'Just a random reason

to continue to love Pearl Jam.

They sing "Yellow Ledbedder"

That's really all the reason you need. 

Best of 2014

It's that time of year, when I share some of my favorite things from the past year.  (If I haven't mentioned them before, or maybe even if I have).

Television

As a non-partier and also a person of the antisocial persuasion, I watch alot of television.  Here were some of my favorites.

Best Comedy- Brooklyn 99

It may not actually be the "best" comedy, but I laugh more at that show than any other current show.  Which I think is the actual point of comedies, anyway.  Honorable mention to "New Girl" and "The Mindy Project", which are both having strong seasons.

Best New Comedy - Nathan for You

I love watching Nathan Felder give his radical business ideas to people.  And the Dumb Starbucks episode is one of the greatest things I have ever seen.

Best Television Series - The Americans

There were a lot of good nominees in here, The Walking Dead has been particularly good, I enjoyed the last season of Game of Thrones, and I loved Fargo.  But week in and week out, The Americans was as good as anything I've ever seen on the small screen.  That's not hyperbole.  It's a great, great, show.

Best New Television Series - Fargo

I have to admit I was skeptical that any television series could recreate the Cohen Brothers "Universe" from the Motion Picture "Fargo".  I was wrong.  Fargo was great.  Looking forward to the next season which is actually set in Sioux Falls.

Best Television Series Idea - Foo Fighters "Sonic Highways"

Genius concept!  Take a rock and roll band, have them spend a week in 8 different cities, and learn the lay of the musical landscape (so to speak), in each city, and then end the episode with the band writing and recording a new song in/about each city.  I really, really, really, enjoyed this show.  In addition, Dave Grohl is the coolest guy in Rock and Roll.

MUSIC

Best Concert I saw this year - The Avett Brothers

To be fair and honest here, it was also the only concert I saw this past year.  But it was excellent.  The Avett Brothers are a tremendous group, and immensely entertaining live.

Best New Album - Jack White "Lazaretto"

I love Jack White.  Which isn't surprising, because he is super talented.  But what is maybe surprising is how little attention this album got.  It's so good.  And I'm not saying that because I'm some sort of a music snob.  This new Jack White album is phenomenal, and more people should pay attention.

PODCASTS

Best Podcast - "Serial"

The story of the murder of Hae Min Lee in Baltimore Maryland, and the resulting case that ended in the arrest of Hae's boyfriend, Adnan, was absolutely fascinating.  It's no small wonder that it became the top downloaded podcast of the year.  Such an interesting subject matter, and done so well by Sarah Koenig and crew.  I highly recommend!

Best Comedy Podcast - "The Adam Carolla Show"

I listen to alot of comedy podcasts.  some of which would include: Jay Mohr's "Mohr Stories", Bill Burr's "Monday Morning Podcast", Chris Hardwick's "Nerdist", Greg Proop's "The Smartest Man in the World", and so on.

Bald Brian, Adman, and newsgirl Allison Rosen

The Carolla show is the best of the bunch for 2 reasons.  1.  Adam does his show pretty much daily, like a radio show... whereas most of the previously mentioned are only done once a week.  This helps you gain familiarity with the show, and the guests, and it just has more of a welcoming tone than some of the others.  The Second reason is this:  Carolla is great at this.  He knows his strengths, he doesn't vary much in format, and he has his standard go to bits such as "Rotten Tomatoes Game", and "What Can't Adam Complain About".  It's a great show for those of us who don't have a daily radio station to listen to.

Best Sports Podcast - "The BS Report"

I'm probably wussing out here, as the BS Report is the #1 podcast in downloads, but I'll tell you, it's #1 for a reason.  I've tried others.  I've listened to "The Lowe Post", I've tried "Short Corner", I've even downloaded some of the Dan Patrick Radio Show in podcast form.... none are as fulfilling as the BS Report.  Which is weird for me to say, because Simmons is such a Boston Homer.

MOVIES

I didn't see too many movies this year, but here are a couple of my favorites (that probably everybody saw).

Best Super Hero Movie - Guardians of the Galaxy

This was definitely the best of the super hero movies this year.  I kept hearing great things about Captain America "Winter Soldier" and that wasn't that great.  The X-Men movie was pretty good too, but Guardians of the Galaxy reigned supreme.

Best Drama - 12 Years a Slave

I know that came out the year before, but I didn't see it until 2014, and so it sticks for me.

Best Comedy - Neighbors

Like I said, I didn't see too many movies this year.

SPORTS AWARDS

Best Coach - Gary Patterson, TCU Horned Frogs, College Football

What Gary Patterson has done at TCU is not only phenomenal, but also quite unbelievable.  Other coaches are bigger names, he does the most with less.

Best Team - The San Antonio Spurs - 2014 NBA World Champions

Any person who thinks anything else is simply wrong.  

Best Athlete - LeBron James, Small Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers

In case you forgot, one player or man, basically held the entire NBA off season up this summer.  No one decided to do anything until LeBron decided what he was doing.  He basically approved of who was hired as coach, and was able to choose his own teammates for the most part.  You don't wield this type of power unless you are a once in a generation talent.  Unreal.  I know he has more than his share of haters, but no one else could do this, in any other league.

Here's to 2015, and a new list next year!

To Podcast, or not?

I've been debating whether I should start my own podcast.

I know how to do it.  I did a few for the school last year (but haven't done any this year, because frankly, I haven't had the time), but I should probably start doing those again.

There are a number of sites with free storage where I can hold the mp3 file for the podcast, and I can easily record something.

image from SoundCloud

I'm thinking SoundCloud would be a good place to store the podcast at.  It's free, it's accessible, and it also has it's own app.

But what to talk about?  I can talk about sports.  Current Events.  Pop Culture.  Things like that.  I don't want to talk about my job, or coaching my team, or things of that nature.  They would need to be more about things that are out in the world.

Whatever it is, it wouldn't be very long.  I'm thinking like about 15 minutes or so...maybe I could pull it off once a week.

Every time I consider this, I get cautious, because... well, 2 things:
1.  Who the heck am I to have a podcast?
2.  Who in the world would listen to it?

The other reason I'm hesitant, is that I've been unable to keep any sort of activity going on this blog for the past 6 months, and now I'm thinking about adding a podcast to the mix?

However, there's something about the format that holds interest to me.  I love listening to them, myself, and they can be so interesting on so many front.  The Serial Podcast the past few months was immensely entertaining, and recently I've been introduced to a new podcast called "Startup", that actually discusses the process of starting a new podcast company.  I've only heard 2, but I think it's pretty interesting.

There is something about the format that appeals to me.  I'm a reasonably opinionated person, and it could be something that is fun.

Well, I guess it's a possibility that I'll continue to consider.

I may post a link to a "trial run" of a podcast.

Maybe I'll post something that will have something to do with the Bowl games tomorrow.

This Blog Stinks!

So, I'd been thinking of blogging about something, and I actually looked in here, and the last blog post was in April.  During the 1st round of the NFL Draft?

This Blog does stink.

It's not that there isn't some things out there that I couldn't have blogged about:

• The REM by MTV Documentary
• The Foo Fighters Sonic Highways Series on HBO
• The first "College Football Final Four?
• Why the NFL is losing credibility (at least for me)
• "The Interview" movie being cancelled
• Seeing the Avett Brothers in concert this summer
• Books I've read (there's been some good ones)

So, you know...  I think I'm going to maybe look at A Total REVAMP!

Re-doing the format, maybe adding a couple of gadgets.  

I heard Henry Rollins on the "Mohr Stories" podcast, and he talked about how much he writes a day.

And I hear Adam Carolla and his show, and they are always talking about how if someone really wants to do something... they just do it.  They don't sit around and wait for it to happen.  They make it happen.

So, I'm hoping to come back, and soon.

Live Blog: 2014 NFL Draft

I'll be live blogging the 2014 NFL Draft tonight.  (Well, round one anyway.)

Friday and Saturday, rounds 2 through 7... I don't know if I'll have time.  I've got an awards banquet on Friday night and a track meet on Saturday.

However.  Tonight, I will be watching, and discussing the picks.

I've spent less time on the draft this year than just about any other year.

So who will be the first pick?  Signs point to JaDaveon Clowney from South Carolina... Apologies if I spelled your name wrong, Mr. Clowney.

As I type this line... we are like 5 minutes from the start of the draft.

I'll type in the picks as they roll in, maybe share a thought or two..and also include others opinions...I'll be on twitter using the hashtag:  #doofusdraft

I just tweeted my first question of the night, Who will pick Johnny Manziel?

New to the draft this year... they will be playing "Walk Up Music" for each of the picks selected that are in attendence... could be kinda cool, but it could also be bad.

I'm really sick of this "I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man" song.  We get it, you're the man.

I'm starting the night on espn, but I'll switch back and forth with the NFL Network...but I've watch Chris Berman do the draft for so many years, it feels like it would be wrong to start somewhere else.

The Commish gets a loud round of boos, as he opens the draft.

The Texans are on the clock.  How long will they make us wait?
-earlier today said they weren't taking any trades, and they had their pick ready...so why are we waiting?
The Pick is IN:  And it's, it's, it's... Jadeveon Clowney, DE from South Carolina.

Sure glad we waited ten minutes for that.

The Rams are on the clock.  They could go any number of ways, but probably an offensive lineman.

My brother Rich is commenting in the comments below.  Let's see if we can get him on the twitter, and I can include his thoughts along with my stream of consciousness.

One thing we can say for certain is that this guy has a chance to be the greatest Jadeveon in NFL history.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) May 9, 2014

The Rams Pick is in, and it's Greg Robinson, Offensive Tackle from Auburn.
-seems like a good pick because their quarterback got killed last year against the Seahawks and 49ers, and the Cardinals defense is no joke either.  They gotta give Sam Bradford a chance.

The Jaguars are on the clock, and the thought is that they will pick Kalil Mack, the Linebacker/Pass Rusher out of Buffalo...but they need alot of help.  Rich also thinks they take Kalil Mack.

Jason LaConfora is tweeting that the pick is Blake Bortles the QB from University of Central Florida.
The Pick is in...and it is Blake Bortles.

The Browns are on the clock... Johnny Football time?  Or Something else?  Personally, I don't want Sammy Watkins or Kalil Mack going to the Raiders, and it looks like one of them will be there.

And Bortles, girlfriend Linsay Duke was tweeted out within one minute of him being drafted.  So that's at least some kind of record.

The Browns have traded the Pick to Buffalo, and the Bills pick is in:  Wide Reciever?  Offensive Tackle?  Trade is from 9th pick to 4th...so they probably didn't have to give up an arm or a leg.

BREAKING: GM Kevin Costner has traded the Browns eventual bust to the Bills.
— Faux John Madden (@FauxJohnMadden) May 9, 2014

With the 4th pick, the Bills select Sammy Watkins, WR from Clemson.  Whew, glad he's not in Oakland...but now Kalil Mack is still there.  Still...Sammy Watkins is a big time playmaker.

Raiders on the clock, and I think they take Mack, unless, unless, they trade back...
-the pick is in.  5th pick is... Khalil Mack, LB from Buffalo.

APOCALYPSE ALERT: Raiders make a good 1st round pick
— Faux John Madden (@FauxJohnMadden) May 9, 2014

The Atlanta Falcons are on the clock.  The could go O Line, they could go D Line.  They shouldn't go Wide Receiver.

Pick after the Raiders has been money in the first round the last 10 years. @Atlanta_Falcons can u keep it going? pic.twitter.com/5ahhZXcvif
— trey wingo (@wingoz) May 9, 2014

Tampa and Minnesota both follow the Falcons, and they both could use a quarterback...could Johnny Football be taken soon?  Falcons are taking their sweet time.

The Pick is Jake Matthews, Offensive Tackle from Texas A&M.  I think he'll be a good player.
-and based off the "pick after the Raiders" theory...he'll probably be a hall of famer, like his Dad.

The Bucs are on the clock...and they are taking WR Mike Evans, WR from Texas A & M

The Vikings are on the clock...could this be Johnny Football?  And, and, and... three straight picks from Texas A & M ?  Let's see...

Minnesota has traded the pick to the Browns... let's see what Kevin Costner does here!

Updated mock draft: pic.twitter.com/JADR7AEhrd
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) May 9, 2014

This has to be for Bridgewater or Manziel... gotta be for a quarterback.  Minnesota picked up a 5th round pick for dropping back one spot.  I'm trying to stay off twitter to avoid spoilers, until after the pick is announced.
With the 8th Pick in the draft...the Browns select... Cornerback Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State.
-Woah a surprise pick!  He's the best corner in the draft, but it's surprising they traded up one spot to get him.  Cries of "Cleveland sucks" echo throughout the draft hall.

The Vikings are on the clock... and Manziel and Bridgewater are still there...but maybe they are thinking Corner too?  because Cleveland traded up for a reason?  Let's see what happens...the pick is in.  Rich thinks the Pick is Aaron Donald the DT from Pitt...and I'm not checking twitter to have it spoiled.

The 9th pick in the draft, the Minnesota Vikings select:  Anthony Barr, LB from UCLA
-a surprise pick for sure...but I know alot of Chargers fans who really, really liked him.

With the 10th pick, the Lions waste no time, and their pick is in, and Barry Sanders makes the selection of:
Eric Ebron, the TE from UNC.  He's a very talented player. But not anyone I would have suspected going there. (By the way, if you have a few minutes... click on the Barry Sanders link... Wow, he was fun)

I tell you what, I'm no draft expert...but these last 3 picks have me shaking my head...I can see Gilbert I guess, but why trade up for him?

Meanwhile, the Heat are up 85-77 right now in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, over the Nets.

The top 10 Selections are done.  The Titans are on the clock.
-The Titans select Offensive Tackle Taylor Lewan from Michigan...he's a good player. (Of course, they are all really good college players, this is why they are being selected in the first round of the draft.)

The Giants are on the clock... Adam Schefter just speculated that Johnny Manziel could fall to the Cowboys.  Which would be amazing, but only if they took him.

At this rate, Jake From State Farm is going to taken ahead of Manziel...
— Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) May 9, 2014

The New York Giants select: Odell Beckham, WR from LSU.

The Rams are on the clock again:  DT Aaron Donald from Pitt is the selection.

The 14th Pick belongs to the Bears...who ya got Rich?
-Rich thinks it's Calvin Pryor or Kyle Fuller.

The Pick is in...and it's Kyle Fuller CB from Virginia Tech.
-Darn, he's a good player...but I was hoping he'd drop to the Chargers.  By the way... 11 picks to go, and only 2 cornerbacks have been taken...the chargers have a big need there, but lets see who goes in these next 10 picks.

Rich likes the pick (he's a Bears fan).  He thought they would go safety, but he (Fuller) makes sense.

The Steelers are on the clock with #15:  Steelers take Linebacker Ryan Shazier from Ohio State.

The Cowboys on the Clock!  Pick 16!  Johnny Football is still there!
-Everyone on twitter is urging Jerry to do it.  This is hysterical.  I'm actually laughing out loud.

The Pick is in: and its.... It's... It's... Zach Martin, OT from Notre Dame. So, they don't take Manziel, and they don't pick a defensive player.  That was... anticlimatic.

The Ravens are up, and they usually draft very soundly.  They select CJ Mosley, LB from Alabama.
-No surprise... Ray Lewis really likes this pick.

The Jets are on the clock, and I think they have to be thinking WR...because there have only been 2 taken, and they don't have much at that position...and they Pick Calvin Pryor, Safety from Louisville.
Interesting that the Jets ignored the offense.

The Dolphins are on the clock... not sure what they need, Maybe an offensive lineman?
-I asked my friend Joey who the Dolphins wanted and he said Morgan Moses, but trading down is the first option.  And they took alot of the time up.
-the pick is in, and it is:  Jawuan James OT, from Tennessee  They needed help on the line.  That pick makes sense.

Sounds like NO, has traded up into the 20th pick...must have someone specific in mind.
-The Saints select Brandin Cooks, WR from Oregon State  That guy has some wheels!  Lance Moore is gone, Darren Sproles is gone...the Saints could use a little Boom! as the playmaking positon.  That's another guy I was hoping would last to the Chargers.

5 Picks until the chargers come in... The CB Dennard is there.  Also, my favorite choice is a trade back for someone trying to get a QB.

The Packers are on the clock... could be the CB Dennard...could be the Safety from Alabama.
-with the 21st Pick, the Packers select: HaHa Clinton Dix, the CB from Alabama.
He's a pretty solid selection this late in the first round.  He played in a 3-4 style pro system in Alabama...he'll be a pretty good fit in Green Bay, I think.

4 Picks until the Chargers...and 3 of the Top 5 corners are still there.  Although Dennard is the one I really want...he's most likely to be taken before them... would still like a trade down for someone wanting Johnny Manziel, and/or Teddy Bridgewater.

The Browns have moved up... taking the Eagles pick... here comes Johnny!  or Teddy?  Reports out of Cleveland earlier today said that they favored Bridgewater, so let's see what happens.  But it has to be a quarterback, right? The Pick is in:  Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, Texas A & M... Johnny Football is finally drafted!

The Eagles picked up a 3rd rounder for dropping back 4 spots.

The Chiefs are on the clock:  They could go OLine, they could go WR, they could go DB.  Whoever they pick, I'll end up being disgusted with in about 6 months.
-This is the 23rd pick.  Dee Ford, DE Auburn  He don't impress me... I would have been upset if the Chargers took him, and they needed a pass rusher worse than the Chiefs.

24th Pick:  The Bengals are up.  Last year, the guy I wanted got picked one pick before the Chargers.  So it'll probably happen again.  You know what?  It worked out OK.  DJ Fluker turned out pretty good.

And yep, I was right:  The Bengals select Darqueze Dennard, CB from Michigan State
-There goes the guy I've been hoping for all day.  Ha.

The Chargers are on the clock.  The could go corner...they could go pass rusher, they could go offensive line, they could go Nose Tackle.

And the Chargers select CB Jason Verrett from TCU.  I'm ok with this pick, with Dennard off the board.  I didn't want Roby, the CB from Ohio State...and the Chargers need a cornerback who can play.  He's not a big guy...but he's fast, and he brings the wood.  He's a decent pick, and I don't think he's a reach.

The Eagles are on the Clock at 26, and there are only 6 picks left after that.
The Eagles select Marcus Smith, DE from Louisville.  I don't know much about him.

With the 27th Pick:  Deone Bucannon Safety from Washington State to the Cardinals.

At 28 the Panthers select WR Kelvin Benjamin from Florida State.  He's a big target.

With the 29th selection, the Patriots will probably do something surprising, because that's what they Patriots do, and they always make it work.  I'm gonna guess DeMarcus Lawrence from Boise State just for fun...let's see how I do... the pick is in:  Dominique Easley, Defensive End from Florida  He's a gamble, he only played 3 games his senior season.  Talent , yes!  But a definate risk.

San Francisco is on the board at 30, then Denver, then Seattle.

The 49ers select Safety Jimmie Ward, from Northern Illinois  I don't know that guy at all...but Northern Illinois had a very good team.  Only two picks left, Super Bowl competitors Denver and Seattle.  That's four safeties in the first round.

With the 31st Selection, the Broncos select...I'm gonna guess someone to protect their old balls Quarterback.  And I'm wrong again...they picked CB Bradley Roby from Ohio State.  He was the one corner out of the top 5 that I didn't want the Chargers to take, because he played very inconsistent.  He's all kinds of talented though.

Seahawks are up!  Let's see if I can get another pick wrong... Maybe a WR?  The Lee kid from USC?
-Hear that the Vikings are thinking of moving up, by Trading with Seattle to get a QB.  Teddy Bridgewater?  Derek Carr?

And the Vikings have moved up, and Twitter is saying it's for Teddy Bridgewater.  And that is the pick.

He was my favorite of the three quarterbacks taken in the first round.  And he'll fit Norv's offense much better than Bortles or Manziel.

OK, I'm done.  Maybe tomorrow, I'll do a quick update or something...but for tonight...I'm done.

Hail to the ... Huskies?

So, if you are anything like me, I would bet that you didn't have UCONN winning the national championship this year in the NCAA Tournament.

In fact, I had them winning 2 rounds, and then losing in the sweet 16.  I knew they had a pretty good team this year (but not great).  I knew they had a great player is Shabazz Napier.  I knew they had a former player (Kevin Ollie) as head coach.  And, I knew they had spent last season ineligible for the NCAA Tournament.

That's about all I knew.

So I was surprised when the Huskies won it all.  But not too surprised.  Because the college basketball NCAA Tournament is a crapshoot and a half.  Just this year there were an 8 seed and a 7 seed playing in the title game...so not such a big story.

However, you know what a BIG story is?  How the University of Connecticut is now, PERHAPS, the most powerful men's BB program in the nation?
(Their women's team is undoubtedly the best program in the nation)

Don't believe me?

Well, since 1999. The UCONN Men have won 4 National Championships.
Duke has won 2.
North Carolina has won 2.
Kentucky has won 1
Kansas has won 1
Louisville has won 1
Michigan State has won 1
UCLA has won 0

So the University of Connecticut Huskies have won as many titles in the past 16 seasons, as Duke, North Carolina, and UCLA...COMBINED.

Not bad for a University that was once joked about on Cheers.  (Rebecca Howe mentioned that she was a graduate of the University of Connecticut...and Norm Peterson mentioned that they were big fans of their basketball team "the fighting tax accountants".)  (PS... I can't remember if he called them tax accountants or tax attorneys, or what...but I couldn't find it online...but I clearly remember the University of Connecticut joke)

In fact, when you look back at what Coach Jim Calhoun accomplished...it's quite remarkable.  Calhoun was hired by UCONN in 1986.  While UCONN was a member of the powerful Big East Conference, they were pretty much perennial 'cellar dwellars'.  Coach Calhoun changed all that.  In 1990, they won the Big East Tournament for the first time (Which.... by the way, I totally watched that game), and Coach Calhoun was named the National Coach of the year that time.

Coach Calhoun took UCONN from a joke to a perennial contender.

By 1999, he had won the first of 3 National Championships he would gather while running the Huskies.  Calhoun was known for being cantankerous and difficult and a general pain in the butt...but he was a great coach.  In his time at Connecticut, he would win 8 conference championships, 7 conference tournament championships...and sending 27 different players to the NBA.

Even more remarkable, when you think about it...UCONN had no tradition going for it...no National Titles, no name recognition, no glamorous location  (It's located in Storrs, Connecticut).  Not quite the recruiting draw that it would be at places like UCLA or Duke, or heck... any of the traditional powers.

So the next time you consider the "blue bloods" of the college basketball landscape, the Kentucky Wildcats, the Kansas Jayhawks, the UCLA Bruins of the world.... You should include UCONN.  They deserve it.

How I Met Your Series Finale

So, How I Met Your Mother ended on Monday evening, after 9 seasons.  Most of which were pretty darn good (the last one excluded). It all built up towards this finale...as the main character, Ted still had never actually "met" the 'Mother' (even though we had been introduced to her character this season).

It was.... Disappointing.

I'm not going off the deep end, and I'm not ranting and raving or upset about it.  After all, it's just a TV show.  And a pretty superficial and silly one at that.

I can kind of understand the reasoning behind the ending (Spoiler Alert...skip the Next paragraph in italics if you don't wants to know.)
In the final episode...Barney and Robin marry, Ted and the Mother meet, Barney and Robin get divorced, the Mother and Ted have 2 children but don't get married for several years (weird?), and the Mother dies...and the show ends with Ted's children imploring to go after their Aunt Robin.

According to sources, show creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, shot the final scene with the children during season 2.  So they have known for a LONG, LONG, time how they planned to end the show.  And, on some level... I understand it.  The show was continually...year after year...

OK, IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE SHOW YET...THE REST OF THIS POST IS A SPOILER...SO GO WATCH IT...IT'S STREAMING ON CBS.COM RIGHT NOW

The show was continually about Ted being in love with Robin.  He was in love with Robin from the first episode.  He was in love with Robin when they were dating.  He was in love with Robin when she was dating other people.  In fact, one of Ted's ex's (Victoria) flat out told him that he needed to get rid of Robin if he was going to move on.  She was right.  Over the years he was with The Mother, Robin was never around, and was traveling the world...she wasn't there.

So I get it.

And the show... WAS... Technically, called... How I MET Your Mother.  He was telling the kids how he met their Mother, and we learned she had been gone for six years already.

HOWEVER... I didn't like it.  I understand it, but I don't like it.

1.  You just spent an ENTIRE season...ridiculously, spread out over three days.  And then in the last episode, you jump forward,.. year after year roll by within minutes.
2. As mentioned, this ENTIRE season has been spent on Barney and Robin's wedding and marriage, and they were literally divorced in 10 minutes.  What a waste of a season.
3. Ted and Robin?  Really?  He let her go.  Seriously.  And actually.  In This Very Nightmare of a Season...he stood and let a metaphorical balloon of Robin go.  He let her go.  He went out of his way to help Barney marry her.
   If You Knew Ted Was Going To End Up With Robin, You Do Not Film That Scene!
4.  The Mother - We spend 8 years waiting to see a glimpse of her.  Over the course of a season, she is gradually introduced to the gang (meeting all the characters, except for Ted) and we learn that she's just like Ted...and they are a perfect match.  In fact, when he breaks the "3 days rule" to call her the day after the wedding...Lilly said "This time is different".  It was different.  And so, with this incredible character that was built up over 9 seasons, about how perfect and funny and adorable she was and we finally get to meet her...and you kill her off in a half hour?
5.  This is the equivalent of a young boy searching for a long lost pet...finally finding him, and then having him die.  You don't do that.
6. Why couldn't we have spent a little more time with the Mother?  Every single person I know who watched the show actually liked the character, and the actress who played her.
7.  Why spread the entire season out over a weekend...and then throw together that rush of a mess of a Finale.

I know that Series Finale's... especially comedy finales, are hard to do.

The Friends finale was good, but c'mon...anything that series did that ended with Ross and Rachel together would have been good.  Monica and Chandler could have died in a helicopter crash that fell on Joey and Phoebe, if Ross and Rachel would have gotten back together at the funeral, it would have been fine.

Cheers had a great final episode...but at the time, it was universally panned.

The Seinfeld finale is still hailed as a terrible episode..but was it?  Really?  I mean I catch it on re-runs every now and then...and there's alot of funny stuff in there.  I just think people didn't like the idea of them going to jail.  If they would have gotten off, and gotten to celebrate how they didn't care about other people...it would have been liked better.

MASH had a great finale.  But that wasn't a typical sitcom.  Scrubs had a great finale (for the original scrubs...not the rebooted Med School Scrubs that they tried).

Probably my favorite of any series finale was HBO's "Six Feet Under".  Which was simply phenomenal.

Anyway, I won't care too much about the HIMYM finale, because I legitimately enjoyed the show for 8 years.  (Just not this past year).