1984Echoes

I agree with the team/ Stevie that they should try to make a run for the playoffs. So whatever he does in the way of trades I will be fine with... In fact, i think I've already posted a few times that I would be fine with the team both selling AND buying at the deadline... whatever it takes for the team to be positioned for being a competitive team both now and into the future... On that note: moves I'd like to see: 1) Hold onto Vrana as well. To your point on Raymond... if he's out for a long time, it probably doesn't make sense to move Bertuzzi... OR Vrana.. if the team wants to make a run at the playoffs. Plus his value is about zero for now so I'd just as soon let the season play out and if they wanna do something with Vrana at lerast wait until the offseason. 2) I am so down on Chiarot. I think he's a net negative on the ice. And if he's not dragging down Seider (which he did the first 35 or so games this year), then he's dragging down Hronek or WHOEVER is on the ice with him. Yeah, I get it, he added a measure of toughness this team needed and he's laid out some really sweet hits... Sorry, but look elsewhere for that please. Can SY trade him? Can we just buy him out of his contract? Please do one or the other. Bring up Edvinsson. Pair Walman with Seider and Maatta with Hronek and start Edvinsson on 3rd pairing with (so help me...) Lindstrom, Hagg, or Oesterle... 3) Ned is looking really sharp down in Grand Rapids. But Hellberg also looks fine as a 2nd goalie so SY can do whatever he wants in this area... But don't let Husso wear down again please. If Ned can play more often than Hellberg and give Husso a better breather, so he doesn't wear down, then make a move there. It looks like Ned is ready for a 2nd chance, IMO. 4) If SY is trading extra parts that other teams actually want... fine, go for it. I don't know who that would be (Chiarot? Maatta much more likely), but... not to repeat myself... if Stevie spots a trade that ADDS to our chances at the playoffs, either short-term (this year) or long term chances... go for it! Draft picks this year and next year do not mean as much to me as trying to get back into the playoffs. And SY can assess the proper value of assets to be traded for the proper player in return for that...

Plus, TE's for the most part, and that includes specifically Hockenson, are not usually YAC guys. Hockenson is not a YAC guy. Gronkowski, Witten, Kelce, and Kellen Winslow were YAC guys. If you're not a YAC TE, then you're good for a catch and either a fall-down, or maybe a couple extra yards. Not a catch and outrun the defense for another 20 yards. Wright was an exception on that one play but that was broken coverage by the defense. TE's have an advantage with size, and with a high completion rate because of that size advantage over most coverage guys on the defense. But since they tend to fall down immediately after the catch/ tackle... They are good for 1st downs (high completion %/ size advantage/ get the necessary yards and then go down) or TD's. NOT for breaking down a defense with explosive plays. And Hockenson fits THIS description, not the Winslow/ Gronk/ etc. description. On that basis... Johnson is using/ scheming TE's correctly. Don't need a Hock because he doesn't do anything more than what we need out of a TE than what the 3 other guys provided. And Hock didn't make this offense better, he made it less efficient. So unless someone can guarantee that Mayer is the next coming of Kellen Winslow... I'm not interested.

Yzerman reluctant to trade Bertuzzi after the recent run of wins... I understand it, he'd like to get this team into the playoffs and Bertuzzi is a big part of winning these types of games; even if he loses him after this season for nothing. I'm not going to argue against it either... if Stevie wants to trade him so be it, and if he holds onto him for a run to try to get into the playoffs and perform in the playoffs (if we get there)... so be it. I'm not going to angar either way. From Khan: https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2023/02/red-wings-reportedly-not-eager-to-trade-tyler-bertuzzi-with-playoffs-in-reach.html

I'd like him relegated to the dugout as a "coach/ ambassador" and off the 40. buddha suggested ambassadorship. I concur.

"Official Bear-Hug Ambassador for the Tigers, 2023: MIGGYYYY Cabrera!!!"

Also, for at least the past week or two... Russian deaths with this surge are between 1,000 and 2,000 per day. We'll see how sustainable that is. And per G2, within the next month or two, Ukraine will be ready for a counteroffensive... that the Russian invaders will not be prepared for nor able to prevent. I'm not certain if it gets Crimea back for Ukraine... but that's exactly what THEY are planning for. Lose Crimea, and the egg on Putin's face will be fatal egg. Should I capitalize that? "Fatal Egg" causes Putin's fatality...

Yeah... I've been seeing reports on Russia ramping up their offensive for at least the past week or so... They are making some gains... but it's minimal. Yards. Not kilometers.

I am making assumptions on how Johnson ACTUALLY uses TE's.

I really like Trenton Simpson, but he looks like a 1st rounder... around our #18 pick. My preference is Myles Murphy/ Best CB available at #18. But if Holmes can squeeze extra picks from Carolina and we select at #9 for the top CB, now I'm looking at either Bijan at #18 or Simpson. Otherwise, I like DeMarvion Overshown in the 2nd. Both are as much safeties as LB'ers. Can cover sideline-to-sideline, and can cover TE's/ RB's/ slot receivers/ break up passes. And can also rush. I'm looking for a certain type... as you can see. Perfect guy to sit Anzalone on passing downs and play the coverage game. Might specifically help us with our pitiful TE/ middle-of-the-field coverage we always seem to struggle with...

I can see 5th and 6th round picks on a TE and WR. There will be flyer WR's available throughout the draft (late-rounders tend to be smallish with deep speed, or slower (not what we're looking for), or from small schools and overlooked, or with deep speed but not the greatest hands or route-running). Flawed, but can be used in a Chark way if you find the right guy. TE's can easily be found in the mid-to-late rounds to do exactly what the Lions need them to do: compete with Mitchell/ Wright/ Zylstra to make the roster. Block. And get open for an occasional 1st down or TE (where their size advantage but little in the way of YAC is most useful...). Darnell Washington does sound appealing... I'd like an additional 2nd or 3rd rounder though, to hit all the needs we're listing with high round prospects if we are including TE. Otherwise I'd prefer a later round TE and a LB'er selected within the top 5 picks. Although add in a developmental QB and that throws all this logic out the window...

And I would put LB'er definitely above TE. And equal to all the other positions you listed.

Add in a play-making LB'er...

He had Hockenson for 7 of 17 games. And they still ended up with 11% 2-TE's. And more TD's to TE's on a per-game basis AFTER Hockenson was traded. If he has a new draft pick at TE, it'll be a 5th rounder in the mold of Brock Wright or James Mitchell. And he will continue to emphasize motion/ 3 WR sets and 11% 2-TE's and use them (TE's) primarily for 1st downs and TD's, etc.

Yes, it IS true: "Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's offense didn't feature a heavy workload in the passing game for the tight end position. The Lions' offense plays a lot under center, utilizes motion and plays mostly 11 personnel (one RB, one TE, 3 WR). In fact, Detroit played 11 personnel 64 percent of the time. Detroit used two tight end sets just 11 percent of the time in 2022. Key stat: Quarterback Jared Goff had a 141.7 passer rating when throwing to Wright (18-of-24, 216 yds, 4 TD, 0 INT), a 139.8 rating throwing Mitchell's way (11-of-11, 113 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT) and a 119.7 rating throwing at Zylstra (11-of-15, 60 yds, 4 TD, 0 INT). Those ratings were the three highest of any pass catcher Goff threw to in 2022. MVP: Wright Wright wasn't a high-volume pass catcher in this offense, but he really made the most of the opportunities he had. All four of Wright's touchdowns on the year came in Detroit victories, including his touchdown late against the Jets that was the game winner. Wright is a very capable blocker and has had a nice start to his career after going undrafted in 2021." Cruzer also points out: I don't know if Wright = Michael Mayer... but the Lions are perfectly content to go with Mitchell, Wright & Zylstra again next year.

That's called asking for a miracle...

PS: Also extend Walman for two years similar to Maatta and take it from there...

Red Wings 1 Chiarot 3 It's getting ridiculous. I want Chiarot traded at the deadline for whatever SY can get (zero value so there's no possible way he gets traded) and Edvinsson brought up in his place. Even if he starts as 3rd pairing just to get acclimated... if he performs well give him a raise to 2nd pairing... etc.

And it says they haven't purchased very many LRASM's... That's going to need to change. Will need to ramp up those specific purchases up quickly this and the next few years...

That's what I was thinking, that anti-ship would be a different missile... But I guess the LRASM is just a variant of the JASSM so close enough... BTW: Just saw Quantumania today which brings to mind all the Kang variants that will be floating around...

Red Wings 1 Chiarot 2

I didn't really think of air-to-ground as taking out naval ships... Is that how they work? I'm not up to speed on that aspect... (Thought they were more for taking out tanks/ ground forces/ artillery/ etc...)

Chiarot dragging down Hronek tonight I see...

In short... Once they are forced to draft Muscovites and other ethnic Russians east of the Urals, instead of from the hinterlands... Putin will rapidly lose support. And encourage an overthrow.

The difference between Soviet population and Russian population is almost wholly Ukraine.

For comparative purposes: Soviet population prior to WWII: 195 million. Soviet population post to WWII: 170 million. Russian population pre-Feb 22nd, 2022: 144.7 million Current Russian population? 144.4 million (estimated per macrotrends) I think the current estimate is slightly high due to war exodus (moreso than war casualties...).