What I'm Thankful For

Hope everyone has had a great Thanksgiving today.  I haven't done this yet, but I thought now would be a good time to say what I am thankful for.

1:  Family---I was able to spend time with my brother and his family today.  I had a lot of fun playing with my niece, Alexandra (that's what she wants to be called, even though I've called her Lexi for the longest time) and having a good meal on the day (I'm not a turkey guy and I don't eat much of the food served on Thanksgiving; maybe some potatoes and rolls).  I am thankful to have a great family who I love very dearly and have been able to see throughout this year.  Finally, I am extremely thankful for my sister-in-laws, Julia and Rachel, and their families, for knowing them and getting to hang out with them as much as I have this year.  Whether it was in Vermont or down in Oregon, I am grateful to know you all and really enjoy spending time with you this year. <3

2:  Friends---Throughout this year, I was able to start a vow...no matter how I did it (in person, on social media, etc.), I wanted to get back in touch with as many friends as I possibly can because, with my condition, I was feeling like people were growing apart from me and I was worried that if I didn't start this, I would lose more friends and be out of the picture with those who I cared about for the longest time.  I still have many more to get to and I know I'll get to you all soon, but know that, whether we knew each other from my time in Grand Isle (my hometown), Essex (where I went to high school) or Lyndonville (where I went to college), know that I am extremely grateful to know you and hope I can hear from you all again someday.  That is why I end most of my messages to you with the saying "Keep in touch;" because we don't know when we will have to say "Goodbye."  <3

There are more things that I am thankful for, like Television, the Internet and a volunteer job, but these are the main things I am really thankful for.

Oregon Trip, Red Sox Update, Sports Media news and a show I cannot stop watching (Warning: Spoiler ahead).

What an exhausting but amazing last couple of weeks for me.  It all started 2 weeks ago this Thursday (August 15) when I got on a plane to Portland, Oregon and spent the next 8 days there with my parents, my brother, Nate and my sister-in-law, Julia.  I had a great time, going to Nate's work, meeting Julia's family and friends at the party on August 17th (and her family's friends).  I spent the first four nights at a hotel near downtown Portland, then spent the next night at Nate and Julia's place.

Tuesday was my parents' 30th wedding anniversary and my brother decided to send us to a hotel in Hood River, about an hour away from Portland.  Spent a fun day and night in the area; then went to a golf course in the area to watch my dad and Nate play 18 holes of golf.  Went back to Nate and Julia's on Wednesday afternoon and spent the last two nights there.  I had a lot of fun last week and I wouldn't mind going back there again (if I can get over the 3 hour time difference).

Either tomorrow or some time next week, I will be going through my take on all 32 NFL teams and how they will fare this season.  I will not be doing a college football preview this time around (just updates and reaction when needed).  As far as the Red Sox are concerned, they are getting better by the week, but we'll have to see if this holds against the Rays or the Orioles...or even....The Yankees (they're coming, folks.  Don't be surprised if they make a run in September).

In the sports media world, Fox Sports 1 has begun and...I haven't seen much of it.  I have tried to watch Fox Sports Live with the Canadian duo anchoring, but the panel discussion makes me want to do a quick change.  When you have a former tennis star talking baseball, you know something's not right.  I don't mind the anchors, it's just the crew.

As for NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), they are having some success with the Premier League games.  Already, after two weeks, the network has had two "upsets" (Cardiff over Manchester City on Sunday and Aston Villa over Arsenal on August 17) and one of the biggest games of the early part of the season in Manchester United and Chelsea.  That game saw Wayne Rooney start for the "Red Devils" against the "Blues," who are actually trying to make a transfer deal with Man U to get Rooney.  The game ended in a 0-0 draw, but it was a great game and drew some big ratings for NBCSN (over a half-million people watching soccer is actually big).  Whether this trend continues will depend on how well the rest of the season goes for the BPL.

Finally, I thought I'd let people know that I am not really into watching anything other than sporting events on the air, but there are two shows that I have gotten into this season.  One is "Whose Line is it Anyway" on the CW (which some of you know already).  The other series is HBO's "The Newsroom," about a fictitious cable news company and the day-to-day life of the people involved in cable news.  Jeff Daniels plays the main character, Will McAvoy, who is the anchor of the network's main news show.  This season has been all about "Operation Genoa," a story that was brought to attention by a former army general and kept going by a producer from the network's D.C. bureau who was brought into the main bureau in New York when the producer of the newscast goes to New Hampsire to cover the Romney campaign (you can see how hooked I am on the show from this).

Spoiler Alert Below 

Well, last Sunday was the most recent and biggest episode of the season in which the story was given the green light and showed on the air as a special report.  Little did they know, Mr. D.C. producer edited an interview with a 3-star general in a way to make it sound like the general's saying that chemical weapons were used in the operation (Note:  Make sure the TV is off when doing an interview and that it's not on a sporting event with a shot clock showing).  Everything goes downhill after that:  the story had to be retracted a few nights later, the producer gets fired and sues the company for wrongful termination (why the lawyers have been at the network the whole time).

Spoiler Alert Ends

If you have not seen the show yet, give it a chance, especially those who are trying to get into the world of television.*^ It will give you a whole new meaning of the newsroom experience.

*  Disclaimer:  I know that the show is about a fictional news network and that there is more to news reporting that isn't shown on the show, while some of what is shown don't actually take place in real newsrooms (May need assistance with this).
^Note:  The show is rated TV-MA.  It is intended for mature audiences for Adult content and language.

In Memoriam 2013

It was a long 2013 as we said goodbye to some very famous individuals.  Here is the list of those who have passed during last year (via CNN and ranker.com):

January 1---Patti Page (85), legendary pop-country singer, originally born Clara Ann Fowler, became the best-selling female artist of the 1950s with songs that included "Tennessee Waltz."

January 2---Ned Wertimer (89), best known as the doorman Ralph Hart on the television series "The Jefferson."

January 14---Conrad Bain (89), legendary actor whose biggest role was as Philip Drummond in the hit series "Diff'rent Strokes."

January 16---Pauline Phillips (94), the original Dear Abby advice columnist, died after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease.

January 19---Earl Weaver (82), hall of fame manager with the Baltimore Orioles, leading them to four pennants and a World Series title, died of an apparent heart attack.

January 19---Stan Musial (92), Hall of Fame baseball player with the St. Louis Cardinals.

January 30---Patty Andrews (94), last surviving member of the pop group The Andrews Sisters.

February 1---Ed Koch (88), former Mayor of New York City, died of congestive heart failure.

February 17---Mindy McCready (37), country singer who landed 14 songs on the Billboard country charts, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

February 18---Jerry Buss (80), Owner of the Los Angeles Lakers since 1979.  The Lakers won 10 NBA titles during Buss' ownership.

February 25---C. Everett Koop (96), former surgeon general under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

February 27---Van Cliburn (78), legendary pianist who won a major Moscow competition in 1958, died after a battle with bone cancer.

March 1---Bonnie Franklin (69), star of the television show "One Day at a Time," died of complication from pancreatic cancer.

March 5---Hugo Chavez (58), president of Venezuela who cast himself as a "21st century socialist."

March 6---William Moody (58), legendary professional wrestling manager known as Paul Bearer.  During his stints in WWE, he would manage the likes of Kane, Mankind and the Undertaker.

March 23---Joe Weider (93), legendary publisher, promoter and weightlifter who created the Mr. Olympia contest and brought Arnold Schwarzenegger to the US.

March 26---Don Payne (48), Writer/Producer who was one of the creative minds behind "The Simpsons," died after a battle with bone cancer.

March 29---Richard Griffiths (65), actor who is best known for his role as Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter film series.

March 30---Phil Ramone (72), Music producer and innovater.

April 1---Shain Gandee (21), star of the MTV reality show "Buckwild," was found dead in West Virginia from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.

April 2---Jane Nebel Henson (78), wife of late Muppets creator Jim Henson, died after a long battle with cancer.

April 4---Roger Ebert (70), legendary film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, died 2 days after taking a leave of absence for cancer treatment.

April 8---Margaret Thatcher (87), the only woman to become the prime minister of Great Britain.

April 8---Annette Funicello (70), one of the original Mouseketeers on the "Mickey Mouse Club."

April 10---Sir Robert Edwards (87), a "co-pioneer" of the in vitro fertilization technique and Nobel Prize winner, died in his sleep after a long illness.

April 11---Jonathan Winters (87), legendary comedian and actor.

April 16---Pat Summerall (82), former NFL football player turned legendary play-by-play announcer.  He was best known for teaming up with former NFL coach John Madden.

April 21---Chrissy Amphlett (53), lead singer of the musical group the Divinyls.  The band scored an international hit with the song "I Touch Myself" in the early 1990s.  Amphlett died from breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.

April 22---Richie Havens (72), folk singer who became the opening act at the 1969 Woodstock musical festival, died of a heart attack.

April 23---Allan Arbus (95), actor who played psychiatrist Maj. Sidney Freedman in the M*A*S*H television series.

April 26---George Jones (81), legendary country music superstar whose graceful voice gave us some of the greatest songs in country music, including "The Grand Tour" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today."

April 28---Jack Shea (84), director for popular television series such as The Jeffersons and Sanford and Sons.

May 1---Chris Kelly (34), one-half of the rap group Kris Kross who had a major hit with the song "Jump."

May 2---Jeff Hanneman (49), founding member of the heavy metal band Slayer, died of liver failure.

May 7---Ray Harryhausen (92), legendary animation and special effects director.

May 8---Jeanne Cooper (84), legendary soap opera actress who starred as Katherine Chancellor in the show "The Young and the Restless."

May 13---Dr. Joyce Brothers (85), popular psychologist and television personality.

May 16---Dick Trickle (71), former NASCAR star, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

May 17---Ken Venturi (82), former US Open golf champions and longtime analyst for CBS Sports' golf coverage, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame 11 days prior to his death.

May 20---Ray Manzarek (74), founding member and keyboardist for the legendary musical group The Doors.

May 26---Ed Shaughnessy (84), longtime drummer on Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show."

June 1---Jean Stapleton (90), actress best known as Edith Bunker in the television series "All In the Family."

June 3---Frank Lautenberg (89), longtime Democratic Senator for the state of New Jersey, died from viral pneumonia.  Lautenberg was last surviving veteran of World War II in the Senate.

June 3---David "Deacon" Jones (74), NFL Defensive End who was a part of the fearsome foursome with the Los Angeles (now St. Louis) Rams.  Jones was credited with coining the term "Sack" during his playing career.

June 6---Esther Williams (91), former swimming champion who transformed into an actress in the 1940s and 1950s.

June 18---Michael Hastings (33), Rolling Stone journalist whose story on Gen. Stanley McChrystal led to the dismissal of McChrystal, was killed in a automobile accident.

June 19---James Gandolfini (51), actor whose biggest role was portraying Tony Soprano in the HBO series "The Sopranos."

June 23---Bobby "Blue" Bland (83), Singer who helped create the modern soul-blues sound.

June 23---Richard Matheson (87), Science fiction author who is best known for his book "I Am Legend."

June 28---Matt Osbourne (55), former professional wrestler who was on the card in the World Wrestling Federation's inaugural Wrestlemania and would later appear in WWF as the original Doink the Clown.

June 29---Jim Kelly (67), martial artist who was in the 1973 movie "Enter the Dragon" which also starred Bruce Lee.

July 2---Douglas Englebart (88), inventor of the computer mouse.

July 13---Cory Monteith (31), actor who was in the Fox hit series "Glee."

July 20---Helen Thomas (92), legendary journalist who was a white house correspondent during 10 different presidencies.

July 22---Dennis Farina (69), actor who starred in many different films and TV series, most notably as Jerry Orbach's replacement in the hit series "Law and Order."

July 23---Emile Griffith (75), former five-time world boxing champions (3 titles in welterweight division and 2 titles in middleweight division).

July 26---J.J. Cale (74), Singer/Songwriter who wrote the song "After Midnight" for Eric Clapton.

July 28---Eileen Brennan (80), actress who received an Oscar nomination for her role in the movie "Private Benjamin."

July 30---Ossie Schectman (94), former NBA player with the New York Knicks who scored the league's first basket in 1946.

July 31---Michael Ansara (91), character actor who starred as a Klingon leader in multiple "Star Trek" series.

August 3---John Palmer (77), former reporter for NBC News who anchored the initial coverage of the Challenger disaster for the network.

August 4---Art Donovan (89), Hall of Fame defensive tackle in the NFL who spent most of his career with the Baltimore Colts and won 2 NFL championships with the team.

August 7---George Duke (67), legendary jazz keyboardist who had the ability to bridge together jazz, rock, funk and R&B.

August 8---Karen Black (74), actress who was nominated for an Oscar in 1970 for the film "Five Easy Pieces."

August 10---Eydie Gorme (84), singer best known for the 1963 song "Blame It on the Bossa Nova."

August 14---Lisa Robin Kelly (43), actress who starred in the hit TV series "That 70's Show"

August 19---Lee Thompson Young (29), actor who starred in the TNT series "Rizzoli and Isles."

August 20---Elmore Leonard (87), crime novelist and screenwriter.

August 21---Sid Bernstein (95), promoter and agent who brought The Beatles to Carnegie Hall, helping to start the "British Invasion."

August 23---Gilbert Taylor (99), British cinematographer who was behind the visual styles for films such as "Star Wars" and "Dr. Strangelove."

August 26---Bruce Dunning (73), former CBS News Correspondent.

August 31---David Frost (76), legendary British broadcaster who became famous in the United States for his interviews with former US President Richard Nixon in 1977.

September 1---Tommy Morrison (44), former heavyweight boxing champions who starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in the film "Rocky V."

September 8---Cal Worthington (92), car dealer known in certain parts of the US for his commercials that urged buyers to "Go See Cal."

September 12---Ray Dolby (80), Inventor who changed the way we listen to devices in our homes.

September 18---Ken Norton, Sr. (70), legendary boxer who shocked the world forty years ago by defeating Muhammad Ali.

September 19---Hiroshi Yamauchi (85), owner of the video game company Nintendo.

October 2---Tom Clancy (66), legendary author of such books as "The Hunt for Red October" and "Patriot Games."

October 2---Bill Eppridge (??), former photojournalist who photographed Robert F. Kennedy after he was shot.

October 10---Scott Carpenter (88), former Astronaut who became the second American to ever orbit the Earth.

October 17---Lou Scheimer (84), legendary figure in Saturday Morning television cartoons whose company Filmation produced hit shows like "He-Man," "Superman," and "Fat Albert."

October 18---Tom Foley (84), former US House Speaker.

October 18---Bill Young (82), longtime US Representative for the state of Florida.

October 18---Bum Phillips (90), former NFL Head Coach who led the Houston Oilers to the AFC Title game on two separate occasions.

October 21---Bud Adams (90), longtime owner of the NFL's Tennessee Titans (originally the Houston Oilers) who was one of the co-founder of the American Football League  With his passing, only one original AFL owner is still alive (Ralph Wilson, Jr. with the Buffalo Bills).

October 25---Bill Sharmin (95), legendary NBA figure who won 4 NBA titles as a player for the Boston Celtics before winning six as a coach and front-office personnel as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

October 25---Marcia Wallace (70), longtime actress who starred in "The Bob Newhart Show" and voiced Edna Krabappel on "The Simpsons."

October 27---Lou Reed (71), former songwriter, vocalist and guitarist for the Velvet Underground and as a solo artist.

November 5---Charlie Trotter (54), native chef from Chicago whose restaurant received multiple culinary honors.

November 17---Doris Leesing (94), Nobel Prize-winning author famous for her book "The Golden Notebook," considered by critics as one of the most important feminist novels ever written.

November 19---Diane Disney Miller (79), the eldest daughter of legendary filmmaker Walt Disney.

November 20---Sylvia Browne (77), renowned psychic who was a regular on TV and radio talk shows.

November 30---Paul Crouch (79), co-founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN).

November 30---Paul Walker (40), actor who starred in many films, including the six installments of the "Fast and Furious" series.

December 5---Nelson Mandela (95), former president and a legend to the people of South Africa.

December 9---Eleanor Parker (95), actress who was best known for her role in "The Sound of Music."

December 14---Peter O'Toole (81), legendary actor who was best known for playing the title role in "Lawrence of Arabia."

December 15---Joan Fontaine (96), originally born Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland, was an Oscar-winning actress who beat out her sister, Olivia, for the award in 1942.  Fontaine won the award for her role in the Hitchcock film "Suspicion."

December 16---Ray Price (87), legendary country music singer whose major hits include "Crazy Arms" and "For the Good Times."

December 31---James Avery (65), actor who is most famous for playing Phillip Banks on the television series "Fresh Prince of Bel Air."  Avery was originally known for his voice-over work on several animated TV series, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," where he voiced Shredder.

Update on...Me.

I would like to update you all on what I have been doing lately.  The first thing I'd like you all to know is that I have been getting some help in my quest to get a job in the Television or Radio department.  Since last December, I have been working with a counselor from the Vocational Rehabilitation program in Burlington.  I will not go into any more major details about it except for the fact that it has been a major help for me as I look to get into the media business (TV, Radio, etc.)  I have another meeting coming up in a couple of weeks, so I hope to update you again real soon.

Last weekend was graduation weekend for some schools.  To those who graduated from college last weekend, especially to those at my Alma Mater Lyndon State College, congratulations and continue success no matter where the road takes you.  A year ago, I was able to graduate from Lyndon and it was the biggest moment I have had; being able to celebrate it with my friends and family.  I hope you all enjoyed that moment and never forget the memories of your years in school.

As a sports fan, I have been following the NHL playoffs and, just like most of my New England friends, been keeping a close eye on the Bruins' success into the Eastern Conference Finals.  Now, the Bruins get ready for a major clash with the Pittsburgh Penguins (I believe I am friends with some Pens fans out there).  I cannot see this series going quick; it will be a long and very physical matchup between these two storied rivals.  My heart says Bruins in seven, but my unbiased part of me says it could go either way (which means I go with my heart).

I am a huge fan of any sport, which includes Soccer.  So when the UEFA Champions League final took place this afternoon, I watched the whole game.  It was between Dortmund and Bayern (using shortened names) and was a classic game that was all tied up until the 90th minute. Here is the video for all to watch with the call by one of my favorite announcer, Gus Johnson (Warning:  Turn down your volume or don't turn it up too high before watching this; HE GOES NUTS!)  All other sports updates will happen at a later time.

Check out this great Fox Sports video - Robben goal wins Champions League for Bayern Munich

That's my update on what's been going on lately.  Again, congrats to all the graduates from last week's college events, good luck to the Bruins in the Conference Finals and I hope to see some of you real soon.  In the meantime, I would love to hear from as many of you as I can.  Whether its a comment or even if you have a question for me, let me know on this blog, on my Facebook page or Twitter page (@theploofer).  Thank you and keep in touch.

Happy Mothers' Day (with a sports report blended in)

Happy Mothers' Day to all of you mothers out there, especially to those who have meant a lot in my life...My Grandmothers, Barbara Gay (Nonni) and Marjorie Ploof (Mimi), who were there to take care of me throughout my life, whether it was at a family get together or an overnight stay.  I was happy to see Nonni today when I went in town and helped fix her TV boxes (long story short, my Dad and I got it taken care of).  Mimi passed away in 2005, but I really felt that she was with me today (guess it was because my dad and I had lunch at Beansie's Bus Stop today), and I will never forget her as long as I live.  And of course, a very happy mothers' day to my mom, Kelly Ploof, who has been with me through all the good times and bad.  Last year on Mothers' Day, my whole family celebrated it in Lyndonville as I got my Diploma at Lyndon State College after five grueling years.  It was a special time for me and for my Mom.  Mom, Nonni, I hope you had a great time today and Mimi, I wish you were here with us today.  You would've been happy for all of us.

Now that that's out of the way, I haven't been able to talk about sports for a while, so here goes nothing:

NHL:  The first round of the playoffs ends tomorrow night with now 2 game 7s:  one that should have happened and one that should have never happened, but I knew it would.  The Rangers evened their series with the Capitals tonight and the Maple Leafs did the same against the Bruins.  This gives both New York and Toronto the momentum for game 7 along with the back-to-back scenario, which could make for tough games in DC and beantown.  That momentum could lead to both Washington and Boston seeing its season end.  Ottawa, San Jose, Los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburgh and the winner of tonight's Detroit/Anaheim game are waiting for round 2 to get started, but tomorrow night could be the best night of the playoffs.

NBA:  Second round action is fast and furious (especially in Miami and Chicago).  In the East, the Heat and Bulls are playing down and dirty in their series, and while Chicago took game 1, Miami is playing like the title team from last season.  The other series saw the Pacers take a 2-1 lead in their series against the Knicks and in both wins, New York's poor shooting was a key to their wins.

NBA II:  In the West, the Thunder are starting to miss Russell Westbrook in their losses against Memphis, leading to a 2-1 series lead for the Grizzlies, and the only series that has played 4 games is all even 2-2, with Golden State taking games 2 and 4; San Antonio took games 1 and 3 of the series that has seen stellar shooting and a double OT classic.

MLB:  What has happened to the Boston Red Sox?  At one point, they are in first place in their division; the next, they are right in the middle of the AL East standings.  Boston has lost 5 of their last 7 games against two sub-500 teams (Twins and Blue Jays).  Now they travel to Tampa for three against the Rays.  If they can't get out of this slump, a new saying might be started:  You can't win a division in April, but you can lose one in May.

MLB II:  Same division, different team:  How the heck are the Yankees in first place?  Simple:  Good Pitching (CC, Pettitte, Kuroda), Score in any fashion (not just the long ball, like in previous years), and let the walking retirement tour (Mariano) get the job done in the ninth (15/15).  Keep that up and we may be hearing the Yankees name again in October (just remember, it's only May).

Sports TV:  Last week on Facebook, I posted on my timeline two youtube videos about the TSN Sportscentre (SC) duo of Jay Onrait and Dan O'Toole.  The reasoning for this is because they will be leaving TSN to join Fox Sports and its new network Fox Sports 1 in August.  After I first watched these videos, I just had to share them because the videos were hilarious.  For those who are wondering, here's another clip of them in action (sort of).  The new Fox Sports 1 will take over SPEED on August 17 and include Fox Sports Live (going against ESPN's SC), and a show starring Regis Philbin (yes, you saw that right, REEGE IS BACK...and talking sports).  Look for it soon.

That's the latest for tonight.  I'll be back soon and, once again, Happy Mothers' Day today.  Hope all you Mother's had a great day.

April and Autism Awareness

Hope everyone had a great Easter Sunday and a fun day today.  It is April 1, which means the start of a special month for me:  It is Autism Awareness Month, the month were we do our best to support those who are a part of the Autism spectrum.  It hits close to me, as many know, because I have Asperger's Syndrome, or High-Functioning Autism.  Last year, I posted a video on my Facebook Timeline about a former MLB player who has two sons with Asperger's.  I would like everyone to watch it (even if you have watched it before), as it is very important to learn about the situations people with Asperger's have to deal with.  Follow the link:  http://msn.foxsports.com/video?videoid=b01b3910-5409-4c33-9367-5925b64a127c&src=v5:share:sharepermalink:uuids&from=sharepermalink

But this month is for everyone who is affected by Autism and not just Asperger's Syndrome.  I've only been concerned about my disability, but for anyone interested in learning about other forms of Autism or just learning how to help those on the spectrum, visit www.autismspeaks.org.  Also, because of my condition, I am not as social outside of my house than I am, so I may not see most of my friends when I do go out, but that does not mean that I want to keep myself away from you all.  So if you would like to have a conversation, the best way to do that is to follow me on twitter (@theploofer) or get in touch with me on Facebook.  That way, I can get in touch with many of you through social media.  Thank you in advance and I hope to hear from a lot of you real soon.

Finally, I watched a special documentary on the 30-year anniversary of the greatest Cinderella teams in College Basketball history:  Survive and Advance.  The film was about the 1983 North Carolina State Wolfpack squad, led by Jim Valvano, who won nine straight "must win" games to become national champions.  I recommend you all to watch that film if you can...it's a great documentary about a great group of people.  In 1993, "Jimmy V" was at the end of his fight with terminal cancer, but was at the first ever ESPY awards and delivered one of the most enthusiastic speeches of all time.  I will share the entire speech to all of you another time, but I want to leave you by sharing a quote from that speech that I hope all of you can understand:

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. ... Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."
-- Jim Valvano

Top Ten Game Shows

Starting today and continuing throughout the next month, I will be doing top ten lists in different categories.  My hope is that these lists will start arguments...not end them.  The first category...Game Shows.  Here's how I dealt with this; these are only "Game" shows, not reality TV shows, so no "The Voice" or "American Idol," nor will you see "Survivor" or "Amazing Race."  Here is the list.

10:  Hollywood Squares---It was the show that made Tom Bergeron famous.  But many didn't know the original version of this show...only the one that had Whoopi Goldberg as the center square.  Before Whoopi, there was Paul Lynde, the original center square, and Peter Marshall, the original host.  While the celebrities were different, the idea of the game was the same:  Play it as Tic-tac-Toe, 3 across, up and down or diagonal.  Stars asked questions and give answers and contestants decide whether the answers are correct or just made up.  This was a star-filled game show, but that's why it's not as high on the board as others.

9:  Jeopardy---The show has been very bland as of late, but I guess that's what happens when you have the same rules and gameplay for nearly 30 years.  3 rounds:  Regular Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy and Final Jeopardy; responding in the form of a question; Daily Doubles in certain categories.  But the categories aren't always the same, which relates to a good start on the countdown.

8:  Password (original, +, Super and Million Dollar)---It was the show that made Allen Ludden a household name (and his widow, Betty White, who's still a household name at 91).  Whether it was the original version or the newer Password Plus, Seeing Ludden hosting the show made people watch up until his passing in 1981.  The show was simple:  two celebrities paired with a contestant; guess the password in five or less clues and get a point (or money).  Duo with most wins the game and goes to a bonus round (Alphabetics).  Win that and you get the prize (not sure the exact amount).  It was a great show when it was on in the 1980s and is still remembered today.

7:  Press Your Luck (and Whammy)---The original version of Press Your Luck (PYL) with Peter Tomarken was all the hype you needed for a half and hour.  Two rounds of Q and A, leading to spins on the PYL board.  Hit a cash or prize box and win that.  Hit a Whammy, lose everything you had won.  4 Whammies exits you from the game.  Person with the highest total of cash and prizes wins and keeps all their winnings.  The newer version, which didn't last that long, was the same idea, except for the fact that the first round was spin as long as you don't hit a whammy.  It was a fun show while it lasted, but we'll see if it comes back anytime soon.

6:  Wheel of Fortune---For 30 years, this show has made us buy vowels, made big winners and, for some, drool over Vanna.  But one thing that hasn't changed is the idea of the game:  make a lot of money while playing Hangman (well, without the little guy).  The show's biggest money winners won $25,000 to start, then the prizes increased and now someone could win One Million Dollars.  Some things may have changed as far as the amounts won, but the idea of the game has never changed over 30 years.

5:  Match Game---The game show was very entertaining, but I guess you get that when six celebrities share the panel and try to match answers given by contestants on a daily basis.  From 1973-1980, Match Game was the best place to find your favorite celebrity every week.  Whether it was Bret Somers, Charles Nelson Riley or the ladies' man Richard Dawson, everyone there made you laugh while at the same time making a contestant very rich.

4:  Pyramid (Original, $25,000 and $100,000)---It had celebrities and contestants going for big money and moments that will never be forgotten.  But in the 1980s, it also had the one host everyone wanted to see:  Dick Clark.  Maybe that's why it had a long run in the decade and gave away money as little as five thousand dollars to as much as one hundred thousand dollars.  Dick may be remembered for a lot of things, but Pyramid may be the show that took him over the top as far as greatest host of all time (not just game show host).

3:  Let's Make a Deal---Celebrating its fiftieth anniversary (the show hasn't been on for all 50 years), this game show made a star in its three original cast members:  Monty Hall, Carol Merrill and Jay Stewart.  When the show began in 1963, all you needed to do is dress as you normally would and hope to get picked to make a deal.  Since then, the show has seen so many people making costumes and dressing in them so that they can actually be picked to make deals.  The show returned in 2009 with Wayne Brady as host, but the ideas of the show never changed:  Get picked, make a deal.  Do the right thing, end up with a great prize or a lot of cash.  Do the wrong thing, end up with little money or a Zonk.  In the end, you can give up what you had for the big deal of the day, which is behind one of three doors.  Pick the right door, win the big deal.  Pick the wrong door, you still end up with a great deal, but not the big deal.  This show has become the largest Halloween party, but I still watch it.

2:  Family Feud---Have you ever wanted to take five members of your family, pit them against another family of five members and go head to head on national television?  Well, that's what this game show was all about. Beginning with Richard Dawson in the 1980s, the Family Feud became the most competitive show without a celebrity.  All you have to do is get to 300 points first and your family wins the right to play fast money for a shot at more cash.  How do you get to that?  Find the answers that were answered by a survey of 100 people.  If you get all answers on the survey before three strikes, you get the points.  If not, the opposing team gets the chance to steal the points.  There have been so many hosts of Family Feud since Dawson's departure, but in the end, the show is still one of the best shows I have seen.

1:  Price is Right---But number one is the show that has been on CBS for 41 years and, while he got his big break on Truth or Consequences, Bob Barker became a household name for his 35 year run as host of The Price Is Right.  All you have to do is be the closest to the actual price of a prize without going over on contestant row, you go on stage and play a pricing game.  After that, you get to spin the big wheel with a chance at big bucks and to get into the showcase at the end of the show.  That part has the same rule as the contestant row rule:  Closest to the actual price of the showcase without going over wins.  While Drew Carey is the new host of the Price Is Right, the ideas and moments of the game show is the reason why I call this my most memorable game show of all time.

These are my top ten game shows of all time.  There may be game shows that I didn't have on the list that you may have liked, so let me know which ones you would've had on the list and I'll check on it.  In addition, if you think there is a game show on my top ten that you think should be higher or lower, check it out.  Reply on my Facebook page or on this post.

Smile

I have been able to talk with some of my friends on Facebook over the first two months of the new year and I have gotten a lot of positive feedback.  While I am not speaking with all of them, I have been able to check on how everyone has done by their status updates.  While I am ecstatic for some of you and your progress, there are other posts that I see and it gets me a little emotional.  It is to those people that I say "Keep on Smiling."  Why do I say that?  Because it's the only way to take those ugly thoughts out of your head and become more positive in your life.

If you've had a bad breakup, smile and think to yourself "It's one bad moment, I can have plenty of positive ones without him/her."  If someone or someones put you down, smile and say "So what?  I can't let them hurt me...my pride is more important that that."  But no matter what you're dealing with at any time, just remember that there will always be someone right there beside you to make you feel better...and if there's not, I'll be there to help you whenever you need me (at least I'll try to help, just post you problem on my Facebook timeline).

I leave you on this post with a song that may help you if my words are not enough.  This is mainly for all you couples out there...but everyone can take notice of it.  Just remember, every day of life should be "Just Another Day in Paradise," no matter where you live or what you do.

Have fun, enjoy life and in the words of former Arkansas Head football Coach John L. Smith:  "SMILE!"