AUTHOR: Dave Sypniewski DATE: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 ----- BODY: Michigan J. Frog has croaked for the last time and the Paramount mountain has suffered an avalanche. That cartoon frog that came out of retirement from the Loony Toons shorts of the 1950's to tapdance his way into your hearts with his song and dance on the WB Network is really dead as of today after getting buried by the Paramount heavy snow. In other words, it was announced yesterday that in Fall of 2007, the WB and United Paramount Network (UPN) will cease to exist. I say, "What took so long?" Now, other than WWE's Friday Night Smackdown!, there hasn't been a single program on UPN that has survived more than a handful of episodes. Meanwhile on the WB, the only show that was going strong is Monday Night's 7th Heaven which ends it's ten year run in just a few weeks. Smallville has an uncertain future, while Everwood and One Tree Hill are the only two that may find an alternative home. Actually, part of the plan is to combine the best of the two Networks...(I should have used quotes here), and launch a new Network which may put the survivors on a new cable channel. Gosh, this may mean curtains for Reba and Fran Drescher! On the other hand, I wonder about the future of UPN's only good show, Everybody Hates Chris. In any event, as far as the other one's go, I'd rather watch an indian test pattern or color bars than some of that nonsense on there. Now next, what are we gonna do about FOX? Chicago Cubs' oldest fan as well as Chicago's oldest resident died! I remember last April when the old gentleman was featured on the news. He was said to have been anywhere between 104 and 107 at that time, which of course was never able to be verified. A Chicagoan his whole life, they talked about how this man struggled his whole life as a working stiff with no education working mainly janitorial jobs for minimum wage. They had featured him during sports last year, I think because the figured that a man his age who had lived a life of downfalls could relate well to his favorite baseball team The Cubs. See, this guy was happy just to listen to the game on the radio. He had never set foot into Wrigley Field to see the Cubbies in person until that last April day when his caretaker escorted him to a game deep inside the ivy covered walls. He was satisfied with only the bleachers, but after a little publicity, The Cubs gave him a V.I.P. seat so he could see for himself up close how bad The Cubs really were. He got to meet the players and shake hands with Dusty Baker and pose for pictures. They treated him like a king that day. Despite the warm welcome, The Cubbies lost the game but he still went home happy as a clam knowing he was there anyway. So, I wonder what it's like to follow a ballclub, with all the changes from teams coming and going, changing names, changing cities, and player salaries rising sky high, to go to your grave a lifelong Cub fan without ever seeing them all raise up that big trophy. I feel bad for the guy. They said on the news that he just died of "old age". I say, if you have such a yearning to stay alive that long, sooner or later after a 100 years of waiting, no matter how strong your heart may be, you go to bed one night realizing that even the best medicines in the world can't keep you alive another 100 years! Like this guy, you close your eyes and the ballgame's over. THAT'S the way I see things today as another one gets hit out of the ballpark! NOTE: As of January 25th, it has been confirmed that the new Network will be appearing in fall of '06 and will be on your affiliate that now carries the WB. The new Network is a combination CBS (who own Viacom, Paramount,UPN, MTV, TV Land, Nick At Night and others) and Warner Brothers. It will be known as "The CW Network" -------- Squealing Pig WORLDWIDE!: A frog and a mountain PLUS cashing in the chips on The Cubs!

Squealing Pig WORLDWIDE!

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

A frog and a mountain PLUS cashing in the chips on The Cubs!

Michigan J. Frog has croaked for the last time and the Paramount mountain has suffered an avalanche. That cartoon frog that came out of retirement from the Loony Toons shorts of the 1950's to tapdance his way into your hearts with his song and dance on the WB Network is really dead as of today after getting buried by the Paramount heavy snow. In other words, it was announced yesterday that in Fall of 2007, the WB and United Paramount Network (UPN) will cease to exist. I say, "What took so long?" Now, other than WWE's Friday Night Smackdown!, there hasn't been a single program on UPN that has survived more than a handful of episodes. Meanwhile on the WB, the only show that was going strong is Monday Night's 7th Heaven which ends it's ten year run in just a few weeks. Smallville has an uncertain future, while Everwood and One Tree Hill are the only two that may find an alternative home. Actually, part of the plan is to combine the best of the two Networks...(I should have used quotes here), and launch a new Network which may put the survivors on a new cable channel. Gosh, this may mean curtains for Reba and Fran Drescher! On the other hand, I wonder about the future of UPN's only good show, Everybody Hates Chris. In any event, as far as the other one's go, I'd rather watch an indian test pattern or color bars than some of that nonsense on there. Now next, what are we gonna do about FOX? Chicago Cubs' oldest fan as well as Chicago's oldest resident died! I remember last April when the old gentleman was featured on the news. He was said to have been anywhere between 104 and 107 at that time, which of course was never able to be verified. A Chicagoan his whole life, they talked about how this man struggled his whole life as a working stiff with no education working mainly janitorial jobs for minimum wage. They had featured him during sports last year, I think because the figured that a man his age who had lived a life of downfalls could relate well to his favorite baseball team The Cubs. See, this guy was happy just to listen to the game on the radio. He had never set foot into Wrigley Field to see the Cubbies in person until that last April day when his caretaker escorted him to a game deep inside the ivy covered walls. He was satisfied with only the bleachers, but after a little publicity, The Cubs gave him a V.I.P. seat so he could see for himself up close how bad The Cubs really were. He got to meet the players and shake hands with Dusty Baker and pose for pictures. They treated him like a king that day. Despite the warm welcome, The Cubbies lost the game but he still went home happy as a clam knowing he was there anyway. So, I wonder what it's like to follow a ballclub, with all the changes from teams coming and going, changing names, changing cities, and player salaries rising sky high, to go to your grave a lifelong Cub fan without ever seeing them all raise up that big trophy. I feel bad for the guy. They said on the news that he just died of "old age". I say, if you have such a yearning to stay alive that long, sooner or later after a 100 years of waiting, no matter how strong your heart may be, you go to bed one night realizing that even the best medicines in the world can't keep you alive another 100 years! Like this guy, you close your eyes and the ballgame's over. THAT'S the way I see things today as another one gets hit out of the ballpark! NOTE: As of January 25th, it has been confirmed that the new Network will be appearing in fall of '06 and will be on your affiliate that now carries the WB. The new Network is a combination CBS (who own Viacom, Paramount,UPN, MTV, TV Land, Nick At Night and others) and Warner Brothers. It will be known as "The CW Network"

posted by Dave Sypniewski at Wednesday, January 25, 2006

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