THE NERD REPORT
Nerds around town: Comicpalooza, Spider Man and the XFL
May 7, 2019, 7:03 am
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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!
Tuesday is upon us people, lets make sure we go out of our way to crush this week. It's the first full week of the month and here is where you hit quotas and achieve goals.
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
So for my spotlight this week I'm focusing on a charity that I've partnered with, Crits for Cancer. They are awesome, you have to check these guys out. They're nerds with hearts of gold and they are raising money to help people with cancer handle the financial situations that come up from being sick because we live in a very weird place when it comes to health. #NerdsUnite
COMICPALOOZA WEEK
That's right, this week is a big deal. Comicpalooza is this week and honestly I'm pumped. Today we're going to focus on the panels. There are all kinds of panels for all kinds of different things whatever your interest may be. If you're into cosplaying, or Doctor Who, or making comic books or hosting a podcast/radio show *AHEM* there are panels for you to go to and pick the brains of people who are in the boat that you want to be in. It's an awesome experience and one I highly recommend, coming up in the convention scene I had sat in many panels and then with the success of Nerd Thug Radio I now have the opportunity to host panels, last year we hosted three panels, two on podcasting and one on wrestling. This year we are booked to host three more panels, a podcasting 101 panel on Friday, a podcasting 102 panel on Saturday and a wrestling panel on Sunday. It's always a lot of fun and a big honor to talk to people and help them understand the things that are holding them back from going after something they really want. So this year, check out some of the panels, maybe even come say hi and let me know you enjoy the blog.
DID YOU SEE THAT?!
The second trailer for Spider Man Far From Home dropped yesterday and holy moley, yeah I said it, holy moley. This is the first time they can show some of their post Endgame "cards" and the reality is things just got very interesting. Picking up where Endgame left off for our young Spidey, he's mourning the loss of his mentor and like third father figure at this point, Tony Stark and coping with the fact that the world needs an Iron Man. This leads to Mysterio being from another dimension, say what? I wonder how much of that is accurate, how much of this is misdirection? The reason I say that is because illusion is Mysterio's bag. He literally tricks you into seeing things that aren't real and makes you believe things that aren't true. So is he really from another dimension? We'll see. Also, the title is now even better. Far from home, cause he might go to another dimension. Awesome.
EQUALITY FOR ALL
Riot Games, the maker of League of Legends, one of the biggest competitive video games created is struggling with a massive employee problem. It's being sued by several former employees for violating gender discrimination laws and gender pay gap laws in California, this is important for tons of reasons. The first one is that women in video games are super important, it's important to make sure the girls who want to create and build just like the other nerds are allowed to and treated fairly and before this devolves into backwards conversations about what's right and not right let me make this super simple, if your daughter came home from school tomorrow and said the teachers gave her less time to eat lunch than the boys because boys are big and tough and girls are sweet and dainty, you'd be mad. So apply that rule to the rest of the world and you suddenly understand fairness in the workplace. The employees are so upset not only by the issue but also by an apparent move by the employer to force arbitration on the issue citing an agreement all new employees signed losing their ability to sue even in the face of basic fairness discrimination practices, current employees staged a walk out yesterday in solidarity of the former employees and out of embarrassment in how their employer has handled things thus far. This is a fascinating story, stay tuned.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
The XFL announced a crazy set of television agreements yesterday with just about everyone, including ESPN, ABC, Fox and anyone else who would take them. Some people may be wondering why? They may be saying, but the AAF failed, so why do this again? The truth is, that's not really the case. The AAF didn't fail so much as someone bought in mid season and took advantage of the deal he made to acquire technology that the league was developing. I know that sounds like a plot to a Bond movie, but it's the truth. The reality of all this is very simple, the AAF was working on sports tracking real time data based software that they thought in time would help make the NFL analytics better and perhaps had some betting implications. The guy who bought them saw something that the gambling industry will have a lot of interest in, and that industry is a couple billion dollars a year. So forget being a minor league NFL, be the app that all gamblers need to win. Fast forward to Vince McMahon and honestly I think this will work, the AAF had decent television numbers before people realized the quality of the football was lacking. If the XFL takes the time to let coaches coach and players learn the plays, there's a good chance this league could be something much better than people are expecting. We'll see.
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 $.50 from every shirt is donated to a good cause or listen to Nerd Thug Radio or support our Patreon Page. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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A new challenge awaits, and the Astros know what’s at stake
Jun 27, 2025, 2:05 pm
The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the Philadelphia Phillies. They sent a message.
In three tightly contested games against one of the best teams in baseball, the Astros leaned on their elite pitching and timely offense to secure a statement sweep. Hunter Brown was electric in the finale, shutting down the Phillies’ lineup and showing the kind of dominance that’s become a defining feature of his game. Bryan Abreu slammed the door with four strikeouts to close out the win, and rookie Cam Smith delivered the deciding blow — an RBI single in the eighth to drive in Isaac Paredes, lifting the Astros to a 2-1 victory.
It wasn’t a series filled with offensive fireworks, but that’s exactly the point. Both teams sent out top-tier pitching throughout the series, and Houston was the team that kept finding a way. For much of the season, the Astros’ inconsistent offense might’ve been a concern in a series like this. But this time, it felt different. The bats showed up just enough, and the pitching did the rest.
Now, with Houston on pace for 96 wins at the halfway point, the question becomes: Is the league officially on notice?
Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is certain, the Astros have the third-best record in baseball, they’re 17-7 in one-run games, and they’re playing with the kind of rhythm that’s defined their near-decade of dominance. Unlike last year’s uneven campaign, this version of the Astros looks like a team that’s rediscovered its edge. Whether or not they need to take care of business against the Cubs to validate it, their recent run leaves little doubt: when Houston is clicking, there are very few teams built to stop them.
Off the field, however, a bit of long-term uncertainty is starting to creep in. Reports surfaced this week that extension talks with shortstop Jeremy Peña have been put on hold as he recently signed with super-agent Scott Boras. The combination has led many to wonder if Peña might follow the same free-agent path as Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and others before him. Boras clients rarely settle early, and Peña, now one of the most valuable shortstops in the game, could command a price tag the Astros have historically avoided paying.
If Peña and even Hunter Brown are likely to get priced out of Houston, the front office may need to pivot. Isaac Paredes could be the most logical extension candidate on the roster. His approach — particularly his ability to pull the ball with authority — is tailor-made for Daikin Park and the Crawford Boxes. Last year, Paredes struggled to leave the yard at Wrigley Field, but in Houston, he’s thriving. Locking him in long term would give the Astros offensive stability and the kind of value they’ve typically targeted.
As for Cam Smith, the breakout rookie is far from free agency and will remain a cost-controlled piece for years. That’s exactly why his contributions now, like his clutch eighth-inning knock to beat Philadelphia, matter so much. He's one more reason why the Astros don’t just look good right now. They look dangerous.
And the rest of the league is starting to feel it.
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.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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