#I guess big FYI to be flexible and kind to yourself

[rigelmejo]

December reading progress:

Ok just read 2 chapters of 天涯客 I today, I did actually read solid without breaks this time so I can say chapter 4 took me about 40 minutes to read. That’s the time it took to read without breaks, and looking up each unknown word.

I might be able to read a bit faster if I skipped unknown words that didnt look important.

I ran one small section through DeepL to make sure I was following the fight correctly and learned 1. Yes I was 2. Priest writes in a style the machine translator absolutely could not handle lol. (So I guess shout out to 寒舍 for reading easier grammar wise/wording choice wise I guess). I do think most of my plot confusion was from reading fast for “me” since when I slowed down and reread a few paragraphs I was able to clear up my misunderstanding. Also priest loves using 似的 in this novel.

I also have the faraway wanderers English translation open because I thought it might be good to read that alongside, to clear up any confusion or pick up context. That said, I’m much farther in the Chinese version so I’ll see if I even catch up with the English one. Also? Potentially could use Pleco for audio and the English translation to do listening reading method with this novel if I wanted.

I’m just... feeling very motivated to finish a priest novel. The idea of accomplishing that makes me so excited. Also it was the dream goal when I started? I mean dream goal was guardian but let’s take baby steps since tian ya ke is an easier read lol. Also I did NOT think I’d even be at a tian ya ke bearable reading level by this time so it’s still pretty dream goal to me!

Also this novel has 70 some chapters so... like maybe it’s doable to finish. Just compared with like the intensity that is some of priests novel chapter counts.

In related news I find it fascinating that priest does write a style the Mtl finds difficult to parse but I’m comfortable with it; yet again with the gongzi huanxi novel I died trying to follow the sentence style?? I think priest just had a huge influence on what I figured out first/feel more comfortable with lol.

I think after this I have a few novels I would like to read: SCI, poyun and the related recs I was given (which are all mystery novels), zhenhun, MoDu, some of the novels on my rec lists mm, Tamen de Gushi... I am probably gonna crave a modern novel after yhis unless I get sucked into it (in which case HELLO qi ye). SCI is probably gonna be the safer bet though as I know already that’s an easier read than priest novels. I have so many novels I want to read... I say this all as IF I can make myself finish one novel instead of skipping between many. That said I would really like to start finishing novels... to start going through them...

I’m also playing with the idea of just making myself extensive read more. It’s not good for my new Hanzi pickup since I can’t hear sounds, but I used to do that with mo du and it really did help (and was so challenging damn). But like I ALREADY have done it with some mo du chapters so I should stop being a coward. So if I could do it at 6 months I can Certainly do it now at like 16 months!! Plus I could look at the eng translations for reference and use them like parallel texts, which is a decent study method. And if I do any listening reading that’ll fill in the listening gap a bit. Anyway I just think whatever I can DO to make myself read more will speed up my progress accordingly - and get me closer to the end goal of reading anyway, which is the point. Learn by doing. I’ve got a fairy tale storybook too I could do this with, a parallel reader, if I wanna be a coward and start with something easier than Mo du lol ToT

I’m also sort of parallel reading dmbj not because I planned it, but because it’s relatively easy? Just since that’s novels I’m going through too.

—-

Some stats for myself as December is getting past the midway (counting from beginning of December):

1. Chapters of Chinese novels read: 8

2. Listening reading method: 5

3. Chinese audio listened to: 13

4. Clozemaster (which I abandoned after beginning of dec lol I hate flashcard type things), sentences gone through: 568

5. Clozemaster, track reached: 2000 most common words

In my defense of the low reading count, all the chapters this month were dmbj, tian ya ke, the wolf - basically long 20 phone page chapters. Also I have been busy as all hell this November to December so I am proud of myself for at least being consistent and continuing TO study, which is the most important thing - slow progress is ok, as long as study is consistent progress will keep happening and that’s all that really is needed. There is no time limit. (Although I should refuse to let myself buy more novels until I learn more lol ToT).

Finally, mid december, I know my goals this month: READ. READ READ READ.

Dream goals for the next few months Dec-February: READ through a full novel intensively, READ through a full novel extensively, LISTEN READ METHOD through Guardian. If I get any single of these goals done I will be an immensely happy excited person! If I get more then one I’ll feel like a god tbh ToT

Secondary: listen to ALL of Chinese SpoonFed audio (and just listening in general which I’ve done well recently). WATCH through a full show in chinese only (I’m looking at granting you a dreamlike life since I’m 1/3 done already, or border town prodigal, or legend of the condor heroes). I think these goals are very very reachable for me now, I just don’t know if I’ll have the time to do any of them fully.

[junker-town]

How Sean McVay makes the tight end sneak play his own

The sneak play is regularly successful in the NFL, and it’s fitting the Rams head coach works it into his robust offensive scheme.

Ok y’all, try not to scream in excitement with me but guess what, NFL TRAINING CAMPS START IN A WEEK! Football is so darn close we can smell it. And in the spirit of that feeling, I’ve started to review my favorite plays from the 2018 season, just to get fired up for what I should expect this season.

The best offensive minds in the game, whether they are head coaches (most of them are) or just the offensive coordinators, always adapt. They are innovative. They are flexible. They enjoy implementing new concepts. None of this is earth shattering but I felt it needed to be said. The absolute best are able to take common concepts, or concepts they’ve seen once or twice and twist them to fit their scheme, leading to a home run play. Those are some of my favorite things to study on film.

Quite possibly my favorite NFL route concept/play is the tight end sneak play. It’s so simple, yet so effective and it’s often a home run. The play is often run in base personnel, meaning there’s only two wide receivers on the field. The quarterback fakes a handoff, most often to his left and the weak side of the formation, then rolls back to the right, mimicking a typical boot play. The receivers run an over (deep cross) and a go, while the tight end attempts to hide himself in the line scrimmage. As he attempts to hide himself, he runs next to the big uglies, away from all the action. The defense reacts to the quarterback surveying the field to his right, plus the routes in their faces, and totally forget about the tight end. The quarterback stops in roll, plants, and throws back across the field to his wide open tight end and boom, home run.

Here’s an example of it from 2017, first in the broadcast view, and then in the All-22 view. O.J. Howard gets wide open down the left sideline and scores an easy 33-yard touchdown.

Broadcast angle

All-22 angle

This type of play is called a “shot.” You’re taking a shot at a home run play and it’s called most often in the high red zone, or maybe a tad further out, because of the tight end speed. Shot plays are rotated in and out by the week or the month, clearly so the defense doesn’t get a read on the play. For being a shot play, this concept is run quite frequently in the NFL, because it works often.

It only makes sense that a team would adapt this play to fit their style. Rams head coach Sean McVay did just that, tweaking this to fit his wide receiver heavier formations.

This throwback play is often run with base personnel on the field for the offense. Traditionally, that’s two wide receivers and a combination of tight ends, running backs and a possibly fullback to make up the three other skill position players. It allows the tight end to match up against a slower linebacker, rather than a safety.

Well, the Rams have a different version of “base personnel.” According to Sharp Football’s offensive personnel grouping frequency for 2018, the Rams were in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1TE, 3WR) 89 percent of the time — easily first in the NFL.

If the Rams wanted to run this concept, they needed to make it their own. And, boy did they ever.

Alright, it’s almost time for football again. Here’s one of my favorite plays from 2018. Love when coaches take concepts and put their own twist on them, like McVay did here! It’s awesome. up! pic.twitter.com/JqFcy39Co2

— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) July 9, 2019

The Rams put their own spin on this play with standout receiver Cooper Kupp. The quarterback and offensive line action is different than the usual tight end throwback but the routes are the same. I took a freeze frame of the Rams play and a throwback play so y’all can see it for yourself. And FYI, this screen shot is a different tight end throwback than in the video. This is much clearer.

Sean McVay has time and again shown an ability to be creative in adapting his offense to an evolving NFL. His play-calling regularly creates mismatches and we see it here. Anthony Barr is a Pro Bowl linebacker, but asking him to stick with Kupp on this kind of play is simply unfair.

This is my favorite part about watching this kind of film. I just love seeing coaches adapt, evolve and make concepts their own.