Big Blue Huddle

Yesterday Schmeelk and another guy did a first-round mock draft (alternating picks between the two of them).

At pick 25, the only TRUE 1st-round-worthy player left (they agreed on this point) was Bijan Robinson.

They did NOT take him, nor did either of them even argue (or mention) the possibility of taking him.

That would be a blunder of great proportion. He would IMPROVE the Giants.

Discuss.

Bob

I think a draft that includes the two top (IMO) Ohio State prospects would be just fine with me.

That would be wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and center Luke Wypler.  What about Penn State's Joey Porter? 

The Giants are just not lucky enough to have him fall to 25.  BTW, don't rule out the Eagles taking Porter.

Bob

Just wondering whether you all think there are more 1st-rd WR's or 1st-rd CB's of the type we need?

IMO, we need a speed WR (rather than a possession guy) and a CB whose specialty is man-coverage (not zone).

To be a 1st-rnder they must be ready to play now or real soon and have NO major flaws in their overall game.

Bob

https://www.giants.com/news/joe-marino-2023-nfl-draft-combine-wink-martindale-jaxon-smith-njigba

IMO the above relatively short article is well worth reading.  He opines about potential draftees who fit best for Giants at the positions of greatest need.

Ordinarily, I respect him greatly and think he really knows his stuff. But wait...

IMO he got the first (and perhaps most important) one wrong!  Wide receiver- he thinks they need a guy who can play outside, slot and blah, blah, blah... and comes up a guy who played in a completely different type of offense. I think it's a slam dunk they need a guy who can take the top off the D and back those safeties up three/five yards because he's a serious threat to run right past them.

What do you think?

Bob

PS. I suppose they could use a WR like he talks about if they already had a 2nd TE who could block and get open short, middle & deep (e.g., free agent Mike Gesicki) or if they first got lucky and Michael Mayer of Notre Dame fell to them in the first round.

Suppose....

Before the past season started the Giants trade their 2 best WR's to Eagles for AJ Brown & DeVonta Smith.

Would the Giants have gotten to the Super Bowl?

Bob

You can't make this stuff up. 

Eagles jumped over the Giants in the draft to "steal" Davonte Smith from the Giants.

Giants wound up with Toney instead, but he let the Giants down, so they traded Toney to the Chiefs. 

Toney made IMO the key play of the Chiefs/Eagles Super Bowl Game... on special teams.

In the end, the Eagles (somewhat indirectly) were the author of their own harm.

Bob

You can only pick ONE. Which is the "best" way to continue building our Giants?  Eleven is a lot of draft picks.

Obviously, what's "best" depends of your evaluation of a number of factors, such as:

(1) At which positions do we stink the most, and what's the "best" way to get players at those positions?
(2) How close are we to completing the rebuilding process? Are we within striking distance of being "for real"?
(3) Rookie contracts are a lot cheaper than veteran contracts? How much money can we spend outside the draft?

Bob

Regardless of the wisdom (or lack thereof) of going for it on 4th-and-8 in the first quarter, and regardless of whether punting might have changed the game at all, Jones failing to throw the ball somewhere and taking a sack IMO may have been his worst blunder of the entire season. I suppose there are theoretical exceptions to the rule, but whenever you go for it on 4th down you NEVER EVER EVER EVER take a sack.  Throw the damn ball.

I'm totally flabbergasted that neither of the announcers (to my recollection) mentioned that aspect of the decision and instead focused on whether it was a smart move by Daboll. Could it be that they were trying to be nice to Jones by ignoring his blunder?

In any event, at a bare minimum, throw it out-of-bounds and avoid losing additional yardage - or - depending on field position and the game situation, it usually makes sense to throw it right to your deepest receiver (even if he's covered by multiple defenders).

The worst possible outcome is an INT run back for a TD, but the odds of that are minuscule, ESPECIALLY if the ball is thrown with a substantial arc right to the receiver (not a wild throw to "anywhere deep" that might put the ball up-for-grabs at a spot where none of your teammates are located).

The most likely result is the defender will bat the ball down (like a typical Hail Mary to the endzone). But there are THREE even better outcomes: (a) your guy catches it; (b) the defender panics & is called for pass interference; (c) the defender catches it and is immediately tackled by the receiver (so it's as as good as a deep punt).

Bob

PS. Sorry to say, I'll have a "sour taste" of that poor decision in my mouth the entire off-season. I'll also remember all of the great football played by Jones throughout the season (and the IMO Herculean effort he gave to make up for a less-than-optimal supporting cast (most of the time), but now I'll be doing so with a far less pleasant expression on my face. 

I asked last night at the Zoom meeting "If the Giants lose today, is the season a success?"

Almost everyone who attended seemed fairly-well pleased with the Giants' many accomplishments this year.

I don't blame them for it.  The Giants have a lot to be proud of.

But the players (hopefully) won't play with that in mind.

The best they can do today is be themselves, lay it all on the line and let the chips fall where they may.

Bob

PS.  For the rest of what was supposed to be included in this original post, see THE BOLD TYPE in my other post (below kartanoman's post). 

A broadcaster on the Bills game said there is an axiom in the NFL (which I'd never heard).

It says for every rookie starter on your team you will lose one game during the season.

I thought of that when Bellinger's penalty erased the TD.  The fact is... they didn't even need that block to score... check the replay.  The disappointment on Daboll's face (to me) told the story.  You can probably only use that play once per game (at most) and now it had gone to waste. 

Bob

A key difference-maker that won't be talked about much (but IMO is decidedly true) is...

Giants did a better job taking away Vikings' best player than Vikings did taking away Barkley.

Both teams DID minimize touches by the other team's key man but Barkley scored twice and Jefferson got a zero.

Bob

As you see from the 1st quarter or so of Seahawks/49ers it's tough to beat the same team thrice in a season.

For that reason alone, IMO we have a shot against the Eagles if we can somehow win tomorrow against the Vikings.

I do remember, however, in the heyday of Lawrence Taylor the Giants did beat the Redskins thrice, shutting them out in the playoff game (I think - not the greatest memory but some things DO stick in my head LOL).

Bob

Eagles lose the bye & the division crown next week if the Giants find a way to beat them (and Dallas wins).

I know many of us detest Cowboys with all our being (IMO it's more often more hatred of JJ than anything else).

But I'm still looking for payback when Eagles jumped over us to take Devonta Smith and screw up our 2021 draft.

Bob

The TCU Horned Frogs (what a dumb nickname) are on the verge of the NCAA football championship.

They began the year UN-RANKED.  They were predicted to finish (on average) SEVENTH in their league.

It would be amazing if they beat GA, but even if they don't IMO they've already achieved one of NCAA's all-time great miracles (just getting there).

Assuming there are NO MORE INJURIES to any Giants still able to take the field as of today, I believe they are in a parallel situation.

According to my relatives in Vegas, the August odds against Giants reaching the big game were a lot less than what the Horned Frogs overcame.

Bob

No matter what happens next, I think it's fair to say that Brian Daboll has made a nice meal for us Giants fans this season... using mostly scraps, leftovers and day-old bread. But each time I figure I've seen him at his peak, he surprises me. They asked him about Thibodeaux.

"He played a good game," coach Brian Daboll said Monday. "Watched the tape last night on the train, and that's what we expect from him – to go out there and play with effort. That's what we saw in him in college. When we went through the process of selecting him in the draft, that's what we felt really good about: A guy that loves football, that competes, that finishes. He's done a really good job of fitting into our organization and what we want to do."

His words were totally off-the-cuff, amazingly forthright, direct, comprehensive and accurate. But they also contain a sly dose of wisdom and advice for any player - even Thibodeaux - who might happen to hear or read them. He touched all the bases, but unexpectedly finished with a flourish that IMO sets him apart from being just another NFL head coach... a seemingly off-hand reference to Number Five having "done a really good job of fitting into our organization."

Those final words transform a typical head-coach encounter involving the process of "just answering the question and moving on" into a lesson in NFL reality (they also show that the best coaches are always on the lookout for an opportunity to engage in a teachable moment). On a Brian Daboll team, not even high draft picks can expect anything other than the same chance given to Mr. Irrelevant. Every player had better mind his P's and Q's and find a way to fit in.

And those words are additionally important because of the the tough place where Thibodeaux plays. As we all know not everybody makes it "there."  I offer for comparison the brief stints of Toney and many others who failed to appreciate the necessity of accomplishing that vital task. 

Bob

At least three times this year Giants profited mightily from ignoring the whistle and continuing to play.

In each case, they recovered a fumble that was a game-clincher or game-changer (aren't they all? lol)

Generally, you want to stop when you hear the whistle (continuing to play is an easy way to commit a foul).

But if you see the ball laying on the ground, pick it up.

As in the case of Forrest Gump's well-known box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.

Bob

(1) Giants lead the league (actually or virtually) in injuries again this season;
(2) an incredibly low % of opening-day starters are still playing (a few aren't even on the team); and
(3) the Giants lacked any meaningful amount of roster depth BEFORE all of this year's injuries occurred.

Assume they reach the playoffs anyway... you are the team's General Manager... the day after you get rid of Barkley, Jones or both, the 1st question at the next press conference will be...

"How can you possibly justify not keeping both of them... if they had a healthy group around them (like the Eagles) and most or all opening-day starters stayed on the field for the whole year (like the Eagles) and you work to add additional roster depth this off-season and in the 2023 draft (like the Eagles), it would seem you are a shoo-in to make the playoffs (and a whole lot of noise in the league) next year."

Bob

 

Greenpeace admits what has been known/acknowledged quietly for years... recycling plastic is a fool's errand.

My position is: do what we can anyway. Politicians try to make this a political issue, but it isn't IMO.

Without anyone telling me I must be, I've always been a conservationist. Making a mess because we're too lazy or stupid to clean up after ourselves is not an option for me.

Bob

https://www.city-journal.org/greenpeace-admits-recycling-doesnt-work

John: As of this moment it's pointed right at you. Please keep us advised so we know you're ok. Bob

I've hardly any time to spend here these days but MADE TIME to mention this... from the journal "Science"...

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abl6422  For an English "translation" LOL here's one source,

https://justthenews.com/nation/science/scientists-say-single-amino-acid-may-explain-major-cognitive-shift-neanderthals#digital-diary

Bob

[practicing using the new system] 

Before reading this post, how many of you were aware that...

TWO-THIRDS of all of the people in the entire history of the human race who lived past age 65... are alive right now... today?

Bob

PS. Was going to put this on the main board but it's not Giants talk.

I'm hopeful we have someone here who can dumb this down for me.

Apparently we humans have accidentally built a barrier that protects us from harmful cosmic radiation, merely by transmitting our own radio waves over the years (and a few other things I don't understand).

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.  The article is not long but it's jam-packed with information.

Bob

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/whoops-humans-made-a-space-barrier-around-earth?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Yesterday, by email to one of my semi-official mailboxes, I received the equivalent of a "chain letter" from a trusted source (side note: this person and I seldom agree about anything).  The "letter" is reproduced below.

I did not forward it directly (using the "forwarding" function of Yahoo - my email provider) because I am aware it could be part of an effort to accumulate email addresses (or worse) by some nefarious person or entity. 

Personally, I recommend (on general principles) not forwarding it if you receive it (except in the manner I employed, which was to copy only the text, and paste it here for others to see).

I have at least the following three questions, and I'm thankful to have a forum such as this where I can ask them:

(1) did any of you receive this email (or something similar) and do you know anything about it?
(2) do you perceive the subject matter to be important, or do you believe is it much ado about nothing (I'm not soliciting political views, but rather wondering whether it seems important to you personally)?
(3) as a general matter, what other illegitimate purposes could a person have for sending a "chain letter" through email?

Bob

>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         A woman dies at age 65 before collecting one benefit check. She and her employer paid into the system for almost 50 years and she collected NOTHING.
>>>>         Keep in mind all the working people that die every year who were paying into the system and got nothing.
>>>>         And these governmental morons mismanaged the money and stole from the system, so that it's now going broke.
>>>>         BEAUTIFUL! And they have the audacity to call today's seniors "vultures" in an attempt to cover their ineptitude.
>>>>         DISGRACEFUL!
>>>>         The real reason for renaming our Social Security payments is so the government can claim that all those social security recipients are receiving entitlements thus putting them in the same category as welfare, and food stamp recipients.
>>>>         THIS IS WORTH THE FEW MINUTES IT TAKES TO READ AND DIGEST!
>>>>         F.Y.I. By changing the name of SS contributions, it gives them a means to refute this program in the future. It's free money for the government to spend under this guise.
>>>>         The Social Security check is now (or soon will be) referred to as a Federal Benefit Payment?
>>>>         I will be part of the one percent to forward this. I am forwarding it because it touches a nerve in me, and I hope it will in you.
>>>>         Please keep passing it on until everyone in our country has read it.
>>>>         The government is now referring to our Social Security checks as a "Federal Benefit Payment."This is NOT a benefit.It is OUR money, paid out of our earned income!
>>>>         Not only did we all contribute to Social Security, but our employers did too! It totaled 15% of our income before taxes. (This should be enough for you to forward this message, if not read on.)
>>>>         If you averaged $30K per year over your working life, that's close to $180,000 invested in Social Security.
>>>>         If you calculate the future value of your monthly investment in social security ($375/month, including both you and your employers

Answer in 24 hours, although it would surprise me greatly if no one here knows the word.  Bob

Hint: The final letter of the four-letter word is "K" 

Go to this website to discover what late-night TV was like back in the good old days.  LOL

It's Jay Thomas (most people don't know who he was, may he rest in peace) on David Letterman's show telling a true personal story about Clayton Moore... the Lone Ranger. 

https://www.google.com/search?channel=tus5&client=firefox-b-1-d&q=lone+ranger+david+letterman

Bob

https://www.jpost.com/international/could-dna-vaccines-be-the-next-tool-in-the-worlds-battle-against-covid-19-680371

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/us/politics/france-ambassador-recall-us-australia.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/17/politics/kabul-drone-strike-us-military-intl-hnk/index.html

Here's a relatively short article that demonstrates IMO the "right" way to teach U.S. history.  ---->  https://www.history.upenn.edu/node/14406

Make people think.  Don't propagandize them by telling them what you (the teacher) think.  Then show them (perhaps) the fallacy of their preconceived ideas.

That short article contains a link to a much longer article which expands on the content of the short one.  ------>  https://thepenngazette.com/pdfs/PennGaz0921_feature1.pdf

IMO, all U.S. history buffs should read both, and take the "challenge(s)" included in the longer article.

I'm not a history buff; in fact, it was my least favorite subject throughout years in school....  but I read both anyway.  Well worth the time and effort, IMO.

Bob

PS.  I was a student of the late Professor Alexander Riasanovsky (who is mentioned prominently in both articles).  When I was there, among other subjects, he taught Russian History.