Who's ready for part 2 of the Eight famous Engines part of my TTTE Reboot saga.
Massively Multiplayer: Gaming In The New Millennium
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AeroTheZealousOne
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This is from a update set in TTL 2016, revealing a lot of stuff quite awhile before it's postings, including Zelda Williams voicing Lilith in Final Fantasy XII (not to mention the existence of the TV show Powers, but I digress) and the subtle giveaway that Robin Williams, as of '16, is still alive, as quoted above. Further details provided below:
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Now I do badly want a Jumanji 2 where Robin Williams interacts with Dwayne Johnson. “Welcome to the Jungle” was a shockingly good movie despite how long it took to get it made.
Maybe we could eventually get Robin Williams as the Riddler.
Maybe we could eventually get Robin Williams as the Riddler.
The 2009-10 NFL Season
Heading into the last season of the decade, the NFL found itself flush with young talent, but with most of that talent stuck on younger, poorly performing teams, while many of the perennially strong teams such as the Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Saints, and Bears remained dominant. The league was full of savvy veterans and venerable coaches, and the best teams remained the best, despite the league's hard salary cap forcing some free agent shuffling. Despite this, there was still plenty of room for younger superstars, such as Pittsburgh's Aaron Rodgers and San Francisco's Sam Bradford, to make a name for themselves, and despite most of the best teams remaining the best, the season still proved to be an exciting one, with plenty of close games and explosive offenses.
In the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals went to war in the NFC North, splitting their two-game series and losing only three total games between them outside of head-to-head matches. They were clearly the top two teams in the conference, though the Colts and Patriots lagged close behind. The AFC East, with a rising Jets squad, a scrappy Bills squad, and a strong Dolphins squad led by Drew Brees, was arguably the best division in football (the NFC North had two excellent teams but the Browns stunk and the Ravens had an off-year). The Dolphins went 11-5, but ended up with the #6 seed thanks to the Bengals going 13-3 but still earning a wild card due to the Steelers being 14-2. The fact that the Bengals would be visiting the 10-6 Oakland Raiders in the playoffs led to some calls for playoff reform, but with the old traditionalists crowing that "Divisions have to mean something!", those calls fell on deaf ears.
The biggest story in the NFC was the collapse of the Dallas Cowboys under rookie quarterback Colt Brennan, who was implicated in the biggest personal conduct scandal since Michael Vick after being accused of sexual misconduct with a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. Though Brennan would be cleared of wrongdoing, similarly to the OTL Ben Roethlisberger scandal, the scandal led to a massive distraction, and other off-field issues including drug use and injuries (Chris Johnson would miss the entire season due to the injury he suffered in last year's playoffs) led to a 6-10 season for the Cowboys. However, the New Orleans Saints had an amazing season, with Peyton Manning throwing 44 touchdowns and running back Matt Forte having an excellent season as well. The Saints would end up with the NFL's best record, 15-1, clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, Brett Favre, in his last NFL season, would turn back the clock and lead the Green Bay Packers to a 12-4 record (he did have some help from the league's stiffest defense). The San Francisco 49ers would experience a bounce back season thanks to quarterback Sam Bradford, who led the team to a 10-6 record, and would help make the 49ers one of the best teams of the 2010s.
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NFL Playoffs 2009-10:
Wildcard Round
(3) New England Patriots over (6) Miami Dolphins, 34 to 7
Drew Brees just can't catch a break, as he once again found himself stymied by Belichick's defense and the Patriots' excellent play. Quarterback Donovan McNabb continued to lead his team up and down the field, while Brees ended up throwing three interceptions, including a pick six that made the score 21-7 and killed the Dolphins' momentum late in the first half. From there, it was all New England. The Dolphins managed to stop a couple red zone drives and hold the Patriots to field goals, but that was pretty much all they could do, and once again, the New England Patriots had the winning edge in the playoffs.
(5) Cincinnati Bengals over (4) Oakland Raiders, 20 to 16
The home underdog Raiders proved they could hang with the Bengals, but too many turnovers and missed red zone opportunities doomed them in this tight game. The Matt Ryan-Megatron connection had mixed success in this one, hooking up in the end zone once, but also leading to a pair of Raiders interceptions. The rowdy Raiders crowd heckled Ryan all game, and though the Bengals controlled things throughout, Oakland never let them get too comfortable.
(3) Arizona Cardinals over (6) San Francisco 49ers, 55 to 3
Matt Leinart and the Cardinals had an absolute field day, while the Niners had a nightmarish game that showed they weren't quite ready for the big time. The defending NFC champion Cardinals ran all over the 49ers, up and down the field while the defense forced four turnovers and kept the Niners out of the end zone. The Cardinals would head to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field with plenty of momentum, but would that be enough to overcome Favre and the elements?
(5) Chicago Bears over (4) Philadelphia Eagles, 23 to 16
This tight game between two of the NFC's best teams saw the Chicago Bears come out on top in a game that saw lots of tough play on defense but also some clutch offensive plays as well. Quarterback Tim Couch threw a good game, 289 yards with one touchdown and one interception, but just couldn't get the ball into the end zone except for one play midway through the third quarter. The Chicago Bears and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger struggled as well, but found the end zone one more time than the Eagles did, and that ended up being all the difference.
Divisional Round:
(1) Pittsburgh Steelers over (5) Cincinnati Bengals, 26 to 14
The ferocious division rivalry continues, and the Steelers won the rubber match of this three game season series, winning big at Heinz Field when it counted, with four big field goals capping off four long drives. The Steelers dominated time of possession in this one, 38 minutes to 22, and that proved to be the difference, as Megatron can't catch footballs when he's sitting on the bench watching the Bengals defense. The Bengals played a clean and largely mistake free game, with no turnovers, but the Steelers' tough rushing game kept the potent Bengals offense off the field, and Pittsburgh once again advanced to the AFC Championship.
(3) New England Patriots over (2) Indianapolis Colts, 33 to 17
In all the excitement over the Steelers/Patriots rivalry, a lot of people forget that the Colts and Patriots play each other quite often as well. However, more often than not, the Patriots come out on top, and that was the case here as well. The Colts' Tom Brady, like Drew Brees before him, didn't have an answer for Bill Belichick's defense, and doesn't have as many weapons at WR as he used to with Marvin Harrison having retired and Randy Moss getting on in age. The Patriots won a mostly ho-hum game and once again will meet the Steelers in the conference championship.
(1) New Orleans Saints over (5) Chicago Bears, 27 to 20
This exciting game went back and forth, with neither team ever leading by more than a touchdown. The Bears drew first blood with a field goal, the Saints came back and scored a touchdown, and then the Bears answered with a touchdown of their own to end the first quarter ahead 10-7. The Saints would tie it with a field goal, the only score of the second quarter, making it 10 to 10. The third quarter saw a pair of field goals, one from each team, and then a late Bears touchdown to make it 20-13 at the end of the third. The Saints responded with a touchdown to tie it, then both teams drove down the field to the edge of field goal range, with the Bears electing to punt and the Saints missing a field goal with 3:20 left that would have given them the lead. The Bears made it down to about midfield before a crucial Saints interception with just 1:30 remaining, and scored afterward to go up 27-20 with 47 seconds left. The Bears tried valiantly to score, but couldn't, and the Saints survived a stiff test to win their 16th game of the year.
(3) Arizona Cardinals over (2) Green Bay Packers, 41 to 38
As good as the Saints/Bears game was, this Packers/Cardinals game was even better. Despite the cold, the Cardinals came out swinging, and took a 28-7 lead midway through the second quarter. The Packers were forced to settle for a field goal, bringing it to 28-10 at the half. The Packers then scored a pair of quick touchdowns, but missed a 2-point conversion, making the score 28-23. The Cardinals then scored a touchdown to bring their lead to twelve early in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals then got the ball back, and with 6:03 left on the clock, kicked a field goal to make the score 38-23. Brett Favre, in what would be his last game if the Packers lost, threw a mighty touchdown pass to quickly make the score 38-30 with around five minutes to go. The Cardinals marched down the field but had to settle for a field goal with just over two minutes left, putting them up 41-30. Once again, Favre made magic happen, throwing several great passes to lead the Packers down the field to score again, and this time, they converted the two points, making it 41-38 with 38 seconds left and no timeouts. The Packers came up with a miracle onside kick recovery, and Favre got his team to the Cardinals' 46 yard line with one second left. He fought his way out of a tackle and threw a Hail Mary pass, which somehow had the distance to make it to the end zone and almost into the hands of Jericho Cotchery, but a Cardinals defender batted it out of Cotchery's hands, and the ball fell to the turf, clinching the win for the Cardinals. Despite the loss, Brett Favre had gone out on his shield, and Packers fans gave him a standing ovation as he left the field in tears.
Conference Championships:
(1) Pittsburgh Steelers over (3) New England Patriots, 49 to 45
For the second straight year, the Steelers and Patriots played an absolute classic in the AFC Championship Game, and indeed, this was a win of historic proportions. From the get-go, the Patriots dominated the game. McNabb was getting touchdowns on the ground and in the air, while the Patriots defense came up with two touchdowns of their own. The Steelers were getting absolutely blown out, the vaunted Steelers defense looked terrible and by the time the half was over, the Patriots led 42 to 7 and it looked over. There was talk of benching Aaron Rodgers, who'd thrown two pick-sixes, and Steelers fans were starting to leave. That's when Rodgers and the Steelers came to life, marching down the field twice for a pair of touchdowns, and shutting the Patriots out for the quarter, making it 42 to 21 going into the third. The Steelers scored again, but the Patriots milked the clock and managed a field goal, making it 45-28 with just over six minutes left. It looked like the Steelers comeback would fall short, but Rodgers made a quick score, the Steelers recovered an onside kick again, then charged down the field for another score to make it 45 to 42 with just 2:38 left in the game. The Patriots had the ball and ran the Steelers out of timeouts, but were looking at a 4th and 4 from their own 42 yard line with 58 seconds left in the game. Belichick decided, almost incomprehensibly, to go for it, hoping to get four yards and end the game then and there. But the Patriots were stopped just short, giving the Steelers and Roethlisberger the ball with excellent field position, and the Steelers capitalized with the game winning touchdown with just 10 seconds to go. Belichick went from being the mad genius to being "Bill Belichoke", the name that Boston papers would bestow on him in the weeks after the game, where his 4th and 4 decision would be questioned for years to come. The Steelers made it to the Super Bowl, completing the greatest comeback in NFL history.
(1) New Orleans Saints over (3) Arizona Cardinals, 38 to 17
In contrast with the AFC Championship instant classic, the NFC Championship was a fairly anticlimactic affair. The 16-1 Saints played like the best team in the NFL, blowing out the Cardinals at the Superdome and easily advancing to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals had an average day on offense, not making too many errors, but they needed more than an average day to beat Peyton Manning and the Saints, and Manning had four touchdowns and 350 yards, one of his best playoff performances ever. Super Bowl XLIV would see the NFL's two best teams going head to head, a matchup that seemed like destiny all season.
Super Bowl XLIV:
Pittsburgh Steelers over New Orleans Saints, 38 to 35
In this dual of quarterbacks between Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers, it was a back and forth affair all the way as the two gunslingers duked it out for ultimate bragging rights following Rihanna's performance of the National Anthem (her first public performance since the tragedy at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade). The Saints took the early lead at 21-7, but that would be their biggest lead of the game, with the Steelers closing the gap just before the end of the first half to make it 21-14. The Who played an excellent halftime show, and then out of the locker room, the Steelers would tie the game on the first score of the second half, before taking a 24-21 lead with a field goal on their next possession. It was literally back and forth the rest of the way, with the Saints going up 28-24 at the end of the third, the Steelers answering with a score, and then the Saints retaking the lead 35-31, only for the Steelers to score the go-ahead touchdown with 2:41 remaining. Manning and the Saints were unable to respond, eventually turning the ball over on downs near midfield, and that was it: the Steelers had won the Super Bowl, and Aaron Rodgers had won his first ring.
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2010 NFL Draft
The Dallas Cowboys were once again looking for a quarterback, and Tim Tebow was the best on the board, having taken Florida to a national championship just a few months before. Tebow also boasted a spotless character record, something the Cowboys were eagerly looking for. However, at least one other team ahead of the Cowboys in the draft also needed a quarterback, and the Cowboys would ultimately be forced to trade up, giving up most of the rest of their draft and a couple of key veterans to snag him with the fourth overall pick, somewhat earlier than he'd been projected to go. The Cowboys were clearly going for broke with Tim Tebow and hoping it would pay off. Pick #1 would be Ndamukong Suh, who would go to the New York Giants, who'd struggled through a 3-13 season (though they'd done better than the Browns, who would've had Suh with the #1 pick if not for the continued Michael Vick sanctions). The Ravens had the third pick and snatched up Trent Williams to anchor their O-line. Rob Gronkowski, an intriguing prospect at tight end, fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the second round, giving Sam Bradford a crucial weapon he would need to take the Niners back to NFC prominence. In a sign that character concerns had truly reared their head in the NFL, Mr. Irrelevant that year was tight end Aaron Hernandez, who boasted first-round caliber talent but fell all the way to the bottom of the seventh round due to trouble with the law he experienced in college. Ironically, Hernandez was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, and though the local papers did point out Hernandez' legal troubles, the Browns didn't take much heat for the pick considering Hernandez' place in the draft, as historically, the player chosen in that position was usually cut rather quickly.
In the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals went to war in the NFC North, splitting their two-game series and losing only three total games between them outside of head-to-head matches. They were clearly the top two teams in the conference, though the Colts and Patriots lagged close behind. The AFC East, with a rising Jets squad, a scrappy Bills squad, and a strong Dolphins squad led by Drew Brees, was arguably the best division in football (the NFC North had two excellent teams but the Browns stunk and the Ravens had an off-year). The Dolphins went 11-5, but ended up with the #6 seed thanks to the Bengals going 13-3 but still earning a wild card due to the Steelers being 14-2. The fact that the Bengals would be visiting the 10-6 Oakland Raiders in the playoffs led to some calls for playoff reform, but with the old traditionalists crowing that "Divisions have to mean something!", those calls fell on deaf ears.
The biggest story in the NFC was the collapse of the Dallas Cowboys under rookie quarterback Colt Brennan, who was implicated in the biggest personal conduct scandal since Michael Vick after being accused of sexual misconduct with a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. Though Brennan would be cleared of wrongdoing, similarly to the OTL Ben Roethlisberger scandal, the scandal led to a massive distraction, and other off-field issues including drug use and injuries (Chris Johnson would miss the entire season due to the injury he suffered in last year's playoffs) led to a 6-10 season for the Cowboys. However, the New Orleans Saints had an amazing season, with Peyton Manning throwing 44 touchdowns and running back Matt Forte having an excellent season as well. The Saints would end up with the NFL's best record, 15-1, clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, Brett Favre, in his last NFL season, would turn back the clock and lead the Green Bay Packers to a 12-4 record (he did have some help from the league's stiffest defense). The San Francisco 49ers would experience a bounce back season thanks to quarterback Sam Bradford, who led the team to a 10-6 record, and would help make the 49ers one of the best teams of the 2010s.
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NFL Playoffs 2009-10:
Wildcard Round
(3) New England Patriots over (6) Miami Dolphins, 34 to 7
Drew Brees just can't catch a break, as he once again found himself stymied by Belichick's defense and the Patriots' excellent play. Quarterback Donovan McNabb continued to lead his team up and down the field, while Brees ended up throwing three interceptions, including a pick six that made the score 21-7 and killed the Dolphins' momentum late in the first half. From there, it was all New England. The Dolphins managed to stop a couple red zone drives and hold the Patriots to field goals, but that was pretty much all they could do, and once again, the New England Patriots had the winning edge in the playoffs.
(5) Cincinnati Bengals over (4) Oakland Raiders, 20 to 16
The home underdog Raiders proved they could hang with the Bengals, but too many turnovers and missed red zone opportunities doomed them in this tight game. The Matt Ryan-Megatron connection had mixed success in this one, hooking up in the end zone once, but also leading to a pair of Raiders interceptions. The rowdy Raiders crowd heckled Ryan all game, and though the Bengals controlled things throughout, Oakland never let them get too comfortable.
(3) Arizona Cardinals over (6) San Francisco 49ers, 55 to 3
Matt Leinart and the Cardinals had an absolute field day, while the Niners had a nightmarish game that showed they weren't quite ready for the big time. The defending NFC champion Cardinals ran all over the 49ers, up and down the field while the defense forced four turnovers and kept the Niners out of the end zone. The Cardinals would head to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field with plenty of momentum, but would that be enough to overcome Favre and the elements?
(5) Chicago Bears over (4) Philadelphia Eagles, 23 to 16
This tight game between two of the NFC's best teams saw the Chicago Bears come out on top in a game that saw lots of tough play on defense but also some clutch offensive plays as well. Quarterback Tim Couch threw a good game, 289 yards with one touchdown and one interception, but just couldn't get the ball into the end zone except for one play midway through the third quarter. The Chicago Bears and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger struggled as well, but found the end zone one more time than the Eagles did, and that ended up being all the difference.
Divisional Round:
(1) Pittsburgh Steelers over (5) Cincinnati Bengals, 26 to 14
The ferocious division rivalry continues, and the Steelers won the rubber match of this three game season series, winning big at Heinz Field when it counted, with four big field goals capping off four long drives. The Steelers dominated time of possession in this one, 38 minutes to 22, and that proved to be the difference, as Megatron can't catch footballs when he's sitting on the bench watching the Bengals defense. The Bengals played a clean and largely mistake free game, with no turnovers, but the Steelers' tough rushing game kept the potent Bengals offense off the field, and Pittsburgh once again advanced to the AFC Championship.
(3) New England Patriots over (2) Indianapolis Colts, 33 to 17
In all the excitement over the Steelers/Patriots rivalry, a lot of people forget that the Colts and Patriots play each other quite often as well. However, more often than not, the Patriots come out on top, and that was the case here as well. The Colts' Tom Brady, like Drew Brees before him, didn't have an answer for Bill Belichick's defense, and doesn't have as many weapons at WR as he used to with Marvin Harrison having retired and Randy Moss getting on in age. The Patriots won a mostly ho-hum game and once again will meet the Steelers in the conference championship.
(1) New Orleans Saints over (5) Chicago Bears, 27 to 20
This exciting game went back and forth, with neither team ever leading by more than a touchdown. The Bears drew first blood with a field goal, the Saints came back and scored a touchdown, and then the Bears answered with a touchdown of their own to end the first quarter ahead 10-7. The Saints would tie it with a field goal, the only score of the second quarter, making it 10 to 10. The third quarter saw a pair of field goals, one from each team, and then a late Bears touchdown to make it 20-13 at the end of the third. The Saints responded with a touchdown to tie it, then both teams drove down the field to the edge of field goal range, with the Bears electing to punt and the Saints missing a field goal with 3:20 left that would have given them the lead. The Bears made it down to about midfield before a crucial Saints interception with just 1:30 remaining, and scored afterward to go up 27-20 with 47 seconds left. The Bears tried valiantly to score, but couldn't, and the Saints survived a stiff test to win their 16th game of the year.
(3) Arizona Cardinals over (2) Green Bay Packers, 41 to 38
As good as the Saints/Bears game was, this Packers/Cardinals game was even better. Despite the cold, the Cardinals came out swinging, and took a 28-7 lead midway through the second quarter. The Packers were forced to settle for a field goal, bringing it to 28-10 at the half. The Packers then scored a pair of quick touchdowns, but missed a 2-point conversion, making the score 28-23. The Cardinals then scored a touchdown to bring their lead to twelve early in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals then got the ball back, and with 6:03 left on the clock, kicked a field goal to make the score 38-23. Brett Favre, in what would be his last game if the Packers lost, threw a mighty touchdown pass to quickly make the score 38-30 with around five minutes to go. The Cardinals marched down the field but had to settle for a field goal with just over two minutes left, putting them up 41-30. Once again, Favre made magic happen, throwing several great passes to lead the Packers down the field to score again, and this time, they converted the two points, making it 41-38 with 38 seconds left and no timeouts. The Packers came up with a miracle onside kick recovery, and Favre got his team to the Cardinals' 46 yard line with one second left. He fought his way out of a tackle and threw a Hail Mary pass, which somehow had the distance to make it to the end zone and almost into the hands of Jericho Cotchery, but a Cardinals defender batted it out of Cotchery's hands, and the ball fell to the turf, clinching the win for the Cardinals. Despite the loss, Brett Favre had gone out on his shield, and Packers fans gave him a standing ovation as he left the field in tears.
Conference Championships:
(1) Pittsburgh Steelers over (3) New England Patriots, 49 to 45
For the second straight year, the Steelers and Patriots played an absolute classic in the AFC Championship Game, and indeed, this was a win of historic proportions. From the get-go, the Patriots dominated the game. McNabb was getting touchdowns on the ground and in the air, while the Patriots defense came up with two touchdowns of their own. The Steelers were getting absolutely blown out, the vaunted Steelers defense looked terrible and by the time the half was over, the Patriots led 42 to 7 and it looked over. There was talk of benching Aaron Rodgers, who'd thrown two pick-sixes, and Steelers fans were starting to leave. That's when Rodgers and the Steelers came to life, marching down the field twice for a pair of touchdowns, and shutting the Patriots out for the quarter, making it 42 to 21 going into the third. The Steelers scored again, but the Patriots milked the clock and managed a field goal, making it 45-28 with just over six minutes left. It looked like the Steelers comeback would fall short, but Rodgers made a quick score, the Steelers recovered an onside kick again, then charged down the field for another score to make it 45 to 42 with just 2:38 left in the game. The Patriots had the ball and ran the Steelers out of timeouts, but were looking at a 4th and 4 from their own 42 yard line with 58 seconds left in the game. Belichick decided, almost incomprehensibly, to go for it, hoping to get four yards and end the game then and there. But the Patriots were stopped just short, giving the Steelers and Roethlisberger the ball with excellent field position, and the Steelers capitalized with the game winning touchdown with just 10 seconds to go. Belichick went from being the mad genius to being "Bill Belichoke", the name that Boston papers would bestow on him in the weeks after the game, where his 4th and 4 decision would be questioned for years to come. The Steelers made it to the Super Bowl, completing the greatest comeback in NFL history.
(1) New Orleans Saints over (3) Arizona Cardinals, 38 to 17
In contrast with the AFC Championship instant classic, the NFC Championship was a fairly anticlimactic affair. The 16-1 Saints played like the best team in the NFL, blowing out the Cardinals at the Superdome and easily advancing to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals had an average day on offense, not making too many errors, but they needed more than an average day to beat Peyton Manning and the Saints, and Manning had four touchdowns and 350 yards, one of his best playoff performances ever. Super Bowl XLIV would see the NFL's two best teams going head to head, a matchup that seemed like destiny all season.
Super Bowl XLIV:
Pittsburgh Steelers over New Orleans Saints, 38 to 35
In this dual of quarterbacks between Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers, it was a back and forth affair all the way as the two gunslingers duked it out for ultimate bragging rights following Rihanna's performance of the National Anthem (her first public performance since the tragedy at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade). The Saints took the early lead at 21-7, but that would be their biggest lead of the game, with the Steelers closing the gap just before the end of the first half to make it 21-14. The Who played an excellent halftime show, and then out of the locker room, the Steelers would tie the game on the first score of the second half, before taking a 24-21 lead with a field goal on their next possession. It was literally back and forth the rest of the way, with the Saints going up 28-24 at the end of the third, the Steelers answering with a score, and then the Saints retaking the lead 35-31, only for the Steelers to score the go-ahead touchdown with 2:41 remaining. Manning and the Saints were unable to respond, eventually turning the ball over on downs near midfield, and that was it: the Steelers had won the Super Bowl, and Aaron Rodgers had won his first ring.
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2010 NFL Draft
The Dallas Cowboys were once again looking for a quarterback, and Tim Tebow was the best on the board, having taken Florida to a national championship just a few months before. Tebow also boasted a spotless character record, something the Cowboys were eagerly looking for. However, at least one other team ahead of the Cowboys in the draft also needed a quarterback, and the Cowboys would ultimately be forced to trade up, giving up most of the rest of their draft and a couple of key veterans to snag him with the fourth overall pick, somewhat earlier than he'd been projected to go. The Cowboys were clearly going for broke with Tim Tebow and hoping it would pay off. Pick #1 would be Ndamukong Suh, who would go to the New York Giants, who'd struggled through a 3-13 season (though they'd done better than the Browns, who would've had Suh with the #1 pick if not for the continued Michael Vick sanctions). The Ravens had the third pick and snatched up Trent Williams to anchor their O-line. Rob Gronkowski, an intriguing prospect at tight end, fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the second round, giving Sam Bradford a crucial weapon he would need to take the Niners back to NFC prominence. In a sign that character concerns had truly reared their head in the NFL, Mr. Irrelevant that year was tight end Aaron Hernandez, who boasted first-round caliber talent but fell all the way to the bottom of the seventh round due to trouble with the law he experienced in college. Ironically, Hernandez was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, and though the local papers did point out Hernandez' legal troubles, the Browns didn't take much heat for the pick considering Hernandez' place in the draft, as historically, the player chosen in that position was usually cut rather quickly.
Do the Baltimore Ravens exist ITTL?
Please say they do, you can't leave Maryland without a team in the NBA and without a team in the NFL.
AeroTheZealousOne
Monthly Donor
This update is automatically more exciting than whatever was on TV last night. I don't follow football all that much but [insert relative's rant IOTL on how the Saints should have played the Patriots here].
I wonder if/when the Browns can redeem themselves from their mess with Michael Vick (read: sometime after 2013) but that's forever down the road, so that's just me thinking aloud...
On the topic of news, well... It'll be earth-shattering, but--
Everyone on this thread said:
My bad.
As a Saints fan, this makes me sad. But heck, that’d probably go down as one of the greatest Super Bowls in history. Aaron Rodgers taking down Big Ben in OTL is one thing. Rodgers taking down Peyton Manning? WOW.
Same as IOTL, actually. Tried out for the NFL, didn't work, went to UFC, won a couple titles, still in the UFC as of 2010 ITTL. Never had his bout with diverticulitis either, so he's actually doing slightly better in the UFC.
Yep, they kinda stink right now though. They'll probably get better.
There's a chance, but we'll see. They're likely to do so around the same time as OTL.
What happened to the Texans? I hate that their first quarterback got paralyzed in our very first game, and the AFC South just seems to not exist here so I have no idea how anyone's doing. Even with his character issues, Ben "Captain Fat Fuck" Roethlisburger, Leader of Men, would have been a much needed boon for the Texans to gain relevance. We should have gone to a Super Bowl, or at least conference championships sometime this decade, but then everything is ruined by O'Brien's touch. Really want to know since its going to be months before another football update.
The Texans beefed up their offensive line and made a couple playoff appearances but haven't done all that much yet ITTL. Stay tuned though, once the Colts start to fade, the Texans may well rise in their division.
Grammy/Oscar 2010
2010 Grammy Nominees (winners in bold):
Best New Artist-
Chloe Wang
Gennifer Lestrand
Silversun Pickups
Stefon
Zac Brown Band
(Note: The American Idol winner just barely made the cutoff for eligibility, releasing her debut album with one of the quickest Idol winner turnarounds ever and getting in just a couple weeks before she would've had to wait for 2011. Wang was victorious over both OTL's winners Zac Brown Band and intriguing 23-year-old British folk pop singer Gennifer Lestrand, who wasn't really considered part of the mainstream "girl pop" boom but was a critical darling for her insightful songs about life, love, and loss, and was considered a popular dark horse candidate for this award. Lestrand didn't win, but despite being on somewhat of the outside of mainstream pop, she'd remain a fixture on the musical landscape for years to come. Chloe Wang's win symbolized that the American-Asian pop fusion wave had truly begun to take over music, and Wang was at the forefront of this trend. While K-Pop and J-Pop acts were shut out of this year's Best New Artist category, at least one would make their way onto next year's list of nominees.)
Song Of The Year-
“Fallen Angel” by Outkast
“In An Hour” by Taylor Swift
“The Last Thing I Do For You” by Beyonce
“Use Somebody” by Kings Of Leon
“Where Are We?” by Gennifer Lestrand
(Note: Beyonce was by this time a popular solo artist, just as IOTL, and her music was as popular and as acclaimed ITTL. She led the R+B charge against the bubblegum girl pop boom and did it with class and style, going head to head with Taylor Swift in this category while also battling it out with fellow critical darling Gennifer Lestrande. Her break-up song was contrasted with Outkast's "Fallen Angel", but Beyonce's song was far more popular, and this award wasn't really all that close.)
Record Of The Year-
“Cross My Heart” by Chloe Wang
“I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas
“In An Hour” by Taylor Swift
"Rock Out (With Your Sock Out)" by P!nk
“Use Somebody” by Kings Of Leon
(Chloe Wang's "Cross My Heart" was an underdog in this category, as "I Gotta Feeling" was the overwhelming popular favorite and "Use Somebody" was the critical favorite and OTL winner. Amongst girl pop songs, Pink's badass anthem "Rock Out (With Your Sock Out)" was also considered somewhat superior to "Cross My Heart", but in the end, the technical wizardry and instrumental and lyrical fusion of Chloe Wang's infectiously catchy love song came out triumphant over the seemingly stronger competition, winning in a massive upset and combining with Wang's Best New Artist award to kick the 17-year-old popstar's career into the stratosphere.)
Album Of The Year-
Come Into My Parlor by Gennifer Lestrand
Ode To The Good Life by Stefon
Pacifica by Hikaru Utada
The E.N.D. by The Black Eyed Peas
Too Bad by Beyonce
(Note: Chloe Wang's debut album was noticeably snubbed from this category, but Hikaru Utada's acclaimed crossover album Pacifica got a nomination, and would be going up against Beyonce's Too Bad in this category that saw J-Pop and R+B clash in a major way. Gennifer Lestrand's Come Into My Parlor, the most critically acclaimed album of the year, was considered another major contender, and even The Black Eyed Peas were front runners at one point, making this a highly competitive category. In the end, Hikaru never really had a chance, and The Black Eyed Peas' album wasn't quite popular enough amongst the critics to be in contention. It came down to a highly competitive race between Lestrand and Beyonce, and the final vote was one of the closest Album of the Year votes of the last decade, but Beyonce was the one to come out on top, giving a tearful acceptance speech in which she gave a shout-out to Lestrand before thanking her family and fans and even all the haters for motivating her to get this far.)
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2010 Oscar Nominees (winners in bold):
Best Picture-
Inglourious Basterds
Response
Up In The Air
Toy Story 3
With Dearest Affection
(Note: Unlike IOTL, there was no major controversy like there was with Wall-E and The Dark Knight, and so Best Picture remained a five film category, at least for the time being, and with movies like Toy Story 3 getting nominated, that wasn't likely to change any time soon. In fact, Toy Story 3 was considered a front-runner at one point, and many saw this category as being wide open. With Dearest Affection, a late-19th century period piece about a written correspondence between a noblewoman and a working class woman that turns into a tragic, unrequited romance, was seen as being somewhat of a dark horse in this category, but would ultimately go on to sweep all five awards it was nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Art Direction.)
Best Director-
Jason Reitman for Up In The Air
Joel and Ethan Coen for Sales Pitch
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds
Sofia Coppola for With Dearest Affection
Tom Hooper for Swellings
(Note: As mentioned before, Coppola would take home the Oscar for With Dearest Affection, but she had to fight off some stiff competition, including iconic directors like the Coen Brothers and Quentin Tarantino, and a surprisingly fierce challenge from Tom Hooper, who directed Swellings, a film about a mysterious murder in a small British town. Another award that was seen as being anyone's to win, Coppola's win came as somewhat of a surprise, but ultimately indicated that With Dearest Affection was going to be the Best Picture favorite as well a few minutes later.)
Best Actor-
Christopher McDonald for Sales Pitch
Ewan McGregor for Swellings
George Clooney for Up In The Air
Leonardo DiCaprio for Response
Morgan Freeman for Invictus
(Note: With Jeff Bridges' performance in the butterflied OTL film Crazy Heart not a factor, this was seen as being a two-way race between Clooney and DiCaprio, though Ewan McGregor and Morgan Freeman both made strong cases as well, McGregor for his performance as a cunning detective, and Morgan Freeman for portraying the great Nelson Mandela. Christopher McDonald's performance as a down on his luck door to door salesman in Sales Pitch was seen as the dark horse in this category and pretty much had no chance to win. In the end, Leonardo DiCaprio came out on top for his tortured performance as a hostage negotiator suffering from crippling guilt in Response.)
Best Actress-
Amy Adams for Seaside Elementary
Hayley Atwell for With Dearest Affection
Helen Mirren for The Last Station
Ko Shibasaki for Shinkansen
Rosamund Pike for With Dearest Affection
(Note: There were two major surprises in this category in terms of nominees, with Amy Adams' performance in the popular Seaside Elementary giving her a chance to become a repeat Best Actress winner, and Ko Shibasaki's performance in the psychological thriller Shinkansen earning an even more shocking nomination. Shinkansen, one of the most twisted films in recent memory, depicted a woman in the throes of a psychological breakdown aboard a Japanese bullet train, seeing hallucinations and completely losing touch with reality. The film, directed by David Lynch, ended up being an intensely polarizing cult classic film, and Shibasaki's nomination was seen as being sort of a bone thrown to Lynch and the film itself, which was so polarizing that Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert had probably the biggest argument in the history of their weekly show over the film's merits (Ebert loved it, Siskel DESPISED it). Helen Mirren was seen as the favorite in the category, as the sort of "elder stateswoman" amongst much younger competition, while Atwell and Pike, seen as the only threats to Mirren's win, were expected to split the vote. However, Pike emerged as the critical favorite of the two excellent starring performances in With Dearest Affection, and took home the surprising win.)
Best Supporting Actor-
Bill Bolender for Dr. Madness
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds
Dave Chappelle for Seven Sharp
James Gandolfini for I Didn't Know Sunshine Could Burn
Matt Damon for Invictus
(Note: As IOTL, Christoph Waltz emerged the winner in this category, towering over the other performances, though Dave Chapelle's performance as a street-smart card player in Seven Sharp was seen as a popular dark horse in the category, and James Gandolfini's performance was considered formidable as well. However, it was Waltz who won for his performance as the despicable Hans Landa, and as IOTL, he gratefully thanked Quentin Tarantino for the opportunity to be in such a big movie.)
Best Supporting Actress-
Allison Scagliotti for As Gods
Helen McCrory for Swellings
Linda Cardellini for Up In The Air
Renee Zellweger for Sales Pitch
Scarlett Johansson for Response
(Note: Allison Scagliotti's performance in As Gods, playing a troubled but good-hearted girl with incredible telekinetic powers, emerged as the standout from Roland Emmerich's surprise mega-hit, though her nomination was seen as almost as big a surprise as Ko Shibasaki's in the Best Actress category and she wasn't expected to win. Her presence did keep the Academy from nominating Anna Kendrick for Up In The Air, as it was felt that having two emerging young actresses in the same category would be overkill, and Kendrick's performance, while critically acclaimed, got bumped. It was Linda Cardellini in Up In The Air (taking the role that Vera Farmiga played IOTL) that captivated the voters enough to win. The most memorable moment of Cardellini's win was when she accepted her award from 2009's Best Supporting Actor winner Jake Busey, and the two whispered something to each other along the lines of "can you believe we're both Oscar winners?" before sharing a laugh.)
Best New Artist-
Chloe Wang
Gennifer Lestrand
Silversun Pickups
Stefon
Zac Brown Band
(Note: The American Idol winner just barely made the cutoff for eligibility, releasing her debut album with one of the quickest Idol winner turnarounds ever and getting in just a couple weeks before she would've had to wait for 2011. Wang was victorious over both OTL's winners Zac Brown Band and intriguing 23-year-old British folk pop singer Gennifer Lestrand, who wasn't really considered part of the mainstream "girl pop" boom but was a critical darling for her insightful songs about life, love, and loss, and was considered a popular dark horse candidate for this award. Lestrand didn't win, but despite being on somewhat of the outside of mainstream pop, she'd remain a fixture on the musical landscape for years to come. Chloe Wang's win symbolized that the American-Asian pop fusion wave had truly begun to take over music, and Wang was at the forefront of this trend. While K-Pop and J-Pop acts were shut out of this year's Best New Artist category, at least one would make their way onto next year's list of nominees.)
Song Of The Year-
“Fallen Angel” by Outkast
“In An Hour” by Taylor Swift
“The Last Thing I Do For You” by Beyonce
“Use Somebody” by Kings Of Leon
“Where Are We?” by Gennifer Lestrand
(Note: Beyonce was by this time a popular solo artist, just as IOTL, and her music was as popular and as acclaimed ITTL. She led the R+B charge against the bubblegum girl pop boom and did it with class and style, going head to head with Taylor Swift in this category while also battling it out with fellow critical darling Gennifer Lestrande. Her break-up song was contrasted with Outkast's "Fallen Angel", but Beyonce's song was far more popular, and this award wasn't really all that close.)
Record Of The Year-
“Cross My Heart” by Chloe Wang
“I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas
“In An Hour” by Taylor Swift
"Rock Out (With Your Sock Out)" by P!nk
“Use Somebody” by Kings Of Leon
(Chloe Wang's "Cross My Heart" was an underdog in this category, as "I Gotta Feeling" was the overwhelming popular favorite and "Use Somebody" was the critical favorite and OTL winner. Amongst girl pop songs, Pink's badass anthem "Rock Out (With Your Sock Out)" was also considered somewhat superior to "Cross My Heart", but in the end, the technical wizardry and instrumental and lyrical fusion of Chloe Wang's infectiously catchy love song came out triumphant over the seemingly stronger competition, winning in a massive upset and combining with Wang's Best New Artist award to kick the 17-year-old popstar's career into the stratosphere.)
Album Of The Year-
Come Into My Parlor by Gennifer Lestrand
Ode To The Good Life by Stefon
Pacifica by Hikaru Utada
The E.N.D. by The Black Eyed Peas
Too Bad by Beyonce
(Note: Chloe Wang's debut album was noticeably snubbed from this category, but Hikaru Utada's acclaimed crossover album Pacifica got a nomination, and would be going up against Beyonce's Too Bad in this category that saw J-Pop and R+B clash in a major way. Gennifer Lestrand's Come Into My Parlor, the most critically acclaimed album of the year, was considered another major contender, and even The Black Eyed Peas were front runners at one point, making this a highly competitive category. In the end, Hikaru never really had a chance, and The Black Eyed Peas' album wasn't quite popular enough amongst the critics to be in contention. It came down to a highly competitive race between Lestrand and Beyonce, and the final vote was one of the closest Album of the Year votes of the last decade, but Beyonce was the one to come out on top, giving a tearful acceptance speech in which she gave a shout-out to Lestrand before thanking her family and fans and even all the haters for motivating her to get this far.)
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2010 Oscar Nominees (winners in bold):
Best Picture-
Inglourious Basterds
Response
Up In The Air
Toy Story 3
With Dearest Affection
(Note: Unlike IOTL, there was no major controversy like there was with Wall-E and The Dark Knight, and so Best Picture remained a five film category, at least for the time being, and with movies like Toy Story 3 getting nominated, that wasn't likely to change any time soon. In fact, Toy Story 3 was considered a front-runner at one point, and many saw this category as being wide open. With Dearest Affection, a late-19th century period piece about a written correspondence between a noblewoman and a working class woman that turns into a tragic, unrequited romance, was seen as being somewhat of a dark horse in this category, but would ultimately go on to sweep all five awards it was nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Art Direction.)
Best Director-
Jason Reitman for Up In The Air
Joel and Ethan Coen for Sales Pitch
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds
Sofia Coppola for With Dearest Affection
Tom Hooper for Swellings
(Note: As mentioned before, Coppola would take home the Oscar for With Dearest Affection, but she had to fight off some stiff competition, including iconic directors like the Coen Brothers and Quentin Tarantino, and a surprisingly fierce challenge from Tom Hooper, who directed Swellings, a film about a mysterious murder in a small British town. Another award that was seen as being anyone's to win, Coppola's win came as somewhat of a surprise, but ultimately indicated that With Dearest Affection was going to be the Best Picture favorite as well a few minutes later.)
Best Actor-
Christopher McDonald for Sales Pitch
Ewan McGregor for Swellings
George Clooney for Up In The Air
Leonardo DiCaprio for Response
Morgan Freeman for Invictus
(Note: With Jeff Bridges' performance in the butterflied OTL film Crazy Heart not a factor, this was seen as being a two-way race between Clooney and DiCaprio, though Ewan McGregor and Morgan Freeman both made strong cases as well, McGregor for his performance as a cunning detective, and Morgan Freeman for portraying the great Nelson Mandela. Christopher McDonald's performance as a down on his luck door to door salesman in Sales Pitch was seen as the dark horse in this category and pretty much had no chance to win. In the end, Leonardo DiCaprio came out on top for his tortured performance as a hostage negotiator suffering from crippling guilt in Response.)
Best Actress-
Amy Adams for Seaside Elementary
Hayley Atwell for With Dearest Affection
Helen Mirren for The Last Station
Ko Shibasaki for Shinkansen
Rosamund Pike for With Dearest Affection
(Note: There were two major surprises in this category in terms of nominees, with Amy Adams' performance in the popular Seaside Elementary giving her a chance to become a repeat Best Actress winner, and Ko Shibasaki's performance in the psychological thriller Shinkansen earning an even more shocking nomination. Shinkansen, one of the most twisted films in recent memory, depicted a woman in the throes of a psychological breakdown aboard a Japanese bullet train, seeing hallucinations and completely losing touch with reality. The film, directed by David Lynch, ended up being an intensely polarizing cult classic film, and Shibasaki's nomination was seen as being sort of a bone thrown to Lynch and the film itself, which was so polarizing that Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert had probably the biggest argument in the history of their weekly show over the film's merits (Ebert loved it, Siskel DESPISED it). Helen Mirren was seen as the favorite in the category, as the sort of "elder stateswoman" amongst much younger competition, while Atwell and Pike, seen as the only threats to Mirren's win, were expected to split the vote. However, Pike emerged as the critical favorite of the two excellent starring performances in With Dearest Affection, and took home the surprising win.)
Best Supporting Actor-
Bill Bolender for Dr. Madness
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds
Dave Chappelle for Seven Sharp
James Gandolfini for I Didn't Know Sunshine Could Burn
Matt Damon for Invictus
(Note: As IOTL, Christoph Waltz emerged the winner in this category, towering over the other performances, though Dave Chapelle's performance as a street-smart card player in Seven Sharp was seen as a popular dark horse in the category, and James Gandolfini's performance was considered formidable as well. However, it was Waltz who won for his performance as the despicable Hans Landa, and as IOTL, he gratefully thanked Quentin Tarantino for the opportunity to be in such a big movie.)
Best Supporting Actress-
Allison Scagliotti for As Gods
Helen McCrory for Swellings
Linda Cardellini for Up In The Air
Renee Zellweger for Sales Pitch
Scarlett Johansson for Response
(Note: Allison Scagliotti's performance in As Gods, playing a troubled but good-hearted girl with incredible telekinetic powers, emerged as the standout from Roland Emmerich's surprise mega-hit, though her nomination was seen as almost as big a surprise as Ko Shibasaki's in the Best Actress category and she wasn't expected to win. Her presence did keep the Academy from nominating Anna Kendrick for Up In The Air, as it was felt that having two emerging young actresses in the same category would be overkill, and Kendrick's performance, while critically acclaimed, got bumped. It was Linda Cardellini in Up In The Air (taking the role that Vera Farmiga played IOTL) that captivated the voters enough to win. The most memorable moment of Cardellini's win was when she accepted her award from 2009's Best Supporting Actor winner Jake Busey, and the two whispered something to each other along the lines of "can you believe we're both Oscar winners?" before sharing a laugh.)
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