The NBA IS Not King

"The five most-watched events in U.S. TV history are now "M-A-S-H" (seen by just under 106 million people on Feb. 28, 1983) and the last four Super Bowls, Nielsen said." link



I have said this in other entries but I consistently have to remind the culture that I am in that the NBA is nowhere near the dominant sport in it's own country than it is here. Then again FPJ, Richard Gomez, Tito Vic and Joey have dominated the cultural landscape here for decades so what does it say about this place? What does it say about the fact that this is the only country where basketball is not the dominant team sport. It's the only team sport.

The NFL is the #1 team sport in the US. The most sophisticated, diverse sporting nation on Planet Earth. The best hockey, basketball and baseball players go there to play. Guess what? In terms of TV ratings the #2 sport is College Football. The US has soccer and it's treated no better than a fifth class citizen. Nothing against Bolivia or Uruguay but if their favorite sport is also their only sport that is no reason for the US to follow suit. The US already has the most choice and the NFL totally dominates as if they were Godzilla being unleashed on Smurfs.




Back in 2007 the NBA Finals was on free over the air network TV featuring Lebron James The Sopranos Finale was available only to HBO subscribers. Not even basic cable. Guess which show got better ratings?? The Super Bowl last Sunday was highest rated show out of every show that has ever showed.



I will keep harping on this since the typical pinoy truly believes that the NBA trumps every sport anywhere just because it does so here. The NFL not only beats basketball, it beats all other TV.

You can devote your life to the NBA for all I care , just don't think it dominates anywhere else but here.


Ed

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/224122

http://cornholiogogs.multiply.com/journal/item/1017/Hypocrisy_of_the_Recognition_and_Admiration_of_Efren_Penaflorida

Link to Highest Ratings Ever


Link


Super Bowl sets record with 111M viewers in US
AP - Mon Feb 7, 7:22 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) -- For the second year in a row, the Super Bowl has set a record for American television viewing.

The Nielsen Co. said Monday that an estimated 111 million people watched the Green Bay Packers outlast the Pittsburgh Steelers in professional football's ultimate game. That tops the 106.5 million who watched the 2010 game between New Orleans and Indianapolis.

The series finale of "M-A-S-H" had held the title of the most-watched TV show in the United States for 27 years. It is now No. 3.

Fox had the advantage of a game between two of the National Football League's iconic franchises and, even though it looked like it could be a rout when the Packers took a 21-3 lead, it went down to the final minute and held viewers' interest.

In fact, the most-watched single play of the game was Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's (notes) final incomplete pass to Mike Wallace (notes) with about a minute to go, according to measurements by TiVo Inc., the digital video recorder maker. When that pass hit the ground, it clinched the game for Green Bay.

The five most-watched events in U.S. TV history are now "M-A-S-H" (seen by just under 106 million people on Feb. 28, 1983) and the last four Super Bowls, Nielsen said.

Television ratings in general have been super for the NFL this year, with viewership up 13 percent over last year, Nielsen said. Games on CBS, Fox and NBC averaged 20 million viewers, more than twice what networks get for their prime-time programming.

"Super Bowl XLV caps what is arguably the most successful season that any sports league has ever had," said Pat McDonough, senior vice president for insight and analysis at the Nielsen Co. "The number of people watching NFL games has never been higher, with 24 percent more people watching the average NFL game this year than just five years ago. The Super Bowl continues to be in a category of its own."

Football has become the communal event that television, in a splintered competitive world of dozens of networks, rarely provides outside of "American Idol" or the Oscars. Compelling story lines for the games and the growth in high-definition television help make the games compelling for viewers. The games also tend to be DVR-proof, with viewers wanting to see them live.

Traditions that have built around the game itself make the Super Bowl compelling to non-sports fans. Christina Aguilera's goof on the National Anthem, the Black-Eyed Peas halftime show and the dozens of commercials that companies debut on TV's biggest stage were water-cooler discussion topics along with the game on Monday.

Fox's "Glee" took advantage of the time slot directly after the game, reaching 26.8 million viewers for its special episode. It was the most-watched scripted entertainment program on TV since Fox's "House" aired after the Super Bowl three years ago, Nielsen said.

TiVo also judged the Snickers commercial featuring Richard Lewis and Roseanne Barr to be the top-rated commercial of the telecast. The company determines that through a calculation that takes in viewership and how many times people rewind their DVRs to watch the ad.

Second place was Best Buy's ad with Justin Bieber and Ozzy Osbourne.

"Funny ads made it to the top," said Tara Maitra, TiVo's vice president and general manager for audience research and advertising sales.

The Black-Eyed Peas' halftime show, with guests Usher and Slash, held its own. TiVo said it had nearly identical viewer engagement numbers as shows with classic rockers over the past two years.

People were much less likely to stop the game to repeat the ads in the second half, when the football action was compelling, Maitra said. No beer ads made TiVo's top 10 rated ads for the game.

The average Super Bowl viewer with a DVR either paused, rewound or fast-forwarded 145 times during the game, TiVo said.

How Some People Treat Hallowed Ground

St. Andrews in Scotland is the birthplace of golf. It is hallowed ground for the golfing community. Even if you are not a golfer or a golf , it does not take much to appreciate the beauty, tradition and history of this place. Keep strolling down since I have a point.











I have seen one PGA event in my life and I was glad I did. Any sports fan would be thrilled to see a major tournament in any sport. It is where history is made. There are only 4 of them in golf and in tennis. I know someone who went to the 2010 British Open in St.Andrews. But that is not why I posted this.


This person decides to honor a place steeped with history and tradition by wearing high heels. In case you don't catch the "gravity" of what I just said, imagine following golfers and they play through 18 holes while you are walking on grass wearing high heels. Last time I tried it, it was not exactly relaxing. I asked this person and she had no regrets. The fact that the heels made her sink in the ground and she left tracks was not an issue to her.


I have spoken about vanity many times in the blog and what it does to situations and people when it is given a higher priority than it should be. For me and this is just me: tradition, respect, appropriateness and utility all trump vanity. But that is just me. Corinthians 13:13 talks about faith , hope and love. It does not talk about faith hope and vanity.


The person who wore high heels in St.Andrews regardless of the impracticality justified it by saying vanity before all. I will let you decide if vanity is worth it. In this or any other situation.



Ed


http://www.standrews.org.uk/

http://www.scottishgolfhistory.net/st_andrews_oldest_golf_course.htm

Starbucks Planner Brings Out The Worst In People

The dictionary defines promotion as-

something devised to publicize or advertise a product, cause, institution, etc., as a brochure, free sample, poster, television or radio commercial, or personal appearance.

also as


to encourage the sale of (a product) by advertising or securing financial support .

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/promotion


The original title for this was "Tis The Season For Self Entitlement". At least you have an idea where I am going with this. Every year since 2004 Starbucks Philippines has their planner promo. Every year I have qualified for one since I do frequent that establishment.Yes, I pay regular price for whatever I get. Notice it's a planner promo and not a planner giveaway. You will be surprised how many grown adults don't know the difference.

Let me just put my disclaimer that I do not work for Starbucks nor have I ever worked there. If they have good sense and taste they would never invite me to work there. Having said that, every year people ask ME for the Starbucks planner. How this germinates in their brain I don't know. They perceive that I myself am entitled to one and they are entitled to mine. Not sure how that computes.

In this blog piece I am speaking for myself and no one else. But as distantly removed as I am from the Starbucks food-chain I get requests no matter how ill thought out. I can imagine the deluge the people who actually are connected to Starbucks Philippines get.

Take the case of someone who I have known for 11 years. He/ she called me out of the blue late last month. Within a minute they bring up the topic(if I can get a planner for them) . No mention of compensation whatsoever. In plain English "something for nothing". I tell them the absolute truth. I was never given one. I don't have one now and I will eventually get enough stickers to get mine. As of Dec 28 I am actually six stickers away. You could not get this person to finish the call semi politely fast enough. In the words of Bob Hope "Thanks for the memories".

I am sure there are times in my life I have exhibited a sense of self entitlement. I would just really be embarrassed if it was obvious and memorable to someone else. If I noticed it, I hope I corrected it. Self entitlement flies directly into major themes in my blog. My war against vanity, narcissism and socialist thinking. It's exactly the point I was getting across with an old blog entry of mine of the legions who thought Barack Obama was their gate way to a buffet of self entitlement.



Starbucks is a private company which is put in place to make money. I am not sure what mental gymnastics some people use to justify in their cranium that even if they don't spend a cent in Starbucks that they are entitled to their promotional planner. Even if they have make the leap that planners fall on my lap, what makes them think I am benevolent enough to share anything with them?


Ed

http://cornholiogogs.multiply.com/journal/item/595/Peggy_Joseph_Typical_of_Obama_Support_

Merry Christmas from CDR King

At about 12:20 today (Dec 24 2010) I was purchasing an item from CDR King Greenbelt 1. The older one by Watsons. The newer one is by the GB1 Cinemas. They told me the item has a one week return policy. I asked them if they take into account the fact that they have Christmas Day off. Well, turns out I have my facts wrong. They will be there Christmas Day. I asked the three girls three times and they said each time that they will be working on the 25th of December. I told them in my busted Tagalog that I felt sorry for them.

I may have my facts wrong but does it mean CDR King has their policies right?? Retail store with non essentials opening on Christmas Day? Taking employees away from their families on Christmas Day?? Ask them yourselves. Phil Jackson will agree with me. Click here.


If you think it's OK then fine. If you don't think it's OK: write management , write about it , react to this blog, tell the employees at your local branch that you feel bad. I won't go as far as boycotting the place mind you. But if you do go that far, tell them that you are and why. Then let others know. If you read this blog you know I value capitalism but I also value families and I think both can coexist. The management of CDR King seems to value one over the other on Christmas Day.


Ed


Related note

Phil Jackson Christmas Day thoughts.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5945183

God Bless You Kirk Douglas

God Bless You Kirk Douglas


His son Michael was in the news quite recently for his bout with cancer. Hard to believe Kirk is still alive. He looked really old jogging in Central Park in the movie It Runs In The Family and that was seven years ago.

In the last little while I have seen two movies with Kirk Douglas in them. Two movies both released before I was born. Obviously these movies are superb. The reason why I picked the clips below is because in both these movies Kirk plays really heroic but really flawed men. Not easy to pull off.

I want to pay tribute to this man while he is still among us just like I did with John Wooden earlier this year. Before everyone starts jumping on the bandwagon.


The people who know nothing about movies can have all the Twilights they want. I will stick to watching quality stuff like these Kirk Douglas movies.



Ed


http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000018/


http://cornholiogogs.multiply.com/journal/item/1126/They_Ask_Me_Why_I_Teach

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050468/ (OK Corral)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059309/ In Harm's Way


http://cornholiogogs.multiply.com/journal/item/1218/God_Bless_You_Kirk_Douglas (original post)

Customers Pay Your Salary

Record Lady
Record Lady
She's got the cutest little cartridge
That you've ever seen
She's a phonographic dream


Lyle Lovett "Record Lady" from the album I Love Everybody (1994)




I will never understand people who work for an establishment that are face to face with someone who wants to spend their money there and they treat that person almost nonchalantly.

Such a thing happened to me tonight. I am quite the fan of Western movies. The other day I saw two classics of the genre at my local retail store. O Music (formerly Odyssey) in Greenbelt 1 Makati. They were The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral . I walked in that store tonight fully intending to buy them. Could not find it at first so I asked. I told them I saw it Saturday and was looking for it. The manager may have asked one or two people and about 20 seconds later told me they did not have it.

I spent the next twenty minutes looking for it myself with my goal being threefold: 1) I want that rare movie. 2) I wanted to shove it in that manager's face and 3) this would make a half decent blog.











Unless you think I am the type to forge a receipt to make a point , well here it is proving that I did find it. I also scanned the movie jacket. I obscured the people ringing in the sale because they did me nor their firm any wrong. It's their too casual manager who could not be bothered. I won't name names because maybe she conveniently went on her break when she saw me head for the counter. Anyway for my unnamed adversary here are a few common tips that may have never been taught to you:

• A customer asking questions is a gift. They are exhibiting what is known as buying signs.
• A customer looking for something in your store might actually buy what they are looking for.
• The more people spend in your store the more likely you will keep your job.
• As a manager, you set example to your staff.
• People who come in to your store in this age of pirated DVDs and high speed downloads are gifts.

The rest of you don't need me to tell you that.


Ed


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056217/ The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050468/ Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

http://www.mediafire.com/?t0schm3q44c66b2 (Record Lady)

3 Movies in 24 Hours

Late Friday night I caught up with the latest season of Dexter. I then did something very rare which was watch three movies in the period of 24 hours. I can go months without watching three movies. And they are all from different decades. The following are not really reviews but just my thoughts and spoiler free.





1) Treasure of the Sierra Madre. (1948)

I love Maltese Falcon and Casablanca. I like African Queen and I thought it was high time I finally saw this Humphrey Bogart movie. Down and out Americans try to find their fortune while enduring weather, bandits and each other. Story reminded me a bit of the original Oceans 11 (yes there was one) and Lord of the Flies. Great story. Also one of the rare times a son directs his father.



2) Shopgirl (2005)

I have always been a Steve Martin fan. Ever since I first saw him on the Muppet Show in the 70s and mistook him for Han Solo. Then listening to his genius stand up comedy. This is a relationship movie but brutal enough not to be a "chick flick. " Clare Danes is no one's knockout babe but so what? She was believable in her role and looked good enough in the scenes where she wears a dress. Speaking of relationship movies with grey areas.....



3) Sleep With Me (1994)


I first read about this movie in my Roger Ebert movie guide. There was a scene with Quentin Tarantino talking about the alternative meaning to a certain Hollywood blockbuster from years past. That video will one day accompany this blog but not today. The movie does quite well in my opinion without that popular scene. If you have been ever uncomfortable in your life with a couple "making a scene" in a party with friends well this movie is about 90% compromised of that. Who is right? Who is wrong? Who started it? Actually what made me uncomfortable watching this movie was everybody smoking so much I had to check if my T Shirt was still ok. Little play also on the famous song lyrics from Casablanca (There is Bogart again). A cameo from a certain Lost in Space in star for those of you into that kind of thing.

Epilogue:

All I can say is to appreciate movies or just about anything else, you will have to read about them and not rely on massive studio funded campaigns. Look for good stories and good characters and not Michael Bay type explosions. Good movies are timeless. Two of the above were "relationship" movies but in my opinion not the type that make teen-aged girls flock to the cinema armed with Kleenex boxes. One last thing. Bogart Rules!!!




Ed


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040897/ (1948)



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338427/ (Shopgirl) (2005)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111218/ (1994) Sleep With Me