Tag: movies

NFL Week 6 Recap: Panthers’ Rico Dowdle Dominates Cowboys, Flacco Debuts for Bengals, Chiefs Beat Lions

We dive into Rico Dowdle’s historic “buckle up” performance against his old team, a 40-year-old quarterback’s unlikely new chapter in Cincinnati, and the salty ending to a hard-fought game in Kansas City.

What happens when a player tells his old team to “buckle up” and then delivers a historic, record-setting performance against them? That’s the story of Carolina’s Rico Dowdle, and it’s just the start of the news from NFL Week 6. We’re breaking down Dowdle’s incredible revenge game against the Cowboys, Joe Flacco’s surprisingly solid debut in Cincinnati, and the post-game saltiness that boiled over between the Chiefs and Lions. Plus, are the Colts for real? It’s a packed episode—let’s get into it.

Press play to listen to our full NFL Week 6 breakdown.

In this episode, we’ll go over the most important wins and losses for NFL Week 6. We’ll pick out what we thought was the big news, get a Colts corner update from Anne, rank our top teams, and peek ahead to next week. 

Everything is a win when the goal is the experience.

saw this on Global Mind Apparel account on TikTok

My application of the thought of the day:

  • It’s the rebounding for my girls that is the highlight; it’s the laugh on the raft when we’re bored on the French Broad River; it’s knowing that confronting issues and puzzling through problems as a coach is one of the biggest parts of the job. 

NFL Week 6 What Happened? 

  1. The Chiefs at home beat the Lions 30-17. 
  • Lions go to 4-2. 
  • Chiefs go to 3-3 and are one game out of first place in their division behind the Chargers and the Broncos. 
  • Lions quarterback Goff caught a touchdown pass. Bobbled it, ran into a receiver, but held on. TD was taken away because Goff didn’t pause to become a running back before going in motion. 
  • Kelce 6 catches for 78 yards. 
  • Quarterback Mahomes leads the Chiefs in rushing with 222 yards. 
  • Scuffle after the game. 
  1. The Giants upset the Eagles 34-17 on Thursday night 34-17. 
  • The Eagles are still holding on to first but the NFC East is tight. 
  • Giants Coach Daboll got in some trouble when he went into the concussion tent and then was seen yelling at the team doctor. 
  1. The Buccaneers won at home over the 49ers. 
  • Buccaneers go to 5-1. They are one of five teams in the NFL with only 1 loss. 
  • 49ers go to 4-2 and are tied with the Seahawks and the Rams as teams in the NFC West with only three losses. 
  1. The Seahawks (4-2) beat the Jaguars (4-2) 20-12. 
  • The Jaguars take a step back and fall to second behind the Colts in the AFC South. 

Torg Headlines: 

  1. Who is this running back Rico Dowdle for the Panthers? 
  • Panthers were playing the Cowboys and the Cowboys chose not to re-sign Dowdle last year. Dowdle had said before the game the Cowboys better “Buckle Up.” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the Cowboys were shaking so bad with fear he couldn’t get them to show up to the field. 
  • He had 239 yards from scrimmage (that’s rushing and receiving) and became the 7th player in NFL history to have back to back games with at least 230 yards from scrimmage in each game. 
  • Born in Gaffney, South Carolina! Went to AC Reynolds in Asheville! Played for the South Carolina Gamecocks. 
  • Undrafted and this is his 6th year in NFL. 
  • The Panthers beat the Cowboys 30-27 and are now 3-3 and in second place behind the Buccaneers. 
  1. How would Joe Flacco do? 
  • Browns go 1-4 with Flacco starting and move him to the Bench for Dillon Gabriel. Flacco is 40 years old and won a Super Bowl with the Ravens. 
  • Five days to get ready for the game. 
  • He went 29-45 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. The second half was especially good, 21-30 for 179 yards. 
  • The Bengals lost the game to the Packers in Green Bay 27-18. The Bengals are still in second place, 2-4 and two games back of the Steelers, in their division. 
  • Per Jay Morrison of Sports Illustrated: Flacco has thrown TD passes to 66 different players. That’s 5th all time behind Drew Brees in first with 73 then comes Russell Wilson with 71, Testaverde with 70, and Brady with 67. 
  1. Are the Patriots going to be good now? 
  • They are 4-2 one game back in the win column from the Bills and they beat the Bills in Buffalo. They beat the Saints 25-19 in week 6. 
  • Second year quarterback Drake Maye threw for 261 yards with three TDs and no interceptions. 
  1. How would the Colts do as heavy favorites? 
  2. Will the Steelers keep winning? 
  • Beat the Browns 23-9 and are 4-1 leading their division. 
  • Quarterback Aaron Rogers 10 TDs and 3 interceptions. 
  • Steelers defense 20 sacks and +7 on forcing turnovers. 
  1. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield’s first win over Niners 30-19. 
  • Bucs: first game they didn’t trail with a minute to go in the game. 
  • Niners: Prior to today’s game, all of the 49ers’ contests had been remarkably close. Their season included a 17-13 win against the Seattle Seahawks, a 26-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints, a narrow 16-15 win against the Arizona Cardinals, a 26-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and a 26-23 overtime win against the Los Angeles Rams.

Teams that go for it on 4th Down: 

  1. Chiefs have converted on 9 of their 10 fourth down conversions. 
  2. The Browns have gone for it the most converting on 10-16 attempts for 62%. 
  3. Lions have gone for it 9th most with 9 attempts. They’ve converted 7-9 for 77% and that puts them 6th in conversion percentage. 
  4. The average team in the NFL goes for it about 15 times more a season than they did 10 years ago. 

Torg’sTop Ten NFL Teams as of Week 6: 

  1. Bills 4-1 with potentially the best quarterback in the league. Right there with Mahomes. 
  • Beat the Ravens 41-40 in the opener when the Ravens were at full strength. 15 point comeback. 
  • Through the first three games of the season, the Bills became the first team in NFL history to score over 100 points, commit zero turnovers, have fewer than 15 penalties, average over 150 rushing yards, and average over 250 passing yards in any three-game stretch.
  1. Colts 5-1. 
  • The Colts rank third in the league in total offense, averaging 376.8 yards per game.
  1. Buccaneers are 5-1. 
  • 49ers a quality win and signals team is for real. 
  1. Eagles 4-2 and I don’t think the Chiefs could stop their run game. 
  • Beat the Chiefs on the road 20-17. 
  • The Eagles are the number one red zone offense in the NFL, scoring a touchdown on 87.5% of their drives inside the 20-yard line.
  1. Chiefs 3-3 and getting healthy. 
  • Win over the Lions is impressive! I had the Lions as the NFL’s best team last week. 
  • Chiefs lead the league in 4th down conversions. 
  1. Lions 4-2. 
  • The Lions are tied for 3rd in the entire NFL with a +6 turnover differential.
  1. Packers 3-1-1
  •  Beat the Lions in the first game 27-13. 
  • The Packers’ offense is currently ranked #1 in the NFL in third-down conversion percentage at 52.3%.
  1. 49ers 4-2. 
  • Won at the Rams 26-23. 
  • The 49ers currently have the top-ranked passing offense in the NFL, averaging 306.3 yards per game just ahead of the Rams and the Cowboys. 
  1. Steelers 4-1. 
  • Tied for league lead with +7 turnover margin and Rogers is playing super competent and clutch football. 
  • Steelers are second in sacks behind the Broncos. 
  1. Patriots 4-2. 
  • They beat the Bills in Buffalo and I have the Bills as my best team. 
  • Quarterback Maye is playing well with 10 TDs and 2 interceptions. 

Thought about including them in the top 10:  them: 

  • Rams, Jags, Broncos, Seahawks 

Worst Teams:

  1. Jets are the worst with a record of 0-6 but a chance to get a win over the 3-3 Panthers. 
  2. Titans are the second worst at 1-5. Lost 20-10 to the Raiders who have looked bad. They play the Texans on 11/16. 
  3. Saints or Dolphins here? I’ll go with the Saints as edging out the Dolphins for worst team. I like the Saints 25-19 loss to the Pats and the win over the Giants is looking better, BUT the Dolphins played the Pats and Bills tough and have lost three games by 6 or less points. 

NFL Week 7 Games I’m Looking At: 

  1. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati on Thursday with two 40 year old or older quarterbacks. 
  2. Carolina at the Jets. Can Carolina get to a winning record or will the Jets win their first game? 
  3. Indy at Chargers. Anne has another chance to see her team at 4:05 pm. 
  4. Monday night October 20th. Whew, another tough one for Detroit! Tampa Bay at Detroit. 

Torg’s Week 6 Bets Results: 

  1. Jags moneyline over Seahawks with Lawrence 175+ passing yards +118. Loss because Jags lost 20-12. 0-1. 
  2. Pats winning by over 3.5 over Saints with Maye 175+ passing yards +120. Win Pats win 25-19 and Maye 261 passing yards. 1-1. 
  3. Colts by 8 or more over Cards +124. Loss Colts win 31-27 but don’t cover. 1-2. 
  4. Panthers moneyline over Cowboys +102 and Panthers win 30-27. 2-2. 
  5. Niners moneyline over Bucs boosted to +193. Bucs win 30-19. Loss 2-3. 
  6. Bengals within 14.5 with Flacco over 175 yards +104. Bengals cover 27-18 and Flacco throws for 219 yards. 3-3. 
  7. Chiefs moneyline over Lions with Mahomes 225+ passing yards and at least 2 TDs at +194. Chiefs win 30-17, Mahomes 257 yards, and 3 TDs. 4-3 on the week so far. 

Video Podcast:

Thanks for listening to the Torg Stories Podcast! 

NFL Week 4 and the WNBA Playoffs: Colts Fumble, Chiefs Statement Win and the Indiana Fever are One Win Away From the WNBA Finals

This week on TORG Stories: We break down the biggest NFL headlines, from the Chiefs getting back on track to the Ravens’ recent struggles and the Bears’ dominant defensive play. Plus, a deep dive into the WNBA playoffs with the Fever forcing a Game 5 and Boston’s historic night.

click player above to listen to episode

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast! We’re recording on Sept 29, 2025. This episode is titled, “NFL Week 4 and WNBA Playoffs: Colts Fumble, Chiefs Statement Win, & the Indiana Fever are One Win Away From the WNBA Finals.” 

Bill Torg’s NFL Headlines from Sunday, Sept 28, 2025:  

The Ravens are in Trouble and the Chiefs are Righting the Ship: 

  1. Ravens lose 37-20 to the Chiefs. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has injured his hamstring. 5 starters went out with injuries. The Chiefs quarterback Mahomes had 4 TDs and no interceptions. 
  2. Giants upset the Chargers 21-18 and got their first win. Jaxson Dart got his first start at quarterback. He rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown. 
  3. Eagles won the battle of the unbeatens by defeating the Buccaneers 31-25.  Baker Mayfield finally was unable to deliver a game tying or winning score in the last minute. 
  4. Bears Block Party: We get another game decided by a blocked kick as Bears beat the Raiders. 
  5. Steelers go to 3-1 with a 24-21 win over the Vikings in Dublin. The Steelers almost gave it away. Weird not go for it on 4th and inches with less than two minutes to go. Rogers went 18-22 with a TD and no interceptions. Carson Wentz quarterbacked for the Vikings and went for 350 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs. 

Colts Corner: Week 4 Recap & The Road Ahead

1. The Big Picture: 

  • Unbeaten Streak Snapped: Colts Fall to Rams 27-20 After Avalanche of Mistakes
  • Current Record: 3-1 (Still a great start, and still tied for 1st in the AFC South)
  • The Vibe: The Colts proved they can hang with an NFC contender like the Rams, but they ultimately beat themselves with a flurry of critical, self-inflicted errors.

2. The Heartbreak Moments (The Unforced Errors)

  • The Unfathomable Fumble: Rookie WR Adonai Mitchell caught a deep ball and was on his way to a 76-yard go-ahead touchdown, but he inexplicably dropped the ball just before crossing the goal line, resulting in a touchback and a massive 7-point swing. (This is the most critical talking point.)
  • The Costly Penalty: A Jonathan Taylor 53-yard touchdown run, which would have put the Colts back in the lead late in the 4th quarter, was nullified by a holding penalty (also on Mitchell).
  • Turnovers: QB Daniel Jones threw his first two interceptions of the season, coming on the team’s first and final drives. Overall, the Colts committed 3 turnovers and were flagged for 11 penalties.

3. Offensive Standouts (Who Played Well)

  • Jonathan Taylor (RB): Continues to be productive, rushing for 76 yards (on 17 carries). Mention the momentum-changing 53-yard run that was called back.
  • Pace Setter: The Colts’ offense found success in the second and third quarters, using play-action and the run game to briefly take the lead in the fourth quarter.
  • Daniel Jones (QB): Despite the turnovers, he was efficient, passing for 262 yards and leading two fourth-quarter scoring drives (a TD to Pittman Jr. and a field goal).
  • Tyler Warren (TE/FB): Scored his first NFL touchdown on a 2-yard rush.

4. Defensive & Special Teams Notes

  • Defensive Effort: They held a potent Rams offense to 3 points in the third quarter and forced two key turnovers (Kam Curl’s two interceptions).
  • Special Teams Boost: Anthony Gould had a good kickoff return of 38 yards, helping set up an early field goal.

5. The Road Ahead (Upcoming Schedule)

  • Next Game: Sunday, October 5th vs. the Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Here are some of the biggest shifts in the NFL standings:

AFC Standings Shifts

  • AFC West Race Tightens: The Kansas City Chiefs moved to 2-2 after dominating the Ravens, while the previously undefeated Los Angeles Chargers suffered their first loss.
    • Detail: The Chargers lost to the Giants (21-18) and are now 3-1, immediately putting the Chiefs back in the division conversation, as the Chiefs’ statement win (37-20 over Baltimore) provided a much-needed morale and point differential boost.
  • AFC North Turmoil: The Pittsburgh Steelers moved into the early division lead at 3-1, while the Baltimore Ravens plummeted.
    • Detail: The Ravens dropped to 1-3 after a blowout loss to the Chiefs (37-20) and are now dealing with multiple injuries, including to QB Lamar Jackson. This has created a significant gap in the division, with the Steelers now holding a strong position.
  • AFC South Shakes Up: The Indianapolis Colts lost their undefeated status, while the Jacksonville Jaguars moved into a tie for the division lead.
    • Detail: The Colts’ first loss (27-20 to the Rams) dropped them to 3-1, while the Jaguars’ upset win over the 49ers (26-21) boosted their record to 3-1, setting up a tight race in the AFC South.

NFC Standings Shifts

  • The Undefeated Club Shrinks Dramatically: The number of remaining undefeated teams was slashed from six to just two.
    • Detail: The Buffalo Bills (4-0) and Philadelphia Eagles (4-0) are the only teams remaining perfect. The Chargers (3-1), Colts (3-1), San Francisco 49ers (3-1), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) all suffered their first loss on Sunday.
  • NFC West Regroup: The Los Angeles Rams delivered a statement victory to keep pace with the rest of the conference, while the San Francisco 49ers took their first loss.
    • Detail: The Rams moved to 3-1 by beating the Colts, while the 49ers lost at home to the Jaguars (26-21), keeping the division standings from getting out of hand early.
  • NFC South Still Contested: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered their first loss, but the other teams in the South remain tightly grouped.
    • Detail: The Buccaneers dropped to 3-1 after losing to the Eagles. However, the rest of the division still trails: the Falcons won (2-2), and the Saints remain winless (0-4).

Five Games to Watch Next Week: 

  1. San Francisco 49ers (3-1) at Los Angeles Rams (3-1)
    • Detail: This NFC West rivalry matchup is a “loser-leaves-town” scenario for the division lead after both teams suffered their first loss in Week 4, immediately turning this Thursday night game into a high-stakes, must-win affair.
  2. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1)
    • Detail: The Chiefs’ offense is trying to prove their Week 4 breakout (37 points vs. Ravens) was real against an elite Jaguars defense that leads the NFL in forced turnovers (12) and just gave the 49ers their first loss.
  3. New England Patriots (2-2) at Buffalo Bills (4-0)
    • Detail: It’s the only matchup featuring a currently undefeated team (Bills) and a Patriots team under Mike Vrabel that just posted a statement win (42-13 over Carolina) and has explosive special teams highlights to its credit.
  4. Houston Texans (1-3) at Baltimore Ravens (1-3)
    • Detail: A critical AFC Wild Card eliminator, where the Ravens are in panic mode after falling to 1-3 and likely being without QB Lamar Jackson (hamstring), giving C.J. Stroud’s Texans a chance to deliver a crippling blow to Baltimore’s season.
  5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) at Seattle Seahawks (3-1)
    • Detail: This is a crucial interconference battle between two NFC teams that suddenly need a win to separate themselves from the 3-1 middle tier of the conference and keep pace in the Wild Card race.

Torg’s novel Love on the Big Screen

Love on the Big Screen novel cover by Bill Torgerson. A man and woman in silhouette stand in a spotlight; the man holds a boombox over his head, referencing classic 80s movie romance. The title is in vibrant pink and blue text.
$2.99 Kindle and $9.99 paperback click here

Love on the Big Screen is about a college freshman basketball player whose understanding of love was shaped by late 80s romantic comedies such as Say Anything, Sixteen Candles, and The Breakfast Club. It’s now available on Amazon for $2.99 as a Kindle book and $9.99 in paperback. Click here to link to Amazon and check out the book. 

Torg Game Ball Awards for Sept 29, 2025

  1. Patrick Mahomes (QB, Kansas City Chiefs)
    • Reason He Deserves the Game Ball: Mahomes put the Chiefs’ offense back on track with a vintage 4-touchdown, 0-interception performance (124.8 passer rating) in a must-win game that sent a decisive message to the rest of the AFC.
  2. Marcus Jones (CB/PR, New England Patriots)
    • Reason He Deserves the Game Ball: Jones single-handedly flipped the momentum and kick-started the Patriots’ dominant victory with an 87-yard punt return touchdown and a 61-yard return, providing a historic outburst of special teams scoring.
  3. Puka Nacua (WR, Los Angeles Rams)
    • Reason He Deserves the Game Ball: Nacua was utterly uncoverable, posting a career-high 13 receptions for 170 yards and the game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter to set up the Rams’ comeback victory over the Colts
  4. Lexie Hull of the Indiana Fever: Bad shooting game in their win over the Aces but had 4 steals and 7 rebounds in a gritty and hustling performance. She drew the most offensive fouls in the WNBA this season. 
  5. Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever: 24 points, 14 rebs, and 5 assists. 

Anne, did you choose some more NFL Categories to share?

  1. I learned…
  • You still lose a timeout on your second challenge if you win it. The Aces staff somehow lost count of their timeouts. 
  1. Statistical pick ups from the broadcast: 
  • Steph White 4-0 in the red leather jacket. 
  • Fever has had 18 players appear in games this year. 

Ravens, Browns, Panthers, Giants, and Texans are 1-3. 

Where are we at with the WNBA Playoffs?

  1. The First Finals Spot Has Been Clinched.
    • The Phoenix Mercury defeated the Minnesota Lynx (the No. 1 seed) 3-1 to advance to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2021.
    • Individual Highlight: Alyssa Thomas delivered a near triple-double in the clinching Game 4 with 23 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds, while DeWanna Bonner hit two crucial three-pointers in the final minutes to seal the comeback win.
  2. The Indiana Fever Have Forced a Decisive Game 5.
    • The Fever beat the Las Vegas Aces 90-83 in Game 4 to tie the best-of-five series at 2-2, setting up a winner-take-all Game 5 on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
    • Individual Highlight: Aliyah Boston had a career playoff performance with 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists, becoming just the second player in Fever franchise history (alongside Tamika Catchings) to record a 20/10/5 game in the postseason.
  3. The #1 Seed Lynx Faced Unprecedented Playoff Chaos.
    • The Minnesota Lynx were eliminated in Game 4 while missing both their star player, Napheesa Collier (ankle injury suffered in Game 3), and Head Coach Cheryl Reeve, who was suspended by the league.
    • Discussion Questions on the Reeve Suspension:
      • The Right Call? Was the WNBA justified in issuing a one-game suspension for Reeve’s on-court confrontation and comments, or was the punishment too severe given the high stakes and her stated concern over player safety (Collier’s injury)?
      • The Real Problem: Reeve publicly called for a “change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating.” Do you agree that officiating inconsistency is the WNBA’s biggest structural problem right now, especially as the league continues its rapid growth?
      • The Precedent: This is believed to be the first time a coach has been suspended for a WNBA playoff game. Does this harsh penalty set the right standard for coach conduct, or will it simply discourage coaches from speaking out about league issues?

Torg Weekend Betting Results:

  1. Steelers moneyline over Vikings +124. Steelers hang on to win 24-21. WIN 1-0. 
  2. Chargers over Giants in my survivor pool. LOSS. 1-1. 
  3. Chargers live moneyline vs. Giants +104. LOSS 1-2. 
  4. Josh Allen for the Bills under 220.5 passing yards vs Saints. Just thought they’d run it a lot and blow them out. Allen 209 yards. WIN. 2-2. 
  5. Eagles moneyline with Hurts anytime touchdown scorer +146. No Hurts TD. LOSS. 2-3. 
  6. Panthers moneyline over Pats +210. Blown out. 42-13. LOSS 2-4. 
  7. Fever moneyline over Aces +158. Fever force game five! Win! 3-5. 
  8. Colts moneyline boosted 50% over Rams +234. LOSS. 3-6
  9. Ravens -2.5 and Jackson 25 yards rushing. Lamar gets yards but injured. LOSS. 3-7. 
  10. Niners -3.5 live bet with 3-0 lead -106. Loss 3-8. 
  11. Bears moneyline over Raiders +108. Blocked kick to win. WIN. 4-8. 
  12. Mercury moneyline with Thomas to get 10 points and 8 assists +106. WIN 5-8. 
  13. Mercury moneyline when they fell down 10-1 to open the game. +116. WIN 6-8. 
  14. Quarterbacks for Cowboys and Packers to each get a TD pass and 200 yards passing. +164. WIN 7-8. 

Thanks for checking out the Torg Stories Podcast! 

Rom-Communism, Fav Rom Coms, And Doing What You’re Meant to Do

Rom-Communism, Favorite Romantic Comedies, and Doing What You’re Meant to Do on the Torg Stories Podcast

Ted Lasso Season 2, Episode 5 titled “Rainbow” Summary and Discussion Questions:

  • Why is this titled “Rainbow”? Ah, the song She’s a Rainbow by the Rolling Stones.
  • The episode opens with Nate in Richmond entering a restaurant called Taste of Athens trying to make dinner reservations for he and his parents for their 35th wedding anniversary. There’s a joke where I think Nate is trying to tell the hostess that it’s his parents 35th wedding anniversary and that’s the jade anniversary but it also happens to be the hostess’s name and she wants to know how he knows her name.
  • More on the Jade anniversary: Jade is said to represent good luck, fortune, wealth, and wisdom, and gifts made of jade are thought to bring these qualities to the couple.
  • Nate wants the window table but isn’t able to secure it. We start to develop a major plot point of this episode, Nate isn’t able to be assertive.
  • Anne, I don’t think Greek food is your thing? Here’s a list: tzatziki, souvlaki, gyros, baklava, Greek salad, or grilled octopus…
  • Did we already talk about it’s Marcus Mumford who wrote and sang the theme song?
  • Cut to football action! For me, not a football guy, it looks good. The team loses and we go to a locker room film session. We find out Ted believes in Rom-Communism which is the belief that everything will work out in the end.
  • We get a list of a bunch of rom-com stars including Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal, Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore.
  • What’s your definition of a rom-com? I’d say the primary story is about whether a couple will get together and it needs to be above average funny.
  • Ted shows his team film. Here’s what I do:
  • The English word piles is used and I didn’t know what it means. Do you? It means hemorrhoids.
  • Ted makes this joke to describe Issac the captain: He’s a wigwam in a tepee. What’s that, Anne? Too Tense.
  • Keeley catches Regecca giggling as she chats on her BANTR app. The guy quotes Rilke: “Our deepest fears are like dragons guarding our deepest treasures.”
  • Keeley passes out free cappuccino makers. We learn Dani’s mom says he was born caffeinated. Nate doesn’t get one because he is not a player. We start to see what is going to add up to quite a few Nate slights even though I don’t think they would register with us.
  • There’s a joke about a call from Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, owners of Wrexham AFC. I watched and enjoyed that show but then didn’t make it back after the break. That show did give me Deadpool.
  • Higgins ringtone is “She’s a Rainbow” because it’s his and his wife’s song. Previously, Keeley explained your personal brand matters in relationships too. Higgins offers a different take. The best brand is being yourself.
  • Anne, the first brands that come to mind? Apple, Coke, Amazon, Nike
  • Who jumps to mind personal brand? Taylor Swift, Jordan, Trump, Curry, maybe not for someone such as Clark, or waiting for it to develop?
  • Famous people trying to sell me stuff?
  • Nate goes to see Keeley about if she can make him famous. She takes him on as a pupil to be assertive. Anne, are you assertive?
  • Roy is at his kebab place and Ted goes to see him to try and talk him into coaching and to see if he can help Isaac McAdoo.
  • Do you say GIF or JIF? Think it stands for Graphics Interchange Format but maybe the person who coined it wanted it said JIF anyway. AND, do you have a place like Roy’s kebab place? I def don’t have a sanctuary place to eat. I feel like the Boone Tavern could be but I don’t go there much and I think I need more comfortable seating than that.
  • Assertive training continues with Nate the Great, Keeley, and Rebecca who shows a trick she has of making herself big.
  • Isaac plays pick up soccer where Roy grew up for having fun and this seems to work. McAdoodle-doo!
    • I remember doing this at ONU being bummed I didn’t get to play. Anne, any pick up sports for you? My two favorite pick ups: 3v3 at the Uptown YMCA and the lunch game in New Canaan, CT.
  • Nate tries making himself big and cursing at himself but he kind of stumbles into spitting in the mirror to pump him himself up to be assertive. It works and he gets the window table for his parents anniversary. Jade declines to give him her number.

Let’s pause to see if you can tell me where these lines come from. Roy mentions them all:

  1. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want to start the rest of your life as soon as possible. -When Harry Met Sally
  2. I love you. You, complete me. Woman: Shut up. Just shut up. You had me at hello. – from Jerry Maguire
  3. I’m also just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her. -Notting Hill Julia Roberts to Hugh Grant
  4. As You Wish – Princess Bride

Back to the summary and discussion questions:

  1. Back to football action. We get a lot of shots of couples. They pay homage to When Harry Met Sally and get a couple talking about how they first met and what it had to do with the Richmond Football Club.
  2. Rebecca is texting about football in the owner’s box, cut to Ted texting as he walks in the tunnel onto the field.
  3. I have yet to develop Beard’s use of “baby” and I’d like to: Lumberjack world qualifier baby!
  4. Roy gives a speech on Football Sunday saying what I’ve always said about that job. They aren’t in the fight. They just sit around and give short soundbites about games that come and go. Pays well but looks meaningless and boring! Roy says it isn’t what he’s meant to do and he makes a dramatic return to the field to join’s Ted’s coaching staff.
Roy Kent, dressed in black, returns to Richmond and joins the coaching staff
  1. There’s a great shot near the end from behind Roy with the field in front of him.
  2. Anne, if you coached basketball, what would you wear? Do you have opinions about what men and women should wear coaching basketball?

Torg’s Fav Rom Coms:

  1. Notting Hill – Hugh Grant the bookshop owner and Julia Roberts the movie star as the couple with Rhys Ifans the incredibly hilarious roommate to Hugh.
  2. Jerry Maguire – Tom Cruise is a sports agent and Renee Zellweger is the mother of a really cute son and she leaves her job to be Tom’s only employee. (almost not a romantic comedy for me)
  3. The Princess Bride- Cary Elwes is a good guy pirate trying to get together with Robin Wright as Buttercup. Billy Crystal plays Miracle Max and there’s the Fire Swamp with the ROUS’s.
  4. High Fidelity – John Cusack again owns a Chicago record store and it’s one of my favorite books too. As part of the plot, he visits his ex girlfriends to try and see what happened.
  5. Sleepless in Seattle – Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan
  6. Groundhog Day – Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Punxsutawney Phil live the same day over and over.
  7. When Harry Met Sally – Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, can men and women just be friends?
  8. If Lucy Fell – Sarah Jessica Parker and Eric Schaeffer are roommates. Also has Ben Stiller, Elle Macpherson, and Scarlett Johansson as a little girl. Sarah and Eric agree to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge if they don’t get some kind of romantic life going in 30 days.
  9. Pretty Woman
  10. Four Weddings and a Funeral
  11. So I Married an Axe Murder with Mike Myers and Nancy Travis.

Thanks for listening to the podcast!

The Batman Film and The National at the Hollywood Bowl Podcast

This week on the Torg Stories Podcast, Anne and I talk about the film The Batman, our favorite super hero movies, and Anne tells us about walking to the Hollywood Bowl to see the bands War on Drugs and The National.

Click on the audio player above to listen to this week’s podcast.

Torg’s notes for the podcast:

In the spirit of The Riddler being a main character in The Batman movie, we opened with two riddles: 

Riddle 1: 

The less of them you have, the more one is worth: a friend. 

Riddle 2: 

What animal can jump higher than a building? Any animal. Buildings don’t jump. 

The Batman Discussion questions: 

What brought us to watching this The Batman film? 

Do you have favorite super hero movies?

  1. Deadpool 
  2. Ironman I 
  3. V for Vendetta 
  4. The Dark Knight with the Joker, Maggie Glynehal, Joker goes in with the mobsters and proposes he kill Batman. (realize I didn’t see the dark knight rises) 
  5. The Joker
  6. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World 

Rotten Tomatoes summary click here. Lots to discuss even in this…

What’s this Batman movie like? Describe it for someone who has never seen it.

  1. Action crime drama 
  2. Snuff film element that is a lot for me
  3. Darkness, lots of different kinds of media on screen (contact lenses that film, security cameras, through the bat suit, watching screens) 

What’s the premise of the plot? 

  1. The leaders of the city work for the mob, and The Riddler is exposing them and taking them out. Why must he be stopped by batman? Sure, the waitress gets caught up in it, he’s torturing people, and flooding the city is one where he does need to be stopped. 

What are some themes? 

  1. Batman has inspired vengeance. Revenge as a them. Does it eat you up? 
  2. Renewal, is it possible? 

What worked great in this film? Strengths? 

  1. Batman calling the Riddler a freak. Purposeful tension right? How are they so different? Thought provoking to me. Not 100% that was the idea. 
  2. Stylized violence in the spirit of The Matrix and Kill Bill. 
  3. Riddler. His riddles. His costume. His motivation. The cards he leaves. 
  4. Pretty good mystery. Who’s killing the mayor? Can we get the Riddler? 
  5. The mash up of architecture. Gotham Garden. Cobblestone Streets. 
  6. The music. Operatic sometimes and Nirvana sometimes. 
  7. Chase scene in the bat car with Penguin
  8. Drops and drop heads invented for this movie? 
  9. Falcone. The “very sneaky” guy from Mr. Deeds. 
  10. Catwoman as a foil almost love interest. 
  11. The bat car. The flying in the squirrel suit. 

What didn’t work so great in this film? 

  1. Always kind of hard to see what is going on because it’s dark. Dark and rain gets old after 3 hours. 
  2. Pretty hard to hear what is being said.
  3. Batman doesn’t have much personality. Quiet depressed recluse as the star.  
  4. This wasn’t a 3 hour movie that couldn’t afford to lose anything. 

What kind of guy is Batman? 

  1. Inspired by Cobain. Trying to make a difference and not sure he is. Motivated by avenging his parents death by fighting crime. 
  2. Code breaker / crime scene investigator. Smart guy. 

What’s on screen that creates the tone? 

  1. Darkness. Gothic, old English architecture 
  2. Operatic sounding music. 
  3. Video surveillance footage. Camera in the eyes. Flashing lights in a club. Explosions. 

Who directed this? What else have they directed? 

  1. Matt Reeves. Age 58. Cloverfield. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. 

Who is acting in this? What else have they done? 

  1. John Turturro. Mr. Deeds. 
  2. Colin Ferrell: I only know him from The Phone Booth. And now the penguin. 
  3. Paul Dano – Little Miss Sunshine. Did you see the Fablemens? 
  4. Jeffery Wright as James Gordon. The one good detective we know about. 

Who gets the MVP acting performance? 

  1. Paul Dano as The Riddler  John Turturo runner up? 

What are your favorite long movies? (this might be the longest I’ve ever watched) Vulture list click here. 

  1. The Green Mile. 3 hrs 9 mins. MY FAV OF THE LONG ONES
  2. Magnolia. 3 hrs 8 mins. 
  3. Oppenheimer 3 hrs. 
  4. Gone with the Wind. 3 hrs 58 mins. 
  5. Lord of the Rings. Return of the king. 3 hrs 21 min 
  6. Godfather Part II. 3 hrs 22 min. 
  7. Titanic 3 hrs 14 min. 
  8. The Right Stuff 3 hrs 15 (I did watch that)

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!

Fall Guy the Movie Podcast

Happy Father’s Day! My dad Martin loved competing in sports, especially in basketball and as a coach. He was a reader and he was a prolific producer of notes. He was an English teacher and a basketball coach. I am all of those things because he was those things first.

Happy Father’s Day! My dad Martin loved competing in sports, especially in basketball and as a coach. He was a reader and he was a prolific producer of notes. He was an English teacher and a basketball coach. I am all of those things because he was those things first.

We watched The Fall Guy staring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. What’s your summary of this movie without giving away the ending?

  • Fall Guy Colt Seavers tries to make a professional and romantic comeback after breaking his back and his relationship with a successful movie director.

Three adjectives to describe this film:

  • The Fall Guy was funny, suspenseful, heartwarming and I can’t resist a fourth: LONG at 2 hrs and 7 mins.
  • Emily Blunt called it a “joy bomb.”

Who is in it and what did we think of them?

Ryan Gosling

  • Mickey Mouse Club. The Big Short. Barbie. He’s taking off in my little corner of the world.
  • Band, Dead Man’s Bones. Owns Tagine, the restaurant. Anne, you should go for the podcast!
  • From Canada. Married to Eva Mendes.
  • Funny delivery of lines. Good chemistry with Emily. Rocks the “costumes” with attitude.

Emily Blunt.

  • The Adjustment Bureau. The Edge of Tomorrow. Oppenheimer.
  • Married to John Krasinski – Jim Halpert on The Office.
  • Funny Oscars presentation related to Oppenheimer and Barbie.

Hannah Waddingham

  • She was owner of the soccer team in Ted Lasso, Rebecca Welton.

Writer and Director?

  • Director David Leitch also directed Deadpool 2 which I like and Bullet Train which I really, really liked. Leitch was a stunt double.
  • Written by Drew Pearce. Rogue Nation. Incredibly clever in the Ted Lasso spirt I thought. “No offense” to “Some Taken.” Loaded up with allusions such as Notting Hill and then there was your Julia Roberts take from a previous podcast.

My Favorite Scenes:

  1. Ryan crying in the truck listening to Taylor Swift.
  2. When he calls her from the boat while being chased by the bad guys and right before he stages his death. Miami Vice music playing. “None of it ever hurt as much as not being with you.” Figured you didn’t sign up for the thumbs down version of me. Song “I Was Made For Loving You” comes back in a different form. Maybe Yungblood.
  3. Ryan’s drink is drugged and he fights the guys in the club and it reminds me of John Wick or The Matrix.
  4. Against All Odds (Phil Collins) sung by Emily Blunt at karaoke while Ryan is trying to get the phone which has Ryder killing his old stunt man on it.

What’s the best this movie has to offer?

  • Funny: “wake for meals” on the plane. Tom Ryder with Ryder substituting for Cruise.
  • Action. The pageantry of the stunts! Car roll. She sets him on fire 3x. The fight scenes. The long jump at the end. Hanging on to the helicopter. Jumping the boat through fire.
  • Emotionally touching: Emily the director didn’t know he’d be there.
  • Tackling things like the stunt man “thumbs up.”
  • Allusions: Miami Vice jacket, music. The All Too Well Taylor Swift song scene where he’s crying in the truck. Memento allusion with all of the post it notes. Notting Hill a boy in front of a girl…
  • Seeing Australia. Some great shots in around the opera house. Disney has studios in Australia which I didn’t know.
  • I love movies about the movies and novels about writers.
  • I love title cards, the script font all over the screen, and voice over. I think these are things you aren’t supposed to do.
  • There was a karoake scene. Emily Blunt singing.
  • Costumes such as the lead character’s Cowboy outfit. The clothes Gosling wears out to the club.

Music gets its own category:

  • All Too Well by Taylor Swift
  • Lee Majors sang the original theme song that Blake Shelton sings for this. I think it’s at least at the end.
  • I was Made for Lovin’ You by Kiss opens the film and I was already in at that point.
  • All I Do is Win by DJ Khaled with T Pain, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg
  • Thunderstruck by ACDC.
  • I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness.
  • Any Way You Want It by Journey.
  • You Give Love a Bad Name by Bon Jovi

Some lines from the movie we liked:

  • Wrap the message in sexy bacon. Did you just turn Jody into the sexy bacon?
  • Studio is so far up my arse I can taste them.
  • Dirty My Shirley the drugged Shirley Temple Drink

Not Great. (we didn’t love this stuff)

  1. Fight scene at Ryder’s house and the scene where the stunt men fight the bad guys was way too long. The end went on too long wrestling for the box.

Thanks for checking out Torg Stories. We appreciate you!