Month: September 2022

During yesterday’s Thursday Night showdown between the Miami Dolphins and the Cinncinati Bengals that was shown live on Amazon Prime, a very scary scene happened. The young and talented quarterback for the Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoas, had to be removed from the game after being slammed hard into the ground, suffering from a possible concussion. This was only shortly after last Sunday’s game where after getting knocked down, he lost his balance and fell down, also giving potential signs of a concussion. Despite that, he still continued to play in last Sunday’s game and was clear from concussion protocols for last night’s game. But was he really ready to go back out there after getting hit and knocked down hard? Well, why don’t you just watch him trying to get back up last Sunday and see for yourself.

*Fair warning to readers! I will show the incidents from last Sunday and yesterday of with Tagovailoas. If you find that disturbing, then you might want to click off the rest of this article. I apologize in advance but my point has to get across about how much of a serious matter a player’s health and safety is and that NFL needs to place more accountability on that front for the sake of the sport. Again, you have been warned!*

#Tua will be ruled out for @MiamiDolphins vs @BuffaloBills.
Outward signs of head injury means ruled out even if clears the concussion protocol. pic.twitter.com/Lj2AKO5D1A

— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) September 25, 2022

Once again, that was last Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, less than four days away from the next game against the Bengals. Despite him stumbling to the ground and having a hard time getting backed up, he was allowed to play the next game. Despite having potential signs of a severe concussion, he was allowed to play the next game. Despite the fact that Tua is a young kid with superstar potential and a more severe injury like that could permanently damaged his career, he was allowed to play the next game.

So, what exactly happened to him in the very next game, you may ask? Well, again, see for yourself!

*Again, fair warning of potential graphic content!*

⚠️CONTENT WARNING | GRAPHIC VIDEO⚠️

Just days after sustaining a serious neck/head injury, Tua Tagovailoa has suffered additional head trauma and displayed the fencing response.

Tagovailoa was stabilized and stretchered off the field. Very scary sight. pic.twitter.com/ks52j4Cs2P

— Prime Time Sports Talk (@TalkPrimeTime) September 30, 2022

That’s right! The worst possible thing that could have happen to poor Tua the very next game did in fact happen! It’s been reported that he suffered from severe head and neck injuries, even demonstrating a fencing response (go look that up if you don’t know what that means), and have to be taking off the field on a stretcher. With those reports, you would think that he would have to miss some time on the field and spend some time on a hospital bed undergoing treatment, right? Well, you would be wrong!

Just mere hours after being checked in at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Tagovailoa was discharged and was given the complete clearance to fly home to Miami and starting preparing for the team’s next game against the New York Jets.

Tua Tagovailoa is expected to be to discharged from the hospital soon and travel back with the team pic.twitter.com/2byddtdnKj

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 30, 2022

Despite suffering from a possible concussion not once but TWICE in the same week, he is still considered good enough to keep playing. Something about that just seems so off and I imagine a lot of people agree with me.

How in the world can he be given the clearance to keep going after going through those injuries? How could they think he would be okay to go the next game right after having to be taking off the field on a STRETCHER that he is good to go? I may not be a doctor but I’m pretty sure a simple eye test from the last two games shows that he is clearly not ready to go.

Of course, this is clearly not the first time something like this happened in football where big players are forced to play through injuries in the hopes that they don’t get so bad and can just wait until the offseason to deal with it. However, the matters are made worse when it involves young players like Tua Tagovailoa. A 24-year old with a good heart and sportsmanship with the potential of a superstar level career.

Imagine if this could continue to get worse. Imagine if next week that something even worse happens to him that it not only hurts the rest of the season for him but the rest of his career. All of it tarnished because the medical staff didn’t bother to be more careful and give him the rest and treatment he needs that will benefit him in the long run.

Football is already a hard enough sport to stay healthy in with how tough and aggressive the whole thing is. Every single game involves players getting shoved, tackled, and sacked with tons of bodies flying to the ground in the hopes that they don’t hit it hard with their head, neck, or back. Those that are able to push through those games are brave and noble athletes. However, it is not worth jeopardizing the life of a single player by allowing them to play games they shouldn’t be. I get teams don’t want to lose their star players but if they are not on top form, then that won’t help them much either. That and everything involved with Tua Tagovailoa this week is why NFL needs to look deeper into the player and safety protocols and start holding those who aren’t doing a good enough job accountable. Thankfully, they might just be doing that according to latest reports!

Dr. Allen Sills says on @NFLNetwork that as soon as the investigation on Tua Tagovailoa is finished, it'll be released to the public. "We want to be as transparent as possible."

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 30, 2022

NFL is in complete hot water right now! And that will continue until this investigation is complete and consequences start coming to those involved who gave the okay for the young quarterback to keep playing through his injuries. I predict to see people fired, lawsuits filed, and the league being sued for this disgusting matter! It’s only when accountability comes for endangering the players where the NFL will win back their respect to the fans and public.

This is going to be quite a different review than usual. Since this movie still has yet to come out until this weekend in theaters and Apple+, this is going to be a more brief review and not necessarily one that goes too deep into the actual film itself.

For those who may not know, Regal Cinemas hosted a Mystery Monday movie night this week where there was an early screening for an upcoming movie that had yet to be released everywhere but would not reveal what movie you were actually watching until the actual movie itself started playing. The movie that I got to watch Monday was no other than The Greatest Beer Run Ever, the upcoming feature staring Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, and Bill Murray with Peter Farrelly returning to the director’s chair after his infamous best picture winner in Green Book.

Just know in the future if I’m able to see movies early, I will probably make reviews similar in this format so I don’t give too much away but give enough to express my opinion as to whether or not I believe the movie itself is worth seeing. Now, let’s actually jump into the actual movie.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is based off the book of the same name by Joanna Molloy and tells the true life tale of John “Chickie” Donohue (Zac Efron), a young veteran who sneaked into the Vietnam War to deliver the soldiers beers as a means of showing his appreciation and gratitude to those fighting in the army for America’s freedom. Along the way, he runs into civilians such as Arthur Coates (Russell Crowe) along with getting into the action a bit with his fellow comrade soldiers as he discovers the consequences of war and how everyone in and outside the media responds to it.

I’m going to be straight and upfront here, this story feels so bizarre and baffling to be considered true. It’s so odd how we are suppose to see and view Donohue as some kind of hero despite putting himself and many others lives in peril along with committing illegal acts (including personating a CIA agent) just to deliver beer to his buddies. I understand he wanted to show his respect to those who fought on the battlefield but I’m pretty sure, even in 1967 (which is the year this movie is set in btw), there were other, much safer methods to get that message across. Couldn’t you just sent a postcard or a package that included beer to the army? This feels like the mindset of a child, one that thinks they can just go and do whatever they want without realizing you could get yourself and others killed. I can’t say for certain this is how everything played out in real life but if this movie made me want to think of Chickie as some saint, then it failed spectacularly.

Speaking of the actual movie itself, it more or less, comes across with the same level of quality as Green Book, widely considered to be one of the worst movies to every win best picture. By this I mean, that it’s a safe, surface level picture which has a warm enough tone and great performances that it might be enough for the movie going audience to have a good time with but handles it’s bluntly obvious themes in a very straight forward and problematic way that it will likely make film bluffs roll their eyes. Just like how Green Book didn’t have much to offer other than stating “racism and homophobia are bad”, the central message of The Greatest Beer Run Ever doesn’t amount to more than simply “war is bad” from the point of view from both sides.

If there is one saving grace that ultimately saves the picture from being completely insufferable, it’s Zac Efron’s clearly passionate performance as Chickie himself. Efron has shown to be a proven charming talent with enough comedic and dramatic chops to carry anything and it’s definitely on full display here. He is able to add more likability and presence to his character than the script gives him any right to have and provides most of the best laughs in the movie. Russell Crowe is also a solid presence here as a civilian photographer who becomes more important in the second half in the film while barley having any presence in the first half. The other cast members are fine here as well but none of them really stands out in any meaningful way since there are only really a handful of scenes dedicated to them, mostly speaking to Chickie himself about what he should if and when he goes to Vietnam.

The direction and feel of the picture also feels all over the pace from Peter Farrelly. While it has a tone that is lighthearted and warm enough that it fits well for a crowd pleasing entertainment, many of the dramatic and intense bits fall flat as there are times where it’s unclear how the audiences are suppose to be feeling during certain giving moments. An example of this is when Chickie is out on the battlefield with his buddy from home, what should consist of an intense and emotional moment is undermined by inappropriately placed music and camera movement that doesn’t so much seem as if they are running through No Man’s Land itself but on a theater stage. Farrelly is clearing aiming for a comedy-drama vibe here, while he may have excels at the former half of that, he fails spectacularly at the latter half of it.

In the end, while I can’t say I hated myself watching this or that I didn’t get some amusement and chuckles out of it, The Greatest Beer Run Ever makes for a rather uneven experience. It’s lighthearted nature and a good lead performance by Zac Efron helps carry the picture to the finish line that I would expect audiences might have a good time when they are watching it. However, the further they get away from the movie, the more they’ll see the overall faults with the movie with it’s inconsistent direction, flat dramatic and emotional beats, simplistic messages executed in the most simplistic way possible, and it’s real-life protagonist that really shouldn’t be seen as a hero or a saint in any way.

Unlike Green Book, I can’t imagine this gaining much controversy come Oscar time as I highly doubt that Farrelly will be able to make lighting strike a second time with the Academy. However, if you are looking for a night out with your buddies, it can actually make for a good time…..if you’re drunk.

Other comments:

• And yes, I did just blantaly steal that last line from Jeremy Jahns! Come at me!

• That’s all I got!

The Woman King is one of those movie that is able to walk the perfect line between a roaring crowd pleaser and a faithful historic action epic. While there will certainly be talks about the film’s overall achievements in diversity and representation, it works wonders enough on it’s own as a well-made spectacle that everyone involved brought the A-game with. It’s able to portray the brutal realities of being involved with a war without losing the entertainment value. It’s able to showcase the gray line between a bleak conflict of good vs evil without being completely one-sided and shown in a very black and white light. It’s able to display it’s immensely talented cast of women as flawed, multiple layered people who have to make drastically difficult choices during a time of crisis and fear. Lastly, it’s able to put Gina Prince-Bythewood on the map as being the next big indie director to watch out for. Between this and The Irishman, it’s refreshing to see studios have confidence in giving bigger budgets to smaller directors to make the action-packed thriller they desire.

Taking place in the West African kingdom of Dahomey in the 19th century, an elite group of female warriors known as the Agojie are assembled to protect the kingdom. We see a young king known as Ghezo (John Boyega) who is attempting to make peace with his nation in a not-so peaceful time in Dahomey. The role that the kingdom plays in this story involves them operating slave trades with the Oyo Empire where African prisoners are slaves to Europeans in exchange for weapons. After a successful ambush by the Agojie to free their people who have been captured by a certain tribe, we eventually run into a young teenage girl (Thuso Mbedu) who is eventually accompanied by Izogie (Lashana Lynch) to train among the other strong women in Dahomey. When tension runs high when a mysterious new threat emerges, General Nanisca (Viola Davis) must put together a new generations of warriors to fight their opponents head on who want to destroy their very way of life.

The thing that makes The Woman King work as well as it does is how complete up and front it is on it’s title and it’s overall story it’s trying to tell. While there are definitely hints at trying to subvert tropes that is common with historic pieces, it never forgets it’s true central meaning on who the woman king is and what she is suppose to stand for with her tribe. There are plenty of subtext and commentary on war, slavery, and mortality but none of it is presented in a simplistic preachy “heros good, enemies bad” kind of way. It takes as much time as it needs to present it’s conflicts and have it be more than a mere good vs evil tale. Yes, the main characters we follow are undoubtedly the protagonists but can they really be the heroes to do what they can to survive and evolve with their own kind. The film never present an easy solution or way out for any of the main characters and each and every one of them are forced to discover within themselves what they are willing to do to destroy their enemies to live on.

The performances from the cast is nothing sort of extraordinary. Viola Davis as General Nanisca delivers a powerhouse performance as the commanding titan who is more than convincing of being able to display her true power and strength that she possesses. Lashana Lynch shines as the fierce (and even sometimes funny) warrior of Izogie who’s main task is to train and protect Nawi at all costs. Sheila Atim jells perfectly with everyone else as the right-hand woman to Nanisca who must counsel her superior through the tough decisions they are force to make. Hero Fiennes Tiffin’s Santo and Jimmy Odukoya’s Oba Ade make for intimating antagonists and legit threats to our protagonists even if they don’t get as much spotlight as our leading ladies. John Boyega’s Ghezo, while also not in the movie quite as much as he should, is always a great presence whenever he shows up as the young conflicted king who takes the carefully next steps needed to make his path towards mortality. However, it’s Thuso Mbedu as Nawi that really steals the show here. She’s the character we follow the most aside from Nanisca herself and Mbedu sells every scene she is in making her easily the most compelling and emotionally connected character in the entire movie. Nawi is the overall beating heart of the central story and the one that goes through the most intriguing arc in the film.

The production of the movie is off-the-charts terrific. There’s plenty of great location shooting, costume, make-up, and set designs presented throughout the whole movie making the time period it’s set in to be very believable. While not quite as well done as making the film’s setting it’s own distinct character in the same way that Black Panther did with Wakanda, it’s still a place that is interesting to explore in the amount of time we spent there. Polly Morgan’s cinematography is flawless with a huge emphasis on geographic authenticity and widescreen shooting that makes the movie more than worthy to see on the big screen and the extra bucks for IMAX. The score by Terence Blanchard is inspiring and perfectly matches the tone and mood that the film is going for. The make-up and editing, while at times can make it’s PG-13 rating noticeable, is good enough to make you overlook some iffy blood stains and lack of realistic gory moments. This was clearly a passionate project from everyone involved and there is not a single shot or scene of this movie that feels phoned-in.

The real stand-out thing on the movie are the action sequences and overall fight chorography. Gina Prince-Bythewood already proved herself of being capable to direct action a few years ago with The Old Guard and she shines even better with them here. The big highlights beating the fight by the Agojie in the opening prologue and the jaw dropping and emotionally intense battle displayed at the film’s official climax. It’s perfectly able to display the raw fierceness of our strong women leads while providing enough tension and brutality between each individual conflict that makes it believable and on the edge of your seat. It may be PG-13 but no doubt that Prince-Bythewood is able to make it as raw, brutal, and intense as humanly possible without needing to create a complete blood bath out of it to make it feel real. Also, who doesn’t wanna see Viola Davis swinging around a sword and killing people with it?

If there is a specific downside here, it’s that there definitely may be some folks that interpret things in a way that may or may not be intentional on part of the filmmakers. The main one being that the film itself glorifies a slave trading kingdom. While I don’t think the films quite delves into that as much as some are claiming, it is something that I believe would have been 100% better if it was glossed over completely without leaving things go noticed. Like with a certain minor subplot in Elvis, some things are better left unexplored. There’s also some pacing and structure issues in the middle and tail end of the film where it’s hard to tell at first viewing which sequence of events was supposed to act as the end of the second act or the beginning of the third one. I also think there might a been a scene or two missing with the antagonists as they do tend to disappear during a certain stretch of time and even takes a while before they are fully introduced.

Nevertheless, The Woman King is a strong work of art and entertainment from one of the more underrated action directors today. It’s work as it’s own compelling action-packed historic drama as well as an inspiring feminist empowerment piece. The cast is stellar, it looks amazing, the action is terrific, the characters are layered and very compelling, and the representation that is on display is fully earned and masterfully done. While it won’t shut up the alt-right trolls who have already review bombed the movie and even may raise an eyebrow or two from historic purists (I won’t pretend to be an expert on the events of this movie in real life), The Woman King excels at being a piece of entertainment for casual moviegoers along with a genuine work of art for casual movie experts. This time around, the women come together and they are indeed strong!

Other thoughts:

• Thuso Mbedu should be in more things!

• While it sucks that Gina Prince-Bythewood isn’t returning for The Old Guard sequel, the fact we were able to get this from her is more than fine by me.

• If you’re becoming a fan of John Boyega, I strongly recommend watching the first film he was in, Attack of the Block, which is basically the movie that helped land him the role for Star Wars.

• As for my thoughts on the review bombing, I honestly have stop trusting audience ratings all together from any review site because it’s nearly impossible to tell which ratings are genuine and which ones are coming from trolls. I’ll just stick with Letterboxd and call it a day.

• Seriously, for those that waste time review bombing s*it, grow the f*ck up already! Go waste your time doing something else!

There has been a lot that has happened in this final month of regular season baseball. Playoff chases are on and more interesting than ever before, star are being born right before our eyes, and players are more eager than ever to get to October with a chance to win it all. In the mix of all of that, there are also history chases that have been going on as well. Aaron Judge is aiming to pass Roger Maris for the all-time single season home run record in Yankees and America League history by hitting 62 dingers. Albert Pujols is aiming to be just the fourth player in baseball history to hit 700 home runs, right after making his place passed Alex Rodriguez for the fourth most career home runs by a single player in baseball history. While those milestones still have yet to be achieved, there is one historic milestone that is just about to be achieved and not many people are talking about. That being the milestone of the most battery starts by a single pitcher and catcher. That milestone has been acclaimed by no other than longtime St. Louis Cardinals legend, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright.

Today on September 14, 2022, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright are set to surpass the all-time record set by pitcher Mickey Lolich and catcher Bill Freehan with their 325th start together as the starting pitcher and catcher with their start against their division rivals, Milwaukee Brewers. And that is just after nearly four months ago on May 15th, 2022 in a blowout victory against the San Francisco Giants where they set the all-time record with the most teams wins with the same starting battery when the Cardinals won their 203th game together, passing the previous record of 202, which was set by catcher Warren Spahn and pitcher Del Crandall, and now land on 213 victories. Those two have been an absolute dynamite pairing on the mound for many years for St. Louis. From recording the final out in the 2006 NLCS and World Series to being the notable faces of their respective franchise for over the past decade, it’s quite possible we won’t see a pairing like this in the MLB for a very, very long time! Why is that you may ask? Well, we just have to go all the way back to the very beginning.

Yadier Molina came to the Cardinals after he was selected by them in the fourth round of the 2000 MLB Draft. After spending previous years with the Cincinnati Reds organization and grabbing the attention of baseball legends Johnny Bench and Bret Boone during his time there, Molina was in the mindset that he would be drafted by that specific team. That turned out to not be the case as St. Louis snatched him as there were concerns with Cincinnati about his overall offensive production. He was then invited to Major League spring training camp following his draft and immediately made an impression. With most being impressed with his abilities in catching and framing along with having an absolute rocket of an arm that is able to get a huge chunk of base stealers out without much effort. Yadi started his playing career in 2001 with the Johnson City Cardinals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, advancing one level in each of his four seasons in the minor leagues. It was then on June 3rd 2004, after Cardinals catcher (and later on manager) Mike Matheny went on the DL with a strained rib, that Molina was called up for his first every Major League start as catcher and has mostly kept the title for the good majority of Cardinals games for the past 18 years. He has been the Opening Day starting catcher for the Cardinals every year since 2005 and has been the prime reason for the amount of success that St. Louis has achieved since then. 10x All-Star appearances, 9x Gold Gloves, 4x Platinum Gloves, 2x World Series Rings, and even a Silver Slugger and Roberto Clemente Award to go with it.

Adam Wainwright, on the other hand, was not actually drafted as a Cardinal. Back in 2000, Adam was picked by the Atlanta Braves and 29th overall in the first round of the MLB Draft. It was in December 2003 where Wainwright got traded to the Cardinals along with pitchers Jason Marquis and Ray King in exchange for veteran outfielder J.D. Drew and utility player Eli Marrero. It was then that Wainwright spent two years in the minor league with the Memphis Redbirds that he met Yadier Molina and attempted to build himself up as being a top starting pitcher in the Major Leagues for years to come. However, despite being called up in 2006, Wainwright role’s wasn’t necessarily as a starter but as a reliever. Things got even more complicated and interesting when Wainwright found himself at the tail end of 2006 as a last minute closer, with long-time Cardinal closer Jason Isringhausen undergoing season-ending hip surgery. With the Cardinals playoff hopes crumbling in the final week of September, on the verge of blowing an eight plus game lead in their division, Wainwright was able to save two crucial games on September 27th and 30th which was able to hold off the second place Houston Astros and help the Cardinals secure the NL Central title. It was then that Adam Wainwright would go on to get the final out in the NLDS against the Padres, the NLCS against the Mets, and even the World Series against the Tigers to help the Cardinals land their 10th World Series championship with Yadier Molina right by his side.

After 2006, it was then that Adam Wainwright moved from the bullpen to the starting rotation. His first ever career Major League start occurred on April 6th, 2007 against the Astros with Yadier Molina being the starting catcher. Wainwright would go seven innings and allow only run which was enough to hand the Cardinals their first win of that season and the first win in Waino’s career as a starter. While 2007 would ultimately be a very down year for the Cardinals, with a poor 78-84 record (which btw is the last time the Cardinals had a losing season), it help showcased that Adam Wainwright was an ace in the making for St. Louis. Aside from 2011 where he would miss the whole season due to Tommy John Surgery along with missing a good portion of 2015 and 2018 due to injuries, you’d be hard pressed to find a pitcher in St. Louis not named Chris Carpenter that has left such a great lasting impression with the fans and players. 3x All-Star appearances, 2x Gold Gloves, 2x World Series Rings, along with a Roberto Clemente and even a Silver Slugger award would also help wonders as well! With the exception of Lou Brock and possibly even Nolan Arenado, you would also be hard pressed to name a trade that has impacted the St. Louis Cardinals throughout their history this greatly.

So, yeah. Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright have been around the Cardinals for a long time and have made plenty of history through their amazing run in St. Louis, including this year with passing the most teams wins and the most starts totals in battery mate history. However, why is it that there should be more focus on this? Why should there be as much to celebrate as Judge when he gets to 62 or Pujols getting to 700? Because after this season, this tag team will break up.

Before the 2022 season, Yadier Molina confirmed that this season with the Cardinals would be his last. Along with Albert Pujols planning to retire as well, this certainly has helped make for a rather emotional rollercoaster of the year for the Cardinals and their fans. While Adam Wainwright hasn’t 100% confirmed that he would also retire at the end of the year, hinting at possible coming back in 2023, everyone knows that it won’t be the same. With Yadi being Waino’s personal catcher for so long, it would be difficult to imagine him wanting to pitch next year without his best friend and catcher for life right on the field with him. No matter what choice Adam makes, Yadi and Albert choices are set to leave the game in the coming months following the season. With Yadi already having plans to manager for a team in his home country and Albert most likely having to start his 10-year plus service time with the Angels, this will definitely be as big of a swan song we have had since Big Papi and Derek Jeter retired.

There’s an old saying in baseball about how pitching and defense is what wins games and hitting is what sells tickets. That is perhaps why I would imagine there hasn’t been as much focus on this incredible milestone as with Judge and Pujols chasing for theirs. People love action in sports. As much as it is fun to watch your team’s defense make an amazing play or two, it’s the offense and scoring that is the kind of spectacle that fans come to the game to see. Cardinals fans always love to see Nolan Arenado make an incredible diving stop play as much as they do with seeing him hit a game-winning home run. It’s the glove that helps win games but also the bat that helps provide entertainment. Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright however, aren’t necessarily known for their bats. While both have received Silver Sluggers awards and have had their share of clutch moments with the bat, it’s mostly Wainwright’s elite pitching and Molina’s elite catching/throwing that is their most common trait. The old Uncle Charlie curveball and the same old Yadi with his fire arm and stealing strike calls from the hitters. In that case, it’s understandable that their accomplishments hasn’t got as much recognition as they deserve but it’s still a major shame regardless.

Overall, the main point I’m trying to make with this piece is to savior the amount of history with Yadi and Waino. They are a pairing that will come to an end in the coming months. They are a pairing that we likely won’t see in baseball for many years to come. They are a pairing that showcases the attitude and leadership that a baseball team should possesses to be able to become constant winners and eventually World Series champions! Like I said earlier this month with Albert Pujols, enjoy it all while you can because you won’t be able to for much longer!

Nevertheless, as a dedicated fan of the St. Louis Cardinals since the mid 2000s, I want to take my time to say thank you so much to Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright for everything you both have done for my favorite sports team! You have helped given me so many memories with such an historic franchise that I can simply never forget. I don’t know if any one of you will ever see this piece but if you do, thank you so much for being a Cardinals for life and by heart! You’ve allowed me to watch my favorite team be a consistent winner year-in and year-out and allowed me to be witness to a couple of world championships throughout my lifetime! Thanks again and I wish you both well for whatever the future awaits!

A few days ago, Major League Baseball Association announced upcoming rule changes for the 2023 season and beyond. It mostly involve three specific aspects of the game. Those include pitch clocks, bigger bases, and eliminating defensive shifts. These are rules that are being added in as a means of trying to add more action in the game along with improving the pace to play. With these rules changes, MLB is hoping to address the two criticisms of the modern age of baseball involving the length and lack of activity of each game in order to make baseball more enjoyable and fun to watch. There are definitely many ways that these rule changes can help the game deeply while also backward spectacularly. Regardless, changes are coming and it’s best to look at each of these three new rules along with seeing how it can benefit and even bite the league in the long run. Let’s take look at each one step-by-step.

1.) Pitch Timer

This one was quite a no-brainer. There have been numerous complaints by fans and players about how the game is always slow because of pitchers who always take their sweet ass time between each pitch they throw. Whether it’s constantly trying to pick-off a runner at first base or second they have no chance of actually picking off, step up the mound right before a wind-up, or having to call time out to make sure they agree on a certain pitch, pitchers tend to always disrupt the pace and flow of the game. With this new rule change, things are definitely going to be speeding up.

Similar to NFL’s play clock, there will now be a pitch clock added in for each pitcher. Pitchers will now be giving a total of 15 seconds to deliver a pitch when bases are empty and 20 seconds whenever there is a runner (or runners) on base. They must motion before time expires and are able to disengage the rubber twice without penalty (the clock will then reset after the latter action is made). Failure to make a pitch in time will result in an automatic ball for the opposing batter.

This rule also will impact hitters as well. To address another common complaint about batters constantly stepping out of the box between each pitch and calling as many timeouts as they want, hitters will now receive only one timeout per plate appearance. They must be in the batter’s box and alert to the pitcher with at least eight seconds remaining before the clock runs out.

This rule has actually already been tested last year with the pitch clock being added down in the Minor Leagues. It’s been reported that it has helped shaved off at least 26 minutes in the average length of a ball game. And many folks who tend to watch numerous amounts of MilB games have responded to it very well, stating that it’s barely noticeable once everyone is used to it.

Between the three rules, this is the one that I believe will have the most positive impact on the game. It might take a while for certain pitchers that have the tendency to slow down and take their time with each and every pitch (*cough* Giovanny Gallegos *cough*) but once the rule starts to make an impact, I think there will be a benefit for everyone involved with an added pitch clock.

2.) Bigger Bases

This one has been a headscratcher for many. This next rule includes making the bases just a tad bigger, increasing the size of first base, second base, and third base from 15″ square to 18″ square. To answer the question has to why this rule change is necessary, it mostly comes down to two reasons.

First, it’s a way of trying to get more action between and during plays. It’s a way to open up old school strategies such as stealing bags, hit-and-run, and perhaps bunting that aren’t used as much anymore because of the consequences of always getting caught stealing or walking right into an easy out. Bigger bases might just allow for things like that to become more frequent with runners being able to get better jumps on the bases.

Second, it’s to help reduce injuries involving baserunning that are far too frequent. Accidents such as stepping on a player’s foot or stepping on the right end of the bag have been caused due to runners not getting as much room to put their foot on the bag. With bigger bases, it gives enough room for the defender and runner to put their feet on the bag to make a play without any potential harm coming to both sides.

I feel like they should have also added in the kind of bases they have in Little League where there’s an additional bag for the runner that’s right next to the first base bag to create a perfect running lane for the runner when going to first. It would have at least cut down on any potential interference calls on the runner for being out of the baseline by giving them their own lane (*cough* Trea Turner *cough*). Otherwise, this rule is mostly implemented for the safety of the players and the possible chance that there may be more open stolen base attempts/hits-and-runs.

3.) Shift Restriction

Here’s the big one! The one that seems to be the most controversial, debated, and polarizing of all of the three major rule changes! The extreme defensive shifts are no more!

There can now only be two infielders on either side of second base when a pitch is made. All four infielders must have both feet strictly on the infield and out of the grass when the pitcher is on the rubber. Infielders can NOT switch side unless there is a defense of substitution.

No more four outfielders. No more having the third baseman at second base. There are now exact restrictions and limitations with how a team can play defense.

The idea of this rule change is as clear as day: to allow more offense. There has been plenty of studies and evidence that has shown how the constant focus on defensive shifts nowadays is taking away a good portion of hitting every season. If a hitter is not striking out for trying to swing for the fences, then they are most likely hitting a grounder or soft flyball that is right into a shift where a player is positioned at a different spot then they are assigned in the lineup card.

Just how many times have we all seen in recent memory a hitter hitting a chopper right up the middle which you think is a base hit but it’s actually an out because it lands right into the glove of a fielder that is positioned perfectly there for some reason? And how many times have we all groaned that something that would have been a hit ten years ago is a sure out now? That’s not even getting into the hitters whose careers took a big hit by being shifted on a extreme basis (Ryan Howard, Matt Carpenter, Joey Gallo, etc.).

There are certainly purists out there that are strongly against this rule, claiming that hitters should learn how to beat the shift instead of being rewarded for their own incompetence. To those people, I’ll say this. If beating the shift was that easy, more hitters would be able to do it.

How easy can it be to try to hit the ball the other way when the pitcher you’re facing is throwing somewhere between 95 to 100 MPH? Sure, you can try to bunt every now and then but that was just get tiresome to a fan real quick. How many times a game would you really want to see a hitter bunt so they are guarantee to get a base hit of some sorts. Defense might win ball games but offense is what gets people to watch them.

No doubt this is the rule change that can change the game for better and for worse. Not just to help get more points on the scoreboard but also as a means of rewarding hitters for being able to put the ball in play. If this works out, perhaps that will open multiple different hitting approaches instead of the usual three true outcomes of home runs, walks, and strikeouts. By being able to have more freedom to hit the ball in big parts of the field without having to worry about a position player being in a completely different spot than they usually are, maybe that will lead to more contact hitters and old-school hitting strategies to make a big comeback on the game. If it does that, then this might just change the game for the better. If not, then this rule won’t mean much in the long run.

It’s too early to tell how exactly this will affect the game of baseball. Hopefully, this find the right mix between action, tension, and pace to play to make most ball games feel like a complete package and not a completely dull slog to sit through. This could also lead to other impactful rule changes such as moving the pitching mound back and switching to electronic strike zones.

We have to wait until next year to find out ourselves but at least there’s an effort from MLB to improve the sport and making it more entertaining.

For more information on the rule changes, here’s a link from an article from MLB.com:

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-rule-changes-aim-to-improve-game-in-2023

This isn’t going to be much of a review of the actual movie but more on what is actually added to the extended cut of this gloriously successful Spidey flick! I still love the movie even if my nostalgia for the previous Spider-Man incarnations and my initial opening night theater experience did elevated a bit more at the time it came out than it does now on repeat viewings. The things I still like before I still like now even if the things I didn’t care for do stick out a bit more. Still a 3.5 out of 4 star movie for me however! But what about the content that was added in this so-called More Fun Stuff version that is coming out this weekend in some theaters. Does it really enhanced the No Way Home experience or is it just a cheap cash grab?

First off, let’s go over the scenes that were added in to this cut of the movie that is releasing the theaters this Labor Day weekend (which btw can be watched for just three bucks on September 3rd). There was a total of at least ten minutes added to this longer version of No Way Home. This makes the overall movie hover right over the two and a half hour long minute mark. These scenes that were added in include the following that I’m about to describe:

(Also, if you consider me describing each individual scene as a spoiler, then you might wanna click away right now. You have been warned!)

• Just before the movie starts, it opens with Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire through a Zoom meeting (which looks like it was shot on the same day they did an interview through Zoom about a month after the movie came out). The three of them greet the fans and thank them for their overwhelming support on their Spider-Man picture.

• There’s a cameo with Tom Holland’s brother, Harry Holland, where he plays a thief that stole a bicycle. This leads to Spider-Man interacting with citizens until a Mysterio supporter douses him with green paint, which gets basically all over his Spider suit that Peter has a hard time brushing off later on in the movie.

• There are more high school scenes added with most of the side characters from Homecoming and Far From Home such as the teachers, Flash Thompson, and Betty Bryant that didn’t really get to do anything in No Way Home. This include extra/extended scenes such as a longer conversation between Peter and his teachers, Peter being pressured into climbing the wall using his Spider powers by students during gym class, and a segment of Betty Bryant interviewing various teachers and students on how they view Peter Parker now that they know he is Spider-Man, including Peter himself. These interview segments are probably the most added content in this version, excluding the new end credit scene.

• There is an extra scene with Matt Murdock where he’s trying to help plead Happy’s case against the Department of Damage Control. It’s during that part where Happy sees Peter and Aunt May leading the villains into the apartment through his security camera. It also includes a semi-funny moment where Matt tells Happy to stop sweating in which Happy asks how he never sweats.

• There are lengthier scenes of the three Peter Parkers talking with one another during the big moments such as the loved ones that they lost and the banter they exchange before the big fight on the Statue of Liberty. No major things happened but just a couple more moments of the three Peters talking and quipping with one another.

• Lastly, there is a big post credit scene (right at the same spot which the Multiverse of Madness trailer played) with Betty Bryant hosting a school news segment on the last day before graduation. It’s basically here just taking a trip down memory lane with all of the teenagers from all three MCU Spider-Man movies. It basically showcases the crazy adventures and field trips that the students went on in the previous movies with Peter no where to bee seen in any footage. It basically confirms that everyone’s memory of Peter Parker had been 100% erased!

And that is basically it as far the More Fun Stuff version goes when it comes to the bonus content. No extended fight scenes, no major plot and character details revealed, no moment of Maguire’s Peter and Dafoe’s Norman interacting, no cameo of Kirsten Dunst’s MJ or Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy, etc. This isn’t like a full-on director’s cut on the range of say Zack Snyder’s Justice League with a good portion of the theatrical footage mixed with plenty of the director’s original footage or even like Spider-Man 2 which included extended action sequences and bonus/longer scenes that help a detail or two towards the characters. It’s basically nothing more than a couple of deleted scenes added back in with Sony hoping that’s good enough to justify bringing it back in theaters to get a few extra dollars.

Granted, I used Regal Unlimited which only cost me two quarters and four pennies worth to watch. Because of that, I can’t really claim it was that much of wasted money on my part. However, to anyone else, I can’t say it’s worth the full theater ticket price. Unless you haven’t seen the full movie yet or are just extremely curious to see the extended footage in person, it’s not something you have to pay in theaters to see. You will most likely be better off just watching the version that already came out on Blu-Ray again and just wait for the added scenes to show up on YouTube, assuming it’s not on there already. It’s definitely not like the extended cut of Avengers: Endgame that included literal unfinished scenes of CGI with the Hulk or the PG-13 cut of Deadpool 2, A.K.A. Once Upon A Deadpool which featured more censored content and added footage of Deadpool parodying The Princess Bride by telling the story of the film to Fred Savage (which at least led to money being donated to charity). That being said, I highly doubt the More Fun Stuff version it’s gonna affect anyone’s overall opinions on No Way Home as a whole.

If you want to see it, go ahead but at least see it at a discount or for the $3 deal that will be going on all day Saturday in celebration of Cinema Day. Anything more than that is quite outrageous!

(Also, on a brief side note! I have read from leaks that this version also includes a brief moment where MJ pleads Peter to get Doctor Strange to make the world forget her too but I can’t recall ever seeing that. Unless I dozed off during that part and didn’t pay attention for a split second, I don’t think that part is there. Just try looking it up on YouTube to see if it’s real or not!)