DC FORUM: Words About DCBLOG

A Word From The Editor
BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

At the beginning of what would become a most eventful Summer 2016, the world lost one of the greatest in the history of not just sports but all of mankind in Muhammad Ali. When news of his death became public late on June 2nd, there was a tremendous outpouring of grief and support that fit the larger than life stature of the man they simply call The Greatest. During that emotional weekend, there were countless numbers of tributes by media, fans & the like that offered reflection and remembrance of a fighter who dazzled the world with his determination, who spoke his mind the best way he can before Parkinson's silenced him, and who became beloved long after he left the ring.

   One of those was an essay penned by the former Cassius Clay called "How I Would Like To Be Remembered," where he described himself as more than just a 3-time heavyweight champion of the world, a 1960 Olympic gold medalist, and a man who rebelled the establishment when Vietnam and civil unrest was on everyone's minds. There, Ali saw himself as one with a sense of humor, treated everyone with respect, never looked down on those inspired by him, was a helper to everyone who asked for help, stood up for what he believed in, united mankind by love and faith and, in his words, "...for being remembered only as a great boxer who became a leader and a champion of his people."

   As DCBLOG crossed a milestone of 300 posts just after 4th of July weekend, and as we kick off another cycle of our signature coverage of the MTV Trifecta, that essay got me thinking of getting something off my chest. In my opinion, I have a feeling that I'm not getting the kind of solid respect and broad exposure that this site truly deserves, even though I have devoted time, resources and energy to this site and have done a great deal of work here since this site launched three years ago. It's something that I don't do that much here in focusing the spotlight on myself - the very blogger & author of this great site, but wanted to express my thoughts here with all of you. So if you can indulge yourself in the next few moments and take the opportunity to listen to yours truly, then let's do it. Here we go...

DC WRAP: The MTV Trifecta's August Homestretch

BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

For the first time in twelve months, those of us who follow the MTV Trifecta can take a breath after what we have seen in five seasons of the three shows this site covers the best. In mid August, we had the double season finale of Are You The One? Season 4, which followed the eventful final week of The Challenge: Rivals III. Both had endings similar to what happened in the past, with this year's cast of 20 singles shaking off a late blackout to notch two truth booth matches en route to their payday, while we're still reeling from Johnny Bananas' payback move on Sarah in the Season 28 finale. But of course, as we talk to you this break won't last very long as are now into the countdown to Season 32 of Real World as Bad Blood begins in a month from now in Seattle.

   For now here on this last day of the summer season, on this expanded edition of DC WRAP we'll look at some of the key moments from the August homestretch of the Trifecta, covering the last jungle and the final in Argentina, and the second half of AYTO in Hawaii. We'll head into the Strategy Room for the final tidbits from Hawaii and south of the border. And on ExtraTime, we'll have an exclusive look at a fight that's never seen the light of day until now, as well as a Rio Olympics link with the Trifecta and a reunion of originals. That's all ahead.

DC ExtraTime: Famous Friends - Quarterbacks

An Excerpt From 'Pulse - Rivals III Episode 13

BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

On the same day that we saw the start of this last phase of this Rivals season - the fifth major pro sport, the one sign that fall is coming came at various cities across the country when NFL Training Camp began in the heat of the summer. As we wrote here last year when we looked at NFL Films in our sports series, we're into that time where one sport will grab our attention and never let go until February... that is, with perhaps the exception of this year when 28 sports will do that starting Wednesday when women's group soccer matches begin the Rio Olympics before the Rivals finale. And as we present this post to you, this is the last weekend that there isn't an NFL game to look forward to, as the Hall of Fame Game between Green Bay and Indianapolis takes place next week.

   It's with this in mind that we'd like to look at those times when the Trifecta gets to intersect with those who are, no doubt, the leaders of that offensive platoon and where teams' fortunes can hang by a thread just by what he does guiding teams late in the 4th. Of course, we are talking about the quarterback of an NFL team. And we'd like to share with you three instances of these sightings.

From: TW @EricBanks

● AARON RODGERS w/ BIG EASY: Last year, the biggest play of the 2015 NFL season was what happened in Detroit on Thursday Night Football in December. Just two days before our fellow Challenge friend Theresa Gonzalez would give birth to her new baby, her fiance, TJ Jones, was playing for the Lions, and the team from the state she grew up in, the Packers were given new life by a Detroit defensive penalty and gave them one more shot to steal a win after trailing the whole game. A 61-yard heave downfield from their own 35-yard line found Green Bay TE Richard Rodgers in the end zone, and is emblematic of the kind of play that can break the internet and break hearts when one goes deep in the final seconds and wins at the final gun.
   The Super Bowl XLV MVP has been longtime friends with one of The Challenge's Eric Banks and they often hang out with one another during the NFL offseason, most especially for his home state's biggest party in as The Kentucky Derby, as you see on your right from when American Pharoah began his run to glory at the 2015 race. It's been ten years since we first saw Big Easy on Fresh Meat I, and it's because of his role of one of the Trifecta's most-infamous moments -- him gassing out and being medically evacuated from the Guantlet III final and costing his packed Veteran team a win -- that inspired him to get fit and healthy, and made great strides in losing 70 lbs. from where he was at 310 when he began. It's also why when players are given that call to be a Challenge, they must get in tip-top shape for everything that awaits them. And as we told you here, Eric now does travel in helping students to Spring Break right each March.

IG @WesBuckles

● ROBERT GRIFFIN III w/ AYTO's WES: Second, if you're reading this post from Cleveland, then you no doubt have had the summer of your life in the afterglow of the Cavaliers' NBA championship and LeBron James becoming a legend in your Northeast Ohio neck of the woods. Over the NFL offseason and three months before that curse was lifted, the Browns - who've endured heartache themselves since winning the city's last title in 1964 - made a splash when they acquired Robert Griffin III off the waiver wire. After a strong rookie season, a injury-riddled next three seasons would slow his seemingly inevitable ride to become one of the league's top QB's, and was released by the maroon & gold after four seasons. Now, RG3 is looking forward to a fresh start in the Dawg Pound as they look forward to a new start after the end to the merciful era that was Johnny Football.
   It was the day after his Are You The One? cast had their million dollar moment in March 2014 that a member of those Originals - Wes Buckles - got to meet RG3 in his then-Phoenix hometown and was among the first to get congratulated on their win. He posted on Instagram, "Looking like a damn crest commercial 😁 Had the pleasure of meeting that dude Robert Griffin (RGIII) yesterday 🙌 He's a fan of #areyoutheone.. Who knew? Lol Real cool dude tho. Much love and support from the west coast bruh." And when news of Griffin's move to Ohio came, Wes reposted, "#TBT to that one time I got to meet and talk it up with that guy @rgiii. It's been a rocky road but you're gonna do some amazing things in the #dawgpound! Blessings on blessings." Similar to what may happen in the season's homestretch, Wes was in a love triangle with Kayla and Ryan during his season and the group voted them in consecutive weeks to determine their fate, which in the end saw Wes and the now local news anchor become their third Truth Booth match.

IG: @Dean_BP (Kaepernick
wearing NY hat to Dean's left)

● COLIN KAEPERNICK w/ DEAN: Finally, those people like me who are Bay Area sports fans have showed concern the past couple seasons with how the San Francisco 49ers would at one moment be a top NFL team and were just yards short from a Super Bowl title, and are now also-ran's in what is the NFL's toughest division of the NFC West. The attention has been on Colin Kaepernick, who became the starting quarterback after struggles by Alex Smith, and Kaep began to rise to become a top quarterback. The Niners would capitalize by signing him to a long-term deal while he was at the height of his powers, and stayed strong during the 2013 season but ended in Richard Sherman's arms. And then, poor play in 2014 would ultimately see him hold the clipboards as a backup, where he still is as he now battles Blaine Gabbert for the starting job for the red & gold.
   Well, one person has had the chance to become friends with Kaep - and that would be Dean from the most recent Real World season, Go Big or Go Home in Las Vegas earlier this year. In a screencap of a IG picture from Dean's hub I took before he deleted it to keep the number of pics there to just a minimum, you see Dean hanging out with Kaep and fellow friends during the offseason after their run to New Orleans and SB XLVII. The QB isn't the only well-known person Dean got to hang out with before he made his way to the Gold Spike in DTLV - Downtown Las Vegas if you don't know: he also got to do a cameo part on the FOX comedy Anger Management with that show's star Charlie Sheen, all as aspects of the comedian's personal life has been put out in the public eye of abuse and him contracting the HIV virus. Of course, Dean got divorced before going to Sin City, then saw him go in drag, celebrate being single and being more likable than most of the house.

Starting pitching in baseball, a power forward in hoops, a goalkeeper in hockey and soccer...they all hold keys to their teams' success in their various sports. But no one holds the fate of any football team - pro, college, high school - than a quarterback. He controls the offense when they have the ball, provides leadership to the team, and can be the one who is given the most praise or the biggest blame if they win or lose. All three of the quarterbacks we've profiled here have all made their marks in the NFL, and now as we look forward to the new season, Rodgers looks to lead his Packers to the top of the league, while RG3 looks forward to starting anew in what's become a sports capital of late, and Kaepernick will be anxious to prove himself when the ball falls into his hands.

- I AM DC

DC ExtraTime: AYTO'ers Turned Anchors

Reposted from 'Pulse - AYTO Season 4 Finale, which was posted earlier this evening.

BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

The fields of broadcast journalism and sports TV production are something I've long been fascinated with - not surprising given how much of it I watch both in and outside the MTV and sports worlds; we'll be looking as aspects of those in my fall series of posts in between Trifecta cycles. For two members of the Are You The One? alumni who have money now, they have something in common: they have prior experience of doing things on camera before they were put on a reality TV show with money and love on the line.

   Before she was cast on Season 4 of this romantic experiment, Alyssa went to Illinois State University outside of Chicago. And in between looking for guys on her campus she was busy pursuing stories for the local newscast on her college's in-house TV station and it being seen on local PEG cable channels in the nation's 3rd largest media market. She also anchored newscasts as well, honing her craft of reporting news in this suburb of the City of the Big Shoulders.

   About now, the back to school shelves at your local store will soon be shifted over to Halloween stuff with candy, costumes and the like for the big night that comes on Monday, October 31. One of the stories Alyssa reported during her year in the journalism program was going to a synagogue where for one day, it turned into a ghost investigation site as residents came to learn more about the church and whether it's haunted or not. Check that out below, along with her anchor reel.

Well, Alyssa will have someone to look up to when it comes to transitioning from on a nationally shown reality TV show to being a local name. When we met Kayla Lusby on Season 1 two years ago, she was that southern girl who had graduated from Ole Miss -- alma mater of fellow MTV alums Dunbar (RW Sydney) and Layton (AYTO S2) -- and had a toxic relationship with her athlete boyfriend. But she's remembered mainly for what happened late that season when she confessed to Amber about kissing who would ultimately be her husband, Ethan, and getting scolded by the perfect match and the house turning on her. Kayla was also at the heart of a love triangle between her, Colorado guy Ryan and Arizona crush Wes, where the truth booth settled the triangle with the lasers eventually siding with her and Wes as the house's 3rd perfect match.

   It's true that she wasn't the most well-liked person in the mansion in Kauai, but Kayla has definitely found her calling in something she's most passionate about in liking being on camera. Before being cast, she did a DJ shift at Ole Miss' campus radio station, did a project for ESPN-U and interned at TV newsrooms in Memphis and Nashville. That experience, along with a short stint in Phoenix radio, ultimately landed Kayla a job at the NBC/FOX duopoly in Monroe, LA and El Dorado, AR - the Arklamiss as the locals call it. Plus, this is the 137th ranked TV market which serves a large viewing area of northeastern Louisiana, southern Arkansas and western Mississippi.
   By week like many others in the business, she's a general assignment reporter gathering stories for the various newscasts during the day. But since this isn't New Orleans or any other big city, she doubles as a video journalist in shooting video in addition to writing stories and doing on-camera reporting. Yes, Kayla does more of the work you'd find in small market TV, unlike what you'd find in the big cities. But by weekend, she is behind the anchor desk, where after doing some substitute work Kayla became weekend anchor at KTVE back in May. And of course, this past month her newscasts were sandwiched in between NBC's Olympic coverage.
   Below is Kayla's demo reel with a compilation of her work from before she was cast on AYTO.

- I AM DC

DC SocialPulse: Are You The One? Season 4 - The Finale (MEGA)

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content 

and spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long 

length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

Well, here we are at the end of a gripping 12 months following the thing this site covers best: the MTV Trifecta. This is the season finale of DC SocialPulse on this VMA Sunday, and ahead: from betrayals to blackouts - analysis and a full recap of the summer in the two competition shows of this triple crown. And this includes the last act of a season that featured plenty of drama in paradise.

   On Week 8 of the show over three weeks ago, the exes came to town to help dish some juicy info about the singles. Giovanni put everyone on edge when he chose Stephen's girl Julia as a plan to turn the game upside down, but were put into the truth booth which proved costly to the house as they seem to have wasted a truth booth when they most needed it. And to make matters worse, the group got gut checked late when they suffered a blackout in their 8th matchup to lose $250,000.

   The next week: a double shot to wrap up the season. First, as the house tries to recover from the blackout they try whatever they can to strategize a win. But it's when a rap battle takes place that old conflicts decide to reemerge and boils over to divide the house when a fight takes place which leads to shock and to tears. And then in hour two, with the house regaining the momentum they lost after the good start, they face the reality of going home either with money or not, and Asaf finds himself at the heart of the matter in deciding whether to follow his heart or going with the rest of the house.
   As we speak to you days after the biggest day of the MTV year, this post is coming to you a bit later than planned due to both the Rio Olympics and giving you worldwide fans the chance to watch this last act and then head over here for the reaction. But thanks to all of your for your patience...ahead, all of the action, reaction and interaction of the finale and the week that was of what is the last edition of the 'Pulse of this cycle. And if you stick around for ExtraTime, what does this cast have to do with ghost stories? We'll have that and a common link between members of the Season's 4 and 1 casts.

- As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-)
- Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.

A rap battle, a big fight, and one last chance to get it all right. Join us for the season finale of the 'Pulse covering the season finale of Season 4 of Are You The One?... coming up.

DC GAMES '16: Hoops International

A DCBLOG Sports Special

BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

For basketball fans, this summer of 2016 has been the most interesting offseason in the Association in recent memory...one that began on Father's Day with a Game 7 for the Ages in an all-time NBA Finals. That night, the Golden State Warriors, 73-9 in the regular season, played for survival on their home court in Oakland after squandering a 3-1 lead over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. A man who came home to Northeast Ohio years after being scolded by them for leaving for Miami, delivered an all-time performance and turned into an immortal in his hometown as the Cavs became the first road team to win an NBA Finals Game 7 in almost four decades, and the biggest major postseason comeback in American sports since the Red Sox twelve years earlier.
   It's after this loss that the Warriors looked to rebound from this monumental collapse by making the biggest power move you can make, and successfully landed the pride and joy of an entire heartland in Kevin Durant. Afterwards, a tsunami of free agency activity ensued: Dwayne Wade returned to his roots in Chicago, Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah reunited in New York, Pau Gasol went to San Antonio as the Spurs began the post-Tim Duncan era, Dwight Howard headed over to the Hawks, Jeremy Lin brought Linsanity back to the Big Apple to Brooklyn, and Harrison Barnes & Andrew Bogut joined Dirk in Dallas.

And if the countdown to the 2016-17 NBA campaign couldn't get even more amped up as you can possibly get, there's also the fact that this is an Olympic year, and that the many of the best of the best would be spending a summer not relaxing after a long season, but committing themselves to playing for country than city, and playing for the right to be true world champions...as Olympic gold medalists in basketball. Same for the women in them taking a month off of WNBA play to enjoy the strongest visibility that their niche following of women's professional sports can get in a four year period, a year after the U.S. Women's National Team became a pop culture phenomenon.
   Basketball is an American-made sport invented by a Canadian, but has gone on to become the most international of the four major U.S. sports: the NBA is watched avidly by fans on all six continents, for which each of them have solid national teams that don't always get a chance to compete together as much as other major team sports. But when you look at the game played at the Olympics, and the one we all know and love here, there's some numerous differences. And there's also a proud history of players representing the U.S. in Olympic and international play as well.

DC GAMES '16: The Team Of A Generation

A DCBLOG Sports Special

BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

On Wednesday, August 3rd, competition kicked off at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as the action began - as it always does in the summer games - with the first group stage matches in the women's and men's soccer competitions - two days before the Opening Ceremony officially began the Olympiad. These Games have been anticipated for some time, but after a slew of controversies taking place in the lead-up to this first week of August the attention has turned, as they should be for the next two & a half weeks, on the athletes and the moments they're bringing us from Brazil. So far, the focus has been mainly on them and we've had plenty of great moments with more to come.

   The past three years, American soccer fans have been inundated with the very best "the beautiful game" has to offer as the sport has risen in the world's largest sports market. The 2014 FIFA World Cup attracted record attention here as once again the U.S. followed the fortunes of the Men's National Team in record numbers in Brazil. This year, Copa América Centenario brought top level men's international soccer to these shores for the first time since the '94 World Cup, and overseas there was UEFA EURO 2016 where Christiano Ronaldo and Portugal win the title and capped off a summer that also saw him and Real Madrid capture the Champions League. And as its new season begins, the Premier League has grown in stature in America with NBC's unparalleled commitment to England's pastime and Leicester City winning the EPL title in true underdog fashion.

   But above all else, the biggest story in American soccer, has been the Women's National Team. For one month in June and July of last year, sports fans once again became enthralled in a sport that until the '90s has not thrived in a country grown on a different sports agenda, but this time it was a team that became a pop culture phenomenon. And in a 16-minute span, they went to another level as the United States women won the FIFA Women's World Cup for an unprecedented third time. It would become the defining moment of American soccer in the last 25 years, and quite a ride the women's program has gone through to get to this position as the dominant force in the women's game, despite the ending they had in Rio. In spite of all of this incredible success, it hasn't always been gold for a sport now entrenched as one of the most popular.

DC WRAP: Are You The One? S4 - Episode 8

BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

As we prepare for tonight's finale of both this Season 4 of Are You The One? and this MTV Trifecta cycle, we bring you an abbreviated edition of the WRAP. Last week, the cast saw the exes of the guys arrive in the house and saw Giovanni put everyone on edge when he won that week's challenge and threaten to turn the game on its head. But it's the game that caused the house to go haywire when they notched a late blackout and saw them lose $250,000 this late in the game.

   Ahead, we'll head to the Strategy Room to look at what lies ahead for them as they try to recover from that blackout and try to salvage $750,000 just as last year's cast did. Plus, we'll share with you the latest piece of good news for two members of the Trifecta alumni. Join us here next.