Upfront Analysis Day 4

The last network we looked at was Fox.  Fox also had nearly as good a year as CBS, so they don't have many  new shows to launch, either.  In fact, we only looked at videos of two: The Following (above) and Mob Doctor.

Mob Doctor looks cheesy to me--it even has Michael Rappaport in it.  I don't expect it to last through February.  The Following is an intriguing show starring Kevin Bacon (!).  I hope that it does well, even though I think one Criminal Minds is enough.

Upfront Analysis Day 3

We continued last week with a look at CBS' new shows.  CBS has been dominating the competition for a long time, with long-running shows like CSI and The Big Bang Theory.  With so many successful shows already on the air, the net doesn't have a whole lot of work to.  They're only debuting a few new shows.

The show I'm most interested in is Vegas (above).  It's a coup for CBS to get Dennis Quaid to do TV (network, no less), and I've been a fan of Michael Chiklis since The Shield.  I think Vegas is different enough that it will find its own place on the schedule at least for a year or two.  We'll see...

Upfront Analysis Day 2

So my students looked at NBC's new shows last Monday.  On Tuesday, we looked at ABC's new shows.

"The Last Resort" looks pretty good--in class, I called it a cross between "Lost" and Crimson Tide.

On the flip side, "Neighbors" looks like a cheesy twist on "ALF," which was cheesy in and of itself.

Upfront Analysis Day 1

About this time of year, I like to show my students the same shows that are being previewed in NYC at the upfronts.  I like to get their opinions on what shows they think will be successful.

First up is NBC.  My students seemed to like "Go On" the most and "Chicago Fire" the least.  In the fall, I'll have my SEM I students create a presentation about one of the new shows.

Happy Birthday, Star Wars!

From: traileraddict.com

Friday was the 35th anniversary of the premier of Star Wars--I was wondering why it was on Spike that night!

A blog on the Washington Post's web site describes the cultural impact perfectly: the movie was one of the first summer blockbusters (along with Jaws).  Not only did it make money on ticket sales, the movie generated billions of dollars in merchandise.  I was one of those kids that had the action figures, lunch boxes and Halloween costumes.

Nowadays, it's a given that a summer movie will have a ton of licensing tie-ins, but let's take a moment to salute the pioneering money-making of Star Wars!

Mo' Money

I showed my SEM II class this ACC-produced video on the new TV contract extension between the ACC and ESPN.  Schools will make nearly triple the annual revenue from these fees that they did five years ago.

Despite the new deal, it must not be enough for some Florida State fans.  Maybe they should try beating Wake Forest before they attempt to jump conferences.

Sport of Kings

In my years of teaching, I've never talked about the sport of polo...until now.  60 Minutes had a great story on the world's best polo player.

I learned that polo was relatively popular 80 some-odd years ago.  Now it's a sport dominated by people that sit at $50,000 tables to watch.

The most interesting item in the video was the fact that a team's sponsor will play with the team.  Imagine an NBA owner (besides Michael Jordan) or NFL owner suiting up for his team!

High and Outside

Showed my students this e:60 video about Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd, who pitched on the 1986 Red Sox team that came thisclose to winning the World Series.  I already knew that he had issues with drugs after his playing career was over, but I had no idea that Boyd was pitching while he was high...since Little League.

Oh, and that comment about Jackie Robinson didn't seem to go over well...

Teach, or Else

From: teachinginterview.com

I opened up our local paper on Sunday to see a front page story on our state senate leader's effort to take away teacher tenure and put everyone on one year contracts.  Two thoughts on this:

1. Do other state employees work on one year contracts?  Troopers, bureaucrats, etc.  If not, why not? 
2. Is a one year contract going to make teachers work harder?  I'm guessing that's the reasoning behind this effort--a perception that teachers get comfortable with a guaranteed-for-life job.  I will anyone that no contract will make me work harder than I already am:  seven days a week for ten months, plus work over the summer (for free).

As a political conservative, I'm disappointed that Republicans in our state think that the way to make education better here is to cut spending and blame teachers.

A Different World

Everyday, I watch my students during the Pledge of Allegiance, and only one out of 12 of them says the pledge with any consistency.  That's one reason I showed the video clip of how soccer players and F1 employees were blacklisted after protesting the Arab Spring in Bahrain.

The video was surprisingly (for ESPN) intense: several scenes including possible homicides of protesters by government forces.  After the video was over, I asked my students to construct a similar scenario for here in America.  The most famous athlete in America going to jail for a protest and then having to play in a minor league.

I'm not sure it sunk in with all of my students, but I'm hoping that one or two of them take it to heart.