What is something we can take pride in is how this franchise has become one of the most desirable free agent and draft destinations in the NFL. We often hear how players on other teams would love to be a Ram. The team culture is not something that should be overlooked. It's that culture that allows the team to weather the hard times and not fracture. Guys like Fowler, and Ramsey, Mathews, and Weddle have all expressed how this was their optimum choice of destinations. Once here they do not want to leave. Pending FA's like Whitworth and Brockers are very open about their desire to stay. Suh, Mathews, Bortles, and Weddle among others took discounts to play in LA with the Rams.

People are surprised when top free agents are signed by the Rams. I'm not because players have made it clear, the team culture in LA is something not normally found on other teams. The team wants to win as much as they do. You only have to look at the other LA team to see the exact opposite. This is why I don't see any major impediment to the Rams re-signing their key free agents like Fowler and Littleton.

From Therams.com

• OLB Dante Fowler Jr.
• LT Andrew Whitworth
• DT Michael Brockers
• ILB Cory Littleton
• K Greg Zuerlein
• QB Blake Bortles
• ILB Bryce Hager
• S Marqui Christian
• WR Mike Thomas
• G Austin Blythe

*S Eric Weddle and CB Nickell Robey-Coleman have team options that can be picked up before the 2020 league year begins. If the options are not picked up, they become unrestricted free agents.

Of that list, only Fowler and Littleton would be considered priority signings. Zuerlein IMO will be offered a one year prove it deal at best or just as likely they will draft a kicker. I think Christian has proved he's a starter and will want to move to a team where he can be a starter. Bortles is a toss up and no real loss if he moves on but IMO he would be wise to stay one more year. NRC and Hill are trade bait as they have Williams a better and more versatile CB and their 2020 contracts are a bit high for backups and the emergence of Williams makes one or both expendable.

That's why when people start saying there won't be enough money to sign Fowler and Littleton, it doesn't make sense. Neither one is going to be a bank breaker. I doubt Hager, Thomas and Blythe make this team next year anyway. Snead himself has said the stuff about being in a cap crisis isn't true. It's all about reallocating money from one set of players to another. Looking at the roster it's very clear to me.

Season is over for the Rams and as a fan I want to start looking at prospects coming out in the next draft. I know the Rams are without a 1st and I have no idea how many picks, in what rounds, and when they make their 1st overall pick. I know its early and teams still in playoffs order hasn't been set. Some of you draft guru's are sure to have an idea on some of this.

Little help plz?

Offseason Outlook: Rams DL Michael Brockers set to enter free agency

Defensive tackle Michael Brockers was general manager Les Snead's first draft pick with the Rams back in 2012 and has provided leadership and versatility to the Los Angeles' defensive line ever since. He has especially effective against the run, and fellow Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald even called him one of the best run-stoppers in the NFL and a big part of what they're able to do with their run defense.

Eight years later, Brockers is scheduled to become a free agent when the new league year begins on March 18, his three-year contract extension signed in 2016 having officially run its course.

Speaking during the week leading to the season finale against the Cardinals, Brockers said that he would like to remain a Ram but also knows nothing is guaranteed in this league.

"In my mind, (being) biased, I would love to be here," Brockers said. "I've played the position, I'm comfortable here, comfortable with the coaching staff, comfortable with the standards we uphold here, but I understand it's a business as well. Understanding that aspect, you never know."

Should Brockers not re-sign, the Rams could look internally or use the draft or free agency to find his replacement.

One internal solution would be re-signing defensive end Morgan Fox, who is scheduled to become a restricted free agent. He produced 12 tackles and two sacks while playing in all 16 games and had a reserve role in the defensive line rotation for the majority of his third season, but also got three starts.

When Fox saw time on the field, he would usually line up as a five-technique defensive lineman. In a 3-4 defense, the base scheme which defensive coordinator Wade Phillips employs, that defensive lineman lines up directly across from the offensive tackle – which is what Brockers also often did.

If Los Angeles opts not to re-sign Fox, the draft or free agency route would likely come into play.

Given the 29-year-old Brockers has shown no signs of slowing down – each of his last three seasons have all been his most productive in eight-year career in terms of total tackles – and the value his positional versatility creates for the Rams' defense, though, a potential return to the Rams would seem to be favorable for both sides. Currently, the only hurdle he has to clear prior to his pending free agency is healing a sprained left ankle sustained in the season finale.

One of the Rams' top offseason priorities: Addressing the left tackle position

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. –What to do at left tackle?

It is one of the most important questions – perhaps the most important – facing the Rams this offseason, with starter Andrew Whitworth scheduled to become a free agent this offseason.

"Whit has obviously said he wants to come back and play," Snead said during a lengthy conversation with beat writers at the team's facility Tuesday morning. "We've got to sit down and discuss, 'Is that the best thing for the Rams? Is it not?' That will come."

Spending the last three seasons anchoring the left side of the Rams' offensive line, Whitworth has missed only one regular season game during that span. This past season, he posted a 94 percent Pass Block Win Rate, a metric created by ESPN which measures the rate at which linemen can sustain their blocks for 2.5 seconds or longer. It ranked second among all offensive tackles evaluated this season.

The former LSU standout wants to continue playing in 2020 and said this week he would "love" to remain in Los Angeles. At the same time, he will do his due diligence when it comes to listening to offers from other teams.

"I look forward to continue playing and play at a high level. Hopefully the opportunity will be here," Whitworth said. "Obviously, anytime you're a free agent, you gotta listen to everything and figure out what's best for you. Of course, for me and my family, being a Ram would be number one on the list without question."

Beyond reaching an agreement on Whitworth's value, another challenge in answering the posed question is the health of one his possible replacements.

Snead said 2018 third-round pick Joe Noteboom, who started the season at left guard, was slated to be Whitworth's replacement, but those plans were complicated when Noteboom suffered season-ending ACL and MCL injuries in Week 6. The setback required surgery and landed Noteboom on injured reserve.

"Unfortunately that muddies that water in our ability to continue evaluating him at guard, and then the ability to go, 'Ok, is he ready to take on that role in year three coming off an ACL?" Snead said.

Another variable in the equation is rookie Bobby Evans.

Although the 2019 third-round pick made seven starts at right tackle this season, he also projects as a guard or left tackle, according to Snead.

"The ideal left tackle is probably easier to describe than actually identify and acquire," Snead said. "That's a harder piece of the puzzle."

When asked to define the ideal left tackle – or a left tackle in their prime – Snead described a scenario in which a team has drafted that player, and that player has gained experience and learned from "hiccups" along the way in order to become more consistent and trustworthy. They are young enough that they can hold their own against some of the league's most skilled pass-rushers, but also have gained enough knowledge to lean on from losing some of those one-on-one battles.

The ideal left tackle, then, could already be on the Rams' roster in the form of Noteboom or Evans. However, given his and Evans' small sample size for evaluation, even with with some of their preseason cross-training along the offensive line, Los Angeles could need Whitworth again to allow for another year of grooming to meet the criteria outlined by Snead.

This much is clear: What do at left tackle is not only one of the most important questions of the Rams' offseason, but a complicated one as well.

"It will be interesting to talk through that position," Snead said.

It's time to correct this awful ship and direction we been on. As our old coach used to say "There's no easing into a street fight".


Trades:

Jalen Ramsey(after deal), '20 7th rd., and NRC to Lions for 2021 1st and 2022 1st
Matt Patricia has got to figure out a way to stop the hemorrhage of yards they gave up last season (2019 NFL worst 284yds/game). A once in a generation talent at CB and NRC helps him shore up his defense. They also have more than enough cap to pull this off.

Jared Goff and '20 6th rd. to Miami for 2020 1st #18 and 2020 1st #25.
This makes a HUGE amount of sense for both parties here. First the Dolphins get a perennial starter that has talent and locked into a long term contract. Finally they get a starter. While LA gets released out the contract to go looking for another youngin to enjoy on the cheap for years to come. The thing that sucks is we foot 20mill for doing this blockbuster.

Lions 2020 #3 1st round, Miami 2020 #18 1st round, Rob Havenstein to Bengals #1-
The trade value tips in the favor for the Bengals and former assistant and friend of Sean McVay, Zach Taylor gets a top 3 pick, a starter at OT, and another 1st rounder to build his teams talent pool. Miami has 98 mill in cap so plenty of room in the future for Jared.

Resign Dante Fowler 4 years 16.8 mill./avg
Resign Cory Littleton 4 years 13 mill./avg
Resign Andrew Whitworth 1 year 10 mill
Reisgn Blake Bortles 1 Year 2 mill.
Resign Austin Blythe 2 years 2.5 mill/avg.
Tender Johnny Mundt
Tender Morgan Fox




Plus leaving about 25 million in cap room and Lions 2021 1st rounder.


2020 NFL Draft-

With the 2020 first pick of the decade, THE Los Angeles Rams select:

Joe Burrow QB LSU

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejXN3p-zV8A

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIJKk6DGlVI

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ukg0ZaO1Z_E


I can't say enough about Joe Burrow, he has that IT factor like Patrick Mahomes does. He's generally on the money, dynamic, a leader of men and clutch. All areas I feel we will get an upgrade with as our QB1. Hard not to be able to root and support the guy.


Pick #25 from Miami:
Tyler Biadasz C Wisconsin




Here is our C or G of the future. Guy has a nasty streak and is a dominant force, needs to work on his footwork and hips but have no question he will be a keeper.
Draft review:
Pros - Ass-kicker that moves people against their will with consistency. Routinely resets the line of scrimmage in the run game and generates movement. Terrific power throughout his frame that combines with sound technique that makes him a devastating run blocker. A wall in pass protection. Does well to frame rushers and anchor. Good mobility to slide laterally and stay square. Refined with his hand usage in terms of timing, placement, fits and his strikes carry a ton of pop. Football IQ is a notable strength. Timing and execution of his assignments in concert with the play design is precise. Easily diagnosis and anticipates pressure packages, twists and stunts. Takes excellent angles as a vertical blocker and does well to connect on the move. Has made 27 consecutive starts at center for the Badgers after redshirting in 2016.

Cons - Had an offseason surgery to “clean up his hip” and it kept him sidelined for spring practices. Is outstanding with his hand usage but it’s clear that he lacks ideal length, making his timing and technique all that much more important. Has a tendency to narrow his base at times and take away from his functional strength.


Round 2:

Raekwon Davis Alabama 3-4DE

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J1MURp83uc

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaosvlXGiqY


6/29/19: Davis totaled 55 tackles with 5.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks in 2018. For the NFL, he projects as a nose tackle in a 3-4 or 4-3, yet he could also play five-technique end in a 3-4 defense. His lateral anchor is rare and truly phenomenal. Teams just can't move him at all in the ground game. Davis' lower and upper body strength gives him a rare ability to handle bump blocks and double teams without giving up any movement in the ground game. Davis did not produce the big sack total in 2018 that he did in 2017, but team sources say they still felt that Davis was worthy of going as a top-20 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft if he had declared.

We need a run stuffer, Brockers has been a fail since we switched to the 3-4. Davis helps us shore up this stubborn run D.

Round 3:

Jordyn Brooks ILB Texas Tech

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9QYzOIAMiU

I love Jordyn Brooks. as a former ILB I love to watch his awareness of who moving where and where to penetrate or how to take the correct pursuit angle. We need someone like him to smell blood and go get effectively compared to Reed or Howard we have had to use. Jordyn's a f'n beast but he's hard to peg before the combine where he might land in the draft. For now he's in my 3rd round!

12/14/19: Brooks has some fans in the scouting community. Some team sources see Brooks as a second-round pick while others have him as a third- or fourth-rounder. Some think he is a true inside linebacker while others think he is a Will - weakside - linebacker for the NFL. The ones who have Brooks lower think he is athletic and fast, but has average instincts and does not take on blocks well. The sources who are higher on Brooks think he is a pure middle linebacker who can do it all. Regardless, Brooks will probably be a second-day pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Round 4:

Michael Pittman Jr WR USC

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQV_H03yShE

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idUwKn1DLSM


2019 season: 1222 yards, 11 touchdowns against top DBs as well. With this deep WR class of 2020 he is projected to go in the 3rd or 4th right now. I love watching him play, he catches balls in traffic, strong ass hands and would be an damned good candidate to challenge Reynolds for that 4th WR job!









Well, wasn't wanting to do this off season stuff yet but I guess you don't get to choose what you want in life sometimes huh? lol I have faith in our front office Demoff/Snead and their teams to evaluate, not be tied to emotions, and do the right things that are the best for the team. They are sharp, Demoff has our contracts down and can make this happen with Snead pulling the trigger.

Anyways, enjoyed reading all your Mocks today ( i had been refusing to look at this forum section! lol)

Ok time for sleep.. Cheers

Cameron DaSilva
10 hours ago


There was no lack of questions and concerns surrounding the Rams’ offensive line entering this season. Brian Allen and Joseph Noteboom both stepped in as first-year starters, but they struggled out of the gate.
Eventually, both would be placed on IR with season-ending injuries, which created even more problems up front for the Rams. Austin Corbett was acquired, Austin Blythe moved to center, David Edwards became a starter at guard and Bobby Evans replaced an injured Rob Havenstein.

Yet, despite all that adversity and change, the Rams still allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL this season. Yes, you read that correctly: the fewest.
That doesn’t mean the offensive line was one of the best in the league; it ranked 22nd in pass block win rate and created few holes for Todd Gurley and the running backs. All things considered, though, Los Angeles made the best of what it had on the O-line and Sean McVay is pleased with how the unit played.
“Well, I think the players continued to play. I thought the coaches did a great job – a lot of adjusting and adapting on the fly from Coach (Aaron) Kromer, Zak Kromer, Andy Dickerson. I think Andrew Whitworth’s leadership, really impressed with Austin Blythe’s command when he took over at playing that center spot,” McVay said.

However, just as all the blame doesn’t fall on the offensive line, all the credit doesn’t go to the five big men up front, either.
“Anytime you just look at that number, sacks are always a reflection of the unit. I think exclusively, in a lot of instances, offensive linemen are not always accurately pegged for the responsibility of sacks,” he continued. “They are certainly very helpful, but I think the quarterback has a huge responsibility, the backs if they’re used in protection, and then the other eligibles separating in the timing and rhythm. In some instances, those guys are even asked to protect. We’ve got receivers that are willing to protect, obviously the tight ends are used. I think it’s a great reflection of the entire unit and their ability to work through some adjusting, some adapting and then ultimately it’s about the players’ execution.”

Whitworth and Blythe are both free agents, and there’s no guarantee either Allen or Noteboom will be starters. Edwards and Evans are both candidates to start, as is Corbett. Havenstein should get his job back at right tackle, but that’s not a certainty either.

In other words, the Rams have a lot to figure out with their offensive line, but the potential for success is there.

Cameron DaSilva
8 hours ago


In each of Sean McVay’s first two seasons as head coach, the Rams ranked in the top 10 in rushing. They were eighth in 2017 and third in 2018, each time being led by Todd Gurley in the backfield.
This season, the Rams took a major step back. They finished the year with 1,499 yards rushing on 401 attempts, which ranked 26th and 18th in the NFL, respectively. Their 3.7 yards per carry as a team were 27th, a far cry from the 4.9 yards per carry they averaged in 2018 and 4.3 the year before.

Most of the blame and credit for a team’s success or failure on the ground falls on the running back. That’s not always fair, given the role the offensive line and tight ends play in the running game.
Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead know the Rams have to be better in that department next season, but there isn’t a one-step solution to the problem. They’re going to work on this element of the offense by evaluating the offensive line, running backs and tight ends.
“I think we’re evaluating more improving the run game,” Snead said, via the Associated Press. “It’s probably boring, but that’s a collective thing. All really good running backs probably give their offensive linemen nice gifts after Christmas after a successful year, and I think that’s for a reason. I think we all know that. We’ve got to look at offensive linemen and runners and tight ends and how we’re running the football, instead of just one individual.”
Snead was asked by reporters whether Gurley was the same player he was in previous seasons, to which he said flatly, “This year, he wasn’t.” But Gurley isn’t the only problem. The offensive line struggled in run blocking, which was evident in the season finale when Gurley had six carries for minus-5 yards at one point.

But at the same time, Gurley didn’t have the same explosiveness or knack for creating big plays that he had the past two seasons. Snead isn’t giving up on him, of course, saying there have been instances where players bounce back from disappointing seasons in the past.
“I think we’ve seen players have years that were less than the past come back and actually get back to where they were,” Snead said. “He’s still a young football player. … If you did take a step back this year, in terms of stats, I do think you can see players who do come back and get to a higher level than they were in their down years.”

The Rams can free up more than $4 million in cap space by trading Gurley this offseason, but finding a trade partner is easier said than done with a running back making $14.38 million per year entering his sixth NFL season.
Cutting him isn’t a financially practical move, either, which means Gurley will probably be back in 2020. Snead wouldn’t say whether Gurley or any other players are on the trade block, but given the front office’s aggressiveness in recent years, no deals should surprise fans or media members in Los Angeles.

I thought I would share this channel with everyone as I have become addicted
to them. Not all are alcohol trials for them, but just about all food items that are
strange to the Irish. Their reactions are comical. Note Ciara O'Doherty's ability
to drink alcohol, ANY alcohol, without grimacing or coughing, etc...She'a a monster,
a beautiful monster, but she would drink any man under the table. Also note Leather
Jacket Guy, who is a close second to Ciara.....Too bad Irish Jesus isn't in this one,
he's a classic character when paired with Leather Jacket Man.

Enjoy.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsUtcrQ7M0c

Login to view embedded media


Found it at youtube, good history content.

Checking out some games today.

Paying attention to Michigan's OL, especially their Center, Ruiz.

320 lber... Saw him listed as a late 2nd rounder on some sites.

Impressed so far, controlling Bama's interior DL.

We have opened a playoff pick’em pool; 2019 Playoffs Spread Pick’em

Get IN - Try your luck!


Click “Join Pool”, then “Manage your Picks”



RULES

• We will pick against the spread
• We will mostly use opening lines, so as soon as games are posted we can make picks
• 1 point for picking winner, using spread
• Tie counts as a win, also 1 point
• We will strategize a tie breaker, assuming we need one, likely picking the score of the Superbowl

If you’ve never played our Pick’em... this is a good way to try! Then you are ready for our 2020 season!

Good luck!

Login to view embedded media View: https://medium.com/@timventura/10-giant-technology-trends-for-the-2020s-8415a29c4a63

10 Giant Technology Trends For The 2020's

Welcome to the “Roaring Twenties” — it seems like a fitting moniker for the new decade, as we’re once again entering the 20’s in a “period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultural edge” just as our ancestors did a century ago.

This time around, technology is evolving rapidly, driven by a convergence of trends in IT & computing, energy, transportation & space technologies — but keep in mind that near-term change is limited by the speed that business can develop & deploy new technologies into the marketplace.

Speaking practically, that means over the next decade, the biggest advances in technology will be derivatives of technologies that we’re already familiar with. It’s less about anticipating a revolutionary breakthrough than it is about the social change those technologies will bring with them.

Top Tech Trends For A Changing World
Changing demographic trends combined with massive investment in tech development promises to deliver big advances across industries including computing, energy, transportation, medicine & more. Here some of the top trends you can expect to see:

Your Home Phone Is Dead
As I’ve written before, the days of the twisted-pair, copper-line home phone have just about run out. As the National Center for Health Statistics reported in 2019, only 42% of Americans still have a landline phone — and that number is dropping by 3.6% every year. If the trend holds, the “home phone” will have essentially disappeared in the U.S. within the next decade, replaced by a combination of mobile smartphones & VOIP solutions.

Television Is Dying Too
Back in 2016, The New York Post has wrote about, “Millennials ditching their TV sets at a record rate”, and cited a study showing a 10% drop in viewership in the 18 to 34 age demographic. A year later, Ad Age reported on another study saying, “Almost half of adults 22 to 45 years old are watching absolutely no content on traditional TV platforms”. Both studies agreed on the same core point: younger viewers consume their content through streaming media and the internet — which likely signals the beginning of a slow death for traditional TV.

Electric Cars Drive Themselves
Electric cars are nothing new — but the sheer numbers of them that you’ll be seeing in the next decade will be. In 2019, nearly every major auto manufacturer in the world launched an electric vehicle, and companies like Tesla, Waymo & Drive.ai are deeply involved in the development of true self-driving automobiles. Self-driving trials are already underway in some metro areas, and as this technology develops expect to see it become more common on roadways across the country.

Passenger Drones Take Off
The electric Chinese eHang 184 passenger drone made headlines back at CES 2016 — and for good reason. Traffic congestion has been a problem for decades, and self-flying, electric passenger drones are the best bet for a short-term solution — which is one of the reasons for the 2019 Boeing & Kitty-Hawk reboot into the Wisk flying taxi startup.

Siri Controls Your Home
You didn’t actually think the “smart speaker” fad was about music, did you? There are giant profits to be made in home automation, and the consumer beachhead for this high-tech home invasion is controlled by Siri, Cortana, Alexa & Google Assistant. Home-automation systems are already on sale for all of these platforms — the only limitation is the cost. Expect the smart speakers of today to become the control hubs for your home tomorrow.

Gigabit LTE Threatens Cable, Fiber & Wifi
Boasting lower latency & speeds over 900 megabits per second, 5G LTE cellular will be a major upset in the telecommunications world — with the potential to displace cable-modems, fiber, and even wifi for some customers. This technology is already being deployed by carriers around the globe — and once it’s in place, if cellular companies can sell this to consumers as a last-mile replacement for cable, then you may see the only data connection to your home become cellular.

Fusion Power In The News
MIT claims that we’ll have fusion power by 2030, and MIT has just recently found a way to increase the output of fusion reactions 10x by doping the fuel mixture with Helium3. Don’t expect this to be a reality in the 2020’s, but plan on hearing a lot more about research advances in the news.

Expect An Explosion In Anti-Aging Medicine
Elderly people are 8.5% of today’s population — by 2050 they’ll be 17%. Advances in medicine will be driven by demand from an aging boomer generation. For instance, Dr. David Sinclair is making waves at Harvard Medical School with his research into NAD, while others like Dr. Elizabeth Parrish are working on lengthening Telomeres using a retroviral delivery systems. We’ll also see an increase in specialized test kits providing deeper health insights for this aging population — such as the TeloYears DNA test, which attempts to measure your biological age by analyzing telomere length.

Medical Wearables Will Be Everywhere
The Apple watch is a medical wearable in disguise — and it’s inspired copycat technologies from Samsung, FitBit, and a host of other companies. The same trends driving anti-aging research will push the aging Boomers (and their nervous adult children) towards medical wearables to foster lifestyle independence while still ensuring that help is available in emergencies.

Crytocurrency Is The Next PayPal
It boomed, it busted — and then it grew up. Advances in cryptocurrency and industry initiatives like Facebook’s Libra Association are building public trust in cryptocurrency, and in as these second-generation solutions reach the market we can expect to see used more commonly in mainstream commerce. At the very least, expect to see crypto begin to challenge PayPal in the next decade for online payments — and at most perhaps you’ll even use in in the world world with your debit card.

Conclusion
All of the technologies above are already being developed — many are already commercially available as products. Despite being near-term technologies, they’re also incredibly powerful advances capable of transforming our way of life, which hints at the profound & powerful nature of the decade to come.

Login to view embedded media View: https://medium.com/discourse/are-electric-vehicles-this-next-decades-e-book-9e4f6040e8d9

Are Electric Vehicles This Next Decade’s E-Book?

In 2019, it’s difficult to find an auto manufacturer or transportation expert who isn’t predicting an explosion in the popularity and sales of electric vehicles in the 2020s — but what if they’re all wrong?

In 2010, another ascendant “e” technology had bookstores and publishers on edge.

According to industry experts and casual observers, the e-book was on the riseand it was coming to replace hardcovers and paperbacks and lay waste to bookstores across America.

In exchange for its higher upfront price, an e-reader promised its users greater portability (storing thousands of titles) and the ability to save money over the long run since e-books were cheaper to acquire than their paperback or hardcover counterparts.

The Kindle, which ushered in the e-book revolution, had just launched its third-generation model in 2010 and sales were up dramatically from the year prior.

Borders, already worried about falling sales in its physical stores as a result of competition from Amazon, made its e-books available on the Kobo e-readerearlier that same year.

Barnes and Noble’s NOOK would debut just one year later in 2011.

It seemed as if every large bookstore chain was moving from print to digital. The success of the Kindle had proven that e-books were popular among readers and not just a niche product.

Further, experts like Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, were boldly predicting the demise of all physical books within just five years.

Everywhere you looked in 2010, the signs pointed to a digital publishing future centered around e-books. Pundits pointed to the music industry and said if bookstores and publishers didn’t adapt then they’d be out of business in several years.

Fast-forward to the end of the decade and the Kindle is on its tenth iteration (with additional higher-end models on offer).

However, sales figures for e-books are just one-tenth of those for physical books. And according to the Pew Research Center, only 7% of Americans read books in digital format only; this figure is still dwarfed by the 37% of Americans who read print books only and the 28% of Americans who read print and digital books.

The Kobo, which Borders was an early investor in but didn’t own, survived that store’s bankruptcy and lives on to this day, battling it out against the Kindle.

However, Barnes and Noble’s NOOK, once heralded as the future of that retailer’s strategy to maintain its relevance, is “on its deathbed” and its future looks bleak.

At the end of this decade, a new narrative, one centered around declining sales, has formed around e-books and the future of e-readers. At the same time, independent bookstores are enjoying a renaissance of sorts.

The reports of the imminent death of print books were, as it turns out, greatly exaggerated.

In 2019, a similar conversation is occurring in the electric vehicle space, and a similar panic of obsolescence is sweeping across traditional vehicle manufacturers.

Tesla’s Model 3, which could favorably be compared to the Kindle in that it demonstrated the demand for an “affordable” electric vehicle, remains the primary driver of electric vehicle sales figures in the United States.

Worried about remaining relevant, other manufacturers have scrambled to release competing “devices” like the Mustang Mach-E from Ford and the e-tron from Audi.

Again, there are no shortage of experts predicting the obsolescence of the internal combustion engine as manufacturers pledge to introduce more electrified models in the coming years.

“The future is electric” is a common refrain across an industry that until recently doubted whether electric vehicles even had a market of interested buyers.

However, there’s some reason for skepticism and doubt (paywall).

Like the Kindle, the electric vehicle revolution, to date, has been mostly powered by enthusiasts and early adopters, and it’s been juiced by incentives, some of which are on their way out.

As the Pew Research Center noted in 2012, “device [e-reader] owners in general are more likely to prefer owning books in all formats than the general population — the more well-to-do device owners most of all.”

Similarly, electric vehicle owners are mostly from high-income households. According to a survey conducted by CarMax and CleanTechnica, “the largest share of households with hybrid and electric cars earned at least $200,000.”

Electric vehicles have found a market, but questions remain as to whether there are enough interested buyers outside this group of early adopters to justify predictions of the ascendancy of electric vehicles over their internal combustion counterparts.

Instead, the future is likely more muddled (and varied) than overly optimistic projections of electric vehicle sales would have us believe.

As battery production costs come down, it’s possible households will have an electric vehicle and an internal combustion engine vehicle and use both, just like many households now have an e-reader and still buy and display (who doesn’t love a good bookshelf?) print books.

But claims that lack boldness rarely make headlines, even if those middle-of-the-road claims are the likeliest of all possible futures.

On the eve of a new decade, the boldest claim about electric vehicles may be that the next greatest thing is sometimes just another thing.

NFL MADE A PLAYOFF HYPE VIDEO THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE THE EAGLES, VIKINGS

If you wonder what the National Football League thinks of two teams in the postseason, they certainly made it clear when they released a hype video.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings are in the 2020 NFL playoffs, but you wouldn’t know that if you only watched this hype video that the NFL put out:

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/nfl/status/1211625585086205953?s=21


10 out of 12 playoff teams are represented in the video: the Baltimore Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs, the New England Patriots, the Houston Texans, the Buffalo Bills, the Tennessee Titans, the San Fransisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers, the New Orleans Saints, and the Seattle Seahawks.

Philly and Minnesota are the biggest underdogs in the playoffs. The Eagles are said to be +2 against the Seattle Seahawks, while the Vikings are -8 against the New Orleans Saints.

Looking at the OLB market at this early stage it's very competitive:

1. Barrett (Bucs)
2. Fowler (Rams)
3. Dupree (Steelers)
4. Clowney (Shehawks)

I have them in rough sack total order btw. Barrett will probably get locked up, he loves the Bucs and is in the right scheme but you never know with Tampa's ownership. Clowney meanwhile has a good chance to test the market because he sucks in that Sheattle defense and Dupree might hit the market too.

Seems like this year's FA group might have more young talent and upside than you usually see for the edge OLBs. I've been of the mind that the Rams will let Dante walk in FA, however I am starting to consider the quality of this group might benefit negotiations if both sides are interested in getting things done.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTR6xBeC2xA

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDOdD58nbPI

At least he sounds confident
Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/LindseyThiry/status/1212146853845884939?s=20


Lots of options... not sure how great any are but options none the less. I stay with keeping Whit one more year at friendly contract.
Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/LindseyThiry/status/1212146853845884939?s=20


Happy for the big guy
Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/LindseyThiry/status/1212148148946243586?s=20


Rams GM Les Snead doesn't regret record deals for Jared Goff, Todd Gurley

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead says he does not regret signing Jared Goff and Todd Gurley to their record-breaking contracts.

"Those are human beings that gave a lot to this organization and deserve to be compensated," Snead said Tuesday.

Snead met with reporters following a 9-7 season that resulted in the Rams taking third place in the NFC West and missing the playoffs a season after playing in Super Bowl LIII.

The Rams played inconsistently throughout the year on offense, defense and special teams. However, Goff and Gurley drew the most criticism because of their uneven play and the massive extensions that tie them to the Rams into the foreseeable future.

Before this season, Goff signed a four-year extension that included an NFL-record $110 million in guarantees that keeps him with the team through 2024. Gurley signed a four-year deal that included a then-NFL-record $45 million in guarantees before the 2018 season that keeps him with the Rams through 2023.

Snead pushed back on the perception that their contracts, along with those of defensive tackle Aaron Donald and receiver Brandin Cooks, have left the Rams with little room to maneuver and improve their roster in 2020.

The Rams also are without a first-round pick in the 2020 and 2021 drafts after sending both selections to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who will be looking for a record-breaking payday of his own as he enters the final season of his rookie contract.

"I do call it probably a false perception," Snead said. "Ultimately, I can see why that would be a perception, but maybe there's an element of staying a little too shallow."

The Rams are projected to have a league-high $108.75 million in salary-cap charges allocated to their five highest-paid players -- Goff, Donald, Gurley, Cooks and Ramsey.

It's projected that the salary cap will increase from $188.2 million to about $200 million in 2020.

"From a salary-cap standpoint, and I assume the cap does go up, there's a new collective bargaining agreement that's coming that's another variable that we don't know about," Snead said. "We've shown in the past that when you have commodities that you might could move on with via trade to collect draft capital that maybe the perception says you don't have and to clear cap space."

Snead declined to say if any of his players, including Gurley, were available to trade.

Gurley powered the Rams' offense in Sean McVay's first two seasons as coach, as he rushed for more than 1,200 yards in back-to-back seasons and last season scored a league-best 21 touchdowns.

But this season, amid reports that he's suffering from a degenerative knee condition or arthritis, he rushed for a career-low 857 yards and 12 touchdowns on 223 carries. His touches dropped from an average of 22.5 per game last season to 16.9 this year.

McVay throughout the season denied that Gurley was on a load-management program.

Snead pointed to the general state of the run game, an evolving offensive line and opponents' game plans as reasons for Gurley's decline.

"We didn't run the ball this year as well as we have," Snead said. "We definitely want to get back to being more efficient running the football."

When asked if Gurley was the same running back he'd proved to be in the past, Snead said, "This year, he wasn't."

Last season, Goff demonstrated significant progress in his development as he passed for 32 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions, and led the Rams to an NFC championship and Super Bowl.

But this season, he took an apparent step back as the offense relied more on his arm than the legs of Gurley. Goff passed for 4,638 yards and 22 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions. His Total QBR (48.3) ranked him 23rd in the league, between the Chargers' Philip Rivers and the Bills' Josh Allen.

Hey folks, I am very impressed with this rookie on the whiners. He seems to have a wonderful quality of elusiveness and power. Do we have anyone on the Rams that could provide this piece in the offense? I think Hendo maybe? But McVay seems very loathe to let rookies play much. Samuel I believe is a WR, but he runs like a RB. Woods has some of that, except for the power. Kupp has surprising run after catch abilities, but not the power. What do you guys see?

It is possible you experience an intermittent service interruption over the next hour.

Hopefully, not.

I will remove this post once complete.

Cheers, CGI

I've had some thoughts on what we should in terms of personnel, and I believe we will land a DC that will switch to a 4-3 front - the catch here being that we spend more time in our nickel D anyways, so in terms of personnel, we're not as far off as you'd think.

Notable cuts: Weddle, Matthews

Expected cap space: $30 million

Re-sign: RFAs and ERFAs, GZ $2 million/year, Marqui Christian $3 million per year - I've been hard on GZ, but if we can get him for $2 million, I'll take that (he's currently at 2.25 million). Christian is insurance for now for the nickel LB spot with Littleton leaving, I'm not comfortable with this cupboard being bare.

After the above, coupled with what we'll need for draft picks/post draft FAs, I project that we'll have roughly $15 million in cap

Ramsey extended - 5 years $85 million - depending on the structure, we could free up some cap room this year - I'll project that it adds $3 million

TRADES:

Gerald Everett to the Patriots for a 3rd round pick in 2020 and 4th round pick in 2021

Josh Reynolds to the Packers for 5th round picks in 2020 and 2021

2nd round pick to the Falcons for Alex Mack

Trading Everett and Reynolds adds draft capital for both this year and next when it's unlikely either player will be re-signed after 2020 - I'm a huge fan of Everett, so this is tough. The Patriots are shrewd trade partners, but Everett going there makes so much sense. They'd likely give up more for him than any other team because he is a slam dunk to be extremely successful in their offense. This assumes that Tom Brady plays at least one more season. The Falcons are in a very bad cap situation and while they wouldn't want to get rid of Mack, he's 33 years old and represents the easiest way to save money while also adding draft capital. After the trades I project to have $10 million to spend on FA.

FREE AGENTS:

Robert Quinn - 2 years $20 million - great production this year with Dallas and with us switching back to a 4-3, I want one solid DE, so let's bring Quinn back home

Vernon Davis - 1 year $5 million - where the money for this comes from, not 100% sure - this move would be made before the draft and as such, it would be a situation where you bring him in and figure it out later - maybe a restructure or two to help

NFL DRAFT:

Compensatory pick - 4th round for Rodger Saffold (Joyner offset by Matthews)

Picks:

3rd
3rd (Patriots)
4th
4th (comp)
5th (Packers)
6th
7th



I don't know enough about draft prospects yet to definitively say who I would want the Rams to draft - the only real need after these moves is our starting MLB. I would prioritize that, even if it means a trade up. I'll revisit this after I've had some time to look at draft picks.

We lost Vinny to the lowly a Raiders now we’re losing Lindsey Thiry at espn LA. I was really enjoying a good year of social media information and it comes crashing down. She choosing Montana over SoFi stadium.

Login to view embedded media View: https://mobile.twitter.com/LindseyThiry/status/1212047379894915079

Who do you like in these games? The next 2 weekends usually deliver some good football.

Saturday January 04
4:35PM ET: Bills at Texans
8:15PM ET: Titans at Patriots

Sunday January 05
1:05PM ET: Vikings at Saints
4:40PM ET: Seahawks at Eagles

Feel free to post any stats that you want to call out.

Offensive yards per game - 7th
PPG - 11th

Offensive penalties - 8th most in the NFL (didn't realize we were this bad here - definitely needs fixed)

Fumbles lost - 7 - tied for 5th fewest with several teams

Time of possession - 29:01 - 23rd in the NFL

3rd down % - 40 - 15th in NFL

4th downs - 3/13 - 31st in the NFL

Sacks allowed - 22 - 1st in the NFL

QB hits allowed - 79 - 10th in the NFL

Rushing TDs - 20 - tied for 4th in the NFL

Rushing average - 3.7 - 29th in the NFL

Rushing yards - 1499 - 26th in the NFL

Negative runs - 44 total - on NFL.com it sorts by left/center/right so I can't total up every team, but several teams are around the same number that we are, although they may have run the ball more than us