Hello Everyone,

This year is coming to an end this week and while there are a few measly days left,I thought we’d take a look back at the things that I think were the Worst Things About 2015. This list is meant for entertainment purposes just like the lists that have preceded this one. Here we go with the list!

10. Rob Lowe’s DirecTV commercials ending

Last year when DirecTV came out with commercials featuring Rob Lowe and his many variations who had cable, I as well as many of my friends found them to be absolutely hilarious! In fact,I had hoped that he would do these commercials forever. But unfortunately,the ads were pulled when it was found that the content in the commercials was not factual and Lowe was replaced by NFL stars such as Tony Romo,Peyton Manning,and Eli Manning (yuck!). When Lowe’s ads went away,so did a piece of my heart and as a DirecTV subscriber, it kinda hurt because we pay these people good money for their television subscription service and that’s how we’re repaid. Wow.

9. Casey McGehee

When Pablo Sandoval left the Giants to sign with the Red Sox (for less money,I might add) it really sucked because he made a name for himself with the Giants,won three World Series rings with them and because of him fans could be seen wearing Panda hats all over the stadium (Sandoval is nicknamed Kung-Fu Panda). The guy the Giants chose to replace him was even worse. Casey McGehee,who had a nice season in Miami in 2014 but not a great one, was signed by the Giants to cover third. I thought it was a bad signing from the start because if you’re going to fill a void as large as Sandoval’s, you don’t do it with a guy who only hit four home runs the year prior. It was a disaster from the start and aside from the grand slam he hit, McGehee didn’t do much in San Francisco, in fact he was designated for assignment twice and ultimately went back to Miami where he probably should’ve stayed.

The reason he was let go was the rising of Matt Duffy. He was the heir apparent to Sandoval all along if you ask me. In fact,he had better stats than Sandoval last season and he was a rookie. Duffy is going to be a great player as the years move forward and I hope this teaches the Giants to trust in their farm system a little more. I’m sure McGehee is a nice guy and a cool dude,but he just wasn’t the right guy for the Giants,that’s all I’m sayin’.

8.The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight

This was,for years,the fight that was never going to happen but should happen and it finally did and it was an utter disappointment,especially to those who shelled out a C-Note for it only to wait and wait and wait for it to finally happen.
Mayweather “won” the fight even though many felt Pacquiao was cheated out of the win. Mayweather did all that he could do to not get punched very much. This told me everything I needed to know as to why boxing is dying. Mayweather running from Pacquiao in order to win a boxing match and coming out making more money than anyone could imagine winning in one night says to me that it isn’t about the sport or even winning a fight. This is why Mayweather made The Things That Need to Go in 2016 list.

7. The L.A. Clippers’ new logo and uniforms

In an effort to move on from the Donald Sterling era, the Clippers for some reason decided to come out with a shitty looking logo.

It seems these days when a team changes their logo,it’s meant to be an update or something new and better,the Clippers didn’t achieve that at all and in fact their new uniforms look just like their old ones with the new logo pasted on them. Also,they added black to their red and blue color scheme. Why?

As I’ve said before,the team could’ve achieved a different way to move on from the Sterling era in lieu of changing their logo. I thought they had a nice enough logo before the ill-fated choice of ripping off EA Sports’ look.

6. The Kansas City Royals

You’re probably wondering why the Royals made the list and I’ll gladly explain why. They’re a bunch of punks.

Did anyone forget the beginning of the season when they were plunking batters left and right and starting a bunch of shit with everyone? I know I didn’t. These guys were the opposite of a class act on the field. Remember when they started shit with the Blue Jays? Yeah,that was bad. Don’t get me wrong,I love a good baseball fight as much as the next fan,but not the same team every time.

Beyond that, their fans made a mockery of the All-Star Game voting process to the point where we almost had a starting line-up of Royals on the AL side from top to bottom. What a terrible All-Star game it would’ve been. The Royals to me are everything baseball shouldn’t be and I hope a better,classier team takes the crown from them next season.

5. Not getting to try Taco Bell’s Chicken Biscuit Taco

This one was quite personal to me because a few of my friends got to try it when it was on the menu and when I thought I got my chance to do so,it was wiped off the menu.

In case you missed it like I did, the Taco Bell Chicken Biscuit Taco was a piece of crispy chicken on a flat biscuit acting as the tortilla with a jalapeno honey sauce. It was probably on the menu for about three weeks and it went away forever. I was absolutely pissed that I didn’t get to try it,so much so that I called the higher-ups at Taco Bell to vent my frustration at the item’s super-limited availability. I hope they do bring it back sometime so that people like me who were cheated out of trying it will get a second chance to do so.

4. The 2016 Election

You’re probably wondering how something happening next year made this list. I’ll tell you.
This election,like a lot of other elections, has not only brought out the worst in people as far as idealogues and policies go,but very few people that anyone would even want to vote for who will actually make a difference in this country once Barack Obama leaves office a year from January.

A lot of these candidates haven’t offered anyone much of an idea on what they will do in regards to issues candidates really care about such as the economy, education,healthcare,and the like. All they do is insult one another as well as other people and I don’t know about you,but that’s not something I’m looking for in who I vote for in the next election. I will say this,though, if you’re for a candidate because they’re preying on your fears, that’s probably not someone who you should be voting for because they want you to vote in their best interests,not yours.

Also,let’s be civil towards one another when it comes to our political beliefs. I get sick of all the name calling and the character bashing. Like I said,elections bring out the worst in people when we should be bringing out the best in each other.

3. ESPN not airing Down in the Valley

This one is kind of a rager for me because ESPN was supposed to show the 30 for 30 film Down in the Valley on Oct. 20 and they never did.

This film was about the fight to keep the Sacramento Kings in town and avoid a move to Seattle and details how something that seemed impossible to do became absolutely possible,resulting in not only the team staying put but also building a new arena in downtown Sacramento. The film was shown the night before it’s scheduled air date at the Crest theater to a select audience,but ESPN has yet to show it as of press time of this piece and it’s highly likely that they never will release the film.The reason? Sexual allegations surrounding Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson,who was a central factor in the film. ESPN stated that the film had to be edited and reshot so it would be suitable to air and to also include the Johnson allegations, but from people I’ve talked to who saw Down in the Valley, they say that those allegations have nothing to do with the story about keeping the Kings in town,and I agree.

I have yet to watch another 30 for 30 film out of protest for dropping Down in the Valley. I’ve tried to contact ESPN and the director of Down in the Valley,Jason Hehir, but have been unsuccessful in getting any word on when/if it will ever air. Until I see an air date,I’m convinced that it never will.

2. Deflategate

Ah,yes,everyone’s favorite non-scandal is on this particular list,and here’s why: it was made to be a bigger deal than it really was.
The Patriots allegedly played the first half of the AFC Championship Game against Indianapolis with half-deflated footballs in order to get an advantage in the game. The score in the first half? 17-7. Yeah,such an advantage with a measly 10-point lead. The problem with the balls was fixed in thr second half and the Patriots won 45-7.

The matter became basically a federal case out of what should’ve been a slap on the wrist. Tom Brady’s suspension of four games for his “role” in Deflategate was overturned on account of it being a witchhunt and a vendetta against him and the team he plays for. Roger Goodell mishandled the situation from the very beginning and it became clear when he was basically forced to act on it because it was the Patriots and everyone hates the Patriots.

The bigger issue for me was the Colts’ shitty tackling in that game. You can’t blame a partially-deflated ball for your bad tackling skills,it’s as simple as that. This would’ve been my top selection if that had never occurred,but here is my #1…

1. My dad dying

Nothing made 2015 worse than losing my dad unexpectedly at our home at the age of 55 on Jan. 23.

To those who know me well, they know how much my dad meant to me. He was the guy who had an opinion on something whether you wanted to hear it or not,the guy who always was my biggest supporter and the man who believed in me the most,and the guy who could make me laugh even at the most inopportune time.

My family and I as well as friends and others miss him so much. So many things have happened this year that I wish he was apart of. I bought my first brand new car this year and I wish he was here to see it and to see how happy I am with it. Most of all,I wish he was here to welcome his first granddaughter this coming April. I know for sure that he would’ve loved being a grandfather,I can just picture it now. It absolutely breaks my heart in half that he never got that chance and I can’t help but be sad about that.

While Dad is gone,his wisdom and words are carried with me daily. I don’t go a day without thinking of him and what he’s meant to me and the rest of my family as well as other people who knew him and loved him. Losing him when we did was hard and still is,but I think my family and I are moving forward in life as best as we can,like he would’ve wanted. But some people in life are just unforgettable and my dad is just that. I love him so much and I hope I can live my life and make him proud.

We’ll have The Best Things About 2015 list on Tuesday!