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Baker has proven himself.

I wish him well.

Sometimes you need the go through fire to get tempered. He needed what he went through to get to where he now is.

I hope he does well. One thing about Baker he gave his best effort. He was no slacker.

Starting DW is probably the right decision based on the “best chance to win” criterion, but given everything that has happened and all the extraordinary circumstances, the Cleveland Browns’ situation is so unique that even rational decisions will be questioned and somehow “feel” wrong.

For the first time in a long while, Mary Kay Cabot was both genuine and clear-eyed in her analysis of the situation. Please keep it up.

Anything less than at least one win in those two road games will lead to enormous media attention ahead of the home opener, with people from every direction demanding a change at quarterback.

In the best-case scenario, Watson wins one of his first two games and buys himself some breathing room into the season. In the worst-case scenario, Watson loses both, Sanders starts at home and also loses his first two games, the offense can barely manage a field goal, and after five or six games the season is effectively over.

What this team needs is luck, skill, and an extraordinary never-say-die attitude. It’s going to be incredibly exciting to see who steps up—and who folds under the pressure.

I don't dismiss them. I question them. I don't make claims of "unquestionably." You're the one repeatedly expressing certainty.

You seem to see the "ONLY metric that exists" as certainty. I see states effectively investigating themselves and courts decisions being made based on those investigations and not allowing the federal DoJ to investigate them being the "only metric" problematic.

On one hand, I do see why this particular DoJ is problematic. I can see why some rulings may have been made with that in mind. On the other, I see problems with setting legal precedent based upon trying to hold off this particular DoJ.

Metrics don't impress me on their own. I have to dig into how they came about. My digging raised questions for me. You trust the metrics.

One could also make the argument that Democrats only want to keep things as they are because mail-in voting overwhelmingly leans Democratic. That sword can cut both ways.

Observing the data and metrics isn't actually observing what the data and metrics represent. You seem to give all the weight to some surface numbers. I'm not giving more weight and substance to anything, I'm still trying to weigh.

Good for the MAC!

Feel free to show me spamming the boards with FB or Twitter posts extolling how dumb some random member of the public is.

Take your time I can wait.

I'm not entirely sure what to make of the Jaguars. They ended on an 8 game winning streak in the regular season, but it was the opposite of a murderer's row. LAC (Lance replaced Herbert in game behind an OL mash unit), @ARI, @TEN, IND (Riley Leonard mostly at QB), NYJ, @DEN, @IND (off the couch Rivers at QB), TEN.

Re Hines-Allen specifically how much are his numbers about him being good vs the OTs he faced being "bad" and vice versa? How much were Ersery and Dan Moore Jr being "bad" about Hines-Allen (and the Texans DEs) being good? I can't say I watched much any of the Jaguars. Only thing that stands out in my recollection is the kicker booting bombs.

Personally, I think the biggest matchup for the Browns is probably Watson vs himself. Whether he can win that one when it counts now remains to be seen.

I get what you're saying but often times teams that are mismatched do give QB's opportunities they do not get against better opponents. It's much easier for a QB to do the things you speak of when they are comfortable, not pressured and have more time in the pocket. When you're not being pressured your game will flow in your own comfort zone. Not saying that's the case here because I didn't watch the game.

If you play a much weaker team your WR's aren't facing top end defenders. It makes it much easier for your WR's to get open than they may be against much better opponents. Your OL isn't facing top tier DL and LB's which also makes their jobs easier to protect the QB.

Top CB's, DL, OL and every position on the field whose aspiration and talent makes their goal playing in the NFL go to schools where they get the most attention and the most exposure. Many of those who don't go to the top schools do so because they aren't sure they could win the starting position so it's easier for them to be starters and get more exposure at a smaller school than sitting on the bench at a better school.

It does make it easier to see what they can and will do when they're in their comfort zone. What their natural tendencies are when you have the luxury of playing against inferior players. It doesn't tell you what they will do when their teams talent has to face similar talent and they're thrown out of their comfort zones. How a QB will react or what he may revert to when his WR's don't get open on a regular basis and he has to throw into traffic more often. How his mechanics may change when regularly pressured. How he reacts when he has to lead his team on late, game winning drives. The judge of a great QB is how they react when the heat is on. You don't win it all in the NFL based on playing inferior teams.

And yes you can bring up Josh Allan. On rare occasions even QB's who play on lower tier teams can develop into more. It's just not a very common occurrence.

I don't know either. I didn't check to see if it had been reset yet so thanks for that.

I could care less what Monken's "Type" is. The QB will more than likely out last Monken.

As for his career, he inherited Jameis Winson, he inherited Baker Mayfield and he inherited Lamar Jackson.. I don't see a pattern, except he coached what he was given.

I want the best possible player to build an offense around, not just a type to run Monken's offense.

I don't expect a lot out of this season. It depends heavily on this rebuilt O-line as you already mentioned. It typically takes some games to gel when you get a new guy or two.. they have 5 who have never played together. If they can learn to play effectively early, we could get some surprise wins if the QB doesn't lose games for us.

I agree, growth is the most important ingredient here, nothing helps a young QB more than an experienced team around him...

I certainly am not honing in on Manning though, too much talent at the college level right now to focus on one player.

This time of year in MLB makes me crazy.

It gets intense.

Having coached for a long time. I get into dugout mode. When that happens I am locked into every pitch. I am looking at everything. Defensive positions, catcher set ups, base runners, everything goes into computer mode calculations. Time disappears.

I have a great passion for baseball. It is so hard to win a World Series. When I feel like we have a decent shot. My pulse is working overtime.

I am a Guardians fan and I want them to win but I am a Braves fan to the bone.

I track both teams everyday. When the Braves won 14 straight division titles. I lived and died in post season baseball.

In the 95 WS against the Indians. I was sick and overjoyed all at the same time..

My unlikely hope is that the end of the year comes before we have to switch to Green.

As another poster said about a different topic today, "Hard to create a narrative that works for that one."

It is amazing to have platforms like Spotify.

You can hear anything you want, anytime. You don't need to own stuff like records, tapes, and cd's.

But when I pulled up this video of Van and it just showed a turntable. It flipped a switch. I went back in time. I remember buying that album.

I remember the thrill of the entire process. Going to the record store. Searching records. Reading album covers. Listening to the music in the store. Thinking I have the five dollars to buy a record which one will it be?

Bringing that album home tearing off the clear cover and opening the album for the first time. Putting it on the turntable. Putting the needle down. And being soo happy to listen.

I know there has been a resurgence of vinyl. But, all my stuff is long gone.

The movie "Diner" is what it was like. The guy with the organized record collection. It was a spiritual thing.

All that came back from hearing "Into the Mystic" and watching a turntable turn.

What's really messed up is that Trump is possibly actually investing ("trading futures") in the opposite happening. Yet, some people will probably believe he will actually get what he allegedly wants and bet that way. Market manipulation at its slimiest.

I apologize as well, and will go a step further to say I sometimes vent frustration on here when work is getting to me (this is one of those times). That type of energy really isn't needed (to put it mildly) in these threads.

Billionaire Leon Black sues House Oversight Committee over Epstein probe subpoenas

A lawyer for the former Wall Street private equity investor argued that the committee was overstepping its authority.

Leon Black, a former Wall Street private equity investor, on Thursday sued the House Oversight Committee, seeking to stop the panel from enforcing its subpoenas against him in an ongoing probe of the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

“The Committee is on a fishing expedition that oversteps its authority and completely ignores its responsibility. This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black. We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power,” Black’s attorney, Susan Estrich, said in a statement.

Black had been set to appear before the committee Thursday morning.

The lawsuit comes after Black voluntarily sat for a closed-door transcribed interview with the Oversight Committee in late June but left the hearing early.

Lawmakers have for months sought more information on the financial web that allowed Epstein to fund his sex trafficking operation and whether Black was at all involved or aware of any illegal activity. They specifically have sought information about any nondisclosure agreements Black signed with women.

Black has denied any wrongdoing, involvement in or awareness of Epstein’s illegal activity.

In Thursday’s statement, she said that Black was “misled” about the intentions of the committee’s chair, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky.

“Mr. Black has cooperated with the Committee by voluntarily appearing to answer questions in a transcribed interview. Despite being misled about the intent of that interview, he then fully complied with the Committee’s subpoena related to Epstein,” Estrich said.

She added, “To imply misconduct because of the existence of a confidentiality agreement is entirely unjustified. Confidentiality agreements are routinely used in business.”

Estrich went on to wholly deny any allegations against Black, saying, “We want to reiterate that Mr. Black had no awareness of the criminal activities that led to Epstein’s arrest in 2019. Mr. Black never abused a woman. He never was with an underage woman. He never engaged in sex trafficking. He never paid Epstein for access to women. He was never blackmailed by Epstein.”

Black’s name appears more than 300 times in files released by the Justice Department late last year and early this year related to Epstein. His name appears often in emails from Epstein’s assistant, directing the financier to call Black. More than 100 of the mentions of Black are in emails from Epstein’s assistant, who wrote, “Leon Black returned your call.”

In a statement, Comer reacted to Black’s failure to appear before the committee Thursday, saying, “It’s a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people.”

He added, “Mr. Black’s testimony is crucial to our investigation as he was one of Mr. Epstein’s fee paying clients and has several non-disclosure agreements. Our deposition is moving forward this morning for the record and there will be an empty chair for Mr. Black. I will speak with our members about next steps.”

Black’s career and his reputation have been marred for years due to his relationship with Epstein, a convicted child sex offender who died in 2019.

In 2022, Black was sued over allegations that he raped a woman in Epstein’s New York City mansion in 2002. That case was later dropped with prejudice after both parties reached an agreement to do so and Black denied the allegations against him. A separate but ongoing lawsuit, filed in 2023, accused Black of raping a 16-year-old girl at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse in 2002. A lawyer for Black denied the allegations, calling them “frivolous and sanctionable.” In April, a judge overseeing the case wrote that the plaintiff and her attorney “engaged in serious, sanctionable misconduct in this case,” but allowed the case to proceed.

Black in 2021 stepped down from the hedge fund he co-founded, Apollo Global Management, after the firm conducted an independent review looking into his ties to Epstein. The review found that Black was not involved in Epstein’s criminal activities.

Earlier this year, he was set to be deposed in a lawsuit filed by survivors of Epstein and his associates alleging that Bank of America facilitated and profited from Epstein’s illegal sex trafficking activity. Bank of America later settled that lawsuit for more than $70 million and did not admit any liability in that case.

“While we stand by our prior statements made in the filings in this case, including that Bank of America did not facilitate sex trafficking crimes, this resolution allows us to put this matter behind us and provides further closure for the plaintiffs,” a Bank of America spokesperson told NBC News at the time.

In a statement reacting to news of the lawsuit Thursday, Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said, “By refusing to testify today, Leon Black is now defying two Congressional subpoenas. Black gave Jeffrey Epstein over $180 million over six years. He funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women. Multiple women have also accused Black of sexual assault. His connections to Epstein and his unwillingness to cooperate are unacceptable.”

Garcia also called to hold Black in contempt of Congress.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/co...sight-epstein-probe-subpoenas-rcna595887

Name one politician who tells as many lies as trump? We see it pretty much on a daily basis and he leaves receipts on his social media account. Stop trying to make any actual comparison. It's foolish. And remember, George Santos is no longer a politician.

I thought I would bring up a change I have noticed lately. It's large pop ups appearing on my screen when I hit on a thread or change forums. It doesn't really bother me when I hit for a change between forums. The problem is when I hit on accessing a topic. It will pop up before it goes to the topic and totally screw up the post jumper function that takes you to where you last were on that topic.

It's not something i can't live with but I thought I would inform you of it and the issue it was causing.