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tabloidtoc · 3 years

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National Examiner, January 18

You can now buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: 25 Rich and Famous Folks Who Caught Coronavirus

Page 2: Secrets behind Bridget Jones’s Diary

Page 4: Tom Hanks’ movie roles

Page 6: Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos who first met on the set of All My Children are producing a spinoff called Pine Valley

Page 7: Amazing Pyramid unlocks your psychic powers

Page 8: Joan Collins says she’s had a tough time all her life during her 70-year film career and was only taken seriously when she started to lose her looks

Page 9: Nostradamus predicted it -- Star of Bethlehem shines again 800 years later

Page 10: A service dog who went missing for three years is finally back with her joyous family

Page 11: Your Health -- when hearing goes on the blink -- listen to your body for warning signs

Page 12: Betty White, 99 -- birthday scrapbook and her biggest regret

Page 14: Dear Tony, America’s Top Psychic Healer -- work to achieve your karma, fighting it makes no sense -- Tony predicts so many people will be ripped off money wise in 2021

Page 15: Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney is jumping on the coronavirus vaccine band wagon and says he’s eager to be among the first to receive the jab -- Ian McKellen already got the vaccine

Page 16: Cover Story -- lucky winners and tragic losers -- 25 celebs who battled COVID -- Charley Pride, Lesley Stahl, Antonio Banderas, Tom Seaver, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

Page 17: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Prine, Kanye West, Donald and Melania Trump, Ellen DeGeneres

Page 18: People are more likely to return a lost wallet if there is money inside

Page 20: Coronavirus (continued) -- Roy Horn, Neil Patrick Harris, Andrea Bocelli, Tony Shaloub, Pink, French President Emmanuel Macron, Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla

Page 21: Prince William, Joe Diffie, Andy Cohen, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Alyssa Milano

Page 22: Cher admits it wasn’t easy when her son Chaz Bono transitioned from female to male

Page 24: A town in Virginia turned out to give their UPS driver a hero’s salute after he delivered more than 200 packages a day during the pandemic and holiday season along with cheerful waves and kind smiles

Page 25: Nurses at a hospital in Arizona went above and beyond the call of duty when they set up a dream wedding for a young mom with bone cancer in just three days

Page 26: Veteran broadcaster Larry King says he’s trying to stay positive after a year filled with private trauma

Page 27: Julianne Moore just celebrated her 60th birthday and couldn’t be happier about it

Page 28: When Julie Andrews sang about the hills being alive in 1965′s The Sound of Music in one of the most famous openings in movie history it looked like she couldn’t be happier or more carefree but the truth is that scene was a struggle that nearly froze the cast and crew, made them go hungry, forced them to use the bathroom facilities behind a bush in the forest and knocked the star off her feet

* Elvis Presley’s ex-girlfriend Linda Thompson recently shared some details she’s kept to herself for 45 years including what The King’s bedroom looks like

Page 30: What your walk says about your health

Page 32: Now listen to this -- hearing problems can affect almost anyone -- Whoopi Goldberg, Rob Lowe, Stephen Colbert, President Bill Clinton, Jane Lynch, Robert Redford, Halle Berry, Chris Martin, Jodie Foster, Lou Ferrigno, Holly Hunter, William Shatner

Page 40: A restaurant owner known for feeding anyone who’s hungry nearly lost his business until the community stepped in and saved it

* A California senior who miraculously survived a nightmare battle with COVID-19 made a whopping 800 delicious tamales for the doctors and nurses who saved her life

Page 42: UFO sightings of the stars -- Jackie Gleason, Russell Crowe, Olivia Newton-John, Shirley MacLaine, Cliff Robertson, Fran Drescher, David Bowie, John F. Kennedy, Mick Jagger

Page 44: Eyes on the Stars -- Tiger Woods hits the links with son Charlie for the PNC Championship Golf Tournament in Orlando (picture), Jennifer Garner dons a garishly goofy sweater in L.A. (picture), Mark Hamill says his appearance as Luke Skywalker in season two if The Mandalorian was kept under wraps for over a year, Jeremy Bulloch who played Boba Fett in the early Star Wars films died from Parkinson’s disease complications

Page 45: Elle Macpherson (picture), Harrison Ford could use some pointers about wearing a mask (picture), Emma Slater and Sasha Farber in L.A. (picture), Regina King in Malibu at an event for her new film One Night in Miami (picture), a reboot of Little House on the Prairie is in the works, Maren Morris is playing it safe during the pandemic and has called off her RSVP tour but she is in the midst of working on her third record, Richie Sambora says he has no regrets about his decision to leave Bon Jovi in 2013 to care for his daughter Ava, Amelia Hamlin drew criticism online when she was spotted spending time with Scott Disick, Pink can’t catch a break -- she recovered from a bout with COVID-19 and needed stitches in her thumb after a run-in with a wineglass and recently fractured her ankle rushing down a flight of stairs

Page 46: A 93-year-old veteran in Ohio is whittling walking sticks to raise money for his local food pantry

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qveenpoppy · 4 years

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z2 thoughts

i wasn't able to watch it live and got distracted on friday night when i tried catching up after the fact so i just compiled all my thoughts into one list rather than a bunch of live blogging posts.. enjoy!

bucky's still anti-zombie, huh? at least there are some zombies on the cheer squad now (including bonzo!!! good for him!!!)

ohhh they got some good choreo over on z-team at cheer camp!

the zombietown theater's main showing is a werewolf movie…. i smell foreshadowing!

"i've decided to be school president" can like zed run just so bucky loses the election

WHO IS IN THE SHRIMP COSTUME, it's bothering me… can it get a luke benward cameo

AW SOFT BOY BONZO I LOVE YOU (also if he wrote her name, does this mean he's learning english? or is there just no zombie version of "bree")

"i thought werewolves were just myths" "yeah like cavities" WHY ARE THESE MOVIES SO FUNNY

"i'm always looking like a snack" god

zed getting down on one knee to ask addison to prawn is so pure

also addison rejecting the promposal… the rapunzel/eugene energy is off the charts

i like that the football coach has a little more to do in this movie, even if he's comic relief

IS THAT WYATT IN THE PUBLIC WORKS UNIFORM???? IS HE UNDERCOVER OR SOMETHING??? HIDING OUT AMONGST HUMANS???

why did i lowkey predict that

i was honestly just wondering why this seemingly bg character suddenly got more screentime

are these werewolves ever gonna go full wolf or is this it

ohhh so they just think addison is the alpha… it's probably gonna be a mistake

yo why does this wolf song slap

wow i also called zed running against bucky… huh. does this violate any monster laws?

it's crazy how easily they agreed to let werewolves in the school

OH THIS SONG ALSO SLAPS, kinds gives me "chillin like a villain" vibes

baby ariel (is she wynter in this movie?) is kind of adorable. reminds me of… brena, is it? jane from descendants. where is the crossover fic where they're girlfriends

(on the subject of crossover ships… carlos/wyatt please. it'd be cool for his dog fear to result in him getting beastie bfs)

pls tell me they actually got new choreographers for this film bc the choreo is so fucking good

(not that it was inherently bad in z1 but i feel like all the non-"BAMM" numbers were meh in terms of choreo, this movie is like that quality choreo but for EVERY NUMBER!!! and we love to see it)

wynter on the football team pls and thank you

i thought bonzo spoke english for a moment ajfhshd, pls let him learn some english, he clearly understands it but why tf can't he speak it

bonzo is taller than zed, pass it on

the aspect ratio is so jarring considering this is a made for TV movie

i recognize that "fired up" music!!!

also bonzo in pink is so good, i have to say

fine smelling wyatt?????? what????? how does he smell good he's half dog??????

bucky is still a prejudice SoB huh

if addison is actually a wolf i'll scream, it doesn't make sense

also can we stop having dcom couples break up in every movie, it's so tired. give us healthy relationships 2k20

"says the girl who wore a wig her whole life" ZED NO

is this actually the same school as the last film, like the gym looks the same but we're suddenly seeing a lot more hallways???? guess they got a bigger budget to build more sets

there are tears in zed's eyes… milo manheim oscar when

why is it bothering me that zed's jacket has one long sleeve and one short

everyone in the bg has pastel clothes but the cheer costumes have hot pink in them… hmm. interesting choice

gotta go my own way has been found dead in 2007 (in other words this duet slaps)

"WE BELONG TOGETHER", i'm gonna cry

are those pink marshmallows in her hot cocoa

wynter is baby

do the werewolves actually just… live in the middle of the woods? they're not actually animals… (or will they actually go full wolf?)

okay how does bree understand bonzo when he speaks zombie

why is the score so intense, i know it's a dramatic scene but it's like theater level intense

they have different connotations of howls……. okay. do the writers realize wolves can communicate other ways, right? growls, hisses, barks?

i guess addison could be a werewolf if her parents adopted her but why would they knowingly raise a werewolf as human if that were the case????

yo this song slaps too

descendants soundtracks found dead in a ditch

this song sounds so summer-y, it's hard to explain. like such a good beach song

wyatt/addison……… cute. can she have two monster boyfriends?

(yes and then wyatt gets dp'd by her and zed during his heats)

i hate addison's alpha look though i have to admit, let her be a cute baby, she ain't no fierce alpha

full zombie zed…… Hot

throw me onto the bed like that bby

we do deserve explanation for the white hair but werewolf just doesn't seen like it, there has to be another explanation

did the wolves always exist while zombies were just created? this universe is wack

this is why you need to plan your trilogies out instead of throwing darts at a board and seeing what sticks

"you like sunsets too, that doesn't mean you're a vampire" DO VAMPIRES EXIST HERE TOO?!

if vamps exist and we get z3 can they cast thomas doherty as one of said vamps for irony

or luke newton so i can write the fanfic where ben and sean are vampire bfs

(anyone else watch the lodge?)

if she's not a werewolf, will that necklace just kill her?

"stay out of our amazing hair" you can't just have a line like that in a dramatic moment

oh zed stole the necklace… Good

a rapping debate… second time disney tries ripping off hamilton. ironic now that they own hamilton.

bucky can't even rap, he automatically loses my vote

"dude, you eat brains" "if i did, you don't have one, so you'd be safe" OHHHHHHHHH

bucky = republicans, zed = democrats

zed's dancing making me nostalgic for milo's dwts season… take me back 😭

OH NO THE MOON STONE FUCKED WITH THE ZBAND

this is like the best dcoms wow

i mean sans the wolf addison thing

it feels more like a cw show than a disney movie and for that reason, i fucking love this

this is also the best dcom soundtrack since lemonade mouth, 0 cringe songs so far

saw this comment on twitter but yeah what is the point of the water here, are they just trying to copy d2?

you know this is also a really well-timed movie considering how a bunch of teens are standing up to the adults bc the teens know better… hopefully this is foreshadowing for the election to come later this year

"flesh and bone" is also 100% the best song in the movie, i might have chills

ngl i expected addison's dad to override zed's dad's order but i guess there isn't enough time for more drama in this movie

i lied there is time for more drama lol

explosions in a dcom, that's new

BONZO AND BREE ARE HOLDING HANDS

are bucky and the aceys all each other's prom dates??? is disney saying poly rights???

A SOMEDAY REPRISE????

the only valid reprise in dcom history

what's with the earthquake?

THE GROUND IS BREAKING??? WTF

oh the moon stone is underground

"you said that perfectly" WYATT/BONZO CRUMBS GOD BLESS

okay now this end number sounds like a fun halloween bop 😅

bucky really wasn't redeemed do the writers realize this

ZEDDISON KISS HELL YEAH

there's still 5 mins left on the dvr… wait

ALIENS?!?!?!?!

ADDISON'S AN ALIEN?!?!?!

#zombies 2 #originally this was a bulleted list but tumblr messed up when i copied it over from google so #maybe i'll fix it when i get on desktop tomorrow but i'll probably forget

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wsmith215 · 4 years

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NFL ultimate all-conference teams – ACC and SEC

Just because sports is on hiatus doesn’t mean the competition needs to end. While we wait for the live action to return, ESPN has assembled a collection of “ultimate all-conference teams” that should intrigue college football and NFL fans alike.

Our panel of NFL analysts, college and NFL Nation reporters — Andrea Adelson, Matt Bowen, Courtney Cronin, Turron Davenport, Jeff Legwold, Adam Rittenberg, Mike Triplett, Jake Trotter and Field Yates — selected 22-man starting lineups of current NFL players based on their college conference. Notre Dame was paired with the ACC because of its affiliation.

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The criteria: Choose rosters for the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and non-Power 5 that are best suited to win the next Super Bowl.

We then ranked the teams to determine which group deserves the ultimate bragging rights. We will roll out the all-star lineups by region Monday through Wednesday, then reveal the final rankings on Thursday. On Friday, we will rank the top three lineups from individual schools.

Each offense had to include a quarterback, running back, two receivers, a tight end, two offensive tackles, two guards, a center and a flex player from any of the skill positions. Each defense had to include two edge-rushers, two interior linemen, two linebackers, four defensive backs and a flex spot that could come from any spot of the defense.

It all kicks off Monday with the NFL’s ultimate all-conference teams for the ACC and SEC. Let the second-guessing begin.

SCHEDULE Monday: ACC | SEC Tuesday: Big Ten | Big 12 Wednesday: Pac-12 | Non-Power 5 Thursday: Final rankings Friday: Teams for top individual schools

The SEC shined at the skill positions and defensive back with Julio Jones (left) and Stephon Gilmore (right), but the ACC boasts one of the NFL’s top QBs in Lamar Jackson. ESPNNFL ultimate all-conference team: ACC

OFFENSE

QB Lamar Jackson, Louisville RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State WR DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson WR Larry Fitzgerald, Pitt TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame Flex DeVante Parker, Louisville OT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame G Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame C Rodney Hudson, Florida State G Zack Martin, Notre Dame OT Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame

DEFENSE

Edge Chandler Jones, Syracuse DT Aaron Donald, Pitt DT Grady Jarrett, Clemson Edge Bradley Chubb, NC State LB Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech LB Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame Flex Calais Campbell, Miami CB Jalen Ramsey, Florida State CB Jaire Alexander, Louisville S Derwin James, Florida State S Harrison Smith, Notre Dame

Toughest choice: Quarterback. Jackson, the NFL’s reigning MVP, won comfortably with seven out of nine votes. But the ACC had plenty of notable candidates, including Deshaun Watson, Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers and Jameis Winston. “It was a very difficult choice to make, but the jump Watson made from Year 2 to Year 3 and what I think he’s capable of in his fourth season led me to vote for him,” said Cronin, who was one of two panelists to go that route. “Watson is an MVP-caliber quarterback, too. I respect all that Jackson did in 2019 and think he’s a more dynamic all-around player. But I go back to last season and see moments where Watson single-handedly won or kept the Texans in games in spite of everything else that was going wrong for Houston.”

Biggest strength: Offensive line. There are plenty of good answers for this category in a star-studded lineup led by Jackson, Donald and Hopkins. But this offensive line deserves special mention because it might be the best of any conference once you add in that ridiculous amount of talent from the Irish.

Quenton Nelson and other former Notre Dame players took four of the ACC’s five offensive line spots. Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire

“Hey, the scheduling partnership the ACC has with Notre Dame in football has its benefits!” Adelson said. “But in all seriousness, nobody thinks much about the ACC producing talent at offensive line because the default generally goes to the Big Ten. But the conference has consistently turned out good players, including three that received votes here in Anthony Castonzo, Joe Thuney and Brian O’Neill.”

Missing piece: Luke Kuechly. The linebacker’s retirement left the ACC without one of its biggest stars. Another area where the conference will have trouble measuring up is tight end, where Rudolph beat out young riser Darren Waller and aging stars Greg Olsen and Jimmy Graham.

Player pitch from Broncos DE Bradley Chubb: “It’s crazy, I was just talking about this with somebody the other day. People look at the ACC now and maybe they say ‘they don’t have many great teams’ or whatever. But you look at it when I was in there, there was a whole bunch of players with NFL talent making impact plays. Derwin James and Jalen Ramsey and Jameis Winston and Lamar. When you look at the talent some of those teams had and look at what some of those guys are doing in the NFL right now, you have to give some respect to that. It’s right there for people to see. That team could play with anybody. You have the MVP at quarterback, two of the best pass-rushers in the league just to start in Chandler Jones and Aaron Donald. For me to even be in there somewhere is a blessing for sure.”

play

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DeAndre Hopkins joins Jalen & Jacoby to rank himself against the elite wide receivers in the NFL like Michael Thomas and Julio Jones.

NFL ultimate all-conference team: SEC

OFFENSE

QB Dak Prescott, Mississippi State RB Derrick Henry, Alabama WR Julio Jones, Alabama WR Mike Evans, Texas A&M TE Jared Cook, South Carolina Flex Odell Beckham Jr., LSU OT Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss G Trai Turner, LSU C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida G Elgton Jenkins, Mississippi State OT Andrew Whitworth, LSU

DEFENSE

Edge Von Miller, Texas A&M DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State DT Chris Jones, Mississippi State Edge Myles Garrett, Texas A&M LB C.J. Mosley, Alabama LB Roquan Smith, Georgia Flex Danielle Hunter, LSU CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina CB Tre’Davious White, LSU S Tyrann Mathieu, LSU S Jamal Adams, LSU

Toughest choice: Running back and wide receiver. There was an embarrassment of riches at the skill positions, where we couldn’t find room for Alvin Kamara, Nick Chubb, Todd Gurley, Amari Cooper or A.J. Green among others. Jones was the only unanimous choice at receiver or running back.

“Henry received the most votes at running back, and I get it. He’s a volume back with the physical traits to take over games in the fourth quarter. But what about the dual-threat ability of Kamara?” said Bowen, who was one of five panelists to vote for Kamara at either running back or the flex spot. “He’s a three-down impact player at the position. And let’s not forget about Chubb, who can hammer the ball between the tackles and rip off explosive plays. I could have voted for all three.”

Biggest strength: Defensive back. If the SEC winds up winning this competition, the defense will be the reason — especially this loaded secondary. Because of tiebreakers, The Associated Press named seven defensive backs as first-team All-Pros last season. And a whopping six of them came from the SEC. This group is so stacked that we had to leave out Minkah Fitzpatrick, Eddie Jackson, Marlon Humphrey and Patrick Peterson.

“You could have told me to pick the starters for the SEC secondary and then said, ‘Actually, those players are not available to you,’ and I’d still feel great about my group!” Yates said. “Outstanding players were bound to miss the cut.”

Missing piece: Quarterback. No offense to Prescott (or runners-up Matthew Stafford and Cam Newton). But he is going to be measured against the likes of Patrick Mahomes from the Big 12; Tom Brady, Drew Brees or Russell Wilson from the Big Ten; Lamar Jackson from the ACC; and Aaron Rodgers from the Pac-12 when we vote for the ultimate champion. And that’s the one area that could hold back the mighty SEC.

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junker-town · 4 years

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8 teams most likely to make a trade in the 2020 NFL Draft

Photo By Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Even in an unusual year, the NFL Draft should have a bustling trade market.

The NFL Draft will look a lot different than usual in 2020.

A “fully virtual” draft will force NFL executive, coaches, and scouts to make draft-day decisions from their own home. How that will affect the trade market remains to be seen. With decision makers scattered in separate locations, the NFL is reportedly considering allowing a couple of minutes of extra time for teams to broker a trade.

Most likely, the draft will have a bustling trade market as usual. Just like every year, some teams will jump the order to snag their most coveted prospect, while others will slide down in exchange for more draft capital.

With the 2020 NFL Draft not far off, here are eight teams that may be interested in moving around in the first round.

4 teams that could trade up

1. Los Angeles Chargers Pick: No. 6

Philip Rivers started the Chargers’ last 224 games, but that streak is over now. Their longtime quarterback departed in free agency to join the Colts on a one-year deal.

Now they’re left with Tyrod Taylor to start in 2020. It’s not the worst scenario; Taylor was an adequate starter for the Bills for three seasons and briefly took the reins for the Browns. But it’s crucial that Los Angeles uses this draft to find the quarterback who will eventually lead the team.

That could be a bit difficult with the Chargers sitting at sixth overall, though.

It’s a foregone conclusion the Bengals will select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick. Four picks later, the Miami Dolphins are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback.

If the Chargers want their choice of the non-Burrow quarterbacks — likely Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon’s Justin Herbert — they’ll almost certainly need to skip ahead of Miami. That means making a deal with the Lions or Giants, owners of the third and fourth picks, respectively.

While Chargers general manager Tom Telesco rarely makes draft-day trades (his last involving a first-rounder was in 2015), securing a quarterback is a different story. It requires urgency, and that could result in a bidding war between the Dolphins and Chargers.

2. Miami Dolphins Pick: Nos. 5, 18, 26

The Dolphins didn’t tank the 2019 season just to land the third-best quarterback in the draft.

Miami has a capable starter in Ryan Fitzpatrick and still seems interested in developing former first-rounder Josh Rosen. But make no mistake, the Dolphins need a quarterback.

They were surprisingly good at winning football games in 2019, despite ripping the roster to shreds. With another year of development, it seems unlikely the Dolphins will be drafting in the top five again in 2021. So now is the time to use a premium pick on a player to build around for years to come.

With the Chargers in position to possibly trade ahead of the Dolphins, it’d be prudent for Miami to beat Los Angeles to the punch.

The Dolphins have three first-round picks and two second-round picks — more than enough ammo to make sure they aren’t undercut by the Chargers for the second passer off the board.

3. Philadelphia Eagles Pick: No. 21

The clear-cut top receivers in this draft are Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb. Philadelphia could greatly benefit from drafting one of them.

In 2019, DeSean Jackson played only 65 snaps for the Eagles due to injuries. Nelson Agholor and Alshon Jeffery struggled to contribute and also ended up on the injured reserve. Now Agholor is a member of the Raiders, and both Jackson and Jeffery are on the wrong side of 30.

Carson Wentz is in desperate need of an outside receiving threat, and the Eagles could easily miss out on Jeudy, Lamb, or Ruggs if they wait until the 21st overall selection.

With few teams in the top 10 in need of a receiver, the Eagles may only need to move up eight or nine picks to grab one of the top-flight prospects. Even after sending away a third-round pick to get Darius Slay, the Eagles have eight draft picks, including six in the first four rounds.

4. New England Patriots Pick: No. 23

It feels weird to put New England in this section because trading up feels so ... un-Patriotslike. Usually, it’s Bill Belichick swindling teams and stockpiling draft picks, not the other way around. This isn’t the typical New England offseason, however.

For the first time in two decades, there’s no Tom Brady to lean on. The only quarterbacks on the Patriots’ roster are 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham and veteran backup Brian Hoyer.

Stidham looked impressive in preseason last year, and there’s a chance a veteran like Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Joe Flacco, or Jameis Winston could be added to the fold. But if the Patriots are really aiming to find a quarterback of the future, the first round is typically the place to do it.

At No. 23 overall, New England would have to settle for the fourth or fifth quarterback off the board. Utah State’s Jordan Love has been a popular choice for the team in mock drafts, but he’s raw. If Tagovailoa or Herbert slide at all, don’t be surprised if Belichick makes a move up to snag a top-three quarterback.

4 teams that could trade down

1. Detroit Lions Pick: No. 3

Barring a gigantic curveball, it’ll be Burrow to Cincinnati and Chase Young to Washington at the top of the draft order. Then the quarterback sweepstakes could really start.

If either the Chargers or Dolphins decide to jump ahead of the other, Detroit could be the team that benefits.

The Lions have a lot of work to do after a 3-12-1 season in 2019. They sent away No. 1 cornerback Darius Slay and have plenty of needs along both the offensive and defensive lines. Moving down just two or three spots down the draft order would still net the team an elite prospect and could give them another valuable pick.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Lions’ desire to trade away the third overall pick is “no secret” among NFL circles.

2. New York Giants Pick: No. 4

If the Lions don’t make a deal, that opportunity will be gifted to New York.

The Giants also have a long list of needs after a 4-12 season. The team is building around Daniel Jones and the first step is providing him with more protection. Loading up on defensive talent is important too.

With so many areas to address, it’s no surprise that general manager Dave Gettleman is open about his interest in trading down.

Dave Gettleman: Giants are "open for business" at No. 4. pic.twitter.com/tX4BHJyFCv

— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) February 26, 2020

Gettleman’s leverage to actually get a deal done largely rests in the hands of the Lions, though.

3. Carolina Panthers Pick: No. 7

The Panthers are going to look much different in 2020. Ron Rivera was fired and replaced with former Baylor coach Matt Rhule. Carolina’s veteran stalwarts Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, and Greg Olsen are also gone.

While the Panthers signed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, that doesn’t mean they’re a player or two away from being an NFC South contender again. It could take some time, and beefing up both the offensive and defensive line is top priority.

Most mock drafts project Carolina will select a defensive cornerstone — predominantly Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons or Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown — with the seventh overall pick. But if a team comes calling with a huge offer, it’d be in the Panthers’ best interest to slide back.

Not only does Carolina need draft picks for its rebuild, but it could still end up with a defensive playmaker later in the first round.

4. Seattle Seahawks Pick: No. 27

Why would Seattle trade back? Because it always does.

The Seahawks have made a trade involving their first-round pick in each of the last eight offseasons. Most recently, they traded back twice in 2019.

The philosophy is working out well for Seattle. The team is stocked with talent that was mostly acquired in the middle rounds of the draft. All three of the the Seahawks’ 2019 Pro Bowlers (Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, and Shaquill Griffin) were Day 2 draft picks. So were their leading receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.

Seattle loves to have as many mid-round picks as possible. If a team comes calling for the 27th pick, expect the Seahawks to stick to their winning formula.

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rbtbsniall-blog · 7 years

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You Attempt to Stop Him From Seeing Your Report Card (Luke)

Luke (16)

You were currently running down the street to your house. Report cards were being sent out today, and you were failing Algebra and probably PE judging by how exhausted you were from the short run. You were almost there, and you could see your brother walking up to the doorstep with the mail in his hands. You used the last bit of energy you had to sprint towards him.

"INTERCEPTION!!" You screamed out as a battle-cry as you barreled into your brother and ripped the letter he was looking at out of his hands.

"Y/N!!" Luke whined when he realized it was you. "I was reading that! That's the water bill!"

"THE WATER BILL?!?!" You panicked. You tossed the letter behind you and launched yourself at him again.

"Y/N, calm down!" He exclaimed, holding you back with his arm. "What's gotten into you?" He looked you over, just now realizing you were out of breath. "Did you run the entire way here?" He asked.

"Yes!" You replied exasperated. "Now let me see the mail!"

"I will just give me a second." He said, going back to flipping through the stack of letters.

"NO!!" You screamed. You launched yourself at him trying to tear the letters from his hands, but being at least a whole foot taller than you, he lifted the mail above his head, way out of your reach.

"Y/N, you need to calm down now." He said sternly.

You immediately crossed your arms behind your back feigning innocence. "Luke, the best older brother in the whole entire world, may I please see the mail?"

"Sure, is there a reason why?" He smiled as he handed it over to you.

"No..." You lied, quickly flipping through the pile. There wasn't a letter from your school, strange. Had they not sent them out like they said they would? You began to flip through the mail again in case you had missed it.

"Looking for anything in particular?" Your brother asked, looking over your shoulder.

"No, why?" You replied.

"So you're telling me that you didn't run all the way from school, nearly knock me over, and try to grab the mail straight out of my hands to stop me from seeing this?" He asked.

You turned to see him holding a letter from your school in his hand and eyebrow raised at you questioningly. The sneaky devil had taken it out of the stack before you could see it.

"Give me that!!" You screeched, jumping up high as you could trying to steal it from him.

"No need." He said. He ripped the letter in half, handing the pieces to you. "I already opened it and saw you're failing Algebra and just barely passing Physical Education. Just please promise me you'll try harder."

"I will Luke, I swear." You said, raising your right hand. "I would be passing Algebra if Mr. Newton had put the grades in for everything I turned in before finalizing the grade for this quarter."

"What about P.E.?" Luke asked, ushering you inside as he followed, locking the front door behind him.

"I suck at sports so..."

"Can you at least pull your grade up to a C?" He asked.

"I suppose." You sighed.

"Good." He smiled, patting your head affectionately. "Congrats on getting an A in English. I definitely didn't expect that." He laughed.

"Thanks." You smiled proudly as he walked away. "Hey, wait... What's that supposed to mean?"

#5sos #5 seconds of summer #luke hemmings #brother sister moments

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briangroth27 · 6 years

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Solo: A Star Wars Story Review

Solo, like Rogue One before it, didn’t seem like a story I absolutely needed to know. That said, it’s also like Rogue One in that it’s an entertaining and well-made movie, while being quite fun and deepening several aspects of the Star Wars canon as well. Solo does lose a bit of momentum at the end, but I still think it’s worth a watch! Full Spoilers... Alden Ehrenreich was likable and charming as Han, pulling off the iconic Solo demeanor with a more optimistic twist. He doesn’t play the character exactly like Harrison Ford did, but there’s enough of Ford in the performance and writing to believe this is the same person. I'm glad they didn't make him a suave ladies' man like a lot of fans seem to think he was in the Original Trilogy: Han’s always been an overly confident guy who relies more on luck and improvisation than his actual capabilities, but he’s extremely devoted to the people he loves (and not smooth about his feelings; he’s totally thrown by Leia). I loved the layered performance Ehrenreich gave, where you could tell Han isn’t always quite as good as he needs to be about disguising his insecurities despite boasting about what he can do; if there’s a moment of silence, he starts to break. Han’s arc must’ve been a difficult path to tread here, since A New Hope already covers Han’s transition from selfish scoundrel to hero, so Solo should’ve taken him from some origin point to at least the beginnings of his scoundrel nature. While they got him there plot-wise, sending him and Chewie (Joonas Suotamo) off to do jobs for Jabba, I’m not sure his character changes much at all, because he was already a boastful scoundrel when he was stealing to survive at the beginning of the movie. That’s the only issue I had with Han’s arc in this film: I wouldn't say he changes very much at all, except he's jaded by love and slightly less optimistic by the end. I do wonder if Val’s (Thandie Newton) dedication to getting a heist done—even at the expense of her own life and despite the fact that they don’t succeed in that heist anyway—was meant to show us why Han is so willing to “dump his cargo at the first sign of trouble.” If so, I would’ve liked to see more of a reaction to her death from him, though we do get to see Han see Beckett’s (Woody Harrelson) reaction to her death. Combining this with Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) leaving Han at the end of the movie, I wonder if he simply figures that no score is worth dying for when not even love lasts.

At first I didn’t mind one way or another about the revelation that “Solo” isn’t Han’s real name, just something given to him as he was enlisting in the Imperial Navy to get off Corellia, but this Mary Sue article changed my mind by pointing out that he continued using the Solo name and was so proud of it that he passed it down to Ben. I really like that choice now! It’s also cool that Han is so much a nobody that he has no last name, giving him a connection to Rey that deepens the instant recognition and familiarity he sees in her in The Force Awakens. He takes to her so quickly not because he secretly knows who her parents are, but because he’s been exactly where she is: a nobody who’s waiting on someone who will never come back. Han having been an Imperial officer who washed out in the face of war and disagreed with the Imperial stance that they were not hostiles also makes him a parallel to Finn, giving some more weight to Han seeing right through him but working with him anyway in TFA. That was a really cool, stealth strengthening of that trio’s bond in Episode VII.

I liked Han’s friendship with Chewie and enjoyed seeing them meet and build their relationship. Chewie doesn’t get much to do here, but I did enjoy the comedic banter between him and Han. If there are sequels to Solo, I hope Chewie gets an arc of his own instead of just being Han’s backup like he’s always been. I’d also love to see his partnership with Han grow and deepen into a true friendship. I could’ve done without Chewie actually ripping a guy’s arms off in this movie, though. In A New Hope, Han’s threat to C-3PO about Chewie doing that always felt like he was screwing with the droid, not that Chewie was actually that violent. There’s nothing in the movies to suggest Chewie would tear people apart either (even strangling Lando in Empire isn’t as brutal as ripping people into pieces). Oh well; this was one of the few moments in the movie that felt like they were compelled to pay off a throwaway line or bit of lore when they really didn’t have to. Another was Han getting his iconic gun, but that one didn’t feel as much like a Moment so I didn’t mind it. Also, I know exactly why they had Han shoot first here, but that sorta doesn't make sense if (officially) the older, more jaded Han doesn't.

Donald Glover was far and away the best and most charismatic part of the movie and he owns every scene he's in. While Ehrenreich’s take on Han was more like what Chris Pine did with Shatner’s Kirk—incorporating small things that captured the essence of the original version while feeling new—Glover used Karl Urban's approach to McCoy: a pitch-perfect recreation of the original without feeling like he was doing an impression. I could see Billy Dee Williams' Lando throughout Glover's at all times and it was great! Lando and Han becoming frenemies was really entertaining to watch I'd like to see where this contentious friendship goes in a potential Solo sequel. Their cat-and-mouse partnership was a lot of fun, and I also liked the context the movie gave to Lando mispronouncing Han’s name in Empire: years later, he’s still ribbing him for mispronouncing Sabacc. I’ve never needed to see how Han won the Millennium Falcon from Lando, but this movie grounded it in their characters—Han was savvy enough to know how Lando was cheating at Sabacc and his first attempt to win it was based on betting a ship he didn’t own—so I was pleasantly surprised. I was also surprised to see Glover get a chance to show off his dramatic chops here as he struggled to carry as much of L3-37’s (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) body back to the Falcon as he could despite the firefight going on around him, and he knocked it out of the park. The two of them established an easy partnership and there were definite feelings there on both their parts, so the change in Lando after her death was palpable (at least until he had his defensive charm up again when Han and Chewie caught up to him at the end of the movie). I do wish that they had addressed Lando’s pansexuality head-on instead of just alluding to him wanting to sleep with L3-37 and calling Han “baby.” The sorta-flirtation between Lando and L3 was a little odd given she’s a robot, but then droids are sentient in this universe (and cultural norms could be entirely different there: Qi’ra’s only question is how the sex would work, not that it’s weird to even consider), so I don't know how I feel about that. In any case, since L3-37’s CPU is still connected to the Falcon by Return of the Jedi, Lando telling the ship to hold together has a lot more meaning now: he can’t lose her twice (not to mention the fact that she was literally falling apart in Solo). I liked L3-37 and her growing rebellious cause. I’d never considered that there needed to be a droid uprising before and this movie certainly paints them in an entirely new light across the saga (or at least anything pre-Episode IV). I always knew they were sentient and not just disposable tools, but now it looks as if they’ve always been slaves in large sections of the galaxy. I wish L3’s droid rebellion had lasted beyond where it does here (or at least that it was mentioned to have a larger impact), but I guess the breakout on Kessel was more of an isolated opening salvo, not the flashpoint of a larger resistance. Either way, the state of droids shown here absolutely colors a lot of their interactions with the main characters across the saga: how many of them wanted to be working in those roles and how many were forced into those positions? R2 and 3PO being sold by Jawas to moisture farmers absolutely has darker connotations now: even though the Skywalkers weren’t hosting droid death matches, they were still buying thinking servants. Perhaps the droids the Rebel Alliance will later use have come to them willingly and are hoping to win their freedom as well, rather than having been stolen from the Empire or brought to the cause by their respective Rebel pilots. It seems like the state of droids in the Star Wars universe is a surprisingly rich topic for exploration! Qi'ra was good for what they gave her, but I'm not sure we saw enough of her relationship with Han to really feel the depth of his devotion to her or the impact of losing it for either of them. It’s clear from their performances they loved each other on Corellia, but I never got the feeling this was an ill-fated eternal love, particularly after the relatively cool reception Han got from her when he met her years later. I definitely liked that he was far more enamored and lovestruck than she was, though; that was a cool reversal of what you’d expect in most romances and followed Han’s character perfectly. Unlike other bits of context Solo adds, however, I think this love story makes Luke giving Leia a Force Projection of Han's dice in The Last Jedi even weirder. Ever since I saw TLJ, I’ve thought it was an odd choice to make the dice such a connective touchstone when we’ve only seen fleeting glimpses of them in the Falcon (if you could pick them out, as they were never even a momentary focus. Now, since they're so closely tied to Han’s relationship with another woman, it’s downright bizarre for Luke to give them to Leia as a memory of her dead husband. Even if they’re meant as a way for Luke to tell Leia “good luck”—since that’s how Han views them—that’s still creepy because the only thing Leia has ever given Luke “for luck” was a kiss before they knew they were siblings. I still think Luke should've given Leia a projection of the medal she gave Han at the end of ANH instead. Han, Luke, Leia and the audience would've been emotionally connected to the revelation that he’d kept it all these years. Oh well, back to Solo.

I wish Qi’ra had been revealed as the true crime lord the whole time. She takes over the role in the end and my guess is Solo 2 will have her and Han as enemies, but it felt like we would’ve gotten a more compelling hero/villain standoff here if she and Han were openly at odds. Qi’ra leaving Han would’ve been more impactful coupled by the revelation that she’d been pulling the strings all along as well, since Han wouldn’t have been able to see that coming. I don’t believe heroes always need a personal connection to the villain to make for compelling drama, but Han’s relationship with Qi’ra developing into enmity would’ve been far more interesting than the threat of Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany) killing them all because of a lost shipment. Not only is that a less resonant argument with Han’s character and outlook, it’s something we’ve seen from countless crime lords in the Star Wars galaxy before. Qi’ra having been shaped by her experiences since Corellia into a woman who uses her head to survive instead of her heart as a guide (like Han does) is definitely a setup brimming with the potential to make her more interesting than “the woman who doesn’t love Han anymore.” However, I would’ve liked to see her more active side at the forefront instead of her past experiences just providing a reason why she’d choose crime over Han. Maybe she could’ve been planning on stealing the fuel shipment they stole from Kessel to start her own crime empire and overthrow Dryden—and using Han’s love for her to do it—all along; something to make her more than a damsel needing Han to save her from servitude to Vos. I did like that she, not Han, got to eliminate Vos in a pretty cool fight, though. I’m also interested to see where her new partnership with Darth Maul (Sam Witwer, Ray Park) goes.

Maul’s cameo was great and I'm very interested to see how he’s reincorporated into the film side of the universe. He had a cool visual and thrilling fights in Episode I, but his appearances on Clone Wars and Rebels have made him one of my favorite Star Wars characters—the fact that he willed himself to stay alive after Obi-Wan cut him in half is fascinating!—and I’m very excited to see where he goes from here. I have no idea when this is supposed to fall on the timeline, though: I would think he’d be in his "Old Master"/obsessive hunter phase from Rebels by now and not trying to build his criminal empire like he was during Clone Wars.

I think the weakest link in Solo is Dryden Vos, unfortunately. He didn’t interest me as a villain at all nor did he come off like a major threat, and that made the last act of the movie (everything after the Kessel Run) feel slow, like the tension and momentum dropped out of the film (though never to a point where the movie or the experience was ruined for me). A galactic scramble for hyperfuel is a fine idea and it’s a good McGuffin for a movie about smugglers, thieves, and pirates, but playing Vos as a run-of-the-mill space gangster fell flat for me. Perhaps there’s a parallel to be found between Vos and Beckett in terms of their training Han and Qi’ra only to be killed by them, but Vos’ implied brutality and threats of death still came off as less than imposing. Speaking of Beckett, I liked the guidance he gave Han in setting him down his smuggler’s path, but I think the movie rushed Han’s reaction to Beckett betraying him. I wish Han had been hurt more by Beckett turning on him, even if he did see it coming (I do like that he was clever enough to outwit Beckett): Han could’ve been hoping he was wrong and that moment could’ve been a bigger gut punch than it was. The revelation that pirate Enfys Nest (Erin Kellyman) isn’t actually a villain at all, but is trying to prevent the hyperfuel from falling into the wrong hands so she can turn it over to the Rebellion isn’t a problem for her earlier attack on Beckett’s crew as they try to rob a train (a very cool sequence), but it does hurt the standoff with Han at the end a little. I imagine on a second watch, that scene will feel significantly less tense. Despite the movie dragging a bit at the end, it has a great balance of big action and chase scenes, humor, heart, and emotional weight! The tone was especially impressively consistent, given the directorial shakeup during filming. I do wish the movie had a more vibrant color palette: it looked too dark at times and pretty washed out for the rest. The scope of the universe was great and it was nice to have a small story that didn't involve a superweapon of some sort, even if a galactic fuel shortage could lead to cataclysmic events and inhumanity we haven’t seen in the other films. As much as this is being sold as a western heist movie, I kinda wish the Kessel theft was slicker or more tied to Star Wars technology like the train robbery was. It quickly devolved from a planned heist to a frantic scramble and it would've been nice to see the former instead (even though the sequence we got was great on its own terms). Perhaps we’ll get to see more polished thieves at work in Solo 2. When this movie was announced, I absolutely did not want to see Han win the Falcon from Lando or do the Kessel Run: both are world-building throwaway lines only necessary for setting up the uneasy friendship between the guys and establishing that the Falcon is famously fast, and neither needed to be more than that. However, since both were done well I don’t mind that we saw them here. The Run was far better than I expected it to be and I loved the inclusion of space monsters; I wish there had been more of them. I liked John Powell’s score a lot and it tied in iconic bits of John Williams’ work perfectly. All the shout-outs to bits of Star Wars extended canon were fun; even that 90s video game Masters of Teras Kasi got a mention!

Despite my misgivings about the momentum of the third act, by no means did this film put me off the idea of solo films (or Solo films). I’d love a young Leia movie and I’d absolutely watch a Lando film. I wouldn’t want it to be a prequel to Solo, though: I don't need to see how he got charming or how he won the Falcon in the first place. Just watching him scam his way across the galaxy (and maybe spreading L3’s message of droid freedom?) would be excellent. I also hope we get a direct sequel to Solo, but if we don't, this didn't feel unfinished or rushed.

Solo’s a fun thrill ride with heart! It features engaging depictions of characters we already know and love, introduces new ones with interesting potential, and adds a lot of context to moments and character relationships in all three Star Wars trilogies. It’s definitely worth seeing!

Check out more reviews, opinions, theories, and original short stories here!

#solo #a star wars story

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