Alright retards, I've seen a big influx of new members here throwing away money on investments they know next to nothing about. This is meant to be a basic introduction to options prices. I am not a financial professional and this should not be misconstrued as investment advice.
This will probably be long so TL;DR: Stop throwing away your money and learn about what you're buying. If you don't want to read mike and his whiteboard is a good resource (I am not affiliated in any way).
Initially wrote this at the end but I think it's better at the beginning:

Practical Applications, General Advice

General pointers for the newbies. Most of the option trading shown on WSB is OTM naked calls or puts with expiration < 3 weeks (FDs). These are like lotto tickets and are not considered responsible investments by anyone, including us. They are retarded and we know it. You should know it too before buying. Theta is usually insane and probability you make money is slim. On the flip side, selling these options is sometimes considered ok but is often referred to as picking up pennies in front of a steamroller due to the low return for high risk. If you want to preserve your hard earned money, make responsible plays. With options that usually means ~3 months minimum expiration, and strikes somewhat close to the money, if not in the money. Consider the implications of IV in your trades, and make sure you understand the mechanics of the options before opening spreads.
Options Basics
An option is a contract that gives you the option to buy (call) or sell (put) 100 shares of a stock at a certain price (the strike price) at or before a certain date (the expiration date). Options are priced per share, so a call with a listed price of $1 will cost you $100 total for 1 contract ($1 x 100 shares). For American style options (what most of you are trading) you can exercise at any time before the strike price, while European options (which are sold for major indices on American markets) can only be exercised on the expiration date. That doesn't matter too much for our purposes but I'll get into that later (EDIT: I never elaborated. This is really only important for box spreads. They aren't allowed on RH and have their own history here. Don't bother with them).
Options have both intrinsic and extrinsic value. Intrinsic value is what that option would be worth at expiration. For example, if you have a $60 call in gamestop, and gamestop stock is at $65, your intrinsic value is $65-$60 = $5 (the difference your strike price vs what price you can sell it on the open market). An option will only have intrinsic value if it is in the money (ITM), which means price is above strike for calls and below strike for puts. Extrinsic value is the time value of the option, and will vary based on the implied volatility (IV) of the option. The definition of implied volatility is complicated and tends towards circular logic if you apply it practically, but generally it can be thought of as how much options traders expect the underlying to move. If the stock moves a lot, IV goes up. If there's a big event, like an earnings report, IV goes up. If that earnings report passes, or the stock stabilizes, IV goes down. IV varies greatly depending from one stock to another and can change drastically depending on numerous circumstances, but as a generalization anything < 30% IV could be considered low and anything > 100% IV could be considered high. Out of the money options (price below strike for calls and above strike for puts), have value that is entirely extrinsic- for that reason they tend to have larger percent moves than ITM options.
Greeks
The greeks can be an intimidating topic but are extremely important if you want to trade spreads (more on this later) and I would argue anyone buying options should have a basic understanding of the greeks. This will be geared towards average/wsb investors, I'm not going to get into the other greeks here because they usually aren't as important for our purposes.
Delta: How much the option price will move relative to moves in the the share price. Positive for calls and negative for puts. It ranges 0-1, delta of 1 is equivalent to holding 100 shares, delta 0.5 is equivalent of holding 50 shares. Simple enough. This will increase as you are in the money and decrease if you are out of the money. An at the money option will typically have 0.5 delta, a far ITM option will have delta close to 1.
Theta: How much time value the option will lose per day. This is >0 (technically <0 if you are short, more on this later). A theta of 0.1 means the value of the option will lose $0.10/share/day, or $10/day. Theta increases as the expiration date becomes closer, so an option expiring this week will lose more money/day than one expiring next month (given same strike). For options of the same expirations, it will typically highest at the money and decreases as you move further ITM or OTM. [EDIT: Corrected]
Gamma: Rate of change of delta. This represents how much delta will change as the stock price moves. This is highest for near the money options and lowest for far ITM or far OTM options.
Vega: Change in option price relative to on change in IV. High vega means the price moves a lot with changes in IV. This will increase with the amount of time left on the contract (more time = higher vega) and is typically highest at the money strikes and lowest for far ITM or OTM strikes.
Buying/Selling Options
Just like stocks you can buy or sell individual contracts. You can also create positions that combine both long and short options, these are known as spreads. Individual contracts are fairly easy to understand and trade, though they typically come with higher risk and higher reward than their spread counterparts.
Long vs Short: You can buy or sell options. Buyers can sell or exercise their contracts to close the position. Buyers need the stock price to move for their position to profit. Shorts can buy to close or wait for the option to expire. They will profit if the price stays the same (from theta) or moves in their favor. Increases in IV will help longs and hurt shorts, decreases in IV will hurt longs and help shorts.
Calls: Bulls buy calls. Their maximum loss is the initial cost of the call, their max profit is uncapped. They lose theta. Bears can sell calls (naked calls), their maximum loss is unlimited and their max profit is the initial price of the call. They gain theta.
Puts: Bears buy puts. Their max loss is the initial price of their put, their max profit is the strike price (stock can't go lower than zero), they lose theta. Bulls can sell puts (naked puts), their maximum loss is the strike price of the contract (stock price can't go below zero) minus the initial cost of the contract, their max profit is the initial price of the put.
Spreads: Combination of a buy and a sell. These come in all different forms and allow all sorts of strategies that are impossible with shares or naked positions. In general there are credit spreads which is when you sell the spread and receive money up front, and debit spreads, which you buy the spread pay up front. When constructing spreads it's useful to know that the resulting greeks will be the sum of the greeks from all the contracts in the spread. So if you buy a call with delta 0.5 and sell a call with delta 0.25, your overall delta is 0.5-0.25=0.25. I'm only going to cover a few here because I'm getting tired but just know there are a ton of options trading strategies out there.
Vertical Spread: Buy and sell different strikes at the same expiration. For example, if I'm bullish on GME I can buy $60 calls and sell $65 calls for 1/29 (debit spread). The cost of the $60 call is offset by the $65, but the profit is capped at $5 per contract. Theta is lower (and can be negative) although delta and gamma are also lower. It's important to note that when the position is ITM, the overall spread price will be less than the intrinsic value of the spread due to the extrinsic value of the short leg (until you're insanely far ITM). For example, that $60-65 vertical spread will be worth <$5 even if GME is $75. The price of the spread will approach its intrinsic value as the remaining time on the contract approaches 0. I can also sell a vertical spread (credit spread), I will receive the difference in value of the two contracts and will need cash collateral to cover the difference between the strikes. For example, I can sell a $65 put and buy a $60 put. Since the $65 put is worth more I receive a credit (lets say $200), then I also need to put up $300 in additional collateral. If GME goes above $65 I can wait for the contract to expire useless or buy it back for cheaper than I sold it. If it goes below $65 my loses are offset by the $200 credit. If it goes below $60 my losses are capped at $300 by my long put (I buy shares at 65, sell at 60) and initial credit received.
Iron condor: Combination of two OTM vertical spreads, typically of the same width. Most people trade these short, the nice thing about that is your collateral can be shared between the call and put side, because there is no way for both sides to be ITM at the same time. If you're short you make money if stock price stays the same or if volatility goes down (basically the same thing).
Horizontal spreads: Buy and sell the same strike at different expirations. AKA calendar spreads. Most useful for betting on changes in volatility. A long calendar spread (sell close expiration buy long) will be long volatility, a short calendar spread (buy close expiration sell long) is short volatility. You can also use this strategy for earnings plays, when you know the short dated options will lose more volatility than long dated options. These are most valuable near the money and will lose value as they go farther ITM or OTM. For this reason some traders will incorporate both OTM puts and calls into these positions. Calls are delta neutral at the money, slightly delta positive OTM, and slightly delta negative ITM (reverse for puts).
That's all I have the energy for. Feel free to ask questions. Good luck out there.
Positions: GME shares 🚀🚀🚀
EDIT: fixed a couple mistakes and added rockets.
EDIT: Another post in case you're interested in learning more. EDIT: Fixed differences in theta at same expiration. Clarified call/put vs naked call/put.

Title says it all. Going to suggest a player to be drafted in either the first or second round (or third for HOU at the moment) for each team, along with a player to target in free agency, and a player to potentially trade for.
Trying to avoid overlap as best I can, but some may have similar targets. Resources used include PFF, The Draft Network, and OverTheCap. Enjoy!

Arizona Cardinals (8-8)

Trade Target: DT J.J. Watt, Houston Texans - The last deal between Arizona and Houston worked out well. Why not try again and add a serious piece to their pass rushing arsenal in Watt. An ideal interior fit for Arizona, Watt would help them push for the playoffs in his final seasons in the league.
Draft Pick: C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma - Reuniting Kyler Murray with his old center for the Sooners would be an excellent move. The Cardinals currently have Mason Cole at center, but could easily slide him over to guard to make room for Humphrey if they wanted a significant upgrade at an underrated position.
Free Agent Signing: TE Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans - Arizona would be wise to look at adding Jonnu Smith into the equation on offense. One of the NFL's best after the catch at the TE position, he'd be another fun weapon to slot alongside Murray and Hopkins.

Atlanta Falcons (4-12)

Trade Target: S Tracy Walker, Detroit Lions - With a new regime coming in, Detroit is headed towards an extended rebuild, and acquiring assets for up-and-down players like Walker could be a consideration. Now, still young, Walker has plenty of potential for the Falcons, and if the price is right, could be a tremendous bargain.
Draft Pick: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State - While Matt Ryan will remain the QB of the Falcons next season, due to his contract, the Falcons should plan for the future and add a Georgia native in Fields, one of the better QB's out of college football in recent years. He'd be able to develop behind Ryan under the tutelage of new head coach Arthur Smith.
Free Agent Signing: CB Mackensie Alexander, Cincinnati Bengals - The Falcons do not have positive cap space at the moment (currently projected $30 million over the limit) so even after reworking deals and cutting some players, they'll be bargain shopping more than anything else. PFF projects Alexander to fetch a deal of about 2-years, $6 million, which could be feasible for the Falcons. He'd be a solid veteran presence across from CB A.J. Terrell.

Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

Trade Target: OLB Whitney Mercilus, Houston - I list him in "trade target" as he's technically under contract in Houston going into 2021. However, it's 99% more likely that the Texans cut him and Baltimore pursues him as a newly released free agent. Kind of cheating on my listings, but I like the idea of Mercilus in Baltimore after Houston cuts him. It'd be a coup for Houston if they could get a pick for him. Mercilus is a veteran pass rusher who could step into a role in Baltimore should OLB Matt Judon depart for greener pastures...green meaning money of course.
Draft Pick: WR Rashod Bateman, Minnesota - The idea of Bateman in Baltimore remains one of my favorite potential pairings for any player likely to be selected in the first round of the draft. Similar to Keenan Allen in my opinion, Bateman could become the go-to wide receiver the Ravens lacked last season.
Free Agent Signing: G Jon Feliciano, Buffalo Bills - The Ravens need to bolster the middle of their offensive line, and a tough veteran like Feliciano could be ideal target for the Ravens. With a big contract committed to LT Ronnie Staley, a cheaper veteran like Feliciano could match price tag with talent. Good value for the Ravens.

Buffalo Bills (13-3)

Trade Target: DT Malcom Brown, New Orleans Saints - The Saints are in cap space purgatory, and thus could be looking to offload some decent players like Brown simply to get back under the cap. He's a solid starting DT who could be available for cheap in the Saints push to real in their financial situation. A strong fit next to Ed Oliver on the inside.
Draft Pick: LB Chazz Surratt, North Carolina - Given their limited cap space, the Bills may have to decide between re-signing OT Daryl Williams and LB Matt Milano. If so, a replacement like Surratt could be a smart move for Sean McDermott and co. as Surratt is a quick backer who excels in space and has shown plenty of promise in coverage.
Free Agent Signing: DE Romeo Okwara, Detroit Lions - The Bills aren't loaded with cap space (barely above 0 if the cap stays down at $175 million), but I'd imagine they'll find some ways to free some cap up. If they do, they may want to consider Okwara, a rising pass-rusher, as a replacement for some of their own departing edge rushers. He tallied 10 sacks this season after hitting 7.5 sacks in 2018 in Detroit. While not elite, Okwara's likely a solid value pass-rusher for a contender like the Bills.

Carolina Panthers (5-11)

Trade Target: DT Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears - The Panthers just drafted DT Derrick Brown, but pairing him and Hicks together could become a dominant duo in the middle of that defense. And with DT Kawann Short a likely cut candidate, Hicks could be an instant upgrade for Carolina.
Draft Pick: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State - Forget the QB position, if the Panthers have the opportunity to land Parsons at 8th overall, they should pull the trigger. He'd be an immediate boost of speed, instincts and athleticism into their linebacker corps, a strong replacement for Luke Kuechly.
Free Agent Signing: TE Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Rams - More of a move tight end than a traditional in-line blocker, Everett could be an exceptional value signing for someone, as he's not likely to command as much money as Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith, but is a very good player himself.

Chicago Bears (8-8)

Trade Target: QB Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers - Unless the Bears are set to bring back Mitch Trubisky, who played a bit better to end the season but still not strong enough, the Bears should look at the veteran QB market. While Garoppolo has had some injury issues, he's a notable upgrade over Trubisky and could give them a steady veteran presence for a couple of more years.
Draft Pick: OT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech - There's growing buzz that Rashawn Slater could join Penei Sewell in the top-10, leaving him just out of the Bears' grasp. But Darrisaw is quite the consolation prize as he's a first-round caliber offensive tackle himself who could fill a big need for the offense in the Windy City.
Free Agent Signing: WR Sammy Watkins, Kansas City Chiefs - Watkins and Bears head coach Matt Nagy did not cross paths in Kansas City, but a recommendation from Andy Reid could push the two together. The Bears are another team facing some cap complications, and thus may need a cheaper replacement for Allen Robinson on the outside. If so, Watkins has been a strong complimentary receiver who could pair well with rising youngster Darnell Mooney.

Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1)

Trade Target: G Joe Dahl, Detroit Lions - Finding protection and weapons for QB Joe Burrow is the primary goal for Cincinnati this offseason before they enter the coaching carousel in 2022. Dahl is a strong pass protector who has grown into a quality starter. However, with large contracts for C Frank Ragnow coming up, along with big deals in place for Decker and Vaitai, Detroit may need to send Dahl out for picks.
Draft Pick: OT Penei Sewell, Oregon - There is buzz that Northwestern's Rashawn Slater may be viewed as OT1, and I get the hype, however, I'm sticking with Sewell for now. The Bengals should draft Sewell and get him ready to go as their franchise left tackle in 2021.
Free Agent Signing: CB Troy Hill, Los Angeles Rams - The Bengals have a healthy chunk of cap space, and should use of that to bring back CB William Jackson III. However, they should not stop there, they should also make a push for a quality veteran cornerback like Hill to bolster their defense in the meantime.

Cleveland Browns (11-5)

Trade Target: LB Jaylon Smith, Dallas Cowboys - After looking like an elite linebacker from 2017-2019, Smith had a rough year under now fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. A fresh start in Cleveland could be ideal for both teams, as Smith is still young enough, 26 years, to be a strong piece to their defense for years to come.
Draft Pick: DT Daviyon Nixon, Iowa - The Browns are in a strong position at 26th overall to sit and see who the top defensive lineman on the board is. If they're lucky enough for it to be a high potential defensive tackle like Nixon, it'd be an ideal situation to bring him in the replace Ogunjobi. A defensive end like Jayson Oweh or Jaelan Phillips could also work here.
Free Agent Signing: S Marcus Williams, New Orleans Saints - The Browns could use a big upgrade on the back end, and Williams, at only 24 years old, would be a premium add for a team who finally broke through the playoffs. PFF projects Williams to command a deal around 4-years $57 million, and the Browns would likely have the money to make that happen, sitting tenth in cap space this offseason.

Dallas Cowboys (6-10)

Trade Target: CB Mike Hughes, Minnesota Vikings - Hughes was a first-round pick for the Vikings in 2018, but has not lived up to the billing so far. Dallas is in need of several new faces on its defensive backfield, and perhaps a new situation could be best for Hughes to turn his NFL career around. For Dallas, a cheap flier on defense.
Draft Pick: CB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama - The Cowboys defense is a mess at many levels, and so picking a premium defensive player like Surtain would be a wise for Dallas to get things straightened out. He's consistently been pegged as the top corner of this draft cycle and makes a lot of sense in Dallas.
Free Agent Signing: DT Dalvin Tomlinson, New York Giants - The Cowboys ranked 31st in total rushing yards surrendered in 2020, meaning they'll need to make it a priority to find a run-stuffer like Dalvin Tomlinson to get their defense back on track. While most teams are geared towards stopping the pass, you simply cannot be as bad in run stopping as Dallas was and expect to be competitive.

Denver Broncos (5-11)

Trade Target: QB Marcus Mariota, Las Vegas Raiders - An inter-divisional trade for a QB seems unlikely, but it's something for both sides to consider. The Broncos need to find a veteran QB to bring in to push QB Drew Lock, who has shown flashes in his first two years but has so far been too inconsistent to commit to long-term.
Draft Pick: EDGE Joe Tryon, Washington - More likely a second-round selection here, the Broncos should consider finding a player to develop into Von Miller's replacement, given all the complications with their star pass-rusher recently. Tryon has a high motor and excellent athleticism to develop across from Bradley Chubb.
Free Agent Signing: CB Quinton Dunbar, Seattle Seahawks - Dunbar was an excellent player for Washington previously, but did not meet expectations after getting moved to the Seahawks. Should he walk in free agency, perhaps putting him under a solid defensive coach like Vic Fangio could help him get back into the strong form that made him a coveted player in 2019.

Detroit Lions (5-11)

Trade Target: A Big Haul for Matt Stafford - We suggest one later on, but Detroit's in a full-on rebuild with Stafford wanting out. Peter King recently reported that at least five teams would be willing to offer their first-rounder for Stafford. Detroit should turn it into a bidding war and land as many draft picks as they can to bolster their rebuilding efforts.
Draft Pick: QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State - The Lions are moving on from QB Matthew Stafford after he understandably requested out. With Detroit picking at 7th, there's a very good chance that Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and Zach Wilson are all off the board. Thus, unless Detroit makes a bold move up the board, chances are that they go with Lance, who has the potential to be available with their pick. He has plenty of upside to develop into a starting QB behind a veteran QB, say Tyrod Taylor, reuniting with new Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn?
Free Agent Signing: LB Matt Milano, Buffalo Bills - If we were ranking worst position groups in the league, Detroit's LB corps is in strong contention. An outdated group of lethargic old-school thumpers, almost none of Detroit's LB's are capable of playing modern football at a high level. Detroit should invest some cash into someone who is, such as the Bills LB Matt Milano, an excellent backer with range and some ability in coverage.

Green Bay Packers

Trade Target: WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys - The Packers wide receivers performed quite well after all the criticism Green Bay received after not bringing in anyone for QB Aaron Rodgers. However, good is the enemy of great, and pairing Gallup with Davante Adams would give Green Bay an elite duo in terms of pass catchers.
Draft Pick: LB Nick Bolton, Missouri - If Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was here as well, I think he could be another strong option, but Bolton is an excellent linebacker who can fill gaps inside and fly from sideline-to-sideline.
Free Agent Signing: CB Gareon Conley, Houston Texans - Like the Falcons listed earlier, the Packers don't have positive cap space at the moment, and thus any free agent additions will likely be bargain bin deals. I like the example that PFF lists in their free agency preview, suggesting Conley could replicate Ronald Darby's return, taking a year deal with the aims of getting things turned around and landing a larger deal after that. An opportunity in Green Bay seems like a good start.

Houston Texans (4-12)

Trade Target: Every Pick they can get from the Jets - Even hiring a veteran coach like Culley to run the show and attempt to repair the relationship with Watson, it seems unlikely to me that Houston holds on, given the issues between Watson and owner Cal McNair. Thus, if forced to deal him, the Texans should aim to land at least three first rounders from a team like the Jets, who could see Watson as a better player than any of the QB's available behind Trevor Lawrence.
Draft Pick: QB Zach Wilson, BYU - This obviously assumes a trade with the Jets sends #2 overall to Houston. If so, Wilson looks like the next best bet behind Lawrence in my opinion. He, along with the boatload of additional assets that would come along in this trade, should be a solid foundation for Culley and co.'s rebuild.
Free Agent Signing: S Malik Hooker, Indianapolis Colts - The Texans will start their rebuild without any cap space, meaning that taking chances on younger guys like Hooker, 24 years old, to potentially find useful pieces is key. If they can land Hooker to play safety for them on a cheap 1-2 year deal, that'd be ideal for Houston.

Indianapolis Colts (11-5)

Trade Target: QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions - Easy one here. If the Colts had Stafford in 2020 they probably would have replaced the Bills in the AFC Championship Game. Stafford is only 32 years, meaning he still has a strong 4-5 years left to help the Colts' well-rounded roster make a championship push. Surrendering a first round pick and potentially a 2022 3rd (if there competition from others) is a gamble I'd definitely make if I were Chris Ballard.
Draft Pick: DE Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh - Assuming the Colts use their first on the aforementioned Stafford deal, then finding a balanced edge rusher like Jones would be a great move for Indy. With players like Denico Autry and Justin Houston headed to free agency (and getting old), the Colts would get a terror on the edge with a tremendous motor and tools to develop.
Free Agent Signing: WR Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears - The Colts have a large amount of cap space, second in the league according to OTC's projections. Given that they will need to conserve some of that war chest for internal extensions, they would be wise to replace T.Y. Hilton with a more dominant receiver like Allen Robinson. An offseason adding Matt Stafford and Robinson together should make Frank Reich and Marcus Brady very excited for 2021.

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15)

Trade Target: WR Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns - If the Browns are preparing to move on from Beckham Jr., then perhaps sending him down to Jacksonville to pair up with Urban Meyer could help get him playing elite football again. After posting 1,000 yard season in 3 of the previous 4 seasons, an injury once again cut his year short.
Draft Pick: OT Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State - Not at #1 overall obviously. We all know that will go to QB Trevor Lawrence. However, with the Rams 1st round selection (acquired via the Jalen Ramsey trade), the Jaguars should look to use it on an upgrade to their offensive line in the form of Radunz.
Free Agent Signing: OLB Shaquil Barrett, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Provided new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen brings a Ravens style 3-4 defense with him, then adding a premier OLB like Barrett while K'Lavon Chaisson develops would be a great move for Jacksonville. With the NFL's lead in cap space, Jacksonville could afford Barrett along with some other instant contributors.

Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)

Trade Target: WR Anthony Miller, Chicago Bears - The Chiefs could easily lose WR Sammy Watkins to free agency, leaving an opening for another wideout to join the rotation. Miller has been fairly productive in Chicago, and could be a solid option to join Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce in Andy Reid's passing attack.
Draft Pick: G Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC - Vera-Tucker gets mocked to the Chiefs a lot, and it makes perfect sense why. A premier offensive line talent, he has some versatility after playing tackle for the Trojans. While I think his best fit is inside, he'd be an ideal player for Kansas City to add to bolster their protection after investing so much in QB Patrick Mahomes.
Free Agent Signing: C Ted Karras, Miami Dolphins - The Chiefs will also be bargain bin hunting, as they're currently over the cap by $18 million. Thus, a starting caliber center like Ted Karras could prove useful for the defending Super Bowl champs (at this point). Karras signed with the Dolphins for only $3 million last season, and a similar deal with KC could be an absolute bargain when all is said and done.

Las Vegas Raiders (8-8)

Trade Target: DT Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears - I mentioned Hicks for the Panthers as well, but he'd be a great add for either team, perhaps even more so for the Raiders, who could easily see DT Johnathan Hankins depart in free agency. A disruptive player in the middle, he'd be a nice add in Las Vegas.
Draft Pick: EDGE Azeez Ojulari, Georgia - After shockingly selecting DE Clelin Ferrell at fourth overall in 2019, the Raiders have still been searching for a game changer at DE to go alongside the productive efforts of Maxx Crosby. Ojulari profiles as a high potential pass rusher to scratch that itch for Jon Gruden and co.
Free Agent Signing: S Anthony Harris, Minnesota Vikings - The Raiders may have to get creative to free up the cap space to land Harris, as they're currently over. But if they can do it, he'd be an ideal player to add to the Vegas' defense, now led by defensive coordinator Ken Whisen...uh...Gus Bradley. Harris is an elite free safety who would pair well with Jonathan Abram.

Los Angeles Chargers (7-9)

Trade Target: DT Danny Shelton, Detroit Lions - Shelton struggled in Detroit, but frankly, everyone on Patricia's defense did. Before that, Shelton posted strong results as a 3-4 interior gap-plugger, doing a quality job for both the Browns and Patriots before him. With Linval Joseph on the decline, adding a younger replacement for cheap could be in store.
Draft Pick: G Wyatt Davis, Ohio State - LA needs a couple of new starters on its offensive line, and if the tackles fly off the board before they can get one at 13th overall, then perhaps a top notch guard could also suffice. Davis has been a consistent player for the Buckeyes and projects as an instant impact lineman for someone at the next level.
Free Agent Signing: OT Alejandro Villanueva, Pittsburgh Steelers - A sturdy, veteran left tackle should be a big priority for the Chargers, as the imperative to protect QB Justin Herbert is high. After a breakout season for Herbert, he gives the franchise a ton of optimism under new head coach Brandon Staley. Keeping him upright is something Villanueva would do well at.

Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

Trade Target: QB Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars - The Rams are in a pickle with QB Jared Goff. He has not been a strong point for the team recently, but his contract is a bit too heavy to move right now. Thus, a cheaper way to acquire some genuine competition for Goff could be to trade for the affordable Minshew, a solid starter in his own right. Jacksonville will be bringing in Trevor Lawrence anyways to replace him, so perhaps acquiring a pick or so to send him out could be a wise move.
Draft Pick: EDGE Quincy Roche, Miami - Provided that new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris isn't changing the scheme outright, Roche would be an excellent fit at 3-4 OLB in LAR. He's a dynamic pass rusher with excellent physical traits. If he falls to the Rams in the second-round they shouldn't think twice about selecting him.
Free Agent Signing: LB Jarrad Davis, Detroit Lions - The Rams are another team already over the cap, so not a lot to spend on. However, they could use some help at inside linebacker, and Davis projects to be a relatively cheap piece to take a gamble on. Physically impressive, he's struggled with the mental side of the game. If Morris can get him sorted out, it could be excellent value.

Miami Dolphins (10-6)

Trade Target: WR Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons - The Dolphins will likely have the opportunity to draft a premier wide receiver in the first round, but could also use some of their stockpile to add an established star like Jones. Giving Tua as many options as you can is a wise move.
Draft Pick: RB Najee Harris, Alabama - Reuniting Harris and Tua in a backfield would fill a big need for the Dolphins. Whether taking him with their second selection in the first round or hoping he drops to the second, Miami should get serious about finding a talented running back,
Free Agent Signing: G Joe Thuney, New England Patriots - The Dolphins still have a decent amount of cap space (8th in the league) and could easily use some of that to target an upgrade to the interior of their offensive line by adding Thuney. Thuney crossed paths with Dolphins head coach Brian Flores in New England, and a reunion down south could be profitable for both parties.

Minnesota Vikings (7-9)

Trade Target: DT Tyquan Lewis, Indianapolis Colts - Lewis may not be on the trade block, but the Colts have both defensive tackles locked up ahead of him (Buckner, Grover Stewart). Perhaps they'd consider moving a young, promising 3-technique if Minnesota put together a quality offer for him. He'd instantly fill a need for the Vikings.
Draft Pick: EDGE Gregory Rousseau, Miami - With the failed Yannick Ngakoue tenure, the Vikings still need to find a premium pass rusher. Rousseau sat out 2020, but was dominant the year before and projects as a highly athletic piece for Zimmer to develop.
Free Agent Signing: OT Matt Feiler, Pittsburgh Steelers - Feiler offers a lot of versatility, which works great for Minnesota, as they could insert Feiler as a starting tackle, or slide G Ezra Cleveland into the LT position and put Feiler in at guard. Either way, a relatively affordable upgrade on the OL.

New England Patriots (7-9)

Trade Target: TE Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles - The Eagles are another team finding themselves in a less-than-ideal cap situation, and thus, will likely explore moving a top player like Ertz. While the Patriots have drafted a handful of decent role players at TE, they've lacked a player of Ertz's caliber. He'd be a nice upgrade to help whomever the Patriots land at QB.
Draft Pick: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama - It seems unlikely that Devonta Smith or Ja'Marr Chase slip to New England, but I'd imagine they'd be perfectly content with a potential stud like Waddle to bolster their mediocre group of pass catchers. He's a very smooth player with a lot of potential.
Free Agent Signing: QB Andy Dalton, Dallas Cowboys - Dalton got off to a rough start with Dallas in relief of QB Dak Prescott, scoring a total of 13 points in 2 games while throwing 1 touchdown to 3 interceptions. However, he was admirable after that, throwing 13 touchdowns to 5 interceptions while posting a 4-3 record over that stretch. Dalton could be an upgrade over Cam Newton for New England while they hunt for a new franchise QB to replace Tom Brady.

New Orleans Saints (12-4)

Trade Target: Draft Picks for Kwon Alexander, Nick Easton, or Latavius Murray - The Saints game isn't necessarily who they should bring in, but if they can get picks for some players with bloated contracts that they may need to cut. If they can score some late-round picks to move these guys (or others) elsewhere, they need to pull the trigger.
Draft Pick: WR Kadarius Toney, Florida - While it seems like the hype train on Toney has left the station, it'd be incredible if he slipped to the Saints at 28th overall in this draft. An explosive player, he'd be an ideal partner for WR Michael Thomas, giving Taysom Hill or maybe Jameis(?) some excellent weapons.
Free Agent Signing: TE Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks - The Saints, as mentioned, are in cap purgatory. Their signings will be quite minimum once they make the trades, cuts, and restructures required to get them back under the cap. However, one cheaper option could be a solid TE like Hollister, as TE Jared Cook is set to depart. Putting up 25 catches including 3 touchdowns at a price tag a shade over $3 million could be in New Orleans price range.

New York Giants (6-10)

Trade Target: G Gabe Jackson, Las Vegas Raiders - Jackson has been rumored to be available for a little while now. Not yet 30 years old, he's a steady veteran option on the interior of any offensive line and would fit quite well with the Giants.
Draft Pick: WR Devonta Smith, Alabama - If the Dolphins don't take Smith, the Giants certainly should. Ensuring that QB Daniel Jones has the weapons he needs to grow into the franchise QB role is pertinent. Smith is a stud pass catcher and would be an excellent pick if he were on the board at 10th overall.
Free Agent Signing: EDGE Matt Judon, Baltimore Ravens - The Ravens have let a handful of pass rushers walk, and if they do so with Judon this year, the Giants should go get him. While Yannick could also be a Ravens OLB on the market, Judon fits Joe Judge's style a little bit more than Yannick does, and could be available for cheaper, which is important for another cap squeezed team like the Giants.

New York Jets (2-14)

Trade Target: QB Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans - As I do think Justin Fields or Zach Wilson can be good franchise QB's, Watson already is an exceptional one. The Jets should put together a package of picks to go land the beleaguered QB and unite him with Robert Saleh, whom he listed as one of the guys he originally wanted Houston to interview.
Draft Pick: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC - Assuming the Jets send both first-round selections to the Texans in the hypothetical Watson trade, the Jets would still have a premium pick to start off the second-round, one they should use to add a top tier WR like St. Brown who could be a star quickly.
Free Agent Signing: CB William Jackson III, Cincinnati Bengals - If the Bengals can't lock Jackson up to an extension before free agency, the Jets should throw some cash at him to be a foundational piece of Saleh's defense in the Big Apple.

Philadelphia Eagles (4-11-1)

Trade Target: Draft Picks for Zach Ertz, DeSean Jackson, and Alshon Jeffery - Like the Saints, the Eagles probably should focus on offloading bloated contracts rather than bringing anyone in. The cheap rookie contracts that draft picks provide will be needed to steer themselves out of cap purgatory.
Draft Pick: WR Ja'Marr Chase, LSU - The Eagles and Chase are an ideal fit, and new head coach Nick Sirianni sure could use the big play ability that Chase provides. Whichever QB ends up getting the start, they'll be happy to have a guy like Chase to throw to.
Free Agent Signing: CB Bashaud Breeland, Kansas City Chiefs - The Eagles have a horrific cap situation themselves, and thus, a lower-end veteran like Breeland can give them a solid starter at an affordable price as the Eagles try and sort out their defense.

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

Trade Target: QB Sam Darnold, New York Jets - The Steelers may have brought in Dwayne Haskins, but frankly I have little faith there. Instead, they should call up the Jets to figure out what Darnold will cost them. One season behind Roethlisberger in his final go could be a great change of pace for Darnold before taking over.
Draft Pick: RB Travis Etienne, Clemson - Everyone is too cool for elite running backs in the wannabe scouting world. But Etienne is a stud, and the Steelers need a big upgrade at running back. If they don't like their options for QB late into the first, they should give serious weight to taking Etienne and landing an elite player rather than reach for a lesser player elsewhere.
Free Agent Signing: G Elijah Wilkinson, Denver Broncos - Wilkinson had a very rough 2019 season, but has been a good deal better in 2020. He's still on the younger end, not even 26 years old, and could be an affordable gamble for Pittsburgh, who also needs to find their way back under the cap ($35 million over).

San Francisco 49ers (6-10)

Trade Target: QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions - If the Colts don't land Stafford, the 49ers absolutely should. Pairing Stafford and Kyle Shanahan would be fun to watch, and he'd be a much most consistent player for the 49ers than the oft-injured Jimmy G. It's a big move, but one Shanahan may want to consider to make another championship run.
Draft Pick: CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech - If the 49ers don't move for Stafford and keep their first-round selection, they should target a top tier corner like Farley as they have a handful of corners (Sherman, Witherspoon, Williams) set to hit the open market.
Free Agent Signing: DT Shelby Harris, Denver Broncos - The 49ers top priority should be retaining OT Trent Williams, but after that, adding a veteran pass rusher on the interior could be a good move. Harris has been a consistent player for Denver, but has yet to be rewarded with a big opportunity, something he could get here alongside Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead.

Seattle Seahawks (12-4)

Trade Target: DT Jonathan Allen, Washington Football Team - I'm not sure the Football Team would move him, but he is on the final year of his deal, and Washington's going to have weigh future deals for DE's Montez Sweat and Chase Young into the equation. If they aren't willing to pony up for three studs on the defensive line, they may look to add some picks in exchange for Allen.
Draft Pick: CB Greg Newsome II, Northwestern - A late riser up the board after a stellar junior year in Evanston. Newsome has ideal size (6'1, 190 lbs) for Seattle and could help fill a gap if they have to choose between Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar.
Free Agent Signing: DE Carl Lawson, Cincinnati Bengals - A really good fit here, as the Seahawks very much need some pass-rushing help. Lawson has been an excellent player for the Bengals and could find the chance to compete in the playoffs if he heads west for Seattle.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

Trade Target: QB Sam Darnold, New York Jets - The Bucs are another team that should explore the asking price for Darnold. While Brady is still winning his battle against time, it seems unrealistic to expect it to continue for too much longer. The Bucs could potentially land his heir apparent in Darnold.
Draft Pick: Christian Barmore, Alabama - Between Barmore and Daviyon Nixon, I think both have a case to make as DT1 in this class, but Barmore projects as a bit better fit to Todd Bowles' 3-4 defense than Nixon does. The Bucs add an impact defensive lineman to pair on the inside with Vita Vea, giving them flexibility in replacing Ndamukong Suh.
Free Agent Signing: OLB Tyus Bowser, Baltimore Ravens - The Bucs have a good chunk of cap space available, but will need to prioritize some re-signings like LB Lavonte David, OLB Shaq Barrett, and TE Rob Gronkowski. Thus, they may not have a lot of cash to throw out there after bringing back some of their own. Bowser is a good value to add as a rotational pass rusher, scoring some decent grades from PFF as a backup for Matt Judon and Yannick in Baltimore. An expanded role in Tampa could pay off for both sides.

Tennessee Titans (11-5)

Trade Target: OLB Jacob Martin, Houston Texans - As sad as it is, Martin's 3 sacks in 2020 would have led the team for Tennessee. In a passing era, you need to get after the QB better than the Texans are doing. While team's are hesitant to trade within the division, the Texans should be more focused on acquiring picks to rebuild, which they could get by moving a decent rotational pass-rusher.
Draft Pick: OLB Joseph Ossai, Texas - Really the Titans should be focused on landing a high potential pass-rusher, and Ossai figures to be a hot name in that range. He's a springy pass rusher who can inject some life into one of the league's worst team's at getting to the QB.
Free Agent Signing: WR T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts - After a strong season in 2020, WR Corey Davis seems a bit unlikely to return, as he'll likely fetch more on the market than the Titans can afford to pay him. Thus, they should consider adding a veteran replacement to pair with budding star A.J. Brown at wide receiver.

Washington Football Team (7-9)

Trade Target: QB Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans - Another team I think should really make a push for Watson. It'll cost them at least a 2021 and 2022 first-round pick, along with probably another second and DT Jonathan Allen or some other player. It could definitely cost more than that! But Watson would solidify Washington as the top team in the NFC East for the next few years. With QB and DE locked in with Watson, Sweat, and Young, this could be a potential dynasty in the division.
Draft Pick: OT Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State - A potential second-round target, Washington should look to find a developmental tackle to eventually slot into their lineup. Morgan Moses and Cornelius Lucas were a solid pairing last year, but both are about to turn 30 years old, and Jenkins has a lot of potential. A year to develop before taking a spot in the starting lineup would ideal for everyone involved.
Free Agent Signing: WR Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions - Washington managed to build a passing attack out of Terry McLaurin and a handful of role players at RB and TE. While it worked in 2020, it does not seem very sustainable, as Washington should use its cap space to bring in a premier WR to pair with Terry McLaurin. Pairing up McLaurin's speed with Golladay's ability to go win contested balls is an ideal complementary pairing.

Artist: Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
Album: Alfredo
Listen:
Spotify
Apple Music
TIDAL
YouTube
Background
Freddie Gibbs is a veteran hip-hop artist signed to Warner Records known for his sharp flow, versatility and charisma. Born in Gary, Indiana, he found himself in the streets early, selling marijuana at a young age and progressively adding cocaine, heroin and other hard drugs to his catalog. In high school, he was an all-conference wide receiver and safety, and earned himself an athletic scholarship to play football at Ball State University. However, using what little information I could find on the topic, it seems after a year he was expelled, as Gibbs says he “didn’t go to class and shit,” and he focused on pursuing a rap career after this.
Gibbs released over a dozen mixtapes between 2004 and 2012, leading up to the release of his debut album, ESGN. Gibbs really broke out in the hip-hop scene in 2014 following the release of his critically acclaimed collaboration with legendary producer Madlib, Pinata. The record is now considered one of the best hip-hop records of the 2010s. Since then, he has dropped a handful of well received albums, including Shadow of a Doubt in 2015 and Bandana, the sequel to Pinata, with Madlib in 2019.
The Alchemist has been a staple of the hip-hop community for around 15 years, first coming onto the scene in the early ‘90s as one half of the rap duo The Whooliganz. His production work became noticed as he worked with Dilated Peoples and Mobb Deep later into the decade. He has worked with a laundry list of high profile artists such as Nas, Eminem, The LOX, Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt and ScHoolboy Q. In 2018, The Alchemist teamed up with Gibbs and Curren$y to release the highly anticipated Fetti, which marked Gibbs’ first collaboration with The Alchemist on his own music (he had appeared on a small number of Alchemist-produced songs as a feature before this).
Review
Alfredo opens up with 1985, an intro track that is appropriately backed by a very triumphant sounding electric guitar riff - reflecting his position in the game hot off the release of Bandana - and classic Gibbs content; guns and cocaine. This track transitions into God is Perfect, quickly switching from his victorious braggadocio into one of the stickiest (and one of the only, for that matter) hooks on the record.
Track 3, Scottie Beam, was released at a critical moment in 2020, considering the subject matter. The song, which features a very powerful verse from Gibbs centered on the topic of police brutality, was released just days after the murder of George Floyd and the beginning of the intense period of protesting and activism that followed. The phrase “The revolution is the genocide, your execution will be televised” is repeated in variation on the track, referring to the number of police brutality cases going viral in media with no end in sight. Gibbs’ verse is one of the most memorable of the project.

He pulled me over, I asked him “Yo, what’s the problem, sir?
I swerved to duck the potholes, man, I had no option, sir
Just let me go, cause my license, insurance proper, sir
I’d hate to be on the run for smokin’ a officer”

This quote, while not particularly complicated, showcases Gibbs’ charisma and presence on vocals, very casually threatening to off an officer that has racially profiled him. Rick Ross also appears on the song, and although it doesn’t really go along with Gibbs’ verse, it is still another solid Rick Ross feature. At the end of his verse, he has a particularly chilling quote about the deaths of Kobe and Gigi Bryant, wondering if he’s next.
Look at Me is a very atmospheric song where Gibbs drops a quick verse and hook, telling the listener to “look at me, motherfucker.” He flexes his cars and women in a power move over a very light beat. A signature Alchemist skit then flips us from a very calm song into the darkest track on the album, Frank Lucas. An appropriately named track, Gibbs and Griselda’s Benny the Butcher, two of today’s best coke rappers, both drop very strong verses over a very grimy beat that sticks out among the many lavish and luxurious beats it is surrounded by. However, strong transitions from The Alchemist make this switch up fit like a glove, and it doesn’t sound out of place.
On Something to Rap About, Freddie Gibbs links up with Tyler, The Creator in one of his very few guest verses since the release of his critically acclaimed and Grammy Nominated-album IGOR. The song has Gibbs and Tyler rap about their recent accomplishments in different lights. The song almost feels like it has a light side and a dark side to it that flips in the middle, as The Alchemist subtly but masterfully ups the pitch of the track’s sample just as Tyler’s verse is beginning. Gibbs talks about the finer things that crime and crack helped pay the way for, while Tyler brags about fashion and vacationing while addressing his haters.

I just got a thumbs up and niggas go like “Good job”
You better find a shoe store and get your sole, get it quick, slip it on
And I’ll be in Mykonos, lemonade, sippin’ slow
Jumpin’ in the water off that boat I haven’t bought yet

Tyler follows up his shots towards those that waste their time hating on his success by also calling out the yes men in his life, telling them to find a soul in a double entendre and tying it off by bringing it back to the boat he mentions in the beginning of the track. This song leads into Baby $hit, which, despite the name, is a track dedicated to his success with women, while clarifying that he doesn’t have time to wife a bitch because he’s cleaning up his son’s shit.
The track Babies & Fools finds Gibbs linking up with Griselda once again in a very personal collaboration with Conway the Machine. The two rappers lay down a trio of verses each over a very laid back sample of Christian group Andrus, Blackwood & Company’s All of Me, following a theme of imperfection despite everything they’ve accomplished and who they are. Gibbs and Conway come off as very honest on this song, both reflecting on their come up and successes, saying they gave their all for the streets, the hood, and, of course, mama, but making it known they aren’t perfect. Conway, in particular, shares his shortcomings as a father in his second verse.

My baby mama cut me off, she had enough of my shit
I’ll CashApp stacks every now and then like that’s enough
She like “At least FaceTime, your babies don’t see your ass enough”
Plus, my older son is failin’ math, that shit ain’t addin’ up

His next verse after this goes right back to his street cred, reminding the listener what he has done for his crew and what he’d do for them if an enemy ever crossed the line, staying true to the song’s message.
The album closes out with Skinny Suge and All Glass. Skinny Suge gives us one last drop of a vulnerable Freddie Gibbs before the end of the tape. The instrumental is very somber and stripped back, with a heavy bass and light snare keeping tempo over ambience and an ominous guitar sample. Gibbs takes the time to look back on the losses he’s taken on the come up, revisiting his label troubles early in his career and the dark side of the drug game. Some of the most striking lyrics of the project are on this track, particularly when Gibbs touches on his uncle’s passing.

Man, my uncle died off a overdose
And the fucked up part about that is I know I supplied the nigga that sold it
Put a pistol to my head, I was way too scared, drunk off emotions
I’m drinkin’ and takin’ these drugs cause I can’t numb the pain with smokin’

The song ends with a prayer to Allah, with Gibbs asking his Lord to protect him from the things out of his control while he lives by the street code. All Glass is the album’s finale, ending the album with a fearful, murder-full reminder that Gibbs is a powerful man who is not to be messed with.
Final Thoughts
I don’t believe this is anything close to a hot take, but this album is definitely in contention for the best album of 2020 in my eyes. It seems at times that Gibbs can work with any producer if he tries, but it still feels like this was an artist and producer combo destined for eachother. I’m more partial to Bandana over this project, but I still think this is a top of the line album that should not be missed. The features are all on point as well, especially Tyler and Conway, and I think this is an essential album for the “Old-school revival” currently happening.
Since I’ve already included lyrics as a part of my review, I’ll consider this a personal section and list some highlights for me as well as my favorite tracks.
Favorite Songs

1. Babies & Fools
   
2. Something to Rap About
   
3. Frank Lucas
   
4. God is Perfect
   
5. Scottie Beam
   

Favorite Lyrics

Geekers beamin’ up to Scotty in my crack lobby, I can smell the caine burnin’
Gangland, if you put a hit on Freddie Kane, it’ll be a gang murder
1985 Michael Jordan, bitch, I travel with a cocaine circus
Flow God level like when Hov speak, I make a song weep, I got the game hurtin’

Freddie Gibbs on 1985

Scammin’ niggas maxin’ out, ratchet bitches actin’ out
God made me sell crack so I’d have somethin’ to rap about
Lobster lollipops and crustaceans, ho, what you mad about?
I fucked her twice in Vegas, that pussy wasn’t shit to brag about

Freddie Gibbs on Something to Rap About

Right back in the trap, these niggas bringin’ out the old me
I’m tryna live to 93 to see the old me

Freddie Gibbs on Something to Rap About

I cut some niggas off on some hater shit niggas said to me
R.I.P. tees cause these motherfuckers is dead to me
Nail is in the coffin, murder, murder
I’m sick of y’all niggas, and I ain’t coughin’, I know me
Y’all often anxious, lost in y’all thoughts and I don’t relate
So keep that energy away from me
Don’t blame me cause you ain’t got it figured out, you ain’t got the bigger house
The jig is up, you jealous, dawg, my afro long, I’ll pick it out

Tyler, The Creator on Something to Rap About

Get that white and I beat it up like I’m Mike
Jumper broke, man, a nigga can’t be like Mike

Freddie Gibbs on Baby $hit

Cougar pussy, I fuck a rich nigga wife
Doja Cat let me hit from the byke-byke

Freddie Gibbs on Baby $hit

Dumb high, Marty McFly, put down the crack, bet on myself
Like I went back to the future with a rap almanac

Freddie Gibbs on Skinny Suge
Discussion Questions

• Do you prefer Freddie Gibbs over this style of production or over modern trap beats, such as on the album Freddie?
  
• Do you think this album deserves to win the Grammy Award for Rap Album of the Year?
  
• Where does this album rank among The Alchemist’s other 2020 collaborations (LULU with Conway the Machine & The Prince of Tea in China with Boldy James)?
  
• How does this album compare to Bandana?
  
• With producer collaboration projects seemingly becoming more common as of late, what other producers would you like to see Freddie Gibbs work with? On the flip side, what artists do you think The Alchemist should look to make a project with?
  

The cannabis market right now is so similar to the start of the green energy market.. its nowhere near done being bullish. Save for some small dips, there will very likely be a huge bullish trend for 2021. EVEN NASDAQ AGREES. I’ve posted my positions a few times, and I’ll continue to do so. But this is my reasoning for investing in cannabis stocks in general for 2021.

• I've been a bull on cannabis since the democrats had a strong pro-cannabis platform. But what made me go balls deep into the market was that the UN changed its classification of cannabis. Countries follow the UN closely for guidance on their own classification of controlled substances. Congress has repeatedly cited the UN’s classification as one of the reasons for not changing it. Several countries immediately changed their stance on cannabis in response to this, including Israel, which In November 2020, announced that it was moving forward with a plan to legalize recreational cannabis nationally. “The country is aiming to implement recreational legalization within nine months, and even if there are delays, that means mid-to-late 2021.” (This is my reason for investing in Canadian cannabis companies, because they are already poised to expand internationally since its legal there nationwide)

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• THE SENATE IS NOW BLUE! The Georgia runoffs were won by Democrats, and they can now swing the vote left with VP Harris. She promised it as part of her platform, so we know it will be prioritized. CHUCK SHUMER SPONSORED THE MORE ACT. HE WILL BE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER. IT WILL 100% BE PRIORITIZED BETWEEN HIM AND VP HARRIS.

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• EVERYONE predicted beforehand that the republicans would win Georgia... everyone talked down decriminalization passing the house because of they believed it would NEVER pass the republican majority senate. But the left spent more than any senate race in history to encourage voters to go out and vote. Only once the race started did it become clear that the left had a chance. Then some gains from the surprise that they won. However the gains from 1/5 onwards definitely hasn’t been priced in for all the future legislation, because some of it will be completely new legislation that wasn’t possible to consider before without a blue senate. THIS HASN'T BEEN PRICED INTO THE MARKET YET.

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• The SAFE BANKING ACT has bipartisan support, and is likely to pass BEFORE decriminalization because it is tied into some stimulus bills.

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• The government is broke post-COVID. There is a terrible image of the police. They don’t want to waste more resources on cannabis related crimes that would be fixed under decriminalization. And the tax revenue from decriminalization would be significant. Decriminalization (THE MORE ACT) opens up the borders to interstate-commerce and international import/export. This would all trickle down into Uncle Sam’s empty pockets.

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• New York Governor Cuomo announced on Jan 6 his plan to legalize marijuana for adult use (right after New Jersey vote, as I anticipated in my last post) as part of his State of the State agenda. The next step is a ripple out on the North East. NY didn’t want to miss out on tax revenue, neither will any of the other states in the northeast within driving distance of NJ and NY. This is Cuomo’s third attempt in three years to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state; last year, Cuomo included a legalization proposal in his state budget, but the plan was ultimately cut in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other ongoing state legislature:

• Rhode Island: Regulators have received 45 applications for six new medical cannabis dispensary licenses in the state. If all applicants meet the requirements for a license, six will randomly be selected in a lottery to operate retail locations in different regions across the state. Read more
• Missouri: Rep. Shamed Dogan has filed legislation that would place an adult-use cannabis legalization measure on the state’s 2022 ballot. Meanwhile, Missourians for a New Approach has announced plans for a separate 2022 ballot initiative after an unsuccessful signature campaign to get the issue before voters in 2020. Read more
• Alabama: Sen. Tim Melson plans to reintroduce a medical cannabis legalization bill this year. Medical cannabis legislation passed the Alabama Senate during the 2020 session, but failed to clear the House. Read more
• Illinois: Illinois lawmakers have proposed the creation of 75 new cannabis retail licenses to give disadvantaged and minority applicants a second chance at licensing following the controversial licensing lottery to issue an initial 75 dispensary licenses. A work group made up of lawmakers and members of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration met this week to finalize details of the bill, which will be introduced in a lame-duck session that starts Jan. 8, before new lawmakers are sworn in Jan. 13. Read more
• Minnesota: House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler is again renewing his push to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state, announcing plans to reintroduce a legalization bill this year. Winkler told WCCO that he sees “Senate leadership as being the number one obstacle,” but said that if lawmakers agreed to place an adult-use legalization initiative on Minnesota’s 2022 ballot, “it would pass overwhelmingly.” Read more
• Virginia: Del. Steve Heretick has reintroduced a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis. Heretick has proposed legislation related to decriminalization and legalization in the past, and this year’s bill would legalize the cultivation, sale and consumption of cannabis in the state. Read more
• Connecticut: Gov. Ned Lamont renewed his push for adult-use legalization during his State of the State address Jan. 6, announcing that it is a priority for the new legislative session. Connecticut’s 2021 legislative session opened Jan. 6, and Lamont, a Democrat, kicks off the session with increased majorities in the House and Senate, which could increase his chances of passing an adult-use legalization bill. Read more

Now that you understand why I’m going green, here’s my reasoning for my positions.
TLRY (Tilray)

• largest cannabis company in the world by revenue post merger. Will run out of Seattle and New York City. New York Legalization on top of senate turning blue is a big catalyst for TLRY.
• Merger hasn’t completed yet, and the merger happened before the senate went blue.. that was the gamble APHA was making, and they won. The sky is the limit now. When they merge, they will reduce expenses and be much more likely to post profitable quarters. (This is why mergers have so much hype; the sum is > than their parts because they can reduce operating expenses while maintaining revenue from the two companies)
• Tilray CEO Brendan Kennedy: “I think medical cannabis will be legal at the federal level, which means medical cannabis can cross state lines and be imported into the U.S., like we export cannabis from Canada and Portugal to about 15 countries now,” Kennedy said. “Anyone who thinks there’s a state-specific medical market is wrong.” As for the recreational market, Kennedy says the state-specific markets, with interstate trade banned, “are not going to last long.” Kennedy believes that cannabis will be distributed like alcohol and tobacco within two years’ time. That would require significant overhaul of US federal drug laws—and would significantly disrupt all US cannabis companies’ existing business models. Brendan Kennedy, the cannabis billionaire will step down as Tilray's chairman and CEO. Irwin D. Simon, Aphria's current chairman and CEO will take Kennedy's place.
• [On December 18, 2020, just three days after the U.S. Senate adopted the Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act (CMREA or the Act) (more on this below), the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA or the Administration) published in the Federal Register a final rule, “Controls To Enhance the Cultivation of Marihuana for Research in the United States” (Rule), which finally paves the way for DEA to issue additional licenses to grow “marihuana” (i.e., cannabis) for research purposes.](https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/on-heels-of-senate-s-adoption-of-36129/)

GNLN (Greenlane Holdings)

• One of the largest global sellers of premium cannabis accessories. Pax/JUUL/Volcano products. I’ve had Pax products, and although I prefer Arizer because of the affordability, I can’t deny Pax has quality products and is like the “iPhone” of vaporizers. I like their products, I like their branding. There’s lots of hype and loyalty, especially with their Volcano desktop vaporizer.
• Strong US brands.
• The main reason they did poorly was bad timing. They IPO’d during the year that JUULs started being banned. They’re actually at all those levels again. Theres a ton of upside potential.
• Market cap is ridiculously low for some really renown brands all because of the JUUL flavor pod ban. Everyone knows Pax, Volcano, and JUUL. But no one knows Greenlane because of the bad timing of their IPO and the subsequent JUUL flavor ban. It’s crazy. They’ve already broke all time high for the year. But I’m holding until they break 1B market cap.
• Recently became the exclusive distributor for the world's first gravity powered contactless water hookah.
• Overall i think too many people count it out just because of their IPO and subsequent decline in JUUL sales from the JUUL flavored pods ban. They definitely have the potential because of their strong branding and quality products. I’m betting on them having more high quality products in the future with equally loyal customers.

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SNDL (Sundial Growers)

• SNDL must close above $1 per share for 10 consecutive sessions by June 26, 2021 or it will be delisted from NASDAQ. People see this as a fear factor, I see this as “they will do anything necessary to reach $1 for a week so they won’t be delisted”.. IMHO reverse splitter probably isn’t on the table since they could have done that in 2020, but instead applied for a 6 month extension after announcing “alternative strategic investments”. We can already see this by their predatory loan SPAC spinoff.
• Rumors of a merger with CGC; SNDL also purchased a SPAC recently and entered an agreement with Zenabis, immediately claiming they defaulted. Turning that SPAC into predatory loan/debt repurchasing company. Imo if they want to complete a merger, it would be easy to sell ownership through that SPAC to the buyer.
• THEY RECENTLY WENT DEBT FREE by selling off unprofitable assets in the business. This means we are much more likely to see earnings in future quarters, and they are much more attractive for mergers.
• Because they are indoor growers, they are more likely to be bought up by a company in the consolidating Canadian cannabis market than fail all together. The amount of space licensed to grow cannabis in Canada is now heavily skewed toward outdoor cultivation instead of indoor for the first time, according to new data from Health Canada. A growing population of licenses for outdoor growers means that there aren’t as many indoor licenses being given out... If a company ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD wants to quickly expand into indoor growing OR into the west, they would have to purchase an existing company that has the license to quickly do so. This is WAY faster, and a guaranteed way to obtain a license rather than applying for one and waiting x amount of months and be rejected for some requirement that wasn’t met.
• From my own experience, outdoor cannabis is subpar quality to indoor grown cannabis. So a growing market for outdoor cannabis doesn’t necessarily mean its better... it is likely just cheaper. I would imagine a high quality “craft cannabis” company would want to purchase SNDL, or an existing outdoor growing company that wants to quickly expand to indoor grown cannabis. With this being a Canadian company, there’s a chance a company in another country like Israel would be interested in purchasing it in the near future.

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PLNHF (Planet 13 Holdings)

• Biggest tourist trap in Las Vegas if you’re a stoner, casual smoker, or just wanting to try it. From my own experience, I think they will continue to be successful. If I went around the US trying other brands I’d probably be more confident in putting 5-10% of my portfolio into those picks or choosing to not include them lol. Like for example, I used to have Curaleaf. But there's tons of bad feedback on Curaleaf, a friend has tried it said the nug is really subpar quality and if I tried their nug I’d probably confirm that I wouldn’t want to invest in them. With PLNHF, i’ve seen the ambience and tried the product myself. It’s definitely a lot of hype price wise, but still quality. This is my own bias showing, but I still think they’ve got solid fundamentals and excellent location/strong US branding.

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I’m well aware of other good stocks like GTBIF, CRLBF, SSPK, TCNNF, GRWG.. but these stocks haven’t been swinging as hard in response to pro-cannabis news. E.g. TLRY, SNDL, GNLN swung more than 20% some days from pro-cannabis news...I will likely reduce my current positions shortly after inauguration, after some news about the timeline for cannabis legislation, and diversify my positions more between these other good picks.
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2021 is the year of cannabis boys

(Note: be warned, kind of long background info here, but I think it’s needed)
As far as interesting lives, few can beat Benjamin ‘Bugsy’ Siegel. Born February 28, 1906 in Brooklyn, New York, Siegel came from a poor Jewish family. Before he was even twenty, he’d established a profitable protection racket and a lengthy rap sheet, including armed robbery, rape, and murder. Siegel had connections—he was childhood friends with Al Capone and familiar with many of the well known New York City mobsters of the day—and he also had a taste for violence. Soon, he’d established a small mob specializing in hits for the numerous bootleg gangs of the time with Meyer Lansky, a fellow mobster. His violence and short temper led some to say he was “crazy as a bedbug,” giving him his famous nickname ‘Bugsy,’ which he even more famously despised.
Siegel was making money, which he was happy to flaunt, but he wanted more. He carried out several hits for Charles “Lucky” Luciano, and eventually formed Murder Inc. with his associates, establishing himself as a skilled hitman for the National Crime Syndicate, an organization of mob families. But Siegel was already making enemies, and several assassination attempts were made on his life, some of which came very close to being successful. So, it was time to move out west.
In California, Siegel helped establish gambling rackets, drug trade routes, and prostitution rings. His star was rising outside of the Underworld too, and in addition to the numerous politicians and police on his payroll, he befriended stars like Cary Grant and Clark Gable. Incredibly, while in Italy with a socialite in 1938, he met Hermann Goering and Joseph Goebbels, whom he immediately disliked and offered to kill. The offer was declined by his lady friend. Yet Siegel was not always looked upon fondly by the upper echelons of Hollywood; he borrowed exorbitantly from celebrities, knowing he would never be asked to pay it back, and began to develop extensive plans to extort movie studios. After several trials and acquittals for failed and successful hits, it was time to leave California.
Siegel’s next stop was Las Vegas where, in 1945, he purchased and developed the Flamingo Hotel & Casino, the first luxury hotel on the Vegas strip. As you might imagine, that was expensive, and over the course of its construction, costs were equivalent to over $61 million in today’s money each year. Siegel’s checks were bouncing, and many of the locals felt threatened by him. Mob bosses were beginning to lose patience with Siegel too, and he was refusing to report on business, claiming he was running the California Syndicate himself. For now, they left him alone—he'd been valuable in the past, after all.
The Flamingo Hotel was a dismal failure, and people—very powerful people—were starting to get tired of waiting for the promised money to materialize. By 1947, it was gradually turning around—with the help of Meyer Lansky, now in Vegas—but for most, it was too little too late.
Death:
On June 20, 1947, Siegel was gunned down in the Beverly Hills home of his sometimes-girlfriend Virginia Hill. He was 41. Somewhat suspiciously, Hill had taken an unscheduled flight to Paris the day (or by some sources, week) before. As Siegel sat reading the newspaper with associate Allen Smiley, an unknown assailant fired with a .30 caliber military M1 carbine through the window, striking Siegel many times (NSFW). Two shots hit his head, with one passing through his right cheek and the other his nose. Though he was not hit directly through the eye (NSFW), a bullet-in-the-eye death became a popular trope in Mafia media, including in the Godfather, where a character based on Siegel is murdered in the same manner.
The death was covered extensively in the media, which portrayed Vegas as a bastion of sin and mafia activity. As early as the day after Siegel’s death (or, as some sources have it, during Siegel’s death), however, more personal things were changing: Lansky walked into the Flamingo and took over operations.
Theories:
The mob is famously tight-lipped, and Siegel’s death was no exception. Despite the extensive speculation, no precise motive has ever been confirmed. There was a massive police investigation, but in a case like this, that doesn’t mean much, nor does the media coverage. The media in particular salivated over the potential for splashy crime stories, and the circumstances of this case have been complicated by contemporary coverage. Several days after Siegel’s death, for example, one newspaper ran the headline “BUGSY'S BLONDE EX-WIFE GIVES CLUES TO HIS KILLERS,” while another read “BUGSY'S EX NO AID IN HUNT.” As far as the most popular theories:
A Mob hit: A mob hit seems like the most obvious cause, and it's a theory that’s been popularized by several novels and the 1991 movie Bugsy. It would certainly make sense; it was the mob’s money Siegel had been spending wildly on his unsuccessful hotel after all, and he’d been growing uncooperative. Of the proposed hitmen, the most often mentioned are Frankie Carbo (Ralph Natale, former Philadelphia boss and Mob squealer, claimed Carbo as the true killer) and Eddie Cannizarro, both Syndicate hitmen. But even here, there are several proposed reasons for the hit. As some have it, mob money from the Flamingo’s funding was going missing and Siegel was skimming off the already meager profits. Skimming could have been forgiven, if the Flamingo was a success. It was not. After a meeting of the Syndicate’s “Board of Directors,” it was allegedly decided that Siegel would die, with Lansky reluctantly agreeing. Others believe that a hit might have been ordered whether Siegel was skimming or not; the Flamingo was simply too expensive. As one historian put it, “Bugsy was a dreamer. And he was dreaming with other people’s money.”
Yet many have also argued against this theory. According to one of Siegel’s emissaries in Vegas, for example, no one would have dared to order a hit on Siegel. He and Lansky were close until the end of their lives, and Lansky would never have agreed to it. And if Lansky would not agree, then Charles “Lucky” Luciano, who was “the head of everything,” would never have agreed either. And as others have argued, the method of execution (NSFW) didn’t match with typical mob methods; firing a weapon from outside a house increased the risk of missing as well as the risk of being seen. The preferred method was a clean shot to the back of the head. According to some, the oft-referenced money problems of the Flamingo also wasn’t an issue. At the time, Lansky was paying back any investor who wanted out, and the gradual uptick in its profits was quickening by the day. Personally, I don’t think the financial uptick invalidates the theory. If the hotel was starting to make more money, then that might be all the more reason to get rid of the difficult-to-manage Siegel and take over.
Wire Business: At the time of his death, Siegel was embroiled in a dispute with Jack Dragna, dubbed the Capone of Los Angeles. Siegel and Dragna had had an uneasy partnership in previous years, but Dragna, far less powerful than Siegel and the New York gangs, resented the income and respect Siegel commanded. This came to a head when a racing wire service (a way of cheating on bets) between the two of them soured. Siegel wanted control for himself, and ordered Dragna to turn it over or be killed, to which Dragna agreed. After Siegel’s death, control was returned to Dragna. He had a motive, but his story would only have been one among many for a man as ruthless as Siegel, which, in a way, complicates things further—there’s a real possibility that the culprit in Siegel’s murder was someone never even considered. His list of enemies was long, varied, and probably mostly unknown. Yet another man who had reason to want Siegel dead, for example, was his bodyguard and muscle Mickey Cohen. A Cleveland gangster, Cohen was given control of the Syndicate’s West Coast gambling operations. If Siegel still lived, he would never have gotten it. Interestingly, he, like Al Capone before him, was eventually felled by tax evasion.
Virginia and/or brother: The same emissary of Siegel who shot down the mob hit theory believed that Virginia Hill’s brother had carried out the murder. The brother, a marine stationed at Camp Pendleton named Bob or Bill, had seen Siegel and Virginia fighting outside the Flamingo as well as the bruises Siegel had left on her and threatened to kill him. Another of Virginia’s brothers, Chuck, was also at the Beverly Hills house when Siegel was murdered.
Virginia herself has also been the subject of suspicion. Nicknamed the “Queen of the Mob,” Hill worked, among other powerful jobs, as a cash courier, laundering money and stolen goods as well as blackmailing high-ranking men through sexual liaisons. Her relationship with Siegel was tempestuous at best, and she may have been embezzling from the Flamingo. She’s also been accused of two-timing with rival mob operations, though this is unconfirmed. Eventually fleeing to Europe permanently, Hill died of an overdose in 1966, though some have alleged that she was actually murdered after she, completely broke, attempted to leverage her intimate knowledge of the Mob.
Rival Mobs: Unfortunately, I can’t find much concrete information about this theory (note: story of my life researching these posts haha), but some believe that rival mob operatives wanted Siegel gone. He was a powerful—and very public—figure, which made him something of an obvious target in the cut-throat world of Mafia politics.
Moe Sedway: This is a relatively new theory, emerging after Robbie Sedway was interviewed for LA Magazine after his mother’s death. Here, he alleged that Siegel’s murder was ordered by his mother Bee, the wife of powerful mobster—and childhood friend of Siegel’s—Moe Sedway. According to Bee, who wrote and scrapped a book proposal called Bugsy's Little Lunatic (Siegel’s nickname for her), Siegel had threatened her husband, who was the Flamingo’s numbers man, and therefore watching Siegel—who, remember, had been accused of skimming—closely. So Bee contacted Mathew “Moose” Pandza, a truck driver whom Bee married after Moe’s death. Moose, the perfect killer, since he had no connection to the Mob, then shot Siegel to death. The problem with this theory, however, is that Bee is the only source; as she herself said, anyone who could contradict her was dead. She also squandered most of the fortune left to her by Moe over the course of her life, and died almost penniless.
All of the above: Some believe that almost all the suspects were involved. Usually, it goes something like this: “Virginia supplied the location and received some reward. Cohen knew Bugsy's schedule for the evening, but happened to not be watching him that night…Dragna ordered the hit, with the approval of Lansky and Luciano.” It’s unlikely, but it certainly has its believers, if only for the convenience of it.
Final Thoughts & Questions:
This case is interesting to me because of the sheer number of suspects. In the end, a mob hit seems the simplest and most likely explanation. But there were so many people with means, motive, and opportunity. So:

• Why was Siegel killed and who killed him? The Syndicate, rival mobs, Virginia Hall, her brother, Mickey Cohen, Jack Dragna, Mathew Pandza (as ordered by Moe and/or Bee Sedway), several of the suspects, or someone else entirely?

Sources:
https://www.lamag.com/longform/mobster-murder-moll-secret/
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/lasvegas-bugsy/
https://themobmuseum.org/blog/killed-benjamin-bugsy-siegel/
https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Bugsy_Siegel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugsy_Siegel
https://themobmuseum.org/blog/virginia-hill-queen-of-the-mob-was-no-ones-pushove
To many, Siegel’s legacy exceeds his mob connections, and in some ways, even his death; without him, many believe, there would be no Vegas. So if you take anything away from this write-up, let it be this: The Blue Man group’s Vegas residency is Bugsy Siegel’s fault.

/Hockey NHL Power Rankings Week Jan 18, 2021 - Jan 24, 2021

Thank You

Thank you to all of the volunteers doing the power rankings. Each ranker has their own system and have their own reasonings and analyis. It truly is a lot of work.

Rankers

deportalextrebek driftshade1 robtangle acescope sandman730 maxpowr9 goldwhale jchurch8073 tacotruckz eqoisbae suqqa_madiq nodessb silkeystev offraindrop13 rasera hrint philbob99 steckums thoseprose blueferret98 hockeycross admiralfartmore

Organizers

lang14 keepitsteadyidiots

Visualization

The visualization contains historical data, so you can see how your team has done over time. Hopefully, we can run this for many years in hopes that we can see the rise and fall of teams by /hockey opinion.
It automatically updates so feel free to bookmark. You can find it here

Process

How does this work? Throughout the course of the week rankers are able to access an app that will allow them to rank teams. At the end of the period we calculate the average ranking for every team and collate all of the analysis provided by rankers.
The app then generates a post that is first proofread and then posted to /hockey!

Rankings

Ranking (avg)	Team	Delta	Overall Record	Comments
1 (1.74)	Vegas Golden Knights	-	5-1-0	4-0 is an impressive start for the NHL's newest franchise. They excel in every area of the game, and to no one's surprise they are coming out as one of the best teams this season. They have proven to be good at getting close to cups, maybe a good start and a shortened season will be what it takes.
2 (3.26)	Tampa Bay Lightning	-	3-1-0	Still too early to really comment on anything, especially having only faced 2 other teams. Still have a few question marks in Schenn, Joseph, Volkov, and Stephens. But the rest of the team looks the same.
3 (3.48)	Montreal Canadiens	-	4-0-2	Montreal is atop the north division and that should come as no surprise to their fans. They have scoring, defense, and of course Price between the bars. The Canadian division winner will surely gloat for a while after this season, and Montreal is aiming for those bragging rights.
4 (5.17)	Toronto Maple Leafs	-	5-2-0	The Leafs have had a pretty solid start to their season. After two sloppy games against the Habs and Senators, they have buckled up defensively and have let up only 10 goals in their past 5 games. That being said, they've scored 14 in that time, with the majority being PP goals. So... the leafs need... 5v5 offense?? Not something we've heard in Toronto for a while. This is part of the reason that the Leafs are reportedly shopping for a forward, combined with long term injuries to rookie Nick Roberston and not-a-rookie Joe Thornton, it actually seems like a depth forward is a need.
5 (7.61)	Winnipeg Jets	-	4-2-0	Everybody who is worried or tooting their own horns, say it with me: "Sample size". A fantastic start to the season for the Jets that is ripe with deceiving takes. Ottawa's relative strength being a big question mark makes the 3 game win streak a big question mark. The two games prior were rust-filled .500 hockey spread over 6 days. Excluding the Connors, every player has looked shaky at times, and killer at others. Each game with a 20 minute effort, maybe 40 minutes tops. And of course, the Laine trade. But for all the downs, the ups are looking good thus far. The fan-dubbed 22 year old AHL lifer in Logan Stanley has made impressive strides in the summer, and has exceeded expectations thus far (of which there were none). Heinola looks fantastic, for all the 12 minutes we got to see. Forbort has been a steady rental, and the bottom 6 forwards (all 12 of them) seem like they all have something to prove. I'm sad about the Laine trade and I'm curious about Dubois. Good start Jets, keep going.
6 (8.09)	Colorado Avalanche	-	3-3-0	Welcome to the Covid Season! Avs have been off to a mixed start, lack of practice doesn't seem like a fair critique since every team was in the same situation, but Avs look rusty. Power Play is clicking, but hard to know if bad Pking is bumping it (Blues PK is barely over 50%). We have the youngest D in the league and none of the really young guys seem out of place. Girard-Toews have insane chemistry. We really need EJ to get up to speed so we stop playing Pateryn. Top Line is Fire and killing it. Middle 6 needs to wake up and start the season. Don't look now but Rantanen is tied for the league lead in goals, Big Moose is rumbling.
7 (8.22)	Minnesota Wild	-	4-2-0	Minnesota's not playing as well as their record would indicate, but clutch goals and solid defense goes far in this league. Kirill Kaprizov is better than advertised, which is hard to believe since fans have waited years for him to arrive. The blue line is one of the best in the league with the addition of Ian Cole, and the duo of Cam Talbot and Kaapo Kahkonen have been a much steadier presence in net than the Dubnyk/Stalock pairing of old. Talbot went down with an injury Friday night so this could be a very valuable insight into whether or not Big Kahk is the goalie of the future. There is still a glaring lack of skill up the middle - Victor Rask should not be a first-line center in this league - and the power play is abysmal, but in this shortened season it's all about maximizing your points in the standings.
8 (8.74)	Washington Capitals	-	3-0-3	It's been a great start overall for the Caps. They've picked up points in each of their first five games, and have been getting goals throughout their lineup. Their goaltending is weak to start, but I assume that they will find their rhythm as the season goes on.
9 (9.26)	Boston Bruins	-	3-1-1	WIth no preseason games, I am not surprised with the roster turnover that the Bruins would have a slow start. This is going to be a "prove it" year for a lot of the youth if they are an NHL-level player. Scoring in general was a major problem and it took 3 games to score a 5-on-5 goal, not to mention hardly any depth scoring. The second Philly game calmed my fears as the team is starting to click on all levels and hope it continues. I am also happy Nick Ritchie hasn't done anything stupid...yet.
10 (10.43)	New York Islanders	-	3-2-0	The isles are ready to make a statement. They had their chance at the cup last year cut off short by the champions, but they clearly still want to compete. Defensively, no team quite compares. They are definitely a team to watch in the East.
11 (10.83)	St. Louis Blues	-	3-2-1	Stick taps for Ville Husso. Dude's gotten no help in his first two appearances. Our Special Teams suck, and new arrivals Krug and Hoffman are taking a little time to get adjusted. That said, we're still 3-3 with Thomas, Faulk, and Kyrou all taking HUGE steps from last year, while Binnington has regained his form somewhat from the bubble last year. When the rest of the team gets rolling like we know they can, the Blues are a shoe-in playoff team for their 5v5 play alone. This team has earned some patience but let's hope they figure it out sooner rather than later, and stop taking so many damn penalties.
12 (12.48)	Calgary Flames	-	2-1-1	Calgary got better this offseason, and with another great start so far, they may be the team that climbs this ranking. They've outscore their opponents well this season and I wouldn't be surprised if this continued and lead to some real success for the Flames.
13 (13)	Dallas Stars	-	2-0-0	Potentially higher but only 2 games so far.
14 (13.04)	Carolina Hurricanes	-	2-1-0	Off to a solid start the Hurricanes exploded off the bat with a 3-0 shutout of the wings, seeing Teravainen, Hamilton, Aho, and Svechnikov show off how talented they were. Although they faltered, losing to the Wings in the second game, they came back strong against Nashville with their lines and defense again clicking. The team definitely has all the talent they need to compete this year - goaltending has looked good, offense has been excellent, and defense has continued to be one of the league's best. Going forward, the most impactful factor is going to be consistency across the neutral and defensive zone. While the offense looks solid, there are questions on bad giveaways, and poor possession down low - as this team continues to play, they should click and look up from here. They're off to a promising start, but the loss against Detroit sets them back in this week's rankings.
15 (13.17)	Philadelphia Flyers	-	3-2-1	Let me tell you the Flyers have the potential to be one of the biggest disappointments in the league this year, even the games we won we looked awful. I am convinced that the whole team is taking shots before each game because half of em look like they cannot skate straight. Thank god for Carter Hart and Moose.
16 (13.52)	Pittsburgh Penguins	-	4-2-0	Doesn't seem like this team has put together a full 60 minutes yet. I enjoy sneaking by with two points after OT, but we're going to need to start winning in regulation. Going to be an absolute battle to get into the playoffs.
17 (15.65)	Florida Panthers	-	2-0-0	Only this high because they haven't lost yet. I can't believe they will contend in this division but they've had a great start, even though it was a late one due to the great Texas Covid outbreak. Panthers are over preforming, and if they keep it up they may be able to become the 3rd or 4th team in this division.
18 (16.78)	New Jersey Devils	-	3-1-1	Hockey is back, 10 full months without Devils hockey, but we are finally back. After last year, you would probably be hard pressed to find a fan that came into the season with any sort of lofty aspirations for the team as a whole but 5 games into the season things look positive. Starting off with a SO loss to Boston followed by an OT win. A bit of a messy win against the Rangers. A 4-1 loss against the Isles wasnt great but it was Wedgewood's first game in net this season after Blackwood hit COVID protocol. At the very least it seems like the games will be entertaining to watch this year. Did I mention all of this happened with Nico still on IR? On an individual scale, the youth has shined. Ty Smith already has 6 points through 5 games this year and Hughes has hit 7, a third of his 2019-20 total. Yegor Sharangovich has seemed to be acclimating to NA ice fairly well too. For a team expected to be sitting at the bottom of the East most of the year, well at least we arent there right now.
19 (19.52)	Columbus Blue Jackets	-	2-2-2	Excited for the future after the Laine trade, but the first six games of the season looked alright. Power play is the usual garbage we're all used to by now. The Jackets have the worst PP in the whole NHL since 2017-2018. Our PK and defense are looking solid as usual. Saturday's game vs TBL just looked rough to play. The Bolts couldn't get anything done in the neutral zone for a majority of the game. The new blood has looked fantastic. Texier saw that Dubois didn't want the #1C and decided to elevate his game. Del Zotto is putting in work. Domi has been as good as advertised. Both goalies have been solid. There is still a lot of work to do and if the Laine trade didn't happen I'd mention the lack of major offense and anemic PP as huge problems we need to solve ASAP, but maybe I can finally stop writing about how terrible our PP is?
20 (21.17)	Nashville Predators	-	2-3-0	Nashville didn't get to play all their games this week due to Carolina's COVID outbreak, but all in all the Preds are starting off strong. Inconsistent Goalie play with Saros starting to get some time could cost them a few games. Inconsistent scoring could hurt too, but so far they've shown great things.
21 (21.43)	Arizona Coyotes	-	2-3-1	Arizona just can't get better. Their limbo of mediocrity may lose them their franchise and frankly they need a lot of help if they want to compete in their tough division. I don't see it happening though.
22 (23.04)	Edmonton Oilers	-	3-4-0	Turns out last year's MVP and McDavid isn't enough to carry a team through a whole season. The lack of depth and NHL caliber goalies has proven to be a detriment to this team, but the raw talent and excellence of it's stars is enough to win a few games, including one over the leafs this week.
23 (23.83)	San Jose Sharks	-	3-3-0	So far, the Sharks are looking much better than they did last season. They're playing ok, but if they continue their upward trend they'll be a wild card contender for sure. Our top forward lines have been solid to start the season, but we'll need to see more contribution from the bottom 6 to if we're gonna be in the playoff race. D has been pretty weak. Simek and Ferraro have been good, but Karlsson has still looked lethargic at times, and Vlasic doesn't seem to be bouncing back from last year as much as I'd hoped. Martin Jones is looking like a real goalie again! It's early, but he's looked more confident, and the high scoring games have been more of a defence issue. Hopefully a little time will help the Sharks shift into next gear, as it'll give the new guys time to get used to Boughner's system and the old guys a warm up after not playing games since March.
24 (23.87)	Buffalo Sabres	-	2-3-1	This year is going to be incredibly tough to get a read on how well teams are actually doing since there will only be in-division games. For the purposes of this ranking, I'll be using data from NHL.com to rank teams based on league averages in Corsi, goal scoring, and standings points. The first few weeks will be skewed and might look weird ffrom small sample size, so don't hate me. Anyway, Buffalo thus far has played six games, four against Washington and two against Philly, who I had thought were some of the best teams in the league last year. We were swept in the season series last year against Philly and split the series against the Caps, so the results so far roughly reflect recent history. Thanks to the shortened season, if we go on our yearly ten game tear, there won't be enough season left to throw it all away.
25 (25.13)	Los Angeles Kings	-	2-2-2	The Kings have played well, they have not been able to string a full 60 minutes together yet, their goalies have been keeping them from getting blown out, they need to be able to enter zones better and quicker, they have faced the hardest teams in their divisions and been able to stay in the game. The injury to Frk has held their Power Plays back, and the person in Frks place is a terrible replacement, they need to be able to revamp both of their powerplay's and score on them to win some games. Their 2 major off season additions have both played, very well AA has been perfect with Carter and carter has been fast and strong he is looking like his pre-2017 form. Andersson is playing great with Vilardi they are a great duo with some speed and good shots. Kale Clague and Mikey Anderson are very good with their d partners and excellent on the PK (Anderson) and has excellent PP skills when set up.
26 (25.52)	New York Rangers	-	1-3-1	The Rangers have had a...frustrating start to say the least. Game 1 against the Islanders was a sloppy opening display resulting in a 4-0 shutout by the Isles, but luckily the group only used it as fuel and came back next game to one up them 5-0. The following game against the Devils was an impressive showing by Blackwood to edge us out 4-3. The most recent game against the Pens was a definitely a learning experience for our young guys. We went up 3-1 only to blow the lead and go into OT 3-3. We eventually lost 4-3, and hopefully our boys will come out swinging next game. Pleasant surprises this season so far have definitely been our third line of PDG-Chytil-Kakko, Panarin heating up again, and Adam Fox's emergence as our possible #1 for hopefully the next decade. Some disappointments are definitely Jack Johnson, Ryan Strome, and David Quinn's decisions. Hopefully it starts to get solved now that we've gotten a few games under our belt. LGR.
27 (26.7)	Anaheim Ducks	-	2-2-2	The Anaheim Gibsons will live and die with the play of John Gibson, our lord and savior. This team will finish between 4-7th in the west depending on the goaltending tandem. Lead by top scoring wingers Nic Deslauriers and Max Comtois, this team has a very low expected goal total. If I were a betting man, I would bet the under in every game. The Ducks were in until the end on Pierre-Luc Dubios. The rumored package from the Ducks included Rakell and Steel. Personally, I am glad the Ducks did not pull the trigger on the trade or increase their offer to get Dubois. Not saying that he is not worth it, but for a rebuilding team like the Ducks, it would drag the team into a bubble playoff spot but they wouldn't have enough depth to really make noise in the playoffs. It would've prevented a rebuild from taking place and most likely wasted the prime of Gibson.
28 (27.26)	Vancouver Canucks	-	2-5-0	It has been an excellent start to the season for Canucks players who are no longer Canucks players. Indeed, things appear dismal out the gate for a club that had plenty of jump in the playoffs. It's still early in the season, but as they say, the early bird gets the worm, and the late whale gets the... opposite of the worm. Luckily, even with a sour start, Canucks fans get to enjoy proof that Hoglander's talent can translate to the NHL alongside proof that Juolevi does really exist. Otherwise, Bo Horvat is good and John Garrett is white.
29 (27.3)	Chicago Blackhawks	-	2-3-1	The Hawks are 8-for-19 on the PP with goals in all 6 games. Roster turnover has been intense with 4 players making their NHL debuts, and another 4 making their Blackhawks debuts. Pius Suter (3G, 1A - including a hat trick), Philipp Kurashev (2G), and Kevin Lankinen (2-0-1, .909 SV%) appear to be early wins for the European scouts. Connor Murphy leads the team in ATOI (22:27), has 2G, 3A and a 4-game point streak, and earned his 100th career point. The Hawks are currently in a playoff spot (but that may be a function of cancelled games in the Central).
30 (27.7)	Detroit Red Wings	-	2-4-0	The Red Wings this year came out with some decent performances to start the season. You could tell that the journeyman veterans that were brought in(Merrill, Staal, Stretcher,etc...)seem to fill enough of that gap so we could see three periods of competitive hockey during a red wings match. There are low expectations for this season however that shouldn't stop us from being able to stomach watching our team…Right??? In comes covid protocol wiping out six starters. We are back watching the, Wings with the depth of a kiddie pool flounder against teams not name Montreal, from last year. Bobby Ryan has been a fanatic story, Bertuzzi continues to dazzle with his tenacity, both Griess and Bernier are playing well enough, and Mantha is giving me Abdelkader flashbacks now that he has a nice big contract
31 (28.26)	Ottawa Senators	-	1-3-1	It's been a pretty interesting week and a half for the Senators. They won their first game by capitalizing on an (unsurprising) Toronto mental collapse, then lost their next game against Toronto but got the Jimmy Stü hype train off the tracks while playing them pretty closely. They then lost a game to Winnipeg that they should have won due to coaching decisions by DJ Smith that blew up in his face, before they just got outplayed in their second game against Winnipeg. The interesting thing (for me at least) is that winning the first game against Toronto and then keeping the second and third games pretty close (especially with Jimmy's amazing goal and the Chuk Norris line holding their own pretty well against competition), as well as the cool new jerseys being finally seen in action, seems to have raised expectations already for a lot of fans who were expecting another lottery pick going in. Playing against Vancouver next week should help fans figure out what this team is going to be this year.

*This is long; I got lots of great questions after the whales 101 post so I’m trying to be thorough. If you don’t want long shit skip to positions and TLDR. If you want me to search a ticker, you can comment it or PM me and I’ll try my best to get to it and we can talk shop. Inbox open all night like the trap house. *
Some Unusual Options Activity caught my eye from Friday for this week. I typically like to scan the prior Friday on the weekend, so I figured I’d share what I was looking at in case it gives you confirmation bias or an idea.
REMEMBER: UOA IS AN EDUCATED GUESSING GAME WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO STAY ABOVE 50%, AND HAVE A FEW AMAZING BAGGERS HERE AND THERE. DO NOT YOLO WHALES
The way I’ll break this down is by laying out my..
C choices: Options activity that is intriguing, but seems like there is a strong possibility it could be a hedge, a sell the news event, isn't confirmed once I do more research, or hasn't been called out by Unusual Whales. No precise formula.
B choices: Ones I am pretty down to hop on, but need to see more. I might be waiting for a dip, a related news event to play out, or this is one I feel could go against me big if it's an institutional hedge because of its Greeks.
A choices: Shit I will likely buy right at the open, fits into what my thought process on a sector generally has been, and is simply a ticker I like. ————————————
C choices some whales bought:
FSLR and SPWR: Somebody is betting solar
UOA cluster example for both FSLR: underlying=96.85 Order: 110c 1/22 (IV 63.98%)
SPWR: underlying= 31.96 Orders: 33 and 37c 1/22
Unusual Whales Alert: FSLR no/SPWR YES
Earnings Reports: Mid February
Why I like it: Solar cooled down a little bit after the Biden-stonk frenzy to start off the week. ICLN, EV, etc could just be refueling, and aren't necessarily done running.
Why I don’t like it: Falling knives, and could still be finding the bottom of it's channel. It had a hell of a run, and hopping in now feels greedy. The volume on these orders is also low, which can be a coinflip as to what it means. Sometimes 600-1,000 volume is the sweet spot, but
IV and Greeks [SPWR greeks]: shitty theta (you’re giving back almost 20% of premium price each day on the 1/29c) and IV at or near the money is already about 100% by this point. The only upside to straight buying a call is playing the IV/Vega on Joe Biden's inauguration speech
News confirmation and catalyst(s): Biden's inauguration speech could lay out a great renewable energy plan that gives the whole sector a boost. Last week people played weed, energy and EV in hopes that his Thursday speech would touch on these things--there is a much higher likelihood his inauration speech will. Also, huge news about the Keystone pipeline came out this weekend , and I don't know if this means uppies or downies for other oil companies, since big oil is trying to appeal by saying they'll switch sources.
Position: Waiting to see how Keystone decision fallout hits them tomorrow morning. If there is a significant dip I'll probably buy it for some 1/29 SPWR calls Wednesday morning and dump with a swiftness after inauguration.
B choices:
PEP🚀🚀 underlying=141.39 Orders: 152.50 2/12c (IV 20.74%), 143c 1/22 (IV 16%)
Unusual Whales: No alert
Earnings Report: February 11th
Why I kinda like it: Didn't see many KO calls around, but saw the PEP calls; that contrast made the order stand out to me as more than a sectoindustry bet. The fact that the ER is one day before the 2/12 call expiration makes me like this play because I can pick up some IV along the way for what feels like a very oversold tech stalwart.
[IV and the Greeks: Looks good to me, no major caution flags. BUT, the bid/ask spread is a little wide. This partially keeps it at C level; I’ll probably put in a low bid, forget it, and see if the price action during the day gets the order filled.
News confirmation and catalyst(s):On Friday Lebron James announced he’s switching his KO sponsorship to a PEP sponsorship--which probably played into this UOA. Looking into this more, I saw that it's an energy drink play and he's now attached to Mountain Dew's Rise energy drink. Maybe PEP gets some price upgrades since people saw how much of a beast MNST has traditionally been, maybe this starts some conversation around the sector as a whole on CNBC, or maybe neither of those things happen. BUT, with a relatively safe stock making a big name play leading into earnings, I'm willing to lose a little theta for a week to see if anything plays out.
Position: A relatively safe PEP 145c 2/12 while I play the waiting game for a week or so and reevaluate. If it's smooth sailing, likely hold for a bit into the earnings run and sell before.
FB🚀🚀: Underlying= 251.36 / b: 252.50c, 257c 1/22, others (IV: 38% for 1/22, ~50% for 1/29)
Unusual Whale alert: No
Earnings Report: 1/27
Why I like it: Welcome to earnings season for big tech, and FB is a steal right here. They’ve been pummelled, fairly or unfairly, in the "censorship" aftermath and is at a great level to bounce...you can't cuck the Zuck. I have been seeing Fb calls with their own hedges trickle in like this since Wednesday and Thursday nonstop--there was some bad What's App backlash to their new privacy policy, but if anything that will be a tastier dip for Monday entry that is to be bought.
IV and the greeks: slightly elevated IV because ER is coming, but fine. Still plenty of room for an upward trajectory on IV/Vega. The premium for 1/29 is a tad bit pricey, so if you can't afford that I'd look at a vertical call spread capping at 255 if you're going to play it with a close expiration.
News confirmation and catalyst(s): What's App issue is a potential albatross for tomorrow, but I do believe this will be a relatively smooth upward earning trajectory. Also, their Oculus 2 demand numbers are going be through the roof and has great meme potential. I don't usually hold through ER, but I may keep a lotto for this. Been hovering around MA200, ready to bounce bounce.
Position: FB 1/29 255c, FB 2/19 260c
DVN 🚀🚀🚀: underlying= 19.57 / Orders: 19.50, 20c, 21.50 1/22, many others with exp. from now to May. (IV high, around 100% on ATM weeklies) DVN UOA
Unusual Whales alert: Yes
Earnings Report: Feb 16th
Why I like it: I've been seeing it pop up so much in clusters I can't ignore it any Longer. The volume has been intense in the whole sector. This Barron's article confirmed the activity I've been around energy. They compare it to TSLA--yes, TSLA.
IV and the greeks: IV is getting a bit high because of the overall energy spike, but I have confidence it's heading higher. The bid/ask spread is problematic, though. Will enter low and hope the order gets bought on a dip.
News confirmation and catalyst(s): aside from the call activity and the Barron's article pump, we have the inauguration for Biden to lay out a true vision for energy. Early indications are that while solar, EV, etc are the hot names there is a place for truly evolving big oil companies. They also just completed a merger on January 7th. Plus we have a nice dip tomorrow as an entry point with the Keystone news
Positions: This is one that you buy LEAPS or monthlies on-- I'm looking at *2/19 121.5c and 3/19 121.5c *but I fully acknowledge that the bid/ask spread is a bitch at the moment.
A list:
EDIT 🚀🚀🚀: underlying = 76.14 / Order: 1/22 85c (IV 116%)
Why I Like It: Ever since I missed the NIO/PLUG everything EV launch a couple months back, I've been looking for the next industry to go off. Energy is one of my choices, the other is whatever the fuck is going on with Gene Editing. Genetically constructed super-babies, so hot right now. I know ARKG exists as well, I consider that a part of this play too.
IV and the Greeks: Unideal for the short term, as under 100% is a general rule of thumb, but I really like this as a long term hold--so much so that I'm going to recommend the S word here (ssssssshares).
Confirmation and catalyst(s): Barron's came out with this piece over the weekend, which is part of what I'm sure that whale was chasing.

While gene-editing start-ups will lose money during years of clinical trials, it’s hard to say the stocks are overvalued. If their one-time interventions can cure diseases that otherwise require chronic treatment—or lack any treatment at all—then the stocks will fly.

Position: Opening up two LEAPs if I can get a dip so the 1/20/22 ask is only around 2,300. Will chase on a 2/5 77 because the bid/ask spread on that strike is (relatively) reasonable and it feels doable. If this one is pricey for you consider call debit spreads.
Two interesting trends from Friday UOA that I’m trying to connect some dots on:
1) Cruiseline puts were everywhere
I saw this enough that it made me think. My hunch was that a lot of bad COVID recovery-stonk news is coming during inauguration (plus global trends). That contrasted a little with the second interesting trend...
2) Vaccines all got Unusual call options at various times I saw MRNA got some UK upgrade attention today--maybe that was some of the reason, maybe that was none of the reason, but interesting nonetheless.
I checked Unusual Whales to see if they have any cruise alerts and they had the opposite of the orders I saw--a CCL 1/29 call alerted. They also had MRNA 2/5 145 calls. I'm going to stay away from the cruise puts, and probably go with some MRNA and NVAX 2/5 calls, slightly OTM depending where we open up. It seems like the cruise puts were a hedge for a good week for vaccines.
Open Interest change notables:
1) Oil saw huge OI increases for January and Feb expirations (XOM, PBR, etc).
2) Uber had huge OI increase for 2/19 both calls and puts. Earning are 2/10
3) F and GM having obvious increases from their big splashes
4) SRNE had serious volume as well and lots of sporadic call buys
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Other options I saw I liked: BZUN 2/19 45c FEYE 1/22 25c I will play as a 2/5, WKHS 25c 2/5
Positions:
PEP 145c 2/12
FB 1/29 255c, FB 2/19 260c
DVN 2/19 21.5c and 3/19 121.5c
EDIT: 2/5 77c
INO/NVAX/MRNA take your pick (Cruise puts hedge) EDIT: JUST NOTICED A 170c 1/22 NVAX I MISSED
VXX: 1/29 18c and 19c. bigly hedged for inauguration shenigans.
waiting for a dip for some of these because I’m Nervous about Thursday.
TLDR: Energy, Gene editing, and Vaccines were all trending on Friday UOA. FB has been getting a lot of call activity as well ahead of earnings. PEP looks good for a run too on the heels of Lebron James signing pre-earnings.
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This doesn’t update so I’ll put screenshots and stuff if more interesting stuf comes in when I check in the daily thread. I try to update these on my twitter as well @yourboymit. Mods, trying to be helpful since there are no edit notifications, not shilling or selling anything.
Go Bengals.