text:
← The Wedge Scouting Report: Zach Cunningham, LB
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION – THE 1972 MIAMI DOLPHINS – GAME 2 →
A Look at Free Agency Part II
Posted on February 9, 2017 by Mike E.
Last week I took a look at the 3 crucial positions we need to address either through Free Agency, or via the NFL Draft. This week I'll take a look at the rest. Although none of these positions, or the players that play them are as needy for our team as LB, DE and OL, we may still pick up a few players at some other positions, so let's take a look at them.
The first position I'm going to look at is CB. Right now, we have veteran Byron Maxwell, along with a collection of young players like 2016 rookie Xavien Howard, Tony Lippett (2nd YR), Bobby McCain (2nd YR), CB/S Jordan Lucas (R) and Lafayette Pitts (R). In other words, it gets real thin once you get past McCain, so we may be looking to add better depth, or possibly challenge the top 3 guys.
Justin Gilbert CB 6'0" 202 (Steelers)
Gilbert was the 8th pick overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. He languished in Cleveland, and was eventually traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. Gilbert didn't start a game for the Steelers, and appeared in 12, and he was just cut 2 days ago. Gilbert is a very good athlete who did well at the combine, running a 4.37 40, and putting up 20 reps, with long arms (33 1/8"). So what's up with Gilbert? First of all, he was overdrafted. He has the size, and athletic ability, but even at Oklahoma St., he wasn't a standout CB.
Why he fits – Gilbert is also a KR/PR. He would have value as a player who can also play ST's. Good athlete with the size we're looking for. Salary may be at a place that makes signing him worth a shot.
Why he doesn't fit – Gilbert has yet to show he can play CB in the pros, and that's already for 2 teams in his very young career. He may not be cut out for the NFL.
Ross Cockrell CB 6'0" 191 (Steelers)
Cockrell was drafted in the 4th RD of the '14 draft by the Bills, and released at the end of the '14 season. The Steelers picked him up, and he appeared in 15 games in '15, starting 7. Last season, Cockrell started all 16 games, and finished with 62 tackles (47 solo), 14 passes defensed, and 1 FR.
Why he fits – Cockrell is the opposite of Gilbert. Maybe not the fastest guy, and drafted in the 4th RD, he has had a pretty good career, and has proven he's a capable player, starting all 16 games last season. Would be a good player to challenge our young guys, and would give us some more depth.
Why he doesn't fit – Not an exceptional athlete, not a ball hawk, just a steady, competent player. The Steelers are believed to want to re-sign Cockrell, so his price may escalate.
The next position is Tight End. Right now all we currently have under contract is Marqueis Gray. Dion Sims is a FA, along with Jordan Cameron (Thankfully!). The '17 draft offers a few good possibilities, but let's look at who's available in FA.
Martellus Bennett TE 6'7" 248 (Patriots)
Bennett was signed by NE last season to be the complement to Rob Gronkowski, but Gronk again was injured, leaving Bennett to start 12 of the 16 games he played in. While Bennett isn't Gronk, he had a nice season for the Patriots, catching 55 passes for 710 yards, and 7 TD's. Bennett will be 30 before the '17 season begins.
Why he fits – Coach Gase knows Bennett well from Chicago, and while Bennett didn't enjoy the success he had in New England with Chicago, there is familiarity. Not a real blocking TE, he's a pretty decent receiver who can be a seam threat.
Why he doesn't fit – Bennett would just be a stop gap for the Dolphins, he's already 30 YO. Not a great blocker, so doesn't offer a lot in that regard in 2 TE sets as a blocker. He may cost around $6M, and we could draft a TE instead.
Jared Cook TE 6'5" 246 (Packers)
Cook has played for 3 NFL teams, most recently for the Packers. Cook has always been a good receiving TE, and is usually used split out, rather than as an in-line TE. Last season, Cook hauled in 30 passes for 377 yards, and 1 TD.
Why he fits – Cook is an experienced TE, who understands the game. He's an accomplished receiver, who can find the soft spots, and knows to work back to the QB when it's necessary. He shouldn't be getting nearly as much as Bennett, somewhere between $3-4M
Why he doesn't fit – Like Bennett, Cook is a receiver first, blocker 3rd. He's not a dirty in the trenches TE, he's like a big WR. He also doesn't offer much as a red zone target with only 17 TD's in 8 seasons.
Right now, we have Reshad Jones, Isa Abdul-Quddus and Walt Aikens. Michael Thomas and Baccari Rambo are both FA's. Aikens who is a CB/S tweener much like Jordan Lucas, I'm not sure either one of these guys will ever find a position. I'd like to bring in a bigger safety, take some of the pressure off of Reshad Jones.
T.J. McDonald S 6'3" 219 (Rams)
McDonald was a 3rd RD pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, and is a 4 YR starter for the Rams. Last season, McDonald finished up with 62 tackles, (49 solo), 2 INT's, and 1 sack. McDonald has been a steady presence for the Rams, a defender who can be counted on to make the tackle. Not a real ball hawk, McDonald is good in coverage.
Why he fits – McDonald would be a complement to Reshad, and take the pressure off Jones to play up in the box and get dirty. It would allow Jones to run free and play more coverage. He has the right size to match up with TE's and bigger receivers.
Why he doesn't fit – Dolphins may be looking for a playmaker, and we already have Isa Abdul-Quddus. This would slide Isa down the chart, which is fine with me, but not sure we want to go that way.
Jonathan Cyprien S 6'0" 217 (Jaguars)
Cyprien was a 2nd RD pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2013 NFL Draft. Cyprien has been a starter since his rookie season, and has started and played in 60 games. Cyprien is a physical player, and a tackling machine. Last season Cyprien finished the season with 126 tackles (96 solo), 1 FF, 1 FR, and 1 sack.
Why he fits – Our tackling issues are well chronicled, and although it's not best to have your safety making all the tackles, at least someone is getting it done. Has been healthy his entire career, still young at 26. Much like McDonald, he would free up Reshad to play more centerfield.
Why he doesn't fit – He will likely be an expensive player to bring in, and knowing we want to try and keep Reshad Jones, that's a lot of money at safety. Not sure how high, but I'd figure at least $7M per year.
Obviously we have a lot of money tied up at DT with Ndamukong Suh, but besides Suh, we're actually doing OK. Earl Mitchell is the next highest earner, and his cap hit is less than $5M ($4.5M). We have Jordan Phillips (3rd YR) returning, along with somewhat promising Julius Warmsley. Mitchell missed 7 games last season, playing in 9, starting 5. We could use another guy who could fill in, so let's take a look at who I think can help us.
Bennie Logan DT 6'2" 309 (Eagles)
Logan was a 3rd RD pick for the Eagles in the 2013 NFL Draft. He has played 4 seasons, starting every game he played in since his his 2nd season. Last season he played and started in 13 games, and totaled 24 tackles, (16 solo), 2.5 sacks, 2 FF's and 1 FR.
Why he fits – Logan can be a part of the D-line rotation, and can step in and start if there's an injury, much like Earl Mitchell can right now. If they decided to cut Earl Mitchell, and replace him with Logan, Mitchell's dead cap hit is only $500K.
Why he doesn't fit – Logan will most likely receive offers for a salary commensurate of a starter, which could mean upwards of $10M per year, and with all the salary we already have with Suh, it's not likely we tie up more money at that position, unless we make a cut.
Abry Jones DT 6'3" 313 (Jaguars)
Jones was signed by the Jags as undrafted free agent in 2013. After playing in only 8 games his rookie season, Jones has played in almost every game the next 3 seasons. Last season, Jones played in 15 games, starting 9 of them. He totaled 32 tackles (26 solo) and 1 pass defensed. He does have 5.5 sacks in his career.
Why he fits – He would fit nicely as a rotational player on the line. He won't be commanding a huge salary, and he's very young, he will still be 25 at the start of the season. He has enough playing experience to be a productive player.
Why he doesn't fit – I actually think Jones could be a perfect fit here. The money should fit nicely, but of course, I don't know what our scouts think of him, and that could be why they look elsewhere.
I think we're set at QB, RB, and WR. I don't expect us to be looking at any players at those positions. Like I mentioned in last week's article, the 3 positions of most need where we may address our roster was OL, LB and DE. I think following those by a pretty good distance would be CB, S and DT. All this will be determined of course by Mike Tannenbaum, Chris Grier, and Adam Gase, our Vice President of Football Operations, General Manager and Head Coach respectively. I think most of the spending will be there, but we'll see soon enough!
Feb 6th is the day when waivers start. Players with less than 4 years of NFL service can be waived and picked up by other teams. Any player with more than 4 years that is cut becomes a free agent. March 7th is the day when "legal tampering" begins, teams can begin negotiating terms for contracts at that time.
March 9th is the big day, by 4PM teams must decide whether to exercise any 2017 options on contracts with that clause. At 4PM, FREE AGENCY BEGINS!
Go Dolphins!!!
This entry was posted in Misc, Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.
188 Responses to A Look at Free Agency Part II
Nice job Mike!!!
Rockphin says:
Good read MikeE.
When did you become a professional?
Dont'a Hightower had only 1 tackle for a loss last season. 1. And this guy turned down $10M/yr extension from NE
Neville Hewitt: 5gms started, 64 tackles, 40 solo, 4 tfl's.
Dont'a Hightower: 13gms started, 65tkls, 31 solo, 1 tfl.
Good job Mike. Of course we cannot and should not rule out anyone being traded. Nothing is off the table as far as Tannenbaum is concerned and if they have the opportunity to do what they think is an improvement they will take the opportunity.
I woke up a few times during the early morning storm, freezing rain was pelting the windows, and I'm a light sleeper. First text I get from my boss is we're closed this morning. Next text comes in an hour later, and this time I fell back asleep, and we're closed for the entire day. That's great, but I lose a days pay, AND, I have to go shovel my driveway. It's still kind of fun, but not as fun as when it was a snow day from school.
I get a text from my boss saying that we can work remotely but we have to be logged in on the system by 9 or else we have to take time off
My wife is in the same boat as you, except she would get paid either way. She doesn't however have a choice, she has to work, it's busy season, and they need all hands on deck.
The Flying Pig says:
That is so weird?
How is it by you? Is this storm worse in CT or NJ?
Massive snow storm today predictions keep going up latest is 14-20″. Looks like we already got about 8″
Wow! I think it's only 6-10″ here.
sb7mvp says:
I had to get up and turn the ceiling fan off
Time to make the donuts shovel the driveway.
This seems like a good time to remind everyone of the advantages of renting an apt in Manhattan
I'm in court right now
It's a complete waste of time but I had to come
Everything is going no to be adjourned
we are experiencing "Record heat" here in SF today. at least that is what they said on the 10oclock news last night.
I'm done with court weeeee
Glad I didn't have to go the piggery today
aka Utopia
wyoming85 says:
My friend from Idaho posted a pic of his barn roof caved in on top of his brand new Camaro, Combine, Travel trailer, Bailer!
It wasn't pretty!
That sucks
Just finished shoveling. Plow came by twice, I shoveled all the way into the street so that when they came by, they didn't bury the front of my driveway. Still, had to go shovel it again twice.
"Plow came by twice"
Thunder and lightning during the snow storm is pretty cool
I bet! Haven't seen anything like that here. It seems as if the snow is actually slowing down a little here, which is fine with me.
We have at least a foot and it is still coming down
That' what she said
I'm probably going to expose my urban ignorance with this question
People keep their cars in their barns?
If you can afford a big enough barn!
Usually there is a side of the barn for equipment storage- Bailer, Combine. But a Camaro is in storage pretty much all winter.
I see that makes sens e
February 9, 2017 at 9:54 am (Edit)
LOL – Getting some mileage out of this! I know, that's what she said. 🙂
We now have a blizzard warning here locally
Man, stay safe Ken
Good write up Mike.
I guess we got about 4-5″ and it seems to have stopped. I can't tell if it's just blowing around or still coming down a bit but it's not a lot. I think people closer to the ocean got more.
On my way back from court
I slipped in the ice and crashed on the sidewalk
Here a visual reference
I think that Fireman is trying to help Piggy up?
Amina shooting for the 2017 Swimsuit Calendar in Barbados! pic.twitter.com/FcDMRbaJBh
— Miami Dolphins Cheer (@MDCheer) February 9, 2017
I think Amina is trying to help Piggy up, and I bet it's working!
Thanks Amina!
22: R1P22 LB ZACH CUNNINGHAM, VANDERBILT
54: R2P22 G DORIAN JOHNSON, PITTSBURGH
98: R3P34 S MARCUS MAYE, FLORIDA
167: R5P22 EDGE DAESHON HALL, TEXAS A&M
177: R5P32 TE MICHAEL ROBERTS, TOLEDO
185: R5P40 CB JEREMY CUTRER, MIDDLE TENNESSEE
207: R6P22 QB CHAD KELLY, OLE MISS
243: R7P22 EDGE DEATRICH WISE JR., ARKANSAS
good overall
why bother with Chad Kelly though?
I like his QB play!
I understand that the team will have to decide if his "Off the Field" issues are worth it?
You can look at the Freaky athletes at QB this year if you want to!
But Kelly is the best pocket passer in the group. IMHO that is
I was out in Colorado last winter visiting my sister and the night before I was supposed to leave a heavy snow storm can through and dropped 8-10″ of snow. My flight was a 8 am out of DIA (which is like an hour's drive east of Denver and 2 hours east of my sister's house so I had to leave at 4:30am to make sure I caught my flight.
My Brother-in-law got up with me when he heard me creeping around the house getting my stuff together and said, you better go out and warm up your car while you are getting ready, and you may have to shovel the driveway to get out. So I go out and sure enough the car is buried and the snow has drifted all up against one side to the roof. My B-I-L comes out in his pajamas and says "I would get the boys to come out and help you shovel but we only have one snow shovel, here it is.
It took me 1/2 an hour to shovel the driveway an unbury the car. Then I went in to say good bye to my sister and have another cup of coffee before hitting the road. Wouldn't you know it that the plow came by while I was inside and piled 3′ of snow back in the mouth of the driveway!!! Screw that stuff! It is hard work and there is no way in hell I would EVER for ANY REASON live someplace I had shovel my driveway every day. (of scrape ice off the car) You northerners are nuts to put up with that shit!
It is sunny and 82 degrees here at my office right now! NEENER NEENER NEENER
I spoke too soon, now a thunderstorm has rolled in and it is poring rain and the thunder is shaking the building.
Take THAT you braggart!
MiamiDolphinsTopNews @MiamiDolphinsTp 42m42 minutes ago
Five Players the Miami Dolphins could target at No.22? – TheInsideZone http://gettopical.com/miami-dolphins/9536756f7d956624dcfac066f7d8b198?src=twitter … via @TomLikeNFL
So we were an 8-8 team at best but finished 10-6 and made the playoffs. Not sure how that statement made any sense.
I'm packing about 10 inches (that's what she said), but it's slowing down now.
From the article that Wyoming85 posted:
"How did the Dolphins get to the Play Offs? Excellent coaching that managed to squeeze every bit of potential out of 2016's roster as a rookie Head Coach managed to win crucial games in Buffalo and New York in December, with a rookie QB…"
Did we have a rookie QB starting?? Who was it? My brain is half eaten with bong resin, but I am pretty sure we had our 5th year starter back there or at least his 10 year backup….
There is nothing more infuriating than that.
Ya'll actually read all those words in the article?
I just looked at the names and pictures! 😉
I forget, was that the first time you saw snow? I know someone here never saw snow, maybe it's Rob (FFR)
I remember FFR saw it for the first time recently while on a business trip.
Im not sure i think he is the best pocket passer, i think Luke Faulk is the best pocket passer in this draft. Only thing i dont like about Faulk is i see him doing the Cam Newton thing, throwing off his back foto and not stepping into all of his throws. He is highly accurate, has pretty good pocket presence, and he goes through reads pretty quickly.
That said a 6th for Kelly would be a good pickup, and i think id take a shot on him. He needs a lot of work imo, but he has all the tools he needs and if he doesnt get in his own way at the next level with that ego, i think he could be a great QB. He reminds me a lot of Brett Farve.
MikeE, the fist time I saw snow was 1977. Of course it melted as soon as it hit the ground, but enough built up on the cars where we could pelt each other with "snow" balls (which were really ice balls)
OMG thats a picture of FFR…..definitely not what i expected!
But for REAL snow, I think I was 12 or 13 visiting upstate NY
Seen "real" snow in several part of the US that have it in extreme ways, parts of Minnesota near the canadian border where it was -50 and throwing down feet of snow each day. Boston during the time a few years ago when it was causing roof collapses because of the amount they were getting, Buffalo NY during spring break where i waded through thigh high snowdrifts. For a guy who hasnt lived in places that get snow very often, the places i have visited have convinced me i dont want to lol.
Ive seen i meant…
It was definitely the fist time (an hopefully the last time) I shoveled snow
I haven't seen a lot of Chad Kelly
but from what I've seen he looks fantastic for 1 play
then looks hopeless in another play
then you haven't seen much of Chad Kelly. He's much further along at this point than our qb was when he was drafted.
So you like his chances in the NFL?
he has the talent to play the game and become a starter IF he keeps his head out of his ass.
I think he gets rattled or overly egotistical when he plays, he starts making mistakes and it can make him look inconsistent. I think he needs work, dont get me wrong but he does have a lot of refinement to his skill set, a really great arm and a gunslinger mentality. He needs some polish and a mentor, but his ceiling i believe would be higher than Tanny's, and the only question is can he get out of his own way so he can reach that ceiling.
yep. that's his biggest problem. he's a victim of "head in ass disease".
This guy has never seen snow
I have to deal with snow all the time now that I am doing hotels all over the country. They remodel the ones up north in the winter and the ones down south in the summer because that is when those hotels have the lowest occupancy and they loose the least amount of money from customer displacement.
I was in Williamsburg, VA a few years ago (not know for getting a lot of snow) and it snowed overnight and then rained and then snowed again in the morning. When I came out to my car in the morning it was encased in 3″ of ice and I couldn't get into it. Finally I was able to pop the trunk with the remote which cracked the ice and let me kick it off in sheets. (it was a rental car so I didn't feel bad about kicking the sides of it to get the ice of. LOL)
I was in Jonesboro AR (actually a little north of there in Paragould) one winter and they had a really big icestorm move through. Had the same deal, the car looked like someone had put it inside and ice cube. I had to chisel my way around the door fram and door handle to be able to get one door open and then sit there inside that car for what seemed like an hour letting the defrost loosen the sheet of ice over the window enough for me to slide it off so i could go into work. I was working with the hospital there so, it was a really bad day. Wrecks all over the place from the iced over roads, power lines down because trees with frozen branches were snapping off and taking down power lines, really wicked stuff.
Piggy, don't listen to Lou. Every quarterback that ever was, is or will be is much further along than Tannehill is his mind.
Dont know that he is further along that Tanny now… i mean 5 years of NFL experience would be hard to compare to a guy who never has taken an NFL snap, but compare him coming out of college right now to when Tanny did and he is right. They are completely different kind of QB's but Kelly is way ahead of where Tanny was when he was drafted.
yeah Piggy, don't listen to me. I don't know what I'm talking about.
Piggy, Kelly is a gamble, a boom or bust kinda prospect, but as a 6th round pick i think the risk is so low that the chance taken on him would be well worth it. He probably wont last that long to be honest, i could see the Bills taking him way earlier than that.
Jarrad Davis will not perform at NFL Combine due to ankle injury suffered during CFB season. Will be ready for pro day.
"….it was a really bad day. Wrecks all over the place from the iced over roads, power lines down because trees with frozen branches were snapping off and taking down power lines, really wicked stuff."
D, it was the same in Williamsburg when I was there that time the city is not set up to get snow at all. Once I was able to get into my car I couldn't actually go anywhere because the roads were all a nightmare. I think they have like one part time snow plow in the whole city!
There was another time when it snowed in Atlanta and I had a connecting flight that was delayed like 5 hours because the Atlanta airport only had like one de-icing machine.
That sucks that Davis won't do the combine. I just like to see what these guys can do, and there are definitely some telling events that these guys do, like the 20 YD shuttle, the broad jump, the cone drill. The 40 is important too, but for a LB, not as important as the 20 YD shuttle.
yeah, when you don't get a chance to see these guys at the East-West Shrine game or the Senior Bowl and then they miss the Combine it's a bit of a downer.
Pro day is mini combine, and its better one on one. Im sure they get to see what they need to see from him there.
Gotcha – Yeah, you've been doing a lot of traveling, it would be pretty unlikely for you to never have encountered snow somewhere. As much as it can be a pain in the ass, I kinda like having it every now and again.
I still have 3 practices, and the actual Senior Bowl itself to watch. I've only watched 2 practices so far. I really enjoy it, it's just time consuming.
I don't have the time to watch any of that. Too many cupcakes left to consume.
Wonder if pro day will be open to the public, havent been to Gainesville in a while, might be fun. Got a kid that wasnt to tour the campus (i took her on a small tour myself not too long back) so maybe could do that watch the guys on their pro day, again, if its open to public.
There is another QB i think might make it into the middle to late part of the draft we might want to look at. He is out of Western Michigan, Zach Terrell, little bit short for NFL standards at QB, he's still taller than a few guy, like Brees and Wilson, and about the same size as Dak, but pretty accurate guy, almost 70% passer last year and makes pretty smart decisions 33/4 TD to int ratio. Not sure how deep in the draft he will fall, but certainly taking a guy like that in a later round makes sense.
My guy would be………………CJ Beathard. I still like what the guy brings to the table. Not the strongest arm but he's very accurate and he knows the position probably better than any qb in this year's class.
I think he's going to surprise a lot of people.
I really like Luke Faulk, but he is going to go too early for us to draft him. Zach Terrell just hit my radar recently but i like what im seeing. I kinda like Peterman dude out of Pitt too.
I wouldnt be opposed to Bethard, i just dont see real starter potential in him. He would be a perfect backup though, his consistency would give you hope that if something happened to Tanny, we know he could not lose the game for us. He wouldn't be why we won, but he would not be why we lost.
Terrell reminds a bit of Matt Johnson from Bowling Green a couple years ago.
Okay done with the shoveling, cleaning off cars and salting the walkways. It's really cold and it iced up pretty quick. I hope we don't get too many more of these. Up until today we've had a mild winter. It was 65 yesterday. Bizarre!
TOP SECRET says:
I'm hoping for a sensible FA period….at least 1 OL, 1 DL, 1 LB…..and sign our own guys that we want to keep….and I all I REALLY want in the draft……..1st round OJ HOWARD…..4th round RYAN SWITZER….the rest can be BPA for where we need additional depth and competition.
GO DOLPHINS!
With ya on Howard man, I'd be thrilled if . . .
1) He was there at #22, and 2), if we selected him.
I don't think Howard will fall to 22
but if he does
it seems like a smart pick
I don't really think we need another WR (and that is almost blasphemy for me to say)
At this time we do not have a 4th rounder
We used it to trade up for Carroo last year
But we at projected to get a compensatory pick (3 actually)
Most projections I see have us at with picks in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd
but no 4th
and 3 in the 5th round
then a 6th and 7th
Its a shame we don't have a 4th
but 3 5th rounders can be a really good thing
we can move up the board or get 3 players that have a shot to be good players with time
What does anyone think of Doughty's projection in 2017 or have some of you already considered him not much of an option in any capacity?
I don't think he's passing Matt Moore next year, but I do think they might hold onto him, unless they see a QB they feel they want to draft.
Well did draft him.
Yep, 7th RD. I meant if they see a QB earlier than the 7th RD, I'm guessing that would be the end of Doughty
Mike, we must have seen something in Doughty to draft him. I understand late round QBs don't have a great track record except for… well you know who, but he'll have been in the system for a year in 2017. Maybe instead of everything being totally new, he'll be more up to speed to show what he can do. That would be the best case scenario – Tannehill, Moore and confidence in Doughty.
Yeah, I didn't say they will be drafting a QB, I just said Doughty will probably be here, unless they see a QB in the draft they like better. I'm fine with Doughty continuing to learn here, as long as he shows progress.
I think we continue to develop Doughty
Matt Moore was fine last year
the only reason I would part ways with Matt Moore is if some one offered a decent trade
That is why I inquired about the Chad Kelly pick to begin with. I don't think we need to add a QB
But I guess ther eis that theory that you add a QB every year
I would prefer not to use our resources spreading ourselves too thin. To me on offense is OL and TE and on defense DE and LB. We could sign a quality player at every one of those positions in FA, not saying it will be like that, and then draft the same and bolster the competition where we have some voids.
I really don't want to focus too much at QB, RB, WR, DT or DB with the exception of competition to push the depth in the secondary. I think we have starter options at all 4/5. Gotta keep them on the field together.
I tend to agree
I feel like I look at those positions and I say – OKAY, let's not fuck it up and move parts around
If we really focus on our holes (interior OL, LB, DE & TE) we can be a really good team
I'm okay taking multiple LBs, Edge, OL or even TEs in the draft
or using our draft picks to move up if they really think the right player is there for us at one of those positions
I'd rather not focus on my holes.
Okay, we're sitting there at #22 and here's the situation:
Taco, McKinley, Barnett, Cunningham, Reddick and Howard are still on the board. Who do you take and why? Go.
I take Howard. I think he's going to be a beast and mismatch nightmare who can also play the traditional role at TE. Remember we now know what Ajayi is. Grind teams into the ground and make big plays.
Do not be surprised if we trade up for Howard, will probably have to be at least #12. He could make our offense lethal.
And how do you know one of the guys on defense isn't an elite talent? Taco or Tak or Barnett could be consistent double digit sack guys and could be dominant.
Cunningham and Reddick could end up being elite LB's.
There's nothing there that says Howard is that much better at TE than those guys are at their positions.
He could be an elite prospect. He blocks well, catches well and is very good running after the catch. But, did he show that he's that much better than those other guys? That's debatable.
I can't see us trading up for Howard with the talent that's going to be there at #22. We could always land Leggett or Everett later and Gase & Clyde will turn them into nightmares for the defense.
If anything, I could see us either staying at #22 or trading down about 5 or so spots to gain another 3rd rd pick and then taking someone who we really like at around #27 or #28. They may not see much of a difference between the talent there at that point in the draft.
When you look at the conversation the team had with Phillips and what they said to him about their vision for him the one player that also now has to come into play for them is Tim Williams. Not a guy who's been talked about a lot and was mainly a pass rush specialist at Alabama but he's got that body type, athleticism, etc just like Taylor did when he went pro.
February 9, 2017 at 10:19 pm (Edit)
I probably take in this order
Reddick
taco as a last option
I really don't want to take a TE
But I tuning have to if Howard is there
Hopefully if that happens the next 4 picks will be LBs 😛
I would hope that wouldn't be the case. You've got a chance to take a guy who can play alongside Suh or opposite Suh and Wake and be dominant on the defensive line you take that guy.
Or, you have a chance to take a guy who can be dominant at the LB position.
I think taking a first rd offensive line prospect who can help with the run game and shore up the pass protection would have a greater impact on the offense than a tight end.
It's amazing that some people think Carlos Henderson is going to last until the 4th or 5th rd. not happening.
Doesn't taking a TE who can run and pass block, as well as get down the field and catch the ball in the seam give you some of that impact? It's not just him either, you have those 2 TE sets with Howard and Sims, that's some good blocking right there.
I would have to go with Barnett!
JMHO of course
I'd take Howard if he's there…unless some other guy I had very highly rated happened to fall. None of those other guys are "no brainer" picks to me. Every pick is an unknown, of course, but Howard is about as clean(no brainer) a pick as you're gonna find in most drafts. If we can add one more actual threat in the passing game, it might really open things up for everybody. I don't think an OL will have that sort of impact….and there isn't an OL in this draft that we'll get at #22 that is close to what Howard is at TE.
Kinda moot though because I just don't think Howard will be there.
I think it was a fantasy hypothetical
Its February so….
I'm not too worried about the DT position. I think Suh and Phillips is a really nice combination. I am still hoping Phillips can become a more dominant player. I'd like to see him play with a little more discipline in the run game, but he has plays where he looks unblockable. Depth may be a concern, but I'm not gonna be looking to draft an interior guy before round 5 probably.
Definitely not a need, we may just need depth. If they really like Julius Warmsley, we may not really need that either. We'll probably only carry 4 DT's during the season
One DT I would keep my eye on as the draft goes along is Watkins from Clemson. He doesn't seem to be jumping up the board like some guys…at least not yet, and I think he would represent really nice value after the third round. He'll probably go in the third though.
I guess there's any number of ways to look at it but with the amount of resources they put into the offensive side of the ball last year I don't see how they can do it again this year and hope for the best on the defensive side.
Taking a TE in the first round means you're putting either your first two moves or two of your first three moves into the offense again. You've either signed an offensive lineman in FA or your taking one in the 2nd rd if not.
So, again, a huge amount of resources is going into the offense with the defense still lacking talent in major way.
I tend to agree with Wyoming that you would have to go with Barnett in that particular situation but even without him there the other defensive players are head to head at their positions with Howard and nobody can say any different. It's way too close to say Howard is going to be that much better for the team than any of those other guys and even Reddick is a guy you MUST consider at that spot.
Do I feel a blocking TE who can split the seam is a plus over getting the offensive line right? No, I don't. The offensive line is still in need of repair and we all know that. Does signing one in FA make it a different story. Most likely. But, I think signing an offensive lineman in FA frees us up to do some things differently in the draft like maybe not be forced to take on in the 2nd or 3rd rounds.
I guess there's more than one way to skin a cat but, in the end, the defensive side of the ball needs to be addressed or it's going to be a tough season. We went 10-6 with a lot of injuries but we're not making the playoffs again this year unless we add some pieces to the puzzle on defense.
We can't keep kicking the can down the road with the DE position either. So, there's a lot to be considered. We need two guards and better depth on the offensive line. We need at least one starting caliber DE to be ready when Wake is finished or possibly goes down again. We need better quality depth all across the d-line. We need two starting caliber linebackers and better quality depth at that position as well and we need some quality depth with our db's.
There's a lot to do and taking a TE in the first rd isn't the best way to spend your resources when it isn't exactly a major need.
I agree with everything you said, but we don't know what their plan is in FA yet. We may be signing an OL and a LB or 2, so our needs may drastically change once the draft is here. I can't imagine we will be neglecting the defense in any way.
Why is the OL such a major need? Even with the issues we had with injuries and guys getting moved around, our OL ended up being a middle of the pack OL. It wasn't even close to a major flaw on the team. I don't get why everybody thinks they sucked. They didn't…and when we had our starters all playing at once they were actually solid. Even if Bushrod comes back at RG, our starting 5 has a chance to be a decent OL. I'd prefer to upgrade at RG, but every other position is set…assuming Pouncey can come back. That is a question mark, but nobody knows what will transpire there.
Not Lou, but not sure if you want to count on Pouncey, and Albert for that matter. Have to have viable contingency plans for both.
really? you need to ask that question? Is Bushrod our future at RG? Is Tunsil the future at LG? Look at a team like the Cowboys. Their offensive line is set. They're not playing their future LT at LG because they have no other option. They're not playing a rental guy at any position on the offensive line.
We were extremely inconsistent on offense last season. There were times we ran the ball really well and times we were shut down. You want to be able to run the ball when you want and run it effectively but we didn't do that and even if we have those five guys in there we're not doing it.
Last in the league in 3 and out's. Last in time of possession per offensive possession. Last in number of plays per offensive possession. And, that ALL STARTS with the offensive line. "The game is won in the trenches" still holds true even in today's NFL.
MiamiDolphinsTopNews @MiamiDolphinsTp 5m5 minutes ago
Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Prospect: Tennessee Vols DE Derek Barnett – Miami – Scout http://gettopical.com/miami-dolphins/458ea5a0bb90cde58f8505a862b975e9?src=twitter … via @DolphinsViews
How is TE not a need when our top TE was about 38th(just guess) in receptions in the league last year? TE is definitely a need, how big of a need is up for debate. I don't care if they draft a TE early, but it is a need….probably not a major need…but still a need. And, if a really good prospect drops to you at #22, I think you have to at least consider it.
If you look at Wake's history, he's on pace to have about 7 or 8 sacks this year. He has a big year and then a crappy year….been that way since he came to the NFL.
14 OT RYAN RAMCZYK – WISCONSIN Do we need to take another OT early?
33 G DAN FEENEY – INDIANA
35 G FORREST LAMP – WESTERN KENTUCKY
46 G DORIAN JOHNSON – PITTSBURGH
49 G DION DAWKINS – TEMPLE
64 C ETHAN POCIC – LSU
80 C PAT ELFLEIN – OHIO STATE
NO – We don't need to take another OT early….lol
I keep ending up drafting guys like Pocic and Elflein
It would be nice to pick up a center that can play OG
it would also be nice to sign a veteran capable OG in FA. If we end up with a lot of $ after resigning guys, I think OG is the best way to spend FA $. It would be nice to find a solid vet
I really think that is all our OL needs
a vet OG and a OG/C hybrid type
I usually take an OG late in the 6th or 7th in my mock drafts
At that point its just developmental depth
I'm not seeing a Zach Martin type of OG via the draft
I actually don't think its a great draft for OL in general
The center class though has some options after day 1
Wyoming,
Lol. Sweet! Hey…everyone knows me….I'm ALWAYS in favor of drafting OL.
Gotta run. Always enjoy draft speculation!
Lou, I'm not saying other prospects won't be dominant, I just think Howard will be.
I think he can be. A lot of what teams look at with a prospect is what they project to be in 2 or 3 seasons after they are drafted.
2 players jump out as likely to be "special"
that are good fits for us
Both Alabama players
Foster and Howard
Of course there are guys like Myles Garret as well but I'm talking about guys that might go around 10ish or early teens
I'm not eager to trade up for anyone
If I did – I think it would have to be Foster bc we need LBs so bad and give up an early pick elsewhere for the trade up
I think we've got the right coaching staff now; the one we've wanted/needed for a long time and when I look some of the players in this draft I don't think we need to put a lot of resources into obtaining "this guy" or "that guy".
While I love Foster and would love to see him on the team I wouldn't advocate for a trade up because I think we can make a major impact on the team overall in this draft and FA if we just use what we've got without giving anything away.
If anything, I could see us move down to where Dallas is and get their 3rd in the process to have two 3rds and have even a better chance at landing the players we want/need. I'd be just as happy if we got two LB's like Reddick and Phillips as I would if we got one Reuben Foster.
Watkins is a terrific player
But I think he is likely to go before day 2 is over and I don't think we can spend a pick on DT early in the draft
Pro Lou
I like the idea of trading down to get an extra 3rd
from 22 I don't mind trading down so much (depending on what's on the board)
and that extra 3rd would be helpful
If we had
a late first rounder, a 2nd rounder., 2 3rd rounders and 3 fifth rounders (after comp picks are handed out) you can move up the draft later in the draft
There are a lot of players that can help us in the 2nd and 3rd rounds
particularly if we want to bring in speed on defense, like I think we should
I think the conversation they had with Phillips gives a little bit of an indication of the direction they want to move in on defense. I think we're looking at smaller, quicker DE's and smaller, faster LB's. Not the thumper type. This is a huge reason why I also don't think Hightower fits; other than the fact that he's overblown because he's a Pat.
this is one of the reasons I lean so heavily towards Reddick, Smoot and Phillips. Three guys on the defensive side with the speed and quickness they are looking for and are fits in their system. I think the Falcons front 7 is the prototype of what they are looking to do on defense going forward. So, these are the types of guys I'm looking at on defense.
have to be quick off the snap to get pressure on the qb or quick off the snap to make those impact plays vs the run.
we're getting beat on defense because our guys aren't getting to the ball fast enough. we're not only getting gashed in the run game but we're allowing too much yac on short completions. we're going to combat that with guys who can get to the ball faster and that includes DE's who turn and run after the ball comes out.
so, when you're looking at DE prospects in this draft, look for the guys who get off the ball quickly vs the pass and the run. look for the guy who turns and is immediately going after the ball when it comes out of the qb's hands.
look for the LB's who are making immediate tackles after the catch and not allowing a lot of yac. And, look for the LB's who are moving towards the ball immediately when the ball is snapped. these are the LB's who aren't going to get blocked out of a play too often by an offensive lineman getting to the 2nd level because they got caught standing around, spectating.
I also have to throw McKinley in there too. I've been talking a lot of Reddick recently but I can't discount McKinley. His torn labrum is the thing that has me concerned.
You're looking at McKinley as a DE, right?
If they're talking to Phillips about their vision for him I could very well see our two new DE's being Tak and Phillips.
What we do in FA shouldn't affect our draft plan. It may, but it shouldn't.
Ha! It won't change their plan, but it might change ours. They know what they're planning to do in FA and the draft, we don't.
eggsactly. lol
I've been going to the doctors now for about 2 yrs because I just don't feel right. I've seen numerous doctors over that period of time looking for a different opinion because I know something's not right.
Finally, I went to an Asian doctor thinking maybe he's more intelligent and can find something our American doctors can't.
He examined me only for about 5 minutes and said, "I know what your problem is".
I said, "how can you possibly know what's wrong with me with a 5 minute examination while I've been to numerous doctors and they've run test after test on me and they couldn't find anything wrong?"
He said, "you have Exaccery disease".
I said, "Exaccery disease? What the hell is that?"
He said, "your face rook Exaccery rike you ass".
I was once having a conversation with a girlfriend and her mother about noses, and whether I have a Jewish nose, and she told me I have a Roman nose. I said "Huh, what does a Roman nose look like?" She said "It's roamin' all over your face!". lol
True story too
http://dailydolphin.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2017/02/10/miami-dolphins-wr-jarvis-landry-not-top-100-player-pro-football-focus/
PFF doesn't measure intangibles, and Landry's are off the charts.
I agree the offense was inconsistent last year. I've been saying that all year! I know how the OL performed. Lol
What I said was when we had the guys we expected to start, they played fairly good. Are there concerns? For sure, but I think fans are jumping the gun on guys like Albert and Pouncey because we really don't know whether health will be an issue next season. Fans are assuming a lot of stuff, but we don't know for sure. They could both play the whole season next year for all we know right now. The team knows a hell of a lot more about those things than we do. It's on them to figure out how much of a concern it is right now. Maybe they're ready to move on from Albert. Maybe Pouncey truly won't be healthy enough to play. Maybe not.
What I do agree with is that we need to upgrade at the guard position….been saying it for a long time. But, the solution to our OL MAY be just a RG. Yes, it might also be LG, RG and C but that's speculation by fans right now…nothing more. I'd keep my eye open for a guard, preferably one who can play center too….depending on how it's addressed in FA. Other than that, OL isn't a major concern, to me. Now, you throw in all the negative "what if" questions and it's definitely a major concern. But, maybe you're unfamiliar with my decades-old rants, but I will ALWAYS be okay with the team drafting OL high and often! Lol
EDGE DEREK BARNETT
54: R2P22
EDGE T.J. WATT
LB ANTHONY WALKER JR.
167: R5P22
TE JEREMY SPRINKLE
C JON TOTH
CB AARION PENTON
LB JALEN REEVES-MAYBIN
G KAREEM ARE
TEAM DRAFT ASSESSMENT
been telling ppl for years PFF is a bunch of bullshit but nobody listens.
@ESPNNFL
Projected No. 1 pick Myles Garrett makes a plea to the Dallas Cowboys to trade up and select him.
LOL – I've been calling PFF Pffffffffft for years too! 🙂
Well, I've watched the BUF, CIN and SEA games so far to look at Hightower and all I gotta say is I'd rather Misi.
Lou, a bunch of us called out and blew off PFF years ago. I don't mind their factual stats, just not their rankings based on opinion.
their player ratings are now and have always been nothing but a bunch of bunk.
I understand that Neville Hewitt isn't a starter but when Dont'a Hightower plays 708 defensive snaps and Hewitt plays 352 and Hewitt out produces him on defense what does that say?
That says keep Neville Hewitt and let him develop, and don't even think about signing Hightower to a big FA contract
definitely. and with the coaching staff this team has I don't think there's any reason to sign these big money/big name FA's anymore. especially a guy who's extremely overvalued.
he turned down a $10M/yr extension from NE. If someone wants to give him that or more than that, good luck.
It would be a different story if Hewitt's numbers were better than his because our D was on the field a lot and so was Hewitt but when there's that much of a difference in snap count you have to wonder why the numbers aren't better.
You also have to wonder why there weren't more impact plays like sacks, pressure and tfl's.
It would also be a different story if the numbers were that far apart b/c teams ran a lot less vs NE than they did vs MIA but you're only talking about a 100 rush difference between the two.
With that much of a diff in snap count there's no way Hewitt's making those tackles up with only 100 rushes vs the D.
Hey Lou, D
Is Duke Riley worth our 2nd pick?
I'm on the fence at the moment
tough call. if we were going to take him in any round I'd feel more comfortable with the 3rd or later. he played well last season but, again, it's only one year as a starter and I've got to stick to my guns on solo tackles and assists when it comes to LB's. 40 solo and 53 assists just isn't doing it for me and I'm not just going off stats.
I'm putting it all into perspective with the game film too.
We add speed in defense
I really hope we pick up Malcolm Smith, or someone like him, so we don't have the pressure of finding 2 starters in the draft
Amina representing Haiti on the runway of our Swimsuit Fashion Show! pic.twitter.com/qRHwxCSC3q
— Miami Dolphins Cheer (@MDCheer) February 10, 2017
I mean, uh . . . .
54: R2P22 EDGE T.J. WATT, WISCONSIN
98: R3P34 C PAT ELFLEIN, OHIO STATE
167: R5P22 S JOSH HARVEY-CLEMONS, LOUISVILLE
207: R6P22 LB JAYON BROWN, UCLA
Me likey
So is the plan to play watt at DE or LB
It would be DE
But I don't really like him there!
Luis D. Sung @LuisDSung 3m3 minutes ago
Reshad Jones says he'll be 100% and ready to go once training comes around. Last season, if you recall, he held out for a new deal.
Glad to hear that – I'm a fan – I hope he kicks ass and gets paid. Here!
FA: Even if we don't target a big time pass rusher ($$$$$$$$$$$$) we can still add an upgrade with a player with experience and run stopping ability. Even if he's only a 4-5 sack guy, but he's a warrior. The same at LB, it doesn't have to be a guy who's a top 10 player, but a guy who understands the game and plays it well in all phases even if not dominant in anyone area. You can get better with players like this and then try to find even better players at those positions in the draft. Even if they're not at the level yet.
I also will not be surprised if Hewitt is one of our starters next year because he won a job. Re-sign Alonso and add a LB in both FA and in the draft. Build on what you have and add to it. I don't think this defense needs a major overhaul. It needs some tweaks and upgrades and staying healthy.
even healthy this defense is MAYBE in the late teens overall compared to 30th. I don't want a defense in the teens. I want one in the single digits.
Jahndoh30 says:
I'm with ya on the LB, I always think if you re-shuffle your LBs on whatever draft list you have using instincts as the ranking factor, you can identify a bunch of good LBs in the draft that you might get for cheap. Zach was a 5th rounder afterall.
On DE, I also agree, although I think if you're going to use the draft for 1 thing it should be talent you can't get on the FA market, so maybe the draft is a better place to look for DE. Cam Wake doesn't need a replacement in September, so it might not be as crazy critical of a need as some of us think in FA, and frankly, I'm not sure how much better we can do in FA than Branch if I use Mike's 7-8 million a year (iirc) pricetag for him.
I also think we can find interior linemen at good prices both in FA and in the Draft, that it's most definitely a spot of great need, and I also think TE maybe doesn't have to be a position of need for our team if they scheme away from the TE. There are productive TE's that will be available for cheap, and I like Sims. He only scored late in the season because they only started targeting him late in the season, but almost as good as scoring…he can block in Goal to go situations.


My due date is in a few days. I cant wait to see my son. I bet he will look just like his father…Jason was in Bridgeport for the next week. He had a few interviews and a concert lined up. Wouldn't it be amazing for Jason to be there when his son was born?
I got the car packed up and leaving the girls with the butler and nanny and said I would be back in a few days.
The cramps started up when I was still less than an hour from home. I could still turn around but maybe this was a sign; My son wanted to be born when his Daddy was there with me!
I was just outside of bridgeport when the pain became unbearable. I saw signs for a hospital…I needed to get there. The radio static found a signal and it seemed to be the local news.
I was driving in the opposite direction. Going AWAY from the hospital. The baby was wrapped up in blankets. Did they let me out already? I parked the car and picked up my son. He looked like he was just sleeping peacefully, but he was cold. Why was he cold? why didn't he have a heartbeat?
I thought back to when I was heading to the hospital. That Zayne person! They were at that hospital. It must have been the hospital! They must have switched the babies. My son was alive. He was definitely alive!
It wouldn't be fair to allow somebody else to raise my baby boy. And it wouldn't be fair on that poor woman to not know her child is dead. And I need my son back. Yes. My little Gabriel. Don't worry baby mummy is coming.
I looked into the face of the child, He was very sweet but he looked nothing like Jason or myself. He just wasn't my son. But I couldn't really take my child and leave their dead one…I would bury him! Bury the baby and write his mother a note.
I drove for a bit, going further from the city hospital until I was in a small village, It was snowing now. But there was an overgrown field full of windflowers. A perfect place to lay a baby to rest.
Now I just needed to write the letter and get my son back. I needed to fix the Doctor's mistakes. My son belonged with me. And that poor family need to know the truth.
Erin is insane. This is entirely from her point of view and would make far more sense if it was in third person. basically Erin is in the midst of a psychotic episode during the chapter. She gives birth in her car to a stillborn baby. while fully believing he is alive and she is in the hospital.
Ohhhh okay that makes alot of sense now.
Oh ya it makes sense now.
@AshluvsSims You know I used to watch your videos every now and then but based off of your comments, I'm not sure if I will be watching them anymore.
Wow. That is just- crazy… She doesn't know- What's happening. Wow. I honestly can't believe it took months, but I'm finally happy this is out. I wonder if her daughter will know the truth.
says the person who didn't care for Haley's story…..
I was definitely not expecting that twist. Erin reallyis insane and I love that you're going with it. I can't wait for the next chapter, something bad is going to happen, I can feel it.
I was so happy she rolled the insane trait when she became a child! I can't believe how well it worked in with her past! Father killed by alien doctors, mother moves them so she is not killed by alien doctors. And when she was only a child nobody got that she genuinely saw things that werent there and that she heard voices and confused fantasy with reality as a coping mechanism, Erin didn't know that was what it was but since she was only a kid it was just thought she had an overactive imagination.
As she grew she suffered more traumatic experiences, her brain always tried to protect her. Insanity fitted with Erin, anybody who has gone through the amount of stuff Erin went through at such a young age is very unlikely to get out with scars.
Now though, (Since I feel this generation should end relatively soon) she has suppressed too much. And she is losing herself to the insanity, the most horrific of things are becoming normal and the most impossible of things are becoming possible. sure it may be very implausible and down right crazy to the outside world but a crazy person cannot actually tell that they are crazy.
No, No, She is not LifeSimmer. I'm sorry about that babe. She is just this girl who asked if she could help advertise my channel a little more, So if you were confused it's okay. Don't forget to subscribe!
Oh, right. I forgot I was trying advertise her channel to help her out. Sorry LS!
It's an interesting POV to write from but you do it so well. It might cause more sane individuals to shake our heads at what makes so much sense to Erin. The poor girl nevertheless did have a chance to have a normal life. :(. I wonder how much of her insanity has effected her kids?
I don't think Erin ever had a chance at a normal life. It was the Doctors killing her father that began her on this road, she created a fantasy world so she could escape her reality, her mother's fear, the sadness, the grief. over time she began struggling to decipher between what was real and what wasn't but nobody picked up on it before it was two late. When she was lonely she would create a companion, not understanding they weren't real. When the doctors kidnapped her, they were more interested in her genetics than her mental well being. leaving her in a state of both amnesia and wanting to remember. When she did remember the truth, she struggled to comprehend the fact that her mother was dead, so she was more willing to accept when she came back into her life once Hayley was born. At that time she was a teenager with a baby, wanting her mother more than ever. over time Ashleigh became the voice of doubt in her head. Pulling her down. She began experiencing psychotic episodes. Once Nick left however she struggled to cope but was able to get by because of the kids. Now though, after years with Jason, no help and no real love have pushed her past the point of no return.
It is sad really that if the Doctors has never interfered her life would have turned out so differently.


text:
Teen Crush >
The Dating Debate
Even though hottie West Smith is fluent in Harry Potter, Nina Barnes isn't sure he's boyfriend material. West has a big secret, and even though Nina checks all the right boxes for a girlfriend, if she finds out—it could mean the end of everything.
Dating Dilemmas Series, Book 1
By Chris Cannon
Nina Barnes thinks Valentine's Day should be optional. That way single people like her wouldn't be subjected to kissy Cupids all over the place. That is, until her mom moves them next door to the brooding hottie of Greenbrier High, West Smith. He's funny, looks amazing in a black leather jacket, and he's fluent in Harry Potter, but she's not sure he's boyfriend material.
West isn't sure what to make of Nina. She's cute and loves to read as much as he does, but she seems to need to debate everything and she has a pathological insistence on telling the truth. And West doesn't exactly know how to handle that, since his entire life is a carefully constructed secret. Dating the girl next door could be a ton of fun, but only if Nina never finds out the truth about his home life. It's one secret that could bring them together or rip them apart.
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book is not for anyone who has to get in the last word, but it is for all book nerds, especially those who live next door to so called unapproachable gorgeous guys. There's no debating the chemistry.
Each book in the Dating Dilemmas series is STANDALONE:
* The Dating Debate
* 99% Faking It
5 stars: "This is such a cute book! Thanks to Chris Cannon, we finally have a YA novel that lacks the overwrought drama populating so many of the genre. It was so refreshing to read a book about two (fairly) normal teenagers just pursuing love and happiness the way teenagers do, in a realistic setting with the issues and stakes that teenagers actually face." —Nicole Evelina, author of Daughter of Destiny
4.5 stars: "Nina was funny and they bonded over family madness. This book had a lot to offer and I would easily recommend it to teen romance readers like myself." –Danielle, Chapters Through Life
5 stars: "I want to start off by saying I really liked this book. A Harry Potter Bookworm is THE perfect main character." –Nicole Stand, Goodreads Reviewer
4 stars: "This is definitely one of my favorite Entangled Crush books! Chris Cannon had me at Harry Potter and saving a library!" –Sarah, Goodreads Reviewer
5 stars: "This was my first time reading this author's work and I'm happy I read it." –Pascale, Goodreads Reviewer
5 stars: "Me and Nina are like the same person. Books are my life, and my bfs are usually book bfs. [...] I could relate to mostly everything. I loved it." –JC, Goodreads Reviewer
4 stars: "This was an easy couple to ship, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I saw I was getting an epilogue!" –Sam Kozbial, We Live and Breathe Books
5 stars: "This book is absolutely perfect! [...] The delightful sparring that is their courtship, filled with Harry Potter references and dueling causes just kept making me smile. Perfect for fans of Kasie West. Highly recommended." –Lissa Hawley, Goodreads Reviewer
5 stars: "If you're looking for a cute YA read with a HEA that will melt the iciest heart, this book is definitely for you! I really enjoyed this story. So much, that I stayed up until 1am to finish it." –Amber Shepherd, Goodreads Reviewer
4 stars: "A fun, drama filled read that is easy to get drawn into making it hard to put down." –Lovely Loveday
If Lisa and Matt fake a relationship, maybe both will get who they want. But when Matt finally decides Lisa is the one, he'll need to go all out, because she's nobody's second choice. ...
Series: Dating Dilemmas, Book 1
Release Date: Feb 5, 2018
Imprint: teen crush
Genre: contemporary, young adult
Tropes: bad boy/bachelor/playboy reformed, boy next door, opposites attract
By Schizanthus February 09, 2018
Trigger warning for issues surrounding mental health.
Of course I had to read an actual romance novel during 💔 Achy Breaky Heart Month! 💔. Apologies to Chris Cannon in advance for choosing The Dating Debate. Chris, you may recall that I previously reviewed Boomerang Boyfriend and I'm sorry for... ...more
By D.M. January 29, 2018
Nina is a bookworm, Harry Potter lover, animal enthusiast and an unusual cookie. She is comfortable being herself and wants to date someone like minded. Valentines Day is just around the corner and Nina wishes being single didn't make the holiday so cringeworthy. Her brother has set her up for a... ...more
By Jacob February 11, 2019
This book is a delight. Cannon captures that essential teen-ness and presents it with all the warts but with kindness, as well. Nina and West are seniors (in high school) and neighbors and both have weathered some emotional family trauma, so it makes sense that they're more mature than most might... ...more
By Samantha (WLABB) February 12, 2018
I almost never pass up an opportunity to read an Entangled contemporary, because I know I will get a low angst, low drama story with a sweet romance and likable characters. Once again, I got what I expected with The Dating Debate.
Nina, an avid reader, who had sworn off all boys, except fictio... ...more
By Angelica February 08, 2018
Well, color me surprised, but this book was a thousand times better than I had expected it to be. Most of all, this book was exactly what I needed right now. I've been feeling stressed due to school, and I've been on the verge of a reading slump due to dissatisfying books and I thought I was on t... ...more
By Elaine February 07, 2018
This is a contemporary young adult romance but with more depth than such stories usually have as it also involves coping with a mentally ill parent and reactions to feelings of abandonment experienced after parents split up. However, don't let that make you think this won't be a fun... ...more
By Lauren February 11, 2018
Three words to describe Chris Cannon's The Dating Debate? Bookish, charming and laugh-out-loud funny!
The Dating Debate introduces Nina Barnes and West Smith - neighbors, classmates, and...potential...love interests?
Nina is a girl after my own heart. She loves - and I mean LOVES - books. Through... ...more
By BookLionQueen February 18, 2018
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher Crush an imprint of Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review
I highly enjoyed this book. Nina was very bookish and I appreciated that. West was bookish as well but a completely different way. I really appreciated the va... ...more
By Sophie February 13, 2018
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Entangled's books have always been perfect, since I first started reading them, and this book was no different. In The Dating Debate, two very different people realise that they may not be as di... ...more
By WycEd February 14, 2018
Check out our The Dating Debate post on Wicked Reads OR our The Dating Debate post on Wicked Reads: YA Edition.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 Banterific Stars
The Dating Debate is sure to please both young adults and those young at heart. Zany, lighthearted, charming... ...more
By Nicole January 26, 2018
Nina is a bookish Harry Potter nerd with a crush on the (literal) boy next door, bad-boy West. He, on the other hand, isn't sure whether to kiss or have her committed. Who questions and debates everything, anyway? And what is with all the hugging? Geeze. But a shared love for Harry Potter isn't t... ...more
By Erica February 03, 2018
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
Young Adult age-range: 13+ kissing & mental illness in a parent.
The Dating Debate is sure to please both young adults and those young at heart. Zany, lighthearted, charming, angsty, and swoon-worthy, I was... ...more
By Arceli March 15, 2018
Soaring Up High
The Dating Debate is one of my top YA Contemporary Romance reads for 2018. This book is super cute and has the ability to make your day.
The Dating Debate features West and Nina, both of whom are next door neighbors. Nina is dead honest and is a book worm. West is continuously anno...
By Tia January 27, 2018
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for this honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Entangled, and Chris Cannon for this opportunity.
The Dating Debate is about next door neighbors Nina and West who end up dating mostly because West wanted to get his ex girlfriend off h... ...more
By Angy Potter - February 09, 2018
Book Review: 4,5 Stars
Sweet young love alert! #MyNewObsession
This is my first book from Chris Cannon and I really hope it's not the last. The Dating Debate is the first book of The Dating Dilemmas Series, featuring the lovely, sweet, funny and heartwarming story of West and Nina.
Nina is a 17... ...more
By books are love February 16, 2018
This was just so freaking cute. A absolutely adorable clean romance.
Nina was a quirky smart girl who saw life as a when life hands you lemons make lemonade way. That doesn't mean she didn't have sadness in there she did. Her dad was a point of contention for her but she didn't let it get her down... ...more
By Jules.Bookverse August 28, 2018
This book was definitely an adventures/ emotional ride.
Firstly, the two main characters can be seen as two parts of the classic love stories where she/ he falls for the boy /girl next door. But there is so much more going on! A lot of really tough topics have been discussed in this book. Some of... ...more
By Amber February 04, 2018
This is the first book I have read by Chris Cannon and definitely wont be the last. The Dating Debate had me cracking up on more than a couple occasions. The back and forth banter with the main characters was hilarious and adorable. I loved that there was some problems that people face every day... ...more
By Sarah January 29, 2018
This is definitely one of my favorite Entangled Crush books! Chris Cannon had me at Harry Potter and saving a library! This cute romantic read finds two next door neighbors bonding and falling for each other through the book, while Nina's believe in making everything a debate keeps West on his to... ...more
Nina thinks Valentine's day should be optional. That way all the single people aren't subjected to the humiliation that comes with kissy cupids. Until her mom moves them next door to none other than the schools broodful hottie, West Smith. He's all punk rock, but has a sense of humor and is fluen... ...more
By Patty February 11, 2018
The Dating Debate by Chris Cannon is the 1st book in the Dating Dilemmas series. This book is a sweet, fun, and a delightful YA contemporary romance and part of the Entangled Teen Crush series. Nina Barnes and West Smith live next door to each other. Nina to avoid being set up by her brother, and... ...more
By Pascale January 26, 2018
This was my first time reading this author's work and I'm happy I read it.
Coincidentally, it's the third book (second back-to-back) that I've read with an underlying theme of hoarding. I had no idea with any of the books so it was a complete surprise. Once again, as with the other books I read,... ...more
By Wing-yee (bibliomeds) February 07, 2019
so fluffy and cute i love.
exactly what i needed in this stressful time haha ...more
By Lissa January 24, 2018
This book is absolutely perfect!
Readers everywhere will fall in love with self professed "hippy-chick bookworm," Nina and her maybe not-so-brooding neighbor West.
The delightful sparring that is their courtship, filled with Harry Potter references and dueling causes just kept making me smile.
Perf... ...more
By Amber January 16, 2018
If you're looking for a cute YA read with a HEA that will melt the iciest heart, this book is definitely for you! I really enjoyed this story. So much, that I stayed up until 1am to finish it. The Dating Debate deals with two next door neighbors with secrets they're desperate to keep, until a jok... ...more
Award Winning Author
Chris Cannon
Chris Cannon is the award-winning author of the Going Down In Flames series and the Boyfriend Chronicles. She lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and several furry beasts. She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sucking down caffeine and writing fire-breathing paranormal adventures or romantic comedies. You can find her online at www.chriscannonauthor.com.
Finding out on your sixteenth birthday you're a shape-shifting dragon is tough to swallow. Being hauled off to an elite boarding school is enough to choke on. Bryn needs to figure out how to control her new dragon powers to make it...
Since discovering she is a shape-shifting dragon, Bryn McKenna has seen her world thrown into chaos. As a "crossbreed"—part Red dragon and part Blue—she will never be permitted to be with her taboo love, Zavien Blackthorn...
Haley Patterson, honor student, has had a crush on popular, golden boy Bryce Colton for ages. But then she hears a rumor—Bryce is telling everyone that he hooked up with her. With Haley's reputation taking a serious nose-dive, she gives Bryce a choice: be her...
Bryn's hopes for a peaceful new semester at school go up in smoke when someone tries to kill her—again. Luckily, Valmont, her smoking-hot knight, is assigned to watch over her twenty-four hours a day. Is what she feels for him real, or just a side effect...
Zoe Cain knows that Grant Evertide, her brother's number-one nemesis, is way out of her league. So naturally, she kisses him.  She's thrilled when they start dating, non-exclusively, but Zoe's brother claims Grant is trying to make her his "Ringer,"...
Being a shape-shifting dragon has its perks, but being forced into an arranged marriage isn't one of them. If Bryn McKenna doesn't say "I do," she'll lose everything. Good-bye flying. Good-bye best friends. Good-bye magic....
Jack is Delia's best friend's older brother. Totally off limits. And Delia is like a little sister. But everything falls away when they kiss. Keeping their relationship secret causes more trouble than it's worth, until they realize making it work is...
Bryn's finally fitting in. Fun! But she is officially betrothed to Jaxon. Not fun. The marriage contract of doom looms over them--unless this match not made in heaven kindles a flame…...
Ayla Hawkins wants to affect change in her high school by running for class president. But she'll need a miracle to win—enter Luke Pressler. If he can pose as her fake boyfriend, she's got the election in the bag...
Nik Gustafsson has a secret: He's the son of one of the most important families in Europe. And his posh, too-public life is suffocating him. Meet Amber. She hates him at first sight. It's exhilarating to be hated for who he is, not for his name...
Dahlia Greene—aka international pop superstar Cherry—is undercover as a normal high school student. Playing a little matchmaker for Keegan Matthews seems like the perfect opportunity to live a real life. What she doesn't know is that the girl Keegan's been...
Madison Myong can't believe that her best friend Daniel is really a prince! But the bad boy hockey player needs to clean up his image...and Madison intends to give him a makeover fit for a king. Only, if she does her job right, she'll lose him forever......
CeCe never cared about her looks—until Emmett Brady, transfer student and football darling, becomes her literature critique partner. The only problem? Emmett is blindsided by Bryn DeNeuville, CeCe's gorgeous and suddenly shy volleyball teammate...
Zoey Miller lives for her holidays in Aspen. Her time up on the mountain with the Madison brothers, Parker and Luke, is everything. But for the first time, it's not enough. Now she's determined to win one of the brothers' hearts. The brother...
Alex needs a girlfriend. It's the only way he'll get over these feelings for his best friend, Katie. Who better to help him find a new crush than the girl he can't stop thinking about? What can possibly go wrong?...
Elena Chestnut's been chatting late every night with an anonymous boy. The boy can't be Oliver Prince, son of the family running the rival sporting goods store that's driving Elena's family out of business...
Dakota McCloud pours out her heart on a piece of paper, places it in a bottle, and hurls it into the ocean. Loner and piano prodigy Jack Sauvage finds the bottle washed up on the beach and responds to Dakota's letter?only he can't admit who he really is. Or even...
After Mariely and Cabot both break up with their significant others at the same party, Mariely sees a way to get even with both exes. Everyone knows that the best way to get over a breakup is a hookup—a fake hookup, that is. But Mariely's a free-spirited girl...
A session at summer camp is just what shy Annie McFarland needs to reinvent herself. Too bad her fear of water keeps her away from the lake, and her new crush Kyle. Enter Jacob Fazio—junior counselor, all-around bad boy, and most importantly: lifeguard. When...
Everyone says hotshot goalie Luke Jackson is God's gift to girls. But the only girl he wants is his brilliant best friend, Malina Hall....
Logan came to Corrigan Falls to distract himself from his NHL career-ending injury. He doesn't want to even hear the word "hockey," so when he meets Dawn, he's intrigued. But she's already done her time as a hockey player's girlfriend—and she can't...
Five irresistible guys…five unforgettable romances Step backstage with the guys of Seconds to Juliet—the hottest boy band to hit the scene in years—and the girls who capture their hearts. Superstardom has never been so sexy… Join the fandom. Just...
Jake needs an escape; Haley needs a chance. But to get it they'll need to risk it all....
Zoey's rivalry with Gordon has turned into all-out war. Time for a little friendly payback. So what if he's cute? (Okay, hot.) No matter how much her heart begs her to stop, there's no turning back....
Emma is tired of being cast in the role of the girl next door by her best friend Eli. So Emma creates a fake Facebook profile in the hopes of starting an online friendship with Eli, which would hopefully lead to more. From friend request to In a Relationship--it...
James Parson's military dad is going to pull him out of boarding school if he doesn't shape up. What better way to prove he's now responsible than becoming the committed boyfriend of new student Edelweiss, a U.S. diplomat's daughter? Edelweiss has traveled...
Eli Costas is an injury-prone lacrosse star with a problem—the one chance he had at winning over the girl next door resulted in the most epically sucktastic first kiss ever. And now she's…trying to get rid of him? Hell no. It's time to disprove her theory...
Desperate to earn a place on a prestigious ballet company, Isabelle Oster blackmails football star Garret Mitchell into dancing with her, but she realizes how bad an idea it is when she starts falling for him....
The last person Riya expected to run into at her new summer camp is Courtney Chastain—her childhood best friend and the girl who broke her heart after a mind-blowing secret kiss. Courtney's the girl who has it all—yet the attention of every guy at camp means...
Eden and Josh have been best friends forever. So when Josh asks for Eden's help in finding him a girl to lose his virginity with, she agrees…except now all of a sudden she's thinking about having sex. With her best friend....
Trina Clemons needed the money. Why else would she—the most organized student in school—spend the summer as a nanny and partner with Slade Edmunds, the biggest slacker ever? Now she's ready to tackle nannyhood. Just don't ask her about the secret job of "fixing"...
Copyright © 2018 by Chris Cannon. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Valentine's Day should be optional. Like, if you don't have a boyfriend or a girlfriend, the holiday should disappear. That way, single people like me wouldn't be subjected to frilly hearts and cherubs all over the place. Who came up with the idea that a baby in a diaper with a bow and arrow was romantic, anyway? It's ridiculous. The whole stupid holiday was probably a marketing ploy thought up by florists, so they could sell overpriced flowers to desperate guys who were hoping to get laid.
Maybe, if I'd ever had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day, I would feel differently. I'm sure I'm not the only seventeen-year-old girl whose favorite part of the holiday is all the chocolate that goes on sale the day after.
Which made the fact that I was balanced precariously on a ladder, trying to hang a banner for the Valentine's Dance a little ironic. "How's it look?" I shouted down to the other people who'd been drafted and put to work on the decorating committee.
"A little higher," Lisa called out.
"Define a little." I turned back to see my friend tilting her head to the right.
"Go up two inches," she said.
I shoved the sign up a little bit higher and then pushed a thumbtack into the wall.
"We're supposed to use tape," she said.
I climbed down the ladder, pretending I hadn't heard her.
"Nina, we're going to get into trouble if we use thumbtacks."
I sighed and turned to face her. "Unless you can magically pull tape out of your"—wait, we were still at school—"ear, then we're going with thumbtacks because that's all I could find."
She glanced around and then pointed to a group of girls across the gym who were working on a giant heart made of hot pink tissue paper, red ribbon, and chicken wire. "They probably have tape."
No way was I going to talk to the fashionistas. "If you want to go ask them, feel free."
"Nope." She pointed at our sign, hanging above the trophy case in the gym, which declared Cupid Is Coming. "Is it me, or does that sound like some sort of horror movie?"
I grinned. "You're not wrong. If we didn't need extra credit for home economics, I wouldn't be doing this."
"You're the one who burned our chicken pot pie in Foods class," she reminded me.
"The reason I'm in Foods class is because I don't know how to cook. Therefore, I shouldn't be penalized when the food is screwed up."
"That's your logic?" she asked.
"Yes, and I'm sticking to it." I checked the time on my cell. It was quarter after three. School had officially been over for fifteen minutes. "We've done our part. Let's get out of here."
It was Friday night, but before I could go out I had one chore to do. It was the same chore I did every day—sweep up the dog fur dust bunnies in the living room. Not that I minded, because dogs were far more agreeable than most of the people I knew. And a heck of a lot more faithful than most guys.
I was almost done when my brother, Jason, who was a year younger than me, came downstairs and dropped a bomb on my social life. I gripped the broom like a bat, and contemplated taking a swing at his head. "How could you do this to me?"
"What? I thought you wanted to go to the Valentine's Day Dance. It's all you've griped about for a week."
How could he be so stupid? There were days when I'd swear one of us was adopted. "Wrong. I griped about the stupidity of the holiday because it makes single people feel defective."
He scratched his head, looking genuinely confused. "Which is why I thought you'd be happier if you had a date."
The idiot's heart was in the right place…but still. "I never asked you to play matchmaker."
"Cole is a nice guy. He's willing to take you to the dance. What's the problem?"
"You turned me into a charity case. That's the problem."
He shook his head. "If you don't want to go to the dance, just say no when he asks. It's that simple."
But it wasn't that simple, not by a long shot, because Cole was a rare breed of guy—decent. Unfortunately, he fell firmly into the friend-zone category. Why? One day when I'd been sitting at the park reading Harry Potter, just blissing out in the sunshine, he sat down beside me and said he didn't understand why I'd want to read on such a nice day and that he just didn't get the big deal about Harry Potter. That was it. The die was cast. I couldn't date someone who didn't read, much less someone who didn't understand the fabulousness that was Harry Potter.
"If you see him again before I do, tell him I don't want to go to the dance."
"Nope. If you want to turn the guy down, that's on you." And then my brother walked away from me.
Now what? I checked the time. Lisa was picking me up in an hour for our Friday night Nerd Girl festivities. We go to the bookstore, ooh and ah over all the books, and then pick out a precious few to buy. Afterward, we drink frothy coffee concoctions in the cafe while we discuss how book boyfriends are so much easier to deal with than guys in real life.
I put the broom and dustpan away in the kitchen pantry. Gidget lay by her dog dish looking mildly offended. I squatted down to pet her head. "I have no idea how you're not bald." She rolled over so I could rub her tummy. Blonde fur drifted through the air and hung there, defying gravity. "It's a good thing we love you."
Gidget couldn't help the fact that she shed like a fiend. The vet said she was a yellow Lab, which for some reason meant she shed more than any other breed on the planet. She was also the sweetest dog you'd ever meet. She loved everyone. If a burglar ever broke into our house, all he'd have to do was rub her tummy and she'd happily watch him run off with all our belongings.
A knock sounded on the front door. Gidget trotted over to the front picture window and used her long nose to burrow behind the curtains so she could see who it was. The barking that followed let me know exactly who stood on my front porch. There was only one person Gidget didn't like: West Smith, the disagreeable hottie who lived next door. He wasn't as cranky as his father, who happened to be our landlord, but he wasn't the friendly type either.
I opened the door. West stood on my front porch in jeans and a black leather coat, looking all sorts of hot and brooding. His artfully messy dark-blond hair hung down, partially obscuring his blue eyes, which would have been gorgeous except they were narrowed like he was irritated, which seemed to be his normal state.
Going for a casual demeanor, I leaned against the doorframe. "Hey, West. What's up?"
Gidget continued barking. He glared in her direction. "What did I ever do to your stupid dog?"
I crossed my arms over my chest. "Calling her stupid isn't going to win you any points."
"Well, blocking my driveway isn't going to win you any points. If you don't move your Jeep before my dad gets home, he'll probably have it towed."
"First off, we pay rent, so it's our driveway, too. And I'm not blocking your side." I may have parked right up against the bright yellow line that West's dad had made him paint down the middle of the shared cement strip, but I wasn't over it.
West glared at me. "Work with me here, Nina. My dad is driving the Humvee today. If you don't move your Jeep, he'll probably take off your driver's-side mirror and not even notice."
Wrong. His dad would probably take off my mirror on purpose. He was that special kind of jerk. "People with shared driveways should drive smaller cars."
"Feel free to explain that fact to my dad the next time you see him. For now, move your Jeep."
At that moment, my mom pulled into the driveway and parked her car, hugging the line the same way I had. The apple obviously didn't fall far from the tree. She climbed out of the car balancing a bunch of take-out boxes stacked up to her chin. I started across the lawn, but West was faster.
"Let me help you with those." He grabbed several boxes off the top of the stack.
"Thank you, West." My mom beamed at him. She seemed to be under the delusion that he was a nice young man. "China Garden had a special on shrimp fried rice. You're welcome to join us."
I could see the expression on West's face. It looked like he was trying not to roll his eyes. I decided to mess with him. "You should stay for dinner. We can discuss my plan to erase the driveway line one night and move it over about six inches."
West walked past me toward the house. "I think my father would notice that." He stopped on the front step like he wasn't sure if he was invited inside.
"You can put those in the kitchen," I said.
He went into the house and veered right, toward the table, where he deposited the containers of rice. My mother followed behind him. Gidget kept her eye on West, circling the room to stand protectively between him and my mom.
"Gidget." My mom set the rest of the food down, and then patted her on the head. "It's okay."
"There's something wrong with your dog," West said.
"She feels the same way about you," I shot back.
"On that note, I'm leaving."
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway had all of us turning to look out the kitchen window. Unless West's dad had traded in his giant gas-guzzling SUV for a red Prius, someone else had just pulled up the drive to West's house.
"Should you go see who that is?" I asked.
The way his eyebrows scrunched together told me he knew who it was, and he wasn't happy about it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Women's and Girls' Cheerleading Poms in a variety of styles and school colors.
GTM Sportswear Four Inch Metallic Pom: Each four-inch pom has metallic streamers and a baton handle. Poms are delivered semi-fluffed. Sold individually. Made in USA.
A Wish Come True Character Dance Costume Pom-Pom AWA32: Cheer on your team with this pair of costume fringe pom-poms.
More Cheerleading apparel and accessories at SpiritLine and Danzia.


text:
Sort By: Relevancy | Date
Filter by: Review (41563); No Filter
<< | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67
Renewed for Murder
Agent: Frances Black, Literary Counsel.
Road of Bones
Agent: Howard Morhaim, Howard Morhaim Literary.
The Finder of Forgotten Things
Agent: Wendy Lawton, Books & Such Literary Agency (Dec.)
Sweat: A History of Exercise
Agent: Emily Forland, Brandt & Hochman Literary.
At First Light
Agent: Robert Diforio, D4EO Literary.
They Can't Take Your Name
Agent: Andrew D.
The Witching Tree: A Natalie Lockhart Novel
Agent: Jill Marr, Sandra Dijkstra Agency.
This Day, 2
Agent: Kimberly A.
Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary.
There Is Never Anything But the Present: And Other Inspiring Words of Wisdom
Agent: Jessica Salky, Salky Literary.
The Upper World
Agent: Claire Wilson, Rogers, Coleridge and White.
A Lullaby for Witches (Original)
Agent: Jane Dystel, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
Present Tense Machine
Agent: Bjarne Buset, Gyldendal Norsk Forlag.
Life Between the Tides
Agent: Zoë Pagnamenta, the Zoë Pagnamenta Agency.
Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Right to a Creative Life in a Too-Busy World
Agent: Yfat Reiss Gendell, YRG Partners.


What does this passage say about us?
What does this passage say about the relationship between God & us?
What does this passage say about the relationships between people?
What point do you think the author of this passage was trying to make?


text:
Kim Jong-un and the NPAD: A Tale of Two Absences
There's been some notable no-shows on the Korean Peninsula this week.
By Steven Denney for The Diplomat
Credit: Zennie Abraham via Flickr.com
Question: What do the liberal New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) and Kim Jong-un have in common?
Answer: They both were absent from their respective assemblies this week.
In terms of causality, these two no-shows have absolutely nothing to do with each other, yet both raise significant cause for concern. In South Korea, the problem surrounds the National Assembly's continuing ability to get anything done. In North Korea, the concern is that Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un may have fallen ill – we think.
First, South Korea.
On Thursday (September 25) the South Korean National Assembly held a plenary session. The primary objective goal of the session was to break the political stalemate over a special law to investigate the sinking of the Sewol ferry, the April 2014 tragedy that remains front and center in the national consciousness. Division over the content of the bill has led to parliamentary paralysis.
The stalemate seems likely to persist. Thursday's session was postponed after just 10 minutes. The reason? Only one party showed up. According to Yonhap, "only 153 lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party attend the session amid a boycott by the No. 1 opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD)." The NPAD (as previously written about here) has been ineffective in getting its own ranks mobilized, but it remains potent insofar as its ability for obstructionism.
Aside from postponing 91 other bills, the plenary failure is causing notable consternation within both parties.
Saenuri Floor Leader, Lee Wan-gu, has offered to resign over the party's failure to lead. Meanwhile, in the NPAD camp, Moon Jae-in has gone on a full-blown offensive. In a speech at a symposium to honor former president Roh Moo-hyun, Moon lashed out at the opposition party, saying "Our party is a central party for candidates, a sterile party without a popular base, a party of collusion for 'political small businesspeople.'"
As of late, Moon has been freely speaking his mind about his party's failure to connect with voters. As the most influential member of the so-called "Pro-Roh" faction (that is, former liberal supporters of late president Roh Moo-hyun), Moon has called for the creation of a "network party," the goal of which is to expand the party's electoral base and bring in the voices of ordinary people via social networking services (SNS). Whether this strategy will work is uncertain; the only constant as of late has been internal party strife.
Next, the North.
The conspicuous absence of Kim Jong-un from public view has caught the attention of DPKR watchers the world over.
In North Korea, as usual, it is all about intrigue and naval gazing. Adam Cathcart, an avid DPRK watcher, puts it best: "When the North Korean state media stops reporting on the activities of its head of state, or says he's experiencing "discomfort" during a long absence, tongues will wag and Anglophone keyboards will rattle."
Indeed, no one knows for sure what is going on. As the Wall Street Journal's Jeyup Kwaak reports, "North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was a no-show at the country's rubber-stamp parliament meeting on Thursday and hasn't been seen in public for more than three weeks."
Kwaak, relaying reports from elsewhere, says that Kim may be suffering from "chronic gout." He also cites an official saying that the South Korean government "believes Mr. Kim is suffering from myriad medical conditions, including gout, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity."
Is Kim Jong-un an overweight dictator? Yes. Is he bed-ridden, hospitalized, or otherwise incapacitated? Possibly, but we can't say for sure. Other than the nugget of information passed down from North Korea's official state media, we haven't anything more to go on, really.
Unlike in South Korea, an open society with a (relatively) free press, North Korea is still mainly shrouded in secrecy, especially when it comes to news and information about its elites. As Cathcart says, "Kim Jong-un may be flat on his back, or on a vacation in Thailand, or he might be getting ready to cap off North Korea's biggest 'diplomatic offensive' in years …." We simply don't know, yet.
Unlike South Korea, legislative processes in the North will continue to churn forward, without any of the apparent dissention or debate for which the democratic South is known. South Koreans seem primed to continue to express frustration at their parliamentary gridlock and the sometimes factional quality of domestic politics. To be sure, South Koreans are not beholden to the whims of a young dictator who may or may not be fit to govern at present, but if Kim Jong-un is a permanent no-show, they may have problems that dwarf the complexity of the Sewol affair.
Kim Jong-un sick
New Politics Alliance for Democracy
South Korean politics
South Korea's Next Presidential Candidates
By Harry W.S. Lee
Already candidates are emerging for the next presidential elections.
Factional Politics Will Determine Future of South Korean Left
By Steven Denney
The opposition NPAD is electing new leaders, with significant implications for leftist politics in South Korea.
Surprise! South Korea's Legislature Is Actually Doing Its Job
After being in a "vegetative state" for months, the South Korean National Assembly has begun passing laws again.
The Tyranny of the Minority in South Korea
A new law has made South Korea's National Assembly as ineffective as the U.S. Senate.


text:
'I Have Been Fighting In Supreme Court For Many Years For Removing Article 35A', Bhim Singh Tells PAGD
SRINAGAR: Dr Farooq Abdullah led a delegation of the Peoples' Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) met Panthers Party founder and former Member of Parliament, Prof Bhim Singh. The breakfast meeting took place before the PAGD's Jammu meeting at Dr Abdullah's Jammu residence at around 11 am.
Prof Bhim Singh National Panthers Party supremo accompanied by party colleague Anita Thakur interacting with the members of the PAfGD in Jammu on Saturday November 7.2020
In the afternoon, Prof Singh issued a statement saying that Dr Farooq Abdullah insisted Prof Bhim Singh over a cup of tea to let them know where he stands in the present crisis J&K is facing. Here are the main paragraphs from the statement that Panthers Party issued:
"Prof Bhim Singh thanked Dr Farooq Abdullah for seeking his stand to resolve the present crisis in J&K. Prof Bhim Singh told the senior Kashmiri leadership that he stands for restoration of statehood without delay with all fundamental rights provided in the Indian Constitution. He also told the leadership from Kashmir that he and the Panthers Party have been pleading with the President of India to convene a meeting of the Parliament to reconsider the restoration of Article 370 on merits. He told his Kashmiri friends that he has been fighting in the Supreme Court for many years in his writ petition seeking removal of Article 35-A of the Constitution. That the Panthers Party stood for restoration of fundamental rights to all the residents of J&K which was possible only after removal of Article 35-A which was valid only for six months as it was issued by the President of India in 1934. He said that fundamental rights in J&K stand hampered because of Article 35-A. This is the Panther Party's stand that residents of J&K should be provided all fundamental rights without delay. The Panthers Party is opposing the application of J&K Public Safety Act which has become invalid after the removal of Article 35-A.
Prof Bhim Singh told the leadership from Kashmir that the Panthers Party's stand for immediate revival of statehood of J&K which was founded in 1846 by Maharaja Gulab Singh.
Prof Bhim Singh National Panthers Party supremo accompanied by party colleague Anita Thakur interacting with the members of the PAfGD in Jammu today. @JKNC_ @jkpdp @MehboobaMufti @sajadlone @masoodi_hasnain @tarigami @MuzzafarShah1 #JavaidMustafaMir pic.twitter.com/cUxxvKbfR6
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 7, 2020
Prof Bhim Singh also conveyed to NC President and other senior leaders from Kashmir that the Panthers Party stand for immediate Assembly elections in J&K so that the democratic government may go for delimitation and some kinds of reorganization of J&K because separation of J&K is strongly opposed by him and his colleagues. Re-organisation of J&K without separation of J&K from each other is the stand where he (Bhim Singh) and his colleagues' stand. Bhim Singh said that the party stands for immediate revival of the State of J&K with immediate return of Governor in the state and state elections without delay. He said that the people of J&K stand for secularism, democracy and rule of law."
Those who attended the meeting include former Chief Ministers, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, State Secretary CPI-M Yousuf Tarigami, Sr Awami National Conference leader, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah.
Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party
PAGD
Previous articleTrade Route Foundations
Next articleGrenade Attack In South Kashmir's Anantnag