Limerick Friday #494: New Admin Begins Filling Leadership And Logic Void -- Day 320

As edition unfurled

And conspiracies uncurled

Biden took over on the fly

Competence, he tried to apply

To the worst best job in the world

They got off the snide

And ended their slide

But a step ahead, two back

That's the way of the Pack

DD, have a safe rehab ride

Meetings galore

Tasks you can't ignore

Silence from up top

But the work doesn't stop

Writing, hiring, managing, and more

Blow up the plan

To chase the man?

Should every pick be gone

To land DeShaun?

Tough choices for every 'Fin fan

Karens abound

At-homers surround

Super spreaders everywhere

Ignorance and despair

Sanity yet to be found

Last time ...

Day 319, Quasi-Quarantine: Dolphins-Bills Game 16 Review

Obviously, it's taken me a minute to build the strength necessary to write this post.

With, I mean, everything on the line, the Dolphins shit the bed, set it on fire, tossed it into a dumpster, and pushed the dumpster into a pit of battery acid. Miami was outscored 28-3 in the second quarter and never recovered any semblance of competitiveness, ultimately subjecting themselves to a 30-point bitching by the Bills. 

Two observations worth making: First, this is the first game I can remember marking a demonstrable lack of effort in the Brian Flores era. Second, it was hard not to notice that Beefalo continued taking deep shots with the game well in hand late in the contest, and I'm guessing Flo is not going to forget that, either.

All told, it was a devastating way to end a surprising 10-win season, opening the floodgate to an offseason full of Tua Tagovailoa questions, coaching changes, free agency speculation, trade rumors, and draft guesses.

Offense

• It says here that, at this stage of his development, Tua is not going to win many games for the Dolphins by throwing 58 passes. He hit 35 of his tosses for a career-high 361 yards and one touchdown, but was picked off three times and sacked once. You know all those eek passes he was throwing that opponents were dropping earlier in the year? Yeah, they were all intercepted by Beefalo. Tua was hurt by a ton of drops and did add 28 rushing yards, but his uneven performance when the game was competitive cast even more doubt among the fanbase.
• Myles Gaskin led the way here with 11 touches for 77 yards, highlighted by a 32-yard catch and run as well as a rushing touchdown. Salvon Ahmed followed closely behind with nine touches for 48 yards and a rushing score, but Miami was unable to get anything going on the ground when it mattered. Once again, Matt Breida (inexplicably) and Patrick Laird got zero run for the 'Fins.
• At tight end, Mike Gesicki was targeted 10 times, but was only able to reel in five of those passes for 47 yards. Durham Smythe contributed three grabs for 23 yards and Adam Shaheen had a nifty 22-yarder, but the Bills knew that G-Sick was among the only reliable weapons and effectively neutralized him.
• I'm going to go out on another limb and say that if Lynn Bowden, Jr., is targeted 12 times in a game, it's going to be difficult for Miami to win. He had eight catches for 44 yards and completed a 32-yard pass to Gaskin, but he also lost seven yards on a run. DeVante Parker converted half of his 14 targets into seven receptions for 116 yards, but he slipped on a game-altering pick-6 and had questionable effort on a couple of throws. Despite three catches for 37 yards, Isaiah Ford had his worst game as a Dolphins, dropping at least three passes. Malcolm Perry reeled in a 25-yard pass for his first touchdown, but Mack Hollins contributed only a measly three-yard grab -- which he promptly fumbled over to Buffalo.
• The offensive line was unable to establish itself in either phase of the game when it mattered. Outside of a pair of 16-yard runs, the 'Fins ran for 38 yards on 18 carries, and while Tua was only sacked once, he often had to check down due to pressure.

Defense

• Buffalo averaged 7.1 yards per play despite playing second-stringers for much of the contest, and every time Miami needed a stop, the Bills easily converted. I also have to use this space to mention that Beefalo receiver Stefon Diggs slid to the ground -- like, slid, literally like a quarterback -- on THREE different occasions after catches. Worth mentioning because I have never seen this from a player who isn't a signal-caller, punter, or kicker. Ever.
• Andrew Van Ginkel played a really good game. That's about all I have here for the defensive line. Van Ginkel posted five solo tackles, including three for losses, to go with a sack, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hit. Christian Wilkins (three stops), Zach Sieler (two tackles, QB hit), and Raekwon Davis (two tackles) were unable to influence the game from the interior, while Emmanuel Ogbah was held without a statistic when Miami need him most.
• At the linebacker position, Kyle Van Noy contributed five stops and Jerome Baker added four, but there was very little pressure on Allen and this unit did not make any impact plays. Calvin Munson had two stops in spot action but was wiped out on an easy 18-yard touchdown run, showing how much injuries had decimated the linebacker depth chart late in the year.
• The Miami corners were busy, with Byron Jones tallying six solo stops, an interception, and a pass breakup and Xavien Howard adding four solo tackles, a pick, and a pass breakup. The duo didn't get a ton of help, although nickel Eric Rowe had seven stops despite iffy coverage on a couple of occasions. It was an eminently forgettable game for Nik Needham, who did not post a statistic, but was the trailing defender on three (THREE) Bills touchdown passes.
• Safeties Bobby McCain (three solo tackles) and Brandon Jones (two stops) were mostly invisible, pointing up the need for upgrades at this position in the offseason. The 'Fins prize B-Mac's status as a technician and Jones is only a rookie, but Miami simply has to get more game-turning plays from the safety spot to take the next step as a defense.

Special Teams

• Jason Sanders drilled his final two field goal attempts of the season -- including a 49-yarder -- and converted both extra points, completing one of the finest seasons ever by a Dolphins kicker.
• Matt Haack's performance was uneven in the back half of the year, and that continued in this one. He averaged 43.6 yards on five punts, with two downed inside the 20-yard line, but an 84-yard return on a line drive mixed in.
• The coverage units continued their late-season swoon, allowing the long punt return touchdown and giving up a 27-yard kickoff return as well. Miami is not yet in the position to win games while losing on special teams, and this was another in a disturbing trend of being outplayed in this phase of the contest. Against teams like the Bills and Chiefs, the 'Fins needed to win the third phase by a dramatic margin, and so for that not only not to happen, but for the Dolphins to give up touchdowns in the kicking game was a swift kick in the gonads.
• Malcolm Perry contributed a 12-yard punt return, but Miami had no other opporunities to affect the contest in the kicking game.

Momentum Plays

• After a Van Ginkel sack forced a 2nd & 21 on Buffalo's first possession, Byron Jones made an amazing pick along the sideline that was initially ruled incomplete. Despite good field position, Tua took a third-down sack, forcing a Sanders field goal to establish a 3-0 advantage.
• On the ensuing possession, Zach Moss broke three tackles on a dumpoff, setting an ominous tone for Miami's tackling on this one. However, the 'Fins rallied to force a punt, but on a 4th & 1, Flores elected to punt himself, with the result being an ugly 32-yarder by Haack. Van Ginkel pressure forced a three-and-out, but Perry did a poor job of letting the punt bounce inside the 1-yard line. Another three-and-out led to Buffalo taking over at midfield to start the second quarter.
• The Bills pounced quickly, with Isaiah McKenzie easily beating Needham in coverage for a 7-yard touchdown and a 7-3 Buffalo lead.
• Another Miami punt led to a Buffalo drive spurred by a late hit call on Wilkins. On a free third-down play due to a Sieler offsides, McKenzie was once again left wide open by Needham, pushing the margin to 14-3, Buffalo. It has been rare to question the effort level for a Flo team thus far, but at this stage, the Dolphins were displaying a distinct giving-up energy.
• A quick 'Fins three-and-out led to McKenzie's third straight touchdown on an 84-yard punt return that featured multiple clear holds. Hollins missed a tackle, but Van Ginkel was egregiously held in the middle of the field, but with no flag coming, the Bills stormed to a 21-3 advantage.
• Spurred by a 32-yard trick play that saw Bowden hit Gaskin out of the backfield, Miami raced to a first-and-goal. However, a run of -6 yards and a miscommunication between Tua and Parker led to a demoralizing field goal to make it 21-6.
• With Miami unable to get any pressure on the signal-caller, the 'Fins thought blitzing would help. However, it's almost impossible to blitz and get less pressure than the Dolphins did on an easy 32-yard touchdown toss that saw John Brown easily run past Byron Jones for a 28-6 lead that felt insurmountable. A Ford drop sped the ensuing three-and-out, and Beefalo -- with Allen now sitting out -- kneeled on the ball to end the worst quarter of Miami's season and send both teams to the halftime locker room.
• The 'Fins started the second half with three straight strikes to Parker, but an inexplicable Tua slide on a first-and-goal run helped lead to three straight incompletions. However, Parker drew a fourth-down interference call in the end zone and Gaskin punched it in on the next play to make it 28-13.
• Miami got a much-needed defensive stop, but on the first play of the next drive, Parker slipped to the ground, leading to an easy pick-6 by Josh Norman, who had been getting worked by Parker. The unfortunate play made the score 35-13 and effectively ended the 'Fins' short-lived comeback hopes.
• On the next possession, Tua dove for a first down on a fourth-down run, then added a 16-yard scramble. A Ford drop on a tipped pass led to a 4th & 9 toss to Parker that fell incomplete, though it appeared he was interfered with. 
• "X" reeled in his 10th pick of the year on the following Buffalo drive, and Parker sparked another Miami drive with a couple of great grabs. A late hit on Parker was uncalled, however, and a bad third-down ball to Bowden was tipped and intercepted by the Bills.
• The fourth quarter began with a third-down conversion on a catch that looked like it hit the ground, but wasn't reviewed. Buffalo then hit a 51-yard pass before an embarrassing 18-yard touchdown run that saw the Bills' Antonio Williams go untouched for a 42-13 advantage.
• On Tua's next pass, he sailed it miles over G-Sick's head for another gift-wrapped Beefalo interception. Dodgy effort and worse tackling quickly led to yet another Williams touchdown run and a 49-13 advantage.
• Drops by Ford and Parker hamstrung the next drive, but Gesicki's great grab in traffic converted a 3rd & 10. Ahmed then made a nifty jump cut and raced 16 yards for a score, but the two-point conversion attempt sailed out of the back of the end zone, intended for Parker. The Tua misfire kept the score at 49-19, Bills.
• Miami got a three-and-out, but not before Matt Barkley inexplicably threw it deep on a 3rd & 8 play. Perry mishandled the punt for a fumble, but made something out of nothing. However, Hollins turned a short grab into an awful fumble, another in a long line of unforced 'Fins errors.
• With just over 6 minutes remaining, Barkley threw deep yet again, victimizing Needham yet again for 56 yards and a 56-19 lead.
• G-Sick contributed another third-down conversion and Ford pulled in a tremendous 18-yard catch to partially redeem himself. Tua then hit Perry with a nice sideline throw (it appeared the Beefalo safety gave up on the play) for a 25-yard score to cut the margin to 56-26.
• An unsuccessful onsides kick led to more shoddy tackling by Miami, allowing the Bills to run out the clock and end what should have been a celebratory day for the Dolphins.

2020 Schedule

New England 21, Miami 11 (0-1)

Buffalo 31, Miami 28 (0-2)

Miami 31, Jacksonville 13 (1-2)

Seattle 31, Miami 23 (1-3)

Miami 43, San Francisco 17 (2-3)

Miami 24, New York Jets 0 (3-3)

Miami 28, Los Angeles Rams 17 (4-3)

Miami 34, Arizona 31 (5-3)

Miami 29, Los Angeles Chargers 21 (6-3)

Denver 20, Miami 13 (6-4)

Miami 20, New York Jets 3 (7-4)

Miami 19, Cincinnati 7 (8-4)

Kansas City 33, Miami 27 (8-5)

Miami 22, New England 12 (9-5)

Miami 26, Las Vegas 25 (10-5)

Buffalo 56, Miami 26 (10-6)

Day 318, Quasi-Quarantine: Ambitious "Juneteenth" Stirs Echoes Of Ellison's Living Voice

"Walking her along Fifth Avenue with all the eyes reacting and she no flapper but something more formed, more realized, more magically achieved, and the crowds' imagination whirling like these blossoms tossed in a whirlwind and blown in the million directions of their hopes, hates, fancies, dreams, and we, she and I, become all things to all minds, drawing out their very souls, their potentialities set athrob by the passage of our forms through their atmosphere, sending them ever seeking for some finer thing."

It's difficult to assess a brilliant work like "Juneteenth" based on the fact that it was published posthumously and required that a lot of creative license be taken by the editor. Ralph Ellison wrote some 2,000 pages in this effort, spanning 40 years, so we have to consider this version an editorial interpretation of what the final book may have been intended to be.

Ellison relies heavily on irony and allegory, and his ability to weave politics, religion, racism, and regional culture into the narrative is beyond approach. However, there were key plot points that were left unclear and, as many have pointed out, "Juneteenth" does not take the traditional form of a novel.

The relationship between the hole-y and holy Reverend Hickman and the fallen Bliss/Sunraider is fraught with hypocrisy and racial under- and overtones, serving as a timeless exploration of the evils done and the values compromised under the guise of politics and power.

"We don't want to have to break anybody's back just to save their souls, do you, Bliss?"

Scott Saul of the Boston Review once referred to the book as an "ambivalent masterpiece," and I feel that's a fair way to describe this stunning, sprawling, challenging literary journey.

"In this country men can be born and live well and die without ever having to feel much of what makes their ease possible, just because so much is buried under all of this black and white mess that in their ignorance some folks accept is as a natural condition. But then again, maybe they just feel that the whole earth would blow up if even a handful of folks get to digging into it."

Day 317, Quasi-Quarantine: We're Still Doing This Thing With The Meetings?

When you realize that people are still scheduling you for seven meetings on a rainy Tuesday during a quasi-quarantine in the middle of a global pandemic.

Day 316, Quasi-Quarantine: The Sure-Why-Not Phase Of The Pandemic

Tape together cardboard, you say?

Create an altogether-too-fast chute of pain, huh?

Throw in a dog bed to mitigate the collision point, eh?

Much like the Colts playoff appearance, this one got very bumpy at the end.

Yet our aspiring stunt man remains undeterred ...

Limerick Friday #493: Saying Goodbye to #17 -- Day 313

Threw like a lion tamer

Now a future Hall of Famer

Was the soul of the Pack

Put a franchise on his back

Philip Rivers, the ultimate gamer

Just for a day

All seemed OK

Literacy was celebrated

And logic accelerated

Even hope was on display

Democracy got a reprieve

Though still we grieve

MAGA got shit-canned

But PTSD in the land

Though we all want to believe

He won't leave unscarred

Progress will be barred

The job is thankless

With partisan rankness

But Biden can do what's hard

Knew every defensive play

And how to make every blitz pay

His trash-talking went viral

Against the backdrop of a spiral

Every "dadgum" makes me cry today

Last time ...

Day 312, Quasi-Quarantine: Gritty, Absorbing "Blacktop Wasteland" Pushes The Prose Pedal

"Boys in the game only respected you in direct proportion to how much they needed you divided by how much they feared you."

S.A. Cosby's immersive tale features frantic pacing and commendable character building. "Blacktop Wasteland" is peopled with actors that pity and revolt, that we fall for and abhor. The story features some underrated humor and is more than willing to stand in the background as the setting takes the wheel -- literally and figuratively.

As protagonist, "Bug" Montage is constantly trying to stay one step ahead of his checkered past, juggling roles as a father, failing-business owner, husband, friend, ex-husband, caretaker of an elderly parent, and wheels for hire.

"It struck him how many times his life had been changed by sitting across from someone at a desk."

The book undeniably has some rough edges as it speeds along "a blacktop wasteland haunted by the phantoms of the past." Ages, dates, and locations can be difficult to figure at times, and the shifts in perspective to minor characters can be jarring. The dialogue clangs at times, and there are some clear gaps in chronology.

But these are mere quibbles in the face of a mesmerizing story. "Blacktop Wasteland" has the rhythm of rolling rubber on superheated asphalt on a desperate road trip, both imploring and daring you to hang on for the ride as you root for Bug to make the choices needed to outrace his origin story.

"Wives he had made widows. Mothers who waited in vain for their sons to come home. Sons who would never see their fathers again. All those faces, all those lives, nothing more than earth, ashes and rust now."

Day 311, Quasi-Quarantine: Embarking On Another Year Of Books

 

For reasons that no one needs to explain, 2020 was a good year to read. According to Goodreads, I did a lot of it.

Some relevant stats:

The average book length in 2020: 340 pages

Shortest book: "Between the World and Me," by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Longest book: "City on Fire," by Garth Risk Hallberg

Average rating: 3.8 stars

Stay tuned for this year's version of "The Scooties," where I rank my favorite reads of the year. In the meantime ... read. Any dose of logic we can add to our society through the osmosis of reading is desperately needed.

Thanks in advance.

Day 309, Quasi-Quarantine: The Pleasant Surprise That Is The Lego Resistance I-TS Transport

One of the more unexpected holiday gifts this year was the Resistance I-TS Transport (set 75293) -- the first set based on Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land.

This 932-piece shuttle features a removable top, an accessible cockpit, and sides that open to reveal the cargo bay. The ship is protected by four rotatable stud shooters on the front and four stud shooters on the back, and the well-designed engines are prominently displayed.

One of the highlights of this set are the amazing and exquisitely detailed minifigures. The set includes Lieutenant Bek, a Mon Calamari comms officer in the Resistance who worked out of a hidden base on Batuu, as well as Vi Moradi, a hip Resistance spy whose character you can interact with at Black Spire Outpost at Disney.

Also included are an astromech droid in a distinctive black color and a GNK power droid -- always a crowd favorite. 

The build does have a couple of down sides. The cockpit is very small (a consistent issue for Star Wars Lego ships) and there is not a lot of room for play in the interior cargo bay. Additionally, the weaponry is a bit unsophisticated, comprised solely of stud shooters.

The included minifigures are solid (especially two brand-new, rare ones), but with two of those made up of relatively basic droid templates, I would advocate for one more non-droid minigure. And so I'm just going to say it -- this set should have included an updated Hondo Ohnaka.

Despite these quibbles, the ship is sleek-looking and very cleverly designed, using Technic pieces to fortify a very strong spine. While the unique nature of the build was appealing, my building partner was unsure what to expect from the finished project -- especially since the ship and its minifigures don't have a defined role in viewed Star Wars canon.

However, this has not slowed us down. The transport has quickly assumed a prominent role in a number of spy missions ... and emerged as one of the prized new sets from this past Christmas.

Limerick Friday #492: Just Like That, Meaningful Football Is Over -- Day 306

The Colts shot their foot

The Bears went kaput

The 'Fins pulled a no-show

With the playoffs in tow

Football, you cover me in soot

Conspiracies too far

Ignorance without par

A mob out for blood

Making a Capitol flood

Maybe this is who we are

Lack of effort out there

Does any Pack player care?

Four straight poor outings

With no passing and poutings

This is the look Keatts has to wear

As Fox News lied

No one stemmed the tide

Mouth-breathers elected

Racist morons selected

The enemy's on the inside

Lighthouses? Two

A beer or three, true

Star Wars in the dune

Dog walks by the moon

Puzzles, games, me, and you

Last time ...

Day 305, Quasi-Quarantine: Reminiscing About The Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar

 

Another year, another Lego Star Wars advent calendar!

The 2020 version had a number of memorable builds, although it felt like too many of the included pieces were revealed on the back and on the promotional sites this year. Also, some of the oomph of the special minifigures (Darth Vader and Poe Dameron in Christmas sweaters) was taken away by appearances in The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special TV short.

But as has become custom, it was fun to follow along on Jay's Brick Blog, where he details each day's build -- often describing what it is for those not as steeped in Star Wars lore. He pointed out accurately that this year's version seemed to focus on a lot of prequel builds, but there were some stellar, unexpected additions (Rudolph Tauntaun, D-O with Christmas hat, hell, even a porg).

Among my favorites from this year was the cleverly built and highly nostalgic Lars homestead, from Tattooine.

Of course, as rabid Mandalorian fans, a mini version of the Razor Crest was an essential addition.

2020 will long be remembered as the year I checked to see what the kids got in their Lego advent calendars, then ambled over to my beer advent calendar to see what liquid gold awaited me.

... And this is where I begrudgingly admit that maybe 2020 wasn't all bad.

Day 304, Quasi-Quarantine: Scandalous "Ball Four" Still Resonates After All These Years

"I can still remember Pete Rose, on the top step of the dugout screaming, 'Fuck you, Shakespeare.'"

Jim Bouton's ground-breaking "Ball Four" was written half a century ago, but still resonates with its "inside baseball" revelations of the depravity of professional athletes. 

"'What's the most difficult thing about playing major-league baseball?' And Mike Hegan said, 'Explaining to your wife why she needs a penicillin shot for your kidney infection.'"

The pitcher tries to position himself as apart from everything occurring in the book, but he must have been a participant, all the way down to "beaver shooting." So while Bouton comes across as hypocritical at times and it becomes kind of easy to see why he was unlikeable, there are moments when the author shares profound and insightful commentary on momentous social issues. 

Bouton tackles racism, faux patriotism, class warfare, war protests, and more. Some of his thoughts feel rather prescient to contemporary issues.

"We agreed we're both troubled by the stiff-minded emphasis on the flag that grips much of the country these days. A flag, after all, is still only a cloth symbol. You don't show patriotism by showing blank-eyed love for a bit of cloth.

"And you can be deeply patriotic without covering your car with flag decals."

"They have bedsheet banners in Atlanta too. They say REBEL. Sometimes the bedsheet is a Confederate flag. I wonder how the Negro players feel about them. The worst part is that these things are hung by kids. Why the hell couldn't they let that stuff die with their grandfathers? These are not rebels who want something new. These are rebels who want to bring back the old."

The book is rounded out by subsequent afterwords, each from another 10 years in the future. These add-ons reveal the struggles Bouton had with being baseball's black sheep, his impostor syndrome, and the depression he fought after the death of a child. 

He even tracks down former teammates to talk about life and weightier topics in retirement.

"'Religion is like baseball,' said Steve. 'Great game, bad owners.'"

While "Ball Four" is at times hilarious, revealing, and cringe-worthy, the book is less interesting than its author -- and his battles to find a fit in a sport that both obsessed and repelled him.

"That the real experience of baseball was the bus rides and the country ballparks and the chili at 3 a.m. with a bunch of guys chasing a dream."

"You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time."

Day 303, Quasi-Quarantine: Dolphins-Raiders Game 15 Review

In one of the most heart-stopping games I can remember as a Dolphins fan, Miami snatched victory from the jaws of defeat (forgive me, I'm going to use that because it's the most apt description) that kept playoff hopes alive. 

In a contest that featured peak Fitzmagic (Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 182 yards IN A LITTLE OVER HALF A QUARTER), the cracks of belief in Tua Tagovailoa were deepened, but in the aftermath of such a win, all thoughts were directed squarely at the postseason.

Offense

• Tua was, um, careful, hitting 17 of 22 passes, but for an almost-unthinkable 4.3 yards per toss. His 94 yards included a short touchdown throw, but he took three sacks, had two relatively easy interceptions dropped, and essentially looked lost and flustered in the second half. Fitz came in firing (of course), drilling 9 of 13 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown to keep Miami's pulse alive. The Tua-Fitz comparison to "Woodstrock" (David Woodley and Don Strock) of the early-'80s isn't quite fair to anyone involved, but it was clear that Tua's hesitancy provided a stark contrast to Fitz's forking gunslinging.
• Obviously, most of the headlines and chatter will revolve around the quarterback situation, but the hero in this game to me was tailback Myles Gaskin. Slippery and rugged, decisive and shifty, he torched the Raiders for 169 yards and two touchdowns on 19 touches. He had a long burst of 24 yards among his 87 rushing yards, then added 82 through the air to lead the team -- obviously including the 59-yard catch and run for a score that gave the 'Fins a late lead. Staggering game from Gaskin that was largely overlooked due to Fitz's dramatics.
• Tua added 11 yards on three rushes and Lynn Bowden, Jr., had an eight-yard rush, but other than that Gaskin got no help. Salvon Ahmed was held to a paltry three yards on seven touches, and for unknown reasons Matt Breida (and even Patrick Laird) saw no action.
• With no DeVante Parker, the receiving corps predictably posed almost no threat. Jakeem Grant had five grabs for 43 yards, but bobbled an easy crossing route that cost the team a first down. Mack Hollins reeled in the key 34-yarder to help win the game, but that was offset by a dropped touchdown and arguably another drop among his two catches for 42 yards. Isaiah Ford came alive late with four catches for 37 yards, while Bowden was quiet after some heavy-volume games, posting two grabs for eight yards.
• Like most everyone else, the tight ends had anemic contributions until Fitz entered the game. Mike Gesicki -- who likely gets uncomfortably excited whenever Fitz comes into a contest -- snared four balls for 54 yards. His 31-yarder was vital to the team's comeback, and the bulk of his seven targets came when Fitz took over. Durham Smythe (two catches, six yards) and Adam Shaheen (one reception, three yards) combined for three grabs for nine yards.
• An offensive line featuring three rookies is going to struggle against a front like the Raiders' at times, and that was certainly the case. However, the big men created just enough holes for Gaskin and just enough time for Fitz to keep the Dolphins within striking distance. Among Las Vegas's three sacks were at least a couple of that could be attributed to Tua panicking in the pocket. Ereck Flowers missed a key block on a first-quarter screen pass that should've ended up in a big gainer, while Robert Hunt had a big holding call that halted a promising Miami drive. While improvement obviously has to be made along the offensive front, this was a winning performance by this unit.

Defense

• David Carr had all day to throw and racked up 336 yards, but he was sacked three times and was stymied in scoring position. Surprisingly, Josh Jacobs only had 13 carries, racking up 69 yards. Nelson Agholor had 155 receiving yards thanks to an 85-yard score on a blown officiating call, and Hunter "Opie" Renfrow hurt Miami with 34 yards on five catches in key situations. Unsurprisingly, Darren Waller torched the 'Fins for 112 yards on five grabs. Miami rushed three on a lot of occasions -- likely to account for defensive end Shaq Lawson being out for the game -- and allowed the Raiders to pick up big chunks between the 20s, but the Dolphins stiffened big-time in the red zone, forcing four Las Vegas field goals.
• Andrew Van Ginkel took on a larger role due to Lawson's absence, and he responded with eight tackles, two sacks, a pass breakup, and two quarterback hits. There were times early on when he almost singlehandedly kept Miami in the game. Emmanuel Ogbah was relatively quiet on the other side, contributing two tackles, but he did have some pressures that forced Carr throwaways.
• The interior defensive line was at its best in short-yardage situations. Zach Sieler led the way as usual with three stops and a tackle for loss, while Christian Wilkins (two tackles) and Raekwon Davis (two stops, one QB hit) also had their moments.
• Jerome Baker continued his late-season surge with 10 tackles, a sack, and a quarterback hit, while Kyle Van Noy contributed six stops and half a tackle for loss. Elandon Roberts had a single tackle before leaving with what appeared to be a serious knee injury, and Kamu Grugier-Hill had a stop for a loss.
• Byron Jones had four tackles and half a stop for a loss, and he was victimized by the refs twice with horrific calls. Xavien Howard had two stops and two pass breakups, one of which saved a touchdown and the other he almost reeled in for his 10th pick.
• Eric Rowe had eight tackles. That's the good news. The bad news is they mostly came 20 or more yards down the field after another Darren Waller catch. Nik Needham had a tackle and an effective blitz.
• Rookie Brandon Jones and veteran Bobby McCain both had three stops, but the lack of impact plays from the safety position has become more and more glaring as the season has progressed.

Special teams

• Clayton Fejedelem had an eventful game here. He converted a vital fake punt with a 22-yard run that saw him spin out of trouble on the wrong side of the first-down marker. Fejedelem also secured the fumble recovery that ended the game. However, he and Grugier-Hill were among the Miami special-teamers put on tilt by Renfrow, the Raiders' punt returner.
• Speaking of Opie Renfrow, he picked up 61 yards -- including a 32-yarder -- on five punt returns, and was generally a thorn in the 'Fins' side all night.
• Matt Haack averaged 46.6 yards on five punts, but the low trajectories gave Renfrow time to set up strong returns. Haack did place one within the 20-yard line.
• Jason Sanders was back and at his best, drilling four field goals and both extra points. His game-winner had a frightening moment where it appeared headed for the goal post, but immediately curved back into the near-dead center. Sanders was his dependable self after an inexplicable Pro Bowl snub.

Momentum plays

• The teams traded three-and-outs, but Renfrow's nifty return set up the Raiders at Miami's 43-yard line. A Renfrow catch and a Jacobs run put Las Vegas inside the Dolphins' 5-yard line, and Carr reached over the pile for an early 7-0 lead.
• On the next drive, Grant converted a third down with a reception and Tua converted a fourth down with a clutch run. Ahmed lost a yard on a third-and-short run, forcing Miami to settle for a 37-yarder from Sanders, trimming the margin to 7-3.
• After a Van Ginkel sack forced a Raiders punt on the next drive, the 'Fins were pinned at their own 8-yard line after a mysterious holding call on Kavon Frazier and quickly went three-and-out. Another Van Ginkel sack and pass breakup brought up a third-and-19, but Vegas managed 18 yards on a draw, then converted 4th & 1 after an iffy spot that Miami didn't challenge. Pressures by Sieler and Ogbah forced Carr throwaways, and the Raiders kicked a 23-yarder to go up 10-3.
• On Miami's following drive, Bowden converted a third-and-short with a Wildcat run, then Fejedelem's 22-yard gallop after a fake punt put Miami in business. A Gaskin 9-yarder gave the Dolphins a 2nd & 1, but back-to-back negative-yardage runs by Gaskin and Ahmed ended the drive with a lack of imagination and physicality. Sanders hammered it home from 39 yards out to cut the lead to 10-6.
• A holding call on Needham and two roastings of Rowe in three plays got Las Vegas going on the ensuing drive. Ogbah's pressure forced a third-down incompletion, forcing the Raiders to close the first-half scoring with a 38-yard field goal with just 11 seconds left, pushing the advantage to 13-6.
• After an ugly first half that saw Vegas dominate the stats, Gaskin got Miami going with a 24-yard run to start the final 30 minutes. Three catches by Grant in four plays ended with an injury that forced him out, but Tua hit Ford with a big third-down pass. Gaskin then ended a crucial drive by taking a short screen, breaking two tackles, and ramming into the end zone to tie it at 13.
• The Raiders' next drive featured a 4th & 1, but the run had no chance as Sieler crushed his blocker to stymie the play and give the 'Fins the ball back. However, Tua threw an incompletion and took a sack, giving the ball right back to the Las Vegas.
• A big pass to Waller got Vegas going again, but pressures by Wilkins and Van Ginkel helped stop the Raiders in a goal-to-go situation, forcing a short field goal to push the home team ahead, 16-13.
• Tua followed by taking a sack and throwing what should have been an easy interception, leading to a Miami punt. Waller ended the quarter by beating Rowe yet again, and his spike somehow went uncalled as a taunting penalty as the third quarter ended. Howard broke up a third-down pass and nearly reeled in an interception on a play that looked like he may have been celebrating a PBU before realizing he could have picked the tipped ball.
• After a touchback on the Raiders punt, Tua rolled into a sack, leading to yet another three-and-out. A slippery punt return by Opie put Vegas in Miami territory at the 45-yard line, but another "X" PBU and a sack by Baker got the 'Fins out of trouble and forced a punt.
• Fitz came in with 9:46 to play and immediately got Miami rolling, using a soft touch to convert third downs to Ford and Gesicki, then nailing a deep ball down the seam to G-Sick. A dropped TD by Hollins led to a short Sanders field goal to tie it at 16.
• After a holding call, the Raiders faced a 1st and 20, but with Carr having all day thanks to a three-man rush, he fired deep to Agholor, who pushed off of Byron Jones and then turned McCain around on a ridiculous 85-yard touchdown that never should have been. Vegas did miss the extra point however, making the lead 22-16.
• Following two more Ford grabs, Gaskin took a short pass, broke a tackle, got to the sideline, picked up two blocks from Hollins, and raced 59 yards for a touchdown, pushing Miami ahead 23-22 on the immediate answer.
• On the next drive, the officials again put their imprint on the game, calling an inexplicable 49-yard pass interference penalty on a ball played perfectly -- and nearly intercepted -- by Byron Jones. After the 2-minute warning, Van Noy jumped offsides to convert a 3rd & 1, and Jacobs slid twice to avoid scoring the winning touchdown. On the go-ahead field goal, the snap was low, but the Raiders converted the 22-yarder to regain the lead, 25-23, with just 19 seconds remaining.
• With the Dolphins getting the ball back on their own 25-yard line, Fitz made one of the best throws I've ever seen considering the circumstances. In the midst of a brutal facemask, he lofted a perfect pass to Hollins between zone coverages, allowing the receiver to reel it in and fall out of bounds with 12 seconds remaining. With the facemask penalty tacked on, it was a 49-yard play all told. After Fitz scrambled and fired out of bounds to burn some time, Sanders came in to drill a 44-yard field goal with one second left to cement the victory for the 'Fins, 26-25.

2020 Schedule

New England 21, Miami 11 (0-1)

Buffalo 31, Miami 28 (0-2)

Miami 31, Jacksonville 13 (1-2)

Seattle 31, Miami 23 (1-3)

Miami 43, San Francisco 17 (2-3)

Miami 24, New York Jets 0 (3-3)

Miami 28, Los Angeles Rams 17 (4-3)

Miami 34, Arizona 31 (5-3)

Miami 29, Los Angeles Chargers 21 (6-3)

Denver 20, Miami 13 (6-4)

Miami 20, New York Jets 3 (7-4)

Miami 19, Cincinnati 7 (8-4)

Kansas City 33, Miami 27 (8-5)

Miami 22, New England 12 (9-5)

Miami 26, Las Vegas 25 (10-5)

Day 302, Quasi-Quarantine: The Slave I Makes For Happy Han-idays

 

The 20th anniversary edition of the Slave I (set #75243) was a Christmas gift from my building partner. It was such a cool build that I tried to make it last by only completing a bag a day for a while.

The highlights of this 1,007-piece set? The side wings and cockpit rotate to mirror when the ship is posed vertically or horizontally (referred to as "self-leveling" by Lego). The Technic-based carrying handle is a nifty touch, as are the rotating guns on the back and the well-hidden spring-loaded shooters. In some quarters, the presence of new Lego pieces -- "left/right angle stone 3x3 elements" -- is a pretty big deal as well. 

Additionally, the minifigures are spot on. The coup for collectors, of course, is the Princess Leia duplicate of the 2000 version of his minifigure, complete with cinnamon-bun hair and a 20th-anniversary stand to display her on. Han Solo (plus his Carbonite sleeping chamber) are on hand as well.

For me, 4-LOM is a great addition to our collection, but it is the brand-new Zuckuss minifigure that is the highlight of the included figs. This mercurial bounty hunter has a very detailed and unique design.

The Boba Fett figure is really good, but apparently there is some controversy in Lego "adult collector" circles that the version with arm printing that came with the Ultimate Collector Series Slave I should have been included here as well.

Now for the lowlights, although these fall mostly in the "quibbles" category. The rear storage compartment is cleverly designed, but a bit clunky. The included Carbonite element does not attach to anything within this compartment, so it can (and does) slide out of the ship when tricky maneuvers are underway.

The cockpit is also a pretty tight fit and lacks detail, but the self-leveling feature balances (get it?) that. However, it would have been neat to have some vision into the middle of the ship or some way to display the ability to go from the cockpit to the cargo hold. But with all the Technic structuring holding the ship together, I can definitely see how and why that would be difficult to pull off.

All in all, this is an intricate and well-engineered build, and though the scale of the Slave I is somewhat smaller than anticipated, the carrying handle makes up for it. It was a blast to put together and came with multiple minifigures that we didn't have, and I don't ask for a ton more than that from my Star Wars Legos sets.

Limerick Friday #491: Georgia Learns While D.C. Burns -- Day 299

Give her the Nobel now

Turned Georgia blue -- wow

Stacey Abrams saved us all

With a task more than tall

Georgia on my mind, and how

Degenerates make a run

Deplorables make like a Hun

Rednecks in cosplay

Putting media in harm's way

America 2021

Republican fools

Spineless tools

Leaving the Earth scorched

The GOP is torched

A clan of death-cult ghouls

Democracy died as he slumbered

Morality unencumbered

With every racist breath

Dying a slow death

May his days be numbered

Laugh in the breeze

Revel in the ease

Drink in the land

Run in the sand

See what the ocean sees

Last time ...

Day 298, Quasi-Quarantine: Kitty Hawk, Where Have You Gone ...

This 11-day-old picture already feels like a lifetime ago. We were all so much younger and things felt so much simpler then ...

Day 297, Quasi-Quarantine: The Day The Country Broke

 

Republican officials, voters, staff, and cops -- all complicit. May the remainder of their days reflect what they have done and enabled.

Day 296, Quasi-Quarantine: Words Don't Exist To Properly Honor "Night"

"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life into one long night seven times sealed.

"Never shall I forget that smoke.

"Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw transformed into smoke under a silent sky.

"Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever.

"Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live.

"Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes.

"Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as long as God Himself.

"Never."

Look, I don't have adequate words to do justice to Elie Wiesel's staggering memoir "Night" (originally titled "And the World Remained Silent"). After jokingly suggesting that I turned to it so I could read something later after ingesting social media in 2020, I was crying before the book even started.

French novelist and Wiesel confidante Francois Mauriac penned the foreword and asked this staggering question to set the tone for this translation:

"Have we ever considered the consequences of a less visible, less striking abomination, yet the worst of all, for those of us who have faith: the death of God in the soul of a child who suddenly faces absolute evil?"

"Night" is stark, yet chilling; stoic, yet moving; understated, yet massively powerful. One can be moved to tears just reading the foreword, and yet this work calls out for your immersion.

"We were the masters of nature, the masters of the world. We had transcended everything -- death, fatigue, our natural needs. We were stronger than cold and hunger, stronger than the guns and the desire to die, doomed and rootless, nothing but numbers, we were the only men on earth."

"The darkness enveloped us. All I could hear was the violin, and it was as if Juliek's soul had become his bow. He was playing his life. His whole being was gliding over the strings. His unfulfilled hopes. His charred past, his extinguished future. He played that which he would never play again."

This version was re-translated 45 years later by his wife, Marion, to better capture the emotions and perspectives of the author when he was 15 years old. This volume includes the text of his incredible acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize that he won in 1986.

"And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere."

Unquestionably, reading "Night" is emotionally exhausting -- yet it remains a necessary and vitally important chronicle for all audiences.

"One day when when I was able to get up, I decided to look at myself in the mirror on the opposite wall. I had not seen myself since the ghetto.

"From the depths of the mirror, a corpse was contemplating me.

"The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me."

Day 295, Quasi-Quarantine: Piecing Together The Big Easy, Surf Side

 

Staying with the beach-trip-puzzle theme, we knocked out a fun New Orleans-themed puzzle on our latest visit to the Outer Banks. New Orleans is one of my favorite places, and this puzzle not only celebrated the Crescent City, but also offered a few educational opportunities with some cool tidbits built into the design.

7/10, would solve at my happy place to the soundtrack of shore pound again.