The best type of article to write is one about yourself. So, continuing the new Laker Review trend of staff picks was an easy choice for me. These should be a good spread of media, in various forms, to keep you entertained on an everyday basis.
1. The Hockey News Future Watch 2018 (Magazine)
The next crop of great NHL-ers is on the horizon. This magazine is the best, one-stop shop for all things hockey prospects. It contains ranks of the top 100 prospects, various features and team breakdowns with an in-depth analysis of each team’s top-five prospects. The Hockey News also grades and ranks each team on the strength of the organization’s prospect pool.
A good layout and quality analysis makes this an easy read for any hockey fan trying to increase their knowledge of the game.
2. The Best Genre (Spotify Playlist)
Yes, this is a playlist made by yours truly. It is growing every day but sits at 58 tracks currently. Search “The Best Genre” on Spotify and you should be able to locate it. It contains a wide variety of artists, such as OutKast, A$AP Rocky, MF Doom and Frank Ocean, but the main theme is to bring together the slower hip-hop songs that push the boundaries of the genre itself. These are not songs you will hear in the club, but are still a great listen for many other occasions. The shower, walking to class or while gaming are a few suitable listening environments.
3. “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile” (Video Game)
Fortnite, in any of its forms, does not compare. I have never jumped on video game bandwagons, but “PUBG Mobile” had me hooked from game one. It may be from the sole fact that it is the only video game I have seen success in, but besides that, it offers an enjoyable overall gaming experience. Being able to play this on your phone with 96 – 99 other players is impressive in itself, but the graphics and overall realistic feel of the battle is like no other.
Playing squads with three other friends in the same room is an easy way to kill a few hours. The only issue with this game is the microphone capabilities when playing with friends remotely. It is spotty and seems to offer no real fix other than luck.
This is a must for any baseball fan. The best app for live games and news is the MLB standalone app. It comes at a hefty price of $115.99 per year or $24.99 per month. However, there is just something about being able to watch teams coast to coast until the late hours of the night that makes it worth it. Being a Cincinnati Reds fan myself, it is a necessity for fans of teams that are out of market.
5. “Atlanta: Robbin’ Season” (Television Show)
The first season of “Atlanta” brought many people back for the follow-up season. The edgy nature of the show is matched with the main cast of Donald Glover (Earnest ‘Earn’ Marks), Brian Tyree Henry (Alfred ‘Paper Boi’ Miles) and Lakeith Stanfield (Darius). They are an excellent trio that, from what only most can imagine, show realistic relationships of a group of friends living in the urban Atlanta area.
The second season offers no real story and is slowly losing me, but because of the fandom I have for Glover and the premise of the show is fresh to the world of cable television, it will keep me tuning in week after week.
6. The Athletic (Sports Journalism App)
The Athletic is the best thing to happen to journalism in quite some time. The Toronto editor-in-chief, James Mirtle, is one of the best hockey writers in North America, and his work to help expand into nearly every major sports city is a model journalism needs to follow. There are critics out there who do not feel their success can be sustainable for a variety of reasons, but a few days reading through the app makes it quickly evident that the content is worth paying for.
The app itself is better than most on the market. The writers are informed and do not just spit out cookie-cutter game recaps. The Athletic’s mission is to offer engaging content that is cutting edge and smart. Eno Sarris, Ken Rosenthal, C. Trent Rosecrans and Jayson Stark are only four of the best the app has to offer, with many other names that make the paywall worth it.
The app also offers box scores, standings and player grades after each contest from the four major sports. NCAA basketball and football coverage is thriving as well. For fans who demand the best coverage, this subscription-based app is the premiere place for sports journalism. The best part: no ads.
Image from FX Networks via YouTube.com
