The Final Neighbours (Again!)

It's impossible to beat the what was then final episode of Neighbours from 2022. Yet, here I am, sat at my laptop with the Amazon Prime Video app open on my TV ready to press play on what will be the second final episode of the Australia soap.

Yes, I did write 'second final episode'. It could be argued that this is the third final episode because the programme was originally cancelled by The Seven Network after its first four months, but was then picked up by Network Ten.

Anyway, to cut this history lesson short: today is the final day. I am entertaining the idea of adding 'for now?' but I suspect this truly is it. 

I'm just about to press 'Play'. My immediate response to the closing episode will appear under the aerial photograph of Ramsay Street.

 I suppose this was a fitting way to end the programme.

As I mentioned, in a post published on December 3rd, the major closing storyline focused on the freeway being built where Ramsay Street stands. Therefore, Paul Robinson and Shane Ramsay have been trying to coax the residents to move to their respective developments - Robinson Towers and Ramsay Hills.

A handful of previous characters were brought back. Most were from the latter years of the original run, so that was quite underwhelming. I sense there was no desperate need to have any of the previous cast there. They should have just ran with the current crop. I know that's a controversial take. My reasoning is simple, however: they already went down that route in 2022. And they brought back bigger names, so anything else is inferior in contrast.

The spotlight should have been shone on the Amazon era of characters. Let me die on that Ramsay hill.

The series closed with Susan Kennedy realising there could be an opportunity to save Ramsay Street by fighting the development plans. Acknowledging the odds were against them, she said there could be a way to tackle it after learning of successes by residents of other areas. I couldn't help but see the hidden message in there. A shred of hope of a return for the series? Susan had explored the option of battling the development with Karl and Paul Robinson. It was those three who were last seen as the camera/drone zoomed out, and up. 

It was fitting to close with Paul, Karl and Susan - the most tenured in the series' history. 

I'm going to miss Neighbours. Just like what I wrote three years ago, the soap was a huge part of my childhood after catching it one early summer when I was home ill from school. I watched it religiously. Sure, I lapsed for a few years during the 2000s, but found my way back to it.

I don't know if Neighbours will ever find its way back to me. If it ever does, in any form, I'll be there. But, it's not an expectant wait. I very much consider it done now. 

Rivers .vs. The Seahawks

In yesterday's post, I wrote about Philip Rivers potentially coming out of retirement to sign with the Indianapolis Colts. Well, the quarterback needy Colts did indeed make the move. 

Rivers has re-joined the most recent NFL team he played for and is signed to the Colts' practice squad.

Being part of the practice squad currently means Rivers, who will be on the upcoming Hall of Fame ballot because his career ended five years ago, will remain eligible for Canton consideration. However, should the team promote him to the main roster, the Hall of Fame wait resets.

The elephant in the room is this - if Rivers had no intention of playing, he wouldn't be doing what he's doing. 

Likewise, if the Colts didn't feel they were in a desperate enough position, they wouldn't be gambling on a forty-four year old high school coaching grandfather.

To be fair, this isn't accurate. Rivers should really be on the sofa wearing Chargers merch

With a trip to Seattle next up on the Colts schedule, I've taken a look at Philip Rivers' record against the Seahawks. You know, just to take this database of mine out for a spin. 

On paper, it looks.. Okay, I suppose.

Philip Rivers played against the Seahawks four times during his career with all of those fixtures being as a Charger. From those four games, the Chargers are 3-1 straight up.

For the gamblers out there, I've looked at his against the spread numbers as well. The Rivers-led Chargers went 2-2 ATS.

Three of those ties were on the road, which is the scenario Rivers and the Colts will be in on Sunday (if he is promoted to the main roster). From those games, Rivers is 2-1 straight up but 1-2 to the spread.

The only time Rivers was part of an underdog side against the Seahawks was in 2014. Then, as +5 home dogs, the Chargers upset their visitors 30-21.

Indianapolis, potentially Rivers, are currently +13.5 road dogs for the trip.

A look at Taylor's Pro Football Gambling Annual for the Colts' history against the Seahawks within the past thirty years doesn't look appealing for Indy fans like myself.

The Seahawks are 5-3 straight up overall from those games. They've gone 3-1 straight up as hosts. From a betting perspective, the Colts are 4-4 overall and 2-2 in Seattle. They're 1-2 against the spread as road dogs.

If I considered Rivers' numbers against the Seahawks as 'Okay', then I have to be fair and state that the Colts record against the Seahawks is not okay.

Daniel Jones Out.. Rivers In?

That's it.

Those were the words I thought as I watched Daniel Jones grounded during the Indianapolis Colts' game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday evening.

The Colts' quarterback had been playing for the past few games with a fractured fibula. Seeing him sat there like that, a few plays after hobbling more prominently than he had been, it was clear that the situation had gotten worse.

Jones punctuated that inkling by pulling off his helmet and whacking it a few times on the floor. 

Frustration.

Not just for Jones. For everyone associated with the Colts. As a fan, it felt for the first time in aeons that things were moving in the right direction. The wheels seemed to have started to lose their bearings following the bye week. If not that, somewhere in Berlin when Indy eked out an overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons.

Is that it, though?

At 8-5. the Colts are still in the hunt to the playoffs. Barely. According to reports, Philip Rivers - who played for the Chargers from 2004 to 2019 and then for the Colts in his final year as a pro during the 2020 season, is being brought into Indy today to see if he is good to go.

Five years removed from the league. It's a big ask. Making the playoffs could be bigger.

I'm on board, though. I've enjoyed the Colts 2025 season. If it's going to end this way, let it. It sure would be crazy fun to see Rivers come out of high school coaching and lead this team to the playoffs. 

So, no, that might not be it.

Not yet.

Two Years Since Squeak Left

Today marks the second anniversary of Squeak's passing. 

Even though a lot has happened between then and now, it doesn't seem like two years.

He was such a maverick. A cool one at that. I'll always remind myself of the time when I saw his paw pop out of the cat carrier and twist the mechanism to allow him to get out. It was like something you'd see in a Looney Tunes cartoon - Squeak managing to overcome something made by the ACME Corporation.

When he passed away, I wrote about how he would sit on my back at random times and how - before lights out - he'd manoeuvre his way closer to me, ahead of Oreo, so as soon as I'd ask Siri to switch everything off, he'd be able to jump on me for a hug. I happened to take a snap of him doing that unaware it would end up being on of the final photos we took together. It's one of the memories I am glad I caught. 

If only I was able to capture that moment with the paw opening the carrier.

To honour Squeak, I'm wearing a pair of socks Vicki bought me a few Christmases ago. I'm sure I've written about them before. Each sock has a black cat with a red collar on them (very reminiscent of Squeak). Written on the beige-coloured items is 'Life Is Better With Cats'. Such true words.

Is Washington At Minnesota A Trap Game?

One of the the things I dislike, when it comes to reading about sports betting, is when certain writers consider their predictions to be unbeatable. They use the term 'lock'. It bugs me.

Even when it comes to betting on professional wrestling - on the occasions when I've had high expectations on a result coming my way, I've never uttered, or typed, L-O-C-K.

There is no such thing as a lock when it comes to wagering.

I'll die on that hill.

Another term I dislike using, but not as strongly, is 'trap game'.

With that said, there's an NFL game on today's board which could - at worst - be an exception to my rule. At best, it has potential to be a convincer.

The 3-9 Washington Commanders are -1.5 favourites for their trip to the 4-8 Minnesota Vikings. Both, as you can see by their records, are in the midst of poor seasons. The Vikings went so far as to acknowledge that fact by allowing one of their top players - wide receiver, Adam Thielen - to depart the team and head off to one which would give him a better chance of winning a Super Bowl before he retires in 2026.

Thielen was picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that's a side note. Let's get back to the Commanders and the Vikings.

Upon looking at the lines, I thought to myself 'the Commanders are too short here'. In my opinion, they should be at least three-point faves. And that's despite their record for 2025.

The more I looked into it, the more I am leaning to this potentially being the game that makes me start believing in the concept of trap games. Cheap plug time - I reread what I wrote about this game in Taylor's Pro Football Gambling Annual 2025.

The takeaway: history is on Minnesota's side. 

Since 1995, the Vikings are 9-5 straight up and 7-5-1 against the spread out of fourteen games. Those numbers look better on paper when it's narrowed down to only the fixtures played with the Vikings at home. For those qualifying games, the home team owns 4-1 straight up and 3-2 against the spread records. They've gone a perfect 2-0 from the two occasions they were, like today, categorised as home underdogs.

It's a case of present day telling us to go with the Commanders, but the history books pointing the opposite way.

Now that I've laid that all out, I have something important to close with.

I'm not betting on this game. It could be a trap.

KOs

I have just been looking through some of the kick-off times for next year's FIFA World Cup.

Would it be crazy of me to state that I'm looking forward to watching some of those late (or early, depending on your stance) games?

2AM, 3AM.. I'm in!

Easy for me to write that six months out. I might change my mind by then.

My favourite World Cup - for unique time differences - was 2002. The tournament, then co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, had games kick off early in the day. It was fun going to pubs with friends and colleagues before heading off to work.

I didn't drink a touch of alcohol for those pre-work games, though! Appletiser was my go-to during that World Cup. I'm always reminded of those days each time I have that drink. 

Random Access Memories: The Underdog

A high station in life is earned by the gallantry with which appalling experiences are survived with grace

Tennessee Williams

My memory was easily tested a few weeks ago, when I was chatting with a friend about one of my favourite ITV programmes from my childhood.

We were all in a trivia chatroom where people get on mic and play music. The other members have to name the tune. My friend played the theme to London's Burning - the series about a fire brigade unit in England's capital city. I watched the series religiously back during its peak. 

I obviously knew the answer to the tune. I cannot recall if I came first or not. Anyway, once the theme had been played, we chatted about London's Burning and the topic of our favourite characters came up.

Without a shadow of a doubt, my most favourite person on that show was Colin Parrish (played by Stephen North).

I asked AI 'create an image of Colin from London's Burning'. It gave me one which looked terrible, so I asked 'make it more cartoony' and - to be fair - it looks somewhat better

Without looking up Wikipedia or London's Burning fansites, I choose to guess Colin was in the series for at least three seasons. Maybe a little more. The character came in as a young - and very naive - recruit. He was the butt of the crew's jokes at times, but kind of overcame it by the end of his run even if he had that innocent charm about him throughout.

I'll always recall how he was written out. It still hurts,

I remember it more vividly than maybe I should because Colin's final episode coincided with the same day I went to my first-ever WWF event. 

It was on December 5th 1993. I obviously couldn't watch London's Burning as it aired that night, so asked my parents to record it while I went to watch the likes of Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, Yokozuna, The Undertaker and many more live an in-person.

As I've written countless times in the past, but especially in the post titled The Day The WWF Came To Town, I was fortunate to meet the entire crew from that show in the hours before the event. It was a special day for this wrestling fan, but all the good came crashing down when I pressed Play on the video recorder once I returned home later that night.

It was clear Colin was departing Blue Watch. He had managed to secure a job working as a fireman at an airport. There was one scene showing Colin with this look of awe on the engines as he visited where he was set to work. Stephen North, who played Colin, made it so believable with just the expressions. You could sense Colin was about to thrive reaching the next stage of his dream.

Which makes it all the more shattering when we would witness Colin having an accident on his last shout with his then current station.

If memory serves me correctly, the team had just dealt with a fire at a theatre. Colin was standing on the stage and the rail holding the curtains came down on top of him, shattering his legs. 

Colin survived, but his injury meant his career was over. There went the dream.

As I've noted, the gutting feeling for Colin's departure has remained with me right up to this very day - its thirty-second anniversary. 

The emotion shouldn't be a complaint, however. I applaud the writing, and the acting. Colin Parrish's underdog story was perfect, even if it feels the opposite. Not all dreams are fulfilled. Some never happen, some - like Colin's - are taken away just as the high station is in reach.