THE NERD REPORT

Nerds around town: Comicpalooza, Thrones, Rockets

Cory De La Guardia
May 9, 2019, 6:22 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 Thursday and I don't know if you can tell but this is one of those times I am genuinely happy for the weekend because guys, this weekend is COMICPALOOZA!

GOOD DEED OF THE DAY

Today on reddit there was an Ask Me Anything from a 17 year old girl who has twice had to deal with the effects of fighting cancer. Stuff like this just breaks my heart and frustrates me to no end, kids with cancer? Like how does a family handle that? What wouldn't a parent do to save their kid, so now that you're thinking about that. Help Crits For Cancer help people in the battle against cancer. #NerdsUnite

COMICPALOOZA WEEK

There are so many great and fun things to do when you're at Comicpalooza one of the biggest things to partake in and enjoy is Artist Alley. Tons of great crafters and writers and artists set up shop in Artist Alley and are trying to make a living or supplement their living, selling art. Which honestly, is a pretty cool thing. You'll see all kinds of stuff there from all kinds of people, there are usually crafted goods like leather working and knitted things and there are self published books and indy comic books and music and small television shows and all kinds of assorted oddities to partake in. You can get commissions from artists, you can buy their prints, there are literally all kinds of things available and you won't find them anywhere else and that's the fun part. So seriously, go buy a weekend pass and check out Artist Alley.

GOING GREEN

Britain yesterday marked the first time since the industrial revolution that they had gone a week without using any coal to power their nation. That is an awesome and impressive step in the right direction and while it isn't perfect it absolutely should be celebrated. Last year renewable sources of energy were over 27% of how Britain got its power and natural gas was a little over 43% of how they got their power which is down 1% from the year before which also is a step in the right direction. They hope to be completely renewable powered by 2050 and honestly I hope it's sooner than that, I think if nations got serious about getting off of oil it would do several things. First of all it would take money and power out of the Middle East and OPEC, and if money and power drain from those areas than all of those people who are upset about "all these Muslim countries" well, most of those extremist religious regimes would go away because they are backed by oil. The thing that blows my mind, is even if you ignore the global warming component of all of this, people are getting mad and fighting against the concept of having an essentially free power grid. Let's say you hate everything "liberal" and are completely anti-"green" concepts, are you so against these things that you would rather pay a $200 monthly power bill every summer than just have free electricity or if not free then VERY cheap?

MAP OF THRONES

So I found something that's fun and worth a little bit of time to play with today if you have a few minutes to spare. It's an interactive map of the world of Game of Thrones and on it you can track the movement of your favorite characters by book or by episode. It's fascinating to see the distances some of these characters have traveled in this story, including Tyrion Lannister and Brianne of Tarth, if you think about it, Brianne has gone back and forth across the seven kingdoms like three times by this season. Have you ever done that? I know I haven't and to think she did it on horseback this whole time, not a plane or train in sight although she has seen a few dragons. It's really worth checking out and playing with for a few minutes, I recommend killing some time with it today.

NOT THAT YOU ASKED

The Rockets game last night was so frustrating. The Warriors lost Kevin Durant and we still couldn't pull ahead. We had a whole fourth quarter where we finally could control all the match ups and they still got ahead and stayed ahead. It was perhaps the most disappointing fourth quarter of the season, also why the heck aren't we fouling every possession with the last like 60 seconds to play down by four at one point? Foul, foul, foul and foul some more, put them right on the line and then get CP3 and Harden some shots behind the line or easy dunks to Capella. But you have to do something more than traps and lazy defense. That might have been the season right there and I am of the opinion that it is unlikely for the Warriors to get back to the finals, because it's just so impossible to go five straight seasons, remember no one has done that as a team, ever, but if we're going to quit like that then there chances increase significantly.

I'm going to jump out and wish you guys a great Thursday and remind everyone to be kind to each other and try a little harder to have a great day! I'm coming back Friday 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 or support our Patreon Page. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.

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Harden is first team All-NBA, but is there a problem with Paul?

Composite photo by Brandon Strange

James Harden was named first team All-NBA Thursday. The vote for him was unanimous as it was for Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will likely wrest the NBA MVP Award from Harden. It's Harden's fifth first team selection. Hakeem Olajuwon was named first team six times. LeBron James is the all-time leader with 12 first team selections, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant each made it 11.

Sounds as though Chris Paul may not have sent Harden congratulatory flowers or candy. It seemed weak of the Rockets to not hold customary exit interviews and media availability soon after their season ended. Some light may have been shed on that if the report is accurate that Paul had done some chafing over the extent of Harden's ball dominance (maybe more so after Harden's four fourth quarter turnovers in the game six capitulation vs. the Warriors?) and stand around nature of Harden iso-ball. That style coupled with the relentless heaving of three point shots generally served the Rockets well, but has its flaws. For years Paul was a brilliant and low turnover orchestrator of offense so some frustration for him is understandable. But with that, Paul needs to understand that he's not the player he used to be. It's the Rockets' problem that over the next three seasons they'll be paying Paul as if he's better than ever.

On the Astros

The Astros are a loaded team but certainly not perfect. General Manager Jeff Luhnow has no need to act now but things may be moving in the direction of him looking hard for a starting pitcher addition between now and July 31. Collin McHugh failed and is now injured. Josh James has been wild and shaky, Corbin Martin the same two starts in a row. Framber Valdez isn't very highly regarded, and Forrest Whitley has been awful in four straight starts at AAA. Any one of those guys could wind up stabilizing the fifth spot in the rotation. Or maybe it's an acquisition like the Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman.

After a disappointing series split with the White Sox the Astros spend a second consecutive weekend with the Boston Red Sox. Last weekend they took two of three at Fenway Park, without Justin Verlander pitching. If Tal's Hill still existed at Minute Maid Park, Tuesday night against the White Sox Verlander might have pitched his third career no-hitter. Verlander goes Sunday in pursuit of his ninth win already this season. He's 8-1 with a sparkling 2.24 earned run average. Verlander's career season to date is 2011 when as a Detroit Tiger he won 24 games (with just five losses) and posted a 2.40 ERA enroute to winning both the American League Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards. The Yankees Domingo German has come out of nowhere to be 9-1 with a sub-three ERA, but Verlander is well out front to win his second "Cy." That would go with his three second place finishes and one third place finish.

Verlander is now basically a surefire Hall of Famer on top of his game at age 36. Among the seven pitchers to win a "Cy" after turning 36, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is the "Wait. What is he is doing with these other names?" guy. The others are all 300 game winners, and except for Roger Clemens, all Hall of Famers. The Rocket won three Cy Young awards after turning 36, the last as an Astro when he was 43. Randy Johnson won four in a row STARTing when he was 36. The other golden relative oldies: Warren Spahn, Steve Carlton, Gaylord Perry, and Early Wynn.

Home run derby

The juiced baseballs are flying out of big league ballparks at a record rate this season. The Astros have certainly done their part, hitting 90 home runs in their 51 games. Their season homer pace is at 285. The 2017 World Series winning offensive juggernaut hit 238. The Yankees set the team season record last year with 267. The surprising Minnesota Twins belted eight homers Thursday in improving the best record in MLB to 33-16. The Twins have 98 dingers in 49 games. That's exactly two per game on average, meaning a season pace toward 324. The record for most homers allowed in a season is 258, by the Reds three years ago.The Orioles' atrocious pitching staff has already given up 107 home runs. That's on pace to give up 339. 339!

Boston common

The Stanley Cup Final starts Monday night with Boston against St. Louis. The Red Sox won the most recent World Series. The Patriots won the most recent Super Bowl. Go Blues! Um, that's St. Louis. Thank goodness the Celtics flamed out in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Buzzer beaters

1. Only a boob wouldn't have voted Harden first team All-NBA. 2.The two who voted Harden first All-Defensive team are no Rocket scientists. 3. Greatest scientists not named Einstein: Bronze-Pasteur Silver-Galileo Gold-Newton

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