More Bad News Bears, plus give the Scorpions some love

Just came across this video with some behind-the-scenes information about the Bad News Bears as we continue the 50th anniversary celebration. Some interesting stuff.

Besides being a big fan of the original movie, I am a big fan of the sequel “The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training”. To me, it’s one of the best sequels ever made. While both Walter Matthau and Tatum O’Neal did not return, and there was a switch in actors (Jeffrey Louis Starr replaced Gary Lee Cavagnaro as Engelberg), the addition of both William Devane as Coach Mike Leak, and Jimmy Baio as Carmen Ronzonni were spot on

Got to give the Scorpions (Curnet memebers Singer Klaus Meine, gutarists Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs, bassist Paweł Mąciwoda. and drummer Mikkey Dee) as well as all the past memeber for still going strongg 60 years

The first live concert I ever saw was The Scorpions and Fastway at the Benedan Byrn Arena on August 28th, 1985 Crazy that this was almost 42 years ago. I also remember listening to “Winds of Change” what seemed like hundreds of times while driving across the country with 2 friends in the summer of 1991.

More and more, I am able to look back at all the great memories that movies, bands, books, and TV have given me over the years. What a long and fun trip its been, and this is only the begining. Much more to see and do going forward

AverageAndy

#Survivor53
#Survivor54
#SurvivorCasting
#CBSSurvivorCasting

#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#GiveMeAChance

#LetThemPlay

#PEACE

Posted in 102.7 WNEW-FM, Bad News Bears, Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, Reality Shows, Scorpions, Scorpions Fastway 1984, Scorpions World Wide Live, Survivor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bad News Bears Reunion

After 50 years, most of the cast of “The Bad News Bears” reunited for a reunion at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival. This included the 1st apperience in 50 years by Christopher Barnes, who played Tanner Boyle, one of my all-time favorite movie characters. I was shocked to see him there, as he has remained out of the spotlight for years.

Since I started writing this blog back in September of 2010, besides writing about the big three reality shows (Survivor, The Amazing Race, and Big Brother), I have written a lot about “The Bad News Bears” and the sequel “The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training”, two of my favorite movies of all time. And I have mentioned how I was a big fan of Christopher Barnes, who played Tanner Boyle

I was super excited when Panini America put out a subset of Bad News Bears trading cards back in 2013, which included 6 Autograph Cards of the Bears players. While there was no card of Tanner Boyle (Christopher Barnes), there were cards of Amanda Whurlitzer (Tatum O’Neal), and Kelly Leak (Jackie Earle Haley). Over the years, I have been able to collect five of the six autographs, only needing the Kelly Leak card to complete the set.

Side note — I have said that there are 2 Trading Cards that I want to add to my collection, and have promised they will be the 1st two things I get once I win Survivor – The Kelly Leak Auto, and the William Shatner / Leonard Nimoy Duel Auto from the Star Trek 35th Anniversary HoloFEX set put out by Rittenhouse Archives

I did reach out to Turner Classic Movies, asking them if there was any way they could put me in touch with Christopher Barnes, so that I could let him know how much Tanner Boyle has meant to me over the years, and if there was any way to get an autograph. I actually got a reply, and they told me they would forward my request to his team. Now the waiting begins. One can only dream.

********

Been sidetracked recently, and sorry I have not written much lately. Going to try and put myself on a writing schedule, and stick to it to keep everybody updated

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I did see that Jesse Tannenbaum posted on Instagram that Survivor 53 and 54 Casting started on Monday, July 27th

@JesseTannenbaum #JesseTannenbaum
@pennilaneclifton #pennilaneclifton
@chrisecasting #chrisecasting
@heidihillcasting #heidihillcasting
@andysloantv #andysloantv

Here’s hoping that one of the casting directors sees my latest audition video (Submitted back in May)

I am also going to follow up on a conversation I had with Jia Jiang (Rejection Theory, Easy Discipline) a while back, where he told me to keep on continuing to follow my dream and submit applications

So Jeff Probst, Jesse Tannenbaum, and the rest of the CBS Casting and Production Crew, how about it

Let Me Play, Let Me Play, Let Me Play


Let’s Play Survivor



AverageAndy Out

#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#GiveMeAChance
#PEACE

#Survivor53
#Survivor54

#JeffProbst
#JesseTannenbaum
#MattVanWaganen

#Marillion – A Better Way of Life

U28 – La calle, calle de los sueños

***********

V.I.N.Cent
Posted in Amazing Race, Bad News Bears, Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, Big Brother, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeff Probst, Jesse Tannenbaum, Jia Jiang, Mark Burnett, Non-Sports Cards, Reality Shows, Star Trek, Survivor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What was on TV during the week in 1976

Been seeing a lot of retrospective videos lately, with people looking back at what was on television in the 70s and 80s. It is really interesting to see, and it made me reflect on how much the television landscape has changed in the past 50 years,

Going back 50 years, there were really only 3 major networks (CBS, NBC, and ABC). Besides a few UHF channels (mostly local programming), that was it. Each Network produced 3 hours of prime-time content Monday – Saturday (8:00 PM EST – 11:00 PM EST) and then 4 hours on Sunday (7:00 PM EST – 11:00 PM EST). This was a grand total of 22 hours of original programming per week. Taking away movies of the week and sports (Monday Night Football), there ended up being around 64 different programs available to watch each week.

Fast forward to today (July 2026), and there are literally hundreds of different television shows on every night. Add to this newer technologies like On-Demand, and Streaming, as well as the ability to save shows and watch them later (DVR), or watch them on physical media (Blu-ray, DVD), and it is impossible to even come up with a weekly set of programs like in the past

Here is a video of a Week in Television from 1976. While watching, I was amazed that I had heard of (and watched at some point) every one of these shows. I could tell you the names of the actors and actresses, and the characters they played. And this was the same for everybody. You watched what was on, when it was on.

It is really amazing how things have changed, not with television, but with other types of media entertainment as well. Just like Television, there were limited amounts of Movies, Radio Stations, and books that were available to the average person on a daily basis. This led to a lot of ‘water cooler’ discussions about the latest show, movie, or song. With the limited amount available, there was always somebody to talk to about things. Today, with all of the options, and with people in general being more siloed, you could walk into work, or a coffee shop, or other gathering place, and list the last 5 shows you watched, the last 5 movies you saw, the last 5 songs you listened to, and the last 5 books or magazines you read, and be lucky if anybody had heard of any, or even just a few.

Is either one of these scenarios better than the other? I don’t know, and it’s always annoying when people take sides, and state either that the past was better, and people now don’t know what they are missing, or that things are much better now, and stop waxing poetically about the past

Time change, things change, and the best we can do is move forward. That doesn’t mean we need to forget about the past, or stop reminiscing about the good and bad of past generations. It feels good to look back on the fond memories we all have from our past, but we also need to be thankful for all the options we have today.

Just a few more things regarding the past and present


2027 marks the 50th Anniversary of “Star Wars”

Lucasfilm is going all out for the 50th anniversary of Star Wars in 2027, anchored by three massive events:

Theatrical Re-Release: On February 19, 2027, Lucasfilm is re-releasing the newly restored, original 1977 theatrical cut of the first film (later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope). For the first time ever, it will be screened in IMAX and theaters everywhere

Star Wars: The Experience: A massive museum exhibition and immersive event will make its world debut. It is scheduled to run from February 13 to September 6

2027.Star Wars Celebration 2027: The official fan gathering is returning to the Los Angeles Convention Center from April 1 to April 4, 2027. Because it falls exactly on the golden anniversary, panels are expected to feature major upcoming movie reveals and announcements

2026 marks the 50th anniversary of “Rocky”

The 50th Anniversary of the original Rocky film is being celebrated in 2026, marking half a century since Sylvester Stallone’s cinematic debut as the legendary Italian Stallion in November 1976.

The festivities include a 4K theatrical re-release, special events in Philadelphia, and a brand-new biopic.

The special screenings are scheduled to run from November 7–11, 2026.

The Biopic (I Play Rocky): Directed by Peter Farrelly (Green Book), this biographical drama details Sylvester Stallone’s real-life struggle to get the screenplay produced while insisting on playing the lead role himself. It stars Anthony Ippolito as young Stallone and is scheduled for a wide release on November 20, 2026.

RockyFest: The city of Philadelphia is anchoring its annual RockyFest around the milestone, featuring special fan meetups, tours, and themed events.

More to come soon

PS – Survivor 51 premieres on September 23, 2026


#AverageAndy

#GiveMeAChance
#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#PEACE

#Marillion
#SugarMice

Posted in Job Searching, Marillion, Rocky, Star Wars, Star Wars, Survivor, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New U2 Music, and other things

Rock Legends U2 just released a new song from their upcoming new album too be released soon

Amazing that they are still going after all these years. Thinking back, it’s incredible all of the albums, songs, and concerts that they have released over the past 45+ years, and how they have interacted with my life

Starting with their 1980 hit track “I Will Follow” from their debut album “Boy” (which was later featured on the soundtrack of the classic (and hugely underrated) 1982 film The Last American Virgin), they have been able to change their style and constantly adapt along with the times

Here are some of the highlights and things I remember

High School – “The Unforgettable Fire” – Multiple shows at the Brendon Byren Arena (Emily S, Paul T. Dave F. Pete L)

Lehigh – “The Joshua Tree” – Mark K., Rattle and Hum Movie – Lars N.

Show #1 Cindy – “Pop” – “Pop Mart Tour” — Giants Stadium

Nantucket – Cindy and friends — “The Best Of, 1980 – 1990”

Show #2 Cindy – “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” – Elevation Tour – Continental Airlines Arena

Playing the Super Bowl XXXVI halftime show in 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome

Lunch at CIT – “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Free on iTunes – “Songs of Innocence” – Madison Square Garden – Paul M.

Show #3 Cindy – The Joshua Tree Tour 2017″ – Met Life Stadium

Good Times, and hopefully there will be more to come

Note(s) Brendan Byrne Arena –> Continental Airlines Arena –> Izod Center
Giants Stadium –> MetLife Stadium

USA’s run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a close with a clunker of a game against Belgium. The USA team looked unprepared and played a sloppy game, and were sent home with a 4 – 1 defeat

It’s crazy to see how fast the World Cup lost its steam and momentum as far as fandom and coverage by the USA media. Walking around, there is literally no talk or mention of the remaining World Cup games other than among the diehard soccer fans. Oh what could have been

TV Update

Silo Season 3 (Apple TV) – Enjoyed the season premiere and looking forward to this season

Love (Netflix) – Finished Season 1, and am a few episodes into Season 2. Very interesting show that has me both liking and disliking the 2 main characters.

Movie Update

The 5th Wave (NetFlix) — Started off strong, and then got a bit too campy. I do like this kind of movie, and this could have been better

Fast Charlie (NetFlix) — Another OK movie. A bit too predictable

Sports Update

The NY Mets have been playing some crazy games, and while they don’t really matter as they have dug themselves too big a to big of a hole as far as the play-offs, they keep sucking me in, which is what baseball can do.

The NY Giants open training camp soon. They had to move their training camp to West Virginia due to the World Cup Finals being played at MetLife Stadium, and FIFA taking over the stadium, parking lot, and the Giants practice facility for all the crew and security required for the finals.

For the 1st time in who knows how long, my Fantasy Baseball Team is not in last place. I am not going to challenge for the crowns, but I am pretty sure I will end up finishing in the middle of the pack. This is great for me, as I think I have come in dead last each of the past 5 years, and end up having to pay for lunch at the draft. I am already thinking how much better the pizza will taste at next year’s draft.

Music Update

Great time for new music from classic artists. Crazy to think that all these artists have been around for 40-plus years

Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues — Never been the biggest Rolling Stones fan, but the 4 songs released so far are really good

Yes: Aurora – Some really good songs on the album

Paul McCartney: The Boy of Dungeon Lane — The guy is simply amazing and still putting out new music

Also, new music from Asia, Barenaked Ladies, and Steve Hackett & Steve Rothery

And finally, here are a few videos I have come across in the past few weeks

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Very sad to see this — I have enjoyed Pete Pardo and his videos for years

Here is the gofundmy link for those who want to help out

Pete Pardo’s Fight against brain cancer – GoFundMe

That’s all for now

Wishing everybody the best and PEACE to all


*** Big Brother 28 premieres tonight on CBS at 8:00 PM EST ***

#Survivor
#CBSSurvivor
#JeffProbst
#JesseTannenbaum
#MarkVanWagenen
#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#GiveMeAChance

#Marillion — A better way of life
#SugarMice

#PEACE
#Yes
#YouCanDoIt
#U28

Average Andy Out

Posted in Asia, Aubry Bracco, Barenaked Ladies, Baseball, Big Brother, Boston Rob, FIFA World Cup 2026, Jeff Probst, Jesse Tannenbaum, John Cochran, Julie Chen Moonves, Kelley Wentworth, Kellyn Bechtold, Love, Marillion, Mark Burnett, Movies, Music, NY Giants, NY Mets, Paul McCartney, Pete Pardo, Rob Cesternino, Steve Rothery, Survivor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“It’s for the PlayStation 2”

Best line – “It’s OK, it shows that you care”

Made my day

AverageAndy

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It’s Because That’s Why

Getting a good laugh from watching ItsBobbyFinn reels. They are short videos by comedian Bobby Finn where he comedically over-analyzes English words, spelling challenges, and grammar rules. Take a few minutes to watch a few of his reels. It will brighten up your day

Also been watching reels by JasonKPargin. He covers all sorts of subjects and opinions. Mentions things that make me have to think, which is a good thing.

I did find some time to see the new Stephen Spielberg movie “Disclosure Day”. Did I like it? Yes. Did I hate it? Yes. Is it possible to have a movie that is both Good and Bad? Yes

I remember reading about the making of the 1st Indian Jones movie. George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Larry Kasdan worked together, brainstorming among each other to come up with the story

#1 George was the storyteller

#2 Steven was the movie maker

#3 Larry Kasdan was the one who looked at the script and said yes or no to things and determined if the audience would believe what they were watching

For “Disclosure Day”, someone like Larry Kasdan was sorely missing. There were way too many scenes that took me out of the movie as I thought to myself, “How dumb could somebody be?”, or “These people were supposed to be the best, but are just too stupid to believe”. The movie was also hard to follow at some points, where I basically had no idea what was going on.

The crazy part was that the parts of the movie that were good were very good, and some scenes did take me back to older Speiberg classics like “Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind”, and “E.T.” Then somebody would say something stupid or do something out of context that snapped me out of that feeling.

While I went into this movie not knowing what to expect, I ended up realizing that I miss the feelings that great movies bring, and wishing for more

Finished reading “The Girl In the Lake” by Lauren Oliver, and though it was one of the best books I have read in a while. Really liked the story, and thought the author did a great job of setting up scenes. Had a great mix of drama and suspense, and kept me reading to find out what happens next.

Going to try and fit more time for reading, and looking forward to some new books by authors I like coming out in the fall.

I have also been finding some time to listen to music (both old and new). In the car, or when I go for runs /walks, in these crazy times, I find music much more enjoyable than talk radio or podcasts. To be able to disengage with the world for a short time is very refreshing and much needed.

As far as sports

USA Men’s soccer team plays Bosnia-Herzegovina tomorrow night at 8:00 PM EST in the round of 32, with the winner moving on and the loser heading home. Should be fun to watch

Mets – Next


After lying low for a little bit, going to start thinking of ideas for the next round os Survivor Casting. I did move my Survivor Rewind Posts off of Twitter (X) and am now posting on BlueSky I have been listing all players in order of their eviction, starting on May 13, 2022, with Sonja Christopher who was the 1st person ever voted off of Survivor (Season 1, Borneo).

I am now up to Season 20 (Survivor Hero vs Villains) with the last post from June 30th, 2026, being:

‪AverageAndy‬
‪@averageandy.bsky.social‬
On Day 31 #CandiceWoodcock was the 13th person voted out and the 5th jury member on #SurvivorHVV
@jeffprobstsurvivor.bsky.social #JesseTannenbaum #MarkVanWagenen
@daltonross.bsky.social.thekellynb.bsky.social #KelleyWentworth
#CandiceBergan #CandiceSwanepoel
#GiveMeAChance
#NeverTooOldForSurvivor

Survivor 51 will premiere on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, so I still have a long way to go, but I will eventually get to the end.

Hopefully, I will even have a post about myself being a contestant

More to come

#Survivor
#SurvivorCBS
#Survivor51
#Survivor52
#Survivor53

Marillion – A Better Way of Life — New song “Ribbons and Lace” coming soon

#SugarMice

#U28

AverageAndy Out

Posted in Author Jason K Pargin, Baseball, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Dalton Ross, Disclosure Day, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, FIFA World Cup 2026, ItsBobbyFinn, Jeff Probst, Jesse Tannenbaum, John Denver, Kelley Wentworth, Kellyn Bechtold, Lauren Oliver - The Girl in the Lake, Marillion, Music, NY Mets, Reality Shows, Sports, Survivor, U2 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Howdy Howdy Howdy

Another set of random thoughts and videos from the past few weeks.

The FIFA World Cup is being played in the USA / Canada / Mexico and is off to a great start. The Men’s USA Team won its 1st 2 matches and has assured itself a spot in the knockout round of 32. They play their final first-round game against Turkey on Thursday, which is a glorified exhibition game. We will need to wait a few days to see who and where they will be playing after that.

I’m not the biggest soccer fan, but I do enjoy watching the World Cup games. Besides the games, it has been fun reading, hearing, and seeing soccer fans from around the world experience life in the United States as they explore cities, attend games, gather at bars, and watch parties to cheer on their teams. Seems like everything has been positive and friendly.

Don’t know why, but I found the video below funny as a lady from Australia goes to a Walmart in Seattle.

In other World Cup news (and as a long-time John Denver fan), it’s great to see ‘Country Roads’ become the team’s victory song. Each team had to submit a song to FIFA to play after each match, with the USA Men’s team submitting ‘Country Roads’, a song that everybody knows the words to and can sing along with.

During a recent walk, I listened to a bunch of “Fish” songs. He put out a bunch of great albums and songs after leaving Marillion and going solo. Really enjoyed listening to the song “13th Star” off the album with the same title. Give it a listen

Fish (Solo) Discography

Taking a turn in another direction, I recently saw a post about StillersSoda. Touted as the “World’s Refreshing-est Soda”, I figured I would give it a try. Found it at Walmart, with an extra bonus of a cash back rebate if you bought 3 or more cans.

I picked up 4 cans (one of each flavor they had), and will be giving them a try.

My wife and I were lucky enough to get invited to the Mets / Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia on Saturday evening. Even better was that the invite was for seats in a suite which included food and drink.

Even though the Mets got crushed 15 – 3, we did get to see some history, as the Phillies became just the 2nd team in MLB history to have 1 player hit 3 home runs (Kyle Schwarber), while another player hit for the Cycle (single, double, triple, and Home Run) (Bryce Harper)

The only other time was way back in 1933 (Lou Gehrig – 4 HR, Tony Lazzeri – Hit for the Cycle)

For something fun, I made a “Find Me JoseMonkey” video and tagged @josemonkey to see if he can find out where I filmed it.

And finally, I have been watching a lot of short videos by Author Jason K Pargin –  He is an American novelist, humorist, and internet personality who I find very interesting. Check out his reels on Facebook

He is also the author of the “John Dies at the End” books and has a new book available for pre-order. Why not take advantage of Amazon Deal Days and order a copy

“There are No Giant Crabs in this Novel” (A John Dies at the End Novel) (Book 5)

Wishing everybody a great start to your summer

Talk to you soon

AverageAndy


#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#GiveMeAChance
#PEACE

#CBS
#CBSSurvivor
#Survivor51
#Survivor52
#Survivor53

Marillion – A Better Way of Life




Posted in Author Jason K Pargin, Baseball, Fish, Marillion, Music, NY Mets, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The story of Darius McCollum

Came across this interesting video about a man named Darius McCollum. I found it very interesting, as well as sad in the way things have been handled throughout his life.

It’s well worth the watch

I never really thought about writer’s block (in fact, not even sure if it’s a real thing). But right now I am sitting at Starbucks trying to think of something to write about and my mind is blank. Not blank in that I have no thoughts, but in that I have lots of small thoughts that are coming and going, with nothing really making me think “This is Coool, or This is Stupid” and I need to write about it

The Mets are awful, and I don’t know how much longer I will continue to obsessively watch

The Knicks are the talk of the town, but I truthfully have not watched more than a few highlights of any NBA basketball game in years and have no interest in starting. But there is no way to avoid following their journey here in the New York area, as it’s all they talk about on sports radio

The good thing is that I get to listen to more music in my car as I drive around. Have tried listening to a little politics on SiriusXM, but most of it is just rehashing the same thing over and over, and it’s just tiresome

Part of my mind wandering is also the long and tedious grind of looking for a new job. Scary how fast the rules of job searching change. Don’t add a cover letter (They’re all AI, so recruiters just ignore them). Add all your jobs and college graduation dates (don’t want to give the impression of lying about your age). Customize the summary section of your resume for each job, as that is now the important part)

Add in new technologies and the confusing takes on AI, and it’s just a mess. I realize that hiring a 59-year-old white guy is not the in thing right now, but hopefully someone I know, or something I post, will catch somebody’s attention, and at least consider giving me an opportunity to show what I can bring to the table

See that the filming of Survivor Season 52 was being delayed due to a tsunami watch in Fiji due to an earthquake in the Philippines. Hopefully everybody is safe, and it’s just a short delay

This also means that AverageAndy will have to wait at least another year until 2027 (Seasons 53 and 54, when I will be 60) to be a contestant on the show. Still, I’m a few years younger than Showrunner General Jeff Probst, and as long as he keeps going, so will I

As I have said before, those out there who read this and happen to have an in, or know somebody that has an in with Jeff Probst, Jesse Tannenbaum, or anybody else involved in the casting of Survivor, I would appreciate you mentioning me and this blog. All I am looking for is a meeting, and I will do the rest to prove to everybody that AverageAndy would make a great contestant on a future season.

———–

AverageAndy

#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#GiveMeAChance
#PEACE
#Survivor53
#Survivor54

Marillion – A Better Way of Life

U28

#JeffProbst
#JesseTannenbaum
#MattVanWagenen
#SurvivorCasting





Posted in Adam Klein, Baseball, Boston Rob, Dalton Ross, Drew Basile, Jeff Probst, Jesse Tannenbaum, John Cochran, Jonny Fairplay, Kelley Wentworth, Kellyn Bechtold, Marillion, Mark Burnett, Mike Gabler, Mike Turner, NY Mets, Parvati Shallow, Reality Shows, Richard Hatch, Rob Cesternino, Sports, Starbucks, Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery, Survivor, Tony Vlachos, Treehouse Detective, U2, YouTube | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Random things

Came across this guy’s Reels where he finds people who want to be found

Jose Monkey (I find people who want to be found)

Really interesting. He is a security expert and did a TED Talk about how little information is needed to find somebody

I am going to send him a video and see if he can find me

Got my ticket to see Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. I enjoyed the series on Disney+ and have heard that the movie is like an extended episode. Will check back in with a review

UPDATE:

This post was started on Tuesday, but not actually completed and published on Thursday. I did get to go see Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (All tickets 1/2 price for any show on Tuesdays). I liked it overall, and think it is amazing what they can do with graphics these days. There were shots that I had no idea how they made it look so seamless. It was a bit over the top, reminding me of some of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, where they walked into a room and killed everybody without so much as a scratch. And the music was a bit too techno in some parts, which did take me out of the Star Wars Universe. But the story was good, and I liked how they didn’t do too much with Grogu and kept him mysterious. I give it 4 out of 5 bags.

Been a while, but here are a bunch of TV shows that I am currently watching

Widow’s Bay (Apple TV) — Started off a bit slow but am liking the creepiness

The Boroughs (Netflix) — A Duffer Brothers Production. Has an Edward Scissorhands vibe where the people are all a bit strange but don’t seem to notice the weirdness going on

Everyone Is Doing Great (Netflix) – Funny comedy about actors who were in a YA series years ago. Completed Season 1 and am now on Season 2

The Four Seasons (Netfix) – First Season was good and had a crazy twist. Season 2 was just released, and it continues the story.

9-1-1 (ABC) – Saved on my DVR, and am slowly catching up on some older episodes. Been a fan since the beginning (when it was on FOX) and still enjoy the show.

From (AMC+) – Currently on Season 4, Great horror-based show with some really good storylines and lots of twists and turns. Did see a bunch of REELS that explain things, which has helped me better understand what is going on


As far as music, here are some new and old albums that I am enjoying

The Boys of Dungeon Lane (2026) – Sir Paul McCartney. Crazy how good this album is by the 83-year-old legend

Aurora (2026) – Yes. Full album will be released on June 12th. The 2 songs that have been released are really good.

Foreign Tongues (2026) – The Rolling Stones. Full album will be released on June 10th, and like Yes, the songs released so far are really good.

Genesis (1983) – Genesis – Listened to the entire album while driving home from the Survivor Open Casting Call at the Mohegan Sun a few weeks back

Duke (1980) – Genesis – I put it on during a recent walk, and was sucked in and ended up listening to the entire album. Genesis are really, really good.

Anoraknophobia (2001) Marillion. Another album I listened to on my way home. Always amazed on how many awesome albums and songs Marillion has in their catalog

Also listened to a bunch of songs and will see if I can get an archive list

In the NEWS

Crazy what’s going on with CBS and 60 Minutes. I knew there would be changes after all the political and financial rumblings. But still, it’s sad to see things fall apart between the staff and the owners

I realize that things change over time, but there was no real need to gut the 60 Minutes staff. You could have added some younger journalists and dedicated one of the 3 sections to more of an Instagram or TikTok audience. But the News is the News, and you can’t be told you need to slant a story one way or the other to push your personal opinion or the opinion of the right-leaning owners. 60 Minutes always seemed to be fair with their reporting and coverage of stories. It also knew how to add in inspirational and feel-good stories to remind people that there are a lot of good things in the world.

It’s amazing the list of correspondents and other talent that has worked on or been involved with the show. Highly trusted journalists who always brought truth and honesty to the show

And who could forget Andy Rooney. A staple when growing up, I, along with millions of others, would eagerly wait for his ending segment each week. Somebody who looked at things going on and gave his unfiltered take. Wonder what he would have said about this mess. Probably say that he has given up on truth, justice, and the American way, and now is going to watch the NY Knicks in the NBA Finals on TV, because tickets are too expensive to actually go to the game)

Enjoyed a very relaxing day at the beach, and was able to clear my head for a bit. But now it’s time to get back to looking for a new job, while I wait for a call from the CBS Casting Department.

AverageAndy

#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#GiveMeAChance
#PEACE

Marillion – A Better Way Of Life (Getting psyched for their new album that should be released by the end of the year)

#JeffProbst
#JesseTannenbaum

#MarkBurnett
#CharlieParsons
#JohnKirhoffer
#DavidDryden
#JesseJensen
#ConradRiggs
#MattVanWagenen
#ClarkBernstein
#RobynLane
#RyanBalthazor
#JoeLia

Posted in 60 Minutes, 9-1-1, Dalton Ross, Everyone Is Doing Great, From, Genesis, Jeff Probst, Jesse Tannenbaum, Kelley Wentworth, Marillion, Media, Paul McCartney, Star Wars, Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery, Survivor, Television, The Boroughs, The Four Seasons, The Hunting Game, The Mandalorian, Widow's Bay, Yes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Survivor 50 winner is …, plus a little more

Aubry Bracco was voted the winner of Survivor 50 on Wednesday night in a live finale in LA (as voted on by the fans). Aubry won with an 8-3- 0 vote over Jonatan and Joe. This was Aubry’s 4th time playing, and she was finally able to outwit, outplay, and outlast all the contestants and was rightfully crowned the Sole Survivor.

A highly anticipated season, it had its moments both high and low. I enjoyed it as always, and was happy to see Aubry win. She played a great game and was able to maneuver her way through all the twists and turns provided by the “In the Hands of the Fans” votes. As I have said previously, most of the fans’ votes were things that had no real impact on the game: the color of the buffs, the design of the immunity necklace. A lot of the tribe switching and multiple tribal councils they were probably going to do anyway, due to having 24 castaways and only 26 days. But give Aubry credit for being able to pivot every time there was a switch or merge and determine who to align with.

Going forward, due to the new age of social media and interaction, and after watching the final tribal council, I realized that anytime there are returning players, there will now be issues with the jury’s biases. both with the players and the way they play the game. Most players now know everything about the game and how they think it should be played. Once they are voted out, will the jury members be able to be open-minded and vote for somebody who deserves it, rather than hold grudges?

Here is my final chart that I was keeping this season — Was not the best, but I tried something new and think it was OK.

ContestantFinal PositionFinal Rank (Out of 10)
Angelina KeeleyVoted Out #56
Aubry BraccoWinner of Survivor 5010
Benjamin “Coach” WadeVoted Out #12 (Jury #3)8
Charlie DavisVoted Out #64
Chrissy HofbeckVoted Out #11 (Jury #2)7
Christian HubickiVoted Out #13 (Jury #4)8
Cirie FieldsVoted Out #18 (Jury #9)8
Colby DonaldsonVoted Out #97
Dee ValladaresVoted Out #10 (Jury #1)7
Emily FlippenVoted Out #15 (Jury #6)8
Genevieve MushalukVoted Out #87
Jenna Lewis-DoughertyVoted Out #16
Joe Hunter3rd Place 2
Jonathan Young2nd Place6
Kamilla KarthigesuVoted Out #75
Kyle FraserMedically Eliminated #2N/A
Mike WhiteVoted Out #46
Ozzy LusthVoted Out #16 (With an Immunity Idol) (Jury #7)7
Q BurdetteVoted Out #36
Rick DevensVoted Out #17 (Jury #8)7
Rizo VelovicLost Firemaking Challenge9
Savannah LouieVoted Out #26
Stephenie LaGrossa KendrickVoted Out #14 (Jury #5)5
Tiffany ErvinVoted Out # 19 (Jury #10)5

In other Survivor news, I was able to make it to the Paley Center for Media in New York City for the Survivor 50th exhibit before it closes on June 7th. It was really cool to see original outfits from host/executive producer Jeff Probst and Survivor castaways, as well as authentic immunity idols and necklaces, a torch snuffer, and other rare game pieces. Lots of cool pictures and notes, as well as a cool Survivor Timeline

Tuesday, May 12th — Survivor Casting Call in Foxwoods Casino

Sunday, May 16th — Survivor 50th Exibit at the Paley Center

Wednesday, May 20th — Survivor 50 Live Finally

Friday, May 22nd — Submitted Application for Survivor 53 and 54


Happy Memorial Day Holiday to everyone. Enjoy the weekend, and hope everybody has a great summer.

The Mets are still relevant (but need to put together a good stretch and get back to .500

The Mandalorian and Grogu opens this weekend. I am hoping to see it next Tuesday (1/2 price tickets)

Been feeling kind of blah the past week. Going to try to get outside and take a walk, meet up with friends, and enjoy the Holiday. Then it will be back to the grind and finally finding myself a job.

PEACE to All

AverageAndy

PS – I switched from Twitter (X) to Bluesky with my Survivor Recaps.

PSS – Stephen Colbert’s last show was last night. Wishing him all the best wherever life takes him

PSSS – RIP to Bob Hulsart – A staple of the Philly Non-Sport Shows going way, way back.

#NeverTooOldForSurvivor
#GiveMeAChance

Marillion – A Better Way of Life

U28


Posted in Angelina Keeley, Aubry Bracco, Baseball, Benjamin "Coach" Wade, Boston Rob, Charlie Davis, Christian Hubicki, Christine Hofbeck, Cirie Fields, Colby Donaldson, Dalton Ross, Dee Valladares, Emily Flippen, Genevieve Mushaluk, Jeff Probst, Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, Jesse Tannenbaum, Jonathan Young, Joseph Hunter, Kamilla Karthigesu, Kyle Fraser, Mandalorian and Grogu, Mark Burnett, Mike White, Mr. Beast, Non-Sports Cards, NY Mets, Ozzy Lusth, Philly Non Sports Card Show, Q Burdette, Reality Shows, Richard Hatch, Rick Devens, Rizo Velovic, Savannah Louie, Sports, Star Wars, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, Survivor, Tiffany Ervin | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment