sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Thumb Appreciation Day!
Today we celebrate—and show a little appreciation for—the thumb, which is considered to be one of the most important digits. Made up of two bones, thumbs are often known as opposable thumbs because they can be stretched opposite fingers in order to grip things. They can carry out a wide range of uses and motions, such as pinching, grasping, rotating, and flexing. Besides humans, some animals have opposable thumbs or toes, although most do not. These animals are mainly primates like chimpanzees and orangutans. On Thumb Appreciation Day, some people abstain from using their thumbs and instead just use their other fingers, which gives them a better appreciation for their thumbs. Others show their appreciation for their thumbs by using them in various ways, more than they usually would otherwise.
SU News
CB Isaiah Crowell reacts to Syracuse offer (247sports.com; $; Dohn)
Isaiah Crowell finished a phone call with Syracuse and now is set to do some research.
The Kernersville (N.C.) East Forsyth cornerback was offered by the Orange, so getting to learn more about them is next on the list. And with visits shut down until at least mid April, and with the 6-foot, 180-pound Crowell readying for a spring football season, he will do some work to learn more.
"I don’t really know a lot about the program I know they have three defensive backs going to the draft this year," Crowell said. "Other than that I don’t know a lot about it. I don’t know a lot about the defense as of right now."
His brother, Micah Crowell, attends NC State and the Isaiah holds an offer from the Wolfpack.
However, he said in the past he wants to go through the process and learn more about other schools.
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2021 NFL Draft: Top 3 needs for Washington football team (sportskeeda.com; Bennellick)
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So, if not a QB, what do Washington need and who can they draft? Let's take a look:
#1 Wide receiver (pick 19)
Alabama v AuburnNo matter who ends up in the pocket for Washington next year, it's not going to mean a damn thing if he doesn't have quality targets to throw the ball to... step forward from the University of Alabama's Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.
Personally, I don't see this year's Heisman winner Devonta Smith still being on the board come pick 19, so more likely the 'football team' could pluck for his partner in crime on the opposite flank, Waddle. Jaylen Waddle is a superb athlete and got off to a great start for the Crimson Tide last season, registering +120 receiving yards in four consecutive appearances to begin the year.
After four games, he'd tallied 557 yards on 25 catches and four touchdowns. Had he not gone down to a season-ending ankle injury whilst returning a kick against Tennessee, it could well have been Waddle's name on that Heisman trophy this year and not Smith's.
Waddle's electric turn of pace would open up a ton of options for Washington on offense and take some of the defensive attention away from Terry McLaurin, one of the premier receivers in the league, giving him (McLaurin) more space to operate in.
Not to mention the fact that Waddle could play a pivotal role on special teams as a kick returner. If the ankle is healthy, this is a guy Washington should at least be looking at.
#2 Outside linebacker (pick 51)
Zaven Collins of TULSA enters this year's draft as a linebacker with real promise. At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, Collins is a physically dominant player, equally at home stuffing the run and pursuing the runner. His 91.1 grade in the 2020 season ranks him first-place among all linebackers in college football.At this stage, it's not totally clear which linebackers will go first in the 2021 draft. For my money, both Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Nick Bolton are likely to go ahead of Collins, which could see the TULSA graduate drop down to the second round, which is when Washington could potentially pounce.
Any of the three players just mentioned would help strengthen Washington's average-looking mid-set, though, and if Rivera can get his linebackers competing at anywhere near the same level as his defensive front-four, 'the football team' will mean serious business in the NFC East next year.
#3 Cornerback (pick 74)
Ifeatu Melifonwu is a cornerback whose draft stock has probably risen a fair amount since his superb performance in the Senior Bowl earlier this month, a game in which Melifonwu was the highest-graded defender in coverage.
Standing at an enormous 6-foot-3, and weighing in at 213 pounds, the Syracuse graduate certainly has the athleticism required to play in the NFL and for a good team at a high level: case in point, in three years at Syracuse, Melifonwu never once earned less than a 74.1 coverage grade.
There is a chance that because of Melifonwu's superb performance in the Senior Bowl, he may hear his number called slightly earlier than pick 74, but Washington does have two third-round picks, so it's possible they could trade up to land this kid, and i think they should. Melifonwu and Kendall Fuller working together in pass-coverage could prove to be a real recipe for success up in Washington.
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30 Years of Notre Dame on NBC: Syracuse and snowballs, a 2008 comedy - Inside the Irish | NBC Sports (nbcsports.com; Farmer)
For all anyone knows, Notre Dame would not have made the 2012 BCS title game if it did not flail in the snow against Syracuse in 2008.
The 24-23 loss on a 28-degree afternoon to a team led by an already-fired head coach was nothing but embarrassing. The Irish student body took out its frustrations on each other, turning a 13-point fourth-quarter collapse into nothing but the background of a snowball fight, continuing the annual halftime marshmallow fight on Senior Day.
A few ambitious throws may have approached the Notre Dame sideline, but they were nothing more than the byproduct of young bravado, “I bet I can throw this one onto the field!” Those heaves primarily came from splotches of shirtless souls, confirming the lack of malice in the moment.
The Irish fans turned away from the debacle and made an afternoon of it. Of course, Notre Dame and sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen did not have that luxury.
“I don’t really know what happened,” Clausen said after throwing for 291 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-39 passing.
What happened was the Irish repeatedly failed to capitalize on field position, beginning a first-quarter drive on the plus 25-yard line and gaining only eight yards before kicking a field goal, and later failing to convert again when starting on the plus 29-yard line, not to mention a slightly more productive field-goal drive originating at midfield. Worse than all those three-point successes, kicker Brandon Walker went only 3-of-6 on field goals.
What happened was the Irish took a 23-10 lead into the fourth quarter and then failed to respond when Syracuse scored a touchdown with 12:30 left on the clock. Rather than Clausen find star receiver Golden Tate for a third touchdown, Notre Dame turned to Walker and his 49-yarder fell short.
What happened was after fired-but-still-coaching Orange head coach Greg Robinson decided to key on Tate, who caught seven passes for 146 yards and that pair of scores, the Irish offense had nowhere else to turn, gaining only 41 yards on 28 rushes. Tate did catch a Clausen heave in the closing seconds to set up Walker for another field-goal attempt, but given it was four yards longer than his miss earlier in the quarter, the result felt known before his toe ever reached the football.
What happened was Syracuse’s last-minute, game-winning touchdown on an 11-yard pass from Cameron Dantley — the son of legendary Irish basketball guard Adrian Dantley — turned Senior Day into yet another indictment of a Notre Dame coaching tenure on the verge of following Robinson’s lead.
“I feel sick to my stomach,” Irish head coach Charlie Weis said. “Everyone at Notre Dame takes these losses personally, just like they feel good when they win. But right now I feel absolutely miserable for the seniors.”
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Ten most intriguing ACC games in 2021 (247sports.com; Stepien)
The 2020 college football season was an unprecedented one, and the ACC was not an exception. While Clemson ultimately won its six straight conference title, it certainly did not come easy.
Normally an independent, Notre Dame entered the league and knocked off Clemson in the regular season before the Tigers avenged a ACC Championship Game rematch. But both teams went to the College Football Playoff, only a second instance where a conference saw two programs make the four-way postseason.
Although the Fighting Irish face a handful of ACC foes — five, to be exact, between Florida State (Sept. 5), Virginia Tech (Oct. 9), North Carolina (Oct. 30), Virginia (Nov. 13) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 20) — there are other true league matchups for the 2021 season worth keeping an eye on. The ACC released its schedule Jan. 28, a traditional slate as it once again features two divisions — Atlantic and Coastal — with each team set to play eight conference games.
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2020 Lost FB TV games, revenue (RX; HM)
2020 Lost FB TV games, revenue
How many fewer football games did each of the SEC, Big Ten and ACC conferences play in 2020 compared to 2019? How much money might that logically impact, based on a ratio of what each normally gets paid? (Note: for the sake of this exercise, we're going to ignore Fox since neither the ACC nor the SEC has any contracts with them - and since they've shown a willingness to overpay in the past. I also threw out internet-only games).
| Conf | TV Network | 2019 | 2020 | %drop | $M est |
| SEC | CBS | 15 | 11 | -27% | -$18.7 |
| SEC | ESPN | 40 | 21 | -48% | -$78.9 |
| SEC | SECN | 48 | 37 | -23% | |
| Total | 103 | 69 | -$97.5 | ||
| B1G | ABC/ESPN | 27 | 15 | -44% | -$82.2 |
| ACC | ABC/ESPN | 32 | 25 | -22% | -$35.0 |
| ACC | ACCN | 42 | 39 | -7% | |
| ACC | RSNs | 17 | 16 | -6% | |
| Total | 91 | 80 | -$35.0 |
To be honest, I had no idea until I ran the numbers. It's kind of obvious when you think about it: the ACC came closest to fulfilling its contractural obligations - in large part thanks to simply starting first among P5 conferences. The ACC also has an argument for getting paid in full: the addition of Notre Dame as a full-time football member actually boosted the quality of ACC football content.
What I didn't realize was how short the SEC and Big Ten both came in terms of ABC and ESPN games. By rights, those two conferences should be docked nearly $100 million each! When you work it out on a per team basis, the expected revenue shortfall for 2020 looks like this:
- SEC: -$6.97 million per team
- B1G: -$5.87 million per team
- ACC: -$2.5 million per team
Clemson Tigers Reload At Skill Positions In Spring Camp (lastwordonsports.com; Knight)
for gbo
The Clemson Tigers will look a lot different next fall. Not only will they have a new starter under center with the departure of Trevor Lawrence, but they will have a lot of unproven faces at the skill positions as well. As Clemson prepares to reload on offense, there will be opportunities for a multitude of players to step up. The Tigers have solidified themselves as one of the best programs in the nation, both on the field and in recruiting. This means that talent will not be an issue in orange and purple. Replacing the experience and consistency of the players they have lost will be the main focus in spring and fall camps
Clemson Prepares To Reload At Skill Positions
Not only will the Tigers need to replace the NFL’s number one pick in Lawrence, but they also lose the school’s All-Time leading rusher in Travis Etienne. Star power like that is not easy to replace. But Clemson is one of the few programs in the country equipped to do so. This team’s top three pass catchers from a season ago are also gone. That includes two senior receivers and the aforementioned Etienne. There is talent up and down this roster to pick up the slack, but none of them have had to carry the load so far in college.
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FSU football: Noles adding favorable games to future schedules (chopchat.com; Hunt)
FSU continues to de-emphasize football...
The way the 2014 season went down scarred FSU football. The team developed a habit of getting down big in the first half of games before roaring back to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat the entire season.
FSU was king of the ACC Conference, but the fashion in how they won those games gave the perception the ACC was the weakest Power Five conference of all the major conferences.
For that reason, the defending national champions and undefeated FSU football team received a No. 3 seed in the inaugural College Football Playoff, where they would go on to lose against Oregon.
Football schedules are usually made years in advance. However, money and the perception a stronger schedule needed influenced how the FSU administration conducted business.
Enter the 2016 season opener in a neutral site game against Ole Miss. The 2017 season opener against Alabama and the 2019 season opener against Boise State.
All of those games took place because of the need to make money in high-profile matchups. FSU football hasn’t won a season opener since 2016, which has meant their season has been over before it has gotten started with multiple losses in the first month of the season.
Most of that is because FSU hasn’t been operating as an elite program for almost a decade. There’s no reason they should be losing to the likes of Virginia Tech, Boise State, and Georgia Tech the last three seasons. However, there’s no reason to continue to play tough schedules that reduce the chances of making a New Year’s Six Bowl or College Football Playoff.
I wrote about this two years ago regarding the schedules of national title contenders. It looks as though FSU has finally come to their senses with future games:
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Other
Smash Therapy rage room coming to Syracuse (PS; $; Tulloch)
Pandemics are hard. Sometimes you just need to break a toaster.
Soon, Syracuse residents will be able to smash away their stress at Smash Therapy, a “rage room” entertainment center where you can break things to your heart’s content.
Smash Therapy provides weapons (bats, crowbars or sledgehammers), safety gear (goggles, helmets and body suits) and items to smash. Available items to destroy include glass and liquor bottles, game consoles, printers, vacuums, kitchen appliances and copiers.
Owner Steven Shortino opened Smash Therapy in Rochester in 2018. In the past year, he said many people used his rage rooms to deal with frustration caused by Covid-19.
“People are so stressed out and cooped up at home,” said Shortino. “There’s not much else out there to do, so we did see more business.”
Smash Therapy provides weapons (bats, crowbars or sledgehammers), safety gear (goggles, helmets and body suits) and items to smash.Provided photo
It was also a popular date idea for Valentine’s Day, with rage rooms sold out over the holiday weekend. (Smash Therapy added a mask policy and hand sanitizer stations.)
“It’s on the safer side of activities because you’re in your own room, with whoever you came with,” he said.
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