TV ALTERNATIVES
We've seen this episode of the Super Bowl before - Here's what else TV has to offer on Super Bowl Sunday
Stephen Uzick
Jan 26, 2018, 7:06 am
We all know how this Super Bowl ends. New England Patriots website
Raise your hand if this Super Bowl (can I say that here? Or do I have to say “Big Game?”) match up just doesn’t do it for you. Mine is up, actually both hands are – are yours? My guess is that they are.
People love to say that millennials are killing everything. Well as a millennial I can tell you that the Patriots are killing the Super Bowl. Last year the Patriots presence killed my interest in the game from a football perspective, but I watched because I wanted to see our city shine. This year, though, there is nothing to connect me to the game. Usually I am down to watch football no matter who is playing, but the Patriots just suck the fun out of it. Watching a Super Bowl with the Patriots is like watching a show in syndication. While I would love to be wrong, I am confident I already know the storyline. It's the same one that has been repeated in 71% of the Super Bowls the Patriots have played in with Brady and Belichick, and in 100% of the ones where the Patriots play anyone other than the New York Giants. In case you forgot it goes something like this:
Patriots get down early
Patriots gradually climb back in the game
Clock gets late in the game, opponent is still leading, you think “The Patriots might actually lose.”
Opponent makes bone-headed move
Patriots make incredible play
Patriots score go-ahead points with 2 minutes or less remaining
You feel like an idiot for actually thinking the other team might win
I can’t be the only one who has grown tired of this script right? I mean if I want to watch something where I know the evil empire is going to score a victory I may as well just watch The Empire Strikes Back for the 387th time. At least there are lightsabers and lasers in that. So with my interest being at an all time low, I began to wonder what else I could watch during the Super Bowl. Can the rest of TV provide anything more compelling? Here is what else is on during the Super Bowl:
NCIS, NCIS New Orleans, NCIS Los Angeles (CBS) – It’s an around the country NCIS marathon. I really know nothing about this show, but know it has been on forever and has spinoffs in pretty much every city. I am pretty sure it is based on some government law-enforcement agency, but I have never heard of the NCIS outside of this show. Why is that? Regardless, I’m sure even NCIS Salt Lake City is more interesting than the Super Bowl will be.
The Simpsons (Fox) – Usually a solid 30 minutes of entertainment. I admittedly have not watched in years, but when I did the writers always seemed to keep it fresh - something the AFC has been incapable of.
Animals With Cameras (PBS) – Just the title alone is enough to capture my interest. How do these animals acquire the cameras? Is this the beginning of the primate uprising?
Puppy Bowl XI (Animal Planet) – Always a solid choice during the Super Bowl. I bet this gets much better ratings than you’d think. I smell an Animals With Cameras cross-over episode opportunity.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Bravo) – You want drama, you want un-predictable, you want aggression, and you want rich people whining? Forget the NFL – this is your show.
Death Row Stories marathon (CNN) – Another show whose title draws you in. Probably not as fun as Animals with Cameras but I bet it sucks you in nonetheless.
Chappelle’s Show marathon (Comedy Central) – Of all the counter Super Bowl programming this may be the winner. I could watch this over the Super Bowl without a twinge of regret.
30 for 30 (ESPN) – “The U” episode. This was one of my favorite 30 for 30s, plus the promo song they ran with it was stuck in my head for months. I bet no less than five times you say “Oh yeah, I forgot he went to Miami.” I may actually DVR this to watch it again.
Jersey Shore marathon (MTV) – If Gronk isn’t playing you can always watch this to get your Gronk fix.
Air Disasters (Smithsonian) – If you never plan to fly again you may think about checking this out.
Law and Order SVU marathon (USA) – Always a go-to when there is nothing else on. Law and Order is one of those few shows that you can watch for days on end even if you have seen every episode four times. Since it does not appear there will be a new episode of the Super Bowl until Tom Brady retires you should probably just make Law and Order your rerun of choice on Super Bowl Sunday.
*Who am I kidding - I’ll probably watch, if for no other reason than it gives me an excuse to eat all the delicious crap people serve on Super Bowl Sunday.
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The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the defending champs this weekend, they changed the tone of their season.
Dominant pitching. Star power. Road swagger. The three-game dismantling of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine wasn’t about revenge or validation. It was about showing, once and for all, that this version of the Astros, short-handed and all, belongs squarely in the conversation with baseball’s elite.
A statement series
The Astros pitching staff was lights out against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, holding the Dodgers to just six runs across three games, including two contests where LA managed just a single run. Lance McCullers Jr., much-maligned after getting shelled by the Cubs last week, bounced back in a big way. He worked around four walks, giving up just one run on a solo homer, a much-needed course correction as the Astros evaluate their playoff rotation options.
On the offensive side, the stars delivered in a big way. Jose Altuve torched Dodgers pitching with three home runs, seven RBIs, two walks, and just one strikeout. Christian Walker matched him with six hits of his own, including a pair of long balls and six RBIs.
A shift in expectations?
This wasn’t just a series win. This was a proof of concept.
Houston came into the series already heating up, now they’re officially on fire. Over the last 30 days, the Astros rank third in runs and fifth in RBIs. For the season, they’re top 10 in nearly every key offensive category: eighth in OPS, first in batting average, ninth in slugging. Defensively, the numbers are just as strong. They lead MLB in strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, and rank second in WHIP.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team with top-five upside in both pitching and offense. The pieces are clicking. The vibes are real. And the Astros suddenly look like a legitimate World Series contender again.
Is help on the way?
Reliever Hector Neris rejoined the team this week, offering a veteran boost to a bullpen that’s been leaned on heavily. Neris brings postseason pedigree and a reputation as a clubhouse leader. The Astros hope a return to familiar surroundings, and the guidance of one of the best pitching development staffs in the league, can get him back on track.
Tayler Scott returns on a minor league deal, and while the move may not turn heads, it adds another layer of depth to a bullpen that’s already one of the league’s best.
Background noise in LA
No Astros-Dodgers series goes by without a little extra noise and this one was no different. During the broadcast, former Cy Young winner and Dodgers analyst Orel Hershiser raised eyebrows by implying that Houston’s offensive surge might not have been entirely on the level.
Predictable? Absolutely. Meaningful? Not even close.
If anything, it’s a weird kind of compliment. No one questions legitimacy when you’re losing. But after a lopsided 18-1 beat down people start reaching for answers, or excuses.
Inside the Astros clubhouse, though, that chatter doesn’t register.
They know exactly what this sweep meant. And so does the rest of the league.
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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