On Broadway: The Red Raiders get their QB
Finally, Kliff Kingsbury and his staff can relax a bit when it comes to the quarterback position. With the addition of Mansfield Lake Ridge and early-enrollee dual-threat quarterback Jett Duffey, the Red Raiders are now on schedule to have four scholarship quarterbacks go through spring football in 2016. That's a welcome sight both for their position coach and the fan base, as the changes in the depth chart under center has been a tilt-a-whirl of vomit inducing proportions, like a fat kid who just finished off the sugary remains of a real greasy funnel cake and decided that now would be THE BEST time to go full on spin cycle.
I do fully understand the sense of apprehension from you all when it comes to quarterbacks, though. I really do. Brewer transfers out, Mayfield transfers out, Webb has a sophomore slump made worse by injury, and Jarrett Stidham decides to hit the bricks for Waco. That's a lot of bad news to handle in a one year span, especially for a fanbase that's had nothing but consistent starters at quarterback for over a decade other than the Potts-Sheffield situation. But, honestly, I think the quarterback carousel is something that's becoming common place in college football across the board. Guys are transferring left and right when they don't think they'll get a chance to start, and it's a troubling development.
Regardless - and getting back to Duffey - I think Tech has landed a really good QB that should have some time to develop as Mahomes/Webb/Shimonek take care of on-field duties over the next two to three years. He's extremely accurate, puts nice zip on his throws, understands pocket pressure extremely well for a player of his age, and he's as slippery of a scrambler as Tech's picked up in a long, long time. A modern comparison that I think works really well is Russell Wilson. He might not have as strong of an arm as Wilson, but I think they have very similar makeups. They're both going to be passers first and foremost, but both can move around, both in and out of the pocket, and they both are always looking downfield. Both are very slippery runners, too, but they use it as a true second option, but an extremely effective one at that.
I think you can understand that I'm not saying that Duffey WILL be Russell Wilson, but it's a really good archetypal comparison. Now, I'm really excited to see how Duffey performs at the Elite 11 summer.
The Wide World: Deflategate is the latest disaster for Goodell
I'm going to keep this short and to the point, because I'm tired of it. When this whole deflation scandal started with the Patriots back in the playoffs, I figured we'd hear about it for a couple weeks, the Pats would play dumb, the NFL would slap them on the wrist, and we'd all move on. But no. It's been simmering for months. And months. And months. Now we end up with the All-American Man suspended for four games, a million dollar fine, and a first round pick down the drain. Say what?
The NFL under Roger Goodell has come under more scrutiny than it has in its entire history, and much of that has to do with inconsistent action he's taken when punishing teams or players, but I will say that it also has to do with today's moral and ethical landscape, too, which has become mob-esque under the direction of social media. Preemptive actions have been a disaster by the commissioner, as he's taken the reactionary route much more often, and he's being crucified for it by the fans and the media on a daily basis.
Now this. It's a big overreaction by Goodell and the league as opposed to the under-reaction for domestic violence issues. I think he's compensating for the pitfalls with the Ray Rices of the world, and it's not a good look. Now, the Patriots are firing back with their own report essentially. What a mess.
Link Me, Bro.
The reviews for Mad Max: Fury Road have been through the roof so far, so if you're thinking about going to see it this weekend, I suggest you read Collider's review.
It looks like John Wall is good to go for Game 6 of Wizards-Falcons.
Cleveland Indians righty Corey Kluber threw an incredible 18 strikeouts on Wednesday night.
Florida man (of course) kills his imaginary friend and turns himself in.
So, would you rather coach the Thunder or the Pelicans? Grantland's Andrew Sharp asks the question.
Power Rankings: Breakfast foods
I've always considered myself a bit of a breakfast food connoisseur, so I figured I'd run through my favorite breakfasts in this week's edition of Power Rankings.
5. Cereal - The true, easy staple of breakfast. Mark me down specifically for Raisin Bran (two scoops of raisins), Reese's Puffs, Captain Crunch, and Honey Bunches of Oats
4. Omelets - An omelet done right is hard to beat. Add in some sausage, cheese, and green and red peppers, and we're in business.
3. The classic breakfast - What I mean by the classic breakfast is sausage/bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, and pancakes. If I'm going for the big breakfast, plop this buffet down in front of me any day of the week.
2. Breakfast burritos - Oh yes. Specifically, I'm a big fan of Torchy's, Burrito Tower, and United breakfast burritos. Sausage would be the preferred meat on them.
1. Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit - IT'S THE HOLY GRAIL. Whether it's 7 in the morning or 3 in the morning, this is what I want. It's heavenly goodness, dripping with the nectar of the gods is unsurpassed.
Damn. I really want one right now.
Off The Reservation: Graduation Day
Well, technically, it's my second graduation day. I finished my undergrad here at Tech back in the spring of 2013, and I decided to go ahead and keep on plowing for two more years to earn my master's degree in Sports Management. The day has finally come, and I'll be walking the stage for my graduate degree on Friday night. It's a big moment for me, and I'll share a little story to tell you why.
Just flat out, I failed my first semester of college. I didn't......how do you say.... go to class. Yeah, you may be saying, "Hey man, everybody skips a few classes." No, I didn't really go, you know, at all, as in "Let's sit in the dorm room and play Halo or see who can eat 45 moon pies." I was way too busy having waaaaaay too much fun, and I got a big wakeup call that I really needed in life back then.
So, it all comes to a head this weekend for me, as I'll be graduating with a 3.8 GPA. While that might not seem like a big deal to some, it just is to me personally when I see how far I've come in a five-and-a-half year span. I'm also glad to be done with school finally, for sure.
But, anyway, just wanted to share that. Also, to any other grads this weekend, undergrad or otherwise, congrats to you as well. Enjoy with your friends and family, and crack at least a few cold ones in celebration. I know I will.
Finally, Kliff Kingsbury and his staff can relax a bit when it comes to the quarterback position. With the addition of Mansfield Lake Ridge and early-enrollee dual-threat quarterback Jett Duffey, the Red Raiders are now on schedule to have four scholarship quarterbacks go through spring football in 2016. That's a welcome sight both for their position coach and the fan base, as the changes in the depth chart under center has been a tilt-a-whirl of vomit inducing proportions, like a fat kid who just finished off the sugary remains of a real greasy funnel cake and decided that now would be THE BEST time to go full on spin cycle.
I do fully understand the sense of apprehension from you all when it comes to quarterbacks, though. I really do. Brewer transfers out, Mayfield transfers out, Webb has a sophomore slump made worse by injury, and Jarrett Stidham decides to hit the bricks for Waco. That's a lot of bad news to handle in a one year span, especially for a fanbase that's had nothing but consistent starters at quarterback for over a decade other than the Potts-Sheffield situation. But, honestly, I think the quarterback carousel is something that's becoming common place in college football across the board. Guys are transferring left and right when they don't think they'll get a chance to start, and it's a troubling development.
Regardless - and getting back to Duffey - I think Tech has landed a really good QB that should have some time to develop as Mahomes/Webb/Shimonek take care of on-field duties over the next two to three years. He's extremely accurate, puts nice zip on his throws, understands pocket pressure extremely well for a player of his age, and he's as slippery of a scrambler as Tech's picked up in a long, long time. A modern comparison that I think works really well is Russell Wilson. He might not have as strong of an arm as Wilson, but I think they have very similar makeups. They're both going to be passers first and foremost, but both can move around, both in and out of the pocket, and they both are always looking downfield. Both are very slippery runners, too, but they use it as a true second option, but an extremely effective one at that.
I think you can understand that I'm not saying that Duffey WILL be Russell Wilson, but it's a really good archetypal comparison. Now, I'm really excited to see how Duffey performs at the Elite 11 summer.
The Wide World: Deflategate is the latest disaster for Goodell
I'm going to keep this short and to the point, because I'm tired of it. When this whole deflation scandal started with the Patriots back in the playoffs, I figured we'd hear about it for a couple weeks, the Pats would play dumb, the NFL would slap them on the wrist, and we'd all move on. But no. It's been simmering for months. And months. And months. Now we end up with the All-American Man suspended for four games, a million dollar fine, and a first round pick down the drain. Say what?
The NFL under Roger Goodell has come under more scrutiny than it has in its entire history, and much of that has to do with inconsistent action he's taken when punishing teams or players, but I will say that it also has to do with today's moral and ethical landscape, too, which has become mob-esque under the direction of social media. Preemptive actions have been a disaster by the commissioner, as he's taken the reactionary route much more often, and he's being crucified for it by the fans and the media on a daily basis.
Now this. It's a big overreaction by Goodell and the league as opposed to the under-reaction for domestic violence issues. I think he's compensating for the pitfalls with the Ray Rices of the world, and it's not a good look. Now, the Patriots are firing back with their own report essentially. What a mess.
Link Me, Bro.
The reviews for Mad Max: Fury Road have been through the roof so far, so if you're thinking about going to see it this weekend, I suggest you read Collider's review.
It looks like John Wall is good to go for Game 6 of Wizards-Falcons.
Cleveland Indians righty Corey Kluber threw an incredible 18 strikeouts on Wednesday night.
Florida man (of course) kills his imaginary friend and turns himself in.
So, would you rather coach the Thunder or the Pelicans? Grantland's Andrew Sharp asks the question.
Power Rankings: Breakfast foods
I've always considered myself a bit of a breakfast food connoisseur, so I figured I'd run through my favorite breakfasts in this week's edition of Power Rankings.
5. Cereal - The true, easy staple of breakfast. Mark me down specifically for Raisin Bran (two scoops of raisins), Reese's Puffs, Captain Crunch, and Honey Bunches of Oats
4. Omelets - An omelet done right is hard to beat. Add in some sausage, cheese, and green and red peppers, and we're in business.
3. The classic breakfast - What I mean by the classic breakfast is sausage/bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, and pancakes. If I'm going for the big breakfast, plop this buffet down in front of me any day of the week.
2. Breakfast burritos - Oh yes. Specifically, I'm a big fan of Torchy's, Burrito Tower, and United breakfast burritos. Sausage would be the preferred meat on them.
1. Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit - IT'S THE HOLY GRAIL. Whether it's 7 in the morning or 3 in the morning, this is what I want. It's heavenly goodness, dripping with the nectar of the gods is unsurpassed.
Damn. I really want one right now.
Off The Reservation: Graduation Day
Well, technically, it's my second graduation day. I finished my undergrad here at Tech back in the spring of 2013, and I decided to go ahead and keep on plowing for two more years to earn my master's degree in Sports Management. The day has finally come, and I'll be walking the stage for my graduate degree on Friday night. It's a big moment for me, and I'll share a little story to tell you why.
Just flat out, I failed my first semester of college. I didn't......how do you say.... go to class. Yeah, you may be saying, "Hey man, everybody skips a few classes." No, I didn't really go, you know, at all, as in "Let's sit in the dorm room and play Halo or see who can eat 45 moon pies." I was way too busy having waaaaaay too much fun, and I got a big wakeup call that I really needed in life back then.
So, it all comes to a head this weekend for me, as I'll be graduating with a 3.8 GPA. While that might not seem like a big deal to some, it just is to me personally when I see how far I've come in a five-and-a-half year span. I'm also glad to be done with school finally, for sure.
But, anyway, just wanted to share that. Also, to any other grads this weekend, undergrad or otherwise, congrats to you as well. Enjoy with your friends and family, and crack at least a few cold ones in celebration. I know I will.
