May Day 10

I think all streaming is now the best option. You get ala carte for the most part, and the cost is less. The last hold-out at this point is sports and their blackout restrictions. You have internet (which you likely pay for anyways). Buy a Fire Stick Hulu Netflix Prime (which most people have) HBO Go (if you want all HBO content) Disney Now to be released in the fall if you have kids Youtube TV. I think the model of paying $300-$400 for the package is too high of a price point, and perhaps the next provider and/or NFL can use their imagination and break it up. Pay per game, per week, per team, whole season, add-ons, etc.

It is silly to think the NFLPA can withstand any lengthy work-stoppage. The NFLPA base is too big, earning windows are too small. You have a lot of guys who like to collect all sorts of expensive cars and such and, frankly, aren't great at future financial planning. They prefer to maintain their lifestyle unimpeded. Do we believe Marcel Dareus gives any care about what the rookie wage scale will be in 2025? Maybe well off guys like Brady, Brees, Gore, etc would be willing to take one for the future.... but I also have doubts those guys may essentially be willingly ending their careers by waiting out a long work stoppage. On the other side, you have 32 multi-billionaires who have revenue and interest pouring in from other ventures (and their Franchise values appreciate by the month)...

I dread when I go to the bathroom somewhere and there is a bathroom attendant.

I havent seen anything past 2.... actually I think I saw the 3rd one, but recall nothing from it. Why dont they pass the torch from Arnold to some other strong-man who is a bit more contemporary and well.... not elderly. Like The Rock or Roman Reins or something

Its a decent enough song for a 90s jukebox type of deal.... but nothing I really hold in that high regard.

I saw someone did a flying kick into the back of an elderly Schwarzenegger and he barely budged. Lol Edit: here. https://deadspin.com/man-dropkicks-arnold-schwarzenegger-screams-help-me-1834867847

I really hope so. It needs to. If things don't improve, things are going to come to a head with Eichel and Reinhart, and Dahlen will be stunted a bit.

Yet the sabres display the same issues after oreilly.

I'm actually not too low on Thompson yet. He has size and skill that cannot be learned. I dont think he is a slam dunk, but Im not counting him out either.

we have no idea if Montour will be good or not. Everyone was fist pumping about Scandella too and he is terrible. Montour apparently is not a good player with the analytics/advanced stats crowd. I hope he pans out to an above average 2nd pairing D-man. The decisions made by this team though give me little faith. Either way, I dislike the Kane and OReilly trades. IMO, Kane should have been traded in the Summer or in the Fall when he got off to the hot start. There were more buyers and it would have been proactive. Instead they waited to the deadline and their hand was forced, while the Rangers got one over by dealing Nash earlier for a better return. OReilly. Yeah, that trade has been beaten to death and goes without saying. No idea why the Sabres are continually in a mode to accept other teams' roster and cap garbage.

Shouldnt we include Guhle as well as he was traded along with that pick?

when I watched wrestling, the 24/7 hardcore belt was one of the best things going. It definitely got old after awhile, but it held up long enough And yeah, it was Crash Holly declaring he would take on all comers at any time.

I didn't care so much about the night king's backstory other than what was given. As per the books, white walkers just basically hate everything with warm blood in it and hate fire and warmth and want to extinguish it all. I didnt like how swiftly the white walkers/others were dealt with at the first human resistance. It was just too easy for a threat that was pushed as being bigger than titles. The books will almost certainly be different in that realm? They have not established that kill the white walker who made the wights and the wights die thing. In fact, there is an incident where a guy dies from a white walker, Sam kills the white walker, then the wight later comes for Sam/Gilly/baby. So we will see.

Wasnt the other three eyed raven like 1000 years old? Or was that because he was grafted to the weirwood roots?

He did that as part of a command from his superior to do everything asked of him in order to maintain his cover. He needed the wildlings to believe he turned his cloak. He resisted as long as he could, and (in print form) was extremely conflicted and beat himself up pretty bad... but also really enjoyed the 'company' of a woman. I wouldn't be shocked for him to rigidly maintain his vow and not reproduce.

i would assume Jon confesses because he is honest to a fault. Even with Drogon, he was standing there waiting to accept the punishment

lake placid/high peaks

That was perhaps the happiest conclusion for Jon Snow. He seemed to be the happiest with Ygritte and beyond the wall (other than tweaking out about his honor). He didn't want to lead, he stated it multiple times. He would have been miserable as King or King in the North. As far as the Dothraki and Unsullied. They had numbers and were threatening war, which gives them say. Both groups are fierce warriors and the 7 Kingdoms was probably left with the dregs of fighting men.

I agree with this Most of the major plot points are fine.... but the build up and context has been hollow.

I guess its possible his sense of what his duty is changed while watching the attack on kings landing. I'm thinking he will probably sacrifice himself to eliminate dany and/or drogon, thus eliminating the targaryen line. I think it will almost certainly conclude with 7 kingdoms.

I have read the books... some of them more times than Id like to admit. I feel a strong attachment to the story, world, and characters.... I don't know.... I guess I'm at the place where I consider the screen and print versions separate. I have faith that (if he finishes) GRRM will better develop a lot of things that 'bother' me. I watch the show, and I'm like.... "OK, this is their version". While I have plenty of criticisms, I dont think anything is a 'story killer' or even close to that. It is still a great show, even post-book content. I am also used to watching adaptations of Stephen King's books. Im used to about a 1 out of 10 on the scale of quality adaptations.

I was on the Forum of Ice and Fire early in the week and was taken aback by the seemingly unanimous venom towards the show. I have been critical, and feel a definite downgrade the past 2 seasons... but there is still more good than bad. For example, I did not like Dany's character progression to be compelled to perform those actions in S8, E5... but regardless, the thing was visually spectacular.

Please, no more reviewable plays

Damphair wasnt a competitor. He was/is a prophet who doesn't want Euron to sit the Seastone Chair because he is not a holy man/doesnt worship the Drowned God (and his crew is filled with mute mongrels from all over the world). I like Damphair's character (although many see him as dull) Victarion, the other brother, who was the commander of the Iron Fleet, was the primary contender for the Seastone Chair. Asha/Yara was another competitor (while Reek/Theon is out there with technically the best mainland law claim). They skipped right over the Griff/Jon Connington and Young Griff/Aegon storyline, and I can see why (unless this proves to be some major shift in plot in the Winds of Winter). This was part of the cumbersome 'bulk' that was added in Dance With Dragons that is probably the reason we have an 8 year delay (so far) between books.

I agree with this 100% Yes, we all know the Targs have a history of some eccentric members. None so much mass murderers, but crazy, like drinking wildfire to see if they turn into a dragon. Dany did some harsh things, but as mentioned. Every leader in this story does harsh things, and there was a level of justice or survival connected to each act. Her advisors were drawn to her cause because she showed signs of being grounded and righteous, like Rhaegar. They weren't constantly parrying her impulses to burn people. In fact, she was getting counselled to act in a much more draconian fashion to deal with The Sons of The Harpy and she refused. She was actively protecting people, freeing slaves, and even chained her own 'family' up because a child was killed. Her story arc from S1, E1 to S8, E3 was a different arc than S8 E4 and 5 and it feels very disconnected. Something as significant story-wise as her turn should have been better nurtured over time. It would have enhanced the story a great deal if we had a clue that there was an internal conflict going on, and we were always hoping "good" Dany prevailed and had a nice ending for the character. The ringing of the Bells would have been a profound climax. I could even imagine a bottle episode dealing with Dany's internal conflict sometime over the past 2 seasons would have been amazing. Im not 'shocked' or upset the story went this way. Looking forward to GRRM painting the picture. However, Dany was very poorly developed with this.