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!"

In Memoriam 2012

This year may be the most emotional year for famous deaths.  Since January, many of our most notable people in sports, entertainment and other major parts of the world have died in 2012.  Here is a look back at some of those passing away over the last 12 months:

January 19- Sarah Burke (29) died from injuries sustained in a superpipe accident.

January 20- Etta James (73), singer who had a major hit with the song "At Last," died after a long bout with Leukemia.

January 22- Joe Paterno (85), legendary Penn State football coach who was fired after getting win number 409, passing Eddie Robinson for most wins in Division 1 football history, for the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal, died after a battle with Lung Cancer.

January 26- Robert Hegyes (60), actor who portrayed Juan Epstein in the show "Welcome Back Kotter," died

February 1- Don Cornelius (75), the creator and host of the legendary show "Soul Train," died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

February 11- Whitney Houston (48), legendary singer with hits like "I Will Always Love You," the theme song for "The Bodyguard," a film in which she also starred in, was found dead in a hotel room in Los Angeles.  Cause of death was unknown (remember, source for all of this is ranker.com.  This is what they have, so if you remember how she passed, I'll be happy to change it).

February 16- Gary Carter (57), legendary Major League Baseball catcher who was a part of the Montreal Expos and New York Mets, died from complications of a brain tumor.

February 29- Davy Jones (66), lead singer of the Monkees, known for legendary hits like "Daydream Believer" and "Last Train to Clarksville," died after suffering a heart attack.

March 2- James Wilson (80), American political scientists known for creating the "Broken Windows" theory, died of Leukemia.

March 5- Robert B. Sherman (86), longtime songwriter for Disney films such as "The Jungle Book" and "Mary Poppins," died of natural causes.

April 6- Thomas Kinkade (54), legendary American painter, died of an overdose.

April 7- Mike Wallace (93), legendary correspondent for CBS News and reporter for the network show "60 Minutes," died of natural causes.

April 18- Dick Clark (82), legendary host of shows like "American Bandstand" and "Pyramid" who rang in a new year every year for 40 years, died after suffering a heart attack post surgery.

May 2- Junior Seau (43), legendary NFL player who spent much of his career with the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

May 4- Bob Stewart (91), legendary creator of game shows such as Pyramid and The Price is Right, died of natural causes.

May 4- Adam "MCA" Yauch (47), member of the hip hop group The Beastie Boys, died after a long battle with cancer.

May 6- George Lindsey (83), best known as Goober from "The Andy Griffith Show," died after a long illness.

May 8- Maurice Sendak (83), Author of the famous children's book "Where the Wild Things Are," died of complications from a stroke.

May 17- Donna Summer (63), legendary disco singer with such hits as "Last Dance" and "She Works Hard For the Money," died after a battle with cancer.

May 20- Robin Gibb (62), one of the co-founders of The BeeGees, died after a long bout with cancer.

June 2- Richard Dawson (79), mainly known as the host of the game show "Family Feud," as well as a panelist for "Match Game" and co-star in the TV series "Hogan's Heroes," died from complications of esophageal cancer.

June 5- Ray Bradbury (91), author of legendary sci-fi books like "Fahrenheit 451" and "Something Wicked This Way Comes," died peacefully in his home.

June 12- Henry Hill (69), Gangster-turned-informant who's life was the basis for the film "Goodfellas," died at an Los Angeles hospital of natural causes.

June 17- Rodney King (47), Best known as the victim of a police brutality case involving the Los Angeles Police Department, was found dead at his home after an apparent drowning.

July 3- Andy Griffith (86), legendary actor known for starring in "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock," died of natural causes.

July 8- Ernest Borgnine (95), an Oscar-award winner for his role in the movie "Marty" and starred in the series "McHale's Navy" who recently was the voice of Mermaid Man in the Nickelodeon series "Spongebob Squarepants," died of natural causes.

July 23- Sally Ride (61), former astronaut who became the first American female to travel into space, died of pancreatic cancer.

July 24- Sherman Hemsley (74), known as George Jefferson from the TV Series "All In the Family" and "The Jeffersons," died in his home of natural causes.

July 31- Gore Vidal (86), legendary writer of books and screenplays, died from complications of pneumonia.

August 9- Mel Stuart (83), director of the classic film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," died of Cancer.

August 13- Johnny Pesky (92), former baseball player with the Boston Red Sox who was teammates with the likes of Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr, died of natural causes.

August 14- Ron Palillo (63), best known as Horshack in the TV series "Welcome Back Kotter," died of a heart attack.

August 18- Scott Mckenzie (73), singer of the hit song "San Francisco" and songwriter to the Beach Boys hit "Kokomo."

August 19- Tony Scott, best known as the director for the film "Top Gun," committed suicide by jumping off a bridge in San Pedro, California.

August 20- Phyllis Diller (95), legendary comedian with over 7 decades of jokes and laughs, died peacefully in her sleep "with a smile on her face" according to reports.

August 24- Jerry Nelson (78), puppeteer best known as the Count on "Sesame Street," died of unspecified causes.

August 25- Neil Armstrong (82), the first man to ever walk on the moon, died due to complications from blocked coronary arteries.

September 1- Hal Davis (91), famous songwriter who had major hits such as "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head."

September 3- Michael Clarke Duncan (54), most known for his role as John Coffey in "The Green Mile," died at a hospital where he was being treated after suffering a heart attack in July.

September 25- Andy Williams (84), singer/songwriter most known for the hit songs "Love Story" and "Moon River," died from bladder cancer.

October 10- Alex Karras (77), former NFL player who became an actor.

October 14- Arlen Specter (82), former senator of Pennsylvania, died from complications of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

October 21- George McGovern (90), former congressman who later was the democratic party nominee for the 1972 Presidential Election against President Nixon, died from natural causes.

November 23- Larry Hagman (81), legendary actor known to all for his role as JR Ewing in the hit TV series "Dallas," died from complications of cancer.

November 24- Hector "Macho" Camacho (50), former boxing champion who won four world championships during his career, died four days after being shot in face and neck as a passenger of a car in Puerto Rico.

November 27- Marvin Miller (95), former Major League Baseball Players Association executive director who opened the door to players free agency during his term.

December 1- Rick Majerus (64), legendary college basketball coach of Utah and, most recently, Saint Louis, died of heart failure.

December 5- Dave Brubeck (92), acclaimed jazz musician, died of heart failure.

December 9- Jenni Rivera (43), a Mexican-American singer, was killed in a plane crash in northern Mexico.

December 12- Ravi Shankar (92), Indian Sitar maestro who brought his music to the western world.

December 17- Senator Daniel Inouye (88), Democrat from the state of Hawaii who was the senate's President Pro tempore, 3rd in line to the presidency behind the Vice President and Speaker of the House, died of respiratory complications.

December 24- Jack Klugman (90), actor who starred in the film "12 Angry Men" and the TV series "The Odd Couple" and "Quincy, M.E."

December 27- Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf (78), a key figure in the first war on Iraq (Operation Desert Storm) back in the 1990s.

We also cannot forget those who died in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, a mall Portland, Oregon, Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and other places in this country, because of the senseless acts of others.  We continue to show support for those who lost love ones and the places where they were taken away from.

Finally, we remember our own family and friends who are no longer with us.  Whether they were someone who you knew for only a few years or what seemed like forever, we can never forget their take on our lives and the lives of others.  Keep them in mind forever and may god bless all who are no longer with us up at those pearly gates of heaven.  We miss you all and will never be forgotten.  Rest in Peace.

Connecticut Shooting

It has become a dark and saddening day for all of us in the United States after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  As of right now, I am not going over the numbers of who has died and who are injured after the event, but the way this day has gone, I do need to address this situation.

First of all, I've been watching all of the coverage since about Noon this afternoon.  Just like most of you, I have been watching with sadness and heartbreak after the deaths of so many people, especially innocent children.  There are so many people who need our prayers and blessings after this heinous act today.  I want to go through this tragic event in multiple ways.

The news coverage has been a big of a "hit and miss" scenario.  CNN's coverage has been the main one that I've been looking at throughout the day and they have been better than the others.  Going to local reports and getting first-hand takes on the shooting.  Now all the other cable networks have done this as well.  Fox news may have gone out of their reporting basis when they tried interviewing a mother of one of the students in the school not too long after the shooting was first reported.  But I guess it is better than trying to interview children, which some networks did do and has come as upsetting to some people I have talked to.

The social media coverage has been a great way of seeing how others are dealing with it.  I have been on Facebook ever since the tragedy took place and seen how friends have been reacting to the tragedy (so many heartbroken).  On Twitter, so many celebrities have been tweeting their prayers out to those affected.  The social media places are also important places to get updates on the shooting.  Many individuals have been sending retweets on the topic from news organizations.  It may not be the best way to follow, but it can become a way to keep in touch with certain situations.

As far as gun control is concerned, this has become the third major shooting in the last 2 weeks.  Who could forget the murder-suicide of the Kansas City Chiefs football player who shot and killed his girlfriend before killing himself.  Then, on Tuesday, a shooting at a Portland, OR, mall killed 2 people.  When you total that with the Theater mass shooting in Colorado and other shootings, we have to discuss how we can keep these things from happening.  I can't say if there is a way to stop these things, but I hope that some day, we can stop these heinous actions from happening.

In conclusion, I want to hear from anyone and everyone about this situation and give me your take on gun control.  How can we stop these acts from happening in this country?  Is there a way to stop it?  Let me know.  And to those who lost a love one today in this shooting, my thoughts and prayers go out to all of you and may God bless all of you forever and ever, Amen.