The Officiating Epidemic

                There is an epidemic in the NFL.  It involves officiating of its games.  Every week now there seems to be a game that is decided by an officiating call which is considered iffy at best.  Every week there is a call that goes against a team which many consider to be the reason that team lost.  I think there are two things working here, causing what seems to be the worst officiating in NFL history.  Is 2019 the worst year for officiating in NFL history?  I doubt it, but I wouldn’t bet against it, either.  Yes, officiating has not been great and I think I know why, but I also believe their mistakes are tremendously magnified so they look so much worse than they are.  We have technology nowadays that can zoom in, slow things down to a snail's pace, and we have an angle on almost everything that happens.  Of course we're going to see mistakes made more easily.
                I believe there is a circle of bad officiating and scrutinizing happening right now in the NFL.  To put it simply, referees are heavily criticized, causing them to retire early and be replaced by less experienced and knowledgeable officials, and those officials try their best but their mistakes are magnified and the circle continues. If we aren't careful, our current officials may decide that their position as an NFL referee is not worth it and we will be left with something like the replacement referees we had in 2012.
                Imagine if all the older police officers in our country were replaced by younger police officers.  I think there would be a lot more unnecessary arrests and pullings over of cars because these younger cops wouldn’t have the experience to know when to try to ticket or arrest someone.  A similar thing is happening in the NFL right now where we are seeing more flags than ever, and some would definitely not be thrown by a more experienced official.
                I don’t have any numbers, but what I have noticed is a lot of head referees retiring in the last few years.  The head referee gets the final say and can override a bad call.  The referees I have seen retire recently are Gene Steratore, John Parry, Ed Hochuli, Terry McAulay, and Jeff Triplette.  Parry and Steratore were each under 55 when they retired.  Why did so many retire almost at once?  Because the job has become so stressful and demanding that they know for the sake of their mental health to not do it anymore.  I don’t know how much they get paid, but whatever it is isn’t worth the stress and pressure those guys go through.  Also, a few of these former referees (Steratore, Parry, and McAulay) were able to get positions as "Rules Analysts" with different television networks that broadcast NFL games.  Sounds like a much more cush job than being a head referee.
                Thus, we stand with a bunch of newer head referees in today’s game.  It wouldn’t surprise me to find out a lot of the other referees, judges, and umpires have retired as well.  The NFL does a good job of keeping it quiet; they don’t want people to know their officiating crews don’t have a ton of experience.  Fans are screaming for these officials to be held accountable, but if the NFL suspended or fired officials for a bad call or two, they wouldn’t have enough to cover their games, not to mention no one would want to referee the games anymore.  If any of us NFL fans were given the training and had to referee a game, I guarantee we’d not only do worse but we’d quit within a week or two.
                It’s unfortunately going to be a series of growing pains we’ll have to go through while these officials gain experience.  I haven’t even mentioned the constant rule changes and BS these officials have to put up with.  Officials are now being challenged for their judgment calls.  The replay officials in New York, led by former referee Al Riveron, are becoming infamous for not overturning the pass interference calls when it seems like they should.  The reason behind this is twofold: One, they are trying to support their officials unless they clearly made a mistake, and two, I don’t think they particularly like overturning a judgment call.  When they overturn a pass interference call, they are telling the referee that made that call that their judgment is off, whereas overturning other calls like catches is them telling the referee he just missed it.  I for one hope they take away the ability to challenge pass interference next year or have an independent person or party decide.
                The least we can do as fans is to be a bit more forgiving.  Don’t get me wrong, I hate bad officiating as much as anybody.  We can all remember bad calls in games our team lost.  For me as a Seahawks fan, I remember Super Bowl XL all too well.  What I don’t remember are bad calls against my Seahawks in games we won.  I know there are plenty, but I don’t remember them, because they didn’t impact the outcome of the game.  We focus on these calls and remember them for eons because they have the unfortunate distinction of impacting a game late and seeming to cause our team to lose.  I’d also like to point out that it doesn’t seem like too many calls cost the Patriots games.  They don’t ever seem to be on the wrong side of one that costs them the game.  But that is because they never put themselves in that position.  They usually play well enough that bad officiating calls that go against them don’t impact whether or not they win. 
                What I have noticed is that we tend to focus on the negative calls and forget the ones that went in our favor.  Referees are certainly not perfect because they are only human.  And NFL football is an immensely complicated game that happens very fast and requires officials to have the ability to focus on multiple things at once.  I know NFL referees make really bad calls that make us call them names like idiot, moron, among other insults that attack their intelligence.  I’m guilty of that.  But these guys are not idiots, in fact they’re probably smarter than most of us.  What they are are men put in a difficult position because of their love for the game of football. 
                I do think, however, something needs to be changed.  The training process for officials, for one, maybe.  I think they should go through a heavy amount of training each offseason.  Also, I’m not huge on Al Riveron being the senior vice president of officiating for the NFL.  They need someone in that position that will make the right call, even if the video evidence isn’t entirely clear.  Perhaps with technology advancements we can get more accurate shots of the action and perhaps even data. 
                We’re in a rough patch right now, I won’t lie.  The officiating in the NFL has never been as criticized and judged as it is now.  We just need to get through it.  I’m a positive-outlook kind of person, so I think officiating will get better over time, and then we can finally relax and enjoy games.  We just need to be patient and understanding until it does, and also realize it's just a game for most of  us.

Top Ten Californication Moments

I just finished watching Showtime's "Californication" for the second time, and there's a reason I've seen it two times now.  It's a good show.  David Duchovny plays the lead, Hank Moody, very well, and basically carries the show for seven seasons.

It led me to thinking what the best moments on the show were.  I've come up with my favorite ten moments on the show.  If it's a show you've considered watching, this might help, but of course there will be spoilers.  This is your warning.

A lot of these involve music, which I think the show does so well.  Here we go:

10. Hank dreams about getting a blowjob from a nun in a church, opening with "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by the Rolling Stones, Season 1: "Pilot"
This show kicks off and gets right to it in its first scene.  They instantly show it's going to be a show about sex and a show that's not afraid to push boundaries.  It's iconic and there's even references to this a couple times throughout the show.  Anyone watching this show not knowing what it's about receives an absolute shock when the nun asks, "What about a blowjob?"  Although to be fair, Hank curses a bit before she propositions him in his dream.  And this whole scene starts with Hank driving up to the church set to the London Bach choir's part of the song "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by the Rolling Stones.  Funny thing I just found out: They use the Stones' vocals of the same song to conclude the show in Season 1, book-ending the season with different parts of the same song.

9. Hank gets carjacked, set to the Foo Fighters "The Pretender", Season 1: "Filthy Lucre"
As Hank pulls up to a red light, he gets asked by a female pedestrian how to get to the highway.  Soon after he responds, her male partner approaches Hank from the driver's side and points a gun to Hank's head, ordering him to get out.  We see Hank trying to save what he thinks is his only copy of his novel, but he is unable to due to the carjacker's threats.  They speed off with the car and novel, and instead of panicking, Hank like a boss calmly lights a cigarette.  We then see Mia had made a copy of his novel, and then fade to credits right as the chorus of "The Pretender" hits.  Just one of the most perfectly timed moments with one of the best song choices.

8. Hank trying to put out fires (one literally) left and right, but all hell breaks loose, Season 3: "The Apartment"
This moment is from the highest rated episode of Californication on IMDB, so I had to include it.  In season 3, Hank juggles varying levels of relationships with three different women, all with ties to the school he is teaching at: One student, one teacher/wife of the dean, one his teacher's assistant.  They all decide to visit him one morning, all trying to seduce him or be with him in some fashion.  Meanwhile, Charlie and Rick Springfield (Yes, the Rick Springfield who sang "Jessie's Girl") are in the main bedroom with two hookers.  It's a long story.  And of course, Karen and Becca and Becca's friend, Chelsea, and Chelsea's dad the dean all show up.  It culminates into one of the most hectic but entertaining moments in the series.

7. Hank reads Karen "The Story of Us" on the plane to their daughter Becca's wedding, Season 7: "Grace"
Hank makes the grand gesture of going to New York with Karen for Becca's wedding (after initially saying he wouldn't go because he objects to the marriage), and when he boards the plane he pulls out a letter he's written to Karen.  He initially hands it to her, but she doesn't seem keen on reading it so Hank steals it back and reads it aloud.  It really summarizes up their relationship pretty well.  Just like in the show, it doesn't have a definitive ending, but that's ok.  The letter was moving enough to make the stubborn lady sitting next to Karen switch her seat.

6. The chaos of the dinner party, Season 4: "The Last Supper"
At a dinner party hosted by Stu Beggs with tons of guests, chaos of course ensues.  At the party are Hank, Karen, Karen's date Ben, Marcy, Stu Beggs, Charlie and his date, Peggy, Eddie Nero, the director of "Fucking & Punching", Hank's lawyer Abby, and Sasha Bingham.  Basically, it's a party to celebrate the movie they're all making, and most people bring dates.  Anyway, arguing starts, plus a lot of personal and sexual details revealed.  After Charlie confesses that he still loves Marcy, Marcy reveals the baby she's carrying is Charlie's, then Peggy in her anger stabs Charlie through the hand with a knife.  Marcy then attacks and fights with Peggy, Hank takes the knife out of Charlie's hand, which causes the director to vomit.  I told you there was a bit of chaos.

5. The glorious mangina, Season 3: "Wish You Were Here"
Season 3 kicks off with a bang, as Hank has dinner with his daughter's friend's mother and her family.  There at the party is an author Hank looks up to, Richard Bates.  Hank makes the mistake of getting Bates to succumb to his desire for alcohol (He had been sober for many years).  After Bates' drinking, the next time we see him he is naked.  What is funny though is he has his penis tucked between his legs, showing off what he calls his "glorious mangina".  Never did I ever think I'd see a man's crotch with his penis tucked between his legs on TV.  Bates then goes streaking to God knows where.  What made this moment a classic was Hank's several times referring to it years down the line.

4. Hank and Becca bond as Season 2 ends, set to "California Dreaming" by the Shaw Blades, Season 2: "La Petite Mort"
I have just always loved this scene.  Hank meets the skater girl he had previously slept with, and as she leaves Becca approaches and she and Hank talk about relationships.  It's one of their best father-daughter bonding moments.  I really like the song they chose for this, a cover of the Mama's and the Papa's "California Dreaming", this time done by the Shaw Blades.  The camera pans up as we see the large crowd at Santa Monica and the season ends.  One of the best, if not the best ending to a season.

3. Hank punches a guy for calling Karen the "C-Word", Season 1: "Fear and Loathing at the Fundraiser"
It's a quick moment, but a guy earlier was extremely rude to Karen and called her the "C-Word", while Hank wasn't around her.  When everyone is leaving the fundraiser, they see each other again and the guy says, "See You Next Tuesday!" which is another way of saying the C-Word.  Karen cusses him out, and Hank asks what it's about.  When Karen tells him, Hank calmly walks up to the guy, says, "Excuse me," and sucker punches him.  I love this moment because we learn how much he really loves Karen deep down and that someone calling her the most insulting term for a woman really makes him want to defend her honor.

2. "BOOOOO-YA! The baby's black!", Season 2: "La Petite Mort"
This is undoubtedly the moment in Californication that made me laugh the hardest.  After a fling of Hank's, Sonja, tells him she's pregnant with his child, Hank gets into hot water with Karen, of course.  However, Hank and Karen are present at Sonja's water-birth.  Everyone receives a surprise when the baby comes out as black, proving that Hank can't be the father.  His reaction to seeing the baby is utterly priceless.  He says the above line, including a fist pump while he's at it, and celebrates with Karen that he's not the father.

1. Karen finds out about Hank and Mia set to Elton John's "Rocket Man", Season 3: "Mia Culpa"
It's amazing that this show was able to keep Karen from knowing about Hank and Mia for almost THREE seasons.  After a fight with Mia's manager, Hank realizes he has to tell Karen himself rather than her hear it from someone or somewhere else.  As soon as he gets serious and begins telling her, "Rocket Man" by Elton John comes on.  It fits the moment perfectly, and we know basically what they're saying so we don't have to hear the dialogue.  It's a lot of chasing and shoving and running, anyway.  It ends with the cops coming and whisking Hank away for assaulting Mia's manager, signaling his absolute lowest point.  I said earlier Season 2's "La Petite Mort" had the best ending scene to a season, but I think this tops it.

My Solution to the NFL's Overtime Rule

Ever since the vaulted Chiefs offense of 2018/19 did not get an opportunity to take the field in overtime of the 2019 AFC Championship game, NFL fans (mostly Chiefs) have clamored for a change to the NFL overtime rules.  They want both teams to have an opportunity to possess the ball.  And I have to admit, I agree.  If two teams meet, and each team has a great offense and sub-par defense, the coin flip really does determine who wins the game.  I know it's been 7 months since that AFC Championship game, but I have just thought of a solution to fix overtime in the NFL.  I want to add that I have modified my original overtime proposal which allowed games to extend beyond two possessions.  This does not (unless it is a playoff game).

Here is my solution: Each team gets one opportunity to possess the ball on offense.  The only exception being if the defense scores on the first possession.  If the first team to possess the ball scores, the opposing team will get one shot to tie or beat them.  After those two possessions, the game is over.  If the game is tied after two scoring possessions, the game becomes a tie (unless it's a playoff game).  If the first team to possess the ball gets a TD and goes for two and succeeds, that means the best the opposing team can do is tie the game.  If it was a playoff game, they'd have to get a touchdown and two point conversion to keep the game going.  I must add that in this version of overtime, there is no game clock, just like in college.  Just possessions and a play clock.

Confused at all?  I wouldn't blame you if you were.  Here are some hypotheticals (and we'll use the Patriots and Chiefs to make it easy).  And we are using regular season overtime rules (unless otherwise specified).

- The Patriots get the ball first in overtime and kick a field goal.  The Chiefs then kick a field goal.  The game would then be a tie.  In the playoffs, the Patriots would get the ball back, now with the game in sudden death mode.

- The Patriots get the ball first in overtime and score a touchdown and get the ensuing PAT.  The Chiefs get the ball themselves and score a touchdown as well.  They kick the PAT as well.  This would result in a tie.  The Chiefs could go for two points, and if they successfully get it, they win the game.  If they fail to get it, they lose.  Talk about drama.

- The Patriots get the ball first in overtime and score a touchdown and get the two point conversion.  The Chiefs would then get an opportunity to match.  If they don't, the game obviously ends with a Patriots victory.  If they do, the game ends in a tie.  In the playoffs, they would continue to play now under sudden death (next score wins).

- The Patriots get the ball first and either punt or turn the ball over.  The Chiefs get the ball.  Any score wins it for them.  If they fail to score at least a field goal (because with the offense on the field, they can't score a safety), the game ends in a tie.  In the playoffs, the game would continue until someone scores.

I hope that clarifies things.  This way, both teams get a chance to possess the football, and the game always ends after two possessions, unless it's the playoffs.  The interesting scenario this creates is for the second team to possess the ball.  Do they go for the tie or the win?  I'd say 90%+ of the time you go for the win; one exception being if a loss knocks you out of the playoffs, but a tie or win and you're in the playoffs.

Here are the pros and cons of this format.

PROS:
- Both teams get a chance to go for the win if they so choose, unless the first team gets a TD and 2 point conversion.  If the first team does get both, then the second team loses the ability to go for the win.
- Would make for exciting and dramatic football as we could see a lot of "Do or Die" plays
- Would make for a lot of interesting and tough coaching decisions (Go for 2?  Go for it on 4th?  Kick or receive?)
- It's about as fair as OT can be to whoever wins the toss, and I could see some teams wanting the ball first while others want it second

CONS:
- Can be a tad confusing
- There could be an increase in the number of ties since any teams that do the same in the overtime period would count as a tie.
- This could increase the amount of time players have to play in overtime if they're always forced to play at least two possessions.

To counter those three cons I listed, for the first one, I came up with a simplified way of explaining these rules and it is this: Each team gets one possession.  Whoever does better wins.  If they do the same, they tie.  That's it. Once people get used to these rules, they become very easy to explain.

Secondly, it's hard to really say if the number of ties would increase.  If just one team scores, the chance that there will be a tie dramatically drops, because the second team to possess the ball more than likely won't go for a tie.  And with defenses that have been on the field for a half hour each (on average) already, it means offenses playing against gassed defenses and more than likely, one of the offensive units would get at least a field goal.  Also, you would not see many teams "going for a tie", such as kicking a field goal when the other team kicked a field goal, because a head coach would instantly and forever be harshly criticized for not having the courage to go for the win.

Thirdly, this could indeed increase on average the amount of time overtime periods go.  Right now, overtime can end on one possession.  It still could now (if there's a defensive score), but most often we'd see two possessions.  My argument is that I think players would be willing to play a bit more for a better chance to win the game.  Think back to the AFC Championship game this past season.  I'd guarantee each of those Chiefs offensive players, from QB Patrick Mahomes to the offensive linemen, they all wanted to go back out there.  They all wanted one more shot.  There are only 16 games a season plus a maximum of 4 playoff games for one team.  Each game is critical, and everyone on the team would love a shot to go out and win a game that goes to overtime.  Let's give them that shot.

2019 Seahawks Predictions!

The 2019 NFL season is almost underway, and as I do every year, I talk about my Seahawks.  The Seahawks go into 2019 after coming off a season in which they made the playoffs but failed to win a playoff game.  That's the first time in the Russell Wilson era that after making the playoffs the Hawks failed to win a playoff game.  I will go game by game predicting the outcome as I always do.  This time, however, I am going to do something new.  At the end, I'm going to go position by position and compare 2019's starters to 2018's.  This will show how much the team has improved or regressed from last year, and should hold up to my comparison for the Hawks Win/Loss record.  Here we go!

Week 1 vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Win 24-13 (1-0)
First off, if there is any game that you can pencil in as a victory on the Hawk's schedule, it is this one.  The Bengals are expected to be one of the worst teams in the AFC and will be without their star wide receiver (and perhaps best player) in A.J. Green.  Now the reason this isn't more of a blowout is because the Seahawks usually get off to a slow start offensively when the season begins.  But the defense should shine.

Week 2 at Pittsburgh Steelers: Loss, 28-20 (1-1)
The Hawks have never scored a single point at Heinz Field... ever.  Since the stadium opened in 2001, the Hawks have played two games there and were shut out both times.  I think it's a safe bet to say the Hawks score in this one.  However, I still think the Hawks remain winless there and fall in a fairly close one.  The Hawks almost always lose to an AFC team every year, and this will be the one AFC loss this year.

Week 3 vs. New Orleans Saints: Win, 31-21 (2-1)
The Hawks have always played the Saints well at Century Link Field, and it remains that way.  I also expect a bit of a down season from the Saints so that should help the Hawks' chances.  I think it'll be a close game til late when Chris Carson pulls off Beastquake 2.0 (or 3.0?) and gives the Hawks a two-score lead for good.

Week 4 at Arizona Cardinals: Loss, 24-23 (2-2)
I hate playing in Arizona.  That field has given our players so many injuries.  Arizona, even though they haven't been that great in recent years, has always been a thorn in our side and will continue to be.  The Hawks barely lose to a Cardinals team they probably should've beaten, and Kyler Murray gets his first signature win in the NFL.

Week 5 vs. Los Angeles Rams: Win, 35-31 (3-2)
We need to beat the Rams at home and by golly we will.  Having the short week can be both a positive and negative but it works in the Hawks favor this time, as well as having the 12th Man for a prime time game.  Russ goes off and the Hawks avoid having a losing record five weeks in.

Week 6 at Cleveland Browns: Win, 27-16 (4-2)
It almost isn't fair this week.  The Hawks come off 10 days rest having last played two Thursdays ago.  Meanwhile, the Browns come off of only 6 days rest thanks to playing on Monday Night Football the previous week.  The Hawks use that to their advantage and beat the Brownies.  We see OBJ yell at someone on the sidelines (probably Mayfield).  Could this be the start of the Browns demise?  If it's at the hands of the Seahawks, I wouldn't mind that at all.

Week 7 vs. Baltimore Ravens: Win, 22-17 (5-2)
In the Earl Thomas revenge game, the Hawks do indeed get revenge.  Earl doesn't even factor into the game much and the Hawks take care of the Ravens.  Lamar Jackson struggles throwing the ball and has to resort to screens and running the ball himself.  And in a game where both teams are known for running more than passing, that's exactly what we get.  We don't see a ton of punts or possessions thanks to all the running causing the clock to keep going.

Week 8 at Atlanta Falcons: Loss, 30-26 (5-3)
Alas, the Hawks three game winning streak comes to an end.  The Hawks hang with the Falcons for most of the game, but the Falcons get the ball down 26-23, and while a FG does tie it, they go for the win and get a go ahead score, and the Hawks are unable to match it.  I predict the Falcons to be a better team in 2019, so if that is the case, this will be a very tough game to win.  Doable, but tough.

Week 9 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Win, 28-19 (6-3)
In a game that'll probably feature a Gay (TB) and a Dickson (SEA), we see a mostly uneventful game.  The Hawks offense does just enough and Tampa Bay makes too many mistakes.  Perhaps this is the game Jameis gets benched during.  Or perhaps he's already been benched.

Week 10 at San Francisco 49ers: Loss, 30-28 (6-4)
Even more than losing to the Cardinals, I hate losing to the 49ers.  Last year the 49ers won a game the Hawks definitely should've won, and we see the same thing again this year.  The 49ers win thanks to a controversial official ruling that leaves Hawks fans steaming.

Week 11 BYE

Week 12 at Philadelphia Eagles: Loss, 34-24 (6-5)
The Eagles hand the Hawks their most lopsided loss of 2019.  The Hawks compete and are in it in the 4th quarter down just 27-24, but a late pick-six thrown by Russ seals the game for the Eagles.  The Hawks go into Week 13 worrying about their playoff hopes.

Week 13 vs. Minnesota Vikings: Win, 17-14 (7-5)
In a tough, defensive battle, the Hawks come out on top barely.  This is the lone Monday night game, and I feel like we usually have one of our primetime games being a low-scoring tight game.  This will be it in 2019.  Jason Myers kicks a game winning field goal to put the Hawks at 7-5.

Week 14 at Los Angeles Rams: Loss, 29-20 (7-6)
In the final game the Hawks ever play at the Coliseum, the Hawks still cannot win there (again).  In a game needed by both teams the Rams come out on top and pretty much clinch the NFC West with this victory.

Week 15 at Carolina Panthers: Win, 23-16 (8-6)
The Hawks have done well at Bank of America stadium, excluding that one playoff game... grr... This time is no different as the Hawks win a semi-low scoring game.  The Panthers leave wondering what they have to do to beat the Hawks at home in the regular season.

Week 16 vs. Arizona Cardinals: Win, 34-14 (9-6)
In what may end up being the most pivotal game for the Hawks this season, they easily take care of the Cardinals to better their playoff chances.  Russ goes off for close to 400 yards and the defense stymies Murray for the most part.

Week 17 vs. San Francisco 49ers: Win, 28-21 (10-6)
I'm not gonna lie, this game could determine which of these teams makes the playoffs.  If my NFL predictions end up being what they are, that means going into this game the Hawks would be 9-6 and the 49ers 8-7.  A victory for the 49ers would give them the tiebreaker over the Hawks because they would've beaten them twice.  But the Hawks take care of business and secure a playoff spot for the seventh time in eight years.

Well, you know how the Hawks do if you read the other post.  If not, I'll spoil it here.  The Hawks win in the wild card round at Philly and get revenge for that week 12 loss, but then lose in the divisional round to the Rams.  I know, I hate it.  But I'm going for accuracy, not what I want.  But the Hawks can again use this season to build off of to try to improve for 2020.

And now, to compare the position groups from last year to this year.  If most of the players remain the same,  I give it an even or a "push".  I also will use small improvements and small regressions vs. big improvements and big regressions.  Big results have an effect of 2 points, and small 1.

QB: Push 
The only difference being the backup.  We go from Hundley to either Smith or Lynch.  Either way, they're not expected to see any significant time.  Easy push.
RB: Push
We lost Mike Davis, so why the push?  Rashaad Penny is going into his second year and I think he'll be even better than last year.  Plus, Davis was not a featured back.  Whoever our 3rd guy is shouldn't be much of a drop off, if at all.
WR: Small regression (-1, Score: -1)
Losing a leader in Baldwin hurts.  I'll admit that.  But we drafted three different wide receivers, one of whom in D.K. Metcalf could be a star.  Because of the lack of experience I say a small regression.
TE: Push
Yet another push.  We get Dissly back from injury so if he can stay healthy that'll be a bonus.  Also added Jacob Hollister.  But it's not a significant enough of an improvement.
OL: Small improvement (+1, Score: 0)
It's not that I didn't like Sweezy, but he just struggled at times last year, especially for a veteran.  I like Mike Iupati, and for the first time in a while I can say our line should be very solid from left to right.  Ifedi hopefully will keep making strides.  The main key, as with any offensive line, is staying healthy.  If they can stay healthy, they'll be a top 10 line for sure.
DL: Big regression (-2, Score: -2)
Frank Clark is not easily replaced.  I hate that we had to trade him, but it made sense.  His "replacement" in L.J. Collier just got hurt and might get off to a slow start thanks to missing training camp/preseason.  On top of that, we lost our best nose tackle Jarran Reed six games to suspension.  We're relying on guys like Green and Martin and Ford, and hopefully at least one can step up.
LB: Small improvement (+1, Score: -1)
We have a 99 overall player according to Madden in our linebacking crew.  That's awesome.  K.J. and Kendricks should solidify the outsides.  But the reason for improvement is the depth added by drafting Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven.  I think Barton at least is a stud.  I don't recall having such great depth like this at the linebacking position ever.
DB: Small improvement (+1, Score: 0)
Shaquill Griffin is determined to rebound from a mediocre at best 2018 performance.  He was constantly rated towards the bottom of cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus.  But that's not the reason for improvement.  Drafting Blair and Abadi should add depth we need.  I think we'll see improvements from both Flowers and Thompson, and let's not forget perhaps the most underrated safety in the NFL in Bradley McDougald.  These guys should benefit from another year together.
Special Teams: Large improvement (+2, Score: 2)
Replacing Janikowski with Myers is reason for +1 points alone.  If only we had just gone with Myers last year in training camp.  Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.  We also drafted a bunch of guys who will probably excel on special teams coverage like the aforementioned linebackers and Travis Homer.  I really expect special teams to be one of the Hawks strengths in 2019.


So overall, I have the Hawks better by 2 points.  I have them improved at 4 positions and worse at only 2.  Yet I predicted the same record they had last year.  In other words, I expect the Seahawks to go at least 10-6.  Anything less for me would be a disappointment.  Some say the Hawks have a difficult schedule.  I think it's doable.  I am not only hoping but predicting the two divisions (outside of their own) the Seahawks have to play (The NFC South and AFC North) aren't that strong.  I am actually predicting a total of three winning teams between the two divisions.

Oh, and before I forget, I might as well predict who I think will lead the Seahawks in categories that aren't a given (Passing TD's for example is a given: Russ)

Rushing Yards: Carson
Rushing TD's: Penny
Receiving TD's: Dissly
Receiving Yards: Lockett
Receptions: Lockett
Tackles: Wagner
Sacks: Ansah
Interceptions: Griffin
Gum chewed: Pete Carroll
Pep Talks given to teammates: Wilson

Here's to a successful 2019 season and as always, GO HAWKS!!!

My 2019 NFL Predictions!

It's my favorite time of year... almost.  The NFL season is almost upon us and I am as excited for this year as I think I've been for any season.  Will this be my most extensive predictions yet?  Judge for yourself.  Usually I go division by division and discuss how I think the division will shape up, but this time I will go team by team discussing what I think of them.  Also new to this year is I do a four word game for each team.  I use  four words to best describe their outlook on 2019 (and often about the quarterback position).  I got the idea from Colin Cowherd, who does a three word game for NFL teams on his show.  Look out for the 2nd part in which I discuss the Seahawks Win/Loss Record in more detail, and I go over each game.  An asterisk after a team's W/L record means they got a wild card spot.

Edit: With Andrew Luck's abrupt retirement, I had to adjust a few things, mainly the Colts season but also a couple others who are in their division.

AFC East
1. New England Patriots 11-5: Won't stop anytime soon
Is there any question?  The Patriots still remain the favorites in the AFC East.  Towards the end of last year Brady showed some signs of his age, and I think that'll creep in earlier this year, costing the Patriots a few games down the stretch.  They'll still win the AFC East easily, of course because they have a bunch of young, talented players.  Not until Brady and Belichick retire will this train stop and they have given zero indications that they will soon.  However, for the first time in years they will not have a first round bye.

2. New York Jets, 8-8: Offensive progress or bust
The Jets are many people's dark horse team.  Every year we see teams come out of nowhere to claim a playoff spot or division title.  I'm unsure if that will be the Jets.  They have Bell and C.J. Mosely, and Sam Darnold will be going into his 2nd year and is now under the tutelage of first year head coach Adam Gase.  So this offense needs to make strides otherwise it could be a LONG time before the Jets make the playoffs again.  Odds are they will, however.  This team could go 10-6, but I'll stick with the safe pick of 8-8.

3. Buffalo Bills, 6-10: Old backs, young gun
Josh Allen goes into his second year (hence the young gun), but unlike Mayfield and Darnold won't taste too much success in his sophomore season.  The old backs are LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore.  The Bills will be competitive and shouldn't get blown out much, but they just don't have enough talent to win many games late.

4. Miami Dolphins, 5-11: Rosen gets screwed... again?
The Fins continue their QB carousel, as they moved on from what they hoped to be the first legit QB since Marino in Ryan Tannehill, but he never could get them over the hump.  Now they'll go with a combination of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen.  I expect to see a bit more of Rosen.  I'll be honest, the Dolphins could be a team that surprises and wins 8 or 9 games, especially if Rosen breaks out.  But if Rosen doesn't and the Fins struggle, they could draft a QB with their first pick next year, meaning Rosen gets screwed over by his team again.

AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-6: Less entertaining, so what?
First off, I don't expect the AFC North to be that good this season.  Too many teams lost significant players.  The Steelers were one of them.  But they still have a great core of players.  They still have James Conner and Juju Smith-Schuster, two Pro Bowl caliber players.  But their quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, will show signs of age.  Despite that, yet again they'll win just enough to secure a division title thanks to lesser competition in their division.

2. Cleveland Browns, 9-7*: Hot start, cool finish
I think the Browns are a bit overhyped.  I also think OBJ is a bit of locker room cancer.  There's just too many egos on this team, and Mayfield is not the type of leader to keep things level-headed and calm the storm.  I think they could get off to a good start and get people thinking Super Bowl (7-2 maybe?) but then come crashing back down to earth and lose a lot of their remaining games to fall to 9-7.  This team is built to win early, but not late, but it will just be enough in a bad AFC.

3. Baltimore Ravens, 6-10: Lamar gets figured out
One of my bolder predictions this season is I predict the Ravens to have a bad year, culminating in a losing record.  I don't think Lamar Jackson can succeed in the NFL long term.  Much like his understudy, RGIII, he will have a disappointing sophomore season.  The losses of Suggs and Moseley hurts them, and Earl Thomas probably gets hurt again, showing he just can't stay healthy anymore.

4. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-12: Hurt for Justin Herbert?
The Bengals are considered an afterthought right now.  Not many people are going to want to tune in to watch a Bengals game.  I don't see them going 2-14 or 1-15 but they are going to find it very difficult to pass any team in their division this year.  I expect them to get a high draft pick and pick a QB in the 2020 draft, possibly Justin Herbert.  They'll need to find Dalton's successor soon if he struggles at all in 2019, which is to be expected.

AFC South
1. Tennessee Titans, 10-6: Mariota's health is key
This team is just solid.  I don't know what else to say.  I like Mike Vrabel as a coach and I think the Titans get a few lucky breaks this year.  Also, Mariota doesn't put up scoreboard shattering numbers, but he does make a lot of clutch plays late in games to make the Titans organization believe in him even more.  But the main concern is his health, and if he can play solid quarterback with few to no injuries, the Titans will have a real good shot at the playoffs.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-8: Strive for mediocre, well...
These cats are mad.  They had to be disgusted with themselves, following up a AFC Championship-berth season with 5 win season.  However, they will face too much competition in the AFC and will only be average at best.  They went out and got Nick Foles, who has yet to prove he can win outside of Philadelphia.  He's an average quarterback at best when he's not on the Eagles.  So when you strive for average, that's what you get.

3. Indianapolis Colts, 7-9: No More Luck Here
The Colts literally no longer have Luck after his abrupt retirement.  You could expect this team to collapse and crumble, but I don't think they will.  I think they play mostly inspired football, but without a true franchise quarterback, they'll struggle to win close games.  Fortunately for them, Jacoby Brissett is one of the better backup quarterbacks in the NFL, but there's a reason he's a backup.

4. Houston Texans, 6-10: Good luck Deshaun... seriously
You probably weren't expecting the reigning AFC South division champs here, were you?  Well, did you expect the Jaguars to go from division champs to 5-11?  Probably not.  Anyway, my reasoning is something unfortunate that happens in the NFL: Injuries.  Namely, I'm talking about an injury to Deshaun Watson.  I hate predicting injuries, but with his horrible offensive line, I'm afraid it might happen.  I hope I'm wrong.  Good luck Deshaun.  Also, losing Lamar Miller hurts, and their running game takes a hit as a result.

AFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs, 13-3: Gotta beat the best
Going into 2018, the Chiefs didn't exactly know what they had in Patrick Mahomes so they weren't sure how to feel about the season.  Now that they do, they've got nothing less of Super Bowl aspirations.  They added the Honey Badger and former Seahawk Frank Clark.  And, I think one of the surprises for 2019, Mecole Hardman.  Remember that name.  He's a speedster in the mold of Tyreek Hill.  And speaking of Hill, boy are the Chiefs lucky he wasn't suspended.  There was thought the Chiefs might have to cut him like they did Kareem Hunt.  Now, with Hill and Hardman, if teams double Hill, Mahomes will be able to get the ball easily to Hardman.  Watch out.  In order for this to be a successful season, they'll have to beat the best, which of course is the Patriots.  Couldn't do it last year in two opportunities.  They'll get at least one shot this year.

2. Los Angeles Chargers, 10-6*: Chiefs in the way
I know this Chargers team expects big things in 2019, with notable young stars like Derwin James and Mike Williams.  Barring injuries, they should compete well enough to get a winning record and a wild card spot.  Like with Brady and Roethlisberger, however, I think Rivers could show signs of age as well.  Hey, someone's bound to.  However good they do, the Chiefs will probably do just as well.  They'll either need a significant injury or collapse from the Chiefs, or just go on a run in the playoffs.

3. Denver Broncos, 8-8: Stuck in just average
Boy would it suck for Flacco if he lost his job to a rookie two years in a row.  Flacco will begin the season as the starter but Drew Lock could take over if the team or Flacco struggle.  I think they'll have an up and down season, but ultimately will have to look towards the future with Lock.  This team screams average, with only a few notable exceptions like Von Miller.

4. Oakland Raiders, 6-10: Hard Knocks the highlight
Boy will it be fun to watch the Raiders on "Hard Knocks" this season.  If Antonio Brown can stay healthy and out of trouble, he should add a spark to the Raiders offense and make them entertaining.  But if the Raiders struggle too much, Gruden might have to make a tough decision to move on from Derek Carr and draft a QB in 2020.  But more than likely the Raiders will struggle, leaving Hard Knocks as the lone highlight.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-6: Wentz healthy or else
Can Carson Wentz finally stay healthy all year?  If he doesn't, Eagles fans will be very concerned for their future at the QB position.  The Eagles are a good team, but it's not like their division is going to be really tough, especially the bottom 2.  Jordan Howard will prove the Bears should never have let him go.  The Eagles have enough talent to succeed, but with Foles no longer available as a security blanket, they'll need Wentz to stay healthy for a successful season.

2. Dallas Cowboys, 9-7: Zeke is not needed
I'm torn on these guys.  On one hand, I want to predict a first round bye, but on the other, I want to predict them missing the playoffs entirely.  I went with the latter.  There's too much drama around this team thanks to Ezekiel Elliot.  He's holding out, but the Cowboys don't need him.  They're still a very good (if not better) team without him.  And Dak Prescott is a very solid QB and improved once he got Amari Cooper.  Will Garrett finally get the axe?  Maybe Jerry Jones will just figure enough is enough and move on after the season.

3. Washington Redskins, 6-10: Jay Gruden, Sitting Duck
The only reason I'll want to watch a Redskins game this year is if they start Dwayne Haskins.  Honestly I just see him as another EJ Manuel/Geno Smith type, but there is potential.  Their defense isn't half bad, but I think if these Skins struggle to win games (which they probably will), we could see Jay Gruden shown the door.  He's long been on a semi-hot seat, which will only get hotter the more the Skins lose.  But we all know the real problem with this team is the owner, Dan Snyder.

4. New York Giants, 5-11: What are they thinking?
Oh, the Giants... boy I would not want to be a fan of them right now.  They've drafted a running back and quarterback with their first picks the last two years, but haven't surrounded them with any kind of talent yet.  This year will be all about transitioning from Eli Manning to Daniel Jones.  So their QB will either be a washed-up has-been or an unpolished rookie.  Yikes.  And they may end up wasting the best years of one of the best running back talents in years in Saquon Barkley.

NFC North
1. Minnesota Vikings, 11-5: Kirk on a mission
I feel like the division champ of the NFC North is usually the one team people don't see coming, excluding the Lions of course (Sorry, Lions fans).  Last year it was the Bears.  People are sleeping on the Vikings this year and I could see them pulling off some Minnesota magic.  Kirk Cousins will be out to prove he can win in this league.  Last year was him getting used to a new team, new system, and new teammates.  Now that he's got a year under his belt with them, watch out.

2. Chicago Bears, 10-6*: Doink in the past
The Bears are still a well built team and were a kick away from winning a playoff game.  Can't forget they have one of the best defensive players in the game in Khalil Mack.  I could see the Bears hanging with the Vikes all the way to the end.  They'll have to put last year's heartbreaking playoff loss way in the past to have success in 2019.

3. Green Bay Packers, 8-8: New coach,  so what?
Aaron Rodgers is going to realize he had it good with Mike McCarthy.  I'm not too impressed still with Green Bay's roster compared to Minnesota's and Chicago's.  Also, I'm not too sure about the durability of Aaron Rodgers anymore.  I hate to say it, but I think Aaron and Green Bay's best days are behind them.  Matt LaFleur can only do so much as a rookie head coach, and he won't make that much of a difference.

4. Detroit Lions, 6-10: Someone's got to lose
The Lions aren't a bad team, there's so much competition in the NFC and specifically the NFC North.  If they were in the AFC East they'd be 2nd place, easily.  I like Patricia as a coach and they've made some solid additions.  Just won't be enough... again.  If another team in their division collapses they have a shot, but still a small one.

NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons, 11-5: LI in the past
The Falcons will finally be able to put Super Bowl LI behind them and make a valiant effort to get back to the "big game".  I like their roster and Matt Ryan always seems to be a bit underrated, in my opinion.  Julio Jones will have a monster year, but more importantly their defense will have a great year and take big strides.  I expect the Falcons to have their best season since their Super Bowl LI season in which... well we all know what happened.

2. New Orleans Saints, 9-7: Heartbreak catches up eventually
I hate to say it, but the Saints aren't making it back to the playoffs.  Two heartbreaking playoff losses in a row is just killer.  Brees is 40 and will be nearing 41 at season's end.  They've got a good team, but they also have a tough schedule and I'm predicting a couple bad breaks for them.  Just narrowly missing the playoffs.  Heartbreak will catch up to them eventually.

3. Carolina Panthers, 7-9: Stuck with immature Cam
My oh my how far Cam Newton's stock has fallen.  Remember when he was MVP?  Seems like ages ago.  He's now ranked 87th in the NFL's Top 100 after being #1 just THREE YEARS AGO.  Yikes.  My gut says Cam will not retire a Panther unless he retires early due to health concerns.  Meanwhile, I'm still not sold on the Panthers as a team and I think they'll be so-so at best.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6-10: Not so famous Jameis
Will the Bruce Arians experiment work?  Hard to say.  Perhaps not with Jameis Winston.  Like the Lions, Tampa Bay's not a bad team, they just play in a really tough division.  I think their defense will be solid, but can Winston lead them to victory enough?  Doubtful.  I think Jameis' career will follow that of Josh Freeman's, where he ultimately becomes a journeyman backup quarterback, so not as famous.

NFC West
1. Los Angeles Rams, 12-4: Still too darn good
I hate to say it, but I think the Rams are going to be good again.  I know I said in a post two months ago that I think the entire division (minus the Hawks of course) could struggle a bit in 2019.  I really want to believe the Super Bowl hangover curse will happen to the Rams.  They just have too much talent to go 8-8.  They may have another great regular season, but that doesn't always mean they'll have a great postseason as well.  Stay tuned.

2. Seattle Seahawks, 10-6*: Patience is a virtue
For the first time ever I reveal what I predict the Hawks record to be in my NFL predictions (usually I keep it in the separate Seahawks predictions).  I see another winning season and another playoff berth.  The Hawks could really challenge the Rams for the division title, but the Rams may just be too much.  They are slowly getting better and better, filling holes left by the departed LOB and guys like Avril, Bennett, and Baldwin.  We may not see too much success in 2019, but it's a slow ascent back to Super Bowl contention.  For more on the Hawks 2019 season you'll have to see my other post on the Hawks HERE.

3. San Francisco 49ers, 8-8: Still don't like Jimmy
Well many are predicting the 49ers to double their 4 wins from last year and I think they will... barely.  I'm still not sold on Garoppolo as a franchise quarterback.  Dating a porn star?  Also he doesn't seem to be able to stay fully healthy.  The 49ers team isn't awful anymore, but will they be good enough to avoid another losing season?  I think it'll be close.  They'll have to wait another year to try to return to the playoffs.

4. Arizona Cardinals, 4-12: Kyler the right choice?
I'm taking a bit of a risk here and saying Kyler Murray just won't succeed in the NFL.  At least not in his rookie season.  He's small and unlike Russell Wilson doesn't have the stature to take hits constantly in the NFL.  It doesn't help the Cards hopes that they play in a division where two recently made the playoffs and the other team is on its way up and could vie for a playoff spot.  Also, I'm not sold on Kliff Kingsbury as a coach, but we'll see.



So those are all of my predicted regular season records in the NFL for 2019.  Here's how the playoff seeding shapes up:

AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs, 13-3
2. New England Patriots, 11-5
3. Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-6
4. Tennessee Titans, 10-6
5. Los Angeles Chargers, 10-6
6. Cleveland Browns, 9-7

NFC
1. Los Angeles Rams, 12-4
2. Minnesota Vikings, 11-5
3. Atlanta Falcons, 11-5
4. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-6
5. Seattle Seahawks, 10-6
6. Chicago Bears, 10-6

All right, and how would these playoffs shape up?  Let's find out.

WILD CARDS
AFC:
(6) Browns at (3) Steelers: Steelers win
These AFC North rivals face off, and the Steelers prove maturity and experience matters big in the playoffs.  Baker Mayfield leads a spirited comeback attempt but comes up short.

(5) Chargers at (4) Titans: Chargers win
First upset of Wild Card weekend is the Chargers upsetting the Titans.  Again, the Chargers go on the road and take care of an only somewhat decent division winner.

NFC:
(6) Bears at (3) Falcons: Falcons win
Yet again Matt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky struggle to win a playoff game.  But this time is on the road in a tough environment in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  Julio Jones and Matt Ryan's air attack is too much for the Bears.

(5) Seahawks at (4) Eagles: Seahawks win
The battle of the two blue/green birds.  The Hawks come out on top late thanks to the defense making a big stand.  Eagles fans start to wonder if Carson Wentz can win a playoff game.

DIVISIONAL ROUND
AFC:
(5) Chargers at (1) Chiefs: Chiefs win
I like the Chargers a lot, but they'll be hard-pressed to win at Arrowhead Stadium in January.  They got blown out by the Patriots who were just barely able to do it last year.

(3) Steelers at (2) Patriots: Patriots win
The Steelers are still a very solid team, but are nowhere near dynamic or great enough to beat the Patriots on the road in the playoffs.  Terrific Tom again makes it to the AFC Championship game.

NFC: 
(5) Seahawks at (1) Rams: Rams win
I hate to say it... but Rams take it.  I just don't think the Hawks have enough experienced players to win a playoff game against the Rams, especially on the road.  In the two divisional matchups between Western division rivals, the home team comes out on top each time.

(3) Falcons at (2) Vikings: Falcons win
I hate to say it, but Vikings fans are so accustomed to heartbreak this should come as no surprise.  They probably lose in heartbreaking fashion here in some fashion.

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
AFC: 
(2) Patriots at (1) Chiefs: Chiefs win
In a rematch of last year's Conference Championship Game, the Chiefs come out on top this time to finally claim the Lamar Hunt trophy.  I'd expect a close game yet again, but this time luck swinging in the Chiefs' favor.

(3) Falcons at (1) Rams: Rams win
In another playoff rematch (from 2 years ago), the Rams get revenge from that loss to claim the George Halas trophy.  The Falcons put up a tough fight, but ultimately come up short as both #1 seeds make it to the Super Bowl... again.

SUPER BOWL LIV: Chiefs vs. Rams: Chiefs win
In what will be one of the most entertaining Super Bowls ever, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs come out on top to claim the Lombardi trophy.  The Rams, meanwhile, become this generation's Buffalo Bills of the 90s as they lose their second Super Bowl in a row.

So my Super Bowl pick is Rams vs. Chiefs, with the Chiefs coming out on top.  Who will win the awards?  Let's find out:

MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Offensive Player: Patrick Mahomes
Defensive Player: Darius Leonard
Coach: Andy Reid
Offensive Rookie: N'Keal Harry
Defensive Rookie: Devin Bush
Comeback Player: Carson Wentz
Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes

Top Ten Star Wars Movie Ideas (with pictures!)

With Disney's acquisition of Star Wars in 2012, they finally allowed us to see non-episodic Star Wars films.  There have been two so far: Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story.  Many consider Rogue One to be the best written film since the Original Trilogy, and many consider Solo to be underrated, myself included.  Solo suffered at the box office, not because it was a bad film, but because it was released less than 6 months after The Last Jedi and many were suffering from "Star Wars fatigue".  If there was a film released every 6 months, you wouldn't really look forward to them as much, would you?  It seems as though the poor box office results of Solo have scared Disney from making more spin-off films.  But we know they'll get back to it, and we'll have one 2-5 years after Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is out.  So, here are my Top 10 Ideas (ranked) for Star Wars films they could make.  I ranked them mainly based on how likely they are to be made, but also I factored in a little bit of how much I'd want them to be made as well.  Keep in mind I did my best to come up with titles.  Also, I really had to focus on films that have at least a small shot of happening some day.  So there won't be any films with Darth Vader as the main character, unfortunately.

10. Qui-Gon Jinn: A Bigger Fish Story
Qui-Gon Jinn is a beloved Star Wars character.  If you remember in Ep. II, Count Dooku revealed to us he was Qui-Gon's master.  I would love to see their relationship and Qui-Gon's training.  We could see hints of Dooku's fall to the dark side.  Obviously, two new actors would have to play them (RIP Christopher Lee).  My ideas are Colin Farrell for Dooku and Tom Holland for Qui-Gon.  Would Star Wars fans still go for this?  Meh, but I know I would.  Also, the title is a joke (mostly), but I just could not resist.

9. Star Wars: The Formation of the Alliance
I could see a film set between Ep. III and IV revolving around the formation of the Rebel Alliance.  I mean, technically we saw the very beginnings of it in the Episode III deleted scene, but this could greatly expand upon that.  It would have another chance to feature Darth Vader (who wouldn't want that?).  And it could show the very first conflicts between the Alliance and the Empire.  One reason I want this to happen (and soon) is I think Millie Bobby Brown would make a really great young Princess Leia.  But they would have to make the movie soon before she gets too old.  Otherwise they'd have to have a casting call and audition hundreds of young actresses.  Also, if they could make this soon they could recast Jimmy Smits in the role of Senator Bail Organa.


8. Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the New Order
Now I know I've heard after Episode IX, Star Wars will forever be done with the Skywalker saga. I don't think that's entirely true.  I mean, they'll be done with the story of the Skywalkers after IX, with Luke dead and Kylo Ren either dead or redeemed (probably).  However, I think they still could make a film between Episodes VI and VII about Luke starting the New Jedi Order and how it fell after he lost his nephew, Ben Solo.  The reason I think this COULD be possible is because there is a decent and well-known actor named Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes in the MCU) who looks SO much like Mark Hamill.  It's crazy.  Hamill and Stan are even aware of it.  And I'm pretty darn sure Mark Hamill would be happy with Stan playing Luke.  The problem being of course is if Stan wanted to do it and if he could pull it off.



7. Windu: A Star Wars Story
In order to have a film centered around a certain character, that character has to be two things: One, he has to be human (Sorry Yoda, Chewbacca, and R2/Threepio), and two, he has to be good/light side.  The audience has to be able to relate to the main character.  So with that in mind, one of the few characters that fits this that isn't a Skywalker is Mace Windu.  And Star Wars would greatly benefit from a film centered around a black character, as it could draw a lot of African-American people into the Star Wars films.  It could maybe even be the "Black Panther" of Star Wars films.  Also, I'd love to see Mace as a young Jedi, learning from his master, Cyslin Myr.  Any tough female actress could play Cyslin, perhaps Danai Gurira.  As for Mace, I'd like to see Corey Hawkins in the role (24, Straight Outta Compton, The Walking Dead).



6. Star Wars: A Jedi's Path I would love to see a Star Wars film about a new character, but with a familiar setting.  This film would follow a Jedi and her path through training and fighting in the Clone Wars.  And I think it should be a female Jedi because there aren't enough female heroines in Star Wars.  The film would have a sad ending more than likely, as nearly all of the Jedi were wiped out in the great Jedi purge of Order 66.  Maybe she could survive at the end and live as an outcast (but would obviously lose her master).  But to see parts of Episodes II and III from someone else's perspective could be really cool.  If this film is done soon enough, a lot of the same actors could be used in the roles they had (Samuel L. Jackson, Ian McDiarmid).  Honestly, if they cast a well-known or up and coming actress and they market it well enough, this could be one of the biggest Star Wars spin-off films, perhaps the "Wonder Woman" of Star Wars spin-off films.



5. Dash Rendar: A Smuggler's Story 

The debate rages on about what is considered Star Wars canon and what is not.  I think ultimately Disney will need to decide if they want to "borrow" characters and character traits from what they call "Legends".  As I was thinking of EU/Legend characters, Dash Rendar came to me.  He is actually considered canon now because he was mentioned in a canonized Star Wars book (Solo: A Star Wars Story: Tales from Vandor).  Does that mean they'll make a film about him?  No.  But imagine if they did, and borrowed from "Shadows of the Empire".  If they could recreate anything from that, it would bring so many of us right back to our childhoods.  And Dash could be played by any actor deserving of the part as his appearance has not been canonized in any way.  Personally, I'd like Charlie Cox (Daredevil) for the role, as he screen tested for Han Solo in "Solo: A Star Wars Story" but didn't get the part.




4. The Adventures of Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron is a fan favorite character. We know Disney will be fond of the Sequel Trilogy after "Rise of Skywalker" has been out and might want to spin off from it with one of the sequel trilogy characters.  It comes down to Finn and Poe, and I pick Poe.  We could hopefully see him as a teen growing up and learning how to pilot, and see him right before the events of "The Force Awakens" and see what lead to him being on Jakku and how well he knew Lor San Tekka.  And we could see him after "Rise of Skywalker" and see if he has a partner and/or kids.  He might be leading the Resistance at this point, but could still have some action.  We'd have to have BB-8 of course.  And this is the first film on here that wouldn't have to be recast as Oscar Isaac could still play the role.  The only additional casting for Poe they might do is for a younger version of him.  I don't see this as a huge box office hit, and may end up being a TV show instead (Poe is featured on Star Wars Resistance).

3. FETT
I think a movie about Boba Fett is possible, despite what I said earlier in the Mace Windu movie about the protagonist having to be good and light-sided.  Boba is a very complex character, more morally gray than anything.  It could even be set after the events of Episodes IV or V (or between III and IV).  And I would love them to show Fett escaping from the sarlaac pit; maybe even show him fighting it.  In order to draw in fans, they'd have to cast a bigger name than Daniel Logan.  The problem is that Boba is an unaltered clone of Jango Fett, meaning as an adult he would look just like Temuera Morrison.  However, the writers could come up with a clever tactic as to why he doesn't look exactly like him; something like the cloning process wasn't perfect.  Therefore, my choice for Boba would be Toby Sebastian (Game of Thrones).  He looks the part and has a leading man kind of appearance.



2. Star Wars: The Old Republic
Ever since the Knights of the Old Republic video game, I've wanted a movie set around the era of the Old Republic.  Specifically, I would want it centered around Darth Revan, Bastila, and Carth.  With Disney's acquisition of Star Wars that story lost it's canonization, but they could still make a film with a lot of the same elements (and could borrow some characters, too).  It would be very cool to see some characters here and there from KOTOR that us players of the game could pick up on in the film.  The biggest downside to this is that it would be the first film (unless one comes out before it) that isn't set anywhere close to the lives of likable characters such as Yoda, C-3PO and R2D2.  It would feel a lot different and not having a single recognizable character could hurt the film at the box office by dissuading a lot of the casual fans from seeing it.

1. Star Wars: Obi-Wan
Fans have been clamoring for an Obi-Wan film for years.  It would be set between episodes III and IV, and we'd see Obi-Wan on Tattooine looking after Luke.  Ewan McGregor is more than ready and willing to reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi.  His character is beloved throughout the Star Wars fandom.  One problem with this I see is writing out a plot that is worthy of a solo film but also doesn't contradict Episode IV.  Remember, the Empire was still unaware of his presence in Ep. IV.  So who would he fight?  We know he fights and kills Maul for good thanks to Star Wars Rebels, but who else?  My only thought is the criminal organization revealed in Solo called "Crimson Dawn".  Could be a way to tie up Solo to this.  Also, there's only so much you can do on a desert planet, he'd almost have to leave Tatooine so that the entire film is not set there.  He could meet up with Yoda on Dagobah and get some advice, and we could see part of how you become a Force ghost and become one with the Force.


There is my list of the Top Ten Star Wars Movie Ideas.  I'd be willing to bet money at least one of these (if not more) becomes a film some day.  If indeed that does happen, I will probably come back here and add my comments to the film that actually got made.  Honestly, I'd love it if ANY of these got made.  It's really a shame Disney handicapped itself by declaring Expanded Universe material as non-canon, but as I said earlier, that doesn't mean those characters can not or did not exist.  Also, if on the very off chance that any Disney/Lucasfilm executive happens to be reading this, please consider making the films on this list, especially the ones towards the end!  Also name me lead screenwriter (lol just kidding... or am I?)

My Top Ten Blog Posts that Didn't Age Well

I've been blogging for 9 years (almost a decade!) and if you do this long enough you can look back at your old posts and realize... uh oh.  A lot of them don't age well.  There are a lot of things I said I take back or that I was completely wrong on.  A lot of them sports related, but not all.  Here are my top 10 blog posts that didn't age well, from not so bad to the worst:

10. My 60 Day Insanity Workout, November 2010
I have tried the Insanity workout three times now and I still have yet to do all 60 days.  I also didn't post my Insanity Workout blog after Week 6, even though the workout is 9 weeks.

9. These Seahawks could stand to learn something from the Bengals, October 2011
Well the Bengals did remain a fairly decent time for a while, but it's what I said about the Hawks that gets me.

"Earl Thomas, Red Bryant, David Hawthorne, Kam Chancellor, and KJ Wright all look to be part of this defense for years to come." - David Hawthorne and Red Bryant?  Not so much.

"Unfortunately, 2011 will be just one of those seasons for the Hawks. The team will likely finish 4-12 or 5-11." - Well, 7-9 isn't much better but I was definitely off.

8. Predictions for the Seahawks in 2012, August 2012
First off, I predicted the Hawks to go 9-7.  They went 11-5.  I also predicted Matt Flynn to lead the team in passing.  Oops.  I also predicted us to lose to the Bills, which we did not.

7. Current Seattle Mariners Issues, June 2012
In this I answered my own questions and let's just say some of  the time I should've said the opposite.  For the fences being moved in, I said "No" but they ended up getting moved in and helped the offense.  For if Felix should be traded, I said a resounding no with this image, when we probably should've traded him while he still had value.

6. American Idol Top 24 Predictions, February 2011
In the season Scotty McCreery won, I predicted him to get no higher than 9th.  Yikes.  In fact, when I made a predicted Top 12, he wasn't in it.  I also said Pia Toscano would get no higher than 11th.  She did get gypped, but not that badly.

5. Why Google and YouTube Suck, October 2012
I no longer think this, btw.  My default browser is Chrome, I use Gmail, and I even have a Google Pixel phone.  Here's some snippets:

"I am giving IE another chance.  Google Chrome pushed me too far, so I’m going to see if IE can do enough to pull me back in."  - Well I guess I gave them another chance but they couldn't win me over.

"I really believe that Bing is just as good (if not better) of a search engine than Google" - I mean, I still use Bing from time to time, but I find Google to overall provide me better results.

"Forget about me using Google as my regular search engine.  And now you can forget about me using Google Chrome anymore" - We all have to eat our own words at some point.

4. Top Ten Things I Am Looking Forward to Most in My Future, September 2010
Well, 5 of these still haven't happened 9 years later.  The ending to HIMYM was a letdown.  I at least live with Amanda now having moved out.  I've been to Hawaii.  The Seahawks won the Super Bowl.  But that's about it.  Still working on the job/house/family aspects.

3. The Seattle Mariners: Destined to be a bottom dweller or turning the corner?, March 2011
"I’m giving the Mariners until 2015. That’s four years. I’ll be 26 when they play that year. If the Mariners don’t make it back to the playoffs by then and don’t look like they will soon, I will stop following them."

Oops.  The year is 2019.  The Mariners are undergoing a rebuild (in other words, it doesn't look like they'll make the playoffs soon) and I am still following them.  I think it was because they gave me hope in 2016 and 2018, so I delayed it.  Now... well I feel like I'm giving them one last shot.

2. 2012 - My Year to Shine, September 2011
"I promise you this. I will give it my all next year to get back into school. I will go back to school"
"In 2012, I will do the Insanity workout yet again, and this time I will complete it, even if I get sick."
Oof.  This one stings.  I did neither.  I'm not proud of it.  I just could never figure out the right school for me.  I did try Insanity again.  I'm not sure why I didn't complete it.  But 2012 was far from my year to shine.  I hate looking back on this and realizing what I could have and should have done.

1. Current State of Seattle Sports, March 2010
One of my oldest blog posts also happens to be one of my worst predictions.  Here are some things that stand out from this:

"Speaking of Locker, he is not only expected to be the Pac-10 player of the year, but also a contendor for the Heismann Trophy"  -Yikes... plus the misspelling of "contender"

"Probably the team in the worst shape in Seattle is the Seahawks" - Yet they were the next to win a championship

"The team recently acquired Charlie Whitehurst,[...] the Seahawks front office and coaching staff predict him to the be the quarterback of the future" - He wasn't even the quarterback for a full season

"The Seattle Mariners have high hopes for their 2010 season. Newly acquired Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins, Casey Kotchman, and Milton Bradley hope to improve this team upon its surprising 2009 season."  - My word... Not one of those guys made a significant impact, at least positively.

"I expect the Mariners to be in the playoff hunt at least until late August and more than likely into September." - The Mariners lost 101 games and were already 10 games under .500 by the middle of May.

Yeah... that did not age well at all.  You just can't predict the future in any sport, really.