7/27 - practus interuptus

[Froob]

how long did it go for? I was gonna go but didn't want to drive 8hrs to see it get canceled. hope I didn't miss too much have to go next year.

 

[supafly]

3 months ago I went to a Chinese doctor in Boston's Chinatown...he had me stop all coffee, bread, potatoes, cream, processed meats. He had me making corn silk tea from the husks of corn until I found a boxed brand. 2 cups a day. Green tea the rest of the time. Chicken, fish,lean red meat, and turkey turkey turkey. Beans...5 bean salad using all the big beans, red kidneys chick peas etc.He does acupressure once a week and electrical impulse therapy on my legs.

So far I'm down almost 45 pounds..the circulation in my feet and toes has increased and eliminated dead skin buildup. I am absolutely amazed at the difference. He makes me walk walk walk and walk some more. It was tough getting into a daily routine at first because you need time to walk 2 or 3 miles but I forced myself to budget part of the day early and I walk everywhere now instead of taking the short cuts.

Thanks for sharing, buddy. Perhaps this would be good for my psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis as well? I couldn't imagine that it would hurt to try. At this point, some days I'm 39 going on 75--or at least that's the way that I feel in my joints, muscles and bones.

 

[supafly]

Thanks for sharing, Ken. Much appreciated.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

how long did it go for? I was gonna go but didn't want to drive 8hrs to see it get canceled. hope I didn't miss too much have to go next year.

8 hours huh. Save that trip for a game!

 

[Brady6]

3 weeks ago I quit all alcohol during the week, lift more and increased gym time (No I'm not gym rat) but have yet to budge more than a pound downward

I would not be too discouraged; you could be turning fat to muscle. I hit the gym 5-6 days a week for 60-90 minutes generally and I still carry weight in my stomach more than I would like because my diet is not clean enough. I would say that the trainers I am friendly with say to focus less on the scale and more on measurements, track your waist, etc.

Stick with it Pissah, it is beneficial for many other reasons, or at least that is what I tell myself…

 

[Brady6]

Yea, my hot developing opinion is that Wilson wins the starting SS job next to McCourty. One thing Wilson did do well his rookie year was cover TEs man2man. If Wilson can prove he can cover the deep field better, I think they'd love having 2 safeties on the field that can cover man2man really well.

I have been saying Wilson would win the starting job since the winter. Sometimes a young player needs a reality check and that is what Wilson got last season. Toward the end of the season Wilson did start to see the field a little bit, he had an impressive interception returned for a touchdown against Baltimore, and was on the field over Harmon in the Colts game during the playoffs.

Wilson is very talented, he has the best speed/size combination of any of the strong safety candidates, and as a rookie with the exception of getting beat on bootleg deep passes verse the Seahawks and the Rams he played solid football for a rookie. He played CB his senior year in college, so he is capable of covering players.

Realistically the secondary players are seeing what it takes to be the best player in the game working with Revis, his approach to the game is contagious. These young players like Wilson, Ryan, Harmon, Dennard, and even McCourty are going to learn so much from him (if they want too). Wilson appears to be taking the game more serious, and now understands what it takes to be a NFL player. I think he wins the starting job and has a very good season.

 

[supafly]

I have been saying Wilson would win the starting job since the winter. Sometimes a young player needs a reality check and that is what Wilson got last season. Toward the end of the season Wilson did start to see the field a little bit, he had an impressive interception returned for a touchdown against Baltimore, and was on the field over Harmon in the Colts game during the playoffs.

Wilson is very talented, he has the best speed/size combination of any of the strong safety candidates, and as a rookie with the exception of getting beat on bootleg deep passes verse the Seahawks and the Rams he played solid football for a rookie. He played CB his senior year in college, so he is capable of covering players.

Realistically the secondary players are seeing what it takes to be the best player in the game working with Revis, his approach to the game is contagious. These young players like Wilson, Ryan, Harmon, Dennard, and even McCourty are going to learn so much from him (if they want too). Wilson appears to be taking the game more serious, and now understands what it takes to be a NFL player. I think he wins the starting job and has a very good season.

He definitely has the versatility and something of a high ceiling to potentially parlay with his mediocre/successful enough (for a rookie) campaign. I think his weaknesses and mistakes sometimes overshadowed his positives in 2012, so that's likely why many are down on him.

There were times when he looked lost and repeated the same bad decisions. Unfortunately, he didn't get many opportunities to turn it around last season, so many of our opinions have remained the same from the mid-point of 2012 on. If he ends up beating out Harmon for the starting role, I'd still be surprised myself, but he may take advantage of the uncertainty at S2 into getting more reps for the upcoming season.

 

[Brady6]

He definitely has the versatility and something of a high ceiling to potentially parlay with his mediocre/successful enough (for a rookie) campaign. I think his weaknesses and mistakes sometimes overshadowed his positives in 2012, so that's likely why many are down on him.

There were times when he looked lost and repeated the same bad decisions. Unfortunately, he didn't get many opportunities to turn it around last season, so many of our opinions have remained the same from the mid-point of 2012 on. If he ends up beating out Harmon for the starting role, I'd still be surprised myself, but he may take advantage of the uncertainty at S2 into getting more reps for the upcoming season.

I remember the deep pass against Seattle, the receiver beat Kyle Arrington who was at RCB and Wilson was paired with Ebner at safety, that secondary would scare a hungry dog off a meat truck.

What I like about Wilson is I think he has very good ball skills, if he is on the field with Revis, McCourty, Browner, Dennard, and Ryan he will not be open to so many mistakes because they all can do their jobs, he can then use his ball skills like a playmaking safety.

For what is worth I like Harmon too, and most importantly I like that it will not be Gregory who I was thought was solid but not suited to be a starting safety.

 

[supafly]

I remember the deep pass against Seattle, the receiver beat Kyle Arrington who was at RCB and Wilson was paired with Ebner at safety, that secondary would scare a hungry dog off a meat truck.

What I like about Wilson is I think he has very good ball skills, if he is on the field with Revis, McCourty, Browner, Dennard, and Ryan he will not be open to so many mistakes because they all can do their jobs, he can then use his ball skills like a playmaking safety.

For what is worth I like Harmon too, and most importantly I like that it will not be Gregory who I was thought was solid but not suited to be a starting safety.

Agreed. I think that secondary was quite limited for sure, especially the specific grouping that you cite.

I think Wilson's lowest point was not just the SEA game, but then making the poor decision to do the exact same thing again only minutes into the game vs the Rams. To me, that's what really placed him in the doghouse, as he likely saw his mistake from the SEA game about 100 times, but then somehow went out and repeated the exact same mistake all over again on the opening drive of the following game.

Luckily, we have Belichick to make this determination and to have more patience than most of us fans have.

 

[Nikolai]

3 weeks ago I quit all alcohol during the week, lift more and increased gym time (No I'm not gym rat) but have yet to budge more than a pound downward

Three weeks isn't quite enough time to build a ton of muscle to make up for whatever fat you're losing. What is happening is that you are retaining water. You know that muscle soreness you get when you lift or do some sort of other strength exercise for the first time? Your muscles are inflamed, which means they are retaining water while they heal and grow.

On top of the fantastic advice Joker gives (I need to rep him), I would just say keep sticking with it and drink 0.5oz of water for every pound of weight you have, plus 10-20oz on days you workout heavy. Drinking plenty of water is key in any weight loss.

Don't be afraid to mix in some cardio as well. If you're new to lifting, you can still do quite a bit of cardio without sacrificing gains with the lifting.

 

[JR4]

......... If you are putting in the work but remaining status quo, it's gotta be either sleep related or diet.

New medical research has revealed the old Calories in vs Calories out is not accurate.
Why do the vast majority of dieters fail in the long run?
Why does research indicate the blood work of the anorexic person and the obese person
indicate their bodies think they are starving!???

People can eat very healthy and exercise and sleep well, and drink lots of water and still gain weight!
New science indicates there is a pathology to obesity and there is no one diet and exercise program
that works long term. From an MD who has treated thousands of people with weight problems
"Diets may bring short term success, but in the long run they nearly always fail"
From my personal observation I have seen this happen to many people. You see a friend, "wow
you look good --lost a lot of weight" .... months later they put the weight back and maybe even more.

The books I mentioned in a post above are very informative and based on scientific research methods.
If anyone here has a weight issue I encourage you to read these books.

 

[Horace's Ivories]

Actually - your body doesnt convert complex carbs to fat - that is a really inefficient process - white flours and simple sugars are not ideal as they are empty calories but the most weight gain comes from the fat that is added or inherent in the food. The body jumps on the carbs ( complex or simple) for energy and stores the fat making you potentially, well.. fat.

If you insist on eating a lot of fat ( dairy, oils, meats etc ) the low carb diet works for weight control as it sends the body into ketosis ( burning fat for energy). This is typically unsustainable and not all that healthy ( although the paleo diet folk will argue differently). You can be slim and have lousy blood numbers ( cholesterol, etc)

My diet is a really low fat, high starch ( complex carb) where I load up on whole wheat pastas, potatoes (all kinds) and rice. basically no added oils or fats. moderate protein. I dropped 25 pounds on this diet, I'm 6-2, 170 and 50 yrs old - I exercise once a week.

 

[patfanken]

Some comments on the comments:.

1. While your analysis of Wilson's problems makes sense on the surface, I think you couldn't be more wrong. Once again you seem to be caught up in the whole FS/SS thing. Wilson was never thought to be a hybrid S/LB. He doesn't come close to fitting the physical profile If he's a hybrid anything, its a hybrid S/CB.

Even more than size BB has clearly been looking for what are essentially CB's who have enough size or tackling skills to play in the middle. McCourty is a good example, and BB hoped Wilson would be one too.

2. Like the overblown and over reported Ridley fumble issues, Wilson's rookie year was actually quite good, given the complexity of the defense and the newness of the position. 4 picks 7 passed defended, and 41 tackles for a guy who started only 4 games is decent production for a rookie.

Yes, he got badly beaten on a couple of play action passes that year. Tom Brady has made Troy Palomalu look just as bad on play action passes for the last 10 years and they are still going to put him in the HOF. I don't know what happened last year. It could have been a collapse of confidence. It could have been injury related. It could have been a lot of things (he did seem to play well on ST's). But the thing is none of you know either. We can only speculate, and what good is speculation if you can't be negative, Right?

The fact is that some players take longer than others to develop. All I do know for certain, that anyone with eyes can tell that so far it looks like all the hand wringing about the S position was over blown. Between McCourty, Wilson, Harmon and Chung we are going to have at least 4 very capable safeties who have both range and cover skills, if not KO power, to compliment are equally deep group of CB's.

No offense to Rodney Harrison, but in today's NFL, I'd rather have safeties with range and coverage skills with decent tackling skills, than safeties who can knock you out but are liabilities in coverage.

3. Joker I know a great lifting system for guys our age. Actually its a great system for any age. I also walk a minimum of 3 miles a day (18minute miles) On the low carbs and fast foods, not so much. I have a pizza and pasta/tomato sauce/cheese jones that would have me turning tricks in parking lots if I didn't satisfy it. I will drive hours for a great pizza. I've never heard of corn silk tea, though I like green tea. I need to lose 20.

4. I find it positively scary thinking about the DB depth we are going to have this season. Revis and Browner might be as good a combo as any in the league, yet there have been many years where if Dennard and Ryan were projected as starters it wouldn't look that bad. Plus having the freedom to keep Arrington committed to situations he can excel at, give us a 5 deep CB group that I wouldn't trade for anyone else's group in the league. What's really scary is that I can't remember a time when that thought ever entered my mind.

 

[supafly]

Some comments on the comments:.

1. While your analysis of Wilson's problems makes sense on the surface, I think you couldn't be more wrong. Once again you seem to be caught up in the whole FS/SS thing. Wilson was never thought to be a hybrid S/LB. He doesn't come close to fitting the physical profile If he's a hybrid anything, its a hybrid S/CB.

Even more than size BB has clearly been looking for what are essentially CB's who have enough size or tackling skills to play in the middle. McCourty is a good example, and BB hoped Wilson would be one too.

2. Like the overblown and over reported Ridley fumble issues, Wilson's rookie year was actually quite good, given the complexity of the defense and the newness of the position. 4 picks 7 passed defended, and 41 tackles for a guy who started only 4 games is decent production for a rookie.

Yes, he got badly beaten on a couple of play action passes that year. Tom Brady has made Troy Palomalu look just as bad on play action passes for the last 10 years and they are still going to put him in the HOF. I don't know what happened last year. It could have been a collapse of confidence. It could have been injury related. It could have been a lot of things (he did seem to play well on ST's). But the thing is none of you know either. We can only speculate, and what good is speculation if you can't be negative, Right?

The fact is that some players take longer than others to develop. All I do know for certain, that anyone with eyes can tell that so far it looks like all the hand wringing about the S position was over blown. Between McCourty, Wilson, Harmon and Chung we are going to have at least 4 very capable safeties who have both range and cover skills, if not KO power, to compliment are equally deep group of CB's.

No offense to Rodney Harrison, but in today's NFL, I'd rather have safeties with range and coverage skills with decent tackling skills, than safeties who can knock you out but are liabilities in coverage.

3. Joker I know a great lifting system for guys our age. Actually its a great system for any age. I also walk a minimum of 3 miles a day (18minute miles) On the low carbs and fast foods, not so much. I have a pizza and pasta/tomato sauce/cheese jones that would have me turning tricks in parking lots if I didn't satisfy it. I will drive hours for a great pizza. I've never heard of corn silk tea, though I like green tea. I need to lose 20.

4. I find it positively scary thinking about the DB depth we are going to have this season. Revis and Browner might be as good a combo as any in the league, yet there have been many years where if Dennard and Ryan were projected as starters it wouldn't look that bad. Plus having the freedom to keep Arrington committed to situations he can excel at, give us a 5 deep CB group that I wouldn't trade for anyone else's group in the league. What's really scary is that I can't remember a time when that thought ever entered my mind.

Great analysis, Ken. The only thing that I would respectfully disagree with is the notion that we have adequate safety depth. While I certainly don't think it's as bad as some others have felt and never have, I still think it's quite a big unknown right now.

I think you're right that there are capable players, and that we'll get by just fine one way or another, but I have to disagree with the thought that Harmon, Wilson, or Chung gives anyone fuzzy feelings at the moment. That said, all we need is one of them to step up, and to stay relatively healthy--although that can be said about most positions. I would feel much better with one more viable candidate being added for competition.

 

[Joker]

Seems there's been some sort of misunderstanding about my post to PWP. My remark about "I'm on a diet" is not actually true. I've CHANGED my diet. The change is permanent. The doctor I'm seeing that is helping me is a doctor of EASTERN medicine. Eastern medicine treats CAUSES not symptoms.

MY regular doctor is whole heartedly on board with this lifestyle change. He has been treating me since I first stroked out almost 15 years ago. He told me that my circulation to my extremities would never be back to what it was and the dead skin on my toes and soles would have to be periodically trimmed. He is stunned by the transformation that corn silk tea seems to have implemented, and he's had me come in for tests three times in the past 4 weeks. My HDL is 69 and my LDL 101. He is stunned by these figures as my readings the past ten years more or less read like those of a man who is overweight with a poor dietary habits. My toes are pink skin now. Feeling that has been gone for a decade has returned. My BP is 110/65-75 depending now. Contrast that with 140/100 the past ten years and you can see why I'm taking this route.

The Chinese believe treating the CAUSE of illness is the proper method to eliminating health problems. The doctor employs the spleen/liver/kidney method to get one's body back into equilibrium. They believe the cause of most western ailments are directly attributable to a blocked spleen. Using diet change, acupressure and acupuncture, the eastern doctor works first to unblock the spleen after which the liver function increases. This enables the liver to properly filter the toxins the body builds up and this in turn is eliminated by the kidneys. The eastern doctor recommends green tea in copious amounts to aid in the total process.

I am 6'3" and a shade over 280 right now. I have been 300 since I recovered post stroke. Until that point I was 185 in HS ,210 and playing B Ball as a freshman in college and 225 when I graduated. I stayed 225 until I was 40 and then, due to typical ****headedness and the notion that I was indestructible, allowed alcohol consumption, late nights,and fast food consumption to bring me up to 240. When I needed to lose a few pounds I always just hit the court and played full court a couple of hours. The stroke changed all that.

Forced inactivity followed by decreased lung function led to weight increase but my metabolism was still fairly rapid. I vacillated between 265/275 until I hit my mid fifties and then....BAM...somebody shut metabolic treadmill off. I tried the diets. They never work for long. Weight comes back and then some. I can see how many people get frustrated and just give up. My doctor tried addressing this problem with various suggestions but, as with the skin on my toes, he basically told me I'd have to live with it. My older brother, by nine years, at this point told me repeatedly to see HIS Chinese doctor in Boston, which I put off for the last two years...but after witnessing the dramatic change in my brother's health and seeing him cut his daily meds from 20 down to 4, I said to myself "what the hell can it hurt?"

This doctor I see once every two weeks can't speak English very well. He hooks me up to electrodes on my legs and asks "you feel pain?"..when I reply yes he says "good!!". He's a torturer. Acupressure is NOT a friggin back rub BTW.Hurts like hell...but the next day you fell like 10 million bucks. It's really astounding. He also gives me paper bags filled with Chinese herbs and bark , I have no idea what all the little seeds are or the tree bark, krist it's alien...but he instructs me to eat a soup made with these ingredients once a day, using chicken or fish to make it palatable. Whatever the hell it is it's working. I lose a pound a week now after the initial drop and I feel 100% better breathing, walking and flexibility.

I asked him about eating rice,or wheat bread or whole grain pasta...he was quite firm..polite and smiling but firm..."No! you no eat any that. Now you eat what I tell you". I don't argue with him. MY doctor wants to see him now after seeing the progress I've made getting back to a healthier circulatory system. If anyone is interested in learning more about the Eastern practice of medicine, here is a very good primer....

http://www.sacredlotus.com/theory/zangfu/relationships.cfm

I went to a Pats game with Tunes last season. We walked a few miles to the stadium. I barely made it. Huffing, short of breath, fatigued. Not good. We'll be taking in a game or two this season and I'm ready to hump five miles if I have to. I owe it all to Doctor Li.

 

[strngplyr]

^ pretty awesome post and glad to hear how well you're doing. Sounds like you found a "miracle" when you took the chance on this guy. Keep up the hard work, man.

 

[mosey threetupu]

I'm 6'7" 295ish. True story.

 

[Deus Irae]

Wilson was mostly garbage as a rookie. Wilson couldn't hold off rookies in his second year. This year, Wilson is battling a rugby player and a previous Patriots bust, quite possibly for a spot on the roster. Wilson had better get his head out of his ass, and step it up significantly, or he could well find himself playing for the Jets like the rest of the Patriots busted castoffs seem to be doing nowadays.

 

[West Philly Patriot]

Seems there's been some sort of misunderstanding about my post to PWP. My remark about "I'm on a diet" is not actually true. I've CHANGED my diet. The change is permanent. The doctor I'm seeing that is helping me is a doctor of EASTERN medicine. Eastern medicine treats CAUSES not symptoms.

MY regular doctor is whole heartedly on board with this lifestyle change. He has been treating me since I first stroked out almost 15 years ago. He told me that my circulation to my extremities would never be back to what it was and the dead skin on my toes and soles would have to be periodically trimmed. He is stunned by the transformation that corn silk tea seems to have implemented, and he's had me come in for tests three times in the past 4 weeks. My HDL is 69 and my LDL 101. He is stunned by these figures as my readings the past ten years more or less read like those of a man who is overweight with a poor dietary habits. My toes are pink skin now. Feeling that has been gone for a decade has returned. My BP is 110/65-75 depending now. Contrast that with 140/100 the past ten years and you can see why I'm taking this route.

The Chinese believe treating the CAUSE of illness is the proper method to eliminating health problems. The doctor employs the spleen/liver/kidney method to get one's body back into equilibrium. They believe the cause of most western ailments are directly attributable to a blocked spleen. Using diet change, acupressure and acupuncture, the eastern doctor works first to unblock the spleen after which the liver function increases. This enables the liver to properly filter the toxins the body builds up and this in turn is eliminated by the kidneys. The eastern doctor recommends green tea in copious amounts to aid in the total process.

I am 6'3" and a shade over 280 right now. I have been 300 since I recovered post stroke. Until that point I was 185 in HS ,210 and playing B Ball as a freshman in college and 225 when I graduated. I stayed 225 until I was 40 and then, due to typical ****headedness and the notion that I was indestructible, allowed alcohol consumption, late nights,and fast food consumption to bring me up to 240. When I needed to lose a few pounds I always just hit the court and played full court a couple of hours. The stroke changed all that.

Forced inactivity followed by decreased lung function led to weight increase but my metabolism was still fairly rapid. I vacillated between 265/275 until I hit my mid fifties and then....BAM...somebody shut metabolic treadmill off. I tried the diets. They never work for long. Weight comes back and then some. I can see how many people get frustrated and just give up. My doctor tried addressing this problem with various suggestions but, as with the skin on my toes, he basically told me I'd have to live with it. My older brother, by nine years, at this point told me repeatedly to see HIS Chinese doctor in Boston, which I put off for the last two years...but after witnessing the dramatic change in my brother's health and seeing him cut his daily meds from 20 down to 4, I said to myself "what the hell can it hurt?"

This doctor I see once every two weeks can't speak English very well. He hooks me up to electrodes on my legs and asks "you feel pain?"..when I reply yes he says "good!!". He's a torturer. Acupressure is NOT a friggin back rub BTW.Hurts like hell...but the next day you fell like 10 million bucks. It's really astounding. He also gives me paper bags filled with Chinese herbs and bark , I have no idea what all the little seeds are or the tree bark, krist it's alien...but he instructs me to eat a soup made with these ingredients once a day, using chicken or fish to make it palatable. Whatever the hell it is it's working. I lose a pound a week now after the initial drop and I feel 100% better breathing, walking and flexibility.

I asked him about eating rice,or wheat bread or whole grain pasta...he was quite firm..polite and smiling but firm..."No! you no eat any that. Now you eat what I tell you". I don't argue with him. MY doctor wants to see him now after seeing the progress I've made getting back to a healthier circulatory system. If anyone is interested in learning more about the Eastern practice of medicine, here is a very good primer....

http://www.sacredlotus.com/theory/zangfu/relationships.cfm

I went to a Pats game with Tunes last season. We walked a few miles to the stadium. I barely made it. Huffing, short of breath, fatigued. Not good. We'll be taking in a game or two this season and I'm ready to hump five miles if I have to. I owe it all to Doctor Li.

Wow, good for you man. Will be checking this out as I need to get back to the shape I was in when I played ball. Feet and toes kind of have that non-circulatory feeling in the mornings and the dead skin thing so maybe this is something i could use.

 

[supafly]

Wilson was mostly garbage as a rookie. Wilson couldn't hold off rookies in his second year. This year, Wilson is battling a rugby player and a previous Patriots bust, quite possibly for a spot on the roster. Wilson had better get his head out of his ass, and step it up significantly, or he could well find himself playing for the Jets like the rest of the Patriots busted castoffs seem to be doing nowadays.

I'm not as sure that I'd use the term "poor" myself as much as I would "mediocre" or possibly even "below average," but now we're probably just getting into a matter of semantics. As one who hates when people bring this up re: Kenbrell Thompkins, I'm being a bit hypocritical with this grading--but enough of the rambling...You may have seen it as a 3 or 4 out of 10, where I would probably have given him a point higher.

I think there was some decent play in there at times, so that's why I may be more prone to giving him another shot. I'd probably give him one more season, unless we end up bringing in some other talent that's actually acceptable.

Whether or not he can show anything close to mediocre or positive moments during this TC are anyone's guess and most aren't going to hold their breath, but he did have some versatility that may be able to be parlayed into some type of acceptable play. After all, it's not like he's battling all-pro talent at the position, as you point out. In the end, I still think it's Harmon's job to lose.