Business as usual, you know the deal Mock Draft Monday with Drake on in the background. We’re now up to track #12 on Take Care. The song is called Cameras. It’s not necessarily known as one of his hits and it probably gets overlooked or skipped, but it’s one of my favorites because it has a classic timeless feel to it.
The beat to this song was produced by Noah “40” Shebib. The song he sampled was “Calling On You” by Jon B. (No, not the guy from Outer Banks.)
Word on road means like word around town, so in this instance, Drake is saying his OVO and XO (The Weeknd) clique is about to blow up the charts in the music industry. If you’re on social media and have ever seen the accounts on Twitter or Instagram called @WordOnRd, this song is where it stems from.
The passive-aggressive tone of this Chorus is what makes it great. Love it or hate it, it’s him hinting at how he and his friends from Toronto were going to become a staple in music, which they have.
The title of the song Cameras is about the differences between what the public sees on camera versus what is really going on behind the scenes. The perspective of this verse is Drake talking to a girl, so that is why you get the “Baby” and him stating the other girls he’s been pictured with on camera mean nothing, don’t listen to the lies in the media, etc. The Armor All Tires line is clever in that he somehow found a way to connect a tire shine product with being a knight in shining armor.
Lastly, the Prince line has a few meanings. First, it could be about Prince, the artist to whom Drake is comparing his R&B side. Second, he is calling his shot that he is the prince to the Throne. Only a few months prior to the release of Take Care Jay-Z and Kanye West put out their own duo album called Watch The Throne. Jay-Z and Kanye at this point were still in their prime as the Kings of Hip-Hop. Drake wanted to be the new king with the crown and he even had a song on the album called Under Ground Kings (Mock Draft Monday 9/18 ‘23).
All this Drake talk aside, I know the “@YouTheReader” thing might be sorta silly but I consider you all a part of the Week to Week Notes team. Thank you always for the support!
Josh Newton is from Monroe, Louisiana, and he originally went to the University of Louisiana Monroe. When he first stepped foot onto ULM, Newton was a WR so he didn’t transition over to the defensive side of the ball until his Redshirt Freshman season in ‘19. In his 1st 2 years as a Warhawk, Newton was solid but still learning the new position. It wasn’t until his junior year at ULM that he really broke out with a team-high 8 pass breakups and 2 INTs. Last year 6’ corner transferred to TCU and started all 15 games for the Bull Frogs as they went on a run to the National Championship. He was elite last year, breaking up 12 passes and catching 3 INTs. Newton was named 1st Team All-Big 12 for his efforts and this year is off to a nice start as a shutdown college corner ready to play in the NFL with excellent speed.
Tyreek Chappell is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and this is his junior season at Texas A&M. As a freshman in ‘21, Chappell made 8 starts and led the team with 9 pass breakups along with 41 tackles. This earned him recognition on the SEC Coaches All-Freshman Team. Last year in ‘22, Chappell made another 11 starts and again led the Aggies in pass breakups with 8. He also again put in 44 tackles. Although he may only be 5’11” and 185 lbs, Chappell is not afraid to lay the hammer when tackling. This was already showcased this season when he forced a fumble in the Auburn game which led to his teammates’ scoop and score.
Cedric Johnson is from Mobile, Alabama, and has played at Ole Miss since his freshman year in ‘20. After appearing on special teams and playing a reserve role for most of his 1st year, Johnson became a starter for the Rebels in ‘21. That season he had his career high of 6.5 sacks. Last year as a junior, Johnson tallied another 4 sacks to his career total. He also became the first Rebel in a decade to have a sack and block punt as he still contributes on special teams at a high level. Off the field, Johnson has been awarded academically on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll for all 4 years at Ole Miss. He was also the recipient of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award, which is given to the Ole Miss Rebel player who embodies the spirit of the Chucky Mullins which includes courage, leadership, perseverance, and determination. Cedric Johnson will likely appear in the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Frank Gore Jr. is from Miami, Florida, and is indeed the son of NFL legend Frank Gore. After playing a bit of QB in high school, Gore Jr. decided to play at Southern Miss. As a freshman in ‘20, the 5’11” RB led the Golden Eagles with 708 rushing yards on 5.9 yards per carry. In ‘21, Gore again led the team in rushing yards, this time with 801 yards on 4.5 yards per carry. After his two very solid seasons as an underclassman, Gore Jr. really broke out on the potential NFL scene last year when he was named 1st Team All-Sun Belt with 1,382 rushing yards and 9 TDs. In the LendingTree Bowl, Gore broke a school and NCAA record with an insane 329 yards against Rice. Much like his father, Gore Jr. is a tough, hard-nosed, physical RB.
Tyler Guyton is from Manor, Texas, and previously played for TCU. At 6’7” and 328 lbs., Guyton is the prototypical size of an NFL tackle. After playing one season as a Bull Frog in ‘21 where he split time between OT and TE, Guyton transferred to Oklahoma last year and committed to being a lineman. He played 400 snaps last year at tackle and allowed 2 sacks. While he still may be a bit raw for the full-time role, NFL scouts will like his great speed, quickness, strength, and length. He is still somewhat new, so teams in the NFL will try to unlock his true potential once they get him in the building.
Last year’s Seton Hall Pirates went 17-16 on the season and 10-10 in the Big East. They received an at-large bid to the NIT, where their season ended in the first round against Colorado. This will be Shaheen Holloway’s 2nd season as the head coach of the program he once played point guard for.
Kadary Richmond is from Brooklyn, New York, and in ‘19 he was the New York City Public School Player of the Year at South Shore High School. Out of high school, Richmond started his collegiate basketball career at Syracuse University where he averaged 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 21 minutes per game as a freshman. He transferred to Seton Hall in ‘21-’22 where he started 26 of 32 games for the Pirates and became their primary starting PG by the 2nd half of that season. In his first year with Seton Hall, Richmond averaged 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Last year, Richmond improved all aspects of his game, setting career highs with 10.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, & 27.6 minutes per game while shooting 44% from 3 and setting a career-high in free throws attempted/made. This upcoming season, Richmond has embraced becoming one of the faces of the program and is fully healthy from a back injury that plagued him a year ago. The 6’6” point guard really seems to play in control as a ball handler and his size makes it very difficult for defenders. Expect another big season from Kadary Richmond.
Al-Amir Dawes is from Newark, New Jersey, and played high school basketball at The Patrick School in Union City. When he was coming out of high school, Dawes was rated the 5th-best prospect in New Jersey and the 15th-best point guard nationally. He originally went to school at Clemson University. As a Clemson Tiger, Dawes made 66 starts in 88 games played and he averaged 9.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, & 2.2 assists per game while shooting 37% from 3. Dawes last season transferred to Seton Hall and led the team in scoring (12.6 points) and minutes (31.2) per game while also making the most 3s on the team. The 6’2” guard is a great shotmaker and makes very difficult shots off the dribble look easy. With another year as a Pirate in his home state, expect Dawes to look even more comfortable as one of the top scorers for Seton Hall this upcoming season.
Dre Davis is from Indianapolis, Indiana, and he played high school ball at Lawrence Central where he averaged 21.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a senior. Out of high school, Dre Davis first played college hoops at the University of Louisville and averaged 7.4 points with 3.1 rebounds per game as a Cardinal. Davis, not related if you’re wondering, transferred to Seton Hall last season and was a spark plug off their bench. As the 6th man, Davis scored 9.6 points per game on an incredibly efficient 52% shooting from the floor and he improved his shooting beyond the arc to 41%. That said, the 6’6” small forward is much more comfortable as a slasher and has a plethora of drive moves in his bag. Dre Davis along with Al Dawes and Kadary Richmond were named captains of this year’s Pirates team.
Dylan Addae-Wusu is from the Bronx, New York, and Our Saviour Lutheran where he dropped 50 points in his final game of high school. Out of high school, Addae-Wusu chose to play for St. John’s and he had a very solid career there. In his 3 years playing for the Johnnies, the 6’4” guard made 34 starts in 91 games played and he averaged 8.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in his career in Queens. Addae-Wusu will provide the Pirates with another capable veteran guard with plenty of collegiate experience and the ability to drain deep 3s. He is also a great wing defender who last season averaged 1.6 steals per game. Whether Seton Hall decide to play small at the start of games with 3 guards or have Addae-Wusu come off the bench, expect the Bronx guard to play big minutes for the Pirates this season.
Elijah Hutchins-Everett is from Orange, New Jersey, and he played high school hoops at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut. The #2 player out of Connecticut in ‘21 went to Austin Peavy to start his college career. He got off to a hot start for the Governors, becoming the 7th player in their program history to be named Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year as he led the team in scoring (12.3), rebounding (6.8), and field goal percentage (51%). He followed up his excellent freshman year with another great campaign, once again leading Austin Peavy in points (356), rebounds (169), field goals (135) defensive rebounds (122), made free throws (66), and blocks (19). Hutchins-Evertt provides the Pirates with some real size at 6’11” while also being a very versatile big who can still stretch the floor. He has the ability to shoot from beyond the arc (32% 3-point shooter in his career) and has good footwork in the low post.
Good luck to the Pirates this season!
Notes Nobody Asked For
Jets-Eagles (Week 6, ‘23)
- Going into the game the Jets are without their top CBs Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed, but for some weird reason, I think the Jets match up well against the Eagles.
1st Quarter
- The Jets get the ball first. Pick up a first down and then have to punt.
- The Eagles drive down the field and the Jets’ defense holds Hurts to a goal-line stop.
- Scratch that, now the play got overturned and they are now calling it a TD. BS. 7-0 Philly.
2nd Quarter
- What is that I just heard? FOX announcers are saying Aaron Rodgers looked great throwing it in pregame warmups?
- QB Zach Wilson great 9-yard run with nothing there downfield. Great job, need more of that. Wilson extends the drive picking up first down only to now have the drive stall as Garrett Wilson is seen limping. That is just fantastic. Greg The Leg FG is good. 7-3 Philly.
**Big Fella with a Football Alert**
- Q-Ball with an interception!
- The Jets just end up punting and the Eagles drive down the field which leads to a D’Andre Swift TD. 14-3 Philly.
- Garrett Wilson is back in there. TE Conklin with a nice grab and WR Xavier Gipson with a nice end around for a 1st down. Jets settle for a FG. Greg the Leg is good. 14-6 Philly.
- Eagles start driving again only to have RB D’Andre Swift fumble from a CJ Mosley hit and Quincy Williams recovery.
- Wilson to Wilson gets the Jets in FG range. Greg the Leg is once again good. 14-9 Philly.
3rd Quarter
- The Eagles get the ball to start the 2nd half. They pick up 2 easy 1st Downs to start the drive only to have Jets Pass Rusher Bryce Huff get a sack followed by a 3rd Down stop.
- What a great catch by Garrett Wilson along the sideline. Great throw from Zach Wilson as well. A few plays later Zach Wilson draws the Eagles offside and gets free play with Garrett Wilson only to have a personal foul call bring it back. Drive stalls but still a nice catch to switch field position.
- The Jets defense forces a 3 and Out. Randall Cobb is on punt return duty and he draws a catch interference flag on the Eagles gunner. Nice veteran play by Cobb to take the hit to get the easy 15 yards. Greg the Leg is once again good. 14-12 Philly.
- Mark Sanchez, who is color commentating in the FOX booth, really loves his Jalen Hurts and young Russell Wilson comparison. Like he really LOVES talking about it and I can’t tell if Sanchez is rooting for Philly or Jets. C’mon Mark, think about the AFC Championship runs.
4th Quarter
- Pass rusher Jermaine Johnson hits Jalen Hurts which leads to a CB Bryce Hall INT. The Jets offense can’t do much against this Philly defense as they force a punt.
- AJ Brown with a great catch along the sideline that could go 50/50 on if he had possession. Coach Saleh challenges the play and it stands. All I know is that if that is a Jets WR, that call is getting reversed. Bryce Huff gets his 2nd sack of the evening on a huge play. The Eagles’ kicker misses FG. The Jets offense again can’t do much as Philly gets yet another sack and forces another punt.
- Jalen Hurts throws another INT, this time to Tony Adams. Wow.
- RB Breece Hall scores a rushing TD on the very next play. Zach Wilson hits Cobb for the 2-point conversion. The Eagles defenders let Hall walk in for the score. Mark Sanchez is going on about how they should have gone down to kill more of the clock. Clearly, Sanchez hasn’t been watching the Jets because I’m taking the points and letting our defense win this. 20-14 NYJ.
- Eagles get the ball with plenty of time to score. They proceed to go 4 and Out. Ball game.
- Jets win. 3-3 on the season. Much needed BYE Week coming up. I’m giving the Game Ball to the entire defense for their effort, too many contributors to single one guy out.
‘23 MLB Playoffs
NLCS
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Philadelphia Phillies
These 2 National League Wild Cards teams have never faced one another in October so this series will be a first. They faced each other 7 times in the regular season with the Phillies winning 4 of them. Both of these teams got hot at the perfect time for the playoffs. This October the DBacks as a team are hitting .262 with an on-base of .347 and they have pitched to a 2.20 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP. The Phillies this October as a team are hitting .274 with a .354 on-base while pitching to a 1.53 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP. The Diamondbacks manager is the NL Manager of the Year of ‘17, Torey Lovullo. The Phillies manager is a longtime Yankee assistant coach, Rob Thomson. From 1990 to ‘17, Thomson was a part of the New York Yankees organization, starting out as 3rd base coach for their Class-A minor league team before rising through the ranks.
Game 1: Zac Gallen vs Zack Wheeler
DBacks will have their ace on the mound in Zac Gallen. The righty with specs has pitched well against this Phillies team in the regular season. The Phillies collectively have only hit .232 off Gallen with 2 homers in 69 at-bats. The Phil’s Zack Wheeler on the other hand has struggled a bit more against these Arizona hitters. The DBacks as a team are hitting .276 off Wheeler with 5 homers in 98 at-bats. Expect to see Tommy Pham in the lineup against Wheeler. Pham in his career has 5 hits and 1 homer in 11 at-bats off the former Met. This should be a fun series and this is a great pitching matchup to kick off the NLCS.
ALCS
Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros
Game 1 of this series went to the Texas Rangers. Rangers C Jonah Heim drove in LF Evan Carter and CF Leody Taveras hit a solo homer. Those 2 runs scored off Kate Upton’s husband were all it took as SP Jordan Montgomery went 6.1 innings with 8 Ks. The Ranger bullpen was able to get 8 outs. RP Aroldis Chapman look like he blew the game when Astros 3B belted one to LF, but it ended up in the glove of LF Evan Carter on the warning track.
Game 2: Nathan Eovaldi vs Framber Valdez
The Rangers will be giving the ball to Nathan Eovaldi who in his career vs Houston has struggled against them. The Astros as a team have collectively hit .310 with 11 homers in 145 at-bats off the right-hander. 2B Jose Altuve in particular kills Eovaldi, hitting .289 with 5 big flies in 38 at-bats. Astros SP Framber Valdez is a bit more successful against the Rangers, who collectively hit .251 off Valdez with 4 dingers in 187 at-bats. The Rangers 2B Marcus Semien is 9 for 31 (.290) off Valdez with 2 homers. Could this game come down to a battle of the 2nd basemen? Who knows, we’ll see!