#chicago fire season eight spoilers

[whumpkeys]

Foster

(Slight AU where after Otis’ death, it’s like after Andy’s death with Severide and Casey fighting again)

“Hello? I’m looking for my foster dad?”

Severide looks up, surprised to see a dark haired teenager, about fourteen or fifteen standing next to 81, a navy blue backpack on his shoulder.

“I think you have the wrong place, kid. Who’s your foster dad?”

“Who are you?”

Kelly flounders for a second, not expecting the sudden question. “Kelly. Kelly Severide. I’m the lieutenant in charge of squad.”

“Oh.” The kid shifts a bit, obviously uncomfortable. “You know what, I’ll find him myself.”

Severide stands up, taking a step towards the kid as he moves towards the doors. “You can’t go in there. What’s in the bag?”

The kid hugs his bag closer to him, trying to step around the lieutenant to get through the door to the common room. “It’s just my school stuff.”

“Let me see,” Kelly tells him, holding out a hand for the bag as he moves to block the kid’s way.

“No. It’s my bag. Why can’t I see him?” The kid asks, growing increasingly anxious.

Cruz, Tony and Capp had stood up at this, sensing that the kid was about to do something.

Sure enough, the kid suddenly darts forwards, ducking under Severide’s arms to get to the door. He makes it through just as Kelly tackles him to the ground. The kid cries out, squirming and trying to get away while Kelly pins his arms behind him.

“Severide! What the hell is going on here?” Boden shouts, coming out of his office at the sound of the kid screaming.

Casey appears behind him, staring in shock at the ground. “Ethan?”

“Matt! Matt, help!” The kid, Ethan, yells as Cruz opens his backpack, pulling out some books and a binder.

“It’s just school stuff, Lieutenant. Kid wasn’t lying.”

“Of course he wasn’t lying! Jesus, Severide! Let him go!” Casey yells, moving to pull the lieutenant off. Severide scrambles off the kid, watching as Casey pulls Ethan into a hug, glaring at Severide over his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I know I’m not supposed to talk to him but he wouldn’t let me see you and I needed to see you and he wouldn’t let me see you, Matt!”

“It’s okay, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

After a few more seconds, Casey turns his head, whispering into his kid’s ear. “Ethan, I’m going to get a friend to show you where my office is. Can you wait there for a bit while I get things sorted out?”

The truck captain feels Ethan nod against him and relaxes.

“Gallo, can you show Ethan where my office is?”

Gallo nods, looking at the obviously shaken teenager. “Sure thing, Cap.”

Casey watches until the two are out of sight before turning to Severide and the rest of squad, rage in his eyes. He steps forwards, snatching Ethan’s bag away from Cruz. “If any of you EVER touch my son again, there will be hell to pay.”

“Casey—”

Casey turns towards Severide, interrupting him. “You don’t get to talk! You had no right to do that to him!”

“Why the hell isn’t he allowed to talk to me, Casey?!” Severide shouts, moving forwards.

“It’s not that he isn’t allowed to talk to you, it’s that I warned him to be careful around you!”

“Why the hell would you do that?!”

“You tried beating the shit out of me for pulling rank, how was I supposed to know you wouldn’t do the same to Ethan?”

“That’s such bullshit, Casey and you know it!”

Shaking his head in annoyance, Casey heads for his quarters, having said what he needed to say and not seeing the point in fighting with Severide again.

Ignoring Severide’s shouts, Casey pushes the door to his quarters open and is pleased to see Gallo and Ethan playing a game of cards on his bunk.

“Thanks Gallo,” Casey says, dismissing him with a nod of his head.

“Anytime, Captain,” Gallo says and with a wave to Ethan, leaves.

Taking a seat on his bunk, Casey looks to Ethan. “So what’s going on, E? Why aren’t you at school?”

“James in Mr. Trey’s class overdosed in the washroom and they sent everyone home.”

“Is he okay?”

Ethan shakes his head slowly. “No. He died.”

“That’s… wow. Are you okay?”

Ethan’s quiet for a second as he processes the question. “I think so.”

“It’s okay to not be, you know. Even if you weren’t friends, it can be pretty scary.”

“I know, Matt. I don’t really want to go home right now. Can I stay here for a bit?”

Casey nods. “Yeah, of course. I’ll just let Boden know.”

#not whump #chicago fire #chicago fire fanfiction #matt casey #matthew casey #drabble #random ass drabble #chicago fire spoilers #chicago fire season eight spoilers #key’s writing #my writing

[like-a-bag-of-potatoes]

Playing With Fire - Mrs. Andrews

A/N: So this is my first crack at Chicago fire fanfiction, so don't judge too hard, alright? This will unfold from the beginning of season three, so if you haven't watched it yet, but plan to; SPOILER ALERT! I tried to follow along with the storyline of the show, but some things have been changed. Shout out to my superawesome beta @thorne93, you rock! 

A/N 2: Just one more part after this, guys. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this, been patient with my very flimsy posting schedule, and to those who has showed me love throughout this series. You are all AMAZING!

Fandom: Chicago Fire

Pairing: Kelly Severide x Beth (OFC) 

Warnings: None I think

Wordcount: 2225

MASTERLIST

A million thanks to @campingmonkey​ for making this GIF for me on request. You’re the best!

Kelly didn't really understand what was happening when his alarm went off at 4am. He was ready to roll around and continue his sleep when he remembered why he had set his alarm in the first place. He basically rolled himself off the couch with a groan and padded his way to Beth's room. 

Nightmares plagued Beth's sleep. Over and over again she saw that car coming towards her in slow motion. A loud crash, followed by Alex running away, and then she was all alone. No help ever came. When Kelly gently nudged her arm, she jerked awake.

“Sorry,” he whispered as Beth sat up in her bed. 

“No, it's okay,” she said, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. 

Kelly sat on the edge of her bed, concern etched into his handsome face as he placed a hand on her knee. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah. I'm fine. Just a bad dream.” 

“Want to talk about it?” he asked. 

"I don't remember what it was,” she lied. 

“Alright.” He gave her knee a firm squeeze. “Try and get some more rest. I'm right in there if you need me,” he reminded as he got to his feet again. He was just about to go back to the living room when a small, gentle hand closed around his wrist. He looked down to where their hands connected before he let his eyes meet hers. 

It took a second for her to find her voice. “Can you stay here with me?” 

She sounded so vulnerable, so broken, that Kelly was powerless to deny her anything. He nodded his head without saying a word and Beth moved over to make room for him before he climbed in. Neither of them spoke as Beth reached down and laced their fingers together, resting her head on his shoulder. Kelly kissed her hair and whispered a goodnight, and before long, Beth had drifted off to sleep again. Kelly on the other hand, didn't want to sleep right away, he wanted to stay awake a little and just enjoy the moment. It was nice to have her so close again, to feel her hand in his as he listened to her heavy, sleep filled breaths. Yes, he definitely needed to savor this moment for as long as he possibly could. 

Beth woke up alone the next morning. Kelly had woken up at eight that morning, but he didn't have the heart to wake her up, so he had let her sleep. It was nearly an hour later when Beth came padding into the kitchen, her hair sticking out to all odds and end, her eyes still filled with sleep. 

“Morning,” Kelly greeted, flashing her that charming smile of his. One thing he had learned about her was that she wasn't human until she had her morning coffee, so as soon as he saw her, he started getting a cup ready for her. 

“Morning,” she greeted back, sending him a smile as he handed her the mug. She took a deep breath before she spoke. “Thank you for staying with me,” she said softly. 

“Don't mention it,” he said kindly as they both took a seat at her table. “You remember what you were dreaming?” 

“Just the accident,” she said, not looking up at him. “Apparently my brain thought it would be fun to play it on a loop in slow motion.” 

“Are you okay?” he asked again, worrying his brows. 

“I promise.” 

“Can I ask you something?” he asked tentatively and Beth answered with a nod. “You said you’re claustrophobic,” he started. 

“Mhm..” 

“Does that have anything to do with why you left NYFD?” 

Beth sighed and put her cup on the table. “It was a building collapse,” she started. “My partner and I got trapped with a patient we were trying to save. The patient died on impact, and my partner was badly injured. We were stuck there for nearly eleven hours,” she said with pain in her voice. 

“I'm sorry, Beth,” he said, reaching out to give her hand a comforting squeeze. “How’s your partner?” 

“He didn't make it.” A tear fell from her eye and she wiped it away. “My leg was pinned under some rubble and I couldn't get to him. So I just had to sit there and watch him die,” she sniffled at the memory. 

Kelly got up from his seat and rounded the table, crouching down in front of her. It wasn't hard to understand why she had reacted the way she did when she got pinned in that car. He didn't know what to say to her, so he just reached up and cupped her cheek. 

She melted into his touch, taking the comfort it provided. “I tried to go back after my leg had healed up, but I couldn't do the job anymore. Claustrophobia and panic attacks don't really go hand in hand with being a paramedic.” 

“But it's getting better?” he wondered. 

“Yeah, I'm getting there. I guess being stuck in that car- just a little too familiar I guess.” 

Kelly didn't quite know what else to say, so he opted to give her a hug instead, trying to provide her with a little comfort. He knew as well as anyone what this job could be like, and he had seen how it could change people. The fact that Beth had left it behind after her injuries didn't make him think any less of her, to the contrary. It took strength to walk away from something you loved, to admit that it might have changed for you.

Beth sniffled into his shoulder, appreciating the gesture. She was about to say something more to him, but before she could, a knock on the door interrupted her, and pulled them apart. 

“It's probably just Gabby checking in,” she said as she got to her feet. “You mind? I'm gonna go put some pants on.” 

Kelly just nodded and went to open the door. He was expecting Gabby, or anyone else from 51, but he didn't recognise the woman on the other side of the door. 

“Who are you?” she asked in a demanding tone. 

Beth froze as she heard the familiar voice, instantly turning on her heel to go save Kelly. 

“Mom! What are you doing here?” 

She didn't answer, just looked Beth up and down with a disapproving look on her face while Kelly seemed as though he was a deer stuck in headlights. 

“You know why I'm here,” mom countered, “You gonna let me in?” 

‘No’ Beth thought to herself, but Kelly stepped aside to let the woman in. She pushed past them both, leaving her luggage in the hallway. Beth grabbed the suitcase and wheeled it inside before following her mom. 

“It's smaller than I imagined,” she criticised as she looked around the apartment. When her eyes landed on her daughter, her hard features softened and she reached out to give Beth a hug. “I was so worried about you.” 

Kelly came up to introduce himself. “It's nice to meet you Mrs. Andrews,” he said politely. 

“So you’re Beth's friend?” she quizzed, actually making quotation marks around the word friend. 

“Oh my god,” Beth exclaimed, hiding her face in her hands. “He's just a friend,” she pressed, pointing to the couch that was still made up. 

“You always walk around half naked when you have friends over?” 

“I just got out of bed, mom. And I've definitely not had enough coffee for this,” she added that last part under her breath. 

“Have you eaten yet, or should I make something for you real quick?” She was already heading for the fridge. 

And just like that Beth felt like she was fourteen years old again. “I don't have time for food mom, I have an appointment at the hospital.” 

“Oh good. I wanted to talk to your doctor,” she chirped. 

“No, mom. You don't have to come. Kelly is gonna give me a lift.” 

“Nonsense. I'm here now. There's no need to put him out anymore,” Mrs. Andrews said sweetly, sending Kelly a tightlipped smile. 

“No one is putting me out,” Kelly said politely. “I don't mind taking you both if that's alright?” he offered. 

“Excuse us for a moment,” Beth said, taking Kelly by the arm and dragging him away. “I am so sorry about this,” she said with wide eyes. “I really didn't think she would just show up like this.” 

“It's okay,” Kelly said with a chuckle. 

“You should just go. Save yourself,” she suggested. 

“I'm a big boy, Beth. I can take it,” he noted. “Besides, how bad can she be?” 

“You’re gonna regret those words, Lieutenant.” 

***

At least there weren't any awkward silences with Beth's mom around. There was a constant flow of words coming out of her mouth. Everything from complaining about the cold Chicago winter, to gossiping about neighbours back in New York, to bragging about Beth's brothers and their recent accomplishments. By the time Kelly pulled his car up to Beth's apartment, his ears were practically bleeding, and he was definitely excited about dropping them off. Beth on the other hand, was so embarrassed that she didn't have words. 

She gave her mom the keys to her apartment and told her she'd be right in. 

“Bet you regret not bailing when you had the chance,” Beth noted as soon as mom had disappeared through the front door. 

“Just a tad,” he chuckled. 

“I'm really sorry about all this. Is there any way I can make it up to you?” 

He just shrugged it off. “So, what are your plans now that you have a clean bill of health?” he wondered, sticking his hands in his pockets. 

“I don't know. Guess I have to ask my mom,” she joked, making Kelly laugh. Just then, Mrs Andrews stuck her head out the door and yelled something about them catching the flu if they stayed out there in the cold. Beth rolled her eyes and said she'd be right in. “You and Gabby be careful today, alright?” Kelly just bobbed his head. “I hope you find some answers.” 

“Me too.” He closed the gap between them and placed a chaste kiss to her forehead before he started making his way around the car again. 

“I'm here if you want to talk,” she called out just as he was about to get in. 

“I'll keep that in mind,” he said with a smile. And with that he got back in his car and drove away. 

Beth watched him until he turned the corner and then she took a deep breath to gather some strength before she headed back inside. 

***

The next day was unbelievably cold, to the point that Chicago had issued a state of weather emergency and urged everyone to stay inside. Kelly tried to get out of his car, but didn't get very far before he sat back in and closed the door. He looked around for anything he could use to shield him from the cold during the short walk from his car and to the firehouse. A sweatshirt lay in the back seat, so he threw it on like a scarf and ran inside. 

“Wow!” he exclaimed as he came through the door and almost ran into Tony. 

“Pretty brutal out there today,” Tony noted. 

“Yeah. I just saw a penguin. Crying,” Kelly joked. 

Because of the weather emergency, everyone at the station knew that it was going to be a busy day. To top it all off, radio communication was down and the ambulance had starting issues. Kelly was in a good mood though. They had finally learned the truth about Shay’s death, and he really felt like that brought a little closure. His already good mood improved as Beth came through the door, carrying two full grocery bags. 

Dawson greeted her first, taking one of the bags off of her hands. “What are you doing here? Didn't you catch the part about staying home?” 

“I heard something about that on the radio on my way here. About the same time as I passed a crying penguin,” she joked. 

Gabby looked from Beth to Kelly, chuckling as she shook her head. “Peas in a pod,” she muttered under her breath. 

Beth turned to Kelly with a confused look on her face. “I made that same joke not ten minutes ago,” he explained, taking the other bag from her hands. “What are you doing here?” 

“To make soup… and get away from my mom. Figured you'd all be pretty busy today, and cold, so.” 

“I'm sure everyone will appreciate it,” he noted as they made their way to the kitchen. “How long is she staying?” 

“I have no clue,” Beth said with a deep sigh. “She doesn't have a return flight and she keeps changing the subject everytime I ask. I hope soon though. She's taken over my entire apartment… even rearranged my cupboards - twice.” 

“Wow.” 

“Right!? I literally snuck out while she was in the shower.” 

��And how many times has she called since then?” 

“Just four. I call that improvement.” 

Gabby came rushing through the doors, panic written all over her face, a small baby in her arms. “Someone just left her under the Safe Haven sign,” she breathed out. 

“What?” Beth exclaimed as she hurried over. “People actually do that?” 

Tags: @campingmonkey @deansgirl215 @thevelvetseries @graniairish

#Chicago Fire #chicago fire fanfic #chicago fire fanfiction #Kelly Severide #kelly severide fanfic #kelly severide fanfiction #kelly severide x reader #kelly severide series #kelly severide angst #kelly severide fluff

[theyearoftheking]

Book Thirty-Eight: Rose Madder

The first time I picked this book up, I was fifteen, and on a family vacation in Mexico. I have no idea how I found this book; I don’t remember selecting it from a book store, and my moms is not a fan of Stephen King, or horror, so I doubt it was something she had purchased for herself. 

In all honesty, I remember bits and pieces of our trip to Mexico, but the most memorable part was reading Rose Madder. It imprinted on me in a way I can’t fully articulate. It remains my favorite Stephen King book because sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones we share a life with. 

The second reason Rose Madder is so memorable for me... when I was in third grade, I auditioned for Really Rosie, and tormented my sister by singing it constantly. To this day, I still remember ALL the words to Carole King’s lovely song. I can barely remember a grocery list, or my gas card pin... but I remember, “YOU’D BETTER BELIEVE ME, I’M A GREAT BIG DEAL!!!! BEEEEELIEEEEVE MEEEEE!” In one of life’s more disappointing moments, I was cast as Rosie’s pet cat and spent most of the play crawling around on my hands and knees. Humiliating. 

In addition to being a double shot of nostalgia, Rose Madder is also a finely crafted, suspenseful piece of writing. It’s also a book I thought I knew like the back of my hand. But upon re-reading, I picked up on the following King universe mentions:

The novel starts with Rosie reading Misery’s Journey, and a later reference to Misery’s Lover (Misery Chastain from, well, Misery).

Several Ka references!

“I’ve seen bodies on fire and heads by the hundreds poked onto poles along the streets of the City of Lud.” (Dark Tower)

“On the wall was a framed picture of two women Norman recognized. One was the late great Susan Day.” (Insomnia)

Some of these references would have been lost on me, had I not taken the Constant Reader pledge to read every single book in chronological order. It almost makes this entire project worth it, just to find those Easter eggs. 

Rose Madder is the story of abused wife Rose Daniels (nee McClendon) who finds a small spot of her blood on her bed sheets one morning, and decides she needs to leave her husband, Norman. She knows it’s now or never. If she stays, he will eventually kill her. As it is, he’s beaten her badly enough, and even caused a miscarriage in the past. 

So, Rosie steals Norman’s debit card, withdraws some cash, and hops on a Greyhound bus to Chicago, where she hopes to lose herself. But Rosie has no idea what to do when she gets off the bus in Chicago. Thankfully, a helpful Traveler’s Aid worker, Peter Slowik, steers her towards Daughters and Sisters, a home for battered women, run by his ex-wife, Anna Stevenson. 

At Daughters and Sisters, Rosie breaks down before building herself back up again. Her body starts to heal, she meets other women just like her, she gets a job working at a hotel, and she starts to shed some of the shame and guilt associated with being Norman’s punching bag. 

One day after work, Rosie wanders into a pawn shop to sell her wedding ring. After their engagement, Norman told her he could have either bought a new car, or her engagement ring... that’s how expensive it was. Spoiler: Rosie finds out it’s a cubic zirconia. She’s pissed. But on her way out of the shop, she finds an intriguing painting of a blonde-haired woman in a rose colored toga, looking out over a field and ruins. Rosie can’t explain it, but she needs the painting, named Rose Madder. She swaps out her worthless engagement ring for the painting, and makes the acquaintance of shop proprietor Bill Steiner. She also meets Rob Lefferts, who is fascinated by her throaty, Elizabeth Taylor-esque voice, and offers her a job reading audio books. 

Life is finding it’s rhythm for Rosie; she has her own apartment, she’s making more money than she could have ever expected, and she is casually dating Bill Steiner. But sometimes she looks at Rose Madder, and gets the feeling it’s alive. 

One night she has a vivid dream that involves her going into the painting, and helping the woman pictured by rescuing her baby from inside a labyrinth, and avoiding a bull stomping around. The woman is so thankful, she promises Rosie that she’ll return the favor some day. 

Spoiler: it wasn’t a dream. 

Meanwhile, Norman is stewing over the embarrassment of his wife leaving him and stealing his debit card. Honestly, he seems more embarrassed about the debit card than anything else. Because... toxic masculinity. Using some sneaky police tactics, he tracks her to Chicago, and tortures and kills Peter Slowik in an attempt to get information out of him. Slowik tells him about Daughters and Sisters, and Norman is on a mission to find Rose.

Daughters and Sisters just so happens to be having a fundraising picnic that weekend, and Norman thinks it’s the perfect time to get his Rambling Rose back. He goes deep under cover, shaving his head and outfitting a wheelchair with feminist propaganda. But despite his best attempts, he’s still recognized as, “Rose’s crazy biting husband who probably killed Peter Slowik.” And... the next scene is so epic... Norman gets the shit kicked out of him by Gert, one of the women from Daughters & Sisters who is compared to Refrigerator Perry. Oh, and as payback for the damage Norman did to Rosie’s kidneys with his repeated kicks and punches; Gert pees all over him. It’s glorious. 

Norman eludes capture, heads over to Daughter’s and Sisters main house, where he finds Rose’s new address, and kills Anna Stevenson. 

Now... this is where the Stephen King twist shows up. 

Rosie and Bill escape into Rose Madder, where they are pushed into the maze, and the woman turns into a spider (It?) and kills Norman... who had stolen a Ferdinand the Bull mask from some kid as he was fleeing the picnic, and inside Rose Madder, it turns him into an actual bull. But now he’s a dead bull, so that’s a plus.

Rosie and Bill step back out of the painting, and life continues on. Rosie slips a few drops of something into Bill’s drink, and he forgets the whole Rose Madder adventure. They get married, they have a baby, their careers flourish... but Rosie has fits of rage. She remembers the last thing the woman in the painting told her, “Remember the tree...” So, Rosie heads out to this park she and Bill went to once, and she buries some pomegranate-y fruit seeds and Norman’s ring under the tree. And she just kind of lets it all go. As you do. 

I can’t say enough about this book. If you have friends or family members who are like, “Meh, I don’t really LIKE Stephen King,” or “I don’t really LIKE horror,” THIS is the book you need to put in their hands. 

Oh, there was also one Wisconsin reference... it was thought Norman might have been spotted in Milwaukee. 

Total Wisconsin Mentions: 27

Total Dark Tower References: 38

Book Grade: A+

Rebecca’s Definitive Ranking of Stephen King Books

The Talisman: A+

Needful Things: A+

Rose Madder: A+

Misery: A+

Different Seasons: A+

It: A+

Four Past Midnight: A+

The Shining: A-

The Stand: A-

The Wastelands: A-

The Drawing of the Three: A-

Dolores Claiborne: A-

Nightmares in the Sky: B+

The Dark Half: B+

Skeleton Crew: B+

The Dead Zone: B+

Nightmares & Dreamscapes: B+

‘Salem’s Lot: B+

Carrie: B+

Creepshow: B+

Cycle of the Werewolf: B-

Danse Macabre: B-

The Running Man: C+

Thinner: C+

Dark Visions: C+

The Eyes of the Dragon: C+

The Long Walk: C+

The Gunslinger: C+

Pet Sematary: C+

Firestarter: C+

Rage: C

Insomnia: C-

Cujo: C-

Nightshift: C-

Gerald’s Game: D

Roadwork: D

Christine: D

The Tommyknockers: D-

Next up is The Green Mile, which I am reluctant to start. I read it when it first came out, and I remember barely being able to read the last chapter because I was crying so hard. And based on our current climate, I’m not sure this re-read is going to be any better. But, onward. 

Until next time, Long Days & Pleasant Nights,

Rebecca 

#stephen king #constant readers #rose madder #dark tower #ka #misery #insomnia #chicago #really rosie #maurice sendak #carole king

[jrgsportsbuzz]

FROM OBSCURITY TO CHAMPIONS

How two raw, unknown prospects lifted the Bucks to the top

On July 20, 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks took home the Larry O’Brien Trophy after defeating the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the 2021 NBA Finals. One superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and star sidekick Khris Middleton, as well as two-way combo guard Jrue Holiday, formed a trio that finally broke through under head coach Mike Budenholzer after years of postseason disappointments for Milwaukee. However, the development of Antetokounmpo and Middleton over the past eight years has been most instrumental in the Bucks’ first ring in 50 years.

Antetokounmpo was a raw, obscure prospect from Greece who was considered a major reach as the 15th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. Middleton was a supporting piece in a 2013 trade with the Detroit Pistons that sent “Bucks in Six” originator Brandon Jennings to the Motor City in exchange for guard Brandon Knight and himself.

2013-14: Two rail-thin youngsters on a bad team

Jennings may have started a prophecy with Bucks’ fans with his outlandish, tongue-in-cheek prediction of the 38-44 Bucks matchup with the top-seeded, defending champion and LeBron James-led Miami Heat, but he and fellow guard Monta Ellis both wanted out of Milwaukee following the inevitable sweep. The trade of Jennings and Ellis’s decision not to re-sign led to a mass exodus of players and a ragtag team thrown together for 2013-14.

Milwaukee surprised many when they drafted Antetokounmpo, a very green 18-year-old prospect without a lot of game tape but whom some experts saw tremendous upside (spoiler alert, they were right). However, he had ample opportunities to develop during his rookie season in which the Bucks finished with a league-worst and franchise-worst 15-67 record. He was obviously not fully ready for the rigors of the NBA but displayed many flashes of his endless potential.

Middleton became a key piece of the Bucks’ rotation almost right away during the team’s lone season under former Atlanta Hawks’ coach Larry Drew. He showed his potential as a two-way wing who could score from anywhere on the court, but his game, while more developed than that of Giannis, still needed a lot of work.

The Bucks may have been a dismal team in 2013-14, but it had what eventually became the foundation for a bright future in those two skinny prospects with untapped, overlooked upside.

2014-15: New ownership, new coach, secured future

The 2013-14 on-court product was bad enough, but there was also much speculation on the team’s future in Milwaukee. Former Wisconsin senator Herb Kohl was still the team’s owner and was desperately looking for buyers that would guarantee the team’s future would remain in the city. That issue was solved at the end of the season when two hedge fund investors from New York, Marc Lasry and Wes Edens, purchased the team. Lasry and Edens were impressed with Milwaukee and saw an opportunity to build a winner.

There also was pressure from the NBA to build a new arena to replace the Bradley Center because of its lack of amenities compared to other arenas in the league.

New coach Jason Kidd, a recently retired point guard who came to the Bucks after one year coaching the Brooklyn Nets, was instrumental in helping the team plead its new arena case on the court. Giannis and Middleton took huge steps forward as players, rookie Jabari Parker looked up to his billing as the No. 2 pick of the 2014 draft before losing the majority of his rookie season to a torn ACL, and other players stepped up to help produce a surprising 41-41 season and No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks lost in six to the third-seeded Chicago Bulls.

The unexpected improvement and Parker’s addition helped secure support from around the state for a new arena. Lasry and Edens pledged $200 million of their own fortune and Kohl added $100 million from his. From there, then-Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the state legislature passed a bill securing the public funding needed for the new facility currently known as the Fiserv Forum.

2015-16: A step back

Milwaukee’s drastic improvement in 2014-15 not only was instrumental in locking up the team’s future in the city but fostered high expectations for the team the next season. However, despite continued improvement from the two big guns, the Bucks had a very disappointing 33-49 season. Parker spent a lot of the season getting his groove back following his knee injury. Michael Carter-Williams, a point guard acquired in a trade that jettisoned Knight, was very disappointing. Big ticket free agent center Greg Monroe was instrumental offensively but was a liability on defense. The team was also missed some of the veterans who helped the team to its surprising success the previous year.

2016-18: Signs of future success, end of Bradley

2016-17 looked similar to the previous season for most of it. The Bucks were 22-30 a bit more than halfway through. Kidd then tried a new wrinkle. The team had a glaring weakness at point guard and Giannis was given a point forward role, which was instrumental in developing the facilitating part of his game that became key in his future dominance. Antetokounmpo broke through in general, as he earned his first NBA All-Star appearance and was voted the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Parker also showed signs of stardom, averaging 20 points per game before suffering another ACL tear. However, Middleton came back from a hamstring tear the same game that Parker went down, which helped the team absorb the loss of Parker and play much better down the stretch. Milwaukee finished 42-40 and earned another No. 6 seed and lost in six games again, this time to the third-seeded playoff nemesis Toronto Raptors.

In the offseason, general manager John Hammond took the same job with the Orlando Magic, giving way to current GM Jon Horst for 2017-18. The Bucks remained around .500 for much of their last season in the Bradley Center before the team made a drastic move. Kidd was fired 45 games into the season, with top assistant Joe Prunty taking over for the rest of the year. Giannis took another step into becoming a full-blown superstar, Middleton had his first season averaging 20+ points per game, and the Bucks finished with a 44-38 record. However, an improved Eastern Conference caused Milwaukee to slip to the No. 7 seed and into a matchup with the second-seeded Boston Celtics. Both teams defended the home court the entire series, with the Bucks losing in seven games.

2018-19: New arena, new success, Giannis’s first MVP

Milwaukee opened Fiserv Forum with an absolute bang in 2018-19. The Bucks hired another former Hawks coach in Budenholzer, who ushered in a system that allowed the team to run much more in transition and look for open 3-pointers and dunks. This new offensive philosophy made the Bucks the most potent offensive team in the league, with Giannis becoming unstoppable in the open floor and allowing Middleton to thrive on the perimeter. Brogdon, the 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year, became one of the better shooting guards in the league before losing over 30 games due to injury. Bledsoe utilized his strength and quickness on both ends of the floor as he was one of the league’s top penetrators at the point and, along with Antetokounmpo, was a first-team All-NBA Defensive team honoree. 7-foot free agent signee Brook Lopez filled the center spot, earning the nickname “Splash Mountain” because of his ability to knock down 3-pointers and was a disruptive force in the paint defensively, averaging over two blocks per game. All of this led to a breakthrough season as the Bucks finished with the best record in the NBA at 60-22.

Giannis averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 assists per game and shot a career-high 57.8 percent from the field in 2018-19. This earned him his first NBA Most Valuable Player award along with his third consecutive All-Star selection.

The unprecedented success continued into the 2019 playoffs. Milwaukee made mincemeat of the eighth-seeded Detroit Pistons with a sweep in which they outscored them by a combined 85 points. The fourth-seeded Celtics shocked the Bucks with a 22-point shellacking at the Fiserv in Game 1 of the next series, but Milwaukee responded by winning the next four games to set up a matchup with the second-seeded Raptors for an NBA Finals berth.

Milwaukee stormed out of the gates against Toronto, winning the first two games, including Game 2 in dominating fashion. However, the Raptors switched their defensive philosophy to build a “wall” in the paint to stop Giannis’s penetration and force the Bucks’ perimeter players to beat them. This led to a huge turnaround, as the Bucks went cold from 3 and had a tough time dealing with Toronto’s increased physicality on both ends of the floor. Raptors star two-way forward Kawhi Leonard carried the load on both ends, scoring at will on the Bucks’ defense and admirably defending Antetokounmpo despite his size disadvantage. Leonard, along with surprise bench contributors Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell, led Toronto to four straight victories and a six-game victory over Milwaukee. The Raptors went on to defeat the Golden State Warriors in the Finals for their first ever championship.

2019-20: Bubble blues, another MVP for Antetokounmpo

The Bucks appeared to be on a revenge tour following the disappointment against the Raptors in 2019-20. Milwaukee won 53 of its first 62 games before the season was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Giannis earned his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance and averaged nearly 30 points per game en route to his second consecutive MVP honor. Middleton, after seeing his scoring average dip to 18.8 points for 2018-19, returned to the 20-point club in 2019-20. Bledsoe continued to produce well on both ends at the point, but his ill-advised decisions and intermittent inefficiency began to irk fans who began to question his ability to be a point guard for a championship team.

Milwaukee lost its final three games before the league (and the world) was shut down, which proved to be a sign of things to come. The Bucks, with Middleton and Giannis not having much, if any, basketball activity during the lockdown, simply were nowhere near the same dominant team from the first part of the season. Milwaukee went 3-5 in the eight regular season games in the NBA Bubble in Orlando, Fla. However, the team still finished with the best record in the NBA for the second consecutive year. The early-playoffs dominance did not repeat itself. The Bucks sent the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic packing in five games after losing Game 1 but did not look anywhere near as stellar as expected in doing so. The fifth-seeded Heat took full advantage of the Bucks’ lethargy, as they jumped all over Milwaukee to a 3-0 series lead. The Bucks, playing without Antetokounmpo, managed to squeak out a Game 4 victory before losing in Game 5 and putting a premature end to what many fans and analysts thought could be a championship season.

2020-21: THE CHAMPIONSHIP

The Bucks previous two playoff disappointments labeled them a regular season team that could not handle the pressure of the postseason. Milwaukee looked to change that perception by doing what many fans wanted after the 2020 playoff disaster, as they jettisoned the underachieving Bledsoe to New Orleans along with two future first round picks and two more first round pick swap rights for Holiday in a four-team trade. Pressure was mounting on the Bucks to build a team capable of winning a championship in order to persuade Giannis to sign a supermax contract extension to stay in Milwaukee, which prompted the Bucks to make a few roster moves in the offseason, which included the acquisitions of high-energy power forward/center Bobby Portis Jr. and sharp shooting guard Bryn Forbes. They nearly acquired shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic in a trade, but the deal was botched, which prompted Budenholzer to play third-year guard Donte DiVincenzo at the 2, who was initially part of the trade for Bogdanovic.

Milwaukee’s regular season success level declined a little as the revamped roster took its lumps attempting to gel. Giannis and Middleton continued their Batman and Robin attack on opponents, but needed to adjust playing with a different backcourt, Holiday in particular. Antetokounmpo was used to being a primary ballhandler in previous seasons, but Holiday’s presence forced Giannis to spend more time in the post, where he could be much more effective in a half court offense. Middleton benefitted a lot from playing with Holiday and Giannis on the block, as he was able to diversify his game offensively and had two teammates who could set him up from inside and out. He also greatly improved his shot creating abilities in both 2019-20 and 2020-21. DiVincenzo looked to be a breakout player offensively early in the season, but his offense regressed late. However, his energy on defense and loose balls was big for the Bucks all season.

The team eventually figured out how to play together and finished strong for a 46-26 record, good for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks opened the playoffs in style, getting huge payback on the sixth-seeded Heat with a sweep, including dominant victories in the last three games after a Game 1 that went into overtime where Middleton knocked down a jumper in the final seconds that broke a 107-107 tie.

In the next round, the Bucks faced their toughest test against the second-seeded and star-studded Nets. Brooklyn featured a trio of all-world players in forward Kevin Durant and guards Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Brooklyn, despite losing Harden to a hamstring injury in Game 1, looked to be too much for Milwaukee with dominant victories in the first two games.

The series returned to Milwaukee for the next two, where the Bucks jumped out to a huge lead but had to gut out an 86-83 victory in Game 3 after a clutch shot by Holiday before comfortably winning Game 4 to even the series. Irving suffered an ankle injury in the fourth game.

The Bucks took their momentum back to Brooklyn for the first three quarters of Game 5 and got out to a 17-point lead. However, a historic 49-point triple double performance from Durant keyed a huge Nets comeback that resulted in a 114-108 victory.

Milwaukee returned home and won Game 6 to force the decider in Brooklyn. The Bucks made a couple key mistakes that nearly ended their season, but Durant’s long-distance shot to end regulation was on the three-point line, which forced overtime instead of giving the Nets a one-point win. Giannis and Middleton hit two clutch shots in the overtime period to give the Bucks a 119-115 Game 7 victory to advance. Harden returned for the last three games of the series but was nowhere near full strength.

Milwaukee faced a surprise matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals against fifth-seeded upstart Atlanta. The Hawks gave the Bucks a rude welcome in Game 1, as star guard Trae Young dropped 48 points to lead the underdogs to a two-point victory.

The Bucks responded in the next two games, with Middleton scoring 20 of his 38 Game 3 points in the fourth quarter of that game, and Milwaukee appeared to be on its way to a five-game victory. However, Atlanta came out firing and the Bucks were flat to begin Game 4 and disaster nearly struck. Giannis hyperextended his left knee in a gruesome scene early in the second half of the series-tying game. The injury was not as serious as it appeared, but the Bucks had to get to the NBA Finals without their superstar. This proved to not be an issue, as four players dropped 20+ points, including 33 from Lopez, in a Game 5 victory in Milwaukee. The Bucks then went to Atlanta and withstood a late Hawks rally to give the team its first six-game series victory since Jennings’ proclamation.

Awaiting the Bucks in their first Finals appearance since 1974 were the Western Conference’s No.2 seed, the Phoenix Suns, who were led by their own star trio in shooting guard Devin Booker, future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul and center Deandre Ayton. That trio got off to a fast start, with double digit victories in the first two games. Paul dropped 32 points and dished out nine assists in a 118-105 Game 1 win, while Booker added 27 points and Ayton had 22 points and 19 rebounds. Giannis countered Ayton with 20 and 17 in his return from injury and Middleton led the Bucks with 29. Middleton and Holiday were both cold in Game 2, which allowed the Suns to take a 2-0 lead despite Antetokounmpo returning to superstar form with 42 points. Wing Mikal Bridges gave the Suns another scoring threat in Game 2, dropping 27 points in a 118-108 victory.

Milwaukee responded emphatically in Game 3 with a 120-100 victory behind 41 and 13 boards from Giannis and 21 points and 9 assists on efficient shooting from Holiday. Game 4 was much tighter, as Phoenix held the lead for the majority of the game. Booker returned from a bad Game 3 with a 42-point barrage. However, Middleton had his Finals breakout, as he dropped 40, including countless clutch buckets during Milwaukee’s fourth quarter comeback. Giannis made sure his teammate’s offensive exploits translated into a victory with one of the best defensive plays in Finals history when he rotated to block a dunk attempt on an alley-oop from Booker to Ayton that preserved a two-point lead with one minute to play. The Bucks eventually won, 109-103 to even the series.

The Suns looked to have their mojo back for Game 5 in the early going with a 37-21 lead after a hot-shooting first quarter. However, the Bucks changed their defensive strategy and began to shoot better in the next two quarters, turning that 16-point deficit into an eventual 14-point fourth quarter lead. However, Phoenix had one final push behind a 40-point Booker performance. However, all three of the Bucks’ trio was dialed in, as Giannis, Middleton and Holiday had 32, 29, and 27 points, respectively. Holiday came up with another huge defensive play when he stripped Booker while the Bucks had a one-point lead in the final seconds and threw a lob to Antetokounmpo, who dunked and was fouled to help secure the 123-119 victory and get Milwaukee within a win of its first championship since 1971.

Back at the Fiserv for Game 6, the Bucks appeared primed to roll after the first quarter with a 13-point lead. However, the Suns tightened up defensively and Paul got hot to help Phoenix outscore Milwaukee by 18 in the second. Giannis channeled a Michael Jordan-like mentality and took matters into his own hands in the second quarter and throughout the second half, as he dropped 50 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, blocked five shots and surprisingly knocked down 17 of 19 free throws. Middleton, despite struggling to find open shots, knocked down a crucial shot and two free throws to give the Bucks an eight-point lead with less than a minute to go, and the Bucks coasted from there to send Milwaukee into a frenzy. Antetokounmpo was awarded NBA Finals MVP honors for his efforts.

STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM NOW WE HERE: MJ and Pip 2.0?

The 2021 championship was the culmination of eight seasons worth of work to bring the Bucks not only to relevance, but to the promised land. After years of mediocrity and roster building for playoff appearances, the Bucks drafted Antetokounmpo and traded for Middleton. No one at the time, not even anyone closely affiliated with the franchise, could have imagined what those two players would eventually produce. Giannis and Middleton, combined with optimistic new owners, a new arena and a rejuvenated fan base, produced the best result any NBA franchise can achieve. The cultivation of the two stars is somewhat reminiscent of the Bulls’ development of Jordan and Scottie Pippen in the 1980s that eventually produced six championships the next decade under head coach Phil Jackson. It remains to be seen if Giannis and Middleton can duplicate that level of dominance under Budenholzer, but 2021 and the years leading up to it certainly bode well for the future of the Milwaukee Bucks.

#Giannis Antetokounmpo #Khris Middleton #jrue holiday #Eric Bledsoe #michael jordan #scottie pippen #Mike Budenholzer #phil jackson #chicago bulls #milwaukee bucks #Fiserv Forum #chris paul #devin booker #deandre ayton #donte divincenzo #bobby portis #phoenix suns #mikal bridges #Jabari parker #Malcolm Brogdon #trae young #Brook Lopez #atlanta hawks #brooklyn nets #kevin durant #james harden #Kyrie Irving #miami heat #bryn forbes #bogdan bogdanovic

[junker-town]

Western Illinois, Year 20, 2026-2027

The Western Illinois Leathernecks begin Year 20 in our simulated dynasty in College Hoops 2K8.

Welcome back to our simulated dynasty with the Western Illinois Leathernecks in College Hoops 2K8. You can find a full explanation of this project + spoiler-free links to previous seasons here. Check out the introduction to this series from early April for full context. As a reminder, I simulate every game in this series (even the ones we watch on Twitch) and only handle the recruiting and coaching strategies.

Before we start Year 20 of Coach Rick’s tenure at Western Illinois, here’s a recap of everything that has happened last season:

Coming off three straight seasons that ended in the Elite Eight, the Leathernecks enter the new year with two returning starters and a team rated as a 97 overall. We went 6-6 against a difficult non-conference schedule before going undefeated in conference and again claiming the Summit League tournament championship. We enter the NCAA tournament as a No. 12 seed at 26-6 on the season.

We faced No. 5 seed Cal in the first round of the NCAA tournament. We lost, 90-87, when our potential game-tying three at the buzzer fell short. Read the tournament + offseason recap here.

We landed three new players on the recruiting trail.

Western Illinois, Year 20, 2026-2027

Here’s a look at our roster coming into Year 20:

It feels like a new era at Western Illinois with only two returning starters and just one senior on the roster. This squad might not have the experience we’d ideally prefer — reflected in the game’s ‘team unity’ ranking — but we do have size and shooting at every position with some emerging young depth on the bench. If nothing else, I’m hoping we can set the table for an even better season a year from now depending on few NBA draft decisions.

Let’s run through the starters real quick. As something new this year, click on the names for a link to their player cards with full ratings.

PG Tron Whaley, redshirt junior, 87 overall: Tron enters the starting lineup for the first time as a junior after being a key piece off the bench last season. He’s grown two inches to 6’4 since committing and now looks like a steady lead guard with size and shooting ability. Has a 86-rating in three-point shooting, which is tops on the team. Former No. 128 overall recruit with C+ potential.

SG Mathew Alloway, redshirt freshman, 82 overall: The former Mr. Basketball out of Minnesota becomes the rare freshman starter for the Leathernecks. The 6’6 shooting guard doesn’t have a signature skill yet, but looks solid across the board. Rated as a 94 in speed and a 78 in three-point shooting. Former No. 31 overall recruit with B- potential.

SF Wilky Henry, redshirt senior, 93 overall: Henry needs to be a superstar this year for this team to play up to its potential. I think he can get there. Moving back to his natural position of small forward after starting at shooting guard last season, Henry is a massive 6’8, 242 pound wing who can shoot from three, rise above the rim for monster dunks, and handle the ball like a guard. We need him to be our go-to scorer on the perimeter. Former No. 80 overall recruit with C+ potential.

PF Allan Cunningham, redshirt junior, 89 overall: Cunningham is already on his way to becoming one of the most beloved players in program history. A standout in NCAA tournament games since his freshman season, ‘Ham’ is preposterously large (6’11, 289 pounds) with a refined skill set that includes legitimate three-point range. He’s a skilled inside scorer and rebounder while having an A grade in three-point shooting and an A- grade in speed. He should be a stud this year. Former No. 67 recruit with C+ potential. Projected first round pick.

C Pat Giddens, redshirt junior, 91 overall: Giddens is tied for the best potential rating in program history, per reader Evan’s Leathernecks Recruiting Database. This is his big chance to translate that potential into production on the court. Giddens moves into the starting lineup after being sixth man last season. He’s a bit short for a center at 6’9. but he’s impossibly strong at 290 pounds. Him and Ham up front is a supersized front court we’re hoping will be a great advantage for us all season. Former No. 115 overall recruit. Projected lottery pick.

There was some thought given to starting Henry at shooting guard again (where he goes down one point) to get sophomore Wilbur Ager in the starting lineup, but we prefer putting Henry at his best position, throwing Alloway into the fire, and letting Ager be one of the the better bench players in the country.

We’re going with a nine-man rotation this season: Ager and freshman center Kevin Brazzle will each get about 15 minutes per game, while freshman point guard Jamie Burke and freshman power forward LF Neal each get about 10 minutes per game. That means junior guard Vitor Andrisevic (79 overall) is out of the rotation. He will go down as the biggest recruiting bust in program history.

We also welcome three new incoming recruits to the team. All of them will redshirt.

PG Koko Reeves out of San Antonio, No. 52 overall recruit: 73 overall, C potential. Reeves is the smallest recruit we’ve ever had, but he’s already grown an inch to 5’11 since committing. His C potential grade is disappointing, but he looks like an absolutely elite shooter, already rated as an 82 from three-point range.

SF Jitim Dupre out of Chicago, No. 91 overall recruit: 76 overall, C+ potential. Dupre is a tall, lanky wing at 6’9. He’s a bit disappointing as a three-point shooter with a 72 rating.

C Artie Snipes out of Riverside, No. 177 overall recruit (No. 10 center): 75 overall, B+ potential. The 6’11 center is the heaviest recruit we’ve ever had at 282 pounds. Looks like he’s going to be another outstanding big man for the Leathernecks.

Recruiting

We only have one scholarship to recruit for this year. I want to hit the JUCO market to find a five-star shooting guard or power forward to join timeline of last year’s three-man class. I use my first two visits on these players:

6’2 shooting guard Edwin Wolfe out of Federal Way, WA

6’4 shooting guard V.J. Roberts out of Chicago

JUCO recruits aren’t numerically ranked and don’t have AAU stats, but Wolfe is the top shooting guard among JUCO players when the class is sorted by recruiting stars, so we offer him the scholarship.

Also we have to create a player for the winner of last season’s bracket contest, Isaac Springer. I asked Isaac to give me some details the player he wanted to create, and this is what he hit me with:

I actually had a small idea if I won: would it be possible to create Jon Bois instead? I’m not a huge college basketball fan (or much of a basketball fan in general), so I don’t really know anything about stats or positions or what’s good. But Jon is my favorite content creator online, and he’s what’s helped me find SB Nation and all of the great work that everyone is doing there. I think it’d be fun to introduce him into the Leathernecks universe.

Say no more, my man. Jon Bois, five-star shooting out of Louisville, is officially in the Leathernecks Universe. We’ll follow Jon’s recruitment and his career wherever he ends up. As a reminder, we don’t go after created players at Western Illinois to preserve the integrity of the game.

Finally, it’s time to begin the season. We start the year unranked in the polls and rated as a 96 overall. Let’s go!

First game: @ Illinois

I’ve had this game circled on my calendar since the Illini shocked us in the opener last season. We run this state, and we’ve proven it multiple times in the last decade. It’s time to issue the Illini an emphatic reminder of that.

Loss, 83-62. Oh my god. The Illini smacked us from the opening tip-off and there was nothing we could do to recover. That is not how we wanted to start the season. Ager had a good game and pretty much everyone else struggled.

Next up we have Georgetown. The Hoyas are rated as a 91 overall.

Win, 76-50. There we go. Look at Cunningham ball out with 23 points and six rebounds on 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range. That’s why this man is an icon. Read our beat writer Matthew Morrow on what makes Cunningham so special. I’m gonna need my guards to do better than shoot 1-of-13 from the floor, but thankfully it’s a long season and they should improve along the way.

As I sim to the next week, I noticed that my backup option on the recruiting trail V.J. Roberts really likes us. If he commits by the early signing period, we’d get a coaching point for landing our first five-star recruit in season. I decide to pull the scholarship from Wolfe and give it to Roberts. If he doesn’t accept it, I will probably re-offer Wolfe, assuming he doesn’t hate me now.

Next game is against Louisville, who enters at No. 1 in the polls. We decided to watch this game on the Twitch stream. The Cards enter at a 96 overall. The game will begin when you press play:

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Loss, 111-105. Damn, we almost had them. I feel a lot better about my team after watching them go toe-to-toe with No. 1 in the country on the road. My freshman shooting guard Mathew Alloway looked terrific offensively, finishing with 24 points on 1-of-18 shooting. He also picked up a nickname on the Twitch stream: All Day. Let’s just decide not to talk about his defense. Cunningham was again phenomenal, Wilky Henry was solid, and we found a new breakout player in backup center Kevin Brazzle. He’s huge at 7’1 and was immediately more effective than our starter Giddens, who got into early foul trouble.

Our defense was just terrible all around. Louisville shot 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from three. They also forced us into 18 turnovers with their press. We’re going to need to close-out on shooters and take care of the ball if we want to make a deep run.

As the early signing period begins, we have a rematch with Cal, who knocked us out of the NCAA tournament in the first round last year. I’ll take one hot serving of revenge, please.

Win, 91-63. Eat it, Bears. Cunningham carried us like always with 20 points, Henry puts up a 9-9-9 line in a game where he shoots 2-for-11, Tron goes 5-for-5 from deep to score 18 points, which I believe is a career-high. Hell yeah. We’re 2-2- on the year.

We have our two early conference games on the final week of the early signing period. We blowout both UMKC and IUPUI to make us 4-2 on the year. Unfortunately, we don’t land the commitment we were looking for from Roberts. Since Wolfe appears to be the higher rated prospect and still doesn’t have any other suitors, we pull the scholarship from Roberts and re-offer Wolfe.

In other news, Jon Bois commits to Dayton!

Next up we have Stanford. The Cardinal are 3-4 on the year and enter as an 87 overall.

Loss, 77-75. Woof. Giddens and Henry played well, but that’s a team we should beat. It’s tough to get an at-large bid in the Summit League when you’re losing to likely non-tournament teams like Illinois and Stanford, so we’re probably going to need to win the conference tournament again to punch our ticket.

We have a tough week coming up, too: we travel to face Michigan and Duke in true road games.

The Wolverines are No. 17 in the polls and the defending national champions. Can we get back on track?

Loss, 86-74. Ugh. My center Giddens only playing seven minutes because of foul trouble wasn’t ideal, and neither was his backup Brazzle also getting into foul trouble. Great game from Henry with 23 points — we need more of that. It’s become apparent that this team isn’t as good defensively as we typically are.

Alright, Duke time. The Blue Devils are ranked No. 9 in the polls entering the game.

Loss, 99-60. Zero combined points from my backcourt seems less than great. This regular season is not going how I had hoped.

Next up we have Dayton, who enter at No. 11 in the country. The Flyers are led by Matt Boswell, the player we ever created for the first ever winner of our bracket contest. Dayton has not made the tournament yet since Boswell’s arrival, but it looks like they’re going to do it this year. This would be a nice win if we can get it.

Loss, 74-60. Boswell with 14 points in the win. We have left ourselves zero margin for error in the conference tournament.

We only have one more non-conference game left: @ Vanderbilt. The Commodores are led by one-time Leathernecks recruiting target Stane’s Hobson, who is a 93 overall as a senior point guard.

Win, 106-102! Hell yeah. We really needed that heading into conference play. Cunningham killed it (23 points on 9-of-14 shooting), Tron Whaley is turning into a dynamic point guard (18 points, six assists), and Brazzle gave us a nice lift off the bench with 10 points. I love the three-point shooting and the assists. Let’s keep it going to finish out the year strong.

It is now time for Summit League play. We have gone undefeated in the Summit the last two seasons. Can we do it again?

Yup. We finish off the perfect slate in conference play to enter the conference tournament at 21-6. Here’s a look at the end-of-season stats:

Great year for Cunningham. He’s just so damn good; the fact that he’s our primary option on offense is the thing that has me feeling optimistic about our tournament chances. Having four starters finish in the teens in scoring average feels pretty good, too. I also have to note our three-point shooting numbers were through the roof this year. Here’s what we did from deep:

Tron Whaley: 47 percent on 117 attempts

Wilky Henry: 40.3 percent on 114 attempts

Allan Cunningham: 47.2 percent on 74 attempts

Mathew Alloway: 50.7 percent on 63 attempts

I wish there was a way I could tell my team to shoot more threes. Getting up enough 3PAs is going to be a big key going into the postseason.

But first, we have to win the Summit League conference tournament again. We again enter the field as the top seed. As I’ve noted, I really don’t think we’ll have enough juice to get an at-large bid after our shaky non-conference schedule. We can’t have a letdown here.

Summit League tournament

First game is against Oral Roberts. They enter at 7-22 on the season.

Win, 123-62. Henry scores 24, Giddens scores 22, and Cunningham scores 20. We hit 12-of-19 threes in this game, too. We have UMKC next.

Win, 81-61. Henry plays arguably his best game of the season, finishing with 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting in the win. We out-rebounded them 36-19. Seems good. Now we have Fort Wayne in the title game. Why am I so nervous about this?

Win, 86-52! Tron just crushes it with 26 points, seven assists, and 6-of-8 shooting from three. Ham put in work like always, too. I am more relieved than excited — but hell yes, we’re going dancing again. I’m hoping for a single-digit seed, but I doubt our resume was good enough for it.

2027 NCAA tournament

We’re a No. 12 seed against No. 5 seed Minnesota in the first round. Wow. We haven’t faced the Golden Gophers in this simulation before, so that should be fun.

Here’s a look at our roster heading into the tournament:

It’s going to be Wilky and Cunningham leading the way. We just need Alloway to not actively hurt as our lowest rated starter in years as an 85 overall. For the record, I liked what he showed in the Louisville game and I’m super optimistic about his future. We also need Giddens to finally play up to his rating, especially as a projected lottery pick and what appears to be the highest rated junior in the country.

Here’s a link to the Minnesota roster. The Golden Gophers enter the game as a 98 overall — just like us. Here’s how the two teams matchup:

This is going to be a really tough test for a first round game. We’re going to watch the simulated game together on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Twitch. We’ll talk about that more in a second. But first, let’s get to this year’s bracket contest.

2027 NCAA tournament bracket contest

We’ve been running a bracket contest for the last few seasons, and it’s been a ton of fun. We’re opening it up to anyone who wants to enter as long as you turn in your bracket before we stream our first NCAA tournament game on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Twitch.

This is everything you need to know:

How does scoring work?

We use a standard scoring format. You get one point for correctly guessing the winner in a first round game, two points for correctly a winner in a round of 32 game, four points for correctly guessing a winner in a Sweet 16 game, eight points for correctly guessing a winner in an Elite Eight game, 16 points for correctly guessing a winner in the Final Four, and 32 points for correctly guessing the national champion.

Can I see the rosters for the other teams?

Yes. You can find the rosters for every team on the right side of the bracket in the East and West regionals here. You can find the rosters for every team on the left side of the bracket for the South and Midwest regionals here. Just arrow over to scroll through the rosters.

How do I enter?

1. Click this link to open the interactive bracket.

2. After opening, in the top left select File > Make a Copy

3. Make your picks

4. In the top left, select File and either “Share” and share with [email protected] or “Email as attachment” and email as an Excel file (not PDF please!) to [email protected]

Once your picks are entered, you can track scoring with Sean’s Blog Team app that works on desktop and mobile.

What does the winner get?

The winner gets to create themselves or a character as a five-star recruit ahead of next season. We won’t go after the created recruits at Western Illinois to preserve the integrity of the game, but we’ll follow the career of your character throughout our series.

Readers David, Matt, and Josh made an NCAA tournament preview show

I love the Leatherneck community so much. Please watch David, Matt, and Josh breakdown this year’s team and the entire NCAA tournament bracket in a 25-minute selection show.

This is the best.

The old clips got me choked up a little bit. Amazing work by them.

You might have noticed Boswell and the Dayton Flyers would likely be our opponent if we can reach the Sweet 16. I would love nothing more than to make it happen. Especially after Boswell said he would drop a cool 28 points on Giddens on the bracket show.

We need to win two games on Sunday night first, though. Here’s how you can watch Western Illinois in the 2027 NCAA tournament.

How to watch Western Illinois vs. Minnesota in the first round of the 2027 NCAA tournament

Game: No. 12 seed Western Illinois vs. No. 5 seed Minnesota, first round, 2027 NCAA tournament

How to watch: My Twitch channel. You don’t need to sign up for anything to watch, but you do need to register for an account to comment. Do it, it’s fun.

Date: Sunday, Aug. 16

Tip-off time: 8:30 p.m. ET

If we win: We’ll face the winner of No. 4 seed Ole Miss vs. No. 13 seed Yale in the round of 32 immediately following the first round game.

Here a couple bonus links:

Join the Leathernecks Subreddit started by reader Evan.

Reader Thanh Nguyen in Japan wrote a fan-fiction e-book on the first eight seasons of Leathernecks basketball under Coach Rick. Spoilers ahead, but this is absolutely incredible and I highly recommend buying it.

We now have a fan-started Leathernecks Twitter account. There will be spoilers on there from the Twitch stream before the recap post goes out.

Come hang out and watch our Leathernecks take on Minnesota in the NCAA tournament on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Twitch. Thank you and go ‘Necks.

[thefederalistfreestyle]

Wallace Smith is hanging from a beam. The Hamilton actor, one of the principals in Chicago’s staging of the mega-hit musical, has to hit a specific mark during the song Yorktown, near the end of the first act. Alexander Hamilton is about to announce what Smith’s character, Hercules Mulligan, has been up to (spoiler: he’s a spy!) while Hamilton and George Washington are trying to win independence for the colonies. If you’ve ever watched a gymnast hang from the high bar and then propel himself into a handstand, you have some idea of what Smith is about to do. He swings his legs back and then uses his core muscles to kick his whole body, launching forward. He lands near the front of the stage just as Hamilton yells “HERCULES MULLIGAN!” Then Smith breaks into one of the show’s more memorable raps. This maneuver takes strength, skill and timing. If Smith fails to land at the right moment it will throw off the flow of the musical. He has to do this correctly every night because every night the theater is full of people who have had the date blacked out on their calendar for months (the Chicago version of Hamilton is sold out through the end of the summer, and tickets are scarce come September.) There are fans who know every word of the platinum soundtrack, who have watched every video on the the show’s YouTube page, and who follow every actor’s social media account with devotion. With so many people awaiting Mulligan’s entrance or the Marquis de Lafayette’s tongue-twisting raps or the Schuyler sisters’ flirty songs, the actors who create Hamilton every night must have the discipline of a professional athlete to ensure the fans who were able to get tickets for each night’s show are dazzled. At the PrivateBank Theater in Chicago, Hamilton is staged eight times a week. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. for night shows and 2:00 p.m. for matinees, but the cast members’ work starts well before curtain comes up the opening song, Alexander Hamilton. Chris De’Sean Lee is a young actor who plays the Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman who fought on the patriots’ side during the Revolutionary War. Hamilton — the show, as well as the character — is non-stop, so actors have to be in top shape to impress the people who inhabit the PrivateBank Theater’s seats every night. Lee works out shortly after waking up each morning, mixing cardio and weightlifting. “It’s really about getting my heart rate up, burning fat, conditioning to be able to do something long term. At this point, it’s really fine. I don’t find myself getting as tired doing the shows as before,” Lee said. Smith and Lee are both avid Golden State Warriors fans, but Lee adds a layer to his workout Steph Curry doesn’t. Since Lee has to spit Lafayette’s rapid fire rap while also jumping off a table and landing softly, he hums on the treadmill. He’s practicing not just using his vocal chords correctly but also working on timing his breath. “I’m rapping 13 words in two seconds. You have to be really fast, it’s in a French accent, and you have to be understood all while preparing to jump off the table,” Lee said. “For so long, I was constantly in my head about when to breathe.” Smith’s days also start with a trip to the gym, while Samantha Marie Ware, who plays Peggy Schuyler and Mariah Reynolds, is a big fan of yoga and pilates and works with a trainer three times a week. They stay in shape not just to manage the eight shows a week, but also to fit in the Tony-winning costumes that were made for them when they were cast for the show. [. . .] As with athletes, avoiding injury isn’t their only aim. They want to make sure they are at in peak shape for every performance and that means being mindful of when, and what, they are eating. “Because the corsets are really tight, it’s really hard to eat a larger meal. What I try to do when I’m in a show is I’ll eat something light for dinner, and I’ll keep snacks at my station,” Ware said. But the biggest reason they are so mindful of their nutrition is their voice. Soda pop, dairy, beer, fried foods — they all can affect their vocal chords. Much as a pitcher or a quarterback has to protect his arm before all else, Hamilton’s cast must protect their voices to deal with the show’s intense lyrical load. Their voices being even just a bit off means they may not hit the notes required. They have to time eating carefully so the food doesn’t sit in their stomach when they’re performing. “Most foods create some kind of phlegm or dryness to your vocal chords. A lot of foods I could eat that wouldn’t affect my voice in a drastic way, but I don’t think it makes sense to perform at anything less than 100 percent. Being at 98 percent, that bothers me. I feel like eating puts that 98 percent of my vocal chords. I just don’t do it,” Lee said. He admits to splurging on unhealthy foods on off days, though. Protecting their voice also means not letting the the show take over their voices; like athletes in a long-distance run or swim, they don’t want to get caught up in the moment and use too much too early. Hamilton features heated rap battles, loud speeches proclaiming freedom and in some cases, buddies getting drunk together while waxing poetic about the future. “When you’re miked and your voice is being amplified, sometimes, when your adrenaline is pumping, you want to push vocally. Scream louder. Sing harder,” Smith said. “There’s no need to push. It really helps the performance when you are easing into it. Vocally, it’s very easy to injure yourself.” For principal actors, sticking to a routine is key. They know exactly when they should go to sleep, when they should eat and when they should warm up their voices to make sure they are in peak shape by curtain. Ware starts singing in the shower at home, and quite often, to her cat. Lee puts his warm-ups on Instagram, singing everything from Mr. Rogers to Stevie Wonder to N’Sync. [. . .] Hamilton is expected to stay in Chicago for two years, and while much of the original cast is intact, there are still times when the cast needs to miss performances. When vacation, injuries or an ill-timed bout of laryngitis comes up, swings and understudies are called upon. Swings are the theater’s bench. They fill in for the ensemble when someone is out sick or on vacation. They have to be at every show, even when not performing. They have to be ready to jump in if another performer is sick or injured. “We one time had someone call out at half hour. It could be short notice, sometimes we know ahead of time,” said Gabriella Sorrentino. “I even at one point, someone got hurt in act one, and they threw me in for the second half. I’ve had all scenarios happen.” With the chance to go on at any minute, she has to stay limber and strong enough to take on any part in the ensemble. In Hamilton, cast members move props and sets into place, often as part of a song’s choreography. Since she can be tasked to take over any role, she has to be able to do the heavy lifting. She also has to be able to sing any of the women’s five singing tracks in the ensemble. Sorrentino is not just a swing but also the dance captain. She helps run weekly rehearsals and prepares new cast members for the show. Brady left his role as Aaron Burr in early April, and Sorrentino prepared Daniel Breaker to step in. During shows, she’s watching from the wings, taking notes to give to the ensemble. Unlike in many musicals, where the ensemble or chorus comes out just for specific songs and dance numbers, the Hamilton ensemble is onstage for most of the night. There are 50 numbers in Hamilton, and dancers must do everything from waltzing to breakdancing numbers. “The first week, when we were rehearsing in New York, and I think all the swings would agree with me, we were all in a little bit of shock with how much content is in the show,” she said. “It’s kind of neat to be part of a show where, in other shows, ensembles are not in shows as much. We’re really the show. We really are backing up the principals. The ensemble, we’re the foundation, the backbone to the show.” When Jimmy Garoppolo filled in for Tom Brady at the beginning of the 2016 NFL season, Patriots fans still expected their team to win. When an understudy or swing is onstage, there should be no difference in the show. “I know how, especially for Hamilton, people have been waiting for years to come and see the show. I know how important it is for them to see it and take it in, and I know how important it is for me to do my job and make sure they enjoy it,” Sorrentino said. “It’s the balance of me giving to them what they want, and then them receiving that information. And it’s evident. When we go to the stage door, people are in awe of the show.” [. . .]

How the cast of 'Hamilton' stays in shape to turn the world upside down, nightly (For The Win)

just cuz it’s a passion doesn’t mean that it’s easy! great article on the rigors of doing a show like Hamilton, including more on how Wayne Brady dealt with injury during his time with the Chicago company & how some of the principals switch characters between acts

#hamilton #chris lee #wallace smith #samantha marie ware #gabriella sorrentino #swings #eliza company #theatre #for the win

[frasier-crane-style]

The Defenders spoilers

These all kind of blur together when you binge-watch, so let’s just cover everything at once.

-It’s odd that the show spends 2-3 hours on giving everyone their own motivation to fight the Hand, instead of the Agent Coulson route of Claire just calling everyone up and saying “guys, this is Iron Fist, he needs help.” It comes off as filler, because it seems like there’s no real pay-off to any of their subplots.

Yes, Matt ends up dealing with Elektra and Danny helps save the city, but whither the architect and the couriers? It seems like Jessica forgets about that dude’s family and The Truth once she and Matt get the requisite plot coupon from them. Shouldn’t there be a scene where she tells them “hey, your father sacrificed his life to help save the city, he was a hero”?

Or Luke. As soon as the couriers (you know, the good kids who are facilitating mass murder and enabling a terrorist attack so they can buy nice shoes?) get him tangled up with Iron Fist, they disappear. Shouldn’t there be a scene where a bunch of low-level guys are guarding Midland Circle, but Cage talks them into saving themselves by getting to safety, and then they take the fight to the real bad guys? Or maybe he grabs a brick of cash from MC, gives it to the couriers, and tells them to use it to get real jobs, lets them off with a warning?

Or maybe the climax of that is supposed to be him taking down Sowande? Only that happens off-screen and in the ensuing interrogation, Cage doesn’t seem to have any particular issue with this guy for specifically targeting and recruiting disadvantaged youths. You think he’d be the one who the others have to drag off the guy.

In fact, despite the obvious idea of the Fingers of the Hand being specific rivals for each of the Defenders, they end up being more like Elite Mooks. I guess there was a bit of a thing specifically between Gao and Danny, and obviously Matt and Elektra had a thing, but the biggest showdown was between Bakuto and Colleen. Imagine if in the Avengers, War Machine was the guy with the big personal beef with Loki. It seems like there should be a guy who’s specifically Luke Cage’s guy, a guy who’s specifically Danny Rand’s guy, et al. Maybe one of them can cut through Luke’s skin and one of them can shut down the Iron Fist and one of them is invisible to Matt’s radar sense? And one of them is painfully unfunny comic relief with an ordinary two by four, since as we all know, Jessica has no defense against that.

-Not loving the characterization of JJ in this. She’s painfully one-note, no one seems to have any idea what her powers are--at one point, I swear these unpowered ninjas are blocking her superstrong blows. Given she can lift cars, you’d think her punch would have the power of, say, a falling safe. So imagine you get crushed by a falling safe if it lands on you, but if you just manage to raise your arm between you and the safe, you’re fine.

Also, she (and to a lesser extent Luke) are there to poke fun at how ridiculous the whole ninja thing is. The problem here is twofold. One, to quote from Vern...

In this one Mr. and Mrs. Fantastic Four (played by Jessica Alba and some guy who got white spraypaint in his hair on accident) are trying to get married but the wedding keeps getting interrupted by a comet that freezes lakes and turns off the power. Johnny the Fire Guy chases it and later describes it to the gang as a silver guy riding something that looks like a surfboard. Mr. Fantastic 4 then refers to it as “this silver… surfer” and his fiancee rolls her creepy blue-contact wearing eyes.

That’s a mild example of that audience-insulting phenomenon I’ve been noticing. The movie is called RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER. The advertising is all about the Silver Surfer. The box doesn’t even show the Fantastic 4 on it, because who wants to see that shit? It only shows the Silver Surfer.

Hey everybody it’s the Silver Surfer. Don’t you wanna see the Silver Surfer? Come pay us to see the Silver Surfer!

So you say, hey, that’s pretty cool, a Silver Surfer, I’ll see that. And you go see it and you’re sitting there in your Silver Surfer t-shirt they convinced you to buy, sipping your Silver Surfer Slurpee, all excited to see this Silver Surfer, and then when they finally utter the words “silver surfer” they’re embarassed. The movie looks you in the eye and says, “Pffffttt… ‘Silver Surfer’? What the fuck? What kind of moron takes that shit seriously? Jesus.”

Two, they’ve deliberately made the Hand, the Chaste, Iron Fist et al as un-ridiculous as possible. In The Avengers, Loki was a guy in weird robes with a horned helmet. It makes sense to take the piss out of him. In The Defenders, Sigourney Weaver is just some chick wearing all-white ensembles. The ‘ninjas’ are ordinary-looking dudes in sports jackets. There’s no real ‘ridiculousness’ to make fun of. It’s so grounded and ‘realistic,’ that they have to make Danny do constant sweeping, grand statements so the rest have something to make fun of. Imagine if in Batman Begins, Alfred (or someone) was constantly going “whoa, you have a rocket car? What’s the mileage on that? Uh-oh, ninjas! This is some crazy shit! How weird is this Ra’s al Ghul guy, huh? Wowie!”

-Speaking of, the moment when Jessica drives a car into the Chinese restaurant, hits Elektra, then gets out, walks past Elektra (giving her the eye), goes to pose with the others, makes a quip, et al? Way too ridiculous for me to co-sign. I’m just imagining all the ninjas standing there like “Should we attack before they regroup? Regrouping is bad, right?” “No, no, let’s see where she’s going with this.” If she were really the Whedonesque subversive she was sold as, she’d be yelling out of the window “what are you guys doing posing there? C’mon, run for it! Get in the car!” But I guess they don’t have the budget for a car chase. Or anything.

-I still think the whole privilege convo is dumb (actual thinkpiece I saw: “Did discussing privilege save The Defenders?” Yeah, because that’s what I want to see in a big superhero ninja show). It seems more like one of those cheap metafictional moments than something actual people would say, like when Marvel had Spider-Gwen complain that the real Gwen Stacy was ‘fridged’, a term that is exclusively used in discussing fictional characters. Gay people, if you thought someone cute was gay and then it turned out they were straight, would you complain “I’ve been queer-baited”? Oh, wow, I thought that guy was black, turns out he was white, looks like he was white-washed!

Second, is the guy who was brutally trained from childhood to be a living weapon after seeing his parents die in front of him really the best example of white privilege? To go the other way, imagine that until age eight, T’Challa was raised in Chicago, then he went to Wakanda and from then on he was the crown prince of Sci-Fi Land. Would it make sense for him to complain about how oppressed he is? That’s another problem with the series--instead of trying to course-correct Danny’s character, they just have him constantly getting in over his head, being irrational, getting mocked by the others, losing fights. It’s a cheap way to get the cool kids more heat while dumping his character development on his own show’s season 2. 

#the defenders

[stringnarratives]

Death by Misadventure: “Russian Doll”

[This post brought to you with major spoilers for season 1 of Netflix’s show “Russian Doll” and the 1993 film “Groundhog Day,” as well as minor spoilers the 2011 film “Source Code.” It also includes mentions of suicide and death. “Russian Doll” is rated TV-MA for mature audiences.]

“Thinking about death without, for the moment, actually dying is heady. Humans must surely be the only animals who contemplate doom, and as long as we do so, we are still human—and paradoxically not doomed.“

- Virginia Heffernan, “The Beautiful Benefits of Contemplating Doom”

I’ve written the intro to this blog post five times.

Two of them were placeholders, representing the various iterations the post went through as it was being written. Par for the course, as every blog post shifts directions once or twice in its lifespan. Two of them were vague and disconnected, a little less graceful than I prefer on average. One was far too short, the other winding in its logic in a way that lost sense even to me early on. And the last one? 

The last one was perfect.

It was graceful, it was anecdotal, it was philosophical. I physically got out of bed in the middle of the night to write it. I had dreams about this intro! It was the best in casual pop culture analysis blog-writing introductions that I had produced to date.

And then it was gone. 

Maybe I saved over it, maybe it never saved to begin with, or maybe it really all was just a very weird and vivid and nerdy dream. But when I logged on for final review last night, it was apparent - the intro was gone without a trace. No proof that it had ever existed except for the disappointment of one unfortunate blogger.

Honestly, there are very few narratives more appropriate for an iterative struggle like this one than the one we’re discussing today. Its characters too are given the opportunity to try things over again - whether they want it or not. Only for them, the thing that has them starting over is a little more dramatic than a lost file. 

In fact, it’s death.

“Russian Doll” begins with the 36th birthday party of software engineer Nadia Vulvokov (Natasha Lyonne), who begins to experience a time loop of repeated deaths - being hit by a car, drowning, tumbling down stairs - that always lands her back at the night of her party. Perplexed (to say the least) by the happenings, Nadia attempts to break out of the cycle through various means to no avail before encountering Alan Zaveri (Charlie Barnett), a fellow New Yorker and a friend-of-a-friend who is also stuck in a time loop of the night his girlfriend breaks up with him. Together, they discover how to escape the loop, just before it wrecks both of their lives completely. (If you’ve never seen the show, or don’t want to see it, there’s an even more in-depth synopsis of “Russian Doll” over on Refinery29!)

"Time loops” in narratives often (though not exclusively) go one of two ways: They are a vehicle for self improvement or a vehicle for rescue.

On one hand, they create a sand-box of impermanence for moral redirection, forcing the protagonist to right their wrongs before proceeding with their lives. Nobody remembers the awful things done or said during the time loop; they only witness the reformed character that comes out the other side. In perhaps the most famous example of this type, Phil Connors (Bill Murray) relives Groundhog Day until he comes to respect the residents of Punxatawney, Pennsylvania in the 1993 film “Groundhog Day.”

(In literary/cinematography analysis, this is aspect of repetitive moral rebuilding within a time loop is frequently associated with religious symbolism or themes. That’s a whole other rabbit [or should I say...groundhog?] hole that I won’t go down in depth here, other than to say that “Russian Doll” seems to use this typicality as a misdirection for both characters and viewer. Nadia does investigate whether or not the fact that her loop begins in a former Yeshiva school could have something to do with her entrapment, but since Alan also experiences the phenomenon and starts in a different building, this is proven unlikely.)

When time loops aren’t being used to rehabilitate a morally questionable character, they’re often used as a mechanism for rescue. Whether it’s a specific person in danger or the world as a whole, being stuck in a time loop gives a character the opportunity to try and fail to remedy a situation without immediate consequence. Ultimately, the only thing that could prove a substantial or lingering challenge is the question of futility. Is this something that can actually be fixed, or is there a “destiny” that the situation must conform to, no matter their actions? Whereas in the first example, a time loop gave the character a playground to practice functional goodness, heroism-focused time loops give the character the opportunity to perfect a complex good deed when they are vastly underpowered to do so. “Source Code” (2011 film starring Jake Gyllenhaal) is one such of these films; one man relives the last eight minutes of a stranger’s life in order to determine who has bombed a Chicago commuter train, starting with a grand total of zero clues. The time loop is only broken after he has completed his task. (There are some plot twists in there, though, trust me. A fairly satisfying “nothing on TV” Saturday afternoon movie.)

All of that noted to say that “Russian Doll” doesn’t necessarily fit neatly into either of these categories. 

Neither Nadia nor Alan have significant moral wrongs to right (at least that are shared with the viewer). Instead, both are ignoring major turmoil in their lives - their true emotional states. 

Nadia is ignoring childhood trauma that affected both her perception of herself and those around her, opting for self-sabotaging behaviors as an adult. At the opening of “Russian Doll,” she faces her birthday party half-heartedly, expressing more loving affection to her missing cat than the guests who have gathered to celebrate her. It’s later revealed that she ended a long-term relationship because she couldn’t bring herself to meet her partner’s daughter, though she refuses to acknowledge the emotional block.

While we see somewhat less of Alan’s predicament, in our introduction, he contends with his own fastidiousness in day-to-day life and the betrayal of his girlfriend, who leaves him for her college professor on the night Alan planned to propose. This throws him into a spiral - he gets drunk and, in the first loop, at least, commits suicide in his despair then proceeds to block out the action as he lives through future loops. 

Instead of being the termination of all of these personal struggles, dying gives both main characters a wake up call. Whereas death, in most narratives, is a dreaded obstacle, for the majority of the show, it is actually the impetus for the characters’ movement and growth in “Russian Doll.” It is simultaneously an elimination of the worst-case-scenario, giving them the repetitive space and time to probe old wounds, and a paradoxical resuscitation, breaking them from the habits that they had hidden in for so long. 

Nadia, removed from the boundary of death for herself, reckons with the fact that she does care deeply for the people around her, in various ways: She works hard to ensure her foster mother Ruth doesn’t die in a house fire, she attempts to mend her relationship with her ex, and she comes to care about Alan. Little by little, her closed-offedness falls away in layers leaving her emotionally vulnerable enough to actually be reliant on Alan by the end of the show - a huge step from the Nadia visible at the beginning of the season.

Alan, realizing the loops, has alleviated himself from the burden of perfectionism that he seems to be trapped in before meeting Nadia, abandoning his attempts to reengage with his girlfriend, fighting the professor she’d cheated with, and eventually coming to accept the situation. He embraces messiness and in it, finds release.

Does this qualify as an act of self-salvation (and, therefore, a definitive heroism-loop)? I daresay the answer is no. Neither character went into the loop with the goal of saving anyone, though much less themselves. In the end, they escape the loop (assumedly) with the other’s help. But even this could not have been done if internal changes hadn’t occurred first. Without Nadia’s awakening to her emotional attachment to those around her and Alan’s recognition that his perfectionist routines are weak against unyielding time-space phenomena (and, indeed, other major events in life as well), neither would have come to accept help at all.

The characters in “Russian Doll” are neither immoral nor heroic, in any traditional sense. They aren’t seeking to be taught a lesson, nor are they seeking to teach others. They aren’t immortal in any permanent sense. They’re just people - broken, flawed and affected by circumstance, carrying trauma. Little by little, it’s death that helps them to realize that brokenness, and, ultimately, is what brings them back to life again.

#russian doll #television #television shows #tv #tv shows #netflix #title #titles

[mastcomm]

Your Thursday Briefing – The New York Times

Democrats unleashed

After eight relatively cordial debates, Wednesday night’s event in Las Vegas was a two-hour battle in which every candidate was put on the defensive, especially Michael Bloomberg.

The former New York mayor, appearing in his first presidential debate, struggled from the start to address his past support for stop-and-frisk policing and longtime allegations of disrespectful behavior toward women.

“I’d like to talk about who we’re running against: a billionaire who calls women fat broads and horse-faced lesbians,” Elizabeth Warren said. “And no, I’m not talking about Donald Trump. I’m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.” She had the most speaking time onstage.

Go deeper: Here are six takeaways from the night, in which Bernie Sanders, who leads the polls, emerged relatively unscathed. We also fact-checked the candidates’ statements.

The personal ties behind President Trump’s pardons

The clemency orders that Mr. Trump issued this week were the result of a process that bypassed the formal procedures used by past presidents and was driven instead by friendship, fame and a shared sense of persecution.

All 11 recipients had an inside connection or were promoted on Fox News. Mr. Trump’s advisers acknowledged that the process was unique, but stressed that he was committed to countering what he saw as the excesses of the criminal justice system.

Another angle: Mr. Trump named Richard Grenell, the ambassador to Germany, to be the acting director of national intelligence overseeing the 17 U.S. spy agencies. Mr. Grenell has little experience in intelligence, but he has been a fierce advocate for the president.

China again alters coronavirus methodology

For the second time in about a week, China has changed its criteria for confirming cases of the virus, making it increasingly difficult for public health experts to track the outbreak.

The government said today that it would now differentiate between “suspected” and “confirmed” cases. Cases would be considered confirmed only after genetic testing, which is difficult to conduct and whose results are often wrong.

Here are the latest updates and maps of where the virus has spread.

Related: Two people aboard a contaminated cruise ship in Japan have died, the authorities said today. As hundreds of passengers began leaving the ship after a two-week quarantine, health experts feared Japan had mismanaged the situation.

Another angle: President Trump has commended President Xi Jinping’s handling of the crisis, but hard-liners within the Trump administration say Beijing can’t be trusted to disclose what it knows or properly handle the outbreak.

If you have 12 minutes, this is worth it

The fight for Libya

In a nation where warlords and militias battle for control and migrants pack the Mediterranean coast, a 76-year-old commander, Khalifa Hifter, says he can resolve the turmoil. His forces have been attacking Tripoli, the capital, for 10 months.

Journalists from The Times made a rare visit to Mr. Hifter’s eastern stronghold, Benghazi. What “the Marshal” has created there, their report shows, is not the secular stability he promises, but “an unwieldy authoritarianism that in many ways is both more puritanical and more lawless” than that of Libya’s last dictator, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi.

Here’s what else is happening

Deadly shootings in Germany: A man opened fire on two bars in the central city of Hanau, where he killed nine people in what the authorities called a far-right terrorist attack. The suspected gunman, a 43-year-old German, was found dead in his apartment today, along with his mother.

Poll on climate change: Tackling global warming and protecting the environment have climbed the list of Americans’ political priorities, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center that also found striking partisan differences.

Change at Victoria’s Secret: The lingerie brand plans to go private, as the chief executive of its parent company is expected to step down. Leslie Wexner, 82, has faced serious questions about his leadership and his relationship with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Snapshot: Above, Staples Center in Los Angeles, the home of the N.B.A.’s Lakers and Clippers. Both teams are contenders for the league’s championship this season, but the city’s heart belongs to only one.

What we’re listening to: “Public Official A,” a podcast from WBEZ last year. “This is a Robert Caro-like dissection of political corruption in the U.S., and of Rod Blagojevich, a political star who turned into a black hole,” says Adeel Hassan, on our National desk. “It still resonates.”

Now, a break from the news

Cook: A squeeze of lime brightens braised chicken with coconut milk, tomato and ginger.

Watch: Ben Affleck has four movies coming out this year, starting with “The Way Back,” a poignant sports drama. He spoke to The Times about getting sober and trying to recalibrate his career.

Read: Douglas W. Tallamy’s “Nature’s Best Hope” examines grass-roots solutions for reversing wildlife decline. It’s new this week on our hardcover nonfiction best-seller list.

Smarter Living: Our “Scam or Not” feature looks at whether coffee is good for you. Spoiler: Often yes (to the delight of your well-caffeinated briefing writer).

And now for the Back Story on …

The original Renegade

A new dance called the Renegade is suddenly everywhere, from teenagers’ phone screens to the N.B.A. All-Star Game. Shira Ovide, a technology reporter, and Taylor Lorenz, a Styles reporter, talked about the apps that helped the dance go viral — Dubsmash and TikTok — and about finding its 14-year-old creator, Jalaiah Harmon.

Taylor: I heard about Jalaiah Harmon from a friend in the Dubsmash community right around Christmas. People had cited her Instagram post, and it was clear she had created the dance.

No one online knew her full name or identity, and it took weeks to hunt her and her family down and get in touch with her mother directly. Her mom didn’t even fully realize what Jalaiah had created until I called her at work.

Shira: How would you explain these dance performance apps like Dubsmash to an alien new to our planet? (Or, say, a writer whose musical tastes are stuck in early-2000s ska bands?)

Taylor: Apps like Dubsmash, TikTok and Funimate let you post videos set to music or with special effects. Dance challenges — short 15-second pieces of choreography — are very popular on these apps.

Shira: How do Jalaiah and her family feel now about her very online kind of fame?

Taylor: They’re very excited and overwhelmed. Jalaiah was in Chicago this weekend to perform at halftime at the N.B.A. All-Star Game. She got to meet and collaborate with Charli D’Amelio, a TikTok star who helped popularize the dance. Jalaiah and Charli hit it off immediately. Kim Kardashian posted a video of Jalaiah doing the dance to Instagram. It’s been a whirlwind!

Shira: Taylor, can you do the Renegade? Can you show us?

Taylor: I’m in my 30s and so I don’t think my joints can move like that anymore. For anyone interested, Jalaiah posted a slow-motion tutorial on Instagram.

(This conversation has been edited and originally appeared in “Wait…,” a Times newsletter about how technology and celebrity are changing our lives.)

That’s it for this briefing. See you next time.

— Chris

Thank you Mark Josephson and Chris Harcum provided the break from the news. You can reach the team at [email protected].

P.S. • We’re listening to “The Daily.” Today’s episode is the second of a two-part series about a digital underworld of child sexual abuse imagery. • Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Unpaid bill at the bar (three letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • The Times received four George Polk Awards, one of journalism’s most prestigious honors, on Wednesday, the most of any news organization.

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[365footballorg-blog]

Colorado Rapids vs. Los Angeles Football Club | 2018 MLS Match Preview

October 3, 20186:44PM EDT

Colorado Rapids vs. LAFC 2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 32 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — Commerce City October 6 – 9 pm ET WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Two Western Conference foes looking to bounce back from Week 31 defeats meet at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Saturday when the Colorado Rapids host LAFC.

One of three teams already eliminated from playoff contention, the Rapids are looking to play the part of spoiler and bounce back from a 4-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders, while LAFC had a six-match unbeaten streak snapped with a 3-1 defeat to the Chicago Fire.

This is the second all-time meeting, with LAFC winning 2-0 at Banc of California Stadium on August 19. Lee Nguyen scored four minutes into the second half and Diego Rossi tacked on an insurance goal with 10 minutes remaining.

Colorado Rapids

Colorado (6-18-6) suffered a sixth straight defeat with a 4-0 loss in Seattle Saturday.

Raul Ruidiaz scored a goal in each half, Nico Lodeiro made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute and Victor Rodriguez tacked on a fourth goal in the 80th minute.

“In the end, overall, we got beat by the better team,” Anthony Hudson said. “It was a bad day. I think myself, the players, we’re very disappointed, but I think today really highlights the gap in terms of where we’re at as a team and a team like Seattle who completely outclassed us today.”

Suspended: None

Suspended after next caution: F – Jack McBean, M – Johan Blomberg, M – Jack Price, D – Tommy Smith

International duty: None

Injury Report: OUT: M – Sam Nicholson (back injury), F – Jack McBean (foot/toe injury); QUESTIONABLE: F – Shkelzen Gashi (calf injury), M – Nana Boateng (undisclosed injury)

Projected Starting XI (4-3-1-2, right to left) GK: Tim Howard — Kortne Ford, Danny Wilson, Tommy Smith, Deklan Wynne — Johan Blomberg, Jack Price, Dillon Serna — Kellyn Acosta — Enzo Martinez, Giles Barnes

Notes: In the 1,495+ minutes Enzo Martinez has played this season, Colorado is averaging 1.3 goals for and 1.4 goals against per 90 (averaging 0.6 for and 2.2 against per 90 in the 1,430+ minutes without Martinez). … Colorado has lost the last two home games, scoring none and conceding nine. They haven’t gone three straight scoreless at home since Oct. 2014 to April 2015.

LAFC

LAFC (14-8-8) squandered a chance to move into second place in the West, suffering a shock 3-1 defeat at Chicago Saturday afternoon.

Djordje Mihailovic and Nemanja Nikolic scored nine minutes apart midway through the first half to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. Aleksandar Katai made it 3-0 in the 66th minute before Rossi pulled the visitors back a goal seven minutes later.

“We were no good today so we’re pretty angry with ourselves,” Bob Bradley said. “More often than not we come on the field with a good idea of the football we want to play, we come on the field with the right mentality. Today things were slow. Things were casual.

“It’s a day where we have to be honest with ourselves that we were just not good.”

Suspended: None

Suspended after next caution: None

International duty: None

Injury Report: OUT: GK – Quillan Roberts (right fibular fracture), M – Mark-Anthony Kaye (fractured ankle), M – Aaron Kovar (left knee irritation), D – Danilo Silva (right hamstring irritation), F – Latif Blessing (left hip flexor strain)

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3, right to left) GK: Tyler Miller — Steven Beitashour, Dejan Jakovic, Walker Zimmerman, Jordan Harvey — Benny Feilhaber, Eduard Atuesta, Lee Nguyen — Diego Rossi, Adama Diomande, Carlos Vela

Notes: Carlos Vela has eight goals+assists in league play since Aug. 1. Only one other teammate has more than three in that time (Rossi – six). … LAFC have won once in their last six road games (3L-2D), allowing 2.5 goals per game.

All-Time Series

This is the second all-time meeting with LAFC beating the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, on August 19.

Officials

Referee: Armando Villarreal Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Logan Brown 4th Official: Joseph Dickerson VAR: Alex Chilowicz

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[junker-town]

Our simulated video game basketball team attempts a historic comeback in the NCAA tournament

The Leathernecks enter the 2026 NCAA tournament as a No. 12 seed against Cal in our College Hoops 2K8 simulation.

Welcome back to our simulated dynasty with the Western Illinois Leathernecks in College Hoops 2K8. You can find a full explanation of this project + spoiler-free links to previous seasons here. For more context on the re-introduction of this series, check out our most recent post.

We pick up with our Leathernecks in the first round of the 2026 NCAA tournament in Year 19 of Coach Rick’s tenure at Western Illinois. Here’s a recap of everything that has happened so far this season:

Coming off three straight seasons that ended in the Elite Eight, the Leathernecks enter the new year with two returning starters and a team rated as a 97 overall.

We went 6-6 against a difficult non-conference schedule before dominating Summit League play. We went undefeated in conference and again claimed the Summit League tournament championship. We enter the NCAA tournament as a No. 12 seed at 26-6 on the season.

We recruited for three scholarships, but didn’t land any players in the early signing period.

Read the full Year 19 recap

Here’s a look at our roster heading into the NCAA tournament:

Our opponent in the first round of the NCAA tournament is No. 5 seed Cal. You can look at Cal’s roster here. The Bears enter the game as a 98 overall, while the Leathernecks are now rated as a 100 overall.

This is how the two teams matchup heading into the contest:

There’s no doubt that it’s been a trying season for our Leathernecks. While our roster looks loaded with four starters rated in the 90s entering the NCAA tournament, the pieces haven’t seemed to fit cleanly up to this point.

Senior point guard Angel Keita has been under fire, losing the trust of the fanbase ever since experiencing major turnover problems during the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight of last year’s NCAA tournament. A vocal section of the fanbase pushed for Keita to be benched completely after he shot only 35 percent from the field this year, but we instead decided to trim his minutes a bit and reallocate them to backup Tron Whaley. Keita is now at 26 minutes per game while Whaley is scheduled to play 17 minutes.

The bigger problem may be our lack of a go-to scorer on the perimeter. While Vernard Fulton shocked the world by returning for his senior season despite being projected as a lottery pick, he’s always been more of an elite glue guy than a takeover scorer. A natural power forward, Fulton moved to the wing this year to accomodate the burgeoning talent of sophomore big man Allan Cunningham.

The front court is where we’re really strong. Timon Suotamo — better known as ‘Chewy’ — finished second in the country in scoring at 25 points per game. Cunningham has lived up to the hype. The question is whether our bigs can carry us to another deep tournament run without consistent production from our guards and wings. The first round matchup with Cal offers a fascinating test.

The Bears finished second in the Pac-10 and No. 2 in America in offensive efficiency. Their senior center Homer Maki-Tulokas led the country in scoring during the regular season. Cal wants to play inside-out, setting up a titanic battle in the middle between two star centers.

We streamed this game on Twitch on Sunday night. As always, I’m not controlling Western Illinois; we’re watching a simulated game played by the computer. I’m not playing any of the games in this series, I only do the recruiting and set the coaching strategies. The game will start when you press play on the video.

Our Leathernecks have reached the second weekend of the NCAA tournament four years in a row. Can we start another run? Let’s go!

***

***

***

***

***

***

Loss, 90-87. The comeback attempt falls just short and our season is over.

We had a chance to send the game to overtime at the buzzer with a deep three-pointer and .... I really thought it went in. I screamed like it did. Fulton’s heave was just off. We were so close to tying the game as time expired:

The fact that the game even came down to the final shot is pretty remarkable because this sure looked like it was going to be a blowout loss at halftime.

Cal took a 16-point into the break after closing the first half on a 10-0 run. We were down as many as 18 points. Suotamo was having an uncharacteristically quite game in his marquee matchup with Maki-Tulokas, Keita and starting shooting guard Wilky Henry were ice cold, and the bench wasn’t giving us the lift we expect.

But little by little, we started to chip away at the lead. We went to an all-out full-court press defense midway through the second half, which was enough to get us a few steals that turned into some cheap points.

The last minute of this game was wild. I thought we were toast when Cal hit a layup to put them up five points with about 30 seconds left, but we quickly responded with a three-ball from Fulton. We started to intentionally foul, but the Bears were money from the free throw line. Just when it looked like all hope was gone, Keita was fouled on a three-point shot with six seconds left and drained all three shots to put us down one. That led to Fulton’s final heave, which fell just short.

Two big problems for us in this game:

Our rim protection was horrible. Suotamo is supposed to be a good shot blocker, but Cal was consistently beating us to the basket after getting us to bite on pump fakes around the arc.

Kieta played 36 minutes even though I explicitly trimmed his minutes before tip-off. I wish the game would have followed those orders.

There are still some bright spots for next year. Cunningham (24 points, nine rebounds) was our consistent scorer and showed his three-point range is no fluke. I can’t wait to watch him go to work as a junior next year. I’m also excited for Henry’s senior year despite an off-night against Cal. He’ll be moving back to his natural position of small forward and hopefully can take a big leap in production.

We can’t make a deep tournament run every year, I guess. We’ll be back.

Bracket contest update

Cal got all the way to the Elite Eight before falling to Xavier. I knew we lost to a quality team.

The Final Four was Michigan over Gonzaga and Xavier over Duke. Michigan beat Xavier to win the national championship. That means our bracket contest winner is Isaac Springer, who correctly picked the Wolverines to win it all. You can find the full leaderboard on our app, which works on desktop and mobile. Here is the final leaderboard:

We had more than 120 entries in the bracket contest once again. Thanks to everyone who participated. Special thanks to Sean Vinsel for building the app and running the contest. Follow Sean on Twitter @HoopsInsight and check out his work writing about the real versions of Louisville and Kentucky basketball.

We’ll do it again next season.

Offseason

I played through the offseason live on Twitch after we were eliminated. You can watch it here, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Michigan wins the national championship. The Big Ten title drought is over!

Timon Suotamo wins Summit League Player of the Year. He just put together one of the most dominant regular seasons in program history. Not bad for the first JUCO center recruit we’ve ever had.

Suotamo (projected first rounder) and Fulton (projected lottery pick) each get drafted. Angel Keita does not get drafted. Keita will go down as perhaps the most loathed player we’ve ever had.

Coach Rick’s overall record now stands at 501-120.

We earn one coaching point for our 500th win and put it in discipline. That raises our discipline grade to a C.

I get offered the Duke job. Also the Texas Tech job, the Arizona State job, and the Auburn job. I turn them all down.

We lost an assistant and replaced them with Bron Randle, who was on staff for us a few years ago. He has an A- rating in teaching, and no coaching grade below a C+.

Recruiting

We have three scholarships to recruit for after landing no one during the early signing period. We want one guard, one wing, and one big, and have had offers out since missing on our early targets.

Our top priority is 6’9 small forward Jitim Dupre out of Chicago. After Michigan State drops out during the first week of the spring signing period, Dupre gives Western Illinois his commitment.

Dupre is ranked No. 91 overall and No. 19 at his position. We love his size on the wing and are optimistic about his shooting ability.

Our next target is point guard Koko Reeves out of San Antonio. Reeves is ranked No. 52 overall and No. 27 at his position. He commits to the Leathernecks shortly after Dupre:

Reeves is tiny at 5’10, but he looks like an elite three-point shooter, which we can really use. We’ve had good luck with players from San Antonio before, so let’s keep that trend going.

One scholarship still available. It’s been offered out to center Artie Snipes out of Riverside, CA for most of the season. He finally accepts it just before the end of the signing period:

Overall, I think it’s a solid class. Part of me is wondering if I should have went after a two-guard instead of Reeves as potential insurance in case last year’s top recruit, Mathew Alloway, turns pro early, but that’s okay. We should have three five-year players in this group who provide a nice complement to our stellar recruiting class from last year.

Now it’s time to set our schedule for next season. This is what we went with:

@ Illinois, @ Georgetown, @ Louisville, @ Cal, @ Stanford, @ Michigan, @ Duke, vs. Dayton, @ Vanderbilt

Did I instantly regret making that schedule so difficult? Yes, pretty much. Something to keep in mind moving forward.

Year 20

Here’s a first look at our roster:

It’s always tough when you have three new starters, but I like the look of next year’s team at first glance. We really need Henry to breakout into a superstar on the wing during his senior year. Cunningham should be primed for a monster year, too. I’m excited to see what Tron can do at point guard, and as of right now I’m leaning towards starting Alloway as a freshman at shooting guard while bringing Ager off the bench as our sixth man.

We also only have one scholarship to recruit for. I’m going to target a five-star JUCO shooting guard to fit the timeline with the recruiting class we just added.

We’re going to stream the regular season of Year 20 at Western Illinois on Wednesday, August 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Here’s how you can watch:

Western Illinois, Year 20, 2026-2027 regular season stream

Game: Western Illinois Year 20 regular season stream. We’ll watch one regular season game, recruit, and sim to the NCAA tournament.

How to watch: My Twitch channel

Date: Thursday, August 12

Tip-off time: 8:30 p.m. ET // 7:30 p.m. CT.

I’ll see you there. Go ‘Necks.

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