Building a second story addition can beavery rewarding but alsoextremely challenging experience. How do I know? I have actively participated in the process of our own full second story addition. I worked on virtually every aspect of our project from the initial planning stages to the very end. I designed it, worked full-time on the crew and lived in itwhile it was being constructed.

I am sure there are several strategies of how to go about buildinga second story addition, but this is the story of how we did it. While describing everything, I will try my best to keepit brief yet informative. If you are considering this type of addition, you may pick up some tips and guidelines for what to do and what not to do. I know that I learned a lot about how to do a second story additionfrom others online before we began ours, so I hope this experience will helpothers with their project.

We started with a 2 bedroom 1 bath home on a basement that was about 90+ years old. We wanted to upgrade it to a 5 bedroom 3 bath home. We took one of the main level bedrooms and convertedthat into the new staircase area which also had room left over for a small office. Fortunately for us the house was built very strong and has been well maintained over the years which made this project possible.

Before you begin, it is important to understand if your existing home is even capable of supportinga second story addition. Along with speaking tocontractors about whether or not they think it is structurally possible, you may want or needto consult a structural engineer or architect in your area to determine if it isadvisable or not. Often the municipality in whichyou live will require an engineer or architectsstamp of approval on the projectanyway in order to obtain a permit. These professionals will be able to tell you whether or notyour current foundation can support the extra load as well as what improvements may need to be made such as installing extra supports, beams or other considerations in either the foundation area, the main level or both. They will probably also consider the spacing and material type of the existing wall framing as well as existing window and door header beams.

In our case, we underestimated how much it would cost. It ended up being around $80 per square feet to add up which is veryreasonable to me. That is with me working on the crewmyself full time and receiving no pay to do so. Therefore, if a homeowner had to hire that extra crew member to build it, it could add substantially more onto the project. Depending on where you live, I would suppose it could easily go to $100 per square foot or moreif everything was done for you by a contractor in a top notch fashion.

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I have experience and education in design so itwas fun for me to design the plans, the interior layout and the exterior. However, I realize that most people may not be able to do that or even want to. In that case, hiring an architect to design the project for you or to consult may cost you extra money but may be well-worth it in the long run. As far as design goes, my overall goal was to make the new addition match the architectural style of the existing part of the house and make it appear as ifhad always been there. One unique feature we utilized to help tie it all together was to create a faux roof overhang in the front, back and sides that helpedto replicate the look of the second story being a full-length shed dormer.Also, consider the fact that not only will you be designing the new addition layout but also most likely the first level will change due to the need to install a staircase. We chose to build a U-shaped staircase which turned out really well. In our case, to build the staircase, we also had to remove a load bearing wall. Therefore,prior to the second floor construction, we made sure that we had an adequate beam in place to carry the load of the second story where we took out the load bearing wall on the first floor. We used two LVL beams fastened together which worked very well. There are charts available to determine how many and what size of LVLbeams you will need in order to span certain distances.

We solicited a few bids from contractors in each of the specialties that we needed. In our case we needed to work with the main carpenter builder who helped do the structural upgrades in the basement and main level, the demolition and the framing and new construction. We also worked with an electrician, plumber and heating and air conditioning contractor. One special consideration is that the electrical hook-up to your house will most likely need to be temporarily relocated. The electrician and power companyinstalled ours on a telephone pole near the house so that we could work more safely. I coordinated all of these contractors so in a way, we acted as the general contractor which saved us even more money.

One thing to factor in is how much extra time it takes to do everything on a second level. Almost all of your removal, labor and new materials will be at leastten feet or more off of the ground which involves considerably more time and effort than working on a single story level. Our project took over 6 months from start to completion which is also longer than both we and the contractors thought it would take. We were slowed down because we were working with a small crew and also by weather because it was a very rainy Spring. I would suppose that under ideal conditions and with a larger experienced crew, it should be able to be done fasterthan we did it.

In order to do a project like this, the home must be protected from the inevitable rain that will happen. We had to have part of the roof off for a long period of time which did lead to some leaks. After some trial and error of piecing fourlarge tarps together, I found that having double protection was the best way to go. What I mean by that is that we had the fourlarge tarps pieced together and then onegigantic tarp covering the entire thing. That strategy worked very well actually.

This part can get a little technical, but Ill do my best to explain what we did. In manycases, the attic floor joists, which would be the first floor ceiling joists, are undersized and not suitable in strength for a new floor. In our case we only had 24 ceiling joists in our attic when we actually needed at least 28s. After determining some calculations for floor strength, we ended up going with new 210 floorjoists that we sistered(joined) in the middle above the main load bearing wall of our house. We could have done with TJIs which are engineered I-joists that are very strong and can span great distances. However we chose to stick with dimensional lumber and it worked out pretty well.

Now for simplicity we wanted to keep the first floor ceiling in place and so the 24 ceiling joists had to stay. We found a solution to basically raise the new floor above the existing ceiling so that the existing ceiling and new floor would be independent of each other. We added a stack of two24 lumber blocking on top ofthe outside perimeter walls of the house that rested on the top plate of the first floor wall. We thenattached the new2xend plates to the blocking and then using joist hangers, hung the new 210 floor joists from the end plates. A similar strategy is explained by a contractor in this helpful YouTube video. (link)

While it was very challenging at times, we were able to keep most of the old roof on for weather protection by providing support for the tarps while we build the new second story floor. Basically it involves removing a few feet of roof sheeting and shingles all the way around the perimeter of the roof so that you can install the new floor beams in between the existing rafters or trusses. It was a slower way to do it, but we felt safer all around for better weather protection. I do not have a good picture of this step exactly but I found this strategy in thisold Popular Mechanics article which begins on page 164, where it isdetailed and illustrated in further detail.

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When we had done all we could do underneath the protection of the partial roof, we looked for a few days of good weather. Then we deconstructed the remaining part of the roof and disposed of it. We then had the new 3/4 T&G obsflooring delivered via crane and installed that on top of the new floor joists. One tip I might recommend is to make sure you are able to remove the osbin the area where the plumber is going to work until they are done. They will certainly need access to the sub-floor at this point to do their connections and you can glue it down in that area once they have completed their part. Once the sub-floor was on, we secured twoheavy duty tarps that covered the whole floor for weather protection while we were building the walls. Once the wall framing, trusses, windows and all sheeting was on, which protected us from the elements, we were able to cut away the tarps revealing our sub-floor once again.

It was very important to nothave the house appear top-heavy so I did not want the outside walls to be too tall. It think the outside walls are around 79 tall. In order to increase the ceiling height inside, we utilized scissor trusses which created cathedral ceilings. While it did create more work on the interior framing, we were very happy with this result and creates a lot of room in the ceiling. I believe thatit is around 96 at the peak inside. In this case you will not have an attic and all utilities including duct work will have to fit in between the webbing of the trusses which can be slightly challenging but for the heating and air conditioning contractor.

Once wereached this point, other than having to re-build the chimney, it was basically like building normally and wedid not really have to have all of these special considerations of building on top of an existing structure. I am sure there are other things to consider but these are some of the main highlights and tips that I can recall. As you can tell, it is a VERY extensive project to tackle. If I am honest, I am not sure that I would recommend someone do it unless they REALLY love the house, neighborhood or location. It may be advantageous both financially and time-wise to just sell your existing home and buy what you want. But if you are like us and decide to take on a project like this, you can be very happy with the end result and benefitfrom the vast amount of practical building knowledge that you will gainduring the process.

While I hope this story educates the reader on how to build a second story, it needs to be made clear that I am not an architect, engineer or building contractor by trade. All of this is just first hand experience and advice. Consult professionals before attempting any projects of considerable size like this one.

What are your thoughts? Id be interested to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment below!

Did you find this helpful? Share it with friends!

Ryan is the Senior Editor here at Outdoor Home and Garden. He has a degree in Horticulture and has worked in the field of Facilities Management for over 16 years.

Excerpt from:
How to Build a Second Story Addition - Outdoor Home and Garden

Two Story Extension

In this picture you're looking at a hefty 768 square foot house extension that gave this home an additional family room on the first floor and a master suite on the second floor.

The most common 2 story addition transforms the existing house into anLorTshape as show in the picture on the right.

A common two story addition or multi-level addition will be theadding a family roomto the first floor andadding a bedroomto the second floor.

Sometimes people confuse2 story addition planswith adding another level to their house. When you want to add another floor, we call that theadd a levelhouse extension or second story addition. Check out both sets of plans to see the difference.

Quick Tip:You can also build a full basement underneath these 2 story extensions and remodel it in the future for even more living space.

Two Story Home Extension Plans

2015 National Remodeling AveragesCost vs. Value Report from Remodeling Magazine.These building costs were factored for a 24' x 16' two story addition built over a crawl space. The first floor being a family room, with the second floor being a bedroom with a full bathroom. (See Master Suite Addition Plans).

Here's some trending data I pulled from Google showing once again how the economy began improving starting in 2010.

Prior to October of 2010, there wasn't even a blip on the search radar for home improvement projectsthat cost upwards of 100 grand.

Let's look at the future forecast

The future for our economy looks positive according to Google. Now is the perfect time to build your two-story addition!

Read more:
Two Story Addition Plans and Costs Calculator

(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)

The Cleveland Browns have had one of the best offseasons among the 32 teams in the league, at least in the eyes of one longtime NFL writer.

ESPN staff writer Bill Barnwell ranked the Browns as having the second-best offseason behind only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Browns corrected a lot of the mistakes that led to their much-hyped 2019 season falling flat on its face, Barnwell wrote. Coach Freddie Kitchens and general manager John Dorsey were replaced by Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry.

The new brain trust hired Bill Callahan to take over the offensive line, entrusting the weakest part of the 2019 team to arguably the NFLs best offensive line coach.

Barnwell also complimented the Browns from improving their offensive line in signing right tackle Jack Conklin and selecting Alabamas Jedrick Wills with the 10th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft

#Browns additionsFB Johnny StantonS Andrew SendejoC Evan BrownDT Andrew BillingsCB Donovan OlumbaWR JoJo NatsonQB Case KeenImTE Austin HooperOT Jack ConklinLB B.J. GoodsonS Karl JosephDE Adrian ClaybornCB Kevin JohnsonResigned WR Rashard HigginsWhat a offseason!

William (@objisthegoat) May 19, 2020

In Barnwells story, he also mentioned the signing of tight end Austin Hooper, getting Myles Garrett back from suspension and getting an extra 2021 third-round pick from the New Orleans Saints for trading down 14 spots.

Barnell suggested the Browns should offer Garrett a contract extension.

In 2019, Garrett was on pace for a 16-sack, 29-knockdown season after his six-game suspension for striking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with a helmet.

Garrett had 10 sacks in 10 games before the league suspended him.

Highest pass rush grade: EDGE

1. T.J. Watt2. Myles Garrett3. Joey Bosa4. Chandler Jones pic.twitter.com/qPDQuvzBhS

PFF (@PFF) February 8, 2020

In 2020, Garrett is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Barnwell wrote about a few things that have gone wrong during the Browns offseason.

As is the case for every other team with a new coach, thecoronavirus-impacted offseasonleft the Browns without their typical practice time, Barnwell wrote. They also lostJarvis Landryto hip surgery, and the LSU product might not be ready for Week 1, leaving them with the likes ofRashard HigginsandTaywan TaylorbehindOdell Beckham Jr.

Barnwell also believes the Browns could add another wide receiver before the start of the season.

I could see this team using a lot of 22 personnel early in the season with Beckham as the lone wideout, but there were probably opportunities for Cleveland to add a third option given the slow market and deep draft at the position, Barnwell wrote. Even now, options such asTaylor GabrielandDontrelle Inmanare around and not likely to cost much more than the minimum.

Barnwell explained how he ranked all 32 teams.

To measure how each team performed, Im comparing their roster, cap situation and future draft capital at the beginning of the offseason to what they have in mid-May, Barnwell wrote. The most important thing a team can do is add talent, so those that made significant inroads in improving their roster will rank highly, while those that saw key people leave without replacements wont.

I also considered how each attacked their specific needs, how well they read the market and handled the financial side of their deals, and what they did to create future draft picks.

Read more from the original source:
Browns Ranked As Having Second-Best Offseason In The NFL - Browns Nation

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What will the MLB landscape look like by the time the 2022 season arrives?

It's a fun hypothetical to explore with numerous stars ticketed for free agency during the next two offseasons. Among them are Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant, Max Scherzer, Trevor Story, Javier Baez, George Springer, Carlos Correa, Noah Syndergaard, J.T. Realmuto and Trevor Bauer.

Along with the potential roster shuffling that could create, teams also have rising prospects ready to move into key roles on MLB rosters in the years to come.

All of that was taken into consideration as we set out to predict the 2022 starting lineups and rotations for all 30 MLB teams. Before we dive in, a quick rundown of how they were assembled:

Included with each team's projected lineup and rotation is a rundown of rising prospects and projected additions, as well as a prediction for every team's top three prospects in 2022 to give an idea of what's left in the farm system.

Let's get to it.

Note: Players listed in bold are roster additions. Players listed in italics are upcoming free agents who were re-signed by their current teams. The number in parentheses following some players indicates where they rank on their organizations' top-30 prospect lists for 2020, according to Baseball America.

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. 2B Daulton Varsho (No. 1)2. CF Ketel Marte3. 3B Eduardo Escobar4. DH Seth Beer (No. 12)5. 1B Christian Walker6. RF Kole Calhoun7. LF David Peralta8. SS Nick Ahmed9. C Carson Kelly

SP Zac GallenSP Madison BumgarnerSP Jake OdorizziSP Luke WeaverSP Corbin Martin (No. 7)CL J.B. Bukauskas (No. 10)

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. CF Cristian Pache (No. 1)2. 3B Kris Bryant3. RF Ronald Acuna Jr.4. 1B Freddie Freeman5. 2B Ozzie Albies6. DH Austin Riley7. LF Drew Waters (No. 2)8. SS Dansby Swanson9. C William Contreras (No. 8)

SP Mike SorokaSP Zack GreinkeSP Max FriedSP Ian Anderson (No. 3)SP Kyle Wright (No. 4)CL Will Smith

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. CF Austin Hays (No. 4) 2. C Adley Rutschman (No. 1)3. RF Trey Mancini4. 1B Ryan Mountcastle (No. 5)5. LF Anthony Santander6. 3B Renato Nunez7. DH Nomar Mazara8. 2B Hanser Alberto9. SS Brandon Crawford

SP Grayson Rodriguez (No. 2)SP DL Hall (No. 3)SP Zach DaviesSP Michael Baumann (No. 10)SP John MeansCL Hunter Harvey (No. 8)

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. RF Alex Verdugo2. LF Andrew Benintendi3. 3B Rafael Devers4. DH J.D. Martinez5. SS Xander Bogaerts6. 2B Jeter Downs (No. 3)7. 1B Bobby Dalbec (No. 2)8. C Christian Vazquez9. CF Jarren Duran (No. 5)

SP Chris SaleSP Eduardo RodriguezSP Tanner Houck (No. 11)SP Nathan EovaldiSP Jon LesterCL Bryan Mata (No. 4)

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. LF Ian Happ2.1B Anthony Rizzo3.SS Javier Baez4. C Willson Contreras5.DH Kyle Schwarber6. 3B David Bote7. 2B Nico Hoerner (No. 2)8. RF Jason Heyward9. CF Albert Almora Jr.

SP Kyle HendricksSP Yu DarvishSP Mike MinorSP Chris ArcherSP Adbert Alzolay (No. 11)CL Craig Kimbrel

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. 2B Nick Madrigal (No. 4)2. 3B Yoan Moncada3. RF Luis Robert (No. 1)4. LF Eloy Jimenez5. 1B Andrew Vaughn (No. 2)6. DH Jose Abreu7. SS Tim Anderson8. C Yasmani Grandal9.CF Jackie Bradley Jr.

SP Lucas GiolitoSP Trevor BauerSP Dallas KeuchelSP Dylan CeaseSP Reynaldo LopezCL Michael Kopech (No. 3)

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. 2B Nick Senzel2. 1B Joey Votto3.SS Francisco Lindor4. 3B Eugenio Suarez5. RF Nicholas Castellanos6. DH Mike Moustakas7. LF Jesse Winker8. CF Shogo Akiyama9. C Tyler Stephenson (No. 4)

SP Luis CastilloSP Sonny GraySP Nick Lodolo (No. 3)SP Robbie RaySP Wade MileyCL Amir Garrett

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. CF Oscar Mercado2. 3B Nolan Jones (No. 1)3. 2B Jose Ramirez4. DH Franmil Reyes5.LF Joc Pederson6. 1B Bobby Bradley (No. 12)7. SS Tyler Freeman (No. 2)8. RF Daniel Johnson (No. 23)9. C Roberto Perez

SP Shane BieberSP Mike ClevingerSP Carlos CarrascoSP Aaron CivaleSP Triston McKenzie (No. 7)CL James Karinchak (No. 16)

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. RF Charlie Blackmon2. 2B Brendan Rodgers (No. 1)3. 3B Nolan Arenado4. DH Ryan McMahon5. 1B Colton Welker (No. 5)6. CF David Dahl7. LF Ryan Vilade (No. 8)8. SS Terrin Vavra (No. 14)9.C Mike Zunino

SP German MarquezSP Jon GraySP Ryan Rolison (No. 2)SP Kyle FreelandSP Daniel NorrisCL Scott Oberg

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. SS Willi Castro (No. 9)2.2B Kolten Wong3. 3B Isaac Paredes (No. 5)4. 1B Spencer Torkelson (2020 draft)5. DH Miguel Cabrera6. LF Christin Stewart7.RF Gregory Polanco8. CF Daz Cameron (No. 7)9. C Jake Rogers (No. 10)

SP Casey Mize (No. 1)SP Matt Manning (No. 2)SP Matthew BoydSP Tarik Skubal (No. 3)SP Spencer TurnbullCL Joe Jimenez

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1.CF George Springer2. 2B Jose Altuve3. 3B Alex Bregman4. LF Yordan Alvarez5. RF Kyle Tucker6.SS Carlos Correa7. 1B Taylor Jones8. DH Abraham Toro (No. 6)9. C Garrett Stubbs (No. 24)

SP James PaxtonSP Forrest Whitley (No. 1)SP Lance McCullers Jr.SP Jose Urquidy (No. 2)SP Josh JamesCL Bryan Abreu (No. 5)

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. SS Adalberto Mondesi2. 2B Whit Merrifield3. 3B Hunter Dozier4.DH Jorge Soler5.1B Yuli Gurriel6. RF Khalil Lee (No. 7)7. LF Kyle Isbel (No. 5)8. C MJ Melendez (No. 12)9.CF Ender Inciarte

SP Brady Singer (No. 4)SP Jackson Kowar (No. 3)SP Daniel Lynch (No. 2)SP Brad KellerSP Kris Bubic (No. 8)CL Mychal Givens

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. 2B David Fletcher2. RF Jo Adell (No. 1)3. CF Mike Trout4. 3B Anthony Rendon5. DH Justin Upton6. LF Brandon Marsh (No. 2)7. 1B Matt Thaiss8.SS Andrelton Simmons9.C Tucker Barnhart

SP Noah SyndergaardSP Shohei OhtaniSP Griffin CanningSP Anthony DeSclafaniSP Patrick Sandoval (No. 6)CL Ty Buttrey

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1.RF Mookie Betts2. 2B Gavin Lux (No. 1)3. CF Cody Bellinger4.SS Trevor Story5. 1B Max Muncy6.3B Justin Turner7. DH DJ Peters (No. 14)8.LF Scott Kingery9. C Will Smith

SP Walker BuehlerSP Clayton KershawSP Julio UriasSP David PriceSP Dustin May (No. 2)CL Brusdar Graterol (No. 3)

NOTES

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PROJECTED LINEUP

1. CF Monte Harrison (No. 6)2. 3B Brian Anderson3. RF JJ Bleday (No. 2)4. 1B Lewin Diaz (No. 7)5. LF Jesus Sanchez (No. 3)6. DH Eddie Rosario7. SS Jazz Chisholm (No. 5)8. 2B Isan Diaz9. C Jorge Alfaro

SP Sixto Sanchez (No. 1)SP Edward Cabrera (No. 4)SP Sandy AlcantaraSP Caleb SmithSP Braxton Garrett (No. 8)CL Jorge Guzman (No. 14)

NOTES

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The rest is here:
Predicting Every MLB Team's Starting Lineup and Rotation in 2022 - Bleacher Report

Are you worried that youve been in coronavirus lockdown so long that youll soon run out of new movies and shows to watch? Dont worry, because Netflix definitely has you covered. The past few months have been fantastic in terms of new additions to Netflixs ever-expanding catalog of content, and June 2020 is going to be more of the same.

We already shared Netflixs full schedule of June 2020 additions including third-party movies and shows, and you can see the entire schedule right here. There are some particularly good movies from other studios set to hit Netflix right away on June 1st, including fan favorites like Clueless, The Silence of the Lambs, V for Vendetta, and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Lady Bird arrives a couple of days later on June 3rd, and there are plenty more movies and shows from various studios spread throughout the month.

Thats all great, but everyone knows that Netflixs original content is what people really want to see. Thats why weve stripped out all the fluff in this post and zeroed in solely on Netflixs new original movies and series coming in June 2020.

The action kicks off early next month with the final seasons of two different shows that are both very popular. The first is Fuller House, which concludes with its farewell season on June 2nd. Then the fourth and final season of the controversial hit series 13 Reasons Why will be released a few days later on June 5th. Season 5 of Queer Eye also premieres on June 5th, and the weekly show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj returns two days later on the 7th.

A new season of F is for Family also hits Netflix in June along with Pokmon Journeys: The Series making its debut on the same day. You can also look forward to Marcella season 3, The Order season 2, and the second season of the hit show The Politician. If youre a fan of stand-up, Jo Koy, Eric Andre, and George Lopez all have specials debuting in June. Check out all that and more below, along with links where available so you can watch the trailers. And if you want to make sure you havent missed anything big thats out this month, heres the full schedule of Netflix May 2020 original releases.

Image Source: XanderSt/Shutterstock

Zach Epstein has worked in and around ICT for more than a decade, first in marketing and business development with two private telcos, then as a writer and editor covering business news, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Zachs work has been quoted by countless top news publications. He was also recently named one of the world's top-10 power mobile influencers by Forbes, as well as one of Inc. Magazine's top-30 Internet of Things experts.

The rest is here:
Netflix will release 46 original movies and shows in June 2020 heres the full list - BGR

This week is Underdog Week at SB Nation, but as you can tell by the 16 banners the Los Angeles Lakers have raised to the Staples Center rafters, this is not exactly a team whose history is filled with underdog stories (unless you stretch a bit).

But you know what this team is filled with? Literal dogs, and I dont just mean Alex Caruso and Avery Bradley playing defense. No, we mean actual literal dogs, as in mans best friend. And after doing so cursory research on Google and various social media platforms, we think weve compiled a fairly comprehensive of the good boys of the Lakers. This order is not a ranking, either, we should note. All of these dogs get a 14/10 from us.

Now, on to the list.

When LeBron joined the Lakers, his family got a french bulldog puppy named Indigo-Sky. They have posted plenty of photos of the adorable dog since then, but Indigo-Sky is perhaps most famous for the time James wife, Savannah, posted a video (jokingly) offering to give the dog away on Instagram:

Look, weve all been there with a puppy. NBA families, theyre just like us!

Indigo-Sky was also featured on a recent Instagram Live that LeBron did with fans:

Seems like a very good dog (who hopefully has stopped pooping in the house).

Davis has a Rottweiler names Zeus, and the photos of them going through dog training together are adorable:

Now that is a happy-looking dog. Hopefully Zeus is adjusting well to life in L.A. (and thankfully cant read that his best friend misspelled his name in that second Instagram hashtag).

And this isnt a dog, but Davis at one point had a pet marmoset and a handler to carry it around for him:

Sadly, this little guy is unlikely to be showing up in any Lakers postgame locker rooms anytime soon, as it is now living with one of Davis former teammates aunts (yes, really).

Its not a stretch to say that Danny Green and his two Pomeranian Huskies, Gizmo and Nuke, could literally be stock photo models:

Like we dont want to be dramatic but we would die for this dog. Look at the second photo!

According to a podcast Green did last February, these two very good boys did not exactly love the cold in Toronto even if they apparently did enjoy eating the snow, which we now absolutely need video of so it also might not be a stretch to say that these two dogs may have ultimately led Green to Los Angeles (a city he talks about the merits of living in, while playing for the Raptors, on that same podcast).

And in addition to Gizmo and Nuke, Green has also been spotted helping out at animal shelters in the past, so we think we can all agree that he seems like the biggest Dog Guy on the team:

Kuz is the newest addition to the ranks of Lakers with dogs, as he recently adopted a Husky puppy named Snoh after the NBA season shut down. She is, as all puppies are, precious:

In addition to being a great runner with nearly endless energy as Kuzma outlines in the above video Snoh is also a natural star that fits right into Kuzmas infinite Instagram posts:

So we are not really certain just how many dogs Dwight Howard has, and when considering this is a man who also apparently owns at least 25 snakes and reportedly has a $70,000 fish and snake tank, perhaps thats not surprising. But he did post a photo of him with what appears to be two Pitbulls on Twitter in 2017:

More recently, Howard spoke about his dog Diablo, who in a very Dwight Howard anecdote spent most of a call with reporters barking, and who he uses to judge the character of new people he meets:

The story of JaVale McGees dogs is, like the man himself, complicated. In 2014 on his moms reality show yes, thats a real thing it was revealed that JaVale was keeping his two dogs (apparently Great Danes) in an almost obscenely nice dog hotel. But theyre big dogs, and they look happy, so Im gonna say this was a worthwhile expense:

It is not super clear if he still has those dogs, but he has also posted multiple times about his daughter and this dog (possibly a Maltese):

JaVale also has (had?) a hairless sphynx cat who he buys massages for and says is pretty lit for a cat, which based on the cats Instagram, seems to be pretty accurate!

One of the Lakers latest additions, Markieff Morris, has a bulldog named King. When he went missing in 2014, Morris put up posters and launched a hashtag campaign to find him:

Thankfully, this story has a happy ending, as someone found Morris dog and returned it to him, leading to the fantastic Reddit headline My friends mom found a lost dog in their neighborhood. Turns out it belonged to Markieff Morris and this even better photo:

As one Reddit user pointed out, its a real shame this dogs name isnt Barkieff Morris, but alas, hes still a very good and curious boy that likes exploring Phoenix neighborhoods.

While she may not play for the Lakers, Jeanie Buss has to be included here, as she might be one of the biggest dog lovers in not just Los Angeles, but the entire United States. Her Shih Tzu, Delores, is a mainstay on Buss Instagram, constantly dressed in cute little Lakers gear:

This only kind of counts, because while I have no idea if Antetokounmpo or Cacok actually own dogs (probably unlikely given that G League players usually live in residential hotels provided by the team), so this only kind of counts, but we do have amazing video of them and their South Bay Lakers teammates playing with rescue dogs for a promotion, and who doesnt want to watch that?

This was everything we could find, but if we missed any, hit us up in the comments for an update, or let us know on Twitter at either @hmfaigen or @MiaAgraviador, and we hope you enjoyed this very literal take on an underdog story as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts.

See the original post here:
PHOTOS: The Lakers have some very good dogs - Silver Screen and Roll

Jamal Adams and the New York Jets have reached an impasse in contract negotiations. That doesnt mean Jamal is leaving anytime soon.

Round and round the rumor mill goes. Yet again, the New York Jets and star safety Jamal Adams find themselves at the center of the national medias attention. This comes after NFL insider Gary Myersreported that the Jets and the face of their franchise are at an impasse in contract negotiations.

This isnt the first time a major New York sports star has ended up in a contract dispute or trade rumors. Every major New York star has gone through this at some point.

David Wright was on the verge of leaving the New York Mets in free agency at one point. The New York Yankees were going to let Derek Jeter walk and shift Alex Rodriguez to shortstop. Carmelo Anthony was going to leave the New York Knicks for the Chicago Bulls.

The scenario that most closely mirrors Adams situation is that of New York Jets legend Darelle Revis. The future Hall of Fame cornerback was vocal with the media about his contract situations. He held out and even demanded a trade at one point according to some reports. Revis eventually signed a long-term contract with the Jets.

This is New York, the land of the media circus. There is no negotiation with a star player that doesnt face the scrutiny of the media. Jamal Adams was never going to be any different.

After Myers initial report, a flood of reports from New York Jets beat writers came after. They all have a similar tone. The Jets have no issue making him the highest-paid safety in the league, its about when they want to extend him.

Jamal Adams wants his money now. He believes after making back-to-back All-Pro teams hes earned that money and he has a point. Adams is clearly the best safety in football and hes getting paid just over $3 million in 2019. That doesnt make sense from a value standpoint for him.

The issue for him is that the Jets hold all the cards. They have Adams under contract for two more seasons and have the right to use the franchise tag to control him for a third. They have no reason to rush into an extension and remove the last year where Jamals value is among the best in the league.

Few teams extend any players after just their third year. Only 16 of the last 223 first-round picks have been extended prior to their fourth season. Among those who havent, Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald. If the two best defensive players in football couldnt get an extension that soon why should Adams?

The first thought that comes to mind when an impasse comes about is a holdout. Revis held out to great effect and LeVeon Bell held out for an entire season. Adams wont get that opportunity.

The newest CBA makes it incredibly difficult for players to hold out. While most of the new additions to the CBA only affect those on veteran contracts, there is one rule that makes it nearly impossible for Adams to miss time. The fines for missing practices are now mandatory and significantly higher.

The previous fine for missing a day of training camp was $40,000. Teams could wipe that away once the player reported under the old CBA, thats not the case anymore. Players will now be forced to pay that money in fines according to the new rules.

The actual number for fines was never revealed, so lets use $60,000 as a baseline. If Adams holds out for just two weeks hell lose $840,000. Thats nearly a third of Adams contract value.

Considering training camp lasts about two months, Adams could lose nearly his entire salary if he chooses not to attend training camp. That just doesnt seem likely.

Jamal Adams cant hold out and the Jets have no reason to extend him this season. That leaves one option for Adams, demand a trade. The only way hes getting paid now is if someone else does it.

Some reporters are already gearing up for a potential trade. Myers, who broke the story, is reporting that the Dallas Cowboys are in play as theyve confirmed that the Jets are looking for a first-round pick and a third-round pick in exchange. Michael Irvin of NFL Network has heard the same.

Theres a trend here. Gary Myers is a former Cowboys beat reporter and Irvin used to play for the Cowboys. Its very possible that theyre getting their info from the Cowboys side and not the Jets and Jamal Adams.

That seems like a likely conclusion given that every Jets beat reporter whos written on the subject has an opposite take. Richi Cimini of ESPN first reported that the Jets and Adams had talked about a potential trade. Even his report says that the talks didnt go far and a trade is unlikely.

Ralph Vacchiano of SNY and Connor Hughes of The Athletic take it a step further. Both say the Jets have absolutely no intention of trading Adams. Vacchianos sources say the team hasnt taken any trade calls on Adams since the 2019 trade deadline. Hughes sources said a trade isnt likely to happen, but even if it did, the Jets asking price would start at a first-round pick and two second-round picks. Thats a far cry from the first and third that Myers and Irvin are reporting.

Its hard to parse whats real and whats not out of this, but general manager Joe Douglas has been firm on this question whenever asked. He wants Jamal Adams to be a Jet for life. Thats been his stance since he walked through the door. Things could change in the future, but until they do, thats likely going to be the final word.

If Adams wont get a new deal, cant hold out, and wont get traded, what is he to do? Theres nothing he can do except try to create leverage where there is none. Thats why there are media reports about how unhappy he is.

If he can get the media and the fans on his side, then he can try to pressure the Jets into overplaying their hand. Thats not likely to work on Joe Douglas, but its the only move Adams has left.

This isnt going to be the last time this contract issue comes up. Itll play out through the rest of the 2020 offseason and into the regular season, but eventually the Jets will get a deal done with Adams.

This was never about the money. Reports from nearly every source say the Jets have no problem making Adams the leagues highest-paid safety. This is about timing and why the Jets have no reason to extend Jamal Adams before the season starts.

Come this time a year from now the most likely scenario is Jamal Adams has a brand new long-term contract with the Jets. The only one who can change that is Joe Douglas. He has all the leverage here, and theres nothing Adams can do about it.

See the article here:
The New York Jets have all the leverage in negotiations with Jamal Adams - Elite Sports NY

My Hero Ones Justice 2 is the successor for the first My Heart Ones Justice. It is a fighting based game. Both the parts of the game look similar. The first game was a much solid game. The game is just like other fighting games like Tekken, but its just easier to play. The game is developed by Bandicam.

The second part uses a lot of animations and characters from the first part along with new additions. The developers will seem to work more on presenting the game as an expansion rather than a new story. In the first My Hero Ones Justice game, the story mode of the game was weak. And the story mode of the second game is also a little weak as well.

The mechanics of the game are easy as compared to some other fighting games. This makes the game fun, and the fights in the game seem more to your face.

Just like My Hero Ones Justice, the game has two fighting modes: Normal mode and Manual mode.

Normal mode is more beginners friendly and does allow the player to perform combos with simpler buttons. You dont get much flexibility in this mode as the moves you can perform are predefined. You can lose a degree of control while playing this mode.

Manual mode gives the players more flexibility in choosing more moves and discovering more combos by themselves. This mode is more difficult as compared to the Normal mode, but it surely rewards with better options when mastered.

The game only involves only determining which move works for which characters and finding their weakness. This is what makes the game easier and addictive. You have to find optimal combinations for your fighter. The player can block or counter the moves with different strategies. You can also set dummy models to test your strategies and all.

The game is available for $59.99 at steam. The game works on PS4, Switch, and Xbox as well. You can enjoy the game very well. And if you love fighting games, this might be the perfect option for you to begin with.

See the original post here:
Here are all details about the latest game -My Hero Ones Justice 2: Everything the game is about i ... - Gizmo Posts 24

In a normal offseason, we would be days away from the NBA draft withdrawal deadline -- and therefore days away from getting a real handle on what rosters will look like for next season. But this offseason has been anything but normal, and the withdrawal deadline was postponed indefinitely from its original June 3 date.

So we wait.

2 Related

That said, we haven't been light on news in the past few weeks. Players are still transferring, are still reclassifying and some are making decisions on whether to stay in the draft. In fact, a huge date to watch comes later this week, when the NCAA is expected to make a decision on the one-time transfer waiver. It's unlikely to pass, but will anything change for this spring's transfers?

The biggest needle-mover since our last rankings was five-star forward Greg Brown committing to Texas, and five-star point guard Khristian Lander gave Indiana a boost by reclassifying into 2020. On the other side, Arizona State dropped several spots after losing forward Romello White to a graduate transfer and Houston tumbled down the rankings after Nate Hinton announced that he's keeping his name in the NBA draft.

We also have a new No. 1, with Gonzaga overtaking Villanova after the Wildcats sat atop the rankings in the first two versions. Why? Keep reading.

1. Gonzaga BulldogsPrevious: 2

Gonzaga moves to the top spot after a few more weeks of comparing rosters, as the Bulldogs are likely to have the best combination of talent, balance, versatility and depth in college basketball next season. Coach Mark Few does have to wait for NBA draft decisions from Joel Ayayi, Corey Kispert and Filip Petrusev, but the rumors of star freshman Jalen Suggs going overseas or playing in the G League have quieted down. Petrusev earned WCC Player of the Year honors, Kispert was a first-team all-conference selection and Ayayi brings a little bit of everything. Suggs was a top-five recruit. Assuming those four are in the fold next season -- and they all should be -- Gonzaga will enter the 2020-21 season at No. 1. There are very few potential issues in terms of personnel. The additions of Suggs, fellow freshman Dominick Harris and Southern Illinois graduate transfer Aaron Cook give Few plenty of ballhandling options in the backcourt, while a return to health from Anton Watson and a potential breakout season from Drew Timme bolster the frontcourt.

Projected starting lineup:

Jalen Suggs (No. 5 in ESPN 100)Joel Ayayi (10.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG)Corey Kispert (13.9 PPG)Drew Timme (9.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG)Filip Petrusev (17.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG)

2. Villanova WildcatsPrevious: 1

Villanova drops from the No. 1 spot as it becomes clearer that Saddiq Bey is unlikely to be in a Wildcats uniform next season. Although Jay Wright has plenty of options on his roster to replace Bey in the lineup, the breakout sophomore was a handful for opponents to defend, given his ability to score around the rim and from the perimeter. With Bey gone, expect Wright to go with a smaller lineup -- not an entirely unusual situation for Villanova. Collin Gillespie, Justin Moore and Jermaine Samuels are all back on the perimeter, while rising sophomore Jeremiah Robinson-Earl should be poised for a breakout campaign next season. He was a near double-double player as a freshman, and his work ethic and productivity dating back to high school bode well for a big step forward. One key will be Tulane transfer Caleb Daniels, who sat out last season after leaving the Green Wave. A bigger guard, Daniels is a scorer -- but is also a very capable rebounder and adept playmaker. The X factor, however, should be former five-star guard Bryan Antoine. He was a big-time bucket-getter in high school, but a shoulder injury essentially eliminated his freshman campaign.

Projected starting lineup:

Collin Gillespie (15.1 PPG, 4.5 APG)Justin Moore (11.3 PPG)Caleb Daniels (16.9 PPG at Tulane)Jermaine Samuels (10.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG)Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (10.5 PPG, 9.4 RPG)

3. Baylor BearsPrevious: 3

Scott Drew had the best perimeter group in the country last season, and if things go right the rest of the spring, he should have it once again. Jared Butler and MaCio Teague both entered the NBA draft, but both should return to Waco for a real run at the Final Four. Butler is perhaps the more likely of the two to keep his name in the draft, but Teague will be 23 in June, so neither is a sure thing. That said, those two combined with Davion Mitchell bring everything to the table: playmaking, perimeter shooting, ability to score off the bounce, excellent on-ball defense. And now Drew has even more perimeter depth, with the additions of ESPN 100 point guard L.J. Cryer and High Point transfer Adam Flagler, who won Big South Freshman of the Year honors in 2018-19. Baylor's ceiling will be determined by its interior play, however. Freddie Gillespie was a surprising bright spot last season, but he's gone. Drew will have to hope Tristan Clark returns to his pre-injury form from 2018-19 or he'll have to turn to a group of newcomers.

Projected starting lineup:

Jared Butler (16.0 PPG, 3.1 APG)Davion Mitchell (9.9 PPG, 3.8 APG)MaCio Teague (13.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG)Mark Vital (6.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG)Tristan Clark (4.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG)

4. Virginia CavaliersPrevious: 4

Virginia starts the second tier of teams in my preseason rankings, as I think there's a drop-off after the top three. The Cavaliers were one of the best teams in the country over the past six or seven weeks of the season, losing just one game after Jan. 20 and finishing one game back of first place in the ACC standings. We can expect Tony Bennett's team to be elite defensively once again, especially with Kihei Clark at the point of attack and Jay Huff anchoring things around the rim. But Virginia should have more offensive pop this season, too. Sam Hauser has a case to be first-team All-ACC in the preseason after averaging 14.9 points and 7.2 rebounds at Marquette in 2018-19, and ESPN 100 freshman Jabri Abdur-Rahim was one of the best pure scorers at the high school level over the past season. Last season was an abnormally down season offensively for Virginia (despite the common misinformed tropes about Bennett's offenses), which ranked No. 234 in adjusted offensive efficiency after finishing No. 2 in 2019 and in the top 50 each of the previous six seasons. Improvement at that end of the floor should have the Cavaliers at the top of the ACC standings.

Projected starting lineup:

Kihei Clark (10.8 PPG, 5.9 APG)Casey Morsell (4.0 PPG)Tomas Woldetensae (6.6 PPG)Sam Hauser (14.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG at Marquette)Jay Huff (8.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG)

5. Iowa HawkeyesPrevious: 5

This probably seems a bit lofty for an Iowa team that finished tied for fifth in the Big Ten, went 5-6 to end the regular season and doesn't bring any elite-level newcomers to bolster the rotation. But the Hawkeyes will likely have the nation's best player returning in Luka Garza as well as last season's other four starters. Fran McCaffery also gets back Jordan Bohannon, who played just 10 games last season before shutting things down with a hip injury. Bohannon started all 68 games as a sophomore and junior, establishing himself as one of the best shooters and distributors in the Big Ten. With him back in the fold, Iowa's elite offense becomes even more dangerous. To reach their full potential, though, the Hawkeyes need to tighten things up defensively. They were 12th among 14 Big Ten teams in defensive efficiency last season, allowing at least one point per possession in 10 of their final 14 games. In fact, Iowa hasn't finished higher than 10th in the league at that end of the floor since 2016 -- that needs to change.

Projected starting lineup:

Jordan Bohannon (8.8 PPG, 3.3 APG)CJ Fredrick (10.2 PPG)Connor McCaffery (6.2 PPG, 4.0 APG)Joe Wieskamp (14.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG)Luka Garza (23.9 PPG, 9.8 RPG)

6. Kansas JayhawksPrevious: 6

Kansas is a difficult team to project heading into next season. The Jayhawks lose their two best players from a team that was the favorite to win the national championship, and Bill Self doesn't have ready-made replacements for Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike. Marcus Garrett will get first crack at the point guard position, and while he took major strides forward in his offensive game last season, he's not as dangerous as Dotson off the bounce. David McCormack will step in for Azubuike, but Azubuike might have been the most physically dominant player in college basketball. Dotson and Azubuike were also excellent defensively, teaming up with Garrett (arguably the best defender in America). Self does bring in some scorers, though. Bryce Thompson was a five-star prospect and is someone who will command shots from day one, and Tyon Grant-Foster was one of the best junior college transfers in the country. In terms of returnees, Ochai Agbaji was a double-figure scorer and Christian Braun shot 45.6% from 3. Jalen Wilson, a former ESPN 100 prospect who redshirted last season, is another name to know.

Projected starting lineup:

Marcus Garrett (9.2 PPG, 4.6 APG)Bryce Thompson (No. 26 in ESPN 100)Ochai Agbaji (10.0 PPG)Tyon Grant-Foster (juco transfer)David McCormack (6.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG)

7. Wisconsin BadgersPrevious: 9

The Badgers keep sliding up a few notches in my rankings with every new edition. Not because they're adding players or getting positive personnel news but because a team that shared the Big Ten regular-season title and brings back all five players who started the final game of the season is hard to ignore. What changed over the final month, when Wisconsin won its final eight games? The Badgers became an elite offensive unit, despite losing double-figure scorer Kobe King in late January, and it was mostly thanks to two things: perimeter shooting and Micah Potter. Wisconsin shot 41% from 3-point range over that span, ranking No. 11 nationally, and Potter was dominant at times late in the season. He had 18 points and nine rebounds against Rutgers, 18 and seven against Michigan, and 14 and 11 in the finale against Indiana. He and Nate Reuvers form a really difficult one-two frontcourt punch for opponents, as 6-foot-10 Potter shot 45.1% from 3 and 6-11 Reuvers made 30 3s at a 33.7% clip.

Projected starting lineup:

D'Mitrik Trice (9.8 PPG, 4.2 APG)Brad Davison (9.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG)Aleem Ford (8.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG)Nate Reuvers (13.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG)Micah Potter (10.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG)

8. Duke Blue DevilsPrevious: 7

Duke was hit hard by the NBA draft, with Tre Jones, Vernon Carey Jr. and Cassius Stanley all departing Durham. Jones and Carey had been expected to leave since before the season, and high-flying Stanley used his highlight-reel freshman season to generate positive pro buzz. Fortunately for Mike Krzyzewski, he has a loaded freshman class coming to provide reinforcements. The headliner of the group is five-star Jalen Johnson, who could emerge as the team's go-to guy right off the bat. Five-star point guard Jeremy Roach should start immediately, and five-star D.J. Steward could push for a big role early. The Blue Devils also need big steps forward from rising sophomores Wendell Moore and Matthew Hurt, both of whom came into college with some hype but didn't put it together consistently. Another key will be down low. ESPN 100 center Mark Williams could be thrust into the starting lineup immediately, but Duke also landed Columbia graduate transfer Patrick Tape for some experience and depth inside.

Projected starting lineup:

Jeremy Roach (No. 18 in ESPN 100)Wendell Moore (7.4 PPG)Jalen Johnson (No. 12 in ESPN 100)Matthew Hurt (9.7 PPG)Mark Williams (No. 29 in ESPN 100)

9. Texas Tech Red RaidersPrevious: 11

Texas Tech really struggled down the stretch last season, but the Red Raiders have a major influx of talent coming to Lubbock -- which should help offset the loss of Jahmi'us Ramsey and two seniors up front. Nimari Burnett leads a top-15 recruiting class for Chris Beard; the five-star guard was Texas Tech's highest-ranked recruit in program history. Top-50 wing Micah Peavy stayed in-state for school, and Chibuzo Agbo fits the Texas Tech ethos. Then there are two transfers: talented former UNLV forward Joel Ntambwe and potential VCU grad transfer Marcus Santos-Silva, one of the top transfers this spring. Santos-Silva should start immediately. Starters Davide Moretti, Kyler Edwards and Terrance Shannon are all back, too. The question for Tech could be how quickly things come together on the defensive end. Beard-coached teams hang their hat on that end of the floor, but with all the new faces, it could be a work in progress early on. This season, however, there are more scoring weapons to overcome a slow start defensively.

Projected starting lineup:

Nimari Burnett (No. 21 in ESPN 100)Davide Moretti (13.0 PPG)Kyler Edwards (11.4 PPG, 3.1 APG)Terrance Shannon (9.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG)Marcus Santos-Silva (12.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG at VCU)

10. Michigan State SpartansPrevious: 8

Michigan State has some of the biggest personnel questions of any team in the top 25, with Xavier Tillman seemingly 50/50 on keeping his name in the NBA draft. If Tillman does leave, Tom Izzo will have to replace two of the more productive players in the country in him and star guard Cassius Winston. Then there's the status of Josh Langford, who missed the past season and a half to injury but said earlier this spring that he was weighing a return to East Lansing for one final season. Those two decisions will go a long way in determining Michigan State's ceiling this campaign. Izzo isn't short on options, though. Rocket Watts, Aaron Henry, Gabe Brown and Malik Hall are all back from last season, while Marquette transfer Joey Hauser enters the fold. Two ESPN 100 prospects, A.J. Hoggard and Mady Sissoko, are also coming to town. Hoggard will push for minutes at point guard, and Sissoko is insurance in case Tillman leaves. The Spartans are also still in the mix for Canadian point guard Karim Mane, who is testing the NBA draft waters. There's still lots to figure out in East Lansing in the coming weeks and months.

Projected starting lineup:

Rocket Watts (9.0 PPG)Gabe Brown (6.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG)Aaron Henry (10.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG)Joey Hauser (9.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG at Marquette)Xavier Tillman (13.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG

11. Tennessee VolunteersPrevious: 13

I get more optimistic about Tennessee's roster every time we update the rankings. The Volunteers struggled last season and would have missed the NCAA tournament, but I think a big bounce-back campaign is in store for Rick Barnes' team. Here's how deep Tennessee's talent level is this season: The Volunteers might not have to start both incoming five-star guards, and they could have someone who averaged 15.7 points and 11.6 rebounds last season coming off the bench. Four starters are back from a season ago, and five-star guards Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson will push for starting roles immediately. Sacred Heart graduate transfer E.J. Anosike provides depth and experience on the interior. Among the returnees, Santiago Vescovi might be the key. The Uruguayan point guard became eligible in January and gave Barnes a lift in the starting lineup immediately -- but Vescovi needs to become more efficient and cut down on his turnovers if Tennessee is to reach its potential. He had five or more turnovers in seven of his 19 games played and a negative assist-to-turnover ratio in eight of 19.

Projected starting lineup:

Santiago Vescovi (10.7 PPG, 3.7 APG)Jaden Springer (No. 16 in ESPN 100)Josiah-Jordan James (7.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG)Yves Pons (10.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG)John Fulkerson (13.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG)

12. Creighton BluejaysPrevious: 12

Creighton was ranked No. 2 in the first iteration of these rankings, back when it looked as if the band was getting back together for one more go-round in Omaha. Then Ty-Shon Alexander left for the NBA draft and appeared content to keep his name in the draft, while Davion Mintz graduated and transferred to Kentucky. Greg McDermott still has four starters back from a year ago, led by point guard Marcus Zegarowski, who might not have been healthy enough for the NCAA tournament had it happened, and Mitch Ballock. A bigger role is in store for sixth man extraordinaire Denzel Mahoney, who scored in double figures in 14 of 20 games after getting eligible. The big questions next season will come in the frontcourt. The Bluejays ranked No. 9 in the Big East last season in offensive and defensive rebounding; it's hard to make a Final Four struggling that much on the glass. Damien Jefferson and Christian Bishop are both back, and the return of Jacob Epperson from injury and the arrival of four-star center Ryan Kalkbrenner should help massively.

Projected starting lineup:

Marcus Zegarowski (16.1 PPG, 5.0 APG)Denzel Mahoney (12.0 PPG)Mitch Ballock (11.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG)Damien Jefferson (9.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG)Christian Bishop (8.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG)

13. Kentucky WildcatsPrevious: 15

You see Isaiah Jackson in the projected starting lineup? That's more of a placeholder for now, as the expectation (or hope) is that Wake Forest transfer Olivier Sarr will receive a waiver to play next season and slot into the center position immediately. If that happens, and it's unclear when we might find out, Kentucky will likely shoot up the rankings into the top five. As it stands, John Calipari has tons of perimeter talent, but lacks experience and ready-made interior options. Sarr would solve both of those issues. Keion Brooks is the only returning rotation player from a season ago, and he will be leaned on regardless of whether Sarr gets a waiver. The perimeter is loaded with intriguing pieces. Devin Askew is a competitive, tough-minded point guard, and top-10 prospects B.J. Boston and Terrence Clarke will provide scoring and playmaking from the wings. Davion Mintz is a veteran point guard who transferred from Creighton this offseason and has plenty of experience. If Sarr doesn't receive a waiver, Calipari will be forced to go small on occasion -- although Jackson is an elite shot-blocker.

Projected starting lineup:

Devin Askew (No. 24 in ESPN 100)B.J. Boston (No. 6 in ESPN 100)Terrence Clarke (No. 9 in ESPN 100)Keion Brooks (4.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG)Isaiah Jackson (No. 31 in ESPN 100)

14. North Carolina Tar HeelsPrevious: 16

Carolina will be one of the more interesting teams to watch in preseason and early-November games next season, simply to see how Roy Williams handles his loaded frontcourt group. The Tar Heels bring back former five-star recruit Armando Bacot and potential ACC Preseason Player of the Year Garrison Brooks, while also welcoming five-star interior recruits Day'Ron Sharpe and Walker Kessler. All four could conceivably start next season, but Williams will have decisions to make. Those four plus five-star point guard Caleb Love would form the Tar Heels' most talented five-man group, but that's an impossible lineup. So the key next season will be the maturation of Williams' wings (and health, a huge issue for Carolina last season). Anthony Harris should be healthy, Leaky Black is back and Williams brings in ESPN 100 prospects Donovan "Puff" Johnson and R.J. Davis. If one or two of those players can emerge as consistent wing scorers, it will be a major bounce-back season in Chapel Hill.

Projected starting lineup:

Caleb Love (No. 17 in ESPN 100)Anthony Harris (6.8 PPG)Leaky Black (6.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG)Armando Bacot (9.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG)Garrison Brooks (16.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG)

15. Arizona State Sun DevilsPrevious: 10

We moved Arizona State all the way up to No. 10 last time around after the addition of five-star scoring guard Josh Christopher, but now the Sun Devils tumble a few spots with the departure of big man Romello White. White was a consistent double-double threat last season, but he graduated and decided to transfer to Ole Miss. Bobby Hurley now has some serious frontcourt questions to answer if Arizona State is going to be the Pac-12 favorite. The perimeter is loaded. Remy Martin was one of the best playmakers in the league last season, and Alonzo Verge brought scoring punch. Both players are testing the NBA draft waters. Christopher was maybe the best pure scorer in the 2020 class and will command shots early. The Sun Devils could also hope for waivers for transfers Holland Woods (Portland State) and Luther Muhammad (Ohio State), two more perimeter pieces. But back to the frontcourt. Without White, Hurley will hope Jalen Graham can take a step forward down low -- or he could go small with some combination of Kimani Lawrence, Taeshon Cherry and ESPN 100 forward Marcus Bagley at the two interior positions.

Projected starting lineup:

Remy Martin (19.1 PPG, 4.1 APG)Alonzo Verge (14.6 PPG)Josh Christopher (No. 10 in ESPN 100)Kimani Lawrence (4.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG)Jalen Graham (3.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG)

16. Oregon DucksPrevious: 18

I'm slightly higher on Oregon than the consensus, but that's because Dana Altman always seems to figure things out, rosterwise. He has become highly adept at mixing and matching freshmen, transfers and returnees, throwing out unorthodox lineups until something works. Oh, and there's plenty of talent here. With Payton Pritchard gone, someone will have to become the leader of this team, on the court and in the locker room. On the court, Altman has a number of perimeter options. Will Richardson could be poised for a huge season, while Chris Duarte also returns. ESPN 100 point guard Jalen Terry will fight for a spot immediately, as will UNLV graduate transfer Amauri Hardy. Up front, Altman has to hope one or two of his four rising sophomores -- C.J. Walker, N'Faly Dante, Addison Patterson, Chandler Lawson -- will make strides. If not, he will rely on incoming transfers Eugene Omoruyi (Rutgers) and Eric Williams (Duquesne), both of whom sat out last season. Both players were highly productive at their previous schools and have experience. Oregon also seems to always have an ace up its sleeve in the summer, so we'll see whether Altman brings in anyone else.

Projected starting lineup:

Amauri Hardy (14.5 PPG, 3.3 APG at UNLV)Will Richardson (11.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG)Chris Duarte (12.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG)Eugene Omoruyi (13.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG at Rutgers)N'Faly Dante (5.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG)

17. West Virginia MountaineersPrevious: 23

I admittedly have something of a blind spot for West Virginia in preseason rankings most years, simply because the Mountaineers rarely overwhelm teams with on-paper talent. But the track record speaks for itself. Over the past six seasons, Bob Huggins has led the Mountaineers to four 25-win seasons and three Sweet 16 appearances -- with the lone down season stemming from a clear rebuild. Next season is certainly not a rebuild, as West Virginia brings back four starters and has sixth man Miles McBride ready to step into a bigger role. McBride had an eight-game stretch in the middle of the season during which he hit double figures in every game, then went cold for most of the next six weeks before finishing with three straight double-figure-scoring games. The decisions of Oscar Tshiebwe and Derek Culver to return to Morgantown instead of testing the NBA draft waters were huge for Huggins. Those two form one of the best -- and toughest -- interior tandems in the country. The 1-6 stretch in February soured me on West Virginia in the previous rankings, but I'm coming around on the Mountaineers.

Projected starting lineup:

Jordan McCabe (3.1 PPG)Emmitt Matthews (6.3 PPG)Miles McBride (9.5 PPG)Oscar Tshiebwe (11.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG)Derek Culver (10.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG)

18. Stanford CardinalPrevious: 20

Would Stanford have made the NCAA tournament last season? The Cardinal likely would have been one of the final teams in or out of the field, having finished 20-12 overall and 9-9 in the Pac-12, but having lost their last three games -- including a Pac-12 tourney game to California. But it was a step forward for Jerod Haase's tenure, and another big step is expected next season. Stanford could bring back all five starters from last season, a young quintet that featured two freshmen and one sophomore in the lineup. The big reason for optimism comes in the form of top-10 recruit Ziaire Williams, the program's highest-ranked recruit in history. Williams is a versatile two-way player who immediately upgrades the starting lineup -- and is just one piece for a top-10 recruiting class. Haase will have to wait and see on the future of Tyrell Terry, however. The rising sophomore had a terrific freshman campaign in Palo Alto, but entered his name into the NBA draft and has not decided whether to return to school. If he returns, it's all systems go for the Cardinal.

Projected starting lineup:

Tyrell Terry (14.6 PPG, 3.2 APG)Daejon Davis (8.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG)Ziaire Williams (No. 7 in ESPN 100)Spencer Jones (8.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG)Oscar da Silva (15.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG)

19. Houston CougarsPrevious: 14

Houston was steadily rising and pushing for a preseason top-10 spot, as teams around the Cougars in the rankings steadily lost players to the NBA or transfer. The Cougars were expected to bring back their top six scorers from a team that finished in the top 15 at KenPom.com and in the BPI. But Kelvin Sampson's team took a big hit earlier this week when Nate Hinton announced he would keep his name in the NBA draft rather than return to Houston. Hinton is not projected to be picked in most mock drafts, so the decision comes as a bit of a surprise. Houston still has options, but Hinton brought a different dimension to the Cougars and was poised for a breakout campaign. Sampson will now undoubtedly go with a small lineup, led by DeJon Jarreau (assuming he returns), Quentin Grimes, Caleb Mills and Marcus Sasser -- with ESPN 100 recruit Tramon Mark and Idaho transfer Cameron Tyson waiting in the wings. Can they get enough interior production? Fabian White is a mainstay in the lineup, but Sampson will hope Brison Gresham or Kiyron Powell can provide some quality minutes.

Projected starting lineup:

DeJon Jarreau (9.0 PPG, 3.7 APG)Marcus Sasser (8.1 PPG)Quentin Grimes (12.1 PPG)Caleb Mills (13.2 PPG)Fabian White (9.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG)

20. Texas LonghornsPrevious: Next in line

Texas had the most noteworthy addition since the previous edition of the rankings, with top-10 recruit Greg Brown committing to the Longhorns. Despite every single point from last season's team returning to Austin, Brown will immediately slot into the starting lineup and provide a completely different dimension than anyone else on the roster. He's a talented athlete who excels in the open floor and has continued to expand his game as his high school career progressed. How Shaka Smart doles out minutes next season will be interesting to watch. Matt Coleman and Courtney Ramey are likely solidly in the starting lineup, while Andrew Jones and Jase Febres will battle for another perimeter position. Smart also has a number of options down low, as Jericho Sims was the most consistent interior player last season, but it was Royce Hamm and Kai Jones -- the most talented player of the group -- who sparked a late-season five-game winning streak. Next season is a huge one for Smart, who hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since 2018.

Projected starting lineup:

Matt Coleman (12.7 PPG, 3.4 APG)Courtney Ramey (10.9 PPG)Andrew Jones (11.5 PPG)Greg Brown (No. 8 in ESPN 100)Jericho Sims (9.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG)

21. Florida GatorsPrevious: 19

Florida's ranking likely comes down to whether Andrew Nembhard decides to keep his name in the NBA draft or returns to Gainesville. One of the more talented point guards in the SEC, Nembhard hasn't quite put it together for an entire season through two college seasons -- but the Gators need him back to reach their full potential. If Nembhard leaves, former five-star recruit Tre Mann will take the reins ... if he withdraws from the NBA draft. But Mike White did receive some positive NBA-related news, when athletic wing Scottie Lewis decided to stay in school for his sophomore year rather than test the waters. Lewis, Noah Locke and Keyontae Johnson -- one of the most underrated players in college basketball -- form a solid core for the Gators. Transfers Tyree Appleby and Anthony Duruji, as well as four-star freshmen Samson Ruzhentsev and Niels Lane, are more weapons for White. How the Gators replace Kerry Blackshear is the second big question for Florida, but former ESPN 100 recruit Omar Payne could be the answer.

Projected starting lineup:

Andrew Nembhard (11.2 PPG, 5.6 APG)Noah Locke (10.6 PPG)Scottie Lewis (8.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG)Keyontae Johnson (14.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG)Omar Payne (3.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG)

22. Ohio State BuckeyesPrevious: 17

I might have been overly aggressive with the Buckeyes in the first edition of the rankings, when they were No. 13. Since then, though, they lost Luther Muhammad to Arizona State, lost D.J. Carton to Marquette and are expecting Kaleb Wesson to keep his name in the NBA draft. That's a lot of talent, minutes and production heading out the door earlier than scheduled. So where does Chris Holtmann turn? He still brings back the starting backcourt of CJ Walker and Duane Washington, while transfers Seth Towns (Harvard) and Justice Sueing (California) should provide a lot of offense from the wing. Size and consistency up front will be the big key. Kyle Young showed flashes last season, especially on the offensive glass, and rising sophomore E.J. Liddell could be a future matchup problem. One name to watch is incoming four-star freshman Zed Key, an underrated recruit who should be ready for an immediate impact. Holtmann has won at least 20 games in each of his past seven seasons as a head coach; another one is likely on the way.

Projected starting lineup:

CJ Walker (8.7 PPG, 3.5 APG)Duane Washington (11.5 PPG)Seth Towns (16.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG at Harvard)E.J. Liddell (6.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG)Kyle Young (7.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG)

23. Indiana HoosiersPrevious: Unranked

We've been slow to come around on the Hoosiers this spring, but the decision by five-star point guard Khristian Lander to reclassify and enroll at Indiana in the fall clinched their spot in the top 25. How Lander fits into the lineup is up for debate. Archie Miller returns all five starters from last season's 20-win team, and rising junior point guard Rob Phinisee has been one of the more efficient distributors in the Big Ten the past two seasons, while Al Durham brings leadership and defense. It wouldn't be a shock to see Lander start the season on the bench, but his arrival is a clear talent upgrade in Bloomington. The rest of the lineup returns intact, led by All-Big Ten big man Trayce Jackson-Davis, who will look to build upon his productive freshman season. Justin Smith and Joey Brunk are also back. With the NCAA tournament canceled because of the pandemic, Miller has still not been to the dance since taking over at Indiana. The Hoosiers have taken strides each season under Miller, though, and it should pay off in 2020-21.

Projected starting lineup:

Rob Phinisee (7.3 PPG, 3.4 APG)Al Durham (9.8 PPG)Justin Smith (10.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG)Trayce Jackson-Davis (13.5 PPG, 8.4 RPG)Joey Brunk (6.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG)

24. Florida State SeminolesPrevious: 22

The past three seasons for Leonard Hamilton and the Seminoles: ACC regular-season title; 29 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance; Elite Eight run. And Florida State was underrated in the preseason all three years. And now it probably looks as if I'm underrating the Seminoles again. Maybe that's true, but I do have some questions about their lineup and rotation. Point guard is the biggest issue. Trent Forrest has departed, and there might not be a pure point guard on the entire roster. Could versatile top-five freshman Scottie Barnes handle some of the playmaking responsibility? Also, with the early departures of Devin Vassell and Patrick Williams, Hamilton is losing real talent -- and dynamic offensive ability -- on the wings. Sardaar Calhoun is a touted junior college transfer and M.J. Walker is the top returning scorer, and they will both be counted on for big scoring outputs. The Noles have their usual assortment of talented bigs on the inside, and Balsa Koprivica could be poised for a breakout sophomore campaign.

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Gonzaga the new No. 1 in college basketball's Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2020-21 - ESPN

How do you successfully integrate VFX into live-action without it looking fake, or worse, falling into the Uncanny Valley?

To be able to successfully combine any CG element into a live-action plate, every single stage of production and post-production has to be properly planned. From the shoot to the final compositing.

It all starts with a good concept of the actual character, creature or object you plan to integrate. When designing something using CG (because it doesnt exist in real life) we always ground the design in real-world elements and references. For example, when creating a dragon we look at alligators, bats and other animals to take reference and ideas from, the more elements and features you use that stem from the real world the more grounded in reality it will feel.

The same goes for texturing, animating, and lighting. Besides a good concept, we have to match all the properties of the live-action shoot, the lighting and lensing, making sure that there is proper interaction between the CG elements and the live-action. This could be as simple as ground interaction, or more complex like interacting with a CG creature. Every little detail helps sell the final picture.

Viewers can easily tell when something looks fake but identifying what exactly it is and how to fix it is something that is a lot harder. This is where the Uncanny Valley comes in, a term usually referring to CG photoreal humans.

We are in contact with people every day, all the time, so we know very well what they should look like, this is why its one of the hardest things to achieve in CG. The amount of subtleties in the way skin catches the light, muscles moving underneath the skin, movement of the lips and the look into someones eyes, they all tell you something different, an emotion, feeling, to be able to portray a photo-real human, all these little details have to be correct, and they also have to be correct in the context of the shot. If one little thing is off, the viewer will pick up on it.

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Shifting animation's creative focus | shots - Shots