UConn James

He went to UConn back in the day (before the D-1 upgrade). From the evidence they've already released --- they haven't announced their recent evidence --- it looks like they got the right people. It's sick what some people will do for a little bit of money.

Doc Jensen's S5 wrap

That's kinda been the widespread running theory for ~ the past season and a half. Darlton said in an interview to be careful about jumping to conclusions, but I think the finale kind of cemented it. This speculation first started in S2 where we found out Bernard was white (b/c of the black and white stones found with the remains) and their storyline with Rose saying that she never wanted to leave the island and Bernard thence saying he wouldn't leave either. The finale shows them living out this intention. All goes back to what happened with the bomb, if it caused a time-travel to 2007 (I don't see how they won't do this), how far its effects are radiating.... Then again, they could pull a fast one and make it any combination of the love quadrangle that's been built up w/ Jack, Swayer & Kate, Juliet. Wouldn't that be something if the bones are Jack and Kate... who were the ones who discovered/investigated them?

+1 And then use the food bowl on Vick. Seriously, if we were to sign him I would burn all of my Bills paraphernalia and disown the team.

Week 1 Mon, Sep 14 @ New England Patriots* --- Loss Week 2 Sun, Sep 20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers --- Win Week 3 Sun, Sep 27 New Orleans Saints --- Win Week 4 Sun, Oct 04 @ Miami Dolphins --- Loss Week 5 Sun, Oct 11 Cleveland Browns --- Win Week 6 Sun, Oct 18 @ New York Jets --- Loss Week 7 Sun, Oct 25 @ Carolina Panthers --- Loss Week 8 Sun, Nov 01 Houston Texans --- Win Week 9 Sun, Nov 08 BYE Week 10 Sun, Nov 15 @ Tennessee Titans --- Loss Week 11 Sun, Nov 22 @ Jacksonville Jaguars --- Loss Week 12 Sun, Nov 29 Miami Dolphins --- Win Week 13 Thu, Dec 03 New York Jets (Toronto) --- Win Week 14 Sun, Dec 13 @ Kansas City Chiefs --- Win Week 15 Sun, Dec 20 New England Patriots* --- Loss Week 16 Sun, Dec 27 @ Atlanta Falcons --- Loss Week 17 Sun, Jan 03 Indianapolis Colts --- Loss

Right, the Ajira group. We didn't quite found out who they are, but they are friendly to the Others and Jacob. Ilana is working under Jacob, yet she does not know who Ben Linus is. That combined with the "What about me? >>What about you?" exchange gives me ideas. I'm thinking that Jacob never showed himself to Ben b/c he didn't see him as the Others' legitimate leader. In this way, he gives instructions for Ben to fulfill, but doesn't want to know him. No coincidence that Ben's and Locke's plotlines are similar in this way in the 'moebius strip' of S5 tracing closely with S2. But also, as Doc Jensen wrote, it seemed almost like Jacob was in on it... and let Ben kill him. Jacob has a bigger plan, that he formed in anticipation of his adversary's search for a "loophole" which involves those Losties that he touched in the flashbacks. Like the paragraph I quoted from it, the way Jacob said, "They're coming" and how Locke 2.0 got pissed at this bit of info... it's going to be awesome to see where this goes. Promo, if you want to be preemptively disappointed, go ahead. I just think it's a dumb way to take it. It's a story, they're telling it. We can come up with our own guesses, most of which will be wrong. Some things might not be explained, but it's like that in a lot of fiction and it's none the worse for wear. I have trust that they're going to end this in a really cool way. Has anyone heard if JJ Abrams intends to contribute toward the end of the series or is he going to continue to be hands-off and leave it to Darlton? Lapidus being a possible "candidate" is likely similar to how some of the Tailies were selected to join the Others. That bit about "Ricardus" was interesting. We badly need a real Richard flashback ep next season. Jacob's Tapestry.

I'm not sure. Even now. It would seem that it's debunked. But the question is, now that Jacob seems to be dead.... what happens? Does someone take over his role? There's more to it. And again, there's something to Jacob's touching those Lostaways. What was delivered in that touch?

I was also struck by the flashback we got of Jack's "5 seconds" story. He had spoken of it so highly in S1. It was like something that happened to him alone, and that it was his choice, his method to 'count to 5.' Instead, we find out that it was his father watching almost over his shoulder. That changed my impression of Christian. Early on, we were shown him at his worst and in later eps, he's come through as a better father than we've been shown or told.

Required reading --- EW: Doc Jensen's "The Incident" recap Also some interesting thoughts on the nature of Jacob, the identity of the statue, and his Jacob's Quibbles Theory.

I've yet to look to see what the tapestry read. Also, let me make note how strikingly similar Jacob's "tomb" layout was to Widmore's office. Yes? Locke was pushed out of the window by his father, shown in S3. The guitar case is another one of the Abrahms' "mystery boxes." We got no answers in regard to any of them.... Specifically, what the "magic box" is that Ben said, "whatever you wish for, when you open it, there it would be"; the box that Ben his in the motel vent; the contents of the guitar case.

Seems possible that... well, sh--, let's just call him "Jacob's adversary" has reanimated or possessed the bodies of numerous island-goers. He does this by way of the smoke monster which downloads their thoughts, etc. I'm going to make a list: Coffin Locke Christian (? or at least, one of the two Christians - suit / grunge) The Frenchies in the Temple who Rousseau shot. Yemmy, Eko's brother This may be how young Ben was saved (and also why he went to it to be judged) Alex It's questionable whether it really was Jacob's cabin. The "Help me" apparition looked much more like Jacob's adversary than Jacob. But to run with something similar here, what does Jacob's touch mean? Not for nothing that he poked Kate's nose or that he intentionally brushed fingers when handing the pen and Apollo bar, or Sun & Jin's and Locke's shoulders. But my question would be, why did Jacob bring Locke back after the fall if he knew that Locke would eventually be possessed and kill him? In the whole "Lost is a Game" theory, the rule may be that in each cycle, the players cannot kill each other. But the loophole might be that they can get others to kill their adversary for them. Well, let's be careful. Jacob did not say that the killing and fighting was progress. He said that there's only one end, and that everything that comes before that is progress. One end might be that there's only one Armageddon --- one final end. Each time an experiment is conducted isn't the End, it just means that one experiment/test failed; but there will be more experiments. As we all know, each experiment --- even, or especially, if it's a failure --- always brings the experimenter one step closer to finding what the answer really is. It appears like next season we will be finding out about the Black Rock. I don't expect it to be extensive. Looks like the statue was destroyed long before '77 and the bomb. Ben said this as well (I know, I know. The running wisdom is to take everything Ben says, flip it to its inverse and you'll have the truth.) Just the timing of it... was the 'electrical anomoly' finished when Juliet seemingly set the bomb off? Did the bomb go off or was it a time-flash? Don't be so fast to remove Juliet from the series. There's only 17 eps left. She may be absent for a while, but I don't think that was the last we're going to see of her. I refuse to believe that. How great was that scene, tho?

Thanks for the link. Yeah, it's like a repeating test of humanity. It's like a running feud b/w two brothers with completely opposite viewpoints of humanity. Jacob touches people to bring them to the island to see if people can redeem themselves. The black-clothed character is tired of the testing b/c no one ever passes. May not be good to attribute Jacob and black-robe man (could we call him Esau?) god-status. Jeez, this is going to be a lot to digest for the next 8 months. Yeah, that was awesome. I think that pretty much settles it for me that they are "Adam & Eve." I'd say that will be in episode 6.17. As for some other thoughts, it was strange seeing Ben being conned with the same motivations that he gave Locke to kill Anthony Seward, for Ben to kill Jacob. That he was just being used. Was also weird to see Ben actually be able to kill Jacob (and who can say for sure that Jacob is dead?), a being that seemed to have so much power to cure the sick, etc. It just gets into all of these sub-points of who caused what, who is one whose 'side', etc. I believe Jacob's "They're coming" refers to the '77 Left-Behinders, especially given Lindelof's interview stuff that the time-travel stuff is coming to a close in this ep.

With the glut of talent at the S spot (not to mention 'tweeners), keeping Wendling on almost solely for ST looks less likely. He had several nice plays, as I recall being "impressed with that Wendling kid." But it's a crowded house. Coy Wire was one of the leading ST guys and they cut him and plugged in someone else, and we hardly skipped a beat. I'm tempted to say that April's schemes are more important than the actual players. The importance of ST --- and especially tackling phase --- looks to be getting taken down a notch with the new rules disallowing return "wedges," more liberal definitions on return blocking penalties, or bunching for onsides kicks. We'll see on camp. Only the best 53 (+8 PS) survive the cutdown. The NFL seriously needs to increase the roster size by ~2-3 especially as guys are getting serious injuries from being overexerted, pressure to play hurt/concussed b/c a team is short on players, and as the league is looking to subtract preseason and add to the regular season next year.

Yuck it up, but, what's really the issue is How long are we going to continue with an outdated view of "race"? How long are we going to continue to treat select groups as different from everyone else where we all are obliged to check the little boxes of what sub-category we 'belong' to, as if we're checking off traits in a Linnaeus system classification? Not that "race" is really going to stand for too much longer. I think we're all going to be pretty shocked by what the 2010 Census says about this country and how much things have changed. Not only are the demographics changing, mixing and melanging... the attitudes about race are eroding. Scientifically, DNA analysis which shows that we are all a complete mix of "races." Younger generations are replacing the older and bringing totally different experiences and viewpoints. Why can't we really be colorblind and judge people solely "on the content of their character"? It may not be a perfect start, but fer chrissake we need to start. 'Will we burn in heaven like we do down here? ... Is there peace in the struggle to find the road to peace?' Well, people, Nov. 4 2008, we seem to have found pavement. Time for every man, woman and child to start walking for themselves. There are no excuses anymore. While we should all help each other along as we'd like to be helped, no one should be getting special privileges b/c of the color of their skin or what someone's great-grandfather did to someone else's great-great-grandfather.

Well, Desmond survived turning the key.... But then, there's the whole issue of Richard (c.2007) having said in "The Variable" that he watched Jack, Kate, Sawyer, et al die 30 years previous.

I missed most of the introductory scene with the two guys on the beach. %^&*ing antenna pointed toward Boston was cutting out (and people, I have a sweet antenna setup) and I had to manually switch to the Providence backup. Channel comes in fine every other time I have it on, worked all right during "A Journey Through Time" and it boinks out at ~9:02! Figures. I just had cut my toenails today, didn't I?! Bad things happen when I cut my toenails. The planes hit on 9/11, what was I doing at that exact moment? *Clip* The day my dog died last year. *Clip* There you go. So... A little help on what the dialogue was b/w Jacob and ?? Classic miss the beginning and you're %$^&ing screwed! What happened there? Even with all that.... HOLYSH--NOONEDOESFINALESLIKELOST! Instead of the fade to black ala Sopranos, we get a fade to white. And we can all guess 'til we're blue in the face but we have no idea what it means. Was the light reminiscent of what happened to Desmond when he turned the key? Was it a regular old nuclear explosion and everything's toast? Was what happened here "The Incident" and Dharma will build the Swan anyway, and what happened happened? Dr. Chang's hand would seem to suggest this. In the Doc Jensen link I provided above, Lindelof gave the cryptic, "This episode is going to be touching." And so, we find out that Jacob physically touches certain of the Lostaways. Let's see, there was Kate, Sawyer, Jack, Locke, Hurley ... and did he touch Juliet? I'm going to have to watch this again tomorrow. Really times like these I wish somebody made an (affordable) OTA-only DVR that's worth a damn. Anyway.... Is this like a "Tag, you're it!" kind of thing? Don't know about any of you, but I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, especially in the last hour. Kind of like watching Bills games back when we were actually good... but there's very little in the world of fiction that does that to me. I really would like an answer to that before I post much more.

Just goes into all the hooey of our social-construct astoundingly weak definitions of 'race' and our consideration of how important 'race' is. Then, the changing terminologies --- thanks to Jesse Jackson --- of what words describing 'race' ("Black" vice "African-American") are acceptable, then deemed patently offensive, then deemed preferable again in the span of 40 years. Technically, he's correct. Their beef with him is that he violated the spirit of the goings-on. They could have avoided that by asking a better-worded question of what they really want to know --- the big, fat matzo ball of "What color is your skin?" Everyone wanted/wants to dance around the heart of the matter.

No, he left '74 to go to Ann Arbor (Dharma HQ) to do "research." He then came back in '77 and was shot by his mother (as he himself was in her womb) in "The Variable." Daniel did not go someplace and return in 2004. Eloise leaves the island and has Daniel (not necessarily in that order, yet) in 1978 and raises him to be a brilliant physicist knowing that she's going to be sending him to be shot. Due to the time-travel, 1974-7 is the Left-Behinders' present. Daniel Faraday's timeline: 1978 - Born c.1987 - No time to play the piano anymore. You're becoming a physicist b/c it's your destiny. 1996 - Helps Desmond find (or, perhaps, become) a Constant at Oxford Sometime in-b/w - Experiments on himself and Teresa with the same machine he used on his rat 2004 - Widmore comes to temporally-displaced veggie-Daniel to get him to go on the freighter. Eloise Hawking encourages Daniel to go, knowing that her younger self will shoot him (but perhaps hoping that he can figure out something to do) Time-travel from 2004 to 1974 - Dan is going slightly batty b/c of Charlotte's death. 1974-1977 - Daniel goes to Ann Arbor to do "research." 1977 - Daniel returns to the island, tells Jack that each of them who time-traveled is like a free radical who can change history. But they can die permanent-like b/c this is their present --- it's not a matter that we know you're there c.2004 so everything will be all right. If nothing is changed in "The Incident," it's kind of like a loop, and you go back up to '1978' and it will always happen that way... Faraday will chronologically die before he's born. I don't know if I'm explaining this well enough. LOST Untangled - The Variable. This may help. Or not.

At 8 p.m., the season finale night commences with a retrospective titled "A Journey in Time" that looks back on the events of this season. LOST 5.16 & 5.17 - "The Incident Parts 1 & 2" - (ABC promo copy) In the Season 5 finale, Jack runs into stiff opposition to his plan to set things right on the island, while Ben gets a tough job assignment from Locke. Flashbacks focus on Kate, Juliet and Sawyer. EW: Doc Jensen - 'Lost' Going Out With A Bang? Really recommend Jensen's pre- and post- ep stuff. Here, he provides some speculation, a brief recap of each episode this season, a fairly lengthy video interview with Darlton on the last page, and the 'Untangled' for FTL. By the by, I've really enjoyed the 'Untangled' series... dude has a hilarious voice, and it pokes a little fun at the show/characters. Lost Season 5 Finale Will Leave You Wondering How The Show Can Continue Umm, that's not what happened to Faraday.

The last STL LB we signed who led that team in tackles and was "undersized" didn't pan out too badly for us....

Yep. Just throwing out arbitrary benchmark numbers that TE has to reach in order to X is, to put it as gently as I can... stupid.

As to #5, I think we saw real evidence of that with Charlotte's trance-like quotes. It was the conservation she had with Faraday when she was eating the chocolate. The original conversation didn't happen in this go-'round b/c Faraday expressly said he wasn't going to tell her not to come back. But he did, later. Charlotte's mind during the time-flash just before she died/disappeared was correcting for the change. Notice that Sawyer's, Juliet's and Jin's noses didn't really start bleeding until Faraday made the decision not tell Charlotte to never come back to the island. It was an example of his Free Will / Variable theory at work. Unfortunately, the choice had the side effect of slowly bricking the effected people's minds due to an overload of conflicting information / or wrt an aneurysm, literally tying their brain up in knots until it explodes. Desmond is the only character who's been able to overcome the problem b/c of what happened in "The Constant" where Faraday untangled or un-conflicted the information. Presently, the future is in doubt b/c the Variables are active in '77. Whether "the universe finds a way to course correct" is up in the air. I think it's very likely that it does. It's just that root question of what entity selectively brought the O6, among all the Ajira passengers, back to '77 --- I assume it's the island. And then, for what purpose --- to change history or fulfill it. We'll see on Wednesday. #4 is an interesting thought. What of Christian Shepard, tho? #1, Kate is acting in her own self-interest, as she has since the start, really. She wants a spot on the raft, she gets Sun to mildly poison some water. She simply doesn't want to be on 815 heading for prison if Faraday's plan and Jack's execution of the plan, can or do work. And I'm still thinking about that JJ Abrams conference speech about "the magic box" in his life/works from the last post on page 21 of the thread --- if you haven't watched it, please do. It's renewed that line of mystery for me about the "magic box" that Ben mentioned when the Others got Locke's father, and the box Ben had hidden in the motel vent right before Ajira 316. From above, we know that Lindelof has said that not everything will ultimately be answered; some mysteries will remain. Question to everyone: What are your Top Three of running questions/mysteries that you most want answered? That, you think, must be answered for this show to not end disappointingly? Right now I think mine are: 1. Richard Alpert's origins, wrt to the Black Rock or the statue. 2. The contents and/or machination of the "magic box/es" as described above. 3. Who are "Adam and Eve"?

(Kelly's sentence that you quoted pertained to JPL c. 2006, not to TE.) It's a quandry. Don't want to extend him too soon (before he's gotten over the berm) but if he lights it up in this offense, it's only going to get more expensive. This is a crucial year for TE. After the bit of a sophomore slump he had later in the year (I realize it's not all on him, as the OL mismatch against the 3-4 NTs was bruatal to watch but...) he needs to rebound. Lots of QBs have had a cool-down in their 2nd year starting, even the best of the best. It's the showing in the 3rd season that's often makes or breaks a QB. Bear in mind, however, that TE's current salary in a 3rd-round pick contract range is what, 400K? He's been a starter in the NFL for almost two seasons at the marquee position where a lot of backups are making $1-2-3M(!). There's been guys with similar or less impressive stats who were relatively making peanuts and did early renegotiating. Tony Romo comes to mind. There's got to be some antsy-ness to get a new deal on TE's part as well. If he's smart and if he thinks he's going to have a good year, he'll wait until next offseason to negotiate an extension when he has more "hand" in Seinfeld-ese. If there is no contract talk now, it's b/c he's confident, and maybe it's just me but I like to see that. If he has a lot to play for, and when you combine that with other guys who have a lot to play for (T.O.), their game is often elevated. That means good things for the team on the field. But this is the NFL, and I wouldn't blame him for signing a slightly below-market extension for some security sometime before the season if he has a good TC and preseason or toward the middle of the year if he's played well, factoring in however much the team wants to re: OL --- if Trent's personal progression apart from any young-OL mistakes improves.

Doing a bit of reading on imdb.... JJ Abrams' entry reads that one of his trademarks is a "box with mysterious contents." Then, watching the mobisodes for the first time on Youtube.... Then I stumbled on a JJ Abrams' talk at something called TED. If you haven't watched it, take the 18 minutes and do so!

LOST "Spoilers" I really don't consider any of this "spoilers." Vagaries and doesn't tell us anything we don't already know is coming (especially how the last of the O6 got on the Ajira plane), and JG poses an interesting thought about the guitar case. I'm making a decision not to yellow-font this b/c I don't think it warrants it. But If you want to stay absolutely positively 100% LOST-pure, then stop reading now.