Hts121

^Difficult to put any credibility in an analysis that states our downtown's revival is "thanks to a booming new convention center and casino."

I don't believe it. If they would've just "watched ESPN like fans", they would have made better picks. Seriously, I would bet if you went back and took the ESPN consensus pick each year for each pick, we would've been better off..... especially if you made the pick as set by the big boards PRIOR TO the draft workouts and interviews. It seems we have for too long placed too much stock in measurables and not enough in actual game film. Just because a guy runs a 4.5 does not mean he plays at a 4.5. If a guy was an All-American in college and a top level recruit coming out of HS, that trumps how many reps he does on the bench press or how much he impresses you during an interview. I'm not saying ignore the measurables. We just need to spend more time on the tape.

Don't reach, young blood

It's certainly a 'swing for the fences'

^he had some work done on his knee in the offseason and was playing tentatively. He wasn't protecting or attacking the rim like he did last year. He got sent to the bench and TT was put in the starting lineup. He looked good last night, but still looks like he needs to get back some of that spring in his step. I hope he does. TT is a solid starter, but much more effective off the bench. I like him closing games, not starting them. Keep his minutes somewhat moderate through 3 and then unleash the beast in the 4th quarter when the other team's bigs are too tired to battle him under the basket.

Spring Ball is going to be very interesting. There are some locks for starters, but many open positions with some great prospects vying to separate from the pack On the DL, I think Hubbard and Lewis have the DE's on lock. Jalyn Holmes should play a lot too and, depending on whether he is healthy and stays at DE (as opposed to DT), Nick Bosa could be in the mix. DT is a lot more iffy. I saw enough of Michael Hill to think he has one of the spots. The other spot is up for grabs probably between Bosa and a few freshman from this current year. McMillian obviously will hold his position at MLB. Chris Worley (great guy who dates one of my friends' daughters) is likely to take over for Lee, and Dante Booker for Perry. There are, however, a few current freshman to keep an eye on, particularly Jerome Baker and Justin Hilliard. Conley will be back at CB. The other starter is likely to be Damon Webb, but Marshon Lattimore will get a serious look if he can finally get healthy. The safeties is where it really is a crap shoot..... maybe Malik Hooker and Erik Smith. But watch out for someone like Webb to switch to S if they feel there is better depth at CB. They would love it if Cam Burrows could stay healthy, but he hasn't been able to do that. On the OL, other than Price and Eflien, your guess is as good as mine. TE should be Marcus Baugh RB I expect to be Mike Weber, who redshirted this year, and maybe a bit of Curtis Samuel H-Back will likely be shared between Samuel and Dontre Wilson Other than Brown, there should be an intense battle for the WR spots. There is a ton of young talent at this position and probably better size than we've had in awhile. Watch out fo KJ Hill. Hopefully Paris Campbell spends a good amount of the winter working on his hands. James Clark and Terry McLaurin are both smaller speedsters who could get some field time.

^Perhaps. But I don't think they play the same position. Jalin was playing Devin Smith's position, whereas Noah was supposed to play the slot WR (with Thomas being the other outside WR). Jalin was best suited for the H-back, but Braxton switching to that position (plus Samuel and Wilson also playing there) forced him to the outside. He might have improved his stock had he returned for another year, with a stable starting QB, to prove that he is a legit NFL talent at WR. But maybe the scouts had seen enough. I do know that Urban educates his players on where they can be expected to be picked prior to them declaring for the draft. Speaking of Braxton, anyone else think that his best NFL position might be RB?

That second half last night was a good display of what this team can do at full strength. I liked the lineup which went on that run to start the 4th quarter - Timo, Love, Shump, Delly, Kyrie. They were whipping the ball around nicely and playing some inspired defense.

Marshall is a bit of a surprise. Not sure he will go as high as he apparently thinks he will

I think people are going to be surprised by the development of some of our younger guys between now and the start of next season. There are guys like Curtis Samuel who didn't touch the ball enough IMO. I think a few of the younger LBs are more 'talented' than Perry, such as Booker. But what we need more than anything is for some young guys to step up on the interior of the DL. Hill showed some promise in the bowl game. Also, and this may be the biggest change from this year, JT will be the starter from the first day of Spring ball. And we will also get Noah Brown back from injury. He was supposed to be an impact WR this year, but broke his leg before the season started. Dude is huge for a WR.

^NFL is very strict on injury reporting. Recall Joe Haden's issue from earlier this year. That said, it could be a combination of him being in the concussion protocol and showing up at the facility for his treatment while under the influence.

I wanted Gase last time around. I hope he is seriously interested this time Probably because they don't want to close the door on any coaching candidates who will want final say on the roster

Next year will all depend on how well we reload. Bosa is irreplaceable. Perhaps Zeke too. But we will have to wait and see if Weber is as good as advertised

^careful what you wish for

I was just reading a list of "Most Fun Cities in Ohio" and it had CLE #1 with one of the reasons it being home to "top MLB, NBA, and NHL teams." That said, I'm not sure it would have been more correct if worded accurately

Jesse Owens would probably get my vote

The Red Line barely leaves the city except for East Cleveland and possibly brief crossings of the Lakewood and maybe Brook Park borders. It was designed mainly to shuttle people back and forth between the residential, industrial, and downtown areas of the city proper. At a time when the demographics were different, but not drastically so, not along the East Side portion of the Red Line at least. What truly is different now is that the kinds of lawlessness that are now routine were not tolerated back then. Not within the Black community, not in Little Italy, not anywhere. I agree, except that what's different is the economy, and no amount of "lawfulness" will fix that. Most people living in those areas today are perfectly lawful. . Walter Williams has observed that worse poverty and far more explicit racism never led to the sorts of crime we see today. I've bolded some key words for you.... and Walter

I've read a lot of interesting theories. Mostly just speculation. But some are based on what are either valid clues or blatant mistakes which the Star Wars people usually don't make. First, there is the scrolling text at the beginning of the movie where it says that Leia is "desperately searching for her brother Luke....." Now, if Luke was her one and only brother, the grammatically correct way to say that would be "her brother, Luke,...." The way it was phrased would imply that she has more than one brother. We know her mother only had two kids (Luke and Leia), but perhaps Vader somehow spawned more children in the time between III and IV? Of course, my English teacher step-sister claims that is not a firm rule. The other theory has more teeth. Star Wars is very careful with accents. If you have an American accent, you are from the outer rim. If you have an English accent, you are from the center of the Republic. Recall the differences between Luke and Leia's accents in IV. Note that the actor who played Finn is British, but he used an American accent. On the other hand, Rey has a very prim and proper English accent, suggesting she is not originally from the outer rim but instead comes from somewhere more at the heart of the Republic.

I don't think Kylo Ren was actually trying to kill Rey or Finn

There's definitely more to that scene than meets the eye at first blush

Here's a what if to think about.... What if when Kylo Ren said that he "would finish" what Vader starter, he meant he would finish off the Sith once and for all.... and fulfill the prophecy?

I think so. More likely, IMO, she was one of Luke's students.... who, for whatever reason, was spared by Kylo Ren. I think that would play into the mixed emotions Ren experiences.

So, any guesses/speculation as to Rey's origins? To me, that is the biggest cliff-hanger

^Same reason you give for ranking TPM so low is the reason I rank RotJ so low. Too childish and gimicky

^^Yep. I thought Jedi was a bit cheesy.... maybe not so much when I was a kid but definitely now as an adult. The only thing that saves it for me was Vader/Anakin fulfilling the prophecy that he was the Chosen One who would destroy the Sith Lord. However, I didn't even realize that until Phantom Menace came out. By the time of Jedi, Lucas had figured out that there was waaaaay more money in making/selling toys than in the actual production. Get outta here with the Ewoks. If you're gonna be mad about JarJar Binks, then you have to be mad about the Ewoks..... and especially the price they put on the Ewok Village.