1984Echoes

Russian mouthpieces apoplectic over western tanks going to Ukraine: https://www.yahoo.com/news/putin-lackeys-lose-minds-over-143837232.html

So true...

I think this team is better off making a play for a guy like Horvat when it is more mature... When it is already in the playoffs, has a good core, and needs to add an additional key missing element. Sort of like adding Brendan Shanahan when we did. Maybe we're ready for a Horvat trade... I'm just not certain about that. Oh... and yes Hongbit, he's good at face-offs, would probably be the best on the Red Wings... I did forget about that part...

Pass.

I read a scouting report that said he's not a dedicated defender and just not much of a playmaker. Goal-scorer, yes... but maybe that's why the low assists/ high goals... Uncertain on the report's accuracy but the numbers sorta bear it out... I'm not certain he's the right guy to chase...

I would hold them in Kiev and then rush them north if Russia makes a play for Kiev (swooping in from Byelorussia).

And Germany then approves sending its OWN Leopards? (Not just approving other countries' pledges...):

Thank you: https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-closer-approving-significant-number-171842255.html 30 Abrams?! Holy crap!!!

Ewsieg.

PS: I have this Sports Illustrated and several other Detroit related issues...

Excellent insight...

Exactly...

So he is Vietnamese... Maybe he has an axe to grind with the Chinese? Or suffered some Covid losses...? It's definitely plausible...

PS: This just came through Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2023/01/22/germany-okays-a-dozen-polish-tanks-for-ukraine-hundreds-more-could-follow/?sh=2d4775cc7893

I was trying to add up some of the proposed from each country to guesstimate a total... but countries are not exactly willing to be forthcoming with this info yet... UK: 14 Challenger 2's from the United Kingdom. All others would be German Leopards. Poland: 14 to start. They could conceivably offer around 100 themselves if they wanted to... but this is the starting point. Once other countries commit, Poland may up their number. They are the MOST willing. Norway and Finland: I thought I saw an actual number pledged from Finland & Norway but now I can't find it. I believe 6 or 8 total countries aside from Germany have pledged to Ukraine to send... someone please break the ice. Germany could also send from active tank batteries or companies... I believe they have one older tank training company of 14-19 tanks they could de-commission and send to Ukraine and backfill with their own newest tanks off of the assembly...

No the refurb tanks are older de-commissioned models. Any backfills are going to be the newest model coming off the line. Ukraine gets the old from each country (and potentially, the refurbs at Rheinmetall); countries supplying Ukraine get the latest Leopards coming off the line from Rheinmetall as backfill... No way foreign countries would give theirs to Ukraine in order to receive refurbed older models... Rheinmetall won't start on the refurbs until receiving an actual contract... Ukraine could supply the contract/ payment (estim. at around 500 mill Euro) but then I would guess the contract has to be approved by the German government. I'm not certain if German government's "non-oppose" to foreign countries supplying to Ukraine would also apply a "non-oppose" to Rheinmetall supplying per a contract...?

Oh wait... 110 of those are at Rheinmetall for refurbishment (older models) and are not spoken for by any army but... the refurbishment won't be completed until 2024... doesn't help Ukraine right now.

Damn! Finally! The big offers are Poland, Norway and Finland I believe. But I've lost track... I believe the sum total is several hundred total Leopards from multiple nations,,,

But Red Wings still letting the game slip away down 2-0 at 3:50 left in the 3rd...

Anyone else invested in Lockheed Martin and similar...? https://www.yahoo.com/news/stocking-ukraine-could-generate-foreign-164411796.html

Also... "Scouting Director" sounds a whole lot more like hiring, firing, training, and scheduling/ coordinating rather than actual the scouting and scouting reports... Or... Rather... Expendable.

Yes... Ibanez is a better option than Andujar... At least as a RH'ed platoon bat goes...

Worse... Andujar has significant reverse splits. He is much better against RH'ers than LH'ers... which defeats the purpose. Plus the shitty walk rate. Vierling is a better option as a RH'ed corner OF'er... and Nevin, who has struggled in SSS in MLB, has very strong straight splits in the minors... pounding LH'ers significantly better than RH'ers... so I think he actually qualifies as a RH'ed corner OF option... Andujar... no.

Not interested. Walk rate of 4% Not a defender. Has played DH almost as much as LF the past 4 years... and immediately after his nice rookie year at 3B... telling. From 2019-22 (age 24-27 or, prime years) roughly a .620 OPS. He's no longer in his prime. Unless he has made a JD Martinez batting change... Scraping the bottom of the barrel here, no thanks.

I also want more forceful actions taken against Russia: 1) They have violated the UN Charter by attacking Ukraine. And they have never properly filed the paperwork required to be a member of the UN Security Council. I want them kicked off now. Refuse to conduct any Security Council meetings if Russian representatives are present, have them escorted out of those meetings. They are no longer a member of the UN Security Council until they file the proper paperwork (which then goes to a vote, in which the US, Britain and France veto of course. Certainly today they would, And they would demand an entire reform of the Russian governmental system). 2) Designate Russia a terrorist nation. Today. 'Nuff said.