In Memoriam 2016: Film, Television, Music, Sports, Literature, the Arts”¦

With 2017 upon us, let’s take one final look back at the luminaries and personalities of the entertainment world who left us in 2016, during a year that seemed more turbulent and taxing than any other in recent memory.

Challenges in the past and challenges ahead, it’s a tough time to live in the world right now with so many changes like a whirling dervish to the senses. While there is much sadness in recognizing and accepting the passing of so many great figures in 2016, it’s the endearing, endless, never-ending fanbase and legacy that will keep each and every one of these names mentioned here (and some are of only cult status, but still enjoy a rabid passionate following as equal as any global figure) alive and well in the consciousness and beyond. In no particular order and apologies in advance if some of your favorites were left off. This was a huge list to go through and what was more painful than compiling this list was the fact that these incredibly talented people are all no longer with us.

Kid Athletes: True Tales Of Childhood From Sports Legends
Hardcover | Kindle Edition
Written by David Stabler
Illustrated by Doogie Horner
Quirk Books
Release Date: November 17th, 2015

Did you know that Danica Patrick started her racing career in a go-kart? Or that Peyton Manning was a master tango dancer? George “Babe” Ruth got into so much trouble, his parents gave him away. Did you know he grew up in reform school? No? Well these legends were once kids, just like all of us. Some were poor, some were picked on, some were too small or too tall, and some were not believed in. But all overcame their circumstances to become legends, and have quirky little stories of when they were young.

Author David Stabler and illustrator Doogie Horner bring you Kid Athletes: True Tales Of Childhood From Sports Legends, the follow-up to their Kid Presidents.

Fight Night: Round 4
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Platform: Xbox 360
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: June 25, 2009

Wow. That’s really all you need to know.

Since the sport of mixed martial arts has exploded onto the scene and pretty much completely over-shadowed it, it’s tough to find things to be excited about when it comes to boxing today. Every once in a while a fight comes along with fan favorites like Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, and Ricky Hatton — but aside from that, boxing has become a mostly unappealing spectacle. Fortunately, the cats over at Electronic Arts know how things are done when it comes to their sports games, and that’s no different when it comes to Fight Night: Round 4, which is now the best boxing video game ever made.

The Fight Night franchise has always offered up great boxing games — the best since Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!, to be precise — that fans have loved, even with some kinks here and there. One of the best thing about video games, though, is that many of them get better with new installments. This is because developers can take the good and the bad feedback from their previous games and build from that until they reach perfection. And so far, Fight Night: Round 4 is about as perfect as boxing games get…for now. The scary thing is knowing that they will probably keep finding ways to get better.