A new segment of daily (hopefully) rants about goings on in the world of sports, movies or anything else I have an opinion on.
I admit it, I'm a food show junkie. Add in the aspect of competition and I'm sold. Yesterday marked the season premieres of two of Chef Gordon Ramsey's shows: Hell's Kitchen and Master Chef. Neither of these shows hold a candle to the likes of Top Chef or even Iron Chef for that matter.
When it comes to Hell's Kitchen he is obviously pandering to a wider range of audience. The talent pool is shallow, the language is crass and the cooking is poor. There has to be a better quality of chef in America than what is seen on this show. I assume each contestant is promised $0.50 for each curse word that is uttered. Add to the fact that contestants take every free moment to get drunk and smoke a pack of cigarettes and you've got yourself a quality program. Why do I watch then? I'm a sucker for watching people make fools of themselves. These people think they are the greatest chefs on the planet and usually they are nothing more than a group of uneducated, belligerent bunch of morons. I've never cooked professionally and I'm rather poor as an amateur chef, but I enjoy eating and that gives me all the qualifications to judge these fools.
Now Master Chef is a chance for Chef Ramsey to show that he's actually human and might have a heart. He takes a group of amateur chefs and turns them into quasi-professionals. He still lets his famous temper show, but he has two fellow celebrity personalities, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot, to keep him under control. They can also be unnerving with their critique of the food, but they are much more likeable to both the contestants and the viewers. I enjoy this show because it is easy to put myself into the shoes of the amateurs. I want to be a better chef, but I realize I don't have the palette for it. I can't deduce subtle flavors and I don't have the foggiest clue on how flavors meld together. I like learning about different, exotic foods and how they can be prepared.
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Going back to the sports world where I am a self described expert, the playoffs of both the NBA and the NHL are quickly wrapping up, but they are headed in separate directions. I've been bemoaning the quality of the NBA playoffs for a while now, but that opinion has taken a complete shift. The Conference Finals have been excellent. The teams have marquee players who are all at different stages of their careers and that just adds to the entertainment. You have the veterans who have one multiple times in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. There are the veterans who have won just once and have been written off as dead multiple time in Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. There is The Chosen One, LeBron James who is still searching for that first championship and his trusty sidekick Dwayne Wade. The last group is the up and comers, the next generation of stars in Oklahoma in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
In both series the supposed favorite won the first two games on their home court. In the past that would mean the series is over. Over 94% of teams who have jumped out to 2-0 in a best of 7 series have gone on to win that series. Obviously someone forgot to tell that to both Boston and Oklahoma City. They both held serve on their home court and yesterday the Thunder went one further by stealing back home court advantage by winning in San Antonio. Tonight Boston will have a chance to do the same. What has made these series go to another level is how close each game has been. Only one of the nine games have been 15+ spreads. Two of the four games in the East have gone to overtime. Last nights game between San Antonio and Oklahoma City went down to the final possession. The final element is that it definitely appears that the teams do not like one another. It may not be Indiana/New York of the 90's or Chicago/Detroit of the late 80's but there is animosity. Miami (Jame in particular) wants what Boston has, Boston wants to prove they're not done yet. Oklahoma City is trying to prove to everyone that they are ready and San Antonio wants one final run in the sun. How it will end is yet to be seen, but I'm enjoying the ride.
As for the NHL their playoffs started as hot as the sun, but have run out of steam when it matters the most. We fans didn't get the New York/Los Angeles Finals that would have put hockey on the map. New Jersey upended the Rangers and have proven to be no opposition for the Kings. This is not to slight what Los Angeles has done during the playoffs this year. They have dominated all comers. In all 3 of their series they have won the first three games. In all of those series they started on the road. They have yet to lose on the road in the playoffs. I'll repeat, THEY HAVE YET TO LOSE ON THE ROAD!! As a Washington Capitals fan I find this torrid streak that they are one unimaginable. Every year I hope the Caps catch fire like the Kings have and every year I am disappointed. Even in 1998 the Caps were forced to win six of their 12 victories in overtime. It has never come easy. When Los Angeles hoists the Stanley Cup tomorrow the season will have limped to the end with no drama and no excitement and that's a total shame.
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