Dialing Back The Temperature.

No Pressure Tactics. Hanging Out At the Space Station. Seriously Warner Bros.? The Saga Of A Collective Bargaining Agreement. Papa G.

• For some reason a friend thought that I could provide her with advice on the best way to search and buy a new car. She drove the same car for way too long and thankfully was at a point where car shopping became a must. I suggested that she stay out of the dealership until she sourced a few options online, and to spend time on sites like Autotrader or a specific dealer’s website. She heeded my advice only to a point and ended up spending hours with salespeople from two different Lexus dealers. Most of us have experienced this delightful way to buy a car – and this 30-second spot from auto dealer Vroom, which will air during next Sunday’s Super Bowl, probably replicated her experience. Note: Vroom’s spend for this 30-second spot was $5.6 million.

• One former astronaut and three other civilians are taking a vacation. Organized by Axiom, one of many privatized space exploration companies, these four will spend eight days at the International Space Station. I am not sure what type of training they will need to undergo, and what level of fitness they must have, but what I do know is that each will pay $55 million for their week in space. That is a bit less than $7 million a day…..but it does include room and board.

• I am a long time supporter of Godzilla. While many of us have followed the life and career of King Kong, Godzilla to me is the nastiest badass that has ever roamed this planet. You can look at the science, data, and analytics in comparing Godzilla and King Kong, but there is no comparison.

Here is an excerpt from a previous post calling out weather authorities for naming a dust cloud Godzilla: Don’t disrespect. Officially called the Saharan Air Layer, many authorities around the world are calling this 3,700 mile-long dust cloud Godzilla. I take offense to this. Godzilla was a hero to many, evoking peace and harmony by destroying many combatants including Mothra and Rodan. People often compare Godzilla with King Kong. While I appreciate the power and sensitivity of Kong, he held no comparison to the size and strength of Godzilla. Godzilla stands 393 feet tall, three times the height of Kong. Don’t name a sand storm after the world’s greatest protagonist. Just don’t. 🙂

To add to my dismay with the disrespect shown Godzilla, I took a look at the trailer for the new movie: Kong vs. Godzilla, a Warner Bros. movie scheduled to be shown in theaters and on HBO Max later this spring. In one word, perplexed. In this trailer, Warner Bros. actually shows Godzilla and King Kong at the same height. Seriously? What the hell are they thinking? Did Godzilla shrink in his old age or did Kong, to help avoid Covid-19, swallow way too much zinc, B12, and vitamin C? This is an absolute miss by Warner Bros. and fans of Godzilla, including me, are not happy. Vamos Godzilla!

• The posturing and positioning of so-called leverage between Major League Soccer (MLS) and the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) started last year and for all the right and wrong reasons has carried over to the start of this preseason. I don’t like the math the League has published on projected revenue losses due to the pandemic. While it is clear that ticket sales are the major revenue stream for MLS clubs, I would prefer the League provide a revenue forecast for 2021 versus a projection of losses. While the League and the owners are most certainly dealing with financial obstacles and issues, their published statement of losses totaling $1 billion are not supported by any published data.

On the other side of the fence, for reasons of logic, I don’t necessarily agree with the MLSPA. Though it may seem like the League is taking advantage of pandemic economics, I feel strongly that the players, at a baseline, should feel fortunate to have jobs. Yes, I said it and the main reason is just a reality of today’s times. With millions of people, for one reason or another, no longer able to have a job, being paid the majority of your contracted salary, in today’s pandemic world, is a blessing. Sure, there is give and take regarding a player’s contract, and there are the health concerns of players and staff doing what they do every day, but the truth is the players remain employed, and for the most part will enjoy all or most of their contracted compensation for years to come. Don’t get me wrong, I am on the player’s side while understanding that the League must mitigate losses – but no party to Major League Soccer can ‘afford’ a work stoppage. It is my take and I welcome yours.

• On a personal note, congrats to my daughter and son-in-law. They brought my granddaughter, Lennon, into this world last night. It is a bit different world than the one my daughter navigated, but I am sure J and D will bring much love and guidance to their daughter. XOXO.

Adios, pay it forward, be safe, and have a Funday Sunday!