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sinceileftyoublog · 3 years

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Pitchfork Music Festival 2021 Preview: 15 Can’t-miss Acts

black midi; Photo by YIS KID

BY JORDAN MAINZER

While yours truly won’t be attending Pitchfork Music Festival this year, SILY contributor Daniel Palella will be covering the actual fest. If I was attending, though, these would be the acts I’d make sure to see. 5 from each day, no overlaps, so you could conceivably see everyone listed.

FRIDAY

Armand Hammer, 1:00 PM, Green Stage

Earlier this year, New York hip hop duo Armand Hammer released their 5th album Haram (BackwoodzStudioz) in collaboration with on-fire producer The Alchemist. It was the duo’s (ELUCID and Billy Woods) first time working with a singular producer on a record (though Earl Sweatshirt produced a track), and likewise, The Alchemist actually tailored his beats towards the two MCs. Haram is the exact kind of hip hop that succeeds early in the day at a festival, verbose and complex rhymes over languid, cloudy, sample-heavy beats, when attendees are more likely to want to sit and listen than dance. And you’re going to want to listen to Armand Hammer, whose MCs’ experiential words frame the eerie hues of the production. “Dreams is dangerous, linger like angel dust,” Woods raps on opener “Sir Benni Miles”, never looking back as he and Elucid’s stream-of-consciousness rhymes cover everything from colonization to Black bodily autonomy and the dangers of satisfaction disguised as optimism. (“We let BLM be the new FUBU,” raps Quelle Chris on “Chicharrones”; “Iridescent blackness / Is this performative or praxis?” ponders Woods on “Black Sunlight”.) There are moments of levity on Haram, like KAYANA’s vocal turn on “Black Sunlight” and the “what the hell sound is this?” type sampling that dominates warped, looped tracks like “Peppertree” and “Indian Summer”, built around sounds of horns and twirling flute lines. For the most part, Haram is an album of empathetic realism. “Hurt people hurt people,” raps Elucid on “Falling Out of the Sky”, a stunning encapsulation of Armand Hammer’s world where humanism exists side-by-side with traumatic death and feelings of revenge.

You can also catch Armand Hammer doing a live set on the Vans Channel 66 livestream at 12 PM on Saturday.

Dogleg, 1:45 PM, Red Stage

It feels like we’ve been waiting years to see this set, and actually, we have! The four-piece punk band from Michigan was supposed to play last year’s cancelled fest in support of their searing debut Melee (Triple Crown), and a year-plus of pent up energy is sure to make songs like “Bueno”, “Fox”, and “Kawasaki Backflip” all the more raging. Remember: This is a band whose reputation was solidified live before they were signed to Triple Crown and released their breakout album. Seeing them is the closest thing to a no-brainer that this year’s lineup offers.

Revisit our interview with Dogleg from last year, and catch them at an aftershow on Saturday at Subterranean with fellow Pitchfork performer Oso Oso and Retirement Party.

Hop Along, 3:20 PM, Red Stage

Though lead singer Frances Quinlan released a very good solo album last year, it’s been three years since their incredible band Hop Along dropped an album and two years since they’ve toured. 2018′s Bark Your Head Off, Dog (Saddle Creek), one of our favorite albums of that year, should comprise the majority of their setlist, but maybe they have some new songs?

Catch them at an aftershow on Saturday at Metro with Varsity and Slow Mass.

black midi, 4:15 PM, Green Stage

The band who had the finest debut of 2019 and gave the best set of that year at Pitchfork is back. Cavalcade (Rough Trade) is black midi’s sophomore album, methodical in its approach in contrast with the improvisational absurdism of Schlagenheim. Stop-start, violin-laden lead single and album opener “John L”, a song about a cult leader whose members turn on him, is as good a summary as ever of the dark, funky eclecticism of black midi, who on Cavalcade saw band members leave and new ones enter, their ever shapeshifting sound the only consistent thing about them. A song like the jazzy “Diamond Stuff” is likely impossible to replicate live--its credits list everything from 19th century instruments to household kitchen items used for percussion--but is key to experiencing their instrumental adventurousness. On two-and-a-half-minute barn burner “Hogwash and Balderdash,” they for the first time fully lean into their fried Primus influences, telling a tale of two escaped prisoners, “two chickens from the pen.” At the same time, this band is still black midi, with moments that call back to Schlagenheim, the churning, metallic power chords via jittery, slapping funk of “Chondromalacia Patella” representative of their quintessential tempo changes. And as on songs like Schlagenheim’s “Western”, black midi find room for beauty here, too, empathizing with the pains of Marlene Dietrich on a bossa nova tune named after her, Geordie Greep’s unmistakable warble cooing sorrowful lines like, “Fills the hall tight / And pulls at our hearts / And puts in her place / The girl she once was.” Expect to hear plenty from Cavalcade but also some new songs; after all, this is a band that road tests and experiments with material before recording it.

Catch them doing a 2 PM DJ set on Vans Channel 66 on Saturday and at an aftershow on Monday at Sleeping Village.

Yaeji, 7:45 PM, Blue Stage

What We Drew (XL), the debut mixtape from Brooklyn-based DJ Yaeji, was one of many dance records that came out after lockdown that we all wished we could experience in a crowd as opposed to at home alone. Now's our chance to bask in all of its glory under a setting sun. Maybe she’ll spin her masterful remix of Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” from the Club Future Nostalgia remix album, or her 2021 single “PAC-TIVE”, her and DiAN’s collaboration with Pac-Man company Namco.

Angel Olsen; Photo by Dana Trippe

SATURDAY

Bartees Strange, 1:45 PM, Red Stage

One of our favorite albums of last year was Live Forever (Memory Music), the debut from singer-songwriter and The National fanatic Bartees Strange, one that contributor Lauren Lederman called “a declaration of an artist’s arrival.” He’s certainly past arrived when you take into account his busy 2021, releasing a new song with Lorenzo Wolff and offering his remix services to a number of artists, including illuminati hotties and fellow Pitchfork performer (and tour mate) Phoebe Bridgers. Expect to hear lots of Live Forever during his Pitchfork set, one of many sets at the fest featuring exciting young guitar-based (!) bands.

Catch him at a free (!!) aftershow on Monday at Empty Bottle with Ganser.

Faye Webster, 4:00 PM, Blue Stage

Since we previewed Faye Webster’s Noonchorus livestream in October, she’s released the long-awaited follow-up to Atlanta Millionaires Club, the cheekily titled I Know I’m Funny haha (Secretly Canadian). At that time, she had dropped “Better Distractions”, “In A Good Way”, and “Both All The Time”, and the rest of the album more than follows the promise of these three dreamy country, folk rock, and R&B-inspired tunes. Webster continues to be a master of tone and mood, lovelorn on “Sometimes”, sarcastic on the title track, and head-in-the-clouds on “A Dream with a Baseball Player”. All the while, she and her backing band provide stellar, languorous instrumentation, keys and slide guitar on the bossa nova “Kind Of”, her overdriven guitar sludge on “Cheers”, cinematic strings on the melancholic “A Stranger”, stark acoustic guitar on heartbreaking closer “Half of Me”. And the ultimate irony of Webster’s whip-smart lyricism is that a line like, “And today I get upset over this song that I heard / And I guess was just upset because why didn't I think of it first,” is that I can guarantee a million songwriters feel the same way about her music, timely in context and timeless in sound and feeling.

Catch her at an aftershow on Saturday at Sleeping Village with Danger Incorporated.

Georgia Anne Muldrow, 5:15 PM, Blue Stage

The queen of beats takes the stage during the hottest part of the day, perfect for some sweaty dancing. VWETO III (FORESEEN + Epistrophik Peach Sound), the third album in Muldrow’s beats record series, was put together with “calls to action” in mind, each single leading up to the album’s release to be paired with crowdsourced submissions via Instagram from singers, visual artists, dancers, and turntablists. Moreover, many of the album’s tracks are inspired by very specific eras of Black music, from Boom Bap and G-funk to free jazz, and through it all, Muldrow provides a platform for musical education just as much as funky earworms.

Revisit our interview with Muldrow from earlier this year.

Angel Olsen, 7:25 PM, Red Stage

It’s been a busy past two years for Angel Olsen. She revealed Whole New Mess (Jagjaguwar) in August 2020, stripped down arrangements of many of the songs on 2019′s amazing All Mirrors. In May, she came out with a box set called Song of the Lark and Other Far Memories (Jagjaguwar), which contained both All Mirrors and Whole New Mess and a bonus LP of remixes, covers, alternate takes, and bonus tracks. She shortly and out of nowhere dropped a song of the year candidate in old school country rock high and lonesome Sharon Van Etten duet “Like I Used To”. And just last month, she released Aisles, an 80′s covers EP out on her Jagjaguwar imprint somethingscosmic. She turns Laura Branigan’s disco jam “Gloria” and Men Without Hats’ “Safety Dance” into woozy, echoing, slowed-down beds of synth haze and echoing drum machine. On Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s “If You Leave”, her voice occupies different registers between the soft high notes of the bridge and autotuned solemnity of the chorus. Sure, other covers are more recognizable in their tempo and arrangement, like Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell ballad “Eyes Without a Face” and Alphaville’s “Forever Young”, but Aisles is exemplary of Olsen’s ability to not just reinvent herself but classics.

At Pitchfork, I’d bet on a set heavy on All Mirrors and Whole New Mess, but as with the unexpectedness of Aisles, you never know!

St. Vincent, 8:30 PM, Green Stage

Annie Clark again consciously shifts personas and eras with her new St. Vincent album Daddy’s Home (Loma Vista), inspired by 70′s funk rock and guitar-driven psychedelia. While much of the album’s rollout centered around its backstory--Clark’s father’s time in prison for white collar crimes--the album is a thoughtful treatise on honesty and identity, the first St. Vincent album to really stare Clark’s life in the face.

Many of its songs saw their live debut during a Moment House stream, which we previewed last month.

The Weather Station; Photo by Jeff Bierk

SUNDAY

Tomberlin, 1:00 PM, Green Stage

While the LA-via-Louisville singer-songwriter hasn’t yet offered a proper follow-up LP to her 2018 debut At Weddings, she did last year release an EP called Projections (Saddle Creek), which expands upon At Weddings’ shadowy palate. Songs like “Hours” and “Wasted” are comparatively clattering and up-tempo. Yet, all four of the original tracks are increasingly self-reflexive, Tomberlin exploring and redefining herself on her terms, whether singing about love or queerness, all while maintaining her sense of humor. (“When you go you take the sun and all my flowers die / So I wait by the window and write some shit / And hope that you'll reply,” she shrugs over acoustic strums and wincing electric guitars.) The album ends with a stark grey cover of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone’s “Natural Light”; Tomberlin finds a kindred spirit in the maudlin musings of Owen Ashworth.

Get there early on Sunday to hear select tracks from At Weddings and Projections but also likely some new songs.

oso oso, 2:45 PM, Blue Stage

Basking in the Glow (Triple Crown), the third album from Long Beach singer-songwriter Jade Lilitri as Oso Oso, was one of our favorite records of 2019, and we’d relish the opportunity to see them performed to a crowd in the sun. Expect to hear lots of it; hopefully we’re treated to new oso oso material some time soon.

Catch them at an aftershow on Saturday at Subterranean with fellow Pitchfork performer Dogleg and Retirement Party.

The Weather Station, 4:00 PM, Blue Stage

The Toronto band led by singer-songwriter Tamara Lindeman released one of the best albums of the year back in February with Ignorance (Fat Possum), songs inspired by climate change-addled anxiety. While the record is filled with affecting, reflective lines about loss and trying to find happiness in the face of dread, in a live setting, I imagine the instrumentation will be a highlight, from the fluttering tension of “Robber” to the glistening disco of “Parking Lot”.

Revisit our preview of their Pitchfork Instagram performance from earlier this year. Catch them at an aftershow on Friday at Schubas with Ulna.

Danny Brown, 6:15 PM, Green Stage

The Detroit rapper’s last full-length record was the Q-Tip executive produced uknowhatimsayin¿ (Warp), though he’s popped up a few times since then, on remixes, a Brockhampton album, and TV62, a Bruiser Brigade Records compilation from earlier this year. (He’s also claimed in Twitch streams that his new album Quaranta is almost done.) His sets--especially Pitchfork sets--are always high-energy, as he’s got so many classic albums and tracks under his belt at this point, so expect to hear a mix of those.

Erykah Badu, 8:30 PM, Green Stage

What more can I say? This is the headliner Pitchfork has been trying to get for years, responsible for some of the greatest neo soul albums of all time. There’s not much else to say about Erykah Badu other than she’s the number one must-see at the festival.

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brynnmclean · 4 years

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For the record, I am deeply interested in your Akallabêth campaign stuff... it's a fascinating concept and such an interesting time period... is very cool that you are running this for people, I hope this run goes well!

Thanks! Yeah, I have (had?) two main gaming groups, one local to me (now since disbanded mostly due to a recording situation and two players leaving) and then another that has a bunch of us old college friends in different states (luckily our timezones aren’t so far apart!). The first campaign was with my local crew and then this reboot is with that second group of friends.

I’ve deeply loved Númenor as a setting for years and when I was trying to come up with the concept of the new campaign, I picked the Akallabêth era because it’s so contained? There’s a good window of events + a stretch of years that could be filled in with stuff the group wanted to do.

Some rambling under the cut because I got excited...

I thought a good canon(-ish) adventure would be aiding Isildur in rescuing the fruit of the White Tree in Armenelos (I know canonically he does it alone, but this is a TTRPG, so why not have him and his good, trusted friends go?), so that was going to be a milestone event in the overall campaign. Before we went on hiatus, I revised my plan and marked it down as the soft finale of that first campaign. It felt like it would have been a happier note to end on than the actual Downfall!

The main mission that the campaign ended up centering around though was set a year prior to the Rescue-- I started out the whole thing with what I called the Meeting of the Venturers at Eämbar, essentially a secret meeting of Faithful captains and quartermasters in the wreck of a huge, culturally significant ship that the King’s Men grounded on Tol Uinen in the Bay of Rómenna (that is all a MOUTHFUL of namedropping, lol, can you tell I had fun). Lord Amandil made a speech that gave my players a few overall paths: (1) delivering a letter from “Elentir of Armenelos” (read: Tar-Míriel) to Gil-galad asking for aid and a renewal of the alliance between Faithful Númenóreans and the Elves of Lindon, (2) exploratory mission(s) for refugee settlements on or near the Continent for Faithful trying to leave Númenor but who maybe didn’t want to all pile into Pelargir, and (3) violence and disruption of trade routes to Umbar if the group wanted to just... have a campaign full of fighting and piracy.

The letter delivery won for the Big Mission, but the campaign unfortunately ended just when the group reached Lindon.

There was a lot of stuff that happened on the way, particularly with a set of players! The quartermaster was an agent of the King’s Men for the grand majority of the campaign, planning and orchestrating a mutiny that he was injured during to keep his cover intact. He actually was brought back from the brink of death and had a vision of the Halls of Mandos that then sowed MASSIVE amounts of doubt in his King’s Men loyalty. He eventually confessed his deception to the rest of the crew and they held a trial for him (they all wrote speeches! They came up with questions! I sat back and witnessed one of the best sessions of my TTRPG GM life!) and sentenced him to death by drowning.

There was another character (romantic interest of the Quartermaster which was also fun to witness!) who was having visions of the Valar throughout the campaign. It started out because that player picked Foresight as an ability, but then I started thinking about how I could give this player who deeply missed spellcasting some kind of Middle-earth flavored magic... That plan didn’t come to fruition, but I was eventually going to lead the group to the island remnants of Beleriand (Tol Himling, Tol Fuin, and Tol Morwen) and have him meet with Nienna who would give him certain spells off a very specific list I had compiled.

I’m very sad that that plotline isn’t going to happen also because it was going to bring back the Dead Quartermaster as a spirit atoning for his past sins by working for Nienna and leading his almost-boyfriend to his destiny. I had other plans for other players later on down the road when they got back to Númenor, but I was also trying not to plan too far ahead.

The Reboot Campaign is probably going to start with a fairly similar Venturers’ meeting, but I really don’t know what’s going to happen after that! Different players, different characters, no secret traitor in our midst or anyone playing Captain Isildur... who knows what will happen!

I’m still mourning the abrupt end of the first campaign, but cannot tell you how excited I am for a fresh start, too.

Anyway, if you’ve read this far, bless you. <3 I’m always happy to talk about this campaign setting and to offer up ideas/resources if anyone else wants to have a go at running something similar for a gaming group!

#isi7140 #replies #do i need a loremaster tag?#akallabeth campaign #long post for ts #i'm so sorry you probably were not actually asking for this novel of a response #i got excited though #btw i run this mostly via cubicle7's adventures in middle-earth + some ghosts of saltmarsh nautical rules #with a bit of beowulf 5e thrown in because i LOVE the rules for followers #anyway... anyway.#yeah!#:D

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ruroy9i · 4 years

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What if:GoT was set against a noir backdrop?

Part One

In the bustling metropolis of Westport, seven crime families reign supreme, having cut up the city into territories to better carry out their trades. The "Rock Castle" casino and resorts are helmed by the shrewd "Lannisters",while the timid "Tyrells" run the drug rackets,operating out of their "Golden Rose" flower shops. The brooding and proud "Martells" carry out human and sex trafficking, silent as snakes. But they must all answer to the man on the Iron chair, Robert Baratheon who overthrew the tyrannical rule of the mad "Targaryen family" and unified the families for the first time. While the "Arryns" and the "Tullys" are smart enough to carry out money laundering for the crime boss, his own brother : "Stan Baratheon" broods over lost opportunities and merely looks after the imports and exports. But Robert's most loyal friend is Ned Stark : who heads the "Northern Traders Union" and pays off the law to look the other way. The Starks also deal in arms and provide the firepower to the crime families.

Far away in Europe, in a small town in Italy : the only two surviving children of the now extinct Targaryen crime family : Dany and Viserys live in exile. Viserys plans to use the Fascist military to invade Westport and take back what is his. To that end, he weds Dany off to Mussolini's right hand man and rising Fascist leader: Drogo. In their marriage, Dany is gifted a miniature model of a B-22 bomber. Even though Drogo mistreats and objectifies her initially, soon she finds the courage to make him respect her. She also coerces an POW pilot in Drogo's unit, Jorah to give her lessons in flying.

In Westport, Robert's mentor and advisor, Jon dies mysteriously and Robert decides to name Ned his advisor. This sparks some unrest in the Stark home of "Winter hall", where Ned's wife and children plead with him to not accept it and make the Trader's Union mere puppets of the crime families. But when Ned's curious son Bran chances upon a telegram that Jon was murdered by the Lannisters, he is crippled by the war veteran and eldest Lannister: Jaime.

Meanwhile, Jon Snow : Ned's bastard is sent off to join the 'The Crows', the corrupt division of the city's police. He starts out as a rookie, is bullied and his patience tested, but soon proves his mettle by foiling an assassination attempt on Commissioner Mormont by a member of the mysterious cult: The Whites. Mormont makes him a detective and assigns him on the case of the anarchists calling themselves ' The Wildings'.

Back at King's Landing, Robert's base of operations, Robert dies in an accident after drinking and driving in a race . Ned discovers that the Lannisters are funnelling the funds of the Families towards their own ends and is killed for it. One of his daughters Sansa is imprisoned by Cersei, Robert's wife and the orchestrator of the murders,while Arya escapes. Suspecting foul play, Ned's eldest son: Robb unites the Northern Union's men and so begins the gang wars. This snowballs into an all engulfing conflict, initially only between the Starks and the Lannisters, but eventually encompassing all the crime families. Deceit becomes commonplace, as players come and die in the Game of Thrones. Brothers turn on brothers as Stan decides to stake his claim. Tyrion, the dwarf, the gambler and the youngest Lannister brilliantly defeats Stan. The accountant of the crime families, Littlefinger starts rising slowly as the major players fall away one by one. Theon and the Greyjoy smugglers betray Robb and disrupt the business of the Northern Trader's Union and burn down Winter Hall.

Bran barely escapes the fire and goes lookin for the gypsy magician whose fliers he had seen at the carnival: The Three Eyed Raven.Bran is joined on his quest by the delinquents Meera and Jojen Reed, who help him outrun the Whites pursuing him.

Jon's investigation into the Wildings take him deep undercover into the Anarchists' lair in the meatpacking warehouses. There he meets the tomboy Ygritte and falls in love with her. He learns that the anarchists are mobilizing against the governing bodies who are in league with the Whites to carry out some secret catastrophic plan. Jon joins the Wildings and is told of their plan to assault the Mayor at City Hall to demand answers.

Back in Italy, Dany and Drogo conceive their first child and decide to visit Drogo's hometown of Dothrak. On the way however, Viserys grows tired of waiting for Drogo to keep his end of the bargain. He tries to coerce him by threatening to relay important information to the Allies. This compels Drogo to kill Viserys by having him step on a landmine. However, Viserys had actually got in touch with a few Resistance members in Vienna, who spring an ambush on Drogo's unit while they rest at Dothrak. They are so taken by surprise that they do not even get time to retaliate. Drogo holds them back off, urging Dany to be flown away to safety. But enroute to the airstrip, Drogo catches a bullet to his temple and falls into a coma. While the platoon engage the Resistance in small skirmishes, the pilot Jorah stows Dany away onboard a B-22 bomber despite her protests. As the Resistance fighters advance upon the airstrip, Jorah manages to steer the plane into the skies. As they spread their wings upon the Aegean, the Resistance gain control of the AA gun and fire a volley into the skies. A decisive burst of gunfire knocks out one of the Bomber's fuel tanks and renders Jorah unconsious. The plane plummets into a trail of black smoke as Dany looks on distraught and hopelessly. But few hundreds of meters from the sea, she overcomes all her fears and steers the plan out of the nosedive, as water sprays into her face. She struggles to keep the engine running as she maneuvers the plane into a low altitude crash landing onto a desolate beach. She crawls out of the wreckage, dragging Jorah with her as the plane erupts into a smoldering inferno.

Few days later, the remnants of Drogo's squadron catch up with Dany and a recovering Jorah and draw up a plan to return to Rome.

/ Note : So i found those images on Tumblr and was really fascinated and tried to imagine what GOT would look like as a Noir story. Hope you guys like it. /

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madlori · 5 years

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Lori Explains Hockey Players

[by which I mean, their positions and such, not...why they are the way they are.]

So you guys enjoyed my “Lori Explains Hockey Numbers” post so I thought I’d write another Hockey Infodump as a public service. More posts can come on additional topics.

My primary sports exposure growing up was football, which has teams of like a bojillion dudes, so when I first got into hockey and looked up the roster of my local team I was like...that’s it? That’s all the dudes they have?

Yes. Hockey teams have way fewer dudes than some other sports. A big reason football teams have so many players is a) there’s a lot more dudes on the field at once, b) there are two entirely different squads of dudes (offense and defense) and c) there are no minor leagues in NFL football, meaning nobody to call up if injuries happen. The NHL has five skaters on at once, nobody rides a bench, everybody plays, and they have minor league teams to sub in when needed. So here are the relevant numbers (there are other numbers - namely 50 and 90 - but these are the important ones):

23: The maximum number of players on a team’s active roster 20: The number of players a team is allowed to dress for a game.

The active roster is basically - the team. These are the guys who play primarily for the NHL club, who take the ice every night, who are signed to major-league contracts. This limit of 23 players applies from after preseason is over up through the NHL trade deadline (you cannot make player trades after this date) which is in late February - this year it’s February 24th at noon. After the deadline, you can hold as many players as you want provided you have cap space. Note: when a player goes on injured reserve, he doesn’t count against the 23. The 23 man roster is pretty darned official having to do with contracts and having to get players signed/cleared through the league.

What’s cap space? WELL. In 2005 the NHL negotiated a CBA (collective bargaining agreement) with the players to end the year-long lockout. Part of the CBA was a major change to the NHL pay structure - they instituted a salary cap. This means that each team has a finite pool of money from which to pay players. It was meant to equalize the game - this way no single team can hoard all the high-priced talent and dominate everyone. Largely, it’s worked. The chasm between the best team and the worst team is not...super huge. Any team can beat any other team at any time, and woe to you if you underestimate any opponent, even the worst team in the league.

So what’s the number 20? That’s how many players the team is allowed to dress (meaning get geared up and ready to play) for the game. You must dress two goalies. The other 18 are some combination of forwards and defenseman. Like 98% of the time it’s 12 forwards, 6 defensemen. Some teams play 11F/7D. Unlike the 23 person roster, the 20 player game-day roster is NOT super official and can change at the last minute and often does. Literally the head coach gives the officials the final roster shortly before the puck drop. If you’re one of the 23 but not one of the 20 for any given game, you’re said to have been “scratched.”

Soooo what do those positions mean? At any given time, the team may have six players on the ice. There are no rules for what positions those players occupy. Theoretically you could have 6 defenseman on the ice, although that’d be stupid. 98% of the time, those six players are: goalie (1), defenseman (2) and forwards (3).

Goalie: Ok this may seem self-evident, but there are a few things that warrant mentioning. The goalie’s official title is “goaltender” and they are also often called the “netminder.” It is his job to stand in front of the goal and prevent pucks from entering. This might not sound easy and it’s probably even less easy than you think it is. Goalies are often not great skaters - I mean they don’t have to be fast - but they are often VERY athletic, as in flexible. A goalie needs to be able to do full splits in the massive amount of gear they have to wear. Goalies do train extensively, mostly to maintain their flexibility, reflexes, hand-eye coordination, visual sharpness and reaction time. There are different styles of goaltending - some are athletic and quick, some are positional and intuitive. They wear that gear because a puck weighs 6 ounces and can be going as much as 90 mph or more when fired and that shit hurts. Goalies are often very tall and lanky - the better to be able to quickly reach all sides of the net with their long limbs. The goalie cannot serve as team captain, because the captain is required to interact with on-ice officials and the goalie isn’t supposed to leave his crease (the term for the blue-paint area inside and in front of the goal). The goalie is often a very well known and beloved figure for a team - there’s only one primary goalie (as opposed to a couple dozen skaters) so he’s a visible figure. He’s the only player who is out there for the entire game (unless he’s hurt or pulled), and his heroics (or lack thereof) are often very memorable. The skaters are VERY protective of their goalie. There are extensive rules about what skaters are and aren’t allowed to do with regards to goalies and their little territories. If you touch a goalie, his players will make you sorry for it. After most wins, the players line up to Pat the Goalie. Goalies are the only players to get credit for a win.

Defensemen: D-men play in pairs. Teams usually roll three defenseman pairs. Often those pairs are pretty static, but they do get mixed up fairly regularly. Defensemen have to be really good at skating backwards, because what they’re most frequently found doing is facing the other team’s oncoming forwards in attempt to derail their scoring push, get the puck away from them, or block a shot. Defenseman are also usually the guys doing the most checking (or hitting) which means making bodily contact with the guy who has the puck in an attempt to get him OFF the puck. They’re traditionally the tougher guys, more likely to get in fights to defend a teammate, but that’s not a hard-and-fast rule. Defenseman can and do score goals. Some of them are really good at it. Shea Weber of the Canadiens is a multi-year champion at the Hardest Shot competition at the All-Star Game, and he’s a defenseman. Defensemen can also be captains. I can think of three teams off the top of my head have a D-man as their captain (the Bruins, the Canadiens and the Predators) - okay I just checked Wikipedia and 7 of the 27 current captains are D-men (four NHL clubs don’t currently have a captain). Another thing D-men do is - watch out, sports terminology crossover incoming - “quarterback” the power play. [A power play is when the other team has a penalty and a player is in the box, giving your team a man advantage]. Many power play squads consist of one defenseman and four forwards, although 3 and 2 is also common. The defensemen set up at the “points” which are the outer edges of the offensive zone, so they can keep the puck in the zone. One of the D-men is in charge of coordinating the power play action.

Forwards: These are the flashy guys, the fast quick skaters who can turn on a dime and shoot the puck. It’s their job to move the puck into the offensive zone and set up plays to score goals. Most high-profile players (certainly not all) are forwards. Forwards play in “lines” of three - center, left wing and right wing. The center is sort of the “boss” of the line; he’s usually the guy taking the face-off (although any of the forwards can do it) and orchestrating the plays on the ice. Teams roll four lines of forwards. Your top two lines are the best players (referred to as “top six” players) with your top line generally consisting of your best players, although not always. A key element of building a successful NHL team is to arrange your players into four lines who can all score. Since no one line can be on the ice for more than 15-20 minutes, you need scoring from your 3rd and 4th lines for the team to be successful. They don’t have to tear it up, but they have to be able to produce at least some offense - and at the very least keep the other team from scoring. An important element of a forward’s game is to be defensive - some are good at it, some aren’t. There is, in fact, a separate award for the best defensive forward, the Selke trophy, traditionally won by the Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron (seriously between him and the Kings’ Anze Kopitar they’ve won it 6 times in the last decades). Commentators often talk about forwards who play a “200 foot game” - this means the forward is effective not only in the offensive zone, when he’s trying to score, but in the defensive zone when he’s participating in defense. This skill is a big reason Sidney Crosby is as good as he is, he plays like that.

So the roles of skaters in hockey overlap a lot. Defenseman are often in the offensive zone and can score, forwards are often in the defensive zone backchecking and defending.

Too bad that on TV they pretty much all look alike unless you have the numbers memorized.

#lori explains a thing #hockey info #hockey #nhl #lori explains hockey

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hmel78 · 4 years

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In conversation with Ray Thomas ...

Ray Thomas (29.12.1941 - 04.01.2018)

RAY THOMAS – Founding member of The Moody Blues, admits that success happened quickly for “a bunch of lads from the Midlands who could play a bit”. For Ray himself that musical journey began as a boy – “I always sang, being a Welshman” laughs Thomas “ in school choirs, and the Birmingham youth choir”. Progressing to a one string bass in a skiffle group in the 1950s, Thomas eventually bumped into fellow ‘Moodies’ founding member, Mike Pinder. The two headed to Germany where Ray admits that they were “ripped off”, and returned to Birmingham aged 21, determined to carry on as musicians.

Thomas recalls that what they found on their return to Birmingham, amongst the 250 or so bands on the circuit, was “complete disillusionment! – ‘Brum beat’ wasn’t taking off as the next ‘Mersey beat’ like people had anticipated, and bands were breaking up left right and centre”. Having heard Blues bands touring the circuits in Europe, and in the midst of the scene in Birmingham falling apart, Thomas and Pinder decided that Blues was the way forward. The only other Blues artist in Birmingham at that time was Spencer Davis. Together, Thomas and Pinder approached Denny Laine, who was living with Graeme Edge and his parents; landing Graeme the drum stool on Denny’s recommendation. Disappointingly for the band, John Lodge was not in a position to turn professional musician at the time, and in his place they recruited Clint Warwick. “We Bascially formed a Birmingham supergroup!” exclaims Thomas, “I don’t really think any of us expected the speed at which things took off for us after that”. And it’s true – after only a short spell playing in Clubs around Birmingham, ‘The Moody Blues’ were picked up by a management company, and moved down to London. With the current re-release, marking the 50th Anniversary, of their first album “The Magnificent Moodies” [Cherry Red Records] - I caught up with Ray Thomas for a chat about the beginnings of a Birmingham Blues band, who went on to be considered as global pioneers of progressive and orchestral rock ...

HR : “The Magnificent Moodies” is a very fitting title for a first album, considering the success you went on to have!

RT : We felt, at the time, that it was a bit pretentious to call it that, but management thought it was a good idea!

HR : Do you have any particular memories of recording the album?

RT : It’s been 50 years, and you tend to forget certain things, you know? But I do remember finding “Go Now” ...

We were a working band at the time, just moved down to London, and we’d play anywhere. One night “Manfred Man” pulled out of a show at The Marquee Club, and we stepped in for them, which lead to us being offered our own regular night there. It was a major breakthrough for us in London. The Marquee Club was the place to be seen, and people would queue around the block to see us perform heavy blues. We had talked about putting together an album of songs that we performed live, but Studio time was like gold dust in London at the time and we just couldn’t get in anywhere to start and lay anything down. A friend of the managers from America used to send over boxes of singles and acetates, and one day we came across “Go Now” by Bessie Banks and her brother. It hadn’t been released, but she had laid it down as a demo which was very much lighter and slower than our version, but we loved the song.

At the same time, the Marquee were building a studio at the back of the club. We asked if we could go into the studio and record it. However, the studio was still pretty much a building site, apart from the control room which was almost finished. So we went in there and set up amongst ladders and bags of cement, and recorded “Go Now”. We were the first band to record in Marquee Studios - we were lucky with that. We ended up doing about half the album there – and the other half was recorded at Olympic Studios.

HR : When “The Magnificant Moodies” was released, did you ever imagine what followed?

RT : It was a bit of a shock, because from forming the band to having a number one with “Go Now”, it was a relatively short space of time.

We were all elated , but didn’t realise what a big hit it would be. We were a bit naive really ... It was a massive hit across Europe, especially France. We spent a lot of time touring France, with a lot of the big blues artists. And proof of how naive we were :- We used to stay in Paris – on the West Bank, in the ‘artists’ area. We rented a studio there and recorded a song that Denny wrote called “Boulevard de la Madeline” – he’d seen the signpost on the street and romanticised about it to the point of writing the song, but the Parisian’s ended up in arms about it. When we played it on stage we would silence the audience! What we didn’t realise is that “Boulevard de la Madeline”, was bang in the middle of the red light district! We didn’t know!

We had success in a LOT of countries, incredibly. America loved us, but oddly enough - “Go Now” wasn’t a hit in the states. They released “Tuesday Afternoon” instead, and that did OK.

HR : “The Magnificent Moodies” was the only album that you recorded as that first 1964-66 line-up wasn’t it? Would you have been happy to carry on and record more music in that genre, or were you ready for a change? Did you embrace what came after Denny and Clint left?

RT : The thing was, Clint was married with a couple of kids, and his wife wasn’t happy about the time he was spending on the road , so he went back to Birmingham to run the family business.

Denny left more or less at the same time, to go solo – he fancied trying out songs with a string quartet, which he did, and had a certain amount of success.

I felt like The Moodies were worth the perseverance, despite things having slowed down a bit for us, and had no real issues about carrying on with a change of band members. I’d worked with John Lodge in a band called “Elright and the Rebels” – I was Elright of course – a right a bloody prat! John was actually our first choice of bass player when we formed ‘The Moody Blues’, but his dad wouldn’t let him do it until he’d finished his apprenticeship. Same as my Dad, but I was a year older than John. We all came from working class backgrounds where our parents knew that music was a dodgy game, and wanted us to have a trade to fall back on. In that 12 months whilst John finished his apprenticeship, we’d had a number 1 hit with “Go Now” – so when I called him up, he was down to London like a shot!

I found Justin quite by accident really. I was sitting in a club called the “The Scotch & St James”, which was the meeting place for bands back then, having a drink with Eric Burdon [The Animals] and he was in the throes of putting a new Animals together. I mentioned that I was looking for a new guitarist / singer. Eric had put an anonymous advert in the NME, “Top recording band needs guitarist”, and found who he wanted - so he gave me all of the applications he hadn’t yet gone through, and fate handed me Justin.

And that was the new Moodies.

HR : When you enlisted John and Justin, the band took a different direction musically ... RT : Musically we were moving towards using strings and stuff anyway - If you could have listened to what Mike and Denny were writing towards the end of that time, you could hear that influence creeping in. Justin aided that because he had a much softer voice ...

HR : “Days Of Future Passed” was the first album released with the new line-up; the rhythm and heavy blues, suddenly having been replaced by the orchestral opening of ‘The Day Begins’, and a very different vocal sound ... How was that received?

RT : To tell you the truth, it went down like a cup of cold sick with the record company! [laughs] Before we recorded it – Decca, who we were signed to, had installed this new ‘Deramic’ sound system – best described as Wall to Wall stereo, instead of that old ping pong stereo sound. They wanted us to do a demonstration disc for this sound system, to send out with their reps, and asked us if we would go in and play a couple of standard Rock and Roll numbers; to compliment that, they wanted Peter Knight (composer) to record a couple of classical numbers, and these would become the demo ... but it was going to be rubbish!

So, Tony Clarke - one of Deccas top producers - and Peter Knight put their necks on the line for us at that point. Again - We couldn’t get into the studio to record ‘Days Of Future Passed’, so we approached Tony and Peter with the idea. They liked it, and helped us to record the whole thing in about 8 days - we recorded “Legend Of The Mind” in the same session.

We never actually recorded with the Orchestra ourselves. The roadie would take over what we’d worked on each night, to Peter, and he would then write the bridge for the song. At the very end Peter recorded the orchestra, and then stitched it all together.

We were absolutely bowled over by it. We had achieved exactly what we wanted.

Every Tuesday, Decca would get all of their producers together with what they’d recorded during the week, and the powers that be would sit and listen and decide what they were going to do with it.

Tony played them “Days Of Future Passed” and they said “What the bloody Hell is that?” They didn’t know how to market it because it didn’t fit into any of their pigeon holes. Fortunately for us that afternoon, a chap called Walt Maguire who was over from America - the head of London Records [American Decca] - said “Christ! If you’re not going to release that here, give it to me, I’ll release it in America. It’s fantastic!”

So they decided to give it to him and agreed he could do that, and also decided to release it here. Nobody got into trouble, on our account, and that was the beginning of the new ‘Moodies’, with “Days Of Future Passed”!

We had ‘The Beatles’ come around to our house that night and played it to them ... and they loved it. We were good friends with them, especially George and John. They used to bring stuff for us to listen to too, because they trusted our judgements on it. There was none of that back biting in those days. Everyone was just busy being creative.

We supported them on their last English tour – with Denny and Clint. That was a hoot! I don’t think I dare say too much about what we used to get up to ... But you could see they [The Beatles] weren’t going to do anymore. They were writing some beautiful songs, but you couldn’t hear them. All you could hear was “Ladies and Gentlemen, The B ..” and then there’d just be screaming. The truth is, that they got totally cheesed off with it. They wanted people to listen to what they were doing. The fans were their own worst enemies really ...

HR : Talking of your connection to The Beatles - You were managed by Brian Epstein for a while. Surely that couldn’t have gone better could it?

RT : Well that’s debatable actually. Brian Epstein, was in love with a Bull Fighter in Spain and used to go over there a lot. He had a big organisation by the time he was managing us, but when he wasn’t there, nobody was making any decisions in his absence. We were reliant on all of these people to get us the work, and look after our affairs. They were our agent as well, and things had been quiet for us for a while when a promoter in France contacted Epstein’s team wanting us to tour over there again. So we agreed to it. We touched down at the airport in Paris to crowds of press folks, and screaming fans! We didn’t know that the record company had released “Bye Bye Bird”, and it had been a massive hit there. In short - This promoter had literally paid us peanuts for this tour, and we were a bit pissed off about it all. We went down to see Brian at his house as soon as we got back. There was a bit of a heated debate and I actually said to him “You’re the head of a crap organisation” – so he had a dramatic tantrum, threw us out of his house, and told us to meet him at the office in the morning. When we arrived there, he’d got together all his heads of department and in front of us asked them all about what had happened. He just got blank responses. At which point he stood up and said “You’re right, I am the head of a crap organisation”. Then he asked us what we wanted, and we asked for the contract back. So he sent his legal guy to get the contract, ripped it up into pieces in front of us; told us we were free, wished us luck, and we left the office ...

HR : Well his luck must have rubbed off on you, given the continued success you went on to have. You’ve got a fairly impressive discography there, as proof! RT : Yes I suppose I have really! I’ve lead one hell of a life!! [laughs] I was with ‘The Moody Blues’ for over 40 years, until my health prevented me from carrying on in 2003. It wasn’t a falling out or anything like that, I just had to pack it in. On Doctors orders! I’ve no regrets though. I was approaching 61 years old, had played everywhere I’d ever wanted to - except Sydney Opera house which I would have love to play!

Do you know? We were the first band to play Madison Square Gardens, in New York, twice in the same day, and the City Council put a block on that ever happening again because it brought the traffic in Manhattan to a standstill with everyone trying to get in and out! [laughs]. I went for a walk between shows that day, with our publicist, and thankfully nobody recognised me. We used to get mobbed wherever we went as a group, and to be honest that day I just fancied bit of fresh air and some roasted chestnuts from the street vendor! As we’re standing there, some folks walked up to us asking if we had any tickets – they thought we were ticket touts! It annoyed me even back then, people asking $400 dollars per ticket! So I walked up to one of these touts and asked him how much he wanted for two tickets, and he actually only wanted $200, so I handed it over, and carried on eating my bag of nuts! Next thing, a young couple came up asking for tickets and I said, “I have got some actually” – and gave them to them for free. Our publicist looked at my like I was crazy and said “What the bloody hell did you do that for?” and I said “because I’m going to get one hell of a kick out of knowing that when I walk out on stage later, that that young couple will look up and realise that I’m the bloke who gave them their tickets!”

HR : Do you have a favourite album amongst the 14 that you recorded with the ‘Moodies’?

RT : Well I don’t know really because I always say that they’re all our children. I have different memories of different albums and they all mean something. I love them all. You know, when you start with absolutely nothing and end up with something like “To Our Children’s Children’s Children” – it’s very rewarding. We had a lot of fun playing around with sounds over the years. They were happy days.

HR : And what are you up to these days, post ‘Moody Blues’?

RT : I’m still doing a lot of recording – I’ve never stopped recording really. Solo albums, collaborations and all of that.

Just before Christmas (2014) I was working with John Lodge again. His solo album comes out soon. It was just like old times ...

I’m hoping to record a new solo album this year too – gives me something to do amongst fishing trips! I like to keep busy ...

I’ve just recorded with an Italian ‘Prog’ band, who paid me in Pasta! [laughs] I’m not kidding ... about a month later this huge box of pasta turned up on the doorstep from Naples!

And then I went out to record with a Russian band - the son of a billionaire oil baron, who thought that I was God!

HR : Well You are regarded as a pioneer of progressive and orchestral rock – that’s verging on God-like!

[laughs] At the end of the day - I’m just a guy from Birmingham, with a bit of talent, who got lucky ...

#ray thomas #the moody blues #orchestral rock #the beatles #justin hayward #john lodge #moody blues #flute

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tabletoptrinketsbyjj · 6 years

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Trinkets, Artifacts, 1: There are objects in the world that are best described as priceless. This isn't because of strong sentimental value like a gift from a friend who has passed on, a family heirloom, or a token of affection of a lost lover. These items are priceless because no pile of gold pieces can compare to the sheer opulence, rarity, or godlike craftsmanship that the thing possess. It is better to have the rarest and most sought after piece of art in the world and to have every single being of importance knowing your name and that you're special because you own it, rather than simply being generically wealthy from the hordes of riches gained by selling it. These macguffins exist in real life and in fiction as objects to seek, trade or fight over, and something to possess and display rather than actually make use of. These range from artifacts, artist masterpieces, rare magics and opulent combinations of jewels and precious metals, such as The Mona Lisa, the Arkenstone, the Maltese Falcon, the crown jewels of a major dynasty, the Hope Diamond, the Golden Fleece, the hide of the Nemean Lion, the Holy Grail or Pulp Fiction's glowing briefcase. These objects can be found in the throne rooms of kings, the demiplanes of archmages and the pinnacle of a dragon's hoard.

Cloak of Angel's Shadow: A beautiful white silk cloak trimmed with downy feathers, freely given by a heavenly angel. The cloak never becomes stained or dirty and always smells clean and fresh. While worn, the bearer's shadow appears to have large, angelic wings and the bearer gains full mental control over their shadow's movements. While worn the bearer gains advantage on all charisma checks (Diplomacy, intimidation, bluff, etc.) made against angels, who recognize the sight and smell of their kin. The bearer suffers disadvantage on all charisma checks made against demons, who recoil at the stench of their ancient foe.

Ring of Rulers: A large signet ring of gold, emblazoned with a unicorn crest of pure white opal. When the band is donned by a commoner, the metal becomes uncomfortably hot but causes no physical injury. A creature of noble blood (However slight), or destined to become a noble at some point in the future, who dons the ring suffers a momentary flash of light and pain which deals a single point of hit point damage. The bearer will find that the unicorn crest has reshaped itself to his own heraldry (Or a heraldry matching the bearer's personality), which has also been branded upon the back of their finger. From then onward, the bearer can don or remove the ring without any further ill effects. If the ring is removed for more than a minute, the signet shifts back into the shape of a unicorn.

A dog sized, domesticated earth elemental that is afraid of beetles but is extraordinarily loyal to whoever employs it. The rocky creatures goes by the name Marl and speaks Common and Terran in the slow, deep rumbling tones of many stones being rubbed together with a specific purpose. Marl considers it's employer to be the last creature to present it with a high quality diamond the size of a large marble and currently sports two such gemstones as “eyes”.

Roll a Random Musical Instrument: A visually beautiful instrument that when played, creates illusory musical notes which dance and flow around the player. The visual quality and movement of the notes depend on the skill of the musician. Fortunately the instrument passes along a basic knowledge of its use to bearer, granting the creature proficiency with it for as long as its held. Still, a naturally poor player with a shoddy or simple song produces small pitiful illusions that mope around, while a master musician playing an orchestral piece creates large vibrant illusionary notes that flow in tune with the melody.

A thick, heavy belt of woven steel chains, connecting seven different gemstone medallions together. The gems are set (From left to right) diamond, emerald, lapis lazuli, topaz, opal, ruby and amethyst. The belt looks as though it should be worn by a rightful heir.

A wooden box lined with velvet, containing five gems each the same size as the fruit they resemble. A ruby cut in the shape of a strawberry, a faceted emerald in the shape of a lime, an amethyst fashioned in the shape of a plum, a topaz chiseled in the shape of a banana and a diamond sculpted in the shape of a peach.

An unbreakable metal cage of meteoric metal with a miniature star contained inside. The celestial body occasionally produces startlingly complex music which coincide with storms that rage across the surface and flare out the bars of the cage. The star emits as much light as a torch and is only slightly warm to the touch.

A brilliant, fist sized gemstone that shine with its own inner light and takes all light that falls upon it and refracts it into ten thousand sparks of white radiance shot with glints of the rainbow. The wondrously large white gem bears a thousand facets all skillfully cut by dwarven master artisans, lacking a single superfluous edge. The radiance of the precious jewel has no match and shines like silver in firelight, like water in the sun, like snow under the stars and like rain upon the moon.

Connoisseur's Orchestrion: A beautiful hand sized mahogany music box whose working components are made of magically enchanted gold and silver. The object fills its bearer with a sense of musical snobbishness and the desire to listen to, record and play the finest instrumental music possible. When exposed to nonmagical music, the box can be commanded to record the song. The arcane clockwork device can hold up to ten songs and is able to reproduce them in perfect quality, whenever commanded. The music box is an exceptional judge of music and refuses to record music of a lesser quality of what it has already stored. Should the bearer attempt to save an eleventh song, it is compared to the other ten recordings and the objectively worst song is forgotten to make room for the new one. If the eleventh song is worse than the ten already stored the device does not record it or remove a stored song. The bearer has no control over this process which is seen as a blessing among musical circles, as it prevents user error and all but guarantees the music is of masterful quality.

The Devil's Bleeding Crown: A demonic circlet made exclusively of black iron, sporting 13 vicious looking spikes rising from its band. Humanoid faces showing frozen expressions of terror and pain cover the majority of it's exterior. While worn, the faces animate and seem to be screaming in pain and terror although they do not make a single sound. The eye sockets of each face glows with the light of a single burning ember and begin to cry a slow stream of bloody tears onto the bearer. The tears burn like acid (Dealing one point of unpreventable acid or necrotic / unholy /profane damage per round) to good and neutral creatures but is completely harmless to evil bearers and does not effect objects or clothing whatsoever. Knowledgeable PC's will know that the crown is called “Volbeat” and is a demonic royal symbol of the bearer's power, ruthlessness and ability. Finding the crown is fairly simple as the devil who usually wears it never makes an effort to hide or blend in. The crown makes the bearer a target for lower ranking devils to kill him and take the crown, therefore cementing their own place as a prince of devils. This crown is infamous for never being on the same horned head for any length of time. In fact clever devils will sometimes place it on the heads of captured enemies as a torture device, letting the tears burn them slowly until the devil grows bored. Occasionally used to to convert captured enemies to evil by attaching the crown to their heads and placing tests in from of the subjects. For example: “Kill the other helpless prisoner and the burning will end. Your own life matters more than them and stopping the pain means more than their life.” If the subjects commit enough evil acts, their moral alignment changes and the crown will stop burning them.

—Keep reading for 90 more trinkets.

—Note: The previous 10 items are repeated for easier rolling on a d100.

A suggestively cut, finger lengthed, black diamond that causes erotic dreams when it is placed under a sleeper’s head

A fine tortoiseshell comb that if used to brush a creature’s hair for one uninterrupted minute, causes that hair to grow by one inch.

A crystal vial of a rare, high quality perfume that is all but legitimately intoxicating to inhale. The precisely cut vial refills itself each dawn.

A curved horn of dragon bone, inlaid with gold. When blown into, it produces a rich brassy tone that is audible only to those in a five mile radius that the bearer considers allies.

A complete set of noble's attire fit for a king in the modern fashion style. The fabric is mildly enchanted and never dirties, stains, smells unpleasant, and automatically mends itself of all but the most serious wear and tear.

Crown of the Undoubting, Damaged: An ornate golden crown studded with large, clear diamonds and deep blue sapphires. When worn, the gemstones glow and shine with their own inner light, proclaiming the bearer is a true and rightful ruler. A knowledgeable PC will recognize the crown as an ancient method of proving the legitimacy of a person's claim to the thrown, however it's enchantment seems to be failing miserably. Any creature who dons the crown believes themselves to be the rightful ruler of the land they are standing on. While wearing the crown, the bearer cannot be dissuaded from that idea that they are royalty and will not wish to remove the crown under any circumstances. The crown's effect's fade the moment its removed and never cause the drinker to violate any of their strongly held ethics or morals.

A heavy gold bracelet with a tiny platinum bell charm that rings out like a large gong when intentionally rung.

A gold plated dragonhide pouch with dwarven runes that suggest it once belonged to some great slayer. The gold plating has seen better days and is missing in some places. Inside will be found a series of artistic stones crafted from platinum. It is obvious that the entire collection is not present. When assembled together the stones actually create a rough map which ultimately shows the location of a dwarven tomb. The missing stones will need to be found to complete the map.

A string of large, lustrous pearls long enough to loop around the neck five times over. When worn, the bearer can cause their hair to appear grey or white with age, from peppered with grey and white to a full head of aged hair. If the bearer's hair is already grey or white, they may will it to look like it's natural youthful colour. The change is instantaneous and the illusion is perfect and lasts until the necklace is removed.

A large platinum mug, set with a sparkling star sapphire and enameled in gold. The interior is dark, polished maple.

A life sized rose made of a single nigh-indestructible, crystal clear, multifaceted diamond..

A large duffel bag containing an impressive collection of ostentatious religious objects made primarily of silver, gold and precious gems that were all stolen from a the largest place of worship (Cathedral, temple, church, etc) of the God of a Random Domain.

A secure, enameled box, bound with silver cord. Inside is a healthy purple seedling growing a single golden leaf. Extremely knowledgeable PC's can identity the plant as Goldenward, long thought to be extinct. Some records suggest it can be made into a special tonic with protective and life extending properties.

A shallow glazed ceramic bowl that makes all spellcasters who eat or drink directly from it feel feverishly ill and immediately vomit regardless of their physical constitution. The severe nausea lasts for an hour, during which time they are able to take actions and cast spells but are hard pressed to do either.

A silver ewer that fills itself with wine of exquisite quality every dawn. The wine evaporates if not consumed by dusk. If the empty ewer is placed within five feet of a selection of foodstuffs, the created alcohol will act as the perfect wine pairing to the meal.

A large, heavy bar of orichalcum, a reddish-gold metal only mentioned in ancient literature as the process for making it has been lost to memory. It is rumored to have extraordinary properties when incorporated into weapons and armor.

A foot-tall platinum sculpture of thin, elaborately bent cylindrical twists that form the shape of a stylized egg. At the center rests a multifaceted golden topaz.

A platinum pendant worked into the shape of a pixie, dotted with emeralds and mother of pearl, strung on a braided cord of silver wire.

An steel-bound oaken chest lined with velvet, containing a dozen, delicate porcelain plates. They are all inlaid with gold and each one is magnificently decorated with a different zodiac symbol. The 12 animals were applied just before the baking process with a specialized paint consisting of mainly of powered gemstones, with each symbol using only one of type of precious jewel.

A bundle of good quality, feathery griffon pelts tied together with silk and wrapped in a protective oilskin case.

An ornamental rapier with a blunted silver blade, gold filigree on the guard and an electrum pommel. A collection of precious jewels are set into the hilt and it is clear that the object was built to been seen not used, as the “weapon” is neither designed nor weighted for combat.

Chalice of Uncomfortably Tempered Liquid: An ornate golden chalice encrusted with gemstones. No matter what liquid is in the cup, it will seem to be at a temperature that is unpleasant to drink (Either warmer or colder, whichever is subjectively worse for the drinker) . The cup does not actually change the temperature of the liquid, it simply changes the drinker’s perception of the liquid’s temperature. This gaudy object was no doubt some sort of aristocratic prank or test of character for nobles.

Elven Earrings: A pair of delicate leaf shaped earrings made of silver, delicately harvested without disturbing the natural world. When worn, the bearer’s ears become narrow and pointed like those of an elf and facial features become slender and graceful. Any onlooker paying attention would swear that the bearer can traces of elven blood in his veins. This is an instantaneous, painless physical change (Not illusionary and thus can be felt) which reverses itself the moment the earrings are removed.

A dog sized, domesticated water elemental that is afraid of eels but is extraordinarily loyal to whoever employs it. The flowing creature goes by the name Brook and speaks Common and Aquan in the babbling rush of a waterfall, with words continually torrenting out of the general shape of its face. Brook considers it's employer to be the last creature to present it with a gallon of pure ice harvested from one of the polar caps. The elemental takes the ice into itself which melts, incorporating the rare liquid throughout its body.

A silver cup inlaid with ivory and covered with elvish script that sings mesmerizing elvish chants with the full tone, harmony and range of a full choir when filled with wine but howls in tortured anguish when filled with anything else.

A delicate porcelain cup that instantly cools any liquid of any sort (From hot tea to hotter lava) placed in it to 40 F (4.4C). The cup itself remains at room temperature and is never harmed by heat, hot liquids or temperature changes of any kind for any reason.

A platinum tuning fork that when struck, produces the single most satisfying note anyone has ever heard. It can be rung as often as desired and can quickly become addicting to listen to.

A beautifully decorated crystal vase that magically preserves any flowers placed in it while still allowing this fresh scent to fill the air. As long as the flowers stay in the vase that remain in full bloom and free of any wilt despite a complete lack of light, fertilizer, air, proper temperature or water. Although many vases are magically enchanted to have similar properties, this one is unique in that the blooming flowers remain fertile and produce pollen as if they were in their prime. These vases are usually owned by serious horticulturists who use them to keep dozens of different species of delicate flowers alive, healthy and continually providing genetic material for pure and crossbreeding.

A one foot tall, platinum figurine of a regal dragon striking a dramatic pose with its head upright, claws firmly planted and its wings fully spread.

Harp of the Pure: A one handed, triangular shaped harp, made of willow wood and strung with silver strings. If a good hearted creature sings while playing the harp outdoors, cute harmless creatures in the nearby area such as squirrels, songbirds and rabbits will approach the bearer. The animals cavort around the bearer and dance to the clear sounds of the silver strings for as long as the bearer continues to sing and play music. Intelligent animals and humanoids find the music soothing and it fills them with energy and a willingness to dance, sing and make merry. The harmless animals will continue to frolic until any creature in the area shows signs of open hostility or violence, at which point they scatter and resume normal behaviors for their species. The harp can be played as much as desired but never functions for a user who played the harp in order draw creatures in to be harmed or who harmed a defenseless creature while the harp was being played.

Cloak of Demon’s Shadow: A sinister black leather cloak trimmed with coarse red fur, unwillingly taken from an unholy demon. The cloak never becomes stained or dirty and always smells faintly of brimstone. While worn, the bearer's shadow appears to have large demonic bat wings and the bearer gains full mental control over their shadow's movements. While worn the bearer gains advantage on all charisma checks (Diplomacy, intimidation, bluff, etc.) made against demons, who recognize the sight and smell of their kin. The bearer suffers disadvantage on all charisma checks made against angels, who recoil at the stench of their ancient foe.

Song of the Ocean: A fist sized elaborately scrimshawed piece of whale skull, carved in the shape of a humpback whale. When both are completely submerged in water, the bearer can telepathically communicate with whales in the same ocean or sea as himself.

Courtesan’s Little Helper: A pair of delicate silver tweezers with diamond studs that would not amiss in a noblewoman’s purse. Any hair follicles plucked by these tweezers do not begin to regrow until a year and a day has passed. The hairs must be plucked individually for the magic to take effect but there is no limit on the amount of hair that can be plucked.

A drinking horn fashioned from a pristine unicorn horn with a shoulder strap made from braided hair from the unicorn’s mane. Any liquid drank straight from the horn tastes pure and sweet and the drinker gains advantage on any checks to resist poisons, toxins or disease the liquid may contain. However, the drinker becomes wracked with shame and guilt, feeling that he has spoiled something wonderful.

An elegant puppet theater one cubic foot in size,containing magically animated dolls. Although its wood is brightly polished and the red of its satin curtains is bright and fresh, the hand-painted sign upon its front (Reading “The Wondrous Shows of Punch and Judy” in carnival lettering) is chipped and faded. If the curtains are opened (Using a set of finely woven pulley ropes which lie inside the theater), the puppets (Stored in a concealed compartment “backstage”) will come to life and perform elaborate shows of their own volition. The puppets can speak and interact with the audience to a limited extent for entertainment purposes and the theater creates lively background music. The puppets can remain animate indefinitely and will continuously create new stories, plots and jokes for as long as it remains active.

A silk pouch containing a dozen, oval shaped, platinum coins, displaying a dragon on one side and a shield on the other. The stamping reveals the coins were minted in the draconic tongue.

A beautiful pair of indestructible glass high heeled slippers that change size based on who’s trying them on. Creatures without any form of noble blood themselves or who are not related to nobility in any way, find that the high heels fit perfectly and are very comfortable. Creatures who are of any noble standing or are related to nobility in any way find that the high heels are far too small and that they cannot put them on. Desperate enough nobles do find that if they cut off their big toe, the high heels will fit their feet.

A golden disk inset with nine small gems (diamond, emerald, sapphire, ruby, onyx, pearl, moonstone, jacinth, and jet) arranged in a spiral pattern. When worn by a creature capable of casting magical spells, the jewels glow with their own inner light. Disks such as this are used in the Mage's Guild to identify the bearer as ranking of the arcane order.

A court seal composed of silver and carved lapis lazuli that bears the personal mark of the king. Knowledgeable PC's can identity the seal as genuine and realize that there would be an official and fair reward for returning it to the king's court. Alternatively a significant profit could be made selling it to any number of criminal organizations.

A miniature golden chest with tiny emeralds lining the top that trace out a mage’s sigil. The chest is crafted in exquisite detail and radiates powerful conjuration magic. Spell casters may recognize it for the material component of the spell “Secret Chest” and the mage’s sigil is that of the ruthless mage Aumurille, who will likely want her property back....

A roughly beaten solid gold orb, roughly ten inches in diameter, etched with the likeness of an orcish skull with an axe embedded in it. Knowledgeable PC's can determine that is was used by an orcish chieftain as her royal orb.

A five-gallon cask of blessed silver nails, each etched with the holy symbol of a Random Good God and all completely submerged in holy oil.

A strange abacus made of ebony with counting beads made of ivory, silver, gold, and vitrified humanoid eyeballs.

A set of stamps and hammers designed for minting the local coinage. Knowledgeable PC’s can determine that they are not forgers reproductions but genuine minting tools. These would fetch a fair reward for returning them to the proper authorities or a sizable monetary compensation if sold to forgers and black marketeers.

A finely crafted compass of gold and silver, stamped with ornate dwarven runes. The compass functions perfectly while underground, near large sources of metal and while while interacting with other magnetic or magical fields.

A hand sized statuette of a dragon forged from the finest, purest mithril, which responds cryptically to yes or no questions which are posed to it in draconic. The answers given may appear prophetic or oracular, but are actually completely random.

A travel sized Clàrsach harp in the style of the northern barbarians, but crafted with an elegance which suggests the decadence of a great civilization. Its strings are almost too fine to be perceived with the naked eye and when played, they resonate with the force of a full orchestra.

A thumb sized diamond of incredible beauty which slowly shifts its color from the purest clear white to yellow to blue to black and back again. A bearer can choose the halt or continue the colour transition with a thought, allowing for a jewel whose hue can match an entire wardrobe. The gem begins its colour shifting rotation when it's removed.

A bundle of good quality, fluffy pegasus pelts tied together with silk and wrapped in a protective oilskin case.

A loop of chain made to be worn as a form of necklace, with each large link made of a different type of metal. There is one link of each of the following metals: gold, silver, iron, black iron, lead, copper, bronze, steel, electrum, brass, pewter, platinum and tin. Knowledgeable PC’s will recognize this as a symbol of membership and status of an ancient order known as the Maesters. They were an order of scholars, healers, postmen, and scientists who were trained at a school called the Citadel. Sometimes called “the knights of the mind”, Maesters often served as advisers in matters of warfare. Each different metal stands for a different area of expertise and knowledge, meaning this chain came from a Maester who had experience in nearly all of their disciplines. Very few, if any of their order remains and their existence itself is sometimes debated as legend rather than fact.

A large golden chalice encrusted with jewels and writings from a forgotten language. At a casual glance the symbols appear to suggest that the cup was used during sacrifices and could be a key element in a divine ritual.

A small, magically preserved painting of a well-known historical figure. The painting was stolen by raiders during a large war and lost until now. Not only is the figure in the painting famous but it was also created by a renowned artist from that era. This genuine artifact has both extreme historical significance as well as monetary value to the right buyer.

A dog sized, domesticated air elemental that is afraid of bats but is extraordinarily loyal to whoever employs it. The insubstantial creature goes by the name Gale and speaks Common and Auran in breathy, whispering words that seem to have been carried in on the breeze. Gale considers it's employer to be the last creature to present it with a pair of feathers from an extinct species of flying creature and currently sports an example of such of plumage as “eyes”.

A rich maple travel case lined with purple velvet that contains a dozen opulent war darts. Each lavish missiles is comprised of a single razor sharp point cut diamond in a platinum setting which then thins into a loose spiral around the dart's black ebony wood core, that's been impeccably fletched with peacock feathers. The weapon's obscenely expensive materials combined with their masterful craftsmanship results in a collection of darts that may be used to kill, but are unlikely to be the murder weapon. Their value is such that it would be far more efficient for the wielder to simply offer one as payment to a reasonably priced assassin rather than stooping to actually throw it at a target.

A small, compact mirror made of platinum. The outside is embellished in a sketching of a beautiful woman inlaid with fine strips of gold. Once opened, the viewer sees themselves as they have always wanted to appear. It changes nothing of their actual visual appearance, but their reflected image is of how they've always wanted to be seen.

An ornate hair net fashioned from silk and gold wire, interwoven with numerous precious jewels. Knowledgeable PC's will recognize this piece as part of the family jewels of an old and influential noble family, who would no doubt pay handsomely for the return of a family heirloom.

An ornate, crystal hourglass set in a heavy golden frame with silver filigree running up and down the sides. Within, in lieu of sand, the crystal is filled with ruby fragments, ground to a fine powder to keep track of the hour. The crystal vibrates and tinkles as the powdered gemstone slides down it, making an almost musical song while the time passes.

A whalebone corset embellished with prominent gold treading and set with a dozen sparkling sapphires along the top of the bosom. The golden embroidery flows in a gorgeous filigree pattern. The wide silk laces in the back are a deep blue to match the sapphires on the front.

Gloves of the Lady: A pair of ladies black, silken evening gloves that were worn by a royal snob for the majority of her social outings. While worn, the bearer becomes an expert in etiquette and gains an uncanny knack for upper class social queues and manners. The bearer gains advantage on all knowledge checks related to high class etiquette, court manners, codes of royal social behavior and upper class social norms and gains advantage on all diplomacy checks made to interact with members of high society, royalty or nobility in a formal setting. However the gloves also impart the arrogant, snobby and downright condescending way of holding oneself and tone of voice that creates resentment in those of the lower classes. The bearer suffers disadvantage on all charisma based checks (Diplomacy, intimidation, bluff, etc) towards creatures that are not nobility, royalty or general high society. This penalty includes servants, guards, maids, butlers and footmen who serve nobles and interact with them regularly but who are not nobles themselves. The gloves must be worn for one hour before the bearer gains the benefits, however the penalty to charisma checks takes effect immediately when worn.

A lightweight feather quill crafted entirely out of platinum. The hundreds of delicate bards were each expertly crafted to look like nothing other than a natural, organic feather. The quill's tip is masterfully carved ivory and on the other end is a perfectly painted, bright green cat eye.

An ewer consisting of dozens of interlocked pieces of ivory that fit together like a puzzle, with gold along the seams acting as a lavish glue. Knowledgeable PC's will recognize it as the centerpiece of an ancient ritual by a high priestess to appease a long since forgotten Demigod of an old, and powerful river. The minor deity has not been prayed to using the ewer in centuries and would no doubt greatly appreciate a creature who completed the ritual.

Animated Shaving Razor: A wickedly sharp, silver straight razor that trembles in anticipation when held close to uncut hair. A creature holding the razor can let it go while giving it an order to “Shave X” after which it whips though the air like a whirlwind of swishing fury and gleaming metal, cutting away all the bearer's designated hair in a matter of seconds leaving behind smooth moisturized skin without harming the affected creature in the least. More precise instructions can be given to have the razor style hair into patterns or shapes. The blade refuses to draw blood under any circumstance and cannot be used as a weapon. The bearer can only use the razor to shave themselves, the blade ignores instructions to shave other creatures or objects.

A dog sized, domesticated fire elemental that is afraid of salamanders but is extraordinarily loyal to whoever employs it. The blazing creature goes by the name Ash and speaks Common and Ignan in the hoarse rasping of a lifelong smoker, whose dry words are undercut by constant crackling noises. Ash considers it's employer to be the last creature to present it with ten pounds of powdered magnesium and stands far back. The elemental immediately takes the metal into itself and burns it in a brilliant explosion of fiery white light. This process never harms Ash who compares the sensation to humanoids when they eat extremely spicy food.

A globe shaped pendant of clear crystal that hangs from a thick platinum chain. When held up the light of a half moon, the crystal will takes on the appearance of a watchful icy blue and silver eye.

A heavy scepter with an hourglass-shaped goblet affixed atop it, made entirely of gold. The scepter can be separated into two pieces; a golden rod as long as a man's forearm, splaying out into a disc shape just below the end, and a golden cup that can be locked into place by sliding it down the rod.

A detailed, regular sized arrow made entirely of gold, including it's head and fletching. Knowledgeable PC's will recognize this as the first place trophy of the annual archery competition of the largest metropolis of the land.

A seamlessly shaped pocket watch made of platinum and gold with what looks to be copper running in branching veins along and under the surface of the case. The dial (face) is protected by a hinged cover that's decorated with the nearest other planet and an hourglass delicately etched into the precious metals. The interior is a stunning array of gears and hands and notches and springs that seem to move in relationships that grow infinitely more complex the longer one watches them. The watch always tells perfect time and has no need of winding or maintenance.

Ascot of the Gentleman: A black, silken ascot that was worn by a royal snob for the majority of his social outings. While worn, the bearer becomes an expert in etiquette and gains an uncanny knack for upper class social queues and manners. The bearer gains advantage on all knowledge checks related to high class etiquette, court manners, codes of royal social behavior and upper class social norms and gains advantage on all diplomacy checks made to interact with members of high society, royalty or nobility in a formal setting. However the ascot also imparts the arrogant, snobby and downright condescending way of holding oneself and tone of voice that creates resentment in those of the lower classes. The bearer suffers disadvantage on all charisma based checks (Diplomacy, intimidation, bluff, etc) towards creatures that are not nobility, royalty or general high society. This penalty includes servants, guards, maids, butlers and footmen who serve nobles and interact with them regularly but who are not nobles themselves. The ascot must be worn for one hour before the bearer gains the benefits, however the penalty to charisma checks takes effect immediately when worn.

A bundle of good quality, luxurious unicorn pelts tied together with silk and wrapped in a protective oilskin case.

A circular gold medallion strung on a thick purple ribbon. The medal is plain except for a set of five interlocking circles underneath the word “1st” which has all been etched into the gold. Knowledgeable PC's will recognize this as the first place trophy of multiplanar sporting event that occurs every four years.

Morning Bell: A platinum handbell that when rung, allows the bearer to magically clean themselves. When rung, the bearer and the set of clothing that they are wearing are instantly cleaned and freshened. Stains are washed away, dirt is brushed off and falls to the ground, exposed metal is buffed and polished, the user’s hair and skin are cleaned, their nails are clipped and their teeth brushed. Any bad scents are completely dispersed and replaced with a faint aroma of the bearer choosing. The bell functions twice per day. Though there is no actual restriction on when the bell is used, its name comes from the common usage; to assist a person (Typically a wealthy couple) in freshening up in the morning to they can meet the day neat and clean.

A razor sharp ceremonial dagger bearing an electrum blade a large black pearl set in the pommel

A single platinum bracer etched with a large symbol of an open eye. The armband is set with a hollow, disk shaped sapphire that forms the iris and a deep black opal that creates a pupil that seems to drink in light.

A finely carved cherry wood travel case containing a jade chess board with solid gold playing pieces

A beautiful life sized ice sculpture of a graceful swam that never melts or becomes damaged.

A gracefully shaped, one foot tall statuette of a genie formed of clear crystal. Its hands are posed holding a diamond orb above its head.

A one foot tall, highly polished silver statuette of an adorable blue dragon hatchling that is posed resting in the cracked remains of a shell of pure sapphire.

A small hand mirror made from polished platinum with a handle made of a demon's horn. The reflective surface reflects only the ill intent and evil nature of any creature that holds it.

A gold and enamel brooch in the shape of a swan. The jewel is formed as a standing mute swan "gorged" with a gold collar in the form of a royal crown with six fleur-de-lys tines. There is a gold chain terminating in a ring attached to the crown, and the swan has a pin and catch on its right side for fastening the brooch to clothes or a hat. The swan is just over one inch tall and two inches wide, with a three inch chain. The swan's body is in white enamel, its eyes are of black enamel, and the beak is decorated in red enamel. Knowledgeable PC's will recognize it as a livery badge, a sign of association and loyalty to a rich noble house.

A pink porcelain brooch with platinum inlay with the image of a smiling and handsome (But portly) bald cleric in sackcloth looking up into a sun with beams of light cast down upon him, his hands clasped together before him in prayer. The brooch can be used as a holy symbol for any creature casting spells of a healing or restorative nature.

A six inch gold fish hook encased in a clear crystal prism. Knowledgeable PC's will recognize this as the first place trophy of the annual fishing competition of the largest port city in the land.

A lavish, palm sized brooch made of gold and lapis lazuli, fashioned in the shape of a scarab beetle.

A silk pouch containing a dozen, square shaped, electrum coins, displaying a skull on one side and a staff on the other. The stamping reveals the coins were minted in the elvish tongue.

A goose egg made of pure, solid gold. The metal lacks any sort of tool or craft marks and looks like it was laid rather than forged.

A exquisitely made, life sized, half a pomegranate made of pure silver with luscious garnet seeds that rests on a small onyx stand.

A heavy mask made of finely hammered gold, that covers the bearer’s face from the chin to the top of the forehead. The mask’s expression shifts between three different states: solemn, fierce, and mournful, in order to match its bearer’s mood.

A soft, silk scarf that has been enchanted to look like pure flowing water. The water ripples and flows like a clear stream, its current traveling in a single direction in relation to the scarf. The bearer can concentrate on the scarf to alter the illusion slightly, changing the direction of the current or to increase or decrease the amount of eddies and ripples in the water’s flow. The scarf never dirties and resists most forms of damage.

A collapsible telescope made of gold and crystal. The adjustable scope allows the bearer to increase magnification from ten times to 100 times normal sight.

A sturdy iron banded wooden travel case. Inside the case are two cushions, a layer of velvet, and several silk straps all meant to secure and protect a single object; a small unlabeled vial made of thick hardened glass with a stopper that’s been covered in several layers of sealing wax. Inside the vial floats the blood and small chunks of brain matter harvested from a living Elder Brain of a Mind Flayer city. The vial has a preserving enchantment on it that keeps the blood and brain matter as fresh as if it was still alive. To say that this is a rare material would be to say that the sun is warm and only extremely knowledgeable PC's would be able to identify it properly. Selling this object should theoretically be simple, as anyone familiar with the contents would covet the brain matter for their own personal gain and would buy it from the bearer. Selling the vial for the value of what it is actually worth will be next to impossible given its sheer rarity.

Wizard’s Chess: An ornate marble chess set, bearing incredibly detailed humanoid pieces which rest on a checkerboard of deepest black and purest white. The underside of each piece as well as the board itself bears arcane runes of transmutation, illusion and memory. At a passing glance it is obvious that entire set has been enchanted with several magical effects. The board can understand verbal commands which allows the players to order their pieces to move remotely, negating the need to physically interact with the board at all. The board contains a measure of intelligence, strategies and movesets, allowing a single creature to play full games against the board itself. The creature can choose from a “simple” “moderate” or “challenging” difficulty setting which dictates the board’s level of skill. A creature can also set the board to have no players and simply watch the set play against itself and to begin a new game as soon as checkmate is reached, creating an endless loop of play. An individual chess piece that strays farther than ten feet from the set, instantly teleports back to its proper place on the board. Finally, the set can be commanded to pack itself up which causes the pieces to fold up the board along invisible seams collapsing the entire board into a fist sized marble cube that weighs one pound. The most obvious enchantments lie with the carved figurine pieces. While they remain within three feet of the board, the masterfully detailed pieces take on lifelike qualities. The stony faces of the pawns tighten into expressions ranging from nervousness and clueless bravado to outright terror as they fiddle with their makeshift weapons adapted from simple farming tools. Horses paw at the ground while their knights ready their maces and shields. Bishops raise hands and staffs to the sky as their mouths move to speak prayers of victory and hymns of battle, while miniature bowmen can be seen peeking from the rook’s archer slits. The kings and queens being the largest pieces have the most noticeable details and are perhaps the most impressive. The queens stand tall with a regal bearing, wearing well-fitting armor that is as functional and it is beautiful. Their thin tiaras hold back their shoulder length hair that blows dramatically in the wind but never obscures their faces. They each bear a single weapon, a heavy royal scepter, beautiful and deadly, which they wield in both hands. The kings on the other hand are haggard and stooped over as if weighed down by their garishly oversized crowns and heavy fur cloaks that trails on the ground. They wear foppish court clothes lacking any trace of actual protection and each hold (It would be too generous to call the action “wielding”) a small overly jeweled dagger with a sense of frantic paranoia in their marble eyes. When a piece would normally take another piece, the two figurines play out a few moments of a choreographed duel which ends in bloodshed and the death of the taken piece, which then moves itself to the side of the board.

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houseofcardsjcink · 5 years

Text

house of cards: the site canons

here it comes, the site canons! just a sneak preview of the kinds of families that will be available for the taking. please note that available canon roles won’t be revealed just yet just for the sake of some build up, but do feel free to ask for more information if you’re curious!

Family: Los Turpiales

Loosely Based On: Cartel of the Suns / Gente Nueva (Los Chapos)

Area of Origin: Venezuela

Specialty/Type of Crime:

Drug Cartels / Drug Trafficking

Illegal Immigration

Contract Killing (Hitmen)

Hierarchy List (Available Canons):

President (0/1)

In HOC’s case, this is the acting leader of Los Turpiales’ Macau branch, who heads all operations in their territory and reports back to the main president back in Venezuela.

Vice President (0/1)

Works alongside the President to conduct administrative and executive duties. Usually known as the face of the group, in order to protect their leader’s identity as well as to issue the missions and discuss operations with the rest of the group.

General (0/1)

The leader of all field operations. Most of the time, the general has the final word when on the field and is essentially one of the most skilled and capable soldiers that the group has.

Captain (0/1)

The leader of all administrative operations. Usually this position is filled by the most intelligent and resourceful soldier available, as their job includes tactics and planning for missions.

Lieutenant (0/2)

The head of operations in the operating groups. Usually the “brains” of the group who follow orders from the General and/or Captain.

Soldiers (1/x)

There are only two operational groups capable of taking missions in the Macau branch currently. The lowest and easily dispensable of the group. This role is commonly the one that holds the population of participating Nerve players.

Los Turpiales - the national bird of Venezuela.

An organization rumoured to have been first led by high-ranking members of the Armed Forces of Venezuela who are involved in international drug trade. Having been first formed in the 90’s in the chaos of Venezualan coup d'état attempts, the Venezuelan officers allegedly resorted to the drug trade and trafficking due to the booming business of the illicit business.

Los Turpiales flourished greatly during the first few years of the business due to the Venezuelan government authorizing the military’s access to a budget of millions of dollars meant for social programs that… mysteriously disappeared after some years. The government also gave legal immunity to drug trafficking officials to maintain the loyalty of the cartel to the nation. It was during the 2000’s when the cartel was ousted by the United States Drug Administration for being an attractive route for drug trafficking, and after some investigation an arrested drug vigilante exposed the government’s use of security forces to arrange drug shipments. Now forced to expand elsewhere in a more discreet manner due to the discovery of their existence, Los Turpiales has decided to cross the Pacific in search of opportunity on a different continent.

Family: Cha Cha Noi

Based On: the Golden Triangle

Area of Origin: Thailand/Laos/Myanmar

Specialty/Type of Crime:

Drug Trafficking (particularly opium & heroin)

Opium Poppy Farming

Illicit Drug Laboratories

Hierarchy List (Available Canons):

Thai Branch

Leader [0/1]

As this group originates in Asia and their base of operations is close to Macau, this will be the main leader of the branch.

Vice-leader [0/1]

Works under the leader and provides assistance with any work or executive directions.

Operations Supervisor [0/2]

The leader that oversees all operations and objectives planned by the higher ups. Usually responsible for organizing and executing plans and/or obtaining sensitive information.

Cargo Manager [0/3]

As Thailand is one of the opium producing countries, they are responsible for coordinating the transport of all resources through their territory.

Members [0/x]

Normal members of the group that follow orders. More often than not the population of criminal Nerve Players come from this rank.

Lao Branch

Leader [0/1]

As this group originates in Asia and their base of operations is close to Macau, this will be the main leader of the branch.

Vice-leader [0/1]

Works under the leader and provides assistance with any work or executive directions.

Operations Supervisor [0/2]

The leader that oversees all operations and objectives planned by the higher ups. Usually responsible for organizing and executing plans and/or obtaining sensitive information.

Sales Manager [0/3]

The manager(s) responsible for organizing all administrative tasks and keeping track of product sales.

Members [0/x]

Normal members of the group that follow orders. More often than not the population of criminal Nerve Players come from this rank.

Burmese Branch

Leader [0/1]

As this group originates in Asia and their base of operations is close to Macau, this will be the main leader of the branch.

Vice-leader [0/1]

Works under the leader and provides assistance with any work or executive directions.

Operations Supervisor [0/2]

The leader that oversees all operations and objectives planned by the higher ups. Usually responsible for organizing and executing plans and/or obtaining sensitive information.

Drug Trade Coordinator [0/2]

As Myanmar is one of the opium producing countries, they are responsible for keeping track of illicit drug trade operations through their territory.

Members [0/x]

Normal members of the group that follow orders. More often than not the population of criminal Nerve Players come from this rank.

Cha Cha Noi - to do something slower or slowly.

The Golden Triangle, named after the 950,000 square kilometers that overlap Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, was the world’s highest producer of illicit opium up until the twenty-first century, until Afghanistan took the number one spot. Regardless of that fact, the family that heads a majority of the drug trafficking operations between the three countries, has not deterred from their goals and continue to make copious amounts of money from their operations. Due to the lack of government will and ability to take on the illicit trade happening within their nations, a majority of the civilian population contribute to the opium poppy farming within Myanmar and the highlands of Thailand. The cultivated opium is processed in drug laboratories, to be further refined before being shipped out to international locations.

Cha Cha Noi still takes advantage of the public desperation to this day, although rather than treating the civilians like slaves, are actually well known for paying those under the poverty line for their work due to the horrible living conditions. One of the more benevolent families who value trust amongst themselves and looking out for one another like a true family, Cha Cha Noi is one of the oldest operating families in Asia and takes great pride in their work. Despite the high prices that come along with their services, taking advantage of their help when offered will guarantee nothing but the best results.

Family: Gambino

Based On: the Gambino Family

Area of Origin: New York City

Specialty/Type of Crime:

Labor and construction racketeering

Gambling, extortion, money laundering

Prostitution / Human trafficking

Hierarchy List (Available Canons):

Capo (Boss) [0/1]

Essentially, the leader of the group. In HOC’s case, this role is taken by the acting boss of the Gambino family’s Macau branch.

Consigliere (Advisor) [0/1]

Another self-explanatory role. Their role is to work closely with the boss and provide insight and information, as well as supervise the rest of the group in the stead of the boss.

Capo Bastone (Underboss) [1/1]

Usually the son or a relative of the family head, this is a position meant to prepare potential candidates that will serve as capo di tutti capi, or the boss of all bosses.

Caporegime [0/2]

The leader of the operational groups conducting operations in Macau. Usually the tactician or “brains” of the group.

Members [0/x]

This role is commonly the one that holds the population of participating Nerve players, and are the lowest ranked members of the family.

Associates [0/4]

Not technically considered true members of the family, but associates are usually business owners or normal people who are under the protection of the famiglia. In turn, they provide resources (money, info, etc.) or aid.

Gambino - one of the infamous Five Families of the Cosa Nostra.

Is it really one of the infamous families of New York tracing back to the Italian mafia? Well, that’s what the Gambino famiglia claim to be. They say that the current capo is distantly related to the original family, although who really knows whether that claim is true or not. Regardless of such a trivial matter, the Gambinos certainly show their aptitude and expertise for organized crime. A city based mobster family thrives in the metropolis, the original family was formed in the late 1950’s after Carlo Gambino, an underboss, orchestrated the assassination of the current capo. With an ally in Cuba that helped him expand trade and power, the family’s success and fortunes grew after taking control of the gambling interests there.

The group’s operations eventually extended from New York all the way to California, infamously known for labor and construction racketeering, loansharking, extortion and fencing. Clever with their money and even more clever with who they chose as (temporary) allies, the Gambino family is definitely not one to be taken at their word, as they are opportunists at heart that only seek their own selfish desires.

Family: La Quincaillerie

Based On: la Brise de Mer

Area of Origin: North Corsica

Specialty/Type of Crime:

Racketeering

Money laundering

Clubs (night/gambling/casinos)

Involved in armed robberies and suspected murder cases

Hierarchy List (Available Canons):

Caïd (Boss) [0/1]

This will be the acting boss of La Quincaillerie’s territory who heads all operations and answers only to the main boss who is still in Corsica.

Parrain (Godfather) [0/1]

Essentially, the Godfather is the advisor to the boss of the group and supervises the rest of the lower ranks in the stead of the boss.

Spécialiste (Specialists) [0/2]

While there are usually multiple “specialists” who head the multiple groups who carry out missions and orders decided by the higher-ups. Usually the brains of the group who lead their members.

Associés (Associates) [1/3]

These are more or less normal people who own businesses or have attractive skillsets that are affiliated with La Quincaillerie. In exchange for money and cooperation with the group, they and their business (or just their personal safety and assests) are guaranteed protection in turn.

Beaux voyous (The “Good Fellows”) [0/x]

There are only currently two operational groups in the Macau branch of La Quincaillerie. Any normal members fall into this category, and are commonly the members that participate in Nerve.

La Quincaillerie - an odd jobs shop, filled with miscellaneous items.

When someone says that they are, “Going to the quincaillerie,” it is often associated with something innocent. A simple shop where they could possibly have what you need, or possibly don’t. Sometimes it could be a hardware store, or a store for gardening supplies. It really does depend on the context. So of course, what better to name an organized crime group?

During the 1970’s, they became well known in Corsica for their infamous, violent armed robberies. From a Swiss bank to an airplane hangar, they have organized robberies and heists all over Europe to show off and exercise their vast control of the continent. With a capital estimated to be around 150 million Euros, a majority of the money is invested into illegal activities circulating their island and also to the rest of France. Surprisingly, they also invest in legal activities such as tourism and infrastructure construction, gaining them a certain influence on the island economy. Investments in casino activities have also been noted to take place in parts of Africa, Latin America and Italy, making them one of the most influential groups currently within the boundaries of Macau.

#jcink rp #jcink site #jcink #crime rp #hocrp

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junker-town · 2 years

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6 games to circle on the 2022 NFL schedule

Set Number: X163914 TK1

These are the games every football fan should watch.

The 2022 NFL schedule is upon us, and now we march towards fall. With the draft in the rear view mirror, and training camp ahead of us, we wait to see how rosters around the league will settle before the start of the league year.

This year gives us some truly fascinating matchups, and these are the games I’m circling on the calendar as can’t-miss. Regardless of who your favorite team is, anyone who likes football should be waiting for these.

Bills vs. Chiefs — Week 6

Hell yeah I’ll take a rematch of the AFC Divisional Playoff game between these two, which was without a doubt the best game of the year.

While that game only took place in January, the complexion of this matchup looks entirely different. The Chiefs had some major retooling to do after trading away Tyreek Hill, while the Bills are more or less the same team that pushed Kansas City to the limit earlier this year.

This could be a serious litmus test in the AFC to see if the Bills are ready to win it all and head to the Super Bowl, or whether they’re still struggling to get over that hump.

Dolphins vs. 49ers — Week 13

I’m a sucker for matchups between coaches, and no game this year will be as fascinating from a coach vs. coach perspective than this one. You have Kyle Shanahan leading the 49ers, now with Trey Lance at the helm — taking on his protege in Mike McDaniel, entering his first year as Dolphins head coach.

These two have spent years together. They know each other intently. McDaniel orchestrated San Francisco’s offense, and knows every player on that team, while Shanahan understands McDaniel’s tendencies. It’s going to be interesting to see how the Dolphins look, how the Niners play with Lance leading them, and watch the jousting match between the two coaches.

Browns vs. Texans — Week 13

This one needs no explanation, but naturally it’s all about Deshaun Watson. The Browns are convinced that Watson will get them over the hump and into the Super Bowl, while the Texans are rebuilding.

That said, Houston might have been bad in 2021, but they were more competitive that people expected. There’s every chance they could take a big step forward in 2022, especially if Davis Mills ends up being what the team hopes he can be.

Meanwhile, assuming Watson isn’t suspended by the NFL, this game is a litmus test for Cleveland’s chances to make a run. They’ll want to win, and win big.

Bengals vs. Buccaneers — Week 15

I like the age matchup here, not dissimilar to the Super Bowl between the Bengals and Rams. I know Cincinnati’s appearance in the big game was seen as an outlier, but I think it can become a staple of this franchise as it moves forward.

This game will take strides to deciding that. If the young Bengals can hang with Tom Brady and the Bucs it will go a long way to make people believe they’re here to stay.

Chiefs vs. Broncos — Week 14

The pressure is on Russell Wilson to prove he can get Denver to the point it can hang with the AFC West’s best. It’s unfair to have the expectation that the Broncos can win the division immediately and make a deep playoff run, after all Peyton Manning lost early in the playoffs during his first season in Denver.

However, there is the belief, at least from fans, that this team was a top-tier quarterback away, not just from a playoff run, but challenging for the AFC Championship. None of that happens without getting through the Chiefs, and it will be on Wilson to prove he is the difference maker the team believed him to be when they made their big trade.

Rams vs. Chiefs — Week 12

These two teams are the measuring stick by which their respective divisions are measured — even now. Both are considered Super Bowl contenders, and we’ll get a great sense of where the power lies in the NFL when these teams meet.

Furthermore, the relative strength of this matchup holds significance for other teams in the NFC and AFC. How each of these teams looks could help us work out whether the power still lies in these teams, or if its shifted to the Bills, Buccaneers, or another team we’re not expecting.

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paulbenedictblog · 5 years

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%news%

New Post has been published on %http://paulbenedictsgeneralstore.com%

Fox news How this Super Bowl matchup spawned from one player - NFL.com

Fox news

MIAMI -- For all the Joe Montana regalia in the lead-up to Sizable Bowl LIV, it's the account of a less famous quarterback which sheds extra mild on this clash between the high-octane offenses of the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.

Alex Smith rescued each of these beforehand downtrodden organizations from their darkest hours, only to be traded in for a sleeker quarterback model as soon as all of these miles out of the barren house piled up in entrance of the principle-down marker.

Having survived a gargantuan preference of failed regimes early in his Bay Dwelling occupation, Smith led the 49ers to the 2011 NFC Championship Sport before Jim Harbaugh and his workers made the daring decision to space their Sizable Bowl-caliber offense in the palms of younger playmaker Colin Kaepernick. Salvaged from the San Francisco scrap heap in 2013, Smith became as soon as summoned to the Midwest to aid Andy Reid resurrect a floundering Chiefs outfit that had fallen to 2-14 under Romeo Crennel.

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD

Though Kansas Metropolis managed to amass 74 aspects in Smith's first two postseason appearances with the franchise -- a gutting 45-44 loss to the Colts and a 30-0 laugher over the Texans -- his conservative passing trend merely left too many plays on the discipline in aid-to-aid playoff disappointments versus the Patriots and Steelers. Once Reid and his entrance place of job assessed the strengths and weaknesses of their have Sizable Bowl-caliber roster in the gap months of 2017, the Chiefs outfoxed four diverse Patrick Mahomes suitors to draft Smith's eventual supplanter.

Smith restful had a possibility to stave off Mahomes, finding aberrant downfield effectivity with deep possibility Tyreek Hill in a occupation-only 2017 odd season, only to resign a 21-3 halftime lead in heartbreaking fashion, falling to the less-gifted Titans in the Wild Card Round.

Between Smith's final Kansas Metropolis victory and one other early-January exit, although, his fate had already been sealed.

In a odd-season finale satirically billed as meaningless, with the subsequent week's dwelling-discipline advantage already salvage, Reid unlocked the major to the NFL's next worthy offense with a pinch-hitting Mahomes at the helm.

"I went into that sport feeling cherish we could possibly score anytime," Reid disclosed to the Round The NFL Podcast at the March 2018 Annual League Assembly, two weeks after finalizing Smith's trade to the Washington Redskins. "After I got into the game, I felt the identical facet."

The Chiefs had gone 30 years without a victory from a quarterback drafted and developed in Kansas Metropolis. After snapping out of that dry spell in one fell swoop from his hand-picked franchise savior, neophyte total manager Brett Veach raised eyebrows at some level of the football landscape by declaring that the unproven Mahomes became as soon as already one of many perfect gamers he had ever considered.

Of us that had witnessed firsthand Mahomes' no-impress passes and downfield air raids in practices shared Veach's unshakeable self belief, prompting instantaneous behavioral changes. For the principle time in his 15-year occupation, punter Dustin Colquitt started stashing his gloves in his jersey so he'd be ready to take for the rash of extra aspects that would inevitably apply Mahomes' lickety-split-strike rankings.

Primarily the most glaring trade befell in the thoughts of a head coach who as soon as explained his play-calling job as getting paid to "score into a rhythm with the guy calling the defense" on the diverse aspect. The history of football's offensive scheme is a leisurely gravitation far from the violent congestion throughout the discipline and toward multi-dimensional aerial assaults permitting the ball to be superior on both the X and Y axis.

The transition from Smith to Mahomes supplied an accelerated model of that evolution. Smith's penchant for throwing brief passes in key eventualities no longer only tied Reid's play-calling palms, nonetheless also impressed Football Outsiders to create the ALEX (Air Much less Anticipated) quarterback metric which measures the moderate difference between how far a quarterback throws a bound (air yards) and the plot many yards he wants for a first down. Lacking context, susceptible football stats could possibly inform us which plays the quarterback made, nonetheless they bound over the missed opportunities when the trigger is never any longer pulled.

Whereas the gridiron remained the identical size with Mahomes under heart, Reid rapidly learned that he could possibly stress defenses by forcing them to quilt your complete size and width of the discipline, versus the condensed space boxed in by the principle-down marker. By warding off mistakes and flying over the trench battle throughout the discipline to beat excellent protection, the apostate Chiefs possess place to leisure as soon as and for the total mild pigskin idea that only three things can happen on a ahead bound -- and two of them are execrable.

To impress into the thoughts of a play-caller, it's instructive to scrutinize the principle 28 minutes of video games, before the clock and score differential launch to dictate tendencies. Whereas the Chiefs carried out bound plays honest appropriate 52 percent of the time in the principle 28 minutes of Smith's starts from 2013 through '17, per The Athletic's Mike Sando, that quantity has surged to a league-main 65 percent in 2019. Reid has learned his rhythm in the conclusion that running plays are almost wasteful with the perfect-rated quarterback (108.9) in NFL history orchestrating the offense.

After reaching the 30-level stamp honest appropriate four events in 27 postseason video games at some level of the principle 58 years of the franchise's existence, the Chiefs possess scored 30 or extra aspects in all four of Mahomes' playoff starts to this level.

"Of us contrivance I became as soon as loopy aid at the mix, before he took a launch, after I mentioned he is the perfect player I've ever considered," Veach crowed after Mahomes erased a 24-0 deficit in the blink of the impress, decimating Houston's defense with an perfect trying array of vast plays in the Chiefs' 51-31 Divisional Round victory. "He's the perfect player in the game. I focal level on that's no longer honest appropriate me announcing it now, it's your complete league."

ONE OF THE GREAT PERKS OF SPORTS FANDOM

Mahomes credit Smith for offering a quarterbacking blueprint which eased the transition in Kansas Metropolis. By the time Jimmy Garoppolo arrived in San Francisco, by difference, the 49ers were adrift, having lost the direction rapidly after Kaepernick blazed at some level of the sky as a uniquely gifted read-option revelation with a two-year expiration date.

Garoppolo has been the rising tide lifting all Bay Dwelling boats, rescuing a 1-10 operation by main the NFL in scoring at some level of a 5-sport profitable saunter to cease out the 2017 season. After struggling during the lean years of Kaepernick's give plot and Blaine Gabbert's blooper reel, 49ers followers could possibly skills one of many worthy perks of sports actions fandom: the never-ending chances presented by a younger, franchise-altering skills reputedly despatched from the heavens.

After lacking the vast majority of a lost 2018 marketing campaign with an ACL damage, Garoppolo bounced aid in impressive fashion this year, turning into the perfect quarterback to enact the odd season ranked in the head 5 in completion rate (69.1), yards per strive (8.4) and touchdown passes (27). Belying his recency biased popularity as a properly-coifed Bob Griese, Garoppolo led a properly-balanced juggernaut which carried out eighth in Football Outsiders' passing effectivity metric and lost honest appropriate three video games -- all in the closing seconds.

Smith has been dogged by the pejorative sport-manager caveat at some level of his tumultuous 15-year occupation. Could possibly also merely restful the identical popularity befall an exhilarating younger passer with Garoppolo's gaudy occupation moderate of 29.1 aspects per sport?

Whereas that figure is in the aid of only his Sizable Bowl LIV opponent's 32.6 aspects per sport in NFL history, no quarterback since the 1970 merger has managed a greater occupation profitable percentage than Garoppolo's .821 (23-5). In a the same preference of starts since coach Kyle Shanahan assumed relief an eye fixed on in 2017, all diverse 49ers quarterbacks possess posted a diametrically adverse .167 (4-20) bewitch-loss figure.

How did Griese's backups magnificent in comparability? When he went down with a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle in Week 5 of the Dolphins' undefeated 1972 marketing campaign, the inimitable Earl Morrall stepped in without lacking a beat, capturing Sporting News AFC Player of the Yr and first-crew All-Decent honors whereas main the league in passer score.

Ever since legendary Bears head coach George Halas raised the quarterback to prominence with the T-formation offense in the 1940s, the contrivance has been measured by success on third down, in the red zone and at the stop of cease video games. As Shanahan explained to the assembled media in Miami earlier this week, NFL teams can't hump the ball in the occasion that they construct no longer possess a quarterback in a position to changing daunting third downs and main fourth-quarter comebacks.

"Jimmy has been as proper as somebody to me on third down this year," Shanahan testified. "When now we possess wanted him to bring us aid at the stop of video games, he's carried out it. I've by no plot been a part of a sport the build a QB completes two third-and-16s on a final drive to beat the Rams cherish he did. What he did in that first Arizona sport, I focal level on it became as soon as a Third-and-16 also, to score us aid in the final drive. The 2nd Arizona sport, throwing to score aid in that sport."

THE NFL'S COMPETITION CURVE

Quarterback is the most scrutinized contrivance in the American sports actions landscape. Basic for his portrayal of Moses in the 1956 classic The Ten Commandments, actor Charlton Heston as soon as remarked, via Paul Zimmerman's The Sleek Taking into consideration Man's Manual to Decent Football, that it's more straightforward to part the Crimson Sea than to play quarterback in the NFL.

The highest years of Smith's occupation started in 2011 with Jim Harbaugh's rebuilding San Francisco 49ers and lasted through 2017 as Reid reconstituted the Chiefs. All the plot through that time span, there weren't better than 15-20 human beings on this planet in a position to taking part in the contrivance at a greater diploma.

Nonetheless what happens when a firm outgrows a capable starting up quarterback, leaving him in the aid of cherish Christopher Robin forsaking Winnie the Pooh?

A godsend to a crew on the low stop of the rivals spectrum could possibly be deadweight to a extra gifted club harboring realistic Sizable Bowl targets. I take a look at out the phases of this present day's NFL rivals curve as follows:

1) Enlargement crew 2) Natural tanking 3) Rebuilding 4) Treading water with increasing old nucleus 5) Loading up for playoff push 6) Division well-liked 7) Sizable Bowl contender 8) Perennial playoff bye expectation

All too on the total, teams are unwilling to face grim actuality, bottoming out before the failed discipline total is modified. Six years after the Round The NFL Podcast established "the Dalton Scale" to illustrate football's netherworld of QB purgatory, the Bengals could possibly at final flip the offense over to a phenom honest like LSU's Joe Burrow. When the in every other case-loaded 2017 Jaguars reached the AFC Championship Sport by sport-planning round their quarterback's glaring barriers, they opted to double down, handing Blake Bortles a contract extension.

Whereas the Bengals and Jaguars denied their quarterbacks' flaws in terms of their rosters' clout, the 2012 49ers and 2018 Chiefs accredited the actuality that they'd outgrown a minute signal-caller greater suited to a Allotment 4 or 5 outfit. Recognizing that an offense could possibly study to bound with Smith, launch to hump with Kaepernick and sprout wings with Garoppolo or Mahomes, San Francisco and Kansas Metropolis made daring choices commensurate with their ingenious teaching staffs and gifted cores.

Sizable quarterbacks construct no longer honest appropriate rework teams. They enhance the lives of these round them.

As Raiders coach Jon Gruden as soon as notorious, Brett Favre became as soon as accountable for a quantity of carried out basements, transformed garages, fresh swimming pools and marriage ceremony funds among Packers assistant coaches. Sooner than Peyton Manning rescued the Colts from irrelevance, David Letterman quipped, Indianapolis became as soon as a diminutive metropolis. The local crew's quarterback ended up changing the skyline of the metropolis!

After drafting Deshaun Watson in 2017, Houston coach Bill O'Brien conceded that a reliable franchise quarterback's heed can no longer be quantified. "It is so crucial," O'Brien explained. "That contrivance on any crew carries the targets, the hopes of the group."

When O'Brien's Texans surrendered their 24-0 result in Mahomes' blitzkrieg offense in the Divisional Round, a high-score Chiefs offer texted TheMMQB's Albert Breer: "Unbelievable. The QB is from one other planet."

The final time the Chiefs were in the Sizable Bowl, they were led by a quarterback who fired up lung darts at halftime, O.J. Simpson became as soon as the No. 1 soak up the NFL draft, Kyle Shanahan wasn't born but and The Archies' bubble-gum pop hit "Sugar, Sugar" became as soon as Billboard's high single of the year.

Now that Andy Reid has his holy grail under heart, famous football creator and lifelong Chiefs fan Michael MacCambridge believes the ghosts of playoff screw ups previous had been "exorcised" at final in Kansas Metropolis.

"And that starts with 15," MacCambridge currently relayed to NBCSports.com's Peter King. "He's no longer haunted. And that's the reason why the Chiefs are going to the Sizable Bowl."

You construct no longer manufacture history throwing trying the sticks.

Put collectively Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.

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joshuajacksonlyblog · 5 years

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Crypto Ponzi Scammers Who Duped Professional Sports People Are Jailed

More skulduggery in the cryptocurrency space as two Arizona men who fronted a million-dollar Crypto Ponzi scheme are arrested on money laundering charges. Crypto Ponzi Scheme Targeted Major Baseball League Players Another day, another deliciously wicked scam in the cryptocurrency space. This time around, it looks as if the orchestrators of the Crypto Ponzi scheme known as Zima Digital will get their comeuppance. The two Arizona men Zach Salter, 27, and John Michael Caruso, 28, defrauded more than 100 people out of at least $7.5 million over the last year and a half. Among their victims, according to Quartz, were several major-league baseball players and their families. Salter and Caruso founded a cryptocurrency investment firm called Zima Digital Assets. They then used investors’ funds to support their extravagant lifestyles, while reporting next-to-no income. The unscrupulous duo was tracked down and arrested by the U.S. Secret Service on Jan 30. Caruso went by the alias of “Kryp+0 K!ng.” And called himself the “Michael Jordan of algorithmic cryptocurrency trading.” While Salter described himself as a “serial entrepreneur” in the automotive and aviation industries. Living the Lambo Lifestyle It seems the men had no qualms about using other people’s money to fuel their lavish lifestyles. They both live in mansions with valuations north of $9 million. While Caruso did report some earnings in 2018, his declared income was just $22,800. At the same time, he’s the registered owner of a $200,000 2019 Lamborghini Urus. According to the U.S. Department of Justice complaint, he also spent another $350,000 on renting luxury vehicles, including a Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Rolls Royce. Caruso also has a penchant for travel–on private jets. His destinations of choice included Aruba, Cabo San Lucas, Hawaii, London, and New York (to name a few). If that wasn’t enough to make his victims’ blood boil, the unscrupulous villain lost an eye-watering $1.4 million gambling in Las Vegas. Despite the young age, he had a long history of unsavory dealings. His extensive criminal past included forgery, extortion, money laundering, and assisting a criminal syndicate. For his part, Salter reported no income in 2018. He was, however, magically able to own at least five luxury cars including a BMW, an Audi, two Mercedes, and a 1957 Chevy. It seems he couldn’t resist the urge to show off his riches on Instagram, which ended up serving as evidence against him. The investigation began, Federal officials stated, after they received an anonymous complaint about Zima Digital Assets. What do you make of the Ponzi scammers lavish lifestyle? Add your thoughts below! Images via Shutterstock The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com. from Cryptocracken Tumblr https://ift.tt/377iPYG via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Cryptocracken Tumblr

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junker-town · 5 years

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Bill O’Brien is responsible for his make-or-break season with the Texans

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Bill O’Brien either saved his job or made his successor’s much easier.

In a series of two moves Saturday, the Texans sold low on one franchise player and bought high on another. From a macro level, it all seemed very messy. For Houston head coach and de facto general manager Bill O’Brien, it made perfect sense.

Out went defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, a former No. 1 overall pick and three-time Pro Bowler who’d been deemed a luxury in a top-five defense. In came left tackle Laremy Tunsil, a hopeful panacea to all the team’s blocking problems for a perpetually disappointing offensive line. While they came in a dizzying exchange of player values, Houston solved two problems that needed to be addressed in a quest to win its first-ever AFC title. The question now is whether O’Brien the general manager has made the kind of moves that can benefit O’Brien the coach.

The former Patriot assistant and Penn State head coach has been perfectly serviceable in his five years with the Texans. An inconsistent AFC South, an occasionally dominant defense, and the budding wizardry of quarterback Deshaun Watson has pushed him to the postseason three times. With Andrew Luck retired and the Titans and Jaguars each facing quarterback issues, a fourth division title in five years is within his grasp.

Winning in the regular season hasn’t been a problem for O’Brien. What comes next has. Houston’s only playoff win under O’Brien was against a Raiders team derailed by Derek Carr’s late-season broken leg. Now he heads into his sixth year at the helm with the most complete roster of his tenure — but if he can’t take advantage of a star-filled lineup, another AFC South championship could ultimately be his final failure.

O’Brien orchestrated the headline moves that will define his 2019

Managerial problems afforded O’Brien an extra layer of autonomy few NFL coaches have. Thanks to an entirely botched hiring process, Houston is without a general manager for the upcoming season. That’s left O’Brien as the default architect to cleve away at some parts of his roster while remaining steadfastly conservative in others.

He wasn’t exactly primed for success after former GM Brian Gaine was fired in June. Despite a surplus of more than $50 million in salary cap space, the Texans were quiet in free agency. Tyrann Mathieu rebuilt his value as an upper-tier safety in his lone season in Texas. Rather than re-sign him at a cost of $14 million annually to bring stability to a secondary that was losing former starter Andre Hal to retirement, the club settled on Tashaun Gipson, who is two years older and roughly half as expensive. He’s the only player the team signed for multiple years this offseason.

Instead of shelling out big money and trying to outbid other franchises on offensive tackles like Trent Brown or Ja’Wuan James, Houston settled for a one-year deal with Matt Kalil. That shifted the team’s OL help focus to the draft, where the Eagles jumped one spot ahead of them to make Andre Dillard the first tackle taken. This forced the Texans to push high-ceiling, low-floor Alabama State tackle Tytus Howard into the first round as a high cost lottery ticket at the edge of their line.

Kalil was released shortly after Tunsil was acquired. Howard will be playing left guard as a rookie.

This lack of solutions seemed, at the very least, to clear the decks to lock Clowney in to a top-of-his-class contract while leaving space for an eventual Watson extension. Instead, the Texans sat on that money as talks with the edge rusher made it clear the two sides had very different feelings about his value. Though Clowney couldn’t negotiate with other teams thanks to Houston’s use of the franchise tag, his decision to hold out without signing that tender left the Texans in a tough spot. They could:

a) sign him to the contract extension he wants, tying up somewhere around $70 to $80 million in guaranteed money b) let him sit out the season, a la Le’Veon Bell, before leaving in free agency in 2020 and recouping a likely third-round compensatory pick in 2021 for their troubles, or c) trade Clowney, but only to a destination he prefers, since league rules mandate a franchise cannot trade a player who hasn’t signed a contract with them. Clowney would effectively have to OK the situation and sign his franchise tender before getting sent off to his new team.

With no intention of paying Clowney, and with Clowney not interested in being part of the Dolphins’ rebuild, O’Brien instead shipped him to Seattle in exchange for relative peanuts. Houston gleaned a third-round pick — a year earlier and likely 10-15 spots higher than the compensatory selection the league would likely have awarded — and a pair of replacement-level players in Barkevious Mingo and Jacob Martin. In one fell swoop, the Texans lost one of the best players from a dominant defense without gaining any kind of value that could address their glaring offensive line or running game needs in 2019.

Fortunately — or unfortunately, depending on how you value Houston’s draft assets — O’Brien wasn’t done yet. Hours later, news broke the Texans were shipping out two first-round draft picks, a second-round pick, defensive back Johnson Bademosi, and offensive tackle Julie’n Davenport (who’d started 15 games in 2018) in exchange for Dolphins left tackle Laremy Tunsil, wideout Kenny Stills, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-rounder.

(Somewhere in there, he also acquired Carlos Hyde and his 3.3 yards per carry average last season and landed former Patriot special teamer Keion Crossen as well. Take that as you will.)

After trading Clowney for little return, O’Brien mortgaged his draft future to find someone capable of protecting Watson this fall and beyond.

Squint hard enough and the deals make sense — and put a target on O’Brien’s head

In a vacuum, the Tunsil trade may not be as egregious as overpay as “two firsts and a second” sounds up front. Jettisoning their 2020 and 2021 first-rounders would be the cost of any reasonable move up next spring’s draft board to pick up a high-profile rookie left tackle. The extra second was a luxury tax for getting a player who already has two years of NFL development under his belt and has emerged as an above-average player.

Throw in Stills, once one of the league’s top deep threats and now only 27 years old, as a mentor for a recuperating Will Fuller and complement to DeAndre Hopkins and it’s clear to see the Texans have improved their offense. O’Brien’s bet is that this will be enough to overcome any loss the departures of Clowney and Mathieu have created on the other side of the ball. Houston fielded top-seven scoring defenses in each of O’Brien’s first two seasons — seasons in which an injured Clowney missed 15 games and had a limited impact on the field.

The Texans’ defense has only cratered once under O’Brien. That came in a 2017 season when J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus, and Brian Cushing all played only five games each thanks to injuries while Clowney played the only 16-game season of his career to date. Watt and Mercilus shined in 2018 and are back to full strength for 2019, and linebacker Zach Cunningham is a worthy replacement and probable upgrade to Cushing in the middle of the field.

O’Brien’s hope is that this core, along with a rapidly improving Justin Reid at safety, is able to maintain a high level of play despite the absence of two Pro Bowl-caliber players at valued positions. Houston effectively told the world saving $20-25 million annually is worth a slide from a top-five caliber defense to a top 10ish unit.

That’s quite a gamble for a team that could have afforded to spend big in 2019. Watson will only count $8.5 million against the salary cap his next two seasons before he’s due for a massive extension that will likely make him the game’s highest-paid player. The Texans are heading into the season with an estimated $32 million of spending room still on their cap. That left a clear opportunity to spend big on the free agents needed to turn a good team into a great one, a la the 2018 Rams.

Instead, O’Brien waited too long to extract any kind of meaningful value from a Clowney trade. Then he bet his immediate future on Tunsil while deferring his big splash into the free agent market one year down the line.

This all points to major spending for Houston in 2020

2020 will be the last year Watson earns a seven-figure salary. Between the fifth-year team option attached to his rookie deal and the lucrative contract extension that will almost certainly follow, the talented dual-threat passer is about to go from one of the league’s biggest bargains to one of its richest players. O’Brien would like him to get there in one piece, which explains why the Tunsil trade was worthwhile even at a steep price.

That leaves a well-defined window for the Texans to surround him with talent before the salary cap becomes an issue. While the Tunsil deal eliminates much of the opportunity to add inexpensive rookie players who can contribute immediately, O’Brien’s moves have cleared the deck for a spending spree next spring. Per Spotrac, the club has nearly an estimated $100 million in cap space for 2020 — currently third-most in the league. Though likely extensions for Tunsil and Cunningham (slated for free agency in 2021) will eat into that, there’s a lot of room to beef up an already playoff-ready roster.

(He also could have had plenty of spending room AND Clowney on the roster. Time will tell if this was a wise decision.)

Will O’Brien author the shopping list behind this trip to the veteran playmaker market? Good or bad, last weekend’s trades will be what defines his tenure as Houston’s head coach. He’s pushed the Texans out of stasis and shored up one of his biggest weaknesses by acquiring a left tackle who won’t be confused for a turnstile. He discarded a Pro Bowl player he didn’t think was worth a nine-figure extension in exchange for, well, something — even if it’s just a slightly upgraded third-round pick and future cap space.

For O’Brien to push into the hazy future he sees more clearly than anyone else, he’ll have to prove he didn’t waste a year of his championship window by burning Clowney and betting big on Tunsil. He’s helped construct a roster that will head into 2020 with a handful of top 50 players on the roster and the financial — though not draftable — flexibility to mold a franchise around them with high-powered help. And if he can prove he’s capable of winning in the postseason with that foundation, he’ll get the chance to see his experiment through.

Otherwise, the Texans are going to be 2020’s hottest destination for rising head coach candidates and eager general managers.

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