MichiganCardinal

The reckless ways of death that many 20-something’s die of are often only exacerbated by immense wealth and repeated untreated brain injuries.

Okudah excites me because he’s virtually no risk and potentially enormous reward. He’s a product of the prior regime, and if he’s unable to come back from the Achilles, well, we are building up from last year anyway. If there is any chance of him still becoming a starting to elite caliber NFL CB (as many scouts - not just Quintricia - believed), I fully believe this regime can do so. And he could instantly turn the defensive backs group into a strength on this team.

It's remarkable that Michigan held onto him as long as they did. Big Ten schools are just geographically not setup well to succeed at a high level in a non-revenue spring sport like baseball. If you're a sought after recruit, why would you play for Michigan, where your first two months of the season are played on the road and the most pertinent outdoor facilities are not even accessible for five months out of the year? If Vanderbilt, Florida, Texas A&M, or a California school wants you, they can get the upper hand just by their location on the map. You can go there and bleed baseball 24/7/365. I'm sure the money played a role, but he was fighting an uphill battle here anyway.

I’ll miss having his comedic relief of a name on the roster, but he likely would have struggled to make the team anyway. May have seen the writing on the wall and wanted to end things on his terms.

Maybe with good OTAs and a good preseason we can trade Benson and a 6th for a 5th and 7th?

He was leading and he’s charged only with misdemeanors. I could totally see the GOP spinning him into a faux victim of their self-created witch hunt.

Did you connect with him? Could be a good networking opportunity.

Colin Kaepernick was absolutely black balled, but I think the reasons why evolved as time passed. At the onset, I think there was a large sentiment that they (the owners) didn’t want this disruptive social justice presence on their payroll, which was fueled by racism. I think the NFL was at least passively complicit in this. Whether the owners themselves were racist or not (I’m confident a handful are), I think that even those owners who may have quietly approved of his message, or at least understood it, did not want to create a stir with their fanbase, benefactors, and fellow owners that did not, and Goodell and the NFL were perfectly okay with CK not getting another job, even if there was never a memo or email or announcement saying so. This was truly despicable on the part of the NFL and owners, and I think history will reflect extremely poorly on them for it. As time has gone on though, I think it has had more to do with the media frenzy that would come along with picking up Kaepernick. A lot of squads are probably of the opinion that CK could plausibly compete for their #2/3 QB role, but simply isn’t worth the thousands of hours of press coverage that would be dedicated to him. Is a fringe backup QB worth turning your training camp into a media zoo? Worth the 15 minutes of questions at every press conference? Worth turning your starter into “the guy that’s in the way” of CK? Worth talking points in the media when he gets cut, asking whether the cut was due to race or merits? That’s not fair to Kaepernick at all, but I think it is at least a little more understandable on the part of the NFL teams. In that sense, today, I can understand why a HC/GM would take Case Keenum, Matt Barkley, Chase Daniel, etc. for a backup role over Kaepernick. Keenum/Barkley/Daniel can sign that contract and just do their job. So much more would be expected of both CK and the entire organization if you signed CK…. I think nowadays Goodell would love for CK to be picked up by someone. I don’t think it will happen though.

That's a good point. I started talking myself into Lalo having to die while writing that post. We've even seen earlier in BCS that prison won't stop him from orchestrating chaos and attacks. Though an angle of him being arrested again would be interesting as it relates to Saul and his relationships in the courthouse, I'm not sure there is enough time left in the series. It makes more sense for Lalo to die, perhaps as you said at the hands of an unexpected character... Mrs. Nguyen, Irene, or Kaylee?? 🙂 I missed the old site while re-watching everything. It used to be fun to watch the episodes and read the takes as the episodes aired in those old threads.

Ugh. Just so good. I was insistent to rewatch all of BB and BCS 1-5 before diving into season six. I thought I could do it before the season premier but a recent move delayed me. I just finished episode seven. A knee-jerk reaction for sure, but I believe BCS may be even better than Breaking Bad, which I didn’t think was possible for a prequel. Breaking Bad had a slow start to it, I remember I false started that series twice when it first came out before I stuck to it (and was rewarded immensely). I’ve never felt like walking away from BCS, not once. While I’m sure that part of that is assisted by how good BB was, it speaks volumes about the show’s writers that even with set pieces for the “end” they are making this so damn engaging. I also think the characters are more poignant and precise to their role in BCS. I was part of the anti-Skyler group during BB, which I know is a controversial take, so I’ll just leave it as that I don’t dislike the portrayal of any of the BCS characters in a similar way. I really liked Howard’s character. A dick at times, but clearly a morally just person, of which there are fewer and fewer in the show as it goes on. In his final scene, I felt really bad for him (ugh). As was mentioned above, he was right. Jimmy and Kim didn’t have to do any of what they did. They did it because they could, same as they were playing the stock broker at the bar as Viktor-with-a-k and Giselle, though at least he was designed to be obnoxious and unlikeable….. I think they ultimately stage Howard’s death as a suicide though, possibly with the help of Mike/Fring, to avoid questions. I don’t think Kim dies. I think that would be too “easy” an ending in a way, and I personally think Jimmy wouldn’t have been able to be the Saul Goodman we knew in BB if she had tragically died shortly beforehand in the timeline. He would have been distraught and may have left the law entirely. As for what does happen to her, I could see prison. I could see witness protection if she rolls on Lalo… maybe even forced servitude as an attorney for the Cartel, similar to how Jesse was treated by Uncle Jack and the white supremacists in El Camino. Thinking outside the box on that last one. It would have to be something significant that Jimmy wouldn’t go looking for her before becoming Gene. Though I think she is who he will be going to when we next see Gene. I don’t know that Lalo dies either, because I think it’s something everyone loyal to Gilligan expects (so he could flip it on us). They seem to have played the “Lalo didn’t send you?!” line from BB like a fiddle and I don’t think they would ignore it in crafting Lalo’s fate….. BUT I don’t know how they end this Salamanca/Fring war short of Lalo’s death. Lalo isn’t going to just pack his bags and leave everything at this point, short of something huge and unforeseen. He’s chips all in on causing Fring’s death. It’s just so damn good. Give me a Mike spin-off, a Fring spin-off, a damn Beanie Baby court employee spin-off, if Gillian writes it it will be gold.

I hope the line can find their identity this year. Between injuries, Sewell being a rookie, and Decker playing the victim card in the media, last year had a lot of moving pieces. If they can all find their identity, mesh, and stay healthy, I think it’s a real possibility that they are the best line in the league in a year or two.

Just whipped up a fresh pitcher, you look like you need some. 😉

If you always look at it glass half empty, or just drain the cup altogether and say what’s the point… well, what’s the point?

Meh. The “absolute worst” thing draft position wise last year was the Rams winning the Super Bowl and that happening didn’t stop Holmes from leaving with an elite player for that pick… there are too many variables in any given draft to have a hard set “disaster” button, wherever you end up picking. If someone at #4-8 is good enough and they want them, I’m sure Holmes could package #16, the Rams 1st, and something else to go get them.

Beto was a terrible national candidate in 2020, but I don't think his actions in the last 48 hours will fall on deaf ears in Texas. People are angry. Whether they sleep with two guns within arms reach and Fox News on in the background or are a leftist yahoo... 21 people, most of them children, were killed in a neighborhood that almost certainly reminds them of their own. Abbott's dismissiveness of Beto's rhetoric and having him removed, rather than engaging him, simply doesn't look good to anyone but the GOP slappies (of which there are plenty in Texas, don't get me wrong). Abbott's approval rating is below 50% and his disapproval numbers tend to skew higher. He's not far off from where Cruz was in 2018, and the Zodiac Killer only beat Beto by about 2-3%. With the population in Austin and Houston booming, it's always seemed inevitable that a D would win in Texas, it's just never actually come to fruition. It'd be nice to see Beto pull off a shocker, though I know the polls prior to Uvalde had him down 10 points.

How dare he question their hypocrisy? This is thoughts and prayers time, he knows better. /s

What always gets to me in the days following any of these tragedies isn’t even so much the GOP whataboutism, it’s the complete lack of action towards their talking point of the hour. ”It’s not GUNS that caused this you silly goose, it’s (mental illness/violent media culture/the parents/bullying/you name it)!” *followed by a complete lack of action surrounding the lack of mental health funding and screening availability, the lack of objective benchmarks surrounding violence in video games and movies targeted at children and vulnerable populations, the lack of child welfare funding and mandated reporter trainings, and the lack of training and education in schools to properly and fully address bullying (for both the bully and the victims)* The common denominator in these mass shootings is, has always been, and will always be, the guns. If Republican lawmakers want to consciously ignore that fact in the face of lining their pockets, that’s their choice and the blood is on their hands. The plentiful other factors that exist and go unresolved as well is really just the cherry on top.

The Alex Jones’s of the world certainly will. I think there is a faction that just tries to blind themselves to the real-world impact that this could literally happen to anyone. I think I’m also just clinging to whatever hope I can that there is something out there - anything - that would be a catalyst for action. I just can’t imagine what more is needed.

Agreed 100%. The ONLY WAY to make people understand is to make them uncomfortable. Make them physically sick. Make them see the potential that that statistic on the FOX News cryhon is easily their own child. Let them SEE what their toys did to little boys and girls who went to school to learn addition and left in literal pieces. The parents should freely consent first of course, but I promise there will be a handful that do. From Sandy Hook and Oxford too, and the many, many more that happen daily. Release the crime scene photos, release the autopsy photos, and put those pictures on full display in the Capitol Hill Chamber while we listen to Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, and their scum circus of a contingent talk in circles about why the problem isn’t the apparatus.

Why is this even making so much attention in the media at this point? What is the fucking point? It’s just the Tuesday news cycle, except it’s kids, so everyone feels worse (for a little while at least). See you all tomorrow when **STILL** absolutely nothing will have changed.

OTD 16 years ago, Michael Barrett earned his place in my own personal Hall of Fame.

I was about to say the same thing. It may have been in the 49ers best interest to truly redshirt him, and not even have him dress for a game last year (a la Jordan Love’s rookie season), to allow him to be the backup this year and perhaps take over as starter next… the way they treated him last year, I think unfairly raised the public perception of his expected role this year. Everyone knew he was not ready coming into the draft last year. There is a lot of projection occurring for what “should be” his trajectory, when really, whether it’s in year one or year four, so long as he ultimately becomes a quality starter and the 49ers don’t give up on him first, the pick was a good one. He was one of my favorite prospects last year, I’m certainly not ready to call him a bust if Jimmy G is starting for the 9ers this fall.

If Zach Wilson takes a step forward, I could see the Jets being around 0.500. If he doesn’t, I think the Jets will be looking to replace him next offseason, and possibly a coaching carousel too. They have a fair bit of talent around him at this point. I don’t see anyway the Bears snag more than 4 wins, even if Justin Fields turns into his comp of Deshaun Watson. Top to bottom they just have no talent. If they look to replace Fields, he could be an attractive trade prospect for a team that can’t get Stroud or Young to go, “just act like the last two years never happened”.

Subject to change…. But right now I’ll say 8-9 Wins: v.Washington, v.Miami, v.GB, @Chicago, v.Jax, v.Minny, @Carolina, v.Chicago Losses: v.Philly, @Minny, v.Seattle, @NE, @Dallas, @NYG, v.Buffalo, @NYJ, @GB NFC North Green Bay (11-6) Detroit (8-9) Minnesota (7-10) Chicago (3-14) I think a very young team plays in streaks but provides a LOT of hope moving forward…. starting 1-5, climbing to 4-5 including an upset win against Green Bay, falling to 4-7 including a disappointing loss to the Giants, finally reaching 0.500 on the New Year against the Bears, and then falling _just_ short against the Packers with a chance at the playoffs. But leaving a TON of hope for next year.

14-3 and a 1st round bye. lock it. 😉