I’m sortagiddy to bring in the Take Care Era of Week to Week Notes. While Thank Me Later Drake was a fun album, people then really weren’t all that sure about his chances as an artist. Prior to TML, Drake already had some huge hits that he was featured on such as “Right Above It” with Lil Wayne and “Ashton Martin Music” with Rick Ross but after his first studio album, he started featuring on songs like “What’s My Name?” with Rihanna, “Moment 4 Life” with Nicki Minaj, “I’m On One” with DJ Khaled, “She Will” with Lil Wayne, and “Round of Applause” with Waka Flocka Flame. By the time Take Care came out on November 15, ‘11, Drake had ascended from “the guy from Degrassi trying to rap&sing” to either you were a fan of his or you hated his work. Take Care was the album that really took Drake up another notch. It’s cool to be able to go back and listen to these songs now.
The last thing in the intro, I put the subject for this as Take Care Track #1 because honestly, it felt weird sending my grandma an email with the subject line being “Over My Dead Body” - glad we cleared that out of the way.
The eery intro to Take Care is sung by Canadian singer-songwriter, Chantal Kreviazuk. Miss Kreviazuk and Drake happened to run into each other at the Thompson Hotel in Toronto. “I think he called 40 right then or texted him in front of me. He said to go over to the studio. I’ll be right there. This is my memory of it. I remember it being super organic and spur-of-the-moment… I went to the studio, and ‘Over My Dead Body’ was born. I knew at the time that it was really special. I recall that it was the first song recorded for Take Care. And I think it was right away, ‘this is the intro.’ It was one of my favorite things I’ve ever written or recorded. I love playing the piano and singing it so, so much.” (Source: Complex)
In Drake’s words Over My Dead Body, this intro is, “an opening statement. It has this haunting voice, a woman’s voice on that sample, which is Chantal Kreviazuka… It’s saying I’m not going anywhere. You can’t pry it out of my hands right now.”
Drake came right out of the gate saying he thought he had the best year in hip-hop plus he still trying to find love. Strong album open.
Michael Jordan is still wearing his hoop earring as of ‘23, affirmative.
Addressing his haters saying their music is boring and that they are jealous.
The sound he’s referring to is what was coming out of Toronto at the time with the likes of himself, The Weeknd, and the behind-the-scenes work that his producer Noah “40” Shebib was creating.
Verse 2 opens up with Drake asking if his music is old news, who else is doing it better? He was 25 years old and looking at the charts questioning who is the new star. Jay-Z, Eminem, and Kanye West were still producing hits but they were all 10+ years older and on the back nine of their rapping careers. His competition in his generation of artists in ‘11 was the likes of J. Cole, Big Sean, A$AP Rocky, and Mac Miller, all of who weren’t coming close to the number of features or hits that Drake was making on the radio. If you’re wondering about Kendrick Lamar, well, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, didn’t come out until the fall of ‘12 & to compound that Drake actually featured Kendrick later on Take Care as a nod that the Compton kid should receive more acclaim.
Toronto loves Drake as much as people from San Francisco enjoy the music of Bay area hip-hop legend, Mac Dre. While Take Care, is technically Drake’s 2nd studio album, he already had produced mixtape projects such as “Room For Improvement”, Comeback Season, and “So Far Gone”. The “backpackers” he is referring to are massive fans of hip-hop who were very much into his music when he first started his mixtapes and then didn’t like how he went “pop” by singing on songs as well.
As he wraps up the end of his Intro of Take Care, Drake once again admits to hearing it from the doubters who question his music. He knows he’s been in similar situations before and the only way to counter the naysayers is to work at the craft another 10 years. This felt like the right time of the song for the 15-second Story/Cover/Reel…
Alright enough of that, we got some more new kids to crown…
Oronde Gadsden II’s hometown is Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which makes a ton of sense because his father, Oronde Gadsden, played for the Miami Dolphins when he was born. The ‘Cuse TE’s father made his NFL debut with a bang as a 27-year-old rookie who caught his first pass for a 44-yard TD. His dad would also be on the receiving end of Dan Marino’s last passing TD. This Oronde Gadsden has dreams of going to the NFL as well. After a freshman year where he played sparingly as a WR, Gadsden put on some weight and switched to tight-end as a sophomore. The results soon followed as he shattered Syracuse's single-season receptions and receiving yards record by a TE with 61 catches for 969 yards and 6 TDs. Oronde Gadsden II certainly has the size at 6’5” which makes you think he can play at the next level, my only concern is that he is going to need to bulk up a bit more for the NFL as he is currently listed at 220 lbs. I’m sure he knows this and gets tired of hearing from NFL pundits saying he needs to get fatter. If he can do so while maintaining his athleticism and receiving ability, there is no reason he couldn’t end up as a “big slot” Darren Waller or Evan Engram-type TE in the NFL.
Danny Stutsman grew up in Windermere, Florida, so I’m guessing he’s been to Disney World his fair share. He enters the ‘23 College Football season as a junior. The “shrub” linebacker amassed 38 tackles in a limited role as a freshman in ‘21. In ‘22 as a sophomore, Stutsman became the starter and he was credited for 125 tackles, 10.5 for a loss, 3 sacks, 2 INTs, and 5 pass breakups. His 125 tackles led the Big 12 and he received honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition from coaches in his conference. Stutsman was snubbed from the preseason All-Big 12 Team lists entering ‘23. When asked by the media about it his answer was, “I mean, none of those lists really do anything for me. I think personal accolades, personal stats – that’s not my motivation. Obviously, I think, where we were last year, I think the only goal can be a top-five defense, and that’s something that I will strive to do. Maybe that means I don’t have as many tackles but as long as the defense does their job, I’ll be a happy man. I have to be consistent. Being a leader, I can’t be the guy to make those mistakes on third downs. I have to be the example every single play every time on that field.” (Source: Sooner Scoop)
Nazir Stackhouse is from Stone Mountain, Georgia, only about an hour from Athens. The 6’3” and 320 lbs. nose guard enters this season as a senior. After his freshman and sophomore years when he was a reserve behind a log-jammed Bulldog defensive line group, Stackhouse earned a lot more playing time in ‘22. As a junior, he started all 15 games and had 33 tackles, 3 of which were for a loss. Stackhouse also blocked an LSU field goal in the SEC Championship that his teammate returned for a TD. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Stackhouse has a very large TikTok following and one of his favorite bits involves people on the Athens campus mistaking him for Jordan Davis (not related in case you’re wondering). Now that Stackhouse is a star on TikTok and on the football field, Stackhouse takes pride in playing behind the likes of Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, and Jalen Carter, “Playing behind those guys was a privilege and an honor. I enjoyed even being in a room with them. I had fun even watching films with them, watching them play. I knew eventually my time was going to come, and I had to learn from these guys.”
Jonathan James McCarthy is from La Grange Park, Illinois, about 25 mins west of Chicago. As a freshman at Michigan in ‘21, Head Coach Jim Harbaugh did a great job getting McCarthy some reps in games he didn’t start. He appeared in 11 games and in mostly blowout affairs but he picked up some experience. As a sophomore in ‘22, McCarthy won the job of QB1 and got himself 13 starts for the Wolverines. His stats aren’t eye-popping, Michigan has become a run-first under Harbaugh, but JJ threw for 2,719 yards with a 65% completion percentage and 22 TDs to just 5 INTs. McCarthy has some running ability as well, rushing for 306 yards and 5 TDs last season. This earned him a 3rd Team All-Big Ten selection in ‘22. While some will call JJ McCarthy a “game manager”, it appears his head coach thinks he can offer more in the passing game. “I see this offense being a 50-50 run-pass,” said Harbaugh. McCarthy is very accurate, especially on downfield throws which makes his play-action on a run-first team that much more dangerous.
Bryce Foster will be a junior in the ‘23 College Football season. He grew up in Katy, Texas which is closer to Houston and just about an hour from Texas A&M University campus. As a freshman, Foster immediately made an impact as an Aggie. He started in 12 games, received the team’s Top Newcomer Award at their annual team banquet, and was named to the ‘21 SEC All-Freshman Team. As a sophomore last season, Foster had a rough go. At the start of the season, Foster was ill so it took him some time to get into football shape. Then just 4 games into the ‘22 season, he had a knee injury that required season-ending surgery. Jimbo Fisher said, “Foster is a very talented and intelligent guy. That's your second quarterback (on the field).” Bryce Foster is nicknamed “The Mountain” for his 6’5” height and 325 lbs. size. The Mountain is not just a football player, he is also a part of the Texas A&M Track & Field program where he is a shot put thrower.
With it being the end of the MLB Draft season and the NBA Draft only being 2 Rounds and a ways away, the Mock Draft Monday will include 5 players from each College Basketball Team in the Tri-State. The College Basketball Season starts on November 6th, so Week to Week Notes will give a glimpse at 15 local college basketball programs. We’ll start off with UAlbany…
#15 Jonathan Beagle, Center
Jonathan Beagle is a 6’10” center from Hudson Falls, New York which is just outside of Lake George and just north of the Capital of NY. As a freshman in ‘22-’23, Beagle was awarded the America East Rookie of the Year, becoming the 5th Great Dane to ever do so. Beagle averaged 12.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 51% from the floor. Following last season Beagle considered transferring out of UAlbany before deciding that this was he is “supposed to be…After much consideration, I have decided to stay at UAlbany for my sophomore season. My family, friends, and hometown mean so much to me, and I’m excited about what our program can accomplish next year. We have some unfinished business, and I can’t wait to get back to work.” (Source: News 10) The center from Upstate New York not only has great touch around the rim but can shoot it from outside as well.
#12 Justin Neely, Forward
Justin Neely has a nickname, “Fro”, and is originally from Miami, Florida. While in Miami for high school, Fro was ranked the #1 Player in Miami-Dade County and won the Duke University, Student-Athlete Award. He was also the Valedictorian of his high school class at West Oaks Academy. In ‘21-’22, Neely was named the America East Rookie of the Year, at the time becoming just the 4th Great Dane to have been awarded the honor. He averaged 6.4 points and led Albany in rebounds with 4.4 per game. Much was expected in his sophomore season last year, however, unfortunately, just two games into ‘22 Neely would tear his ACL. News 10 reports that Neely has made strides to get back onto the court, “It’s been a long process for me going on this is about eight months I want to say in my rehab journey. I’m just happy to be back. Can’t wait for the season. I’m feeling really good I’ve been running well, and I’m able to get some shooting in a little bit of working out, but you know it’s a different time now. An ACL injury doesn’t mean the end of your career now. There’s a lot of guys professionally who have had the same injury I have and bounced back and are all-stars, so I’m blessed to be in the position I am and can’t wait to get back to it.” (Source: News 10)
#10 Aaron Reddish, Guard
Aaron Reddish will enter the ‘23-’24 College Basketball Season as a junior. Originally from Norristown, Pennsylvania, Reddish went finished his high school career at Pebblebrook High School in Mableton, Georgia. His older brother, Cam Reddish, played for Duke and was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks so his family made the move. Aaron Reddish is a 6’7” forward with his own next-level explosiveness. In ‘21-’22, Reddish was an America East All-Rookie Team selection. As a sophomore last year, Reddish earned himself 8 starts in the 26 games played, where he averaged 8.5 points per game while shooting 45% from the floor, 37% from 3, and 84% from the free throw line. Expect Aaron to take another leap as a junior.
#23 Muneer Newton, Forward
Muneer Newton is from the City of Brotherly Love and spent his last two college seasons with William Penn University. The 6’5” forward lives above the rim. As Great Dane Head Coach, Dwayne Killings put it, “Muneer immediately enhances our athletic ability in the front court with his explosive and determined effort on both offense and defense. Hailing from Philadelphia, 'MU' will be a crowd favorite with his blue-collar approach and his ability to play above the rim." Newton played in 34 games for William Penn last season averaging 10.9 points while shooting at a 61.6% clip from the floor with 8.2 rebounds per game.
#24 Amar’e Marshall, Guard
Amar’e Marshall is from Montclair, New Jersey. The 6’4” guard will join the UAlbany program after playing for Hofstra University in ‘22-’23. He averaged 5.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 12.4 minutes while shooting .43& from the field and .41% from beyond the arc. Hofstra’s fan account, @SSN_Hofstra, last year Tweeted: “Amar’e Marshall plays basketball like it’s 10 - 10 play to 11 win by 2.” Great Dane Head Coach, Dwayne Killing, said of Marshall, “His versatility on the perimeter and the opportunity he had playing for one of the top programs in the CAA will add depth, game experience, a commitment to playing with a purpose and burning desire to win. The staff has focused and worked hard this offseason in recruiting, and Amar'e is a great person to add as we prepare to play in the newly renovated SEFCU Arena.” The reason for Marshall’s transfer was “I chose UAlbany because they recruited me the most and showed the most belief in me as a player. Also, I felt the family atmosphere of the coaching staff and players when I visited the school. It felt like the best opportunity for me to come in, make an impact, and win games." (Source: UAlbany Sports)