@d-bone said:

I like Game of Thrones. 

'The Sopranos', for dorks. ? (Just kidding D!)

@the-gipper said:

No, I think it just meant that the series went to black, not the character. 

Because here is a clue for you:    In real Mafia world, the mob will NOT whack a guy in front of his family.  And the authors of the show know that.  They might whack him in his car before he goes to meet them, they might whack him after he comes out and is on his own, but they would not whack him in full view of his family.  I got this clue from my guy:  Vito Scafido.   (yep, a real guy who I have some dealings with).  Also from Angelo Lonardo Jr.,  who was a lawyer in a law firm that a former girlfriend of mine worked for.   His Dad was a major player in the Cleveland mob.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelo_Lonardo

Your theory that the mob wouldn't kill Tony in front of his family in 'The Sopranos' was proven false just the episode before the last one, when Phil Leotardo was killed in front of his wife. He was shot in the head at the gas station, then his SUV rolled over his head... all in front of his wife. 

@the-gipper said:

No, I think it just meant that the series went to black, not the character. 

Because here is a clue for you:    In real Mafia world, the mob will NOT whack a guy in front of his family.  And the authors of the show know that.  They might whack him in his car before he goes to meet them, they might whack him after he comes out and is on his own, but they would not whack him in full view of his family.  I got this clue from my guy:  Vito Scafido.   (yep, a real guy who I have some dealings with).  Also from Angelo Lonardo Jr.,  who was a lawyer in a law firm that a former girlfriend of mine worked for.   His Dad was a major player in the Cleveland mob.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelo_Lonardo

He's burried in Calvary, where my Grandfather and Grandmother are burried.

Zombo said:

Yes, they follow each shot of Tony, with what Tony sees.

Every time the bell rings he looks up, and then they show you what he sees.

But because they end it there doesn't mean he's dead. Doesn't mean he sees Meadow. It means it's over.

Zombo

They set up a whole murder scene for a reason. 

@tour2ma said:

Throughout the 5 Episodes... were you able to detect what Hue's job is?

Telling people that he's in charge? 

@texasag1969 said:

As an expert in the art of "healthy paranoia", my words for a description of a survival skill I developed that kept me alive on multiple occasions in Vietnam, I agree with both war and diehard that the guy who eyed him a couple of times and then went into the head was they guy who kills him in the end. And the screen going black fits perfectly with what Tony says about what happens when you die.

No, I think it just meant that the series went to black, not the character. 

Because here is a clue for you:    In real Mafia world, the mob will NOT whack a guy in front of his family.  And the authors of the show know that.  They might whack him in his car before he goes to meet them, they might whack him after he comes out and is on his own, but they would not whack him in full view of his family.  I got this clue from my guy:  Vito Scafido.   (yep, a real guy who I have some dealings with).  Also from Angelo Lonardo Jr.,  who was a lawyer in a law firm that a former girlfriend of mine worked for.   His Dad was a major player in the Cleveland mob.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelo_Lonardo

@tour2ma said:

Are you sure you're not thinking of Michael Corleone?

Only if Michael Corleone was wearing a Members Only jacket. 

@tour2ma said:

Are you sure you're not thinking of Michael Corleone?

Actually when I saw the scene I felt they had stolen it right out of The Godfather.

My healthy paranoia has paid off with my wife not getting her purse stolen on the Metro in Paris and a diamond on a necklace she had on in the streets of Venice. She was oblivious to the guys who were eyeing both. Also kept me from being a victim of two guys in a pickup who tried to follow me home one day. Did a quick U-turn, got the license plate and had my next door neighbor (retired Texas Ranger) track it through old buddies as stolen off a trailer in east Texas. Same truck was described in an article a week later by a woman followed by two guys when she left her bank that got $500 off her. Truck and guys both fit the description of the ones I saw following me.

@texasag1969 said:

the guy who eyed him a couple of times and then went into the head...

Are you sure you're not thinking of Michael Corleone?

@kvoethe said:

Anyone notice how hue kept saying how tuff it was for him?  Lol you still have a job azzwipe...

Kept saying the same crap to each player.

Throughout the 5 Episodes... were you able to detect what Hue's job is?

@jcam222 said:

I cant speak to the various experiences of the people on the board but I personally have had to let people go. There is no good way or great thing to say to do it best or make it better. Often people stick to a script both because of that as well as to insure they don't set up potential law suits on anything said during the meeting. 

I found the episode hard to watch seeing its impact on players dreams and their families. It is a necessary thing but disturbing to watch none the less. 

As have I... some for acute issues; some for chronic issues. We saw both in HK with Kendricks the only acute example.

The acute terminations were always easy. As in: 1. You did this. 2.) This was unacceptable. 3.) Therefore you are gone. These were the "ripping the bandaid off" firings. Normally the employee was too embarrassed to have done what they did to react in any way.

The termination of chronic under-performers were always hard because they had been on an "improvement program" into which both the individual and I had invested time. These were the "tearful" farewells.

Once I "inherited" (a/k/a he was passed to me) an under-performing ChemE who I quickly noticed could not do a mass balance... the most basic of ChemE activities. After discussions with former Supervisors, who suddenly revealed their "longtime concerns with his skill set" after years of average, or better, reviews. I put the ChemE on a program which in this case was essentially a crash course in ChemE basics. At the end of the program came a tearful termination.

Years later I ran into the now former ChemE. He'd moved into technical recruiting and was doing quite well. He thanked me. Turned out that hiding his secret had been tearing him up and now he was happy in his work.

@wargograw said:

https://masterofsopranos.wordpress.com/the-sopranos-definitive-explanation-of-the-end/

I expect the link only has "TONI SOPRANO DIES" in big white letters over a black backgroune.

Zombo said:

Yes, they follow each shot of Tony, with what Tony sees.

Every time the bell rings he looks up, and then they show you what he sees.

But because they end it there doesn't mean he's dead. Doesn't mean he sees Meadow. It means it's over.

Zombo

What I absolutely loved about the ending scene was that for nearly 7 seasons of 'The Sopranos' you watched Tony Soprano... But in the last few minutes, they were able to make you feel like what it's like to be Tony Soprano. I remember watching it live and being so tense because you didn't know what was going to happen, who the people were in the diner, who might be coming after him that I was literally screaming at my TV FOR MEADOW TO PARK YOUR MOTHERShmuckING CAR. Brilliant writing.

I think he died. At least twice in the last season there were references to what people thought happens when you die, and Tony responded at least one of the times with: "Nothing happens. It just goes black."

I actually got to eat in that diner in the exact booth that the Sopranos ate at for the final scene. (My cousin lives 15 minutes away, in West Orange, NJ) Sadly, James Gandolfini died a little over a month later. 

@wargograw said:

How do you refute what I posted?

Yes, they follow each shot of Tony, with what Tony sees.

Every time the bell rings he looks up, and then they show you what he sees.

But because they end it there doesn't mean he's dead. Doesn't mean he sees Meadow. It means it's over.

Zombo

@the-gipper said:

Except that I think it was merely his daughter that came in, to join the family for dinner.   The series ended with that family just having a nice dinner together, and that's it.    That's my opinion, and I am sticking to it.

Then that would be incredibly lame. 

@diehardbrownsfan said:

Soprano got wacked by the dude who went into the head before the screen went black.  Deal with it.  

That’s what I said. 

Zombo said:

Here's a little something for the table:

My Take: Don't stop believing ... Life goes on for Tony.

Ya, at some point he will bite it, but they aren't going to show it you, the series ends and Tony lives on in our minds...

How do you refute what I posted?

@mjp28 said:

After the disastrous response from the loyal viewing public the creator,writer,  producers realized and admitted they blew it!

Worst finale in TV history. 

Lol no they didn’t (either blow it or admit they did).

@jcam222 said:

I cant speak to the various experiences of the people on the board but I personally have had to let people go. There is no good way or great thing to say to do it best or make it better. Often people stick to a script both because of that as well as to insure they don't set up potential law suits on anything set during the meeting. 

I found the episode hard to watch seeing its impact on players dreams and their families. It is a necessary thing but disturbing to watch none the less. 

Especially when you are more aware of how they and their families put their heart and soul into becoming pro players for the Browns. What more could any of us ask of our players? Thank you.

I found the episode hard to watch seeing its impact on players dreams and their families. It is a necessary thing but disturbing to watch none the less. 

Kept saying the same crap to each player.

@broncolurker said:

I think this has more to do with the newish cut-down rules. In previous years the cuts were mid training camp. This has removed some of the unexpected mid-training camp cuts that made for great tv, but a little harsh on the human side.

Point taken...

@tour2ma said:

a/k/a "Mr Unfortunately"... as in, "Unfortunately we need you to come in today."

Every other HK team I can remember had the guys in the building pumping iron, getting treatment, etc... and we "called them in"... literally. Did not sit well with me.

I think this has more to do with the newish cut-down rules. In previous years the cuts were mid training camp. This has removed some of the unexpected mid-training camp cuts that made for great tv, but a little harsh on the human side.

@tour2ma said:

So we cut a guy who was in during his off-day?

Problem was not with Wolf being the bad-news guy... it was making players drive to the facility. The team should have all been in the house.

Any interaction beyond Dorsey and Hue on the roster decisions is speculation. There was no video evidence.

Except for Wolf talking to Cajuste whom he knew in GB.

Never mind. I misread your post. You said "on roster decisions", which is different than showing bad news interactions.