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This thread is why national…

This thread is why national championships are so hard to come by.  You need multiple 50/50 situations to break your way.  Whatever the opposite of "snake-bitten" is, this team was that.  Charmed, blessed, fortunate, talented, etc.  I do believe you make your own luck, but that doesn't explain everything. Some events are just random and we seemed to have many that worked out in our favor this season.

You could also include in this the relative health of the team.  Obviously Zinter going down was a loss, but overall we were really fortunate on the injury front this season.

He made the wrong read on…

He made the wrong read on his second carry. Needed to give to Edwards the ball. 

We need Coffeezilla to run…

We need Coffeezilla to run with this whole saga...or maybe we don't.

 

 

At my former employer, we…

At my former employer, we were lucky enough to hire an Evans Scholar. He came from a tough background, earned the scholarship, was the first in his family to go to and graduate college, had a successful 2 years at our firm and then moved on to very green pastures. He was very explicit that the scholarship changed the course of his life. 

It’s fantastic program with a strong presence here in Chicago. 

I struggle with an over the…

I struggle with an over the top swing and related slice.  Lesson I took that helped had me tee the ball up extra high.  Somehow it forces you to swing inside out and you'll almost certainly hook the ball.  You get the feel after a few swings and then start teeing it a little lower and work the hook back to a draw.

Another easy trick to try is when teeing it up, put the logo of the ball pointing approx at the toes of your back foot.  Focus on hitting the logo with the face of your driver which which will force an inside out swing.

 

Part of the resident's…

Part of the resident's concern may be based on the creep in number of concerts that has happended at Wrigley Field. In 2005, Jimmy Buffett played there (I think that was the first concert).  The Cubs got special permission for the two shows.  There was some modest pushback from residents about adding to the number of days events took place in the stadium, but ultimately the city and alderman approved the concerts.

Fast forward to 2023 and by my count there will be 8 artists playing 11 shows during the summer.  That's 11 more nights of crowds and loud music in the neighborhood.  In Wrigley, the 11 shows represent abuot a 13% increase in the number of events.  In Evanston, the proposed 6-8 concerts is essentially a 100% increase in the number of events.

I don't really care what happens, but do have a little sympathy for the residents who opppose the changes.  

The history of the Cubs/Ricketts/Wrigleyville/City negotiations over the last 10 years has been complicated, but I think the increase in number of approved shows was part of a deal the Ricketts cut with the city in exchange for investment they've made in the neighborhood.

 

Chez Crepe

Quality Bakery

Chez Crepe

Quality Bakery

Two staples from my family’s visits to Ann Arbor in the early 80s

I recall the avatar!

I recall the avatar!

Thanks.  I like the…

Thanks.  I like the suggestion of paying it down to a small amount.

Everyone is entitled to…

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I'll bite on defending myself here.

1) Yes, it's a Cadillac but if you've owned or shopped one, you know they depreciate very quickly.  In my opinion, they are great deals when bought 2-3 years old.  Not to mention they come with a four year mfg warranty plus another year from the certification. Other GM brands have only 3 year mfg warranties.

2) My two current cars are a 2009 and 2014.  The 2014 has been paid off for 5+ years and I've been making car payments to myself since then to save for the next car.  My goal was to not have to finance this purchase in an effort to cut down on personal debt.

If that makes my OP a humblebrag, so be it.  The intention was to do right by the salesperson who has been good to work with.  Dealers may be rich, but I assume most salespeople care very much about each commission.

As for the avatar, that isn't a Rolex.  It's the watch that Brandon gave to Hoke when he was hired (at least I think it is) and Brady said something like he isn't taking it off until Michigan wins an National Championship.  In doing some sleuthing back then, I was pretty sure it's a $30 watch from Amazon. But yes, I do own that watch and it no longer works.

Thank you for the very…

Thank you for the very helpful feedback - exactly what I was hoping for!

I was a little surprised at the rate, so that's what generated my initial question.

It's a pre-owned certified,…

It's a pre-owned certified, so yes used, but comes with the extended warranty from the mfg.

I genuinely believe I'm getting a good deal as the color combination is not one that many people probably like.  I've been tracking this model for a while.

My guess is they know which lender provides the biggest rebates to juice their returns.

Maybe the better question is…

Maybe the better question is does the salesperson who is helping me get penalized by chargebacks on the financing or is his commission independent of what happens with the financing?

The guy I'm working with has been helpful and I'd like to not screw him out of a commission.  

I'm trying to honor the…

I'm trying to honor the spirit of the deal I agreed to.  He said finance through us and this is the price.  This was after a decent amount of back and forth.  Now that I've seen the interest rates, I'm reconsidering.

The dealer receives an…

The dealer receives an origination fee (or something similar) for the loan.  If I pay it off too quickly, the dealer gets a chargeback where they have to return the fee.  I think it's something like 3 months.  

Here the combination of size of loan and current high interest rates means the interest expense even for 3 months is actually somewhat meaningful.  If the dealer gets only $500 for originating a loan, I'd be better off paying them the $500 up front and skipping the financing and avoid the interest.  If it's multiple thousands of dollars, I probably go with the loan.

I haven’t read all the…

I haven’t read all the comments, but for a trip that sounds like you have some flexibility in timing, try using SkyScanner. You can enter the two cities and dates when you want to travel. It will them notify you of price changes for the general itinerary. When I know I’m traveling 4+ months out, I’ll check prices on SkyScanner, it will let you know whether the current price is higher or lower than typical for the route and then over time will let you know when the fare goes up or down. Helps create a bookend of reasonable rates and then you can buy when you see a fare that works for you. 

A little outside the box,…

A little outside the box, but what about an older (2013-2016) Lexus GX460.  Gas mileage isn't great (18-20mpg), but after that, it's a fantastic car.  Super reliable, pretty nice inside, big and safe, not too fast.

We've had a 2014 since new with 97K miles now and it's been virtually trouble free.  You can get one with ~70K miles for under $30K.  That's about comparable to what 2019 RAV4s with half the miles are going for. 

I was raised by parents that alway felt bigger is safer.  As a result, our GX will be my son's car once he's driving age.  It should have about 120K miles by then and I anticipate it will last to 200K.

I watched most of the video…

I watched most of the video not appreciating they were 1-11 this season. I initially expected he was going to talk about how excited he was to be there, looks forward to getting to know the team, they can build together, etc. Instead, it was a master class in how to get the attention of a group that has underachieved. I started envisioning the fissures in the team. Those that take offense and say F-him and try to bring along as many allies vs those who are willing to buy in. 
 

Who knows if it will be successful, but he certainly put himself out there and ignited the change from day one. A very intentional speech that took some combination of courage, ego, and confidence. 
 

It will be an interesting experiment on leadership that we’ll have a front row seat for given his penchant for social media. 

1989 Illinois at UM …

1989 Illinois at UM (football)

We lived out of state but had come to Michigan for the game. 15 year old me wakes up that morning at my aunts house feeling sick, but no way I was missing the game. My dad and I head out to pick up my half brother. At his apartment, he sees I’m sick and says try this cold medicine. I had never taken anything for a cold. Whatever it was knocked me out cold. Slept through the entire victory. Going to a game was really special and I was so disappointed to have missed the game. 

This was my first year of b…

This was my first year of b-school.  About 12-13 years later I was on a deal call and was sharing Michigan football memories with a UM grad attorney who was on the other side of the deal.  After I did my babbling, he told me in a very non-bragging way that he was on the football team and in fact was the long snapper for this field goal. Joe Srgoi.  I never got to meet him in person, but spent many hours on the phone with him. 

Sadly, Joe passed away at the beginning of this year.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/joseph-sgroi-obituary?id=32247509

 

Just a PSA for those that…

Just a PSA for those that would like to hear a few interviews with the new coach. There’s a podcast focused on hockey development called The Hockey Think Tank. Brandon Naurato has been a guest multiple times, the most recent being episode 49 before he joined Michigan and then episode 200 after he was part of the staff.

I’m the product of a private…

I’m the product of a private grade/MS that taught boys and girls in separate classes and then an all-boys catholic high school. My parents felt very strongly that we get the best education possible and they stretched to make it happen.

When my son was in pre-school, we received feedback that felt like his behavior was being compared to the girls in his class. He was described as fidgety, liked to be active, which was presented to us as him being disruptive. Things like OT were recommended.  I try to be intellectually honest and not assume my kid is the best just because he’s my kid. But, I was about 99% sure my son was as “normal” of a boy as could be. I’d say time has proven that to be correct.

When it came time for elementary school, we ended up choosing a school that separated boys and girls in all classes. At the younger ages, the boys classrooms have things like a climbing gym, exercise ball for a chair, etc. It provides a quick release for that energy to allow them to get back to learning. And perhaps more importantly, the teachers that teach boys, only teach boys and appreciate how boys learn and their need to get energy out.  It’s been a great place for him to learn and develop as a young man. He’s been at this school for 7 years and I think it was the best decision. It’s unlikely he’ll attend an all boys HS but that’s only because we don’t have a convenient option in our area. 

As for the second class citizen, we were very middle class growing up and I definitely was around kids from some very wealthy families. At the younger ages, I didn’t notice the difference. As I got older, I began to see that kids were traveling to Europe or Aspen for spring break. My parents never made a big deal about it, so it didn’t really matter to me. It may be a bigger deal for you in that the social circle of the parents may be challenging. In our experience, the degree to which this is the case is more on a grade-by-grade basis rather than for a school as a whole. A few parents can set the tone for a full class. It would be worth speaking with other families with kids in the same class, especially any others on scholarship.

Lastly, I think you’ll be amazed at what happens when your son is challenged in classes. We have seen on multiple occasions  the benefit of a good teacher that pushes our son (and others) rather than forces him to move at the same pace as the full class.

My perspective is give it a try. If your son or you/spouse don’t like it, you can always go back to your local school. It will be the least disruptive to his academic progression at this young age. 

Word among the Nova…

Word among the Nova contingent is that his wife is ill. I hope that isn’t accurate, but would certainly explain the decision. 

It’s the (becoming almost)…

It’s the (becoming almost) annual match up of my two alma maters.  I’ve watched as much Nova as Michigan this season. This isn’t a great Nova team - certainly not of the same caliber as the two NC teams. I’m not an advanced stats follower at all, so it was interesting to read the write-up. 
 

My no-stats perspective is that Nova’s success this year has been on the back of aggressive defense, solid guard play from Moore and Gillespie, and then one other thing working in a particular game (Dixon hitting a few 3s, Slater having a surprising game, opponent going cold from 3, favorable officiating, etc). The free throw line is almost automatic for them. The worst of their key players is something like 75%. 
 

Michigan has a legitimate chance to win this game. I think it will depend on the play of Dickinson and Diabate. They will 100% get good looks. If they knock them down at an appropriate rate and UM guards play their average game, I think UM wins.

This is good advice.

For…

This is good advice.

For the 2018 NC bball game, I tried to wait out the market. I ended up saving maybe $100 total on 2 tickets. However, I spent about 5 hours of my day in San Antonio refreshing StubHub instead of simply enjoying the pre-game environment. 

Next time, I’ll buy the tickets when I know I’m going and then enjoy the experience when I get there. 

They must have run out of…

They must have run out of Isotoner gloves at the Briarwood Macy’s. 
 

https://youtu.be/uE2ZB1msAB8

Diet Coke, can, not plastic…

Diet Coke, can, not plastic bottle. 

Yes, hockey is organized by…

Yes, hockey is organized by birth years.

The only thing I’m worse at…

The only thing I’m worse at than coming up with clever usernames is coming up with clever fantasy football team names. I wanted to post something way back in 2011 so I took the easiest possible route when creating my account. It certainly didn’t occur to me that I would still be lurking here 10 years later. 
 

I need a little help from the board on the avatar   I think it’s the watch that Dave Brandon said he gave to a handful of people when Hoke was hired and that he wasn’t taking it off until Hoke won the national championship. Regardless, I bought one of the watches on Amazon and wore it maybe 2 times. Battery is long since dead, but I still have it  

Man, it’s been a brutal stretch!

Brandon was a guest on a…

Brandon was a guest on a good hockey podcast called The Hockey Think Tank back in April 2019. Episode 49. I don’t recall all the details, but remember being impressed with his perspectives on player development. 

I found I appreciated and…

I found I appreciated and ended up liking hockey more after trying to play it for the first time.  Growing up, I would occasionally ice skate or rollerblade and was in the category of competent. I also played a ton of street hockey.  However, I never played ice hockey as a kid.

The first time I put on pads and played in a game in my late 20's, I quickly realized how incredibly talented you need to be to play hockey at a high level.  Of the major sports, I think it is by far the hardest at which to become even modestly proficient.  All of the hand-eye coordination required is tough enough, but then add in skating and moving at a fairly high speed and you have a really tough game.  Also, I didn't understand why shifts were only 45 seconds long until I played my first competitive game.  It's an amazing cardio workout!

I haven't gone through an exhaustive list, but if you asked me the hardest thing to do in sports that doesn't involve competing directly against another person (i.e. hit a 95mph fastball), I'd say pole vault.  After that, I'd argue play hockey and not look like a fool.

I’ve owned a 2009 5 series…

I’ve owned a 2009 5 series since 2010. It is the most fun-to-drive car I’ve ever owned and for the most part has been very reliable. We have a good and honest independent mechanic who isn’t necessarily less expensive, but he finds ways to try to make the repairs, when they do arise, more manageable. He does joke that BMW means Bring Money With. 
 

The car has about 65k miles, but many of those are stop and go city miles which I think are much harder on the car. I’ve only been stranded once when the water pump failed without any warning. Otherwise, the issues have been things that could be dealt with in an orderly fashion. 
 

I do get concerned that I’m approaching and age/mileage where the need for repairs starts to accelerate, but when I contemplate replacing it, I struggle to come up with something I’ll like to drive as much. The car is probably worth $6-7k and I’m willing to put in a few thousand a year for upkeep. I know I’m just deferring the inevitable, but from a cash flow perspective it’s less painful than witting a big check for a new car. 
 

in your case, at the price they’re discussing, I’m pretty sure you could drive it for a while and still come out ok if you need to make the major repair and decide to flip it before something else goes wrong. 
 

The recommendation for a PPI is a good one. It’s a very small price for peace of mind. 

Non-sports: I think the Five…

Non-sports: I think the Five Thirty Eight podcast the hits polling and political topics is pretty well done. 

We had a 2 yo cat when we…

We had a 2 yo cat when we brought home a 2 month old kitten, both males, both from a shelter. From day one we’ve had virtually no problems. They will alternate between sleeping on each other, wrestling and completely ignoring the other. They seem to keep each other company. Initially, we made sure each had his own food bowl, but today they both eat out of both bowls and sometimes eat out of the same bowl simultaneously  

Cats seem to be fairly adaptable and given they will be barn cats, I have to imagine they will have plenty of room to spread out if they want to.

Introducing our puppy to the adult cats has been an entirely different story. 

Bauer hockey had a big press…

Bauer hockey had a big press event for a device like this a handful of years ago. Quick Google suggests this might be the same device that has been available in Canada for a handful of years. Great to see that it was studied and received FDA approval. 
 

in doing a little more digging, it seems like this thing has been studied fairly extensively regarding some of the concerns other poster have presented. 

I don’t watch a ton of…

I don’t watch a ton of basketball aside from Michigan and Villanova games. But this Saturday I had the opportunity to watch large chunks of Duke/Louisville, Baylor/Kansas and Gonzaga/LMU. 
 

I definitely don’t know the finer points of modern basketball offenses (thanks MGoBlog for the tutorial last week) but with the exception of Gonzaga, Michigan’s offensive sets look like chess compared the other teams above playing checkers. I was particularly surprised at how ugly the Duke/Louisville game was. You might get one set play that would break down and then it was just 1on1. TONS of really bad shots, a lot of hero ball, and just plain ugly basketball. 
 

Not only does Juwan know how to design a collection of solid offensive looks, he and his staff have been able to teach them. Some of that is clearly because we have strong seniors on the team, so will be interesting to see if there’s regression next year with the departures of many of these guys. This team’s ability to get good shots even after the first option fizzles would seem to give them an advantage over many of their opponents. 

We have the purple hybrid 2(…

We have the purple hybrid 2(?) (whatever the second from the most expensive is). We’ve had it for 2-3 years and love it. I’ve recommended it to multiple people who have told me they love it. My son asked for the same mattress for his birthday and he loves it.
 

I clicked on the link to recommend a Purple and then read the OP. I’d suggest giving it a try - they have a pretty decent return policy if you don’t like it. Also, we bought their base. I like the way it’s designed and it’s proven to be sturdy. 

Just piling on about a…

Just piling on about a positive experience with a TCL w/Roku. I bought a 50” at Costco for less than $300 including tax. I use it on our covered, but not weather tight deck. I keep it covered when not in use, but it definitely experiences more temperature and humidity fluctuations than you’d ever see in the house. 
 

So far, it has been a fantastic alternative to the $2,000+ outdoor TVs. And I also really like having Roku built in. It works great with Xfinity’s Streaming app. 

Timely. I watched this with…

Timely. I watched this with my 11yo son over the weekend (while Mom was gone). His first time seeing it. Predictably, he thought It was absolutely hilarious. 

Interesting question. I’m…

Interesting question. I’m not sure it’s a halo car since it’s more attainable than many on your list, but the Corvette has to be up there. 
 

The new C8 is quite impressive and in my small circle, I’ve come across a few guys who would typically not buy GM product be early adopters/acquirers of the C8. 
 

Given Chevy is basically a SUV/truck brand now, I’m not sure the Corvette drives purchases of other vehicles in the line up, but it certainly has helped keep the Chevy name in the press. 

TL;DR: Expect to pay a…

TL;DR: Expect to pay a premium!

Not exactly on topic, but maybe relevant. 

We’ve been looking at vacation property in Wisconsin within a reasonable drive from Chicago. For anything remotely resembling a second or vacation home, prices have been through the roof. 
 

If a property is priced right, it has multiple full price offers within a day and we are seeing many go for above ask. Two recent examples:

1) a home sold for 22% above ask. They had 8 offers in the first day. We submitted 5% above ask, we offered a best and final and went up to 7%. Clearly we weren’t even close. The final price was 20% higher than any sale price in the history of the development. 

2) a vacant lot in a desirable area was bought in July 2020 and owner was going to build. Buyer realized/learned how busy builders were so put it back on the market and sold last week for 15% more than they paid.

As you stated, many (including me) think WFH will be an option available in a way that didn’t exist before. If we do end up buying, I know I’m participating in a crazy market, but I think the paradigm of how I will work for the balance of my career has changed. This becomes a lifestyle decision as much as a financial one. 

Often times, large…

Often times, large organizations and the people that work within them really struggle to admit a mistake and fix the issue. Stubbornness and pride can be a real impediment to getting things correct. 
 

I take no joy in seeing OSU advance to the championship game, but they certainly deserve it. 
 

For all the things the B1G gets wrong, at least they got this right. 

I played very low level high…

I played very low level high school football and am not a big guy.  I remember different drills where you are randomly matched up for some type of contact.  There were a few guys on my team that I hated going against.  The basic laws of physics predetermined I was going to get my ass kicked and then when you factor in some of them were pure crazy - shudder!  

I wonder what the mentality is of Mason's teammates when they come up against him in a one-on-one drill.  I know these guys are all uber-achievers, but I have to imagine most of the team would prefer to face someone other than Ben.

I think you hit the nail on…

Edit: Supposed to be in reply to the comment about 5-1 with a few games cancelled.

I think you hit the nail on the head.  Trends are bad throughout the B1G footprint.  I live in Chicago, where things are actually going ok, but it feels like the sharks are circling and getting closer.

The ironic part of this is…

The ironic part of this is that the majority of Ontario’s population lives further south Minneapolis. 

If I were Harbaugh, I would…

If I were Harbaugh, I would wait as long as I could without impacting recruiting.  Salaries keep going up and I doubt that will change for top coaches despite all the financial troubles for many athletic departments.

If Harbaugh feels he's secure in his position, and I have to imagine he does, there's no need to lock in 5 years of comp at today's rates when he can wait 1 year and get a few extra bucks in each of those years.

It’s been a few years but my…

It’s been a few years but my most memorable brunch was as the Phoenician in Scottsdale. Everything you could imagine plus an entire dessert room that included made to order individual soufflés. I was there on the company dime, so that made it even tastier!

The tempo used by Ole Miss…

The tempo used by Ole Miss took its toll on Alabama. The Alabama D wasn’t set on a number of plays. Recall a few (10?) years ago when Saban complained about teams using tempo to prevent the D from changing personnel?  Seems as though he may still dislike tempo. 
 

It was almost like Kiffin knew what Saban’s kryptonite was. 

In my son's hockey…

In my son's hockey organization, two brothers on two different teams received false positives for COVID via the rapid tests.  Due to shared ice practices, the ripple effect these positives had throughout the organization was incredibly disruptive to ~50 families lives.  Teams temporarily shut down, kids held out of school and other extra curricular, tournaments/travel canceled, etc.  On top of that, it just created confusion as different groups / schools have different protocols and people were scrambling to try to do the right thing.

I fully appreciate no one got sick and this ultimately ended up as simply an inconvenience, but it demonstrates how inaccurate tests only further disrupt what are already challenging times.

And I’m pretty sure they’re…

And I’m pretty sure they’re cheaper than the next Jordans that are about to drop

(I have no idea if there are new Jordans about to drop, but feels like a safe assumption)