MHS831

Great sentiment.

If you have never been in the hospital thinking your child may not survive, trust me, it is the worst and most terrifying fear their is. It paralyzes you in a cloud of surreal vulnerability and helplessness. It can only made worse by the heartbreak and devastation that coincides with losing a child, and I hear that rips your heart out of your body forever. To any of you who have experienced either, I know a bit about that pain and it returns whenever you share the experience with someone else. Man I hope this is a happy ending. When he writes "Day 8," trust me, he means much longer than a bit over a week.

Cargo shorts might have been one of the best inventions ever developed for men, right there with voice activated remote control and sexy optional and convenient adult diapers, and due to some women complaining that we look "stupid", now you all think these things are dumb. Well on game day, I do not care what I look like, and I can spend 20 hours in my recliner without ever leaving it, since I have a portable fridge beside me and the Papa Johns guy has permission to enter without knocking.

About Darnold--I read recently (here, I think) that something like 43% of his passes were thrown under pressure. Cousins, Lamar Jackson, and Carson Wentz were the others in the top. All are good QBs that struggled behind suspect OLs. Darnold is going to be fine--just keep him clean.

they should do like the WFL and allow players from practice squads to play for teams, each with their sponsoring team logo on the back of their helmet/jersey. You could pull up a player from any team at any time.

I disagree! Your points are not valid. What is wrong with y---Oh, I see it now.

You want to grab him on the outside of his shoulder pads, thumbs up. extend arms, drive legs

You, me, Mr Scot get a pass because we have tasted the nectar from Zeus's cup. All others have remote controls velcroed to their carpal tunnel brace.

I try not to listen to people complain about age. I have known people who have done in one year what most don't do in a lifetime. In my last book, I write about my family--"they are born, and as babies people hold them like open books and predict greatness. Instead, the act like idiots, sell their lives by the hour at the mill to man who drives the Cadillac and smokes the stinky cigar, and they retire to their front porches where they become Vitalis-soaked philosophers, drugstore cowboys of yesteryear, who have more alimony debt that common sense." It is OK--they will never find out what I said. It is in print.

In grad school, I worked weekends at the Observer. Rick was a great guy. He was covering the Hornets one night (not sure I assume) and asked me to try to call a number to set up an interview with Jim Valvano. Rumors were flying that he was going to take an offer with the NJ Nets. I was just a young, weekend agate clerk, writing about lake levels and fixing box scores and cutting AP articles to fit the space we had---so this was a big deal. I called about 30 times that night. No answer. Finally, around 9 pm or so (I was not sure I should be calling that late, but nobody called me off) Valvano answered, and there was some loud talking and laughing in the background. I looked up (the newsroom is empty with only the sports dept. there at night) and I saw Bonnell entering. I waved him over as fast as possible. It was Valvano, so I told him to wait a second, Bonnell wanted to talk to him. He agreed, and started talking to people there in his room. Bonnell is yelling into the phone because it was as if Jimmy V had a whole bar full of people with him in his hotel room--he was drunk. After about 50 seconds, Rick put the phone down and started typing into his computer. He pointed at me to say, "Thanks". He was breaking a national story. I stopped worrying about lake levels and just watched. In about 10 minutes later, the TVs in the news room (tuned in to ESPN) blasted, "This just in from the Charlotte Observer---Valvano is going to the NJ Nets. I called everyone who would pick up and told them that I helped break the story. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-12-21-sp-660-story.html The next time I went in, the story had been retracted. I went up to Bonnell and asked him about it. He said, "The next day, he didn't even remember talking to me. I asked him if he was going to sign with the Nets as rumored, and he gave me a big YES! That is why we are celebrating. He gave me terms of the deal, but was not sure. He added, "I should have known better. If you know Jimmy V, I should have known better." Laughing. Bonnell gave me all kinds of Hornets stuff--photos, gym bags, etc. He was a great writer, and a great person.

fixed

I get that. Sounds right. So he is our next travelle wharton.

And Miller wanted to move back, (read that somewhere)

Thought for sure you were going to go "BROWN vs BROWN"

I think Bayless and Zylstra are battling. We shall see.

True, but this is just offense. And we could grab a player or two from other rosters.

Nobody guessed PJ Walker. I mean, Michael Jackson did it.

Taylor has concerns, but he will be on the #2 WR here. His speed is not an issue because he recovers well. If he is given man responsibilities with a burner, he will be given safety help. He is in proper position a lot. When you see a guy play much better at the SR bowl, you have to think that the new scheme is working to his advantage. Taylor is better than and CB we had last year--and he is our second best CB this year. And I did not see much evidence of a lack of ball skills--I saw the QB throwing it so he could not catch it--a press cb has his back to the QB more, so the ball is not the object as much as the man, so I think we can develop that. I still say we may take a look at Pride at S. But with Horn, Bouye, Jackson and Taylor, with Melvin, Hartsfield and Pride---we are ok now.

You are asking the right questions, and until they have a camp and pre season, we may never know. There is always that Fred Lane who comes from nowhere, but I think your hand is on the pulse as it looks now. We keep a FB, probably Stokke on the PS. We have a lot of players who could save us roster spots---first, Cam Erving on the OL, Elflien, Moore, etc. can all play different spots if needed. Steven Sullivan (converted LSU WR to TE can play both if needed and could allow us to carry 5 WRs with him as a third TE), Tommy Stevens (Wildcat, slot, QB...), Myles Hartfield (Nickel, S, CB depth), heck, Reggie Bonnefon could even serve as a backup emergency QB--played it in college. You have to love what we are doing.

Cannon seemed more visable last year, but Smith was more productive. In Cannon's career, he is averaging 3 yard per carry. Smith was better. Reggie has a 2-year career here with a 6.6 yards per carry average. he can throw it (former QB) and is a good fit for the zone scheme--he is also 25. I said in my other post, we need the blocking from the TE or backfield (wing) to run the wide zone. Mason Stokke impressed scouts at the Wisconsin pro day. He is a FB, but is 6-2, 240 and is a brutal blocker who has some hands. Smart too. I put him on the PS if Tremble gets nicked or banged up, you do not lose that blocking--since I do not see another blocking TE on the roster making the team.

Thought I would take a look at the players on the offense that are on the bubble. I am sure this is subject to change, and it is really nothing new--but it is interesting in that I give rationales for each decision. I am tired of people saying, "Christensen is going to have to beat out Little..." and crap that tells me they are just looking at rosters and making stupid guesses. This features players I feel are locks for the roster and predictions for those on the bubble: roster spot, PS, release, etc. Offensive Line: (10 spots expected, possibly 9) Bubble boys o Greg Little: The only way he makes this team is if Christensen moves to Guard, Erving has to play C, and Scott is left as the starting LT. Little is a long shot at best with no demonstrated effectiveness and no position flexibility. He is a Hurn scar. (5% chance) o Dennis Daley: As injury prone as he is, his versatility may save him. He can play LT, RT, or LG. I think he makes the team if we keep 10 or put Dave Moore on the PS-where he will not stay. I think we keep 10, so Daley should be safe (90%) o Dave Moore: It is going to take a decent camp, but the SR Bowl may have been his camp. I think they love his grit, his long arms and low anchor. I seriously think they might want him to play center in 2022. o Deonte Brown: I know we all think this was a steal, but is he a good fit? Is he going to be merely for goal line and short yardage? I do not think so because I think he can move better than people realize, and at 370 lbs. the SR Bowl was not his best look. They are already talking nutritionist and his ideal playing weight, so I think they feel that they will have to slim him down another 15 lbs before they know what they have in him. I think he can do it. I think his lapses came when he was tired from carrying too much weight, and if you get him in shape, you have a stud RG who can move if needed. Roster LOCKS (7): Erving, Christensen, Scott, Elflien, Paradis, Miller, Moton; Brown, Moore, and Daley. (predicted to complete the OL roster at 10). Once the roster settles down and we understand who is starting and who can back up which positions, this number could drop to 9. Tight Ends: (3) o Colin Thompson: Thompson is 27 or so and was decent as an all-around #3 TE. The problem was he was a #3 TE behind Manhertz and Thomas. (30% chance of making the roster, IMO) o Stephen Sullivan: Sullivan has some time left on the PS, but remember, Fitterer likes him—he was the first Fitt signing. More of a pass catching TE (converted WR from LSU) our goal line woes from last season were not unnoticed. (50% chance of making the roster; 40% chance of being assigned to the PS; 10% chance he is cut). o Ian Thompson: I suppose in year four he could make a bit of a splash, but it really is not there. With a $2m cap savings to set him free, I think it is likely that Ian is cut. (Chance of making roster is about 20% at best). Roster LOCKS (2): Dan Arnold, Tommy Tremble, Stephen Sullivan wins the third spot. (We really do not have any blocking TEs to put on the PS to back up Tremble, so it is likely that we put one of the new FBs we signed Stokie or Daniels on the PS to serve as that blocking back for the wide zone runs.) Fullbacks (0): I think we use Tremble in this role and keep a FB on the PS in the event Tremble cannot play. o Mason Stokke: (Comments from Wisconsin pro day): “He tested out really well and showed on the field what kind of blocker/weapon out of the backfield he can be and some team is going to look really smart if they take a flyer on him on Day 3 or as an undrafted free agent.” This suggests that he could do what Tremble does in a backup role. About the same size, has hands, and can block effectively. o Mikey Daniel: Former Falcon, had a good career as a RB at SDSU, and is a good pass protector. The Falcons did not keep him, fwiw, and he has PS eligibility. Roster Locks (0): Stokke goes to PS to back up Tremble and provide a fullback if needed. He has a shot at a roster spot. I see his skill set to be a better fit from this perspective than Daniel. Wide Receiver: (6) o Omar Bayless: Unfortunately, there are about 5 WRs on this team that can do what Bayless does, just a bit better. He is worth a look as a developmental player, but we can do that on the PS and not the roster. o Brandon Zylstra: If we keep 6 WR spots on the roster, Zylstra brings a bit of experience and some special teams versatility. Last year, the 28-year old played in all 16 games (58% of the special teams snaps), he started 2 games, and played 12% of the offensive snaps. All other WRs on the roster---Micah Simon, Marken Michel, Ishmael Hyman, Ventrell Bryant, and Omar Bayless qualify for the PS. So do you keep your sixth WR on the PS in Bayless or do you keep him on the roster playing on special teams like Zylstra? I admit that I do not know what ST abilities the other WRs have or what the Panthers need, so this is nearly impossible to predict right now. AND if you keep hybrids like Stephen Sullivan (TE/WR) and Tommy Stevens (QB/TE/Wildcat/Slot), do you need 6 WRs on the roster? I doubt they keep fewer than 6, but special teams ability and position diversity will decide this matter, and I do not have enough info to guess. Roster LOCKS (5): DJ Moore, Rob Anderson, Terrace Marshall, David Moore, Shi Smith; Brandon Zylstra with the last WR spot. Kirkwood is the dark horse, and I forgot to include him above. (Bayless to PS) Running Back: (3) o Rodney Smith Smith quietly had a solid season last year in a very limited role. He had about 150 yards on 44 carries last season in 7 games and another 60 yards in receiving. His average per carry was about 3.8 yards. Nothing special, but he should be safe depth on the PS. o Trenton Cannon Cannon was decent last year, and pretty good on special teams with a nearly 30-yard per kick return average (10 attempts). But he will be 27 and has a career rushing average of around 3 yards per carry. Not good enough to make the team. o Reggie Bonnefon When healthy, Reggie has been an asset, averaging 6.6 yards per carry in 2019 and 2020. He will be 25, and is considered to be a good wide zone RB. A former QB, he offers a wrinkle Rhule / Brady may like. Not great at pass pro. o Spencer Brown Was a good zone scheme RB in college and might have a shot at the PS. Roster LOCKS: Christian McCaffery, Chuba Hubbard; Reggie Bonnefon wins the 3rd spot. (Rodney Smith to PS) Quarterbacks: (3) o Will Grier A lot of people have written off Grier, I have not quite yet, but he needs a great camp and preseason or he is gone. No Stevens may not be the answer, but if he can play close to Grier’s level, and he can so far, he gives you more versatility and options. (Hurn scar) o Tommy Stevens For a third teamer who can contribute on offense as a wildcat back or slot, he could help the Panthers offer a Taysom Hill wrinkle or serve as the #4 TE or #6 WR. o Peyton Ramsey Ramsey has a shot at the PS, and that is about it. If we keep a player like Stevens at #3, he could be a safe fourth QB and one that is needed for practice. Roster LOCKS (2)- Sam Darnold, PJ Walker; Tommy Stevens (Ramsey to PS) No idea how this may pan out. Sure they want to see him in preseason. PRACTICE SQUAD Peyton Ramsey QB Rodney Smith RB Spencer Brown RB Omar Bayless WR Mason Stokke FB TOTAL: 25 roster spots, 5 on Practice Squad (may add another OL from another roster) Have some fun with it. Be nice---I have children for Christ's sake!

Changing my mind: Gonna guess that the Colts sign Moses and the Chargers keep coming back into my mind on Julio. They want to beat KC now....

Nine years? College graduates become medical doctors in that amount of time. But good for you, Ron.

Sure--it is about school leadership, but since I used to teach in the organizational leadership doctorate program at Gardner-Webb, it fuses a lot of business and other forms of servant leadership into the fold. Part 1 is about the unseen baggage students bring to school--easily applicable to the workplace. I base it on Maslow's needs pyramid and detail the damage trauma derails human emotional and social development--part 2 is the plan for administrators and teachers--but you will see a lot of crossover stuff. https://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Sensitive-School-Transforming-Education-Emotional/dp/1476681236/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1621709421&refinements=p_27%3AGerald+W.+Neal&s=books&sr=1-1 my previous book gets into some of these issues that demonstrates the impact of a competitive structure in schools on children---basically, we need to learn the developmental level and how pressure to perform and compete can hinder long-term success in competitive arenas. Lotta personal stories. This book was a top seller in Norway, for some unknown reason... https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Desperation-Competition-Neglected-Children/dp/0761839933/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&qid=1621709421&refinements=p_27%3AGerald+W.+Neal&s=books&sr=1-2 I am trying to transform leadership in schools because we are not serving too many children and we seem to be OK about it. Losing 1 is inexcusable, and I all I ever saw was finger pointing, blaming students for their failure when it was your job to make them succeed, and a distance between what we need to do and what we are willing to do--failed leadership, not students. So from that perspective, I love Rhule. He seems to get it.

That is awesome. If you love your job, you do it better. I deal with issues, but in private, without emotion, and in a positive way---here is my leadership theory (I invented this and put it in my book): I compare leaders to dogs. You have your lead dog--the alpha at the front, showing everyone his ass, barking commands with his vision determining the direction--not a shared vision. You have the police dog, waiting for an error, sniffing around to find violations, and attacking the wrong doers; you have the companion dog--everyone's friend and not taken seriously so when you have to bark, everyone thinks its cute (and ineffective); the lap dog--a puppet from HQ sent down to represent authority and not the people that leader serves---we are a bit of all at times, but I tell my people that I am the sheep dog. I rule from behind so I can see everyone and assist the stragglers while allowing for leadership up front. I know where to cross the rivers and I know where the wolves are and I protect them. If a member of the flock falls or veers from the fold, I guide them back. I work harder than the others, and they know I am there to support them, to guide them, and to protect them. There is no attrition or filtering process; we reach the corral on time and I do not rest until the gate is locked. The sheep trust me, they feel that they belong in the herd, and they know my expectations. So when it comes to leadership, I am not a show dog, not a police dog, not a lead dog- just a sheep dog. So Pootie is wrong. You hold people accountable for their mistakes by helping them fix them in a one-on-one setting. You do not do it behind a microphone at a press conference using humiliation. Nope--totally wrong. The leader takes responsibility for the mistakes his followers makes--you do not distance yourself from that. Your job was to make sure they don't make mistakes--they execute.