I agree with the great majority of folks who think that Denver should be a firm favorite in this finals series. Many reasons why. However, let's not act like Miami has no chance or path to win it all. Some things to keep in mind:
Denver swept LA, but were not dominant. Yes, Denver was the better team, but the Lakers had a real chance to win every contest. In three of the four games, LA was within 3 points with less than 1:30 to go in the fourth quarter. In the other game, the Lakers held a lead with about 7 minutes remaining. The series could easily have been tied 2-2 after Game 4. Denver had to dig deep for some of this and got it done with some great performances, particularly from their two stars. But these weren't ass-kickings or cruise control victories. Just noting the sweep is a tad misleading.
Heat Culture means never being an easy out. Eric Spoelstra is arguably the best coach in the league. The Heat are always prepared, always strategically sound, and never beat themselves. They are battle-hardened and consistently rise to the occasion.
Small ball is a thing, too. Much has been made of Denver's frontcourt size advantage. It will be a real factor. But let's not forget that facing a skilled small ball lineup can be very challenging as well. The Golden State Warriors won it all (and bounced Denver) last year with a main five featuring 6'7" Wiggins as the tallest player and Draymond Green their biggest player at 230lbs. Now, the Miami Heat are not '22 Golden State (much less Hamptons 5-era Warriors) but over seven games they might cook up a reasonable facsimile with their shooting and driving. Denver will have to deal. Granted, this year's Nuggets are far different than last year's and better equipped to defend small ball. The point is, being the bigger team comes with both benefits and challenges.
Lots can happen in a best-of-7 series. Variance is a bitch, and pretty much any sample within the span of a single game/series/playoff is a small sample. A key player can go cold for a game or series. Three-point shooting is a great equalizer; what form will Miami show? The one that shot 43% from deep against Boston? Or 30.6% against New York? Or 34.4% during the season? Obviously, the opposing defenses play a role, but so does variance.
Five Thirty-Eight gives Miami a 27% chance to win the series. Let's say that's an accurate representation of the teams. An 73% win probability represents a serious level of superiority for the Nuggets. But having something (like Miami taking the series) happen once every four instances is hardly a freak occurrence.
Look, I love talking about scheme, personnel, stats, etc. (and will continue to discuss them in other posts). But too often we talk about them like they add up to destiny. Or, we talk about results in hindsight like they were obvious and inevitable. Let's just remember that a)There's a lot you (and I) don't know and haven't considered, and b)even if one's analysis is spot on, there is always uncertainty and variance in outcome.

Greetings, Reddit Ensemble!
The current season's Prestige Cup cars are the Audi NEWING Alpil R8 RSR's. The cars were initially introduced in season 117 (December 10, 2020 - December 24, 2020) (Update 2.17.0) as Crew Championship Season (Top 10)/Milestone (20M Crew RP Prize) cars.
The gold star Audi NEWING Alpil R8 RSR will need between 2 and 3 stage 6s (might be doable with 1 stage 6) in order to beat the Cup or you can get thru the Cup with all stage 6s, uncommon, rare fusions and 5-10 epics. Don't forget to claim your free Prestige Cup crates in Rare Imports.
The Audi NEWING Alpil R8 RSR is a decent T5 car. This time the Audi's are not part of the Championship ShowDown, but the Prestige Cup crates are every 48 hours instead of 72 hours.
Audi R8:
The Audi R8 is a mid-engine, 2-seater sports car which uses Audi's trademark quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. It was introduced by the German car manufacturer Audi AG in 2006.
The car is exclusively designed, developed, and manufactured by Audi AG's private subsidiary company manufacturing high performance automotive parts, Audi Sport GmbH (formerly known as quattro GmbH). The car is based on the Lamborghini Gallardo and presently the Huracán platform. The fundamental construction of the R8 is based on the Audi Space Frame and uses an aluminium monocoque which is built using space frame principles. The car is built by Audi Sport GmbH in a newly renovated factory at Audi's 'aluminium site' at Neckarsulm in Germany. It is also the first production car with full-LED headlamps.
First generation (2006–2015):
The Audi Le Mans quattro (Audi R8 concept car) first appeared at the 2003 International Geneva Motor Show and the 2003 Frankfurt International Motor Show. The R8 road car (model code: Type 42) was officially launched at the Paris Auto Show on 30 September 2006. There was some confusion with the name, which the car shares with the 24 Hours of Le Mans winning R8 Le Mans Prototype (LMP). Initial models included the R8 4.2 FSI coupé (with a V8 engine) and R8 5.2 FSI coupé (with a V10 engine). Convertible models, called the Spyder by the manufacturer, were introduced in 2008, followed by the high-performance GT model introduced in 2011. The Motorsport variants of the R8 were also subsequently introduced from 2008 onwards. An all-electric version called the e-Tron started development but would only reach production stage when the second generation model would be introduced.
The car received a facelift in 2012 and a new model called the V10 Plus was added to the range. Production of the first generation Audi R8 ended in August 2015.
Second generation (2015–present):
The second generation of the R8 (model code: Type 4S) was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and is based on the Modular Sports System platform shared with the Lamborghini Huracan. The development of the Type 4S commenced in late 2013 and was completed in late 2014 (2015 model year in Europe, 2017 model year in the US). Initial models included the all-electric e-Tron and the V10 5.2 FSI along with the V10 plus. Unlike its predecessor, there was no manual transmission available and the entry-level V8 trim was also dropped. In 2016, the convertible (Spyder) variant was added to the line up which was initially available in the base V10 trim. In mid-2017, the high performance V10 plus Spyder was added to the range. A rear-wheel drive model called the R8 RWS was introduced.
In 2018 (2020 model year in the US), the R8 received a mid-cycle refresh with mechanical and exterior changes. The newer and more aggressive design language carried over from famous Audi models of the past and its appearance is slightly more angular up front. The refreshed model had substantial performance improvements over its predecessor. The base R8 gets a power boost from 532 hp to 562 hp, while the V10 Plus was renamed V10 Performance Quattro and the engine saw a power increase by 10 hp (7 kW), now up to 612 hp.
The Audi R8 e-tron (2015) was an all-electric version of the second-generation R8. Unlike the earlier 2010 prototype based on the first-generation R8, it actually entered production, but only on a small scale, with less than 100 units sold. It featured a 92-kWh battery.
NEWING:
NEWING Japan is a modification and custom shop that specializes in aerodynamic body packages. The customization for the Alpil body kit includes an over fender body style and smoother wrap. This also includes a high percentage of carbon fibre, reducing weight and decreasing drag. The kit pieces include front spoiler, side diffuser, rear side diffuser, rear wing, switch kit, carbon cover, and carbon rear wing.
You can beat race #28 on stage 5s.
Prestige Cup Thresholds (Gold Star):

• Speed Trap (Race #4) - 155 mph (249 km/h)
  
• Speed Trap (Race #10) - 188 mph (302 km/h)
  
• Speed Trap (Race #16) - 209 mph (336 km/h)
  
• Speed Trap (Race #22) - 230 mph (370 km/h)
  
• Sprint 0-100 mph (0-161 km/h) (Race #7): 5.109
  
• Sprint 0-100 mph (0-161 km/h) (Race #13): 4.307
  
• Sprint 0-100 mph (0-161 km/h) (Race #19): 3.693
  
• Stage 6 Race (Race #28): 10.417 (Gabriel with Porsche 911 RWB)
  
• Final Race (Race #30): 9.619 (Mateusz with McLaren F1 LM)
  

Full fused stage 5 tunes, stage 6 effects, maxed tunes and shift patterns:
Audi NEWING Alpil R8 RSR (Gold Star):

• Full S5s - dynos at 10.204 with the following tune:
  
  • NOS - 232/4.0
  • FD - 3.46
  • Tires - 53/47

Part	Dyno (sec)	Improvement (sec)
Tires	9.761	-0.443
Engine	9.881	-0.323
Nitrous	9.915	-0.289
Body	9.944	-0.260
Transmission	10.001	-0.203
Intake	10.019	-0.185
Turbo	10.039	-0.165

Audi NEWING Alpil R8 RSR (5 Gold Star Car, Tier 5) Maxed Tune and Shift Pattern:

• PP - 713
  
• Evo - 1897
  
• NOS - 298/6.3
  
• FD - 2.64
  
• Tires - 53/47
  
• Dyno: 8.143
  
• Test Run: 7.948
  
• Shift Pattern (Right side good launch, instant shift into 2nd at 6 mph, shift into 3rd at around 4000 RPM, shift into 4th at around 4200 RPM and NOS, rest shifts at 9500 RPM)
  

Audi NEWING Alpil R8 RSR (Purple Star):

• Full S5s - dynos at 10.102 with the following tune:
  
  • NOS - 237/4.7
  • FD - 3.40
  • Tires - 53/47

Part	Dyno (sec)	Improvement (sec)
Tires	9.638	-0.464
Body	9.715	-0.387
Nitrous	9.825	-0.277
Engine	9.829	-0.273
Transmission	9.908	-0.194
Intake	9.918	-0.184
Turbo	9.942	-0.160

Audi NEWING Alpil R8 RSR (5 Purple Star Car, Tier 5) Maxed Tune and Shift Pattern:

• PP - 713
  
• Evo - 1931
  
• NOS - 314/6.5
  
• FD - 2.62
  
• Tires - 53/47
  
• Dyno: 8.074
  
• Test Run: 7.884
  
• Shift Pattern (Right side good launch, instant shift into 2nd at 6 mph, shift into 3rd at around 4000 RPM, shift into 4th at around 4200 RPM and NOS, rest shifts at 9500 RPM)
  

Links:

• Information about Update 4.5 via the data mine - click/press (Text Version) and click/press (Chart Version)
  
• Information about Update 4.5 via the official CSR2 site - click/press
  

I've created a Ko-fi, because I don't want to limit the information that I provide with a pay wall. I'm thankful for all your support thru the years. I'll be more than happy if you can support me even further. Here's the link - click/press (Now you can use also Apple Pay and Google Pay).
Thank you for your support and time!
Happy racing and stay safe!

Owl's description is genuinely incomprehensible. I mean it. Not only is it poorly explained, it omits key information. Owl bombards you with keywords (Astrohouse? Astroaspect? Astroforecast? None of these words were in the bible.) and UI elements without really telling you anything about any of them. If you, like me, read Zi Xiao's character descriptions and had no clue what they did, then this guide is for you. We'll start from the top down.

What even is an Astroaspect?

The heart and soul of the character. Astroaspects are represented as small scrolls inside squares (also known as your Astrohouse) below your primary skill. There are two main ways to gain Astroaspects: by

1. Using your primary skill. What? The description doesn't say anything about that? You're right. By god are you right. When you use your primary skill, your entire Astrohouse is filled with Astroaspects of random rarities and then you use your primary skill, which empties that Astrohouse.
2. Using your secondary skill. Gain 1 Astroaspect of a random rarity (or not-so-randomly, if you have the Explosive Hand Spiritual Blessing). If your Astrohouse is already full, discard the first Astroaspect and draw another.

You may note both skills draw random Astroaspects off, as far as I can tell, the same formula. The relevance of this will be expanded upon later in the post, but for now we'll go over

Which astroaspects will you get, and WTF is Scroll Divination?

Astroaspect rarity is determined by the rarity of your scrolls. The more scroll of any given rarity you have, proportional to the others, the higher your chance to roll Astroaspects of that rarity. So are you meant to just take Legendary Scrolls only? No, thanks to Scroll Divination, Owl's first talent. Skill Divination upgrades scroll rarity as considered by Owl's abilities. There is zero change in effect, but scrolls you pick up will automatically be "upgraded" to be considered rare or legendary scrolls by Owl's abilities, depending on the upgrade scheme you've chosen in the occult scrolls inventory menu. As far as I can tell, Normal Least attempts to minimize the number of normal scrolls you own while still upgrading rares, Legendary Most attempts to get as many legendary scrolls as possible, and Rare Most attempts to upgrade every normal scroll to rare and no more. You can also "reset" scrolls to another of equal or higher rarity with Scroll Divination, which is extremely powerful. You gain 2 upgrades per ascension, which will automatically be applied to scrolls in your backpack, and 1 reroll per ascension taken. But why does Astroaspect rarity actually matter?

What does Falling Star (and your astrohouse) do?

When you use your primary skill, Falling Star has one of four effects depending on the content and rarity of your Astrohouse:

1. If your Astrohouse has multiple different Astroaspects, it is considered "Impure" and deals 800 base damage within a 3.5 meter radius.
2. If your Astrohouse is entirely Normal, apply the effects of an Impure Astrohouse twice.
3. If your Astrohouse is entirely Rare, apply the effects of a Normal Astrohouse and deal an additional 1000 damage in a 7m radius.
4. If your Astrohouse is entirely Legendary, apply the effects of a Normal Astrohouse, deal an additional 1600 damage in a 7m radius, and deal a continuous 1000 damage per second within that radius along with a 50% slow.

Wild Astroaspects act as a wild card, can sub in as an Astroaspect of any type, and counts as a Legendary Astroaspect if you have a full Wild Astrohouse.
Your Astrohouse will always be full upon casting Falling Star. Why is this? If you were paying attention earlier, the skill itself fills your entire Astrohouse upon casting. But wait, if both your primary skill and secondary skill draw Astroaspects purely randomly, why use your secondary skill to fill your Astrohouse at all? One reason is Ascensions — we'll get to those later. Another is for information. Since you get to see what Astrohouse you'll get before firing Falling Star, you might be able to better position your stronger Falling Stars for stronger enemies, and it costs nothing to gain that Astroaspect. The final reason is because of Owl's second talent, Stellar Recovery.

Probability and you

The bar below your primary skill represents the probability of casting a Fallen Star of any given type (with grey corresponding to impure, etc.), with your current Astrohouse, given you use your primary skill. This is relevant because Owl's primary is all about RNG mitigation, and that bar provides an easy, convenient display of that RNG. Stellar Recovery refunds 100% skill cooldown if you hit no enemies. Read another way, if Stellar Recovery is off cooldown, you can intentionally miss bad Astrohouse draws to have another chance to reroll your Astrohouse. Aside from that, there's honestly... not much reason to repeatedly roll cards just for your primary without Ascensions like Persistence, which only works if you get a bad roll off cards, or Endless Stardome, which rewards repeated Astrodome hits of a certain type. Mysterious Revelation actually actively incentivizes trying to hit all your Falling Stars and taking 50/50s.

Conclusion and Gamplay Tips

That's most of the more arcane mechanics behind Owl. The character can feel really hit-or-miss, given your primary has the potential to sometimes do 500%+ more damage purely based on RNG. However, as you progress through the stages (with Owl's fifth talent, Star Rearrangement), and gather scrolls, every build tends to trend towards getting a nearly 100% Rare/Legendary rate. Earlygame can be rough, as a result, but Endless Assault is extremely strong all around if you build for skills. More primary skill-focused builds can result in a really difficult and punishing earlygame (especially coupled with the fact that Owl's only defensive Ascensions are not very strong) that eventually cascades into extreme value lategame. Rerolling scrolls is extremely powerful, and should be done very regularly. Also, take any info in this guide with a grain of salt; the character is very new.
​
Edit 1: Markdown. Feel free to add any and all info in the comments.

Celebrate Ninety9Lives with New Songs and Weekly Challenges!

Join us over the following weeks, as we shine a spotlight on the Ninety9Lives Music Pack, which is full of streamer and creator friendly music. Look out for weekly Challenges.. and new free songs available at the top of the pack right now for you to enjoy!

All-New Tracks, All Yours for FREE!

• Week 1 - "Get Up On My Keys" by Duko
• Week 2 - "Raw" by tiasu

Ninety9Lives Weekly Challenges

Check out the weekly challenges in game, which highlight the artists, songs and the mappers who originally choreographed these tracks for the game, past and present. You may even find that some of them have set you a score to come match!

What Are Challenges?

Challenges are short-term leaderboards where you will need to play the combination of song, difficulty, mode and modifiers shown in the challenge to post a score. Any scores you set will also be submitted to the regular boards, so if you improve your score in the Challenge, it will stay around in the other board once the Challenge is complete.

There will be a spread of difficulties, modifiers and modes, and No Fail will always be set to make sure everyone gets a chance to dance - look out for updates to this posts each week!

Why is Ninety9Lives Streamer and Content Creator Friendly?

The artists on the Ninety9Lives label grant independent creators the license to use and monetize their music in video content on YouTube and Twitch. If you create content with these songs, just follow the attribution requirements for the track and artist in your description and you're good to go - with no copyright claims or strikes!

Hit the Challenges tab top right of the Leaderboard window and you'll see the Featured Challenges for each week!

Week 1 Challenges (25 May)

#1 - Get Up With Sodapie & Duko!
Week one saw a new song added to the game, "Get Up On My Keys" by Duko, mapped by Sodapie! If you haven't played this song yet, it's at the top of the Ninety9Lives song list now. Rhytm Mode in Normal difficulty is fun and funky with plenty of space to get your dance on!
#2 - See a Spectrum with LittleAsi and Axtasia
It's easy to forget that tavern proprietor and Unity developer LittleAsi was also mapper, this is a classic from the original Ninety9Lives in-game release. Rhythm mode players gotta go fast with 2x NJS in Hard difficulty here!
#3 - Id like you to play Force with Baxter, Ben Lepper & Reflekt

Week 2 Challenges (1 June)

#4 - Rawfully good time with Tiasu and Teebo
The latest song to join the pack is "Raw" by Tiasu, mapped by Teebo! If you haven't played this song yet, it's at the top of the Ninety9Lives song list now. Get ready to beep and boop to this melodic chiptune track in Rhythm Mode, Hard difficulty. Need an extra life? No worries with No Fail mode on.
#5 - Kastra, Freshcobar and MBDoucet put your feet on the floor
Foot on the floor? Or is it food on the floor? After all, that's how you'd feed an "Underdog" - this one was mapped by mbdoucet and is another of the original Ninety9Lives in-game release.
#6 - Dusting the Stars with Skybreak and Oneill
"Stardust" by Skybreak is one of the more recent additions to the pack for Synth Riders' 4th birthday, mapped by Oneill. You'll be dusting the ceiling with thie Normal difficulty in 360+ Styled Spin and Force Mode!

Jackie Jensen, "The Golden Boy", was a superstar athlete in the 1940s who seemed destined for greatness as the heir to Joe DiMaggio... only to be supplanted by a different golden boy, the great Mickey Mantle.
Jensen would eventually live up to the hype, but with the Red Sox -- but his career prematurely because, as baseball expanded to the west coast, his fear of flying made road games unbearable!
The Yankees between 1947 and 1964 were utterly dominant, winning 15 pennants and 10 World Series. And it wasn't just the major league team that was successful. The Yankees of this era were loaded up and down the system, from Rookie ball to their two Triple-A teams!
With such a loaded major league roster, the Yankees had many talented players stuck either on the end of the bench or in the minors who would eventually find an opportunity with other teams, including Bob Cerv, Vic Power, Gus Triandos, Lew Burdette, Jerry Lumpe, Bob Porterfield, and Bob Keegan, who would all be All-Stars with other teams. Clint Courtney would be the 1952 A.L. Rookie of the Year runner-up after the Yankees traded him to the Browns, and Bill Virdon was the 1955 N.L. Rookie of the Year with the Cardinals (and then Yankee manager from 1974 to 1975!).
But the most talented player who just couldn't find the playing time in New York was Jack Eugene Jensen, born March 9, 1927, in San Francisco. His parents divorced when he was 5, and he grew up poor, his mother working six days a week, 12 hours a day. Jensen said the family moved 16 times between kindergarten and eighth grade -- "every time the rent came due."
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Jensen went to the University of California in 1946 on the G.I. Bill. There he became one of the most famous college players in the country, leading Cal to the Rose Bowl. In 1947, he was the starting fullback as well as the team's top defensive back, and in 1948, he rushed for 1,000 yards and was an All-American.
He also was a tremendous two-way baseball player, pitching and hitting for the Golden Bears in 1947 as the won the very first College World Series, beating a Yale team that had George H.W. Bush playing first base. In 1949, he was an All-American in baseball, too.
His blond hair, good looks, and athletic accomplishments earned him the nickname "The Golden Boy."
Halfway through his junior year, Jensen left Berkeley to turn pro. Jensen would later say he couldn't risk playing a career-ending injury playing for free while teams -- baseball and football -- were trying to sign him to big-money contracts.

"There was a money tree growing in my backyard. Why shouldn't I pluck off the dollars when I wanted to?"

Jensen considered a number of offers, including from the Yankees, before signing a three-year, $75,000 contract with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League. Jensen said he thought he'd face better competition in the Pacific Coast League, the top minor league of the era, than he would at the bottom of the Yankee farm system. He was right about it being more of a challenge -- he hit an unimpressive .261/.317/.394 in 510 plate appearances with the Oaks.
At the end of the year, the Oaks sold his contract (and that of Billy Martin, another Northern California kid) to the Yankees.
That same year, Jensen married his high school sweetheart, Zoe Ann Olsen, an Olympic diver. (By age 18, she had won 14 national diving championships and a silver medal in the 1948 Olympics.) "Together they looked like a Nordic god and goddess," Sports Illustrated reported. Nicknamed "the sweethearts of sports," they were the Dansby Swanson and Mallory Pugh of their era. More than 1,000 people attended their wedding.
Jensen would start the 1950 season not in the minors but in the Bronx. He joined the Yankees in a time of flux. They though they'd won the 1949 World Series, the Yankees knew they had to make some changes, with 35-year-old Joe DiMaggio nearing the end of his career. And their heir apparent was not Mickey Mantle -- at the time an 18-year-old shortstop playing in the Class C league, the equivalent of A-ball today -- but the 23-year-old Jensen.
But Jensen disappointed, hitting just .171/.247/.300 in 70 at-bats, and only starting in 13 games. Watching from the bench most of the season, Jensen would later lament the lost year of development, saying he'd have been better off playing every day in the Pacific Coast League.
The Yankees won the pennant for a second straight year, and in the World Series he once again was left on the bench. His only action was as a pinch runner in Game 3 as the Yankees swept the Phillies. That "Moonlight Graham" appearance would be his only taste of the post-season in an 11-year career.
The following year would be DiMaggio's last, and Mantle's first. Jensen began the year as the Yankees' starting left fielder and proved he belonged, hitting .296/.371/.509 through the end of July... and then, shockingly, was demoted to Triple-A and replaced with previously forgotten Yankee Bob Cerv.
I can see why they called up Cerv -- the University of Nebraska stand-out was tearing up Triple-A, leading the American Association in batting average (.349), home runs (26), triples (21), RBIs (101), and total bases (261) -- but why demote Jensen, who had a 140 OPS+ in the majors? Maybe the Yankees felt the brash 23-year-old needed to be taken down a peg. In any event, Cerv hit just .214/.333/.250 in August and was sent back to Triple-A, but Jensen also was left down there. He hit .263/.344/.469 and was recalled after the Triple-A season ended, only getting into three games (he went 3-for-9).
Mantle, too, had started the season with the Yankees, and after hitting .260/.341/.423 through the middle of July, was sent down to Triple-A. But he hit .361/.445/.651 in 166 at-bats, and unlike Jensen was back in the bigs by August 24. He would play pretty much every game the rest of the season, hitting .284/.370/.495 in 95 at-bats.
The torch had clearly been passed -- Jensen was no longer the heir apparent to DiMaggio. In the World Series that year, Mantle was the starting right fielder, and Jensen wasn't even on the post-season roster.
Jensen was so disappointed with how the Yankees had treated him in 1951 that he talked to the San Francisco 49ers about switching to pro football, but ultimately decided to stick with baseball.
Never shy about what he said to reporters, Jensen told The Sporting News on October 24, 1951:

"I felt so badly about the treatment that I received from the Yankees that, although I was in New York at the end of the season, I didn't feel like sticking around to even watch the club play in any of the World's Series games."
"I do not feel the Yankees were justified in sending me to the minor leagues. When I was shipped to Kansas City, I was doing as good a job as any Yankee outfielder and better than some of them. I was hitting .296, which was ten points better than Hank Bauer and 30 points better than Joe DiMaggio, Gene Woodling and Mickey Mantle. Yet Casey Stengel didn't give me the chance I felt I deserved."

Despite blasting his manager in the press, Jensen was still the property of the Yankees. That off-season, teams were circling, hoping to pry away the talented but disgruntled outfielder. There were newspaper reports of offers from the St. Louis Browns, the Detroit Tigers, the Philadelphia Athletics, the Washington Senators, the Cleveland Indians, and the Boston Red Sox -- with one rumor being Ted Williams to the Bronx in exchange for Jensen and several other players. (A Red Sox scout called the rumored deal "a lot of hogwash.")
Sportswriters spent the off-season speculating whether DiMaggio would retire, and if he did, whether Jensen or Mantle would take over as the center fielder, as there were still concerns that Mantle, who had hurt his knee in the 1951 World Series, wouldn't be fully recovered by the start of the season.
On Opening Day, April 16, 1952, it was Jackie Jensen in center and Mickey Mantle in right. Jensen went 0-for-5 with a GIDP; Mantle, 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base! Seven games into the season, Jensen was 2-for-17 (.118) and found himself on the bench. He'd never play for the Yankees again. On May 3, the Golden Boy was traded to the Washington Senators along with Spec Shea, Jerry Snyder, and Archie Wilson in exchange for Irv Noren and Tom Upton.
In two years with the Senators, Jensen hit an impressive .276/.359/.407 (112 OPS+), but the team was terrible, and Jensen wasn't happy. Still just 26 years old, he later said he had almost quit after the 1953 season... particularly after a harrowing flight to Japan for a series of exhibition games with a squad of All-Stars that included Yankees Yogi Berra, Eddie Lopat, and Billy Martin. That experience gave Jensen a lifelong fear of flying, a phobia that became so intense eventually he could only fly with the help of sleeping pills... and a hypnotist!
He might have quit if not for the trade on December 9, 1953, that sent him to the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Mickey McDermott and outfielder Tom Umphlett. He was homesick, he hated flying, and he now had two little kids at home. Red Sox general manager Joe Cronin convinced Jensen to come to the Red Sox, telling him that Fenway Park was tailor made for his swing. Cronin was right: Jensen was a career .279/.369/.460 hitter, but .298/.400/.514 at Fenway.
It was in Boston that Jensen finally lived up to the hype, becoming a two-time All-Star and winning the A.L. MVP Award in 1958 and a Gold Glove in 1959. During his seven seasons in Boston, he hit .282/.374/.478 in 4,519 plate appearances. In his MVP season, Jensen hit .286/.396/.535 (148 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 35 home runs, and a league-leading 122 RBIs. During his peak with the Red Sox, 1954 to 1959, Jensen's average season was .285/.378/.490 (127 OPS+) with 28 doubles, 26 home runs, 111 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, and 3.6 bWAR. During those six seasons, no one in the American League -- not Mickey Mantle, not Ted Williams, not Al Kaline -- had more runs batted in than Jackie Jensen.
Of course, Mantle was the far better player -- even in Jensen's MVP season, Mantle had more runs, hits, home runs, walks, and a 188 OPS+ -- but Jensen's 127 OPS+ between 1954 and 1959 would have been an upgrade over the aging Hank Bauer's 110 OPS+ in right or the left field merry-go-round of Norm Siebern (113 OPS+), Irv Noren (107 OPS+), Enos Slaughter (103 OPS+), and previously forgotten Yankee Hector Lopez (101 OPS+). Casey Stengel would later say the Jensen trade was the worst one the Yankees had made while he was manager.
Despite his success, Jensen was sometimes booed by the Boston fans, just as they sometimes booed Ted Williams. There even was an article in Sport magazine, "What Do They Want From Jackie Jensen?", taking Red Sox fans to task for their unreasonably high demands from the Golden Boy. In 1956, in a game at Fenway Park against the Yankees, the hometown fans were razzing Jensen so much that teammates had to restrain him from going into the stands after a fan. Later that same game, Williams misplayed a wind-blown fly ball from Mantle, and the fans booed lustily. The very next play, Williams made a leaping catch at the scoreboard to rob Yogi Berra of a double. But Williams, still furious, spit into the crowd. He was later fined $5,000.
And Jackie was unhappy to be away from home. He and Zoe Ann had bought a house near Lake Tahoe, where they could both ski and golf year-round, as well as hit the casinos. They also had a home in Oakland, and a restaurant there, and each year Jensen hosted a pro-am golf tournament. But the marriage was struggling. Zoe Ann, once nationally known for her Olympic exploits, was frustrated to be a stay-at-home mom in the shadow of her famous husband, and Jackie became angry if she engaged in her favorite outdoor hobbies, suspecting there were men around.
Jensen's fear of flying also had become even more intense. Sometimes he was so drugged up that he had to be carried on and off the plane, fueling rumors that he was a drunk. Other times he took trains or even drove while his teammates flew.
Once again Jensen was talking about retirement, and in Spring Training 1957, the Red Sox allowed him to train with the San Francisco Seals, Boston's Triple-A team, rather than having to go to Florida. But he was still miserable. That year, he told Sports Illustrated:

“In baseball you get to the point where you don’t think you have a family. It just looks like I’m not built for this life like some ballplayers. You are always away from home and you’re lonesome, and as soon as I can, I intend to get out.”

The 32-year-old Jensen announced his retirement after the 1959 season, and he spent 1960 home with Zoe Ann and their children and running his restaurant. But he returned in 1961. After hitting just .130 in April, Jensen took a train from Detroit home to Reno, determined to quit once again. After a week away, he rejoined the team and had six hits in his next 10 at-bats. By the end of the season he was at .263/.350/.392, and this time he quit for good.
After leaving baseball, Jensen invested in real estate and a golf course, but lost most of his money. He then got a job working for a Lake Tahoe casino, was a national spokesman for Camel cigarettes, Wonder Bread, and Gillette, and even tried selling cars. Ironically, Jackie found himself on the road almost as much as he had been as a ballplayer. In 1963, he and Zoe Ann divorced, remarried, and then divorced again.
In 1967, Jensen became a TV sportscaster, married his producer Katharine Cortesi, and eventually teamed up with Keith Jackson calling college football games for ABC and a college baseball coach, first at the University of Nevada-Reno and then at the University of California, and he managed the Red Sox team in the New York Penn League in 1970. In 1977, Jackie and Katharine moved to Virginia and started a Christmas tree farm while he coached baseball at a military academy. About five years later, on July 14, 1982, he died of a heart attack at age 55.
You Don't Know Jack(ie):

• How good would Jackie Jensen have been as a Yankee? Maybe not great. He was a career .279/.369/.460 hitter, but just .238/.326/.398 at Yankee Stadium, which -- especially in that era -- was famously death on right-handed batters. Fenway Park was much more to his liking!
  
• Born in San Francisco in 1927, it's no surprise Jensen's favorite player as a kid was Joe DiMaggio, who made his debut with the San Francisco Seals when Jensen was a 5 years old. When Jensen made his major league debut, on April 18, 1950, DiMaggio went 3-for-6 with a triple in a 15-10 win over the Red Sox. Two weeks later, on May 3, Jensen made his first start, playing left field and batting second, and DiMaggio was in center and batting fourth.
  
• Jensen wore #36 at Cal. When he came up with the Yankees, he was first issued #40, then switched to #27, and finally to #25. (With the Senators, he wore #8, then #4; in Boston, he first wore #30 but primarily wore #4.) Currently, #40 is worn by Luis Severino. Other famous 40's include Chien-Ming Wang (2005-2009), Andy Hawkins (1989-1991), and Lindy McDaniel (1968-1973). #27 has been worn by Giancarlo Stanton since 2018; prior to him, it was worn by Austin Romine (2016-2017). It also was the number worn by Bob Wickman (1993-1996), Butch Wynegar (1982-1986), and Woodie Held (1954-1957). Gleyber Torres has worn #25 since 2018; it also was worn by Mark Teixeira (2009-2016), Jason Giambi (2002-2008), Joe Girardi (1996-1999), Jim Abbott (1993-1994), Tommy John (1979-1989), and Joe Pepitone (1962-1969).
  
• Jensen is one of six major leaguers to graduate from Oakland High School, but the only Yankee. Cal has sent 83 players to the majors, including twenty Yankees -- most notably, early 1990s pitcher Chuck Cary, 1930s infielder Lyn Lary, and 1990 A.L. ROY runner-up Kevin Maas.
  
• The Yankees during spring training in 1951 tinkered with the idea of using Jensen into a pitcher. Jensen had been a star pitcher at Cal, including pitching in the 1947 College World Series, and had pitched in a winter league that off-season. But he was bombed in a handful of spring training innings -- while crushing as a hitter -- and the Yankees decided to leave him in the outfield.
  
• College teammates said Jensen wasn't afraid of flying at Cal. His second wife Katharine said the phobia came from a near-miss experience on a flight early in his baseball career -- he looked out the window and saw another plane coming straight at him! The two planes managed to avoid each other, but he was never comfortable on a plane again.
  
• Billy Martin, who also had grown up in Northern California and was Jensen's teammate on both the Oakland Oaks and the Yankees, was merciless when it came to teasing Jensen about his fear of flying. In 1953, on a flight from Okinawa to Honshu to play a series of exhibition games in Japan, the plane ran into a bad storm and was bouncing pretty hard. Jensen, who wouldn't get on a plane without the help of tranquilizers, was blissfully sleeping through the turbulence. Martin found a lifejacket and put it on, then stood over Jensen and shouted "We're going down!"
  
• Arthur Ellen, a hypnotist that Jensen had used to try to cure his fear of flying, believed Jackie wasn't aerophobic at all. It was really a fear of losing his family. "Subconsciously, it developed as a good reason to leave the Red Sox and go home," the hypnotist said.
  
• Jensen is featured prominently in Norman Rockwell's famous 1957 painting, The Rookie. Jensen is the one seated on the bench tying his shoe in the middle of the painting. Standing behind him is Ted Williams, and sitting on the bench next to him is pitcher Frank Sullivan (#18). Wearing the catcher's mitt in the foreground is Sammy White, and the player with his hand over his mouth to the far right is Billy Goodman. Jensen, Sullivan, and White had gone to Rockwell's studio in Massachusetts to pose for the painting; the images of Williams and Goodman were based on photos. The shirtless player was one of Rockwell's assistants, and "the rookie" holding the suitcase was a local high school student!
  
• Boston sportswriters named Jensen the team's MVP in 1954, when he hit .276/.359/.472 with 25 home runs and 117 RBIs. I guess they were tired of giving the award to Ted Williams, who hit .345/.513/.635 that year, albeit in just 117 games as he had broken his collarbone in spring training. Williams didn't qualify for the batting title that year because he had only 386 at-bats... mostly due to his league-leading 136 walks. The rule was subsequently changed from at-bats to plate appearances.
  
• After Jensen was acquired by the Washington Senators, manager Bucky Harris -- who managed the Yankees when they won the 1947 World Series -- pulled him aside and told him he was the right fielder and he'd hit third. "No pep talk, no nothing, but he made it sound like I was the right fielder and third place hitter for a long time to come," Jensen later recalled. "It made me feel good." The 1950s Senators had a number of ex-Yankees and several of them told reporters that Harris was a much more low-key, hands-off manager than Casey Stengel, and Jensen agreed. "With Stengel it was always 'watch for that curve ball' or 'watch for that change up'," Jensen said. "Bucky leaves you on your own up there." But Jensen would later say Stengel was the smartest manager he'd ever had.
  
• Stengel obliquely mentioned Jensen in his famously long, rambling testimony before the Senate Anti-Trust and Monopoly Subcommittee on July 8, 1958. Asked about legislation that would exempt baseball from federal anti-trust laws, Stengel said about 7,000 words without really saying anything. The hearing was held the day after the All-Star Game -- the Stengel-managed A.L. All-Stars won, 4-3 -- and in the American League starting lineup were Jensen and two other ex-Yankees, Bob Cerv and Gus Triandos. Stengel was asked if the Yankees were going to continue to "monopolize" the World Series, and his confusing answer: "Well, I will tell you. I got a little concerned yesterday in the first three innings when I saw the three players I had gotten rid of [Jensen, Cerv, and Triandos] and I said when I lost nine what am I going to do? And when I had a couple of my players I thought so great of that did not do so good up to the sixth inning I was more confused but I finally had to go and call on a young man in Baltimore that we don't own and the Yankees don't own him and he is doing pretty well and I would actually have to to tell you that we are more the Greta Garbo-type now from success. We are being hated. I mean from the ownership and all we are being hated. Every sport that gets too great or one individual -- but if we made twenty-seven cents and it pays to have a winner at home why would you have a good winner in your park if you were an owner? That is the result of baseball. An owner gets most of the money at home, and it is up to him and his staff to do better or they ought to be discharged." After befuddling the committee with answers like that for 45 minutes, Stengel was excused and Mickey Mantle called upon. His opening statement: "My views are just about the same as Casey's."
  
• Casey Stengel later said Jensen plus Spec Shea, Jerry Snyder, and Archie Wilson to the Senators for Irv Noren and Tom Upton was the worst trade the Yankees made during his tenure. But in reality it was pretty much a wash for the Yankees. Jensen, in two seasons, would be worth 4.9 bWAR for the Senators before being traded. Shea, a right-handed pitcher who had been an All-Star with the Yankees as a rookie, pitched four years in Washington and was worth 2.9 bWAR. Snyder was a good-glove, no-hit infielder worth -0.1 bWAR in seven seasons with the Senators. (You must have a really good glove to last seven seasons with a 55 OPS+!) Wilson, at one point seen as a good prospect but now a 28-year-old minor league journeyman, only played 26 games in Washington before being traded. In exchange, the Yankees received the 27-year-old Irv Noren, an outfieldefirst baseman who played five years in New York and was an All-Star in 1954; he was worth 7.9 bWAR, making the trade essentially even by bWAR. (The other player the Yankees received, minor league infielder Tom Upton, never made it back to the bigs.) Prior to the 1957 season, Noren was traded to the Kansas City Athletics as part of a monster 13-player trade that included Clete Boyer, third baseman of the early 1960s dynasty!
  
• The two players Washington got from Boston for Jensen, Mickey McDermott and Tom Upton, were both future Yankees. McDermott was a left-handed pitcher whose father, Maurice McDermott, had played in the minors with Lou Gehrig. Mickey was just 25 years old at the time of the trade but had been in the majors for six seasons, going 48-34 with a 3.80 ERA (114 ERA+). In two years with the Senators, McDermott went 17-25 (but with a 3.58 ERA), then prior to the 1957 season was traded to the Yankees as part of a seven-player deal; he went 2-6 with a 4.24 ERA as a swingman, and closed out the Game 2 win in the 1956 World Series. After that one season in New York, he was part of the trade with the A's that brought back Clete Boyer.
  
• Umphlett, a 22-year-old infielder, was traded back to the Red Sox in 1955, and then the Red Sox traded him to the Yankees in 1962 for infielder Billy Gardner. He would spend 1962 and 1963 in Triple-A for the Yankees, then ended his career in the minors with the Minnesota Twins -- the team that had been the Senators until 1961.
  
• In 1956, the anthology television show Cavalcade of America had an episode called The Jackie Jensen Story. Jackie had a cameo as the adult version of himself, but the 30-minute episode was focused on Jackie's teenage years and the influence of his middle high school coach, a man named Ralph Kerchum who became a father figure. The coach was played by Ross Elliott, a Bronx native whose most memorable role might have been as the director in the Vitameatavegamin episode of I Love Lucy.
  
• Jensen's MVP in 1958 broke a string of four straight MVP awards for Yankees -- Yogi Berra in 1954 and 1955 followed by Mickey Mantle in 1956 and 1957. Nellie Fox of the White Sox won it in 1959, and then the Yankees won it four years in a row again -- Roger Maris in 1960 and 1961, Mantle in 1962, and Elston Howard in 1963. Then a long drought -- the next Yankee to win it would be Thurman Munson in 1976.
  
• Going by bWAR, Mantle should have won it a third straight year in 1958 -- his 8.7 bWAR led the league, followed by Frank Lary at 6.7 and Al Kaline at 6.5. Jensen's 4.9 was 10th that year. Of course, they didn't have bWAR back then!
  
• Jackie won a Gold Glove in 1959; it was just the third year of the award's existence, or he might have won more. "Right field in Boston is a bitch, the sun field, and few play it well," Ted Williams said. "Jackie Jensen was the best I saw at it." Jensen was renowned for his throwing arm -- he twice led the league in assists, and twice led the league in double plays as an outfielder. One Yankee scout said he had the best arm he'd seen since previously forgotten Yankee Bob Meusel, usually said to have the best cannon in baseball history until Roberto Clemente came along.
  
• Jensen was well known for his brashness, especially compared to Mantle's aw shucks attitude. Mantle, asked if he thought he could beat out Jensen to replace DiMaggio in center field, humbly replied that there were three positions in the outfield and he hoped to win any one of them. Jensen, on the other hand, vowed he'd "out-run, out-hit, and out-throw" Mantle, an arrogant answer that didn't go over well with teammates. Joe DiMaggio, asked what he thought of the duel for his old job, quipped that Mantle was "out-quoting" Jensen.
  
• When Mantle was asked what he thought about Jensen's quote, he replied: "I don't know what to make of that guy." Jensen would later say he was misquoted, but reports of his cockiness would follow him throughout his Yankee years. Later in life, Jensen said people mistook his shyness and anxiety for arrogance and rudeness.
  
• According to Sports Illustrated, Jensen is the only player to have played in the East-West football game, the Rose Bowl, the World Series, and the Major League All-Star Game. I'll take their word for it!
  
• As a freshman at Cal, the first time Jensen touched the ball -- on a punt return -- he ran it back for a 56-yard touchdown. Cal quarterback Charles Erb said they'd never seen anything like it. "He was all over the field, dodging and leaping over guys. The rest of us just stood there on the sidelines with our mouths open. Finally somebody said, 'Who in the hell is that guy?' "
  
• Jensen is one of two "forgotten" Yankees in the College Football Hall of Fame -- the other is 1960s catcher Jake Gibbs. (Other Yankees in the College Football Hall of Fame include John Elway, who was in the Yankee minor league system before joining the Denver Broncos, and Deion Sanders, who was on the Yankees in 1989 and 1990.) Jensen also is a member of the Cal Hall of Fame, the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, and... ugh... the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
  
• Despite his speed -- Jensen led the league in triples in 1956 and in stolen bases in 1954, and was in the top five in stolen bases in six seasons -- Jackie also was prone to grounding into double plays, leading the league in 1954, 1956, and 1957. His 32 GIDPs in 1954 was the major league record until Boston's Jim Rice hit into 36 in 1984, which is still the single-season record. Rice also had 35 in 1985. Jensen's 32 is tied for third with four others. The most by a Yankee? Dave Winfield with 30 in 1983, which is tied for 14th.
  
• Jensen lost most of his baseball earnings through a series of bad investments. His ex-wife, former Olympian Zoe Ann, later became a blackjack dealer in Reno to pay the bills.
  
• Jensen had four appearances on the popular show Home Run Derby, and set a record for most home runs in one match when he defeated Ernie Banks, 14-11, in Episode 24. The 25 combined home runs also was a record. He took on Mickey Mantle in Episode 3, with Mantle winning, 9-2, then defeated Rocky Colavito, 3-2, in Episode 25. He rematched against Mantle in Episode 26, with Mantle winning again, 13-10. Jensen set another record in that contest when he became the only player to hit four home runs in a row, and then a fifth home run in a row. That episode was supposed to be the season one finale, but it turned out to be the last episode of the series: The show's host and producer, Mark Scott, died of a heart attack at age 45, shortly after the last episode aired, and two months later the show's 64-year-old director Benjamin Stoloff also died. Rather than replacing them, the show was cancelled.
  
• Jensen's last game came against the Yankees, on October 1st, 1961, at Yankee Stadium. He appeared as a pinch hitter and popped out to shortstop Tony Kubek. In the 4th inning of that game, Roger Maris hit his 61st home run, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record!
  
• Jackie and Zoe Ann had two sons, Jon and Jay, and a daughter, Jan. Jay's son, Tucker Jensen, was a pitcher in the Blue Jays farm system in 2011 and 2012.
  

In 1958, Jensen told Sports Illustrated that the biggest thrill of his career wasn't being an All-American or an All-Star, it wasn't winning an MVP or a World Series. "The biggest is having played in the same outfield with both DiMaggio and Williams."

As we greet the new week, the Big Jeff Audio team is hard at work preparing for our next Big Sound by Big Jeff Podcast. This Thursday June 1st at 7:30pm ET we have another show filled with audio industry stars. Our guests of the night will be John Schneid with Dynamic Sales Marketing, a representative of Kicker, Soundstream, and Dynamat. We also welcome members of the DS18 team, including Sales Rep Jason Martin, “Mr. DS18” Rob Ferro, and Owner of the company Sasha Susterman.
Sasha started DS18 with his father in their garage in hopes to supply local shops with their products. His father Alberto told him “One day we are going to be a national brand.” Though Sasha wasn’t convinced at the time he soon knew DS18 could make huge waves in the audio industry. Today, the company provides equipment all over the world and has factories in Korea, Brazil, and China. From that first amplifier they have expanded their product line to over 200 high quality audio products. Now, the owner and some of his team will talk with Big Jeff about their journey and what’s next for the rapidly growing company.
Jason Martin is a territory manager for DS18 and is charged with maximizing growth with distributors and exploring new business opportunities in his territory. Jason has been involved in the audio world for many years but got his start in the automotive industry first distributing accessories like shift knobs, pedals, and muffler tips in 2000. From there he worked for various audio distributors before joining DS18 in 2016.
Our third guest from DS18 is Mr. DS18 himself Rob Ferro. Rob is the public image for the brand and can be found on many of the social media posts, PR and car shows for DS18. He found his passion for car audio as a teen; when he got his first car, he saved his money to install two 12” subwoofers. Now at DS18, Rob helps the company with research and development by keeping up with customers and trends.
DS18 is working on some exciting new product lines in the power sports space. They will be made available for some of the most popular powersports vehicles including Slingshot, SXS/RZR CANAM, Bronco 6th gen, and some new Jeep applications. “… Honestly I can’t explain how excited I could be!” said Ferro about the new releases.
We will discuss all this and more with our guests and give away some cool equipment. Watch the show on any of the Big Jeff Audio social media accounts to see if you can win. We are thrilled to have members of the DS18 team join us for our next Big Sound podcast this Thursday, June 1st. See you all there!

I have my lap in 19 days. I’m supposed to be moved in 20. I have been suffering for 10 years, with the last two robbing me of any good quality of life. I am so excited I FINALLY found a specialist that is covered by insurance for the lap & excision and he REALLY listened to me. My partner and I looked him up and all his reviews and it’s all 5 stars and above and beyond. I’ve been so gaslit by others this whole time, fighting for just an MRI, or even some sort of treatment plan besides for birth control. I have tried every method 😞🥲 The surgery should be great news. The fact I just got engaged to my partner this year should be a happy thought, but I’ve been this shell of a human so long they’ve seen the worse of it all and still stuck around and now I don’t know where we are gonna go😩🫤 We have to be moved out the SAME week as surgery. Like…no. I’m not doing that, I’ll be out before. Probably outside the dr’s office begging for a sooner surgery. I’ve already been calling 🤣 It’s a good thing we don’t have anything wild to move but our fur babies (two are service trained but are mixed breed and two kitties). Also, because I’ve been sick, I’ve had 0 income so applying for a place is next to impossible. The place I live in is such a toxic, negative, and unsafe environment that I am ready to just book a hotel until my surgery and after it (my parents said they would come help) but don’t have the exact funds yet. Working on it. Any ideas welcome.
I guess we all wanna know each others symptoms to see if there’s any similarities, but deep down, I think I just need some friends. (CoULd tHaT bE u?!) 🤗 I miss my life. It’s weird to grieve the person I was most of it. I was in the height of my career, and performing for thousands of people, and yet there’s no one I recognize who has stayed around. This is a lot for anyone, which is why I’ve avoided having any other type of relationships in my life because I feel like such a burden. Everyone is pretty much gone by now…😶‍🌫️ I’ve started recording videos of my flare ups and episodes to convince myself my pain is real, and that this surgery is going to help and is necessary. I’m looking forward to creating my career post surgery with a chronic pain specialist approach to fitness that is HELPFUL FOR WOMEN to recover and gain strength back after trauma or surgery with the lower body. 💪🏻 I am already a certified personal trainer and never got to start because my pain kept me from stepping into a gym. When I help, I am whole. And my anxiety isn’t as bad. So I hope I get back to that point. 👐🏻 When you have loss, and pain, and anxiety, what do you do? This community has pulled me out of flare ups and I just wanna say thank you for reading and anything you say 💕

Hi everyone, and welcome to the monthly discussion thread!
Anything about Star Wars novels goes. Have you bought and/or read any titles last month? What are you planning to buy and/or read this month? What future title(s) are you excited about? What cover art did you see that impressed you?
Whatever you want to talk about that's about Star Wars novels, it's allowed in this thread (of course keeping in mind our sub's rules about not being an asshole towards each other or writers). And remember that if you want to read a novel, you can always post a thread to see if people feel like reading with you and discussing the title afterwards!

It's Wednesday and you would be surprised how long it took me to realize that the majority of watches released yesterday were actually Swatch Group. That Tissot has me spending money.

What's new

1/
Tissot Releases The Best Summer Watch Of The Year, The Forged Carbon Sideral
The late 60s and 70s are arguably the golden age of watch design. It’s the time when watches stopped being elegant personal timekeeping devices and became tools. Or, at least, gave the illusion of being a tool watch so you could look like a badass on the beach. It gave us luxury sports watches like the Nautilus and Royal Oak, gorgeous chronographs from Heuer and dive watches from the likes of Blancpain and Rolex. It was also the the time of experimenting with materials and Tissot used their Sideral to do so. Since it’s supremely cool today to revive funky vintage watches, Tissot is now bringing back the Sideral, also experimenting with new materials, but this time with forged carbon.
The late 60s version of the Sideral was the first watch to ever use a monobloc fibreglass case. Two years later, the Sideral S was introduced, a sportier take on the concept with a now famous yellow rubber strap and different fastening system.
The new version retains a lot of the aspects of the original, but updating it for the age it’s made in. It retains the barrel shape of the case made of forged carbon fibre and stainless steel that measures 41mm in width and 46.5mm in length. You can get the watch in three colors, and while the black & yellow and black & grey models show the natural colours and pattern of the forged carbon fibre, the black & blue one comes with blue flakes embedded into the material. The unidirectional rotating bezel on top is fitted with a black insert and a graduated regatta scale in white. The screw-down crown ensures it is water-resistant to 300m.
The dial is predominantly black, with either a grey, blue or yellow minute track. This segmented track is accompanied by a green and red regatta countdown section between 12 and 2 o’clock. Tissot is a Swatch company, so it’s just natural that it gets the Powermatic 80 automatic movement. This is Swatch Group’s go-to automatic for several brands and is essentially a heavily modified ETA 2824 which has gotten decent reviews and has an 80 hour power reserve.
The watch comes on three perforated rubber straps in yellow, red or blue, inspired by the original yellow one. Additional coloured straps are said to be available too.
Each of the watches, available now, will retail for EUR 1,075. Looks like Tissot has another hit on their hands.
2/
The New Certina DS Action Diver 43mm Is Pitch Black
Cartina has had a long stretch of being neglected by owners and undermined by the public. But boy, are they back. In the past couple of years they have regrouped and boy, are they on a bender. Vintage reissues, fantastic affordable divers… they even have a modular watch system which is… meh. However, the latest release form the Swiss watchmaker is not meh. In fact, it’s pretty bold. The new Certina DS Action Diver is super black.
It’s a big diver, there’s no denying it. 43mm wide, 51mm lug-to-lug and 13.1mm thick. It’s a stainless steel case with a matte black PVD coating, as well as a matte black ceramic insert within the coin-edge bezel. The blackness of the insert is broken up with a single bright white lume pip at 12. The NATO strap it comes on is also black and made out of recycled plastic. The one downside of the case is the fact that it has a 21mm lug width, so good luck finding a different strap.
The dial is just as black, with contrasting crisp white makers that glow like crazy. The triangles at the quarters and the arrowhead hour hand do help to lend an extra sense of aggression to the dial. There’s a date window at three o’clock. Certina, like Tissot, is owned by the Swatch group, so no surprises on what’s inside - it’s the Powermatic 80.
The Certina DS Action Diver in black is now available from all Certina authorised retailers. Price: CHF895
3/
Mido Introduces Stylish Multifort Powerwind Collection
Here’s another brand from the Swatch Group that has been kicking ass in the past few years - Mido. It might be controversial, but the Mido Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer is one of my favorite watches of the past few years. Mido does vintage fantastically, just like they did last year when they introduced a limited edition, COSC-certified, revival of the 1954 Multifort Powerwind. Now, Mido is introducing three new variations of the Multifort Powerwind that will be part of the brand’s permanent collection.
The Multifort is Mido’s most important watch. Born in the 1930s, this automatic, anti-magnetic, water-and shock-resistant watch has become its bestseller. The concept was drastically updated in 1954 with an innovative automatic movement and renamed the Powerwind. Developed in collaboration with partner A. Schild SA, the automatic part of the movement reduced the components from the standard 16 to just seven, making it easier to build and service while enhancing durability and reliability.
The new models retain the same elegantly designed case with its thin, twisted lugs, box-shaped sapphire crystal and overall retro style as the limited edition released last year. Compared to the 1954 watch, it has grown quite a bit and is now 40mm wide and 12mm thick. What changes most regarding the design, compared to the limited edition of last year, are the dials.
The permanent collection is no longer a day-date model, but rather just a time and date watch, with reworked markers that are a combination of applied triangular indices and printed Arabic numerals. You can get it in three versions: steel with black dial, steel with blue dial, yellow gold PVD-coated steel with champagne dial.
Perhaps the biggest change happens on the inside - while the limited edition last year had a chronometer-certified ETA 2836-2 movement, the permanent collection gets, you guessed it, the Powermatic 80, here named the Caliber 80. The watch comes on a 3-link stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp and quick-release spring bars.
You can get the watches now, priced at EUR 970 (black and blue) or EUR 1,160 (PVD gold).
4/
Rado Adds Three Ceramic Watches to their Great Gardens of the World Series
Rado is a polarizing brand. Some love it, others almost detest it. But there’s no denying that Rado has done impressive things with the use of ceramic, be it their retro sports watches in the Captain Cook line, the super minimalist watches in the Designer line or the dressier models like the True Thinline. This is Rado’s slim ceramic watch intorduced in 2011 that is now getting three new models with textured dials inspired by endangered plant species in partnership with the Great Gardens o the World organisation.
This is not the first time that Rado is working with Great Gardens of the World, a network of gardens across 20 countries. They have made seven watches prior, making these Chapters 8 through 10. All three of the new watches have the same 40mm high-tech ceramic monobloc case that’s only 9mm thick, with ceramic bracelets that have a triple-folding titanium clasp. Inside the watch is the Rado 766 movement, based on the ETA 2892.
The major differences of the three come from the looks of the watches. Chapter 8 is housed in a black polished ceramic case, with the dial recreating the pleated leaves of the Hawaiian Luolu lelo palm tree. The hands and brand name are golden coloured. Chapter 9 is dedicated to the Chilean Araucaria, or monkey puzzle tree, and comes in a glossy, white high-tech ceramic case. The sharp, scale-like leaves of the tree are replicated on the dial with a composition of engraved triangles in opalescent mother-of-pearl. Chapter 10 is dedicated to the Dragon Blood Tree in a grey ceramic case and a two layer dial. The top layer is a skeletonised plate cut out in organic shapes to evoke the thick, entangled branches of the Dragon Blood Tree, revealing the lower layer in a pink gold colour.
The trilogy – Chapters 8, 9 and 10 of the Rado True Thinline Great Gardens of the World – is available in a collector’s box, limited to 99 units. Alternatively, each model can be purchased individually for EUR 2,900.
5/
The New Edox SkyDiver 38 Date Automatic Is A Vintage Inspired Skin Diver For You If You Want A Smaller Watch
The Edox SkyDiver has an interesting story. The brand claims that a mysterious drawing was found in their archives which turned out to be “the sketch of a long-lost timepiece, the SkyDiver”. Along with the sketch, there was a scrawled note reading: 1973. Special production in strictly limited edition“ According to a retired Edox watchmaker, the SkyDiver was rumoured to be a secret project for a mysterious, wealthy Swiss colonel. The anonymous colonel wanted an exclusive timepiece for elite mountain paratroopers under his command. It had to combine the no-nonsense functionality of a dive watch with the style and aesthetics of a precision pilot’s watch.
So Edox took these sketches and remade it in modern times with a bronze version that followed. In 2021, the SkyDiver was entirely revamped with new looks and upgraded materials, yet a solid vintage touch, in a case of 42mm. To fix the biggest complaint they got, they are now releasing a new version - the 38mm SkyDiver.
It’s basically the same watch, but smaller. It’s a traditional skin-diver watch, with a straight case, unprotected oversized crown, rather slim case profile topped by a heavily domed crystal. The screw down crown gives you 300m of water resistance and the domed crystal brings the thickness to 13.7mm. You can have it with two dial colors - black or blue, with a matching ceramic insert on the bezel, and it has a glossy vintage finish with applied markers with orange highlights.
Inside is the Selita SW200-1 automatic movement with 4Hz frequency and 38h power reserve. Both colors come on a 3-link brushed and polished steel bracelet closed by a triple folding clasp.
The watch is available now and is priced at EUR 1,575 (excl. taxes).
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On hand - a selection of reviews

1/
Hands on with the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph
2/
A review of the updated mint green Rolex Sky-Dweller
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Watch Worthy - A look at an offbeat, less known watch you might actually like

How time shaped the Type 20 chronograph, and the brands that keep the legend alive
Watches and military history have an unbreakable bond. You only need to think back to the very beginnings of the wristwatch as a tool. During the Anglo-Burma War and First Boer War, soldiers began to strap pocket watch cases with primitive soldered lugs to their wrists, which opened the door for a new market. Fast-forward some 70 years, and you’ll find yourself in a new world, free from the shackles of World War II. Despite it being a time of peace, the French government found itself in need of accurate, reliable timepieces, resulting in the Type 20 chronograph that took inspiration from the designs of German pilot’s chronographs of the 1930s and 1940s, and applied it to the set of regulations outlined by the French. Today, original Type 20 pieces remain highly sought-after, spawning many re-editions and homages, with one brand in particular making the most of the design.
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Defending the Draft: 2023 Washington Commanders 8-8-1
Preface:
Hope.
This 2023 season will be the most interesting for the Commanders franchise in a long long time. We enter this season with more uncertainty than I have ever been a part of, however, the one thing the fan base is certain of... is the future is brighter. Dan Snyder purchased the franchise in 1999 and subsequently done nothing but run a blue blood franchise into the ground. This team has lacked direction for a long time and a large part of that was due to Dan Snyder's meddling in the day-to-day football operations of the team. Starting his ownership with signing washed up HOF veterans, to then overspending in free agency (Albert Haynesworth is arguably the worst free agent signing of all time), drug scandal with thetraining staff, the mishandling of the RG3 and Kirk Cousins situation, Not resigning Trent Williams, and lastly we've now reached tumultuous time where his off the field issues have hung a dark cloud over a once proud franchise. Although, lol, his most egregious mistake may be hiring Jim Zorn as head coach. It's egregious that his only punishment is a 6 billion dollar payout for his franchise. I hope the banks bury him and he faces the deserved legal actions. As of now there had been an agreement to sell the franchise to 76'rs and NJ Devils owner, Josh Harris.... and is 20ish members of his parliament. We await to hear news of the reviews from the NFL financial committee to close out the process. Last news I came across was he has cut down the number of minority owners to 20. It will be a pleasure when this agreement is finalized. He could be a terrible owner, but it would still be an upgrade from Synder. Harris, seemingly has been a hands off owner and properly allows the people he's hired to operate the team. This last sports season he's had both of his teams deep in the playoff hunt. This season will be interesting. A lot of questions all around: Sam Howell? Chase Young? Ron Rivera? Eric Bienemy? Josh Harris? I'm not sure of those answers, but I'm very excited to find them out.
Coaching:
HC- Ron Rivera OC- Eric Bieniemy DC- Jack Del Rio
Key Additions: Eric Bieniemy
Ole' Riverboat Ron Rivera is back and going into his 4th season with the Washington Commanders, hopefully his last. I believe Ron Rivera is a leader of men, but I highly question his actual coaching skills and team building. I've currently seen enough of this coaching regime and front office to safely say let's move on. There's been several things that I believed were firable offenses.... the Carson Wentz trade. Some rumors have said that this was a Snyder push. Not entirely positive, but Ron bragged that it was his call. Our team at that point was not a qb away from being really good, let alone a Carson Wentz level of qb. The next fireable offense was starting Wentz over Hienke when the playoffs were on the line. Wentz ended up being benched for Hienke, but it was too little too late. The next fireable offense was not realizing we were eliminated from the playoffs. Going into the last week of the season Ron planned on starting Hieneke. Pretty odd to not know you're out of the playoffs, let alone to test Sam Howell out for next season. Additionally, there's been some pretty questionable roster creation decisions. I absolutely hate the versatile secondary and offensive line philosophy. We currently have a patch work offensive line that has the means to fluctuate between average to below average. Not a single player on the line is top 5 at their respected position. Two years ago we had a top 10 o-line, but that had Brandon Sherff playing like a top 5 guard and Charles Leno having his best season. Our o-line took a significant step back this past season and now looks to be our biggest weakness. Ron has shown to trust his own board and has reached (according to the consensus big board) with every single pick so far. People mistake 2019 as one of his drafts ( Sweat, McLaurin, Holcomb), but he was hired at the end of the season. Take this with a grain of salt as it takes at least 3 years to properly review a draft. Rons 1st round picks have been the following: 2020 pick 2 Chase Young- the correct pick at the time, but hard to botch the 2nd overall pick, 2021 pick 19 Jamin Davis- hated the pick at the time, too early for a linebacker... let a lone a project. On tape he looked lost a lot and made up for it with his elite athleticism. He's shown progress, but nothing showing he's worthy of the pick. 2022 pick 16 Jahan Dotson- looks to be an absolute baller, had him ranked above Olave in the pre-draft process. Was a slight reach above the consensus board, but flashed high end ability. Davis has been the only mistake in the 1st round thus far. When I say mistake I don't necessarily mean player, but the roster building philosophy. Whether reaching on Phidarian Mathis in the 2nd round of 2022. Lol, he was older than Payne coming out of the draft, one year of good production, and was taken a round too early. In the next round Brian Robinson was taken and was really just a body. Haven't really seen anything elite with him so far and was a meh pick. John Bates in the 4th round was egregious. Now I have to give credit where it's due. Kam Curl was an absolute steal and can solidify himself as top 5 safety this season if he continues to play this well. Our other starting safety in Darrick Forest also had a lot of bright spots playing this past season.
Arguably, our best offseason move was signing Eric Bieniemy. I'm absolutely excited. Forget everything about him not calling the plays. Reports from OTA's shows his hands on approach and full control of the offense. One of my favorites things I've heard is he is using OTA's to see what the players can do and crafting the offense to their abilities. Time and time again (Scott Turner) you see coaches say this is the offense and not change anything to match the players strengths. We don't know for sure how the offense will look, but if it's anything close to the motion west coast offense the Chiefs have... boy lessssss gooooooo. Jack Del Rio has been up-and-down in his time in Washington. He's had two very slow starts with the defense to start year, however, they've finished strong and kept his job safe. This is really the no excuse year and everyone needs to show up amd show out.
Free Agency:
Key Departures:
Taylor Hieneke- signed with the Falcons
Cole Holcolm- signed with the Steelers
Bobby McCain- signed with the Giants
Carson Wentz- TBD
J.D. McKissic- TBD
Trai Turner TBD
Andrew Norwell- will be released when he passes a physical
Summary:
In my personal oppinion, the only player that hurt losing in free agency was Cole Holcolm. Linebacker is our one weak spot on defense, however, not resigning Holcolm shows Ron's belief in Jaymin Davis's progression. Cole was limited to 7 games last season and has yet to truly break out. Always played very solid and losing him downgraded the position. We've moved on from both starting guards from last year in Norwell and Turner (previously on the Panthers). Both players were liabilities last season and the guard position was easily upgradeable. Bonny McCain was a solid do it all for is player. Lined up at corner, safety, and nickel throughout the season. Hieneke was a big fan favorite, but was never the answer. We thank you for your service though. Carson Wentz, fuck you. Loved J.D. and his time here, suffered a major injury. Not sure if he gets picked up hy another team.
Key Additions:
Andrew Wiley- 3 years for 24 million, 12 guaranteed. Previously on the Chiefs
Nick Gates- 3 years for 16.5 million, 8 million guaranteed. Previously on the Giants
Jacoby Brissett- 1 year for 8 million, 7.5 million guaranteed. Previously on the Browns
Cody Barton- 1 year for 3.5 million, 3.5 million guaranteed. Previously on the Seahawks
Summary:
Simple. In free agency the Commanders did not overspend and tackled positions of need. None of the players signed are top 5 at their position, however, they could all possibly end up being upgrades to what we have. The most interesting is Andrew Wiley. He allowed 9 sacks (tied for 3rd most)... but man he put on the performance of his life in the superbowl. Another stat that favors him is pass block win-rate, which measure if a lineman can sustain a block for 2.5 seconds. Wylie ranked 9th in that stat last season. I translate that stat to mean can a lineman sustain a block against thr initial rush and counter move off the snap. After that 2.5 seconds the ball is thrown or the play breaks down. Another key factor to this signing is it kicks Samuel Cosmi inside to guard. Cosmi has shown flashes being a high end lineman and I expect him to be even better kicking to guard from right tackle. Guard was our weakest position on the line and Wylie signing helped to upgrade the RG position. Nick Gates is expected to he our starting center. He's coming off of a brutal leg injury that made him consider retirement. Has played guard and center and has some positional flexibility. Jacoby Brissett is the best backup qb in thr league. A solid signing if Howell doesn't pan out. Just a solid game manager that doesn't commit many turnovers. Cody Barton is another unproven guy. Last year was his first year with significant reps. Bobby Wagner leaving in FA and Jordyn Brooks injury made em the guy. He showed flashes of coverage abilities and had a lot of tackles. The tackles weren't necessarily a product of his abilities and more so of cleaning up on a bad run defense team. I've read some notes that he has trouble getting off of blocks. Honestly, haven't watched much on the guy, but reports were he played solid down the stretch.
The Draft:
Link to all RAS scores for our draft class
https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/lists/2023-nfl-draft-ras-scores-for-the-washington-commanders-7-player-class-emmanuel-forbes/
Round 1:16 Emmanuel Forbes 6'1" 174 lbs. Mississippi St
Stats: 58 targets, 31 catches allowed for 284 yards (23 yards a game), 3 tds allowed/ 6 ints, 9 forced incompletions, 2 dropped ints, 46 tackles.
PFF Grade: 87.2
If being a 160 pounds is your only knock then I think you're doing something alright. The word on the street is he is already up to 174 pounds. You wouldnt realize hes only 174 pounds by the way he plays the run. Hes not scared to hit and flies ro the ball. Although, he does struggle to get off of blocks. Emmanuel Forbes, per PFF, had the highest rating in man coverage last season, albeit the snap count was very miniscule. Emmanuel Forbes is a lanky corner than played a lot of zone coverage and is a very good scheme fit for what we do. I like the pick and I'm not upset about taking him over Gonzalez, who also had his own question marks. Forbes set a NCAA record with 6 pick sixes. A lot of those were the right place at the right time, but when you have that high of a number than you're doing something right.
PFF:
Forbes is one of the best ballhawks in this class. Over the course of his three-year career, he came down with 13 interceptions. That’s four more than the next closest Power Five cornerback since 2020. Forbes was unbelievably dominant in man coverage in 2022, giving up only three catches while also snagging three interceptions. He also only allowed a 20% completion rate in man, the lowest among FBS
PROS
Remarkably lanky frame. Limbs for days — ideal for a corner.Has bounce like a hooper. He can challenge any catch point necessary. Elite ability to locate the football. All six of his interceptions came in man coverage.
CONS
Still a stick. Not much mass on his frame. Has eyes that get him in trouble. Some freelance tendencies on tape.Can get bowled over in the run game. Mediocre tackler over the course of his career.
Round 2: 47 Jartavius "Quan" Martin 5'11". 194 lbs Illinois
Stats: 74 targets, 42 catches allowed, 611 yards allowed, 3 tds allowed, 3 ints, 15 forced incompletions, 2 dropped ints, 4 missed tackles, 64 tackles.
PFF Grade: 73.2
Quan is a beast. I thought he was the 2nd best nickel prospect in the draft and a better deep safety than Brian Branch. Martin absolute rockets around the field in the run game. He started his career at cornerback before transitioning into the safety/nickel position. Another elite athlete that is a perfect fit for our Buffalo Nickel defense.
PFF:
Martin came to Illinois and immediately started as a true freshman in 2018. He originally started off as an outside corner before becoming more of a slot corner recently. He had arguably his best year in 2022, as his 15 forced incompletions were tied for the sixth-most among Power-Five corners. Martin’s 91.0 run-defense grade also led all Power Five cornerbacks. While he played corner at Illinois, we project him more as a safety for the next level.
PROS:
Explosive flat-foot breaks. Tremendous burst. Forceful and reliable tackler - 7 misses on the last 129 attempts last two seasons.Fills like a mac truck in the run game. Wants to come downhill and play in the backfield.
CONS:
Pure man skills are work in progress. Overagressive and liability to bite on fakes. cons On the lighter side for an around the line of scrimmage player. Gets caught with his eyes in the backfield on run
Round 3: 97 Ricky Stromberg 6'3" 306 lbs Arkansas
Stats: 9 impact blocks, 11 qb hurries, 0 qb hits, 0 sacks allowed
PFF Grade: 82.4
Nasty. Another guard experience player that spent his last two years at the center position. Award winner of the Jacob's Blocking Trophy for the SEC'S most outstanding blocker award. This is a solid player that has started since he was freshman in the SEC. He's been battle tested since he was kid and has improved every year. He has some knocks about his play strength, but a NFL program should get em to where he needs to be.
PFF:
Stromberg was a three-star recruit in the 2019 class and started for the Razorbacks as a true freshman, mostly at right guard. He moved inside to center for his sophomore season and spent his final three college seasons there. Stromberg’s 82.4 overall grade and 83.7 run-blocking grade in 2022 both ranked fourth among all centers in college football, and his nine big-time blocks were tied for fifth among FBS centers. Not to mention, Stromberg had an incredible performance at the NFL combine.
PROS:
Does not want to let blocks go. Can see him straining his butt of to stay engaged on tape. Tons of experience against top competition. Four-year starter with 3,121 career snaps.
CONS:
Forward lean gets going on the move, making him liable to topple over. Has wide hands to initiate contact in pass protection before resetting. Leaves himself open for stronger rushers.Unimpressive musculature, which leaves questions about how he'll anchor against NFL strength.
Round 4: Braeden Daniels 6'4" 296 lbs Utah STATS:
0 sacks allowed, 1 qb hit allowed, 14 hurries allowed.
PFF GRADE: 72.2 at tackle, 2021 84.4 at guard.
Braeden Daniels is another tackle/guard hybrid, with starting experience across his college career. This guy is on the lighter side but that allows him to be an Explosive athlete. Very raw at the tackle position and will be a developmental guy. I'd like to give em a try as our swing tackle and see how he performs. He was one of the quickest offensive lineman I've seen off the tape and that athleticism will let him climb to the next level. Even on the lightweight side I'd hate to see this guy running at me on the second level.
PFF:
Daniels is an experienced veteran who commanded the Utes’ offensive line for the past few years. He originally started as a guard before switching over to tackle. His best season came in 2021, as he put up an 84.4 PFF grade. Given his time on the interior, Daniels is at his best when run blocking, and his run-blocking grade in 2021 was an elite 89.1. He still held his own as a pass protector, allowing only five sacks in his Utah career.
PROS
Explodes out of his stance. Arguably the quickest get off in the offensive line class. Linebackers don't want to see him climbing. Gets on them before they can even react. Drive in his lower half to still move the line of scrimmage despite being under 300 pounds.
CONS
Wild into contact. He approaches blocks with the adjustment ability of a freight train. consDoesn't bring his hands with him. Clean engagements are rare on tape. Very light by NFL standards (294 pounds at combine).
Round 5: 137 KJ Henry 6'4" 260 lbs Clemson
STATS:
51 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF, 6 pass deflections, 50 qb pressures, 31 qb hurries, 14 qb hits.
PFF GRADE: 83.1
Loved this pick. Henry was a 5 star recruit coming out of high-school and decided to attend Clemson University. With Clemson having deep lines it took him a couple of years to get on the field. The stats look odd when you only see 3.5 sacks, however, the 50 qb pressures is the key stat. Seems more like bad luck that the sack numbers weren't high. Clemson's whole d-line underperformed (Bresee, Murphey) and they should have picked up more sacks from Henry who was the best DE on that team last year. The team clearly liked him as we traded back up for him. He's not elite athlete, but he is an elite hands guy. Almost had that veteran presence in college. High motor and will immediately make an impact as a rotational de, a position that sorely needed an upgrade.
PFF:
On a team with Myles Murphy, you can easily make the case that KJ Henry was Clemson's best defensive end this year, as he posted better PFF grades than Murphy in every category and even generated 19 more pressures. The only problem is That Henry is 24 years old while Murphy is only 21. Therefore, Henry was expected to produce this well against younger competition. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that he can’t still improve. If Henry's play this season is any indication of his potential, he can still have a great NFL career as an edge defender.
PROS:
Heavy hands that are so well refined. Uses them independently to use combination moves.Utilizes hesitations and head fakes so well to catch linemen off-balance. Coaches rave about the type of teammate he is. He is the type of player you want in the locker room.
CONS:
First step that's unimposing for a rusher on the smaller side. Late bloomer. Wasn't even a starter until this past fall. One of the oldest prospects in the class. Already 24 years old.
Round 6: 193 Chris Rodriguez 6'0" 217 lbs Kentucky
STATS: 8 games played, 175 attempts, 904 rushing yards, 6 tds, 5.2 ypa, 5 catches, 41 rec yards.
PFF GRADE: 90.8
Chris Rodriguez is a PFF darling and was rated as the 7th best running back. This guy's is a pure one cut, run you over, power back. There's not much finesse to his game, but there's highlights of dragging guys 10-yards down the field. He does not posses break away speed, but he will get you 40 yards. He was suspended 4 games due to a dui and he may have been drafted higher on am abysmal Kentucky team. An extra 4 games of stats against SEC competition and no suspension may have jumped him into the 4th round. This was an Eric Bienemy guy and they brought him in because of that. Isiah Pacheco was another EB guy.
PFF:
Rodriguez is a powerful runner, but he lacks the burst and creativity to become anything more than a downhill grinder. He has the size and mentality to do the dirty work between the tackles, but it could be a challenge for him to get to and through the hole quickly in the NFL. He’s a physical blitz protector, so teams might envision a role for him as a second-half battering ram and third-down quarterback protector.
PROS:
Two-time team captain. Thick frame with ability to pick up tough yards. Makes tacklers feel his size at impact. Stays square getting through downhill cuts. Low success rate guaranteed for arm-tacklers. Stays on his feet through heavy angle strikes. Allows lead blockers to do their work. Steps up with force against incoming rushers.
CONS:
Below-average burst getting through line of scrimmage. Lacks finesse to navigate tight run lanes. Change of direction is heavy. One-speed running style is easy to track for linebackers. Pad level is a little tall as run-finisher. Inconsistent finding assignment versus blitz.
Round 7: 233 Andre Jones 6'4" 248 lbs Louisiana
STATS: 7 sacks, 5 qb hits, 20 hurries.
PFF GRADE: 77.2
Andre Jones was another hybrid de/lb player coming out last year. He possess 34 1/4" arms which is an elite number for his size. May move to LB, but I'm not sure that's the right move with a 4.71 40-yard dash. He doesn't have much a pass rush move set playing a hybrid role, but does use length to his advantage. A solid developmental pick.
PROS:
Shows a natural feel for setting up blockers and getting them off-balance. His hands are active and violent, and Jones quickly disengages with blockers and counters when his initial move stalls. Possesses accurate snap anticipation and timing to beat blockers off the edge. Offers some versatility, rushing from a two-and three-point stance with the playing speed to stand up in space.Flashes strength as a bull rusher and his energy doesn't plateau. Showed initial quickness and good flexibility to dip and bend. Jones has active hands and suddenness to his movements, demonstrating the ability to counter inside. Has fluid footwork to redirect, reverse momentum and close with a burst. Regularly first off the ball with good snap anticipation. He’s a high-effort pass rusher with an impressive combination of length and speed.
CONS:
Jones has to develop a counter move or two in the pass rush, and Jones needs to make better use of his hands. He lacks the speed of a chase and- tackle guy. He lacks twitch as a pass rusher and lacks the feet and flexibility to threaten around the edge. Jones also shows some stiffness when trying to bend the edge, often getting pushed past the pocket — he seems more comfortable countering back inside.
Draft Summary:
This was my favorite Ron Rivera/Martin Mayhew draft thus far. Going into the draft, offensive line, cornerback, and quarterback were our three biggest needs. Drafting in the middle of the round really took us out of the olineman race. The last one that interested me was Broderick Jones and he went off the board when the Steelers traded up. At that point in the draft it really left us with going cornerback. The Forbes pick was received negatively due to Christian Gonzalez being available. Both players will be viewed under the microscope throughout their careers. I'm fine with Forbes pick though. Another lanky cornerback who was an elite athlete. I did have Gonzalez rated higher going into the draft, but he slid for a reason. A lot of his tape shows him not necessarily being an elite cornerback, but being an elite athlete that plays corner. Forbes actually showed the athleticism, corner skills, and ballhawking ability. Some additional knocks against Gonazalez and his love of the game. Quan Martin was our biggest surprise pick of the draft. A lot of people had him going in the 3rd round, but I think the 2nd was a fine spot. Mayhew after the draft said he wish we were more aggressive at times, which I translated as not getting Brian Branch that went several picks before us. I think Quan was the backup option, but I like him as much as Branch. I think Quan will be a better deep safety and Bramch will be a better nickel. Liked Quan alot, but felt we should have gone o-line at this pick. Ocyrus Torrence would've been a sweet pick here. I think if that happened, the consensus view on our draft would shoot up. Quan will immediately via for playing time as our base defense is essentially a 4-2-5. Kendall Fuller was our only above average corner and now we turned our secondary into a strength. Ricky Stromberg and Braeden Daniels were our next two picks. I like Stromberg’s tape a lot and think by next he will be a solid starter at guard or center. Braeden Daniels will be a nice depth piece and if he's able to tame his play he could develop into a starter. Fun player to watch. KJ Henry was an awesome pick and can see him being a nice rotational piece. Good pick at an underrated area of need on our defense. RB wasn't a pressing need, but it's an underrated area of weakness. I think Brian Robinson is about as average of rb as you will see starting in the NFL. I wouldn't be surprised if Rodriguez slowly cut into Robinson's role over the next two years. Antonio Gibson has had some solid season, but has a severe fumbling problem. Andre Jones will be a depth piece that will need development moving forward.
Offseason summary:
The biggest question of our offseason was our owner, which now appears resolved. Our second biggest question... was who was our starting qb? Sam Howell. Ron preached all offseason that he was going with Howell and I'll be damned, he did. Brissett was good qb to bring in, not someone that would necessarily turn the offseason into a battle, but can be a starter if called upon. Really a true backup qb. I'm all in on the Sam Howell train. I love it for a multitude of reasons. One, he balls out and we have our qb of the future, two he plays well enough we give him another season and maybe Ron is out and we get a high draft pick, three he bombs and we fire Ron Rivera and go for Caleb Williams next season. If anything, it gives us a direction for our future. I'm ready for Ron to go and think he's only as good as his coordinators. I'm concerned that EB AND Howell turn the offense around Ron gets resigned and EB takes a head coaching role... then the offense regressed. Additionally, I don't want Ron to get credit for drafting Howell. It was 5th round pick, you and every team passed on him for 4 rounds. If Howell is that good... it's not because Ron was a genius and drafted him. Very similar to Seattle taking Russel. I am excited about EB being here and think he's the real deal. I will give Ron credit for allowing him to run his own offense as he sees fit. OTA's have shown that EB is pushing his guys hard and is trying to see what he can do with the offense. We really do have elite playmaker and I'm most excited to see what he can do with Antonio Gibson. I can see his role being that of Jerrick McKinnon, with more athleticism. Sam Howell has shown a lot of progress since his rookie season. Had issues with his foot work, but has shown vast improvements. We only have 1 preseason game and 1 NFL game of tape on him. I liked what he showed. When watching tape you could see him going through his progression, man absolutely saved the day wish his escapability- was under pressure the whole game, threw two beautiful deep passes, and won the game. He did throw one bad pick, but was under pressure and playing hero ball. He had one week of practice with the starters, now he has a whole offseason. Our defense should be a top 5 unit next season and we only got better. Chase Young should be fully healthy and he's the X-factor for the number one overall defense. He comes out plays to his full potential then he could be a mid teens sack guy. If we have that sort of production and Sam Howell plays well than we can compete for the decision. Big if though. Our secondary really lacked a 2nd option, Benjamin St Juyce has shown some flashes but didn't seeze the role last year. Now on paper he's the number and that's very solid. We return two top 6 defensive tackles and Montez Swear is one of the most underrated players in the league. He's yet to have a high sack season, but is very much that Jadaveon Ckowney type of player in the run game. Big question mark season for Jaymin Davis. We knew he needed development, but it's been slower than previously thought. Down the stretch he showed flashes that he was coming into his own and now is his year. He's one of the best athletes at linebacker in the league and his ceiling is very very high. Overall I predict we will go 10-7 and challenge for a wild card spot. That record can fluctuate each one, but I'm calling the improvement now. We went 8-8-1 with bottom 3 qb play. The defense got better, we hired a better offensive coordinator, Howell will at the minimum be slightly better than Hienke last season, we didn't lose any major pieces and had a solid all around draft. I'm truly excited to watch how our future plays out.

ATLANTA

• Marlo Hampton Sizzles in a Completely Sheer Halter Dress & Gucci Gloves (Marlo Hampton Instagram/Bravo)
• Inside RHOA star Kandi Burruss’ $6K-a-night luxury Turks & Caicos villa where she celebrated 47th birthday with co-stars (The Sun U.S. exclusive)
• Kim Zolciak-Biermann Completes Parenting Course Amid Messy Kroy Biermann Divorce: Details (US Weekly)
• Kim Zolciak's Husband Kroy Tells Police He's Living Under Same Roof With Estranged Wife Due to Dire Financial Situation (Radar Online exclusive)
• Peter Thomas Blasted By Former Bar One Miami Employee Who Claims His Establishment Owes Her $1400 In Unpaid Wages (The Jasmine Brand)

NEW JERSEY

• Teresa Giudice slams ‘RHONJ’ fans saying Melissa Gorga made her ‘squirm’ at reunion (Page Six)
• Teresa Giudice, 51, displays her toned figure in a cut-out swimsuit while in Puerto Rico (Teresa Giudice Instagram/Daily Mail)
• 1 minute video: Does RHONJ's Danielle Regret Dishing Melissa Gorga Cheating Rumors? She Says... (E! exclusive)

ORANGE COUNTY

• Vicki Gunvalson, Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador tease their forthcoming reunion on "RHOC" (Page Six Star Snaps)
• Look Back at Heather Dubrow's Designer Reunion Dresses (Bravo Style & Living)

NEW YORK

• Dorinda Medley relaxes on the beach on Memorial Day (Page Six Star Snaps)
• Bethenny Frankel is a ray of sunshine in smiley face sweats and pink bunny slippers as she stops by Today show in New York City (Daily Mail)

BEVERLY HILLS

• ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Star Erika Jayne Is Not Dating Lawyer Jim Wilkes II (US Weekly)
• This Is What a Sunday Barbecue Looks Like in Kyle Richards’ Backyard (Alexia Umansky Instagram/Bravo)

MIAMI

• Lisa Hochstein blasts Lenny for not spending ‘substantive time’ with their kids (Page Six exclusive)

BRAVO

• It’s Not Just “Shade,” It’s Colorism: A Deep Dive Into Colorism On The 'Real Housewives' Franchise (Dr. Chanda Reynolds for Essence)
• 4 minute video: Bravo Backstory: Who Is Raquel Leviss? (Bravo Digital Original)
• Vanderpump Rules' Scheana Shay Finally Got Her Happy Ending (Sarah Ellis for Elite Daily)
• Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay teases her toned midriff in sexy all-black for afternoon out in LA with husband Brock Davies (Daily Mail)
• Ariana Madix’s Practical Phone Case Is from the Same Brand Blake Lively Keeps Wearing When On-the-Go (People)
• Brock Davies: Raquel Leviss sent Tom Sandoval postcards with lightning bolt (When Reality Hits with Jax & Brittany podcast/Page Six)
• Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Say Daughter Lola Got Them Hooked on Scandoval (People)

TORONTO

• “Someone needed to bring the drama”: Real Housewives of Toronto star Kara Alloway on her new book about reality TV (Courtney Shea for Toronto Life)

CHESHIRE

• Joe Sealey: ‘My dad is an ex-Man Utd goalkeeper - but I want my football legacy to be owning a club' (Daily Star UK exclusive)

NAIROBI

• I’m a millionaire mum & my birth was so luxe – my room was posher than a 7* Dubai hotel & there was a fancy menu (The Sun U.S.)

GQEBERHA

• ‘Real Housewives’ eager for more airtime (Herald Live)

Links to this week's episode discussion posts:

• VPR S10E17 🍸
• VPR S10E17 - "Pumped Up Edition" 🍸
• RHONJ S13E17 🍝
• RHOA S15E4 🍑

Last night I loaded my Sony A7IV star image raws into sequator.. I also used raw for my dark frames as well. It stacked as expected but when I brought my tiff into photoshop I was not happy with the results. Some banding issues and processed horribly. I did not do ANY edits to my raws before uploading into sequator.
I did a little research and found a post saying to try converting them to 16 bit tiff to solve this problem (color matrix issue yada yada). I used adobe bridge to convert them to 16bit tiff with NO compression or profile corrections.
Now when I upload these tiffs to sequator, no image is available and I get a message saying the file cant be read or something. Is this a known issue? I did read that tiff files generated from sequator itself presented this problem but it was fixed. I never saw anything stating that Adobe Bridge conversions were a problem. Any ideas?
On a side note, what other software besides sequator and photoshop can handle stacking with foreground? Does Pixinsight do this well?
Thanks in advance for adressing both questions..

Hi, I'm looking for a clan with atleast champion league in CWL, and the clan would let me complete atleast 8 stars. I have only these 2 requirements, please post only if your clan can fulfill both. Thank you

Flashes of longing Is this love you gave me? Well, I couldn't tame that blood The night was crying and moaning stars What was asked of the day collected the evening How do I That heals a severed imagination Fake ideas, wrong, there is no way to achieve them. Feel free to paint a velvet palette Show it from afar Her frame tinged with pain wilted with light Just like a thirst quencher Thirst neighing cloud *- The ugliness of the first departure settled the gloom of my eyes Our meeting was cautious, perhaps hasty In the middle of a one-way parallel road I was then alone and heartbroken Only this part of the memory You were wide-eyed, you saw my blind steps And I beg my pardon Find a wide exit By serpentine and gimp excuse My fault I touch him in every bump in every bump *- Perhaps I am delusional, but I see it in the dark It comes with figures carrying black torches You were aware that you were streaks of light falling from the sky shorten life and expand my paradise *- You stretched the connecting ropes to the borders of the lotus of my heart This connection is minor The shadow trembles and sings to the light with its leafy boughs *- Here I come to the letters No sign of you and my wound sighs Walk with him over the sidewalks And on the infinity bridge I see it in the eyes of passers-by And that pity is painful to the point of killing His hands are empty of letters Dipped in ink impregnated with resin *- As a whole I'm back with the coffin of my disappointment to ask me When does her dead lie on the board? Let's go with him It will not germinate again -
https://aqelayash.blogspot.com/2017/08/blog-post_20.html -
Flashes of longing

Flashes of longing
Is this love you gave me?
Well, I couldn't tame that blood
The night was crying and moaning stars
What was asked of the day collected the evening
How do I
That heals a severed imagination
Fake ideas, wrong, there is no way to achieve them.
Feel free to paint a velvet palette
Show it from afar
Her frame tinged with pain wilted with light
Just like a thirst quencher
Thirst neighing cloud
*-
The ugliness of the first departure settled the gloom of my eyes
Our meeting was cautious, perhaps hasty
In the middle of a one-way parallel road
I was then alone and heartbroken
Only this part of the memory
You were wide-eyed, you saw my blind steps
And I beg my pardon
Find a wide exit
By serpentine and gimp excuse
My fault I touch him in every bump
in every bump
*-
Perhaps I am delusional, but I see it in the dark
It comes with figures carrying black torches
You were aware that you were streaks of light falling from the sky
shorten life and expand my paradise
*-
You stretched the connecting ropes to the borders of the lotus of my heart
This connection is minor
The shadow trembles and sings to the light with its leafy boughs
*-
Here I come to the letters
No sign of you and my wound sighs
Walk with him over the sidewalks
And on the infinity bridge
I see it in the eyes of passers-by
And that pity is painful to the point of killing
His hands are empty of letters
Dipped in ink impregnated with resin
*-
As a whole
I'm back with the coffin of my disappointment
to ask me
When does her dead lie on the board?
Let's go with him
It will not germinate again
-
https://aqelayash.blogspot.com/2017/08/blog-post_20.html
-
Flashes of longing

Flashes of longing
Is this love you gave me?
Well, I couldn't tame that blood
The night was crying and moaning stars
What was asked of the day collected the evening
How do I
That heals a severed imagination
Fake ideas, wrong, there is no way to achieve them.
Feel free to paint a velvet palette
Show it from afar
Her frame tinged with pain wilted with light
Just like a thirst quencher
Thirst neighing cloud
*-
The ugliness of the first departure settled the gloom of my eyes
Our meeting was cautious, perhaps hasty
In the middle of a one-way parallel road
I was then alone and heartbroken
Only this part of the memory
You were wide-eyed, you saw my blind steps
And I beg my pardon
Find a wide exit
By serpentine and gimp excuse
My fault I touch him in every bump
in every bump
*-
Perhaps I am delusional, but I see it in the dark
It comes with figures carrying black torches
You were aware that you were streaks of light falling from the sky
shorten life and expand my paradise
*-
You stretched the connecting ropes to the borders of the lotus of my heart
This connection is minor
The shadow trembles and sings to the light with its leafy boughs
*-
Here I come to the letters
No sign of you and my wound sighs
Walk with him over the sidewalks
And on the infinity bridge
I see it in the eyes of passers-by
And that pity is painful to the point of killing
His hands are empty of letters
Dipped in ink impregnated with resin
*-
As a whole
I'm back with the coffin of my disappointment
to ask me
When does her dead lie on the board?
Let's go with him
It will not germinate again
-
https://aqelayash.blogspot.com/2017/08/blog-post_20.html
-
Flashes of longing

Flashes of longing
Is this love you gave me?
Well, I couldn't tame that blood
The night was crying and moaning stars
What was asked of the day collected the evening
How do I
That heals a severed imagination
Fake ideas, wrong, there is no way to achieve them.
Feel free to paint a velvet palette
Show it from afar
Her frame tinged with pain wilted with light
Just like a thirst quencher
Thirst neighing cloud
*-
The ugliness of the first departure settled the gloom of my eyes
Our meeting was cautious, perhaps hasty
In the middle of a one-way parallel road
I was then alone and heartbroken
Only this part of the memory
You were wide-eyed, you saw my blind steps
And I beg my pardon
Find a wide exit
By serpentine and gimp excuse
My fault I touch him in every bump
in every bump
*-
Perhaps I am delusional, but I see it in the dark
It comes with figures carrying black torches
You were aware that you were streaks of light falling from the sky
shorten life and expand my paradise
*-
You stretched the connecting ropes to the borders of the lotus of my heart
This connection is minor
The shadow trembles and sings to the light with its leafy boughs
*-
Here I come to the letters
No sign of you and my wound sighs
Walk with him over the sidewalks
And on the infinity bridge
I see it in the eyes of passers-by
And that pity is painful to the point of killing
His hands are empty of letters
Dipped in ink impregnated with resin
*-
As a whole
I'm back with the coffin of my disappointment
to ask me
When does her dead lie on the board?
Let's go with him
It will not germinate again
-
https://aqelayash.blogspot.com/2017/08/blog-post_20.html
-
Flashes of longing

Let’s just focus on the rake and not playerpool in this post.
I have the option to play on PokerStars NL25 with 4,5% rake and $0,5 cap heads-up and and $1 3-4 ways.
Or play on a local site NL20 with 4% rake but $1 cap heads-up and $2 cap multi-way.
I’m very close to moving up to NL50 and that is $0,75 cap heads-up and same multi-way on PokerStars or $1 heads-up at my local site and $2 multi-way.
Which one do you play on if you have the choice and why?
Now let’s factor in that the playerpool at my local site is a bit worse players but smaller so the regs will quickly adjust. Still same choice?