Skip to main content

Posts

Featured Post

2024 NBA All-Star Weekend Thoughts

There's something wrong with the All-Star Game.  Yeah, we've definitely had this conversation before. Expect to pick up this very discussion (again) in July when Major League Baseball has their version in the "Mid-Summer Classic" when it is the ONLY current topic to bounce around in the stratosphere of sports discourse.  What's wrong with the All-Star Game?!  I'm not dismissing the obvious - yes, the NBA All-Star Game is very much at an alarming point of necessary refinement and change - evaluation is needed. What we saw on Sunday night was not disappointing, but outright embarrassing. Also yes, gone are the days when the game flooded your television screen at a respectable 6:30pm on NBC, and you were wowed by the athleticism and star power of the first half of the game, and treated to what felt like the world's best players playing pickup basketball on the grandest stage.  Now? Not so much. So yeah, we got the message. The outrage - and shock TV and hot t
Recent posts

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 3/17/24

3 Up 1. Virginia Ends Legacy Admissions - There is the obvious on this, right? Like, why is this even a thing to begin with? I'm very curious to see the effects of this in Virginia. For all of the discussion on race-equity-based admissions, and affirmative-action measures, legacy admissions have long gone without scrutiny.  2. Kyrie Irving Buzzer-Beater - Look, this is at #2 for mere appreciation of basketball - at the purity and poetry of it. Irving, arguably the most skilled player ever (despite his actions and your opinions of him) hit a game-winning left-handed (!!) hook shot from 16 feet out to win a game. It's simply unreal. It's a thing of beauty (and such difficulty!).  I'm headed out to the driveway to try it - we all know you will too.  3. COVID Anniversary - Ah yes, we'll continue to remember mid-March for COVID. But let it now steer you away from other thoughts on how the world was reduced to essentials. Let's never lose that outlook.  3 Down 1. Bo

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 3/10/24

3 Up 1. Wrongly Convicted Man Released - A wrongly convicted man was released in Philadelphia after 30 years -30 YEARS! Each time there is a story like this I am filled with many emotions. But the biggest one is that I'm happy to see justice done correctly. Peace be to that man.  2. Caitlin Clark Effect - Clark continues to scorch the sports world as the Big Ten Championship (in which Clark participated) garnered the highest ratings for a regular season women's basketball game. I really can't wait to see what she does this season with the Indiana Fever.  3. Instagram/Facebook Outage - It was for a mere few hours. But you know what? It was glorious. Remember the world before social media? Ahhhhhh, reality... 3 Down 1. Biden vs. Trump II - Well, now it's official after Nikki Haley officially suspended her campaign. It's the most inevitable (and possibly unwanted) rematch in the history of anything. It really does beg, can we not do better?  2. Haiti Gang Violence - Ha

Give Me A Vision: Thoughts on Current NWA Product

Who is the audience for the NWA?  That's a recurring thought for me after attempting to give the National Wrestling Alliance another shot with its change to the CW App.  We all know the product's reputation and common critique - it was fascinating and promising before COVID-19 dropped an elbow drop the likes it has yet to recover from. There was some intriguing talent, a notable and credible world champion, a catchy theme song, and a comfortable niche and presentation that separated the product from everything else.  The NWA captured right out of the gate quite possibly what Billy Corgan and his vision set out to do - capture the past with a blend of the current. Or...that's what the NWA is supposed to be. Right?  Quite frankly, the NWA is the historian's historian's nostalgia. Many pro wrestling fans under the age of forty recall WCW, ECW, and the days of Stone Cold smashing beer cans as the "good ol' days", while the NWA is for a generation that'

Dome Pondering Movie Review: The After (2023)

What is it about? In a short film, a grieving man confronts his past when he comes face-to-face with a passenger.  Who is in it? David Oyelowo - Dayo Jessica Plummer - Amanda Amelie Dokubo - Laura  Favorite Scene: It's an extremely short film, so...the final few moments.  Favorite Quote:  None. (not much dialogue) Review: This eighteen-minute masterpiece is amazing. You're absolutely taken on this ride of emotions that ultimately leaves you with a great realization of questioning what we value in life.  The lead character, in eighteen minutes, is powerful. His grief is carried through the film, exploding at the end. It very much leaves the viewer with so many questions - what was his life before the tragedy? What was his life after that moment? Did he ever reconnect with that family? Did he rediscover happiness?  Again, a very, VERY, powerful eighteen minutes that will jolt the heart, mind, and soul about life, what is important, and what we overvalue in its place.  Grade: 4/5

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 3/3/24

3 Up 1. COVID-19 - Oh hey! Remember this ol' pandemic virus? Most of us have put COVID-19 far behind us. However, updates such as the United States population is 98% immune and that the CDC now recommends lesser and looser restrictions for infected individuals is a far road from just four years ago. Regardless of how you feel about the virus, we've come a long way.  2. $1 Billion Donation - A lot of billionaires do some wacky stuff. Ruth Gottesman did something really cool here. She helped give four-year students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine free tuition. Pretty cool.  3. Sting Retirement - 40 years of pro wrestling for Sting. It's been a great ride for Sting, carving out one of the most interesting legacies in the industry without relying so much on company backing. Farewell, and thanks for the memories.  3 Down 1. Gaza Attack - So unfortunate to see the ongoing attacks in Gaza. Hundreds were injured and/or killed this week just standing and waiting for aid.

Quick Ponder: Parenting, Mentally

Always,  in a state, of sacrificing for the best,  neverendingly, worrying about the worst,  with moments in between. That's where I mentally live.  Parenting.  Always. 

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 2/25/24

3 Up 1. Odysseus Spacecraft - It's pretty cool that the United States is landing on the moon again. Unlike the first time where it gripped the nation, this story feels rather niche. Regardless, still very cool.  2. Beyonce - First black woman to top the country chart. Read that again. That's so awesome. And just another nod to Beyonce's legendary career. 3. Ashwath Kaushik - Imagine being 8 years old and defeating a Chess grandmaster? That's what Kaushik did becoming the youngest player ever to do it. Imagine that? Eight years old!  3 Down 1. National Shortage of Teachers - We are already seeing the teaching profession taking a hit regarding interest and quality. Now, the dilemma gets more complex as more and more teachers are taking advantage of their vacation and sick days, combined with a shortage of substitute teachers.  When I was growing up, subs really had it tough. I can't even imagine what it is like now.  2. Femicide in Kenya - The nation of Kenya is unde

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 2/18/24

3 Up 1. Beyonce Country Music - Bey Bey is sure to annoy a lot of people with the release of several country songs that will climb the charts. The question looking forward will be if "Country America" will accept it. If they do, The Queen is about to add to her legacy for sure.  2. Caitlin Clark Breaks Record - Well, she did it. And she did it with quite the shot. Clark is box office and is quickly becoming one of the biggest attractions in basketball. I just don't see how Clark leaves Iowa for the WNBA, and the awaiting Indiana Fever.  3. Jenny Cavnar -  The Oakland A's appointed Cavnar as the first female primary play-by-play announcer. That's really cool. The A's are an absolute mess. This, is definitely a win for the franchise One of the few they'll get this year. Yeah, I went there... BTW - I'm hoping they stay in Oakland.  3 Down 1. Chiefs Parade Shooting - Guns, guns, guns. Can't enjoy anything, anymore.  2. Kelvin Kiptum Dies - The world re

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Don't Look Up (2021)

What is it about? Two astronomers discover a meteor that is projected to smash into Earth and attempt to warn the world of the impending doom. The attempt leads to a giant media tour and various societal hurdles.  Who is in it? Leonardo DiCaprio - Dr. Randall Mindy Jennifer Lawrence - Kate Dibiasky Meryl Streep - President Orlean Cate Blanchett - Brie Evantee Favorite Scene: The initial scene of Randall and Kate meeting President Orlean in the Oval Office.  Favorite Quote: We really did have everything, didn't we? I mean, when you think about it. Review: Don't Look Up has been on "My List" for a long time. I finally got around to watching it and it very much lived up to the hype. The film is funny, with lots of talent, and of course, carries a profound and thoughtful outlook on life. The overall concept of a meteor hitting Earth is drastic, but it's the silly, yet, very real outlook of everyone being concerned with everything else that makes the film so profound.