dbunting

21 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Imo Lamar has become an avatar. People see what they want in him. If you always believed in his upside then some of the issues don't deter you and if you always had doubts you've got evidence you can point to. Frankly I've seen enough to invest in him for the next few years because like I've said before, he's never had a supporting cast and I think if you give him one you're so much more likely to get '19 Lamar than the '21 version. And even if he's never that good again the '20 version is enough to win a title on a good team. 

Again, different points of view. I don't see his 2020 season as exceptional. 3762 yards of total offense and 33 total tds.  I see that season as very good as I have said more than once, but exceptional, not IMO. 

I fully believe you can win a SB with him in the right situation. I just don't know what that situation is or what it looks like. Baltimore had been known for years as a well run team and they haven't figured out the right people to place around him to make it work.  

31 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

So what's the alternative? The team is a contender with him and terrible without. Their recent track record suggests that if they let him go they won't be good for a few years and there's no guarantee they'd rebound back into contention in the same period they'd have to pay Lamar. I know there's sticker shock, but $50M AAV for a top 10 QB will be cheap in a few years considering the cap is expected to jump a shit ton during that time period. 

You can afford to lose a few players if you're going to upgrade your QB that significantly. And my guess is they'd stagger the deal in a way that wouldn't hurt them too much in year one.

We are just coming from different perspectives. I don't see the Lamar from the last two seasons as a significant upgrade.

Just now, Tywin et al. said:

Why would I not include his MVP season in which his peers voted him the best player in the league? No one is arguing he's been as good since for an entire season, but he's had stretches where he's and it's fair to wonder if he could have kept up at that level if the Ravens didn't completely mismanage their personal. It's hard to find a team that's done less for their star QB than they have.

As for the contract goes, we're not far apart. He just turned 26. There's no reason to fear paying him until he's 29/30. It's the next contract that should be concerning.

 

I still maintain that if Lamar goes to Miami or San Fran he should be viewed as one of the favorites to win MVP. 

Because when you look at the rest of his career that season is a big outlier and he has done nothing (2020 was good but worse than 2019) but get worse since. 

Look at just his last two or three years taking away his name and memories of 2019 and does that look like a 250mill fully guaranteed contract you want to sign? No.

BTW if he went to SF or Miami, how many really good players are they cutting to get that 50-60 mill to fit? Be realistic and look at the numbers and think about how many of the players that make those teams who they are that would have to get released. 

16 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

Gets injured and relies on the run game. Hmm, over the last four years...

P1: GS: 53, record: 21-31-1, Comp%: 64%, passing yards: 11,603, TDs: 60, Ints: 34, Rushing yards: 1,708, TDs: 12, fumbles: 42

P2: GS: 54, record: 39-15, Comp%: 63.7%, passing yards: 11,008, TDs: 95, Ints: 35, Rushing yards: 3,372, TDs: 19, fumbles: 30

Who has a one year deal for $32M and who has a four year deal for $160M? Odd, isn't it, considering Player 1 has literally all the downsides of Player 2 people like to mention without the massive upside the latter offers. 

Cmon man stop including the one great year he had, ONE great year. Look at the last 3 years, he has been bad and he is getting worse. This could be a result of shitty personnel around him, that's absolutely true. That doesn't change the fact that he is getting worse, not better. His running stats are dropping quickly, along with his knees, and that is his strength and always has been.

Like I said, I'd give him 3 years 150 all guaranteed, or even 2 yrs 120 mill and contractually say we would not franchise him after that. I don't see him being viable after three more years and a longer contract could be an anchor around a team.

49 minutes ago, Corvinus85 said:

After re-watching I'm thinking a detail I missed was James and David talking in code at the beginning, when David asked James how much food like venison and rabbit was left. So people wouldn't realize they were talking about the stored bodies. Because we see 3 bodies hanging in the storeroom, so it wasn't just that girl's dad they were eating, and when David tells James to go get the penicillin, he clarifies that he's not speaking code. 

Yeah, and I thought he was lying to her about the 4 mile round trip so her timing would be off watching for him to come back, but then I remember them talking at the resort about seeing deer a couple miles away.

1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

I think this should be more of an open conversation on QB's salary in general, but it's the going rate now and like I've said before, Lamar probably adds more value to his team than just about any other QB.

It's incredibly difficult to see how this goes well for the Ravens.

Why do people keep saying this? His stats are what he adds to the team and they have been declining since 2019, he is not an ascending player. He had a great 2019 and a good 2020 (3762 ttl yds and 33 ttl tds), poor 2021, and poor 2022. In 2021 he had 2 rushing tds, the team lead was 5 so it's not like they had a goal line monster in there taking the tds he used to get. Same thing for 2022. He had 3 and the leader had 4!

If anything this should be a cautionary tale to other teams about changing the whole offense to tailor to one player. Other than 2019 this has been a failure.

And I agree, this likely doesn't end well for the Ravens. I just think they are in a unwinnable situation.

1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

It’s only smart business if the cost savings are substantial and you don’t mind alienating your most valued employee. And again, Lamar doesn’t have to sign the tag until week 10. If he does that the team will be really bad this year and they won’t even be able to plan around it and build for the future. Then what? Lamar can do the exact same thing again next year and will then be a FA in 2025, so worst case scenario is he wrecks two seasons, the team can’t properly prepare (also they have to leave the necessary cap space open so he can sign) and then they lose him for nothing. They should have either signed him long term after his third season when the value would have been best or just traded him this past offseason. It’s very difficult to see how they’re going to get the best end result by doing this unless there really is no market for Lamar which I find hard to believe. He’s not going to get the deal Watson got, but the numbers I heard the Ravens were offering was $250M over five years, but only $133M was guaranteed. If that’s accurate it’s really insulting. That’s $30M less than what Kyler got and Lamar is significantly better and more accomplished than he is while working with less and Kyler’s long term injury concerns are every bit as real as Lamar’s.

His leg injuries have to be concerning since he isn't known for his passing skills, remember that because he is a QB. He wants a salary that could cripple the organization for years if he can't live up to his performance from three years ago because his performance since then does not warrant it.

People have to stop living in 2019 and look at his last three years. 

Avg pass yds last three years, 2627. Avg Pass tds 19.6.  Avg Rush yards 845. Avg Rush tds 4, I had to go back and check that several times!

For the last three years he gives them 3472 yards and 23.6 tds per year. Is that worth the contract we hear he is asking for?

Kylers contract is already not aging well so to compare them isn't the best look. How many on here think Kyler is worth that? BTW, Kyler avg more yards, 3929, and tds 27.6 in the last three years as well. So Lamar is not only not significantly better, he is statistically speaking worse.

Just now, Tywin et al. said:

This is seems like a terrible gamble for minimal upside meanwhile every player in the league is watching how they’re treating the face of their franchise. This is bad business.

Is it? If the market says he isn't worth what he is asking for then isn't this actually sound business practice? To me this makes sense (admittedly I am an idiot sometimes), let the market tell you the worth. Let him negotiate and see what is out there and match it if you feel it's fair. 

It would be totally different if they were not far apart but it sounds like they are miles apart.  

17 hours ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

Cocaine Bear was OK. 'Could have been better.

Maybe instead of handing out 3d glasses to this audience they should give everyone a bump?

15 hours ago, The Anti-Targ said:

I thought not having any infected, again, in the main story was a bit disappointing having a few at least come wandering along having responded to Ellie's gunshot would have been good. 

And now in David's Cult with David and all or most of the leaders dead the remaining submissive part of the community is left to try to fend for themselves throughout winter, which they might not survive.

First bolded part, I think this is due to the cold. Fungus don't grow well in cold temps, but thrive in warm moist areas. Maybe they are applying some real world science to it?

Second bold, they now have a full deer and horse to eat. That horse alone will provide hundreds of pounds of meat and they have lost like 9 men in the two episodes. Based on that meeting/meal there was only like 30-40 in the entire group, so now 9 less mouths to feed. Joel and Ellie may have actually saved the community by getting them a deer and horse and simultaneously thinning the male population! 

4 minutes ago, Maithanet said:

Giants paying Jones $160 million over 4 years.  That's a lot of money for a guy who has had two OK years and two terrible years.  Best case scenario he's a slightly faster Kirk Cousins?

If that. He is faster, runs a lot, but Cousins has much better passing stats. Suddenly Dak at 40 mill a year seems fair. Basically the same contract for the two of them.

I think there will be less of a market than he thinks there will be. How many teams can take on a contract that we hear he wants?

He has 33 passing td's the past two seasons combined in a historically ridiculously pass happy league. He missed 5 games last season and 4 games the season before that. Do we really think it's going to get better? 

Best I think I would do is like 150 fully guaranteed (since that seems to be the sticking point) for 3 years. At least that keeps the cap damage to three years if the team fears are correct and gets him another contract quickly if he proves them wrong. 

If someone like Carolina offers him a Watson type deal, adios. Give us two 1st round picks including #9 this year and we move on. Package Baltimore and Carolina pick to move up and get a QB this year and start over. 

2 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

He doesn't have a contract with them either and they can't force him to sign the tag. Lamar should not play until he has a real deal. It's completely insane the Ravens are doing this to their best player and we can already see how it's rubbing off on his teammates. 

Is it completely insane if they have real doubts about him and committing 250 mill? This is a team that took him and changed their entire team around him, if they have doubts then it should be taken seriously.

1 hour ago, Secretary of Eumenes said:

If I were Lamar Jackson. 

Or rather, if I had his talent/work ethic/ general-situation to combine with my own backstory/worldview...

I'd decide that since the Combine is over or whatever? 

I would be rather over the idea of being traded for anything more valuable than the #32 overall pick. 

Just me though. 

So for the Ravens it's a good thing he doesn't have a no trade clause.

Much of the same reaction to this episode as everyone. It seemed rushed, like it would have been better spread out over two episodes. Same thoughts, the main meeting place is burning to the ground and no one notices? Not happy with myself for missing the cannibalism, should have seen that. When I saw the looks between the guys when the girl asked about burying her dad I just brushed it off, even though starvation was obvious, lazy on my part!  I did like that Ellie didn't need Joel to come save her despite it being hinted that he would. 

Since the water was shown to us several times and we also saw canoes, can we assume they escape via the water since they have no horse, Joel is still recovering, and the people of that town should be on their way to the burning building by now?

14 hours ago, briantw said:

The Ravens appear to be imploding, which is pretty awesome to watch.

 

 

 

 

Never saw or heard any of this when Ozzie was running the show, was it hidden while he was there?

9 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

Raiders say they're not interested in Rodgers if he wants out. Jets still seem like the obvious landing spot. It's really hard to see another scenario unless the Niners can make something happen. The idea that he'd leave to go to a team like the Titans is hard to fathom. And the Packers are not exactly in a great position to keep him. The interesting scenarios I haven't heard mentioned much are possibly trading him to the Steelers or Pats. Regardless, it seems all roads sans the Niners lead to him never even making an Owl again, assuming he plays one or two more years. 

I don't think the Steelers would make much sense. They just spent a 1st rd on Pickett, who played decent for a rookie. To get Rodgers they would have to give up a lot (picks) and pay him which means cutting players, kicking the can down the road, and/or limits talent they can add to help him.

7 hours ago, briantw said:

My girlfriend got caught up on Last of Us prior to last Sunday's episode, so she was left with the Joel getting stabbed cliffhanger for only a couple of days.  After she finished episode six, I got a text.  "If Joel dies, I'm literally never talking to you again."  

Maybe I shouldn't have pressured her to watch this show.  

Don't click the spoiler unless you've played the second game!

  Reveal hidden contents

But hey, my relationship is safe until at least an episode into season two!

 

I'm no detective but based on this, and a spoiler I assume you just spoiled that a certain person dies? If so thanks?

If not then it's a good fake out.

14 minutes ago, Kalnestk Oblast said:

It is definitely remarkable to me to see the people who view Ramsey as Ellie as somehow bad and how that correlates to other views. It's a good litmus test. 

I'm personally super happy with her and the small and big things she does. Her interactions with Sam, her interactions and quick looks with Riley, her desperation and anger about Joel getting hurt, her body language while wearing the wolf costume - it's all charming and real and bittersweet. 

I wasn't a super big fan of this ep but it was at least a bit better than I expected being a flashback, and did a good job tying to the 'current' events. I hope we get to see what actually happened with Ellie and Riley post-bite. I also like how they keep showing the wonder of things we take for granted in our modern world; this is something that is really not done very much in most apocalyptic stories. The escalator scene made me smile. 

I like Ramsey as Ellie. She, IMO, has shown a wide range of emotions already. She puts up a brave front and cracks show in it exposing her fear and insecurities. In this episode I truly believed she had a crush on the other girl and not that she was just pretending to.  Yeah sometimes the teen angst smart ass thing is annoying but guess what, so are teenagers!!

Strange timing at the least.  Georgia stud and top prospect Jalen Carter has arrest warrant issued today for reckless driving and racing(i think). He was supposedly racing along with two other vehicles after they had their National Championship parade and one car wrecked killing two people, Georgia staffers, who were in a Georgia owned Expedition.   

It was a good episode but didn't have the feels of Ep 3. Ep 3 was done much better IMO, acting, and of course showing them over years and not just one night. Would have been nice to wrap it up though, I mean go ahead and show us Ellie's infection not spreading while hers does and then how the Fireflys come to find her. Actually that's probably still to come, but it seems like it belonged in this episode.

On 2/15/2023 at 3:46 PM, Argonath Diver said:

Baseball Stadiums have a wide range of outfield walls  often due to limitations of city blocks or other obstacles. The monstrosity of the Astros stadium had a goddamn hill in centerfield until 2015. That second article highlights several other wacky baseball fields over its history. 

On topic, I've re-started Season 2 since reading this thread. I realize I somewhat have forgotten where our guys and gals stand going into this final season.

I was going to mention baseball stadiums as well. Have guys hitting 60 home runs in Yankee stadium and a lot of them would be fly outs in Comerica park. Makes no sense.

Also just started Ted Lasso a couple weeks ago and enjoyed it, glad to see it's coming back soon so I won't have a big wait.

30 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/best-summer-ever-which-summer-blockbuster-season-reigns-supreme/

Rotten tomatoes has ranking. Hard to disagree with number 1.  Though for me personally 84 was better. 

Yeah 1982 and 1984 for me were the best of that list.

Watched a few movies this weekend.  The Imitation Game  very good movie about Turing, his life and breaking the Enigma code during WW2. I had little knowledge about him other than knowing he was a math genius, computer godfather of sorts, so to see what he went through and what he and the team accomplished was pretty cool.

Margin Call  a decent movie with a lot of names in it about a nameless Wall St firm and the crash from housing. It was decent but with all the names in it I guess I expected more, the Big Short IMO was a far superior movie.

Devotion  a based on real life movie about a black fighter pilot from 1950. The story was good but the way it played out seemed so fake, and I know that's not the word I am looking for.  During the movie there are at least five different scenes where it seems like the actor is making a speech to win an oscar. IDK, the movie just felt off to me and I was on my phone quite a bit.

Have to agree, the list isn't that good and that was the summer leading to my senior year of high school so those should hold strong feelings for me. All the sequels you listed were pretty bad other than Indiana Jones. I think your 1999 list kills 1989 even with the Phantom Menace dragging it down!