Day 1,674, Quasi-Quarantine: Impact Of Automation On The Dignity Of Work Explored In Meandering "Wrong Way"

 

“She had wanted from him all she wanted from anyone: to tell her what to do and leave her alone.”

Full of wry humor and topical technology debates, "Wrong Way" offers a surface-level view of employment ennui in the age of automation. Joanne McNeil's prose has an appealing flow, but the story progression is slow and elements of the plotline are only marginally believable.

Teresa's endless series of dead-end jobs become even more heartbreaking when you learn how her dream role was ripped out from underneath her. It can be difficult to find interiority with the main character beyond a surface level, but her journey is relatable and, in many ways, universal.

“The Ivy League is Scientology for people in Weston, Bethesda, Westchester County.”

Reading "Wrong Way" as an encapsulation of Gen X's encroaching mortality and existential crises can perhaps elevate -- or diminish -- the nature of the experience, depending on your age. McNeil stays close to what she knows here, leading to hope that future work will lead to further exploration and challenge.

“It’s a chance to be human with someone who doesn’t judge her for being no good at it."

Day 1,672, Quasi-Quarantine: Vance Joseph And Kenan Thompson Are The Doppelgangers We Need Right Now

 

Former Miami Dolphins and current Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph (left) and Saturday Night Live won't-leaver mainstay Kenan Thompson bear a striking resemblance.

And each would probably be equally effective coaching "D" for the 'Fins ...

Day 1,666, Quasi-Quarantine: "Think Again" Highlights The Power Of Rethinking

“We listen to views that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard.”

Adam Grant's thoughtful book is especially useful for those navigating challenging work dynamics and struggles with stagnation. So, yeah, pretty much everyone these days.

“Who you are should be a question of what you value, not what you believe.”

"Think Again" delves into the roles of biases, the importance of a learning culture vs. a performance culture, and a host of other key topics. The book is replete with useful diagrams, charts, and graphics that reinforce or cleverly summarize key points.

Grant also spends time on the role of psychological safety in helping to navigate differences in fixed vs. growth mindsets.

“ … Psychological safety is not a matter of relaxing standards, making people comfortable, being nice and agreeable, or giving unconditional praise. It’s fostering a climate of respect, trust, and openness in which people can raise concerns and suggestions without fear of reprisal. It's the foundation of a learning culture.”

Highly shareable and eminently quotable, "Think Again" is a work that will be recommended to and commented on by coworkers and leaders across a number of industries. We could all use a primer on rethinking what we don't know, and Grant's book is a tremendous starting point.

“Arrogance leaves us blind to our weaknesses. Humility is a reflective lens: it helps us see them clearly. Confident humility is a corrective lens: it enables us to overcome those weaknesses.”

Day 1,663, Quasi-Quarantine: I Take It All Back, Pete

 

It's been a long, difficult year for Pete Alonso. The Mets slugger has struggled mightily in crucial situations, hitting anemically with runners in scoring position and contributing the lowest full-season slug and RBI totals of his career.

And then on Thursday night he saved New York's season. His three-run homer in the eighth inning erased a 2-0 deficit and propelled the Mets to a series victory.

Hat tip to ya, Polar Bear.

LFGM.

Day 1,662, Quasi-Quarantine: Dolphins-Titans Game 4 Review

 

Entering Week 4, it was going to be hard for Miami to match the sheer ineptitude it put on display in Seattle the week prior. However, even with an extra day of preparation, the 'Fins somehow exceeded its offensive nadir.

On full display in primetime on Monday Night Football, the Dolphins bottomed out, punctuated by lusty boos as the team trudged off the field at halftime. Coach Mike McDaniels -- clearly in waaaaaaaay over his head at this point -- presided over an offense that somehow committed five illegal shifts on its way to another double-digit-penalty outing. 

On to the somebody-make-it-stop recap ...

Offense

• Miami managed just 13 first downs and 184 total yards, averaging 3.4 yards per play. The unit put together another embarrassing effort on key downs, converting just two of 12 third downs and one of three fourth-down attempts. The 'Fins scored a touchdown on their only red-zone trip, but that did little mitigate another disastrous performance on this side of the ball.
• Tyler Huntley became the fourth quarterback to play for the Dolphins this year, and he somehow managed to be worse than Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle. He connected on 14 of 22 passes for 96 yards, an almost-impossible average of 4.4 yards per throw. He was sacked twice, committed an intentional grounding for a safety, missed Tyreek Hill open twice for easy long-distance scores, and generally looked tentative and erratic. His only saving grace was carrying the ball eight times for 40 yards and a touchdown.
• In probably his worst game, DeVon Achane forced valid questions about whether he is something beyond a third-down back. In 44 snaps, he carried 10 times for 15 yards and caught three passes for 14 yards, consistently missing holes, trying to bounce everything outside, and leaving a lot of yards on the field. Rookie Jaylen Wright made a strong bid for lead-back responsibilities in his 28 snaps, rushing nine times for 32 yards, including a 20-yarder. He was only targeted once through the air, without a catch. Neither Jeff Wilson (two snaps) nor Alec Ingold (18 snaps) were factors in the game. 
• The gaping hole at quarterback has rendered Jaylen Waddle (four catches, 36 yards, six targets in 43 snaps) and Hill (four receptions on seven targets for 23 yards and three rushes for 19 yards in 44 snaps) largely meaningless. Hill got open for layup deep scores twice and could have had four touchdowns in the contest with competent passing, though he did lose a fumble on a lateral pass that saw him give awful effort. Vann Eskridge (17 snaps), Malik Washington (14 snaps, first career catch for eight yards), and Braxton Berrios (15 snaps) were also non-factors. Waddle had a brutal drop, and the receivers overall seemed largely checked out of the contest after it became apparent that forward passes weren't in Huntley's future. Berrios still does not have a reception this season -- unfathomable as the team's No. 3 wideout.
• The tight ends struggled again, with Julian Hill (30 snaps), Jonnu Smith (25), and Durham Smythe (18) held without a reception, with only Smith even getting a single target. Deep reserve Tanner Conner caught two passes for 15 yards at the very end of the game in his only two snaps. The bright side is that Hill went an entire game without committing a penalty.
• The interior offensive line was largely dominated, though there were some holes on the inside intermittently. Rookie Patrick Paul got his first career start at left tackle as Terron Armstead's replacement, and he was understandably shaky. 

Defense

• Once again, the defense did its part, despite missing starters David Long (linebacker) and Kyle Fuller (cornerback). Miami held the visitors to just 16 first downs and 244 total yards, stopping the Titans on 10 of 12 third-down attempts. The crew had eight stops for losses, a sack, and a turnover, but they wore down late in the game thanks to being on the field for 34:52. Tennessee did manage two touchdowns on three red-zone trips, but the Dolphins were just entirely too one-dimensional, putting unfair and undue pressure on a depleted "D."
• Ageless Calais Campbell led the defensive front again, notching five tackles, four solos, and one stop for loss in 36 snaps, even adding a deflected punt on special teams. Zach Sieler added five tackles, two solos, and a quarterback hit in 51 snaps, while Da'Shon Hand contributed two tackles, one solo, and a stop for loss in 37 snaps. Benito Jones (assisted tackle in 32 snaps) and Brandon Pili (11 snaps) rounded out the rotation as fatigue set in.
• On the edge, Emmanuel Ogbah was everywhere, posting six tackles, three solos, a stop for loss, a batted pass, a quarterback hit, a facemask flag, and an interception in 54 snaps. Jaelan Phillips was limited by injury, notching two tackles, one solo, a deflected pass, and a roughing-the-pass penalty in 32 snaps. Quinton Bell got 15 snaps, recording three tackles, one solo, and a stop for loss. Rookie Chop Robinson had an assisted tackle in his 22 snaps, and he'll need to step up his game in a big way after it was revealed that Phillips was lost for the season due to a knee injury suffered in the contest.
• At inside linebacker, Jordyn Brooks continued his fine campaign, registering 13 tackles, nine solos, a sack, two stops for losses, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hit in a team-leading 65 snaps. Anthony Walker stepped into a starting role and picked up nine tackles and three solos in 59 snaps. Duke Riley saw nine snaps from scrimmage, collecting five tackles and three solos. Overall, it was a winning performance from this unit considering the injury situation.
• With Fuller out, Jalen Ramsey saw little to no action in the passing game, as the Titans steered clear. However, Ramsey threw himself into run support, tallying four tackles, two solos, and a stop for loss in 61 snaps. Undrafted rookie Storm Duck picked up three solos, a stop for loss, and a pass breakup in his first start, playing 60 snaps. In 33 snaps, Kader Kohou had one solo tackle and was called for pass interference on a terrible flag, while Ethan Bonner got four snaps in reserve.
• At safety, Jevon Holland made five tackles and three solo stops in 61 snaps, but the team overall needs more impact plays from him. Jordan Poyer saw his snaps drop to 37, and he somehow managed to not record any statistic. Marcus Maye notched four tackles and one solo stop in 30 snaps, while Elijah Campbell saw six snaps from scrimmage. At long last, Maye seems to be overtaking Poyer, with the hope that the back end of the defense can start generating some turnovers.

Special teams

• Jason Sanders drilled both of his field-goal attempts, including a 56-yarder, but for the second straight game, he did not attempt an extra point.
• Jake Bailey punted five times for a 47.6-yard average, but did not place any inside the 20-yard line and was somehow called for unsporstmanlike conduct on an onsides kick attempt. His 30-yard punt late in the first half played a big role in giving Tennessee a free field goal.
• While Miami did not have a kickoff return, Berrios did deliver a nifty 27-yard punt return.
• Bell, Riley, and Siran Neal led all Dolphins with 29 snaps apiece on special teams, and Neal, Campbell, and long-snapper Blake Ferguson contributed assisted tackles. Neal was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving Miami two penalties on special teams a week after it committed five.
• Campbell deflected a punt during the course of the game, but Riley made a poor decision by touching it, creating a live-ball situation. The ball was originally awarded to Tennessee as a fumble, but replay narrowly overturned to save the 'Fins a possession. Regardless, there was zero upside to touching the ball for Riley, making it yet another in a string of baffling and poorly coached incidents in the kicking game.

Momentum plays

• Miami held the Titans on three straight plays, but a horrific roughing-the-passer penalty on Phillips -- on a play in which he was clearly held and thrown low into the quarterback -- gave Tennessee a new set of downs. The visitors went on to convert a 2nd & 17 as well, but two plays later, Ogbah dropped back into coverage and managed to snare an interception with his knees.
• The 'Fins showed early signs of life, with Huntley hitting Waddle for 14 yards on the initial play and Hill following with a 16-yard end-around. Two players later, however, Huntley missed Hill on a backwards pass, and Miami's lack of awareness and effort gifted the ball to the Titans when officials ruled it a fumble.
• A three-and-out followed, highlighted by Tennessee quarterback Will Levis injuring his shoulder on a dive that came up short of a first down. The 'Fins quickly answered with a three-and-out of their own.
• The Titans used nine plays to go just 21 yards on the ensuing possession, but that was enough to give 60-year-old Nick Folk a chance at a successful 53-yard field goal for the game's first points.
• A roughing-the-passer penalty on Tennessee got Miami a first down, but a 4th & 1 end-around by Hill didn't gain a yard, handing the ball right back to the visitors.
• This time, the Titans used eight plays to go just 19 yards, but Folk drilled a 52-yarder to push the advantage to 6-0.
• A personal foul on Tennessee (taunting) once again started a 'Fins drive, and a Huntley scramble converted a 3rd & 11. The drive stalled, but Sanders hit from 44 to cut the lead in half, 6-3.
• The teams exchanged four punts in 14 plays (Huntley missed Hill wide open deep for an easy score in the middle of all this), but the last one was a poor 30-yarder from Bailey that set the Titans up at their own 44-yard line. Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph found Tyler Boyd for 27 yards, and a spike with one second left allowed Folk to add yet another long one to make it 9-3. The field goal was a low-key back-breaker, and the Dolphins were booed vociferously as they entered the halftime locker room.
• Two more three-and-outs followed to start the second half before Miami found a bit of traction, thanks to Berrios's 27-yard punt return. Taking over in Tennessee territory, the Dolphins traveled only 10 yards (half on a Titans' penalty), but it was enough to allow Sanders to crush a 56-yarder to trim the margin to 9-6.
• A disastrous scenario unfolded on the third play of Tennessee's following drive. The Titans were gifted a third-down conversion on a baffling pass interference call on Kohou, while Phillips left the game with a knee injury on the same play. The double-whammy seemed to energize the visitors and demoralize the home team, as Tennessee got a 41-yard run by Tony Pollard and a seven-yard touchdown jaunt from Tajae Spears on the next two plays to make it 16-6.
• After Huntley once again missed a wide-open Hill streaking for the end zone, a three-and-out that lost seven yards put the 'Fins in the danger zone, and the Titans made them pay with help from Neal's personal foul. Taking over at Miami's 44-yard line, the visitors went just 11 yards in four plays, but it was enough for yet another 50-yarder from Folk to extend the lead to 19-6. Even Tennessee fans had to be a little shocked at Folks's display by this point.
• Disaster ensued, as Miami went for it on 4th & 1, only to lose a yard on an unfathomable RPO that saw Achane try to bounce the play outside before losing yardage.
• A series of runs put Tennessee in position for another Folk field goal (29 yards) to make it 22-6, before the 'Fins showed a spark of self-respect on the following drive, traveling 70 yards on 11 plays. Huntley found Hill for 17 yards before Wright burst up the middle for 20. Back-to-back illegal shifts followed before Huntley scrambled for 20 more, then hit Waddle for 18 on a 4th & 11 play. The quarterback ran it in for a touchdown from a yard out, but the two-point conversion was no good, making the score 22-12.
• The defense held again, forcing yet another three-and-out, but Huntley was called for grounding as he was being tackled in the end zone. The Titans were awarded a safety and a 24-12 advantage.
• A confusing series of events that featured Bailey kicking the ball too far on an onsides kick attempt somehow led to Tennessee being given the ball at Miami's 10-yard line -- a scenario that no one affiliated with the NFL seemed capable of explaining. Somewhat surprisingly, instead of kneeling on the ball with 24 seconds remaining, the Titans ran it into the end zone on fourth down to make it 31-12.
• Two quick passes to Conner mercifully ran out the clock on yet another dismal Dolphins display.

2024 Schedule

Miami 20, Jacksonville 17 (1-0)

Buffalo 31, Miami 10 (1-1)

Seattle 24, Miami 3 (1-2)

Tennessee 31, Miami 12 (1-3)

Day 1,661, Quasi-Quarantine: Mendoza's Shaky Decision-Making Costs The Mets At A Suboptimal Moment

It was all out there for the New York Mets, clinging to a one-run lead (3-2) in the bottom of the eighth in Milwaukee. The Brewers had their top of the order coming up.

On the verge of advancing, manager Carlos Mendoza had a number of viable options:

• Stick with reliever Ryan Stanek, who had thrown just 11 pitches in a spotless seventh inning.
• Go to closer Edwin Diaz to face the 1-2-3 hitters before giving way to another reliever (Phil Maton?) in the bottom of the ninth.
• Go to Diaz for a six-out save (not likely considering the fireballer's recent workload).
• Go to Maton as a setup guy in the eighth inning.

Mendoza chose the final route. Maton (pitching in his fourth game in five days) imploded, giving up four hits, three runs, and two homers in a brutal inning that cost New York a trip to the next round and forced an all-or-nothing third game today.

To me, the move was always to stick with Stanek, considering how well he has thrown recently and how quickly he got through the seventh. To compound matters, it was apparent right away that Maton didn't have it, giving up a homer to the leadoff hitter, then a single, then a fortunate double play off a very hard-hit ball.

However, Mendoza ignored those signs, leaving in Maton to give up another hit and the eventual game-winning long ball.

It's been a magical season for the Mets and their rookie manager, but this felt like an avoidable mistake and one that could end the campaign.

Let's hope Mendoza and the team have enough left in the tank to regain their mojo tonight.

Let's go Metsies.

Day 1,660, Quasi-Quarantine: October Has Arrove. Queens Is Already Salvaging It.

 

• I just lost a fantasy football game after having a 98% chance to win on Monday night.
• NC State is woefully underperforming after being saddled with huge expectations (stop me if you've heard this one before).
• The Dolphins might be the worst team in the NFL.

But the Mets. 

My god, the Mets.