#sure 6 games totally are a full measure of a season's success

[trilliath]

Sidney Crosby isn’t a top 10 center in the NHL anymore, let alone top 20. Five points in six games is embarrassing when his peers have 10+ points and are point per game. Don’t forget that he hasn’t scored a goal yet and he will surely finish with below 60 points at this rate.

You must be new to hockey.

[thepatriotsandwe]

Best Patriots Drafted By Round Since 2008

The NFL draft is nearly upon us, and at times it can be difficult to fully invest oneself in the results of the draft with the almost random nature of NFL prospects. For this reason, we’re going to be taking a look at the best players selected by round since the 2008 NFL draft. While this seems to be an arbitrary cut off point, it’s the latest round that still contained Patriot players that have had a recent impact on team success. With that being said, let’s dig into:

Round 1

Devin McCourty - Cornerback - Rutgers

2010 NFL Draft - Round 1 - Pick 27

The Patriots have had success on many occasions in the first round during this time frame, but there is no larger success story than Devin McCourty. Originally drafted as a cornerback, McCourty won AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors with seven interceptions on the season. However, after a tumultuous Sophomore campaign, he was moved to the safety position and has since become one of the best in the league. 

McCourty, according to his NFL.com draft profile, was expected to mostly make an impact on special teams and the nickel corner position, but quickly emerged as one of the more talented players on the Patriots defense. There are few Patriots that have had more of an impact on the defensive side of the ball in recent years than McCourty as the Pats have largely shut down deep ball attacks due to his ability to close ground quickly. 

Not to be overshadowed by Devin’s play on the field, he has emerged as a true leader and a veteran presence on a team with high turnover. Named a captain rather quickly into his career, McCourty embodies the Patriots organization in many ways and has become a perennial Patriot. The argument can be made for other big names drafted in the first round such as Dont’a Hightower and Nate Solder, but it is McCourty’s durability (at most, McCourty has missed two games in a season since entering the league) that simply puts him a notch above every other recent first round pick.

Honorable Mentions: Dont’a Hightower, Nate Solder, Jerod Mayo

Round 2 

Rob Gronkowski - Tight End - Arizona

2010 NFL Draft - Round 2 - Pick 42

Well, what exactly did you expect? There’s not much I can say about Gronkowski that hasn’t been said a million times before. He’s, when healthy, the most dominant player at his position in NFL history. He nearly cannot be covered and will make a big play at some point during the game. As the saying goes, you cannot hope to stop him, you can merely contain him.

His NFL.com draft profile is rather spot on in most respects. He exited college as a very productive player that’s size proved incredibly difficult to handle, but his durability was called into question as he missed his entire season year with back surgery. This durability is largely a reason why he fell into the second round to begin with, but it’s still a bit curious how someone with the measurables like Gronk was put in that position.

Despite the tension between him and Belichick this offseason, Gronk has also emerged as a team captain for the Patriots, and it’s hard to argue that anyone else drafted in this time frame has made more of an impact for the Pats than he has. He’s a total freak of nature, and absolutely the best Patriots second round player in the history of the franchise.

Honorable Mentions: Patrick Chung, Jamie Collins, Jimmy Garoppolo

Round 3

Logan Ryan - Cornerback - Rutgers

2013 NFL Draft - Round 3 - Pick 83

The fact that Logan Ryan is the selection here should be rather telling of the Patriots ability to draft in the third round. Logan Ryan can best be described as a “solid” player during his time in New England. He played well enough to elevate himself to the #2 corner position behind Malcolm Butler and was instrumental in the Patriots 2016 title run. 

His physical ability attracted the Patriots to Ryan as he was a sure-handed tackler in college. Honestly, it may be the college he attended that Belichick found the most intriguing as Bill’s obsession with the University of Rutgers was at a full fever pitch during this time frame. Three of the Patriots secondary members were from Rutgers (McCourty, Harmon, and Ryan) during Ryan’s tenure with the Pats, and Harmon was selected mere picks after Ryan was. Regardless, Logan Ryan was considered a solid selection in terms of value in the round the Pats selected him.

While the argument could be had for Duron Harmon taking this spot, Harmon being a backup safety led to Ryan having a more down-to-down impact on the team during his stint. Harmon is assuredly the more flashy playmaker (earning himself the nickname “The Closer” as a result of his game clinching interceptions), but at the end of the day Ryan had more to do with the weekly success of the organization.

Honorable Mentions: Duron Harmon, Joe Thuney, Stevan Ridley

Round 4

James White - Running Back - Wisconsin

2014 NFL Draft - Round 4 - Pick 130

The hero of Super Bowl 51 is the best Patriot drafted in the fourth round in the past decade. James White, as described by Martellus Bennett in his fantastic illustration, is the ultimate Swiss-Army knife of the Patriots roster. Clutch, durable, and multi-talented, White is the quintessential New England Patriot.

White was considered a reach by many scouts. He was given a 7th round, potentially undrafted grade by NFL.com. His time at Wisconsin was behind one of the better offensive lines in the NCAA, and he split carries with a few other running backs at the university which did not give him a tremendous amount of time to show off what he was capable of. This coupled with a smaller frame meant White was a bit of a question mark coming out of college.

One could compare James to an ex-Patriots legend, Kevin Faulk. Both were capable of running the ball, taking care to not turn it over, being outstanding pass catchers, and fighting tooth and nail for every yard. While there a couple huge success stories in the last ten years for the Pats drafting in the fourth round, it’s tough to say anyone has had more of an impact than the hero of the Super Bowl himself, James White.

Honorable Mentions: Trey Flowers, Shaq Mason.

Round 5

Matthew Slater - Wide Receiver/Special Teams Gunner - UCLA

2008 NFL Draft - Round 5 - Pick 153

With the third longest active tenure as a New England Patriot, Matthew Slater has been a stalwart example of what it means to play for the top organization in the National Football League. He has long embodied the Patriot Way, and his attitude while playing for the team has him as one of the few New England players that seem to be “lifers” in that it’s nearly impossible to envision Slater in another uniform. His leadership is one of his biggest assets, but his play on special teams has elected him to seven pro bowls in nine years.

Slater was a known quantity coming out of UCLA. Scouts agreed that his impact on offense was likely to be non-existent with some potential to play as a slot receiver, but if Slater were to be drafted it would be for his outstanding special teams play. Belichick, being one of the coaches most outspoken on importance of special teams, nabbed Slater in the fifth round and the rest has been history.

It’s difficult to quantify in statistics why Slater is such an important member of the Pats, but he has orchestrated the kickoff and punt units as a captain for many years in a New England uniform and has consistently made an impact on an important phase of the game. His locker room presence also cannot be left out, as he’s one of the most respected players in New England by players and coaching staff alike.

Honorable Mention: Marcus Cannon

Round 6

Nate Ebner - Safety/Special Teams - Ohio State

2012 NFL Draft - Round 6 - Pick 197

Yeah, it’s been a slow sixth round for the past ten years. Ebner has been a great special teams player, and a long time Patriot, but this shows the Pats lack of success in the late round more than anything. If this list were extending to Belichick’s entire coaching career with the Patriots, there may be another 6th round pick (and just two selections later than Ebner) that could be considered here, but as it stands Ebner is the best of the bunch.

Largely known as a rugby player, Ebner entered the NFL draft with no fanfare, and a large contingent of people hadn’t really ever heard of him. So much so that Ebner actually does not possess an NFL.com draft profile. It’s likely that Nate would have gone undrafted and potentially never made in the NFL without Belichick taking a chance on the Ohio State project late in the 2012 draft,but it has panned out quite well for the special teams unit of the Patriots.

His athleticism has allowed the Patriots to create some trickery on punt situations (recently shown during the fake punt against the Dolphins this prior season), but Ebner has not been able to play any meaningful snaps at the safety position. He’s not terrible bothered by it, however, as Nate has made it clear multiple times that he thrives on special teams play and self-professes that he might have “a couple screws loose.” He’s no Tom Brady, but he’s a decent draft success in a round in which the Patriots haven’t had many in the past decade.

Honorable Mention: Elandon Roberts

Round 7

Julian Edelman - Quarterback/Wide Receiver - Kent State

2009 NFL Draft - Round 7 - Pick 23

As if there was any doubt. There are few more inspiring draft stories than that of Julian Edelman. He emerged as the next great slot receiver in a lineage that includes the greatest slot receiver of all time, Wes Welker. While Welker was undrafted, Edelman was a quarterback in college and was largely expected to be a playmaker on special teams in the NFL. His work ethic and fierce determination have formed him into what he is today, one of the top wide receivers in the league.

Despite being a successful college quarterback, Edelman was largely asked to try out at wide receiver in the run-up to the 2009 NFL draft. While his experience was lacking at the position, good measurables and shows of athleticism put him on a couple teams radars. Despite this, Edelman nearly went undrafted before the Patriots snagged him late in the seventh round. 

In terms of pure value, it’s tough to think of a Patriot player not named Tom Brady drafted by the Patriots in the 6th-7th rounds under Belichick that provides a higher return-on-investment. Julian is an absolute standout player who has made his presence known as a hero on the grandest of stages twice in his career, propelling the Patriots to two Super Bowl victories (and arguably the true MVP of Super Bowl 49). If Patriots fans are still feeling down about the conclusion of the previous season, it doesn’t take more than the prospect of Edelman returning to drive hype for the upcoming 2018 campaign.

Honorable Mention: Alfonzo Dennard

And that’s that, hopefully this has proven illuminating at how talent can come and impact a team from any round. The Patriots have built the success that they have enjoyed in large part to draft success stories that have come manifest in a number of players we couldn’t imagine the team without today. Any given player taken by the Pats can turn out to be the next Devin McCourty or Julian Edelman, and that’s truly what makes the draft so exciting. With a large catalog of high picks in the draft next week, the Patriots will be looking to bring in new faces, new fan favorites, and, hopefully, new Super Bowl heroes.

Go Pats.

[asfeedin]

Revisiting Major League Baseball’s 1987 MVP Races

ST. LOUIS, MO – CIRCA 1985: Ozzie Smith #1 of the St. Louis Cardinals runs the bases during a Major … [+] League Baseball game circa 1985 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. Smith played for the Cardinals from 1982-96. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Most of baseball’s timeless rules and tradition have expired in the 21st century, as anyone who has watched a game or 10 from the 1980s or 1990s during isolation can confirm. Seriously, teams used to bunt all the time, often during playoff games that were often played during the day and could be viewed in less time than it would eventually take to watch The Irishman. (Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, one of the greatest and tensest games ever played, started at 7:38 PM EST, went 10 innings and lasted three hours and 23 minutes, meaning you probably got to see some or all of your late local news, speaking of something timeless and traditional that is less timeless and traditional today)

But one timeless rule and tradition remains intact: The summer in which you were 13 was the best summer for baseball ever.

This is particularly true if you were 13 in the summer of 1987. (Sorry, everyone else born before or after the 1973-74 nexus, you’re wrong) Baseball cards were as plentiful as they were going to be profitable (didn’t quite work out that way). The ball was juiced and everyone hit homers (we liked it more as kids than we do as adults).

And the game was loaded — we mean, absolutely LOADED — with superstars. This, of course, is true of any era, and kids who were 13 last summer get to tell everyone for the rest of time how they got to watch Mike Trout as a teenager, which is admittedly pretty great.

But, again, kids, you’re wrong, and get off our lawn, because the summer of 1987 was the best time to be a teenaged baseball fan. A whopping 36 Hall of Famers suited up in the summer of 1987 (and Bruce Sutter sat out the season with an injury). This total does not yet count Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who may have been the greatest hitter and greatest pitcher to ever perform on a big league diamond.

The awards balloting underscores just how deep the phenomenal talent ran. Eleven future Hall of Famers received a vote in the Most Valuable Player balloting. So did another nine players who either once seemed destined for Cooperstown or at least built compelling candidacies.

Thirty-three years later, in a spring (and quite possibly a summer and a fall) without baseball, the memories of the season, and the debates over who did win the awards and who should have, are as strong as ever. So what better way to pass the time as we wait for the return of the national pastime than by doing so by comparing the 1987 MVP candidates by both the stats used to evaluate them in real time as well as the stats we rely upon more in 2020?

1987 AL MVP VOTING

1.) George Bell (.308-47 HRs-134 RBIs-.957 OPS, 5.0 WAR)

2.) Alan Trammell (.343-28-105-21 SBs-.953-8.2 WAR)

3.) Kirby Puckett (.332-28-99-12 SBs-.900 OPS-4.2 WAR)

4.) Dwight Evans (.305-34-123-.986 OPS-4.8 WAR)

5.) Paul Molitor (.353-16-75-45 SBs-1.003 OPS-6.0 WAR)

6.) Mark McGwire (.289-49-118-.987 OPS-5.1 WAR)

7.) Don Mattingly (.327-30-115-.937 OPS-5.1 WAR)

8.) Tony Fernandez (.322-5-67-32 SBs-.805 OPS-5.1 WAR)

9.) Wade Boggs (.363-24-89-1.049 OPS-8.3 WAR)

10.) Gary Gaetti (.257-31-109-10 SBs-.788 OPS-2.4 WAR)

OTHER NOTABLES: 12.) Darrell Evans, 18.) Robin Yount; 19.) Roger Clemens; T20.) Jack Morris; T20.) Ruben Sierra; T23.) Jose Canseco

TORONTO – 1987: George Bell #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays swings at a pitch during a 1987 game at … [+] Exposition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Gray Mortimore/Getty Images)

Getty Images

REAL-TIME REACTION: This one was controversial as Bell (332 points) edged Trammell (311 points) for the MVP despite Trammell’s Tigers surging over the final week and beating out Bell’s Blue Jays for the AL East by sweeping the last series of the regular season. Trammell hit .417 with seven homers, 20 RBIs and six steals after Aug. 31, a span in which Bell hit .308 with six homers and 21 RBIs. But voters dug the long ball and the RBI (Bell finished second and first, respectively, in the categories). The balloting likely forced Trammell to wait at least a decade to punch his ticket to Cooperstown. An MVP to go along with his elite all-around production at shortstop almost surely would have removed any doubt from his candidacy during his time on the writer’s ballot.

HOW LOADED WAS THIS RACE? Holy moley, let us count the ways. Puckett, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, finished third. Molitor, another future first-ballot Hall of Famer, produced a 39-game hitting streak — the longest by an American League player since Joe DiMaggio’s record 56-game streak in 1941 and the longest by any player over the last four decades — and finished fifth. McGwire, the unanimous Rookie of the Year, shattered the rookie record for home runs and finished sixth. Mattingly hit a big league record six grand slams and tied the big league record by homering in seven straight games and finished seventh. Boggs, the third future first-ballot Hall of Famer in the top 10, hit a career-high 24 homers and led the AL in OPS and position player WAR and finished ninth. Darrell Evans, at age 40, finished with the second-most RBIs (99) and third-most homers (34) of his 21-year career and finished 12th. Clemens, with a season that was by many measures better than his MVP/Cy Young-award winning campaign a season earlier, finished 19th. Future Hall of Famer Morris tied for 20th with Sierra, who hit 30 homers and finished with 109 RBIs while leading the league in at-bats (643) at age 21 and turning his baseball card into a must-have investment for teenagers everywhere. Speaking of baseball card investments, Canseco, in his pre 40-40 season, finished tied for 23rd.

DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 13: Manager Paul Molitor #4 (L) of the Minnesota Twins poses for a photo … [+] with former Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Morris and former Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell (R) prior to the game between the Tigers and Twins at Comerica Park on September 13, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. The Twins defeated the Tigers 8-1. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

MLB Photos via Getty Images

IF WE DID THIS TODAY: Bell might not even finish in the top five. The decidedly one-dimensional Blue Jays outfielder ranked 10th amongst position players in WAR. Trammell’s late surge for a playoff team probably would have put him over the top. It’s hard not to see Boggs finishing in the top three, at the least, with that outrageous WAR and OPS. Knowing what we know know about the remarkable nature of Molitor’s hitting streak, he probably moves up despite playing just 118 games. And Clemens, with a far higher WAR in 1987 (9.4) than 1986 (8.8), probably finishes in the top five despite the Red Sox going 78-84.

1.) Trammell

2.) Boggs

3.) Molitor

4.) Bell

5.) Clemens

1987 NL MVP VOTING

1.) Andre Dawson (.287-49 HRs-137 RBIs-11 SBs-.896 OPS-4.0 WAR)

2.) Ozzie Smith (.303-0-75-43 SBs-.775 OPS-6.4 WAR)

3.) Jack Clark (.286-35-106-1.055 OPS-5.4 WAR)

4.) Tim Wallach (.298-26-123-.858 OPS-4.3 WAR)

5.) Will Clark (.308-35-91-.951 OPS-4.2 WAR)

6.) Darryl Strawberry (.284-39-104-36 SBs-.981 OPS-6.4 WAR)

7.) Tim Raines (.330-18-68-50 SBs-.955 OPS-6.7 WAR)

8.) Tony Gwynn (.370-7-54-56 SBs-.958 OPS-8.6 WAR)

9.) Eric Davis (.293-37-100-50 SBs-.991 OPS-7.9 WAR)

10.) Howard Johnson (.265-36-99-32 SBs-.868 OPS-4.4 WAR)

OTHER NOTABLES: 11.) Dale Murphy; 14.) Mike Schmidt

CHICAGO – 1987: Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs bats during an MLB game at Wrigley Field in … [+] Chicago, Illinois during the 1987 season. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Getty Images

REAL-TIME REACTION: Voters dug the long ball, the RBI and the narrative, understandably so. Dawson was frozen out on the free agent market by the colluding owners until he literally presented the Cubs with a blank check. They penciled in “$500,000” and were rewarded with an NL-leading 49 homers and 137 RBIs. Even performing for a last-place team wasn’t enough to keep Dawson from becoming the 21st straight player to win the MVP after leading his league in homers and RBIs. (The previous player to lead his league in homers and RBIs and not win the MVP was Ted Williams who won the Triple Crown in 1947 yet lost the MVP to Joe DiMaggio) In retrospect, it’s surprising this was as close as it was. Dawson (11 first place votes and 269 points overall) outpaced Smith (nine first place votes and 193 points overall) by a decent margin despite getting just two more first-place votes.

HOW LOADED WAS THIS RACE? Holy moley, squared. You thought the AL race was good? Four Hall of Famers had monster seasons — including Smith, who became the first player to finish with at least 75 RBIs and 6.0 WAR without a homer since 1906. Will Clark, in his first full season and with that gorgeous left-handed swing, became the first player age 23 or younger to hit at least .300 with 35 homers and 90 RBIs since Orlando Cepeda did it for the Giants in 1961. Raines missed the first month of the season due to collusion and barely slowed down after going 4-for-5 with an extra-inning grand slam in his debut against the Mets on May 2. He ended up setting career highs in homers and OPS despite the late start — and also won the All-Star Game MVP by breaking a scoreless tie with a two-run triple in the 13th inning. Only two players — Joe Morgan twice and Rickey Henderson once — ever stole at least 56 bases with a better success rate and a higher OPS than Gwynn, whose 82 walks were a career-high and his 35 strikeouts his second-highest single-season whiff total. And for all that, Raines and Gwynn finished seventh and eighth in the MVP balloting!

OAKLAND, CA – JULY 14: Tim Raines #30 of the Montreal Expos leads off first base as Mark McGwire #25 … [+] of the Oakland Athletics holds him on during the 58th Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 14, 1987, in Oakland California. (Photo by MLB via Getty Images) Local Caption *** Tim Raines;Mark McGwire

MLB via Getty Images

And have we mentioned the bottom half of the top 10 had THREE 30-30 players? It was the first season in which there were even TWO 30-30 players, and none of them finished in the top five, even though Strawberry and Johnson were playing for the defending World Series champions in the biggest media market in the land and even though Davis is the only player to ever finish with at least 35 homers and 50 stolen bases and spent part of 1987 as — I am not exaggerating here — the greatest player the game has ever seen. From June 11, 1986 through June 10, 1987, Davis hit .306 with 43 homers, 114 RBIs and 91 stolen bases in 147 games for an OPS of 1.025. Now, I’m getting a little creative, but this 12-month span demands it. Do you know how many players have stolen at least 90 bases and hit at least 10 homers in a season? Three. And none hit more than 12 (Harry Stovey in 1890). The only player to finish a full season with at least 90 steals and an OPS of higher than 1.025 was Billy Hamilton — not the current one, the one whose career ended in 1901. And for all that, Davis finished NINTH in the MVP balloting! (He did hit a mere .279 with 17 homers, 45 RBIs, 24 steals and a .912 OPS while missing 26 of the Reds’ final 104 games).

IF WE DID THIS TODAY: Forget possibly not finishing in the top five, a la Bell. Dawson would almost surely fall to sixth or lower. Figure Smith’s defensive wizardry and robust WAR for a division winner would put him over the top. Advanced metrics would be far kinder to Gwynn today, though the race for second would be tight with the Clarks, both of whom played for division winners while Gwynn played for the NL-worst Padres, who lost 97 games. And geez, who to pick for fifth between Raines’ mammoth five months and Davis’ historical stretch?

1.) Smith

2.) Jack Clark

3.) Gwynn

4.) Will Clark

5.) Davis

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Tags: 1987, Baseballs, league, Major, MVP, races, Revisiting

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[tsgdenvercolorado]

OUT & ABOUT WITH SCOUT | MARCH 2020

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Anyone else having Spring Fever?  I'm ready for longer days and all the exciting events going on in our TSG Community.

ALL MONTH LONG

REBEL: Scratch off and Save

Stop into Rebel and pick up your scratch-off card to be used for the month of March and save 15-25% off one item.

Rebel

5910 S University Blvd

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VISIONS WEST CONTEMPORARY: Current Exhibit: Beau Carey’s recent work Basin and Range

Beau Carey is a landscape and en plein air painter based in New Mexico. The work in Basin and Range look at landscapes as a series of repeated journeys. Each is made of the same mountain ranges repeated and flipped. Carey’s work becomes defined by time; painted with different light, from different angles, some with suns and moons shown in varying states of rising and setting. His work explores and subverts the typical traditions of Western landscape art. Finding new ways to paint landscapes of the West, while recognizing the history of globalism and the new environmental dangers these landscapes face today. Inspired by John McPhee’s geological travel novel by the same name, Carey’s Basin and Range becomes a beautiful journey through time depicting a new perspective on the landscapes of the West.

Visions West Contemporary

2605 Walnut St

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THRIVE Lifestyle Solutions: Date Planning Services

THRIVE Lifestyle Solutions is a full-service individual and personal concierge company and is offering a 2 for 1 special if you book a date planning session between now and April 30th. THRIVE offers complimentary phone consultations to brainstorm your date needs.

Call or Email to schedule today - info@thrivelifestylesolutions.com or 720-487-1965

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THE VINTAGE LABEL: Pop-Up at Free Market in the Dairy Block

A thoughtfully curated collection of luxury designer vintage clothing & accessories.

Open Daily 11-7

Free Market

1801 Blake St

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HOWARD LORTON: Pre-Season Patio Sale now through May 10th

Because your style doesn't stop at the back door....Now is the time to find patio furniture at great prices so you can enjoy it all season long. Discover Howard Lorton's newly renovated patio shop, and experience our new arrivals. Find quality, comfortable patio furniture that is designed to last. Take an EXTRA 10% off our already low prices, including clearance items and special orders.

Howard Lorton

12 E 12th Ave

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PLUM SAGE FLOWERS: Treat yourself or give the gift of fresh flowers with a Plum Sage Flowers floral subscription. Their arrangements feature seasonal blooms designed in a stylish vessel that we can select to complement your space. The arrangements are available for pickup or delivery - once every week or once a month. Colors can be specified but all flower varieties are chosen based on health and seasonality. Pricing is custom but the average is $65 for a small arrangement, $85 for a medium and $100+ for a large arrangement.

Plum Sage Flowers

(720) 328-2190

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CCRM: Struggling To Get Pregnant? Don’t know what to do next? The first steps in your fertility journey can be overwhelming—Fertility House Calls is here to help. Fertility House Calls is a program that connects you to an experienced CCRM fertility nurse so that you can ask questions and explore care options, all from the comfort of your home or wherever is most convenient for you. Fertility House Calls is currently a free service to Denver area residents. Schedule today at www.fertilityhousecalls.com.

RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Member Event - Eat, Learn, Grow

“Winning the Inner Game” led by Trisha Lee. A study by Cornell University found that men overestimate their abilities and their performance, while women underestimate both. Of course, not all men ooze self-confidence, and not all women lack it. However, the 'gender confidence gap' is real and closing it is imperative to women’s business and career success. Come participate in a discussion with Trisha Lee – Senior VP, Lockton Companies, mother of two young adults, widow, and the 7th of 9 children – to hear her top insights and tactics to overcome confidence challenges so that you can catapult your happiness and success.

Thursday, March 5th 12pm

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click here to learn more about Rise Memberships

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Thursday, March 5th 4:45-6pm

Natural Grocers

3757 Brighton Blvd

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FUSION ACADEMY & EQUINOX COUNSELING & WELLNESS CENTER: Academic Anxiety: Understanding & Intervening with School Refusal

Equinox parenting and mental health experts will help parents and teachers identify and understand the complexities of mental, emotional, and behavior health issues.  In addition, they will explore how issues related to neuro-developmental disorders, neurodiversity, executive functioning disorder, anxiety, and depression influence school refusal

Understanding & Intervening with School Refusal

Thursday, March 5th 6-8pm

Fusion Academy

5340 S. Quebec St. Ste 100N

Click Here to Register

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HOMEFEST: Spring Decor Event

It’s Spring preview time! New arrivals are pouring in and it’s the perfect time to refresh your home for Spring. Shop our latest arrivals and save 15% on furniture, rugs, lighting, art & mirrors, pillows, throws, and florals.

Thursday, March 5th meet Pam Vincent of Maple Leaf at Home. Inspired by a love of entertaining and spending time with family and friends, Maple Leaf serving boards make a cherished personalized gift for all of life’s celebrations.

Friday, March 6th Emme Siegall of Michael Aram will showcase Aram’s beautiful collection of handcrafted designs. A celebration of nature and ancient craftsmanship, these pieces are as much fine art as functional serving pieces.

Saturday, March 7th Beatriz Ball will share her collection of lustrous metal-ware. Made entirely by hand, using the ancient art of sand casting, these pieces have a depth of character and personality that only a handcrafted product can.

Thursday, March 5th - Monday, March 9th

Homefest

5912 S. Holly Street

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RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Member Event - Rise Fitness

Open to all RISE membership levels and fitness levels, this class will be a core blast class. Bring a yoga mat and we'll see you there!

Friday, March 6th 12pm

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click here to learn more about Rise Memberships

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ANDRISEN MORTON: Weekend Trunk Show featuring Samuelsohn

Preview Samuelsohn’s new Spring/Summer 2020 collection of superior made-to-measure clothing. Choose from exclusive fabrics and details to create a unique garment catered to your individual style.  Save $150 on every made-to-measure suit or sport coat.  Refreshments will be served.

`Friday and Saturday, March 6th & 7th

Andrisen Morton

3rd & St. Paul

303-377-8488

Appointments are appreciated

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Saturday, March 7th 2-5pm

Total Wine & More

9505 E. County Line Rd

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DAYLIGHT SAVINGS - SUNDAY, MARCH 8th

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RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Member Event - Power Up Coffee

"Confidence in the Boardroom" led by Michele Ashby. Research shows that companies with a higher participation of women in decision-making roles generate higher returns on equity. Yet in the US, only 16.6% of corporate board seats are held by women. Come hear from Michele Ashby (Founder of Ace Board Training for Women) about executive presence, what it takes to get on a board, and what it's like once you're there!

Wednesday, March 11th 8:30am

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click here to learn more about Rise Memberships

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STYLE TM & REBEL: Spring Styling Event

Rebel is teaming up with Tina Friedman of Style TM to shop and style for Spring.

Thursday, March 12th

Rebel

5910 S University Blvd

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KITTO KATTO SKINCARE: Moisture Silk Product Launch

Kitto Katto Skincare is exciting to announce a new product in their line called Moisture Silk and are hosting a Happy Hour to celebrate.

Enjoy 25% off Moisture Silk at the celebration.

Friday, March 13th 4-7pm

Kitto Katto Skincare

601 N Corona

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Friday, March 13th 4-7pm

Mayfair Liquors

1385 Krameria St

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CLP JEWELRY: ADORNED Permanet Welded Bracelets

Our Adorned bracelets and rings are the perfect complement to your jewelry collection.  These delicate threads are cut and welded directly onto your wrist.  They are a perfect daily reminder of the intentions that you set while having them added to your wrist.

We offer 18 karat yellow gold, 18 karat rose gold and sterling silver.

Saturday, March 14th

CLP Jewelry

1464 S Broadway

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HALCYON, A HOTEL IN CHERRY CREEK: Wellness Series - Turn Up The Heat

Turn up the heat, get your burn on, and transform your week when you attend TruFusion Fitness Series at Halcyon. Discover your mental and physical edge with dynamic exercises led by your favorite fitness experts, all in a supportive wellness community. We’ve got everything you need to crank up your personal and fitness goals! Bring your friends and après with us for an hour class, followed by complimentary wine and beer.

This is a barefoot class, be sure to bring your yoga mat!

Power Vinyasa with TruFusion

Monday, March 16th 5:30-7pm

Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek

245 Columbine St

Click Here to Register

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VERT BEAUTY: Intuitive Eating and Ritual Readings

Spring Equinox is all about new growth! It is the perfect opportunity to manifest renewal and new beginnings. We will be discussing health, beauty and connectivity to spirit during this wellness event. Learn how to eat in a more embodied way through the practice of Intuitive Eating with Soshy from Embody Nutrition. Intuitive Eating simply means, eat when you’re hungry, stop when your full, eat food that you love and food that feels good in your body. Imagine if you could feel at peace with all foods and be able to listen to your body on a deep intrinsic level when you’re eating! Rory, our favorite tarot-card reader, priestess, witch and spiritual guidance counselor will quickly tune in to your energy with an individualized one-on-one reading.

Monday, March 16th 6-7:30pm

Vert Beauty

3442 W 32nd Ave

Space is limited, call 303-623-8378 to RSVP

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Wednesday, March 19th 2:30-5pm

Total Wine & More

3905 E Evans Ave

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RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Rise On The Town

The 9&CO development a block away from RISE is close to completion! One of the establishments, TruFusion, is offering RISE Collaborative an exclusive sneak peek into one of their classes! Join us for a yoga class at 4 PM in the RISE classroom. This event is open to the public.

Wednesday, March 19th 4pm

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click to RSVP

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WANDER + IVY: Wine Tasting Event

Complimentary wine tasting featuring Wander + Ivy’s premium, organic, single-serve wines from family-owned vineyards around the world.

Thursday, March 20th 4-7pm

Warehouse Liquor Mart

3371 W Hampden Ave

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RISE COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE: Member Event - Food for Thought

“The Art and Science of Getting What you Deserve” led by Amy Reczek. Negotiation and self-advocacy can make many of us cringe. From pricing your services to asking for a raise or a promotion, it takes planning, research, and strategy to feel confident to go after - and GET - what you truly deserve. Amy Reczek, Owner of Sales and Presence, is a sales executive with a distinguished 15-year career occupying high-level positions, and it took training and empowered self-advocacy to get where she is today. She will share with us why everyone needs a negotiation strategy in place, what negotiation strategies are most impactful, and how to create a code of conduct to help you execute that strategy. Lunch will be sponsored by Chook Charcoal Chicken.

Wednesday, March 24th 12pm

RISE Collaborative Workspace

730 Colorado Blvd

Click here to learn more about Rise Memberships

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HALCYON, A HOTEL IN CHERRY CREEK: Apres Hour: Whole Leaf, Whole Life

Reinvigorating the ritual and art of tea drinking, Ku Cha House of Tea is making a celebratory experience out of every cup. The owners are unabashedly obsessed with all varieties and types—in fact, they offer more than 170 whole-leaf teas! Join us and tea master, Rong Pan, for an authentic Chinese tea ceremony and become familiar with every type of tea from green, white, rooibos to oolong.

Thursday, March 26th 5-6pm

Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek

245 Columbine St

Click Here to Register

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BLANCHARD FAMILY WINES: Mermaids Under the Mirror - A Charity Dinner for Fins Attached.

You are invited to enjoy our Sonoma County wines, unique as a mermaids’ tail. We value sustainable wine-making processes and are proud to partner with like-minded organizations such as Fins Attached. This non-profit is dedicated to conducting research, promoting conservation, and providing education for the protection of the marine ecosystem.

Join us for an exclusive dinner in the (heated) Dairy Block Alleyway, benefiting one of our favorite aquatic organizations!

Your $125 Ticket Includes:

• A Wine Paired 5 Course Dinner by Foraged

• Silent Auction Benefitting Fins Attached

• Guest Speakers and Mermaid Appearances

• Hand-painted Wine Labels Available for Purchase to Benefit Fins Attached

Thursday, March 26th 6-9pm

Blanchard Family Wines

Dairy Block

1855 Blake St #120

Click Here to Purchase Your Ticket

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CLP JEWELRY: ADORNED Permanent Welded Bracelets

Our Adorned bracelets and rings are the perfect complement to your jewelry collection.  These delicate threads are cut and welded directly onto your wrist.  They are a perfect daily reminder of the intentions that you set while having them added to your wrist.

We offer 18 karat yellow gold, 18 karat rose gold and sterling silver.

Friday, March 27th

CLP Jewelry

1464 S Broadway

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[magikalgaming]

J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit enthusiastically recommend dishes to Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 15 with their mouths half-full.

Drink of Choice: Lemon Water

Magic rings, delicious food, and sacrifice bring these unlikely friends in conversation. Tolkien’s works are undoubtedly foundational tools for most contemporary high fantasy stories, and the Final Fantasy series has grown with the the genre for over a decade. Oddly, both these narratives use a vastly overlooked and underrated symbol to emphasize the perpetual danger their main characters - Noctis and Frodo/Bilbo encounter - food.

Final Fantasy 15’s cooking mechanic is simple, less a mini-game and more an aesthetically pleasing feature that provides stat buffs. You could almost forget about it entirely, were it not for the incessant, meme-worthy quote from Ignis Scientia, “That’s it! I’ve come up with a new recipe.” Mid-dungeon Ignis finds he must tell you that Creamy Fowl Sauté is totally possible now. You beat a difficult mini-boss with an emotional cut scene,but the menu now has Fluffy Chiffon Cake, fam. The sheer amount of times players hear his token phrase is absurd, but on some level, it brings food in conversation with survival. Sure, you need food to survive, but why include the option to make recipes and gather ingredients? How do we reconcile staggering out of battle and picking up mushrooms after for the next five minutes?

The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit offer a very similar theme in the scope of their adventures. FF15’s and LOR/TH’s narratives drive back and forth between imminent danger and the desire for food. The very description of a “hobbit” includes their love for food, and events like Bilbo’s Birthday Party in LOR highlight that notion. The event’s magnitude is measured by how much food was ordered, and its success expressed by how much of the food was consumed. Main characters Bilbo and Sam/Frodo come pre-equipped with food being thematic and central to their personalities. Because these three characters had not experienced being outside the Shire and in danger before their quests began, we find food to be indicative of daily life and peace. Once the narrative takes the hobbits outside their territory and into precarious lifestyles, it becomes indicative of something much more important and overwhelming - the eventual triumph over evil. I’m careful not to use the word survival in this definition, as Frodo expresses throughout LOR that he expects to die during the scope of his trial. Like in FF15, there are many moments where Bilbo or Sam/Frodo engage in battle and after rest and eat.

FF15 conditions players to equate Ignis making food with safety and friendship. The campsites that the team retires to represents both sanctuary and camaraderie, and character relationships are strengthened when new or favorite meals are prepared. Ignis will also ask Noctis to assist him with the cooking, which highlights their relationship as friends and equals, rather than ruler and subject. These mealtime scenes also reveal past circumstances and a broader narrative foundation that would otherwise go unsaid. LOR’s version of Ignis is quite visibly Sam, who carries around pots and pans and, upon having to let them go near the end of their quest, feels woeful and reluctant. The role of the cook in both these narratives is the role of the nurturer. Both Frodo and Noctis carry a self-sacrificing burden, near inescapable, and feeding them becomes a small way of Sam and Ignis providing support in an impossible situation.

The absence of good food is palpable in both stories at select times. LOR weans Sam away from being able to provide nourishment once the duo enter Mordor, and they henceforth rely on lembas to keep their bodies functioning. It becomes akin to rations, bland yet encouraging. You could separate LOR’s good and difficult moments by evaluating if there is an abundance of food or an absence of it during a given moment. FF15 works the same way. DLC’s for each character removes them from the group dynamic in order to tackle a personal challenge. In a similar vein of survival, Episode Gladiolus features Gladio and Cor eating Cup Noodles at their campsites, and the tone is drastically distant and serious from the ones that feature the team of teens. Episode Prompto shows him eating canned food and dreamily thinking about Ignis’s cooking (much in the same way Frodo and Sam dream of the Shire’s cuisine during their darker days). Interestingly, Episode Ignis does not show the talented cook making himself meals. We see him drinking Ebony, a canned coffee that is said to be Ignis’s favorite drink. It’s odd to see such an integral part of his character, as chef, go unspoken and unused in his own DLC. It reveals that food isn’t a part of his character, but providing for his friends is. Why make Pork Cutlet Sandwiches when there’s no one there to enjoy them?

In an interview with FF15’s game developer, Tomohiro Hasegawa commented, “In the game, food is part of the expression of each city’s culture. However, what was important was not to focus on particular cultures, but to give the impression of traveling long distances by showing how culinary cultures change by region” (Reynolds). The road trip turned survival mission underscores the groups travel and unfamiliarity with their surroundings. Some recipes aren’t acquired unless you visit restaurants and try the local cuisine, such as Lestallum’s Bird Broth Rice and Curry, which unlocks Peppery Daggerquill Rice. On the other hand, chains like Crow’s Nest Diner offer the same dishes no matter where you go, reminding players of places like Denny's and ihop. The inclusion of eating makes characters more relatable and provides an edible record of the places Noctis and Co. have traveled.

You could easily make a similar record with LOR/TH. In moments of survival and struggle Frodo and Sam rely on lembas while Bilbo and Co. turn to cram. In LOR Gimli comments that lembas reminds him of honey cake made by the Beornings. These foods are described as bland but filling and long-lasting, and only lembas has extra magic included. Miruvor, an elvish mead, is given to Gandalf at the start of his journey in LOR to provide warmth and strength, through it is mainly used at elvish festivals. Held captive, Merry and Pippin are forced to down Grog by the orc Uglúk, and it grants them brief strength on their trip to Isengard. When evaluated, we find that most all food that is specially described and fictional in LOR/TH are foods that are self-sustaining and provide strength. Even Ent-Wash, which Merry and Pippin drink heartily, cause them to physically grow taller and larger during their attempts to overthrow Isengard. While food in FF15 informs players about friendships and emits safety, LOR/TH showcases food as a tool of war - necessary in order to turn the tides of battle.

The rings. How could we not talk about the rings? Both FF15 and LOR/TH feature reluctant ring bearers, and the rings themselves are charged with power. But what does this have to do with food? Well, if we think about food as that which is consumed and the eater as the consumer, I can’t help but think of Noctis and Frodo/Bilbo as predators turned prey. Both Frodo and Bilbo are almost literally eaten by their respective attackers, and Bilbo even listens to trolls discuss the best methods to season and cook him. While monsters never actually attempt to eat Noctis, he is hunted and, in the end, consumed by another force - the ring. The ring. The rings. Frodo’s constant psychic battles with the ring seems to invigorate and empower him while weakening his mind and heart. You could say that the ring consumes Frodo by feeding him. His reservations about surviving his relationship with the ring are slim, and the withdrawal effects are reminiscent of an addict starving for a drug. Power is food. Food is power.

And Noctis? Well, his ring feeds him by consuming him. One of FF15′s loading screens explains, “Harboring the souls of Lucian rulers of old, the ring allows its wearer to channel the power of the Crystal—but drains away one's life.” As a family heirloom, it represents leadership of an entire kingdom alongside its magical abilities. During a specific part of the game the ring is the only weapon available, making it a protective rather than a dangerous. However, toward the end of the game Noctis is consumed, literally, by a crystal. When he finally emerges time has fast-forwarded and the world is in ruins. He calls on all the forces of the ancestral ring in order to defeat Ardyn (the villain), and is ultimately sacrificed in the process. Both he and Frodo only truly accept the quest of the ring once they decide their lives are forfeit.

Food can be a magical and mysterious concept, but most often it’s a part of daily life and representative of normalcy. However, these two fantastical narratives encourage us to slow down, take it in, pull up a friend, and recover. 

Credits and Sources

Reynolds, Whitney. “The Food in 'Final Fantasy XV' Is Insanely Realistic.” Eater,

           Eater, 21 Dec. 2016, www.eater.com/2016/12/21/14030230/final-fantasy-

           vx-15-food-review.

Tolkien, J. R. R., and Alan Lee. The Hobbit. HarperCollins, 2008.

Tolkien, J. R. R., and Wayne G. Hammond. The Lord of the Rings.                     

             HarperCollins, 2014.

Final Fantasy 15. PS4, Square Enix, 2016.

Pictures/Gifs in order of appearance:

1. @celebquote, https://weheartit.com/entry/46608611

2. indeimaus, https://twitter.com/indeimaus/status/844791841492951041

3. https://gifer.com/en/VGZQ

4. kechua, https://www.gosunoob.com/final-fantasy-xv/camping-screenshots-from-ff-xv/

5. http://aagamerumahgamers.blogspot.com/2016/10/cooking-mini-game-on-final-fantasy-xv.html

6. ACTUALMAIRON, https://tolkienthinktank.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/lembas-flatbread-recipe/

7. Katie, https://www.thefandomentals.com/frodo-and-failure-at-mount-doom/

8. cine yuinimix,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVDavUot3sI

9. TheGamesEntertainer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxGm67c4i3E

10. https://21stcenturyhobbit.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/happy-birthday-j-r-r-tolkien/

[junker-town]

P.J. Hall is an under-the-radar star who could be a steal for the Raiders

The Sam Houston State product is drawing Aaron Donald comparisons.

P.J. Hall didn’t show up on many mock drafts this spring. He wasn’t even invited to this year’s NFL Combine. But by the end of April, he shot all the way up to the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft where he was picked by the Oakland Raiders with the No. 57 pick.

The Sam Houston State defensive lineman was a big fish in the Southland Conference’s small pond, but his college numbers alone would have merited a look as this year’s draft wound down. Hall was a downright beast for the Bearkats, tearing through offensive linemen like tissue paper en route to a career whose numbers look like they came straight from a video game:

284 tackles

86.5 tackles for loss

42 sacks

9 forced fumbles

4 interceptions (he’s a down lineman!)

14 blocked kicks (!) (!!) (!!!)

And then came his chance to shine at SHSU’s pro day, where Hall took full advantage of his opportunity to impress NFL scouts:

At @BearkatsFB pro day today, DL P.J. Hall measured 6-0 1/2, 308, ran 40 in 4.83/4.71 seconds, had 38 VJ, 9-8 BJ, 36 lifts. Wow! Moved from DE to DT. Quick off ball but slows down. Reminds some of Aaron Donald. My pick to be earliest non-combine invite drafted. https://t.co/kVWNlxPH6f

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) March 26, 2018

A 4.7 second 40-yard dash ... at 308 pounds. That is freakish speed, quickness, and power — and it could be enough to work him into the first three rounds.

Why was P.J. Hall worth the gamble of an early pick?

While his ability to demolish FCS competition made him an interesting late-round pick, his huge pro day performance turned him into something more. Hall made himself look a lot like two other havoc-wreaking defensive tackles who turned freakish workout numbers into NFL success: Aaron Donald and Grady Jarrett.

After starting his college career at defensive end, Hall has settled in to his natural NFL position at tackle — where he was big as I-AA player, but at 6 feet tall and 308 pounds will be a bit undersized for the position. Playing for an FCS powerhouse like Sam Houston State was a blessing and a curse. He got to see the FCS Playoffs in each of his four seasons and advanced to the subdivision’s semifinals in three of those years.

Unfortunately for Hall, the Bearkats’ stature meant they weren’t a sure-win cupcake for a needy FBS team. As a result, his national exposure was limited — he only played two games against FBS competition, and none as an upperclassman.

Hall had 10 total tackles in losses to LSU and Texas Tech, but dominated in relative obscurity through the rest of his playing days. The league left him off its combine invite list, a move that in retrospect cost him a lot of hype. His 4.7 40 time would have dominated NFL Network’s coverage had he done it in Indianapolis and not Huntsville, Texas.

But the league is willing to sift through and reach into the far ranges of its scouting reports to invest in a project like Hall. The Browns proved that by taking the greatest player in UNC-Charlotte’s (then) four-year history: Larry Ogunjobi in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

While Donald and Jarrett are great comparisons, Ogunjobi may be more apt

Ogunjobi was another small-school standout who began his college career at the genesis of Charlotte’s program. That gave him two seasons of FCS play and two transitioning into FBS to build his case for NFL scouts. He got even better after the 49ers made the leap to Conference USA: 28 of his career 49 tackles for loss came in his final two years.

Ogunjobi rose all the way to the first pick of the third round of last year’s draft, but that had as much to do with where he was before he started his college career than how he finished it. The Nigerian didn’t play football until he was a sophomore in high school, then worked to build himself up from 240-pound zero-star prospect to 305-pound gap-plugger. Hall doesn’t provide the same parabolic upside Ogunjobi did last spring, but his impressive resume should be enough to convince executives he’s got a Pro Bowl ceiling.

At 6’2 the current Brown was longer and a little leaner than Hall. While scouts raved about Ogunjobi’s quickness and ability to blow up blocking schemes with his quick first step, the Sam Houston State product has proven to be even faster. He outmeasured Ogunjobi in most of the combine drills he participated in at his pro day, and his eye-popping resume should be enough to present a compelling case to any scout in the league.

The question is whether Hall’s productivity will translate for Oakland. Though he was matched up against FCS opponents, it’s not like he was toiling away in the Northeast Conference. Sam Houston State regularly played the best teams I-AA ball had to offer, and four straight playoff appearances ensured he played his share of big games. He notched 20 tackles (four for loss) and an interception in the Bearkats’ 2017 run to the semifinals. In 2016, he accounted for -25 yards (two sacks, 3.5 TFL) against eventual national champion James Madison.

Ogunjobi showed flashes of brilliance in a rookie year defined by its learning curve. While he had only 32 tackles and one sack in 2017, he also impressed Cleveland’s leadership enough for the franchise to ship defensive tackle and former first-round pick Danny Shelton to New England. That move should lead to more playing time for the second-year lineman, who made just one start last year.

Hall’s outsized college production could mean an even better start to his NFL career. Everything he’s done on paper — whether its racking up tackles, blocked kicks, or ludicrous 40 times — paints him as a draft bargain. The question now is whether the second round was too early.

[profootballytics-blog]

2016 in Review

Let's all harken back to the halcyon days of 2016, when representatives of all 32 NFL teams gathered in Chicago to restock their rosters with fresh talent. A few weeks prior, the Los Angeles Rams had made sure they would take center stage when they acquired the very first pick of the draft from the Tennessee Titans. They paid a hefty price to make the move -- nine picks in total, including three first-rounders, two seconds, and two thirds -- but after several years floundering under quarterbacks like Sam Bradford, Kellen Clemens, Austin Davis, Shaun Hill, Nick Foles, and Case Keenum, the Rams were desperate for stability in their offense. The Rams opened the draft by taking California quarterback Jared Goff, hoping he would be their shining star as they returned to Hollywood. Kevin Weidl of ESPN praised Goff's "excellent pocket presence" and the way he "feels pressure naturally to buy time while going through progressions," though he did concede that Goff "might need time adjusting to an NFL playbook coming from a wide-open system." This proved to be a remarkable understatement.

The Rams weren't the only team looking for a quarterback in the first round. The Dallas Cowboys had a solid starter in Tony Romo, but they were looking for a young prospect to develop. They wanted to move up for Memphis signal-caller Paxton Lynch, but were ultimately outbid by the Denver Broncos. With Lynch off the table, they would consider another trade up to take Connor Cook, but were caught off guard when the Raiders made their own trade to jump the Cowboys and take the Michigan State passer. Two days after the Rams had selected Goff, The Cowboys went with Plan C: Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, whom they took in the fourth round, pick 135 overall. Prescott had slipped due in part to a DUI arrest in March, but scouts were lukewarm about his potential even before that incident. "Prescott is a developmental prospect," wrote Steve Muench of ESPN, "but he has enough raw talent to push Kellen Moore for the backup job and potentially develop into an effective starter under the tutelage of Jason Garrett."

Neither young passer was supposed to start right away, and when the Rams kicked off their first season back in L.A., it was Keenum taking snaps. Things in Dallas, though, had not gone so smoothly. Veteran backup Kellen Moore broke his leg in training camp, and then Romo suffered a broken bone in his back in a preseason game against Seattle. Once again, the Cowboys tried to make a trade, but Cleveland refused to part with Josh McCown. Instead it was Prescott under center when the Cowboys took on the Giants in Week 1. The Cowboys had a narrow lead going into the fourth quarter, but gave up a touchdown to Eli Manning. Prescott and the Cowboys had two chances to regain the lead, but couldn't get into the end zone and ultimately lost.

They wouldn't lose again until December, winning 11 games in a row. Romo's back healed, but by then he had been Wally Pipped, and had to publicly concede that Prescott had earned the starting job. Prescott and the Cowboys stumbled again in a rematch against the Giants, but otherwise didn't lose a meaningful game all year, and they are the NFC's top seed as the playoffs are about to begin.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Keenum and the Rams won three of their first four games, including victories over 2015 playoff teams Seattle and Arizona. That fast start turned out to be a mirage, though, and was followed by a four-game losing streak in which the Rams scored a total of five touchdowns. A week later they failed to score a touchdown at all, and though the Rams defense played well enough to beat the Jets 9-6, it was clear that Keenum's time as a starter had come to an end. At 4-5, the Rams announced that Goff would start in Week 11 against Miami. In a best-case scenario. Goff would kick-start the offense and rally the team to a playoff berth -- worst case, Goff would gain valuable experience that would benefit him in 2017 and beyond. At least, the Rams thought that would be the worst-case scenario. What actually happened was actually much, much worse than that, as the Rams' already-terrible offense plummeted even further. The Rams lost each of Goff's seven starts, averaging 12.1 points per game along the way.

None of this will be news to regular Quick Readers, but now that the season is done, we can finally nail down Prescott's accomplishments and Goff's failures in the record books. Even a month ago, it was clear that Prescott was going to break several records, and in fact he did.

Dak Prescott's Rookie Records

CategoryFormer Record-HolderOld RecordNew Record

Completion Rate Ben Roethlisberger (2004) 66.4% 67.8%

Interception Rate Robert Griffin (2012) 1.27% 0.87%

NFL Passer Rating Robert Griffin (2012) 102.4 104.9

Passing DYAR Matt Ryan (2008) 1,012 1,301

Pass + Rush DYAR Russell Wilson (2012) 1,019 1,422

Minimum 200 pass attempts

With 23 touchdowns in the air and six more on the ground, Prescott also threatened the rookie records of Peyton Manning(26 passes) and Russell Wilson (26 passing, four rushing). And though his DVOA of 31.5% was short of Ben Roethlisberger's 31.7% in 2004, the difference is slight enough that Prescott could leapfrog Roethlisberger should we tweak the DVOA formula in the future.

While Prescott's numbers shattered rookie thresholds, some of Goff's stats are unprecedented among all quarterbacks, young, old, or in-between. Goff completed 112 of 205 passes for 1,089 yards this season, while losing 222 yards on 26 sacks. That's a net average of 3.75 yards per pass play. That is not the worst such mark on record -- Dan Darragh averaged 2.92 yards per passing play with the Bills in 1968. It is, however, the worst since Akili Smith in 2000, and just the 12th time we've found that a player who was that inefficient with at least 200 passes. Coincidentally, three of those 12 seasons were produced by Philadelphia quarterbacks, which explains why Mike Tanier drinks whiskey. The good news for Goff and the Rams is that Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb went on to become very successful quarterbacks. The bad news is that Bobby Hoying didn't.

So that's all quite bad, but keep in mind that Goff is playing in the most passer-friendly era in league history. This means that as bad as Goff's numbers appear on the surface, they are in fact even worse on close inspection. DVOA and DYAR account for that sort of thing, and as you would imagine, they are quite unkind to Mr. Goff. Goff's passing DYAR of minus-880 is not the worst season on record, but it is in the bottom five. The record still belongs to David Carr's minus-1,130 with the expansion Houston Texans in 2002. But remember that Goff only had 231 pass plays this year. Carr had 520 in 2002. Goff got three-quarters of the way to Carr's record in only seven starts.

This brings us to DVOA, which measures quarterbacks on a per-play basis. Goff's DVOA of minus-74.7% this year was very, very, very, very, very bad. How bad? Consider that the second-worst quarterback this year, Brock Osweiler -- you know, the guy who was so bad that his team benched him for a third-year pro with zero career starts in the middle of a playoff race -- had a DVOA of minus-27.1%. That means Osweiler was closer to the sixth-ranked quarterback (Derek Carr, 19.9%) than he was to Goff. Keenum, the quarterback who kept Goff on the bench for half a season, had a DVOA of minus-19.6% -- closer to second-ranked Tom Brady than he was to Goff.

So is Goff's DVOA the worst we have ever seen? Well, it depends. For most of Football Outsiders' existence, we have used 100 pass plays as a minimum threshold for our quarterback tables, and there have been a handful of 100-pass seasons with DVOAs worse than Goff's, led by Alex Smith's minus-88.6% as a rookie in 2005. As time has gone on, though, we have come to realize that 200 passes is a more logical minimum. After all, Bryce Petty had 145 pass plays this season. Would you consider Bryce Petty a full-time quarterback this year? So these days we only look at quarterbacks with at least 200 passes -- and we have never found a quarterback with a worse DVOA than Jared Goff had this year with at least 200 passes in a season. Goff broke the record of Kelly Stouffer, who had a minus-72.7% DVOA with the 1992 Seahawks. That season, Stouffer completed less than half his passes while getting sacked on 12 percent of his dropbacks, with less than 5 yards per pass, three touchdowns, and nine interceptions. That, adjusting for era, is still a better stat line than what Goff produced this year.

(Ed. Note: By the way, all the QB stat pages are going to be updated to require a minimum of 200 pass attempts for the main ranking table, sometime in February or March. We'll also be updating our listing of ESPN QBR at that point to reflect their new opponent-adjusted formula. -- Aaron Schatz)

By now I hope we've made it clear who the best and worst rookies have been this year. Here's a look at the best and worst players at all positions, regardless of position. Don't worry, Rams fans, we have a lot more to say about your team!

Quarterbacks

Best Quarterbacks, 2016

NameTeamPass DYARRush DYARTotal DYAR

2-M.Ryan ATL 1,918 32 1,950

9-D.Brees NO 1,581 21 1,603

4-D.Prescott DAL 1,301 121 1,422

8-K.Cousins WAS 1,342 18 1,359

12-A.Rodgers GB 1,251 89 1,340

Analysis: Matt Ryan never finished higher than fourth in either DYAR or DVOA until leading the league in both categories this year. He also led the league with 9.26 yards per pass. That's not the all-time record, but it's the most since Kurt Warneraveraged 9.88 in 2000, and it's also the most of anyone with even 350 passes in a season. (Ryan had 534.) Drew Brees led the league in attempts, completions, and yards. He broke his own record for completions (he is now in first, second, third, sixth, seventh, and eighth place on the leaderboards), and enjoyed his fifth 5,000-yard season (all other quarterbacks ever have produced four). This was his highest finish in DYAR since he led the league in 2011. Kirk Cousins is starting to quietly become a regular in these parts -- he was seventh in DYAR and sixth in DVOA last year, and is third and fifth in the same categories this year. Aaron Rodgers was short of his earlier career highs, but still had a strong rebound season after a mediocre 2015.

We should mention that Tom Brady was fifth with 1,295 passing DYAR, but fell short of Rodgers' totals due to rushing value. Considering Brady missed four games, it might be tempting to subconsciously bump him up the rankings, but by DYAR he was clearly not the best quarterback in football this year. He averaged 108 passing DYAR per game this year to Ryan's 120. In fact, even if you took away Ryan's best four games this year, he would still have 1,149 DYAR -- comparable to what Brady did in 12 contests. Now add four A-plus games on top of that, and it's clear who the better quarterback was.

Dak Prescott was also pretty good.

Worst Quarterbacks, 2016

NameTeamPass DYARRush DYARTotal DYAR

16-J.Goff LA -880 -2 -882

17-B.Osweiler HOU -569 53 -536*

9-B.Petty NYJ -414 0 -414

14-R.Fitzpatrick NYJ -328 -14 -342

13-J.McCown CLE -269 -6 -276

* Total includes minus-20 DYAR receiving.

Analysis: None of these quarterbacks played a full season -- in fact, you'll find three of them didn't even qualify for our final quarterback tables. But with the exception of Goff, Osweiler, and Ryan Fitzpatrick, none of the quarterbacks at the bottom of the DYAR standings was able to stay healthy and active for the majority of the season. If we take out Petty and McCown, we're just replacing them with other journeymen and reliever types such as Robert Griffin, Case Keenum, Blaine Gabbert, or Drew Stanton. So we'll just leave our bottom five as it is and not worry about minimum plays this year.

Did we mention that Jared Goff was really bad?

Better Than His Standard Stats Made Him Look: Kirk Cousins, WAS

Among qualifying quarterbacks, Cousins ranked fifth in DVOA, but seventh in NFL passer rating -- not a huge discrepancy, but there weren't really any passers this year who fell too much when going from one stat to the other. Derek Carr and Jameis Winston (who was also better than standard stats made him look last year) would also be good options. Carr had the lowest sack rate in the league this year, and Cousins was fifth, and while sacks are not a part of passer rating, they are a part of DVOA. Winston was just 15th in sack rate, so I'm not sure why he is consistently underrated by conventional stats.

Worse Than His Standard Stats Made Him Look: Colin Kaepernick, SF

Kaepernick was in the middle of the pack in passer rating, but 30th in DVOA. In a related note, he had a higher sack rate than anyone except…. Jared Goff. It was a similar story for Ryan Tannehill -- 12th in passer rating, 25th in DYAR, sixth-highest sack rate.

Most Improved: Matt Ryan, ATL

Hard to believe, but Ryan was just 19th in DYAR, 18th in DVOA last year. It appears working with Kyle Shanahan has been a good thing for Ryan in 2016.

Biggest Decline: Carson Palmer, ARI

Palmer led the NFL in passing DVOA and DYAR last year. He was outside the top 20 in both categories this year, the second-worst rankings of his career, and the worst since he played for Cincinnati in 2008.

Running Backs

Best Running Backs, 2016

NameTeamRush DYARRec DYARTotal DYAR

31-D.Johnson ARI 176 283 459

25-L.McCoy BUF 337 108 445

26-L.Bell PIT 278 164 440*

21-E.Elliott DAL 340 80 420

24-D.Freeman ATL 147 140 287

* Total includes minus-2 DYAR passing

Analysis: As the rest of the Cardinals offense fell apart around him, David Johnson just kept on making plays. He finished with 15 games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage, and likely would have made it 16 had he not left last week's game with a knee injury. It was a similar story for LeSean McCoy, who was outstanding for the Bills, but all anyone wanted to talk about in Buffalo was the status of the coach and quarterback. Le'veon Bell, like Brady, missed four games due to suspension, but returned and was still one of the very best players in the league. Ezekiel Elliott led all players in rushing DYAR and would be a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year were it not for his own quarterback. Obviously, that's quite a dropoff from the top four to Devonta Freeman, but he might have ranked higher had he not split time with Tevin Coleman, who was 11th in total DYAR himself.

Worst Running Backs, 2016

NameTeamRush DYARRec DYARTotal DYAR

23-D.Booker DEN -98 -55 -154

20-J.Forsett BAL/DET/DEN -91 -52 -143

24-T.Yeldon JAC -85 -53 -138

33-C.Ivory JAC -127 2 -124

23-R.Jennings NYG -84 -30 -114

Analysis: The offenses in both Denver and Jacksonville were pretty bad last year, and running backs like this were a big part of the reason why. Justin Forsett kept getting released, picked up by a desperate team, and released again. Rashad Jennings is the only player in this table to make the playoffs. Green Bay's defense had its ups and downs this year, but Jennings doesn't seem to offer much of a threat.

Better Than His Standard Stats Made Him Look: Mike Gillislee, BUF

LeSean McCoy may not have even been the best running back on his own team. Mike Gillislee had 101 carries for the Bills this year, putting him just over the 100-carry minimum needed to qualify for our record books. And qualify he did -- his DVOA of 45.0% destroyed the old record of 36.6%, set by Marshall Faulk in 2000. Gillislee also set a record with a success rate of 66 percent, breaking the old mark of 63 percent set by Gary Brown of the Houston Oilers way back in 1993. He finished with 238 total DYAR on only 627 yards from scrimmage.

Worse Than His Standard Stats Made Him Look: Todd Gurley, LARM

There are other candidates we could pick here -- DeMarco Murray, Lamar Miller, and Devontae Booker all would have been fine choices -- but selecting Gurley lets us keep picking on the Rams. Gurley was 15th among running backs in yards from scrimmage, but just because he got the ball often does not mean he played well -- he was among the bottom ten running backs in rushing DYAR, though his receiving DYAR did hit positive numbers. That was quite an achievement in Los Angeles this year, as we shall explain shortly.

Most Improved: Le'veon Bell, PIT

Bell might have played only 12 games this year, but that's still twice as many as he played last year. It wasn't just volume, though -- Bell set a career high with 105.7 rushing yards per game, and added 51.3 yards per game as a receiver to boot.

Biggest Decline: Matt Forte, NYJ

A year ago, Forte was still a very efficient if not explosive runner and receiver for the Bears. This year, at age 31, Forte looked to have been beaten by Father Time -- and by his teammate Bilal Powell, who averaged 5.5 yards per carry compared to Forte's 3.7.

Wide Receivers

Best Wide Receivers, 2016

NameTeamTotal DYAR

11-J.Jones ATL 458

13-M.Thomas NO 429

87-J.Nelson GB 373

13-T.Hilton IND 360

11-C.Beasley DAL 337*

* Total includes 340 DYAR receiving, minus-4 DYAR passing.

Analysis: Four of these receivers played with top-five quarterbacks. That's probably not a coincidence. Julio Jones led all wide receivers in DYAR and finished second in DVOA -- to his own teammate, Taylor Gabriel, who finished with exactly 50 targets, the bare minimum required to qualify for our leaderboards. Jones' totals were down from his 2015 season, but his yards per catch soared from 13.8 to 17.0. Michael Thomas was everything the Saints could have hoped for as a second-round rookie out of Ohio State, though playing with a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback no doubt helped. Jordy Nelson wasn't quite as good as he was pre-injury, but he still had an amazing season after missing all of 2015. The Colts didn't win many games this season, but T.Y. Hilton did all he could, including 100-yard games against the Bears, Titans, Jets, Texans, and Raiders. Cole Beasley was actually leading the league in DYAR early in the season. His numbers regressed once Dez Bryant returned to the lineup, but he remained one of the NFL's best No. 2 receivers.

Worst Wide Receivers, 2016

NameTeamTotal DYAR

11-T.Austin LA -173*

17-J.Kerley SF -126

15-J.Kearse SEA -113

13-B.Miller HOU -88**

11-Q.Patton SF -85

* Total includes minus-220 DYAR receiving, 46 DYAR rushing

** Total includes minus-79 DYAR receiving, minus-9 DYAR rushing

Analysis: So, uh, how about that NFC West, huh? At least the 49ers receivers were out there trying to catch passes from Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. What was Jermaine Kearse's excuse? Russell Wilson, in the worst year of his career, was still 15th in DVOA, worlds better than anything San Francisco had to offer.

And then there's Tavon Austin. Though his kick return and rushing value make him a dangerous weapon, Austin has now finished dead-last among wideouts in receiving DYAR in back-to-back seasons. That brings his career total to minus-354 -- which means Austin has surpassed Dez White's total of minus-312 to become The Worst Wide Receiver of the DVOA Era. And this can't all be blamed on Jared Goff -- Kenny Britt played with the same quarterbacks Austin did this season and finished with a better DYAR than Odell Beckham, and we'll repeat that Austin was also worst last year when Goff was still with the Golden Bears.

Better Than His Standard Stats Made Him Look: Julio Jones, ATL

Fourteen wide receivers had more catches than Jones this season. There were not four wideouts better than Jones this year, let alone 14.

Worse Than His Standard Stats Made Him Look: Tavon Austin, LARM

Austin had 58 catches this year, not a bad total for a secondary slot receiver type. He was tied for 60th among all players in receptions, but 99th with 509 receiving yards -- a total that was bested by four running backs and 20 tight ends.

Most Improved: Davante Adams, GB

In 2015, Adams had the worst receiving DYAR of any non-Rams wide receiver and was well on his way to becoming the biggest bust in Green Bay since Tony Mandarich. But after catching only 88 passes for 928 yards and four touchdowns in his first two seasons combined, we're happy to say that Adams finally put it together in his third season, catching 75 passes for 997 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Biggest Decline: Jermaine Kearse, SEA

Kearse was a top-five wide receiver in DVOA in 2015, but fell to the bottom five this year. At times a valuable blocker in the run-based Seahawks offenses of days gone by, Kearse's physicality was often a detriment in 2016. He led the NFL with five accepted offensive pass interference violations. Seattle was one of only five teams that committed OPI five or more times.

Tight Ends

Best Tight Ends, 2016

NameTeamRec DYARRush DYARTotal DYAR

87-T.Kelce KC 264 -20 244

88-J.Graham SEA 211 -1 210

88-M.Bennett NE 200 6 206

85-E.Ebron DET 148 10 158

87-R.Gronkowski NE 156 -- 156

Analysis: Yes, there was a lot of rushing value among the top tight ends this year, though it's likely that postseason cleanup will show that most of these "runs" were actually receptions on backwards passes. Travis Kelce's appearance at the top was no fluke -- he has finished in the top ten in both DVOA and DYAR for three seasons in a row. In his second season in Seattle, Jimmy Graham was everything the Seahawks had hoped he would have been in his first season. After 27 games in a Seahawks uniform, he needs 53 catches, 215 yards, and seven touchdowns to become Seattle's all-time leading tight end in all three categories. Eric Ebron's career started with a thud in 2014, but he improved considerably in his second year, and improved again this season to become one of the NFL's best players at his position. And finally, one can only imagine how effective New England's offense would have been with a full season of both Martellus Bennett and Rob Gronkowski.

Worst Tight Ends, 2016

NameTeamTotal DYAR

89-T.Higbee LA  -109

88-D.Pitta BAL -94

47-T.Burton PHI -84

84-R.Griffin HOU -79

88-L.Kendricks LA -71

Yes, that's two more Rams in the "worst of" section. In this way, they are sort of the opposite of the Patriots. (Come to think of it, there are many ways in which they are the opposite of the Patriots.) Tyler Higbee warrants special mention -- the fourth-round rookie out of Western Kentucky had a receiving DVOA of minus-68.5%. That's the second worst on record of any tight end with at least 25 targets in a season, and the worst since Howard Cross had a minus-77.8% with the Giants in 1998. Dennis Pitta, as we shall get to, is now the patron saint of the high-volume, low-value player. Trey Burton caught 37 passes in his third season, but averaged just 8.8 yards per catch, showing why he spent his first two years buried on the Philadelphia bench. Ryan Griffin actually finished among the top 15 tight ends in DVOA in both 2013 and 2015, but nosedived with the rest of the Texans offense when Sheriff Osweiler moseyed into town.

Better Than His Standard Stats Made Him Look: Martellus Bennett, NE

Though Bennett was third among tight ends in DYAR, he was 15th in receptions. We're confident that the former number is a more accurate reflection of his skills and abilities.

Worse Than His Standard Stats Made Him Look: Dennis Pitta, BAL

Never before has there been such an easy selection in this space, and never again will there be such an easy selection in this space. Pitta had the most receptions of any tight end in the league, but was still next to last in receiving value. This will happen when you average 8.5 yards per catch and score only two touchdowns. Pitta played 16 games this year after playing only seven from 2013 to 2015. Here's hoping the Ravens will have a better option for 16 games in 2017.

Most Improved: Dwayne Allen, IND

Allen was almost impossibly bad in 2015, with a 6.8 yards-per-catch average and just one touchdown in 13 games. This year, those numbers jumped to 11.6 yards per catch with six touchdowns in 14 games. Allen was 49th among tight ends in DYAR in 2015; he has been in the top ten in each of his other four NFL seasons.

Biggest Decline: Tyler Eifert, CIN

One year after leading all tight ends in DYAR and DVOA, Eifert ranked 18th and 14th in those categories this year. It didn't help that injuries limited him to only eight games and two starts.

Thanks to Vincent Verhei at profootballoutsiders for this piece

[auburnfamilynews]

See if some of us are superstitious enough to go with the reverse jinx...

Well, tomorrow is the Iron Bowl. It’s the big one, and this year things may be in doubt more than they’ve been in any year in quite some time. Alabama’s a slim favorite, but without their starting quarterback and a shaky, injured defense, Auburn’s offensive woes may not matter as much as they have in other games this season.

When it comes to this game, many of us get a little stitious and may not want to show our true feelings. Do we all think Auburn is going to win this game? Maybe. Will us saying that Auburn is going to win affect this game’s outcome? IT COULD, YOU DON’T KNOW. That said, here are our opinions.

AUBURN vs ALABAMA (-4) (O/U 49.5)

Marlon Davidson has gained a One Honor lead over Derrick Brown in the Race for the Most SEC Player of the Week Honors (TM). It sounds like they are very serious about this internal competition. In other words, I would not want to be the backup quarterback these gentleman are both trying to tackle on every snap.

Folks, Auburn can beat this team. This isn’t the offense that put 40 on LSU. This isn’t the defense Saban typically has. But Bo has to rise above his standard level Saturday. He has to be a super star. His arm needs to quickly (and accurately) get the ball to his receivers. Here I am, placing my trust in this team once again.

Auburn 24, alabama 22

-Josh Dub

I wish I believed but I have nothing that shows me the offense will score more than 16 points on a defense with half a pulse. Our defense will keep us in it but that will make it hurt that much more.

uat scores a late garbage TD because I hate football and its basketball season and soon to be baseball season.

uat 24-16

-Drew Mac

My oh my how the result of this game will change perceptions. A win puts us at 9-3 with a win over Alabama, which would for sure knock them out of the Playoffs. A loss puts us at 8-4 with losses to the four best teams on the schedule, and 4-4 in conference. Gus won’t be gone either way short of a 49-0 bloodletting, but still, how this game plays out will write the script for this offseason’s debates.

If Auburn is going to succeed in this game, it’s going to come down to if we can run the ball. Alabama’s rush defense is 41st in explosiveness rate and 48th in success rate, while Auburn’s ground game is 42nd in explosiveness rate and 34th in success rate. That’s also with a limited/out Boobee Whitlow for half the season, who looked back to form against Samford last week. I think if Auburn can establish the ground game early, Bo has shown he’s confident enough in JHS to get some things done in the passing game.

On the other side of the ball, I’m fully confident in our defense. Alabama’s game this year has been to pound the ball for 3-5 yards a pop consistently, then take the top off the defense with elite QB and WR play down the field. But without Tua, we’ll see how the passing game responds. Najee Harris and the ground game haven’t been great at busting big plays, even if he’s been one of the best in the country at getting consistent yardage. That actually mirrors Auburn’s rush defense, who specialize in stuffing you at the line but may let you bust a few big gains each game. My money’s on Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson, but there’s going to be a ton of NFL talent on both sides of the ball in this matchup.

Just like the UGA game, this one’s a toss up. I think Auburn pulls it off with a familiar 28-24 score.

-Ryan Sterritt

It’s cliche to say this, but it remains true…this game being played in Auburn matters more for who we are than the outcome. That’s not to say it isn’t wildly important to win this game, but for those that were there and understand the significance of what happened 30 years ago on December 2, 1989, you understand that who we are today is not possible without us dictating where we play this game.

In essence that is what Alabama is to us. It’s the measuring stick every 365 days of whether or not Auburn is living up to who we say we are and who we aspire to be. Are we the program that is unafraid of going up against the best in America, competing our hearts out, and coming away with our share? Or are we a program that cowers back into exactly what someone else wants to dictate we are. It’s all one big identity crisis that we play out each and every day here in this state, but you already knew that. So let’s get down to it…

These bastards can be beaten. The field doesn’t tilt in their direction the way it used to, primarily due to not being as talented as they are accustomed to being, but also because they’ve got maybe the weakest coaching staff they’ve had in over a decade. They’re a shell of their former self defensively; not really being sure of what their identity is. They’ve had their best offensive weapon taken out due to injury, and now must throw back there a kid who has never seen anything like what he’s about to walk into trying to throw to 4 NFL-caliber wideouts and handoff to another great running back.

I have a ton of respect for that football team in Tuscaloosa and for Nick Saban. What they’ve done is unprecedented and will never be seen again in our lifetimes. I love my good friend Bo Hicks and Druid City Brewing Company. I get along well with our Roll Bama Roll brethren here on this network of sites. The issue I have is not even the arrogance and complete identity being wrapped up in winning, but the idea that we aren’t allowed to be who we are in the same space without them feeling threatened by us, or them actively trying to cause us harm or damage.

Those fans outside of SEC Nation the weekend of the Alabama/LSU game cheering Harvey Updyke when he called into Finebaum’s show represent the worst of what is a large portion of the Alabama fanbase the simply wants us to never have any joy. Those people can go to hell. Those people don’t deserve the success they have. And those people are the reason why winning this game is always so sweet.

But those people aren’t why Saturday matters. Saturday matters because it’s a day for us to get back on the same page as a group of people. If we’re honest we’re all divided as to how we feel about the “state of Auburn” and the direction of our football program. Some reasons are totally valid. Some are so batshit insane that it makes me question how the folks throwing out their grievances are able to normal, everyday life. But we should all be able to agree that the negativity, the students leaving early against Ole Miss, the backlash to the students leaving early against Ole Miss, the wanting to spend an immoral amount of money for the unknown, the anger at a 19 year old quarterback who was in high school 6 months ago, and the general toxin we all are carrying is unhealthy. For us, and for Auburn. Saturday matters because it’s a chance to get right. Come before the altar and release all of your burdens and get behind this football team. Get behind these coaches. And get back to who we are, which is a fiercely loyal group of people who are completely, totally, and undeniably unified by the desire to beat Alabama’s ass.

Keys to victory:

Throw downfield to Schwartz (beyond 25 yards) 4+ times. Make the Alabama defense respect the pass.

Let DJ Williams touch the ball 15-20 times. This is not a game where Boobee is going to win it for you. We need the best running back on the team to carry the load.

Run pace. Let Bo Nix flourish in the system he’s most comfortable with. It’s also the system the head coach is most comfortable calling.

Play straight up defensively. No 3-1-7 look will beat their receivers. Line your men up and make Mac Jones beat you through the air.

Do NOT kick FGs outside 40 yards.

Knock Mac Jones’ ass into the dirt. Hit him. Make him associate the breath of Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson with pain.

To hell with Alabama. Let’s beat their ass. Auburn 23 Alabama 21

-Josh Black

Who says the Iron Bowl doesn’t matter? Both of these teams can be 0-11 and guess what folks, THE IRON BOWL MATTERS! EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

Here’s the reality folks: Auburn very well could be America’s team this Saturday. Why? Because I truly believe that if Alabama wins this game, they’re gonna back their way into the playoffs..... again.

We all know the powers that be are gonna do everything in their power to make sure that happens. So how do you stop them? You protect your house unlike 2 weeks ago and shut em all up.

Auburn won’t be feeling sorry for Alabama starting Mac Jones instead of Tua at QB but Mac has done well so far since taking over full-time after Tua’s injury. It’s the last time we’ll see Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and others play in Jordan-Hare Stadium. They can’t lose to both Georgia and Bama at home this year. It simply can’t happen. I’ve felt pretty good all week about this game and I truly hope my good feeling holds true on gameday and throughout the game. War Damn Eagle ya’ll!

Auburn 24 Alabama 17

-Will McLaughlin

I don’t have much in the way of preview for this game. It’s pretty simple. If Auburn can run the football and Nix converts on the available big play opportunities then the Tigers win and possibly comfortably. If they don’t, it will unfold as it did in Baton Rouge, Gainesville and two weeks ago in Jordan-Hare. Give us a Happy Thanksgiving Gus

Auburn 31 Alabama 23

-AU Nerd

I have alternating really good and really bad feelings about this. So it’s honestly a normal Iron Bowl. I hate this game so much. I hate losing to these assholes so damn much. There’s no way I can stomach picking them. As far as game analysis, Auburn has to have explosive plays on offense. Auburn’s best chance to win this game is to have at least 1 touchdown from more than 30 yards out. I feel comfortable with the defense getting enough stops to keep us in the game. It’s just a matter of making the plays on the other side.

Auburn 24, Alabama 19

-James Jones

I’m honestly not seeing what Vegas is seeing. Sure Auburn has blown it against some teams this year, but I’m not sure any of those teams are worse than Bama without Tua. Feels like the degenerates are just seeing that mullet A and going with it.

Anyway, I think the best defense in the country does their job, and Auburn manages to score just a little bit more than they need to. I expect us to see Gus throw everything at them, like we’ve seen before, and give this worse than their average Bama defense all sorts of trouble. We are at home. We will be loud. These defenders that came back to win something only have one left thing to win: this game. War Damn Eagle.

Auburn 30, Alabama 17

-AU Chief

A long time ago I worked as a student assistant in the auburn athletics department of media relations. My job was a lot of data entry and also wrangling players for interviews. It remains one of the most fun jobs I’ve ever had, to be honest. At least once a week Athletics Director Emeritus David Housel would poke his head in the office where all the student workers were, and ask one question, “What are y’all doing today to help beat Alabama?”We all play a part. If you’re in the stadium, be loud. Play your part.If you’re on the couch at home, be loud and be quasi positive on Twitter please, recruits read that. Play your part.If you’re on the field, hit them in the mouth and don’t stop until the clock hits triple 0. Play your part.Auburn is going to do enough to beat this Alabama team. And no one will be able to take anything away from it. Tigers 35, Tide 25.

-Son of Crow

I haven’t lived in the state of Alabama for nine football seasons. I left on the heels of a winged Heisman winner named Cam Newton, and my last memory of experiencing football in Alabama was of winning a national championship. Some of us on this site have stronger negative feelings toward Georgia, but to me, the Iron Bowl never had that brotherly quality.

The first football game I ever really remember watching and understanding was the 1995 Iron Bowl (YES, YES, YES AUBURN, YES!). It was only the third Iron Bowl played at Jordan-Hare Stadium, and when the two teams came onto the field, Auburn ran out of the tunnel while Alabama walked. My dad told me that the team that runs onto the field wins the game, and my small mind took that as gospel. It’s not true, but it was that day.

Since then, I’ve watched Auburn football run the gamut from complete joy and jubilation to total failure. The final game of the season has run that string of emotion as well. 2002 — the unexpected dominance; 2003 — a cathartic experience in the face of disappointment; 2004 — the capper on a perfect season, 11-0 eleven years after 11-0; 2005 — a complete joke and the least pressure I’ve ever had watching an Iron Bowl; 2006 — the feeling that we may never lose the game again; 2007 — not even their god-king can take down Jordan-Hare at night; 2010 — throwing it back in their faces; 2013 — setting Alabama on the wrong side of college football history forever; 2017 — just beating their asses. Those are just the wins.

It’s been equally wild on the other side. Blowouts in 2001, 2008, 2012, 2012... close and tough loss in 2009, the frustrating ones where you play hard and just get out-gunned in 2014, 2015, 2016... but you get the sense that these wins mean less and less to the Tide. Their students are increasingly from areas outside of the state. The focus comes more and more into the national picture, and anything less than a title is a down year. You have to wonder if the same mindset leaks into the team as well. A bunch of these guys have no scope when it comes to thinking about the Iron Bowl as the heated rivalry it’s always been. With their shot at a national championship hinging on this game, but still out of their control, will we see a team that doesn’t quite have the gas in the tank?

For Auburn, we saw what Jordan-Hare Stadium can become. Against Georgia, it was back to the November levels we experienced two years ago. Tomorrow, it’ll be the same if the game is close. Our defense will feed off of that and will have an impact when it comes to affecting Mac Jones and his ability to move the ball. Now, I don’t think the drop off from Tua to Jones is as big as everyone thinks. Tua wasn’t the key to that offense, it was the ability of the receivers to get open and make big plays out of slants and screens. Jones can still have success if he can just get the ball to the weapons on the outside. However, he’ll have to deal with the defensive front of Auburn while trying to make that happen.

Auburn hasn’t allowed more than 24 points all season long. LSU scored 23 at home against us. They scored 46 in Tuscaloosa. It’s not a stretch to say that our defense can clamp down and keep the Tide in a rhythmic rut. I’m not worried about that side of the ball. They’ll do their part.

Offensively, Auburn has to get the best game of the year from Bo Nix. We have to be able to find our receivers in good one-on-one matchups, and we have to try to hit this defense up the middle on the ground. They don’t have the beef in the middle, nor the experience. They’re still fast, and we likely won’t be able to beat them to the edges as much as we’d like. We need the ground game, and the slants, and the running ability of Bo Nix. I think we get just enough.

It won’t be a field goal return, or a fourth down conversion that wins this one. It’ll be the defense standing tall and holding Alabama when we need them most. Backed up into the students, we’ll get the clinching turnover and Bo Nix will have the distinct honor of kneeling down as the clock ticks to zeroes, scoreboard reading Auburn 27, Alabama 24.

-Jack Condon

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/11/29/20987520/staff-picks-15-auburn-vs-5-alabama

[eastbridge-sb]

UEFA Europa League Match Previews – 24th October Thursday

Trabzonspor v FC Krasnodar

This is a key game for the well supported Turkish side Trabzonspor. They conceded a late goal to Basel to end up drawing in Matchday 2 and that leaves them with just a single point from a possible six after defeat to Getafe on opening day. You feel the ‘Black Sea Storm’ have to capitalise on their home games, it’s an intimidating place at the Senol Gunes Stadium and their record at base is largely impressive.

Trabzonspor have won 15 of their last 21 competitive games when playing hosts, such home form should not go unnoticed and I think they’re overpriced as they welcome an injury ravaged Krasnodar side. The ‘Byki’ have won just one of their last 5 on the road and have been outgunned in their opening two UEL games, including a 5-0 hammering in Switzerland against Basel. They’re a very inconsistent outfit and have kept just 3 clean sheets in 19 in all competitions this season, it’s hard to back them to win at the moment.

What’s more Murad Musayev will be without Viktor Claeson, Remy Cabella, Yuri Gazinskiy and Andrey Sinitsyn. There’s also doubts over the fitness of Dmitri Skopintsev, Wanderson and Ivan Ignataev, it’s not the best of preparations. The current available crop have been performing poorly and I expect the hosts to take the game to them.

Daniel Sturridge is finding form and fitness after his switch to Turkey, he has undeniable quality and experience in this competition. Even if he doesn’t play, Crystal Palace misfit Aleksander Sorloth has settled in well and is supported by the likes of Jose Sosa and Anthony Nwakaeme. This side have scored two or more goals in each of their last four games including a pair of 4-1 victories over Gazientepspor and Besiktas, a measure of their attacking potential.

We can back the Turkish team off a +0 start on the asian handicap at 1.830and I’d be very surprised if we lost here. Backing this line means if the hosts win then so do we, however, if the game ends all square then we get our stake back. We’d only lose if Krasnodar claim an unlikely victory.

Asian Handicap Betting Recommendation: Trabzonspor +0.00 at 1.830

PSV Eindhoven LASK

PSV are a great team to watch at this moment in time. The Eindhoven based club have lost just once since the start of their domestic campaign and that was a 3-0 defeat at Utrecht this weekend, also they were down to 9 men in that game. But in the 16 games in all competitions since opening day vs FC Twente, PSV have a W12, D3, L1 record and they’ve been scoring plenty of goals in the process.

The ‘Boeren’ have scored 3 or more goals in 10 of those 16 games and even without key striker Luuk De Jong who departed to Sevilla in the summer, they’ve still managed to find the back of the net with impressive reliability. A lot of that burden has fallen on 20 year old Donyell Malen who is making a big name for himself with his goalscoring exploits. He’s bagged double figures in the Eredivisie already and three goals in the two UEL ties so far. His supporting cast isn’t bad either with Stephen Bergwijn and Bruma chipping in with a few goals and plenty of assists too.

Their attacking approach does leave them susceptible at the back though. The Dutch side have conceded in 6 of their last 7 and opponents LASK Linz have the forward propensity to add to that tally. The Austrian outfit comfortably finished as runners-up to Red Bull Salzburg in the Bundesliga last season and they’ve shown what a threat they can be on the continental scene. The success of Die Schwarz-Weisen saw manager Oliver Glasner get a move to Wolfsburg however their transition has been seamless since his departure.

They won 1-0 on opening day at home against Rosenborg and were fully deserving of the 3 points after out-shooting the Norweigans 16-6. They were very unfortunate to lose at Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon on matchday 2, they managed a whopping 22 shots to Sporting’s 12 with 7 landing on target; LASK racked up 12 corners in that game too which highlights their attacking intent no matter who the opponents.

This game screams goals to me and it would be a shock if don’t profit from backing over 2.75 goals at 1.740. This bet would see us take a half stakes profit should exactly 3 goals be score and a full stakes win if 4 are scored. LASK are coming into this on the back of a 7-2 thrashing of Hartberg and 6 in a row have seen this bet profit when looking at their games. If you’d have backed this line in PSV games you’d have made money in 10 of their last 11 games. The stats say this is a sure fire thing and looks like the best bet of the coupon.

Asian Total Goals Betting Recommendation: Over 2.75 goals at 1.740

Sevilla v Dudelange

In what is probably the biggest mismatch of Matchday 3 I’m willing to side with the minnows with a healthy handicap. The small landlocked country of Luxembourg is being represented by Dudelange who are flying the flag for the improving footballing nation. In the last 5 years or so we’ve seen the national team progress markedly and that has resonated with the domestic league too, they’re here on merit and have got three points to their name in group A after a dramatic 4-3 away at APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus.

Now I’m not saying they’re going to win this game, far from it, after all they’re visiting one of the favourites for the trophy and Europa League darlings Sevilla. However, I think the visitors are being slightly disrespected in the market and I’m more than happy to side with them on a +3.5 Asian Handicap at 1.850. It would take a win of 4 goals or more for the hosts in order for this bet to lose and that seems an artificially high threshold.

Although the Spanish giants are a much more high profile club, they rarely batter anyone. In fact, I wouldn’t be massively surprised if they conceded against this brave Dudelange side. Los Nervionenses have not won by four or more goals under the reign of Julien Lopetegui and 5 of their 7 wins this season have been by just the single goal. It’s not quite clicking for them going forward this season either. Wissam Ben Yedder and Pablo Sarabia both departed in the summer and that was a lot of their goals omitted, Monchi scoured the continent and brought in Manus Dabbur, Luuk De Jong and Javier Hernandez in from Austria, Holland and England respectively. The trio have combined to score a paltry 1 goal since the seasons inception and although Joan Jordan has slotted in superbly in midfield, the new front players have failed to ignite thus far.

Seldom will you see such a high line in a major European competition and Dudelange haven’t got here by fluke. They deserve respect and they’re not getting it. Let’s hope we can profit from it.

Asian Handicap Betting Recommendation: Dudelange +3.50 at 1.850

Preview by: TomLove_18

Get the best lines with the most competitive prices for your Sevilla v Dudelange, Trabzonspor v FC Krasnodar, PSV Eindhoven v LASK picks though the best sports betting broker or through VOdds NOW!

The post UEFA Europa League Match Previews – 24th October Thursday appeared first on Eastbridge.

source https://eastbridge-sb.com/uefa-europa-league-match-previews-241019/

[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: Jackets Clinch, Shutting It Down Early (Apr 6)

The all-in Columbus Blue Jackets are officially in as the final team to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Jackets were able to get it done with a 3-2 shootout win over the Rangers on Friday, which officially eliminates the Montreal Canadiens from playoff contention.

It wasn’t easy, as Pavel Buchnevich scored his 21st of the season for the Rangers with just seven seconds in regulation to tie it for the Rangers. Chris Kreider also scored his 28th of the season to open the scoring for the Rangers in the second period.

Mika Zibanejad recorded two assists for the Rangers, extending his team-leading point total to 74 points in 81 games. His total this season is a new career high by over 20 points, a similar margin to his lead in team scoring. He’s on my short list of my top waiver-wire pickups for my personal fantasy teams.

Ryan Dzingel and Artemi Panarin scored in the third period to give the Jackets the lead. Was Panarin showcasing for the Rangers with this goal?  

ARTEMI PANARIN DANGLES THROUGH THE DEFENSE AND TALLIES A GORGEOUS GOAL!#CBJ pic.twitter.com/if4WwNU8mF

— Hockey Daily #StickTogether (@HockeyDaily365) April 6, 2019

David Savard recorded two helpers for the Blue Jackets, which gives him seven points over his last 11 games. His overall point total won’t make him that appealing, but he has been just fine in the “what have you done for me lately” category. Four blocked shots on Friday too, if that matters to you.

In the end, the 2019 playoffs weren’t meant to be for the Canadiens. But when you consider that the Habs were being mentioned in the same breath as the Ottawa Senators before the season, they have at least exceeded expectations by competing for a playoff spot all the way up to Game 81. Narrowly missing the playoffs will sting, but the season still has to be considered a positive one, even for a franchise that once measured its season’s success by whether it had won La Coupe Stanley. Hopefully they can still put on a good show against the Leafs tomorrow for what will be Bob Cole’s final game.

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The interactive playoff draft list is ready for download now! Don’t wait until five minutes before your draft or deadline to purchase it. If you haven’t already preordered it, get yours today! If you have already purchased it, jump right in. It’s available in the Downloads section on the Dobber website (login required for the site, not the forum).

Once you purchase the draft list, please take a moment to get familiar with it before your draft. Read the Instructions tab before you begin using it. The Excel spreadsheet file is interactive (macro-enabled) and not just a “list.” The point total projections depend on which teams you set to advance, or you could go with Dobber’s picks if you’re really not sure. I’m not trying to make it sound super complicated or anything, but it’s better to be prepared. Hey, we just want you to win your league!

Also, please make sure you try logging in, so that you have enough time to reset your password if needed!

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In a game with fewer playoff implications (although not none), the Dallas Stars could not clinch the first wild card spot, falling to Chicago by a score of 6-1. The Stars are still one point ahead of Colorado, with both teams playing their final game tomorrow.

Patrick Kane didn’t bail on fantasy teams still competing for all the marbles, scoring two goals with a plus-3 and nine shots on goal. With scoring up, Kane has benefitted with a career year of 109 points (44g-65a) with one more game to go. Whether that is a factor, Kane has simply been able to shoot the puck more, taking a career-high 339 shots, a number that is only exceeded by that of Nathan MacKinnon.

Jonathan Toews recorded a pair of assists, which extends his career-high point total to 81 points. Yes, we are saying that about Jonathan Toews, who will turn 31 later this month and was in recent seasons trending toward ordinary numbers. He appears to have benefitted even more than Kane with the scoring increase. Being deployed with talented scorers such as Kane and Alex DeBrincat at various points has helped Toews become a desirable fantasy commodity again.   

Drake Caggiula assisted on both of Kane’s goals. He’s up to 11 points in 25 games with the Blackhawks, which equals his point total with the Oilers this season in four more games. His fantasy value appears to have improved with the Hawks, although not to the point where you’d should add him in anything more than the deepest of leagues. That’s even with him playing on the Kane/Toews line, although that line combination certainly makes the idea of adding him tempting. He’s entering his fourth NHL season next season, so perhaps a full season in Chicago with those linemates can result in some sort of breakout.

Corey Crawford left Friday’s game in the second period with a groin injury. He’s out for Saturday, as the Hawks have recalled Kevin Lankinen. As per usual, don’t forget to check Goalie Post for the latest starting goalie updates. And with it being the last day of the season, a higher-than-normal number of starting goalies will probably be given a rest.

Anton Khudobin has been solid for fantasy teams recently, but not on Friday night. Khudobin allowed six goals on 32 shots in the loss for the Stars.

It wasn’t Miro Heiskanen’s night either, as the rookie defenseman was tagged with a minus-5 to go with being held without a point.

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The final game of Friday only had draft lottery implications, as the Ducks took it to their crosstown rivals with a 5-2 win over the Kings. John Gibson stopped 44 of 46 shots to earn the win, which gives him wins in four consecutive games and eight of his last nine games to close out the season. The Ducks overall have finished the season on a high note, but they’ll in tough to make the playoffs next season as a team in transition with a new coach (Dallas Eakins?)

The Ducks are the only team not to play tomorrow, so you’re already able to see their season stats. Just in case you want to get a head start on next season.

{youtube}_57OWOU1Yc8{/youtube}

I made a very last-minute addition of Sam Steel, and he came through with one of the Ducks’ goals. The late-season callup ended the season on a high note, posting eight points (5g-3a) over his last seven games. Expect the former WHL scoring star to be on the Ducks’ roster on a full-time basis next season, as he had already posted solid numbers in the AHL (39 points in 50 games).

You may have been disappointed in Jakob Silfverberg this season. However, with his goal on Friday, he has set a career high in goals with 24. He still hasn’t reached 50 points in his career, and it may not happen next season with the Ducks’ scoring attack mainly either on the back nine (Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf) or just getting started (Steel, Troy Terry, Max Jones).

Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Drew Doughty were all a minus-3 in this game. Bet they can't wait for this season to end. 

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Potential waiver-wire pickups for tomorrow: Everyone. If they’re playing, they can contribute something, and you’re not attached to them beyond Saturday. The only exception might be if you’re trying to protect a lead in a non-count stat such as goals-against average, save percentage, or plus-minus. If not, you might need some reinforcements, as teams whose playoff seedings are already known may rest star players for the more important playoff matches coming up.  

With a few teams resting their star players for the playoffs, should the fantasy hockey season end a week early?

— Ian Gooding (@Ian_Gooding) April 6, 2019

This practice has been taking place for years in the NFL and the NBA, so we shouldn’t be that surprised that it has now become a thing in the NHL. The Flames have rested Mark Giordano for the past two games and other regulars for the past game, while the Bruins rested now 100-point scorer Brad Marchand on Thursday. I’d expect these players and more to be rested again on Saturday, since these teams have nothing left to play for in the regular season.

Since the NHL is a copycat league, expect this practice to become even more widespread, perhaps even with teams implementing “load management” strategies (to borrow a term from the Toronto Raptors and Kawhi Leonard). Load management would affect teams beyond just the final week of the season, yet, this is the time in which teams rest players with the highest frequency. Therefore, I might have to agree with the majority here and at least bring up the idea of shutting the fantasy season down with a week to go in at least a couple of my leagues. Quality over quantity.

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If you’re still competing, best of luck tomorrow! For more fantasy hockey information, or to reach out to me directly, you can follow me on Twitter @Ian_Gooding.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-jackets-clinch-shutting-it-down-early-apr-6/

[buddyrabrahams]

10 NFL players who exceeded expectations in 2018

The NFL has been somewhat predictable over the past several seasons, but that changed in a significant way in 2018. In fact, this season felt like a new era had been ushered in, which can be cemented if the Kansas City Chiefs defeat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for a trip to the Super Bowl.

Much of the change can be attributed to young talent, but it wasn’t entirely exclusive to rookies and sophomores. In fact, several aging veterans broke through their shells in 2018 and performed at unexpected levels, so the norm was essentially thrown out of the window.

Here’s a look at 10 (of many) players who exceeded expectations in 2018.

10. Jared Cook, TE, Oakland Raiders

Jared Cook has spent a decade in the NFL with four different teams and has consistently provided a quality veteran presence at the tight end position. His best year came in 2011 when he recorded 49 receptions for 759 yards and three touchdown for the Titans, which is a moderate level of success for the 31-year-old. But the former third-round pick saved his best for 2018 as Cook hauled in 68 receptions for 896 yards and six touchdowns, which all represented career highs. Cook’s 13.2 yards per reception were also the second-highest total in his career. Whether or not he’s able to replicate this level of success in 2019 remains to be seen, but at least for one year, Cook performed well beyond his expectations.

9. Chris Jones, DE, Kansas City Chiefs

Over his first two seasons as a pro, Chris Jones amassed just 8.5 sacks and appeared to be somewhat struggling with the NFL transition. Still, the 2016 second-round pick had potential written all over him and in 2018, he realized it. But Jones didn’t just hit his ceiling, he burst through it like the Kool-Aid man through a wall, recording 15.5 sacks, which was good for third in the league. He also earned a 90.8 Pro Football Focus grade, good for seventh-best among all interior defensive linemen. That’s quite the leap for a player who had been considered an under-performer through his first two seasons, so he justifiably finds himself on this list.

8. Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver Broncos

While New York Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley dominated the 2018 NFL Draft hype and then erupted during the regular season, Phillip Lindsay very quietly put up strong and unexpected numbers of his own. After joining the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado, Lindsay soon found himself in the starting role and never looked back. In 15 games this season, Lindsay averaged 5.4 yards per carry en route to 1,037 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns. However, he was far more valuable than that, tallying 1,471 all-purpose yards and 10 total touchdowns, earning himself a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team and the AFC Pro Bowl roster.

7. Darius Leonard, LB, Indianapolis Colts

Who in the world could have possibly foreseen the dominance of Darius Leonard? The 2018 second-round pick not only surprised by carving out a full-time defensive role for the Colts, but he essentially established himself as one of the most dominant linebackers in the NFL. His 163 tackles led the league, but he brought so much more to the table. Leonard added nine stuffs, seven sacks, eight passes defensed, two interceptions and more. He was named an AP First Team All-Pro and landed a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. And while Leonard was initially snubbed for the Pro Bowl (and not happy about it), he was named an alternate and will hopefully find his way onto the roster before the game itself.

6. Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Dallas Cowboys

Sean Lee has been the man in Dallas since 2010, so to see him go down hurt early in 2018 was somber for all true NFL fans. But with Lee down early, it ushered in the era of Leighton Vander Esch. And that very literally meant a new era — not just a bridge until Lee returned. Vander Esch, who was taken No. 19 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, played so well out of the gate that Lee was relegated to the bench. That alone tells you what Vander Esch meant to the Dallas defense, but it was really just the tip of the iceberg. In 16 games, the linebacker recorded 140 tackles (102 solo), three stuffs, seven passes defensed and two interceptions. As a result of his superb season, Vander Esch was named to the Pro Bowl, the PFWA All-Rookie Team and earned an AP Second Team All-Pro nod.

5. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

When George Kittle was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the 49ers weren’t exactly sure what they were getting. The potential was most certainly there, but mid-round picks are generally hit or miss. However, midway through his rookie season, it became clear that Kittle may be something special. And in 2018, any question about that evaporated as the sophomore tight end hauled in 88 receptions for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns. It was a wildly unexpected, record-breaking season for the 25-year old, who has now established himself as an important cog in San Francisco’s offense for the foreseeable future.

4. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes didn’t surprise in 2018 in the sense that no one saw him coming, but rather, he surprised by dominating in a way that few could have imagined. After all, who could have foreseen a sophomore quarterback freshly added to the starting role passing for 5,097 yards 50 touchdowns while tossing just 12 interceptions. For good measure, Mahomes added 272 yards on the ground and two more touchdowns. It was just a record-breaking, franchise-altering season for the 23-year-old, who should walk away with league MVP honors and, quite possibly, even a Super Bowl title.

3. Adrian Peterson, RB, Washington Redskins

It’s a strange day to see a future Hall of Fame running back on a list like this, but no one saw Adrian Peterson returning to form quite like he did in 2018. And if you claim you did, your pants are on fire. For the first time since 2015, Peterson not only eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing, but also stayed healthy enough to appear in all 16 games. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry, which was his second-highest total since 2015, and that can also be said about his eight combined touchdowns. It was a real turn-back-the-clock season for the 33-year-old Peterson, who had struggled in recent years with the Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings. Now he’ll attempt to return in 2019 and replicate his recent success.

2. Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

When the Bengals selected Tyler Boyd with their second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, expectations were somewhat high. However, at least initially, Boyd failed to live up to his billing, amassing just 828 receiving yards and three touchdowns over his first two seasons. But that all changed in 2018 as Boyd finally came into his own, hauling in 76 receptions for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns, which were all career highs to go along with a catch rate of 70.4 percent, which was also a career-high. And while much of Boyd’s success came because A.J. Green missed seven games, he proved to the organization they rely on him as a quality No. 2 in 2019.

1. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

As the 2018 regular season approached, there was some legitimate uncertainty regarding Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell and his willingness to play on the franchise tag. Ultimately, Bell proved he wasn’t bluffing and sat out the entire season, ushering in the era of 2017 third-round pick, James Conner. And what Conner did was nothing short of remarkable as he took over the starting role and gained 1,470 yards from scrimmage and scored 13 combined touchdowns, earning a trip to his first Pro Bowl. While the Steelers failed to qualify for the playoffs, it was through no fault of Conner, who stepped into an unforgiving and somewhat awkward role to establish himself as one of the better running backs in the league.

from Larry Brown Sports http://bit.ly/2TUVH9z

[jodyedgarus]

The Stats Say Washington Should Have Signed Colin Kaepernick (And It’s Still Not Too Late!)

After starting quarterback Alex Smith broke his leg in Week 11, the Washington Redskins rode their journeyman backup, Colt McCoy, to two losses and a 7-3 deficit against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13 before he also broke his leg. Struck with misfortune at the most important position in professional sports, Washington trotted out Mark Sanchez, a player signed off the street to back up McCoy.

This obviously didn’t work out well. Sanchez had not played an NFL game since 2015, and he went on to record the worst expected points added (EPA) per play (-0.627) of any NFL QB in 2018 with at least 20 pass attempts. This includes Nathan Peterman. Sanchez was promptly benched in a blowout 40-16 loss to the Giants in Week 14. His replacement: Josh Johnson, a 32-year-old journeyman who has played for 12 different NFL teams and who reportedly had to play Madden to learn the names of his new teammates.

Hindsight is 20-20, but it’s worth asking if this skid could have been avoided — or at least somewhat mitigated — had Washington signed free agent Colin Kaepernick instead of Sanchez. It’s even worth wondering if they still should sign him. A playoff berth for the Redskins is highly unlikely, but they are still not mathematically eliminated. Could signing Kaepernick help the team win out, finish 9-7, and give them a shot at the postseason?

Let’s look at this as a purely football decision and put aside any public relations baggage that would come with signing Kaepernick. Let’s also assume that Kaepernick is in decent enough shape to put on a jersey right now and play at the levels we have seen from him in the past. (For what it’s worth, he has said that he’s remained in game shape.)

I looked at standard measures of quarterback performance like yards per attempt along with more advanced stats like EPA per play and success rate, which measures how often a player keeps his team “on schedule” or on track for a first down. The first question — “Should Washington have signed Sanchez or Kaepernick?” — is straightforward to answer.

Using data from Ron Yurko’s EPA model, I analyzed both of the QBs over their careers to see which one has been better at creating expected value per pass. I also broke out the contribution of yards after the catch to help with the comparison. Yards after catch is probably best thought of as the product of scheme and wide receiver skill, but passes that are on time and on target from a QB surely help as well.

Kaepernick has easily outperformed Sanchez

Attempts, yards per attempt, expected points added per play, success rate and yards after catch EPA per play for Kaepernick and Sanchez, 2009-18

Passer Attempts Yards/ Attempt EPA/Play Success Rate YAC EPA/Play Colin Kaepernick 1,941 7.2 +0.17 0.45 +0.67 Mark Sanchez 2,403 6.6 +0.00 0.45 +0.60

Data includes two-point conversions but does not include kneel downs.

Source: Elias Sports Bureau

The contest wasn’t a contest at all. Kaepernick is superior to Sanchez over his career by a large margin and across a wide spectrum of metrics. Kaepernick’s career yards per pass attempt is higher than Sanchez’s by more than half a yard. His career EPA per play is on the order of 40 times better than Sanchez, despite their yards after catch EPA per play being relatively close.

Kaepernick has been far from perfect. His career yards per attempt is no better than league average, and his career completion percentage is low at 59.8 percent. His greatest flaws as a passer show themselves at the intermediate depths, where his completion percentage is well below average. Whether this is because he struggles to make reads or because his decision making on slower developing routes is poor is an open question. What is clear is that neither Kaepernick nor Sanchez is particularly accurate across most depths of target.

Kaepernick, however, has also affected game outcomes with his legs. He is not exactly young anymore, though, at 31 years old; we might expect a decline in rushing effectiveness that typically accompanies NFL QBs as they age. Still, Kaepernick’s legs are fresh, and Sanchez has never shown the ability to add value on the ground.

Career expected points added per rush for Colin Kaepernick and Mark Sanchez, 2009-18

EPA/Rush Kaepernick +0.21 Sanchez -0.05

Meanwhile, Kaepernick adds roughly equal value to his team whether he runs or passes the football, making him a legitimate dual threat. It was this ability that took the San Francisco 49ers within 5 yards of winning the 2012-13 Super Bowl. What’s more, the league has become more open to the air raid concepts Kaepernick ran at the University of Nevada, as evidenced by the ascendancy of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, who played in an air raid system at Texas Tech. There are legitimate reasons to believe that Kaepernick could still fit in the league.

Kaepernick’s path to snaps in Washington is blocked by current quarterback Johnson, who has just 193 total career pass attempts to his name and, like Sanchez, is a year older than Kaepernick. When we look at his career efficiency numbers compared with Kaepernick’s, we can see why Johnson hasn’t been allowed much opportunity to throw. Plays with Johnson under center have resulted in negative value for his teams.

Kaepernick has outperformed Johnson, too

Attempts, yards per attempt, expected points added per play, success rate and yards after catch EPA per play for Kaepernick and Johnson, 20tk-18

Passer Attempts YARDS/ ATTEMPT EPA/PLAY SUCCESS RATE YAC EPA/PLAY Colin Kaepernick 1,941 7.2 +0.17 0.45 +0.67 Josh Johnson 193 6.1 -0.04 0.46 +0.60

Data includes two-point conversions but does not include kneel downs.

So what about moving forward? Could Kaepernick help Washington win? Our best predictors of future performance at the QB position are career efficiency measures like yards per attempt and EPA per play — far more useful than looking only at Kaepernick’s most recent season.

The table below shows every player who has attempted at least 20 passes this season, sorted by total expected points added per play. Total EPA includes both passing and rushing production, and gives a full picture of a player’s offensive contribution. Kaepernick’s career numbers would put him 26th among quarterbacks this season, ahead of Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins — who are being paid a combined $50.5 million.

Kaepernick would be in the middle of the pack this year

Every quarterback with a minimum of 20 pass attempts this season in the NFL, compared with the career numbers of Colin Kaepernick

Player Pass Attempts Total EPA/PLAY Success Rate 1 Patrick Mahomes 483 0.441 0.561 2 Drew Brees 416 0.432 0.589 3 Matt Barkley 25 0.431 0.44 4 Philip Rivers 414 0.424 0.541 5 Matt Ryan 505 0.329 0.547 6 Jared Goff 460 0.328 0.517 7 Russell Wilson 339 0.321 0.513 8 Jameis Winston 270 0.291 0.542 9 Tom Brady 476 0.290 0.526 10 Ben Roethlisberger 548 0.283 0.517 11 Carson Wentz 400 0.281 0.535 12 Ryan Fitzpatrick 248 0.275 0.523 13 Deshaun Watson 397 0.262 0.526 14 Aaron Rodgers 494 0.255 0.49 15 Mitch Trubisky 352 0.248 0.522 16 Jimmy Garoppolo 90 0.231 0.52 17 Dak Prescott 418 0.230 0.492 18 Jeff Driskel 101 0.214 0.46 19 Eli Manning 461 0.213 0.462 20 Marcus Mariota 300 0.213 0.51 21 Andrew Luck 533 0.205 0.52 22 Cam Newton 444 0.201 0.521 23 Lamar Jackson 101 0.191 0.519 24 Derek Carr 452 0.176 0.511 25 Andy Dalton 362 0.175 0.508 26 Colin Kaepernick 1,941 0.171 0.464 27 Matthew Stafford 464 0.170 0.482 28 Nick Mullens 170 0.157 0.478 29 Kirk Cousins 525 0.146 0.51 30 Colt McCoy 52 0.134 0.492 31 Joe Flacco 377 0.132 0.454 32 Baker Mayfield 379 0.124 0.479 33 C.J. Beathard 171 0.122 0.463 34 Ryan Tannehill 196 0.120 0.479 35 Cody Kessler 97 0.119 0.491 36 Alex Smith 327 0.113 0.457 37 Case Keenum 452 0.106 0.449 38 Brock Osweiler 178 0.101 0.44 39 Josh Allen 228 0.079 0.435 40 Blake Bortles 370 0.040 0.463 41 Nick Foles 80 0.024 0.398 42 Tyrod Taylor 84 -0.001 0.354 43 Blaine Gabbert 61 -0.015 0.453 44 Sam Darnold 314 -0.060 0.427 45 Josh Rosen 314 -0.087 0.425 46 Chase Daniel 76 -0.096 0.47 47 Sam Bradford 81 -0.156 0.329 48 Josh McCown 109 -0.219 0.383 49 Derek Anderson 70 -0.325 0.429 50 Nathan Peterman 82 -0.589 0.315 51 Mark Sanchez 35 -0.627 0.361

Show more rows

Source: Elias Sports Bureau

Most starting quarterbacks with NFL experience did indeed create value per play above what we might expect from Kaepernick, but Kaepernick’s worst season is still better than 26 percent of the quarterbacks who have attempted a pass in the NFL in 2018. Kaepernick may be a fringe starting NFL talent, but he is likely better than many of the quarterbacks who have seen playing time this season, including even Alex Smith.

It’s probable that Kaepernick could start for Washington and produce enough with his arm and his legs to salvage their playoff hopes. There remains the opportunity for Washington to sign him and find out for certain. Instead he continues to languish in free agency.

Check out our latest NFL predictions.

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-stats-say-washington-should-have-signed-colin-kaepernick-and-its-still-not-too-late/

[junker-town]

P.J. Hall is the under-the-radar FCS star the NFL Draft will be buzzing about

The Sam Houston State product is drawing Aaron Donald comparisons.

P.J. Hall hasn’t show up on many mock drafts this spring. He wasn’t even invited to this year’s NFL Combine. But by the end of April, he could shoot all the way up to the first two days of the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Sam Houston State defensive lineman was a big fish in the Southland Conference’s small pond, but his college numbers alone would have merited a look as this year’s draft wound down. Hall was a downright beast for the Bearkats, tearing through offensive linemen like tissue paper en route to a career whose numbers look like they came straight from a video game:

284 tackles

86.5 tackles for loss

42 sacks

9 forced fumbles

4 interceptions (he’s a down lineman!)

14 blocked kicks (!) (!!) (!!!)

And then came his chance to shine at SHSU’s pro day, where Hall took full advantage of his opportunity to impress NFL scouts:

At @BearkatsFB pro day today, DL P.J. Hall measured 6-0 1/2, 308, ran 40 in 4.83/4.71 seconds, had 38 VJ, 9-8 BJ, 36 lifts. Wow! Moved from DE to DT. Quick off ball but slows down. Reminds some of Aaron Donald. My pick to be earliest non-combine invite drafted. https://t.co/kVWNlxPH6f

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) March 26, 2018

A 4.7 second 40-yard dash ... at 308 pounds. That is freakish speed, quickness, and power — and it could be enough to work him into the first three rounds.

Why is P.J. Hall worth the gamble of an early pick?

While his ability to demolish FCS competition made him an interesting late-round pick, his huge pro day performance has turned him into something more. Hall has made himself look a lot like two other havoc-wreaking defensive tackles who turned freakish workout numbers into NFL success: Aaron Donald and Grady Jarrett.

After starting his college career at defensive end, Hall has settled in to his natural NFL position at tackle — where he was big as I-AA player, but at 6 feet tall and 308 pounds will be a bit undersized for the position. Playing for an FCS powerhouse like Sam Houston State was a blessing and a curse. He got to see the FCS Playoffs in each of his four seasons and advanced to the subdivision’s semifinals in three of those years.

Unfortunately for Hall, the Bearkats’ stature meant they weren’t a sure-win cupcake for a needy FBS team. As a result, his national exposure was limited — he only played two games against FBS competition, and none as an upperclassman.

Hall had 10 total tackles in losses to LSU and Texas Tech, but dominated in relative obscurity through the rest of his playing days. The league left him off its combine invite list, a move that in retrospect cost him a lot of hype. His 4.7 40 time would have dominated NFL Network’s coverage had he done it in Indianapolis and not Huntsville, Texas.

But the league is willing to sift through and reach into the far ranges of its scouting reports to invest in a project like Hall. The Browns proved that by taking the greatest player in UNC-Charlotte’s (then) four-year history: Larry Ogunjobi in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

While Donald and Jarrett are great comparisons, Ogunjobi may be more apt

Ogunjobi was another small-school standout who began his college career at the genesis of Charlotte’s program. That gave him two seasons of FCS play and two transitioning into FBS to build his case for NFL scouts. He got even better after the 49ers made the leap to Conference USA: 28 of his career 49 tackles for loss came in his final two years.

Ogunjobi rose all the way to the first pick of the third round of last year’s draft, but that had as much to do with where he was before he started his college career than how he finished it. The Nigerian didn’t play football until he was a sophomore in high school, then worked to build himself up from 240-pound zero-star prospect to 305-pound gap-plugger. Hall doesn’t provide the same parabolic upside Ogunjobi did last spring, but his impressive resume should be enough to convince executives he’s got a Pro Bowl ceiling.

At 6’2 the current Brown was longer and a little leaner than Hall. While scouts raved about Ogunjobi’s quickness and ability to blow up blocking schemes with his quick first step, the Sam Houston State product has proven to be even faster. He outmeasured Ogunjobi in most of the combine drills he participated in at his pro day, and his eye-popping resume should be enough to present a compelling case to any scout in the league.

The question is whether Hall’s productivity will translate. Though he was matched up against FCS opponents, it’s not like he was toiling away in the Northeast Conference. Sam Houston State regularly played the best teams I-AA ball had to offer, and four straight playoff appearances ensured he played his share of big games. He notched 20 tackles (four for loss) and an interception in the Bearkats’ 2017 run to the semifinals. In 2016, he accounted for -25 yards (two sacks, 3.5 TFL) against eventual national champion James Madison.

Ogunjobi showed flashes of brilliance in a rookie year defined by its learning curve. While he had only 32 tackles and one sack in 2017, he also impressed Cleveland’s leadership enough for the franchise to ship defensive tackle and former first-round pick Danny Shelton to New England. That move should lead to more playing time for the second-year lineman, who made just one start last year.

Hall’s outsized college production could mean an even better start to his NFL career. Everything he’s done on paper — whether its racking up tackles, blocked kicks, or ludicrous 40 times — paints him as a draft bargain. The question now is which team will cash in on him.

[gozonecoverage]

Unforeseen: ROUTE Talks Recruiting with Rick McSorley

Photo Source: Associated Press

Rick McSorley is the dad of Trace McSorley, third-year starting quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions. The ROUTE team had an opportunity to “chop it up” [talk] with Rick [RMCS] about Trace’s recruiting journey and valuable lessons learned along the way – and we’re sharing it with you. 

[ROUTE] When did you start the recruiting process? If different, when do you recommend today’s aspiring athletes begin? 

[RMCS]  The recruiting process started relatively early for us (following Trace’s freshman year). That being said, I don’t believe that is the case or needs to be the case for everyone. Sure, if you’re a player with “elite” physical gifts (height, weight, speed, wing span, etc) then the recruiting process will start earlier for you because of these very recognizable and valued traits by college coaches. You also must balance that. Trace was on the radar early but didn’t necessarily check all the boxes college recruiters coveted – so that initial impression of Trace as a 5’10, 150 LB QB stuck with him throughout his entire high school career. Even when he grew to 6’ 185 LBs for his junior and senior season it was hard to get over that immediate first impression. In other words, don’t go to a camp and run a 5 second 40 as an 8th grader. Believe it or not that’s what will stick with you. Don’t send freshman or JV tape. Coaches know [so you need to know]. Know your skill set, know your competition level and know what the coaches are looking for before making that first impression. The recruiting process does start early but it goes on a lot longer than many folks realize. It doesn’t end on national signing day for a lot of kids. Yes, major D1, Power 5, Group of 5 will be pretty much full but there are a lot of programs out there, FCS, D2, D3 that are definitely and actively recruiting through your senior year of high school, and candidly beyond with the prevalence of transfer and JUCO opportunities. 

[ROUTE] What are some important things to consider when choosing a school and football program? 

[RMCS] From my standpoint coaches and culture are two things that stand out.  You need to be comfortable with the coaching staff, training staff and most importantly the players that will be your future teammates. Obviously, the right school fit is critical too – a need to have the majors and environment you are pursuing academically but I would argue most schools have very similar programs to help your student athletes succeed academically. The culture of the team and the program is ultimately what is going to allow your child to leverage those programs for their success. 

“Trace’s story changed in a lot of ways we would have never foreseen.”  

[ROUTE] What is the parent’s role in the recruiting process? 

[RMCS]  Be an advocate for your sons. Fill their tank and keep them confident. Help them with outreach to schools. Help them build those relationships with coaches. Recruiting is a very exciting and humbling experience at the same time. Yes, your son is invited to a game [No, your son is not one of the prized recruits]. Yes, your son has a scholarship offer [No, your son can not commit to the school for that scholarship because he is number 2 or 3 on their board]. Organize the visits, meet with coaches, get candid honest answers on your kid and how they view them. This doesn’t mean asking the coach for a scholarship or if they are going to offer. It means asking them what they are looking for in the student athletes they recruit to their program. Ask them where your son fits within their recruiting profile. Reach out, stay engaged and keep your son engaged. All you need is one coach to fall in love with your kid so keep that relationship up. Encourage it. Trace’s story changed in a lot of ways we would have never foreseen. Recruited by Vanderbilt initially to be a Safety, then as a QB – then [eventually committed] to Penn State as a QB. The coaching world changes quickly…talk to everyone.  That JMU WR coach that your son chose not to speak to because he wasn’t considering JMU is now the Offensive Coordinator at Duke (your son’s dream school). Be respectful of everyone’s time but also treat all recruiters how you want your son to be treated. It is worth your time.   

 [ROUTE] What role do you think social media plays in today’s recruiting process? 

[RMCS]  Social media is a key ingredient. Coaches and players can communicate with each other through social media. Recruiting websites and apps, (RIVALS, 247, ESPN, ROUTE) post information about schools, coaches and players you may be interested in. You can share your highlight tapes and communicate with coaches and schools that may have never been on your radar or you on theirs. It brings everything closer. It’s also your son’s brand – make him recognizable with his own name as his handle.  “@bigdaddywarbucks” doesn’t help a coach find you on twitter or Instagram when your given name is “Todd”. Protect his image, monitor what he posts, monitor who he follows. Help him out where you can and do what you can to project the image you want for your son. 

“Guess what? You had him. He loved your tape but now he is disappointed. Don’t give him that option.”

[ROUTE] Can you share some examples of things that student athletes have done to hurt or enhance their efforts to be recruited? 

[RMCS]  You can kill your recruitment with one simple ignorant post on social media. Posts that are racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually explicit, drug related, and just arrogant can derail all the hard work you have put in. Even if you think it is funny or you are quoting someone [it is not] – and it will not be received that way.  Don’t do it. Don’t think it. Don’t act like it. Just don’t. I will also say – be honest. Do not exaggerate stats, offers, heights, weights, etc. They will find out. The last thing you want is that coach to love your tape but you told him you were 6’1 and he meets you you’re 5’11. His first impression will be “disappointment”. Guess what? You had him. He loved your tape but now he is disappointed. Don’t give him that option. Obvious things will help in your recruitment. Measurables are always desirable. Height, weight, speed, etc. Grades are critical. Your chances go up exponentially when you have good grades and good character references. Not everything or everyone is created equal but if you check more boxes than the next guy – that goes a long way in recruiting. 

 [ROUTE] What's your advice to two-way players? Should they focus on one or the other? 

[RMCS]  Play both ways as long as you can. Play multiple sports if you like other sports. Don’t commit to just one. Coaches want competitors, coaches want players that can help them out. Coaches want playmakers and the only way you become a playmaker is to be out on the field. Offense, defense, special teams – find a way to get on the field and make a play. Coaches will take the “piece of clay” you provide and coach them on their techniques, fundamentals, schemes, etc. That coach [specialist] you have paid for to hone your son’s skills as a college QB, might have created a whole set of “bad” habits his future college coach needs to break. Give them the best piece of clay they can mold. Be an athlete. Play multiple sports – compete! Be a great teammate and help your team win. That is the goal. 

 [ROUTE] What’s your advice to an aspiring college football recruit?

[RMCS]  First, Enjoy the process and believe in yourself. There is a spot for you. Not everyone is a Division 1 football player, but if you can keep playing – do it and enjoy it. Second, don’t let the recruiting process be a distraction.  Enjoy the game you have been playing these last few years. Before you know it, your high school career will be over – don’t waste it [worrying].  Third, just play! Have some fun and make some x-box plays. Coaches will notice. 

Editor’s Note: At time of publishing, Trace holds Penn State's career records for passing yards (8,830), passing touchdowns (70), total offense (10,283), rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (26), touchdowns responsible for (96), 300-yard passing games (10) and 200-yard passing games (26). Source: gopsusports.com