Next week is the start of the 2018 World Cup, taking place in Russia, so here is my non-professional, complete garbage, preview of the tournament!!
A day before the tournament kicks off they will announce the 2026 hosts, which is down to Morocco and a joint bid between America/Canada/Mexico, and the votes can currently go either way.
Thursday will have the first match, with the hosts Russia facing against Saudi Arabia, and then the full range, with three games a day, starting on Friday for the group stages Matches 1 & 2, with games at 8AM/11AM/2PM.
Matchday 3 will have two games at a time at 10AM and 2PM as they work out who moves on to the Final 16.
With the USMNT out of the running, a lot of people need some inspiration to help them watch these matches…here are some of the highlights and storylines of who to watch out for as the days progress:
Here are my predictions for the Groups:
Group A – Uruguay / Egypt / Russia / Saudi Arabia
Group B – Spain / Portugal / Morocco / Iran
Group C – France / Denmark / Australia / Peru
Group D – Argentina / Iceland / Nigeria /Croatia
Group E – Brazil / Costa Rica / Switzerland / Serbia
Group F – Mexico / Germany / Sweden / South Korea
Group G – Belgium / Panama / England / Tunisia
Group H – Columbia / Poland / Senegal / Japan
I hinted earlier at who I think will win…and maybe I’ll revisit it (bracket style) once it gets to the knockout stages.
From the Beacon Theater in New York City, Kevin James comes out and hits the stage running.
I have been pushing this special off for a bit, but after it was recommended to me by a bunch of people, I’m glad I finally watched it, as I smiled from start to finish, as it was just plain funny all the way thru.
From food allergies to endorsement deals, and his family to taking photos with fans, he covers a wide-range of topics, before having a conversation with the audience about tattoos.
Quick announcement to the lactose intolerant community: If I offer you ice cream and you can’t have any…just say ‘No, thank you.’
His facial expressions, movements, and delivery, all add to his comedic charm, as he delivers a 9 out of 10 performance.
With my recent purchase of a PS4, I was finally able to enter The Show and play big league baseball.
The game is a masterpiece from top to bottom, and here are some of the highlights:
This game is outstanding, and a must for every baseball fan. From thrilling storylines to exciting gameplay, it easily gets a 9 out of 10.
One of the biggest issues of driving in a big city is traffic.
There are always delays, and you are constantly fighting to find the shortest route, with the least amount of accidents, just to get to/from home to work.
Most cities have traffic reports on the radio, that allows you every 10 minutes or so to get a glimpse at what might await your journey.
The Port Authority of NY and NJ (PANY/NJ) have an app that helps (some) NYC travelers cross any of their bridges or tunnels, including the George Washington Bridge and the Lincoln & Holland Tunnels.
Features include:
I just wish the MTA and NYC DOT made these available for the East River crossings…like the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and the Brooklyn/Manhattan Bridges…because it’s impossible to predict when they’ll just close a tube for the sake of it.
The CrossingTime app is available on Android and iOS.
With the World Cup fast approaching Grant Wahl has put out a new book, Masters of Modern Soccer, that focuses on some of the top players in the world, and how they play the modern game of soccer.
Grant has a way with words, making the complicated seem understanding, and breaking it down for everyone to be able to understand the world’s game.
He speaks to a variety of people, each one able to focus on a different aspect of the game, and give a better vision of how the game unfolds from the sporting director on down to the forwards.
Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc, Belgium’s coach Roberto Martinez, and German goalie Manuel Neuer round out the group.
From players tips that they’ve learned over the years, to great insights into how the great teams are put together, this book is full of awesome material for fans of any level.
The last episode of Season 1 is with radio shock jock Howard Stern, and there is now a bonus episode with Jerry Seinfeld interviewing Dave.
Earlier episodes include Barack Obama, George Clooney, Jay-Z, and Tina Fey.
HOWARD STERN
Howard Stern comes out in a beard, launching Dave into a conversation on the beard and how it looks in person.
I would have bet when Netflix gave you a show you would lose the beard. I think they had bet on that too.
They talk about looks, how long they had known each other (dating back to 1984), and Howards starts in radio…from his personality (mirrored off the hard methods of Bob Grant, the no-nonsense conservative) to his constant fights with the FCC, an aspect that he lost when he moved to SiriusXM.
I forget I have (the beard), because I don’t have to look at it.
Conversations also move on to more personal topics, such as his family relationship with his daughters, him and his wife’s (Beth) connection to the North Shore Animal League, and his autobiographical movie Private Parts.
Also touched upon is his long-time co-host Robin Quivers.
At the end Dave heads to Southern Utah with paleontologist Kristen Sadler, to explore the Grand Staircase-Escalante, a National Park that lost its monument status under President Trump, to discuss how to help protect our lands.
This episode was the dirtiest of the season, understandably since it was Howard Stern, but it was a good chat between the two.
JERRY SEINFELD
They added a bonus episode to this season, which may have come out earlier this month, where Jerry interviews Dave, with a little bit of a back and forth.
From the Netflix stages in LA, filmed in early May 2018, the duo are there to promote their shows (this one for Dave, and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and Jerry Before Seinfeld for Jerry), and basically have a sit-down before a live audience about the backgrounds to their shows and life.
This could be the thing that springboards you(r career) forward. – Jerry to Dave
Jerry did one of the first sets on Dave’s show in the 1980s and repeated that same set on his last shows in 2015, and they focus on how they have been striving for greatness all the years since.
You’re Dave Letterman, you idiot.
Out little pasty faced, ketchup headed, sweetie pattity, Kimmy Schmidt, is back full of music and jokes.
Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) is now working at Giztoob with her robot friend C.H.E.R.Y./L., Lillian (Carol Kane) is spreading Artie’s ashes, Titus (Tituss Burgess) is “starring” in his own TV show, called The Capist, as Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski) tries to promote him.
What have you done Kim-Kimmery, Kim-Kimmery, Kim-Kim-Karoo.
We deal with the struggles of long fancy nails, get introduced to the third Hadid sister: Hello Hadid (Dierdre Reimold), and the war that women are taking on men she-troying everything (like Ocean’s Eight and Time’s Person of the Year).
Of course I don’t support his politics, I’m just telling you those were the best steaks I ever ate.
The Reverand, Richard Wayne Gary Wayne (Jon Hamm) is back as DJ Slizzard, discovered when Kimmy is on a weekend binge of House Flix, with their original show: “Party Monster: Scratching The Surface”, a full episode of which is mixed into this season of Unbreakable.
You know how Al Gore invented the internet? Well, he also invented a rhythm for it. It’s a powerful rhythm, it’s called the Al Gore Rhythm.
Kimmy continues to be oblivious to weird things, but it seems like they outdid it a bit on innuendoes this season…
Bobby Moynihan (SNL) guest stars, and his conversation with Kimmy over gender equality is fantastic and is one of the highlights of the season.
Speaking of which, this half season had a beginning and an end, wrapping up with Little Girl, Big City playing, but the season will continue later this year, for the conclusion of the show.
Season 4.1 gets a 7.5 out of 10.
Arrested Development. The show that wasn’t popular until it was off television, and then got picked up with a strange format on Netflix (which was later remastered into regular looking episodes).
And now we have the first part of Season 5, and it’s full of the standard shenanigans and banana stands.
Forget, but never forgive.
The group heads down to Mexico, after Michael (Jason Bateman, Ozark) and George Michael (Michael Cera) realize they are dating the same gal, Buster (Tony Hale) is still a monster, George Sr. (Jeffery Tambor) and Gob (Will Arnett) are making their way thru the country looking for love, and Maebe (Alia Shawkat) look to get away from a teen pretending to be a cop pretending to be a teen.
Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) is running for office, after some prodding from Lucille (Jessica Walter), and Tobias (David Cross) is still a never-nude looking for anustart as the analrapist for Lucille…and Lucille 2 (Liza Minnelli) has gone missing.
A friend in need is no friend indeed.
Speaking of Lindsay’s run, it mirrors that of Donald Trump, in the most humorous of ways, showing just how improbable it all was.
Its strange delivery style continues to elevate its humor levels, making this eclectic show a particular taste that many won’t acquire.
“How do you say ‘I am American’ in Spanish”
“Soy Americano”
“That sounds good, I’ll take two.”
The show features appearances by Narrator Ron Howard, Kyle Mooney (SNL), Ben Stiller (as magician Tony Wonder), and Ed Begley Jr.
This season gets a 7 out of 10.
On the next Arrested Development: The Bluths return later this year for Part II of the season, which is just a rumored date, but filming has concluded.
On the continuing quest for 1,000 Netflix comes a comedy featuring Gillian Jacobs (Community, Love), Vanessa Bayer (SNL), and Phoebe Robinson (a writer on Portlandia).
Harper (Jacobs) is sent to Spain for work, to help “woo” some new clients for the media marketing company she works at. Her two best friends (Bayer and Robinson) buy their own tickets and fly with her, leading on a European adventure.
When they hit the ground running in Barcelona, they all quickly find their amores, in the form of rich dudes, clients, and DJs (Leo, played by Richard Madden (Game of Thrones)). But when Harper misses her chance to meet Leo after his set, our group heads to Ibiza, land of gorgeous views and thumping beats, in search of his next show, and a game of phone tag.
The trio is fantastically funny, despite me having a hard time seeing Bayer and not hearing ‘Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy’.
The soundtrack for this movie is absolute fire, bringing the rhythem and setting the pace for the movie.
Sex, drugs, and EDM rock this movie to a 7.5 out of 10.
Aviously 