Survivor 44 Preview and Predictions

Survivor 44 is just around the corner, and just like I did for Survivor 43, I'm going to go through each of the cast and predict where I think they'll land.  As before, I'll give a range of each player on where I expect them to finish.  Hopefully, I do better than the 33% (6/18) I did last season.  And yet again, I'll make a winner pick.  You'll have to wait and see at the end.  And now, here are the players, alphabetically by first name:

Brandon Cottom, 30, Security Specialist from Newtown, PA
Comparables: Danny McCray, Ryan Medrano
I do actually remember Brandon playing for the Seahawks, my favorite team.  Unfortunately, it was only in the preseason, as he never made a final 53-man roster.  I think he'll have a game similar to Danny and/or Ryan, where he gets fairly far, but not the end.  He'll be my favorite and the one I'm rooting for most, so I hope he wins.  But I just can't see it.
Predicted Finish: 9th-4th
WRONG, 10th.  Damnit!  Couldn't you have survived one more vote, Brandon?

Bruce Perrault, 46, Insurance Agent from Warwick, RI
Comparables: Eric Abraham, Rocksroy Bailey
I genuinely feel like the best Bruce can do in this game is about Rocksroy's spot, getting eliminated shortly after the merge.  But I think it's more likely he's an early boot, like Eric Abraham.  Also, *SPOILER ALERT*, there's a strong likelihood that Bruce is the one down shown in the preview for 44, and this likely is the first challenge.  Bruce could be a medevac here, and yes, that did factor into my placement for him.
Predicted Finish: 18th-13th
CORRECT, 18th.  Although I did know that was him being attended to at the challenge, I did not know for sure if he was medically evacuated from the game or not.

Carolyn Wiger, 35, Drug Abuse Counselor from Hugo, MN
Comparables: Lindsay Carmine, Heather Aldret
Carolyn is one of those women who will either be an early boot or get very far.  There's no in-between.  And it's so hard to tell.  Two things: She compared herself to Noura (yikes, but maybe it's good to be that self-aware?), and also she was featured in the promo at the 43 Finale.  So I think she's likely a losing finalist or loses at fire-making like Heather.
Predicted Finish: 7th-2nd
CORRECT, 3rd.  She was indeed a losing finalist!

Carson Garrett, 20, Aerospace Engineering Student from Atlanta, GA
Comparabes: Zach Wurtenberger, Christian Hubicki
Can Carson avoid being an early boot?  On pure appearances alone, I don't think so.  He's going to have a tall task trying to convince his tribe he's older than he is (or more mature than his age).  I think he's got a good head on his shoulders, but I cannot see him getting far.  He's like a younger Christian, which isn't necessarily a good thing.  Also, the next youngest on his starting tribe is 27, so it's going to be tough for him to form bonds.
Predicted Finish: 16th-11th
WRONG.  Carson has already gotten better than 11th.

Claire Rafson, 25, Tech Investor from Brooklyn, NY
Comparables: Chanelle Howell, Liana Wallace
I see Claire as more of a UTR Liana or a Chanelle that fits in better.  Well, she's got to try to do one of those two things to get far.  I could see it.  Can she accrue just enough agency to get votes at the end and win?  Time will tell.  I think she'll get targeted for being a jury threat in the mid-merge.
Predicted Finish: 10th-5th
WRONG, 15th.  Claire was robbed!  

Danny Massa, 32, Firefighter from Bronx, NY
Comparables: David Voce, Jonathan Young
Danny is a gym rat who will definitely help his tribe in challenges early on.  But like Voce and Jonathan, I don't see him having too much game acumen.  Like Jonathan, he may slip by just because the others will know he won't win a jury vote or because others might use him as a meat shield.  I can't see him being an early boot due to his kindness and strength.
Predicted Finish: 11th-6th
CORRECT, 7th.  He was more of a strategist and social player than I thought, but he did slip by because people had other targets.

Frannie Marin, 23, Research Coordinator from Cambridge, MA
Comparables: Kellyn Bechtold, Evvie Jagoda
Frannie, the youngest female, may have a story to tell if she gets to the final 3.  It's hard to see her getting there, but it is a possibility.  She's one of several that I feel could literally be anywhere from first boot to a finalist.  But as the youngest female, it's hard to see her winning.
Predicted Finish: 10th-5th
CORRECT, 8th.  I knew she'd be somewhere in the middle.  Too good socially (and surprisingly good at challenges) to vote out early.

Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt, 42, Engineering Manager from Pittsburgh, PA
Comparables: Marya Sherron, Tiffany Seely
Heidi is another woman in her 40s cast to fulfill an archetype.  Tiffany in 41 has done the best of this archetype so far in the new era, which isn't saying much.  So it's fairly safe to say Heidi could be a pre-merge boot.  Hey, some people have to be.
Predicted Finish: 17th-12th
WRONG.  Heidi has already gotten better than 12th.

Helen Li, 29, Product Manager from San Francisco, CA
Comparables: Jeanine Zheng, Erika Casupanan
Unfortunately, Asian women in recent seasons have been targeted for being smart.  Helen will somehow have to lower her threat level at some point.  I could see her being a major player if she survives the pre-merge, which I'm going to guess she will.  But since people on this season have seen Season 41, she'll likely become a target since people may see her as the next Erika.
Predicted Finish: 9th-4th
WRONG, 16th.  Helen was robbed!

Jaime Lynn Ruiz, 35, Yogi from Mesa, AZ
Comparables: Elie Scott, Noura Salman
My gut feeling is that Jaime will have a tough time finding her footing in this game and will not be included in the majority alliance/vote.  She has a chance to perhaps make big moves and get far, but I don't see it happening.  Her dual profession of yogi/Tiktoker makes me think she's going to possibly annoy people out there.  She seems like the kind of player others won't feel guilty about betraying.
Predicted Finish: 16th-11th
WRONG.  Jaime Lynn has already gotten better than 11th.

Dr. Joshua Wilder, 34, Podiatrist from Atlanta, GA
Comparables: Dr. Peter Baggenstos, Wendell Holland
I'd recommend Dr. Wilder keep his occupation a secret, as people will think he's too smart, rich, or both.  I think he'll do a good job ingratiating himself, but I see a blindside/downfall episode for him in the post-merge.
Predicted Finish: 10th-5th
WRONG, 12th.  Not off by too much.  He did try to keep his occupation a secret, though.

Kane Fritzler, 25, Law Student from Saskatoon, SK
Comparables: Daniel Strunk
I only included one comparable because if this guy wasn't cast to be Strunk 2.0, then I'm an alien from outer space.  Both are pale, semi-nerdy-looking lawyers with patchy facial hair and light brown hair.  Hopefully for Kane, he will do better than Daniel, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.  The best case is he makes the merge but gets left out of the majority early on.
Predicted Finish: 15th-10th
WRONG.  Kane has already gotten better than 10th.

Lauren Harpe, 31, Elementary School Teacher from Mount Belvieu, TX
Comparables: Shan Smith, Drea Wheeler
I'm getting Shan vibes from Lauren.  She might play a similar game.  I think she has a chance to play a much more UTR game and has a chance of getting fairly far.  She is the perfect age to play Survivor, after all.  She's a divorced elementary school teacher, so she likely can handle conflict and drama.  I'm here for a deep run for Lauren.
Predicted Finish: 6th-1st
CORRECT, 5th.  I was pretty spot on in my assessment of Lauren, playing a UTR game.

Maddy Pomilla, 28, Charity Projects Manager from Brooklyn, NY
Comparables: Natalia Azoqa, Molly Byman
Maddy is another that is so hard to pinpoint.  She looks friendly enough, but like Cassidy in 43, I can't see her winning if she gets to the end.  I think she'll either be voted out shortly before the finale or right at the merge.  I'll lean towards merge.  She also could be a losing finalist like Cassidy.
Predicted Finish: 13th-8th
WRONG, 17th.  She continues the "M" curse for women!  I should've seen this coming.

Matt Blankinship, 27, Security Software Engineer from San Francisco, CA
Comparables: Hai Giang, Owen Knight
We oddly didn't have a picture of him when the cast was first leaked.  That was also true of Rocksroy, so it leads me to believe Matthew won't get terribly far, either.  He must not have been as important of a player in 44.  
Predicted Finish: 13th-8th
CORRECT, 11th.  Although he should've gotten farther if not for a dumb twist...

Matthew Grinstead-Mayle, 43, Barbershop Owner from Columbus, OH
Comparables: Ben Driebergen, Mike Gabler
Matthew was featured in the season preview slipping on some rock he was trying to climb, so I wonder how that fall affected him.  I'm gonna go on a limb and say he's supposed to be someone we're supposed to remember.  He'll get far, and that fall will either not be enough to take him out or will occur late in the game.
Predicted Finish: 7th-2nd
WRONG, 13th.  Although I'd bet he would've made it to at least 7th had he not been med-evac'ed from the game.  Huge shame.

Sarah Wade, 26, Management Consultant from Chicago, IL
Comparables: Sarah Wilson, Cassidy Clark
And yet another female that I cannot pinpoint.  My gut says she's a pre-merge boot, like Justine from 43 or Sarah from 41.  She's just got a forgettable face.  Sorry, Sarah!
Predicted Finish: 17th-12th
CORRECT, 14th.  Although she played a bit better than I thought she would...

Yamil "Yam-Yam" Arocho, 36, Salon Owner from San Juan, PR
Comparables: Naseer Muttalif, Ricard Foye
Yam Yam was also featured in the preview, and he was featured last (as in he'll be the one we remember most).  He's got to get far, right?  I debated putting him as my winner pick, considering how out of the box the winners have been in this new era.  Could he?
Predicted Finish: 6th-1st
CORRECT, 1st.  I was so close to picking the winner, too!  Damn, I knew I should've picked Yam-Yam!

All right, based on ALL of that, how would a boot order go based on their predicted finishes?

18th: Bruce Perrault
17th: Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt
16th: Sarah Wade
15th: Carson Garrett
14th: Jaime Lynn Ruiz
13th: Kane Fritzler
12th: Matt Blankinship
11th: Maddy Pomilla
10th: Danny Massa
9th: Frannie Marin
8th: Dr. Joshua Wilder
7th: Claire Rafson
6th: Brandon Cottom
5th: Helen Li
4th: Carolyn Wiger
3rd: Yamil "Yam Yam" Arocho
2nd: Matthew Grinstead-Mayle
1st: Lauren Harpe

Yep, Lauren is my winner pick for 44!  So far, my winner picks in the new era have placed 9th, 1st, and 4th.  Let's hope she doesn't pull a Lindsay Carmine and go from favorite to pre-merge boot.  I decided against Yam-Yam because typically, in Survivor history, people with accents have not done well at the final tribal council (See Tai Trang).  The only winner in Survivor history you could say had a foreign accent was Sandra, which her accent is slightly Puerto Rican, but still very intelligible.  But I will be rooting for Yam Yam along with Brandon and Jaime (Follow her on Tiktok).  Yam Yam would be the first Hispanic male to win if he could.  

As for actual winners, my pre-season placement for them was 3rd (Erika), 1st (Maryanne), and 18th (Gabler).  Well, at least if a woman wins, I'm pretty close.  Watch Bruce end up winning now.  

Well, not too bad!  I placed 8/18 (44%) right this time!  And I was soooo close to the winner pick.  Now the people that ended up winning, I placed them 3rd, 1st, 18th, and 3rd again.  And my winner picks have finished 9th, 1st, 4th, and 5th.  This season, I most overestimated Matthew (left with injury, not my fault) and Helen.  I most underestimated Heidi, who went from 2nd boot (my prediction) to 2nd place.  Also Carson, who I thought would be more of a Zach Wurtenberger than a Sami or Xander.

Ten Survivor Season Ideas

With Survivor 44 just around the corner, I thought it'd be fun to do another Survivor blog post.  I know Survivor is in a new era, and so far, it seems like they're solely focusing on newbie casts only with no themes.  I think they're going to have to return to either returnee or themed seasons (or both) again someday, just to increase intrigue for seasons.  Constantly continuing with newbie casts and numbered seasons is not going to keep Survivor fresh, and fans are going to tire of it quickly.  So, here are five returnee player seasons and five themed casts for newbie seasons that I'd suggest they use.  I won't do any "sequels" to a returnee player season, such as "Second Chances 2", because that would be too easy.


Returnee Player Seasons

1. Old School vs. New School
It would be interesting to see a New School vs. Old School season.  The Old School Survivors wouldn't have to all be from older seasons, because we've had some Old School type players in fairly recent seasons.  Same applies for some New School players from some older seasons.  Or alternatively, they could have this be players from seasons before Season 40 vs. players from seasons after Season 40.

2. One Last Chance
All of these players playing this season would verbally commit to saying this is their final season, whether it be their 2nd time playing or their 3rd or 4th.  Like Winners at War, it would give a lot of legends (Cirie?  Ozzy?  Russell Hantz?) a chance to bid farewell to the show.  I'd much prefer this over a season simply titled "Legends".  At least with this, we can get some closure on some Survivor legends for sure.

3. Pre-Merge vs. Post-Merge
If they want to stick to picking returning players from just the 40s, one idea they could do is to have a tribe of pre-merge boots against a tribe of post-merge boots.  Just two seasons into this new format and we already have a handful of possible pre-merge boot returnee players such as Brad, JD, Daniel, Jenny, and Zach.  Two more seasons, and we'll have enough for an entire tribe.  Also, this would be titled something else (such as Second Chance 2), but the tribes would be divided based on where people got voted out their first time playing.

4. Social vs. Strategy
This is kind of a lame idea and needs some help with regards to marketing, but my idea is to put one tribe of players that relied on social games--Michele Fitzgerald, Cirie, Tommy, etc. against a tribe of players that focused on advantages and strategy, such as Drea, Jesse, and Devens.  It would be interesting to see the strategy tribe fight for advantages and see how well the social tribe gets along.  And of course, it would be interesting which "strategy" would come out on top.

5. Rivals
This has been talked about for a long time, but a rivals season is definitely a possibility.  Rather than split the rivals up on separate tribes, I think you put them on the same tribe.  Putting them on separate tribes only increases the chance that we won't have many rival pairs left come the merge.  Also, these rivalries would have to have some sort of requirement, such as one player had to have voted out the other.  Think Chris and Dom, Jay and Michaela, etc.  It would be interesting to see if the rival pairs would set aside their differences and work together or if they would target each other immediately. 


Themed Cast for Newbie Seasons

1. Teachers vs. Students
Survivor loves it's "_____ vs. ____" type-seasons, such as "David vs. Goliath" and "Millennials vs. Gen X".  Those two have been two of their more successful seasons in the past 10 years.  I'd suggest a Teachers vs. Students season.  The Teachers tribe wouldn't have to be fully comprised of people that are in a teaching profession (Although I'd recommend about half).  They could also be comprised of people that train others for a living (managers, bosses, etc.).  The Students tribe also wouldn't be fully comprised of actual students currently enrolled in school, but it could be people learning a profession or people who are apprentices or new to their occupation.  Yes, the Teachers tribe would generally be older, but I'm sure they could find some older students and younger teachers to help even things out.

2. Salute to Armed Forces
Survivor should do a season comprised entirely of veterans from various branches of the military.  I think it would add some intrigue, and maybe some alliances of people from the same branch.  They've cast many veterans throughout the years.  My one concern is whether they would have enough female veteran applicants.  They might have to do a bit of recruiting.  One idea I had is this could be a captain-type season, with maybe Ben Driebergen leading one tribe, and Angela from Ghost Island leading the other tribe.

3. Celebrity Edition
I've wanted a Celebrity Edition of Survivor for so long.  I'd be okay if they were given a decent amount of food and habitable living conditions, especially if each celebrity was playing for charity.  Who wouldn't want to see celebrities lie, scheme, and betray each other?  I know they did "Beyond the Edge," which had celebrities, but that wasn't Survivor.  There are plenty of celebrity Survivor fans that would be willing to do this.

4. Kids vs. Parents
I know Survivor loves to lean into the Blood vs. Water storylines, so why not fully?  Why not have a season where one tribe is a tribe of parents and the other tribe is their kids?  This could maybe even be where they lower the age restriction a bit (to 16 or 17).  But the kids' tribe would have to have some older "kids". Otherwise, they would struggle to build a camp and get food.

5. Connections to the Past
Think Blood vs. Water, but without returning players.  Each player cast is someone related to a former Survivor player.  I would love it if they did this but then didn't tell the players that anyone else is related to a Survivor player.  The hard part would be getting 16-20 players who don't recognize each other, as former players often hang out, share photos, etc.  But imagine someone letting slip they're related to a former Survivor player, and then someone else confessing to them, etc.  Bonds or rivalries could form over this.  It would be very interesting to see how and when players would reveal their connections.  

Well, those are the 10 theme suggestions I have for Survivor; hopefully they use one of these someday!  I might come back and comment on it if they do.  

Backyard Sports Series and their Characters

Some video games I grew up with were the Backyard Sports series from Humongous Entertainment.  I had the original Backyard Baseball, Backyard Baseball 2001, Backyard Soccer MLS, Backyard Football, and Backyard Basketball.  I loved each one, but Baseball was always my favorite.  

One thing they did great was creating these kids in the 90s that were diverse and had their own unique personalities.  There were some I loved more than others, and some I hardly ever used on any of my teams.  I'm going to go through each character and explain them, how much I used them, and anything else about the character that might occur to me.  Since I played Baseball the most, I'll mostly be referring to that particular series when referring to these characters and the teams I had.  Also, I'll say what positions they are best at in baseball.

This post was inspired by Kofie's IG videos on the Backyard characters.  Check him out!

Pablo Sanchez
Pablo's basically a meme at this point he's so popular and so good at everything.  Of course, I liked using him, but I tried not to since I felt that gave me an unfair advantage.  I still ended up having him on my teams a lot.  I related to Pablo since he was a shorter boy like I was.  
Baseball Position: Anywhere besides pitcher, catcher, and first base.  He's too short for first, and he's not a great pitcher.  He's wasted at home plate unless you want a fast catcher to get all the soft grounders.  And hit him in the Top 3 of your lineup.

Stephanie Morgan
Stephanie was always a tempting pick, at least for baseball.  And I usually tried to put her at shortstop.  In Backyard Baseball 2001, I often had an MLB shortstop on my team like A-Rod, Jeter, or Nomar, so I ended up putting Stephanie at 2nd or 3rd base.  She's good at any of those three spots.  
Baseball Position: Shortstop is her natural position, but if you already have a shortstop (such as an MLB one), then she's good at 2nd and 3rd base as well.  Catcher too.  She is featured as a catcher on the game art.  As for your lineup, if you're stacked with hitters, put her near the bottom, but if she's one of your better hitters, hit her first or second in the lineup.

Dante Robinson
Dante was another I liked having on any team due to his speed.  I didn't like how he wasn't the best hitter, which prevented me from selecting him to be on my baseball team sometimes.  But if I did, he usually occupied the leadoff spot because of that speed.  I also loved how he ate an entire hotdog in his walk-up animation.
Baseball Position: He's got speed, and he's left-handed, which screams outfield.  However, Dante is error-prone, so put him in an outfield spot where the ball won't get hit much.  He's not a bad pitcher, either.  He's a good leadoff hitter or a good bottom of the lineup hitter.

Kiesha Phillips
Kiesha is awesome, and she's as close to the game's female counterpart to Pablo as it gets.  She's fast, can hit, can field fairly well.  She's good in football at most positions and she is a good interior scorer in soccer or basketball.  I have had her on many teams because there's almost always a spot to put her.  
Baseball Position: She's good almost anywhere.  She's got the size for first and agility for the outfield, so I'd say one of those spots.  Having that combination of speed and power should mean Kiesha is hitting 2-4 in your lineup.

Kenny Kawaguchi
I'm gonna be honest, I did not have Kenny on many of my teams, not even for his pitching.  I had this notion that he wasn't as good as anyone else due to his disability.  Or maybe I tried playing with him in Baseball and really could not hit with him.  But as I got older, I did use him more and more, especially on the mound.
Baseball Position: He's a good pitcher and fields that position well.  He also is surprisingly good in most other spots other than first base.  I've made him work in the outfield a few times.  His bat isn't great, so stick him near the bottom of your lineup.

Vicki Kawaguchi
I guess poor hitting runs in the Kawaguchi family.  Vicky can run and field and even pitch if need be, but she can't hit.  If her swing somehow manages to make contact, it's likely not leaving the infield.  I rarely used her unless I wanted a team of all speed.
Baseball Position: She has tremendous fielding, so try to keep her in the infield, but not at first (too short and doesn't handle fast throws well).  She's a decent catcher, too.  Unless you can routinely make contact with her, stick her near the bottom of your lineup, where she can provide speed in front of the top of your lineup.

Ashley and Sidney Webber
I rarely used only one of the two Webber twins, as they are below average on their own.  But together, they boost each other up and are pretty solid all-around players.  I sometimes recruited both and had them play next to each other on the field, such as first and second base.  
Baseball Position: It depends on if they're together or not.  If not, stick the one you have at an infield position (avoid first base if possible).  If they're together, they're good anywhere on the field.  Literally anywhere, including pitcher and catcher and outfield.

Dmitri Petrovich
I loved Dmitri as a kid, but now I see he's not that great.  He's a solid hitter with decent wheels, but he cannot field.  I used him a bit in football, I think as my center/snapper (since he sort of looks the part).  If I used him in baseball, I stuck him in the outfield and prayed no one hit a ball to him.
Baseball Position: He's actually a pretty solid catcher as I've discovered.  His arm is pretty good, so outfield wouldn't be bad, either.  But avoid all other infield positions with Dmitri.  He's got a good combination of speed and power, so anywhere from 3-6 in your lineup is a good spot.  Just be careful not to put anyone too fast behind him, as Dmitri tires very quickly.

Ernie Steele
I used Ernie on occasion, mostly due to his incredible fielding.  He's also not a bad pitcher.  I strongly considered Steele Stadium as my home field if I drafted Ernie.  I always stuck him near the bottom of my lineup due to his less-than-average hitting.
Baseball Position: First base is definitely the best spot for him; he's tall and has great fielding.  If you've already got a first baseman, I'd suggest the outfield.  He should hit in the middle or bottom of the lineup (5-8).

Kimmy Eckman
The only time I ever selected Kimmy was when I used her backyard as my field.  She was awful without it.  She ended up being one of my least-used players as a result.
Baseball Position: It depends on if you're at Eckman Yards or not.  If you are, she's good at any infield position (other than 1st) and any outfield spot.  If you're not, stick her at 2nd and give her a good shortstop to work with.  Hit her high if she's playing at her home field (1-4), or low if she's not (7-9).  

Reese Worthington
I used Reese fairly often in Baseball, mostly due to the fact that he was the lone shorter blonde boy (like me).  I also used him as my kicker in Football because I think he had a good kicking skill.  But he was not great at hitting or running, so I lost interest in him quickly.
Baseball Position: He's decent at most spots.  I like him at catcher or middle infield the most.  He should be hitting near the bottom of the lineup (6-9).

Mikey Thomas
I used Mikey Thomas a good amount in Baseball due to his amazing bat.  Outside of Pablo, there isn't a better power bat in the game.  Unfortunately, he's slow as hell, so it was basically all or nothing with him.  One good thing I noticed was his arm--he has a cannon for an arm.  So I stuck him in the outfield, third base, or catcher.
Baseball Position: Mikey says he likes to play the outfield, but be careful as he's pretty slow.  I'd prefer to use him at 3rd base or catcher to throw out runners with that cannon of an arm he has.  And put him in the heart of your lineup (3-5) so he can drive in your faster players.

Tony Delvecchio
I know Tony gets praise for being a solid, all-around player, but I actually rarely picked him.  He's a jack of all trades, but a master of none.  I didn't like that, and still don't.  He's a good line drive hitter, at least.  I also didn't pick him a lot since he doesn't pair well with his sister.
Baseball Position: He's good most places, even first base, to an extent.  I like him at 3rd base due to his good arm.  Hit him somewhere near the middle (5-7) as he might be able to drive people in.

Angela Delvecchio
Oddly, she has the exact name as an offscreen character on the TV show, Friends (mentioned in Season 1).  Anyway, she was usually my pick for pitcher.  I loved her on the mound.  She was slow, though, especially once she got tired from pitching.  If she's tired and she's on the beach field, it takes her FOREVER to get to first, and literally any batted ball results in an out.
Baseball Position: She should be pitching whenever possible.  However, if she must be stuck elsewhere, I'd say 2nd or catcher.  Her fielding sucks for anywhere else.  Hit her in the middle like her brother, but be careful not to put anyone fast after her, as she gets slow and tired real quick.

Jocinda Smith
Jocinda is one I used a lot as a kid but not much as I got older.  I realized her hitting was misleading.  She can sort of make contact, but she does not have much power.  She's a good defensive first baseman, but that's about it.  I think she's perhaps the most overrated Backyard character.  MVP my butt.
Baseball Position: For the most overrated character, I'd say 2nd, catcher, or outfield.  She's not got a great arm.  Hit her in the middle of your lineup (5-7), and hope you get lucky.

Pete Wheeler
Pete was almost always a must for any of my teams due to his speed.  He's the fastest kid, even faster than Dante.  He was my first choice to be leadoff hitter on most of my teams.  He's also surprisingly adept in the field (probably outfield though).  
Baseball Position: Outfield for sure, preferably center field.  Gotta take advantage of that speed.  Hit him first in your lineup.  There's literally no other spot.  He's the best leadoff hitter in the game.

Billy Jean Blackwood
I did not use Billy Jean very much.  She could sort of hit (like Jocinda), but that was about it.  She wasn't slow, but not fast.  She couldn't pitch.  And her fielding was below average.  I just never saw much appeal to using Billy Jean.
Baseball Position: First base is her best position, but if you can't put her there, I'd say a corner outfield spot, as she doesn't have great speed.  Hit her somewhere in the middle of your lineup.

Marky Dubois
I wasn't the biggest fan of Marky's, either.  He was slow, and his hitting was overrated.  I noticed his speed was made even worse on the dirt and sand fields.  I only picked him when I wanted a challenge.
Baseball Position: He's slow, so I'd say catcher or maybe first or second base.  His arm is average, so you could maybe put him at 3rd.  Hit him near the bottom of your lineup due to his lack of speed (6-8).

Sally Dobbs
I actually wasn't a huge fan of Sally's, as well, due to her personality.  She was domineering and bossy and she reminded me of Angelica from Rugrats.  Although I did use her a bit, even with Ronny her brother, as she got a huge boost when he was on the team with her.  
Baseball Position: She's a decent pitcher, especially if she's got her brother Ronny on her team.  Otherwise, she's good at most spots as her arm is decent, and she's got at least average speed.  Third base is good for her too.  I'd say hit her anywhere from 2-7 based on her boosts/reductions for the game.

Ronny Dobbs
Ronny was one I actually used the most when I shouldn't: With his sister, Sally.  His stats are so nerfed he's basically useless.  But I stuck him in the outfield (or 2nd) and at the bottom of the lineup and hoped he didn't hurt my team too much.  Sally was just a beast when he was there.  
Baseball Position: He's awful in the outfield, so stick him at 2nd or catcher and hope he doesn't get the ball hit to him.  Put him near the bottom of the lineup, although his bat may surprise you. 

Achmed Khan
I often chose Achmed for my team (at least my Baseball team).  He's a great hitter and speed and defense are ok.  He's one of the best all-around hitters in the game with power to all fields.  I've never settled on a position for him defensively, as I think I've had him at third, catcher, and all outfield spots.
Baseball Position: Like I said, he's good at catcher, third, and outfield.  He's even decent at the middle infield spots.  Hit him in the heart of your lineup due to his great bat (3-5).

Amir Khan
Amir, Achmed's younger brother, is also a good player.  I didn't choose him quite as often as he's not quite as good of a hitter as his brother.  But he's a really good pitcher and was my second pitcher choice after Angela.  
Baseball Position: Preferably pitcher.  He's like Angela where he's not fast and is very error-prone, so if he has to be put somewhere else, maybe 2nd or a corner outfield spot.  Hit him in the middle of the lineup (5-7).

Gretchen Hasselhoff
I rarely chose Gretchen because, along with Vicki, she's one of the worst hitters in the game.  She will strike out.  But unlike Vicki, Gretchen's speed is only decent.  It's not really fast like Vicki.  And Gretchen is a mediocre fielder and is an ok (not amazing) pitcher, so I never saw the point in using her.
Baseball Position: She's ok at some spots, like 2nd base, shortstop, and the outfield.  And again, she's an okay pitcher, and she has a good left and right hook pitches.  I'd stick her at one of the last positions in the lineup (8 or 9).

Jorge Garcia
Another I rarely used was Jorge, and not just due to his mediocre attributes.  His pompous nature also put me off.  He's a decent line drive hitter, but not really above average at anything else.  
Baseball Position: He's actually a surprisingly good fielder and has a good arm, so he's good at 3rd, shortstop, or catcher.  Hit him in the middle-ish part of your lineup.

Luanne Lui
I think I actually used Luanne a lot.  She's maybe got the best combination of speed and pitching in the game.  She's not an awful hitter, and if she can just make contact, she can get on base.  Her fielding sucks, but I usually tried sticking her somewhere she wouldn't hurt me too much.  I think I remember she was good in football, too, as a running back (don't think she could catch).
Baseball Position: She's a good pitcher, but if not there, try catcher or 2nd base.  I'd avoid the outfield with her.  Hit her either near the top (1-2) or the bottom of your lineup (8-9), depending on whether you have a better hitter that also has speed.

Maria Luna
I never knew that Maria played better with pink uniforms, as I never chose pink uniforms.  So I didn't use Maria a ton.  I remember using her as a middle infielder on occasion, as her defense and arm are solid.  She's got good wheels, too.  But her hitting leaves a bit to be desired.
Baseball Position: She's a solid middle infielder, but that's about it.  Maybe catcher?  Stick her near the bottom of your lineup.

Lisa Crockett
Last is Lisa, who again, I didn't use much.  She is kind of like the female Tony; solid at a lot of things, but master of none.  I tended to favor players who at least mastered something, whether that be pitching, hitting, or speed.  (Rarely did I get someone who was only a master of fielding).  Her standoffish nature also didn't really make me want to put her on my team.
Baseball Position: She's surprisingly good at a lot of positions, including pitcher and first base.  She could play just about anywhere.  She also could lead off if you really don't have anyone else.  If you do, she's a very solid 7-9 hitter.

Reasons I love living in the Seattle Area/The PNW

     I have lived in the Seattle area and the Pacific Northwest my entire life.  I'd love to live here for the rest of my life as well.  Besides the familiarity, there are a lot of reasons why I hope that will be the case, and I'm going to share them with you.  
    First, we have (I think) the best weather in the country.  Sure, there's southern California and Florida and Arizona, but they can have unbearably hot summers and not enough cool days in the year.  We have one or two unbearably hot days all year.  Our winters can be cold for those who aren't used to it, but once you've lived here a while, they become extremely mild and tolerable.  It's why winter is my favorite season.  Oddly, we get a lot of precipitation in the winter months but not that much snow.  But on the rare times that we do get snow, it's beautiful.  I don't know if I'd change a single thing about our climate.  I wouldn't even change the rain, which helps make our area so green.  And you can't beat our springs and falls, both beautiful in different ways.
    Another thing I love is our sports teams.  The Mariners ended their playoff drought and are and have been a very likable team for years.  The Seahawks are among the Top 10 NFL franchises regarding ownership, success, stadium, and fans.  We also have a few other teams that I enjoy following, including the Sounders, Kraken, Storm, and Huskies, all of whom have had at least a modicum of recent success in various sports.  Not one of our franchises is unlikable.  The only negative thing is we are still without an NBA team, something that hopefully changes soon.  Once we have the Sonics back, our sports scene will be one of the best in the country.  Our stadiums are consistently ranked in the top half of stadiums in their league, and there's no bad place to catch a sports game in the Seattle area.
    As I've gotten older, I've realized that I'd much prefer to live in a blue state and a Democratic market.  Fortunately, that's the case now.  That's the reason I wouldn't be happy in Florida or Texas.  Washington is one of the bluest states in the country.  Unfortunately, we have that weird cousin we call Eastern Washington that leans more right, but hopefully, over time, that'll at least become purple-ish (mix red and blue).  I enjoy being on the left, where women have control over their bodies and everyone has equal rights.  Imagine living in a red state where they try to restrict what kids learn because they think they will be "indoctrinated".  
    One thing I love about our area is how many people and companies have ties to the Pacific Northwest.  We're home to Starbucks, Microsoft, and Amazon, and Nintendo of America.  We have been the home to Chris Pratt, Rainn Wilson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Kenny G.  Outside of perhaps Silicon Valley, the Seattle area is arguably the largest tech center in the world.  So many video game companies (outside of Microsoft and Nintendo) have been located around here, including Bungie and Humongous Entertainment.  I love hearing about ties to our area, knowing virtually every other city pales in comparison.
    We have great food options as well, with most national chains having plenty of locations here to choose from.  In the past decade or so, we got Chick-Fil-A.  Perhaps someday we will get In-N-Out, but we have our own version, "Dicks Drive-In".  Not to mention there are tons of locally owned and operated restaurants that are among some of the best in the nation.  A lot of southern chains have not made their way up here, which is a bit of a shame.  The thing the Seattle food scene is lacking is good southern options.  But we're one of the best in the country in selections for steak, seafood, Asian cuisines, and in my opinion, Hispanic foods.  
    The biggest downside to living around here is the housing market and how costly it is.  We have one of the highest costs of living in the country and about the fewest amount of on-the-market homes available.  A lot of people, myself and my family included, keep moving further and further away from Seattle/Bellevue.  But I still can't imagine living in another state.  I could maybe see myself in Oregon, but that would be only if a job or opportunity presented itself there.  
    If anyone was thinking of moving here, I would highly recommend it.  Granted, I am biased, but I think we have one of the "homiest" places in the country.  You'll want to live here, start a family, and enjoy everything Washington has to offer.  I know I want to.  

NFL Games are not rigged

     A bit over three years ago, I made a post talking about refereeing in the NFL and how it's about as bad as I've ever seen, excluding the lockout in 2012.  In that, I defended referees, saying their job is hard, and the turnover we've seen in the past few years and the increase in technology makes officiating seem worse than in prior seasons.  Well, I'm here to defend them again.  
    The 2022-2023 Conference Championship games happened yesterday as of this post.  For both games, I noticed numerous posts, comments, tweets, and online mentions that the NFL is rigged.  I've seen these kinds of comments many times before, but it seems they are growing in volume.  I am putting this out there: THE NFL IS NOT RIGGED.  Nor are any of the other major professional sports leagues, but the NFL seems to be the one that gets this accusation the most.  It's arguably the one where officiating can play the largest role.  
   
Here's why the NFL is not rigged:
    1) They'd have a better script if it was
    2) There'd be at least somewhat of a leak if it was
    3) Players would not put their bodies on the line if the outcome was predetermined
    4) Calls go against the teams that end up winning anyway
    5) If it was and word got out, a league worth hundreds of BILLIONS would go under
    6) Officiating is tough, and basically, any bad call can be defended to an extent
    7) When would the rigging of games have started, and why?  The NFL wouldn't need to.

Let's examine each of those points further.
    

1) They'd have a better script if it was
        This year's Super Bowl will be the Eagles vs. the Chiefs.  Each team has won a Super Bowl in the last 5 years.  Don't you think fans would want to see a matchup with teams that haven't won in a while?  Imagine how cool Bills vs. Cowboys or Bills vs. Vikings would be.  Or how about the 49ers, who haven't won in 28 years yet possess one of the largest followings in the NFL?  Granted, you have the Kelce brothers facing each other and Andy Reid facing his former team.  But that doesn't get non-NFL fans to tune in; it just makes NFL fans want to tune in slightly more.  If the NFL was rigged, they'd rig it for a Super Bowl that would generate the largest audience, and Eagles/Chiefs is not it.  

2) There'd be at least somewhat of a leak if it was
        Think about how many officials, referees, coaches, and staff would have to be in on this if the NFL was rigged.  With that many people involved, a leak would almost positively come out, whether it be a stray text/email, someone overhearing, etc.  It would just take one person out of those hundreds (if not thousands) to make a mistake.  Yes, the NFL can pay people to keep quiet, but they can't undo something getting out to the public.
    
3) Players would not put their bodies on the line if the outcome was predetermined
        The counterargument to this would be that the players aren't filled in on this.  They're like puppets in a show.  Ok, that's fair.  But these players know better than even us fans the line between a bad call and a game being rigged.  Yes, you see players griping at officials in basically every game, but you never see them call one out.  This isn't my strongest point, but if games were rigged so certain teams win, players on the opposition would notice.  Each team has a chance to win a game and hardly any point to officiating for the reason they lost.  

4) Calls go against the teams that end up winning anyway
        The counterargument to this would be that the NFL has to make it seem like the game isn't rigged.  Ok, fair, but if they're going to rig games, wouldn't they want to ensure they get the result they desire?  Anyway, I have seen my share of bad calls.  I have seen games where it does seem like one team benefits more from controversial calls.  But I can always go back to one or two calls that went against them.  Let's say you think there's a game you think was rigged in Team A's favor.  Now put yourself in the shoes of a huge fan of Team A.  The biggest homer.  You live and die by their success.  Watch that game from that perspective, and tell me there is not one call that doesn't upset you.  I bet that you can't.  

5) If it was and word got out, a league worth BILLIONS would go under 
    Imagine the shitstorm that would hit the NFL if word got out that a single game was rigged.  It may spell doom for the entire NFL.  At the very least, they would lose millions through losses of endorsements, advertisements, and merch and ticket sales.  Why would they risk rigging games for that?  To have slightly better matchups in January and February?  It's like risking your car to win tickets to a local college game.  It just wouldn't make sense to do.

6) Officiating is tough, and basically, any bad call can be defended to an extent
    Imagine a horrible call.  Just an awful one.  For me, I think of the non-PI call in the NFC Championship game between the Rams and Saints a few years ago.  Yes, that was a bad call.  But I can see how an NFL official can miss that.  It was a bang-bang play.  NFL officials have to monitor certain parts of the action going on, which involves trying to focus on multiple things at once.  Perhaps the official monitoring that side of the field was focused on something else nearby and didn't definitively see the entire PI happen.  Granted, they should focus on where the ball goes, but they do miss things.  The point I'm trying to make is that officiating is hard, referees are only human, and so long as we allow the human element in the officiating of our sports, bad calls will happen.  We can't just call out the game being rigged because a referee made a questionable or bad call.

7) When would the rigging of games have started, and why?  The NFL wouldn't need to.
    I bet most people who've said the "NFL is rigged" wouldn't be able to come to a consensus on this.  We all can certainly agree that the rigging of games has not existed since the start of the NFL.  So when would it have started, then?  Going back to point #5, the NFL does not need to risk losing millions for that.  If two teams were predetermined to make it to the Super Bowl by the league, I would wager that the league would go completely under if that word got out.  Imagine being a part of a franchise that got screwed by that.  You would be like, "Why bother?"  There'd likely be teams that would consider ceasing their operations, even if that cost thousands of people their jobs.  NFL owners would sue the league like you wouldn't believe.  

The NFL is a multi-billion dollar operation.  Fans and partner companies will fork over millions regardless of the results of games.  Yes, certain results help the league out more financially, but that boost is minuscule in the grand scheme of things.  The NFL is not rigged.  To suggest the NFL is rigged is as asinine as the NFL rigging games themselves.

Rating Dungeon Siege Characters

 I recently rated the Towns and Areas in Dungeon Siege, so I'll also rate the characters.  I'm going to rate them based on how effective they are and how much I feel they contribute once they become a part of my party.  I'll go in chronological order of when you meet the characters.  Of course, the starting character is customizable, so I'm not going to rate them.

Ulora - 7.5/10
Ulora isn't the best fighter in the game, but I keep her rating up due to her versatility.  When you first meet Ulora, you can basically turn her into anything you want, and she'll be at least fairly decent at it.  Consider Ulora the utility player of the game.  

Gyorn - 6.5/10
For melee fighters, Gyorn ends up being below average for me most of the time.  He's not awful, but could be better.  Fortunately, since you meet him so early, you could make him into something else if you really wanted to.  But if you take him and Rusk at the same time, he instantly starts behind Rusk on stats.  

Zed - 5.5/10
I don't know what it is, but Zed has never been that great for me.  Usually, I end up replacing him with Merik or Andiemus, so I can't ever recall reaching the end with him.  If you don't need a wizard and you're tight on gold, you might want to leave him behind.  It might be smarter to make your starting character or Ulora a wizard.

Rusk - 9/10
Rusk always ends up being super solid for me and one of my best fighters.  He costs a bit of gold for when you meet him, but he's worth it.  He's incredibly tough and will level up fast if you give him the right weapon and gear.  

Naidi - 8/10
Naidi is also super solid.  It's a shame you only meet two pure archers in the entire game.  She is worth picking up, but again, she is costly.  

Gloern - 6.5/10
I can never get Gloern to be one of my best melee fighters, so I can't recall ever reaching the end with him.  Melee fighters are a dime a dozen, and Gloern is certainly one of them.  He's also one of three dwarf melee fighters in the game, but at least he is free.

Kroduk - 8.5/10
Kroduk, like Rusk, is another great melee fighter.  However, I do find him slightly lagging behind Rusk more often than not.  You could get away with only Rusk and Kroduk as melee fighters if you want to.  

Lorun - 6.5/10
It's crazy how far you have to get into the game until you meet a wizard who specializes in combat magic.  And Lorun is decent.  But I find for his time in the game, you either deal with one of two faults, depending on the attack spell you use.  Either you use Soul Lance, which drains his Mana like crazy, or you use Flame, which puts Lorun in harm's way and gets him to pass out a lot and possibly die.  

Merik - 7.5/10
I bump Merik's rating up because of the great items he has.  He has a really good cloak and boots that add to health, mana, and add 1 to Intelligence.  He's also not bad of a fighter, either, and I would take him (slightly) over Zed.  And the best part is that he's free.  

Phaedriel - 8/10
I give Phaedriel the same rating as Naidi.  Both are good archers and worth their gold.  I'd rate them both higher if they were cheaper or free.  But Phaedriel, like Naidi, is worth picking up.  I'd recommend carrying both.  

Andiemus - 7/10
I've never been a huge fan of his, and it's really a judgment call if you want him or Merik.  I wouldn't recommend both, but you could if you want.  I don't like how he costs a bit of gold, but you can replenish your gold soon after by selling to the merchant near him.  

Boryev - 8/10
Boryev is the first character in the game that has multiple skills.  He's got some melee skill points as well as combat magic.  I'd go with just combat magic, but maybe occasionally switch to melee if his mana gets drained using a high-cost spell, such as Fire Wall.  But doing that requires giving him a lot of your attention.  Still, he's worth it.  You won't find a tougher wizard in the game (unless you make the starting character that).

Rhut - 5.5/10
I rarely add Rhut to my team.  Generally, my team's melee fighters are superior by the time I meet him.  Plus, it's just a waste of gold.  I'd only ever pick him up if I needed to add a melee fighter for some reason.

Sikra - 8.5/10
This is my favorite wizard in the game, and the only female one.  She has combat and nature magic skills, although combat is superior, so I'd recommend sticking with that.  She's fairly tough too, considering she's a wizard.  And best of all, she's free.

Ulfgrim - 5.5/10
Ulfgrim, like Rhut, costs a lot and generally isn't worth adding to your team.  Maybe if I'm doing an all-melee fighters team, I'll add him.  And like Ulfgrim, his skills tend to be a bit behind my team's.

Lord Bolingar - 8/10
Lord Bolingar typically has comparable skills, but he comes so late in the game.  Is it worth making a change so late?  Typically by the time you meet him, your team has started to gel well and doesn't need much improvement.  Maybe if somehow you still have a pack-mule and want to replace it?  

With that said, here is my ideal final team:
Created Character
Rusk
Kroduk
Naidi
Phaedriel
Merik/Andiemus/Zed
Boryev
Sikra

It's got a nice balance.  Typically, my created character is a melee fighter, so that would make 3 melee fighters, two archers, and three wizards.  

Rating Dungeon Siege Areas and Towns

 Dungeon Siege is one of my favorite video games of all time.  I've replayed it close to a dozen times over the years (probably more).  I love customizing my team.  I recently played through and beat the game with wizards only.  It was not easy.  I thought I'd go through and rank each area and town in the game out of 10.  

Points will be given for secret areas, things to do besides fighting, and cool bosses.  Points will be taken away for being too long and annoying enemies.  I'll also give or take away points based on the town's or area's overall aesthetic.  In chronological order...

Farmlands - 7/10
It's a solid start to the game.  The Krug are a good first enemy to fight.  There's a hidden area with a bear that I didn't see on my first couple of playthroughs.  I like the basement area where you have to beat a Krug "boss."  I have to take points away, however, because in this area, I have to leave items behind on the ground.  There are no merchants until Stonebridge, and you typically don't get the Transmute spell early enough.  And the inventory is only so much until you can get pack mules.

Crypt of the Sacred Blood - 6/10
Again, I hate having to leave items behind.  I'm not going to backtrack for all of them.  The skeleton enemies are easy enough if you have a ranged weapon/attack and just keep your distance.  I just think it's pretty boring.  As you'll see, I'm not the biggest fan of underground areas.  I like how you finally get your first companion in Ulora, but until then, this area is a bit of a drag.  And of course, the dungeon ends soon after meeting her.

Stonebridge - 8.5/10
I love Stonebridge.  There's so much to do.  In fact, if I had a critique, it's that there's too much to do.  It's the first town in the game, and for beginners, it's easy to miss things.  For example, the first few times I played, I missed the Ordus' Axe quest and even missed finding Rusk!  As for the aesthetic, it loses a 1/2 point or so with me because everyone in the town is so gloomy and upset about the recent Krug attack.  

Ruins of Wesrin Cross - 5.5/10
Another underground part and another part I don't particularly like.  My least favorite part of Wesrin Cross is the underground tunnel maze.  I hate thinking that there's an area I missed, and it's very difficult to know for sure.  Then, of course, there's the giant area with about a hundred enemies, resulting in a giant spider boss at the end.  Let's just say I'm always so glad to be done with this area.

Glitterdelve Mines - 6.5/10
I'm not a huge fan of the mines, either.  Sure, you get Gloern at the start, but he's okay at best (and typically falls behind guys like Rusk and Kroduk).  It's pretty repetitive, with little to no payoff.  I don't like the moving platforms and trying to fit my entire party, pack mule(s) and all, on them.  The rock beasts are always tough.  This rating would be higher if the previous area wasn't also underground.  Fortunately, there's a merchant right before this area.

Glacern - 9.5/10
I LOVE Glacern.  It's the best town in the game.  My favorite part of the game is when I first enter Glacern and hear that awesome music.  If you haven't listened, I recommend checking it out.  There's so much to do in Glacern: Adding Kroduk and Lorun, talking to the Overseer, talking to Ada.  There's even an underground basement area in one of the houses.  Also, there's a mini-quest involving finding the three volumes of Fedwyyr's Way.  I just love Glacern.  It's the perfect size, too.  I can't give it a perfect rating because I wish the merchants weren't separate (The spells and potion merchant and the armor and weapons merchant).  

Alpine Cavern Ice Caves - 7/10
It's an okay area.  The enemies aren't too annoying, although the sound they make sort of is.  There is a nice payoff in finding Merik near the end.  It can be challenging if you get too many ice beasts fighting you at once, so you must be careful.  I just don't like the feeling of being in a cave with no daylight coming through.

Caves - 5.5/10
It's just so dark.  The enemies, like lungers, suck.  The music and aesthetic is one of the worst in the game.  It's not terribly difficult, at least.  But there aren't any hidden areas or merchants (you have a rude merchant, Jeriah, beforehand and a merchant after, though).  I have never been fond of this area, but they somehow have to transition from snow to a forest.

Traveler Camp/Dark Forest - 8.5/10
I lumped these two together as no defined barriers (walls) separate the camp from the forest.  Anyway, I do really enjoy this part.  You get merchants at the start and get an archer you can add to your group in Phaedriel.  Then there is the forest, where you encounter your only human enemies in the game, the bandits.  They are tough but beatable, so long as you take on as few of them at once as possible.  And I count three secret areas, from the riverside camp to the secret bandit fortress to the Lost Witch.  And the bandit camp where the bandit boss is has a ton of great loot.  I only wish I didn't have to go back to the previous merchant as much.

Eastern Swamp - 8/10
I used to hate this area.  Now I like it.  It's a massive area, and the path becomes less defined.  The enemies are fairly annoying.  I like the crypt/graveyard area, and man, those corpses can swarm on you quickly.  You find a wizard in Andiemus you can add, and soon after, a merchant who is a sight for sore eyes (although she's a creepy old lady).  I also like how there's an area where a part of your party can fall through the ground to an area below.  It always catches me off guard.  

Underground Factory - 6.5/10
There's no official name for this area that I have seen, but it's after the swamp where you find Merik's staff.  Anyway, this factory area has a ton of tough enemies that can seem endless, hence the tough rating I gave it.  A boss is guarding Merik's staff, who is very tough.  But fortunately, he has a ton of good loot.  There is a secret area or two, which does help keep things interesting if you can find them.

Temple Ruins - 7.5/10
This includes the preceding forest, as I consider that sizable enough to be included.  I like this area.  The merchant, Thayne, is a funny dude ("I'm very sure I shall be SEEING you again...").  I'd bet a lot of money his voice actor also voiced Baron Dumas in No One Lives Forever.  Anyway, there's a quest where you have to go underground and fight a bunch of lungers and other enemies, which isn't particularly fun.  But I love being able to return to Thayne many times to sell the gear I've found.  

Fortress Kroth - 7/10
I'm fairly indifferent to this area.  It's all right.  You stumble across Boryev, who's an interesting solider/sorcerer hybrid you can add to your party.  The skeleton enemies are ok to fight as they're extremely slow.  I don't like fighting the boss, though.  He is tough.  But what must be included is the actual Fortress, where you meet two merchants and Rhut at the end.  Rhut isn't worth it unless you want a team of all-melee fighters.  I love the music at Fortress Kroth though, second best to Glacern.  But there's not as much to do.  

Cliffs of Fire - 7.5/10
First, you meet Ulfgrim, who is the third dwarf melee fighter (and he costs a lot of gold), so I hardly ever add him to my party.  What pushes this rating up for me are the breathtaking views you get as you rise in elevation.  I love how the paths intercross each other as you go higher; that was an interesting design concept.  The enemies are okay, but they can be tough.  I do like the payoff at the end with finding the good Droogs and their leader who you can trade with.  It didn't hit me until recently that she is the second-to-last merchant in the game.

Dragon's Rathe - 6.5/10
It's not a big area, but it has perhaps the most memorable boss in the game, the giant dragon.  I remember the dragon has over 30,000 hit points, so it always takes a long time to take the dragon down.  Fortunately, it's worth it, as the dragon is surrounded by a ton of loot.  The battle can be long and tedious as you just repeatedly attack it, so it loses points there.

Castle Ehb - 9/10
First off, you have the area before the castle, which includes a secret area with skeleton fighters and a maze.  There's some loot there, but not a ton.  You also get the last possible addition to your party in Lord Bolingar.  He's a good melee fighter if you need one.  Then you get to the castle, which I love exploring.  You go through its many rooms, including where the king slept and the throne room.  You go all around and above it to find an elevator that takes you below the Castle.  Of course, the Seck enemies are very tough and must be cautiously approached.

Underneath Castle Ehb - 8.5/10
Again, no official name, but there's a lot you go through.  You get to the King, who gives you a key.  You also meet your final merchant of the game, who you interestingly talk to through jail doors.  I can just picture each side sending armor and weapons through the bars.  After the merchant, there's more fighting, including some weird Cyclops-like prisoner named Swanny.  You can get his club if you defeat him.  Then you can get to the Chamber of Stars area, which unlocks the absolute best loot in the game if you use the key given to you by the king.  Next is the lava area, which leads to the final area and the game's final boss in Gom.  This is a very solid finish to the game.  The Chamber of Stars is certainly a highlight.