THE BUNKER - Sports, Movies, TV, Tech

Fake Sick Days. Blue Bloods demolished. Cinderellas in control. $100M+ generated through advertising alone. Insanity throughout the wagering world…

It’s called March Madness for a reason!

Also check out: The REAL National Calendar, Driven by Sports - https://youtu.be/xAEVlC_Gz6Q

• WBC 2023 and its potential impact on MLB this, and years to come.

• Which Divisions are the best/most interesting?

• Once in a generation players spotlight - Shohei Otani

• Will the Houston Astros repeat as World Series champions in 2023?

• Pitch clocks, bigger bases, limits on defensive shifts and pickoff throws, and MORE!

Tradition? Festive? Easily swaying hearts and minds?

These new “holidays” have proven over decades, to be the focal point of our attention, causing pocketbooks to follow.

Maybe it’s time to create a new, nationally observed calendar, based purely on our seasons of sports.

Crucial storylines elevated the NFL in audiences’ minds, like never before:

• Record TV ratings
• Prop bets dominating the wagering space, from hard-core to casual fans
• The infusion of AI into managing and viewing the game
• Subscription services tested as the potential primary future viewing experience
• And even though It has always been about the shield, the new crop of elite QBs are forging personal brands never before seen from NFL players; and audiences can’t get enough of all of the above, and more.

Join us as we discuss the climactic conclusion to America’s most dominant cultural go-to events, The NFL’s season and its Super Bowl!

110 million viewers expected! 50 million fans, hard-core and casual, are  expected to wager on a broad spectrum of options. Brother against brother... A legend vs the new guy... Lock-ins for the Hall of Fame vs the young, upstarts... Storylines for days!  

The  peak of team performance will be on display.  

So, kick back, and enjoy the ride!

Despite major injuries across the board on their roster, the Dodgers are enjoying a comfortable cushion atop the National League, as they have the second best record in all of MLB going into the All-Star break.

On this episode of The Bunker, 35 year sports journalist, and former Dodgers executive, Jorge Martín joins us, as we discussed all-things Dodgers, as the team makes a strong push to the ultimate final prize, as World Series champions.

Enjoy!

The first half of MLB’s 2022 season has provided more entertaining storylines, than most previous full seasons could only dream; The Yankees reascension, The Dodgers expertly maneuvering as injuries spread throughout their roster and The Astros quietly staying in the hunt.  

Next-level athletes are knocking at the door at the collegiate level, as the infusion of technology has helped the speed of the game, while the potential addition of emerging cities accelerates.  

I’ve invited 35 years sports journalist, and former Dodgers exec, Jorge Martín, as we discuss all of the above, and more, on this episode of The Bunker.   

#mlbb  #baseball   #TheDodgers  #LADodgers  #TheBunkermg  #Sports  #allstar

Five months until launch, and our attention is already captured by the NFL.  

Let’s check in with Jorge Martín, founder of a Familia FFB, as we go all in regarding the NFL’s transformative 2022 free agency class.   

Enjoy.

A few pitches to the head, a couple of bench-clearing brawl’s, an elderly head coach physically threatening an opposing pitcher, record-setting home run distances and more…  

Billionaires worked things out with the millionaires… And the fans of major-league baseball will benefit as a result.   

Let’s start MLB’s 2022 season off, with a quick discussion with our MLB guru, Jorge Martín.  

Enjoy

In all of its forms, whether Music, Painting, Literature, Architecture, Cinema, or Theater, all forms of art are essential to our experience as human beings.

On this episode of The Bunker, we’ll share how we can amplify our natural human desire of connecting, by exploring the uniqueness and exceptional achievements of artists, such as Alex Ross, and his incomparable photorealistic comic book art; Art that added rocket fuel to the overall interest in comic books a few decades ago, and which in a lot of ways, led to comic book movies becoming the financial foundation of the entertainment industry the past decade.

I hope you’ll enjoy.

Major League Baseball will lose regular-season games over a labor dispute for the first time in 27 years.  

The negative slide of an original 162 game schedule, down to a current, 156 games schedule, will likely continue, as a mutual agreements on key issues on both sides, doesn’t seem likely, anytime soon.    

We discuss with former Dodgers’ exec, and 35 years sports journalist, Jorge Martín, in order to help us clarify a few things.

The Bunker

The do-or-die nature of the NFL playoffs, is about to begin, after one of the most INCREDIBLE regular seasons on record. It’s going to be must-see TV! And with it, more storylines than you can digest in weeks of reading. So, we asked our resident sports guru, Jorge Martín to join us. Jorge is a long time sports journalist and founder of the fantasy football podcast Familia FFB.   

We take quick hit overview of the NFL‘s season, as well as what to look forward to in the coming playoffs.  

We hope you enjoy!

I have a feeling that my opinion of where the best original American cuisine hails, will cause a few ruffled feathers, as we answer the age-old question, of which part of the country has out-dueled the rest, in the never ending competition for the “Best ORIGINAL Cuisine” in America.

I’m certain in my opinion, and I would love to hear from all-comers, as to what their opinions may be.

Bring it on, and we hope you’ll enjoy.

More and more eyeballs are glued to screens featuring sports content, DEFINITELY led by the NFL, as records are set, and as peak-play dominates at the right time of the season, for most favored teams across the league, looking to hammer any, and all challengers.

Let’s take a look, in The Bunker’s Quick Hits for the NFL’s Week 14.

Winning in sports is hard to do. Winning in the NFL… It’s almost impossible to predict correctly.  

This season is a perfect example of the no matter how prepared you may be, with multiple layers of contingency plans, it’s ONLY when coupled with lots of luck, that you uncover the best bet for success.  

Hope for the best, but make sure to expect chaos and lots of thrills along the way.  

After WEEK 13, 24 of the 32 NFL teams, are one game away from making the playoffs.  

The ups and the downs of this NFL season, are typical of seasons past; and one of the prime reasons, why The NFL dominates in capturing audiences’ attention, more than any other programming in all of entertainment.  

Let’s take a closer look at a few of these things, in The Bunker’s Quick Hits, for Week 13 of the NFL.

Now that were in week 12 of this NFL season, much more definitive assumptions can be made at this time, such as the Packers are the class of this year’s NFL, Bill Belichick really is as great as we’ve always thought of him to be, and that the Tampa Bay Bucs and the Kansas City Chiefs, should definitely be feared, as we enter the homestretch of this NFL season.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of these things in The Bunker’s Quick Hits, for Week 12 of the NFL.

In Week 11, the top 2 AFC seeds lost, both at home, 2 of the top NFC teams also lost, and RB records were set, but not from who was expected.

The unexpected SHAKE UP of the early part of the 2nd half of the NFL’s season, has introduced triumph for underdogs AND TV Ratings, and definitely turmoil, for favorites, and the wagering space.

Join us for The Bunker’s Quick Hits, for the NFL’s Week 11.

The returning champs from Tampa faltered, and the presumptive kings from Kansas City showed signs of dominance everyone assumed they possessed, which has definitely sent shockwaves throughout the league;

The NFC, in particular the NFC West, HAD received the majority of the hype up to the midpoint of the 2021 NFL season.

But as it stands now, after the end of Week 10, the AFC has a solid lead over the NFC, with teams 500 and above, at 12-7.

High profile moves attempt to elevate contenders, while injuries mount across the league.

Let’s get into it, and a few other quick hits, regarding the NFL’s Week 10, on The Bunker.

There seems to be a perception by most in the younger generations, that baseball is a sport, that is primarily followed by old guys and stat geeks; Which doesn’t seem too far from the truth.

Taking those challenges, and numerous more into consideration, Major League Baseball will have it’s hands full, as their upcoming off-season meetings, will definitely carry more weight, at this pivotal juncture, for an American original, that HAD played an active role, in the shaping the country.

Long-time sports journalist, and former Dodgers’ exec, Jorge Martín, joins me, as we discuss MLB’s upcoming, off-season challenges, and how those challenges may assist in growing the game we love, to new generations of audiences, moving forward.

Stay tuned.

#TheBunker #MLB #CBA #Baseball

Was this past week an aberration, or should teams that have firmly led the first half of the 2021 season be concerned?

7 favorites crashed down to turf, exploding into flames in Week 9 of the NFL season, including two that were picked to win by more than 10 points.

Let’s get into it, in The Bunker’s Quick Hits for the NFL’s Week 9.

#TheBunker #NFL #TennesseeTitans #JoshAllen #AFC

As the NFL moved into the middle portion of its schedule for the 2021 season, no matter the amount, style and depth of projections by the “experts” at the beginning of every season, the sheer nature of this, full collision sport that is the NFL, tends to turn things on their head by midseason.  

A lot of these turns are incredible to follow, such as Derrick Henry’s record-setting pace, being completely sidetracked by an injury, lessening The Titan's chances of coming out on top of the AFC.   

Join me, as get into a few more of The Bunker’s Quick Hits for the NFL’s Week 8.

The Dodgers had been the envy, and the clear favorite, of Major League Baseball at the beginning of the 2021 season.

From the derailment of a promising San Diego Padres’ season, to the spate of injuries at the most inopportune time for The Dodgers, the “War of Attrition” ravaged every team in major league baseball, without exception.

The succession of injuries to Max Muncy, Clayton Kershaw, Joe Kelly and Justin Turner, were just too much for The Dodgers to overcome at the critical juncture of the season.

So, in the end, The Dodgers just weren’t able to get it done.

And that’s why we’re bringing on our resident MLB guru, Jorge Martín to discuss how The Dodger’s season wrapped up, as well as how things may shake out in the off-season for The Dodgers, leading into 2022.

**Jorge Martín's article regarding Clayton Kershaw and Matthew Stafford's friendship, starting at the age of 7, in Dallas Texas:  http://familiaffb.com/2021/10/clayton-matthew-teammates-friends-beginning-in-2nd-grade-clayton-kershaw-matthew-stafford-rise-to-the-highest-levels/  

****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the footage from "A League of Their Own." That is solely the ownership of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures and their partners.

Coaches across the NFL dug deep into their bag of tricks, some for the purpose of testing, others out of desperation; From potential MVP Derrick Henry throwing a touchdown pass, to NY Giants’ QB Daniel Jones summoning his inner Odell Beckham on a reception for a crucial first down, to another unfortunate crash by the Kansas City Chiefs, to the Bengals shooting up to first place, through a decisive victory on the road, in a lot of ways, Week 7 may go down as Bizarro World in the NFL.

Join me, as get into a few more of The Bunker’s Quick Hits for the NFL’s Week 7.

In eliminating the reigning world champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves, will now face the Houston Astros, in baseball’s biggest stage - the 2021 World Series.

This will be the 117th time, the Fall Classic has taken place.

This will also mark 21 season WITHOUT a repeat World Series champion. The last team to repeat, was The New York Yankees, when they won 3 straight, from 1998 to 2000.

The Braves and Astros did not face each other in the 2021 regular season and haven't since 2017, when the Astros swept the regular-season series 4-0.

From the Dodgers playoff collapse after winning 106 games this season, to Dusty Baker’s 50+ years, deep ties to his opponent on baseball’s biggest stage, to Houston’s long shot at redemption, since “Trashcan Gate,” this series has the potential to be explosive.

We bring in journalist and founder of Familia FFB, Jorge Martín to dissect it all.

We hope you’ll enjoy!

The general public’s extreme appetite for the NFL’s weekly on-field clashes, has helped to nurture a world-leading, billion dollar television juggernaut.

The separation games that tend to take place in the month of October, offer great opportunities for the NFL to further its dominance as The King of the entertainment industry.

In Week 6, the stakes were definitely raised, as a solid majority of the games were won by more than 10 points.

I bet a lot of wagering estimates for Week 6’s outcomes, were WAY off.

Let’s get into what I’ve found to be, some of the most interesting storylines of Week 6.

I hope you'll enjoy.

Separation not only continued in the second week of October, but now clear elevation is evident for certain teams throughout the league.

On this week of our NFL Quick Hits:  

* Fully Charged?! - The LA Chargers aggressive execution and elite QB play;  

* A Power Shift? - The AFC now through The Bill?;  

* The Cardinals are flying high;  

* Player to Watch: Derrick Henry;  

* NFL London  

We hope you’ll enjoy.

Even though the month of September is the launch of the NFL season, and the beginning of the “Season of Sports,” the world of sports REALLY ramps up in the beginning of October.

The NFL is in full swing, as we begin to see a separation between those that are capable of making a deep run in the playoffs, or those whose challenges may hold them back this season.  

Even the NHL and NBA seasons are just a fee weeks away from launching, as well.   

But, on today’s episode, we connect with our resident MLB guru, Jorge Martín from FAMILIA FFB, as we discuss how major league baseball came out, guns blazing, with the launch of their playoff season this week.  

We hope you'll enjoy.

Separation becomes more prominent throughout the NFL in the month of October.

And the first weekend of the month, did NOT disappoint.

Rarely-achieved records were set, and crucial battles for important positioning took place throughout the league, as numerous teams planted their flags, as the big dogs to be feared and respected the remainder of this NFL season.

On today’s episode:

• TAMPA BAY vs NEW ENGLAND - “The Biggest Regular Season Game in NFL History.”?
• ARIZONA CARDINALS vs LA RAMS - Payback!
• KANSAS CITY CHIEFS vs THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - Tyreek Hill on the loose!
• AARON RODGERS - JEDI MIND TRICK - R.E.L.A.X
• * NFC’s BEST / AFC WEST - …but, watch out for the rising AFC North!

In this somewhat, still new NFL season, the first 3 weeks have given us an idea of where separations will begin to take place within the league; separation between those that look to be actual contenders for the crown, or those that will probably have to deal with unfortunate challenges throughout this season.

On today's episode of "Quick Hits": 

* Plays of the Week;  

* “You Come at the King, You Best not Miss";  

* Divisions on the Rise;  

* Monday Night Football DISRUPTION!

The offensive firepower has been absolutely INCREDIBLE to witness throughout the league.

But like most things in life, everything comes with a price... And the nature of football as an intense, collision sport, forces the participants to pay a heavy price.

Quick Hits this week:

Firepower Waning?

G.O.A.T.

NFC & AFC West

NFL - The King of TV

QBs to Watch

We hope you’ll enjoy!

The sonic booms heard around the sports world on both, Thursday September 9, and Monday, September 13, were actually epic battles that could not have been better bookends for NFL’s opening weekend.

The opening game between the Bucs and the Cowboys seemed to set the tone for the majority of games that took place on the first Sunday of the season.   There are already dozens of great storylines that will definitely drive the largest scheduled season in NFL history.  

We cannot, nor should we try to cover them all in this episode, so, our goal is just to offer a few quick hits that we feel will play pivotal roles as this season progresses:  

Menacing defenses;  

The NFC West;  

Elite QB Play, and:  

Our initial segment of “Player to Pull for this Year.”

We hope you’ll enjoy!

From the explosion in fantasy football leagues, not only in the United States, but in Latin America and parts of South America, to the coming billions that will be generated in wagering, the behemoth that is the NFL, shows no signs of slowing down.

On this episode, we will be speaking with the Jorge Martín, the founder of one of the most informative and entertaining fantasy football podcasts, Familia FFB, regarding the highly anticipated launch of the upcoming NFL season, the numerous storylines that are sure to be a part of every rabid fans’ appetites throughout the country and how the NFL, and sports in general, can play a major role in uplifting us all.

We hope you’ll enjoy.

Major league baseball Is quickly coming to the best part of its season, as everyone jockeys for key positions in the playoffs, in particular, the wild card.

We called Jorge Martín, for a quick conversation regarding some of MLB’s TRIUMPHS thus far, in its soon-to-be ending 2021 season.

We hope you’ll enjoy.

On today’s episode of The Bunker, we cover:

1. The National and American Leagues’ favorites for 2021. 

2. How the re-insertion of fans uplifts the dynamics of the game, from the fan and players perspective.

3. How the explosion of young talent driving MLB forward.

4. How MLB’s NEW, fan-centric modifications to its All Star Game, Draft, in-game TV insights, and how will strengthen MLB’s fan engagement… or not? 

5. We discuss our excitement for the traditional marathon, that is the full, 162 game MLB season, in particular, for Fantasy Leagues and wagering opportunities.

…and more.

JOIN US!

As Opening Day of MLB’s 2021 season fast approaches on April 1st, I think that it’s a perfect time to share a great conversation I had recently, with one of my favorite sports encyclopedias, Jorge Martín.

Jorge is a long-time sports journalist, who spent numerous years as the Director of Publications for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is the founder of the rising fantasy football podcast, Familia FFB.

In this audio-only conversation, Jorge and I focus on the LA Dodgers’ 2020 World Series win, Jorge’s lifelong affiliation as not only a super-fan, but also as a member of the Dodger’s organization, as he worked alongside legendary Hall-of-Famers, as well as current players that are a lock for MLB’s Hall of Fame.

And as we wrap-up, we go all-in, in comparing the 2020 Dodgers championship team, to our sentimental favorite Dodgers teams from our childhood.

Enjoy!

Although often derided by many of the established gatekeepers in Hollywood, motion pictures and television shows, based on comic books and graphic novels, have been the absolute driving force in Hollywood the past decade; From the billions of dollars generated in revenue, to numerous, uniquely crafted styles of storytelling.

2021 alone, will bring a WIDE range of creative stories pulled from the pages of comic books and graphic novels, that are sure to draw eyeballs to screens, big, small and mobile.

And as that momentum continues to grow at an exponential rate, a little light is finally beginning to be shed on stories from voices that have traditionally not been amplified.

So, today, we are incredibly excited to introduce to you, Christian Lee Hall. Christian is the founder, and sole owner of 2nd Coming Universe, and its 2nd Coming Comix banner. 

Christian has created a phenomenal universe, filled with more than 200 superheroes and villains, all of whom possess thought provoking, yet relatable backstories.

And instead of waiting for someone to come calling, Christian found creative ways to self-published several comic storylines from his creations, with numerous more compelling creations on the way.

His growing library of unique characters is DEFINITELY one we should keep an eye on in the coming years.

Enjoy!

It’s natural for us to want to connect. We are hardwired to do so. But by rapidly infusing connected devices into every aspect of our lives, our natural human connection has been severely dampened.  

However, SPORTS can be an incredible antidote.  Sports provide THE best opportunity for us to come together; Regardless of race, gender and socio-economic status.

See a need. Fill a need.

In this episode, we have as our guest, Dan Moroni, founder of THE SHO.

THE SHO is a mobile app that seamlessly captures live gameplay, providing its users with their very own, live broadcasting sports network, right in the palm of their hands.

In the combining of the worlds of SPORTS and TECH, THE SHO, and its podcast titled, “Just Play,” are on a quest to create tangible ways in which sports can change the world.

“See a Need, Fill a Need.”

I hope you’ll enjoy.

With the seismic shifts in viewing habits - The when, where and how we want to enjoy our content, hastened by the pandemic, the impending streaming wars may generate the greatest disruptive shift the entertainment industry has ever known; Definitely greater than the shift from Silent to Talkies, black-and-white to color, film to digital, fill in the blank…  and it’s only just begun.

We’ve become  too “Prisoner of the Moment,” when following sports. We tend to allow ourselves to be swept into the emotional storylines intended to drive conversations, oftentimes from sources with agendas.

Today on The Bunker, we have a great conversation with journalist, and founder of the Famila FFB Podcast, Jorge Martín, as we cover some of the key take-away storylines that were created during Super Bowl 55:

* Should Tom Brady now be considered the greatest athlete in team sports history?

* Tampa Bay’s underrated defense

* How non-traditional universities, more and more, are producing elite-level players in pro sports.

* What to look for in the fast approaching NFL Free Agency craziness and draft.

Jorge's Famila FFB recently published its 123rd, incredibly informative episode. Jorge is a great sources for in-depth knowledge and breakdowns of all-things football, baseball and basketball, past OR present.

Enjoy!

At The Bunker, we want to engage in conversation with those that are all-in, in the pursuit of their life’s passion, in particular in the intersection of Sports, Movies, TV and Tech.

Today, we are fortunate to have as our guest, a long-time friend, Jay Ungos, founder of The TAG Network.

TAG stands for Total Access Gateway, and it’s a Digital Marketing Consulting company, that specializes in Interactive and Virtual mobile experiences.

Jay launched The TAG Network, in 2010, in Orange County, CA., and since then, The TAG Network has partnered with some of the largest utility companies in the country, numerous Chambers of Commerce and has also shared their expertise with hundreds of enterprises and entrepreneurs.

We cover a wide-range of topics, such as:

“How this contactless era is the perfect time to scale.”

“The next “Big Thing” in tech?”

AND

“How companies, such as The TAG Network, empower business owners, large and small.”

Enjoy!

At THE BUNKER, we deliver our perspectives on the dominant sectors in pop culture - Sports, Movies, TV and Tech. We do this, through commentary, data-driven analysis, interviews and reviews.

Our mission is to engage, discuss and debate with, and about those that are all-in, in the pursuit of their life’s passion; Especially those that think and execute outside of the traditional box.

Welcome to THE BUNKER!