#BBC Sport - Golf

[biglisbonnews]

‘There’s a curiosity about what’s behind the curtain’: the rise and rise of TV sports reality shows From surfing and tennis to Formula One and football, TV hopes to lure a younger audience with behind-the-scenes seriesThere’s a moment early in the first episode of Netflix’s behind-the-scenes tennis show Break Point at which 22-year-old Costeen Hatzi, current girlfriend of the Australian ace Nick Kyrgios, laughingly admits that she has never watched a tennis match in her life. “This is all new for me,” she says.In this respect she is a mirror image of the viewer that the streaming service, and indeed tennis itself, wants to attract. Sports television has long been the preserve of dedicated fans, the kind of people who can reel off scores, records, statistics, and tend to be what James Gay-Rees, the award-winning British producer of Break Point, calls “a male, pale and stale demographic”. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/feb/04/rise-and-rise-of-tv-sports-reality-shows

[mariacallous]

Usually held in the two weeks after the Olympic Games in the same host city, the Paralympics showcase the best athletes with physical disabilities from around the world competing for their home countries. (The Paralympics are not to be confused with the Special Olympics, which feature athletes with intellectual disabilities.) This year, the Summer Paralympics will take place from August 28 to September 8 in Paris, France.

Quick history lesson: The origins of the Paralympics began shortly after World War II, during the 1948 London Olympics, where 16 wheelchair-using veterans participated. The first official Paralympic Games took place in Rome in 1960 and featured 400 athletes from 23 countries. Since then, the Games have taken place every four years and now feature 4,400 athletes in 22 sports (the Olympics have 32), with 549 gold medals up for grabs.

There are athletes competing from 177 countries (this year’s Olympics had athletes from 184 countries), including 10 countries that have never been represented in the Paralympic Games before, along with representation from the Neutral and Refugee teams. In case you missed it, at the last Paralympics in Tokyo, China earned the most medals, with Great Britain behind it and the US in third.

Since the 1988 Summer Games and the 1992 Winter Games, the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been held in the same cities and venues. Although Paralympians still strive for equal treatment as Olympic athletes without disabilities, there is a large gap in funding between the Olympics and Paralympics.

Where to Watch

This year’s Games will make history as the first Paralympic Games to offer live coverage of every one of the 22 sports played. Like the Olympics, every event at the Paralympics will be available to stream on Peacock if you’re in the US.

If you prefer going old school and watching on basic cable, a select number of events will be airing on the NBC channels NBC, CNBC, and USA Network, along with E!, Golf Channel, and Telemundo, which offers coverage in Spanish. In an effort to make the Games more accessible, closed captioning will be available for every Paralympic event (regardless of the platform). You can also watch highlights and athlete interviews on Paralympic.org.

In the UK, Channel 4 has more than 1,300 hours of live coverage scheduled. Folks can also watch through their streaming service or Channel 4 Sport’s YouTube channel, which will show the entirety of the Games for the first time. BBC, BBC Radio 5 Live, and the BBC Sport website will also air highlights and select coverage. The Paralympics website also has a complete list of where to watch by country.

Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony will begin August 28 at 8 pm Paris time, 7 pm BST, 2 pm EDT, and 11 am PDT. Similar to the Olympics opening ceremony, the Paralympics opening ceremony will be held outside of a stadium at one of the major squares in Paris, Place de la Concorde, and the iconic avenue Champs-Élysées will be transformed into the opening ceremony stage.

The competition starts the following day, on August 29, at 11 am EDT (8 am PDT). Like with the Paris Olympics, the start times will be similarly early and continue throughout the day. The specific timing of some of the events might change, so check the schedule of events on the Olympics' Paralympics schedule webpage.

Blind Football (Soccer)

Blind football is an adaptation of football (or soccer, if you’re American) for athletes with vision impairment played with an audible ball. This men’s competition starts early on September 1 and continues on September 2, 3 and 5, with the gold medal match on Saturday, September 7.

Boccia

Boccia is one of only two sports with no Olympic equivalent. It was originally created for athletes in wheelchairs who have impaired motor function or coordination. To win, each team must get the most balls closest to the white ball called the jack, with athletes allowed to make modifications according to their needs. Men’s and women’s individual games start August 29 and go through September 1, with the gold medal individual matches on September 1 and 2. Mixed pairs and teams start September 3, with gold mixed pairs and teams matches on September 5.

Goalball

The other sport of the Paralympic Games without an Olympic equivalent, goalball is a team sport for the visually impaired and blind, in which players wear special black eye-covering-type glasses so they fully can’t see and are thus more equitable (and honestly, look cool as hell). If there’s anything that the Olympic Games have taught us, it’s that the people go crazy for some out-of-the-norm eyewear. The audience needs to stay as quiet as possible because the ball has bells inside. Thus, the athletes have to rely solely on sound, while they use their whole body to try to block the ball from making it inside the goal. (Lets see Neymar try to do that.) Men’s and women’s games start August 29 with the gold medal games for both on September 5.

Para Archery

The first game played at the early iteration of the Paralympics in 1948, para archery now has men and women’s individual and mixed teams, with wheelchair or standing, and with recurve and compound bows used. Men’s and women’s individual events begin August 29 and continue through September 5, with gold medal matches in individual, teams and with different bows across multiple days.

Para Athletics

One of the most beloved sports in the Paralympics is para athletics, which has been a popular fixture in the games since the inaugural Rome Games in 1960. Today, it spans a wide range of track, jumping, and throwing events, as well as marathons. Because of the wide range of men’s and women’s events, competition begins on August 30 and happens daily with gold medal matches until the Games end on September 8. Check the full para athletics schedule for more specific events’ times.

Para Badminton

Para badminton debuted at Tokyo 2020, although it has been hugely popular for decades. Like badminton, players compete as singles and pairs, as well as standing and in wheelchairs. Group play begins on August 29, with men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles beginning August 31. Gold medal matches take place September 1 and 2.

Para Canoe

The Paralympic Canoe competition features two types of boats: the kayak and va’a (traditionally used in Oceania for travel between islands). Para canoes are basically the same as those used in the Olympic Games, but just have a wider bottom for greater stability. The races begin September 6 with gold medal games on September 7 and 8.

Para Road Cycling

Throughout the years, like many other events, Paralympic cycling has grown to adapt to many disabilities, and uses standard bicycles, handcycles, tricycles, and tandems. In road cycling, there are road races, time trials, and relay events. Both the men and women’s individual and relay events and gold medal races take place daily September 4 through 7.

Para Track Cycling

Para  track cycling is similar to road cycling but takes place on a velodrome track (as the name suggests). Competition is divided into time trials, individual, and tandem or team sprints, using standard bicycles and tandems (all of which can be adapted for the specific athlete). The various track cycling events and gold medal races take place simultaneously August 29 to September 1.

Para Equestrian

Unlike the three equestrian events at the Olympic Games, the Paralympic equestrian program only includes the dressage competition. Para dressage essentially focuses on how well the rider and horse gel, with riders judged on their riding and performance with the horse. All the events are individual mixed, and each competition has gold medal rounds, taking place August 3, 4, 6 and 7.

Para Judo

Para judo is one of two martial arts competitions at the Games. The Paralympics judo follows the same rules as its Olympic equivalent, except it’s practiced exclusively by athletes with vision impairments—and is way more badass, in my humble opinion. (I think I’m allowed to make that assertion since I’m also disabled, don’t come for me.) With the athletes unable to see their opponent, they must use their sense of touch and careful listening—including slight differences in breathing and movement—to sense what their rival may do next. Men’s and women’s matches take place September 5, 6, and 7 and have gold medal matches at the end of each day.

Para Powerlifting

Para powerlifting is a men’s and women’s bench press competition that tests upper body strength where the athletes compete in different weight categories. All of the events are individual and there are gold medal rounds for each competition (which varies by gender and weight class) taking place September 4 to 8.

Para Rowing

A relatively new sport, rowing debuted at the Paralympic Games in 2008. Now, there are five rowing events, including three mixed events. Para rowing rules are nearly identical to those at the Olympics and rowers are eligible for different events according to their gender and impairment categories. The races begin across all categories on August 30, continue to August 31, with final gold medal rounds on September 1.

Para Swimming

Para swimming has remained one of the most enduring sports in the Paralympics since its debut at the Rome Games in 1960. Its popularity is due in part because athletes with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities can participate and doesn’t require any specific equipment. (Prosthetics aren’t allowed either.) Featuring different swims at different distances, athletes compete in breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, freestyle, and medley. As one of the most popular sports, there are men’s, women’s, and mixed events virtually nonstop with gold medal races near the end of every day, August 29 until September 7.

Para Table Tennis

One of the OG Paralympian games, table tennis actually has a longer history in the Paralympic Games than its Olympic counterpart. When it began, it was only open to wheelchair users, although today athletes are placed into 11 different classes based on their physical and intellectual impairments. Men’s and women’s doubles, singles and mixed games take place August 29 to September 7, with gold medal games every day except September 2.

Para Taekwondo

Para taekwondo is a new competition that made its Paralympic debut at the Tokyo Games. Focused on athletes with upper limb impairments, they are split into two sports classes and divided into weight categories. Men and women compete August 29 to 31, with gold medal matches at the end of each day.

Para Triathlon

A relatively new sport introduced at the 2016 Rio Games, the para triathlon is held over the “sprint” distance, which is half the Olympic distance for individual competitions, where athletes swim 750 meters, cycle 20 kilometers, and run 5 kilometers. The competition is divided by men’s and women’s, with medals being awarded for each race September 1 and 2.

Shooting Para Sport

Shooters compete in rifle and pistol events from distances of 10-meter, 25-meter, and 50-meter in men’s, women’s, and mixed fields. Depending on needs, athletes compete in a kneeling position, prone, or standing (or in a wheelchair or shooting seat). The games take place August 30 to September 5, with medals awarded each day.

Sitting Volleyball

Sitting volleyball is pretty much the exact same as the volleyball we know and love, except as the name suggests, is a sitting variation of the sport. It’s played by two teams of six players who move around the court using the power of their arms, along with a lowered net that’s 3 feet high. The games start on August 29 and continue until the men’s gold medal game on September 6 and the women’s on September 7.

Wheelchair Basketball

Originally used for rehabilitation and exercise for World War II veterans—wheelchair basketball is quintessential Paralympics. Now, it’s one of the most popular and beloved sports for wheelchair users around the world. Games start August 29 and go until the men’s gold medal match September 7, with the women’s September 8.

Wheelchair Fencing

What’s more badass than fencing? Wheelchair fencing. In this sport that requires discipline (and ability to not flinch when a sword is coming at you), athletes compete in a special wheelchair frame designed for the sport which is fastened to the floor—meaning the fencers cannot move and are always close to their opponent. Just like the Olympic equivalent, wheelchair fencing consists of three disciplines: foil, épée, and saber. The men’s and women’s matches take place September 3 to 7, with gold medal rounds at the end of every day.

Wheelchair Rugby

Wheelchair rugby is a four-person team sport played in specially designed wheelchairs. It combines elements of rugby, basketball, and handball, with players using a round ball. Because it’s such an aggressive sport, it’s often referred to as “murderball.” Need I say more? You’re gonna wanna watch this one. Mixed games start August 29, with the gold medal games September 2.

Wheelchair Tennis

Wheelchair tennis pretty much follows the same rules of able-bodied tennis, except here the ball can bounce twice before the player hits it back. Athletes are divided into open and quad classes, along with men’s, women’s, singles, and doubles. Games start August 30, with gold medal matches September 4 to 7.

[babygirlbenji]

can't take my eyes off you - mason mount | ch 1

this has been inspired by one of my favourite songs ever! can't take my eyes off you by moreton harket, listen here <3 i think i kinda went to town on this one, i promise there will be more mason x reader content in the next chapter! enjoy!

wc 1.9k

You can vividly remember the day you knew you wanted to be a sports journalist. You were 6, at a football match with your dad, and you were watching the journalists interview the players after a big game. Declaring to your father that you wanted to be ‘the person with the big stick thing’ (he assumed you meant the journalists), and despite his worries that you would be out of your depth, being a woman in a very much male-dominated environment, he assured you that he and your mother would do their best to make sure you got to wherever you wanted to be.

Just as your mum and dad had promised, you graduated with a degree in journalism and media studies at the University of Portsmouth. Your dad was with you every step of the way, from your orientation day right up until you walked across the stage to receive your degree. He had beamed up at you as you smiled proudly for your photo, scroll in hand. 

All of these moments led up to your first few days of interning at BBC Sport. You were the bottom of the pack, the runt. If the producer wanted coffee, you got it. No questions asked. If the director needed a different camera, you ran to get it. If the editor needed a re-take, you were the one to break the news to the producer, and dealt with the brunt of the shouting. It gave you a thick skin, and built character, as you laughed about it with your family at the end of the day. 

Little did you know that this moment, in turn, would lead to you finding the love of your life. 

‘Y/L/N!’ Your boss barked from his office. You loved your job, but you couldn’t help but feel that your genuine talent was being wasted. You had been there for three months, and the most you had done was assisted with editing a package for some golf competition. You wanted to be out in the field, you wanted to be meeting players, you wanted to be networking, doing actual journalism. Nevertheless, you hurried into your boss’s office. 

‘Yes?’ 

‘Olivia is going to Stamford Bridge to do a package for the Premier League, are you in?’ Your mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. ‘Well?’ His tone was brash; you hated being spoken to like this. 

‘Yes, yes! Of course!’ He instructed you to take a camera and microphone in case Olivia’s equipment broke, so you ran to the kit room, hurriedly packed a kit bag and ran out to the car park. 

You had worked with Olivia, one of the lead BBC Sport journalists, only a handful of times. She was very nice, knew and loved her job, and enjoyed nurturing people who were new to the industry. 

‘Y/N, hi, the boss told me you were shadowing me today.’ You hoped your nervousness didn’t convey too much in your smile. 

‘Yep, you’ve got me today! Stamford Bridge, right?’ 

‘Indeed! You ready to go?’ Olivia checked she had everything in the back of the car, before hopping in on the driver’s side.

‘Absolutely!’ 

The drive to the Bridge took about half an hour, and Olivia was soon pulling up into the visitor’s car park. Nerves were fluttering around in your stomach, but you pushed them away. This was your chance to prove that you had what it took to be a BBC Sports journalist, something you’d been dreaming about for over a decade. You weren’t about to let this opportunity go just because you were nervous.

You and Olivia were shown around the premises, her asking questions to your guide about the best places to film, while you were staring in awe at the beauty of it. It may have been one of England’s oldest stadiums, but it was still stunningly beautiful. You could practically feel the years of history looking down at you. 

What you didn’t realise was someone was staring in awe… at you. You’d reached the pitch, which was so much bigger than it did on TV, and there were a few footballers at the other end of the pitch. You heard snippets of the plan for today, things about angles, lunch breaks, which footballer was going to be interviewed and when… 

‘Here we are, boys, this is Olivia and Y/N, ladies, I’m sure you know who these boys are already but just to avoid any confusion, this is Ben Chilwell, Reece James, and Mason Mount.’ You shook hands with all of them, Mason’s eyes lingering on you just a fraction of a second longer than they should have done. You missed this completely, though, having focused your attention back on Olivia as she ran the footballers through what the plan for the day was. 

First came general shots of the boys walking through Stamford Bridge, down the grandstands, onto the field and ready for their interviews, which came second. Your job was simple: assist Olivia. 

‘Right, Mason and Ben, if you want to start walking towards Reece, you need to act like you’re meeting each other at the start of the day. Think bro hugs, fist bumps, big smiles, that sort of thing.’ The boys obediently followed Olivia’s instruction, and you were secretly glad you weren’t the lead journalist on this one, because the boys somehow always managed to find ways to make each other laugh and ruin the shot. 

Eventually, Olivia had reached her limit and she called for a short break. Which meant that she got to sit down for 15 minutes, while you tidied up the gear and made sure the camera was charged up ready for the next few shots. 

‘Hey,’ a somewhat-nervous voice came from behind you. You squeaked slightly, turning around and then wishing you hadn’t squeaked. Mason Mount was standing behind you, a small smile teasing his lips. ‘How come you’re not taking a break like your colleague?’ You shrugged.

‘I’m an intern, so I don’t really get any breaks.’ You sounded like a complete loser, but you couldn’t help it; he was so handsome. You had seen interviews with him, you had stalked his Instagram the night before, and he still took your breath away in person. His brown eyes were like chocolate fondant, and they made you gooey in the middle just like your favourite dessert. ‘It’s okay, though, it gets me experience and connections, and that’s what I’m here for! Not everyone earns tens of thousands of pounds a week.’ You hadn’t meant to say the last bit. You meant to think it. Not say it. Out loud. ‘Oh my god, that came out wrong. Oh no, I’m sorry, that was so rude, I’m sorry…’ You skirted away from Mason and ran towards Olivia. Mason looked at your retreating back. What you had said was right. He didn’t think it was rude. 

Mason looked back at Ben and Reece; 

‘You alright, hun?’ She asked lightly as she took a bite of her chocolate muffin.

‘How much more do we have left to do?’ She laughed. 

‘We finish when we finish. No time limit to journalism.’ Your shoulders sagged. 

‘I said something I shouldn’t have said.’ 

‘Oh well, everyone fucks up sometimes, babe. Think about how many journalists he meets a month, he’ll probably have forgotten your name by tomorrow.’ 

The break ended, and you and Olivia went back to work. The boys were, by and large, much better behaved in this session, to your relief. Throughout the session, though, you couldn’t help but notice that your eyes wandered back to Mason every spare chance they got. It wasn’t like you could control it; it just… happened. And you couldn’t help but notice that Mason’s eyes often came back to you. Olivia directed him to walk towards the camera, and you were standing behind her. His eyes stayed practically glued to you the whole time. 

You practically sighed with relief when Olivia started to put her stuff away. You followed suit, collapsing the tripods, turning off the cameras and making sure to put the memory cards in their holders. 

‘Right guys, thanks for today. Nice to meet you all. Package should be out by the end of next week.’ You all shook hands, and you noticed your hand tingling after Mason shook it. Olivia started striding towards the exit, and you turned to follow her, but you felt a hand take yours and pull you back.

‘Y/N…’ Your eyes looked up to meet Mason’s. ‘It is Y/N, isn’t it?’ 

‘Y-yes, or Y/N/N for short, if you prefer that.’ You didn’t know why you added the last part. Nerves did that to you. ‘And I’m sorry. For what I said earlier. It was out of order and so unprofessional, I’m sorry.’ He chuckled.

‘Don’t worry, love, we all say things we don’t mean sometimes. Doesn’t mean it’s not true though, you’re right.’ You smiled shyly. His pet-name made you weak at the knees (not that you would ever openly admit that), and he seemed like a really genuine guy. The kind of guy your mum would like you to bring home. ‘I can keep an ear out for jobs here if you would like? You seem talented.’ You couldn’t help but raise your eyebrows.

‘And you know this how…?’ He joined in with your cheeky laughter, your eyes dancing with mirth. He could listen to your laugh for hours on end and not grow tired. 

‘I am the all knowing power of media, didn’t you know?’ 

‘Alright Mason, back to football.’ It was so easy to laugh with him. Now you’ve passed the initial awkward stage, you could see more and more of your traits in him. You couldn’t help but want to learn more and more about him. 

He could tell you were guarded, and he guessed that you had been burned before. He wanted to treat you right, like the most fragile piece of glass that would break if he so much as moved it an inch. 

‘Do you want to maybe get a…’ His sentence was cut off by Olivia shouting your name across the pitch. You suddenly remembered that you were on the clock. 

‘Oh god, I’m sorry, I need to go, I’ll see you soon!’ He was about to call after you as you ran off, to try and get your number, but you had surprisingly good pace. He made a mental note to challenge you to a sprint when he next saw you. 

You sat in the car with Olivia, who kept looking over at you. 

‘Alright, what is it?’ you asked, semi-teasingly. ‘Out with it, come on!’ She laughed. Although she was 20 years older than you, she had the air of a teenager sometimes. 

‘You, Mason, Mason, you…’ She teased back. 

‘Oh come on, he’d never go for someone like me. He just flirts with everyone, I’ve read the articles.’ 

‘Y/N, he could not take his eyes off you. Surely that counts for something?’ 

Her words echoed in your mind as you crawled down the motorway, which had slowed to a walking pace with all the roadworks going on. It made you think of one of your dad’s favourite songs.

You’re just too good to be true,

Can’t take my eyes off you,

You’d be like heaven to touch,

I wanna hold you so much,

You’re just too good to be true,

Can’t take my eyes off you…

You knew that you would meet Mason again. It was just a matter of time.

[doorbloggr]

Long Form YouTube Videos: Documentaries and Video Essays

Thursday 8/12/22

Media Recommendations #41

Content:

The History of Wii Sports Resort Golf World Records (Summoning Salt)

Disney Channel's Theme - A History Mystory (Defunctland)

The Line Goes Up (Folding Ideas)

Treasure Planet - Disney's Biggest Mistake (Breadsword)

YouTube and new TV

YouTube is one of, if not the most popular ways to engage in video media in the modern age. I am in my mid-20s now, and I do not watch broadcast television at all. Subscription services like Netflix and Disney+ have meant that users can now curate their watching experiences, watching what they want, when they want, instead of having to watch for a certain time of day for a show to air.

Netflix is a giant in today's media consumption

Unlike these other subscription services, YouTube is a user driven site and thrives off the very low bar of entry for creators. All you need is a camera, and/or microphone, and a computer. This means that videos can be and are about anything. Videos of people playing videogames, rating their personal preferences of foods, tourist commentary, chemical demonstrations, original animation and music, or just educating other on your favourite things.

Some of my favourite Youtube Media. Clockwise from the top left: NileRed, SoloTravelBlog, LunaiMooney, TerminalMontage

Getting paid for your creations on YouTube is a tricky topic I do not want to get into deep today, but to get to today's topic, there is a sweetspot of length. A very short video does not pay well, and a very long video does not either. And it is tragic that longer videos do not get the recognition, reward, and engagement they deserve, because I have recently become very aware of how good the long form video catalogue is on YouTube these days.

Long Form Video Content

Now it can be quite easy to make a long video, but what I'm talking about today is beyond just stream archives and let's play compilations. I'm talking about feature length discussions of topics that the creators are passionate about and have put their passion into. In the early phase of planning this article, I came across two terms to describe my taste: Video Essays, and Documentaries. And there is a difference.

Now, Documentaries exist as a broad appealing form of media outside of YouTube. But the difference between a David Attenborough narrated exploration of nature and an explanation of the history of speedrunning a Wii game is resources and interest. The BBC would not greenlight funding for a History of Speedrunning, because it is a niche topic that will not have the broad appeal necessary to return on the cost to make that documentary at a BBC level budget. But just because it does not have mass appeal, does not mean it doesn't have appeal. The reason why I'm writing this article is because these are topics that will engage a niche audience, and these videos would not exist without the passion of the creators.

GenoSamuel's documentary of ChrisChan is a very unique case of something that can only exist on the internet.

The point of a documentary is to document. It is a presentation of collected facts, with little room for interpretation other than the presentation itself. BBC's Blue Planet is not a narrative any more than the the History of Wii Sports Resort Golf Speedrunning is. They are a curated presentation of knowledge on the topic that is enjoyable because it is easier to enjoy in one complete package rather than the interested party having to seek out and consume the scattered information themselves.

A Video Essay on the other hand is exactly what the name suggests, it is an essay in video form. It is the creator making an analysis or argument on a topic, often by dividing their video into sections, presenting information supporting their point of view. Video Essays are often more emotion driven, targeting the viewer's empathy to support the creator's opinion, either by making them happy, sad, or angry with the information presented. Video Essays do not exist as a popular form of media outside of YouTube, since their scholarly/professional equivalent are written essays. The idea of the Video Essay is not unique to YouTube but it is the best platform for independent long-form media. On the internet, there's an audience for everything, and a someone willing to present their opinion on it.

Contrapoints is a trans video essayist that discusses societal values, politics, ethics, and trans rights.

It might be my personal taste evolving, but even if YouTube doesn't financially support the models of Documentaries and Video Essays, the rise of crowd funding e.g. Patreon, has meant that the model becomes more feasible, and as a result, the general quality and variety of good long form videos has increased on the platform. So I'm take a bit of more of your time to recommend some of my favourite creator's of such media, and my favourite videos they've made.

Documentary Recommendations

The History of Wii Sports Resort Golf World Records

Summoning Salt

Summoning Salt is a historian of videogame speedrunning. To the outside observer, speedrunning may not seem like a topic that needs or lends itself well to documentation, but in reality it works very well. Since Speedrunning works around reporting your records via footage, there is lots of footage to demonstrate the topic. And if you fear getting lost in the jargon of techniques, Summoning Salt is very good at explaining the runs in laymen's terms. His sound design, narration, and how the video is formatted makes it easy to follow a topic, and the Documentaries go at fast enough pace that you never feel bored down by unnecessary detail.

The video that introduced me to Summoning Salt and the true depths of speedrunning was their video on Wii Sports Resort Golf. It was a tale of competitive spirit, flukes of ingenuity, and tenacity. What was one person's whim became a series of trials for many. How far can you stretch the technical ability and exploits of a Wii Motion Control Game? Very far it turns out. At 36 minutes, it is a shorter doco, a great introduction to Summoning Salt and his genre. It is a gripping tale that I implore you to experience for yourself.

Disney Channel's Theme - A History Mystery

Defunctland

Defunctland is a historian on theme parks, children's media projects, movies, and shows. Their origin was in extinct theme parks, but the breadth of topics discussed has expanded. While theme parks documentaries are not an uncommon subject area on YouTube, nobody does their research quite as thoroughly or directly as Defunctland. Much of the information presented in their works are things the creator had found out themselves via interviews with involved parties, or trudging through deep internet archives, all to put together complete packages.

The first video I watched of theirs is the latest (at time for writing) and is a story of how Defunctland found out who wrote the theme song for the Disney Channel. Given it is only a four note melody, it seems like it would not be difficult to find, but there are several layers of intricacies about channel tones, Disney's marketing teams, and composers that make this a very long journey. It is an emotional tale that does great tribute to those artists involved. Do watch!

Video Essay Recommendations

The Line Goes Up

Folding Ideas

Folding Ideas is a documentarian who discusses ideas that often affect society at large. Some topics are meta discussions of how to make media online and analysis of certain media products, others are societal level analysis of phenomena such as Flat Earthers. Folding Ideas has a sort of university lecture style presentation unique to Video Essays, where a large part of the video actually features the speaker in frame, while images and videos are used secondarily to better demonstrate his points. Folding Ideas videos are very long, but easy to follow; any concept brought up during explanations is quickly explained in layman's terms, so the entire essay can be followed.

The video that introduced me to Folding Ideas was their 2 hour explanation of NFTs, which also explored market capitalism, cryptocurrency and Web3. It is a Video that can be enjoyed in the background of other tasks, but I advised that for a first watch, you may want to set aside a couple hours near bedtime to sit down and absorb the explanation. Like many other Folding Ideas videos, it is overall neutral on the topic itself, but he is not afraid to make clear his stance on what he thinks of cryptocurrency and NFTs. If the NFT craze passed you by and you had no idea what any of it meant, this is THE source to educate yourself on what it all means, and why it is so bad.

Treasure Planet - Disney's Biggest Mistake

Breadsword

Breadsword is not your typical video essayist, I would describe them more as a story teller. Breadsword's target content is nostalgia bait for people who enjoy feel good media, be that older anime, disney and dream works movies from the 90s and early 00s, or even videogames. The videos of Breadsword are a love letter and analysis of childhood memories, stories from their internal development, deeper meanings, and why we should (or do) enjoy these pieces.

The first video I watched of Breadsword was their exploration of Treasure Planet, one of the last 2D Disney feature-length films. The video is both an exploration of all the technical and narrative techniques that made this movie great and how Disney tried to sabotage its success. Breadsword makes the argument that since movies like Treasure Planet are so technically demanding, and 3D animation was on the rise, Disney wanted the film to fail, so they had the excuse to change medium. It is an emotional story and a heartbreaking one, and Breadsword tells it very well.

Thanks for Reading

The irony of my article about Long YouTube Videos being very long was not lost on me, and I understand that this length will be intimidating to readers. I will not expect a lot, if any, to read the while post, but if you did, and you're reading this, thank you so much.

Like many YouTube creators, my input on this blog is for the benefit of my creativity first, and if it turns out others enjoy it, then that's fantastic. If you want to see what my other recommendations are, I have a list of them in pinned post on this blog.

[vintagegeekculture]

Have you seen this video logo before? 

If you grew up in the VHS era, you probably have. 

Simitar Entertainment were the most prolific distributors of budget VHS tapes. Their bread and butter lay in repackaging public domain cartoons, sports bloopers compilations, videos about Big Rig Trucks, Dad videos like “Golf Lessons from the Pros,” nearly all of which have not been released on DVD or streaming. The Internet Archive thankfully uploads and preserves these VHS treasures, particularly “Centerfold Photography,” as well as “Nonstop Crashes,” and “America’s Dumbest Crooks.” They also imported a lot of foreign films with cheap and easy to obtain rights, and Simitar at one point released both Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu movies and the Godzilla films into North America, not to mention the BBC’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. 

Tragically, Simitar went out of business due to a lawsuit from the WWF in 2000, just when the switch to DVDs took place, meaning that the company’s logo is associated entirely with the discount VHS era. Their library is currently owned by their old rivals and foes, former VHS distributor, Brentwood Communications. 

You’ll find this surprising, but one of the most soothing and relaxing activities activities is to get on YouTube look up and watch compilations of old VHS company logos, from Media to Vidmark. 

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of One Direction fics that involve an interview taking place as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find all my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

-Larry-

That Sounds Fake But Okay by dancingontheceiling

(E, 112k, famous/not famous au) Harry Styles is a rookie journalist forced to work the gossip desk at a major New York magazine. Louis Tomlinson is the A-list actor who doesn't appreciate Harry or his articles.

7 Up by @cherrystreet

(E, 51k, Up series au) Very loosely based on the British TV show "The Up Series" and somewhat inspired by the song “Something I Need” by Onerepublic, we follow the lives of Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson in an interview setting every seven years.

Be My Little Good Luck Charm by @100percentsassy

(E, 34k, golf au) In which Harry is a promising amateur golfer making his debut at the PGA Championship, and Louis is a Sky Sports anchor who would really rather be commentating on footie.

led by your beating heart by @missandrogyny

(E, 33k, canon divergence) AU where Harry's in One Direction, Louis isn't, and they reconnect over a game of 'Call or Delete'.

Mon Amour by selflovelouis

(E, 24k, model au) Louis' a French model who is becoming the next best thing in the industry, and Harry's a political journalist forced by his boss to go to Louis' event and try to interview the 'Mysterious Model.'

let me make a thing of cream and stars by @missandrogyny

(E, 24k, famous/famous) Louis is a Radio 1 DJ and Harry is a pop-star he interviews.

The Risen by @creamcoffeelou

(E, 20k, cult au) In search of the next breaking story, Harry goes off to do something no one else has been able to do: get the scoop on Louis Tomlinson and his devoted group of followers.

searching for a sweet surrender (but this is not the end) by feelslikehxme / @pointstohomee-blog

(T, 18k, The Voice au) an AU based off the Voice where Louis’s Adam, Harry’s Blake, Niall’s Shakira, Zayn and Liam have a cliche Romeo/Juliet love story and Louis’s too old for pathetic pining.

Cooking with Style by MsHydeStylinson / @mizzhydes

(E, 11k, famous/famous au) Only when he steps into the studio does he find out he's interviewing the multitalented Harry Styles, who's there to promote his most recent project — and who also happens to be Louis’ secret celebrity crush.

Watch me by Cherrie

(T, 8k, Potter Direction) Harry is asked to write an editorial on quidditch's brightest star Louis Tomlinson. It's not what he expected.

caught up in your love affair by @disgruntledkittenface

(NR, 8k, royal au) Prince Harry announces his engagement to Louis Tomlinson in an interview with longtime friend and BBC host Nick Grimshaw. 

waves try to break us by orphan_account

(T, 7k, canon) They have a routine, Harry and Louis. And it works pretty well, until it doesn’t.

you drive me wild (you know you do) by @missandrogyny

(E, 6k, canon) Louis flirts with the Australian interviewers and Harry gets possessive.

tall stories on the page by @soldouthaz

(T, 5k, famous/not famous) harry's tired of being interviewed by people that only care about the same pointless gossip.

Heart on an Open Highway by @afirethatcannotdie

(T, 5k, famous/not famous) Harry's a popstar about to release his second album, and Louis is the Radio 1 intern who gets his heart racing.

Harry Styles Plays with Kittens While Answering Questions by @sadaveniren

(T, 4k, youtuber au) Louis runs a Youtube channel and Harry is his celebrity guest

The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth by phdmama / @phd-mama

(T, 1k, canon) Sometimes people write funny things about Louis in the internet, and Harry likes to save them.

-Rare Pairs-

Life by transteverogers

(E, 15k, Zayn/Liam) Liam Payne is Donny High's own sport protege and Zayn Malik is the lucky (read: unlucky) journalism student who gets (forced) to interview him

Interview with the vampire by @allwaswell16

(E, 4k, Louis/Rob Pattinson) Inspired by Rob’s interview in GQ Magazine and not actually about vampires

Let Me Kiss You by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(G, 4k, Louis/OT5) The One Where Louis Locks Lips With Everyone

hi hater, kiss kiss by MediaWhore / @mediawhorefics

(G, 3k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) Nick has had a crush on Louis Tomlinson ever since he first saw him perform on the x-factor. Almost four years later, he's finally accepted that their ongoing, unstoppable feud is the only thing the two of them will ever share. One game of Call or Delete with Niall Horan, however, starts to shake this belief.

[scotianostra]

Scottish Golfer Bernard Gallacher was born on February 9th 1949.

75 year old Bernard Gallacher is a battle-hardened player from Bathgate, and was the original young wonder of the PGA European Tour, he won the 1967 Scottish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship and turned professional the same year, winning the PGA Championship just two years after turning professional. Thirteen more titles followed in between the demands of Bernard’s other job as the club professional at Wentworth.

Bernard Gallacher played in every Ryder Cup from 1969-83. In the late ‘80’s he helped Tony Jacklin before taking over the captaincy in 1991. Unlucky in his first year, Bernard won the Cup as Captain on his third attempt. His calm and collected leadership was vital to the European team’s stunning victory at Oak Hill in New York State.

Following a quarter of a century as Club Professional, Bernard Gallacher left Wentworth at the end of 1996. In 1997, he spent more time with his family and played more golf. Bernard also commentated on the Ryder Cup for Sky and worked with various blue chip companies, particularly on their corporate entertainment where – following his time at Wentworth – he is regarded as a “golf day specialist”.

Bernard turned fifty in 1999 and has played on the European Seniors Tour ever since. Well apart from some time out having survived a sudden cardiac arrest, and having to be resuscitated 3 times! He thought he would never be able to play the game he loves again, but was back on the course 9 months later.

With a long and prestigious career, Bernard has had the opportunity to work with various blue chip companies, particularly on their corporate entertainment. Widely regarded as a “golf day specialist”, an accomplished speaker, and also as a leading media commentator for BBC Radio Five Live, he now works as an anecdotal sports speaker appearing at corporate and club events as well as specialist after dinner speaker events.

Bernard is obviously very well thought of down at Wentworth Golf Club, a statue of the Scotsman is placed at first tee at West Course in Surrey, England.

One of his daughters is the lovely TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, the other is Laura Gallacher, now Laura Brand after she married the controversial TV and radio presenter ARussel Brand, she is a Blogger, author and illustrator.

[littlemuoi]

Queen Elizabeth II remembered by Sir Jackie Stewart (December 11th 2022)

It happened almost by accident. I was supposed to be shooting with the Princess Royal at Windsor. (We had become friends in the early 70s when we both won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.) At the last minute the princess was called away to another engagement and it turned out that the Queen would be hosting instead.

At the shoot we talked about my grandfather being a gamekeeper. I was good friends with one of the head keepers at Sandringham, Bill Meldrum, who looked after and trained the Queen’s dogs, and Her Majesty saw Bill as someone very special.

After that first meeting she often invited me to shoot, both at Sandringham House and at Wood Farm [a farmhouse on the Sandringham estate]. Wood Farm was a much more cosy environment – it was a great retreat for her and Prince Philip and very modest in every way. The Queen would cook there herself and do the dishes. They were so much more at home there than at any of the big houses.

In private she was wonderful. When I was due to receive my knighthood from her in 2001, she had to take another engagement, so Prince Charles stood in for her. Later that day I was due to be shooting with the Princess Royal at Wood Farm, so my wife, Helen, and I took a helicopter to get there on time. We landed about 30 metres away from the main door. Who was there but Her Majesty. She came out to meet us at the helicopter and her first words to Helen were: “Lady Stewart, wonderful to see you.” Which was rather sweet – and of course the Queen knew very well how sweet it was.

We stayed in contact over the years and met many times. She would come for lunch at our home in Buckinghamshire. The first time was with the Duke of Edinburgh, but latterly she would come on her own or with her policemen. Once, she called to say she would like to bring some friends, if we didn’t mind – it was the brother of King Hussein of Jordan and his family.

It wasn’t a problem wondering what to cook for the Queen. I would normally ask her in advance what she would like to eat – simple as that. She was a very comfortable guest. We’ve got a nice house in Buckinghamshire and she liked the grounds. We’ve got a lot of statues of stags and hinds, and she has always been keen on those sorts of things. I would take her around on my golf buggy. I think she liked the informality of it all.

We never discussed her official responsibilities. I tried to give her the most relaxed day when she was coming to our home. The last time she came was just a few months ago and she was in fine form.

The very first time I was at Sandringham with the Queen, I offered to drive her. She said: “Certainly not, but you can navigate if you like.” So she put me beside her and she drove me to the barbecue and back. She did that many times. She was a very good driver, as good as any I’ve ever sat beside. Never missed an indicator or a dipped beam at night. Motor racing was not something that interested the Queen, however: she said it was very noisy.

When I turned 80, I arranged to have my birthday party at the Royal Automobile Club, and the chairman of the RAC wrote to the Queen, as she was patron, to see if she would be able to come. The palace replied to say unfortunately not. A weekend later, at Sandringham, I said to her: “Well, Ma’am, so sorry that you’re unable to attend my 80th birthday at the RAC.” She said: “Oh no! I didn’t know it was your 80th birthday.”

Two days later, the RAC got a message from the palace to say Her Majesty would be very happy to attend after all. That was a great privilege for me, a very unusual privilege. Obviously there were people of high rank who would quite often be seen by the Queen, but for Helen and me it was an unusual friendship.

I was supposed to be going to Balmoral just three days before the Queen died, because she wanted to see the film that has been made about me by my son Mark. We had arranged that Mark and I would go up to Balmoral to screen it for her. Sadly, the day before, her health deteriorated and they called me to say it wouldn’t be possible.

I’ve met presidents and heads of state around the world, but there was no one to match the Queen. She carried her responsibilities with such dignity and style. She adored her country. I don’t think there’s a person who’s had the privilege of meeting her who wouldn’t have been totally enthralled by her presence, her manners and her warmth. She was an extraordinary lady. I don’t think we’ll ever see her like again.

[ignitedfms]

WHAT ARE SOME SOURCES OF ENTERTAINMENT / MEDIA / SPORTS / MUSICIANS / HOBBIES THAT YOU'D FIND ON NEW JAKARTA?

Hey anon!

I love all these lore-based questions SO MUCH. I'm going to answer it per district since there are definitely some stark difference.

in SORA; there tends to be a lot more traditional media / entertainment, but also more EARTH NEWS coming in through stronger satellites. Sports-wise there is an emphasis on baseball, hockey, golf, and football, but always a resignation that the MARS TEAM will never be able to beat any of the Earth teams in competitions. A lot of Music from Earth is well played in places around Sora, with establishments having more to choose from and playing to the tourists and delegations rather than to the locals, despite Mars / New Jakarta having a very vibrant scene of their own. Hobbies that are most prevalent in Sora - though everyone will tell you it isn't - are tennis, gambling, night clubs, and recreational drugs.

in the MAWAR DISTRICT; they get some EARTH NEWS and media, but not a lot. Most television channels are under the control of the UNN, so most people go to Mars' version of Youtube for entertainment. Kids are most often found at the Arcade or sneaking off to see the RACES in UKUMU SLUMS. Sports-wise there is Baseball, Football, Hockey, and Martial Arts that are most played and watched. There are plenty of Local ( either from NEW JAKARTA or MARS ) musicians with music ranging the whole spectrum that play the biggest venues in the city since very few EARTH artists see the benefit of travelling to Mars for a show. J-POP, INDO-POP, METAL, and BOLLYWOOD are the genres of the biggest stars, but TECHNO and R&B are played in the biggest clubs. Hobbies-wise, there is a lot of emphasis on getting out of the house: going to the beach for a swim, AKUMU SLUMS for the RACES and RING, the bars, the clubs, the casino's. MAWAR DISTRICT in that way resembles Japanese culture a lot, where people are home late and drinking / at arcades often. Also: so many SOAP OPERAS ( called Sinetron, as they are called in Indonesia ), most only Mars' version of Youtube, but also a lot on the UNN.

in the AKUMU SLUMS; here you will find the most pirated tv-channels, radio channels, and other sources of entertainment. Mars' version of Youtube is widely used and hooked up to any tv. There is very little interest in following EARTH NEWS or even the UNN, instead there are pirate channels that bring news of all over Mars. The RACES and RING are most often visited by locals for sports matches, but there are also a lot of famous SKATERS, BMX'ERS, and FOOTBALL. BARTORI is perhaps the most visited place in the lower district, if only because every other place isn't static. A lot of people go out to drink at night, gamble, watch videos together, and watch live shows. Music of the biggest artists from NEW JAKARTA / MARS is most heard around these places, with the most daring of them actually doing live shows at the Races and the Ring.

Note: Football is not American Football, but Soccer.

Fun facts: NEW JAKARTA was offered a spot for EUROVISION but they refused. The best professional athletes are often stolen by EARTH to participate internationally for either INDONESIA, JAPAN, or AUSTRALIA. EARTH NEWS is mostly BBC World and Al Jazeera. Pirate Radio is inspired by Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.

Note: admin Niek might make a playlist for music at some point. ( Suggestions always welcome! )

I hope this helped anon! I had far too much fun with this and reading up on Japanese, Indonesian, and some Australian culture. When we open members will be able to add their own little tidbits and fun information to the lore in our future Lore Channel.

admin Niek.

[retrocgads]

UK 1985

[suresportstakers]

Just in: Justin Timberlake Is Opening a super luxurious Sports Bar with Tiger Woods

Screenshot The pop star and golfer will transform an old movie theater into a venue called T-Squared Social Just weeks after Justin Timberlake was arrested for drunk driving, the pop star has been granted permission to begin the planning stages for opening a “luxury” sports bar in Scotland. As reported by the BBC, Timberlake and golfing legend Tiger Woods (who had a DUI arrest of his own in…

[mandyjane-lifedesign]

Unique Women's only fishing days to be offered by Fishing Breaks in the Test Valley, Hampshire for 2024

Fishing Breaks, based in the world-famous Test Valley, Hampshire, is going to be offering special fishing days for women in 2024.  These will be exciting and rewarding experiences and Fishing Breaks is believed to be the only company in the country to offer them, organised and led by one of the most experienced fly fishers and guides in England, Gilly Bate. Gilly believes firmly that fly fishing more than just fishing, but about the whole experience in the outdoors.  She is committed to helping all her pupils have a memorable experience that will endure for a lifetime.   More and more women are turning to fishing, due to the pandemic which encouraged people to get into the outdoors, as well as the popular series on BBC TV Mortimer & Whitehouse Go Fishing.   Says Simon Cooper, owner, and founder of Fishing Breaks; ‘We've found that there are a number of myths surrounding women's fishing that are sometimes a barrier to participation. 1) That it requires strength and male physique.  No upper body strength is required, just a willingness to embrace something new in the outdoors in all weathers, some walking and being on your feet all day. Women, families, children, and young people can all participate. 2) it's very expensive. You can spend as much or as little as you want to have the same enjoyment.  Regular fly fishing is no more expensive than a home gym or golf membership. 3) Takes up time.  Fly fishing can take up to a day, and most fishing forays are a single day out, but not requiring an overnight stay, unless of course you want to make a break of it. 4) Locations are a long drive away.  There will always be somewhere affordable to fish within at most a 30-mile radius, unless you live in the centre of a large city. 5) It's difficult to learn.  Most people will be proficient after just a single day with an instructor. Then like every sport, if you keep it up, you'll quickly improve.  Fly fishing is also incredibly rewarding, being a challenge, but also a chance to relax in the outdoors. Plus, you can eat what you catch!   Gilly Bate has developed an incredible experience for women, proving that fly fishing isn't just for men and boys.  She's running two different events to cover all abilities.  The Foundation Course is for novices or anyone returning after a break and needing to brush up their skills.  This will be held at Nether Wallop Mill, the home of Fishing Breaks, and where there's a fully equipped fishing lodge with WC.  This practical one-day confidence-building course will include tackling up, casting, flies and fly selection, knots, hooking and landing a fish and more. And there's the One Day Chalkstream Course on the River Test - a Mecca for fly fishing.  This course is for anyone with some experience and will ensure you develop the skills to outwit the native brown trout! The course will include tackling up for rivers, stalking and river tactics, which flies to use and when, entomology (study of insects) and more.  Just as with the beginner's course, Bullington Manor has a fully equipped Fishing cabin.   Says Gilly; ‘Fly fishing is for everyone and that very much includes women, who can then pass the joy of the sport onto their friends and family and make it a lifelong passion.'   For full details, dates, prices etc, visit the Fishing Breaks website. Fishing Breaks offers many different experiences for everyone,  including Fishing for a Day, a Day on the River with a guide, Fishing tuition, a family day or Adult and Child Day, Kids fishing camps and Fly Fishing School. To find out more about the unique possibilities presented by Fishing Breaks visit https://fishingbreaks.co.uk Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash Read the full article

[will-bass]

The Saudi sporting era shows despite movement toward inclusivity, cash remains king in elite sport.

If you were to ask the question of ‘which country is the sporting capital of the world?’ the common and perhaps historically correct answers would be places such as England, Australia and The USA among other western nations. However, in the past few years it is hard to argue that anywhere in the world plays a more prevalent role in sport than the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Twenty years ago, the notion of Saudi Arabia being a major player within sports would have been laughed off. However, here we sit with seemingly every major sport on the planet making a mad dash toward the undeniable riches that are offered up there. From LIV Golf to heavyweight boxing and now perhaps the jewel in the Saudi crown, the right to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, it has become impossible to ignore the wealth of sporting talent that are plying their trade in Saudi Arabia.

Despite this, the majority of sports fans are at best unsure on, and at worst categorically against, elite sport being taken to Saudi Arabia. Over the past few decades, the sporting world has worked to become much more inclusive and welcoming to all groups, with the phrase ‘sport is for everyone’ ringing through the intercom of almost every sporting event that you can attend. Campaigns such as Rainbow laces provide evidence that LGBT rights are not only accepted in sport, but actively promoted. As well as this Women’s sport is more prominent that ever before with bumper TV deals for the WSL and Women’s Hundred competitions on top of the Lionesses victory at Euro 2022 which took the nation by storm. Therefore, by taking a substantial amount of the worlds top sporting events and handing them to a country in which it is illegal to be a member of the LGBT community as well as backwards views on women’s rights, it draws into question just how committed sport is to become fully inclusive.

Firstly, as previously noted, women are more involved in sports than ever before in history. Whilst male sport is still no doubt still seen as the pinnacle, women’s sport has began to garner a real wealth of support and more young girls are growing up with hopes of getting into sport themselves. According to the UK-based charity the Women’s Sport Trust, 325 million hours of women’s sport were consumed by the public in 2022. This is up 305.9 hours from the 19.1 million hours that were consumed in 2012. This included a peak of 17.4 million viewers on BBC one for England’s lionesses’ triumph against Germany in the Euros final. This is merely 5.6 million lower than the peak viewership of England men’s World cup quarter final against the French a mere 4 months later. The men’s football world cup has long been seen as generally the most important sporting event by English sports fans. Therefore, the idea that the Women’s side would be able to compete in terms of viewership and coverage with that of the Men in a crucial world cup knockout game would have seemed a million miles away even a decade ago.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

The issue then with growing Saudi involvement in sport is that unlike in western society, women are not treated with equality in Saudi Arabia. Women are often treated as property of men with permission from a male guardian required to travel, marry and in some cases receive health care. It is also required for women to cover the majority of their skin other than their faces as a part of the culture. This obviously completely restricts any of the standard sporting attire that we see worn by men and women alike. Above all up until 2018, not only were Women not allowed to take part in sports, but they were not permitted access to any stadiums to watch sport. All these reasons combine to create a place in which Women are both unable to take part in elite sport but also feel safe in travelling to watch it. The National Institute of Health found that one in ever three women in Saudi Arabia is a victim of domestic violence, again outlining the fact that Women will struggle to feel at all welcomed when entering the country. How then, can sport spread the message that ‘sport is for everyone’ when more and more of the top events are taking place in a nation in which 50% of the population are ostracized based purely on their gender.

It has become clear that despite whatever messages that are put out, sport boards across the sporting world will continue to put money over everything else. No one is perhaps more guilty of this than FIFA as they awarded the FIFA World cup to both Qatar and Saudi Arabia despite the problems already mentioned. As well as this throughout the 2023 Women’s World Cup, FIFA allowed Saudi Arabia’s state tourism authority as a sponsor of the tournament. This meant advertisements appeared on the big screen in stadiums as well as being littered over the TV coverage. This was done without any consultation of female players and officials, largely due to the fact that FIFA were well aware of the objections that would have been made against the decision. Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch commented that “The Women's World Cup is a festival of soccer and a celebration of the skill and diversity within the women's game—not an opportunity to launder the reputation of a government that violates women's rights.” It is one thing to allow Saudi Arabia into sport as had been done, it is another to promote the country through women’s football. Saudi Arabia has made very little to no effort to bring elite female sport to the nation and as noted did not allow women into sports stadiums until 2018. How then can FIFA justify allowing the Saudi state tourism authority to advertise over the biggest female sporting event. It is yet another example of how people are disregarded for the sake of sporting bodies making money.

Women are not the only group that are discriminated against in Saudi Arabia. Members of the LGBT community are not only discriminated but criminalized with the highest penalty awarded being that of the death penalty. Sports bodies around the globe have attempted to make sport a more accepting and welcoming place for those of the LGBT community and have encouraged players to be open with their sexuality. Campaigns such as rainbow laces are at the forefront of these messages, by not only ensuring acceptance but actively encouraging people to be proud of their sexuality. While it is still very uncommon to see male footballers come out as a member of the LGBT community, a large number of women’s players are open about their sexuality. Some of the worlds leading players such as Sam Kerr, Beth Mead and England lionesses captain Leah Williamson are all openly gay. Whilst there is still a real stigmatism in the men’s game, we are beginning to see more players open up about their sexuality. Players such as Jake Daniels of Blackpool and Josh Cavallo of Western United FC have both been lauded for their bravery, having come out in recent years.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Despite all this work being done toward making sport a place in which everyone can be open and proud with their sexuality, it is then all rendered almost redundant as the biggest events in sport are all taken to a nation in which the act of homosexuality is punishable by death. The office for national statistics states that in 2022 3.1% of the UK population identified as LGBT which amounts to over 2 million people. By taking events such as The World Cup and heavyweight boxing fights to Saudi Arabia you are completely blacklisting over 2 million people in the UK alone from attending the events, purely based on sexual orientation. The Coventry City LGBTQ+ supporters group wrote “FIFA showing their true colours once again. They do not care about human rights or inclusivity. They care only about one thing: cha-ching.” Which nicely brings us around to the main point of this article. That ultimately when Saudi billionaire’s offer huge sums of money, all sporting morals and the fight for inclusivity are shoved under the carpet, and it isn’t just sporting boards that are guilty of this.

The emergence of the Saudi Pro League took not only the footballing world but the sporting world in general by storm over the summer with the astronomical amounts of money that were being thrown at clubs and players alike. Perhaps the most controversial transfer to come out of the summer window was that of England vice-captain and supposed LGBT ally Jordan Henderson to Saudi side Al-Ettifaq. Henderson had been commonly found supporting campaigns for LGBT rights and was always quick to show his support when opportunities arose. However, despite all this, the moment Henderson was presented with a supposed £700,000 a week contract, all his morals went out of the window. Former German international and one of the highest profile openly Gay footballers, Thomas Hitzlsperger, stated on twitter that Jordan Henderson’s “Brand” as an ally of the LGBT community is “dead.” Hitzlsperger summed up the feeling among LGBT sports fans as many felt that they had now lost trust in not only the sporting boards but those within the sport that claim to be their ally.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Henderson’s move to Al-Ettifaq came as yet another example of sport refusing to back up its words with actions, and while the move came with huge backlash, there was something almost unsurprising about the whole thing. If Jordan Henderson, one of the biggest supporters of LGBT rights in football can so easily abandon all his morals for a quick payday, it asks the question of whether there really is anyone in football that can truly say they are an ally of LGBT people. The backlash of the move did not stop with Henderson, with England manager Gareth Southgate taking flack for continuing to select Henderson for the England national team. While first and foremost, Henderson had abandoned playing football at the top level, rendering controversy over his selection to begin with, he had also let down a section of England fans. By taking the move to Saudi Arabia, Henderson would have been well aware of the backlash that he would face from fans back home and has even faced boos from large sections of fans during internationals. Despite knowing how controversial his move would be Henderson, didn’t think twice and even has gone so far as to promote the Saudi World Cup bid, really outlining when push comes to shove, money talks.

All these issues stem back to ultimately determining why Saudi Arabia has suddenly become a major player in sport. On the face of it, the Saudi involvement in sports is the biggest attempt of sportswashing that the sporting world has ever seen. Sportswashing is the idea that a country or company can distract from issues within the nation such as human rights problems by hosting glamourous sporting events in an attempt to say, all is fine here. Saudi involvement really sprang to life with the purchase of Manchester City back in 2008. The move was met with some controversy however with no real fightback from the FA or FIFA, the Saudi’s were able to get their foot in the door which began the slippery slope to where we find ourselves today.

A famous example of sportswashing was 1936 Olympic games in Germany. The Olympics were held just a few years prior to the beginning of the second world war and many of the atrocities toward Jews and other groups had already begun. The Olympics served as a distraction from what was happening within Germany and in fact promoted the nation and the work done by the Nazi party. Whilst sportswashing in Saudi Arabia is perhaps not on the level of Nazi Germany, it is still astounding that nearly 100 years on from the Berlin Olympics, we as a sporting society are still allowing sportswashing to take place and in the case of Saudi Arabia, work with much success.

Sportswashing is not an uncommon term these days and it is well understood that this is the goal of the Saudi sporting events. Despite this each event in Saudi seems to attract more stars than the last, and with a seemingly never-ending pit of money there is no reason to see it stop any time soon. The fact is that these events are being hosted to try and distract from the horrendous treatment of women and LGBT members in Saudi which makes it even more troubling to see supposed role models promote such events.

In reality, people like Jordan Henderson who claim to be an ally of the LGBT community are most likely just that. However, nothing has quite outlined the selfishness of sports stars more than the Saudi era of sport. Henderson, very likely is sincere in his support for the LGBT community but the moment a huge sum of money is offered to him, he backtracks in order to become wealthier and support himself and his family. While ultimately this understandable, it does outline the main reason as to why no matter how much sport attempts to convey a world in which anyone can attend and enjoy sport no matter race, religion, gender or sexuality, this will always be secondary to money.

Perhaps it says more about sport generally than purely the fight for inclusivity, as while no doubt LGBT members and female sports fans have been thrown under the bus with the events in Saudi Arabia, it is also sports fans generally who have been ignored and disregarded throughout. The World Cup move will mean another winter tournament despite the horrendous reception to the event in Qatar. There are also British stars such as Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua who seem to ply their trade exclusively in Saudi, robbing fans of the opportunity to watch their heroes live. So, while it is clear inclusivity is harmed by Saudi Arabia, sport in general is suffering as well. A fairer conclusion may be that instead of stating that money takes precedent over inclusivity in sport, but rather money takes precedent over everything in sport. Conclusively, cash is king in elite sport, and it won’t be changing any time soon.

If you were to ask the question of ‘which country is the sporting capital of the world?’ the common and perhaps historically correct answers would be places such as England, Australia and The USA among other western nations. However, in the past few years it is hard to argue that anywhere in the world plays a more prevalent role in sport than the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Twenty years ago, the notion of Saudi Arabia being a major player within sports would have been laughed off. However, here we sit with seemingly every major sport on the planet making a mad dash toward the undeniable riches that are offered up there. From LIV Golf to heavyweight boxing and now perhaps the jewel in the Saudi crown, the right to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, it has become impossible to ignore the wealth of sporting talent that are plying their trade in Saudi Arabia.

Despite this, the majority of sports fans are at best unsure on, and at worst categorically against, elite sport being taken to Saudi Arabia. Over the past few decades, the sporting world has worked to become much more inclusive and welcoming to all groups, with the phrase ‘sport is for everyone’ ringing through the intercom of almost every sporting event that you can attend. Campaigns such as Rainbow laces provide evidence that LGBT rights are not only accepted in sport, but actively promoted. As well as this Women’s sport is more prominent that ever before with bumper TV deals for the WSL and Women’s Hundred competitions on top of the Lionesses victory at Euro 2022 which took the nation by storm. Therefore, by taking a substantial amount of the worlds top sporting events and handing them to a country in which it is illegal to be a member of the LGBT community as well as backwards views on women’s rights, it draws into question just how committed sport is to become fully inclusive.

Firstly, as previously noted, women are more involved in sports than ever before in history. Whilst male sport is still no doubt still seen as the pinnacle, women’s sport has began to garner a real wealth of support and more young girls are growing up with hopes of getting into sport themselves. According to the UK-based charity the Women’s Sport Trust, 325 million hours of women’s sport were consumed by the public in 2022. This is up 305.9 hours from the 19.1 million hours that were consumed in 2012. This included a peak of 17.4 million viewers on BBC one for England’s lionesses’ triumph against Germany in the Euros final. This is merely 5.6 million lower than the peak viewership of England men’s World cup quarter final against the French a mere 4 months later. The men’s football world cup has long been seen as generally the most important sporting event by English sports fans. Therefore, the idea that the Women’s side would be able to compete in terms of viewership and coverage with that of the Men in a crucial world cup knockout game would have seemed a million miles away even a decade ago.

The issue then with growing Saudi involvement in sport is that unlike in western society, women are not treated with equality in Saudi Arabia. Women are often treated as property of men with permission from a male guardian required to travel, marry and in some cases receive health care. It is also required for women to cover the majority of their skin other than their faces as a part of the culture. This obviously completely restricts any of the standard sporting attire that we see worn by men and women alike. Above all up until 2018, not only were Women not allowed to take part in sports, but they were not permitted access to any stadiums to watch sport. All these reasons combine to create a place in which Women are both unable to take part in elite sport but also feel safe in travelling to watch it. The National Institute of Health found that one in ever three women in Saudi Arabia is a victim of domestic violence, again outlining the fact that Women will struggle to feel at all welcomed when entering the country. How then, can sport spread the message that ‘sport is for everyone’ when more and more of the top events are taking place in a nation in which 50% of the population are ostracized based purely on their gender.

It has become clear that despite whatever messages that are put out, sport boards across the sporting world will continue to put money over everything else. No one is perhaps more guilty of this than FIFA as they awarded the FIFA World cup to both Qatar and Saudi Arabia despite the problems already mentioned. As well as this throughout the 2023 Women’s World Cup, FIFA allowed Saudi Arabia’s state tourism authority as a sponsor of the tournament. This meant advertisements appeared on the big screen in stadiums as well as being littered over the TV coverage. This was done without any consultation of female players and officials, largely due to the fact that FIFA were well aware of the objections that would have been made against the decision. Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch commented that “The Women's World Cup is a festival of soccer and a celebration of the skill and diversity within the women's game—not an opportunity to launder the reputation of a government that violates women's rights.” It is one thing to allow Saudi Arabia into sport as had been done, it is another to promote the country through women’s football. Saudi Arabia has made very little to no effort to bring elite female sport to the nation and as noted did not allow women into sports stadiums until 2018. How then can FIFA justify allowing the Saudi state tourism authority to advertise over the biggest female sporting event. It is yet another example of how people are disregarded for the sake of sporting bodies making money.

Women are not the only group that are discriminated against in Saudi Arabia. Members of the LGBT community are not only discriminated but criminalized with the highest penalty awarded being that of the death penalty. Sports bodies around the globe have attempted to make sport a more accepting and welcoming place for those of the LGBT community and have encouraged players to be open with their sexuality. Campaigns such as rainbow laces are at the forefront of these messages, by not only ensuring acceptance but actively encouraging people to be proud of their sexuality. While it is still very uncommon to see male footballers come out as a member of the LGBT community, a large number of women’s players are open about their sexuality. Some of the worlds leading players such as Sam Kerr, Beth Mead and England lionesses captain Leah Williamson are all openly gay. Whilst there is still a real stigmatism in the men’s game, we are beginning to see more players open up about their sexuality. Players such as Jake Daniels of Blackpool and Josh Cavallo of Western United FC have both been lauded for their bravery, having come out in recent years, with Norwich City wearing T-shirts in support of Daniels ahead of their Premier League match with Tottenham.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Despite all this work being done toward making sport a place in which everyone can be open and proud with their sexuality, it is then all rendered almost redundant as the biggest events in sport are all taken to a nation in which the act of homosexuality is punishable by death. The office for national statistics states that in 2022 3.1% of the UK population identified as LGBT which amounts to over 2 million people. By taking events such as The World Cup and heavyweight boxing fights to Saudi Arabia you are completely blacklisting over 2 million people in the UK alone from attending the events, purely based on sexual orientation. The Coventry City LGBTQ+ supporters group wrote “FIFA showing their true colours once again. They do not care about human rights or inclusivity. They care only about one thing: cha-ching.” Which nicely brings us around to the main point of this article. That ultimately when Saudi billionaire’s offer huge sums of money, all sporting morals and the fight for inclusivity are shoved under the carpet, and it isn’t just sporting boards that are guilty of this.

The emergence of the Saudi Pro League took not only the footballing world but the sporting world in general by storm over the summer with the astronomical amounts of money that were being thrown at clubs and players alike. Perhaps the most controversial transfer to come out of the summer window was that of England vice-captain and supposed LGBT ally Jordan Henderson to Saudi side Al-Ettifaq. Henderson had been commonly found supporting campaigns for LGBT rights and was always quick to show his support when opportunities arose. However, despite all this, the moment Henderson was presented with a supposed £700,000 a week contract, all his morals went out of the window. Former German international and one of the highest profile openly Gay footballers, Thomas Hitzlsperger, stated on twitter that Jordan Henderson’s “Brand” as an ally of the LGBT community is “dead.” Hitzlsperger summed up the feeling among LGBT sports fans as many felt that they had now lost trust in not only the sporting boards but those within the sport that claim to be their ally.

Henderson’s move to Al-Ettifaq came as yet another example of sport refusing to back up it’s words with actions, and while the move came with huge backlash, there was something almost unsurprising about the whole thing. If Jordan Henderson, one of the biggest supporters of LGBT rights in football can so easily abandon all his morals for a quick payday, it asks the question of whether there really is anyone in football that can truly say they are an ally of LGBT people. The backlash of the move did not stop with Henderson, with England manager Gareth Southgate taking flack for continuing to select Henderson for the England national team. While first and foremost, Henderson had abandoned playing football at the top level, rendering controversy over his selection to begin with, he had also let down a section of England fans. By taking the move to Saudi Arabia, Henderson would have been well aware of the backlash that he would face from fans back home and has even faced boos from large sections of fans during internationals. Despite knowing how controversial his move would be Henderson, didn’t think twice and even has gone so far as to promote the Saudi World Cup bid, really outlining when push comes to shove, money talks.

All these issues stem back to ultimately determining why Saudi Arabia has suddenly become a major player in sport. On the face of it, the Saudi involvement in sports is the biggest attempt of sportswashing that the sporting world has ever seen. Sportswashing is the idea that a country or company can distract from issues within the nation such as human rights problems by hosting glamourous sporting events in an attempt to say, all is fine here. Saudi involvement really sprang to life with the purchase of Manchester City back in 2008. The move was met with some controversy however with no real fightback from the FA or FIFA, the Saudi’s were able to get their foot in the door which began the slippery slope to where we find ourselves today.

A famous example of sportswashing was 1936 Olympic games in Germany. The Olympics were held just a few years prior to the beginning of the second world war and many of the atrocities toward Jews and other groups had already begun. The Olympics served as a distraction from what was happening within Germany and in fact promoted the nation and the work done by the Nazi party. Whilst sportswashing in Saudi Arabia is perhaps not on the level of Nazi Germany, it is still astounding that nearly 100 years on from the Berlin Olympics, we as a sporting society are still allowing sportswashing to take place and in the case of Saudi Arabia, work with much success.

Sportswashing is not an uncommon term these days and it is well understood that this is the goal of the Saudi sporting events. Despite this each event in Saudi seems to attract more stars than the last, and with a seemingly never-ending pit of money there is no reason to see it stop any time soon. The fact is that these events are being hosted to try and distract from the horrendous treatment of women and LGBT members in Saudi which makes it even more troubling to see supposed role models promote such events.

In reality, people like Jordan Henderson who claim to be an ally of the LGBT community are most likely just that. However, nothing has quite outlined the selfishness of sports stars more than the Saudi era of sport. Henderson, very likely is sincere in his support for the LGBT community but the moment a huge sum of money is offered to him, he backtracks in order to become wealthier and support himself and his family. While ultimately this understandable, it does outline the main reason as to why no matter how much sport attempts to convey a world in which anyone can attend and enjoy sport no matter race, religion, gender or sexuality, this will always be secondary to money.

Perhaps it says more about sport generally than purely the fight for inclusivity, as while no doubt LGBT members and female sports fans have been thrown under the bus with the events in Saudi Arabia, it is also sports fans generally who have been ignored and disregarded throughout. The World Cup move will mean another winter tournament despite the horrendous reception to the event in Qatar. There are also British stars such as Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua who seem to ply their trade exclusively in Saudi, robbing fans of the opportunity to watch their heroes live. So, while it is clear inclusivity is harmed by Saudi Arabia, sport in general is suffering as well. A fairer conclusion may be that instead of stating that money takes precedent over inclusivity in sport, but rather money takes precedent over everything in sport. Conclusively, cash is king in elite sport, and it won’t be changing any time soon.

[golfoklahomamagazine]

How VPN are Shaping the Future of Golf Broadcasting on BBC Sport?

Don’t miss a moment of the thrilling golf action if you’re a fan. Regrettably, most golf streams are geographically restricted, necessitating the use of a VPN to watch the British Open if you’re in a country where it’s not available. Not all VPNs can bypass TV platforms like Sky Sports, Now TV, NBC, and Peacock, so choose your provider wisely. In this guide, we’ll showcase official sources for…

[sarkos]

The problem is that the flood relief system is simply designed this way, according to Wang Weiluo, a Chinese engineer who now lives overseas after criticising China's construction of the Three Gorges Dam. "China's flood control network has a pecking order of protection giving priority to big important cities like Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai, with the lowest order of importance being rural areas. Under China's system, at the bottom are the ordinary people in the city and those in the countryside whose interests are not respected," he said. But if the water had not been diverted into Hebei, what other option did the government have? Mr Wang suggested that, below the Yongding River, there are a series of golf courses where the flood waters could have been released. "To discharge the water there first would cause the least economic loss and have the least impact on human lives. But those who benefit from the country's flood relief priorities are those who play golf there".

The Chinese town engulfed by a flood to save Beijing - BBC News

Golf continues to be the most evil sport

[welidot]

Gareth Bale

This Biography is about one of the best Professional Footballer of the world Gareth Bale including his Height, weight, Age & Other Detail… Express info Real Name Gareth Frank Bale Nickname The Cannon, Welsh Winger Profession Footballer Age (as in 2023) 33 Years old Physical Stats & More Info Height in centimeters- 1.83 cm in meters- 1.83 m in Feet Inches- 6’ 1⁄2” Weight in Kilograms- 75 kg in Pounds- 165 lbs Body Measurements (approx.) - Chest: 45 Inches - Waist: 32 Inches - Biceps: 14 Inches Eye Colour Blue Hair Colour Brown Football Of Gareth Bale Professional Debut In May 2006 for Wales National Team Current Team Wales Football Team Real Madrid Jersey Number 11 Position Forward Coach/Mentor Harry Redknapp Achievements (main ones) • “Carwyn James Award” for the “BBC Wales Young Sports Personality of the Year” in Dec 2006. • “Barclays Player of the Month” for April 2010 • “Football League Young Player of the Year” on March 04, 2007. • “2010 BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year.” • “Player of the Year” on April 17, 2011 for 2010-11 season by Professional Footballers Association. • “PFA Players' Player of the Year," 2012-2012. • "Young Player of the Year," 2012-1013. Career Turning Point 2010–11 UEFA Champions League Personal Life Of Gareth Bale Date of Birth July 16, 1989 Birth Place Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom Zodiac sign/Sun sign Cancer Nationality Welsh Hometown Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom School Whitchurch High School College N/A Educational Qualifications High School (2005), Grade A in PE Family Father- Frank Bale (School Teacher) Mother- Debbi Bale (Operation Manager) Sister- Vicky Bale Brother- N/A Religion Atheist Ethnicity Welsh and British Hobbies Playing Golf, spending time with family and watching Premiere League. Controversies • He spurred controversy with his comments on England Football. He said, "They big themselves up before they've done anything, so we're going to go there and believe we can beat them." "I think we've got a lot more passion and pride about us than them. We'll definitely show that on the day. I don't know what it is but, if you're Welsh, we feel more pride and passion than anyone else. "Look at the national anthem, everyone sings, the whole stadium. I don't think any other nation would do that. Being Welsh just brings it out of you." Asked how many England players would get into the Wales team, Bale cheekily responded "None." Favourite Things Of Gareth Bale Favourite Footballers Christiano Ronaldo Favourite Food Chicken wrap, medium sauce, Spanish dry cured ham, Jamon, Dairy Milk or Galaxy chocolates Favourite Hotel Txistu, Madrid, Spain Favourite Football Trick Side-step Favourite Color Red Girls, Family & More Of Gareth Bale Marital Status Married Affairs/Girlfriends Emma Rhys-Jones Wife Emma Rhys-Jones (High School Sweetheart) Children Daughters- Nava Valentina Alba Viola Money Factor Of Gareth Bale Salary $35.9 millions (Including $10 million from endorsements) Net Worth $90 million House La Finca mansion. ($2.3 million) Cars Audi R8 This Biography written by www.welidot.com Read the full article