BedRock | Jets-Pats | NFL ‘24 | College Hoops Top 25 | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is BedRock by Young Money, which stands for Young Money Entertainment. They were an American record label that Lil Wayne founded in ‘05 with Cash Money Records as their parent company. Young Money featured the likes of Drake, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, Gudda Gudda, and Jae Millz, who were all featured on this hit that came out in November of ‘09.
Unfortunately, I will not be dissecting this song line by line because of its vast sexual innuendos…it’s a Monday so nobody’s got time for that.
So, here are fast 5 facts about Earth’s BedRock…
1) The Flintstones is set in a town called Bedrock.
2) The oldest rock on Earth is 4.28 billion years old. (Allegedly according to NewScientist.) It is called the Nuvvuagittuq greenstone belt and is located in northern Quebec.
3) Pictured above is a Limestone-Sedimentary Rock. Bet you haven’t read that to yourself since Earth Science class!
4) Depending on where you’re at on this here planet we all call home, you may be standing on bedrock as it can be exposed, or it could be hundreds of feet (or meters) below you. The glaciers during the Ice Age played a big part in this.
5) China and the Soviet Union are responsible for the deepest holes in history. China is currently digging a hole in the Sichuan Basin of southwest China that will reach 10,520 meters (34,514 feet) deep. To date, the Soviet Union once dug 12,262 meters (40,229 feet) which took them 20 years. I’m a bit busy with Week to Week Notes, but if any Americans would like to get in on the action I can ask my parents if we can use their backyard.
I don’t think I’ve had a straight Red Bull since this song came out. I know they are awful for you, but there was nothing like riding a bike up to 7-11 to get a Red Bull or 99-cent Arizona Iced Tea.
Thanks to Drake, Thursday’s Critiquing The Critics will be on Talladega Nights!
Trying to find a 15-second timestamp for this tune to use for a Story & a Reel was like sitting on a Wooden Horse…It’s a funny, fun song that peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
On to the sports…
Notes Nobody Asked For
Jets-Patriots (Week 18, ‘24)
- Winter mix of rain and snow on this grey Sunday in the Tri-State.
- This will be a snow game in New England.
Quarter 1
- A bundled-up Bill Belichick looks rather cold. Back in the day, he’d just be in a hoodie.
- This game features the quarterback play of Bailey Zappe and Trevor Seamen so it started with 5 straight 3 ‘N Outs, a surprise to absolutely no one.
- Jets’ Q-Ball, 1 of the 2 Jets selected to the Pro Bowl, just picked up a sack and did a snow angel. You don’t see that every day.
- This game is a mess. Both teams should just agree to run the clock out like gentlemen.
- Jets RB Breece Hall picks up the game’s first 1st Down. Jets are on the scoreboard 1st as they go up 3-0.
Quarter 2
- The Patriots just kicked a FG to tie the game 3-3. Sorry, I was writing about some of the college athletes and forgot how NE drove down the field. That’s on me dog.
- Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson get the Jets into the Red Zone only for the drive to stall as they settle for a FG. I’ve written this sentence 294,288,108 times this season. 6-3 NYJ
- FOX just had a commercial for one of their murder mystery TV shows called “The Cleaning Lady”… Wow…just…wow…
- Breece Hall is willing this team down the field right before halftime. Unfortunately, Greg the Leg, who has been good this year, just doinked one off-the-field goal post. I’m sure Jets fans will forgive you Greg the Leg, good season.
Quarter 3
- It is still 6-3 NYJ at the start of the 2nd half.
- All of this “last Bill Belichick coached game as a Patriot” is very sad to listen to.
- FOX just aired a much better commercial that features Sauce Gardner. Don’t worry I’ll be sure to share it with you via the YouTube Rabbithole.
- The Jets are entering the 4th Quarter still up 6-3. Nothing happened.
Quarter 4
- Pats go for it on 4th & 1 only for Ashtyn Davis to make a nice play swatting the pass away while simultaneously diving in the snow.
- There is no relation there between Ashytn Davis and I, in case you’re wondering.
- Jets go up 9-3. Calling it now, this lead is insurmountable.
- Ashytn Davis gets an INT, only to fumble the rooski back to New England.
- The very next play or two later, Tony Adams gets an interception and then Breece Hall scores a TD. Good for Breece Hall. Week to Week Notes will be giving Week 18’s Jets Game Ball to him yet again.
- As a football fan and aspiring sports historian, I have to admit, that was a great run by Bill Belichick in New England. Very big of me. 17-3 NYJ
The New York Jets ‘23 season from hell is officially over. They went 7-10 with an above-average defense and one of the worst passing offenses mankind has ever witnessed. It was truly horrifying, but I already can’t wait for the offseason and for training camp to start back up because that’s what being a fan is.
These numerical rankings are subject to change. After today, we’ve profiled 170 College Football players, which would nearly cover the 5 Rounds of the NFL Draft. I got all 175 players' profiles saved on a draft that I promise I won’t send you (it’s a 198-minute read), but just for context the Mel Kipers of the world cover anywhere from 250 to 300 prospects, so I still have a ways to go. Next week, will be a real Mock Draft that will feature Jets and Giants players, picks, and rounds.
Justin Flowe is from Chino, California. He was a 5-star recruit and consensus #1 middle linebacker coming out of high school as USA Today named him the ‘19-’20 All-USA High School Football Defensive Player of the Year. His collegiate career got off to a rough start during ‘20 as it was the COVID-shortened season and he got injured in his debut. In ‘21, as soon as Flowe made it back on the field again, he made an immediate impact winning the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for Week 1. He had 14 tackles, 1 TFL, and a forced fumble, but again was unfortunately injured and couldn’t play the rest of the ‘21 season. During his 3rd year at Oregon, Justin Flowe would get healthy enough to play his first full season but would only make 2 starts. After ‘22, Flowe decided to enter the transfer portal and chose Arizona. In his one year as a Wildcat, Flowe had 44 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 1 sack. While the numbers may not jump out, he has unfortunately again dealt with injuries. Flowe is the type of MLB that when healthy can be a difference-maker as he has elite athleticism that can’t be taught, which made him a top recruit.
Erick All is from Fairfield, Ohio, which of course was bought by the Continental Congress in the Miami Purchase of 1788. Judge John Cleves Symmes of Morristown, New Jersey, swindled 311,682 acres at a $1 per acre. Out of high school, Erick All decided to play for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines. During his 1st 2 seasons at Michigan, All was a reserve TE who didn’t get a real opportunity to see touches until his junior season. In ‘21, All made 13 starts as he had a career-high 38 catches for 437 yards and 2 TDs. Last year was his last year with Michigan as he got injured 3 games into the season and would not return to the program as he decided to transfer to Iowa. All’s Iowa career this past season got off to a nice start as he made 21 catches for 299 yards and 3 TDs in 7 games. Unfortunately, All injured his knee making a catch over the middle, which ended his collegiate career. Despite the injury, All was still named an honorable mention on this year’s Big Ten Team. While his college career may have not gone exactly how he’d planned, All still has a ton of potential and should be a late-round steal in the NFL Draft if he can recover from his injury. He’s a 6’5” TE with speed.
David Walker is from Stuttgart, Arkansas, which is known as the “Rice and Duck Capital of the World.” Walker was not highly recruited coming out of high school as he started his collegiate career at NCAA Division II Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Arkansas. In 2 seasons at SAU, played 19 games. His 2nd season in ‘21 would be his last one there as his 52 tackles, 19.5 TFLs, and 8 sacks got him recognition as a ‘21 first-team All-Great American Conference selection. He was able to transfer to Central Arkansas last season where he made 11 starts at defensive end. In his first season at Central Arkansas, he was named ASUN Defensive Player of the Year as he had 12 sacks and 22 TFLs. This past season, Walker was able to back up his great play with 8.5 sacks and 18 TFLs. At 6’2” and 260 lbs., Walker may not be the most physically intimidating edge rusher on the gridiron, but he just has a knack for getting to the QB and wrecking running games. 18 pass rushers from the FCS has been selected in the last 10 NFL Drafts, Walker would be my best small school pass rusher bet to get drafted in ‘24.
Garret Greenfield is from Rock Valley, Iowa. In high school, he was a 3 sport athlete - football, basketball, and baseball. In his first year at South Dakota State in ‘18, Greenfield redshirted but was able to get a glimpse of college football as he saw action in 3 games. During 2nd year of college football, Greenfield was a reserve. ‘20 would be the year when Greenfield would break out on the scene. He earned FCS All-American honors for his play at RT in ‘20 and ‘21. Greenfield would then move to LT, the more important tackle position, in ‘22 as he made all 15 starts on the opposite side of the line. That year, SDS only allowed 18 sacks in 15 games and rushed for over 200 yards on 7 occasions. This past season was another very successful season for Garret Greenfield as he the Jackrabbits would go a perfect 14-0 while winning the FCS Championship. They beat UAlbany by the score of 59-0. Greenfield is one of a duo of South Dakota State linemen who dominated FCS, the other being…
Mason McCormick is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Just like Greenfield, he redshirted his freshman year in ‘18 and only saw 3 games. South Dakota State was wise to have Greenfield and McCormick room together as the two became inseparable throughout their collegiate careers. McCormick saw more playing time at guard in ‘19, including making a start in the regular season finale. In ‘20, McCormick became the full-time starting LG as he started every game and was honored with all-conference. During his ‘21 season, McCormick was named team captain, a role which he would serve for the next 3 years. Last season, McCormick continued to play LG as his roommate, Greenfield, switched over to LT. His ‘22 season earned McCormick FCS All-American honors and he was named the team’s co-MVP. This past season, he again dominated with Greenfield, and this time we’ll gloss over how they destroyed UAlbany.
The Associated Press is not budging on their Top 25 scheduled release date so these rankings get updated later on Monday.
Cam Spencer is from Davidsonville, Maryland, and is a grad student who just transferred to UConn. While in high school, Spencer was the ‘19 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association Player of the Year. Initially, he decided to go to college in the state at Loyola-Maryland University. From ‘19 to ‘22, Spencer played in 58 games making 42 starts for the Greyhounds and he averaged 14.6 points, 3.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 39% from beyond the arc at Loyola before he transferred to Rutgers University last year. As a Scarlett Knight, Spencer made 34 starts with the team and immediately had an impact by leading the team in scoring with 13.2 points per game. He was also able to up his 3-point shooting to 43% while making a career-high in 3-pointers in a season with 72. So far in his first season at UConn, Spencer is averaging a team-leading 15.1 points per game while shooting 44.3% from beyond the arc.
Oumar Ballo is from Koulikoro, Mali, a country in West Africa. As a kid, his first sport was soccer football as he played goalkeeper. In his teenage years, Ballo moved to France where due to his height he was encouraged to focus more on basketball. Oumar Ballo was considered one of the top international recruits of his class but was still considered a bit raw due to the fact he was relatively new to the sport. The first school he attended in the United States was Gonzaga, where he saw 24 games worth of action but was a backup behind the likes of collegiate vets like Drew Timme. After one season at Gonzaga, Ballo transferred to Arizona. While he didn’t start in his sophomore year of college, he earned 15 minutes of playing time per game while scoring 6.8 points, grabbing 4.4 rebounds, and swatting 1.2 shots. Last year, Ballo cracked the starting lineup for the Wildcats, making all 35 starts. He averaged 14.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. This year, Ballo is once again the Wildcats’ big man in the middle and he is in the midst of another solid campaign averaging 12.8 points with 8.3 rebounds per game. Ballo, a 7-footer, idolizes his game off of Shaq. In the GIF above, the way he can create space for the guard to pass him the ball and drop step with his baby hook would make Shaq proud.
Trevin Knell is from North Salt Lake, Utah. In high school, as a senior, he was a bucket averaging 25.4 points per game. Out of high school, he went on a mission retreat to Uruguay and didn’t start his collegiate career until ‘19-’20. In his first 2 years as a Cougar, Knell was a bench player who didn’t see much action. During his junior season, he cracked the starting lineup 18 times and averaged 6.8 points per game. Last season, Knell injured his rotator cuff and he couldn’t all year so he redshirted for another year of eligibility. This year Knell is having his best yet, averaging a career-high 12.9 points and chipping in with 4 rebounds per game. Knell’s got good shooting form, which is how he’s shooting an absurd 46.5% from beyond the arc.
Joseph Girard III is from Glen Falls, New York, where he won 3 state titles in football and basketball. As a senior in high school, he was named the Mr. Basketball of New York. Initially, out of high school, Girard played for Syracuse, which 2 and a half hours west of Glen Falls. The shooting guard had a great 4-year career with the Orange. In 123 starts, Girard averaged 13.2 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 36% from 3. While at 6’2”, he is a bit undersized for a shooting guard, he makes up for it with excellent shooting form which will always get you minutes. In his first season since transferring to Clemson, Girard is averaging a clean 15 points per game while shooting a career-high 43.3% from beyond the arc. Their great shooting form also has the upstate New Yorker shooting 90.5% from the charity stripe.
Johni Broome is from Plant City, Florida, where he was the Hillsborough County Player of the Year as a senior in high school. His first stop in college was at Morehead State where as a freshman he immediately made an impact becoming the OVC Freshman of the Year as he averaged 13.7 points and 9 rebounds per game. During his sophomore year at Morehead State, he put more emphasis on defense as he averaged an absurd 3.9 blocks per game while winning the conference defensive player of the year. That year he also averaged a career-high 16.8 points and 10.5 rebounds. Following his 2 successful seasons as an Eagle, Broome decided to transfer to Auburn to become a War Eagle. Last year Broome again was an elite shot-blocker, as he finished inside the top 10 in the nation with 2.4 blocks per game. This season Broome leads Auburn in points (15.6), rebounds (8.6), and blocks (2) per game. The lefty power forward has a bit of craftiness to his game and can shoot a bit, but is also tough in the paint.