Why Don't We Care About Hockey?

The Flyers are in the Stanley Cup Finals, and in Philadelphia, it SHOULD be a big deal. It doesn't feel that way.

When the Eagles are just in the playoffs, everywhere people are cheering even during the off days in preparation for the upcoming game. For the Flyers, who are in the championship game? Not so much. When the Phillies are in the World Series, forget it.

I think it represents that hockey still has some serious work to do to get back in the national spotlight, even a few years following their horrendous lockout. The last time the Flyers were in the Cup Final (1997,) the city was completely wrapped up in the team. Of course, we had much more captivating stars like Eric Lindros, John LeClair, and of course, Ron Hextall.

For me, I think the Flyers have always been my favorite Philadelphia team, because they were the best team in the city when I was young. My bedroom is covered in Flyers gear, and I remember being SO excited for the Flyers, not Eagles, Phillies, and definitely not the Sixers.

The NHL still needs to get on the national map. Make hockey the top story on ESPN daily. It needs to get out of the Versus TV contract and evolve into something with serious national spotlight. I'm not sure what channel can provide that amount of momentum besides ESPN, but Versus is clearly not the answer. Does anyone actually watch Versus for anything other than hockey and the annual Tour De France (does anyone even watch that?)

It's upsetting to me to see how little people seem to care about the championship round of a sport in their own city. I think the Phillies and Eagles have made Philly spoiled. We're not so desperate anymore, we just only root for teams we believe in, and nobody believes in the Flyers. Insert sad face here.

Anyways, Go Flyers!

Comparing the LOST and 24 Finales

This week I lost a bit of my entertainment soul. For the past 6 and 9 years, I've had Lost and 24 to watch every Monday and Tuesday. It made my week go much quicker. These were shows I was heavily invested in. Of course 24 has been declining steadily for the past few years (I would say Season 5 was the last awesome season, and 6 was just decent. 7 and 8 bordered on absurd, but the change of scenery helped keep it somewhat interesting.)

The shows are two different entries - obviously one that attempts to be "real" and another that started as real and crossed into the sci-fi realm. Both played with time constraints, one on purpose and one using it more liberally than it should have (no way Jack Bauer could stay awake, not eat, not go to the bathroom, and always have a charged phone available for 24 consecutive hours.)

Regardless, the shows provided me with enormous amounts of entertainment during my adolescent and college years. It's kind of fitting that both end at the same time I end college. It's also interesting the main characters of each show is named Jack.

In both of the finales, I realized the differences in the shows. 24 really is a tragedy. It's the story of a man (Jack Bauer) who gives EVERYTHING to preserve the judicial system, including his family and his health, and the system keeps trying to literally tie him down. He's been ordered to be shot on site multiple times, had martial law applied against him, and so on. I already blogged about this. The thing with Jack is that he never gets what he wants. Each season ends with him having to be on the run or on the verge of death or being abducted or something ridiculous. The minute he gets what he wants it gets taken away.

The series ends with Jack literally having to flee the country, but this time for good. He can't speak to his daughter ever again, see his granddaughter, etc.

Lost was a different animal. Beyond all of the mythology and mystery involved, the show was about a group of characters. Although Jack Sheppard died, it ended with him sacrificing himself to save everyone. Technically Bauer sacrificed himself, but never had actually given his life. He came very VERY close, but never all the way.

Jack Sheppard also had a happy ending because of the flash sideways (purgatory) timeline that Jack Bauer will never see. It's never going to be how he wants.

Lost, as I said, was a community-driven storyline. It was about how the people survive and live together. 24 was not. I was actually much more upset about the finale of 24 over Lost because Lost had that happy ending or sorts - they defeated the MIB and were able to move on to the "afterlife" together. Jack Bauer was exiled or would have to face prosecution of the law FOR TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. It's the true tragic hero that I believe American storytellers are continually drawn towards because of the characters flaws. For as much excitement and great things Jack Bauer has provided, he's flawed, and only has 2 people he can really count on, but he has to leave them behind to keep his country and them safe. It never ends.

These shows were great for television, specifically network television, and I hope that we see shows that match their intensity in the upcoming years.

In the meantime, anyone have any good shows for me to watch?

Batteries

Let's be honest, we run on batteries. I don't mean humans. I mean our well-being. Cell-phones, Laptops, iPods, iPads, Cars, Remote Controls, Watches, etc etc.

It's reached somewhat of a breaking point. I know I use my BlackBerry a lot, but the thing won't last me 5 hours on a full charge (and I turned it off for 45 minutes cause I was in a job interview.) What is the point of having a phone that can't even last a full day?

Again, I know I use the thing too much. I also know I'm not alone with this problem. Our phones have become like a third appendage, especially if it is a smart-phone. We have too many options on these devices that can keep our attention but drain our battery. I use it for Twitter, Foursquare, when I'm lost (which is often in NYC) I use Google Maps to GPS me to the subway.

I'm not sure what the right solution is. I can only think of two: Either downgrade the phone's and make them simpler, or enhance the power/lasting ability of the phone. I can't be tied down every 5 hours to find an electrical outlet. In today's world, you HAVE to be in touch at all points in time. If I can't have a device that lasts me all day, then I need to find something else. The problem lies in that I'm stuck in the stupid contract - for another 18 months. 5 hours a day for 18 months. I literally have to take my charger with me everywhere I go and HOPE for an outlet.

It's become absurd. We're obsessed with our devices. We shouldn't be, but we are.

In the meantime, does anyone have an extra BlackBery Tour battery, or a new phone for me? Thanks!

My New Favorite Game Show: Baggage

During Junior Year of College I went on a huge game show binge. The Game Show Network was my new best friend. I'm not sure how or why - I guess I was getting tired of the MTV/VH1 nonsense and I also had 3 days off a week AKA too much free time. It got to a point where me and my roommate were trying SO HARD to see someone on Millionaire win the Million. Of course it happened on a Friday when we were out, that was one of the more disappointing moments of the school year. I'm serious.

Anyway, I've lost touch with GSN until The Soup informed me of this new game show they have - Baggage. Hosted by Jerry Springer, it's like a cross between Deal or No Deal - clearly a favorite since it's one of my favorite sayings - and Exposed. Here's a link to the entire first episode. If you don't have an extra 20 minutes (come on, it's summer, if you took the time to read this you can watch that,) just skip to the last 3 minutes and try not to laugh to hard. Please.

Let me quickly explain the concept:

1 contestant goes through 3 people's of their "baggage" - 3 rounds, with each one being more "baggy" than the next. In the second round, the "baggage" is revealed not by person, and the contestant must choose which "baggage" is "too much to carry" and must leave the show, leaving two contestants.

--- That's part of what I love --- the cheesy one liners that come as a part of the show. When someone is kicked off, they must "pack up your bags and head on out of here." It's like those corny episodes of Next on MTV. It makes me laugh every time. And when they defend their baggage, there's usually some convoluted idiotic Room Raiders type-of-thinking where it's like: Well, I don't know if we can date, because you have 100 purses, and I just don't know if I can afford you! (In Room Raiders, it would be: "You have a lot of purses, that must mean you like to spend money, and I don't know if I can support that." I love this stuff.)

Anyways, at the end, after the contestant has picked the baggage that he or she can "carry" - the tables are turned, and then he/she must reveal their biggest baggage and the "winner" has to determine if he/she can handle the baggage.

What's underlying from the show is that this show is SO TRUE. People are judging based off only knowing a few things about you - and only the "bad" things, things you wouldn't tell someone right away.

When getting into a relationship (even a normal friendship) you don't reveal your life history. It comes with time - because you're scared of what the other person will think. You're scared they might not want to be friends. That's why people struggle with "coming out" - the criticism and fear that their friends might not accept them for being different than they were perceived originally.

Specifically in more serious "romantic" relationships, there's just things you don't tell your significant other's right off the bat. You don't say "I've been arrested" or whatever your dirty mind can come up with, I'm trying to stay somewhat PG. The show proves how judgmental and low our society is. People don't give you a chance when they hear something about your past right away, even if it happened so long ago. People grow and people change - the person that did that so long ago isn't the same person now, and maybe that's because of the event that caused the baggage. Our society say it doesn't matter. Awful. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Except for cheaters. You cheat, you should have a red X on your forehead for a year. I'm kind of not kidding. That's not cool. After a year of a red X on your head maybe you'll get a clue. Okay, so that's really dumb, but I actually hate cheaters. As much as I love Tiger, he lost a lot of credibility in my book. I still want him to win, but I hope he never finds love. I really do. He had it and threw it away. Too bad he's so rich it won't matter. People who cheat really piss me off. Too bad it seems like everyone does. Brutal.

Okay I strayed from my point, just had to get that out.....

Anyways, you should watch Baggage! 6:30PM GSN!

Oh and one of my favorite lines (and this is how I'll close) at the end, Jerry Springer says "Well we didn't find a match today, but we had a lot of fun!"

So one of my goodbyes to college is: Well I didn't find a match in four years, but I had a lot of fun!

LOST - "The End" Review

I don't even know what to think. My mind was blown. I was excited. I was upset. I couldn't speak between 11PM-12AM. The finale was an eye opener to me on the whole series. I'm about to get real academic and read probably WAY too into the show.

As much as you can wonder what the Island is and the actual purpose of everything - it doesn't matter. The show is a character-driven story. The Island isn't the main character. Life isn't about trying to deal with all of the random challenges - smoke monsters are a metaphor for greedy opportunities, having to be a 'protector' of something, feeling trapped, etc. They all worked together to overcome these challenges, although they lost some friends along the way.

Rather, Life is about the people you connect with along the way. The Original Timeline was indeed real. Everything that happened. As Christian said, that was the most important time of the castaway's lives. It was when their will was tested the most to survive, to "Live Together" so they don't "Die Alone."

The Original Timeline all makes sense. Well, at a basic level. Of course I have SEVERAL questions relating directly towards what happened - specifically with what was going on in The Source. I'll do that later. But this is my thought process for how it all worked out:

Desmond was somewhat misled - he believed that by pulling the plug (uncorking the wine bottle) that the Losties would teleport to the Flash Sideways. They would be fine. The Island would be gone, but who cares? Desmond was the only one in the Original Timeline that was somewhat aware of the Sideways timeline. He didn't know what it meant necessarily - not that we did.

So Jack makes the "ultimate sacrifice" to save the Island. Hurley and Ben stay behind, becoming the new Jacob and Richard. What happens after that is unknown, and we don't really need to know. The show has always been about Jack. It opens and closes with Jack.

But now the Flash Sideways. As Christian said, it was the alternate reality that the Losties made together so they could "move on" together. Think about how many people have died over the seasons - innocent people. The only people that deserved to die was Anthony Cooper and Michael. They all spent so much time together on the Island that they wanted to move on together - and that was the point of the alternate flash sideways. Everyone was living a life they SHOULD have had - but for whatever reason their flawed lives did not allow in the original timeline. Sure, not everything was perfect, but it was more ideal than previously.

Once they all became "aware" of where they had been, they all came together to move on, lead by a Sheppard of Christians - quite a play on words. They didn't want to move on without each other, so now they move on together, and that was what the flash sideways was all about. They had died at different times, I'm assuming Hurley and Ben died at a later point, along with Kate & Sawyer, but they all wanted to move on together. Anna-Lucia wasn't ready, because she didn't have enough of a connection on the Island to anyone. Michael was stuck because he killed his own people for selfish purposes.

You don't really need to understand everything about the Island to understand the premise of the show. It's about these flawed and somewhat broken individuals who ban together for a life altering experience on the Island - as a group.

In fact --- the Island detracted from the story. The episode "Across The Sea" was VERY interesting, but the episode took away from the story that we cared about. We just saw the death of Sayid, Sun, and Jin. We were upset. People cried. We needed "Across the Sea" to move the story to the finale, but it takes away from the point of the show.

Lost is a story about community. How they react, how they struggle, based on their past, how it establishes their future, and how these people are ultimately tied together forever because of the events that have taken place on the Island.

Random Thoughts/Questions I will forever have:

1) Really excited that it was Kate & Jack.

2) Smokie can't die until the Island is "uncorked?" Can he turn into Smoke or is he then mortal? And couldn't he be killed at the source? That would make the most sense. Is there a need for new Smokie once the form in Locke is gone?

3) Bigger thought/question - What was it that Smokie really wanted to go back to? Doesn't he realize that 2,000 years later his people were gone? What was he going to do when he landed on the other land? Start a blog?

3.5) Same for Richard - where is he going? And he seemed to be showing a gray hair, so he's mortal because Jacob is dead? He has nothing left there.

4) Why was the Source not as light when Desmond went in it? Was that because Smokie had most of the light (turned to darkness) ?

5) What was Ben staying behind for? I assume Alex/Rousseau, but who knows.

6) Still, what exactly is the Island? It was most definitely real, but what was it?

Overall, wow, what a series. I want to rewatch all of it knowing what I know now, but I have very little time to reflect, because tonight we see the end of Jack Bauer. It's like my child/college mainstays are all ending at the same time.

Everything only ends once, everything else is just progress.

I'll see you in another life brotha. (which takes on a whole new meaning)