Jason Haskins's Blog, page 27

March Madness Movie Tournament: 4 decades of box office winners

The NCAA tournament is canceled but that doesn't mean we can't still have an old-fashioned, bracket-busting good time, where the winner is selected by you, the loyal reader.The most wonderful time of the year has been put on hold in 2020.
Both the men's and women's college basketball tournaments are only a few of the many events canceled in 2020 thanks to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The NBA and NHL have both suspended play, as has Major League Baseball. Soccer, golf, and the XFL have all suspended their seasons as well, along with schools in some states taking a hiatus or moving to online studies.
Sports has gone silent and, as we prepare for the worst but certainly hope for the best, we turn to other forms of entertainment to keep our minds from going completely crazy. Hence, a little fun by taking a look at 40 years of the top box office films.
By holding a tournament, of course.
We've looked at the summer films from 1998 and the greatest holiday films of all time. Now, we set up 64 films in a battle to find which of the box office winners is the favorite among voters.
There will be four regions, divided into the 1980's, 1990's, 2000's, and 2010's. Each region has the top 16 highest-grossing films from each decade. Starting March 13th with the 80's and the 90's, you, the voter, will have a chance to send your favorite film forward throughout the month of March until we've landed on a winner. (Box office totals are taken from Box Office Mojo).
Have fun, enjoy, engage and vote as we whittle down the list to determine your favorite box office champion from the last 40 years.1980 - 1989The 1980's gave us iconic movies and gave us movies that are considered iconic but definitely viewed through a different scope in today's lens. Both groups are represented in this region mostly dominated by blockbusters.
Harrison Ford is the big winner of this decade already, with five films represented among the highest-grossing of the decade. Tom Cruise is sitting pretty with two while Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Dustin Hoffman, and Glenn Close are among those vying to move on in this tournament.1) E.T.16) Fatal Attraction8) Back to the Future9) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade5) Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark12) Tootsie4) Batman13) Crocodile Dundee6) Ghostbusters11) Top Gun3) Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back14) Rain Man7) Beverly Hills Cop10)Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom2) Star Wars: Return of the Jedi15) Three Men and a Baby1990 - 1999The 1990's saw more variety in the films that became box office champions. Animated films began to rake in money, along with the normal type of blockbuster movies that have appeared since Jaws swam onto the scene.
In this decade, Will Smith's stock skyrocketed, while Leo and Kate became household names. A love story about a ghost tugged at our heart strings, while a Star Wars film reached the pinnacle for a third-straight decade.1) Titanic16) Ghost8) Home Alone 9) Men in Black5) Forrest Gump12) Jurassic Park: The Lost World4) Jurassic Park13) Toy Story6) Independence Day11) Twister3) The Lion King (animated)14) Mrs. Doubtfire7) The Sixth Sense10) Toy Story 22) Star Wars: The Phantom Menace15) Beauty and the Beast (animated)2000 - 2009Consider this for a moment: The Harry Potter movies were some of the biggest and most beloved of this decade, in turn creating a worldwide phenomenon. And yet, not one of the films appears in the top-16 highest grossing films at the domestic box office during this time. Seven of the eight films in the series were released between 2000 and 2009, with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone the highest-grossing of them all at $318,087,620, good enough for 75th overall and 17th place in the decade. 
Instead, it was superhero movies that began to really make their mark, plus two of the three Lord of the Rings films. And of course, Star Wars is represented as well.1) Avatar16) Iron Man8) Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith9) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King5) Spider-Man (2002)12) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers4) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest13) Spider-Man 3 (2007)6) Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen11) Passion of the Christ3) Shrek 214) Shrek the Third7) Finding Nemo10) Spider-Man 2 (2004)2) The Dark Knight15) Transformers2010 - 2019Every single film among the top-16 highest grossing films in this decade are sequels or part of a trilogy, remakes, a Marvel film, or part of an expanded universe. And of course, a Star Wars film (or four).
This deserves a deeper examination of what audience goers are primarily going to see, but that's best saved for another time. That being said, there could possibly be some very difficult decisions ahead.1) Star Wars: The Force Awakens16) Toy Story 48) Lion King (live-action)9) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story5) Jurassic World12) Finding Dory4) Avengers: Infinity War13) Frozen II6) The Avengers11) Beauty and the Beast (live-action)3) Black Panther14) Avengers: Age of Ultron7) Star Wars: The Last Jedi10) Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker2) Avengers: Endgame15) The Dark Knight RisesVoting for each round will take place on Twitter. If you don't have a Twitter account, feel free to leave your votes in the comment section and your vote will be counted. (*Sorry to Facebook friends who don't do the Twitter, Facebook no longer allows the poll option, meaning unfortunately they've taken away the fun.)
Twitter: @jasonrh_78photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Upside down, inside out as March Madness approaches

The precipice of March Madness is here, with conference tournaments soon tipping off amid what has been a wide-open year in men's college basketball.There's an identity crisis happening in the 2019-20 NCAA men's college basketball season.
Up is down, down is up, and no team seems to really care about hanging onto the nation's top ranking in the polls.
A team from the Mountain West Conference could end up with one of the top-four seeds. The Pac-12 is barely a blip on the national radar, outside of the Oregon Ducks and Colorado Buffaloes. And the Big Ten could not only see the Penn State Nittany Lions dancing but the Rutgers Scarlet Knights as well. All while the likes of the North Carolina Tar Heels and the This has all happened in the short span of the last four months and doesn't even touch on the fact the resurgence of the Big East, which has three teams in the top-15.
March Madness promises to be exactly that this season.
It's been present in season's past, between a 16-seed upsetting a no. 1 seed and a magical run by the Loyola Chicago Ramblers. These are two examples of Cinderella runs and upsets from a tournament that brings built-in drama.
This season, however, the feeling around the game is different. There is no clear-cut team dominating opponents, no superstar like Zion Williamson to attract the nation's attention. (If we understand anything about this time of year, though, it's a certainty a player or two will emerge to fill the void.)
Even when one of the traditional powerhouses, like the Duke Blue Devils, seems to get going, they inexplicably suffer losses to lesser opponents.
Wins this time of year are no guarantee. Conference tournaments are ready to begin, with teams fighting to be one of the 68 selected for the Big Dance. Upsets will happen, teams will see their hopes dashed, and a champion will be crowned.
And I'm here for it all.Projected #1 seedsOne final weekend in the regular season and conference tournaments await. As it stands now, here are my projected number one seeds.Kansas Jayhawks (25-3)Baylor Bears (25-2)Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-2)San Diego State Aztecs (27-1)The Jayhawks have clawed their way through off court distractions and losses to three-ranked teams to rise again to the top of the rankings. Duke, Baylor, and the Villanova Wildcats are their only blemishes. The Baylor loss was back in early January and the Jayhawks have won 13 straight.
Kansas is playing with urgency and consistency and, with their strength of schedule, might be the most battle-tested team among the group. This includes center Udoka Azubuike. Azubuike is averaging 13.4 points and 10.4 rebounds, but has leaped to another level the last two games. Against Baylor and Oklahoma State, Azubuike has scored 42 points, pulled down 35 boards, and only missed three shots (17-20) in the process. If Azubuike continues at this pace, Kansas will take home the title.
The Bears have been just as good -- if not better -- than the Jayhawks for much of the season. Baylor lost by three points to Washington in the second game of the season, then promptly won their next 23 games. The streak was ended with a three-point loss to Kansas last Saturday.
Baylor relies on an efficient offense and a stingy defense that allows only 58.7 points per game, good for sixth in the nation. They are similar, in ways, to Texas Tech of last season without quite the same firepower. Still, Baylor has a good chance at making a deep run come March.
Another year and yet another WCC regular-season title for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. One could easily dismiss this with a wave and a yawn, except Gonzaga was supposed to so easily be back at this level.
The Bulldogs lost to of their top players to the NBA and the conference has been improved. Three other teams have crossed the 20-win plateau, including the BYU Cougars, who delivered Gonzaga only their second loss of the season.
Despite the stronger conference competition, Gonzaga only lost once (with one game remaining plus the tournament). We're used to seeing Gonzaga power their way to a conference tournament title but it might not come as easy this season. As long as the Bulldogs reach the conference title, a No. 1 seed will remain theirs.
Currently ranked fifth, the Aztecs are still penciled in as a No. 1 seed by some and a second-seed by others. They were marching towards an undefeated season before being upset at home last week by the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. UNLV only lost by four the first time the teams met this season, one of only five conference games before the loss that the Aztecs hadn't won by more than 10.
The Aztecs have a balanced offense led by Malachi Flynn (16.9 ppg, 5.1 apg) and a defense ranked third in the nation at opponents points per game (58.6). 
If San Diego State had come through the regular season unscathed, an assumption could have been made that even a championship game loss wouldn't affect receiving a top seed. Now, it make take a tourney title to hold onto that chance.
That's because the Dayton Flyers are in the mix as are the Maryland Terrapins, Florida State Seminoles, and Duke.

Selection Sunday is on March 15.
photo credit: flickr.com

Dropping in for a quick hello, plus a newsletter

It's been a little quiet here on The Journey of Now blog so far in 2020. That being the case, it was time to drop in for an update and some pop culture sightings.Into the bag of tricks we dig, conjuring up a one-time reappearance of a good old fashioned newsletter.
More consistent posting will take place in the future. March Madness is nearly here so there will be plenty to discuss then. Then we have the Summer Olympics taking place in Tokyo. And next fall I'll be continuing my series following the careers of the five quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.
I am also working on a couple of bigger writing projects outside of the normal plays and novels. One is a dive into an underrated sitcom from the 1990's. The other is in the vein of the summer box office tournaments and favorite holiday film tournament from year's past. Be sure to keep an eye for these projects later in 2020.
For now, we return to a newsletter and a few things I've been watching, reading, listening to, and more in pop culture world.TelevisionBetween network television, cable, and streaming services, there is so much content floating around that's it's nearly impossible to keep up. I've never been a fan of binge-watching shows. I prefer the old way, with episodes arriving weekly because there are certain times I need to marinate with an episode. This is why I rarely watch more than one or two episodes of a series in a single sitting. (The rare exception being last summer's Stranger Things 3, of which I became emotionally invested in, had the heart strings tugged on, only to find out what I feared: all those emotions were wasted because a believe-to-be-dead character is returning in Season 4).
Because of my lack of binge-watching skills, I fall behind. I tend to watch more of HBO because they release episodes on a weekly basis, but even so I find myself falling behind. I'm still one episode away from finishing the second season of The Deuce, still hanging out in season 1 of Deadwood -- I'm way behind on this one -- and working my way through season 1 of Succession. I love all three of these shows for the stories, the writing, the acting, and the filmmakers. 
I also like to mix in old stuff I've seen before and I'm currently revisiting Lost and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Outside of the above-mentioned HBO shows, here's some of what I'm enjoying:The Outsider (HBO)Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)Dollface (Hulu)Wu Tang: An American Saga (Hulu)Sex Education (Netflix)The Mandalorian (Disney Plus)A special mention is reserved for NBC's The Good Place. This series recently completed its run, ending after a lovely four years. I arrived to the series late, catching up in time to watch the fourth and final season as it aired. And let me say this, the series finale it all of the right notes and -- I won't ruin it for those who haven't seen it -- has a final line of dialogue to close that show that will one day hopefully be remembered among the best ever.MoviesI was going to leave this section out because I don't hardly see enough recently released movies, whether it be in theaters or streaming online.
This is a problem I've faced that last couple of years or so.
I love going to the movie theater and have challenged myself to remedy this by heading out to the cinema more often this year.
Outside of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, my film watching has been done in the comfort of my own home. Here are a few I've seen recently that many of you have likely already seen.
BooksmartMarriage StoryCaptain MarvelYes, I didn't watch Captain Marvel until very recently, after I've already seen the completion of the Avengers films.
MusicHere, I'll say the response to this section myself: Ok, boomer.
I am of the X generation and afraid to admit I don't actively seek out new music. Sometimes, I'll stumble across a new band or musician that I'll check out. Mainstream music these days, I'm sad to report, is something I can't really get into for the most part. But I continue to try, knowing I do find those gems from time to time.
Blues music, folk music, and Jazz have all entered into my listening pleasures as of late. Nothing specific in these genres, mostly starting with the big names, but I'm digging deeper and will hopefully explore more in a post at a later date.
The local scene in Boise has piqued my interest. Sun Blood Stories is one of these bands. And The Green Zoo's new album An Odd End is rock-solid from start to finish.BooksLast October, after years of not reading anything new by Terry Brooks, I finally returned to the world of Shannara. I finished up the three books in The Dark Legacy of Shannara series and am prepping myself to read The Black Elfstone, the first of a four-book set in which Brooks is closing the doors on the Shannara world (the final book is due out in the summer of 2020).
Before diving into that, I need to finished One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. This book was first written in 1967 and tells the genesis story of the Buendia family and their founding of the fictional town of Macondo. It's a story of culture, romance, war, with a magical-realism element to it, and is a fantastic read.
I'm also reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn because, well, I like to read all genres of books.PodcastsTook a break from listening to podcasts as there are even more of those to choose from than there is episodic content being created.
I've waded back in, recently listening to a couple. Your Own Backyard  examines the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart. Smart was never found and her case is still unsolved but has been in the news as of late, partially thanks to the emergence of the above podcast.
The other new -- to me -- podcast I've been listening to is one called 90 under 90. The crew here discussed movies that are 90 minutes or shorter, including classics like Airplane! and Revenge of the Nerds.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to read about what's keeping me entertained as of late. Time to sign off and go see what's happening on WWE: RAW.

Do you have anything in the pop culture world you're really digging right now? Suggestions are welcome so feel free to leave a comment or hit me up on Twitter: @jasonrh_78

NFL: The first-round quarterbacks from 2018 draft wrap second regular season

Five quarterbacks were taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. This is the last of the series for season number two, with the regular season now complete.The NFL playoffs are upon us. It would have been pretty fantastic to see all five quarterbacks from the first round of the 2018 draft in the playoffs in only their second season.
A pipe dream to begin with, sure, but could you imagine if 5 of the 12 playoff teams were led by a second-year quarterback? This would be a youth movement like no other, declaring to the world that the league will be in good shape for years to come.
One can only dream.
Five would have been a tall task. There are still an abundance of great quarterbacks on well-rounded teams with established coaches.  Even four would have been magical. Three might have been pushing it, but seemed very doable heading into the 2019 season.
Instead, we will be blessed with two: Lamar Jackson of the 14-2 Baltimore Ravens and Josh Allen from the 10-6 Buffalo Bills.
In the second year of their careers, the group of five quarterbacks splintered off into three tiers. The top tier belongs to the two quarterbacks who will be playing in the playoffs. Jackson is back for the second straight year, leading the Ravens to the top seed in the AFC. Allen will be making his playoff debut when the Buffalo Bills travel to Houston to face the Texans this Saturday.
Both the Ravens and Bills are built around an outstanding defense, a punishing ground game, and an offense centered around ball control while occasionally looking for the big strike. The Ravens are the more seasoned of the two in all of these areas, but the Bills are on the rise. Look no further than Baltimore's week 14 win at Buffalo, 24-17, to see how closely these teams are matched.
The blueprint above is something the teams led by quarterbacks in the next tier are doing, though aren't quite there yet. Sam Darnold and the New York Jets have the pieces in place, with a solid defense and talent at the skill positions (if the club can keep them). Baker Mayfield and the Browns attempted to follow suit, though with flashier players. The experiment did not pan out, however, and the team ended the season a disgruntled mess.
And the third tier belongs to Josh Rosen.
With their second regular season in the books, here's a snapshot of how they ended up.Lamar JacksonThere's never been any doubt that Jackson is a prolific runner. And in 2019, he swayed over many of those who doubted he could succeed with his arm in the NFL.
The all-around effort may very well land Jackson an MVP award when the individual accolades are handed out later this year.
Jackson racked up 1,206 yards on the ground, a single-season record for a quarterback and a mark that ranked him sixth in rushing in the NFL in 2019. This total led the team as the Ravens rushed for an NFL-record 3,296 yards, with Mark Ingram II (1,018) also going over 1,000 yards.
The second-year quarterback also had seven rushing touchdowns.
But it's his passing game that shouldn't go without mention. 
Jackson completed 66.1 percent of his passes, a jump of nearly eight percent from his rookie season. He threw for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns against only six interceptions. Three times this season Jackson threw for five touchdowns in a game and he's only thrown one interception since a three-pick performance in week five at Pittsburgh.
Jackson has done nothing but win so far as a starter in the NFL. He's 19-3 in the regular season, going 13-2 as a starter in 2019 (Jackson sat out the week 17 game because the Ravens had the top-seed locked in). Though he picked up a loss in his only playoff appearance, the goose egg represented in the playoff win column shouldn't last beyond this season. The expectation for the Ravens, who own a 12-game win streak, is the Super Bowl. And Jackson appears primed to lead them there.Josh AllenBelieve it or not, Allen's rushing yards went down in 2019, this despite playing in almost every single game. (Allen sat out the majority of the week 17 game thanks to the fifth-seed in playoffs already locked in for the Bills.)
After racking up 631 yards on the ground as a rookie, Allen "settled" for a mere 510 in the regular season. He did have nine rushing touchdowns, besting his rookie mark by one.
It was improvements in the passing game in which Allen proved he should be a long-term starter in this league.
Though he struggled down the stretch -- failing to complete over 50 percent of his passes in three of his last four games -- Allen showed better decision-making skills. He finished at 58.8, exactly six points higher than 2018.
In today's pass-happy league, it still amazes me that Allen has not had a 300-yard game. He still threw for 3,089 yards and his accuracy continues to get better, that moment will no doubt arrive. Allen threw for 20 touchdowns and limited his interceptions to nine, down from 12 as a rookie.
Fumbling was a problem early in the season, but Allen kept better care of the ball as the season progressed. 
The Bills finished the season losing three of their last four, each by a touchdown. This young team, like Allen, is still growing. They may have reached the playoffs thanks to a weaker AFC than normal, but it was certainly no fluke. They took care of business, including a Thanksgiving Day win over Dallas when Allen has looked the best he ever has. That day saw him go 19-24 for 231 yards and a score while also rushing for 43 yards and a touchdown. 
Allen can still be streaky, but if he settles in, and consistency delivers efficient games like the one against Dallas, his -- and Buffalo's -- future is bright.Sam DarnoldFor the second straight season, Darnold played in only 13 games, this time missing three games thanks to a case of mono.
His second season saw him start a game, miss the next three due to the illness, and then make his return with a victory over Dallas. This, of course, was followed by three straight losses en route what looked might be a long season for the Jets.
Darnold and the Jets, however, started playing better. They won six of their last eight games, with Darnold throwing only four interceptions in this span. The Jets finished 7-9, with Darnold going 7-6 as a starter, nearly doubling his win total from his rookie year.
Cutting down on the turnovers in this stretch helped, as did an improved defense and an easier schedule, though they did defeat playoff-bound Buffalo in week 17 (Buffalo did, however, bench many of their starters). Darnold and the Jets might have even been in playoff consideration if not for losses to the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals during this stretch.
Darnold's numbers improved from his rookie campaign, enough to help the Jets move the needle from losses to victories. His touchdown passes rose to 19 (from 17) while his interceptions went down (15 to 13). Both yards (3,024) and completion percentage (61.9) also were up slightly.
There's no reason to think Darnold can't continue to improve on these numbers in 2020, especially if he stays healthy. The AFC East was one of the weaker divisions in 2019 and the Patriots might be on the way down. If everything falls into place, the Jets and Bills could very well be competing for AFC East titles for years to come.Baker MayfieldMayfield and the Browns had the pieces in place to have a successful season, which we saw glimpses of on occasion. Two receivers who were among the top-20 in the game. A young running back. An improved offensive line and an up-and-coming defense.
In 2019, it was a team that never lived up to its potential. And because of, in 2020, Mayfield will be playing for his third head coach in as many seasons. 
Blame can be put upon the shoulders of former head coach Freddie Kitchens, but Mayfield carries a fair amount as well.
The Browns finished 6-10, far below the expectations placed in the preseason. They had a nice early-season win over Baltimore and had a stretch where they won four of five. But a four-game losing streak early and three straight losses to close the season put a damper on the improvements they did make.
Nick Chubb was second in the league in rushing (1,494 yards) and Jarvis Landry was 10th in receiving yards with 1,174.
But Mayfield showed very little improvement in 2019. Playing in two more games -- and starting three more -- than he did in 2018, Mayfield's numbers actually went down. His passing yards went up, from 3,725 in '18 to 3,827 in 2019, but other important categories saw a backwards trend.Touchdowns: 27 to 22Interceptions: 14 to 21Sacks: 25 to 40Completion percentage: 63.8 to 59.4Too often, Mayfield was dialed in on his first option or tried to force a pass that wasn't there. He was not a very good passer in the red zone, especially inside of the ten-yard line. Mayfield had three picks and completed only 38.5 percent of his passes. In some regards, I question the play calling, especially since Chubb was one of the best backs in the game. Too often, with a first-and-goal, the Browns would call all pass plays, leading to either a turnover on downs, an interception, or a field goal.
Of course, the great quarterbacks of the league take advantage of what is called. Perhaps Mayfield had been moved to a top tier too early. He can still improve, of course, and if the offense remains mostly intact, he could very well take the next step and put this second season behind him.
In his third season, taking the next mentally will be huge for Mayfield. If not, he could end up being another Jameis Winston: a quarterback who puts up massive numbers, throws a lot of picks and always gives a team six to eight wins.Josh RosenThe Dolphins found a way to win some games and it wasn't due to Rosen being under center. He did not accumulate any stats since he was pulled from a week 6 loss against Washington.
Thought to have a fresh start after being traded from Arizona to Miami, Rosen never really got off the ground. Ryan Fitzpatrick won the starting job in training camp but when he was pulled after being ineffective thru two games, Rosen had his chance.
A chance that went, well, basically nowhere except for right back to the bench.
Granted, there wasn't a lot around him. But success is often predicated on doing what you have with what you've got. It's about instilling confidence in a team and, in the case of the Dolphins, leading them to a couple of victories. Something Fitzpatrick ended up doing and Rosen, after week 6, never got the chance to do.
Rosen finished the season with a 53.2 percent completion rate, lower than the 55.2 he put up during his rookie year. He threw for 567 yards, 1 touchdown and 5 interceptions. Rosen went 0-3 as a starter, with his finest game a 200-yard performance against Dallas. 
There's still a chance to turn things around for Rosen, given the right circumstances. It's just no telling when or where that chance will come.
Thanks for following along in season 2 of this series. Be sure to check back in next fall when we tackle season three.
5 quarterbacks taken in first-round of 2018 NFL draft: Year 1

photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Christmas Letter 2019

Unleashing the 2019 Christmas letter upon the world. Enter at your own risk.Ah, it's that time of year again. The time of year to reflect on days passed (and past); to explore the paths traveled, reflect on the fleeting moments of year gone by, and to hopefully spread -- and gain -- a little holiday cheer.
Yes, Virginia, it's time for the annual Christmas letter (or in this case, annual blog post).
This might be the first year that I actually wrote a draft by hand before putting finger to keyboard. There is a lot to be said and I a lot I wanted to convey. Through scribbles, false starts, discarded paragraphs, and maybe a few tears, I still ended up scrapping much of my handwritten words and going from the place I usually write the Christmas letter from: off the cuff and from the heart.

Christmas memories, when traditions are carried from year to year, have the possibility to blend together. One might recall the events of a specific Christmas in one way, when in fact they've created a messy amalgamation of multiple Christmases.
Photographs are one way to document the memories; made more prevalent with the advent of camera phones. Videos are made this way as well, snippets of our present in order for us to reminisce about the past.
Before phones, camcorders were used to film those special moments. My dad held the camera each Christmas morning, filming the first events of the day before pressing pause and setting the camera aside. He continued to do this throughout the years, even finding a few minutes last Christmas to document the occasion (as far as my recollection informs me, that is).
This past summer, I learned the tradition of filming was something dad had learned from my grandfather. For years, reels of film shot by my grandpa had sat untouched. Dad had been meaning for years to take these reels and get them converted to DVD. He finally got around to it and, when my DVD's arrived, I watched nearly three hours footage, giving me (and family members across the land) a glimpse into Christmases -- and other events -- taken from another era. There was no sound to this footage but imagine, if you will, the opening credits of The Wonder Years. Instead of Kevin Arnold and family, however, there was my dad. And aunt, grandparents, cousins, and great-grandparents. Moments captured, whether it's something you were there for or something connecting you to the past, provide the foundation of personal history. And it led to conversations with my parents that had never really been discussed during the course of life.
And I am glad I had that opportunity to find out more; to see the joy that was had in Christmases past (among other things).
It has been a somber couple of months. Most of you are likely aware, but if not, dad passed away unexpectedly back in October. The adjustment has been a tough one, which I consider to be standard when the unexpected loss of life strikes deep. We held a celebration of life for him in early November and it was so wonderful to see how many people he had an impact on over the years. The messages, memories of dad, and outpouring of love and support then -- and now -- to me, my mother, brother, sister (and family) has been incredible. I know for me, I will carry the kindness shown to us in my heart forever.
Prior to October, the year was moving rather quickly. Things have slowed down for me, in some regards, and I find myself taking the time to appreciate the small moments of the day even more. 
Writing has mostly been in a stasis since October, though I managed to publish Of Snow Forts and Santa  back in November. This novella, centered around Christmas, already had special meaning to me and it meant even more that I was able to get it out in time for this holiday season. I appreciate all of you who purchased the book and the positive reception I've received. I wrote the book with my nieces and nephew in mind -- mixed in with experiences of my own -- and am glad to those of you gifting the book to your own children or nieces and nephews.
I also had a play reading with Alley Repertory Theater of my latest full-length play Half Past Midnight back in May. I've been with this theater company for the last, oh, nine years or so. I count my blessings I get to be around such wonderful people and consider them to be my second family.
Sports writing continued to be a constant in 2019, writing about Boise State football and basketball for Bronco Nation News. I am also a contributor to Chowder and Champions, where I write about the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and Boston College Eagles.
Traveling took a backseat last year. I am hoping to either move into a bigger place or buy a house in the upcoming year so, much like Ebeneezer Scrooge, I am pinching pennies. Even with this goal in mind, the hope is to hit the road to a few different spots in 2020.
This letter has gotten a little long in the tooth so I'll wrap up and put a bow on it. Thank you to all who have journeyed with in 2019. And whether it's only online with a simple "like" or "retweet", in passing with a pat on the back or extended conversations on the phone or over a beer, I am grateful to have you in my life. 
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy and healthy New Year. Here's to a fruitful 2020!
Be bold. Be kind.

            

NFL: The rise of the 1st-round quarterbacks from 2018 draft

Five quarterbacks were taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. This is the latest in the series charting their careers, now through week 13 of their second season.The last four games have been quite the stretch for four of the five quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Sam Darnold have combined to go 13-3 over the last four weeks. Jackson is the only one to be 4-0 in this span, with the other three all suffering one loss.
Mayfield and Darnold both suffered a loss in week 13, while Allen picked up a Thanksgiving Day win over the Dallas Cowboys and Jackson and the Ravens won a battle with the now 10-2 San Francisco 49ers.
Allen and the Buffalo Bills (9-3) are in the thick of the hunt for the playoffs. They currently hold the top wildcard spot, leading by two games over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans. The Bills and their fans, however, have a grander goal in sight: dethroning the New England Patriots as AFC East champions.
The Bills are one-game back of the Patriots (10-2), with a meeting between the two teams looming in week 16. First, however, for Buffalo is a meeting with the top team in the AFC, the Ravens.
Baltimore continues is running over opponents by large margins and also stepping up against the quality opponents they face. They have defeated the Patriots (by 17), the Houston Texans (by 34) and the Seattle Seahawks (by 14).
A main reason for this is the play of Jackson.Lamar JacksonJackson's second season is continuing to be one in which he's proving his true worth in the NFL.
In the last four games, Jackson and the Ravens put up more than 40 points three times. And Jackson was excellent in all three of those games, missing on only 14 passes (47-61) while throwing for 614 yards and 12 touchdowns. He did not have one turnover during that span and was sacked only three times.
And this only tells part of the story.
He ran for 246 yards in that three-game span on 24 carries. He carried the ball more on a rainy, windy day against San Francisco, toting the ball 16 times for 101 yards. This marked the fourth time Jackson went over 100 rushing yards in 2019.
Jackson's MVP-caliber season has seen him complete 66.5 percent of his passes, tossing for 2532 yards and 25 touchdown passes against only five interceptions.
Barring an unforeseen occurrence, Jackson should also reach 1000 rushing yards. He currently sits at 977 (8th overall), averaging 7 yards per carry. His seven rushing touchdowns are second among quarterbacks, trailing only Allen.
Next four games: @ Buffalo, vs New York Jets, @ Cleveland, vs Pittsburgh
Josh AllenIn this pass-happy league, to see quarterbacks winning ball games without throwing for over 300 yards is a bit of a surprise.
Both Jackson and Allen are doing exactly that.
Jackson hasn't had a 300-yard game since week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. Allen has done Jackson one better in failing to reach that mark all season long.
Allen's season-high is 266 against Cleveland as he's thrown for a total of 2591, 58 more than Jackson. He's tossed 16 touchdowns and thrown 8 interceptions. Allen has benefited from the emergence of Devin Singletary. Coinciding with Singletary's production, Allen has stepped up, accounted for 10 Buffalo touchdowns (six in the air, four on the ground) in the Bills' last four games.
A victory over the Cowboys on Thanksgiving was one of Allen's best performances as a pro. He was 19-24 for 231 yards and one touchdown pass. Allen also had 43 yards on the ground and another score.
Like Jackson, though not quite to the same extent, Allen moves the chains with his legs. He has 430 yards on the ground and is first among quarterbacks with 8 rushing scores.
Knocks on Allen had been his accuracy (61.5 percent) and being turnover-prone. He's improved on both during the last four games, completing 62.6 percent while turning the ball over only twice (1 interception, 1 fumble). And prior to the Dallas game -- in which Allen was sacked four times -- Allen had only been sacked once.
With a strong defense and an improving unit on offense, Allen has a chance to lead Buffalo back to the playoffs. A 2-2 record in the last four should do it and a win over New England would just be icing on the cake.
Next four games: vs Baltimore, @ Pittsburgh, @ New England, vs New York Jets
Baker MayfieldMayfield had the Cleveland Browns rolling entering week 13, winning three straight and crawling back into the playoff conversation.
A tough outing in Pittsburgh may have very well ended any playoff hopes.
At 5-7, Cleveland sits two games out of the wildcard spot, their only chance at getting into the playoffs. They easily could win three out of their last four, but Cleveland might be looking at an 8-8 season.
Mayfield had looked better prior to the Steelers game (18-32, 196 yards, 1 int, 1 TD), throwing 7 touchdowns and only one interception in three games prior. But he injured his throwing hand towards the end of the first-half and wasn't really in rhythm the rest of the game.
Still, Mayfield has the Brown taking steps in the right direction. He's thrown for 2917 yards and completed 60 percent of his passes. He only has 15 touchdown passes, putting him on pace to fall short of the number he posted as a rookie (27). Interceptions have also been a concern for Mayfield. He's thrown 14, the same number as in 2018, but only three of those have happened in the last six games.
Playoffs may not happen in 2019 for Cleveland, but Mayfield could be slugging it out with Jackson for AFC North titles for years to come.
Next four games: vs Cincy, @ Arizona, vs Baltimore, @ Cincy
Sam DarnoldDarnold had the Jets dreaming of a magical playoff run with his play prior to week 13. Sure, it would have been a long shot but the way the Jets were playing, it seemed like it could happen.
Darnold, in weeks 10 thru 12, had nearly identical numbers each game. He was 58-89 (65.2 percent), throwing for 838 yards, 7 touchdowns and 1 interception. Darnold was in sync with his receivers and he was playing like third pick of the 2018 class.
Then the Jets ran into the Cincinnati Bengals. The very same Bengals that entered the game without a victory and appeared to be making a beeline to the number one pick in the 2020 draft.
Darnold did not have any turnovers in the 22-6 loss, but he averaged less than five yards per pass attempt. He finished 28-48 for 239 yards.
Darnold's improvement has been gradual, but encouraging. He had a four-touchdown performance at Washington and has only thrown one interception in his last four games. That number sits at 10 in 2019, four off the total he had as a rookie.
He's on pace to play in 13 games, the same he played as a rookie. Darnold has thrown for 2154 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Next four games: vs Miami, @ Baltimore, vs Pittsburgh, @ Buffalo
Josh RosenThe man selected with the 10th pick in the 2018 draft, on his second team, might very well be destined for a career as a backup. Even on a Miami Dolphins team with ownership intent on losing, Rosen has not seen action the last four games (Two of which Miami won).
With Miami likely targeting a quarterback in the 2020 NFL draft, there's a strong possibility Rosen will be on his third team next season. If he had some high-level talent around him, Rosen could put up decent numbers and a decent record. This could be said, of course, about many quarterbacks. In the role of leader on the field, a fantastic quarterback will elevate those around him, something it appears Rosen hasn't been able to do.
Rosen might very well still end up with a decent career. At this point in time, however, he's becoming a distant memory among these group of five quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Next four games: @ New York Jets, @ New York Giants, vs Cincy, @ New England

Check back in after week 17 for a final analysis for season 2 (playoffs notwithstanding).
Photo credits: commons.wikimedia.org

1st-round quarterbacks from 2018 draft: Season 2
1st-round quarterbacks from 2018 draft: Season 2, thru week 4
1st-round quarterbacks from 2018 draft: Season 2, thru week 9

NFL 1st-round quarterbacks from 2018: Halfway through 2nd season

Five quarterbacks were taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. This is the latest in the series charting their progress, now through week 9 of their second season.Two quarterbacks who were selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft are on track to make the playoffs in their second season.
It just may not be the two who many pundits had tabbed to lead their respective team to the playoffs in 2019.
Halfway through the 2019 season, the playoff race is already taking shape, in a muddled kind of way. Teams like the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and New Orleans Saints are all where they are supposed to be, sitting atop their divisions.
And there are surprises as well, with the San Francisco 49ers, behind a suffocating defense and efficient offense, the only undefeated team at 8-0. It seems we were all too busy anointing the Cleveland Browns the next NFL darlings to see what was really developing.
The Browns and Baker Mayfield are one of the league's disappointments, with many pegging the Browns for a playoff spot in 2019. Instead, it's Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills who appear on track to make the playoffs.
It is no surprise these two are atop the power rankings for the five quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.
As the rubble of the season's first-half settles, Jackson and Allen have pulled ahead of Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen. For the most part, their teams have faced each other, with the Ravens and Bills playing on December 8. (With Allen first facing Mayfield coming up here in week 10).
All five have also faced the New England Patriots, with only Jackson coming out victorious. The Ravens knocked off the previously unbeaten Patriots 37-20 in week 9.
Here is the latest pecking order for these five second-year quarterbacks:Lamar JacksonThe Baltimore Ravens are 6-2, thanks in part to Jackson's play and his control of the offense.
There are certain elements about this offense and Jackson that brings to mind the play of Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers earlier this decade. Eventually Kaepernick was slowed down as teams exposed his weaknesses. And while there might be a blueprint to do the same to Jackson, who is 12-2 in the regular season as a starter, it hasn't yet been deployed and Jackson continues to succeed.
No longer are executives saying Jackson should switch to wide receiver. Jackson has the Ravens, winners of four straight, on track for an AFC North title. He has not thrown for an interception since throwing for three in a week 5 overtime victory over the Steelers.
Jackson has continued to win with his legs, rushing for 329 yards and 4 touchdowns in his last three games. He's ran for 637 yards in 2019, putting him on pace for 1200+ yards on the ground this season.
Knocked for a perceived lack of passing skills entering the NFL, Jackson has been efficient. He's completing 64.3 percent of his passes, throwing for 1813 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
He does have a perplexing performance from time to time, like the Steelers game or the 9-20 performance in a victory at Seattle. Jackson, with a strong defense to back him, is finding a way to win in 2019, much like the quarterback next on the list.
Next four weeks: @ Bengals (11/10), vs Houston (11/17), @ L.A. Rams (11/25), vs 49ers (12/1) 
Josh AllenAs long as Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills continues to perform well, I will continue to offer a mea culpa on the quarterback.
Seeing him in action in college, I never understood the first-round hype that surrounded Allen. Even last season, I saw the makings of someone still struggling with his accuracy that might win a few games with his legs and gutsy play.
Well, midway through 2019, the Buffalo Bills are 6-2. And while they are backed by a strong defense and some exciting playmakers (looking at John Brown and Devin Singletary), the Bills are successful thanks in part to the play of Allen.
A 113.3 quarterback rating in the fourth-quarter also helps.
Allen has also improved his accuracy (60.9 percent) while showing poise in the pocket. Short and intermediate throws by Allen have also improved as the Buffalo offense continues to get better. He's passed for 1653 yards and is staying on the positive side of the touchdown (10) to interception (7) ratio.
The Bills also continue to utilize Allen in the running game, though at much less of a pace Jackson doing for the Ravens. Allen has 247 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Holding onto the ball is a bit of a problem for Allen. He's had five fumbles in the last two games, though he's only lost one of them.
Circled on the calendar is a week 16 rematch with the Patriots in which the AFC East title could possibly be on the line. First, however, is a match with the quarterback currently sitting third on my list.
Next four weeks: @ Browns (11/10), @ Miami (11/17), vs Denver (11/24), @ Dallas (11/28)
Baker MayfieldThe problems of the Cleveland Browns (2-6) can be attributed to much more than Baker Mayfield though he certainly deserves his fair share of the blame.
We may have rushed the Browns to greatness far before the 2019 season but much of the backlash is well deserved. Yes, they hit a tough stretch by playing San Francisco, Seattle, and New England (all losses). But to be an elite team, they need to win these games and it starts with Mayfield.
Mayfield has thrown for nearly 2000 yards but he has only seven touchdowns against 12 interceptions, including three in the red zone.
He's also struggled with third-down passing, hanging out near the bottom of the league. Mayfield has also been sacked 23 times.
Cleveland has talent alongside Mayfield at running back, Nick Chubb, and wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr, but that has not yet translated into victories. Mayfield does have a tendency to lock in on one receiver and is completing only 58.7 percent of  his passes.
Still, the talent is there, and Mayfield could still turn this season around and make a run for the playoffs, with a chance to go 4-0 in the next stretch of games if they play to their ability.
Next four weeks: vs Bills (11/10), vs Steelers (11/14), vs Miami (11/24), @ Steelers (12/1)
Sam DarnoldSam Darnold of the New York Jets (1-7) has had a season slowed by a case of mono. He missed three weeks of action, plus a fourth for a bye week. When he returned in week six against the Dallas Cowboys, it appeared Darnold was finally going to live up to being selected in the first round.
Darnold was nearly flawless in the Jets 24-22 upset over the Cowboys. He was 23-32 for 338 yards and two touchdowns. Darnold did throw an interception and lost a fumble, but all told it looked like he woke the Jets up from the slumber. Dreams of the playoffs were dancing around the heads of New York fans once again.
Then three straight losses occurred, including a loss in week 9 at Miami. First there was a shutout at home against the Patriots, a game in which Darnold was 11-32 for 86 yards and four interceptions.
This was followed by an 8-sack performance against Jacksonville, in which Darnold threw for 218 yards, two touchdowns, and three picks. The Miami game was better, with Darnold going 18-26 for 260 yards, but the result was still the same.
Darnold has shown flashes of becoming a solid starter, but still needs more consistency. And to cut down on his interceptions. He's thrown nine in six games and has also been sacked 18 times. Darnold has tossed for 1077 yards and six touchdowns.
Next four weeks: vs Giants (11/10), @Washington (11/17), vs Oakland (11/24), @Bengals (12/1)
Josh RosenJosh Rosen had the perfect chance to showcase his skills in 2019. And it appears that opportunity has passed him by.
Rosen, traded to the Miami Dolphins (1-7) after only one season with the Arizona Cardinals, began 2019 on the bench. But with Ryan Fitzpatrick struggling and the Dolphins front office in full on "tanking" mode, Rosen was handed over the reins to the offense.
The result? Three starts, zero wins and eventually getting benched in a week 6 loss to Washington.
A great quarterback can elevate teams and a good quarterback can at least make a team respectable. Rosen failed to do either. Granted, the Dolphins are composed of a team of mostly second-stringers starting and third-stringers as backups, but Rosen still did not get this offense going at all.
The offense was ultra-conservative and in his last start before being pulled, Rosen was a decent 15-25. Those 15 completions, however, went for only 85 yards and Rosen threw two interceptions and was sacked five times.
Rosen may one day get a chance to shine in the NFL, but unless he has a stellar defense and veterans around him, that opportunity might not happen soon.
Rosen has completed 53.2 percent of his passes in 2019, with 567 yards, one touchdown pass and five interceptions. He's also been sacked 16 times.
Next four weeks: @Colts (11/10), vs Buffalo (11/17), @Cleveland (11/24), vs Eagles (12/1)

Be sure to check back in for the next update after week 13.
Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org
1st-round quarterbacks taken in 2018 draft: season 2
1st-round quarterbacks taken in 2018 draft: season 2, through week 4

NFL: 1st-round quarterbacks from 2018 draft on cusp of next level

Five quarterbacks were taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. This is the continued series charting their progress, now through week 4 of year two.In 2004, four quarterbacks were selected in the NFL draft. There was Eli Manning, selected by the San Diego Chargers but traded to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers, who was taken with the fourth pick. Ben Roethlisberger went at no. 11 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Buffalo Bills selected J.P. Losman with the 22nd-pick.
A trio of these quarterbacks have gone on to what are likely Hall of Fame careers (apologies to Losman, who still ended up playing in parts of eight seasons in the NFL). Manning, Rivers, and Roethlisberger all have stats and accolades worthy to be considered among the best of all-time.
Will the quarterbacks taken in the first round of 2018 end up on the same path?
Now in their second season, a trio from this class is starting to separate themselves from the pack. Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, and Josh Allen are still dealing with their share of struggles, but their doing a lot more positive than negative.
They've also been placed on teams with solid defenses and talent around them on offense, contributing to their success(es).
Here's a look at how they're sitting after week four of 2019.Baker MayfieldMayfield gets the edge here not only based on stats, but because he won the most recent head-to-head matchup with Jackson.
These two, along with Allen, have attributes and qualifications to be placed at top of the list. Through week 4 of 2019, the edge goes to Mayfield.
The Cleveland Browns are 2-2, tied with the Baltimore Ravens, but now hold the edge for 1st place in the NFC North thanks to Sunday's 40-25 victory. Mayfield did so while only completing two passes to All-Pro receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
The second-year quarterback had probably his best game of 2019, as did the Browns. They were coming off a 20-13 Sunday night loss to the Los Angeles Rams and had been inconsistent so far this season.
Mayfield had struggled with is accuracy, hovering just above the 50 percent mark in completion percentage. On Sunday against the Ravens, he was 20-30 for 342 yards and one touchdown. Mayfield still threw one interception, his sixth of 2019, but was much more composed this game.
Mayfield only took one sack as well, a nice sign considering he'd been sacked 11 times in the season's first three games.
Overall in 2019, Mayfield has thrown for 1147 yards and four touchdowns, completing 59 percent of his passes. One thing missing from Mayfield's game so far in 2019 has been his running game, carrying the ball only four times.
Of course, when he's jockeying with Jackson and Allen in the ground game, those two will usually always have the edge.
Next 5 weeks: @San Francisco, vs Seattle, Bye, @New England, @DenverLamar JacksonJackson has continued to electrify, extending plays with either his moves or his legs.
The Heisman Trophy winner has racked up 238 rushing yards and one touchdown, putting him on pace get close to 1000 yards on the ground in 2019.
Impressive, yes, and Jackson has also shown off his arm in 2019.
He's thrown for 1110 yards and 10 touchdowns, completing 64.9 percent. Jackson's first interception -- and second -- of the season came in the game four loss to the Browns.
This marks the second-straight loss for the Ravens, who fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 33-28 in week 3. Jackson struggled a little in that game, often failing to connect with wide open receivers. He also was sacked three times in that loss, plus another four times in the Browns game.
Still, in the first four games of 2019, Jackson has proven he can be a good passer in the NFL, something Allen has battled as well, at least in terms of accuracy.
Next 5 weeks: @Pittsburgh, vs Cincinnati, @Seattle, Bye, vs New EnglandJosh AllenAllen and the Buffalo Bills were one of seven undefeated teams heading into week 4, winning their three games by a combined nine points.
And they might have very well been 4-0 if not for a special teams touchdown and Allen exiting the game thanks to a hit to the head early in the fourth quarter.

The hit was flagged, but Josh Allen is out for the rest of the game.

(via @MikeGiardi)pic.twitter.com/O2SbuqqFqU— FanSided (@FanSided) September 29, 2019

The Bills allowed New England only one touchdown on offense but fell short in a 16-10 loss.
Allen had reverted back to his old ways prior to his injury, though that can partially be attributed to a tough Patriot defense. The New England defense finally allowed a touchdown, courtesy of an Allen run, but didn't give much else to the second-year quarterback.
He was 13-28 for 153 yards and 3 interceptions. Prior to this game, Allen had been completing over 60 percent of his passes and had been protecting the ball better.
Allen was also sacked four times.
Overall, Allen has thrown for 903 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions. He's completing 60.3 percent and been sacked nine times. Allen has also carried the ball 31 times for 131 yards and three touchdowns.
Next 5 weeks: @Tennessee, Bye, vs Miami, vs Philadelphia, vs Washington
Josh RosenTo be honest, I wasn't sure Josh Rosen was going to be given the opportunity to start in Miami, no matter how bad they are going to be in 2019.
Lucky for him, Ryan Fitzpatrick was an interception machine, giving Rosen his chance.
The two games he's started haven't translated to wins but he's showing progress.
The Dolphins are 0-4, losing at home to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday 30-10. The game was actually close through the first 2.5 quarters and Rosen looked sharp. He finished 17-24 for 180 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The touchdown was only Miami's second of 2019.
Things are going to be bad in Miami this season but Rosen has given glimpses of hope.  He had some nice long passes that were dropped in the blowout loss to New England and didn't throw a pick in the loss at Dallas.
Rosen has played in all four games and is 43-84 for 482 yards. He's thrown three interceptions and been sacked 11 times.
Next 5 weeks: Bye, vs Washington, @Buffalo, @Pittsburgh, vs New York JetsSam DarnoldSam Darnold is in the fifth-spot this time around because he hasn't played a down since week 1. Darnold has been out with mono. The Jets, who had a bye this week, are 0-3. 
Darnold had hoped to be back in week 5 but it's been reported he's not a lock to play against the Philadelphia Eagles. 
Next 5 weeks: @Philadelphia, vs Dallas, vs New England, @Jacksonville, @Miami
This is a continuing series, updating (roughly) quarterly in each season. Check back in after week 9 for the next in the series. Further reading:  1st-round quarterbacks from 2018 draft, season 2 Year 1 recap Photo credit: commons.wikipedia.org

Five quarterbacks taken in first-round of 2018: Season 2

The 2019 NFL season is upon us, meaning we continue this journey of following the progress of the five quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2018 draft.It used to be rookie quarterbacks starting right away was a rarity in the NFL. The youngsters needed to learn the playbook first and do so while also adjusting to the speed of the pros. The idea of throwing these rookies, especially those taken in the first round and their accompanying salaries, to the proverbial wolves was out of the question.
In 2018, that idea was tossed aside, for the most part, as the five quarterbacks taken in the first round of April's draft were all starting by season's end.
All had varying degrees of success in their rookie year and most all proved worthy of their first-round selection.
In 2019, taking the next step is expected from all of these quarterbacks. Four of them are still starting for the team that selected them in the draft. The fifth, Josh Rosen, was sent packing from Arizona when the Cardinals had the first pick in the 2019 draft, where they selected Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray.
Rosen was traded to Miami, where he took small part in the 59-10 opening day loss the Dolphins suffered. Murray, meanwhile, led the Cardinals back from a fourth-quarter deficit, a game that ultimately ended up tied, went to overtime and finished that way.
The other four, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, and Sam Darnold, are leading teams that have designs on the playoffs in 2019.
Will the sophomore slump take over for Mayfield? Can Allen and Darnold forget the turnover woes they suffered in 2018? Will Jackson return to the playoffs, now that he is the clear number one? Can Rosen get off of the bench and show improvement?
The first game of the season won't provide definitive answers to these questions but we can certainly embrace the good and deride the bad. And on the opening weekend of 2019, we saw a bit of everything from these five quarterbacks.Lamar JacksonThe number-one game ball this week belongs to Jackson, who had quite possibly the best game of his young career.
Sure, Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens were taking on a Miami Dolphins team that has been dismantled in recent weeks. More on Miami are looking to jump ship, thanks in part to Jackson leading the attack in a 59-10 throttling.
Jackson was nearly perfect on Sunday, connecting on 17 of his 20 pass attempts, throwing for 324 yards and 5 touchdowns. So efficient were the Ravens in the passing game that Jackson only carried the ball three times for six yards.
The Ravens racked up 643 yards of total offense. Jackson connected with rookie receiver Marquise Brown on scores of 47 and 83 yards, the first two catches of Brown's career. Brown finished with 147 receiving yards.
Jackson, who went 6-1 in the regular season as a starter in 2018, had plenty of time in the pocket for much of the day. His touchdown total was only one short of all that he had in 2018.
It's only one game and it was against the lowly Dolphins, but Jackson had a good start in quieting the naysayers regarding his passing game.
Next three games: vs Arizona, at Kansas City, vs ClevelandJosh AllenAllen holds down the second spot in this week's rankings, but he could have very well been in the fourth spot based off his performance in the first three quarters.
Allen helped lead the Bills back from a 16-0 deficit in defeating the New York Jets 17-16 on Sunday.
His play in the first half was reminiscent of last season's, in which Allen would make some nice plays but compound that with turnovers. In 2018, Allen had 20 turnovers in 11 games.
On Sunday, Allen had two interceptions and two fumbles as the Bills offense stumbled out of the gates. But in the fourth quarter Allen threw for a touchdown pass and ran for another as he again tapped into his potential
Accuracy has been a criticism of Allen's dating back to college and Allen put up a decent game, completing 24 of 37. He passed for 254 yards and was only sacked once while carrying the ball 10 times for 38 yards.
Hopes are high for the Bills as a dark horse entrant into this season's playoff race. The defense certainly lived up to expectations against the Jets, but Allen -- and a running game -- will need to be much better for the Bills to reach those heights. 
Next three games: at New York Giants, vs Cincinnati, vs New EnglandBaker MayfieldMayfield's second season started off hot, but by the end there was a sense the Cleveland Browns might have bought into their own hype.
Cleveland and Mayfield imploded in the fourth quarter as the Browns lost to the Tennessee Titans 43-13 to open 2019.
Mayfield was 25-38 for 285 yards and one touchdown. But he also threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter leading to 21 Titan points, including a pick-six by Malcolm Butler.
The game started as the Mayfield show as the quarterback went 4-5 for 64 yards. From that point on, however, Mayfield struggled to hit open receivers and was also sacked five times. The Browns were also done in by penalties, committing 18 on the day.
A little bit of humble pie was eaten by Cleveland on Sunday, but with the talent on this team, the malaise shouldn't last for long, even as a possible 1-3 starts looms on the horizon.
Next three games: at New York Jets, vs Los Angeles Rams, at Baltimore RavensSam DarnoldDarnold's day can be summed up as: bland, vanilla, pedestrian.
It was a day in which was 28-41 for 175 yards and 1 touchdown. A nice completion percentage, yes, but 4.5 yards per attempt is not going to get it done. He had zero turnovers -- a huge plus -- but Darnold was sacked four times and had passes batted down at the line or broken up all day long.
In the end, a notch in the loss column is what matters most. Those stats might have been forgiven by Jets fans had the victory over division-rival Bills occurred. Instead, there's a possibility Darnold and the Jets will be 0-4 if the offense doesn't start doing more.
Next three games: vs Cleveland, at New England, at PhiladelphiaJosh RosenRosen, who suffered from a tough rookie season in Arizona, saw things get no better in Sunday's loss to Baltimore.
Ryan Fitzpatrick won the starting job in the preseason for the Dolphins, leaving Rosen as the backup. He did see a bit of action at the end of the rout, completing 1 of 3 passes for five yards and one interceptions.
The situation in Miami could be only getting worse so we'll see if Rosen ends up earning reps as a starter or not.
Next three games: vs New England, at Dallas, vs Los Angeles Chargers
* This is the first in a series of posts on season 2 of these five quarterbacks. Future posts will be after week 4, week 9, week, 13, and week 17.

photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Summer afternoons of forgotten youth

Now and again, I take to writing about a memory or, as the mood strikes, a general feeling that enters into my heart. Today is one of those days. Enjoy!

There is something about the hum of a fan whirling, especially in the afternoon of a hot, summer day, that takes me back to my youth.
An empty silence, devoid of sounds from the television and the bass line of music, fills the ears. The only sound is that of the fan. 
In the back room of the ancient house, there are two beds, of which I'm laying on the smaller. It's a twin bed, mattresses stacked high while a queen-sized bed nearby is empty, sheets still untucked from the night prior. The room, along with the entire house, smells of stale nicotine but I don't mind. The odor is rooted in the walls, floors, and skeleton of this house, thanks to grandparents who smoked inside for 25 years. It's a smell that acts as a bridge connecting the past to the present, if there is such a thing; one that is intoxicating, a reminder of which I'm given when walking into an old bookstore or picking up an old book.
Quiet.  Others are napping, in the room over. Some are outside, playing in the backyard where grapes grow and rusted pans rest. A couple might be next door, visiting my grandpa in the house next door, talking over coffee and cigarettes. I've sneaked away, into this home, right next door to the house he shares with his girlfriend, the lady who I refer to as my grandma. Or is it step-grandma? Time does that. Over 25 years past the fact and I can't help but think, "Did I just always call her by her name? Did I only refer to her as my grandma or step-grandma when talking about her to other people later in life?"
Time does that to a person. Memories are simply left as ghosts of memories, a shadow of something stored that was once real and concrete.
A hot summer day, in the present, the fan a few feet away from my bed as I nap, transports me. There is no memory of why I slipped away to the back room of the house. Maybe it was just a nap I desired. Maybe it was to read, even though the lure of cable television was right next door. I can't say, exactly. I do remember sweat, my t-shirt sticking to my back, the fan nearby doing its best to bring me arctic relief. Whirling. Rotating, giving me a shot of cool breeze every five to ten seconds as I escaped the world around me.
Even at the age of ten, I desired solitude.
Twenty-six years after I last stepped foot in that house, last had the experience of being in that very room, inhaling the smells, and snooping through the closets, I'm transported back. The combination of the heat, the stillness of a summer afternoon -- no music and no t.v. blaring in the background -- and the whirling of the nearby fan takes me back.
Gone are the worries.  Vanished are the desires, the lost dreams, and the loneliness. Instead, I'm left with solitude, recalling those summer days when all I had to worry about was toys, riding my bike int he cemetery, and enjoying a game or two of Yahtzee with my grandpa.
At least we always had that. And a house full of fans, humming along, rotating, and delivering relief when it was needed most.
photo: flickr.com