The two premieres this week...

[weaklink75]

Ballbreakers: I liked it. The format is interesting, the players personalities are good, and the contestants know how to play and play pretty well. Also, the special  rules make sense and speed up the action. Only two minor quibbles: They have to make sure that the players have a reasonable chance to play, and why do they need Adrianne Curry?

Extreme Dodgeball: The rules changes make it more interesting to me...now it looks and feels more like a sport, with more strategies available to them instead of the luck of a two out of three match. The down side is they can only focus on one game a week, with highlights otherwise...but overall they did a decent job with it.

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'weaklink75\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 05:06 PM\']Ballbreakers: I liked it. The format is interesting, the players personalities are good, and the contestants know how to play and play pretty well. Also, the special  rules make sense and speed up the action. Only two minor quibbles: They have to make sure that the players have a reasonable chance to play, and why do they need Adrianne Curry?

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I didn't see Extreme Dodgeball (yet, though I know I will someday) so I can't comment on that. I was actually watching "Rock Star: INXS" and fell asleep before Heather performed.

I do like the Ballbreakers.

Adrianne Curry was probably hired because someone likes her rack! (Get it?)

Three hosts is a little much on this show, although Ewa Mataya Laurance is along for her pool expertise, and she has done commentary on pool for ESPN working alongside her husband, Mitch Laurance. The betting element really adds some spice to the proceedings and Sal really helps that aspect of the show along.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 05:52 PM\']
alongside her husband, Mitch Laurance.

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Didn't Mitchell do a few weeks of 80s $25K Pyramid?

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 03:52 PM\']I didn't see Extreme Dodgeball (yet, though I know I will someday) so I can't comment on that.
[/quote]
I'm enjoying it a lot, except the city-affiliation thing bugs me greatly. Being a Denver Hurler is meaningless to me when you play all of your games on a soundstage in Hollywood. Have any of those people even BEEN in Denver?

Also, I ask this: John Ahlers is employed by the network. John Ahlers is also the television play-by-play announcer for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

So why is Bil Dwyer calling Dodgeball? And why is Zach Selwyn even drawing a paycheck?

Best moment so far in the episode: Zach: "I love watching Benedetto dodge. It's unbelievable."

Not a second later, Benedetto gets thumped upside his head. Two points, Hitmen.

I like Bil. He's a funny comic. He's a "just-OK" play-by guy. He'd be great on color. GSN would do well to can Selwyn, move Bil into the color hole, and put Ahlers on PBP.

I was actually watching "Rock Star: INXS" and fell asleep before Heather performed.

Well done. I usually conk about seven seconds in.

The premise where the three potential ejectees are tasked with singing an INXS song is going to get old rather fast. I can, off the top of my head, think of about seven INXS songs that cracked the Top 40. They pump out three every ejection episode. What happens when they run out?

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 07:07 PM\'][quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 05:52 PM\']
alongside her husband, Mitch Laurance.

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Didn't Mitchell do a few weeks of 80s $25K Pyramid?

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Might have been twin brother Matthew, who had more of an on-camera career at that point (star of "Duet" at the time).

Until the billiards-announcer thing hit big for him, Mitch was more of a behind the scenes sort of guy, having worked as a PA on the early years of "Saturday Night Live".

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 07:16 PM\']The premise where the three potential ejectees are tasked with singing an INXS song is going to get old rather fast. I can, off the top of my head, think of about seven INXS songs that cracked the Top 40. They pump out three every ejection episode. What happens when they run out?

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Well, they do have Dave Navarro there. Perhaps some Jane's Addiction songs added to the mix?

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 07:28 PM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 07:07 PM\'][quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 05:52 PM\']
alongside her husband, Mitch Laurance.

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Didn't Mitchell do a few weeks of 80s $25K Pyramid?

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Might have been twin brother Matthew, who had more of an on-camera career at that point (star of "Duet" at the time).

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It was Mitchell, who did at least two weeks of the $25K: the week of 5/5/86-5/9/86 with Betty White, and the week of 6/13/88-6/17/88 with Martha Smith.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 05:29 PM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 07:16 PM\']The premise where the three potential ejectees are tasked with singing an INXS song is going to get old rather fast. I can, off the top of my head, think of about seven INXS songs that cracked the Top 40. They pump out three every ejection episode. What happens when they run out?

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Well, they do have Dave Navarro there. Perhaps some Jane's Addiction songs added to the mix?
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Unlikely. (Besides, I can only stand hearing "Been Caught Stealing" so many times. Dave offers advice during the regular portions of the competition, but he seems to stay back and let the band make up their own mind on Elimination Night. B'sides, the show has specifically said that the elimination song would all be INXS hits.

I like "Need You Tonight." A lot. I dunno if I like it six times in a row.

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jul 20 2005, 07:43 PM\']I like "Need You Tonight." A lot. I dunno if I like it six times in a row.

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Just wait until R U the Girl with T-Boz and Chili starts next week.  Given the choice, I'll take Ballbreakers any day.

ObRealGS: The late Lisa Lopes appeared on a celebrity edition of WWtbaM.

Back on-topic, Ballbreakers actually looks interesting, and knowing my tastes, that says a lot.  As for Extreme Dodgeball, I'm a little mixed.  Yes, it does look more like a real sports show than ever, with the score/clock graphic and everything, but this many changes in one offseason has me looking out in the water for fins.  Random thought: It seems to me the city names have more to do with the celebrity captains than the players (Mario Lopez = LA, Tara Dakides = Denver...makes sense to me).

And to Gordon Pepper: if you're reading this, the Hurlers are Denver, not Detroit.

[sshuffield70]

Does the Denver team hurl a lot?  'Cause I'm sure that's what I would do if I ever saw this show.

Have never been interested in "Dodgeballbreakers".

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jul 21 2005, 10:05 AM\']Have never been interested in "Dodgeballbreakers".

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What if they started playing "Extreme Dodgeball" with billiard balls?

[davewalls]

[quote name=\'davemackey\' date=\'Jul 21 2005, 12:32 PM\'][quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Jul 21 2005, 10:05 AM\']Have never been interested in "Dodgeballbreakers".

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What if they started playing "Extreme Dodgeball" with billiard balls?

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I think Rip Torn already tried that with wrenches in the movie. Can't be funnier than that.