Sunday

I was thinking about the Super Bowl the other day (surprise, surprise), and something struck me. I truly believe that the Colts will be the best team on the field on Sunday. They have better players at nearly every position. They have the experience. They have won consistenly for a decade. They know what it takes, and their starters literally haven’t lost a regular season game in almost 2 years (not that this is a regular season game). But that’s not what bothers me. The problem is, the Saints don’t have to be the most talented team. They just have to be the better team for that ONE game! There is so much that could go wrong – fumbles, interceptions, lucky breaks and bounces, you name it. Just ask the 2007 Giants. No one in their right mind picked them to win that game, they were absolutely NOT the better team…and yet they still beat the mighty Patriots. Because for one day, they played better. It’s kind of why I prefer the NBA playoffs – no one game has make-or-break circumstances surrounding it, until you get to the final one, and even then, you had 6 others to prove yourself. Now, that is not feasible in football, and it would certainly take away the drama in the Super Bowl, but it certainly scares me. That being said (chuckle), with Peyton Manning at the helm, I am still extremely confident. This bunch doesn’t beat themselves, doesn’t make critical mistakes. And ultimately, that will play itself out on Sunday, as will a higher talent level. Given 100 games, I think the Colts would come out on top in over 90. Sunday will be one of those 90. Go Colts!!!

This Is It

Lacey and I watched the Michael Jackson concert movie the other day, and it was pretty great, actually! It’s certainly not something that has a ton to say, but for what it’s worth, it is excellent entertainment. I was amazed that he is 50 years old! I mean, it makes snese, but I guess I just didn’t put 2 and 2 together. For his age, the man could absolutely still bring it. The moves, the voice, everything was still there. The movie was put together mainly in songs – showing rehearsals, giving you different days, outfits, and points in the process. You also got to see just what an enormous spectacle this show was going to be. 3D effects, movie clips, animation, fireworks, gymnasts, a moving stage, you name it. And of course, it all revolved around the music, which after all this time, still seems fresh. These are some of the great pop songs of our time, and I was absolutely grooving. Noah and Jude were up for about the first 20 minutes of it, and even they were dancing like crazy. They start with some of his lesser-known songs, and then cycle around to the classics. Billie Jean is one of the last ones, and you definitely realize why that song is his absolute masterpiece. He’s dancing alone on the stage during that one, and it is incredible to behold. Such a shame such an awful human being seemed to waste such amazing talent. At the end, we just left feeling sad. Sad about the way he lived his life, but also sad for the literally thousands of people who gave their heart and soul for that show, all to have it come crashing down with just days to go. I can’t imagine how devastated they would be. But while the movie is going, you can’t help but be impressed with the immense talent of the man, the musician, the performer. Wow.

What A Week!

I can’t see a week topping this one for the rest of the year.  Seriously, there is so much coolness packed into this week, it almost boggles my mind.  Check out my schedule for after work the rest of the week:

Each day, arrive home by 3:30.  From 4 – 7, play with the boys, read, eat dinner.  7 – 7:30, Family Worship.  7:30 – 8, get the kids ready for bed, tuck them in, etc.  Then:

Monday

8 – 9 – New Chuck!

9 – 10 – Watch 24

Tuesday

8 – 9 – Get caught up on what I forgot about Lost

9 – 11 – The Final Season of Lost premieres!!!!!!

Wednesday

8 – ?? – Who cares.  Watch a movie?  I’ve got Public Enemies at home, maybe that one.

Thursday

8 – 9 – ??

9 – 9:30 – Watch a new episode of The Office

9:30 – 10 – 30 Rock is new

Friday

8 – ?? – Who cares.  Maybe watch a movie?  Should have a couple in from Netflix.  We’ll see.

Saturday

No time schedule here, really.  Vicki and her mother are visiting, so we will be doing various things with them.  A little Wii, some cards maybe.  I’ll probably watch some basketball on top of that.

Sunday

10 – 1 – Church

1 – 4 – Relax, take a nap (if I can stay calm)

4:30 – People start arriving for the Super Bowl Party!!

5 – Start watching pregame and getting jacked up

6:30 – KICKOFF!!!!! 

10:30 – Start winding the party for the Colts as Super Bowl Champs down.  It will be tough though for our 2nd Championship!!!

I suppose it could be better if I had the week off of work.  But when does that ever happen, and what is going on then?  I really don’t think it could compare.  I’m still a little bit in shock that the premiere of Lost and my Colts being in the Super Bowl happened in the same week.  Someone pinch me.  GO COLTS!

Keys to Victory

The Indianapolis Colts will win Super Bowl XLIV.  Of that, I am confident.  We are the better team, on both sides of the ball.  Although we both started the season undefeated, we won our first 14, and only lost our last two because we pulled the starters.  The same cannot be said for the Saints.  We have also enjoyed a sustained decade of excellence, unparalleled in the annals of pro football.  We’re used to it.  We know what it takes to win the big game, while these experiences are relatively new for New Orleans.  Oh, and have I mentioned that we have Peyton Manning?  Drew Brees is an excellent quarterback, but he is no Peyton Manning.

Having said that (chuckle), the Colts cannot just show up and expect to win the game, and they know it.  They will have to play well for four quarters to beat this quality opponent.  Here is what they will have to do to become Super Bowl champs for the second time in four years:

1.Get Healthy – Cornerback Jerraud Powers is on the mend and will be needed against the Saints’ high-powered offense.  But the bigger concern is Dwight Freeney.  Our best defensive player, and perhaps the best pure pass-rusher in the NFL, he sprained his ankle against the Jets.  Our defense is built around getting pressure on the QB, in order to protect our secondary, so Freeney’s health is absolutely critical.  I think we can win without these guys, but it will be exponentially tougher.  The good news is that it looks like both will be ready to go.  I hope.

2.Continue to Not Beat Themselves – In the Jets game, the Colts had 5 penalty yards.  FIVE!!  The fact of the matter is, the Colts NEVER implode or beat themselves.  They avoid costly turnovers and penalties, and they must do this again in the Super Bowl.  Especially in the big games, these two things are recipes for disaster.

3.Get Pressure on Brees – As I said, their defense relies on it.  We have too many injuries in the secondary (Sanders, Jackson, etc.) to rely on our corners.  To protect them, Freeney and Mathis have to come up huge, and I think they will.

4.Peyton Being Peyton – Manning is a master of recognizing defenses and adjusting to them.  The Saints will try to confuse him, like every team does, and if Manning plays like he normally does, he will pick it apart.  He also needs to continue to make every throw count, and come up big in the clutch.  These are things he has done all year, and must continue to do if the Colts are to win.  He’s perhaps the greatest QB to put on pads, and he needs to play like it.

5.Protect Peyton – This goes along with #4, but is almost out of Manning’s control.  Just like Peyton, they are amazing at in-game adjustments.  If Peyton has time to throw, he will destroy the New Orleans secondary.  If not, he can still use his amazing pocket presence to find time, but it will make it much more difficult.  The Saints will bring pressure, but if we can adjust to it, watch out.

There are many more things I can put on this list such as keep them honest with our running game, contain Bell and Bush, watch out for Shockey, etc.  But these five are the biggest.  All five are things we’ve done all year, and if we play like that, we will be Super Bowl champs once again.  Go Colts!!

Super Bowl XLIV

There is only one team that I would ever consider rooting for in Super Bowl 44, and that is about the most obvious statement on the planet.  Having become a Colts fan a good while back, I bleed Blue.  That being said:  I don’t hate the Saints, or their fans.  I mean, how could you?  This is quite the fairy tale – sports franchise has never been to the big game, still recovering from a disastrous hurricane, fan base that has had to endure some of the worst seasons in sports history, etc. ad nauseum.  Plus their most famous all-time player is the father of my favorite player, their quarterback went to school with my sister and brother-in-law, and many of my friends and wife’s family are Saints fans!  In many ways, it’s the most likeable opponent possible.

Many Super Bowls are very polarizing for me.  There is a quite obvious favorite, either because I like them, they are the underdog, or I just plain hate the other team (or some combination of those).  Take last year for example – Arizona has Kurt Warner and Edgerrin James, I can’t stand the Steelers or their fans, and it’s an easy decision.  Or two years ago – NY has Eli Manning, and I DETEST New England and their entire fan base.  Like I said, complete opposites.  But ironically, both of our Super Bowls have been closer to the middle.  Three years ago, we played the Bears.  Lovie Smith is their coach and is best friends with our coach at the time, Tony Dungy.  Having not had a football team before the early 80’s, there were still a lot of Bears fans left in Indy.  I don’t hate the Bears.  Just like I don’t hate New Orleans.  Which makes it just a smidge difficult for me going into next Sunday’s game.  I will be rooting hard for the Colts, don’t get me wrong.  But I can’t do it with the same passion and hatred that I normally reserve for teams like New England, Dallas, Pittsburgh or even the trash-talking New York Jets.  Even smack talk has lost it’s luster for me, because I really don’t have any ill will toward the Saints or their fans.

Having said that (chuckle), there are one or two things that have been starting to bother me about the Saints, and particularly their fans.  First and foremost is this whole “Who Dat?” slogan.  Yeeeesh.  Could there be a worse slogan in the history of sports?  It’s as if Saints fans WANT America to sterotype the south as uneducated, illiterate hicks!  And of course that is so far from the truth!  The second thing bothering me is a bit more delicate.  Please hear me on this, I have the utmost respect for diehard Saints fans like Mrs. White.  She introduced Lacey and I, and one of the first things I ever heard about her was, “she is a HUGE Saints fan!”  Fans who have stuck with them through thick and thin, good times and bad (emphasis on the bad, since there have been so many) are the definition of what MOST people would call “true” fans.  And there are a lot of those down in New Orleans.  I’m also not worried about people who have a soft spot for the Saints, or root for the underdog, or what have you.  It’s these Saints “fans” that are jumping on the bandwagon now that they are finally good that have bothered me this season.  Not BECAUSE they jumped on the bandwagon (sheesh, that’s what I did with the Colts, and if you want to admit you jumped on the bandwagon, more power to you…ahem…Bart), but because they won’t ADMIT they jumped on the bandwagon.  They strut around, referring to the Saints as “we”, pretending that they’ve been behind them all along.  Or even worse, admitting that they “pick their spots”.  You know, the old “I used to like Archie back in the day, but then I didn’t care about them, and then 3 years ago when they were successful I liked them again, but the last two years not so much, but all of a sudden they’re my TEAM again!  Yeah!”  To me, that’s just a little fake.  True fans, as defined by almost EVERYONE, stick by their team, and don’t waffle.  For example:  let’s say that the Cowboys had made it to the Super Bowl against the Jets.  If I were to pull this same nonsense, you would hear me proclaim myself a Cowboys fan, talking smack about the Jets, rooting for them, etc. just because I was a Cowboys’ fan in the 90’s.  I don’t consider that being a true fan, I haven’t liked the Cowboys for years.  Or how about if the Saints were playing the Jets.  It would be like me claiming that the Saints are “my team” just because Drew Brees is their QB, I rooted for them some this season and in the past, and because of my friend/family ties.  It just ain’t right.

Not that this is that big of a deal (although it really seems like I’m making it one, doesn’t it?  Ahhh, the internet.) Like I said, I don’t hate the Saints or their fans, in fact, I like most of their fans, despite their bandwagon tendencies    The fact of the matter is, the Saints are now truly “America’s team”.  I don’t shy away from it, in fact I welcome it.  But come February 7th, if you hear some crazy screaming, it’s probably coming from Noblesville, Indiana, because my Colts have just won their second Super Bowl.  Go Blue!

**Final Disclaimer**  I realize that it’s just a game, so in the whole scheme of things, my petty issues are less than insignficant.  Please take the above editorial with a grain of salt, and half tongue in cheek.  Thank you.  **End Disclaimer**

The Hurt Locker

I was able to view The Hurt Locker on Thursday, since we had another snow day from school, and boy oh boy, what a film.  From the opening scene, it grabs you and doesn’t let go.  Incredibly intense, it’s a war movie with a soul, and shows more realistically what Iraq might be like for these guys.  I was struck by the fact that anywhere, at any time, could anyone they see be strapped to a bomb and kill them instantly.  What a feeling that has to be, that you could die at any moment.  Just walking down the street, there are bombs laying in the dirt that could go off at any second.  And what added to the tension was the human element – to some guys it’s a countdown until they leave, to others, war really is a drug.  Several scenes had me gasping for air, literally shouting at the TV.  There were three or four punches to the gut, and I was amazed at how into these characters I got, with not very much dialogue at all.  It was well-acted, and very well-edited.  The score was understated, which fit the movie perfectly.  The only real word-heavy scenes were at the end, and completely earned.  Evangeline Lilly, from Lost, made an interesting cameo at the end, and had about two lines.  I’d like to see her in more, she seems like she could have range.  But I digress.  The Hurt Locker roars onto my top ten from 2009, coming in at #5.  With a bullet.  I Love You, Man – funny, but not good enough any more.

The Game

Lacey and I had the amazing opportunity to attend the AFC Championship Game between the Colts and the Jets yesterday.  Here is our story.

I’ve been to a decent amount of Colts’ games over the years.  When you have as many family connections to a sports team as I do, that is bound to happen.  It definitely helps matters when you have possibly the greatest QB in NFL history, and a decade of success like we’ve had.  The Colts have been the definition of excellence year in and year out the past decade, and it has been incredible watching them, through thick and thin.  Unfortunately, though, it seemed as though Lacey and I were cursed whenever we would attend a live game.  Last year, we saw a game against Jacksonville where we had a lead and lost on a last-second field goal.  Several pre-season games I have gone to have all ended in defeat.  And then the game against the Patriots this year happened.  It looked like the curse was going to continue, but cue Manning taking over in the fourth quarter, and we win in one of the most incredible come-backs in NFL history.  That seemed to reverse things.  It was most definitely the Greatest Game I’ve ever witnessed in my life.  I can’t remember going as crazy as I went that Sunday night, and I can’t ever remember that many people in an absolute manic state.  But yesterday was close…

The day started out wonderfully at church.  It was a great worship service and an excellent sermon.  After church, we rushed to Sheridan to drop off the kids, change, and head downtown for the game.  I drove with Lacey, Jessica, Damien and Joel.  We were going to meet my Aunt, and her daughter and son at the stadium.  We got a quick bite to eat on the way, and quickly found parking downtown in plenty of time.  We had bought a bottle of the really good Patron Tequila, and in the parking lot did one of our “traditional” celebratory shots.  So smooth.  Then we headed to a brewery downtown called the Ram, for a more traditional shot in a bar – a Washington Apple.  So yummy.  Finally, we headed to the stadium.  As if on cue, the sun started to peek out of the rain clouds, and gave us a very nice walk.  Once we got there, we headed to our seats and got to see the player introductions and national anthem.  And then it was game time…

I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous for a game.  I was confident, but totally freaked out, and literally almost sick.  We were one game from Another Super Bowl!!  Unfortunately for my nerves, the game did not start as planned.  We played worse than we had all year, giving up blown coverages/big plays, not converting touchdowns inside the 10 yard line, blocking poorly, fumbling, you name it.  The doubts started to creep in, and the dozen or so Jets fans sitting behind us were getting even more obnoxious than they already had been.  But finally, in the last two minutes of the first half, Peyton started to take over.  A quick TD drive.  We stop them to begin the second half.  Another TD drive.  Manning was on FIRE, and showed why he deserved his record FOURTH MVP.  Play slowed a little late in the 3rd, but in the early parts of the fourth quarter, after yet ANOTHER crucial defensive stop, we got a game-sealing, beautiful drive, capped off by a TD pass to Lacey’s favorite player (since he’s “so dreamy”, and he signed her jersey), Dallas Clark.  Right then, up 27-17 and having scored 21 unanswered points, I knew it was over.  The last 8 minutes of the fourth quarter were kind of a blur.  More great defense, more critical plays on offense, and just an incredible job on both sides of the ball by our guys.  It was a sight to behold.  And while my voice was basically shot in the first quarter, I was still able to scream my head off.  After the final whistle, the confetti flew, Indy rejoiced, and the party was on…

My Uncle and Aunt, and their 2 kids were able to get on the field with the players to celebrate!!  We watched from the stands while the trophy was handed to Jim Caldwell, Peyton Manning, etc. and they were very gracious winners.  We stayed long past the end of the game, just soaking it in.  It was magnificent.  Will Smith’s “Miami” was blaring from the speakers and people were dancing in their seats.  I’ve never given so many hi-5’s to total strangers in my life.  Once we decided to leave, we weren’t ready to stop partying, so we walked to Buffalo Wild Wings for some great food and adult beverages.  The five of us got there and waited for the rest of our party, while we drank, recounted The Game, and watched the Saints/Vikes.  Once everyone else joined us, we pigged out on wings, celebrated for an hour or so, and finally headed home with our bellies and hearts filled to the brim. 

It was another fantastic day of football, family, and fantastic-ness.  Way to go Colts!  On to another Super Bowl Victory!!!  As a football fan, it certainly doesn’t get any better than this, and I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

A Defense of Star Wars

I decided about a month back to watch through all six Star Wars movies with my son Noah.  He’s not quite old enough to sit through an entire live action movie (or he is, and just doesn’t have the attention span), but I thought these would keep him entertained.  For the most part, he has done fine.  He sits for a while, plays for a while, back and forth.  What amazed me is that as nonchalant about them as he was, he’s always asking to watch them.  He particularly loved the character Jar-Jar Binks.  This led me to start thinking about the prequels again, and what a bad rap they’re given.  So I wanted to give my defense of the prequels, and why I still watch them.

I saw each of them no less than 3 times in the theaters.  The Phantom Menace, I saw 8 times.  I’m a dork, yes, but I really did enjoy it!  What was funny, though, was that I started to notice all the George Lucas hating going on.  I couldn’t believe it!  This guy, the man who invented the universe, had given us all these beloved stories and characters, was getting skewered!  Then the second one came out, and it started up all over again.  There were different reasons this time, but it was just as critical and ugly.  The third one silenced critics a bit, and it is definitely the best of the bunch, but I am still amazed at how much flak Lucas takes from people who call themselves fans of Star Wars, for the three prequels.  Let me answer the most commonly heard critiques:

1.”Jar-Jar Binks is a terrible character, and ruins Episode 1, which wasn’t good to begin with.”  I’ll start by saying:  that character was created for kids, as was the entire movie (according to Lucas), and to that end, it was successful.  Noah literally laughs every time he comes on the screen, and while he watched them, that is the only character he asked for.  Lucas makes no apologies for this, and made an imminently watchable movie, despite a character that annoys adults.  The soundtrack continues to impress, the visuals are stunning, scenes build tension, and beloved characters return.  Is there some stilted dialogue?  Of course…but this is STAR WARS!  There always has been!  Now, I’m not saying that this movie is anywhere close to the level of the originals.  But it exists as excellent entertainment that is extremely well put-together. 

2.”Episode 2 is cheesy, the dialogue is terrible, and it ruins the movie.”  Puh-lease.  I watched it again with Noah, and I counted about 6-8 lines that were out of place or poorly written.  SIX!  Are you saying that if you picked apart most movies, you wouldn’t find at least six lines that didn’t fit, or were written poorly?  And it certainly doesn’t ruin the movie.  The action is ramped up, the Jedi Battle is fantastic, and Dooku vs. Anakin/Obi-Wan/Yoda light saber fight is magnificent.  It serves to advance the story, brings Anakin to the edge of the Dark Side, and again has another excellent theme added to the soundtrack.  The ideas like Coruscant, the rain planet, clones, etc. were brilliant!  But no, six lines ruined the movie.  And the prequels.  And the earth.  And life as we know it.  Sheesh.  The only point I’ll grant is that this movie was supposedly made for women (the romance story) and it really didn’t do a good job to that end.  The whole Han Solo-Princess Leia storyline kills this one, but it had the benefit of Harrison Ford, a presence that I’ll admit the prequels are lacking.

That bottom line is that what happens too often is people get hyper-critical of a world that they have known and loved their whole lives.  But you didn’t create this world.  It’s not yours.  It belongs to George Lucas, and he is fit to do with it as he pleases.  These movies have been completely dissected over and over again – every line, every scene, every facial expression, etc., which doesn’t happen to most movies.  Any film that you go over with a fine-tooth comb is bound to have its flaws.  But no one is putting these movies on the same level as, say, The Godfather, Citizen Cane, Magnolia, or whatever.  I really don’t see the big deal.  They are what they are, and if you can accept that they are entertainment in another galaxy, and were made to advance a story that all of us know and love, perhaps you can get off your high horse and enjoy them.  I know I do.

Jude Owen Melton

One year ago this very day, I was teaching class at Noblesville High School, with no idea that my second son would be born that night.  I got the call from Lacey during lunch that her doctor’s appointment had gone well, but that she had been having contractions.  These became more regular, so as soon as school was over, I raced home and took her to the hospital.  I remember being extremely nervous that I wouldn’t make it in time, but luckily Lacey was the picture of calm.  Dad had graciously agreed to come over to the house and watch Noah, so that we could get to the hospital, and we got there with plenty of time to spare.

Birth number two went much more smoothly than number one, which should have given us a clue about his personality compared to his brother   The contractions progressed well, Lacey had her epidural and a small bit of pitosin, and that seemed to do the trick.  She was able to have him without a c-section and we were very thankful for that.  Watching the birth was just about the most amazing thing I have ever seen, and I still tear up to this day when I think about seeing my little man for the first time.  Jude was born around 11 PM, at 9 pounds 1 ounce, 21 and 1/2 inches long.  My Mom and Dad were able to see him just after an hour post-partem, and were ecstatic.  To this day, I have never seen a baby so happy, smiley, and pleasant.  It is so easy to make him laugh, and yet every single time he does, the room seems to brighten.  I am incredibly thankful for both of my children, but on this day in particular, I celebrate the day that Jude was brought into our lives.  Happy Birthday.

Top 10 TV Shows of the Decade

–Once again, this is a very personal list.  There are several shows that most would consider the best of the decade, that I just didn’t have time for.  The Sopranos, Arrested Development, Deadwood, Dexter, and Curb Your Enthusiasm spring quickly to mind – I just didn’t watch them.  I consider this list to fall somewhere between my movie and music lists, as far as subjectivity goes.  These are quite obviously, to me, fantastic TV shows and great entertainment.  Most of them have some kind of artistic quality.  And one changed the face of Television forever.  Enjoy.

1.Lost – The pilot alone can stand by itself as being as well-made as many movies.  I think that Lost should receive major consideration as the best one-hour TV show ever put on the air.  True, there was some meandering in the 2^nd and 3^rd seasons, but episode for episode, it is absolutely amazing.  There is great acting, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, the writing is brilliant (literary references, non-linear storytelling, etc.) and the thickness of the show is off the charts.

2.24 – I’ve never been so engrossed in a TV show as I was in the first two seasons of 24.  The art of the cliffhanger was truly perfected.  And I’ve never heard so many people talk about devouring the DVD’s as quickly as people have with this show.  It is IMPOSSIBLE to stop!  Has 24 become just the tiniest bit stale after 7 seasons?  Well, yeah, and it is pretty unrealistic too.  Oh well.  The original idea remains fantastic, and it is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.

3a.The Office – I have yet to get through the one season of the British office, but this show almost single-handedly resuscitated the sitcom in America.  The first three seasons were nearly perfect, and while it is languishing a bit right now, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed more during a show since Seinfeld.

3b.30 Rock – I tied these two shows, because lately 30 Rock has far surpassed The Office as the funniest show on TV.  Witty and sharp, this is a brilliant critique of show-biz and is hilarious week in and week out.  The amount of jokes they are able to cram into 22 minutes is staggering.

5.Scrubs – Perhaps my favorite 30 minute show of the past several years, the way they kept it fresh every week was a testament to the skill of the writers and the actors together.  They have probably the most well-drawn characters on TV, and were able to strike a balance between funny and touching BEAUTIFULLY.  Also, they were able to weave in a great use of pop music, which makes it that much better.

6.Entourage – I take it back, outside of Chuck, this has been my favorite show on TV for some time now.  It is hilarious and intriguing because it gives an insider’s look at Hollywood.  The characters are amazingly well-written, and it  is well-acted to boot – each of the actors fits their characters to a tee.  I love seeing Hollywood in this light, and the writing is sharp as hell.

7.The O.C. – This was definitely the hottest show on TV in the past decade.  It only lasted four seasons, but Josh Schwartz knows what the heck he is doing, as witnessed by his next two shows, Gossip Girl and Chuck.  This was a total flame-out, disappearing as fast as its meteoric rise, but while it was in its prime, it was Awesome.  Great storytelling, great acting, great music, great comedy, great everything.  I have very vivid memories of the show from the infancy of Lacey and I’s relationship, which possibly has something to do with it, but it’s my list, so get over it.

8.Mad Men – So far it’s only had three seasons, but what amazing seasons they have been.  Sexiness, style, class, and smoking have been redefined.  I can hardly comprehend the skill that goes into crafting this show week after week.  And it has the Emmys to prove it.

9.Survivor – No show on this list changed the face of Television like Survivor.  That’s why it’s on here.  True, it is not scripted, being a reality show.  But can you think of another reality show besides the Real World that EXISTED before Survivor? Can you even remember what TV was like before Survivor? I’ve watched nearly every season, and it continues to impress. 

10.Chuck – I know, I know, it only had two seasons last decade.  But it has been my favorite show on TV, bar none, both of those years, so I had to put it on here.  Perhaps the best show ever made that no one watches, Chuck excels in every aspect.  The writing, characters, soundtrack, comedy, romance, action, etc. are amazingly well done.  I can’t stress enough how much I love this show.  Hopefully it will continue well into the next decade.