#Etienne's Top Fives of 2017

[shadowetienne]

Etienne’s Top Fives of 2017 - Figure Skating Edition:  Senior Men

The Senior Men have been on a magical adventure of who can land the most quads without breaking themselves (too badly).  It’s meant a lot of injuries and also some really incredible skates.  It’s good to see some top skaters continue to keep it reasonable in the face of mounting pressure to do more and more quads.  It’s also good to see some of the kids who are coming into seniors with all quads ready and just going for these huge programs, especially when it’s clear that they and their coaching teams are ready to cut down the difficulty a little bit when they aren’t quite up for it that day.

As a note, these are some of my favorite skaters on the Senior Grand Prix Circuit.  They are not who I think is necessarily the absolute best.  If a very well known top skater isn’t on my main list, and they’ve not done anything this season I’m super excited about (or have only caused me stress), they do not necessarily end up on my shoutout list either because I believe that people already know about them and will hear about them from other sources.  This doesn’t mean that I don’t think that such skaters are good, or worth my time to watch.  They just didn’t make my personal list this time.

Before we move on to my main list, some skaters who have impressed me this season:

Nathan Chen (USA) for mastering and displaying some really impressive tech content (all the quads) while continuing to improve and show his artistic and skating skills side.  (SP from Skate America)

Mikhail Kolyada (RUS) for being the Russian man who has been skating the best this season and having a lot of emotional expression on ice while still having impressively high tech content (and a lot of splatted quad lutzes).  Look out for him gunning for a spot on that Olympic podium. (SP from Cup of China)

Sergei Voronov (RUS) for having one of the best, if not the best seasons of his career at age 30 and actually making it to the GPF.  You won’t be seeing him at the Olympics because the Russian Fed is a mess.  (FS from NHK Trophy)

Alexei Bychenko (ISR) for having some of the best skates of his career and making the podium at NHK Trophy. (SP from NHK Trophy)

To find out Etienne’s Top Five Senior Men Skaters (2017/2018 season), look under the cut!

5. Misha Ge (UZB)

Misha was going to retire after last season, but the chance at one more Olympics and just not wanting to stop just yet kept him going one more season.  He is one of the top men in the field without using a quad at all, after trying for several seasons and only hurting himself.

Misha is known for his beautiful interpretive choreography, and he has in fact choreographed for other top skaters as well as for himself for the past few seasons.  After he actually retires (presumably after the end of this season), we will still be seeing plenty of his influence on skating as he switches over into being a choreographer.

I definitely prefer his FS (above) to his SP this season, but both are beautiful and show off his range of talent really well.

4. Jin Boyang (CHN)

Boyang is one of the quad pioneers of this generation of skaters, really pushing the number and quality of quads being put out there.  He had some injuries this season, and has had to tone down some of his quads (which means things like only 4 quads instead of 5 in a FS).  He’s really been working on his expression and skating quality over the past few seasons, and it’s really starting to pay off.

His two programs this season are a fun contrast to each other.  The FS (above) is a medley of The Planets and Star Wars, rather iconically using the cantina music for a very fun step sequence.  It’s a very fun, very Boyang sort of sequence.  This program really allows a look at his much improved spins as well.  His SP is to the soundtrack of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and has impressed me as a serious program that he’s actually been able to connect with well (they’ve not been his strong point in the past).

Look forward to Boyang at the Olympics with even further upgrade skating skills and expression!  He was out with injury for a bit this season, and not being able to focus on quads during that time clearly gave him some time to work on those spins and skating skills.

3. Adam Rippon (USA)

Since coming out a few seasons back, Adam has been on fire with fabulous, iconic programs that really highlight what he’s the strongest in.  It’s like he flipped a switch to allow himself to actually skate the way he skates best, and I love it.  His SP (above) is so much fun, and it’s definitely been fun getting skating to club music as a highlight of several major competitions this season.

He’s come back from such a major injury at the end of last season, and he’s been better than ever before.  His FS is a reprise, and a very worthwhile one.  Where his SP brings the fun, his FS brings his beautiful artistic and musical interpretation in full.

My tag for Adam the past few seasons has been “living the mesh and glitter life” and I’m happy to see him continuing to live up to that.  Look forward to him doing his best at that goal in the Olympics!

2. Vincent Zhou (USA)

Vincent came into Seniors this year as the Junior World Champion, and he’s definitely struggled a little bit with the transition between the levels, but he’s also definitely starting to come into his own in seniors a bit.  He’s got some of the best jumps in the field (when he lands them which is more consistently than the GP Circuit might lead one to believe), and he balances it with beautiful skating skills and edges (I can talk about his spread eagles at length because they make me happy).

At only 17, he’s going to be one of the youngest men (if not the youngest) at the Olympics.  I look forward to seeing a cleaner SP from him there because I really like the program when it’s error free.  While I’m not really expecting a medal from him this Olympics, I think that he’s really a face to look out for in the coming years.

1. Shoma Uno (JPN)

Shoma is one of the most well rounded skaters in the Senior Men’s field, and I love that he’s conquered so many of his past struggles with jumping.  He’s a brilliantly intense, artistically developed, and musically strong skater.  I love his use of transitions (while he might not have the most, their quality is superb).  I love that he’s worked so hard to develop an amazing arsenal of quads that let him keep up with more jump inclined skaters and surpass them on determination and hard work.

His programs this season certainly aren’t my favorite programs we’ve ever seen from him, though I do think that he’s particularly well suited to Winter (his SP, above), but he works with the music well and clearly connects to it.  His FS to Turandot also has the award for one of the most beautiful costumes this season.

Look forward to him at the Olympics as one of two Japanese men’s skaters with a real shot at the podium.

[animayze93]

Lille trace unlikely path towards French title

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain have claimed statement wins in Barcelona and Munich in the Champions League while leaving the door unlocked at home, giving Lille the chance of a first Ligue 1 title in a decade.

Lille stunned PSG in the capital last weekend, winning 1-0 to go three points clear of the reigning champions with seven matches remaining.

PSG have lost eight times this season, while Monaco and Lyon are also within five points of Lille. It is an unpredictable title race, and the fact only the the top three qualify for next season’s Champions League adds spice.

Lille’s operating budget is understood to be around a quarter of PSG’s, but shrewd buying and selling has taken them to where they are, along with an outstanding coach in Christophe Galtier.

After finishing second to PSG in 2019 they sold Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal for a reported 80 million euros ($87m).

In the last Ligue 1 season, curtailed due to the pandemic, they came fourth and then sold top scorer Victor Osimhen to Napoli for an initial 70 million euros.

Plenty more have left, but the knowledge of Luis Campos, a Portuguese super-scout who helped build Monaco’s title-winning team of 2017, allowed Lille to keep re-generating. 

Three starters against PSG — goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Boubakary Soumare and Jonathan Ikone — all left Paris for Lille in search of first-team football. Another ex-PSG youngster, Timothy Weah, did likewise and came off the bench for Lille in that game.

Lille have invested elsewhere though, including 27 million euros to sign Canadian striker Jonathan David from Gent — he scored the winner in Paris.

“This season, more than the last two, we have been very strong collectively despite having a bit less individual talent than the other three teams fighting for the title. Without that we wouldn’t be able to compete,” Galtier, in charge since late 2017, told AFP.

Previously successful at Saint-Etienne, Galtier has kept Lille on course despite off-pitch turbulence.

In December the club was sold to Callisto, a subsidiary of the Merlyn Partners investment fund. Campos departed, while a new president was appointed.

Galtier feels this season has been his “biggest challenge”.

“We need to keep going and give ourselves the best possible chance while understanding we might not end up being champions and we might not even qualify for the Champions League. The key is to have no regrets,” he said.

The 54-year-old, once the assistant manager at Portsmouth, could go at the season’s end too and has been linked with Lyon and Nice.

However, he says he is entirely focused on delivering success to Lille, who face Metz this weekend.

“I am really happy here, but I don’t think I will stay for seven or eight years like I did at Saint-Etienne.”

Could he return to England?

“Four or five years ago I wanted to go abroad, less so now. If I did, I have always said the English league would be the dream. Their league has become the best in the world. There is so much passion!”

Player to watch: Kevin Volland

Volland has been a revelation for Monaco since signing from Bayer Leverkusen, and you have to wonder why Joachim Loew continues to leave him in the wilderness from the Germany team.

The 28-year-old, last capped by his country in 2016, is one of the main reasons Monaco are title contenders, having scored 14 Ligue 1 goals. Monaco have lost just once in 16 games.

Key stats

10 – Lille are unbeaten in their last 10 away Ligue 1 games.

3 – PSG have lost their last three league games immediately following a Champions League fixture

11 – Bottom side Dijon have lost their last 11 Ligue 1 games. One more will see them equal the French top-flight record of 12 in a row set by CA Paris in 1933/34.

Fixtures (Kick-offs GMT)

Friday

Metz v Lille (1900)

Saturday

Strasbourg v Paris Saint-Germain (1500), Montpellier v Marseille (1900)

Sunday

Rennes v Nantes (1100), Brest v Nimes, Lens v Lorient, Nice v Reims, Saint-Etienne v Bordeaux (all 1300), Monaco v Dijon (1505), Lyon v Angers (1900)

Original Source Author: AFP

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title First Appeared ON : https://arsenalweb.co.uk

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title First Appeared ON : https://gqcentral.co.uk

The post Lille trace unlikely path towards French title appeared first on OldiCom Marketing.

[tkmedia]

The key storyline to follow for every top 25 college football team

The 2021 college football season will have no shortage of storylines. All four of last year's College Football Playoff teams are replacing their starting quarterbacks, which gives hope to a new group of teams (like Iowa State, North Carolina, and Texas A&M) that they have a shot to find a way into the final four.Talks of expanding the Playoff will continue during this season. Speaking of "talks of expanding", Oklahoma's and Texas' defection from the Big 12 to the SEC has set college athletics ablaze with rumors of a massive realignment of some leagues and the folding of others. The NCAA is even signaling that their time as the complete umbrella of college sports is coming to an end. The name and image likeness rules get their first real test with the upcoming football season while transfer rules and the extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic season add extra intrigue to what should be an exciting ... and somewhat normal ... college football season.But that's the storylines of the sport as a whole. Each team enters the season with their own questions and concerns; dreams and goals. So here are the key storylines for every top 25 team.  

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Can Nick Saban win his 8th national championship? A lot of teams have the question of "how do you replace this guy" or depth problems or inexperience or whatever. Alabama has those issues too but we've moved past that. They've won championships with different kinds of quarterbacks. They've stocked the NFL with first-round picks and are the epitome of next man up. Heisman Trophy winners have come and gone. Alabama has all of those issues to deal with in 2021 but they're back as the title favorites yet again. You don't question how Nick Saban will manage as much as you just believe he will. The man has won seven national championships -- six of them at Alabama in the last twelve years. His legacy is cemented, as we are at the point of him just piling on the superlatives. The question really isn't "can Nick Saban win his 8th national championship" as much as "who is gonna stop him".   Ken Ruinard / staff via Imagn Content Services, LLC Moving on from the Trevor Lawrence-Travis Etienne era.Clemson was 39-3 during the Trevor Lawrence era in Clemson, which included three ACC titles and a national championship. It also included two blowout losses in the College Football Playoff that have abruptly ended the Tigers' last two seasons. Lawrence is gone, as is the ACC's all-time leading rusher Travis Etienne. Clemson has two guys they feel are capable of keeping the ball rolling in D.J. Uiagalelei and Lyn-J Dixon, but it is a major reload to deal with as teams like Miami and North Carolina feel as if they have a shot at taking down the six-time conference champions.    Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Will Spencer Rattler be the next Sooner Heisman winner? The biggest story around the Oklahoma program this year will likely be the school's move to the SEC in a few years, but on the field, it will be about quarterback Spencer Rattler. As a freshman in 2020, he threw for 3.031 yards, 28 TDs, and just 7 interceptions despite not having a normal offseason program. He followed Jalen Hurts (national champion), Kyler Murray (Heisman winner; No. 1 overall draft pick), and Baker Mayfield (Heisman winner; No. 1 overall draft pick). The four playoff teams from a year ago will be replacing their quarterbacks, giving Oklahoma a distinct advantage heading into the season.    Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports Who is the quarterback?Like the other three schools who were in last year's College Football Playoff, Ohio State will be replacing their quarterback. The big difference in Columbus is that they aren't exactly sure who the new guy will be. Signs point to freshman C.J. Stroud as the favorite to start when the season begins, but fellow freshmen Kyle McCord and Jack Miller III will be chomping at the bit to step in. Stroud and Miller played sparingly during garbage time last season as backups to Justin Fields, but McCord is the higher-rated recruit who may eventually secure the job. Add to the mix Quinn Ewers, who in early August decided to skip his senior season of high school and enroll at Ohio State early. It is doubtful he could win the starting job, but he may end up being the best of the bunch. In any event, someone needs to take the reins if the Buckeyes are to get back to the national championship game.    Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports Is it finally Georgia's time?Kirby Smart is 44-9 over his last four seasons in Athens, winning 28 of 33 SEC games, three bowl wins, and an SEC championship. They've finished either first or second in the East division every year and played for the 2017-2018 national championship with a freshman quarterback. The program is ready to enter that elite level that has eluded them for far too long. The offense is stacked with an experienced quarterback (JT Daniels), a talented running attack (led by Zamir White), and a group of skilled receivers ready to break out. The key will be a very young defensive secondary who will need to grow up quickly for the Dawgs title dreams to be realized.    Gary Cosby Jr/The Tuscaloosa News via USA TODAY Sports Who is replacing Kellen Mond? Kellen Mond, who it seems as if was at Texas A&M for a decade, is now in the NFL and head coach Jimbo Fisher must find someone to replace him. The candidates are both really good and really diverse. Zach Calzada has the big arm who can stretch defenses and opens up the playbook. Haynes King is more athletic and spent last season as Mond's backup on the depth chart. King's speed and ability to move around may be more valuable as the Aggies are rebuilding their offensive line. The good news is that A&M's first five games allow them to learn on the fly before their big showdown with Alabama at Kyle Field in mid-October.    Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Can the Cyclones cash in on the perfect storm?Everyone should be rooting for Iowa State. They are the little guy trying to punch their way up to the big time. They've got a Heisman candidate quarterback in Brock Purdy, who may be the best QB in program history. They've got another Heisman candidate in running back Breece Hall, who was a first-team All-American last year. The entire starting offensive line is back as well as much of the defense, led by linebacker Mike Rose. Don't forget that Iowa State won the Big 12 regular season by two games in 2020, before losing to Oklahoma in a thrilling Big 12 title game. Head coach Matt Campbell is on nearly every NFL GM's list to call when they have an opening. Add in the current turmoil in the Big 12 which will lead to an anti-Oklahoma and Texas sentiment and it creates a perfect storm for Iowa State to strike for a conference title and more in 2021. Purdy, Hall, much of the defense, and Campbell could all be gone after the season. Make this season count.   Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Is rebuilding an offense around two really good backs the right move?Notre Dame could be due for a bit of a drop-off in 2021. Most of the offense from last year turned over (nine starters gone), Wisconsin grad transfer Jack Coan takes over for Ian Book at quarterback, and are rebuilding their offensive line. So backs Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree will be the focal points of the offense as everyone else get comfortable in their roles. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees loves a solid running attack and will need to get that going in a hurry as the Irish have a difficult schedule to navigate. Notre Dame has four straight 10+ win seasons coming into the year, but with games on tap against Florida State, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, USC, and North Carolina, that streak could be in jeopardy if the offense struggles.    Brad McClenny-USA TODAY NETWORK Fixing a defense that collapsed last year.Of the top nine schools on this list, only Oklahoma, Iowa State, and Georgia aren't breaking in new starting quarterbacks (the Gators will be replacing Kyle Trask with Emory Jones), but that's not where the questions lie. What's up with the defense? Florida was on the cusp of gaining a College Football Playoff berth when their defense just fell apart. A stunning home loss to a bad LSU team in the regular-season finale (37-34) began the puzzling trend. Then came a loss to Alabama in the SEC championship, which was competitive but saw Florida give out 52 points to the Tide. Finally comes a 55-20 spanking at the hands of Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl and fans are upset at high-priced defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. There is talent all over that defense but stunning breakdowns keep happening. Corner Kalir Elam, DL Zachary Carter, and rusher Brenton Cox Jr. are great pieces to build around with the hope that a second-year under Grantham's scheme will net better results.    Sam Greene via Imagn Content Services, LLC Can the Bearcats do it again?In 2020, Cincinnati went 8-0 in the regular season, beat Tulsa in the AAC title game and pushed Georgia to the brink before losing in the closing seconds of the Peach Bowl. One of the best seasons in Bearcats football but one that felt unfulfilled. Fans felt that they were not only robbed of a spot in the College Football Playoff but disrespected after ranking just 8th in the final poll. So can the Bearcats pull it off again? After all, quarterback and AAC Offensive Player of the Year Desmond Ridder returns and is a darkhorse Heisman candidate in 2021. Also back is that punishing defense, who held 7 of 10 opponents to 20 points or less and only one opponent, UCF, to score more than 24 points. Head coach Luke Fickell has also beefed up the schedule with road trips to Indiana and Notre Dame, so an undefeated record against an admittedly soft AAC schedule this year will look better if they can beat the Hoosiers and Irish.    Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Will Oregon's defense carry them into the playoff?The Ducks' 2020 season was a bit rocky. Justin Herbert was tearing it up in the NFL and not in Eugene anymore, the season was initially canceled before being thrown back together at the last minute, and several high-profile players opted out of the season. Despite all of that, Oregon did win the Pac-12 championship (head nod to Washington) and looks to pull off a third straight title. This defense is stout. End Kayvon Thibodeaux may be the best defensive player in the country, linebacker Noah Sewell had a fantastic freshman season and the secondary is filled with playmakers. Sure, defensive coordinator, Andy Avalos is now the head coach at Boise State, but new DC Tim DeRuyter wants his troops to be aggressive creating turnovers. With yet another new quarterback this fall, the defense may need to carry the load -- especially in Week 2 when the Ducks waddle to Columbus to face Ohio State.    Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Can Sam Howell offset losing a lot of offensive power? Sam Howell is a Heisman candidate in what likely will be his final season before becoming one of the top picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. He's clutch has swagger and has all the tools to be a star. What he doesn't have are all those skill guys that had big seasons in 2021. Michael Carter and Javnonte Williams were the best running back duo in the nation last year and he won't have Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome to throw to anymore. Mack Brown has done an exceptional job recruiting in his second stint in Chapel Hill, and those guys stepping in must produce if the Tar Heels are going to take the next step towards a conference title.    Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Can Clay Helton save his job by getting USC back to where they belong? You know how you view Alabama right now? That's how we used to feel about USC in the 2000s. Now we view USC a bit like Alabama in the 2000s -- during the Dennis Franchione/Mike Shula era. Last year was a start in the right direction as the Trojans went 5-0 in league play before getting dumped by a 3-2 Oregon team in the Pac-12 title game. Needless to say, Clay Helton didn't cool off his hot seat very much as he enters 2021 as one of the top names on the pre-season chopping blocks. This Trojans team is good, as Kedon Slovis has a chance to be one of the best QBs in the country and this defense can be one of the best in the conference. If USC doesn't contend for a league title, another coaching change is likely.    Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports What was the fluke: 2019 or 2020?LSU followed up one of the most magical and dominating seasons in college football history with one of the most puzzling and uneven years a defending champion has gone through. Yes, LSU filled the 2020 NFL Draft with a lot of talent that was going to be next to impossible to replace. Sure, Ed Orgeron's assistants used the success of their national championship in 2019 to move up the coaching ladder, and the replacements didn't fill their shoes very well. So Orgeron has hired two new coordinators to right the ship. On offense, Jake Peetz's job will be to figure out who their starting quarterback is: Senior Myles Brennan (who missed most of the season with an abdominal tear), Max Johnson, or TJ Finley ... sophomores who took over when Brennan went down. On defense, Daronte Jones is tasked with fixing the worst passing defense in the nation last year (and that was with Derek Stingley Jr. in the secondary). The Tigers have a lot of talent coming back, but can this coaching staff capture just a little bit of that '19 magic to calm down a notoriously fickle fan base?     Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports Can Michael Penix Jr. Read the full article

[orcadigitals]

Lille trace unlikely path towards French title

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain have claimed statement wins in Barcelona and Munich in the Champions League while leaving the door unlocked at home, giving Lille the chance of a first Ligue 1 title in a decade.

Lille stunned PSG in the capital last weekend, winning 1-0 to go three points clear of the reigning champions with seven matches remaining.

PSG have lost eight times this season, while Monaco and Lyon are also within five points of Lille. It is an unpredictable title race, and the fact only the the top three qualify for next season’s Champions League adds spice.

Lille’s operating budget is understood to be around a quarter of PSG’s, but shrewd buying and selling has taken them to where they are, along with an outstanding coach in Christophe Galtier.

After finishing second to PSG in 2019 they sold Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal for a reported 80 million euros ($87m).

In the last Ligue 1 season, curtailed due to the pandemic, they came fourth and then sold top scorer Victor Osimhen to Napoli for an initial 70 million euros.

Plenty more have left, but the knowledge of Luis Campos, a Portuguese super-scout who helped build Monaco’s title-winning team of 2017, allowed Lille to keep re-generating. 

Three starters against PSG — goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Boubakary Soumare and Jonathan Ikone — all left Paris for Lille in search of first-team football. Another ex-PSG youngster, Timothy Weah, did likewise and came off the bench for Lille in that game.

Lille have invested elsewhere though, including 27 million euros to sign Canadian striker Jonathan David from Gent — he scored the winner in Paris.

“This season, more than the last two, we have been very strong collectively despite having a bit less individual talent than the other three teams fighting for the title. Without that we wouldn’t be able to compete,” Galtier, in charge since late 2017, told AFP.

Previously successful at Saint-Etienne, Galtier has kept Lille on course despite off-pitch turbulence.

In December the club was sold to Callisto, a subsidiary of the Merlyn Partners investment fund. Campos departed, while a new president was appointed.

Galtier feels this season has been his “biggest challenge”.

“We need to keep going and give ourselves the best possible chance while understanding we might not end up being champions and we might not even qualify for the Champions League. The key is to have no regrets,” he said.

The 54-year-old, once the assistant manager at Portsmouth, could go at the season’s end too and has been linked with Lyon and Nice.

However, he says he is entirely focused on delivering success to Lille, who face Metz this weekend.

“I am really happy here, but I don’t think I will stay for seven or eight years like I did at Saint-Etienne.”

Could he return to England?

“Four or five years ago I wanted to go abroad, less so now. If I did, I have always said the English league would be the dream. Their league has become the best in the world. There is so much passion!”

Player to watch: Kevin Volland

Volland has been a revelation for Monaco since signing from Bayer Leverkusen, and you have to wonder why Joachim Loew continues to leave him in the wilderness from the Germany team.

The 28-year-old, last capped by his country in 2016, is one of the main reasons Monaco are title contenders, having scored 14 Ligue 1 goals. Monaco have lost just once in 16 games.

Key stats

10 – Lille are unbeaten in their last 10 away Ligue 1 games.

3 – PSG have lost their last three league games immediately following a Champions League fixture

11 – Bottom side Dijon have lost their last 11 Ligue 1 games. One more will see them equal the French top-flight record of 12 in a row set by CA Paris in 1933/34.

Fixtures (Kick-offs GMT)

Friday

Metz v Lille (1900)

Saturday

Strasbourg v Paris Saint-Germain (1500), Montpellier v Marseille (1900)

Sunday

Rennes v Nantes (1100), Brest v Nimes, Lens v Lorient, Nice v Reims, Saint-Etienne v Bordeaux (all 1300), Monaco v Dijon (1505), Lyon v Angers (1900)

Original Source Author: AFP

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title First Appeared ON : https://arsenalweb.co.uk

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title First Appeared ON : https://gqcentral.co.uk

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title appeared first on https://orcadigitals.com

https://orcadigitals.com/lille-trace-unlikely-path-towards-french-title/

[shadowetienne]

Etienne’s Top Fives of 2017 - Figure Skating Edition: Senior Ice Dance

Ice Dance is definitely the discipline that I got into the last and that I know the least about.  I’m not super into a lot of the overplayed “romance” type programs that are common, so I find myself shrugging at a lot of Ice Dance, but over time, I’ve come to appreciate the discipline a lot more for its beautiful skating and detailed choreographies.  There are still a lot of really talented Ice Dancers that just aren’t really my style though, so if my list seems a little off beat, that would be why.  (One of the biggest differentiating factors of whether or not I can appreciate the skating in an overtly romantic/sexual tension program is whether or not it comes off as forced or pushy to me (where not wins out every time).)

Some shout outs to awesome teams that didn’t quite make my list:

Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) may not be entirely my style, but I sure can appreciate the quality of their skating.  Huge congrats to them for breaking 200 points! I really enjoy how well matched their lines are and that they always look like they’re having fun.  As a side note, they’re  part of my ideal Olympic podium, which I’ll probably make a post about at some point. (SD at the GPF)

Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN) are one of the teams who actually got me into ice dance with their Four Seasons program a few seasons back, so they if nothing else deserve a sentimental shout out.  (FD at Skate Canada)

To find out Etienne’s Top Five Senior Ice Dance Teams of 2017 (for the 2017/2018 season), look under the cut!

5. Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker (USA)

Both Kaitlin and Jean-Luc’s FD (above) and SD are wonderful, and they’re good at both classical styles and latin styles, which is rare.  They’re very musical, and they’re very well balanced.  They’ve got the basics down to perfection, and they just balance each other out so so well.

On top of all that, they are super fun.  They clearly always enjoy what they’re out there doing, and they don’t take themselves too seriously, but they take themselves exactly seriously enough to make the audience take them seriously.  It’s a great balance.

And finally, I really enjoy that they’re basically the same size (she can in fact lift him, and they’ve had reverse lifts in some of their programs).

4. Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA)

Cappellini and Lanotte are such beautiful storytellers on ice.  They manage elegant, character driven pieces in their skates like nobody else in the field.  Their FD (above) is an excellent example of that.  I’m not as captivated by their SD this season, but it’s got its moments of beauty as well (and Anna seems to really enjoy it).

It was good to see them getting to the GPF this year with two good sets of skates on the GP circuit.  Look forward to them being in the upper rankings at the Olympics, but they’re going to have to skate the lights out for themselves to have a look at that podium.

3. Kana Muramoto/Chris Reed (JPN)

Kana and Chris have finally made the breakthrough into being internationally competitive that Chris and his sister, Cathy, sat on the brink of for a long time.  While they aren’t technically up with the top of the top, they skate beautiful, expressive programs that never fail to draw me in, and they’re skating a break through for Asian countries being involved in ice dance as well (along with another team we’ll get to shortly).

I love their FD (above), and their SD shows off their expressiveness as well, but isn’t as much my thing.  Watch out for them at the Olympics gunning for the spot of top Asian team and seeing how high up they can get.  They earned the spot for team Japan at Nebelhorn earlier this season, and they just keep getting better as they get more solid in their partnership.

2. Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (USA)

The ShibSibs are incredible.  I love that they are a sibling team that skates like they are siblings.  There’s an incredible connection, and they make beautiful stories in their programs.  They’re some of the best skaters in the world, and of my favorite teams, they’re the only ice dance team I love with a real chance at the Olympic podium.  Their SD is every bit as good as their FD (above), but I like their FD better stylistically.

They have the best twizzles, and such beautiful beautiful lifts and edges and skills from the basics on up.  They’ve got a good thing going with their programs over the past few seasons.  Here’s to hoping for a good finish to the season for them!

1. Wang Shiyue/Liu Xinyu (CHN)

Shiyue and Xinyu broke into the internationally competitive range at World Team Trophy a few years back (when team China shocked me by not coming in dead last in the Ice Dance segment), and I’ve been following them closely every since.  They’re fun, elegant, and artistically creative, and they just keep on getting better.  They’re only 23, which means in Ice Dance ages, they’ve got ages to go left in their career if they want to.  Their SD (above) is more fun this season, but their FS is just as good and features some amazing lifts and one of my favorite musical transitions of the season.

They go into the Olympics debatably the best Asian Ice Dance team (depends on what factors you look at whether it is them or Muramoto/Reed).  I love how they match up to each other, and the fact that they have such great synchronicity and matching lines despite the height difference (he’s ridiculously tall, she’s not actually that short).  The coolest thing about their skating is their incredibly creative and acrobatic lifts (if you watch the FD for no other reason, watch it for the lift where he pulls her over his shoulder by one foot into a lift, I don’t have the words to convey how awesome that lift is).  I’m just also super excited to see countries that aren’t the usual ones breaking in in Ice Dance, which often seems to be the discipline with the biggest barrier to entry.

I am so proud of them for earning their Olympic slot at Worlds last year, and I hope that they have the skate of their lives at their first Olympics!

[abbys-horror-story]

Lille trace unlikely path towards French title

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain have claimed statement wins in Barcelona and Munich in the Champions League while leaving the door unlocked at home, giving Lille the chance of a first Ligue 1 title in a decade.

Lille stunned PSG in the capital last weekend, winning 1-0 to go three points clear of the reigning champions with seven matches remaining.

PSG have lost eight times this season, while Monaco and Lyon are also within five points of Lille. It is an unpredictable title race, and the fact only the the top three qualify for next season’s Champions League adds spice.

Lille’s operating budget is understood to be around a quarter of PSG’s, but shrewd buying and selling has taken them to where they are, along with an outstanding coach in Christophe Galtier.

After finishing second to PSG in 2019 they sold Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal for a reported 80 million euros ($87m).

In the last Ligue 1 season, curtailed due to the pandemic, they came fourth and then sold top scorer Victor Osimhen to Napoli for an initial 70 million euros.

Plenty more have left, but the knowledge of Luis Campos, a Portuguese super-scout who helped build Monaco’s title-winning team of 2017, allowed Lille to keep re-generating. 

Three starters against PSG — goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Boubakary Soumare and Jonathan Ikone — all left Paris for Lille in search of first-team football. Another ex-PSG youngster, Timothy Weah, did likewise and came off the bench for Lille in that game.

Lille have invested elsewhere though, including 27 million euros to sign Canadian striker Jonathan David from Gent — he scored the winner in Paris.

“This season, more than the last two, we have been very strong collectively despite having a bit less individual talent than the other three teams fighting for the title. Without that we wouldn’t be able to compete,” Galtier, in charge since late 2017, told AFP.

Previously successful at Saint-Etienne, Galtier has kept Lille on course despite off-pitch turbulence.

In December the club was sold to Callisto, a subsidiary of the Merlyn Partners investment fund. Campos departed, while a new president was appointed.

Galtier feels this season has been his “biggest challenge”.

“We need to keep going and give ourselves the best possible chance while understanding we might not end up being champions and we might not even qualify for the Champions League. The key is to have no regrets,” he said.

The 54-year-old, once the assistant manager at Portsmouth, could go at the season’s end too and has been linked with Lyon and Nice.

However, he says he is entirely focused on delivering success to Lille, who face Metz this weekend.

“I am really happy here, but I don’t think I will stay for seven or eight years like I did at Saint-Etienne.”

Could he return to England?

“Four or five years ago I wanted to go abroad, less so now. If I did, I have always said the English league would be the dream. Their league has become the best in the world. There is so much passion!”

Player to watch: Kevin Volland

Volland has been a revelation for Monaco since signing from Bayer Leverkusen, and you have to wonder why Joachim Loew continues to leave him in the wilderness from the Germany team.

The 28-year-old, last capped by his country in 2016, is one of the main reasons Monaco are title contenders, having scored 14 Ligue 1 goals. Monaco have lost just once in 16 games.

Key stats

10 – Lille are unbeaten in their last 10 away Ligue 1 games.

3 – PSG have lost their last three league games immediately following a Champions League fixture

11 – Bottom side Dijon have lost their last 11 Ligue 1 games. One more will see them equal the French top-flight record of 12 in a row set by CA Paris in 1933/34.

Fixtures (Kick-offs GMT)

Friday

Metz v Lille (1900)

Saturday

Strasbourg v Paris Saint-Germain (1500), Montpellier v Marseille (1900)

Sunday

Rennes v Nantes (1100), Brest v Nimes, Lens v Lorient, Nice v Reims, Saint-Etienne v Bordeaux (all 1300), Monaco v Dijon (1505), Lyon v Angers (1900)

Original Source Author: AFP

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title First Appeared ON : https://arsenalweb.co.uk

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title First Appeared ON : https://gqcentral.co.uk

[newsfact]

No Patrick Vieira at Arsenal (yet): How Gunners manager job has proven elusive for club legend

Patrick Vieira is an Arsenal club legend, the captain of its Invincibles team and one of the club’s leaders during his nine years playing for them. But he will be coaching against his former club when he leads Crystal Palace against Arsenal. And if he’s successful, many supporters at the Emirates will be wondering why Vieira isn’t sitting on the Gunners’ bench.

Arsenal, just three points ahead of Crystal Palace in the English Premier League table, is coached by another former Arsenal player in 39-year-old Mikel Arteta, who was appointed as manager in December 2019, only three years after retiring. Immediately after hanging up his boots, Arteta got a job as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City before being handed the reins at Arsenal.

The 45-year-old Patrick Vieira had a more circuitous path to coaching in the Premier League after his playing days were over, but it has never involved the club where he became a global star. In the lead-up to the match against Arsenal he was asked why:

“I don’t know — that is a question you should ask them,” Vieira told The Guardian. “When I decided to move into that journey of becoming a manager there are options and choices and you just follow your route. Today that journey has taken me to Crystal Palace and I’m very grateful to have been given the opportunity.”

MORE: How to watch & bet Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace

(Getty Images) https://ift.tt/3nn6Yjx

Vieira’s road to Premier League coach

The Frenchman was at Manchester City when he called it a career in July 2011. He credits current City Football Group Director of Global Football Brain Marwood with giving him his entry into coaching in a youth development role at Man City and later appointing him in May 2013 as the club’s reserve team manager.

MORE: Updated English Premier League schedule

Two years later, in May 2015, Vieira was interviewed for the Newcastle United job before the Magpies opted for former England manager Steve McClaren, who only lasted eight months in the job. Six months after that opportunity fell through, Man City gave Vieira his first top-flight head coaching appointment at sister club NYCFC in Major League Soccer.

Vieira left a positive impression in two-and-a-half seasons in New York, giving an attack-minded identity to a team that struggled in its expansion season. He would lead NYCFC to fourth-place (2016) and second-place (2017) in his two full seasons in charge, only to stumble in the playoff quarterfinals in each season. But he did enough to earn his first European managerial gig in June 2018 with OGC Nice in France’s Ligue 1 after being linked with Saint-Etienne a year prior.

(Getty Images) https://ift.tt/3nn6YQz

He also enjoyed success in France, leading Nice to seventh-place and fifth-place finishes. But after a streak of five straight losses, including elimination from the Europa League group stage, Vieira was let go in December 2020.

Vieira was reportedly a candidate for the job at English second-tier side Bournemouth in February 2021, but his first crack at the Premier League was only a few months away when Crystal Palace hired him in July 2021.

Date Club League (Country) July 2011 Man City youth dev. exec. — May 2013 Man City EDS — Nov. 2015 New York City FC MLS (USA) June 2018 OGC Nice Ligue 1 (France) July 2021 Crystal Palace Premier League (England)

Why is Vieira not Arsenal manager?

Legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger left the club in the summer of 2018 and Vieira, who was at NYCFC at the time, was rumored to be a candidate to succeed him. But the Gunners instead opted for the more proven European manager in Unai Emery and days after that news was revealed, Vieira joined OGC Nicein France.

Emery lasted a little over a year, opening up another opportunity to potentially bring back Vieira when Emery was sacked in November 2019. Instead, Arsenal went with the unproven Arteta, though it’s hard to believe there wasn’t a deal to be done to release Vieira from his OGC Nice contract if Gunners management really wanted him.

MORE: UEFA Champions League schedule & standings

To think that Wenger had set the stage for Arsenal to appoint Vieira when months before the Emery sacking he highlighted Vieira as a future Arsenal coach:

“It’s just flattering that the guy who spent over 20 years there thinks I have the quality to manage a big club like Arsenal one day,” Vieira said in reaction at the time.

(Getty Images) https://ift.tt/2ZaKhqm

Arsenal has never brought Vieira on board. Now the Frenchman has the opportunity to show his former club what they missed out on when they go head-to-head for the first time in the Premier League:

“I’m really looking forward to it. I had a chance to play for this football club for nine years,” Vieira said in a pregame news conference. “I arrived when I was a kid and I left as a man. It’s the club where I played my best football, I would say. Going back there is emotional, but I will put that on the side. What is important for us is to perform well and get points.”

!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', 235247967118144); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

from WordPress https://ift.tt/3DTYzug via IFTTT

[anakinsbugs]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain have claimed statement wins in Barcelona and Munich in the Champions League while leaving the door unlocked at home, giving Lille the chance of a first Ligue 1 title in a decade.

Lille stunned PSG in the capital last weekend, winning 1-0 to go three points clear of the reigning champions with seven matches remaining.

PSG have lost eight times this season, while Monaco and Lyon are also within five points of Lille. It is an unpredictable title race, and the fact only the the top three qualify for next season’s Champions League adds spice.

Lille’s operating budget is understood to be around a quarter of PSG’s, but shrewd buying and selling has taken them to where they are, along with an outstanding coach in Christophe Galtier.

After finishing second to PSG in 2019 they sold Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal for a reported 80 million euros ($87m).

In the last Ligue 1 season, curtailed due to the pandemic, they came fourth and then sold top scorer Victor Osimhen to Napoli for an initial 70 million euros.

Plenty more have left, but the knowledge of Luis Campos, a Portuguese super-scout who helped build Monaco’s title-winning team of 2017, allowed Lille to keep re-generating. 

Three starters against PSG — goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Boubakary Soumare and Jonathan Ikone — all left Paris for Lille in search of first-team football. Another ex-PSG youngster, Timothy Weah, did likewise and came off the bench for Lille in that game.

Lille have invested elsewhere though, including 27 million euros to sign Canadian striker Jonathan David from Gent — he scored the winner in Paris.

“This season, more than the last two, we have been very strong collectively despite having a bit less individual talent than the other three teams fighting for the title. Without that we wouldn’t be able to compete,” Galtier, in charge since late 2017, told AFP.

Previously successful at Saint-Etienne, Galtier has kept Lille on course despite off-pitch turbulence.

In December the club was sold to Callisto, a subsidiary of the Merlyn Partners investment fund. Campos departed, while a new president was appointed.

Galtier feels this season has been his “biggest challenge”.

“We need to keep going and give ourselves the best possible chance while understanding we might not end up being champions and we might not even qualify for the Champions League. The key is to have no regrets,” he said.

The 54-year-old, once the assistant manager at Portsmouth, could go at the season’s end too and has been linked with Lyon and Nice.

However, he says he is entirely focused on delivering success to Lille, who face Metz this weekend.

“I am really happy here, but I don’t think I will stay for seven or eight years like I did at Saint-Etienne.”

Could he return to England?

“Four or five years ago I wanted to go abroad, less so now. If I did, I have always said the English league would be the dream. Their league has become the best in the world. There is so much passion!”

Player to watch: Kevin Volland

Volland has been a revelation for Monaco since signing from Bayer Leverkusen, and you have to wonder why Joachim Loew continues to leave him in the wilderness from the Germany team.

The 28-year-old, last capped by his country in 2016, is one of the main reasons Monaco are title contenders, having scored 14 Ligue 1 goals. Monaco have lost just once in 16 games.

Key stats

10 – Lille are unbeaten in their last 10 away Ligue 1 games.

3 – PSG have lost their last three league games immediately following a Champions League fixture

11 – Bottom side Dijon have lost their last 11 Ligue 1 games. One more will see them equal the French top-flight record of 12 in a row set by CA Paris in 1933/34.

Fixtures (Kick-offs GMT)

Friday

Metz v Lille (1900)

Saturday

Strasbourg v Paris Saint-Germain (1500), Montpellier v Marseille (1900)

Sunday

Rennes v Nantes (1100), Brest v Nimes, Lens v Lorient, Nice v Reims, Saint-Etienne v Bordeaux (all 1300), Monaco v Dijon (1505), Lyon v Angers (1900)

Original Source Author: AFP

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title First Appeared ON : https://arsenalweb.co.uk

The Article Lille trace unlikely path towards French title First Appeared ON : https://gqcentral.co.uk

This post Lille trace unlikely path towards French title first appeared on https://walrusvideo.com

[smashpages]

Nominees for the 2018 Eisner Awards announced

Comic-Con International has announced the nominees for the 2018 Eisner Awards, presented annually in San Diego at the convention.

Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda and My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris each received five nominations across various categories; other comics with multiple nominations included Mister Miracle, Black Hammer, The Flintstones, Grass Kings, Eartha and Hawkeye.

Check out the complete list of nominees below.

Best Short Story

“Ethel Byrne,” by Cecil Castelluci and Scott Chantler, in Mine: A Celebration of Liberty and Freedom for All Benefiting Planned Parenthood (ComicMix) “Forgotten Princess,” by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Antonio Sandoval, in Adventure Time Comics #13 (kaboom!) ”A Life in Comics: The Graphic Adventures of Karen Green,” by Nick Sousanis, in Columbia Magazine (Summer 2017), https://ift.tt/2I41VPy “Small Mistakes Make Big Problems,” by Sophia Foster-Dimino, in Comics for Choice (Hazel Newlevant) “Trans Plant,” by Megan Rose Gedris, in Enough Space for Everyone Else (Bedside Press)

Best Single Issue/One-Shot

Barbara, by Nicole Miles (ShortBox) Hellboy: Krampusnacht, by Mike Mignola and Adam Hughes (Dark Horse) Pope Hats #5, by Ethan Rilly (AdHouse Books) The Spotted Stone, by Rick Veitch (Sun Comics) What Is Left, by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell (ShortBox)

Best Continuing Series

Black Hammer, by Jeff Lemire, Dean Ormston, and David Rubín (Dark Horse) Giant Days, by John Allison, Max Sarin, and Liz Fleming (BOOM! Box) Hawkeye, by Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero, and Mike Walsh (Marvel) Monstress, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Image) The Wicked + The Divine, by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie (Image)

Best Limited Series

Black Panther: World of Wakanda, by Roxane Gay, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Alitha E. Martinez (Marvel) Extremity, by Daniel Warren Johnson (Image/Skybound) The Flintstones, by Mark Russell, Steve Pugh, Rick Leonardi, and Scott Hanna (DC) Mister Miracle, by Tom King and Mitch Gerads (DC) X-Men: Grand Design, by Ed Piskor (Marvel)

Best New Series

Black Bolt, by Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward (Marvel) Grass Kings, by Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins (BOOM! Studios) Maestros, by Steve Skroce (Image) Redlands, by Jordie Belaire and Vanesa Del Rey (Image) Royal City, by Jeff Lemire (Image)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8)

Adele in Sand Land, by Claude Ponti, translated by Skeeter Grant and Françoise Mouly (Toon Books) Arthur and the Golden Rope, by Joe Todd-Stanton (Flying Eye/Nobrow) Egg, by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books) Good Night, Planet, by Liniers (Toon Books) Little Tails in the Savannah, by Frederic Brrémaud and Federico Bertolucci, translated by Mike Kennedy (Lion Forge/Magnetic)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 9–12)

Bolivar, by Sean Rubin (Archaia) Home Time (Book One): Under the River, by Campbell Whyte (Top Shelf) Nightlights, by Lorena Alvarez (Nobrow) The Tea Dragon Society, by Katie O’Neill (Oni) Wallace the Brave, by Will Henry (Andrews McMeel) Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)

The Dam Keeper, by Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi (First Second/Tonko House) Jane, by Aline Brosh McKenna and Ramón K. Pérez (Archaia) Louis Undercover, by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault, translated by Christelle Morelli and Susan Ouriou (Groundwood Books/House of Anansi) Monstress, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Image) Spinning, by Tillie Walden (First Second)

Best Humor Publication

Baking with Kafka, by Tom Gauld (Drawn & Quarterly) Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1, by Tom King, Lee Weeks, and Byron Vaughn (DC) The Flintstones, by Mark Russell, Steve Pugh, Rick Leonardi, and Scott Hanna (DC) Rock Candy Mountain, by Kyle Starks (Image) Wallace the Brave, by Will Henry (Andrews McMeel)

Best Anthology

A Bunch of Jews (and Other Stuff): A Minyen Yidn, by Max B. Perlson, Trina Robbins et al. (Bedside Press) A Castle in England, by Jamie Rhodes et al. (Nobrow) Elements: Fire, A Comic Anthology by Creators of Color, edited by Taneka Stotts (Beyond Press) Now #1, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics) The Spirit Anthology, edited by Sean Phillips (Lakes International Comic Art Festival)

Best Reality-Based Work

Audubon: On the Wings of the World, by Fabien Grolleau and Jerémie Royer, translated by Etienne Gilfillan (Nobrow) The Best We Could Do, by Thi Bui (Abrams ComicArts) Calamity Jane: The Calamitous Life of Martha Jane Cannary, 1852–1903, by Christian Perrissin and Matthieu Blanchin, translated by Diana Schutz and Brandon Kander (IDW) Lennon: The New York Years, by David Foenkinos, Corbeyran, and Horne, translated by Ivanka Hahnenberger (IDW) Spinning, by Tillie Walden (First Second)

Best Graphic Album—New

Crawl Space, by Jesse Jacobs (Koyama Press) Eartha, by Cathy Malkasian (Fantagraphics) My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, by Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics) Stages of Rot, by Linnea Sterte (Peow) The Story of Jezebel, by Elijah Brubaker (Uncivilized Books)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

Boundless, by Jillian Tamaki (Drawn & Quarterly) Fantagraphics Studio Edition: Black Hole by Charles Burns, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics) Small Favors: The Definitive Girly Porno Collection, by Colleen Coover (Oni/Limerence) Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero, by Michael DeForge (Drawn & Quarterly) Unreal City, by D. J. Bryant (Fantagraphics)

Best Adaptation from Another Medium

Beowulf, adapted by Santiago García and David Rubín (Image) H. P. Lovecraft’s The Hound and Other Stories, adapted by Gou Tanabe, translated by Zack Davisson (Dark Horse) Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, adapted by Christophe Chabouté, translated by Laure Dupont (Dark Horse) Kindred, by Octavia Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings (Abrams ComicArts)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

Audubon: On the Wings of the World, by Fabien Grolleau and Jerémie Royer, translated by Etienne Gilfillan (Nobrow) Flight of the Raven, by Jean-Pierre Gibrat, translated by Diana Schutz and Brandon Kander (EuroComics/IDW) FUN, by Paolo Bacilieri, translated by Jamie Richards (SelfMadeHero) Ghost of Gaudi, by El Torres and Jesús Alonso Iglesias, translated by Esther Villardón Grande (Lion Forge/Magnetic) The Ladies-in-Waiting, by Santiago García and Javier Olivares, translated by Erica Mena (Fantagraphics) Run for It: Stories of Slaves Who Fought for the Freedom, by Marcelo D’Salete, translated by Andrea Rosenberg (Fantagraphics)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

Furari, by Jiro Taniguchi, translated by Kumar Sivasubramanian (Fanfare/Ponent Mon) Golden Kamuy, by Satoru Noda, translated by Eiji Yasuda (VIZ Media) My Brother’s Husband, vol. 1, by Gengoroh Tagame, translated by Anne Ishii (Pantheon) Otherworld Barbara, vol. 2, by Moto Hagio, translated by Matt Thorn (Fantagraphics) Shiver: Junji Ito Selected Stories, by Junji Ito translated by Jocelyne Allen (VIZ Media)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

Celebrating Snoopy, by Charles M. Shulz, edited by Alexis E. Fajardo and Dorothy O’Brien (Andrews McMeel) Crazy Quilt: Scraps and Panels on the Way to Gasoline Alley, by Frank King, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press) Foolish Questions and Other Odd Observations, by Rube Goldberg, edited by Peter Maresca and Paul C. Tumey (Sunday Press Books) Sky Masters of the Space Force: The Complete Dailies, by Jack Kirby, Wally Wood et al., edited by Daniel Herman (Hermes Press) Star Wars: The Classic Newspaper Strips, vol. 1, by Russ Manning et al., edited by Dean Mullaney (LOAC/IDW)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

Akira 35th Anniversary Edition, by Katsuhiro Otomo, edited by Haruko Hashimoto, Ajani Oloye, and Lauren Scanlan (Kodansha) Behaving MADly, edited by Craig Yoe (Yoe Books/IDW) The Collected Neil the Horse, by Arn Saba/Katherine Collins, edited by Andy Brown (Conundrum) Fantagraphics Studio Edition: Jaime Hernandez, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics) Will Eisner: The Centennial Celebration, 1917-2017, by Paul Gravett, Denis Kitchen, and John Lind (Kitchen Sink/Dark Horse)

Best Writer

Tom King, Batman, Batman Annual #2, Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1, Mister Miracle (DC) Matt Kindt, Grass Kings (BOOM! Studios); Ether (Dark Horse); Eternity, X-O Manowar (Valiant) Jeff Lemire, Black Hammer (Dark Horse); Descender (Image) Marjorie Liu, Monstress (Image) Mark Russell, The Flintstones (DC)

Best Writer/Artist

Lorena Alvarez, Night Lights (Nobrow) Chabouté, Moby Dick (Dark Horse); Alone, Park Bench (Gallery 13/Simon & Schuster) Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters (Fantagraphics) Cathy Malkasian, Eartha (Fantagraphics) Jiro Taniguchi, Furari, Louis Vuitton Travel Guide: Venice (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

Isabelle Arsenault, Louis Undercover (Groundwood Books/House of Anansi) Mitch Gerads, Mister Miracle (DC) Gary Gianni, Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea (Dark Horse) Ramón K. Perez, Jane (Archaia) David Rubín, Black Hammer #9 & #12, Ether, Sherlock Frankenstein #1–3 (Dark Horse); Beowulf (Image)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

Federico Bertolucci, Love: The Dinosaur, Little Tails (Lion Forge/Magnetic) EFA, Monet: Itinerant of Light (NBM) Jean-Pierre Gibrat, Flight of the Raven (EuroComics/IDW) Cyril Pedrosa, Portugal (NBM) Sana Takeda, Monstress (Image)

Best Cover Artist

Jorge Corona, No. 1 with a Bullet (Image) Nick Derington, Mister Miracle (DC); Doom Patrol (DC Young Animal) Brian Stelfreeze, Black Panther (Marvel) Sana Takeda, Monstress (Image) Julian Totino Tedesco, Hawkeye (Marvel)

Best Coloring

Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters (Fantagraphics) Mitch Gerads, Mister Miracle (DC) Ed Piskor, X-Men: Grand Design (Marvel) David Rubín, Ether, Black Hammer, Sherlock Frankenstein (Dark Horse); Beowulf (Image) Dave Stewart, Black Hammer, BPRD: Devil You Know, Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea, Sherlock Frankenstein, Shaolin Cowboy (Dark Horse); Maestros (Image) Rosemary Valero-O’Connell, What Is Left (ShortBox)

Best Lettering

Isabelle Arsenault, Louis Undercover (Groundwood Books/House of Anansi) Clayton Cowles, Bitch Planet: Triple Feature, Redlands, The Wicked + The Divine (Image); Black Bolt, Spider-Gwen, Astonishing X-Men, Star Wars (Marvel) Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters (Fantagraphics) Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo, Groo: Slay of the Gods (Dark Horse) John Workman, Mother Panic (DC Young Animal); Ragnorok (IDW)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows) The Comics Journal, edited by Dan Nadel, Timothy Hodler, and Tucker Stone, tcj.com (Fantagraphics) Hogan’s Alley, edited by Tom Heintjes Jack Kirby Collector, edited by John Morrow (TwoMorrows) PanelXPanel magazine, edited by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, panelxpanel.com

Best Comics-Related Book

Deconstructing the Incal by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Moebius, by Jean Annestay and Christophe Quillien (Humanoids) How Comics Work, by Dave Gibbons and Tim Pilcher (Wellfleet Press/Quarto Group) How to Read Nancy: The Elements of Comics in Three Easy Panels, by Paul Karasik and Mark Newgarden (Fantagraphics) Line of Beauty: The Art of Wendy Pini, by Richard Pini (Flesk) Monograph, by Chris Ware (Rizzoli) To Laugh That We May Not Weep: The Life and Times of Art Young, by Glenn Bray and Frank M. Young (Fantagraphics)

Best Academic/Scholarly Work

The Comics of Charles Schulz: The Good Grief of Modern Life, edited by Jared Gardner and Ian Gordon (University Press of Mississippi) Ethics in the Gutter: Empathy and Historical Fiction in Comics, by Kate Polak (Ohio State University Press) Latinx Superheroes in Mainstream Comics, by Frederick Luis Aldama (University of Arizona Press) Neon Visions: The Comics of Howard Chaykin, by Brannon Costello (LSU Press) Picturing Childhood: Youth in Transnational Comics, edited by Mark Heimermann and Brittany Tullis (University of Texas Press)

Best Publication Design

Akira 35th Anniversary Edition, designed by Phil Balsman, Akira Saito (Veia), NORMA Editorial, and MASH•ROOM (Kodansha) Celebrating Snoopy, designed by Spencer Williams and Julie Phillips (Andrews McMeel) Monograph, designed by Chris Ware (Rizzoli) My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, designed by Jacob Covey (Fantagraphics) Will Eisner: The Centennial Celebration, 1917-2017, designed by John Lind (Kitchen Sink/Dark Horse)

Best Digital Comic

Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover (Monkeybrain/comiXology) Barrier, by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin (Panel Syndicate) The Carpet Merchant of Konstaniniyya, by Reimena Yee (reimenayee.com/the-carpet-merchant) Contact High, by James F. Wright and Josh Eckert (gumroad.com/l/YnxSm) Harvey Kurtzman’s Marley’s Ghost, by Harvey Kurtzman, Josh O’Neill, Shannon Wheeler, and Gideon Kendall (comiXology Originals/Kitchen, Lind & Associates) Quince, by Sebastian Kadlecik, Kit Steinkellner, and Emma Steinkellner, translated by Valeria Tranier (Fanbase Press/comiXology)

Best Webcomic

Awaiting a Wave, by Dale Carpenter and Nate Powell, features.weather.com/us-climate-change/arkansas (The Weather Channel Digital) Brothers Bond, by Kevin Grevioux and Ryan Benjamin, www.webtoons.com/en/action/brothers-bond/list?title_no=1191 (LINE Webtoon) Dispatch from a Sanctuary City, by Mike Dawson, https://thenib.com/dispatch-from-a-sanctuary-city (The Nib) The Tea Dragon Society, by Katie O’Neill, teadragonsociety.com (Oni Press) Welcome to the New World, by Jake Halpern and Michael Sloan, www.michaelsloan.net/welcome-to-the-new-world/ (New York Times Sunday Review)