Random Hits

Okay, so I haven't been here in a hot minute, so we're just going to do a potpourri of things tonight...

• Live Poker: as disappointing as expected in my previous post. Awkward, not fulfilling for the viewer at all. Oh, well.
  
• The NFL decides at the very last second, after having to cancel the first preseason game, that they don't feel like losing billions of dollars this season. Well, congratulations guys. Glad to see you got your act together just in time so we've got something to watch on Sunday's this fall besides Kristi Yamaguchi's Celebrity Skating Showdown featuring the music of the Dave Matthews Band.
• Speaking of last second, how about the federal government avoiding a debt-ceiling crisis juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust in time not to shit the bed this coming Tuesday. The deal's almost done, so I shouldn't jinx it, but... They had to finally play ball and compromise, something they should've just done weeks ago to avoid theatrics; however, this is what the government is, now: our most important reality TV show.
• R.E.M.: thanks for releasing the 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of "Life's Rich Pageant." No joke here or anything, thanks for releasing it.
• Given that Amy Winehouse died since the last time we convened on this blog, it would be appropriate to say that no matter what your opinion on her music or personality was, it was a pretty sad thing to see go down. I can't necessarily say it was shocking, but I was waiting for a new record from her just like millions of her fans. Obviously, there was something going on in Amy's psyche which compelled her to treat her body the way that she did, and I think that's the saddest thing to think about. All the success and money in the world couldn't bring her to a point where she could recognize that. And whether the toxicology report shows it was a direct OD, or just a heart attack caused by years of abuse, it doesn't change the fact that we don't get to hear that next great album, or even mediocre one. Sad.
• The Cubs did what they always do around the trading-deadline: they dumped salary, got mediocre prospects in return, and didn't even accomplish getting rid of the one true guy they should've. Well done, Ricketts. You're picking up right where the Tribune Company left off. Note: anyone who's looking forward to a championship season from the Cubs, we're about another 3-4 years from really being able to expect one again. Please return your attitude to 1995, turn off all electronics and return your tray table to its upright and locked position.
• Look, I'm just going to say this, okay? I'm not necessarily proud of it, but it's happening, and I have to acknowledge it: I miss Lost. I miss it a great deal. I know the last season was a slight trainwreck, but that doesn't change the fact that it was an amazing concept which was played out the best way they could (if you're going to do time-travel concepts, you open yourself up to disaster). More than anything, I just want a series that follows Hurley running the island with Ben as his #2 after Jack dies, but before they're all dead and meet in the church.
• Finally, it dismays me to know that in the year 2011, certain prejudices still exist. Just when you think it's safe to go in the swimming pool, some asshole drops a liquid-deuce in the deep end. Last night, someone very special to me faced discrimination at a bar near his home, most likely for being gay. An establishment at which he even used to work. Mind you, this isn't in "the big city," but I no longer find that to be a valid excuse. Again, it's 2011, people. We're not living in caveman times anymore, not even in the times of I Love Lucy. All of us with a rational mindset get that gay isn't some disease one catches accidentally, and isn't something that we gladly decide to do.
  However, I'm happy to say, that the negativity of that situation was over-matched by the fact that this individual was with a few close friends who acted like true friends, and were just not having ANY of it. While it's sad to see that this kind of discrimination is still existing in the suburban and rural centers of our country, it's so unbelievably encouraging to know that a majority of folks are beginning to see through that curtain of crap and are able to come to the defense of those that they truly love, no matter how different they might think their friend's bedroom activity may or may not be. Admittedly, it's a lot easier for folks coming out right now than it was for my generation twenty years ago, or generations before mine, but sometimes it gets shown that we've still got a long way to go. It's just nice to see that we've got some more folks to help us get to where we need to be. Love you, Lollipop, glad you have those kind of friends in your life. :)

Y'all have a lovely night. I'm going to have breakfast for dinner, now! :)

Live Poker?

If you read my introductory sports blog, you'll remember that I'm a fan of televised poker, specifically ESPN's coverage of the World Series of Poker's "Main Event." A 7-day event whittled down to 2-hours of coverage a week that takes one through the late summer and early fall. Thankfully, these broadcasts are edited heavily, as these matches typically go on for a long time, and there's a lot of non-action during the action. Well, this is all about to change.

I thought it was a bit early for ESPN to start running ads for this year's coverage, since it usually doesn't pick up until late August. However, this is the actual week of the blessed Main Event, and there was the first ad. For the first broadcast. Thursday night. Live.

Wait, what? Live? We have the opportunity to see these guys fold around the table again and again LIVE? As a fan of the broadcast, let me be the first to say "um, hmmmmmmmmmmm."

I love the comedic commentary of Norm Chad during the event, he makes it bearable, and actually does know his poker. But if he's having to vamp live for 2 hours at a time for several days, I don't know how he's going to hold up. You've got to figure his work has been edited in the past, as well, so it's likely he won't even be as funny now.

Let's go back to the folding around the table. From my own experience playing poker, you could go 10 minutes at a time without a real bet happening at all. What if all the tables that have cameras are experiencing this problem. It's going to make for some good "well, let's show when Johnny Chan repeated as champion in 1990" time. Rain delay theater, as it were. That's what I like about poker, there's no need for that.

Look, it's not a real sport. I get it, and 99% of rational America gets it. It's not like Game 7 of the World Series, the Super Bowl, or even the Masters. If I don't know what' s happening live, that's okay. It's not like I'm betting on this (Ironically, I've never heard of an official betting line on a tournament based on betting). I just want to be entertained, and learn different ways to take my friends' money when we finally decide to have another poker night. I'll be watching, but I'll be skeptical.

Suddenly, I'm a snob over poker coverage. I need to go lie down.

Wimbledon 2011

So, sorry for the delay between first posts and now. I had no internet for a bit, I was out of the apartment a lot, there was this whole alien abduction thing... Anyways.

Anyone who knows me knows that Wimbledon is my favorite sporting event of the year. As it just ended today, I thought I'd give some tournament wrap-up thoughts.

• As much as I love Rafael Nadal, I'm quite glad Novak Djokovic won today. One, he's easy on the eyes. Two, it would appear that Roger Federer's at the cashier ready to pay for his career and leave the store. I just don't think it would be very interesting if Nadal had nobody to challenge him the way he challenged Federer. Federer was utterly dominant for about 2 years before Nadal showed up on the scene, and it was starting to get boring. Nadal came in, and we had a true rivalry in the sport. Now, Djokovic will do the same thing. He's already proven he can win a Slam before today (2 Aussies under his belt), and this year he's proven he can beat Nadal and outlast his opponents. The latter part is key when you consider that Djokovic used to retire from way too many matches due to poor conditioning. Point is, I think we've got an amazing rivalry going.
  
• Can I just say how much I love watching Jo-Wilfried Tsonga? This guy can create a Top 10 Plays all by himself, and he's got an incredibly entertaining personality to boot. It was nice to see him go deep.
• Okay, you can shove this statement in my face if I'm wrong, but I'll say it: Andy Murray is never going to win a major. If he does, it's because everyone else in the field has mononucleosis. The guy's got such incredible skill and talent, and yet just can't keep it together mentally in the bigger matches. Sure, he'll beat a Nadal or Federer or Djokovic at a Masters 1000 Event, but not a Slam. And while he has them in the way at Slams, it's just not happening for him. See: Tim Henman (although Tim's a lot cuter).
• Federer may be done. Now that Nadal and Djokovic are ahead of him, and since other players have learned how to play him, I think getting another Slam title will be difficult. Don't be shocked if he plays the 2012 Olympics (AT Wimbledon, even), and then announces that the US Open will be his last tournament. I think he knows that all he can do is hurt his legacy if he goes on well into his 30s.
• Moving onto the women's side, I think we're beginning to see a sea-change. So many new faces are cropping up these days, and we've got some folks who are nearing retirement age. The Williams Sisters will both be north of 30 next year, and people just don't play until their 40 in this sport. Kim Clijsters could just up and retire at any moment... again. I think we need to start looking to the future. For now, Maria Sharapova could be the great beneficiary, as she's still only 24, and has more experience than most folks her age. But we need to start looking at folks like, say, Petra Kvitova, who actually won Wimbledon. I also think we need to pay attention to Melanie Oudin from just outside Atlanta. Point being, it's about to be an all new game on the women's side soon.
• As much as I never thought she'd win here, it's always fun watching Francesca Schiavone play. She's entertaining, she goes for everything, and she's got a great attitude on and off the court. I wish she'd have gone deeper, but that's okay...

Okay, enough for now. That's obviously not everything, but it'll do.