Jason Haskins's Blog, page 35

An extinguished flame

The beacon of light has been extinguished.
For centuries, the prospect of living in the United States for immigrants and asylum seekers leaving their own countries, whether they were seeking to leave horrible living conditions or simply seeking better lives, was exciting. This country was a land of promise. This country was a place of opportunity and excitement, a land to lay down roots and find a future for them and likely their family.
That is no longer a given, thanks to the people currently in charge. Led by the stain on humanity who currently serves as our "president" and groups of agents who are mindlessly following orders, perhaps even injecting their lack of care for human rights in as well, the United States has turned into a hate-filled mockery of what it once was.
Children being ripped away from families. Families who have arrived at the gates of our country in hopes of getting away from regimes who treat their people as less-than-human. On top of that, the people in charge have lost 1,475 children.
How is that even possible?! 
This happening at the same time others are being told that if they don't stand for the National Anthem they should leave the country. Or stating, "our ancestors tamed a continent...and we're not going to apologize for America."
Couple that with lies and more lies spouted from his Twitter account, plus his political rallies of hatred (or stump speeches, whatever he wants to call him). That, and using simple events to honor our servicemen as platforms for his lies, including the recent one of telling us this is the first pay raise for military service members in ages. (Not true, considering raises have been instituted at least the past 10 years.)
Another example of the laundry list of ways those of different races, of different cultures, and different genders and ideals are being silenced and have their rights ripped from them here in Ol' 45's regime.
This is not making America great again. It's diminishing the great county I grew up enjoying.
Was it perfect? No and it likely never will be. But we were on a road to being a place with great pride, with great respect. There were still needless wars we were involved in and needless violence was still happening and there was still a fair amount of racism and entitlement. We were getting better. There was hope. Now...
The overload of information on what is going on to contribute to this country's downfall under this man's leadership is frightening. Every day there is something new and ol' 45 and his administration are failing to make any sort of change.
School shootings are happening on a weekly basis. Do we look for new ways to enact gun control or stricter background checks? Change rules about who can buy guns and who cannot?
No. Instead, people in charge blame the school's for "too many doors".
African-American men are being hit with tasers for complying with officers. An incident that saw at least five cop cars show up for a person who, yes parked illegally to run into a Walgreens, but was otherwise cooperating with the officers.


Worse, seeing deaths that didn't need to happen in which racism -- inherent or otherwise -- was involved. 
These are only a few reasons as to why players of the NFL have taken to dropping to their knee (or other signs of protest) during the national anthem. It's not to disrespect the flag or to the fine people who have fought for our freedoms. They are trying to point out the social injustice so many people receive on a daily basis.
Except the NFL only sees green. And by instating their new rule, they are trying to silence the issue by suggesting players stay in the locker room. All done for money and an attempt to appease the liar-in-chief.  
The overload of information and actions is draining...
...and yet.
Hope remains. The majority of the country is against this man and his administration. There is still hope and compassion and empathy living in our souls. There is a strong swelling of hope to return this country on its path to greatness we had going only two years ago. Progress is being thrown for a loop but if I've learned anything is that those hoping for a brighter future are resilient. The changes are being seen in the voting booths and, while it appears so much is unraveling, the future is coming.
Rights will be restored. Laws to protect our environment and our lands will restored. People will have the right to be who they are and have rights over their own bodies, their own minds, and their own decisions.
The beacon of light might be extinguished but it will be lit again. 
And the hope of living, and arriving, in the United States for a better life can once again be restored.
Be bold. Be kind. Resist.
photo credit: defense.gov

Cheers: A look back on a meaningful television show

Last week, in an effort to capture a look back at television in the 1990's, I wrote of the 20th-anniversary of the final episode of Seinfeld.
Turns out this week, 25 years have passed since the finale of Cheers.
Cheers ran for 275 episodes and 11 seasons. Much like Seinfeld, Cheers was another show NBC had to endure weak early ratings for to build a juggernaut. And Cheers was also still at the top of its game, drawing 26 million weekly viewers when it went off the air.
By time this show was finishing up its fantastic run, I was finishing up my eighth grade year. I wasn't as much into television and movies at that time as I was into sports, writing fantasy stories, and hanging out with friends, (all while prepping to start at a new school away from many of these friends in the coming months and attempting to come to terms with a sick grandfather).
Thinking back, I wonder if my love of Boston sports teams coincided with my love of Cheers. Sam Malone (Ted Danson) was a former Red Sox pitcher after all and what wouldn't be cooler than owning a bar?



Honestly, many of the episodes I can recall now is because of the years of watching them in re-runs. It was only then I think I truly embraced Cheers  as a great show because of its writing, acting, and directing, along with its wit and heart.
Before 1993, I loved the show because my father did.
Back then -- or at least as far as my memory serves -- my father liked two shows on television: Cheers and Magnum P.I. (The latter of which is currently being remade, which is another issue altogether. I digress).
I remember watching both shows growing up. Now, were these in rerun form as well? I couldn't really tell you. It's quite possible both of these shows were on past my bed time, at least before I turned 11 or 12. A simple Google search could answer this, I'm sure, but I'm just going to go on believing the shows aired after 9 pm PST.
These two shows, if I'm not mistaken, also had finales that were recorded by my father on VHS via the old VCR. (Something that was usually reserved for cartoons, movies and the occasional NCAA basketball title game.)
With Magnum, I couldn't really tell you much about the show outside of the premise, the characters, the corvette, and the iconic Tom Selleck mustache.
Cheers is different, in the way I know so much more. Thanks to the Sam/Diane (Shelley Long) relationship, Cheers helped lay the foundation for every "will they/won't they" relationship we see in classic sitcoms.
The characters were well-rounded, were personable, and were seemingly fighting an uphill battle in their lives. I believe this show -- alongside The Iceman Cometh -- served as a model for my first full-length play Poison. Life inside a bar comes with a collection of characters that it deserves to be explored.
The creators of Cheers, James Burrows, Glen Charles and Les Charles, gave us a show that still holds resonance to this day. This full retrospective from 2012, with interviews and more, offers much more than I can on the subject. I can breakdown episodes and relationships for days, but Cheers has given me much more than that.
Thanks to my father, I have much more than simply a television show he turned me onto. I have a meaningful connection that will last a lifetime.

Videos copyright NBC/Universal
photo credit: flickr.com
To stay up-to-date with this blog, pop culture, sports, writing and more, be sure to follow Jason on Twitter: @jasonrh_78

The Seinfeld finale: 20 years later

Jerry. George. Elaine. Kramer.
The four character names are etched into the echelon of television history. For nine seasons and 173 episodes, the people of Seinfeld winked, close-talked, and "hellllooo"-ed their way into the lives of millions on a weekly basis.


Twenty years ago, they said good-bye with a much hyped series finale.
I was a year removed from high school, a late teen who was on the search for what I wanted to do with my life (and still might be). Seinfeld had dominated much of my television watching the previous few years and even more so at that point in my life, when I had a lot more free time on my hand than I ever had before.
NBC, with the likes of Seinfeld, Friends, and ER, dominating the television-watching landscape. For the first time in years, though, NBC was preparing to send one of its juggernauts off the air.
Hype around the finale was monumental. It was often unheard of -- and still is to this day -- for a show to go off the air, outside of cancellation, the when its creative juices were still flowing. Yes, Seinfeld had lost some of its luster by season nine. But many of the lulls actually occurred in the season prior. Ratings were still strong and as the season counted down towards finality, the hype machine for the finale only gained steam. (Much like an oft-maligned Star Wars movie that released a year later, hype can certainly lead to letdowns.)
Specials on the run of the series, multiple magazine retrospectives, and the usual talk show appearances led up to the finale that aired on May 14, 1998.
Where and how would this circular journey end?A show about nothingSeinfeld, of course, followed the four main characters and allowed viewers to peek into their lives on a weekly basis: Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Kramer (Michael Richards).
We did not witness the character arcs, emotional journeys and growth we were normally used to seeing in a television show, sitcom or otherwise. Instead, we were treated to four friends with neurotic tendencies who tended to live in their own little world without giving real thought to consequences their actions carried.
It was hilarious. And, to paraphrase a certain saying uttered by multiple characters, the show was spectacular. 
Each episode was almost treated like a 22-minute sketch, giving (usually) very little thought to characters/relationships brought up in previous episodes.
Despite this, there was also a large amount of continuity or arcs that played out over seasons. George and his relationship with Susan (Heidi Swedberg), Elaine's interaction with various bosses over the years and Jerry's love affair with Superman.
In fact, the character of Susan appeared in more episodes than George's parents (Jerry Stiller and Elaine Lewis).
Created by Larry David and Seinfeld, we witnessed all sorts of things over the course of the series that, with the uttering of one word or term, might take you back to Seinfeld. The contest. The puffy shirt. Man hands. Newman. Keith Hernandez. Festivus. (The list could literally go on for ages.)
photo credit: flickr.com
In many shows, even sitcoms, we witness a trajectory of the main characters and we can place guesses as to where the ending is leading. Keep in my mind, we were in the early ages of popular use of the internet so spoilers were not as prevalent as one would guess. 
The main questions: 1) What was going to happen and 2) Would the ratings beat out M*A*S*H for the most-watched finale of all time.The FinaleEven watching the episode aptly titled The Finale all these years later, I'm pleased with the outcome.  To me, it kept with the tone of the show while fulfilling actions true to each character.
For years, the show had been labeled "a show about nothing". The finale might have gone against natural thinking, but isn't that exactly what it had been doing the entire time? Would you have been pleased -- after all of the build up -- if the final episode turned out to be a "regular ol' episode"? (Though within the last year Seinfeld has indicated he wished they went the smaller route.)
We watched as these four main characters bounced around in life. They weren't the luckiest of people, no but they didn't exactly help themselves. They were horrible in relationships, not very nice to others, and had their bad share of unfortunate luck.
And yet...
...the finale served as justice. No, not to the four leads. They were finally met with repercussions for years of only caring about themselves.
Justice was for the entirety of the lives of characters they'd come across in the previous nine seasons. A parade of their wrong doings shows up via familiar faces from their past. Guest stars pack the court room and of course, the group is represented by Jackie Chiles (Phil Morris).
Thinking back to when I watched it back then, I held out hope that the four would be found innocent of their wrong doing. (In case you forgot: the four were put on trail for failing to help an overweight man who was being mugged. They had broken a Good Samaritan law.) When they didn't get set free and were reprimanded for their actions, I was not disappointed. Though at that time I remember wanting to see just one more episode to see them getting out of jail after a year.
The best for me was the final scene (before the post-credit tag), in which the four friends sat down in the jail cell to have the same conversation that George and Jerry had back in season one.
Twenty years have passed and the final episode of Seinfeld is still debated. The two-part finale ended up with 76.7 million views, making it the third-most watched finale of all-time behind the aforementioned M*A*S*H (105.9 million) and Cheers (84.4 million).
While it's no "Sorry. We're Closed." from Cheers, the ending of Seinfeld fit perfectly for what the show was: Crass. Funny. Relatable. And even at times, endearing. As it turns out, Seinfeld very well may have been a show about everything.

photo credit for Seinfeld logo: Wikimedia CommonsFor more on pop culture, entertainment, sports, and writing, be sure to follow on Twitter: @jasonrh_78

Roman Reigns: The man in need of a plan

The Big Dog's yard has become quite small over the past few months.
An unexpected loss at Wrestlemania. The same result with a convoluted finish at The Greatest Royal Rumble.
And now -- if the most recent Monday Night Raw is any indication -- an upcoming story with Jinder Mahal.
Talk about a backwards slide.
For a couple of years now, all indications pointed to the building of the Roman Empire. A quick rise through the company with The Shield, followed by a singles run pitting him against the top wrestlers in the company.
So much has been done in attempt to secure Roman as the company's top baby face. The backing of The Rock, a feud with John Cena in which the tide seemed to turn for Reigns, and so much more has been done to push Reigns to the top.
Even what could have been a strong push in a battle with Samoa Joe was halted because of the brand realignment (with Joe going to Smackdown).
Through all of that, Reigns now appears to be a man without a plan.

Suffering a loss at the hands of Finn Balor is nothing to be ashamed of. Balor has delivered on a consistent basis since the turn of the calendar year. This was partially due to a competitive rivalry with a red-hot Seth Rollins, but Balor earning a shot at becoming a Money-in-the-Bank holder is well-deserved.
However, with Mahal interfering, likely leading to a feud with Mahal, Reigns might be destined to hover around the title picture yet never quite sitting on the perch.
Part of this is because many fans refuse to accept Reigns has a champion. Now, it's really no secret Vince McMahon is attempting to push Reigns onto the fan but professional wrestling entertainment has always been built around that. The WWE has learned to embrace the fans viewpoint even more over the past few years and rewarded wrestlers who fans get behind.  But the bottom line -- and not because Stone Cold said so -- is that the stories, action and characters we see are all part of a television show.
Are Roman's mic skills the best? No. He's never likely to reach a level as The Miz or have the charisma of The Rock. Yet he's improved while continuing to put on a good-to-great show (most of the time).
WWE creatives and the writers seem to be trying everything to get Reigns over. The storyline now appears to be one of the underdog and hard worker, as built during the recent feud with Brock Lesnar.
Again, the momentum stalled and the booing grew louder.
Are fans going to get their way and get him out of the picture? I hope not.
It's true, Reigns has always been strongest when a member of the Shield but there's no way a full-time reunion is happening any time soon. So that option is out.
McMahon and creative can slowly relegate him to a mid-card status but Reigns is much better than that. Maybe having him not headline pay-per-views for a short while is the answer. Keep finding ways to grow his character while keeping him in interesting feuds (which I don't see a feud with Mahal doing any good).
The other option is to finally turn the screw and turn Reigns heal. Brief glimpses have been seen of what a "heel" Reigns would look like. The company never did with Cena and now -- even though fans are still split -- the company and Cena learned to embrace and how to make it work.
If people are going to continue to shower Reigns with boos, it's time to steer into the skid.
Plus, it's a lot more fun to play the villain. Just ask The Miz.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
To read more on wrestling, sports, pop culture and more, be sure to follow on Twitter: Jason Haskins OR Sports 'n' Stuff

The Art of Boiling Water

Staring.
Heavy eyelids. The cellphone screen remained blank, outside of the usual icons. Time had changed, rolling over slowly minute to minute. There was nothing else. No notifications. No text messages. No phone calls. 
A watched pot never boils.
I first heard that in the summer of my twelfth year on a trip to my aunt's house. I stared out the window of her cozy kitchen, glancing over stacked dirty dishes and hovering flies, waiting for the arrival of my cousins. Once year there was visits with the cousins -- along with my aunts and uncles -- and the excitement brewed inside me.
The energy I carried was nervous bundle of anxiety. Why am I nervous? I'm the older cousin. I'm the cooler one who they look up to. 
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
Years later. High school (or shortly after). I had stood right there in the parking lot when they were talking about going golfing or to a movie or simply cruising the strip. They said they'd call.
Had I made it all up in my head?  Had they only said that because I stood next to them?
At home. More waiting. The television was on but I paid no attention to the program. I was on the couch. only feet away from the phone, ready to answer it on the first ring.
Nothing. The minutes tick by. A watched pot never boils.
And so I slept. Awaking an hour later to receive no such call. So I spend the afternoon putting my best thoughts forward, only to hear the following day of all the fun that was had.
Tick, tick, tick.
Sounds in my head because, well, a cellphone doesn't tick like a watch used to do. I double check my text, doubting it will be the case but hoping maybe it didn't send. 
It did. "What are you up to? Wanna hang?"
I wasn't wrong in assuming they did. We'd done so for months now; a blur of alcohol, laughs, and broken candles. Swimming in lakes, walking in parks, and one eventful trip into the depths of...
The mind no longer recollects. Selective forgetfulness has its upsides. Candles are blown out, music is stopped and the minutes continue to slip by. My grip on the cellphone tightens, sweat pools on the palm. Eyes are wide open and the mind does not ever close.
A watched pot never boils.

Infinity War: Key players missing in action

*The following contains spoilers, plot points, and opinions on 'Avengers: Infinity War'. Please abandon all hope if you decide to keep reading and still haven't seen the movie. Don't say I didn't warn you.
*Warning

*Warning

*Danger

*Go ahead and read.
Avengers: Infinity War, the Marvel war to end all wars, opened in movie theaters last week and over the weekend set all kinds of box office records.
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) was there. So was Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo). Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr) was there, kicking it with Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Thor (Chris Hemsworth) had some fun with Starlord (Chris Pratt) and the other Guardians of the galaxy. And the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) roamed the battlefield in Wakanda with the entire crew by his side.
This is a small sampling of the multiple heroes who graced the movie screen to do battle with Thanos  (Josh Brolin) and his children.
However, we need to talk about Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).

And, to a lesser extent, Ant Man (Paul Rudd).
*Note: I have not seen Thor: Ragnarok so I was unaware of the missing Asgardians, like Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and therefore have no comment on it save for "Where was she?"
We'll get to all that in a moment. I'm not here to give a complete review/rundown of Avengers: Infinity War but I want to say this: it was damn good.
There was a balance and good juggling of the major characters inhabiting the Marvel Universe that we'd seen in the previous movies. I sat through all of the end credits, not moving while a mixture of dread and appreciation did battle in my head.
Part of the fun was the new pairings of superheroes and the balancing of action between three and six different locations. While I have difficulty ranking it about the second and third Captain America movies, I'd say it sits in my top-five.
The end of the movie was both definitive and open-ended at the same time. I tend not to read a whole lot about movies before they open (interviews, behind-the-scenes, etc.) so I was surprised the Infinity Gauntlet was completed by Thanos.  (A great study in character development, by the way. We know he's evil, he's the bad guy, but is also given moments of empathy.)
At the same time, there is enough info I know about sequels and upcoming planned projects to wonder how many of these deaths will stick and if other movies will be moved in the timeline to take place before Infinity War.
Thor stole the show, along with his new sidekicks Rabbit and Tree. In a way, this movie could have easily acted as a standalone Thor vehicle.  Thor is also given some new depth, something we haven't quite seen before that I enjoyed.
That being said: We need to talk about Hawkeye.Missing in action: HawkeyeClint Barton aka Hawkeye was sorely missed.
Rumors had been swirling regarding Hawkeye, especially since he was not seen in any promotional material for the film. 
Still, even as the movie progressed, I half expected him to show up in the last few minutes, kind of like Luke Skywalker does in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. At the very least, I was expecting a Hawkeye appearance in the post-credits sequence.
Nope and nope.
Big things are coming for Hawkeye, according to writers/directors the Russo Brothers. For a character who has played such a central role in the first two Avenger films, to basically explain his absence away with a line of dialogue hampers the story.
It's understandable, in say Captain America: Civil War to say "Oh, Thor is dealing with trouble back home. That's why he's not here." And it makes sense. It's not Thor's movie.
Nor, I suppose, is it Hawkeye's movie, but to leave out the best archer this side of the Rivendell is something I can't quite behind.
You're telling me he wouldn't have been there in heartbeat if Steve Rogers gave him a call? The fate of the universe is on the line and you leave one of your best players on the bench? No.
I get we're in a two-part/not two-part but separate films sequence of events here. And I believe the filmmakers when they say big things are coming for Hawkeye. (We know Renner is in the film since he is not in Mission Impossible: Fallout. Both films were filming at the same time).
I guess I just miss Hawkeye is all. Maybe absence will make the heart grow even fonder.
As for Ant Man, well, he's off getting ready for his own movie with The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly). Story wise, their absence makes more sense because this movie is coming out later this year and takes place prior to the events of Infinity War. I'm going to go ahead and take an educated guess that there will be something at the end of Ant Man and the Wasp that leads these two characters into the great war. (Or even a post-credits scene sending them into action).
I did keep thinking, however, that either one of the insect characters could have done something, though, like flown into the nostrils of Thanos.
The Avengers need Hawkeye.
And I'm sure they'll get him. The Russos tell us patience is a virtue. I'll go ahead and believe it. For now.
I just wish we didn't have to wait a year to see the master archer do his thing.

photo credits: flickr.com
Talking more about movies, sports, pop culture and more over on Twitter: @jasonrh_78

The Greatest Royal Rumble: The true stars of this record-setting event

History was made for the WWE on Friday in the city of Jeddah.
Fifty wrestlers -- eventually -- entered the ring to compete for, well, the title of greatest Royal Rumbler, I guess. While story lines unfolded, history was made, and a few scores were settled, there was still time to throw in a few surprise entrants.
And an all-time moment for one of the wrestlers:

"That may be the greatest thing I've ever witnessed."

➡️ https://t.co/ePt5TzD6sU pic.twitter.com/Z0j84mZgvE— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) April 27, 2018

World. Wide.
Joking aside, there was the standard mix of very good matches, decent matches, surprising matches, and an ending to a title match that makes no absolute sense.
Daniel Bryan lasted roughly 75 minutes in the Greatest Royal Rumble match, besting Rey Mysterio's record by 13 minutes. Bryan started at entry number one and made it to the final three before predictably being eliminated by Big Cass.
In turn, Braun Strowman eliminated Big Cass to win the Greatest Royal Rumble.
The tag matches were pretty entertaining and the U.S. Title match was decent (even with a botched move or two). And The Undertaker actually looked better in his casket match against Rusev than he did at Wrestlemania 34.
In a move that continues to befuddle me, Brock Lesnar retained his belt. At some point, Vince McMahon needs to figure out if he's going to go all in on Roman Reigns. Even at this juncture it looks like fans are turning on both wrestlers and getting a little tired of this routine.
It's also possible Vince is trying to extend Brock's number of days with the title (390) so he can pass CM Punk's sixth-longest streak of 434 days.

BROCK LESNAR WINS.... thanks to Roman Reigns spearing him through cage!!!

Lesnar hit the ground first! #WWEGRR pic.twitter.com/W0MT4L87yT— WWE Critics (@WWECritics) April 27, 2018

Outside of that educated guess, I'm not quite sure what they're doing.
Stealing the show yet againThe match of the night belonged again to the four men who have been at the top of the wrestling game for the past couple of years.
A ladder match for the Intercontinental Title, involving Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe, and The Miz, was the highlight of the night (day).
These four men have carried and provided some of the best stories in recent years. And Rollins was able to retain the belt when he leaped from the top rope onto the ladder and quickly snatched the belt away from Balor.
I want these two to keep wrestling against each other forever.
2018 has belonged to Rollins and Balor. They have delivered results in match after match, both playing to the crowds while becoming two of the hardest workers this company has to offer.
Both are capable of carrying the company on their shoulders and will be interesting to see where a bloodied Balor -- who was left standing shocked at the top of the ladder -- goes from here.
Will we get to see Demon Balor face Friday afternoon Rollins? One can only hope.
Having both Samoa Joe and The Miz over on Smackdown will allow these two to not get lost among the shuffle. I was a little skeptical with Samoa Joe moving over, considering he is one man (outside of John Cena) who gets the best reactions/mic work out of Roman Reigns.
But having him on Smackdown will help out a lot of different story lines. 
I'm sure he has one coming with The Miz while the company does a slow burn with the Daniel Bryan/The Miz story. Bryan likely will focus on Big Cass, at least through Backlash, so The Miz needs to have something going.
These four have earned a rightful spot to continued to be featured. Throw in the return of Bryan and a dominating Braun Strowman and the summer months on the men's side of things should be pretty interesting.
Now, let's go take a walk with Elias.
photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org
For wrestling, pop culture, sports and more, be sure to follow on Twitter: jasonrh_78 OR Sports 'n' Stuff

Sunday sports confessions with Jason

Heading into the end of the weekend, I realized I hadn't posted on this blog in over a week.
Okay. That's not true. I've been trying to think of something to write over here all weekend (in order to keep up with a goal I set at the start of 2018).
I suppose that can be counted as my first confession, even if it's not sports related.
Recently, it was pointed out to me that the professional wrestling on display in the WWE is fake. The confession part of this? I'm a 39-year old man who enjoys pro wrestling.
Followers of this blog likely already knew this, based off recent posts regarding Wrestlemania and the Royal Rumble. And obviously I watch for the stories.
The conversation regarding my watching of the WWE got me thinking: What are other confessions regarding sports that I'd like to make. So I put together a small list because that's what I like to do on Sunday's after a rehearsal.Confession: I miss the glow puck on NHL broadcastsI watch a lot of hockey. I follow the sport best I can -- and my favorite team, the Boston Bruins -- but rarely watch on television.
Last night, watching the Bruins versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, I realized I had trouble tracking the puck.  I really wish they never got rid of the glow puck.
For a few years, broadcasts put essentially a tracer/highlighter on the hockey puck, allowing fans to follow its path. Needless to say, the addition was not well received and didn't last too long.
I want it back.
Maybe my eyesight is going or maybe it's just difficult to watch on my 21-inch television, but I could not track the puck for the life of me. To me, the players were just skating from blue line to blue line for the fun of it.
Bring back the glow puck.Confession: I still think the Houston Astros are in the National LeagueIt's been six months and every time I see the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, I think the headline must be wrong. The Astros are in the National League so they couldn't have beaten the Dodgers -- also of the National League -- so that headline is wrong.
I'm stupid.
But they'll always be a National League team to me. Just like the Milwaukee Brewers are an American League team and the Los Angeles Angels (40 minutes away in Anaheim) of Anaheim will always be the California Angels. 
And the Washington Nationals will always be the Montreal Expos. Always.Confession: I've never seen The NaturalDon't "at" me.
I know the key scenes and the central premise. Still never seen the movie. 
On the plus side, I've watched Homer at the bat plenty of times.

Confession: I know what a catch is in the NFL
That's right. And I'm keeping it a secret because it's more fun this way. Who doesn't like seeing irate players, coaches, and fans every week -- in at least one game -- during the NFL season?Confession: I've seen every episode of Friday Night Lights at least five timesI know more about Tim Riggins and Coach Taylor than they probably know about themselves.
And I'm still waiting for the football team from NBC's Rise to take on Coach Taylor's team in Philadelphia. Since both shows were created by Jason Katims, this is a crossover/revival just waiting to happen.Confession: I chuckle any time I hear the word shuttlecockBecause apparently I'm still a twelve-year old at heart.
These are only a few of my sports confessions. Stay tuned and at a later date I will return with more confessions. 
*Confession: I probably won't.

The photo was taken probably eight or nine years ago but I look wistful.

For more, be sure to follow on Twitter: @jasonrh_78

Revisiting the lost television classics: California Dreams

It's that time again. Let's take another trip to the far away land of the 1990's and the 'should-be' classic California Dreams.Growing up and experiencing my formative teen years in the early 1990's, there was a transition period between watching Saturday morning cartoons and graduating to more mature material. The TNBC lineup, led by its flagship show Saved by the Bell , provided the perfect bridge needed between the two worlds.
At the time, a person in their early teenage years might have been deemed too old to watch cartoons, with a good chance of being made fun of for doing so. (Not like today's world, where watching cartoons past the age of 20, 30, and even 40 years old has found its way into the mainstream).
This meant there was an entire group of people who needed to be catered to. Nickelodeon -- led by Hey Dude! and Salute Your Shorts -- had its fair share of teenage oriented shows but was not quite accessible as shows are now. The Disney Channel was still a few years away from cornering the market on teen oriented shows (It had tried, with the failed attempt of Good Morning, Miss Bliss.)
Enter Peter Engel.
Engel took advantage of the market, creating the TNBC lineup and serving as executive producer of Saved by the Bell, Hang Time, and City Guys, among others.
Leading us to -- after recently re-watching all five seasons -- would could be the best of them all: California Dreams.
This show never quite received the notoriety of its predecessor Saved by the Bell.  Until my recent viewing, outside of the basic premise and a few hazy memories, California Dreams had not stuck with me like the others.
Reruns of California Dreams didn't have the longevity of SBTB (which still airs on Sunday mornings on MeTV.) So let us take a trip down memory lane. Surf dudes. Attitude. Laid back moves.

California DreamsThe show ran for five seasons, starting in 1992, and followed the lives of five (later as many as seven) teenagers in California.
And it was all about their band trying to make it big while handling the day-to-day life of a teenager.
The first season originally centered around siblings Matt (Brentley Gore) and Jenny (Heidi Lenhart) Garrison and their bandmates Tiffani (Kelly Packard) and Antoine "Tony" Wicks (Williams James Jones) along with the band's manager Sylvester "Sly" Winkle (Michael Cade).
The second season saw the departure of Jenny and the arrival of Samantha Woo (Jennie Kwan), as well as Jake Sommers (Jay Anthony Franke).
Brother Matt left the show after season 2 as the program moved away from the Garrison family completely. Band rehearsals -- and a fair amount of action -- moved to new character Lorena Costa's (Diana Uribe) loft. Sly's cause Mark (Aaron Jackson) also joined the band in season three.
The first three seasons of the show were the high points, as these seasons saw deeper writing and, I even hate to say this, better acting than the more popular SBTB.
Story lines dealing with racism and steroids were two of the more serious issues tackled in this show.  There was even a three-episode arc in season three that saw Sly dating a blind girl. Comedy was deftly balanced with rooting these relationships in more realism than SBTB.  Were there still outrageous stories and antics? Of course But on a whole, these first three seasons could rival the best seasons of any of these other teen shows.
Things didn't drastically change in the last two seasons, but we did see more of recycled stories and tropes from the other shows. There was even a slightly clueless principal who at times seemed like a close friend of the central gang.
In season five, there was a valuable episode on teenage drinking. Before we knew it, the crew at California Dreams rode off into the sunset.Where are they now?Unlike most of their counterparts from SBTB, the crew from California Dreams didn't really continue to be in the spotlight after the show ended.
Packard was probably the most recognizable of the Dreams crew, as she enjoyed a stint on Baywatch. Kwan has enjoyed quite a run on Broadway, appearing in Avenue Q.
Other have found successful ventures in music and the independent scene, while others have simply stepped away from the business altogether.
Long before it was the standard to remake/reboot the classic television shows of 1980's/90's, reunion shows were all the rage. Jimmy Fallon capitalized on this, including one in which he reunited most of the members from the cast(s) of California Dreams.

Future Hollywood playersAlso like SBTB, who saw the likes of Denise Richards, Scott Wolf, and Leah Remini among others grace an episode or two, California Dreams also had appearances from people who would make a mark on pop culture. 
Brooke Langton (Melrose Place, The Replacements) was an early series regular. Jamie Kennedy (Scream, Malibu's Most Wanted) had an appearance in a later season as did Tara Reid (who was in the aforementioned underage drinking episode). 
Also appearing? None other than the mom of Buffy the vampire slayer, Kristine Sutherland, plus a handful of others, including Elise Neal.
Part of the joy of watching shows from the 90's -- ranging from the likes of ER to Roseanne on down the line to California Dreams -- is seeing the performers who are popular now (or achieved popularity in the interim) who got their starts as minor characters or even background talent.
So much of today's teen-oriented fare owes their success to shows like Saved by the Bell, California Dreams, and even a fixture of ABC's TGIF lineup, Boy Meets World. Without them, perhaps we may have never seen the likes of the juggernaut the Disney Channel created in the mid-to late 90's.
And while SBTB will always be number one in my heart when pertaining to those early teen years, I can now say California Dreams has again found a place in the lexicon of my brain.
Kind of groovy.

picture credit: flickr.com
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Wrestlemania 34: Fascinating matches up and down the card

Months of buildup -- much of it starting way back at the Royal Rumble -- are finally set to reach a climax at Wrestlemania 34 in New Orleans on Sunday evening.
Who's ready for all 49 matches to take place at Wrestlemania 34?
To be fair, my math is not that good and there won't be that many matches.  A jam-packed card, though, almost guarantees fans will be treated close to six hours of action.
Outside of the Cruiserweight division, I imagine most of the active roster will make an appearance one way or the other at Wrestlemania on Sunday night.
This doesn't include the surprise appearances likely to happen, with speculation going back and forth as to whether The Rock will walk with Elias.
The preceding is only one of many questions heading into the event. Usually, before a big pay-per-view, there is a good sense of how each match is going to play out. Outside of a the presumed coronation of Roman Reigns, there's a lot up in the air. Calculated guesses are being made -- and I usually try to avoid the rumor mill -- but it's good going into Wrestlemania that surprises and swerves might be in store.
And this is not even including the return of Daniel Bryan. (Okay, this one might be in the bag for Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Their victory equals keeping their jobs and a loss by Bryan ensures his return to the full-time wrestler role.)
Titles galore are up for grabs, with one I see switching hands is the women's title on RAW. The time for the Nia Jax to hold the title should be Sunday night.
Another big question out there that needs to be answered is who will Braun Strowman's partner be? Strowman takes on The Bar in tag team title action. I'd like nothing more to see Strowman win this event on his own, but a surprise partner is surely in store. (The Big Show?)
Or does The Big Show make a surprise comeback in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal? Will the women -- who have their own battle royal -- deliver another epic match? (Likely)
And who will win the match years in the making when A.J. Styles takes on Shinsuke Nakamura? (Going with Nakamura here.)
So much to get to and such little time.Match likely to tear the roof offThe Intercontinental Title, triple-threat match is number one on my list of matches to watch. The Miz has been a delight over the past year and only seems getting better. I'd like to see him keep the belt but even if it doesn't happen, the two men he is wrestling both deserve it.
Seth Rollins has been a man on fire over the past three months. His epic gauntlet match on RAW -- if you needed proof -- proved what a hard worker he is. And Rollins has continued to do so over the past few weeks.
Finn Balor, he who injured himself almost immediately after winning the Universal Championship a few years back, has slowly climbed his way back to the top. 
No matter who wins, I can see all three circling around this belt for months to come.

What match at #WrestleMania34 are you most looking forward to? (Limited options, reply with your favorite if 'Other') #WrestleMania #WWE— Sports 'n' Stuff (@LookinSporty1) April 7, 2018

Women's match most looking forward toNia Jax and Alexa Bliss will certainly have their moment, but it's safe to say fans are looking forward to Charlotte Flair vs Asuka.
Asuka is putting her winning streak on the line to face the Smackdown Live champion Flair. We've seen a few cross-brand promotions between the two, but part of the beauty of having the two on different shows is the lack of actual wrestling between the two.
Making things more interesting is the Money in the Bank winner, Carmella, has been teasing the cashing in of her briefcase. Does she find a chance to capitalize this weekend?Match I'm 50/50 onLook. I'm all for getting to see John Cena vs The Undertaker. Two legends going toe-to-toe at the company's biggest event is always something to be proud of.
And Cena has been working his ass off on the mic the last month selling this fight.  And I hope they keep selling throughout Wrestlemania with Cena actually in the crowd.
But last year's sendoff for Taker was the perfect way to go out. (Outside losing the match, that is). I realize a wrestler is never fully retired when it comes to the WWE, but last year's exit out of the ring and the arena was perfect.
Maybe that's why he will (possibly) be back. Cena has been putting people over the past year. Not that The Undertaker needs it, but maybe he's back for one last 'mania to go out on top. 
Let's hope so.Match I could care less aboutRonda Rousey w/ Kurt Angle vs Stephanie McMahon w/ Triple H
I was never a fan of the UFC so maybe that's why. But I have felt invested at all in this. Triple H can still put on a good show but I have no clue what's left in the tank of Kurt Angle. McMahon has always been better on the mic than in the ring and Rousey is still green.
Hoping for the best on this one.Match that could surprise usThe United States Championship buildup hasn't been the greatest, but there are three pretty great wrestlers (and Jinder Mahal) in this match. 
Okay. Fine. Four great wrestlers and three great characters.
Bobby Roode vs Randy Orton vs Rusev vs Mahal. I'm a glad they added Rusev to this match because this man deserves to be featured at the company's biggest event.
Storyline aside, this match -- if given enough time -- has an outside chance to steal match of the night. It's long shot, considering the Usos and New Day are involved in a triple-threat match with The Bludgeon Brothers, but still entirely possible.
Other questions still remain. Who will Matt Hardy delete? Will we see a Becky Lynch push during the women's battle royal? Or will the event be entirely too focused on Sasha Banks and Bayley?
Will we see a surprise return from Dean Ambrose or Samoa Joe?
What will the post-Wrestlemania landscape look like with stars possibly switching brands? 
No matter what happens, I'm still ready to walk with Elias. (Seriously. This guy needs a bigger push. Now.)

Elias is a legend for this
(via @FrankWWEClown) pic.twitter.com/djSmkOzGxe— SI Wrestling (@SI_wrestling) April 6, 2018

photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org
Twitter: @jasonrh_78