Sunday, April 18, 2010

“Philosophy plays into draft picks - Leaf Chronicle” plus 3 more

“Philosophy plays into draft picks - Leaf Chronicle” plus 3 more

Philosophy plays into draft picks - Leaf Chronicle

Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:32 AM PDT

NASHVILLE — Deciding on what position to tackle with their first round pick might not be the toughest part for the Titans leading up to the NFL draft.

Instead, what could very well be keeping the team's talent evaluators and decision makers up at night is picking between players and a philosophy.

If defensive end is indeed the position they address first, as most draft analysts expect, the Titans are faced with this dilemma: Do they go after a player who's considered more NFL-ready, or do they roll the dice and take one who's considered raw but with enormous potential?

In this draft, it's a position full of players who fit both categories. The Titans are scheduled to pick 16th overall.

"We have three or four players at defensive end that we think are probably worth our pick, and that is a good thing," Titans General Manager Mike Reinfeldt said. " ... There is always some function of readiness or risk vs. top-end potential, and that is why we are having these meetings the past two or three weeks, to really determine what makes the most sense. But I think any time you have a chance to get a special player you better consider it long and hard."

Reinfeldt wouldn't say which players the Titans might be considering, but South Florida's Jason Pierre-Paul has been a popular pick for the team in mock drafts.

The Titans are very intrigued by Pierre-Paul, but he's also considered a risk because of his lack of experience at the collegiate level and questions about his unpolished technique and maturity.

Meanwhile, Georgia Tech's Derrick Morgan, Michigan's Brandon Graham and Southern Cal's Everson Griffen are considered more NFL-ready, while Sergio Kindle of Texas is another impressive player who put much more on film than Pierre-Paul.

Most analysts believe Morgan will be off the board when the Titans pick.

Former NFL scout Russ Lande, now an analyst for The Sporting News, said the 6-foot-4, 270-pound Pierre-Paul has a tremendous upside. Yet while Pierre-Paul was productive in his only college season — 6.5 sacks in seven starts — that's all the big-time experience he had before declaring for the draft. He transferred to South Florida from a community college.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Guilty or not, Goldman’s reputation takes a hit - msnbc.com

Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:56 PM PDT

NEW YORK - While Goldman Sachs contends with the government's civil fraud charges, an equally serious problem looms: a damaged reputation that may cost it clients.

The Securities and Exchange Commission's bombshell civil fraud charge against Goldman has tarnished the Wall Street bank's already bruised image, analysts say. It could also hurt its ability to do business in an industry based largely on trust.

Damage from the case could hit other big banks as well. The SEC charges are expected to help the Obama administration as it seeks to more tightly police lucrative investment banking activities.

Goldman has denied the SEC's allegation that it sold risky mortgage investments without telling buyers that the securities were crafted in part by a billionaire hedge fund manager who was betting on them to fail. A 31-year-old Goldman employee is also accused in the civil suit that was announced Friday.

The charges could result in fines and restitution of more than $700 million, predicted Brad Hintz, an analyst at Sanford Bernstein. Yet, even if Goldman beats the charge, the hit to its reputation could carry a greater cost.

The company, founded in 1869, grew a one-man outfit trading promissory notes in New York to the world's most powerful, most profitable and arguably most envied securities and investment firm. From its 43-story glass-and-steel headquarters in Lower Manhattan, Goldman oversees a financial empire that spans more than 30 countries and includes more than 30,000 employees.

It has long attracted some of the world's best and brightest. Some have gone on to lofty careers in public life, enhancing the firm's aura of mystique and influence. Goldman alumni include former Treasury Secretaries Henry Paulson and Robert Rubin and former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine.

In its corporate profile, the company says its culture distinguishes it from other firms and "helps to make us a magnet for talent." That culture is summed up in the firm's "14 Business Principles," which preach an almost militant philosophy of putting the client before the firm.

Now, that very philosophy that has been questioned by the government.

So far, no Goldman clients have publicly condemned the bank's alleged actions. But the negative publicity and regulatory scrutiny could cause some to distance themselves, said Mark T. Williams, a professor of finance and economics at Boston University.

Goldman earned a record $4.79 billion during the fourth quarter of last year and is expected to report blowout first-quarter results on Tuesday. A big chunk of its profits are from fee-based client businesses, such as investment advising, underwriting securities and brokering billion-dollar mergers.

"Goldman can really only truly be effective in the marketplace if it maintains a strong reputation," Williams said.

Morgan Stanley, the No. 2 U.S. investment bank after Goldman, could be in a position to poach some Goldman clients, which include hedge funds, pension funds and other big institutional investors. Overseas, European rivals such as Deutsche Bank AG and UBS could benefit.

Investors are already betting the legal troubles will hurt Goldman's finances. The company's shares plunged 13 percent after the charges were announced Friday, erasing a staggering $12.5 billion in market value.

"Reputation risk is the biggest issue in our view," Citigroup analyst Keith Horowitz wrote in a note to clients. He predicted the fraud case won't be a "life-threatening issue" but that it "clearly seems like a black eye for Goldman."


Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

H.S. Softball: Bunt and slap ... or let 'em swing? - Newark Advocate

Posted: 18 Apr 2010 11:57 AM PDT

Lakewood softball coach Criss Nadolson will quickly say he has no problem bunting a runner over or using a fast player to try to slap the ball for a base hit.

In the next breath, however, perhaps his true preference peeks out.

"I try to be unpredictable, (but) I think our kids can hit," Nadolson said.

It's an oft-debated topic in softball: Do you slap and bunt your opponent into submission with small-ball tactics or let hitters swing away?

Some use a mix, but some favor one side or the other.

The bunt and slap -- at least in high school -- is much more prevalent and a much bigger weapon in softball than baseball and for obvious reasons on the smaller fields.

"Basically, it's the speed of the game. Coming out of the left side, they've already got a 3-4 step break," Newark Catholic coach Scott Harris said. "If she can put it down anywhere but the pitcher, she's going to get on. Speed is huge."

It's why several teams choose the small-ball route.

Perhaps the biggest local proponent of that style is Licking Valley, where coach Mark Paxton used it en route to a 2009 district title.

Everyone on the team is expected to be proficient at it, no matter the situation or their place in the batting order. When done well, however, it can cause nightmares for the opponents.

"He likes to try to catch teams off-guard, so he does a good job with his kids with that," said Granville coach Susie Harrison, who coached at Sheridan and had Paxton as an assistant coach.

The flip side of that, of course, is a team that tries to batter teams with a relentless swing-away style. Although Lakewood doesn't play exclusively that way -- the top and bottom of the order has featured speed and slapping the last two years -- the two-time defending state champs won't necessarily bunt when the situation calls for it.

Unlike some schools and offensive philosophies, Nadolson used the bunt only when the batter was the right fit for the situation. Middle-of-the-lineup sluggers such as Lindsay Barrett and Alissa Birkhimer never bunted, and the same likely won't be asked of someone such as Caitlin Houk this year. Instead, he'll gamble on the results of what letting them swing away will produce.

That holds especially true for Houk, who already has a number of extra base hits and is batting better than .500.

"Why would I (have them bunt)?" Nadolson said. "As long as the kids are hitting the ball ... but I'm going to do what will best help the team in every situation.

"One time we might bunt; the next we might not."

Nadolson is also quick to point out he's made sure to not get to the point where the opponent knows what's coming. That was a valuable lesson he learned two years ago, designing a lineup that was balanced and mixed with power hitters and slappers.

"In other words, my philosophy is no philosophy. I want to be unpredictable so our opponents don't know what we're going to do," Nadolson said. "We're going to do what best fits our kids."

Harrison uses a mix, but considers herself more of a situational small-ball coach, which would be the more traditional approach.

The Blue Aces will bunt to move runners into scoring position, but they won't rely much on slapping or bunting for base hits.

The lone exception might be leadoff hitter Megan Gaysunas, who stole more than 50 bases for her summer traveling team and has been a thorn in the side of many with her slapping and speed.

"If you're good at it and you're fast, it's hard to defend," Heath coach Holly Myers said. "We talk to them a lot about execution. If you execute it the way it's supposed to be done, you're going to be on base."

That's a major reason why it's become popular in the high school ranks. Putting pressure on defenses can create opportunities, and one or two runs often go a long way in softball.

Harrison has coached for the past 33 years, but small ball hasn't always been popular.

"Slapping's probably really come into play more the last six to seven years, I would say," Harrison said. "That's what it seems like for me."

It's not something that easy to adopt, either.

Myers and Harris focused more this past offseason on making bunting a bigger part of their team's offensive philosophies, but it's a work in progress for two programs trying to build.

Myers has had games in which her team missed five bunting opportunities and another where they got all four down.

Learning the intricate craft appears to be a necessity in softball.

"We tell them they have to be able to bunt," Myers said. "If you're our big power hitter, we may bunt you. You have to be able to execute what we need. Those plays in a lot of games will make a difference."

Like Myers, Harris didn't jump into full small-ball mode this offseason. But he sees the merit of it -- even in a balanced approach -- though he's learned how to adapt it to his improving team.

"We worked a lot in the offseason at playing small ball and moving the runners," Harris said. "We've been unable to have the back-to-back hits, so if we find ourselves in a situation where we possibly have even one out, a lot of times I won't move the runner knowing that will give us two outs.

"If we're at no outs, my philosophy is absolutely to move the runner into scoring position."

Josh Hachat can be reached at (740) 328-8557 or jhachat@newarkadvocate.com.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

14 Norton Drive, South Thomaston, Maine 04858 - VillageSoup Belfast

Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:20 PM PDT

My Client-First Philosophy

There are many qualities and skills that go into being an excellent real estate professional - integrity, in-depth community and market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how I work.

That said, in my experience as a Rockland real estate professional, I've also found that providing the very best service is essentially about putting my clients first. This means keeping myself accessible, being a good listener as well as a good communicator, and responding quickly to your needs.

This "client first" philosophy has always been my approach and it requires me to continually improve my skills and ways of doing business. In addition, I've found that the latest technologies are enabling me to do everything I've always done, only much more quickly and efficiently. They've also helped me to extend the range of services I provide to my clients.

So when you decide that you'd like to buy or sell a home in the Rockland areas, please contact me at 207-596-6433.

 

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
Posted by at

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)