#luke however is freakish

[moncuries]

luke skywalker the type of bitch to enjoy ASMR

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

All the fics I’ve read and really enjoyed in the past week-ish. Reminder: This list features any and all ratings and themes. Please look at tags and warnings on ao3 before reading.

Shadowhunters

Enthrallment by smilebackwards

It does look a little bad, Parmela thinks, looking at it from outside. As more specialists had been called in for consultation, they’d decamped to one of the larger conference rooms—eschewing attendance at A, B, AB, & O: The Impact of Blood Type on Non Subject Specific Blood Magic, because this was vastly more interesting and potentially important—and there are a round dozen high-level warlocks clustered around Alec, poking at him with magic.

Or: Alec attends the Magical Inventions and Advances convention in hopes of recruiting warlocks for another Downworld Cabinet. The warlocks, however, are more interested—and concerned—by the blue magical aura following Alec around.

DC

temporal fraternity by envysparkler

Damian clears his throat. “I require your assistance.”

The words come out easier with the benefit of practice and the knowledge that no one will remember them tomorrow. Today. Tomorrow-today.

The Umbrella Academy

cut me open and i still bleed red by aletterinthenameofsanity

Part 1 of the odds were never in our favor

Ben knows his fellow mentors pretty well, for how long he's spent here, behind the screens of the Games, watching as his tributes die.

Allison, from District One, has a way with the sponsors. Just a word placed here or there, stealthily dropped into conversation, and she can get her tributes the shit they need.

In his time as a Mentor, Klaus has developed a habit of drinking to get through the Games, and through the rest of his life, really- anything to avoid the truth of what's happening, the ghosts of the children he and Ben have sent to their deaths.

Very few people remember what Five’s name was before the Games. Caesar Flickerman and the Gamemakers nicknamed him that when he took out the entire Career Pack on his second day in the Arena.

Vanya’s the newest Mentor, the victor of the Seventy-Third Hunger Games.

Diego’s one of Ben’s oldest not-quite friends. A Victor from District Ten, he’d gone into the Games knowing how to kill an animal.

All the other Mentors Ben knows try never to get attached. Luther, on the other hand, doesn't forget a single name.

(A story of seven victors of the Hunger Games and the lives they live as Mentors.)

Danny Phantom

The Promised Land by redrobin1989

Danny Fenton has been running for years, from his abusive parents, from Vlad's experiments, from his freakish powers. He expected to be running his whole life until he found his way to a small town that felt like the home he'd never had.

M!ik

Study Dates Are Not Real Dates by StormySteady

A very important exam is coming up, and Asmodeus is trying his hardest to get Iruma and Clara to study for it. But his soulmates have other ideas.

Star Wars

Starlight, In All Its Forms by Soap_And_Lye

When Luke was eight, he was taken from his home on Tatooine and delivered into the hands of the emperor and his right hand.

When Luke was sixteen, he overheard the emperor's plans to steal a tiny Force sensitive child and saves him first, before being caught and dragged back to his masters' keeping.

When Luke was eighteen, he finds that same child on Gideon's cruiser, and spares both him and his family, including a silver clad Mandalorian.

And when Luke was twenty-four, he is captured by the Rebellion (captured or did he just let it happen? Really up for debate) and secretly sent as a prisoner to Mandalore, where Mand'alor Din Djarin rebuilds his planet and raises his son.

And the rest was history. Or the beginning.

Clone Wars

will you be an anarchist with me? by a_alene

Once the Kenobi floodgates are opened, they cannot be closed. Cody has apparently been keeping an itemized list of disagreements, and he is determined to tell Rex each and every one of them.

Kenobi refuses to listen to Cody’s input. Kenobi throws himself into battle with no regard for previously established battle plans. Kenobi uses the Force so recklessly and obviously that every undercover assignment is blown within the first few minutes. Kenobi is a hypocrite who berates Cody for sidestepping protocol, but flouts it himself at every opportunity.

CT-7567: bet you wish you had skywalker now

CC-2224: I wish for nothing but the cold embrace of space

Right. And he says Kenobi’s dramatic.

(Marshal Commander Cody and High General Obi-Wan Kenobi of the 212th cannot stand each other. Rex doesn't know why this is his problem.)

poetry is what you find (in the dirt in the corner) by fivecenturiesverse

(In which Cody becomes an anonymous poet after the war and his brothers find out.)

Rex launches forwards immediately and so does Bly, because he can admit to himself that he likes gifts. He likes gifts a whole lot more than Cody and Wolffe, anyway, who both act like martyrs who don’t need any material love. “Poetry, vod?” Bly asks, incredulous. “Cody’s right, you are going soft.”

“It’s by a clone,” Fox says, defensively, “it’s quite good, actually. For poetry. It made Sergeant Hound cry at the service.

[khtrinityftw]

Part 8: The Impotence of Xehanort

Ironically, perhaps the worst part of the whole Xehanort Saga turned out to be Xehanort himself. He was way too overutilized by Nomura, and the character was completely destroyed as a result.

Xehanort was introduced in Kingdom Hearts as Ansem, the scientist king of Radiant Garden, whose research into the darkness of peoples' hearts corrupted him and ultimately turned him into the Heartless known as Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, and a Nobody known as Xemnas, the Superior of the In-Between. But in Kingdom Hearts II, it was retconned that he wasn't Ansem at all, but Xehanort, Ansem's top apprentice who stole his identity, with the real Ansem the Wise resurfacing under the name of DiZ.

This was a typical Nomura twist that was done solely to surprise people, and while some give it flak to this very day, I actually think it works really well.  Mainly because it doesn't actually change that much about the character: he's still a scientist who lived in Radiant Garden castle and undertook research into darkness that corrupted him and turned him into a Heartless and a Nobody, he still wrote those reports we read in the original game and he still did all of those things we heard and saw him do. Really, the only differences the retcon brought are that his name isn't Ansem and that he's not a king.  And those changes are a small price to pay for a much deeper insight into him than the original game ever provided, and a fascinating new character in Ansem the Wise, voiced by Sir Christopher fucking Lee himself.  Circling back to Darth Vader, imagine if it was never retconned that he was Luke's father and they just stuck with the story that he killed Luke's father? We'd miss out on one of cinema's most iconic twists and all the rich story potential for the character that twist provided.

Nomura, however, completely failed to take advantage of the rich story potential offered by the character of Xehanort that had been created. After deciding that the Xehanort we knew was a freakish amnesiac hybrid of the Keyblade warriors Terra and Master Xehanort, upon which said character was officially redubbed Terra-Xehanort, Nomura decided to exclusively focus on Master Xehanort as a character and as the series' Big Bad.

But there isn't anything interesting about Master Xehanort. He was just a rip-off of Star Wars' Palpatine who was given Riku's original backstory and motivations and whose plan didn't even make a whole lot of sense. Master Xehanort is only interesting in the context of helping to create Terra-Xehanort, and yet Nomura just kept adding and adding onto him, with each addition only making the character worse and insulting the legacy of the one he had before.

He had Master Xehanort resurrected after the defeat of Ansem and Xemnas...somehow, even though Ansem and Xemnas were Terra-Xehanort's Heartless and Nobody, not his. And he revealed that he masterminded a convoluted plan where Terra-Xehanort turned into Ansem so that he could follow the ludicrous rules of time travel and go to the past to recruit Master Xehanort's teenage self to the cause of evil. When Ansem got back to the present, he was to capture the Seven Princesses of Heart while Xemnas completed his Kingdom Hearts in order to put Xehanort's heart inside the rest of Organization XIII, because it's now revealed that when 7 hearts of light and 13 hearts of darkness clash, the X-Blade is "properly" forged.  And even though Ansem and Xemnas were defeated, Young Xehanort used time travel to recruit back-ups for the 13 hearts of darkness anyway, including Ansem and Xemnas themselves, so the heroes are boxed into a corner and everything went according to Xehanort's plan.

The most apparent problem with this story, beyond what an absolute clusterfuck it is, is that Ansem and Xemnas' plans were not written as part of Master Xehanort's plan back in the KH Trinity, and this attempt at rewriting them as such rings false as a result. If Terra-Xehanort became Ansem in order to travel back in time, why write otherwise in his reports? If Ansem just needed to capture the Princesses, why did he leave them behind once they'd unlocked the way to the Heart of All Worlds? Why would he even want to absorb the Heart of All Worlds to begin with? And why did Xemnas carry on with his plan to complete and absorb the Heart of All Men even after the death of both Ansem and many of what were supposed to be the 13 vessels for Xehanort's heart? It makes no fucking sense, because Ansem and Xemnas' plans and motivations were written as their own, not Master Xehanort's.

The next problem is that if you do decide to swallow this bullshit, then what was even the point of what was accomplished in the KH Trinity, or any previous game like BBS for that matter? Everything went according to Master Xehanort's plan; his defeat in BBS, Ansem's in KH and Xemnas' in KH2 only ensured this outcome, everything that the heroes - and by extension, you as a player - did only helped him. Master Xehanort has become one of the biggest villainous Mary Sues in history: there's nothing that can realistically stop him because he's so omnipotent in his planning and is increasingly overpowered; Kingdom Hearts III even claims that he is now "the most powerful Keyblade Master of all", which makes one question why exactly he ever needed to take over Terra's body to begin with beyond the time travel-related excuse of "it's been etched" (the fuck does that even mean!?) It all seems like a cheap tactic to make KH3 the end-all, be-all, and all that does is increase disappointment when it inevitably can't meet those lofty expectations.

But the worst problem here is that for all of the convoluted detail given to his planning, we still know next to nothing about who Xehanort IS as a character. It's impossible when every game keeps adding new and usually contradictory details to his backstory, personality and motivations. Ansem and Xemnas, the two halves of Terra-Xehanort in the KH Trinity, were really pretty vague in the specifics of how their plans operated, but that didn't matter because we understood who they were and where they were coming from as characters. Ansem was an arrogant scientist who justified his god complex with the results of his research that he believed proved him to be in the right for what he aimed to accomplish. Xemnas was an empty husk of a man who justified his god complex as a means to justify his miserable non-existence. And both of them shared the root cause of Terra-Xehanort's own personal insecurity, the fear that unless he does what he does then he'll be just a tiny speck in a vast universe who will never escape from the shadow of his esteemed mentor whose name he stole for himself.

Who exactly is the Xehanort that we have now? Does he want an equal balance of light and dark in the world? Does he want darkness to reign forever? Does he not care what the outcome of the world is and just wants scientific answers? Does he want to rule the world with all of its darkness so that all of its light is protected from the darkness of "the weak"? Does he even want what he thinks he wants or is Luxu and/or the Master of Masters controlling him? Is he fucking possessed? Is he just fucking insane!? The games have presented a case for any one of these options to be true, but it's impossible to peg down which one is. We also don’t know if he’s meant to be a misguided Anti-Villain or a Complete Monster, or what his backstory is when the details on that keep on changing with each game. Nomura clearly has not thought this character through at all.

And that's especially ironic because Nomura has always held a disturbing identification with Xehanort. Even back in the original game, despite its actual writers clearly portraying Ansem as a fool blinded by his own hubris, Nomura thought he was really profound and accurate. It was the same with Xemnas, despite Kazushige Nojima having him outright called a fool within the script. And with Master Xehanort, Nomura took his favoritism to the next level, turning the entire Kingdom Hearts series up to Kingdom Hearts III into a saga based around him. He may have begun by claiming the Dark Seeker Saga was about Sora saving everyone from Xehanort, but he quickly reversed this and made it about Xehanort and his grand plan...all while never coherently defining who the hell Xehanort even is. 

I guess that's the ultimate thing Nomura has in common with him: they're both confusing bastards who make everyone around them miserable and ruin perfectly good stories.

[s4banf-blog]

Geek Culture, Part 1

Geek: heterosexual white male, 40 years old and still living with his mother. This is always my first assumption when the word ‘geek’ comes to my head. It’s a stereotype, it’s harsh but it’s what most people will think of. However, geek culture is evolving ever so quickly, it’s become a mainstream in our media and our everyday lives.

Geek culture goes all the way back to the 1900’s. It started out as a person in a circus act who would do strange and gross acts, they were the ‘fool’ of the show this was perpetuated in William Gresham’s classic novel Nightmare Alley (1946). This in itself is extremely derogatory but back then it was accepted in such a way. Moving into the 1950’s, where ‘geeks’ were moved up somehow on the social scale to intellectuals (but still ‘freakish’) and, unsociable. So when we go onto the 80’s, it was somebody who had knowledge of technology but it was still seen as an insult. If you’re smart with computers, then you’re instantly an outcast who is ‘too’ smart and nobody wants to know a intellectual. The two timeless characteristics of geeks are social incapacity and obsessive dedication to some degree. Nowadays, geeks are people that are heavily interested in a particular topic. It has become a label that people once avoided, but now are heavily proud of. Geek is now a widespread title. When we talk about geek in pop culture, it remained unchanged until the 1980′s where shows and films such as Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Star Wars franchise came to Hollywood. This progression changed for people who were once laughed at, to now become more accepted. The success of Star Wars changed geek culture, making sci-fi more popular and profitable for the masses. The aesthetic for geek drastically changed, it became ‘geek chic’. ‘Geek chic’ refers to a minor fashion trend that came about in the mid 2000′s in which teenagers adopted "geeky" fashions, such as oversized black glasses, suspenders, and cropped trousers. The glasses sometimes worn with without lenses quickly became a main aspect of the trend, with the media identifying various celebrities as "going geek" for wearing these glasses, such as Justin Timberlake. The term ‘geek chic’ was appropriated by some self-identified ‘geeks’. Geeks were no longer fashion stunted intellectuals. They became forward thinking, creative individuals with a lot of knowledge ranging from books to computers. We wouldn’t have Apple, Microsoft or Tesla if it wasn’t for geeks. These companies have changed the way we live, entirely. We rely on this software to get through work, school and even our social life.

If we look at famous geeks throughout history, we’d be going back to Shakespeare, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. If we move onto more recent times, we get people like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Bill Gates was the principal founder of Microsoft, thus creating the world’s largest software company. As of 2019, himself and the company is worth $96.5 billion and he is only 63 years old. Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook when he was 19 years old and by the time he was 23 years old he became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. He is only 34 years old and worth $62.3 billion as of February 2019. Elon Musk is the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, being one of the largest and most powerful companies in the entire world. He is 47 years old and worth $21.4 billion as of March 2019. These men are extremely powerful and create some resources that we use in our everyday lives.

MSNBC carried out a study in America, where it shows that 17% consider themselves as ‘tech-savvy’ geeks. However, more ‘geeks’ have come forward to consider themselves to have more favourable attributes such as owning their technical skills as well as hiding away from the stereotypical ‘geek’ - (having severe social awkwardness). The evolution of geeks became more widespread due to the internet. Without the internet, geeks would be back to being secluded and isolated from the mainstream. Different platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace created spaces where these individuals could feel a part of a bigger world. Geeks from all over the world could get to know each other and share their passions for a particular subject. Before this, there was places such as comic book stores where geek’s could find other people like them but unfortunately because these weren’t common place, many people didn’t have access to them or the money. This is why the internet was such a vital moment in geek history. There are forums on Reddit, Facebook groups and Twitter threads where people can share theories, thoughts and ideas on their subject.

One of the biggest changes in the entertainment industry over the last twenty years was the introduction of conventions like Comic Con. Once a specialist event, Comic Con now draws people from all walks of film, television and music.  Fans come to these conventions to bond with similar individuals, hear from the cast and crew of Star Wars and possibly get small snippets from their favourite franchise’s latest installment. It demonstrates pride, adoration and allegiance. It’s common knowledge now for fans to dress as their favourite characters, walking around conventions as Harley Quinn or Luke Skywalker. This cosplay culture is not perceived as childish like it would have been by previous generations. Instead, it is seen as embracing your youth. Part of the cosplay fascination derives from a need to shed adult responsibilities and return to your childhood innocence. Not only this, many people use cosplay as a form of escapism - they change themselves for a fun weekend so that they can get away from there normal life and become a part of a fantasy.  Some cosplayers’ choose characters for traits they admire: more courageous, more motivated. Taking on and trying out those desired attributes can lead to a improved self. Others choose certain characters because they feel that character embodies a trait, or even a persona, that they themselves share. In that way, taking on those other characters can be a way to be even more yourself. This creates a happier and healthier culture, other people seeing how you show your character and getting to know more and more people through this. But we cannot stress enough the importance of prioritising real life over fantasy.

[dramastudent009]

What I think now

Remember everything you just read in the good acting section?

Now, wipe that clean. Or rather, partially clean.

Because although I, future me, still agree with most of the things on there, there are a few key things I wish to tweak.

1. An good actor must have the ability to portray a variety of different characters. 

no. I mean, it is nice. and a good actor can have this ability, and a person who can portray a variety of different characters well is certainly a great actor.

HOWEVER. I think now that it is totally okay to have one, good acting job as well. People fear typecasting, but I think in someway, all of us are typecast, whether that be gender, race, age, or ability. Stella was famously swindled into playing a grandma by people who took advantage of her ego, yet what have we heard about this grandma character? It may be ok, but someone like Maggie Smith, or Meryl Streep may very well portray the character better because of their age, their life experiences, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. We all have things we are good at, and those we are not.

For another example. I think Johnny Depp is the Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean (let’s set aside how he is as a person for a moment - that, kkhem, is a whole other mess.) If you look at the roles he has been in, the ones that are successful are nearly all variations of the “eccentric, freakish outcast” (quote his IMDB profile) Think Willy Wonka, The Mad Hatter, Edward Scissorhands. However, he does this well, and although he may not be able to portray, say, luke skywalker at the drop of a hat, I think he is a good actor for the characters he has done.

2. A good actor memorizes their lines

I think this is sort of a given for any actor. It’s in the job description. A bad actor can memorize their lines as well. A good actor, on the other hand, will go beyond. Utlizing script analysis, whether that’s through methods like Stanislavsky’s or the 9 questions of Uta Hagen, they prepare themselves even more the role. Thus, like Uta Hagen said, they enter the rehearsal truly prepared and ready to play, to work, to act .... not just memorizing, but truly knowing their lines AND their tactics.

[chooserecovery]

I self harm and honestly it makes me feel amazing. It's so addicting, I just can't stop. It makes me forget about my anxiety and depression. It's makes me calmer as well so my anxiety isn't that bad. I'm not saying self harm is good and that people should do it, I just wonder why I feel this way. Does this make me the freak people say I am?

Who’s ready for Bad Biology Lessons With Luke?

I’m going to assume that, like most people, you have stubbed your toe at some point in your life. When that happens, you might notice that the first split second of pain is AWFUL, but it fades immediately to a much more manageable level. That’s because, in response to pain, your body releases endorphins, which are basically home-made morphine.

Funny thing about morphine and other opiates: they don’t just make physical pain hurt less, they mess with emotions and relaxation level, too. Endorphins are no exception. So, when you hurt yourself, those endorphins get released, and they can make you feel better, temporarily. At least until they’re out of your system.

Since you have anxiety and depression, I’m guessing that your default emotional state is somewhere in the range of could-be-better. Latching onto something that triggers feel-good chemicals in your body doesn’t sound freakish to me, it sounds like you just want to feel better. Which is…pretty normal?

That being said, obviously I don’t think you should self harm. It can be dangerous, it usually gets worse over time, and you’re not really dealing with the actual problem so much as throwing a bandaid over a broken bone. You deserve better than that. Try to find other things that can give you what you want. If you need a quick endorphin release, laughter, spicy food, sexual activity and intense aerobic exercise can all trigger endorphins (if you’ve heard of a runner’s high, endorphins are the reason behind it). A lot of people find breathing exercises and mindfulness really helpful in managing anxiety. This page has some useful tips for those. (note: some people REALLY do not like mindfulness things. If you try it and have an immediate NOPE reaction to it, move on to trying something else. Different things work for different people.)

But, no, you’re not a freak, anon. You’re just dealing with stuff however you can. Everything that you’ve described is a normal chemical reaction to physical stimulus. It sucks that you’re in a position where you feel like you need it. But it doesn’t make you a freak.

–Luke

[spotlightsaga]

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... Riverdale /S01\/E10\ Chapter 10: The Lost Weekend Airdate: April 13, 2017 @cwnetwork Ratings: 0.872 Million :: 0.32 18-49 Demo Share Score: 8.5/10 @riverdaleseries @archiecomics TVTime/FB/Twitter/IG/Tumblr/Path/Pin: @SpotlightSaga **********SPOILERS BELOW********** Four Months late isn't too bad, right? See, in Miami, it's never cute to be the first person at the party, and really the party never ends until someone actually says it does... And clearly the Riverdale Party is still very much in full swing. So consider this 10th Entry 'Riverdale Revisit'; the after party to end all after parties. Of course, we're going to be set up for S2 when it goes live. This is definitely not one of the tv shows that Spotlight Saga will be dropping in the coming, world famous, 'fall tv' season frenzy. But don't get it twisted, there are many on the chopping block... OUR chopping block. We're looking at what gets our blood pumping and our thoughts racing, giving us something more to talk about than "Last Night on ___insert uninspired show number #45 here___." 'Riverdale' has made a massive stir across social media and of course on The CW & their worldwide dominating partner, Netflix, as well. I love that due to streaming, the new large amounts of cash pouring in from its subsequent deals, and actually several generations full of 'cord cutters', there are no longer rules to watching and writing about television series and films... Get to them when you can, some will watch them live, some will stream them later, some will wait until they can binge them all at once like a Weekend Warrior with a pocket full of Ecstasy and a head full of hallucinogens. It's our world now, and CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, and more (or less) importantly 'Nielsen Holdings', no longer control what, when, where, why, and how much. Smell that? That's the sweet smell of change... And the remnants of murder and sticky maple syrup, obvi. Ive been extremely careful not to overpraise 'Riverdale' in the past. Similar series have only led to frustration or feelings of complete frustration. Its hard to know what to expect from a show like this in the near future... We all saw the demise of similar series like 'Pretty Little Liars' and other shows that run through the same type of vein... Kind of like many of the other ones attempted over at the now defunct ABC Family where PLL first started. Like The WB, UPN, and now The CW, ABC Family has also gone through a newly rebranding process that didn't do much to help the sinking ship they now call Freeform TV... A network that only 'The Fosters' and its cheesy sister show 'Shadowhunters' seem to be keeping afloat. We aren't being negative, we're being real... And when you're at a party, or in this case, 'After Party', you've got to be real. You just gotta... Even if no one ever wanted the party in the first place. If you don't know what I mean, let me spell it out for you. Ready? Set? Spell! Ah fuck it, we'll just spill the tea... 'Let's have a Kiki! Lock the doors tight!' I sometimes wonder if my obscure pop culture references I often sneak into these articles ever actually connect. They probably don't, but to that one person that got it, FUCK YEAH! It's the birthday of Jughead (Cole Sprouse)... And much like the very similar, fellow female counterpart, Sheila the She-Wolf, another introverted style character from 'Riverdale's sister show on Netflix, 'GLOW'... Jughead is not really into parties and/or making a big fuss about a birthday or bringing any unnecessary & unwanted attention to his person. Unfortunately for Betty (Lili Reinhart), Jughead isn't really big on camaraderie, most definitely not in the spirit equivalent to the 'Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling'! The reasons behind throwing these two characters' each their own impromptu birthday bashes on their respective tv shows are done for totally different reasons. With 'GLOW', it was slightly annoying at first (for Sheila, anyway), but eventually it turned from an apprehensive & anxiety filled event to a touching, sweet moment, where a closed off character had a major breakthrough that was captured in the perfect beam of light, allowing a significant development and enabling an insight into another character's backstory, bringing the whole cast together for the most part. In a great juxtaposition, on 'Riverdale', the psychology behind this one is actually much, much different... It's still got the 'trepidatious yet possible potential for a surprise moment of gratification' aspect down to a certain degree, but it doesn't go down the path of the balmy & charming. The reasoning behind Betty's sudden obsession to give Jughead the party that he never wanted, and the background as to why he's so against the idea in the first place certainly doesn't inspire camaraderie or any kind of 'feel good' moments, especially at the party itself. If anything, the intent is slightly bordering on the side of creepy. Riverdale?! Creepy?!? Yup! Keep up! It's only getting creepier. You see... We've been up on 'Riverdale' and then back down, and then back up and down again... And I think everyone here will openly admit that it's mostly due to a shaky CW track record, as well as similar networks just like it, though there has been a few inconsistencies outside of this oddball tone & beautiful color scheme we're always raving about. However, when the show fully embraces its complete and total anomalous, almost freakish eccentricities, we all just fall right back in love with the show again. It's episodes like 'Chapter 10: The Lost Weekend' that completely make us forget about past network follies and shows like PLL completely losing their way after gaining our trust and enthusiasm in its beginning stages. Reinhart is effortlessly serving up 'Bizarre, Bilateral, Betty Bananas' like a full-on, award ready, seasoned vet. Seriously, I don't want to blow too much smoke up the kid's ass, but I'm pretty sure her breakthrough performance here would even make the likes of decorated actress such as Nicole Kidman proud. Betty Cooper has a duality that Reinhart not only highlights with strong, hearty performances... But it's also the efforts of Director Dawn Williamson, a phenomenal Art Department (you guys KICK MAJOR ASS), Cinematographer Stephen Jackson (this guy was award-worthy in this episode), and Costume & Wardrobe (hell, everyone involved in the smallest, minute details) framed from shot to shot... The absurdity of how tight & perfectly situated her ponytail is, how hard she clenches her hands (leaving scratch marks on her palms), even the way she holds the cake & dawns the signature 'Jughead Crown', to whoever made the call of having those weirdo party goers in horse masks in the background - Good call, guys! That was freaking CRAZY! It's all those little things that make the picture such a pleasure to watch... Turning what seems like a normal teen drama at first glance, to a finely tuned, surprisingly compelling theatrical spectacle. The crazy is in full on abundance, though... It's not just Betty. Suddenly after a string of a few disappointing episodes, I come back after a break and either see things in a totally different light, or it could be that this was just slowly building right under our noses the whole time, or *the most plausible of all three options* is that the ironically lowest rated episode of the series, according to the great analysts over at Nielsen, is actually the most technically sound, character driven, insanely atmospheric entry of the entire 1st Season. Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes) finally lets go of some deep resentments she's been bottling up and goes after Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch). This is a task that I wouldn't suggest to any person of sound or capable mind to attempt in any way, shape, fashion, or form. The act is crazy in and of itself, and pissing off the 'Ravishing Redhead' that literally wears the letters 'HBIC' on the back of her cheerleading uniform, that's 'Head Bitch in Charge' for anyone too young or too old to remember Tiffany Pollard of VH1's 'I Love New York', is obviously going to lead to a backlash that Veronica won't likely forget. Sure she might get her big 'W' now, but we must remind you... There's no 'W' in 'HBIC'. Meanwhile, Cole Sprouse & Skeet Ulrich, who plays Serpent Gangster FP Jones & Jughead's father on the show, are literally close to actually convincing me that they are really father and son in real life. The little ticks and nuances that they share are out of this fn' world insane. Either these two have spent a week in a trailer together mirroring their every move or we seriously need to ring in Maury Povich for a DNA Test! Oh, and apparently there's some guy on the show named Archie Andrews (KJ Apa)... The only drawback is that they've failed to make the main protagonist (is he tho?) even remotely interesting. He's good looking, but he's not a convincing redhead, and I'm still not hooked into his arc. Hey, that's ok... Enter Mary Andrews (Molly Ringwald - ChaChing!), Archie's long lost mother. So nice of you to finally drop in, Molly! Fred Andrews (Luke Perry) is ready to finalize the divorce, but we're just biting on all the possibly juicy dramatic scenarios! Who is Archie again? Back at the party, that burgeoning rivalry between Veronica and Cheryl hits its boiling point when Veronica gets a bit too carried away and accuses Cheryl and her deceased brother Jason (Trevor Stines) of having an incestious affair. Ah, gotta love seedy underbelly of the United States! The more money, the crazier the family!!! Oh but there's more! Good ol' All-American Chuck (Jordan Calloway), who actually WAS almost boiled alive, attempts to out Betty on her 'Dr. Jeckyl/Ms. Hyde' issue that surfaced when a hot tub prank got a bit too out of hand earlier in the season. To our surprise, and viewer delight, Jughead and his Dad actually had a moment, which was completely unexpected, yet felt completely real. Like I said before, Ulrich & Sprouse have stellar chemistry, and the writers seem to know this and obviously derive great pleasure in giving us this moment where the two aren't at total odds and Jughead not only carefully considers, but actually takes his biological father's advice... Providing solid proof that the series isn't trying to meander or stretch out any unnecessary storylines at all. No disrespect to fans of other series broadcast on The CW, but clearly this isn't 'The Flash'. These storylines seem to be heading into important territory at a reasonable pace, and not just hanging around to fulfill an episode number requested by an executive to make sure ad-space quotas are filled... Although I have considered that this could be an issue that the show could run into in its expanded 22-Episode Run that it's been greenlit for S2. There's plenty of juicy drama to go around, but when we see that drama making moves instead of being drawn out, then you know you've got a potentially good show on your hands. For now, 'Riverdale' is back on a solid trajectory, delivering what appears to be a set-up episode for the impending S1 finale... A set-up episode that was easily the most consistent entry to date from start to finish. The impression that an episode as good as this exists to move its characters like chess pieces, seemingly just to put everyone in place for the final three episodes is an exciting notion for the last 3 hours of S1 of 'Riverdale' to come!

[anfieldcentral]

Speculation: A New Signings XI |

With actual solid transfer news rather slow so far this week, I thought I’d do something different. I get asked a lot about players I’d want to sign and my responses are always similar because of my beliefs over which positions we actually need to strengthen. So, for a bit of fun and something different, here’s an entire XI of players that could be potential targets for the Reds if they were to sign a player in each position of Klopp’s current preferred formation. 

Goalkeeper: Jack Butland | Stoke City  | £10-15m

It’s sometimes easy to forget Jack Butland exists due to his leg injury having put him out of all football for the better part of a year but for me, Liverpool should just use this factor as a way to get him on a cut price deal. The Englishman was the best keeper in the league last season aside from David De Gea and his reflexes and save ability is almost freakish. 

Right Back: Djibril Sidibé | AS Monaco | £15-20m

Will be incredibly surprised if Europe’s top teams don’t try and raid AS Monaco of practically their entire starting XI this Summer. The French team have been on fire in both Europe and Ligue 1 this season and the man the Reds could use the most is Djibril Sidibé. The Frenchman is capable of playing both left and right back and is just as good offensively as he is defensively. Would provide competition for Clyne and give us a viable option at left back. 

Centre Back: Virgil Van Dijk | Southampton | £50m

One of the most in demand centre backs in the Premier League and for good reason. The Dutchman is a tall, strong, tough tackling, hard working leader with an impressive composure on the ball and would improve any defence in the League. It’s going to be tough to win him over - Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and City are supposedly also interested - and he won’t come cheap but Liverpool should be doing everything to snap him up. 

Centre Back: Kalidou Koulibaly | Napoli | £40m

If the Reds can’t get VVD then Koulibaly would be a more than suitable alternative. The Senegalese international is an absolute man mountain of a centre back who would add pace, strength and height to the Liverpool back line. He’s also superbly composed in possession and boasts a pass accuracy of 89% in the Serie A. Also won’t come cheap but such if the nature of the market these days. 

Left Back: Luke Shaw | Manchester United | £15m

Probably an unpopular suggestion amongst Liverpool supporters but hear me out. We need a left back - desperately - and Shaw not only plays the position but has done so in the Premier League for the last 4 years, is the perfect age for a Jurgen Klopp signing and due to his fallout with Jose Mourinho, would likely be available on the cheap. Always hard to get a United player to Liverpool though.

Defensive Midfielder: William Carvalho | Sporting Lisbon | £25-30m

As typical a midfield destroyer as they come, Carvalho would provide the Reds midfield with extra strength and stability in the number 6 role. He’s not as dynamic as Jordan Henderson and certainly lacks the pace to be as box to box as the Reds skipper but he would provide a solid option against the likes of West Brom, Watford and Stoke who look to bully the Reds midfield with his 6′3/89kg frame making it hard to out muscle him. 

Box to Box Midfielder: Naby Keita | RB Leipzig | £25m

He’s essentially the Bundesliga’s version of N’Golo Kante with an added goal threat. Standing at just 5′7, the Guinean is ridiculously strong for his stature and possesses pace, quick feet, an eye for goal and superb creative vision - evident in his 8 goals and 7 assists this season for Leipzig. Can also play as a 6, 8 or 10 in a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1. For the touted price of £25m you’re getting nothing short of a bargain. 

Attacking Midfielder: Marco Asensio | Real Madrid | £45-50m

The Reds reportedly had a £42 bid already turned down for the Spaniard and it looks as if Real Madrid would not be happy to let him go just yet. However, if I was Jurgen Klopp I’d be desperately looking to test their resolve. Capable of playing anywhere across the supporting three, Asensio scores, assists, has a surprising amount of pace and possesses an impressive first touch. 

Left Wing: Julian Brandt | Bayer Leverkusen | £20-25m

He’s reportedly Jurgen Klopp’s top target this Summer and he would provide the Reds with some real quality in depth out in the wide areas. Capable of playing left, right and centrally, the young German is skilful, possesses great vision and impressive strength and physicality for a winger. 

Right Wing: Douglas Costa | Bayern Munich | £25m

He’s been linked almost endlessly across the last 2 or 3 days and would represent a bit of a wild card for Klopp. The Brazilian hasn’t been on form this season and has struggled for game time but when he’s playing well his pace, trickery, direct running style and eye for goal make him very similar to a certain Sadio Mane - the kind of player the Reds should definitely be looking to add more of. If Klopp signs him on a cut price deal I’d have no complaints. 

Striker: Alexandre Lacazette | Olympique Lyon | £45-50m

It’s no secret that I absolutely love this guy as a footballer. He’s quick, strong, skilful, intelligent and consistently bangs in goals left, right and centre. Also a more than competent penalty taker, giving Liverpool an option from the spot should James Milner not be a starter next season. Comes with a huge price tag but it would be more than worth paying and if Daniel Sturridge moves on for the touted price of £20-25m, it certainly shrinks the impact on FSG’s wallet. 

[old-long-john]

(1/8)Oh my good golly gosh darn, Laura!!!! I would drown in your words if I could. That bit from your unfinished fic, I'm in awe. I am completely smitten with your interpretation of Silver. I wish I could articulate a response to your answers besides !!!!! (Also you're a saint for humoring me.) I could listen and talk to you about John Silver all day. You touched on some really good points in previous answers that I didn't acknowledge, so I'd like to address some of them now because wow.

You do such a good job unpacking the minutiae in each scene, but then I feel the need to further explicate your meta because you bring up so many brilliant points. 1.“Funny that Silver’s learnt so much shit from Flint, except that allowing yourself to be blinded to rationality and truths is a ruinous mistake.” God this ties in so well to our discussion of Silver believing his own bullshit. It’s almost as though he learned the wrong lesson from Flint and became more accomplished at lying to himself as the story goes on. Or perhaps those untruths just kept piling up. 

So very true. Honestly, I think so much of it is due to Silver letting himself get too comfortable in the little bubble he’d created for himself. And I feel so awful for him, because it was always going to have to pop in the end. He’s always been so good at reading people and at manipulating situations for his own gain, and he seemed to be incredibly honest with himself (and others) about his own failings and limitations, and those things are fine when nobody depends on you and you don’t depend on anybody else. But as soon as he developed loyalties and relationships, and with them wants and needs that he couldn’t provide for himself alone (love and friendship and respect), it suddenly wasn’t very convenient to be honest with himself about his own shortcomings or the things which the only two members of the John Silver’s People Club would value as more important than him. Because I completely believe he valued(/still values?) them more than anything else in the entire world. It’s such a horrible imbalance to face honestly and accept.

2.“Not much slips by Flint” lmao except a big cache full of gems on his own damn ship. Sorry I just had to bring that up. I feel like that was one of those leaps of faith the show expects us to take, and I just can’t. I still can’t believe Flint didn’t know the cache was on board the Walrus.

Mm, I know what you mean. Though I can make it work in my own head. Flint is such a micro-manager, but he has been far more relaxed this season in general. I mean, he went off on his little Fortress B&B break with Eleanor and trusted Silver to make everything work in his absence, with no plan given. But that’s part of the problem. Even if Silver was wrong about Flint’s investment in their friendship, and in his assertion that it was only a convenience insofar as it helped him to use Silver to have things done his way…Flint kind of still did that, a little bit. Flint loves him, I have no doubt, but he put so much faith in the idea that Silver would see his way as right and fall in line that it made him blind to the daylight that was growing between them. He was still doing it on that damn island when he was talking to Dooley. I can buy that he didn’t know the chest was on board, because he truly hadn’t made room in his head for the possibility that Silver would go against him in that way. So he let his plan fall into place, as his plans always fell into place with Silver by his side, without noticing that Silver wasn’t with him in the way he thought. Poor Flint. Like we said, speaking of masters of blinding oneself to dangerous truths…

3.“I wonder though how much he was motivated by pride in that moment, or anger, or even just vulnerability.” Honestly Laura just let me rEST. You have a Flint-like way of cutting straight to the heart of a scene or action. We (you) covered Silver’s vulnerability (god so vulnerable–remember when he left the hilltop when Flint asked about his past? He sounded SO young and broken as he went gosh. I’m pretty emotional over his emotions.) but I really want to address the others. Because I actually had some thoughts concerning his pride. He always made a point to set himself apart from the men and claim freedom from Flint’s influence (“You will account for me;” “I don’t believe in him”). I think once there was a break in their relationship (once daylight could seep between them) all Billy’s and Hands’s warnings fueled his determination perhaps to disprove them or maybe just to prove to himself that he can still hold his own with Flint and not be moved, even to the point of ignoring logic (John, why :’( ). And I’m thinking these conflicting, complex emotions feed into each other? Like maybe the anger also stems from the vulnerability, the perceived betrayal–is a reaction to being hurt. Anger is an easy emotion, and to someone who is new to emotions like Silver, I imagine it’s simpler to embrace. I mean, remember his face at the end of the episode? He’s so in love (romantic, platonic, whatever I don’t care); he’s in awe of this thing between them. This is his first (at least that we see) important relationship. The feelings are mutual, that’s what he says, and for him to feel like Flint broke his first foray into attachment, of course he’s going to be hurt. 

I suddenly have that scene from Pride and Prejudice playing in the back of my mind and it’s the worst. (”Perhaps these offences might have been overlooked had not your pride been hurt by my honesty…”, “My pride?”, “…in admitting scruples about our relationship…”, “…from the first moment I met you, your arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realise that you were the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry.” *cue sexual tension so thick you could spread it on toast*) Oh, pride. You know, come to think of it, we were told right at the beginning of the episode that pride should not be a thing that ought to come between them at this point, and I imagine that wasn’t accidental. 

I think you’re completely right about the influence of Billy and Hands’s words. However that pride is framed (either being for Silver’s own peace of mind, or to prove the point to them), having that ‘mistake’ seen by them, and commented on constantly, must have had some effect on his impulse to prove he could even the score and show just how very invulnerable he really was to Flint. I think he’s probably almost as angry with them for pointing it out and making it ‘a thing’ as he is with Flint for giving rise to it. I’ve wondered a lot, actually, just how this season would have gone without the corrupting influence of Hands. He really has been an evil little snake, whispering the things that should only ever have been thought by Silver, not said aloud. I suppose that was his purpose really. To give voice to those things that we as the audience needed to hear, but which wouldn’t normally be spoken. He’s almost been as much a narrative device to show Silver’s state of mind as those S3 dreams were for Flint. 

What you say about Silver’s complex emotions feeding into easier ones, like anger, sounds exactly right too. I’ve been kind of viewing Silver as a bit of a teenager in a lot of respects this season, and that fits in with that view. Flint was totally his first foray into attachment, yeah, and Silver does definitely love him in his way - he’s basically experiencing his first break up, and it’s a brutal, world-shattering one. He’s so inexperienced with feelings (seemingly deliberately, as one of those suddenly inconvenient lines of defence - fuck do I empathise with him there), and so like a teenager his reaction to big feelings that he doesn’t know how to quantify or cope with is to boil them down to easier ones, like anger and hurt, and to express them through spite and cruelty and self-pity. He’s a goddamn mess, but I don’t think he’d know how to stop everything from spiralling, even if he wanted to. Flint might though, if he’d only stop raging long enough to listen to him. 

(And don’t even get me started on Luke Arnold and his freakish ability to de-age himself by about 10 years in the blink of an eye. He’s looked and sounded so young several times this season, and every single time it’s broken me. I could write a whole essay just on that.)

One final thought I had regarding the narrative of Flint and Silver’s relationship is that though they frame it as the war vs Madi, as soon as Flint took the cache, the conflict became him vs Madi. And the fandom had some compelling arguments that the writers weren’t going to be that predictable, but they really were and. That’s probably the most disappointing. Like I didn’t find the episode disappointing but this season as a whole, while not bad, has not been up to parr. Anyway sorry for the incoherent jumble. But I truly love how you process Silver. 

I’ve had this thought too. All of last week I was worrying that there would be no rug-pull and that their division really would be as simple as it seemed, and I was ready to be so disappointed by that…but then episode 9 was so damn good that I kind of forgot to be annoyed. And I still can’t quite find it in me to pick holes yet. I don’t know how it will all stand up to rewatches, but I agree with you, I think. In comparison to most tv, S4 has still been something special (in my eyes), but there have definitely been things that seemed a little rushed or contrived. I suppose the writers felt that they didn’t have enough story left for two more seasons, but what they had was still too much for just one. Perhaps a final season of 12 or 15 episodes would have worked a little better, and given all the storylines and relationships a little more space to breathe. As it stands though, the thing I’ve always loved most about this show is the characters, and I think for the most part they’ve been as well written and thoughtfully developed this season as in the past three, so I’m willing to overlook a few more bumps in the storytelling than normal. And I’m just so glad that the pieces have finally fallen into place for everyone else to ‘see’ Silver again too, because it’s started to feel a little lonely in the John Silver Defence Squad lately. 

This got ENORMOUS. But I’ve had fun answering it! I am not ready to let these pirates go. :( I think they’re going to live in my head for a very, very long time. (I’m at least 40% John Silver at this point. Maybe more.) Someone carve ‘Know no shame’ on my tombstone, please.

[mitchintille]

2020 Mock Draft 2.0

Less than one week away from perhaps the most unusual and bizarre NFL draft we’ll ever witness. At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter how the draft happens, just as long as it does. 

Fair warning, I fully expect the actual draft to look nothing like this one. I’m anticipating numerous trades and head scratching picks come next Thursday night. And while it may not be conducive for me to not include trades, it is simply too unpredictable so I’ll be selecting for each team with the order as is.

Here we go.......

1. Cincinnati Bengals - Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

Ahem.

2. Washington Redskins - Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State

While there have been rumors speculating a possible trade down or surprise selection of a QB, they are simply just that, rumors. Young is the most talented player in this class top to bottom. He checks every box as a prospect and would bolster an already impressive front seven for the Skins. 

3. Detroit Lions - Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

Here’s where the draft gets fun. The Lions are a team I expect to be highly active come draft night. A trade back here with a QB needy team such as LAC or Miami would not surprise me at all. However, in the case of this mock, we are assuming Detroit holds at three which would leave them the nice consolation prize of Okudah. He can fill the void left by Darius Slay and would instantly be the best DB on that roster. 

4. New York Giants - Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

Yet another team I expect to be clinging to their phones come draft night. But in this scenario, I’d expect them to go with either Isaiah Simmons or their highest rated tackle. The nod goes to the freaskishly athlethic Wirfs, who although shows glimpses of his high upside potential, will need to fix his footwork and inconsistent timing with his punch hand in pass pro.

5. Miami Dolphins - Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

It pained me having to type that out. With uncertainty surrounding Tua Tagovailoa and his concerning injury history, you can’t convince me the Dolphins will spend a premier pick on a question mark like him. Instead, they opt for the safer selection in Herbert, a high Football IQ and character driven player. His arm talent on film is evident, but his erratic tendencies and failure to make any big leaps throughout his four years as a starter are worrisome to me. This feels significantly too high for a player of his caliber, but this is the Dolphins we’re dealing with so nothing shocks me anymore.

6. Los Angeles Chargers - Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

The real QB1 finally goes off the board, Is there risk inherited with this pick? Absolutely. But for a team with a talented roster on the cusp of making a playoff run, they lack a true franchise QB to elevate them to that level. Enter Tua. One of the best short/intermediate processors to declare in years. His feel for the pocket and ability to throw wide receivers open are both translatable traits that he performs very well on a consistent basis. He isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the reward outweighs the risk to me here. 

7. Carolina Panthers - Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson

After shipping off Trai Turner and Cam Newton, it is very clear that Matt Rhule and the Panthers want to rebuild starting from the ground up. After Luke Keuchly’s sudden retirement this offseason, an already depleted run defense just got even worse. Simmons is a dynamic athlete with high football character who can plug and play from day one. This pick is just as much culture based as it is talent, as they add the local product to a defense in dire need of a spark heading into 2020. 

8. Arizona Cardinals - Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama

An absolute mauler. Wills is head and shoulders the best run blocker at his position in this draft. After recently investing into Marcus Gilbert and finalizing a blockbuster trade with Houston for Deandre Hopkins, this allows Steve Keim the wiggle room to draft for talent instead of need. Adding a stalwart to the left side of that offensive line would serve as a good insurance policy for Kyler Murray.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars - CJ Henderson, CB, Florida

Hey Jags fans, remember a guy named Justin Gilbert who also went top ten a couple years ago? Well I found his brother. All jokes aside, Henderson is sticky in man coverage and adds superb athleticism to an already elite frame. The cupboard is bare for the Jags corner back depth chart, and this pick would help fill a gaping hole at corner.

10. Cleveland Browns - Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

The best OT in the class. The three year starter at Georgia saw snaps at both left and right tackle over the course of his career. Thomas won’t wow anyone with his athleticism, but his technically sound form and plus footwork should allow for an easy transition to the league.

11. New York Jets - Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

A bit of a conundrum here for me. I love Jeudy’s talent. It is undeniable. But I simply don’t see him being a team’s No.1 WR early in his career. Unfortunately for the Jets, they failed to resign Robby Anderson in free agency and are now left with a huge void. They opt for the best route runner in the draft and an optimal WR2 in today’s game. His ability to create separation at the line of scrimmage is already among the best at the position in the NFL. He does get into a habit of letting the ball travel into his body too much, but considering the amount of space he creates before the ball is thrown, it doesn’t worry me too much. As much as he appears to be a slam dunk prospect on tape, not having another receiver on the outside to complement his best traits could prove to be dire for Jeudy in this situation. 

12. Las Vegas Raiders - Ceedee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

Did you see the picture I used for this article? Then you understand why this makes sense. Look, Lamb just FEELS like a Raider. Given their need for a true WR1 and Gruden’s style of preferred receiver, this almost feels like an arranged marriage. Lamb's YAC skills and football IQ should be coveted by Gruden/Mayock. 

13. San Francisco 49ers - Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama

Speed. Speed. And more speed. If Kyle Shanahan showed us one thing last season, it’s that he doesn’t mess around when it comes to speed. Ruggs displays absurd play speed and athleticism. I trust Shanny’s savviness as a coach to able to get Ruggs the ball any way possible. Pair him next to Deebo Samuel and allow George Kittle to eat over the middle. Good luck, defenses. 

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

This is yet another draft slot that I anticipate should change between now and Thursday. The Bucs went out and made a big splash, signing six time super bowl winner Tom Brady. GM Jason Licht has made it very clear: we want a ring. With that being said, I can see the Bucs trading up to ensure they land the best tackle on their board. In this case, they sit tight and still late a behemoth in Mekhi Becton. The 6′9 specimen does a good job of using his freakish length to his advantage. There are occasional mental lapses, but once he gets his hands on you, it’s a wrap. 

15. Denver Broncos - Derrick Brown, IDL, Auburn

Tough scenario here for Denver. The top three receivers and top four tackles are all off the board. Instead of reaching for need, the Broncos elect to go BPA, which just so happens to be Brown. Brown is an absolute hog molly who will immediately help reset the defensive interior. His presence on the inside with Von Miller and Bradley Chubb on the outside can help give offensive coordinators fits for the next five years. 

16. Atlanta Falcons - Javon Kinlaw, IDL, South Carolina

The medical concerns here are real. Kinlaw raised concerns following an injury related dismissal from the senior bowl. With cloudiness surrounding his future, a Mo Hurst-esque slide wouldn’t surprise me in the least bit. With that being said, Kinlaw’s burst and explosiveness are easily the best in the class. His pure brute strength and first step allowed him to win majority of his reps at South Carolina. Once he develops a few counter moves in his arsenal, watch out.

17. Dallas Cowboys - AJ Terrell, CB, Clemson

Barring one of the top three receivers falling to this spot, i firmly believe that this will be the pick. Following the departure of Byron Jones, a sudden need has emerged at cornerback. Given the depth at the position in this draft, a reach for need at this spot feels highly likely. Terrell is infamously known for his horrible game against Jamar Chase and LSU in the national championship, but I feel the hatred for him as gotten absurd. His body of work outside that game should speak for itself. He’s an intelligent and physical player with the long speed neccessary to stay attached on routes down the field.

18. Miami Dolphins - Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State

A late bloomer in the draft process, Cleveland has sky rocketed up boards since the combine. He showed quality tape but his combine and high football character find himself as a top 20 pick. Brian Flores is beginning to show a tendency to target high character Football players, and Cleveland fits the billing.

19. Las Vegas Raiders - Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Mayock strikes again! The Raiders need for quality corners is no secret, and being that Mike Mayock and drafting college players from high profile schools are synonymous, all signs lead to this being the selection. Fulton is a smart, scheme versatile corner whose prowess in man coverage should serve immediate dividends to a team lacking players with that ability. 

20. Jacksonville Jaguars - K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU

With the impending departure of Yannick Ngakoue, it wouldn’t surprise me to see them spin the wheel with Chaisson. His lack of production for his caliber of athlete is a bit confusing, and given the lack of success from former players who tested similarly, his outlook does not bode well. However, his first step alone is worthy of the selection. He has rockets attached to his shoes, and his initial burst off the line can be mind boggling at times. He is still a work in progress, but if he can fully tap into his potential, the sky is the limit.

21. Philadelphia Eagles - Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

I know I know, it’s not a receiver. But Howie Roseman is smart, and although their depth at receiver does need to be addressed, their need at linebacker might be even more daunting. Queen, the one year starter, is a former RB who displays elite instincts. He’s a very fluid mover in coverage, and will spend his entire rookie season at age 20. Easy pick here for the Eagles. 

22. Minnesota Vikings - Josh Jones, OT, Houston 

A dream fit here. Jones is a light mover whose quick feet and athleticism in the open should translate nicely with the Vikings zone run scheme. He needs to get better about playing too tall at times, but Jones should plug right into that offensive line and serve as a contributor from day one. 

23. New England Patriots - AJ Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

This screams Patriots to me. Epenesa is a plus run defender who is still just tapping into his potential as a pass rusher. He offers exceptional length and plus power. His versatility on the line should prove useful to Belichick, who is notorious for targeting edge guys with the ability to work from the interior. 

24. New Orleans Saints - Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

I was very tempted to go Kenneth Murray here but I can’t pass up the opportunity to keep an LSU kid in the bayou state. Drew Brees isn’t getting any younger, and the window for a Saints super bowl with him at the helm seems to be closing by the minute. Jefferson can play both in the slot and out the outside if needed. His ability to get open and find spacing in the short/intermediate pass game is a highly coveted trait in today’s NFL. Adding him to an already stable core or Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders would finally give Brees all of the firepower needed to make a final run for glory.

25. Minnesota Vikings - Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State

A true big play threat. Aiyuk is not a perfect prospect by any means, as what he does with the ball in his hands is light years better than what he does without the ball in his hands. Aiyuk is still learning to play receiver, and his inconsistencies with getting off press coverage and catching contested passes are big knocks on his profile. With that being said, the dude is a freak of nature when he gets the ball in his hands. His big play flashes last year were mesmerizing, as he displays elite breakaway speed and rangy ball skills at times. While there is plenty to like about his YAC ability and athletic, he’s certainly a risk at this spot.

26. Miami Dolphins - Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State

Gross-Matos is an underrated prospect in the class in my opinion. He was highly productive at Penn State and put together a nice athletic profile in the process. The lack of pass rush in Miami is eye opening, and with three picks in the 1st round, addressing pass rush should be a priority here.

27.  Seattle Seahawks - Marlon Davidson, IDL, Auburn

I don’t know what position Marlon Davidson will play in the league. He can be a penetrating 3-tech, or be a hand in the dirt pass rusher from the edge. All I know is that he is a natural disruptor, and being that Jadeveon Clowney remains unsigned and 2019 first round selection LJ Collier appears to be a bust, this mold of player also fills what now becomes a need for Seattle. 

28. Baltimore Ravens - Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

I truly wish that I could love this pick for Baltimore. The Ravens have recently shown a penchant for Oklahoma players in the draft (Hollywood Brown, Orlando Brown Jr., Mark Andrews), and given the need at linebacker, this makes a ton of sense, right? Well, sure it does. Murray is a rangy linebacker whose burst flies off the screen. Not to mention he is a plus leader and human off the field as well. But he is legally blind. Too many times did I see a rep where he filled the wrong gap or fell for a fake. His mental processing just simply isn’t there, and while he has the athleticism at times to make up for his mental errors, I just simply can’t see him sustaining success unless he makes serious leaps as a processor. 

29. Tennessee Titans - Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Why not? Sure, they have other needs. But they just paid Ryan Tannehill $100m with no foreseeable backup plan. Love needs to go to a good team in order to succeed. His supporting cast at Utah State in 2019 was truly abysmal, and I believe was a major detriment to both his on field performance as well as his confidence. Love is an athletic, toolsy QB who personifies the new prototype of NFL quarterbacks. He has potential to be the steal of the draft, and the Titans have a good enough cast and coaching staff around him to make it possible. 

30. Green Bay Packers - Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado

This goes against everything I told myself, but here we are. It is no secret that the Packers typically avoid skill players in the first round. But, for the first time since 2002, they choose that route. Shenault is a gadget style receiver with great size and athleticism. Shenault is best when he can get the ball and let his YAC ability flourish in space. He is very raw as a route runner and still learning the nuances of the position, but he is the type of playmaker that can elevate both Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense immediately.

31. San Francisco 49ers - Cesar Ruiz, OC, Michigan 

Starting center Weston Richburg is still nursing a torn patellar tendon, and the interior OL depth is dwindling. Ruiz is a highly intelligent player with tons of experience. He is not the sexiest pick, but a very smooth mover in the open field that would slide ideally into that offensive line unit.

32. Kansas City Chiefs - Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah

Chiefs take a swing at the best available corner. Johnson boasted impressive tape this season and his length and football IQ are two qualities that I’d expect GM Brett Veach to be chomping at the bit for. 

Thank you guys for reading! Hope you enjoyed the content and that all of your are staying safe during the quarantine. Cheers!

[rougesrant]

Vikings Home In Try Feast

In a see sawing eleven try epic at Vikings Oval, the Blueys have maintained third spot in the IDRU Premiership race with an entertaining 41 – 34 victory over Shoalhaven. In another astonishing performance Shoalhaven winger Mark Brandon scored twenty nine points for the match after scoring all his sides first half points as the teams went to the break locked at 15 all.

Both sides scored two first half tries in an evenly contested forty minutes which gave the good crowd in attendance no real indication as to who would finish the day on top. In a frantic second forty minutes, producing another seven tries, the scores were locked at 22 all and then 34 all before a late try to busy Vikings lock Nick Mastro pushed the Blueys clear. The injection of replacement center Michael Ashby for Vikings midway through the second half, proved a major factor in the eventual result for the home side.

Vikings dominated the scrum all day on the back of their front row of Joel Diggins, Brandon Gee Mooi and Josh Wigmore. However the Shoalies forwards were more than competitive at the breakdown creating plenty of opportunities for the amazing Brandon brothers to do their thing. Creative play by Shoalies Fly-half Harry Hibbs and center Duncan Maddinson gave Shoalhaven a slight edge for much of the first half.

Points came at regular intervals during the half with Mark Brandon scoring the first of his four tries untouched after just two minutes. Fullback Steve Brandon created space for him on the left with the wingman showing all his pace to cross in the clubhouse corner for a 5 – 0 lead.

There was nothing between the sides for the next ten minutes until Blueys No.8 Liam Antrobus forced his way over from close range. With halfback Chris Maidment converting Vikings led for the first time 7 – 5. Despite plenty of vigorous defense from both sides the tries kept coming with Mark Brandon scoring again after Steve Brandon and Fly Half Harry Hibbs combined to put him over on the left again. Mark converted and Shoalies now had the lead 12 – 7 after twenty minutes.

Vikings winger Kyle Gasser evened things up at 12 - 12 when he benefited from a long cut out pass to score wide on the right fifteen minutes before the break. In an evenly contested period before the break both sides settled for penalty goals, going to the break tied at 15 all.

The Blueys started the second term strongly dominating field position until eventually Antrobus crossed for his second try as Vikings seemed to be getting the upper hand, for a 22 – 15 lead.

Shoalhaven had other ideas and put on three tries inside fifteen minutes as an upset was developing. Hooker Tui Aberahama made an inspiring run inside the Vikings half and set up Prop Daniel Hughes for their first try of the half. It was Mark Brandon at his brilliant attacking best who scored the next two, the first on the back of a blistering fifty meter run down the left leaving several defenders bewildered in his tracks. He scored his fourth after running down a kick through from his brother Steve, and with two conversions from Mark the Shoalies were out to a 34 – 22 lead at the sixty five minute mark.

It was around this time that the frantic pace of the match started to take its toll as the Coaches went to their respective benches. It was the Vikings bench that was to decide the match in the end with replacement half Ethan Noonan and center Michael Ashby proving the difference. Noonan’s enthusiasm was infectious as the Blueys noticeably lifted with the direct running of Ashby turning the momentum of the match toward the home side.

Giant Blue center Simiki Lufe powered over to bring his side back to within seven of the lead before Noonan and Ashby combined to equal the score once again. Noonan ran the ball close to the Shoalies line deftly putting a hard running Ashby through a narrow gap from close range. With Noonan converting the try the score was equal again at 34 – 34 with ten left on the clock.  

With Vikings having all the running late in the match, Shoalies failed to secure possession at the base of a scrum close to their line which led to energetic Lock Nick Mastro forcing his way over for the definitive try.

Taking three points in the IDRU Player of the Year Award, Vikings starting Halfback Chris Maidment was busy in both attack and defense during his sixty minutes on the field driving his side around the park. Up front Prop Joel Diggins continually showed his side the way forward. Forwards Nick Mastro, Josh Wigmore and Liam Antrobus contributed strongly to a vital Vikings win. Fly Half Luke Raduva and fullback Daniel Bunten proved a handful throughout with Michael Ashby’s presence in the match instrumental in the Blueys win.

A short-handed Shoalhaven side made a real match of it but in the end didn’t have the depth in their squad to close the match out. Hooker Aberahama was strong along with Lock Michael Dun and Flanker Thomas Hill. Halfback Sam Watts gave great service to his outside backs with Fly Half Harry Hibbs and Center Duncan Maddinson creating space for the freakish attacking talents of the Brandon brothers.

Vikings 41 (Liam Antrobus 2 tries, Kyle Gasser 1 try, Simiki Lufe 1 try, Michael Ashby 1 try, Nick Mastro 1 try, Chris Maidment 2 goals, 1 penalty goal, Ethan Noonan 2 goals)

Def Shoalhaven 34 (Daniel Hughes 1 try, Mark Brandon 4 tries, 3 goals, 1 penalty goal)

Other Match Results

University 33 Def Camden 24

Bowral 26 Def Campbelltown 22

Avondale 64 Def Kiama 10

Shamrocks 73 Def Tech Waratahs 10

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Classic Flaws Leave Luke Rockhold Helpless against Yoel Romero

Luke Rockhold’s right hook proved the death of him. In his campaign to reclaim the UFC middleweight title that he lost in 2016, Rockhold was carrying the fight to Cuban super-athlete, Yoel Romero at UFC 221. At the end of the second round Rockhold had just discovered that some rudimentary doubling and tripling of the jab was more than enough to have Romero floundering—reaching blindly for the first jab and eating any others that followed. Seeming to have found the answer, Rockhold continued to work, not even realizing that he was backing himself straight onto the fence in the third round. Rockhold ate a knockout left straight down the inside of his instinctual, and always overcommitted, lean-back right hook and that was the end of his quest for redemption.

The straight down the inside of the lead hook. The great Barney Ross believed this was the most dangerous counter punch in boxing.

Rockhold’s classic flaws were still evident. He’d rather step on his mother’s back than step an inch off to the left or right and break the line of attack. Rapid advance or retreat? Rockhold’s your man. Unfortunately, bouts are not fought on an infinite plane and eventually you will hit a wall. Even in the old Mr. Strongman bouts which Igor Vovchanchyn grew up in, and which seemed to take place on a matted football field, attacking and retreating exclusively on a straight line would get you into trouble eventually. As we noted in our pre-fight Tactical Guide:

As Rockhold’s porous boxing game continues to be his weakness, getting in to trade with Rockhold should be a priority. By keeping Rockhold on the back foot and keeping the fight near the fence, Romero could chop down the space in which Rockhold has to check hook—removing the skip back—and stand a great chance of getting in and landing punches without getting caught first.

Overcommitting both to the wind up and the follow through of the check hook has seen Rockhold caught by Dave Branch and Chris Weidman. Against Weidman he overcommitted so far that he turned all the way around and Weidman began climbing on his back.

With that being said, don’t let the finish distract you from the fight. Luke Rockhold found himself in his first extended striking match with a southpaw and he actually brought the tools to do some good work. A flicking front kick with the ball of his lead foot digging into Romero’s solar plexus visibly frustrated the Cuban. The low kicks into Romero’s lead leg worked a treat—though by throwing them naked, Rockhold telegraphed his intentions and kicked into a stiff check early, cutting his shin wide open and making him reluctant to go after the leg as much as his corner would have liked.

The finish will also make it all too easy to forget just how Romero fought in this bout. There are already writers claiming he is provably a vastly improved fighter from his bout with Robert Whittaker. The truth is that Rockhold exposed all the same flaws in Romero, he just couldn’t exploit them nearly as well because Whittaker is a considerably slicker, higher-paced striker.

Some spectators seem to expect technical flaws to be shown up immediately, and if they aren’t it must mean the flaws don’t matter—that they are just cosmetic. Romero regularly goes three rounds and finishes emphatically in the third, therefore his unpolished striking skills can’t be that much of a detriment, they say. As we mentioned in the Tactical Guide:

He prefers to slink around the cage like a big cat between meals, until he decides—almost on a whim—that it’s time to make a run at ending the fight… The best strategy against Romero will probably always be utilizing a good jab and feints to draw those reaching, leaping, ducking over-reactions that Romero makes under fire, and then punishing them. Rockhold hasn’t shown those tools though.

Bizarrely, Rockhold unveiled a jab. It wasn’t versatile and he couldn’t pair it with his feet very well, but it was more than enough to have Romero reaching wildly. In fact Rockhold’s offensive boxing in this fight looked considerably better than it often has.

His effective use of one-twos in the early going had Romero reaching so severely that Rockhold was able to use his favorite left kick on Romero’s body. As we discussed last week, the closed guard set up should make that nearly impossible, but Romero’s reaction to the whiff of a left hand was to throw his right elbow up above his head. This is a man whose athleticism and reaction times are elite but whose boxing form and comfort under fire can only be categorized as cryptic.

And whenever we get to talking about a fighter’s insane athleticism—how they are the Scariest Man Alive and how ‘it only takes one’—it is important to realize that technique will not carry a non-athlete to a victory over a freakish athlete, but a good athlete can get the better of a freak athlete by using the tactical and mechanical edge. The early bum rush and the late, all-heart resurgence are the areas in which technique and tactics count for the least—the middle part of the fight is the sweet spot for technical excellence and that is where the master striker really thrives. Luke Rockhold might not be a freak athlete on the level of Romero—but he has no business getting caught with straight line bum rushes like this. That is a flaw in Rockhold’s ringcraft and footwork, not anything to do with Romero’s freakish athleticism.

Not good any way you look at it.

On the subject of craft, Israel Adesanya made his Octagon debut at UFC 221 and he stole the show. As we mentioned in our pre-fight article Uncovering the Hidden Gems of UFC 221, Adesanya’s opponent Rob Wilkinson was a grinder who got to the fence well in his first UFC bout, but who faded soon afterwards. Adesanya vs. Wilkinson followed exactly the same flow as Wilkinson vs. Siyar Bahadurzada: Wilkinson got to the cage, wrestled for a while, exhausted himself trying to take his man down, and was a punching bag through the second round. Unlike Siyar the Great, however, Adesanya put a beating on Wilkinson, calmly and consistently building towards the finish rather than swinging big ones and hoping.

We noted of Adesanya in our pre-fight analysis:

Adesanya’s striking style is one which might well be better suited for MMA than pure kickboxing: a dozen fakes and feints a minute, flicking jabs from below the opponent’s guard, stance switches and beautiful "question mark" or "Brazilian" kicks. Adesanya is also a fairly handsy fighter: he likes to push and pull his opponents around, stiff arming them and nudging them out of stance between strikes. Strikers who like to check and palm their opponent’s head and shoulders anyway can adapt that well into a layer of their takedown defense as Anthony Johnson and Joanna Jedrzejczyk did.

That flicking jab from below the guard—the blind angle—worked a treat throughout the fight, switching to a powerful left straight when Adesanya went southpaw. What was especially noticeable was Adesanya’s manipulation of rhythm: often his blows come slower than expected and sneak through in ways that they just wouldn’t if he were always fighting at 11.

Adesanya’s striking stood in stark contrast to Rockhold’s. Rockhold got Romero out of position but then couldn’t follow up with anything useful. Adesyana’s feints all make something happen, while keeping him in position to strike. For instance this hip bump, almost identical to the actual motion of Izzy’s body-tracing middle kicks, drew the back leg up and allowed him to push off into the one-two.

The right straight to the body along the fence is a treat to see from any fighter, but Adesanya dug left hooks and right straights to the body consistently along the cage. The knees and high kicks draw the eye, but Adesanya’s commitment to the body showed an understanding of how to work towards a finish—making it an inevitability—rather than simply trying to land a concussion-making single shot.

Alexander Volkanovski and Tai Tuivasa, both of whom we also examined in the Hidden Gems preview, also picked up entertaining finishes and demonstrated the styles we noted them for. Tuivasa looked considerably wilder than he did in his last bout—sprinting to chase his man with right elbows, a terrible idea against competent strikers—but he is young and it is very early in his career to be featured so prominently on a card this size, in front of his countrymen. Volkanovski, meanwhile, hit the fence to dirty box but found that the takedowns came too easily. Roughing his man up on the ground, Volkanovski forced a stoppage with ground and pound which was more from mercy than a decisive point in the action.

So what is next for the headliners? For Luke Rockhold, we can only hope that this loss is a learning experience and not used to convince him that working with Henry Hooft is pointless. His recent exploration of other camps and coaches has clearly improved his striking chops—this is a man who rarely threw in combination and couldn’t throw a punch without serving up his chin on a platter just a few months ago. For Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker is assumedly next and his main concern should be working out how he can keep Whittaker from driving the pace on him when he is taking his breaks. The lulls in action were so obvious in this fight that Jimmy Smith would call them out as they happened. Whether that can be done by pushing Whittaker to the fence and trying a more grinding type of fight—making use of dirty boxing and limiting Whittaker’s movement, or by trying to improve Romero’s footwork so that he doesn’t have to engage when Whittaker wants him to, it’s going to take some doing.

Jack wrote the hit biography Notorious: The Life and Fights of Conor McGregor and scouts prospects at The Fight Primer .

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