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znModeratorfrom Football Outsiders@fboutsiders
LINK TO THE PDF: https://www.footballoutsiders.com/files/FOA2018-LARSample.pdf
In FOA 2017, we mentioned that Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh tied for the most defeats among interior linemen. They nearly pulled off the feat again in 2017—Suh was one defeat short. It remains to be seen how opposing guards and centers handle these two together; our best guess is “not well.” They won’t even get a break with the two rotating out; they were first and second in percentage of team snaps among defensive tackles last season. Donald also led all interior linemen in sacks, knockdowns, QB hits, and yards per play. … On passing downs, having Suh and Donald at the 3-tech charging at quarterbacks is going to be an interior pass rush that no other team in the league can match…. If there’s anything [Donald] does “poorly,” it’s stop the run, where his 86 percent stop rate was only 10th in the league. So, you know, don’t bother giving him a massive extension or anything. Suh has more snaps in the past eight years than any other defensive lineman, but only three percent of them have come at nose tackle. Wade Phillips’ scheme is more similar to 4-3 fronts than most 3-4 defenses, and Suh should have plenty of one-gap opportunities. The shift to a 3-4 helped Michael Brockers, who recorded a career high in tackles.
July 20, 2018 at 11:41 pm in reply to: Football Outsiders goes into obscene detail on the Rams in their almanac #88337znModeratorA sample paragraph (with maybe more to follow):
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Rams lapped the rest of the league in our “hidden” special teams rating—40 points of value, when no one else was above 15. Some of this value wasn’t actually all that hidden: three blocked punts, a blocked field goal, and a blocked extra point. Even without considering the blocked punts, however, the Rams finished in the bottom five in both gross punt value and gross kickoff value by opponents. And opponents were just 23-for-34 on field goals, with four misses on field goals of less than 40 yards and another two missed extra points on top of the block. It’s better to be lucky than good, but it’s best to be both lucky and good. All four of Los Angeles’ specialists—kicker Greg Zuerlein, punter Johnny Hekker, returner Pharoh Cooper, and long snapper Jake McQuaide—made the Pro Bowl. That’s the first time in NFL history that has ever occurred. Cooper averaged 12.5 yards per punt return after taking the role over in October. Tavon Austin’s best year had him at just 11.4, plummeting all the way down to 4.4 last season. And the Rams got a pick for him! By Football Outsiders metrics, Cooper ranked second in punt return value (behind Detroit’s Jamal Agnew) and third in kick return value (trailing Tyler Lockett and Alvin Kamara)
znModeratorThe @RamsNFL + @brandincooks for the next 6 seasons. 🔥
📺: @gmfb pic.twitter.com/yGqbCRNGNm
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 20, 2018
znModeratorRobert Woods was 💵 when QB Jared Goff was pressured quickly #Rams pic.twitter.com/KPCN7quhzD
— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) July 20, 2018
znModeratorTodd Gurley didn’t miss a single block in pass protection last season
Cameron DaSilva
Todd Gurley didn't miss a single block in pass protection last season
Todd Gurley proved to the world last season that he’s a complete running back, leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage and total touchdowns. He was the Offensive Player of the Year and arguably should have won league MVP, dominating as a runner and receiver.
One area of his game that doesn’t garner much attention, however, is his pass blocking. To be a complete back, you have to prove to be a capable receiver and a blocker in addition to being a consistent runner. Gurley did exactly that with 64 receptions for 788 yards and as many missed blocks as both you and I.
That’s right, he missed zero blocks in pass protection, which was tied for first in the NFL. Only Ezekiel Elliott and Matt Forte were perfect in pass protection on at least 60 blocking attempts.
Pass protection often gets overlooked by fans for running backs, mainly because it’s not an easy stat to compare players with. However, missed blocks almost always lead to sacks, which are often drive-killers for the offense.
The fact that Gurley can hold up in pass protection and as a receiver proves he can consistently be a three-down back, eliminating the need for a third-down specialist.[
July 20, 2018 at 11:28 am in reply to: Projections, rankings, previews, fantasy analysis, etc. (July) #88326znModeratorfrom: RICK GOSSELIN’S NFL OFFSEASON RANKINGS
link: http://www.talkoffamenetwork.com/rick-gosselins-nfl-offseason-rankings/
The Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles all won division titles last season. Minnesota and Philadelphia reached the NFC title game and the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl.
All are better on paper now than when they walked off the field after their final games of 2017.
The Eagles won that Lombardi Trophy without their starting quarterback (Carson Wentz), Pro Bowl left tackle (Jason Peters), middle linebacker (Jordan Hicks) and Pro Bowl return specialist (Darren Sproles) because of injuries. All are back in 2018.
The Vikings won 13 games with a caretaker quarterback and reached the NFC title game without their starting running back. Minnesota has swapped out Case Keenum at quarterback for Kirk Cousins, who will be able to stretch the field and take better advantage of wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. RB Dalvin Cook also returns from a knee injury that ended his season in October.
The Rams won 11 games with the most explosive offense in football. Los Angeles led the NFL in scoring and have added speedy Brandin Cooks on the flank. The Rams needed to improve defensively and they have, adding inside pass-rushing forced Ndamukong Suh to the front and Pro Bowl cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib to the back end.
So how do you separate these teams? By the division they are competing. The Rams have the easiest path to January in the NFC West, followed by the Eagles in the East and Vikings in the North. So with NFL teams heading off to training camp at the end of this month, here’s how they stack up in Rick Gosselin’s annual offseason rankings:
1. Los Angeles Rams. The 2017 Rams reminded me of the 1991 Cowboys. Jimmy Johnson’s Cowboys were so young in 1991 but didn’t realize how talented they were until they won 11 games and went into Chicago and won a playoff game against Ditka’s Bears. The light bulb went on and the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl the following season. The 2018 Rams now know how good they are and how good they can be. The Cowboys added Hall of Fame pass rusher Charles Haley in 1992. The Rams added defensive impact as well in Peters, Suh and Talib. The light bulb has turned on in Los Angeles.
2. Philadelphia Eagles. Is there a team with a better two-deep at quarterback than the Eagles? Had Carson Wentz stayed healthy, he might have been the NFL MVP. But he leaves with a knee injury in December and his backup Nick Foles goes on to become Super Bowl MVP. Leading rusher LaGarrette Blount departed this offseason but the Eagles proactively replaced him last October with the trade acquisition of Pro Bowl halfback Jay Ajayi. Philadelphia also swapped out speed (Torrey Smith) for speed (Mike Wallace) on the flank this offseason.
3. Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have the best defense in the NFL and, in Kirk Cousins, now have a quarterback who can threaten defenses downfield with his arm. He strung together three consecutive 4,000-yard passing seasons with the Redskins and he’ll have better blockers, runners and pass catchers in Minnesota than he had at any point in Washington. Cook was one of the NFL’s leading rushers as a rookie with 354 yards at the time of his injury in the fourth game of the season. He’s back and the Vikings drafted a cornerback (Mike Hughes) in the first round to add another layer of polish to the NFL’s best defense.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars reached the AFC title game last season with the NFL’s second-best pass rush (55 sacks). That front got better this offseason with the selection of DT Taven Bryan with a first-round draft pick. Jacksonville also signed Pro Bowl guard Andrew Norwell to improve an offensive line that produced the NFL’s top-ranked rushing attack a year ago and allowed only 24 sacks. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye give the Jags the best cornerback combo in the NFL.
5. New England Patriots. The Patriots still have Tom Brady. But he’s 41 this season. He’ll also be without his left tackle Nate Solder, who left in free agency. Also gone are his top two pass-catching wideouts, Brandin Cooks (trade) and Danny Amendola (free agency). His go-to guy WR Julian Edelman will sit the first four games of the season with an NFL suspension. TE Martellus Bennett (30 catches in 2017) and RB Dion Lewis (32 catches) also are gone. Much is asked of Brady. Much more will be asked of him in 2018.
6. Green Bay Packers. QB Aaron Rodgers missed nine games last season with a shoulder injury and the Packers lost six of them to finish out of playoff contention at 7-9. He’s back in 2018 but Jordy Nelson, his favorite receiver, is not. He became a salary-cap casualty. But the Packers did add TE Jimmy Graham to complement Pro Bowl WR Davante Adams. Green Bay also addressed the NFL’s 22nd ranked defense by signing DT Muhammad Wilkerson and spending its first two draft picks on cornerbacks.
7. Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers and Patriots were the only teams in the NFL last season to finish in the Top 5 in both scoring and scoring defense. First-round draft pick Derwin James should have an immediate impact on the NFL’s 15th ranked defense and free-agent center Mike Pouncey should make life easier for HB Melvin Gordon and the league’s 24th ranked rushing offense. But losing TE Hunter Henry to an offseason knee injury removes a key piece from the offense.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers. No team has a better 1-2-3 punch at the top of its offense than Pittsburgh’s trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. The key is Bell. He rushed for almost 1,300 yards last season and caught 85 passes. He eases the defensive pressure on both Roethlisberger and Brown. The Steelers also led the NFL in sacks last season with 56 and adding first-round draft pick Terrell Edmunds at safety makes a Top 5 pass defense even more formidable.
9. Atlanta Falcons. Nineteen games ago, the Falcons were sitting on a 25-point Super Bowl lead with 20 minutes to play. They wound up losing that game to the Patriots, then were knocked out of the 2017 playoffs by the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles. The Falcons have added All-America WR Calvin Ridley to complement Julio Jones and Muhamed Sanu on the flank but the defensive front will be a tad softer with the departures of Adrian Clayborn and Dontari Poe.
10. Carolina Panthers. When Cam Newton was the NFL MVP in 2015, he accounted for 43 touchdowns with his arms and legs and only 14 turnovers. Since then, he has accounted for 19 touchdowns with 16 turnovers in 2016 and 28 touchdowns with 17 turnovers in 2017. The Panthers go as far as Newton can carry them. WR Devin Funchess had a breakout year in 2017 with 63 catches and eight TDs and the Panthers used a first-round pick on WR D.J. Moore.
July 19, 2018 at 8:51 pm in reply to: Projections, rankings, previews, fantasy analysis, etc. (July) #88321znModeratorznModeratorThe one on Persia is long long overdue.
The Spartans were so fiercely military because their slaves, the Helots, outnumbered them 8 to 1. They just needed to be a purely military social system to maintain power over their slaves.
But some people still buy the “Sparta fought for freedom” bs.
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July 19, 2018 at 1:28 pm in reply to: contracts: on Bell, and also on Cooks, w/ stuff relevant to Gurley scattered in #88313znModeratorHow Brandin Cooks Explains the Modern NFL
The Rams just handed their new receiver a five-year, $80 million deal. It speaks volumes about how L.A. prizes Cooks—and it’s the latest example of Cooks’s career reflecting the NFL’s value structure at large.
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/7/19/17589504/brandin-cooks-rams-contract-league-value-structure
Brandin Cooks has been on one hell of a ride during his first four years in the NFL. Despite tallying three 1,000-plus-yard receiving seasons and racking up 27 touchdown catches before his 25th birthday, he has already been traded twice. He’s been on offenses led by Drew Brees and Tom Brady and is now set to line up next to one of the league’s most promising young passers in Jared Goff. And on Tuesday, the Rams wideout finally landed the long-term contract he’s desired—a five-year, $80 million deal with $20.5 million in guarantees. Cooks has had the most fascinating start to a career of any (non-bust) first-round pick I can remember. And his journey to this point goes a long way in explaining the machinations of the modern NFL.
The former Oregon State receiver was taken by New Orleans with the 20th overall pick in the 2014 draft—a selection that was made after the Saints traded up seven spots in that year’s first round. The franchise was desperate to acquire a dynamic playmaker who could help Brees keep thriving into his late 30s, and Cooks fit the bill. He emerged as a potent force for most of his time in the Big Easy, with at least 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns in both his second and third seasons. Cooks began to feel his opportunities were limited in the Saints’ egalitarian system, though, and his frustrations became one of the league’s worst-kept secrets. As such, he was dealt to the Patriots in exchange for a first-round pick in March 2017. Cooks went on to help transform New England’s offensive approach by giving Brady his first legitimate deep-ball threat in years; Cooks’s 608 yards on throws that went 20-plus yards downfield last season ranked second in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. His reward was a March 2018 trade to the Rams, part of Los Angeles’s offseason effort to stockpile talent.
To the casual observer, it may seem like something must be wrong with Cooks. Players with his talent just don’t move around this often. Let’s unpack the moves one at a time, though, because they say more about the league’s value structure than about what Cooks can do as a receiver.
Cooks made it known that he didn’t feel valued in New Orleans. By shipping him to the Patriots, the Saints’ brass essentially acknowledged he was right. New Orleans head coach Sean Payton and Co. have been reluctant to hand out massive contracts to pass catchers during much of Brees’s tenure; along with jettisoning Cooks, the Saints also traded Jimmy Graham to Seattle in March 2015, about eight months after making him the highest-paid tight end in the league. It’s all in keeping with the franchise’s approach: New Orleans has been willing to sacrifice assets to move up and draft receivers but has shied away from keeping sizable receiver contracts on the books. The Saints’ personnel decisions reflect just how large the value gap under the current CBA is between players on rookie deals and veterans on second contracts. Knowing they wouldn’t want to pay market value for Cooks when he eventually hit free agency, the Saints elected to start the cycle over again with more high-end draft capital. The team’s 2018 roster is telling; its highest-paid receiver is Ted Ginn Jr., who will make just $4.5 million.
New England’s motivation to give up draft capital to land Cooks in 2017 reveals a different method teams are using to find value in the league’s current structure. The Patriots decided the production that Cooks could generate over the final two years of his rookie deal (which carried cap hits of $1.6 million in 2017 and $8.5 million in 2018, respectively) outweighed the concerns of giving up the 32nd overall draft pick. To Bill Belichick and staff, the certainty that came with adding a proven player was worth more than the chance to keep a young, unproven talent on a rookie contract for twice as long. This move was originally regarded as a win-now deal for a team with an aging quarterback, but that type of pick-for-player trade has since become a team-building staple for several of the league’s smartest teams, independent of perceived championship window. The Patriots (Cooks and Eric Rowe) and Eagles (Timmy Jernigan and Ronald Darby) have both made trades for players nearing the end of their rookie deals to shore up areas of need. New England making this play for Cooks just happens to represent the highest-profile example of one to date.
Cooks was undeniably productive during his only campaign with the Patriots (65 catches for 1,082 yards with seven touchdowns), but this offseason, New England considered his value once again. Rather than pay Cooks more than five times what he made against the 2017 cap and then evaluate whether to extend him next spring, Belichick dealt Cooks to the Rams in exchange for the same level of asset he gave up to acquire the wideout a year earlier. If that sounds like some black-magic Patriots nonsense, that’s because it is. New England rented an upper-echelon deep threat for $1.6 million in a league where Tavon Austin will make twice that much. To recoup that kind of value, the Pats had to find a trade partner willing to sacrifice similar draft capital for Cooks after the final dirt-cheap season of his rookie contract. And that’s where the Rams come into play.
New England saw Cooks as a cheap asset from whom it could squeeze value over a season or two; Los Angeles sees him as a luxury it can afford because of another cheap asset on its roster. General manager Les Snead has spent this entire offseason doling out money and throwing around draft capital (he gave up the no. 23 pick in the Cooks trade) to bring in big-name players because, like the Eagles in 2017, the Rams understand the team-building flexibility afforded by a good quarterback on a rookie contract. Goff is set to make $7.6 million in 2017 and $8.9 million in 2018 before his cap hit spikes two years from now, when he’ll likely be on the fifth-year option in his rookie deal. Snead knows that the Rams’ window is right now; while Cooks’s new contract makes him one of the richest receivers in the league on a per-year basis, only $20.5 million is guaranteed at signing, meaning that the team’s financial ties to him are probably packed into the first two years of the deal. That coincides with the stretch over which Goff will rank among the lowest-paid starting quarterbacks in football.
Cooks’s deal also sheds light on the way teams contextualize positional value. The Rams chose to extend their new receiver right now, even though they have contract negotiations looming with running back Todd Gurley and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the reigning offensive and defensive players of the year. Cooks also landed his extension a day after the Steelers and star running back Le’Veon Bell failed to come to terms on a long-term extension. Bell has 17 more receptions than Cooks over the past two years and was seeking a deal worth upward of $15 million per season; the Rams gave Cooks a contract worth $16 million annually.
The receiving work Cooks and Bell do clearly differs, but that difference speaks volumes about the way many teams think about how to spend. Above all else, the Rams have tried to build an infrastructure to elevate their young quarterback; the trade and subsequent extension for Cooks shows they believe replacing (and possibly) upgrading their deep threat is more valuable than just about anything else. Cooks has represented three things to three different organizations over the course of his rookie deal. Now, with this extension, his latest stop should be his long-term home.[/quote]
znModeratorAs Noam always notes, all the surveys indicate the WORLD considers the USA the biggest threat to peace on the planet. Russia didnt cause that. Putin had nothing to do with that.
There is more than one threat to the world, and imperialism always consisted of competing empires. The world does not gain from Russia gaining at the USA’s expense, that’s like making Dutch Schultz the attorney general to get rid of Capone.
The world benefits from the truth being told about ALL of them and of ALL the autocrats being resisted. Not from giving one of them a free pass.
And Putin has a lot to do with all the awful things Putin does. Notice he’s not the leader of a global revolution. He’s as hated as any auotcrat with power.
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znModerator“accused”
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“So a dictator who has been accused of systematically killing his opponents asked us to extradite two of our citizens so he can “talk” to them or possibly try them because they spoke out against him. And we didn’t immediately say no? WTH is going on? What do we stand for?” Jason ColeSo ‘accusations’ amount to proof now? And who is this “us” he’s referring to? Would that be the “us” that systematically kills opponents with drone-murders without due process on a weekly basis?
w
vThat’s semantics. Dissidents opposed to the Putin regime end up dead. Either he runs too loose a ship where subordinates just go on killing sprees which coincidentally take the lives of Putin’s critics, or (more likely) he knows about it. He’s culpable either way. In specific cases the actual individual who did the poisoning is known and the details are clear.
I am really not interested in giving this monster the benefit of the doubt. Or debating his “rights.” It strikes me as macabre to even engage in it.
As I said I don’t live in a glass house so I get to throw all the stones I need to. I didn’t do anything, american governments I opposed (and oppose) did things. So I throw my stones freely. Doesn’t matter to me if it’s Trump, Netanyahu, Pinochet, the Shah, Kissinger, or Putin.
Coming to Putin’s defense is just not high on the list of noble things we accomplished on this board. As an old friend and ally I wish you would reconsider that whole thing.
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znModeratorDC Wade Phillips Appears on Adam Schefter’s Podcast
https://www.therams.com/news/dc-wade-phillips-appears-on-adam-schefter-s-podcast
ESPN’s Adam Schefter welcomed Rams’ defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to The Adam Schefter Podcast on Tuesday, ahead of next week’s training camp and the start of Phillips’ second season in Los Angeles.
Schefter and Phillips’ 20-minute chat largely focused on Phillips’ impressive coaching career and many of his former All-Pro and Hall of Fame players. The pair also discussed the Rams’ offseason defensive acquisitions, the 71-year-old’s “swag,” and Phillip’s current boss, head coach Sean McVay.CURRENT RAMS IN GREAT COMPANY
Schefter and Phillips worked together for much of the podcast, constructing a starting 11 of greats who have taken the field for Phillips over the last four decades.
While 25 minutes was not quite enough time for the legendary coach and NFL insider to collectively nail down a concrete starting 11, three current Rams cracked the conversation, including defensive backs Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, as well as defensive end Aaron Donald.
Phillips spoke highly of Talib, who re-joins his former defensive coordinator this season in Los Angeles, after sharing two seasons in Denver (2015-16) and a Super Bowl 50 championship.
“He [Talib] is a real pro. He is a number one corner and has been a number one corner for a long time,” Phillips told Schefter. “I was elated when we were able to get him.”ON RAMS DEFENSIVE ADDITIONS
Speaking of Talib, Schefter asked Phillips about the Rams’ recent additions on defense, specifically dealing with the much-discussed “personalities” of players like Talib, Peters, and Ndamukong Suh.
Phillips led with high praise for his newly-acquired defensive standouts. The veteran coach then described “working with people” as one of his greatest strengths.
“You always want good players, that makes you a better coach,” Phillips said. “I explain why we are doing things and how it should be done, and I’ve had good responses from most every player over the years.”RELATING TO YOUNG PLAYERS
In March, head coach Sean McVay drew attention from the media when he claimed his 71-year-old defensive coordinator has “more swag” than the Rams’ talented offseason additions.
When Schefter questioned Phillips’ ability to relate to young players, Phillips did not confirm or deny any amount of “swag,” but rather credited his ability to be himself over the years and the importance of working together with players, rather than asking his guys to work for him.ON HEAD COACH SEAN McVAY
Schefter’s podcast closed with questions surrounding many of the all-time coaches Phillips has worked with throughout his career. Phillips had high praise for his current boss, following a long-winded list of legendary football minds, including Marv Levy, Marty Schottenheimer, Buddy Ryan, and Phillips’ own father, “Bum” Phillips.
When asked where Sean McVay falls, Rams fans may be pleased to hear Phillips believes McVay fits right in with his list, claiming McVay does his job in a similar way to many of the greats.
“To me he’s got the whole package. He relates really well with people and players and has a clear message of what he wants done, how he wants it done and why he wants it done, the same way that all of those other coaches did,” Phillips said.
Schefter closes the interview by reminding Phillips that he has taken 10 different teams to the playoffs in his first year with the team, to which Phillips replied, “You get lucky”. Heading into 2018, the Rams are lucky to have Phillips, too.July 19, 2018 at 9:19 am in reply to: Projections, rankings, previews, fantasy analysis, etc. (July) #88296znModeratorLatest 2018 Los Angeles Rams #ClayProjections —> Game-by-game predictions, player projections, unit grades + more! pic.twitter.com/HfTXHwc4bk
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) July 18, 2018
znModeratorSo a dictator who has been accused of systematically killing his opponents asked us to extradite two of our citizens so he can “talk” to them or possibly try them because they spoke out against him. And we didn’t immediately say no? WTH is going on? What do we stand for?
— Jason Cole (@JasonCole62) July 19, 2018
znModerator.@Revis24 was the best there was from ‘09-14/15. Every CB at every level should study his technique. He didn’t guess, was incredibly strong, and could win at all 3 phases: at LOS, in the stem, and when the ball was in the air. #BaldyBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/hENrRuvLPS
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) July 19, 2018
znModeratorThe big question for next offseason looks like it's going to be who will sign Le'Veon Bell and how much 💵💵💵 he'll get paid. We take a look at his value ⬇️https://t.co/5pZQI7zAAW pic.twitter.com/Gee3meO1vv
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) July 19, 2018
znModeratorHe does the ‘context’ thing. In the context of what the US does regularly, the russia thing is just not a major story.
I have to say I don’t buy that either.
I didn’t ruin any democracies abroad. Some american governments did that. I would like to vote against that kind of thing in fact. So I don’t want the system I vote in to be screwed so that it serves the interests of yet another autocratic imperial state, and I don’t concede anything to that other autocratic state and give up on the idea of voting and being invested in democracy just because some american governments I opposed did stuff too.
Speaking just for myself but I also think echoing the sentiments of many others, I don’t live in a glass house when it comes to that. So I can throw all the stones I need to. At Trump, at Nixon, at Pinochet, at Putin. I don’t feel like excusing any single one of them.
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znModeratorAt any rate, what about the NATO thing. You seem to think russia is an aggressor — what about the NATO thing. Seems to me its the West thats the aggressor.
w
vI have to honestly say I don’t see any scenario where that is the case.
znModeratorI just think that misunderstandings of entropy increase across time. Eventually, it will be completely misunderstood.
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I’m not sure i understand the misunderstanding in question.
w
vWell I was just playing with the title. “The Misunderstood Nature of Entropy.” I just think the lecture makes the point that people don’t quite get what entropy is so the word is frequently used in imprecise ways. So anyway I was just quipping with the title by twisting the definition of entropy. That is, unless I misunderstood.
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znModeratorI just think that misunderstandings of entropy increase across time. Eventually, it will be completely misunderstood.
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znModeratorJason Kelce on SB52: “The last defense we had seen was Minnesota’s, and we were like, ‘These dudes have got some players.’ Then we see [the Patriots] and we’re like, ‘These dudes have got some . . . coaches.’” @alex_prewitt with the Eagles' O-line:https://t.co/bZaO859Jde pic.twitter.com/B743oAiBCT
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) July 18, 2018
znModeratorThis is his fundamental problem: good as Bell is, he kinda IS replaceable.
In terms of production if not skill set https://t.co/E3UIeMebdW
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) July 18, 2018
znModeratorThe Rams franchise-tagged safety has improved significantly and consistently over the past three seasons. pic.twitter.com/AQWldAAXkl
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) July 18, 2018
znModeratorRevis announces his retirement. Best cover CB of his generation. A lock for the Hall of Fame, and one of the most shrewd businessmen in NFL history. Nobody maximized his leverage better https://t.co/ufV4AcnDTv
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) July 18, 2018
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Wish he would have lasted longer but Revis in his prime was best man-coverage CB I've ever seen. Reinforced by data analysis & All-22 footage. A true "shutdown corner": https://t.co/omulVpQP96
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) July 18, 2018
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This is the kind of stuff Revis used to allow you to do on defense: FS leaning away, Revis trusted to just lock his man down and erase the opposition's #1 WR.
Look how congested the other side of the field now is with defenders. pic.twitter.com/SN25PCb1uj
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) July 18, 2018
July 18, 2018 at 5:40 pm in reply to: the other 3 NFC West teams (ie. the ones who didn't & won't win the division) #88260znModeratorRichard Sherman says ‘mistakes and poor judgment’ ruined the special Seahawks
Richard Sherman says ‘mistakes and poor judgment’ ruined the special Seahawks
Sherman is now with their division rival 49ersBack in 2012, the Seattle Seahawks came out of pretty much nowhere to win 11 games and emerge as one of the best teams in football. Led by a third-round draft pick at quarterback (Russell Wilson), a Buffalo Bills castoff at running back (Marshawn Lynch), and a group of defensive backs that would become known as the Legion of Boom, the Seahawks bruised and bullied the rest of the NFL.
Things continued on that way for the next few seasons as the Wilson-led offense improved and the LOB-led defense added even more talent. Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor were joined by Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and more, and the Seahawks made the playoffs every year from 2012 through 2016, winning one Super Bowl and narrowly losing another along the way. During that five-season span, only the Patriots and Broncos won more games than Seattle, and only New England had a better point differential.
Last season, things finally slowed down for the Seahawks amid injuries and inconsistency. Sherman ruptured his Achilles tendon. Avril and Chancellor each suffered potentially career-ending injuries. And the offense couldn’t quite pick up all the slack.
A few months later, much has changed. Sherman’s a 49er. Avril was released. Chancellor’s retiring. Even defensive coordinator Kris Richard, who was with the team from the beginning of the LOB era, has moved on to take a position with the Cowboys.
Sherman, never one to mince words, did not hold back when asked by The MMQB’s Robert Klemko about the breakup of the Seahawks. Here’s what he said:
“It’s just unfortunate. It’s really unfortunate. I think it’ll all come out when they do the 30 for 30. Mistakes and poor judgment on things ruined what could have been a really special deal. You don’t have much left right now. And to say you’re not going to pay Earl Thomas is just … There’s no decline in play there. He’s played the game the right way. Who do you have to pay? You have the two best linebackers in the game. You have the quarterback. You have a great wide receiver in Doug [Baldwin]. And you’re paying Duane Brown.
“They’ve lost their way. It’s as simple as that. They’ve just lost their way. When you make too many mistakes over a long period of time, you kind of dig yourself a hole. And then when you backtrack, you gotta make a bunch of rash decisions to try and fill the hole and hope that it holds up.
“When we were rolling it was an environment for pure competitors. When it becomes something else, then it’s more difficult to thrive in, and I think that’s what was tough on Earl, that’s what was tough on a lot of guys. But I think as it kind of progressed, you start seeing the writing on the wall. You’re like, ‘Not only are they probably moving in a different direction,’ but it’s like, ‘Ah, well, I kind of want to move in a different direction, too.’ So it happens like that. All great things must come to an end, I guess.
“I’m not even going to worry about it now. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
Some of those mistakes have been talked about ad nauseam (the goal-line interception that cost the Seahawks a second Super Bowl) while others will probably take a few years to come out into the open. Either way, Sherman is surely correct that all great things must come to an end. The Seahawks were always going to break up eventually, for one reason or another. It just happened to come this year, and for reasons both within and beyond their control.
znModeratorTo me, good writers think in terms of how their writing works as speech, as spoken English — if English is the language in question, of course. They think in terms of breaths, rhythm, structure, flow, and how others hear that. They think about the best way to make this comprehensible for the listener.
Both/and. Written and spoken. But reading it aloud is a great way to make it work for both. With exceptions, a sentence, a paragraph, a page that sounds good, looks good on the page too.
One of the patterns I see in this kind of bad, academic writing is the lack of any concern for that. There is almost no concern for breaths, rhythm, flow. Most sentences are way too long, virtually breathless, and contain too much proposed information for the sentence structure to handle/support. They need to be broken up. Antitrust lawsuits should apply.
Also — and I admit this is a personal bias — the “verbing” of words is overdone and distracts from the points made. For me, it actually obscures those points. This is different from using field-specific jargon like scientific and mathematical terms, where no other word suffices. I think it’s a conscious effort to throw things out of whack with no real gain in overall understanding for the reader.
They need to cut that out!!
;>)
Research can’t always work that way though. It has its own conventions and norms, and in that world writing that echoes speech rhythms can often come across as deliberately being less serious. All fields of research have their own conventions when it comes to this and I have no quarrel with that.
One can approach the most complex topics with both a sense of being readable and attention to field-specific ideas about rigor.
Here’s an example from a review of this book: Bodily Natures: Science, Environment, and the Material Self, by Stacy Alaimo. https://www.amazon.com/Bodily-Natures-Science-Environment-Material/dp/0253222400/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1531925338&sr=1-3&keywords=stacy+alaimo
The review:
Barad proposes that there is not a subject, endowed with agency, set apart from the environment; rather, her insistence that matter itself is active, not passive, denotes an “agential” material world where “things, as such, do not precede their intra-actions” (21). Beck suggests that we all live in a “risk society” where the absolute probability of harm to us cannot be easily calculated. It seems to me that Alaimo reads Barad and Beck in quite opposite (but equally thoughtful) ways. Barad’s complicated ideas about materiality, it turns out, have rather simple, but significant consequences, for, due to what Alaimo calls trans-corporeality, human bodies and non-human natures are open to one another – thus what we do to the environment (such as pollute the soil, water, and air), we do to ourselves. Conversely, her innovative reading of Beck’s risk society, an idea somewhat easier to grasp, develops into a complex critique of scientific/cultural knowledge production. As part of her critique, she instigates an important conversation about what the idea of environmental justice really is – and what it can be. If we are not sure to what degree what we do to the environment harms us, how can we develop a tenable ethical stance, much less a plan for political, social, and/or legal action against environmentally irresponsible corporations? How do we address the paradox that while all are at risk, some are at more risk (for example, due to environmental racism, that is, the failure to address the disparate exposure of minority communities to toxins) than others?
znModeratorWell, I can only speak to my own experience. I wrote a paper for a technical journal that was accepted with revision. Reviewer 2 wanted me to replace some of the technical jargon he/she thought was unnecessary even though the paper would likely not be seen by anyone other than my peers, and in grad school we were cautioned against using excessive technical jargon in a writing class for biomedical research papers. And they weren’t just talking about grant proposals or IRB applications where lay people are part of the process.
Okay fair enough.
And I didn’t give my own view.
I personally can’t stand that kind of writing. But it’s not the jargon per se, because really some of it does not translate, it;s the sentence structure too, which sounds like a committee of machines wrote it.
Like this:
ORIGINAL: This entails problematizing the assumption that the subject is always erased from the analysis, thus producing a myth about universal and objective knowledge.
POSSIBLE REVISION: This entails acknowledging and not erasing one’s own social position as a subject instead of simply acting as if analysis belongs to a mythic place of contextless, universal objective knowledge.
Hidden in the lack of voice is hyperbole. No piece of writing can PRODUCE the myth being referred to, it can only repeat it.
Also, once I revise it, it becomes clear that the original is actually committing the very sin it warns against.
Reminds me of a game I know about: Grad student first drafts of great movie quotes.
FINAL DRAFT: Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.
FIRST DRAFT: I must straightfowardly inform you in a point-blank manner that I have come to be indifferent to your entreaties and concerns.
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znModeratorJoel Corry@corryjoel
Under the Le’Veon Bell offensive playmaker theory, the Rams set Todd Gurley’s salary floor at $16M per year with Brandin Cooks’ deal. Gurley led the NFL with 2,093 yards from scrimmage in 2017 & was NFL Offensive Player of the Year.Bucky Brooks@BuckyBrooks
Uh huh… @RamsNFL can’t play a newbie big bucks before he makes a contribution and short-change their No.1 offensive playmaker. Gurley is going to break the bank and reset the market at a number that’s very close to Bell’s tag ($14.5M) or higher.The MMQB@theMMQB
Will any star running back after Le’Veon Bell be able to land a real deal?znModeratorHAMMOND: That’s a major move, given Cooks has yet to play a down for the Rams.
I keep hearing that. And although Hammond didn’t phrase it as a criticism, I’ve seen some that have. I don’t get that.
Let’s say that instead of trading for him this year, they signed him as a free agent next year. If they did, as with all FA signings, that issue wouldn’t even come up. Well. What’s the difference? A 5th year trade you sign longterm, v. a 6th year FA you sign longterm. Either way he hasn’t played for you. Only apparently there are questions about doing it one way and not the other? (?)
Plus of course if they didn’t sign him they would risk losing a 1st round pick on a one-year rental.
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znModeratorRams sign receiver Brandin Cooks to 5-year contract extension
RICH HAMMOND
link: https://www.dailynews.com/2018/07/17/rams-sign-receiver-brandin-cooks-to-5-year-contract-extension/
Brandin Cooks made two major commitments this month, one with a ring and one with a pen.
Cooks got married and then took the Rams, for richer and certainly not for poorer. Cooks, one of the NFL’s speediest receivers and a consistent 1,000-yard producer, signed a five-year contract extension on Tuesday, a deal worth approximately $80 million that will expire after the 2023 season.
That’s a major move, given Cooks has yet to play a down for the Rams. They acquired him from New England in April for first- and sixth-round draft picks. Cooks had been set to play this season under the fifth-year option of his rookie contract and could have become an unrestricted free agent next March.
There’s mutual affection. The Rams believe Cooks can be the hinge to their offense as a high-volume, deep-ball threat, and Cooks said he instantly felt comfortable with his new surroundings.
“Even before I got here, you saw something special going on with this team,” Cooks said in a conference call, “with the coach and a great owner and the teammates that I’m involved with now. It’s a young culture that is very energetic and has something going on. When I got here, it was all just about buying into that culture. I think that feeling was kind of generated right away when I got into the building.”
The No. 20 overall pick of the 2014 draft by New Orleans, Cooks had been set to make approximately $8.5 million this season, but a small portion of that money now will be spread to future years. As part of the extension, Cooks received $20.5 million in guaranteed money and his average salary will be approximately $16 million per season.
Cooks, who turns 25 in September, should be an important component of the Rams’ offense this season. He has totaled more than 1,000 yards in each of his past three seasons and also has 27 touchdowns in 58 regular-season games.
“Brandin Cooks has shown himself to be a class act on and off the field since the first day he joined our team,” Rams coach Sean McVay said in a statement provided by the team. “He’s a proven professional in this league and signing him to a long-term contract was always our goal.”
Cooks is expected to be a prime target for quarterback Jared Goff as part of a Rams offense that scored the second-most points in the NFL last season, and Cooks could add a new dimension.
In 2017, the Rams spread around the ball with amazing evenness. Running back Todd Gurley led the team in receptions with 64, followed by Cooper Kupp (62), Robert Woods (56) and Sammy Watkins (39).
The Rams continue to value that balance but believe they have something special in Cooks, who has been a 1,000-yard receiver in each of his three full NFL seasons, after being a part-time player as rookie due to injury.
In essence, the Rams hope Cooks fulfills the promise that Watkins seemed to hold a year ago,
Last August, the Rams traded a second-round pick and cornerback E.J. Gaines for Watkins, whom they believed would be a highly productive outside receiver. Watkins struggled to find a place in the Rams’ offense and totaled only 593 yards but did thrive in the red zone, with eight touchdowns.
The Rams hope that Cooks will be more consistent than Watkins, be productive on his own and also open up space on the field for his fellow receivers and Gurley.
The only issue about Cooks is that, at age 24, he already is with his third NFL team. New Orleans traded him after his third season, and after some strife about how many times Cooks was targeted. New England gave up a first-round pick to get Cooks for one season, then flipped him to the Rams rather than sign him to a long-term extension.
Thus far, the new relationship is thriving. McVay raved about Cooks during the Rams’ offseason program, and General Manager Les Snead said in April that he would be pleased “if my son could grow up to be half as respected as” Cooks.
Cooks said his quick comfort level with the Rams made it easy for him to agree to a new contract.
“I just wanted to come in and learn the culture and buy into that and let everything else take care of itself,” Cooks said. “Once they brought (an extension) up, that’s when we got involved, but at the end of the day, it was all about coming in and meeting the new coach, meeting the new guys and coming together as one and showing them that I’m here to help them win and be the best teammate I can be.”
Reaching a new deal with Cooks brings multiple benefits to the Rams, who not only have a No. 1 receiver locked up through his prime years but also have increased clarity about their salary-cap future. The Rams still need to sign star defensive lineman Aaron Donald to a new contract, and now they have a better idea of how much they could afford to pay Donald over the next few seasons.
Also, Cooks’ future is secure, both professionally and personally. He signed his new contract just weeks after he married his fiancee, Bri, in Portland, near the end of a busy offseason.
“The highlight was marrying my best friend,” Cooks said. “It’s been an amazing month, a blessing.”
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