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searchingwardrobes · 5 years

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I Get to Be the One

Happy Birthday, @pocket-anon ! Talented author, sweet mother, and a physician to boot! Darling, I don’t know how you do it! I know how much your family means to you, and since your birthday is so close to Mother's Day, I thought some CS family fluff would make the perfect gift. I also threw in a few Easter eggs just for you. Have a great day!

Summary: A slice of Emma and Killian’s white picket fence life – on Mother’s Day. Based on the song by JJ Heller.

Words: Around 1,500

Triggers: Sugary sweet fluff may cause cavities :)

Also on Ao3 and part of my Fandom Birthday Playlist.

Tagging @snowbellewells @kmomof4 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @winterbaby89 @jennjenn615 @teamhook @bethacaciakay @thislassishooked @kday426 @snidgetsafan @delirious-latenight-laughs @shireness-says @xhookswenchx @optomisticgirl @welllpthisishappening @let-it-raines @distant-rose @wellhellotragic

I get to be the one to hold your hand. I get to be the one. Through birthdays and broken bones, I’ll be there to watch you grow. I get to be the one.

Normally, if Emma Swan was abruptly jarred awake, she would lash out in anger. But the crew bursting through her bedroom door on this Sunday morning was the exception. Killian was carrying a tray of food, complete with a little vase of buttercups, and the girls were marching in with smiles on their faces. All four were singing the tune “Happy Birthday to You,” but swapping the words with “Happy Mother’s Day to You.” The only one missing was Henry, but he was likely doing the same thing across town with Lucy for Jacinda. She still could hardly believe her little boy was all grown up and she was a grandma. Curses and wonky timelines aside.

She sat up, suddenly wide awake with a bright smile on her face. That wasn’t her normal morning state, either, but how could she not smile? Killian had that goofy grin on his face, the one that made him look more like a nerd than a fearsome pirate captain. The one she was pretty sure he only gave to her and their three little girls. He settled the tray across her lap just as they finished their song.

“Pancakes?” Emma asked him teasingly, and he winked.

“We can have . . . the other kind later,” he whispered in her ear.

He reached inside the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out three pieces of construction paper with crayon scribbled across them. The girls grabbed them eagerly, bouncing around the room. Elizabeth tried to make a flying leap onto the bed, but Killian caught her before she could knock over her mother’s breakfast. Hope handed her homemade card to her mother first with a hesitant smile on her face.

“Thank you,” Emma told her taking the simple piece of paper from her seven-year-old's hand. Hope wasn’t very good at drawing, so the picture was just two crude stick figures labeled “Mommy and Me.” Hope had no need to be shy, however, because it was the words she had written across the top that stole Emma’s heart.

Mommy you’re the best mom I could ask for. No one could ever replace you in my heart. I love you.

Emma pressed her hand to her mouth as tears threatened.

“She wrote every word of that by herself,” Killian told her with pride in his voice.

A tear did slip out then, which Emma wiped away with her palm. She pulled Hope close, pressing a kiss to her temple. “My little writer,” she whispered. When Hope pulled away, her blue eyes shone with pleasure at her mother’s praise. Emma brushed her fingers through her daughter’s blonde curls and gave her a watery smile.

“Here’s mine, Mommy!” Amy piped up in her high-pitched five-year-old voice.

Amy was their little artist, so Emma wasn’t surprised to see an elaborate rose made out of bits of paper on the front of the pink card. Inside was a drawing of Amy hugging her Mommy which, while still done with sticks and circles, was much more elaborate than her older sister’s.

“This is beautiful, sweetheart,” Emma told her, drawing her close. She glanced up at Killian over the top of her daughter’s dark head.

“Don’t worry,” he told her with a wink, “I vacuumed up all the bits of paper.”

Elizabeth crawled carefully across the bed to give Emma her card. Though she had the same dark curly hair and green eyes as her twin Amy, Elizabeth was more rambunctious and less likely to sit long enough to carefully make a card. Sure enough, the green piece of construction paper contained merely a scribble labeled “Mommy” with a heart around it.

“Oh look, you wrote your name,” Emma commented, pointing to the top corner.

Elizabeth snuggled against Emma’s side. She was also the cuddler of the three girls. “Actually, Hope wrote that for me.”

“Oh,” Emma said as she bit her lip. Her mind struggled to find something else to praise Elizabeth for about her card, but came up empty. The child didn’t seem to care, though.

“I love you, Mommy,” she said, snuggling into Emma more and putting her little arms around her.

Emma embraced her in return, breathing in the slightly sweaty smell of five-year-old.

“And now for your present,” Killian declared, pulling a gift bag out from somewhere and plopping it down on the bed.

“There’s more?”

“Hope helped me shop, so you should like it,” he said, scratching behind his ear.

Emma looked tenderly at her husband. “Of course I’ll like it.” He should know by now that just getting a gift at all was enough for her, especially considering the first 28 years of her life.

Emma yanked out the tissue paper, and inside was a large, charcoal gray bag. It was simple and classic in its design, the perfect style for her personality. She grinned as she pulled it out.

“Hope said you were looking at bags for weekend trips on the Jolly. Ones that were smaller than a duffel but nicer than a backpack.”

Her smile softened at the hesitancy in his voice. She clutched the bag to her chest as she looked up at him. “I love it.”

She loved the bright grin Killian gave her more than the bag, to be honest.

“Well,” he told her, scooping Elizabeth up and tossing her over his shoulder as she giggled, “enjoy your breakfast and take your time. Watch TV, read, whatever you want to do. I’ll check on you in a little while and draw you a bath.”

“Daddy says today is all about you,” Hope explained.

“He says we’re going to paper you,” Amy added.

“Pamper,” Kilian corrected, leaning down to brush a kiss across Emma’s lips, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she told him, brushing her nose against his.

They tramped downstairs, closing the door behind them, and Emma enjoyed her breakfast in the peace and coziness of her bed. Then she settled back under the covers to binge watch some episodes of Sherlock. She followed that with a few chapters from her well-worn copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

It was nice having time to herself, but when the clock read eleven, she was a little bored. She slipped out of bed and made her way downstairs. She paused before reaching the bottom, her heart flipping at the sight that greeted her from the living room.

The girls had made a tent out of blankets, pillows, and the kitchen chairs. Killian must have helped, however, because the top was suspended from the ceiling fan with fishing wire and fairy lights lined the edges. The entire thing looked like an enchanted teepee. The opening faced the stairs, so Emma could see Killian inside with the girls, propped up on pillows, reading to them.

“They were cozy and comfortable in their little house made of logs, with the snow drifted around it and the wind crying because it could not get in by the fire.” Killian’s voice was warm and lilting, and even Emma sighed hearing it.

Her sigh must have been louder than she thought, for Killian looked up at her with surprise on his face. “What are doing down here, love?” he asked, tossing aside the copy of Little House in the Big Woods. “I was just about to come up and draw you a bath.”

Emma shrugged and smiled as she made her way down the rest of the stairs. “It’s Mother’s Day. I wanted to be with my girls.” She got down on her knees and wriggled her way into the tent. All three girls jostled to get to her, and soon she was sprawled against the piles of pillows with little girls draped across her like a pile of puppies. Killian smiled down at her.

“Keep reading, Daddy!” Amy begged.

“Yes, Pa,” Emma teased, “keep reading about the little log cabin in the woods.”

The book series was Amy’s favorite, but Emma delighted in how much Killian seemed to enjoy them too. They weren’t stories from the Enchanted Forest, and he said it helped him understand the history of his new home a little better. He took her current teasing in stride, clearing his throat to continue. It wasn’t long before the three girls were softly snoring.

“I got them up early,” Killian explained, laying the book aside. He laid out on his back, his feet sticking out of the front of the blanket tent. Silence descended around them, filled with contentment.

Emma reached to trace his jaw. “Killian?”

“Hmmm?”

“I love that I get to be the one . . . “ she trailed off, her brow furrowing as she struggled to find the right words, “that I get to be the one to live this life with you.”

Killian turned his head to kiss her palm. “I feel the same, love.”

I get to be the one to hold your hand. I get to be the one. Through birthdays and broken bones, I’ll be there to watch you grow. I get to be the one.

#cs ff #cs family fluff #fluff #domestic fluff #for pocket-anon #on her birthday #fandom birthday playlist #i get to be the one

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thisissoccer · 3 years

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us vs canada soccer 2021

The United States men’s national team closed out the group stage of the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 1-0 win against Canada. While it was indeed a rather dreary affair, the USMNT walked away with the result. While the team had already qualified to the knockout stages, this victory let the MNT win the group (anything less and Canada would have won the group, whether outright or through tie-breakers).

This game represented the first really significant test for a rather green group of American players. Yeah, neither Canada nor the MNT needed to win this one to advance to the knockout stages, but with second place likely to eventually face Mexico in the semifinals, both teams wanted to win this. And, while Canada was missing a handful of notable names, namely Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, this was still a pretty talented group. At the very least, the players are comparably matched to this version of the MNT, perhaps even slightly ahead. And that made this match up the perfect test to see how if this group of players can play at a higher level than was offered up in the previous two games against Haiti and Martinique and who should stay in consideration for the full senior team.

With that said, here’s what we learned:

Game States Matter In the tactical analysis for the Nation’s League semifinal against Honduras, I pissed a lot of people off by declaring that the performance was GOOD ENOUGH. The same sentiment applies here. The USMNT was GOOD ENOUGH against Canada. It wasn’t fun, it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t what we hoped for, but it was GOOD ENOUGH. The team walked away with a win, and that’s what’s important.

There were two big moments that dictated how this game played out. The goal was, quite obviously, one of them.

Within thirty seconds, the USMNT took the lead. That means we have to analyze essentially 90 minutes with that context. Because of that early goal, the mindset of the team had to switch from “How do we win this game?” to “How do we keep this lead?”. And those questions lead to very different responses.

At 0-0, there’s a balance where a team needs to balance their priorities between scoring and defending. When you have the lead, that shifts so that defending becomes more important than scoring. Racking up goals is nice, but if you concede, you are no longer winning. On the other hand, the opposing team, the losing team, needs to get a goal. The difference between a 1-0 and 1-1 game is huge (in this case, that would have let Canada win the group), but the difference for a losing team of 1-0 and 2-0 isn’t quite so significant. Losing by more sucks, but not-losing is just worth way, way more, such that is justifies taking more risks and playing more aggressively.

Given those incentives, we can, in a game between two comparable opponents, expect the team with the early lead to sit back and seek to limit the number and quality of attacking opportunities, while the team that was behind would seek to try and control more of the game to have more opportunities and try and get back in it. The context for the USMNT demanded an effective defensive performance. And that’s what we got.

Canada led in possession, and they led in shots. But the USMNT managed Canada’s chances such that the Canadians couldn’t get any truly good opportunities. The USMNT led, not just in goals, but expected goals, 0.92-0.65, indicating that the US was both better at making high quality chances and better at limiting Canada’s. When I say that the US was good enough, I’m not making a blithe statement about the result. This wasn’t the kind of game where a team gets an opportunistic goal and is lucky not to concede three or four goals. No, the USMNT didn’t get lucky. When I say that the USMNT was good enough, I mean that they decisions and plays that they made were effective on the day.

I think USMNT fans are really anxious to see the national team crush teams that they otherwise don’t really respect. I think fans should treat these teams with more respect — soccer is hard — but I think the impulse to demand higher things from the USMNT is a good one. But we shouldn’t let our anxieties obscure what are effective performances and good results. I know a lot of people want to see thrilling soccer, with the team driving up the score, and, frankly, I do, too. But I think it is more important and more rewarding to see the MNT progress by beating more teams. By beating better teams. Honestly, I don’t really mind that the USMNT’s performance vs. Canada was merely good enough. That win vs. Honduras was merely good enough, but then we went and beat Mexico in an exhilarating final. Hopefully, this good-enough display vs. Canada is the same, that it leads to the team raising their level and beating the next team.

You Like my New Look? You know how Gregg Berhalter’s got his whole system, this whole thing where, no matter who’s on the roster, the team comes out and plays the same formation and tries to play the same way? Yeah... Berhalter’s trotted out a different starting formation in each of the three group stage games. Against Haiti, the team started in a 4-3-3. Against Martinique, it was a 3-4-3. And against Canada, the team started out in a 3-5-2.

Some of this mix-and-matching is to be expected. Berhalter called in a rather lopsided roster and doesn’t really have much choice. But I think it still highlights how disconnected the stereotype of Berhalter as this inflexible coach really is. Yeah, there’s a preferred style of play, one that, after two years of players getting used to, is leading to results with the A team. But when presented with a limited roster in competitive matches, Berhalter’s made adjustments. He’s twice beaten Canada in competitive matches by having the team sit back (those matches proved to be both the starting and ending points for a string of victories for Canada against CONCACAF opponents).

However, this game got a bit more weird than just a new starting line-up. Earlier, I mentioned that there were a few really defining moments in this match. The goal was the first, and the second were the pair of substitutions for Walker Zimmerman and Ayo Akinola for the US and Canada respectively.

As it turned out, losing Zimmerman to injury and swapping in Donovan Pines represented a steep drop in quality. Zimmerman is just both a better defender and a better passer. As a result, the team had to compensate, dropping deeper to both better screen the backline and to try and connect the defense with midfield. In turn, bringing Osorio on for Canada, coupled with Tajon Buchanan and Richie Laryea swapping sides, allowed Canada to have much more control of the game.

To compensate, we saw Sands step out into midfield more. In effect, this created a 4-4-2, which you can see with this first half pass-map that I got during the game from MLS’s match stat page.

The map’s a little bit wonky because it still lists Zimmerman in there, but I think it still shows how weird some of the positions are, particularly for James Sands and Gianluca Busio. Sands is in front of the backline like a defensive midfielder, while Busio, the ostensible d-mid, is up with the strikers like an attacking mid. When we look at Sands’ touches, we see that, yeah, he’s quite often sitting in front of the defense.

Ok, so we’ve got a 4-4-2 here. How did that play? In general, the midfield looked something like a diamond, with Sands staying back, Busio running all over the place, and the fullbacks providing width. Dike would try and tuck into midfield, providing an outlet to hold the ball and allow the other players to advance.

In general, I would say that the 4-4-2 did not work. While Moore played high up the field, Vines was needed for cover in the back. This made the team lopsided towards the right in possession. While Sands and Robinson were generally tidy, Pines proved to be far more uncomfortable in his passing. It didn’t help that Busio didn’t stick to any clear position, while Acosta had a dud of a match. Finally, the strikers were really quite ineffective. With the team failing to hold possession and unable to advance up the field, Zardes was left disconnected. While Zardes didn’t so much as get a chance to show in the match, Dike kind of squandered his chances. He was really poor while trying to hold up the ball, frequently playing bad touches and making miscues. While Dike effectively used his physicality to dominate over the Martinique defenders, the Canadian defenders seemed much better prepared to handle him.

Mind you, this 4-4-2 was an adaptation of the starting line up. It was supposed to be a 3-5-2, and that helps explain why it was so janky. But I think it really illustrates one of the big problems with three-center back systems. You have to take someone from either the midfield or the attack to slot in an extra center back. Normally, the USMNT plays with one striker and two wingers, with three in midfield. With a 3-5-2, we swapped out both wingers, getting one striker and one center back. With the 4-4-2, we pushed one of those center backs in midfield. On the next, that’s still one less attacking player. This shouldn’t be taken as a knock against Sands — he was dominant on the night, one of the best players for the USMNT. But part of that midfield dysfunction, along with individual subpar performances, is simply because there’s not the right mix of defensive, offensive, and transitionary players.

Dual of the Fates For me, the biggest takeaway on the night actually didn’t show up on the scoreline, nor even with the USMNT’s lineup. You’ve got to look at Canada for the biggest story.

Ayo Akinola started his first game for Canada. Unfortunately, he had an injury in the first half and had to be subbed off, but his starting is a big deal. You might remember, Akinola actually played for the USMNT back in December, even scoring a goal. Akinola was eligible both for the US and for Canada and, while he appeared in that friendly, he has since decided that he will represent Canada. His earlier appearance in the Gold Cup cap-tied him and he is no longer eligible for the USMNT.

I wrote about the USMNT’s approach to dual nationals back in February. The piece was very positive, but it had a warning.

As of late, dual national decisions have gone in the USMNT’s favor. To the best of my ability, I can’t think of a single high-profile case where a player decided to leave the US program in the last two years. That kind of a streak is not going to last. I mentioned in the previous article that Berhalter’s played almost 70 different players. And not all of those players are going to have robust futures with the national team. ... maybe Ayo Akinola decides his heart lies with Canada. Not everyone is going to stick around; that’s just how it works.

Not everyone eligible for the USMNT is going to pan out with the program. And, in this case, Akinola went with Canada. Frankly, that’s good for him. I wish he stuck with the USMNT, but I do not begrudge him for this choice, and may his career be long and successful.

But it’s not just Akinola who the US has recently lost out on. Efraín Álvarez went with Mexico, while Alex Roldan (the brother to Cristian Roldan on the USMNT roster) is balling with El Salvador. All of these players are Americans. We have hit the point where American dual nationals are playing, not just for the USMNT, but for the other federations as well. Indeed, El Salvador had SIX American players fielded last night against Mexico, along with Hugo Pérez, himself a retired USMNT player of Salvadoran decent.

Having so many Americans playing for different national teams is a clear sign of the game in this country. But it’s also a warning that the soccer community and national team program needs to be open and vigilant about recruiting dual nationals within the country and within the federation. The other nations are scouting us. If we are not proactive about expanding programs and reaching out to these players, players already in our country, we will miss out on talent.

But this isn’t just limited to Americans. Canada didn’t merely have Akinola on the line up. They had, by my count, 6 dual nationals in the starting line up, coming from a range of different nations. We see it from the Central American teams. We’ve already talked about El Salvador, but on Costa Rica, there’s also Ariel Lassiter, an American. The Caribbean nations have a strong history of recruiting and we see that here with Haiti and Jamaica. Indeed, even the likes of Mexico, traditionally hold-outs for incorporating dual nationals to the national team, are starting games. While Álvarez didn’t start, the Funes Mori, who was born in Argentina, did. CONCACAF is getting more diverse. That’s going to make teams better, more dynamic, and more varied.

Closing Thoughts James Sands stands out as the big winner from this group stage. He’s been cool, calm, and effective through all the matches. The fact that he can play in defense and in midfield is a big plus. He’s tidy and defensively sound in midfield, which makes him a good candidate to serve as Tyler Adams’ understudy.

Miles Robinson has also consistently been solid. Up until now, we haven’t been able to get a prolonged run with him on the national team due to injuries and scheduling, but now that he’s here, he looks the part.

On the other hand, Pines looks out of his depth. I just think this is a level too high for him. That said, the USMNT suddenly looks quite good at center back. We’ve got Sands and Robinson currently in camp, along with Zimmerman. They join Brooks, McKenzie, and Miazga (who all featured in the Nations League camp) on the depth chart. We can add Richards and Long as well, at least in the long-term. That’s eight players before we get into more fringe options like Palmer-Brown and Carter-Vickers.

Vines had a solid defensive performance. After a very “meh” performance v. Haiti, Vines came back and showed defensive fortitude. He certainly looked more solid right now than George Bello, who looked a bit lost at times vs. Martinique.

The current roster has a midfield problem. There’s going to be a lot made out about Busio’s poor display. He looked like he didn’t know where to play, which tracks for a 19 year old who hasn’t had a consistent spot in midfield. On top of that, there’s a physicality issue, with Busio not challenging against Martinique or Canada. But that’s not a problem limited to just him:

Berhalter needs to figure out how to get some physical dynamism in that midfield. Right now, it doesn’t look like there’s a clear option, though Sands may be solution.

Speaking of Busio,

Just awaiting final signed docs and player medical. @SportingKC agreed to the following; $10.5m-11m range between transfer and incentives for @gbusio13 with Venezia. Should be finalized by mid-week according to a source close to the player. #SportingKC #MLS

— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) July 18, 2021 It looks like some were a bit too quick to declare Dike as the number 1 striker after the Martinique game. Against Canada, Dike looked like a player who’s barely played with the ball at his feet for the last six months. Which is basically what happened at Barnsley, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Dike needs to work on being more well-rounded, particularly with his passing and his touch. Right now, I think Sargent offers that more well-rounded play, even though we haven’t seen too many of the goals. Getting good transfers will be important for both of them.

Gold Cup 2021: USA-Canada The whistle sounds in Kansas and Shaq Moore's goal after 26 seconds is enough for the USNMT to top Group B

Late corner for Canada with Osorio to take.... Poor hit from the Canadian as the US break and the men n white recover the ball with Lucas Cavallini getting a shot off but the ball is straight at Turner.

We're into added time, 5 minutes will be added but it looks like the US will top the group with Canada having to settle for second place

The AT&T stadium in Arlington Texas is set to host the quarter-final involving both these sides on 25 July. Costa Rica or Jamaica await in the next stage.

Five minutes remain in Kansas as Canada continue to probe but struggling to break down a very well organized US rear-guard.

The US currently playing with ten men as Dike continues to get treatment.

Daryl Dike is now being treated by the US medical team as he seems to have fallen badly and damaged his collar bone

The US are sitting deep and inviting pressure from Canada who despite their neat build-up play have still yet to go close to scoring as Buchanan goes close and sees his shot drift wide of Turner's post.

18,467 is the attendance for this evening's game in Kansas City.

Subs for the US: Yueill and Hoppe on for Busio and Zardes.

We're back underway in Kansas City as Canada make two changes: Hoilett and Piette are off with Kaye and Pasher the changes.

The 1000th Gold Cup goal has just been scored in Frisco !

Water break time at the Children's Mercy Park as 20' remain on the clock.

Lucas Cavallini has looked bright since coming on and the former Naconal man is clipped close to the box and Canada earn a free-kick. The ball drifts in and eventually the US side clear the danger.

US still ahead in possession but Canada look like the side with more drive and initiative currently as they search for the equalizer that would see them advance as group leaders should the game end tied

Piette does well for Canada beating two men in red and clue but lacks composure with the resulting shot and drives the ball high and wide.

Buchannan fouls Vines and the US win a dangerous freekick close to the by-line. Sebastian Lletget takes and swings the ball in but Canada stopper Crepeau does well to snatch the ball.

Another change for the US as goalscorer Moore leaves the action with Boavista's Reggie Cannon his replacement

Cyle Larin is the next player to have developed a problem as the Besiktas man limps from the pitch and looks to be in trouble. Lucas Cavallini set to replace the striker.

Lareya breaks for Canada and trips over himself in the US box

Canada corner but the Canucks fail to avail of the dead ball situation. Decent start from the men in white. A draw for Canada would be good enough to see them pass to the next stage as group leaders.

Error from Pines as he gives the ball away on the edge of the box but Canada fail to take advantage of the gift. Larin failed to really test the US keeper with the effort though.

Both sides take their position and we're about to get started... Canada to start the second half.

Plenty of Sporting KC shirts on display tonight at the Children's Mercy Park as we await the teams to take to the pitch for the second half. In Frisco in the other Group B game, Haiti lead Martinique 0-1.

It's been a stop-start affair with the first 20-25 minutes of action somewhat interrupted with injured players. Shaq Moore's early goal is enough to see the USMNT take the lead and as things stand, top Group B with nine points.

Vines and Sebastian Lletget have been the standout players for the US this evening as the Mexican match official calls time on the half. The quickest goal in the history of the Gold Cup is the difference between both sides with Tenerife's Moore on target.

Canada are full of endeavor and industry but it's their final ball that lets the Canucks down as we will have three minutes of added time.

Into the final five minutes of the half and Canada have shaken off their lethargy as the try to look to both flanks to mount attacks on the US goal. Still no way through for the men in white and Matt Turner still enjoying a placid evening.

LA Galaxy's Sebastian Lletget has been excellent so far this evening with the central player instrumental in all the creative play for the US.

We hit the 30 minute mark and Matt Turner in the US goal has been a virtual spectator with the Canadian side failing to test the NE Revs stopper.

The US lead in terms of possession and on the scoreboard through Shaq Moore's 26th second opener.

Toronto FC player Osorio finally comes on for the injured Akinola.

Akinola is still on the pitch as Canada are struggling to secure a foothold in the game. Berhalter's men in very much in charge.

Play held up again as Akinola pulls up and the game is halted. The Toronto FC striker will be switched by the Canadian coach as we pause for a hydration break.

Very much a stop-start feel to the early stages of the match tonight with little flow to the action.

Another delay as Akinola is on the ground and seems to be in trouble.The Canada No. 20 was clipped by Pines and once again the Canadian physio team is called into action.

Pines set to take Zimmerman's place. The No 4 plays for DC United.

The US very mush the side in the ascendancy in the opening 15 minutes and Greg Berhalter's side buoyed by the early goal. Not looking good for Zimmerman with the Nashville SC player set to be switched.

No spot kick for Canada and we're back underway again.

Zimmerman too is being treated and seems to have a problem with his shin.

The Toronto FC man is in trouble and needs medical attention as the Mexican referee talks to the VAR booth.

Call for a penalty for Canada as Laryea is clipped by Zimmerman in the box.... VAR to take a look

As things stand... Group B live table

Canada tonight in their all white away kit with the US in their new-ish red and blue striped effort with blue shorts.

A significant setback for Les Rouges who saw how the US split the Canadian defense open with three passes needed for Shaq Moore to drive home from close range.

Goooooool. The US take the lead in 26 seconds and it's Moore who taps home from close range to open the scoring

Off we go in Kansas Cty...

Tonight's match official is Mexican Andonai Escobedo

The teams are on the Children's Mercy Park with kick-off imminent

Both the USA and Mexico started as pre-tournament favorites but Canada, Costa Rica and Honduras will all fancy their chances to deliver a surprise.

The game will be underway in 5 minutes of so despite the published time of a 5pm (ET) start time

It's a hot evening in Kansas City with a current temperature of 29 C / 81F.

Big crowd in the Children's Mercy Park for tonight's Group B climax as both the US and Canada will want to finish on top of Group B

The other Group B game taking place tonight sees Martinique face Haiti with both sides pointless after two games played. That match is taking place at the Toyata Stadium in Frisco and we'll bring you the half and full time score.

Pre-match analysis: Greg Berhalter (US coach) First of all, I'm really happy that Canada’s in the final qualifying group,” said Berhalter in Saturday’s matchday -1 press conference. “They've done a great job of getting to this point, and I'm not happy because I want to face them, I'm happy for the group, for the players. It's a lot of players that we're familiar with, we’ve got a lot of respect for those guys. It's been nice seeing them grow over the last five years, and they've arrived to this point and I think it's a good team.”

Pre-match analysis: John Herdman (Canada coach) “It is a big match against USA and the boys will be all in. The first part of our mission was qualification to the Quarterfinals which we achieved, so now the next part of the mission will be to win the group and we will be focused on that heading into an exciting match against USA".

Costa Rica or Jamiaca awaits Canada and the US in the quarter final stage of the Gold Cup with both sides probably anxious to avoid the stronger fancied Ticos from Central America.

Here's how the Group B table looks ahead of the final games tonight

Both Canada and the United States have an 100% record with two wins from two in their Gold Cup opening games with The Canucks topping Group B by virtue of goals scored.

Canada bagged four goals in their wins over Martinique and Haiti respectively and a theoretically easier quarter-final tie will be the prize for the side that tops the group.

Gregg Berhalter's men go into the game as the fancied side with the US unbeaten against their neighbors from the North in their past four Gold Cup encounters. Historically the US are the stringer side having won 15 clashes between both nations and only losing 11. Nine meetings between the USNMT and Canada have ended all square.

'Les Rouges' start with the following XI:

First up, the team news....The US side:

As has been the case with all Group B games, tonight's action takes place at Children's Mercy Park, home to MLS side Sporting KC and starts at 5pm ET/2300 CEST.

Hello and a very warm welcome to tonight's coverage of the final Group B game as the United States face Canada with top spot in the group on the line.

0 notes

hippomanblog · 6 years

Text

My Fire Emblem Rankings

I’ve had a few questions about my legitimate Fire Emblem opinions and thoughts, so I figured I’d write this up while I’m waiting for some things to process. This is all just personal opinion, no shade is meant to be being thrown, and this probably won’t interest you too much. But, hey, here it is. I’ll list the Fire Emblems going from favorite to least favorite, and explain a little bit about why I feel that way. Note that I won’t be including 1-5. I’m considering the remakes the “definitive” versions of 1/2/3, and I haven’t actually played the Jugdral games. I’m also not counting Heroes because it’s kinda hard to “judge”, but I do like it a lot and play on a pretty regular basis. THIS POST WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR EACH GAME!

#1. Awakening

Awakening is a game that gets a few things wrong but most things right. What don’t I like about it? I preferred the art style of the Tellius games. The maps aren’t very creative. Pair Up is a thematically cool mechanic that really doesn’t hold up to scrutiny and trivializes many encounters. The story is simple, with the exception of a couple twists, and Validar is a dull villain. I like pretty much everything else. Awakening managed to be accessible to new fans and still provide a nice challenge for series veterans. There’s a diverse selection of characters who are all pretty viable, meaning you can use your favorites. Most characters have a lot of personality and depth to their lines, like with how they turned Frederick from a typical stoic Jagen-type into this goofy obsessive pyromaniac without making him a complete joke character. The SpotPass characters are also a lovely addition if you adore the series like I do, and there’s just so much to do in this game, so it feels like a celebration of the franchise as a whole. If I’m trying to get someone into Fire Emblem, I will tell them to play Awakening. Favorite Character: Gregor or Owain. Least Favorite Character: Yarne #2. New Mystery Of The Emblem

This is bias, yes, but I love New Mystery. I was really excited for this game, because I was pretty new to the fanbase when it was announced, and couldn’t wait for an English release. I waited, and waited, and waited, and... Once I finished playing my JP copy I just lamented that we didn’t get to play this game here. I think that while Awakening reinvents Fire Emblem, New Mystery is sort of the pinnacle of “classic” FE. The game is just fun, the maps are diverse and challenging, and the combination of reclass and the sheer amount of playable characters gives it immense replay value. The plot is nothing to really write home about, but after the vast wasteland of Shadow Dragon Plot, I really liked what was there. It’s nothing that’ll blow your mind, but there are some nice moments. I know a lot of people hate Kris, but I don’t mind them. I won’t go to bat for them being any kind of great character or vital addition to the story, but as a sounding board to give other Archanea characters a little personality, and a way to customize your own unit and give them all sorts of terrible hats, they work just fine. I also like the idea of Marth as a bit of a shell-shocked, reluctant king who relies on his friends to rise to greatness. It prevents him from being “too perfect”, like RD Ike. But I can see where people have problems with this. I wish this were a more accessible entry in the series, because I think it has a little bit of something for every Fire Emblem fan. Favorite Character: Honestly? I like Caeda and Ogma, they’re cool people. Least Favorite Character: matthis is creepy and I hate him 3. Blazing Sword

Like a lot of people, Blazing Sword was my first exposure to the series (through an LP on Youtube for me), and it does a great job. You could honestly probably swap these first three around in any order, to be frank. The balance in this one is a little wonky, and it goes on a little too long. But I like what it does with its extra time. You get some clever gaidens that mix up the formula, have room to use lots of units, and the sprite animations are just wonderful to watch. The three lords all bring something to the table, even though you’re honestly probably just going to play Hector Mode once you’ve unlocked it. Lyn has a story about claiming your birthright and using nobility to help people, Hector’s brash and boorish nature is offset as he learns how to be a better person on his journey (That scene with Matthew on the Dread Isle is great.), and Eliwood...exists. With maps ranging from cramped and objective based to sprawling battlefields, there’s a lot of variety in gameplay and room for different units to shine. It’s also got some of the best supports in the series. It’s a must-play for any Fire Emblem fan. Favorite: Hector is a good boy and a friend. Legault is also a surprisingly involved side-character with some great lines and dialogue with almost every Morph in the final map! Least Favorite: Jaffar, because it’s hard to tell if I hate him more for killing Leila or ramming his face into the paladin in Battle Before Dawn and getting slaughtered so many times.

4. Path Of Radiance

I guess only the top 3 are getting thumbnails, sorry. PoR sticks with me because it tries a lot of new things and most of them work out. The bonus experience is a good system, I think this game does support unlocks better than any other, Laguz units are fun to use, and the conversion to pseudo-3D maps feels smooth and never gets in the way of gameplay. There are issues, though. I’m not a fan of the way the full-body portraits look in the cutscenes of this game, biorhythm is silly, and that Bridge Map sure does Exist. The reason this isn’t breaking Top 3, though, is that I just never really got attached to the cast. Characters are a big part of Fire Emblem for me, and while there are some great ones in PoR, there are also several that feel very forgettable. The plot is also a little...iffy, because it’s all FANTASY RACISM and it feels like it’s trying to punch above its pay grade sometimes. Like, be honest, did you give a shit that you had to kill Jill’s dad? That character who showed up maybe once? The maps also tend to blend together, with a few notable exceptions (because they’re annoying, mostly). In Minor Nitpick Town, the 3D cutscenes are hilariously goofy and the Trial characters have really awful unlock conditions. Still, PoR is a very solid entry and I’d give it a hearty recommendation. Favorite: Ranulf, probably. Least Favorite: makalov shouldn’t have been recruitable

5. Sacred Stones I balked a little at putting this one this low, like “Really? This is FIFTH?” But I guess that’s just a testament to how much I enjoy all these games. Like with the top three, you could probably swap this with PoR. Sacred Stones gets a lot of shit for being “too easy”, and I don’t think that’s necessarily wrong, but I also don’t think it’s that big a deal. This game takes risks, but they’re good risks that frequently pay off. This was the ideal game for the Trainee classes to come in, because you can actually feasibly use them! The monsters add variation to the types of enemies you encounter! Split promotions are interesting tactical decisions that give the player more control over their personal experience! There’s just...not a ton of substance to SS, though. The monsters, at heart, aren’t really interesting to fight. The game’s plot often feels like it’s on fast forward, and it ends before any real tension builds. The villains are, with the exception of Lyon, who’s great, mostly just cardboard cutouts of bad guy stereotypes. The postgame is mostly just grindy and once you’ve beaten the Tower or Ruins once, you’ll probably say “okay, I’m done!” Well, you aren’t, not if you want 100%! Get back in there and kill more Dracozombies to unlock your underleveled Druid! If you really crave that “challenge” as an essential part of your FE experience, although I think SS is often made out to be easier than it really is, you can probably skip it. But for most fans, it’s not to be passed up. Favorite: L’Arachel, of course. Least Favorite: I usually forget Syrene is in the game until she appears. 6. Fates: Conquest Yes, I’m dividing Fates into three games. Sue me. Conquest feels like the best of the Fates routes, because it’s creative. In... a lot of ways. The maps are creative. While some just amount to gimmicks, several are, in my opinion, series standouts. Chapter 9 is a Defense map that actually feels like a Defense map. You’ve got anti-siege weapons, you’re scrambling to keep the Hoshidans from flooding in, and when Takumi drains the water the whole dynamic of the map suddenly changes. It rules. To me, that map encompasses all the best parts of Conquest. It’s too bad it’s still in Fates, though. Let’s get it out of the way: Plot Bad. But, unique to Conquest, I think, is a plot so utterly ridiculous and convoluted that it actually becomes actively enjoyable. This is a story where your cousin puts on a different colored costume to COMPLETELY FOOL your adoptive dad, who she reveals is actually a jelly monster, but cannot tell anyone else because of a terrible curse inflicted by the King Of The Jelly Monsters, so you organize an invasion of an entire country to unmask Jelly Dad by making him sit on the Super Special Chair that will reveal his gelatinous form. I love it, to be honest. Otherwise my issues are mostly just the standard Fates Problems. The game tries to take what worked in Awakening and amp it up to 11, which ruins most of it. The child characters are unmemorable and the plot explanation is bafflingly nonsensical (BABY DIMENSIONS), the characters often feel like they’re just gimmicks that smash into eachother and then get married for some reason, and the game tries to be so many things at once that most of them feel half-assed or over-complicated. Jelly King Dad though. Favorite: Arthur cracks me up. Least Favorite: Peri Peri Peri peri peri p e r i p e r i 7. Echoes: Shadows Of Valentia

Confession time. I still haven’t finished this one all the way. I’ve seen the ending, though. Let’s get the problems out of the way first. The gameplay is not very fun. The map design delights in sticking you in poisonous swamps, slow and dreary deserts, or Nuibaba’s Abode, which I would personally say is the worst map in the series. While some of Awakening and Birthright’s maps feel lazy, most maps in this game feel like they were designed either just to frustrate you or with a series of random dice rolls that somehow plant a single Cavalier at the ass-end of nowhere and extend the map for three turns with zero rhyme or reason. Class balance is all over the place and you basically just want all the Dread Fighters possible, with a Cleric to summon more Dread Fighters. The dungeon crawling doesn’t add much, most of the game mechanics go woefully underexplained, and the voiced supports feel minimalist and shallow. But when Echoes works? It really, really works. I don’t like playing it, but watching someone play Echoes is a treat. The game is bursting with personality thanks to some phenomenal voice acting, which leaves the story with some unforgettable moments, both comic (the boey scream) and dramatic (Berkut Loses His Shit). Even though the characters don’t have a lot of explicit backstory, their voices and conversations are so expressive that it’s easy to sort of form your own ideas about their personalities and lives. The art is some of the best in the series, and each portrait is expressive and well done. It’s clear that this remake had a lot of care put into it, and it produced some of the series best lords and a wonderful new villain in the sinister Berkut. 8. Radiant Dawn

A lot of good things from Path Of Radiance carry over to Radiant Dawn. Namely, the stuff I mentioned earlier, I won’t go into it all again. All of that is good, but the new additions and changes often don’t work. The multiple viewpoints has a few cool moments, like facing down Ike and friends in 3-13 (with the greatest faceless NPC of all time on your side), but often just contributes to making the game way too long and making the characters often appear outright stupid or contradictory for the sake of moving the plot along. Remember when Micaiah, who spared one of the most vile people in FE history in Part 1, dumped flaming oil on a 13 year old girl and her guards in Part 3? Remember when Ranulf just walks up and tells you who the Black Knight is, ending a mystery that had been developed since the previous game with the dialogue equivalent of showing you a spoiler on the internet? Remember blood pacts? The massive split in characters also makes some of them completely worthless. Never forget the sad case of Vika, who suddenly disappears and doesn’t return until almost the final chapter, still at her Part 1 level. Yikes. I do enjoy the Finale maps a lot, however, and the final boss encounter is fairly memorable, though it does carry its own problem with Ike being basically hero worshipped by the entire cast, to the point where only he can strike down Ashera. I like Ike, but RD kind of feels like it’s forcing him down your throat sometimes. Favorite: Out of the new characters, Nolan, probably? Least Favorite: surprise it’s still makalov 9. Shadow Dragon I’m sure this is bottoming out a lot of people’s lists, but let me make my case. 1. Reclass is cool and they introduced it in this.

2. Hardin’s turban.

3. The Prologue, where IS got to make new stuff, is a lot of fun and has personality.

Okay, so Shadow Dragon is disappointing. It’s a remake that did not change enough, and if the FE games were yogurt flavors, Shadow Dragon would be the batch they just forgot to put flavoring in. Everything, down to the graphics, is covered in this thin veneer of blandness, and it’s sort of a muddy march to the finale, so you can finally take down a villain who literally gets about four lines in the whole game. The Gaiden chapters also feel like a rude prank. If you want to get at the fun maps with the interesting characters with good dialogue, you have to slaughter all of your friends on purpose! At least it’s in Shadow Dragon so you probably won’t like most of them anyway! Favorite: The guy who calls Gordin “Gaggles”. Least Favorite: surprise it’s still makalovmatthis 10. Binding Blade I admit that this is bizarre placement. I just...don’t like Binding Blade. It’s mostly due to stat distribution in gameplay, honestly. The skill/luck formula in this one results in a lot of boss fights that are just two 40% characters whiffing on eachother for ages. Several of the maps are giant slogs, especially 14, but I don’t remember any in particular that I really enjoyed. The plot is okay, but not memorable. Idunn is a bit of a letdown encounter. Hector deserved better. To summarize, I guess I just don’t think this is a game that does anything that Blazing Sword didn’t do better. So I’m gonna play that one instead. Favorite: Bors because of a terrible stupid inside joke I have with a friend. Least Favorite: I don’t remember anyone I cared enough to dislike, really. Let’s go with Cath for having the worst recruitment for a Worse Chad. 11. Fates: Birthright Remember all those cool things Conquest did? What if they didn’t? Birthright! While the story is still bad, it’s not nearly as funny-bad, although I do have to give props to the scene where Flora sets herself on fire and Jakob spends about a solid minute screaming out how pointless this is, echoing the player’s thoughts perfectly. The maps are mostly just stat-checks and open fields, and the answer to your problems often isn’t “make a better plan”, it’s “go grind a bit and then just roll through it”, especially on some late-game maps. Iago’s comes to mind, with the whole Entrap into Berzerker combo? Screw that. Favorite: Azama is a treasure. On the NPC (in this route) side, Elise is a beacon of rationality and kindness. I sure hope nothing happens to h-Oh. Least Favorite: I remember literally nothing about the personalities of Hana and Hinata so them, I guess.

12. Fates: Revelations Do you remember when I said Shadow Dragon was like unflavored yogurt? What if all the flavorings got mixed into one batch? And then you add chocolate and cherries and sprinkles and nuts and caramel and parsley and cinnamon and more cherries and shaved ice and spaghetti and then you tell it to explain the plot of Fates. That’ll be 20 dollars. Revelations actively harms the other two routes of the game by being the obvious “true route”, where nobody has to get hurt (except the best characters, r.i.p. Scarlet and Izana) and everything turns out just fine, negating any sort of moral ambiguity present! Anankos is a non-entity and a dull villain, and to add insult to injury, you don’t get to learn shit about him unless you buy the other DLC for this DLC that also decides to crib from Awakening and mess with some of the characters from that one. Almost every map has a bizarre gimmick that’s just weirdly cumbersome, and the amount of plot twists the game shoves at you in an attempt to explain EVERYTHING is just exhausting. You can play as any character in the Fates package (almost, double r.i.p. Izana) but the balance is tossed out the window to the point where once Niles and Odin come crawling in, they’re nigh-unusable in their joining chapter. It doesn’t feel like any part of it really comes together. Favorite: not this Least Favorite: Thinking about what else I could have bought with those 20 dollars. Well, that took about two hours, but this is my list. If you have any questions, I’m open. Sorry if I dissed your favorite, but if it helps, know that I can see why someone would enjoy any game in the series, even my least favorites. Also, know that I’m an idiot on the internet and that my opinion doesn’t have to impact what you enjoy! Just love the games you love, I’ll stick with mine, and we’re cool! I’m going to stop typing now.

#fire emblem #hippoman #ranking #opinion #awakening #favorites #spoilers

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newssplashy · 6 years

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The BMW X4 is a "sport activity coupe," a fastback SUV that strives to combine sporty driving with crossover versatility. The styling is a bit confusing, but the X4's peppy 248-horsepower four-cylinder motor and crisp handling won me over.

The 2019 BMW X4 is a "sport activity coupe," a fastback SUV that strives to combine sporty driving with crossover versatility.

The styling is a bit confusing, but the X4's peppy 248-horsepower four-cylinder motor and crisp handling won me over.

The BMW X4 has a pretty firm ride, so it might be the best highway cruising choice.

One of the more perplexing vehicles I've tested at Business Insider is the BMW X6.

Back in 2015, I sampled the X6 M, a high-performance version of the vehicle, a "sport activity coupe."

"It's certainly the oddest segment in the motoring world, outside of 'shooting brakes' (two-door station wagons) and limos with hot tubs," I wrote.

That impression has long stayed with me, even as this weird segment has grown. It was the first thing I thought about when BMW was kind enough to loan me a X4 for a week. Would this smaller, less burly version of the X6 M, this fastback revamping of the stalwart X3 SUV, strike me as strange?

As it turned out, I had a good test lined up: a 250-mile round-trip run to my daughter's sleepaway camp in New York's Catskills. There would be highway driving and some nice twisty, windy roads to put this sportif SUV through its paces.

That's what these vehicles are all about. The idea is to combine crossover SUV versatility with sports-sedan styling and that whole "ultimate driving machine" vibe. I daresay, for the Bayerische Motoren Werke chariot to be all things to all people — but mainly something different from buyers who can't accept a sedan but don't want the stigma of an SUV.

A word on the "coupe" part of "Sport Activity Coupe." A coupé, of course, should have just two doors, not be a convertible, and historically not be a utility vehicle. Times change, obviously. You have to abandon your allegiances to traditional automotive nomenclature. Why? Because BMW says so.

This SAC, a 2019 X4 xDrive 30i, also arrived with all-wheel-drive, which again sort of bucks the whole coupé ideal, giving life to the notion that two-doors with sporting pretensions should be rear-wheel-drive machines.

But anyway, we must address the contraption before us, and so onward. Here's what I thought:

Behold! The 2019 BMW X4 xDrive 30i! The paint job was a handsome "Dark Graphite Metallic." Styling? A sort of oomphed-up sedan, with a sloping fastback.

The signature BMW kidney grille dominates the front fascia.

A closer look at those bold chrome blades, framing the legendary BMW badge.

Can you spot the Hofmeister Kink? I sure can, mainly because the slope of the fastback exaggerates the rear-end design of the X6.

I mean, let's be honest: it doesn't look to great from behind.

Here's the X3, the crossover SUV that's the basis for the X4 (both are made in South Carolina, by the way).

Read the snowbound review >>

And here's dangerous big brother, the X6 M.

Read the review >>

The X3/X4 are compact SUVs, sitting below the midsize X5.

xDrive equals all-wheel-drive! The 30i trim packs a turbocharged, 248-horsepower inline four-cylinder engine under the hood.

There's about 30 cubic feet of cargo area under the fastback hatch ...

... More than enough to handle a large suitcase and a laundry bag crammed with enough linen and sleeping bags and miscellany to get a teenager through two weeks of camp.

All BMW from the driver's point of view: the ultimate driving machine lives on on this purposeful cockpit. The steering wheel is heated, as are the front seats.

The center console provides a decent amount of storage and a pair of cupholders. BMW's wonky toggle shifter and the controls for the controversial but now much-improved iDrive infotainment system are also there, as is the selector for the X4's drive modes.

There's a large dual moonroof that let's in abundant sunshine!

And the rear seats, while not capacious ...

... Are adequately roomy. The "Tacora Red Vernasca Leather" interior, which comes with contrasting stitching, is lovely and expensive, a $1,700 extra.

Speaking of lovely, after some miserable summer weather in the Northeast, I had spectacular skies for my drive into the Catskills.

Our companion was BMW's iDrive infotainment system. It's been around for a while, an in the X4 is utilizes this fairly large central touchscreen.

The system isn't the easiest to use — all the sub-trees and decision forks seem to just what the average German engineer would order — but it get the jobs done and is reliable. GPS navigation was faultless, the audio system sounds quite good and offers USB/AUX inputs as well as an old-school CD player. There's also a small suite of apps, including a weather app that given the stormy, rainy nature of our Northeastern summer, I consulted often.

So what's the verdict?

To be honest, I was confused in the beginning by the X4, but I warmed up to it.

I should really favor the fastback ute over its SUV counterparts, but the oddness of the X4's shape takes a while to overcome. I like fastback sedans, after all. And there's no question that the X3/X5 family of crossovers is quite solid. There are good reasons why people love these vehicles, combining as they do SUV capability with BMW driving DNA.

What really won me over and vanquished some memories of the X6 M's warlike powerplant was the eager pep of the X4's four banger and the pop it could channel through its eight-speed automatic (there are paddle shifters and a manual mode if you want to go there). The 0-60 mph sprint passes in about six seconds, and I averaged an impressive 25 mpg.

The X4 30i leans toward the sporty side of the driving equation, but it isn't as bold as the M40i trim, which takes the ponies to 355 by swapping an inline four for a twin-turbo inline six. After a few days, I began to genuinely enjoy the X4's tossable nature, not something I often encounter in SUVs.

The major negative I encountered was the rather stuff seats, which when paired with the rather stiff ride no matter which mode I was in, and despite a lumbar support, evoked protests from my embattled and aging lower back after a few hours on the highway. The X4's cargo hold was up to the task of a road trip with gear, but the seats left something to be desired.

Mind you, when you chuck the X4 hard into a corner, you appreciate those seats and the crisp composure that the SAC's suspension and chassis delivery.

All this means this vehicle is really for suburbanites who would like to stand out from the crowd and who favor more driving in their ultimate driving machines that have been designed for tasks other than driving. I can accept that.

And after a week, I embraced it.

via Nigerian News ➨☆LATEST NIGERIAN NEWS ☆➨GHANA NEWS➨☆ENTERTAINMENT ☆➨Hot Posts ➨☆World News ☆➨News Sp

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toptecharena · 6 years

Text

The 2019 BMW X4 is a “sport activity coupe,” a fastback SUV that strives to combine sporty driving with crossover versatility.

The styling is a bit confusing, but the X4’s peppy 248-horsepower four-cylinder motor and crisp handling won me over.

The BMW X4 has a pretty firm ride, so it might be the best highway cruising choice.

One of the more perplexing vehicles I’ve tested at Business Insider is the BMW X6.

Back in 2015, I sampled the X6 M, a high-performance version of the vehicle, a “sport activity coupe.”

“It’s certainly the oddest segment in the motoring world, outside of ‘shooting brakes’ (two-door station wagons) and limos with hot tubs,” I wrote.

As it turned out, I had a good test lined up: a 250-mile round-trip run to my daughter’s sleepaway camp in New York’s Catskills. There would be highway driving and some nice twisty, windy roads to put this sportif SUV through its paces.

That’s what these vehicles are all about. The idea is to combine crossover SUV versatility with sports-sedan styling and that whole “ultimate driving machine” vibe. I daresay, for the Bayerische Motoren Werke chariot to be all things to all people — but mainly something different from buyers who can’t accept a sedan but don’t want the stigma of an SUV.

A word on the “coupe” part of “Sport Activity Coupe.” A coupé, of course, should have just two doors, not be a convertible, and historically not be a utility vehicle. Times change, obviously. You have to abandon your allegiances to traditional automotive nomenclature. Why? Because BMW says so.

But anyway, we must address the contraption before us, and so onward. Here’s what I thought:

Behold! The 2019 BMW X4 xDrive 30i! The paint job was a handsome “Dark Graphite Metallic.” Styling? A sort of oomphed-up sedan, with a sloping fastback.

The signature BMW kidney grille dominates the front fascia.

A closer look at those bold chrome blades, framing the legendary BMW badge.

Can you spot the Hofmeister Kink? I sure can, mainly because the slope of the fastback exaggerates the rear-end design of the X6.

I mean, let’s be honest: it doesn’t look to great from behind.

Here’s the X3, the crossover SUV that’s the basis for the X4 (both are made in South Carolina, by the way).

Read the snowbound review >>

And here’s dangerous big brother, the X6 M.

Read the review >>

The X3/X4 are compact SUVs, sitting below the midsize X5.

xDrive equals all-wheel-drive! The 30i trim packs a turbocharged, 248-horsepower inline four-cylinder engine under the hood.

There’s about 30 cubic feet of cargo area under the fastback hatch …

… More than enough to handle a large suitcase and a laundry bag crammed with enough linen and sleeping bags and miscellany to get a teenager through two weeks of camp.

All BMW from the driver’s point of view: the ultimate driving machine lives on on this purposeful cockpit. The steering wheel is heated, as are the front seats.

The center console provides a decent amount of storage and a pair of cupholders. BMW’s wonky toggle shifter and the controls for the controversial but now much-improved iDrive infotainment system are also there, as is the selector for the X4’s drive modes.

There’s a large dual moonroof that let’s in abundant sunshine!

And the rear seats, while not capacious …

… Are adequately roomy. The “Tacora Red Vernasca Leather” interior, which comes with contrasting stitching, is lovely and expensive, a $1,700 extra.

Speaking of lovely, after some miserable summer weather in the Northeast, I had spectacular skies for my drive into the Catskills.

Our companion was BMW’s iDrive infotainment system. It’s been around for a while, an in the X4 is utilizes this fairly large central touchscreen.

The system isn’t the easiest to use — all the sub-trees and decision forks seem to just what the average German engineer would order — but it get the jobs done and is reliable. GPS navigation was faultless, the audio system sounds quite good and offers USB/AUX inputs as well as an old-school CD player. There’s also a small suite of apps, including a weather app that given the stormy, rainy nature of our Northeastern summer, I consulted often.

So what’s the verdict?

To be honest, I was confused in the beginning by the X4, but I warmed up to it.

I should really favor the fastback ute over its SUV counterparts, but the oddness of the X4’s shape takes a while to overcome. I like fastback sedans, after all. And there’s no question that the X3/X5 family of crossovers is quite solid. There are good reasons why people love these vehicles, combining as they do SUV capability with BMW driving DNA.

What really won me over and vanquished some memories of the X6 M’s warlike powerplant was the eager pep of the X4’s four banger and the pop it could channel through its eight-speed automatic (there are paddle shifters and a manual mode if you want to go there). The 0-60 mph sprint passes in about six seconds, and I averaged an impressive 25 mpg.

The X4 30i leans toward the sporty side of the driving equation, but it isn’t as bold as the M40i trim, which takes the ponies to 355 by swapping an inline four for a twin-turbo inline six. After a few days, I began to genuinely enjoy the X4’s tossable nature, not something I often encounter in SUVs.

The major negative I encountered was the rather stuff seats, which when paired with the rather stiff ride no matter which mode I was in, and despite a lumbar support, evoked protests from my embattled and aging lower back after a few hours on the highway. The X4’s cargo hold was up to the task of a road trip with gear, but the seats left something to be desired.

Mind you, when you chuck the X4 hard into a corner, you appreciate those seats and the crisp composure that the SAC’s suspension and chassis delivery.

And after a week, I embraced it.

Go to Source Author: Matthew DeBord Finance: I drove a $58,000 BMW X4 ‘Sport Activity Coupe’ on a 250-mile road trip — here’s the verdict on this offbeat SUV (TSLA) The BMW X4 is a "sport activity coupe," a fastback SUV that strives to combine sporty driving with crossover versatility.

0 notes