Fight Pastor

Survivor One World: Blindsides Are Fun and Exciting

Fight Pastor — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:47:26 +0000

One of the big questions of this season has been answered; Was Kat destined to become the next Fabio? Thankfully for hardcore Survivor fans, who appreciate great game play, the answer is an emphatic NO!

I did like Kat. She was amusing television. I will never forget the constant farting or the confused looks. So while I am glad she didn’t win. I will miss her. I guess we will always have the memory of her discovering what an appendix is. (The above picture is her worried expression when she realized that an appendix can burst.) Priceless.

We were also given, possibly, the greatest blindside in the history of blindsides. Kat was convinced she was in control of the game with Kim and Alicia (shows how naive she is). Kat was even more convinced that Sabrina was about to be blindsided. Her explanation to Jeff Probst about how “fun and exciting” someone getting blindsided is will likely be one of the most memorable moments of the season. Well Kat, blindsides are fun and exciting….except when they happen to you.

I have a couple other thoughts from tonight’s episode.

Did anyone else find Kat’s relationship with her cousin a bit creepy?

Chelsea was the major cause of this vote. Kim wanted to get rid of Sabrina. Chelsea wanted Kat gone. The fact that Kat ended up getting voted out 6 to 1 shows how much influence Chelsea has.

All that to say, Kim is a really impressive player. Since I am a Survivor fanatic I listen to podcasts and read lots of blogs. The guys, in particular Troyzan, don’t give her a ton of credit. She is surprisingly not getting a lot of credit from former Survivors. Pretty amazing to me. She is an awesome player. She wins challenges. She has, possibly, the best social game we have ever seen on Survivor. She is a brilliant strategist that is focused on the end game, which is winning a jury vote. Kim is already evaluating her final 3 and is doing it without emotion. She has serious game. If she wins, which I think is very likely, she is a top five player of all time.

Next week I predict we say good bye to Tarzan.

Survivor One World: Most Dominant Woman Ever?

Fight Pastor — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:05:34 +0000

Lets be honest, as much as we couldn’t stand Colton once he was medi-vaced this season got very predictable. I haven’t had much to say. Like most of America I have been annoyed watching the women systematically dismantle all the male alliances. Like America I had pinned my hopes on a Troyzan immunity run. Reality has now set it. Troyzan unceremoniously gets ousted from the immunity challenge by…..Tarzan.

I am now viewing this season as objectively as I can. I need to start off by saying Kim might be playing the best game of Survivor since Boston Rob on Redemption Island. If everything goes according to plan and Kim and Chelsea and either Tarzan or Kat make it to the final three, Kim will win in a landslide. She is a strategic mastermind. She is masterful manipulator. She is a challenge dominator. Oh, and everyone LOVES HER! I am sure Kim is already imagining what she will be spending her inevitable million dollars on.

As predictable as the last few episodes have been and the next few are sure to be also, you must stop and realize this has all been orchestrated by one of the greatest contestants in Survivor history. Kim is totally dominant. She should win this in a landslide.

The real question is, will she gain the recognition that she deserves as a great player. Or will they quickly explain away the season as a few good players but mostly followers. Kim had no real competition. From where I am sitting, Kim played the game she had to play. She was fortunate that the hardcore players all got voted out early. It has left her as the main alpha female. She is running the show in a very impressive manner. So barring a miracle, Kim wins this in a landslide jury vote.

The real question will be, where will she rank in the list of all-time Survivors. I would like to suggest the Kim game can be mentioned along with some of the best ever. Brian Heidik’s dominance in Survivor Thailand. Boston Rob’s reign during Redemption Island. Parvati’s manipulation genius in Fans vs Favorites. Russell Hantz total domination over his first south pacific season. Kim is up there with the big boys. If she cruises all the way to victory, I will have to say she is a top 5 player and maybe a top 2.

So though the next several episodes are going to be very predictable and boring don’t miss them. You will be given the opportunity to watch the brilliance of Kim’s play. I am know all team Kim!

UFC 145 Predictions

Fight Pastor — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:11:26 +0000

It seems like we have been talking about this fight card forever. Finally Jon Jones faces his ex-best friend Rashad Evans. Read on to find out who I think wins. The Fight Pastor’s fearless predictions.

Maximo Blanco by decision over Marcus Brimage

Keith Wisniewski by 2nd round submission over Chris Clements

Mac Danzig by decision over Efrain Escudero

Anthony Njokuani by decision over John Makdessi

Stephen Thompson by 2nd round KO over Matt Brown

Travis Browne by 2nd round KO over Chad Griggs

Mark Bocek by 3rd round submission over John Alessio

Mark Hominick by decision over Eddie Yagin

Michael McDonald by decision over Miguel Torres

Brendan Schaub by 2nd round TKO over Ben Rothwell

Rory MacDonald by decision over Che Mills

Jon Jones by 3rd round TKO over Rashad Evans

Survivor Recap: This Is My Island

Fight Pastor — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 03:47:53 +0000

Troyzan was my preseason pick to win the whole thing. If this, fairly boring, episode proved anything it proved Troyzan is a force to be reckoned with. His team won the reward challenge, he found a hidden immunity idol, and he won individual immunity. Not a bad episodes work.

My final three still stands at Chelsea, Kim, and Troyzan. I think Kat has a chance to sneak in too. I am also a little nervous Tarzan, like Philip Shepard, could possibly get dragged to the end because he has zero chance of winning a jury vote. While we are on the subject of Tarzan…. Since Philip Shepard amazed us with his psychosis during the Redemption Island season, Survivor producers are now infatuated with finding one crazy person for each season. Enter Tarzan.

The first few episodes he was an amusing sideshow. My opinion started to change with his odd defense of all of Colton’s deplorable actions. Now I just find him annoying. But probably not as annoying as Chelsea does! Poor Chelsea. She spends all this time meticulously cleaning her clothes in the ocean. She heads back to camp to boil them clean. Then crazy Tarzan tosses his poop stained underwear on top of hers.

Tarzan became synonymous with poop during this episode. First he told Leif that he was probably going to poop sand. Then his poop stained underwear became the talk of the tribe. Tarzan claimed it was sand. Sabrina pointed out that the sand was strangely located exactly where a poop streak would be. Tarzan then demonstrated how he sits causing sand to form in that specific area. Like the rest of his tribe, I’m not buying it. If it smells like poop, looks like poop, it is poop!

Back to Tarzan tossing his poopy pants onto Chelsea’s clean pants. Chelsea was mortified. Just like ANY person would have been. Tarzan, insulted, gave her a quick lecture in microbiology. (Ever have that annoying friend that loves to explain away their behavior with long patronizing explanations? If not, I have someone I want to introduce you to.) Tarzan continued to explain how microbes die in boiling water. This is somehow suppose to make Chelsea feel better about her clothes soaking in water with Tarzan’s poop. Lets pause here. I highly doubt she was worried about MICROBES. She was worried about the stench!

Tarzan and his engaging personality also had an episode long run in with the nicest guy on the entire season, Jonas. Jonas is such a sweet guy that everyone (besides Tarzan) on his tribe went on and on about how much they liked him and how nice he was. (Of course they then voted him out.) Tarzan, just like he informed Christina the week before, very clearly (What am I saying, nothing Tarzan says is clear.) let him know how much he disliked him.

My final thought about Tarzan is that I wouldn’t take him with me to the end. Unlike Philip Shepard, who was blindly loyal to Boston Rob, Tarzan is an emotional basketcase. He is such a crazy x-factor I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near him during the final tribal council. Get him out now before he does something irrational again and thwarts your entire game.

Not much else happened during the episode. This is going to start a string of fairly predictable episodes that producers will try to convince us otherwise by their “next week on Survivor” promos. The next four weeks will be Leif, Christina, Tarzan and Alicia voted out in no particular order.

The highlights will be comments like Jeff Probst’s, “Leif looks like a turtle birthing out of the sand.” Once those four are voted out, it should get interesting.

By the way, what happened to Troyzan’s face?

Survivor Recap: Episode Six Strikes Again

Fight Pastor — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 05:14:43 +0000

I am a bit jet lagged after a flying to Houston to speak at my buddy’s church and then immediately flying back so I am going to hit the high points on this Survivor Recap. I really only have two things to comment on and this is a warning that this my seem like a Tarzanesque incoherent ramble.

Yes, like the rest of America I am glad Colton is gone. He was such a despicable person that I actually think it was a shame he got medi vacced out. Not because I felt bad he was injured but because if any Survivor contestant deserved to be unmercifully voted out it was Colton. I have heard many people say it is karma. In fact, Jonas, a member of his own alliance stated that. I don’t believe in karma but I did find it ironic!

Colton began the episode continuing his disgusting antics. He is like a virus and had infected Alicia. Both he and Alicia tormented Christina. It was difficult to watch how badly they were bullying her. They ridiculed her at camp. Colton screamed at her during the reward challenge. (Did anyone else notice how bad he performed at the challenge? Or how about how bad Alicia performed? She was so pathetic that even Jeff Probst said so! The first hint of irony.) Colton’s tormenting of Christina reached a peak with his, “You can get voted off, quit, or fall into the fire and get medi vacced, I don’t care.” Than the ironic happened….

Or the curse of episode six struck. Did you know that Mike Skupin fell into the fire during episode six? That Russell Swan passed out during episode six? Or that Jonathan Penner almost lost his leg on episode six? If you ever compete on Survivor, just pray like crazy that you make it to the seventh episode. Colton’s stomach ache makes him the 4th contestant to bow out because of the dreaded curse of episode six.

In case you haven’t heard, Colton didn’t have an appendicitis as Tarzan diagnosed. He actually had a bacterial infection in the lining of his stomach and his intestines. (Also ironic that Colton, the infection, would have an infection.)

So good riddance Colton. I am glad you are OK but happy I won’t have to hear from you again until the finale. Of course, it is inevitable that you will be back on another season of Survivor.

While Colton leaving was definitely a bonus, the highlight of the episode was all about my new favorite Survivor contestant Kat. First, I can’t believe that CBS wanted us to vote on whether Colton, Alicia, or Christina was the Survivor of the week! Colton did nothing but make America dislike him more. Alicia didn’t do anything other than make herself a close second to Colton as the most despised player in Survivor history. And Christina, I felt bad that she was belittled so badly, but what did she do?

Kat should have won Survivor of the week! I know she isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed but she is so amusing! Kat’s episode highlights:

She has a nightmare that she was at the mall shopping and Alicia tried to kill her. When I have a bad dream like that I blame it on what I ate for dinner the night before. Kat wondered if it was a sign. To Kat’s credit, Alicia has threatened to hit people. Kat hadn’t yet had the luxury of seeing how weakly Alicia throws because the reward challenge hadn’t happened yet.

Kat knocked out two of the targets during the reward challenge. Studly Mike didn’t hit any. Amazing to think Kat was called one of the weakest on her tribe after the very first episode due to her performance in challenges.

Kat then enjoys the fruits of her labor by gorging herself with ice cream. As the episode panned away from the Survivors enjoying their reward Kat belches leading us into a commercial break. Classy.

Finally, my favorite Kat moment and the high point of the entire season for me. Both tribes are at tribal council while Jeff explains that Colton had to be removed from the game. The look of confusion on Kat’s face when Jeff says they think it might be his appendix. Her expression was similar to my wife’s every time I tell her I found a mouse in the garage. Leif than shares that he too had a problem with his appendix and had to have it removed. Kat looks at Leif with utter fear in her eyes. She then jerks her head in the other direction as Kim shares that she, too, has had an appendicitis and has had her appendix removed.

Alicia tells Sabrina that Colton kept the hidden immunity idol. Jeff Probst, in typical Probst fashion, plays it up as possibly a ploy to trick the other tribe. The tribes banter back and forth over whether the idol is still around or not. Jeff stops and asks Kat if she is worried about the possibility of the hidden idol.

Kat says NO! She is worried about possibly getting “this appendix thing.”

Fortunately, like Leif and Kim, I no longer have my appendix so I don’t have to worry about the appendix thing.

My question is: Should Kat worry more about her appendix rupturing or Alicia killing her?

15 Week Update: Post Ream and Run Surgery

Fight Pastor — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:38:31 +0000

Most of my updates have been fairly positive. I haven’t really had any discouraging weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I am still very encouraged but the last week has been rough. I think I could sum it up in one word…..OUCH!

It has been 15 weeks since I had my shoulder replaced. I am now back to life as normal. I am pastoring my church full time again, I am shuttling my kids around to all their various activities, I am basically back to my normal routine. My natural life busyness has affected my ability to consistently do all my range of motion exercises, strength exercises, cardio and physical therapy. To be fair, I probably get two or three sets of stretches in a day. Overall I still spend about 1 to 2 hours a day on rehab.

My range of motion is good. My strength is, slowly, but steadily improving. But my shoulder has started hurting again this week. Really it has been the last two weeks but in particular this week. The shoulder aches. I also have this weird pain in my bicep. It started a month and a half ago. I figured it was from lack of use and would go away once my strength started returning. Unfortunately it is still there. I am not sure what that is about. I asked the doctors and no one knows for sure. It is interesting. I am choosing to not worry about it.

The shoulder pain isn’t unmanageable. It hovers around a 5. Some days it actually hurts about where it did a couple weeks after surgery. My best guess is because I am back to using my arm fully again and the new shoulder is adjusting. I am very hopeful this is only a minor setback. In fact, as I write this, it is actually doing OK.

Most of my blogs have been very positive and I thought I would be very transparent. I didn’t have a very fun week. My shoulder HURTS! OUCH!

It could be because the weather in Seattle has been horribly cold. When my shoulder was arthritic, the cold always aggravated it.

This week I am traveling to Houston to speak at a friends church. I am not planning to bring any pain medication with me. I will be sure to update you on my travels. I am prepared to get frisked by airport security when the x-ray machine goes off. I am prepared to have my should ache as I haul my luggage around the airport.

I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

Until next week.

Survivor Recap: Nominal Aphasia

Fight Pastor — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 05:07:40 +0000

Last weeks episode of Survivor was the first time I was mad watching since Russell Hantz got robbed in the Samoa Finale. Colton’s childish, racist, elitist behavior so annoyed me I considered boycotting the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, I am a Survivor addict and couldn’t resist watching this week.

As expected a tribal mix up happened. The tribes ended up being the young, good looking, athletic people versus the misfits. The misfits got destroyed in both the reward and the immunity challenge. It wasn’t even close nor will it be until the merge. Kudos to Mike from the Seattle area. It wasn’t looking good for him prior to this switch but he had a physically dominating episode. The beautiful people tribe should decimate the misfits. Normally, that would be a bad thing for anyone on the misfit tribe. I don’t see it playing out that way though.

As much as I dislike Colton he played a strategically great game this week. On the weaker tribe, he convinced the girls he was with them and the guys he was with them. He not only convinced both sides he was with them but, also, controlled what both sides were doing. I hate to say it but he is set up pretty well. Getting Monica voted off, while hurting his tribe, helps him in the long run. After the merge, he can claim to the guys on the other tribe that he orchestrated it for them. If he decides to flip to the girls, post-merge, they will still take him. Oh, and he still has a hidden immunity idol. It irritates me but I see a clear path to the final three for Colton. He will likely make it to the end but will lose.

I picked Troyzan to win the season and I am sticking with my pick though I am beginning to think Kim is looking really strong. She is in a strong position with the girls. She is in a strong position with her new tribe. She has a two-some alliance with Chelsea. (Chelsea will do whatever she says.) She has an immunity idol that only Chelsea knows about. If somehow she can keep that idol a secret from everyone else she will cruise to the end.

So my episode five final three are Troyzan, Colton, and Kim with Troyzan taking it. (Only because I picked him already.) I am actually leaning towards Kim, Chelsea, and Colton with Kim winning the million dollars.

Let me know what you think!

I can’t end my episode rambling with a mention of this seasons eccentric genius, Tarzan. Tarzan is obviously a brilliant person. He is a surgeon. He has the most expansive vocabulary in Survivor history. His vocabulary is so complex that it actually caused Jeff Probst to declare, “Awesome!” But any grown man who wants to be called Tarzan is a few bricks short of a full load.

My Tarzan highlight for the week was him announcing he has nominal aphasia. Though he is brilliant he can’t remember someone’s name he met 3o minutes ago. He has spent over a dozen days with Jonas and doesn’t know his name. Colton reminded him 100 times to vote for Monica, yet looking at Monica he couldn’t remember her name. This affliction, as explained by Tarzan, is because he has nominal aphasia.

I have decided that from now on, whenever I can’t remember someone’s name, I am going to use his same excuse.

Survivor Recap: I Don’t Like Colton

Fight Pastor — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:44:52 +0000

I have watched Survivor religiously ever since Rodger Bingham conquered his fear of heights and cliff dived into the river during Survivor Australia. I am one of the few people who remember Brian Heidik for winning Survivor and not for his other escapades. I still remember Boston Rob’s first season and wondering why he was even invited to the first All-Star Season. I have seen EVERY episode of Survivor at least twice. This probably qualifies me for some sort of support group. I have applied to be on Survivor four times. So it goes without saying that I am a super fan. I know this is sad but at least I am honest.

All that to say, I have NEVER disliked a contestant more than I do Colton. At this weeks final tribal council Tarzan tried to defend Colton. He even claimed that Colton is being painted in a bad light. Jeff Probst almost asked point blank what most of America was wondering, “Who has painted Colton in a worse light than Colton?” We are only four episodes (or 9 days) into the season and Colton has already called Bill “ghetto trash” and Leif “munchkin” and “oompa loompa.”

Without boring you with a detailed recap of what happened during this episode, the men’s tribe made the single worst decision a tribe has ever made. Survivor fanatics rail on a tribe that throws a challenge. Winning immunity and then giving it away to your enemy tribe is just STUPID!

I can’t believe that all 8 men on the tribe agreed to this horrible decision. How could Bill agree? Did he actually think agreeing was going to save him? I literally watched the final 15 minutes of this episode with my jaw on the ground. You have to ask, is this men’s tribe the worst conglomeration of Survivor contestants ever? How could they of let this happen?

Then I pause and realize….Colton. Now that Matt is gone, he is the alpha male. He is in absolute control. He is a tyrannical dictator. The last season of Survivor we watched Boston Rob dominate from beginning to end. He was at least a benevolent dictator. Tom Westmann dominated his season, he was a humble dictator. Even Russell Hantz showed loyalty to some people.

Never in the history of Survivor has an immunity idol wielded more power than it is this season. Colton’s idol has literally paralyzed the rest of his tribe into submission. I think that is the most shocking part of this episode. Colton bared all of his true colors at tribal council. His interaction with, a very classy, Bill was horrible. He made it clear his intentions. He made it clear his twisted world view. He made it clear he is immature. He made it clear he will lash out at anyone who crosses him.

The fact that no one on his tribe stood up and put him in his place is amazing. As I am sure most of America did, I sat there shocked as no one even voted for him. I was amazed.

If you watched this episode I am sure you agree. Colton hate has blown up on Twitter and Facebook. I am sure by tomorrow dozens of blogs will be written echoing the same sentiments as this one.

My irrational rant is over. I apologize for how erratic this was.

Since I got all that off my chest, here is another view….

I had an idea awhile ago. I was imagining if I was on Survivor what type of strategy I would implement. Reflecting on the last Redemption Island season and Philip making it to the end I began to wonder. What would have happened if Philip would have announced at the final tribal council that he was just acting. That in reality he is a very sane person but was pretending to be crazy because he knew everyone would bring him to the end. That is the goal, make it to the end and give yourself a shot to win. What if this had been confirmed throughout the season in his confessionals. Philip would have gone from being one of the craziest contestants ever to one of the most brilliant. The entire audience would have been in on the facade. We would have been cheering for him. I actually think he would have won had that actually been his strategy.

I have always wondered if I was on Survivor if I could pull off the pretend to be crazy strategy. Announce I was playing everyone at the end. Win the respect of the jury and pull out a million dollar victory. I quickly concluded (and was reminded by my wife) that I am a horrible liar. I couldn’t keep up the charade longer than a couple episodes. I would then be exposed, voted off immediately, and have to live the rest of my life in shame.

But what if…..this is Colton’s ploy. Play the tyrannical dictator. Play the worst villain in Survivor history. Convince your fellow contestants to take you to the end. Then at the Final Tribal Council announce in reality you aren’t really an evil gay republican who grew up with wealth and an African American housekeeper, but, in actuality, you are a sweet married father of two who makes a living working as a social worker in the inner city.

Anything is possible. Lets be honest, any thing less than this type of revelation and Colton ends this season as the most hated contestant in Survivor history.

Move over Russell there is a new devil in town.

14 Week Update: Post Ream and Run Surgery

Fight Pastor — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:16:57 +0000

It seems like just yesterday I was about to have a panic attack because I knew I was about to have my shoulder replaced. I can’t believe that that was 3 1/2 months ago. I am so happy I decided to have the surgery when I did, now I get to look forward to the summer knowing that the majority of my rehabilitation will be behind me.

For any normal surgery, 3 1/2 later you would be near full recovery. With the ream and run surgery you expect a 12 month rehabilitation, so I am now 25% into it. Though I have the majority of the rehab still to go, the most challenging part is behind me. Needless to say, I am pretty encouraged.

A couple quick updates…

I had my 3 month appointment with Dr. Matsen and he was very encouraged by my range of motion and my strength. He took another set of xrays which confirmed that everything is healing just like it is suppose to. Xrays are below.

If you follow these blogs you are probably thinking, “those look exactly like all the previous xrays.” If you thought that, you would be right. That is what is so encouraging. When you have spent years getting xrays and every time your shoulder arthritis kept getting worse, seeing everything stay the same is a miracle.

My pain level is very manageable now. I would say it is about at a 3 or 4 on the pain scale. I take a couple Aleve a day to help with the pain and a 1/2 of one oxycodone on the days I do strength exercises.

I am able to sleep with no problem now. I sleep on my back with no pain and on my side with minimal pain. I have talked to several people, that have had my same surgery ,who 6 months after surgery are still having trouble sleeping on their side. Fortunately, that isn’t the case for me.

My up and down range of motion is great. My side to side motion is improving weekly. It is just a slow process increasing your strength, range of motion, and working through the pain. Every week is a slight improvement.

My twin boys finished their season of basketball with a fathers versus sons game. I wasn’t even going to try but it meant a lot to them, so I gave it a shot. I am proud to say, that I successfully played basketball. I was paying for it afterwards but it was fun to do something I love doing. One of my sons, Judah, said it was the most fun he has ever had. I will take a little bit of pain to thrill my boys. By the way, I won the “bump” competition. I even hit a few three pointers. (Again, I am paying for it now.)

Overall, I give my 3 1/2 month evaluation two thumbs up!

UFC 144 Predictions

Fight Pastor — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:09:50 +0000

I have been looking forward to this fight card for a couple months. It is absolutely stacked from top to bottom. 7 fights are featured on the Pay-Per-View! Well worth the buy this week.

Here are my predictions for tomorrows fights. I think we might have a new lightweight champion by Sunday morning.

Tiequan Zhang by decision over Issei Tamura

Chris Cariaso by decision over Takeya Mizugaki

Riki Fukuda by decision over Steve Cantwell

Kid Yamamoto by decision over Vaughan Lee

Takanori Gomi by 2nd round KO over Eiji Mitsuoka

Joe Lauzon by decision over Anthony Pettis

Bart Palaszewski by 2nd round KO over Hatsu Hioki

Yushin Okami by decision over Tim Boetsch

Jake Shields by 2nd round submission over Yoshihiro Akiyama

Cheick Kongo by 1st round KO over Mark Hunt

Rampage Jackson by decision over Ryan Bader

And the new lightweight champion upsets Frank Edgar with a 5 round decision.

So what do you think?