Johns Hopkins 2020

[MDlaxfan76]

I'm not so sure a rebound won't happen.
Will that be enough to renew hope that the next couple of years will show marked improvement?
I dunno, but I DO know that there's a sense that they have two excellent incoming classes.

I think it would depend on how big of a rebound we're talking about. I agree there's a decent chance the team bounces back to some extent, if only through simple mean-reversion -- you're not going to lose by 7 every week.

My take, though, would be this. If you're Hopkins, you went into last offseason with the program having had extremely similar results 3 of the past 4 seasons: 8-6 or 8-7 regular season, back into the NCAAs with a couple high-end wins, lose in the first round (badly). You're not looking at erratic results where you need more time to figure out if the program's coming or going; you're looking at a very stable baseline of performance. And apparently that baseline wasn't enough to get Petro's contract extended at the time. Without having any knowledge of exactly what the standard for retaining the staff beyond 2020 might be, it seems reasonable to assume it involves some nontrivial improvement on last year's result. Otherwise why not just do the extension already?

So if we're talking about a turnaround that includes 10+ wins, or a Big Ten title, or winning an NCAA game, then we're getting into a more interesting conversation. But if we're just talking "Petro confirms ability to do exact same thing he's done 4 years running" + "next two classes look good," then that's nothing Hopkins didn't know in June 2019. And if they didn't extend him then and do extend him now (under that hypothetical), I don't really understand the rationality of that decision.

This is a good take. The most worrisome thing about all this is that the administration let it get to this point without making any decision one way or another. As you said, this is not a case of needing more information to make a decision.

My sense is that hope remained.
What I'm surprised by is that if not the HC, there was also no change in the assistants.

Patience has to be thin.
I doubt the Administration at this point as the sort of expectations about the program as do older alums. No knock on the AD, but her higher ups aren't likely pushing for glory on the lax field in specific as would have been the case a generation ago. And there's no Jerry Schnydman or analog.

But gotta remember that a handful of such alums still have disproportionate sway.
At least one of whom has a grandson inbound. And Petro has sons.
How all this may factor, hard to tell.

It will be interesting.

[DocBarrister]

-the coaching staff and players spent a lot of their offseason/preseason softball interviews-which didn't go to teams that have had better seasons using gauzy terms about improvement/accountability. Pick an interview and show me where we see it every week?
-Epsteins' injury isn't the reason we're in the situation. it's the difference between losing games by big margins and smaller margins not winning games and losing games. Hard to ask a kid who can walk to quit on his 1-3 team with a hated rival 1 in the country coming to campus.
-I'm not buying williams is sick so go easy on him. He was well enough to score goals, he tells the coaches he's well enough to play. Come up with something else.
-with all the talk about our top 100 recruits over the last decade they haven't become top may performers or top college all americans.
-The goalie the sucks again and the coach doesn't have the stones to pull him, the defense sucks and the coach doesn't have the stones to pull them, the coaching sucks and none of it matters, or kids were over recruited and none of it matters. Regardless, it's the same result and it's across the field where underachieving kids are promoted into jobs, fail terribly at them and get to keep them while destroying a season even though there are kids w/similar or better hs credentials sitting on the bench.
-Maybe I'm old school but why do we need different uniform combos every week? Last weeks looked like a 1970s grandma couch.
-Lacrosse media whines constantly that it wants to be taken seriously like a big boy sport. Give me 3,000 words on 2009-2020 hopkins lacrosse suckage and "growth of the game"doesn't count when cuse/twerpu/uva/pete carrill u are top 7. Give me espn announcers critically analyzing a game and calling out players who grab gbs, can't do their jobs.
-Connor Disimone, Forry, Baskin, matt hubler, owen colwell, jared reinson, ryan darby, cole williams they've been the stars of a lot of rival game recaps during their tenures, we don't have anyone better on the bench ready to go?

Oh my! I don't mean to individually criticize you 06 as I understand the frustration of the past 10-12 years, It has been sad to see something that has been so exceptional in all of sports go into such a decline. For what it is worth, here are some random thoughts.

1. Never ever criticize individual Hopkins lacrosse players. They all are playing to win. They don't want to lose. They are putting forth a lot of effort in practice and during games. Honor that effort. I don't know any former players who are not rooting for the players and team to succeed.

2. Lets not say "stupid stuff" like the defense needs to play more aggressively. People must know that the players get a very detailed scouting report on every opponent and every player that they will face. Every week, The Defense and Offense are adjusted for the schemes, strengths, and weaknesses of the team that you will face. One "size" doesn't fit all teams on the schedule.

3. The Coaches are "fair game". They get paid well to prepare the players for each weeks opponent. If the Team looks ill-prepared, it is the Coaches fault -- the buck stops with them. There has been one "constant" the last decade, and it has not been the Players. It is the Coaches. The Coaches should NEVER go on TV and criticize their players or their practice habits.

4. This season just needs to Play Out. JHU recruits itself for lacrosse. Always has. Just needs the skillful and unified combination of good Coaches and Players. It will happen again. Go Blue.

Look, chitown, I know you’re a former player and I respect your opinions, but more aggressive defense is not “stupid stuff.”

Indeed, one person who has advocated a more aggressive Hopkins defense is none other than Dave Pietramala himself, one of a handful of active Division I head coaches with multiple national titles under his belt.

“We were successful in the past playing defense a certain way and our players were a great fit for that style. We could put a lot of schematic stuff on their plates,” he added. “[In recent years] we’ve spent too much time thinking and not reacting. Do I slide or not? Do I rotate or not? We’ve played too slow defensively. We’ve been a step late too often. We’ve got to play faster.”

Look for the Blue Jays to be less passive in their man-to-man and matchup zone alignments and more aggressive in their on-ball defense, from their short-stick defensive midfielders to their close unit. Look for the defense to engage ball carriers and hunt for turnovers more. Look for a more simplified scheme that is open to more individual playmaking.

“Our guys responded to it well in the fall,” Pietramala said. “They realize we can’t be sliding all over the place and thinking so much. We have to play more proactively, more freely.”

https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/college/m ... ns-defense

Unfortunately, Pietramala has been inconsistent about that, seemingly falling back on his old ways after trying something new.

DocBarrister

[wgdsr]

Oh my! I don't mean to individually criticize you 06 as I understand the frustration of the past 10-12 years, It has been sad to see something that has been so exceptional in all of sports go into such a decline. For what it is worth, here are some random thoughts.

1. Never ever criticize individual Hopkins lacrosse players. They all are playing to win. They don't want to lose. They are putting forth a lot of effort in practice and during games. Honor that effort. I don't know any former players who are not rooting for the players and team to succeed.

2. Lets not say "stupid stuff" like the defense needs to play more aggressively. People must know that the players get a very detailed scouting report on every opponent and every player that they will face. Every week, The Defense and Offense are adjusted for the schemes, strengths, and weaknesses of the team that you will face. One "size" doesn't fit all teams on the schedule.

3. The Coaches are "fair game". They get paid well to prepare the players for each weeks opponent. If the Team looks ill-prepared, it is the Coaches fault -- the buck stops with them. There has been one "constant" the last decade, and it has not been the Players. It is the Coaches. The Coaches should NEVER go on TV and criticize their players or their practice habits.

4. This season just needs to Play Out. JHU recruits itself for lacrosse. Always has. Just needs the skillful and unified combination of good Coaches and Players. It will happen again. Go Blue.

Look, chitown, I know you’re a former player and I respect your opinions, but more aggressive defense is not “stupid stuff.”

Indeed, one person who has advocated a more aggressive Hopkins defense is none other than Dave Pietramala himself, one of a handful of active Division I head coaches with multiple national titles under his belt.

“We were successful in the past playing defense a certain way and our players were a great fit for that style. We could put a lot of schematic stuff on their plates,” he added. “[In recent years] we’ve spent too much time thinking and not reacting. Do I slide or not? Do I rotate or not? We’ve played too slow defensively. We’ve been a step late too often. We’ve got to play faster.”

Look for the Blue Jays to be less passive in their man-to-man and matchup zone alignments and more aggressive in their on-ball defense, from their short-stick defensive midfielders to their close unit. Look for the defense to engage ball carriers and hunt for turnovers more. Look for a more simplified scheme that is open to more individual playmaking.

“Our guys responded to it well in the fall,” Pietramala said. “They realize we can’t be sliding all over the place and thinking so much. We have to play more proactively, more freely.”

https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/college/m ... ns-defense

Unfortunately, Pietramala has been inconsistent about that, seemingly falling back on his old ways after trying something new.

DocBarrister

did someone screw up the quotes there? where does pietramala say what they need to do is be more aggressive? did you actually read what he said?
almost as funny as the 'ole doc telling a former blue jay how he's wrong and what needs to be done. lol.

[MDlaxfan76]

Oh my! I don't mean to individually criticize you 06 as I understand the frustration of the past 10-12 years, It has been sad to see something that has been so exceptional in all of sports go into such a decline. For what it is worth, here are some random thoughts.

1. Never ever criticize individual Hopkins lacrosse players. They all are playing to win. They don't want to lose. They are putting forth a lot of effort in practice and during games. Honor that effort. I don't know any former players who are not rooting for the players and team to succeed.

2. Lets not say "stupid stuff" like the defense needs to play more aggressively. People must know that the players get a very detailed scouting report on every opponent and every player that they will face. Every week, The Defense and Offense are adjusted for the schemes, strengths, and weaknesses of the team that you will face. One "size" doesn't fit all teams on the schedule.

3. The Coaches are "fair game". They get paid well to prepare the players for each weeks opponent. If the Team looks ill-prepared, it is the Coaches fault -- the buck stops with them. There has been one "constant" the last decade, and it has not been the Players. It is the Coaches. The Coaches should NEVER go on TV and criticize their players or their practice habits.

4. This season just needs to Play Out. JHU recruits itself for lacrosse. Always has. Just needs the skillful and unified combination of good Coaches and Players. It will happen again. Go Blue.

Look, chitown, I know you’re a former player and I respect your opinions, but more aggressive defense is not “stupid stuff.”

Indeed, one person who has advocated a more aggressive Hopkins defense is none other than Dave Pietramala himself, one of a handful of active Division I head coaches with multiple national titles under his belt.

“We were successful in the past playing defense a certain way and our players were a great fit for that style. We could put a lot of schematic stuff on their plates,” he added. “[In recent years] we’ve spent too much time thinking and not reacting. Do I slide or not? Do I rotate or not? We’ve played too slow defensively. We’ve been a step late too often. We’ve got to play faster.”

Look for the Blue Jays to be less passive in their man-to-man and matchup zone alignments and more aggressive in their on-ball defense, from their short-stick defensive midfielders to their close unit. Look for the defense to engage ball carriers and hunt for turnovers more. Look for a more simplified scheme that is open to more individual playmaking.

“Our guys responded to it well in the fall,” Pietramala said. “They realize we can’t be sliding all over the place and thinking so much. We have to play more proactively, more freely.”

https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/college/m ... ns-defense

Unfortunately, Pietramala has been inconsistent about that, seemingly falling back on his old ways after trying something new.

DocBarrister

did someone screw up the quotes there? where does pietramala say what they need to do is be more aggressive? did you actually read what he said?
almost as funny as the 'ole doc telling a former blue jay how he's wrong and what needs to be done. lol.

Maybe you missed this wgdsr?

[viper]

Seems naive to think that Gray leaving had absolutely nothing to do with him dropping triple digit points and not even sniffing the playoffs. List of schools was John's Hopkins, UNC, Cornell, Yale, Cuse (not sure he was interested but they certainly were), and Duke. Funny how he was only looking at high level teams loaded with talent and playoff potential. Never heard any rumors about Dartmouth or Brown.

Just out of curiosity does anyone know if he was on the radar of any of those schools out of HS (and vice versa)? I can see a situation where he didn't come into his own until college and thus used that to propel him to a National Championship contender. Having said that if those choices were already his out of HS then there is probably more to that picture than we are seeing.

https://laxweekly.com/chris-gray-2017/

Thanks for the reference, great article in particular

"Following his breakout season and top 10 ranking, several big-time D1 schools came calling. In a culture where lacrosse players are constantly decommitting from their previous schools to commit to another program, Gray has maintained his commitment to Boston University. “I developed a close relationship with coach Polley and the whole coaching staff. Between them coming out for my football and lacrosse games and calling to check in on me, I’ve always felt close to the staff and the school. I knew immediately when I got on campus that this is where I wanted to be.”

Have to give him credit for his orginal commitment to BU. For a Hopkins fan it's just too bad it didn't work out for more than a year.

[Chitown]

There is a difference between playing smart Team Defense with a lot of energy and intensity -- and playing with "aggressiveness"..

Good Hopkins Defenses have played Team Defense, talk to each other, back each other up, do smart slides and play with intensity, based on a thorough scouting report of the week's opponent. Based on my experience. the players walk through the defense, then run through the defense, again and again and again.

If the defense look unsure, hesitant, does poor slides, and gets out of position, that means to me that there has been a failure in instruction and at practice. Good coaches are good teachers.

I would think that at this time Coach Pietramala's credibility is suspect. I am surprised that you rely on his statements.

[wgdsr]

2. Lets not say "stupid stuff" like the defense needs to play more aggressively. People must know that the players get a very detailed scouting report on every opponent and every player that they will face. Every week, The Defense and Offense are adjusted for the schemes, strengths, and weaknesses of the team that you will face. One "size" doesn't fit all teams on the schedule.

Look, chitown, I know you’re a former player and I respect your opinions, but more aggressive defense is not “stupid stuff.”

Indeed, one person who has advocated a more aggressive Hopkins defense is none other than Dave Pietramala himself, one of a handful of active Division I head coaches with multiple national titles under his belt.

“We were successful in the past playing defense a certain way and our players were a great fit for that style. We could put a lot of schematic stuff on their plates,” he added. “[In recent years] we’ve spent too much time thinking and not reacting. Do I slide or not? Do I rotate or not? We’ve played too slow defensively. We’ve been a step late too often. We’ve got to play faster.”

Look for the Blue Jays to be less passive in their man-to-man and matchup zone alignments and more aggressive in their on-ball defense, from their short-stick defensive midfielders to their close unit. Look for the defense to engage ball carriers and hunt for turnovers more. Look for a more simplified scheme that is open to more individual playmaking.

“Our guys responded to it well in the fall,” Pietramala said. “They realize we can’t be sliding all over the place and thinking so much. We have to play more proactively, more freely.”

https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/college/m ... ns-defense

Unfortunately, Pietramala has been inconsistent about that, seemingly falling back on his old ways after trying something new.

DocBarrister

did someone screw up the quotes there? where does pietramala say what they need to do is be more aggressive? did you actually read what he said?
almost as funny as the 'ole doc telling a former blue jay how he's wrong and what needs to be done. lol.

Maybe you missed this wgdsr?

nah. dp did not write the article. someone named gary lambrecht did. he quotes him when he quotes him, and that's not a quote. (i'll also note their ctos fell that year, but i digress.
put simply -- petro -- in 2018 -- states they need to simplify things to try to get guys playing more on instinct. as too much caused them to play slow making the call on what to do (or having 4-5 guys have to make the call, following the "rules").

[Mr. F]

Any speculation on possible would-be replacements for Petro?

My guess is that the Athletic Department would try to focus the search first on Alums (of which there are many). The loyalty factor might allow them to negotiate a lower salary. I'd predict the favorite would be Seth Tiereny of Hofstra. He has recent history with the program, leading Hop to a title in 2005 as an assistant. He also has done a really good job at Hofstra making due with what little talent he has. If memory serves me right, they were ranked as high as #2 in 2017. Some on this board have called for Scott Marr. I think he'd be a good fit, but it would be hard to pry him away from a program that, while successful, has lower expectations and pressure associated with it. It's a good gig for him, he has the resources there to be successful, so I don't picture him leaving.

[steel_hop]

My sense is that hope remained.
What I'm surprised by is that if not the HC, there was also no change in the assistants.

Patience has to be thin.
I doubt the Administration at this point as the sort of expectations about the program as do older alums. No knock on the AD, but her higher ups aren't likely pushing for glory on the lax field in specific as would have been the case a generation ago. And there's no Jerry Schnydman or analog.

But gotta remember that a handful of such alums still have disproportionate sway.
At least one of whom has a grandson inbound. And Petro has sons.
How all this may factor, hard to tell.

It will be interesting.

I have no idea on the second half of your quote but the lack of an extension at any point in the last year or so is likely indicative of at least awareness that not everything is right.

As for your assistant point. That is one issue that should have been raised a long time ago. When the wheels started coming off a decade ago there should have been a push to make changes beyond the puffery that goes on. There definitely should have been changes made in the last 2-3 years.

[MDlaxfan76]

There is a difference between playing smart Team Defense with a lot of energy and intensity -- and playing with "aggressiveness"..

Good Hopkins Defenses have played Team Defense, talk to each other, back each other up, do smart slides and play with intensity, based on a thorough scouting report of the week's opponent. Based on my experience. the players walk through the defense, then run through the defense, again and again and again.

If the defense look unsure, hesitant, does poor slides, and gets out of position, that means to me that there has been a failure in instruction and at practice. Good coaches are good teachers.

I would think that at this time Coach Pietramala's credibility is suspect. I am surprised that you rely on his statements.

Don't think Doc would "rely" on Petro's statements other than to illustrate his point that he's not been the only one suggesting more "aggressive" defense.

Not to be dismissed as "dumb" would be the only point.

You are of course correct about smart team defense with a lot of energy and intensity. That said, within that concept, some teams give the green light to their best on ball defenders to take more risks and push their opposing player heavily, and encourage other guys to fill for them if beaten. They encourage their best players to take risks, both on offense and defense.

Other coaches muzzle those players, criticize the misses instead of celebrating the successes. It's a natural phenomenon for coaches to want to control their guys, rather than let the athletes play.

It's both a personnel issue and a coaching philosophy issue.

My pop use to tell me he'd rather see me make a mistake of commission rather than omission.

It was important to me in my athletic development as well as personal development.

[MDlaxfan76]

2. Lets not say "stupid stuff" like the defense needs to play more aggressively. People must know that the players get a very detailed scouting report on every opponent and every player that they will face. Every week, The Defense and Offense are adjusted for the schemes, strengths, and weaknesses of the team that you will face. One "size" doesn't fit all teams on the schedule.

Look, chitown, I know you’re a former player and I respect your opinions, but more aggressive defense is not “stupid stuff.”

Indeed, one person who has advocated a more aggressive Hopkins defense is none other than Dave Pietramala himself, one of a handful of active Division I head coaches with multiple national titles under his belt.

“We were successful in the past playing defense a certain way and our players were a great fit for that style. We could put a lot of schematic stuff on their plates,” he added. “[In recent years] we’ve spent too much time thinking and not reacting. Do I slide or not? Do I rotate or not? We’ve played too slow defensively. We’ve been a step late too often. We’ve got to play faster.”

Look for the Blue Jays to be less passive in their man-to-man and matchup zone alignments and more aggressive in their on-ball defense, from their short-stick defensive midfielders to their close unit. Look for the defense to engage ball carriers and hunt for turnovers more. Look for a more simplified scheme that is open to more individual playmaking.

“Our guys responded to it well in the fall,” Pietramala said. “They realize we can’t be sliding all over the place and thinking so much. We have to play more proactively, more freely.”

https://www.uslaxmagazine.com/college/m ... ns-defense

Unfortunately, Pietramala has been inconsistent about that, seemingly falling back on his old ways after trying something new.

DocBarrister

did someone screw up the quotes there? where does pietramala say what they need to do is be more aggressive? did you actually read what he said?
almost as funny as the 'ole doc telling a former blue jay how he's wrong and what needs to be done. lol.

Maybe you missed this wgdsr?

nah. dp did not write the article. someone named gary lambrecht did. he quotes him when he quotes him, and that's not a quote. (i'll also note their ctos fell that year, but i digress.
put simply -- petro -- in 2018 -- states they need to simplify things to try to get guys playing more on instinct. as too much caused them to play slow making the call on what to do (or having 4-5 guys have to make the call, following the "rules").

good catch.
I read Petro as saying faster and more instinctively; like the author that reads to me as more aggressively.

[MDlaxfan76]

My sense is that hope remained.
What I'm surprised by is that if not the HC, there was also no change in the assistants.

Patience has to be thin.
I doubt the Administration at this point as the sort of expectations about the program as do older alums. No knock on the AD, but her higher ups aren't likely pushing for glory on the lax field in specific as would have been the case a generation ago. And there's no Jerry Schnydman or analog.

But gotta remember that a handful of such alums still have disproportionate sway.
At least one of whom has a grandson inbound. And Petro has sons.
How all this may factor, hard to tell.

It will be interesting.

I have no idea on the second half of your quote but the lack of an extension at any point in the last year or so is likely indicative of at least awareness that not everything is right.

As for your assistant point. That is one issue that should have been raised a long time ago. When the wheels started coming off a decade ago there should have been a push to make changes beyond the puffery that goes on. There definitely should have been changes made in the last 2-3 years.

I think both of your points are correct.

[MDlaxfan76]

Any speculation on possible would-be replacements for Petro?

My guess is that the Athletic Department would try to focus the search first on Alums (of which there are many). The loyalty factor might allow them to negotiate a lower salary. I'd predict the favorite would be Seth Tiereny of Hofstra. He has recent history with the program, leading Hop to a title in 2005 as an assistant. He also has done a really good job at Hofstra making due with what little talent he has. If memory serves me right, they were ranked as high as #2 in 2017. Some on this board have called for Scott Marr. I think he'd be a good fit, but it would be hard to pry him away from a program that, while successful, has lower expectations and pressure associated with it. It's a good gig for him, he has the resources there to be successful, so I don't picture him leaving.

two first time posts...by different first time posters?

New aliases?

[Mightyjoe]

Keep Petro. Hire new offense and Defense coordinators

[Peter Brown]

There is a difference between playing smart Team Defense with a lot of energy and intensity -- and playing with "aggressiveness"..

Good Hopkins Defenses have played Team Defense, talk to each other, back each other up, do smart slides and play with intensity, based on a thorough scouting report of the week's opponent. Based on my experience. the players walk through the defense, then run through the defense, again and again and again.

If the defense look unsure, hesitant, does poor slides, and gets out of position, that means to me that there has been a failure in instruction and at practice. Good coaches are good teachers.

I would think that at this time Coach Pietramala's credibility is suspect. I am surprised that you rely on his statements.

+1

[Peter Brown]

Any speculation on possible would-be replacements for Petro?

My guess is that the Athletic Department would try to focus the search first on Alums (of which there are many). The loyalty factor might allow them to negotiate a lower salary. I'd predict the favorite would be Seth Tiereny of Hofstra. He has recent history with the program, leading Hop to a title in 2005 as an assistant. He also has done a really good job at Hofstra making due with what little talent he has. If memory serves me right, they were ranked as high as #2 in 2017. Some on this board have called for Scott Marr. I think he'd be a good fit, but it would be hard to pry him away from a program that, while successful, has lower expectations and pressure associated with it. It's a good gig for him, he has the resources there to be successful, so I don't picture him leaving.

Tierney would be fabulous.

[Peter Brown]

Seems naive to think that Gray leaving had absolutely nothing to do with him dropping triple digit points and not even sniffing the playoffs. List of schools was John's Hopkins, UNC, Cornell, Yale, Cuse (not sure he was interested but they certainly were), and Duke. Funny how he was only looking at high level teams loaded with talent and playoff potential. Never heard any rumors about Dartmouth or Brown.

Why was he looking at Hopkins?




(for those unaware of what a joke is: a thing that someone says to cause amusement or laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline, like the above! For example....oh forget it, let WOMBAT post cat memes)

[nyjay]

The keep Petro, get new coordinators idea isn't a bad one. Let Dave be the CEO and get some younger guys with new ideas. But if that was going to happen, should have happened years ago. Pretty sure Dave has zero interest in such a situation, given his desire for control of every aspect of the program.

[nyjay]

Without even dumping on Petro, there just comes a time when a change is needed. The Eagles were 100% correct in firing Andy Reid in 2012. Doesn't mean he wasn't or isn't a good coach (see the Super Bowl), but it was absolutely the right move in 2012. We're at that point with Hop now. It just can't go on like this anymore. There has to be a change.

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

Any speculation on possible would-be replacements for Petro?

My guess is that the Athletic Department would try to focus the search first on Alums (of which there are many). The loyalty factor might allow them to negotiate a lower salary. I'd predict the favorite would be Seth Tiereny of Hofstra. He has recent history with the program, leading Hop to a title in 2005 as an assistant. He also has done a really good job at Hofstra making due with what little talent he has. If memory serves me right, they were ranked as high as #2 in 2017. Some on this board have called for Scott Marr. I think he'd be a good fit, but it would be hard to pry him away from a program that, while successful, has lower expectations and pressure associated with it. It's a good gig for him, he has the resources there to be successful, so I don't picture him leaving.

two first time posts...by different first time posters?

New aliases?

What’s the F stand for?