UA Razorbacks (Men) versus Catalona Elite (Barcelona) Basketball Box Score

 

The Razorbacks faced tougher competition and had fewer loose whistles in the second game of their Foreign road trip.

Starting five:  Nick Smith, Davonte Davis, Jalen Graham, Jordan Walsh and Makhel Mitchell

The Razorbacks trailed after the first Quarter and much of the 2nd before taking a 6 point lead into half time.

Second half Starters were: Trevon Brazile, Nick Smith, Davonte Davis, Jordan Walsh and Kamani Johnson.

Third Quarter was sloppy but the Razorbacks built a lead as Catalona couldn't score.  Catalona closed the gap toward the end of the 3rd Quarter.  

The Razorbacks played fewer people in today's game with Derrian Ford seeing action only at the very end briefly and Joseph Pinion not playing.  Eight Players played most of the minutes.  Kamani Made all 6 of his free throw attempts in a game that was a lot more physical than game 1.

UA Razorbacks vs Valencia Select on August 9, 2022 Box Score

Arkansas Razorbacks 107  Valencia Seleccion 59 

I checked online for a box score from the game on Tuesday - the first game showcasing the talent of this years Arkansas Razorbacks and was slightly disappointed to only find 1 hidden behind a paywall.  I can't verify that one because I wouldn't subscribe to see it.

So for Razorback fans and others who want to know, here is MY Box Score from that game.  I watched the game 3 times - once live where I didn't worry about the stats and twice again to try and capture the stats.  

One thing I did not was that the final score is wrong.  For some unknown reason 1 point was added to the UA score with 1:02 left in the 2nd quarter.  The Razorbacks had last scored to make the game 53-25.  Valencia scored 4 points to make the score 53-29 and had the ball when suddenly the score flipped by 1 point and it was now 54-29.  The UA had only 1 FT in that 1st half and it was already included in the score.  No idea where that phantom 1 came from other than just a mistake by the score table.

Anyway, this is my final Box Score from that game.

There were a LOT of iffy fouls called by the 2 person crew against the Razorbacks.  That resulted in Trevon Brazile sitting the entire 2nd quarter.  MY foul totals may not be correctly attributed since it was very difficult (I'd say impossible) to know which player the officials gave the foul to when there were multiple players in the area.  Once example would be where 13 Jordan Walsh was the only player close to the Valencia player but the officials seem to show 2 0 which would be Kamani Johnson who was not close to the action.  

Anyway of the 16 fouls called on the Razorbacks in the 1st half, I had 8 of them as phantom or questionable calls.  It doesn't matter.  It allowed the players to deal with that adversity which will happen in the real season also.

You had I think 10 players score in the first quarter.  The Razorbacks substituted freely and played a lot of different combinations.  They should have a LOT of good video to review and use teaching.  The only player to play and not score was Joseph Pinion who attempted only 2 shots - a 3 that went off the front rim and a driving 2 from maybe 6 feet that also went off the rim.  He had a third shot possible on a 2 on 1 fast break but went with a behind the back bounce pass to Jalen Graham for a big jam by Graham.

Overall?  The Razorbacks shot 68% from 2 with I think someone said 17 dunks.  Three Point shooting was off but remember they are shooting the FIBA ball.   They were 4 of 8 in the first half from 3 but only 1 of 8 in the 2nd half.  2 of the missed shots were "heaves" at the buzzer - one by Nick Smith and one by Devo Davis so 5 of 14 excluding the 2 heaves.

Defensively there were a lot of reaching fouls called.  That is one area for improvement.  Watching the video you would say many of those reaching fouls were not in fact fouls but they were called so be more disciplined and don't reach as much.  You also had a number of iffy calls coming off of players going around screens set by the Valencia team.  Minimum contact but the officials called fouls.  It seemed as though moving screens were allowed.  Makhel Mitchell had an offensive foul called on him that even with multiple replays I couldn't find.  

Anyway, I will try to do a Box Score for each game, and I now have a form created to show shot attempts and made as well as points.

Arkansas versus Barcelona will be this afternoon, and I'll try to do a Stat sheet by late tonight.

It's going to be an exciting team ..... it already is.

It's a bit chili today

 It's a bit chili today (pun intended).

Some fresh Carolina Reapers and Red Ghost to dry;

40+ dried Carolina Reapers ground with seeds;

Brasilian Malaguetas used to make a new bottle of pepper sauce (not shown).  But 

These are some of my existing Southern Pepper Sauce of various spice levels.  Just combine chiles / chilies / chillis (Spelled a variety of ways) with 5% vinegar and a little salt in a glass bottle.  If you want it spicier, cook the chiles in a little oil before adding the vinegar.  Puncture each chile before cooking it or it will "explode".  

Drying other varieties chile today

using a commercial grade dehydrator.

Word of caution:  Chiles are misnamed.  Don't wear contacts nor touch your eyes when working with these super hot chiles; there's nothing chilly about them except the name.

Educate yourself - informed decisions not political decisions

 Should you get one of the plethora of Covid19 vaccines?

I am neither provax nor antivax.  I am 100% personal decisions based on unbiased information.

The problem?  Finding unbiased information.

The censoring of "non" sanctioned views is alarming.  Opposing views are being cancelled.  And they are being cancelled in the land of freedom - the USA.

Social Media has joined with Main Stream media to push narratives instead of factual information.

How many people now believe that wearing a mask will protect them against getting Covid19?  A lot.  Is it true based on the science?  No.  The covid19 virus is very tiny.  So tiny that it will pass through the masks the average person wears including the higher rated N95.  

Wearing a mask MAY reduce the spread of the virus IF the person wearing it has Covid 19.  May.  The truth is the science on it, last I checked, is not clear.  Some reports say it increases the spread especially if the person wearing it doesn't properly put it on, take it off or touches and moves it while wearing it - which almost everyone does.

What about the Vaccines?  Will they prevent a person from getting covid19?  Again, the science now appears to be no.  The vaccines were sold as a prevent you from getting sick but if you now check the message they have switched to "prevent you from getting as sick".  

Then why are children who seldom get sick being targeted?  What is the science?  The true science.

Recently you had 6 players on the New York Yankees baseball team get sick with covid19.  All 6 were fully vaccinated.  Yet the US government has been claiming the vaccines are 96% effective at preventing sickness.  You do the math.  MLB rosters are at 40?  Almost all the players are vaccinated?  6 out of 40 get sick at one time?  

Then there is the report from Israel that the vaccines are showing about 40% not getting sick and that it seems the longer time that passes since getting a vaccine the more likely it won't protect you.

How much protection does a person have if they had covid and recovered?  The same as a vaccinated person?  More?  Less?  what is the science.  So far we mostly have hype.

What % of the US population has antibodies against covid19 from having had covid19?  Has anyone done testing?  why not?  Wouldn't it be good science to know if the person has existing immunity before giving them a vaccination?

What percentage of people getting sick now with covid19 are vaccinated?  What percentage are recovered covid19 patients?  What percentage have never been sick nor vaccinated?

Why don't we know?

Why isn't the US government agencies collecting this data?

What is the long term health impacts of getting each vaccine?  Do we know? (the answer is obviously no).

The truth is the vaccines were approved for "Emergency Use".  That means the decision to get it / give it should be a risk-based decision and that should be made NOT by the government or the pharmaceutical companies or the media (Facebook and twitter included) nor should vaccinations be mandated by any employer.  The truth is the safety of these vaccines are unknown especially for down the road.

Is the person at high risk of getting a serious covid19 case or dying if left unvaccinated?  If so, that person should probably get the vaccine especially if the long term health is not a big issue (if you're 80 tyou probably shouldn't be overly concerned if it will cause birth defects or cancer etc in 10 years).  On the other hand, should you be giving it to a 5 year old who has almost 0% chance of serious risk if left unvaccinated.

My next post will include a personal anecdote from a lady who took tthe vaccine and now regrets it.

Get educated.  Demand that your government provide data not mandates.  Each person should be allowed to decide for their own personal self whether to get a vaccine or not.

Informed decisions.  Decisions made freely without duress or coercion.  

Fake News Left and Right

 Fake News from the Left and the Right

Today's Global and Digital world has created a new problem - fake news.  It exists everywhere.

David Baldacci wrote a fictional, action novel The Whole Truth in which he described a character whose job was PM which stands for perception management.  In his end note he discusses how this is a very real situation today.  Perception management is a type of fake news, maybe the most serious form.  It is intended to create the information you then believe is real.  They control you through the information they present and how they present it.  Read Baldacci's Novel - it is enlightening on perception management.

We have seen the US Media and indeed the world media operate this way. They no longer report the Facts.  Now they report the information as they want you to believe it.  Truth is now irrelevant.

Facebook today "fact checks" any information that they consider to be damaging to the political narrative they support.  I have never seen any "fact check" on information presented by the left on Facebook although it is false or misleading.  The entire impeach Trump was based on perception management rather than fact.  Both impeachments.  There was no real facts to support either.  Yet the US and World News presented the false information as though it was fact.  Perception management.  

Because mainstream media no longer practices "objectivity" and fairness in their reporting, the public no longer trusts the main stream media.  The US Media today is like the media was in the former USSR and in jurisdictions like China today.  The public knows the news isn't the real news.  Or at least the intelligent, nongullible do.  The only difference today between the Media in China and the Media in the US is who is controlling the perception.  In China, it is the CCP.  In the US?  It is the ownership or management of the media.  This you have CNN directing it's reporters to slant the news anti-Trump and Pro-Biden.  The media ignores Hunter Biden and buries the story pre-election because of their anti-Trump bias.

Other Media outlets, but fewer, have a Right leaning.  This used to include Fox News but today Fox has largely joined the left.  The Conservative voices have fewer outlets.  They are in fact censored by the left which Twitter banning accounts that are Conservative, Facebook posting Fcat Checking notices on anything anti-Left, Amazon cancelling Parlers web hosting, etc

And this false news via perception management has now led to people hearing and believing as "true" information being sent out via podcast and video from "independent" news.  Unfortunately these sites prey on misinformation and perception management also.  This is a direct result of people knowing the mainstream media has failed.  Mainstream media are puppets rather than independent, objective journalists.  They parrot the information and view fed to them from above.  No critical thinking permitted.

Thus you have people convinced that the military is in control of the US Government today, others believe that the US Government is a corporation created and controlled by the Vatican or other foreign entities; you have people claiming there is a new world money and that the US currency is going to be replaced by it; people claiming that Trump has orchestrated everything to show the evils of the world and Trump is really still President and soon will be restored publicly to Office.  Reality is thrown aside in favor of fake perceptions.

It is almost impossible today to shift fact from fiction.  Photos and videos are easily manipulated to show what the person editing them want you to think.  Facts that are NOT facts flow quickly across the worldwide web and are gobbled down as truth.

Fake News, left and right.  

My new blogs

 I have created 3 new blogs:

One is to share photos and along with the photos some background about the photo or photos.  You can think of it as a photo, travel, culture and food blog.

https://timnewphotos.blogspot.com/

A second is about books and reading.  It will let me connect with readers out there in the world I hope.

https://timnew-books.blogspot.com/

and the Third is all about English learning

https://new-world-esl.blogspot.com/

Feel free to share the blog links with anyone you think will be interested.  I still need to decide about my first blog for ESL. 

Hospitals fail or economy fail? You choose.

The CoronaVirus / aka Covid19 Catch-22

You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

This is a long post because the issues are not simple.

The coronavirus has created an impossible situation for governments around the world.  They must choose between health care and the economy.  It is impossible to have both at the same time.

It doesn’t matter if you have universal healthcare or private healthcare.  The issue isn’t how healthcare is financed.  China has government healthcare.  Italy has universal healthcare.  The coronavirus overwhelmed both.

Here is the problem in a nutshell.  The virus spreads very quickly.  With an R0 of between 2 and 3, it “explodes” quickly.  See the comparison chart.

About 20% of the people who get sick must be hospitalized and provided acute care - think ICU.  These patients currently average about 21 days from entry to exit.  That is 21 days that hospital bed cannot be used for any other purpose.   No country has sufficient hospital beds available IF too many cases happen at the same time.

The only way to lower the number of patients needing these ICU beds is to lower the number of patients, especially those who are at higher risk - elderly and those with preexisting conditions like diabetics.

The only way to lower the number is to keep people separated.  The virus needs a new person to infect to be able to spread.  Without a new victim, it will die. 

 If it was possible to place each person in the USA in a separate room for 15 days, the virus would probably be history.  The sick people would either die or recover, but there would be no new cases to continue the spread.

But that isn’t feasible.

So we instead focus on trying to separate the known sick people from those who appear to be healthy.

The problems are (1) without testing, we cannot know who all are infected.  A person can be infected without having any symptoms.  Some show symptoms between 2 and 14 days of being sick.  However it seems some may never show symptoms.  And (2), We don’t have the ability today to test every citizen.

This is a new virus.  No person has any natural immunity.  To gain immunity, you must either first get sick and recover OR have a vaccination.  There is no vaccine yet so option two isn’t an option.

Scientists say the virus will continue to spread until at least 60% of the population have immunity.  At that time the virus will have trouble finding new hosts and may die or may become a seasonal illness like the flu is today.  

In order to reach that point and NOT have the hospitals overwhelmed, it is necessary to slow the spread - we can’t stop it - so the number of sick at any point in time is within the hospital’s ability to provide good, quality care.  We must lower the peak.

That is why social (physical) distancing is required.

So to have good healthcare we need to shutdown the economy.

If people are distancing themselves sufficiently to prevent the spread from overwhelming the hospitals, people are not able to work.  That means businesses and the economy fail.

To have a healthy economy, you must have people working.  If people are working, people aren’t keeping an adequate distance so too many get severely ill and the hospitals fail

Hospitals fail or economy fail?  You choose.

So it becomes a balancing act.  Enough social distancing to limit the spread so those who get sick can get proper medical treatment but enough time working to keep businesses and the economy afloat.

The study in the UK suggests that to defeat the virus initially would require a very long period of shutdown.  I think they say at least 5 months.

Obviously economies won’t survive 5 months of shutdown.

So the idea is to probably have alternating periods of work / closure.  For periods of time, societies will isolate and shutdown activities to slow the virus followed by periods of back to work during which cases will again increase.  They talk about waves of infection and spread followed by shutdown.  Alternating health / economy.

This would continue until the population develops enough immunity that hospitals are no longer threatened during the peak.  That will require either a vaccine being developed and deployed OR 60% of the population getting sick and recovering.

So when President Trump says the government will revisit the current social distancing  / business shutdowns in 15 days, this is what he is talking about.  

Following is now my view (not scientific studies):

China shut down Hubei from January 23 until now (Wuhan is still mostly shutdown).  The rest of the country for 30 days.  BUT China had a single known source to focus on containing.  Other countries are not in that position.

Initially the US could focus on limiting the virus from entering the country from China.  That worked so long as the virus was contained to China.  Then it spread to Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.  These countries detected the virus early so it was still possible to prevent th entry into the US by monitoring and controlling who entered the country.

BUT then Italy and Iran.  The virus entered those countries undetected and spread.  By the time the world knew those countries had a problem, it had already spread beyond those countries.  No possibility of tracing contacts.  People had it who didn’t know they had it who transferred it to others who ….

Now it was in the USA and other countries in multiple locations, spreading undetected.

That is the world as it exists today.  Countries can’t focus on closing 1 area as China could.

Back to the science:

Since we can’t afford to shutdown for months, at some time the governments must allow the virus to start spreading again by letting people return to work.  This will be a second wave.  However, during the second wave, a portion of the population will now have immunity from being sick during the first wave.  This means some will not be able to get sick nor transmit the virus so the rate of spread should be slower than in the first wave. (NOTE:  This should be reversed in China since 90% of first wave was in Hubei; the rest of China will have a higher rate).  Also it means some may be able to keep working since they won’t be at risk.

How long will immunity from being sick and recovering last?  Scientists don’t know.  We only have about 3 months of data.

 Hospitals fail or economy fail?  It’s going to be a balancing act.

PS:  We can hope that the virus is influenced by Summer but we can’t depend on it.  Even if it is, that just gives the Northern Hemisphere a longer breather since it means the Southern Hemisphere would be hit harder during that time and in the autumn it would hit the US again probably. 

During the lulls, hopefully science will find medicines that help the ill recover faster, hospitals can expand ICU capacity, medical equipment can be manufactures, and vaccines can be discovered.

Buy Time

The scientific study is located here:  

 https://doi.org/10.25561/77482   but others have issues similar opinions.  If you want recommendations on scientists / doctors to follow on Twitter, let me know.