Recent Comments
NFL scouts are absolutely horrid at scouting QBs. You can't do worse really. But they are much more effective at scouting other positions- like RB. My guess is that Tuten would best fit a hybrid role in the NFL - fast, elusive early downs, reverses, outside zone. With that, he probably doesn't have enough tape catching the ball, used in the slot etc as opposed to some other backs because VT doesn't feature its backs the way we should beyond pounding them into a medicore line. Someone is going to get a very very good back at a bargain.
Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of that.
Yeah with the weapons the Eagles have, if they could get Lane with a mid round pick, he could be set up to have a wonderful career. A HR hitter on a roster that requires a defense to key in on at least one of Brown, Smith and Barkley?
Honestly think Lane would be a solid late round fit for the eagles too
It's 50 miles from Ruby to Galena, per the Checkpoints list from here, and Paige left Ruby with a 2hr 47m head start over 2nd place Matt Hall. Per the race standings page, she averaged 6.06 mph over the 117 mile run from Tanana to Ruby. Absent any rest on trail, continuing that pace would put her into Galena at around 0830 local, which would be 1230 EST. Look for Paige to hit the Galena checkpoint some point after that, hopefully in first to get the First to the Yukon Award that Frosty mentioned.
| Checkpoint | Distance from start |
|---|---|
| Fairbanks | 0 |
| Nenana | 52 |
| Manley | 137 |
| Tanana | 202 |
| Ruby | 319 |
| Galena | 369 |
| Nulato | 420 |
| Kaltag 1 | 456 |
| Eagle Island 1 | 526 |
| Grayling 1 | 582 |
| Anvik | 603 |
| Shageluk | 631 |
| Grayling 2 | 659 |
| Eagle Island 2 | 715 |
| Kaltag 2 | 785 |
| Unalakleet | 866 |
| Shaktoolik | 908 |
| Koyuk | 958 |
| Elim | 1008 |
| White Mountain | 1057 |
| Safety | 1106 |
| Nome | 1128 |
Glad to be of service.
Hope all is well. Weather has been awful all over the state.
To me it comes down to this- The fact is that Pry can't win/close in close games- you can not deny this. You also can't deny he is under .500 as VT's coach. - Clearly under .500 is no bueno and not the expectation for any program that wants to be a football school the level we want to be. So- we are close right? Just clean up the end of games and we are back in the ACC -CG. That is the optimistic view. The problem I have with that is I think it covers up somewhat our main problem and why we can't win 9, 10 games and compete with Clemson, etc. anymore. Talent. Period. We have some talent- to the point where we can keep it close against Duke and Syracuse but we aren't good enough to actually WIN those games. I look at the proof in the pudding here- we sign classes in the 40's and take a bunch of G5 transfers and this board magically thinks that we are going to win 4 more games next year. College football doesn't work that way. Pry has been a dissapointment with regards to HS recruiting - and his record shows that. I am fully aware Fuente burned it to the ground, but we were 6-7 last year- so we don't have guys yet and Fu is long gone. Pry's bets players by far have been transfers and that is fine to supplement a base of talent on the team, but you can't win with 85 portal guys. This isn't basketball. I honestly don't think it's any more difficult than that. We remain delusional that the 8-9th ranked class in the ACC is going to win 10 games. Nobody thinks that but hardcorps VT fans. Yes an FCS transfer COULD be Bashul Tuten- sure. But odds are he is 100% not Tuten. That is not a winning strategy. If you look at the top teams- they recruit HS and the portal MUCH better than we do. WE don't have enough talent to win close games and win more games. That is the bottom line. And until the moment Pry actually recruits a top 20 HS class and lands some proven P4 guys vs. under the radar hope he works guys in the portal, welp this is going to be your result.
If it can get its act together
Watched the TSL podcast on this topic from yesterday. I think some good points were made on the optimistic side for VT. If it can get its act together and win some games, it could set them up to take advantage of the unequal revenue sharing model and be a bigger draw again. But my concern is that is far too big an if for me at this point. We have over a decade of proof that VT football is dysfunctional and likely at an institutional level. Truth be told, we probably have nearly 20 years of poor foresight and vision from the athletics department. The point was raised about how VT took advantage of the unequal bowl revenue distribution in the 90s in the Big East, and seriously benefited from the windfall of 3/5 top bowl appearances in the late 90s to springboard this program toward that ACC invite in 2003.
Since then, and I've said it before and will continue to say it, the foot went off the gas with ACC membership and we got complacent and have been struggling to catch up ever since. Canceling the WVU series as the podcast brings up even looks like a really bad decision now, as that game would be a big draw and help boost our revenue distribution. I see the opportunity here looking on the bright side, but the history and leadership we have in the AD give me no confidence we can prosper in this environment. Look at our OOC schedules coming up - Liberty, ODU, VMI. That's just lazy scheduling and an anchor to our ratings in this new model.
So yeah, is there a chance we could get things turned around? Maybe. But slim IMO and I have little faith that the leadership at VT knows or even frankly has the energy to figure out how to get us back. I think we have slipped into mediocrity as a program and don't see us competing at the top level of the sport as it is now ever again in this landscape. That's just the reality of it.
Barry's steroid supply only lasted through September.
They don't use post season tourney's- until they do.
Don't have the numbers handy, But I am sure Barry Bond's WAR, OPS, et are off the fucking charts. Except for when it mattered most though- choking dog in the post season, which is why he never won anything. I remember a big man from Gonzaga a few years ago- great player, carried them to the final game IIRC- where he promptly sucked and couldn't put the ball in the ocean. I'm sure his advanced stats that year were great though, as another team cut the nets down. I bet Pry's advanced stats are decent- until the 4th quarter in key games.
Frosty's leg-fest continues. You're doing a fantastic job covering this for us, Frosty, and I, for one, really appreciate you. Much beers for you the first time we meet!
Wish I could leg your posts x10. But since I can't, well, here she is....
Edit: Did you think I was talking about the other she? Well, here she is, because you deserve both.
And me, every time I see a new Frosty post in the Iditarod thread:
Using this thread to reach IFishVTIam. Saw some serious damage in Matthew's this am. Hope you, ur family and friends are OK. Thought i heard you all had a 94 mph wind gust.
So then the Eagles can grab him in the second round to have a ridiculous 1-2 at RB to go with their ridiculous 1-2 at WR.
make it so, Howie
Thursday morning, March 6.
Paige pulled out early this morning with 15 dogs after about 3.5 hours rest in Rudy. I'm confused about the 15 dogs as the las video implied an injury and needing to carry one in the sled, but she pulled out at 12:16 AM local time/4:16 AM east coast with the 15 she came in with. I guess the vet checked them out and it was not a serious issue or maybe this was the first dog she dropped and I somehow got the timing confused because the video may have been posted late. Anyway, she continues to lead. Current standings are:
1. Paige Drobny running 15 dogs 341 miles in/787 to Nome
2. Matt Hall just pulled out after over 4 hours rest in Rudy, running 15 dogs 322 miles in/806 to Nome
3-10. Everyone 3-10 is resting in Ruby 319 miles in/809 to Nome:
3. Jessie Holmes
4. Michelle Phillips
5. Ryan Redington
6. Millie Porsild
7. Riley Dyche
8. Travis Beals
9. Gabe Dunham
10. Bailey Vitello
At the back of the pack, we have Jeff Deeter and rookie Charmayne Morrison at Tanana. Charmayne is in the red lantern position. Jeff decided to take his 24 hour layover in Tanana as he had a couple dogs he was expecting to drop, but noticed some other dogs seemed to have tight muscles or sore joints. Things that were not considered serious, but he was not comfortable taking them on with the nagging issues. Was thinking about scratching, but spoke with Matt Failor, who was also taking his 24 hour layover there, and Dallas Seavey, who was visiting the checkpoint, and decided to rest the team and see how they do after a long rest and massages.
Matt Failor did pull out of Tanana early this morning with 15 dogs and becomes the first musher to have completed their 24 hour layover.
Advanced metrics are situation agnostic.Yes and no. But, 100% correct for almost all the football adv. stats.
Idk what you mean by 'situational' but plenty of 'advanced' stats (EPA, Success Rate, etc) account for down and distance. They might not include the score/clock, but that stuff is easy to account for once you understand the EV of different options.
Advanced metrics are situation agnostic.
Yes and no. But, 100% correct for almost all the football adv. stats. And I don't think a lot of people understand that.
Baseball is getting really good at developing situational adv. stats. Knowing how to pitch each player and specific to pitcher arsenal, time through order, count, etc. And vice versa.
The major difference is that baseball is a highly repetitive sport that's essentially the same scenario (pitch and hit). And there are so many games, it's a crap ton of data to work with.
But with football, situational adv. stats are generally generated using data across all teams, all styles of offense and defense, and player abilities. It losses all nuance and specificity. If the adv. stats suggest to go for it 4th and 2 on the 30 instead of kicking the football in a tie game, but you're Iowa, and it's the 4th quarter with 4 minutes left, you should probably kick the FG. The Iowa offense isn't making that first down. And Iowa's D will likely hold serve.
Glad she has gotten out better
This year. Nope her not bad luck continues. This would be cool. Thanks for the updates.
Wednesday night, March 5 just after 11 PM east coast.
Paige has retaken the lead. Now running with 15 dogs 305 miles in/823 to Nome. Second place is Jessie Holmes running with 16 dogs 296 miles in/832 to Nome. Assuming Paige does not need to rest the team, she should arrive first in Rudy late evening local time and a bit after midnight on Thursday the 6th east coast time. 14 miles from the checkpoint now.
The next segment continues on the Yukon for 50 miles. Thought is that the lead teams should arrive in Galena Thursday morning local time/Thursday afternoon east coast.
We have our first scratch. Rookie Brenda Mackey scratched at the Tanana checkpoint at 4:35 PM Alaska/8:35 PM East Coast. No reason given beyond in the best interest of her team. Per the Iditarod site, she had 14dogs in harness and all are healthy.
Edit: bells ringing in Ruby as Paige pulls in at 12:51 AM east coast (according to my computer)/8:51 PM Alaska. 1st place. Did get some bad news on a video posted of her earlier today. Said one of her dogs got into a crack in the ice and she thinks they broke a toe. Has had the dog in the basket of the sled since then. Assume will drop them here in Ruby after the vet gives them a look. Paige has pulled over into the parking area and is unpacking for a stay. Jessie Holmes in 11 miles back in 2nd followed by Matt Hall and Michelle Phillips 3 miles behind him.
Good night all.
ESPN's AI hasn't learned this yet.
We beat GT 105-96 in double OT in the regular season to end their 15 game winning streak.
Just out of curiosity, how did we not play GT during the regular season. I though all of the teams were supposed to play each other?
EDIT: I thought we had beaten them, but silly me thinking ESPN had something right.
Minnesota lost by 14 to washington in the first round of b10 tournament
It's the end of first halves that has bitten Pry in the ass more than end of games. His inability to get points or doing stupid things that allow the other team to get points at the end of first halves were the difference in 5 of our 6 regular season losses.