Maybe Rich Campbell? Sixth overall pick by the Packers in 1981 and only played in seven games over four season and did poorly. The Packers didn't draft another QB in the first round until they drafted Q.Ron Rodgers.
Russell White? Granted he was only a 3rd round pick after staying for his senior year. But based on physical tools, he's got to be up there.
Also, my mom has a landscape guy here and he found out I went to Cal and he said Russell White is his nephew. His sister is Russell's mom. I'm trying to figure ages but his sister must be much older than he is. Russell is about 54 so his mom must be 75+. This guy is probably in his late 50s.
Love the guy, but Javhid Best only played in 22 games as a 1st round draft pick. It sucks that he kept getting concussions in Cal and the NFL which derailed his career. I was at that game when he did that flip into the end zone at Memorial. Scary stuff-- at least for what football I've watched, only a few incidences like the Damar Hamlin thing were worse.
On the plus side, Jahvid did come back on staff in 2014 as a student assistant. Per Wikipedia, he's coaching Bishop O'Dowd RBs.
Microsoft announces VASA-1, which take just one photo and realistically animates it to synch with an audio speech track. Is it good enough to cross the Uncanny Valley? Maybe, but definitely good enough for someone to use it for porn.
The original Nintendo 3DS had a game that did the same thing, although not nearly as well. It was hilarious. You were attacked by flying spheres that all had your face, animated with changing expressions.
Yesterday was April 30th and every year it seems that - earlier and earlier - the weather gets warmer and Mike Trout has a out-for-an-extended-period-of-time due to injury
Ladies and gentlemen, the A’s are officially on a three-game winning streak.
They didn’t get the best outing from starter Alex Wood tonight, but the bullpen certainly picked up the slack yet again. Offensively, they did just enough against Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller while adding some key runs late as JJ Bleday was tonight's offensive MVP for the A’s sending two home runs en route to a 5-2 victory.
Erceg, the former Cal 3rd baseman (whose arm was incredible at the hot corner-I remember he could rake as well) is really coming into his own as the A’s’ set-up man.
A few times every baseball season, a game happens where everything goes against you. You don’t play particularly well, and your opponent does. Every ball you hit is rolled out on a perfectly-ironed red carpet directly at a mitt, and every ball your opponent hits finds the button that fell off of the groundskeeper’s pants when they were smoothing the dirt.
After a delay of one hour, 55 minutes because of bees, the Dodgers and Diamondbacks needed extra time to the middle game of their series. The second of two Christian Walker home runs was a two-run walk-off shot in the 10th inning to give the home team a 4-3 win
Runs were at a premium on Tuesday, especially when Walker wasn’t batting. The Dodgers scored three of them, and didn’t even have an RBI until a Will Smith sacrifice fly in the 10th inning gave them the lead, thanks to the free runner on second base.
Associated Press is reporting that the DEA will shift marijuana to Schedule III from Schedule 1. This will not legalize it, but it will reduce Federal prosecution enforcement against it. Proponents say jails and punishment is not commensurate to a relatively lesser drug. Critics generally say it doesn't go far enough or is too woke. If everyone's unhappy, that probably a good compromise.
In related news, some people take too much drugs and it permanently screws them up. But you went to Berkeley, so you already learned that via first-hand observation
Cal gets the commitment of a project player out of the portal. He was a WR, then converted to an undersized DT, and now he'll be an OLB at Cal in the form of the super tall OLBs that the Golden Bears have recently preferred
I'm on record being a Funches Stan, but I'll say it again.
The 2017 Cal defense was outstanding, but brittle. TDR had a hybrid defense that was nominally 3-4 defense but often blitzed one LB. The starting LBs in that crew were Devante Downs and Ray Davison on the inside and Cam Saffle and Cam Goode on the outside. All four of those LBs went down with injuries some time during the year and were replaced by Evan Weaver, Jordan Kunasyk, Alex Funches, and Gerran Brown - with Ray Davison switching to OLB due to a shortage of OLBs. Funches was an undersized RUSH OLB at only 225 pounds. At the beginning of his time, teams would run and pass at him, but he shut them down. Then they stopped running and passing at him. Funches quietly shut down the flats and put a timer on opposing QBs, while Ray Davison got gaudy stats because teams ran plays to his side.
Nibs Price. Coached Cal football to the Rose Bowl in 1929 and a final four in basketball in 1946. Only person to pull off that unique double. Hoops coach for 30 years. He was also an assistant football coach during Andy Smith's last five years and again after being fired as head man served as an assistant for 24 years. Yet there's nothing of substance named after him and he's little known among Bear fans.
It's the right move for him. He is too small and not a freak athletically for his size to be in the NBA. He'll probably make more money in the NIL to stay at UNC than play in the G league or internationally. They're stacked at guards and wings but real thin on the front line since Bacot is gone.
Here's a different perspective - you're old when most of your older family members have passed away, especially most of your parents' generation. If you're paying attention that's when it hits that you're only a little way from the vortex of time. And even if you can stave off the inevitable, it's still inevitable.
What to do? What to do? Laugh in the face of the inevitable. I ain't going until this body shuts down. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy life and its little surprises and found gems. Like family, friends, the knowledge that I can make a difference somewhere to someone. Maybe not always in ways that I can foresee, but I can make a positive difference, nonetheless. Love is the easiest thing to give and the one thing we often withhold out of fear or an ill-conceived intent to motivate. Love is also the most powerful thing we can give. We just have to open ourselves to the possibility.
But then, you knew that. I haven't told you anything you didn't already know.
In the end I enjoyed The Passenger, but I really really struggled with the sister's parts for the first half. They grew on me as it went on. I have not read her book yet.
he Book of Five Rings is one of the most insightful texts on the subtle arts of confrontation and victory to emerge from Asian culture. Written not only for martial artists but for anyone who wants to apply the timeless principles of this text to their life, the book analyzes the process of struggle and mastery over conflict that underlies every level of human interaction.
pulled this one off the bookshelf this morning as sort of a fun read after watching Shogun. the best thing about all these very specific Japanese books that focus on one thing (swordsmanship, archery, etc) is that the lessons are very universal.
Who is Cal's biggest NFL bust?
Maybe Rich Campbell? Sixth overall pick by the Packers in 1981 and only played in seven games over four season and did poorly. The Packers didn't draft another QB in the first round until they drafted Q.Ron Rodgers.
I'm glad Goff isn't considered bust anymore
Russell White? Granted he was only a 3rd round pick after staying for his senior year. But based on physical tools, he's got to be up there.
Also, my mom has a landscape guy here and he found out I went to Cal and he said Russell White is his nephew. His sister is Russell's mom. I'm trying to figure ages but his sister must be much older than he is. Russell is about 54 so his mom must be 75+. This guy is probably in his late 50s.
Is your mom's landscaper USC legend Charles White?
https://sanfernandosun.com/2022/01/19/a-san-fernando-valley-family-football-legacy-unlike-any-other/
That would be a neat trick, as Charles Whites of USC fame died in January 2023 of liver cancer.
He sure has fallen if he is Charles white. He said he's Tongan and his sister must be married to charles' brother?
Love the guy, but Javhid Best only played in 22 games as a 1st round draft pick. It sucks that he kept getting concussions in Cal and the NFL which derailed his career. I was at that game when he did that flip into the end zone at Memorial. Scary stuff-- at least for what football I've watched, only a few incidences like the Damar Hamlin thing were worse.
On the plus side, Jahvid did come back on staff in 2014 as a student assistant. Per Wikipedia, he's coaching Bishop O'Dowd RBs.
Also, after football he ended up running in the 100 at the Olympics, representing St. Lucia. He was in Usain Bolt’s heat.
Seemed pretty clear he was going to be a good player if he wasn't injured, though. I feel bad about calling a guy a bust because of injuries.
Boller
Kyle Boller has to be in the mix. He was a first round pick but only started 47 games.
This is how those damn cycling maniacs break their clavicles, amirite HSB?
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/may/01/cycling-notes-speeding-machines-and-rim-damage-cycling-1899
1899! that is impressive
such a fun rambling article about so many aspects of cyclng, real and fictional
DBD STREET JOURNAL
Microsoft announces VASA-1, which take just one photo and realistically animates it to synch with an audio speech track. Is it good enough to cross the Uncanny Valley? Maybe, but definitely good enough for someone to use it for porn.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/vasa-1/
Pretty spooky! But for the people with long hair, it looked like their hair had a ton of hair spray. Moved like a solid mass.
The original Nintendo 3DS had a game that did the same thing, although not nearly as well. It was hilarious. You were attacked by flying spheres that all had your face, animated with changing expressions.
Face Raiders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh-YrWvdUCs
PRO
Asking self-reported die-hard Lions fans where Goff went to college
https://www.tiktok.com/@joebonham/video/7363326950330404138?_r=1&_t=8lyhtBVDePL
After the first 5 or 6 didn’t know, or guess some other school in California, 6 or more in a row got it right!
At least some knew
ESPN sheds more light on who and why of the Ohtani interpreter mess. If nothing else, it describes what a train wreck the bookie was.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40058806/ohtani-money-mizuhara-bookie-vegas-casino
This isn't a really good look for the casinos involved. They may not have actually done something wrong, but still.
Hey Siri. Set a reminder to talk shit, dodge a right hook, and then throw punch like a five year-old
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40061114/jose-siri-abner-uribe-center-rays-brewers-brawl
Dodgers @ Diamondbacks game delayed due to bees. Pest guy saves day and throws out first pitch
https://twitter.com/MLBEurope/status/1785603905490960496
Yesterday was April 30th and every year it seems that - earlier and earlier - the weather gets warmer and Mike Trout has a out-for-an-extended-period-of-time due to injury
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mike-trout-injury-angels-slugger-to-get-knee-surgery-on-torn-meniscus-but-not-expected-to-miss-entire-season/
A’s win 5-2 behind Bleday heroics and shutdown bullpen effort
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2024/4/30/24145960/as-win-5-2-behind-bleday-heroics-and-shutdown-bullpen-effort
Ladies and gentlemen, the A’s are officially on a three-game winning streak.
They didn’t get the best outing from starter Alex Wood tonight, but the bullpen certainly picked up the slack yet again. Offensively, they did just enough against Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller while adding some key runs late as JJ Bleday was tonight's offensive MVP for the A’s sending two home runs en route to a 5-2 victory.
Erceg, the former Cal 3rd baseman (whose arm was incredible at the hot corner-I remember he could rake as well) is really coming into his own as the A’s’ set-up man.
Milwaukee stays alive and beats the Pacers 115-92
Cleveland beats the Magic 104-103 to lead the series 3-2
Sixers come back in OT to beat the Knicks 112-106 but still are behind 3-2 in the series
The Giants played on Tuesday, but only in the most literal sense of the word
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2024/4/30/24145901/giants-red-sox-recap-score-logan-webb-wilyer-abreu-jarren-duran
A few times every baseball season, a game happens where everything goes against you. You don’t play particularly well, and your opponent does. Every ball you hit is rolled out on a perfectly-ironed red carpet directly at a mitt, and every ball your opponent hits finds the button that fell off of the groundskeeper’s pants when they were smoothing the dirt.
Bee-lieve it or not: Dodgers lose another extra-inning game
https://www.truebluela.com/2024/4/30/24145097/dodgers-extra-inning-losses-christian-walker-walk-off-home-run-diamondbacks
After a delay of one hour, 55 minutes because of bees, the Dodgers and Diamondbacks needed extra time to the middle game of their series. The second of two Christian Walker home runs was a two-run walk-off shot in the 10th inning to give the home team a 4-3 win
Runs were at a premium on Tuesday, especially when Walker wasn’t batting. The Dodgers scored three of them, and didn’t even have an RBI until a Will Smith sacrifice fly in the 10th inning gave them the lead, thanks to the free runner on second base.
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
Associated Press is reporting that the DEA will shift marijuana to Schedule III from Schedule 1. This will not legalize it, but it will reduce Federal prosecution enforcement against it. Proponents say jails and punishment is not commensurate to a relatively lesser drug. Critics generally say it doesn't go far enough or is too woke. If everyone's unhappy, that probably a good compromise.
https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-biden-dea-criminal-justice-pot-f833a8dae6ceb31a8658a5d65832a3b8
In related news, some people take too much drugs and it permanently screws them up. But you went to Berkeley, so you already learned that via first-hand observation
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/ar-AA1nUX7q
KHAAAAAAAN! Skywalker endorses Sadiq
https://twitter.com/MarkHamill/status/1785354561718460878
lol. Michael Ian Black writes how Trump's speech should be if he's asked to speak at Barron's graduation
https://www.thedailybeast.com/heres-the-speech-trump-should-give-at-barrons-graduation
CAL
Go Bears!!! Oh by the way, we've got the Axe!!!
Cal gets the commitment of a project player out of the portal. He was a WR, then converted to an undersized DT, and now he'll be an OLB at Cal in the form of the super tall OLBs that the Golden Bears have recently preferred
https://fxtwitter.com/D_diggs23/status/1785514771309265407?t=_OknY7qKoJAvZpycl6lKdA&s=19
DBD AV CLUB
Welcome to Necaxa
https://variety.com/2024/biz/news/ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-club-necaxa-eva-longoria-wrexham-1235985035/
In related news, Welcome to Wrexham S3 drops tomorrow
see DBD Book Club for my Shogun related reading ...
Give some credit to someone at Cal (past or present) who may be underappreciated
OLB Alex Funches
I'm on record being a Funches Stan, but I'll say it again.
The 2017 Cal defense was outstanding, but brittle. TDR had a hybrid defense that was nominally 3-4 defense but often blitzed one LB. The starting LBs in that crew were Devante Downs and Ray Davison on the inside and Cam Saffle and Cam Goode on the outside. All four of those LBs went down with injuries some time during the year and were replaced by Evan Weaver, Jordan Kunasyk, Alex Funches, and Gerran Brown - with Ray Davison switching to OLB due to a shortage of OLBs. Funches was an undersized RUSH OLB at only 225 pounds. At the beginning of his time, teams would run and pass at him, but he shut them down. Then they stopped running and passing at him. Funches quietly shut down the flats and put a timer on opposing QBs, while Ray Davison got gaudy stats because teams ran plays to his side.
Nibs Price. Coached Cal football to the Rose Bowl in 1929 and a final four in basketball in 1946. Only person to pull off that unique double. Hoops coach for 30 years. He was also an assistant football coach during Andy Smith's last five years and again after being fired as head man served as an assistant for 24 years. Yet there's nothing of substance named after him and he's little known among Bear fans.
despite all his failures from a previous DBD, i nominate NewAlbany (what do you say Jimmy Chitwood?)
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
On the positive side, HAG will be able to watch him in action
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/40062473/rj-davis-returning-north-carolina-all-american-season
It's the right move for him. He is too small and not a freak athletically for his size to be in the NBA. He'll probably make more money in the NIL to stay at UNC than play in the G league or internationally. They're stacked at guards and wings but real thin on the front line since Bacot is gone.
Who's got the time machine? I'd like to roll back the last 3,445 days.
55
only one year away from 55. while i dont feel old, it sounds old.
i went to a birthday party for a 26 yr old in NYC this weekend. i realized i was more than twice their age.
Here's a different perspective - you're old when most of your older family members have passed away, especially most of your parents' generation. If you're paying attention that's when it hits that you're only a little way from the vortex of time. And even if you can stave off the inevitable, it's still inevitable.
What to do? What to do? Laugh in the face of the inevitable. I ain't going until this body shuts down. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy life and its little surprises and found gems. Like family, friends, the knowledge that I can make a difference somewhere to someone. Maybe not always in ways that I can foresee, but I can make a positive difference, nonetheless. Love is the easiest thing to give and the one thing we often withhold out of fear or an ill-conceived intent to motivate. Love is also the most powerful thing we can give. We just have to open ourselves to the possibility.
But then, you knew that. I haven't told you anything you didn't already know.
55 was a mostly good age. Kids still liked me. Wife was still alive. Work was busy. Survived cancer.
...and I was just about to take a cold shower.
DBD Book Club
Recently finished "In Memoriam" a brilliant debut novel from Alice Winn about two young men who fall in love as World War 1 begins. They both go to the front and those scenes are beautiful rendered. Brilliant book. https://www.amazon.com/Memoriam-novel-Alice-Winn/dp/0593467841/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Prior to that read Cormac McCarthy last two novels. Now enjoying Charles Frazier's latest, The Trackers.https://www.amazon.com/Trackers-Novel-Charles-Frazier/dp/0062948091/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
The Frazier is on my TBR list.
In the end I enjoyed The Passenger, but I really really struggled with the sister's parts for the first half. They grew on me as it went on. I have not read her book yet.
The Book of Five Rings
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25789.The_Book_of_Five_Rings
he Book of Five Rings is one of the most insightful texts on the subtle arts of confrontation and victory to emerge from Asian culture. Written not only for martial artists but for anyone who wants to apply the timeless principles of this text to their life, the book analyzes the process of struggle and mastery over conflict that underlies every level of human interaction.
pulled this one off the bookshelf this morning as sort of a fun read after watching Shogun. the best thing about all these very specific Japanese books that focus on one thing (swordsmanship, archery, etc) is that the lessons are very universal.
for example .. this is how to learn military science, it says very little about the military part.
For people who want to learn my military science, there are rules for learning the art:
1. Think of what is right and true.
2. Practice and cultivate the science.
3. Become acquainted with the arts.
4. Know the principles of the crafts.
5. Understand the harm and benefit in everything.
6. Learn to see everything accurately.
7. Become aware of what is not obvious.
8. Be careful even in small matters.
9. Do not do anything useless.