Tapping Out Of IAC '25

'I'm out of here.'

Those were the words I said on Thursday night, realising I was in a hole in my attempt to catch up with the episodes of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here awaiting me on my cable box.

I managed ONE episode. And that was watched late in midweek.

With only one in the bag, I opened up the app late on Thursday evening and concluded I was not all-in on this year's series. 

I would have fallen behind again on Sunday, and then Thanksgiving Thursday, even if I had managed to drag myself up to date.

It's a shame. It's all on me - the worst TV binger ever.

Going in, my favourite to win was Jack Osbourne. He remains the person I'd like to be crowned King of the Jungle. I feel it's quite a challenge for him to do something like that so close after his father passed away. And to do it in front of millions of eyeballs, on top of that. I refuse to use the word 'brave' but it's in the ballpark.

I hope he does well.

Watching The Bills At Houston In Prime Vision

I have avoided certain parts of the Internet since I woke up today. The reason why is because I am trying something new  - I'm watching Thursday Night Football using the Amazon Prime Vision feature that is available to US viewers. I am now able to catch TNF games in this manner thanks to my subscription to NFL GamePass.

Today's game, or rather last night's one, sees the Buffalo Bills taking on the Houston Texans. I obviously have to root for the Bills here. First because they were Vick's team, second because they're Indianapolis' division rivals and three - I have a bet on the Bills to win the Super Bowl.

And yes, I am wearing the socks with buffalos on them. I always do on days when the Bills play and the Colts don't. 

I know, I know - technically the Bills played yesterday. BUT - it kicked off on Friday for me. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Speaking of the Colts, I tore off my page-a-day calendar just after the game kicked off. Funnily enough, there's a Bills theme to today's trivia question.

The page reads 'on this date in 2021, during the Colts' 41-15 romp at the Bills, who became the first player in franchise history to score five touchdowns in a game?'

'Jonathan Taylor!' was my answer.

And it was right.

Speaking of running backs, James Cook has just scored the first touchdown of the game I am watching. This Prime Vision thing is quite cool because you get to see him run it in and the angle he took to the end zone. 

1:27PM Update: Houston won 23-19. It was an interesting way to watch an interesting game. I know this is after-eventing, but I was thinking about using Houston +6 as one of the plays in the handicapping contests I participate in. My reluctance to bet against the Bills made me go in a different direction.

12 To Go

I am just about to tune into today's episode of Neighbours.

Once it's over, if my calculations are correct, that'll mean there are twelve eps to go.

We've obviously been on the 'the end of Neighbours is neigh' thing before. Maybe it's because of that I am feeling 'whatever?' about the current countdown to closure.

Don't get me wrong - I have enjoyed the additional two years plus we've been given when the Aussie soap opera was brought back from extinction. It's just that, knowing that we've already seen Neighbours' death and resurrection, it makes me subconsciously reluctant to consider it done.

Yet, I know this truly is it. This time.

Weird, right?

Opening A Bag Of Christmas Joy

I had this bag containing some joy yesterday.

Yes, inside was the first Greggs Festive Bake I had for Christmas 2025.

This has often been one of the signs to warn me that Christmas is just around the corner.

I thought I was quite late getting to the Festive Bakes this year. However, I looked back at previous posts from over the years and it would appear I have kept to a similar schedule.

I don't really know how many I'll have this year. I have other Christmas items to try. These include some other offerings from Greggs.

'Off A Bye On Monday Night' 2025 Review

Something I pointed out in my book, Taylor's Pro Football Gambling Annual 2025, had its last eligible play for the year last night. It's now time to see how the betting angle panned out.

As you'll see, in the exert below, I singled out six NFL teams that were scheduled to return from their respective bye weeks and play on Monday Night Football. I reasoned that handicappers would consider backing them because the teams would have an advantage of a week and a day of rest and preparation contrasted with their opposition.

Of those six highlighted teams, five won and covered their spreads.

In week six, Atlanta (+4) and Chicago (+5.5) beat Buffalo 24-14 and Washington 25-24 respectively. Arizona, as +3 road dogs against Dallas in week nine, won 27-17. 

Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles had a 10-7 result, as one-point favourites, against the Green Bay Packers.

The betting angle was capped off by the Dallas Cowboys' 33-16 victory in Las Vegas against the Raiders. The visitors closed as -3.5 favourites.

Houston, who lost to the Seahawks with a score of 19-27, was a losing play in week seven. They had been priced up as -3 faves.

The 5-1 record for those eligible games went straight up and against the spread giving the situational plays an 83.3% strike-rate for 2025.

As it currently stands, the against the spread numbers for all teams coming off their bye weeks is 11-7. So, that's hitting at 61% with three more weeks of teams returning from byes still to go.

In this upcoming week, the Indianapolis Colts - who last played a week ten fixture in Berlin - will travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. The Colts are presently listed as +3 underdogs.

The other week 12 returners are the New Orleans Saints who will welcome an Atlanta Falcons team that has been forced to replace their injured quarterback - Michael Penix Jr. - with their former starter, Kirk Cousins, following Penix's potentially season-ending leg injury suffered during Sunday's 27-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Worst. Pringles. Flavour. Ever.

There's a post I published on Sunday November 10th 2013 that always seems to get a lot of views. I doubt it has anything to do with what I wrote, but has more to do with the photograph that appears on the page.

The photo is of a couple of Pringles cans that contained the Christmas-themed potato snacks for 2013. I remember taking the image because of a couple of reasons. The first is because it was the first photo I ever snapped on what was then my new iPad Air.

Reason two - the flavours were grotesque.

After rereading the post, it's quite clear I was far too nice back then. I applauded the idea of a white chocolate flavour, calling it like eating After Eights with Pringles, but then said the sweet cinnamon flavour was the worst Pringles flavour ever.

I retained some of the positivity by stating it was my opinion and to try them for yourselves.

Well, I am twelve years older. If sweet cinnamon was still the worst flavour, it is no longer.

Santa's Secret Flavour now owns the throne.

I opened up the tube of the new mystery flavoured snack yesterday afternoon. I took ONE bite, was hit by a flavour and instantly stopped.

Not one more chip, or half-a-chip in this case, will ever enter my mouth again.

I tasted mushroom. 

I don't know if it is beef wellington, garlic mushrooms, truffle or what it is. All I know is I sensed mushrooms and that was enough for me.

As you're sure to have read in previous posts, in which I've sampled mystery Pringles or any kind of potato snacks or crisps for that matter, I've always kept my guesses guarded and waited until the closing dates of competitions to share what my predictions were. Not in this case. 

It's something mushroomy. 

The post from November 2013 also shows I am fair and urge you to try them for yourself. Well, in this very post - from November 2025 - this older, much jaded blogger shall tell you this: STAY AWAY FROM THEM!

Unless mushrooms are your thing, of course.

I Try Heinz Beans With Pigs In Blankets II

Look what's back in the shops.

Yes, Heinz has reintroduced its beans with pigs in blankets for Christmas 2025.

If you read THIS POST from last year, you'll be aware I wasn't completely impressed when I first tried them. My main gripe focused on the 'Christmas seasoning' not seeming to be strong enough. 

I gave the beans a second go because, earlier this year, I was serving some of the beans from 2024 to a family member. Upon opening the can, I could smell a strong hint of the aforementioned seasoning and thought I must have had a dud can months earlier.

Well - last night's dinner included a few of pigs in blankets with the beans and...

... it was just like last year. I couldn't get the festive flavouring I had hoped for. I didn't even get the scent upon opening the tin, as I had a few months after last Christmas.

I have another tin. I'm considering storing it away for a few months and opening it sometime in the first quarter of 2026 to see if I once again have a strong scent sensation. 

It's worth a try, I suppose.

By the way - last night's meal also consisted of turkey tenders, so it wasn't the pigs in blankets weren't the only Christmassy thing in my bowl.