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thegeminisage · 4 years

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the south is like another country

i have an entire essay on how the current radicalism and steep political divide in this country can be traced directly back to the civil war - rural white southerners here playing the part pre-ww2 germany, the part of a resentful, conquered nation assimilated into the nation that conquered them, because if you think about it the south/the confederacy WAS its own nation for a time, that lost a very bloody war, and paid very steeply for it (not that slavers didn’t deserve every bit of misery the “carpetbaggers” threw at them), and the bitterness from that loss/the lost capital from having their slaves freed has been handed down through the generations, to people who now live in abject poverty while their livelihoods are destroyed by late stage capitalism, and their schools are so broke a lot of people here don’t even know how to read, and their towns are eaten alive with meth, and they’re still looked down upon by most of the country for being racist uneducated backwater hicks (to be clear, we should always look down on racism and racists, but it’s not making them any less bitter/ripe for being drawn into the cult of tr*mp’s america and f*cism).

but anyway this post isn’t about that! this post is about how when i go up north and i say “y’all it really is like i’m living in a different country” NOBODY BELIEVES ME. we speak the same language, we’re all americans, right? PFFFFFT. this amazon van thing just drives it home (pun intended). here’s a list of differences from the deep south* to the rest of the country*:

*the deep south here meaning the RURAL deep south. sorry to everyone who lives in cities/the suburbs and/or in border states like maryland and virginia. i’ve been to maryland and virginia and they are technically southern and some of this applies to them but it is not quite as extreme as it is here. the rest of the country includes the other states i’ve been to (california, washington state, new york, etc), which are in mostly every area except the midwest. i cannot personally vouch for the midwest. sorry, midwesterners! rural midwest probably has a lot of things in common with the deep south because rural life is different and also how easily people move around this country, but whatever

this is a long-ass post get ready

difference #1: DRIVING. driving & pedestrians are entirely different un rural areas vs urban areas. for starters, southern towns often do not even have sidewalks. this is because of 1. budget and 2. racism.

budget: rural towns are very spread out, and it costs major $$$ to put sidewalks in. it’s just not worth the trouble, financially, to put a sidewalk where only 12 people are ever going to use it, AND spend the money to maintain it. never gonna happen. racism: initially, suburbs especially in the south were seen as safe havens where people could get away from the stress of living in “urban” (re: integrated) areas. that the neighborhoods were only accessible by car and NOT by people who were too poor (black) to afford automobiles were just an added bonus.

as such, the first time i left the southeast, i was SHOCKED to see people walking and biking WITH (or indifferent to) the flow of traffic. down here we are taught that if you are walking along the road (or biking, because bikers get lumped in with pedestrians down here), it is very very very crucial that you walk against the flow of traffic, because you cannot expect drivers to see you and not mow you down. the onus is on YOU to get out of THEIR way. additionally, walking in knee-high grass along the side of the road sucks, and because there aren’t many people here, the roads are usually totally empty. so oftentimes pedestrians just straight up walk ON the road. and if you do that you absolutely have to be able to see a car coming from a long way away, because rural drivers on completely empty roads tend to take them at extremely high speeds just for fun. the people who live diagonally across from me have had to replace their mailbox four times because folks take that blind curve at 90mph. i had a cat get hit by a car on that road. (they all live indoors now.) i even witnessed a car accident happen there when i was just outside minding my own business. ever see a tire fly 12 feet into the air and come down into someone’s windshield? that’s what happens when you hit power line pole driving like that.

the first time i ever encountered one of those pedestrian crossing buttons was in california in the early 2010s. i had literally never seen one before because we simply don’t have them here. they’re not very self-explanatory if you have been jaywalking your whole entire life because all you’re taught to do is look both ways and make sure the street is empty before you cross. northern/urban roadways are made so that pedestrians and drivers can both get to where they’re going. in rural/southern areas pedestrians might as well not bother.

interestingly, while not an entirely southern problem, there’s a loose correlation between rural areas and more problems with drunk drivers.

on the driving side, driving in a city is batshit insane. it’s both faster and slower. there is NO space and you’re expected to go whenever you have so much as an inch to worm your way in. there’s more traffic, and the traffic totally dictates your speed. in the south you can change lanes if you want to drive faster or slower and weave around traffic or let it weave around you, but in a city there’s no other lane to change to and if you don’t drive at the speed of the people ahead of and behind you you will die. you turn fast, you brake fast, etc. whenever i come back from driving in a city the people who ride with me think i’m insane. you don’t PULL ONTO A ROAD if you can SEE ANOTHER CAR THERE, what the fuck? meanwhile i’m like “lol that is six miles of space i have plenty of time” and give everyone in my vicinity heart palpitations until i readjust.

tailgating in a rural area is something only assholes do (done by people on a two-lane road to encourage the person in front of them to go faster because the only other lane is for oncoming traffic), and if someone gets within one car length of me on a two-lane road i can very passively aggressively slow my vehicle to a crawl until they back the fuck off. in a city you’re lucky if you have a twelve inches between your bumper and the next car’s hood ornament.

difference #2: LANGUAGE. this is a small one, but the southern dialect combined with the lack of literacy means i am learning certain things late in life. phrases i have heard verbally with my ears but had never seen written out include: “chest of drawers” which i thought was “chester drawers” - “seven year itch” which i thought was “seven year each” - “albeit” which i thought was “i’ll be it.” i’ve made a deliberate effort to unlearn mine own accent/dialect but i run into weird shit all the time. remotes are mashers, shopping carts are buggies, you put stuff up instead of putting it away, i fix you a drink instead of pouring you one, we shoot the game instead of play it. my mom LITERALLY can’t understand me if i speak too quickly - she has to remind me all the time to slow down and put on my southern.

difference #3: TECHNOLOGY. issue of whether or not you personally have the creepy amazon vans aside, the rural south is behind the rest of the country on technology. things in cities are AUTOMATED. things like the little button you press to cross the street, tickets you take at parking garages, even the parking meters you find in cities, that’s just the beginning of it. one time i came across a little computer touch screen in a MCDONALDS where you put your order in. you didn’t even go up to the counter. you just put your order on the screen and swiped your card and then they got it ready for you and you never had to speak to a human person. self-checkouts, gas pumps where you can swipe your card and not go in and pay at first...the south got those YEARS behind everybody else. in the mid-2010s i went to DC and visited a target for maybe the 5th time ever and i was BAFFLED by the self-checkout. i had no idea how to use it! it was like less than ten years ago and i was IN MY TWENTIES and i had never seen one before! when we send a package we have to talk to a human person. when we order food we usually have to talk to a human person. apps for places like dominos and subway have not been in use here for very long. my county just got doordash LAST YEAR.

because i am 31, and because the south is so technologically behind, i am actually old enough to remember how when you used to go to a gas station an attendant would not only pump your gas but wash your windshield for you while you just SAT IN THE CAR. that seems like something from the 50s but it actually was a thing here in my childhood IN the 90s. i wish i was making this up.

difference #4: INFRASTRUCTURE. this sort of goes hand-in-hand w/ the last point because so much of our infrastructure is made of technology, and it’s also more of a rural/urban thing than a south/north thing. but just for fun here’s a non-exhaustive list of things i don’t have in my town:

starbucks* - the first time i went to a starbucks i was in my 20s

a public pool - we used to, but now the only pool here requires a YMCA membership. the only baseball diamond in this county is also at the Y.

walmart

in fact, ANYWHERE to buy clothes that is not a goodwill or other secondhand store. i cannot buy clothing unless i order it online or LEAVE MY TOWN. almost all of the clothing i own is from walmart because it’s one of the only places in my entire county where you can actually PURCHASE clothing.

grocery store chains? pffft. my town has two entire stores and both are small southern chains. i didn’t go into a publix for the first time until two years ago when i went to florida. i’ve NEVER entered a whole foods.

food delivery? yeah, no. like i said, we got doordash last year, but before that the only place you could get delivery from was a pizza chain. we only have two pizza places in my town that deliver, and one is a local place, not attached to any chain, so i can’t spend my loyalty points there. (it’s very expensive there too.) last year it was CLOSED for six months because the manager got caught dealing meth. every last one of the delivery drivers was trafficking it for him. they all got fired and had to restart from the ground up. for that short time, it was not possible to get any food delivered to your house whatsoever.

a hospital/ambulance services - if someone is sick, we have to take them to the hospital in laurens, the town next door (about 15-20 minutes by car). the town i live in lucky - we have our own police and fire departments. (acab but you know what i mean.) joanna is a smaller town next to mine that isn’t a real town - it’s been demoted to a census designated area because only 2000 people live there. if they have an emergency, they have to use OUR fire and police departments, and LAURENS’s ambulance/hospital system

after-school places kids can go to keep from getting into trouble. we have the Y, if you have money (no one here has money), and we have churches, but mostly schools can’t afford to run too many extracurriculars. there’s nothing to do here but church and meth.

food banks: zero. we have food DRIVES sometimes where people will come from further away and bring free food, but if you’re hungry, there’s nowhere you can go for help - you have to wait for help to come to you.

libraries: we don’t have our own library. we have a branch of the county library that’s physically located in our town. but we share books with the rest of the entire county, so everything is always checked out or at the other branch.

*we technically have a starbucks that’s in the local college campus, but only college students are allowed to be there. they’ll still serve people without a college ID because no one gives a fuck, but you can’t linger and loiter and hang out like you do in a normal starbucks. we also have one in the barnes and noble in greenville, which is about an hour away by car, but again, it’s a mini starbucks that serves a limited menu and none of that weird Starbucks Culture™

here’s a few things i don’t have in my ENTIRE COUNTY:

movie theaters - technically. we have a Historial™ one-screen theater in laurens that shows one movie for two weeks a month after it hits regular theaters and then switches to another, and if you miss it, too bad. this is a VERY recent addition - it wasn’t restores until i was in my 20s as a kid and a teenager i had to ride in a car an hour or more to go to the movies.

target. only commies and yankees have target. down here we do walmart.

malls

arcades

skate parks/skating rinks

bowling

museums

zoos/aquariums

campgrounds

fairs. our county fairground got razed a decade ago because there just werent enough people showing up to justify the expense. so no more fairs. you have to have people to fund things and down here there just aren’t enough people anywhere.

you get the idea. we don’t have entertainment. like i said, nothing to do but church and meth.

CLASSES FOR STUFF: knitting classes, dancing classes, driving classes? nope. gymnastics, karate dojos, golf, knitting groups, books clubs, cooking classes? [GAMESHOW BUZZER]. you can’t even hire a clown for a birthday party out here. we do have a shooting range. ONE. in the entire county. and a race track. and a rather infamous former kkk memorabilia store. they made a movie about that (serious tw for this trailer - they’ve got white hoods, burning crosses, pepper spray, the whole nine), which, yes, takes place in laurens, aka right next door to me. i used to walk by that place all the time when i was playing pokemon go. haven’t seen the movie but the shooting locations in the trailer make laurens look a lot bigger and prettier than it really is in real life - especially the racetrack, which, in the trailer, is actually PAVED. (this is inaccurate to real life.)

EDUCATION: lots of people can’t read. we have two schools for illiterate adults, one religious college, and one branch of one of the state colleges that has a skeleton staff and a fuck ton of computers (you basically just go there to distance learn/e-learn - if you want to take real classes from this college, you have to drive at least an hour.)

support groups/group therapy: almost none. we have al-anon and weight watchers, but that’s about it. there’s only half a dozen therapists in my entire county, and none that operate from my town. mental healthcare down here is bullshit.

on food: we don’t have many sit-down restaurants, where servers bring you your menu and your food. if you don’t count waffle houses, my town has 4. my county has 9. in and out, 5 guys, applebees, ruby tuesday, red lobster, olive garden, panda epxress? forget it. those places were and still are rare treats. i’ve only been to an olive garden twice. red lobster once. whenever i leave my county i BEG for chinese because there’s only two chinese restaurants in our entire county and one of them is crazy expensive and the other one sucks.

we also don’t have the more important stores you need to like, live. if we need to exchange our router at a charter store? yeah, we don’t have one. need to visit the sprint store to get your phone repaired? nuh-uh, we don’t have any phone stores either. my family recently switched to at&t because it was the only company that had a physical location in our county. before that, we had to drive an hour for even the smallest repair.

on a grimer note: we don’t have homeless shelters! homeless in laurens county? too bad for you. we do have homeless PEOPLE. they just have nowhere to go except the churches

hospitals? only kind of. like i said, our county has one, but it’s not equipped to take seriously sick people. when my mom had a heart attack she had to be driven straight to greenwood, which is 45 minutes away if you’re not in an ambulance. they obviously made it faster than that, but still. that was scary. it took them a long time to get here. i had a distant relative of mine die before the ambulance made it because they were SO far out in the sticks, even further than me.

we also don’t have any specialty stores. sporting goods, gamestops, shoe stores, florists, craft stores, bookstores, best buys...forget it. if you can’t buy it at walmart, you just can’t buy it. the exceptions: my TOWN has one jewelry store, two hardware stores, and two auto repair stores. my COUNTY has three clothing stores, none of which are in my town, one place that sells used TVs, and one movie rental place. thrilling, right? i can rent a movie if i drive out of town. (i know streaming killed the rental business, but we also only had two places when i was a kid, if you counted the rental section in the grocery store.)

so, yeah. i know the term “shithole” is really loaded these days, but rural areas are just plain less developed, and often in seriously poor repair because nobody fucking uses them. there USED to be more stuff here - my mom was on a bowling league, and as a kid i had a birthday party at a skating rink - but late stage capitalism and drugs destroyed it all. people ran out of money to do things like skate and bowl and so those places closed. the south is full of empty store fronts and deserted strip malls slowly being eaten by kudzu. my brother got out of this town and whenever he winds up back here (not often) he remarks on how completely and utterly dead everything feels. “my friends who live in greenwood now think they’re all rural,” he said once. “they complain constantly about how remote it is. but they have no idea. they wouldn’t make it five minutes out here.” greenwood has its own movie theater, mall, starbucks, homeless shelter, food bank, and hospital.

so, yeah! if you were wondering what rural white southerners are so fucking mad about, that’s part of it. propaganda and xenophobia and racism has their anger directed ENTIRELY at the wrong people, but it’s hard to argue that the anger itself isn’t just a little bit justified.

difference #5: CULTURE. specifically culture around food, and the culture around the civil war. i could write an entire other essay about the culture of the church being everything because the church IS the only semblance of infrastructure we have and this is why the south is so homophobic, but we’ll skip that for now.

food: this is a quickie, because i sort of touched on it already, but there are like, almost NO vegetarian options here. there’s very limited choices of cuisine. it’s ALL waffle house and soul food. we have a lot of mexican places because we’re physically close to the mexican border, but aside from that, forget finding like indian or thai or japanese or anything like that. no sushi. forget finding a menu that has meals that are halal or kosher. there’s just. no culture here. no variety. you know? like i said, our entire county doesn’t even hit double-digits for proper sit-down restaurants.

civil war: i’m not going to go into the big stuff since i sort of covered it at the top and also this post is getting way too long, but to other white rural southerners there is legitimate baggage around the fact that my mom married a yankee and that i am half-yankee. and he’s not even a real yankee! he was born up north but raised in southern florida. (florida is weird. the further south you go geographically, the less southern you are culturally.) yet: my family makes jokes that are sometimes not jokes about this. when i drop this information in casual conversation people get that look on their faces like: ah, that explains it. it being that i am not religious and don’t laugh at racist jokes and maybe i am queer?? (strangers tend to be unsure about this last part, even when i’m wearing rainbows.) it’s because i’m half-yank! that explains everything! the xenophobia is SO strong here that white people are even xenophobic at OTHER WHITE PEOPLE.

so in conclusion when i say the north is like another country, it’s because the people who raised me think of it like another country. and culturally! it is buck wild! the differences that there are! when i leave this town i feel like i step into fucking star trek! if you are not from the rural south, and you have never been to the rural south, please do not come here! i’ve been to a few different places now and this is definitely my least favorite one.

#personal #i guess #it's ok to rb if you want to though??? tbh i don't think most people will even get to the end lol #anyway here's my college lecture about the south it's not very good or college level actually lmao #this is AIRQUOTE FIELD STUDY AIRQUOTE #the experiences u have as a half-yank white person in the rural south are crazy #bc other white people think you're okay to listen to them say what they REALLY think #and then backtrack rapidly when they realize you aren't #now that i'm grown and woke i can't believe half-yankee is even a thing.#anyway this post brought to you by the maddening realization of how technologically far behind we are #WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE CREEPY AMAZON VANS #the automated package sending...what i wouldn't give not to have to talk to people to mail stuff #rip. :/

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inventors-fair · 4 years

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Weird Commentary: Thanks

I would call this one of our most successful contests. Not every card was a gold standard, not every card made me squeal with glee, but every single one had love, thought, and heart put into them. I’m even more impressed with the fact that over 2/3 of contestants actually made their own art! As a not-artist myself, I understand how challenging that can be sometimes. I’m just having a moment where I’m proud of everyone.

Also, for this commentary, I’m trying something a little different. Tell me if you like it!

@3smuth — Burrow-Wing Amalgam

What I like: Besides the gorgeous art (look at the curve of the moon behind the wing!), the wording is great, and the abilities are well-rounded for an uncommon. I like how the flavor text builds up the “character” of the creature, making it seem more alive, and tying in to the abilities as well. That’s hard to do!

What we can improve: I find that the first ability giving it two mono-black abilities a little jarring. There are only two BG fliers in black-border canon, and that’s not to say that this couldn’t be added to that list, but it’s mildly off-putting; I kept thinking that this could be an Abzan card, maybe with G/W hybrid in the cost? But that’s entirely dependent on the environment. It’s hard to visualize one in which BG has an uncommon pseudo-flying beater, but it’s not to say that it’s impossible — just a hard sell.

Allison — Salheim, The Twisted Storm

What I like: This feels like a fun commander who would also be good in draft. A cheap body means that your spells can be small bodies that return at the start and huge potential bodies later. I like how it limits it to the first spell, so you can’t go infinite for less than ten mana with some other combo pieces. Honestly, this is a fantastic mechanical card.

What we can improve: There are a few grammatical mistakes to clean up, small pieces of Magic wording. “The” in the name should be lowercase, as should “Blue” and “Red” in the text box. “spells” should have a possessive apostrophe, and “it’s” shouldn’t. Don’t forget a period at the end before the quotation mark! I would also shorten the trigger: “...you may pay (X) [symbol], where X is that spell’s converted mana cost.”

@ceta-maelstrom — Camouflage Krasis

What I like: “Cat fish” is an awesome creature combo! Your art brings that across really well. With the new-ish arrival of Cat tribal and the rise in the creature type, I think that this is a welcome addition. I like the hexproof clause. It gives it a flavor of “as long as I’m small, I can’t be seen.”

What we can improve: Metamorph is a little hard to parse. Because of the “if” in the middle breaking up the sentence, I thought “it” referred to the creature entering the battlefield, and that that creature would get two counters. My mistake. Hm, how to reword it... “Whenever another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, put two +1/+1 counters on this creature if it has no +1/+1 counters on it.” No, that’s a little awkward too... There can be a little more clarity. I think the mechanic is worth playing around with.

@dancepatternalpha — The Rat King

What I like: Simple, easy to understand, cool synergistic potential. I think this would be a fun build-around-me card. You mentioned something about Innistrad not having a rat king; would you believe they had one mechanically, in the form of Dark Imposter? I actually thought it was potential inspiration, different flavor.

What we can improve: Like Dark Imposter, I believe that the “all activated abilities” should be a separate line. When it comes to that, the similarities are a little stark, but I think the King distinguishes itself from the Imposter by its legendary status and the fact that it exiles your own creatures. I’m not getting a strong sense of either “ooze” or “construct,” though. “Ooze,” I would honestly just take off altogether. “Construct,” in Magic history, implies an artifact creature, something built by something else, and I’m not getting a sense of that either. “Noble” might be fun, if a little on the nose.

@dimestoretajic — Cryptizub, Steel Abomination

What I like: It’s certainly a limited beater, something that reminds me of Scuttling Doom Engine from back in the day. It can be incredibly powerful in the late game and can fit into any slot. Oof, give it lifelink? And you’re in good shape.

What we can improve: The first thing I got from this card that’s iffy is the name; it sounds like a legendary creature. “Steel Abomination” would be just fine. For the activated ability, I believe going off of Banshee’s oracle text, that you need to say “~ damage equal to its power to target creature, and damage equal to its power to you.” Not an absolute, but it’s one possibility. Don’t forget to italicize Threshold. The flavor text is a little on the nose. I would either shorten it or just leave it off. The card carries a world by itself as a magic beatstick.

@gollumni — Severed Stone-Seer

What I like: This is a card that would definitely get you a-head of the curve!..... Ahem. I think this card successfully fits into the world of Theros, with a little jank. The flavor text is really great. It’s a powerful card with a big butt. I can imagine this taking over games of limited quite easily.

What we can improve: Five toughness might be too powerful. A 3-mana 2/4 with deathtouch is pretty nasty as-is; at five toughness, stuff becomes a lot harder to remove. As much as I do like what you wrote here, I’m still having trouble fitting “Gorgon Hydra” into my mind as something reasonable, considering that the two have such distinct qualities already. “Gorgon Head” could be fine, maybe even “Hydra Head.” Both have great mythological flavor. Small note that I’m unsure of: would it be “create a token copy of” or “create a token that’s a copy of”?

@grornt — Carnivorous Multitusker

What I like: Yup, that’s a mutant boar hydra all right! It’s big, it’s bad, it’s green, it takes over games, and it’s a great bomb. This feels like a quintessential green creature right here, with the exception of the weird types. Maybe the Simic and the Gruul could come together to make something like this, yeah? I’d love to open this in a pack and/or add it to a starter deck. Wish it was powerful enough for Standard. Maybe it is, who knows? I like how your added aspects of both boars and hydras from Magic’s past.

What we can improve: This is a pedantic point, but I’d like to see “Mutant” at the end rather than the beginning. Aside from that, I think the flavor text, smirk-worthy as it is, doesn’t really add to the card or to the world. I’d rather see something like on Protean Hulk, a little more expanse.

@i-am-the-one-who-wololoes — Apex of Evolution

What I like: Wow, you really went all-out with the creature types, huh? I think that you used the mechanics pretty well to get the feeling of “a creature that grows from your experience and also eats other creatures to gain their strength.” It’s a build-around-me card that’s fun if you can beef it up.

What we can improve: Firstly, the flavor text pushes the card from “wordy” into “too much.” I love adding it where needed, but with this much text, and with this strong a mechanical focus, you don’t really need it. I feel that in this instance especially it doesn’t add anything that the card doesn’t already have. For the second ability, it should be a full if-clause: “If a creature dealt damage by ~ would die, exile it instead.” And the game already knows that those cards are imprinted “with it” so you don’t need to add that. For the last ability... That’s way too many clauses. “Apex of Evolution has all abilities of cards exiled with it.” It does add some baggage, yes, but most creatures won’t have those negative effects, and, well, that’s a risk of combat to take. This creature already makes combat complicated.

@ignorantturtlegaming — Fabled Fox

What I like: Cool art, and cool combo! I think that two creature types works well here; it’s a Fox, and it’s a Dragon, and that’s that. This seems like a card that, when it hits, can really get you ahead in a game. I like how the last ability implies a world with Fox tribal; that’s grokable.

What we can improve: There are a few things that this card has that it doesn’t necessarily need. The mana cost has no reason not to be 3WRG; why the doubling-up? I don’t really understand the blue restriction. Is this card a bomb, or a hate-card? I don’t feel that it needs to be both. In the Cycling part, don’t forget to add the cycling cost inside the reminder text and add a colon. I believe the last ability could be — and be mindful of the punctuation — “When you cycle ~, you may search your library for a Fox or Dragon card, reveal that card, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.” See Krosan Tusker. Small note: I believe the way that abilities go, it should be worded “Flying, lifelink, haste” in that order.

@industrialsalad — The Origin of Oddities

What I like: I find it a little hard to take seriously, but you went ham with the types here, and I love reading “Elder Vampire Sponge.” It’s an interesting take on fossils as a concept. I think that with the advent of ability word counters, this card could be a fun little build-around me. I also like how it can steal counters from your opponents’ permanents!

What we can improve: This card does not feel legendary. I understand that it’s “the origin,” but I mean more in terms of how Magic’s other legends feel, what this card brings to that set of established unspoken rules. Maybe some flavor text could have amended that, and it could definitely explain the Vampire type, which feels distinctly out of place, especially for a colorless artifact. Small grammatical notes: “Oddities’s” doesn’t need “’s,” and it should be “fewer than five” spelled out.

@ishouldgetatumbler — Ash, Hydromorph Shaman

What I like: This is a distinct Simic feel! An elf shaman who becomes a hydra, who morphs themself into a mutant. Very nice. This is indeed a powerful card, and I think this is one of those legends that would be great in limited and in the other 99 in a commander deck. Or you could build around putting it into your hand! Fun stuff!

What we could improve: Not a lot to make better here. Firstly, though, this could be a rare in this day and age. It only brings it to hand, and you need to commit a fair amount for it to matter heavily. Small grammar notes: “counters on it” for the first ability, “its power” instead of “its,” and...that’s about it! Save it for a cube!

@jsands84 — Dandylion

What I like: This was really close to being a runner-up. I love the types and how they come together, the use of a powerful hybrid card and the pushing of it to uncommon without it feeling OP, the use of spore counters, the aggressive P/T for limited, and man, there’s flavor in the fact that it doesn’t fog itself. It’s like, Everyone has allergies except for me! It’s super cool. Shoutout to @iguanamouth.

What we can improve: Small notes. I think the name is a little cutesy for Magi, but that’s not a biggie, more of a personal quirk. I feel that “Cat Plant” parses better than “Plant Cat,” and maybe there’s alphabetical justification, idk. “Three” should be spelled out instead of “3.” I’d love to see flavor text here, just a line or so. Other than that, radical cat-ical!

@lyxine — Ahrizhel, the Wanderer

What I like: Now that’s a combo! It’s a bomb in limited to be sure, a great token-maker and legend to be reckoned with. I’ve always been a fan of Lure effects in green, even if they don’t always work out for me. Giving it to any creature you want is pretty neat.

What we can improve: My main concern is green fliers. I know that for dragons it’s an okay bend, but making more fliers as well? I think that’s too much of a bend; Hornet Queen is almost a break as-is, despite the massive cost. And the fact that this one can create 4-5 of them the turn after it hits the battlefield? That by itself is far too powerful. I would unfortunately call this one a break. Wording notes: “deathtouch” shouldn’t be capitalized, and there should be commas after the green mana symbols. The flavor text could use a little pizzaz, some more specific poetic words.

@mistershinyobject — Ludevic’s Familiar

What I like: That is indeed a weird zombie dog. The unique mechanical approach you took here is fascinating and experimental. It’s strange enough to warrant questions if it’s playable in certain formats. Modern Dog Mayhem? Hey, who knows.

What we can improve: This is a weird targeting system, and I don’t know if it’s in the good way. The fact that you can pay BB for a redirect effect is potentially a break, but it makes sense otherwise. (B)(U/R) could have worked, perhaps? I’m not entirely sure why the hybrid was chosen in this way here. It’s probably for the best, honestly, but it’s still a little iffy for me. I like the flavor text in a memetic way, but a) I don’t think I can see Ludevic saying this and b) it really toes the line. I think it would be best not to have it, or to have more wordplay and not a quote. I would also put the types as “Dog Zombie Weird” personally, but there’s probably not precedent for it.

@nine-effing-hells — Chalkyri Resplendent

What I like: Bonus points for having me learn a new word and new creature type. I had no idea the name was an actual thing! It’s useful for getting something like this, I suppose, and you did an amazing job with the art and flavor text. This does indeed seem like an awesome angel serpent thing.

What we can improve: My main concern is giving the permanents hexproof. It works for white, but not RW multicolor, in my opinions. Seems a little too powerful, despite the flavor work-in. I’m 65% sure the wording should be “it’s not your turn” instead of “it isn’t your turn,” but don’t quote me on that. See oracle text on Angry Mob. Aside from that, this is a fine beat-worthy beast.

@real-aspen-hours — Octothreat

What I like: Octopuses and spiders go hand in hand in hand in — etc. This is a huge limited card that reminds me of Pelakka Wurm from Rise of the Eldrazi when it first came out: big beefy boy. I think that it would be an interesting card for sealed, a huge blowout, and a great body. Very powerful card. Oh man, blinking it? Lordy.

What we can improve: Most of what we can improve are minute wording things for presentation. Keep in mind that if you do a text submission, your wording is copied exactly. The types should be capitalized, there doesn’t need to be a period after “Trample,” and there should be a period at the end of “step.” Mechanically, the text should say “up to eight target creatures.”

@shakeszx — Wyrveplasm

What I like: A big oozy boy! This feels appropriately like a drake and appropriately like an ooze. It’s a complicated card that works just as well on its own as it would in a deck centered around it. And I think that mythic is the right choice here, honestly. This thing can run away with games.

What we can improve: ...except for the death loop. If it had no counters on it when it dies, then it creates a 0/0 who dies and creates a 0/0, ad infinitum. Infinite death triggers on a single card, well, that’s a no-no. So how do we fix it? Change the last ability: “When ~ dies, if it had any +1/+1 counters on it, create a token that’s a copy of it, except that token’s base power and toughness are equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on ~ when it died.” ... Okay, it’s not perfect, but the token wording is right and the “base” is there. Modern Magic, woo.

@snugz — Chronocular Bivalve

What I like: Chronocular is a brilliant word. This card was super close to being a runner-up/winner as well. This is a control card for limited to the max. It’s powerful, it’s super complicated, and it exists in a world of theoretical phasing that’s, well — I might not want to play in it, but I know people that would. Super cool.

What we can improve: Not much to improve here. “Non” shouldn’t be capitalized, and I’m not entirely sure what the point of that second ability is, but that’s just about it. Sorry there’s not a lot to say here, but you did a fine job and the card speaks for itself.

@starch255 — Roving Squidtaur

What I like: It’s strong! It’s tentacled! It’s...got nipples? Squipples? Right, before I get any more sexually confused, let’s talk about the card. This is a world of sentient half-squid monstrosities. And I kind of love it. I think that mechanically you did some really neat things with this card. You included all aspects of the colors together, and they make for a three-colored beater that’s just plain good in the formats it would see play in.

What we can improve: I’m super bugged by vigilance in a way I shouldn’t be. Yes, I know it’s green, but it just feels...off?? Like, why is a berserker vigilant? I always got the impression that they would be more tramply, that they wouldn’t be as keen-eyed or direct. But that’s just me being weird. There’s nothing “””wrong””” with it. This one could definitely 10/10 have used some flavor text, though. I want to know more about this roving squid-person!

@tmstage — Bandicooze

What I like: Whoa! Yep, that’s a five-mana 3/3, but it’s a fine limited beater for its cost. Instant counters in the right deck and it’s good to go! I’ve only tangentially been connected with Crash games, but I get exactly how you tied it together nicely. This card just makes me smile.

What we can improve: I might make it a 4/3, or give it trample or haste or something. Aside from that... It’s a meme, and memes get what they deserve: a nice chuckle.

@whuh-oh — Arctic Narwhuck

What I like: The simple two-type “Whale Bird” aspect fits pretty well here. Other people did a diving/burrowing theme, and I think yours works well here. Four mana for a 3/2 flier with potential upside is pretty great in limited for an uncommon!

What we can improve: Islandwalk and landwalk in general hasn’t been in the game for a while, and I don’t know if this card needs that throwback. I get how it works flavorfully, and I like that part a lot. It’s just that modern sensibilities would let it just have hexproof. See Canopy Dragon’s oracle text as well; I think it gains things before it loses things. The flavor text is fine, but very vague, and doesn’t necessarily add to the card.

@woman-of-the-fen — Goldenhump Camelsaurus

What I like: Naya dinosaurs are always welcome! I also like the way you tied camels and deserts together to make a hybrid. The ape and rampage go together, I assume, and you conveyed that well in the art.

What can be improved: Rampage, well, hasn’t been around for a while, just like landwalk, and for good reason. It’s simply not a great mechanic. I can see it working as a one-off in a Horizons set, but it’s still not the aspect I would have chosen. The first ability creates an infinite loop that lasts until the Camelsaurus dies; you fight, get dealt damage, then fight again, etc. Give it indestructible and it’s a boardwipe. Wait, and it creates an infinite loop; if it survives, then it’s forced to target itself. “Enrage — Whenever ~ is dealt damage, you may have it fight target creature you don’t control.” Still doesn’t fix the board-wipe issue. Might need to take this one back to the drawing board. For the flavor text, don’t forget that if you’re quoting someone, their name belongs on a separate line.

@wpandp — Apaprik Muster

What I like: Gosh darnit. Deviled eggs. C’mon man... I do love it, though. I like the concept of an egg filled with demonic creatures, imps and whatnot. It’s a scary thought! I like how you played around with mutate here. I personally don’t like mutate as a mechanic, but it’s not a huge issue. You used it well.

What can be improved: I’m still a little uncertain as to what world this card is inhabiting and what the name is implying. Why are devils and demons mutating? Why is “Muster,” an abstract noun, being used as the naming convention for an egg? Why does it have the food ability? I mean, I know, it’s all part of the play that this card is making, but it doesn’t really make mechanical sense.

Thank you all for your entries! Get ready to make cards for tomorrow.

#mtg #magic the gathering #custom magic card #contest #entries #commentary #weird creature types #inventor's fair

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jq37 · 5 years

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The Report Card -- Fantasy High Sophomore Year Ep 1

Sophomores and Spring Break

Note: Hey guys! I decided to try something a little bit different and slightly more structured than my usual recaps for FH: Sophomore Year. I’m hoping this will be a little easier for me and a more useful tool for keeping up to date since there will be a lot more eps to keep track of and they’ll be easier to miss. Lemme know what you think and if you want raw, unfiltered opinions on anything specific, feel free to send me an ask. I’m always down to go off about literally whatever.

We’re back, baby! It is Sophomore Year at Aguefort and the gang is on Spring Break. A lot is going down so lemme break it down. The Bad Kids, having defeated Kalvaxus last year, are all entitled to a share of his hoard and all the red tape is finally cleared so they all get 20k gold each (which is an insane amount of money converted to USD if you use the WOTC conversion rate of a gold coin being around $145 (circa 2006 when they answered the question)--which would be close to $330 with inflation). Jawbone and Sandra-Lynn are moving in after less than a year into a profoundly haunted house and it’s kind of a Full House situation because Adaine, Fig, Kristen, and Tracker all officially live there (plus it seems that Zayn has also anchored himself to Adaine’s tower--btw, Adaine took the tower that the haunted house obviously has) and you know all the other Bad Kids are gonna be there on the regular.

More importantly, Aguefort gives the gang their big project for the year--finding the crown of the Nightmare King which was stolen at the end of last season--which is worth 60% of their grade (Adaine does a full Hermione at this information). Each of the gang has info about the NK but the trail has mostly gone cold. Luckily, Fabian just got a hot tip about where Falinel is keeping Aelwyn and she seems like a pretty good lead to start with since she was super tied up in the bad side of all the messiness of last year. Adaine is displeased to say the least.

Going off to find the crown is super exciting story-wise for two reasons. First of all, it means the gang gets to hire, well, hirelings to help them and temporarily join the party! They ping basically every cool NPC they can think of (except for Tracker for some reason which is BONKERS because (1) she probably would have done it for free and cutting her in would still be keeping the money in the family, (2) she’s dope as hell, (3) she’s a cleric and the party can always use more healers, (4) she’s a werewolf so presumably she has skills that would help in the woods, and (5) they’re t r a c k i n g down a crown and the girl’s name is literally T R A C K E R, but I will not backseat D&D) and eventually end up with Ragh (who has been without an adventuring party all year, poor guy), Sandra-Lynn (swayed by a nat 20 rolled by Fig), Cathilda (!?) ,and, for some reason, Gilear (which Fabian is happy about, mainly for the opportunity to maybe bump him off on the way). Second of all, if you recall, Elmville is a pretty modern town but the rest of the continent is less fantasy high, more high fantasy. Horses and lanterns and all that pseudo-medieval goodness. They are gonna stick out like a sore thumb. I am very here for it.

Everyone goes home to rest up but, after some ominous dreams, only four of them wake up. Riz and Fig are left asleep and then Brennan mic drops and ends the episode which is a power move and I am extremely upset about it but also, respect. Right for the jugular immediately. I heard Murph and Emily are on tour in the UK next week which probably has something to do with this but, in the moment, I did not know that and I really felt the hammer drop in my heart. It was wild. Cannot wait to see where we go from here. Plus, who doesn’t love watching characters freak out because their friends are in danger?

Random Thoughts

I have no idea what the title of this episode is or if it’ll even have one and not a number but I gave it a placeholder one for now. I also don’t have access to the stream yet so I didn’t get to include some info I wanted to (like a record of nat 20s, and nat 1s so I can track their stats for the school year) and I probably missed some stuff because my brain can only hold so much info guys. I’m not Brennan.

I mentioned this yesterday during the stream, but there will never be anything better than the pure D&D joy of everyone, in character, talking over each other to clown on each other. They get the friend-group banter that’s a hair breadth’s away from bullying so true to life and it’s so fun to watch. On the flip side, the opening scene with everyone introducing themselves and affirmatively claiming each other as their best friends was also peak D&D. Found family= best trope.

Fig and Adaine burn spell-slots at basically the same time to try and beat each other to the best room in the (Scooby-Doo ass) house--which is exactly the kind of thing that would happen in this world. It’s such an intuitive setting. I love it so much. (BTW, Fig ends up staying in the false space under the revolving grand piano because, of course).

Fabian and Gorgug went to recruit Ragh, who assumed they were propositioning him for a three-way. In his defense, they did do it in a super proposition-y way and they were in the middle of the LGBTQ student union.

Also, Gorgug gives Ragh an inspiring speech about thinking you’re your own dad which makes him burst into tears.

Speaking of, Jawbone offhandedly says he’s poly but, like, based on some of the stuff he’s said, I feel like that’s not really a reveal. He also gets along well with Gorthalax and would be down w/ a three-way if Sandra-Lynn wanted to which, again, totally checks out.

Arthur Aguefort uses Chronomancy to rewind time and catch a snide comment Adaine made under her breath, which is exactly the kind of frivolous use of God-like power I’d expect from him.

I really love Adaine’s energy coming into this season. She’s in therapy. She’s in a good home environment. She’s comfortable enough with her friend group to do stuff like prank Fig (love that they’re gonna be living together now). And she’s good friends with Zayn now which I want to see more of based on their one interaction in this ep which was very cute. I am already on record as saying I would be down with her getting a ghost boyfriend--I mean, for the aesthetic alone--but I’d be happy with just more friendship.

Fabian is also hilarious this season because you can tell he’s gone a bit soft from having friends and leaning into that (the friendship necklace with Riz) but also he’s fully aware that it’s happening so he’s, like, ping-ponging back and forth like, “These are my friends,” and, “What am I saying? I used to be cool,” and it’s very funny. Very happy the Aelwyn storyline is happening right out of the gate, both because I think Aelwyn is a very interesting character with a lot of potential for nuance but also because Fabian reacting to her and Adaine reacting to Fabian reacting to her is always gold.

Prompted by an offhand conversation from Fig about rock and roll, Brennan--earning another feather for his Cap of God Tier DMing--goes on an impromptu five minute long improved diatribe about a bard who played such a good concert that it instantly impregnated everyone in attendance (dudes too) who gave birth to kids with sick rocker hair and denim jackets and ascended to Rock Heaven on their 18th Birthday. You truly have to watch it to believe it. At a certain point I thought he was gonna drop it but that was the moment he doubled down and kept going. Amazing.

Watching Murph, in real time, make up a girl/boy/whateverfriend in Fantasy Canada was a gift.

I don’t have access to the stream yet but best quote of the night that I can remember is Kristen choosing her room: This is triggering and I’ll take it. (Her line about her lesbian starter kit and the one about wanting a horse were also bangers).

The group talks about what they’re going to do for transportation outside of Elmsville since they don’t really use cars out there and they somehow get from “disguise Fig’s tour bus” to “commission Aguefort to create a brand new animal that can hold six people plus hirelings, one of which is Fabian who is also riding his motorbike”.

I love that Sandra-Lynn’s Mom Powers work on Tracker.

Basrar doesn’t accept the invitation to come with on the quest, but he does give Kristen a bag of infinite ice cream sandwiches, which is basically just as good, IMO.

Oh Gilear. The man is sleeping in the Seacaster garage, being bullied by skater kids, and now he’s stuck on this quest with his ex and Fabian who actively wants him dead.

Speaking of, I’m psyched to see more of Sandra-Lynn. She was kind of a sleeper badass at the end of last season.

Ragh is keeping secrets which I hope the cast doesn’t forget because it could be nothing serious (like the high school drama happening with Skrank and the 7 maidens--maybe he’s just crushing on Gorgug who did full kiss him during Promocalypse) or it could be Serious Business that will blow up if the don’t stay on top of it. We’ll see.

Oh, almost forgot. Adaine wants an emotional support frog. Every time I think I can’t love her more.

Detention

Fig for Not Respecting Personal Boundaries

Fig goes full Emily right out the gate and, after finding out that Skrank (nerdy bird dude who apparently can get it) was not only dating Ostentasia (rich, popular dwarf) but also dumped her in pursuit of Danielle Barkstock (one of Ostentasia’s party members, the scandal), disguises herself as him with Danielle to figure out what’s going on. And, wouldn't you know it, when she gives herself away, Danielle immediately is shocked and appalled, as you would be, obviously. We also learn that she’s still catfishing Dr. Asha which is, how you say, for sure a crime. Fig, please, I’m begging you. Cease.

Honor Roll

Fig, Riz, and Adaine for Researching the Nightmare King

Fig made both lists, look at that. Wasn’t my plan for this to be a three-way tie (also didn’t expect to use the word “three-way” this many times in this writeup) but I think their contributions were pretty much equally valuable. Rainsolo on the Discord wrote up this summary of the lore dump Brennan gave them.

#fantasy high #fantasy high spoilers #dimension 20 #dimension 20 spoilers #the report card #report card

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coldcanyon-blog · 4 years

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Cold Canyon- Saison

This is the fourth batch I’ve brewed of this recipe as I try to hone in on my ideal saison. The most recent change I’ve made, which is a big one, is to switch the yeast strain from Wyeast’s French Saison 3711 to their Belgian Saison 3724. I’ve brewed a couple batches with 3724 and although I’m still getting a handle on this yeast I am really happy with it so far.

I fell in love with 3711 at the first brewery I worked at, it was our go-to for saison and we even brewed our witbier with it. Back then I found 3711 to give a super clean profile with a great balance of punchy fruitiness and spice without being too “hot” with alcohol or muddled like a lot of other saison yeasts. When fermented on the cooler end we found at the brewery that 3711 created a unique orangey spice. People swore that we put orange zest and coriander into our witbier when in fact it was all yeast character they were tasting. When I started doing trials of this saison recipe I started with 3711 but after a few batches was getting a completely different character out of it. Each batch had this astringent bitterness to it that was like a combination of rust and soil. I wasn’t sure at first if what I was tasting was hop-related or perhaps an unhealthy yeast pitch, but after a few batches and some research I decided what I was tasting was the “phenolic bite” that is said to come from certain saison yeast strains. Still haven’t figured out why the character I got from 3711 is so different than how I remember it from a few years ago at the brewery, but at any rate I decided to move on from it.

I had started looking into a new yeast to try when I was out at one of my favorite bars in LA, The Hermosillo. The Hermosillo is the original home to Highland Park Brewery, probably the best brewery in LA, and in addition to HPB beers always has an awesome selection of guest beers which often includes a saison or mixed culture beer from Perennial Artisan Ales from St. Louis. I had a glass of Perennial’s Prism, a dry-hopped saison, and immediately knew that whatever yeast they used in it was exactly what I was looking for. Prism had a great balance of yeast fruitiness and spice that worked well with the heavy hopping and a unique mouthfeel that softer that most saison. From Perennial’s website (http://www.perennialbeer.com/beer-lister/) I found that they use a Belgian saison strain so I took a chance with Wyeast’s option (https://wyeastlab.com/yeast-strain/belgian-saison).

After a few brews with 3724 I am fairly confident that it is indeed the yeast that Perennial uses in Prism. I’m pretty happy with the results so far. I might not be completely sold as it is a bit finicky. The yeast tends to stall out in the 1.020-1.030s halfway through fermentation. It will eventually finish out but it takes some time and/or warming the beer into the 90s Fahrenheit. 3724 also seems to land at a higher FG than other saison yeasts I’ve brewed with. I’ve read it does get down close to 1.000 but I haven’t seen it get that far. (Rather I haven’t been patient enough to see it get that far). But maybe the attenuation will improve as I harvest and re-pitch it a few times.

Brewed 3/18/2020

Water Profile:

.5 tsp Calcium Sulphate and 1.5 tsp Calcium Chloride into 6 gallons strike water

Yeast:

Wyeast 3724 (2nd Gen)

2 Liter starter. Stirred 48 hours. Refrigerated overnight and decanted. Yeast “bloomed” on brew day with first runnings.

Grist:

Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt- 6 lbs (55%)

Weyermann Pale Wheat Malt- 3 lbs (27%)

Flaked Oats- 2 lbs (18%)

Raw Organic Honey- 1 lb at end of boil

Boil: 60 minute

Magnum Hallertauer (13% aa) - 1 oz @ 60

Magnum Hallertauer - 1 oz @ 15

Wildflower Honey - 1 lb @ 10

Mash pH: 5.17

60 min O2 through aeration pump. Pitched yeast and put in fermentation chamber at 77F with no temp control on it (free-rise)

OG: 1.046 - pH 5.07

FG: 1.012 - pH 3.8 (as I mentioned before, could probably have waited for the yeast to attenuate more fully but the beer tasted clean so I decided to keg as I’m under quarantine and NEED BEER)

Kegged 3/30/2020 w/ ~2oz ground coriander

Notes:

4.5% ABV

Super aromatic, coriander and cinnamon.

Silky mouthfeel, soft on the palette, 3724 give a super unique pillowy-marshmallow-like sweetness that balances well with the spicier notes it also creates.

Overall I’m stoked on this beer as a base saison to continue tweaking. "Farmhouse” (whatever that means) styles are my current brewing obsession. Specifically the lower ABV, refreshing, rustic, I’m about that shit. I feel like the best farmhouse beers have a level of flavor and complexity from letting yeast do it’s thing in combination with adjuncts like wheat and oats, and plenty of hop flavor, that you don’t find in other low ABV styles. To me this beer drinks almost like a dry white wine or cider and as it warms in the glass it just becomes more aromatic and punchy.

Concept:

At least partly inspired by the visuals in this Kanye video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivCY3Ec4iaU

Been playing with the visual component of beers more lately. Above is something I threw together with this one as I was first tasting it. Something about the smell and mineral flavor of the beer makes me think about winter, COLD AIR, throat chilling humidity, crunchy frozen grass under your feet, river rocks. Thought it was a funny play on the stories about farmhouse beers that they were traditionally low ABV refreshing beers made for the farmworkers in rural Europe. Always thought that was a dope visual. A bunch of tired farmworkers cresting a hill on the way back to the barn at the end of a hot summer day. Sitting down in the shade and tapping a wooden cask of crisp, rustic saison. Imagining how satisfying that would be. With Cold Canyon I’m picturing a solo creekside walk in the afternoon in the dead of winter. The sun is about to set and the ground begins to freeze agin after only having thawed a couple hours prior. You sit on the one dry rock you can find by the barely flowing, almost entirely frozen creek. Pull out the thermos you packed this morning and pour a portion into the lid. It foams and crackles with carbonation despite having sat in your bag all day. It’s colder on your lips now than it was out of the fridge that morning. A light breeze blows through the bushes nearby and as you take your first sip a waft of floral aromatics from the only remaining live blossoms around for miles hits your nose. A perfect moment of solitude.

#saison #homebrewing

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thenorthreport · 4 years

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Have the Los Angles Lakers uncovered “The Secret”?

The date was November 5th, 2019, The Lakers were visiting Chicago Bulls in the United Center at the tail end of a three-game road trip. The Lakers were the hottest team in the league coming off 5 straight wins since losing Los Angeles Clipper's opening night of the and are now sitting on top of the NBA rankings. Coming into this game I thought it was a no-brainer to who was going to win. So confident in the fact that I put a bet on them to come out with the “W”.

All thought the first 75% of the game all I was able to think about was how much money I was going to lose. In the first three-quarters of this game, this Lakers team looked like they smoked one too many bowls. The turnovers kept raking up, the team looked lost offensively with Anthony Davis only being able to score four points in the first half and eight by the end of the third quarter (which he left early in because he got into foul trouble), and Kyle Kuzma looking like a deer in the headlights ever since coming back from an ankle injury. Also had to give a shout out to JaVale McGee for the pass in the third quarter to Otto Porter Jr. for this open three (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPjTfIdF7eU from 6:00-6:08). It looked like one of those games where the team trailing behind could not for the life of them make a push back into the game and all looked lost when the team failed to bring it back into single digits at the end of the third quarter.

But then it happened,

In a situation like this one, there are two types of teams: the ones that will pull their pants down and take what they deserve and the ones who will fight back with BDE. This Lakers team was the latter. Surprisingly a 5-man unit of Alex Caruso, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels, Kyle Kuzma and Dwight Howard were the ones to score 24 consecutive points for this team starting from the end of the third quarter into the mid-way point of the fourth quarter and it was unbelievable. For starters, Kuzma played aggressively for the limited amount of time he was given to l play in that fourth quarter and was able to put up 11 points on 5/7 shooting in the fourth alone including this sweet off the dribble pull up jumper from the top of the key (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO798fl-uLo 10:04-10:12). Dwight "The Purpose" Howard was at the right place at the right time on the court coming up with big blocks and bigger rebounds throughout their fourth-quarter run. Caruso played solid on both sides on the ball including a huge steal which led to an and-one. Cook was doing his best Curry impression out there with all the backdoor cuts and off-ball screen including a potential four-point play. Finally, Troy Daniels, the fifth guy on the court who had the opportunity to watch this 14-0 run happen before being taken off for LeBron James. In the end, the Lakers took a cushioning 10-point lead in the last five minutes and didn’t look back and in the end, I won some money.

After this game two thoughts occurred to me: 1. The bench actually resembled some NBA talent and 2. This Lakers team looked professional for the first time in almost 10 years. Now I know what some people might be saying: "This was a win against one of the worst teams in the league considering they are producing bottom 10 in the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency" and "It's too early to be saying nonsense like that" or even "Wait till January or February when Lebron is worn out, Anthony Davis is packing his bags for Chicago and Dwight is already two months released posting workouts videos on Instagram". I'm not saying this team is a favorite for the 2020 NBA finals just yet. The sports season is a long and treacherous journey with many bumps and obstacles on the way. This team will for sure be tested and will have nights where they will feel unstoppable and times where they will feel as if they hit rock bottom. I am not writing this article to jump to conclusions but to simply state facts and the fact here is the Lakers seem to have stumbled upon "The Secret".

Know you may be asking yourselves: "What the hell is this hot shot up-and-coming sportswriter talking about and what secret is he is alluding to?" well person reading this article “The Secret” is something that has been around this league ever since it started and has been the driving force for every single NBA championship team. “The Secret” was first introduced to the general public by Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons in the finals of 1989 where he offers to multiple reporters that he was going to offer the "secret to basketball". In short, he never really gave the answer to the question rather dodges it by telling stories and talking about team basketball. No one seems to mind this and for years “The Secret” isn't brought up again until the summer of 2007 by a writer by the name of Bill Simmons. There is a whole story about him meeting Isiah Thomas in his book "The Book of Basketball" which I highly recommend everyone read at some point in their lives. Back to "The Secret", this idea was eating up Bill Simmons on the inside ever since he was told the concept so when he finally got to meet him, he asked Isiah this question. Isiah impressed with Bill answered as follows: "The secret of basketball is that it's not about basketball".

What the hell does that mean? Well, the short answer to this is that teams were successful because teammates liked each other, knew their roles, ignored statistics and finally, put winning over everything else.

This Lakers team is on a mission whether its LeBron writing off the haters in his 17th season in the NBA, Anthony Davis proving he can make a deep playoff run without any major injury or Howard trying to stay afloat in an NBA Which had turned their back on him. This squad is filled with veteran players who are at a point in their career where all they care about is winning a championship and/or are trying to prove they still belong in this league. This Lakers team seems to have boughten into a culture and the stats back it up.

Something that LeBron James has been known for this past couple of years other than his bigger than basketball mentality is the lack of attention defensive end no joke the guy looks like he’s in dire need of some Adderall. Ever since his last season in Miami, LeBron’s defensive intensity and engagement dropped off a cliff which is understandable considering the offensive load this mans must carry not only day in, day out but by the season. Defense is his cruise control or self-drive (for all the tesla owners out there).

But something changed,

During an interview in training camp, Anthony Davis came out and told reporters he expected himself and (called out) LeBron to make All-Defensive team which at first seemed like a joke considering LeBron hasn’t been seen on the defensive end since Barak Obama was starting his second term as president. But now seven games into this season LeBron has been refreshing on that the end of the floor. LeBron’s defensive starts thus far are his best in years with his defensive win shares already almost one third he contributed in his last season in Cleveland according to Basketball Reference—and we are only seven games into the season(note: I did not want to use his first season in LA as an example because he sat out for around a quarter of the season last year). As well he just looks like he gives more of a s--t on that side of the ball which is encouraging.

On a greater scale like Kanye West, this Lakers defense is going through a rebirth thanks to the coaching of 1A (Frank Vogel, 1B is Jason Kidd) and his defensive-minded attitude towards the game. This Lakers team looks poised on the side of the court everyone seems to have forgotten how to play in 2019. honors. Vogel’s defense is designed for a team like this, a squad of veteran players who know their role on the defensive end with one player who is a gifted player running or anchoring the whole thing which is Anthony Davis, and it is built beautifully for him. In the rotations alone there are six different players who at some point in their careers got All-Defensive team honors. The best example of their new defensive style can be seen when the Lakers were playing the Jazz in their second game in the season. During this game the Lakers game plan for Mike Conley was to weak high ball screen which is when you force the player the same direction every time, he is given a screen it contained him for being 3-11 from the field and 1-5 from three.

Some of the reason for this improvement from 13th in defensive efficiency rating (and before you say that isn’t so bad this teamed ranked bottom three in points allowed off turnovers and bottom ten in second point opportunity identifying these teams hustle was … sorry that was needed to be said) to 2nd is thanks to the likes of Danny Green’s “doing the little things” mentality whether that be closing out shooters, constantly being in help, or boxing out opposing big (yes this is done more than you think) and Dwight’s new “the purpose” role (I must say this is the second time I have made this joke now but can we please start calling Dwight Howard “The Purpose”?). Shout out to coach 1A for using the “no roll man left behind” scheme for Dwight Howard when he is on the floor. For those who don’t know the “no roll man left behind” is a scheme they have been using for Dwight Howard on defense where his job on a screen and roll is to make sure he stays under on screens and not to let the roller get past him to the basket as well not giving the ball handler a clear way to the basket. Other than that Dwight seems to be lighter and more active this year than in the past three seasons and is ranked second in blocks per game on the team at 2.1 behind Anthony Davis’s league-leading 3.0. Finally, the key reason behind this defensive rejuvenation is because of AD. The best way to describe Anthony Davis is a bigger, longer more athletic Draymond Green. The thing about AD on the defensive end is that he’s so gifted at reading the offense and being able to see things before they happen which is crazy to think and with his athleticism and length, he can easily tip passes, block shots and keep up with players on the perimeter. His help defense whether that is in the pick-and-roll or under the basket are elite.

As good as this defense has been there are still a couple of problems that need to be resolved if this team wants to take a deep playoff run. I still believe this team is missing a good on-ball defender to match up with bigger, more athletic wings and the Clippers have two of those. The only player matching up well with players like these is LeBron James and considering his offensive contribution and his mileage I doubt he has the energy to be able to guard a player like that and do what he does on offense. The solution to this would be to sign or trade for a defensive-minded wing-like Iggy (duh) or low-key Andre Robertson or Trevor Ariza (even though he looks like horse s—t thus far). Second, even though their defensive RTG has risen they still rank second-worst in the NBA in points off fast breaks which means they still need to improve on their hustle back to the other end of the floor. For more on this Laker's defense and to see how well they are performing, I suggest watching Laker Film Room on YouTube who do an excellent job breaking this stuff down.

The bench productivity so far surprisingly been key to this Lakers team's success. A couple things that are needed to be improved on is their offensive efficiency off the bench which ranks in the bottom ten in the league but I also believe with Kyle Kuzma back in the rotation and staying on the bench this should improve their rating significantly. This benches defense has been their recipe to success so far so much so that their bench plus/minus is ranked second in the league only behind Dallas according to NBA.com. You can say this bench mob has put MUD to shame (only real Laker/NBA fans should get this). As long as this bench finds their groove on the offensive end and get to the middle of the pack efficiency-wise this bench has the potential to be one of the leagues best and be the key to keeping an aging LeBron and a injury-riddled Davis off the court and not needing them to play high 30’s, low 40’s minutes a night.

After this win against this Bulls team the Lakers have shown their identity and their potential of what they are and maybe— what they can be.

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juunshua · 6 years

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henlo! can u post a gif tutorial cause your gifs are so pretty and look amazing, even on mobile which messes up with everythjng 😆

ahh anon u flatter me!! thank you for your kind words!!! i honestly have ways to go, but it means a lot that u say this thank you

so for starters i have a mac + photoshop cs5 so a lot of this tutorial will be based on what you do for that, but i’m sure u could do the same thing on pcs (actually pcs have more programs available so i highly recommend, if u have a pc, finding a tutorial that is based around pcs) and other photoshop versions too! but i think the general process is still the same, a different tutorial might just be more nuanced^^

1. Finding/downloading your video~so for normal mp4 videos on youtube i use this website. it’s pretty useful it can download from actually a wide variety of sites like naver (up till 1080p!) ~for v app videos i use this site~ts files i find on kpopexciting or kpop24hrs (u need an account for kpop24hrs i think to download video but! signing up isnt difficult and its nothing fishy. i use it a lot esp for older ts files it has a good archive, kpopexciting tends to be faster though.)~the higher quality files you find the better! i find that it tends to go mp4~honestly finding the right high quality video is a HUGE part of making gifs look nice2. Extracting your video~there are many many many ways to extract your video but I highly recommend downloading avisynth! There are ways to download it for pc! avisynth is beautiful because it doesn’t really reduce the quality of your video to the extent that photoshop does, plus it can extract 60fps from ts files. some gifs ive made through avisynth ( x x x ) if you’re interested in avisynth further, tumblr user @/brandinator is a good place to start! if you want to know more regarding how to use it and a different tutorial through that, let me know! ~now i’m not sure if there is an avisynth tutorial for mac anymore, BUT theres another great program, vapoursynth, that mac users can look into. here’s a tutorial that i’ve found~Before I got avisynth I used VLC player for ts files but I had to basically screenshot each frame individually. Some gifs I’ve made through this method ( x x x ). these gifs are 60fps only bc i found a user who uploaded the ts file in 60fps. usually you cant get 60fps w/o avisynth. but this is also me saying that if you cant get avisynth or vapoursynth, there are still ways to work around it i think! one of my fav giffers for the longest time didnt use either!! and sharpening and coloring were always on point.~I think pcs can use kmplayer? id look into that if you have a pc~for normal mp4 videos I just use photoshops ‘import video frames to layers’ option (under file in the menubar)! you can use avisynth as well, but for me it takes forever to extract what i want in avisynth (minimum like a minute ish), whereas ps can get the part of the video i want to gif in a couple of seconds. I think it’s self explanatory but basically you find the video you want to extract, find where u want ur gif to start, and for photoshop cs5, you hit the ‘shift’ key and let the part u want giffed in the video play. when youre done u lift the shift key and hit ‘ok’ (idk if it differs for different versions of ps). i extract all!!! frames!! it makes it look smoother too :)

3. Coloring/Sharpening/Cropping/Etc~now this is the step that I can’t really give a tutorial on because honestly it varies for everyone! but i feel that this is the step that a lot of ppl need guidance with (me included) because it is the hardest step, probably because it is so ‘up in the air’ for lack of a better word? there is no one right way of doing it the possibilities are literally endless but here are some tips~Coloring: ~most important rule: don’t whitewash ur gifs!! ~other than that, the world is yours. ~honestly have fun with this part! coloring is something that i haven’t fully learned yet ~i tend to play around mainly with the curves, selective color, hue/saturation, and color balance layers ~you can also download psds other ppl have made (i dont do this myself) and use those! ~also i feel that a lot of the times, the right coloring can make ur gif seem higher quality. coloring can also play a role in reducing gif size if u do it correctly. ~honestly this part is just a lot of experimentation, over the course of a gifset and over the course of time in general. some people find their coloring style easily, but i was not one of those people. ive spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to adjust what layers to get the colors that i want and i think only as of this era ive been able to execute the coloring i had pictured in my mind. so patience is a virtue!!! ~Sharpening: ~ah yes my biggest enemy: sharpening ~first things first, i sharpen my gifs using smart sharpen + topaz ~settings for my smart sharpen are 500%; 0.4 ~check the box that says ‘more accurate’ and i personally remove ‘gaussian blur’ ~some people also use topaz denoise, and/or topaz clean ~ honestly topaz is a lifesaver for me bc it smoothes out a lot of grain that can be introduced via coloring! also!!! it can reduce gif size by a lot!!!!!!!!!!! ~on topaz denoise i hit the ‘light’ setting on the side and adjust the settings accordingly ~idk how to use topaz clean even though I have it, because it refuses to work ~to apply topaz you have to hit ‘flatten frames into layers’ ~some gifs i’ve made with just topaz and no avisynth ( x x x x) ~there are ways to make it look nice without topaz but i’ve forgotten how after i got it ~id duplicate the frame then use smart sharpen and ‘gaussian blur’ under ‘blur’ ~then adjust the opacity levels in some way. ~my settings for the opacity levels aren’t good so i’ll refrain from sharing ~some gifs ive made through this method ( x x ) ~last but not least i’ll bring up avisynth again. avisynth is nice at preserving video quality ~a lot of ppl i know say they don’t even sharpen gifs out of avisynth ~here are some gifs i have made with avisynth + topaz ( x x x x x x x ) ~honestly when it comes to sharpening, im still floundering with it. my sharpening needs a lot of work but, amongst the people who i consider good sharpners, most of them use avisynth, topaz denoise and/or clean, and smart sharpen! so all the resources are here !

~Cropping: ~it’s super important to follow tumblr dimensions otherwise gifs come out looking grainy! even when they’re not ! (case in point: x in which i used 168 instead of 178 for the dimensions)~Timing: ~Timing is so important!!! I almost forgot!! Always make sure u dont have duplicate frames for starters! for 60fps source videos i use .03, for mp4s i typically use .04 but sometimes the frame rate is kinda funky so you may have to go slower accordingly! and the important thing about timing is that if u use smart object, when u save ur gif, it’ll be in a different timing? like .04 gets changed to .07 but in order to fix that, u can simply just save ur gif in the wrong timing, and then reopen the gif in ps, simply change the timing to what u want on all ur frames, and then save it again!! idk if that made any sense but laskdjf this was the biggest mystery for me for so long omg4. Saving the gif~personally the save settings I use are “Selective/Adaptive” ; “Diffusive”; Dither: 100%; 256 colors. sometimes this makes the gif super grainy so i use “pattern” instead of “diffusive” in those instances5. Pray Perseverance ~a lot of the time when you’re giffing, gifs won’t come out the way you want it (i’m sure for every gifset i’ve uploaded on tumblr, there’s a gifset that i started making and never finished because it looked really bad). idk sometimes it feels like photoshop has its own will, sharpenings wont always work the same way each time, video quality won’t be the way you want it, i’m honestly still very experimental right now I don’t have ps figured out at all. so yeah…sometimes all u can do is that when u hit that save for web button (that ruins everything alskf), pray that ps doesnt mess it up too bad ahahaha but also that even when it does, its okay and you can try again! or try something new!

this is a super generic guide! let me know if you need more information!

#anon #replies

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icemaninvestments · 3 years

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From Norwich City Going Far to Donald Trump Hahaha

Ok let's get straight in and the best place to start is Trump's defeat in the US election . This is obviously great news for the US and the planet but also a nice bonus is we had Biden at 5/1 so a good bit of business for the investment portfolio. I know the Pussy Grabber is still claiming he won but my bookie has paid out. It's over.

As ever the investment fund will be hoping to achieve some growth that enables us to make donations to the anti racism charity Hope not Hate and Kurdish Solidarity in Rojava.

So what are the prospects?

English Premiership Arsenal Top 6 at 4/7 and Top 4 at 11/4.

Wow the top 6 part of this was supposed to be a banker as the ultra skinny 4/7suggested. I really did buy the Arteta hype thinking Arsenal would kick on from the progress of last season. Arsenal though are having a miserable time and are sitting in 15th position 6 points shy of 6th place they now trade at 11/4 (ShitePrice). The top 4 was always going to be more of a stretch but at 11/4 it looked good value, well it ain't now. They have been pushed out to 12/1 (ShitePrice) and this small part of the bet looks already destined for the loss column.

Championship Norwich City Promotion 23/10

Early days but The Canaries sit top of an ultra competitive division and now trade at Even money (IcePrice). Will not get ahead of things as only four points cover the top 7 but expect Norwich to be in the mix for automatic promotion and a certainty for a play off place. Optimistic about collecting.

League One Portsmouth Promotion 3/1

Pompey sit in 4th place and look good for a play-off berth. They are 4 points off an automatic promotion place but will need to really push on to be in with a shout.Currently trading at 17/10 (IcePrice) . Would love to believe they can get among the automatic positions but the play offs offer a harder though more realistic route. Cautiously optimistic.

LeagueTwo Bolton Promotion 5/4

Once again one of the short priced selections are massively underperforming. Bolton invested heavily (for this level) pre-season in an exciting new manager and 15 new players. You might expect that it might take a while for all that to gel and they had a shocker of a start losing 7 games. Things have improved and they started to climb the table but have had a couple of recent set backs.They sit 8 points adrift of the play offs and are now priced at 5/1 ShitePrice. I still feel they could hit a decent run and make the play offs and from there anything can happen. It ain't over.

National League Notts County Promotion 3/1

This league is the toughest to get out of with only one automatic place . It has however been very kind to me over the years. County were slow starters and have gradually improved trading now at 5/2 (NicePrice). Would have hoped that they would be vying for automatic promotion but they trail the leaders by 8 points. Nailed on for a play-off place and I aim cautiously optimistic that they can gain promotion.

Scottish Premiership Hibernian w/o Celtic/Rangers 13/5

This was intended as very much a side bet as my main interest in the SPL was watching Celtic march to an historic ten in a row league championships. They are having a nightmare and looks like Rangers will win the title. Trust me any pick up on Hibs will be meagre consolation. As it happens Hibs do sit in 3rd place with a point advantage over Aberdeen though the Sheep have a game in hand, Hibs trade at 5/4 (IcePrice). This will go to the wire.

Scottish League One Falkirk to win 2/1

On a recovery mission with this one. Falkirk were finishing strongly last term when the League was curtailed due to Covid. I am sure that if all all the fixtures had been completed then Falkirk would have won. I am happy to go again and so far so good as they are lead the division by 4 points and have shortened to 11/10 (IcePrice). Expect to collect.

Scottish League Two Queens Park Win 1/2

Ok so that is a very short price but it still represents rock solid value. Queens Park owned the national Scottish national stadium which they have sold and the proceeds of £5 million will make a massive difference at this tier. They have started strongly and sit top with a 4 point advantage . Best priced now at 3/10 (IcePrice) . This is money in the bank.

Champions League Seville each way 66/1

Seville are an an excellent cup side and have made it out of the group stages . They are now 50/1(IcePrice). You can't get too carried away at these prices but reckon they can go deep and give a decent run for our money with a possible trade out opportunity.

Super Bowl Green Bay Packers 22/1

Don't like or follow NFL so can only assume they are doing ok as trading at 17/2(IcePrice). This bet is purely for conversational purposes with the NFL Sadsacks at my work.

Finally Horses

Got two ante post positions Battleground 8/1 in the 2000 Guineas which has drifted slightly to 10/1 (ShitePrice) and Cyrname 16/1 in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. I am looking forward to this one running a cracker over Christmas and then watching them Gold Cup odds tumble.

So overall the fund looks in good shape.

IceMan Investment Portfolio - Winning.

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junker-town · 4 years

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The start of Western Illinois’ NCAA tournament run in Year 21, continued

America’s Western Illinois Leathernecks start their run in the 2028 NCAA tournament as a No. 9 seed.

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

We pick up with Western Illinois in the first round of the 2028 NCAA tournament in Year 21 of Coach Rick’s tenure. But first, here’s a recap of everything that happened so far this season:

Coming off a historically dominant national championship run the previous season for our third title in program history, the Leathernecks entered the new year trying to go back-to-back for the first time. We returned four starters but lost standout wing Wilky Henry to the NBA. We begin the new season ranked No. 18 in the preseason polls.

We went 5-5 in the non-conference schedule before sweeping Summit League play once again. We then captured the Summit League tournament title to lock in our automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. We enter the NCAA tournament as a No. 9 seed at 26-5 on the year.

We recruited for four open scholarships. We landed our highest-rated recruit ever and first ever All-American with 6’6 power forward J.J. Bracy, who is ranked No. 24 overall and No. 2 at his position. We also got an early commitment from point guard Alexis Willingham, who is the No. 68 overall and No. 28 at his position. We have two more scholarships to recruit for in the offseason.

Read: Western Illinois, Year 21, 2027-2028

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

There’s a case to be made that this is our best roster ever. Last year’s tournament run is still fresh in everyone’s mind. It’s not just that we become the lowest-seed team to ever win the national championship as a No. 12 seed. It’s how we did it. Blowout after blowout after blowout, winning by an average margin of 27 points per game. Everyone from that squad is back with the exception of standout wing scorer Wilky Henry. Entering the tournament, I’m very confident we have what it takes to make a run at national title No. 4.

Unfortunately, our shaky regular season means we got another tough draw through the bracket. No. 8 seed Michigan is our first round opponent. Here’s a look at the Wolverines’ roster. Here’s how the two teams matchup:

Michigan is only two years removed from winning the national championship. They have one of the country’s best players in 7-foot senior power forward W.C. Pinkalla. Our prize for getting past the Wolverines would be a date with No. 1 seed Xavier, who has an absolutely stacked roster. No. 4 seed Florida and No. 2 Clemson also look super formidable in our West region. This is going to be a difficult run, but after last year’s success I feel like we could beat anyone. If we win this thing again I’m starting a petition to face the Charlotte Bobcats.

This is the last dance for our senior power forward Allen Cunningham, a three-year starter and one of the most dependable players in program history. If he leads us to another title, Ham will have a strong case for the GOAT Leatherneck. Ham is joined by starting center Pat Giddens and sophomore backup center Kevin Brazzle, who are also both monsters. Our front court is going to have to carry us to a championship, because it remains a question of who becomes our go-to perimeter scoring threat. Sophomore shooting guard Mathew Alloway and junior wing Wilbur Ager will have to step up. This is also the final run for senior point guard Tron Whaley, who brings the size (6’4), outside shooting ability, and the cool name we’re looking for at the position.

Let’s go!

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***

Win, 87-65! We’re onto the second round to face Xavier.

This one followed the same pattern of so many of our games during last year’s tournament run: competitive for the first half, only to see our Leathernecks run away with it after halftime.

I want to give a shout-out to Michigan’s star big man Pinkalla, who absolutely looked like the real deal. I gave him the Tim Duncan comp halfway through this game even before he started banking in jump shots. He was Michigan’s only offense for the majority of the game and made Cunningham look helpless at times defensively. Pinkalla finished with 24 points and nine rebounds on 11-of-14 shooting from the floor in only 29 minutes. He feels like one of the better opposing players we’ve faced in our 21 years at Western Illinois, so salute to him on the way out. Fortunately, our Leathernecks were just too good to let one player give us all that much trouble.

I love the way we shot the ball. Alloway got into a rhythm from deep, doing 3-for-3 from behind the arc to finish with a team-high 19 points. I also thought he helped key our defense, finishing with two steals and a block. He’s turning into a really good two-way wing. Here’s a highlight from reader Abby:

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Cunningham was great, too. He had 11 of his 13 points in the first half, which was critical in helping keep us keep pace with Pinkalla’s scoring surge. Ham has always had a devastating inside-out game, and he showed off his touch by splashing two three-pointers early in the first half.

Here was his second triple of the day off a nice feed from Giddens.

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Senior shooting guard Vitor Andrisevic also gave us great minutes off the bench, finishing with 15 points. Andrisevic, a former five-star international recruit out of Montenegro, has had the weakest development of any player in program history and will likely go down as our biggest recruiting bust ever. He’s still turned himself into a useful bench guard as a shooter now at an 86 overall. I’d like nothing more than to see him have a couple more moments throughout this tournament run.

I’d like to see a little more out of Tron and Ager, but in general I can’t complain about a 22-point NCAA tournament win. Bring on Xavier.

No. 9 Western Illinois vs. No. 1 Xavier, round of 32, 2028 NCAA tournament

Xavier is a worthy top seed. The Musketeers enter the game at 32-4 on the season and rated as a 99 overall. Here’s how the two teams matchup — it’s pretty even. Western Illinois and Xavier both have six players on the roster rated as at least a 90 overall.

Here’s a look at the Xavier roster:

The thing that jumps out about Xavier is they don’t really have any size. They have zero centers on the roster and only one power forward, who happens to be 6’7. While that would seemingly play into our hands because we have such a great front court, I’m nervous about Xavier’s shooting and their ability to get into the passing lanes if they press. Small ball teams have given us problems in the past by turning us over on full court traps.

The ideal gameplan looks something like this:

Slow it down

Go inside to Ham, Giddens, Brazzle

Profit

If nothing else, we should crush on the offensive glass?

It’s been a *while* since we’ve had a stream game that didn’t end in a blowout victory for our Leathernecks. Here’s hoping for another one. Winner gets a very dangerous No. seed 4 Florida team in the Sweet 16. Gotta take care of business against Xavier first.

We streamed this game on Twitch. As always, I’m not controlling Western Illinois; we’re watching a simulated game played by the computer. I’m not playing any of the games in this series. The game will start when you press play, but if not go to the 1:17:00 mark. I’d also recommend clicking through for the full video to read the Twitch comments.

Let’s go!

***

Loss, 90-60. Smoked. I am absolutely gutted to see our season end like this.

That was a really weird game, man. I can’t remember anything like that during the watch parties before. For one, Ham decided to stop wearing pants.

twitch_clip

First of all, what? Also, I’m just going to say it: it was all downhill after Ham pulled his shorts up.

The first half was so low scoring. We were just shooting the ball horribly — 29 percent from the field and 1-of-8 from three — but we were able to hang in there by getting to the foul line and limiting turnovers. Both of those aspects completely fell apart in the second half, and so did we.

Just way, way, way too many turnovers. Tron Whaley did his best Angel Keita impression to finish with seven turnovers. Ham threw several mindless passes. It just felt like we were pressing the entire game, and once Xavier got off to a 7-0 run to start the second half, the deficit snowballed from there.

The numbers for our front court of Ham and Giddens in their final game are just downright demoralizing. They finished 8-of-30 combined from the floor. Neither Alloway or Ager could step up and fill Wilky Henry’s shoes as our go-to perimeter scorer. At the end of the day, we just couldn’t hit a shot.

Shooting 30.7 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three just isn’t going to cut it.

What a sad way to go out. We’re losing three great seniors in Cunningham, Giddens, and Tron, and also Vitor Andrisevic. Ham goes down as one of our very best players ever. We don’t win our third ever national championship without him. I’d put him down as our new $5 power forward and wouldn’t think twice about it. Tron and Giddens both had excellent careers too even with the bummer ending. Can’t say I’ll miss Vitor.

It’s going to be a very different team next season. The big question is whether or not Kevin Brazzle goes pro as a sophomore. He’s a projected first round pick and would leave a big hole in the middle for us next season if he decides to jump to the draft.

We’re headed into the offseason, but first we have to crown a winner in our bracket contest.

Bracket contest results

The Final Four looked like this: LSU, Xavier, Ole Miss, and BYU. BYU beat LSU in the national championship game.

We had about 120 people enter the bracket contest this year, so thanks to all who participated. You can find the leaderboard on Sean Vinsel’s Blog Team bracket app, which works on desktop and mobile. Here’s a look at the highest scores:

Congrats to reader Justin on the win. He gets to create a five-star recruit that we’ll monitor throughout our dynasty.

Let’s get into the offseason.

Offseason

BYU wins the national title as a No. 5 seed. I’m saying that qualifies as a major upset considering only two people picked them to win it all in the bracket challenge.

Matt Boswell — our created player for the first ever winner of the bracket contest — ends his legendary career by being named a Second-Team All-American. Boswell averaged 24.4 points per game as a senior and helped Dayton reach the Sweet 16. He even posted back-to-back 32-point games in the tournament. He exits school with 2,583 career points. Every created character should hope to one day become as beloved as Boswell. Our second created player, Ben Remis from South Florida, also decided to turn pro as a junior.

Giddens, Cunningham, and Tron all get drafted. Brazzle stays! We’re going to have three new starters next year, but our roster should be loaded with talent with no apparent holes. I can’t wait.

Coach Rick gets a lifetime contract from Western Illinois! Finally. That means I have three coaching points now after earning two for our power forward recruit J.J. Bracy becoming our first five-star commitment in-season and also our first All-American.

I decide to put two points into discipline to boost me to a B- in the category. I then put one point in offense to boost me to an A overall.

North Carolina offers me their head coaching job. I’m turning it down.

We lost an assistant coach and hire Anil Valdez, who is pretty solid across the board but only has a B rating in teaching.

Recruiting

Recruiting is already off to a great start this season. We locked down two of our four scholarships in-season by signing:

6’6 power forward J.J. Bracy, ranked No. 24 overall and No. 2 at his position

6’2 point guard Alexis Willingham, ranked No. 68 overall and No. 28 at his position

We have offers out to two more players: No. 2 center Dick Copeland and No. 38 overall shooting guard Skip Clemmons. Would be a monster class if we can land both, maybe even the best in the country.

We land Copeland on the first day of the spring signing period. He’s only a three-star recruit, but he’s the highest rated center we’ve ever signed as No. 114 overall and No. 2 in his class.

Copeland is short for a center at 6’8 and put up pretty mediocre AAU numbers, but I’m guessing he was regarded so highly for a reason. One possible guess: we scouted his potential as an A+ overall. That’s not always accurate, but it’s definitely exciting. Hopefully he grows a couple inches in school like most of players have.

Clemmons commits a couple weeks later. It’s pretty wild to think that, as the No. 38 overall recruit, he’s our sixth highest-rated recruit in program history.

Two things stand out about Clemmons: his size and shooting. Look at that sparkling 47 percent three-point percentage. I’m thinking he’s big enough to switch to small forward if need be, which should give us some flexibility in recruiting next year.

I’m thrilled with this class. As I advance past the recruiting stage, it says we had the No. 5 class in the country this year!

Easily our best recruiting haul ever, breaking our previous high water mark of the No. 9 class in the country.

Now it’s time to set our schedule for next year. I decide to go with this:

@ Illinois, @ Florida, @ Charlotte, vs. George Washington, @ North Carolina, @ Syracuse, @ St. John’s, @ USC, @ South Florida, @ Arkansas

Year 22

Here’s a first look at our roster for Year 22.

We’re starting off the season at No. 19 in the preseason polls. Not bad for a team with only two returning starters.

Our incoming freshman class looks great:

Bracy is an 81 overall with C potential, making him by far our highest-rated true freshman ever, per reader Evan’s Leathernecks Recruiting Database.

Willingham is a 76 overall with C potential and has already grown an inch to 6’3.

Clemmons is a 75 overall with C potential.

Copeland is a 75 overall with A potential. Best potential rating in program history.

The future is bright even after a disappointing tournament run last season.

Next season is going to be a lot of fun. We’re going to play through it while recruiting for one open scholarship and watching one regular season game together on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Here’s how to watch.

Watch Western Illinois Year 22 regular season play-through

What we’re watching: Western Illinois Year 22 regular season stream. We’ll watch one regular season game, recruit for four scholarships, and sim to the NCAA tournament.

How to watch: My Twitch channel

Date: Wednesday, Sept, 9

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

I hope to see you there. Go ‘Necks.

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paulbenedictblog · 4 years

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Fox news Brooks: Four lessons I learned from the draft - NFL.com

Fox news

In case you are into the roster construction task, the NFL draft is equivalent to the Immense Bowl. The league's biggest player acquisition tournament gives deal of classes that aspiring group builders can consume to place their very gain philosophies down the street. Given time to think on likely the most significant happenings that took purpose this past weekend, right here are four classes that I learned from the 2020 NFL Draft:

1) By no manner too early to procure the subsequent franchise QB

The Inexperienced Bay Packers gain been perennial contenders at some level of the final three decades attributable to their stability on the quarterback purpose. The group transitioned from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers without skipping a beat, with a pair of Immense Bowl wins, 13 division titles and 20 playoff berths with No. 4 or No. 12 on the helm.

Even although the hand off from a 3-time MVP to a young quarterback who emerged as a two-time MVP himself used to be considered as controversial on the time, it be arduous to dispute the outcomes now. With that in mind, I'm in a position to't understand why the football world is miffed by the group's option to make consume of a first-spherical select on Utah Notify quarterback Jordan Treasure.

Obvious, the switch prevented the group from theoretically adding one other offensive weapon to the mix within the short timeframe, but the quarterback is largely the most impactful purpose within the game (and potentially in pro sports). And bringing in a young passer to learn within the support of certainly likely the most finest to ever enact it gives the Packers a chance to extend their championship window deep into the 2020s.

Sounds acquainted, finest-wanting? Here is precisely how the Packers proceeded when Rodgers surprisingly fell into their laps in 2005, with Favre quiet within the midst of a Hall of Standing profession. Despite Favre coming off certainly one of his worst seasons as a expert (NFL chief in interceptions with 29) on the age of 36, his decorated resume and legendary space as a Immense Bowl winner made Inexperienced Bay's different of Rodgers a huge shock.

On the opposite hand, historical Packers GM Ron Wolf established an organizational philosophy of valuing the quarterback purpose at a top price, and he passed on those classes to his successor Ted Thompson when Thompson worked as certainly one of his assistants. Paradoxically, Packers total supervisor Brian Gutenkast worked as a longtime scout below Thompson, and those quarterback classes are indubitably embedded in his group-building philosophy.

"Ron (Wolf) traded a first-spherical select for a quarterback that no-one wanted," Gutekunst acknowledged support in February on the NFL Scouting Combine, relating to Brett Favre. "Ted (Thompson) drafted a quarterback when he had a Hall-of-Standing guy sitting there who used to be going to play at least three more years. That is produce of how I've viewed it. My first 10 years within the league, it used to be (Matt) Hasselbeck and (Aaron) Brooks and all those guys. Ron used to be in a purpose to flip those guys into picks down the street.

"I factual think the quarterback purpose is so significant that it's good to well be by no manner no longer handle it whenever you happen to think you've a chance to gain interaction a player that could well play within the league."

And so remaining weekend, the Packers scooped up a young quarterback with a ton of doable. I gain no longer think somebody expects Decide to play finest-wanting away, but he can even scrutinize game action earlier than some some are willing to admit attributable to Rodgers' injure complications over the remaining several seasons and the truth that he'll be 37 in December. While No. 12 can even indubitably earn his MVP produce with more time in Matt LaFleur's plan, the percentages are in opposition to the passe quarterback taking half in a renaissance on the purpose in Year 16 and beyond.

True to be lunge, I'm no longer hating on Rodgers or brushing off his skills or esteemed purpose in NFL history, but we shouldn't ignore the passe's declining production and output since 2016. No. 12's completion proportion and passer rating gain been neatly beneath his lofty standards (65% completion price; 100.0-plus passer rating). Furthermore, it be been five seasons since he hit the marks in support-to-support years.

With Rodgers shedding some of his trademark athleticism, which performs a vital purpose in his game as an improvisational playmaker, the Packers wished to gain interaction a long, arduous watch on the 2020 quarterback class to gain a look at if there used to be a young quarterback worth taking as an apprentice.

Studying Treasure throughout the pre-draft task, there's a lot to love about his game and his doable as an eventual QB1. The Utah Notify product tests off a form of boxes as a mobile playmaker with A-plus arm skill and a artistic game. Treasure's been loosely when put next to Patrick Mahomes (who used to be when put next to Rodgers at some level of his pre-draft review) consistent with his capacity to carry out unheard of off-platform throws interior and outside of the pocket. Even although his turnover woes and disappointing 2019 campaign gain led critics to skedaddle holes in his game, a long, arduous watch at his sophomore season gives a undercover agent of what he can even turn out to be on the next stage with more self-discipline and a focus to detail.

Put in mind, Rodgers wasn't considered as a definite thing in 2005 and there gain been even questions about his long-timeframe doable following the vital two seasons of his profession in Inexperienced Bay. This capacity that of this the Packers' gamble on Treasure and his upside can even pay off handsomely down the street if he develops into a solid quarterback after likely serving a two-year apprenticeship within the support of Rodgers. The wage cap implications connected with dumping No. 12 earlier than the discontinue of the 2022 season makes it likely that Treasure will procure at least two seasons to work on his game below LaFleur's tutelage and the philosophical shift to a more speed-oriented manner (scrutinize AJ Dillon and Josiah Degura picks) could well support the youngster excel in a "stretch-bootleg" plan that mirrors the system speed by the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams with quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Jared Goff, respectively.

Pondering about Treasure's athleticism, arm skill and playmaking capacity when put next to the aforementioned QB1s, the Packers could well even gain a Immense Bowl-caliber quarterback in purpose to carry them via the next decade.

The Treasure select can even honest no longer unhealthy as a most normal one within the indicate time, but adding a young franchise quarterback to the roster paid mountainous dividends in Inexperienced Bay sooner than. It is some distance going to also happen all another time with the Utah Notify product in purpose as the heir obvious.

2) Eagles increasing a QB manufacturing facility

Treasure the Packers, the Eagles gain been met with quite the outrage over their components to draft a young QB with a top price select.

Presumably the indignation stems from who the Eagles took (Jalen Hurts) with their second-spherical different or hearing GM Howie Roseman's bodacious desire to make a "quarterback manufacturing facility" in Philadelphia, but the funding within the quarterback purpose is a finest switch must you see the panorama of the league. It be no longer a accident that the groups with the finest quarterbacks are routinely in playoff contention attributable to the QB1's impact on the of video games. Investing in a backup quarterback is love taking a undercover agent for insurance coverage in your condominium -- you gain no longer desire to pay the premiums, but you are grateful for the coverage when ache strikes.

Pondering about the Eagles' fresh history with their starter and his backups, the group indubitably understands the worth of a quality QB2 and the plan in which a succesful hold-in could well support title hopes afloat in dire conditions.

In 2017, Reduce Foles guided the Eagles to a Immense Bowl LII have interaction while incomes Immense Bowl MVP honors alongside the manner after Carson Wentz suffered a season-ending knee injure in Week 14. The following season, Foles all another time stepped in and engineered one other playoff speed after the franchise quarterback used to be sidelined in mid-December for the rest of the season with a support injure.

Even although Wentz started each game at some level of the 2019 odd season, he used to be knocked out of the Eagles' wild-card contest, forcing a 40-year-former Josh McCown into action to test out and spark the offense as an emergency hold-in.

With those recollections freshly etched within the minds of the total supervisor and head coach, the Eagles wisely made the QB2 purpose a priority this offseason. Nonetheless quite than spending gigantic money on a passe in free agency, they opted to search out a quality (and more cheap) backup within the draft. Pondering about the going price for high-discontinue backup QBs is within the $3 million-plus differ with the doable to succeed in into double digits, the Eagles are saving money and securing label lunge bet by investing in a young quarterback.

Imagine it this plan. For rather over $6 million, the Eagles gain locked up their QB2 for the next four years. Hurts will depend for factual below $1.1 million in opposition to the wage cap in 2020, per Over The Cap, which is a discount for a marquee purpose on the roster.

"For better or worse, we're quarterback developers," Eagles total supervisor Howie Roseman instructed newshounds after selecting Hurts. "We desire to be a quarterback manufacturing facility. After we accomplish these forms of choices, we always proceed to our suggestions and who we're and what we predict in, and excellent-wanting or wicked, this is who we're."

That assertion can even very neatly be laced with a twinge of conceitedness, but I understand and accept as true with Roseman's rationale in relation to devoting sources to the purpose. Quarterback play sooner or later determines the winners and losers on this league, and the wise groups gain a deep bullpen. The Eagles are simply going about their alternate in an unconventional plan.

That acknowledged, we gain viewed the New England Patriots succeed with a identical manner when they'd Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett backing up Tom Brady. The invested Day 2 picks (No. 62 total for Garoppolo in 2014; No. 91 total for Brissett in 2016) but gain been in a purpose to procure solid performance and label for his or her investments. The young quarterbacks helped the Patriots assemble a 3-1 file in 2016 at some level of Brady's suspension, and their particular particular person flashes as transient starters helped the group flip them for a draft select (Garoppolo traded to San Francisco for a second-spherical select) and a player (Brissett traded to Indianapolis for Philip Dorsett).

In Hurts, the Eagles are getting a twin-threat playmaker with a winning pedigree and impeccable personality. He led a pair of blue-blood functions (Alabama and Oklahoma) to the College Football Playoffs, while exhibiting unhurried improvements as a passer alongside the manner. With the Eagles intent on discovering a mobile playmaker to groom within the support of Wentz, Hurts used to be a logical different as a prospect.

"The keep the league is going, when he gets trip and instructing, he's going to be a precious player," Roseman acknowledged. "Our job is to carry out as many resources as we can and consume them to procure more label. That is indubitably what the draft is ready. It be about label."

While some Philly sports followers can even very neatly be pissed off that their group didn't handle more pressing desires with the different, the Eagles are hoping that their commitment to fortifying the quarterback purpose will pay dividends down the street.

"The draft is no longer about factual doing whatever is healthier for a bunch within the transient," Roseman acknowledged. "The draft is ready making wise, long-timeframe choices for your group consistent with the priorities that you just think [are] key to winning football video games. We gain received a form of football video games spherical right here the remaining three years, and I feel very assured that the decisions we accomplish are going to abet us neatly for the transient and the long-timeframe."

3) Teams building energy on energy

As a young player with the Inexperienced Bay Packers, I take into accout Hall of Standing government Ron Wolf telling me how he believed surplus at a purpose, particularly a purpose that is significant to the group's form of play, used to be serious to future success. He acknowledged stacking "energy on energy " permits a bunch to take in a vital injure to a key player, and besides gives the total supervisor with some doable alternate chips if they favor to them down the street.

From a game-planning standpoint, the addition of a blue-chip player at a purpose of depth enables the offensive or defensive coordinator to place in power a rotation that sooner or later wears opponents out. Final year, we watched the San Francisco 49ers add Reduce Bosa with the No. 2 total select to a line of defense that already featured four historical first-rounders. The 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year enhanced the unit with his savage circulation flee talents and fanatical effort on discover how to serving to the 49ers field the NFL's second-ranked protection.

This offseason, total supervisor John Lynch tapped into the line of defense's superior depth and skill to swap out an rising celeb (DeForest Buckner) for a first-spherical select from the Indianapolis Colts that was the Reliable Bowler's change (Javon Kinlaw). Even although the passe's dominant performance received't be straightforward to change, the 49ers can even've landed an identical skill at a mighty more inexpensive label (Buckner signed a four-year, $84 million handle the Colts; Kinlaw's rookie contract is projected to be a four-year deal for spherical $15 million).

The Niners weren't the finest group to plan energy on energy within the draft. Here's a undercover agent at four different groups that added blue-chip avid gamers to already-loaded purpose groups:

Washington Redskins: DE Lumber Young. The pinnacle-ranked player within the 2020 draft didn't basically hold a purpose of want for the 'Skins consistent with the presence of Montez Sweat and Ryan Kerrigan on the perimeters, but Ron Rivera could well no longer circulation up a chance to add a premier circulation rusher to the rotation. As an A-plus athlete with a superb combination of size, energy and capacity, Young has gold jacket doable and his disruptive presence can aid the 'Skins shut the gap on their NFC East competitors. With four historical first-rounders joining Young on the frontline, the Redskins can even very neatly be in a purpose to gain a look on the blueprint that enabled the 49ers to switch to from doormat to contender in a pair of years.

Baltimore Ravens: RB J.Okay. Dobbins. It be arduous to upgrade a working game that is already considered as the finest within the alternate, but Dobbins will give the Ravens' offense plan more explosiveness within the backfield. The 5-foot-9, 209-pound workhorse is a dynamic runner with excellent imaginative and prescient, steadiness and body management. He completed his Ohio Notify profession as the second-leading rusher in faculty history on the energy of a junior campaign that culminated in a 2,000-yard season while leading the Buckeyes into the College Football Playoffs. Despite the presence of Worth Ingram, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill within the backfield, the addition of a blue-chip runner to a read-chance assault spearheaded by the reigning MVP (Lamar Jackson) can even accomplish the Ravens' working game downright frightening to shield in 2020.

Dallas Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb. When the Cowboys re-signed Amari Cooper to a lucrative extension, the group's work at huge receiver perceived to be completed. On the opposite hand, Lamb's finest-wanting draft-day slide keep the Oklahoma giant title squarely within the group's crosshairs, and Jerry Jones bypassed more pressing desires to add one other level scorer to the lineup. Lamb is a pure WR1 with unprecedented ball talents, hand-view coordination and working capacity. He's a rare playmaker in a position to snagging 50-50 balls alongside the boundary or taking a bubble cover the gap. With Ezekiel Elliott commanding attention as the Cowboys' major offensive weapon, Lamb can even join Cooper and Michael Gallup within the 1,000-yard club, with defenses forced to make a selection their poison when figuring out whether or no longer to discontinue the speed or circulation.

Miami Dolphins: CB Noah Igbinoghene. The Dolphins added Byron Jones to a defensive backfield that already featured a Reliable Bowler in Xavien Howard, but that did no longer discontinue GM Chris Grier and coach Brian Flores from selecting one other cornerback in Spherical 1. Igbinoghene is an explosive straight-line athlete with the tempo, quickness and burst to speed with vertical-stretch avid gamers on the perimeter. He's a brave competitor willing to switch nostril-to-nostril with the receiver on the street but quiet desires some skill refinement to be a high-discontinue playmaker on the island. That acknowledged, the Dolphins' components to make consume of an early select on a cornerback is one other example of a bunch stockpiling skill at a key purpose.

4) A 'avid gamers over system' manner

Most NFL groups title, have interaction into consideration and unhealthy prospects consistent with the avid gamers' particular particular person skills and traits (bodily and psychological) and the plan in which neatly those attributes align with the group's offensive or defensive schemes. Pondering about how most coaches and executives (in most cases stubbornly) adhere to this philosophy, it used to be refreshing to gain a look on the Dallas Cowboys' scheme for the 2020 draft continue their fresh transition to a "avid gamers over system" manner.

In theory, the components to label a player's skills over plan fit makes the review task so mighty simpler for scouts on legend of they will select avid gamers love they're filling out their Turkey Bowl squads on the park. Evaluators can simply give attention to figuring out the blue-chip prospects within the category and select out the "BPAs" (finest avid gamers on hand) when the group is on the clock.

The utilization of this philosophy locations the emphasis on movie undercover agent and the creation of real game plans to maximize a player's impact doable. Scouts are expected to bring the instructing workers the finest football avid gamers, and the instructing workers is predicted to plan or develop the playbook to swimsuit the influx of real blue-chip avid gamers.

Abet in January, Mike McCarthy clarify his group-building philosophy when he used to be requested how he would proceed about discovering avid gamers for his most neatly-appreciated defensive plan.

"I believe whenever you happen to've a system of protection where you wish a undeniable player to fit your plan, you are limiting your personnel division," McCarthy acknowledged at a press conference in January rapidly after his hiring. "We know what a Dallas Cowboys football player looks love. The length, the athletic capacity. Let's procure as many correct football avid gamers as we perchance can."

The coach used to be adamant about building a roster that facets as many stud avid gamers as likely -- irrespective of fit -- and his words gain been bigger than factual coachspeak consistent with what Cowboys government vp of player personnel Will McClay shared with newshounds this week.

"When he joined the group and we started speaking about avid gamers, certainly likely the most important issues out of his mouth used to be 'avid gamers over system,' " McClay acknowledged on Tuesday, per the group's web map. "Effectively, that rung a bell with me finest-wanting away."

One reason we can even honest no longer scrutinize as many groups deploying a avid gamers-over-system manner is that it locations a perfect bigger burden on the instructing workers to adapt in talk in self assurance to maximize the particular particular person and collective skill on the roster. Head coaches must be in a purpose to think outside of the sphere to make alternatives for the finest avid gamers to procure on to the sphere and must venture their assistants to gain interaction into consideration how a prospect can even impact the group in a purpose that can even honest no longer exist already within the fresh playbook.

"That used to be a definite thing to hear a coach articulate (avid gamers over system), on legend of most of it is system-based when they watch at issues," McClay acknowledged. "In suppose that opened the door for a form of issues."

Pondering about how many talented prospects are dismissed or devalued by groups attributable to strict schematic standards, the Cowboys' in opposition to-the-grain manner to the draft can even give them the leg up on the competitors. In a skill-pushed league with razor-skinny margins setting apart the winners from losers, the Cowboys are relying on their coaches to flip a series of blue-chip prospects into a championship-caliber group via schematic tweaks and on-field building.

If McCarthy and his workers can pull it off, we can even scrutinize more groups originate following the "BPA" mannequin.

Be conscious Bucky Brooks on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.

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auburnfamilynews · 4 years

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They made it to the promised land last year, but came up just short. They overcame odds with late season injuries that limited key starters and forced others to step up together the program to levels that had been a long off dream.

Think I’m talking about Auburn Basketball? I could be but that was also the story of the 2019 Auburn Baseball team. The Tigers made it to Omaha, even with pitching staff ace Tanner Burns who was limited after slipping off a wet mound at Vanderbilt. Though the Tigers didn’t pick up a victory in Omaha, it marked the first time since 1997 that the program made an appearance in College Baseball heaven, which is a huge accomplishment for any program.

The Tigers lost some of the names from the CWS team, namely Will Holland, Edouard Julien and Elliott Anderson (Holland and Julien to the Twins and Anderson to the Royals) but outside of that, Auburn returns the rest of the contributors from the team. There are some familiar faces in different places so let’s dive in and get set for the 2020 season.

OUTFIELD AND DH

JUDD WARD BAY-BAY!!!

This will be pretty easy as Steven William, Kason Howell and Judd Ward (BAY-BAY) all return to patrol the outfield grass and that is a huge bonus for the Tigers. Both Ward and Howell will begin their second seasons in the outfield while Williams kicks off his very rare 3rd year in RF. The DH spot is going to be the interesting one for Auburn as Butch Thompson looks to move Conor Davis to the field to open up a bat in the line up, and there are plenty of options to choose from. Just a few of the names that will be given a shot are freshman Nate LaRue, Ryan Dyal, Johnny Ceccoli and junior John Samuel Shenker who also plays on the football team, just to name a few. Look for Auburn to give each player and others chances as the season begins before finding a solid answer at the DH position before the conference slate begins.

INFIELD

Ryan Bliss

For the most part, the faces will be familiar but almost everyone will be in a new place. The exception will be Matt Scheffler, who returns at the stalwart behind the dish at catcher for the Tigers. The difference this season will be that Matt has some help behind him, namely Nate LaRue, who will definitely see time in the field to help Scheffler get a little rest during the season. Around the horn, Auburn will move Rankin Woley to 3rd, his natural position, and will throw Conor Davis at 1st to see if the big senior can take to the field and open up that DH spot for a left or right handed bat depending on the situation. Up the middle will be another fluid situation. Ryan Bliss came in last year and was solid at 2nd base all season long. However, he was one of the top SS prospects in the country out of High School and the plan all along was to move him to the spot once Will Holland moved to the pros. Auburn, though, finds itself with a great problem to have, a lot of talent that could go in either place. Do you move Bliss to SS and insert Garrett Farquhar to 2nd base or keep Bliss at 2nd and insert either Farquhar or Brody Moore in to SS. My best guess would be the first option and insert Moore into the DH race, as Bliss would be able to fill the leadership role that Holland had, not just as the SS but the locker room leader as well.

PITCHING

Tanner Burns

Saving the part I am most excited about for last. I have waited a long time to say this so just give me a moment cause this is a loaded message. This is the deepest pitching staff I have ever seen Auburn have in the 20ish years I have followed Auburn baseball. The amount of quality arms the Tigers have is really impressive, and if everything works out and everyone stays healthy, watch out. Your weekend starters are pretty much set as you will see Tanner Burns on Friday, Jack Owen on Saturday and more than likely Bailey Horn on Sunday to start out. For the midweek, I would bet a mixture of Brooks Fuller, Garrett Wade or newcomers Trace Bright or Jackson Reynolds will be the go to guys to try and get Auburn one time through he line up. Those guys will also be mixed in with Andrew Baker, a sophomore transfer from Chipola JC who has a fastball that lives in the mid-90s, who will be paired up with the “Bull” Cody Greenhill to help close the game for the Tigers.

Part of the problem for the Tigers last year was finding that bridge guy that could get those 5 or so outs to get the game from the starters to the Bull to get the Tigers a W. This year, Auburn will have more than enough serviceable options to do that. Along with Fitts, Fuller, Wade, Bright and Reynolds, Auburn could also turn to Ryan Watson, Peyton Glavine, Will Morrison, Carson Skipper and newcomer Hayden Mullins, a freshman left hander from Hendersonville, TN. Mullins will more than likely be a starter for the Tigers next season but had some forearm tightness in the fall that limited his work, so watch for Auburn to sprinkle him in as the season goes along.

Any way you cut it, there’s a ton of promise for this Auburn team and as you can see, Butch Thompson and staff has well earned their across the board top 10 rankings in the multiple national polls. When people asked me before last year what Auburn baseball would look like, I said 2019 will be good, it could be real good, but 2020 is the year, that’s the year Auburn announces its presence with authority. 2019 ended just short of the finish line, but it finished in Omaha. In just 5 days, we find out if Auburn can finish the season in Omaha again, but this time, in a dog pile.

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/2/10/21127896/auburn-baseball-season-primer

#IFTTT #Blogger #auburn #auburn fast #wareagle #AuburnFamilyNews #war eagle #sec #football news #aubu

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ahntravels · 5 years

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Des Petits Trous...Toujours Des Petits Trous...

Sorry I have been absent from the blog. Blogging takes a lot of time, and Nic and I were trying to make the most of it before we had to fly away.

Okay, so last blog of France...

Epernay. We caught the late bus (3:00 PM) to arrive in Paris around 6 PM. I rented a place through Booking.com. What is the difference between Airbnb and Booking.com?

I’m going to go on a rant about Airbnb.

I am writing this post at 10PM on Sunday, 9/29 in Paris. I’m going to jump around a bit in time, but I am need to address Airbnb upfront.

So, when Nic and I first arrived in France on 9/15, we stayed ONE night in Paris before driving to Saint-Malo and doing the road trip. Because we just needed ONE night to stay in Paris, I rented a ROOM via Airbnb. The photos of the apartment looked nice, and the apartment was in a really nice location.

Before we arrived, I received a BUNCH of messages from the host. Literally 4 messages. I’m going to post them here because I want a record of this (btw, homeboy needs to update his photo because he does NOT look like this, but that is besides the point):

Okay, looks innocuous enough, right? Then I received a SECOND message:

RED FLAG: #2: More than 30 minutes? #4, really? And then he says he looks forward to seeing us?

Anyway, I was like, okay...I get it. He wants to make sure we can get in and etc. For the sake of completeness, here is message #3 (nice details, to be honest):

Message #3:

Message #4 (notice the timetable of letting him know about our arrival has become even more tight...it was 30 minutes earlier, and now it’s 20 minutes?):

Also, he said in the advertisement we could get into the apartment after 12:30, now it’s 12:45 PM.

All that being said, we did our stay on September 15th. We left less than 24 hours later (see my blog post about our first stay in Paris) and moved on. The way Airbnb works is that you leave reviews for the host and they leave reviews about you as a guest. Let’s check my previous reviews:

Nic and I literally arrived at this guy’s apartment, didn’t cook, didn’t use the kitchen, drank 2 COFFEES using his Kurig machine/coffee pods, washed the 2 freaking cups we used, and took 2 SHOWERS TOTAL. We arrived at 2PM and left before 10AM.

Why did we arrive at 2PM? Because when I contacted homeboy when we arrived in Paris, he was out RUNNING, missed my call, and then was grocery shopping and said we couldn’t come to his place before 12:30.

What review did he leave me?

Nope. I don’t play these games. Nic and I came to the apartment at 2 PM, I took a shower, and we took a nap. No lights were on. We LEFT, got dinner, and came back around 9 PM. We went to sleep, woke up at 8 AM, packed, drank 2 COFFEES, and LEFT. What lights? What electricity? And WHY AM I PAYING YOU?

My response:

Conclusion: FUCK. YOU. Sorry, that is harsh, but seriously? I am not sure if he can respond to my response, but if he can, good luck. I have said all I needed to say on this issue so that’s it.

Nic had the issue with Airbnb in Arles (read that entry) so I will say: Booking.com your apartments/hotels if you can. It’s more professional, people purely rent their spaces to guests so understand what to expect, and don’t act like entitled assholes. Airbnb at your own risk.

Okay, so I woke up to this bad review, so I just had to address it. But backtrack to Friday after we got off the train and entered our Paris apartment (which, btw is gorgeous; through Booking.com):

I have been in contact with the host the whole time. We have the whole apartment, and the host has been amazing in terms of being in contact with me. Our arrival time changed, and no issues. The kitchen is stocked with supplies, the sheets and bathrooms immaculate, and a complete 180 from asshole.

Friday night, Nic and I just hit up a bar/art space and hung out:

We went walking through Paris, before returning to the apartment for some tapas dinner:

What is the name of the orange cheese? I’m testing you!

So, the plan was that we we were going to host a dinner party for Nic’s friends on Saturday. I planned a menu which went through some revisions due to the market availability, but I’ll address that.

The original menu was:

Apertif: -Sausage (bought) -Sardine spread (homemade) -Nuts -Chips -Sparkling wine

Starter: -Red Cabbage and French Radish salad w/mustard vinagrette

Main: -Roast pork with an onion and grape sauce

Dessert: -Something bought

Cheese: -Up to Nic

Drinks: -Rouge

Saturday’s plan was to include antiquing (I wanted to buy some plates or glasses) and then to buy the food for the dinner party. Guests were to arrive at 6:30/7:00 (which meant 7:00 or 8:00 in French time). Guests were to include: Nic’s best friend (consultant), Nic’s brother (officer in French military) and Nic’s brother’s friend (historian). And me and Nic, of course.

So, now we are at Saturday.

We woke up and went antiquing! The oldest “flea” market in Paris is right outside the city. When you get off the train, you are greeted with a bunch of stalls selling fake Louis Vuitton and designer wares. Nic needed a belt, so he bought one:

Once you walk through the outdoor market, you walk through these antique, rich stalls that are selling really expensive items. Like, people literally have magnifying glasses examining signatures, construction, and the quality of the glass on items.

I wanted wine glasses, and bought 2 crystal Baccarat wine glasses for a good price (15 Euros each):

Plates and silverware were a wash since I couldn’t find matches or the plates weren’t hand painted. Anyway, when I have money I would love to come back and buy a complete set of glasses or silverware.

Okay, after the day at the market it was time to get lunch and then go shopping for the dinner party. Nic used to live and go to university around the area, and knew of a really good vegetarian Indian restaurant (thank ____. I can’t wait to go back to being vegan!!!!)

Nic is probably literally gaining so much weight because of me. I eat half the food and he eats his portion and then finishes mine. On the menu was samosas (the triangles on the photo before) and then this meal was vegetarian biryani (rice), some yellow pea dal (to the left of rice), and then chickpea dish (far top left) and egglplant (far top right)

After lunch, we went to a supermarket and bought all the food for the dinner party. Then I started cooking!

So, menu became revised because the store didn’t have any purple cabbage for the cabbage salad. Red cabbage salad became a Belgium endive, french radish, and fresh walnut salad (same dressing). Here is Nic cracking the walnuts for me:

I made a sardine spread a la David Lebovitz. We couldn’t find fresh sardines, so I had to buy canned sardines (just sardines, no oil). You have to remove the spines and bones, but that is fine. I just removed the spines and bones and baked them with a little bit of olive oil in the oven. Then follow the recipe.

We served that with some Spanish chorizo (bought), pistachio nuts, mustard flavored potato chips, pretzels, and some baguette toasts along with sparking wine.

Salad was the endive salad:

Belgium endive, sliced French radishes, some salad greens, fresh cracked walnuts, and a mustard vinaigrette.

Main:

Roast pork with a pearl onion/grape sauce with roasted fingerling potatoes. How I did the pork:

-Melt some butter in a dutch oven -Sear pork on all sides that has been coarse salted and peppered (I did 1kg for 5 people, and we had leftovers) -Remove pork, add a cup of white wine to the drippings -Add 2 cups of chicken broth, peeled pearl onions, garlic, and thyme -Add pork back in -Cook on low on the stove for an hour -Remove pork; cover with foil -Raise heat and reduce the onion sauce for 40 minutes -Another pan, add some butter -Add 1 cup grapes whole (French grapes) -Grapes will burst and become its own sauce -When ready to serve, add pork back into reduced onion sauce -Cook for 20 minutes to heat pork and finish cooking -Remove pork, slice -Top with onion sauce -Top with grape sauce -Sprinkle with chives

For the potatoes: -Clean and cut potatoes in half -Sprinkle with garlic and some olive oil -Roast for 1 hour -Serve

Dinner was a success! Dessert was an apple tart we bought. Nic’s brother is the forward right; he had to take the 6AM train to be back in the morning. The person I am talking to is the historian who went to school with Nic’s brother, and we were talking about politics (of course) and the differences in curriculum between France and America. Nic’s best friend Julien is a consultant, so we talked about our needy clients. After dinner, they all went out to meet other friends, but I stayed back to clean and just go to sleep. I was tired!

Next morning (SUNDAY):

I loaded the dishwasher from the night before, but we needed to do another load of dishes. Nic graciously said he would clean from the night before, so he unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher. The plan was to visit Musee d’Orsay, so we cleaned (he cleaned) and we left!

On our way to the museum, we passed by Serge Gainsbourg’s old house. Remember the small holes song from Saint-Malo? It has followed me here!

Nic’s mom loves the song, and I promised I would learn it in French.

Anyway, museum!

After the museum, it was around 6:00PM. We went on a walk, and then went to the store to buy dinner and food for our flight tomorrow. We have to leave the apartment by 11:00 AM, and our flight is at 2:15 PM.

Last dinner! Store bought pizza ($5) and leftover endive radish salad. And a quiche.

I can’t can’t can’t wait to be vegan again. Tomorrow, the meat and cheese will be gone.

I have lots of trinkets I have bought along the way: mustards, salts, a St. James wool sweater, soaps from Marseille, art from Caylus, crystal glasses from Paris, candies, and of course all the memories.

On our walk home, this rainbow greeted us. I’ll miss France, but it is time to come home.

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avangee · 7 years

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Fourth Of July (Pt. 5)

Read on AO3

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Mikey really needed a shower, his legs were itching from the being in the grass earlier, his own cum was drying on his stomach and he’s pretty sure that the lollipop had gotten stuck on his shirt. His cheek hurt and so did his ass. Pete looked pretty much fine, he just wiped off the cum with his shirt, took off the condom and was done with it all. Michael James Way was all fucked out and it was a lot of work, the bottom whined as he tried to move off the bed. When he tried to stand he just fell back onto the bed due to his legs being jelly. Fuck Pete for fucking him.

“I wanna be clean,” Mikey grumbled out in a whiny voice, he was delirious and it was not okay. “Pete help.”

Pete nodded and got up, grabbing Mikey, who’s jeans were still half down and who had lost basic motor functions. Mikey’s dick was rubbing agaisnt Pete’s chest but he couldn’t even find the energy to adjust himself so he wasn’t whimpering every six seconds. After two entire minutes of Pete’s ‘where the fuck is the bathroom’s, the two finally got in the room and started the shower. Mikey couldn’t even fucking stand, he sat on the cold, tile floor in the bathroom. He did not like Pete in that moment, but he really wanted Pete to stay.

“I can’t move, fuck you and your dick,” Mikey whined, although it had been the best fuck of his almost seventeen years, he just wanted to be back to his normal, not sore self.

Pete laughed at him, the fucker. Mikey ignored him with a pout and started the epic journey from the floor to the bath. Suprisingly, it didn’t take much to shove off the rest of his clothes and drag himself into the tub. He sat under the stream of hot water, flinching when it hit the burn on his cheek. The younger hadn’t closed the curtain due to Pete jamming a dick inside of him and making him cum fucking three times in the last hour, fuck Pete, and fuck Pete for being concerned about the flinching because that was kind of his fault too. Just, fuck Pete in general.

“Dude, you okay?” Fucking Pete asked this fucking question. Two things were absolutely wrong with this stupid fucking question 1) of course Mikey is not o-fucking-kay, so fuck Pete and 2) who the fuck calls the person they just fucked dude? Who the fucking fuck? Fuck Pete.

Mikey pouted at fucking Pete because, Fuck. Pete. And then his entire body was shaking and he was seeing black. The shower pressure, being the shitty fifty dollar thing it was, shifted and made a fucking path directly onto Mikey’s fucking dick, in those three seconds of pressurised water to dick contact Mikey started to cry. He was crying because of the truly harsh overstimulation and because somehow he got it in his mind that Pete didn’t care. Okay, that was just fucking stupid Mikey knew Pete didn’t care, because he is literally just doing any of this because it’s summer and they’re both pretty intoxicated. Mikey was so busy ‘what-the-fucking’ his thought he didnt even notice that Pete had stumbled into the shower, still dressed, and was staring at Mikey.

“Holy fucking shit,” Mikey choked out with a laugh, “What the fuck are you doing, Wentz?”

Pete stared some more, it was probably the marijuana. Mikey moved his hand up to wipe the tears from his eyes, but Pete surged foward and fucking kissed the tears. What the actual fuck? Mikey kind of liked it, and if he was half as sober and didn’t crave excessive affection, he wouldn’t have let Pete near him again. One night -well day- stands, and all that. His liver and lungs didn’t appreciate the last time he got hurt, emotionally.

Since he was drunk, high and feeling extremely touched starved, he let Pete kiss him and didn’t stop the other from rubbing his back. Mikey liked being touched like that, he loved affection, “Take your fucking clothes off, we’re in the shower.”

Pete did just that, standing to shrug off his clothes and throwing the soaked clothes onto the bathroom floor. The football player closed the shower curtain and adjusted the water temperature before sitting behind Mikey, his legs wrapped around the younger’s waist. Mikey didn’t think as he relaxed back into Pete, the shower was hot but not too hot. It was nice, just sitting in the shower with Pete Wentz. That’s a sentence Mikey never thought he would think. Hell, he didn’t even imagine he was ever going to talk more than ‘don’t copy off my fucking test’. Mikey giggled as he thought about the fuck was going on, he fucked the quaterback, Pete Wentz, after he had given Mikey a blowjob.

“This is nice, a real cliche. Captain of the football team fucking the nerd, except it’s usually straight and I probably would’ve had to tutor you.” Mikey looked up at Pete, his voice was light and weird.

“God, why can’t anything ever be gay? There’s too many straight movies out there, where are all of my gay romances?” Pete whined as he grabbed some shampoo from the edge of the tub.

Mikey told Pete about the non-straight movies he had seen on Netflix before, and Pete told him he didn’t have Netflix, “Dude, you’re missing out. Also, What the fuck? Doesn’t every person have the great Netflix at this day and age? Are you an alien?”

“Oh no, my cover’s blown. I gotta get back to my motherboard and hurry up the invasion,” Pete joked, he started to rub shampoo into Mikey’s hair. Mikey didn’t really expect that, but he wasn’t going to move. He was so comfortable on Pete, it was like they were a couple, which they are not.

“You know, you’re different than I thought you’d be,” Mikey thought out loud, Pete raised an eyebrow as he worked the soap into the younger’s hair.

“What’d you think I’d be like?” Pete replied, he sounded a little amused. Mikey kind of liked this Pete, as opposed to the Pete he thought was the real him.

“Straight for starters, and just a typical dick-ish, fuckboy meathead,” Mikey said, turning around so he could rinse out his hair. He was facing Pete, both naked, and Mikey was pretty much sober so he assumed Pete was too.

Pete laughed and pulled Mikey back into his lap, dicks out and Pete’s hands on Mikey’s waist, “Well, I’m definitely not straight.”

“Yeah the other stuff is pretty spot on though.”

Pete frowned and pushed Mikey with his free hand, his other hand was on Mikey’s waist so the boy only fell back enough to scare him. The ‘dick-ish, meathead jock’ laughed and pulled the other back into his lap, closer this time. Mikey mumbled out a ‘fuck you’.

“Already did, Mikes,” Pete said, he stole a kiss from an angry Mikey.

Mikey hit him as they kissed, it was almost like they were a couple. Having playful arguments and kissing without sex, but they weren’t and this was just a one-time thing. Without the sex part was starting to annoy the younger, it was weird to kiss and cuddle without anything else. So, Mikey kissed along Pete’s jaw. He kept kissing down until he got to Pete’s neck, sucking and biting as he dragged his hands through the shorter’s hair. Mikey pulled off, admiring the hickeys that were not going to leave Pete’s neck any time soon. He kept going down, leaving hickeys down the middle of the older’s chest. Taking one of Pete’s nipples in his mouth, Mikey swirled his tongue around the pink nub, he huffed hot air onto Pete’s chest. The older boy whined and whimpered, Mikey could tell he was stifiling moans, so the quaterback liked to have his nipples played with? Mikey chuckled in his throat and bit down lightly on Pete. The shorter whined and a moan escaped his mouth. Fuck.

Pete’s moans were hot, really hot. The noises that came out of Pete’s mouth were high, whiny moans with little gasps. Fuck if they didn’t turn Mikey on. The taller boy supposed he wasn’t listening close enough to Pete when they were fucking. How the fuck didn’t he notice Pete’s moans were so god damn hot?

Mikey sucked a hickey into Pete’s nipple, biting every now and then, everytime he did Pete moaned. The water was still hot against Mikey’s back by some miracle. The water normally lost it’s heat within seconds, Gerard would have to shower cold today. He deserves it for always taking the hot water. Okay, that was not the time to think about his brother at all. What the fuck? Mikey stifled a gag at his thoughts.

He focused back on Pete, who was a whimpering mess under Mikey. Fuck, it was hot. The boy probably could’ve cum just from that but the younger wasn’t that much of a tease. He stopped torturing Pete’s nipple and went down more, so he was on his knees and almost laying down as his feet reached the edge of the tub.

He was level with Pete’s hard penis, since he had moved the water was hitting the older’s stomach. A few splashes reaching his dick, causing Pete to tense up and move foward a bit before relaxing again. Mikey licked the head, Pete let out a low moan at the contact. The younger licked again, bringing the bitter precum against his tongue. In an odd way it tasted good but Mikey was mostly indifferent. Penises are mostly weird, but they nake sense. That’s probably why Mikey’s so fucking attracted to them. He licked again, and again. Pete was whining, saying he wanted more. Mikey kept licking, he has a terrible habit of doing the exact opposite of what anyone wants. Pete was shaking and moaning, Mikey laughed, his hot breath on the leaking dick in front of him. His legs were starting to hurt from his position.

“Stand up,” Mikey ordered, looking up at Pete with eyes that he knew would make Pete do whatever the fuck he wanted.

Pete stood up, mumbling curses at his shaking legs. The older was almost plastered to the wall farthest from the water, Mikey straightened his back and pushed himself onto his knees. He kissed around Pete’s thighs, just trying to get him angry at that point. Mikey had started to bite at Pete’s balls when he got the older angry.

“Fu- uck you, Mikey Way. Please jus- please - you’re tease-. Can I just, just fuck your mouth?” Pete growled, Mikey could tell Pete was restraining himself, but he smirked and nodded.

Mikey slacked his jaw, it was going to be fucking sore. Pete told him something about tapping him if he needed to stop or something. Mikey smiled widely at the thought of the almost-safe-word.

“Just fuck my mouth, Wentz.” Mikey thought it was cute how concerned Pete was acting and he didn’t really want to think that at all.

Pete shoved his dick into Mikey’s mouth, only half way. Mikey didn’t really think Pete was that big but a dick doesn’t seem huge until it is inside of you. He widened his mouth as Pete slowly pushed in, Mikey looked up at him. Classic porn move, but Mikey didn’t really care. Neither did Pete, it seemed, because he pulled Mikey’s hair and his thrusts quickened. It wasn’t his entire length still, Mikey whined and moved farther up on Pete’s penis as he thrusted. Mikey couldn’t breathe as a wild dick appeared deep in his throat. Pete was fucking Mikey’s throat and fuck, it kind of felt good. Other than the obvious non-breathing aspect, but Mikey loved the feeling of being full. It was almost as if Pete’s dick was poking at Mikey’s Adam’s Apple. The younger put hand up to his neck, fucking hell, it was. How big was Pete?

Pete pulled out of Mikey, he caught his breath and immediately began licking the still hard dick as Pete moaned his high, whiny moan. The older groaned, repeatedly saying that he was going to cum through his moans. Pete pulled Mikey’s hair, hard as he came on Mikey’s face. Most of the cum made it into Mikey’s open mouth. The rest was spread across mikeys face, as it fell. Mikey licked over every inch of Pete’s dick, staring up porn-style with cum on his face and falling slowly into the draining water everytime he opened his mouth. Pete’s body was hot as Mikey felt around his legs, the younger sucked a few hickies into Pete’s thighs as he kissed them. The older boy’s afterglow lasted a while as the two actually fuvking showered, they kissed lazily as the oppurtunities to do so arised.

It was almost as if they were dating. Fuck. They were not dating, Mikey was acting like an idiot. He was never going to date Pete Wentz. They were not dating.

Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

#4oj #petekey #fob #mcr #smut #pete wentz #mikey way

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