Whose the Chaperone?: Mad Men Season 7 Week 3 Recap and Thoughts

Well, "Field Trip" certainly didn't end the way it began. Or did it? 

This week's episode of Mad Men taught us something about how quickly life can just be pulled out from under you and rearranged entirely against your plans for it. Do you think Don envisioned returning to SC&P with the reduced role that he took at the end? Do you think he envisioned his marriage ending on Megan's terms rather than his own? Do you think Betty saw herself clinging to her youngest child, desperate for them never to grow up and grow apart from her? And do you really think Peggy saw herself so miserable and still so consumed by the man who gave her a chance and held her back at the same time?

Probably not. 

Spare Change: Mad Men Season 7 Week 2 Recap and Thoughts

Last night's Mad Men could be described as transcendent, to give our guy Johnny Depp some good PR. Joan is now an account "man", Pete wants out of Sterling Cooper but actually seems willing to do something about it now, a colored women can be seen from the window (until Cooper "requests" Joan change that), Peggy is just as lonely as Don and speaking of Don, he seems to come a long way in sixty minutes (as we have seen both positively and negatively in the majority of every single Mad Men episode ever). Maybe transcendent isn't the right word. Maybe the word I'm looking for is change. 

My Faith Story

I'm not sure what it is that is convicting me to write down my own personal faith story. I'm not sure why I feel the need to do so, let alone in my blog that I created for my sports and pop culture opinions, two things that mean dramatically less to me than my faith. Maybe that's it. I love to write and I love God. I love to voice my opinion through my writing and I love Jesus Christ. Maybe I should be asking myself what took me so long instead of why.

Plain and Simple 2014 MLB Predictions

Plain and simple, here are my 2014 MLB season predictions:

NL EAST
(4) Atlanta Braves
(9) Washington Nationals
(10) New York Mets
(11)Philadelphia Phillies
(13) Florida Marlins

NL CENTRAL
(2) Pittsburgh Pirates
(3) St. Louis Cardinals
(7) Cincinnati Reds
(12) Milwaukee Brewers
(15) Chicago Cubs

NL WEST
(1) Los Angeles Dodgers
(5) San Francisco Giants
(6) San Diego Padres
(8) Arizona Diamondbacks
(14) Colorado Rockies

NL WILDCARD GAME
Cardinals OVER Giants

NLDS
Dodgers OVER Cardinals
Pirates OVER Braves

NLCS
Dodgers OVER Pirates

AL EAST
(3) Boston Red Sox
(5) Tampa Bay Rays
(6) New York Yankees
(7) Baltimore Orioles
(14) Toronto Blue Jays

AL CENTRAL
(1) Detroit Tigers
(8) Kansas City Royals
(11) Chicago White Sox
(12) Cleveland Indians
(13) Minnesota Twins

AL WEST
(2) Texas Rangers
(4) Oakland Athletics
(9) Los Angeles Angels
(10) Seattle Mariners
(15) Houston Astros

AL WILDCARD GAME
Athletics OVER Rays

ALDS
Athletics OVER Tigers
Rangers OVER Red Sox

ALCS
Rangers OVER Athletics

2014 WORLD SERIES
Los Angeles Dodgers OVER Texas Rangers, 4-2

2013 Belongs to...

Didn't get what you wanted for Christmas? Didn't have anyone to kiss under the mistletoe or on New Year's? Did you get run over by a reindeer, walking home from their house Christmas Eve? YOU CAN SAY THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS SANTA, BUT AS FOR ME AND GRANDPA, we're reading on to find out who won the 2nd Annual Nugget Blog This Was Your Year Award!!!

Ushering in a New Age of Sixers Basketball

For whats supposed to be the worst draft class in recent memory, the actual 2013 NBA Draft was nothing short of entertaining, unpredictable and compelling. It had everything! It had trades involving some of the leagues best players. It had Bill Simmons nearly having a heart attack when Anthony Bennett went first, and than definitely having a heart attack when the Celtics dealt their team to the Nets for absolute horse shit (minus the draft picks which could hypothetically help them down the road. For now, have fun with Kris Humprhies and the "30 Million Dollar Man", Gerald Wallace, Boston!) We got to see David Stern, who got booed worse than Nancy Pelosi at her own home or Justin Bieber at a Miami Heat game, get saucy with the crowd. And embrace Hakeem Olajuwon, who was the first draft pick Stern announced as Commissioner back in 1984. Thirty years later, despite the heckles from the crowd, Stern is still my favorite commissioner of any league during my lifetime, not counting Chief Wiggum. 

Cinco de Drafto 2008

It's been five years (hence the Cinco in the title, obviously) since the 2008 NBA Draft. On the day of the 2013 NBA Draft, I figured I'd go back five years and redo the picks of the 2008 draft. I will simply be going back, and just doing it over again knowing what we know now. Any draft day trades will still happen, because than this will get more dysfunctional than an episode of Maury, so the order will be the exact same. Besides, NBA executives are morons for the overwhelming majority, so dumb trades would still happen now, even with knowing how these guys careers would pan out. So, lets get this thing started. Ladies and gentlemen, The Godfather, David Stern!!!

Ranking the Top 100 Players in the NBA Today- Part 2 (79-60)

Welcome back, y'all! Quick advice for all of my readers (all four of you): if you ever clog a toliet, there is a switch in the back to keep the water from overflowing. This would have been very beneficial to know as I ran into this chicanery yesterday and immediately thought I was going to die. I can quote Remember the Titans and Anchorman with the best of them, I can't handle an overflowing toilet. If I need to hand in my man card because of this, so be it.

Ranking the Top 100 Players in the NBA Today- Part 1 (100-80)

So, you're getting out of bed this morning. You're a little groggy, you put your eyes into the palm of your hand as if you just found out that everyone on earth was murdered last night and you are the last one left. You stretch a little, eventually make it out of bed and into the bathroom. You look in the mirror, see your disheveled hair and smell your morning breath. A few minutes later and you're in the shower thinking "Now, I know LeBron is the best player in basketball today, but as far as the next 99 go, well I'm shit out of luck for knowing that. Gee." Well, hombre, allow me to step in. Not the shower, that would be creepy, I'm stepping into your dilemma. Not the shower.

NBA Western Conference Playoffs Preview

My playoffs preview continues, as we dive head first into the Western Conference. Don't worry, there's at least ten feet of water in this pool.

NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview

Side note: before I start my blog, my prayers and thoughts go out to anyone who was effected in any way by the tragedy that took place at the Boston Marathon on April 15. The world is getting progressively worse in terms of caring for our fellow humans by the day, and it makes me sick to watch. To all the families of victims, my prayers are with you.

Well, it's the most wonderful time of the year, ladies and gents! That's right, the NBA playoffs are upon us! 

Kobe Bryant's Achilles Tendon: Priceless

It's strange. The man has no filter for what he says, even if it is degrading to his teammates or fans. The man has already ruined an organization for the span of two seasons, and helped chase one of the greatest players of all time out of town (Shaq, not Smush Parker). 

We Have to Stay in School, Why Didn't LeBron?

As this NBA regular season comes to a close, the Miami Heat are far and away the best team in the league. So instead of writing something really glamorous about a crew of guys I generally don't like (except for Dwayne Wade and Pat Riley), I opened up a can of the "What-If Game", listened to some Doobie Brothers and put on my Aaron Mckie jersey.

LeBron James is the best basketball player on planet Earth right now. Why single out planet Earth? Because it would be ignorant of me to assume that there aren't any incredible basketball playing aliens out in the universe who can dunk with one tentacle tied behind there eye. I'd like to see LeBron do that, and than he can be the best basketball player in the universe, and only than. 

If Its A "Business", Let's Improve The Product

I understand the arguments for trading Anquan Boldin because this is a business. I don't agree with them. Still, business should try and get the most out of a product. Well, Ozzie, the ball is in your court.

Just five weeks ago, Anquan Boldin was a member of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Just five weeks ago, he couldn't be happier with where he was, finally reaching the pinnacle goal of every NFL player. Five weeks ago, he was the best receiver and most clutch offensive playmaker on a team that had gone through Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and the best defense in the league en route to winning the Super Bowl.

Five weeks later, he is shipped to San Francisco.

Seems pretty impersonal and brutal, doesn't it? Well, that's because "the NFL is a business." 

The March NBA Playoff Preview

Sure, a lot can happen in the remaining two months-ish of basketball, but why not have some fun and predict where things are happening?

LeBron James is a man on a mission. U-571, Mission to Mars, Mission Impossible, Space Jam, He Got Game, and Get Smart all have nothing on the derailed goal and unfathomable perseverance of the King circa 2013. The Miami Heat have been the hottest team in the league since the calendar said February, and a lot of that can be attributed to the best basketball player in the NBA today. But is that a lock for the championship and a repeat?

We Are.....Blind Love

The recent accolades of Penn State's THON charity event is something to be proud of and truly inspiring. By no means is this meant to take away from that. However, Penn State can not simply forget that they hid a child molestation scandal so their football program could flourish. Most of the student body seems to disagree.

This blog will likely be the most unpopular I have ever written. I am writing a piece that, in some ways, attacks Penn State University at a time where every other Penn State student has said the word "THON" more often than any English word in the dictionary since February 1. THON is what people refer to as the IFC/Panhellenic Two-Day Dance Marathon held annually at Penn State University. FTK is the slogan, which stands for "For The Kids". THON is a year-long event held to raise money for pediatric cancer and to also raise awareness for the Four Diamonds Fund, an organization that helps families dealing with cancer. The entire celebration is something for everyone involved to be proud of. THON raised over 12 million dollars this year, a new record for the event that has been around since 1973. 

David Stern? David's Turn

The NBA takes the back seat to the other leagues in the "Big 4" (excluding the NHL, if that needed to be stated), but there is one area where David Stern's league excels among the rest. The All-Star Weekend.

Admit it. You're really pumped for All-Star Weekend, aren't you? Nah, I don't care if you're as hardcore an NBA fan as 2Chainz is a marijuana fan, or if you're a closet NBA fan, you are excited for the All-Star Weekend. And you shouldn't be ashamed! We all are! For more than a few reasons, the NBA's celebration of it's finest athletes is the best in terms of quality, quantity and excitement across the board when it comes to the four major American sports leagues. 

My Totally Biased Super Bowl XLVIII Preview

I would try and preview this Super Bowl, but I can't look past my bias anymore. Anyone who is tired of people praising Ray Lewis or who won't listen to a case for Joe Cool and the twenty million dollar contract, kindly click here.

It was twelve years ago the last time the Baltimore Ravens were headlining the Super Bowl. They put a beating on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV and Ray Lewis took home Super Bowl MVP honors. Trent Dilfer was the winning quarterback, and for him, all I can say is I can't believe this video exists. I was only eight years old, but I do remember watching that game and thinking of my grandfather who was at his home also watching that game. My grandpop got me into the Ravens when I was six or seven, the investigation is still being conducted. The first Super Bowl I can remember is Brett Favre vs John Elway. The first Super Bowl I remember paying attention to is Kerry Collins vs Trent Dilfer. The depressing age that was the early 2000s.

2013 MLB Preview

Ah, isn't it wonderful? The daily countdowns to pitchers and catchers reporting followed by the daily joke about the pitching and catching slur. The NFL playoffs coming to an end (although for me, they are far from over! GO RAVENS!) and the NBA season approaching All-Star Weekend. This all points to the baseball season coming quick! And with it, my annual preview that will just fall short and likely embarrass me. I can't break tradition, I owe it to my seven readers.

NFL Conference Championships Preview

The division round of the postseason taught us a lot about what to expect from the Conference Championships. That you can't expect anything.

Everyone expected Seattle to waltz into Atlanta and knock off the NFC's number one seed. Matt Ryan and the Falcons are still playing. More people were picking the Packers to march into Candlestick Park and handily beat the 49ers because "you don't bet against Aaron Rodgers." While the loss can't be blamed on Rodgers, a loss is a loss and San Francisco moved on.