Jason Haskins's Blog, page 31

NCAA men's college basketball: Prepping for March Madness

We are only a few weeks away from the start of the madness of men's college basketball and the NCAA tournament. In true fashion, the top of the deck is starting to form.There's been a lot of talk about how Zion Williamson and the Duke Blue Devils should be a clear number one seed heading into the 2019 I don't buy it. And no, it's not because the Blue Devils lost the other night to the North Carolina Tar Heels and nearly lost their star player in the process.

Zion Williamson's Nikes explode

NBA: Priority of 'load management' vs priority of the fans

Load management has become in chic in the NBA the last few years, with star players getting night's off to simply rest.Imagine, if you will, that in the following video, my viewpoint relates loosely to the words of Joey (Rossie Harris). And the opposing viewpoint relates to the words of the immortal Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And even if the correlation doesn't ring true, at least enjoy the clip of Airplane!



Today's NBA, while highly entertaining, has a simple flaw that occasionally frustrates fans. Tanking is certainly a big problem (ask current fans of the New York Knicks) and creating super teams is something on the radar of fans as well. But it is stars sitting out games for the simple fact of rest that can be irksome. (Rest, or load management, as the Los Angeles Lakers labeled the reason why LeBron James sat out a game against the Golden State Warriors.)
In this instance of James sitting out -- in a marquee Saturday night matchup against the Golden State Warriors -- I sort of get it.  He was coming off an injury that kept him out the six weeks prior and he played 40 minutes in his first game back. The Lakers organization was simply looking to take care of their prize player in hopes of keeping him healthy for a playoff run. (The Lakers currently sit in tenth-place in the West, 11.5 games out of first and 2 back of the 8th seed.)
Too many games, however, are seeing stars take a day off for the non-injury related reason of rest. And it started long before the idea of James and "load management" came into play. James did play in all 82 games in 2017-18, though he did find moments of rest in the seasons prior.
In my recollection, this fad started with Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs.Benching the big threeStrategy comes into play, especially during an 82-game regular season and playoffs that can stretch 2.5 months. In that regard, Popovich needed to find an upper hand in keeping the Spurs successful and reaching the NBA Finals.
This strategy involved sitting Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili in various games, sometimes all at the same time.
It was hard to argue with 'Pop' as the Spurs continued to have success. And having key players, especially your superstars, rested for the playoffs is a must.
Looking at it from the coach's point-of-view, we can see how this works. And why the Golden State Warriors rest their stars -- outside of injuries/personal reasons -- from time-to-time.
Has this been something that has always been done and I'd just forgotten about it? A small sample size provides the following.Michael Jordan: Played in 82 games in 9 of 15 seasons, including his final season. Take away an injured 2nd season and 1994 season in which he came back in March, Jordan had only one other season in which he missed more than four games.Karl Malone: Played in at least 80 regular season games in 17 of his 19 seasons.A small sample size, yes, but it's hard to fathom these two taking off games for the simple reason of rest. 
The NBA has made efforts to curtail the resting of stars by scheduling less games on back-to-back nights. But the idea of load management is still a minor issue seen in today's NBA.
Imagine a family, whose child (or children) worshiped Jordan, saved up a money to attend the game and showed up to find out their favorite player was sitting out the game to rest. Where does that leave the family? And does this affect their love of this player or the NBA itself?Subject to changeGoing to a game might carry with the inherent risk that a star player suffers an injury -- major or otherwise -- prior to attending. It can happen in the prior game or, in the unfortunate case of John Wall -- happen outside of the gym. These are excusable actions, one's that as a fan I'd be understanding of in the event of the star missing the game.
But what about the case of load management?  In the end, it's our entertainment vs the health of the player and future of the franchise.
Imagine going to an NFL game to see Patrick Mahomes and it's decided that Mahomes, after throwing five straight games with 300 yards, is benched for rest. Fans and pundits would have a field day with this.
Granted, the NFL plays only 16 games and the NBA is 82 so a basketball team has more margin for error in attaining their goal of reaching the playoffs.
In the case of rest and load management, watching a game or not watching is controllable for the fans at home. They can simply change the channel or internet site and decide to not watch that specific game. 
However, for that family able to only see one game a season or one game every few years, maybe even traveled hundreds of miles, to find out their favorite player is resting can be disappointing. To what regard do these franchises weight their bottom line versus that of the fans? Does the disappointment of the family outweigh the possibility of hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy?
The NBA is thriving, with popularity, social media interactions and top-flight stars who are incredibly marketable.  Do little things like players sitting out eventually stack up to create a ripple effect of disdain? Things like super teams and tanking might be bigger issues at the moment, but at some point fans might use all of these things to validate walking away.
Coaches and owners have their say and could be the very reason these players are sitting out. In some instances, fans aren't sure whether it's a player's request or a coach's decision. It's an argument I can see both sides of. On one hand, I want my favorite team to be as healthy and rested as possible for the playoffs. On the other hand, if I went to a game to see my favorite play, saved up for a whole year to go to a game, and that player sat out for rest, I would be a bit disappointed.
A balance must be found. Until then, maybe it's safe to treat going to a NBA game as the WWE does for its shows: card subject to change.

photo credit: pixabay.com

Another week, another challenge for Philip Rivers, Chargers

Two of the first three quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft have Super Bowl Rings to their credit. Is 2018 the year Philip Rivers joins Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger as a member of the club?Quarterback Philip Rivers of the San Diego Los Angeles Chargers has battled through a fair amount in his 15-year NFL career.
Traded on his first day for a player who never wanted to play in San Diego (Eli Manning), Rivers then sat behind future Super Bowl winner Drew Brees (with the New Orleans Saints in 2010) for two seasons before finally getting his shot.
In his 13 seasons as a starting quarterback, Rivers has won has many as 14 games in a season and as little as 4. He's played through injuries big and small and watched as superstars left San Diego for (seemingly) greener pastures. Rivers has also watched as his offensive line was a sieve for many seasons, allowing sack after sack, including 49 times in 2012.
Through it all, Rivers keeps smiling, keeps competing, and keeps toying with fans of the Chargers (for those who remain) on leading the franchise to the Super Bowl. He's been one of the top quarterbacks of this generation to not win the Super Bowl -- or play in one, for that matter -- leading to a label in some circles as this generation's Dan Marino.
It's one he can shake next month with a Super Bowl victory. But first, a division-round matchup with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots awaits.
If he can defeat Brady and the Patriots, it would mark the first time in his career Rivers defeated Brady. And it would add to a list of other demons Rivers has exorcised in 2018-19.Philip Rivers and the Chargers in 2018-19Whether it be missed field goals, unlucky bounces, injuries, or long fourth-down conversions, there has been a bit of bad luck and bad losses associated with the Chargers during Rivers' tenure. This has included regular season and playoff games alike.
Teams like the Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Kansas City Chiefs have had the Chargers number over the years, especially in important games.
This season, Rivers and the Chargers defeated the Steelers, Ravens, and Chiefs at least once.
A few seasons back, there were rumors of Rivers retiring and not making the move with the team to Los Angeles from San Diego. The guy loved playing in San Diego and there was a feeling he was not happy with the team moving. 
He of course stayed with the franchise. A new head coach, Anthony Lynn, joined the team and changes began to take place. The Chargers finished 9-7 in 2017, but this came after an 0-4 start. Los Angeles would also win six of their last seven games.
Rivers led the Chargers to a 12-4 (winning 11 of the last 13) record in the regular season of 2018. They are the fifth-seed, but were basically a win and a Chiefs loss away from being the number one seed. Rivers was his normally efficient self, throwing for 4,308 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. It was his sixth-straight 4,000-yard season (and tenth overall).
Along the way, Rivers and the Chargers took down some of their old foes, starting with Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh in Week 13. Rivers led the Chargers back from a 16-point deficit and a 33-30 victory.
In years past, a comeback like that might have fallen short, leaving Chargers fans to again look back to their unfortunate and unlucky past. A victory that night, however, gave the tiniest of inkling this season was going to be different. 
Two weeks later, the Chargers ended a nine-game losing streak against the Chiefs. And in the wildcard round of the playoffs, the Chargers defeated the Ravens, a team they once lost a game in which Ray Rice had a first-down conversion on 4th-and-29.
These victories won't mean much if Rivers and company can't do the one thing he's never done: get past Tom Brady.Tom Brady and the New England PatriotsIf there's one team that has vexed Rivers throughout his career, it has been the Patriots. Rivers has picked up one win in eight tries (regular season and playoffs), but that victory was in 2008 while Brady was out injured and the Patriots started Matt Cassell.
Take away the Cassell game and that's a big goose egg for seven against Brady. 
The toughest losses might have been in Rivers first two seasons as a starter. In the 2006-07 season, Rivers met Brady and the Patriots in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. The Chargers were 14-2 and hosting the game, plus had LaDainian Tomlinson. San Diego even had the lead 21-13 when Marlon McCree picked off Tom Brady and... well, no need to rehash it. You can read all about it here, if you like misery. 
The very next season, Rivers, on a torn ACL, led the Chargers to the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots. This time going to New England, Rivers and the Chargers held the Patriots to a season-low 21 points but couldn't muster much offense in only scoring 12 points.
The two teams haven't met in the playoffs since and last played in New England in 2017. The Patriots won 21-13 as Rivers threw for 212 yards.
For years, Rivers has constantly been on the fringe of the "greatest quarterback" conversation. In the AFC, he's had to compete with the likes of Brady, Roethlisberger, and Peyton Manning, while Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and even the other Manning in the NFC have been discussed.
Add in a new batch of young stud quarterbacks and Rivers is looking at a tighter window to make it to the Super Bowl than ever before. A win at New England this week will move him one step closer, tying him with the furthest he's ever advanced in the playoffs.
A man named Brady stands in his way and, if can exorcise this demon, then the path for a Super Bowl appearance looks very bright.
photo credit: flickr.com

NFL: The 5 first-round rookie quarterbacks (thru week 17)

The 2018 NFL regular season is complete and along with it closes the first chapter to four of the five quarterbacks selected in the first round of last April's draft.Back in September, one could have easily imagined the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson making it into the 2018 NFL playoffs.
Raise your hand if you knew Jackson would be the starting quarterback -- and not just some change-of-pace quarterback -- for the red-hot Ravens.
My magical internet glasses that allow me to see all of you would notice there are very little hands raised. But being the starting quarterback for the playoff bound Ravens is exactly where Jackson finds himself heading into 2019.
Jackson was the last of the five rookie quarterbacks selected in the 2018 NFL draft to get a start. The other four taken ahead of him -- Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen -- all started in at least 11 games but all will be watching as they playoffs open.
This is not to say each didn't have varying degrees of success. One nearly led his team to the playoffs while a couple of others finished the season strong, giving fans hope for a bright future.
The group will certainly face new obstacles in 2019, especially with possibly four of them having new head coaches. Mayfield saw a coaching change midseason when Hue Jackson was fired. Gregg Williams was named interim coach, but it's possible Cleveland goes in a different direction.
Darnold and Rosen will have new coaches for sure, as head coaches Todd Bowles and Steve Wilks were let go. And Jackson, even with the Ravens in the playoffs, might have a new head coach if John Harbaugh isn't brought back.
Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills will be back, meaning Allen might be the only player with the same coach in year two.
Here's a little glimpse as to what each quarterback brought to the table in 2018 and some of their best moments.Baker MayfieldThe Cleveland Browns entered the 2018 season having only won once in their past 35 games.
Baker Mayfield equaled that total in game three of 2018 and, as the season progressed, easily showed why he was selected with the first pick in the draft.
By time the season wrapped, Mayfield and the Browns were 7-8-1, winning at least 7 games for only the second time since 2007.
Mayfield relieved an injured Tyrod Taylor in game three, leading the Browns to a defeat of the New York Jets. The rookie out of Oklahoma went on to start the next 13 games, going 6-7 in the progress and bringing a fire to Cleveland that hasn't been seen in years.
The Browns won five of their last seven games, with Mayfield breaking Peyton Manning's record for touchdown passes by a rookie by throwing his 27th in Sunday's game against Baltimore.
Mayfield finished with 3,725 yards and threw 14 interceptions in completing 63.8% of his passes. He also had seven fumbles, but threw for three or more touchdowns in four games and had a touchdown pass in all 13 starts.
A strong defense, a fantastic young running back, and a list of playmakers on the outside is giving Cleveland hope for the future. And Mayfield appears to be up to the task of shouldering heavy expectations.Lamar JacksonStanding with a record of 4-5 -- and Joe Flacco injured -- the Baltimore Ravens season looked dead in the water.
Then Lamar Jackson took over.
Jackson had already been used sparingly, mostly to run the ball, and many assumed Jackson would simply be a placeholder until Flacco returned, at least for 2018.
Instead, the offense changed pace upon Jackson being inserted into the lineup and the Ravens went 6-1 over their last seven games. And with it, Jackson became the leader of the AFC North champions in his rookie season.
He played in all 16 games, throwing for 1,201 yards. He completed 58.2 percent of his passes, throwing for six touchdowns and three interceptions. 
Jackson's major contribution was with his feet, rushing for 695 and five touchdowns. In his seven starts, he averaged 79 rushing yards per game.
Baltimore's offense was predicated on running the ball so a whole lot wasn't asked of Jackson in the passing game. He threw for over 200 yards only once (204), doing so in a 22-10 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers, who are also the Ravens' opponents in the first-round of the AFC playoffs.Josh AllenThe Buffalo Bills have been on a search for a franchise quarterback since Jim Kelly retired and many believe they may have found one in Josh Allen.
I'm not quite convinced, even though he's doing his best to win me over.
Battling an elbow injury, Allen ended up making 11 starts in 2018. He went 5-6 in these starts as Buffalo finished the season 6-10.
His grit and his legs are what carried him to success in 2018. Twice Allen rushed for more than 100 yards in a game, finishing the season with 631 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns. 
He led the Bills to a road victory against Minnesota and delivered his best performance in the regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins.
Allen accounted for five touchdowns (three in the air, two on the ground) as the Bills won in a rout. He was 17-26 for 224 yards and carried the ball nine times for 95 yards. Allen also had one interception.
More passing games like this will be needed if Allen and the Bills are to rise in the AFC East. The Miami game was only the second time in 2018 Allen completed more than 60 percent of his passes. Right now, he's like Tim Tebow with a stronger arm. Improve on the accuracy -- which never reached 60 percent as a starter in college either -- and Allen might have a career more like Michael Vick's.
Allen finished the season with a 52.8 completion percentage and 10 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and 8 fumbles.Sam DarnoldSam Darnold led the New York Jets to victory in his very first pro game.
Unfortunately, Darnold only picked up three more the rest of the season as he finished 4-9 as a starter. The rookie out of USC missed three games due to injury as the Jets finished 4-12.
There wasn't much consistency on offense for the Jets in 2018, which might be remedied in 2019 after the firing of Bowles. As much as Darnold struggled in 2018, it was partially due to his top receivers being sidelined through much of the middle part and end of the season.
He did, however, have an impressive final four games. After leading the NFL much of the season in interceptions, Darnold returned from injury and only threw one in the season's last four games. During this span, he completed 80-125 (64%) for 931 yards and six touchdown passes.
Darnold had one of his best games in a 44-38 overtime loss to Green Bay in Week 16. He completed nearly 70 percent of his pass attempts and threw for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns.
2018 saw Darnold finish with 2,865 yards, 17 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and five fumbles. He completed 57.7 percent.
Like Allen, Darnold finished strong and the two could be competing for AFC East supremacy for years to come (as long as Tom Brady eventually retires).Josh RosenThe lone first-round rookie quarterback out west was Josh Rosen of the Arizona Cardinals. The UCLA product ended up making 13 starts, going 3-10, as the Cardinals finished with a 3-13 record.
Rosen may be behind the eight-ball compared to the other quarterbacks but outside of veteran receiver Larry Fitzgerald and running back David Johnson, the Cardinals didn't have a lot of weapons.
Still, accuracy was an issue for Rosen. He completed 55.2% of his passes and finished with 14 interceptions. He only threw one touchdown pass in Arizona's last five games and hit the 200-yard mark only once in the last seven. 
Rosen's best performance was a 18-15 victory over San Francisco. In that game, he threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns.
On the season, Rosen finished with 2,278 yards and 11 touchdown passes. Facing Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams twice a season won't help matters in Rosen's growth, but if his accuracy improves (much like all the others mentioned here, outside of Mayfield) he'll be a more than adequate NFL quarterback.
Perhaps just not the franchise quarterback Arizona was hoping for.
A successful NFL quarterback, especially one who will be long-tenured, is the dream of every NFL team. At this point, all five teams have their starter -- barring injury -- for the next few years.
From there? Only time will tell.
photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org NFL: 4 rookie quarterbacks looking to leave their mark NFL: Progress of the first-round quarterbacks (thru week 8) NFL: The 5 rookie quarterbacks (thru week 12)

Christmas film favorites tournament: And the winner is...

The message in A Christmas Story is loud and clear: If someone in the room is telling you "you'll shoot your eye out", it's probably best to listen.In the holiday film A Christmas Story , it's all about listening.
Ignoring all rhyme and reason from the women in the film -- a mother and a teacher -- and one Santa who most definitely smells like beef and cheese, Ralphie's father (Darren McGavin) decides to buy young Ralph Parker (Peter Billingsley) a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas.
Lo and behold, Ralphie nearly shoots his eye out. Oh, the irony.
Of course, things go from bad to worse when Ralphie lies about nearly shooting his eye out, leading to a ruined turkey and the Bumpus' dogs getting the last laugh.
Merry Christmas to A Christmas Story, not only a holiday classic but also the winner of the 2018 '12 Days of Christmas holiday film tournament.
The 1983 film held on for a victory over the 1990 film Home Alone. After running neck-and-neck in the early voting. A Christmas Story won by a score of 29-21.
Based of the short story Grover Dill and the Tasmanian Devil by Jean Shepherd, this film delivers on messages of bullying, friendship, ratting out your friends, overdosing on meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and ways to deal with weird kids while waiting in line to see Santa.



Okay, so maybe there's something more simpler to unpack regarding this film. It is a little curious -- after (hopefully) acquiring knowledge and wisdom -- on how we look at holiday classics of our youth through the eyes of an adult. A piece of magic and nostalgic sentimentality will be ever-present but things might become slightly askew, especially a film you may have seen upwards of 50 times.
It starts small, perhaps noticing how many times the family eats red cabbage (an easy indication of social class of the family in question). Or a simple observation about a teacher who appears to not care that a kid walking late into class is sporting a fresh black eye.
The 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story began in 1997 and it may have even been years before that in which the film became in an annual viewing tradition in my household. This was a tradition I even kept with me in the years after, especially on years I couldn't make it home, the film helping keep me company on those lonely Christmas Eves and Christmases.
A Christmas Story is one of the holiday films I watch every year (along with Bad Santa, Love Actually, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, to name a few among many). As with many of you who voted, A Christmas Story will always be near the top of my favorites list.
Home Alone and the other finalistsHome Alone survived the 1990's region and, by survived, I mean basically had a cake walk through the region. En route to its second-place finish, the film defeated All I Want for Christmas, The Ref, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Home Alone 2, and Elf. 
After an easy route to the final four (was there help from Macaulay Culkin's Google Ads?), Home Alone and Elf were tied at 21 votes after the given day for voting. A quick four-hour poll on Twitter saw Home Alone take down Elf 7-6.
Elf, released 15 years ago, is considered a Christmas classic among many, even garnering the 24-hour treatment at various points. On more than one occasion this holiday season -- even outside the realm of this tournament -- I noticed people souring (or already there) on this movie, making me wonder if it has the staying power to be held in high esteem in 20 years.
Will Ferrell and company defeated Deck the Halls, The Holiday, The Polar Express, and Bad Santa on its way to the final four.
The representative from the pre-1980's region turned out to be A Charlie Brown Christmas. Before meeting its match against A Christmas Story (in a 30-13 loss), Charlie Brown and company barely squeaked by. Voters gave A Charlie Brown Christmas an 18-17 victory over the animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, followed by a 17-16 victory over Rudolph. A Charlie Brown Christmas also defeated The Bishop's Wife and It's a Wonderful Life.
Thanks for following along the past couple of weeks. Hope you had a little fun along the way and maybe even were reminded of a few holiday films you'd forgotten about over the years.
We'll see you next time.
Part 1:  photo credit: flickr.com

Christmas Letter 2018

In a way, Christmas 2018 started for me way back in the month of August. It was then I officially learned I'd be working on a Christmas show for Alley Repertory Theater, the theater company I've worked with the past seven years.
Now, getting in the Christmas spirit year-round hasn't been much of a problem for me the past ten years or so. Between working on a youth novel set at Christmas and writing a screenplay centered around the holidays -- more on that later -- the holidays have lived in my brain on a continual 12-month basis.
2018 was to be no different as Alley Rep would be mounting a production called Jodi Sings Judy.
This Christmas extravaganza was to be based off an episode of the short-lived variety program The Judy Garland Show. In 1963, in the show's one-and-only Christmas special, Judy invites the TV cameras into her home to share the holiday with her family and her good friends as they all informally drop by.  Young Joe and Lorna adorably sing off-key songs, a 17 year-old Liza Minnelli is at her best singing and dancing to that classic dance jazz number "Steam Heat" and Judy belts out her standards all under the guise of a warm, family affair. 
In our production, we re-imagined this special with our very own Judy Garland and complete with dancing Santas, plus all of the above.
To say the past four months were a ride could be an understatement. From conception to transcribing and (appreciatively) digging into the life of Judy Garland was all quite the adventure. Fantastic as these things were, working with a fabulous group of performers, dancers, musicians, crew and many more was even more pleasurable. For ten performances, I could not stop laughing and smiling, with a few tears mixed in. The joy I experienced is one filling my heart as I write this nearly 24 hours after the finish of the final performance.
photo credit: Chaz Gentry
Theater continues to be a big part of my life in 2018. I directed and was the dramaturg for Jodi Sings Judy and worked as a dramaturg on two other shows for Alley Rep. I also was lucky enough to have a 10-minute given a reading at a festival this summer with Opal Theatre in Boise.
Writing is what takes up the majority of my life. In March, I self-published my second fantasy novel, The Blue Gem and I am currently working on my third.  This is in addition to working on the aforementioned Christmas novel, which had an original goal of being finished this winter but now has a goal of fall of 2019. 
The screenplay mentioned above was recently named as an official finalist for the Chandler Film Festival in Chandler, Arizona. And a short-film I co-wrote called Taking Flight  was shown in a few film festivals. 
I also continue to write about the Boise State Broncos football and basketball teams over at Bronco Nation News and for the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and Boston College Eagles over at Chowder and Champions.
I did manage to get out of town for a spell in 2018, driving to see an old friend in Arizona. While there, I got to enjoy some nice 110 degree heat and an Arizona Diamondbacks game. On my return trip home, I stopped in Utah for a night to catch a performance of Othello at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. 

My parents also made the trip to Boise for the first time in five years back in November, just before my *ahem* 40th birthday. We were lucky enough to catch the Boise State women's basketball team take on the nationally-ranked Louisville Cardinals.
I did not make it to see my sister, brother-in-law, nieces and nephew in 2018. But the nieces and nephew are getting bigger every day, a fact noted as I noticed as I've progressed from the easy choice of buying them toys at Christmas onto something more tangible.
(And for those wondering, the answer is this: I'm still on the lookout for that special someone. So while there is no news to report on that front, this does not prevent me from being in a good and happy spot in my life.)
The adventure in 2018 has taken me near and far in this little thing called life. Balancing the good moments, trying to not be overwhelmed with the bad, and embracing all that is thrown at you is one of the delicate walks of life. To friends and family, near and far, old and new, I wish you the best. Perhaps it's a simple "like" on a social media post or a text message about an inside joke from years ago or even a simple hello every six months or a happy birthday wish, know that you are on my mind and with me daily. For you, I am grateful.
Here's to a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays (and all that jazz), and a Joyous New Year!
Be bold. Be kind.

Christmas Films Favorite Tournament: To Christmas film or not to Christmas film

The "12 Days of Christmas" holiday film continues as we've reached our final 16 holiday movies as voted on by you, the reader.One of the biggest questions floating around the internet these days regarding a holiday movie is this: what exactly constitutes a Christmas film?
The debate has been intensified over the years thanks to the movie Die Hard. Released in 1988 and starring Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman, the film follows John McClane (Willis) as he tries to take out German terrorist Hans Gruber (Rickman).
And it's set around the holidays at an office Christmas party. So, to many, it's very clearly a Christmas action film. Thirty years after its release, 20th Century Fox has entered their say into the debate:

Now, having a film set around the Christmas holiday is a pretty good start as to whether a film is a Christmas film. But how much of the story should actually revolve around the holiday to consider it such?
Take Meet Me in St. Louis for example. Widely regarded as a holiday film -- and usually shown around Christmas multiple times on Turner Classic Movies -- this film spans months. We see only a segment at Christmas so why is it thought of as a holiday film? Well, because of Judy Garland's iconic rendition of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Lethal Weapon is another film in the vein of Die Hard. The Mel Gibson and Danny Glover starring action film is set around Christmas. The writer of this film, Shane Black, sets many of his films around the Christmas holiday, including Iron Man 3. Does this mean this Marvel movie is a Christmas film?

Surely a film with Santa in the title is a Christmas film as so does a film dealing with the birth of Christ. And any film on Hallmark shown between November 1 and December 31, with sugar-coated endings, is a holiday film.
The debate may have been taken too far when I saw on Twitter a user implying that Home Alone  was not a Christmas film. Now, this film touches on Christmas, Santa, religion, and the traditions, which should make it an easy call as to whether it's a Christmas film or not.
Unless you carry the view it's simply a film about criminals and child abandonment.
I'm not here to settle any debates. Whether you like watching Die Hard, Elf, A Christmas Story, Iron Man 3 or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation during the holidays (or all of the above), have it. You just keep on living your best life.
On with the results.Pre-1980's regionThe four films/specials still around in this region all bring something different to the table. Jimmy Stewart vs Bing Crosby. A blockhead going head-to-head with a misfit.
1) It's a Wonderful Life (defeated Babes in Toyland 26-10)4) White Christmas (defeated Miracle on 34th Street, 13-11)2)A Charlie Brown Christmas (defeated the animated 'Grinch' 18-17)3) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (defeated Meet Me in St. Louis 24-7)1980's regionAll of the top four seeds advanced in this round as well, with two close calls, and one coming down to a final vote to break a tie.
Die Hard found itself in a neck-in-neck battle with Mickey's Christmas Carol, ultimately winning 17-16. A tough loss for Mickey and crew, no doubt, who might very well to throw their support behind National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in the round of 16.
1) A Christmas Story (defeated Gremlins 25-8)4) Scrooged (defeated Santa Claus: The Movie 15-13)3) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (defeated A Christmas Carol 25-9)2) Die Hard (defeated Mickey's Christmas Carol 17-16)1990's region
The Muppet Christmas Carol was not only the sole double-digit seed to advance to the round of 16 -- Cinderella run, baby -- it was the second of two A Christmas Carol themed movies to advance (Scrooged).


The rest of the bracket played out with the higher seeds advancing, with the first two Home Alone movies seemingly on a collision course to be the best of the 90's.
1) Home Alone (defeated The Ref 25-3)13) A Muppet Christmas Carol (defeated Miracle on 34th Street 16-11)2) Nightmare Before Christmas (defeated Die Hard 2 19-9)3) Home Alone 2 (defeated Jingle All the Way 24-3)2000's regionVoters went with all the top seeds in this region, with all but one of the matches being routs. Polar Express defeated Jim Carrey's Grinch by a meager four votes.
This region also found people settling into anti-Elf and pro-Elf camps. Though the Will Ferrell starring vehicle easily won its matchup, things could get interesting in the next round of voting.
1) Elf (defeated The Holiday 39-7)4) The Polar Express (defeated How the Grinch Stole Christmas 19-15)2) Bad Santa (defeated Surviving Christmas 24-5)3) Love Actually (defeated The Family Stone 20-7)Voting will continue to take place on both Facebook, and two Twitter accounts (Jason Haskins and Sports 'n' Stuff).
On a more somber note, famed actress, director and producer Penny Marshall passed away earlier this week. Marshall was best known for playing Laverne in Laverne and Shirley but she also directed such films as Big, Awakenings, The Preacher's Wife, and, likely most notably, A League of Their Own.
She will be missed.
photo credit: pexels.com Christmas Favorites: A sugar-coated tournament of Christmas films

Christmas Favorites Tournament: A sleigh full of 'A Christmas Carol'

A Christmas Carol is a timeless story enjoyed by multiple generations during the holiday season. Judging by the number of remakes in film this story has endured, Hollywood is pretty big on it as well.What's your favorite version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens?
Is it the Albert Finney version, Scrooge, from 1970? Or maybe Bill Murray's take on the main character in 1988's Scrooged is more to your liking.
Could it be the animated classic Mickey's Christmas Carol from 1983? Or -- though it's not film -- maybe you simply like the Saved by the Bell Christmas episode in which the gang puts on a play version of A Christmas Carol in the center of a mall.

Finding a consensus on a favorite film adaptation might take years.
The original A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens and published in December of 1843. Over the years, various iterations stretching across fiction and stage have appeared.
The film world is no different, with at least 21 films -- animated and otherwise -- having been produced over the years. This includes six different films with Scrooge as the title (plus one Scrooged in the mix). This doesn't even include the numerous television films, direct-to-DVD, sitcom related "Visited by Three Ghosts" theme or the Kelsey Grammar television musical version.
The "12 Days of Christmas" film tournament of 2018 began with eight films relating to/titled A Christmas Carol. One could imagine running this thing with just a list of all the versions of A Christmas Carol that have appeared over the years.
For the time being, however, we will focus on the task at hand, in which four of these films advanced past the first round and into the round of 32. And considering Ebeneezer Scrooge was visited by four ghosts on that fateful Christmas Eve, it's only fitting we have four A Christmas Carol themed movies still alive.Pre-1980'sThere were very few surprises in the "classic movie" region. Three animated films -- included in this for the sake of holiday nostalgia -- all advanced, plus films with Judy Garland and Bing Crosby.
The one minor upset occurred between 8th-seed Holiday Inn and 9th-seed Babes in Toyland (1961). 

The '12 Days of Christmas' greatest holiday film tournament is here. Join the voting now, as we whittle down from 64 holiday films to 1, now through Christmas. The Pre-1980's region starts now. #christmas #ChristmasMovies #ChristmasIsComing #ChristmasFun— Sports 'n' Stuff (@LookinSporty1) December 12, 2018

Ray Bolger starred this version of Babes in Toyland. Bolger might be best known for his role as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, which starred Garland, and that's how you get to Kevin Bacon. No, that doesn't work. Moving on...

...to final 8 of the region:


1) It's a Wonderful Life (1946)9) Babes in Toyland (1961)4)White Christmas (1954)5) Miracle on 34th Street (1947)3) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)6) Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)2) A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)7) The Grinch who Stole Christmas (1966)The 1980'sHigher seeds for the most part prevailed in this region, with the top five seeds all advancing.
Three A Christmas Carol themed movies advanced, including Scrooged. It was the number 11 seed A Christmas Carol (1984) that pulled off the upset, narrowly defeating the sixth-seeded Prancer.
Mickey's Christmas Carol was the third film based off the Dickens' classic from the 1980's region to advance. This film defeated Ernest Saves Christmas in one of the most voted on matchups.
The eight films to advance: 
1) A Christmas Story (1983)8) Gremlins (1984)4) Scrooged (1988)5) Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)3) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)11) A Christmas Carol (1984)2) Die Hard (1988)7) Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)The 1990'sVoters on the holiday films from the 1990's did themselves one better by voting to advance two films with double-digit seeds. Included as part of these two is the fourth and final A Christmas Carol stories to advance: The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Michael Caine, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and company took down Tim Allen and The Santa Clause in resounding fashion. (Allen put up big zero in this tournament, with all three of his holiday films failing to advance).
Also pulling off an upset (if judging by this tournament only) was the classic Jingle All the Way. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad (of the mystical, magic movie Shazaam), Rita Wilson, and Anakin Skywalker himself (Jake Lloyd), Jingle All the Way handed defeated to The Preacher's Wife.
Here's your final eight for this region: 
1) Home Alone (1990)8) The Ref (1994)5) Miracle on 34th Street (1994)13) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)3) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)11) Jingle All the Way (1996)2) Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)7) Die Hard 2 (1990)The 2000'sIn the fourth and final region, not even one of the lower seeds advanced through to the next round. It took a couple of run-off races, but the higher seeds prevailed to live and see another day.
1) Elf (2003)8) The Holiday (2006)4) The Polar Express (2004)5) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)3) Love Actually (2003)6) The Family Stone (2005)2) Bad Santa (2003)7) Surviving Christmas (2004)Voting will continue over on Twitter (@jasonrh_78 and Sports 'n' Stuff ). And new for this round -- and going forward -- thanks to a few requests, I will be spamming your Facebook feed with poll options.
To read more on this tournament: Christmas Favorites: A sugar-coated tourney of Christmas films.Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Christmas Favorites: A sugar-coated tournament of Christmas films

Christmas and holiday films -- from big budget to animated -- hold special places in many a person's heart. So let's have a fun tournament to (not really) settle the debate of the best of all time.
Earlier in 2018, we took a look at the best summer movies of 1998. So I figured it was time to take a crack at the best Christmas movies, with you, the reader (or Twitter user) vote on the best one.
Now, before you starting shouting all of your favorite holiday films of all-time, let's take a breath for a moment. For the sake of time and not making this a tournament of 502 films, I have not included Hallmark or Lifetime movies from the last 20 years. These movies are plentiful, important to some, and staples for Christmas viewing to many others.
Instead, focus has been placed mostly on theatrical releases. Christmas classics like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas were placed in the tournament. One, because they are considered classics. And two, Christmas and holiday films have really taken off in the last 18 years. Prior to the year 2000, actual Christmas films outside of television specials were a bit more of a rarity.
So, over the next 12 (or so) days, we will whittle down a list of 64 movies I've selected. Films are separated into four regions: The 2000's, the 1990's, the 1980's, and -- lumped into one -- films released between 1940 and 1979. During this time, look for other posts about some of my favorites (or yours, is you have a topic you want me to write about. Or you want to write about as a guest post).
Now, there might be some debate as to whether a few of these are Christmas films (Die Hard, Die Hard 2, and The Nightmare Before Christmas). That's for other people decide. Or if you don't feel these films are of the Christmas variety, feel free to not vote for that film when the time arrives.
Voting will take place on Twitter, starting with the Pre-1980's region.

The '12 Days of Christmas' greatest holiday film tournament is here. Join the voting now, as we whittle down from 64 holiday films to 1, now through Christmas. The Pre-1980's region starts now. #christmas #ChristmasMovies #ChristmasIsComing #ChristmasFun— Sports 'n' Stuff (@LookinSporty1) December 12, 2018

The number one seedsUnlike the tournament from earlier, I did not use the box office totals to rank the teams in each region. I used an eyeball test, ranking some films higher based on my own personal tastes, while ranking others based on what others might think. (This ranking system is not an exact science. If college football can't get it right, why should I?)
Number one in the 2000's region is Elf. The 1990's are represented by the number one seed Home Alone.
Over in the 1980's, I handed the number one seed to A Christmas Story (I can hear the Die Hard fans seething already). And in the pre-1980's region, number one is It's a Wonderful Life.Pre-1980's
1)    It's A Wonderful Life (1946)16) The Shop Around the Corner (1940)8) Holiday Inn (1942)9) Babes in Toyland (1961)5) Miracle on 34th Street (1947)12) Scrooge (1970)4) White Christmas (1954)13) Christmas in Connecticut (1945)6) Meet Me in St. Louis (1947)11) The Holly and the Ivy (1952)3) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)14) Scrooge (1951)7) The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (animated-1966)10) Frosty the Snowman (animated-1969)2) A Charlie Brown Christmas (animated-1965)15) The Bishop's Wife (1947)1980's
1) A Christmas Story (1983)16) One Magic Christmas (1985)8) Gremlins (1984)9) Lethal Weapon (1987)5) Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)12) Nutcracker (1986)4) Scrooged (1988)13) Babes in Toyland (1986)6) Prancer (1989)11) A Christmas Carol (1984)3) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)14) A Very Brady Christmas (1988)7) Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)10) Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)2) Die Hard15) Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)1990's
1) Home Alone (1990)16) All I Want for Christmas (1991)8) The Ref (1994)9) While You Were Sleeping (1995)5) Miracle on 34th Street (1994)12) I'll be Home for Christmas (1993)4) The Santa Clause (1994)13) The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)6) The Preacher's Wife (1996)11) Jingle All the Way (1996)3) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)14) Mixed Nuts (1994)7) Die Hard 2 (1992)10) A Christmas Carol (1999)2) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)15) Jack Frost (1998)2000's1) Elf (2003)16) Deck the Halls (2006)8) The Holiday (2006)9) Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009)5) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)12) Four Christmases (2008)4) The Polar Express (2004)13) Fred Claus (2007)6) The Family Stone (2005)11) The Santa Clause 2 (2002)3) Love Actually (2003)14) Eight Crazy Nights (2002)7) Surviving Christmas (2004)10) The Night Before (2015)2) Bad Santa (2003)15) Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
The 2000's didn't have quite the room for a few (i.e. Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, Just Friends) but Ryan Reynolds cannot be everywhere these days. And there was already more than enough Tim Allen to go around.
Happy voting!

photo credit: flickr.com

Heisman Trophy 2018: Lack of love for Travis Etienne

The 21st-century has not been kind to running backs in regards to winning the Heisman trophy. Since the year 2000, only two have received the prestigious award.Running back Travis Etienne might have had one the quietest dominating seasons of all time. Outside of the Clemson Tiger fan base, it seems little thought was given to Etienne as a possible Heisman winner.
Etienne, a sophomore, put together one of the better individual performances of 2018. He finished with 1463 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground. Above average, yes, but punctuated even more by the fact Etienne averaged 8.3 yards per carry.
Five games in 2018 saw Etienne average ten yards or more per carry for Clemson (13-0). He had seven games in with over 100 yards, including once when it went over the 200-yard mark (203 vs Syracuse). Etienne had seven games with at least two rushing touchdowns, three of those in which he had three scores.
In the games Etienne failed to reach 100 yards he either had limited carries or -- in the case of games against Florida St. and Boston College -- faced the top-two defenses in the ACC. In these games, Etienne carried 21 times for 123 yards (still nearly six yards per carry).
All of this was not enough for Etienne to garner an invite as one of the finalist to the Heisman ceremony on December 8.
Back in 1998 and 1999, the Heisman was handed to running backs in back-to-back years, with Ricky Williams and Ron Dayne taking home the prize.
Since then, only Alabama running backs Mark Ingram (2009) and Derrick Henry (2015) have represented the position with a Heisman win.
Ingram had 1542 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 322 receiving yards and three more scores. Henry set an SEC single-season rushing record with 1986 yards and added 23 touchdowns on the ground.
Etienne's numbers were similar, yet he wasn't able to crack the quarterback stranglehold that has extended to 2018.Heisman 2018: Three quarterbacksEtienne may have been earned an invite, but this is not to say the three quarterbacks who were selected are not undeserving.
Dwayne Haskins of Ohio State (12-1) is the latest in a long line of great Buckeye quarterbacks. He led the nation in passing yards (4580) and touchdowns (47) while throwing only 8 interceptions. Haskins also had 122 yards on the ground and 4 scores.
Kyler Murray -- who came back for his junior season despite maintaining he doesn't know if he has a future in football after this season -- led Oklahoma to a 12-1 record and berth in the College Football Playoff.
Murray threw for 4053 yards (3rd in the nation) and 40 touchdowns (2nd) with 7 interceptions. Murray was just as impressive with his feet, running for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Sophomore Tua Tagovailoa led the Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0) to yet another perfect record. He did so while barely seeing action in the fourth quarter in many of Alabama's games. Tagovailoa finished with 3353 passing yards, 37 touchdown passes and only 4 interceptions. He had 190 yards on the ground and 5 more scores.
These three schools wouldn't be where they are without the play of their quarterbacks. And the same can be said for Etienne and Clemson. The question is how these schools would have performed without these players. 
Without Haskins and Murray, Ohio State and Oklahoma would likely have at least another loss or two to their names. Etienne maybe less so and, while Tagovailoa is an extremely important asset, the Crimson Tide have found ways to win without him in the game.
One quarterback will join the 15 others who have won the Heisman since 2000. Five of the last seven selections are currently starters in the NFL. Both running backs currently see significant action for their college teams.
Does a Heisman win always translate to success? This answer tends to go in cycles, with some finding success and others lasting barely three years in the league. No matter the case, whoever wins will find themselves in extremely good company.
My Heisman vote (if I had one): Murray, Haskins, Etienne, Tagovailoa
Predicted order of finish: Murray, Tagovailoa, Haskins, Etienne
photo credit: flickr.comTo learn more about Jason: jason-haskins.com