Atlanta Braves Season Ends in Game 7 Loss

 

Atlanta lost the National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.  This one really hurt.  They were up 2-0 and 3-1 in this series.  I know LA is the better team but the Braves were so close.  Even though they gave up an amazing 16 dingers to the Dodgers the Braves pitching still did really well.  Hit with injuries the starting staff was Max Fried and whoever else they could throw out there and the starters did really well.  That said they only pitched 29 innings leaving a lot to the bullpen.  And the Dodgers offense was just too much.  And the Braves' horrible base running made coaches across the sport curl up in a ball and cry.  Some excellent games though and it was fun to watch even with one eye open most of the time.

Los Angeles won this series and deserve their shot in the World Series against Tampa Bay.  They had better pitching, great defense and a crazy number of homeruns.  It'll be fun to see if this Dodgers group can get their first title in their third World Series appearance.  And who doesn't want to see more of Dustin May's hair?  I'll root for the Rays to get their first World Series title but won't feel too bad if Clayton Kershaw and this group take it all.  Well I might feel OK with it in about six months. 

American Horror Story: Murder House (Season 1)

 

American Horror Story: Murder House is season one of the FX horror anthology series that currently has  total of nine seasons.  Murder House was good  Not great but good.  Towards the finish you get to the point where you really want to see how it ends.  Pacing was an issue for me making it a bit tough at times.  It does well at building up the different characters.  By the end you'll really get each and their motivations.  This show is definitely not for the faint of heart.  There are some scenes involving sex and violence that are intense.  Not for everyone but if horror is your thing it is worth a shot.  I haven't started any of the other eight seasons yet but I do plan to at some point.  Each stands on it's own and the American Horror Story series as a whole was pretty widely praised with some gaining more love than others.

Random Wax: 2019 Playoff Football

2019 Playoff Football: I'm a big fan of this set.  The design really works for me.  Cam Newton now plays with the New England Patriots and has been one of the key players to come down with Covid-19. Plenty of games have been affected now and it seems we are getting to a scary point where the NFL will run out of flexibility.  Fingers crossed it all works out.

Pretty good group of receivers.  I think I lost a scan or two that was supposed to go with this post.  I would usually have at least one more showing the inserts and/or rookies.

I've probably had better packs but this was still fun.  The packs contain 40 cards and I love the retired veterans that you'll find here.  Definitely not my last pack.  I've had this one and at least one other pack waiting for some time.  DeAndre Hopkins is having another great season after being traded to Arizona.  That may go down as one of the worst trades in history.

BREAKDOWN:

40 – Total Cards

13 – Retired Greats

6 – RC

1 – Rookie Wave

1 – Thunder & Lightning

Random Wax: 2020 Topps Opening Day Baseball Blaster

2020 Topps Opening Day:  This post has been sitting around for a while and since this guy, albeit with the wrong team, will probably have something to say about how this year's playoffs turn out  I thought is is appropriate.  I still like Mookie Betts.  He is so good.  Just wish he was still a member for the Red Sox. 

Unfortunately Mike Soroka was one of a the key injuries to the Braves' starting pitching staff this year.  Tough losing a starter that was so good last year.  

Verlander only pitched one game due to injury this year and Houston has to be wishing they could have him against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS.

Like many others I'm not a big fan of the vertical name but I've seen worse.

And another Mookie. I'm pretty happy with my pull in this box.  

I enjoy Opening Day so much.  It is a small set so it keys in on the stars and key rookies and I like that added Opening Day banner.  The fun inserts are also a plus.  Hard for me to ever pass these up and this was a fun box.

BREAKDOWN:

77 – Total Cards

6 – RC

5 – Opening Day

2 – Mascot

2 – Topps Rookie Cup

2 – Spring Has Sprung

1 – Sticker

1 – Blue Foil Parallel

1 – Team Traditions and Celebrations

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 3

 

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina season 3 was released in January and I wanted to give a quick take on what I thought. Season 3 deals with the demise of the Church of Night and it's school Academy of Unseen Arts.  Outside threats from the Pagans and the deposed headmaster threaten everything.  Hell has gone to heck which requires Sabrina's attention.  The season is fast paced with a lot going on.  Maybe too much and the major changes seem to take away some of what we liked in the first two seasons away.  That doesn't mean season 3 isn't good but I didn't find myself enjoying it as much as seasons one and two.  Concentrating on fewer plot lines might have kept it simpler but who knows what you'd lose.  Season 3 was fun to watch but at times it maybe seemed a bit much.  Rumor is season four will be the final season for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

Atlanta Falcons Fire Coach and General Manager

The 0-5 Atlanta Falcons fired coach Dan Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff.  I'm not a fan of firing coaches mid season but Quinn was already on the hot seat coming in to this season.  Add in five straight losses to start the season including two fourth quarter collapses and you knew it was coming.  As a Falcons fan this is tough.  Quinn took Atlanta to the Super Bowl before collapsing historically in the second half of that game.  The mental torture that was that second half <shudders>.  Since Kyle Shanahan left to be the 49ers coach the Atlanta offense hasn't been close to what it was in that Super Bowl year.  Atlanta hasn't made the playoffs since 2017 and it seems they have plenty of weapons on offense to be better.  Yes they have dealt with injuries on defense but honestly I think the failure of the offense is what doomed him - and of course the lack of wins.  It looked promising after a late surge in 2019 but it couldn't have started much worse this year.    

Dimitroff had hits and misses as GM but honestly he has to take blame as well.  Atlanta never could take advantage of Matt Ryan's prime after getting to the Super Bowl.  Sure players must take blame as well but looking at the roster as constructed, especially on defense there were too many issues and no depth.  I'm happy this happened but I am hoping the team can turn it around.  I think there are plenty of weapons on offense when healthy but the defense is a hot mess especially in the secondary.  Thanks to both of these guys for that Super Bowl.  Like most fans I just wish there would have been more success after that.

 

Los Angeles Lakers Defeat Miami Heat for 2019-2020 Championship

LA Lakers-Miami Heat 4-2: The Lakers were the best team in the league and deserved this championship.  Yes the Bucks had a better record but this was the team we thought would be fighting for the crown come end of the playoffs.  LeBron was amazing during the regular season (led the league in assists) and in the Finals (29/11/8) where he shot 59% overall and 41% from deep.  AD was just as great (25/10/3) on 57% shooting and 42% from deep.  Those two were crazy good.  The Lakers did lose two games thanks to the will of Jimmy Butler but LeBron and AD were too much.  Yes all the roll players are key but when one of those two rested you still had one of the league's best players on the court.  I rooted for Miami but was in awe of how good the Lakers were.  Congratulations to Los Angeles on a well deserved championship.

In the East recent history has shown there are multiple teams who could be there at the end.  Miami made a surprise run to the Finals and gave us the legend of Jimmy Butler who gave his all but it wasn't enough. Still he will always be remembered for his effort against the Lakers.  

 

Great win for the Lakers, LeBron and AD.  Now of course we will naturally look towards the future.  Will AD resign with LA?  Why wouldn't he?  How many more championships can these guys win?  All fun to think about in what will be a short offseason.