EVERYONE LOVES FOOTBALL

Great Under Armour Ad I came across that features some very familiar music.

Two weeks for THAT?...NO COMMENT!

Maybe it was the network cutting away multiple times to issue a Thunder Storm Warning for the North Jersey area during FNL. Maybe it was the extreme close ups they used this week showing off the skin flaws on multiple characters. Maybe it was how Jess went to see Vince's mom but he hasn't. Not sure what it was but this was in my opinion the weakest link of the season so far.

We had very few things to cheer about, including a football game where we didn't even get to see the finish. We had to wait two weeks to see Tammi's character and career threatened by Luke's crazy mom. Landry after taking Jess to dinner where she fielded Obama questions from his mom tells her he "didn't see her coming." Landry also doesn't see Vince coming. Look, Vince deserves to land someone good in his life, but do we have to offer up Landry again as a sacrificial lamb in the process? He already got crushed by Tyra, now it looks like Jess is destined to break his heart too. Vince is certainly going to be looking for a shoulder to cry on after seeing Calvin get got.


Landry did deliver a good line when he tells Jess she can expect some "hit or miss cooking...my mom said something about beef stroganoff."

Matt calls Julie finally. Only thing saving this scene was Gracie Belle saying "NO" when Julie asks if she wants to go to bed. No nominations are in Julie's future I'm confident after that whole "you are my other half," speech.

Tinker sees Luke at Carrol Park trying to score some pain killers. I give the kid credit for trying to gut it out but has he ever heard of hip pads? "A bruise on the leg is a hell of a long way from the heart, candy ass." Herb Brooks would have been proud of Luke's gutting it out but there are things he could have been doing to get himself better. Stim, ice, treatments etc. Maybe wrap that state of Texas pillow around his waist. That thing was a gem. Take the Plaxico Burress approach and be a game day player only. It's not like anyone else is going to take his starting spot.

And how about Coach Best Buy diagnosing Luke's bruise as a hip flexor on the spot and saying he's out for the season. Whoah there Dr. House! They selling MRI's now next to the flat screens?

If Luke's mom is so crazy about having more kids around why did they only have Luke. Being sympathetic to how hard it is to conceive I'm just saying I thought it was common for farming families to have multiple kids so they can grow up to help out on the farm. I mean the only other farmers I know who had just one kid were Jonathan and Martha Kent. And after they found Clark they really didn't need any more help I would gather.

Becky's mom loses a close race to Luke's for craziest of the week. When she is running Tim off her property was I the only one who was worried about the #33 Jersey being left behind?

Becky shows up at Riggin's Rigs to tell him her mom was wrong and that he is kind, he's strong and he's good. He drove three hours after all to that pageant she points out and was there for her when no one else was. When she said, "Goodbye Tim Riggins," i felt a little pain in my heart because I know it won't be long before we also will be saying goodbye to our dear friend.

If there was a bright spot to this week it had to be Buddy who had endured 48 hours without wearing his Panther's State Champion ring. He is just such a treat. Silly me, when he first said ring though, I thought he was talking about his wedding ring.
Buddy was wrong though, in saying the season is over. The post season is out of the picture, but if they can beat the Panthers they can salvage the season most definitely their pride.
Eric though needs to not have "one more drink" and needs to get home to Tami who is waiting on the door step for HER "other half."

I think in nearly every scene with Tammi at home this week, there was wine in the foreground. This woman just can't catch a break in this town and the pressure is starting to be more than a few glasses of the white grape can fix.

Well you can't win em all and I feel a little sense of disbelief just like Buddy did after this week, but there's always the Panther's and J.D. McCoy to look forward to and what will hopefully be a shining moment. Although without Luke I don't know how they think they can hang with their cross town rivals. Can Landry run QB and pitch the ball to Vince? Who does Jess run and kiss if they end up beating the Panthers? Guess we will have to wait and see.

Till then as always...Clear Eyes Full Hearts.

FINALLY FRIDAY

This is one of my favorite clips that I searched endlessly for and finally had to upload myself.

So pumped for a new episode tonight. Tami T the FNL faithful have your back. Luke, praying to God for pain killers never works trust me. I'm dying for some vintage Grandma Saracen so hopefully Matt pops by to give me my fix.

Till next week and the recap Clear Eyes, Full Hearts y'all.

Never Thought I'd See The Day...

Where I was sad to see a Friday. But a Friday with no Friday Night Lights is a sad day no matter how you spin it. There is reason to celebrate though. Kudos to FNL die hards Kristen and Pat who named their new labradoodle puppy "Coach" after our beloved Eric Taylor. I wondered who would look better in sunglasses so I did a little editing. It's close.
I will be on the road tomorrow most of the day scouting so I wanted to put something up despite not having a new episode this week. Take this time to get back in the film room and revisit some of your favorite episodes and FNL moments.
Few better than ones like this where you get to see both sides of Tim Riggins, a couple choice shots of Lyla and a gem from the always amazing Grandma Saracen.

They Tried to make Me Go To Rehab

I said No No No. But I say YES YES YES to this week's episode. Amidst the Emmy nominations for Eric and Tami I have to say this week's episode is just as deserving of an award. Not a stretch to say i am dependent on this show, but with a new episode now two weeks away my nerves will surely be tested. Thankfully this week offered up enough amazing to keep me off the ledge for awhile. Vince stole the show and is emerging as an amazing character. Despite coach trying to stack the D against him he still finds a way to make plays. Unfortunately his resourcefulness landed him back in the car with Calvin but he does what it takes to take care of his mother. The scene with his mother in the hospital had me looking for tissues.

Vince tells his mom she OD'd and we get the feeling this isn't the fisrt time. He pulls his chair up close and delivers one of the most emotional scenes ever on the show. "why do you keep doin this to yourself, why do you keep doing this to me, I mean was I bad, why don't you want to be with me, why you wanna leave me by myself because I don't know if I can do it by myself. I can't do it by myself mamma."


Coach tries to get Vince to play ball his way but Big Mary thinks he's got Vince scouted all wrong. BM notices coach trying to get Vince to run timing patterns. Put's in his two cents with a "mm hmm looking forward to the game." Eric baffled goes "what the hells that supposed to mean." Later Coach is all over Vince when as one of the onlookers says, "he can't hit water from a boat" at practice. Virgil "Big Mary" finally has had enough it appears. Virgil tells Eric he doesn't know how to coach Vince. Eric can't get past the black and white thing. We see where Virgil's bitterness comes from when he says "you don't know what it's like to be the most athletic kid on the field and be told don't follow your instincts, follow the play book!" Eric knows Virgil is right but no one likes to be told how to do their job. "Can we get two more Robin please?" We realize the next morning when Tami is driving Coach to get his car that two more may have turned into ten. He can't go drinking like that on a school night. "You don't even remember what bar you were at do you?" There it is you gonns drive me to my car? "I think you can walk, a walk will do you some good, fresh air in your hair, love you."


Becky wakes up and is still pregnant. Man I know the feeling when life is going so bad you just are waiting to wake up and realize it was all a bad dream. Does put that B minus she got in geography in perspective. Loved when she asks the girl at school if she can copy her homework. Tami offers up the right advice giving her all her options and telling her to talk to her parents. Going to drive me crazy in two weeks when these Bible Beaters come after her. She did everything right as usual and again is going to get raked over the coals.
Eric gets Gracie to go to bed after four books three stories and crawling out of the room again. As a new dad I loved this line. So accurate. Eric says with the dread we all would "Tim Riggins is gonna be a father?" No but he is going to be a partner in Riggin's Rigs. Good scene where he and Billy have it out while burying the cars.

Virgil can't help Vince out with the money, but he makes sure he knows "I'm saying no to the money but I'm not saying no to you." Great stuff.
Jess in turn calls him out though for not saying yes to his own family. Virgil is in the midst of an awakening thanks to Vince and Jess. Proud of you Jess for telling your dad how it is. Pop Warner game with the little Panthers takin on Jess's brother and the East Dillon Wranglers was great. Virgil coaches up Caleb but the last thing he tells him is to have fun out there. Caleb said OK the growls as he runs back to the huddle. Loved it.

Luke has a tough talk with his own Dad and tells him he got a girl pregnant. His dad tells his wife though which I'm torn on. The Cafferty's are church going god fearin folks we see in the opening scene when the minister is praising Luke. Luke has to bring him Mom back down to Earth though later on and tells her "Becky and I are not Mary and Joseph mom." Luke calls Becky and mans up but it's too late as she tells him she already took care of it. Beck's mom on the other hand is a little more realistic and explodes when she hears the initital news. She gets upset with the doctor because he might convince Becky not to get the abortion. Probably like a doctor did to her back in the day.

Dinner with Habitat for Humanity was comical. I was cringing thinking of that day when it comes for me. "I heard the other day it's going to rain on Friday, must be weird everyone out there...in the rain...playing football."
Vince takes the gun from the guy in the car
Yeah it can get pretty weird can't it Eric.

Amazing episode, almost too much to talk about. Luke is going to be close to addiction it looks like as this injury is still plaguing him. Those pills make the hurt go away in his hip but maybe in his soul as well. Vince is back in harm's way, but the law might be too busy with the Riggins brothers I fear in coming weeks. Till then enjoy the bye week anyway you can. I'll try to put some stuff up before then to keep our DT's in check.

FROM THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BUDDY

HARDWARE

Congrats to Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton for their Emmy nominations.
After being overlooked for years our favorite on screen couple got the love they greatly deserved. This marks Britton's first Emmy nomination, despite a lengthy resume that includes four seasons on "Spin City," but it's Chandler's second. He was nominated for his guest role as an ill-fated bomb squad leader on "Grey's Anatomy" in 2006. The show scored a total of four nominations, with another nod for casting for a drama (it's been nominated three times in that category and won once) and a first-time acknowledgment for writing (for Robin Jones' script for "The Son").

Back in the pads tonight for another game. Is Luke's injury healed? Does he apply for a job at Billy's chop shop to help Becky? What happens to Vince's mom? Does Matt come back if for nothing else but to say good bye? Will Tyra ever show up at the rest stop? Does Landry even care?

So many questions and as many hours till we find out. Can't wait for Friday night!

P.S. Re. Lebron joining D Wade......I havent seen a combination of talent like this since Bart Taylor joined Cru Jones and the RAD Racing team back in '86. hope Vince and Luke can get that magic going this week as well.

Leave the Lights On

Coach goes looking for Tigger at the park. Man he stuck out like a sore thumb didn't he? What's up with Tigger. One minute he is Mr. Team, helping Luke mend the fence and then he's skipping practice. Then later on in the episode he's back at practice and coach asks him to stretch the team out while he talks to Vince. A little inconsistent to start this week off, but still a great episode I thought.

Glen approaches Eric about the Tami incident and man did you catch he look in Eric's eyes while he was forced to listen to that novice ramble on? Eric handles the scene amazingly well but when Glen says perhaps he will see him at one of the gasmes, Eric fires back "oh you'll see me sooner than that."

Eric wanted to knock his lights out but he was a little preoccupied with turning the lights back on at Carrol Park. Buddy thinks he can help Eric out by asking the mayor for some help. Despite being angry with BG about the mailbox incident he mentions that she and him "had a little history, you know, before she started playing for the other team you if know what I mean?" Yes Buddy we always know what you mean.
Buddy can be a goober at times but his heart is always in the right place. He also is a formidable figure in the community that does not back down to anyone. We see this trait as he is the first person to crack the iron posterior of Virgil Meriwether. Buddy shows up to grab some BBQ and Virgil asks "where u comin from, Prom?"

There is no back down in Buddy's game and he orders his usual. He sits down with his food and asks for a glass of water to show he will not be run out by Virgil's lack of compassion like everyone else. Nobody backs down Buddy Garrity.
Virgil mulls over Buddy's proposal and finally yields when he tells him what he'll need to help "take back the park." We met Elden, an ex-gangster-turned-community organizer who previously played D'angelo back on HBO's The Wire. Quite possible the best show ever on television.
Elden agrees a game at the park is a good idea because the kids as he says love their football. Buddy answers right back as if speaking from the pulpit... "Everyone Loves football." I got chills.
The game itself was amazing. But before kick/throw off Landry talks to Vince, to clear the air between them because of Jess. He tells Vince that if he needs to hit him, just do it and get it over with. Vince stares at him a long while, then, as the lights suddenly come on, he nods approvingly, thumps Landry on the chest a couple times as if to say "OK then." Landry confused asks, "What does that mean?" It means get loose Landry cause it's game time.
How great was it when Tami and buddy were greeting the other team as they got out of their cars. "Hi y'all, thanks for comin." And Eric climbing the fence to turn the lights on was classic.
Vince emerges as the leader after getting called out for being on the "wrong side" by the other team. "Lil Vince" takes charge in the huddle and shows he runs this team.
Landry's throwback to Vince was unreal. All that practice in Matt's driveway paid off. We see a young midddle schooler named Maurice picking off Vince's pass and catches Coach's eye. He tell the young man to make sure he comes and finds him next year. got the feeling that Eric is really building something here in East Dillon.

There is a great deal of depth to Vince beyond the game of football. Very emotional scene when he asks Eric if he can put him down as a reference. He seemed taken aback by Eric's cooperation and willingness to help. You get the feeling no one ever gave Vince a shot, but now he's getting his chance with the help of Coach and Virgil. I want to see this kid succeed, but it's hard to shake off your past. We see this when Vince is sweeping and Calvin drives up. One of the guys who gets out of the car with him asks Vince to hook him up with some food. When Vince tells him to go order it from Big Mary like everyone else, the thug gets in Vince's face. Virgil runs out and tells them it's time for them to leave. Virgil tells Vince he knows it's hard, but Vince is better than them. Vince insists he isn't, but Virgil disagrees: "You're here, ain't you?"
Man I really hope this does not end poorly for Vince ala Ricky from Boyz n the Hood.

Back to the domestic side of things. Eric tells Tami, glen came to see him.
"Glen the science teacher? Uh oh."
Eric- "You kissed glen?... No I didn't hit him what are u worried about him for... By proxy I have kissed glen!"

When Eric has to take a rain check on their date Tami says she'll just have to call Glen. Eric doesn't skip a beat and replies, "just make sure he doesn't drink all my scotch."
"Damn" they love each other and I them. I loved it when they pulled their car up to the river and Tami reminds Eric this is where they had their "first date" - not their first date, but their "FIRST" quote unquote "DATE" quote unquote.

Tim asks a distraught Becky if she is OK, but she blows right by him in a huff. Tim replies with his signature "good times."
Loved the scene where he is knocking on the door on "Skeeter's behalf."
"All day, all day. Don't care...there ya go"


Not sure how the Becks preggers storyline turns out but I was surprised to see Tim so lost for words. Gotta think he got a few rally girls pregnant back in the day no? I would imagine he had the clinic's number committed to memory. Luke was a stand up guy I thought. Really like this kid. Loved the scene where she was sitting on his truck and they were talking things out.














There was a great shot of sneakers hanging on the phone wires with the football field/park lights in the background. The practice of tying sneaker laces together and throwing them onto power lines has long be thought to advertise where drugs are sold or to mark gang territory. This image was followed by a close up shot of a fence then pulled away to show the score board. Football provides an escape, a road less traveled for these kids. Eric is taking the journey with them into an unknown place. Vince was shocked to see how willing Eric was to vouch for him just like Eric was shocked at the violence down at Carrol Park. Just because it's a bye week doesn't mean life takes a week off. I thought the show did a great job of injecting some football into a busy episode of side stories and delivered some great and touching moments.

P.S. How bout J.D. callin his math teacher a bitch? Kids losin it.

Please Reset the Game Clock to AWESOME

A loyal but possibly disillusioned FNL and Texas Forever fan made some comments at the bottom of my last post about the direction or lack there of, the show has been displaying. He wished that someone could go back and note how much time was spent season to season on the show's main theme of football. Well you asked for it Marc and I heard you.
After a five hour session of fishing on the L.I. Sound, I got home last night and hit the film room. Using the stop watch feature on my trusty Suunto, I went through the first four episodes of Season 2 and noted the amount of time the show spent on the football field or in the locker room. This included practices and games. Taking the total time, and using my trusty calculator because my math skills are about as strong as #33's I came to the following results. for Season 2, each episode averaged roughly 3 minutes and 50 seconds worth of "football." Repeating the same process with the last four episodes of THIS season, I calculated that each episode featured and average of 4 minutes and 41 seconds worth of "football." Now I never competed in the Academic Smackdown, but it seems clear to me that we have actually been treated to more high school football this season than the previous.
The show has always spent time on off field topics like the relationship between Tami and Julie. This is nothing new. Also the time allotted for such story lines this season like Landry and Jess, Matt and the artist, Tim and Billy, were previously filled in past seasons by things like Landry killing Tyra's attacker and the subsequent aftermath, Jason Street trying out for the U.S. "Murderball" team and hooking up with that tattoo artist, and Buddy's affair and divorce. Perhaps the new story lines are not as compelling to some, or the new characters have yet to capture our hearts, but the show's format has stayed pretty true to form. As always I love the comments and takes on our beloved FNL, but I caution you out there not to be too hasty in your judgements. We were dangerously close to not having any FNL to watch at all this season, so I would cut Peter Berg and his staff some slack and just enjoy the ride while it lasts. I'm not sure what we are in store for this week, but I will tune in as always with clear eyes and a full heart.