Real Dillon

Real Dillon

Friday Night Lights Fans  //  We love the show Friday Night Lights and fans of the show Friday Night Lights and football.

Archive for

December 2010

 
Dec 27 / 8:57pm

Third Season Thoughts

by Tracie Lee
for those who have not watched the third season, SPOILERS. I guess.

Wayne and I have been watching FNL on the d&l down here in Maryland, mostly because his mom and stepdad haven't really watched it and we didn't want to go back to the beginning. So it's been lots of "oh, we're going to bed early" and propping up the iPad in bed and bawling our eyes out. I've been trying to keep a tally of who's made me cry the most, but I think it's pretty even between Tyra and Matt. 

Third season's been pretty satisfying - we got some closure with Smash's and Jason Street's stories. Also I was like "TIM RIGGINS IN NY YESSSSS". Joe McCoy has taken on the "dude I totally want to throw a knife hand to the throat to" mantle away from Buddy. I do wish that Lila's story was more compelling, but I just couldn't care one way or another whether or not she went to Vanderbilt. Hands down the most touching scene was the talk that Tyra and her mom had about going to college and how her mom was always surprised by her.

I think that the set up for next season is pretty good. Coach Taylor is going to be starting his team all over again, but not under the political pressure of Joe McCoy and Buddy and the boosters. And I wonder how the writers are going to deal with their marriage now that they'll be working at competing schools. I was pretty surprised at Matt's last minute decision to stay in Dillon and not go to art school, but I suppose we'll see how things shake out. 
 
 
Dec 27 / 5:13pm

Daisy Does The Niners: Five Stages Of Grief

by David Jacobs

The Monday morning after a devastating loss is always rough. This morning was rougher than any I’ve had in a long, long time. I didn’t want to get out of bed, take a shower, or come to work. I just wanted to lie there for hours staring at the ceiling and eventually make my way to the couch with a bag of cookies and a bottle of wine. I knew going into yesterday’s game that I needed to be realistic about our chances, but ultimately, I’m a fan. And being a fan means you scream at the TV, cry when your team lets you down (yes, I cried yesterday, but I did manage to make it to the bathroom before anyone realized that’s what was happening), and believing even when you know better…

Being a fan means you drag out a pathetic train metaphor for weeks on end, only to find out that, in the end, The Niners Miracle Playoff Express-Turned-Commuter Train never had enough steam to make it to its intended destination. As much as I wanted to be the conductor of that train, it was always Singletary’s job to keep it on the tracks. All I could do was sit in the bar car and believe. Ultimately though, he failed me. He failed you. And he failed the players. Choo choo, my ass.

via sfist.com

This is how FNL fans felt after season 2.

 
Dec 22 / 8:35am

What can't be understood, must be blogged

by Wayne Surber

Chauncey torn up over Coach Taylor's relationship with Tami. Cat's love FNL too people. 

Filed under  //  FNL   cats   chauncey  
 
Dec 22 / 7:43am
by David Jacobs
Matt Jacobs

Finally caught up with Friday Night Lights. Who wants to talk about it?
7 hours ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply
via twitter.com

Matty IMed me last night saying "I am worried about [character X]!" Don't worry. It's the middle of the season, and the main characters need conflict & obstacles.They will be OK! The last season of Friday Night Lights is not going to end in heartbreak for the main characters. Guaranteed.

 
Dec 18 / 4:39pm

Season 5

by David Jacobs
I'm not sure how we can discuss the last half of Season 5, because they're aren't any plot lines left that aren't fraught with level 25 (5th season x 5th severity) spoilers. Ah - there is one. Nice to see Buddy Jr. make some plays.
 
Dec 12 / 9:31pm

I know a really good Dominican butcher named Santiago

by Wayne Surber

But I know where he is. That is no mystery. What is a mystery, is what the fuck happened to Santiago on FNL? As you well know, we're a lil' behind in keeping up with the series. Forgive us, we're late to the game, so to speak. But I can't just let the writers, or lack of writers in Season Two just get away with this kind of shit. In general, it seems Peter Berg, while dealing with an impressive breadth of issues, is a bit of a pussy when it comes to down and out dealing with shit. Nope, he just gets rid of characters he doesn't want to resolve. 

When I was in my mid-twenties, I found out that my Great Grandmother was 100% Mexican. So, that changed things a little perspective wise for me. Today, I know myself as this anglo dude, as everyone else sees me. But imagine, if I'd found out that much earlier. Things might have been really goddamn different for me. Which brings me back to Santiago. 

Sure, the relationship between Buddy and Santiago was forced and a little odd, but just when the characters were getting interesting, the writers abandon them. And I think, abandon the majority population of Texas and soon the United States. 

When I was growing up in Texas, I always had Latino friends. In fact, most of my friends were Latino and I was the odd man out. The only other outlier was my friend Jason, who was Thai. He fought his 'asianess' off in Texas by totally diving into the heavy metal and later hard-core scene. Jason to me, is a lot like Santiago. What the fuck happened to Jason? Oh, and what the fuck happen to Jason Street. Jesus, I won't even bark up that tree.

Anyways, I think its sad that the writers couldn't bang their heads and come up with a storyline for Santiago. Try hanging out in any major city or small town and you'd probably overhear your next episode dialog. I think if anybody could have filled the boots of the Smash character it would have been Santiago. And hey, who knows, then they might even have picked up a whole other audience. You know the rest of America. 

Anyways, I think its about time to watch another episode.

Yours,

Fuckin' Annoyed FNL Fanboy @angrywayne

PS- Somebody better lose this JD's Dad dude. He sucks, big time. 

Filed under  //  FNL   Latinos   Mexican   Santiago  
 
Dec 11 / 5:26pm

Does Jesse Plemons' real life band cover Crucifictorious?

by David Jacobs

Jesse Plemons’ band Cowboy and Indian is going on a mini tour for the month of December so be sure to check them out!

December  Tour Dates
12/11 Athens, TX @ The Pick n Spur 8 p.m.
12/13 Hattiesburg, Mississippi @ The Thirsty Hippo
12/14 Shreveport,LA @ Bears
12/15 Houston, TX @ Anderson Fair
12/16 Dallas, TX @ Opening Bell
12/17 Waco(Mart), TX @ The Trading House
12/18 Austin, TX @ Antones

via fridaynightlightsfan.com

 
Dec 11 / 5:17pm

Whitlock: Cam Newton situation exposes NCAA again

by David Jacobs

For those of you who believe in the myth of “amateur” athletics, I have a solution for you:

Support NCAA legislation that pays the coaches and executives in education, too.

Yeah, let’s give Nick Saban and Dan Mullen books, room and board to law school or medical school or whatever higher degree of education they aspire to. Let’s level the playing field and give all the NCAA employees a shot at more education instead of more money.

The slave catchers, moralizers and Tim Tebow worshippers — the men and women troubled that Cecil Newton’s boy is going to win the Heisman Trophy — obviously believe there’s something sacred and special about “amateur” status.

Why not make the coaches special, too?

via msn.foxsports.com

This is a bummer for Newton & his family, but I think this scandal is going to wake people up to the insanity of the NCAA's business model. I'm glad they're touching on it in Season 5. If the show was continuing it would be fun for them to follow someone like Smash or Vince in college.

 
Dec 8 / 11:28am

Bill Belichick and Good Hiring

by David Jacobs

When Belichick was hired in Cleveland, Modell had no idea what he had, or what Belichick could eventually become. He never thought in three dimensions, or hired with a plan; he just hoped for success, in large part because Modell based every decision on what the media and the fans thought. Modell had a wonderful heart. He wanted to make his fan base happy, therefore hiring Belichick after winning a Super Bowl with the New York Giants was great, and firing him after the fans revolted was also great -- never mind he just extended his contract.

Belichick's success in New England was due to his experience in Cleveland -- that Modell financed and Patriots owner Robert Kraft now enjoys. Any time a team hires a young coach or a young executive, one must think in a three-dimensional way. Does he have the aptitude to be a successful leader? Does he have the willingness to grow? Do we have the strength to handle the turbulent times?

Modell paid for Belichick's education as a head coach, an education that has to be lived, not learned. There are no schools to attend to be a successful coach in the NFL. And just because an assistant works for a successful coach does not ensure success when it comes time for a promotion to the head coach's chair.

via nfl.com

Mike Lombardi is probably the most underrated football columnist working today. I don't get to read every column he writes on NFL.com, but when I do I find it worthwhile.

 
Dec 7 / 9:23pm

Episode 5.03 podcasts

by David Jacobs

I talk about my love for Friday Night Lights a little too often and a little too loudly. On the other hand, have we met? What did you expect?But I love the FNL Fans podcast and the FNL Podcast almost as much as I love the show. In fact, Adriana and I are going to start our own (short) podcast inspired by Amy, Kaitlin, Blake, Lyle and Russ.

The podcasts following episode 3 of the fifth season are excellent. This episode was - how do I say this - bad, and no punches were pulled. But the emotional attachment to the show is so great among the super fans that even the finest details are combed over and discussed. Highlights!

  • People universally despise Julie. It's actually quite surprising, because I've always enjoyed the Teegarden's performances. She's the best pouter east of Natalie Portman! Or West of Natalie Portman, depending on which coast Natalie Portman is living on right now. Someone on the FNL podcast (Blake?) noted that she also had a nearly romantic encounter with a teacher in season 2. Good memory! I've blocked season 2 from my mind. I also appreciated the comment (Lyle? Russ?) that she didn't explicitly have daddy issues yet (the last remaining younger character to be spared). But - isn't she the coach's daughter, who then goes off to college to sleep with a professor? I think she qualifies as "having daddy issues."
  • Lyle's comment about Michael B. Jordan's "teary eyes with strong jaw" acting moments were right on. He's acting on a different level than everyone outside of Kyle & Connie.
  • Blake - don't ever apologize for being geeky on the show again, no matter who complains (I think, sometimes, I complain!) You are producing a Friday Night Lights podcast. Unless you start a Lost-rewatching podcast, your audience has self-selected away from anyone who would be worried about your geekiness.
  • Amy & Kaitlin's protestation of the new characters with only ten episodes left rings true, and reminds me both of Lost and The Wire. But we'll deal!