It is Sunday. There is a quarter inch of ice expected outside of Northern Virginia. I am bored. Ask me anything.
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Who do you think should be starting on the offensive line in 2015?
That is a great question. So much depends on how Austin Clark and Mike Arnold perform, as Bryan Stinespring said he thought one of the two would play this year. Also, it may depend on Coach Searels opinion of Jonathan McLaughlin. Searels moved McLaughlin over to right tackle and I don't think he looked as comfortable there. At the same time, will McLaughlin be quick enough to handle speed rushers on the left side? Keep in mind that Loeffler protected McLaughlin by using tight ends and backs chipping to his side a bunch in 2013.
Here is what we do know- McLaughlin, Conte, and Hansen all took snaps at right tackle. Some would argue that Conte looked better at tackle than he did at right guard. Clark is on campus and his performance in the spring could change it, but to me you have two starting tackles from those three guys.
Center is another position. I was not very high on Eric Gallo after watching his high school film, but he became the one guy that traveled from that freshman group. I asked Stiney about the center position and asked if Billy Ray Mitchell (who played tackle last year) would get a look at center, and he slipped that Billy Ray would get some work there.) I think Mitchell has more talent than Gallo. So here is my guess:
DAY 1 OF SPRING
McLaughlin-Teller-Gallo-Conte-Hansen
End of Spring
McLaughlin-Teller-Mitchell-Conte-Clark/Hansen
Thanks French!
How does the way we play defense change against anOSU if Cardale Jones is playing quarterback this year vs. JT Barrett last year?
Total guess on my part, but I don't think Jones will be the reason Bud changes his look. Ohio State won't be caught off guard, and if Barrett had checked to more speed option to the field when the Hokies were in the Bear front, I think the D would have been in a bunch of trouble. I don't expect as much Bear front this year. Instead, with guys like Clarke and Clark well suited to play as edge guys, I think we see the Hokies play much more like the old 1995 defense where Clarke and "the whip" (Mook or Chuck Clark) playing the edge, but with only one inside linebacker instead of moving the rover up. With inexperienced rover/free guys,
Assuming JGlock returns healthy, do you see him sticking at right tackle, or moving back to left?
I think Searels sees him as a right tackle, but he may need to play left tackle until Austin Clark or Mike Arnold are ready to go. There is more experience on the right side, with McLaughlin, Conte, and Hansen all having experience.
Guard is suddenly pretty thin. Searels really needs Smith/Pfaff/Mitchell/ or someone to step up inside. One rolled ankle by Teller or Conte and they are suddenly very thin inside.
Thanks, French! I posted the question before I saw the response above -- sorry for the duplicate.
No harm at all!
What color is the dress?
Periwinkle blue with a dirty gold trim.
You know mema'sterriblypartialtotheperrywinkleblue, right?
Dahgs
Do you still get charged full price for a pizza when you order a pizza and ask for it without cheese? Do you get laughed at when you place such an order?
No cheese is actually a regular option on the ordering page for Papa Johns. I get some strange looks when I order a no-cheese at Pupatellas, but the end product is delicious.
For pizza lovers in Arlington, Pupatellas is the best. Period.
As someone who is privy to those weird looks, yes he gets called out for being ridiculous--who doesn't eat cheese?!? #weirdo
Relative newcomer to TKP. Just curious. Are you as big a Hokie football fan as French? Do you and French talk football and fishing all the time or does he turn that part off at home?
I'm also curious, does he keep the film reviews to football, or does he use film to review other things, such as cooking, driving, your mother's behavior when she visits, etc.?
Oh he watches everything and his opinions are always forthcoming. Everything is fair game including food, my mother and our friends and family & there is always film or photo evidence. Surely you've seen his video review of my goat wrangling abilities?!? #filmorphotooritdidnothappen
SUSIE AND HER GOAT!!!
does he record you mother and provide reviews?
"Alright, here's your mom preparing thanksgiving dinner. See there? Yes, right there, she just added green peas to the the mashed potatoes. Critical error. Leave mashed potatoes pure. Ok, now let me load up the pie making videos... I think this is going to take a while. We better order a no cheese pizza... lots of things to review, may take all night."
"Watch this part right here, let me slow it down. Your friend, Bob, went for the hug and he should've gone for the handshake. You can't miss a basic read like that. He really needs to practice more until that becomes instinctual."
"Here's your reaction to this year's anniversary gift. Let's compare that to the past 2 years. You see how it's basically the same, no improvement? Sweet but not overjoyed? You're going to need to focus on that in the Spring if you expect to get better next year. Let's draw up the play on how we should see it ..."
I'm really proud of you guys for keeping this PG.
"You've done a good job with this pie. It's not the prototypical size, but it has the potential to be a big time contributor for my stomach.
"See, the mistake was trying to take me dancing. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - you can't teach feet..."
good one
That is strong.
Susie is a Bammer I believe. But given her relationship with French, she can be forgiven.
Susie is a Bama fan. But, for everything she has to put up with (8 hour film review sessions on Sundays, obsessive compulsive fishing desire, and hockey season), I am a good sport about it. :)
I do love Hokie football (but I grew up a Bama fan) and often talk about it with French (not as much as he would like I'm sure). As an avid angler (not to mention the better angler) I enjoy a good fishing convo from time to time too! There is no off switch for French. I've looked. Pushed every button to no avail. French is French--all day everyday.
A woman who is a good cook, likes football and fishing??! Sounds like French outkicked his coverage!
If you're a fan of pizza without cheese, you need to make a pilgrimage to Philly and try the tomato pie at this place. Best ever!
http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2011/12/daily-slice-tomato-pie-fro...
Thanks!
You're picked to chair the team to find Franks successor. You've got a $5Million budget and the objective is to be a competitive top 10 team every year.
What criteria do you use in making a selection?
Who makes the list say top 10? Why?
Who would you not consider and why?
Well, I am not a particularly good manager/delegator. So I would probably hire myself and then have a coronary two days into practice.
#ThreeMileFrench
Do you think Virginia Tech will be better at safety or not this year? I've heard a lot of good about Revis and Fisher but then some people talk like Fisher isn't all he was cracked up to be saying he may still need another year to learn the D...
I never got a good feel for Fisher because all of his film had him playing either as a linebacker or near the line of scrimmage like a linebacker. Until I see him play in person, I have no idea.
It is well documented that I am a huge CJ Reavis guy. He can cover. He can tackle. He has the confidence. I want to see how he communicates and gets people set, and then fills the alleys this spring. If he can, he is my free safety.
Anthony Shegog was the guy who got work in the bowl game when Foster used the dime and replaced the extra corner with an extra safety. His tackling was really shaky last spring, but he didn't look awful in the bowl game. Before his injury, Desmond Frye was the first option behind Jarrett. He hasn't been talked about much. Der'Woun Greene has had terrific moments in the spring the last two seasons. Chuck Clark was great as a stopgap for corner. He is an option at both safety spots, the "whip-ickle" and corner.
If the secondary is Fuller, a healthy Facyson, Stroman, Mook, and Riley at corner, with Clark and Reavis as your starting safeties, that is a more athletic, playmaking group than the previous year. Just remember, those young corners like Fuller have been getting their calls from Bonner and Jarrett for their entire careers. The ability to be in the right place and communication the correct call could result in a slight drop off in play.
This could be fun.
1. Which true freshman do you think is most likely to see the field? (offense or defense, doesn't matter)
2. Which returning offensive player do you think is best poised for a breakout year?
3. You have to choose only one pie to eat for the rest of your life - what is it?
1) Based on the coaching talk (the TV special, Stiney's comments at the recruit nights), Carson Lydon would be the guy. They get giddy over that kid. They need Clark or Arnold to make an impact. Mook Reynolds will have a shot to play right away if Chuck Clark moves to safety. Hill, Gaines, and Nijiman all will get a chance to beat out Alford and Dooley.
Because of the need at safety and his skill set, I think Mook could factor immediately at the nickel spot. He is the safest bet.
2. Trey Edmunds if healthy. I expect Isaiah Ford to start making more plays over the top. And I think Jaylen Bradshaw could make some serious hay as a slot receiver when the Hokies go away from their two tight personnel.
3. Brown Sugar, and as result it would be a short life.
Favorite Amigo?
#TeamLuckyDay #NoDoughNoShow
In-shore light tackle redfish...live bait or artificial?
You have me dead to rights. I have caught a decent number of big red drum (38 inches-47 inches) off the piers and beaches using heavy surf tackle. I have never caught a puppy drum, so I am probably the wrong person to ask. I have thrown so many chartreuse and red trout jigs into schools of pups and never had so much as a bite.
On a related note, I have heard that the last 4 days the puppy drum have been blitzing the beach from Cape Point to Hatteras Inlet on the south side of the beach. The cold has driven hordes of them out of the sound.
let me know if you are ever going to be in the Jax/St Augustine area of northeast florida with some time to kill...we'll throw some soft plastics and gulp shrimp around the oyster bars
I have always wondered about Florida fishing. I have only fished south of Ocean Isle, NC one time. I visited a buddy of mine that I played football with in Fort Myers. His complex had a nice pond that flowed out into one of the boat channels and it was full of bass. I was out there catching little bass on plastic lizards when a 4 foot long tarpon swam about five feet in front of me on the bank. Since then, I have always been fascinated with Florida fishing. At the same time, I love fishing the Outer Banks. I am a pier rat by heart. I have landed every species normally caught on a NC pier except for a king mackerel. That is my last bucket list fish before I start globetrotting for:
tarpon
snook
roosterfish
blue marlin/white marlin/sailfish
Dave- a quick question- do you all get a good run of jack crevalles? I have caught a couple of 30lb class jacks live baiting with TLD20 sized tackle off the pier. I'd love to hit a school of those big boys going crazy.
I fish inshore so no big stuff. But yes, we get a lot of schooling jacks in late summer and early fall, they are easy to catch when they are running, and are a kick on light tackle. They tear up my tackle so I won't mess with them unless I'm bored. You know those plastic tails that looked good in the store but don't catch anything...that's what I use on jacks.
I have had a lot of success with artificials. Gulp swimming mullet on a jig head works great around docks and pilings, and will work in the surf. Stingsilvers are a go to for Outer Banks surf fishermen when the reds are in the surf. I have done well this winter in the Elizabeth River on suspending jerkbaits, especially one particular Lucky Craft Pointer. In the summer, if the fish are shallow, Gulp jerk shad fished weightless on a 4/0 quality offset worm hook will produce fish and really fun blowups on the top, especially when the fish are in less than a foot of water.
Once in a while, though, in really cold water, I have done better with gussied up walleye jigs tipped with a minnow and hopped slowly across the bottom, kind of using both approaches. Good luck and let us know if you get into some.
When I have fished for them on Avalon Pier, I used Gulp jerk shad in chartreuse (4 inch) with a red 3/4 oz jig head, and a trailer with a 1/4 oz red jig head and a chartreuse gulp curly tail. It murders undersized trout, but I can't get a bump from a pup.
Don't understand why. Make sure you get to the bottom. The deeper the water, the more likely I have been to take them smack dab on the bottom. And don't make 'em chase. Pauses in the retrieve and bottom contact seem to be the ticket. You might lose one of the baits in order to get down better, tide and retrieve will lift a double rig quicker than a single jig head. If they're being caught around you, I don't understand why they wouldn't go for a chartreuse Gulp swimming mullet (which is one of their curly tail grub baits). If you're not on the bottom, go for a heavier jig head. Hopefully, I'll get to show you some of them in May.
It didn't happen too often. Usually I had to pass by those pups to fish for spots so I had enough bait to fish for the big boys on the end. But, when I did it seemed like I had a magnet for 12 inch long speckled trout. People bust my chops about it on the pier all the time.
When I was a kid, I would destroy the sea mullet in the surf. Can't buy one anymore.
20 years ago fishing coastal TX I used to catch the vast majority of reds on topwaters (Rebel jumpin' minnows at the time) regardless of time of day. In NE FL if the sun is above the trees they aren't hitting topwater
Alright, I opened a jar of pizza sauce last night, made little pizzas, with cheese, sausage, onions, bacon...but I digress. Question is, I have half of the jar left, lid on in the refrigerator. How long will it still be good to use?
Sorry, couldn't come up with any good potpourri questions today, and it's just too crappy out to think much about fishing.
I don't make homemade pizzas. With spaghetti sauce, 3 days.
That stuff's good for a week, maybe longer, with all the preservatives that's in it. Btw, I see you're in Mathews -- lucky dawg! I'm a Northern Neck girl now living in upstate South Carolina. Sure do miss that Chesapeake seafood!
Appreciate both replies. My momma was from Charleston, decent food, but you are right about the Chesapeake seafood.
While Mathews boasts some pretty good food for its size, pizza options are limited this time of year.
It would be a bit of a drive for you, but Roma in Tappahannock used to have very good pizza. If you ever make it up to the Northern Neck, Angelo's in Montross is also very good.
Thanks for the recommendations. I have heard of both, but tend not to drive too far for dinner, usually. Now, can I trade you a half a jar of pizza sauce for some of that crockpot cake? I mean, I'm a pie guy, but, dang that stuff looks absurdly delicious. It would go well after my brown beans, ham and cornpone tonight.
Oh, and my pizza sauce has no preservatives (shockingly). Will that matter?
I'm not sure; I've never used preservative-free sauce. Mathews must be getting uptown to carry such in the grocery stores! I would think it's still good for a few days in the fridge, maybe longer if it has any sodium content. Or you could freeze the leftovers.
I know you're #teampie but have you ever tried crockpot chocolate cake? It's the bomb diggity!
I will put it like this. Yesterday was MsSusieCue's nephew's 3rd birthday party. I ate pie, not cake.
What is your thoughts on the Linebacker depth this year?
Mike is kind of a head scratcher. I figured Motuapuaka was a lock and would have a great season, but Stiney sure made it sound like Lydon could beat him out. McKinnon, who knows? We always hear about his combine numbers, but he hasn't really made an impact on the field. I have heard a lot of buzz that Foster really likes Huelskamp (sp?) but who knows how his knee injury recovery is going.
Backer is fine. Clarke is terrific. RVD could be terrific if he can stay healthy. Minor is very talented. Edmunds III could be a monster. Backer looks to be good for a long time.
Your first thought when Zohn Burden was hired...
Honestly? "I hope Cornell Brown is a better recruiter in Baltimore/DC than he was in the 757." I know everyone wants to be better recruiting in the 757, but we were making great headway in DC/Baltimore and in the Midwest with Moorehead. Cornell can show off his Super Bowl ring around those Maryland kids, but can he sell them? I have not spent any time around Brown, so I don't know how good he is. But, he never seems to have been given a great deal of recruiting responsibility, and his "position" looks like it is becoming defunct.
For what it's worth, he's listed on Hokie Sports as "Outside Linebackers & Assistant Defensive Line Coach" so even with the Whip position becoming less important to the Defense he still has a role to play with the D-Line.
"Hill, Gaines, and Nijiman all will get a chance to beat out Alford and Dooley." Is this assuming Darius Fullwood goes to DT?
I don't know. I had to step out when Stiney reviewed Fullwood at recruit night. I have not watched his film yet. I won't include him in the discussion until he wows me on film or the coaches start chattering about him. He could be very good.
What's the best way to watch film and take in every detail? For a routine Hokie game, how long does it take you to comb through and give us the watered down scoop?
I am still working on it. I watch the game live and take a handful of notes on trends that I see. I then focus on those trends and see if closer review affirms or conflicts with my original opinion. It is a long process. The film watching piece could be a 3-4 hour process, and then another 2-3 hours of writing. Sometimes more. Each week really is a unique animal. Some weeks, themes are easy to spot. JC Coleman's play and UVA using the backup safety at corner were easy to spot. I was yapping about the blitz that Wake was using in the bar. Other weeks, it is like squeezing blood from a stone.
Why do mobile and even semi mobile QBs have so much success against VT? The VT scheme takes risks and is subject to the big play but the last few years they have given up a lot of rushing yards to QBs, more so than in the past. Is there 1 position on defense that is responsible due to less experienced athletes or have the offenses changed?
They haven't always had that level of success. Bud Foster's D made Russell Wilson look really bad. EJ Manuel had a really hard time with VT. I think that when running QB's have had success, it has been when Foster's DB's were forced to play man coverage. If the pass rush doesn't put the QB on the ground, he has acres to run against man. The Hokies have been forced to play a bunch of (talented) young corners since the 2011 season. As we saw against Georgia Tech, young kids are much more likely to bust a zone coverage than be beaten cleanly in zone.
I'm not French but I'll give you 2 answers.
1: Defensive End, specifically James Gayle. In 2013, his bum shoulder forced him to basically use nothing but a speed rush, and as a result often ended up rushing well past the QB when the tackle was able to keep up with him. The result was a gigantic hole to the outside and the Mike basically having to cover 2 gaps. If a lineman could pick him up and the QB read the block properly, it was no bueno. Collins was also guilty of this at some points, but I really noticed Gayle doing it pretty consistently.
2. Athleticism (or lack thereof) at Mike (2014) and Backer (2013). Those two guys are usually either blitzing or staying fairly close to the line of scrimmage. Chase Williams was a solid Mike, but he wasn't gonna run anyone down or contain a QB trying to get to the edge, especially with a flat tire. In 2013, post-injury Edwards just wasn't his 2012 self, which was really unfortunate. But he ran into the same issues as Chase - just being a step slow when he tried to get to a spot to prevent a big play - coupled with the issues we had at DE.
There are certainly more things that went into scrambling QBs - including the simple fact that there are more scrambling QBs these days and they're generally faster than they used to be. But those 2 reasons above are what I think have been the most consistent issues and biggest contributors over the past couple seasons.
What's your 10,000 foot look at the trends in Hokie recruiting?
Are we upgrading talent in general? Have/will our recruiting personnel hires makes up more competitive?
I think the extra people will help identifying those potential diamonds in the rough that are good fits. One general observation of the last two classes is that fundamentally more of the players were ready to play than I had seen in past years. This class has several players who may not have been highly recruited, but are well suited to play in the Hokie defensive system.
I don't think that means suddenly five stars will be falling into Blacksburg like rain drops. Reality is, they are around 30th in resources, and that means that Frank and staff can only do so much to wow these kids. I am sure there are steps to continue to improve in that area, but there is only so much they can do short of SMUing the kids. If you look at Josh Sweat, every available resource and pitch was exhausted on a kid who seemed to want to stay home. He didn't. Ultimately, Virginia Tech will get the five star players who want to play at Virginia Tech, and no amount of change will make much of a difference there.
Now, I just hope that these kids make the right choice. D'Shawn Hand will always baffle me. Maybe he doesn't pick VT. But, why would a kid, who is a carbon copy of Julius Peppers- a 4-3 edge rushing monster who would be a perfect fit as the prototypical NFL pass rusher, choose to go to a school that bulks you up and makes you as a DE eat blocks so the linebackers can make all the plays? I defies logic for me. The same holds true for kids that go to VT. Not every kid's skill set, no matter how they are rated, fit what Bud Foster does.
Didn't the kid have a "handler"? Who pushed him to Michigan, Alabama. More or less dismissed Bud, VT. The "handler" guy seemed like 1) an idiot and 2) a guy with a hand in some one else's pocket every where he goes.
I don't know. I watch the kids on tape. I don't get into the ugly backwater of the recruiting business. I try to worry about the players that VT lands, not the ones they don't get.
Best fish for eating in your opinion?
1) Wahoo
2) Cobia
3) Dolphin (Mahi-mahi.)
There is nothing better than a lemon-pepper grilled wahoo sandwich.
1. Ever eaten walleye?
2. I remember you being very high on Teller moving to the O line. What do you think about the switch after seeing him play it for one season? Average? Future 1-3 round draft pick?
1. No. The river near where I grew up (South Fork of the Holston) had a good walleye run every spring. I was usually trout fishing through. I tried to catch some throwing Smithwicks Rogues a few years ago in the South Fork, but I just kept snagging carp in the back.
2. He was the OL MVP, and he still hasn't learned how to play. It would be tough for a guard to be a first round pick, but I think he is a lock NFL player if he stays healthy. He has the ability to move out to tackle. We will see if Searels wants to risk all that interior push and ability to pull for back side protection.
Other really good eating fish-
Tautog
Sheepshead
Grayline Tilefish
Black Sea Bass
What do you think about Hokie football fans who turn around come basketball season and support Duke or UNC?
Ugh, don't even get me started on this topic
I'm curious as to what you think, in a nut shell if you don't want to rant. I am 100% Va Tech, for everything, not just because football is convenient, but another school may be more convenient for basketball or whatever. I am the same way with all pro sports, all Washington teams for hockey, baseball, basketball, soccer, and football. Smaller schools I liked ODU and still do but now they are FBS so that hurts them because I am Va Tech for everything and even nascar I like guys from Va. Sadler and Hamlin.
I will never be the Hokie football (or OSU this year), Duke or Kentucky basketball, San Francisco Giants for mlb, LA Kings for nhl, Spurs for nba, and patriots for nfl type of guy. The guy who always happens to like the best teams...
I have VT friends who grew up in Durham. I also have friends who grew up in Blacksburg but went to other universities. The ones who grew up in Blacksburg all still root for the Hokies, regardless of what college they attended. I think if you grew up in Durham, or with an actual connection to Duke, then it's ok to support them when they come to town.
But if you if you grew up in DC and just picked the dukies as your favorite team one day, and kept cheering for them after attending VT, then you suck.
I can't say much of anything about it. I am not a VT basketball fan (although I have started to pay more attention.) I grew up rooting for three schools- East Tennessee State (Mister Jennings, Calvin Talford, Rodney English, Trazel Silvers and the gang were a terrific mid-major team); Arizona (Sean Elliott is my favorite college player I have ever watched); and Syracuse (I have a bunch of family ties to Syracuse and Penn State on my mom's side of the family.)
I no longer root hard for any college basketball schools unless I am in Vegas playing a little $20 three team parlay. I can't stand Duke. I can't stand John Calipari and Bob Huggins because they use the kids and don't make any effort to ensure that if hoops doesn't work out that they have a backup plan. Otherwise, I just love to sit back and enjoy the game.
I find it interesting that you "can't stand Duke", yet you don't mention the much more nefarious Tarholes...to each his own I guess.
I never really hated the Tarheel basketball team. I really enjoyed the title team with George Lynch and Eric Montross. I want VT to beat them now, but my hatred isn't nearly as deep as it is for Duke.
As someone who didn't grow up with a favorite team of any sport and got to choose, I don't have a problem with it. Admittedly I always seemed to choose awful teams to root for as opposed to those who always choose the great teams.
What's your opinion on perogies
Funny, I made home made fresh kielbasa with a buddy on Saturday and had kielbasa, sauerkraut and pierogi for dinner last night.
Pierogi take a lot of work to do by oneself so, my Mom is coming down to make pierogi with me.
I have never had one. If I did, it would have to be cheese free, and I believe cheese is kind of a required component.
Cheeseless stromboli is awesome though. That is what I get from CJ's Pizza if I am passing through Wytheville.
Cheese is definitely not a required component of pierogi.
You might think so based on what's available in the supermarket though.
The most common stuffings for a pierogi are potato, cheese and sauerkraut with potato also being the most common on commercial pierogi. The cheese is in with the mashed potato, not on it's own and the cheese used in the grocery store one is basically tasteless. May as well not have it.
My favorite is stuffed with sauerkraut and lightly caramelized onions. And I don't mean this mamby pamby jar of grocery store sauerkraut that has no flavor. I mean to real fermented cabbage your great grandmother used to make from cabbages pulled from her victory garden, sliced and salted then put into a crock with some water for 3 months type of tasty crunchy really sour goodness.
Put that in yer peirogi and saute' it. That is some flavor there.
Do you get their homemade ranch too or just stick to the marinara?
This weirdo also dislikes ranch. How anyone could not eat that ranch is crazy, so the kid and I order extra ranch to make up for his insolence.
Ranch is just an extension of cheese. Same with sour cream and mayonaise. It's all yellow/white grossness that people use to bland out otherwise tasty food.
Well I recommend it, no one I know personally knows the recipe but legend has it they make their own ranch out of hidden valley ranch mix, sour cream, and things good men have died to keep secret. Also they sell it in pint milk jugs, super cool.
Who makes a better brown sugar pie, me or your mom?
You, but you will never touch my grandmother's brown sugar pie.
Funny story- my grandmother was so protective of her pie that she had a bunch of fake brown sugar pie recipes all around her kitchen so anyone snooping would make substandard pie.
Any chance we can get this pie recipe?? Shot in the dark here I know...
I tried to make this once after eating some at work but mine wasn't as
good. Mine was more eggy than sugary.
Like I said, my grandmother was awful tricky about hiding her recipe. This is where Susan got her recipe. No eggs!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/brown-sugar-pie-i/
Awesome! Thanks so much to you and Susan. Gonna make it this
weekend. :)
I have never heard of brown sugar pie. From pictures and recipes it appears to be similar to pecan pie, which I do not care for, too syrupy and sugary. Can I get a description? and please keep it SFW.
It is sort of like pecan pie sans pecan, but much thicker consistency.
Speaking of which, is my wild boar ready? It is getting close to dinner time.
That must have been on your mind when you named the thread "Bored Sunday."
PUNS
Never tried it....
Have a recipe to share?
It was good. Susan's son picked it out at a butcher shop in Del Ray. It was around $30 for a pound and a half roast. I have no idea how she prepared it, but here was the final product.
Put it in a 2 gallon zip lock bag, put the rack of boar in with the following ingredients:
four table spoons of olive oil
two table spoons of montreal steak seasoning
let is soak for awhile and then cook to preferred temp
have you tried to brine it first before the cook? Will make boar very juicy. Then do the olive oil and seasoning. just a suggestion
This was our first time. We didn't brine it, but it was still incredibly juicy.
1. I remember hearing a lot of good things about Santamaria last year when he committed and was put on scholarship. What do you think his chances are to unseat Slye this season?
2. Who do you see drafting Gibson next month and in which round?
1. I have absolutely no idea because I have not seen him kick before. Slye had a good year (and gives Beamer an extra guy in coverage that can actually tackle someone.) And, I have a hometown interest in rooting for the Abingdon kid Mitchell Ludwig.
2. I don't know if Gibson will be drafted. If he does, it will be by a zone blocking team where he would play a swing tackle, much like current Redskin Tyler Polumbo. He is a really mobile run blocker, but for whatever reason he never looked as athletic as a pass blocker as he did run blocking. I think lower body strength may be an issue. Watching him at the combine, his lower body, especially from the knee down, was awful skinny.
How much should we expect Brewer to improve in his second year under Lefty?
I think his receivers should be better and more experience should improve their timing. My biggest worry about Brewer is his inability to throw between the hashes. Throws to the middle of the field seemingly vanished from Loeffler's offense, and I think Brewer's height, and the resulting inability to see receivers on quick routes moving into the middle of the field, made it tough for him to find those receivers. Slants and quick crossing routes are such vital components of Loeffler's offense and they need to find a way to get those back.
I wish I had the bandwidth to do a detailed analysis, but the last few games of the season, Brewer rarely threw any routes where the ball was delivered between the hashes. Stick routes from the tight ends tended to work back to the outside. The only "in breaking" routes were those deep ends from receivers that aligned way outside. For Brewer, his throwing lane was still outside on those throws.
Still, I expect Brewer to start. Motley, Ford, and Durkin will push him, and unless Dwayne Lawson is FAR AND AWAY (please note, not just better, but FAR AND AWAY better) he will be redshirted this year. Until I see him play in person, I stand by that prediction.
Early prediction for the Ohio State game, guru French? Shouldve asked earlier, but slipped my mind.
Since I don't think any prediction is credible until we have an idea of what VT's team will look like at safety and OL, and what tOSU is going to do at QB, I will go with last year's score. 35-21 Hokies.
tOSU? Is that oklahoma state or something? Didn't know we had a game with them
the ohio state university
see that right there's your source of confusion: it's anOSU
This Keith Yandle trade by the Rangers has me vexed. Very vexed. #CupOrBust
Ribeye, filet, new York strip, etc?
Ribeye!
Best tackle for beach fishing? Rod and reel?
It depends on the location and targeted species. What are you looking to get into?
Also, how much would you be looking to invest in gear?
Well I'm not sure lol, I will be going town in May and am not sure what's species will be active, what would be a good step up to just go and have a little fun. I'm not very experienced with saltwater at all mostly freshwater background.
Ok... if you are staying around Nags Head, you don't need really heavy tackle. A 7 foot rod that can throw 2-3 ounces of weight should be plenty. Fish with bloodworms, bloodworm fishbites, shrimp, or sand fleas (you can usually find them by digging on the beach.) There should be sea mullet around. Best days will be when there is a light breeze from the southeast. The best fishing around that time will be down between Cape Point and Hatteras Village, but there are sections that will be closed for bird and turtle nests.
If you want a decent set up that can work for freshwater catfish and good surf bottom fishing, I would suggest a Penn Battle II 4000 model reel (around $100) spooled with 14 pound test. Tie a shock leader with 30-40 pound line to your main line, and fish a little bottom rig. A Penn Prevail 8/9 foot surf rod will only be about $75 and will be fine for fish up to puppy drum.
Just make sure, wash your reel off well with fresh water after each day on the beach. If you do, it should last a long time.
Ok thanks for the great advice!
If you have a spinning rod with 10 pound line (medium action 6 and a half footer) with a good spinning wheel, occasionally cast a little jig with it (red jighead with a chartreuse 4 inch shad body) while you wait on your bottom rig to get eaten. You never know when you may catch a speckled trout or a puppy drum. A great hole is just north of Avalon Pier.
And don't hesitate to ask any questions. Watch water temperature. If it is below 60 degrees, head south or do something else besides fish. Water temperature is critical in spring and summer beach and pier fishing, especially from Corolla to Oregon Inlet. A southwest wind (wind hitting you in the back when you are on the beach in Nags Head) is a kiss of death. The same wind in May at Cape Point in Buxton means big drum. Location, wind, and water temperature.
This is sound advice. I will chunk a hunk of meat out for something to tug on, set it in a sand spike (highly recommended for keeping the reel out of the sand while baiting, etc.) and then take my bass rod with a half or 5/8 oz jighead and a Gulp 4" Swimming Mullet in chartreuse of course (if it ain't chartreuse, it ain't no use) and cast around the breakers. Look for anomalies in the surf, a rip, a dip, anything different. Work the bottom and you may catch those specs or a drum, or a blue, or even better, a flounder. I have caught a ton of flounder from the surf using this method. I usually end up losing my bait on my surf rod because I get so caught up in casting the jig I either forget it or get too far away from it if a bite occurs. And while I don't remember ever getting a whiting (roundhead, sea mullet or kingfish in Fla.) on the jig, I have caught a bunch of croakers and even a few spot on jigs. Got a 5lb stargazer on a jig once, didn't know they pack an electrical charge, but lucked out and didn't get walloped. You just don't know what'll show up in the surf, and if they're on the jig, it beats hell out of the big surf rig for small fish.
Reading the surf is a bit tricky for newcomers. The easiest read is a break in the sand bar. If you find a spot where it looks like the water is going out while on each side looks like it is coming in, fish that spot. I have not fished in the surf much the last few years, so different tides are good for different species. The only trend I ever noticed was:
1) striped bass hit best in the last 3 hours of outgoing tide. During fall striper fishing, I have only caught sharks, skates, and red hake on incoming tide.
2) you want a moving tide. 30 minutes on either side of dead low or high tide are usually pretty slow if not completely dead.
Another clue can often be found in the rises and dips in the sand on the beach itself, indicating something's going on out in front.
What, pray tell good sir, is a red hake? Never heard of 'em.
Agreed... I love fishing places that look like a point in a lake.
A red hake is a slimy little cod looking fish, built kind of like a small sea mullet. Back in December of 2007 and 2008 when there were still striped bass on the beaches at Assateague Island. My buddy Peter would fish tiny chunks of bunker just like you would fish for sea mullet and would catch a ton of the little things. He said they were delicious.
Well how 'bout that. Learn something new every day.
Spent three days camping on Assateague one summer. The mosquitoes there are incredibly numerous and big enough to catch in a gill net and use for bait themselves. Beautiful boat-in campsite, idiotic timing, we found out the hard way why we were the only people camping there then. I was with MY buddy Peter, who set the whole thing up. The rangers were so worried about us that they sent a helicopter over the site every day to make sure we were ok. Seriously! We were scheduled for a week, we lasted three days and that was three too many.
Key point- DO NOT GO TO ASSATEAGUE WHEN THE WIND BLOWS FROM THE WEST from the end of May to October. Those skeeters and greenies are the devil incarnate.
Did not used to be that way. Spent a lot of time there as a kid body surfing and surf casting.
We were there early '80s. Boat-in campsites were down island and sound side. The mosquitoes were visible as a cloud when we hit the site. The only respite was ocean side during the day. We spent our days rolling in the surf trying to recover from the hundreds of bites. No amount of deet, or long sleeved shirts could stop them. Both of us suffered from it, but neither wanted to holler uncle. The beach at the top of the island didn't suffer the same fate, apparently. We were the idiots, the staff was really worried about us, so it was well known by all but us, I guess. Wind was slack or slightly from the west. Beautiful campsite, all the clams and crabs we could eat, for the easy pickin'. Time to go is late fall and early spring, but it's hard to get a site, so we thought we'd try summer. Baaaaaaad idea.
My uncle lived in Assowoman so we probably had local guide services to keep us from the vampires.
Yeah, any local would have told us to stay home or just come for the day. Really is a beautiful island. We saw plenty of ponies and those little deer the island sports. Local knowledge goes a long way pretty much anywhere.
If you have a typical spinning rod (2500 reel, 6-7 ft medium action) buy a handful of gotcha lures and head to the pier in the AM, especially on light E/SE wind days. You will have fun catching bluefish in late May, guarenteed.
If you were looking to get into serious red drum fishing from pier or beach (which is mostly a fall endeavor), the most inexpensive rig that will do the job well is:
1) A Penn Squall 15 spooled with 17 pound high vis mono and a 50 pound shock leader
2) A Bass Pro Shop OM12 Heavy Casting Rod rated to throw 6-12 ounces
http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angler-Ocean-Master-Surf-Rods-Casting/pr...
(Please note, this will be the only Bass Pro product I would ever recommend, but mine has done the job.)
Bass Pro Shops makes a spinning rod that costs the same that can also handle the heavier weight, but a good spinning reel that can handle the wear and tear of big drum are MUCH more expensive.
I have both set ups. I caught both my big drum this year on the Squall, but it took a long time to learn how to cast it consistently. I still have my spinner, a Diawa Saltiga that set me back $500. That set up caught a lot of drum but it didn't have a clicker and didn't have the power of a conventional.
French, have you seen any spinning reels with a clicker? I cannot recall seeing one, and I have owned a literal sackfull of them.
With a Shimano Baitfinder's functionality, a clicker would make sense for it, but I have never seen a spinner with a clicker. For drum fishing, it means you have to watch your rod much much much closer.
Last question, I promise...mono or braid? I have both, use both, but usually use the braid for the really big fish, mono for the smaller stuff. For the record, I have broken two rods while using braid (hangups) and cut two fingers to the bone on braid. Backlashes, errrr, professional overruns I mean, are a bear to unravel with braid, and as expensive as it is I don't want to just wade in with scissors like I will with mono when frustration demands immediate action.
Most of my fishing comes from piers, and the piers I fish on will run you off if you use braid because if someone with mono hooks a big fish and they cross your line, that braid will cut it like a hot knife through butter. On lighter stuff, it just isn't worth the trouble most of the time.
That said, I run 50lb braid with mono backing and 50lb fluoro leader on my cobia bucktail rod (for the extra spool capacity.) also, braid is the way to go for deep dropping, speed jigging, and for fishing for tautog in Ocean City. For those three applications, I am usually borrowing other folks gear.
I am a Sufix Tritanium believer. I usually use Ande for mono leader, and seaguar fluoro. But fluoro only seems to make a difference with Spanish mackerel
I believe in flourocarbon, but like you say, it seems only to make a difference to some fish. Any skittish fish in clear water will make me use fluoro, at least for a leader. It does tend to get stiff in cold weather, but the relative invisibility makes it worth the money, and the extra trouble in the chill. Interesting about the pier and braid. It's been so long since I pier fished, I was unaware of the "ban". Some tout the extra casting distance, some tout sensitivity to the bite due to the non stretching properties of braid, but I have no problem with distance in casting, and I find a really good quality rod and attentive fishing takes care of the sensitivity issue. Thanks for your response.
Unfortunately, couldn't line up the Hatteras trip on short notice, so hoping for an Elizabeth River trip next week.
The "ban" depends on where you fish. The folks on Avalon are pretty laid back, but if you show up at the end of the pier with a heaver loaded with braid, god help you. At Bogue Inlet they will not let you have a king pass if your anchor rod or fighting rod have braid. If you go further south some of the king fishermen run braid on their fighting rod, but it is generally a no-no on your anchor rod.
For the other types of pier fishing, it just isn't worth the trouble. Tangles are always much worse with braid. When you factor the expense, I just don't use it. The cobia jigging rod is an exception, but that is a sight casting deal where I might throw it once or twice a day.
As for fluoro, I use an 18 inch 30lb yozuri pink fluoro leader above my gotcha plug to prevent cut offs from spanish mackerel. When I was younger and didn't have a family to take care of, I would fish 10lb mono straight to the gotcha lure. My hook up ratio was MUCH higher, but I was going through $30 in gotchas every trip. It caught up to me.
I usually don't pack much gear for a summer trip. I pack a plastic case of gotchas and 1 1/2 oz gotcha diamond jigs, about 10 sibiki rigs (blues and spanish cut them up), some bloodworm fishbites to tip the sibiki for pinfish and spot if blues/shad are not biting, light and dark colored 2oz cobia jigs, and my terminal tackle for the king rig.
Yeah, that makes sense. I feel like a throwback around here, everyone is running braid, especially for trolling or dragging big baits for big flounder, but lately, it seems for everything. I have always tread the fine line between more bites/hook ups, and more break/cut offs due to light line, but my credo is, until I am getting outfished by someone with braid or heavier mono, I'm using what I feel will give me the best chance for bites and I'll worry about losing baits when it gets to be a problem. I have been using green six lb Bass Pro Excel mono for reds up to 10+ lbs when they're in non hang up areas, and usually outfishing my companions, sometimes seriously, because they are shy of the light line. Doesn't matter that I get more bites, catch more fish, and don't break them off or lose any more baits than they do, some folks just can't make that move. I use it for flounder jigging as well, with the same result, but for the really toothy critters, blues, spanish and the like, there's no advantage to be gained.
I will contend that the only real good application for braid is fishing straight down where you need super sensitivity. You would never feel a tog or a sheepshead bite without it unless they hooked themselves without braid. It helps in deep water current as well. Otherwise, it isn't worth the trouble and especially the expense (not just the line, but also the damage to guides if you don't have top-end equipment.
On a light spinning rig (Shimano 2500, 7 ft rod), which is all i fish with, i use a cheap mono backing (you can also use a couple broccoli rubber bands), and then about 65 yards of 15lb power pro. To that i tie a 20 lb flourocarbon leader. the flourocarbon to braid knot is the weak link in the system so if i get caught in some oysters ("can't be skeered!") i lose the leader and terminal tackle but not the line. the key to avoiding fouled braided line is to make sure the drag isn't too tight such that the line bites down into the spool. I can go a whole season without a wind knot and the line will last 2-3 seasons...if it fades bad and starts to get a little fuzzy, just turn it around.
if i do have a catastrophic breakoff/mess, i've only invested in 65 yds of braid.
My "all around rod" is a Shimano 3000 Stradic spooled with 10lb Sufix Tritanium matched to a St. Croix Triumph 7 foot one piece fast action rod. I can use it for shad fishing in the river, throwing gotcha plugs or trout jigs off the pier, or bottom fishing with a 2oz or less sinker. It is my work horse.
You could try going to slightly heavier powerpro (30 lb). The diameter of the braid is almost too slender to tie a really good knot to 20 lb fluro. What knot do you use to attached your fluro to the braid?
What's the best way for Bud and Charley to utilize the apparent depth at DT next year?
Maddy and Marshall 3 series, 1 series for the top two back ups. He will go with a 4 man rotation. The competition will be fierce.
Maddy and Facyson are the two most important defensive players next year. Both need to be healthy to have the kind of season that we are hoping for.
Serious:
Who/what do you see being the key part of producing a formidable offense in the coming seasons?
Not serious:
Favorite tailgating beverage?
1) Running the ball better and getting more big plays on play action. I want to see Ford making more plays down field, especially as we see more over the top coverage on Hodges.
2) I don't drink any booze any more because of a medication that I have to take. So, hand me a glass half filled with orange juice and half cranberry juice and I am a happy man. If I could have a beer, a Commodore Perry from Great Lakes Brewery would probably be my first choice.
Thanks for getting back to me!
I appreciate the time you take for this and all things Hokie
You say "orange juice* but all I hear is "fireball shot"
He's been known to drink rails with a side of toast...but only when watching the Jesuits weave their dark magic.
JESUITS HATE TOAST. PROVEN FACT. THEY WILL NOT CAST THAT BOSTON COLLEGE JESUIT BLACK MAGIC ON ME.
BUCKEYES HATE CORNDOGS.
What is your favorite saltwater live/cut bait?
It depends on the situation. When I am live baiting for a king mackerel, you can't beat a live menhaden, although they won't stay alive long. For a cobia, you want a live bluefish on a pin rig, and a live spot on an egg rig. A bluefish will work for both, although for me the kings just kill the bluefish so you miss hook ups. Grass shad (caught on a sibiki rig) are good for kings, but a little too active for the cobia. I have seen many a cobia give up while the shad flips up out of the water.
In the fall when fishing for red drum, every single one I have caught as come on a fresh spot head, cut from the body right behind the gills. I have seen more caught on fresh cobb mullet heads, but I never have gotten one so give me the spot.
For striped bass and big bluefish off the beach in New Jersey or Assateague Island in Maryland, fresh menhaden chunks about 2x1 inches. A bunch of guys swear by clams for the stripers but I don't fool with them.
For spot, you can't beat bloodworm fish bites. Same for croaker. The best bait for sea mullet are live sand fleas or tiny chunks of mullet. Sand fleas are also awesome for pompano and sheepshead. For trigger fish you want to use shrimp or squid.
First lemme bow and give praise that was way more of an answer than I expected. I should have specified such as surf or pier. But I agree with all you said, but I love me some damn finger mullet, live/frozen/chunk everything eats em. Last year on Bogue I was using shrimp and cut mullet and a school of blue came through. For the first time in human history I couldn't catch a blue in a feeding school of em. But the trailing flounder was an awesome bonus.
I used finger mullet one time and caught a handful of nice flounder on Assateague. But the bluefish just kept cutting their tails off.
Again, a solid reply. I would add a small addendum about sand fleas. If you really want to parse it, you can search the plethora of fleas in the surf until you find a soft shelled one. They aren't terribly easy, nor dauntingly difficult to find if you have enough of them to sort through. They go off the hook fast, but are deadly on anything that eats them. I doubt you could get a better bait for pompano in the surf. They're coming in on the wash, turning sideways, and then feeding on the fleas on their way back out. Flounder love them.
Seconded. There is little better than catches a pound and a half pompano in the wash on a live peeler sand flea. And they are good eating.
Now you have me dreaming of August in the Hatteras surf. And later on today, when the novocaine wears off, I'm going hunting for a fish sammy.
let me know how you do- I guarantee when the wind comes out of the south tomorrow afternoon at Hatteras the puppy drum will go ham again.
late to the party:
Hokie's win National Championship or landing a record breaking trophy fish of your favorite fish?
It would depend. As much as I am invested into the Hokies now with all the film and the writing, it would make me really happy to see these kids rewarded with that kind of accomplishment. All I ask for is good memories.
I don't care about record breaking fish. Fishing for me is a social thing. I love sharing the experience. I am not a great fisherman but I have been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and have great people putting me on fish. My best memories so far have been catching great fish with my Dad. My only regret is that many of my best catches (my first big bluefin, first big wahoo, 70 pound cobia, first big drum and striper) came without my Dad there with me. Luckily, he and I shared a great mahi mahi trip. I got to put him and Mom on gigantic bluefin tuna so they could have the experience of landing something the size of a mini-Cooper. And Dad and I got to catch our first cobia together on the same day. Those were great days, along with the amberjack trip I wrote about a couple weeks ago.
Have you ever noticed that your avatar looks like a centaur in a football uniform? If we had such a player on our team, what position would he be best suited to play?
Defensive back. Obviously.
Robocop on a horse is a classic. I also have The Bandit on an ostrich.
What is the progress on the injuries suffered by McKenzie and Juice? And with that being said, who do you see starting at HB come Labor Day?
I will defer to the injury report on Beamerball for the status of Shai and Marshawn. I am on the record that I want both to redshirt this year regardless of what the normal recovery time is.
I assume that the day 1 depth chart will be JC, Trey, with McMillian and Reid both battling for work.
Hey French - Have you ever seen a grown man naked?
I spent years in a locker room. So yes. Unfortunately the most recent grown man I saw naked was Gavin Degraw. Long story.
This sounds like a good story.
I was a concert promoter's assistant for the same company that runs Bonaroo each year. We had Gavin Degraw performing at a 400 seat venue in East Tennessee in 2003. I went to pick up him and his band for sound check at a Hampton Inn. I went to his band's room first, and they told me I could go in because he was next door (interconnected room.) I walked in and all I saw was bare naked hitpster ass jammed in between two long amazonian Knoxville sorority girl legs. The band had pranked me. I thought I was going to get fired, but they all got a big laugh out of it.
I bet the whole time you were thinking "I Don't Want To Be" here and that you were just hoping to hop on a "Chariot" to get out of there. Sounds like he was "In Love With a Girl" and I bet you are glad you didn't stick around the see the "Follow Through". Great story!
It was less awkward than taking Saliva's Josie Scott to a minute clinic because his pee burned.
Bet he felt a little "Click, Click, Boom" if you know what I mean.
French, you've talked a bit about what you expect the starting OL to be by the end of the spring. What do you think the floor/ceiling is for that group? Are we upgrading, even at spots vacated by seniors? Are we looking at another year like 2013, with some bright spots but little dominance? Could we see some big steps forward this season?
Man, it is tough to say we are "upgrading" until I see the guys play this spring. Not being able to see the true freshmen in the fall because of the closed practices really set me back.
I want to watch Braxton Pffaf closely if he can stay healthy. He looked very mobile in his first live work back in the spring. If he steps up, that gives Searels the opportunity to play Conte at tackle, which then gives the true freshmen like Clark, Arnold, and Plantin an opportunity to get used to the speed of the game.
Hey sorry if I missed this, i tried to flip through all your responses...but what about Osterloh, wasn't he a pretty big recruit, at least one of the best OL in the state that year (along with Pffaf), when we got him, does he factor in at all?
I fear that I am not very high on Osterloh. Jeremy Haynes, a walk on from South County, tore him apart time and again in the Spring Game last year. He has ideal size, and based on his former career as a tight end he should have good feet. However, he struggled against Haynes speed and looks like he still needs to add core strength despite being in Gentry's program for several years.
That's fair. In what you've seen from these guys on film, do you think they have the potential to really upgrade this line, or do you see these guys as the same sort of players (decent to solid college linemen, nothing outstanding, limited pro potential) as we've seen the past few years?
Clark can be a masher. I really like Arnold and Plantin's feet. I think from how the kids would perform at a combine, there is a definite upgrade in physical ability. However, so much of offensive line play is cohesion that you don't know until they get an opportunity to get out there and play.
I'll take it. FWIW, it's really not difficult at all to just wander onto the practice field and watch practice. Just sayin, if you've got a free afternoon...
How do you see the pecking order at QB shaking out this spring and summer? With Brewer likely entrenched as QB1, is Ford the next man up? Do you think Durkin can overtake Ford this spring and/or have a package role this fall? Where does that leave Motley? And how will Lawson fit in all this in year one?
Lawson will redshirt, barring comically catastrophic injuries. But I think he'll do what Ford did this year. He'll spend most of his time around Lefty and learn the offense instead of running the scout team. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Ford be QB2 by the end of the spring, and Durkin may even take Motley's spot as the wildcat QB (which I think we'll also continue to see throughout the year). So this is a big spring for Motley. He's got young guys breathing down his neck and he's gonna have to fight like hell to keep his spot on the team.
Thanks for the question. I know everyone is chomping at the bit for quarterback details. Here are my thoughts:
1) Brewer will be the quarterback unless someone performs significantly better in spring and fall camp.
2) I expect Motley to be the backup, although Ford could give him a run. Durkin- it depends on his throwing. I don't think any of us have seen him throw a game-speed pass yet, so we don't know.
3) That being said, I know that Durkin was strongly considered to be the wildcat QB last year. With Motley's injury history, I fully expect that Durkin will be the wildcat QB this year regardless of Motley's status.
4) Lawson is redshirting unless he comes in and is heads and shoulders above the rest of the QBs from day 1. It is important to emphasize, he has to be significantly better. If he is slightly better or on par, he redshirts.
Do you think that if Ford (or Durkin) do anything less than completely and soundly outplay Brewer they can win the job? In my mind, Lawson's at a pretty big disadvantage this year being a true freshman, and you want him to get ready to compete for a starting spot next year. But if a young guy starts in 2015 and plays well it would be damn hard to replace him.
I think if Motley, Ford, or Durkin outplay Brewer (and that includes lots of stuff I can't see on film like setting protections, audibling, checking down) they will play. I don't believe that Loeffler is married to Brewer, or he wouldn't have played Motley when he did last season. Motley just didn't have the practice reps to have a full gameplan, and it was compounded by his injuries. Otherwise, Motley could have possibly been in the mix as early as the Pitt game. There was no doubt that Motley had bypassed Leal in the spring. But, he got hurt and Leal had a very good camp.
Fact is, I think the best guy played last season. And, I think the best guy will play this season unless Lawson is the guy but not a significant upgrade.
Thanks for the responses. I've been really curious about Durkin; he has huge physical upside, but of course the throwing aspect is a bit of an unknown at this point, other than some high school film. I came across this video on YouTube of him working in some drills last winter. It's great to see he's really been working at polishing his mechanics and accuracy. My biggest takeaway: dude has one HECK of an arm. Of course this isn't live football or anything, but looks pretty darn good. I find myself really rooting for him this spring - really hope he can go out and make some noise.
I fully expected this to be a trick shot video and while I love those was pleasantly surprised with actual workouts. Love the tight seams he is throwing and the pop at the delivery when it's caught. That's how it should sound.
Thanks
Do you think Clarke is firmly entrenched at backer, or could he be challenged by one of the younger guys?
Clarke is the best backer since Xavier Adibi. He stays unless he screws it up or gets hurt.
I'm happy to hear such a glowing endorsement. His athleticism is obvious, but he definitely struggled a bit early on. Stoked to see what he can do after a full year of experience.
Ever been in a Turkish prison?
I do like gladiator movies. And Jabbar is lazy.
I'm hoping most people realize what the heck I'm talking about. That movie is a true master piece!
Legs all around
Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop watching AIrplane.
Excuse me stewardess. I speak jive.
Hey, you know what they say: see a broad to get dat booty yak 'em... leg 'er down a smack 'em yak 'em!
What's your vector, Victor?
French- Ginger or Maryanne?
Mnage
Best spots in and around MB, SC (specifically Surfside) to fish this weekend?
This weekend? Man... that is tough given how cold it has been. I would assume that the best bet would be fishing for puppy drum in the backwaters. I would think the best bet would be to find a guide and go via boat to find the schools of redfish. Offshore would be rough and not much is biting, although I bet if you found 70 degree water and structure there would be big amberjack all over it.
Here is a local report that I found. It looks like the piers/surf are a waste of time. http://www.gotomyrtlebeach.com/fishing-report-myrtle-beach/
Wow, thanks. Better still thanks for the report. Yeah, gonna be down there from Fri-Wed for a b'day-fam reunion.
For someone who's followed Tech basically since Foster became DC, the evolution of the defensive scheme has been something that has interested me, particularly the last couple of years. Do you think we'll see an elimination of the whip position for the foreseeable future? If so, how do you think Foster will adjust to the few power teams in the conference?
It certainly is interesting. I don't think the whip goes. I think he will just play guys who are combo corner/safeties at the whip instead of the linebacker sized guys. DiNardo and Van Dyke came to Blacksburg as safeties. Chuck Clark wasn't playing any different alignment-wise than James Anderson before Facyson got hurt.
The changes in the defense come from Foster using 3 man fronts and the dime look. He used a 3 man front on rare occasions in the past, but I cannot remember him running a dime defense before the Military Bowl this year.
I think the biggest change will be that Foster will make the whip position more specialized. Bigger safety types that can still cover will be in the game on running downs and against more pro-style systems. He will play guys who fit the corner mold on passing downs. If Facyson is healthy, we could see Trimble/RVD some games, Reynolds/Reavis/Clark in some games, and Stroman against spread teams. So much depends on matchups and health.
That, to me, is Foster's biggest change. He used to play his system period, and be damned with the offensive system. We only saw Fuller at whip in a defacto nickel because he couldn't trust the kids he had at whip. Then, he changed his system against GT. Ever since, while the basic principles against every team but GT have not changed, the way he uses personnel has changed significantly based on those match ups. It is a far cry from the days when he slide Ben Taylor out to cover Ron Dugans one on one instead of bringing in another corner.
Do you think that the adjustments he's had to make with Paul Johnson as a yearly foil necessitated the creativity of Foster and the Defensive staff? You look at other great coordinators, and they are known for a system. Foster was/is still known for having a system, and I agree with you that seems in recent years that the fronts and personnel have been changed around to adjust to more spread teams. Do you think there is also a possibility that the change is recruiting related - i.e. there is more DB/LB talent in VTs key recruiting areas?
I think if you watch the film closely of the last four GT games, the defensive approach has varied wildly from game to game. Personnel dictates some of it, and the way GT runs their offense (more zone blocking, less veer blocking) has also changed. Recruiting has changed the way they defend GT somewhat, mostly in that they have significantly more defensive line depth (versus moving JR Collins inside as an example) to play more aggressively.
The biggest factor has been the skillset of the players he has on a given year. When he has had DT's that can penetrate, they attack the mesh point. When they don't, the DTs jam things up. The consistencies are:
1) Bud will do everything he can to take away the dive play.
2) Bud puts tremendous stress on his edge and alley players to tackle the QB/pitch man one on one. He mixes things up to mess up timing and force turnovers.
French - regarding a tweet from last month, I would love to hear the story on why Chris Thile was a jerk when you met him.
Ah, the guy from Nickel Creek? Got it. So they booked a show to perform at an old warehouse turned night club called Rafters. There was nothing in their show rider except for typical requests. So, I stocked up. The day of the show, he pitched a fit and insisted that their rider required the hospitality assistant to be "an attractive female between 18-25" and refused to go on. My boss gave me a hundred bucks (I got paid $300 normally per show) and he told me that he would find someone else to cover their hospitality. So, he cost me $200 and put us in a really bad spot because we were a three man team (me as the promoter rep, the promoter, and the sound guy) and it really messed up the workflow.
Well, when the show started, the band played a handful of songs and then told the crowd that if they didn't put out their cigarettes that they would leave the stage. It was a smoking venue (2003/04) and there was nothing in the rider about it being a non-smoking show. After about a half dozen songs, they walked off. After a long argument (knowing that they would not get paid) they went back on stage. I worked with a bunch of bands, and while I have varying opinions of each, no band was as diva-ish as those guys. Other bands at least let the tour manager be the jerk instead of the actual band members.
I saw Nickel Creek back up Lyle Lovett around that time. I never figured they would be that type of headache. Aren't they a brother & sister band?
They are. That was the only country show I ever booked. Generally the people in the bands were nice. If I remember correctly the guy who was the touring drummer with Seether was actually a Hokie. He said he had lived in Blacksburg.
Bluegrass/pop prodigy-type band from California, they aren't exactly a "country" act. I think they rose too far, too fast, and didn't know how to handle their success. Thile is incredibly talented, but has always seemed just a bit too full of himself, to me. Or more than a bit after reading French's tale.
Eh, Nickel Creek is basically a footnote now anyways, Punch Brothers is an awesome band and he's always seemed more of the demure genius with them. Then again I've never met them. I wonder if that kind of shit still happens, but I'd probably rather not know.
French- sorry its two days late, but what are your thoughts on the Rangers' bold move at the deadline? Does this push the Blueshirts over the top or are we in store for another disappointing playoff?
Well, first of all, as heart wrenching as last season was, I lived through 98-the lockout where the Rangers gave huge money to every piece of garbage on the market and then couldn't even make the playoffs. To have a puncher's chance is really nice.
I lived through 1994 and my heart was broken with the Gartner trade for Anderson. I was also a big Amonte fan. If you have a chance to win a Cup, you kick the can. But, the consequences can be devastating- see the aforementioned 98-Lockout period that resulted from trades like Ray Ferraro, Matty Norstrom and Ian LaPerrier for Jarri Kurri, Marty McSorely, and Shane Churla.
I have mixed feelings about the trade. Yandle is a very good defenseman in his prime, but we are not talking about Brian Leetch or Ray Bourque here. He is a complimentary guy who should help the power play. The biggest issue on the power play was losing battles for the puck and Dan Boyle duffing it at the top of the circles. Yandle is a lefty, so he isn't replacing Boyle. Rather, he is replacing McDonagh, who I still like on the PP.
Also, the lack of number 1's is scary. I will be 39 before they have another number 1 pick. I loved Duclair, but with Lindberg showing that he can be the #3 center next year, you can move Hayes up to be the replacement for MSL if he leaves. That doesn't mean it won't hurt if Duclair becomes a star. I hated Moore being moved. He wasn't a good season, but he had more upside than Allen or DMac at a low cap hit. In a playoff series, you love guys who are cheap and can step in and make big time plays on occasion (see Doug Lidster.) Moore could despite his struggles. Matt Hunwick can't. And, you still have Boyle getting a regular shift, which worries me.
Klingberg gives them a big body who can skate in the AHL that can come up and fit a fourth line role. I always wish that the Rangers would have a big guy who can skate and win possession like Freddy Sjostrom on that fourth line. I liked that deal for Stempniak, who really didn't have a spot when Fast came back. Klingberg is younger and fits the need better.
Sheppard is the most important player and Sather got him at a great price. The most glaring weakness the Rangers have is the lack of a match up center to go against Pittsburgh and the Islanders. Stepan is ok, but doesn't play on a defensive minded line. Brassard has a ton of want-to, but is limited defensively. Moore is great, but you can't have him on the ice all those minutes, especially not with line mates that can't hang with top-line guys.
If Sheppard can play well defensively, which sounds like he is a good defensive player, that gives you the ability to create a stopper line of Hagelin-Moore-Sheppard during home games for big defensive zone draws. That flexibility is critical and is the key reason that the Rangers, despite having Sergei Nemchinov, traded for Craig MacTavish. MacTavish centered the fourth line (between Greg Gilbert and Joey Kocur) most of the playoffs, but when Keenan needed to win a defensive zone draw against a great offensive line, you saw MacTavish out between Esa Tikkanen and Brian Noonan or Steve Larmer. That group could shadow ANYONE.
I don't want to say we are now the favorite, because I don't know how this rush up and down style will translate in the playoffs. They won't get this much open ice. If I see the team, with Sheppard and Yandle, start scoring more off the cycle game, this could be a special spring. Still, ultimately in order to win, Lundqvist will have to be spectacular. Otherwise, the Islanders are a really tough matchup, the Penguins are still Gary Bettman's Golden Children, the Caps can be a problem if they get goal tending, and we know that the Rangers struggle to contain Kopitar-Carter even with Brian Boyle to help at center.
FTFY.
The Penguins have Jim Rutherford running the ship right now, so the odds of them doing something ridiculously stupid to completely handicap them long term and mortgage the future at a poorly timed move to win now with a team that really doesn't have the ability to do so is at an all time high. Judging from the criticisms of their deadline day dealings, its starting to happen.
They could have picked Winnick up on waivers over the summer if I remember correctly.
They will only go as far as Marc Andre Fleury will take them. I am actually a Fleury fan, because his performance the year the Pens lost to Detroit in the Finals was one of the all time great goaltender performances. But man, he has been off his game for the last couple of playoff cycles. We know the Flying Bettman's in stripes will do everything they can to keep them in games, but Fleury's erratic play and a small (very talented, but LaPierre is their biggest forward) group of forwards makes it tough to make it through the grind.
The other issue is that Rutherford has a complete hard-on for puck moving defensemen, at the expense of guys who excel at keeping the puck away from their own net. Literally, the history of big defensive signings for the Canes since they moved down from Hartford are filled with the likes of Sandis Ozolinsh, Danny Markov, Oleg Tverdovsky, Thomas Kaberle, David Tanabe (parts 1 and 2), Joni Pitkanen, and so on. Those were the high dollar guys that Rutherford went out to get, overpaid for, and then strapped the team with costly salaries that handicapped himself for years to come. And what makes those even worse is that he had to let guys like Dennis Seidenberg, Aaron Ward, Marek Malik (actually a really, really good guy... he lived in our neighborhood when on the team) etc go to keep the others around. Its no surprise that defense has been the #1 reason the Hurricanes haven't been able to really regain the momentum they had from 2002 to 2006 when they made their Cup runs, and continues to be the big weakness now. And in doing so, has literally ridden Cam Ward so hard for those years that he's now physically breaking down not even 10 years into his career. Oh, and don't even get me started on all the offensive help he brought in to help out Eric Staal. Semin is making $7m per year right now to be a healthy scratch most nights. And we're stuck with that deal for another 3 years.
I was in Madison Square Garden for Marek Malik's shootout winner between the legs in the longest shootout ever at that time. I didn't see the move because the lady in front of me blocked my view, but I saw the water bottle pop up. His deadpan "what, me worry?" after the goal was PRICELESS.
I loved Aaron Ward. He was one of my favorite Hurricanes (my 2nd favorite NHL team) along with Jeff O'Neil, Erik Cole, and Eric Staal (who I hope the Rangers can sign when he goes UFA. I think he has a lot left.) Raleigh could be a really good hockey town. The tailgating component is awesome, and that place rocked when they were good. They have two problems- lousy TV revenue, and they have not been able to draft and produce young stars to compliment Staal, Skinner, and Faulk.
This was the loudest I have ever heard the Garden in person. Louder than the "You Can't Beat Us" Flyers game on Super Bowl Sunday a few years ago.
And for a little while we were completely getting to that point. There is still a very large following in the area, but the fanbase has completely revolted against the organization for continually raising prices for tickets, parking, concessions, etc as the team sank lower and lower in the standings. I absolutely love the game, I love the Canes, and I want to see them do well. I personally scalped one ticket to each round of the playoffs in 2006 when they won it all (paying an absurd price for the Finals ticket). I drove the 90 minutes each way to see them play in a tarped off Greensboro Coliseum when they first moved down. I've gotten season ticket packages before. But I dropped them when the team decided to up the value of those tickets from $80 per game to $120 per game while the team was routinely getting smacked on the ice. Ugh....
When the organization shows a true dedication to getting back to relevance, I'll go to games again. But its really tough to stomach paying the price they are charging for the quality that is being delivered. Especially when StubHub prices are routinely 1/3 to 1/2 of retail.
I saw Gretzky's last two games against the Canes in Greensboro when I was in college. Someday I need to upload all of those photos. I would drive down from Emory and get the student tickets. It was easy until the bastards started tarping the upper deck.
Keith Primeau was their number one center, between O'Neil and Kapanen
Primeau.... for a while, he was the most hated man in Raleigh. Those Flyers-Canes games there throughout his career pre-concussions were something else.
In the end, though... I have to say I think the Canes came out on the better end of that trade, even with Pelletier never playing a game in the NHL.
I would love to have a Primeau in his prime guy, or Rod BrindAmour as a match up center on the current Rangers to bang with Taveras
Primeau in his prime (the 2003 playoffs was his prime. He single handedly dominated Tampa in that series, even in a losing effort. One of the best individual efforts I've ever seen out of a player in one series) was an absolute beast. But I have to say, one of my all-time favorite moments in hockey was in the '97 playoffs when Brind'Amour scored 2 shorthanded goals against the Pens on the same Power Play. Not something I think I'll ever see again.
Holtby has had a stellar campaign so far this year. You have to give it to him he is playing much better than he did last season.
Agreed, Trotz, and especially Korn, have done a great job with him. Trotz has gotten Ovi to acknowledge that there is a defensive zone on the ice which is a huge improvement, I just hope it's enough to get over the hump and out of the first/second round.
I still contend that Ovi was never part of the problem. The lack of a true #2 center, and the defenses inability to get the puck through the neutral zone, and poor goaltending (for the best Caps teams-Theodore) were the bugaboos. The D's ability to get through the zone is better with Niskanen. Holtby has been very good. What I see lacking with the Caps is the lack of net presence on their top power play (coupled with an inability to always win puck battles) and the occasional lack of commitment to defensive zone checking. They are not particularly fast in their bottom six.
All solid points. I agree that the lack of a true #2 center is a huge issue, but having your captain completely ignoring the defensive zone didn't help at all. Hunter had him playing both ways and it almost took them to the 3rd round. Personally I like Trotz and I think they have the ability to go deep. I've never really understood why Brouwer hasn't worked out as that missing net presence, but I'm still a relatively new hockey fan so some parts of the game are still beyond my understanding.
Brouwer should be, but Backstrom just loves to play down near the redline. Brouwer has to slide deep in the slot (while Ovi sneaks in at the back door) to create any chances when Backstrom has the puck there.
The other problem are those Ovi point shots. NOBODY wants to screen the goalie on those shots. And Ovi doesn't shoot low pucks that are easy to deflect home. It works because he scores a bunch against so-so goalies. Those shots don't go in the playoffs.
SHOULD WE START A HOCKEY THREAD?
I'm in on the hockey thread. As much as I love Hokie football and sports in general, there is nothing like playoff hockey (except for those 11-12 weeks in the fall, of course). Growing up in VA and the South in general, I never knew a thing about hockey until we moved up to the Cape and one of my sons wanted to start playing when he was 11 years old (about 6-7 years too late up here). That was 1998 or so. While watching youth hockey, then the Bruins, and later becoming a B's season ticket holder, I absolutely fell in love with the game. And, without a doubt, hockey has the humblest, best conditioned (OK, maybe not Kessel), most likeable and intelligent athletes as a whole of all the major sports. I just wish the game was more widespread during my days growing up in Springfield.
All good points. I think Brouwer and Ward will get scrappier and get in there more come playoffs. I don't love the Glencross deal but hope I'm wrong and that it works out.
You will never hear me say anything bad about Holtby. He is been very good in Caps vs Rangers match ups. Lundqvist (and more importantly the players in front of him) have been just a bit better.
People mistake me for disliking the Caps. I don't. The newbie fanbase though is obnoxious, especially folks chatting during the Mike Gartner's (my favorite player as a little kid) number retirement. My office is next door to Kettler. The Caps players, particularly Mike Green, Brooks Laich, and former Caps Jeff Halpern and Tomas Vokoun treated my future step son and my nephew with a great deal of kindness when they asked for autographs/pictures/etc.
French, we both remember the vivid 97 Eastern Conference Final (damn you, Lindros), the debacle of the home stretch of 2002 (where Sandy McCarthy was the Rangers best player as NYR fought for the 8 seed), and the disasters known as Bobby Holik, Lindros, Tom Poti (I refuse to put Anson Carter on this list because he is such a good guy- but, man...), Pavel Bure's knee tearing apart repeatedly, massively overpaying for Malakhov, Mike Dunham..... I could go on.
Our initial reactions on the Yandle deal were similar- Slats gave up a ton but got a very, very, very good defenseman in return (indicating that he screwed up big time on the D.Boyle deal). In the game on Monday, his skill was clear- great skater with awesome peripheral vision and incredibly quick hands plus an extremely high offensive IQ. But, defensively.....poor positioning. Overall, he does give the Rangers an added offensive dimension (and a guy who eats minutes, if necessary) which will be huge come Spring, but he DOES have to learn to play when the ice is not as wide open and the refs let quite a bit go in terms of stick infractions/obstruction. While I also liked John Moore, I did not mind giving him up because Yandle is as good and better in every aspect except his initial burst/speed. Better hands, offensive IQ, and is a threat on the PP. Moore is a better skater and playing on the boards, but I didn't trust him in many situations. Hunwick getting serious time was a bad sign. However, Arizona did get a really talented kid if they can develop him. My big fear is that Moore gained some really incredible experience last Spring and played very, very well in stretches during the playoffs. The Kings and Habs did not want to engage him because of his speed and the fact he was really playing a physical game. I never watched the Yotes in 2012 when they made a deep run, so I cannot speak about Yandle in the playoffs. NYR certainly lost some of that experience on the blueline.
Sheppard was a great acquisition, as you note: strong faceoff guy, tough, and skilled. While I really like Stempniak and wish NYR kept him, Sheppard fills a need that is key in the playoffs. In 2014 we had Brian Boyle and Dominic Moore. In 2012 we had John Mitchell and Brian Boyle. You need those depth wingers/centers who can get their noses dirty and are reliable in their own zone come spring time. Just having Dominic Moore was not going to get the job done.
It should be interesting.
Funniest Mark Berman joke can think of... *jumps to avoid the oncoming onslaught from Berman*
Be careful. Berman has a history of violence. Do you remember when he scrapped with Nick Saban over a girl in high school?
If you wanted a joke, you just need to look at Berman's writing career.
Ok... I'm just gonna go ahead and say that is easily the best video I'm going to see in 2015
So what I'm seeing here is that Saban's got the power, but Berman's pretty shifty and just doesn't give up. Seems about right.
How do we get past losing such a great equestrian program in VA?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/03/03/sweet-briar...
What do you call a dog with no legs?
It doesn't matter. He ain't coming.
Don't know about that. Offer him bacon and he'll come crawlin' on his belly like a reptile.
Which do you believe to be more buoyant:
Cake or pie?
Pie lifts my spirits, so I will go pie.
Pie is denser, cake would get soggy fast and sink, pie would float for a while, sink slowly, regally, elegantly and nestle top up gently to the bottom. Minnows would eat the crumbling cake, fish would dine on the pie.