#[might rb later since some bits here i think are important to be kept in mind and stuff]

[coollyinterferes]

   SPEED: One of the first things you need to know if you’re interacting with me or plan to do so is that I’m slow, and I really mean slow, with any and all of my replies. It can take from minutes/hours to days, weeks, sometimes even a month or so. It always depends on a variety of things, and how real life is going at the moment, as I tend to get busy at times, and also my mental health is not always at it’s best (as you know, I tend to go through episodes of anxiety and/or depression p often, and that usually ends up affecting my activity here) and I also happen to get distracted a lot sometimes. Add the issue I’ve been dealing with this past month with my laptop on top of all that, too orz

   REPLIES: I tend to miss some sometimes when tumblr’s notifs fail and I don’t have them on my tracker yet, or when the tracker is not working properly (like it was some time ago). I try to get to them as soon as I can when I see them. There are times some threads pique my muse’s interest more than others and, as such, he will bug me and make sure we get to those asap. As stated in the rules, it’s nothing personal, just a matter of the muse currently being more invested into those threads/replies. In regards of content: I always try to make sure I’m giving my partners something they can work with for their reply and to keep the ball rolling and the interest on the thread alive. However, I can’t do this alone, and I expect my partners to do their part on this. Being forced to carry all the weight of a thread sucks all the fun out of it, so if you ever feel like I’m failing to do my part on this, please, please! let me know so I can fix that as soon as I can!

   STARTERS: I’m not great at them, which is why I tend to go with small ic posts every now and then that serve as “open starters” of sorts. This does not mean that I won’t write you a starter if you’d like one from me, though! All you need to do is let me know you want one or, alternatively, write me one and tag me in it if that feels best for you. We can always plot something for it. It doesn’t have to be super in-depth. We can just set the outlines and go from there, if that’s best (I’d actually appreciate some input if you happen to have a muse from a different jojo part/fandom, or an OC, this to make something we’re both equally comfortable with).

   INBOX: My ask box is open all the time. Anon is on, too. Anything and everything is welcome, save for anon hate and stuff of the likes of it that no one wants to see (and as long as its within the rules, of course). If you ever want to send your muse over here, you can do it anytime! Same if you ever have any questions, if there's anything you want to know about my muse, anything you'd like to ask him about other muses, about his relationships with them and so on. Crack-ish, serious, angsty, etc. The possibilities are endless. And, as stated before, anon is on, so if that's best for you, you can always go with that! I'm a bit slow replying to asks sometimes, but I try to get to everything as soon as I can. I rarely ever delete asks so, if I haven’t replied to yours one way or another, then it most likely means that either tungle ate it, or it failed to notify me about it orz

   SELECTIVITY: I'm pretty flexible on this and I'm open to interactions with pretty much anyone and everyone regardless of their writing/rp style and so on. I don't always follow everyone back, mainly cause I try to keep a somewhat uncluttered dash. As stated in the rules, I usually don't follow back personal/non-rp accounts or accounts that post a lot of personal/non-rp posts (I sometimes follow some of these personals/non-rp accounts from my personal, though), blogs that don't trim their threads (2 or 3 blockquotes are fine, but more than that not so much) and etc. However, none of this will affect any possible interactions as I'm always open for interactions with mutuals AND non-mutuals.

   WISHLIST: There are a few things I've always wanted to try my hand at rp-wise. I've always wanted to explore more of Robert's past, from his childhood to his days as a gangleader. This can be done in different ways, especially if we happen to go with something more "EoH-like" or set in different verses, or even AUs, or with muses that may have known him around that time and etc. Speaking of AUs, I’d also like to explore some of my AUs (the vampire AU, mainly).    Another thing in my wishlist that probably comes as no surprise at all would be the chance to roleplay some jonawagon and/or some jonaeri+jonawagon. Like, yeah, it's true that Robert truly fell head over heels for that big bara guy the moment he kicked his face, but I'd really like to explore their relationship as a whole, to see some of the development they had in canon through all those months of peace that came after that horrid battle in Windknight’s Lot, to see them captivating each other and realize that "shit, this is not just some childish infatuation like i thought it was", that it's the real deal, something much deeper than anyone would’ve expected, to see them come to terms with this “obscene” relationship, to see them deal with and overcome the obstacles and issues that being gay in Victorian England carried, and see them go from friends to something else. To see them get intimate, but not only in a sexual/sensual way, but also like sharing all sorts of intimate moments together, opening themselves to each other. To explore all the good but also all the not-so-good in their relationship, to explore all those sad and bitter moments they spent together, healing together, trying to overcome their traumas together, from those they acquired together since that day the stone mask changed their lives to all the heavy baggage they have both been dragging along since their childhoods, and so on. All those aspects that aren't always explored or even talked about when it comes to the ship as a whole and see them have the long happy lives and the happy ending they deserved either as a couple or as a polycule (in the case of jonaeri+jonawagon).    In regards of relationships (and this includes romantic relationships with other characters/muses), I'd like to continue seeing Robert develop relationships and forming bonds of all kinds with other muses as well, especially with muses from part 1, since I've rarely ever had the chance to interact with many since I made this blog about 3 years ago. Some romance is always appreciated since Robert is a bit too much of a romantic fool when he's in lerv, but I'm always open to all sorts of bonds and relationships -platonic, romantic, familial, hateships, etc-.

   HONEST NOTE: I'm shy and a lot of times I find it a bit hard to socialize or i plain out don't know what to say (and language barriers sometimes get in the way, too), but I always try my best to keep a conversation going if I feel the other person is interested in it as well -else I’ll feel like I’m boring them to death and won’t say much more :’D-. It might take me a while to figure out what to say and build up the courage to talk to you first, but please never hesitate to reach out to me if you ever want to talk, even if it's just about our muses or about any plot ideas, headcanons, to share some plot bunnies and so on. Same if you ever want to send your muse our way! It doesn’t matter if we haven’t interacted before. Just like with every other reply from me tho, I tend to be slow (and forgetful, too), but I try to get to everything as soon as I can. That said, please never worry about taking your time to write a reply for me, be it ic or ooc. I understand and would never get mad at you for it.

   tagged by:  speeb sees, speeb steals >:jc ( stolen from @shabcn and @jojoingjoseph )    tagging:  I’ve seen this on the dash a few times today, so idk who’s done it already and who hasn’t so, if you see this and want to give it a shot, consider yourself tagged!

[wincestisasincest]

Waves on the Shore - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Sneak Peek

Aight so first, if you have not yet heard, updates are gonna slow down a bit because my life is in shambles. Don't worry, I'm still sexy, just need to make sure I don't fail college or die. Second, thanks to everyone who left a comment or sent a sweet message, y'all are keepine me going like an IV tube. Third, something kinda funky has been going on with the tags, so lmk if for some reason you did not get a notification and should've. I love tumblr.

~Wince from the future here with an extra note: just realized that I forgot to write a kind of important part of this so this preview might not be thaaaaat representative of what coming up. Might rb with a better version soon~

WOTS masterlist // wc: 1.2k // triggers: uhhhhhhh none? // @edenstarkk, @modernamilf, @dedicated2viktor, @doctorho, @yeehawbvby, @arcaneparx, @the-lake-is-calling

Viktor could not find his pants. 

Last night, he worked through a glass of sweetmilk as he slithered out of his clothes, leaving them on the floor so he could change into clean sleepwear with maximum efficiency. He even spilled a little of the sweetmilk on them, but he figured that he could deal with it in the morning. 

Well, it was morning now, and though the red pool of his shirt was still where he’d dropped it, with the sweetmilk dried up but the smell still there, his pants had disappeared without a trace. Once again, it would’ve been a problem for later, if he hadn’t left his ID and keys in there. 

He scoured every inch of his apartment, under his bed, on top of the bookshelves, even in his fridge. Nothing. He was pantsless. He’d have to hope that the front desk believed his story until he found them. They were somewhere in his room, he was certain, as he’d used them to unlock the door just last night. 

“Yes, I have lost my ID, but if you just check the-” he reached over the secretary’s desk to point out where his name should’ve been. 

“I’m sorry sir, but with increased security on campus we can only allow entry to people with Academy-issued IDs.” 

“Helen, you’ve seen me come in every day for the past year.” 

“I know, but,” Helen sighed, “look, they’re taking this whole body found on campus thing really seriously, and I don’t blame them. People have already lost jobs because they didn’t follow protocol, so I’m sorry, but I really can’t afford to cut corners now.” 

Vikor leaned both of his elbows on the desk and rubbed his eyes. 

“Apologies,” he mumbled, “I did not mean to be so rude. It is a stressful time.” 

“Yeah. It is,” she rested her cheek in her hand and looked at him with her olive green eyes, “but you know where you can get a provisional one, right?” 

“Of course,” he straightened his spine, “do you think you could give a message for me, though?”

*****

“Uh... do we still have that?” 

“He said it’s in the cooler.” 

“Since when was there a cooler?” 

“Whole time.” 

“Oh,” you could barely look Jayce in the eye as you said that, “well then I’ll, uh, get ready for transport.”

Viktor had kept his word; and you really would not put it past him to wake his best friend up in the middle of the night to tell on you. But, at least for now, Jayce was none the wiser. 

Somehow, it made you feel worse, like that time you’d tried to steal blueprints. He was just so nice, and it felt so wrong, but you could bare the guilt this time. Viktor said last night that this project meant “everything” to him.

You were up in the air about whether or not Viktor was a liar. You weren’t aware of any lies that he’d said, so either he was a really good one or he didn’t bother, but you did know that, regardless of his inclinations, he could lie if he wanted to. And he protected Jayce and that work with a rare kind of fire. 

You wanted to verify. To see just what kind of foundations your bargain from the night before was built upon. 

“So where’d you get the idea for this stuff, anyway?” you tried to ask it casually when Jayce came back into the room, holding the cooler with the lab saftey-approved two hands method. 

“Uh, transporting cadavers?” he said as he plonked the cooler on the table. 

“No, no, I mean like, portals and all that. It’s not exactly what magic is known for, after all,” you carefully moved the slick, black, Noxian portal circuit that they’d used to transport the mice all those days ago onto the table, where you could wire it into the power units. 

“Hoo boy,” Jayce cracked his neck, “get ready for story time with Jayce.” 

“There’s lore?” 

“Yup. With a test, later,” Jayce cracked a grin, “But seriously, way back when I was, like, 9, my mom and I were coming back home from a trip up to Targon, and we got stuck in the weather. I’m talking the most aggressive blizzard you’ve ever seen.” 

He moved his hands theatrically, like someone telling a tall tale at a bar. But you believed him. 

“We were out there, completely lost because we couldn’t see anything, and on top of it all, my mom was getting hypothermic.” 

“Oh, shit.” 

“Yeah. Don’t worry, she lives,” he said hastily, before putting his narrator voice back on, “It’s bad, my mom can’t go any further, and then, out of nowhere, this tall, hooded figure with a staff just appears in the snow. And he offers this to me.”

Jayce undid the bracelet on his hand - the one that he wore every day - and passed it to you. Embossed in the middle was a dull, blue crystal in the shape of a tear drop, with a rune carved into it. 

“Not the whole thing, just the crystal. And at first, I’m not sure, but then I realize that if I don’t trust him we’re screwed, so I let him help us, and he-” Jayce looked up for a moment, his parted lips dispalying his gap tooth as he recalled the memory with the same awe he must’ve had as a child, “he started doing these motions. I’d realize later that it was a somatic component of a spell, which, as you know, we can synthetically create in a lab, but even then, something about how he did them was just... magical. And there was this flash of blue light, and the next thing I knew, we were at the bottom of the mountain in sunlight, and everything was okay.” 

“He sapped the crystal,” you observed, resting the leather that the crystal was in between your fingers. 

“Yup. I guess it was useless so he just... let me have it,” he chuckled, accepting the bracelet as you returned it to him, “but I swear, it was... really something.” 

He was half in the world and half in his head. It was endearing, you thought, the way that he couldn’t even describe his own devotion without dissolving into a puddle of feelings. 

“I believe you,” you said. 

“It saved me once, and I think that it can save the Ionians now,” he looked down at you, and the gap tooth disappeared behind closed, resolute lips.  

Gods, even if you were unsure of the portals, you couldn’t doubt Jayce. He literally wore his heart on his sleeve (or, under his sleeve and on a bracelet). He was... trying. You were both trying. 

And, maybe, since he had been so accommodating to you, you could accept your place in his dream. For now. Even if it didn’t feel like home.

[aquilamage]

I finally finished the Klavier pov companion fic to the last klavbastian thing I wrote! (which I’ll rb in a moment because I know this site doesn’t like links in original posts)

Klavier composes his first letter before he even finishes unpacking, scribbling it out over a box in his lap because the desk is too cluttered to use. It’s nothing too fancy. Just enough to tell Sebastian that he made it safely and give him a mailing address like he promised. It gets sent out a few hours later once he’s shown the nearest post box. Klavier knows it’ll be a few days’ wait both ways (and anyway doesn’t expect a response to this one), so he resolves to write another one soon.

‘Soon’ turns out to be several days later, the single one between orientation and the start of classes. He’s simply been so busy that the energy to write out as detailed and heartfelt a letter as he wants simply hasn’t been in him. Sprawled across the floor, he fills the page. Themis starts a few days later than them, so hopefully this should reach Sebastian when he’s at the same point Klavier is now. He pauses when he thinks of that. It’s a nice thought, that all these little facts have lined up so that the two of them are separated by time and distance and yet also technically having this conversation at the same point in their lives.

There’s definitely a song in that, he thinks, and smiles as he skips down a few lines to tell that to Sebastian.

He also tells him to watch out for himself this year, especially since “you’re going to have to share top of the class with someone else. Try not to make me too jealous?” That had been one of the similarities the two of them had bonded over, along with their age. It wasn’t a massive difference from their peers, but they had still been the youngest in every course. Klavier had actually struck up their initial conversation based on this, reasoning that they ought to stick together. Even though they’re apart now, he writes, that sentiment hasn’t changed.

---

He finally gets around to decorating in the second week of classes. After ages of looking at the box of things and meaning to get to it but only ever remembering at the most inconvenient times, he sits up from his textbook and starts right then. It’s a complicated affair, with everything he’s brought. The highlight, though, is the photographs – a few with his parents (copies, he didn’t want to risk bringing the originals); newer ones of just him and Kris; Professor Courte before his first mock trial, her hand on his shoulder and her expression immeasurably proud; random group shots of friends and the band; a lot of weird selfies with Daryan.

Putting them up takes longer than if he were simply doing the physical act. Klavier stops to really look at them, remembering the people with a fondness that only gets stronger when he remembers that he won’t be seeing any of them again until he’s done here. Each captures his attention for different reasons, but the one that gives him the longest pause is of himself and Sebastian.

Klavier’s arm is over his shoulder, the other held out to take the picture. Sebastian’s hand is on Klavier’s and he’s looking at him more than the camera. It had been an ordinary…well, Klavier can’t remember the day of the week, but the two of them had been hanging out after school somewhere on the grounds last year when Klavier realized he didn’t have any pictures with or of his friend. That situation had to be rectified immediately, of course. The clearest thing Klavier remembers is Sebastian’s initial surprise that he even wanted one. Mostly because it was a bit of an odd reaction, but also for how it pulled at Klavier in the same way seeing his friend in distress did, although he has yet to figure out why those seem connected. And then of course, there was Sebastian’s wide-eyed look when Klavier presented him with a copy the next day. He had tucked it inside one of his books with delicate care.

Despite having known the fact before, it was only after that event that Klavier’s mind had really registered the fact that Sebastian didn’t have any other friends. On the barest surface level, he supposed he might understand. But even that was hard because Klavier knew if people took even a few seconds to look past Sebastian’s first impression, it wasn’t exactly difficult to see what he was really like. Becoming friends hadn’t even been any effort. Show Sebastian the smallest bit of interest and kindness and he was all over you. (To the extent that it worried Klavier, sometimes.)

But despite Klavier’s subsequent efforts to help expand his friend’s social circle, something out of their control always seemed to block their progress. Sebastian gave up relatively quickly, and Klavier respected his wishes enough to drop it as well. Besides, he still had time with Sebastian during the number of classes they shared, plus before and after school, and the lunches where he would sometimes leave his usual table and go sit with him in one of his hiding places (the latter not as often because Sebastian tended to alternate between ‘of course you’d want to be with me’ and distress about Klavier losing his other friends if he kept doing this).

Klavier sighs as he puts the picture up at eye level. It fits perfectly. He should write another letter.

---

Klavier isn’t worried about Sebastian’s lack of response yet. Themis keeps students busy even at the beginning of the year, and figuring out international postage does take a while. Besides, words aren’t Sebastian’s strongest point. If he can be patient with him during conversation, he can certainly extend the same courtesy over written communication.

Being conscious of that does encourage him to tone down on how often he scribbles down some new thought to share with his friend. It’s hard going from talking with someone every day to not at all. Klavier’s got a lot of friends, but there’s always been something about Sebastian that feels…different. In a good way.

A day or so later he’s thinking about someone else he’s been missing and a thought clicks into place for him. At the bottom of his newest letter, he adds a note asking him to say hello to Professor Courte for him, if he can. (He considers mentioning this to her as well, but decides against it. Better to let Sebastian do it on his own terms.) Now that he’s thinking about it, he doesn’t know why he never introduced the two of them before. Courte always told him any friend of his was welcome with her. And she’d be good for him, even if only to have someone to talk to.

---

Klavier still wouldn’t call himself worried, but he can’t deny a twinge of concern peeking out its head. By this point, it has been a non-insignificant time since he started writing. He checks his mail daily, enough that he won’t miss anything, but not so much that he’s working himself up. His first thought is that he’s somehow messed up the address and practically sprints out at the end of class to go check. Eventually, though, he’s forced to admit that the reference he’s been using is correct. Besides, if it really were wrong the letters would’ve been returned by now. Going off of that, though, he starts to think he somehow put the return address on wrong, which isn’t exactly anything he can check.

The next time he writes, he makes absolute sure that he’s gotten it perfectly and one hundred percent legible, just in case.

---

Midterms roll around and consume his attention. Those days fly past in a whirl of studying and test-taking where the only marker of time is what subject he’s working on.

Being done should be a relief. The night after his exams are completed, however, he finds himself unable to sleep, wracked with the dread of having forgotten something very important. It’s only during the latest hours that it dawns on him.

“Sebastian,” he whispers, clutching his hand to his chest.

(The fact that he’s also neglected communication with everyone else back home is realized a little later, and with less fanfare. And that fact isn’t something that he will pick up on for a while yet.)

The grip his feelings have on his insides won’t let him sleep. But he doesn’t write either. There hasn’t been much of interest to report, and he hasn’t any particular thoughts to say. It’s just that he misses Sebastian with a sudden ardency that’s a bit alarming, actually. (Another form of homesickness, he figures, to be expected when dealing with the withdrawal from someone you’re used to seeing so often.)

Fortunately, the next few days provide him with a diversion in the form of a local music festival. Klavier spends most of his time there after class. It’s nice, and by the end of it he’s also filled several pages describing everything to Sebastian.

Music’s always been the easiest connecting point between them. Despite, or perhaps because of their different preferred styles, it’s almost too easy for them to become tangled in complicated discussions, everything else forgotten. In terms of showing the other new music, Klavier is almost always the one doing it, but he doesn’t mind. It’s far too enjoyable an experience watching Sebastian react to things. That encouraged him, as time went on, to seek out music he thought Sebastian would enjoy, just to get another glimpse at that secret little smile he only seemed to make when that happened. Or sometimes things that he definitely wouldn’t like, because his passionate explanations about that were also invariably cute to watch.

It’s in that spirit that he’s been making recommendations in his letters, even if he isn’t going to get Sebastian’s immediate reactions. This time is no different, as he makes sure to emphasize the names of those artists who he thinks Sebastian would like.

That isn’t the only thing he enjoys about their conversations, he muses one day while studying. Klavier’s noticed Sebastian’s tendency to make himself bigger or smaller than he actually is when interacting with people. Talking with Klavier about music is one of the only times he doesn’t try to do either. He doesn’t know what about that situation makes Sebastian feel so at ease, but he’s eternally grateful for it.

Because that makes him comfortable as well. Sure, Klavier has other people he can and does talk music with, but there’s something different about talking with Sebastian. He figures it’s got to do with how passionate he is. Sebastian cares so much, is the only person Klavier’s met who shares his level of enthusiasm about music. Who hangs on to every word of Klavier’s but still freely expresses disagreement when it occurs. When they’re both in the middle of a discussion and getting progressively more excited, feeding off the other’s energy, it feels so right. Like that’s where the music of his life is and everything else in between those moments is just one big rest.

It isn’t until he drifts out of thought that Klavier realizes he’s been humming something. He runs through it again and smiles. New music.

---

Klavier tries to keep himself from missing Sebastian so much. But it's hard, going so long without talking to him, especially with how often he's reminded of him. In the way he instinctually turns to comment on something in class. In the music he listens to, so much of it having been shared. In the way other people’s gestures always make him picture the dips and twists of Sebastian’s hand while he’s concentrating. Even in the twinges of concern that run through him now and again, his mind used to interpreting not seeing his friend in a while as a signal that he should go look for him.

The missing consumes him, he could say, but the reality is nothing so dramatic. It sneaks up on him, quietly, softly, a variant on feelings he’s already experienced but never bothered to identify. And doesn’t, until he’s getting up, the early morning sun warm and promising on his shoulders. His eyes immediately fall on the picture of Sebastian, and he sighs. It comes to him then, as easily and undramatic as drawing breath. He smiles. Of course. With that recognition everything else falls into context.

He loves Sebastian. Has for some time perhaps, he isn’t sure. Not that it matters. All that does is the warm joy of the here and now.

---

The first time it does make him pause is the next time he puts pen to paper to write a letter. He wants to tell Sebastian, there’s no questioning that. But to do it in writing…he’s not sure how right that feels. He’d much rather in person. Then again, it’s still months and months until he goes back, and the idea of waiting that long…

So he writes out the rest of what he has to say. Carefully putting that to the side, he takes out some scrap paper. If he can’t figure out how to put what he wants to say into writing in a way that he feels satisfied with, then he won’t include it.

Nearly a week passes before he finishes striking the right balance. An honest, accurate expression of his own feelings that also make it clear that whatever Sebastian feels (Klavier had taken almost a full day off writing when that hit him, the thought that Sebastian might return the sentiment left him dizzy and clasping a hand to his chest from how full his heart was), Klavier will be fine with it. Klavier’s noticed how Sebastian thinks he has to earn people’s affection, and the last thing he wants is for that to happen here. That, more than anything else, he thinks, would hurt him to see happen.

He seals the envelope with a careful reverence and holds it close as he takes it to mail. And just like that, the deed is done. All he can do now is wait for Sebastian to read it.

---

Having already gone several months without any letters, Klavier really shouldn’t be so surprised that Sebastian hasn’t responded to this one yet. But as time goes on, he can’t stop thinking about how much he wants this time to be different. To get a response. He’s wishing with every feeling he has that it’s reciprocated, reassuring himself that either way, things will turn out alright.

But eventually, even that certainty begins to shake. Whatever other reasons he’s used in the past to understand why Sebastian never writes have been shoved aside as Klavier’s convinces himself that now it’s because of what he said. If Sebastian is happy, if he loves him as well or even thinks he could, then what reason would there possibly be for him to remain silent in the face of his confession? No, the only answer is Sebastian is angry or repulsed, or feeling like Klavier’s taken advantage of his trust. Maybe he has. What right does Klavier have to make such declarations? True, that’s what he felt, still feels now, but had he really thought through what it would be like on the other side of that?

---

Klavier starts writing again. The first letter is a simple apology, heartfelt as the confession but with quiet contemplation in the place of its warm exuberance. What he said can’t be taken back; he could never lie to Sebastian like that even if it might make his friend feel better. But if he can at least atone for what he’s done…

He writes many letters of that kind as the days go on. Initially of the same tone and content of the first, in the vague hope that perhaps Sebastian hadn’t opened the previous, the hurt of what Klavier had done being too near. But soon they begin to match the desperation in his heart, for the first time asking for a response, begging Sebastian to at least tell him if he was upset, he doesn’t even care at this point (that’s a lie; he does care. No matter how much he tries to bury it he can’t change the fact that even if Sebastian said he despised him to his face it wouldn’t be enough to root out the love nestled into the deepest part of Klavier’s being. It would only hurt). Anything would be better than the agony of not knowing.

He should’ve waited, he tells himself. Kept it to himself and treasured his feelings just like he’s come to treasure the person they concern, until he went back home and had the conversation in person. But no. No matter how much he’d dressed it up in pretty phrases, the fact was that Klavier had put his own silly emotions before those of the person he supposedly cared about so much. His brother has told him a thousand times that he is too soft, too emotional, that he runs entirely on impulses of the heart without so much as a thought in his head. And as time stretches ever on, faced with more of the same nothing in response, Klavier finally finally finally begins to resign himself to the fact that every bit of that is right, and now that inability to take things seriously has gone and ruined everything, leaving him with the ruins of a friendship and the heartache of knowing he’s responsible for hurting the person he loves most.

[junker-town]

Which NFL players are holding out from training camp in 2019?

Melvin Gordon, Ezekiel Elliott, and Jadeveon Clowney all skipped training camp in pursuit of contract extensions, with various results.

When NFL training camps opened in July 2018, many of the league’s biggest names steered clear. Le’Veon Bell, Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack, and Earl Thomas all refused to show up due to qualms with their contracts.

Bell never reported, opting instead to sit out an entire season after the Steelers franchised him in back-to-back years.

Donald’s holdout ended with a record-breaking contract from the Rams. And Mack’s ended when he was traded from the Raiders to the Bears and subsequently given the blockbuster deal he wanted too.

Thomas reluctantly showed up without a new contract from the Seahawks and wasn’t shy about voicing his displeasure — most notably when he suffered a broken leg early in the 2018 season that ended his time in Seattle.

There wasn’t quite the same level of star power on the list of holdouts in 2019. But skipping training camp is a common, and usually effective, tactic. A few players gave it a shot.

Here are the 2019 training camp absentees who stretched their holdouts to the regular season, and the notable players who opted against a holdout or got a contract along the way.

Just 1 NFL player still hasn’t reported to their team

Trent Williams, OT, Washington

Williams signed a huge extension in 2015, but the guaranteed money has been paid, and his contract is down to its final two years. Williams may want more now.

#Redskins LT Trent Williams, not spotted in the building this morning, wants a new deal, I’m told. His deal was huge when he signed out, but the market has shifted greatly. https://t.co/12AFhn394d

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 4, 2019

He’s not in a bad spot with $11 million and $12.5 million in base salary for the next two years. But many offensive tackles have shifted the market in the last few years and Williams — who turned 31 in July — is running out of time to get another blockbuster deal.

But the bigger part of Williams’ complaint may have nothing to do with his salary. It’s reportedly due to frustration with the Washington medical staff. Williams had a growth on his head surgically removed, and coach Jay Gruden told reporters that the offensive tackle “wished the diagnosis had come a little sooner” from team doctors.

Williams explained his absence from offseason practices in a meeting with team president Bruce Allen.

“I’ve talked to Trent a few times,” Allen told NBC Sports. ”He’s explained some things to me and I’ll leave it at that.”

He’s so frustrated about the situation that NBC Sports Washington reported “he’s not coming back. Period.”

In spite of that hardline stance and a holdout that kept Williams out for the entire preseason, Washington has reportedly rebuffed trade offers and Allen is adamant the offensive tackle will return.

"I THINK TRENT'S GONNA PLAY FOOTBALL"#Redskins team president Bruce Allen goes 1-on-1 with @SherreeBurruss to talk about the latest with Trent Williams' holdout. Tomorrow, Allen talks about Jay Gruden's job security as well as his own, only on @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/B14C09rDdp

— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) August 28, 2019

Gruden also does not think Williams will be traded, though the tackle won’t play in Week 1:

This was the expectation but now official: #Redskins LT Trent Williams did not show up at the team facility today to practice with his team. His holdout continues into the regular season and he won’t play Sunday — at least.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 4, 2019

After that, however, there might be hope for a return. Former teammate DeAngelo Hall told The Athletic’s Erin Hawksworth that Williams could rejoin the team “sooner rather than later.”

Williams has been to seven consecutive Pro Bowls, but he hasn’t completed a 16-game season since 2013. Most recently, he missed three games in 2018 due to thumb and rib injuries, and six games in 2017 due to a knee injury. Washington struggled to deal with the absence, and now has journeyman Case Keenum and rookie Dwayne Haskins to protect.

5 players who ended holdouts

Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers

Los Angeles is in the thick of contention thanks in part to the ageless play of Philip Rivers, but he was without a key component of his offense in training camp and the beginning of the regular season.

It wasn’t until the end of September that Melvin Gordon finally ended a lengthy holdout and reported to the team facility.

Sources: The holdout is ending. #Chargers RB Melvin Gordon is, in fact, reporting to the team tomorrow. He won’t play this week, but he is planning to be back in the fold with his teammates.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 25, 2019

Gordon has been a big part of the Chargers’ offensive revival, recording nearly 4,400 yards from scrimmage the past three seasons. He’s also been a bit unreliable due to injury — he’s only played one full 16-game campaign in his four-year career. He’s currently on the hook for $5.6 million in the fifth year of his rookie contract, but made just under $5 million for the four years preceding it.

His contract demand was a little surprising, but it makes sense. Gordon comes into 2019 with some leverage after making a leap in 2018; his yards-per-carry average rose from a career mark of 3.8 to 5.1 as Los Angeles rose from the outside of the postseason picture and into a spot in the Divisional Round last January. He also contributed a career-high 4.2 catches per game, playing a massive role as headache-reliever for his aging quarterback.

The Chargers have an estimated $39 million in cap space to spend next spring, but a chunk of that will likely be devoted to Rivers, whose contract is up at the end of the year. Players like Joey Bosa and Keenan Allen will also need to be dealt with soon. If the club thinks Gordon’s jump in efficiency last fall isn’t sustainable, it may hold strong against Gordon’s holdout threat.

Los Angeles reportedly held firm at a $10 million per year offer — well behind the $14.375 million average of Todd Gurley — and that led to a trade request.

Chargers RB Melvin Gordon's agent Damarius Bilbo tells me he requested a trade last wk for his client, after the team remained at their initial offer of aprox $10M/ year. GM Tom Telesco told Bilbo, Gordon is still family, but Bilbo was not given permission to seek trade partners.

— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) August 1, 2019

One that the Chargers eventually gave in to:

Some potentially big news for the #Chargers: They have given the reps for Melvin Gordon permission to seek a trade, sources say. He’ll explore his options, which include returning. But big few days.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2019

Right after that, Chargers GM Tom Telesco announced that the team would not negotiate further with Gordon until after the season. So with no trade brokered, Gordon will evidently have to play 2019 on his current contract.

Given the young tailback’s importance to LA’s offensive identity, the flexibility he brings, and the team’s likely need to keep Rivers happy, an extension seemed logical. Now it appears unlikely.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys

In three seasons in Dallas, Elliott has clearly lived up to his top-five draft status — even if he’s had a few off-field incidents raise issues. He’s averaged 101.2 rushing yards per game with 28 touchdowns and two trips to the Pro Bowl. Keep in mind, Jim Brown is the only player to ever average more than 100 rushing yards per game over the course of his career.

It seemed inevitable that Elliott would be made the highest-paid running back in the NFL at some point. For a while though, he was stuck in the same boat as Jalen Ramsey — another top-five pick from 2016 who wasn’t a top priority because of the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.

The Cowboys are also preoccupied with locking down Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper, but Elliott wanted his discounted salary addressed. He privately said earlier in the summer that would hold out of training camp unless he gets a new contract, according to Pro Football Talk. Then he followed through on that and did not join the team at all during the preseason.

It was a long process for Dallas and Elliott to reach an agreement. First, Elliott was offered a deal that doesn’t top the one Todd Gurley received from the Rams in 2018.

Sources: The most recent offer in negotiations between holdout Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys came from the team. Elliott has been offered a contract making him one of the NFL’s 2 highest-paid RB. That would suggest team offering more than LeVeon Bell and less than Todd Gurley.

— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) August 22, 2019

After Cowboys rookie running back Tony Pollard rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams, owner Jerry Jones said “Zeke who?” — in a joking manner — when he was asked about Pollard being his best negotiator.

Yes, Jerry Jones said "Zeke who", when asked if Tony Pollard is his "best negotiator". But... this is the full "Zeke who?" sound bite from Jerry, complete with the necessary context of his follow-up to the joke, saying the #Cowboys need both Zeke Elliott and Tony Pollard. pic.twitter.com/yDiZnlwwke

— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 18, 2019

Predictably, Elliott and his agent didn’t find the joke all that funny.

It drew a few laughs but neither @EzekielElliott nor agent Rocky Arceneaux found @Cowboys Jerry Jones' quip "Zeke who?" as amusing. Arceneaux: "I didn't think it was funny and neither did Zeke - we actually thought it was disrespectful."

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) August 19, 2019

Pollard was impressive for the Cowboys this preseason and would’ve started if Elliott didn’t report by Week 1, though Jones wasn’t too worried about that:

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn't seem unnerved on @1053thefan with possibility team could start 2019 without RB Ezekiel Elliott. "We've got a marathon here. We want Zeke when we get to the playoffs. We want Zeke when we're in the dog days of the season."

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 28, 2019

Ahead of the start of the regular season, the Cowboys finally started making progress on a deal. The negotiations came down to the wire, though.

Then on Sept. 4, Elliott and the Cowboys agreed to a six-year, $90 million deal, making him the highest-paid running back in the NFL.

Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Texans

The No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft may not be the unstoppable sack machine that many expected him to be, but Clowney has emerged as a three-time Pro Bowler. He’s valuable enough that the Texans gave him a franchise tag that guarantees him $15.967 million in 2019.

That’s a good pay day for Clowney. The problem is that it lacks long-term security and is below market value for the position. He stayed away from camp and sat out all of preseason before he was traded to the Seahawks a week before the start of the regular season.

The situation was bungled by Houston, which got only a third-round pick and two backup linebackers in exchange for one of the NFL’s better defensive players.

It didn’t help negotiations when the Texans fired general manager Brian Gaine in June and bungled their attempts to replace him. That left interim general manager Chris Olsen and coach Bill O’Brien about a month to work on a deal with Clowney.

Bill O'Brien on Jadeveon Clowney and if Brian Gaine firing affects anything with his status going forward: 'He's been franchised. He's not here. It is what it is.'

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 11, 2019

With Clowney opting against signing his franchise tender, the Texans weren’t be able to fine him for missing training camp practices. Clowney took his holdout a step further by firing his agent Bus Cook just prior to the trade getting done.

Jadeveon Clowney fired veteran agent Bus Cook, according to league sources today. Texans unsigned franchise player extremely frustrated with situation has five days before he can hire new agent

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 27, 2019

Now he’s a member of the Seahawks.

Michael Thomas, WR, Saints

Not many people were expecting Thomas to hold out. Mostly because he was adamant all offseason that it’s not his style.

“I’m a football player first — I like being at work.” Thomas told ESPN in May. “I feel pretty certain that everything will get taken care of and handled professionally. This is how I approach the game and how I show up to work the same way, and everything else will take care of itself.”

So even though he was a surprising member of the holdout club, his gambit paid off in a big way. Thomas was set to make a laughably low $1.148 million for the 2019 season. His absence set new contract negotiations in motion in New Orleans — and he left the table with the richest deal a wide receiver’s ever seen.

Thomas and the Saints came to terns on an extension that will pay the young wideout $100 million over five years, with $61 million of that guaranteed. It’s the largest deal any wide receiver has ever earned in NFL history, eclipsing the five year, $90 million contract Odell Beckham signed with the Giants in 2018.

Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Jaguars

Jacksonville appears to have prioritized an extension for Ngakoue ahead of a deal for cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

That makes sense, considering both were drafted in 2016 but Ramsey was the first-round pick. That means he had a fifth-year option on his contract that keeps him locked up through the 2020 season. Ngakoue is entering the last year of his rookie deal, so his contract situation is a more immediate hurdle for the Jaguars to clear.

Ngakoue sat out offseason workouts earlier this year for that reason.

Statement from Jaguars’ DE Yannick Ngakoue: “I will not be attending minicamp as my contract has not been resolved. I remain committed to Jacksonville, the fans and my teammates. My hope is to be with Jacksonville for years to come.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 10, 2019

In three seasons with the Jaguars, Ngakoue has 29.5 sacks and one trip to the Pro Bowl. That kind of production should put him in the same tier as Demarcus Lawrence, Frank Clark, Trey Flowers, and Dee Ford — each of whom got a pricy five-year deal in 2019 that averaged between $17.1 and $21 million.

A training camp holdout started, and he looked like a player who could’ve considered dragging his contract dispute into September. But with no deal in sight and an upcoming risk of not reaching unrestricted free agency, Ngakoue decided to reverse course.

Now he’s not ruling out a contract extension with the team, but he doesn’t sound too optimistic.

#Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue: "They had a chance to sign me for a long-term deal but it didn't get done. It is what it is. I love football, love my teammates, and I'm here to play games." Could a deal get done before the season? "It's out of my hands. I don't even know."

— Phillip Heilman (@phillip_heilman) August 4, 2019

Ngakoue is scheduled to become a free agent in March.

6 notable players who opted against a holdout

Chris Jones, DT, Chiefs

Kansas City did some high-stakes tinkering with its pass rush during the offseason, shipping Dee Ford to the 49ers and filling his role by trading for Frank Clark. But the real centerpiece of the Chiefs’ defense is Jones, who had 15.5 sacks in 2018.

With his contract expiring after the 2019 season, Jones skipped offseason practices this spring. The Chiefs responded to the absence by playing hardball.

From Up to the Minute Live: The #Chiefs have mandatory minicamp without DT Chris Jones, who wants a new contract. Sounds like KC won't negotiate until Jones shows up. pic.twitter.com/k5EMeGFxyG

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 11, 2019

The good news for the Chiefs was that Jones had a reason to show up shortly after training camp opens. If he didn’t arrive to camp by Aug. 6, he would’ve been set to reach restricted free agency next year rather than unrestricted free agency.

Camp opens for the Chiefs on July 24, so Jones would have been rolling the dice if he didn’t show up within the first couple weeks. Aaron Donald faced the same situation in 2018 and blew through the deadline in pursuit of a new contract.

He still didn’t show up until the Rams gave him a record-breaking deal on the last day of August.

Jones took the opposite strategy and arrived for camp, although he made it clear that he isn’t going to get any cheaper.

Per the Katz. brothers regarding Chris Jones, who is now reporting to camp on time: “He knows his value and if he has to play out his deal in order to reach free agency, then that’s what he will do. For now, he’s focused on winning a Super Bowl for Kansas City.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 26, 2019

Robbie Gould, K, 49ers

There aren’t many examples of kickers holding out, but Gould made it clear that San Francisco isn’t a place he wants to be. He requested a trade in April and told the 49ers that he won’t negotiate a long-term deal ahead of the July 15 deadline for an extension.

In a turn of events, 49ers’ franchise kicker Robbie Gould has pulled his contract proposals that he sent to San Francisco and told the team he will not negotiate or sign a long-term deal with them, and he would like to be traded, Gould said Tuesday.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 23, 2019

The 49ers didn’t take long to deny the trade request:

Will you trade Robbie Gould? “No.” - Kyle Shanahan

— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) April 26, 2019

Kickers are often cogs that are easy to replace, but Gould has some leverage after leading the NFL in field goal percentage in 2019 by nailing 33 of his 34 tries. That was enough to more than double the average annual salary of his last contract and make him one of the highest paid specialists in the game this fall.

The 49ers were able to change Gould’s mind and avoid a holdout by inking him to a four-year deal to stay in the Bay Area.

Details on Robbie Gould’s extension with #49ers: It’s 2 years, $10.5M fully guaranteed at signing. Team must decide whether to fully guarantee half his $4.5M salary for 2021 before Week 16 of 2020 season, and the other half by the following April. Full deal 4 years, $19M.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 15, 2019

That resolved the issue before it ever reached training camp.

Bobby Wagner, LB, Seahawks

As far as holdouts go, Wagner’s hunt for a new contract has been as amicable as possible. The linebacker chose against practicing in OTAs, but still showed up at the facility and participated without going on the field.

“He handled it beautifully,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters, via 247Sports. “Bobby’s an incredible player in this program. Everything that he does, his presence is obvious. He’s been around for everything. He’s been involved with everything and he’s handled it exactly the way he should under these circumstances.”

Things may get a little more contentious when it gets closer to the season, though. Wagner is arguably the best linebacker in the NFL, but now he has serious leverage for a pay raise thanks to C.J. Mosley. The Jets gave Mosley a five-year contract that averages $17 million per year — waaaaay more than Luke Kuechly’s $12.36 million average that previously reigned as the top salary for an inside linebacker.

Wagner is entering the final year of his contract and remains an integral part of the Seahawks. The defense has undergone a transformation in the wake of the Legion of Boom’s demise, and Wagner’s been the player who has held the unit together through the transition.

But it’s going to be a tough negotiation, thanks in no small part to Mosley’s outlier of a contract.

Wagner’s expected to show up, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll fully participate. His previous strategy of staying off the practice field could extend into training camp too.

#Seahawks star LB Bobby Wagner is expected to show up for training camp tomorrow, sources say, because of the kind of leader he is and wanting to be there with his teammates. He may not put himself in harm’s way until a deal gets done, and he’ll be cautious. But he’ll be there.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 23, 2019

For now, he belongs in this bottom tier of non-holdouts, but that could still change depending on his participation.

Julio Jones, WR, Falcons

The Falcons placated Jones last year when he opted to skip out on the beginning of training camp. While the star receiver didn’t get the huge contract he was aiming for, the Falcons shifted money around on the deal to give him more money in 2018.

“We have come to an agreement with Julio, and we will re-address everything in 2019,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said in a statement at the time.

Well now it’s well into 2019 and the contract still hasn’t been re-addressed. There was a report in April that a deal was close to finished, but nothing came of that. Jones then sat out OTAs, setting the table for a training camp holdout. Instead, he showed up.

I want to be the best teammate I can possibly be, Julio says. That’s his focus right now, not the noise about his contract.

— Jeañña (@jeannathomas) July 24, 2019

After five straight Pro Bowl seasons with at least 1,400 receiving yards each, Jones isn’t going to come cheap. He’ll probably want a contract that eclipses the $18 million per year that was awarded to Odell Beckham Jr. last year.

There’s not much reason to believe the Falcons won’t pay up, so Jones trusted that he didn’t need to steer clear.

Darius Slay, CB, Lions

On the list of underpaid players coming up on the end of their contracts, Slay is in a different situation. He signed an extension in 2016 and still has two years left with base salaries of $12.55 million and $10 million on the way.

Since signing that deal, Slay has been to the Pro Bowl two times while several other cornerbacks got more lucrative contracts. He’s also gone through the guaranteed portions of the deal.

Now Slay’s angling for another contract that pays him like the elite cornerback that he is and gives him some security. And threatening to skip some of training camp was part of his strategy.

“Will I be there?” Slay said of training camp on a podcast in June, via the Detroit Free Press. “We’ll see. Time will tell.”

Ultimately, he decided not to follow through on that.

#Lions CB Darius Slay also will report, source said. Detroit at full strength for start of camp. https://t.co/6lycY14LLV

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 23, 2019

With two years left on his deal, Detroit doesn’t need to do Slay any favors and restructure it. But the Lions are also sitting pretty with over $23 million in cap space and can afford to kick one of their best players a little more. It just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen this year.

Duke Johnson, RB, Browns

Johnson is on the hunt for a new uniform more than a new contract. The Browns running back says his goal is “to be somewhere [where he’s] wanted.”

Duke Johnson Jr. explains his trade request & why he doesn’t feel wanted by #Browns anymore pic.twitter.com/EyRQ5MNiaY

— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) June 4, 2019

The Browns — like the 49ers with Robbie Gould — haven’t been very receptive of the request:

#Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens minces NO words w/ us on unhappy RB Duke Johnson: “He wants to be traded. I want to win the lottery. It doesn’t matter. He’s under contract. He’s a Cleveland Brown he’s going to be used to the best of his ability in what benefits the team.”

— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) June 4, 2019

Johnson is currently set to be Nick Chubb’s backup in Cleveland, and his touches will likely decline when an eight-game suspension for Kareem Hunt is up. Johnson finished the 2018 season with just 40 rushing attempts, despite averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He contributed a little more in the pass game with 47 receptions, but that was down from 74 receptions in 2017.

While his trade demands haven’t gone anywhere, Johnson showed up for minicamp and now training camp too.

#Browns RB Duke Johnson, who has requested a trade from Cleveland, will report to the #Browns for training camp today, source said. His situation remains fluid, but he will be present.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 24, 2019

His presence at training camp doesn’t mean he’s happy with his situation in Cleveland, though.

Update: Johnson was traded to the Houston Texans on August 8 in exchange for a conditional fourth round pick that can be bumped up to a third round pick if he plays 10 games.

Browns trade RB Duke Johnson to @HoustonTexans for a conditional 2020 fourth-round pick. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/kYx8JN2Dty

— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2019

[junker-town]

The 10 greatest HBCU dynasties, now including North Carolina A&T

Let’s not try to figure out which teams would’ve beaten each other across eras. Instead, let’s try to compare accomplishments.

The Celebration Bowl has been kicking off bowl season and crowning the semi-official HBCU national champion since 2015. It is indeed a celebration, a meeting of the MEAC and SWAC champions, and it’s helped spread awareness and applications around the historically black college universe.

At least, it was before NC A&T started winning the damn thing every year.

On Saturday, the Aggies took their third title, jumping out to an early lead on Alcorn State and holding on, 24-22. It was noteworthy not only because it was their third championship in four years, but also because it meant the winning ways continued following the retirement of legendary head coach Rod Broadway.

Successor Sam Washington’s A&T beat East Carolina and FCS powerhouse Jacksonville State in September, then won once more in Atlanta in December.

Part of the rationale for the creation of an HBCU national title game was that ... well ... this is college football.

There are nearly twice as many claimed HBCU titles as there are actual seasons of play — 177 across various divisions in 99 seasons, to be exact.

And the Celebration Bowl’s existence hasn’t dampened the claims. Division II and NAIA rankings still crown HBCU champs of their own.

Still, even with liberal rules on who can claim a title, not many have claimed three in such a short span.

And including A&T’s wins over FBS opponents — Kent State in 2016, Charlotte in 2017, ECU in 2018 — you could say the Aggies have put together one of the most impressive runs in the history of HBCU football.

That history is a tough thing to judge. NFL teams didn’t really begin looking toward HBCUs to stock two-deeps until the 1960s (but those who did quickly found immense competitive advantages), and teams from black colleges didn’t really get chances to play non-HBCU teams until the 1970s, after de-segregation had begun and Southern schools had begun admitting black athletes.

The further we go back in history, the harder it is to gauge the quality of these teams — the pro talent lets us know they were probably awesome, but the lack of head-to-head results against outside teams makes it tricky.

Instead of trying to judge the quality of given teams, however, we can judge the relative quality of their dynasties.

Below is a list of the top 10 HBCU dynasties since World War II. The early days gave us quite a few dynamite runs — Tuskegee won six titles in seven years in the 1920s, for instance, and Kentucky State won three straight in the 1930s — but to make an impossible task slightly less impossible, we’ll look only at what you might call college football’s semi-modern era.

And yeah, some of these title claims will overlap a bit.

Honorable mentions: the schools that came closest to the top 10.

Florida A&M (1949-54). Four titles in six years and a 46-8-2 record overall. But you’ll hear plenty from the Rattlers on the list.

Tennessee State (1953-56). Three titles in four years and a 35-3-1 record overall. Outscored opponents, 394-64, in 1956 and beat a dynamite FAMU, 41-39, in the Orange Blossom Classic. Had a strong claim to a spot in the top 10.

Southern (1993-98). Four titles in six years, including two in a row, and a 55-16 record overall. In the dying days of Eddie Robinson’s Grambling era, Pete Richardson began dominating the Bayou Classic and the SWAC.

Grambling (2000-05). Four titles in six years, including three in a row. A 57-15 record, including a win over a solid Portland State in 2001. Former Robinson quarterback Doug Williams got things rolling, and Melvin Spears kept it going.

Hampton (2004-06). Three titles in a row and a 31-5 record. The Pirates went 0-3 in the FCS playoffs, but that included tight losses to No. 3 William & Mary in 2004 and New Hampshire in 2006.

Tuskegee (2007-09). The Golden Tigers claimed three titles in a row and a 32-3 record at the Division II level, and that was after losing a run of pro talent (DBs Roosevelt Williams, Drayton Florence, and Frank Walker, among others).

Bethune-Cookman (2010-13). The Wildcats peaked just before the Celebration Bowl era, claiming three HBCU titles in four years and going 37-11. They walloped FBS’ FIU by 21 points in 2013.

Winston-Salem State (2011-13). Another D2 entry, the alma mater of former NFL stars Timmy Newsome, Yancey Thigpen, and many more. Claimed three titles in a row, won 37 of 41 games, and reached the D2 finals in 2012, losing to Valdosta State.

Now to the top 10. Wins over current FBS teams are in bold.

10. South Carolina State (1976-82)

Four claimed titles in seven years

64-14-2 record

2-2 I-AA (FCS) playoff record

Beat Furman (17-0) in 1982

Notable pros: OL Edwin Bailey (11 years in NFL), DB Barney Bussey (10 years), DB Rufus Bess (9 years), DB William Judson (8 years), WR Charlie Brown (6 years), DL Emanuel Weaver (second-round pick)

The 1970s were boom times. De-segregation was in effect, but legendary coaches like Robinson, Tennessee State’s John Merritt, and SC State’s Willie Jeffries continued to reel in talent.

Despite Grambling peaking with Doug Williams and company, and despite Florida A&M winning the inaugural FCS title in 1978, SC State still managed to stand out, claiming the 1976 and 1977 black college titles. And after Jeffries left for Wichita State (he would return to Spartanburg in 1989), they won the 1981 and 1982 titles under Bill Davis.

Maybe the most impressive thing? The Bulldogs got better after losing pros like linebacker Harry Carson (a future NFL Hall of Famer), defensive back Donnie Shell, and defensive lineman Barney Chavous. These two-deeps were loaded.

9. Florida A&M (1977-79)

Two HBCU titles in three years, plus the first ever FCS title

30-5 record

2-0 FCS playoff record

Beat UMass (35-28) in the 1978 FCS title game and Miami (16-13) in 1979

We’re making an exception here. Yes, the Rattlers won only two HBCU titles in this span, while all the other teams here won at least three. But we’ll count the inaugural FCS championship, sealed with wins over Jackson State and UMass, as well.

I also just really wanted this team on the list so I could point out FAMU beat Howard Schnellenberger’s first Miami team in 1979.

”It’s a big relief,” said FAMU fullback Mike Solomon. “We heard up here during the week that the Miami players had made fun of us while watching our films. Some of them said we looked like high school players. I think today we proved that we’re the better team.” [...]

Rattler coach Rudy Hubbard had the look of a man who wanted to say “I told you so.”

”I don’t think I want to say that,” Hubbard said as fans mobbed him during a 50-yard line press conference that was delayed nearly an hour by his strange absence from the stadium immediately after the completion of the game.

”I don’t think saying something like that is important,” he said, tongue-in-cheek. “That could damage morale at the other schools ... but ... you saw it for yourself.”

8. Tennessee State (1982-84)

Getty Images

Richard Dent, John Merritt’s last Hall of Fame recruit

Three titles in a row

29-3-2 record

1-1 FCS playoff record

Beat Chattanooga (27-21) and Eastern Illinois (20-19) in 1982 and Louisville (24-15) in 1984

Notable pros: DE Richard Dent (NFL Hall of Famer), RB Larry Kinnebrew (7 years in NFL), WR Mike Jones (6 years), OL Steve Moore (5 years)

Among the highlights in Samuel J. Freedman’s Breaking the Line, the story of Florida A&M’s and Grambling’s legendary 1967 (which culminated in a 28-25 Grambling win over FAMU in the Orange Blossom Classic) is Robinson’s fight to get NFL attention for his quarterback, James “Shack” Harris. But maybe the most enjoyable parts are when Freedman gets going about how much Robinson disliked Tennessee State’s Big John Merritt.

If Robinson was a teacher first, Merritt was a politician. In college football terms, that means he was one hell of a recruiter, even into the 1980s as attracting talent to HBCUs grew more difficult. The Tigers reached the FCS quarterfinals (losing to SC State) in 1981 and the semis in 1982, and Merritt retired after a 8-2-1 1983 (he would pass away just a couple of weeks later). TSU honored him by going 11-0 under William A. Thomas in 1984.

7. Morgan State (1943-49)

Four titles in seven years

41-8-1 record

Notable pros: DL Len Ford (NFL Hall of Famer after also playing at Michigan)

Morgan State has only one conference title since the 1970s, but the Bears were once the brightest HBCU light. They dominated the 1940s, claiming the 1943, 1944, 1946, and 1949 titles under Edward P. Hurt. The best was probably the last team, which outscored opponents by a 226-32 margin, allowing more than seven points just once.

The Bears also got to claim one of the first HBCU products to truly thrive in the pros: Ford, who graduated from MSU, enlisted in the Navy and played for Michigan after the war. The pride of Washington, DC, ended up on Paul Brown’s Cleveland Browns, won three NFL titles, and was named to the NFL’s all-decade team.

6. North Carolina A&T (2015-18 and counting)

Getty Images

Tarik Cohen

Three titles in four years

41-7 record

0-1 FCS playoff record

beat Kent State (39-36) in 2016, Charlotte (35-31) in 2017, ECU (28-23), and Jacksonville State (20-17) in 2018

Notable pros: RB Tarik Cohen (fourth-round pick in 2017), OL Brandon Parker (third-round pick in 2018)

A&T’s run of FBS wins has really brought to focus the Aggies’ upside. Broadway, who also got to claim shares of HBCU titles with NC Central (2005 and 2006) and Grambling (2007), is one of the sport’s most underrated coaches, and he left Washington with a bounty, particularly in the trenches — defensive lineman Darryl Johnson, Jr., and offensive lineman Micah Shaw were FCS All-Americans in 2018.

If the Aggies win in 2019, after losing not only Shaw but also quarterback Lamar Raynard and running back Marquell Cartwright, then they might be Atlanta mainstays for years to come.

5. Tennessee State (1970-73)

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Ed “Too Tall” Jones

Three titles in four years

41-2 record

Beat UL Lafayette (26-25) in 1970, McNeese State (26-23) in 1971, Drake (29-7) in 1972, and Middle Tennessee (23-0) in 1973

Notable pros: DE “Too Tall” Jones (15 years in NFL), OL Vern Holland (10 years), OL Robert Woods (8 years)

Merritt had already claimed three titles in the 1960s — at Jackson State in 1962 and at TSU in 1965-66 — but probably peaked in the early-1970s. From 1969-73, his Tigers went 48-3-1, winning the small-school showcase Grantland Rice Bowl in 1970 (over what would become UL Lafayette) and 1971 (over McNeese).

Robinson probably really hated Merritt in these years. From 1971-74, 19 Tennessee State players were selected in the NFL draft, including eight in the first two rounds. Primarily because of Merritt, TSU has produced 117 pros, more than current Power 5 programs like Iowa State and Vanderbilt.

4. Southern (1948-50)

Three titles in a row

32-0-2 record

Average score in this span: 32-4 (allowed 26 points in 11 games in 1950)

While Robinson and Jake Gaither were still young, an old hand was ruling the roost from Baton Rouge. Ace Mumford had won the HBCU title at Texas College in 1935. He’d coached Southern to a HBCU basketball title in 1941, then got rolling on the gridiron in the late-1940s.

In this run, Southern demolished opponents; they allowed a total of 26 points in 11 games in 1950. These days of HBCU football were particularly defined by line play and the “three yards and a cloud of dust” mantra, and Southern didn’t even allow clouds of dust.

Southern’s stadium is named after him, but that almost goes without saying. If you want to know how respected Mumford was, look at the list of pall bearers at his funeral in 1962: Robinson, Gaither, Merritt, and pretty much every other HBCU coach of the era.

3. Central State (1983-92)

FAMU Athletics

Billy Joe in his Florida A&M years, with Jim Tressel

Seven titles in 10 years (including five in a row from 1986-90)

103-17-2 record

3-4 Division II playoff record, 11-4 NAIA playoff record (including national titles in 1990 and 1992)

Beat Liberty (66-16) and Texas State (24-16) in 1983, Towson (31-0) in 1986, Central Arkansas (30-23) and Gardner-Webb (19-16) in 1992

Notable pros: OL Erik Williams (11 years in NFL), DL Hugh Douglas (first-round pick, 10 years), DB Vince Buck (second-round pick, 6 years)

If Broadway is one of the most underrated coaches of the 2000s and 2010s, Billy Joe takes that honor from the 1980s and 1990s.

Before he nearly built Florida A&M into an FBS-caliber program at the turn of the century, he created a powerhouse out of almost nothing in Ohio. At Central State, the Villanova grad and former AFL fullback went 103-17-2 from 1983-92, making some noise in the D2 playoffs, then winning two NAIA national titles.

Joe was an innovator on offense, airing out in a way that few could (he was the originator of the Gulf Coast Offense), but his teams were dominant in the trenches. It was a downright unfair combination. (Honestly, it’s unfair to think of All-Pros Williams and Douglas taking on NAIA opposition.)

Despite lower-level stature, the Marauders earned their HBCU titles, including wins against Division I teams. They beat Morgan State and Tennessee State by a combined 98-27 in 1990, Alabama A&M and Howard by 80-29 in 1991, Alabama State and Morgan State by 85-42 in 1992, etc.

2. Grambling (1972-77)

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Eddie Robinson

Four titles in six years

60-13 record

1-1 Division II playoff record

Beat Hawaii (46-7) and Nevada (37-3) in 1972, Long Beach State (29-16) and Delaware (17-8) in 1973, Hawaii (20-6) and Oregon State (19-12) in 1975, Hawaii (34-23) in 1976, and Temple (35-32) in 1977

Notable pros: QB Doug Williams (first-round pick, Super Bowl champion), DL Gary Johnson (11 years in NFL), WR Sammy White (10 years), WR Charlie Smith (8 years), WR Dwight Scales (8 years), DB James Hunter (first-round pick, 7 years), DE Mike St. Clair (7 years)

Robinson coached at Grambling for more than 50 years and claimed titles in five different decades. This might have been his best run; it was definitely his most important.

Because of segregation, HBCU programs had minimal scheduling opportunities before the 1970s, which meant that probably the most talented HBCU teams ever — those under Robinson, Gaither, Merritt, etc., in the 1960s and early-1970s — didn’t get to compare themselves to the rest of college football until their members reached the pros.

Tennessee State fared pretty well in a series of Grantland Rice Bowls during that period, but Grambling was the most aggressive at taking shots against what would become FBS-level competition. The Tigers went a combined 5-0 against Hawaii and Oregon State in the 1970s and 1980s, split a couple of games with Temple, and nearly beat a peaking SMU in 1983.

They also dominated at the HBCU level, claiming national titles in 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1977. 1980, too. And with alumni like receiver Charlie Joiner already in the Pro Bowl, Robinson produced constant future pros, with 13 Grambling products selected in the first three rounds between 1971-78.

1. Florida A&M (1957-62)

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Jake Gaither

Four titles in six years

54-4 record

Named AP small college national champion in 1962, the rough equivalent of being named FCS champion

Notable pros: RB Hewritt Dixon (8 years in AFL/NFL), WR Al Denson (8 years in AFL/NFL)

Though Gaither’s and Robinson’s peaks came a mere decade apart, Gaither’s came in almost a completely different era. At the turn of the 1960s, Florida A&M was playing only games against fellow HBCU competition. But they get the No. 1 spot on this list because of sheer dominance.

I mean, dominance. In 1957, the Rattlers beat Southern and NC A&T by a combined 74-12 on their way to a 9-0 record. In 1959, only Southern stayed within three touchdowns. They outscored 10 opponents by a combined 506-33 in 1961. They got more dominant with each title run.

From 1957-62, FAMU beat rival Bethune-Cookman four times by a combined 367-18. That includes a 97-0 pasting in 1960.

And after a rare loss, they always got their revenge. They lost to Southern and Prairie View A&M in 1958 and beat them by a combined 49-21 in 1959. They lost again to Southern in 1960 and won 46-0 in 1961. They lost the last game of 1962 to Jackson State and had to wait 16 years for revenge. They got it in the 1978 FCS semifinals.

We understand now that the talent in the HBCU ranks was increasing in this period. And FAMU was still utterly untouchable. Gaither couldn’t top Robinson in longevity — he retired in 1969 after only 25 years in charge — but not even Robinson had a stretch of quite this level either.