text:
www.brownsfanshop.com
Сообщение от: liny195 @ 21.6.2019, 11:12
BEREA http://www.brownsfanshop.com/Sione-Takitaki-Jersey , Ohio (AP) — Baker Mayfield has become the NFL's unwanted poster boy for helmet-to-helmet hits.Twice this season, Cleveland's rookie quarterback has been struck in the head by tacklers during games and both times the officials failed to call a penalty for the obvious infractions.Mayfield's trying not to take oversights personally."They just have to find their consistency," he said of the erratic calls. "With every ref it's different — how they see it, how they're seeing the plays, momentum with the whistle, when it's blown, stuff like that. So as they continue to try to enforce the same rule, I think the consistency will grow. But right now, that's why you're seeing some confusion."On Oct. 21 at Tampa Bay, Mayfield slid after a 35-yard run and was drilled from the side by Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead, who wasn't flagged but was fined $26,739 fine by the NFL, which acknowledged days after the hit that it should have been a penalty.Last week Greedy Williams Jersey , Kansas City safety Ron Parker delivered a glancing blow with his helmet to Mayfield while the quarterback was being wrapped up by defensive tackle Chris Jones. Again, no penalty was called, but Mayfield was forced to leave the game after an independent medical observer called the officials and requested the QB undergo a concussion evaluation.Mayfield passed the test and was allowed to return three plays later. He fought to stay in the game."Yeah. I guess that is the new rule," he said. "I have to come off the field for a checkup."Parker could be fined by the league, which announces its weekly punishments on Saturday.Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, joked that Parker's hit fortunately didn't do any damage."It would be more frustrating if it hurt," Mayfield said. "I was more frustrated they took me out of the game, to be honest with you. But they're protecting me. They're doing their job. So ultimately what can I complain about?"Mayfield has sympathy for the officials, who are doing what they can to protect players — especially quarterbacks — while presiding over a game that's moving very fast. Mayfield smiled when asked if the officiating was as uneven when he played in college at Oklahoma."No," he said, grinning. "I had a bunch of friends out there, so it was good." In their game against the Atlanta Falcons https://www.brownsfanshop.com/Howard-Wilson-Jersey , the Cleveland Browns deployed the same formation for an entire drive. Featuring Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Duke Johnson, and Dontrell Hilliard all sharing the backfield, the Browns' Diamond formation is similar to a Wishbone formation, though it is slightly different. And though we had seen this formation from the Hue Jackson/Todd Haley offense earlier in the year, the Browns never deployed it quite like this.Though the drive ended in a bad interception, the idea of using a formation to catch the opposition off-guard and not giving their defense time to adjust is sound. I'd love to see the Browns continue to expand this idea through the use of a fast tempo and no substitutions as many college and NFL teams have done (notably, the New England Patriots).Here is the breakdown:The Diamond formation vs. the Wishbone:Diamond Formationvia Youth Football OnlineWishbone formationvia WikipediaMore on the Diamond from Football Study Hall, the incomparable Chris B. Brown, and Offensive Breakdown
Комментарии: 0 :: Смотреть далее »»
The Green Bay Packers went through a substantial
brain drain in the front office this offseason. The transition from Ted Thompson to Brian Gutskunst as the team's general manager was hardly seamless Rashan Gary Jersey , as two critical members of the personnel department departed for jobs with the Cleveland Browns.Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith took their substantial scouting abilities to Lake Erie, leaving Gutekunst with little time to rebuild a department that was suddenly his responsibility. The Packers did not add any outsiders to the front office in significant roles prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, instead promoting from within to maintain some level of continuity.However, we know that Gutekunst did try to bring in at least one outsider shortly after the draft. Milt Hendrickson, a Wisconsin native, a colleague of Gutekunst's at Wisconsin-La Crosse, and a dyed-in-the-wool Packers fan, was one of his friend's targets last May. However, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome reportedly blocked him from interviewing for a job in Green Bay, according to Bob McGinn. At that time, he speculated that Hendrickson would be likely to join the Packers in the 2019 offseason, as Newsome would be unable to block him this coming year.Now http://www.thepackersfanshop.com/Jace-Sternberger-Jersey , McGinn is reporting that the deal is all but done. The former Packers beat writer reports that Gutekunst will hire Hendrickson for a "prominent front-office position" when the two teams' 2018 seasons conclude. The speculated title is assistant general manager, which would be a significant step up from his current role as a national scout for the Ravens.Hendrickson has worked in the Ravens organization since 2005, when he joined the team as a personnel assistant. However, he returned to his home state of Wisconsin in 2008, when he was assigned as an area scout in the Midwest region. He was promoted to national scout a few years later.Milt's younger brother Marcus is also a personnel executive. He spent time with the Browns and Dolphins personnel departments before the University of Minnesota hired him as their director of player personnel in 2017.The personal connection between the elder Hendrickson and Gutekunst goes beyond simply friendship and their work together at UW-La Crosse. According to an article in the Dodgeville Chronicle from 2013, Gutekunst helped Hendrickson get an internship with the Packers' personnel department in the summer of 2004, which apparently established his desire to work in personnel for NFL teams. After that internship finished, he was quoted as saying "I would be interested in getting a job someday for the Packers or for some other NFL organization — if the opportunity was ever there."The opportunity is finally here. And if there is any question about why he wants to come back to work for the Packers, consider this: his son's name is Hutson. Football is complex. So, naturally, there's a lot of blame to go around when things aren't clicking. But that doesn't make for a very twitter-ready conversation, does it? On this week's show Dexter Williams Jersey , we've asked our listeners which one person shoulders the most blame for the state of this year's Green Bay Packers: Mike McCarthy, Aaron Rodgers, Brian Gutekunst, or Ted Thompson. We also touch on the "galvanizing moment" narrative, discussing how Mike McCarthy's choice to punt the ball away at the end of last week's frustrating loss to the Seattle Seahawks felt like a willful eschewing of a potential momentum-grabbing moment.Oh yeah, and — funny enough — the Packers are still in the playoff conversation. We talk about that, too.Click here to access the episode at Art19.Quick programming note: while other pods may be taking the holiday off, we'll have a Vikings preview episode for you sometime later this week — stay tuned!Have ideas or questions? You can email the show at theAPCpodcast@gmail.com. For previous episodes, check out the show's archive over at Blog Talk Radio.Join the conversation on Twitter:the show: @theAPCPodAlex: @AlexPetakasZach: @ZachRapportBen: @BenFoldy
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts put starting defensive tackle
Al Woods on injured reserve Tuesday.The move comes two days after Woods left Indy's shutout over Dallas with a foot injury.Woods appeared in all 14 games this season and had 24 tackles Rock Ya-Sin Jersey , including one for loss. He could become a free agent in March. Woods, Margus Hunt and Denico Autry played key roles in a Colts' rotation that helped lead Indy to seven wins in eight games and jump back into playoff contention. Indy hosts the New York Giants on Sunday.Indy also put backup linebacker Skai Moore on injured reserve and added safety J.J. Wilcox to the active roster. Former Indiana University linebacker Tegray Scales was signed to the practice squad. INDIANAPOLIS 鈥?Adam Vinatieri is preparing for Sunday's game just like all the others.He figures if the same, simple routine helped him earn four Super Bowl rings, 226 victories and become the best clutch kicker in NFL history, it should be good enough to help him break the NFL's career scoring record.The 23-year veteran needs 10 points to break Morten Andersen's record (2,544) 鈥?though you wouldn't even know it from Vinatieri's unflappable demeanor. He's so focused on ending Indy's four-game losing streak, he hasn't bothered contemplating a celebration."I'm not an overly charismatic guy when it comes to certain things like that. I don't have a dance or a celebration or any of that stuff lined up," he said. "The crazy thing is it usually happens in the middle of a game and I try to stay super focused in, not wanting to be a distraction to team."So far, he's stuck to the plan.When he broke Andersen's career field goals mark in a Sept. 30 loss to Houston, Vinatieri's teammates looked more excited than the traditionally stoic kicker.And whenever the next record falls 鈥?against Buffalo (2-4) this weekend, next week at Oakland or sometime after Indy's bye on Nov. 4 鈥?those who know Vinatieri best say he's earned the right to do his own thing."We probably don't appreciate him enough," quarterback Andrew Luck said. "The most impressive thing is his approach, his humility, how he prepares. He's great. I certainly feel fortunate to play with him and it's one of the things I look forward to telling my kids and grandkids about."The Bills understand just how good Vinatieri has been through the years. For the first nine seasons of Vinatieri's career, Buffalo faced him twice a season as an AFC East rival. In fact T.Y. Hilton Jersey , two of Vinatieri's 27 game-winning field goals came against the Bills and his postseason prowess helped turn a young soccer player, Stephen Hauschka , into a fan of the Patriots, Vinatieri and kicking."His picture was in my dorm room, a signed photo of him kicking in the snow game and it's still in my parent's house in my old room," said Haushcka, Buffalo's kicker."I wasn't like one of those crazy fans, but I look up to the guy. I think anybody does and what he's been able to do. The fact that he's able to still do it in his mid-40s is really impressive."Andersen, who played high school football in Indy, has held the record since December 2006 and Vinatieri is the only other player to top the 2,500-point mark. Vinatieri also is the only player in league history to score 1,000 points with two different franchises.But now, with the league's oldest player at age 43, on the verge of history again, he doesn't want to make it about himself. He'd just rather help the Colts earn their 300th victory since moving from Baltimore to Indy in 1984."I just want to stay focused on football," Vinatieri said. "I don't want it to be a reason for a lull in momentum. I love the fact that guys are happy and excited Darius Leonard Color Rush Jersey , I love to be a part of that, too, I just don't have a bunch of good dance moves or any crazy stuff."QUARTERBACK CHANGEJosh Allen's sprained right elbow is a major setback for Buffalo. Coach Sean McDermott ruled out the rookie quarterback Wednesday and announced 35-year-old Derek Anderson will get the start one week after coming out of retirement.The truth is, McDermott didn't have many options. Backup Nathan Peterman has thrown four interceptions in less than four full quarters this season, including two in the final two minutes of last week's loss to Houston.BILLS REUNIONHall of Famers Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas are among a group of former Bills players expected to attend Sunday's game and they'll be watching a former teammate, Frank Reich, coach from the opposite sideline.It's the first time Reich will serve as a head coach against the team he once led to one of the greatest playoff comebacks in league history."It's a really close-knit group," Reich said, before responding to a question about the 32-point rally he engineered against Houston in January 1993. "It's crazy, it's so long ago. I know it's on television every now and then, but it's not something I talk about very much."DEFENSIVELY SPEAKINGThe Bills' defense has improved dramatically since allowing 75 points in the first six quarters of the season.Buffalo has forced two or more takeaways in each of its past four games while picking off five passes and recovering six fumbles. The red-zone defense also has limited opponents to four TDs and four field goals in the past nine drives inside the 20-yard line.WORKING MANLuck is 186 of 288 in six starts this season and leads the league in both categories. His 16 TD passes are second in the NFL and he's thrown at least one TD pass in 29 consecutive games 鈥?one short of tying Dan Marino, Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan for the eighth-longest streak in NFL history.But Luck also shares the league lead in another category, interceptions (eight).
It's been awhile since the NFL flexed a game to Sunday night.
Сообщение от: liny195 @ 21.6.2019, 9:56
The Bengals vs. Chiefs is a worthy choice.No games were moved from day to night last season http://www.thebillslockerroom.com/authenti...otulelei-jersey , except for the final weekend, when all games are scheduled for the afternoon until the league and NBC figure out what is most attractive for prime time. In 2016, there were three flexed games, including Week 17. Not counting that, the last flex was Bucs at Cowboys on Dec. 18, 2016.So switching a pair of first-place teams made sense: Cincinnati (4-2) is at Kansas City (5-1).Some of the juicy plot lines involve offense, hardly a surprise in this year of points, points and more points. Kansas City has the league's lowest-ranked defense and the Bengals rank 29th. Even worse, both are dealing with a slew of injuries on that side of the ball.So Patrick Mahomes throwing to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt could fill the screen. So might Andy Dalton connecting with A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd."Any time you want to be one of the great ones on the defense or you want your defense to have a statement-type game, you have to do it against the best offenses in the league," Cincinnati defensive end Carlos Dunlap said. "And right now, they're putting up those points like they're one of the best offenses in the league. So you've got to go out there and put it on 'em."There are some caveats to this matchup, however.Although the Bengals have won four straight in the series dating to Oct. 14, 2007, they are 3-15 on Sunday nights, losing eight straight. The Chiefs are 7-3 in games on Sunday nights.The weekend began with Denver's 45-10 victory at Arizona on Thursday nightEmmanuel Sanders threw and caught touchdown passes, Denver returned two interceptions for first-quarter touchdowns and the Broncos snapped a four-game losing streak.Todd Davis returned rookie Josh Rosen's deflected pass for a touchdown on the second play of the game and Chris Harris Jr. took another back 53 yards for a score with 2:02 left in the quarter as the Broncos (3-4) opened a 21-3 lead. Rosen threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball away twice on a rough night that began badly for him and never got better. The Cardinals (1-6), down 35-3 at the half, fell to 0-4 at home for the first time since 1979.Off this week are Seattle (3-3), Green Bay (3-2-1), Oakland (1-5) and Pittsburgh (3-2-1).New England (4-2) at Chicago (3-2)Seems like every week, the Patriots' opponent is battered by injuries to key players. No one is more key in Chicago than edge rusher Khalil Mack, who is battling an ankle problem.Just what Tom Brady needs against one of the five teams he's never lost to. Brady is 4-0 against the Bears; the others are Atlanta (5-0) Rafael Bush Jersey , Dallas (4-0), Minnesota (4-0) and Tampa Bay (4-0).While the Bears should be able to move the ball on New England, they'll likely need lots of points for a chance in this one.New Orleans (4-1) at Baltimore (4-2)Just like Patriots-Bears, this is one terrific offense against defense matchup. New Orleans ranks third in total offense and Baltimore is first on defense.Led by Drew Brees, who set the yards passing career mark in a rout of the Redskins before their bye the Saints have won four in a row. Nobody is more balanced with the ball now that RB Mark Ingram is back from suspension to team with dynamic Alvin Kamara. Brees, who is 0-4 vs. the Ravens, this year has a 78 percent completion rate for 1,658 yards with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.The Ravens had 11 sacks last week against Tennessee and a league-most 26 overall. They are allowing an NFL-low 12.8 points per game and the fewest yards per game (270.8). Baltimore has four of the NFL's past 14 shutouts since the start of the 2017 season.Carolina (3-2) at Philadelphia (3-3)An intriguing matchup of a solid running team in Carolina, led by Christian McCaffrey and QB Cam Newton, facing the second-stingiest rushing defense in a place where the Eagles are 17-4 under Doug Pederson.As for the air game, which seemingly everyone needs to succeed these days, Carolina is far too inconsistent.Meanwhile, Carson Wentz has thrown at least one TD in his past 19 games played, the longest streak in franchise history and second-longest active streak behind Andrew Luck (28). Wentz has thrown 133 consecutive passes without a pick. His longest streak is 135 passes.Tennessee (3-3) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) at LondonThe Titans were humiliated at home by Baltimore and should welcome the long trip overseas. Then again, they have lost 10 of the past 11 to the Chargers and bring a sputtering offense into Wembley.Although Tennessee has a solid D, it faces an in-synch offense. The Chargers are 13-5 since starting last season 0-4 and QB Philip Rivers leads the AFC and ranks second in the NFL with a 115.1 passer rating. He has 13 TD passes and four interceptions in seven games vs. the Titans.Houston (3-3) at Jacksonville (3-3)The other AFC South leaders.After beginning the season with three defeats, the Texans have turned it around, albeit all their wins have been tight affairs, two in overtime.Defensive end J.J. Watt , perhaps the NFL's best player when healthy, is back in form after missing most of the 2016 and '17 seasons with injuries. Watt has seven sacks and three forced fumbles in the past four games.The Jaguars have a solid defense, too, particularly against the pass Womens Marcus Murphy Jersey , where they ranked first in yards surrendered. But Jacksonville was outscored 70-21 in consecutive road losses, forcing coach Doug Marrone to return to training camp practices this week to emphasize fundamental football.Dallas (3-3) at Washington (3-2)Among pro sports' most intense rivalries, this will be a physical and possibly low-scoring affair given the strength of both defenses and imbalance of the offenses.Dallas, winless on the road, will try to run with Ezekiel Elliott, second in rushing yards with 586 and third in yards from scrimmage with 752. Washington will counter with Adrian Peterson, who averaged 108.5 yards rushing in the past two home games.Minnesota (3-2-1) at New York Jets (3-3)The Vikings have never won at the Jets, going 0-5. To break that slump, the main weapon could be WR Adam Thielen. He had 11 catches for 123 yards last week, joining Houston's Charley Hennigan (1961) as the only players in NFL history with 100 or more yards in each of his team's first six games to begin a season. Thielen leads the NFL with 58 catches, the most by a player in the first six games in league history, and 712 yards receiving.Guess what: New York's secondary is banged-up and porous.The Jets are seeking their first three-game winning streak since Weeks 3-5 of 2017.Los Angeles Rams (6-0) at San Francisco (1-5)Keeping the NFL's only perfect record shouldn't be too challenging for LA, which has the most dangerous offense around. RB Todd Gurley ran for a career-high 208 yards and two TDs last week. The Rams are averaging 32.7 points per game despite scoring TDs on only 56.7 percent of red-zone trips. Los Angeles also leads the NFL with 7.64 yards per play on first down.San Francisco blew a game at Green Bay last week and Niners QB C.J. Beathard is tied for the NFL worst with seven turnovers in the past three weeks since Jimmy Garoppolo tore up his knee. The Niners have an NFL-worst minus-11 turnover margin.New York Giants (1-5) at Atlanta (2-4), Monday nightMore injuries plagued the Falcons, who placed top running back Devonta Freeman on IR. No team has been more damaged by injuries in 2018, most of them coming on defense.That means Atlanta needs shootouts to have a chance most weeks, and QB Matt Ryan leads the NFL with 1,432 yards passing and a 128.2 rating since Week 3.He is tied for first with 12 TD passes in that span.New York's D is vulnerable and the offense is enigmatic ...
It's not known what Antonio
Сообщение от: laiyongcai92 @ 29.5.2019, 7:06
It's not known what Antonio Brown wants from a new team by way of an adjusted contract. It is known that Antonio Brown will be considering something other than money.Per a league source Marcus Mariota Jersey , quality of quarterback play will be a factor in Brown's assessment of whether he wants to play for a team to which he could be traded.Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Friday night that the Raiders, Titans, and Washington are the three teams that have shown the most interest in trading for Brown. Although it's tempting to characterize the Oakland-D.C. angle as a battle between Jon and Jay Gruden, only one Gruden (Jon) will be calling the shots as to how much is given to the Steelers and how much money is paid to Brown.The Steelers publicly acknowledged more than a week ago that three teams have shown interest in trading for Brown. This week, G.M. Kevin Colbert said that more than three teams have shown interest, but he declined to provide an updated number.Per Schefter, the Steelers want a first-round pick for Brown.But would Brown want to catch passes from Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota, or whoever the quarterback will be in Washington? Jay Gruden's receiver-friendly offense could be enticing to Brown, but none of the options in any of these three places will be a Ben Roethlisberger.As it relates to Ben's personality, Brown will like that. As it relates to Ben's throwing skills, all three options will result in a step down for Brown.However it plays out, Brown's interest in playing for a given team surely will be a factor in that team's interest in giving up whatever it takes to get him. Which will make it even harder for all parties involved to get what they want. Taking a look at who the Titans might be able to add when free agency opens next week."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Tennessee Titans PodcastTitans Free Agency PreviewNew,97commentsTaking a look at who the Titans might be able to add when free agency opens next week.CSTShareTweetShareShareTitans Free Agency PreviewChristopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY SportsWith the franchise tag window closed and the legal tampering window not yet open, now is the perfect time to take a realistic look at free agent options and do some window shopping for the Titans. Yes, we will still see some of these players agree to terms with their original teams between now and March 11th, but the vast majority of them are going to hit the market. The franchise tag cleared Robbie Gould (49ers), Jadeveon Clowney (Texans), Grady Jarrett (Falcons), Frank Clark (Seahawks), DeMarcus Lawrence (Cowboys), and Dee Ford (Chiefs) off the board which really shrinks the talent pool at one of the Titans biggest positions of need. Things went the opposite direction at another need position though as the Giants chose not to use the tag on safety Landon Collins while the Ravens shockingly released six time Pro Bowler Eric Weddle creating a glut of available talent in the back of the secondary.The Titans really have five glaring positions of need as things stand today: edge rusher, interior offensive line, wide receiver, safety, and defensive line (roughly in that order in my opinion). They will likely attempt to address most of those spots in some capacity in free agency so they can head into the draft with some flexibility.The Titans have approximately $45M in cap space to work with this offseason after cutting Johnathan Cyprien, but they will probably be leaving aside some money for a big contract extension that is due for Kevin as a high level starter. I would pass here if I was the Titans.The top two centers on the market both seem likely to get a chance to test free agency. Matt Paradis and Mitch Morse should get large contracts worth north of $8M per year given how desperate NFL teams are for offensive line help. Both players do come with some risk though. Paradis suffered a nasty broken fibula last November and while he should be ready for training camp, it remains to be seen if he will be the same player he was pre-injury. Morse doesn't have an injury that will carry over into the offseason, but he has struggled with injuries previously, playing in just 20 of a possible 35 games in 2017 and 2018 thanks primarily to foot and concussion issues. Both of those are alarming for an offensive lineman.At guard, Ramon Foster is the other premium asset that could be available. He's on the older side at 33, but he's still playing at a high level. Foster is from Tennessee, went to the University of Tennessee, and spends his offseasons in Nashville so it's not crazy to think that he might be an option to fill Quinton Spain's left guard spot. Foster isn't a perfect fit for the Titans outside zone heavy scheme — assuming Arthur Smith continues to lean on that run as a foundation as his predecessor did — but he is an outstanding pass blocker.Another guy to keep an eye on is Jamon Brown. The Titans put in a waiver claim for him when he was released mid-season by the Rams in 2018, but were behind the Giants in the claim order (h/t ExoticSmash for reminding me of that). At just 25 years old with 38 starts already under his belt, he could be an option at one of the guard spots. I would expect the Packers to be in the mix for Brown as well given LaFleur's experience with him in LA was likely what put the big guard on Jon Robinson's radar to begin with.Ultimately, the Titans might be best served to bring back Quinton Spain here unless they can coax Saffold out of LA or bring in a Jamon Brown for a reasonable contract. Spain has played pretty well and offers the Titans continuity which can help make the zone blocking scheme continue to click as it did late last season. Spain's market will be fascinating to watch. I expected him to draw a lot more interest as a restricted free agent with a first right of refusal tender last offseason, but that big multi-year offer never came. Will that be the case again this season or will a weak free agent class raise his value? The answer to that question may determine whether Spain remains a Titan.Wide ReceiverCurrent Titans Depth: Corey Davis (24), Taywan Taylor (24), Tajae Sharpe (24), Cameron Batson (23), Darius Jennings (26), Devin Ross (23), Roger Lewis (25), Kalif Raymond (24)Top Tier: Golden Tate (30), Jamison Crowder (25), Adam Humphries (25), Tyrell Williams (27)Mid Tier: John Brown (28), Devin Funchess (24), Randall Cobb (28), Chris Hogan (30), Jermaine Kearse (29)Possible Bargains: Pierre Garcon (32), Dontrelle Inman (30), Breshad Perriman (25), Donte Moncrief (25), Cole Beasley (29)Like edge rusher, the Titans really could use some veteran help in the receiver room in 2019. Rishard Matthews was supposed to be that guy Ryan Tannehill Jersey , but we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, the free agent crop at this position is less than inspiring and if you look at some of the contracts that were doled out to pass catchers last offseason, I would expect to have to dramatically overpay to land one of the players in the top tier. That is likely at least part of the reason that Jon Robinson has reportedly been sniffing around Antonio Brown the last couple weeks. Tate is pretty clearly the prize of this class and with his Nashville roots will lead to some easy-to-connect dots with the Titans. Obviously, this would be a great addition for Tennessee, but I'm not sure it makes sense from Tate's end of things. He will have plenty of options in the market and almost all of them will be with more explosive passing offenses.That factor will come into play with Tate, but other, less accomplished receivers may see the Titans as an opportunity to be higher on the target pecking order than they would be in other destinations. My favorite options out of the receiver group are Crowder, Humphries, Cobb, and Beasley in that order. Tennessee could really use a reliable slot receiver that would operate in the middle of the field ...
Buccaneers quarterback Jameis
Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is clearly relieved to see Bruce Arians walk in the door.Not only has Arians helped all the quarterbacks he's been around http://www.buccaneerslockerroom.com/authen...n-jensen-jersey , but he's also removed the week-to-week doubt about who is starting, making it clear that the team belongs to Winston.That's good news to Winston, after a season he best described as "odd.""I really just have to get back to playing Jameis Winston football, man," Winston said, via Rick Stroud of the . "That season, it was a very odd season. I really wish I could've been in the locker room the first three weeks with the team because we started off so fast and to miss those opportunities to be in the locker room with your family and experience that Bryan Anger Jersey White , you know, that momentum that we had, it's a loss. It's really a loss."So that kind of made the year very odd. The back and forth with the quarterback situation made the year even odder. Getting benched, it was an odd year. The good thing about that is it's over. I can build off that and head into this New Year with a fresh start and definitely hopes for better results this season."Of course, it was Winston's own fault it started strangely, as his suspension for his incident with a female Uber driver led to his first absence. His turnovers led to the second one, but he was much better late in the year Kendell Beckwith Jersey White , with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions and a 97.7 passer rating over the last six games.Now he has to carry that over with a new coach."Just like myself, we're all excited to have B.A. and we know he's going to bring a lot of great things to the team along with his coaching staff," Winston said. "But as players, we got to go out there and play our best football."We definitely have the pieces to win. You saw that when the two teams we beat [the Saints and Eagles] were playing each other in the playoffs [Sunday] night. We definitely got the pieces to win here and we will win."If they do it will be historic, since the Buccaneers haven't been to the playoffs since 2007, when Winston was in middle school. The Buccaneers were linked to Matt Bryant shortly after he was released by the Falcons this week, but the kicker they signed on Thursday doesn't have any National Football League experience.Phillip Andersen does have experience in the German Football League Brent Grimes Jersey White , however. Andersen most recently kicked for the Berlin Rebels and caught the eye of the Bucs while taking part in former Bucs kicker Michael Husted's camp in Mobile during Senior Bowl week.Andersen is Danish and has spent time with three teams in the Danish American Football Federation in addition to his time in the GFL. He had a workout with the Buccaneers after taking part in Husted's camp and showed enough to get a contract.That leaves him as the only kicker under contract for 2019 as Cairo Santos is set to become a free agent after replacing Chandler Catanzaro during the season. Whether it is Bryant or someone else, Andersen will have company on the depth chart soon enough and that company will likely have the inside track on the job.Given how many kickers the Bucs have run through without finding a reliable option over the last decade, however, you can't blame them from looking everywhere they can for a potential solution.
The Niners continue to make
The Niners continue to make roster moves as camp gets closer"The San Francisco 49ers today announced they have signed offensive lineman Wesley Johnson to a one-year deal and waived tight end Marcus Lucas.Wesley Johnson (6-5 Deion Sanders Jersey , 309) was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round (173rd overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. Throughout his five years with the Steelers (2014), New York Jets (2014-17) and Miami Dolphins (2018), he appeared in 51 games (24 starts) along the offensive line. In 2018, he signed with the Detroit Lions on March 29, 2018 and was later released by the team on September 1, 2018. He then signed with the Dolphins on October 3, 2018 and appeared in 10 games. A 28-year-old native of Nashville, TN, Johnson attended Vanderbilt University where he started 51 games along the offensive line. As a senior in 2013, he started all 13 games at left tackle and earned Second-Team All-SEC honors.The 49ers have now added six OL since re-signing Mike Person this offseason. Johnson should help fill in for injured Weston Richburg, who isn't expected to be able to fully participate until training camp in July.As for Lucas, he originally joined the 49ers after signing to the team's practice squad on December 11, 2018 where he spent the remainder of the season. He later signed a Reserve/Future contract with San Francisco on January 2, 2019.Robert Saleh offers comments on Jullian Taylor, Pita Taumoepenu The San Francisco 49ers defense has dealt with inconsistencies through the first quarter of the season. The unit is trying to get on track, and while we do see some positives, questions remain for a group that will need to step up further following the loss of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.The defense is struggling in different areas DeForest Buckner Jersey , and that has brought up questions as to potential personnel changes. Most notably, people are wondering if rookie defensive lineman Jullian Taylor will get an opportunity.Taylor has been inactive for the first four games of the season. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh met with the media on Thursday, and he was asked how Taylor is progressing.Taylor had some big moments in the preseason. In the opener against Dallas, he started in place of an injured Arik Armstead, and got work at both the LEO and strong end positions, but primarily at LEO. He had a sack, two quarterback hits, and three run stops.He was relatively quiet in the second and third preseason games, accumulating a quarterback hurry and an assist on a tackle. In the preseason finale, he had a sack and two quarterback hurries, along with one run stop.While Taylor impressed, I would be surprised to see him get an opportunity unless one of the defensive linemen gets hurt. At some point it might be worth some re-shuffling, but there are likely too many bodies ahead of him.Saleh got the same question about practice squad linebacker Pita Taumoepenu, and specifically whether or not he might get promoted at some point.Taumoepenu got work at the SAM linebacker and LEO edge rusher positions. He finished the preseason with six quarterback hurries and five run stops. He was part of final roster cuts before signing to the practice squad. With the move of Malcolm Smith to the SAM position and Taylor still a potential LEO option, I don't expect Pita T to be promoted short of an injury to a current roster member.
About a month after firing
About a month after firing Mike McCarthy Steve Largent Jersey , the Green Bay Packers have reportedly found a new head coach to run the ship and try to right the offense with Aaron Rodgers: former LA Rams and Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. At 39, LaFleur joins former boss Sean McVay as one of the few under-40 head coaches in the league and he's the first new hire of 2019.LaFleur's first NFL job came in 2008 as an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans where he worked under head coach Gary Kubiak and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. He then followed Shanahan to Washington in 2010 where he worked as quarterbacks coach, which is when he first worked with McVay, the tight ends coach. He spent four years at that position, which meant he was a key part of the development of 2012 offensive rookie of the year Robert Griffin III, but when the Shanahan's were fired after the 2013 season, he took a job under Brian Kelly at Notre Dame. In 2015, Shanahan became offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and again LaFleur was his QB coach, next helping Matt Ryan win MVP in 2016.After McVay became head coach for the Rams in 2017, LaFleur was his OC hire and he helped develop Jared Goff and the rest of the offense into viable scoring weapons one year after they finished last in points. The same could not be said about Marcus Mariota and the Titans in 2018, where LaFleur was coaching last season, as they were 27th in points and had just 16 passing touchdowns, but clearly there is a talent drop-off from LA to Tennessee.LaFleur should have a lot to work with in Green Bay, including Rodgers, Davante Adams, Jimmy Graham, Aaron Jones, and a fair bit of young talent recently invested in at the receiver position. The Seahawks beat the Packers 27-24 in 2018, essentially killing their playoff hopes at the time and McCarthy was fired sooner after. The two teams will not meet in the 2019 regular season, but Green Bay is obviously a foe of note and the NFC could see the Packers return to competitive play very soon if LaFleur turns out to be anything like his mentor in McVay. Free agency is just weeks away, and as of today teams are now able to apply the franchise tag to players who are set to become free agents next month. With that being the case, it's a good time to..."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections VideosCoffee and CigarettesGame AnalysisThe Numbers GameCigar ThoughtsThe OffseasonCap Classroom2019 NFL Free Agency NewsSalary Cap 101: The basics of salary and signing bonusesNew,11commentsPSTShareTweetShareShareSalary Cap 101: The basics of salary and signing bonusesJoe Nicholson-USA TODAY SportsFree agency is just weeks away, and as of today teams are now able to apply the franchise tag to players who are set to become free agents next month. With that being the case, it's a good time to go through a series looking at the salary cap in the NFL and how cap hits are computed so that when reports of huge contract numbers start rolling in for players, fans have a better understanding of exactly what they mean and what specifically to look for. Much of the information presented in this series will be nothing new for many readers, as this series is intended more to serve as an introduction to the basics of the salary cap for those who may not be as familiar with its machinations and how cap hits are figured. In any case, jumping right in, we'll get to the two main pieces that make up the cap hit for the majority of players, base salary and signing bonus. There are certainly several other parts of compensation that can make up a player's earnings, those are topics for later in the week. Base salary is just like it sounds, as it's the money a player makes while they are in what's called a "full pay status". Full pay status can mean a variety of things, including on the 53-man roster or on the Physically Unable to Perform list. In short, a player on this list will earn a portion of their annual base salary for each game for which they are in a full pay status. Alternatively, in the case of a bye week, the player will earn a portion of their base salary for having been on the roster during the bye. The calculations for base salary are very simple: a player gets 1/17th of their base salary for each week they are in full pay status. For an extremely simple example of the math behind this, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is set to have a $17,000,000 base salary in 2019, and thus for each week that he is in full pay status he will earn $1,000,000. The math is similarly easy for a player like Barkevious Mingo, who is scheduled to have a base salary of $3,400,000 in 2019. That salary divided by 17 means that Mingo earns $200,000 for each game for which he is on the roster. It's a fairly simple system, and a fairly easy way to understand things. Now, one thing I am often asked about is whether or not players who are placed on injured reserve are on full pay status, and the answer to that question is technically no. While many players who find themselves on injured reserve, especially high priced veterans such as Earl Thomas in 2018 or Kam Chancellor, Cliff Avril or Richard Sherman in 2017, continue to earn their full salary, that is not the case for everyone. For a perfect example of this, 2018 fifth round draft pick of the Seahawks Jamarco Jones spent the entirety of the 2018 season on injured reserve. Because Jones was a day three draft pick, he did not carry any leverage into his negotiations with the team. Thus, his contract contained a clause that should he wind up on injured reserve, that his base salary would be reduced. This is reflected on his page on OverTheCap.com, where his 2018 cap number is listed as $424,251. Now, in 2018 the minimum salary for a rookie player was $480,000, so how could Jones have a cap hit lower than that? It's because as a result of that noted language that reduces his base salary in the event of an injury which lands him on IR. In Jones' case, it's fairly easy to compute the salary reduction. Based on his 2018 cap hit of $424 Cortez Kennedy Jersey ,251, we can deduct the $61,251 attributable to his signing bonus, which yields $363,000. Thus, we know that as a result of having landed on injured reserve, Jones had his base salary reduced from the $480,000 he was scheduled to make to $363,000. The same was true for offensive lineman George Fant in 2017 while he was rehabbing his injured knee, as well as for many other players across the NFL. As shown, it's not too difficult to figure the reduction in such a case, as the math is fairly simple. It gets a tiny bit more complicated when computing the reduction for a player who spends part of the year in full pay status and then the remainder of the year on reduced pay status, such as Chris Carson or Rees Odhiambo in 2017, however, it's not all that complicated. For those interested in the formula to compute that, it is (Cap hit-signing bonus proration) = (games in full pay status X (original base salary / 17)) + (games in reduced pay status X (reduced base salary / 17)).In any case, the key portion of that equation is the signing bonus proration, as that brings us to the next important piece of the puzzle, which is how signing bonuses count against the salary cap. While base salary counts against the cap in the year in which it was earned, signing bonuses are different in that they are earned all at once, but then amortized over a portion, or all of, the life of the contract. There are a lot of rules regarding the proration of a signing bonus for recognition against the cap, however, the basic rules are as follows:The signing bonus will be recognized in equal parts over multiple years of the contract, with the portion of the bonus recognized in each year of the contract equal to the amount of the signing bonus divided by the number ...
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jhoulys Chacin had some extra motivation.
Mike Moustakas hit a two-run double Whitey Herzog Jersey , giving Chacin all the runs he needed to beat St. Louis for the first time in his career with the Milwaukee Brewers' 2-1 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday."I can die now," Chacin joked to reporters.Milwaukee (69-57) snapped a three-game losing streak and moved back ahead of St. Louis (68-57) for the second National League wild card. The Cardinals lost for just the second time in their last 12 games."We talk about racking up wins and banking wins and we banked a win today and got a great pitching performance," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "I thought we swung the bats pretty good. It's a good win. That's a team that's right in the thick of things and going to be there for the rest of the year."Chacin (13-4) entered the game 0-7 with a 6.90 ERA in nine career games, including eight starts, against the Cardinals, but shut them out through six innings as the Brewers avoided their first three-game sweep at St. Louis since July 1-3, 2016."This might be the biggest game of the season for me," Chacin said. "The Cardinals have always been tough on me and this year it was an obsession."Chacin has won his last three starts and has given up three runs in his last 19 innings. The Brewers improved to 19-8 in his starts this season."I thought he kept them off balance, his slider was again good and his fastball," Counsell said. "He threw fastballs and it was good sequencing."Jeremy Jeffress gave up a run in two innings of relief and Josh Hader pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 10th save in 13 opportunities for the Brewers.Moustaskas hammered an 0-2 pitch down the first-base line to score Orlando Arcia and Lorenzo Cain, giving the Brewers a 2-0 lead in the third. Arcia and Cain each stole a base to help get them into scoring position ahead of Moustaskas."We always talk about little things and being able to vary our times and our holds and being quick to the plate is important, something that we've done really really well all year," Cardinals interim manager Mike Shildt said of Cain's steal. "The reality is the guy's an accomplished base stealer as well. It was a big play."John Gant (5-5) gave up two runs on six hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. Gant has failed to make it past 4 1/3 innings in three of his last four starts."It was just one of those days," Gant said. "I never really found a good, solid groove."Brett Cecil pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth, Tyson Ross followed with three scoreless innings and Mike Mayers added another as Cardinals relievers combined for 4 2/3 shutout innings.Patrick Wisdom hit his first career home run 414 feet into the bleachers in left-center to lead off the eighth for St. Louis.The Brewers had lost six of their last eight heading into the game."It was a really good day for me and for the team http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/au...ll-ozuna-jersey ," Chacin said. "I think anything is possible for me and for the team. We win on Sunday, a day game and finally beat the Cardinals. It couldn't get better. From this day I hope we keep rolling."IRONMANYadier Molina started his 27th straight game, a major league record for catchers 35 years or older.TRAINING ROOMMilwaukee: C Manny Pina (left shoulder) missed his third straight game and is day-to-day.Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong (bruised elbow) pinch hit and flew out after being taken out of Saturday night's game. RHP Carlos Martinez (right shoulder strain) and IF Yairo Munoz (right wrist sprain) were scheduled to play Sunday at Double-A Springfield and could join the team in Los Angeles.UP NEXTMilwaukee: RHP Chase Anderson (7-7, 3.97 ERA) will start a three-game series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds and RHP Homer Bailey (1-10, 6.33 ERA) on Monday night. Anderson is 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA in nine career starts against the Reds.Cardinals: LHP Austin Gomber (3-0, 2.89 ERA) will kick off a six-game road trip Monday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers and LHP Alex Wood (7-7, 3.51 ERA). Gomber has won his last two starts and has an 11-inning scoreless streak. The Dodgers rallied for five runs in the final two innings, giving them a 10-5 victory and secured a postseason berth."Through seven innings, the theme of the game was the same as it had been all season. Unable to hit with runners in scoring position. As the Dodgers headed into the eighth, they had stranded 11 runners on base. With two outs, and a runner on third, it appeared as if the Dodgers were prepared to strand their 12th. Manny Machado had other ideas. On a 2-2 pitch, Machado hit a triple off the right field wall, giving LA a 6-5 lead. A four-run ninth would give the Dodgers the 10-6 victory. With Saturday's win over the Giants, the Dodgers have clinched themselves a postseason berth. It's yet to be determined who they'll be playing, or when. LA moves to 1鈦? a game behind the Rockies Orlando Cepeda Jersey , who play the Nationals tonight. A loss by Colorado would move LA into a tie for first place with one game remaining. All it took was five pitches for the Dodgers to take the lead. Joc Pederson led the game off with a home run, his eighth leadoff homer of the year, setting a Dodgers franchise record. The second inning was much like the first, as Yasiel Puig led off with a homer of his own, his 23rd of the season. Singles from Nick Hundley and Gorkys Hernandez would get the Giants on the board in the bottom of the second. They would add two more in the third on three hits, giving San Francisco a 3-2 lead. The Dodgers answered back with a three-run fourth inning. A walk from Puig and a single from Yasmani Grandal put two runners on. Kike Hernandez tied the game on an RBI double. Clayton Kershaw then helped his cause, bringing in two with a single. Kershaw would allow two runs in the fifth, tying the game at five. For Kershaw, he had been historically great at AT&T Park. Today, he just simply didn't have it. His final start of the year was the worst start at AT&T Park in his major-league career. In five innings, Kershaw allowed five runs on eight hits. LA had countless opportunities to add more runs. They had runners on the corners with no outs in the sixth, but were unable to capitalize. In the seventh, they put three consecutive runners on base with two outs to load the bases. David Freese stepped up to the plate, and lined out to second, ending the inning. Chris Taylor led off the eighth with a single. The next two batters got out, bringing up Manny Machado. Though Machado's numbers with LA have been good Keith Hernandez Jersey , he had yet to have that one memorable at-bat. He saved it for the perfect time. On a 1-2 pitch, Manny hit a 92-mph fastball to right, scoring Taylor and giving LA a 6-5 lead. The Dodgers added more insurance runs in the ninth, all coming with two outs. Back-to-back singles from Hernandez and Kemp would put two on for Taylor. A single from Taylor would bring in one, giving LA a 7-5 lead. After an intentional walk to Justin Turner, the bases were loaded for Max Muncy. On a 2-2 count, Muncy blooped one into no-mans land, doubling in two more runs, and opening the game wide open, giving the Dodgers a comfortable 9-5 lead. An infield single from Cody Bellinger would give the Dodgers their 10th run of the day. Up NextIt's still unclear who the Dodgers will start tomorrow, as either Walker Buehler or Rich Hill have been discussed, depending on the situation. Saturday ParticularsHome Runs: Joc Pederson (23) Yasiel Puig (25)WP: Alex Wood (9-7) 1 1鈦? IP, 2 SO, 0 H LP: Mark Melancon (1-4) 1 IP, 1 ER
Rob Carr/Getty ImagesAs pitchers and catchers
are set to report to camp within the next week http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authent...vid-ross-jersey , Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are among the free agents still unsigned this MLB offseason.A big reason why those prized free agents have yet to sign on the dotted line could be their asking price.The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported on Friday that both Harper and Machado are seeking $300 million deals, and both players (or perhaps their respective agents) are waiting for the other to sign to set the market.Rosenthal noted that clubs are also willing to wait for the market to play itself out. It's said Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf would rather other teams engage in a bidding war and then decide if his team will join in once the numbers become clearer.Both Harper and Machado have long been expected to challenge Giancarlo Stanton's record $325 million c somewhere in that seven-year, eight-year range for $220 million."ESPN'sBuster Olneyreported in January that the White Sox had offered Machado a seven-year, $175 million deal. Machado's agent, Dan Lozano,vehemently shotthat report down.Harper hit .249/.393/.496 with 34 home runs, 34 doubles and 100 RBI in 2018, ending his contract year on a high note by hitting.300 after the All-Star break.The 26-year-old has earned no shortage of accolades throughout his career:six All-Star selections, 2012 NL Rookie of the Year, 2015 NL MVP, 2015 NL Silver Slugger and 2018 Home Run Derby title.Meanwhile, Machado hit .297/.367/.538 with 37 home runs, 35 doubles http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authent...vid-ross-jersey , three triples and 107 RBI in 162 games between theBaltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Dodgers last year. After establishing himself among the best defensive third basemen in baseball with a pair of Gold Gloves, he moved over to shortstop full-time last season.His questionable postseason antics and "Johnny Hustle" comments have seemingly hurt his value as teams are wary of signing him to a long-term deal.Despite their impressive resumes, neither has appeared close to signing at any point so far this offseason. But with spring training right around corner, the action could soon heat up.The White Sox, the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres are among the teams to show interest in both stars, while the San Francisco Giants reportedly joined the Harper sweepstakes this past week.Perhaps the Phillies' acquisition of star catcher J.T. Realmuto on Thursday could lead them to be more aggressive in their self-proclaimed "stupid money" spending.Jon Paul Morosiof MLB.com cautioned, though, that the Realmuto trade does not mean a Harper or Machado signing is imminent. But as Morosi pointed out, Philadelphia made itself a more attractive destination by adding an All-Star to its roster this week. As you guys probably remember, I have had two articles related to Realmuto in the past. Both my first ever Fanpost and a recent article analyzing the potential trade for him this off-season...."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Houston Astros NewsGame ThreadsHouston Astros Minor LeaguesAstros Game DayPodcastsWilson Ramos: Potential Astros FA Catcher Signing? New,40commentsByBrian Cohn (HH)Nov 16, 2018,6:02am CSTShareTweetShareShareWilson Ramos: Potential Astros FA Catcher Signing? As you guys probably remember, I have had two articles related to Realmuto in the past. Both my first ever Fanpost and a recent article analyzing the potential trade for him this off-season. Realmuto is the dream, he immediately gets added as a core player at one of the toughest positions in baseball. But realistically Carlos Zambrano Jersey , there will be a sky high cost for him. So I took a look at the other potential players who could fill our needs at Catcher, and while I think Grandal is the favorite on the boards, I believe Ramos is the most likely for the Astros. Simply since he does not have any prospect cost associated with him. So who is Wilson Ramos? Affectionately known as the Buffalo, the 6'1, 245 lb Catcher hails from Venezuela, and thus was not exposed to the normal draft, signing as an international Free Agent back in 2006 at the age of 18. Ramos crushed the minors, but truly solidifying himself as a prospect in 2009 when he hit .324/.368/.537 in AA. In his first full year, 2011, Wilson came out strong, hitting .267/.334/.445 for an OPS+ of 113 across 113 games. Ultimately leading him to come in 4th in the Rookie of the Year Race.Now a two time All Star,I believe most would agree that Ramos is one of the top offensive catchers in baseball. Defensively, Ramos is a solid contributor, but it's not the aspect of his game that drives his value. He had a slightly above average CS rate, and generally ranks about average across the board for his defensive statistics. This is a far cry from the Maldonado approach the Astros took last year (though Ramos only had 8 past balls in 794 innings)On the speed perspective Mark Grace Jersey , Ramos is much more of your standard catcher, especially with knee injuries coming in at a turtle-esque speed of 22.8 feet per second. Projections: Currently Depth Charts has the following line as their projection:.270/.320/.451 across 114 games, with 19 HR, totaling a WAR of 2.8Comparatively, this was the Astros combined triple slash last year:.221/.295/.370 for a total of 1.7 WARA significant offensive upgrade from the McCann/Stassi/Maldonado combo offensively.Steve Nesius / AP PhotoWhy wouldn't we sign him?While Ramos isn't young (31), he's not too old to be viable for a contract that he could live up to, truthfully, it all comes down to health as Ramos has had a torrid past related to injuries.Last year, Ramos was relatively healthy only suffering from a pulled hamstring, but his past is a disturbing one including a torn ACL in 2016, numerous hamstring strains, torn ligament in his knee, and fractured left hand. What would it take? Instead of my speculation, I am going to quote MLBTradeRumors – who even predicted us as Ramos' destination. From MLBTR's top 50 Free Agents with Predictions:"15. Wilson Ramos – Astros. Three Years. 36MM""With just a week left in a break out 2016 contract season, Ramos tore his right ACL – the same one he tore four years prior. Dreams of a monster four or five-year deal evaporated http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authent...vid-ross-jersey , and Ramos took a two-year, $12.5 MM guarantee with the Rays. He rounded back into form this year, catching nearly 800 innings for the Rays and Phillies and leading all backstops with a 131 wRC+. The 31-year-old seems primed for a solid three-year deal, perhaps with a team that can give his knees a break with some time at the designated hitter. The Astros, Red Sox, Athletics, Angels, Rockies or Dodgers could work, as could a return to D.C. SummaryWhile The Buffalo has health risks, and some age concerns, he would provide a solid above average, potential All-Star behind the plate for a minimal cost. I do believe that both Grandal and Realmuto are better players with higher upside, but the financial/prospect cost doesn't seem to justify the difference in ability. I will do a look in at Grandal as well. Plus he likes to dance - looks like he'd fit right in with the Astros: Let us know, would you be happy if the Astros signed Ramos?


text:
Atenció a l'Aturada Cardiorespiratòria (ACR) i ús de DEA
Referències bibliogràfiques
Rosell-Ortiz F, Escalada-Roig X, Fernandez Del Valle P, Sanchez-Santos L,Navalpotro-Pascual JM, Echarri-Sucunza A, et al. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest(OHCA) attended by mobile emergency teams with a physician on board. Results of the Spanish OHCA Registry (OSHCAR). Resuscitation 2016;113:90–5.
Girotra S, van Diepen S, Nallamothu BK, et al. Regional Variation in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survival in the United States. Circulation 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.018175.26.
García del Águila J, López-Messa J, Rosell-Ortiz F, et al. Recommendations indispatcher-assisted bystander resuscitation from emergency call center. Med Intensiva 2015;39:298–302, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.medin.2015.02.005.
Finn Lund Henriksen, Henrik Schakow, MogensLytken Larsen. The langeland AED project—FirstAED—Incorporates emergency dispatch, GPS technology, first responders with distinct roles, smartphones and an AED network. Resuscitation 84S (2013) S8–S98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2013.08.066.
Finn Lund Henriksen et al. FirstAED emergency dispatch, global positioning of community first responders with distinct roles – a solution to reduce the response times and ensuring an AED to early defibrillation in the rural area Langeland. Int. J. Networking and Virtual Organisations 2016;16(1):86-102.
Boland LL et al. Minnesota Heart Safe Communities: Are community-based initiatives increasing pre-ambulance CPR and AED use? Resuscitation. 2017 Oct;119:33-36. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2017.07.031.
Malta Hansen C et al. Association of Bystander and First-Responder Intervention With Survival After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in North Carolina, 2010-2013. JAMA. 2015 Jul 21;314(3):255-64. doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.7938.
Hansen CM, Kragholm K, Granger CB, Pearson DA, Tyson C, Monk L, Corbett C, Nelson RD, Dupre ME, Fosbøl EL, et al. The role of bystanders, first responders, and emergency medical service providers in timely defibrillation and related outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: Results from a statewide registry. Resuscitation. 2015 Nov; 96:303-9.
Huang Y, He Q, Yang LJ, Liu GJ, Jones A. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) plus delayed defibrillation versus immediate defibrillation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Sep 12; (9). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2015.7938.
Nichol G, Kim F. Bystander Interventions Can Improve Outcomes From Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest. JAMA. 2015 Jul 21;314(3):231-2. doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.7519.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
You are here: Home > Business > Markets
US Fed to keep low interest rates
0 Comment(s) Print E-mail China.org.cn, January 26, 2012
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke attends a press conference after a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Jan. 25, 2012. [Xinhua/Zhang Jun]
The U.S. will keep the exceptionally low levels for the key interest rate at least through late 2014 to boost economic recovery, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve Wednesday.
A statement released from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) said the U.S. economy has been "expanding moderately," noting that the unemployment rate remains high, growth in business fixed investment has slowed, and the housing market remains depressed.
The Fed's policy board expects to maintain a "highly accommodative stance" for monetary policy to support a stronger economic recovery. It notices that inflation has been subdued in recent months, and longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable.
The Fed "currently anticipates that economic conditions -- including low rates of resource utilization and a subdued outlook for inflation over the medium run -- are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through late 2014," said the FOMC statement.
The latest announcement extended the time frame for the ultra- low key interest rate by about 18 months. The Fed said last summer that the rate would not be raised from its current range of 0-0.25 percent before mid-2013. It slashed the overnight federal funds rate to near zero in late 2008 to stimulate economic growth as the financial crisis intensified.
The U.S. central bank also decided to continue its program to extend the average maturity of its holdings of securities as announced in September.
The U.S. economy has shown signs of improvement recently, especially in the labor market where the unemployment rate dropped to 8.5 percent last month. Homebuilders confidence also rose, according to data released last week.
The Fed stressed the "significant downside risks," and cautioned that economic growth over coming quarters would be " modest" and the unemployment rate would decline only gradually toward the desired levels.
In its latest quarterly economic forecast released after the statement, the Fed predicted the U.S. economy would expand by 2.2 percent to 2.7 percent in 2012, down from its November estimate of 2.5 to 2.9 percent.
U.S. stocks rally on Wednesday
U.S. stocks fall on bleak earnings, European worries


text:
Q: how to use the optimised cutoff point to improve the predictive model in R? I am a bit confuse of how to use a cut-off score to improve a precision of my predictive model.
here is a sample of data:
I have a dataset (matrix) which looks like:
> data_test
                1         2         3         4         5        6
KRT6B    0.807688  1.097187 -0.390313  0.644938 -0.187188 1.200688
CXCL1    0.255250 -0.134917  1.886083  0.433417  0.267583 0.996583
S100A8  -1.694800  0.012900 -0.314800 -0.368600 -0.750100 2.864700
S100A7  -0.417500  0.989000 -0.887000 -0.914500 -0.909000 4.485000
HORMAD1 -0.124750 -0.304083 -0.911050  5.426917  0.042250 6.490917
CLCA2    4.243417  0.032583 -1.750917 -1.551250  1.249917 1.494417

the colnames are samples and rownames are Genes.
so to find a cut-off point I generate a score for the cut-offs by adding up the expression of each column and assign it to predictor:
predictor <- colSums(data_test)

> predictor
        1         2         3         4         5         6
 3.069305  1.692670 -2.367997  3.670922 -0.286538 17.532305

and the response for it:
> response
[1] norm high norm low  norm high
Levels: high norm low

I used pROC package to generate a ROC curve and find the optimised cut-off (with youden index value/ J statistic):
library(pROC)
rocobj <- roc(response,predictor)
cutpoint <- coords(rocobj,x='best',input='threshold',best.method = 'youden')

 threshold specificity sensitivity
 0.7030660   1.0000000   0.6666667

So, now I have my optimised cut-off point but I cannot understand how can I use this optimised cut-off (sort of a score!) to improve the precision of my predictive model.
In several papers they've used this approach and at the end they've shown that the similarity level of the predictive model has been improved by using the new cut-off point. I tried to understand but I am stock here cause I don't get it! (I mean the next step!). They didn't mention how they checked the similarity or how they implement the new cut-off point in my case the score to improve their method.
Could someone give me a good explanation for the next step?
Thanks in advance and sorry for my messy explanation.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Our PTA work very hard to raise funds to support our students. They have regular exciting events scheduled which aim to raise money but their focus is also to get everyone involved in school life and to have a great time whilst doing it.
This page will be updated regularly to keep you informed about our upcoming events.


Do You Know Your Risk of Flooding? | The Voss Law Firm, P.C.
As we have recently witnessed, Hurricane Irene flooded many properties – not only on the coast but inland. Because of this disaster, many homeowners want to know if their homes are at risk for flooding in future storms. Residents of flood-prone properties are typically notified when they purchase the house that they live in a flood zone and are required to get flood insurance; however, there were other properties flooded during Hurricane Irene that were not expected to be.
According to FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), 90 percent of all natural disasters in the U.S. involve flooding. Because of such astonishing figures, it is a good idea to determine your risk of flooding so you know if you should have flood insurance coverage.
Remember, flood damage is not covered by standard homeowner's insurance policies, but needs to be purchased from private insurance companies or the NFIP. However, some types of water damage are covered under standard homeowner's policies that include wind-driven rain, burst pipes, and sometimes drain and sewer backups.
To determine if your home could be flooded, look to see if you live in an area that has had flood-related erosion. This is typically caused by heavy rains, prolonged rains, snowmelt, levee or dam failure, or blocked storm drainage systems. Additionally, it is a good idea to talk with your insurance agent to find out about flood insurance.
Do not wait until the next storm is approaching to get flood insurance. In order to be covered for the next tropical storm or hurricane that could result in a flood, remember that there is a 30-day waiting period before your flood insurance goes into effect.
You can talk with a knowledgeable Texas insurance claim attorney at the Voss Law Firm at 888-614-7730 to review your insurance policy or to talk about your insurance damage claim in a free, no-obligation consultation.


text:
Q: Matplotlib: updating multiple scatter plots in a loop I have two data sets that I would like to produce scatterplots for, with different colors.
Following the advice in MatPlotLib: Multiple datasets on the same scatter plot
I managed to plot them. However, I would like to be able to update the scatter plots inside of a loop that will affect both sets of data. I looked at the matplotlib animation package but it doesn't seem to fit the bill.
I cannot get the plot to update from within a loop.
The structure of the code looks like this:
    fig = plt.figure()
    ax1 = fig.add_subplot(111)
    for g in range(gen):
      # some simulation work that affects the data sets
      peng_x, peng_y, bear_x, bear_y = generate_plot(population)
      ax1.scatter(peng_x, peng_y, color = 'green')
      ax1.scatter(bear_x, bear_y, color = 'red')
      # this doesn't refresh the plots

Where generate_plot() extracts the relevant plotting information (x,y) coords from a numpy array with additional info and assigns them to the correct data set so they can be colored differently.
I've tried clearing and redrawing but I can't seem to get it to work.
Edit: Slight clarification. What I'm looking to do basically is to animate two scatter plots on the same plot.

A: Here's a code that might fit your description:
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.animation import FuncAnimation

# Create new Figure and an Axes which fills it.
fig = plt.figure(figsize=(7, 7))
ax = fig.add_axes([0, 0, 1, 1], frameon=False)
ax.set_xlim(-1, 1), ax.set_xticks([])
ax.set_ylim(-1, 1), ax.set_yticks([])

# Create data
ndata = 50

data = np.zeros(ndata, dtype=[('peng', float, 2), ('bear',    float, 2)])

# Initialize the position of data
data['peng'] = np.random.randn(ndata, 2)
data['bear'] = np.random.randn(ndata, 2)

# Construct the scatter which we will update during animation
scat1 = ax.scatter(data['peng'][:, 0], data['peng'][:, 1], color='green')
scat2 = ax.scatter(data['bear'][:, 0], data['bear'][:, 1], color='red')

def update(frame_number):
    # insert results from generate_plot(population) here
    data['peng'] = np.random.randn(ndata, 2)
    data['bear'] = np.random.randn(ndata, 2)

    # Update the scatter collection with the new positions.
    scat1.set_offsets(data['peng'])
    scat2.set_offsets(data['bear'])

# Construct the animation, using the update function as the animation
# director.
animation = FuncAnimation(fig, update, interval=10)
plt.show()

You might also want to take a look at http://matplotlib.org/examples/animation/rain.html. You can learn more tweaks in animating a scatter plot there.


text:
Global Research Fellows
Global Research Fellows Explore this Section
Mauro Cappelletti and Neil MacCormick Fellowships
Japan Federation of Bar Associations
Global & Senior Global Research Fellows
Global Research Fellows are tenured or tenure-track academics with a record of strong legal scholarship. More senior academics (for example, faculty members tenured for ten years or more) may be designated as Senior Global Research Fellows at the discretion of the selection committee.
All Global and Senior Global Research Fellows are actively integrated into the Law School community through various academic and social programs, including the Global Fellows Forums where they are required to present their research. Additionally, they will be treated as much like members of the NYU School of Law Faculty as practicable for the duration of their residency. By the conclusion of their semester or year in residency at the Law School, all Global and Senior Global Research Fellows will have produced a major publishable piece of scholarly work and a report on their experience in the Global Fellows Program.
An applicant who performs research in comparative constitutional law, comparative civil procedure, Access to Justice, the sociology of law or European integration may, at the discretion of the selection committee, be named the Mauro Cappelletti Global Fellow in Comparative Law. The Neil MacCormick Fellowship in Legal Theory may be appointed to a fellow who is researching in legal theory, European law and theory, or public law. Finally, New York University is a member of the Scholars at Risk Network. Scholars at Risk works to protect scholars suffering grave threats to their lives, liberty and well-being by arranging temporary research and teaching positions at institutions in their network as well as by providing advisory and referral services. Those applications that are selected by the Global Fellows Program's selection committee for participation in the Global Fellows Program and that wish to be considered for Scholars at Risk Network program will be forwarded to the Scholars at Risk Network for further consideration.
Participating in the Global Fellows Program as a Global or Senior Global Research Fellow will include the following benefits:
Participation in all Law School events including those especially for Global Fellows
Inclusion, as much as practicable, in Faculty events and activities, for example, the weekly Faculty Workshops
A work space with telephone & computer
Access to the NYU School of Law Library, including WestLaw and LEXIS
An email account
The invitation to join the Law School as a Global or Senior Global Research Fellow is also an invitation to a life-long relationship with the Global Fellows Program, one that will continue to foster excellence in legal scholarship. If you are interested in the Global Fellows Program, please view the Application Instructions for further information.
If you are interested in participating in the Global Fellows Program in another capacity, you may wish to view information regarding our Global and Senior Global Fellows from Practice & Government, Post-Doctoral Global Fellows or Emile Noël Fellows. For doctoral candidates enrolled in a doctoral degree program at another institution abroad who wish to benefit from spending one year of their research at NYU School of Law, please refer to the Visiting Doctoral Researchers program information.


text:
Tag: Ypres
4 Photos – Seeds for the Next Novel
September 4, 2014 August 26, 2014 M.K. Tod5 Comments
At a small French cafe in 2010, Time & Regret was born. My husband and I discussed the plot all evening, the twists and turns becoming more elaborate as the bottle of wine disappeared. We took lots of pictures that summer, some of which offered inspiration for Lies Told in Silence; others are now providing ideas and texture for my next novel, Time & Regret.
Here's the premise: While cleaning house to eliminate traces of her ex-husband, Grace Hansen discovers her grandfather's WWI diaries along with a puzzling note. Surprisingly, the diaries reveal a different man from the beloved grandfather who raised her. A few months later, Grace follows the path her grandfather took through the trenches of northern France and discovers a secret he kept hidden for more than seventy years.
This first photo is the place where my husband and I stayed in Honfleur, a small town across the Seine from Le Havre. In Time & Regret, Grace stays here for the first few days of her trip to France.
"Located in a grand three-storey house with imposing columns on either side of the front door, the hotel looked elegant and, after stepping inside, I rang the bell and looked around. The room just beyond the front hall was full of ornate antiques and overgrown plants, Persian rugs and gilded ceilings. In the living room an enormous mirror filled one wall, its frame decorated with coloured glass in the shape of vines. Flanking the mirror were blue Chinese vases, at least three feet tall, etched with red, white and pink flowers. Opposite the mirror on a marble-topped chest of drawers was a chess set, a vase full of blood-red roses, a turquoise urn and a brass lamp. I could not decide whether this arrangement was contrived or random. Scattered along the other walls, as if it was important to fill as much of the room as possible, were high-backed chairs with winged sides, their wooden legs carved and gilded, and their backs and seats covered in muted floral patterns. A baby grand piano stood in the far corner, topped with an old gramophone.
Since no one had yet arrived, I rang the bell again and stepped further into the living room. Two large doorways invited exploration, one led into the solarium where tables were set with crisp white cloths and potted geraniums filled every window ledge, the other into the dining room with a mahogany table and matching sideboard, three huge canvases and the marble bust of a black warrior above the fireplace. Enchanting, in a bizarre way."
Musee de la Grande Guerre in Peronne was a wonderful if sobering experience. Simple displays made for more impact.
"Peronne was a larger town, its streets and squares decked with hanging baskets while citizens strolled about enjoying the sunshine. Housed in a medieval chateau, the museum's collection was laid out sparingly for maximum impact. On the floor surrounded by ten-inch wooden frames were full uniforms and kits for French, British, Canadian and German soldiers. Similar frames housed rifles, ammunition clips and light trench mortars, medical instruments, ambulance supplies, and signalling equipment. Further on, a display of camouflage techniques showed a hollowed out tree trunk used as an observation post and a range of ingenious materials to disguise artillery and command posts. Along the walls were posters exhorting civilians to donate to the cause or help in some other fashion."
Intending to explore the areas around Ypres, Passchendaele and Vimy where her grandfather fought, Grace stays at a hotel called Chateau Noyelle. Exploring the Chateau's salon while waiting for cup of coffee, Grace finds this framed certificate.
"Stopping to order an espresso, I looked around the bar at comfortable chairs organised in small groupings for intimate conversations before dinner or perhaps a reading retreat on a rainy day. Large windows embraced by silk overlooked the front yard. I approached a display of sepia photos next to a tall curio cabinet and peered at the first one, clearly a shot of the building before it had become a hotel. Two women holding lacy umbrellas were in front of the chateau wearing long skirts and white blouses with wide sleeves and tight cuffs. Nothing alluring about those outfits, I thought. Beside them was a young boy holding a hoop in his hand, a straw hat on the ground nearby. Below the picture a silver plaque said Chateau Noyelle, 1879.
Beside that photo was a framed certificate bearing the American coat of arms. Curious, I bent my head to read the inscription: The President of the United States has directed me to express to Andre Justin-Gabriel Constant the gratitude and appreciation of the American people for gallant service in assisting the escape of Allied soldiers from the enemy. Underneath was the signature of Dwight Eisenhower as General of the Army. My imagination began to work, spies lurking in the corridors, an underground passage through the woods, secret doors behind . . .
"Your espresso, Madame." "
Time & Regret is told through Grace's voice, through her grandfather Martin's voice and through the diary he kept. Bill Jackson, Michel Diotte and Pete Vanleuven are Martin's friends. Butler is his commanding officer.
" "We're gearing up for a major offensive," said Captain Butler.
Martin was in the cellar of a house partially destroyed by shelling. He thought these brigade headquarters a distinct improvement over the dungeon HQ had occupied in December. Smelling of dried bat droppings and ancient slime, the air in that deep, dark space had created a feeling of doom as though the echoes of tortured screaming had only recently faded. He shivered, not from the cold but from the memory.
Jackson, Vanleuven and Diotte sat with Butler at a rickety table while Martin and the captain's adjutant leaned against the wall. Rain slickers hung from hooks next to the entrance dripping remnants of sleet onto a hard mud floor.
"There's an enemy salient near St. Eloi." Butler stabbed at the map. "We're part of the force ordered to eliminate it."
"What are those, sir?" Diotte pointed to several numbered circles on the map.
"Craters."
Pete scratched the rash at the base of his throat. "Who occupies them?"
"That's the problem," said Butler. "We thought we occupied four and five and could attack craters two and three from those positions. Turns out the Germans still hold them. Our battalions couldn't tell one crater from another. Fucking mess. We go in tomorrow night to relieve the Sixth."
Captain Butler spent the next two hours explaining the operation and answering questions. Trench reinforcements would be the first objective, their brigade augmented for this task by two thousand reserve troops. A series of bombardments and infantry attacks would follow with the aim of securing four of the largest craters.
"Fucking mess is right," Martin said to Bill as they slogged through the mud, the wind whipping sleet against their cheeks. He wiped his eyes and squinted. "Here's the turn."
"Doesn't look promising," Bill said.
"If the Sixth has lost more than five hundred you can imagine what we're in for."
Diotte has been wounded. Bill saw the stretcher bearers take him off but we've had no confirmation. Can't leave my post to find out. I've prayed that Michel will be all right. Feels strange praying out here in the midst of what can only be described as hell.
Severe enemy bombardment. Spent the day reassuring men holding the line.
Butler said that aerial photos show all craters still in German hands. Lost Jimmy and Snowy last night. Both went down in the same scramble up the far side of a crater. Wilson and I dug them out but we couldn't get any medics in time to save them. Snowy knew I was with him at the end. We don't seem to make any progress. Communications often fail to get through so we are uncoordinated. No sleep. "
As they say – a picture is worth a thousand words.
Posted in Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Enthusiasts, Researching historical fiction, Writing about WWI, Writing ProcessTagged M.K. Tod author, Musee de la grande guerre, Passchendaele, researching historical fiction, researching WWI, Time & Regret by M.K. Tod, Vimy, WWI, WWI France, Ypres
WWI Diaries Tell A Poignant Tale
August 25, 2014 August 19, 2014 M.K. Tod1 Comment
While researching for my novels Unravelled, Lies Told in Silence and my work-in-progress called Time & Regret, I've come across many WWI diaries written by soldiers both young and not-so-young, by those in the infantry, the artillery, the signals corps and even the chaplaincy. Some entries are mundane, others full of the tragic circumstances of war.
Time & Regret tells the story of Grace Hansen who reads her grandfather's diaries and decides to visit France in order to discover more about the man who raised her and the puzzling mystery he left behind when he died. The story contains many diary entries and I am grateful for the many soldiers who left behind their stories and to those who have made them public.
In one of the earlier chapters, Grace is in a small town in northern France, she's just had dinner and is reflecting on both her travels and her grandfather's diaries. Now that she's in the places where he had been as a young man, Grace refers to him as Martin.
I had been in Ypres for three days visiting nearby towns and villages mentioned in my grandfather's diaries. Each stop offered glimpses of French tradition: churches with tall, arched windows, chateaus set amidst splendid gardens, remnants of medieval walls and turrets and wide town squares hosting weekly markets full of brightly-coloured vegetables and oozing cheeses.
Wherever I stopped, I checked Martin's diaries. I thought of him now as Martin not Grandpa, as though he were a character in an unfolding story rather than a man I had known for more than thirty years. From Grandmama's photos I knew he had broad shoulders on a narrow frame and brown hair, his face angular rather than handsome as though waiting for him to grow into its contours, but I had no sense of whether he sought solitude or the company of others, was athletic or preferred books, told stories or would rather listen. He was twenty-one, far from the man he would become.
Bailleul, Abbeville, Hazebrouke, Eecke, Dranoutre, Vierstaat, Passchendaele, Cassel—all were places mentioned in the diaries. Now that I had visited them and the unfolding green countryside and the memorials and cemeteries marking war's convoluted path, I felt closer to Martin, the words of his diary poignant with grief. So many names, so many young men who never lived. This thought reverberated like an unending barrage.
Near Eecke where Martin camped for a few days before reaching the front, I had stood on a hill next to fields of rich farmland and looked out across the gentle rise and fall of earth seeing no drama in the countryside, only a quiet sense of long tradition as though little had changed for hundreds of years. Just east of Eecke, on the road to Mont des Cats, was a wide, open space and with Martin's diary in hand, I had imagined a sea of small white tents, men hurrying in various directions while others examined blisters, lathered up for shaving, wrote letters home or slouched against their duffle bags. I had conjured men flinching at the first sounds of bombardment, fear registering in a twist of gut or dry swallow. Untested men, many with the soft fuzz of new beards and slim waists of recent boyhood.
At the top of a hill near Vierstaat, I had spread a blanket beneath a tree with a view of a wide plain that in Martin's time was gouged with craters and strung with barbed wire, a plain full of misery and death, rattling with machine-gun fire and mortars, oozing smoke and blood and sweat. That day the view had been peaceful. Purple irises and tall, green grasses had swayed in fresh breezes that chased away rain clouds. Birds had whistled and aspens had shivered overhead. I had reread an excerpt photocopied from a soldier's memoir and felt anew the weary despair and grinding horror of war and imagined Martin as one of them, rotating off the field having lost men to one skirmish or another, little bits of his own humanity left behind with each passing week.
Ypres and Passchendaele had affected me the most. Listening to the haunting echoes of the Last Post beneath Menin Gate, its walls etched with thousands upon thousands of names brought the war close. Walking through the museum at Passchendaele, full of pictures and memorabilia from 1917, I wept at the utter devastation resulting from three months of battle for nothing except the skeletons of a few scorched trees remained, an entire town obliterated. Walking to and from the museum, I had cringed as name after name of those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice echoed through loudspeakers with ghostly eeriness.
Who did Martin write the diaries for? When I first read them, this question did not occur to me but now I asked it repeatedly, wondering whether he wrote to document the weeks or pass the time or console himself. Perhaps Martin had needed a safety valve for all the pain and frustration. I could only speculate.
My dessert half-eaten, I picked up the map. Tomorrow I planned to drive towards Arras where I had reserved a room in an old chateau near Noyelle-Vion. Martin had been in the vicinity on two separate occasions. According to his diary, fighting in that area had been even more intense.
Posted in Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Enthusiasts, Military Stories, Researching historical fiction, Writing about WWI, Writing ProcessTagged Author M.K. Tod, Bailleul, Lies Told in Silenc by M.K. Tod, Menin Gate, Passchendaele, Time & Regret by M.K. Tod, Unravelled by M.K. Tod, WWI, WWI diaries, WWI soldiers diaries, Ypres
Christmas 1915 – as relayed by Frederick George Scott
December 25, 2013 December 24, 2013 M.K. Tod4 Comments
While preparing a post about the Vimy Memorial dedication ceremony, I came across a poem written by Frederick George Scott. In 1914, at the age of 53, Scott enlisted with the Canadian Army. According to Wikipedia, he served as the senior chaplain to the 1st Canadian division. He was both an Anglican priest and a poet.
Project Gutenberg offers Scott's book The Great War as I Saw It, a full account of his service during WWI. For an earlier post about this book, click here.
Chapter IX relates his first Christmas of WWI and it seems fitting to include a bit here. Scott had decided to spend that day with the men who were in the front lines.
"As soon as I could cross the bridge, I made my way to the trenches which the 16th Battalion were taking over. They were at a higher level and were not in a bad condition. Further up the line there was a barn known as St. Quentin's Farm, which for some reason or other, although it was in sight of the enemy, had not been demolished and was used as a billet. I determined therefore to have a service of Holy Communion at midnight, when the men would all have come into the line and settled down. About eleven o'clock I got things ready. The officers and men had been notified of the service and began to assemble. The barn was a fair size and had dark red brick walls. The roof was low and supported by big rafters. The floor was covered with yellow straw about two feet in depth. The men proceeded to search for a box which I could use as an altar. All they could get were three large empty biscuit tins. These we covered with my Union Jack and white linen cloth. A row of candles was stuck against the wall, which I was careful to see were prevented from setting fire to the straw. The dull red tint of the brick walls, the clean yellow straw, and the bright radiance of our glorious Union Jack made a splendid combination of colour. It would have been a fitting setting for a tableau of the Nativity.
The Highlanders assembled in two rows and I handed out hymn books. There were many candles in the building so the men were able to read. It was wonderful to hear in such a place and on such an occasion, the beautiful old hymns, "While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," and "O Come All Ye Faithful." The men sang them lustily and many and varied were the memories of past Christmases that welled up in their thoughts at that time."
Later he offered a second communion service for those men who had been on duty the night before.
Near Ypres in April 1915, he wrote Requiescant:
In lonely watches night by night,
Great visions burst upon my sight,
For down the stretches of the sky,
The hosts of dead go marching by.
Strange ghostly banners o'er them float,
Strange bugles sound an awful note,
And all their faces and their eyes
Are lit with starlight from the skies.
The anguish and the pain have passed
And peace hath come to them at last,
But in the stern looks linger still
The iron purpose and the will.
Dear Christ, who reign'st above the floor
Of human tears and human blood,
A weary road these men have trod,
O house them in the home of God.
Wishing you joy for this Christmas season and all good things in 2014.
Posted in Historical Fiction, Military Stories, Researching historical fiction, Writing about WWITagged Christmas 1915, Frederick George Scott, Requiescant, The Great War as I Saw it, Vimy Memorial, WWI, WWI Christmas, WWI poetry, Ypres


My younger sister had got this image from her one friend and her friend told that this view is taken from Malaysia but she has not told the exact name and location of this place. My sister wants to explore there to enjoy such kind of activities personally and that is why she wants to know the name and location of this place and will make move around there after finishing her cheap grand canyon tours from las vegas.
These are some of the best place to visit in Malaysia attraction. If you want to go Malaysia then book a flight with best flight deals is the best option.
I think Aquaria KLCC, KL Tower, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, Sunway Lagoon Theme park.
If you are thinking of taking a trip that does not lack: incredible cultural traditions, delicious food and beautiful beaches, then you are thinking of Malaysia! It is an interesting melting pot that draws on the Malaysian, Chinese and Indian cultures, all in a modern country with that special something that only Southeast Asia can provide.


text:
Q: How to implement a custom cache provider with ASP.NET MVC I am migrating a MonoRail application to ASP.NET MVC 1.0. In my original application I wrote a custom cache provider (a distributed cache provider using memcached). In MonoRail this task was very easy because the framework used interfaces and there is ICacheProvider that looks like this:
public interface ICacheProvider : IProvider, IMRServiceEnabled
{
    void Delete(string key);
    object Get(string key);
    bool HasKey(string key);
    void Store(string key, object data);
}

An instance of this interface is available in every controller action. So, all I had to do was to implement a custom cache provider that uses memcached and tell
MonoRail to use my cache provider instead of the default one. It was also very easy to mock and unit test my controller.
In ASP.NET MVC 1.0 there's the System.Web.Abstractions assembly (name looks promising) that defines the HttpContextBase like this:
public abstract class HttpContextBase : IServiceProvider
{
    ...
    public virtual System.Web.Caching.Cache Cache { get; }
    ...
}

I don't understand how the Cache property used here is an abstraction of a cache provider. It is the legacy sealed Cache class. It seems that I am not the only one struggling to mock out the classes in the framework.
I am very new to the ASP.NET MVC framework and I must be missing something here. I could write a CustomBaseController that uses an ICacheProvider interface that I define and
all my controllers derive from this base class, but if there's a more elegant (ASP.NET MVCish) solution I would be glad to implement it. I've noticed that HttpContextBase implements IServiceProvider. Where's the GetService method going to look for services? Can this be easily mocked?

A: This answer is outdated. See ASP.NET 4.0: Writing custom output cache providers.

A: Cache doesn't have an official abstraction or provider, but you can easily build one:

*

*http://weblogs.asp.net/zowens/archive/2008/08/04/cache-abstraction.aspx

*http://memcachedproviders.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/15983#58762
ASP.NET 4.0 includes an output cache provider abstraction (AFAIK not a general cache abstraction but only for output caching)