#fantasy sports data

[datasportsgroup]

[heckyeahponyscans]

Happy Fakie Friday! Today I'd like to talk about my personal definition of what makes a toy a "fakie", as I've had people bridle (hee hee) at some of my Fakie Friday picks in the past.

First, let's talk about what doesn't define a fakie.

A fakie doesn't have to be a bootleg (though they can be).

A fakie doesn't have to be made by an unknown, fly-by-night company. Remco was founded in 1949, Buddy L's toy division was founded in 1921.

A fakie doesn't have to have incomprehensible or poorly designed packaging.

A fakie doesn't have to be a poor quality or poorly thought out toy.

Okay, so what IS a fakie?

Fakies aren't about non-Hasbro horse toys being "bad" and Hasbro horse toys being "good"; it's about how impactful the My Little Pony brand is. Even in the years where the toyline was completely dormant, your average joe would look at a rainbow horse with a heart on its bum and think "My Little Pony."

^ This horse in Hercules isn't proportioned like a MLP at all but in the Year of Our Lord 1997 everyone was talking about "the scene where Pegasus was almost seduced by a My Little Pony." (Though the pink horse was actually the bad guys in disguise.)

I love fakies! But no matter how innovative and high quality are, they cannot escape being compared to the platonic ideal: a Real My Little Pony.

So here is my ultimate test of whether a toy horse is a fakie:

Throw away its packaging. Lose all its accessories. Toss it in a baggie with random small toys and hang it on a hook in Savers, Value Village, or Goodwill.

If your elderly relative who knows nothing about toys points out the baggie and says to you, the collector: "Oh, here's one with a My Little Pony in it", then it's a fakie. ;)

[rubberbandballqueen]

About your tags: is there more that you can share about the OW fandom and fics? This was a phenomenon I wonder about too. It was one of the most popular fandoms around 2017-2018, but the way the fandom stopped on its tracks around 2019 was hard not to notice. Especially from people who didn't play the game but were aware of it's fandom.

oh! overwatch is one of about 50-ish fandoms i track for this one spreadsheet project i do as a hobby (which i Technically blog about @fandom-data-scientist, but i've been too lazy to do a proper writeup to explain what the hell it is i do), wherein i try to answer the age-old question: when did the weebs move to ao3?

(the answer is late 2015/early 2016. most likely this was in large part a result of undertale and sports anime, but that's currently just my own conjecture)

According To My Research(tm), the overwatch fandom peaked in late 2016/early 2017 when it comes to the number of new fics posted per month. after this, it declined quite rapidly, as it didn't even get to enjoy a plateau period.

(there's a reason why the plots are really wonky towards the end of this graph-- it's bc i found the past dates for number of fics archived to a particular site via the wayback machine. since those snapshots are typically bot crawls, the number of fics shown on the fandoms listings will not include fics that have been archive-locked. although i technically started this project in august 2022, i did not add overwatch to my tracking list until this june/july or so. my current guess for the small uptick in the rate of ow fics published to ao3 in october 2022 is that the sequel came out? and then the rate plunged for january 2023 bc of the ai scraping scare that happened at around that time-- nearly every single fandom i track had a significant drop right then bc everyone was archive-locking their fics. the rate shooting up in like july 2023 on this chart is bc like i said, that's when i added ow to my list of tracked fandoms; because i'm logged into my own ao3 acct when checking these numbers live, i get access to the archive-locked fics and so the display number goes up.)

in my experience, fandoms will generally kind of plateau in their fic production after their peak, which will ofc normally gradually taper off. games that receive regular lore or story updates probably have fairly long or stable plateaus, although i haven't made scatterplots or made any comparing analyses to prove this rigorously. this plateau period generally represents a time of fandom stability as the fair-weather, casual, or migratory slash fans run off to the next big thing.

if we ignore the fact the plague and quarantine happened, we can see a nice, steady, and very consistent plateau period for the danganronpa fandom from about 2018-2020!

let's look at an older fandom, like my archnemesis final fantasy:

granted, the ao3 numbers are kind of all over the place these days, but you kind of get my point by now, right? that healthy fandoms tend to plateau as the wind carries away the faintly-interested and leaves the long-haulers behind to form their communities.

overwatch struck me as unusual when i was on one of my long wayback machine trips because of the way there was a net increase of only two fics published from 1 july 2021 to 1 october 2021, when before then it had usually been in the hundreds or so. i then went on a work tangent n googled around n more or less concluded it had Something to do with some kind of scandal with the development company, but otherwise i don't really have any more comments on it hahaha.

[athstat]

Epic Battle Sees France Triumph Over Argentina in HSBC Men's Sevens Final!

A nail-biting start saw France putting Argentina under immense pressure, but Rodrigo Isgro's crucial tackle kept Los Pumas Sevens in the game. Luciano Gonzalez then broke the deadlock with a powerful run, scoring in the left corner. Just before halftime, hometown hero Stephen Parez sparked joy for France with a sensational coast-to-coast try, giving them a 7-5 lead. Despite an early yellow card in the second half for Isgro, Tomas Elizalde's heroic try-saving effort wasn't enough. Jefferson-Lee Joseph extended France's lead, and Paulin Riva sealed the victory, crowning France as the champions. What a match! #HSBC7s #RugbyFinal #FranceVsArgentina

[dynastytrades]

Welcome to Episode 292 of the @DynastyTradesHQ Podcast!  "Preseason Ups & Downs, Moving On From Rookies & A Saltless Saltine Cracker With No Water!"

 With one week to go until the NFL season begins, the guys discuss some breaking news on a few fantasy relevant players!  This lead into discussions about some of the trades that have happen since the breaking news and how also long to wait before moving on from rookie players that we drafted.  They also discuss some of the players that have either caught their eye or have fallen from favor after the completion of the preseason.  Come hang out and have some fun with Shane Manila @ShaneIsTheWorst, Michael Cipes @FFBlitz, and Jeremy Browand @DynastyMadman It will be a blast!

 @DynastyTradesHQ Patreon is now called The HQCrew! Do you want the HQ guys to consult with you about your Dynasty team? Do you want a podcast t-shirt or hat? Would you like to get on the show with us? Do you want to listen to the new HQ After Dark podcast? Become a part of The HQCrew today!

 Find us on iTunes, Google Play Music, Stitcher, and PodBean. Please make sure you rate and review! You can find us on Twitter @DynastyTradesHQ.

The DynastyTradesHQ podcast (with your hosts Shane Manila @ShaneIsTheWorst, Michael Cipes @FFBlitz, and Jeremy Browand @DynastyMadman) goes beyond the obvious to bring you the right takes on trades, trade philosophies, and impact of ADP on trading. We’ll laugh, we’ll cry, and we’ll get through the crazy world of dynasty trading together every week!

[dontailor21]

How Data Analysis Is Transforming The Sports Industry?

[doctorwhoisadhd]

i’ve been seeing ur blaseball posts for a while now and i have to say i have No earthly idea what it is. is it a webcomic? a band?? a sport??? pls give me a crash course on this seemingly cool thing

well shes dead forever unfortunately (riv) BUT blaseball was an absurdist baseball sim that u watched in ur browser, basically like if fantasy football was simultaneously massively multiplayer AND an ARG and also completely fucking insane. it was the best because it ran at all hours of the day and was so so fucking insane and spawned a LOT of memes and fanworks especially art and music! one of the best fan communities for fan music that has maybe ever existed if not The best. ur experience of it was largely filtered thru the team u followed (mine was the hawaiʻi fridays)

here are some blaseball sites for u

blaseball roundups from the youtube, i would recommend starting here itll give u the cliff notes And the vibe. these were done in character, the anchor is a guy who exists in the blaseball universe, also later on they started to be Plot

sibr faq <- this will probably be more helpful but do the roundups first because itll throw u into the lore (and while im at it heres sibr aka the society for internet blaseball research but most of that will. probably be unintelligible. when stuff makes no sense consult the wiki. or ask a fan)

the wiki, where u can read about history and the players and teams and such

BEFORE <- this is where you can still to this day watch old games!!! i love u so much before thank you sibr for allowing me to relive the beautiful game that we are all love (sobbing crying throwing up)

the garages bandcamp <- by far the largest of the fan bands (though there was also the park park rangers and the hades tigers and the los angeli juxebox) there is so much music on here. the majority of it was made in the span of like a year and a half. i got music on there! i recommend starting with away games or blattle of the blands or reunion tour or one of the world tours, they have the widest variety of vibes and will help u learn about most of the teams (im not biased <- guy who has a couple songs in there)

theres also sites like reblase and blaseball-reference and such but those are just catalogues of old data i wouldnt think youd want to trawl thru those as much. theyre probably accessible via sibr anyway

also frankly just ask fans to tell you stories, go in the tag on here and just go in random peoples inboxes. youll pull up some fantastic stuff that way. blaseball was so active and alive and changing and no two people had the exact same experience of it. and god there will always be stories. we will always be telling stories

rest in violence blaseball. i will always love you and i will always miss you and it will never stop

[kaleidoscopic-quiddity]

that being said, my actual biggest issue w/ the bnha ending is Deku being a quirkless hero with an armoured All Might-esque supersuit.

now heres the thing, I don't hate Deku ending the story as quirkless. I, like loads of other people, assumed from fairly early on assumed that bnha would end either with Deku going back to being quirkless or, if not that, back to not having any of the OFA vestiges' quirks and just having that 'base' OFA super strength/speed, with which he could still continue being a pro hero

the thing is, I had always assumed that if bnha did go down the 'Deku loses OFA entirely and goes back to being quirkless' route then as a result of that, the whole 'this is the story of how I became the greatest hero' thing from the beginning of the story would take on a new light. the reveal would be that we, the audience, already saw Deku become the greatest hero over the course of the 2 wars and defeating AFO/Shigaraki, and/or that he would become the 'greatest hero' but not the kind hero that the audience assumed, instead working as a quirkless teacher/villain outreach worker/quirk analyist/hero assiant/etc.

and that would be pretty poignant endind would it not? a re-emphasising of this idea that its not just the pros who are heroes, but that everybody in society who 'reaches out' and works to make the world a better place is a hero too, regardless of how 'strong' they may or may not be, that it was never truly about having a powerful quirk and being a pro superhero, but by stopping those who want to do harm, and saving people, that's what truly made Deku the greatest hero

and like bnha's finale did kinda do that a bit with Deku being a heroics teacher at UA for eight years but then it, in my opinion, ruined that by having Deku become a quirkless-with-a-supersuit pro hero.

the thing is, if Deku couldve been a quirkless pro hero this whole time, then there was no reason for All Might to even give him OFA, and for the story as a whole, to happen. and I'm sure some people will counter that point by saying like 'oh but the suit cost LOADS of money' or 'but they were only able to make the suit after analysing the data from All Might's fight with AFO', but to me that just further proves why Deku getting a supersuit so he can be a quirkless pro hero is dumb.

All Might is the no.1 hero in Japan and is globally renowned, if he wanted to secure the funding to make Deku some kind of supersuit he couldve done that right when he met Deku as a quirkless middle schooler, but he didn't. in fact, when explicitly asked by Deku if he could become a hero, even without a quirk, All Might told him that being a quirkless pro hero was impossible. he didn't say that to be cruel or because he's fantasy-ableist or whatever, he said that because he genuinely believed it to be the truth, and he was right.

the fact that support items are not replacements for quirks and actual hero-ing skill/talent is established fairly early on. All Might mentions, some time around the sports festival if I remember correctly, that he's seen heroes who are overly reliant on their support items become useless/a liability once those items break. its a nice and tidy in-universe justification for why every hero isnt walking around with robot armour and ray guns and what have you. and okay, sure, bnha's finale is set eight years in the future, it could be reasonable to assume that in that time, plus with all the funding provided by class 1-a and All Might, that the support industry has really developed and Deku's supersuit is some absolute top of the line technology.

even then, there's still a glaring issue. we saw the exact scenario All Might described play out, WITH All Might. his supersuit was technological marvel, it let him get some genuine damage in on the most powerful villain ever, but ultimately it broke, and without it All Might was unable to fight, and became a liability that had to be rescued. and I'm not saying that to trash on All Might or anything, that is literally just how that quirkless-hero-with-a-supersuit scenario worked out for him.

and okay, sure, you could argue that Deku's supersuit, developed in the eight years since the war, using the data from that fight, and likely with even more money put into it, is a lot better than All Might's supersuit was, and also that it took AFO to wreck All Might's supersuit and its unlikely that there'll ever be a villain that powerful ever again so Deku doesn't have to worry about his own suit in the same way. and sure, you could even argue that non-quirkless pro heroes still have times when they're unable to use their quirks for one reason or another, and just have to rely on their own strength/skills/etc the same way Deku would if his supersuit broke or malfunctioned

but even with all that, my problem is is that it was established, multiple times, why it wasnt a viable option for Deku to just be a quirkless pro hero who used support items, and if the narrative wants to roll that back and go, no, wait, it is actually a totally viable option, then it just begs the question of why don't all pro heroes have supersuits, why is Deku the first quirkless person to become a pro hero in this way, and why, if this was an option, did the story even have to bother with Deku inhereting OFA and learning to make it his own power?

i get what they're going for here, having Deku be a quirkless pro hero with a supersuit is trying to play into the whole 'it was never the power, but rather who midoriya izuku is as a person, that makes him a great hero' but if you ask me its just such a cheap and deus ex machina-y way of doing it???

i genuinely think Deku either being quirkless and instead working in some other way that helps people and/or helps pro heroes help people OR keeping OFA (minus the vestiges' quirks) and going on to a pro hero, and in either scenario, having a moment with All Might and/or Bakugou where they emphasise to him that he is, and always was, a hero, regardless of a quirk, would just be infinitely more narratively coherent and satisfying

the bnha ending isnt terrible, and im certainly not saying people can't like it or trying to drag them if they do, but i am say that me, personally, i dont like it all that much, AND i think its bad writing

[runariya]

Drive to Survive (JJK) • Chapter 1 "Can't slow me down"

pairing: F1driver!Jungkook x female race engineer!reader genre: colleagues2L, formula1!AU, racing!AU, drama, kind of fantasy/cyborg!AU story rating: 18+, MDNI warnings: none word count: ~ 3.410

a/n: This work is purely fictional. All characters and events are entirely imaginary and do not reflect reality. Content errors related to the sport of Formula 1 are not excluded. Please do not use this story as your own. No translations are allowed without permission. Thank you for understanding! 💕

🎵 MIRANI, lilBoI, GroovyRoom, VALORANT - Can't slow me down 🎵

series masterlist • 02

Standing alone at the deserted pit stop of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, two days before the start of training for the eighteenth race out of twenty-four this weekend at the Hockenheimring in Germany, you can't help but exhale deeply. This moment marks the culmination of your ambitions, a goal you've pursued tirelessly since childhood.

Growing up in a motorsport family, you were immersed in the world of high-stakes automotive and racing enterprises equally surrounded by their high-ups thanks to your father. You admired everything about cars, particularly Formula 1. Every training session, qualifying round, and race became your passion and study material. Often, you found yourself in VIP lounges, observing the action alongside your father.

Your teenage years were a series of hard work and academic excellence, especially in STEM subjects like Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science. These achievements earned you prestigious positions in robotics and engineering clubs. While others spent their free time socialising and partying like every normal and healthy teenager would, you dedicated yours to assisting smaller racing clubs with car setups, data analysis, and strategy planning.

In your late teenage years, you had the opportunity to accompany your father to a race once more, this time with the goal of making your own connections. You were on the brink of completing your bachelor’s degree as one of the youngest graduates in the world, with additional majors in automotive and aeronautical engineering. This combination was designed to secure your future and fulfil your aspiration of becoming a race engineer. Despite facing constant belittlement and pushback for being a woman—a feminine woman at that—and having few friends besides a handful of aspiring F1 drivers and some girlfriends of family friends, your social skills remained intact, thanks largely to your mother’s unwavering support and guidance. Her words were engraved into every cell of your being: „It’s okay to have your own passion.“ she said one day after you were again bullied at school for being the only girl at the robotics club, „There’s nothing inherently feminine or masculine about it. Wanting something in a male-dominated field doesn’t mean you have to shut off your feminine side or stop embracing who you are. It’s all part of you, so be proud of it—so am I.“

Meeting Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, and Mattia Binotto, team principal of Ferrari, was a dream come true. Their genuine interest in your future within their teams was a validation of your hard work. That day also marked your first encounter with Jeon Jungkook, a prodigious new talent under the Mercedes team and son of a former, now retired F1 driver. After enduring his lingering gaze for several uncomfortable seconds, the lame flirting that followed ade you turn away silently in mild disgust. You had no desire to entertain such behaviour, something you had grown accustomed to dismissing as one of the few—and even fewer attractive—women in the field.

Years flew by as you completed both your bachelor's and master's degrees with flying colours, nothing able to slow you down. Your relentless pursuit of your dream resulted in an offer from the Haas team for a race engineer position for the upcoming season. Although not your first choice due to reservations about their team principal, you saw it as a stepping stone in your career.

A week ago, you received a call from an unknown number late at night. You frowned, debating whether to send it straight to voicemail, as you were never a fan of calls, especially from someone not in your contact list. But something—a deep feeling in your gut—made you pick it up at the last second. Your heart rate spiked and stopped several times during the call when Toto himself offered you the position of race engineer for their first driver starting next week even though the season was in full swing. You tried hard to keep your tears of happiness from being heard through the receiver as you accepted and thanked him. The next day, you signed the contract sent via email, and after consulting with your father and lawyers, you sent it back. Then, you called to decline Haas' offer, which had yet to be formalised with a contract or any other written confirmation.

Now, here you stand at the starting line of a new chapter in your life, ready to embrace the challenges and triumphs that await. As a reminder pings on your phone, alerting you that it’s time to head to the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Stuttgart for your first in-person briefing and introduction to the team and driver, you leave the premises of the ring with a smile on your face that illuminates the way to your car. A gentle breeze captures your hair, and the sunny day is filled with the sound of birds chirping—a symphony soon to be drowned out by the roar of engines.

As you arrive at the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz, you're granted access to the premises with an access card sent to you by post. Your own smiling face greets you from the card as you hang it around your neck. You drive towards the imposing glass building, its sheer size both awe-inspiring and commanding. Turning into the designated section of the underground garage, you park your car and make your way to the escalators. The ascent is smooth and swift, leading you up to the floor where the meeting room awaits. 

You are dressed in a modest, yet professional dress that strikes the perfect balance between formality and approachability. From the outset, you made it clear that you would not conform to the typical attire of the men—dress shirts and pants. This choice has been met without objection, thanks to the variety of coats and accessories available from the merchandise shop for the team while on track. Your attire, though different, fits seamlessly into the polished, modern and dynamic environment of Mercedes.

As you make your way to the meeting room, you pass several acquaintances of your father, exchanging quick greetings in the process. The building exudes an air of opulence and cutting-edge modernity, a testament to Mercedes-Benz's commitment to excellence. The walls are adorned with intricate technical drawings and striking photographs of every car model the company has produced, each piece telling a story of innovation and precision. 

In various corners, you notice miniature sculptures, meticulously crafted to capture the essence of the brand, alongside occasional pieces of abstract artwork that add a touch of artistic flair to the high-tech environment. These thoughtful touches elevate the space, creating a perfect blend of functionality and aesthetics. The glass front of the building provides a breathtaking view of the training grounds of the local football club, a team that competes in the national first league. You take a moment to appreciate the seamless integration of sports and engineering excellence, both striving for peak performance. 

Turning the last corner, the meeting room comes into view where you see Toto, the technical director James Allison, George Russell's race engineer Song Joongki, George Russell himself, and Jeon Jungkook waiting for you. Walking confidently towards them, Jungkook is the first to notice you, his expression shifting from surprise to confusion, then realisation, and finally settling on repulsion within seconds. Internally, you sigh; professionalism, it seems, might be a stretch for him today.

You softly knock on the open door with a friendly smile, making eye contact with everyone as you greet them. Toto is the first to stand and quickly walks over to you, prompting everyone else to rise except for Jungkook, who only stands after George nudges him and whispers, "Don't be a dick."

You shake hands with Toto, a moment you had long dreamed of in this setting. "Good morning, __. Thank you for being here."

As Toto turns around and introductions follow, the room reveals a spectrum of reception, from warmth to evident boredom, particularly palpable in Jungkook's demeanour.

„Please have a seat.“ He motions to the empty chair beside him and Joongki. To your right, at the head of the table, are Toto and James, with Jungkook directly in front of you and George beside him.

Undeterred by Jungkook's thinly veiled hostility, which is a familiar challenge throughout your career, you settle in, extracting your tablet from your purse as Toto initiates the proceedings.

„Today, we’re introducing our new race engineer for Jungkook, ___. ___, welcome to the team.“ 

„Thank you, it’s great to be here.“

The encouraging voice of the James catches your attention. „We’re glad to have you onboard. You’ll be working closely with Jungkook, and I know you bring a wealth of knowledge that’ll compensate for your lack of experience.“

„Yeah, welcome to the team. And if you need any help settling in or understanding our processes, feel free to ask.“ Joongki smiles kindly your way, toying with his pencil.

„Thank you, I appreciate that.“

Toto continues, ignoring Jungkook’s scoff beside him. „As you know, our team philosophy revolves around meticulous preparation and strategic execution. Let’s discuss what you’ve been focusing on since joining us a week ago and how we’ll integrate your approach into our existing strategies.“

Now it's your time to shine. Every previous conversation in this field has been off-track and informal. Now is your chance to prove you are worth their trust and the right choice for the job. „Certainly. I’ve been reviewing the recent race data and simulations, especially focusing on Jungkook’s driving style and preferences. I’ve also been familiarising myself with our car’s setup and the team’s historical performance at this circuit.“ 

As you mention Jungkook's name, you glance briefly at him. He stares back at you without blinking or moving, his reaction unclear—whether positive or negative that you mentioned his name. 

„Good to hear. Jungkook has specific preferences regarding car balance and feedback. Have you had a chance to discuss these details with them?“ James asks further.

„Not yet, but I’ve prepared a setup proposal based on our simulations and historical data. I plan to discuss it with Jungkook later today, if he’s free.“

Jungkook's eye twitches at that, his face showing clear signs of displeasure. Nonetheless, he nods his head once.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, George interjects casually with a warm laugh to ease the tension, „Jungkook prefers a more stable rear end through the high-speed corners, just a heads-up. He’s very particular about it.“

„Understood. I’ll make sure to incorporate that into our setup options.“ you note it down immediately.

„Our drivers rely heavily on trust and communication with their engineers. Building that rapport is crucial for success on the track. How do you plan to approach this relationship?“ Toto challenges you, making it clear everyone in the room senses Jungkook's hostility.

You are certain that the job requirements themselves will not be the most challenging aspect; rather, it will be establishing a stable relationship with Jungkook. His approval and cooperation will ultimately determine whether you can secure your position and succeed in this role or face immediate dismissal.

You met Jungkook's gaze directly, intent on conveying your sincerity. “I believe in open communication and transparency. I aim to build a strong working relationship with Jungkook based on mutual trust and respect. I’ll be proactive in seeking their feedback and ensuring they feel fully supported.”

Your words seem to have struck a nerve, evidenced by Jungkook's growing irritation. There’s a short silence until George discreetly kicks Jungkook under the table. Jungkook coughs, masking a wince from the kick, and replies with a forced smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, “I appreciate that approach. Communication is key during the race weekend, especially with strategy adjustments and car performance updates.”

You are slightly startled by James' clap. “Perfect. Let’s ensure our focus remains on optimising our performance for the upcoming race. ___, if you need any additional resources or support, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re all here to ensure both drivers have the best possible setup and strategy.”

“Thank you. I’m excited to contribute to our team’s success.”

“Excellent. Let’s continue our preparations. We have a packed schedule ahead of us. ___, welcome once again. Let’s make this a successful weekend.” Toto's words do little to soothe the burn of Jungkook's scrutinising stare.

After one and a half hours of intense briefing, Toto finally adjourns the meeting. The next session is set for Friday morning at the track, with every staff member involved in the training scheduled for that day.

As the room begins to empty, George turns to you with a warm smile. “Okay, let me properly welcome you to the team. I’m super excited to have you on board.”

“I’m very honoured, thank you, Mr. Russell.”

“Oh, please, call me George.” Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Jungkook rolling his eyes and throwing his head back while George approaches and embraces you in a short, welcoming hug.

“Oh wow, you’re taller than I thought,” you say to George after pulling away, Jungkook faking gag sounds. 

“And you’re so tiny.” George ruffles your hair which earns him a playful glare. “Anyways, I’ll leave you both to it. See you tomorrow.” He winks and heads out. After a moment, his head pops back in. “You,” he points to Jungkook, “behave.” And with that, he's gone.

A silence stretches between you and Jungkook, both of you locking gazes in a challenge you didn’t realise was happening until you blink and Jungkook bursts out, “Ha! You lost.”

You blink again, slower this time, perplexed by the absurdity of it all. “Okay, now that that’s settled, let’s get down to business, shall we? So, the Hockenheimring was dropped from the calendar for the last few years, so it’ll be not only new to me but also to…”

Jungkook interrupts, “Why are you so obsessed with me?”

You slowly turn your gaze from your tablet to him, blinking as you compose yourself. “We should obviously review the track. I’m sure you’re aware of its tight hairpins and long straights. Also, I’d like to know your preferred tires so the technical sectors don’t…”

Jungkook scoffs, clearly not having listened to a word you said. His arms are crossed, his look equal parts challenging and condescending. “It all makes sense now. You’ve been obsessed with me since the first time you saw me. Doing everything in your power to work with me. Even graduating ridiculously young and declining the offer from Haas.”

Your irritation reaches a boiling point. “I think it’s funny you’ve kept tabs on me for all those years.”

“No, I haven’t. It’s common knowledge. You’ve always wanted a piece of me. It’s flattering, really.”

“I can assure you, my interest has always been in the job, not in you. And it’s flattering to know that my vitae seems to be common knowledge to you.”

“Sure, sure. You don’t have to play coy. It’s perfectly natural to be drawn to someone as experienced as I am. But let’s keep things professional, alright?”

“Fine by me.” You smile at him, relieved that he seems to be cooperating. “So, yes. The tires you’d prefer to…”

Jungkook interrupts again, and you slump defeatedly into your seat, looking at the ceiling. “It’s just that your enthusiasm to work with me comes off as a bit… personal. But don’t worry, I can handle it.”

Having had enough of this kindergarten behaviour, you counter with a flat tone. “If anyone’s having trouble handling things, it seems to be you. Your comments suggest you’re projecting your own feelings onto me.”

“Projecting? That’s a bit of a reach. I’m just stating what I’ve observed.” Jungkook acts surprised, an exaggerated hand on his chest.

After spending the first hours with Jungkook in this room, you knew you’d have to set boundaries and make your intentions clear. It’s well known in the media that he’s a flirt, and sometimes his success goes to his head. But you’re trained and prepared for this kind of behaviour. It’s not your first nor will it be your last rodeo.

“What you’ve observed is likely coloured by your own assumptions. I’m here to work. If you feel uncomfortable with my presence, perhaps it’s your own obsession that’s the issue.”

Jungkook’s ears tint red. “My obsession? That’s absurd. I’m perfectly professional.”

And for good measure, you push further. “Yet you seem fixated on making this about something other than work. It’s almost as if you’re trying to convince yourself of something.” You can’t suppress the twitch of your lip.

“I… No, that’s not it at all. I’m just pointing out what I’ve noticed.” He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, the red tint slowly spreading from his ears to his cheeks.

And because you’re a little bit petty because of his behaviour in the hours prior, you make him squirm a little bit more. “What you’ve noticed is a fabrication of your own making. Let’s stay focused on the race. If you can’t handle working with me professionally, that says more about you than it does about me.”

“I’m completely professional! It’s just… Look, let’s just get this done.” Jungkook is clearly embarrassed.

“Exactly. Let’s focus on the tires for now and leave personal assumptions out of it, hm?” The smile you send him is plastic.

The atmosphere in the room is thick with tension. Jungkook's eyes dart away, his earlier bravado crumbling. He clears his throat and finally sits straight up, pulling his own tablet in front of him.

"Fine, let's talk about the tires," he says, his tone grudgingly compliant.

You take a deep breath, trying to reignite the professional spirit that this meeting was supposed to uphold. "The Hockenheimring has a mix of high-speed straights and tight hairpins, so we'll need a tire that offers a balance between grip and durability. What’s your preference?"

Jungkook’s expression becomes more focused, the professionalism shown for the first time. Something you only heard about. “Mediums for the practice sessions, hards for the race. We can test softs during qualifying.”

You nod, noting down his preferences. “Good choice. The mediums should give us the flexibility we need for adjustments. Now, about the strategy for turn six. It's notorious for causing understeer. We need to adjust the front wing angle…”

As you delve into the technical details, you notice Jungkook finally paying attention. His eyes are on the data, and he’s engaging with the information. The earlier hostility seems to fade, replaced by a shared focus on the task at hand. 

“This setup should help mitigate the understeer,” you continue, showing him the adjustments on the screen. “It’ll also improve stability through the Parabolika.”

Jungkook nods, his demeanour much more serious now. “That makes sense. I’ve had issues with that turn in the simulation. If we can nail the setup, it’ll give us a significant advantage.”

“Exactly,” you say with a genuine smile in your face, feeling a small sense of accomplishment. “And for the long straights, we’ll need to optimise the downforce. It’s a tricky balance, but I believe we can find the sweet spot.”

The conversation flows more smoothly, the professional exchange slowly bridging the gap that had earlier felt insurmountable. By the time you wrap up the discussion, there’s a mutual respect in the air.

“Alright, I think we’re set for now,” you say, shutting off your tablet. A smile now permanently on your face, you notice Jungkook's motions falter a bit as he packs up, his gaze meeting yours. He seems taken aback by your joyful demeanour, having not noticed the shift in your expression since the conversation turned serious some time ago. “I’ll finalise these settings and we’ll review them again on Friday.”

Jungkook stands, looking somewhat still not fully convinced of you but also more cooperative. “Thanks for the detailed rundown. I appreciate it.”

Still, you offer him a genuine smile, hoping this marks the beginning of a more collaborative relationship. “No problem. Let’s make sure we’re both on the same page from here on out.”

He nods, and with a final, respectful glance, he leaves the room. You watch him go, feeling a mix of relief and cautious optimism. It’s been a challenging start, but you’re determined to make this partnership work.

As the door closes behind him, you take a deep breath, gathering your thoughts. The road ahead is long, but with focus and determination, you’re confident that you’ll both rise to the challenge.

series masterlist • 02

a/n 2: lmk what you think in any way you like! please send me a message, ask or comment if you would like to be tagged for upcoming chapters 💕 also - character asks and drabble requests are open

Like what you read? Check out my other work here!

All Rights Reserved © @runariya 2024

[rhodophoria]

thank you for tagging me @covfefeships !! finally got around to finishing this lol

Do you make your bed? kind of? i pull the sheets up but it's not perfectly pressed and put together

Favorite number? don't really have one!

What’s your job? in between serious careers atm but on the side i'm doing data entry and managing websites

If you could go back to school would you? ehhh maybe a loooong time in the future, if i absolutely needed the certification for something

Can you parallel park? not well lmao

Do you think aliens are real? sure. gotta be something somewhere.

Can you drive a manual car? nope, never tried!

What’s your guilty pleasure? cheddar and sour cream chips. i fucking love that shit but they give me awful acid reflux so i try to stay away

Tattoos? not yet. am still pondering designs

Favorite color? either an oxblood red or dark, electric purple

Favorite types of music? i'm all over the place, but i mostly listen to alternative r&b, rock, and electronic/synthpop.

Do you like puzzles? i guess? depends on how you define puzzles. i really like word searches and stuff like sudoku

Any phobias? bugs, but specifically ones that fly and/or bite. the buzzing noise freaks me out. i've had really bad experiences w/ getting swarmed and chewed up lol

Favorite childhood sport? probably a tie between swimming and softball. i think i enjoyed softball the most though.

Do you talk to yourself? not a lot, actually. if i do it's all internal and never out loud.

What movies do you adore? all of my favorites are always adventure/action, and usually either sci-fi or fantasy

Coffee or tea? both! coffee in the mornings, tea in the afternoon/evenings.

First thing you wanted to be growing up? doctor maybe? or something similar. i used to be fascinated with medical shows/surgery documentaries when i was like 4-5 lmao

i'll taggggg @vii-naught and anyone else who'd like to share!

[pumpkinnning]

Your tags on that Charles and Ferrari post ring so true!!!

(I'm assuming this is the same anon 😅)

yes exactly ! The way people have been talking about Charles re:Ferrari lately has felt kind of very one note and low key a bit disrespectful ngl like he's too stupid to quit something that's hurting him but like you said, it's not like he has any better options at the moment. He would maybe have a better car at RBR or Merc but he would clearly be on "enemy" territory and I think people underestimate how much fitting in a team impacts performance. (And it's not like those teams have an actual opening rn)

And yeah like @mountinez pointed out very accurately, it's his choice, he's a grown man and he knows his options far better than any of us do.

And putting the idea of an individual win so far above a win with the team he loves is very idk...focus on the toxic macho individualistic superman aspect of sports (It's the part of DTS i find honestly really annoying i think they should pay more attention to the team work and the mechanics and all the others who make this possible instead of staging all those fake little cockfights but anyway) it's like all those pundits saying Charles should Take Charge more like a Real Man and invent his own strategies and everything else instead of you know trusting the people whose job it is and actually have the data like bitch please !!!!

Like in the end I'm a Charles fan before anything else so if he leaves Ferrari I will think it's badass and healthy and if he stays I will praise his loyalty and commitment 😂😂 but whatever he does there will be a chance for it to fail and it will be easy to talk shit about what he should have done in hindsight but the truth is we don't know shit about what is really happening behind the scenes and a big part of it is down to luck and timing

And when it comes to rpf and writing fictional narratives inspired by all this - yes of course the pain and addiction of devotion to sth that doesn't love you back and the martyr/saint imagery it's all very compelling

Lmfao anyway yes i am in the Thinking about Themes part of writing fic rn but yeah !!! I find this whole thing incredibly compelling and if/when Charles wins the WDC with Ferrari I will cry like a little baby for 3 days at least

but there is also a lot more there !!!

what about the power fantasy of loving sth so hard you change its very nature ? What if patient love and commitment gets rewarded for once ? (What does it mean if we write it as always destined for failure?)

What about saying no this imperfect thing i am fighting for is mine actually i am taking ownership and I am not going to cede ground to people playing selfish little games with it or leave it to crumble and succumb to its worst impulses ?

Most of all, what about the journey mattering more than the end and the people you chose to do this with mattering more than the victory and honoring your dreams and passion mattering more than beating the statistics ?

If we are going to write stuff inspired by real people we should at least try to honor a bit of the complexity of real life and give space to complex ambivalent feelings

[warningsine]

But nobody had more secrets–or prowled those gray areas better– than KALINDA SHARMA, the firm’s tough, savvy, leather-wrapped private investigator. For my money, she was not just the most interesting character on the show–over her six year run on the show she was arguably most entertaining and consistently intriguing private eye on American television.

In fact, despite the numerous modern touches (data banks, computer hacking, cellphone taps and the oh-so-modern nods to her ambiguous sexuality), Kalinda is in many ways a throwback to the genre’s roots.

As played by Archie (Bend It like Beckham) Panjabi, she presented a tightly wound professionalism rarely seen in the genre these days, never mind on mainstream television. The leather she sported was not the skin-clinging stuff of adolescent centerfold fantasy (although she certainly wore it well). Rather, she wore it like armor; a thick shell to keep the world at bay.

Her antecedents weren’t nice guys like Jim Rockford or Thomas Magnum. Nope, her roots went back much further, back to a time when private eyes weren’t automatically expected to be warm and cuddly.

Professionally she wasn’t just cold–she was Hammett-cold. Hard and brassy when she had to be. Hell, the way she dispassionately worked her cases, facing down her enemies without flinching,  and standing up to violence and staring it straight in the eye, she could be The Continental Op‘s illegitimate daughter.

But she wasn’t a one-note character, either.

A shrewd and clever investigator, she’d do whatever and go wherever it took (from dumpster diving to infiltrating high school locker rooms to, yes, sleeping with someone to pry information from them) to get what she wanted. She was a breath of fresh air and surprising complexity and moral ambiguity in a television genre that too often treats even major characters as shallow stick figures whose entire essence is delineated by the first commercial break.

The more we’re told about Kalinda, it turns out, the less we actually know.

Like much of the show, it’s not just her loyalty, ethics, allegiances and motives that are ultimately shaded in ambivalence–her personal life is also somewhere in the “don’t ask, don’t tell” area.

Is she a dispassionate hard ass who only lives for the job? Or an anything-goes party girl? Is she a lesbian? Bisexual? Straight as a crooked arrow? Non-binary? Asexual?

During her six years on the show, it was always hard to tell to pin down Kalinda. How much was really her and how much was simply a convenient persona to slip into?

But it was that frostiness, coupled with the murkiness of her background and her hard-boiled professionalism that kept me coming back. In  the first season, it was revealed that she used to work for Peter, but she seemed willing to sell him out to his political enemies. Or was she?

In the second season, however, Kalinda really came into her own, even as the veneer of her personal life oh-so-slowly started to slip. A merger brought Blake (Scott Porter), a professional rival, into the firm, but it was instantly obvious these two were not going to get along, either personally or professionally. And matters were exacerbated when Blake began to taunt Kalinda, dropping hints that he knew all about her past. Lucky him. We sure didn’t.

Suffice it to say she didn’t take it well. Given her buttoned-down aloofness, Kalinda’s hands-on attack on Blake’s unprotected car with a aluminium baseball bat is shocking and unsettling. But even giving into rage she’s still enough of a hard-ass to challenge a witness who stumbles her impulsive act of vandalism in the deserted parking garage. “What the hell are you looking at?” she demands of the awestruck citizen. “Call the police!”

And then, as the citizen scurries off to alert the authorites, she continues to destroy the car.

Now that’s cold.

Later on that season an old lover, Donna (brilliantly played by Lili Tyler), also shows up, with an unspecified axe to grind, although it has something to do with Kalinda not being “domestic” enough–whatever that means.

Alas, in the last few years of her run on the show, Kalinda’s screen time was severely reduced (she below), and she became just another great character in a show full of them.

Those last few years were particularly disappointing, but even then, Kalinda was always absolutely riveting to watch, the held-in-check ambivalence and ambiguity a facet of her evolving character; not a cookie cutter substitute for actual depth.

Imagine! An old fashioned gumshoe, actually working cases on behalf of a client. No ghostly visitors providing convenient clues, no psychic baloney, no CSI voodoo, no burned spies, no OC cases, no human lie detectors, no personal agendas on every single case – just a hard-boiled dick who gets hired to investigate and actually works cases.

How long has it been since we’ve seen THAT?

Her much trumpeted farewell, with Kalinda betraying a violent drug dealer in an attempt to protect her friends, ends with her facing off against the dealer’s slimy toad of a lawyer, who realizes what a ruthless piece of work she is. He asks her, almost in desperation–his own days may be numbered– if she’s consider teaming up with him.

“No, I’m good,” she says, her last lines of a six-year run.

No, she was great.

(x)

[protege-not-protagonist]

Grace's note books:

Grace has a note book for almost everything in her life. She has her art journal, her project book, her sleep journal, her case book, a few junk journals and a different slim note book for each month to use as a planner and catch all. And she has many more but that doesn't mean she uses them. She forgets what's in most of the ones she doesn't use regularly and ends up creating new ones all the time. This note book here above is one Grace has dedicated to recording game plans, notes and scores. This is an important note book for her, because Grace is extremely competitive.

This note book started one day when a mutual friend, Troy, taught her about Fantasy Sports, which to her disappointment, was not games like quidditch. He explained that it was creating statistically stacked teams by picking the best players of multiple teams to bet on during a whole season of a game. Grace realised that although Troy didn't know it, he was an excellent statistician and profiler. And after a miserable defeat in Trivathlon last year, exactly the kind of person their team needed as a 'coach.'

Troy joined their trivia team and Grace helped teach him to transfer his skills in recognising plays and strengths in baseball, to trivia. Grace takes her notebook each week to trivia and writes the scores down for the week, and uses her skills as a profiler to figure out which players at which table are the strongest and most confident with the questions asked.

She has also taught Troy how to look for the same cues and take the same notes for when she is not there. But he is not as subtle as she is. So to hide Troy's intense stares and looks of concentration when observing the teams, Grace made sure their team got a specific table in the bar with an advantageous position. It allows Troy to watch the teams in the mirrored side board behind the bar under the TV's that play the sports. Grace and Troy will then take the scores home and put them in a shared excel sheet and use the data to figure out which team's topics have been picked that week, what each team and each players strengths are, and they also research the players on other teams to try to predict what the questions will be about the next week so their team can study beforehand.

Grace also writes things she observes from her chess games with Dr Reid in this note book. She is not good at chess, not at all. But she is determined to win one game, genuinely, because of course Dr Reid lets her win some because he doesn't like feeling like he is bullying her.

Grace has a plan, and it will take a long time, but the satisfaction of winning will be worth it. Slowly she is learning how Dr Reid plays. She is not focused on developing her own skill set, only testing what his is. For Grace, nothing is a stronger motivator than being told she can't do something.

Details from the Protege - an enlarged version of the note book on Grace's desk.

Taglist: @bridgeoverstrawberryfields @pleasantwitchgarden @cultish-corner

[themadlu]

✨Unsolicited Lore Dump✨

Thank you @spacebarbarianweird for the tag – and apologies in advance for being a pretty boring human being XD Here's some "Lore" dump nobody needs in their lives.

Do you make your bed? I...try. But I am chaos and I function in chaos.

Favorite number? None really. If I had to pick, maybe 5.

What’s your job? Data scientist for the bills, editor for the soul.

If you could go back to school would you? Uni, yeah, sure! High school, absolutely not.

Can you parallel park? Yes, but I (also) don't have a license.

Do you think aliens are real? We're all someone's aliens.

Can you drive a manual car? Only manual cars, never tried automatic.

What’s your guilty pleasure? Trashy music or films.

Tattoos? Five for now.

Favorite color? Black and white (is it football-related? Yes it is).

Favorite types of music? Folk, rap, classical and techno.

Do you like puzzles? Jigsaws no, puzzles for the mind yes.

Any phobias? Vomiting. Just no. Kids too, sometimes.

Favorite childhood sport? Football and WWE (I know it's basically a show, but little me had no idea).

Do you talk to yourself? Not really.

What movies do you adore? Horrors, fantasy, comedies.

Coffee or tea? Coffee for life. The last coffee before bed is the best.

First thing you wanted to be growing up? A politician.

Tagging: anyone who wants to take part!