
This Week in Blernsball
By Ben Blum and Jacob Morris


Episode 80 - The CBA has been Disbanded!
Holy big extensions Batman! Wander Franco and Jose Berríos signed monster extensions in the two weeks since we've met last.
Award season is here, which is way better than the holiday season. Predictably, Shohei took home AL MVP and Robbie Ray took home the AL Cy Young, setting him up for a big payday.
The CBA is expiring in a week. What does this mean for free agency, arbitration, and the start of the new season?
It's bracket time. This week we have Air Bud, Patrick Swayze, Jackie Moon, and more! Who is moving on and who is going home?
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer) (Jacob), The PTA Disbands (Ben)
And we want more pictures of Spider-Man!

Episode 79 - The Showdown Commences
Award season has begun, with St. Louis taking home a record 5 Gold Gloves. Also, congratulations to Vladdy Guerrero Jr. on his winning the Hank Aaron Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance in the Field of Excellence.
The battle for the Greatest Fictional Athlete continues, with matchups between Paul Crewe and Johnny Utah, Vince LaSalle and Ivan Drago, Crash Davis and Pete LaFleur, and Kate Veatch and Brendan Conlon.
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Hurricane Neddy (Jacob), Homer the Heretic (Ben)

Episode 78 - Return of the Bracket
The season is over, Atlanta has won, so now what?
The answer, dear listeners, is the bracket we've been putting off since the first wave. It's time for the greatest fictional athlete bracket!
Prepare yourselves for a massive bracket where athletes from fiction face off to determine who will reign supreme.
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: The Homer They Fall (Ben), Mother Simpson (Jacob)

Episode 77 - Searching for Announcers
NOTE: This episode was recorded before Game 1 of the World Series.
Dodgers vs Red Sox, the Battle for Mookie's Soul! What's that, they didn't make it? Screw this World Series.
Who to cheer for when there's no morally good team to cheer for? Well at least Freddie Freeman is in the World Series!
The Toronto Blue Jays might be in deep trouble trying to re-sign premium players this offseason after their ownership shenanigans spilled out into public.
Watch West Wing. Just do it.
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Treehouse of Horror I (Jacob), Treehouse of Horror VIII (Ben)

Episode 76 - Don't Forget About Bob Dole!
Apologies for the audio quality, the Internet Ninjas had it in for us this week!
The Red Sox were this close to taking a commanding series lead, and then blew it in the ninth inning to let Houston tie the ALCS 2-2 last night. How will their pitching respond in Game 5? Will their hitting continue to be red hot as the series progresses?
Atlanta was on the verge of going up 3-0 in the NLCS, but some Hollywood Heroics from Cody Bellinger and Mooky Betts brought LA back into the series. Who takes the next game?
MLB made some big moves for MiLB players this week, guaranteeing free lodging for players on Minor League teams starting next season. Kudos!
DC Fandome was this week, we talk all things The Batman, Flashpoint and much much more!
This Week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Treehouse of Horror IX (Jacob), Treehouse of Horror VIII (Ben)

Episode 75 - A Total Absence of TV Content
This week, we spent so much of our time breaking down the playoffs, we completely forgot our other mission, to talk about TV!
The Red Sox-Rays series was a barnburner. Congratulations Ben on his Red Sox advancing to the ALCS in dramatic fashion and sorry to the rest of us on having to watch a Red Sox-Astros ALCS.
In the other ALDS, the Astros proved they're laser-focused on proving their championships aren't tainted, and beat the White Sox into submission, robbing us of the potential of a hosiery series.
Over in the National League, Atlanta continued their fairytale season with a 3-1 win over Milwaukee, and the Dodgers-Giants Clash of the Titans is heading to a deciding Game 5.
Also, Jim Katt, don't say racist shit.
This Week's Simpsorama Episodes of the Week: Treehouse of Horror V (Jacob), Treehouse of Horror VI (Ben)
Stick around after the end theme for some bonus TV content!

Episode 74 - The Kids can call you Kaiju
It's playoff season! Perhaps most importantly, the Yankees lost! Get ready for a month of edge of your seat, exciting baseball!
We try to come up with an iconic nickname for Shohei, like "The Bambino" or "Iron Horse." You'll never guess what the result is!
Remember back in March how we made some predictions for what would happen this season? Remember how wrong we were? Gotcha! We're super-geniuses at predicting stuff! Either that or baseball is super predictable, one or the other.
Plus, is this a Ted Lasso fancast now?
This Week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Treehouse of Horror X (Jacob), Treehouse of Horror III (Ben)

Episode 73 - It's a Wild Wild Wild Card
The Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Yankees are duking it out for the AL Wild Card, but there can be only one! What's that? There are two wild cards now? There can be only two!
Meanwhile, in the NL, the epic collapse of the San Diego Padres seems complete, as they sit 5 GB with just 12 to play.
It's time for some sports equinox talk, the epic day of all the big four at once is coming up again, as the NHL and NBA seasons look to get underway!
This Week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Krusty Gets Kancelled (Jacob), Das Bus (Ben)

Episode 72 - Turd Ferguson
Farwell Norm, you'll be missed.
The high flying, incandescent, Blue Jays have caught Boston and New York for the AL Wild Card. How much higher can they fly before the season ends?
Holy cow, where did this version of the San Francisco Giants come from? And what a matchup in the NL Wild Card!
And it's time for TRAILER FRENZY! We nerd out about genre trailers that came out in the past weeks. Let's enjoy some Spider-Man!
This Week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Treehouse of Horror III (Jacob), Dead Putting Society (Ben)

Episode 71 - Hi! Atus
Guess who's back, back again? It's us, back from a knock to the noggin!
The Red Sox are struggling, falling behind the Yankees as the Bronx Bombers continue to surge in their post-deadline boom. Can they be stopped, or will their revamped lineup be able to sustain their subpar pitching?
The Blue Jays made a splash at the deadline and had an amazing first homestand back in Toronto, but it all seems for not after a less than stellar series in Seattle, can they pull it together or is this a lost season?
The NL West is a dogfight, with the Dodgers and Padres doing all they can to chase down the Giants. With both Wild Cards looking to come out of the division, it's shaping up to be a fun finish.
In BASKETBALL (we know!) content, is Kyle Lowry the Greatest Raptor of all Time?
It's the return of our classic segment Fucking Vote! With the 44th Canadian General Election underway, we remind our Canadian listeners to get out there and vote, no matter for who!
Also, The Suicide Squad and What If? are fun as heck!
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Lisa the Greek (Jacob), Viva Ned Flanders (Ben)

Episode 70 - Cleveland Guardians of the Galaxy
Good job Cleveland, not only are you not Detroit, you have a baseball team name that isn't a racist slur (starting in 2022)!
The Rays are loading up for another run, getting Nelson Cruz from Minnesota. Is Champa Bay ready to add another boat parade to the mix?
Where does the NL West end up? With their top three teams all duking it out for supremacy in the division, it's shaping up to be one heck of a pennant race.
International Baseball Edition! Your favourite ex-MLB stars and stars of tomorrow take on the Olympics! Plus, softball is a cool sport, especially when Canada wins medals!
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Marge vs. the Monorail (Jacob), Simpson Tide (Ben)

Episode 69 - The Gronk Episode
It's the Gronk Episode! If you know, then you know!
The Toronto Blue Jays are back in Toronto, after nearly two full years on the road! It'll be exciting, a little bit unsafe, and a lot of bit fun. Shut up and take our money!
Are the Red Sox legit? Sure seems like it!
Does MLB have a domestic abuse problem? With yet another MLB star placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, it sure is starting to look like a pattern rather than isolated incidents.
Fun times in Tokyo today! It's time for some international baseball/softball! Baseball is back in the Olympics, complete with a weird tournament format! Go Team Israel!
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie (Jacob), Bart on the Road (Ben)

Episode 68 - Kahn Tent
It's the All-Star Week, which is a strange thing to call a three-day weekend.
We revel in Vlad Jr's monster performance at the Midsummer Classic, becoming the youngest MVP in All-Star Game history. Pete Alonso didn't have a bad showing either, mashing his way to his second consecutive Home Run Derby Crown.
What's in store for the second half? Will the Red Sox keep up their torrid pace and win the AL East? Will the Giants finish off a dream season and capture the NL West crown? Will the Blue Jays solidify their pitching staff and make a run for the playoffs?
With restrictions easing in Canada, it looks like the Blue Jays may be coming back to Toronto for home games soon. What does that mean in terms of fan attendance, and player safety?
Also, there were some timeline rifts this week, so stay tuned for Gator Ben!
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Lisa's Substitute (Jacob), Like Father, Like Clown (Ben)

Episode 67 - Ooh, the Germans!
Ich bin ein Berliner! And with that, there's some German for you in this Yiddish heavy episode of This Week in Blernsball.
Who made the All Star Game? Lots of Blue Jays and Red Sox, that's who! Revel in our teams being good!
Sho time keeps rolling. He's a no-doubt MVP candidate as he walloped 31 home runs in half a season.
Why are everybody's City Connect jerseys better than the Red Sox? Because Boston can't have all the nice things Ben! But seriously, The Giants have some really nice new jerseys, unlike the terrible All Star Game ones.
And it's TRADE SEASON. Who's on the move?
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Homer the Great (Jacob), Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk (Ben)

Episode 66 - Piss on you, I work for Mel Brooks!
You may also call this episode Spaceballs: The Podcast! Or We'll Podcast until we get vashnigyered!
In baseball news Hector Santiago was suspended for a sticky substance on his glove, giving him the dubious honour of being the first pitcher to be suspended under the new foreign substances rule. No sympathy here folks.
Sho' time hits the Bronx this week, with Ohtani smacking a few dingers at Yankee Stadium and grabbing the MLB lead, for now. But watch out for Kyle Schwarber, having the best May since Sammy Sosa (haven't heard that name in a while) with a ridiculous 16 dingers in 18 games played.
In the don't be an asshole category, Trevor Bauer is under investigation for domestic assault. We all knew he was a terrible person, but this just goes to confirm it.
In bizarre feuds, Lucas Giolito and Josh Donaldson are going at each other... ok then?
And then there's a whole bunch of Mel Brooks.
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Lemon of Troy (Jacob), Maximum Homerdrive (Ben)

Episode 65 - Pants Optional
MLB has a new initiative to attract fans, and it's pants-free baseball! Checking in on the sticky stuff situation got a whole lot more interesting as Max Scherzer and Sergio Romo dropped their pants to prove they aren't hiding anything to doctor the baseball.
Wander Franco is legit and the Rays have yet another great prospect to boost their playoff chances. But the real question remains, is he just Julio Franco in a fake moustache trying to get some more at-bats into his already lengthy career?
The Red Sox Cinderella season continues, with a little help from the schedule makers. Let's see how it goes when they play Toronto, New York and Tampa for 21 consecutive games!
And if you're a pitcher who values his ERA, don't pitch to Vlad Jr. he's hitting .448 with men in scoring position!
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: The President wore Pearls (Jacob), A Fish Called Selma (Ben)

Episode 64 - When I'm (Episode) 64
This episode has two titles. Can you find them both?
Continuing from last week's sticky situation, MLB has issued some punishments for the use of foreign substances on baseballs. Have they swung back too far in cracking down on this situation? Our analysis says maybe!
Can Boston keep up their hot start? After an uneven series against Toronto, who knows?
Vlad Jr is en fuego! Since it's now mid-June it's not just posturing to say he's on track for a Triple Crown season! Plus, let's see if he can hit 100 dingers at the Home Run Derby.
Arizona released some sweet-looking City Connect Jerseys, meaning the only lousy ones are Boston's...
This Week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Bart Gets Famous (Ben), Itchy and Scratchy Land (Jacob)

Episode 63 - Hack the Bone
We took a week off, so there's lots to discuss this week!
Marcel Ozuna...disappointing. All we have to say is that there's no place in baseball for this kind of behaviour.
On to the sticky stuff! And by sticky stuff we mean, the literal sticky stuff pitchers are putting on the ball. Does it matter what pitchers are putting on their hands to control the ball?
Time for more City Connect Jerseys! The Chicago teams unveiled their jerseys over the past couple of weeks and they show off the two different approaches to Chicago. Even though there have been some really non-traditional takes on jerseys from this initiative, the more recent roll-outs have been nice looking.
The Giants were the first-ever big-four team to include LGBTQ+ inclusive symbols on their on-field jerseys last week. Good job!
The standings are taking shape! Show of hands who had San Francisco in the race for the NL West? No lying!
Will the Jays play in Toronto this year? Signs say who knows?
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: The War of the Simpsons (Ben), Lisa on Ice (Jacob)

Episode 62 - Manoah's Ark
Congratulations Joe West? You broke the record for most MLB games umpired, but at what cost? At what cost!
Vladdy Jr is hot, but the Blue Jays are cold, looks like it's time to call on the reinforcements of Alek Manoah! Way to force a promotion youngster!
The AL East is the AL Beast, and we're loving it. Also, the NL West is fun too, but they don't have a fun rhyme for it.
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: The Boy Who Knew Too Much (Ben), Mr. Plow (Jacob)

Episode 61 - The Pedro Pascal Appreciation Episode
This podcast is good...But it could be better!
Are we already into Year of the Pitcher territory? Only six weeks into the season, with outstanding pitching performances piling up, and another no-hitter last night, there's sure a convincing case building.
Are the Los Angeles Angels the most disappointing team in baseball? They have Mike Trout, literally the Mike Trout of baseball, Shohei Ohtani hitting bombs and striking dudes out, and still can't manage to break .500.
Derek Jeter is getting a multi-part docu-series from ESPN and we have to say ewwww.
And would you check out those Miami Marlins city connect uniforms!
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: A Streetcar Named Marge (Jacob), Sideshow Bob Roberts (Ben)
Stay Safe and Get Vaccinated when you get the chance!

Episode 60 - I think there are Cabbages in Oakland?
The Oakland A's might be on the move! After unsuccessful negotiations to build a new stadium at Howard Terminal, the A's have gotten the blessing of the Commissioner's Office to begin exploring relocation options. Welcome to the MLB Las Vegas A's, or maybe Athletique de Montréal!
Boston keeps on rolling. Six weeks into the season and the Red Sox are in first place in the tough AL East. Is this more than a mirage? Can the Blue Jays overcome their terrible health issues to put up a fight, or is this Boston's unlikely year?
Will the Blue Jays play in Canada this season? With vaccination numbers on the upswing, it's looking more and more likely.
The Minor Leagues are back, so let's take a look at some outstanding prospects!
All this, and No-hitters galore!
This Week's Simpsonrama episodes of the Week: Whacking Day (Ben), 22 Short Films About Springfield (Jacob)

Episode 59 - Spine Tingly-Dingly
Happy Star Wars Day, if you're listening to this on drop day, then May the Fourth be with you! Also, Happy Cinco de Quatro! Enjoy our longest tangent yet, as we discuss Star Wars, and all things Star Wars related.
In baseball news, Robbie Alomar isn't a great person. Some of us may have had inklings for a while, and now an MLB investigation has put him on the league's ineligible list following a very serious allegation of sexual misconduct against an MLB employee in 2014.
The Oakland A's and Kansas City Royals keep making us look like fools in our early season predictions. It looks like the AL Central is going to be lots of fun this year. Stay tuned!
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish" (Jacob), Mayored to the Mob (Ben)
BONUS ROUND - Greatest Star Wars Parody: Blue Harvest (Family Guy's Episode IV Parody) (Jacob), The Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode (Ben)

Episode 58 - Look at Me Now Dad!
Big things from juniors this week! Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three dingers and drove in 7 against the Nationals, and Fernando Tatis Jr. had multiple 2 HR games at Dodger Stadium. Way to outdo your dads' boys!
MadBum pitched a no-hitter. Or did he? Does a 7-inning no-hitter count as a no-hitter?
The standings are topsy-turvy. Who saw Oakland being successful, those Moneyballing jerks! Are the teams at the top an April mirage, or here to stay?
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: The Beast with a Billion Backs (Ben) (the movie!), Homer's Enemy (Jacob)

Episode 57 - Blame Canada!
The first-place Red Sox? Blame Canada! The 9-2 Dodgers? Blame Canada! Jackie Robinson Day on a Thursday? Blame Canada! Joe Musgrove threw a no-hitter? Ok, he can have credit for that one.
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Homer Defined (Ben), Homer the Smithers (Jacob)

Episode 56 - The Return of the Season
Regular season baseball is back. And MLB made a progressive decision! For perhaps less than progressive reasons, Atlanta is no longer hosting the 2021 All-Star Game due to Georgia's new voter suppression laws. Let's all not think too hard about the fact that the All-Star Game probably shouldn't be happening this season anyway.
Boston isn't totally trash, hooray for Ben! Let's just not look too hard at those UCLA Bruins-inspired City Connect jerseys. Yes we know the real inspiration, it's still weird to see the RED Sox in YELLOW!
Bad news from San Diego, Fernando Tatis Jr. has hurt his shoulder, again. This doesn't bode well for the face of the next generation of superstars...
This week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week - Homer the Heretic (Jacob), Bart the Daredevil (Ben)

Episode 55 - Zach Snyder's This Week in Blernsball
It's Zach Snyder's This Week in Blernsball - Longer, Edgier, and Batman says the F word. Yes, it's not baseball, but on our nerd-centric part of the show, we review the Snyder Cut, our final evaluation, perfectly cromulent, but nothing earth-shattering.
It's injury season, not a happy time if you're a Jays fan, or like Fernando Tatis Jr..
Uniforms Galore! There's some fun stuff going on over at Nike, there are some cool Negro League tribute uniforms, and you should listen to Unified, with Chris Creamer and Paul Lucas, two of the best uniform watchers in the biz!
Holy cow, next week is Opening Day! We've almost made it!
This Week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Lisa the Vegetarian (Ben), Deep Space Homer (Jacob)

Episode 54 - Perfectly Cromulent
This episode is a fine episode. Sure it's no 25th Episode Spectacular, or episode devoted to COCAINE BEAR, but it's cromulent. We talk lots about baseball, just like we promised last week, plus there's a dog!
We make some predictions for the 2021 Season, bookmark this episode to see just how wrong we are!
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Homer vs the 18th Amendment (Ben) $pringfield (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling) (Jacob)

Episode 53 - COCAINE BEAR
This week... nothing much happened. Sure there were some minor spring training transactions and some exhibition games, but the big news was off the diamond. The big news was COCAINE BEAR, the upcoming film soon to win all the Oscars directed by Elizabeth Banks and produced by Lord and Miller. This film will take us where we've never been before, into the wild mind of a bear who ate 75 pounds of pure 80s coke. We only know the title of this based on a true story movie and it's already the best movie of all time.
We promise there will actually be baseball next week. Maybe.
Simpsonrama episodes of the Week: Homer's Barbershop Quartet (Ben), Trash of the Titans (Jacob)

Episode 52 - A Little Bit Blasphemous, A Little Bit Rock And Roll
With Spring Training in full swing, it's time to overanalyze some games! We all know that the Jays are going to be World Series Champions based on 21 innings of play, which is how things work, right? It probably isn't good that there are fans there though.
Minor League Baseball (might) be back this season! A nice economic boost for the MiLB communities and a great plus for player development.
Baseball should be doing a better job eliminating the creepy people in its midst, but of course, they aren't.
And finally, the Blue Jays eliminated their radio broadcast, which just plain stinks.
Simpsonrama Episodes of the Week: Marge vs The Monorail (Ben) Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song (Jacob)

Episode 51 - What Could Possib-bly Go Wrong?
Spring is here! Spring is here! Hope springs eternal with the arrival of spring training. Whether it's the promise of a championship season, or maybe just finishing at .500, we all can hope with the arrival of spring that things can return a little more to normal.
Albert Pujols teased retirement this week. How does his career stack up to some of the best and what might his next steps be?
This week's winner of the Marge Schott Memorial Award for Terrible Executive goes to former Seattle Mariner President and CEO Kevin Mather after he said the quiet part out loud about manipulating service time and made some racist comments about foreign players. Baseball needs to be better than this.
We missed this being off last week, but HOLY COW, Fernando Tatis Jr. got paid!
And what's going on in Oakland?
This Week's Simpsonrama Episodes of the week: Cape Feare (Ben), Grade School Confidential (Jacob)

Episode 50 - The 50th Episode Gramp-Tacular
Listeners, there are a finite amount of Futurama episodes. So finite that we have to go back to the granddaddy of them all to fill this segment, it's officially the Simpsonrama Episode of the week.
Also, baseball did some awful stuff this week. Really terrible stuff, and also there was another executive who turns out to be a serial abuser. And you thought that I couldn't joke about the Nolan Arenado trade, didn't you?
Happy trails Red Sox great Dustin Pedroia, you'll be missed, even if it means the infield clay will spend the game a little more intact.
Simpsonrama episodes of the week: MoneyBart (Jacob), You Only Move Twice (Ben)

Episode 49 - The Worst Football Player of All Time
This week, we lost one of the all-time greats. Farewell Hammerin' Hank, not only were you a terrific baseball player, you were an awesome all-around person.
On a happy note, are the Blue Jays big spenders now? Are the Red Sox bargain hunters? Did our teams Freaky Friday each other?
Also, the Commissioner's Office may have said the quiet part out loud about Spring Training. Whoopsie!
Now with even fewer tangents! (Please note, the tangents that do exist may be less sensical than usual)
This Week's Episode of the Week: A Leela of Her Own (Both!)

Episode 48 - Springy the Springfield Spring
THE BLUE JAYS DID IT! You all said it couldn't be done, but the Blue Jays did the ding dong thing! George Springer is a Toronto Blue Jay! Of course, on such a big day, we spend most of our time on our longest tangent of all time and talk about, among other things, pizza, Betty White, The Office and Bob Odenkirk.
Also, don't be like the New York Mets.
This Week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: When Aliens Attack (Ben), Anthologies of Interest II (Jacob)

Episode 47 - The John Belushi Funtime Variety Hour
There was baseball news this week! Actual gosh-darn transactions took place! So we spent most of our time talking about cartoons, musicals and the City of Chicago for reasons beyond even our understanding. Also, there was a Star Trek: DS9 episode about baseball!
But seriously folks, the Mets, THE METS, won the Francisco Lindor sweepstakes and became one of the hottest teams in baseball. Is Steve Cohen keeping his promise to make them a powerhouse or what?
This Week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: Mars University (Jacob), Overclockwise (Ben)

Episode 46 - The Utah Episode
The baseball world was...slow this week, to say the least. Very slow. Alright, virtually nothing happened.
Instead, we talk Kobra Kai, The Simpsons, Nic Cage, Canadian Rock Bands and much more!
Futurama Episodes of the Week: The Mutants are Revolting (Jacob), Zapp Dingbat (Ben)

Episode 45 - Here's to Another Lousy Millennium
This lousy year has come and gone, here's to another that hopefully doesn't suck as bad.
San Diego is making a push for NL West dominance, acquiring Blake Snell and Yu Darvish, watch out Dodgers, here come the Padres!
MLB is suing their insurance providers to get them to pay up for lost revenues due to the pandemic. This could have big consequences across the insurance and sports industries.
We also discuss WW84 and play a game of show and tell with our baseball memorabilia, to see the showing part of the show and tell check us out on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRHsIwO8WZR0xLn0Y06EIEg
This Week's Episode(!) of the Week: Space Pilot 3000, a dual pick!
PS We're moving to Wednesday's permanently from now on.

Episode 44 - Need a Team Name? Why not Zoidberg! (V)-(;,,;)-(V)
Two major stories broke last week, while we were off dealing with some stuff. Firstly, Cleveland is finally changing their team name to something that isn't racist, but waiting until at least 2022 to do so, so enjoy 2021, racist team name! Our choice for the new name is the Cleveland Zoidbergs if you couldn't tell from the title.
Secondly, the Negro Leagues have been retroactively promoted to official Major League status, making their players, records and history all equivalent to those of the American and National Leagues. Of course this doesn't right the past wrongs of racism, but it does help legitimize the league's history.
Of course, with all the news, we spent most of the episode talking about Star Wars. Enjoy our nerd stuff!
This week's Futurama Picks of the Week: Fear of a Bot Planet (Jacob), The Futurama Holiday Spectacular (Ben)
Happy Holidays Everybody! Stay Safe this Robanukah!

Episode 43 - Yippie Kai Yay, Mr. Potter
There was very little baseball this week, so we have a very silly episode full of The Mandalorian, Nick Cage movies and one very good Alan Rickman impression. It's silly, it's fun, and it's nonsensical. How did we survive during the pandemic lockdown? Who knows?
This Week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: X-Mas Story (Ben), Stench and Stenchibility (Jacob)

Episode 42 - Hooray Crossover!
We return from our hiatus with lots of baseball news! The Blue Jays might be building a new stadium in Downtown Toronto! The Blue Jays might be in on ALL the big-name free agents! Theo Epstein stepped down as President of the Cubs! What are the Cubs doing with all their big names? Why is there a muppet in the studio? Find out the answers to all this and more with a good dash of nonsense thrown in on another thrilling episode of This Week in Blernsball!
This Week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: A Flight to Remember (Ben), Obseletely Fabulous (Jacob)

Episode 41 - The Untouchables
They pull a knife, you pull a gun! Wait, wrong Untouchables, OR IS IT!
Congratulations to Kim Ng, Miami Marlins new GM and first Female and Asian American GM of any of the big four sports leagues. She's not a female GM, she's a GM who happens to be a woman.
Can anybody trade for Francisco Lindor?
Where will the wheel of Free Agency stop?
What would a Retro Remix look like in MLB?
Can anybody stop me from asking questions?
Futurama Episodes of the Week: Lethal Inspection (Ben), Kif Get's Knocked up a Notch (Jacob)

Episode 40 - Operation Grand Schlam
It's the offseason...what do we talk about? Thankfully for us, there was lots of stuff going on in the baseball world this week to fill a podcast!
The Red Sox brought back not innogultycent manager Alex Cora to helm the team, following a year of firing/suspension, does that spell a reversal of fortunes for the team? (Spoilers: probably not)
The Mets sale officially went through, and the new ownership cleaned house on the front office. Does this mean a new day is dawning in Flushing? A Mets fan can dream.
The Blue Jays re-upped Robbie Ray for one year at $8 million, potentially signalling to the market that they're ready to spend this offseason.
The Houston Astros are turning on each other, with their ex-GM suing them for wrongful termination.
This Week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: The Tip of the Zoidberg (Ben), The Cyber House Rules (Jacob)

Episode 39 - PUPPY!
This week, the World Series ended, but who cares because JACOB HAS A PUPPY NOW AND EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE!!!!
We talk about the Justin Turner COVID mini-scandal, the award races, Tony LaRussa, The Mandalorian and mourn the passing of Patron Saint of the Podcast Sir Sean Connery with a review of the all-time great film The Hunt for Red October. Also, THERE'S A PUPPY APPEARANCE (watch the video version if you actually want to SEE the puppy.)
Futurama Picks of the Week: Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences (Ben), Bend Her (Jacob)
Enjoy Your Week. PUPPY!

Episode 38 - The 39th Episode
The World Series is here! Even though we talked all about the World Series on last week's YouTube only live stream (stupid YouTube not letting us download) this time there are games to look back on and recap.
We also take a look at how the pandemic may impact next season, will there even be a traditional season? How will Minor League Baseball function? Will we even see minor leagues in the foreseeable future?
Don't worry, there are also dumb jokes this week.
This Week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: The Inhuman Torch (Jacob), That Darn Katz! (Ben)

Episode 37 - Zany to the Max!
The 2020 disaster generator keeps rolling right along. Not only did we lose two Hall-of-Famers this week, in Whitey Ford and Joe Morgan, but San Diego Padres star Tommy Pham was also stabbed outside a strip club (don't worry he'll be ok).
We're forced to ask ourselves the question, after their celebration against the Yankees, and their facing the Astros, are we all Rays fans now? It feels weird, doesn't it?
In a new game, Dr. Sean Connelly or Actor Sean Connery, Ben is challenged to determine if the President's doctor or Indiana Jones' father said something. Harder than it sounds when you say them all with a Scottish accent!
This week's Futurama Episodes of the week: The Six Million Dollar Mon (Ben), Benderama (Jacob)
Remember to Vote!

Episode 36 - There's Room... For both our faces... ON THIS DOOR!
Round one of the playoffs has come and gone, and we're still recovering from the Fall Frenzy of eight games in one crazy day. This week we look back at the first round, ahead at the rest of the playoffs and see what the offseason might hold. Will including fans for the World Series prove to be a wise move? With so much uncertainty about how next season is shaping up, this free agency season is going to be an interesting one.
This week, Connery's Corner becomes Cage's Corner, where we look at one of Nic Cage's most 90's films; Face/Off where he faces off with John Travolta in the John Woo directed action blockbuster where an FBI agent swaps faces with a terrorist mastermind. It has it all, doves, gun-fu, overacting! If anybody tells you your movie is too crazy to work, remind them that this made over $250 million at the box office.
Remember to F***ing Vote. The US Election is 28 days away as of the time of release. Make sure you have a voting plan for how and when you will vote. Your vote counts, no matter how you cast it. Want somebody better looking than us nerds to tell you this? Good news! You can check out https://www.getyourbootytothepoll.com/ to have Atlanta area strippers remind you of the same stuff us nerds have been harping on for weeks!
This week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: The Route of All Evil (Ben), Love's Labors Lost in Space (Jacob)

Episode 35 - We're Talking Playoffs!
Get ready for a butt-numb-athon, this one is a doozy, clocking in north of three hours! Coming to you LIVE (formerly) from Game 1 of the Blue Jays - Rays Wild Card Series. Want an audio commentary of what was a pretty uneventful game, loaded with Futurama goofs and Simpsons gags? You've definitely come to the right place!

Episode 34 - Shawarma Bueller
This week in Blernsball, we're into the stretch drive. With only a week to go until the playoffs, we're breaking down how the playoff picture is shaping up, what the first round will be looking like, and who the frontrunners for the MVPs are.
After that we're completely off the rails, breaking down how awesome the new Netflix series Kobra Kai is. Seriously, if you haven't watched it, go watch it NOW!
In F***ing Vote, we're reminding listeners that elections have consequences, like who a Supreme Court Justice will be, or how the district lines will be drawn for the next elections. There's also an election coming up in British Columbia, so Canadians, get out and vote too! It's National Voter Registration Day on the day this episode releases, so visit NationalVoterRegistrationDay.com or Vote.gov to ensure you're registered to vote in the US General Election if you're an American citizen, or elections.bc.ca if you live in British Columbia.
In Connery's Corner, we talk about the time Sean Connery met Nic Cage, in "The Rock" the best Michael Bay movie ever made. "Welcome to the Rock!"
Finally, our Futurama Picks of the Week: Decision 3012 (Ben), Hell is Other Robots (Jacob)

Episode 33 - Bill and Ted and Zoidberg
This week, we said goodbye to two absolute legends of baseball, Tom Sever and Lou Brock. The two helped define baseball for a generation of fans in the 1960s and 70s. TWIB sends our best to their families.
We break down the playoff picture in the National League with a foodie look at the best dishes from each of the contending cities.
This week on our "Fucking Vote" segment, we remind you that your vote affects those around you, not just you. Remember to register to vote in the US elections if you are eligible at https://www.vote.gov, or find information about the New Brunswick general election at https://www.electionsnb.ca/.
In honour of Roberto Clemente Day, players all across the league will be wearing number 21 on Wednesday, September 9, to commemorate the great player and humanitarian, potentially as part of a push to see his number retired across the sport.
This Week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: Assie Come Home (Ben), Radiorama (Jacob)

Episode 32 - Whales: The Superior People
We almost had a normal feeling week in baseball. The trade deadline came and went with some surprising results, including San Diego and Toronto loading up for what they hope will be lengthy playoff runs, and Ben's beloved Red Sox not completely burning it all to the ground. Of course, it can't all be good news, and in Oakland we had another COVID outbreak bringing infections to all three regions of the league.
In a new, temporary, segment we call "Fucking Vote" we're outlining the important reasons our American listeners, regardless of political affiliation, should go and vote this November, or earlier if possible. This week's reason is that your vote makes a difference in the formation of the government. With over 1/3rd of eligible Americans not voting last General Election, too many people pass up the opportunity to have a say in what goes on nationally, and locally. Get registered and learn about your polling options at vote.gov
In the ever-popular "Connery's Corner", we explore a movie so bad, it made Sean Connery quit acting altogether. Check out the terrible League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, featuring 19th-century literary characters teaming up, Avengers-style, to fight a villainous plot that made no sense.
This Week's Futurama Episodes of the Week: The Bots and the Bees (Jacob), The Honking (Ben)

Episode 31 - Wildcat Strike
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains strong language and discussion of the issues of race and racism in society.
This isn't a normal episode of This Week in Blernsball, but given the developments over the last several days, we felt it was necessary for the discussions we have in this episode to take place. In light of the Jacob Blake and Kenosha, WI protest shootings, the NBA, WNBA, MLB, and MLS all cancelled games on Wednesday night in an act of solidarity by the players. We talk about the meaning behind the protests by the athletes, how pro sports and societal unrest can't co-exist and why things need to change.
Sorry for the lack of goofs and jokes this episode, but things are too serious for that right now. We promise that if the world gets better, we'll resume the funnies in our next scheduled episode.
RESOURCES
Black Lives Matter's Ways To Help Page
Book Recommendation: How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Donnovan Bennett on Twitter @donnovanbennett
Jemele Hill on Twitter @jemelehill
To follow Jacob and Ben on Twitter to see more of our opinions on the topic, follow @jmsmorris and @BenjaminKBlum