Month: September 2022

Miguel’s Friday Thoughts

After seven years, Trevor Noah is leaving ‘The Daily Show.’ When he took over for Jon Stewart, many wondered if this would work with Trevor Noah. Stewart is a tough act to follow. Therefore, high expectations needed to be met by Noah, and he certainly lived them up. The South African stand-up comedian loves to do stand-up, which became a driving force in his decision to leave the show. We still don’t know when his final episode will air on Comedy Central. 

Rapper DaBaby is making some headlines because he dropped his new album, Baby on Baby 2. He had made a diss record toward Megan Thee Stallion. In addition, he only sold 16,000 in the first week and debuted outside the Top 20. Now, we don’t know if his dissing Megan Thee Stallion caused his sales to drop or if there was another personal reason why people are tuning him out. I don’t want to assume anything until more reports and news come out. In the meantime, I have to listen to the album more than once to see for myself. DaBaby is considered one of the best rappers in the game. So the news is surprising to me. 

Utah State took on BYU on Thursday night. BYU was up 24-17 in the third quarter; I didn’t understand why they kicked an onside kick, it was a horrible decision, and Utah State was able to recover it. Fortunately, BYU’s defense came out to play in the second half. Utah State settled for a field goal to make it 24-20, but BYU ran away by scoring two touchdowns and an interception. BYU wins 38-26. Quarterback Jaren Hall threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns. 

Shanghai Noon (2000) – Movie Review

‘Shanghai Noon’ is a Comedy/Western film that came out back in 2000. The funny thing about it is that last night it was the first time I saw the movie. I was aware of this movie years ago and always saw it on a recommendation list on streaming services, but I never paid attention to it until last night when I decided to take a chance on it. I’m glad I did. 

The film stars Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, and Lucy Liu. ‘Shanghai Noon’ didn’t do wrong at the box office. The film drew 99.3 million at the box office on a $55 million budget. Shanghai Noon is an accomplished follow-up to Jackie Chan’s first big-budget US film Rush Hour, which came out in 1998. Chan had a great run from the mid-90s through the mid-2000s in terms of constantly working and having success in the US. 

‘Shanghai Noon’ is one of those movies where you enjoy watching it and not take it too seriously. The movie is a blend of a “buddy-cop” caliber film with old school Western setting. The setting took place in Nevada in the 19th century. 

Chan and Wilson formed an unlikely partnership and developed good on-screen chemistry. I love seeing Jackie Chan using his impeccable martial arts skills. Chan is known for creating his stunts. He’s also very good with his comic chops. In the first half of the movie, Chan was outstanding in terms of comic timing compared to the second half of the film. As for Owen Wilson, I’m not the biggest fan of his acting ability, but he held his own in this movie, and the character of being a laid-back, California guy fits him. Director Tom Dey made the proper adjustments and choices to pair both actors together for this movie. 

It’s one of Jackie Chan’s best acting movies because his stunts were flawless, and the countermoves were outstanding.

What throws me off about the movie, but it’s not a very big deal, are the subtitles. The subtitles could’ve been well organized and structured. If you are using English subtitles, there are lines of dialogue spoken in Mandarin and Sioux that will not be translated into English. I noticed this last night, but I kept rolling with the punches and focused more on the visuals and performance than the subtitles. 

It’s time to give a grade for the film. ‘Shanghai Noon’ is a B-caliber movie. From 1 through 5 stars, I would go with 4.1 out of 5 stars. 

Due to the success of the film, the sequel ‘Shanghai Knights’ got made and released in 2003. I haven’t seen the sequel, but I highly doubt it’s better than the first one; they did well at the box office. 

Rihanna Will Headline Super Bowl in 2023

Pop star and business mogul Rihanna will officially headline the Super Bowl halftime show in 2023. It’s an early announcement to be making for the Super Bowl, but reality has come true. 

Rihanna went on hiatus for a few years to focus on her business and her family. Rihanna is a mother, and she had a baby with rapper ASAP Rocky. She posted a picture on Instagram holding a football in her hand. 

It’s been six years since she last put out music. Also, it’s been four years since her last performance at the Grammy Awards. 

Rihanna will perform at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 12, 2023. Rihanna performing at the Super Bowl alone will be enough. She doesn’t need anyone else to share the stage with her. A perfect example is when Jennifer Lopez and Shakira performed together. Their Super Bowl performance was excellent, but J. Lo wanted to act alone. 

Rihanna is going to set the roof on fire when Super Bowl comes in February. 

Kansas State Stuns Oklahoma – Week 4 Analysis

Kansas State traveled to Oklahoma for what turned out to be a unique and unexpected night for everyone who hit the field. Why do I say that? Because of two words, Adrian Martinez. 

Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez ran for 148 yards and four touchdowns; Martinez also passed for 234 yards. The Wildcats stunned No. 6 Oklahoma 41-34 on Saturday night. Martinez was poised, focused, and made the right plays, especially in the second half. Sooners’ defense had no answer for him. 

Martinez played for four seasons with Nebraska before coming to Kansas State. The Senior played the game of his life, and I’m sure his family and friends were very proud of him. He deserved to be in the headlines. It will be tough for Martinez to top this one because it was a fantastic performance. He was undoubtedly the star of the game. The game ball belongs to him. 

As for the Sooners, penalties were one of their most giant Achilles heels in this game. The Sooners committed 11 penalties for 87 yards, including five false starts. The Sooners’ defense played great in the first three games by allowing just 30 points. However, Kansas State had other thoughts and pounded their defense by putting up 41 points and killing them with the running game. 

Kansas State beat Oklahoma in 2012, 2014, 2019, and 2020. 

Kansas State will face off against Texas Tech Next Saturday. Oklahoma will visit TCU. The Wildcats improve to 3-1. 

Saturday Morning Sports with Miguel

Albert Pujols has done it! He hit his 700 career home run on Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s the fourth player in MLB history to hit over 20 home runs at 42 and older. 

Cleveland Guardians’ magic number to clinch the AL Central is 3. Guardians did a terrific job of putting the ball in play in their 6-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. 

UTEP upset Boise State with a final score of 27-10. UTEP had a tremendous second-half performance, especially on defense. It’s their first win against Boise State. 

Syracuse’s defense and special teams highlighted their victory over Virginia on Friday Night. Kicker Andre Szmyt kicked five field goals, including the 31-yard field, to give Syracuse a 22-20 lead late in the 4th quarter. They improve to 4-0, their first 4-0 start since 2018. 

Boston Celtics suspended head coach Ime Udoka for the remainder of the 2022-23 NBA season for his role in an intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise’s staff. Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla will likely become Boston’s interim coach for the season. Mazzulla played for West Virginia from 2006 to 2011. He began his coaching career with Glenville State as an assistant coach. 

My Darling Clementine (1946) – Movie Review 

My Darling Clementine is one of the greatest western movies of all time by director John Ford. It’s undoubtedly one of the best John Ford films. Ford had the talent and vision to bring these stories to life through the screen. He knows where to put the camera for every scene he films. 

The movie stars Henry Fonda, Victor Mature, Linda Darnell, and many more. 

I love that this is one of those Western movies that’s comical. There were several funny scenes, especially during Act 1 at the barbershop. In this movie, there were a couple of singing scenes, and then you had one of the characters saying that “you can’t sing, but maybe you can dance.” 

The gunfight scene was well directed and executed. When you watch this movie, you have to play with the volume because the sound of the gun firing is quite loud. The score is terrific for this picture. 

Although the cinematography is phenomenal in this film, I loved it even more during the movie’s final scene. The visuals and framing are outstanding—brilliant acting by Fonda and a touching final stage of the film. 

Overall, I give this classic Western a 4.7 out of 5 stars. 

Panthers vs. Giants – Week 2 Analysis

Panthers and Giants didn’t have the most pretties game on Sunday afternoon. Both teams struggled offensively. However, both Carolina and New York were efficient on defense. The Panthers did a great job slowing down the Giants’ running game. Giants’ did an excellent job on defense, special teams, and coaching.

Kicker Graham Gano is one of the main stars of this game. He went 4-for-4 on field goals, and his last two field goals were from 51 and 56 yards. His right leg helped contribute to the Giants, 19-16 victory. 

Giants’ defense was impeccable, especially when they neutralized Panthers’ running back Christian McCaffrey. Their defense limited him to 102 yards. Giants also blitzed quarterback Baker Mayfield and their offense. Julian Love had a great game and was one of the heroes for the Giants. Love finished the game with seven tackles. 

Baker Mayfield had a lackluster performance. He didn’t take advantage of the Giants’ weak secondary, hampered by injuries. Mayfield completed 14 of his 29 passes for 145 yards with one touchdown. 

The Giants have won two games so far this season. It’s the first 2-0 start since the 2016 season. Their offense still needs a lot of work. Defense, Coaching, and Special Teams have worked for them. Injuries have been a significant factor, but head coach Brian Daboll is finding ways to get the job done. 

Daboll is not afraid of coaching, especially in big moments or situations. This Giants team led by his Daboll is not scared of failing. He wants to show his players that he has their back and wants to put them in a position to succeed. Daball and his players know they will face adversity and will hear the criticism from the fans and New York media. How they respond will determine how tough they are and how it will make them come together as a unit. 

The Giants will have their first ultimate challenge next Monday night when they take on their NFC East division rival, Dallas Cowboys. 

Purdue vs. Syracuse: Week 3 Analysis

Purdue traveled to Syracuse on Saturday afternoon, and this game turned out to be arguably the best College Football game in Week 3. The 4th quarter alone is what made this game unforgettable to witness. 

Purdue and Syracuse had an offensive showdown in the 4th quarter. Throughout the first three quarters, it was mostly a low-scoring, defensive game. Syracuse outscored Purdue 22-20 in the 4th quarter. Their quarterback Garrett Shrader connected with Oronde Gadsden II on a 25-yard touchdown with seven seconds left to lift Syracuse to a 32-29 win over Purdue.

Purdue had previously scored. With 51 seconds left on the clock, Boilermakers quarterback Aidan O’Connell threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Payne Durham to give the Boilermakers a 29-25 lead. But there’s no quit in this Syracuse team. They fought back and scored on the final possession of the game. 

Boilermakers wide receiver Charlie Jones finished the game with 188 yards on 11 receptions and one touchdown. 

Garrett Shrader had three touchdowns and no interceptions in the game. He made the right plays at the right moment at the right time. 

Syracuse improves to 3-0 in the season. Purdue drops to 1-2. 

Purdue will take on Florida Atlantic next Saturday night. Syracuse continues a four-game homestand when they face Virginia next Friday night.

Sunday Sports Shorts

Guardians continue to roll. Jose Ramirez homered on his 30th birthday. Shane Bieber pitched an impressive game striking out six batters and allowing one run through eight innings. Guardians win 5-1 over the Minnesota Twins. They have a 4 1/2 lead in first place in the AL Central division. 

GGG and Canelo Alvarez fought for the third and probably final time against one another. In the early rounds, both fighters got off to a slow start. Canelo was the more aggressive fighter. GGG looked like his age for most of the fight. However, he had outstanding rounds in Rounds 8-10. The fact that a prime Canelo couldn’t knock out a 40-year-old GGG tells you a lot about GGG’s greatness and strong chin. GGG needed to knock out Canelo to win this fight. Canelo won the third fight fair and square, but in my eyes, GGG won the first two fights. Father Time is undefeated, and I feel that was one of the most significant factors in the third fight. 

Notre Dame earned their first win of the season by defeating California. The Fighting Irish rise above the occasion and performed outstanding. Defense played a huge role in the 4th quarter.

GGG/Canelo 3: The Trilogy Preview

The trilogy is finally here! GGG (42-1-1, 37 KOs) and Canelo (57-2-2, 39 KOs) will settle the score once and for all tonight in their third fight. It’s arguably the best boxing rivalry in the game right now. Both men want to win this third fight. Both men don’t like each other. The fight could be the end of their rivalry. It all depends on how the fight ends and how the judges will score the fight.

Golovkin is one of the best middleweight fighters of his generation. He’s a lethal and adamant boxer to defeat. It’s hard to believe that he’s 40 years old. It feels that he’s ten years younger. Although Alvarez is the favorite to win this fight, Golovkin will have something to say. It still doesn’t sit well with many boxing fans about the first fight. Golovkin won the first fight, but one judge ruined it, and the fight ended in a draw. 

In the second fight, Canelo did perform better and was a bit more aggressive, but I still felt that Golovkin gave him a boxing lesson in the second fight. The judges gave Canelo the second fight, handing Golovkin his first professional boxing loss. 

Alvarez and Golovkin will be fighting for the super middleweight division. Canelo’s motivation is to end Golovkin’s career to the point where he wants to put him in retirement. Golovkin doesn’t have any plans to retire anytime soon. I hope he is right.