NERDS AROUND TOWN
Nerds Around Town: Lady Thor, Madden and farming
Jul 31, 2019, 6:51 am
NERDS AROUND TOWN
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!
This week continues on and we're already at Wednesday, let's get them!
Make sure to get over to The West Bar and Grill on August 4th. They are supporting 13yr old Kobee Cohen, who having previously defeated Rhabdomayosarcoma recently suffered a return of the disease and now it is in his brain. Looking towards hospice care, the family needs financial aid and support during this difficult time. There will be a raffle and donations for the raffle are still being accepted, everyone is welcome to attend and I'm encouraging them to do so!
Farming Simulator 2019 Platinum edition has been announced for the fall. You can now control over 35 different vehicles and there are now even more ways for you to tend to your crops. This gaming franchise has been a slow rolling hit for a really long time and over the last four years has really picked up steam. I know right now there are some of you reading this and thinking there's a punchline coming but there isn't. The whole idea of a farming simulator seems like the antithesis of everything that is gaming, but in actuality it's proof that gaming is whatever you want it to be in the comfort of your home in front of your PC, X Box, PS, Switch or cell phone. It's just weird to think that this many people get excited about the idea of being a farmer, but then again, for some of these people this may be their only way out of large crowded cities full of things and people they don't like. This is their escape, farming. I guess.
So one of the big announcements coming out of Comic Con was the announcement of Thor: Love and Thunder which has Natalie Portman returning and becoming Thor. This is all great news and very exciting stuff, Lady Thor is one of the best new ideas Marvel had possessed and executed in a while with the writer Jason Aaron nailing that whole storyline. Another interesting bit about the movie is it sounds like Valkyrie will be in search of a Queen to rule along side her in her newly appointed role of King of Asgard, and Jaime Alexander, known in the Marvel universe as Lady Sif has thrown her hat in the ring. That would be a great way to bring all of this full circle if now Sif and Valkyrie were ruling Asgard when in the beginning they both served other rulers of Asgardian lore. This next phase of Marvel is so exciting for all the unknowns circling around everything.
Madden is regularly a discussion among the NFL during this time of year as the game is slated to be released soon and lots of people have questions about ratings and things of that nature and the players react accordingly. It brings up an interesting issue, so teams like the Cardinals are coming into this year with very low ratings both offensively and defensively. So overall none of these players can feel all that great about their chances this season, I mean we all know Madden has a level of accuracy to it. Athletes are driven in part by an internal ego that says they are better than everyone else and everyone else doubts them and hates them. It's their job to turn that into fuel for the fire, but how do you do that if you can't get the engine revved up at all? How do you convince yourself you're better than everyone else when they literally have every component of your game broken down and rated and they say, "yeah you're not that good." That's an impressive level of delusion.
So one of the things I do is host a radio show. I've had several business ventures over the years that involve radio airtime, for example I once owned an internet radio station and was selling airtime to shows. Several people accused me of "payola" because they have no idea what that word means. For those who don't know, many radio stations sell their air time, just like television stations sell their airtime, just like advertisers buy billboards at sporting venues, there is money in entertainment and sports, ok? The point of this rant though is that people have no idea what is illegal or legal and it always blows my mind. People getting up in arms about a bathroom bill, don't realize we don't have a bathroom law now. If a man uses a women's restroom right now it isn't a crime it's just inappropriate. People who are calling the immigrants law breakers don't know how Asylum works and that for many of these people it's legal for them to come here and request Asylum, it's an internationally recognized right. What blows my mind is people are so quick to be Monday Morning Prosecutor but have no basic understanding of what is or isn't even legal or illegal.
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.
Despite a last-minute comeback attempt by Gonzaga on Saturday, the Cougars defeated the Bulldogs and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight NCAA Tournament.
Houston will face the No.4 seed Purdue, who made it to the championship game last year.
The Boilermakers will be one of the toughest opponents the Cougars have faced thus far and will essentially have the home-court advantage with the game taking place in Indianapolis.
Despite the daunting matchup on paper, Houston is currently an -8.5 favorite to win this game. The Cougars should be able to handle Purdue so long as their offense stays hot and they continue to play defense at an elite level.
Keep the offense flowing
Houston guard LJ Cryer matched a career-high with 30 points against Gonzaga and has been the offensive focal point of this team.
This season, the Baylor transfer has averaged 15.6 points per game and has stepped up to be one of the unquestioned leaders of this team.
In addition to Cryer, the Cougars have Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, who can carry the offensive load as they did during the Big 12 Tournament and against SIUE on Thursday.
J’Wan Roberts is another key factor for Houston’s success. The senior forward seems to have recovered from his ankle injury and has been a productive player since returning to the lineup.
Roberts leads the team in rebounds and is one of the most efficient scorers for the Cougars, averaging more than 50% from the field over his last five seasons.
Houston’s dynamic offense and elite defense makes this team one of the toughest to beat during the tournament.
Containing Purdue’s stars
The Boilermakers have two proficient scorers on their team, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith, who each average over 15 points per game.
Kaufman-Renn scored 22 points in his previous game against McNeese State and has been one of Purdue’s best players for most of this year.
Roberts and Joseph Tuggler will likely be assigned to the junior forward to slow down his offense, forcing his teammates to step up.
Smith is Purdue’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16 points per game, and has the most assists and steals for the Boilermakers this season.
Both Uzan and Cyrer, who have been elite parameter defenders, will cover the Purdue guard and limit his production.
Containing both Kaufman-Renn and Smith will be Houston’s top priority and the key to come away victorious.
Play Cougar basketball
Head coach Kelvin Sampson has now made it to at least the Sweet 16 six consecutive times and has his team well-positioned to make another deep tournament run.
Since arriving in Houston, the 69-year-old coach has turned this program from an afterthought to one of the best basketball teams in the country year after year.
Sampson’s key to his success is instilling a defensive-first mentality into his team and getting the best effort out of his players.
This season is no different, as Houston has the number-one ranked defense in the nation and is holding their opponents to 58.4 points per game on average.
If the Cougars can create consistent offense and continue playing defense at an elite level, they should win this game with ease and advance to the Elite 8 for the first time in three years.
The Houston-Purdue game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday at 9 pm. The winner will play either Kentucky or Tennessee in the next round.