Allen parish inmate roster
Jimmie Allen DROPPED by label
2023.06.10 03:15 RobMurglund Jimmie Allen DROPPED by label
“BBR Music Group has dissolved its relationship with Jimmie Allen, he is no longer an active artist on its roster,” the label said in a statement.
Indeed, Allen’s photo no longer appears on the website for BBR, which counts country stars Jason Aldean and Lainey Wilson among its artists. The label had previously suspended Allen after his ex-manager accused him of rape and he claimed their contact was consensual.
Edit: I copied and pasted the above from a news article. I would not call Jason Aldean a star unless there was a gun to my head.
submitted by RobMurglund to CelebWivesofNashville [link] [comments]
Indeed, Allen’s photo no longer appears on the website for BBR, which counts country stars Jason Aldean and Lainey Wilson among its artists. The label had previously suspended Allen after his ex-manager accused him of rape and he claimed their contact was consensual.
Edit: I copied and pasted the above from a news article. I would not call Jason Aldean a star unless there was a gun to my head.
2023.06.10 00:26 osuhans Our best shot at adding a really good wing (Jeremy Grant, Cam Johnson)
If we really want to add a good wing to this roster, it’s gotta be a slight overpay of a free agent and we gotta trade Allen.
Cedi’s 7M non-guaranteed should be looked at as a decent asset for a re-tooling / re-building team IMO; you can trade for him and essentially wipe the money from their books.
Jarret Allen is due a very reasonable 20M
If Portland or Brooklyn want Jarret Allen, our best path to a really good wing is a sign and trade sending Allen/Osman, and offering Jeremy Grant or Cam Johnson a bag (20-26M annually)
I think Claxton is good enough that Brooklyn would have no interest, but you never know. They’ve had him in the building so they can compare the two fairly if anyone can. I think if they wanted to swap Cam Johnson they would have at the deadline, knowing he’s gonna get paid this summer.
Now I’m not saying these are great deals by any means, but for those fans demanding a wing, these are the realistic best case scenarios for you.
Thoughts?
submitted by osuhans to clevelandcavs [link] [comments]
Cedi’s 7M non-guaranteed should be looked at as a decent asset for a re-tooling / re-building team IMO; you can trade for him and essentially wipe the money from their books.
Jarret Allen is due a very reasonable 20M
If Portland or Brooklyn want Jarret Allen, our best path to a really good wing is a sign and trade sending Allen/Osman, and offering Jeremy Grant or Cam Johnson a bag (20-26M annually)
I think Claxton is good enough that Brooklyn would have no interest, but you never know. They’ve had him in the building so they can compare the two fairly if anyone can. I think if they wanted to swap Cam Johnson they would have at the deadline, knowing he’s gonna get paid this summer.
Now I’m not saying these are great deals by any means, but for those fans demanding a wing, these are the realistic best case scenarios for you.
Thoughts?
2023.06.09 21:47 AntonBrakhage States are beginning to remove statutes of limitations for survivors of child sexual abuse to sue.
https://apnews.com/article/church-clergy-abuse-statute-limitations-835c56dac34d3d56eabdb3b4d70404a4
"PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Ann Allen loved going to church and the after-school social group led by a dynamic priest back in the 1960s.
The giggling fun with friends always ended with a game of hide and seek. Each week, the Rev. Lawrence Sabatino chose one girl to hide with him. Allen said when it was her turn, she was sexually assaulted, at age 7, in the recesses of St. Peter's Catholic Church.
"I don't remember how I got out of that cellar and I don't think I ever will. But I remember it like it's yesterday. I remember the smells. The sounds. I remember what he said, and what he did," she said.
Allen, 64, is one of more than two dozen people who have sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine, over the past year, seeking delayed justice since lawmakers allowed lawsuits for abuse that happened long ago and can't be pursued in criminal courts either because of time limits or evidence diminishing over time.
More survivors are pursuing cases as states increasingly consider repealing time limits for child sex crime lawsuits. Vermont was the first state to remove the limits in 2019, followed by Maine in 2021 and Maryland this year.
Michigan, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are poised to take action before their legislative sessions end.
"The momentum is irreversible," said Marci Hamilton, CEO of CHILD USA, a think tank aiming to prevent child abuse and neglect.
In April, Maryland lifted time limits on child sexual abuse lawsuits against institutions less than a week after the attorney general detailed decades of abuse of more than 600 children by over 150 priests associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Other states, meanwhile, have briefly removed the statute of limitations on lawsuits for childhood abuse. More than 10,000 lawsuits were filed when New York set aside time limits for two years.
Across the country, those lawsuits have targeted churches, summer camps, scout groups and other institutions accused of enabling pedophiles or turning a blind eye to wrongdoing.
More states eliminating the limits would help achieve justice and prevention, according to advocates who say survivors tend to keep the trauma to themselves, backed by new research suggesting survivors typically come forward in their 50s.
"More and more people come forward as they realize that they're not alone," said Michael Bigos, one of Allen's attorneys, whose law firm has brought 25 lawsuits since last June and is evaluating more than 100 additional potential cases, including about 65 targeting the Portland diocese.
In his law offices, Allen looked at a photo of herself at her first communion at St. Peter's, which serves what was once Portland's Little Italy neighborhood and hosts a popular street party each summer.
The photo was taken after the assault. Her joy and exuberance are gone. "When I look at it, I see a pretty damaged child," she said.
Sabatino quickly became part of the fabric of St. Peter's when he arrived in 1958 after leaving another church where parents reported to police that he had sexually abused their 6-year-old daughter. The priest was warned by the Diocese of Portland not to engage with children or play games, but was soon doing both.
Parishioners, including Ann Allen's family, invited him into their homes. He visited her family's beach house.
Allen thought she was lucky when she was selected to hide with him. But the abuse became a dark secret she carried for decades.
She never considered telling her parents. Allen said she didn't think anyone would believe her.
As a school principal in California, Allen was protective of children, especially those who reported abuse. She would try to help them and say the right things - things she wished had been done for her. Then, she went home to "curl up in a ball," she said.
But her secret came bubbling back when she returned to Maine and had to confront her past, she said.
Robert Dupuis tells a similar story.
He was 12 years old in 1961 when he was abused by the Rev. John Curran in Old Town, a riverside city in Maine. Decades later, he sought help from Alcoholic's Anonymous when his marriage was in jeopardy. He acknowledge the abuse in group therapy, at around age 55, and the revelation changed his life.
"It healed me and it freed me from holding back," the 74-year-old said.
His marriage and friendships have improved, he said. Now, he encourages others who have been abused to come forward.
Most of Maine's newly filed civil lawsuits target the Diocese of Portland, accusing leaders of ignoring accusations against priests like Sabatino and Curran, or simply moving them to new parishes, allowing the abuse to continue.
Diocese officials concluded that allegations against Sabatino and Curran were credible. Both have long since died.
Maine removed its time limits in 200o to sue over childhood sexual abuse, but not retroactively, leaving survivors without recourse for older cases. Changes in 2021 allowed previously expired civil claims. The Legislature also is considering easing the statute of limitations on criminal charges for sexual assaults of children.
The Portland diocese contends survivors had ample time to sue and it's unconstitutional to open the door to new litigation, which could lead to requests for damages of "tens of millions of dollars."
A judge rejected the arguments. The diocese has appealed to the state Supreme Court. An attorney and spokesperson for the dioceses both declined comment.
For Patricia Butkowski, it was 1958 when her family alerted police that she said Sabatino assaulted her at a parish in Lewiston. After the diocese transferred him to Portland, Allen and others became victims.
"I'm now at 70 feeling emotions and allowing myself to feel emotions that I never knew I had. Anger is at the top of it. I'm like a volcano spewing and there's just so many emotions, and anger at the church," she said.
Butkowski, who now lives in Oklahoma City, wants the church to apologize and acknowledge the wrongs done to her and others so she can "hopefully regain some sort of faith before I die," she said.
"What was done to me by the priest damaged my soul," she said. "I don't have a soul anymore. It's broken."
submitted by AntonBrakhage to DeppDelusion [link] [comments]
"PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Ann Allen loved going to church and the after-school social group led by a dynamic priest back in the 1960s.
The giggling fun with friends always ended with a game of hide and seek. Each week, the Rev. Lawrence Sabatino chose one girl to hide with him. Allen said when it was her turn, she was sexually assaulted, at age 7, in the recesses of St. Peter's Catholic Church.
"I don't remember how I got out of that cellar and I don't think I ever will. But I remember it like it's yesterday. I remember the smells. The sounds. I remember what he said, and what he did," she said.
Allen, 64, is one of more than two dozen people who have sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine, over the past year, seeking delayed justice since lawmakers allowed lawsuits for abuse that happened long ago and can't be pursued in criminal courts either because of time limits or evidence diminishing over time.
More survivors are pursuing cases as states increasingly consider repealing time limits for child sex crime lawsuits. Vermont was the first state to remove the limits in 2019, followed by Maine in 2021 and Maryland this year.
Michigan, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are poised to take action before their legislative sessions end.
"The momentum is irreversible," said Marci Hamilton, CEO of CHILD USA, a think tank aiming to prevent child abuse and neglect.
In April, Maryland lifted time limits on child sexual abuse lawsuits against institutions less than a week after the attorney general detailed decades of abuse of more than 600 children by over 150 priests associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Other states, meanwhile, have briefly removed the statute of limitations on lawsuits for childhood abuse. More than 10,000 lawsuits were filed when New York set aside time limits for two years.
Across the country, those lawsuits have targeted churches, summer camps, scout groups and other institutions accused of enabling pedophiles or turning a blind eye to wrongdoing.
More states eliminating the limits would help achieve justice and prevention, according to advocates who say survivors tend to keep the trauma to themselves, backed by new research suggesting survivors typically come forward in their 50s.
"More and more people come forward as they realize that they're not alone," said Michael Bigos, one of Allen's attorneys, whose law firm has brought 25 lawsuits since last June and is evaluating more than 100 additional potential cases, including about 65 targeting the Portland diocese.
In his law offices, Allen looked at a photo of herself at her first communion at St. Peter's, which serves what was once Portland's Little Italy neighborhood and hosts a popular street party each summer.
The photo was taken after the assault. Her joy and exuberance are gone. "When I look at it, I see a pretty damaged child," she said.
Sabatino quickly became part of the fabric of St. Peter's when he arrived in 1958 after leaving another church where parents reported to police that he had sexually abused their 6-year-old daughter. The priest was warned by the Diocese of Portland not to engage with children or play games, but was soon doing both.
Parishioners, including Ann Allen's family, invited him into their homes. He visited her family's beach house.
Allen thought she was lucky when she was selected to hide with him. But the abuse became a dark secret she carried for decades.
She never considered telling her parents. Allen said she didn't think anyone would believe her.
As a school principal in California, Allen was protective of children, especially those who reported abuse. She would try to help them and say the right things - things she wished had been done for her. Then, she went home to "curl up in a ball," she said.
But her secret came bubbling back when she returned to Maine and had to confront her past, she said.
Robert Dupuis tells a similar story.
He was 12 years old in 1961 when he was abused by the Rev. John Curran in Old Town, a riverside city in Maine. Decades later, he sought help from Alcoholic's Anonymous when his marriage was in jeopardy. He acknowledge the abuse in group therapy, at around age 55, and the revelation changed his life.
"It healed me and it freed me from holding back," the 74-year-old said.
His marriage and friendships have improved, he said. Now, he encourages others who have been abused to come forward.
Most of Maine's newly filed civil lawsuits target the Diocese of Portland, accusing leaders of ignoring accusations against priests like Sabatino and Curran, or simply moving them to new parishes, allowing the abuse to continue.
Diocese officials concluded that allegations against Sabatino and Curran were credible. Both have long since died.
Maine removed its time limits in 200o to sue over childhood sexual abuse, but not retroactively, leaving survivors without recourse for older cases. Changes in 2021 allowed previously expired civil claims. The Legislature also is considering easing the statute of limitations on criminal charges for sexual assaults of children.
The Portland diocese contends survivors had ample time to sue and it's unconstitutional to open the door to new litigation, which could lead to requests for damages of "tens of millions of dollars."
A judge rejected the arguments. The diocese has appealed to the state Supreme Court. An attorney and spokesperson for the dioceses both declined comment.
For Patricia Butkowski, it was 1958 when her family alerted police that she said Sabatino assaulted her at a parish in Lewiston. After the diocese transferred him to Portland, Allen and others became victims.
"I'm now at 70 feeling emotions and allowing myself to feel emotions that I never knew I had. Anger is at the top of it. I'm like a volcano spewing and there's just so many emotions, and anger at the church," she said.
Butkowski, who now lives in Oklahoma City, wants the church to apologize and acknowledge the wrongs done to her and others so she can "hopefully regain some sort of faith before I die," she said.
"What was done to me by the priest damaged my soul," she said. "I don't have a soul anymore. It's broken."
2023.06.09 18:45 Eddy_Vinegar With Josh Allen gracing the cover of Madden this year, who is a Falcons player on our current roster that has the best chance to end up on the cover of Madden in the future?
Definitely Bijan but also could see Tyler Allergier grace the cover
submitted by Eddy_Vinegar to falcons [link] [comments]
2023.06.09 18:20 DoTheDominator What should I be doing?
Roster is
Rodgers/Goff EkeleCMC/Chubb/AJ Dillon/Gibson Chase/AJ Brown/G Wilson/Amari/Odell/Golladay/Dortch/Corey Davis/Bourne Goedert/Freiermuth
12 man full ppr. QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, Flex and Superflex.
Didn’t have a first this year but turned my picks into Schoonmaker, Scott (wr Chicago) and Thompson-Robinson. Added Haener and Allen (TE Rams)
Our start up was last season and I ended up winning the entire thing.
I know I’m weak at QB Depth. I have Heinicke, Wentz, Dalton on bench but they obviously backups or not even signed.
Is it worth offering Ekeler or Chubb away? One potential offer I could make is Chubb for Dobbins and Pickett. (She has Dee Ford might be enticing)
How could I break down something to get better depth but still being able to compete. Team is built to compete easily the next 2-3.
submitted by DoTheDominator to Fantasy_Football [link] [comments]
Rodgers/Goff EkeleCMC/Chubb/AJ Dillon/Gibson Chase/AJ Brown/G Wilson/Amari/Odell/Golladay/Dortch/Corey Davis/Bourne Goedert/Freiermuth
12 man full ppr. QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, Flex and Superflex.
Didn’t have a first this year but turned my picks into Schoonmaker, Scott (wr Chicago) and Thompson-Robinson. Added Haener and Allen (TE Rams)
Our start up was last season and I ended up winning the entire thing.
I know I’m weak at QB Depth. I have Heinicke, Wentz, Dalton on bench but they obviously backups or not even signed.
Is it worth offering Ekeler or Chubb away? One potential offer I could make is Chubb for Dobbins and Pickett. (She has Dee Ford might be enticing)
How could I break down something to get better depth but still being able to compete. Team is built to compete easily the next 2-3.
2023.06.09 18:01 Strict_Hovercraft395 Thoughts on my line up
 | submitted by Strict_Hovercraft395 to fantasyfootballadvice [link] [comments] |
2023.06.09 02:27 IHOPUnderrated I have another advice question.
10 team superflex. Start 2RB 3 WR and a flex. Just finished the startup and I kinda fucked my team up pre draft.
Ended up with Josh Allen, Herbert and Dak. Thanks to this subs advice I traded Josh Allen for Chase and Kyler. So here is my question.
Was offered I give Herbert and Dalvin Cook and I get Pickett, Gibbs, 2 1sts and a 4th.
Here is my roster.
QBs: Herbert, Dak, Kyler, Carr
RBs: Aaron Jones, Dalvin Cook, James Connor, Ezekiel Elliott, James Connor, Khalil Herbert, Antonio Gibson
WRs: Ja’Marr Chase, Amari Cooper, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Jahan Dotson, Hollywood Brown, Alec Pierce, Cedric Tillman, Michael Wilson
TEs: Pitts
Picks: 2 24 2nds, 2 24 3rds, have all future picks.
So, clearly I have a mix of win now and rebuilding assets. Is this trade in my best interests? I feel like the 1sts are probably mid, but could go higher or lower. Is Dak, Pickett, Kyler, Carr a strong enough qb room to compete this year or do I just start blowing it up now? Any advice on this specific trade or my roster in general would be greatly appreciated.
submitted by IHOPUnderrated to DynastyIdiots [link] [comments]
Ended up with Josh Allen, Herbert and Dak. Thanks to this subs advice I traded Josh Allen for Chase and Kyler. So here is my question.
Was offered I give Herbert and Dalvin Cook and I get Pickett, Gibbs, 2 1sts and a 4th.
Here is my roster.
QBs: Herbert, Dak, Kyler, Carr
RBs: Aaron Jones, Dalvin Cook, James Connor, Ezekiel Elliott, James Connor, Khalil Herbert, Antonio Gibson
WRs: Ja’Marr Chase, Amari Cooper, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Jahan Dotson, Hollywood Brown, Alec Pierce, Cedric Tillman, Michael Wilson
TEs: Pitts
Picks: 2 24 2nds, 2 24 3rds, have all future picks.
So, clearly I have a mix of win now and rebuilding assets. Is this trade in my best interests? I feel like the 1sts are probably mid, but could go higher or lower. Is Dak, Pickett, Kyler, Carr a strong enough qb room to compete this year or do I just start blowing it up now? Any advice on this specific trade or my roster in general would be greatly appreciated.
2023.06.09 00:13 laneyflitt 2024 Playoff Picture and Predictions for my MyLeague
I don't see anyone make posts like this, but the mods told me it would be allowed, so I figured I'd make a post. I've just finished my second regular season in MyLeague and am gearing up for the playoffs, so I thought I'd post the playoff picture as well as my predictions for who's going to win it.
16 teams now remain following the conclusion of the play-in tournament. Here are the playoff contenders from the East.
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks (56-26) The Hawks finished the 2022-23 season as the Eastern Conference's third seed. After defeating the sixth seeded Brooklyn Nets in five games in the first round, they fell to the second seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in six games in the second round.
The 2023-24 season was the Hawks' third full season under head coach Nate McMillan. The Hawks made a splash during the offseason when they traded for aging 39 year old superstar LeBron James from the Lakers. James wanted to win another championship before retiring and made it clear he did not think LA was the place do it. The Hawks shipped off John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic to acquire James. With the addition of James, the Hawks now possessed a superteam of James, Trae Young, and Dejounte Murray. Young led the team in scoring with Murray in second and James in third. The Hawks were one of two teams to have three players named to the All-Star game, with James, Young, and Murray all receiving the honor. Young was also named to the All-NBA first team for the second year in a row, while Murray made the third team. The Hawks suffered a blow when Murray broke his leg in the final month of the regular season, leaving them without his services for the playoffs. However, the pair of Young and James is still formidable. Will anybody be able to stop the Hawks superteam?
The Hawks lineup for the playoffs: Trae Young (PG), Jarrett Culver (SG), LeBron James (SF), Onyeka Okungwu (SF), Clint Capela (C), DeAndre Hunter (6th Man)
-2. Indiana Pacers (56-26)
The Pacers did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
The Pacers were a new look team in 2023-2024. The 2023-24 season was the team's third under head coach Rick Carlisle. They were able to keep their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, who came into All-Star form. The Pacers possessed two top ten picks, and traded one of them to the Phoenix Suns to obtain the services of their disgruntled star Center Deandre Ayton. The Pacers hit homeruns when they selected Antonio Wesley out of Kentucky with the fourth overall pick, and traded a later first round pick to the Sacramento Kings for the rights to their rookie selection, Paul Westbrook of Butler. Both Wesley and Westbrook became immediate contributors, and Wesley was named Rookie of the Year. With the Pacers being the only completely healthy team in the East, along with Haliburton, Ayton, and two fantastic rookies, they will be a formidable opponent for anyone to face.
The Pacers starting lineup for the playoffs: Tyrese Haliburton (PG), Paul Westbrook (SG, Rookie), Chris Duarte (SF), Antonio Wesley (PF, Rookie), DeAndre Ayton (C), Myles Turner (6th Man)
-3. Cleveland Cavaliers (56-26)
The Cavaliers finished the 2022-23 season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the seventh seeded Toronto Raptors in five games in the first round, the third seeded Atlanta Hawks in six games in the second round, before falling to the top seeded Chicago Bulls in five games in the Conference Final.
The 2023-24 season was the Cavaliers fourth under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. They returned four of their five starters from the previous year: Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. The Cavaliers were thus early favorites to repeat their success from the previous year. The season saw both Mitchell and Garland named to the 2024 All-Star team. They spent the season in a close race with the Hawks and Pacers, but ended up in third place in the east after losing C Jarrett Allen for the season with an injury. While Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley are still a formidable trio, can the Cavaliers overcome the Hawks and Pacers without Allen?
The Cavaliers starting lineup for the playoffs: Darius Garland (PG), Donovan Mitchell (SG), TJ Warren (SF), Evan Mobley (PF), Tony Bradley (C), Isaac Okoro (6th Man)
-4. Philadelphia 76ers (50-32)
The 76ers finished the 22-23 season as the Eastern Conference's 4th seed, but were eliminated by the 5th seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the first round.
After a disappointing finish to the 22-23 season, the Sixers fired head coach Doc Rivers, making the 2023-24 season their first under new head coach Monty Williams. The Sixers had a big hole to fill after losing James Harden in free agency, but the fantastic performance of Joel Embiid and the additions of Keldon Johnson (acquired in a trade for Tobias Harris) and Kelly Oubre Jr. helped them to not miss a beat. The Sixers finished the season in the same spot they had the previous season: fourth place in the east. However, they are not fully healthy, as Embiid is expected to play through a broken nose. Can Embiid help the Sixers overcome seemingly superior teams like the Hawks, Pacers, and Cavaliers?
The Sixers starting lineup for the playoffs: Kendrick Nunn (PG), Tyrese Maxey (SG), Kelly Oubre Jr. (SF), Keldon Johnson (PF), JOel Embiid (C), Charles Bassey (6th Man)
-5. Detroit Pistons (45-37)
The Pistons did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
The 2023-24 season was the Pistons first under new head coach Trent Pederson. Cade Cunningham led the team in scoring, while Jaden Ivey's 18 PPG off the bench led him to be named 6th Man of the Year. The Pistons surprised analysts who expected them to miss the playoffs again and finished fifth in the east. Can this young up and coming team knock off more established contenders in the playoffs?
The Pistons starting lineup for the playoffs: Monte Morris (PG), Cade Cunningham (SG), Saddiq Bey (SF), Jonathan Isaac (PF), Isaiah Stewart (C), Jaden Ivey (6th Man)
-6. Washington Wizards
The Wizards did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
The 2023-24 season was the Wizards first under new head coach Sam Cassell. The Wizards' biggest addition was luring Fred VanVleet away from the Raptors in free agency. Behind the performances of Bradley Beal and VanVleet, the Wizards surprised analysts who predicted they would miss the playoffs again and finished sixth in the east. They are not seen as true contenders, but can they surprise the doubters?
The Wizards starting lineup for the playoffs: Fred VanVleet (PG), Bradley Beal (SG), Deni Avdija (SF), Marvin Bagley III (PF), Daniel Gafford (C), Johnny Davis (6th Man, Rookie)
-7. Tampa Bay Bandits (37-45)
The 2022-23 season was the Bandits final season in Orlando playing under the name Magic, as after the season they relocated to Tampa Bay and rebranded themselves as the Bandits. They did not make the playoffs their final season in Orlando.
The 2023-24 season was the Bandits' first under new head coach Otis Newman. The free agent additions of Kevin Love and Jordan Poole helped supplement the existing talents of Markelle Fultz, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner, and the Bandits finished eighth place in the east. After defeating the Raptors in the play-in game, they secured the seventh seed. Can the Bandits surprised the doubters and knock off a contender like the Pacers?
The Bandits starting lineup for the playoffs: Markelle Fultz (PG), Jordan Poole (SG), Franz Wagner (SF), Paolo Banchero (PF), Kevin Love (C), Cole Anthony (6th Man)
-8. Toronto Raptors (43-39)
In the 2022-23 season, the Raptors made the playoffs as the seventh seed, but were eliminated by the second seeded Cavaliers in five games in the first round.
The Raptors had a completely new look in the 2023-24 season. They fired Nick Nurse and promoted assistant Adrian Griffin to head coach. They traded Pascal Siakam to the Nets in exchange for Ben Simmons and the 3rd overall pick, lost Fred VanVleet to the Wizards in free agency, and acquired Terry Rozier III from the Hornets in a trade. The Raptors finished the season in 7th place in the East, but were defeated by the Bandits in the play-in game. However, they secured the 8th seed by defeating the Brooklyn Nets in the second play-in game. They face a formidable first round opponent in the top-seeded Hawks. Can they overcome?
The Raptors starting lineup for the playoffs: Ben Simmons (PG), Terry Rozier III (SG), OG Anunoby (SF), Scottie Barnes (PF), Precious Achiuwa (C), O.J. Blake (6th Man, Rookie)
Western Conference
New Orleans Pelicans (63-19) The Pelicans finished second in the western conference in 2022-23. They defeated the seventh seeded Timberwolves in five games in the first round, survived against the sixth seeded Clippers in seven games in the second round, and swept the top seeded Dallas Mavericks in the Conference Finals. They fell to the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls in five games in the NBA Finals.
In their third season under head coach Willie Green, the Pelicans sought to defend their Western Conference Title and finally win their first NBA title. For leading the Pelicans to the best record in the NBA, Willie Green was named Coach of the Year. The Pelicans initially returned all five of their starters from their finals run the previous year. They spent most of the year atop the Western Conference standings. Ahead of the trade deadline, however, the Pelicans made a huge addition that was a familiar face: none other than Anthony Davis, the player they had formerly selected with the first overall pick. The Lakers were not doing well without James and the disgruntled Davis made it known that he would not be resigning with them when his contract was up. Left with no other choice, the Lakers traded Davis to a contender ahead of the trade deadline rather than lose him for nothing in free agency. The Pelicans sent CJ McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas, and a 2024 first round pick to the Lakers in exchange for Davis and Spencer Dinwiddie. With the addition of Davis, the Pelicans now had three players named to the 2024 All-Star team, with Davis receiving the honor along with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Ingram tore his ACL in the final month of the season, leaving the Pelicans without his services for their playoff run. However, their replacement for Ingram, Dyson Daniels, won the most improved player award in 2024. The Pelicans enter the playoffs as heavy favorites to repeat as Western Conference Champions. Can they satisfy these expectations and avenge their Finals loss from last year?
Pelicans starting lineup for the playoffs: Spencer Dinwiddie (PG), Dyson Daniels (SG), Herbert Jones (SF), Zion Williamson (PF), Anthony Davis (C), Skip Milton (6th Man)
-2. Houston Rockets (61-21)
The Rockets did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
The 2023-24 season was the Rockets fourth under head coach Stephen Silas. The Rockets made massive improvements to their roster and pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds in the league. They signed a familiar face, superstar James Harden, in free agency. In a draft day trade, the Rockets acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Grizzlies for a first round pick. The Rockets also acquired the first overall pick through the draft lottery, and used it to select PG Gilbert Gilmore from Michigan State. 2023 Rookie of the Year Jabari Smith Jr. was named to his first All-Star game in only his second year in the league, and 2021 first round pick Jalen Green also had a fantastic year. Behind the stellar play of Harden, Jackson, Smith, and Green, the Rockets finished with the second best record in the NBA. Unfortunately, Jabari Smith tore his MCL in the last month of the regular season and will miss the playoffs. Even without Smith, the Rockets will be a formidable opponent for the Pelicans to get past.
The Rockets starting lineup for the playoffs: James Harden (PG), Jalen Green (SG), John Konchar (SF), Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF), Usman Garuba (C), Alperen Sengun (6th man)
-3. Denver Nuggets (51-31)
The Nuggets finished fifth in the west in the 2022-23 season. They defeated the Lakers in seven games in the first round before falling to the top seeded Mavericks in five games in the second round.
The 2023-24 season was the Nuggets ninth under head coach Michael Malone. The Nuggets returned most of their key players from the 2022-23 season and behind a fantastic season from Nikola Jokic. Jokic received MVP honors for the third time in four years. They managed to improve from fifth in the west to third.
The Nuggets starting lineup for the playoffs:
Jamal Murray (PG), Patrick Beverly (SG), Michael Porter Jr. (SF), Aaron Gordon (PF), Nikola Jokic (C), Nah'Shon Hyland (6th Man)
-4. Golden State Warriors (48-34)
The Warriors did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
After losing in the play-in tournament the previous year, the Warriors bounced back and finished fourth in the west this year. Still led by Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry, the Warriors were able to resign Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins, although they lost Jordan Poole to the Bandits. Can the Warriors beat the odds to win a fifth title in the Stephen Curry era?
The Warriors starting lineup for the playoffs: Stephen Curry (PG), Klay Thompson (SG), Andrew Wiggins (SF), Jonathan Kuminga (PF), James Wiseman (C), Draymond Green (6th Man)
-5. Dallas Mavericks (47-35)
The Mavericks finished the 2022-23 season as the top seed in the west. They defeated the 8th seeded Kings in six games in the first round and the fifth seeded Nuggets in five games in the second round before being swept by the second seeded Pelicans in the Western Conference Finals.
The 2023-24 season was the Mavericks third under head coach Jason Kidd. They were able to lock up Kyrie Irving, who they traded for at the trade deadline in 2023, long term in free agency. However, with so much of their salary tied up in Irving and Luka Doncic, they have very little money for the rest of their roster. Still, Kyrie and Luka are a formidable pair. Can these two lead the Mavericks to a championship, or will the decision to tie up so much money in just two players come back to haunt them?
The Mavericks starting lineup for the playoffs: Kyrie Irving (PG), Luka Doncic (SG), Naji Marshall (SF), Wendell Carter Jr. (PF), Drew Eubanks (C), Darius Bazley (6th Man)
-6. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies finished the 2022-23 season as the third seed in the west. They were upset in the first round, losing to the 6th seeded Clippers in 7 games.
The 2023-24 season was the Grizzlies first under new head coach Cecil North. They looked very different, having traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Rockets and having lost Dillon Brooks in free agency. Still, with Ja Morant and Desmond Bane playing like All-Stars, they were contenders in the west once again. They acquired Demar Derozan in a trade from the struggling Chicago Bulls ahead of the 2024 trade deadline to try to put themselves over the top, but they continued to play like a middle of the pack team. They ended up finishing sixth. Can Morant help the Grizzlies overcome their shortcomings and lead them to a championship?
The Grizzlies starting lineup for the playoffs: Ja Morant (PG), Desmond Bane (SG), DeMar DeRozan (SF), Jae'Sean Tate (PF), Kristaps Porzingis (C), Travis Vincent (6th Man, Rookie)
-7. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves finished the 2022-23 season as the seventh seed in the west. They fell to the New Orleans Pelicans in five games in the first round.
The 2023-24 season was the Timberwolves first under head coach Nick Nurse. They traded star center Karl Anthony Towns to the Celtics, receiving Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams. They were able to retain their other two stars, Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. The brightest point of their season was Edwards being named to his first career All-Star game. After finish seventh in the west again, they defeated the Sacramento Kings in their play in game to earn the seventh seed, the same spot they were in last year. Will the Timberwolves first series go the same way it did last year?
The Timberwolves starting lineup for the playoffs: D'Angelo Russell (PG), Jaylen Brown (SG), Anthony Edwards (SF), Kyle Anderson (PF), Rudy Gobert (C), Robert Williams III (6th Man)
-8. Los Angeles Clippers (38-44)
In the 2022-23 season the Clippers were the sixth seed in the west. In the first round, they upset the third seeded Grizzlies in seven games. In the second round, they gave the second seeded Pelicans a scare, but ultimately fell to them in seven games.
The 2023-24 season was their fourth under head coach Tyronn Lue. They retained both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Despite only finishing ninth place in the west, the Clippers earned a spot in the playoffs after defeating the tenth place Spurs and the eighth place Kings in the play-in games. Can the Clippers pull off a seemingly impossible upset?
The Clippers starting lineup for the playoffs: John Wall (PG), Norman Powell (SG) Paul George (SF), Kawhi Leonard (PF), Ivica Zubac (C), Genwei Wang (6th Man, Rookie)
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Predictions
Atlanta Hawks 4, Toronto Raptors 1- The Raptors lack the talent to compete with Trae Young and Lebron James. If Dejounte Murray were healthy I'd have this as a sweep, but in any case the Hawks should handle this series pretty easily. Hawks in five.
Philadelphia 76ers 4, Detroit Pistons 2- The Pistons are a young, up and coming team that isn't ready to compete just yet. They will give the Sixers a run for their money, but ultimately the 76ers experience will prevail. Sixers in six.
Cleveland Cavaliers 4, Washington Wizards 1- The Wizards have some talent, but not nearly as much of it as the Cavaliers. Even without Jarrett Allen, still having Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley is more than enough star power to handle the Wizards. Cavs in 5.
Indiana Pacers 4, Tampa Bay Bandits 1- The Pacers are fully healthy, and the Bandits just shouldn't be able to compete with them when they are. The Bandits are talented but also young and inexperienced. Pacers in five.
Western Conference Quarterfinals Predictions
New Orleans Pelicans 4, Los Angeles Clippers 0- The Pelicans are the best team in the league, and the Clippers have too many holes to compete with them. Pelicans sweep.
Dallas Mavericks 4, Golden State Warriors 3- I expect this to be a closely contested series, but in the end I think that Stephen Curry is a bit past his prime and I don't think he'll be able to overcome the combo of Luka and Kyrie. Mavs in 7.
Denver Nuggets 4, Memphis Grizzlies 2- With Jokic playing at an MVP level, I don't think the Grizzlies have the talent to beat the Nuggets even if Ja Morant is lights out. Nuggets in 6.
Houston Rockets 4, Minnesota Timberwolves 1- The Rockets are a way better team than the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards can't carry this team on his own past a team as good as the Rockets. Rockets in five.
Easter Conference Semifinals Predictions
Atlanta Hawks 4, Philadelphia 76ers 1- Embiid can only do so much on his own. The Sixers lack the talent outside of Embiid to beat a superteam like the Hawks. Hawks in five.
Indiana Pacers 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 2- These are two very good teams, but I think the fact that the Pacers are fully healthy and the Cavaliers aren't will tip the scales. Pacers in six.
Western Conference Semifinals Predictions
New Orleans Pelicans 4, Dallas Mavericks 1
The fact that the Mavericks have no talent outside of Luka and Kyrie will catch up with them. The Pelicans are a more complete team. Pelicans in five.
Houston Rockets 4, Denver Nuggets 2
This is another series I expect to be close. The Rockets are the better team overall, but Jokic and Murray are a formidable pair. Still, even without Jabari Smith, the Rockets are the more complete team. Houston in six.
Eastern Conference Finals Prediction
Indiana Pacers 4, Atlanta Hawks 3
This is going to be a close series between two great teams, and it's one I'm looking forward to playing. If Dejounte Murray were fully healthy I might have it going the other way. But I think in the end the fully healthy Pacers will prevail over the injury riddled Hawks. Pacers in 7.
Western Conference Finals Prediction
New Orleans Pelicans 4, Houston Rockets 2
Even without Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans are the more complete team. Losing Jabari Smith Jr. hurts the Rockets too much. Give me the Pelicans in six.
NBA Finals Prediction
New Orleans Pelicans 4, Indiana Pacers 2
This is where the Pacers youth and inexperience finally catch up to them. With two of their best players being rookies, they won't be able to keep up with a formidable opponent like the Pelicans. Give me Pelicans in six. The Pelicans, who lost in the finals last year, finally win their first NBA title.
Finals MVP Prediction: Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans
I'm really excited to play all these playoff games. I will post again once the playoffs are completed to let you guys know the actual results.
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16 teams now remain following the conclusion of the play-in tournament. Here are the playoff contenders from the East.
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks (56-26) The Hawks finished the 2022-23 season as the Eastern Conference's third seed. After defeating the sixth seeded Brooklyn Nets in five games in the first round, they fell to the second seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in six games in the second round.
The 2023-24 season was the Hawks' third full season under head coach Nate McMillan. The Hawks made a splash during the offseason when they traded for aging 39 year old superstar LeBron James from the Lakers. James wanted to win another championship before retiring and made it clear he did not think LA was the place do it. The Hawks shipped off John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic to acquire James. With the addition of James, the Hawks now possessed a superteam of James, Trae Young, and Dejounte Murray. Young led the team in scoring with Murray in second and James in third. The Hawks were one of two teams to have three players named to the All-Star game, with James, Young, and Murray all receiving the honor. Young was also named to the All-NBA first team for the second year in a row, while Murray made the third team. The Hawks suffered a blow when Murray broke his leg in the final month of the regular season, leaving them without his services for the playoffs. However, the pair of Young and James is still formidable. Will anybody be able to stop the Hawks superteam?
The Hawks lineup for the playoffs: Trae Young (PG), Jarrett Culver (SG), LeBron James (SF), Onyeka Okungwu (SF), Clint Capela (C), DeAndre Hunter (6th Man)
-2. Indiana Pacers (56-26)
The Pacers did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
The Pacers were a new look team in 2023-2024. The 2023-24 season was the team's third under head coach Rick Carlisle. They were able to keep their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, who came into All-Star form. The Pacers possessed two top ten picks, and traded one of them to the Phoenix Suns to obtain the services of their disgruntled star Center Deandre Ayton. The Pacers hit homeruns when they selected Antonio Wesley out of Kentucky with the fourth overall pick, and traded a later first round pick to the Sacramento Kings for the rights to their rookie selection, Paul Westbrook of Butler. Both Wesley and Westbrook became immediate contributors, and Wesley was named Rookie of the Year. With the Pacers being the only completely healthy team in the East, along with Haliburton, Ayton, and two fantastic rookies, they will be a formidable opponent for anyone to face.
The Pacers starting lineup for the playoffs: Tyrese Haliburton (PG), Paul Westbrook (SG, Rookie), Chris Duarte (SF), Antonio Wesley (PF, Rookie), DeAndre Ayton (C), Myles Turner (6th Man)
-3. Cleveland Cavaliers (56-26)
The Cavaliers finished the 2022-23 season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the seventh seeded Toronto Raptors in five games in the first round, the third seeded Atlanta Hawks in six games in the second round, before falling to the top seeded Chicago Bulls in five games in the Conference Final.
The 2023-24 season was the Cavaliers fourth under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. They returned four of their five starters from the previous year: Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. The Cavaliers were thus early favorites to repeat their success from the previous year. The season saw both Mitchell and Garland named to the 2024 All-Star team. They spent the season in a close race with the Hawks and Pacers, but ended up in third place in the east after losing C Jarrett Allen for the season with an injury. While Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley are still a formidable trio, can the Cavaliers overcome the Hawks and Pacers without Allen?
The Cavaliers starting lineup for the playoffs: Darius Garland (PG), Donovan Mitchell (SG), TJ Warren (SF), Evan Mobley (PF), Tony Bradley (C), Isaac Okoro (6th Man)
-4. Philadelphia 76ers (50-32)
The 76ers finished the 22-23 season as the Eastern Conference's 4th seed, but were eliminated by the 5th seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the first round.
After a disappointing finish to the 22-23 season, the Sixers fired head coach Doc Rivers, making the 2023-24 season their first under new head coach Monty Williams. The Sixers had a big hole to fill after losing James Harden in free agency, but the fantastic performance of Joel Embiid and the additions of Keldon Johnson (acquired in a trade for Tobias Harris) and Kelly Oubre Jr. helped them to not miss a beat. The Sixers finished the season in the same spot they had the previous season: fourth place in the east. However, they are not fully healthy, as Embiid is expected to play through a broken nose. Can Embiid help the Sixers overcome seemingly superior teams like the Hawks, Pacers, and Cavaliers?
The Sixers starting lineup for the playoffs: Kendrick Nunn (PG), Tyrese Maxey (SG), Kelly Oubre Jr. (SF), Keldon Johnson (PF), JOel Embiid (C), Charles Bassey (6th Man)
-5. Detroit Pistons (45-37)
The Pistons did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
The 2023-24 season was the Pistons first under new head coach Trent Pederson. Cade Cunningham led the team in scoring, while Jaden Ivey's 18 PPG off the bench led him to be named 6th Man of the Year. The Pistons surprised analysts who expected them to miss the playoffs again and finished fifth in the east. Can this young up and coming team knock off more established contenders in the playoffs?
The Pistons starting lineup for the playoffs: Monte Morris (PG), Cade Cunningham (SG), Saddiq Bey (SF), Jonathan Isaac (PF), Isaiah Stewart (C), Jaden Ivey (6th Man)
-6. Washington Wizards
The Wizards did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
The 2023-24 season was the Wizards first under new head coach Sam Cassell. The Wizards' biggest addition was luring Fred VanVleet away from the Raptors in free agency. Behind the performances of Bradley Beal and VanVleet, the Wizards surprised analysts who predicted they would miss the playoffs again and finished sixth in the east. They are not seen as true contenders, but can they surprise the doubters?
The Wizards starting lineup for the playoffs: Fred VanVleet (PG), Bradley Beal (SG), Deni Avdija (SF), Marvin Bagley III (PF), Daniel Gafford (C), Johnny Davis (6th Man, Rookie)
-7. Tampa Bay Bandits (37-45)
The 2022-23 season was the Bandits final season in Orlando playing under the name Magic, as after the season they relocated to Tampa Bay and rebranded themselves as the Bandits. They did not make the playoffs their final season in Orlando.
The 2023-24 season was the Bandits' first under new head coach Otis Newman. The free agent additions of Kevin Love and Jordan Poole helped supplement the existing talents of Markelle Fultz, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner, and the Bandits finished eighth place in the east. After defeating the Raptors in the play-in game, they secured the seventh seed. Can the Bandits surprised the doubters and knock off a contender like the Pacers?
The Bandits starting lineup for the playoffs: Markelle Fultz (PG), Jordan Poole (SG), Franz Wagner (SF), Paolo Banchero (PF), Kevin Love (C), Cole Anthony (6th Man)
-8. Toronto Raptors (43-39)
In the 2022-23 season, the Raptors made the playoffs as the seventh seed, but were eliminated by the second seeded Cavaliers in five games in the first round.
The Raptors had a completely new look in the 2023-24 season. They fired Nick Nurse and promoted assistant Adrian Griffin to head coach. They traded Pascal Siakam to the Nets in exchange for Ben Simmons and the 3rd overall pick, lost Fred VanVleet to the Wizards in free agency, and acquired Terry Rozier III from the Hornets in a trade. The Raptors finished the season in 7th place in the East, but were defeated by the Bandits in the play-in game. However, they secured the 8th seed by defeating the Brooklyn Nets in the second play-in game. They face a formidable first round opponent in the top-seeded Hawks. Can they overcome?
The Raptors starting lineup for the playoffs: Ben Simmons (PG), Terry Rozier III (SG), OG Anunoby (SF), Scottie Barnes (PF), Precious Achiuwa (C), O.J. Blake (6th Man, Rookie)
Western Conference
New Orleans Pelicans (63-19) The Pelicans finished second in the western conference in 2022-23. They defeated the seventh seeded Timberwolves in five games in the first round, survived against the sixth seeded Clippers in seven games in the second round, and swept the top seeded Dallas Mavericks in the Conference Finals. They fell to the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls in five games in the NBA Finals.
In their third season under head coach Willie Green, the Pelicans sought to defend their Western Conference Title and finally win their first NBA title. For leading the Pelicans to the best record in the NBA, Willie Green was named Coach of the Year. The Pelicans initially returned all five of their starters from their finals run the previous year. They spent most of the year atop the Western Conference standings. Ahead of the trade deadline, however, the Pelicans made a huge addition that was a familiar face: none other than Anthony Davis, the player they had formerly selected with the first overall pick. The Lakers were not doing well without James and the disgruntled Davis made it known that he would not be resigning with them when his contract was up. Left with no other choice, the Lakers traded Davis to a contender ahead of the trade deadline rather than lose him for nothing in free agency. The Pelicans sent CJ McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas, and a 2024 first round pick to the Lakers in exchange for Davis and Spencer Dinwiddie. With the addition of Davis, the Pelicans now had three players named to the 2024 All-Star team, with Davis receiving the honor along with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Ingram tore his ACL in the final month of the season, leaving the Pelicans without his services for their playoff run. However, their replacement for Ingram, Dyson Daniels, won the most improved player award in 2024. The Pelicans enter the playoffs as heavy favorites to repeat as Western Conference Champions. Can they satisfy these expectations and avenge their Finals loss from last year?
Pelicans starting lineup for the playoffs: Spencer Dinwiddie (PG), Dyson Daniels (SG), Herbert Jones (SF), Zion Williamson (PF), Anthony Davis (C), Skip Milton (6th Man)
-2. Houston Rockets (61-21)
The Rockets did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
The 2023-24 season was the Rockets fourth under head coach Stephen Silas. The Rockets made massive improvements to their roster and pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds in the league. They signed a familiar face, superstar James Harden, in free agency. In a draft day trade, the Rockets acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Grizzlies for a first round pick. The Rockets also acquired the first overall pick through the draft lottery, and used it to select PG Gilbert Gilmore from Michigan State. 2023 Rookie of the Year Jabari Smith Jr. was named to his first All-Star game in only his second year in the league, and 2021 first round pick Jalen Green also had a fantastic year. Behind the stellar play of Harden, Jackson, Smith, and Green, the Rockets finished with the second best record in the NBA. Unfortunately, Jabari Smith tore his MCL in the last month of the regular season and will miss the playoffs. Even without Smith, the Rockets will be a formidable opponent for the Pelicans to get past.
The Rockets starting lineup for the playoffs: James Harden (PG), Jalen Green (SG), John Konchar (SF), Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF), Usman Garuba (C), Alperen Sengun (6th man)
-3. Denver Nuggets (51-31)
The Nuggets finished fifth in the west in the 2022-23 season. They defeated the Lakers in seven games in the first round before falling to the top seeded Mavericks in five games in the second round.
The 2023-24 season was the Nuggets ninth under head coach Michael Malone. The Nuggets returned most of their key players from the 2022-23 season and behind a fantastic season from Nikola Jokic. Jokic received MVP honors for the third time in four years. They managed to improve from fifth in the west to third.
The Nuggets starting lineup for the playoffs:
Jamal Murray (PG), Patrick Beverly (SG), Michael Porter Jr. (SF), Aaron Gordon (PF), Nikola Jokic (C), Nah'Shon Hyland (6th Man)
-4. Golden State Warriors (48-34)
The Warriors did not make the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
After losing in the play-in tournament the previous year, the Warriors bounced back and finished fourth in the west this year. Still led by Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry, the Warriors were able to resign Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins, although they lost Jordan Poole to the Bandits. Can the Warriors beat the odds to win a fifth title in the Stephen Curry era?
The Warriors starting lineup for the playoffs: Stephen Curry (PG), Klay Thompson (SG), Andrew Wiggins (SF), Jonathan Kuminga (PF), James Wiseman (C), Draymond Green (6th Man)
-5. Dallas Mavericks (47-35)
The Mavericks finished the 2022-23 season as the top seed in the west. They defeated the 8th seeded Kings in six games in the first round and the fifth seeded Nuggets in five games in the second round before being swept by the second seeded Pelicans in the Western Conference Finals.
The 2023-24 season was the Mavericks third under head coach Jason Kidd. They were able to lock up Kyrie Irving, who they traded for at the trade deadline in 2023, long term in free agency. However, with so much of their salary tied up in Irving and Luka Doncic, they have very little money for the rest of their roster. Still, Kyrie and Luka are a formidable pair. Can these two lead the Mavericks to a championship, or will the decision to tie up so much money in just two players come back to haunt them?
The Mavericks starting lineup for the playoffs: Kyrie Irving (PG), Luka Doncic (SG), Naji Marshall (SF), Wendell Carter Jr. (PF), Drew Eubanks (C), Darius Bazley (6th Man)
-6. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies finished the 2022-23 season as the third seed in the west. They were upset in the first round, losing to the 6th seeded Clippers in 7 games.
The 2023-24 season was the Grizzlies first under new head coach Cecil North. They looked very different, having traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Rockets and having lost Dillon Brooks in free agency. Still, with Ja Morant and Desmond Bane playing like All-Stars, they were contenders in the west once again. They acquired Demar Derozan in a trade from the struggling Chicago Bulls ahead of the 2024 trade deadline to try to put themselves over the top, but they continued to play like a middle of the pack team. They ended up finishing sixth. Can Morant help the Grizzlies overcome their shortcomings and lead them to a championship?
The Grizzlies starting lineup for the playoffs: Ja Morant (PG), Desmond Bane (SG), DeMar DeRozan (SF), Jae'Sean Tate (PF), Kristaps Porzingis (C), Travis Vincent (6th Man, Rookie)
-7. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves finished the 2022-23 season as the seventh seed in the west. They fell to the New Orleans Pelicans in five games in the first round.
The 2023-24 season was the Timberwolves first under head coach Nick Nurse. They traded star center Karl Anthony Towns to the Celtics, receiving Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams. They were able to retain their other two stars, Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. The brightest point of their season was Edwards being named to his first career All-Star game. After finish seventh in the west again, they defeated the Sacramento Kings in their play in game to earn the seventh seed, the same spot they were in last year. Will the Timberwolves first series go the same way it did last year?
The Timberwolves starting lineup for the playoffs: D'Angelo Russell (PG), Jaylen Brown (SG), Anthony Edwards (SF), Kyle Anderson (PF), Rudy Gobert (C), Robert Williams III (6th Man)
-8. Los Angeles Clippers (38-44)
In the 2022-23 season the Clippers were the sixth seed in the west. In the first round, they upset the third seeded Grizzlies in seven games. In the second round, they gave the second seeded Pelicans a scare, but ultimately fell to them in seven games.
The 2023-24 season was their fourth under head coach Tyronn Lue. They retained both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Despite only finishing ninth place in the west, the Clippers earned a spot in the playoffs after defeating the tenth place Spurs and the eighth place Kings in the play-in games. Can the Clippers pull off a seemingly impossible upset?
The Clippers starting lineup for the playoffs: John Wall (PG), Norman Powell (SG) Paul George (SF), Kawhi Leonard (PF), Ivica Zubac (C), Genwei Wang (6th Man, Rookie)
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Predictions
Atlanta Hawks 4, Toronto Raptors 1- The Raptors lack the talent to compete with Trae Young and Lebron James. If Dejounte Murray were healthy I'd have this as a sweep, but in any case the Hawks should handle this series pretty easily. Hawks in five.
Philadelphia 76ers 4, Detroit Pistons 2- The Pistons are a young, up and coming team that isn't ready to compete just yet. They will give the Sixers a run for their money, but ultimately the 76ers experience will prevail. Sixers in six.
Cleveland Cavaliers 4, Washington Wizards 1- The Wizards have some talent, but not nearly as much of it as the Cavaliers. Even without Jarrett Allen, still having Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley is more than enough star power to handle the Wizards. Cavs in 5.
Indiana Pacers 4, Tampa Bay Bandits 1- The Pacers are fully healthy, and the Bandits just shouldn't be able to compete with them when they are. The Bandits are talented but also young and inexperienced. Pacers in five.
Western Conference Quarterfinals Predictions
New Orleans Pelicans 4, Los Angeles Clippers 0- The Pelicans are the best team in the league, and the Clippers have too many holes to compete with them. Pelicans sweep.
Dallas Mavericks 4, Golden State Warriors 3- I expect this to be a closely contested series, but in the end I think that Stephen Curry is a bit past his prime and I don't think he'll be able to overcome the combo of Luka and Kyrie. Mavs in 7.
Denver Nuggets 4, Memphis Grizzlies 2- With Jokic playing at an MVP level, I don't think the Grizzlies have the talent to beat the Nuggets even if Ja Morant is lights out. Nuggets in 6.
Houston Rockets 4, Minnesota Timberwolves 1- The Rockets are a way better team than the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards can't carry this team on his own past a team as good as the Rockets. Rockets in five.
Easter Conference Semifinals Predictions
Atlanta Hawks 4, Philadelphia 76ers 1- Embiid can only do so much on his own. The Sixers lack the talent outside of Embiid to beat a superteam like the Hawks. Hawks in five.
Indiana Pacers 4, Cleveland Cavaliers 2- These are two very good teams, but I think the fact that the Pacers are fully healthy and the Cavaliers aren't will tip the scales. Pacers in six.
Western Conference Semifinals Predictions
New Orleans Pelicans 4, Dallas Mavericks 1
The fact that the Mavericks have no talent outside of Luka and Kyrie will catch up with them. The Pelicans are a more complete team. Pelicans in five.
Houston Rockets 4, Denver Nuggets 2
This is another series I expect to be close. The Rockets are the better team overall, but Jokic and Murray are a formidable pair. Still, even without Jabari Smith, the Rockets are the more complete team. Houston in six.
Eastern Conference Finals Prediction
Indiana Pacers 4, Atlanta Hawks 3
This is going to be a close series between two great teams, and it's one I'm looking forward to playing. If Dejounte Murray were fully healthy I might have it going the other way. But I think in the end the fully healthy Pacers will prevail over the injury riddled Hawks. Pacers in 7.
Western Conference Finals Prediction
New Orleans Pelicans 4, Houston Rockets 2
Even without Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans are the more complete team. Losing Jabari Smith Jr. hurts the Rockets too much. Give me the Pelicans in six.
NBA Finals Prediction
New Orleans Pelicans 4, Indiana Pacers 2
This is where the Pacers youth and inexperience finally catch up to them. With two of their best players being rookies, they won't be able to keep up with a formidable opponent like the Pelicans. Give me Pelicans in six. The Pelicans, who lost in the finals last year, finally win their first NBA title.
Finals MVP Prediction: Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans
I'm really excited to play all these playoff games. I will post again once the playoffs are completed to let you guys know the actual results.
2023.06.08 23:23 Affectionate-Ad2081 The Case for Tim Duncan as the GOAT
I know what you're thinking: no way; there's no chance Tim Duncan is the GOAT. He's not even the best player of his generation you might say. You're thinking there's no way Tim Duncan belongs in the same category as MJ or LeBron. If you believe this, there are three things that you'll probably bring up as I make this argument.
Duncan's notable accolades from his NBA career are as follows:
Don't forget about his college accomplishments though, because remember: Duncan came out of Wake Forest after four years despite people like Jerry West who said he could have been the number one overall pick had he left after his sophomore year.
Duncan's accolades form his collegiate years:
Here's where Duncan ranks all-time on some of the major statistical categories across his NBA career:
Such is the case with Tim Duncan, whose success and greatness transcends a box score. You can't judge Tim Duncan with numbers alone. The fact of the matter is, that if you ran a team and if you could pick from any NBA player that ever played the game, and your goal is to win, you would pick Tim Duncan.
Offensively, Duncan was dominant for his first ten years in the NBA. From '98 to '08, he averaged 21.6/11.8/3.1 while playing on one of the slowest teams in the league. In that span, the Spurs never ranked in the top half of the league for PACE. Adjusting his stats for PACE and looking at his stats per 100 possessions (31.2/17.1/4.5 with 3.5 BLK at 50.8 FG%), you're looking at a big man who was every bit as productive as any other offensive player in the league at the time.
You already know about his skillset. He was, after all, The Big Fundamental. He could pass out of double teams, face up and break down the defense with surprising agility, consistently knock down shots from the elbows, and torch any big man in the league with his array of moves in the post and suddenly imposing physicality. He could masterfully run a PnR with any guard with working limbs. And, of course, he had his signature bank shot, one of the most consistent and reliable shots of all time along with Kareem's Sky Hook and Dirk's fadeaway. Those skills never deteriorated throughout his career, except perhaps his last year.
This is where I want to attack the 2nd idea that his second act was unexceptional. His scoring numbers dipped in last 8 years, where he never averaged over 20 PPG. But, as the Spurs offense became more collaborative and free-flowing, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili shouldered more of that scoring burden as Duncan aged. Duncan's shot attempts fell, though he remained efficient. His skills hadn't waned; the Spurs just didn't need him to score 28 points every night. He retained his role as alpha dog during this stretch and contributed in other facets of the game. He could pick his spots, put his teammates in position to succeed, and save himself undue punishment and wear until is was needed. That's why in 2013, at the age of 36, he became the oldest player ever named to First Team All-NBA.
Duncan was never a prolific scorer, even in his prime. His game was never predicated on gawdy point totals like Malone or Dirk. With a different offense, he took fewer shots, and with fewer shots, he scored fewer points. In his last eight years, he remained a tremendous rebounder, was the go-to guy in crunch time, and the best defender, maybe ever. And this is what hurt his stats: the lack of flashy numbers for defense outside of blocks and steals. It's so hard to measure how much a drive was cut off because of his presence or a shot that was altered because of his contention. There are some metrics that attempt to measure this, like DRTG, Defensive Win Shares, and Defensive +/- , and while it is an inexact science, these measures do a fairly good job at assessing a player's impact on defense. Duncan's ranking in those metrics is unmatched:
FiveThirtyEight published this article in 2016, where analyst Neil Paine calculated career WAR values that took into consideration defense and offense, and Tim Duncan led the WAR rankings, by a mile:
Enough with the numbers. I want to talk about Duncan when it mattered the most: the playoffs. You can look at any numbers, read any article, or talk to any fan who paid attention to the game at the time, and you'll come to the same conclusion: Tim Duncan was a killer in the playoffs. All of his most memorable performances came in the postseason, and more often than not, came in crucial games when his team needed him most. From his near quadruple double in 2003 to close out the Nets and earn his 2nd championship to his 25 point first half against the Heat in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals ten years later, there was never a moment too big for Duncan. Here are his playoff numbers, significantly higher in almost every category than he his in the regular season:
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Duncan's Spurs remained a fixture in the playoffs against competition like Dirk's Mavs, Nash's Suns, and Kobe's Lakers. He repaid them with two more titles in '05 and '07. He also gave us one of the clutch shots of his career in Game 1 against the Suns in 2008 with this 3 point game-tying three pointer in OT.
Like I said earlier, in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals, at age 36, playing against Wade, Bosh, and apex LeBron on the road, Duncan put up 25 points in the first half. It would have gone down as an all-time series clinching performance had it not been for Ray Allen's iconic game-tying 3-pointer. Looking for revenge in the 2014 Finals, Duncan set the tone in Game 1 with the classic 21/10 game, while shooting 9/10 from the field. As his final playoff hurrah in 2015, trying to defend the title at the ripe age of 38 in Game 7 of a first round series against the Clippers, Duncan reached all the way back and put up 27/11, sinking crucial free throws to tie it, before Chris Paul hit a clutch, game-winning shot near the buzzer.
The same Tim Duncan giving the business to a 22-year-old Kevin Garnett, was the same Tim Duncan taking a 26-year-old DeAndre Jordan to school. Duncan was ready to win championships from the day he entered the league to the day he left. And I think that is why his peak is used against him as an argument for GOAT status. The fact that his championship window lasted his entire 19-year NBA career and that his teams were always somewhere between 50 and 60 wins meant that it's hard for any one of his seasons to stand out from the rest. And for some unfathomable reason, being consistently great is less of an accomplishment than being great for short stints.
Like I said, his 2003 season was his best, after leading his team to 60 wins and his 2nd consecutive MVP, Duncan eviscerated everything in his path as he tore through the playoffs. He upended the Suns, ended the Lakers 3-year reign as champions, and outdueled Dirk before absolutely torching the Nets in the finals. By the time he was holding the trophy, it was clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that Duncan was the league's best, most complete player.
Now, I'd be lying if I said that Duncan's peak was higher than Shaq's. But I also wouldn't feel comfortable saying that the difference between the two is great enough for me to lose sleep over. To me, the truth is that Shaq was so much more of a spectacle. To watch peak Shaq was an experience unlike anything else. To see someone of his size and stature move so powerfully and fluidly is still something of a miracle. To see Duncan at the peak of his powers was a lot like seeing him seven or eight years later. He was just a little faster, a bit stronger, and a touch quicker in his prime. But do aesthetics denote superiority? I'd say, no. And though Shaq in his prime was certainly a more dominant offensive player, there was never a time where he could match Duncan's abilities as a defender, leader, or teammate. The two are the antithesis of each other. Shaq loves fame; Duncan loathes it. Shaq would sometimes show up to training camp out of shape, often battle with his co-stars and finished his career having played for six different teams. Duncan took great care of his body, cemented himself as the cornerstone of his franchise, and is one of the most celebrated teammates in NBA history. Shaq left a little on the table. You can never say the same thing about Duncan. Shaq cared a little too much about what everyone thought of him, while Duncan couldn't have cared less.
Let's tackle the third criticism: that he always had Pop. To me, Pop is the greatest coach of all time, but he would be the first one to tell you that he wouldn't be here without Tim Duncan.
For one, Duncan can play any style of basketball, in any era. You want to go slow school, old-pace, dump it off to the big man down low, let him bang and be solid on defense? Titles. Remove the hand-checking and illegal defenses, increase scoring and start moving toward the perimeter? Titles. The league goes small ball, the pace explodes and shooting and ball movement is more important than anything? The largest margin of victory in NBA finals history.
Secondly, he can play with any team. Honestly, has any superstar done more with less? Jordan had Pippen his entire run and Rodman for the last half. Bird had McHale and Parish. Wilt had West and Hal Grier. Russell had Cousy, Jones, and Havlicek. Magic had Kareem and vice-versa. Kobe had Shaq and vice-versa. And LeBron has had Wade, Kyrie, and AD. Duncan's best teammates? Old David Robinson, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, who combined for 5 Third Team All NBA appearances and 4 Second Team appearances during their time with Duncan. Parker and Ginobili are long shots for the HOF, and even though Robinson's in the HOF, he wasn't playing at a HOF level alongside Duncan.
Third, and most importantly, Duncan forged the culture of the Spurs. Pop was essential in acquiring players and reinforcing the culture that Tim wanted, but Duncan was truly the most vital component. The NBA is a star-driven league and finding a great player who hasn't gotten a coach fired is like finding a good Star Wars movie: they're few and far between. Not only did Duncan not get Pop fired, he let Pop coach him harder than any superstar ever. If Tim had ever thought to himself, "you know what I don't feel like getting my chops roasted in front of the whole team today because I didn't box out well in practice" he could have gone right to RC Buford, and Pop would have been gone - end of story. But Tim understood what Pop was about, and trusted him enough to be mentored in an unprecedented way. He set the example for his teammates, that no one is immune to criticism and that it's expected of everyone to leave their egos at the door.
In 2017, the Spurs SB Nation blog, Pounding the Rock, spoke to Sam Walker, author of "The Captain Class," a book which examines winning culture in team sports, from field hockey to rugby. In an exchange, Walker said this:
"[T]he book's main conclusion is that the only one factor that must be present in order to maintain greatness over a long period of time is the presence of a particular kind of selfless, relentless, independent-minded, publicity-averse, emotionally composed captain with strong communication skills. And that's Tim Duncan. Duncan was a pure example of the species."
I love Pop, but I have to believe that Duncan was the catalyst that powered Pop to be what he is now. This isn't Belichick-Brady where you wonder who made who. Pop is the greatest coach of all time, because of Tim Duncan. If you want to take credit away from Duncan by saying he played for the best teams, you might be right, but only because he made them the best team. He gave up touches, let other guys hold the torch, put everyone around him in the best position to succeed, and he enjoyed it when they did.
When I said earlier that the thing that hurt Duncan's stats more than anything was a lack of defensive numbers, I lied. The thing that hurt Duncan's stats more than anything was the fact that he never gave a shit about stats or awards. Ever. He wanted his teams to succeed and he wanted to win. That's it. Just read about how his teammates talk about him:
"The best PF ever! Thanks for the memories old man. A great player and teammate."
- Lamarcus Aldridge
"Sometimes all you NEED to say is THANK YOU....To the BEST EXAMPLE of a Leader, Brother, Friend."
- Bruce Brown
"Even tho I knew it was coming, I'm still moved by the news. What a HUGE honor to have played with [Duncan] for 14 seasons!
- Manu Ginobili
I don't think there is a more beloved teammate than Tim Duncan. In the words of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, "...his understated selflessness made him the ultimate teammate." Duncan was always the big brother. Correcting his teammates when they made mistakes and throwing his arms around their shoulders when things didn't go their way. He led in the most effective way possible, not with tweeting, bombastic words, or showy halftime speeches, but by example.
Of all the end-of-career farewell wishes, the one from his former teammate, Brent "Bones" Barry stuck out to me the most. He quoted Mark Twain, saying "'To be good is noble, but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble'; for your brilliance TD, I am grateful. For your skills as a player I am in awe. And for your friendship I am honored."
Milwaukee Bucks coach and former Spurs Assistant, Mike Budenholzer said to ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz in 2016: "The magnitude of that, the number of people in this league who have enjoyed opportunity or found fortunate spots in the league, you can trace it back to this one guy -- to the way Timmy played ball and the way he conducted himself. The 'culture' is Timmy."
The NBA is a league of superstars and dynasties - from Russell to Jordan, from Wilt to LeBron. We'll remember its history through its champions, and in the history of North American sports, no team has been as good for as long as the Spurs. San Antonio's success is completely unprecedented in the world of basketball. Aside from his lockout shortened sophomore season, Duncan won 50 or more games and qualified for the playoffs in every season of his NBA career. He finished his career with a win percentage of 71%, the highest of anyone, in any sport, ever. The Spurs run of success started in 1997, the year they drafted Duncan. Since then, he was the cornerstone, the engine of the franchise that has perpetually defined what winning culture looks like - in and outside of basketball.
And so I say again, if you could pick any NBA player from any era of basketball and your goal was to win, you would pick Tim Duncan. His abilities as a basketball player are what made him a superstar. But his consistency, willingness to be coached, love and support of his teammates, and humility are the things that make him transcendent.
I'll let Pop have the last word. This is what he said to the press after Duncan announced his retirement:
"Everybody always talks about who they'd like to eat dinner with, if you had one night and you could go to dinner or lunch with someone. Some people say Mother Teresa, Jesus, the Dalai Lama...I could honestly tell you, my dinner would be with Timmy. He is the most real, consistent, true person I've ever met in my life."
submitted by Affectionate-Ad2081 to nba [link] [comments]
- The Second Act: If you're the kind of person who rates players through spreadsheets, his career in the 2010s is statistically underwhelming.
- The Peak: You might say that Duncan never had a real peak where he was the most dominant player in the league on a daily basis, like Shaq.
- Greg Popovich: Duncan has always had Pop, arguably the greatest coach of all time in his corner.
Duncan's notable accolades from his NBA career are as follows:
- 5 Championships
- 15 All-Defensive Teams (8x First Team, 7x Second Team)
- 15 All Star selections
- 2 Regular Season MVP's
- 3 Finals MVP's
Don't forget about his college accomplishments though, because remember: Duncan came out of Wake Forest after four years despite people like Jerry West who said he could have been the number one overall pick had he left after his sophomore year.
Duncan's accolades form his collegiate years:
- 3x NABC Defensive Player of the Year
- 2x ACC Player of the Year
- 2x consensus All-American
- 1997 Naismith Player of the Year
- Most rebounds in NCAA history.
Here's where Duncan ranks all-time on some of the major statistical categories across his NBA career:
- Points: 16th
- Rebounds: 6th
- Blocks: 5th
- Steals: 158th
- Assists: 100th
Such is the case with Tim Duncan, whose success and greatness transcends a box score. You can't judge Tim Duncan with numbers alone. The fact of the matter is, that if you ran a team and if you could pick from any NBA player that ever played the game, and your goal is to win, you would pick Tim Duncan.
Offensively, Duncan was dominant for his first ten years in the NBA. From '98 to '08, he averaged 21.6/11.8/3.1 while playing on one of the slowest teams in the league. In that span, the Spurs never ranked in the top half of the league for PACE. Adjusting his stats for PACE and looking at his stats per 100 possessions (31.2/17.1/4.5 with 3.5 BLK at 50.8 FG%), you're looking at a big man who was every bit as productive as any other offensive player in the league at the time.
You already know about his skillset. He was, after all, The Big Fundamental. He could pass out of double teams, face up and break down the defense with surprising agility, consistently knock down shots from the elbows, and torch any big man in the league with his array of moves in the post and suddenly imposing physicality. He could masterfully run a PnR with any guard with working limbs. And, of course, he had his signature bank shot, one of the most consistent and reliable shots of all time along with Kareem's Sky Hook and Dirk's fadeaway. Those skills never deteriorated throughout his career, except perhaps his last year.
This is where I want to attack the 2nd idea that his second act was unexceptional. His scoring numbers dipped in last 8 years, where he never averaged over 20 PPG. But, as the Spurs offense became more collaborative and free-flowing, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili shouldered more of that scoring burden as Duncan aged. Duncan's shot attempts fell, though he remained efficient. His skills hadn't waned; the Spurs just didn't need him to score 28 points every night. He retained his role as alpha dog during this stretch and contributed in other facets of the game. He could pick his spots, put his teammates in position to succeed, and save himself undue punishment and wear until is was needed. That's why in 2013, at the age of 36, he became the oldest player ever named to First Team All-NBA.
Duncan was never a prolific scorer, even in his prime. His game was never predicated on gawdy point totals like Malone or Dirk. With a different offense, he took fewer shots, and with fewer shots, he scored fewer points. In his last eight years, he remained a tremendous rebounder, was the go-to guy in crunch time, and the best defender, maybe ever. And this is what hurt his stats: the lack of flashy numbers for defense outside of blocks and steals. It's so hard to measure how much a drive was cut off because of his presence or a shot that was altered because of his contention. There are some metrics that attempt to measure this, like DRTG, Defensive Win Shares, and Defensive +/- , and while it is an inexact science, these measures do a fairly good job at assessing a player's impact on defense. Duncan's ranking in those metrics is unmatched:
- 95.6 DRT (3rd all time)
- 106.3 Defensive Win Shares (2nd all time)
- Defensive +/- (5th all time)
These metrics along with his All-Defensive selections serve as a testament to how Duncan thrived when the opponent had the ball. Legendary basketball writer, Jack McCalllum wrote this for SI in 2016 after Duncan retired:
FiveThirtyEight published this article in 2016, where analyst Neil Paine calculated career WAR values that took into consideration defense and offense, and Tim Duncan led the WAR rankings, by a mile:
- Tim Duncan: 109.2
- KG: 96.2
- Karl Malone: 95.4
- David Robinson: 89.3
- Hakeem: 85.9
- LeBron: 82.8
- Kareem: 78
- Larry Bird: 74.2
- Shaq: 73
- Pippen: 72.7
Enough with the numbers. I want to talk about Duncan when it mattered the most: the playoffs. You can look at any numbers, read any article, or talk to any fan who paid attention to the game at the time, and you'll come to the same conclusion: Tim Duncan was a killer in the playoffs. All of his most memorable performances came in the postseason, and more often than not, came in crucial games when his team needed him most. From his near quadruple double in 2003 to close out the Nets and earn his 2nd championship to his 25 point first half against the Heat in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals ten years later, there was never a moment too big for Duncan. Here are his playoff numbers, significantly higher in almost every category than he his in the regular season:
- Points: 6th
- Rebounds: 3rd
- Blocks: 1st
- Steals: 46th
- Assists: 33rd
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Duncan's Spurs remained a fixture in the playoffs against competition like Dirk's Mavs, Nash's Suns, and Kobe's Lakers. He repaid them with two more titles in '05 and '07. He also gave us one of the clutch shots of his career in Game 1 against the Suns in 2008 with this 3 point game-tying three pointer in OT.
Like I said earlier, in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals, at age 36, playing against Wade, Bosh, and apex LeBron on the road, Duncan put up 25 points in the first half. It would have gone down as an all-time series clinching performance had it not been for Ray Allen's iconic game-tying 3-pointer. Looking for revenge in the 2014 Finals, Duncan set the tone in Game 1 with the classic 21/10 game, while shooting 9/10 from the field. As his final playoff hurrah in 2015, trying to defend the title at the ripe age of 38 in Game 7 of a first round series against the Clippers, Duncan reached all the way back and put up 27/11, sinking crucial free throws to tie it, before Chris Paul hit a clutch, game-winning shot near the buzzer.
The same Tim Duncan giving the business to a 22-year-old Kevin Garnett, was the same Tim Duncan taking a 26-year-old DeAndre Jordan to school. Duncan was ready to win championships from the day he entered the league to the day he left. And I think that is why his peak is used against him as an argument for GOAT status. The fact that his championship window lasted his entire 19-year NBA career and that his teams were always somewhere between 50 and 60 wins meant that it's hard for any one of his seasons to stand out from the rest. And for some unfathomable reason, being consistently great is less of an accomplishment than being great for short stints.
Like I said, his 2003 season was his best, after leading his team to 60 wins and his 2nd consecutive MVP, Duncan eviscerated everything in his path as he tore through the playoffs. He upended the Suns, ended the Lakers 3-year reign as champions, and outdueled Dirk before absolutely torching the Nets in the finals. By the time he was holding the trophy, it was clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that Duncan was the league's best, most complete player.
Now, I'd be lying if I said that Duncan's peak was higher than Shaq's. But I also wouldn't feel comfortable saying that the difference between the two is great enough for me to lose sleep over. To me, the truth is that Shaq was so much more of a spectacle. To watch peak Shaq was an experience unlike anything else. To see someone of his size and stature move so powerfully and fluidly is still something of a miracle. To see Duncan at the peak of his powers was a lot like seeing him seven or eight years later. He was just a little faster, a bit stronger, and a touch quicker in his prime. But do aesthetics denote superiority? I'd say, no. And though Shaq in his prime was certainly a more dominant offensive player, there was never a time where he could match Duncan's abilities as a defender, leader, or teammate. The two are the antithesis of each other. Shaq loves fame; Duncan loathes it. Shaq would sometimes show up to training camp out of shape, often battle with his co-stars and finished his career having played for six different teams. Duncan took great care of his body, cemented himself as the cornerstone of his franchise, and is one of the most celebrated teammates in NBA history. Shaq left a little on the table. You can never say the same thing about Duncan. Shaq cared a little too much about what everyone thought of him, while Duncan couldn't have cared less.
Let's tackle the third criticism: that he always had Pop. To me, Pop is the greatest coach of all time, but he would be the first one to tell you that he wouldn't be here without Tim Duncan.
For one, Duncan can play any style of basketball, in any era. You want to go slow school, old-pace, dump it off to the big man down low, let him bang and be solid on defense? Titles. Remove the hand-checking and illegal defenses, increase scoring and start moving toward the perimeter? Titles. The league goes small ball, the pace explodes and shooting and ball movement is more important than anything? The largest margin of victory in NBA finals history.
Secondly, he can play with any team. Honestly, has any superstar done more with less? Jordan had Pippen his entire run and Rodman for the last half. Bird had McHale and Parish. Wilt had West and Hal Grier. Russell had Cousy, Jones, and Havlicek. Magic had Kareem and vice-versa. Kobe had Shaq and vice-versa. And LeBron has had Wade, Kyrie, and AD. Duncan's best teammates? Old David Robinson, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, who combined for 5 Third Team All NBA appearances and 4 Second Team appearances during their time with Duncan. Parker and Ginobili are long shots for the HOF, and even though Robinson's in the HOF, he wasn't playing at a HOF level alongside Duncan.
Third, and most importantly, Duncan forged the culture of the Spurs. Pop was essential in acquiring players and reinforcing the culture that Tim wanted, but Duncan was truly the most vital component. The NBA is a star-driven league and finding a great player who hasn't gotten a coach fired is like finding a good Star Wars movie: they're few and far between. Not only did Duncan not get Pop fired, he let Pop coach him harder than any superstar ever. If Tim had ever thought to himself, "you know what I don't feel like getting my chops roasted in front of the whole team today because I didn't box out well in practice" he could have gone right to RC Buford, and Pop would have been gone - end of story. But Tim understood what Pop was about, and trusted him enough to be mentored in an unprecedented way. He set the example for his teammates, that no one is immune to criticism and that it's expected of everyone to leave their egos at the door.
In 2017, the Spurs SB Nation blog, Pounding the Rock, spoke to Sam Walker, author of "The Captain Class," a book which examines winning culture in team sports, from field hockey to rugby. In an exchange, Walker said this:
"[T]he book's main conclusion is that the only one factor that must be present in order to maintain greatness over a long period of time is the presence of a particular kind of selfless, relentless, independent-minded, publicity-averse, emotionally composed captain with strong communication skills. And that's Tim Duncan. Duncan was a pure example of the species."
I love Pop, but I have to believe that Duncan was the catalyst that powered Pop to be what he is now. This isn't Belichick-Brady where you wonder who made who. Pop is the greatest coach of all time, because of Tim Duncan. If you want to take credit away from Duncan by saying he played for the best teams, you might be right, but only because he made them the best team. He gave up touches, let other guys hold the torch, put everyone around him in the best position to succeed, and he enjoyed it when they did.
When I said earlier that the thing that hurt Duncan's stats more than anything was a lack of defensive numbers, I lied. The thing that hurt Duncan's stats more than anything was the fact that he never gave a shit about stats or awards. Ever. He wanted his teams to succeed and he wanted to win. That's it. Just read about how his teammates talk about him:
"The best PF ever! Thanks for the memories old man. A great player and teammate."
- Lamarcus Aldridge
"Sometimes all you NEED to say is THANK YOU....To the BEST EXAMPLE of a Leader, Brother, Friend."
- Bruce Brown
"Even tho I knew it was coming, I'm still moved by the news. What a HUGE honor to have played with [Duncan] for 14 seasons!
- Manu Ginobili
I don't think there is a more beloved teammate than Tim Duncan. In the words of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, "...his understated selflessness made him the ultimate teammate." Duncan was always the big brother. Correcting his teammates when they made mistakes and throwing his arms around their shoulders when things didn't go their way. He led in the most effective way possible, not with tweeting, bombastic words, or showy halftime speeches, but by example.
Of all the end-of-career farewell wishes, the one from his former teammate, Brent "Bones" Barry stuck out to me the most. He quoted Mark Twain, saying "'To be good is noble, but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble'; for your brilliance TD, I am grateful. For your skills as a player I am in awe. And for your friendship I am honored."
Milwaukee Bucks coach and former Spurs Assistant, Mike Budenholzer said to ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz in 2016: "The magnitude of that, the number of people in this league who have enjoyed opportunity or found fortunate spots in the league, you can trace it back to this one guy -- to the way Timmy played ball and the way he conducted himself. The 'culture' is Timmy."
The NBA is a league of superstars and dynasties - from Russell to Jordan, from Wilt to LeBron. We'll remember its history through its champions, and in the history of North American sports, no team has been as good for as long as the Spurs. San Antonio's success is completely unprecedented in the world of basketball. Aside from his lockout shortened sophomore season, Duncan won 50 or more games and qualified for the playoffs in every season of his NBA career. He finished his career with a win percentage of 71%, the highest of anyone, in any sport, ever. The Spurs run of success started in 1997, the year they drafted Duncan. Since then, he was the cornerstone, the engine of the franchise that has perpetually defined what winning culture looks like - in and outside of basketball.
And so I say again, if you could pick any NBA player from any era of basketball and your goal was to win, you would pick Tim Duncan. His abilities as a basketball player are what made him a superstar. But his consistency, willingness to be coached, love and support of his teammates, and humility are the things that make him transcendent.
I'll let Pop have the last word. This is what he said to the press after Duncan announced his retirement:
"Everybody always talks about who they'd like to eat dinner with, if you had one night and you could go to dinner or lunch with someone. Some people say Mother Teresa, Jesus, the Dalai Lama...I could honestly tell you, my dinner would be with Timmy. He is the most real, consistent, true person I've ever met in my life."
2023.06.08 17:25 billyconway24 ESPN: Ranking NFL Roster cores -- NYJ at 8, Pats at 27
https://www.espn.com/nfl/insidestory/_/id/37803145/ranking-nfl-roster-cores-32-teams-top-five-players-chiefs-bengals-eagles
Interesting article. Looking forward to seeing how Pats fans will spin this since they seem to be the only people who think their team will be any good this year. Here are the rankings for those who cannot access the article:
submitted by billyconway24 to nyjets [link] [comments]
Interesting article. Looking forward to seeing how Pats fans will spin this since they seem to be the only people who think their team will be any good this year. Here are the rankings for those who cannot access the article:
- Chiefs
- Bengals
- Eagles
- Fins (The Dolphins' offensive core proved its potential in 2022. When all four of Tagovailoa, Hill, Waddle and Armstead were on the field, the team averaged a massive 0.24 EPA per play. For context, the Chiefs led the league with 0.17 EPA per play overall. Add Ramsey in to spice up the defense, and this core looks dangerous.)
- Bills (Allen is carrying the load in making the Bills a serious Super Bowl contender, because this core could be better. White and Miller suffered ACL injuries in 2021 and 2022, respectively. And while Milano is coming off a fantastic 2022 season, he's still an inside linebacker, which is a devalued position. But this ranking just goes to show how far an elite QB and receiver can take you.)
- Cowboys
- Chargers
- Jets (Questions will linger until the regular season regarding which version of Rodgers the Jets will get, but this group has unquestioned upside. Gardner is a true Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Wilson could easily ascend to a top-10 wide receiver after a strong rookie campaign and Williams is a top-five defensive tackle.)
- Ravens
- 49ers
- Browns
- Jags
- Vikings
- Seahawks
- Giants
- Saints
- Raiders
- Lions
- Steelers
- Broncos
- Rams
- Titans
- Panthers
- Packers
- Bears
- Bucs
- Pats (It seems plenty plausible that Jones' 2021 rookie season, in which he ranked 16th in QBR, is more indicative of the player he'll become than what he did last season (28th) with Matt Patricia as his playcaller. Judon and Uche combined for 27 sacks in 2022, but this core lacks superstars.)
- Commanders
- Texans
- Colts
- Falcons
- Cardinals
2023.06.08 17:13 I-DEVASTATOR One Orphan Left in Yahoo Dynasty
Our 21-year old league needs a manager to fill the spot vacated by a longtime member.
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [email protected]
AVAILABLE TEAM
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
submitted by I-DEVASTATOR to FantasyLeagues [link] [comments]
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [email protected]
AVAILABLE TEAM
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
2023.06.08 17:12 I-DEVASTATOR Orphans Team available in Yahoo Dynasty League
Our 21-year old league needs a manager to fill the spot vacated by a longtime member.
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [email protected]
AVAILABLE TEAM
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
submitted by I-DEVASTATOR to findaleague [link] [comments]
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [email protected]
AVAILABLE TEAM
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
2023.06.08 08:38 anonreasons The Argument for Trading Bieber
Before you get angry at me or reflexively disagree, just read the post, and then explain why you think I'm wrong.
Shane Bieber is one of my favorite players in the MLB, and he is a joy to watch. His ability to get outs in big spots is incredible - against the Tigers this year he went six scoreless innings while giving up 7 hits and 2 walks, and they weren't very scattered either - he just found a way to manufacture outs and pitch around the right players.
But when I watch Shane Bieber this year, it feels like that is a common theme - I'm watching a vet pitcher carefully work his way through innings without really blowing the other team away. He's never been a Verlander or Castillo. But he used to be more capable of stringing together dominant performances where the other team was totally flummoxed.
His underlying metrics reflect this eye test as well. He is giving up a career high 91.7 exit velocity, along with a career high .291 expected BA. His hard hit% is a career high 47.5%, he's walking 1.8 more batters per game than last year, and his expected ERA is 4.89, 1.32 higher than his actual ERA of 3.57.
If advanced stats and projections aren't your bag, think about this - last year Bieber struck out 30.2% of batters. This year that is all the way down to 16.3%, just a massive drop-off.
Branch Rickey once said, "Trade a player a year too early rather than a year too late."
We know that the Guardians aren't going to re-sign Bieber after next season. Everyone knows it. So what do we do from here?
To me, the decision has been made much easier by the ascendancy of Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen, in addition to the triumphant return of Mckenzie.
Those 3 pitchers are a great 1-2-3. In his first game back Sticks looked like a Cy Young candidate with 10ks in a short outing. Civale is back and has solid metrics, and Gavin Williams should be along soon. I think Logan Allen is the real deal, and Bibee has even nastier stuff.
This is to say that the guardians do not actually need an above average, aging pitcher. They could use a total stud ace, but Bieber has not been that - and it isn't clear to me that we can expect it moving forward given his age.
If you remove all emotions from the equation, it makes completely perfect sense to move Bieber for the best young MLB bat available. I'm not even going to name the young bats I think would be worthy of this trade, because I know that Bieber has more name recognition and emotional value than anyone I could name. But we don't have any other way to add good bats to this roster.
I do think that the Guardians have enough pitching and hitting that it would be stupid to trade Bieber for young prospects. This team is very close to being a contender if Jose can return to form and Naylor keeps it up (very high on Naylor). There is a world where we trade Bieber and the rotation actually improves from last yesr due to Sticks' new form and the young guys crushing it.
submitted by anonreasons to ClevelandGuardians [link] [comments]
Shane Bieber is one of my favorite players in the MLB, and he is a joy to watch. His ability to get outs in big spots is incredible - against the Tigers this year he went six scoreless innings while giving up 7 hits and 2 walks, and they weren't very scattered either - he just found a way to manufacture outs and pitch around the right players.
But when I watch Shane Bieber this year, it feels like that is a common theme - I'm watching a vet pitcher carefully work his way through innings without really blowing the other team away. He's never been a Verlander or Castillo. But he used to be more capable of stringing together dominant performances where the other team was totally flummoxed.
His underlying metrics reflect this eye test as well. He is giving up a career high 91.7 exit velocity, along with a career high .291 expected BA. His hard hit% is a career high 47.5%, he's walking 1.8 more batters per game than last year, and his expected ERA is 4.89, 1.32 higher than his actual ERA of 3.57.
If advanced stats and projections aren't your bag, think about this - last year Bieber struck out 30.2% of batters. This year that is all the way down to 16.3%, just a massive drop-off.
Branch Rickey once said, "Trade a player a year too early rather than a year too late."
We know that the Guardians aren't going to re-sign Bieber after next season. Everyone knows it. So what do we do from here?
To me, the decision has been made much easier by the ascendancy of Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen, in addition to the triumphant return of Mckenzie.
Those 3 pitchers are a great 1-2-3. In his first game back Sticks looked like a Cy Young candidate with 10ks in a short outing. Civale is back and has solid metrics, and Gavin Williams should be along soon. I think Logan Allen is the real deal, and Bibee has even nastier stuff.
This is to say that the guardians do not actually need an above average, aging pitcher. They could use a total stud ace, but Bieber has not been that - and it isn't clear to me that we can expect it moving forward given his age.
If you remove all emotions from the equation, it makes completely perfect sense to move Bieber for the best young MLB bat available. I'm not even going to name the young bats I think would be worthy of this trade, because I know that Bieber has more name recognition and emotional value than anyone I could name. But we don't have any other way to add good bats to this roster.
I do think that the Guardians have enough pitching and hitting that it would be stupid to trade Bieber for young prospects. This team is very close to being a contender if Jose can return to form and Naylor keeps it up (very high on Naylor). There is a world where we trade Bieber and the rotation actually improves from last yesr due to Sticks' new form and the young guys crushing it.
2023.06.08 04:49 I-DEVASTATOR Orphans Teams available in Yahoo Dynasty League
Our 21-year old league needs a manager to fill the spot vacated by a longtime member.
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [email protected]
AVAILABLE TEAMS
Team #1
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
Team #2
Offense:
QB Jared Goff
WR Justin Jefferson
WR AJ Brown
RB Nick Chubb
RB Aaron Jones
TE Evan Engram
WRB Brian Robinson
BN Dawson Knox
BN Leonard Fournette
BN Kareem Hunt
BN Daniel Jones
BN Kyle Pitts
BN Jameson Williams
BN Kevin Harris
BN Khalil Herbert
BN Rashod Bateman
BN Trey Lance
K Younghoe Koo
Defense:
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Shaq Thompson
LB Patrick Queen
DE Josh Allen
DT Harrison Phillips
DT Jonathan Allen
DE Brian Burns
CB D.J. Reed
CB Carlton Davis
S Chuck Clark
S Derwin James, Jr.
BN Damar Hamlin
BN Matt Milano
BN Davon Godchaux
BN Quincy Williams
Team #3
Offense:
QB Kirk Cousins
WR DK Metcalf
WR Keenan Allen
RB Latavius Murray
RB Jerrick McKinnon
TE Tyler Higbee
WRB Cordarelle Patterson
BN Dak Prescott
BN Donovan Peoples-Jones
BN Gus Edwards
BN Courtland Sutton
BN Curtis Samuel
BN DJ Chark
BN DeeJay Dallas
K Harrison Butker
Defense:
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Drue Tranquill
LB Nicholas Morrow
DE Zach Sieler
DT DaVon Hamilton
DT Kenny Clark
DE Trey Hendrickson
CB Charvarius Ward
CB L’Jarius Sneed
S Rayshawn Jenkins
S Grant Delpit
BN Dean Lowry
BN Kyzir White
BN Ryan Neal
BN Eddie Jackson
BN Jamal Adams
submitted by I-DEVASTATOR to findaleague [link] [comments]
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [email protected]
AVAILABLE TEAMS
Team #1
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
Team #2
Offense:
QB Jared Goff
WR Justin Jefferson
WR AJ Brown
RB Nick Chubb
RB Aaron Jones
TE Evan Engram
WRB Brian Robinson
BN Dawson Knox
BN Leonard Fournette
BN Kareem Hunt
BN Daniel Jones
BN Kyle Pitts
BN Jameson Williams
BN Kevin Harris
BN Khalil Herbert
BN Rashod Bateman
BN Trey Lance
K Younghoe Koo
Defense:
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Shaq Thompson
LB Patrick Queen
DE Josh Allen
DT Harrison Phillips
DT Jonathan Allen
DE Brian Burns
CB D.J. Reed
CB Carlton Davis
S Chuck Clark
S Derwin James, Jr.
BN Damar Hamlin
BN Matt Milano
BN Davon Godchaux
BN Quincy Williams
Team #3
Offense:
QB Kirk Cousins
WR DK Metcalf
WR Keenan Allen
RB Latavius Murray
RB Jerrick McKinnon
TE Tyler Higbee
WRB Cordarelle Patterson
BN Dak Prescott
BN Donovan Peoples-Jones
BN Gus Edwards
BN Courtland Sutton
BN Curtis Samuel
BN DJ Chark
BN DeeJay Dallas
K Harrison Butker
Defense:
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Drue Tranquill
LB Nicholas Morrow
DE Zach Sieler
DT DaVon Hamilton
DT Kenny Clark
DE Trey Hendrickson
CB Charvarius Ward
CB L’Jarius Sneed
S Rayshawn Jenkins
S Grant Delpit
BN Dean Lowry
BN Kyzir White
BN Ryan Neal
BN Eddie Jackson
BN Jamal Adams
2023.06.08 04:40 I-DEVASTATOR Dynasty Football League has 3 Orphans Teams
Our 21-year old league needs a manager to fill the spot vacated by a longtime member.
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
AVAILABLE TEAMS
Team #1
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
Team #2
Offense:
QB Jared Goff
WR Justin Jefferson
WR AJ Brown
RB Nick Chubb
RB Aaron Jones
TE Evan Engram
WRB Brian Robinson
BN Dawson Knox
BN Leonard Fournette
BN Kareem Hunt
BN Daniel Jones
BN Kyle Pitts
BN Jameson Williams
BN Kevin Harris
BN Khalil Herbert
BN Rashod Bateman
BN Trey Lance
K Younghoe Koo
Defense:
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Shaq Thompson
LB Patrick Queen
DE Josh Allen
DT Harrison Phillips
DT Jonathan Allen
DE Brian Burns
CB D.J. Reed
CB Carlton Davis
S Chuck Clark
S Derwin James, Jr.
BN Damar Hamlin
BN Matt Milano
BN Davon Godchaux
BN Quincy Williams
Team #3
Offense:
QB Kirk Cousins
WR DK Metcalf
WR Keenan Allen
RB Latavius Murray
RB Jerrick McKinnon
TE Tyler Higbee
WRB Cordarelle Patterson
BN Dak Prescott
BN Donovan Peoples-Jones
BN Gus Edwards
BN Courtland Sutton
BN Curtis Samuel
BN DJ Chark
BN DeeJay Dallas
K Harrison Butker
Defense:
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Drue Tranquill
LB Nicholas Morrow
DE Zach Sieler
DT DaVon Hamilton
DT Kenny Clark
DE Trey Hendrickson
CB Charvarius Ward
CB L’Jarius Sneed
S Rayshawn Jenkins
S Grant Delpit
BN Dean Lowry
BN Kyzir White
BN Ryan Neal
BN Eddie Jackson
BN Jamal Adams
submitted by I-DEVASTATOR to FantasyLeagues [link] [comments]
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
AVAILABLE TEAMS
Team #1
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
Team #2
Offense:
QB Jared Goff
WR Justin Jefferson
WR AJ Brown
RB Nick Chubb
RB Aaron Jones
TE Evan Engram
WRB Brian Robinson
BN Dawson Knox
BN Leonard Fournette
BN Kareem Hunt
BN Daniel Jones
BN Kyle Pitts
BN Jameson Williams
BN Kevin Harris
BN Khalil Herbert
BN Rashod Bateman
BN Trey Lance
K Younghoe Koo
Defense:
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Shaq Thompson
LB Patrick Queen
DE Josh Allen
DT Harrison Phillips
DT Jonathan Allen
DE Brian Burns
CB D.J. Reed
CB Carlton Davis
S Chuck Clark
S Derwin James, Jr.
BN Damar Hamlin
BN Matt Milano
BN Davon Godchaux
BN Quincy Williams
Team #3
Offense:
QB Kirk Cousins
WR DK Metcalf
WR Keenan Allen
RB Latavius Murray
RB Jerrick McKinnon
TE Tyler Higbee
WRB Cordarelle Patterson
BN Dak Prescott
BN Donovan Peoples-Jones
BN Gus Edwards
BN Courtland Sutton
BN Curtis Samuel
BN DJ Chark
BN DeeJay Dallas
K Harrison Butker
Defense:
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Drue Tranquill
LB Nicholas Morrow
DE Zach Sieler
DT DaVon Hamilton
DT Kenny Clark
DE Trey Hendrickson
CB Charvarius Ward
CB L’Jarius Sneed
S Rayshawn Jenkins
S Grant Delpit
BN Dean Lowry
BN Kyzir White
BN Ryan Neal
BN Eddie Jackson
BN Jamal Adams
2023.06.07 21:16 Jamico530 Rebuilding 12 team 1QB PPR
Current Roster: Josh Allen Bijan Robinson Breece Hall Rachaad White Drake London JSN Christian Watson Treylon Burks Elijah Moore Gabe Davis Greg Dulcich
View Poll
submitted by Jamico530 to Fantasy_Football [link] [comments]
View Poll
2023.06.07 02:04 CelesteDobbs Rise Up John Wesley Dobbs, Florida inmate no. C00618
June 6, 2023
Rise Up John Wesley Dobbs, Florida inmate no. C00618
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5lPencsa54
The world-famous political prisoner King U combats Florida's hidden Antebellum policies Now representing John Dobbs attorney Mr. Reres Sr. Update: By Mrs. Celeste Dobbs
THIS IS WHY THEY DON'T WANT ME IN A COURT ROOM
The world-famous political prisoner King U combats Florida's hidden Antebellum policies John W. Dobbs, Florida inmate no. C00618 aka Universal aka King U I'm a political prisoner based on 4the fact that my imprisonment is not by legal construction. But instead based on the preferences of people who have obtained social and public support by trickery. And this support has the effect of placing them with the full might of the U.S. Government enforcing their favors and my illegal detainment. An unconstitutional union of Florida officials are secretly exercising Antebellum practices and are using intimidation amongst their peers to exercise their wills. King U John W. Dobbs John W. Dobbs Florida DC# C00618 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Orange County case# 48-2006-CF-015201-O The listing of events is compiled from several of John. Dobbs’ prior efforts to get justice. The uncontested facts hold that: Petitioner and his then girlfriend Deann Washington were visiting the State of Florida, when they stopped at a topless bar called Thee Doll House. Inside the club the couple met William Troy IIII and briefly engaged in a not at all hostile, but not quite polite conversation.
At closing time, the couple left the club and sew Troy with 3 or 4 other men, they were intoxicated. Petitioner’s vehicle and the vehicle transporting Troy’s party was parked six parking spaces apart. One or more from Troy’s party yelled to the couple something to the effect of they needed security to walk them out. Initially the statement appears lighthearted. John is entering his car when Troy’s friend and employee Andre Blanco starts to approach the passenger side of the couple’s vehicle. John’s girlfriend being the passenger, points out that one of them is walking over. John asks her to stay in the car, leaves the driver side, and walks around the back of the car to meet him. When Andre Blanco arrives, a fight initiated between them which all parties and witnesses perceive as a fist fight. The fight takes place close to the rear passenger side of John’s vehicle. Almost instantly. Andre Blanco is Knocked down and Francisco Gotay approaches John evades the punches and strikes Francisco Gotay with what all parties and witnesses perceive as fists. After being knocked down Andre Blanco swiftly recovers and attacks Petitioner from behind. John’s girlfriend exits the vehicle and enters the fight to help John, as Anthony Riollano and William Troy IIII approach. The couple hears someone yell ‘get her ‘ or get the girl.’ It’s around this time that one of them appears to get seriously injured and John concedes to starting to use his pocketknife, as Deanna Washington is grabbed by Anthony Riollano and tossed to the side ending her feeble attempts to ward them off. Next Riollano goes after John approaching John from behind, while he was confronted by at least one other of Riollano’s party, grabs John from the side by his shirt collar and strikes him on the head and neck several times. As members of his party feel they are unable to continue, Riollano, not knowing why the fight has stopped, but recognizing that it has, stops hitting John. Both Blanco and Gotay notice they are bleeding and don’t know why.
John gets up and the couple get in their car, and William Troy falls to the ground due to stab wounds. Andre Blanco and Francisco then realize they were stabbed. As the couple leaves the parking lot a truck, they believe to be occupied by one of their assailants try to run them off the road. Hanzel Holiday a valet from the club across the street, was not a witness to the incident, yet claim to have struck John’s vehicle twice in order to run the couple off the road, because his supervisor, Phillip Allen Westfall, the valet for Thee Doll House told him to stop their car. On third attempt Holiday notices John with a gun pointed in the direction of his attack, so he stops pursuit. William Troy died as a result of his stab wounds. John received multiple injuries six cuts. While John claims to have seen one of them swinging something shiny, which he perceived as a knife, and security for the club, Justin Idle, claims to have seen one of the men hitting John with what he believes may have been a key. All witnesses deny seeing John with a knife during the altercation. John, the only African American male in the fight, was also the only man arrested, and accused of a criminal act. Blanco, Gotay and Holiday each have multiple felony convictions, Troy had been convicted of battery on a law enforcement officer: and on the night of the incident Blanco was on probation. John who himself had one prior felony conviction, alerted the arresting office of his self-defense claim. Sign his petition on amku.org
Thank You
1.) Why was he the only man arrested for a fight that all witness sworn stated as a fist fight between him and a least 4 intoxicated men who relentlessly approached him?
2.) Does race have anything to do with it?
3.) Does he have the right to protect his girlfriend for what can be reasonably preceded as acts of aggression?
4.) How is it possible to find he didn’t act in defense of himself and his lady, when no reasonable evidence existed that the men who approached them might no harm?
5.) If the statement (you need security to walk you and your girl out) can be perceived as a threat how is it not evidence of his innocent?
6.) Why wasn’t Andre Blanco arrested for violating; for his part in the altercation being that he was dunk and on probation in a state were mere police contact usually results in violation?
7.) Why did the prosecutor allow Andre Blanco to change sworn statements from proceeding to proceeding without explanation?
8.) If the only evidence of aggravated battery against Andre Blanco comes from actions, Andre Blanco testified there was no evidence of, until after Blanco ran up grab him by the back of the neck and started hitting him; How is that not self-defense?
9.) If the only evidence of Aggravated battery against Fransico Gotay comes from actions Gotay testified occurred only after Gotay ran at him swinging to hit him; How is that not self-defense?
10.) If the only evidence of aggravated assault against Hansel Holiday comes from actions Holiday testified occurred only after Holiday was attempting to strike his car and run him off the road for the thirty time; How is that not self- defense?
11.) If Andre Blanco testified that immediately after being hit with what seems like a really hard punch, Blanco gets up runs grabs him by the back of the neck and starts hitting him; and, Fransico Gotay testified that immediately after Blanco falls from being hit with a good punch, Gotay runs up and starts swinging at him. and, Riollano testified that at the time that Riollano approached him and started hitting him in the neck and head, he was still fighting at least one of Riollano’s friends. And, William Troy enter the fight sometime in between. How can they say the fights were one on one.
13.) Why were Fransico Gotay, Anthony Riollano, and Hanzel Holiday treated by the State Attorney’s Office as if their attacking the couple at the couple car was lawful when they claim to have no knowledge of why the fight started or who throw the first punch; Thus, no knowledge of whether they were in the right or wrong?
14.) How is it that he was convicted of murdering William Troy and his conviction is upheld when the only evidence is that William Troy was the 3 or 4 men to enter the fight against him, and his claim to have stab Troy in self-defense?
15.) Why was the jury led to believe that he had to try to avoid the danger before he had the right to stand his ground?
16.) Why wasn’t the State required to answer any of these questions on appeal?
17.) Why wasn’t he granted an Evidential Hearing basic on any of his claims in the Federal Court?
18.) If the police was called before anyone was believed to have been stabbed and Deputy Herbert Mercado testified at the Adversary Preliminary Hearing referring to him as the victim twice.
Doesn’t that mean that the recordings of the 911 calls that were destroyed were evidence of his actual innocents?
19.) Does this mean that Florida law enforcement knows that he is innocent?
20.) Does the wealth of William Troy’s and Anthony Riollano’s family's have anything to do with it.
21.) Is there a conspiracy to deny a innocent man his rights?
22.) If a white man fought off 4 or 5 drunk black men, who told him he needed security, and surrounded him and his girlfriend, outside his car in the parking lot of a strip club, at 2:00 in the morning; Wouldn’t he be a hero?
23.) Are Clerks of Court being paid to sabotage cases in Florida. a.) A Clark of the court filed the unsigned Charge Information. b.) On Direct Appeal they was no judge signature on the ‘Denial .‘ c.) It was a Clerk who allowed incorrect DOC number to remain on his docket for months despite the number of complaints. d.) It was a Clerk of Court that removed 15 pages of his ‘Argument' from his petition for Federal Habeas Corpus. e.) And now the Clerk of Court who denied his State Habeas Corpus without any reason again in the Direct Court of Appeal.
They didn’t put the initial provocation instruction in George Zimmerman jury instruction.
submitted by CelesteDobbs to u/CelesteDobbs [link] [comments]
Rise Up John Wesley Dobbs, Florida inmate no. C00618
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5lPencsa54
The world-famous political prisoner King U combats Florida's hidden Antebellum policies Now representing John Dobbs attorney Mr. Reres Sr. Update: By Mrs. Celeste Dobbs
THIS IS WHY THEY DON'T WANT ME IN A COURT ROOM
The world-famous political prisoner King U combats Florida's hidden Antebellum policies John W. Dobbs, Florida inmate no. C00618 aka Universal aka King U I'm a political prisoner based on 4the fact that my imprisonment is not by legal construction. But instead based on the preferences of people who have obtained social and public support by trickery. And this support has the effect of placing them with the full might of the U.S. Government enforcing their favors and my illegal detainment. An unconstitutional union of Florida officials are secretly exercising Antebellum practices and are using intimidation amongst their peers to exercise their wills. King U John W. Dobbs John W. Dobbs Florida DC# C00618 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Orange County case# 48-2006-CF-015201-O The listing of events is compiled from several of John. Dobbs’ prior efforts to get justice. The uncontested facts hold that: Petitioner and his then girlfriend Deann Washington were visiting the State of Florida, when they stopped at a topless bar called Thee Doll House. Inside the club the couple met William Troy IIII and briefly engaged in a not at all hostile, but not quite polite conversation.
At closing time, the couple left the club and sew Troy with 3 or 4 other men, they were intoxicated. Petitioner’s vehicle and the vehicle transporting Troy’s party was parked six parking spaces apart. One or more from Troy’s party yelled to the couple something to the effect of they needed security to walk them out. Initially the statement appears lighthearted. John is entering his car when Troy’s friend and employee Andre Blanco starts to approach the passenger side of the couple’s vehicle. John’s girlfriend being the passenger, points out that one of them is walking over. John asks her to stay in the car, leaves the driver side, and walks around the back of the car to meet him. When Andre Blanco arrives, a fight initiated between them which all parties and witnesses perceive as a fist fight. The fight takes place close to the rear passenger side of John’s vehicle. Almost instantly. Andre Blanco is Knocked down and Francisco Gotay approaches John evades the punches and strikes Francisco Gotay with what all parties and witnesses perceive as fists. After being knocked down Andre Blanco swiftly recovers and attacks Petitioner from behind. John’s girlfriend exits the vehicle and enters the fight to help John, as Anthony Riollano and William Troy IIII approach. The couple hears someone yell ‘get her ‘ or get the girl.’ It’s around this time that one of them appears to get seriously injured and John concedes to starting to use his pocketknife, as Deanna Washington is grabbed by Anthony Riollano and tossed to the side ending her feeble attempts to ward them off. Next Riollano goes after John approaching John from behind, while he was confronted by at least one other of Riollano’s party, grabs John from the side by his shirt collar and strikes him on the head and neck several times. As members of his party feel they are unable to continue, Riollano, not knowing why the fight has stopped, but recognizing that it has, stops hitting John. Both Blanco and Gotay notice they are bleeding and don’t know why.
John gets up and the couple get in their car, and William Troy falls to the ground due to stab wounds. Andre Blanco and Francisco then realize they were stabbed. As the couple leaves the parking lot a truck, they believe to be occupied by one of their assailants try to run them off the road. Hanzel Holiday a valet from the club across the street, was not a witness to the incident, yet claim to have struck John’s vehicle twice in order to run the couple off the road, because his supervisor, Phillip Allen Westfall, the valet for Thee Doll House told him to stop their car. On third attempt Holiday notices John with a gun pointed in the direction of his attack, so he stops pursuit. William Troy died as a result of his stab wounds. John received multiple injuries six cuts. While John claims to have seen one of them swinging something shiny, which he perceived as a knife, and security for the club, Justin Idle, claims to have seen one of the men hitting John with what he believes may have been a key. All witnesses deny seeing John with a knife during the altercation. John, the only African American male in the fight, was also the only man arrested, and accused of a criminal act. Blanco, Gotay and Holiday each have multiple felony convictions, Troy had been convicted of battery on a law enforcement officer: and on the night of the incident Blanco was on probation. John who himself had one prior felony conviction, alerted the arresting office of his self-defense claim. Sign his petition on amku.org
Thank You
Frequently Asked QuestionsIf Florida ‘ Stand Your Ground Law ‘ is equally available to citizens under Florida jurisdiction some of the questions that arrive basic on the evidence are:
1.) Why was he the only man arrested for a fight that all witness sworn stated as a fist fight between him and a least 4 intoxicated men who relentlessly approached him?
2.) Does race have anything to do with it?
3.) Does he have the right to protect his girlfriend for what can be reasonably preceded as acts of aggression?
4.) How is it possible to find he didn’t act in defense of himself and his lady, when no reasonable evidence existed that the men who approached them might no harm?
5.) If the statement (you need security to walk you and your girl out) can be perceived as a threat how is it not evidence of his innocent?
6.) Why wasn’t Andre Blanco arrested for violating; for his part in the altercation being that he was dunk and on probation in a state were mere police contact usually results in violation?
7.) Why did the prosecutor allow Andre Blanco to change sworn statements from proceeding to proceeding without explanation?
8.) If the only evidence of aggravated battery against Andre Blanco comes from actions, Andre Blanco testified there was no evidence of, until after Blanco ran up grab him by the back of the neck and started hitting him; How is that not self-defense?
9.) If the only evidence of Aggravated battery against Fransico Gotay comes from actions Gotay testified occurred only after Gotay ran at him swinging to hit him; How is that not self-defense?
10.) If the only evidence of aggravated assault against Hansel Holiday comes from actions Holiday testified occurred only after Holiday was attempting to strike his car and run him off the road for the thirty time; How is that not self- defense?
11.) If Andre Blanco testified that immediately after being hit with what seems like a really hard punch, Blanco gets up runs grabs him by the back of the neck and starts hitting him; and, Fransico Gotay testified that immediately after Blanco falls from being hit with a good punch, Gotay runs up and starts swinging at him. and, Riollano testified that at the time that Riollano approached him and started hitting him in the neck and head, he was still fighting at least one of Riollano’s friends. And, William Troy enter the fight sometime in between. How can they say the fights were one on one.
13.) Why were Fransico Gotay, Anthony Riollano, and Hanzel Holiday treated by the State Attorney’s Office as if their attacking the couple at the couple car was lawful when they claim to have no knowledge of why the fight started or who throw the first punch; Thus, no knowledge of whether they were in the right or wrong?
14.) How is it that he was convicted of murdering William Troy and his conviction is upheld when the only evidence is that William Troy was the 3 or 4 men to enter the fight against him, and his claim to have stab Troy in self-defense?
15.) Why was the jury led to believe that he had to try to avoid the danger before he had the right to stand his ground?
16.) Why wasn’t the State required to answer any of these questions on appeal?
17.) Why wasn’t he granted an Evidential Hearing basic on any of his claims in the Federal Court?
18.) If the police was called before anyone was believed to have been stabbed and Deputy Herbert Mercado testified at the Adversary Preliminary Hearing referring to him as the victim twice.
Doesn’t that mean that the recordings of the 911 calls that were destroyed were evidence of his actual innocents?
19.) Does this mean that Florida law enforcement knows that he is innocent?
20.) Does the wealth of William Troy’s and Anthony Riollano’s family's have anything to do with it.
21.) Is there a conspiracy to deny a innocent man his rights?
22.) If a white man fought off 4 or 5 drunk black men, who told him he needed security, and surrounded him and his girlfriend, outside his car in the parking lot of a strip club, at 2:00 in the morning; Wouldn’t he be a hero?
23.) Are Clerks of Court being paid to sabotage cases in Florida. a.) A Clark of the court filed the unsigned Charge Information. b.) On Direct Appeal they was no judge signature on the ‘Denial .‘ c.) It was a Clerk who allowed incorrect DOC number to remain on his docket for months despite the number of complaints. d.) It was a Clerk of Court that removed 15 pages of his ‘Argument' from his petition for Federal Habeas Corpus. e.) And now the Clerk of Court who denied his State Habeas Corpus without any reason again in the Direct Court of Appeal.
They didn’t put the initial provocation instruction in George Zimmerman jury instruction.
Read proof of his innocents on his websiteamericanmekinguniversal.org and/or amku.org read court transcripts, and subtitle; Must Read, John's story in his own words " American Me Law vs. Law Enforcement " and give him an emergency release. Too many Florida officials are manipulating the system solely for their own personal prejudices and then having justice denied to avoid lawsuits. A favor for a favor tradition, Regardless of constitutional propriety. Many have gotten more severe sentencing when facts are manipulated at trail. Some were just been plain railroad. This system within the system is so embedded that the Feds are scared to touch it, especially because of the financial ramifications. A federal investigation is sorely needed, men like my son who have been ignored and lack opportunities to received justice in Florida that only money can buy. Thank You
2023.06.06 23:49 periquitopendenciero I need help, too many contracts
 | Title is pretty self explanatory. Too many contracts and I dont know how to buy out. I’ve tried trading but keeps showing 54/50 contracts. submitted by periquitopendenciero to HockeyLegacyManager [link] [comments] Is there anything I can do? |
2023.06.06 23:09 I-DEVASTATOR Dynasty Football League has 3 Orphans Teams
Our 21-year old league needs a manager to fill the spot vacated by a longtime member.
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
AVAILABLE TEAMS
Team #1
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
Team #2
Offense:
QB Jared Goff
WR Justin Jefferson
WR AJ Brown
RB Nick Chubb
RB Aaron Jones
TE Evan Engram
WRB Brian Robinson
BN Dawson Knox
BN Leonard Fournette
BN Kareem Hunt
BN Daniel Jones
BN Kyle Pitts
BN Jameson Williams
BN Kevin Harris
BN Khalil Herbert
BN Rashod Bateman
BN Trey Lance
K Younghoe Koo
Defense:
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Shaq Thompson
LB Patrick Queen
DE Josh Allen
DT Harrison Phillips
DT Jonathan Allen
DE Brian Burns
CB D.J. Reed
CB Carlton Davis
S Chuck Clark
S Derwin James, Jr.
BN Damar Hamlin
BN Matt Milano
BN Davon Godchaux
BN Quincy Williams
Team #3
Offense:
QB Kirk Cousins
WR DK Metcalf
WR Keenan Allen
RB Latavius Murray
RB Jerrick McKinnon
TE Tyler Higbee
WRB Cordarelle Patterson
BN Dak Prescott
BN Donovan Peoples-Jones
BN Gus Edwards
BN Courtland Sutton
BN Curtis Samuel
BN DJ Chark
BN DeeJay Dallas
K Harrison Butker
Defense:
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Drue Tranquill
LB Nicholas Morrow
DE Zach Sieler
DT DaVon Hamilton
DT Kenny Clark
DE Trey Hendrickson
CB Charvarius Ward
CB L’Jarius Sneed
S Rayshawn Jenkins
S Grant Delpit
BN Dean Lowry
BN Kyzir White
BN Ryan Neal
BN Eddie Jackson
BN Jamal Adams
submitted by I-DEVASTATOR to FantasyLeagues [link] [comments]
Our 21-year old league needs a manager to fill the spot vacated by a longtime member.
We play in a dynasty league where we keep 22 players each year. Our roster is NFL-legitimate, utilizing every position except for offensive linemen.
QB – WR – WR – RB – RB – TE – FLEX – K – LB – LB – LB – DE – DT – DT – DE – S – S – CB – CB
This league has existed since 2003 and has grown in roster size with Yahoo’s additional features. Very likely moving to Sleeper in 2024.
Our primary rules are that everyone shows up for the draft (live online) and that you must field a complete team each week. Every position, despite bye weeks and injury, MUST be filled each week.
Trading is not only encouraged but very necessary over time to keep your team competitive. The entire offseason is open for trading. Every player on your roster is available for trading. Keepers are not locked down until two weeks before the draft.
Our roster size and defensive line-ups prove to be a challenge for most newcomers; even scares some veteran guys off. There is no buy-in fee.
Contact me at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
AVAILABLE TEAMS
Team #1
Offense:
QB Mac Jones
WR Drake London
WR Allen Lazard
RB Najee Harris
RB AJ Dillon
TE Noah Fant
WRB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
BN Jakobi Meyers
BN Kadarius Toney
BN Darnell Mooney
BN Joshua Palmer
BN Tyquan Thornton
BN Romeo Doubs
BN Tim Patrick
K Eddie Pineiro
Defense:
LB Foye Oluokun
LB Zaire Franklin
LB Alex Singleton
DE Kwity Paye
DT Chris Jones
DT Denico Autry
DE George Karlaftis
CB Jonathan Jones
CB Logan Ryan
S Donovan Wilson
S Jaquan Brisker
BN Josey Jewell
BN Dre Greenlaw
BN Kenny Moore
BN Travon Walker
BN Jordan Hicks
BN Kyler Gordon
Team #2
Offense:
QB Jared Goff
WR Justin Jefferson
WR AJ Brown
RB Nick Chubb
RB Aaron Jones
TE Evan Engram
WRB Brian Robinson
BN Dawson Knox
BN Leonard Fournette
BN Kareem Hunt
BN Daniel Jones
BN Kyle Pitts
BN Jameson Williams
BN Kevin Harris
BN Khalil Herbert
BN Rashod Bateman
BN Trey Lance
K Younghoe Koo
Defense:
LB Jordyn Brooks
LB Shaq Thompson
LB Patrick Queen
DE Josh Allen
DT Harrison Phillips
DT Jonathan Allen
DE Brian Burns
CB D.J. Reed
CB Carlton Davis
S Chuck Clark
S Derwin James, Jr.
BN Damar Hamlin
BN Matt Milano
BN Davon Godchaux
BN Quincy Williams
Team #3
Offense:
QB Kirk Cousins
WR DK Metcalf
WR Keenan Allen
RB Latavius Murray
RB Jerrick McKinnon
TE Tyler Higbee
WRB Cordarelle Patterson
BN Dak Prescott
BN Donovan Peoples-Jones
BN Gus Edwards
BN Courtland Sutton
BN Curtis Samuel
BN DJ Chark
BN DeeJay Dallas
K Harrison Butker
Defense:
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Drue Tranquill
LB Nicholas Morrow
DE Zach Sieler
DT DaVon Hamilton
DT Kenny Clark
DE Trey Hendrickson
CB Charvarius Ward
CB L’Jarius Sneed
S Rayshawn Jenkins
S Grant Delpit
BN Dean Lowry
BN Kyzir White
BN Ryan Neal
BN Eddie Jackson
BN Jamal Adams
2023.06.06 19:50 CharacterHomework240 CPU roster logic
 | In the midst of my franchise noticed the 49ers signed Watson. I really wish I could understand the team building logic of madden sometimes. submitted by CharacterHomework240 to Madden [link] [comments] |
2023.06.06 11:06 prismatiiic Rewriting The Godspeed Arc
I want to preface this with the fact that I'm far from an experienced screenwriter and through this together using the past 2ish years of on-and-off thinking. So here is my comprehensive rewrite of Godspeed. It's pretty lengthy but I believe it's worth the read.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August Heart was a former junior detective for the CCPD. He and Barry Allen joined the force in the same class and became friends. Roughly 10 years ago, August’s brother Jorge is murdered. There is only one suspect investigated in the murder but he has a corroborated alibi. Heart knows for certain that his brother’s murderer was just let off the hook and stepped out of line, exhausting CCPD resources to investigate further without anyone else’s knowledge. After compiling evidence to bring the suspect back in, Heart goes to Captain Singh’s desk and pleads his case. Singh shuts him down and removes him from the force for crossing legal boundaries while conducting an unapproved solo investigation telling him that “If he had just asked first he would've helped, but instead he broke the law.” Heart’s severe anger issues snap and he threatens Singh. Before Heart leaves, he runs up to Barry’s lab to ask for his help to finish his work after he’s gone. Barry isn’t there, however. After asking another CSI passing by, they tell August that Barry is in Starling City doing something for Captain Singh. August calls Barry, telling him that he’s leaving his evidence in his lab. When Barry returns, the particle accelerator explodes, he is struck by lighting, and the evidence is destroyed.
almost 8 years later, after the Flash defeated the forces and the Speedforce storm that engulfed the city, Barry is at his desk reviewing some new cases. The cases feel different, however. Many of the cases report destruction but with nothing stolen. The damage includes property damage, electrical damage, fires, etc. They feel so familiar but he can’t think of why they do. Barry needs to look into it further when he has the time, so he calls Chester and sends over the files to get a head start. As he gathers his things to head down to a crime scene a few blocks away, a familiar face walks into the lab. It’s August Heart. Barry is shocked to see him and apologizes for everything that happened. August doesn’t blame him for any of it and said that he wanted to talk with him. Barry offers August to walk with him as he goes downtown to the crime scene. The two catch up and talk about life. August tells Barry that he’s been working on getting reinstated as a junior detective. Barry tells August that he and Iris got married, Joe retired, Singh got promoted, etc. The two talk about Barry’s accident as well and Barry deflects as much info as possible, just telling him that he’s happy to be alive. Barry assumes that August is here to ask him to put in a good word with Singh and Kramer to give him another shot, and August is grateful, but he’s there for another reason.
August pulls Barry out of sight and shows him that he has super speed. Barry is shocked and tries to play it off like he doesn’t as well. August tells him that he got his speed only a few weeks ago. He was walking downtown when a tornado formed in the city and an explosion of light caused a wave that knocked him unconscious. He woke up a few days later in the hospital and shot out of his bed at superspeed. He’s been trying to control his powers by himself but it hasn’t been working. August asks Barry if Iris still has a line to the Flash and if she could contact him about helping him with his newfound powers.
Barry is at the crime scene thinking about what August said to him. He told Barry that he needed help because he can’t control his powers and had been accidentally causing a lot of damage to places he runs through. Barry realizes the cases of destruction around the city are caused by inexperienced Speedsters. Barry reconvenes with Chester and Caitlin and fills them in. They have an unknown number of speedsters that need to be found and helped. While the two of them start to search for them. Iris and Barry organize a meeting between August and The Flash at STAR Labs. While the Flash starts to show August the speedster ropes, Iris and Allegra go into the field to try and help, setting up an anonymous tip line.
Over the course of the next few episodes, The Flash finds and rounds up the others that were affected by the storm. They find 9 other speedsters in total. While Barry struggles with becoming a teacher of 10 new speedsters, August starts to become more in tune with his powers but starts to lose the cool, calm, and collected facade that he had. Once again, behind the back of his superior, August reopens his investigation into the murderer of his brother, William Parks. Flash eventually finds out and confronts August, disappointed that he didn’t tell him. August snaps at him, questioning his methods of heroism, along with the police force. He says that they don’t do enough and need to make the right call and end the villains before they get the chance to hurt anyone. The Flash eventually calms August down and tells him that they will get justice for his brother legally.
Throughout this arc, we would see that August being struck by lightning and the resulting powers also broke him mentally. He begins to develop a dissociative identity disorder that gives him manic episodes, changing him into a completely different person. A person hell-bent on becoming a God, questioning why these powers come with a moral obligation, asking himself why he continues to listen to the “hero” that doesn’t want to get his hands dirty and cut the problem off at the root. August finally snaps.
While training the other 9 speedsters, Flash is told that there is a speedster causing havoc downtown. Barry tells the others to stay put and he goes to the site. Barry enters a destroyed room and sees August holding the body of William Parks. He is wearing the suit used by the Godspeed droid from the future. He tells the Flash that he “figured you weren’t using this one” and the two of them fight. August is gone. The other identity has taken over. In fact, it decided to take the name “Godspeed.”
Barry makes quick work of Godspeed but he forces Barry’s hand, Running to Iron Heights and putting the inmates in danger. Barry will not let anyone die, no matter if they are a criminal or not, because he is not the one that decides their fates. He saves the inmates, but as he does, August escapes. Barry gets an alert that there is something happening at STAR Labs. Chester enters the speed lab and sees August draining the speed and life out of the final new speedster. He turns around, surrounded by the bodies of the other 9 speedsters, and prepares to kill Chester. As he runs towards him, Barry phases through Chester and lands a direct hit on Godspeed. Godspeed tells Barry that he has known that he’s the Flash and that his hypocrisy about secrets is why Barry is not fit to be someone people look up to. Moreover, August tells Barry that his need to be a hero to everyone cost the lives of 9 innocent people, the new recruits that he promised to train and mentor. The killing of the 9 speedsters and the absorption of their powers results in Godspeed becoming faster than Barry.
Godspeed mentions something about his “ascension” and runs off. Barry is left surrounded by the dead bodies of the new generation of speedsters that he failed to protect.
Barry finds himself lost as a hero. After challenging and defeating the corruption of the very forces of nature, Godspeed proves to be an attack on Barry’s humanity and morality. We spend the back half of season 7 growing with Barry as he mentors a new generation of speedsters. He uses the lessons learned from training both Wally and Jessie to be speedsters, as well as the lessons learned from training someone completely different in nature from him via Ralph in season 4. We build up Barry as a mentor only for his first of the new speedsters, his friend, to betray him and the rest of his students. Barry must grapple with the idea that some people aren’t looking to be saved. Once August completes his goal of eliminating his brother’s murderer, he just finds the next obstacle to destroy. That obstacle is Barry. Godspeed has the taste of blood and is now addicted to it. The contrast of the front half of season 7 to the back half is very jarring. It transitions from forces of nature and space and time to a dissociative maniac hellbent on retribution. Barry must look within himself to defeat Godspeed.
The introduction of Bart to the show is a great move on Eric Wallace’s part. It brought a newfound energy into every episode he was in and his dynamic with Nora was great. I would bring him in again but with the intent of helping heal the emotional wounds Barry had just suffered. I might rework the 2049 timeline later on but for now, we can adjust it to be that the “Godspeed” of the future is either a sentient drone or a successor.
I’m going to include 2 possible endings for the rewritten Godspeed arc. The first is the ending I would want, ignoring the Armageddon setups at the end of S7. The second includes Thawne just like what we got, barring lightning lightsabers.
Ending no. 1:
Godspeed becomes hell-bent on turning the city into a sort of police state. After killing his brother’s murderer, he begins to become ruthless, attacking any sort of crime with blind rage. He’s not doing this out of a need for justice, however. He’s doing this to prove a point to Barry. He kills several people in this rage, all people who are multiple offenders. Godspeed believes that people cannot change.
In comes the team of Speedsters. The Flash, Jay Garrick, XS, and Impulse. They all try to keep up with Godspeed’s destruction but they can’t. Jay is too old and out of practice and Nora and Bart are too young and inexperienced. Barry is the only one who can defeat him. Knowing this, Barry uses the trick that E-90 Flash used on him to temporarily steal the speed of Jay, Nora, and Bart. Barry’s suit is powered up with the comic-style glowing gold lines on the suit. Barry, now powered up, has enough speed to catch Godspeed and take him out of the city.
In a very personal final confrontation. Barry calls back on several key characters. Ralph, Snart, Frost. All of them were bad people, but they changed. People are not unsavable. All of this doesn’t matter to Godspeed. He tries to attack Barry once more but Barry, having both greater experience and power, takes out Godspeed. Barry takes him to the ARGUS maximum security prison on Lian Yu. Barry speaks with him after his arrest and they talk about both destiny and humanity. August tells Barry that he will never change and that he will eventually return and destroy his life, and Barry says that he will never give up on August.
Barry is forced to accept the fact that there are people that do not wish to be saved, but it is still his obligation as a hero to try every day and give them the opportunity to.
Ending no: 2
The same setup in the first ending occurs.
In order to defeat Godspeed, Barry enlists the help of the Reverse Flash, his worst enemy. Barry knows that Thawne will help him purely due to the fact that no one can be Barry’s worst enemy other than him. The two fight Godspeed (without lightning lightsabers) and take him down. After defeating Godspeed, Thawne phases his hand through August’s stomach and the same “I got faster” scene from S7 occurs. Barry grabs Heart and rushes him to STAR Labs where they stabilize him. The same ending occurs.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Godspeed is one of my favorite villains. I was heartbroken as a Flash fan to see the way his character was portrayed on screen. I really wish that they used Godspeed as a hard contrast to the Forces arc. A villain from Barry’s past that leans into the humanity of the Flash. I think that bringing in the 10 new speedsters would be a way to keep things fresh as well as call back on iconic moments from the show. Building up these characters only to rip them away from Barry would go a long way in creating emotional turmoil for him. All this death surrounding him forces him to look inside himself to reflect on the last 7 years of his journey. Ultimately proving August wrong in that people can be saved. Then the bittersweet conclusion in that Barry is forced to admit to himself that not everyone wishes to be saved. But, as a hero, Barry knows that it is his obligation to never give up on anyone.
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I don't know if anyone bothered to read the entire thing, so kudos to you if you did and let me know your opinion on it. Any criticism is good criticism in my eye.
submitted by prismatiiic to FlashTV [link] [comments]
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August Heart was a former junior detective for the CCPD. He and Barry Allen joined the force in the same class and became friends. Roughly 10 years ago, August’s brother Jorge is murdered. There is only one suspect investigated in the murder but he has a corroborated alibi. Heart knows for certain that his brother’s murderer was just let off the hook and stepped out of line, exhausting CCPD resources to investigate further without anyone else’s knowledge. After compiling evidence to bring the suspect back in, Heart goes to Captain Singh’s desk and pleads his case. Singh shuts him down and removes him from the force for crossing legal boundaries while conducting an unapproved solo investigation telling him that “If he had just asked first he would've helped, but instead he broke the law.” Heart’s severe anger issues snap and he threatens Singh. Before Heart leaves, he runs up to Barry’s lab to ask for his help to finish his work after he’s gone. Barry isn’t there, however. After asking another CSI passing by, they tell August that Barry is in Starling City doing something for Captain Singh. August calls Barry, telling him that he’s leaving his evidence in his lab. When Barry returns, the particle accelerator explodes, he is struck by lighting, and the evidence is destroyed.
almost 8 years later, after the Flash defeated the forces and the Speedforce storm that engulfed the city, Barry is at his desk reviewing some new cases. The cases feel different, however. Many of the cases report destruction but with nothing stolen. The damage includes property damage, electrical damage, fires, etc. They feel so familiar but he can’t think of why they do. Barry needs to look into it further when he has the time, so he calls Chester and sends over the files to get a head start. As he gathers his things to head down to a crime scene a few blocks away, a familiar face walks into the lab. It’s August Heart. Barry is shocked to see him and apologizes for everything that happened. August doesn’t blame him for any of it and said that he wanted to talk with him. Barry offers August to walk with him as he goes downtown to the crime scene. The two catch up and talk about life. August tells Barry that he’s been working on getting reinstated as a junior detective. Barry tells August that he and Iris got married, Joe retired, Singh got promoted, etc. The two talk about Barry’s accident as well and Barry deflects as much info as possible, just telling him that he’s happy to be alive. Barry assumes that August is here to ask him to put in a good word with Singh and Kramer to give him another shot, and August is grateful, but he’s there for another reason.
August pulls Barry out of sight and shows him that he has super speed. Barry is shocked and tries to play it off like he doesn’t as well. August tells him that he got his speed only a few weeks ago. He was walking downtown when a tornado formed in the city and an explosion of light caused a wave that knocked him unconscious. He woke up a few days later in the hospital and shot out of his bed at superspeed. He’s been trying to control his powers by himself but it hasn’t been working. August asks Barry if Iris still has a line to the Flash and if she could contact him about helping him with his newfound powers.
Barry is at the crime scene thinking about what August said to him. He told Barry that he needed help because he can’t control his powers and had been accidentally causing a lot of damage to places he runs through. Barry realizes the cases of destruction around the city are caused by inexperienced Speedsters. Barry reconvenes with Chester and Caitlin and fills them in. They have an unknown number of speedsters that need to be found and helped. While the two of them start to search for them. Iris and Barry organize a meeting between August and The Flash at STAR Labs. While the Flash starts to show August the speedster ropes, Iris and Allegra go into the field to try and help, setting up an anonymous tip line.
Over the course of the next few episodes, The Flash finds and rounds up the others that were affected by the storm. They find 9 other speedsters in total. While Barry struggles with becoming a teacher of 10 new speedsters, August starts to become more in tune with his powers but starts to lose the cool, calm, and collected facade that he had. Once again, behind the back of his superior, August reopens his investigation into the murderer of his brother, William Parks. Flash eventually finds out and confronts August, disappointed that he didn’t tell him. August snaps at him, questioning his methods of heroism, along with the police force. He says that they don’t do enough and need to make the right call and end the villains before they get the chance to hurt anyone. The Flash eventually calms August down and tells him that they will get justice for his brother legally.
Throughout this arc, we would see that August being struck by lightning and the resulting powers also broke him mentally. He begins to develop a dissociative identity disorder that gives him manic episodes, changing him into a completely different person. A person hell-bent on becoming a God, questioning why these powers come with a moral obligation, asking himself why he continues to listen to the “hero” that doesn’t want to get his hands dirty and cut the problem off at the root. August finally snaps.
While training the other 9 speedsters, Flash is told that there is a speedster causing havoc downtown. Barry tells the others to stay put and he goes to the site. Barry enters a destroyed room and sees August holding the body of William Parks. He is wearing the suit used by the Godspeed droid from the future. He tells the Flash that he “figured you weren’t using this one” and the two of them fight. August is gone. The other identity has taken over. In fact, it decided to take the name “Godspeed.”
Barry makes quick work of Godspeed but he forces Barry’s hand, Running to Iron Heights and putting the inmates in danger. Barry will not let anyone die, no matter if they are a criminal or not, because he is not the one that decides their fates. He saves the inmates, but as he does, August escapes. Barry gets an alert that there is something happening at STAR Labs. Chester enters the speed lab and sees August draining the speed and life out of the final new speedster. He turns around, surrounded by the bodies of the other 9 speedsters, and prepares to kill Chester. As he runs towards him, Barry phases through Chester and lands a direct hit on Godspeed. Godspeed tells Barry that he has known that he’s the Flash and that his hypocrisy about secrets is why Barry is not fit to be someone people look up to. Moreover, August tells Barry that his need to be a hero to everyone cost the lives of 9 innocent people, the new recruits that he promised to train and mentor. The killing of the 9 speedsters and the absorption of their powers results in Godspeed becoming faster than Barry.
Godspeed mentions something about his “ascension” and runs off. Barry is left surrounded by the dead bodies of the new generation of speedsters that he failed to protect.
Barry finds himself lost as a hero. After challenging and defeating the corruption of the very forces of nature, Godspeed proves to be an attack on Barry’s humanity and morality. We spend the back half of season 7 growing with Barry as he mentors a new generation of speedsters. He uses the lessons learned from training both Wally and Jessie to be speedsters, as well as the lessons learned from training someone completely different in nature from him via Ralph in season 4. We build up Barry as a mentor only for his first of the new speedsters, his friend, to betray him and the rest of his students. Barry must grapple with the idea that some people aren’t looking to be saved. Once August completes his goal of eliminating his brother’s murderer, he just finds the next obstacle to destroy. That obstacle is Barry. Godspeed has the taste of blood and is now addicted to it. The contrast of the front half of season 7 to the back half is very jarring. It transitions from forces of nature and space and time to a dissociative maniac hellbent on retribution. Barry must look within himself to defeat Godspeed.
The introduction of Bart to the show is a great move on Eric Wallace’s part. It brought a newfound energy into every episode he was in and his dynamic with Nora was great. I would bring him in again but with the intent of helping heal the emotional wounds Barry had just suffered. I might rework the 2049 timeline later on but for now, we can adjust it to be that the “Godspeed” of the future is either a sentient drone or a successor.
I’m going to include 2 possible endings for the rewritten Godspeed arc. The first is the ending I would want, ignoring the Armageddon setups at the end of S7. The second includes Thawne just like what we got, barring lightning lightsabers.
Ending no. 1:
Godspeed becomes hell-bent on turning the city into a sort of police state. After killing his brother’s murderer, he begins to become ruthless, attacking any sort of crime with blind rage. He’s not doing this out of a need for justice, however. He’s doing this to prove a point to Barry. He kills several people in this rage, all people who are multiple offenders. Godspeed believes that people cannot change.
In comes the team of Speedsters. The Flash, Jay Garrick, XS, and Impulse. They all try to keep up with Godspeed’s destruction but they can’t. Jay is too old and out of practice and Nora and Bart are too young and inexperienced. Barry is the only one who can defeat him. Knowing this, Barry uses the trick that E-90 Flash used on him to temporarily steal the speed of Jay, Nora, and Bart. Barry’s suit is powered up with the comic-style glowing gold lines on the suit. Barry, now powered up, has enough speed to catch Godspeed and take him out of the city.
In a very personal final confrontation. Barry calls back on several key characters. Ralph, Snart, Frost. All of them were bad people, but they changed. People are not unsavable. All of this doesn’t matter to Godspeed. He tries to attack Barry once more but Barry, having both greater experience and power, takes out Godspeed. Barry takes him to the ARGUS maximum security prison on Lian Yu. Barry speaks with him after his arrest and they talk about both destiny and humanity. August tells Barry that he will never change and that he will eventually return and destroy his life, and Barry says that he will never give up on August.
Barry is forced to accept the fact that there are people that do not wish to be saved, but it is still his obligation as a hero to try every day and give them the opportunity to.
Ending no: 2
The same setup in the first ending occurs.
In order to defeat Godspeed, Barry enlists the help of the Reverse Flash, his worst enemy. Barry knows that Thawne will help him purely due to the fact that no one can be Barry’s worst enemy other than him. The two fight Godspeed (without lightning lightsabers) and take him down. After defeating Godspeed, Thawne phases his hand through August’s stomach and the same “I got faster” scene from S7 occurs. Barry grabs Heart and rushes him to STAR Labs where they stabilize him. The same ending occurs.
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Godspeed is one of my favorite villains. I was heartbroken as a Flash fan to see the way his character was portrayed on screen. I really wish that they used Godspeed as a hard contrast to the Forces arc. A villain from Barry’s past that leans into the humanity of the Flash. I think that bringing in the 10 new speedsters would be a way to keep things fresh as well as call back on iconic moments from the show. Building up these characters only to rip them away from Barry would go a long way in creating emotional turmoil for him. All this death surrounding him forces him to look inside himself to reflect on the last 7 years of his journey. Ultimately proving August wrong in that people can be saved. Then the bittersweet conclusion in that Barry is forced to admit to himself that not everyone wishes to be saved. But, as a hero, Barry knows that it is his obligation to never give up on anyone.
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I don't know if anyone bothered to read the entire thing, so kudos to you if you did and let me know your opinion on it. Any criticism is good criticism in my eye.
2023.06.06 04:57 MaIorbas Defending the Draft 2023: Los Angeles Chargers
Preface: There’s really no way to look back at the Chargers’ 2022 season without starting at the end. The team blew a 27-0 lead to the Jaguars in the wild card round in what can only be described as the peak of decades of cruelty by the football gods directed at the Chargers. In a year that began with Super Bowl aspirations thanks to an extremely talented on-paper roster, and included a regular season of injury after injury after injury (Justin Herbert, Rashawn Slater, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, etc.), the finale could not have been more crushing. Criticism and ridicule has rained down on head coach Brandon Staley and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, and the latter was promptly fired at the end of the season to the rejoicing of fans everywhere.
But now we begin, again. The Super Bowl hopes are very much alive. The roster saw very few changes in free agency as the front office and coaching staff clearly believe the failure of the 2022 season was generally not an issue with the assembled players. But there is a much higher sense of urgency this year, and it’s not an exaggeration to say the team is going “all in” on the final cheap year of Justin Herbert’s rookie deal. Contracts have been structured in a way that will force significant cuts after the 2023 season just to get the team to salary cap compliance. This year may be do-or-die for both Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley.
Five starters on this list: Feiler, Tranquill, Callahan, Carter, and Adderley. Letting Drue Tranquill leave is by far the most controversial decision here, especially since he ended up going to the Chiefs. He played very well last year, but seems like the idea here is that he was a factor in the defense’s struggle against the run. Feiler was a disaster last season after a great 2021, and Jamaree Salyer should be an immediate upgrade. Callahan is still a free agent and a reunion is not out of the question. Van Noy was great as a fill-in when Bosa was injured, but the team wants to get younger at the position. Carter was a quiet signing who outperformed his contract and provided much needed depth but again, too old. Adderley was benched in the season finale and then retired. The rest were backups and rotational players.
Additions: LB Eric Kendricks, DL Nick Williams
That’s it, that’s the list. Eric Kendricks steps in as the starter next to Kenneth Murray who he can hopefully help mentor into being a good linebacker. And theoretically, he will be an upgrade in run defense over Drue Tranquill. Williams was signed after the draft as insurance for the injured Austin Johnson and Otito Ogbonnia. He may not make the team. The Chargers used most of the rest of their cap space re-signing free agents like Trey Pipkins, Morgan Fox, and Donald Parham. They still have about $12.5M to work with, pending the upcoming Justin Herbert mega-deal.
EDGE: Similar to WR, the starting duo of Bosa and Mack is elite but they are expensive and getting older. The depth behind them is just Chris Rumph.
TE: Gerald Everett is solid but on the last year of his deal. Donald Parham has potential but can’t stay healthy. Tre’ McKitty is a blocking TE who isn’t a very good blocker.
CB: JC Jackson is an enormous question mark, both from a health and performance standpoint. Michael Davis is a free agent after 2023. Ja’Sir Taylor is penciled in as the starting slot corner after very limited playing time last year.
OL: This is the strongest starting five the Chargers have had in a decade but the depth behind them both inside and out is weak.
LB: Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray will start, but Murray is auditioning to be on the team next year and Kendricks is old. The depth behind them is just Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga.
S: JT Woods was a 2022 3rd round pick but barely played in 2022. Alohi Gilman stepped up when needed, but relying on him to start is risky.
RB: Austin Ekeler requested a trade, and even though it looked very unlikely to happen, the team needs to think about life after him in 2024. Neither Josh Kelley or Isaiah Spiller have shown they can handle a full workload.
KPR: With Deandre Carter’s departure, the team has no one with real return experience.
In hindsight, this pick should have been more obvious. The Chargers have been very strict about their size thresholds for wide receivers over the years, and despite countless debates about Johnston vs Zay Flowers vs Jordan Addison, the big guy from TCU won out. This was an immediately controversial pick among fans as many believed the speedy Flowers or the crafty Addison would be more suited to filling the biggest need in this position group: speed and separation. But while Johnston may not be your traditional deep threat, his game speed and GPS tracking data suggest a more dynamic skillset than he showed at the combine. And one area where he does beat those two guys that was probably overlooked as a need: run after catch ability. Johnston was elite at that in college, and that looks to be his primary role for the Chargers. New OC Kellen Moore will use him like he did Ceedee Lamb in Dallas. And since he will start the year at number three on the depth chart at best, he won’t be under pressure to carry the offense as a rookie while he learns from the veterans in front of him.
2.54: Tuli Tuipulotu - EDGE, USC
After WR, the Chargers’ clear next biggest need was at EDGE and Tuli was the consensus best available. The team has also shown a penchant for drafting local kids from USC and UCLA over the last few years. He was extremely productive in his final season in college where he put up 13.5 sacks playing both on the edge and the interior. In the draft process, many people questioned if he would bulk up to be a full time DT or slim down to play the EDGE. It ended up being the latter as he weighed 266lbs at the combine. Tuli will provide valuable depth behind Bosa and Mack as a rookie, while also having the opportunity to play inside on passing downs like he did in college.
3.85: Daiyan Henley - LB, Washington State
The Chargers lost two linebackers to free agency: Drue Tranquill and Troy Reeder. Tranquill was the team’s best coverage linebacker, and Reeder was key depth while also being a core special teams player. Enter Daiyan Henley, who could fill both of those roles by himself. With Kenneth Murray likely off the team in 2024, Henley has the opportunity to earn a starting job over the course of the season. He is a recent convert to the linebacker position and there is still much room for growth. At the very least, he will be an immediate special teams contributor. Staley and Telesco both raved about his prowess in that phase of the game after picking him.
*4.125: Derius Davis - WR, TCU *
Another TCU receiver! This pick was definitely a surprise, as many people projected him to be a late day 3 pick. But the Chargers coaching staff said after the draft that they believed he was the best return man available, and that they wanted to draft a starter in the 4th round. Davis was indeed one of the best returners in the country at TCU, and also can add some juice on offense even if he ends up limited to a gadget role. Either way, here’s some killer speed for the Chargers offense.
5.156: Jordan McFadden - OL, Clemson
In the last few drafts, the Chargers have shown a lot of love for late round tackle-to-guard converts. Jamaree Salyer was the steal of the 2022 draft in the sixth round. McFadden played both tackle and guard in college on both sides of the line, and some scouts believe he may even be able to play some center. For the Chargers he will compete with Brenden Jaimes for the swing guard role, and maybe even push Foster Sarrell to be the swing tackle. Key depth for a position group that needed it.
6.200: Scott Matlock - DL, Boise State
Matlock is a solid run defender with some pass rush upside who will get to learn behind a strong trio of veteran starters. And with Austin Johnson and Otito Ogbonnia both rehabbing major knee injuries, he may end up seeing some decent playing time this season. I’m very intrigued by his upside, and Staley has a good track record of getting good play from late round DTs.
7.239: Max Duggan - QB, TCU
The Los Angeles Horned Frogs are ready to take the NFL by storm in 2023 (hopefully to face the Philadelphia Bulldogs in a championship rematch). The Chargers historically have carried three QBs on the active roster, and with only two signed going into the draft, it seemed like a strong possibility they would pick one. So here’s Max Duggan, who despite leading TCU to the Natty was generally not loved by scouts. He has a ton of athletic ability but the finer points of playing QB need to be worked on. There is absolutely potential to be a long term backup to Justin Herbert though, if he can beat out Easton Stick.
Notable UDFAs
Jerrod Clark - DL, Coastal Carolina: Most people expected Clark to be drafted, and the Chargers gave him a lot of money for a UDFA. I would not be surprised at all to see him make the roster as an additional run defender.
Cam Jones - CB, Ohio State: Another guy who could have been drafted, there are depth spots at corner up for grabs and Jones is an intriguing option.
Tiawan Mullen - CB, Indiana: Mullen used to have a pretty high draft stock but fell hard in the process. The Chargers are thin at slot corner and he could earn a role.
Mikel Jones - LB, Syracuse: There’s a wide open competition for ILB5 that will most likely be decided by special teams.
RB (5): Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, Larry Rountree, Zander Horvath
WR (5): Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Josh Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis
TE (4): Gerald Everett, Donald Parham, Tre’ McKitty, Stone Smartt
OT (3): Rashawn Slater, Trey Pipkins, Foster Sarrell
OG (4): Zion Johnson, Jamaree Salyer, Brenden Jaimes, Jordan McFadden
C (2): Corey Linsley, Will Clapp
EDGE (4): Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Chris Rumph
IDL (6): Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock, Jerrod Clark
LB (5): Kenneth Murray, Eric Kendricks, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Amen Ogbongbemiga
CB (5): Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., JC Jackson, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard
S (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, JT Woods, Mark Webb
K (1): Cameron Dicker
P (1): JK Scott
LS (1): Josh Harris
submitted by MaIorbas to NFL_Draft [link] [comments]
But now we begin, again. The Super Bowl hopes are very much alive. The roster saw very few changes in free agency as the front office and coaching staff clearly believe the failure of the 2022 season was generally not an issue with the assembled players. But there is a much higher sense of urgency this year, and it’s not an exaggeration to say the team is going “all in” on the final cheap year of Justin Herbert’s rookie deal. Contracts have been structured in a way that will force significant cuts after the 2023 season just to get the team to salary cap compliance. This year may be do-or-die for both Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley.
Free Agency Recap
Losses: G Matt Feiler, LB Drue Tranquill, EDGE Kyle Van Noy, QB Chase Daniel, CB Bryce Callahan, WR Deandre Carter, S Nasir Adderley, LB Troy Reeder, DL Breiden Fehoko, WR Michael Bandy, OT Storm NortonFive starters on this list: Feiler, Tranquill, Callahan, Carter, and Adderley. Letting Drue Tranquill leave is by far the most controversial decision here, especially since he ended up going to the Chiefs. He played very well last year, but seems like the idea here is that he was a factor in the defense’s struggle against the run. Feiler was a disaster last season after a great 2021, and Jamaree Salyer should be an immediate upgrade. Callahan is still a free agent and a reunion is not out of the question. Van Noy was great as a fill-in when Bosa was injured, but the team wants to get younger at the position. Carter was a quiet signing who outperformed his contract and provided much needed depth but again, too old. Adderley was benched in the season finale and then retired. The rest were backups and rotational players.
Additions: LB Eric Kendricks, DL Nick Williams
That’s it, that’s the list. Eric Kendricks steps in as the starter next to Kenneth Murray who he can hopefully help mentor into being a good linebacker. And theoretically, he will be an upgrade in run defense over Drue Tranquill. Williams was signed after the draft as insurance for the injured Austin Johnson and Otito Ogbonnia. He may not make the team. The Chargers used most of the rest of their cap space re-signing free agents like Trey Pipkins, Morgan Fox, and Donald Parham. They still have about $12.5M to work with, pending the upcoming Justin Herbert mega-deal.
Draft Needs
WR: The trio of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer is one of the best in the league. However, with their contracts, there’s really no chance Allen and Williams will be Chargers in 2024. This group also lacks a speed element.EDGE: Similar to WR, the starting duo of Bosa and Mack is elite but they are expensive and getting older. The depth behind them is just Chris Rumph.
TE: Gerald Everett is solid but on the last year of his deal. Donald Parham has potential but can’t stay healthy. Tre’ McKitty is a blocking TE who isn’t a very good blocker.
CB: JC Jackson is an enormous question mark, both from a health and performance standpoint. Michael Davis is a free agent after 2023. Ja’Sir Taylor is penciled in as the starting slot corner after very limited playing time last year.
OL: This is the strongest starting five the Chargers have had in a decade but the depth behind them both inside and out is weak.
LB: Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray will start, but Murray is auditioning to be on the team next year and Kendricks is old. The depth behind them is just Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga.
S: JT Woods was a 2022 3rd round pick but barely played in 2022. Alohi Gilman stepped up when needed, but relying on him to start is risky.
RB: Austin Ekeler requested a trade, and even though it looked very unlikely to happen, the team needs to think about life after him in 2024. Neither Josh Kelley or Isaiah Spiller have shown they can handle a full workload.
KPR: With Deandre Carter’s departure, the team has no one with real return experience.
The Draft
1.21: Quentin Johnston - WR, TCUIn hindsight, this pick should have been more obvious. The Chargers have been very strict about their size thresholds for wide receivers over the years, and despite countless debates about Johnston vs Zay Flowers vs Jordan Addison, the big guy from TCU won out. This was an immediately controversial pick among fans as many believed the speedy Flowers or the crafty Addison would be more suited to filling the biggest need in this position group: speed and separation. But while Johnston may not be your traditional deep threat, his game speed and GPS tracking data suggest a more dynamic skillset than he showed at the combine. And one area where he does beat those two guys that was probably overlooked as a need: run after catch ability. Johnston was elite at that in college, and that looks to be his primary role for the Chargers. New OC Kellen Moore will use him like he did Ceedee Lamb in Dallas. And since he will start the year at number three on the depth chart at best, he won’t be under pressure to carry the offense as a rookie while he learns from the veterans in front of him.
2.54: Tuli Tuipulotu - EDGE, USC
After WR, the Chargers’ clear next biggest need was at EDGE and Tuli was the consensus best available. The team has also shown a penchant for drafting local kids from USC and UCLA over the last few years. He was extremely productive in his final season in college where he put up 13.5 sacks playing both on the edge and the interior. In the draft process, many people questioned if he would bulk up to be a full time DT or slim down to play the EDGE. It ended up being the latter as he weighed 266lbs at the combine. Tuli will provide valuable depth behind Bosa and Mack as a rookie, while also having the opportunity to play inside on passing downs like he did in college.
3.85: Daiyan Henley - LB, Washington State
The Chargers lost two linebackers to free agency: Drue Tranquill and Troy Reeder. Tranquill was the team’s best coverage linebacker, and Reeder was key depth while also being a core special teams player. Enter Daiyan Henley, who could fill both of those roles by himself. With Kenneth Murray likely off the team in 2024, Henley has the opportunity to earn a starting job over the course of the season. He is a recent convert to the linebacker position and there is still much room for growth. At the very least, he will be an immediate special teams contributor. Staley and Telesco both raved about his prowess in that phase of the game after picking him.
*4.125: Derius Davis - WR, TCU *
Another TCU receiver! This pick was definitely a surprise, as many people projected him to be a late day 3 pick. But the Chargers coaching staff said after the draft that they believed he was the best return man available, and that they wanted to draft a starter in the 4th round. Davis was indeed one of the best returners in the country at TCU, and also can add some juice on offense even if he ends up limited to a gadget role. Either way, here’s some killer speed for the Chargers offense.
5.156: Jordan McFadden - OL, Clemson
In the last few drafts, the Chargers have shown a lot of love for late round tackle-to-guard converts. Jamaree Salyer was the steal of the 2022 draft in the sixth round. McFadden played both tackle and guard in college on both sides of the line, and some scouts believe he may even be able to play some center. For the Chargers he will compete with Brenden Jaimes for the swing guard role, and maybe even push Foster Sarrell to be the swing tackle. Key depth for a position group that needed it.
6.200: Scott Matlock - DL, Boise State
Matlock is a solid run defender with some pass rush upside who will get to learn behind a strong trio of veteran starters. And with Austin Johnson and Otito Ogbonnia both rehabbing major knee injuries, he may end up seeing some decent playing time this season. I’m very intrigued by his upside, and Staley has a good track record of getting good play from late round DTs.
7.239: Max Duggan - QB, TCU
The Los Angeles Horned Frogs are ready to take the NFL by storm in 2023 (hopefully to face the Philadelphia Bulldogs in a championship rematch). The Chargers historically have carried three QBs on the active roster, and with only two signed going into the draft, it seemed like a strong possibility they would pick one. So here’s Max Duggan, who despite leading TCU to the Natty was generally not loved by scouts. He has a ton of athletic ability but the finer points of playing QB need to be worked on. There is absolutely potential to be a long term backup to Justin Herbert though, if he can beat out Easton Stick.
Notable UDFAs
Jerrod Clark - DL, Coastal Carolina: Most people expected Clark to be drafted, and the Chargers gave him a lot of money for a UDFA. I would not be surprised at all to see him make the roster as an additional run defender.
Cam Jones - CB, Ohio State: Another guy who could have been drafted, there are depth spots at corner up for grabs and Jones is an intriguing option.
Tiawan Mullen - CB, Indiana: Mullen used to have a pretty high draft stock but fell hard in the process. The Chargers are thin at slot corner and he could earn a role.
Mikel Jones - LB, Syracuse: There’s a wide open competition for ILB5 that will most likely be decided by special teams.
Roster Prediction
QB (3): Justin Herbert, Easton Stick, Max DugganRB (5): Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, Larry Rountree, Zander Horvath
WR (5): Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Josh Palmer, Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis
TE (4): Gerald Everett, Donald Parham, Tre’ McKitty, Stone Smartt
OT (3): Rashawn Slater, Trey Pipkins, Foster Sarrell
OG (4): Zion Johnson, Jamaree Salyer, Brenden Jaimes, Jordan McFadden
C (2): Corey Linsley, Will Clapp
EDGE (4): Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Chris Rumph
IDL (6): Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, Otito Ogbonnia, Scott Matlock, Jerrod Clark
LB (5): Kenneth Murray, Eric Kendricks, Daiyan Henley, Nick Niemann, Amen Ogbongbemiga
CB (5): Michael Davis, Asante Samuel Jr., JC Jackson, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard
S (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, JT Woods, Mark Webb
K (1): Cameron Dicker
P (1): JK Scott
LS (1): Josh Harris