1984Echoes

Market futures are tanking right now due to Israel's attacks on Iran and other...

Current play-by-play on incoming information of this strike(s) in Iran:

Possibly Natanz as well...?

In Isfahan, Iran's nuclear development facilities. WAG: Successful software attack by Israel melts down... something... This could get very, very... bad.

Matt Millen record with the Lions (7+ years): 31-84. Including the completion of his last season with the Lions, when he was fired mid-season and they ended up 0-16 that year: 31-97. Lions record before Millen signed a 5-year contract extension in August, 2005: 16-38 Post extension: 15-59.

Same. Maybe pull off the road for a few seconds until it passes. Highly inconvenient and annoying but... "Alligator Alley" in Florida is similar. 2-lane extreme high traffic road with lots of semi's on there IIRC, and lots of road deaths.

But it was a GOOD epistle (IMO)... ! 😁

But what I'm saying is that they have zero control over that so they can't drag anything... It's all in the hands of MAGA House Republicans.

😉

Have at it if you want to parse that out... I'm just going to call those rounded numbers and good enough for me.

11.5 billion tons of freight are by trucking in the U.S. (~73%) and: 1.6 billion tons by rail (10.1%). I assume the balance (2.74 billion tons) is by air or river portage... or other alternative?

They all looked crappy ranked around #11. #13 Yesavage - "Definite injury/ reliever risk with the delivery (extreme short arm action)..." #16 Brecht - "Arm action is too busy and cannot repeat it for strikes let alone anything resembling command". The next guy is ranked 26th. I'd rather start in the 2nd round looking for pitchers with better mechanics with some projectability. I particularly like Tegan Kuhns at #38 (HS, 6'3" 170 (lots of room to add weight/velocity), and Ryan Johnson (6'6" Dallas Baptist, 3.3% walk rate. Funky delivery though...). Just my 2 cents.

I love the team building aspect so much. For this year's draft... I would start at the #9-ish prospect because ya never know when a guy will slide because... it's a draft... these things happen. I think it would be really hard for a top-5 guy to fall, much, much more rare. I also checked #6 to #8 prospects for a look-see... but I also do not see Chase Burns, or Hagen Smith, or Braden Montgomery slipping. So... starting at #9: 9. Bryce Rainer, HS SS - elite SS with some power but slow bat speed = difficulties connecting or, lower hit tool. 70 arm, excellent defensive SS, but 1st guess would be he's a .220-ish hitter in MLB. 10. Konnor Griffin, HS OF/SS - "Big bodied athlete/ plus runner/power/arm can play any OF position". Not certain why they also have him as a SS? Swing is long but with fast acceleration through the zone = lots of line drives. 11? Seaver King, OF/SS - "Not a discerning hitter, chases out of zone, pretty low walk rate, bad swing decisions...". Nope. Not a Harris player. Full stop. 12? Slade Caldwell, OF - 5' 5.5"... "can hit with fringy power...". Seriously? No thanks. 13 and 14 are not better. 15. Kaelen Culpepper, KSU SS - makes a ton of contact with fringy/avg. power (which could improve if load can be coached up)... strong defense at SS. Nothing better that I see after this... VERY disappointing possibilities here, at around 11. If I hazard a guess: Harris will take a chance on Rainer, Griffin or Culpepper, whoever is there at 11. And whoever he believes can be "coached up" in our new & revamped (improved yet to be determined...) developmental system/coaches. Just my 2 cents...

Beautiful!!! I will just add:

Is that supposed to be Alex Avila? (LH'ed hitter FYI). Or... Which Al are you talking about...?

Those aren't dots. That's a mesh jersey. Those are all the mesh holes. Dude, stop micro dosing ketamine and shrooms! Or is it Meth... which has you confused...?

IMO I think that's overthinking it. The short-term is they desperately want Ukraine-Israel-other funding bills passed. Johnson is actually being VERY clever here... He is basically splitting the Senate Bill into 4 pieces: A) Ukraine Bill - allows extremist Right members to vote against it, but it will pass because MOST House members (of both parties) want this passed. B) Israel aid - allows extremist Left members to vote against it, but it will pass because MOST House members (of both parties) want this passed. C) Pacific Area Bill - just because... D) Misc - probably to throw in a crapload of amendments here... Then Johnson will combine these 4 and send it to the Senate in one package. Dems will protect him IMO until this is completed. But they don't control ANYTHING else. That's all up to Marjorie and whatever her and her ilk shenanigans they want to play. And since the Dems don't control Marjorie... I think this is where it's overthinking it to say the Dems might be planning the Republican chaos to happen closer to the election. The Dems have no control over Republican chaos... that's all in MAGA's hands (Marjorie, etc.).

Dems might be interested in doing MAGA Mike a favor. At least this once. They'll save him from a MAGA Noose in return for these aid bills. After that... no promises...

You really seem to be stuck on those 3 guys Tater. Sorry... but I'm moving on.

So from Brugler's original draft: 2 (44). Zach Frazier, G/C, West Virginia 2 (61). Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State 3 (73). Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington 3 (77). Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest 5 (164). Braiden McGregor, Edge, Michigan 6 (201). Will Reichard, K, Alabama 6 (205). Sione Vaki, S, Utah 7 (249). Johnny Dixon, CB, Penn State This is where I ended up: 2 (44) Xavier Legette, WR, 6'1" 220 4.39 40, S Carolina 2 (61) Braden Fiske, DT, 6'4" 292 4.78 40, FSU 3 (73) Chris Braswell, OLB, 6'3" 255 4.60 40, Alabama 3 (77) Mason McCormick, OG/C, 6'4" 310 5.10 40, S Dakota 4 (105) Cam Hart, CB, 6'3" 202 4.50 40, Notre Dame 4 (110) Khyree Jackson, CB/Safety, 6'3" 195 4.50 40, Oregon 6 (205) Will Reichard, K, Alabama

Except... I took a second look and would want to rejigger a couple things: The original (with some thoughts...) 2 (44). Zach Frazier, C, WVU - I like the IDEA of Frazier but I think he's a RANKING problem. Holmes has different ranking criteria and I think he LOVES Barton, JPJ, and McCORMICK. Not Frazier. 2 (61). Braden Fiske, DT, FSU - Yes. 3 (73). Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington - See below. 3 (77). Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest - I think Holmes LOVES a couple CB's more than Carson (see below): So I made some "adjustments" to this: After the trade down with the Steelers, I think the draft goes like this: #44 Xavier Legette, WR, 6'1" 220 4.39 40, S Carolina - True X receiver. Big and FAST. TOUGH. Holmes = PERFECT! #61 Braden Fiske, DT, 6'4" 292 4.78 40, FSU - FAST and RELENTLESS. Will be rotational/pass-rusher; Lions Fit = HUGE! #73 Chris Braswell, OLB, 6'3" 255 4.60 40, Alabama - Maxx Crosby wannabe. "Work ethic off-the-charts". Holmes = YES! #77 Mason McCormick, OG/C, 6'4" 310 5.10 40, S Dakota - 10.0 RAS grade as Center. Big, fast, powerful. Dominates the run. Holmes = PERFECT! Right here, I'm going to throw in a curveball: I'm going to trade our 5th, 6th (#201), 7th and a 2025 3rd to the Chargers for their two 4th rounders, #'s 105 and 110. And select: #105 Cam Hart, CB, 6'3" 202 4.50 40, Notre Dame #110 Khyree Jackson, CB/Safety, 6'3" 195 4.50 40, Oregon #205 Will Reichard, K, Alabama

PS: Who did the Raiders pick? Penix?

I LOVE this draft!!!

The shorter version of what I just said. I approve this message.

I was arguing this most of the year... especially as Copp and Compher proved neither were at a high enough level... Which is what my argument was. Dump these types of salaries... And I would rather spend (1) contract on an upper echelon player at $8 mill +/-, rather than two contracts on middling players like these. So I see our offseason needs as 5-fold (players only needs that is...): Extend Seider and Raymond. Let UFA's walk (and possibly an RFA or two) unless there's a compelling reason to keep them. Drop additional veteran salaries wherever that is possible, as Shinzaki noted a few very eligible candidates above... Sign 1 or 2 "PREMIUM" FA's, two-way players that are not on their last legs and can fit as a top-6 (borderline top-3) forward, with Center/Playmaker an especially acute need, or as a top 2-pairing defenseman. And fill in with kids. I want the youth to lower salaries and for them to start on their NHL learning curves (now, rather than later). I'm ready for Cossa, Mazur, Kasper, Wallinder, Toumisto, and possibly Johansson to start getting NHL ice time, as much as is possible... because they are going to have to go through learning curves... That also means there are a lot of movable vets on the Wings roster (UFA's RFA's, or trades), IMO. And higher level FA's which means more AAV and fewer players, as opposed to quantity of middling salaries/middling players. Too many middling salaries/ middling players can both kill a team's cap as well as kill a team's growth potential/ upside... as others have pointed out.