Cable channels now produce better-scripted shows than the networks. USA has Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains and White Collar. FX has had The Shield, Rescue Me, Sons of Anarchy and Louie. Sy Fy has had all the Stargate shows, plus, Eureka, Warehouse 13 and the successful relaunch of Battlestar Galactica. AMC is also going strong with Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Not to mention all the programming on HBO, Showtime and now Starz in the past 7-10 years.
The Geico commercials with actor Mike McGlone (the guy with the slicked back hair, that asks if the ex-drill sergeant would make a good therapist, just to name one of many) really need to end. We loved the cavemen so much they got their own horrible, horrible show. We love the British, Australian, South African or whatever he is, gecko. I want that question answered...It drives me crazy. Hell, we even tolerate the stack of cash with the eyeballs. Do we really need a dude with a deep monotone in a suit asking hypothetical questions? Right, didn't think so.
I hanker for a hunk'a cheese...I just do.
X Games 16 starts/started (depending when I get around to publishing this) Thursday. I've been a huge fan since it started in my adoptive home state of Rhode Island. Most of the greats in all the disciplines of Skateboarding, BMX, Freestyle Moto and Rally car driving. We've seen major innovation in tricks and events. Things that were very difficult to land have become standard tricks over the years.
To go along with the X Games, ESPN is showing one of their great documentaries in the 30 for 30 series. Also, this series is the only reason to watch the channel these days. Thank you Bill Simmons for coming up with the idea. The Birth of Big Air is all about Mat Hoffman and premieres at 7 pm on Thursday. He's the Tony Hawk of Freestyle BMX. He's invented about 100 tricks in his career and has had enough injuries to make the toughest football player cry. Please check it out.
Cheers: This week's cheers go out to the Boston Red Sox for hanging tough through all their injuries. A very nice sweep of the Angels to cap off the road trip.
Also, the MLB Trade Deadline is upon us. There's just a couple of days to go, but it's always my favorite time of the baseball season, other than the playoffs.
Last, but not least, the Where Are They Now? issue of Sports Illustrated came out this week. My favorite issue of the year. I'm a history buff and I love learning about athletes.
Jeers: This week's jeers go out to the LA County Sheriff's Dept. for giving Lindsay Lohan special treatment and also for the fact that she'll only do 13 days of her 90 day sentence. It's just wrong.
The world would be a better place if we stopped creating fake celebrities. Jersey Shore, Real Housewives of Wherever and every other "scripted" reality show. I guess people really will do anything to be famous. So depressing...have some self-pride.
Until next week...take care of yourselves.