What’s Next for the New York Giants?

After a 38-13 one and done playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants may never win a playoff game again as long as Eli Manning is their quarterback. Giant fans may think I am crazy for saying this, but here’s my reasoning why:

The NFC East isn’t going to get any easier. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot have lived up to the hype and then some. After leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 season and putting up a heck of a fight against the NFL’s hottest team, the Green Bay Packers; Dak, Zeke, and the Cowboys look poised to be Super Bowl contenders for years to come. Maybe one of the most disappointing teams this season was the Washington Redskins. All the Redskins had to do was beat the Giants in the last game of the season at home. No Odell in the second half and a conservative Giants offense proved to be too much for the apathetic Redskins team. However, a new defensive coordinator may be just what the doctor ordered for the Skins’ going into next season. Washington’s defense struggled at times throughout the year, even with recent free agent superstar signing of Josh Norman. The Philadelphia Eagles should be excited about the future with rookie quarterback Carson Wentz under center for years to come. Although the Eagles finished 7-9 and failed to make the playoffs, Wentz was limited with offensive weapons. Below average wide receivers and no run game to speak of made it difficult for the rookie quarterback to keep pace with teams putting up an abundance of points against the Eagles defense. I expect the Eagles to make offseason moves to provide Wentz with more offensive pieces.

Eli Manning isin’t getting any younger. The 36 year old led the Giants to an 11-5 regular season record, but by no means had a terrific year. Manning only threw 26 touchdowns with a whopping 16 interceptions to give him a 86.0 quarterback rating; his lowest since 2013. If it wasn’t for the Giants and their NYPD (New York Pass Defense) defense, the Giants probably would not have even made the playoffs. “Playoff Eli” also did not show up against the Green Bay Packers in which Manning completed just 52% of his passes, and turned the ball over twice resulting in a quick exit from this years playoffs. Victor Cruz very well may have played his last game as a Giant and with below average tight ends and running backs, Manning will struggle to find production on offense with players other than the last name Beckham.

So, where do the Giants go from here? They will likely be very active this offseason as they have over $30 million in salary-cap space. What will they do with that money? Last offseason they focused on defense, signing Damon Harrison, Janoris Jenkins, and Olivier Vernon. This season they should be focused on surrounding Eli Manning with more offensive weapons. Teams have started to figure out how to better cover Odell and have been able to get into his head during games. The Giants should look to draft or sign an athletic tight end to improve the passing game and a running back to complement Paul Perkins. Even if the Giants make such signings, Eli has to prove that he is capable of playing well and limiting turnovers. His lack of athleticism and age are catching up to him and he is starting to look like Peyton did in his last NFL season. Maybe he will prove me wrong and bounce back next season, but as of now Manning and the Giants look like the odd team out in a division that will be one of the league’s best for years to come.

NFL Week 7 Power Rankings and Predictions

As the NFL season approaches the halfway point, the pretenders are starting to be separated from the contenders. Week 6 left me with many questions. Was Carson Wentz’s hot start a fluke? Should Dak Prescott continue to start when Romo is healthy? What the heck has happened to Aaron Rodgers? Are Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith (Todd Bowles’s shamed backup last week turned starter this week) and the Jets the most disappointing team of 2016? With these questions plaguing the league, Tom Brady sure has answered whether or not he still has enough gas left in the tank to compete in the NFL. The Patriots top my week 7 power rankings.

1. Patriots
2. Vikings
3. Seahawks
4. Falcons
5. Cowboys
6.  Broncos
7. Chiefs
8. Steelers
9. Packers
10. Raiders
11. Cardinals
12. Bills
13. Redskins
14. Eagles
15. Ravens
16. Texans
17. Rams
18. Giants
19. Bengals
20. Saints
21. Lions
22. Titans
23. Dolphins
24. Buccaneers
25. Chargers
26. Jaguars
27. Colts
28. Panthers
29. Jets
30. Bears
31. 49ers
32. Browns

Week 7 Predictions:

Packers 27 Bears 20  Giants 24 Rams 17  Chiefs 30 Saints 20  Titans 23 Colts 20  Vikings 17 Eagles 14  Bengals 31 Browns 17  Lions 24 Redskins 20  Jaguars 23 Raiders 19  Bills 30 Dolphins 20  Ravens 24 Jets 14  Buccaneers 31 49ers 24  Falcons 30 Chargers 21  Patriots 27 Steelers 20  Seahawks 20 Cardinals 17  Broncos 23 Texans 14

Hurricane Matthew Playlist

Bear down and protect yourselves!!! It’s time for another hurricane in Florida. This is my first one as recently I’ve moved here from Chicago. And nothing gets me through storms easier than music (and booze). This is what you should thematically be listening to.

The title says it all. No other reason.

I had to again after my one post of its release. I mean, consider the illusion the path meteorologists say it’ll take, until it veers off course and hits you directly. Idk. It makes sense to me.

Many people love hurricanes, many people don’t. But nothing’s more annoying than preparing for something , in this case stocking up on food and water, and never needing it. You wasted your time and money. So this shit better at least cause a slight power outage so I can eat the food.

The title says it here too. What are you really gonna be doing when the lights go out? Checkers? Hide and seek? Nah. Get jiggy with it, or whatever these Brits say.

So you see my late 90’s-early 00’s bias, right? Consider this the “after” song. But no, Matthew, do not hit me one more time. Go dissipate in the ocean.

Kinda the symbolic “fuck you, we hate this destruction you bring” song. I don’t wanna deal with the cleanup.

So why am I not evacuating? What am I doing hangin’ ’round? Bad idea, I know. Death is knocking at my door, and yes that’s a huge exaggeration.

Not all of these truly fit a hurricane setting but they’re all damn good regardless. Stay safe out there folks, as I’ll try too.

 

Super Bowl 51 Halftime Show

FINALLY!!! It’s something I’ve been begging for for years. As yet another big middle finger to the hypermasculinity of football, Lady Gaga is set to perform the halftime show in this season’s Super Bowl. You may remember she had already sung the national anthem at this past Super Bowl, but this is the real deal. It comes after two years of other such high profile events: her duets album with Tony Bennett, multiple awards show performances, the aforementioned national anthem, appearing in American Horror Story, and now this.

Gaga is another in a string of recent acts like Katy Perry and Beyonce, twice really for the latter, that you’d think no typical football fan likes. But they are all beloved by many and fitting for the show. There’s just so much she can do with this though. Will it be a medley of old tracks? Mostly stuff from the soon-to-be-released new album? Likely it’s going to be both. I mean you don’t go to a Britney Spears show in Vegas just to see everything from her cd Glory, right? No.

If you had to ask me, her best cd was by far The Fame Monster, the EP deluxe addition to her first album The Fame, so that’s the stuff I want to see. Though since it will more than likely be a complete medley, I say start out with an opening of Bad Romance, transition into Paparazzi or Poker Face, something from her next album Joanne, and end it with The Edge Of Glory or Applause. The great thing about Gaga used to be that you don’t know what to expect with her though. You can never forget the meat dress, her male alter ego Jo Calderone, or arriving on the red carpet in a giant egg. That stuff is classic her and nobody can ever match that level of randomness and artistry, aside from David Bowie of course. There’s been no details about the setlist or what will go on, so it’s all up in the air.

Regardless of what goes down, this will be the spectacle of 2017. There is nobody like Mother Monster. Long live the queen!

The Brent Primus Show – “Worst Weekend of My Life” (Ep. 104) [9/28/16]

B uploads the podcast to his own channel again because the Gardens Soundcloud continues not to work.

Get Trumped: The Democratic Party

Bananas absolute bananas. That is the only way to describe the debates last night. The moderating was terrible. Donald Trump did not say much besides sticking up for his business and trying to clear his name. Hillary Clinton sat and just watched Trump speak and gave her old political BS, that no one takes serious anymore.

The most surprising part of the night was when all of the polls came out to see who won the debate. CNN first reported that Hillary won in a landslide but every single poll that has came out since has Trump winning in a landslide. I’m not exaggerating. Every. Single. Poll. I thought he did a good job debating for his first time one on one but I did not expect him to be getting every poll going his way.

Bottom line is no matter how good Hillary Clinton does in a debate she will never beat Donald Trump. The only person capable of beating Trump in a debate is Bernie Sanders.

Trump and Sanders were definitely America’s two favorite presidential nominees because of their use of language. The way they spoke to their audiences with passion, inspired their followers. Hillary Clinton does not have that fire in her heart and her supporters don’t even have that inspiration to put in work to see her get elected as President of the United States.

You read it hear first, no matter what Hillary or Trump does on the debate stage. Donald Trump will always win. Sadly the only hope the Democratic Party had at stopping Trump was Bernie Sanders who should have gotten the party’s nomination. I am not a Bernie Sanders supporter but it is obvious to say that their corrupt political decision of giving Hillary the nomination will hurt them in the long run.

The prediction of what will happen in the next month is pretty clear. Trump will win the next two debates by a landslide just like he did last night, whether he speaks with substance or not. When election day rolls around, you will see Trump once again on top. For the last time I will say- Trump will win because he has the ability to inspire people. Whether you agree with his policies or not, you have to admit he does strike passion in American’s eyes. Newsflash to every American out there, Hillary cannot win on Never Trump voters alone.

The Hug Seen ‘Round The World

 

Well there’s something you never thought you’d see. The Obamas and ‘Dubya’ were at a Smithsonian opening together, where it’s important to note it was centered on African American culture no less. Laura’s thinking “God, why did I kill that guy as a teenager?” and the president’s glaring at his predecessor like “Bro, get away from my woman before you catch THESE hands.” Nobody expected this though. It’s republican and democrat, Texas and Chicago, Rangers and White Sox. (Remember, Obama threw out a first pitch at one of their games. Sorry @ all Cubs fans. That’s another thing you’ll never get.)

The internet went crazy over this, but that’s to be expected when something of this magnitude happens. Cue the edits.

Brad needs some love after the breakup.

Plants can be presidents?

Oh, Donald. Are you gonna marry Michelle next?

There’s so many to see and so many to laugh at. Please, in these trying times where so many bad things happen, it’s good to have this kind of stuff to see.

Jose Fernandez killed in boating accident

Wow, so tragic. Truly one of the best pitchers I’ve ever seen. Nasty stuff to go along with a larger than life personality. This really sucks.

 

RIP

Grey’s Anatomy Is Back

(Spoilers below…)

The show that never seems to end is back: it’s season 13 of Grey’s Anatomy. Last night was the season premiere so here’s your roundup of what went down.

Mer and Riggs

They made out late last season, so of course there’s been some tension leading from there. Maggie reveals she really likes Riggs at Amelia and Owen’s wedding, surprising Meredith. The tension continues to this current season so in the end of the episode Mer breaks it off in a way between the two, but they’ll likely get back together soon.

April’s Baby

As seen in the season 12 finale, Ben had to perform an emergency c-section on April’s baby at home. Both were expected to die but miraculously survived. In the premiere April is in the hospital resting and healing with her new baby, named Harriet, and Jackson’s mom/Harriet’s grandma argues with April over what the baby’s last name should be. Luckily, all is well in the end.

Jo Leaves Again, Or Does She?

Also happening in the season 12 finale, Jo reveals to DeLuca first that she is already married and left her last husband and changed her name because he beat her. (totally fucked up, right?) DeLuca took het back to her apartment from the bar to make sure she’s safe, but he fell on her on her and Karev’s bed, only to have him then come home and beat the shit out of DeLuca. But now, in the premiere, Jo struggles all episode with this and the info that DeLuca knows about her past life, threatening to Dr. Webber that she’ll leave Grey Sloan and start anew again, only in the end changing her mind.

…which leads us toooooo…

Karev In Jail

The main episode-long plot is the aftermath of Karev beating up DeLuca back in the apartment. The former’s hand is injured and the latter’s face all messed up, mostly hurt in the eyes. The police arrive at the hospital with various characters working and they all eventually get questioned. Bailey informs them she didn’t know what happened but her husband, Ben Warren, had suspicions after seeing Alex’s hand and DeLuca’s poor reaction to seeing that Karev was taking care of him. Meredith also knew the whole time it was in fact Karev who beat up DeLuca and not just a random accident or mugging, eventually turning him in and the two talk in jail.

Sooooooo much drama in an hour. Can’t wait for next week.

The Brent Primus Show – “Christmas Lights” (Ep. 103) [9/21/16]

B talks to himself for an hour about Christmas lights.

Note: Uploading this was a DISASTER. Almost as bad as the show. First, our Soundcloud didn’t work. Then our YouTube didn’t work. Meanwhile my MacBook is crashing left and right because the RAM is jacked up from macOS Sierra plus it’s on its last legs anyway. Then I created a separate YouTube channel for all of our podcasts but that also didn’t work. So I just uploaded it on my personal page for now. Oh well. Chaos.