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euphoricimagination · 7 months

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Summary: The final match of the first selection is here, who will win? Team V or Team Z?

Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 -> Masterlist

You are now sitting on your futon watching Bachira, Isagi and Igarashi play a game about guessing what each face means, watching in even more amusement as Iemon scolds them for not being serious enough. Suddenly Raichi goes to where Kuon is, attacking him before Isagi stops him.

"You idiot! I'm not playing! Even if Team Z loses I'll still advance as the top scorer. Doing nothing at all is in my best interest!" Kuon says, making Raichi even more mad

"Then, if I score three more goals to the one I have, I'll become the scoring king with four goals. That makes you still want to do nothing?" Asks him Kunigami

"Ha! That's impossible, there's n-"

"I also can try to do that, whoever scores the first gets to do that, deal?" You interrupt, asking Kunigami who nods at your idea

"That's fair"

"Just go ahead and try, you will just get in the way of each other" Kuon scoffs

"Nah, if Kunigami scores first, I'll help him so he can keep scoring, same if I score first, hell, even Isagi is fine…no offense, Isagi" you say

"None taken"

"At the end of the final match" Bachira starts "if, say, Isagi and Kuon both had three goals…then who would move on to the next round?"

"Probably the one that had fewer yellow cards, right?" Answers Chigiri

"What if all of it is the same?"

"Then whoever has the higher ranking would move on" answers Ego from the screen "Hello everyone, Jinpachi Ego here"

"Not you again" you mumble, slightly annoyed, making Chigiri chuckle

"You really don't like him, huh?"

"He's…he talks too much" you answer, if only he knew how long you've known him he would understand.

"I won't deny that"

"Right now I'll announce the second ranking of the first selection round!" He says, showing the rankings from 265 to 275:

Kuon - Chigiri - Yn - Isagi - Kunigami - Gagamaru - Bachira - Iemon - Raichi - Nahruhaya - Igarashi

"Ha! I'm at the top!" Kuon says, a bunch of complaints arising

"As a striker you're the lowest of the low" Ego explains "actually, all of you are basically garbage"

"Tsk, how dare him" you hear Chigiri say annoyed

"What the world's best striker needs is" Ego continues "A goal that can be duplicated! You need a formula that will reliably produce goals!"

He keeps talking, you slowly start to get bored, so you unconsciously start leaning on Chigiri's back. He gets surprised at first, but doesn't say anything as you keep laying your head there.

"The only one that seems to have some consistency in this team is Yn, he's the one that has shown some consistency in the way on how he plays, but there's still a lot of work to do" Ego finishes his speech "those who can't find a formula can piss off"

Raichi goes to say something to Kuon as you stop leaning on Chigiri's back, receiving a smug yet playful look from him

"I'm a position higher than you" he smirks at you

"Shut up, it was just because of that goal"

"Well, yeah, that's how it works"

"I'll make sure to pass you again" you say as Bachira jumps in your back, almost making you fall if it wasn't for Chigiri's support

"Yn! You got praised!" He says. How could you even stand properly with Bachira on top of you was a mystery even for you

"That bastard never praised anyone and when he does is half assed" you scoff as Bachira laughs

"One day he's gonna hear you and you'll be in trouble" Chigiri chuckles

"As if he doesn't talk about us behind our backs too, he ain't doing nothing to me" at that moment Isagi leaves the dorm running

"Eh? Where's he going?" Bachira asks

"Just let him be, he's probably trying to find some formula"

"Most likely. What about you? Do you have a formula?" Asks you Chigiri

"I don't play with those complicated stuff, I know my strong points already"

"Confidence! That's good Yn!" Bachira adds as he keeps clinging onto you. What was the point of thinking too much about it anyway? There's no physical way you could even become the best striker in the world even if you wanted to.

+++

You are now reviewing the match between Team W and Team Y, the meeting being led by Iemon as he informs you that you were in third place, which means that you have to win no matter what against Team V, against Nagi and Reo.

"...Team V key players are these 3; with five goals, Zantetsu Tsurugi; with six goals, Reo Mikage; and the team top scorer, with seven goals, Nagi Seishiro. If we don't stop them, we have no hope of winning"

"Nagi is kinda cute" you whisper to yourself while looking at the screen

"Eh?" Chigiri asks you

"Eh? I said Nagi must be really good" you say looking at the screen, thank god he didn't actually heard you

"He has to, seven goals is mad crazy" Chigiri says "but we have an amazing player ourselves" he pats your hair

"Stop doing that" you say, trying hard not to blush

"Nah, your hair is fluffy" he smirks as he does it again

"We have had the luck and enough skills to survive, we can do this" Kunigami says as you start to come out of the multimedia room towards the dorm.

Everyone seem to be acting pretty normal despite the circumstances, you thought that by now everyone will start to freak out, after all you were playing against the team that has never lost, a team where the strongest player has made 7 goals without tricky moves like Kuon, who only had 3 goals and was the highest one in our team. Everything just seemed…normal.

You all start opening your futons when everyone becomes quiet, an unusual thing in this team.

"Hey Yn" Chigiri calls you, everyone eyes suddenly on you "aren't you nervous?"

"Ehh" you say to think, what could you possibly say to make them calm down? "Not really, but I get why everyone can be"

"How aren't you nervous? Are you a robot or something?"

"Because tomorrow I'll do everything I can to not lose; of course I want us to win, but if we don't, at least I would be able to leave without regrets"

"Eh? What are you talking about, loser? We will win" Raichi says, turning around to sleep

"I get being nervous" you say to Chigiri, laying down on your futon "But we can't do anything about it now, we practiced as hard as we could, we got as good as we can be for now, and we have a strategy, we just need to do what we have been doing this whole time"

"You're right" Chigiri stretches his hand to pat your head, but you can still feel his hand shaking slightly as he stands up "I'm going to do some self care in my leg, night"

Someone turns off the light, you lay there in an eerie silence. You were a bit nervous, you wanted to win after all, but you also had to make sure they aren't as nervous so they could play at the best of their abilities tomorrow. You heard someone coming into the room, but fell asleep shortly after that.

+++

The last match was already here, you were playing as a center forward, since you were one of the ones that had most possibilities for a goal along with Chigiri, Kunigami and Gagamaru.

"We’ll go with these four, who’ve already gotten us one goal each with their skills" Iemon explains in the lockers "Team V’s offensive power is no small matter! We’ll keep our defense tight on them and keep blocking the enemy’s attacks! Then these four on the front line will make a speedy counterattack to score! Ideally, we’ll be able to win 1-0! Without Kuon, this is the only realistic chance that we have!"

After Raichi warned Kuon again and everyone hyped themselves up as you walked towards the field.

"Hey" Chigiri calls you extending his arm so you can cross it with yours "Let's do everything we can to win"

"Let's" you cross it "Don't chicken out today"

"Ha! Never again"

You walk into the field, Team V already there waiting for you. A small smirk appears on Reo's face once he crosses eyes with you, cockyness written on his face.

Team V is the one who starts the kick off, Nagi passes it to Reo, Bachira and Isagi guards him, making him pass to Zantetsu. So far is like every play you have watched, things are going according to plan. Zantetsu also gets blocked by the team, so he passes to Nagi, however Igaguri is able to intercept the pass and passes it to Isagi, who sends it towards Bachira and ultimately passes it to Gagamaru. Sadly it was very messy, so Gagamaru had to dive in to hit it, missing the goal just slightly.

"Close" you say as you help him stand up

"I'll get it next time"

"Holy crap, that was cool!" You hear Reo "Hey Nagi, let's try that!"

The moment Reo kicks off the ball again, he sends a long, fast pass at top spin, a pass that wouldn't work with anyone except for him. Nagi easily jumps and traps the ball, stopping all the spin and kicking it, making a goal in seconds.

The team is amazed, but you were kind of expecting this, Ego had given you some details of the players at the beginning of the project, even then Nagi was a prodigy.

"Don't start panicking now, we knew this already" you say to the ones around you

"We have to do this" adds Raichi

Now you have the kick off, so Isagi gives it to Kunigami, who runs trying to find his perfect range to score. However, Reo is able to steal it from him and sends it to Nagi, who does a bicycle kick and makes another goal without anyone being able to stop him. Both Kunigami and Raichi start fighting about what they could have done to stop it before you punch them both in the face.

"Stop fighting idiots!" You say, receiving annoyed looks by both of them

"Yeah, we still have a few more weapons" adds Isagi

The match restarted, Isagi passing it to Chigiri, however Zantetsu it's not only able to arrive at the ball first, but also go back in time to score another goal for Team V.

After Team V made another goal your eye starts to twitch, annoyed by the situation; not only you had a 4 point difference, but also it was clear that your team already lost hope of winning, so you go to where Isagi is standing when Nagi passes beside you

"You did that in your last match" he says boredly

"I did"

"Then why aren't you doing it again? You lost already" Nagi adds, his voice doesn't have a hint of malice on it, he clearly wasn't saying it to be mean, but it still annoyed you

"There's still time left, don't let your guard down" you left, arriving next to Isagi and Bachira, who were talking "Give me the next one"

"Eh?" Isagi looks at you incredulous

"Are you also on fire, Yn-chan?" Bachira asks, looking at you with the same desire to win that you had, he was the only one who had hope left "I'll give it to you, but then it's my turn, okay?"

"I got you" you fist bump him, going back to your position

You do some light stretches and focus on evening out your breath. Once you open your eyes even you feel yourself more focused.

The guys start the match again, Bachira wasting no time in sending it to you with that smile of his. You take the ball easily and start running towards the goal, already set on doing a solo run for it.

With a flick of your heel, you nutmegged the first defender, leaving him flabbergasted. Then you sprinted past the second defender with a series of lightning-quick step-overs, as a third defender lunged, but a deft feint sent him sprawling. You saw Reo trying to intercept you, but in a state of full concentration, you easily and quickly changed direction.

As you approached the opponent's penalty box, it was just you against the goalkeeper. With a burst of speed, you sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with an elastico move only to flick the ball into the air and do a volley, sending the ball into the top corner of the net.

Once you make the goal you feel a mix of emotions in the air, some kind of hope from your team and confusion from the opponents. You walk back towards your side, Reo looking at you impressed

"How are you in Team Z?" He asks you

"I don't make the rules" you shrugged

"That was cool, though, you are definitely not boring" he chuckles, you continue going to your team

"That was awesome Yn-chan!" Bachira high fives you alongside Isagi, everyone in your team was kind of amazed by the goal that just had happened.

"Thanks, now it's your turn, show them what you got, Bachira"

Suddenly you feel a hand on your head, ruffling your hair with a light laugh from Kunigami, and an arm wrapping around your shoulders

"I knew you would go berserk again, your eyes were scary" Chigiri says to you with a smile on his face

"Ynnn! That was amazing!!!" Igaguri screams, as Gagamaru high fives you too

"Well done…i guess" Raichi says

"I don't understand how can you play like nothing in a moment like this"

"Do you still want to be the best striker in the world?" You ask instead

"Eh? Well, yeah"

"Well, to do that we need to beat Team V first, otherwise you're not worthy of having that title" you say, Chigiri looking at you like a switch turn on

"Ha! Well, that's true"

The other team kicks the ball to resume the game. As Reo dribbled closer, you anticipated the moment and positioned yourself to intercept the pass towards Nagi. With quick reflexes, you extended your leg, making a perfectly timed interception that sent the ball towards Bachira looks at you slightly annoyed, but it doesn't matter because Bachira quickly starts his counterattack.

He starts running towards the goal as well, his eyes shining with excitement as he encounters Reo, starting to dribble his way past him before Zantetsu appears in front of him. With that he does an outside trap leading to a mid-air elastico, passing him and leaving only three defenders left. All of them start attacking Bachira under Reo's guidance, but Bachira is able to easily pass them leaving him in front of the goalie. Since the goalie was expecting Bachira to go full onwards, he came forwards, making Bachira kick the ball with his leg crossing behind the standing one. Team Z is closing the gap 2 - 4.

Everyone runs towards Bachira too, as you finally are closing the gap faster than anyone could imagine.

"In a situation where nothing is working, all you can do is find a new formula, we just need to try new versions of ourselves" says Kunigami to the team

"We can't win if we don't figure out how to evolve ourselves, can't we?" You add

After resuming again the game, Raichi gets told to guard Reo from passing freely to Nagi, and although he didn't want to do it, he was probably the one with the right physique to stop him. Since Reo didn't have a proper open space, he's forced to pass it to Zantetsu, who enters into a battle with Chigiri for speed. Zantetsu tries to pass it to Nagi, who you and Igaguri were guarding, but Chigiri is able to touch the pass, deviating the ball a little; but of course, it was enough for Nagi to trap it and prepare to shoot. You pushed Igaguri in the direction the ball was going to go, helping him stop the ball as it hit his face. This startled Nagi, giving you enough time to grab the ball and start the counterattack alongside Bachira.

"Do you think you two can do those moves again?" Asks Reo, putting himself in front of us

"I can" you say

"I don't think so…but this time it's different, us two aren't the only ones fighting anymore"

With that you two do a zig zag to pass Reo, Bachira sending it to Kunigami. He was still far away from his ideal range, however he shot anyway with a no spin ball, marking the third goal for Team Z, leaving you 3 - 4 and sending us to the end of the first half.

You're now in the lockers while the half time passes, Kunigami explaining how his new goal happened. A bottle of energy drink appears in front of you, Chigiri sitting beside you while you take it

"I told you already, but you were awesome" he says as he drinks too "You were the one that helped us wake up and realize we still have a chance"

"Thanks, but where is this coming from?"

"Just making sure you know, once you made that goal everyone was shocked so we didn't celebrate as much as we did with Bachira or Kunigami"

"It's fine, I don't need that" you keep drinking, passing the towel around your neck to get rid of the sweat.

"I know" he says "But also, it's to prevent you from going too berserk again, so don't overexert yourself" he pats your head

"...TEAM Z IS GONNA WIN THIS!"

The match resumes, Team V guarding Kunigami a bit closer than before due to his last minute goal. Since he couldn't shoot, he decided to pass it to Bachira, who instantly passed it to Gagamaru. Since Gagamaru had run too far from the ball, he did something that only he could do, a scorpion kick, and he could have made it in if it wasn't for Zantetsu, who blocked the ball from entering.

The game continues, you keep guarding Nagi as the other team had the ball in their possession, since Zantetsu couldn't do anything in his end, he ends up sending it back to Reo, but he's heavily guarded by Raichi, who hasn't let him do anything. You're not sure what happens in between, but it ends up with Reo elbowing Raichi in the face, gaining a yellow card.

As this goes on, you go to Chigiri quickly

"Oi" you called him "That Zantetsu guy is only faster than you in the beginning of the run"

"Eh?" He says confused

"You can win against him, just not like this, think" you say leaving again. You technically shouldn't have, but nothing's gonna happen if you push them a little to the answer.

Raichi starts the game again quickly, sending it to Chigiri just like you thought. You can see him trying to figure it out until something clicked, sending the ball into a longer trajectory and reaching it faster than him, making your fourth goal and finally being leveled once again.

You go to high five Chigiri as soon as he makes the goal, him passing his arm through your shoulder while ruffling your hair

"Thanks for that"

"You made the goal, well done"

The match restarted, however Reo didn't have any options to pass it since Raichi was guarding him, when suddenly out of nowhere Nagi started to move forwards, initiating a move himself for the first time as he ran towards the goal again. You tried to stop him as fast as you could, but since he took you by surprise by his sudden movements and you had a whopping 30 cm of height difference between you two, it was impossible for you to reach him before he passed it to Zantetsu. Zantetsu pretends to kick it, luring Chigiri in before actually kicking it almost by the end of the goal post; but this is Nagi Seishiro you're playing against, so he traps it, lifting it just enough to through it in the air, turn around and hit it, making a goal by the other side of the net.

It was always a possibility, if your own team was waking up to reach a new potential, then it could also happen to Team V. In particular that was the case with Nagi, after all, maybe he thought that soccer was a pain because there was no one before that was strong enough for him to actually try, and now that your team was in control of the game, he probably also had his own awakening.

"Gotta say, that was awesome" you say to him as he passes beside you

"Thanks, soccer ended up being pretty interesting"

You reunited with your team once again, Chigiri and Kunigami talking about switching things to defense, a comment that made you raise your eyebrow in confusion. You prepare yourself to say something, but apparently, you weren't the only one thinking of doing that.

"ARE YOU STUPID! WE NEED TO ATTACK!! ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK!" Raichi screams "OUR ATTACKS ARE WORKING!! WE MANAGED TO SCORE FOUR POINTS ON TEAM V BECAUSE I'VE BEEN PLAYING DEFENSE, WHICH I HATE!! I'LL KILL YOU IF ALL MY HARD WORK IS FOR NOTHING!!! ATTACK UNTIL YOU DIE!! GIVE 'EM ALL YOU'VE GOT, DUMBASS!!! YOU'RE STRIKERS, RIGHT?!!!?"

You chuckle, you probably would have said something similar, less aggressive for sure, but the message would have been the same; though considering the situation this approach was probably the best, since the match ends in 13 minutes.

Isagi sends the ball to Bachira, he manages to move a little, however, ends up passing it to Chigiri, who plans to reuse the same move from before. But this time, Nagi appears in front to steal the ball. You move towards it to intercept, but from the corner of your eye you can see Isagi running towards it, his aura completely different from before, probably finally starting to understand his metavision. You want to intercept it yourself, you want to play and do as much as you can to win, but you knew that you had to hold back if it meant that these boys started to shine, so you slowed down to let Isagi take it and start running towards the goal just in case.

Isagi reaches it just on time and passes it to Chigiri again, who shoots it just slightly too hard, hitting the pole; Gagamaru is right on that side, so he shoots it too, but Reo is able to block him. The ball was coming right where you were, slightly too far back, and since everyone was still on the floor from previous moves, you needed to kick it fast; you waited just enough to time it properly, jumping and doing a Side Volley Bicycle Kick, with enough force to pass over everyone and making a goal. You're tied once again.

"Nice cover" Gagamaru says as the team runs to you, Raichi screaming excitedly, Bachira shaking you by the shoulders, the rest congratulating you one way or another

"I'm going to run out of things to say to you for these goals" Chigiri high fives you "Nice one"

The last minutes of the game are obvious, everyone slightly more on edge the closer to zero they get. Zantetsu sends a long pass towards Nagi, you and Isagi following close behind. But sadly, you knew that you wouldn't be able to reach him; not only you barely reach his shoulders, meaning that his legs were longer and therefore cover a lot more ground that you quickly, but also the pain in your chest started to appear, making it much harder to breath. Luckily, since you been training a lot more, the pain has prolonged it's time, now appearing on the last minutes of the match.

You both get into a good position to reduce his movements, but Nagi traps it with his back and avoids both of you, going straight to Iemon. He was about to shoot, he could probably score a goal easily and make his team win…if Kuon hasn't tackle him right on that moment. With one minute left, Kuon gains a red card and hope for Team Z.

"Kuon, you'd have advance if you hadn't done anything, so what was the idea?" Kunigami asks, everyone gathering around

"... it's just…. something I did for myself"

"Wait, hold up, you and Yn both have three goals, and thanks to that red card now Yn is in front of you now"

"If we tie or lose that means you won't pass" you add

"You guys, of course I knew that, so you better win…cause I'm gonna be the world best striker" Kuon says

"Give me a break, of course Team Z is gonna win. Theres no way we'll let this end here" adds Isagi

2 more minutes were given because of overtime. You had to make one more goal to win in 3 minutes.

You're preparing for the penal kick by Reo, waiting behind as you let Iemon deal with the situation. Reo shoots the ball with a slight curve, but Iemon is able to see through it and hit it away for a rebound, which Zantetsu ends up getting and almost making a goal if it wasn't for Raichi that blocked it. Unluckyly for you, the ball ends up in Nagi's, who justs tips it over the three blockers making the ball go to the goal. Nobody is able to reach it in time except for Gagamaru and his insane athleticism, that barely saves it by hitting the top pole, landing on Isagi's feet as you, Chigiri, Kunigami and Bachira start running to counterattack.

Isagi first passes it to Bachira, who dribbles his way through the opponents before passing it to you. You had two players in front of you, so you did a Rainbow flick, lifting the ball over their heads while using the soles of your feet before passing it to Chigiri; he's able to pass a few more players, but gets used as a decoy by Isagi as he passes to him. Isagi sends it to Kunigami, but the ball is hit by Zantetsu who barely manages to touch it, sending it outside of everyone's range, however, Raichi is able to save it miraculously, sending it to Bachira.

You once again start running towards the goal along with Chigiri, Kunigami and Isagi, Bachira ultimately choosing Isagi as he was in the freest position posible.

But Nagi was running right behind him.

Chigiri and Kunigami screams at Isagi for him to pass the ball to one of them, but there wasn't enough time for that, besides the obvious fact that Isagi had to rebuilt himself as well

"ISAGI!" you scream "YOU'RE NOT NAGI"

You don't know if he heard you, and if he did, you don't know if he had enough time to process it properly to realize, but the result you wanted was there. Instead of trapping the ball, Isagi was about to shoot it right away. Making the winning goal at the last second. You all run towards him to celebrate, Bachira was on Isagi's back happy, Kunigami was ruffling his head, and Chigiri had his arm around your shoulders as you both laugh at the scene.

Team Z had won.

You officially passed to the second selection.

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russellius · 2 months

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It Was a Dream Come True : George Recalls F1 Debut Five Years On

March 17, 2019 - for George, it feels like yesterday.

He may now be in his sixth season in Formula One, but we're taking him back to his very first race weekend in Melbourne.

"It was a really special moment," George says. "I had my whole family there on the grid with me, and I was about to race against so many people who I had looked up to."

With the pre-race ceremony over, there was a job to be done, and a new challenge to adapt to.

"I was enjoying the fact I had achieved a lifelong dream, of course, but there was a realisation that I was now at the back of the grid, not the front."

Consecutive titles in GP3 and Formula 2 may have seemed like distant memories as George lined up P19 for the Grand Prix, but that didn't prevent an important sense of perspective under the visor.

"I knew I could learn at my own pace. I could make mistakes without it being in the spotlight. I could just find the positives from every situation and maximise the year, he adds.

And when the lights did go out, nothing felt new. Something that surprised even him.

"I only realised afterwards, but it felt like any other race. When I was in that car and the helmet was on it felt exactly the same as it did when I was in Go-Karts, F4, F3, or Formula 2. The goal hadn't changed. To drive as fast as possible. That was the biggest takeaway for me."

Fast forward five years. George Russell is a Formula One podium scorer, a polesitter, and a race winner. A career to be proud of, no doubt. But with the advantage of hindsight, what would the George of 2024 have said to his 21-year-old self on that Albert Park grid?

"Cherish every moment," he says. "Enjoy the journey. Everyone in Formula One is a competitive animal and when things aren't going your way it can knock you down. You need to remind yourself that we are extremely fortunate to do what we do. We're doing what we love and what a life we are all living. If things are going wrong, it's not the time to just put your feet up, but you need to remind yourself that there are worse things in the world to be doing."

Things can go wrong in Formula One. And when they do, that's when a driver relies on those around them to see them through. A consistent and healthy support network can make all the difference in crucial moments, a fact George has really come to appreciate.

"Surrounding yourself with the right people is so important. People you trust and have your best interests at heart," says George.

He has done just that. Manager Harry has been in place since 2013, and this season will be the eighth with trainer Aleix in tow.

"Gwen [Lagrue] and Toto [Wolff] have played a huge part in that journey too, supporting me the whole way. My girlfriend and my family have been there as well. These people understand you. They understand the sport and can support at the right time in the right way. It's an emotional rollercoaster, through the highs and the lows, whether you are winning or losing.

George's career rollercoaster has seen a lot of peaks. He reached the highest of highs in Brazil in 2022, leading every lap to claim his first Grand Prix victory, bringing home an unforgettable Mercedes 1-2.

But it's not the moment that stands out the most for George. The real moment of confirmation had come a year earlier before George joined the team permanently at the beginning of 2022.

"I always look back at qualifying for Spa in 2021. I had signed the contract to join Mercedes the week before, so I knew I had the full support of everyone, including Toto and the board."

"Qualifying on the front row in a car that had finished last for the previous three seasons gave me more adrenaline than I had ever experienced in my life."

That was then, this is now. Five years have passed, but George Russell has barely scratched the surface. This interview wasn't one for a job, but it did make us think: where does George Russell want to be in five years' time?

"I just want to have maximised my potential and know that I haven't left any stone unturned. That I have given it everything and I have no regrets about the way I have trained, the way I have worked for my team and the commitment I have shown. All I can do is give it my absolute everything."

We know he will. But we also know that you can't always control your own destiny in Formula One.

"I don't know how many race victories we're going to achieve in that time. If it means we win five World Championships then great. If it means we've won 10 races and only should have won eight then I'll be happy with that too. It's all relative. I'm 26 and think I've got at least 15 years left in me. I'm going to give it everything to win with Mercedes. That's the goal."

#george russell #f1 #*m #q #:')#this was a good read - well done mercedes for once #(our george.... 💙)

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earlyh0minid · 2 months

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could you tell us about your apprenticeship?? how did you get into it etc? i'm really thinking abt moving towards a trades career but it's a bit intimidating

depending on what trade u r going into and where u are going into it it can be a piece of cake or a bit difficult. here in alanta joining the union is easy as fuck. i haven't even taken my exam yet and i am already placed in a job. definitely did not require a resume. the exam is high school english and algebra. if u pass, you immediately get a raise and begin your official apprentice period. but for the same union, if you apply in portland for instance, you are competing against thousands, must submit a portfolio and go through two interviews, and your job placement is dependent on how high you score on the exam. high scorers getting the first and best placements, low scorers having to wait potentially months and months for placement. honestly still worth it bc the pay in that area is sooooooo good, and it's still doable, not that crazy, certainly not harder than getting into college.

DONT BE INTIMIDATED!!!!!

whatever your trade, definitely consider going union if possible. one great thing abt the union is, if you hate the company or crew you are working with, you can request a new job assignment very very easily. so if there's a crazy or sexist guy giving you a hard time, you can just go work somewhere else, it's a piece of cake. plus these guys are really not trying to lose their pensions or get into trouble w the union. but if u work for a private company and not the union, much more difficult to get out of a shitty situation.

i think electrician is a great way to go for women. i think machinery mechanic or crane operator (chachingggg $$$$$) could also be a good way to go... hvac could be cool, i know a lot of female carpenters but not on my jobs bc my local is mainly industrial and not residential.... pipefitters and sheetmetal workers make good money but tbh i haven't seen any women in those crews so far, they're a bit heavier on the heavy lifting, and the guys seem like fucking knuckleheads, but idk. women make superb welders. from what i have seen.

cnc machinist could be cool but idk if the money is all that good. there's a based as fuck aircraft mechanic here on tumblr, that's a cool option. pilot is another cool ass trade, high demand rn, with a strong union presence though it works a bit differently in their area.

also a good option? ups? but if u go ups try to get that first package handler job at an air hub, not a ground hub, way more women and dykes in the air industrial sector in that company.

#inbox

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arvoze · 4 months

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[1/3] HHNFLARTAS - the master trials

hell hath no fury like a rescue team association scorned not a fic or anything, i just ramble a lot about my pmd ocs in a digestible format that's more or less that kind of content. random yearly event for rescue teams. covers no more than like, one week of VV content

[ X / 2 / 3 ]

the master trials

an annual event where the rescue team association (RTA) judge teams of a certain rank and higher. this judgement is made after teams are put through a series of challenges to make sure that the rescue teams are up to par and can perform their duties.

whilst many pass, it is also entirely possible for a team to fail the trials, subsequently getting demoted. in this case, teams may earn enough points to reach the entry rank again, though in order to be recognised as that rank, they must pass that year's trial. this is not a requirement unless you are re-entering the rank.

many high-ranking teams will be famous within good reason. one way to earn notoriety is to place well in the master trials -- but if a team comes in the top spot, chances are they'll already be known anyways, and be some of the highest possible ranks. there are outliers, though, but they're few and far between.

hundreds, if not thousands of teams will take part regionally. each continent has its own top 100 chart. it's fine to place below the top 100; this doesn't mean you're getting demoted, it's just a way to deter giving everybody a placement. many of those who make it into the bottom bracket of the ranks aren't cared for much, either, even if it's still an achievement.

the rescue team association

the RTA is like a board of directors within the rescue team profession. it is worth noting that this covers all forms of rescue team; if it operates under guild rules, it counts. rescues, exploration, discovery, all-rounders -- it's all under the "rescue team" umbrella. many on the RTA board are former high-rankers, but some less-than-savoury upperclassmons have had their says in their matters too.

regardless, many of the pokemon here are strongly revered in their fields. they oversee many of the trials in action, after a certain point within the master trials begin (they can't track the progress of every team).

in the final few stages of the master trials, they observe teams using rotom devices linked to familiar technology -- nothing entirely new. just rotom drones projected to a large connection orb, probably. developed technology still isn't that great.

the RTA are responsible for sending messages out across all guilds, whenever needed.

verdant village

verdant village is situated within the water continent, meaning that it's part of the master trials (water division). guildmaster rime doesn't actually have that many great teams registered under the guild itself; it's mostly just a place for other teams to hang out and get missions from, sometimes. and a lot of the actual teams are pretty low-ranking, because not a lot of heavy missions show up. that's really just because verdant village is a "new" location in comparison to most other guild origins, having only been founded within the past 50 years. it's still finding its roots, but they're growing.

there's a good few number of teams that can apply for the master trials, however. but the only ones that are really important right now are keith's team (keith/cacturne, mike/breloom, luwel/nuzleaf) and team pb&j (roadblock/garganacl, minecart/palossand). they're rival teams, but in a one-sided sense. PB&J is more of an inconvenience to keith's team.

keith's team, having been doing this job for at least 20 years under verdant's guild, have taken part in the master trials several times. team PB&J are fresher on the scene, but have participated in at least one previous trial. keith's team has barely cut into the top 100 within the water division a few times, though always in the lower bracket. they're the highest scorers in verdant village, though, which isn't really a surprise to anybody.

keith's team

keith's team - real team name, nonexistent, they've never had one - have been registered under verdant village since [the team's] creation. the team has existed since the trio were children, and continues to exist as each member is in their thirties (varying ages). despite their general additiude and demeanour, keith's team take their job as a rescue team very seriously -- which is precisely why keith is set to become the future guildmaster. in rime's words, despite what he shows, nobody cares about others quite like him.

the master trials go about as average as you'd expect. keith's team never fail the master's, but they're nothing to entirely write home about either. they're somewhere above average, but they're also not the most famous team in the continent. far from it. (they're recognised within the village, though, as each member is social in their own way). their teamwork and planning-ahead tends to be standout, but still nothing to make other guilds remember the name.

luwel usually prepares far in advance for the master trials, because he's fucked up and likes to make sure everything is right. this always works tremendously in the team's favour, because his tendency to overthink and over-worry allows for the team to solve problems they'd otherwise have no way of figuring out.

hell hath no fury like a rescue team association scorned (#1)

the master trials have begun. they're pretty far in, in fact. the top placements are already well under consideration -- they're going to really be put to the test. the whole point is to make sure that these teams are earning the right to be trusted, right?

higher-ranking teams (and lower-ranking ones of interest) will face further challenges. many teams have already passed the trials and can rest easy; they've nothing else to prove. they're just keeping their status, not needing to prove themselves or aim higher.

keith's team press on for the fun of it, and because they do truly believe that they have something to show. and they're not entirely wrong -- their teamwork and synergy is great, and they get along with eachother & understand eachother far greater than even some of the best.

but they're three grass types. and to some of the stuck-up oldies of the past at the RTA, that's a concern. they've got an incredibly glaring weakness that can make them a liability under certain circumstances. monotype teams can exist, yes, and there's no inherent problem with this, but you also can't just… allow a team like this to think that they can take on anything without acknowledging their faults.

they're going to a volcanic dungeon. it's a rescue, of course -- get deep enough into the caverns to find and save a pokemon, but prove yourself further by "completing" the dungeon. it's a deliberate set-up, of course; no team this far into the master's is going to be given the easy way out. the point is to prove yourself.

and it's… a journey. keith's team have survived volcanic endeavours before, but not often -- other teams are better suited for that. the master trials have thrown this at them before. it's always been enough for them to maintain their ranks. luwel's prepared enough, he thinks. keith's belief of if we don't save them, who will echoes in their minds. mike's just here, really. he's always been cautious about these dungeons. he's always worried about what could happen.

[pt 2.]

#pokemon #pokemon mystery dungeon #UHHH UHHHH IGNORE THIS SHOWING IN TAGS ITS FOR LOGGING PURPOSES!!!!!!!!#my art #keith #mike #luwel #roadblock #no point tagging my palossand im only tagging garganacl for the image #ill try posting the 2nd part tomorowwwwww its super late and that part is really long #honestly i think this stuff is probably really boring to other people but i wrote this up in october and never had it able to be read anywh #anywhere so. i figured i would finally post it #(part of it at least)#this was all me spitballing at the time btw not everything is set in stone i didnt mean for the RTA to be boring corpos

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umgeorge · 2 months

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'It Was a Dream Come True' - George Recalls F1 Debut Five Years On

"It was a dream come true." March 17, 2019 - for George, it feels like yesterday. He may now be in his sixth season in Formula One, but we're taking him back to his very first race weekend in Melbourne. "It was a really special moment," George says. "I had my whole family there on the grid with me, and I was about to race against so many people who I had looked up to." With the pre-race ceremony over there was a job to be done, and a new challenge to adapt to. "I was enjoying the fact I had achieved a lifelong dream, of course, but there was a realisation that I was now at the back of the grid, not the front." Consecutive titles in GP3 and Formula 2 may have seemed like distant memories as George lined up P19 for the grand prix, but that didn't prevent an important sense of perspective under the visor. "I knew I could learn at my own pace. I could make mistakes without it being in the spotlight. I could just find the positives from every situation and maximise the year," he adds. And when the lights did go out, nothing felt new - something that surprised even him. "I only realised afterwards, but it felt like any other race. When I was in that car and the helmet was on it felt exactly the same as it did when I was in Go-Karts, F4, F3, or Formula 2. The goal hadn't changed: to drive as fast as possible. That was the biggest takeaway for me." Fast forward five years. George Russell is a Formula 1 podium scorer, a polesitter, and a race winner. A career to be proud of, no doubt, but with the advantage of hindsight, what would the George of 2024 have said to his 21-year-old self on that Albert Park grid? "Cherish every moment," he says. "Enjoy the journey. Everyone in Formula 1 is a competitive animal and when things aren't going your way it can knock you down. You need to remind yourself that we are extremely fortunate to do what we do. We're doing what we love and what a life we are all living. If things are going wrong, it's not the time to just put your feet up, but you need to remind yourself that there are worse things in the world to be doing."

Things can go wrong in Formula 1 and when they do, that's when a driver relies on those around them to see them through. A consistent and healthy support network can make all the difference in crucial moments, a fact George has really come to appreciate. "Surrounding yourself with the right people is so important. People you trust and have your best interests at heart," says George. He has done just that. Manager Harry has been in place since 2013, and this season will be the eighth with trainer Aleix in tow. "Gwen [Lagrue] and Toto [Wolff] have played a huge part in that journey, too, supporting me the whole way. My girlfriend and my family have been there as well. These people understand you. They understand the sport and can support at the right time in the right way. It's an emotional rollercoaster, through the highs and the lows, whether you are winning or losing." George's career rollercoaster has seen a lot of peaks. He reached the highest of highs in Brazil in 2022, leading every lap to claim his first grand prix victory, bringing home an unforgettable Mercedes 1-2. But it's not the moment that stands out the most for George. The real moment of confirmation had come a year earlier before George joined the team permanently at the beginning of 2022. "I always look back at qualifying for Spa in 2021. I had signed the contract to join Mercedes the week before, so I knew I had the full support of everyone, including Toto and the board. Qualifying on the front row in a car that had finished last for the previous three seasons gave me more adrenaline than I had ever experienced in my life." That was then, this is now. Five years have passed, but George Russell has barely scratched the surface. This interview wasn't one for a job, but it did make us think: where does George Russell want to be in five years' time? "I just want to have maximised my potential and know that I haven't left any stone unturned; that I have given it everything and I have no regrets about the way I have trained, the way I have worked for my team, and the commitment I have shown. All I can do is give it my absolute everything." We know he will. But we also know that you can't always control your own destiny in Formula One. "I don't know how many race victories we're going to achieve in that time. If it means we win five World Championships, then great. If it means we've won ten races and only should have won eight, then I'll be happy with that, too. "It's all relative. I'm 26 and think I've got at least fifteen years left in me. I'm going to give it everything to win with Mercedes. That's the goal."

#george russell #f1 #formula 1 #fic ref #fic ref 2024 #not a race #2024 not a race #between saudi arabia and australia 2024

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communistkenobi · 1 year

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The complement of the "no pity for the poor" complex is the overemphasis given to the education of people within the political sections of our inter-views. The frequent reference to this topic is the more significant since it does not appear in the interview schedule. Nobody will deny the desirability of political education. It is hard to overlook, however, that the ideal of education often serves as a rationalization for social privileges. People who do not want to confess to antidemocratic leanings prefer to take the stand that democracy would be all right if only people were educated and more "mature." This condition, naturally, would here and now exclude from political activities those who, on account of their economic situation, need most urgently a social change. This, of course, is never stated in so many words. If, however, as once happened, an overtly fascist man speaks in favor of the abolition of the poll tax in the South, and wants to replace it by an "intelligence test," there is little doubt about the ultimate purpose. The adulation of "education" occurs quite frequently among uneducated people perhaps because, for some reason beyond the scope of the present study, education has come to be a kind of a panacea in American ideology. None of our subjects ever takes the trouble of defining to what the mysterious "education" should refer: whether it pertains to the general educational level or whether some special kind of political education is envisaged and how it should be carried out.

The education complex is not confined to high or medium scorers but seems to be more frequent with them than with low scorers.

Everyone talks about education! It’s so weird. It’s one of those things I agree with on paper (people in North America are alarmingly, laughably politically ignorant, and broad educational programs to address that would improve political discourse by a lot), but the way “educational programs” gets deployed rhetorically, especially by liberals but also by left wing people, usually sounds deranged to me? I’m thinking of the suggestion of putting right wingers into educational gulags. A step above that is mandatory HR anti-discrimination training at work, but that is especially useless in non-unionised workplaces (ie, most workplaces). University seems to act as something of a corrective measure against the inadequacy of primary and secondary education in north america, but 1) that just reproduces class divisions, and 2) college-educated people are, by virtue of their class position, especially susceptible to fascism, so whatever political power education has is still subservient to class interests.

But despite all of that I still think universal political education is a good thing and would improve society. An informed electorate can be trusted with their government or whatever the quote was. Maybe that’s liberal idealistic horseshit in that particular configuration but like idk I think you quickly spiral into anti-intellectualism if you write off any educational solutions offered as a way to reduce right wing thought in society. If you take seriously the claim that communism is scientific I don’t think you can also believe that education is not valuable. If there was a policy platform that aimed to comprehensively overhaul the education system in order to provide every person with the equivalent of a liberal arts undergraduate degree for free, I would say that is a fantastic idea and would endorse that - even beyond the economic opportunities it would open up for people, I think there is inherent value in being educated about the world. But I don’t know how much that would actually reduce the amount of conservatives in the country, or to what degree it would reduce a person’s susceptibility to fascism

#the authoritarian personality

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that-soccer-guru · 10 months

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HELLO THE 3 STRAGGLERS THAT ARE PROBABLY SEEING MY POSTS STILL, I HAVE MISSED THOU!

Happy world cup month, it is time for the biggest stage of the game and time for be to drop my obnoxious predictions that no one asked for but I'm gonna give anyways!

Here are my group predictions and notes

GROUP A:

I think Norway is gonna make a comeback and come in at #2 behind local New Zealand. The Swiss are great if they can rise to the occasion, and the Philippines has a great young core. They'll give us some very fun games going forward.

A1: New Zealand, A2: Norway.

GROUP B:

Honestly I think this is one of the TIGHTEST groups of this cup. With a fight down to the end I think it'll come down to goals and Fairplay. Depending on the result of Day 1 Canada vs Nigeria my picks are switching depending on the light with which I look at the table. SO.

B1: Australia (2W, 1D), B2: Nigeria (2D, 1W, Goal difference leaving Canada behind by ONE goal in a total group heartbreaker)

Group C:

Despite the big players refusing to play I think Spain has it in the tank for a great cup. If the Ticas can show some discipline they might surprise, but they're up against the TITANS of discipline so.

C1: Spain, C2: Japan

Group D:

Euro winners have one hell of a team. No notes for them today, second place is what is up for grabs. Haiti is always a dark horse pick but I think mettle and the money for great player health and conditioning will draw this one out so.

D1: England, D2: Denmark.

Group E:

One hell of a group here. Without Viv Midema the Netherlands is missing that finishing punch, but if they can bank on winning their other 2 games and forcing a draw or a one goal win with the US, they can go for first. Portugal is good but they have a lot of youth to adjust to the big stage. Vietnam has a delightful proposal and they play some very fun futbol, but they had the unfortunate luck of drawing 2 titans of the women's game.

E1: USA, E2: Netherlands

Group F:

The elderly stateswomen meet the bright eyed newcomers. Brazil is the titan of South America but they've proven to be way too rigid in their team selection. France is shaking off the cobwebs of a shit coach to see how far they can take it this time. Jamaica and Panama have everything to prove to show that 1. they belong here and 2. their federations NEED to stand in this fight with them. Despite the great teams I think this group is gonna be one of those low scoring ones where teams are making adjustments on the fly and we might get a surprise or two from some games.

F1: France, F2: Brazil (but just narrowly edging out Jamaica)

Group G:

Youth and a desire to prove that it's not only their men's team that know what's up. Argentina is pulling one hell of a legacy behind them, Italy is building a beautiful squad, South Africa comes up from fighting a war of speed and strength, Sweden has a chip on their shoulder. One hell of a group!

G1: Italy, G2: Argentina

Group H:

QUE VIVA COLOMBIA HP! An aging titan in Germany with some key injuries, a very disciplined squad that has been testing some amazing set plays and learning how to play through the lines in South Korea (but that tire out quickly), a fast and tough team that plays a fun midfield game with a solid defense in Morocco. And finally, a team composed of the women who paved the way for the youngsters, the maximum scorer in a Colombia jersey, a midfield filled with aggression and experience, a promising defense all led by the most promising young international that already took one team to a world cup final, Colombia promises a LOT to her fans. If Abadia can get his head out of his ass and learn how to make changes before exhaustion takes hold, this team can take it far!

H1: Germany, H2: Colombia

It's an amazing time to be a woso fan!

#woso #fifa women's world cup #wwc 2023 #group stage predictions #that soccer guru talks #im just here giving some notes no one asked me for but imma GIVE ANYWAYS

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jedusaur · 1 year

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that's playoff hockey, baby

for my girl @1000-directions, who just got into hockey this season, a list of ways the NHL playoffs Just Hit Different:

overtime: in the regular season, tied games go to 5 minutes of 3-on-3 then a shootout. in the postseason, overtime does not end until a goal is scored, and it is NERVE-WRACKING. if I ever have a heart attack, it will be during playoff OT.

playoff beards: in the '80s the Islanders won a bunch while bearded, and hockey players are the most superstitious motherfuckers on the planet, so now nobody shaves during the postseason. it is terrible and occasionally hilarious; not all men can or should grow facial hair.

clean slate: anybody can win in the playoffs, regular-season record really doesn't matter much after you've clinched your spot. there are underdog upsets all the time, nothing is guaranteed.

everybody is trying their hardest all the time: with an 82-game season, you can't give 100% every game and survive, you gotta pace yourself a little. in the playoffs, nobody is pacing themselves, everybody is giving it their all. it's faster, it's more intense, and players are a lot more willing to dive into the path of a 100mph shot.

physicality: the officials let players get away with a lot more shit in the postseason, so you'll see more hits and fewer penalties.

fights: there's less fighting in the postseason, because the stakes are higher, but when they do fight it tends to build up over the course of a few games and then dramatically explode.

grudges: when you play the same team 4 to 7 consecutive times, and emotions are constantly high, you really start to file shit away for later.

tailored strategy: in the regular season there's only a day or two to study up on the specifics of each opponent in advance. in the playoffs, you have time to really do your homework on the other team. players will memorize the goalie's weakest areas and aim accordingly, they'll adjust special teams (power play and penalty kill) to fit the other team's style, and coaches put a lot more effort into managing who's on the ice when, making sure their best defense is playing against the other team's top scorers etc.

importance of depth: if a team's success relies mostly on their top players and a few people are getting disproportionate ice time, then once the intensity cranks up to playoff levels, those people get EXHAUSTED. also, if one guy is scoring half your goals and that guy gets injured and can't play, you're fucked. this is a major strength for the Kraken—our scoring comes from all over the roster, so we won't have to wear out our top guys as much as some other teams will.

risk aversion: players are less likely to throw away the puck on a low-quality chance, so there's less scoring, but when they're holding out for better opportunities you get to see some really well-executed goals.

handshake lines: at the end of each playoff series, the whole team plus the coaches all line up on the ice and shake hands. sometimes people are dicks after a rough series, but there's a lot of mutual respect too, especially between the goalies.

noise: playoff crowds are L O U D

#hockey #steph

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jimmyneutronrevival · 1 year

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JIMMY NEUTRON REVIVAL PROJECT: UPDATE 33

Hi folks.

I wanted to take some serious time to discuss the events from December in this blog so that everyone, cast included, can better understand my situation and my circumstances. L.A. COMIC CON AND MY 2022 LIFE

Before I get to the L.A. Comic-Con itself, let me discuss my 2022 in a nutshell.

In April of 2022, I developed a weird tiredness feeling that I have had for many months. I had been in and out of doctor’s offices trying to figure out what it is and was put on a waiting list for an Endocrinologist who will see me on March 9th. I also suffer from depression which has plagued my personal life for many years. I have been seeking help through a talk therapist and a medication therapist who, try as they might, haven’t been able to do too much. But I am now on a medication (Wellbutrin 300mg) that has given me a little bit of my energy back which is something. However, the amount of money I have had to fork over for these visits has been anything but cheap. My insurance covers a lot of it, but the rest of the cost is up to me.

Additionally, I had been mulling over the prospect of returning to school. My current degree wasn’t helping me as far as my career prospects were concerned and I wanted to work on a business degree to improve my chances of landing a fulfilling career. As I was a gig worker and part-time online test scorer, I didn’t have a lot of money. And at the time, I had made zero plans to make any trips for the year or do anything else that would set me back financially. So, I made the decision to take the plunge and I applied to college. I was accepted and began my studies online in the fall of 2022. I spent close to $7000 on my first semester and the spring semester so far has been roughly the same, give or take a few hundred dollars.

Now, let’s go back in time to the Jimmy Neutron panel at L.A. Comic-Con which had been formally announced on October 28th. This gave me barely a month to prepare. I was scrambling to find low-cost airfare, a reasonably-priced hotel, and transportation. I did my due diligence and researched every site I could, including popular sites like Orbitz and Expedia. The airfare was going to set me back almost $500 ($400 + fees). I was able to find a hotel on the L.A. Comic-Con website, but it would have been about $700-$800 plus a large hospitality tax. The one good thing about it is that it was on the same street as the convention center and within walking distance. Then came the dilemma of finding a cab or an Uber/Lyft to get me from the airport to the hotel and the hotel back to the airport, which would have been at least $50-$75 both ways. Add food, money for souvenirs, the actual cost of two badges for the show plus fees since I would have attended 2 out of the 3 days, plus autographs and it was going to cost me close to $2000.

By the time I had the knowledge that a reunion panel was happening, $7000 was already gone due to school. I did not have enough discretionary funds I could use as far as taking any kind of a trip was concerned.

I am in the lower-income bracket along with so many other millennials. Some of us got lucky and found good careers while others like myself have had to struggle. There are probably more articles on the Internet about the struggles many of us millennials have went through than I can count. For people like me, life has been tough.

Because I am in the low-income bracket, I have to budget a lot of the things that I do. School was a major cost factor as far as my budget for 2022 was concerned, and I knew that any little bit of money I did have left would have to go to the other bills and responsibilities I must pay for each month.

In the end, after crunching the numbers, I did not have the $2000 I would need to make the journey out to the convention, and I had to make the difficult decision of informing all of my followers that I would not be able to attend. This broke my heart more than anyone could possibly realize. I was extremely upset and sad about it.

I decided to take the initiative to finish the petition so that it could be displayed at the show if the cast wished. I spent several weeks in about 3-4 settings working 3 hours at a time to edit the fake names and duplicate signatures out of the petition as well as the odd comments and duplicate comments on the petition comment page. On November 27th, at midnight, I finished everything and sent it off to the organizer of the panel and that was that.

There were a couple of people who thought that I was going to attend which caused quite a bit of confusion. I did my best to try to clear up any misunderstandings. Even though I did explain that I wasn’t coming on my socials, I know not everyone sees these posts which I totally understand.

The weekend of the show was extremely difficult. It got to a point where I had to shut my notifications off on social media so that the pictures and other notifications bombarding me about the show wouldn’t send me spiraling into a deeper state of depression. Unfortunately, I fell apart. I had been able to keep it together for so long, but the weekend of the show, I was no longer able to remain that stoic person I always try to be. I broke down several times and felt absolutely awful. I have had many days of sleepless nights and still feel absolutely guilty. I felt like I had let people down and it hurt like hell.

While I hope this is not a one-time deal, if it ends up being that way and I missed out, all I can say is I am sorry. I am sorry that the funds were not there for me to attend. This was something that I wanted to do and had I had more advance notice I would have moved mountains to try to get the money. I wish I was one of those people who could drop everything to do something like this. But unfortunately, I am not.

In order for me to attend anything like this in the future, should that happen, I would need advance notice that is more than a month, so I have the time to prepare. Otherwise, it will be hard for me to get a plan together along with the proper funding.

Also, I will try to set aside a savings account for trips so I can be a little better prepared in this way.

I hope that this explanation is helpful to my followers, the cast, or anyone else who may be reading this.

Thank you all for your understanding.

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agentnico · 1 year

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Ted Lasso - Season 3 (2023) Review

Plot: In the 12-episode third season of Ted Lasso, the newly-promoted AFC Richmond faces ridicule as media predictions widely peg them as last in the Premier League and Nate, now hailed as the 'wonder kid,' has gone to work for Rupert at West Ham United.

Ted Lasso is such a unique show that no one expected to become as popular as it did. Heck, I’m sure Apple is trying every persuasive skill possible to motivate Jason Sudeikis to make more of it even though he’s been adamant that his show would only have a 3 season story-arc. The success of Ted Lasso shouldn’t come as a surprise though - it’s a show that is so refreshing in an otherwise outside world of hate. It’s hard not to look forward every week to a new episode filled with nuanced highs and lows. There is also an unrelentless charge of optimism, especially from the titular Ted, who only wants to see the good in everyone and is adamant in bringing out that good even in the worst of people. There can be an argument made that the first season of Ted Lasso is its best, as it’s simply dripping with that overwhelming feeling of positivity, with every moment feeling like you’re wrapped in a warm blanket surrounded by love and appreciation. The second and now third season go into more darker territories, however I personally think that the show doesn’t lose its charm in the process, as the message is still there that believing in Ted Lasso’s way will in the long run result in success and redemption for all. It’s literally the perfect feel-good show, and it’s a shame that this third season may be its last, but also as evident from the finale the ending is one that makes sense narratively, even though certain characters are left open to continue in their own spin-offs. I’m certain Apple is already writing up checks to make those spin-offs a reality.

So, season 3 of Ted Lasso - does it hold up to the rest of the show? Short answer is yes. And for the most part this final season lacks that sense of finality (minus the last two episodes), with a lot of the episodes simply continuing their focus on developing all the characters in the series. It was evident from the second season with Ted himself taking a backseat, allowing the other side characters to have their moment in the spotlight. The third season puts its focus on the likes of Billy Harris’ Colin Hughes struggling with his identity; James Lance’s Trent Crimm (no longer The Independent) joining Richmond to write a book about their journey in the Premier League; Juno Temple’s Keeley having her own business and her struggles along the way; and of course Nick Mohammed’s Nate ‘the Wonder Kid’ traitorous decision to join Anthony Head’s Rupert in West Ham as their coach, and the ramifications of that decision. Heck, even Charlie Hiscock’s Will the kitman gets more moments to shine, and he’s only the kitman. Yet as the legendary Zava says to Will “I too worked as a ball-boy once for a club when I was just 11 years old. Your passion is why I play.” That reminds me - we have to talk about Zava!!

Let’s talk about Zava! So prior to this season the main narcissist of the Richmond team was the self-obsessed goal scorer Jamie Tartt (played by Phil Dunster). However through the show his character evolved and now has become a proper team-player that puts others before himself, however that means Richmond needed another self-absorbed player to fill that empty void. In cometh the one and only man, the myth, the legend John Wick.....errr...I mean, Zava (played by Maximilian Osinski)! Yes, that is his name. Known mononymously as Zava, this fictional football legend brings arrogance and swagger to the team. Upon his transfer and entrance to Richmond’s locker room, other team players are stuck starstruck as he carves out his own meditative space and shrine to himself in one corner of the room. Evidently the character of Zava is inspired by the Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is one of the most successful footballers of all time and his renowned for his inspirational quotes and attitude. Zava even shares the same hair-style with Zlatan with the pulled back slick man bun. Zava essentially is showcased as the God of football, and Osinski plays him as such, and look - everything with Zava is great! And luckily the writers don’t overuse him, he’s only in a couple of episodes but my oh my does Zava leave an impression! The one and only Zava!!

All the colourful cast return, with Sudeikis’ likeable moustachioed titular Ted a constant delight who you want to hug all the time; Hannah Waddingham (now a Eurovision presenter star) brightens the screen with her energy; Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent provides his signature grunts throughout, and there’s a great ongoing gag this season with him screaming “whistle”. Anthony Head is devilishly evil as Rupert, and we get to see his home office that looks like the lair of Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars (which I guess makes Nate Darth Vader??). Brendan Hunt’s Coach Beard is an icon at this point, and Jeremy Swift, Cristo Fernandez and Kola Bokinni round up the colourful cast.

If you loved the previous seasons you’ll enjoy the third season of Ted Lasso. It has the same charm and DNA of the previous episodes, and is a pure delight to watch, even during the darker moments as you know that in the end everything will be set straight. Even with Nate turning into the villain - we already know he’s going to have a redemptive arc, this is Ted Lasso overall. It’s about the journey and how he gets through that redemptive arc, and look, by the end of the show you as an audience may not have forgiven Nate, and most people wouldn’t. But sure as hell Ted and his crew do. So it is indeed with great sorrow we say goodbye to Ted Lasso, at least for the time being, and we shall miss all these characters we have grown to love over these past few years. It’s a bittersweet finale, but as Trent Crimm, The Independent stated back in season 1 - “If the Lasso way is wrong, it’s hard to imagine being right.”

Overall score: 8/10

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