BEST PART OF THE 1990s: ENJOYING A BEER WHILE WATCHING A BURLY, HALF NAKED, NORDIC MAN DEADLIFT A CAR.

Being single in the ‘90s (without access to internet dating) meant putting in a lot of time at the bars. Sad to say I NEVER made a love connection. Though I do remember watching a crap-load of TV on mute. Usually the bars would play Mtv videos or highlights from old Jackie Chan movies. If my friends and I were at a sports bar (late at night) we were in for a real visual treat – THE WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN COMPETITION. Events featuring bouncer-like bad-asses competing in memorable contests such as…

TRUCK AIRPLANE PULL: Simply pull a massive mode of transportation 100ft. Easy.

FARMER’S WALK: Competitors race each other while carry uber-heavy stuff (weighing 275 lbs).

LOG THROW: Name says it all.

The best out of the burly bunch had to be Mr. Magnús Ver Magnússon. This Icelander pretty much owned the competition in the 90s. He was the baron of bitch-slapping, walking away with a staggering 4 WSM titles (1991, 1994, 1995 and 1996.)

CLASSIC MAGNUS MADE LIFTS…

882lb squat
605lb bench press
world record tire dead-lift of 981lbs

CAN WE BE HONEST FOR A MOMENT?

by Tom McConville (NWM Staff Writer)

When I was a kid, I had a neighbor named Hank Fagan. He was a decent man, who was an unabashed dog lover. For the twenty-two years or so I lived on West End Road, Mr. Fagan was tied to the leash of one large dog or another that would drag him around the block while all the kids were playing outside. One such dog was a big clump of hair and eyes named Chin-Chin (or Chinny). I’m not sure what type of dog Chinny was, but he was the most mellow, lovable dog anyone could ever hope to meet. By the time I was in high school, Chinny was old. Real old. So old that he was still going even after his last legs. Let me explain. Arthritis or cancer had rendered Chinny’s hind legs immobile. He simply could not walk. Now, Mr. Fagan knew this, but he didn’t accept it. So he built as dog stroller of sorts, attaching wheels to Chinny’s back legs in order to walk. To see Chinny literally rolling down the block was touching to say the least. But it was also a struggle for that poor dog, and probably the most obvious sign that it was Chinny’s time to go.

What does this long preamble have to do with Saturday Night Live? Nothing much. You see, I’m one of those people that has never thought SNL was all that good – even in its heyday. Sure, they’ve had their share of really funny skits (Cowbell, Schweaty Balls, Chippendales tryouts, Sinatra Group). But those are so few and far between that I think the show has lived on its reputation for way too long. Like Chinny, it should have been put out of its misery a long, long time ago. These days, it is painfully unfunny, as evidenced by this week’s episode with Charles Barkley. Note to Lorne Michaels-Pro Athletes, even the ones who THINK they are funny, simply are not.) Watch five minutes of the ESPY’s to see what I’m talking about.

I’m tired of SNL getting a free pass. I’ve got nothing against the performers. Kristin Wiig and Bill Hader both make me laugh – when they aren’t on that show. But can we please stop all this and acknowledge one thing once and for all? SNL is and has been the most overrated show in the history of TV?

Mr. Fagan didn’t know when it was time to let Chinny rest in peace. I wonder if he’s now running NBC’s programming?

LAST PERSON ON THE PLANET TO FIGURE OUT LEE CORSO LOOKS LIKE MEL BROOKS.

by Nameless Dad (NWM Staff Writer)

I consider myself a casual fan of college football, which is why I’m probably WAY late to the table with this observation. But yes, it is totally freaky how much esteemed ESPN college football analyst LEE CORSO looks like the all-time funniest director MEL BROOKS. F*ck twins. They could be clones or freshly split amoebas. That being said I was just curious how late I was to catch this discovery. Turns out I'm probably the zillion and 1 person that finally figured it out. Here's a sample of those who can claim the “separated at birth” prize ahead of me.

ESPN 2 Here's Looking At You (Archive 6)

EDB(Everyday Should Be Saturday blog) – May 20^th, 2008

SEPARATED AT BIRTH: LEE CORSO AND MEL BROOKS

Lee Corso is Mel Brook's Lookalike! is on Facebook

TOTALLY LOOKS LIKE blog Mel Brooks Totally Looks Like Lee Corso

NEED MORE PROOF?

HOTTEST NFL SIDELINE REPORTERS OF ALL TIME.

They are the supporting cast in the sports announcer world – the sideline reporters. Individuals blessed with the responsibility of updating us about an on-field injury, the bench climate, and any controversial calls. They are the ones that scramble across the field through a sea of bodies just to grab a perfect sound-byte from the coach or player before they enter the locker-room. Here are the fab five that've scored big points in talent and hotness.

PAM OLIVER: A vet of the sidelines. Started her career in Albany, Georgia in 1985 as a news reporter. In 1995 she was called up by FOX for the big games and has never looked back. In 2005 Pam also added the NBA to her sport sideline roster.

ALEX FLANAGAN: She’s been a sideline roamer for almost all the sports networks (NFL, NBC, FOX, ESPN). Her career highlight came in 2008 when she was chosen for sidelines duties for Super Bowl XLIII. Other than the NFL Alex has been a reporter for tennis, college football and the Olympics.

LINDSAY SOTO: Graduated from USC in ’98 and interned at Fox Sports. Before being drafted by the NFL network Lindsay served as a reporter for USC/UCLA games for FSN Prime Ticket.

MELISSA STARK: This foreign affairs graduate served in the sideline trenches for 3 years for ABC’s Monday Night Football in the early 2000s. Currently Melissa has jumped to the peacock network doing reporting for NBC’s The Today Show and MSNBC.

LISA GUERRERO: This 17 yr. vet took over ABC MNF sideline duties post-Melissa in the ’03 season. From there Lisa ditched her cleats for a spot in entertainment reporting on Inside Edition. She also co-hosted The World Series of Pop Culture for VH1, and most recently starred in the family film “A Plumm Summer.”

MTV GAME SHOW HOST KEN OBER FOUND DEAD.

In 1987, he was the teen’s alternative to Richard Dawson and Chuck Woolery. Ken Ober, host of the Mtv game show Remote Control. It ran for 3 years and in that time introduced America to super-comedians Adam Sandler, Denis Leary and Colin Quin. And (to the delight of adolescent males), gave us femme fatales Kari Wuhrer, Alicia Coppola and Susan Ashley. Throughout the series Ken proved to be a worthy ringmaster to all the madness. Quizzing contestants on a variety of Jeopardy-inspired topics including Dead or Canadian, Sex Survey, Sing Along with Colin and Stud Boy.

After the show ended in '90, Ober when on to host a game show for ESPN, Make Me Laugh and Smuch. He also made a go at talk radio with former Brady Buncher Susan Olsen.

Representatives for Ober say the 52 yr. old was found dead Sunday in his Santa Monica home. He had been complaining of flu-like symptoms the night before. Cause of death is still unclear.

NWM AFTER DARK: FACEPLANT OF DEATH!!