The future of the Mariners

In April, I discussed how I could have been more excited for the Mariners' upcoming season, their slow-ish start, and who's to blame for the lack of success.  How little I knew then.  Sure, this team went on a hot streak from May into June to get a 10-game lead in the division, but then we all know what happened.  They currently sit five games out, a difference of 15 games over roughly two months.  And the biggest culprit to the Mariners' lack of success is well documented--the hitting or lack thereof.  They currently have an MLB-low .215 team batting average for the year and lead the majors in strikeouts.  The team's hitting approach is easily the worst in the majors.  There is no reason this team should not be hitting at least 25th in the majors and not be #1 in strikeouts with this roster.  

This team has been moving backward for the last three seasons.  They have gone from the playoffs in 2022 to barely missing them in 2023 to likely missing them by a bit more here in 2024.  That is the very definition of trending downward.  We've seen coaches or managers canned after one off year many times.  Sure, Servais has built a reputation and system here, but whatever he's done is clearly not working.  They were supposed to take steps forward after 2022, but instead have only gone backward.  Good coaching takes teams heading in the right direction, not steering them the other way. 

But as I've said, it's not entirely Servais's or the coaching staff's fault.  I guarantee if you could read his mind, you'd hear his grumblings with the lack of talent on the hitting side of things.  Too often he's had to put less than ideal players hitting third or cleanup.  Too often he hasn't had a capable guy to be the bridge from the starter to Munoz. 

So should he go?  I think he has to.  We see coaches and managers let go all the time when it's not entirely their fault.  Or even mostly.  But the Mariners would be smart to emulate what the Seahawks did and bring in an entirely new coaching staff.  Maybe try holding onto pitching coach Pete Woodworth, if possible.  

My biggest gripe with Servais is his lack of emotion.  I grew up with fiery Lou Piniella, so I almost expect it.  Servais, even in the worst of losses, is too robotic and lacks energy.  He does on occasion go out and fight for his players against the umpires, but it's not often enough.  Sure, he's good at making sure this team doesn't get too high or too low, but I really think he lacks in the motivation department.  

I fully expect the Mariners to finish around .500, missing the playoffs by a decent amount of games, and questions begin swirling about the team's future.  I'm going to one game this year (as I've already bought the tickets), but that's it.  I've paid less attention to them this year than any other year in my entire adult life.   How much I invest in them next season depends on how much they change going into 2025.  Will they have a new manager?  Will they finally invest in some quality bats?  Will they possibly even make a change at president or GM?  The more that changes for the better, the more I'll invest.  However, if they merely try to "stay the course", I assure you, they won't be getting much from me next season at all.  Of course, if they make so many changes that it becomes a rebuild, that will not do it for me.  All this disappointment has taken a toll on me, and I'm sick of it.     

Update: Servais was fired on Aug. 22, and the Mariners have done okay since his firing.  Maybe slightly better.  Do I agree with it?  Yes.  He and Bud Black were the only two managers in MLB to have managed for as long as they had without any divisional playoff wins or division titles.  Yes, Bud Black needs to go as well.  I like Dan Wilson, I think he's more relatable for the players.  Servais seemed to have this "my door's always open but not" type energy.  Like, he would come off as affable but you'd realize he wasn't as much.  

The team also announced Jerry Dipoto would be retained, and I'm honestly okay with that.  I know a lot of Mariners fans aren't.  But here's what Jerry has done: Built one of the best pitching rotations in baseball.  Built a farm system that has been ranked near the top often in the last 5 years.  And he's kept us at least as a competitive team, avoiding terrible seasons.  Jack Zduriencik and Bill Bavasi couldn't say that.  Dipoto is at least better than them, and I'd rather not let him go and risk getting another Zduriencik or Bavasi.  

It's hard to say how much of my time and money I'll invest into the Mariners in 2025.  Likely similar to 2024.  I may go to one game.  I'm not paying for cable or Fubo TV to watch them.  I likely won't buy any merchandise.  I'd love to be more invested, but I've got to see some actual championship-type moves made first.

Condensed 2024 NFL Predictions!

 I will, at the very least, keep up my tradition of predicting the NFL season, even though I'm always wrong about many things.  But hey, it's fun.  I'm going to get straight to it, the predicted records, the playoff predictions, and then, a short bit about the Seahawks, my favorite team.  A heads up, I'm going to try to predict a few surprises, so some of these records may surprise you.  After all, we always see several surprisingly good and bad teams each season.

* = Wild Card

AFC EAST
1. Miami Dolphins 11-6
2. Buffalo Bills 10-7*
3. New England Patriots 8-9
4. New York Jets 6-11
Comment: The Dolphins win a mediocre at best division as the Bills have a few setbacks.  The Patriots and Drake Maye surprise some people.  Aaron Rodgers either struggles or gets hurt and the Jets are, well, the Jets.

AFC NORTH
1. Cincinnati Bengals 12-5
2. Baltimore Ravens 11-6*
3. Cleveland Browns 8-9
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-10
Comment: The Bengals are back on top and Burrow plays all season.  The Ravens regress slightly, most notably on defense after losing Mike Macdonald.  The Browns are okay, but Watson proves to not stay healthy or consistent.  The Steelers regress without a solid QB as both Wilson and Fields struggle against the tough defenses of the AFC North.

AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts 11-6
2. Houston Texans 10-7*
3. Tennessee Titans 9-8
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 6-11
Comment: Yep, you heard it here.  The Colts surge with a healthy Anthony Richardson.  The Texans are still decent, but slightly lose their grasp on the division.  The Titans surprise people with their underrated D and Will Levis competing his butt off.  The Jaguars again struggle to find consistency.

AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs 10-7
2. Los Angeles Chargers 9-8
3. Denver Broncos 7-10
4. Las Vegas Raiders 4-13
Comment: The Chiefs win the worst division in the AFC despite a bit of a Super Bowl hangover.  The Chargers show flashes under new coach Jim Harbaugh, but look like they'll take a year to make a big stride.  The Broncos are competitive, and Bo Nix establishes himself as the starter.  The Raiders struggle mightily, even under Minshew.

NFC EAST
1. Dallas Cowboys 10-7
2. Philadelphia Eagles 8-9
3. Washington Commanders 8-9
4. New York Giants 7-10
Comment: In a very mediocre division, Dallas remains on top.  The Eagles struggle and continue their slide from last season.  The Commanders show some flashes but it's not enough.  The Giants aren't terrible, but are missing a star QB.

NFC NORTH
1. Detroit Lions 12-5
2. Chicago Bears 9-8*
3. Green Bay Packers 7-10
4. Minnesota Vikings 5-12
Comment: The Lions win the division two years in a row thanks to the best roster in the division.  The Bears surprise people and Caleb Williams looks like the real deal.  Jordan Love shows a bit that last year was a bit of an abberration.  The Vikings struggle without JJ McCarthy and having to go with Darnold.

NFC SOUTH
1. Atlanta Falcons 10-7
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-10
3. New Orleans Saints 6-11
4. Carolina Panthers 6-11
Comment: The Falcons win a very winnable division thanks to the addition of Cousins.  The Bucs struggle in year 2 under Mayfield.  The Saints and Panthers have different stories: The Saints suffer massive disappointment while the Panthers remain optimistic under new head coach Dave Canales.

NFC WEST
1. San Francisco 49ers 13-4
2. Seattle Seahawks 10-7*
3. Los Angeles Rams 10-7*
4. Arizona Cardinals 6-11
Comment: The 49ers remain very tough and win a formidable division.  My Seahawks surprise people and win 10 games, largely thanks to an improved defense.  The Rams also win ten games, but more on the back of their offense.  The Cardinals aren't awful, but struggle to beat any somewhat decent teams.

Before I get to the playoffs, here are the coaches in this scenario I'd expect to get fired:
Robert Saleh, Jets
Doug Pederson, Jaguars
Antonio Pierce, Raiders
Nick Sirianni, Eagles
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers
Dennis Allen, Saints

With Mike Tomlin as an outside possibility (possibly steps down instead of getting fired).  

Now onto the NFL Playoffs!  Who is my prediction for Super Bowl LIX?

AFC WILD CARD
(7) Texans at (2) Dolphins: Dolphins win
(6) Bills at (3) Colts: Bills win
(5) Ravens at (4) Chiefs: Chiefs win

NFC WILD CARD
(7) Bears at (2) Lions: Lions win
(6) Rams at (3) Cowboys: Rams win
(5) Seahawks at (4) Falcons: Seahawks win

AFC DIVISIONAL
(6) Bills at (1) Bengals: Bengals win
(4) Chiefs at (2) Dolphins: Chiefs win

NFC DIVISIONAL
(6) Rams at (1) 49ers: 49ers win
(5) Seahawks at (2) Lions: Lions win

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
AFC: Chiefs at Bengals: Bengals
NFC: Lions at 49ers: 49ers

SUPER BOWL LIX
Bengals vs 49ers: 49ers win, 23-17

Yup, I hate to admit it, but the 49ers finally win another Super Bowl.  Turns out, third time is the charm for Kyle Shanahan, at least as a head coach.  

And now, my Seahawks.  I don't want to predict each game, because I'll be wrong about some wins and I'll be wrong about some losses.  I'll just go over three aspects of the team:

Offense: Slow start, but shows more explosiveness than last season.  There's not a ton of consistency with the offense.  Some games they may score 30+, others less than 20.  Geno has a bit of a bounce back season.  The lack of quality tight end depth hurts.  The run game could still be improved and show more consistency, as K9 breaks a few home run type runs but struggles to gain consistent yardage.

Defense: The defense is improved without the secondary of Diggs and Adams dragging them down.  The loss of Wagner's leadership is felt, but a few young players emerge, such as Derick Hall and of course, Byron Murphy.  The D-Line proves to be a Top 10 D-Line in the NFL.  The linebackers have their ups and downs, while the secondary is mostly decent.  

Coaching: I expect the growing pains that usually come with a rookie head coach/new coaching staff, but I do expect a new energy in this team.  I think they'll be in the middle of the league in terms of penalties (perhaps still bottom half) but I expect the Time of Possession to improve, largely due to the defense getting off the field, rather than the offense sustaining drives.  All in all, I expect a solid first season with a bright future in front of us.

Well, that does it for my 2024 NFL Predictions.  I'll take the Hawks having a good first year under Mike Macdonald, even if it means a 49ers Super Bowl... I guess.  But it should be a fun season.  Go Hawks!

Political Post

I hate to say it, but I'm about to get political.  And honestly, probably a bit dark and morose, too.  The 2024 election is in a few months and yet again, our choices are Biden and Trump.  There's no beating around the bush for this one: it's a dark period in American history.  Our country is divided.  And anyone who knows me knows I despise the Republican candidate.  Not only is he a con man, liar, sex offender, criminal, and Lord knows what else, but he is the biggest reason our country is as divided as it is.  Our country was divided before he went into politics, but it was nothing like it is now.  He saw a tear in the fabric of our country and gave it a good yank, multiplying the tear tenfold.  I think his single greatest act of tearing this country apart came when he would not accept and fought against the election results of 2020.  That gave us yet another issue to be divided on, the last thing this country needed.

Will our country ever heal?  Well, there are three options.  First, it never does, and our divisiveness is our undoing.  Perhaps another country exploits it.  Second, our country heals, but only after a major conflict such as World War III or the Second U.S. Civil War.  Third, we somehow heal over time by electing the right leaders who try to bring us together rather than tear us apart.  But the more time goes by, the more the third (and best) option seems more and more unlikely.  I do seriously worry for the future of our country.  Most empires only last a few hundred years--not that we're an "empire", so to speak.

I'm not wholly against the Republican party--in fact, I started as a moderate and occasionally voted Republican.  I voted for the Republican option for Governor my first few times voting and even voted for Mitt Romney in 2012 because I liked his demeanor.  But the Republicans have gone so far right and so extreme that I cannot in my right mind consider voting that way anymore.  They want to control women's bodies.  They don't give two craps about the environment.  They won't allow tighter restrictions on guns despite mass/school shootings on a regular occurrence.  They want to give tax breaks to the rich and not allow hardly anyone into the country.  How is any of that "making America great again"?  

I wish we could go back to the United States of America of my youth.  Will Gen X and my generation (Gen Y/Millennial) save our country as leaders?  I sure hope so.  We just have to vote in the right people.  Stop reelecting 70+ year-olds who have been in office 30+ years.  Give the challenger a chance.  Vote based on principles and who is legitimately best for our country, not who most aligns with your personal viewpoints.  Let's hope Biden wins reelection, Trump goes away, and the "MAGA" rhetoric slowly dies out.  

Update, July 2024: Well, Biden dropped out and while it hasn't been made official, looks like Kamala Harris will be the Democratic nominee.  I, for one, am hopeful.  For the first time since 2008/2012, I feel hopeful that we can have a president that is respected and will do their best job.  Harris wouldn't have been my first choice--I really hope Pete Buttigieg becomes our president someday--but she is a vast improvement over either Biden or Trump.  I'm still not that confident she can beat Trump, since Hillary Clinton, another woman, lost to him.  But I think enough Americans remember how much of a joke Trump was from 2016-2020, how he added more to our national debt than any president in any 4-year span, among numerous other things.  And they'll definitely remember how he too, is declining cognitively.  There were a large handful of Americans who don't align with either side politically that were likely on the fence when it came to choosing between Biden and Trump, as they didn't want an 80+ year old president again.  But now that we have a younger and more energetic option, I hope enough of them see this and vote for the betterment of our country.

Favorite Survivor Players from Each Season who Never Got a Second Chance (And probably never will)

Survivor over the years has done a great job at bringing its best characters and players back for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or even 5th times.  But unfortunately, they cannot bring everyone back.  I'm going to pick my favorite player from each season who never got to play again.  Some declined, some wanted to but couldn't, and some we may never know about.  I'll give a quick word about them as well.  Obviously, full returnee seasons will not be considered since everyone on those seasons was already playing their 2nd time at least.

Borneo: Greg Buis
Greg was a hoot.  He makes Borneo fun.  It's a shame, they brought back the Tagi 4 plus Jenna and Gervase, but not Greg.  

Australian Outback: Nick Brown
I'll even admit, Nick is one of the most boring characters on this season.  But, he's also one of the sanest members of the Kucha tribe.  Plus, him being the first contestant from Washington state meant a lot to me back then and still does.  I bet he could've done more with a second chance.

Africa: Theresa "T-Bird" Cooper
It's a shame.  She's still a huge part of the Survivor community, and I believe she was on the Second Chance ballot but didn't make it.  

Marquesas: Vecepia Towery
There's not really anyone else, except maybe Sean Rector.  The unfortunate thing is I think "V" has never been brought back because Jeff referred to as one of their most boring winners.  I don't agree.

Thailand: Jake Billingsley
He's basically the only person from this cast that's somewhat likable.  Robb is endearing in his own way, but he's kind of a douche.  Jake's one shot would've been All Stars considering his age.  I wonder if he would've replaced Rudy if Rudy couldn't have made it?

Amazon: Heidi Strobel
I've vouched for Heidi for a while.  They bring Jenna back but not her?  She's still in great shape.  It's not too late.

Pearl Islands: Burton Roberts
Burton was an interesting character and I would've liked to see him come back.  He and Fairplay formed a formidable duo.

Vanuatu: Chris Daugherty
The second winner on this list.  I would've loved to see Chris back.  He was such a good B.S.'er.  But I think he never was asked because Probst had beef with him.

Palau: Ian Rosenberger
Ian may have played the most notable game of anyone to have not played a second time.  He's up there.  I know he was asked back but declined.  Shame.

Guatemala: Judd Sergeant
Shoutout to Brian Corridan for being a pre-merge boot I'd like to see back, but Judd hasn't been back, either, and he was one of the old-school era's most notable characters.

Panama: Shane Powers
Is there any question?  Shane was on the Second Chance Ballot but didn't make it.  He should've made it over Vytas, at least.  One of the most interesting characters in Survivor history only got one chance.  And he almost had one in Heroes vs. Villains before they bumped him for Russell.  

Cook Islands: Cao Boi Bui
I almost went with Nate, but Cao Boi has to be mentioned.  Yes, he's a pre-merge boot, but he made a notable impact.  Interesting character and he came up with the split vote method to flush idols.

Fiji: James "Rocky" Reid
I almost said Earl, but then I remembered Rocky.  He was an interesting character that was screwed over by an awful twist.  Had he been on a decent tribe, he might've made a bigger impact.

China: Todd Herzog
I did say the winner here though in Todd.  His battle with alcoholism is well-documented, but he has since recovered.  He played such a great game--would love to see how he'd play nowadays, but that'll probably never happen.

Micronesia: Natalie Bolton
Shoutout to Tracy Hughes-Wolfe, but Natalie outlasted her.  Also, Natalie's the only member from the Black Widow Brigade to not have played again since this season.  They almost had the entire BWB on Heroes vs. Villains, but she just missed the cut for that.

Gabon: Matty Whitmore
I liked Matty.  He survived the terrible Fang tribe and was mostly well-liked.  His reaction to Marcus's blindside is still iconic.  

Tocantins: Taj Johnson-George
Yes, she and her husband, Eddie, have money, but she was like a Cirie 2.0, so she should've been brought back.

Samoa: Jaison Robinson
Hard to say this season.  They even brought back Monica from this season.  But I'd say Jaison.  He was an interesting dude that kinda got screwed over.

Nicaragua: Marty Piombo
I'll never get over the fact that Marty never returned.  He was the only player from the older tribe that could really play.  

Redemption Island: Ralph Kiser
I like good ol' southern boys on Survivor.  Big Tom, James from Palau, and Ralph.  They make great TV.  Ralph could've shined on a returnee season, giving us more "Krasta"s and "Ressell"s.  RIP.

South Pacific: Jim Rice
It was either Jim, Christine, or Stacey.  I'll go with Jim, who most have forgotten about by now, but I haven't.  He was a decent player screwed over by Cochran.

One World: Greg "Tarzan" Smith
He delivered some great soundbites and was the last man standing.  "The game is afoot".  I also loved how moved he was to spend the loved one's visit with his wife and how he saved his auction money because his car needed new shocks.  Haha.

Philippines: Jeff Kent
I don't think we've had any minor celebrities return to play again (ones who were celebrities before playing).  But Jeff Kent would've been a good one to bring back to see if he could get the $1 million, or 600 grand by the time Obama takes it.

Caramoan: Reynold Toepfer
The Fans tribe this season was quite lackluster, but Reynold stood out to me.  I'd have loved to see him again, but it wasn't meant to be.  

Blood vs. Water: Hayden Moss
Still boggles my mind they brought Ciera back twice but not him.  Hayden was the one who convinced Ciera to go to rocks.  

Cagayan: Brice Johnston
So many from this season have returned, so I went with Brice, a pre-merge boot.  He's still a huge part of the Survivor community, hosting events with Wendell.  He deserves another shot.

San Juan Del Sur: Jon Misch
Not the greatest cast in the world, but I'd like to see Jon Misch back.  He was fooled by Natalie a couple times, but perhaps he's learned a bit.  

Worlds Apart: Carolyn "Mama C" Rivera
She didn't align herself with the most decent people, but she was a good player.  She executed an idol play and I know she wants to play again.

Kaoh Rong: Cydney Gillon
I almost chose Julia because of my crush on her, but I'll go with Cydney, who was a decent player and kind of almost won.  She's way into bodybuilding now so I don't think she'll ever play again.

Millennials vs. Gen X: Jay Starrett
He's been on The Challenge, so you know he's cool with keeping himself busy with shows.  But would Survivor bring him back?  Hard to say at this point.  

Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers: Chrissy Hofbeck
She's owed one by the show.  She's the only player who went into her season not knowing about the F4 firemaking twist.  She did surprisingly well in challenges, too.

Ghost Island: Dominick Abate
The only player to ever lose in a tiebreaking final vote still has not returned.  Shame.  

David vs. Goliath: Christian Hubicki
I'm not sure if he even wants to play again, but I know most fans would want to see him back.

Edge of Extinction: Rick Devens
No surprise here.  Such a personable and great for TV character.  He even co-hosted the On Fire podcast, which I think is a good sign for his future chances.

Island of the Idols: Janet Carbin
Another player screwed over was Janet (Idol Nullifier--dumb twist IMO).  She was very likable and handled the Dan incident well.  Perhaps the show wants nothing to do with this season ever again, though.

And now with the New Era seasons, I'm going to pick the player from each season I'd like to see return but I don't think ever will.  So these are not the players I most want to see back; just the ones I'd most like to see back that I'd bet won't come back.

41: Sydney Segal
Yet another player screwed over, this time by the Hourglass Twist.  She's easy on the eyes, but I don't think enough people remember her gameplay.  

42: Tori Meehan
She was surprisingly adept, just got dealt a bad hand.  Imagine her with stronger allies.  She was good in challenges, so I say bring her back.  But I don't think it'll happen.

43: Owen Knight
He may return, but I have a feeling casting might stay away from Final Tribal Council losers, at least the ones who got 1 or 0 votes.  He was good all-around, and he might have much more success given a different opportunity.

44: Matt Blankinship
As you can tell, I like to pick players who were screwed over.  Matt was screwed over by the split tribal, where all of his allies were on the other team.  Shame.  

45: Emily Flippen
I pick Emily because I think she said she wouldn't play again, but she definitely would be good TV again.  

46: Tevin Davis
He certainly made for good TV, but I feel he'll get overshadowed by Q, given their similar demographics.  I wouldn't be surprised if they passed over him.  

47: Rome Cooney
Rome was an interesting player and a good villain.  I wasn't a fan of how he "bulled" Sol, but nothing was personal--it was all part of the game.  But after he leaked the boot order, he's likely not getting asked back again.

Ranking the Potential Type of Returnee Season for Survivor Season 50

 Jeff Probst recently announced that Season 50 of Survivor will be returning players, but that was not much surprise to anybody.  We had a feeling they'd have to do something special for Survivor's 50th season.  And it will not come too soon, as it's been since Season 40 that we had a season with multiple returning players.  That is the longest such stretch in Survivor history without multiple returning players.

So after this announcement, a lot of speculation has happened among Survivor fans as to what kind of cast it will be.  There are a few different ways they could go with this, and I'm going to rank them 10 to 1 based on how well each theme would work out and be received by the Survivor fanbase as a whole.  Keep in mind Jeff did not explicitly state that it would be all returning players, so there are a couple of previously used themes potentially in play.  Here are the possible themes ranked:

10. First Boots
What's so special about first boots?  I have no idea.  Could they even get 18 or 20 of them?  Are there really 18 or 20 first boots we want to see again?  I don't think there are.  There are certainly a handful, such as Zane, Jelinsky, Zach Wurtenberger, and possibly even Francesca, but the list grows short after that.  

9. Fans vs. Favorites 3
Yes, they could do a Fans vs. Favorites 3, which would only be 1/2 returnee players.  I highly doubt they will do this since fans want to see a full returning players season, and this would definitely enrage the fanbase a bit.  

8. Blood vs. Water 3
Again, it would only be 1/2 of the cast, but we could see 10 new-ish era players with their loved ones.  I highly doubt they'll do this again, but Jeff does love this theme, I know that.  Again, Jeff did not explicitly say it would be all returning players.

7. Regular All-Stars Type Season
Like All-Stars in Season 8 or Game Changers in Season 34, this would be a regular cast of All-Stars, with winners allowed and no clear theme for the division of the tribes.  One small negative I see to this is it would allow the showrunners to have three tribes of six (AGAIN), which has become a New Era staple.   But also, this theme would be so bland and generic, and while any returning player season would be fun, not having any kind of theme would instantly make it a bit lame. 

6. Rivals
A Rivals-type season has been long-talked about, but never happened.  So it would be like Blood vs. Water, but the opposite, I guess.  10 players and 10 of their rivals.  Domenick and Chris Noble?  Shan and Ricard?  Katurah and Bruce?  Liz and Q?  There are a few ideas.  The issue would be casting them so there are even number of men and women.  But I like this idea a lot, because I bet there'd be a lot of drama and there'd likely be a rival pairing or two that would actually want to work together, since no one would expect them to. But Rivals seems like a bit of a kind of lamer season, so it's here at number 6.

5. New Era vs. Old Era 
I don't think it'd be called this (New School vs. Old School?  Battle of the Ages/Eras?), but this is one I could see happening that wouldn't excite the fanbase too much, but maybe enough to keep the ratings up.  They'd have to settle on a demarcation point as to what constitutes a new era and what constitutes an old era player.  My suggestion is Season 25 as the demarcation point, since that'd be halfway at this point.  But I do see the issue with trying to find 8-10 old era players that would be willing and able to keep up with the new era players.  They key being if they're able to.  Not many would.  Alternatively, they could make this a three-tribe format, with 6 old era players (1-19), 6 "middle" era players (21-39), and 6 New Era players (41-49).  But again, I'd worry about the old era players keeping up.

4. Outwit vs. Outplay vs. Outlast
What would be a good way to culminate 50 seasons of Survivor?  By having six players that have excelled in outwitting, six players who excelled in outplaying, and six players who excelled in outlasting others.  Again, this would be another three tribe, six player start, but I would be okay with this one.  It would be interesting to see who would be on which tribe.  I would worry about the Outplay tribe possibly dominating challenges, but that's where they'd have to cast a couple of players who excelled more in finding idols rather than challenges.  One thing I'd say about this season's cast: No losing finalists.  If they truly excelled at "out"-whatevering, then they would've won their season.  

3. Heroes vs. Villains 2
I'm a huge fan of this theme, and I think the fanbase as a whole would really like it.  However, the line between hero and villain has certainly gotten blurred over the years in the game of Survivor.  Maybe they could do Heroes vs. Villains vs. Anti-Heroes?  That would be a bit easier for them to cast for.  Either way, the theme of good vs. evil is always entertaining.  A good story has a good villian to root against and a good hero to root for.

2. Legends vs. Rising Stars
This is a theme I'm putting forth, and I think it would work.  First off, a tribe of legends.  Who wouldn't want that?  No restrictions on how much they've played or if they've won or not.  Just 8-10 legends of the game--some of the biggest names in Survivor history.  We certainly have plenty of those.  Then, on the other tribe, you have 8-10 up-and-comers.  Rising stars, if you will.  These would be players who made a big name for themselves their first time playing and are determined to do so again.  It would be like having a baseball game of future Hall of Famers against future All-Stars.  Wouldn't that be fun to watch?

1. Second Chances 2
Let the fans decide again.  Why not?  There are a lot of ways to run the voting, and who wouldn't love to have a say in the cast again?  Potential players could run campaigns, trying to establish trending hashtags for their support.  The previous time we had the fans vote, social media was not the thing it is today.  Yes, this would only be players who have played once before, but that's fine--we've got plenty of those.  I do worry that the showrunners/producers would find a way to force a minimum number of New Era (41+) players in the game, but even if that happened, there are plenty of those who we'd love to see again as well.  Also, I must add, it'd be hard to enforce the diversity mandate.  They couldn't split them up into whites vs. minorities.  But I'm sure they could find a way.  Perhaps fans could pick their favorites from a list of 100, and the producers choose from there.  Just an idea.

My Top 10 Xbox 360 Games of All Time

 I've already done my Top 10 Original Xbox and Top 10 N64 games of all time, now I thought I'd do my Top 10 Xbox 360 games of all time.  Again, if a few games were part of a series, I'm counting them as one entry, so this one was a bit tougher due to having fewer options.

(Dis?) Honorable Mention: Lost: Via Domus 
It's received mostly negative reviews, but I had to mention it.  This game does give you the same mysterious island feel that the show does, at least to me.  I love exploring the hatch and other various places from the show.  But there are plenty of downsides to this game.  Some of the voice acting is terrible.  Generally, if the actor from the show wasn't used, it was glaringly obvious it was someone different.  Also, avoiding the smoke monster was annoying and difficult.  And there wasn't much payoff at the end. 

Honorable mention: Dead Rising
I was never able to beat this game due to its difficulty.  But I did enjoy the zombie aspect to it.  It just got so frustratingly difficult to keep track of people who were with me at the time and not have them die.  I don't remember how far I got on my furthest playthrough.  Maybe halfway?  I enjoyed watching others play this more than playing it myself.

10. L.A. Noire
I somehow have only played this game through once.  It's such a great game.  It is made by Rockstar, after all.  It's got a great story, and I love the 1940s elements they incorporated into it.  I definitely want to give this another playthough someday.

9. Crackdown (1+2)
The reason I got Crackdown was that I did a playtest of some games for Microsoft, and the way they paid you then was a free game of your choice from their library.  One of the games I chose was Crackdown, and I got into it.  I got the sequel, Crackdown 2, the same way.  I haven't played them much since my first playthroughs, which is why it's low on this list, but perhaps someday.  I loved the way your character upgraded and you could see them getting bigger and faster.  I also loved collecting orbs around the city.

8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince
It's funny, these games had the best graphics, but they didn't have the charm of the first few HP games.  The explorable castle and its surroundings were absolutely awesome, but both games just lack what made the first few so special to us.  I have beaten each multiple times, while also completing most side-quests and collectibles.  Whenever I reread the series, I usually do a playthrough of the games, including these.  They'll always hold a special place with me.

7. Read Dead Redemption (+ Undead Nightmare)
God, Red Dead is such a great game.  Hard to beat a Western with a GTA engine.  The story is top-notch and one of my favorites of all time, and there is just so much to do in game, from hunting to playing poker to just exploring.  I also have played the Undead Nightmare, beating it, but that's about it.  I definitely want to come back to the original someday, and maybe once I do, I'll give RDR 2 another shot, since I still have yet to play that fully through.

6. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (+ II)
Being a huge fan of Star Wars video games, of course, I own and played Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.  I love controlling the Force with Starkiller with such ease, tossing around Stormtroopers like rag dolls.  It's got a great story to go along with it, as well, although I don't think it's canon (anymore).  I personally prefer Star Wars: Jedi nowadays, but TFU will always hold fond memories for me.

5. Madden NFL series (07-10, 12, 25, 17)
This one is a bit odd since I skipped a few, but I did get into Madden after they were the only makers of NFL video games.  I had no choice (but I wish I did).  This generally is considered the tail end of Madden's peak.  I invested a lot of hours into these games, and for most (if not all) of these games I did a franchise that went at least a few years into the future (usually as the Seahawks).  I will always hold ESPN NFL 2K5 in higher regard than any of these, but some of the earlier ones had some great soundtracks.  I think Madden NFL 07 would be my top favorite, because not only did it have the best soundtrack, but it featured a Seahawk on the cover for the first time in Shaun Alexander.

4. College Hoops 2K6
Yep, a college basketball game this high.  I love this game.  First off, Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery are superb as announcers.  They really give the game its college basketball feel.  I played through over a decade of Gonzaga basketball, until one day I, unfortunately, overrode the save with something else and I lost that team forever.  That was not a good day.  I have played it sparingly since then, and it's not hard to get back into.  

3. Gears of War (1-3)
To me, there's no grittier shooter game than Gears of War.  I love how brutal and gory this game is.  The story is very good as well; easy to get into.  I have to play through the three games I own every few years.  Some moments in this series are etched into my memory forever: The final boss in Gears 1, the first time seeing a berserker, doing Cole Train's backstory, using the Hammer of Dawn for the first time, and Dom's death in 3.  So many great moments.

2. Grand Theft Auto 4 and 5
What is not to like?  These are like GTA Vice City and San Andreas but with better graphics, story, and immersion.  I put a ton of hours into these games, mostly just goofing around, but also playing the story missions.  I definitely prefer 5, as you can pick one of three playable characters to play as.  I even got my girlfriend into it a bit, but she only ever goofs off when she plays.

1. Halo 3, ODST, Reach (And 4, kind of)
The first two Halo's were high on my OG Xbox list, so these had to be high as well.  If I had to rank these from favorite to least favorite, it would be 3, Reach, ODST, and 4.  Reach was surprisingly good and had a great story.  But the top dawg is 3.  I invested so many hours into it in its heyday, especially online playing and ranking up.  I played this with my friends as well, one of the few games we got into together.  It was a lot of fun, and I look back on those times fondly.  I wish I could go back to those times.

Who's to Fault for the Mariners

 I decided against doing an MLB predictions post.  It's kind of my way of protesting the crap uniforms this season.  But mostly, I forgot.  I went into the 2024 season with less excitement than ever for the Mariners and baseball in general.  It's the first MLB season of my life that I won't be able to watch the Mariners on cable, after ditching it late last year.  So far, I've resorted to other methods (Ahoy, mateys!) to watch Mariner games, but I've also enjoyed simply listening on the Seattle sports app on occasion.  

Anyway, the Mariners have gotten off to another slow start, starting as bad as 6-10 but they won their last couple and now sit at 8-10.  But still, not the ideal start.  Just like the last couple of years, this team has gotten off to a slow start, and we may be looking back at this slow start just like we did last year as to why this team maybe barely misses the playoffs again.  

Fortunately, the entire AL West has gotten off to a slow start.  The Astros started even slower than the Mariners, and the defending WS champ Rangers lead the division with a .500 record.  The Mariners only sit one game back.   But we all know someone is bound to go on a run in the middle of the season.  We can only hope it'll be the Mariners, but it'll more likely be the Rangers or Astros.

So who is to blame for all of this?  I got bad news.  It's everyone.  Ownership.  Front office.  Coaching.  Players.  Every single department is to blame.  But as most sports fans know, it starts with ownership.  

The Mariners made a few cost-cutting moves this off-season, such as trading Eugenio Suarez and Robbie Ray.  This to me screams that ownership told the Front Office (Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander) that they could only spend up to a certain amount.  That's not the way to successfully run a team.  The ownership group, headed by John Stanton, handcuffed the Front Office and made their jobs tougher.  

However, the Front Office could have made better decisions, despite being handcuffed.  Was it wise to trade all we did for Jorge Polanco?  The Mariners have an influx of pitching but didn't use any as trade chips, either.  But honestly, I can't fault them too much.  They did what they thought was the best move they could do at the time.  Again, given free rein and virtually unlimited spending, this Mariners team would look better this season.  Think about if the Mariners could spend like the Dodgers.  Ah, if only.

I do also think coaching factors in as well.  I think preaching the same message over and over has gotten old with some players.  I wish I could read the minds of JP Crawford, Cal Raleigh, and Julio Rodriguez, and see if they'd rather have a different manager.  I think they would.  Now, Scott Servais isn't a terrible manager, but he does very little to elevate the team.  No one will ever call him one of the game's best.  Pete Carroll was considered one of football's best.  And he was just let go.  So why should the Mariners hold on to Servais if the team struggles more?  I know, different sport and different circumstances, but Servais has been given an incredibly long leash.  And I personally feel (along with many Mariners fans) that the Mariners success that they've had has been in spite of Servais, not because of him.

But all of this does trickle down to the players.  This still is a team that, if they all play to their capabilities, can win a lot of games.  That's the problem, though.  They don't, at least not early in the season.  So, what gives?  

It does all start at the top with ownership, and what gets them panicking and willing to change things is a loss of sales and money.  So that's why I urge Mariners fans to sail the fine seas with me in order to watch games.  Cut ties with cable.  Do not upgrade to be able to watch Mariners games.  Do not subscribe to Fubo TV.  And for the love of God, do not purchase those awful Fanatics jerseys.  And don't go to a game unless it's a special occasion.  

We really should only reward the team when they succeed.  For now, I'm withholding my money from any Mariners-related purchase until they start really winning.  I urge others to do the same.  If enough of us do it, ownership will get the message.  They are the main ones to blame.