Day 1,081, Quasi-Quarantine: A Sneaky Big Game In Cameron

 

For about a month or so, NC State was the toast of Raleigh, winning 11 of 14 conference games. 

However, the Pack was absolutely drummed by Clemson -- completing a sweep by the Tigers this year -- over the weekend, with a 25-point loss dredging up worthy concerns about the state of State's defense.

The Wolfpack is not used to playing the role of frontrunner, and may be reading too many press clippings these days. With State's margin for error not quite as big as one might think -- they've won conference games by four, two, three, and two points -- the Pack can't afford to be lackadaisical with the defense that has sparked its offense all season long.

In a victory over Wake Forest, NC State allowed the Deacs to shoot over 50% and surrendered a dozen three-pointers, and that trend continued against Clemson, which shot a staggering 59.6% from the field and 52.6% from the arc (10-19). 

Compounding matters, guard Terquavion Smith -- already a streaky and overrated pure shooter who is better as a creator -- has struggled of late, shooting just 32.1% from the floor (34-106) and 25% (14-56) on three-pointers over the past seven games.

At the same time, backcourt mate Jarkel Joiner has elevated his game and stolen the spotlight, becoming the unquestioned leader of the Pack attack. Is Smith forcing up shots as a result? 

The answer to this question and others will start to be answered tonight, when the Wolfpack visits Durham to take on Duke in the regular-season finale. State stomped the Blue Devils in early January, blowing their doors off to the tune of a 24-point "W" that saw the Pack put in the walk-ons with multiple minutes remaining.

Regardless of the outcome, NC State has to find its footing tonight in a game that carries implications for the ACC and NCAA tourneys. The process of recasting themselves as overlooked underdogs who will be difficult outs for any postseason opponents starts this evening in the most hostile of environments.

Stay tuned.

Day 1,080, Quasi-Quarantine: Woody Meets Cologuard In A Plausible Hemp-Related Scenario

The highly anticipated (maybe just by me) joint Woody Harrelson-Jack White "Saturday Night Live" was pretty hit or miss on both fronts, but this Cologuard commercial was a definite highlight.

Day 1,075, Quasi-Quarantine: Setting Drives "The Searcher," But Predictability Compromises Its Impact

"Trey says, with absolute bedrock certainty, 'He wouldn't do that.' Cal reached the point a long time ago where those words make him tired for all of humanity. All the innocents say that, and believe it to the bone, right up until the moment when they can't any more."

Western Ireland is the setting for this tale about a semi-retired Chicago cop who tries to start over in wide open spaces. The pastoral small town proves no escape from missing kids, child abuse, gangs, drugs, and suspicious neighbors, however, and Tana French digs deliciously into the nooks and crannies to paint this landscape.

"'Sure, they oughtn't to give you a gun anyway,' Barty the barman told him, when he pointed this out.

"'Why not?'

"'Because you're American. Ye're all mental with the guns, over there. Shooting them off at the drop of a hat. Blowing some fella away because he bought the last packet of Twinkies in the shop. The rest of us wouldn't be safe.'"

"The air is practically solid with the interleaved smells of sweat, cigarette smoke, beer farts and crusted sheets."

In the end, "The Searcher" may have bit off more than it can chew for some, with a myriad of societal issues and mysteries resolved rather simply in the end. 

The ease with which insular Irishmen open up to a former police officer and generational farmers share their feelings with an outsider is a bit hard to come to terms with, as is a bizarre gender reveal halfway through the book.

"Men with no children get to feeling unsafe, when they get older. The world's changing and they've no young people to show them it's grand, so they feel like they're being attacked. Like they need to be ready for a fight the whole time."

As a quick-hitting, engrossing read with an atmospheric feel, "The Searcher" fits the bill. Those searching for something a bit more complex may want to check out French's other work.

"Church," Mart tells him, pulling his tobacco pouch out of a jacket pocket and finding an undersized rollie, "is for women. The spinsters, mostly; they do like to get themselves in a tizzy over whose turn it is to do the second reading, or the altar flowers. And the mammies bring in the childer so they won't grow up heathens, and the aul' ones showing off that they're not dead yet. If a young lad starts going to mass, it's a bad sign. Something's not sitting right, in his life or in his head."

Day 1,074, Quasi-Quarantine: Officiating Mistakes Leak Into Youth Flag Football

 

After three playoff games, our team lost in the championship game, 21-14. Despite the Bills battling back from a 21-0 deficit, the contest left a sour taste in our mouths since it appeared to just about everyone in attendance that Finn had pulled in a touchdown that would have tied it up.

It was a long day for our little big man, who endured tears, a stomach ache, and a lot of pressure to come up big when his team needed him most. Captain Clutch caught a touchdown to start the scoring for our squad and looked to have reeled in another.

In our team picture, the players left no doubt on whether or not they thought it was a catch or not.

Proud of this crew. Especially my favorite player.

Day 1,073, Quasi-Quarantine: The Pack Just Iced The Cheats' Season

NC State bitched the Heels, 77-69, yesterday, punctuating the turning of the worm with an alley-oop from Terquavion Smith to Jarkel Joiner.

Joiner cemented his place in Wolfpack annals with a 29-point outburst that saw him singlehandedly take over the game in the final minutes.

State has moved to 21-7 on the campaign, with remaining games against Wake Forest, Clemson, and Duke determining seeding in the ACC and NCAA tourneys.

Go Pack. Eat it, Holes.

Limerick Friday #574: The Happy And Much-Needed Surprise Of "Kleo" -- Day 1,070

A complex plot it did weave

A German "Killing Eve"

"Kleo" was a delight

Blown through in just a few nights

A second season will be fun to conceive

Zach Thomas didn't need to be taught 

As a rookie, I thought

"Holy freaking mackerel

This dude's making every tackle"

A Hall of Famer earned and not bought

That fur bikini was money

Made me feel kind of funny

Like climbing the rope in gym class

No one will ever surpass

Raquel Welch was sweeter than honey

A season to remember

Being systematically dismembered

By cheating ref whores

As the league ignores

Remind me why State is an ACC member?

The start of spring training

And new rules explaining

Here come the new Mets

So place all your bets

How many wins will they be gaining?

Last time ...

Day 1,069, Quasi-Quarantine: Fearless Fullback Tackles His Origin Story "Head On"

 

"We started out together in 1970 as the worst team in the league -- a ragtag crew of literal no-names who fell under the domain of a dogmatic coach. 'No one's guaranteed a spot on this team,' he told us. And then he proceeded to chip away at every trait, every characteristic that kept us from greatness."

A memoir from perhaps the greatest all-around fullback to ever play the game, “Head On” features a collection of memories from various moments in Larry Csonka’s life. From growing up in rural Ohio to an unreal life schedule at Syracuse to his halcyon days with the Miami Dolphins, “Zonk” is a mix of Paul Bunyan and one of the Festrunk Brothers ("two wild and crazy guys").

The chronological jumps can make it difficult to follow the narrative, and there are significant stretches of his life that seem to be almost completely skipped over. There is a pervasive melancholy throughout the book as well, as lost potential, lost friends, and lost opportunities abound.

In the acknowledgements, Csonka recognizes how quickly the book had to come together to align with the 50th anniversary of Miami’s 1972 “Perfect Season,” and that haste is sadly evident in “Head On.” Longtime Dolphins fans will appreciate the insights, but there is very little new here that hasn’t been shared in other, better books, and one finishes this account wishing there was a little more transparency and even vulnerability from the author.

Day 1,068, Quasi-Quarantine: Stop Us If You've Heard This One Before -- A Wolf Goes On The Road, And ...

 

NC State played poorly on offense on the road at Syracuse last night, missing 25 of 34 three-point attempts and only managing three made free throws. Yet its defense kept the Pack in the game, with the team pulling ahead in the final minutes.

However, a series of ludicrous calls predictably happened to go against the Wolfpack, gift-wrapping the game to the Orange and leaving coach Kevin Keatts and 'Cuse retirement-refuser Jim Boeheim sniping at each other in the handshake line.

Look, State was overly three-point reliant in this one, which certainly contributes to a foul disparity (11 fouls and 17 attempted free throws for the home team, 19 fouls and five attempted free throws for the home team). But even putting that aside, in the deciding moments, it was clear that the officials tilted the contest to Syracuse.

From a flop by the Orange that was somehow called a charge to a clear blocking foul under the basket called a charge against D.J. Burns to a phantom foul called against Ebenezer Duowona (one of roughly four invisible infractions Ebe got tagged with) and a stunningly uncalled hacking call on a Jarkel Joiner shot that went uncalled, the last couple of minutes were a clinic in stealing a game from the visiting squad.

The officiating ineptitude was so egregious that no one really noticed that Joiner had posted a triple-double (15 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) until well after the game. In particular, it would appear that some jackheimer named Bert Smith has a personal vendetta against the Wolfpack.

Unfortunately, NC State has had to lean into biased officiating based on multiple games this season, but Keatts's postgame comments lead one to believe that he's almost ready to put the league on blast.

Not that it will help, but it should make for a little added drama down the stretch as the ACC does its best to keep its foot on the Pack's neck.

Day 1,067, Quasi-Quarantine: Building Phoenix Squadron's Ship Out Of The Ashes

 

As my building partner rediscovers a love for "Star Wars Rebels," we've been reliving the exploits of the Spectres rebel cell. A central figure in the adventures of Kanan, Hera, Sabine, Zeb, Ezra, and Chopper is their shuttle-like starship, the Phantom. 

A modified VCX-series auxiliary starfighter, the Phantom docked with its mothership, the Ghost, and played a pivotal role in a number of side missions.

It didn't take much re-viewing for us to wonder about the possibility of adding the Phantom to our Lego collection. There were two versions made, and our initial research told us that both were retired and entirely out of our price range. We already had the minifigures from other builds, though, and determined that putting together the ship itself was manageable.

In deciding to reconstruct one from our own pieces, we settled on set 75048, a 234-piece construction released in 2014 that did not require a ton of unique pieces. After downloading the building manual from Lego, I set about the hours-long process of finding and setting aside the requisite pieces.

I eventually tracked down all but a handful of what I'd need to construct the shuttle, and I spent just over $5 in missing pieces (more with the shipping & handling). When everything arrived, the Phantom came to life in a really cool way.

The cockpit and the storage area come together cleverly, and it's admittedly a tight squeeze in the back. Chopper can fit, along with a helmet or a small box of explosives, but that's about it. However, the roof is easily removable to allow for easy maneuvering in the storage area.

The highlight is the fold-out wings, which roll up on landing and extend when the Phantom is in flight. The next step is creating my own stickers to round out the build, which will only add to what has been one of the most enjoyable Lego experiences I've had -- outside of the occasional "Karabast!" when I couldn't find a piece I needed.

Day 1,066, Quasi-Quarantine: Be Way Better At What You're Paid To Do

 

Channeling just all the Julia Louis-Dreyfus energy that exists on this Monday morning.

Day 1,062: Dizzying "Ragtime" Offers A Humorous, Harsh View Of Patriotism

 

"The fact that you think of yourself as a gentleman in all your dealings, Younger Brother said, is the simple self-delusion of all those who oppress humanity."

Despite being written nearly half a century ago, “Ragtime” represents a lot of contemporary struggles with racism and capitalism. E.L. Doctorow makes clever use of shifting perspectives to tie together disparate storylines, using connections between well-known celebrities and ordinary citizens.

"There are no foreign lands. There is no Mexican peasant, there is no dictator Diaz. There is only one struggle throughout the world, there is only the flame of freedom trying to light the hideous darkness of life on earth." 

Published in 1975, the book is at times shockingly frank and unflinchingly lewd, perhaps punctuated by a scene where a stalker ejaculates on an unwitting and unwilling naked woman. 

"It was characteristic of Evelyn that she could not resist someone who was so strongly attracted to her."

"She had no guile and could act only in total and helpless response to what she felt. If she loved she acted in love, if she was betrayed she was destroyed. These were the shining and dangerous facts of the life of an innocent."

Set in the early 20th century, the novel melds fact and fantasy in near-“Seinfeldian” adventures and comedic turns. “Ragtime” also leans hard on improbably believable events and a respect for the “Butterfly Effect.”

"There was a heavy traffic to the spas and sulphur springs, where the purgative was valued as an inducement to the appetite. America was a great farting country."

Doctorow takes a hard turn toward domestic terrorism and rampant abuse of immigrants and Black people during the book’s stretch run. The result is a beautifully rendered look at what patriotism means to different elements of American society, a task that could have fallen flat in the hands of a lesser writer.

"He wanted to drive from her memory every tenement stench and filthy immigrant street. He would buy her light and sun and clean wind of the ocean for the rest of her life."

Day 1,061, Quasi-Quarantine: Dolphins-Bills Wildcard Playoff Game Review

 

In a game of mixed feelings, Miami somehow overcame dramatic odds to fall just short, losing 34-31 on the road despite being two-touchdown underdogs in a wildcard playoff contest. The 'Fins erased a 17-point deficit in just seven minutes and took one of the league's best team to the brink with its third-string rookie quarterback. 

In addition to being a severely banged-up team, the visitors also had to navigate a staggering officiating discrepancy (Miami: called for nine penalties; Buffalo: called for two penalties).

Despite the modicum of feel-good moments, there is a lot of turmoil to concern yourself with if that's your deal. Miami has still not won a playoff game in nearly a quarter-century and lost six of their last seven games this season. The clock management was beyond woeful, even in the context of having a rookie quarterback at the helm, and the 'Fins were much more conservative than anticipated in what amounted to a YOLO game.

Time has not lessened the disappointment of this outcome -- nor the reality that Miami finished 9-9 during a season in which they started 8-3.

On to the gut-punched-yet-proud recap ...

Offense

• We're not going to start sugarcoating at this late date: The playcalling and clock management were borderline disastrous. In 14 possessions, the Dolphins managed a single drive of more than 40 yards and ended up with just 231 total yards. The visitors were just 4 of 16 on third-down attempts and attempted just two fourth-down tries, getting one. After gashing the Bills on the ground in the previous matchup, Miami managed just 42 rushing yards (2.1 yards per carry).  The Dolphins had four red-zone opportunities, but converted just two into touchdowns, which ended up being the difference.
• Perhaps the best thing Skylar Thompson did on the afternoon was throwing the ball away to avoid sacks. He hit just 18 of 45 attempts for 220 yards, throwing a touchdown and tossing a pair of interceptions. Though he played a part in a delay of game and four false starts, he was let down by the triple threat of coaching (playcalling), receivers (entirely too many drops), and his offensive line (four sacks and constant pressure allowed). Thompson managed just a 51.2 grade from Pro Football Focus, but perhaps the most inexplicable development was a seeming refusal to scramble. A plus athlete, he ran just twice of three yards, often ignoring the open field in front of him to fire ill-advised passes. In a game that desperately needed the threat of his legs, the signal-caller was either instructed not to use them or insisted on staying in the pocket.
• Minus Raheem Mostert -- who torched Buffalo a few weeks previous -- Jeff Wilson (calf) and Salvon Ahmed (head) gutted it out through injuries as well. Wilson gained just 23 yards on 10 carries in 38 snaps, though he did score a touchdown and had a 13-yard catch on four targets for a poor 54.2 PFF grade. Ahmed (35 snaps) somehow gained only three yards on five carries, though he was stellar in the passing game, pulling in three of five targets for 45 yards. The previously injured Alec Ingold did not have a touch in his nine snaps.
• It would be difficult to write about the wide receivers without using the word "choke." Tyreek Hill was targeted 15 times but caught just seven passes for 69 yards, good for a 74.3 PFF grade in his 59 snaps. Jaylen Waddle had the toughest time, reeling in just three of seven targets for 44 yards and repeatedly failing to win the ball in the air and haul in catchable passes. To his credit, he played through a midgame shoulder injury to make a crucial fourth-quarter catch among his 60 snaps. Both Waddle (eight-yard run) and Hill (two rushes, five yards) got manufactured touches on the ground. Trent Sherfield (49.7 PFF grade) did not catch either of his two targets in 48 snaps and River Cracraft (53.6 PFF grade) also went without a reception in his 11 targets.  Cedrick Wilson pulled in one of his four targets in 15 snaps, a vital 14-yarder. In the season's biggest moment, the receivers were a net negative on a day when Miami needed them to take on more responsibility, not less.
• At tight end, Mike Gesicki hauled in two of six targets in 28 snaps, good for 15 yards and a touchdown in what is sure to be his final game in a Dolphins uniform. Durham Smythe had a 20-yard grab on his lone target and graded out at 76.4 by PFF in his 41 snaps. Hunter Long was targeted once without a catch in his 11 snaps. Needless to say, this position unit will look much different next season.
• Someone named Lester Cotton started this game, and if that doesn't give you a strong sense of what kind of shambles the offensive line was in, I don't know what will. Left tackle Terron Armstead managed 66 snaps despite pectoral, knee, toe, and hip injuries, earning a 68.4 PFF grade, including an 82.4 mark in pass blocking. Cotton lined up at left guard, grading out at 62.3 in pass blocking and 60.1 in run blocking. In the middle, Connor Williams struggled in pass protection and earned a 67.5 PFF grade overall, while right guard Robert Jones was a mess, tagged with a 44.7 grade by PFF. Forced to suit up at right tackle instead of his customary guard spot, Robert Hunt was respectable in pass blocking (70.7 PFF grade), but fell to a 46.4 mark in blocking for the run. Jones (two), Armstead, and Hunt all had false starts, and the unit surrendered four sacks in a predictably subpar performance. Despite years and years of investment in the offensive line, the 'Fins feel only marginally closer to building an NFL-worthy unit.

Defense

• Buffalo raced up and down the field to the tune of 423 total yards and 25 first downs, as Miami countered with an over-emphasis on zero blitz. In an all-or-nothing style that some attributed to defensive coordinator Josh Boyer anticipating being fired after the game, the Dolphins did force three turnovers and sacked Josh Allen seven times despite incessant uncalled holding. However, the Bills converted 9 of 16 third downs and turned four red-zone trips into three touchdowns. 
• At defensive end, Zach Sieler carried the day, earning a 66.3 pass-rushing grade on the strength of six tackles, two sacks, a stop for a loss, four quarterback hits, one fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown in 70 snaps. Christian Wilkins contributed four tackles, a sack, and two quarterback hits, though he was whistled for a laughable unnecessary roughness penalty after being attacked by half of Beefalo's offensive line after a play. In his 70 snaps, Wilkins received a somewhat surprising 47.1 overall grade from PFF.
• At the nose, Raekwon Davis had an assisted tackle in 28 snaps, earning a 51.4 pass-rushing grade in a forgettable performance. John Jenkins had a solo stop in his 12 snaps. Miami's next defensive coordinator (hopefully Vic Fangio) will have some decisions to make at this spot, among many.
• Bradley Chubb was limited to 28 snaps on the weak side, coming up with a solo tackle, a sack, and a forced fumble to go with a 57.4 pass-rushing grade from PFF. Melvin Ingram played 27 snaps on the strength of two tackles. His 69.1 PFF grade must be graded on a curve based on how many times he was held without a penalty flag. In his 24 snaps, Andrew Van Ginkel had an assisted tackle.
• On the strong side, Jaelen Phillips received a 78.8 PFF grade based on nine tackles, half a sack, two stops for losses, three quarterback hits, and a staggering seven pressures in 63 hard-charging snaps.
• At middle linebacker, Jerome Baker led the way with seven tackles, a sack, a stop for loss, and a quarterback hit in 71 snaps. He was called for both holding and offsides in the first quarter, and he was victimized in pass coverage (46.6 PFF grade) and missed tackles (41.8 overall PFF grade). Elandon Roberts had three tackles and two quarterback hits in 45 snaps and Duke Riley added two solo stops in 16 snaps, but both had low PFF grades as well (42.0 for Roberts, 39.9 for Riley). The 'Fins were victimized at this position by the Bills, leading to hopes that rookie Channing Tyndall -- an afterthought all season -- can manage a larger role in 2023.
• As is their custom, Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou played every snap (74), with Howard notching three solo tackles, two pass breakups, and a holding call, on top of making an "X" play when he picked off a pass and returned it 49 yards at a pivotal moment. Kohou posted two solo stops and two pass breakups, but PFF grades (64.4 for Howard, 52.6 for Kohou) were not kind to either corner, though each was put on an island far too often due to blitz schemes. Keion Crossen recorded three solo stops in his 53 snaps, but his 49.5 PFF grade was underscored by the fact that he had postseason surgery soon after the game. The departure of Boyer for Fangio (again, hopefully) has to be music to the ears of Howard, who questioned the scheme after the contest and played injured most of the campaign.
• At strong safety, Eric Rowe played 70 snaps, contributing seven tackles, a sack, a stop for loss, and a forced fumble that was returned for a score. Despite his one-play heroics, Pro Football Focus graded his overall performance harshly, assigning him a 32.4 in coverage and a 46.7 mark overall. Verone McKinley saw a single snap in reserve.
• Jevon Holland played all 74 snaps at free safety, registering 10 tackles, two pass breakups, and an interception that he returned 29 yards. He was accorded a 71.8 overall grade by PFF, including a 67.7 mark in coverage. Elijah Campbell saw 14 snaps, recording two tackles, half a sack, and a quarterback hit on his way to a 66.3 overall grade from PFF.

Special teams

• Ending his rocky season on a high note, Jason Sanders drilled all three field goals and both extra points.
• Thomas Morstead did not have his best performance, averaging 43.7 yards on six punts, with just one downed inside the 20-yard line. He was credited with a solo tackle, however.
• Wilson made his first big play on special teams at the right time, racing 50 yards on a punt return at a crucial time in the contest. River Cracraft returned his first kickoff of the year, a 23-yarder. Miami mostly kept returner extraordinaire Nyheim Hines in check, allowing a 30-yard kickoff return and an 11-yard punt return.
• Clayton Fejedelem and Justin Bethel led defensive players with 31 special-teams snaps, while Durham Smythe paced offensive players with 18 snaps in the kicking game. Fejedelem had a pair of tackles and Sam Eguavoen added one in the third phase. 

Momentum plays

• Buffalo started the contest by drawing a hold on Howard and completing passes for 17 and 14 yards before the defense rose up to force an incompletion on a failed 4th & 3 pick play by the Bills.
• Two plays later, Thompson lofted a beautiful deep ball to Waddle, who promptly dropped the potentially huge gainer. On 3rd & 9, the quarterback fired incomplete on the run after ignoring an open field in front of him that would have been an easy first down.
• After an intensely mediocre punt by Morstead, Allen hit Stephone Diggs for 20 yards. On 3rd & 15, Boyer inexplicably called a zero blitz, leaving a hobbled Howard one-on-one with Diggs, who hauled in the 52-yarder. Allen hit Dawson Knox for a touchdown on the next play, with the tight end pushing off with one hand and grabbing the score with the other.
• On the second play after assuming possession, Miami turned the ball over when Thompson did not read a dropping safety. Despite a good hit by Ingold on the interception return, the Bills were set up on Miami's 23-yard line.
• After converting a 3rd & 1, Beefalo cashed in the pick when James Cook beat Roberts to the edge on a 12-yard run that saw Crossen unable to get off a block downfield.
• Trailing by two touchdowns, the 'Fins got a key third-down conversion when Thompson found Gesicki late for eight yards. Two more drops -- by Hill and then Waddle again on another deep ball -- forced yet another Morstead punt.
• The Bills got a tremendous catch from Gabriel Davis for 19 yards (it was overturned after originally being ruled incomplete) to start the following drive, then Allen scrambled for eight yards on 3rd & 7 when Campbell could not catch him. Yet another break fell in Buffalo's lap when an overthrown ball ended up being caught by Diggs for 14 yards on a 3rd & 2 play, but the Dolphins finally caught their own when Knox dropped a touchdown and most of Miami's defensive line sacked Allen on third down. A 33-yard field goal pushed the home team ahead 17-0 a couple of minutes into the second quarter. 
• A shanked kickoff gave the 'Fins the ball at their own 40, and Thompson found Smythe for 20 yards after holding the ball for a long time. Hill picked up another first down on an end-around, then reeled in a 20-yard pass on 3rd & 19 to continue the drive. A sack and one more drop set up a 40-yard field goal by Sanders, who barely snuck it in to get Miami on the board, 17-3.
• After an initial first down, Ingram was held without a call, but provided enough pressure to bother Allen on another deep ball. Howard picked it off over his shoulder, then returned it for 49 yards. Wilkins was attacked by the entire Bills offensive line after the play, but somehow offsetting penalties were called.
• Four plays later, the 'Fins went for it on 4th & 8, and Wilson took a short pass and broke tackles to earn a hard-fought first. Back-to-back penalties for a late hit on Thompson and an egregious helmet-to-helmet, personal-foul hit on Ahmed were randomly ignored by an officiating crew that one could only assume had money on the Bills at this point. Sanders drilled the field goal to slice the lead to 17-6, but the discrepancy in flags appeared to be flustering the Dolphins.
• Back-to-back pressures from Chubb helped force a dropped pass down the field for a three-and-out. Cedrick Wilson ripped off a massive return, busting into the clear before inexplicably cutting back inside (he would likely have scored easily if he stayed outside), where he was dragged down at Buffalo's 28-yard line for a 50-yard gain.
• A drop, a false start, and an awful spot on a third-down catch by Hill that went unreviewed by the officials set up yet another Sanders field goal to make it 17-9.
• On the third play of the Bills' ensuing possession, Kohou got a hand on a downfield pass, and Holland snared the deflection and raced 29 yards with it.
• Taking over in Buffalo territory for the third straight possession, the Dolphins struck quickly, converting a 3rd & 1 with a short Hill pass before Thompson threw a dart to Gesicki for the touchdown. Another dart to Hill on the two-point try miraculously knotted the score at 17 with 33 seconds remaining.
• A miscommunication between Crossen and Rowe allowed a 33-yard gain to Davis on the first play of Buffalo's drive, then Allen found Davis for 17 more on a pivotal 3rd & 6 play. Diggs somehow pulled in a one-hander, but he was unable to get his foot down in the end zone, forcing the Bills to convert a 39-yard field goal to put them back ahead, 20-17.
• Miami oddly tried a deep ball to Hill with four seconds remaining in the half and were fortunate that it landed incomplete to end a whirlwind half.
• Buoyed by a stellar comeback despite a litany of dropped passes from their best players and one-sided officiating, the 'Fins got the ball to start the second half -- and promptly went three-and-out in the wake of a hold on Wilson going uncalled.
• On Buffalo's first play, Rowe sacked Allen, knocking the ball loose. Sieler scooped it up and rumbled in from five yards out to push Miami ahead, 24-20, stunning the home crowd and the announcing crew that was already phoning the game in for the Bills.
• After a couple of first downs, Buffalo was forced to punt, in large part because of a big hit by Holland on Knox to jar a second-down pass loose.
• The Dolphins went for the jugular on its opening play, with Waddle once more failing to bring down a deep catch by being weak in the air. On 3rd & 6, Thompson placed a beautiful ball to Gesicki down the seam, but the ball was barely tipped and the tight end was unable to bring it in. Miami was forced to punt on a three-and-out that had so much potential on the two strong throws by Thompson that marked this as a what-might-have-been possession.
• Phillips threw Cook for a five-yard loss on the Bills' first play, then Chubb was held without a call on a second-down play. On 3rd & 13, Phillips applied more pressure, and "X" went up high to knock down a deep pass intended for Diggs. Buffalo got a 53-yard punt that angled out at Miami's 15-yard line.
• Following a pair of negative-yardage plays on an Ahmed run and a sack, Thompson was set up to fail on a 3rd & 19 deep pass to Sherfield. Instead of dumping it down and playing for field position, the quarterback channeled the previously mentioned YOLO sentiment, and the pass was easily intercepted to give Buffalo the ball at Miami's 33-yard line.
• The Bills got an initial first down before getting the benefit of another ignored hold on Ingram. On 3rd & 8, a predictable designed quarterback run succeeded when Phillips and Campbell missed tackles. On the next play, Buffalo scored easily on a screen play to move ahead, 27-24.
• A 13-yard catch and run by Hill got the 'Fins going, but on 3rd & 10, Gesicki was clearly held without a flag, forcing another Morstead punt. Nyheim Hines fumbled the kick, but Buffalo somehow came up with the loose ball -- a theme for the day.
• The Bills picked up a first down on the first play of the next possession, then converted a 3rd & 6 when Kohou was beaten and then carried for about 20 yards. On the next snap, Ingram was once more held without a flag, allowing Davis to pull in a 23-yard catch over Rowe for a touchdown to put Buffalo ahead, 34-24.
• A second-down strike to Hill for 12 yards came at a big moment for the Dolphins, but the officials missed yet another call on the next play when Thompson was hit out of bounds without a whistle. A late, late flag for interference finally came in on on the next play, then Cedrick Wilson fought for 14 yards and a first down on the first play of the fourth quarter. A 13-yard catch and run by Ahmed was followed by an unflagged hit to the head on a sack, but Ahmed came to the rescue again, taking a short pass and breaking tackles to dash for 20 yards on 2nd & 18. An end-around to Waddle got eight yards for a first down thanks to a great block by Smythe, but there was no review despite it appearing that Waddle may have scored. Jeff Wilson took an RPO handoff and followed a nice block by Williams for a touchdown that cut the margin to 34-31 with just under 11 minutes remaining.
• The 'Fins got a three-and-out when Kohou made a beautiful play to break up a pass, Phillips was held without a call to force an incompletion, and Sieler and Ingram teamed up on a third-down sack.
• Miami kicked away a wonderful opportunity with an uninspired drive that saw Thompson panic and fire incomplete despite having all day to throw on a second-down play, then throw underneath to Waddle for five yards on 3rd & 10. A strong 52-yard punt by Morstead helped pin the Bills at their own 10-yard line.
• Three plays into Buffalo's possession, an unreal 31-yard catch by someone named Khalil Shakir converted a 3rd & 1. A combined sack by Campbell and Phillips nearly jarred the ball loose from Allen, then Chubb came through with a strip sack on the following play. In one of the biggest plays of the game, the 'Fins were unable to come up with another loose ball on Chubb's signature play as a Dolphin, though the Bills did have to punt.
• The 'Fins responded with three misfires to Hill -- including another drop -- though the third pass was caught by a sliding Waddle after it sailed over Hill's head on a clutch 3rd & 10 conversion. A slew of clock-management issues ensued, culminating in a 4th & 1 turning into a 4th & 6 due to a delay-of-game penalty on a play that never happened yet still featured an uncalled late hit on Ahmed. Thompson fired for Gesicki on the fourth-down play, but despite a lot of contact, the tight end was unable to come up with the ball.
• Taking over with just over two minutes remaining, the Bills ran a ridiculous rugby scrum on 3rd & 7, with the officials unwilling to whistle the play dead until they awarded Buffalo a first down. The final kneeldown triggered some pushing and shoving from a frustrated Dolphins team that was undermanned and battled its division opponent to a near-draw on the road despite biased officiating.

2022 Schedule

Miami 20, New England 7 (1-0)

Miami 42, Baltimore 38 (2-0)

Miami 21, Buffalo 19 (3-0)

Cincinnati 27, Miami 15 (3-1)

New York Jets 40, Miami 17 (3-2)

Minnesota 24, Miami 16 (3-3)

Miami 16, Pittsburgh 10 (4-3)

Miami 31, Detroit 27 (5-3)

Miami 35, Chicago 32 (6-3)

Miami 39, Cleveland 17 (7-3)

Miami 30, Houston 15 (8-3)

San Francisco 33, Miami 17 (8-4)

Los Angeles Chargers 23, Miami 17 (8-5)

Buffalo 32, Miami 29 (8-6)

Green Bay 26, Miami 20 (8-7)

New England 23, Miami 21 (8-8)

Miami 11, New York Jets 6 (9-8)

Buffalo 34, Miami 31 (9-9)

Day 1,060, Quasi-Quarantine: Cold War-Era Psychological Torture Is At The Heart Of "Darkness At Noon"

"We brought you the truth, and in our mouths it sounded like a lie. We bring you freedom, and in our hands it looks like a whip. We bring you the living life, and wherever our word resounds trees wither and there is the rustle of shriveled leaves. We proclaim the brightest future, and our proclamations sound like vapid drivel and brutish barking."

Considered a masterpiece of "tragic irony" by The New York Times, "Darkness at Noon" tells the tale of Citizen Rubashov, an accused revolutionary imprisoned for his anti-state activities. During his incarceration, he is led to second-guess the underpinning of his beliefs and question whether it was all worthwhile.

"One hundred fifty years ago, on the day the Bastille was stormed, the Europeans swing once again lurched into motion after a long period of inertia, with a vigorous push away from tyranny toward what seemed an unstoppable climb into the blue sky of freedom. The ascent into the spheres of liberalism and democracy lasted a hundred years. But lo and behold, it gradually began to lose speed as it came closer to the apex, the turning point of its trajectory: then, after a brief stasis, it start moving backward, in an increasingly rapid descent. And with the same vigor as before, it carried its passengers away from freedom and back to tyranny. Whoever kept staring at the sky instead of hanging on to the swing grew dizzy and tumbled out. 

"Whoever wishes to avoid getting dizzy must try to grasp the laws of motion governing the swing. Because what we are facing is clearly a pendulum swing of history, from absolutism to democracy, from democracy to absolute dictatorship."

As a new translation of Arthur Koestler's 1941 version, this book can get weighted down by the weighty conversations between Rubashov and his torturers, though there is merit in following the linguistic battles over logic. 

The introduction of Orlova as the lone female character provides a blank slate on which Koestler -- and Rubashov -- can do and project as they wish, with a reader potentially wishing that more time could have been spent on her perception of events.

"History had a slow pulse; humans calculated in years while it calculated in generations. Perhaps this was the beginning of the beginning."

At times claustrophobic, at times transportive, "Darkness at Noon" is an essential dissection of Cold War sentiment and a vivid and intriguing look at the lengths men will go to be proven correct.

"Then all was still. The sea rushed on. A wave gently lifted him up. It came from afar and traveled serenely onward, a shrug of infinity."

Day 1,059, Quasi-Quarantine: Know Your Wing Limit, Y'all

Channeling the legendary "Taco Town" sketch with a dash of "Last Week Tonight" flavor, Saturday Night Live parodied football-bro culture in a big way with its "Wing Pit" sketch.

Happy Super Bowl week folks ... 

Limerick Friday #574: All Hail "Last Of Us" -- Day 1,056

Without undo muss

Or a lot of fuss

Tales of devotion

And dystopic emotion

Witness "Last of Us"

Shot 33% more threes

But twice as many freebies

Yet the gall to cry and howl

About a post-buzzer desperate "foul"

Go choke on your wine and cheese

As crooked as ever seen

That was the NFL playoff scene

A conference title weekend

That went off the deep end

With officiating that bordered on obscene

A sports information fail

Incompetence has never looked so pale

Kirschner a sycophantic fool

And a boot-licking tool

Just a walking beluga whale

Baby T raining threes

Joiner showing step-back ease

Spin cycles from D.J. Burns

A Pack team that takes turns

In an ACC they're trying to seize

Last time ...

Day 1,055, Quasi-Quarantine: Contemporary America Gets The Short-Story Treatment In Biting "Liberation Day"

 

"For all of that, I hope you live forever, and if the place falls down around you, as it seems to be doing, I hope even that brings you joy. It was always falling down around you, everything has always been falling down around us. Only we were too alive to notice."

Nine short stories from a master paint vivid picture of post-democratic, post-truth America.

Undercurrents of guilt, nihilism, and imprisonment run through the nine short stories that compose George Saunders's "Liberation Day."

In stories like "Liberation Day," "Love Letter," "Ghoul," and "Elliott Spencer," the author delves into explorations of post-truth and post-democratic America.

"It did not seem (and please destroy this letter after you have read it) that someone so clownish could disrupt something so noble and time-tested and seemingly strong, something that had been with us literally every day of our lives. We had taken, in other words, a profound gift for granted. Did not know the gift was a fluke, a chimera, a wonderful accident of consensus and mutual understanding."

"Mom of Bold Action"dresses up as a commentary on Karens, but is instead a look at the ripple effects of anxiety, while "Mother's Day" examines the secrets that everyday people have and hold.

"'I want to thank you,' she whispers, leaning in, smelling good, like a rose if a rose were a bit angry."

The finale, "My House," is a seven-page master class on depicting melancholy and mortality, and "A Thing At Work" is perhaps the highlight, a wonderfully wrought depiction of workplace politics, dynamics, subcultures, and double-speak.

In the short story form, Saunders sketches memorable characters who have either built and become puppet to their own fates or are sacrificing their futures to a dystopian landscape. "Liberation Day" is a stunning indictment of contemporary society -- and a warning of what may yet come.

"Peace is not, apparently, the general human intention, although in the spare hour (in the dear home, in the individual heart) it may sometimes be."

Day 1,054, Quasi-Quarantine: "From Solo To Scaled" Veers From Valuable Tools To Prescriptive Punchlists

 

"Find the helpers -- find the curious ones, the passionate ones, and even those initial dissenters -- and you will find the components you need to create a firm foundation for your practice." 

Chock full of figures, tables, and links that explore the viability of content strategy in organizations of all sizes, "From Solo to Scaled" is a useful repository of tools need to inform that discussion internally and externally.

Natalie Marie Dunbar seeks to help content strategists advocate for the value of their practice and to argue for the scaling of that service to projects and needs of all sizes. She also advocates strongly for the psychological safety and work-life balance needed for these teams to succeed.

" ... Creating space for each individual to define and explore what self-care looks like for them. Creating a safe space where each practitioner can be intentional about their well-being in a way that energizes them is vitally important to the health of the team."

Using construction metaphors, the author develops a fairly rigorous punchlist to follow, providing the guardrails needed no matter where you be in the timeline of ensuring content is baked into your organization's marketing practice.

Short case studies from various practitioners helps break up the dense text, and while there is nothing earth-shattering here from the standpoint of content strategy revelations, "From Solo to Scaled" is ideal for those who have felt outnumbered and under-represented in stating the content case within their discipline.

"Whether working solo or with an accessibility team, content strategy helps to ensure equal access by removing barriers to digital experiences (for example, through the use of plain language). It also makes sure that experiences are inclusive and diverse by ensuring the needs of all users are considered and supported through the quality of interaction that users have with your client's or organization's content."