#and manny the mammoth has 2 kids???

[thatgirlellie]

my younger brothers are watching the ice age movies for the first time and they are on the continental drift one and i hadn’t seen it cause i stopped after 3 and HOW THE FUCK HAVE WE STRAYED SO FAR FROM THE ORIGINAL PLOT

SCRAT THE SQUIRREL IS IN A SPACE SHIP CHASING THE ACORN, THAT IS FLYING AROUND INDEPENDENTLY THROUGH SPACE, THEN PROCEEDS TO USE A TRACTOR BEAM TO TAKE THE MOON AND THROW IT AROUND EARTHS ORBIT CAUSING THIS ONE EYED NAD ASS WEASEL TO MOSES THEIR WAYS ACROSS THE RIVER L I T E R A L L Y SAYING LET MY MAMMALS PASS WASNT THERE LIKE A BABY THAT WAS HAVING TO BE DELIVERED HOME HOW DID WE GET HERE

[lunarblue21]

Trailer for Cruel Intentions (entire series but mostly the first half)

Black screen.

Narrator: (Voiceover): There comes a time when friendships are tested

Fade to black, three rapid successions of scenes, each cutting into each other; first scene of Peaches tackling Diego, second scene close up of tusks aiming in on the tiger, only to be blocked by Manny's. Camera focuses on the mammoth standing protectively beside the tiger, protecting him from the Imperial mammoth glowering at them. Third scene, Diego limping off with Manny gazing after him mournfully after their conversation hasn't gone well. Fade to black as narrator's voice begins again.

Narrator: (Voiceover): And the time has come to choose…

One brief instance of a scene, Manny glancing back at the tiger concealed behind the tree, a young sabre cub at his side, watching the mammoths enter the herd, and the two look into each other's eyes briefly before Diego averts his gaze, turning to Axel. Camera focuses back on Manny, with a close-up of his brown eyes, pools of sadness over these events. Cuts to black.

Narrator: (Voiceover) But what will you do? Will you be loyal to your friend of the fire, or instead lust after the honour you desire?

Scene fades in. Camera zooms in on Manny and the black Imperial mammoth Elder Titan, who are talking together, as two animal kids run up to them, their faces streaked with tears and their fur wet with blood. Their voices are muffled as they try and get Manny's attention, but he intently keeps conversing (apparently affably) with the Elder, turning aside to them at the last minute. Upon hearing their news, the camera zooms in on his eyes, which have widened with fear at the children's story. He makes a move to leave and go after his friend; however, he is restrained by the Elder, leaving him no choice but to stay there. Worried, he casts his eyes in the direction of the meadow; and the two kids see it. They glance at each other, taking hope.

Narrator: (Voiceover) What will you do? The choices hang in the balance.

Cut to black.

Music begins (immediate music : Judgement Day – 1:35- 2:01 mayhaps)

Several made up film companies appear (as Fox and Blue Sky might object to theirs being used.)

Elder Titan: (Voiceover) The boundaries are being blurred. I must do something to stop this.

Flash of white and scene fades into a clearing where Diego and Peaches are wrestling each other, the tiger being extra-careful not to harm her. Cuts to the black-furred Imperial mammoth peering at them from behind the bushes, his eyes narrowed in suspicion mingled with anger. Cut to Manny standing in front of the Council of his species. The camera zooms in on slowly him as he speaks.

Manny (Voiceover): I beg to differ! My friend Diego is a strong tiger, he wouldn't let them do any such thing if he was border control guard, and he'd make them obey him. He was the second-in-command of the pack he defected from, on my behalf. My mammoths, he nearly died … to save me.

Scene cuts to Manny and Diego.

Manny: (happily) To think I was nominated for the position of Regent Elder! *punches Diego gently* Just imagine what I can do for our herd if I get elected, Diego.

Cuts to Diego.

Diego: (managing a small grin) I'm happy for you, Buddy. Just don't forget about us, okay?

Cuts back to Manny.

Manny (solemnly) Of course not. (Smiles at Diego)

Music changes (Test Drive from the HTTYD soundtrack 1:18 -2:00)

Cuts to black with writing on screen saying 'When dangers and troubles collide with the herd, their very existence will be put under fire.'

Flash of white, cut to the tigers and Sid and Shelley ducking away just before the black-furred Chief Elder Titan arrives on the scene, his face a thundercloud as he glances around, inspecting the area with suspicious intent in his eyes. Bridging shot of Sid strutting around wearing a hat as he acts flirtatious towards Shelley (even hitting on Ellie briefly before Diego notices and tells him to knock it off). Cut next to Diego teaching Axel how to hunt, tailed closely by Peaches, who insists on learning to hunt as well. Cut to Axel with a smirk on his face.

Axel: Gosh, that's brilliant. A mammoth learning how to hunt.

Rapid cut to the scene of a large battlefield, with Manny raising his tusks in preparation for the onrush as the herd falls in step behind him, with Damien trumpeting a battle cry.

Damien: We shall no longer by our silent, obedient consent live under the rule of "Chief" Elder Titan. Onward, into the fray!

Writing flashes onscreen: 'And they will embark on a journey that will test their very souls.'

Cuts to Peaches running away towards the entrance in the Pass of the Brede that leads out of the valley, tears visible on her cheeks, blood trickling from a wound on her side. Cuts to Manny standing alone under a bright night sky, dotted with white stars shining luminously across the expanse of space. Brief POV shot of Manny's face as he glowers at the stars that mock him in their togetherness.

Cuts to Manny.

Manny: You said you'd always be there for me! But you're not… *He blinks away a stray tear appearing in his eye*

Flash of white, fades into a wide shot of the herd beginning to go their separate ways; Sid leaving with Shelley, walking off into the distance claw in claw, and then the possum brothers departing, glancing back at their sister Ellie solicitously, aware of the sorrow in her eyes. Cuts to Peaches up close, standing next to an older wolf, turning her head upwards to gaze at the stars, noticing the outline of one formerly very dear to her in them, and sighing to herself as a falling star skids across the sky nearby her, although she doesn't see it. Cuts to black.

Title fades in: 'Cruel Intentions'. But it gleams brightly with red light for one minute, and then fades out.

Cuts to ending with a screen fading in saying 'Coming soon to a fanfiction site near you.'

(my apologies for such a long post but here is a taste of my Cruel Intentions series for any of my readers here on tumblr! 'Cruel Intentions' will be crossposted to both ffn and ao3, so I hope you'll tune in on whatever platform you prefer!)

xxxxxxxxxx

Will update this trailer occasionally with links to the books in my CI-verse once they've dropped as well as pinning them to my tumblr profile. :)

CI: Lacrimosa

FFN AO3

[aren-after-hours]

Okay but each of the other movies are just as emotional. They may be more action packed, but they have just as much meaning.

Ice Age 2, as previously mentioned, highlights the struggle of survivors guilt, Manny thinking he's the last Mammoth, finding Ellie, the complexity of their relationship (love vs "save the species), it's very focused on Manny the entire movie.

The third movie, Dawn of the dinosaurs, is focused on Sid. Manny and Ellie are happily together and expecting their baby, Sod is trying his best to be helpful and supportive and involves but he keeps fucking up. Despite his best efforts, he is always doing the wrong thing and making Manny more stressed. He copes with this by claiming the eggs as his children: he's lonely, he wants to nurture, and did not think through the consequences of his actions bc of that purity and innocence mentioned earlier. The whole movie for Sid is about realizing, he can't just make these dinosaurs his family. He can't project his longing and need on this random family that he disturbed. There's subplots, obviously, such as Buck, and the groups' quest to retrieve Sid, but those are secondary. This movie is about Sid and his growth.

The fourth movie, Continental Drift, is so very obviously about the complexities of parenting. Manny has a strained relationship with his now teenage daughter which is left unresolved do to natural disaster. Him, Sid, Diego and Grammy get caught up by pirates, who I see as akin to looters after hurricanes in real life, individuals who are taking advantage of people in a time of crisis. Also in this movie, Sid reconnects with one member of his family, the other "black sheep", his Granny, who is ditched on him by the rest of his family. If I remember correctly, this is the only time we ever see his family on screen, too. She's not kind to him, but he loves her anyway and it is an excellent depiction of an elderly person and their caregiver, to an extent. Granny very much reminds me of my grandmother, who suffered from dementia, and because of it was prone to aggression. It's also to be inferred that Granny initially abandoned Sid as well, and the only reason she hasn't left him is because she can't, she needs him to take care of her. Furthermore, this is the movie where Diego finally begins to show much more vulnerability, cracks forming in his solo tough guy act by having a love interest introduced. Diego had previously never had a love interest of any kind, or even reference to relationships or even family. He had his pack, but that was more like being in a gang than anything else, not loved, romantically or familially. He has that familial bond now, with Manny and the others, but begins to realize that maybe he needs more than that. His love interest, Shira, is exactly like he used to be. She's in a dangerous group, doing dangerous and questionable things, just to survive. She's a foil of him, and reaching out to her is both healing and painful for him. Of course Peaches is also introduced as a strong female type character, and she also is learning who is really there for her and who was, for lack of better terms, was being a fake mother fucker, which is an important lesson for a teenager to learn.

Finally, Collision Course. A bit more campy and comedy based, yes, I will admit. But it again, focuses on that complex father/daughter relationship. Manny is watching his little girl fall in love with a guy that Manny perceives as a full out idiot. He's worried for her, for her future, for her happiness. Ellie and Peaches are very defensive and it's causing a rift in their family unit. Diego and Shira are navigating being carnivores in a predominantly herbivore community. Kids are scared of them, which makes them worry if their own children would be able to make friends, if they had them. Sid is now chasing romance, giving the impression of a more teenage mindset than a child like one. He has had girlfriends, but he goes too much too fast, and they don't last. Buck is forced to come to the surface, which is a HUGE change for him. He had the chance to in Dawn of the Dinosaurs but ultimately decided to stay because it was his home, but he left that familiarity to try and warn Manny and the herd, which is monumental. When they get to Geotopia, the community inside the original asteroid, it's very similar to a cult. The one charismatic leader, who turns out to not be so charismatic. Sid finds the love of his life, a perfect match. His antics come in gain though, and when the crystal falls apart, Brook is aged. The way they both respond to this is so so so so important. He still loves her, still thinks she is beautiful, does not understand why her being older would prevent them from being together. Brook, as well, is still enamored by him, even though she's lost her home and youth because of him. The Llama LOOSES it and blames Sid very angrily and Brook DEFENDS him. They both continue to love each other despite their perceived flaws. He's no longer alone or abandoned because he "messes up". To her, he is perfect, and vice versa. Manny and Peaches sort their shit out in the typical "near death experience" kind of way, but Diego and Shira, we don't see things change for them till the very end, at Peaches' wedding. The children that were previously scared of them, are eager to hear Diego and Shira's story about helping save the world. They still have their fangs and claws, but their actions proved that they are kind and caring and the children noticed that. In return, it eases the fear the two sabers had about their own future children.

In summary, do NOT bullshit me and say that the series as a whole is not impactful, because it is. There's so much more I could say about it, if I included historical context as well but I didn't to keep it a little shorter.

I think a lot about how in Ice Age 1 a huge theme is the slow but unstoppable advancement of the human species as they start to threaten previously unchallenged megafauna (hunting the pack of the antagonist sabertooth and killing Manny the mammoth’s family) and then in all the sequels they just fuckin disappear

[foragergnome]

hi! day 2 back from my tumblr dot com hiatus and I watched ice age for the first time in ten years.

if you don't know what ice age is, it is about a mammoth, a sloth, and a saber tooth tiger going the opposite direction of migration (so like north, where it is cold and ice) to return their beloved baby to his "herd" (his tribe). obviously all taking place during the ice age.

overall, the movie was... ok, I guess. the animation? absolutely horrendous. but pretty ahead of it's time. the story? WHY DO I LIKE IT THIS MUCH.

(the jokes were RLLY cheesy tho)

ok onto the post. I am not sorry

here is all of the homoromantic undertones that I gathered in the 2002 animated movie 'ice age'

•   ok, so in the beginning there is literally 2 male rhinos who share a salad together and one saves the dandelion for the other. they r practically background characters but CLEARLY husbands

•   sid:  "you have beautiful eyes :)"

    manfred:   "get off of me >:("

•   sid calling manfred 'manny' affectionately

•   they find the baby and immediately have this sort of. yknow. married couple energy

•    diego makes this known by saying, and I LITERALLY quote, "'Us'? You two are a bit of an odd couple." and then when manfred says that 'there is no us' he says, "I see. can't have one of your own, so you want to adopt." (diego says gay rights)

•    (immediately after diego says this, manfred and sid go on to argue like a married couple.)

•     now they r all together!! baby starts crying. sid has to be responsible to shut it up like the male-wife he is.

•     they ALL take turns trying to cheer the baby up

•     (LITERALLY ACTING LIKE NEWLY WEDS WITH A NEWBORN, I KID YOU NOT)

•     "his nose is dry, that means something's wrong." "he's wearing one of those baby thingjes" "so?" "if he poops, where does it go?" ".......humans are disgusting." "I bet he's hungry. how about some milk?" "I'd love some" "NOT YOU. the baby."

•      they all, as a team, fight a whole troop of dodos to get food for their baby

•     sid:  "how about a good-night kiss, for your big buddy sid?"

      manfred: "he (the baby)'s asleep."

      sid:  "I was talking to you."

      manfred:

•    sid shows off their beloved baby to some lady sloths

•     manfred does not like this.

•     diego practically saves sid's life by pretending that he killed him (and has this look of nervousness/concern when it almost doesn't work)

•     CUE THE ENTIRE MONTAGE OF THE FAMILY TRAVELLING

•     yknow that thing in movies where the wife is like "we're lost ask the guy for directions" and the husband denies it? this literally happens between manfred and sid.

•     they play charades with a squirrel. diego flicks him into the sun to Burn.

•     cue the iconic slide scene that lasts for like idk two or three minutes straight. diego breaks character and gets pumped up. manfred and sid stare at him like "dude we almost lost our kid r u nuts"

•     manfred has this. revelation after realizing that he has been missing a family in his life and comes to terms with the fact that, oh my god, I need to get this baby back home.

•      he immediately becomes SUCH a dad after that

•     Manfred saves Diego's life and diego is like. oh my god. I love these guys. and this whole time he has been leading them into a trap to kill them

•      manfred almost dies. diego RLLY feels shitty after that

•      sid creates fire. "from now on, you can refer to me as Sid, Lord of the Flame. from now on I will call you Diego,"

       diego: "lord of touch me and you're dead."

       diego:  ".....NAH I'm just kidding you little knucklehead <3"

•      manfred calls diego and sid lovebirds.

•      baby takes his first steps, and they all share this tender, loving look between one another :))

•      "look at that, our little guy is growing up."

•      once manfred goes to sleep, sid and diego gush over him. "I've never had a friend who would risk his life for me." "yeah, manny's a good guy :)"

•      then comes the part where diego leads them into the trap and he feels awful and nervous about it.

•      manfred gets angry. >:(( but diego feels rlly bad and wants to save them :((

•      the other saber tooths come. sid tricks them into thinking he is holding the baby. and when they find out he isn't, he runs away.

•     he goes to where the baby actually is. gentle little sid moment..

•     manfred gets cornered by diego and the leader of the tigers. diego turns on his leader to save his husband.

•      diego risks his life like how manfred risked his. almost dies. he tells sid and manfred to leave him and get the baby to his family :((

•     "we were some team, huh?"

•     diego to the baby: "you gotta be strong. you have to take care of manfred and sid. especially sid."

•     manfred and sid take the baby home. tender moment. sid and manfred are both sad to see him go :((

•     "don't forget about us, ok? we won't forget about you."

•     SURPRISE diego ends up living!! sid runs to him, relieved.

•     "you're ok!"

       "nine lives, baby"

       "you're ok. I could kiss ya!"

•     (if I remember correctly, sid does kiss diego's head multiple times)

•     manfred asks diego if he needs to hitch a ride. ends up giving sid a ride instead.

•     ends the movie with something about sid saying that it will be the best migration ever and then something about global warming idk!

[rxin3srandomthoughts]

Ok here’s something interesting I thought I’d do since apparently I’m having a weird Ice Age phase. I’m gonna take all 5 films and I’ll tell you what is the best and worst thing about each film. So yeah, LETS GET IT!

Ice Age:

Best aspect - All the emotional moments and Manny’s whole backstory in general. This is one of the ONLY Ice Age films that have silent/emotional moments. They’re handled extremely well and I wish more were incorporated in the later films. Also, Manny’s backstory and his relationship with the baby is what makes him my favorite character.

Worst Aspect - The animation. I know it’s harsh to say because the first film came out in 2002, almost 20 years ago. But there isn’t anything else I would say that would be that negative toward the film.

Overal: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Ice Age: The Meltdown:

Best Aspect - Manny developing a relationship with Ellie. When Manny finds out his species is going to become extinct, he loses hope in finding a mate because his previous one was killed by hunters. That is until he meets Ellie. He is at first not onboard with having her tag along, but they soon grow a bond. I could go on for HOURS why I love this plot line. Ellie is also a nice edition to the cast. She’s Manny’s polar opposite which fits really well. Also, there is a moment in the film that’s one of my favorite scenes. When Ellie and Manny come across the place she meets her “brothers” Crash and Eddie. She is a young mammoth around this time, she loses her family in a snow storm so she hides underneath a tree. She comes across and opossum mother who adopts her into the family. It’s all spoken without any dialogue. It’s on the same level as Manny’s backstory in the first film tbh. But yes, this is practically the reason why I think this film is the best of the franchise.

Worst Aspect - Crash and Eddie. Ok I know they’re supposed to be comic reliefs, but I don’t know I’m not too big of a fan of them. Though, they aren’t as bad in this movie as they are in the 4th and 5th movie. Like they actually still care about Ellie and want what’s best for her and aren’t just being annoying little shits *cough* Collision Course *cough*

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Best Aspect - The dinosaur’s world. It’s very interesting to see Dinosaurs here. I really liked the concept and it was probably the craziest thing the franchise has done that is ACTUALLY believeable *cough* Continental Drift *cough* Buck was also pretty interesting. Even though he gets worse in the 5th film, in this movie he’s pretty alright.

Worst Aspect - So this might be something that doesn’t relate to the film but I wish this movie mentioned Manny’s previous child. The films could’ve made it like how Marlin was after Coral’s death in Finding anemones. Where he becomes over protective of the child because he lost his previous child. They almost work that into this movie and the next one after but they never bring up Manny’s backstory so it gives no reason as to why he’s being overprotective about the new baby. It’s honestly a nitpick and maybe that was what the writers were intending but yeah this is still a pretty good film

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ice Age: Continental Drift

Best Aspect - Peaches and Louis’ subplot. Yes, they are the clingy teen stereotype that MIGHT already be dated, BUT they are what saved this movie. Like I was really was invested in their relationship. Louis became one of my favorite characters in the whole franchise. *Cough* He should’ve gotten with Peaches, not Julian. *cough*

Worst Aspect - The fact that the villains are PIRATES. Like WHAT!? This was when the films started to introduce more crazy ideas, like pirates in the ice age. The only think I really liked about them was their little song they sing in the film. It’s oddly catchy. And the fact that Shira exists. (AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD A SEMI-CRUSH ON HER WHEN I WAS A KID!?) I ended up shopping Shira with Diego A LOT when I was a kid. Like it was one of my favorite ships back then lol. But yeah other than those two points, the whole idea of pirates in the ice age is just ridiculous.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️1/2

Ice Age: Collision Course

Best Aspect - Um.. I don’t know.. The song at the end was okay...

Worst Aspect - The movie acting like a bad sitcom episode, it trying to be hip but failing miserably, Buck coming back and becoming EXTREMELY annoying, Julian existing, half of the characters having no point to the story, Scrat in space, the whole plan to get the asteroid to not hit the earth, the fact that there are now animals that can live for an eternity because of the asteroid or some shit, the fact that when I saw this movie in theaters, there was a little girl in front of us and she would randomly get LOUD as we’re trying to watch the film, she literally screamed at the top of her lungs when the villains showed up at one point, it was ridiculous. Trust me, I would go on for HOURS about why I hate this movie. It’s so FUCKING bad that I now just pretend that it NEVER existed.

Overall: -⭐️ (Negatice 1 star btw)

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #240 - Ice Age

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: I don’t think so?

Format: Digital HD

1) This is one of only two films where I only own digital copies of them as opposed to hard copies. In the case of Ice Age, it happened when I linked up MoviesAnywhere and Vudu (or possibly when I linked one of those to my iTunes account). My family owns a DVD copy so I did grow up watching it but I never thought it’d be part of my (re)watch. But a digital copy is still owning it, so here we are.

2) Meeting Scrat.

Scrap has become the most iconic part of the series and that is because (much like the Minions in Despicable Me) he is the franchise’s certified Scene Stealer™. His little adventures are so simple it’s genius: his motivation is simply to collect and/or store his nut(s). But the slapstick that ensues, the escalating sense of cause & effect, not to mention the vocals provided by director Chris Wedge have made him into an animation icon. He’s Blue Sky’s mascot and even has his own balloon in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Opening with Scrat is a strong way to start the film.

3) The herd migration immediately following Scrat’s adventure has a lot of sharp humor I didn’t pick up on as a kid. Namely the debate of, “How do we know it’s an Ice Age?”, the kids playing “Extinction”, and the character who thinks he’s on the cusp of an, “evolutionary breakthrough,” before trying to fly. It sets the wit for the tone up well.

4) Manny as portrayed by Ray Romano.

Manny’s character is well established immediately by his literal moving against the crowd when walking through the migration herd. He’s set up as abrasive and harsh but we’re also quickly given reason to root for the Wooly Mammoth.

Manny: “You know I don’t like animals that kill for pleasure.”

Ray Romano does great as the voice of Manny, in fact all three members of the herd are great. Romano plays against his “Everybody Loves Raymond” type of the sort of passive momma’s boy by being not only strong but assertive throughout the film. And it just feels right. It’s a good first character to meet.

5) Sid the Sloth as portrayed by John Leguizamo.

Leguizamo is nearly unrecognizable as Sid in this film. The amount of saliva you can just HEAR in his voice, the nerdy quality, but also the warmth and humor, I think Leguizamo gives the best performance in the film. Much like Manny, Sid is well introduced from the start when we learn his family has ditched him. We get the impression he’s a bit of a pain but also we can SEE he’s well intentioned if a little much. It’s understandable why people are hard on him while we are also given good enough reason to root for him. I like Sid.

6) Thing I didn’t pick up on as a kid: the rhinos Carl and Frank are totally a couple, right?

7) This movie is a lot funnier than I remember.

8) It is worth noting Manny’s line about, “animals that kill for pleasure,” sets up the rules of this world. There are carnivore characters we’re meant to sympathize with and root for in this movie. This line basically sets up the rule: killing for survival is fine but killing for pleasure is not. That is an important element when we’re introduced to our villain later.

9) The literal human element of the film - the nomadic hunters and gatherers - helps ground the film a little. It’s an element I appreciate and missed in the movie’s sequels which began involving dinosaurs and a flying saucer at one point.

10) Remember in note #8 when I mentioned the moral rules this film plays by. Well, the villain Soto is immediately breaking those rules. He wants to kill a BABY of the human leader just for revenge. A BABY. It’s not food, it’s not survival, it’s a Khan-esque mission of wrath and cruelty. And Soto is chilling. We actually don’t get to see much of him in the movie, but his mere presence shows off the threat he is. I think that comes at a combination of writing, voice acting, and design for the animal. I dig it.

11) Just an observation: like the Minions in Despicable Me (who Scrat is very much a precursor to), Scrat is best used in small doses sprinkled throughout the film.

12) The plot of this film is basically Three Men & A Baby set in the ice age with extinct animals (except Sid, unless his specific brand of Sloth is gone). But that’s a plot which inherently has a lot of heart to it, the idea of bonding and found family. It helps give the film an emotional core I appreciate.

13) It’s probably just my own interpretation and desire to see more representation in media, but I feel like there’s so much LGBTQ+ subtext in the movie and I dig that.

Diego [on Manny and Sid with the baby]: “Can’t have one of your own so you decided to adopt.”

14) Diego as portrayed by Denis Leary.

The third member of the herd, Diego is a wonderfully fleshed out character. We get the intimidating and fierce predator but we also have the heartfelt development where it is easy to root for him. It is believable that he finds a sense of family with Manny and Sid. I think this duality is well played by Leary, who is able to make Diego a threat in the beginning but also put enough heart/warmth in the performance that we like him as a character. All of this makes his changing sides towards the movie’s end feel natural, making him a nice final member to the herd.

15) The immediate Sid and Manny have with Diego is founded on mistrust, they EXPECT him to eat the baby, which creates a unique conflict at the heart of their relationship. It’s interesting seeing them overcome this conflict.

16) While strong as individuals, each member of the trio work well in the herd together. They have a fun chemistry and play off each other well.

17) The Dodos!

This is one of my favorite scenes from the film and that’s because I get the joke so much more now as an adult than I did as a kid. WE’RE WATCHING THE DODOS GO EXTINCT! The fast paced energy, slapstick elements, and unique characters which the dodos are make it a wonderfully entertaining scene. And Alan Tudyk voices the lead Dodo! (Along with two other characters in the movie)

18) I like how each member of Diego’s pack is voiced by someone noteworthy as its made up of Jack Black, Diedrich Bader and Alan Tudyk (again).

19) This got me laughing pretty hard, not gonna lie.

Female Sloth [lovingly, after seeing how Sid is with the baby]: “All the sensitive guys get eaten.”

20) “Send Me On My Way” is one of my favorite songs and this film introduced me to it, so I’ll always be grateful for that.

21) File this one under jokes I didn’t get as a kid.

Manny [when pacing Stonehenge]: “Modern architecture. It’ll never last.”

22) I might be Sid.

Sid [when offered to go through a dangerous short cut]: “No thanks, I choose life.”

23) I love the hall of ice gag, especially the alien at the end.

24) The ice slide sequence is really fun and one of the strongest “action” pieces in the film. It just has a sense of adrenaline and enjoyment to it that’s hard to beat.

25) The cave painting scene.

This is the heart of Manny’s character. The decision to animate this scene differently from the rest of the film helps to give it a sense of identity and almost nightmare like quality. Because it is a nightmare, but it still happened. In an absolutely heartbreaking moment we learn that Manny not only is a widower but he lost his child too. Usually in animated films it’s an orphaned kid but parents aren’t supposed to outlive their kids, so the fact that Manny had to go through that explains perfectly his isolationist tendencies.

26) A key moment of character development for Diego comes when he and the group are running across the river of lava (lake of lava? It’s lava). He realizes this herd will do something for him his pack wouldn’t: risk their lives for him.

27) This is the heart movie in one moment.

Manny [after Diego asks why he saved him]: “That’s what you do in a herd. You look out for each other.”

28) When Soto illustrates how to take down a mammoth (by backing them in a corner) there is a wonderful sense of tension. The visualization there really illustrates the stakes to come.

29) The climax of the film starts with a sense of fun and energy we’ve come to except so far, what with Sid’s snowboarding moves on full display as he outmaneuvers the tigers. But the change in tone to a more intense encounter involving Soto, Diego and Manny feels organic. There is a sense of tension here which works well and Soto’s dialogue-free death is particularly effective.

30) I think I’m definitely Sid.

Sid: “Ah, you know me. I’m too lazy to hold a grudge.”

31) The scene where Manny returns the baby to the humans carries a lot of tension. We know how badly this can go, we saw it in the cave painting. So the fact that it ends happily makes the emotional pay off even stronger.

32)

Manny [to the baby]: “We won’t forget about you.”

But we won’t mention you ever again in the sequels.

33)

Sid [expressing his dissatisfaction with the Ice Age]: “You know what I could go for? Global warming!” Manny: “Keep dreaming.”

34) The epilogue which showcases that Scrat is chasing that nut of his for 2,000 years is a perfect representation of his character. I dig it.

Ice Age is a lot of fun and, in hindsight, pretty underrated. I know that’s odd to say about a film that kicked off a five movie franchise, but the franchise became so different from the original movie and the original is still pretty unique in its setting and look. With a great wit, strong character, a good heart, and quality performances, it’s feasibly one of the best animated films from the early 00′s.

[singlepiner]

Ice age 2 the meltdown

Ice age 2 the meltdown movie#

Ice age 2 the meltdown software#

Some flashing lights sequences or patterns may affect photosensitive viewers. A musical number was also added to this sequel, which was “Food Glorious Food” from the Broadway musical Oliver!. Manny, Sid, Diego and Scrat join forces with new friends: Ellie and her possum brothers, Crash and Eddie, to save the valley from an epic flood. Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, and Josh Peck join the cast as Ellie, Crash, and Eddie respectively.įollowing the footsteps of David Newman’s music in the first movie, John Powell composed the musical score for Ice Age 2, and would do the same for the next two movies in the series.

Ice age 2 the meltdown movie#

The main actors of the first movie returned to voice for the sequel, with Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary in their respective roles of Manny, Sid and Diego, as well as Chris Wedge providing the nutty noises of Scrat. However, the trip they undertake with the others to reach a boat that will help them escape the flooding of their territory will allow them to discover and appreciate one another. A joyful and dippy, character who contrasts with Manny’s is calm and quiet personality. When Manny, Sid and Diego discover that miles of melted ice will soon flood their valley, they must warn everyone and figure out a way to escape the coming deluge. Ellie at first seems to be the complete opposite of Manny. This game is a spin-off of the film Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), and seen through the eyes of Scrat, the saber-toothed squirrel. With Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott. Things look bright for Manny when he stumbles upon Ellie, a mammoth who thinks she’s a possum and her two "brothers" Crash and Eddie. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown: Directed by Carlos Saldanha. With Carlos Saldana (co-director of the first Ice Age movie) put in the director’s chair for the sequel, he gave goals and developments to each of the main characters, such as Diego overcoming his fear of water, Sid going on a quest to gain respect, and Manny desperate to find another mammoth, fearing he’s the last of his kind. This has resulted in more realistic rendering, especially when the fur on the characters gets wet.īut the improvements aren’t just exclusive to the animation.

Ice age 2 the meltdown software#

Since the first movie, Blue Sky significantly improved the visual quality for the sequel’s animation by creating two new software for lighting and fur. It was also a box office hit, grossing a massive $660.9 million worldwide, and cementing Ice Age as a major animated franchise. Released in March 2006, and keeping the predecessor’s offbeat tone, this new adventure was met with a more mixed reception from critics, but was warmly-received by audiences and fans. With an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, Ice Age was greeted with such enthusiasm that it was entitled to a sequel Ice Age 2: The Meltdown. Movie Info Rating: PG (Some Mild LanguageInnuendo) Genre: Kids & family, Comedy, Adventure, Animation Original Language: English Director: Carlos Saldanha. With an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, Ice Age was greeted with such enthusiasm that it was entitled to a sequel Ice Age 2: The Meltdown. When Manny tells his female counterpart shes attractive and fumbles his words about the two being the only hope for their species survival, Ellie accuses him. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown is a film directed by Carlos Saldanha with Animation.

[suppersanchez]

Best Kids Movies in 2009 by Popular Demand

When investigating what may be the Best Kids Movies in 2009, various thoughts can enter in, for example, carefully the "best" new discharge motion pictures, the best film deals in theaters, best by basic praise, and so forth., and so forth https://putlocker-online.com/golden-collection/rainierland I chose to come this subject down to a straightforward rundown of films that were generally mainstream by deals in the organizations of DVD and Blu-Ray - they do in certainty incorporate some new discharges for the time of 2009, yet there are some re-makes of works of art this year that come toward the head of the rundown.

Also, what a rundown! Here it is:

1. Disney Pixar Up - Yes, Disney and Pixar have done it once more. This is one of the most engaging Pixar films yet! The story is about an older inflatable sales rep that chooses to satisfy his fantasy (in a way numerous individuals would consider somewhat irregular) - and there are some others in the interest of personal entertainment. This is a decent film for children of all ages and is diverting!

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - The 6th year at Hogwarts brings the most experience yet - Harry finds his careful job in the last thrashing of Voldemort. Another extraordinary Harry Potter film, and an "absolute necessity see" for any Harry Potter fan.

3. Coraline - This film has a similar executive as The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach. It may be considered the "darkest" of all! It is about a little youngster named Coraline who wants significant changes in her family connections - however maybe finds that her life probably won't be so awful all things considered... (As a note, I don't by and by suggest this film for small children because of it's "creepy" and in excess of somewhat odd nature.)

4. Secondary School Musical 3: Senior Year - In this High School Musical adaptation, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Chad, Ryan and Taylor are in their last year of secondary school and they conclude together to make it the most exceptional year yet. A pleasant film, particularly for youthful ones who love these characters or potentially motion pictures.

5. Pinocchio 70th Anniversary - Here is the first of the "works of art" on the rundown of the Best Kids Movies 2009, and it's a brilliant film for any age. The re-make of this film is somewhat fabulous, and the message of fearlessness, trustworthiness and uprightness is consistently a decent one.

6. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Yes, here is another film on the most sizzling venders for kids this year! It's great how the film shows up and sounds in computerized group - particularly Blu-Ray. This is a most loved for exceptionally small children and little women as well.

7. Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs - The situation starts to get interesting for the impossible ancient group when Mannie and Ellie are anticipating somewhat Mammoth in their family. It makes some fascinating changes with regards to the team and some fairly interesting occasions occur. Fun film!

8. The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary - This is the third and last of the exemplary films on this rundown and is a stunning re-make of the first. As I would like to think this is another film that isn't the best for extremely small kids - that fiendish old witch can be only a slight bit excessively alarming, however is a pleasant film for families and children around 6 or 7 and more established.

9. Beasts versus Outsiders - This is one of the cutest more up to date motion pictures on this rundown! The subject has an intriguing turn - consider the possibility that beasts were really the heroes. A great decision and a pleasant activity by Reese Witherspoon who plays the principle character, Susan Murphy.

10. Jolt - Personally I think this is perhaps the cutest film I have seen for kids. It is about a pooch who stars as a hero in film and starts to play the job a piece too genuinely. The situation starts to get interesting when he loses his proprietor and needs to go out all alone to discover her. John Travolta assumes the job of Bolt and makes an astonishing showing!

Some may differ with at least one of the motion pictures above as far as what they consider to be the "Best Kids Movies 2009", yet carefully as far as well known interest the above determinations seem to involve the complete rundown. Talking on an individual level I accept that these are probably the best films for kids ever!

[the13lakes]

Speaker list directory

He also synchronizes Harvey Keitel, Oliver Reed, Sir Ben Kingsley and Armand Assante. He lent his voice to Robert Wagner in the successful TV series “Hart aber herz”. He also lent his voice to Joe Flanagan in Stargate Atlantis, Simon Baker in The Mentalist, Karl Urban in The Lord of the Rings and Steve Coogan in Around the World in 80 Days and The Alibi. When Dietmar Wunder was cast as voice actor for Daniel Craig in "James Bond 007 - Casino Royale" in 2006, a dream came true for him. Dietmar Wunder is also active as an actor, audio book speaker, dialogue book author and regularly directs dialogue. Thomas Fritsch is a German film and television actor, voice actor and pop singer. As an actress, she was seen in the Berlin doctor series "Neues vom Bülowbogen". Private speech training / acting lessons, singing training at the "Scream Factory", since 1997 proud mother of a fabulous daughter, 1999 move to Berlin. Atlan, The Three ??? Kids, The Swarm by Frank Schätzing, Inspector Carter, John Sinclair, Meru, Perry Rhodan, Sherlock Holmes. Helmut Kraus is a German actor, cabaret artist, voice actor, educated pedagogue and dubbing director. "Form your opinion" - picture, "Quality is the best recipe" - Dr. Oetker, "The Adviser Bank - Dresdener Bank", Faire Ultra, Opel, Stern TV, Vox and many more. David Nathan also works as a dubbing writer, dialogue director, radio play speaker and reciter. "Germany from above" or "Expedition into the brain" and of course in radio plays and also in advertising for radio spots and TV spots. She is active throughout Germany as a voice actress as well as a TV and advertising officer. your input here A wide field of application is also that E-learning area and she sets documentaries and radio plays to music. She was born on April 4, 1984 in the Austrian town of Frisch (Carinthia) and attended the "Emil Mola School" in Berlin.

Speaker Name: Susan, Gender: Female, Language: English (IRL) h3>

He also speaks the cartoon character of Russell Crowe in the South Park episode "The Russell Crowe Show". His most famous role is that of Diego in Ice Age, Ice Age 2 - Now Taut's, Ice Age 3 - The Dinosaurs Are On, Ice Age 4 - Fully Moved and Ice Age - Collision Ahead! Thomas Fritsch can also be heard in the radio play series "The Three Question Marks" and as Lukas in the cartoon adaptation of "Jim Knopf and Lukas the Engine Driver". From an early age he worked in many well-known radio play productions, among others.

Speaker Name: Simone, Gender: Female, Language: Spanish (Latin American) h2> His concise voice made him a popular voice actor in the 80s. He gave his distinctive voice to the main character of the successful TV series "The Night Hawk", Jack Kilian (presenter at a radio station - played by Gary Cole). Sloth Sid has been feeling lonely since his mammoth friends Manni and Elli are looking forward to their first mammoth baby. Security expert Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) is blamed for the fire in the world's tallest skyscraper. As every year, the teenagers of Panem tremble, which two teenagers from each of the twelve districts have to compete in the state-ordered gladiatorial fight. Europe 1805. The British can still keep the warlike Napoleon in check at sea.

[tellusepisode]

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)

Animation, Adventure, Comedy |

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a American computer-animated adventure comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is the third installment in the Ice Age series and the sequel to Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006). It was directed by Carlos Saldanha and co-directed by Mike Thurmeier.

Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary reprise their roles from the first two films and Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, and Josh Peck reprise their roles from The Meltdown, with Simon Pegg joining them in the role of a weasel named Buck. The story has Sid the Sloth being taken by a female Tyrannosaurus after stealing her eggs, leading the rest of the herd to rescue him in a tropical lost world inhabited by dinosaurs beneath the ice.

Ellie and Manny, the two woolly mammoths, are expecting their first child, and Manny struggles to make life perfect and safe for the family. At the same time, Diego the saber-toothed cat decides to leave the herd because he thinks he’s losing his edge and isn’t meant for the family life. Sid the ground sloth begins to wish for a family of his own and takes three apparently abandoned eggs that he finds in an icy cavern and calls them Egbert, Shelly, and Yoko. Manny tells him to put them back, but Sid ignores him and looks after the eggs, which hatch into baby Tyrannosaurus rex the next morning.

Although Sid tries his best to raise the three dinosaurs, their rambunctious behavior scares away all the younger animals and ruins a playground Manny built for his child, which angers Manny. Not long after, a female Tyrannosaurus rex, whose eggs Sid stole, returns and carries both Sid and her young underground, with Diego in pursuit.

Directors: Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier (co-director)

Writers: Michael Berg (screenplay by), Peter Ackerman (screenplay by), Mike Reiss (screenplay by), Yoni Brenner (screenplay by), Jason Carter Eaton (story by)

Stars: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Simon Pegg, Queen Latifah, Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha

►Cast:

Eunice Cho…Madison (Diatryma Girl) (voice)Karen Disher…Scratte (voice)Harrison Fahn…Glypto Boy (voice)Maile Flanagan…Aardvark Mom (voice)Jason Fricchione…Adult Molehog Male (voice)Bill Hader…Gazelle (voice)Kelly Keaton…Molehog Mom / Shovelmouth Mom (voice)Joey King…Beaver Girl (voice)Queen Latifah…Ellie (voice)Denis Leary…Diego (voice)Allegra Leguizamo…Aardvark Girl (voice)John Leguizamo…Sid (voice)Lucas Leguizamo…Aardvark Boy / Beaver Kid #2 (voice)Clea Lewis…Start Mom (voice)Jane Lynch…Diatryma Mom (voice)Josh Peck…Eddie (voice)Simon Pegg…Buck (voice)Christian Pikes…Little Johnny (Aardvark Kid) (voice)Avery Christopher Plum…Beaver Kid #1 (voice)Joe Romano…Ronald (Shovelmouth Boy) (voice)Ray Romano…Manny (voice)Carlos Saldanha…Dinosaur Babies / Flightless Bird (voice)Manoela Scarpa Saldanha…Molehog Girl 1 (voice)Sofia Scarpa Saldanha…Molehog Girl 2 (voice)Seann William Scott…Crash (voice)Cindy Slattery…Bird (voice)Chris Wedge…Scrat (voice)Kristen Wiig…Pudgy Beaver Mom (voice)Matt Adler…Additional Voice (voice)Steve Alterman…Additional Voice (voice)Anthony Amorim…Additional Voice (voice)Claudia Besso…Additional Voice (voice)June Christopher…Additional Voice (voice)Holly Dorff…Additional Voice (voice)Nicole Ehinger…Additional Voice (voice)David H. Kramer…Additional Voice (voice)Selenis Leyva…Additional Voice (voice)Matt McCarthy…Additional Voice (voice)David McCharen…Additional Voice (voice)Bea Miller…Additional Voice (voice)Regan Mizrahi…Additional Voice (voice)Tim Nordquist…Additional Voice (voice)Devika Parikh…Additional Voice (voice)Alexandra Pisacane…Additional Voice (voice)Jake Schwencke…Additional Voice (voice)Amanda Scott…Additional Voice (voice)Johnathan Tchaikovsky…Additional Voice (voice)Pamala Tyson…Additional Voice (voice)Trevor S. Valle…SelfFrank Welker…Momma Dino

Sources: imdb & wikipedia

The post Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) first appeared on TellUsEpisode.net.

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[magnusmadssen]

Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs for Children.

Hey Kids!

Here’s another round of “Top 5 Christmas DVDs” for this week!

Enjoy!

1) The Naughty List.

A very cute story about two elves and a reindeer that land themselves on the dreaded “Naughty List.” But when the entire the North Pole comes down with food poisoning, they must redeem their Naughty List status by finding a way to save Christmas. This film will make you think again about doing anything naughty during Christmas.

2) Nativity!

What started as a simple school nativity play turns into a royal fiasco of quarrelling parents and over-excited children, when primary school teacher Paul Maddens boasts that his ex-girlfriend Jennifer, a Hollywood Producer, is coming to see his show with a view to turning it into a film. (Major lie!). Maddens’ only hope is to get back in touch with Jennifer and lure Hollywood to town so that everybody’s Christmas wishes come true.

3) Ice Age : A Mammoth Christmas.

Join Manny, Sid,  Diego, Ellie, Peaches and Scat during this holiday season in Ice Age : A Mammoth Christmas. When Sid accidentally destroys Manny’s heirloom Christmas rock and ends up on Santa’s “naughty list,” he leads a hilarious quest to the North Pole to make things right – and ends up making things much worse. Now it’s up to Manny and his prehistoric posse to band together and save Christmas for the entire world! Over 25 minutes of humour, laughter and holiday cheer from start to finish.  Anyone who is a fan of the Ice Age movies will love this!

4) Santa Claws : it’s a holiday cat-astrophe!

If you are a cat lover, this is one movie to snuggle up with your kitty and some popcorn to watch! When Santa suffers a major allergic reaction where he  can’t fly the sleigh or deliver presents anymore, it’s up to a litter of  kittens to deliver the rest of the presents to all the boys and girls before sunrise and save Christmas.

5) The Cat in the Hat knows about Christmas.

‘Twas the day before Christmas and all through the yard the Cat in the Hat and his guests partied hard. When the party was over, and the guests all departed one poor baby reindeer was left broken-hearted! Can the Cat in the Hat, Sally, Nick and the Fish help make come true little Ralph’s Christmas wish? To be with his family, in far-off Freeze-Your-Knees. Will you help see him home? Come be our guests, please!

Check out the trailer for “Elliot the littlest Reindeer“, and another Christmas themed movie to watch on the big screen this holiday season.

When Blitzen announces his retirement on December 21st, a miniature horse has 3 days to fulfill his lifelong dream of earning a spot on Santa’s team at the North Pole try-outs.

Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs for Children. syndicated from https://paintballreviewsgun.wordpress.com/

[lunarblue21]

I would've been crushed, personally, since the majority of the Original Ice Age is Diego's story arc from villain to a villain protagonist who has seen what love really is and so is willing to step to lay down his own life for his newfound herd, and I've never seen it as "forced" at all, since I feel that if he died it would've been a waste of his character and terribly unfair as well, since his death at the end - whilst a heroic sacrifice - would've been horrible if they left it like that. You can see the effects on Manny and Sid already, and I think that if Diego had died, Manny wouldn't have been able to cope with it since once again he'd lost someone he'd grown really close to and he was still working through the stages of grief for his own family. To have Diego remain dead would've been a cruel blow to Manny, especially and I can rationalise this because the sabre and the mammoth form a bond tested by fire throughout the film, and in the other movies Diego is pretty much Manny's bastion, even if he doesn't get that many lines; since it's Diego's presence that matters to Manny. And re the other commentator saying you could easily write Diego out and it wouldn't be noticeable, in my opinion that would be awful, since Diego is a critical member of the herd in his own way (my guess is that the first person who replied has only seen Meltdown and the Christmas special) and in DoTD you can really see the beauty of his and Manny's relationship, since it's the crux of the film since Diego's struggling with Manny's busyness over the birth of his second child to the point that he neglects his friends, making Diego feel unneeded, and the film is all about establishing just how important Diego is to Manny - and the rest of the herd. So, in short, if they had kept the original ending I would've cried loads and been quite depressed, since I love Diego and his role in that film and all his character growth, and to kill him off would negate all of that. By the by, it was Denis Leary who actually protested that they keep Diego alive, because he said "it would make the kids cry" (you can find this on the special features of the Ice Age 2-disc special edition) and if you ask me, he was right! Diego dying in the Original would've been too emotionally hard to undergo after the audience had gotten to know him, and he is a critical member of the herd, so he is very much needed! ;-;  

[yahoo-roto-arcade-blog]

Closing Time: Mac Williamson powers up in San Francisco

The 2018 San Francisco Giants are one of the oldest teams in baseball. They can watch Thirtysomething reruns and catch all the references. These guys remember flip phones and dial-up internet.

Andrew McCutchen is still a good player, but nowhere near his yearly MVP-contending peak of 2012-2015. The same exact words apply Buster Posey. Evan Longoria’s talent and contract used to make him one of baseball’s most valuable assets; last year, he had a league-average OPS-plus. (Heck, he was recently cut in the Yahoo Friends & Family league, though a FAAB-fight broke out shortly thereafter.) For years, Hunter Pence was the indestructible man who never fell on the disabled list; now, he’s a 35-year-old outfielder with a bum thumb.

[It’s not too late to join a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league!]

Some might view Mac Williamson as an ordinary 27-year-old outfielder, too old to be a prospect. But he feels like a teenager in this Giants clubhouse. And maybe he can give this offense a much-needed spark.

Williamson has been in the minors for seven years, and never showed up on the prospect clipboards. But he forced San Francisco’s hand this year, conking six homers in 39 Triple-A at-bats (ahh, the PCL) and jumping on the Giants roster when Pence sprained his thumb. Williamson’s homered twice in his four games post-recall, including a mammoth blast Monday.

If you add up Williamson’s patchwork time in the majors, it doesn’t amount to much: .229/.293/.405, though he does have 11 homers in 227 at-bats. But right now, the Giants can’t be choosy — they need healthy bodies, and they need power. You name it, the Giants offense isn’t good at it: 19th in average, 28th in OBP, 25th in slugging, 26th in runs.

Yahoo owners have been slow to consider Williamson — he’s rostered in just four percent of leagues. But with Pence already hurt and clearly in the fade years of his career, maybe there’s an organic chance for Williamson to stick around. He’s already rostered in my deepest mixers; perhaps this week, the 12-team leagues will kick some tires.

• It was a quick rise and a fast fall for Delino DeShields this year — February sleeper, March helium pick, April injury. But DeShields made a speedy recovery from his fractured hamate bone, and he’s back to give the Rangers offense a jump-start.

DeShields took the collar Sunday, his first game back, but he was up to his old tricks Monday, swiping two bases and getting caught a third time. That’s what we want from Kid DeShields, who was particularly handy in the leadoff spot last year (80 games, 64 runs, 22 steals, .350 OBP). Jeff Banister isn’t the most patient of managers, but it appears they’re going to let DeShields bat first and run as much as he likes.

• We always like a good post-hype story in fantasy, and David Dahl fits that profile in Colorado. Dahl suffered a rib injury in spring training last year, which pretty much wrecked his season. His 2018 roster chances were cooked when the Rockies, oddly, re-signed Carlos Gonzalez in March. But when Cargo tweaked his hamstring last week and Gerardo Parra ran into a suspension, Dahl was promoted on Sunday, and he’s been in the lineup the last two games.

Dahl’s filled the box score nicely in those two starts, collecting three hits and a walk. He was moved into the cleanup spot Monday. Dahl is still just 24 and was a rated prospect from 2013-2016. Thin air is thin air; Welcome to the Dahlhouse. Plausible upside is what we look for on the waiver wire, and Dahl has it. He’s only rostered in 29 percent of Yahoo leagues.

• Oakland’s offense has been a surprise through the opening month, sitting third in runs scored, second in average, first in OBP, and third in slugging. Shortstop Marcus Semien is settling in as the unorthodox leadoff batter. Semien’s .248/.308/.409 slash might leave you cold, but he’s always offered category juice, and maybe he’ll do something zesty in his age-27 season.

Semien only batted .249 last year, though he had 10 homers and 12 steals in just 85 games. Prorate that to a full season and we have something special. He’s off to a snappy .270-20-3-13-2 start through 23 games, making him the No. 7 Yahoo shortstop.

Even if Semien’s average slips back to career norms, keep in mind the shape of 2018 baseball. The current MLB slash line is .241/.318/.394. The median batting average in my two deepest mixers is .251. If Semien can keep the leadoff spot and maintain his category juice, his expected average is something we can live with. And heck, at his age pocket, a career season could be in play.

Semien is long-gone in the deep leagues, but he’s still unowned in half of Yahoo. Someone out there is missing out on a fun offense, and a fun player.

• We expected Franchy Cordero to be another of those fun-if-flawed players (that’s why we instantly lead with him the day of his recall), and he’s been that in San Diego. Check his 11 games: 15 strikeouts, just two walks, an ordinary .256 average and .289 OBP. But he’s also socked four homers and stolen two bases, and Monday’s titanic blast at Colorado hasn’t landed yet.

Cordero’s playing time isn’t guaranteed going forward, especially with Manny Margot and Wil Myers off the DL. Perhaps the Padres will give Cordero the heavy side of a platoon, sit him against lefties. Margot and Jose Pirela are off to slow starts, anyway. Given the category juice Cordero showed at Triple-A, I’d like to see him owned in more than 12 percent of Yahoo leagues. Let’s see how the team moves the players around. There’s too much upside at stake. Give the story some time to develop.

[junker-town]

Is Louisiana Tech football done being overlooked in 2017?

Skip Holtz’s Bulldogs have been the bridesmaids, and now plenty of other programs are getting more attention.

This preview was originally published on March 13 and has since been updated.

Back when I was in junior high, I was in one of those Saturday bowling leagues in my small Oklahoma hometown. I wasn’t amazing, but I was good enough to finish second overall, post the second-best single-game high, and roll the second-highest number of strikes.

My team finished second.

In all, including teams, newcomers, etc., probably about 10 or 12 kids got trophies. I did not get one, as I didn’t finish first in any one category.

I like to pretend I’ve moved on from this disappointment. It would be embarrassing to admit that I’m still a little bit miffed.

I’m not going to say Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz feels my bowling runner-up’s pain, but one has to figure he’s tired of waiting his turn.

In 2014, after a 4-8 debut in Ruston, he and his Bulldogs stormed to nine wins and a C-USA West title. Tech came three points short of a dominant Marshall and settled for a 17-point thwacking of Illinois in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

In 2015, the Bulldogs' comeback got overpowered by an even bigger comeback when Southern Miss surged to nine wins, and with a knockout in Ruston on Thanksgiving weekend, stole the West title. Tech settled for a 19-point win over Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl.

In 2016, the Bulldogs began 1-3 but ripped off seven straight wins to take the division, beating a fantastic Western Kentucky in the process. But they lost at WKU in the C-USA title game and had to settle for a thrilling, 48-45 win over Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl.

WKU's Jeff Brohm got hired away by Purdue, and Southern Miss' Todd Monken left for the NFL. FAU and FIU made headlines by hiring headliners Lane Kiffin and Butch Davis to run their moribund programs. Frank Wilson is making waves at UTSA.

This conference is making impressive hires and grabbing headlines. Meanwhile, Holtz is waiting his turn in the C-USA spotlight despite 27 wins, three bowl titles, and two division titles in three years.

Of course, it would help if he could get both sides of the ball fully functioning at once. The offense has been on a steady ascent, moving from 46th in Off. S&P+ in 2014 to 30th in 2015 and 11th in 2016. Meanwhile, the defense has plummeted. From its No. 35 peak in 2014, it fell to 80th, then 113th.

The offense doesn’t have much more room to rise, and the defense doesn’t have much more room to fall. Which unit regresses (or progresses) to the mean more in 2017?

The time for Holtz and Tech to pounce is now. WKU should still be strong but has a potential reset with a new head coach. MTSU might have the best mid-major one-two punch in the country but has defensive questions. Southern Miss is as volatile as ever. ODU might not have a quarterback. UTSA hasn’t completely risen yet. FAU and FIU are just starting out. Marshall is attempting a rebound.

Conference USA is there for the taking. Can Tech take it?

2016 in review

2016 Louisiana Tech statistical profile.

Louisiana Tech was a well-rounded, dominant force for about half the season and a walking shootout for the other half. That made for plenty of crazy games but also a feeling of missed opportunity.

First four games (1-3) — Avg. score: LT 38, Opp 36 | Avg. percentile performance: 42% (~top 75) | Yards per play: LT 7.2, Opp 6.1

Next seven games (7-0) — Avg. score: LT 50, Opp 27 | Avg. percentile performance: 74% (~top 35) | Yards per play: LT 8.4, Opp 5.0

Last three games (1-2) — Avg. score: Opp 47, LT 39 | Avg. percentile performance: 28% (~top 90) | Yards per play: Opp 7.3, LT 6.1

The national average for yards per play hovered in the 5.8 range, but in only two games did Tech average under 6.4. This was a dynamic, ridiculous, consistent offense that had a high cruising altitude and a stratospheric peak.

The problem was that the defense was more like a supernova. It began with an excellent performance against Arkansas and manhandled middling C-USA offenses. But it also got lit up by any passing game with a pulse. Texas Tech averaged 8.4 yards per play and scored 59 points. MTSU: 7 yards per play and 38 points. WKU in two games: 7.5 yards per play and 110 points.

Despite a decent pass rush and a secondary loaded with upperclassmen, the Tech pass defense was woefully inefficient, and the defense bent too much to be considered a bend-don’t-break unit. And it distracted us from how incredible this offense was.

The offense now replaces a 4,600-yard passer and two NFL-caliber receivers.

Offense

Full advanced stats glossary.

It’s hard to find something Louisiana Tech’s offense wasn’t really damn good at, so let’s start with this: What did Southern Miss and Arkansas do? The Golden Eagles and Razorbacks were the only two defenses to even marginally control the attack. What stood out about those two?

For Arkansas, the answer was easy: avoid Ryan Higgins. Louisiana Tech’s quarterback was arrested on charges of DWI and speeding in early August, and redshirt freshman J’Mar Smith got his first career start in Fayetteville. He wasn’t awful; he threw a pick and took three sacks. But he also completed 19 of 31 passes for 212 yards and rushed six times for 30 yards.

Once Higgins returned the next week, the offense was almost untouchable. But Southern Miss was able to do the other thing that could slow the Bulldogs down: stop the run. The Tech run game was far more efficient than explosive, though that went for the offense as a whole.

Southern Miss held Jarred Craft and Boston Scott to 23 yards on 12 carries, rendering Tech one-dimensional and forcing occasional mistakes from Higgins. He threw for 246 yards but completed three passes to Golden Eagle defenders. USM took a 39-17 lead and cruised.

That only two of 14 opponents could slow Tech down was impressive. But the way those two did it has to be a little disconcerting heading into 2017.

Higgins and star receivers Trent Taylor and Carlos Henderson (combined: 306 targets, 219 catches, 3,354 yards, and 31 touchdowns — yes, this is just from last year, not their entire careers) were absurdly productive, and now they’re gone. That puts a lot of pressure on both Smith and the run game.

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Jarred Craft

Of course, if there’s one thing Holtz and Tech have proved, it’s that they can handle turnover on offense. Following 2014’s breakthrough, the Bulldogs had to replace 3,400-yard passer Cody Sokol and an all-conference tackle. They improved.

Following 2015, they had to replace quarterback Jeff Driskel, all-world playmaker Kenneth Dixon, and coordinator Tony Petersen. They improved.

So who’s next, then? Even if there’s a step backward in 2017, we should probably assume that second-year coordinator Todd Fitch will have some toys. Who will that be?

J’Mar Smith wasn’t asked to do much after the season opener, but he did complete 61 percent of his passes in an SEC stadium in his debut, and he is a former star recruit. He might be ready for big-time play. And if he is, that’s great news. After three straight years of starting a senior quarterback, Smith could provide some continuity if he sticks. [Update: He better be, because backups Price Wilson and Jack Abraham have since transferred.]

Boston Scott. I said the Tech game was grounded in efficiency, but that’s senior Craft’s doing. The 213-pounder averaged 5.6 yards per carry but didn’t bring much efficiency. Scott, on the other hand, is electric. Over the last two seasons, the 5’6 mighty mite has rushed 104 times for 790 yards. We don’t know how much of a load he can carry, but the absence of Taylor and Henderson might force Fitch to get creative in getting him the ball more while still feeding Craft.

Teddy Veal and Adrian Hardy. Veal, a former Tulane star recruit from Bridge City (La.), transferred when Curtis Johnson was fired. He caught 88 passes and scored six times in two years for an otherwise destitute Tulane offense, and in terms of athleticism, he’s got all you’re looking for. Hardy signed with Oklahoma and is one of the taller players in an otherwise short-but-speedy receiving corps. Star freshman Jaiden Cole might merit a mention, too.

Alfred Smith, Kam McKnight, and Rhashid Bonnette. This trio of 2016 backups produced when given the opportunity. They combined for 90 targets, 53 catches, 696 yards, and four touchdowns, and they’re all former mid-three-star recruits. At least one will likely produce breakout numbers.

Jaqwis Dancy. Actually, I have no idea what Dancy might contribute this year, but the three-star sophomore kicked cancer’s ass this offseason, and I felt that was worth mentioning.

It’s hard to worry about the skill positions, both because of the obvious potential and because of Louisiana Tech’s recent history. But if something does slow the Bulldogs down more than expected, it might be the line. Two starters return, including mammoth all-conference guard O’Shea Dugas, but two more all-conference guys (tackle Darrell Brown, center Joseph Brunson) are gone.

Of all the names I just mentioned, by the way, only Craft and Scott are seniors. The 2017 offense might take a step back; the 2018 offense should be ridiculous.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Teddy Veal

Defense

The Tech offense has seamlessly replaced star quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, and coaches with equally functional pieces. The defense hasn’t quite had that same luxury. In 2014, new coordinator Manny Diaz inherited an experienced, hungry front seven and utilized it perfectly. Tech improved 74 spots in Def. S&P+ in a single season and exploded after an iffy September.

A 2015 unit that had to replace Diaz, the top three linebackers, and four of the top six linemen struggled. And in 2016, Tech double-dipped. The top two linemen, top three linebackers, and three of four defensive backs again had to be replaced, and the new batch wasn’t ready.

The run defense was decent. Tech was a bit too flexible near the line but gave up only 13 rushes of 20-plus yards (19th in FBS).

The pass defense bombed. The Bulldogs allowed a 65 percent completion rate, and while you can get by with inefficiency if you’re preventing big plays, Tech allowed 58 passes of 20-plus yards; only three teams allowed more.

Granted, the linebacking corps has to reload, having lost three of last year’s top four. But the Bulldog defense boasts more continuity than it has since 2014, and there are experienced playmakers at every level. These playmakers were all a part of last year’s defense, but continuity and experience can be quite the panacea.

As always seems to be the case, Tech is loaded at end. Jaylon Ferguson is maybe the conference’s best pass rusher; he had 14.5 sacks last year and forced four fumbles, and among senior Deldrick Canty, sophomore Eric Kendzior, and redshirt freshman (and former star recruit) Willie Baker, he should always have a scary complement. Meanwhile, though the tackle position isn’t blessed with as much girth as in years past, a trio of juniors (Jordan Bradford, Cedric Johnson, Keonatye Garner) should provide quality.

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Deldrick Canty

At the back, we don’t know about big-play prevention, but we know Tech has a play-maker in senior Secdrick Cooper. He had 6.5 tackles for loss and seven breakups last year. Coordinator Blake Baker seems torn between aggression and bend-don’t-break principles — Tech was better at big-play prevention (at least, with the ground game) than anything else last year, but Tech defensive backs recorded 10 sacks, which is as much as you’ll ever see. Regardless, Cooper’s fun to watch, and senior safety DaMarion King could be ready to a nice step forward in his second post-JUCO season.

Perhaps the most important player: cornerback Ephraim Kitchen. The junior combined 4.5 TFLs with four breakups in just eight games last year, but in two seasons he’s been unable to stay on the field. Most of Tech’s best defensive performances — the Arkansas game, plus the midseason surge of quality — happened with him on the field. Most of the horrendous performances (Texas Tech, MTSU, the WKU games, Navy) took place with him on the sideline.

Sean Pokorny-USA TODAY Sports

Ephraim Kitchen

Special Teams

Kicker Jonathan Barnes was asked to attempt a lot of longer field goals and went 9-for-12 on kicks of 40-plus. The best-case scenario is that he is asked to attempt fewer field goals because the Tech offense is scoring touchdowns; regardless, he appears to have one of the C-USA’s better legs.

With Barnes, Tech’s unit should be decent. But as much as it hurts to lose Trent Taylor and Carlos Henderson from the offense, it hurts almost as much in special teams. Neither were incredibly efficient, but they were all sorts of explosive. Henderson averaged 32 yards per kick return with two scores, and Taylor averaged 10.5 yards per punt return. They set the bar high.

2017 outlook

2017 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 2-Sep Northwestern State NR 36.5 98% 9-Sep Mississippi State 30 -11.5 25% 16-Sep at Western Kentucky 51 -12.0 24% 23-Sep at South Carolina 36 -14.7 20% 30-Sep South Alabama 108 8.4 69% 7-Oct at UAB 130 20.3 88% 21-Oct Southern Miss 84 2.8 56% 28-Oct at Rice 120 6.4 64% 4-Nov North Texas 106 8.2 68% 11-Nov Florida Atlantic 99 6.1 64% 18-Nov at UTEP 126 8.9 70% 25-Nov UTSA 91 4.3 60%

Projected S&P+ Rk 82 Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 48 / 114 Projected wins 7.1 Five-Year S&P+ Rk 2.8 (59) 2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 89 / 86 2016 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* 1 / -3.3 2016 TO Luck/Game +1.5 Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 43% (26%, 59%) 2016 Second-order wins (difference) 9.6 (-0.6)

This season could go in quite a few different directions. It’s easy to assume regression for the offense and progress for the defense, but the amount of each could make the difference between a six-win season and a long-awaited Conference USA title.

I’m optimistic. The defense finally has a little continuity, and if Ephraim Kitchen is able to stay on the field, the secondary should boast stability. And while it will be hard to maintain last year’s offensive pace, I would be surprised if the Tech offense fell out of the Off. S&P+ top 40.

The schedule takes shape like last year’s. With games against Mississippi State and South Carolina sandwiching a trip to WKU, it’s possible that even a strong Tech team begins 1-3. But even while projecting the Bulldogs a pessimistic 82nd overall, S&P+ forecasts them as favorites in each of their final eight games. The top two other C-USA West contenders — Southern Miss (October 21), UTSA (November 25) — have to come to Ruston.

C-USA is getting its act together. If Holtz is going to steal his moment, it might have to come in 2017 or 2018, and I think his odds are solid.

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[junker-town]

Is Louisiana Tech football done being overlooked in 2017?

Skip Holtz’s Bulldogs have been the bridesmaids, and now plenty of other programs are getting more attention.

Back when I was in junior high, I was in one of those Saturday bowling leagues in my small Oklahoma home town. I wasn’t amazing, but I was good enough to finish second overall, post the second-best single-game high, and roll the second-highest number of strikes. My team finished second.

In all, including teams, newcomers, etc., probably about 10 or 12 kids got trophies. I did not get one, as I didn’t finish first in any one category.

I like to pretend I’ve moved on from this disappointment. It would be embarrassing to admit that I’m still a little bit miffed.

I’m not going to say Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz feels my bowling runner-up’s pain, but one has to figure he’s tired of waiting his turn.

In 2014, after a 4-8 debut in Ruston, he and his Bulldogs stormed to nine wins and a C-USA West title. Tech came three points short of a dominant Marshall and settled for a 17-point thwacking of Illinois in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

In 2015, the Bulldogs' comeback got overpowered by an even bigger comeback when Southern Miss surged to nine wins and, with a knockout in Ruston on Thanksgiving weekend, stole the West title. Tech settled for a 19-point win over Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl.

In 2016, the Bulldogs began 1-3 but ripped off seven straight wins to take the division, beating a fantastic Western Kentucky in the process. But they lost at WKU in the C-USA title game and had to settle for a thrilling, 48-45 win over Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl.

WKU's Jeff Brohm got hired away by Purdue, and Southern Miss' Jeff Monken left for the NFL. FAU and FIU made headlines by hiring headliners Lane Kiffin and Butch Davis to run their moribund programs. Frank Wilson is making waves at UTSA.

This conference is making impressive hires and grabbing headlines. Meanwhile, Holtz is waiting his turn in the C-USA spotlight despite 27 wins, three bowl titles, and two division titles in three years.

Of course, it would help if he could get both sides of the ball fully functioning at once. The offense has been on a steady ascent, moving from 46th in Off. S&P+ in 2014 to 30th in 2015 and 11th in 2016. Meanwhile, the defense has plummeted. From its No. 35 peak in 2014, it fell to 80th, then 113th.

The offense doesn’t have much more room to rise, and the defense doesn’t have much more room to fall. Which unit regresses (or progresses) to the mean more in 2017?

The time for Holtz and Tech to pounce is now. WKU should still be strong but has a potential reset with a new head coach. MTSU might have the best mid-major 1-2 punch in the country but has defensive questions. Southern Miss is as volatile as ever. ODU might not have a quarterback. UTSA hasn’t completely risen yet. FAU and FIU are just starting out. Marshall is attempting a rebound.

Conference USA is there for the taking. Can Tech take it?

2016 in review

2016 Louisiana Tech statistical profile.

Louisiana Tech was a well-rounded, dominant force for about half the season and a walking shootout for the other half. That made for plenty of crazy games, but also a feeling of missed opportunity.

First 4 games (1-3) — Avg. score: LT 38, Opp 36 | Avg. percentile performance: 42% (~top 75) | Yards per play: LT 7.2, Opp 6.1

Next 7 games (7-0) — Avg. score: LT 50, Opp 27 | Avg. percentile performance: 74% (~top 35) | Yards per play: LT 8.4, Opp 5.0

Last 3 games (1-2) — Avg. score: Opp 47, LT 39 | Avg. percentile performance: 28% (~top 90) | Yards per play: Opp 7.3, LT 6.1

The national average for yards per play hovered in the 5.8 range, but in only two games did Tech average under 6.4. This was a dynamic, ridiculous, consistent offense that had a high cruising altitude and a stratospheric peak.

The problem was that the defense was more like a supernova. It began with an excellent performance against Arkansas and manhandled middling C-USA offenses. But it also got lit up by any passing game with a pulse. Texas Tech averaged 8.4 yards per play and scored 59 points. MTSU: 7 yards per play and 38 points. WKU in two games: 7.5 yards per play and 110 points.

Despite a decent pass rush and a secondary loaded with upperclassmen, the Tech pass defense was woefully inefficient, and the defense bent too much to be considered a bend-don’t-break unit. And it distracted us from how incredible this offense was.

The offense now replaces a 4,600-yard passer and two NFL-caliber receivers.

Offense

Full advanced stats glossary.

It’s hard to find something Louisiana Tech’s offense wasn’t really damn good at, so let’s start with this: What did Southern Miss and Arkansas do? The Golden Eagles and Razorbacks were the only two defenses to even marginally control the attack. What stood out about those two?

For Arkansas, the answer was easy: avoid Ryan Higgins. Louisiana Tech’s quarterback was arrested on charges of DWI and speeding in early August, and redshirt freshman J’Mar Smith got his first career start in Fayetteville. He wasn’t awful; he threw a pick and took three sacks, but he also completed 19 of 31 passes for 212 yards and rushed six times for 30 yards.

Once Higgins returned the next week, the offense was almost untouchable. But Southern Miss was able to do the other thing that could slow the Bulldogs down: stop the run. The Tech run game was far more efficient than explosive, though that went for the offense as a whole.

Southern Miss held Jarred Craft and Boston Scott to 23 yards on 12 carries, rendering Tech one-dimensional and forcing occasional mistakes from Higgins. He threw for 246 yards but completed three passes to Golden Eagle defenders. USM took a 39-17 lead and cruised.

That only two of 14 opponents could slow Tech down was impressive. But the way those two did it has to be a little disconcerting, heading into 2017.

Higgins and star receivers Trent Taylor and Carlos Henderson (combined: 306 targets, 219 catches, 3,354 yards, and 31 touchdowns — yes, this is just from last year, not their entire careers) were absurdly productive, and now they’re gone. That puts a lot of pressure on both Smith and the run game.

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Jarred Craft

Of course, if there’s one thing Holtz and Tech have proved, it’s that they can handle turnover on offense. Following 2014’s breakthrough, the Bulldogs had to replace 3,400-yard passer Cody Sokol and an all-conference tackle. They improved.

Following 2015, they had to replace quarterback Jeff Driskel, all-world play-maker Kenneth Dixon, and coordinator Tony Petersen. They improved.

So who’s next, then? Even if there’s a step backward in 2017, we should probably assume that second-year coordinator Todd Fitch will have some toys. Who will that be?

J’Mar Smith wasn’t asked to do much after the season opener, but he did complete 61 percent of his passes in an SEC stadium in his debut, and he is a former star recruit. He might be ready for big-time play. And if he is, that’s great news. After three straight years of starting a senior quarterback, Smith could provide some continuity if he sticks.

Boston Scott. I said the Tech game was grounded in efficiency, but that’s senior Jarred Craft’s doing. The 213-pounder averaged 5.6 yards per carry but didn’t bring much efficiency. Scott, on the other hand, is electric. Over the last two seasons, the 5’6 mighty mite has rushed 104 times for 790 yards. We don’t know how much of a load he can carry, but the absence of Taylor and Henderson might force Fitch to get creative in getting him the ball more while still feeding Craft.

Teddy Veal and Adrian Hardy. Veal, a former Tulane star recruit from Bridge City (La.), transferred when Curtis Williams was fired. He caught 88 passes and scored six times in two years for an otherwise destitute Tulane offense, and in terms of athleticism, he’s got all you’re looking for. Hardy signed with Oklahoma and is one of the taller players in an otherwise short-but-speedy receiving corps. Star freshman Jaiden Cole might merit a mention, too.

Alfred Smith, Kam McKnight, and Rhashid Bonnette. This trio of 2016 backups produced when given the opportunity. They combined for 90 targets, 53 catches, 696 yards, and four touchdowns, and they’re all former mid-three-star recruits. At least one will likely produce breakout numbers.

Jaqwis Dancy. Actually, I have no idea what Dancy might contribute this year, but the three-star sophomore kicked cancer’s ass this offseason, and I felt that was worth mentioning.

It’s hard to worry about the skill positions, both because of the obvious potential and because of Louisiana Tech’s recent history. But if something does slow the Bulldogs down more than expected, it might be the line. Two starters return, including mammoth all-conference guard O’Shea Dugas, but two more all-conference guys (tackle Darrell Brown, center Joseph Brunson) are gone.

Of all the names I just mentioned, by the way, only Craft and Scott are seniors. The 2017 offense might take a step back; the 2018 offense should be ridiculous.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Teddy Veal

Defense

The Tech offense has seamlessly replaced star quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, and coaches with equally functional pieces. The defense hasn’t quite had that same luxury. In 2014, new coordinator Manny Diaz inherited an experienced, hungry front seven and utilized it perfectly. Tech improved 74 spots in Def. S&P+ in a single season and exploded after an iffy September.

A 2015 unit that had to replace Diaz, the top three linebackers, and and four of the top six linemen struggled. And in 2016, Tech double-dipped. The top two linemen, top three linebackers, and three of four defensive backs again had to be replaced, and the new batch wasn’t ready.

The run defense was decent. Tech was a bit too flexible near the line but gave up only 13 rushes of 20-plus yards (19th in FBS).

The pass defense bombed. The Bulldogs allowed a 65 percent completion rate, and while you can get by with inefficiency if you’re preventing big plays, Tech allowed 58 passes of 20-plus yards; only three teams allowed more.

Granted, the linebacking corps has to reload, having lost three of last year’s top four. But the Bulldog defense boasts more continuity than it has since 2014, and there are experienced play-makers at every level. These play-makers were all a part of last year’s defense, but continuity and experience can be quite the panacea.

As always seems to be the case, Tech is loaded at end. Jaylon Ferguson is maybe the conference’s best pass rusher; he had 14.5 sacks last year and forced four fumbles, and between senior Deldrick Canty, sophomore Eric Kendzior, and redshirt freshman (and former star recruit) Willie Baker, he should always have a scary complement. Meanwhile, though the tackle position isn’t blessed with as much girth as in years past, a trio of juniors (Jordan Bradford, Cedric Johnson, Keonatye Garner) should provide quality.

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Deldrick Canty

At the back, we don’t know about big-play prevention, but we know Tech has a play-maker in senior Secdrick Cooper. He had 6.5 tackles for loss and seven breakups last year. Coordinator Blake Baker seems torn between aggression and bend-don’t-break principles — Tech was better at big-play prevention (at least, with the ground game) than anything else last year, but Tech defensive backs recorded 10 sacks, which is as much as you’ll ever see. Regardless, Cooper’s fun to watch, and senior safety DaMarion King could be ready to a nice step forward in his second post-JUCO season.

Perhaps the most important player: cornerback Ephraim Kitchen. The junior combined 4.5 TFLs with four breakups in just eight games last year, but in two seasons he’s been unable to stay on the field. Most of Tech’s best defensive performances — the Arkansas game, plus the midseason surge of quality — happened with him on the field. Most of the horrendous performances (Texas Tech, MTSU, the WKU games, Navy) took place with him on the sideline.

Sean Pokorny-USA TODAY Sports

Ephraim Kitchen

Special Teams

Kicker Jonathan Barnes was asked to attempt a lot of longer field goals and went 9-for-12 on kicks of 40-plus. The best-case scenario is that he is asked to attempt fewer field goals because the Tech offense is scoring touchdowns; regardless, he appears to have one of the C-USA’s better legs.

With Barnes, Tech’s unit should be decent. But as much as it hurts to lose Trent Taylor and Carlos Henderson from the offense, it hurts almost as much in special teams. Neither were incredibly efficient, but they were all sorts of explosive. Henderson averaged 32 yards per kick return with two scores, and Taylor averaged 10.5 yards per punt return. They set the bar high

2017 outlook

2017 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 2-Sep Northwestern State NR 36.5 98% 9-Sep Mississippi State 30 -11.5 25% 16-Sep at Western Kentucky 51 -12.0 24% 23-Sep at South Carolina 36 -14.7 20% 30-Sep South Alabama 108 8.4 69% 7-Oct at UAB 130 20.3 88% 21-Oct Southern Miss 84 2.8 56% 28-Oct at Rice 120 6.4 64% 4-Nov North Texas 106 8.2 68% 11-Nov Florida Atlantic 99 6.1 64% 18-Nov at UTEP 126 8.9 70% 25-Nov UTSA 91 4.3 60%

Projected S&P+ Rk 82 Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 48 / 114 Projected wins 7.1 Five-Year S&P+ Rk 2.8 (59) 2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 89 / 86 2016 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* 1 / -3.3 2016 TO Luck/Game +1.5 Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 43% (26%, 59%) 2016 Second-order wins (difference) 9.6 (-0.6)

This season could go in quite a few different directions. It’s easy to assume regression for the offense and progress for the defense, but the amount of each could make the difference between a six-win season and a long-awaited Conference USA title.

I’m optimistic. The defense finally has a little continuity, and if Ephraim Kitchen is able to stay on the field, the secondary should boast stability. And while it will be hard to maintain last year’s offensive pace, I would be surprised if the Tech offense fell out of the Off. S&P+ top 40.

The schedule takes shape like last year’s. With games against Mississippi State and South Carolina sandwiching a trip to WKU, it’s possible that even a strong Tech team begins 1-3. But even while projecting the Bulldogs a pessimistic 82nd overall, S&P+ forecasts them as favorites in each of their final eight games. The top two other C-USA West contenders — Southern Miss (October 21), UTSA (November 25) — have to come to Ruston.

C-USA is getting its act together. If Holtz is going to steal his moment, it might have to come in 2017 or 2018, and I think his odds are solid.

Team preview stats

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