24 HOUR WEEKEND - A Live Blog

I am attempting to watch 24 hours of TV over the weekend. I am going to mix in TV from the DVR and the DVD, a couple movies, and a lot of football.

FRIDAY
8:50 pm - And we are off with the season premiere of Fringe. I have been looking forward to this show for months.

9:22 pm - Walter loves custard but hates flan while eating licorice with bloody hands. I know Charlie is going to die but I don't know how and the not knowing is killing me.

9:26 pm - Why can't Olivia load her gun?

9:28 pm - The robo-armed girl goes with Lt. Daniels?

9:32 pm - Woah, the shape shifter can take a bullet and leap out a window, but couldn't choke out Olivia in less than 10 seconds? I was just wondering if he had the strength of the guy or of the girl.

9:34 pm - And Charlie's dead. That sucks. I like Charlie. The reason I like him reminds me of why the Star Wars prequels didn't live up to expectations.

9:37 pm - So the shape shifter is stuck looking like Charlie. And the new agent is correlating the season 1 cases with Bible verses? Cool.

9:52 pm - A 15 minute break to take the dog out and to re-fill my gin and club (w/lime). I am not counting this time. The stopwatch is off if you will.

10:02 pm - Starting episode 2 of Fringe. Found the stopwatch app on my blackberry. I am counting the first Fringe as 45 minutes. I blue hand just pulled a construction worker underground.

10:11 pm - I wonder what the other versions of me are up to?

10:26 pm - That guy is such a fake Jon Voight.

10:30 pm - It was a big mistake to move this show to Thursday. I really hope Fox is patient. The little boy dug out of his grave...

10:38 pm - The sheriff in the episode is named Golytely, which is also a colonoscopy prep. Nice.

10:48 pm - Olivia is with the bowling alley guy and fake Charlie is using the cosmic email machine. Cool show.

10:50 pm - Switching things up, I am watching Cougar Town episode 2.

10:58 pm - Emergency work underwear. 10 date rule. Defense. Phoosh Phoosh Phoosh. Monster! This show is my underdog show of the year.

11:02 pm - Just watched the montage of a night out. Hilarious. This is definitely my show of the year. I hate hangovers and regretting the night before.

11:12 pm - I remember being able to party on consecutive nights. Then I did it for 5 consecutive years. Now my liver is a shadow of its former self. And I get tired. And lazy. It just isn't worth it anymore. Do I miss it? Yes. 1000% yes. But I did it right and everything turned out great for me so I have no regrets. And as they said in the show, I can still muster up the strength to hang once a week. And I enjoy the crap out of a Friday night in front of the TV with friends and family.

11:18 pm - 2 hours and 2 minutes of TV so far. I am switching to Big Bang season 2 DVD. I am on the XMas one.

11:24 pm - On a checking fantasy baseball break. I really could use 6 innings out of Randy Wolf right now.

11:26 pm - I am in 2 fantasy baseball head to head leagues (snake draft with keepers), 1 baseball roto league w auction draft, 2 fantasy football leagues (snake and auction), and a NFL pick em league. Yes I am a freak.

Saturday

1:08 pm - Last night on Big Bang, I watched the Christmas episode and the one where Penny ripped Howard and the killer robot battle. What a great show. Today I am starting with SYTYCD from Tuesday. Boogie Lynx's salsa was guacamole. I am at 3 hours and 2 minutes right now.

1:13 pm - Little C is my favorite 3rd judge. Dude is cool.

1:24 pm - I am flipping between football and the second half of the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy. It is disappointing that this show is crushing Fringe in the ratings. I don't hate Grey's. I still sort of like it. But it is feeling a little full of itself. The mom who can't quit and who doesn't sleep reminded me of Battlestar Galactica. I miss that show. Top 10 alltime for sure.

1:42 pm - Pumped for 30 for 30 to start. The first one is directed by Peter Berg of FNL fame and is about the trade of Wayne Gretzky.

1:52 pm - Big 10 football blows...the Slow 10.

2:00 pm - Needing a break from bad football, I am turning to the season premiere of Smallville. I am hearin good things about the first two episodes.

2:31 pm - Was kind of ho hum until Zod appeared. Clark's training has been coming for five years so that doesn't move the needle for me. 4 hours 24 minutes.

2:34 pm - Brian Austin Green is a great addition. He was the best thing about the Terminator TV show.

2:51 pm - Oliver as a cage fighter is so lame. This show puts some great storylines along side some really lame and weak ones.

3:07 pm - Decent premiere for Smallville. I am digging Metallo and the Zod army. Michigan and Mich St are heading to OT and Minnesota is trying to go the length of the field with 2 minutes left needing a FG to tie. Big Ten making a comeback. Michigan is an exciting and dangerous team. They really haven't played anyone yet but they are going to be interesting to watch.

3:10 pm - Minnesota throws up-for-grabs type bombs on 1st and 2nd down.

3:11 pm - Nice move by the wideout on 3rd down. Wisconsin brings the heat on 1st and 2nd down and Minnesota is running out of time and downs.

3:14 pm - Forcier makes a bad throw that is tipped and picked. It isn't beyond Mich St. to blow this opportunity.

3:23 pm - Nice win for the Spartans. Time for PSU. A championship caliber team bounces back with a vengeance. 31-7 PSU.

4:56 pm - Penn State looks so inept on offense. I don't know if they don't have the talent or it is the playcalling. The defense is stout. The play conservative and sound. They tackle and they can make the big play. That being said, I don't care if they ever win a game again as long as JoePa is there. He is the classiest guy going. He is Penn State. And I believe he is still a hell of a coach. I will revise my prediction to 24-10 PSU.

5:03 pm - I like Jesse "the Bachelor" Palmer. He is working out really well in the studio on Saturday afternoons.

5:05 pm - 6 hours and 56 minutes of TV down, 17 and change to go.

5:10 pm - Taking the dog for a walk. Speaking of dogs, the LSU-Georgia game is a dog of a game. They are at least as boring as PSU.

6:48 pm - Beat down in the 2nd half. Penn State took it to Illinois and ran the ball all over Illinois. I am going to catch the end of the Georgia-LSU game. Horrible execution and these teams are both terrible. Also, ND-Wash is winding down and the Irish look like they are going down.

8:37 pm - I am back after making pumpkin ravioli with a sage brown butter sauce for dinner. It was very labor intensive and I even took the short cut of using wonton wrappers. Watching SYTYCD from Wednesday with the wife-y. We are in New Orleans without Nigel.

9:00 pm - The bounce guy was great. Ain't nuthin changed since tha hurricane.

9:07 pm - 8 hours 59 minutes

9:21 pm - Flipped to the football game (Miami - Oklahoma) while my wife cleans the kitchen. I love big time college football. I think Oklahoma is the real deal and pulls away in this one.

10:12 pm - Miami is flying around like the good old "U", the team everyone loves to hate. The more teams I get a look at the more I like PSU.

10:24 pm - This game looks over right now. 21-10 Da U. I am going back to Dance. The wife is ready.

10:50 pm - Back to football. Just saw Clayton Kershaw has 7 K through 3 innings. That 21 year old can really pitch. He is almost impossible to hit.

11:05 pm - Watching Big Bang...the episode where Sheldon is trying to scientifically make friends. He is so amusing.

11:47 pm - Video game break at 11 hours 39 minutes

SUNDAY
1:16 am - And back to Big Bang. It is the episode where Leonard's mother comes to town. This promises to be hilarious.

7:04 am - The three of us, my wife, my puppy, and I, all fell asleep on the couch last night. I am at 12 hours 10 minutes. I just put Sicko, the Michael Moore movie, on. I have never seen it.

9:37 am - Just finished the movie. I am not going to use this space to be political so my thoughts will be kept largely to myself and those I force to listen to my various rants. I will say that it worth watching given that the current debate consuming DC right now. I am off to do some chores...run and get some toys for Bruiser, cut the grass, and start a pork roast.

9:40 am - 14 hours 8 minutes BTW.

12:59 pm - Back in front of the TV in time for kickoff of the Giants game. Ten hours of TV to go and a full slate of NFL games and Sunday night TV in front of me. No problem. I also managed to cut the grass, steam clean the rugs of the living room and dining room, ran to the store, and got the herbed pork roast in the crock pot.

1:10 pm - Poor Chiefs fumble the kickoff and the GMen cash in on a Manning to Steve Smith connection. I can't say enough about Eli Manning watching him week after week. He has cut down on the terrible mistakes and bad picks. He is money in the clutch. He is a class act. He is a top 10 QB no doubt, bordering on top 5.

1:19 pm - JINX! Eli fumbles...forced by PSU alum Tamba Hali. Here come the Chiefs.

1:23 pm - Chiefs held to a FG and a girl on a horse rides onto the field. Fair enough.

1:36 pm - Eli picked as that Michigan kid keeps dropping balls. Chiefs do nothing and go 3 and out. I really like the way Eli went over and put his armj over Manningham. Meanwhile, I flipped to the Pat-Ravens band saw a weak roughing the passer on Brady. You can't touch the QB. I guess it is good, keep guys healthy and increase scores.

1:45 pm - Chiefs flagged on another weak hit around the head call. This was a classic safety hit on a post. It seemed to be shoulder on shoulder but the fact that the DB was so much bigger than the WR made it seem like hit to the head.

1:55 pm - Whenever JB gives a gamebreak and throws it back to the booth, he says, "back you Kenny, Goose, and Moose". Very annoying. Meanwhile Flacco is taking a beating and the Pats have had the ball most of the game putting a lot of pressure on Ray Lou and Co.

2:06 pm - Hey Family Guy is doing a Jew-based episode. I think this is the 13th time Peter turns Jewish.

2:49 pm - A failed onside kick and a 4th down conversion to start the 2nd half. This one is the Giants' and the issue is the cover.

3:04 pm - The Giants have a really nice, long, controlled dominating drive and then miss a FG. Standard GMen. And Boss looks hurt. He would be a real loss because her has been a reliable receiver and an above average blocker. I wanted the TD there so I could switch full time to the Ravens-Pats.

3:21 pm - Nice play by Nicks. The Giants really can draft. They needed WRs and they got some good ones. But the big deal is Eli. It is the one injury that would be devastating to the season. The Mannings' never get hurt. Ever. Payton and Eli have never missed a start.

5:03 pm - Taking a football break and going to the third and latest episode of Fringe. I am really finding these episodes riveting. This show is really really good.

6:05 pm - Redzone pick for Romo. Wah Wah...I am turning to another Big Bang to keep the laughs rolling. I love the smell of paintballs in the morning. Penny just shot Sheldon's seat. Ut oh.

7:42 pm - Caught a little Football Night in America...some highlights from Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann. These guys were legends on SportsCenter and now they seem somehow dated. Less than. Not that SportsCenter got any better or funnier either... it kind of sucks now. There is something not right about it.

8:01 pm - Watching this week's Glee. Kristen Chenoweth is guest starring. I have reached the point where the songs are my least favorite part.

8:04 pm - 2 1/2 hours to go.

9:40 pm - Watched a little of the Steelers, the Simpsons, and am now starting Curb. Classic Flanders: "A Cran Bran for the Flan Man". Classic Simpson's Family Quote: "The Simpsons never give up until they try at least one easy thing".

9:53 pm - I have had a couple glasses of red wine and now I want a bowl of cereal. Milk and red wine? This could get ugly.

10:49 pm - And I am done...final tally...

3 Fringe
2 SYTYCD
1 Cougar Town
1 Glee
1 Curb
1 Smallville
1 Simpsons
1 Grey's Anatomy
6 Big Bang Theory
1 Movie (Sicko)
College Football (at least parts of the following games)
- PSU v. Ill
- ND v. Wash
- Mich v. Mich St.
- LSU v. UGA
- Miami v. OU
NFL (at least parts of the following games)
- Giants v. Chiefs
- Patriots v. Ravens
- Cowboys v. Broncos
- Steelers v. Chargers
Assorted ESPN/NBC/CBS/Fox sports highlight programs

Goodnight. I am beginning to see the matrix.

24 hours of TV - A Live Blogging (and Bruiser) Weekend

I am home bound this weekend to train a puppy and do some house cleaning. So I get to thinking that between my backlogged DVR, the football games, and throw in some movies, I am going to be watching a hell of a lot of TV this weekend.

I think the over/under is 24 hours of TV this weekend. I don't think I can do 24 hours straight. I have to come into work tomorrow morning and I don't want to ruin Sunday. But I think I can cram 24 hours in from 8pm tonight to midnight Sunday.

I will keep a log of my progress here on the blog and you can openly mock me if you like. I would if I were you.

What to Watch this weekend

Here are the football games to watch this weekend.

SATURDAY
LSU v Georgia 330pm

Oklahoma v Miami 8pm

PSU v. Illinois 330pm (homer pick)

Michigan v. Mich St 12pm

SUNDAY
Ravens v. Patriots 1pm

Giants v. Chiefs 1pm (super homer pick)

Jets v. Saints 4pm

Chargers v. Steelers 8pm

State of Sports - October

October is a funny month in that it is the cross roads of virtually every major sport. You have Baseball playoffs, NCAA and pro football hit their stride, the NBA and NHL tipoff and drop the puck on new seasons, and you even have the President's Cup for golf fans. Here is my recap and predictions.

MLB playoffs -

In the AL - Yankees in 4 over the Tigers, Red Sox in 5 over the Angels, Yankees in 7 over the Red Sox

This seems to be the Yankees year. They will have to beat Verlander/Jackson at least once, but the Yanks have the superior pen and CC is ready to roll. The Red Sox own the Angels but this seems to be a bit of reversal this year with the Sox being banged up and the Angels putting it together. But I need to predict Yanks-Sox in 7 games. It needs to happen.

In the NL - The matchups are TBD by the Dodgers and Rockies series this weekend. Bottom line is this...the AL is winning the World Series as long as the Tigers don't make it. The Phils have no closer. The Dodgers have been treading water for months. The Rockies don't have AL caliber pitching. The Cardinals will make it interesting because they have the two horses and Pujols. But Holliday was junk in the AL and I don't just don't see them holding up against the mighty Yanks.

Prediction - Yanks over Cards in 6.

NCAA football - A month in and nobody is good. It seems to be a down year overall. I like Oklahoma to rebound. I like Florida to hold off LSU and Bama. I still think we are looking at a Oklahoma - Florida championship game. I don't want to say another word about PSU because 8-5 is more likely than 12-1.

NFL - A month into the season, the top three in the NFC are the Giants, Eagles, and Vikings. In the AFC, the Ravens, Colts, and the Jets have been the standouts thus far.

NBA - As the season starts, I find myself being able to get into a storyline here or a game there. I am very curious to see how the Celtics will come out of the gates. I think the Lakers take a step back. Artest is a clown. LeBron v. Boston in the East and Lakers v. Spurs in the West. I am kind of rooting for LeBron.

NHL - I am not a hockey hater, but I find myself grossly negligent in my knowledge of the sport. I followed the 1999 season and watched the playoffs when they were on ESPN, but I have watched one hockey game in the past 5 years. So my prediction is worthless...but it is Detroit and Pittsburgh for the 3rd time in a row.

The Office - Two Bosses equal no bosses

It was a great Office last night. I really liked the Jim and Michael dynamic. At the beginning of the episode Jim was very formulaic and believed his decisions would be respected by the non-sales masses. Michael sensed, nay rooted, for disaster. He didn't want to cede any power to Jim until he realized that it was nice to have someone understand what it was like to be him. The two end up bonding over some gin and a humorous mug while the peasants gathered their pitchforks...speaking of which...

Dwight was stirring up chaos in the hopes of inciting a riot and possibly a revolution. He loathes having to answer to Jim to hilarious results. His revolutionary speech invoked memories of Dwight doing his Nazi speech at the sales conference a couple years ago.

The wedding is next week and you can be sure Dwight will be humiliated and Michael will embarrass everyone while still being sweet. How drunk will Meredith get?

What to Watch tonight - 10/01/09

I can't believe we are into October. Is it me or does time speed up the older you get. I think it has something to do with the amount of perspective you have to look back on and how repetitious our lives get. To wit, here are the Thursday night shows to watch.

Flash Forward (ABC at 8pm)
SNL news (NBC at 8)
Parks & Rec (NBC at 830)
Fringe (Fox at 9)
Grey's (ABC at 9)
The Office (NBC at 9)
Community (NBC at 9)
Always Sunny (FX at 10)

Still haven't seen the first episode of FF but I hear it is pretty good...SNL news has about 8 minutes of funny in a 30 minute show...Parks & Rec has been a very pleasant surprise thus far...I haven't watched any Fringe yet and that shames me...I am about halfway through the premiere and it is very ehh...I can't wait to see how Dwight takes Jim's promotion as the Office is leading up to the wedding...Community has me to the point that I really want it to work and all it has to do is not suck and I am in...Always Sunny is a classic night cap to a great night of TV. There is a shanty town being set up outside the bar.

Gossip Girl - Hits and Misses

I caught up on the previous two Gossip Girls last night and I find it to be very uneven so far. There are story lines I think are funny and I can get into and there are others that I just don't care about at all.

I enjoy the college stuff. Georgina and Blair and Dan...I am OK with all of it. It is funny and a little interesting. I want to see how they adjust to college and interact with regular students.

I also like Blair and Chuck. I was a little uneasy with the idea of them as a couple, but I have been pleasantly surprised.

More on the blah side is Serena's story so far this year. I don't yet care about her dad and Carter. Maybe the story will pick up but for now it is easily glossed over.

Worse yet is Nate's storyline so far. Why should I care about this relationship? Something to do with family politics again...yawn.

Then there is Rufus, Serena's mom, and little J. Uh, anyone know where these people are and what the point of their existence is right now?

I think last season was uneven as well but it finished strong. The show has shown an ability to shrug off bad story lines.