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Today seemed, IMO, to be a significant statement practice for Jacob Cowing. He grabbed one of Brock Purdy's numerous (perfect) deep passes but it goes deeper than that. HIGHLIGHTS: 🏈A few minutes earlier, Cowing and Marques Sigle collided on a deep corner attempt. Cowing was down for a while...

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David Lombardi

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49ers just wrapped up Block 2 of camp with a reminder of how good Brock Purdy is — even without his top 3 WR (Evans/Stribling injuries are NOT serious), Purdy's offense managed some crisp success: 🏈Demarcus Robinson was Purdy's favorite WR, reminiscent of when 49ers beat Philly with a skeleton crew. The deep out was the duo's bread and better 🏈Best play: Excellent one-handed catch from TE Brayden Willis on a corner route from Mac Jones. 🏈Deommodore Lenoir had two more PBUs — including one on a Purdy-Robinson deep out. CB1 been very active this camp and said this morning on KNBR that he's as locked in as ever 🏈6-3 rookie CB Ephesians Prysock notched a nice reaching PBU vs 5-9 Junior Bergen. 🏈Speaking of Bergen, he's making quite a few plays on offense and I wouldn't be quick to discount him in the punt return battle. FWIW, Bergen has made more offensive plays than Jacob Cowing, with whom he may be in a battle for a 53-man spot 🏈49ers did some red-zone work today where safety Ji'Ayir Brown had a nice, athletic PBU in the corner against TE Jake Tonges. Jordan Watkins later caught a TD from Jones in the corner 🏈New RB Khalil Herbert is wearing No. 40. He dished out some real contact on his first run — at 212 but just 5-9, Herbert is not a player defenders enjoy running in to. He'll be in the KR mix alongside Deebo Samuel — "hell yeah, let's go!" was Boyer's reaction to the Deebo signing 🏈LB Nick Martin dropped what should've been an easy INT from Kurtis Rourke, but he was in correct position. Later he made a nice stop on a Kyle Juszczyk catch 🏈Team drills started with a nice CMC run (he's had a handful already). And yes, as I've stated already and will discuss more, rookie Jaden Dugger worked with the thinned-out DE group for the first time. He did notch a would-be sack. A lot to unpack when it comes to his talent and that move as the 49ers navigate the dog days. More soon...
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49ers just wrapped up Block 2 of camp with a reminder of how good Brock Purdy is — even without his top 3 WR (Evans/Stribling injuries are NOT serious), Purdy's offense managed some crisp success: 🏈Demarcus Robinson was Purdy's favorite WR, reminiscent of when 49ers beat Philly with a skeleton crew. The deep out was the duo's bread and better 🏈Best play: Excellent one-handed catch from TE Brayden Willis on a corner route from Mac Jones. 🏈Deommodore Lenoir had two more PBUs — including one on a Purdy-Robinson deep out. CB1 been very active this camp and said this morning on KNBR that he's as locked in as ever 🏈6-3 rookie CB Ephesians Prysock notched a nice reaching PBU vs 5-9 Junior Bergen. 🏈Speaking of Bergen, he's making quite a few plays on offense and I wouldn't be quick to discount him in the punt return battle. FWIW, Bergen has made more offensive plays than Jacob Cowing, with whom he may be in a battle for a 53-man spot 🏈49ers did some red-zone work today where safety Ji'Ayir Brown had a nice, athletic PBU in the corner against TE Jake Tonges. Jordan Watkins later caught a TD from Jones in the corner 🏈New RB Khalil Herbert is wearing No. 40. He dished out some real contact on his first run — at 212 but just 5-9, Herbert is not a player defenders enjoy running in to. He'll be in the KR mix alongside Deebo Samuel — "hell yeah, let's go!" was Boyer's reaction to the Deebo signing 🏈LB Nick Martin dropped what should've been an easy INT from Kurtis Rourke, but he was in correct position. Later he made a nice stop on a Kyle Juszczyk catch 🏈Team drills started with a nice CMC run (he's had a handful already). And yes, as I've stated already and will discuss more, rookie Jaden Dugger worked with the thinned-out DE group for the first time. He did notch a would-be sack. A lot to unpack when it comes to his talent and that move as the 49ers navigate the dog days. More soon...

David Lombardi

46,415 Aufrufe • vor 14 Tagen

49ers training camp practice #2 is in the books. Here are some of the highlights: 🏈De'Zhaun Stribling is getting OPEN — catch-and-run house call from Mac Jones with those long 4.36 strides... The rookie also created separation down the seam on a ball Purdy overshot. Stribling caught a nice one from Purdy on an early rollout 🏈New CB Jack Jones has looked spry, but Ricky Pearsall cooked him on a double move — Jones misfired but that was some "wow" separation. Purdy later hit Pearsall for what might've been a catch-and-run TD 🏈Excellent Renardo Green leaping PBU 🏈CMC has a lot of juice to begin this camp. Jordan James got most of the work behind him early in this practice, but the back half featured more of rookie Kaelon Black. He had a muscle-on-muscle collision with Marques Sigle early 🏈Ji'Ayir Brown notched an acrobatic diving INT off a shorter pass from Purdy, who bounced back immediately with a chunk gainer to Mike Evans. Even with Christian Kirk (calf strain) sideline, the 49ers' WR corps already looks worlds ahead of last season's 🏈Vet CB Eli Apple, entering Year 11, notched a pick 6 off Kurtis Rourke on a pass intended for Junior Bergen. Rourke rebounded with a nice seam shot to Jordan Watkins for a long gain, and then Rourke and Bergen bounced back with a long TD connection to end practice that fired up the onlooking first teamers 🏈Fred Warner looks like Fred Warner. Whenever he makes a nice stop near the media, Warner pretends to tweet with his thumbs to ensure his nice plays are noted 🏈Trent Williams, who just turned 38, is much more buoyant than I remember from previous camps. He's often throwing and catching the football in between reps and even jokingly running and cutting with the ball 🏈Another Kyle Shanahan cameo
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49ers training camp practice #2 is in the books. Here are some of the highlights: 🏈De'Zhaun Stribling is getting OPEN — catch-and-run house call from Mac Jones with those long 4.36 strides... The rookie also created separation down the seam on a ball Purdy overshot. Stribling caught a nice one from Purdy on an early rollout 🏈New CB Jack Jones has looked spry, but Ricky Pearsall cooked him on a double move — Jones misfired but that was some "wow" separation. Purdy later hit Pearsall for what might've been a catch-and-run TD 🏈Excellent Renardo Green leaping PBU 🏈CMC has a lot of juice to begin this camp. Jordan James got most of the work behind him early in this practice, but the back half featured more of rookie Kaelon Black. He had a muscle-on-muscle collision with Marques Sigle early 🏈Ji'Ayir Brown notched an acrobatic diving INT off a shorter pass from Purdy, who bounced back immediately with a chunk gainer to Mike Evans. Even with Christian Kirk (calf strain) sideline, the 49ers' WR corps already looks worlds ahead of last season's 🏈Vet CB Eli Apple, entering Year 11, notched a pick 6 off Kurtis Rourke on a pass intended for Junior Bergen. Rourke rebounded with a nice seam shot to Jordan Watkins for a long gain, and then Rourke and Bergen bounced back with a long TD connection to end practice that fired up the onlooking first teamers 🏈Fred Warner looks like Fred Warner. Whenever he makes a nice stop near the media, Warner pretends to tweet with his thumbs to ensure his nice plays are noted 🏈Trent Williams, who just turned 38, is much more buoyant than I remember from previous camps. He's often throwing and catching the football in between reps and even jokingly running and cutting with the ball 🏈Another Kyle Shanahan cameo

David Lombardi

67,654 Aufrufe • vor 21 Tagen

The 49ers just finished their first 2-block practice with pads... 🏈Pass game looked sharp — until today. Perhaps some of the WR tumult hurt the operation. Ricky Pearsall is obviously done and the 49ers held De'Zhaun Stribling out Saturday for precautionary purposes 🏈CMC appears to be aging in reverse, possibly a testament to the distance he's getting from the 2024 Achilles tendinitis. He's had a ton of juice and ripped another long cutback run today 🏈LG will be a concern until it's not. So far in 1-on-1s, Brett Toth has seen more pass-protecting success than Connor Colby and Robert Jones, both of whom will need to improve there to allow the 49ers to breathe easier. But the 49ers prefer for Toth to be a backup center who isn't exposed to injury at the same time as Jake Brendel. Maybe he'll be a "break glass in case of emergency" option 🏈The much-hyped new looks of Raheem Morris' defense are a real thing — the 49ers have indeed expanded their repertoire both in terms of fronts and coverages. Their DBs made a lot of plays Saturday — PBUs for Lenoir, Green, and Stout 🏈On that note, Ji'Ayir Brown does seem to be winning favor as a Morris "guy". The DC specifically mentioned Brown today as he was rattling off names of supposed defensive pillars. Would be surprising if Brown isn't a Week 1 starter, IMO 🏈The DE injury concern is real, if only for the 49ers to conduct a proper training camp that includes two joint practices with the Titans and Chargers. They need more bodies there now and they were interested in adding one more vet even before the latest hardships. Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy are both still available. Joey Bosa also technically is, but it seems that (if he isn't retiring) he wants to take the Eric Kendricks route of chilling now and signing later. Keep an eye on 49ers' workouts and signings at DE to get through the current storm. Maybe they sign a placeholder or two now and a more recognizable name later? We will see 🏈Deebo Day was fun. Of note that the 49ers wanted him even before Pearsall went down. So they've added — at the very, very least — a return man like they did with Skyy Moore last year, but with way more offensive upside
0:12

The 49ers just finished their first 2-block practice with pads... 🏈Pass game looked sharp — until today. Perhaps some of the WR tumult hurt the operation. Ricky Pearsall is obviously done and the 49ers held De'Zhaun Stribling out Saturday for precautionary purposes 🏈CMC appears to be aging in reverse, possibly a testament to the distance he's getting from the 2024 Achilles tendinitis. He's had a ton of juice and ripped another long cutback run today 🏈LG will be a concern until it's not. So far in 1-on-1s, Brett Toth has seen more pass-protecting success than Connor Colby and Robert Jones, both of whom will need to improve there to allow the 49ers to breathe easier. But the 49ers prefer for Toth to be a backup center who isn't exposed to injury at the same time as Jake Brendel. Maybe he'll be a "break glass in case of emergency" option 🏈The much-hyped new looks of Raheem Morris' defense are a real thing — the 49ers have indeed expanded their repertoire both in terms of fronts and coverages. Their DBs made a lot of plays Saturday — PBUs for Lenoir, Green, and Stout 🏈On that note, Ji'Ayir Brown does seem to be winning favor as a Morris "guy". The DC specifically mentioned Brown today as he was rattling off names of supposed defensive pillars. Would be surprising if Brown isn't a Week 1 starter, IMO 🏈The DE injury concern is real, if only for the 49ers to conduct a proper training camp that includes two joint practices with the Titans and Chargers. They need more bodies there now and they were interested in adding one more vet even before the latest hardships. Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy are both still available. Joey Bosa also technically is, but it seems that (if he isn't retiring) he wants to take the Eric Kendricks route of chilling now and signing later. Keep an eye on 49ers' workouts and signings at DE to get through the current storm. Maybe they sign a placeholder or two now and a more recognizable name later? We will see 🏈Deebo Day was fun. Of note that the 49ers wanted him even before Pearsall went down. So they've added — at the very, very least — a return man like they did with Skyy Moore last year, but with way more offensive upside

David Lombardi

77,975 Aufrufe • vor 15 Tagen

#Patriots Voluntary OTA Notes [Non-Padded] (6/2): 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 • QB Drake Maye connected with WR Kayshon Boutte for the play of the day — Maye perfectly placed the ball deep along the left side of the field and Boutte made a fingertip catch. • QB Drake Maye had no turnovers today and he had his best day of open OTAs by far — Maye completed 9 straight passes at one point. • Full QB Stats: Maye 14/16 Dobbs 11/13 Wooldridge 4/8, INT • WRs DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism spent the most time working with QB Drake Maye today. • WR Efton Chism III had 7 receptions on 7 targets and looked to always be open — the undrafted rookie took several snaps with QB Drake Maye and the top offensive unit. • RB Rhamondre Stevenson made an extremely impressive finger-tip grab for a 25-yard gain on a dot from QB Drake Maye. • OL Cole Strange and Wes Schweitzer were the two primary left guards today — that spot on the offensive line is truly a competition. • TE Jaheim Bell had a rough day — the former seventh-round pick had 2 bad drops. • It was a bit of a quiet day for rookie WR Kyle Williams who caught 1 of his 2 targets. • WR Stefon Diggs was limited today working with WR Ja’Lynn Polk off to the side at times — Diggs closely observed the offense towards the end of practice as they practiced plays. • Rookie TE CJ Dippre caught a nice pass thrown by QB Ben Wooldridge up the seam. • Veteran OT Morgan Moses once again stayed after practice to help and give advice to the young offensive lineman. • RG Mike Onwenu says he feels good getting back to an offense he is familiar with — Onwenu adds that he is rehabbing from a hand injury. • RB Rhamondre Stevenson says RBs coach Tony Dews flew to visit him in Las Vegas while Stevenson was dealing with his father’s passing. • Limited: WR Stefon Diggs WR Ja'Lynn Polk OL Mike Onwenu OL Jared Wilson OT Vederian Lowe TE Austin Hooper • Absent: WR Mack Hollins (Present But DNP) WR Kendrick Bourne (Unknown) RB Trayveon Williams (Unknown) OL Tyrese Robinson (Unknown) 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 • DE Keion White was disruptive today — White sacked both QB Drake Maye and QB Josh Dobbs during team drills. • Rookie S Josh Minkins intercepted QB Ben Wooldridge during 11-on—11s • CB Christian Gonzalez, S Jaylinn Hawkins, and LB Monty Rice each had a pass break up. • DT Joshua Farmer batted another pass down during team drills — Farmer has been able to bat passes down consistently during OTAs. • CB Christian Gonzalez gave up a catch to WR Efton Chism — Chism got open after running an impressive dig route. • LB Jahlani Tavai went down during team period and was grabbing his left knee — the veteran had to be helped off the field after staying down for a couple minutes. • CBs Alex Austin and Marcellas Dial spent time in the slot — Austin has consistently taken reps in the slot since the start of OTAs. • The defensive line continues to disrupt the offense. • Limited: DL Jaquelin Roy DL Wilfried Pene • Absent: CB Carlton Davis (Unknown) CB Marcus Jones (Unknown) ED Anfernee Jennings (Unknown) 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 • Field Goals (33-50 Yards) Andy Borregales: 4/4 John Parker Romo: 2/4, missed wide right Borregales has yet to miss during open OTAs. #NEPats
0:11

#Patriots Voluntary OTA Notes [Non-Padded] (6/2): 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 • QB Drake Maye connected with WR Kayshon Boutte for the play of the day — Maye perfectly placed the ball deep along the left side of the field and Boutte made a fingertip catch. • QB Drake Maye had no turnovers today and he had his best day of open OTAs by far — Maye completed 9 straight passes at one point. • Full QB Stats: Maye 14/16 Dobbs 11/13 Wooldridge 4/8, INT • WRs DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism spent the most time working with QB Drake Maye today. • WR Efton Chism III had 7 receptions on 7 targets and looked to always be open — the undrafted rookie took several snaps with QB Drake Maye and the top offensive unit. • RB Rhamondre Stevenson made an extremely impressive finger-tip grab for a 25-yard gain on a dot from QB Drake Maye. • OL Cole Strange and Wes Schweitzer were the two primary left guards today — that spot on the offensive line is truly a competition. • TE Jaheim Bell had a rough day — the former seventh-round pick had 2 bad drops. • It was a bit of a quiet day for rookie WR Kyle Williams who caught 1 of his 2 targets. • WR Stefon Diggs was limited today working with WR Ja’Lynn Polk off to the side at times — Diggs closely observed the offense towards the end of practice as they practiced plays. • Rookie TE CJ Dippre caught a nice pass thrown by QB Ben Wooldridge up the seam. • Veteran OT Morgan Moses once again stayed after practice to help and give advice to the young offensive lineman. • RG Mike Onwenu says he feels good getting back to an offense he is familiar with — Onwenu adds that he is rehabbing from a hand injury. • RB Rhamondre Stevenson says RBs coach Tony Dews flew to visit him in Las Vegas while Stevenson was dealing with his father’s passing. • Limited: WR Stefon Diggs WR Ja'Lynn Polk OL Mike Onwenu OL Jared Wilson OT Vederian Lowe TE Austin Hooper • Absent: WR Mack Hollins (Present But DNP) WR Kendrick Bourne (Unknown) RB Trayveon Williams (Unknown) OL Tyrese Robinson (Unknown) 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 • DE Keion White was disruptive today — White sacked both QB Drake Maye and QB Josh Dobbs during team drills. • Rookie S Josh Minkins intercepted QB Ben Wooldridge during 11-on—11s • CB Christian Gonzalez, S Jaylinn Hawkins, and LB Monty Rice each had a pass break up. • DT Joshua Farmer batted another pass down during team drills — Farmer has been able to bat passes down consistently during OTAs. • CB Christian Gonzalez gave up a catch to WR Efton Chism — Chism got open after running an impressive dig route. • LB Jahlani Tavai went down during team period and was grabbing his left knee — the veteran had to be helped off the field after staying down for a couple minutes. • CBs Alex Austin and Marcellas Dial spent time in the slot — Austin has consistently taken reps in the slot since the start of OTAs. • The defensive line continues to disrupt the offense. • Limited: DL Jaquelin Roy DL Wilfried Pene • Absent: CB Carlton Davis (Unknown) CB Marcus Jones (Unknown) ED Anfernee Jennings (Unknown) 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 • Field Goals (33-50 Yards) Andy Borregales: 4/4 John Parker Romo: 2/4, missed wide right Borregales has yet to miss during open OTAs. #NEPats

Carlos A. Lopez

60,241 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

Day 6 notes - OLB Tuli Tuipulotu participated in one 7-on-7 rep but did not take part in the remainder of team drills, marking his sixth straight practice with limited participation as his contract situation remains unresolved. - LT Rashawn Slater left practice and spent time in the medical tent before not returning. After practice, Justin Herbert said Slater wanted to get back on the field and was in good spirits afterward. - The offense came out sharp, with Herbert completing his first eight passes before S RJ Mickens broke up a pass. From there, the offense and defense traded wins throughout the rest of practice. - S Kendall Williamson intercepted Herbert. - OLB NaDame Tucker had one of his best practices of camp, consistently generating pressure and recording three sacks* - DT Teair Tart was disruptive throughout, including a sack* - LB Denzel Perryman recorded a sack* - S Derwin James Jr. made an impact as a blitzer throughout with a sack and also added a pass breakup - The competition at left guard continued, with Kayode Awosika and Trey Pipkins rotating reps. - First-round pick Akheem Mesidor flashed again with his explosiveness and added a sack* - OLB Khalil Mack consistently pressured the quarterback throughout practice. - The Chargers’ interior defensive line generated pressure throughout the day. - RB Keaton Mitchell had a couple of drops. - OLB Bud Dupree diagnosed a screen pass immediately and blew up the play before it could develop. *Sacks listed are “would-be sacks” based on pressure. Coaches did not blow the plays dead, so quarterbacks could continue their reps
0:10

Day 6 notes - OLB Tuli Tuipulotu participated in one 7-on-7 rep but did not take part in the remainder of team drills, marking his sixth straight practice with limited participation as his contract situation remains unresolved. - LT Rashawn Slater left practice and spent time in the medical tent before not returning. After practice, Justin Herbert said Slater wanted to get back on the field and was in good spirits afterward. - The offense came out sharp, with Herbert completing his first eight passes before S RJ Mickens broke up a pass. From there, the offense and defense traded wins throughout the rest of practice. - S Kendall Williamson intercepted Herbert. - OLB NaDame Tucker had one of his best practices of camp, consistently generating pressure and recording three sacks* - DT Teair Tart was disruptive throughout, including a sack* - LB Denzel Perryman recorded a sack* - S Derwin James Jr. made an impact as a blitzer throughout with a sack and also added a pass breakup - The competition at left guard continued, with Kayode Awosika and Trey Pipkins rotating reps. - First-round pick Akheem Mesidor flashed again with his explosiveness and added a sack* - OLB Khalil Mack consistently pressured the quarterback throughout practice. - The Chargers’ interior defensive line generated pressure throughout the day. - RB Keaton Mitchell had a couple of drops. - OLB Bud Dupree diagnosed a screen pass immediately and blew up the play before it could develop. *Sacks listed are “would-be sacks” based on pressure. Coaches did not blow the plays dead, so quarterbacks could continue their reps

Kris Rhim

60,867 Aufrufe • vor 13 Tagen

Notes from today’s #Bengals practice: - Overall, another winning day for the defense, but not as conclusive as recent practices - Cashius Howell popped in a big way on a couple rushes off the edge against Orlando Brown using both speed and power. Also blew by Andrew Coker for a would-be sack. Probably his best practice to date. The fact Zac Taylor referenced him having the same tenacity as Erick All tells you what you need to know about he’s viewed. - Vet day for Chase meant extra passes for Tee Higgins. Hit some, but still off at times, working to get their connection down (nobody should be worried about this). - Ugly drop by Andrei Iosivas to close practice on a crosser. A lot to like about where Iosivas is at, but he just has to eliminate those moments from his game or he’ll be watching Colbie Young before long. - Offense had been very good operationally this camp, but a delay of game and false start showed up today. -Dax Hill still limited, DJ Ivey and DJ Turner both with PBUs. 📽️ Jalen Davis with a nice play on third down with a PBU -Colbie Young had a drop, but also the recipient of one of Burrow’s best balls of the day running a seam between Knight at Battle.
0:13

Notes from today’s #Bengals practice: - Overall, another winning day for the defense, but not as conclusive as recent practices - Cashius Howell popped in a big way on a couple rushes off the edge against Orlando Brown using both speed and power. Also blew by Andrew Coker for a would-be sack. Probably his best practice to date. The fact Zac Taylor referenced him having the same tenacity as Erick All tells you what you need to know about he’s viewed. - Vet day for Chase meant extra passes for Tee Higgins. Hit some, but still off at times, working to get their connection down (nobody should be worried about this). - Ugly drop by Andrei Iosivas to close practice on a crosser. A lot to like about where Iosivas is at, but he just has to eliminate those moments from his game or he’ll be watching Colbie Young before long. - Offense had been very good operationally this camp, but a delay of game and false start showed up today. -Dax Hill still limited, DJ Ivey and DJ Turner both with PBUs. 📽️ Jalen Davis with a nice play on third down with a PBU -Colbie Young had a drop, but also the recipient of one of Burrow’s best balls of the day running a seam between Knight at Battle.

Paul Dehner Jr.

36,696 Aufrufe • vor 11 Tagen

Can't help but smile at this one. One of those stories I think we are going to look back and laugh at one day. ⬇️ James Voorhies was an uncommitted catcher (and a very good one) just over a year ago. Hadn't thrown a varsity inning on the mound. In October going into his senior year I played catch with him at the local elementary school. We threw on a crabgrass field and I told him after 15 minutes of playing catch that his arm, body type, and feel for the baseball were far too advanced for him to not be on the mound. James agreed to start throwing bullpens and "give it a shot". 3 weeks later I did a workout with some of our clients and James threw a bullpen on the game mound. He was 85-87 and absolutely pounded the zone. Threw 3 of the dirtiest changeups I’ve seen (we had played with a kick-change grip a few weeks prior). I had never seen him throw against hitters. Saw a 15 minute catch play session and his first bullpen in years. I Immediately sent the video to a handful of Division 1 programs that were on his list and gave them the scoop. “He's got zero track record but everything about him looks like a future pro arm”. Responses ranged anywhere from excitement to skepticism, which was 100% to be expected. Fast forward a few months to February... CSUN pulled the trigger before his high school season even started and James went on to post a 1.09 ERA, 83 IP, 60 H, 21 BB, and 83 K in his first year of pitching to help take College Park HS to the NCS championship. So here we are essentially 1 year after Jimmy started pitching full time and he’s up to 94 mph as a true freshman, with a win and a save in his first two collegiate appearances with 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 13 K. Pretty cool story of a guy going “all in” on something new and different, and a college program taking a chance on a guy that they see future potential in. But the best part of this story and biggest point I want to make is that I firmly believe the reason Jimmy V was the guy that CSUN took a shot on was because of his makeup, work ethic, character, and competitiveness. Jimmy is one of the best “makeup” guys I’ve ever recruited or advised. He is the perfect combination of humble and confident and was the QB/captain of his football team in high school. Jimmy made it easy for CSUN to say “that’s the guy we want to take a chance on.” And yes, it helped that he was 6’4” and a big time multi-sport athlete with a ton of upside. It fires me up to watch Jimmy doing his thing at a very high level. He’s got a ton of good baseball ahead of him. @jam8svoorhies CollegePark Baseball Diablo Valley Baseball Club CSUN Baseball
0:18

Can't help but smile at this one. One of those stories I think we are going to look back and laugh at one day. ⬇️ James Voorhies was an uncommitted catcher (and a very good one) just over a year ago. Hadn't thrown a varsity inning on the mound. In October going into his senior year I played catch with him at the local elementary school. We threw on a crabgrass field and I told him after 15 minutes of playing catch that his arm, body type, and feel for the baseball were far too advanced for him to not be on the mound. James agreed to start throwing bullpens and "give it a shot". 3 weeks later I did a workout with some of our clients and James threw a bullpen on the game mound. He was 85-87 and absolutely pounded the zone. Threw 3 of the dirtiest changeups I’ve seen (we had played with a kick-change grip a few weeks prior). I had never seen him throw against hitters. Saw a 15 minute catch play session and his first bullpen in years. I Immediately sent the video to a handful of Division 1 programs that were on his list and gave them the scoop. “He's got zero track record but everything about him looks like a future pro arm”. Responses ranged anywhere from excitement to skepticism, which was 100% to be expected. Fast forward a few months to February... CSUN pulled the trigger before his high school season even started and James went on to post a 1.09 ERA, 83 IP, 60 H, 21 BB, and 83 K in his first year of pitching to help take College Park HS to the NCS championship. So here we are essentially 1 year after Jimmy started pitching full time and he’s up to 94 mph as a true freshman, with a win and a save in his first two collegiate appearances with 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 13 K. Pretty cool story of a guy going “all in” on something new and different, and a college program taking a chance on a guy that they see future potential in. But the best part of this story and biggest point I want to make is that I firmly believe the reason Jimmy V was the guy that CSUN took a shot on was because of his makeup, work ethic, character, and competitiveness. Jimmy is one of the best “makeup” guys I’ve ever recruited or advised. He is the perfect combination of humble and confident and was the QB/captain of his football team in high school. Jimmy made it easy for CSUN to say “that’s the guy we want to take a chance on.” And yes, it helped that he was 6’4” and a big time multi-sport athlete with a ton of upside. It fires me up to watch Jimmy doing his thing at a very high level. He’s got a ton of good baseball ahead of him. @jam8svoorhies CollegePark Baseball Diablo Valley Baseball Club CSUN Baseball

Josh Nashed

13,383 Aufrufe • vor 5 Monaten

While many around the league don’t expect any linebackers to be drafted tonight, if there is one, it certainly could be #TexasAM’s Edgerrin Cooper. Cooper is the most complete LB in the 2024 draft class. He’s shown to be: 1️⃣an elite athlete 2️⃣a consistent and impactful run defender 3️⃣a capable and efficient blitzer, and 4️⃣able to use his size and bend to disrupt in pass protection As a run defender, he finished with an 87.6 PFF grade, highest among any expected draft linebackers in this year’s draft class. That includes 15 TFLs or no gain plays. As you can see (🎥), his downhill force plus balance and control allows him to consistently win in the run game As a pass rusher, he had 7 sacks on the year, 4 of which came from playing on the line of scrimmage. When lined up on the line of scrimmage, he generated a pressure on over 30% of his pass rush snaps. Elite ‼️ And in coverage, he finished with a top-10 coverage grade int eh country last season (per PFF College) among LBs lined up in the box. He’s able to use his length and bend, along with developed vision and timing to disrupt plays from the box. Couple all of that with a 4.51 forty time and would-be impressive athletic testing numbers if he was 100% for the draft process (why he wasn’t able to officially go every day in practice at East-West Shrine Bowl), and it’s hard to ignore his NFL starting potential. There’s a real chance he goes in late round one, but if he’s there on Day 2, he may not only be one of, if not the, first linebacker drafted, but may be one of the first players taken on Day 2 of the draft. #ShrineBowlWhosNext
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While many around the league don’t expect any linebackers to be drafted tonight, if there is one, it certainly could be #TexasAM’s Edgerrin Cooper. Cooper is the most complete LB in the 2024 draft class. He’s shown to be: 1️⃣an elite athlete 2️⃣a consistent and impactful run defender 3️⃣a capable and efficient blitzer, and 4️⃣able to use his size and bend to disrupt in pass protection As a run defender, he finished with an 87.6 PFF grade, highest among any expected draft linebackers in this year’s draft class. That includes 15 TFLs or no gain plays. As you can see (🎥), his downhill force plus balance and control allows him to consistently win in the run game As a pass rusher, he had 7 sacks on the year, 4 of which came from playing on the line of scrimmage. When lined up on the line of scrimmage, he generated a pressure on over 30% of his pass rush snaps. Elite ‼️ And in coverage, he finished with a top-10 coverage grade int eh country last season (per PFF College) among LBs lined up in the box. He’s able to use his length and bend, along with developed vision and timing to disrupt plays from the box. Couple all of that with a 4.51 forty time and would-be impressive athletic testing numbers if he was 100% for the draft process (why he wasn’t able to officially go every day in practice at East-West Shrine Bowl), and it’s hard to ignore his NFL starting potential. There’s a real chance he goes in late round one, but if he’s there on Day 2, he may not only be one of, if not the, first linebacker drafted, but may be one of the first players taken on Day 2 of the draft. #ShrineBowlWhosNext

Eric Galko

100,408 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren

The Issa thread PART 1: The Ronaldinho Scam Let's first take a look at Parsa Abbasie’s Career Timeline Beginning as “sphex” he would scam people for Fortnite gift cards on streams. This is where he found his love of ripping people off and later used this name to transition to grifting SMMA and dropshipping courses. He made a big step up in his career after this, finding a way to get hired by Andrew Tate / Andrew Tate. This was huge for him and is what his entire brand was built on prior to crypto. He used to grift on money twitter as a sales and marketing aficionado before he made the shift into crypto scamming. The hook he had was that he was claimed to be Tate’s “top sales guy” when in reality he was probably just Tate’s bottom. He began working for Tate at a time when a majority of Andrew’s income was from trafficking Eastern European women under the age of 18 and forcing them to do sex acts on webcams. So we can see he had a very strong moral base to work off of. When he could no longer make monopoly money off his fake job he used the “G” boyfriend connections he made through his time with Tate to begin his crypto career. Let's take a look at the Pencil Neck Cabal (all pics will be in thread): Sam Patel - Seen pictured alone on a boat with him in the video below (sus) and one of his day ones and closest partner in crime Harry.XBT - You can watch 2 of his cringe tiktoks below, one of which alludes to a $240M crypto as you can see the crew renting cars and flexing their money acquired through stolen funds as well Louie H - He is the blonde guy you can see in the videos above and also goes by Hermes. Seems to have enemies based off the tweet below. Attaching his instagram as well as a pic of his LinkedIn below Jayden Mellor - Big piece of the puzzle. Another day 1 and his father Will Mellor would NOT want the world to know his son has affiliations with Issa. Will is a big deal in the UK, he’s a popular actor from line of duty, works in media, etc. More on Will Mellor - Issa and his goon squad’s scams go all the way back to 2023 when his speciality was HARD RUGGING presales. They would sign up KOLs with large amounts of supply and HARD rug them instantly, ask cheatcoiner.eth about it as he had fell victim before. There were too many of these instances to count, but they all shrinks into comparison to their greatest masterpiece: The Ronaldinho launch on BNB. Depicted below you can see the sussy squad driving around with Ronaldinho and taking pics with him as if he’s some circus animal. They got their practice rounds in prior then executed a swift and VIOLENT rug with Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho post launching the coin: The coin peaked at $400m FDV and is now sitting at near zero. Let that sink in. If you visit Issa's (now privated) twitter, you will see him gloating about his experience in the markets and dropping platitudes nobody asked for. He acts as if he's a market wizard when the reality of the matter is that he's a thief. And now he spends his days at Jumeriah Beach Residence (JBR) in Dubai whilst racing around rented cars and flexing rented watches off the money he stole from YOU.
0:10

The Issa thread PART 1: The Ronaldinho Scam Let's first take a look at Parsa Abbasie’s Career Timeline Beginning as “sphex” he would scam people for Fortnite gift cards on streams. This is where he found his love of ripping people off and later used this name to transition to grifting SMMA and dropshipping courses. He made a big step up in his career after this, finding a way to get hired by Andrew Tate / Andrew Tate. This was huge for him and is what his entire brand was built on prior to crypto. He used to grift on money twitter as a sales and marketing aficionado before he made the shift into crypto scamming. The hook he had was that he was claimed to be Tate’s “top sales guy” when in reality he was probably just Tate’s bottom. He began working for Tate at a time when a majority of Andrew’s income was from trafficking Eastern European women under the age of 18 and forcing them to do sex acts on webcams. So we can see he had a very strong moral base to work off of. When he could no longer make monopoly money off his fake job he used the “G” boyfriend connections he made through his time with Tate to begin his crypto career. Let's take a look at the Pencil Neck Cabal (all pics will be in thread): Sam Patel - Seen pictured alone on a boat with him in the video below (sus) and one of his day ones and closest partner in crime Harry.XBT - You can watch 2 of his cringe tiktoks below, one of which alludes to a $240M crypto as you can see the crew renting cars and flexing their money acquired through stolen funds as well Louie H - He is the blonde guy you can see in the videos above and also goes by Hermes. Seems to have enemies based off the tweet below. Attaching his instagram as well as a pic of his LinkedIn below Jayden Mellor - Big piece of the puzzle. Another day 1 and his father Will Mellor would NOT want the world to know his son has affiliations with Issa. Will is a big deal in the UK, he’s a popular actor from line of duty, works in media, etc. More on Will Mellor - Issa and his goon squad’s scams go all the way back to 2023 when his speciality was HARD RUGGING presales. They would sign up KOLs with large amounts of supply and HARD rug them instantly, ask cheatcoiner.eth about it as he had fell victim before. There were too many of these instances to count, but they all shrinks into comparison to their greatest masterpiece: The Ronaldinho launch on BNB. Depicted below you can see the sussy squad driving around with Ronaldinho and taking pics with him as if he’s some circus animal. They got their practice rounds in prior then executed a swift and VIOLENT rug with Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho post launching the coin: The coin peaked at $400m FDV and is now sitting at near zero. Let that sink in. If you visit Issa's (now privated) twitter, you will see him gloating about his experience in the markets and dropping platitudes nobody asked for. He acts as if he's a market wizard when the reality of the matter is that he's a thief. And now he spends his days at Jumeriah Beach Residence (JBR) in Dubai whilst racing around rented cars and flexing rented watches off the money he stole from YOU.

Rosa Parks 🇺🇸

274,390 Aufrufe • vor 7 Monaten

Nick Dumesnil (California Baptist Baseball) has as much upside as anyone in the 2025 draft. With question marks early on about how he'd fare against the top arms in the country on the Cape, "Doomey" proved quickly as one of the best players in the summer league circuit. His hands start high with the bat coiled behind his head. While a somewhat unorthodox approach, he's able to get his bat head up and hands lowered upon loading. It's an explosive operation with elite bat speed, averaging as much as 79.9 mph in the CCBL (per @Blast_Bsbl). It's a consistent swing making hard contact and driving the ball to both gaps (led the CCBL with 12 2B). The quick hip hinge allows for a powerful on-time rotation through the ball as he barrels the ball at a high clip (up to 30.4% this summer per Joe Doyle). Then there's the speed. Doomey set the Brewster Whitecap SB record with 26 (27 ATT) in 36 G. His 96.2% success rate is the highest in league history for someone with 20+ steals in a season (per League Statistician). He gets good jumps on the base paths and good reads off the bat defensively. There is some swing and miss to his game. He walks at an average rate (8.6 BB% in the CCBL) and struck out just 12.9% of the time in the WAC but that went up to 21.7% this summer. There's some chase low out of the zone vs break and did way more damage vs LHP (.435/.469/.783; .348 ISO) than RHP (.247/.333/.337; .090 ISO). A true five-tool talent, Nick Dumesnil made a name for himself this summer on the Cape, and will soon be at the top of many teams' draft boards next July.
0:11

Nick Dumesnil (California Baptist Baseball) has as much upside as anyone in the 2025 draft. With question marks early on about how he'd fare against the top arms in the country on the Cape, "Doomey" proved quickly as one of the best players in the summer league circuit. His hands start high with the bat coiled behind his head. While a somewhat unorthodox approach, he's able to get his bat head up and hands lowered upon loading. It's an explosive operation with elite bat speed, averaging as much as 79.9 mph in the CCBL (per @Blast_Bsbl). It's a consistent swing making hard contact and driving the ball to both gaps (led the CCBL with 12 2B). The quick hip hinge allows for a powerful on-time rotation through the ball as he barrels the ball at a high clip (up to 30.4% this summer per Joe Doyle). Then there's the speed. Doomey set the Brewster Whitecap SB record with 26 (27 ATT) in 36 G. His 96.2% success rate is the highest in league history for someone with 20+ steals in a season (per League Statistician). He gets good jumps on the base paths and good reads off the bat defensively. There is some swing and miss to his game. He walks at an average rate (8.6 BB% in the CCBL) and struck out just 12.9% of the time in the WAC but that went up to 21.7% this summer. There's some chase low out of the zone vs break and did way more damage vs LHP (.435/.469/.783; .348 ISO) than RHP (.247/.333/.337; .090 ISO). A true five-tool talent, Nick Dumesnil made a name for himself this summer on the Cape, and will soon be at the top of many teams' draft boards next July.

Ethan Kagno

16,658 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren

The A's continue to stack up on young left-handed pitching, selecting Mason Edwards (2nd round, pick 47). Edwards wields a 91-94 mph four-seam averaging ~21 iVB, although the pitch plays below its raw carry from a very high 6.6 ft. release height. Likely needs to be 93-95 for big league success, swing-and-miss somewhat lacked. The secondaries and their potential make Edwards the prospect he is. From the over-the-top release, his 80 mph curveball generates strong two-plane movement (-10/11) at a very steep approach. Strong command of the offering, ability to use at high frequency. While he didn't use it too often, Edwards' changeup has massive promise, also on a very steep plane from his heavily vertical release. Showed velocity and movement separation from his four-seam, projects as a great weapon vs. RHH. Boasted an elite whiff rate >50%. Needs more consistent feel and usage. The southpaw's slider is also a work in progress and was non-existent in many outings this year, but it will be a critical bridge pitch in his arsenal. 80-82 mph with inconsistent shape. With such a large vertical distinction between his four-seam and curveball, Edwards needs a hard, tight slider to sit between the pair and make swing decisions tougher. Hopefully, the A's can find a mid-80s pitch in gyro territory. The largest area for growth with Edwards is his command, as he posted a walk rate >10% in each of his three collegiate seasons (11.9% junior year). In my opinion, it seemed like he was always pitching for punchouts and around the edges of the plate. I think more strikes should come with more in-zone emphasis in early counts, and he has the stuff to never worry about being over the plate. With some velocity progression and refinement of his changeup and slider, I find it very likely Mason Edwards becomes at least of middle of the rotation starting pitcher. A's have a stellar crop of young southpaws.
0:10

The A's continue to stack up on young left-handed pitching, selecting Mason Edwards (2nd round, pick 47). Edwards wields a 91-94 mph four-seam averaging ~21 iVB, although the pitch plays below its raw carry from a very high 6.6 ft. release height. Likely needs to be 93-95 for big league success, swing-and-miss somewhat lacked. The secondaries and their potential make Edwards the prospect he is. From the over-the-top release, his 80 mph curveball generates strong two-plane movement (-10/11) at a very steep approach. Strong command of the offering, ability to use at high frequency. While he didn't use it too often, Edwards' changeup has massive promise, also on a very steep plane from his heavily vertical release. Showed velocity and movement separation from his four-seam, projects as a great weapon vs. RHH. Boasted an elite whiff rate >50%. Needs more consistent feel and usage. The southpaw's slider is also a work in progress and was non-existent in many outings this year, but it will be a critical bridge pitch in his arsenal. 80-82 mph with inconsistent shape. With such a large vertical distinction between his four-seam and curveball, Edwards needs a hard, tight slider to sit between the pair and make swing decisions tougher. Hopefully, the A's can find a mid-80s pitch in gyro territory. The largest area for growth with Edwards is his command, as he posted a walk rate >10% in each of his three collegiate seasons (11.9% junior year). In my opinion, it seemed like he was always pitching for punchouts and around the edges of the plate. I think more strikes should come with more in-zone emphasis in early counts, and he has the stuff to never worry about being over the plate. With some velocity progression and refinement of his changeup and slider, I find it very likely Mason Edwards becomes at least of middle of the rotation starting pitcher. A's have a stellar crop of young southpaws.

Matthew Knauer

14,992 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat

RHP Cole Leaman (Lehigh Baseball) is an arm I'm really looking forward to following this spring. Fresh off a strong Sophomore season in which he worked a 2.31 ERA with 49 Ks to 23 BB across 46.2 IP. Showed some positive flashes on the Cape. While slightly undersized, Leaman has a strong and athletic build at 6' and 190-lbs. Has put on a lot of good weight over the last couple of years. Leaman has almost a "check point" delivery in which he takes a noticeable side step towards the 1B side, gathers himself and breaks into the rest of his motion. Lengthy arm stroke and attacks from a high-3/4 slot from a low release height. Leaman is a high-level athlete and a dynamic mover on the mound. Sits really well on his back glute and his lead leg block enables him to generate power and drive his back side through. Drop and drive delivery. Little bit of effort, but plenty of arm speed. Leaman's FB sits in the 91-94 range, but it was up to 96 this summer and 98 this fall. Jumps out of his hand from a ~5'3" release height and flashes riding life through the zone. Averaged 15" of carry this summer and 2,361 RPMs. Gets over the barrels of opposing hitters when located in the top-1/2 of the zone, which is where the pitch is at its best. Command can be erratic at times. Would give it a 55. Leaman's most-used off speed pitch is a high-70s-to-low-80s CB. Shape is inconsistent and it can get a little slurvy at times, but he snapped off a handful of really good ones between the spring and summer. When it's at its best, it will flash a bigger shape with sharp, downward tilt. Leaman will also mix in a low-to-mid-80s SL that's distinct in shape. Another pitch he's still gaining a feel for, but like his CB it's also shown big time flashes. Shape of it will vary, but it will sometimes flash plus with sharp, two-plane break (more sweep than depth) and essentially take a late, hard left turn. Rounds out his arsenal with a high-80s cutter and a mid-to-high-80s CH. The former is more intriguing than the latter. Curious to see how much he uses the cutter this spring, threw a couple this summer that had late glove-side life. Leaman has a very intriguing blend of athleticism and stuff, though he'll need to iron out his command and control in order to maximize his upside. As mentioned, it's a bit scattered right now and has hindered him in some starts. 5th-8th round type this July. (📽️: Falmouth Commodores)
0:19

RHP Cole Leaman (Lehigh Baseball) is an arm I'm really looking forward to following this spring. Fresh off a strong Sophomore season in which he worked a 2.31 ERA with 49 Ks to 23 BB across 46.2 IP. Showed some positive flashes on the Cape. While slightly undersized, Leaman has a strong and athletic build at 6' and 190-lbs. Has put on a lot of good weight over the last couple of years. Leaman has almost a "check point" delivery in which he takes a noticeable side step towards the 1B side, gathers himself and breaks into the rest of his motion. Lengthy arm stroke and attacks from a high-3/4 slot from a low release height. Leaman is a high-level athlete and a dynamic mover on the mound. Sits really well on his back glute and his lead leg block enables him to generate power and drive his back side through. Drop and drive delivery. Little bit of effort, but plenty of arm speed. Leaman's FB sits in the 91-94 range, but it was up to 96 this summer and 98 this fall. Jumps out of his hand from a ~5'3" release height and flashes riding life through the zone. Averaged 15" of carry this summer and 2,361 RPMs. Gets over the barrels of opposing hitters when located in the top-1/2 of the zone, which is where the pitch is at its best. Command can be erratic at times. Would give it a 55. Leaman's most-used off speed pitch is a high-70s-to-low-80s CB. Shape is inconsistent and it can get a little slurvy at times, but he snapped off a handful of really good ones between the spring and summer. When it's at its best, it will flash a bigger shape with sharp, downward tilt. Leaman will also mix in a low-to-mid-80s SL that's distinct in shape. Another pitch he's still gaining a feel for, but like his CB it's also shown big time flashes. Shape of it will vary, but it will sometimes flash plus with sharp, two-plane break (more sweep than depth) and essentially take a late, hard left turn. Rounds out his arsenal with a high-80s cutter and a mid-to-high-80s CH. The former is more intriguing than the latter. Curious to see how much he uses the cutter this spring, threw a couple this summer that had late glove-side life. Leaman has a very intriguing blend of athleticism and stuff, though he'll need to iron out his command and control in order to maximize his upside. As mentioned, it's a bit scattered right now and has hindered him in some starts. 5th-8th round type this July. (📽️: Falmouth Commodores)

Peter Flaherty III

26,714 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr

A very good morning. Welcome to The Council Benji This marks the third Skull in a little run. The first went to a fund I've never met. The second: through Eli Scheinman to a new collector/foundation who has been quietly entering the space in a very significant way across a number of collections whom I’ve never spoken to. Their new entrance enabled a wedding and start of a new married life for Conviction. In my very first conversation with him, we spoke about curses and commitments to the people we love. Since meeting got to talk through each step on that path, from letting go, what is imbued in the ring and ceremony of it all, a proposal, and on the way to the most important of the steps in pursuit of a blessed life. It is easy to get a little cynical on the over-leveraged exit stories that spring up from time to time, so it is a treat to watch one go towards a celebration that’s been building up in his life since the Skull was first acquired. And now: this. The third Skull and the first I can really write about as a shared story across both source and destination. An exit and an entrance. The exit: The Skulls of Luci were awarded as gifts 4 years ago. But before I'd minted Birth of Luci or painted the other 49, the first person in this space I showed the sketch of The Blueprint Skull to was actually Casey💎, when he was working at SuperRare . Casey was the very first person who onboarded me to NFTs, helping me navigate the early days of whatever it meant to even mint something. I explained the idea of gifting one to each person who bid in my first auctions. Though most of the Skulls went to the bidders, Casey's didn't. He didn't ask for one. I didn't tell him I'd give him one. But he helped me take my first steps here, and it's hard to imagine any of this making sense, or unfolding the way it has, without him. Since then, we've broken bread across continents, seen quite a lot of chortling margarita consumption, watched the rise and fall of a lot around us, weathered inter-Council dramas. He brought Laura El into The Monument Game, played as a Player, wore a Mask. Most of the vibe that started all of this, the wild west of it, feels faded in the broader space at times. But every Skull has a story and a person who helped us get here. Casey will always be the one who was there before any metric muddled the reason to care. The entrance: Last fall, Benji came over for a studio visit. We walked through Luci, the works, structure, and dream, as anyone who visits does. But we mostly talked about being a father and having a father. We discussed the very idea of "collection" stripped of accumulation, value, or signal, located more in the act or ceremony of it. What it was to grow up with a curious father who studied the edges of each thing he saw to know the next layer beneath why anyone might look or ignore it. That to pass this on is to pass on questioning, more than it is to pass on any kind of answer. The process of collecting can be perceived as an individual act of hoarding. For some it is maybe. But at its best, it's a way to bind through shared questioning, to bond in cooperation and competition with friends and family, it is the swapped story and meme of it all, and each object gathered along the way carries some shared memory that can, often does, and with intent: should; drift out of the object entirely. All in the psalm, always has been. The studio visit came and went. Soon after, a package arrived in the mail with two of the softest stuffed animals added to my daughter's own collection, now among her favorites. The Skull is a bonus to that, in the scheme of shared memory. For Rachel and I, while we are heads down making a body of work that unsettles us and excites us but demands unknown time to accomplish, it means a great deal to have this kind of support from long term people in the quiet process of making work we want to leave behind ourselves. Enormously grateful to Casey for the many years of support and friendship, to Benny for being a true patron, and to Benji for entering the arena for what I'm working on next. Welcome.
0:11

A very good morning. Welcome to The Council Benji This marks the third Skull in a little run. The first went to a fund I've never met. The second: through Eli Scheinman to a new collector/foundation who has been quietly entering the space in a very significant way across a number of collections whom I’ve never spoken to. Their new entrance enabled a wedding and start of a new married life for Conviction. In my very first conversation with him, we spoke about curses and commitments to the people we love. Since meeting got to talk through each step on that path, from letting go, what is imbued in the ring and ceremony of it all, a proposal, and on the way to the most important of the steps in pursuit of a blessed life. It is easy to get a little cynical on the over-leveraged exit stories that spring up from time to time, so it is a treat to watch one go towards a celebration that’s been building up in his life since the Skull was first acquired. And now: this. The third Skull and the first I can really write about as a shared story across both source and destination. An exit and an entrance. The exit: The Skulls of Luci were awarded as gifts 4 years ago. But before I'd minted Birth of Luci or painted the other 49, the first person in this space I showed the sketch of The Blueprint Skull to was actually Casey💎, when he was working at SuperRare . Casey was the very first person who onboarded me to NFTs, helping me navigate the early days of whatever it meant to even mint something. I explained the idea of gifting one to each person who bid in my first auctions. Though most of the Skulls went to the bidders, Casey's didn't. He didn't ask for one. I didn't tell him I'd give him one. But he helped me take my first steps here, and it's hard to imagine any of this making sense, or unfolding the way it has, without him. Since then, we've broken bread across continents, seen quite a lot of chortling margarita consumption, watched the rise and fall of a lot around us, weathered inter-Council dramas. He brought Laura El into The Monument Game, played as a Player, wore a Mask. Most of the vibe that started all of this, the wild west of it, feels faded in the broader space at times. But every Skull has a story and a person who helped us get here. Casey will always be the one who was there before any metric muddled the reason to care. The entrance: Last fall, Benji came over for a studio visit. We walked through Luci, the works, structure, and dream, as anyone who visits does. But we mostly talked about being a father and having a father. We discussed the very idea of "collection" stripped of accumulation, value, or signal, located more in the act or ceremony of it. What it was to grow up with a curious father who studied the edges of each thing he saw to know the next layer beneath why anyone might look or ignore it. That to pass this on is to pass on questioning, more than it is to pass on any kind of answer. The process of collecting can be perceived as an individual act of hoarding. For some it is maybe. But at its best, it's a way to bind through shared questioning, to bond in cooperation and competition with friends and family, it is the swapped story and meme of it all, and each object gathered along the way carries some shared memory that can, often does, and with intent: should; drift out of the object entirely. All in the psalm, always has been. The studio visit came and went. Soon after, a package arrived in the mail with two of the softest stuffed animals added to my daughter's own collection, now among her favorites. The Skull is a bonus to that, in the scheme of shared memory. For Rachel and I, while we are heads down making a body of work that unsettles us and excites us but demands unknown time to accomplish, it means a great deal to have this kind of support from long term people in the quiet process of making work we want to leave behind ourselves. Enormously grateful to Casey for the many years of support and friendship, to Benny for being a true patron, and to Benji for entering the arena for what I'm working on next. Welcome.

Sam Spratt

20,786 Aufrufe • vor 3 Monaten

Caedan Wallace (#70 in the video clips) – This looks like a good move from JES. Here’s my thoughts below and I’d be happy to answer any questions. I’m not going to do a video on Wallace since we’re talking about someone acquired for minimal compensation and was going to be waived pretty early in the offseason process. But there’s some reasons to be optimistic. Wallace was a 3rd round pick in 2024, which was before Vrabel arrived in NE – we see this often where players from a previous regime just aren’t valued by the new staff. I’ve watched all of Wallace’s 2024 snaps, plus his preseason 2025 snaps. He was used all over the place by NE including 6th OL, Tackle, and Guard. So he comes in as a young player and some NFL experience on both sides of the formation. My conclusion is that Wallace should be a near lock to be on the Dolphins 53 man roster. I see him instantly as no worse than OL 8 on this roster behind the starting 5, Salyer and maybe Andrew Meyer (who has C versatility). Wallace would get the leg up on Campbell because of his T versatility. But nobody else (including Heck) would really be in that conversation. Assuming health across the board – keeping 9 OL with this combination and having 8 active on gameday would be a solid group in my opinion. Wallace on the field isn’t going to wow you. He’s not the most powerful, he’s not the most athletic – but he’s also pretty decent in both regards. He’d be the type of guy that you’d be OK with as your 5th starter, but you’d still be exploring options to upgrade. I think he’s pretty even in both his pass pro and run game with mostly pretty solid reps and a handful of really good and really bad reps. There could be some untapped potential in the OZ run game where I think his athleticism (particularly at G) could come out, but that’s still a projection. In the end, I like this signing a lot for the positional need and the time of year.
0:11

Caedan Wallace (#70 in the video clips) – This looks like a good move from JES. Here’s my thoughts below and I’d be happy to answer any questions. I’m not going to do a video on Wallace since we’re talking about someone acquired for minimal compensation and was going to be waived pretty early in the offseason process. But there’s some reasons to be optimistic. Wallace was a 3rd round pick in 2024, which was before Vrabel arrived in NE – we see this often where players from a previous regime just aren’t valued by the new staff. I’ve watched all of Wallace’s 2024 snaps, plus his preseason 2025 snaps. He was used all over the place by NE including 6th OL, Tackle, and Guard. So he comes in as a young player and some NFL experience on both sides of the formation. My conclusion is that Wallace should be a near lock to be on the Dolphins 53 man roster. I see him instantly as no worse than OL 8 on this roster behind the starting 5, Salyer and maybe Andrew Meyer (who has C versatility). Wallace would get the leg up on Campbell because of his T versatility. But nobody else (including Heck) would really be in that conversation. Assuming health across the board – keeping 9 OL with this combination and having 8 active on gameday would be a solid group in my opinion. Wallace on the field isn’t going to wow you. He’s not the most powerful, he’s not the most athletic – but he’s also pretty decent in both regards. He’d be the type of guy that you’d be OK with as your 5th starter, but you’d still be exploring options to upgrade. I think he’s pretty even in both his pass pro and run game with mostly pretty solid reps and a handful of really good and really bad reps. There could be some untapped potential in the OZ run game where I think his athleticism (particularly at G) could come out, but that’s still a projection. In the end, I like this signing a lot for the positional need and the time of year.

eric smith

25,656 Aufrufe • vor 6 Tagen

The vet had been honest with the Hollands. Baxter didn't have much time left, and the kindest thing they could do now was make whatever he had left count. So on a warm Saturday in June , instead of a normal quiet day at home, they loaded the old Bernese into the back of the van and drove him two hours to the coast. Baxter had never seen the ocean. He was 13, and his whole life had been the backyard and the same worn spot on the living room rug. The kids wanted him to see something big before he went. He moved slow getting out of the van. His back legs weren't what they used to be, and the boys had to help him down onto the sand. For a second he just stood there at the top of the beach, nose up, taking in all that salt air and open water like he couldn't quite believe it. Then something in him shifted. He started down toward the surf on his own, stiff and determined, the way he used to trot to the door when the kids came home from school. When the first cold wave washed over his paws, his whole face lit up. He didn't run, he couldn't, but he waded in up to his chest and stood in the shallow water with the sun going down behind him, and the whole family just watched. Nobody said much. They didn't need to. They stayed until the light was almost gone, taking pictures, letting Baxter rest against their legs, giving him one perfect afternoon to hold onto. The vet was right about the time. Baxter left them a few weeks later, at home, surrounded by the people who loved him. But he saw the ocean first. And every one of them is glad they gave him that.
0:12

The vet had been honest with the Hollands. Baxter didn't have much time left, and the kindest thing they could do now was make whatever he had left count. So on a warm Saturday in June , instead of a normal quiet day at home, they loaded the old Bernese into the back of the van and drove him two hours to the coast. Baxter had never seen the ocean. He was 13, and his whole life had been the backyard and the same worn spot on the living room rug. The kids wanted him to see something big before he went. He moved slow getting out of the van. His back legs weren't what they used to be, and the boys had to help him down onto the sand. For a second he just stood there at the top of the beach, nose up, taking in all that salt air and open water like he couldn't quite believe it. Then something in him shifted. He started down toward the surf on his own, stiff and determined, the way he used to trot to the door when the kids came home from school. When the first cold wave washed over his paws, his whole face lit up. He didn't run, he couldn't, but he waded in up to his chest and stood in the shallow water with the sun going down behind him, and the whole family just watched. Nobody said much. They didn't need to. They stayed until the light was almost gone, taking pictures, letting Baxter rest against their legs, giving him one perfect afternoon to hold onto. The vet was right about the time. Baxter left them a few weeks later, at home, surrounded by the people who loved him. But he saw the ocean first. And every one of them is glad they gave him that.

Gabriele Corno

119,678 Aufrufe • vor 27 Tagen

➡️ The ZANU fighter was just defeated by a 60-year old guy. 😌 This guy, Themba Gorimbo, had the support of most Zimbabweans when he entered the UFC, because – what a great achievement and representation for our country! 👏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾 🇿🇼 Then, he made the quintessential error that many shallow Zimbabweans who find fame MAKE – he involved himself in regime politics ... because he saw it as a way to make a quick fortune. 💰💰 He started to ride high on ARROGANCE, and use his platform to insult and mock the opposition movement while promoting ED and ZANU PF regularly. He is especially known for stalking Winky D, and posting negative comments and mockeries about him, in order to please his ZANU masters. He thought that if he placed himself on the buttered side 🧈🍞 – the OPPRESSOR’S side - then he would be on the fast track to wealth, freebies and trinkets. 💵 Amateur mistake. When you’re a professional athlete there is no upside to playing politics. 🤷🏾‍♂️ You’ll just alienate many supporters unnecessarily, and attract controversy. You also draw negative attention to yourself internationally. MMA is a global sport and UFC is the pinnacle of the sport. So then he started losing supporters and attracting criticism ... but continued on his arrogant high horse, believing that his commitment to ZANU would pay off. Then when was CHOKED OUT in his last fight and lost consciousness in front of the entire world 😴- he thereafter had a "Damascus moment" when he realized that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of UFC fans around the world were joyous about his humiliation! 😃 Especially when at one point he enjoyed widespread support and a growing fanbase - even the Rock had given him a house in the early days ... before Gorimbo showed himself to be an arrogant, toxic chump. 🤦🏾‍♂️ Then after being choked out he tried to “CHANGE” and win people over again, and started becoming anti-Zanu, etc. And it has worked for some people, but for a lot of OTHER people, including me (who was initially a HUGE fan), the damage had been done... 🙅🏾‍♂️ I always support Zimbabwean athletes and teams PASSIONATELY 🇿🇼 – but this guy has shown his true colours, and I find him to be unsavoury... He’s someone who tried to use his platform to benefit from the REGIME. He supported OPPRESSION and mocked the suffering of Zimbabweans, and efforts of the opposition. He is NOT a good guy. 😏 He is only now pretending to be in support of the PEOPLE because he has seen how supporting dictators will negatively affect his MMA career. It actually may be too late for him to redeem himself because even on the MMA twitterverse, I see a LOT of people from around the world posting negatively about his arrogance. They are also calling him a SCAMMER because of the library he had said he was building “in his village” and apparently people donated money, but there is ZERO library in existence 🤔- and when he has been pressed to explain he has been saying to critics that he built ¾ of the library and then he had to tear it down for some reason... 👀 I will always view him as a “ZANU fighter” because that’s what he proudly was for a long time, and has now realized his miscalculation ... and trying to pretend to be otherwise. Anyway, good luck to him. Because these days KARMA is visiting him.
0:15

➡️ The ZANU fighter was just defeated by a 60-year old guy. 😌 This guy, Themba Gorimbo, had the support of most Zimbabweans when he entered the UFC, because – what a great achievement and representation for our country! 👏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾 🇿🇼 Then, he made the quintessential error that many shallow Zimbabweans who find fame MAKE – he involved himself in regime politics ... because he saw it as a way to make a quick fortune. 💰💰 He started to ride high on ARROGANCE, and use his platform to insult and mock the opposition movement while promoting ED and ZANU PF regularly. He is especially known for stalking Winky D, and posting negative comments and mockeries about him, in order to please his ZANU masters. He thought that if he placed himself on the buttered side 🧈🍞 – the OPPRESSOR’S side - then he would be on the fast track to wealth, freebies and trinkets. 💵 Amateur mistake. When you’re a professional athlete there is no upside to playing politics. 🤷🏾‍♂️ You’ll just alienate many supporters unnecessarily, and attract controversy. You also draw negative attention to yourself internationally. MMA is a global sport and UFC is the pinnacle of the sport. So then he started losing supporters and attracting criticism ... but continued on his arrogant high horse, believing that his commitment to ZANU would pay off. Then when was CHOKED OUT in his last fight and lost consciousness in front of the entire world 😴- he thereafter had a "Damascus moment" when he realized that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of UFC fans around the world were joyous about his humiliation! 😃 Especially when at one point he enjoyed widespread support and a growing fanbase - even the Rock had given him a house in the early days ... before Gorimbo showed himself to be an arrogant, toxic chump. 🤦🏾‍♂️ Then after being choked out he tried to “CHANGE” and win people over again, and started becoming anti-Zanu, etc. And it has worked for some people, but for a lot of OTHER people, including me (who was initially a HUGE fan), the damage had been done... 🙅🏾‍♂️ I always support Zimbabwean athletes and teams PASSIONATELY 🇿🇼 – but this guy has shown his true colours, and I find him to be unsavoury... He’s someone who tried to use his platform to benefit from the REGIME. He supported OPPRESSION and mocked the suffering of Zimbabweans, and efforts of the opposition. He is NOT a good guy. 😏 He is only now pretending to be in support of the PEOPLE because he has seen how supporting dictators will negatively affect his MMA career. It actually may be too late for him to redeem himself because even on the MMA twitterverse, I see a LOT of people from around the world posting negatively about his arrogance. They are also calling him a SCAMMER because of the library he had said he was building “in his village” and apparently people donated money, but there is ZERO library in existence 🤔- and when he has been pressed to explain he has been saying to critics that he built ¾ of the library and then he had to tear it down for some reason... 👀 I will always view him as a “ZANU fighter” because that’s what he proudly was for a long time, and has now realized his miscalculation ... and trying to pretend to be otherwise. Anyway, good luck to him. Because these days KARMA is visiting him.

Bhudhi Ghivhi

66,746 Aufrufe • vor 9 Monaten