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Sunday, July 26, 2020

My Tattoo Rituals

I'm writing this so I don't forget my checklists for before, during, and after a new tattoo, but I reckon other people might reap the benefits of being prepared as well. What I've got here is a compilation of what I've found to be best practices for the process of getting and caring for a new tattoo.  None of these tidbits have much in the way of scientific backing, and it's pretty hard to find science to back anything having to do with tattoo culture. That said, there is some anecdotal evidence behind everything here. It's a set of rituals that I have come to believe in.

I absolutely go overboard in everything I do in getting a tattoo. It's a bit much, I admit. For me, the obsessive and likely excessive process is reassuring in the face of getting a mostly permanent mark on my body. But I can't be certain that any part of my process is necessary. With the advancement of tattoo equipment & ink, as well as the skill level of tattoo artists, it's possible that a good, lasting tattoo is pretty much guaranteed no matter what kind effort the client puts into preparation or aftercare. And I have no idea what impact individual physiology plays in tattoo outcomes. What I do know is that my process doesn't seem to hurt, and it's an accumulation of accepted and generally recommended practices.

Pre-Tattoo
Finding a tattoo artist is easy, finding the right one is not as easy. As tattoos have increased in popularity, the amount of tattoo artists have also increased. In general, the skill and talent level of the artist pool has risen over the years. But it's still worth taking time to do the leg work and research portfolios. On a related note, get an estimate from the artist before agreeing to a tattoo. Bargaining for a cheaper tattoo is a terrible idea.

I always make sure I've got post-tattoo supplies stocked at home before I actually go get a tattoo. These include:

1) Regular, orange, pump dial soap ("Dial Gold"). You want a pump soap because bacteria can live on bar soap, and you want the plain dial soap because you don't want anything crazy going into your tattoo, which, among other things, is an open wound.

2) Aquaphor Healing Ointment. A magic potion for helping tattoos heal fast, stay moist, and keep microbes out. It's super greasy and will stain almost anything it touches, so avoid brushing against anything you care about. Except for the new tattoo, that is. I like it best out of a tube, but it's easier to find in a jar.

3) Plastic Wrap or transparent film dressing (Tegaderm, Saniderm, Derm Shield, etc.). Needed for the first few days after getting a tattoo. More on this later.

4) Nonstick Gauze Pads. Try to get pads in a size that will cover your tattoo completely. The nonstick quality of the pad is very important, how well it absorbs fluids is not.

5) Medical Tape. To keep the plastic wrap on. Regular scotch tape works too, just not as well.

6) Aveeno Moisturizing Lotion. The daily moisturizing lotion works, as does the 24 hour lotion. I used to really like the intense hand cream, but I don't think it's sold anymore. Most fragrance-free lotions will work just as well, but I trust Aveeno to be readily available and less full of wildcard ingredients. I'm sure health food stores sell an even better, organic, limited ingredient, sensitive-skin-safe lotion than aveeno, I'm just not messing with what works for me. The key is avoiding additives to the lotion that may react negatively with your body or the ink.

7) Crappy Sheets, blankets, towels, and clothes. Tattoo ink, blood, and aquaphor are going to get all over the place.

8) Paper towels. Make sure they haven't been sitting in a spot where they've been exposed to dirt or nastiness.

Tattoo Anesthetic Options
How much pain is felt during a tattoo session depends on a variety of factors, some of which include: placement (see chart here), pain tolerance, attitude, sex, time of day, stress level, nutrition, hydration, length of session, body composition, and last night's sleep.

Remember this: people way wimpier than you have tattoos. You can do it. Honestly, the pain is tolerable and it is probably best not to mess around with anesthetic variables and just get through it with mental toughness. You can also ask for breaks when you need them.

However, there are options to take the edge off:

1) If you suffer from anxiety you may want to take your prescription medicine before your session.

2) Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may help reduce pain if taken prior to a session.

3) Numbing creams, gels, & sprays are widely available. The active ingredient is 3-5% lidocaine and sometimes a splash of epinephrine to reduce swelling/bleeding and prolong the effect of the lidocaine. Some things to remember if you're using a numbing agent:
  • Epinephrine will increase your heart rate. This can affect anxiety level and more depending on heart health.
  • A goodly number of artists are against the use of anesthetics. You may want to discuss with the artist. There are many claims that anesthetics can negatively affect tattoo outcomes.
  • Some claim that using the gels makes skin "mushy" and harder to work with. I imagine this effect is heightened when using them as directed- glopping it on and covering it with plastic wrap for 1 or more hours before the tattoo.
  • If the agent has absorbed into the skin fully before your appointment, it's probably best to remove all residue.
  • The spray forms usually only work once the skin is broken, so it's useless to apply them prior to sessions.
  • Anesthetics will blunt the pain, but rarely stop it.
  • Anesthetics will wear off during the session, ranging in effectiveness from 15 minutes to 4 hours.
  • The most effective way to use anesthetics would be to use the cream or gel before the session and "touch up" with the spray during the session.
4) DO NOT use Ibuprofen, Aspirin, or drink alcohol before a tattoo appointment. It thins the blood which might negatively impact your tattoo 

In preparation for the actual tattoo appointment, I like to:

1) Eat a solid, but not too filling or gross meal about 2-3 hours before the appointment
2) Drink some juice or eat some fruit. Raise my blood sugar level, get some vitamin c, and hydrate.
3) Be freshly showered
4) Have cash on hand to pay for the session and the tip* (a lot of places only take cash)
5) Have a copy of all reference art, even if I've already left a copy with the artist
6) Bring a gatorade or electrolyte drink to the appointment

* A note about tipping tattoo artists. General guidelines call for tipping the artist between 15-25%. Unless something goes horribly wrong, it's a good idea to tip. I always try to be generous, especially if I'm planning on going back for more ink in the future.

During the appointment-
1) Watch to make sure every implement the artist uses is opened in front of me, and that ink is squirted into little plastic dipping sauce cups. Most modern tattoo artists are laser focused on keeping things sterile, so this isn't as important as it used to be.
2) I generally go alone, and I think most artists prefer that
3) Some artists like to talk, some don't; I usually wait for them to initiate conversation.
4) I focus on my breath or the conversation and not the needle. I usually don't spend tons of time on my phone or listening to headphones because I consider it rude but I'm weird.
4) I ask for breaks if I need them, and sip gatorade when I get a chance.

Aftercare:

Leave the bandage or plastic wrap on for 2-5 hours after the appointment. Careful when moving the tattooed area- sometimes plasma, blood, and ink form in little puddles and drip out.

"Hot wash" the area with dial soap and a clean hand. Get in a hot shower, use lots of dial, and wash off any "slick spots" that you see. No scrubbing, but don't be afraid to rub that thing. This is probably the most important wash of the whole aftercare process- you don't want anything crusting or scabbing over, and you want to get excess ink off if there is any. There's that whole cleaning the wound so it doesn't get infected thing, as well.

The tattoo can be washed every 4-6 hours for the first day, maybe 3-4 times the second day, and then 1-2 times a day after that until healed. And of course it should be washed any time it gets dirty or exposed to something gross.

Let the tattooed area air dry, or pat it dry with a paper towel. This is how drying is going to work for the entire healing process. Air drying is preferred, and it's a good idea to let it get very dry. Occasionally, it's even good to go a little longer than just dry, and to give the skin a chance to breathe.

Apply a thin coat of Aquaphor to the tattoo. As much as possible over the next 1-2 (maybe even 3) weeks, that thin coat of Aquaphor should be in effect, using Aveeno lotion when Aquaphor isn't feasible. I apply a slightly thicker layer in the beginning so that I can see that it is covered without having to touch it and so that it acts as a barrier against outside contaminants. I find that the more I can use aquaphor during the healing process, the faster the tattoo heals. The issue of course is that aquaphor stains clothing, so if the area is going to touch my clothing I need to skip the aquaphor or cover it.

When and how long to cover a tattoo is debatable. For the first 1-3 days, it's a good idea to cover the freshly aquaphor'd tattoo and secure it with medical tape when going to bed. I think for the first 1-7 days you also want to cover it if you were going out somewhere gross. It also would probably be prudent to cover it if it still needs aquaphor and would come into contact with clothes. But if at all possible I leave the tattoo uncovered as much as possible with that layer of aquaphor on top.

How to cover a tattoo is also debatable. Plastic wrap is not breathable and not sterile. I only use plastic wrap for short periods (1-3 hours) if I need to keep aquaphor on the tattoo, because it is convenient. Many people swear by film dressings like tegaderm. Those dressings are sterile and breathable, and some even filter out UV light. However, they use an adhesive which can cause problems. First, when removing the dressing the adhesive can pull at the tattoo. Secondly, some people including myself have skin reactions to the adhesive. This can cause a bad heal.

What I do to cover a tattoo for longer periods is- apply aquaphor, cover the tattoo with a nonstick gauze pad, and secure it in place using either medical tape or transparent film dressing. I still get the skin reaction with the film, but not at the tattoo site. The benefit of the film dressing is that it seals off the tattoo from germs and will keep my leaking fluids inside. It also sticks better to my skin than tape.

When going to bed, make sure you're wearing crappy pj's, sleeping on crappy sheets, covering yourself with crappy blankets if you absolutely need them, and maybe using crappy towels to cover your crappy sheets. The tattoo will bleed during the first night (that's usually it for bleeding), ink will magically appear, and aquaphor will finish off any surface that wants a stain.

There are distinct phases of healing after a fresh tattoo:
1-3 days- The area stops bleeding, no more wet ink spills out, it's no longer a fresh wound
2-6 days- The area feels tender, and there might be some bruising
3 days-1 1/2 weeks- The tattoo starts shedding fruity or cocoa pebbles (depending on color or black ink), and gets very itchy
1 week-3 weeks- The tattoo stops shedding ink, stops itching, and looks fairly normal. It still is probably not fully healed at this point.
4-6 weeks- it's ok to start phasing out the lotion, and to go in the ocean or a pool.

During the fruity pebbles and itchy phase of healing, do not pick at the tattoo or scratch what itches. You can literally yank ink out of the tattoo and screw it up.

After the tattoo has popped out its pebbles and the area doesn't itch anymore, switch from Aquaphor to the Aveeno lotion. I almost always keep that up into at least the fourth week, which is overkill.

For the first month or more, keep that tattoo out of the sun! If you put a fresh tattoo into the sun, you'll know what it feels like to be a vampire.

After the Heal
There might be a spot where ink popped out. It's ok to ask the artist for a touch up, just make sure you're fully healed.

Other than that, maybe take a picture of the healed tattoo to send to your artist.

After all that hard work, enjoy the slow degradation of your tattoo and skin as you age. If you've followed the hot tips above, the freshness of the tattoo will outlast the looks of your paper thin, liver spotted mortal flesh.

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Hot Restaurants in Philadelphia

Here are the Hot Eats in Philadelphia:

Italian
Osteria
Caffe Aldo Lamberti
Barbuzzo
Positano Coast 
Macaroni's Restaurant
Fiorino
Dante & Luigi's
Triangle Tavern
Mr. Martino's Trattoria
Wm. Mulherin's Sons
Vetri Cucina
Palizzi Social Club
The Victor Cafe
Ambra

American
Pub and Kitchen
Standard Tap
Sabrina's
Memphis Taproom
Rose Tattoo Cafe
National Mechanics
Kraftwork
Village Whiskey
Matyson
City Tavern 
Jack's Firehouse
Good Dog
Royal Tavern
Kennett
Three Monkeys
Fork
High Street on Market
Chick's 
Hungry Pigeon

Mexican
Distrito
The Cantina 
Loco Pez 
El Compadre
The Adobe Cafe

Middle Eastern
Zahav
Goldie
Manakeesh
Saad Halal Restaurant 
Al Zaytouna

Pizza and Hoagies
Mr. P's
Roman's Pizza
Gusto Pizza
Rustica
Chubby's Steaks 
Pizza Brain
In Riva
Paesano's
Alex's Pizza
Pizzeria Vetri 
Nick's Charcoal Pit
Cosmi's Deli
La Rosa Pizza

Sushi
Machi Sushi
Morimoto 
Hikaru 
Osaka Chestnut Hill
Izumi
Kisso
Double Knot
Aki

Chinese
New Harmony
Sang Kee Peking Duck House
Han Dynasty
Four Rivers 
Kingdom of Vegetarians RIP

Assorted
Amada
Zorba's
Jovan's Place- RIP
Memphis Taproom Hot Dog Truck
Sweet Lucy's Smokehouse
The Dandelion
Mad Rex
Luke's Lobster
Oyster House
Noord Eetcafe
Serpico
Pho Ha
Abyssinia
Gojjo
Stargazy- British savory pies, toffee pudding, and jellied eels.
Nunu
Kanella

French
Bibou 
Fond- "French-influenced contemporary American," sounds complicated but goes down easy.
The Good King Tavern- French Tavern Fare, the most informal of french fares.
Laurel- This Top Chef winner's restaurant requires reservations months in advance. Try the tasting menu.
Townsend
Royal Boucherie


Vegetarian/Vegan
Blackbird Pizza
Govinda's
Goldie
Vedge
V Street
New Harmony
Wiz Kid
The Tasty- Vegan old school diner
Miss Rachel's Pantry
Bar Bombon- Vegan Puerto Rican
Dottie's Donuts
Kingdom of Vegetarians- RIP

Sweets
The Night Kitchen
Shane Confectionery
Franklin Fountain
Little Baby's
Dottie's Donuts
Sophisticakes

Brunch/Breakfast
Honey's Sit 'n Eat
Morning Glory
Federal Donuts
Moshulu
Day by Day 
La Croix
Sabrina's
Trolley Car Diner 
Billy Murphy's 

Bars
Union Jacks
Cranky Joe's
Franklin Mortgage
American Sardine Bar
Sidecar
Local 44
Dock Street
Grey Lodge
The Olde Bar at Bookbinders
Wissahickon Brewing Company





Tuesday, August 19, 2014

A Variety of Wants



Video Games:
Metroid Dread Video Game


Books:

Music:
The Black Sabbath Covers
Magnolia Electric Co. 10th Anniversary Edition

Clothing:


Decor & More:
LED Neon Halloween Fun: This Ghost or This GhostThis Grave or These Graves
A framed copy of any of these photos: 1 2 3 (Would need to contact Temple U's Library for a high resolution reproduction)
Various Halloween Decorations- this and this and maybe this or this one and this is lovely as well

Electronics:
Build-a-cade Art Kit (Ms. Pacman)
A Restored Vintage Radio Clock (With optional Bluetooth Upgrade and a dial light if it doesn't come included): This one or this one.


Miscellaneous:
Vintage Nintendo Playing Cards like this, or This or this, or this.

Things to get me if you win the lottery:
A Restored Jukebox







Monday, April 30, 2012

Eagles Draft Wrap Up 2012

By all accounts, the Eagles had a decent draft in 2012. There weren't many sure-thing superstar prospects to be had, and the Eagles didn't get any of them. But, the birds did move up a bit to get perhaps the best defensive tackle in the pool without giving up anything of value. And, the rest of their picks seemed to get the universal "Yep, that's the guy to get there" from the pundits. No reaches, no complaints. A seemingly safe draft, heavy on the acquisition of defensive players.

The only mildly controversial move the Eagles made was selecting Arizona QB Nick Foles. Most experts agree that Big Red is going to flip him for a second rounder in a couple years like he does with every other developmental quarterback he touches (AJ Feely, Kevin Kolb). Some think that Foles might make a decent starter and seems like a big strong kid with a good arm, and others think that he's a checkdown charlie who isn't much of an athlete and won't ever pan out as an NFL starter. I say that I still like Mike Kafka, but that The Big Metamorphosis is never going to shine in an offense planned for a mobile quarterback who has reverted to his pre-prison headspace.

I didn't study up on the draft, so I don't have any insight about the players picked. But I'm going to list the Eagles draft choices below and what people are saying about them. Then we'll look back at the draft in a few years to decide just how safe this draft was.

Round 1 Pick 12- Fletcher Cox DT Mississippi State
SI Says:
Positives: Developing defensive lineman with a large upside. Athletic player who explodes off the snap with a terrific first step, displaying outstanding movement skills and the ability to quickly change direction. Works his hands throughout the play, moves well laterally and gets outside the box to make plays in pursuit. Has a tall, linear build, breaks down well and is agile. Slides off blocks to get to the ballcarrier, flashes power in his lower body and rarely gets knocked off his feet. Effectively uses his hands to protect himself, fluid if asked to twist or stunt and displays a burst of closing speed. Possesses good size and offers growth potential.

Negatives: Easily knocked from his angle of attack or is out-positioned from plays. Must add bulk to his frame and improve his playing strength.

Analysis: Cox watched his game take off last season and is now positioned to be a top-20 choice in April?s draft. His athleticism and versatility are intriguing, as Cox has the potential to line up at several different spots on the defensive line. Cox will only improve as he physically matures, and he has the potential to develop into one of the best defenders from this draft in time.

Profootball Talk Says:
At 6-foot-4, 298, Cox ran an impressive 4.81 forty-yard dash at February’s Scouting Combine. He has huge hands and long arms, and is an up-the-field pass rusher who will fit nicely into line coach Jim Washburn’s “Wide-Nine” scheme.

CBS Sports Says:
So much of the focus of the Eagles' wide-9 defense is placed on the outside pass rushers. For this scheme to work effectively, however, the team needs penetrating interior defenders -- just like Fletcher Cox, the best pass-rushing defensive tackle in the draft, who could prove a steal at No. 12 overall.

National Football Post: The Eagles needed a guy who could create negative plays behind the line of scrimmage and stop plays before they start. Cox is an explosive kid with an excellent get-off burst who knows how to knife his way into the backfield. I have some concerns about his pad level and ability to anchor vs. the run game. However, he can bend, extend his arms well and knows how to fend off blocks. Should be an instant upgrade for the Eagles inside. NFL ceiling: Top-tier penetrating DT. NFL floor: A starter who flashes inside, but is inconsistent vs. the run.

Round 2 (14)- Mychal Kendricks OLB Cal

SI:
Positives: Tough and explosive linebacker with height limitations. Terrific pass rusher who beats blockers off the snap and can bend off the edge. Quickly changes direction, shows a burst of speed and has the ability to catch the action in backside pursuit. Outstanding sideline-to-sideline range, covers a lot of area on the field and takes good angles to the action. Gets depth on pass drops, patient with assignments and plays smart football.

Negatives: Not a strong tackler. Gets out-positioned from the action by blocks. Lack of height will be a problem at the next level when matched up against tall tight ends. May struggle in a system that requires too many mental responsibilities'.

Analysis: Kendricks was a game-impacting player on the college level who effectively handled several spots in the defensive front seven for Cal. He plays fast, tough and smart and could be a very good pass-rushing linebacker in a 34 alignment.

CBS:
The Eagles landed arguably the draft's most explosive linebacker in Cal's Mychal Kendricks
 
National Football Post: Kendricks is as violent and explosive as a striker as any linebacker in the draft. He loves to attack downhill, runs well sideline to sideline and can create pressure as a blitzer. He's short, but plays with natural leverage and should see starting time from right away. NFL ceiling: Productive starter. NFL floor: Fringe starter. 

Round 2 (28) - Vinny Curry DE Marshall

SI:
Positives: Natural pass rusher with potential at a number of positions in the NFL. Incredibly explosive, fires off the snap and chases around the field to make plays. Can bend off the edge, takes good angles to the action and displays a variety of moves with his hands to protect himself. Attacks assignments, goes after ballcarriers and gets a lot of momentum going to the action. Plays with good pad level, fluid moving in every direction of the field and easily changes direction without losing speed. Tough to knock off his feet. Effectively diagnoses plays and has solid instincts.

Negatives: Lacks great bulk and struggles getting off blocks. Primarily used up the field and rarely asked to make plays in reverse. Possesses solid speed but is not great in pursuit.

Analysis: Curry has been one of the best pass rushers in college football the past two seasons. He's a prospect who can be used as a one-gap defensive end or standing up over tackle as a rush linebacker at the next level. Curry plays smart, tough, football and is a prospect who should only get better over time.

CBS:
An ideal wide-9 edge rusher.
 
National Football Post: Curry fits the prototype of the Eagles' defensive ends. He's got a good get-off, plays with a "plus" motor and can extend his arms and be sudden through contact. He lacks ideal power on contact, but has the frame to get stronger and should be a menace in the Eagles' wide-nine front. NFL ceiling: Productive starter. NFL floor: Contributing reserve.  


Round 3 (26)- Nick Foles QB Arizona

SI:
Positives: Well-sized pocket passer with enough arm strength to play at the next level. Possesses good field vision, patient in the pocket and effective when he throws with an over-the-top delivery. Makes good decisions, effectively commands the offense and can make all the throws. Drives passes down the field while also powering the ball through tight windows in underneath coverage. Puts air under throws and gives receivers a chance. Big enough to withstand the rush in the pocket.

Negatives: Takes a while to gather himself and release the ball. Does not show the ability to get rid of the ball with a flick of his wrist. At times indecisive under the rush. Not an elusive quarterback. Does not consistently step into throws or release the ball with proper footwork. Must improve his downfield accuracy and overall pass placement.

Analysis: Foles looked like a big-time quarterback prospect early in his college career. Despite the statistics, he never truly improved as a passer. He has the physical skills to play at the next level but must learn to throw with consistent mechanics and needs to play in a run-first offense that does not ask him to carry a team on his shoulders.

National Football Post: If there was one mid-round QB that has the best chance of maturing into a solid starter it's Foles. He's a big strong kid, who can spin the football and make plays in the face of pressure. A great value for the Eagles with long-term starting potential. NFL ceiling: Solid starter. NFL flood: "Plus" reserve. 

Philly.com (quoting others):
As for Foles, here's what Cosell Tweeted about him a few weeks ago:
Tightly schemed shotgun pass game w/almost no intermediate throws.1 read concepts. Easy reads.

Slow arm speed limits driving the ball. Heavy feet. Needs space to throw. Showed better traits when had time + space.

Did not drive the ball on few intermediate throws or sideline throws.

And from draft analyst Matt Waldman's Rookie Scouting Portfolio:
Foles has the size, the short-range accuracy, and some fundamental skills that could help him develop into a pro quarterback with work. I think his footwork with his drops, releases, and his decision-making in the pocket will need refinement for him to develop into an NFL quarterback with starter potential and I think that’s asking a lot from him. I think he's a lot more of a project than some think.


Round 4- Brandon Boykin CB Geoirgia

SI:
Positives: Small but explosive cornerback who shuts down opponents. Possesses tremendous quickness, easily runs downfield with opponents and shows a burst to the action. Explosive, plays an aggressive game and displays a feel for coverage. Locates the pass in the air, gets vertical and adjusts to make plays on the ball. Shows good hands for the interception. Explodes out of his plant to the ball and has a burst of closing speed. Does not back down to challenges and takes on bigger ballcarriers in run support. Alters the momentum of games as a return specialist.

Negatives: Easily neutralized at the point by blocks. Occasionally bites on play-action fakes and misses assignments. Suffered a significant leg injury during the Senior Bowl which has raised numerous red flags.

Analysis: Boykin was a solid player on the Georgia defense the past three seasons and possesses ball skills and speed that translate well to the NFL. His lack of height is a concern as is his recent injury, but at the very least Boykin offers potential as a nickelback who can also impact a team returning punts and kicks.

CBS:
Talented cover corner and return specialist.

National Football Post: Boykin is a gifted athlete who plays more physical than his frame would indicate. He isn't the most consistent of tacklers, but he's got a great feel in zone coverage and showcases the short-area quickness to hold his own in man. He's the type of slot guy the Eagles desperately needed to add in their secondary. Great value here. 

Philly.com:
Boykin (5-9, 182) is almost the exact same size as the player he's trying to replace: Joselio Hanson (5-9, 185). Hanson was cut before last season, but the Eagles eventually brought him back. He turns 31 in August, and as I explained recently, did not have a great year in 2011.

In Boykin, the Eagles get a player Greg Cosell of NFL Films called one of the top two slot cornerbacks in the draft. NFL Network's Mike Mayock had Boykin ranked as his 61st best overall prospect. The Eagles got him with the 123rd overall pick.
Round 5- Dennis Kelly T Purdue

SI:
Positives: Massive college left tackle who projects to the right side in the NFL. Solid in all facets of the game. Quickly sets up in pass protection, fights with his hands and keeps defenders in front of him. Moves relatively well on his feet. Works hard to bend his knees and block with leverage. Easily controls opponents once engaged at the point of attack. Jolts defenders with good hand punch and easily turns opponents off the line of scrimmage.

Negatives: Bends at the waist and overextends into blocks on occasion. Struggles to adjust and is better in a smaller area.

Analysis: Kelly has been productive and durable on the college level. He offers potential as a backup right tackle.

Round 6- Marvin McNutt WR Iowa

SI:
Positives: Well-sized possession receiver who's shown progress the past three years. Finds the clearing in the defense, consistently comes across the middle of the field and gets vertical. Uses his frame to shield away defenders and makes the difficult catch in a crowd. Extends to catch the ball away from his frame, strong running after the reception and breaks tackles to pick up extra yardage. Comes back to the ball out of breaks, looks the pass into his hands and wins out for the high throw.

Negatives: Lacks a quick release off the line. Does not possess a burst of speed or show a second gear. Poor route runner and tends to round off breaks. Unnecessarily lets passes get inside him at times.

Analysis: McNutt has been a productive college receiver the past two years and was able to use his athleticism and frame to overmatch opponents. He's an adequate prospect for the next level yet in the end maybe nothing more than a fourth receiver on an NFL roster.

Round 6- Brandon Washington G Miami

SI:
Positives: Well-sized blocker with a developing game. Sets with a wide base, stays square and chips defenders, knocking them from their angle of attack. Possesses a wide body and blocks down on defenders or engulfs them altogether. Quickly sets up in pass protection, flashes footwork off the edge and uses good body positioning to seal defenders from the action. Works his hands throughout the play and jolts opponents with good punch.

Negatives: Not light on his feet and rumbles around the field. Must improve his use of blocking angles. Overextends and lunges into blocks.

Analysis: Washington is a big-bodied college left tackle who's better off at guard in the NFL. He possesses the size, strength and overall football skills to eventually develop into a starter but needs to become more technically sound.


Round 7- Bryce Brown RB Kansas State

CBS:
The team could be rewarded for their seventh-round gamble on highly touted prep running back Bryce Brown, who'll get a shot for playing time behind star LeSean McCoy.

Philly.com:
The Eagles finished their draft with an interesting gamble. Running back Bryce Brown has loads of talent, but he managed to leave both the Tennessee and Kansas State programs, and get involved in an investigation of improper benefits given Miami players by a booster, when Brown's brother played for Miami.

Reid said he and general manager Howie Roseman "talked a lot about this kid, and we spent a lot of time evaluating him. He's had kind of a wild ride here through college football since being the No. 1 running back coming out of high school into college."

Off-the-field adventures aside, Reid said "you're talking about a kid who is an inch under six feet and is 220 pounds, who runs a 4.4 40. You're talking tremendous, tremendous skill here. He catches the ball effortlessly and is a smooth, smooth runner. He has all the talent in the world, but it's just a matter of tying things down here."

Friday, November 11, 2011

Things to do in and around Philadelphia

Work in Progress 
Here are things to do in Philadelphia. Categorized by types of fun.

Historic
Woodford Mansion- a fancy 18th century mansion with fancier antiques.
Stenton- The Country House of James Logan, William Penn's number two man. The literature for this house seems to indicate that it was built as a place for him to hide from the horrible world.
Bartram's Garden- 18th Century Home of Naturalist John Bartram. Historic architecture and gardens, and also various nature programs like Cider Pressing and Bird Watching..
Independence Hall- Signing place of the Declaration of Independence, surrounded by several other historic sites.

Edgar Allen Poe House- Poe lived here for 18 months when Philadelphia was the American locus of the literati.
Eastern State Penitentiary- A haunted ruin of a prison.
Carpenter's Hall- Home of the first continental congress, displays of all kinds of old furniture and guild stuff.
Dolley Todd House- A fakeout: Dolly Todd was Dolley Todd before she was Dolley Madison.
Bishop White House- Home of Christ Church's rector, reflects upper class living in the 1800's.
Merchant's Exchange Building- This building is mostly (and sadly, and inexplicably) closed, but there is a small visitor's center open during the week.
Germantown White House- Oldest official presidential residence.
Ben Franklin's Grave- RIP.
Old Swedes' Church Pennsylvania's oldest church building.
Thaddeus Kosciuszko House- Home of the Polish freedom fighter who designed American fortifications during the revolutionary war.
Laurel Hill Cemetery- Sculptural garden, horticultural gem, and final resting place of historic luminaries.



Natural
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge
Valley Green- The nicest park in the city with a cornucopia of hidden wonders.
Riverboat Queen Fleet Paddle Boating- Paddle boating on the Delaware? Oh dear.
Winterthur- DuPont family center of opulence and gardening beauty.
Kelly Drive Loop- Scenic path along the Schuylkill river. 


Museums
American Philosophical Society Museum at Philosophical Hall- APS was founded by Ben Franklin.
Second Bank of the United States Portrait Gallery- featuring a who's who of revolutionary era figures.
National Liberty Museum- A museum of freedom.
Atwater Kent Museum- Exhibits and displays of artifacts depicting the history of the city
Philadelphia Water Works- Historic waterworks and environmental museum. 
Mütter Museum- The College of Physicians of Philadelphia displays medical wonders and oddities.
The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia- Reopens in 2014. If you can't wait until then, visit...
Grand Army of the Republic Museum- to see, among other things, General Meade's heroic horse, "Old Baldy." Or his head, at least. Old Baldy was wounded something like 14 times during the Civil War, and outlived his mount by ten years. More here.
Pizza Brain- Hipster Pizza Museum. That is, a Pizza museum run by hipsters. The hipster pizza museum is here.
Museum of Mourning- Holy souvenir ring w/ lock of George Washington hair!
Anthenaeum- Independent museum/library housed in a nifty national historic building. Rotating exhibits, mostly concerned with decorative arts.

Entertaining


Guided Tours
Philadelphia Ghost Tours

Seasonal
Spring

Summer
Race Street Pier- Nice spot for a nighttime panorama.



Fall
Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride That's a pretty sweet hayride right there.
Terror Behind the Walls- Eastern State Penitentiary is already haunted, and double haunted for Halloween.
Frick's Locks- An abandoned town, good for a post-apocalyptic spooky walk, and real life meetings with ne'er do wells and police with trespassing citations.
Spooky Mini Golf at Franklin Square- Pretty much the same as regular mini golf, but with a fog machine.
Scream Mountain: Spring Mountain is Scream Mountain at night. Only haunted chairlift I've ever heard of.
The Valley of Fear- I don't love going northeast of northeast Philadelphia, and then paying for parking. But this is the second biggest haunted hayride around town.
Sleepy Hollow Hayride- "Active Acres" farm's hayride is like watching a TV show you really liked from 1995... today.
Winter
Ice Skating at the River Rink- Late November to March.

Quick Escapes
Fortescue, NJ- Stay in Rose & Drew Pontz's quiet, seaside B&B: 856-447-4685
Bath, WV

Monday, May 16, 2011

I told you so! All of you!

Let's flash back to July 2010. The floundering Phillies were looking to nab Roy Oswalt instead of Dan Haren, and I was not in favor of this. Here was one of my concerns about Oswalt:

"Roy has had recent health problems, most notably a bad disc in his back for which he has already received 3 cortisone injections. Investing $16 million a year in a pitcher with a time bomb in his back is bad business."

Oswalt had a pretty good stint with the Phillies in 2010, and I had egg on my face. But it's 2011 now, 5 days from the end of the world, and it seems like the good people of Earth should trust my prophesy over what they hear on Family Radio. Why? Because my apocalyptic vision is coming to pass!

Back spasms chased Oswalt from a game on April 15th, and he hasn't been the same since. His velocity is down considerably, and everyone, from NL scouts to Carlos Ruiz, note that Oswalt's pitches lack movement. That is an ill portent for Oswalt's start in St. Louis tomorrow now that he's been activated from the DL.

I'm not saying that Oswalt is going to turn into a pumpkin. But we're paying him like a prince, and I don't think we can expect royal production from Roy anymore. I didn't read anything about him getting cortisone injected during this trip to the DL, but the more cortisone he gets pumped into his back, the worse the long term prognosis is for his vertebral column. Repeated cortisone injections help reduce inflammation, but they can weaken joints, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. This makes re-injury very likely. What I said in 2010 holds even more truth today-the end of days is nigh for Oswalt's back.

I hope that he can recover enough to pitch well this season. He's gritted and gutted and ground out decent appearances so far. But I won't be shocked if he gets lit up tomorrow. And I will pray nightly both that the world doesn't end on the 21st, and that we don't sign Oswalt to a crippling, long term deal.

By the way, here's a comparison of Oswalt's and Dan Haren's numbers this year. Keep in mind that Haren pitches in the American League, and doesn't get a gimme out when the pitcher walks to the dish.

Haren: 4 wins, 2 losses, 61 strikeouts, and a 1.93 ERA.
Oswalt: 3 Wins, 1 loss, 21 strikeouts and a 3.33 ERA.

Oswalt is good. Haren is tremendous. Haren has 2 years left on his contract at a somewhat reasonable price. And also has a structurally sound back. We could have had Haren for the same deal we made for Oswalt. I will never understand why the Phillies passed him up.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

I am always the most excited person I know when it comes to horse racing.


The first Saturday in May has come upon us quickly this year. I am just sitting down now to figure out my Kentucky Derby picks. With only 41 hours til post, do I have enough time to pour over bloodlines, sniff out the juiced equines, and figure the most malnourished jockeys? Coursin' I do.

It's going to be a crowded field with 20 horses making a go, and there aren't any sure thing winners here. Dialed In is the favorite coming out of post 8, but he only has 4 races under his flanks. Uncle Mo, the second choice at 9-2 odds, is recovering from a gastrointestinal virus and might not be able to race at all. ***5/6 Note: Uncle Mo is dropping out of the derby***** You might think that Calvin Borel, the jockey who has won 3 of the last 4 derbies, might bring some cachet to his horse Twice the Appeal, but that colt is a longshot at 30-1.

The entirety of speculation about this year's derby dandies comes laden with disclaimers like "it's a murky race of motley horses," “the field is wide open,” and “in an unpredictable cloud of mediocre, any horse can win.” All the mud in the divining pool has me scrambling for hard facts to fuel my Kentucky Derby prognosticating. Here's one. Did you know that the "time honored method" of choosing post position involves pulling numbered pills from a bottle? Crazy. And, with that fact, here are my picks for the 137 Kentucky Derby:

  1. Mucho Macho Man (Post 13,  12-1 odds) Almost given up for dead when he was born and lay motionless for several minutes without a heartbeat, tended by a trainer who just recently returned to the barn after a heart transplant, Macho Man is a miracle horse.
  2. Pants on Fire (Post 7, 30-1 odds) Kentucky's own Pants had a sweet workout in the mud earlier this week, and it looks like a sloppy track is in store for Saturday's contest. He's ridden by just the 6th woman jockey in derby history.
  3. Dialed In (Post 8, 4-1) This hoss seems like the never say die type and has the best post position. But all I keep reading from the horses connections are excuses for how slow he is. Slow for a racehorse, that is.
  4. Twice the Appeal (Post 3, 30-1) I don't bet against Calvin Borel in the slop at the Kentucky Derby. But I apparently don't bet with him, either. This horse is slower than Dialed In, but that might not matter in mud.
  5. Archarcharch (Post 1, 10-1) Starting from post 1 is especially difficult in a crowded field of 19 horses. He’s reported to have had phenomenal training runs, so he’s got a good shot if he can get through the gates unscathed.
  6. Soldat (Post 17, 20-1) Lady Luck tramped it up on poor Soldat; he's suffered through stumbling starts and rail runs alike in previous races. With the post next to him vacated by Uncle Mo, maybe he'll have some room to run. A real mudeater.
  7. Brilliant Speed (Post 2, 30-1) A turf horse who has been training surprisingly well in the mud.
  8. Shakleford (Post 14, 20-1 odds) He’s won on this track before. An energetic, speedy mount, Shakleford can take the roses if he doesn’t let Comma to the Top and Decisive Moment lure him into a front run early in the race.
  9. Nehro (Post 19, 6-1) Runs with the eye of the tiger. Nehro appears to be in fine fiddle, but he hasn’t run much since arriving at Churchill Downs.
  10. Animal Kingdom (Post 16, 20-1) This horse threw his rider last Wednesday and broke the rider’s nose. Animal Kingdom is wild indeed.
  11. Midnight Interlude (Post 15, 12-1) The sharps keep deriding Interlude's previous races as being held at 5th rate tracks, as if he raced in the parking lot behind the Walmart in Tagg Flats before crashing Churchill Downs. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert must be slumming here. Interlude does not seem keen on the mud.
  12. Santiva (Post 12, 30-1) Santiva is the JD Drew of horses. He’s got all the tools, but seems more than a little disinterested.
  13. Master of Hounds (Post 11, 20-1) I love a dark horse from Ireland. Also, I love Metallica's 3rd album, Mater of Puppets.
  14. Watch Me Go (Post 20, 50-1) Not a premier horse to begin with, Watch Me Go drew a tough post position and is a victim of musical saddles. A real workhorse, so he’ll sneak past some tired old mares.
  15. Twinspired (Post 10, 30-1) Good Guy Mike Smith is riding a beast among beasts. But the big boys don’t often win, and Twinspired is a turf specialist to boot.
  16. Decisive Moment (Post 5, 50-1) There will come a decisive moment in the race when this horse will have to choose between being a front runner and staying a front runner.
  17. Stay Thirsty (Post 4, 30-1) Riding without blinkers this time. Riding dirty.
  18. Comma to the Top (Post 6, 30-1) All indications are that this horse is a palooka. An opponent. He’ll run to the front of the pack early on, and then you’ll never hear his name again.
  19. Derby Kitten (Post 9, 30-1) An Astroturf specialist, the muck is going to eat Kitten up.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Superfecta Box: Mucho Macho Man, Soldat, Dialed In, Nehro

Worth including in Superfectas: Brilliant Speed, Twice the Appeal, Archarcharch, Shakleford
Upset Special: Brilliant Speed at 30-1 odds.

Five Best Names:
1.      Archarcharch
2.      Master of Hounds
3.      Midnight Interlude
4.      Uncle Mo (not racing)
5.      Pants on fire
Five Worst Names
1.      Derby Kitten
2.      Twinspired
3.      Stay Thirsty
4.      Comma to the Top
5.      Brilliant Speed