NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: Archer's back, FXX's future, and delicious bread.
Jun 4, 2019, 6:34 am
ART BY JESUS RODRIGUEZ
Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio, Sports and Wrestling. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
Hey Nerds!
It's Tuesday, it's a great week and there's no reason not to knock everything out of the park this week.
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
Zoey's Angels is an amazing organization with a heartbreaking story and this Sunday they are hosting their 8th annual Family Fun Walk. An organization that centers around helping families deal with the horrific ordeal of having a baby stay in the hospital for a long battle after it's born and then pass. The family then has to deal with burying a little family member and also a ton of medical bills and Zoey's Angels helps with both. Obviously for many people this is an incredibly personal story and issue and is something that is absolutely devastating for families to go through and deal with, and to have an organization there to help support people is incredibly important. This is that opportunity to help this group raise funds to help families deal with this all year long. #NerdsUnite
ARCHER'S BACK
The new season of Archer debuted last weekend and it is freaking great! There is absolutely no way to complain about this show, they keep reinventing it and the cast every season these last few years and I think that's done a lot to keep it fresh. There's no getting around the reality that 10 seasons is a lot of anything and like most shows the old way of doing things can get stale so they've avoided that by changing stuff up as much as possible these last few seasons and I love it. This season it's become a science fiction show and the cast is in space and struggling to make it in a great big galaxy while also dealing with all the inappropriate relationships and issues this cast has always had. Overall it's a hilarious journey through some great adventures, check it out.
HIGHER PROGRAMMING
This overall brings me to what's next for FXX and FX in general after the Fox/Disney deal. So FXX and FX are more centered towards adults and adult programming and while overall it's easy to believe that Disney would greatly enjoy the prospect of having these added channels in their portfolio, it isn't clear if they have the stomach for it. Lewis CK famously chose FX over HBO for his comedy show a few years back because they gave him the exact deal he wanted, and Baskets with Zach Galifianakis is from a similar arrangement and while Baskets has worked out great the Lewis CK deal obviously became an issue down the road where while on hiatus he admitted sexual misconduct allegations against him were untrue and the network ended their relationship. While "family" television isn't exactly full of saints, at least their program content isn't in constant need of defense from various people and parties. Adult comedy takes risks and goes out on limbs to make comments about our society, and how long Disney is willing to let that limb linger is the interesting long term question for both FX and FXX.
KING'S HAWAIIAN
The sweet love affair with the bread that can't be put down continues, they wrote me back guys, they wrote me back. Stay tuned.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
Jared Kushner just did the season premiere of Axiom on HBO, it's a big picture journalism show where they try and really find the important parts of stories that people aren't talking about including things like global threats and the friction we have globally with China. They aren't a "gotcha" media by any means, but they aren't going to do a fluff piece on anyone they are going to push back on things that are issues. They spent a lot of time on Palestine and they spent a lot of time on the inappropriate relationship between "friends" and money and honestly Kushner doesn't change any minds in the interview but it all could have gone a lot worse. The one thing I do have an issue with though is his response on the Russia meeting in Trump tower was "I get 250 emails a day" but important people get a lot of emails, and it's their job to handle the information coming in and making decisions, also it said "Russia" in the subject line, so that should have gotten some focus from someone running a campaign. I just really didn't like that answer at all.
I'm going to jump out and wish you guys a great Tuesday and remind everyone to be kind to each other and try a little harder to have a great day! I'm coming back Wednesday and we'll be bringing more good times your way. Feel free to check out my digital short story The Wilson House or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help fight cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
The Houston Astros walked out of Phoenix with a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks, but the biggest win of the series might not have been in the standings, it could’ve been the emergence of their latest young spark plug.
Once again, the pitching carried the load. Brandon Walter continued his breakout season with another strong showing, and right now, he looks like Houston’s third starter if the playoffs began today. Behind him, Ryan Gusto and Colton Gordon have quietly helped stabilize a rotation ravaged by injuries. All three own ERAs under 4.5, a luxury the Astros couldn’t have anticipated heading into the year. Another thing they couldn't have anticipated was Lance McCullers' ERA this season being almost seven.
Walter’s rise comes at the same time the McCullers situation grows murkier. After starting the season late, he’s on the injured list again, this time with a blister on his pitching hand. Though the issue isn’t related to his arm, the “vibes” simply haven't been there. He’s struggled in four of his last five starts, and one wonders whether a "phantom" IL stint might be in his future, especially with Cristian Javier and Spencer Arrighetti progressing in rehab assignments. The roster squeeze is coming, and McCullers might not make the cut.
Crushing dingers!
Offensively, the conversation begins and ends with Brice Matthews. The first-round pick has quickly shifted from injury fill-in to potential staple, nearly winning the series by himself with three home runs across the first two games. His athleticism has popped in the field, and while contact concerns remain, the power and energy are real. Matthews is the only prospect of his pedigree ready to contribute, so the club made a wise decision to take a shot on upside, and Matthews delivered. That's why we were so emphatic about the Astros elevating Matthews. Get him in the lineup as a DH if you have to, whatever it takes, this offense needs pop. Then lo and behold, not only does he give the offense a lift, his defense also helped seal a win against Arizona.
Veteran slugger Christian Walker might be heating up too, posting a .348 average with three home runs and an .895 OPS in July. That’s a promising development, especially in a month when the Astros have flipped their typical formula. The pitching has been average — 18th in ERA, 18th in WHIP, 21st in opponent batting average — but the offense has been elite: top-five in slugging, OPS, and runs scored.
Injury bug
Still, questions persist. Chief among them is the health of Yordan Alvarez. His recent comments about his hand injury — specifically, his uncertainty and acknowledgement that rest hasn’t helped — were troubling. If surgery isn’t an option and time off isn’t working, what is the long-term solution? At this point, fans are right to worry about whether Alvarez will ever fully return to the dominant form he once showed.
Trade deadline
With the trade deadline one week away, general manager Dana Brown has to weigh all of this. The pitching could soon be bolstered by returns from the IL. But the offense, especially with no clear return dates for Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, Jake Meyers, and Isaac Paredes, might need immediate help. Despite the sweep, Houston scored just three and four runs in the final two games of the Diamondbacks series. If they’re serious about contending for a championship, another bat may be required. They'll see much better pitching in the postseason.
If the Astros do decide to add an arm, a power right-handed reliever could make sense. With Bryan Abreu the only truly dominant righty in the bullpen, a little late-inning muscle wouldn’t hurt.
Bottom line: the Astros are winning, and they're doing it in multiple ways. But with health concerns piling up and playoff positioning tightening, there’s still plenty of work ahead. Fortunately for Houston, they may have just found another foundational piece in the most unexpected place, a rookie who’s already changing the conversation.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
___________________________
*ChatGPT assisted.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!