S07.E12: Sports in the Pandemic

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Main topic: Sports in the pandemic

Other topics: Richard Burr; Space Force announcement; Rachel Ray at home; John's obsession with Adam Driver

Original air date 2020.05.17 

[Annber03]

This show. I just...this show :D. Now I have to go watch one of those marble competitions at some point. 

(Also, god help me, but when they were talking about how each marble had its passionate fans, the first thing that came to my mind was, "So how long until the fanfic shows up?" (and I say this as a fellow fanficcer))

Anywho, I hope the players continue to push back against all the bigwigs who are all, "Profit! We need to make profit!" about all of this. I wish there were a way for college students to stand together as well, 'cause that Oklahoma coach's comments...hoo boy. 

I'm not a sports person, myself, so I haven't been bothered by the lack of sports stuff happening, though I have oddly enough found the occasional documentaries and series about sports and sports figures fascinating (it's especially interesting to see Vince McMahon mentioned on TV nowadays, thanks to my watching "Dark Side of the Ring" recently). May need to give that Last Dance documentary a look, too-I've heard a lot of good things about that as well. 

But for the sake of the people whose jobs are being affected by the quarantine, I do definitely sympathize with them and hope that there can be some kind of solution to the problem eventually, or preferably, that we'll sooner rather than later be able to finally get to a point where it can be safe for people to gather and play sports again. I understand the idea of playing without an audience, but I dunno, I would think it'd be weird, as a player, to not have the audience there cheering you on. That's part of the experience.

The lack of an audience also makes the idea of calling certain sports "essential business" rather laughable. Yeah, we won't let anyone come watch the games, 'cause they might get sick, but we'll sure force the players and the people who work at the stadiums to go out and work, despite the fact they're not performing for anyone or anything. Stone cold logic there, mmhm. 

In other topics, it's nice to see that story about the senators selling off stocks hasn't gone away, 'cause, uh, yeah, there'd definitely better be some serious consequences coming for that. 

I also got a good laugh out of, "What the fuck is Mother's Day like in Peru?"

[Robert Lynch]

Interesting thing about sports during Corona Virus....yikes, the wrestling league is pretty screwed. 

[angelamh66]

If there is one thing rich people know how to do it’s stay rich. I’m sure the various team owners will come up with a way to put others in harms way in order to still get that television money. And I say this as a huge sports fan. 

[AnimeMania]

Where was the picture of the rats having sex?

[swanpride]

The reference to the German Bundesliga was kind of confusing. I immediately looked up if there had been two new Corona cases found after the games last weekend, but I didn't find anything. Maybe he was referring to the cases they found during the quarantine time?

To elaborate: what they did over here is to isolate the players for two weeks, testet them and only then allowed the games to happen. It's a huge strain and wouldn't be possible if not for the fact that our test capacities are currently not fully used anyway. But there have been and still are a lot of discussions regarding the Bundesliga getting a special status.

 

The Marple competitions remind me of domino day.

[paigow]

On 5/17/2020 at 11:42 PM, Annber03 said:

The lack of an audience also makes the idea of calling certain sports "essential business" rather laughable.

Most major sports leagues have sold TV broadcast rights that far outweigh ticket sales, concessions, etc. They would have to refund that money if the season is cancelled. So producing "content" without a live audience is the only solution.

Edited May 19, 2020 by paigow

[swanpride]

For everyone else it wouldn't really pay to do the games anyway.

[xaxat]

John, it was the Mets who first wore first responder caps after September 11th. Everybody who lived in the city (Mets and Yankees fans) remembers Mike Piazza's home run.

 

[purist]

The whole 'LWT sponsors the marble competition' thing was DELIGHTFUL, as was John's glee at announcing the sponsorship. I love this show so much I want to marry it.

And the Adam Driver running joke makes me laugh out loud every week. Thank dog for LWT. Long may it reign.

Edited May 18, 2020 by purist

[ahisma]

Vince McMahon and that Oklahoma State coach can burn in hell. Profits over lives with these guys—horrifying. 

3 hours ago, purist said:

The whole 'LWT sponsors the marble competition' thing was DELIGHTFUL, as was John's glee at announcing the sponsorship. I love this show so much I want to marry it.

Same! It was weird seeing the LWT logo in the ads with “WEEK” facing forward, though. I’m so used to it being reversed.

ETA: I love that a John has figured out a way to get his giant HBO budget distributed to community food banks. 

Edited May 18, 2020 by ahisma

[peeayebee]

I will definitely be checking out some marble runs.

[Gothish520]

The Adam Driver jokes fall just a bit flat for me because I've never seen him in anything, and he's nice enough looking but not really my cup of tea.

Now, if he were going on about Jeff Goldblum or Vin Diesel or Taye Diggs...or maybe Joe Manganiello or Jason Momoa or Dwayne Johnson ...😉

[Kindred Spirit]

I'm a huuuge fan of Ross Stripling (pitcher for my beloved Dodgers), and therefore his podcast, The Big Swing. His podcasting partner, Cooper Surles, has become a fan of Jelle's Marble Runs as a result of there being no sports during the pandemic. To the extent that they interviewed the play-by-play voice of the English-language coverage, Greg Woods. So, with LWT now sponsoring the league, my worlds are coming together in a way that simultaneously delights me and blows my mind! 😆

https://bigswingpodcast.com/

[iMonrey]

Even I'm not bored enough to watch marble races. And I am extremely bored. 

I half expect Adam Driver to turn up on this show at some point (I even wondered if it might be this one). We know he's got a sense of humor, if his SNL appearances are any indication. 

[andromeda331]

What the fuck is going on in Peru for Mother's Day? And yes how do we get that up her? 

I know they've mentioned isolating players and their coaches. I'm glad they pointed out the down side to that. Anyone who leaves breaks quarantine. The one wondering about missing the birth of his first child. Then having to quarantine. Its still a lot of people in one place. NASCAR made it back without any fans but seeing all the people there still made me nervous. And agree with basically their all bad options. Not that the owners care. Its all about their money right? Besides its not like their risking their lives just other peoples. 

Marble races? Really? They even had back stories? That's so crazy, weird and exciting to watch. 

[BabyVegas]

I appreciate this show's commitment to finding something to talk about that isn't the same thing that all the other late night shows have been talking about. It makes this show a must-watch for me.

That said, I thought that the segment on Burr was actually missing some HUGE context. Unless I just blacked out during the piece, I don't think they mentioned Kelly Loeffler at all. And that's important because the absence of action against Loeffler sure makes the Burr warrant look like political targeting. I would normally expect LWT to be able to to discuss that nuance - that it's entirely probable that Burr did something illegal and corrupt but that the FBI/DOJ's involvement may not be clean either.

Edited May 18, 2020 by BabyVegas

[Sharpie66]

Those marble races reminds me of snowboard cross, which I fell in love with during the 2014 Olympics. Of course, people are better than round balls, so no competition there, but I do get the appeal.

[Quilt Fairy]

13 minutes ago, BabyVegas said:

That said, I thought that the segment on Burr was actually missing some HUGE context. Unless I just blacked out during the piece, I don't think they mentioned Kelly Loeffler at all. And that's important because the absence of action against Loeffler sure makes the Burr warrant look like political targeting. I would normally expect LWT to be able to to discuss that nuance - that it's entirely probable that Burr did something illegal and corrupt but that the FBI/DOJ's involvement may not be clean either.

Yes, I saw it mentioned somewhere else that the FBI could not impound Burr's phone without the personal OK of the attorney general.  You don't want to get on the bad side of Trump and William Barr. 

Anyone who was fascinated by the marble races (as I was) should be sure to check out the American Hedgehog Warrior videos on YouTube where an adorable hedgehog named Pepper runs obstacle courses created by her human in his living room. 

[TexasGal]

3 hours ago, Gothish520 said:

The Adam Driver jokes fall just a bit flat for me because I've never seen him in anything, and he's nice enough looking but not really my cup of tea.

Now, if he were going on about Jeff Goldblum or Vin Diesel or Taye Diggs...or maybe Joe Manganiello or Jason Momoa or Dwayne Johnson ...😉

 

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

Even I'm not bored enough to watch marble races. And I am extremely bored. 

I half expect Adam Driver to turn up on this show at some point (I even wondered if it might be this one). We know he's got a sense of humor, if his SNL appearances are any indication. 

I’m curious as to what the payoff is going to be on the Adam Driver thing, but even beyond you @Gothish520 I do not find him attractive at all.  I trust John to make it worth it in the end.  Like the whole season of “hidden” Scientology references.

[paigow]

4 minutes ago, TexasGal said:

I’m curious as to what the payoff is going to be on the Adam Driver thing,

I never found his Olsen Twins bits funny, so double down on Kylo!!!

[peeayebee]

6 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Even I'm not bored enough to watch marble races. And I am extremely bored. 

WHAT?!

5 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

Anyone who was fascinated by the marble races (as I was) should be sure to check out the American Hedgehog Warrior videos on YouTube where an adorable hedgehog named Pepper runs obstacle courses created by her human in his living room. 

WHAT?!

[ottoDbusdriver]

5 hours ago, paigow said:

I never found his Olsen Twins bits funny, so double down on Kylo!!!

You mean Olsen Twin -- because there really is only one of them.  :)

[Lantern7]

Lots of stuff to say from last night's episode. "*tch* Florida" is one of 'em. Also, ten-year-old me would have been slowly and figuratively dying from 99 percent of sport being put into limbo. At 44, I'm okay. I'm liking that SNY has been airing classic postseason series in Mets history. The team did help start the network, but they've never broken that stuff out. They'll show division-clinching games, great performances and the time Bartolo Colon and his big butt hit a homer at the age of 43 . . . but not the good stuff from '69 and '86.

13 hours ago, xaxat said:

John, it was the Mets who first wore first responder caps after September 11th. Everybody who lived in the city (Mets and Yankees fans) remembers Mike Piazza's home run.

Maybe John and/or the LWT staff figured the Yankees would be more identifiable? And they did wind up in the World Series. But yes, the Mets were the first local team to play at home following 9/11.

22 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Where was the picture of the rats having sex?

Probably mounted on the walls during the indoor events of the marble races.

9 hours ago, ahisma said:

Vince McMahon and that Oklahoma State coach can burn in hell. Profits over lives with these guys—horrifying.

No argument here.

As for the marble races . . . I've seen that on ESPN whenever they ran their "Ocho" block (reference to Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story; usually brought out on August 8 every year). Truth be told, it was oddly mesmerizing. And yes, personalities are tacked onto the teams and even individual marbles. And that might be EXACTLY what we need at this time.

5 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

Anyone who was fascinated by the marble races (as I was) should be sure to check out the American Hedgehog Warrior videos on YouTube where an adorable hedgehog named Pepper runs obstacle courses created by her human in his living room. 

I posted a link to one of the courses on the ANW Media thread. You can find the five courses here.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Hilariously, I started watching the marble league in mid-March due to the quarantine so I knew exactly what he was talking about! It's a fun distraction. I mean, if people at baseball games are willing to get excited about colored dots racing around an imaginary track on the big screen then why not actual marbles?

I do not find Adam Driver attractive in any way at all. Physically, he is not my cup of tea. I don't think he's a particularly good actor (he seems to have only one facial expression). His recent interviews did not endear him to me at all. But I accept that sometimes John latches onto something and it amuses him to no end. I think he enjoys the Adam Driver segments more than he actually likes Adam Driver.

I like sports but I don't think it's worth exposing so many people to potential germs during an international pandemic. Some sports have very long seasons and it's a lot to ask them to not see their families for so long. Fuck the owners and coaches who are more concerned with money than the lives of their players. Contrary to what the Oklahoma coach said, there are perfectly healthy young people getting the virus and not all of them survive. And right now we don't know the long term effects of having the virus. There are cases of people who survived the virus and now have lung and kidney issues. I don't think it's worth risking death or a lifetime of health problems so that we can have sports ball back sooner.

[xaxat]

The Wall Street Journal just made a video about why sports venues are like incubators for the virus.

It's going to be quite a while before I go to a game.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

https://www.youtube.com/jellesmarbleruns

 

[Gothish520]

4 hours ago, xaxat said:

The Wall Street Journal just made a video about why sports venues are like incubators for the virus.

It's going to be quite a while before I go to a game.

Yeah, any activities where you have people talking and yelling a lot or breathing heavily around each other, like sporting events, gyms or exercise classes are very high-risk environments. 

[izabella]

I think the Adam Driver thing is similar to the running joke he does whenever he reports on Steve Mnuchin - dorky looking tall, slim, white guy with dark hair and larger nose...who do those "hunks" look like?

IMO, the only thing sports arenas are good for these days is as a visual of how many people have died from COVID-19 to date....90,000 and counting would fill more than two Wrigley Fields, for example.

Edited May 19, 2020 by izabella

[Annber03]

7 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I do not find Adam Driver attractive in any way at all. Physically, he is not my cup of tea. I don't think he's a particularly good actor (he seems to have only one facial expression). His recent interviews did not endear him to me at all. But I accept that sometimes John latches onto something and it amuses him to no end. I think he enjoys the Adam Driver segments more than he actually likes Adam Driver.

I think your last sentence is accurate :D. Yeah, from the pictures I've seen of Adam Driver, my reaction's been, "Eh...", too. I haven't seen anything he's been in, though, so I dunno if my opinion would change if I did.

[angora]

55 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

I think your last sentence is accurate :D. Yeah, from the pictures I've seen of Adam Driver, my reaction's been, "Eh...", too. I haven't seen anything he's been in, though, so I dunno if my opinion would change if I did.

I'm asexual, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt, but Adam Driver strikes me as someone whose looks work better in motion. In pictures, he might seem "meh" and his strong features don't quite come together, but when you see him acting in something, his face kind of transforms. (Personally, Christopher Eccleston is the same way to me. When I'd only seen pictures, I thought his looks were so odd, but when I saw him on film, I "got it.") Anyway, between Star Wars and Girls, he's an actor who seems well-positioned to attract the more "disturbing" thirst comments, so he's a good pick for this particular running gag. "Shatter my kneecaps, you fuckable redwood," is still my favorite.

[link417]

I immediately googled the marble runs after the show. I thought I’d love the funnel race, but it was actually super boring.

The rally and Marbula1, however? HOURS of my life spent watching those races, and I don’t regret a second. Red Number 3 fan here! 

I’m glad I’m not the only one scratching my head when John goes on about how sexy Adam Driver is. 

[Enigma X]

I am also in the camp of those who find Driver untalented and unattractive. 

I also don't care about sports.

[DEL901]

9 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

https://www.youtube.com/jellesmarbleruns

 

Watching the 2019 qualifiers to get ready for  the 2020 Marbleolympics.     Love the commentator.   There were some rowdy fans and the officials had to crack down.    Very entertaining.  

[link417]

3 hours ago, DEL901 said:

Watching the 2019 qualifiers to get ready for  the 2020 Marbleolympics.     Love the commentator.   There were some rowdy fans and the officials had to crack down.    Very entertaining.  

The commentator is amazing.

There was a Marbula1 race where all the marbles got stuck and the race had to be restarted. One mischievous marble took this opportunity to streak across the course and had to be escorted out by security.

[swanpride]

I am not even that much of a sports fan, but I guess I'll watch the marble race...

 

I wonder how many new subscribers they got since LWT aired. At this rate ESPN might approach them for TV rights. After all, they have to fill their programming with something other than the Bundesliga and reruns.

[Robert Lynch]

What would be the next topic for two weeks? Europe? South America? Television? Any thoughts?

[xaxat]

6 hours ago, swanpride said:

I wonder how many new subscribers they got since LWT aired.

The teaser for the new, John sponsored, season has racked up over half a million views in two days. More than a lot of their competition videos.

 

[paigow]

7 hours ago, swanpride said:

After all, they have to fill their programming with something other than the Bundesliga and reruns.

The marbles will be painted with HBO show titles like Premier League teams...

Deadwood is trailing Sopranos heading into the final turn...

[Lantern7]

2 hours ago, paigow said:

The marbles will be painted with HBO show titles like Premier League teams...

Oh, neat. How about a blue marble with a black circle and dot for Watchmen?

I’m only familiar with Adam Driver through Star Wars, and I’m guessing that isn’t his best work. I think he looks . . . odd. Especially when you bring out cats that look like him.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I’m curious as to what the payoff is going to be on the Adam Driver thing,

I'm not sure, exactly. But he's become such a regular running gag on the show it would be so on brand for LWT if he suddenly showed up in person at the very end of an episode for some kind of skit or song like they do sometimes.

Quote

I like sports but I don't think it's worth exposing so many people to potential germs during an international pandemic. Some sports have very long seasons and it's a lot to ask them to not see their families for so long.

I don't see why it has to be an all or nothing proposition, though. Certainly arenas are going to be problematic, and I think football and basketball would be troublesome, contact-wise. But baseball isn't really much of a contact sport, and I think as long as the proper precautions are taken they could go back to playing televised games without fans in the arena.

[paigow]

The most vulnerable baseball positions are catcher & home plate umpire. If one of those guys  gets infected, transmission is highly likely.

[ahisma]

On 5/20/2020 at 7:01 AM, Robert Lynch said:

What would be the next topic for two weeks? Europe? South America? Television? Any thoughts?

I’m hoping for a long piece on Inspector Generals. 

[AnimeMania]

On 5/20/2020 at 6:48 PM, paigow said:

The most vulnerable baseball positions are catcher & home plate umpire. If one of those guys  gets infected, transmission is highly likely.

They could build a clear shield into their masks. That should work.

[Victor the Crab]

In keeping with the theme Sports in the Pandemic, the National Hockey League has announced today it will go ahead with a 24 team Stanley Cup playoff, hosted by two hub NHL cities.

Sounds good, until the first player in these playoffs tests positive for the coronavirus.

SMGDH.

[andromeda331]

8 hours ago, Victor the Crab said:

In keeping with the theme Sports in the Pandemic, the National Hockey League has announced today it will go ahead with a 24 team Stanley Cup playoff, hosted by two hub NHL cities.

Sounds good, until the first player in these playoffs tests positive for the coronavirus.

SMGDH.

Its just so stupid to be so reckless with other peoples lives. The sad and stupid thing is players getting sick will be the only thing that makes NHL and other sports stop or postpone longer. Everyone knows the virus hasn't gone anyway or even slowed down. I really wish the players would refuse or something. Their the ones putting their lives at risk. 

[DEL901]

16 hours ago, Victor the Crab said:

In keeping with the theme Sports in the Pandemic, the National Hockey League has announced today it will go ahead with a 24 team Stanley Cup playoff, hosted by two hub NHL cities.

Sounds good, until the first player in these playoffs tests positive for the coronavirus.

SMGDH.

Or family member or team staff or arena staff....