Last week was my birthday, so I've turned a new chapter towards *GASP* my 30's. For me, it's not a big deal. We tend to base our lives around a supposed set of events that are supposed to happen in Western civilization, i.e. having kids and living behind a white-picket fence. Our lives happen at different paces with different events. With that being said, I'm reflecting on what I've done in my 20's that I'm proud of.

• Started A Retirement Account: Opening up a Roth IRA is a start towards starting a retired life outside of America. I've also started investing in stocks to help grow my wealth. Granted, the coronavirus response has been less than spectacular, hurting our economy for short-term gains. But I'm still optimistic about the future, which is why I'm investing in my future. I would like to not work for the rest of my life!
  
• Started My Own Website: I plan on getting a new website next summer since I would love to change the format up a bit. However, I'm proud that I've gotten my website out to thousands of people to see. I've even written my own e-books! My hope is to see my website viewed by millions of people worldwide.
  
• Finally Left Michigan For Las Vegas: I'm going to be real with you. I felt like shit when I was in Michigan. I felt like I didn't fit in, i.e. not getting a job with United Shore or not being social enough or dating to start a family. I felt like the ultimate misfit! Last October was when i decided to take the leap and change my life (thank you to Andrew Kopel for getting me on board with the FAN Action Nation, by the way. I am eternally grateful). Granted, there are still some habits that I have from my days in Michigan that I cling to that I should not. However, I am still growing and learning by the day and am in a state with some of the best Mexican food around, something that Michigan doesn't have (sadly).
  

Fresh off their historic Premier League title, Liverpool is looking to dominate the Premier League once again. However, the competition is looking to lock it down and take the title for their respective club(s). Liverpool should have their hands full for the upcoming season with numerous clubs gunning for their spot at the top. Will Liverpool be able to hold on and go back-to-back?

Yes and here's why. Liverpool is practically returning the same squad from last season. You know about the dynamic duo of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, but you should know that Liverpool's midfield drastically improved last season. On top of that, the Reds just added Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich. Thiago will create gaps in the field, creating more scoring opportunities for Liverpool and making life a living hell for opposing defenses. The 4-3 victory over Leeds United might've been a bit discouraging. However, this unit should get better as the season progresses.

As long as everything else holds up for Liverpool, the Reds won't be walking alone this season. There will be clubs such as Chelsea that will be gunning for that top spot. However, Liverpool looks set to repeat and dominate the Premier League again.

0-8. That's the Los Angeles Clippers' all-time record in potential clinching games to the conference finals. It's a depressing stat, especially for a franchise that had to endure Donald Sterling's tenure. Yet, the franchise choked away its chance to face its crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Lakers, even with Steve Ballmer running the show. This has raised questions about whether this current incarnation can work and what went wrong?

Some will point the blame at Paul George for putting up pedestrian numbers (20.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.8 APG). In Game Seven, George had only ten points, five turnovers, and a plus/minus rating of -20. In the series against Denver, George averaged 3.4 turnovers a game along with 3.6 personal fouls a game. It doesn't help that George was much worse in the series against Dallas, averaging 18.5 PPG, an average FG% of 34.6, and four personal fouls a game.

Doc Rivers has stated that the blame should be put "all on him" and there's some merit. As good of a perimeter team as the Clippers are, Rivers steered away from that strength. As a result, the Nuggets burned the Clippers from beyond, draining 34.9% of their threes in the series. The Clippers also didn't avoid foul trouble, constantly sending the Nuggets to the free throw line.

Whatever the case is, the Clippers choked their way out of the playoffs. A potential matchup with the Lakers was lost due to a few problems. Will the Clippers be able to fix their issues in time? That's a question to be revealed sooner.

This NFL season is unlike any other. You will not be seeing any fans in the stands for the first in possibly forever (or the first time ever). There are also some newsworthy story lines going on in the NFL. Here are those noteworthy takeaways from the first week.

• Tom Brady's Age Is Showing: It doesn't matter how many dog food dishes Brady eats, father time will always counter such remedies. The new Buccaneers quarterback completed 63.9% of his passes and threw two picks in a 34-23 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Even Bruce Arians criticized Brady's play in the loss, leaving some to wonder if Brady has anything left in the tank.
  
• The Cowboys Underwhelmed On Offense: Yes, there was an offensive pass interference penalty that shouldn't have been called on Michael Gallup. Still, putting up 17 points against a reimagined Rams team that traded away Todd Gurley is a bit underwhelming. Dallas will get their chance to right the ship against the Atlanta Falcons at home next week.
  
• The Washington... Football Team Surprised: Behind an overwhelming front seven that generated eight sacks (with 1.5 coming from Chase Young and Matt Ioannidis each), the Washington Football Team upended the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-17. On top of that, Washington got two picks from the applied pressure put on Carson Wentz. Could Washington steal the NFC East this season?
  

Power Rankings:

1. Kansas City Chiefs
   
2. Baltimore Ravens
   
3. Seattle Seahawks
   
4. New Orleans Saints
   
5. Green Bay Packers
   

We all have our teams that we root for. Some of them we will ride and die for, some of them we feel hopelessly tied to like a bad marriage. I'm highlighting the hopelessness behind these franchises and why you should steer as far away from them as possible. Let's start with the Detroit Lions.

The only NFC team to never make the Super Bowl (that was a Jeopardy! question, by the way), the Lions have only won one playoff game since 1957. That's a long time for mediocrity. The funny thing is that William Clay Ford, as many other midwesterners do, believed in the wholesome philosophy of tradition. That includes the tradition of getting your asses kicked by either Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers on Thanksgiving Day. There's also the 0-16 season in 2008. Then there's also the team's current ownership getting their asses kicked by the  eccentric, dopamine-filled businessman Elon Musk and Tesla.

The sad thing is that there are numerous Lions fans who believe that their team is like the Chicago Cubs. They believe that "it's gonna happen" and drink the poisonous kool-aid every year. They are either extremely dumb or just trying to sound cool. At least the Cubs made a smart hire in getting Theo Epstein and just got out of the way to get their World Series. I can't say the same for Lions fans.

I started giving up on this team around the eighth grade and never looked back. Now they're someone that I used to know. As long as the Fords own the Lions, you're going nowhere, Lions fans. Your team will waste generational talents that will despise your organization for as long as possible. Enjoy Elon Musk dancing with maracas on the Lions/Ford gravestone, Lions fans.

Perhaps one of the most controversial seasons to date, we start the 2020 season. The Pac-12 will not be partaking, nor will the Big Ten (at least for now). We also have an upset that happened in the AP 25! Here's who won the week and who blew it.

• Winner: Sun Belt Over The Big 12: The Ragin' Cajuns (awesome name, by the way) embarrassed #25 Iowa State in Ames, 31-14. Louisiana scored 21 unanswered points in the second half, forcing Brock Purdy to go 16-for-35 with 145 yards and an interception. Meanwhile, Arkansas State edged Kansas State, 35-31, on national television. Looks like the 'Fun Belt' is better than ever.
  
• Winner: Trevor Lawrence: The star quarterback lived up to the hype, going 21-for-27 for 272 yards and four touchdowns as #1 Clemson routed Wake Forest, 52-3. Lawrence's performance gives Clemson fans hope as worries about his decision-making were bothering the Tiger faithful.
  
• Winner: ACC: It wasn't just Clemson that partook in the winnings. "Newest" member #10 Notre Dame took care of business against Duke, 27-13, and #18 North Carolina soundly defeated Syracuse, 31-6. It appears the ACC will finally give Clemson some competition this season.
  
• Loser: Florida State In The Second Half: The Seminoles looked like a lost team in the second half against Georgia Tech, getting outscored, 16-0. As a team, Florida State fumbled three times, losing two of those fumbles (both by James Blackman). Those costly turnovers hurt the Seminoles, leaving Florida State fans to ponder if the franchise will ever return to prominence.
  
• Loser: Four Postponed Games: UCF-FIU, Marshall-East Carolina, Louisiana Tech-Baylor, and SMU-TCU were all postponed. The reduced season will look even scarier if the issues with the coronavirus persist.
  

Other Winners: Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Campbell vs. Georgia Southern in the final seconds
Other Losers: Kansas, Kansas, Kansas

Playoff Four:

1. Clemson
   
2. Alabama
   
3. Georgia
   
4. Oklahoma
   

Clemson. You thought I was going to say Alabama, did you? If rumors of Alabama's alleged demise are indeed true, then I will stick with Clemson. Trevor Lawrence should rebound and have a better season. Clemson should have a formidable front seven again and an easy time with the ACC, which should make matters better.

If we don't have a football season, the coronavirus will be the champion.

Welcome to another edition of Nostalgia Game Review, where I showcase classic games that you should (or shouldn't) give a try. This edition will highlight an NES classic, Punch-Out!!

Originally released on September 18, 1987, Punch-Out!! actually had Mike Tyson as the final boss. Minoru Arakawa was so impressed by Tyson's fighting that he wanted to use his likeness in an upcoming port of a boxing game. Tyson was paid $50,000 for a three-year period for his likeness. Due to the contract with Nintendo expiring, Tyson was replaced by Mr. Dream.

You play as Little Mac, a boxer from the Bronx who's looking to become the World Video Boxing Association champion. You go through three circuits, fighting boxers from the likes of France, the U.S.S.R., Japan, and Germany. All Little Mac can do is punch, jab, and pull off a star punch, i.e. an uppercut. Little Mac also has a heart counter, which will prevent Little Mac from attacking once it hits zero. The game follows basic boxing rules: You get a knockout if your opponent doesn't get up before the count of ten and you win if your opponent is knocked down three times.

Punch-Out!! can be a difficult game to play. It was hard for me to pull off star punches, which is a requirement to beat Bald Bull in the second go-round of the World Circuit. It can also be frustrating taking down the likes of King Hippo, especially if you don't know the cue to strike. Granted, most Nintendo games were hard back in the day, so it should not be much of a surprise.

Still, the game can be fun and motivating for you to beat. The characters are fun and goofy. You even see Mario make an appearance as a referee in the game! How cool is that?

Punch-Out!! can be a tough game for a newbie to play. It may take a while to pick up on the opponent's cues and the later fights can be a challenge. If you're down for that challenge, give Punch-Out!! a shot.

If you checked the American League standings, you'd be surprised to see the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros hovering around .500 right now. Both teams, mainly the Yankees, had lofty expectations of getting to the World Series. However, with the Yankees being 2-8 in their last ten and Houston being 3-7 in their last ten, it seems like both are on pace to miss out altogether.

The Houston Astros aren't much of a surprise to fall. After the sign-stealing scandal, it was not much of a surprise to see them fall. Jose Altuve (.224 BA, 12 RBIs, two stolen bases) and Alex Bregman (four homers, 14 RBIs) have been non-existent and having Justin Verlander hurt weakens a weaker rotation.

As for the Yankees, the back end of their rotation has been a dud. Jordan Montgomery (-0.2 WAR, 1.41 WHIP, 5.72 ERA) and James Paxton (-0.4 WAR, 1.48 WHIP, 6.64 ERA) have been useless and J.A. Happ (1.21 WHIP, 4.31 ERA) could be better. Not even the bullpen, which was supposed to be their selling point, is doing anything this season.

Can these two teams turn it around, especially with teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Angels hot on their heels? It still seems likely, but something better change quickly. Otherwise, it would be a colossal embarrassment for both franchises.

With the unusual circumstances from the coronavirus this season, various conferences such as the Big Ten and the Pac-12 have opted to play football at a later date. This has left the door open for numerous possibilities, including the possibility of a Group of Five school making the CFP. So, can it be done this year?

It certainly can. For me, there are a couple schools that come to mind in this category. One is Cincinnati, which has an elite defense led by cornerback Ahmad Gardner. This was a conference led by Central Florida, but Scott Frost left for Nebraska. The Knights are still a good team, but they're not going to be the undefeated juggernauts they once were. This is going to be the Bearcats' conference, barring underperforming expectations from the Bearcats.

Another school that could crack the CPF is a Sun Belt school, Appalachian State. Quarterback Zac Thomas (2,718 passing yards, 28 touchdowns last season) is one of the most underrated passers in college football. He and Christian Horn are a dynamic duo that can lead the Mountaineers to the playoff. Of course, they will have to deal with Georgia Southern in the Sun Belt. But Appalachian State still looks like the better team.

There are other factors that can lead to a Group of Five school making the CFP. One is the ACC, which has not been a strong conference as of late. This would be especially true if Clemson were to suffer a loss or two in their conference. Who else would take their place in the playoff? North Carolina? Duke? The only other viable contender in the ACC is Notre Dame and they've relinquished their independent status just for this season.

The Big 12 is in the same boat. What happens if Oklahoma suffers a loss or two? It's far unlikely that both the ACC and Big 12 will have two-loss champions, but chaos will ensue if one of these conferences has a two-loss champ.

This season (if it finishes) will be one of the most chaotic college football seasons to date. With both the Big Ten and Pac-12 sitting out, it could mean that a Group of Five school finally cracks the playoff. Either that, or the SEC just gets three schools in. I don't know if that would be as fun, though.