A KFC Double

If you read yesterday's post, you would have seen I tried KFC's latest chicken burger - the Cheesy Melt.

Well, how's this for pure coincidence: last night's episode of Smackdown aired from Kentucky's arena which is named... KFC Center!

I chose the most opportune day to have picked KFC.

You can read about my enjoyment of the limited edition meal by following this link.

I Try KFC's Cheesy Melt Burger

I've seen a new, limited edition, chicken burger on advertising and - I must say - I'm keen to try it out.

The Cheesy Melt Burger is currently available from KFC stores here in the UK until March 22nd. The commercials show a cheese sauce being poured over an open burger which contains a hash brown, chicken fillet and lettuce. 

It's somewhat reminiscent of Christmas 2020, when the fast food restaurant introduced a burger which required the customer to pour gravy over the contents of the bun.

This time, the liquid ingredient is 'hot cheese sauce'. Which has me slightly worried,

I hope when the promotion states it's a  'hot cheese' they mean by temperature and not by spiciness. I cannot see any chilli pepper warnings on the pages of the KFC website plugging the latest product, so I think I'm safe.

I'm buying one for lunch. If all goes to plan, you'll see my reactions immediately below.

The order is in!

I ordered the Cheesy Melt Box Meal, so I had the fries, can of Tango and a chicken fillet with the burger. The packaging looked really cool. I know it wasn't the intent, but the font, resembling cheese, looked like something you'd see on the poster for a 1970s horror movie.

As I wrote in the preface, the customer is given a pot of the warm cheese to pour on. Here I am doing just that:

As you can see, it makes a mess. I don't think anybody could have done a better -- or worse! - job than I did with that.

It was guaranteed to be a mess from the start.

As expected, it was - yes, you guessed it - a mess.

It turned out to be an enjoyable burger. I suppose most of my thumbs up towards the product is because of  the gimmick of having to pour the hot cheese on yourself. By the way, it was 'hot' as in temperature and not spiciness. So, my suspicion was accurate.

One negative I'll add about the burger is this: I cannot see how anybody would want to eat that, and here's that word again, mess eating out. To me, it comes across as something you'd have to eat away from the public gaze. You know, in case you make a mess. Which you will. Because it's a mess.

So, to close - it was a mess.

A fine mess.

Surf 'N Turf Cat Stylee

I had a funny idea for this morning's breakfast. 

Surf 'n Turf.

Nope - not for my breakfast. Oreo's.

I had a spare chicken breast left over from last night's meal. I cut it up in the evening and left it in the fridge overnight knowing I would give it to Oreo to start off his day.

When it came time to fill his bowl, I opted for the wet fish flavour food and mixed it in with the bits of dry Purina. I then sprinkled the strips of chicken breast on top. 

So, he's getting some chicken and fish together today. 

He seems to like it. He's gone to the bowl four times since it has been placed down. That has to be a new record. 

Snoop In Swansea

Snoop Dogg has been all over my local and national news this week.

Nope, he hasn't gotten himself into any trouble. Well, not unless associating himself with Swansea City Football Club is a crime. That could be punishable in my neck of the woods, though.

Snoop is a minority owner of the Welsh club. He made an appearance at TheSwansea.com Stadium last night in what was, as noted, all over the news.

I suppose it' was a big deal.

And I write that as a lapsed Cardiff City supporter. 

Which leads me to something.

Every single time I have seen the names 'Snoop Dogg' and 'Swansea' together, I keep asking myself a question:

'HOW WOULD I HAVE ACCEPTED SUCH NEWS BACK IN THE DAY?'

There was a time in my life when Snoop Doggy Dogg and Cardiff City were some of my favourite things. I had a Snoop t-shirt which was worn almost every other day at one point in time. I bought his albums on their release dates on at least three occasions in which I can recall. That's how invested I was.

I was also a Cardiff City supporter. A lot more then than today.

I struggle to see how I would have been able to wear that t-shirt as often as I did if Snoop was a minority owner of Swansea City back then. 

I'd also like to get a shot at my rivals while I have the opportunity: Snoop didn't fly over to Swansea from the US especially. He had been over in Italy covering the Winter Olympics for NBC, so he made that stop on the way back from the Games.

With that said, the scenes from last night's appearance did look great. The crowd had Snoop-themed towels and were waving them in support for their guest.

That was definitely an idea inspired by Snoop's favourite NFL team - the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For those who don't know, now you'll know: Steelers fans have Terrible Towels and wave them each game day. Even though I don't support the Steelers, I once had a wish - long ago - to own a Terrible Towel of my own. I couldn't believe my eyes a few Christmases ago, when I was given one of my own (thanks Lisa and Jill!), 

I was curious to see if anybody had placed their, for want of a better name,  Snoop Dogg Swansea City Terrible Towels on eBay overnight. I found a couple. One was £83.90 and the other was £208.70. I expect more will pop up on the auction site over the coming hours. 

Swansea City and Preston North End drew the game 1-1 with Swansea's Liam Cullen scoring the equaliser in injury time to save his team's blushes in front of their partial owner.

Sky One: Back From The Dead

It genuinely feels like only a few months ago when I wrote a eulogy to Sky One, It hasn't been, though. That very post went live 1,638 days ago.

Time flies, I guess.

The post was written around the time when the people at Sky decided to end the flagship entertainment channel in favour of a newly-branded offering called Sky Max. 

I had a reread of the post yesterday. I put a lot of thought and effort into it because I wanted to share how much that channel assisted me in my 21 Jump Street loving and WWF-following childhood. It was also there for my adulthood following of some WWE shows (the important stuff was on Sky Sports by then) but also my enjoyment of the Arrowverse programmes.

Anyway, it was replaced. Everything I used to watch before then, like MacGyver, Magnum PI and SWAT (RIP to all three since 2021), all ended up on Sky Max.

Until today. 

Yep, Sky One is back. 

I surmise the reason why Sky has resurrected Sky One is because HBO Max is launching in the UK marketplace imminently, so it would be somewhat confusing to have a Sky Max channel and a HBO Max streaming platform fighting for eyeballs.

I'm obviously okay with Sky One's return, considering how gutted I was to see it go in 2021. However, it does allow me to once again ask a question I pondered back then. It's even more significant now considering the reversion.

What was the point in the name change?!

Stepping Back From The Nancy Guthrie Story

The Nancy Guthrie 'kidnap' story I wrote about a few weeks ago has, I'm afraid to say, jumped the shark with me.

It has now been over three weeks since Nancy, mother of American TV presenter - Savannah Guthrie - was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona home. 

I've been following as much of the story as possible. I have checked out the coverage from the mainstream media and have also watched a lot more from, I suppose, the underground reporters.

The latter has done an exceptional job. However, I should state that there are some out there with questionable methods of 'reporting the news'. 

My take - after all these weeks of following the story - is this: what a mess.

I keep hoping for a resolution, but there's just so many contradictions being relayed and reported it has made my interest wane significantly.

It's okay for me to do that, though. I'm far away from the scene. I hope those right in the centre of the story don't lose interest like I've done.

I don't intend to completely give up on following the story. I'm simply going to take a step back from being almost all-in by reading and watching as much as I can about this massive story.

With all that said, I hope Nancy is found and those responsible are brought to justice.

Thrill Of Victory / Agony Of Defeat

In early January, I wrote a post in which I mentioned leaving the WildEarth channel on overnight because Oreo likes having the TV on (yes, I know how mad that comes across). I have continued to do that across the previous weeks.

With the preface out of the way, I have a story from today's viewing of the channel.

I was sat on my bed having either my breakfast or putting my shoes on (I cannot recall which!) and looked up at the TV. I noticed they were filming a lake. There was a crocodile head slightly above the water. It was slowly resting along by the waterbed. I didn't think much of it at first. Not until I noticed there was a small bird finding food on the bank.

'Oh,' I thought 'he's going to catch the bird'

I sat there for a few moments hoping the bird would get away before it's prey made the move.

Then...

..out came the croc and then flew the bird.

'Ha, m**herf***er!' I exclaimed as I saw the underdog (underbird?) get away from the favourite.

Not so fast.

The camera panned to the right because it had lost the view of the crocodile. It was chewing. 

'Oh, s**t!' was my response to what I had seen. Or not seen. The camera must have missed a second attempt by the crocodile.

It was a case of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in two fell sweeps.

Here's a photo I was able to take of my TV shortly afterwards. It was after the croc had eaten its catch. 

A few minutes later, it - or another one - was eyeing up another bird along the bank. Then a shadow came alongside them. I surmised it was another croc, but it turned out to be a turtle.  The turtle managed to swim by the croc with ease.

As I wrote back in January, this is such a fascinating channel. To see all this going on live is brilliant. What a great idea. I wish I had things like this to educate me 24/7 (or close enough to 24/7) during my childhood.

Thoughts After Yesterday's Big Boxing News

Professional boxing is a business.

It's written right there on the tin: Professional. 

Still, I found myself stunned at the big story which came out of the sport last night.

Conor Benn has jumped from Matchroom to the new player in the game - Zuffa Boxing - in what is reportedly a one-fight deal that's eight figures deep.

A stunning deal both financially and morally.

You see, Benn had been backed heavily by Matchroom and Eddie Hearn. At Benn's lowest point, Eddie stuck by his fighter when he really could have cut bait. 

But, like I said, that's business.

I'm intrigued to see what becomes of professional boxing now. Zuffa means business.

Here's What Should Be Outside The Bears' Hammond Stadium (If A Move Happens)

It looks like the Chicago Bears could be on their way up the road and set to play home games at a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana.

Well, that's what's being said. 

The Bears are indeed looking for a new home. I'm under the impression that Illinois is still hopeful to keep the team in its US State. However, Indiana reps have given the thumbs up for a potential Bears move to Hammond, which is relatively close to Illinois.

It's headed for a Mexican standoff. 

Until then, here's how I would like the designs of a Hammond stadium to look.

'Why the leg lamp from A Christmas Story?' I suspect some of you might be wondering. Others could be pondering 'why a leg lamp!?' Well - here's why.

Hammond, Indiana is where Jean Shepherd grew up as a child. Therefore, some of the events in his books and the films that spun off from Shepherd's writing, are set in Hammond.

It would only be fitting for the Hammond stadium to honour the legendary raconteur.

But, that's IF such a move were to happen.

I sense this is a game of chicken between the Bears and Illinois. Time will tell on that one. 

In the meantime, remind the designers the leg lamp is Italian because it has FRAGILE written on its container.

Santa's Secret Flavour Pringles Revealed

Do you remember late last year when Pringles brought out a secret flavour for Christmas? I do. It was the worst Pringles flavour I have ever tasted. Trust me on that, I'm a Pringle connoisseur. 

I wrote about the can shortly after I tasted one of the potato snacks. The post was titled Worst. Pringles. Flavour. Ever' because, in my humble opinion, it was the worst Pringles flavour ever.

Yes - I cannot stop hammering home how much I disliked the taste. It was the worst.

My taste buds sensed a bit of mushroom, so I immediately stopped eating from the tube and handed it to my nephew and other members of my family. I was done. Never to return.

In the post, I speculated that it was 'something mushroomy'.

I can now reveal, because Pringles announced it weeks ago and I'm late to the news, that the flavour was...

Truffle and Butter!

 

I consider 'something mushroomy' to be a very close guess on my part.

Looking up what Santa's Secret Flavour turned out to be was prompted by an email I received from Pringles recently. In the communication, the company behind the potato snack brand  informed me that there's a new promotion in which customers have to guess the flavour. The winner will receive a trip to California.

Once I find a can, I'll pop one open and have a guess. 

I hope it isn't omething mushroomy.

WWE Set To Clash In Italy

World Wrestling Entertainment will host a Clash in Italy show later this year.

The event, scheduled to take place from the Inalpi Arena in Turin on May 31st, is part of a five-country European tour that will see episodes of Raw and Smackdown filmed across Europe.

It will be the fourth WWE Premium Live Event to use the 'Clash' title on the continent.

In 2022, the company held its first Clash at the Castle event in Cardiff's Principality Stadium. That was followed by a second Clash at the Castle in 2024. That one emanated from the OVO Hydro Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.

WWE Clash in Paris occurred last August from France's capital city.

Here are the dates announced for the European tour:

29th May - Barcelona, Spain (WWE Smackdown taping)

31st May - Turin, Italy (WWE Clash in Italy)

1st June - Turin, Italy (WWE Raw taping)

2nd June - Strasbourg, France

3rd June - Lisbon, Portugal

4th June - Madrid, Spain

5th June - Bologna, Italy (WWE Smackdown taping)

6th June - Rome, Italy

7th June - Florence, Italy

8th June - Paris, France (WWE Raw taping)

22nd June - London, England (WWE Raw taping)

Jeopardy UK Has Been Cancelled (Again!)

I have just read that ITV has cancelled Jeopardy UK.

The quiz show, hosted by Stephen Fry, was reintroduced in January 2024 following a handful of other incarnations since the early 1980s. The latest version lasted for two seasons.

I've always enjoyed watching the programme, so I'm somewhat gutted to see it canned once more. 

The news was exclusively revealed by TV Zone on its website and via its social media platforms.

I felt the productions was top notch for the Fry edition. It made it feel more like the American version.

I don't hold out much hope on the series coming back any time soon. The previous edition - ahead of the 2024 relaunch - ended in 1996.

If past history is anything to go by, and my tongue is firmly in my cheek as I write this, we should see the next Jeopardy UK relaunch in 2053.

Fourth Time Unlucky

I've been sat at this screen trying to think of something to write. 

I have began THREE different topics only to stop after a paragraph, say 'nah' and then delete the words to start something new.

As you can see, the fourth attempt is to tell you there were three previous attempts. I might end up writing posts about the earlier three, so I won't spoil anything with teases.

I'll return tomorrow. Hopefully with something better.

A Festive Blast From The Past (Yes, In February)

I had one of the most welcome blasts from the past experiences I could ever have this morning.

As usual, I was browsing through the YouTube app while having my breakfast. One of the videos recommended to me stood out.

The thumbnail was of something I hadn't seen since my childhood. I had to do a double take to ensure I wasn't seeing things.

There, in the photograph, was a badge of Father Christmas inside a chimney. 

I owned one of those badges. So did my sister. I can vividly recall the day we were given them as well. 

Our aunt used to look after us on weekends when my parents were at work and she would take us for a walk to the shops around the area she lived. She would always treat us with toys from one of the stores there. 

On one of those visits, we came across these Father Christmas badges that had a red string underneath the chimney. You had to pull the string to make the character pop up. Santa Claus would then fall back under the chimney once the string was let go.

This is a Christmas novelty item I have thought about on various occasions through my lifetime, but I had never gone out of my way to find them again. The reason is simple: I wouldn't want to tarnish any memories I have of my aunt by buying one. I'm very happy with having had one when I did.

Imagine it, though. A little badge with a string that would entertain me for quite some time. I am currently sat here laughing at my young innocence.

The video is from a channel on YouTube I thoroughly enjoy. It's called Grand Illusions and is presented by a man named Tim. He has collected some fascinating gadgets and has shared this collection on his videos for many years. I recommend checking him out!

Doing A Kriss Kross 22

I couldn't believe it. 

I was quite bored a couple of days ago, so thought to myself 'it has been quite some time since I've done a kiss kross puzzle'. I pulled out a book I've had stored away and had a go.

The book I opened was Puzzler Kriss Kross 7. I don't recall how long I've had it, but it was beside the NFL sticker album I wrote about a week ago. I might have bought it around the same time, which means it has been here since at least last May (or thereabouts).

Anyway, I timed myself for the first kiss kross in, as I've stated, 'quite some time'. 

It took me ten minutes and twelve seconds to complete. I don't even know if that's good or bad. That's how long out of the kriss kross game I've been.

I opened this post exclaiming 'I couldn't believe it''. I was referring to the last time I had published a kriss kross themed post. The previous one, Doing a Kriss Kross 21, went live on February 27 2022. 

Four years. Quite some time indeed.

Find Puzzler Kriss Kross Titles on Amazon UK

Not A Usual February 13th Post

Today marks the twenty-third anniversary of my uncle's passing.

I always dedicate February 13th posts to him, but - as I sit here about to write whatever will come to me over the next few lines - I cannot shake off the significance of this being different from every other tribute post.

We lost my aunt last October, so I am thinking about both of them today. 

The funny thing about my tributes to my uncle is almost all of those memories had my aunt there as well. So it seems fitting to think about both of them today. Together again.

Airheads Soda? Airheads Soda!

I watched a handful of YouTube videos last night. While watching one of them, I happened to see something in the background which made me think 'I WANT THAT!' to myself.

The item of note was a can of soda (I'll refer it to that, instead of pop, for a reason you'll soon find out). It had the Airheads branding and had a predominant blue colour.

Which means a couple of things.

Blue raspberry pop  soda.

Airheads is a brand of sweets I hadn't heard of until a few years ago. I love their blue raspberry flavoured candy and chewing gum, so - as soon as I saw they're now in the carbonated beverage business - I had to do a look online.

The good news - the website I usually buy US products from has been selling the drinks. The bad - they're currently out of stock.

It looks like they launched  in the USA back in September. Along with blue raspberry are strawberry, orange and watermelon flavours.

I'd like to try all but watermelon. Blue raspberry is top of the list, however. Also - why no grape?!

Becoming intrigued after seeing these products takes me back to either 1989 or 1990 when Hubba Bubba brought out a Hubba Bubba Soda to these shores.

I looked high and low for those drinks. I managed to find some after weeks of trying. I enjoyed them, but the product didn't last long.  Even though I, just like this very moment, find myself clamouring to try Hubba Bubba Soda once again, I'm happy to have been able to have found them before they were discontinued during my childhood.

I must do the same with Airheads Soda just in case they have a similar fate.

Following The Guthrie Story

I have been gripped by the news coverage, coming out of the USA, surrounding the alleged kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie.

Guthrie is the mother of a presenter from NBC News - Suzanne Guthrie.

The mother was apparently kidnapped from her Tucson, Arizona home in the early hours of Sunday February 1st. Blood was found on her porch area and her doorbell camera had been smashed.

Ransom mail - asking for up to $6,000,000 in Bitcoin - has been sent to the family via news agencies. At least one of the requests was found to be a scam, however.

Yesterday's development saw the FBI release footage of a masked man on Nancy Guthrie's property. The images were caught using the video doorbell that was initially reported to have not been sending data to the Cloud because the owner did not subscribe to any subscription plans for the device.

The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for Nancy's return.

I fell asleep last night after seeing SWAT and bomb vehicles leaving their posts and hearing that somebody had been detained in relation to the alleged kidnapping. The first thing I did when I woke up was check to see if the person was named. Well, he was named.. but only because he had been released.

So many twists and turns to this one. 

I have seen certain social media accounts sharing similar, and some even contrasting, theories about this case. Some of those are intriguing and will make for this story to become even crazier. IF true, of course.

I don't want to be a pessimist, but Nancy Guthrie is 84 and needs daily medication. She has been gone for, is it eleven days now? It has been a race against time from the off. 

Third Talisman Book By King And Straub Publication Date Confirmed

I came across a welcome surprise when I was on social media late last night.

As you can see, the third novel in The Talisman series - written by Stephen King and the late Peter Straub - has been revealed.

Other World Than These will be published on October 6th. 

The Talisman, and its sequel - Black House, are two of the better books I have came across in my journey through Stephen King's work. I gave the first novel five stars on Good Reads while its follow-up was given four.

Peter Straub passed away almost four years ago. Stephen King has reportedly been working on the third novel after being handed notes the deceased writer had been plotting for a third collaboration.

What I have usually been doing, with new King titles, is add them to the end of my King reading list. However, I believe - considering I've already read the first two titles - I may as well move Other Worlds Than These to the front of the queue. 

But that's getting ahead of myself. There are eight months to go until this one sees the light of day.

Oh yeah - here's a coincidence for you: I started reading the next book on my journey through Stephen King's bibliography yesterday evening, which was a few hours before I came across the latest news.  

The latest book I've picked up is Lisey's Story. It starts with a widow looking after her late husband's unreleased manuscripts. I don't know what else happens because I've only read the initial chapter for now.

The Morning After Super Bowl LX

It's the morning after the Super Bowl. I was far too tired to write a post immediately after the game, which was won 29-13 by the Seattle Seahawks. So - here are my thoughts albeit not as immediate as I usually would have given.

Seattle won. I'm happy about that. I'm not happy about losing the coin toss bet and my totals wager on the Over, however!

I believe BOTH teams' defences played well. You have to be fair to the Patriots' D. They kept the team in the game longer than they should have. 

I watched the game on DAZN/NFL GamePass. It was the NBC stream, so I got to see all the US commercials during the breaks. There were some really good ones on there. I had the choice of Channel 5, Sky Sports or GamePass. If I didn't have the sub to the NFL streaming package, I would have sided with Sky. I liked the experience of seeing how they do it in the US. I might have to do it again. I'm quite surprised with myself for not having done the US stream before now.

After the trophy celebration, I switched over to the NFL Network to catch even more postgame coverage as I began to drop off to sleep.

I have to share this one: the stream cut out once. For the smallest of split seconds. It occurred at the most significant moment because it went black and came back on as Mack Hollins was holding the ball in the endzone after scoring a touchdown. 

I asked my friend, who I knew was also watching the US feed on DAZN/GamePass, if he experienced the same thing. He had.

And now it's the long road to the 2026 season. I can now finally get into a new gear in my preparation for the 2026 edition of Taylor's Pro Football Gambling Annual.

Super Bowl Coin Toss Betting And Starting A Buffalo Hunt

It's Super Bowl Sunday. The conclusion to one of the most peculiar NFL seasons I've ever experienced.

I'll get to all that by the end. First, I'll go through what I often plan around this weekend of the year.

The coin toss betting!

As usual, and for FUN ONLY, I have taken a look over the stats for the Super Bowl coin toss with the aim of having a small punt on the result.

Here are the stats you need.

1. Tails is currently leading all the Superbowls by landing thirty-one times to Heads' 28

2. In the Pacific time zone, both Heads and Tails are tied with 7 each

3. Narrowing down to the Super Bowls from the State of California, Tails has landed seven times to Heads' 6

4. Santa Clara last hosted the Super Bowl ten years ago. It was the Broncos' 24-10 win which saw Peyton Manning end his career with a second Vince Lombardi Trophy victory. The coin toss result from that result was.. Tails

So, the lean is Tails. To punctuate the decision, I have one more stat that can be shared for today and today only:

5. The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, who will play later today, met at Super Bowl 49 in 2015. The result from that game's coin toss was.. yep, Tails. 

For what it's worth, Seattle won that call. They deferred to receive the ball in the second half but would go on to lose the game through a fluke of poor coaching decisions (if I say so myself!) late in the game.

As for tonight - I hope the Seahawks win. I like the idea of Sam Darnold finally getting a Super Bowl win after being a journeyman. It would also be fitting for him to do so on the 49ers field - where he once spent a season (and made it to the Super Bowl as a squad member). 

Darnold deserves it more than New England. However, the Patriots have an intriguing narrative of their own after having a disastrous few years and have seemingly turned everything around with Mike Vrabel coming in as head coach.

Anyway, that's enough of me writing good things about New England.

* * *

As I wrote in the opening paragraph - it has been an odd season. It was very hard to navigate through those months without Vick around. There would always be some random thing happen each week and the first thing I'd think to do would be to message her and see if she had seen or heard about it. 

It just goes to show how much her presence was a big part of my enjoyment of NFL seasons over the years.

I don't want the season to end today without acknowledging her in some way. Which kind of leads me onto something.

In May or June, I was on the Smyths Toys website looking at WWE products and came across a Ron Simmons action figure going for a relatively fair price. The figure was significant to me because it was celebrating Simmons becoming world champ - a feat he achieved on my mum's birthday. 

I ordered the figure. But, on that same day, I found the company was selling NFL 2024 sticker books and packets of stickers. I added a book and a bunch of packets to the order.

I showed Vicki the book and stickers. The plan I had was to do a special blog post on the Thursday of the season kick off with me opening every single packet and looking through everyone I found.

Unfortunately, Vick had left us by that day. I didn't feel like doing the post without her around, so kept the book and sticker packets to the side.

And there they stayed throughout the season. 

Sometime over the past week, I started taking the book out and wondering what to do with it. And then it hit me.

I have came up with an idea that will help me get through the next few weeks, and months, of no football and also celebrate Vick in a way.

As I mentioned a couple of days after Vick passed away, I decided to spend each Saturday night commemorating Vick in some way or other. I have kept to that promise for six months now. For example, on one occasion I made Buffalo chicken wings for our dinner (those who know me well will be aware that is crazy of me to go out of my comfort zone because of my inability to like food that is mega spicy!), having Diet Cokes and other random, yet fun, things I can think of to celebrate my friend.

My latest idea for these moments is to open one packet each Saturday night with the hope of finding players from the Buffalo Bills for Vick.

I started yesterday. I didn't find anything in my first expedition on this, for want of a better title: Buffalo Hunt.

One thing I was surprised at is how small the stickers are nowadays. I was stunned at their size as I thought back to all those sticker albums I tried to fill in back during my childhood.

The next three months are locked in, I look forward to sharing my findings.

Enjoy the game.

My Database And Spreadsheet Have Found A Best Bet For Super Bowl LX

I have teamed my spreadsheets and database up to take on the Super Bowl and have found one bet that was well worth a punt.

If I say so myself.

As usual, I have fired up the database with records of games dating back to the 1995 season. Of all those games, the Seahawks and Patriots have been on seven occasions with the first one, in this period, taking place in Week 6 of the 2004 season.

New England won that one with a score of 30-20 as four-point home favourites.

The Seahawks are 4-3 (57%) straight up and 4-2-1 (67%) against the spread overall from those seven meetings. So, bearing that in mind, I compared history with what my spreadsheet has calculated for the game.

It has the Seahawks winning straight up, but not covering the -4.5 spread. 

Per my own rule, from when I used to do these spreadsheets and database posts, I must pass on any spread wagers.

There is something the spreadsheets and database love, however.

The spreadsheet expects the teams to score approximately forty-eight points in total. With an Over/Under line of 45.5, it's calling for the game to go Over.

I've looked at the totals history from the seven games on the database. I couldn't believe it. the Over-Under is 7-0. Yes, one hundred percent of the results have landed with the scorelines exceeding their respective lines since 2004.

It's a bet I had to take. History told me to gamble.

Reigns + Hating Punk = Money

I loved the promo between CM Punk and Roman Reigns on this week's episode of WWE Monday Night Raw.

The closing segment of the show saw the 2026 Royal Rumble winner - Reigns - decide to choose Punk as his opponent for WrestleMania 42.

Punk's challenger, for the World Heavyweight Championship, made a strong mission statement for the April showcase calling on some comments Punk had made about Reigns on Colt Cabana's podcast in late 2014. 

Yes, things Punk said about Roman Reigns' early career twelve years ago are now being used to promote what will likely be WWE's biggest match of this year.

Incredible stuff.

And I'm not trying to be ironic stating that. The entire segment on Monday night was money. You had Reigns ending the dialogue by stating how much he dislikes Punk. 

No, that's too kind. Reigns HATES Punk. The fun part is we don't know if he genuinely does, or if it's all for show.

Maybe it's a bit of both for all we know.

I've been quite down on the WWE product lately. This sure was a step in the right direction.

Speaking of sureties. This will absolutely will be the match which goes on last at Mania 42. There's no way anything else will come close to being a contender for that particular main event slot. 

Gerrie Burke

'Oh no'. 

That was what I expressed in the early hours of this morning following a very short Google hunt for a radio presenter I used to listen to over a decade ago.

I was on TAFKA Twitter adding my Wordle result after midnight and, for an unknown reason, started looking through the lists of the accounts I follow.

There was 'Gerrie Burke' on the list. 'I haven't heard from him in a long time' I thought to myself. 

Burke used to be a producer on my favourite  American sports radio station - Sports Byline USA. I used to listen to many programmes on that outlet throughout my nights and when I'd wake up in the early hours of the morning.

I'd catch Sports Overnight America as I battled the will to get out of bed and start my day. I've always found sports radio fascinating, but I especially like the American variety.

Anyway, to cut a long story short - and this is going by my recollections, it might not be accurate - Burke served as the show's producer, but then covered a few nights and ultimately ended up becoming the permanent host.

I'd go so far as to guess (and remember, this is me not knowing the details) he played double duty on the late night programme serving as both presenter and producer.

He was knowledgeable about sports but I also found the occasions he talked about music to be very insightful. 

I cannot recall how long he remained in the role, but he vanished after a period never to be seen again. 

Last night's search, to see if Gerrie happened to be working for a different broadcaster nowadays, led me to an obituary page. 

Gerrie Burke passed away a little over three years ago. 

The page mentioned Gerrie's music and sport trivia knowledge (I can attest to those!), but it was also eye opening in another part.

It reads  'after graduating from Central High School in 1983, Gerrie attended Mansfield University for communications and then joined the military, where he spent most of his tenure stationed in Germany.'

Doing the working out, Gerrie could very well have been around Germany in the years I visited my relatives while my uncle served for the US military. My trips to the bases took place in 1987 and '88.

Man, it's one of those things I wish I had known earlier. 

It's something that might have made me get in touch with him to find out. Of course there were tons of US bases dotted across Germany back then, but would have been interesting to see if he had been stationed around Hahn (where my relatives lived) or in some of the other bases I visited on those holidays.

I'm very sorry to have found that news out this morning. 

The John Virgo Legend

I have quite a random story about John Virgo.

Even though I share the spotlight with Virgo in this tale, I have zero recollection of it but it absolutely did happen because - for decades - my father constantly told me the story whenever Virgo would pop up on our tellies (I wrote the plural for 'television' because I want to highlight how many years, and television sets, this story has surpassed).

Okay, here goes..

When I was a young child, we spent either a summer or an autumn half-term at a holiday camp. I suppose it was more likely Pontin's but it could have been Butlin's. Whichever one it was, and my money would be on Pontin's, John Virgo was there doing an exhibition of some kind. 

My dad took me to see Virgo wherever his 'performance' was being held. While he was doing this, I apparently vomited all over the area where we were sat.

I don't know if Virgo saw it. All I know is the story goes 'you threw up in front of John Virgo'. Or words to that effect.

Every single time he would appear on-screen, I'd be reminded. Whether it be when he would be on Big Break - the gameshow he assisted Jim Davidson on - or in his other roles covering snooker as a pundit or commentator.

I do remember being ill on that holiday, but the sole recollection I have doesn't have me sat inside a snooker hall. Instead, I was at the table in the chalet studying chocolates that were shaped like old-fashioned racing cars. 

I was sorry to hear of John Virgo's passing when the news broke earlier today. The reports state that he died in his Spanish home. He was seventy-nine years old.

I Try Heinz Beans With Pigs In Blankets III

Do you recall when I first tried Heinz Beans with Pigs in Blankets back in 2024? I followed that up a year later with another post once again trying out the Christmas-themed food.

In both posts, I noted I didn't seem to taste the 'Christmas seasoning' that is advertised on the side of the tin. However, I ended the 2025 post with a plan.

I theorised that I should leave the beans to mature for a bit and then try them once Christmas was far off in the background. Well, it was the second night of February last night. I suppose that's enough of a distance to test it out.

And...

It might be me being biased, but I have a feeling I was right. Last night's beans did taste a lot better than the previous two attempts. 

The strong scent struck me as soon as I opened the can. The beans also tasted a lot flavourful than the previous two attempts. 

I don't have any more cans left. I'll have to stock up later this year. If they make another Christmas return.

Finishing Cell

In a follow up to a post written on January 22nd, I have now finally finished reading Cell by Stephen King.

When I last mentioned the 2006 novel, I noted I had recently started reading it and was struck by its intense start. I pointed out I was aware that Cell was quite a controversial title with Stephen King fans with some thinking it's great and others believing it to be... well - not great.

As for me, now that I've read it? I suppose I remain more in the positive section of readers. I thought it was a really fun apocalyptic novel. Plus - it also gave me a nightmare somewhere along the past few days, so that automatically makes it one I'll remember for quite a while.

I surmise a lot of the book's haters have been led to their opinion because of the open-ended way the story ends. I can accept that.

To be frank, The Stand is my favourite Stephen King novel. While Cell is not completely like it, some elements remind me of the 1978 classic. 

Upon finishing Cell, I had to place it in my Stephen King ranking. I gave it four stars, out of a possible five. It's currently sandwiched in-between The Dark Half (1989) and Needful Things (1991) on my list.

Another thing I set out to do, after finishing the book, was check out the trailer for the movie based on the work. I had seen it listed on a Freeview channel within the past year.

Well - going by the three minutes of the trailer - there are certainly things I saw that do not happen in the book. The main one being the main character - Clay - spent all of the novel hoping his son hadn't used his mobile phone when The Pulse struck. In the clip, we see Clay and his son - Johnny - video calling moments before the signal began its devastation.

I'll likely keep an eye out for the next airing of Cell. If it's on those Freeview channels, I'm sure it'll find its way back on the schedule soon enough.

Next up, on my Stephen King journey, is Lisey's Story, which came out in the same year as Cell. I will likely get to that one by month's end.

The Post-Rumble Blues

Well, that's the Royal Rumble done for another year.

I am sitting here, at the laptop, with a slight headache from last night. It's the usual ailment when I've been up all night watching wrestling events into the early hours. I don't know why I am experiencing it today because - as I pointed out yesterday - it was the earliest start, and end, to a Royal Rumble event - for me - since the 1990s.

Maybe this could be classified as the post-Royal Rumble blues? Not that I've ever had that. I've had similar ailments with American football, and I'm sure to be diagnosed with it in a week from tomorrow once the Super Bowl - and the entire 2025 season, for that matter - is in my rearview.

But - with both - there are things on the horizon.

The Royal Rumble may be behind us, but WrestleMania is on the horizon. Once the Super Bowl is over, there's free agency, the draft, the schedule release (what I am looking forward to the most, as it'll allow me to get the 2026 annual in order), training camps, preseason and then... the 2026 regular season.

Yes, one seems closer than the other. But, we do have some intriguing stops along the way.