the Patriots to a 12-4 record. If Brady is looking for a team that he can win now with, the Rams would be the perfect destination. A young, offensive-minded head coach in Sean McVay, offensive weapons up the ass, and a shiny new stadium is waiting for him in Los Angeles; not to mention they’re the big brother in the City of Angels (sorry Chargers).

The Rams are only a year removed from a Super Bowl appearance (where they lost to the Patriots) and with the addition of Brandon Staley as their new defensive coordinator, they’re looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2019. And sadly, Goff was one of the main reasons they were bad last year. The two-time Pro Bowler shined at times but overall did not live up to the contract the Rams gave him. And I hate saying that because I really do love the guy…as a person. He threw for 22 touchdowns and had a whopping 16 interceptions (not a great ratio), despite still throwing for the third-most yards in the league last year. He was also historically terrible in the Super Bowl with a team that had arguably the best offense in the league in 2018.

I really want it to work with Goff, being that the Rams have been lacking a franchise QB for quite some time, but if last season is any indication, he might not be the guy. And that’s where I think the Rams need to consider a trade to allow themselves to land Brady. With Goff’s contract structured the way it is, trading Goff would free up an additional $16 million in cap space, allowing them to go after Brady more aggressively in a free agency setting.

I know Brady isn’t likely to sign with the Rams, being that they aren’t even one of the teams that has been noted as interested in him, but I’m just trying to make the point that it’s not out of the realm of possibility if the Rams were to consider it. The Rams also just hired Kevin O’Connell (a former quarterback drafted by the Patriots in the prime of Brady’s career – 2008 – so he was destined to fail from the start) to be their Offensive Coordinator. Considering Brady’s other options besides New England (Raiders, Chargers, Titans, Colts), the Rams are by far the best option if winning now is as important to him as we think it is. It’s really just Goff’s contract standing in the way.

I do want to apologize to my guy JG for dragging him a little bit there in the third paragraph, but I was just spitting facts. Since the Rams look to be dedicated to Goff for the next few seasons I will admit that I have verified from an inside source that he has been spotted working out (throwing to receivers) “almost every day” the past couple weeks – a whole five months before training camp even starts. I’m hoping this means he’s determined to make last year simply a learning experience, and he’s determined to correct whatever was wrong. Sometimes when athletes sign a big contract they overcompensate to try and live up to it, but Goff needs to just remember he has all the tools to be an elite quarterback. He wasn’t taken first overall for nothing.  

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T.V.

Saul Is Officially Working for the Salamanca’s and Oh My God Hank Is Back – ‘Better Call Saul’ S5E3

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The third episode of this season of Better Call Saul was what we in the biz call a “setup episode”. It was relatively uneventful, but set the scene for the coming episodes. Saul is officially working for the Salamanca family, Kim is now a part-time realtor, and oh yeah…Hank (Dean Norris) and Gomez (Steven Michael Quezada) are back!! It took five seasons for them to make an appearance, but Saul just got a whole lot more interesting. First, let me give some background as to how they worked their way into this season.

Last episode, Domingo (Nacho’s right hand man) got busted at a Salamanca stash house, leading to him needing legal representation – enter Saul Goodman. The episode begins with Nacho taking Saul to meet Lalo, who would decide if Saul was the man for the job. Saul (Jimmy at the time) and Nacho have a past, so knowing he is such a great lawyer is why he sought out Saul in the first place to defend Domingo. After sizing him up, Lalo agrees to Saul’s demand of $7,925 to take on the case, but gives him a round $8,000 in good faith.

Then we see Mike is drinking his pain away at the local pub. Still wrought with grief over the entire Werner situation, Mike notices a postcard pinned to the wall next to the bar. It’s not what’s written in the postcard that upsets Mike, but the picture on the front of the Sydney Opera House. If you remember the story Werner told Mike last season about how Werner’s father was the engineer who created the Opera House, you can see why it’s so upsetting for him to see that. He proceeds to desperately plead with the bartender to take down the postcard, which he refuses to at first. After seeing how serious Mike is, he takes it down.

On Mike’s walk home, a group of hoodlums attempt to jump him, but he’s not an ordinary 70-something year old man. Mike isn’t like Robert DeNiro in The Irishman…he still looks like he can kick some ass. Mike manages to get one of the guys one the ground in 0.8 seconds and was on the verge of breaking the guy’s arm with relative ease. Suffice it to say, none of the other guys try testing old man river, and Mike is allowed to go on with his night.

Now for the biggest surprise of the night…Hank and Gomez are back. If you don’t know who they are, you obviously didn’t watch Breaking Bad, but in short, they are DEA agents, and Hank is the brother-in-law of Walter White – the protagonist in Breaking Bad. Now that we’re all caught up, can we talk about how awesome it was to see these guys?? The last time we saw them things didn’t go so well, and it’s hard to forget that at one point they were just normal DEA agents (as normal as that profession could be). And now they have entered the Better Call Saul universe.

The whole reason they’re brought in is because Saul is trying to strike a deal for his newest client: Domingo Molina. Saul made up this elaborate story for Domingo to tell the agents claiming that he knew where they could find $500,000 worth of drug money. Only, they saw through the whole thing.

Obviously Saul doesn’t want Domingo giving up any real information because he’d be dubbed a rata, so they give the agents the location of “dead drops” that belong to Gus Fring. Gus is not happy that his “dead drops” are now under DEA surveillance, but it was Lalo’s call – for obvious reasons (he hates Gus).

Then Kim gets in trouble with Mesa Verde *again* because she would rather work her pro-bono cases than help the firm that’s keeping the light’s on. She ultimately gives in and drives all the way out to Tucumcari? where one old man is refusing to give up his land to make way for a brand new Mesa Verde branch…in the middle of the desert. Really not sure why they had to upend an entire neighborhood when there’s literally hundreds of miles of open desert for them to build a call center but that’s corporations for ya. So Kim is called upon to deal with this old man who has lived on his property since the 1970’s and is refusing to leave even after Mesa Verde offered him a whopping $18,000 in good faith. To be fair, I’m pretty sure that buys a three-bed, two-bath in Albuquerque so I’m not sure what the problem is. But judging by the distain on Mr. Acker’s (the old man) face when Kim makes him so acutely aware of the settlement offer, I assume that money won’t go as far as I thought, even in the early 2000’s housing bubble. Go figure. 

Despite her pleading with Mr. Acker, he only sees her as a suit even after she offers to take him looking for houses. She even brought some real estate flyers! Those lonely nights in the New Mexican desert have turned his heart cold. The episode is capped off with Saul and Kim chucking full bottles of beer off the balcony of their apartment/condo after what were career defining days for the both of them. Saul is now the go-to lawyer for the cartel, and Kim realizes she has to play hardball and embrace the heartless corporate suit her image gives off.

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