NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: Direct TV vs. Disney, NFL is going crazy and great commercials
Sep 18, 2019, 7:23 am
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 and Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
GOOD DEED OF THE DAY
This Saturday at 6 p.m. there's a walk to raise funds to cure Melanoma, called the Steps For Melanoma Walk. Check it out, look it up and donate or participate.
A GREAT DIVIDE
WWE is gearing up for its next chapter, with Smackdown moving to Friday's on Fox soon and they're talking about doing another draft and this time, not allowing for wildcards. So on Smackdown and Raw will be two distinct rosters with no cross over and no bleed over. There will be no "whoa what is so and so doing here" moments, they are basically creating three wrestling shows (once you factor in NXT on USA Wednesdays) and now there will be three separate brands. I don't know that splitting the baby so to speak, is a good idea.
AS THE NFL TURNS
Man this year has been crazy! We're down seven starting quarterbacks already, Andrew Luck, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Sam Darnold then Trevor Siemian and now Cam Newton is day to day, but beyond that two teams are historically bad, one on purpose it looks like, The Dolphins and the Jets on accident. They paid a lot of money to Leveon Bell and they still aren't sure what the heck they're doing out there. They looked awful against the Browns. Adam Vinatieri is talking about demons in his head after missing seven kicks in three games and we haven't even gotten to Antonio Brown. Honestly, what's next? The NFL has been fascinating and also my fantasy team sucks.
DIRECT TV VS DISNEY
It appears this month may be the last month that ESPN and the rest of the Disney family might be on Direct TV. ESPN has been putting info on their bottom line asking viewers to call Direct TV and complain, so Direct TV has started blacking out the ESPN bottom line when it mentions them. This is a crazy war between two very large entities, but let me be very clear. If Disney walks from Direct TV, I cut the cord. That simple.
NOT THAT YOU ASKED
So while watching Smackdown, I noticed something odd, first an AEW wrestling TNT channel ad on the USA network WWE show. If TNT did that on purpose that is some great strategic ad buying during Smackdown. Also during USA's airing of Smackdown there was a commercial for Peacock, NBC's upcoming streaming service. There will literally be a streaming service from all sides. You will pick and choose and be miserable and lament your choices all the time.
Feel free to check out my brand new comic book Another Day at the Office or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help people struggling with 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!