Strike Down

Hi there folks,

I wanted to let you know my mild relief that the writer's strike is over, and it's my firm belief that everybody won. We'll forget about the loss of revenue and the families that had to suffer, but in the end, they (the writers and executives) are all friends again, and that's what's important. Plus, Heroes doesn't have an ending for the season, Scrubs doesn't have an ending for the entire series (possibly to be replaced on DVD), Lost will have 3 episodes cut down (to be replaced later), and Friday Night Lights... well, it looks like it might be cancelled forever without a proper ending, at least in part, because of the writers strike.

While, I haven't spent much time talking about Friday Night Lights, I do have a custom made Dillon Panthers T-shirt with Saracen's name and number firmly etched on the back. I did get similar shirts for my brother and his friend as a birthday gift with the names of Smash Williams and Riggins on their shirts. But, the reason I don't talk about the show much is because, although I am a major fan (and to the utmost of my voice in the wind, I demand an ending), I am never fully satiated by it. This ambivalence tears at the fabric of my very soul (or rather, it makes me highly recommend the show with mild reservations).

I will start with the overwhelming positives. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton as the Taylors are easily the most relatable TV marriage (possibly even more so than Jim and Pam's office relationship.) Great acting, great writing, and great chemistry spark these two down-to-earth characters who play a couple you believe as a couple on-screen, and you almost hope is a couple off-screen. Kyle Chandler has been on a number of TV shows before as well as the debacle that was King Kong, and no where, other than 1 incredible performance during a bomb squad cameo on Grey's Anatomy (the Superbowl episode), did I get the impression he had this much pop. Connie Britton was in the movie version of Friday Night Lights, playing the coach's wife, and was a regular on Spin City, but again, this is just a magical moment in her career that remains largely unexpected and unfortunately largely unheralded.

Coach Taylor is a high school football coach in a Texas town devoted to its proud high school football tradition. It's more than a stereotypical Texas football town; it's also the stereotypical small town that (almost) nobody ever leaves. It's also a town that appears to be divided by seldom discussed, but ever-present issues such as race (White, Black, and this season Hispanic populations were explored), struggles between the religious and the secular, and problems with poverty. To say this town is a microcosm of the American life is overbroad and under-descriptive. The same can generally be said of any show that deals with daily issues as well as larger problems. Instead, I prefer to look at the show as addressing a nice cross-section of issues, and it deals with those issues with as much depth as the populace's attention (my attention, as I sometimes refer to myself in third person plural) span can afford. The town fits many of the stereotypes that a city kid such as myself had about small towns, and crushes other stereotypes, which makes it a fascinating setting for this group of characters.

Taylor's wife works at the school as the guidance counselor and so both of their lives are totally intertwined in the lives of the main character high school children and they become legitimate surrogate parents for these children--- some of whom have difficulties at home and others whom have difficulties relating to their parents. So, the coach who has been working as a QB coach at Dillon for a long time and his wife who has been adopted by Dillon, Texas, have to manage their uniquely un-unique family life (highlighted by great dialogue and chemistry between them), a high school depending on them to care for the children, a town demanding victories, and future clouded by human ambitions and limited room for growth. Both Taylors are seemingly normal decent people, neither of whom are unusually kind, but both of whom are more caring then not.

Taylor and his wife have one daughter at the begining of the first season, who like many teenagers is struggling to find her existence in the show. Other than being a pretty girl (and the only member of the cast remotely close to the age she plays on the show), she brings the least to the proverbial table.

Jason Street, the prototypical All-American high school QB with the promise of NFL worthy potential has new struggles to deal with daily, after his life was inexorably altered by a crippling injury that left him wheel chair bound. His character is generally melancholy (understandably) and his acting is roller coastery. Lyla is Street's girlfriend at the start of the show, but inevitably, the show veered her away from Dawson and towards Pacey, the screw-up best friend, who slowly puts the pieces of his life together, even as he longs for his best friend's soul mate. Again, her performances are often wooden, but her material is often wooden, so it's tough to blame her. Oh, and surprise, she's very attractive. Speaking of Pacey, then there is Riggins, who is more of a screw-up with his constant drinking, but with the saving grace that he has a great deal of talent compared to other high school footballers. And, during the games, he plays hard. I'm told he's attractive as well, though I'm personally upset that at times, he is inaudible. But otherwise, I have no problem with this guy and he serves his function as the misunderstood disaffected miscreant with great zeal or an appropriate lack thereof.

But, my favorite character on the show is Matt Saracen, the back up QB, who is forced into a limelight that he never anticipated and other than being an adult at the age of 15, he is also a genuinely good hearted kid. There is nothing spectacular about him, as he is about average (or below) in most every category that can be tested in football and in life, except for his giant heart (aww). It causes him to be a better football player, have a shot with the coach's daughter he pines over (and eventually woos), and to regularly make good decisions. His father, who is serving in Iraq, left him to tend to his mentally ailing grandmother by himself, while he struggles with a part time job, going to classes and doing homework, participating on the football team (as their QB1, no less), and live a relatively normal healthy life as teenager. This kid displays great acting in a part he was made for; even as he is burdened by a schedule that few could handle, emotional torment, and everyday life struggles, he not only perseveres, but he thrives with a youthful optimism (a twinkle in his eye) underneath his cynical veneer (from his sarcastic dialogue) aided in large part by bouts of stuttering, poor posture, and general meekness. Of course, a similar performance is doled out by Saracen's comedic sidekick, the smart, witty, and intense Landry, who relies on his overwhelming faith (even as he struggles with it) in both the first and second seasons to deal with his crushes and his obstacles.

Finally, there is the Smash, who plays an over the top talent with an ego to match. He is the star running back and receiver, the star trashtalker, and easily a bright star in the future, both in the story and as an actor. He captures the center of every scene and embraces the attention. The Smash is more charismatic than he is egotistical and his relationship to his strong, wise mother humanizes him even further. Even though he is ego-centric, he is the most natural hero for this show and powered by emotion and flair, Smash blazes through the small screen.

The first season is marked by great emotional highs and lows and is far stronger than the second season, which has some of the characters falling in and out of grace, more like a soap opera (in an effort to make a more grandiose plot to attract more viewers).

So, why doesn't anyone watch it? Girls (and women) are often scared away because it's about football, even though it's really not. Guys are often scared away because it's not actually about football, even though it really is. I, personally, at times very much look forward to the football portions of the show and other times, seek more answers from the non-football portions of the show. I mentioned a few of the flaws of the show as I discussed the characters, but I didn't discuss it's major flaws. It's a character based show, which means that someone needs to put in the time and energy to enjoy it, and often that time is exhausting and draining and many of the characters like in Heroes fail to capture even my interest or imagination. Another major flaw touched on earlier is that it tries too hard to be too many things: is this a Dawson's Creek, OC modeled guilty pleasure, is it a football show, or is it about a family in a small town like Picket Fences? Or is the show about people who love and devote themselves to one thing (in this case football), and how it affects the lives of others around them or like a soap opera? As an avid watcher, of this possibly cancelled show, I still enjoyed the experience immensely. But, I would be satisfied with a mere two full seasons, if I was given answers to the larger questions, and the show walked away after this season. That having been said, I want an end for the show, and I certainly want an end for the second season. Some people are passionate about this show and are demanding additional seasons. Not me.

I watch every episode and dissect each moment, even as I enjoy the banter and the increasingly outlandish plotlines (as mentioned above to try to garner additional attention). If I were to ask for anything about the recognition of this show, it would not be for more seasons, I would ask for the nominating committees watch this show and duly acknowledge the plethora of excellent performers here (as well as some of the writing). But that's why I don't respect the opinions of the academies, reviewers, or guilds, and that's why I don't think you should take my word for what kind of a show this is. You should either watch it or not watch it and live with yourself. But for the record, everybody that I know that has watched this show more than thrice is hooked. Take that for whatever it's worth, my dear reader.

Speaking of great losses, my Nets team is getting cancelled (the basketball term is "blown up"), as they are in the process of finalizing a trade that will send away their most coveted asset in exchange for benefits of the future. [Note this was written prior to the Devean George veto, which is addressed below. Further, I kept it in because from my understanding the deal is still likely to go through, and even if it is not, it is an interesting case study worth analyzing.] First of all, as I've stated many times in various science related entries, I am not sure that there is any such thing as the future. Second of all, who says this is to their benefit for the future? For those of you who don't know basketball, Jason Kidd is the Nets best player (even though he is a very poor scorer and getting worse) because he is a guy who runs the ball towards the basket, and with his combination of eyesight, angle interpretations, ball control, hustle, and moxy, he is able to get people easier shots. People have overlooked him before and he led an intriguing Dallas team, a feisty Suns team, and a running Nets team much further than people anticipated (including leading a relatively untalented Nets team to the finals twice in a row, albeit in a poor conference).

Well, why did they make this trade? First, there are the simple statisticians out there that will have you look at the scoring of Jason Kidd and the scoring of Devin Harris and label Harris the better player (see everybody who preferred Marbury to Kidd). Second, there are the more complex statisticians out there that will point to Kidd's declining abilities in the overall categories that range from his dismal shooting percentage to his declining defensive numbers and say that his days of being a star are over; while Devin Harris, an up and coming point guard is already better (see John Hollinger and his PER stats). Third, there are those that will look to the future and say the many Harris, Diop, draft picks, pieces the Nets got in the long term are preferable to Kidd's declining ability. Fourth, the Nets will save a great deal of money over the next few years by getting a number of pieces by trading Kidd's mammoth contract for Stackhouse (who they will likely buy out and return to Dallas) and others who will be off the books after this year, which saves them from having to pay the luxury tax (and allows them to have a chance at the many free agent stars in 2010 just as the Nets are returning to New York, in Brooklyn). Fifth, Kidd was unhappy in New Jersey, playing alongside Carter (who I will get to in a second), who does not fit his playing style and likely does not try as hard as Kidd does. NJ was an eighth place playoff team, basically for the last three years that overachieves in large part because of Kidd. When he's not happy (and hasn't been for years although it's gotten worse recently,) it makes it increasingly hard for him to play his best and for others to play their best for him.

So, is the trade good for the Nets? Yes and no. As constituted, the Nets are almost definitely worse off than they were yesterday. The future of the organization is still far from certain with only mediocre pieces to build around, although because of Kidd's age, it is probably good that they dealt him while he was still worth something of value. But, more importantly with Kidd gone, it is very likely the Nets will try to move Carter, who although he is prone to bouts of laziness, is still a potent offensive weapon (I'm biased for Carter), and perhaps equally importantly, a box office draw. Who is going to come see a mediocre Nets team without Carter or Kidd? The rumor is they are going to get Jermaine O'Neal for Carter, which would probably keep them around 8th place assuming JO is healthy. So, they have a team that might make the playoffs the next few years (so they probably won't get any great lottery draft picks); they probably won't be paying any luxury excise taxes for overspending, but people are going to buy less tickets, less jerseys, and watch them even less on TV (less advertising revenue), which sounds like a bad deal to me. Overall, the Kidd move as well as the probable Carter follow-up is totally understandable, and I see why they did it, but I would have tried something else, like trading Carter and pieces for Marion (to have a better version of Kenyon Martin running the floor with Kidd and Jefferson, which Carter does not do). But to be fair, considering Kidd wanted to go, this was about as much as they could get for him that would not include Bynum last year.

Why did Dallas do it? Dallas blew up their historic depth, which gave them 67 wins in the season last year. More importantly, they have a very good record this year, with a year's more experience, while all the other team's they have particular trouble with would have to adjust to seismic shifts, with Gasol, Shaq, and even Webber in Golden State (while San Antonio is roughly the same, their bit parts are even older now). In addition to the opposite of all the things said above (worse for their payroll, declining and aging Kidd, getting rid of an up and coming talented point guard, they gave up their best defensive big man, Diop, who would guard Bynum and Duncan. So, why? Oh right... Jason Kidd. Forget about the gaudy triple double numbers this year, or the past leadership experience, constantly taking teams further than anticipated including two finals appearances. Forget his on-court offensive and defensive (against bigger guards) skills or physical and mental toughness or his playoff poise and experience (which Dallas could really use after two heartbreaking series in a row), forget about additional Jason Kidd revenue from advertising and sales and fan excitement. Forget that you are getting this perennial all-star who probably has a good deal left in the tank without giving up your main piece Dirk or second piece, Josh Howard, or your next best scorer, Jason Terry (who will be needed because Kidd, as stated is not a good scorer). Well, that's an awful lot of things to forget about, and still we are left with a guy who is a valuable asset to a team, who will excite the players on Dallas, and put fear in the heart of the enemy.

We are still left with a guy who will enable the team to play a different style, more like when Nash and Don Nelson were around, as well, as their current defensive style with isolation offenses. Devin Harris and Diop are good and valuable pieces, but having Kidd gives the Mavs greater potential than they otherwise had. And with Jason Kidd excited about playing again, we might see rises in his scoring ability (in part because Dallas's variety of scorers will give him more open space than NJ did), even if we see declines in his rebounding numbers. Dallas will have a true pass first point guard that helped create the mold of Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Andre Miller that we all appreciate. Those guys are more valuable than the shoot first point guards. I defy anyone to show me otherwise. (I defy myself if I point to Billups, Jason Williams (or Damon Jones), and Tony Parker as the last three starting PG for championship teams, but note that Duncan and Shaq were on two of the teams, and Detroit plays excellent team basketball on both ends of the court, second only to San Antonio). But, yes, even though they sacrifice some depth, a big guy who can guard big guys, and its future above-average point guard and it costs them money, if I'm Dallas, I definitely make this trade.

What if I'm Devean George, I don't want any part of this trade going from a potentially great team (particularly if the teams can swing the deal without giving him up) to a potentially bad team in New Jersey. He would go from playing relatively few minutes for a championship caliber team to slightly more minutes for a lottery caliber team. He also loses certain Early Bird rights that he is currently entitled to as a veteran, who has been playing with the same team for a couple of years. I'm told both teams are currently still optimistic the deal will be completed in roughly the same manner, if not the exact same manner as currently constituted, but I also recently read that Matt Geiger held up an Allen Iverson trade to Detroit and as we all know, that trade never occurred.

George was a good player, and he's not bad yet, but based on his limited basketball value, he shouldn't have the power to veto a deal like this. The basketball union is very strong, good thing they had a strike 5 years ago, to do everything in their power to prevent good basketball from taking place. Basketball sounds a lot like television, it's almost as if they are both forms of entertainment. Except, the players are more like the actors, with the coach as the director; and the writers are like the assistant coaches? I guess, its actually more like football, where assistant coaches (and coordinators) are really important designing and calling plays, but football's union isn't that strong, so it makes the comparison inapt and inept.

But, the script for the basketball world get more intriguing by the day. The West keeps getting better. Many people point to this potential Kidd move and the Shaq move as examples of desperation. I would only go so far as to say that there was an urgency about these moves, but not desperation, because these moves are risky (in comparison to the lopsided Gasol trade), but they are likely beneficial for their teams in the short run, which is all that should be considered (this year and the next year or two, without decimating the team beyond that point). Kidd and Shaq raise the ceiling of these two respective teams and raise the intensity and the stakes of the West. Overall, what was the West's response to KG and Ray Allen going East, along with the rise of King James and Dwight Howard (who might play less defense, but I still don't want to play against him) and smart minor Pistons moves? To get exponentially better and more competitive. Applause to the West for taking risks, for coughing cash, and for ever improving even when they were already far superior.

But, yes, basketball is back in style with a possible renewed LA-Boston rivalry, with the rise of young stars, and with the veritable coagulation of talent to the point of congestion. There are a lot of crappy teams out there, but now there are a lot of super teams, which like superdelegates in the Democratic Primaries, have a disproportionate amount of power and will likely determine the outcome. Okay, the analogy is terrible, but if I was going to talk about politics now, it would be an even worse segue. So, instead... Lost... SPOILERS AHEAD.

Another incredible Lost episode dominates all other TV stories. In this most recent episode (I once again point you to the fine analysis of Doc Jeff Jensen and melanism.com), Sayid goes commando and gets deeper into the new others.
If the first season was about meeting the Losties, the second was about meeting the Tailies, the third was about meeting Ben and his band of hostiles, this season is clearly about meeting Ben's nemeses (possibly Dharma or its remnants). So, what is the new relevant exciting information? Plenty.

There is some sort of war going on between Ben's Hostiles (with a name like that, I can't imagine them not being at war) and the (not) Oceanic Lawyer Abaddon's ship people. In this war, the Losties are mere pawns, and as such, Ben continues to manipulate them even long after they have left the island. Sayid is a hired gun for the consummate manipulator, Ben, who may have manipulated Sayid and the other Losties many times before, but this time Sayid is doing the right thing listening to him (?). We learned that he sold his soul to leave the Island or to protect his friends, but also that he willingly sold them out (and risked a mission he was willing to kill and die for) when he met a girl he liked. One of my friends wondered why Sayid wasn't the guy making decisions. Because as many mistakes as Jack makes, he is regularly making the more logical choice, as opposed to the passionate choice like pushing Kate away in this episode, exploiting Sawyer's position in the Locke brigade (except Jack's not so logical when he so regularly puts himself in danger). The major problem with the logical choice is that in this show, the logical choice, based on science and extrapolation, is seldom the optimal path. So, again, it is still possible Sayid is doing the right thing (?) even when he is killing for Ben.

After Sayid kills some rich guy on a golf course without much remorse, he kills some lady that works for a guy who is not an economist. Jensen does some nice economics stuff here, but I will spare you the pseudoscientific jargon (cause I don't know it). Instead, I will focus on the time lapse experiment done by Faraday. Well done on acknowledging that there is something scientifically "beyond weird" about this Island. But great question posed by melanism, asking why the radio communications can work in real time if other things (matter?) operates under a different standard. This all brings me back to the time Sayid and Hurley were sitting on the beach listening to the short wave radio and Sayid explained that the oldie playing on the radio could have been coming from pretty much anywhere and Hurley responded "or anytime" which he half laughed off. If that signal was coming from off the Island, which is a real possibility if not a likelihood, then how did it get past the Endorian under-water signal blocker (where are my cell phone experts out there? Is a cell phone signal like a radio signal or does it require two way broadcast to operate? In other words, if Ben blocked all outgoing calls/signals, would the phone itself still be able to receive communications from outside or does it require two way capability to function as a receiver?)

The lost time theme (see Mittelos from the Lost Experience), is a prevalent explanation about what is so unique about the Island and it is possible this experiment was the first step to prove not only that the Island has unique properties, but the uniqueness centers on its relation to time. For example, a possible theory is that the Island itself is the veritable Fountain of Youth (see Richard and also see Locke's and Rose's healing, which is not necessarily proof, but it's something) that is nearly impossible to discover because it is a rift in our space/time continuum, operating 5 seconds behind us (or in this case 30 minutes) see Stephen King's The Langoliers. I suppose it's also possible that time just actually goes slower or that it just doesn't operate in remotely the same way. (Side note, so because of the lost time that occurs on the Island, is it possible the Red Sox won two world series while they were on the Island for 100 days? No, because Jack was back already, but you get my meaning. They might actually have been there much longer than 100 days... maybe?)

About last week's theory about the Oceanic 6, surprise, I was wrong (I think). Because my working theory was Ben off the island as part of the Oceanic 6 (though he wasn't one of the Oceanic passengers, but as part of his escaping from Locke to regroup and then return to take back the island. Not all of that is wrong yet, but give the writers time, they prove me wrong regularly. And when they prove me wrong, they strike me down with great vengeance and furious anger.) But, Ben is off the Island and in full medical (veterinary) gear as he eerily treats Sayid's gun shot wound. But even after the hundreds of lies, I still kinda believe him. My new Oceanic 6- Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sayid... Claire (because of Desmond's vision with Aaron who doesn't count) and Sawyer (playing house off the Island because he's a survivor). (Another side note if the person in the coffin was a member of the Oceanic 6, wouldn't people come to his funeral as they would any pseudocelebrity's funeral? I never know whether the writers would have thought of that, captured it, or will address it in the future, but it's food for thought. Or maybe I'm wrong and people only attend actual celebrity funerals.)

But, now I want to take two steps back and deal with Locke and his search for uncle Jacob's cabin. Of course, it's weird that the ash surrounding where Jacob's cabin was, was still there, but gray now. I guess that means he's gone? He took his black smoke coat and left? To learn more about the Smoke Monster, I found the lostpedia article on Uluru rather interesting, which makes me think this Island is a burial ground fountain of youth, nexus of the universe. The Black Smoke could a ghost that haunts all those who steal the rocks from the ground. Are the rocks actual rocks or are they people or are they the secrets buried on the Island? Who is the smoke monster haunting, why did it kill the people it killed, and will it haunt the Abaddonians? Only time will tell. Time.

Your turn,
PB&J ME