Well, we’ve reached the end of the GameShow fork in the road.  As many of you know by now, GameShow is going away.  Forever.   Many of you we’ve become fond of, and I’d love to list all my favs, but don’t want to offend players I would forget or leave off by mistake.   I’m sad to see it come to an end.   When we launched last October, it came in the hopes of creating a super fun gamer community.   We had great fun interacting with all of you, whether it was during Fight Night, or Pop with Jana and myself, it was always an experience.   Radio hosts, programmers, engineers, sound technicians, composers, writers … we all wanted to make this the best product out there.   My advice at this point - play like there is no tomorrow.  Because come the 25th, there won’t be another chance to test your knowledge on hockey with the Thompsons, or lefty fireballers with Bower, or Patriots with 11 toes with SweetNasty.

I end with this thought.  Go dominate some trivia nights.   Wear the 6x Chicken tee with pride.  When you see another person with one on, or maybe a “useless trivia” shirt, or TD slippers, say hi, it might be one of us, or a fellow GS player.

It is never, ever goodbye.  Hopefully, we’ll see ya’ later.

For a while now, I’ve been a bit hard on the shooting guard from UConn.  Found his teeth in Milwaukee, discovered his daggers in Seattle and finally got a ring last night with Boston.   I’ve been saying Ray lost a step.  And can only create off screens and violent picks from the Whitman’s sampler of big men that man the Boston low post next to KG.   All of them are suitable, but you have to take a bite out of each one to see which one fits your fancy on that particular evening.   I digress.

The point of this is to say sorry, Ray.  I’m a big man and I can admit, when you rolled by Sasha Vujacic in the Finals on the way to sealing a game 4 win, you created your own shot.  I’ve never seen a man so pissed about getting beat on d like Sasha was that night.  You lit it up in Game 6 and came through clutch during the entire Finals run.  I would suggest the voters got it wrong Tuesday night, and should have given you the Finals MVP trophy, although I know you are pleased with the ring. 

So, I promise to eat more Dunkin’ Donuts, give the baked beans a second look and sing your praises until next season.  I was never rooting against you Ray.  I figured with the right amount of criticism, you’d understand where I was coming from, and relight the fire from within.  It is still hard to see you in a Celtics uni, but it is easy to see why you enjoy wearing it so much.

-p 

I’ve reached the one year mark here on the GameShow team.   And in my time as a member of the Central Florida fraternity, there are many things learned.  Not by just doing, but watching as well.    A couple of reflections on the past 52 weeks.

Florida has a customized license plate for everything.  Having grown up in a state where they actually pared down the number of car plates due to lack of demand, in Florida, you can pretty much sponsor or support any cause imaginable.  For the first time, I saw a University of North Florida plate.  North Florida?  Where is that?  I actually guessed Jacksonville, and looked it up.  They are the ospreys!  While I was right, it was a complete guess.  Every university has a plate.  I’ve seen aquatic life, space programs, environmental stuff, even sports teams.   When they start rolling out the AFL plates - wow!

Every sports store stocks something Yankees or Mets.  I know it is the demographic, because everyone in Florida moved here from the north.  But c’mon.   How many 70-year-olds are strolling into Kohl’s or Target and walking out with pinstripes on a jersey of all things?   A little sports diversity would help.  Toss in a few other teams - Cubs, Avs, Phillies.  EA Sports is about the sportiest thing in Orlando besides the Magic and whenever Daunte Culpepper comes back to UCF on alumni day.   And every jersey still in stock for a team you might want … is three sizes too big.

If there’s a reason to go outside, and an event to mark it with - you will see fireworks.  Some cities will have harvest festivals for no apparent reason.  There isn’t a harvestable crop in some cities, but there will be a reason to party.   It’s almost Texan in nature.  Pair it with some sort of wine tasting, cover band and local food vendor, and there’s an excuse to spend 10 grand on fireworks.   Meanwhile, my HOA can’t get it’s pool approved or local streets paved - but the fireworks certainly are grand.

Minor observations and advice … don’t speed through any Florida city where the police drive nicer cars than the locals. Citations waiting to happen.  Disney on any Saturday means 60 minute waits for one minute rides.   Key Lime Pie is tasty, but be sure to have it homemade from a greasy spoon.  It is always better.  The friendliest people in Florida are the ones hiking on nature trails.   Softball games start at 7a or 9p.  It always rains at 2p.  And 4p.  And sometimes at 5:30p.

Check this out!

Thank god for Matt Groening.

Kinda roughin’ it this weekend. The spouse is off on a cruise, so it is just me and the dog. Laundry and dishes are done, so I’m golden there. I think there will be plenty of movies on tap. Catch up on some stuff I’ve had on VHS and lugging around from town to town, up and down the dial. Aeon Flux anyone? Movies at home for sure - I’ll be staying away from that Sex and the City crowd on Saturday afternoon around 2p or so. You know what I’m talkin’ about. Couple of gals from work - had a nice lunch at the grill, or Applebee’s - a drink or two - going to the movie, then shop and get nails done to gossip. If I do show, I’ll be the guy ordering up an Orange Julius just before fleeing the mall food court/cinema gathering spot.

Finally. Note to Pete and Ashlee: We knew. It isn’t a secret, never was.

-p

I will advise all of you right now - be careful what you wish for.  I’ve actually talked with basketball fans who would like the NBA to schedule the conference finals games in a doubleheader.  That way, there’s a night off from hoops.  Once the NBA disappears … all you got left is baseball and Arena league.   Now, in ‘08, we have the Olympics, but it falls in August, and that’s still preseason NFL and fall practice on campus.   I’ll watch old FIBA games on NBA TV just to get a fix.  Heck, I may have to bust out some quarters and find me some NBA Jam action.

I finally sat through Rocky Balboa this morning.  I promised players two weeks ago I’d check it out and let you know what I thought.  It was Rocky 1, with new players.  It was better than the last few for sure, but I’m glad I got to take it home for free.  Antonio Tarver plays a good “tweener” as they like to call it.  He’s a bad guy, kinda, but is still good inside.  The dude from “Heroes” was in it too.  I don’t know what the whole “lets invite every fight commentator to the party” thing was, but it was 100 minutes I’m not exactly demanding back - maybe just half.

Quick wrestling fix.  PPV this weekend, followed by three weeks of WWE Draft spec.  Here’s who will be moving brands - my best guesses - not fact:

To RAW: The Undertaker, The Big Show, MVP, remaining divas on Smackdown

To Smackdown: CM Punk, Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho, Carlito

To ECW: Finlay, Mark Henry, Super Crazy, Umaga

Just a thought.  Or two.

And piss on those who think $3.79 gas is acceptable. I watched a gas station jump 8 cents in less than 12 hours today.  No reason.  No rhyme.  Other than, it is Memorial Day Weekend.  Y’all had better watch out.  People are gonna start hurting for spending money, and trickles down real quick from the paycheck, to the restaurants, to the grocery store, to the power bill, to the rent.

Winner refers to David Cook.  His “go big” approach to American Idol paid off with a victory and million-dollar contract.  Nice to see a guy who seems pretty grounded do really, really well.

Here’s the kicker. I managed to catch the finale and announcement while I was hosting Gameshow on Wednesday night. If I hadn’t, my DVR from the local cable company did not catch the winner. It literally stopped at … the winner, by 12 million votes, by American Idol 2008 is, David (stop)! We didn’t get the last name of the winner. Didn’t get the word. That sucked for people who went to the replay.

Memorial Day weekend. As a man with relatives in the military, and a former Navy brat, I ask you to take a little time and salute those men and women who this holiday is set aside for.

The Red Devils Win!  Old Trafford will be rockin’ for a while as Manchester United wins the UEFA Champions League Cup!  As it never fails, when I wear a t-shirt or jersey related to a team I believe will win in a big game, they win.   So, if you have anything in the closet - old softball league jerseys, tri-color Denver Nuggets unis from the day, perhaps a practice jersey from your JC, send it my way, and I’ll put it on for the big day.

FOX screwed up the AI final Tuesday night.  The whole boxing anaolgy was weak.  Just let them perform.  No one’s said word one to me about how cool the boxing setup was - they’re all saying, what in the hell was that?

Someone had better tell the guys behind American Gladiators that the novelty wore off.  Too much focus on Hulk and Leila and not enough on the competition.  When AI stretches out results shows for an hour with only four contestants - it is the same with Gladiators going an hour - way too much filler.  30 min max.  You’ll hold our attention much better.

Lots more fun stuff to come.  Join me 7p-10p ET Wednesdays and 5p-9p Thursdays for Pop with Jana.  Announcements and surprises are coming! In the meantime, enjoy the final scene from Major League.

I was honestly looking for the Utah/Lakers game 4 when Ronnie Brown just came out of nowhere and rejected L.A.’s Luke Walton into the fifth row … but I stumbled across this gem.  Actually funny.  And I also send my prayers to those of you who suffer through this garbage on your regional FOX Sports affiliates.

Can I say, I love Costco. Especially on sample days.

-p

I can’t take absolute credit for this … so thanks honey.  While Jason Castro is the most likely to go tonight, Syesha pretty just much ripped off Miss Congeniality 2 for her performance.

And now, the Miss Congenialty version.

Eerie, huh?

Jana returns next week - I promise.  She’ll have her unmentionables strewn all over the pop landscape.  Speaking of Pop - the summer movie season kicks off with Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr. this weekend.  I’m truly hoping the movie does not turn people off to what should be a good summer for flicks.  Seeing all the trailers being forced down our throats - and tie-ins as well, Iron Man had better deliver.   Same goes for Indiana Jones.  With the Indy-themed Snickers bar and M&Ms at the Walgreens I went to yesterday, ya think they’re going after the kids with this one?  Time will tell if Shia TheBeef can fill shoes - but if Harrison Ford is up for Indy 5 - the franchise is back - good or bad.

I’d like to thank Mariah Carey for hooking up with Nick Cannon.  He needed a career boost.  I can only sit through the final 5 minutes of Drumline.  The rest isn’t that good.

Watched The Office on the tivo.  Some will hate me for this, as fellow hosts have given me the cold shoulder already, but The Office was a little weak.   Slightly awkward.  The Dinner Party one was uncomfortably funny, but this one was just uncomfortable.  Few laughs for me, especially in the final half of the program.   Can we not focus on Michael Scott for once?  Dwight’s mad lib was fantastic.  Do it.  3-2-1.

Also How I Met Your Mother was a bit weak - not too many laughs.  It reminded me of those few Friends episodes that didn’t end with a laugh, but more of a dramatic pause.  It just lacked for me.   And I’m just discovering the show.

Kentucky Derby this weekend.  Another excuse to drink, party and wear big hats.  When did this become Hollywood’s it thing?  It’s horse racing.  Go check out the guys I hung with at the local off-track site - that’s what needs the upgrade, not the Derby.  Now even more of us commoners can’t attend.

Is American Idol getting too big for its britches?  Seacrest is so smug as the host and I’m not getting the musical selections at all this season. I’ve seen Neil Diamond in concert and it is a great time - but the kids who get to stand at the front are texting each other … OMG, this guy is almost 80.  They had no clue what to do.  Combine that with a week of Andrew Lloyd Webber, two weeks of Beatles and a Dolly Parton?   Wow.  Wow.  Wow.  That’s sarcasm by the way.

Quit telling me we’re out of rice.  Tell me we’re out of something else.  How about coconuts.  We’re out of coconuts every one.  You’ll just have to go back and send paper letters to your friends from Key West, Hawaii, and whatever tropical place that can’t seem to have enough coconuts.  I’ve never understood people sending coconuts as a postcard.  Is it supposed to be funny?  Hee, hee, George will love this coconut that he’ll throw out a week after we check on if the coconut got there. 

Just like my thought on a greeting card - send me the money you would have spent on the card instead, it tells me you actually cared enough to think about what I wanted.

Go talk amongst yourselves.  I’ll be sippin’ my beer on the porch with the ‘dillos if anyone cares to join me.

paul-e