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Expectations remain the same for young Belle Vernon squad
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Coming off another playoff season, Belle Vernon Area will look to bounce back in a strong Big Nine conference.
The biggest key for the Leopards will be remaining healthy.
Snake-bitten by injuries the past few seasons, the Leps nearly knocked off Central Valley in the WPIAL playoffs last season before falling 17-16.
"Last season, we either played or scrimmaged all four WPIAL Class AAA semifinalists," coach Aaron Krepps said. "I've always told the kids, and they know, that if you want to beat the best, you have to play the best. That's what we try to do every year."
This year was no exception, as the Leopards faced Central Valley in their first scrimmage and hosted defending WPIAL champion West Allegheny in their final tuneup to the season.
Krepps is well aware of the effect injuries can have on a season.
"The way I look at it is that if a kid's going to get hurt, they're going to get hurt," Krepps added. "It's football, it's going to happen. From a coaching standpoint, there really isn't much we can do to prevent that from happening.
"We're already knicked up, but the numbers are usually higher during camp so hopefully we're healthy for week one."
There will be a lot of young faces in the lineup, but even with the youth of his team Krepps said high expectations remain.
"You have to keep them the same," Krepps added. "These guys are going to go out there and write the story they want to write. It's up to them. We're young, but there's some talent out there and they're hungry."
Having only six seniors on the roster doesn't concern Krepps.
"The competitive makeup of that group, these young classes ... that's something we haven't seen in any young classes that have come up. It really makes it exciting for us as a coaching staff."
Back to head up the offense will be junior quarterback Travis Snyder, who has the potential to go down as another Leopard great.
"The tools are there," Krepps said of his quarterback. "He's started since he was a freshman. It's time to see his growth in terms of maturity. Little things like being smarter when it comes to putting his head down or stepping out of bounds. It's all about decision making for him. Sometimes getting that extra yard doesn't really pay off. His job is to stay out there on the field."
Lining up behind Snyder will be tailback Anthony Levis, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season.However, Levis' status at presstime was in question as a result of an injury suffered in the second scrimmage.
Also seeing time carrying the ball will be junior Bradley Sloan and sophomore Luke Durigon.
"We have a couple different guys that can carry the ball," Krepps said. "They each have a different running styles, so it won't be just one back all the time."
Krepps will continue to use a constant rotation of guys on the outside at wide receiver, let by 6-foot senior Cody Menges. Also seeing time will be junior Vito Capozzi and sophomores Derek Verkleeren, Cameron Quinto and Max Durigon.
The offensive line features three of the Leopards' captains in Austin Fields, Aaron McCullough, and Devin Hannan, but will be hard-pressed to replace Under Armour All-American and multiple honoree Dorian Johnson. Trevor Gush, a sophomore, has impressed during camp, as has Nick Swietzer, a 6-4, 250-pound sophomore.
"Those guys are like their own team within the team," Krepps said of his offensive line. "It's tough to replace a once-in-a-decade, or longer, type of player like Dorian. They're still a unit of five, though, and they have to work together.
Johnson is now competing for playing time on the offensive line at Pitt.
Jake Sweitzer returns at tight end for the Leopards.
Defensively, Jake Sweitzer will flip to defensive end, while Fields, McCullough, and Hannan will flip around to the other side of the ball. Junior Dylan Reed will also see plenty of time on the line.
Sloan and Levis will play outside linebacker with juniors Jeremy Indof and Zac Spate on the inside.
Menges and sophomore Philip Taylor are penciled in at the corner back position with Quinto and Luke Durigon slotted for duty at safety.
Krepps knows his young secondary will be targeted this season but remains optimistic.
"This group ... especially the sophomores, they know how to win. They've had success," Krepps said. "They've got great knowledge of the game and have good football IQs. The question will be how soon they can bring it up to the varsity level."
Krepps expects Thomas Jefferson and West Mifflin to find themselves battling for the section crown, but knows the season is played one game at a time.
"TJ has the tradition, of course, and West Mifflin is big and has some speed," Krepps said of the Leopards' competition. "Don't sleep on anyone, though. EF showed last year that they have a playmaker at quarterback and they have some explosive guys on the outside.
"Ringgold has some good athletes, and Uniontown has a good athlete at quarterback. We'll see how it all plays out on the field."
Jeremy Sellew is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at email@example.com or 724-684-2667.
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Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has been a software powerhouse since its windows operating system began to dominate the home computing market in the 1980s. The latest development in the Windows operating system line is Windows 8 and RT. Unlike previous releases of Windows, Microsoft decided to showcase its latest OS with its own hardware, the Surface for Windows RT and Windows 8 tablet. Now, this isn't Microsoft's first foray into hardware, its Xbox gaming consoles and computer peripherals have sold well.
But, is Microsoft's latest move into the computer hardware market an act of desperation to stall Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) runaway machine that has been running over the smartphone, tablet, and laptop markets? Or is Microsoft simply taking it upon itself to make sure that Windows 8 has a successful launch into the tablet market? Perhaps both. Let's take a look at how Windows Surface stacks up to Apple's iPad.
Surface for Windows RT
Surface for Windows 8 Pro
iPad (3rd Generation)
NVIDIA Tegra-based ARM
Intel Core i5 (Ivy Bridge)
Apple A5X
676 grams
903 grams
650 grams
9.3 millimeters
13.5 millimeters
9.4 mm
10.6-inch ClearType HD (1366 x 768)
10.6-inch ClearType Full HD (1920x1080)
9.7-inch Retina Display (2048×1536)
Windows RT and Office Home & Student 2013 RT
Windows 8 Pro
iOS 5
2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi
2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi
4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
32GB or 64GB
64GB or 128GB
16, 32, or 64GB
Touch Cover, Type Cover, VaporMg Case & Stand
Touch Cover, Type Cover, VaporMg Case & Stand, Pen with Palm Block
microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video
microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort
From $499
Sources: Engadget.com, Apple.com
1. Hardware
Hardware-wise, Surface for Windows RT and Windows 8 Pro are comparable to or better than the iPad in every category except for screen resolution and connectivity, where the iPad's pixel density and 4G LTE clearly beat the Surface tablets. Otherwise, it is a toss-up between Apple's A5X and NVIDIA's tegra-based ARM chip depending on the benchmark, and the Intel Core i5 handily beats both processors. Arguably, the biggest hardware breakthrough of Microsoft's release is the included touch cover keyboard built into its case, helping to bridge the user ability gap between the tablet and laptop.
2. Software
Software is the defining factor in whether the Surface sinks or floats in the tablet market. The Windows 8/RT operating system is markedly different from iOS 5 as it is more geared to enterprise/work applications with its Microsoft Office support and built-in keyboard. On the other hand, Windows 8/RT lacks the vast and developed app market that Apple boasts making it less appealing to the casual tablet user.
All in all, the Windows 8/RT Operating Systems target a very specific niche in the tablet industry; it is designed for users who are looking for the full functionality of a laptop in a tablet, and enterprise-based users who seek more mobile alternatives to a laptop or desktop.
Microsoft is a latecomer in a brutal industry that has already taken casualties (Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ), Research In Motion Limited (RIMM)). But, perhaps, Microsoft has learned a thing or two from the mistakes of those that came before it. Instead of taking Apple head on, Microsoft has decided to target a specific niche within the tablet industry.
With its Windows 8/RT operating systems, Office Suite and built-in keyboard, the Microsoft Surface has bridged the gap between laptop and tablet, appealing to users who seek the full functionality of a laptop rather than a smartphone in a tablet. What does this mean for investors? Microsoft should be able to steal market share in the tablet industry from Apple.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

subset: commoncrawl


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November 27, 2015
Some senior citizens danced the night away Thursday in College Station.
A couple dozen seniors were shaking things up at College Station's Senior Christmas Dance.
The annual event which was held at the College Station Conference Center included refreshments and door prizes.
Partygoers jived to the music of DJ Tom Byer.
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Admission to Receptions:
- Free for VIP/Guest/Sponsor passholders
- The opening night reception is free for all those attending the opening night film, Big News from Grand Rock
- VIP/Sponsor/Guest passes will be admitted first to all receptions; if capacity permits, single/rush tickets will be sold.
- Single/Rush: $15 available at event start time, pending capacity.
Thu. Feb. 26 // 9:00pm-11:00pm
Delta Kingston Waterfront Hotel
Kick-off KCFF'15 with a mix of filmmakers, cast, crew, staff, sponsors, volunteers, and lots of faces you'll see throughout the duration of the festival.
Sat. Feb. 28 // 2:30pm-4:00pm
Tango Nuevo
Take a break from your movie-watching schedule to mingle with visiting industry guests and festival sponsors. A great opportunity to network or simply kick-back and relax. Recent guest talks have featured Don McKellar and Oscar winning Mychael Danna (Life of Pi). Don't miss out!
Sun. Mar. 1 // 7:30pm-9:00pm
Tango Nuevo
Three festival awards will be presented this season: the Eye on Canada People's Choice Award (best feature, voted by audience), the Steam Whistle Local Home Brew Award (best local short film, voted by jury), and the Youth Shorts Award (best youth short film, voted by jury). All winners receive a cash honorarium, plus other prizes. Come celebrate the best of the Fest!
All receptions are catered, compliments of our amazing reception sponsors!


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Staff behaviour
How you and any staff who work for your organisation behave towards customers, clients, service users, members, associates or guests in relation to their protected characteristics will be at the heart of whether your organisation delivers services without unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation and whether it makes reasonable adjustments for disabled people.
Equality good practice tip for how you and your staff should behave
Ideally, you want anyone who comes into contact with members of the public to treat everyone they come across with dignity and respect. This will help you provide good customer service (not just without unlawfully discriminating but more generally) and can make customers less likely to complain.
Tell your staff how to behave so that they do not discriminate against people because of a protected characteristic – and make sure you know what this means too. By doing this, you will reduce the risk that you will be held responsible for their behaviour.
Even if the person who has been discriminated against does not bring a legal case against your organisation, your reputation may suffer.
This does not just apply to situations where you and your staff are dealing directly with members of the public, but also to how your services are planned. This is the point at which a decision might be made, a rule might be applied or a way of doing things might be worked out which will affect how someone accesses your services. If this has a worse impact on people with a particular protected characteristic than on people who did not have that characteristic, then it will be indirect discrimination unless you are able to objectively justify the decision, rule or way of doing things.
So it is important that you and everyone who works for you knows how equality law applies to what you and they are doing.
How can I make sure your workers and agents know how equality law applies to them?
You can read more here about when you are responsible for what other people do.
More information
Protected characteristic's definition
View the current guidance and information for providers
Your responsibilities for staff behaviour
Last Updated: 16 Jan 2015


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November 25, 2015
WAYNE COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Police in Southern Kentucky are searching for an inmate they believe walked away Monday night.
The Wayne County Detention Center says they noticed Anthony Shaw was missing from the jail around 11:30 p.m.
Shaw is described as 5'9" and 150lbs. He was serving time for manufacturing meth.
Shaw was up for parole in December.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Wayne County Police Department.
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SUNRISE, Fla. -- Florida's top line of Stephen Weiss, Kris Versteeg and Tomas Fleischmann has produced big numbers all season, but now the Panthers are looking for more offensive contributions from their other lines.
That's why there might be different line combinations Wednesday night when the Panthers face the New York Rangers.
In the Panthers' last two games -- 3-2 and 4-3 victories over Pittsburgh and New Jersey, respectively -- the top line accounted for six of the seven goals. The other was scored by defenseman Brian Campbell on a feed from Versteeg.
Versteeg (11), Fleischmann (9) and Weiss (8) have combined for 28 goals on the season, but no other forward has more than three.
Injuries have been a factor up front, as the Panthers had to recently recall three players from the AHL -- Tim Kennedy, Evgenii Dadonov and Michal Repik.
"I'm always tweaking things and that's a blessing and a curse," Dineen said after the Panthers' optional morning skate Wednesday. "You're searching for chemistry. If I see it a snapshot of some chemistry, that's something I certainly am going to try to encourage and stay with.
"I'm fairly patient when it comes to that, and obviously with Michal Repik and Tim Kennedy and Dads in the lineup, it's changed our dynamic a little bit and it's important that you really engage those players and make them feel a part of it. That's what we're trying to do."
Dineen didn't dismiss the possibility of breaking up his top line at some point to try to generate more balanced offensive production.
"Obviously, we haven't tweaked Weisser's line and that's always maybe even tempting to say, let's put somebody on there to get them going," Dineen said. "We'll see where we go with that."
Dineen said Wednesday morning he hadn't decided whether Jose Theodore or Jacob Markstrom would be in net against the Rangers.
Theodore has started the last three games and played well, but Dineen said he was intrigued by the idea of Markstrom going against fellow Swede Henrik Lundqvist.
"You know what, Swede vs. Swede is very enticing (vs.) going with the hot hand, it makes for a tough decision for a coach," Dineen said. "I'll probably wait until the last minute to make that call."


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Troy University's Levi Brown looks for a receiver during a scrimmage on Aug. 8.
- Filed Under
TROY -- Troy quarterback Levi Brown noted the irony that will come in Thursday's season opener, but he also downplayed the significance.
It will be the Trojans against Bowling Green State, not Brown against Falcons coach Dave Clawson, though the two have a history.
Clawson was the head coach at the University of Richmond during Brown's two seasons there and the man whose quarterback decision led Brown to transfer to Troy. ...


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Tag:Atlanta Falcons
Posted on: August 22, 2010 4:15 pm
Ten players to watch - end of camp update
Most fans attend practices and watch preseason games to see the first units and the top draft picks. But the real stories of camp are deeper down the roster. There are 80 players in every training camp vying for only 53 roster spots.
For the last three seasons, I've presented a top ten list of key players involved in these competitions. Some are established players in jeopardy of losing their jobs if they don't come through. Others are prospects on the rise or lesser known players that have an opportunity to step up and make more significant contributions.
This morning's special teams practice session marked the official end of training camp for the Falcons. Here's an update on how this year's list of players to watch has fared:
1. Trey Lewis
Reason he made the list: the Falcons have six DTs (not even counting Jamaal Anderson) and probably just four roster spots for the big men to fill. Of the three fringe players competing for the last spot, Lewis is the top story.
End of camp update: he's looking much better than he did in 2009, with Smitty noting that his play was one of the few bright spots in Thursday's otherwise dismal showing against the Patriots.
He's still in jeopardy, but his current level of play, versatility (can play either DT spot - acted as a sub at UT for Rod Coleman in 2007) and size (listed as our largest defensive player at 316 pounds) will make it tough for Smitty to send the Turk his way.
2. Steven Hauschka
Reason he made the list: of the three kickers (including Michael Koenen) Atlanta had in camp, Hauschka was the primary unknown factor. The team already knows what Matt Bryant and Koenen can/can't do, making Hauschka the wild card in the contest and the most important one to watch.
End of camp update: the media reports say that Matt Bryant won the kicking battle. A more accurate description would be that Hauschka lost it. He was the younger candidate with the theoretically stronger leg. But his longer field goal attempt against the Chiefs came up short, and his kickoffs lacked depth and weren't particularly strong for hang time.
Never mind that he couldn't outdo the struggling Bryant on field goals. When it became clear he wasn't going to beat out Koenen for kickoffs, that sealed his fate. The Falcons would still make a move to bring in another kicker if Bryant gets the yips like Jason Elam last year. But at least for now, Hauschka isn't it.
3. Kerry Meier
Reason he made the list: the top three WRs were essentially set in stone (Roddy White and Michael Jenkins as the starters, with Harry Douglas in the slot as the #3) even before camp, but the Falcons need to improve their depth at the position. The fifth rounder from Kansas was the top candidate for the fourth WR spot.
End of camp update: he had an outstanding camp, but he hurt his knee on a special teams play late in the Patriots game. Like Douglas last year, he's out for the season.
4. Lawrence Sidbury
Reason he made the list: the Falcons didn't draft a DE or sign one in free agency. They're putting all their chips on Kroy Biermann as a second threat along with John Abraham and Sidbury to step up as a third potent pass rushing end.
End of camp update: so far, so good. What El Sid needs most is experience, as he only played a bit over 100 total snaps last season. He'll have far more snaps than that in preseason (he's on the field more than any other d-lineman), and so far he's doing pretty well.
5. Keith Zinger
Reason he made the list: he was the team's most improved offensive player in camp last summer, and if he stepped up again this year, he'd nail down a backup spot (forcing the prospects to start on the practice squad) and potentially even challenge for the #2 spot.
End of camp update: so far, he has been nearly invisible. He's watching Michael Palmer stand out this year exactly the way Zinger stood out last season, when he moved from #5 on the depth chart to win the #3 spot - beating out one of Dimitroff's top free agent signings (Ben Hartsock, signed to replace Alge Crumpler) in the process.
The battle isn't over yet, but Zinger has opened the door for Palmer to take the third TE job.
6. William Moore
Reason he made the list: it's the second season for the second rounder, and the public had yet to see him in action in camp or preseason. He even missed minicamp after overworking his shoulder in the weight room.
End of camp update: I expressed doubts earlier about all the media speculation that he'd challenge Erik Coleman for the starting job. His 2009 season was a lost cause, and he just didn't have the reps to trust him on the last line of defense.
And he still doesn't - we've finally been able to watch him in a few practices, but he missed minicamp (overworked his shoulder in the weight room) and has missed time during camp plus both preseason games so far this year. He still hasn't faced NFL competition - in real games, exhibition games or even combined practices.
The coming exhibition against the Dolphins will be his first time on the field for the Falcons. He's still a talented prospect, but he's still a long way from being ready for action in the secondary when it counts.
7. Quinn Ojinnaka
Reason he made the list: the Falcons have a whole lot of talented linemen competing for what appears to be one opening on the roster. Ojinnaka is the most intriguing story among them.
End of camp update: he's getting time at multiple positions along the line, including left tackle. The Falcons are definitely testing out his versatility. The Mighty Quinn is very much in the hunt for that ninth backup line spot.
8. Dimitri Nance
Reason he made the list: all three candidates for the #5 RB/FB spot are interesting "stories", but Nance is the most intriguing as a potential Jason Snelling type hybrid RB/FB.
End of camp update: not bad so far. He has shown good ability in the power running game plus receiving ability out of the backfield. If he can demonstrate some blocking skills, he's likely to be the guy. One catch: due to the Michael Jenkins injury and situations at other positions, the team may start out the season with just four runners. Even if he wins the job, he could be starting the season on the practice squad.
9. Eric Weems
Reason he made the list: drafting Meier and Dominique Franks put Weems in jeopardy of losing both of his roles on the team. He entered camp knowing he didn't have a secure roster spot and would have to step up to win a place on the team.
End of camp update: the injury to Meier means that unless the team brings in new blood, Weems and Brian Finneran simply have to hold off Troy Bergeron, Andy Strickland, and the three undrafted rookies to win the #4 and #5 spots. He's also the top KR/PR from camp. His chances of holding his spot are much better now than they were a month ago.
10. Brian Williams
Reason he made the list: if he can make a successful return from injury, he spices up the competition for the DB positions considerably.
End of camp update: he hasn't appeared in preseason yet, but we did get to see him practice, with his first full participation coming in the joint sessions with New England on the final open day of camp. He's slated to appear in these next two exhibitions. I'm still particularly interested to see whether the coaching staff gives him playing time at safety.
Key question: whether he'll be healthy enough after the Jaguars exhibition to keep on the roster. The team had similar hopes for Von Hutchins last season, but Hutchins ended up being an injury settlement case when he wasn't ready to go at the end of preseason. Williams is only now getting his first full contact this week.
Posted on: September 24, 2009 4:59 pm
notes before the Patriots game
Don't expect to see Jerious Norwood on the field this weekend. He hasn't practiced all week. Otherwise, everyone is fully participating. The remaining Falcons are essentially at full health.
For the Patriots, Wes Welker did not practice on Wednesday due to a knee problem and was limited today. Jerod Mayo is still out from his own knee situation. The Patriots haven't given out any information on how long Mayo is expected to be sidelined, but I don't think the Falcons will see him on the field. New England has a bunch of other guys limited this week, but I'm guessing they'll all play - including Welker.
One positive side to the injury to Peria Jerry = Trey Lewis will DEFINITELY be on the 45-man active roster and in the rotation. The significance is that Lewis is the team's nose tackle for their 3-4 package. That part of the defensive playbook was put on the shelf for the first two games since the team elected to keep Lewis on the inactive list. But with Lewis on the field, the team can throw some blitzes at Tom Brady that the Pats will not have seen before from game film.
The alignment we might see: Lewis, Jonathan Babineaux and Jamaal Anderson in three point stances as the down linemen, with John Abraham and one of the linebackers rushing from the second level.
First guess at the inactive list = John Parker Wilson (third QB), William Moore (hamstring), Vance Walker, Jerious Norwood (head), Will Svitek, Garrett Reynolds, Spencer Adkins, Tye Hill.
At some point, Tye Hill and William Moore will replace other players on the active list (possibly Christopher Owens and Lawrence Sidbury), but there's a strong chance the Falcons will wait until after the bye to start working them. Moore is practicing, and I'm told he's at about 85-90% health - which is where a lot of players are after two weeks of full contact anyway. But he's still way behind on his reps and would be limited to special teams duty if he got on the field. There's not much advantage to putting him in and taking out one of the other guys from those units, so Moore is likely to stay on the inactive list for this game.
It's a lot closer with Hill. He's essentially ready for man coverage assignments. The question is whether he has the playbook down well enough to trust him with the zone schemes, where one slip can quickly become a touchdown for the opposing team. (Imagine him releasing Randy Moss to a safety who isn't there. Not a pretty thought...)
But considering the Patriots have three dangerous WRs and a dangerous tight end, it's possible that the Falcons will elect to go with more man coverage combined with blitz packages. (There isn't much to lose since Brady, Welker and Watson can rip the soft zone to shreds anyway.) If so, activating Hill would be a very good move. Personally, I'd start him in place of Chris Houston.
Category: NFL
Posted on: September 17, 2009 11:49 pm
Ten observations from the Dolphins game
Sure, everyone's heard that Matt Ryan missed several deep passes (including two that would have been sure touchdowns), that Jason Elam had a nightmare of a game, that the Falcons rushing game got shut down, that Kroy Biermann emerged as a star, and that John Abraham is still a beast.
Here's a list of ten more observations that you might not have seen on the 11 o'clock news or the highlights shows...
The positive:
(1) The defense held the Dolphins under 100 rushing yards and under 200 passing yards. All three levels of the defense stepped up, but especially the linebacker corps. Last year, safeties Erik Coleman and Lawyer Milloy had 188 combined tackles. In this game, the three leading tacklers were Curtis Lofton (10 plus 1 assist), Mike Peterson (7 plus a forced fumble and an INT), and Stephen Nicholas (7, including one on special teams). The safeties only had to make two tackles each.
(2) Matt Ryan racked up a QB passer rating of 98 in spite of having what we would consider an off game. He struggled badly with the deep pass in the preseason and again in this first game, but he's deadly accurate with the short stuff. (And even the missed deep attempts helped to stretch the defense.)
(3) The Falcons racked up four sacks on defense - and all were by defensive linemen. The six and seven man blitz packages weren't needed. The front four were able to generate pressure all by themselves. If they can keep that up, allowing the LBs and safeties to defend their zones, this defense will be outright scary by the end of the year.
(4) They didn't give up the big play. Miami had only seven plays that went for more than 10 yards, and only two for more than 20 yards. Both of those were 21 yards. (And one of them was that trick double pass thing.)
(5) The Falcons absolutely stuffed the Wildcat. My tally showed 4 yards on 3 plays before the Dolphins essentially put that package on the shelf for the day.
(6) They also succeeded in defending the screen pass. After repeatedly getting burned by screens throughout the preseason (including 94 yards on 4 screens in the first half by the Chargers), the Falcons held their own on several attempted screens by Miami.
And a few things that need work:
(7) Never mind the under 3 yard average by Michael Turner. A more important problem is that he had 22 rushing attempts, which puts him on a pace for over 350 carries for the season. That's too many. Meanwhile, Jerious Norwood only had two rushing attempts, while Ovie Mughelli and Jason Snelling had none. They need to do a much better job of spreading the load.
(8) The offensive line gave up a pair of sacks and allowed pressure on a few other plays. The first sack was purely a miscommunication. They'll get it together pretty quickly, but they're not where they need to be quite yet.
(9) Atlanta's secondary had zero passes defended. (The entire team had two - one by Mike Peterson and one by Jamaal Anderson.) That's okay against the Dolphin receiving corps, but they'll need to step it up when they face the likes of Wes Welker, Joey Galloway, Ben Watson and Randy Moss in week 3 against the Patriots. By contrast, Miami's DBs broke up several pass attempts by the Falcons.
(10) The defense had good stats, but the old problem of defending the run up the middle against a three WR package is still there. Miami simply didn't attempt it very often. But three of Miami's top ten gains on offense were running plays, and all three were straight up the middle against the nickel defense. (They were also by different ball carriers. Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown each had a 14 yard gain, while Polite had a nine yarder.)
Posted on: September 9, 2009 10:49 pm
miscellaneous notes - 9/9/09
Preseason's out of the way, and the Falcons are nearly at full health. Obviously Harry Douglas is a total loss, but he's the ONLY significant casualty for the summer. There were others who were banged up or still recovering from 2008 injuries (David Irons, Von Hutchins, Tywain Myles, Jason Jefferson) but they all faced uphill battles to make this year's roster - and all were able to participate at the very least in OTAs.
That's even better than last year, when the Falcons lost Von Hutchins (on the first day of training camp), linebacker prospects Robert James and Travis Williams, TE prospect Brad Listorti, Thomas Brown (in the final preseason game), had linemen Trey Lewis and Renardo Foster on PUP (with both moving straight to IR), and had Todd Weiner far from 100% rehabbing from his 2007 major knee surgery. All of those players were strong candidates for at least the practice squad if not the regular roster, and all but Weiner were total losses.
And last year was considered a good summer for going without major injuries.
The very first official injury report of the year came out today. Only William Moore (still nursing his hamstring) did not practice at all. John Abraham (knee) was limited but did participate.
Jerious Norwood (head, foot) was fully back in action. Abraham should be ready to go this weekend. Moore is likely to be held out, but that's really not a loss - since he missed the entire preseason after his minor surgery, he would almost certainly have been one of the eight inactive players anyway.
The best news of all from the injury report - Chris Houston wasn't even on the list. He had hamstring issues that affected him in the final two preseason games (only five days apart). He's back at full strength now, so hopefully his horror show is over.
Thoughts on the Wildcat, since the Dolphins are the main team using it: if done properly, it's more than just a gimmick. There really are sound fundamentals behind it. The main one is that it gives the offense an extra lead blocker on running plays.
If the quarterback is off the field entirely (which is the way I prefer to see it done) or way, way out wide at the flanker position (hopefully avoiding contact - think Randy Moss "taking a play off"), then there's no need for the person taking the snap to hand the ball to someone else. Or if there is a handoff or pitchout, the guy who took the snap can become a lead blocker.
If you line up with a running back at the QB position, plus another running back (or TE lined up in that spot) and a fullback, the RB who takes the snap can follow both of the other two lead blockers. That's a major advantage over a regular handoff, when the QB simply becomes dead weight after handing the ball to the tailback. It's one more guy for the defense to overcome.
I know teams use the single-wing and other goofy packages, but the simple run straight up the middle is the main situation I want to watch out for in this game. That's still a point of weakness for the Falcons defense.
If the DTs are single-blocked by the guards (who are bigger than all our DTs except for Trey Lewis), the center will be free to block a linebacker. The TE will take another linebacker - or perhaps even a DE, with the tackle moving downfield to the LB. And then there will be not one but two lead blockers for the ball carrier. Even one of the safeties will have a blocker between him and the ball carrier.
We saw the damage that can do in preseason (the Sproles TD against our first unit defense in the Chargers game) even without the Wildcat package. Add another lead blocker, and it could be big trouble.
The initial practice squad consisted entirely of players who had been through training camp with the Falcons. That's a rare item, but it didn't last. Since the team kept only nine offensive linemen, center/guard Ben Wilkerson was the odd man out. That leaves Brett Romberg as the only real center on the roster behind Todd McClure.
This week the Falcons added center Rob Bruggeman to the practice squad as an insurance policy. Bruggeman became a full time starter in his senior season at Iowa. He was signed as an undrafted free agent and went through training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Guard/tackle Mike Butterworth (last year's undrafted free agent from Slippery Rock) was released from the squad to make room for Bruggeman.
NFL Draft Scout (whose rankings are featured here on CBS Sports dot com) rated Bruggeman as the 13th best center in this year's draft class and the 336th best overall prospect - just ahead of Falcons sixth round pick Spencer Adkins, who ranked 337th overall. Bruggeman's practice squad linemate Jose Valdez ranked 342nd.
The Dolphins have also made their first practice squad move already. They promoted tackle Nate Garner from the squad to the main roster to replace released tight end Davon Drew.
The Falcons are working Tye Hill and Brian Williams hard to get them up to speed on learning the defensive scheme, play calls, etc. There are only so many things you can do with cover one, cover two, etc, but the assignments, reads, and communications do take time to learn - even for a veteran.
Williams has a huge headstart because he played under Smitty and DB coach Alvin Reynolds for several seasons with the Jaguars. He may see action this weekend, but unless other DBs get hurt the team won't make any decisions until after Friday's practice. I'm anticipating seeing one if not both of them on the active roster against the Dolphins, though I suspect neither one will start.
Category: NFL
Posted on: August 11, 2009 11:19 pm
mock roster, v2.0 (training camp)
I did a mock 53-man roster right before minicamp in May. We're now a week into training camp, and the team still hasn't posted an official depth chart, so I figured this would be a great time to revisit the list.
QB) Matt Ryan, Chris Redman, D.J. Shockley
It's still too early to project John Parker Wilson as a keeper, but it's a possibility. He's had a good camp. So far he has shown more consistent accuracy than Shockley and a better arm than Redman. Both Shockley and Redman are in the final years of their contracts, and Redman is carrying a $2.5 million base salary.
RB) Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood, Thomas Brown
Verron Haynes is also having a good camp and will make the competition interesting. The Falcons carried only four backs on the roster for the entire 2008 season, since Jason Snelling did double-duty as the #2 fullback and #3 running back. Verron Haynes also plays both roles.
I suspect that the team will keep at least five runners this year, and the roles that Norwood, Brown, Snelling and Haynes play on special teams might make a strong argument to keep all six.
Aaron Kelly had a good first week of camp and will still have chances to impress the coaches in preseason. Likewise, Chandler Williams will have his chances - including returning punts and kickoffs. But the Falcons signed not one but two veteran free agents to replace Harry Douglas, so unless the team keeps six wideouts, they will both have a major uphill battle to crack the roster. Ditto for Troy Bergeron and Eric Weems. The other undrafted receivers (Darren Mougey, Bradon Godfrey, and Dicky Lyons) have already been released.
I'm not making any changes here yet, but I suspect that Keith Zinger might be in the hunt for one of the backup TE spots. He has shown amazing improvement from last preseason to camp this year. But I'll wait until the second preseason game before dropping either Hartsock or Peelle in favor of Zinger or Jason Raider.
With the pre-minicamp list, I said it was way too early even to think about naming the backups. There are still some battles to be won, and it's not certain the team will even keep ten linemen. (Last season the Falcons started with nine but finished with ten.)
If they keep just nine, Ben Wilkerson is likely the odd man out. He has progressed nicely as a backup center and guard, but Brett Romberg has more experience and has even won a starting job while playing under line coach Paul Boudreau. Quinn Ojinnaka can play all five positions on the line and has experience at left tackle (and has performed well when needed).
Mike Butterworth is in the hunt for a backup guard spot as well, but he'd be a long shot - especially if there are only nine linemen. There are also three undrafted linemen in camp, but they have had so few reps in 2practice that they are likely competing for one or two practice squad jobs.
Not much of a story here. The only other specialist in camp is rookie long snapper Robert Shiver. But next season could be interesting, as the team elected to tender Koenen for one year with the franchise tag rather than resign him to a long term deal.
I'm projecting nine defensive linemen, though the performances of the other DTs will make a strong argument for keeping ten. (That's unusual, but the Falcons use such frequent rotations that it would make sense to use an extra at-large roster spot on the defensive line. The team did have ten defensive linemen for a short time last season.)
At this point, the significant candidates for an extra DT spot are Jason Jefferson and Thomas Johnson. You might remember Jefferson from last year, but he's had a much better preseason this year. I'm not quite ready to buy into his improvement, so I'm waiting for the exhibition games to see how he does in full contact action before saving him a roster spot.
Johnson is one of the surprises of camp. He was brought in under a futures contract in January. He played in 13 games in 2005-2006, was out of football in 2007, went to camp with the Jets last season and is in camp with us this year. That's not a particularly impressive resume, but the story is he's progressing very well with line coach Ray Hamilton.
LB) Mike Peterson, Coy Wire, Jamie Winborn
The numbers game says that if there are 10 offensive linemen or 6 wide receivers, the extra roster spot will likely come from the linebacker corps. That would put the squeeze on young prospects Spencer Adkins and Robert James, who are already in heated competition with Edmond Miles and Tony Gilbert for those backup linebacker jobs.
Last time around, I projected that Von Hutchins and David Irons would be the cornerbacks who didn't make it. Irons wasn't cleared for full contact before the start of camp, so he was released with an injury settlement. The wild card is Hutchins.
He was brought in to add experience to the CB group last year, since Chris Houston (11 games) was the only corner on the roster at the time that had ever started a single game in the NFL. But now the CB group is crowded, and Houston, Jackson and Grimes have more experience behind them.
But Hutchins was also a safety with the Houston Texans before signing with Atlanta, and the Falcons could use some experience in the safety corps. So this time around, I'm putting him in as a backup safety and knocking out Jamaal Fudge, Antoine Harris, and Eric Brock.
A key for all of the fringe players is that they'll be competing for at-large roster spots. The extra wide receivers aren't just competing with the other WR prospects and the receivers ahead of them on the depth chart. They're also competing with the borderline linebackers, defensive backs, etc, trying to convince the coaches that a sixth WR would be a better way to use a roster spot than a 10th offensive lineman, 7th linebacker, etc.
And that will make the final roster cuts very, very interesting.
Also note that the team still might not be finished acquiring players from outside the organization. Domonique Foxworth, Jason Jefferson, and Jamaal Fudge all came aboard AFTER the roster cuts but before the first game. It's likely that the Falcons will make a few moves again this season after seeing who gets squeezed out elsewhere.
Posted on: May 8, 2009 4:25 pm
mock roster, v1.0 (pre-minicamp)
Before April, the Falcons didn't have many available spaces on the roster. With the signing of free agents Mike Peterson, Will Svitek and Brett Romberg plus the return of five players who missed all of 2008 due to injury, the team had already taken in more players than it had lost from the 2008 roster.
There were obviously still several players that could easily be replaced by top draft picks, but it would have been tough to fit in the late rounders.
But then the team cleared some extra space for more youth with the pre-draft trade of Laurent Robinson and the early release of Kindal Moorehead and Simon Fraser. So now that we have a little breathing room, here's a first look at a possible 53-man roster that fits in all eight drafted players plus some undrafted prospects:
(Practice squad = QB John Parker Wilson, TE Keith Zinger, WR Darren Mougey, OL Michael Butterworth, DT Tywain Myles, LB Brock Christopher, LB Derek Nicholson, S Eric Brock)
1) Von Hutchins. Why him rather than Grimes? Hutchins has a $1.35M base salary this year that will jump above $2M next year. Grimes makes league minimum. So if Hutchins loses the nickel job to Chris Owens, he'll be expensive to keep around as the #4 corner. Grimes also has the special teams factor on his side and probably has more long term upside.
For that matter, Eric Brock or Marcus Paschal might step up and take the job away from both of them. Or we might pick up someone at the end of preseason (which is actually fairly likely, but something I'm excluding for purposes of listing a mock roster).
What I like about the five I listed: Foster was impressive in his limited experience at LT in 2007. Ojinnaka can play any position on the line and has experience at LT. Wilkerson plays guard in addition to center (and can even be a fullback if needed). The scouting reports on Stanchek and Reynolds say they could be the Nasty Brothers, Part Two. That's a good thing, especially since the originals (Clabo and Dahl) are both unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
It could easily be these two that win the jobs instead - Miles excels in special teams, and Gilbert is one of Smitty's guys from the Jaguars.
The early word I've heard is that Thomas Brown is 100% and has a chip on his shoulder about missing his entire rookie season over a dirty horse-collar tackle in the final preseason game. He'll be playing with fury. For now I have Snelling hanging onto his spot, but Haynes will push him hard. Both can play FB as well as RB. I'm taking Snelling because he has proven his ability to grind out the tough yards.
Category: NFL
Tags: Atlanta Falcons
Posted on: March 17, 2009 3:35 pm
forming a baseline
I started to do a piece on how building/maintaining a roster during the offseason essentially boils down to a really big math problem. Each team has constraints in the form of limited cap space, a defined number of roster spots, practice squad spots, and draft picks. The GM's objective is to get the maximum benefit of the available resources in order to establish the best roster year after year.
To do this, you evaluate what you have and what resources are available, and you move in the direction that will give you the most benefit. Then you evaluate again, make the next move(s), etc.
Several GMs understand the concepts even though most do not define the problem in purely mathematical terms. Thomas Dimitroff and Rich McKay both fall into this category, and head coach Mike Smith is on board with the approach as well.
I'll skip the heavy-duty math and keep this as short as possible. The first step in "The Process" is to form a baseline. You define your potential roster using as few resources (cap space, draft picks) as possible. You fill in any holes with prospects (not draft picks - we're not there yet) or dirt cheap free agents.
Note that this isn't the actual roster. It's just the starting point. And you don't actually have to sign any cheap free agents yet - just knowing they're readily available is enough.
The key is that as soon as you can form a reasonably competent roster, the moves you make from that point forward can all be to improve the team rather than to plug holes. That's when you have the freedom to go in any direction you want in free agency and the draft, and when you can stockpile for the future rather than scramble to keep a roster together for today.
Here's our current potential roster:
Quarterback: Matt Ryan, Chris Redman, D.J. Shockley.
Running back: Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood, Jason Snelling, Thomas Brown, with Ovie Mughelli and Snelling as fullbacks.
Tight end: Ben Hartsock, Justin Peelle, Jason Rader/Keith Zinger.
Wide receiver: Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Laurent Robinson, Harry Douglas, Brian Finneran
Offensive line: Sam Baker, Justin Blalock, Todd McClure, Harvey Dahl, Tyson Clabo, plus four of Quinn Ojinnaka, Brett Romberg, Nate Bennett, Renardo Foster, Alex Stepanovich, Will Svitek, Michael Butterworth, Ben Wilkerson. (The competition in camp will be extremely tight, so for now I just listed them all. Pick your favorite four and roll with it.)
Defensive end: John Abraham, Jamaal Anderson, Chauncey Davis, Kroy Biermann
Defensive tackle: Jonathan Babineaux, Trey Lewis, Kindal Moorehead, Jason Jefferson
Linebacker: Mike Peterson, Curtis Lofton, Stephen Nicholas/Coy Wire start, plus Robert James, Tony Gilbert, Wire/Nicholas as backups
Cornerback: Chris Houston, Brent Grimes, Chevis Jackson, Von Hutchins, David Irons.
Safety: Erik Coleman, Jamaal Fudge, Antoine Harris, Thomas DeCoud
Specialists: Michael Koenen, Jason Elam, Michael Schneck, with Douglas and Norwood as return men.
Two at-large roster spots remain. Key in-house candidates include an extra offensive lineman, Eric Brock at safety, Simon Fraser at DE, Eric Weems and Chandler Williams at WR, or any of several DT or CB prospects.
Something I find very interesting: in general, this baseline is already better than our 2008 opening roster. Considering we haven't even hit the draft yet, that's encouraging. (With the team being so young, even the names that haven't changed are upgrades. For example, Matt Ryan has now started 17 games. Heading into 2008, he had started none. The extra experience will be a major factor for four of our starting offensive linemen, two of our WRs, and too many of our players on defense to name them all.)
One thing that continues to jump out at me is that we don't have a lot of holes to fill. We do have some, and they're certainly important, but there aren't a lot of them. That's a part of why we haven't signed as many no-name free agents as last year. Our baseline is already at a level where there isn't much point to bringing in another dozen or so guys off the street the way we did last season. They would have virtually no chance of beating out the guys we have in house. (And this year, we know it.)
It's also noteworthy that with fairly few roster spots that could be upgraded via the draft, the likelihood of trading away one or more of our draft picks increases. In the last two seasons we made deals to increase our total number of picks and ended up selecting 11 players in each draft. This year, we simply won't have room for another 11 prospects. The extra picks would end up being wasted. We're far more likely to go the other direction, either packaging picks to move up or trading picks out to future drafts. We'd get far more benefit from three really good prospects than our full complement of seven picks scattered throughout the draft.
Category: NFL
Posted on: March 3, 2009 4:39 pm
The Chart (part three - the Brady Quinn deal)
The trade that got the most attention during the 2007 draft was when the Cleveland Browns gave up their second rounder and their 2008 first rounder to move up into the back end of the first round and select Brady Quinn. It was hailed as a bold, aggressive move, and with the Browns already having selected Joe Thomas with the #3 pick, it made Cleveland's class the talk of the draft.
Was the move really all that aggressive?
Based on the chart, the Browns gave up the future first rounder and pick #36 (550 points) to the Cowboys for pick #22 (780 points). In theory, that would put a value of only 230 points on the future first round pick of a team that had the #3 overall that year and was widely considered likely to pick in the top ten the next year.
That's a heck of a large discount factor, making the trade a case where the GM stepped out on a limb. But this is THE perfect example to demonstrate why teams make the more interesting draft day trades. One of the caveats of the chart is that the team trading up is doing so based on perfect information. They aren't just acquiring a draft pick. They know exactly who they will select, and they're trading to acquire the player.
(That could be viewed as a flaw with the chart. A team's willingness to overpay varies depending on the player involved.)
In terms of the chart, the #5 overall rates 1700 points. A player considered worthy of a top five pick would carry a grade of 1700+ points. In Quinn's case, many scouts rated him around 2500 points.
But one of the interesting oddities of the draft is that the second and third quarterbacks taken tend to slide. If any quarterbacks are among the top five prospects, at least one will be taken in the top five. But the next two may drop way down the board regardless of their pre-draft grades.
When that happened with Quinn, it was a second Christmas for the Browns front office. They didn't trade to get a 780-point draft pick. They traded to get a 2500-point quarterback prospect. Even if the team had bombed in 2007 and ended up with the #3 overall again in 2008, that trade would have amounted to 2200 points in the future plus 550 points immediately for a 2500 point player. That puts a discount factor of just 11% on the future draft pick.
Considering that most teams tend to put 50% or higher discounts on the value of future picks, the Browns were getting a bargain - even if they repeated as the #3 overall team. And that's the key to the trade. It was a no-brainer for Cleveland to make that deal. It was also a no-brainer for Dallas to trade down and pick up the chance to land what might become a future top ten pick.
As it turned out, the Browns were a surprise team that year. The pick they sent to Dallas became the #22 - ironically, the same pick as the one they acquired. The final price became 550 points in 2007 and 780 points in 2008 for the guy who had been the face of the 2007 draft.
And even for Dallas it worked out well. Momentarily neglecting all the other moves Jerry Jones makes every draft and focusing on just this one trade, the Cowboys picked up an extra second rounder for delaying their first round pick by a year. In financial terms, they collected a 29.5% interest rate on their #22 pick. That's not too shabby either.
Category: NFL


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Original Subject Posting
Measuring mast rake
Date Posted: 02 Dec 12 17:24
What is the 'proper' way to measure mast rake?
I'm asking as I'm trying to setup my boat using one of the tuning guides - however I'm a bit confused as there seems to be be various methods from the top of the mast to the top of the transom, or is it to the inside bottom of the transom / floor joint? - I have seen both ways discussed here.
Also I have seen mentioned that you set the tape to 19ft at the goose neck, then measure to the transom. I found this this took off 90mm from the measurements...compared with the tape hoisted to the one to the very top of the mast.
My boat is a Parker mk2 by the way...
Thanks in advance.
Author: Toby Robertson
Message ID: 2271
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Replies to this subject
Measuring mast rake
Date Posted: 03 Dec 12 13:07
I'd measure to the top of the transom as it is easier. You don't need to set the tape to 19ft at the goose neck; this can be a fiddle. Just pull it to the top and take the reading at the goose neck. Then subtract that reading from the "rake" reading (at the top of transom). This will give you a repeatable number. Measure with the boat upright in a windless area, not on its side or in a blow, to minimise tape sag.
Someone else better qualified than me can remind us whether the ram is left on or off.
Author: Chris Fish
Reply ID: 6384
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Measuring mast rake
Date Posted: 03 Dec 12 18:57
On Parkers you need to measure to the join of the floor with the transom, that was the standard when the Parker guides were written as the transom tops were not consistent.
I've never bothered with a gooseneck "verification" measurement, I just look to make sure the tape has pulled right up to the masthead.
Measurement should be taken with the rig tension on.
It isn't a measurement that matters to be millimeter perfect, too many other things that could affect it are potentially variable by a few mm (like centreboard bolt position for instance). The guides are a good starting point and then try SMALL changes and see if it gets better or worse.
Author: Chris Biglin
Reply ID: 6385
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Measuring mast rake
Date Posted: 04 Dec 12 22:11
Thanks for the replies.
I've now set the rake to approx 6830mm from top of mast to transom / floor joint. I'll give this a go at the weekend to see if it improves things - I think the mast was too upright (original measurement was 6950mm) as there was a lack of any weather-helm, maybe actually verging toward lee-helm!
Around 6800mm seems to be what the set-up guides recommend.
Author: Toby Robertson
Reply ID: 6386
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Measuring mast rake
Date Posted: 12 Dec 12 17:43
I would disagree with not taking a measurement to the gooseneck. I dont believe it is possible to get an accurate measurement without some sort of calibration. There are too many variables when simply pulling it to the top of the mast such as shackle length and how the tape measure is tied on to the halyard (i.e. at the end or beginning of the shackle or some may use a bobble on a rope halyard) and then whether it has slipped or not on the way up to the top.
In my short time sailing larks the sail plans from different sailmakers and settings from one boat to another appear to vary a lot, which is something I really like about the class. However, because of this I would suggest having a standard way to measure your rake is important when starting to build your own set of settings as I would imagine the settings from one sailmaker to another should vary.
For example, I am currently working off the following figures, using HD sails:
Measurement to top of gooseneck - 5560mm
Upright setting - 6685
Raked setting - 6640
Pre-bend 30mm
Rake is measured to the top of the transom on an ovi.
Author: Mike Senior
Reply ID: 6387
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To have the Energy Star label, they are meeting the strict energy and water criteria set by the Energy Star program, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Specifically, they meet Modified Energy Factor and Water Factor criteria.
The Modified Energy Factor is the quotient of the cubic foot capacity of the clothes container divided by the total clothes washer energy consumption per cycle, with such energy consumption expressed as the sum of the machine electrical energy consumption, the hot water energy consumption, and the energy required for removal of the remaining moisture in the wash load. The units are cubic feet per kWh per cycle (ft3/kWh/cycle). The higher the value, the more efficient the clothes washer. Energy Star qualified washing machines must have a Modified Energy Factor of 1.72 or more, while the federally required Modified Energy Factor for all washing machines is 1.26.
The Water Factor allows the comparison of clothes washer water consumption independent of clothes washer capacity. The term is expressed as gallons per cycle per cubic feet. The Water Factor is the quotient of the total weighted per-cycle water consumption divided by the capacity of the clothes washer. The lower the value, the more efficient the clothes washer. The Water Factor has not been incorporated into the Federal standard but is included in the 2007 Energy Star criteria. Energy Star qualified washing machines must have a Water Factor of 8.0 or more, and there is no Federal water efficiency requirement for all washing machines.
Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping America to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.
Results are already adding up. Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved enough energy in 2007 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars — all while saving $16 billion on their utility bills.
If looking for new household products, look for ones that have earned the Energy Star label. They meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US Department of Energy.
If looking for a new home, look for one that has earned the Energy Star label.
If looking to make larger improvements to your home, EPA offers tools and resources to help you plan and undertake projects to reduce your energy bills and improve home comfort.
What are some benefits of Energy Star high-efficiency washing machines?
Reducing Municipal Water Demand -
Energy Star qualified washing machines save 7,700 to 9,400 gallons of water each year. Over the 11-year life of the washer, that's enough water to fill up more than three backyard swimming pools or provide a lifetime of drinking water for six people. If just half of James City Service Authority's water customers that own washing machines switched to high-efficiency models, we would save over 67 million gallons of water each year. Research data and manufacturer information show that a high-efficiency washing
machine will:
- use 40 percent less water,
- use half the energy,
- use 30-73 percent less detergent,
- reduce time in the dryer,
- result in less shrinkage,
- increase the life of your clothing.
Performance - According to the Consumer Reports February 2005 issue, water-efficient washers generally outperform traditional washing machines. Many employ multiple rinse cycles, so less residual detergent stays on your clothing.
Saving Space - Front-loaders can be smaller with the same capacity as larger traditional models, primarily because they lack a central agitator. Many of these front-loaders are space-saver models, with the option of stacking them with a compatible dryer.
Saving Energy - According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, front-loading washing machines can use half the energy of traditional models. High-efficient washing machines save energy mainly because they require less hot water, so less must be pumped into the water heater. These washing machines also have faster spin cycles than traditional models, extracting more water from clothes before they ever reach the dryer. The result is much less time running the dryer, which the U.S. Department of Energy reports is the second-biggest household energy hog in terms of energy use during operation.
Saving Water - High-efficiency washing machines use only 18 to 25 gallons of water per load, as opposed to the 40 gallons or more that a traditional model consumes. The average family can easily save more than 6,000 gallons of water a year, or 66,000 gallons over the eleven year lifespan of a typical washing machine.
Saving Your Clothes - Front-loading models may cause less wear and tear on your clothes since they are not pulled around an agitator. By washing your clothing more gently, a high-efficiency washing machine lengthens the life of often-washed items and reduces the amount of lint coming off in the dryer. Because they are so gentle, many models can safely clean silk, wool, and other hand-washables.
Convenience - With the loss of the central agitator in washing machine design, your new high-efficiency machine can accommodate larger loads and larger single items than would fit in a typical top-loader.
How do high-efficiency washing machines work?
Most water-efficient washing machines are front-loading, although there are a few redesigned top-loading models. These front-loading models are putting a new spin on laundry. They lack a central agitator and tumble clothes like a dryer. The cleaning occurs as clothes are tumbled through the pool of water at the bottom of the tub and then clothes are partially dried during a high-speed spin cycle, saving your water, energy, clothing, space, money, and environment. Read on to see how.
What are some things I'll need to consider before replacing my washing machine with an Energy Star high-efficiency model?
Finding an Energy Star-Qualified High-Efficiency Washing Machine - JCSA does not rebate incorrectly-labeled appliances, so please bring a current list from the Energy Star clothes washers webpage to help you do your shopping. If you would like the list mailed to you, please contact JCSA at 757-253-6859 or via Email.
Cost - Prices range from about $500 to $1,600 before rebate, several hundred dollars more than a traditional washing machine with comparable features, but a typical household will save on water and electricity bills and detergent costs. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that inefficient clothes washers can cost three times as much to operate than energy-efficient ones.
What to Do with Your Old Washing Machine - Several local charities accept operational used washing machines. Some provide free pick-up. Donation helps job training and self-sufficiency programs for people with disabilities and families in need. If your washing machine is broken, some appliance dealers and repair companies will still remove it for free, repair the item, and resell it.
Where can I buy an Energy Star high-efficiency washing machine?
Home Depot
Lowe's Home Improvement
Sam's Club
The JCSA does not endorse specific brands, products, contractors, or companies. List does not denote preference. If you notice that our list is out of date, please Email or call us at 757-259-5416. JCSA reserves the right to control web content.
What should I do with my old washing machine?
Donation - The following local charity accepts operational used washing machines.
Habitat for Humanity Peninsula ReStore accepts washing machines in working order, which are sold at its retail outlet and fund construction of Habitat houses within the community.
9614 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601
757-246-4955, x201 for free pickup
The JCSA does not endorse specific brands, products, contractors, or companies. List does not denote preference. If you notice that our list is out of date, please Email or call us at 757-259-5416. JCSA reserves the right to control web content.
Refurbishment for Resale - If your washing machine is broken, some appliance dealers and repair companies will still remove it for free, repair the item, and resell it. The following local business accepts broken washing machines:
Stretch A Buck accepts some broken washing machines for refurbishment. Please call to schedule drop-off.
221 E. Washington, Suffolk, VA 23434
The JCSA does not endorse specific brands, products, contractors, or companies. List does not denote preference. If you notice that our list is out of date, please Email or call us at 757-259-5416. JCSA reserves the right to control web content.
Disposal - If you are a James City County resident and your old washing machine is more than 60 percent metal, then it is eligible for free scrap metal recycling. James City County Solid Waste Management recycles scrap metal at the Convenience Centers at 1204 Jolly Pond Road and 185 Industrial Boulevard in the Hankins Industrial Park. If you are a resident and your washing machine is 60 percentmetal or less, then you can use bulk disposal. Bulk disposal is available at the Convenience Center at 1204 Jolly Pond Rd. or may be available for pickup. A coupon charge is required. See James City County Solid Waste and Recycling for details.
What else can I do to conserve municipal water?
In order to save additional water:
- It's best to wash only full loads, but if you must wash small loads, use the appropriate water level.
- This will save both energy and water.
- Wash your clothes in cold water with coldwater detergents unless you are treating oily stains.
- Consider landscaping techniques from our Let's Be Water Smart program including lawn care calendars, guides, suggested plants, and water-thrifty tips under "Resources."
- If you plan to install a new toilet, make it a high-efficiency toilet! Look for the EPA's new WaterSense label and visit their website when shopping for high-efficiency toilets, landscape irrigation services, irrigation control technologies, showerheads, and more!
- Install a rain sensor for your home irrigation system if you do not have one. This is probably the easiest action you can take to save the most water. (Check our Rain Sensor Rebate to see if you are eligible.)
- Check out our other rebates.
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Cool Ranch Doritos Chicken Fingers
These Easy Cool Ranch Doritos Chicken Fingers are such a fun spin on a favorite dinner! Crispy Doritos coat the chicken pieces for a meal everyone will love!
Making dinner for a family isn't all it's cracked up to be.
At least for MY FAMILY it isn't.
I know some girls totally have it figured out…like this gal… and this one too.
And of course we have family favorites: Tacos, Chicken and Dumplings…but the resounding favorites are chicken fingers, chicken cutlets, chicken tenders, chicken nuggets…pretty much any type of chicken that is breaded and baked or fried.
Sometimes this makes me feel like a failure as a mother, but then other times, I'm like , "hey, it isn't cereal"…so there's that.
Of course we eat lots of foods over here and introduce new veggies and all that…so please, hold your judgement…but if you were to ask my kids what they wanted for dinner, I guarantee you they would say Chicken Cutlets. Guaranteeeeeee.
So in an effort to make the Chicken a little more interesting I went ahead and did what any normal person would do. I crushed up some Cool Ranch Doritos and coated the chicken in them.
These Chicken Fingers are baked and the Cool Ranch chips kept the coating crispy and flavorful on the outside! I've done this before for dinner with Nacho Cheese Doritos too…either way is a fun variation on chicken fingers!
Here's how I did it…
I got some chicken tenders. I was lazy and bought the chicken already cut into strips, but feel free to buy boneless chicken breasts and cut them into the strips or nuggets!
I soaked the chicken in buttermilk. In my experience the buttermilk helps with the texture of the meat as well as the crispiness of the crust. It's what I like to do.
Let that soak for at LEAST a few hours, but an overnight is better.
Then grab a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. Eat 2 and crush the rest.
Mix that with a little bit of flour and I also use some dry ranch seasoning to amp-up the ranch flavor. You can usually find that down the salad dressing aisle.
Allow the excess buttermilk to drip off each piece of chicken and then coat in your Dorito mixture…
When they are baked they will be perfectly crispy!
And of course serve with more Ranch dressing!!
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into "tenderloin" strips
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 (12 oz) bag of Cool Ranch Doritos (or whatever flavor you prefer)
- 1 cup flour
- *optional 1-2 Tbsp Ranch seasoning mix for extra Ranch flavor
- In a medium bowl, marinate the chicken strips in buttermilk for at LEAST 2-3 hours (you can soak overnight).
- When ready to bake preheat oven to 400°.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Take bag of Doritos and crush the chips inside. Now transfer Dorito pieces and flour into food processor or blender to crush and blend until the Doritos are the size of panko bread crumbs. Add in Ranch seasoning if desired.
- Transfer crumbs into a medium bowl.
- Set up a "coating station" and remove each chicken strip from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off and coat the chicken in the Dorito/Flour mixture.
- Transfer to lined baking sheet. Continue with all chicken.
- Bake chicken strips for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Serve immediately with Ranch dressing!
Social Share
April 1, 2014 at 8:31 am
These are possibly the most perfect things ever! I'm glad it uses up the whole bag of doritos, otherwise I'd eat the leftover chips all in one sitting. Probably while the chicken is baking. I cannot wait to give these a whirl!
April 1, 2014 at 10:56 am
These are going on the menu for later this week for sure. My husband is going to LOVE them!!! You just can't go wrong with a Cool Ranch Dorito! LOVE IT!
April 1, 2014 at 11:49 am
I'm an adult and all I want is fried chicken for dinner! I must make this!
April 1, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Yup….easy peasy dinner! Love the Cool Ranch flavors
April 1, 2014 at 1:15 pm
We're chicken strips twins today!
And I ALWAYS love a good dinner that incorporates a bag of chips.
April 1, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Cool Ranch Doritos were my ULTIMATE in middle school. I think it's time for a throwback dinner!
April 1, 2014 at 1:19 pm
These are the most beautiful things I have ever seen!
April 1, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Cool! I love doritos so I'd love to make these I never made chicken fingers for some reason! Though, if the chicken tenderloin is what I think it is (my English is not that good), that's their actual size. It's a little piece of meat that comes attached to the chicken breast, so it's not the same thing, but it's very similar and they're pretty much interchangeable.
April 1, 2014 at 2:28 pm
Samesies here. Jon David would LIVE on chicken strips or nuggets if I let him!!
April 1, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Oooooh I hadn't thought of Cool Ranch Doritos! I make chicken nuggets with crushed Sour Cream & Onion chips with a honey mustard dipping sauce. I'm going to have to try this! Thanks
April 1, 2014 at 7:00 pm
3 ingredients – love it!
This is dinner tonight.
April 1, 2014 at 7:07 pm
Shelly, this is absolutely making my mouth drool! Cool Ranch are my most fave chips… and you made a breading out of them… beyond brilliant!
April 2, 2014 at 6:28 am
What a fun idea! I bet these taste great
April 2, 2014 at 7:26 am
Those look so good!
April 2, 2014 at 10:01 am
This sounds freaking awesome! Can't wait to try this one I love cool ranch Doritos, having it in a chicken finger is blowing my mind!
April 2, 2014 at 10:39 am
Ok, my boys will love me forever when I make these! Thanks in advance, lol! xo
April 2, 2014 at 10:52 am
The 8-year-old in me is freaking out right now. DORITOOOSSS! I need this, and now!
April 2, 2014 at 9:21 pm
Chicken with doritos, this is perfect idea!
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April 12, 2014 at 3:18 am
I'm going to try this when my daughter comes to stay this summer. I think we'll all love it.
April 12, 2014 at 9:39 pm
I would totally love this. Chicken fingers and cool ranch Doritos are amazing. I would love them together like this!
November 19, 2014 at 5:35 pm
I have a question! When the chicken cooks, does it release water causing the crust to become soggy at all? Did anyone experience this?
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text:
|Length Overall
|29' 0''
8.84 m
|Dry Weight
6,020 lbs.
2,730 kg.
8' 6''
2.59 m
|Tested Weight
0.62 m
|Weight Capacity
|Draft Up
|Person Capacity
|Draft Down
|Fuel Capacity
68 gal.
|Air Draft
|Water Capacity
12 gal.
|21 deg.
|Length on Trailer
|Max Headroom
|Height on Trailer
|Bridge Clearance
1.64 m
|Trailer Weight
|Total Package Weight (Trailer,Boat & Engine)
|Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.
|Std. Power
|Not Available
|Tested Power
|1 x 320-hp MerCruiser 377 MAG
|Opt. Power
1 x 320-hp MerCruiser 377 MAG B3
1 x 380-hp MerCruiser 8.2 MAG MPI B3X
1 x 430-hp MerCruiser 8.2 MAG MPI HO B3X
1 x 320-hp Volvo Penta V8-320C DPS
1 x 380-hp Volvo Penta V-380C DPS
By Capt. John Wenz
Cruisers Sport Series 298 Bow Rider floor plan.
Mission Statement for the 298 Bow Rider
The 298 Bow Rider is designed to be a large, luxurious and extremely comfortable bowrider that can be used for all sorts of watersport activities, as well as upscale day cruising. With a deep cockpit and relatively high freeboard, the 298 should offer a dry and secure day on the water. By outfitting the boat with upscale amenities, this boat is a logical step for those who will one day be ready to move into a larger vessel from either Cruisers Yachts or Rampage Sportfishing Yachts which are also owned by KCS, the parent company.
With a 21-degree deadrise and weighing 6,020 lbs. (2,730 kgs.) dry, the 298 Bow Rider should offer a dry and comfortable ride in choppy conditions at speed.
Cruisers Sport Series 298 has a three-position rear seat back that turns into an aft-facing lounger or sun pad.
Distinguishing Features
Self-draining Cockpit. While some other sportboats also have self-draining cockpits, many do not. We have seen too many boats sink at the dock after a prolonged hard rain as a result.
Unusual Swim Platform Design. The swim platform on the 298 Bow Rider is tapered inward at a 30-degree angle from the side of the boat which keeps the stern from hitting the dock when casting off going forward. It is also raised so that it doesn't drag when getting under way or when making a tight turn.
4-Step Swim Ladder. The swim ladder has four steps (instead of three which most boats have) and there is special "activity" lighting on the platform, which looks cool at night.
Halogen Bow Docking Lights. Coming home at night can be problematical on a dark night. Cruisers Sport Series has thought of that and made the lights standard.
Two Bilge Pumps. Most sportboats have one, the Cruisers Sport Series 298 Bow Rider has two, rated at 1100 and 750 gph, respectively.
Three Cockpit Sole Compartments. By having three separate hatches to access cockpit sole storage owners will be able to easily retrieve the gear desired without having to fish for it under deck.
Thick Seat Cushions with Premium Upholstery. One of the first things that stands out when seeing the 298 Bow Rider is the plush seating. Clearly, the seats are going to be comfortable and guests should feel pampered. We equate them to what one might find in a luxury automobile versus those found in an economy model.
Standard Bimini and Canvas Covers. All boats should have these no matter what the activity and Cruisers Sport Series makes them standard.
Cup Holders Drain. All of the cup holders in the 298 are stainless steel and they all drain.
Five different gel coat colors in two patterns offer plenty of custom looks to choose from.
Performance Test Numbers
Our test boat was powered by a single 320-hp Mercury 5.0 L 377 MAG engine driving a Bravo III lower unit. With our fuel gauge showing 3/8 of a tank, two men, and 50 lbs. of gear we had a test weight of 6,870 lbs. (3,116 kgs.) At 5200 rpm our WOT speed was 47.9 mph. Our best cruise was at 3000 rpm where we were going 23.4 mph burning 8.5 gph for a range of 168 stature miles.
By pushing the throttle up another 500 rpm, we only lost 2 miles in range but gained in speed to 29.7 mph, burning 10.95 gph. Between the two settings, there's only a difference of .004 miles per gallon, so I suspect most people will cruise at 3500 rpm. The 298 was on plane in 5.9 seconds and reached 30 in 9.0 seconds.
A Choice of Power Options
There is really no standard engine in the 298. Consumers are encouraged to select the engine that best meets their application. The least costly engine system is Volvo Penta's 5.7 L 320-hp V8-320C DPS. Other options include Volvo Penta's 6.0 L 380-hp V8-380 DPS, as well as three I/O engines from MerCruiser: the 6.2 L 320-hp 377 MAG B3, the 380-hp 8.2 MAG ECT B3X and the 8.2 L 8.2 MAG MPI HO B3X which delivers 430-hp. Our test model was outfitted with the catalyzed 320-hp 377 MAG from MerCruiser.
All of the engines offered from both Volvo Penta and MerCruiser have dual prop lower units. These counter rotating prop systems are known for their fast acceleration, efficiency and directional enhancement at low speeds.
Handling and the Ride
The Ride. The high freeboard and the displacement make for a comfortable, secure feeling, and the ride is what I'd expect from a luxury bowrider. Wherever I sat in the forward or main cockpits, I experienced a smooth ride. Visibility was good, both underway and coming up out of the hole. For those who might want a larger day boat, and don't intend to sleep aboard, the 298 Bow Rider from Cruisers Sport Series represents a viable choice.
Handling. The 298 is a real lady when it comes to handling. The boat is docile and I detected no bad habits. Her bow rise was not unusually high, turning was controlled and there was no prop ventilation, and just a few bursts of trim got her to optimum speed.
When I compare the Cruisers Sport Series 298 with other boats in class, I find that she is on the light end of the range when it comes to weight. Part of the reason for that is her 8'6" (2.59 m) beam which is the narrowest of the five other boats we looked at in class. Less beam means less weight, less frontal area to push through the water and therefore potentially better speed and fuel consumption. It also means the boat is easier to pull down the highway.
It is good to keep in mind that in the U.S. the beam of 8'6" is the maximum permitted for trailering in all 50 states without a special permit.
The First Step
The first thing the KCS International staff did last year after acquiring the Azure line was to put its experienced yacht building team to work at revisiting every aspect of each of the boats in the lineup. The molds were all refurbished, and now the gel coat surfaces are flawless. They freshened-up the colors, both the brighter white and the trim color choices.
Naturally, the upholstery colors were updated as well. In addition, a complete review of every step in the production process resulted in numerous changes that are more in line with the KCS standard of quality. Additional engineering improvements include better cockpit drainage and engine ventilation, changing motor mounts to metal from wood, and updating the fuel system to comply with ABYC and EPA Standards. The effort towards a "job well done" was evident in both the attitude of the engineering staff, the quality control department, and the finished product.
The Bow
The plush forward cockpit offers comfortable seating and it's big enough to swallow a crowd. Stretch out or gather around the optional table, drink holders and speakers surround system. Sturdy handrails are on both sides, and offer security when underway.
I like the round foot well in the bow as it provides more room in a place that is often cramped.
The huge bow cockpit with optional table is a good place for entertaining.
A folding ladder is mounted in the anchor locker, and an optional shower ($190) provides a rinse after swimming. Filler cushions ($835 each) are available for those who prefer lots of room for sunbathing. Additionally, sun worshipers will like the three-position "convertible aft sundeck" lounger on the stern which has a three-position back rest.
The Cockpit
A sturdy walkthrough windshield (with magnet holding the window open) leads to the helm and main seating area. A step-down compartment to port can be used as a changing room, or it can be ordered with the choice of a Porta-Potti ($285) or electric toilet ($2,020). Either option is a worthwhile addition and will be popular with everyone in the crew.
The head compartment on our test boat featured a sink, Porta-Potti and shower options.
There is an optional bow windscreen door ($420) which I recommend because on a crispy, cool morning it will help keep the cockpit cozy.
The 298 helm features custom fog-resistant gauges.
The helm and companion seats are bucket seats with cut-out backs and bolsters. Both are available with an adjustable height option ($210 each). The adjustable seat gives the option of ducking behind the windshield or raising it up to look over the top. We like this option as it makes sure that virtually no one, no matter how tall or short, needs to look at the windshield frame. Most importantly, the feel from the helm seat is one of a solid, quality boat.
The 298 has plenty of storage lockers in the cockpit sole for tubes, skis, boards, etc. By having three separate compartments and hatches all gear can be easily accessed.
Below the deck are storage lockers for water toys, and there's plenty of storage available under the seats; fore and aft. The helm console is fitted with custom fog-resistant gauges including tach, speed, volts, fuel, oil pressure, water temperature trim, hour meter, and a 12 volt outlet. An optional GPS can be added by the factory for an additional $1,375.
Behind the helm and companion bucket seats is a huge U-shaped wraparound seat surrounding the cockpit. This is one of the largest seating areas I have ever seen on a sportboat, and the optional cockpit table ($565) is a "must-have" for folks who like to entertain onboard. A cooler is nested under the port side of the wraparound, and the forward portion lifts up to form another lounge for sunning, reading, or keeping an eye on the activity back aft.
All Cruisers Sport Series bowriders feature the unique three-position sun lounger.
Three-position seat back. One of the highlights of the Cruisers Sport Series lineup is the convertible sun lounger on the centerline, aft in the cockpit. Use it facing forward as a seat for the cockpit while socializing or while underway. Flip it facing aft when on the hook and playing in the water or relaxing on the swim platform. It can also be folded fully forward, where it serves as a comfortable flat sun pad.
The unique shape of the activity/swim platform helps the skipper avoid banging the dock when leaving and the swim ladder is positioned for safety.
A small gate leads to the swim platform; and the removable cushion makes for an easy transition in and out of the cockpit. Cruisers Sport Series has done a particularly clever job of designing this passageway. When underway, a filler cushion fits into the passageway to form the U-shaped conversation pit. The transom gate is padded and serves as a backrest and fits in well with the rest of the cockpit.
The Stern
Not just a bolt-on type, the extended swim platform is the result of a well-considered design process and includes several subtle features which bear mentioning. First, it's higher off the water than most, so it doesn't drag underway, and it extends completely over the outdrive unit for safety. The height also makes for an easier step on and off the floating dock.
Tapered Swim Platform. Next, the overall shape is tapered aft, trimming off the outboard corners. These corners often get pretty beat-up over time; they're typically a trouble spot leaving the dock. And finally, the swim ladder is mounted on the port side; easily visible from the helm for safety. For a little extra sizzle, a set of underwater lights ($960) are an option that is sure to bring the "wows!"
The 298 Bow Rider is large and luxurious.
The optional 377 Magnum from MerCruiser is one of five available power choices.
The least expensive engine offered is the Volvo Penta 5.7 L 320-hp V8-320C DPS. With it, the MSRP for the 298 Bow Rider is $98,020. Powered by the new Volvo Penta 6.0 L 380-hp V8-380C DPS the price is $107,030. The MerCruiser 6.2 L 320-hp 377 MAG with B3 is $99,680. For those boaters wanting maximum horsepower, the 298 is offered with the MerCruiser 8.2 L 430-hp MAG HO with B3X for $117,030.
The 298 Bow Rider is one of four bowrider models -- and the largest -- in the lineup from Cruisers Sport Series. Overall, the 298 because of her increased freeboard and big boat roots is probably better adapted to big water situations than some other boats in class.
|Marine Electronics
|Battery Charger/Converter
|CD Stereo
|Head: Portable
|Head: Fixed
|Power Steering
|Trim Tabs
|Exterior Features
|Arch: Electronics
|Carpet: Cockpit
|Ice Chest
|Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
|Swim Ladder
|Swim Platform
|Tower: Watersports
|Transom Door
|Transom Shower
|Wet bar
|Bimini Top
|Camper Back
|Cockpit Cover
|Full Canvas
= Standard = Optional
|Warranties change from time to time. While BoatTEST.com has tried to ensure the most up-to-date warranty offered by each builder, it does not guarantee the accuracies of the information presented below. Please check with the boat builder or your local dealer before you buy any boat.
|Hull Warranty
|10 years
|Deck Warranty
|10 years
|Engine Warranty
|2 years
|Blistering Warranty
|3 years
|NMMA Certification
|Pricing Range
|Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.