Jim French Stepstool
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Everything posted by Jim French Stepstool
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Here's hoping Devanney has gone from "late consideration" to someone they're planning to protect.
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If you're referring to Ohio State (or one of the other top 4-5 teams), where we're at right now I'd agree. I see no one on the remaining schedule that should be "abusing" UW to that extent save for the type of colllapse you usually don't see.
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Closer to 13 or 14% IMO. Which I unfortunately don't see either.
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The role Ashby should've filled this year was the Burnes/Peralta/Woodruff role they filled when they first joined the team. Injuries prevented that. Even so, I expected more consistency.
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That's a pretty accurate analogy, but the alternative would be the top 40 or 50 schools in one division, with the rest separated. Personally I would find that boring, and lacking in a lot of good potential story lines. Also, a New Mexico State, Wofford or Middle Tennessee traveling somewhere to lose 45-3 pays a lot of their bills, for a lot of their sports.
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When Alvarez took over, his vision was clear: build a defense, control the ball via the run, build the wall around the state by securing front-seven & lineman types, and get the "arms & legs" (skill position players) largely from outside. The QBs they've brought in have in many cases been competent or slightly better. After the obvious choice of Russell Wilson, guys like Tolzien, Stocco, and yes even Bollinger & Jim Sorgi have had their moments in big games. Hell, Matt Schabert was instrumental in a comeback win vs OSU once. Still the lack of an "elite QB" recruit is a valid point. Schools get reputations. QB is largely a position of ego. I'm sure there were many who had no desire to come to UW & hand the ball off to Monte Ball or Ron Dayne or Melvin Gordon 40 times, as opposed to throwing it 55 times. It's easy for an opposing coach to negatively recruit something like that. To a lesser extent, the weather & not wanting to "play school" may enter into it. Why they don't better develop the ones they have, well, in many cases I think they've done OK there. Right now, with Mertz, it's looking a little more dicey. Bobby Engram is supposedly the guy in charge of that, but he's new. Maybe they miss Jon Budmayr more than anyone knows?
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They've brought in OL over the years that have been all over the spectrum, from "can't miss" to walkons like Tauscher & Jason Erdmann. I think the common thread is the coaching & "lunch pail" attitude when looking for success there. They were blessed when Bill Callahan came on board with Alvarez, & I have a high opinion of Bostad. The problem is he hasn't been the position coach for these guys for the last 2-3 years. I see Tippmann & Nelson, even Beach & feel there's more there than what they're showing. Hopefully there will be improvement week-to-week.
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I personally don't think Chryst is in trouble......at this point. But I'm also not compelled to defend the start the team has gotten off to, either. There are maybe two, maybe three teams in the nation with the depth of talent OSU has. We played them in their place, in the conference opener, and they obviously didn't overlook UW. I think it's silly to get out the pitchforks & torches after this game. There are some key games coming up---Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota. It would make much more sense to judge Chryst on those games. Also, it looks like Cundiff has a broken bone. Really feel for the kid, after all he did to get back.
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I'm sure you're right that they're taught to do that. My point is, if he does dive forward there's little to no chance anyone will challenge him since you're still going down. A defender CAN then hit him: I just doubt he would (unless you're diving for the goal line). I don't believe a QB doing that would ever be called for helmet-to-helmet, any more than a tailback that's falling forward. Not saying he should even look for contact, just fall forward. You're still going down; you're just not giving up the 2-3 yards.
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Can The Crew Still Make the Playoffs?
Jim French Stepstool replied to Seth Stohs's topic in Milwaukee Brewers Talk
Bingo. There was a lot of talk on here about "not being able to beat the good teams", but it's that mark of consistency that has been missing. It's fueled by the "run prevention" which has kept them from the extended bad stretches in past years. When you have that you win more than your share regardless of who you're playing. When you don't, well, here we are. That, and feeling the need to feel sorry for ourselves for a week after the trade deadline. -
Can The Crew Still Make the Playoffs?
Jim French Stepstool replied to Seth Stohs's topic in Milwaukee Brewers Talk
Bingo. There was a lot of talk on here about "not being able to beat the good teams", but it's that mark of consistency that has been missing. It's fueled by the "run prevention" which has kept them from the extended bad stretches in past years. When you have that you win more than your share regardless of who you're playing. When you don't, well, here we are. That, and feeling the need to feel sorry for ourselves for a week after the trade deadline. -
Bullpen depleted. Pablo Reyes still in Nashville.?
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Hornibrook made defenses honor his ability to take off & run, almost to a fault. That opened up a lot of things for him that wouldn't have been there if he was a statue. He wasn't the greatest thrower, but didn't need to be. This reminds me of a couple of plays tonite by Mertz that really ticked me off---taking off to run, then costing yourself 2-3 yards by ending the play with a slide into 3rd base. If you dive forward, you gain those extra yards, and there's no way in College Football 2022 anyone tries to hit him as he's diving forward since you'd be getting the helmet & risking ejection. Maybe (probably) he's told to slide feet-first, but it's just dumb.
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The task now is to decipher how much of this was they simply have more talent (they do) & how much was we played poorly (we did). It was the first real test for a secondary that I thought had performed well up to today given their inexperience. Obviously they were overmatched against the best WR & QB group they'll see all year. The front seven had several plays where they were in position to hold a run to a 2-3 yard gain, and almost every time it went for 6 or seven. It was that one-sided. What makes it more exasperating besides the talent difference, is that is one damn well-coached team. You hardly ever see anyone out of position, or missing an assignment. Braelon Allen was a warrior all night. I feel badly for Cundiff if his injury is as bad as I fear, that would be the second time for him. I know it sounds like sour grapes after a loss, but LouisEly is correct re the discrepancy in admissions. Frankly I don't know why schools that are compelled to don't just out-and-out cheat regarding grades, recruiting, etc. The NCAA has proven both unable and uninterested in doing anything about it, and the cash cow has become much too big to short-circuit.
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Wisconsin Basketball Thread 2021-2022
Jim French Stepstool replied to Cool Hand Lucroy's topic in Other Sports
They feel he has the skills to eventually be a combo forward. If that's true it's a real nice get at his size. It appears to be a class typical of many they've put together over the years, and that's a good thing. -
Mitchell hitting .500 in his last 6 games. And that includes an 0-3 in the game Scherzer started.
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The one-out walk Bush allowed, there wasn't much excuse for that. But other than that I thought he performed well; the run (unearned) came in on a bad throw. Perdomo usually throws strikes so I guess they decided might as well attack early. That was a really, really efficient outing. He's also not a big strikeout guy, so if it's gonna be ugly at least you know it right away (see Colorado).
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Considering the people who have been out I'm pleasantly surprised by some of the plays the secondary has made. Admittedly they haven't faced a QB who should scare anyone throwing the ball yet, either. I like the way Latu flies around, and I never expected Torchio to reach the level of consistency he's shown. Certainly miss Wohler; I believe he can play at a very high level. I think tomorrow will be a real test of just what level the O-line is capable of performing at. If Wedig can build on what he did last week it would be huge. It's the B10 opener. I suspect they may get "hit in the mouth" early. If they can withstand it & respond in kind.....a big ST play, Allen rips off a long run, force a turnover, something......we may see them hang around. I just don't know if they can stand up to the wave after wave of talent & depth for 4 quarters.
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I don't think there's an organization less apt to use a pitcher if there is a health question than the Milwaukee Brewers. So I'm comfortable with it.
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Props to CC today for the Tellez/Brosseau move in the seventh. It was the right move even w/o hindsight, yet there was a time this year he wouldn't have done it. Did it Sunday too. Garrett Mitchell is getting comfy. That bunt, my goodness, Escobar was in, he KNEW it was coming, and Mitchell almost beats it out. Pressure like that quickens your pulse.
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Alexander, sure. I wasn't really including him since had we not been hit with the IL bug most of us would never have heard of him. If Houser can get back to a semblance of what he was in '21 I'd be fine with him.
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Yep. I've mentioned on here before, if he can unlock the key to constantly getting to 0-1, 0-2, 1-2 in the count he can be devastating with the slider.
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IMO getting in the playoffs is preferential to not getting in every time, regardless of how you perform once you get there. Sure, it doesn't mean what it once did since playoffs have been expanded (diluted), that's true in all sports. But you strive to have the best season you possibly can. Falling short & being fine with it........I know some have that opinion, but with all due respect that's a planet I've never visited.
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I don't know why anyone WOULDN'T be happy with the same rotation. Unless they can get an absolute haul for a Burnes That's what I hope to see. The bullpen won't look exactly the same, but it seldom does from year to year & they have a pretty good track record of constructing good pens. And IMO there's quite a bit of ability there now.
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Amen. Maybe Frelick will be someone they don't NEED to PH for vs a lefty. One can hope.
