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waterlinkedgirl · 5 years

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NPoT chapter 270-272 summary

I wonder if I can catch up! Since we don’t have chapters this month, maybe I can!

“There’s no choice but to give up one of the doubles...”

The atmosphere at the front is heavy...

The coaches discuss the lineup for the upcoming matches against Germany, but with Germany’s overwhelming power they’re having a lot of trouble.

“Dankmar and Bertie... The probability of winning against those two German pros is zero,” Kurobe says. Mifune looks rather unamused. Saitou, however, has a different idea. “Supervisor, how about pairing up Byoudouin and Duke?” “Don’t say stupid things!” Mifune says, “If it ain’t Byoudouin then who’s gonna go up against the pro Volk?” “Supervisor... Aside from that, we also have the matter of the one who had participated in the Japanese representatives camp, who departed to Germany aiming to become a pro, Tezuka Kunimitsu... There’s evidence that suggests that in the upcoming matches against us, he will be playing in singles.”

“There’s many that want to fight against that guy,” Tsuge says.

Mifune takes his bottle and takes a few good swigs. “Right now there ain’t anyone of the brats that can beat Tezuka!”

”Well~, we and Germany really have way different cards in our hand,” Saitou says. “That speaks for itself. Our opponents are the representatives of the world champion Germany, after all...” Kurobe says.

“What’s gonna come of you bastard coaches givin’ up, coach Saitou?!” Mifune has his back to the others, looking out the window.

“That’s right. None of that scum has given up!!”

We cut to: Kirihara being horribly lost.

He was following Atobe because he was being all sneaky and suspicious, but lost sight of him and now he’s in the German representatives village.

This is where he spots!

(this is where I went Konomi what the actual fluck is your anatomy doing but that aside--)

He wonder what the hell they have for a business with each other, when he notices Tezuka handing a CD to Atobe... Of course this means they’re

SPIES! (right?)

He received something like a super-confidential file on the German representatives...! Hiiie!

I see! So Tezuka just pretended to have gone to Germany to do an infiltration investigation as a double-spy! Putting his life on the line for Japan’s victory... Huh?! If the truth got out won’t it be really bad?!

(this is of course a very, very logical conclusion to come to, Akaya, and I love you to bits for that.)

...which is when he gets caught by security.

“Was machts du hier?!”

So of course, when it comes down to this...

he makes a big effing run for it.

Meanwhile, Amadeus and Ralph are still duking it out, with the first set score being 6-5 for now.

“You play a nice style of tennis...” Amadeus says, “However, I will teach you all the decisive difference between you and me!”

Taste the baptism of a pro!!

(Amadeus using baptism here when Volk has his Wirbel Taufe (lit. Whirl Baptism) technique is a fun detail I want to point out.)

With Dark Side, Amadeus scores off of Ralph, and it becomes set point for the Swiss.

“Our commander has switched gears...” Henri says. “How scary...” Peter whispers.

Amadeus’ Dark Side exposes the opponent’s greatest weaknesses and draws them out. The mental power he displays as he mercilessly and relentlessly attacks them...

“Your greatest weakness is the response delay of the opposite site of your pivot foot after your shot!”

However, Ralph manages to return it.

“Ralph’s scariness is his ability to fix and overcome his weaknesses,” Ryoma says. “Make him miss once, and the next time it’ll be an easy course for him.”

(so like, Shiraishi but faster?)

6-6.

“Thanks to you I’ve become fond of that weakness, Amadeus.”

And now for something completely different--

Zeus vs the temptation of fluffy fur feat. Tanegashima!

A whole line of men of statu(r)e is lined up to hug the koala! Heracles, Hermes, Vulcan, Davide...

Davide?!

He makes a pun about being startled now featuring koala’s, and of course if he makes a pun, you can guess who’s near to drop-kick him?

Bane!

Zeus addresses Tanegashima. “In the semifinals tomorrow against the German team, we, the Greek representatives, will come to cheer for you.” “Thanks☆”

“Game, set.” We cut back to the match between Ralph and Amadeus.

“Won by...

The American representative, Ralph Rheinhart!”

Cheers erupt from the American team. “Ohhhhhh! We won against a pro!” And with 3 wins and two losses, America advances to the semifinals!

“You could immediately become active as a pro player,” Amadeus says as they reach out to shake hands. “No...” Ralph says, “Participating as soon as the pro tour ended, the skill of unifying your team as a commander to come this far is something that deserves much more respect.”

“Let’s meet again on the court.”

“At least, the veil’s been lifted on the American representatives... This’s become really interesting.”

Spain moves on to the semis with a 3-0 against Russia. (the fun thing about NPoT is that we literally have no idea how the other matches are going to turn out and who the finals opponent will be... currently, Spain seems to be in favour.)

Amadeus closes his eyes and lifts his head to the skies. This year... we didn’t make it either.

“Commander... Nice game.” When he opens his eyes--

All of his teammates, saluting him. He smiles, and closes them again. “Thank you very much.”

Meanwhile, the American team has noticed Ryoma and are shouting elatedly about how he came to watch. Ryoma tells them they’re making too much of a fuss... but that he’s happy to see everyone doing well.

“By the way, where’s my brother?” “Ah, Ryoga, huh,” Dudu starts.

“He’s always had that wanderlust, you know,” Kiko says. “Who knows where his feet led him♪”

“You’ll be able to fight him somewhere... for sure,” Ralph reassures him.

“Let’s meet in the finals, Ryoma!”

(y’all you have audience right below don’t you feel awkward shouting that drthdcrt6uyjcftguyj)

“We gotta beat Germany first!”

Yeah, about that...

Kirihara’s finally been apprehended by the guards.

“Th- That’s why said! I didn’t see anything!” And, in his best attempt at English, “No spy! No spy! I was searching for a friend and I got all dizzy dizzy lost...

Th- This is bad! They don’t understand anything-- Help me!!” (Kirihara you idiot onomatopoeia don’t translate at ALL xdfhcxftghcgh)

“Che che che~” (this is Bismarck’s trademark laugh, more like ‘chi chi chi’ in the original but this conveys the sound better in the English accent imo, don’t question it)

“You can let him go, that guy’s my Kumpan.”

Bismarck leads Kirihara out of there, to one of the courts.

“Thank you... very...” “Heh. Japanese is fine. Just don’t get lost in the enemy’s athlete village again. If you were caught by Volk he’d beat you up like a punching bag (lie)

If it were QP you’d have a court-martial (lie), and if it were Frankensteiner you’d be turned into a cyborg (lie)” (I love what this says about how these guys on the German team are perceived)

Kirihara lets out a yelp.

“Um.. You’re the guy who went against Fuji in the exhibition matches, right?”

“Yeah, I’m Michael Bismarck!

But you Japanese middle schoolers sure are strong, huh!”

Kirihara laughs nervously. "That so? Those guys still got a long way to go.”

(cin game on point)

“However, the German middle schoolers also have a bunch of guys who hate to lose. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. See you then, Kumpan!” “Thanks”

Right when he finishes waving, our attention is drawn to one of those hate-to-lose types. It’s Siegfried, and he looks exactly like he’s unlocked ten’imuhou.

(meanwhile Frankensteiner looks like he’s nnnot gonna be in the tournament anytime soon htxcftgcyhzsg poor guy)

A park, lined with trees and skyscrapers in the background. “Mon amour... It was a bitter decision I made so they would be loved in the future...”

Camus wistfully reaches for his racket as he laments that he had to stop Oswal.

But... If you talked about what I really wanted, fighting with him...

The person who he’d been thinking about, Duke, pops up.

“Camus... Would you like to have a game?” “Even though you appeared just now, you say some funny things, Duke.

Well, it’s not unthinkable that you wouldn’t have understood my tennis in just our mental match.”

“Will you have a game with me?”

“Are you planning on appearing in the Germany matches as well?”

In yet another meanwhile, Tokugawa is going 1 vs 2 against Oni and Irie.

“Should we take a break?” Irie asks, smiling, when Oni notices someone. “Oi Tokugawa... He showed up today as well.”

(it’s him!!!! :D) "Sorry for interrupting your practice! Tokugawa-san... Can I count on you today too?"

Tokugawa nods, and the two of them take off.

“That guy...” Oni looks over them with a certain pride in his eyes. “It seems that ever since they lost against Germany he’s been having practice with Tokugawa every day.

Though they may have been defeated, they are the only pair that has attained a Howling between their skills!”

Highschoolers and middle schoolers alike are preparing for the big day tomorrow, from watching matches of Volk,

(spotted!) to running until the sun sets. It is already late when Atobe knocks on one of the room’s doors. Fuji opens.

“Hey, Fuji. Tezuka’s told me to return the CD he borrowed from you.”

“Thank you, Atobe. Was Tezuka doing well?” “Yeah, much more than usual.”

“Hey, Fuji. Don’t make me run errands for you again.”

It’s the night before the semis. Everyone is gathered in the hall to listen to the head coach. “You bastards! Tomorrow finally is the Big Match! Go take revenge on Germany and shake the world!”

A roar erupts from the gathered players.

“I’ll announce the order for tomorrow!”

(spotted! haha)

“Huh? Koshimae ain’t here.” “Mm. Akaya isn’t here either,” Sanada remarks.

“Can you believe those guys?”

Of course, they’re playing off against each other. Or, well, it looks rather one-sided on Ryoma’s half, with his ten’imuhou.

“Sht... Why?!”

Tezuka-san... and Atobe-san... For the sake of Japan they put their life on the line and cross all kinds of dangerous bridges... I, too...!

“So how about giving up already?”

(I’m yelling because being on top of the game and then telling their opponent to give up is something much more Yukimura than Ryoma in my book... But here we are!)

“Even if I die I won’t give up.”

He, who can’t be called an angel or a devil, when that single man surpasses that wall--

[One day left until the semis against Germany.]

#prince of tennis #shinteni spoilers #long post

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scbincx · 5 years

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𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚.

[ ESTER EXPOSITO, 22, CISFEMALE, SHE/HER ] welcome to the du pont institute for the young & gifted, [ SABINA MARQUEZ ]. you have been accepted as a [ REGULAR ] student from [ SPAIN ], going into your [ SENIOR YEAR ] and majoring in [ INT'L BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ]. your peers at the institute say that you are [ ASTUTE & SELF-ASSURED ], but being [ VEXING & CONNIVING ] may be the reason why the police are asking about you. did you think they wouldn’t find out that you were michael’s [ GIRLFRIEND ]? [ ADMIN J, 23, CISFEMALE, SHE/HER, EST ]

hi friends! jocey here with my first bby, sabina. i’m just gonna get this out of the way right now - apologizing in advance for all that is sabina because she’s truly just the worst™. lol anyways, gimme a like or hmu on discord if you’d like to plot with my little demon child!

name : sabina isabella maria marquez nickname : friends call her sab age : twenty-two sexuality : bisexual hometown : madrid, spain major : int’l business management, minor in entrepreneurship extracurriculars : student council president, business leaders of tmrw, du pont editor, honour society, model UN (spain)

━ the marquez family is known to have a bit of a controversial reputation, mostly surrounding how they made their fortune. what started out as a small delivery company in the canary islands decades ago has now expanded to a global empire of sorts. officially, marquez enterprises is a shipping company that controls the major ports in spain, and owns several businesses throughout europe and latin america.

━ but off the books? well, let’s just say there may be rumours that they’re involved in some shady business and have quite a few shady interesting contacts from all around the world, from politicians to some less than savoury people. regardless, it’s common knowledge that the marquezes are filthy dirty rich, enjoy living extravagantly and lavishly, and are practically seen as spanish royalty in the social scene.

━ as the eldest born to the head of the marquez empire, sabina was always groomed to take over marquez enterprises one day. she has a younger brother, though he shows no interest (or any capabilities, for that matter) in even being a part of it. then there are all of her cousins who want the seat - her seat - at the head of the table for themselves, like her cousin cristiano. well, over her dead body. and even from the grave, she would never let that happen because this was her birthright. while most kids dreamt of flying to the moon or being a princess, sabina always knew she was going to rule the world marquez empire one day.

━ sabina is her parents’ daughter in every way possible. they taught her everything legal and illegal that she needed to know in order to be successful in life. but some things even they couldn’t quite explain themselves. like when three-year-old sabina stole all the crayons in daycare to force other kids to buy them back with their snacks. from a young age, she quickly learned that tricking people into giving her what she wanted out of their own dumb free will was so much more satisfying than stealing it from under their noses. she may be named after a saint, but anyone will tell you she is anything but.

━ a hustler with an alpha bitch mentality, she’s always outsmarting people and outsmarting the system to get things to work in her favour. and when that didn’t work, no one could ever say no to a big fat wad of cash. because sabina marquez never loses. she doesn’t just play the game, she owns it, makes the rules and wins. every. damn. time. sabina strongly believes that playing by the rules was for suckers and if you weren’t the best, then you were nothing at all. and sometimes being the best required playing dirty. if she has to ruin someone else’s life to get her way, then she will gladly pour a jug of gasoline, light a match and enjoy watching it go up in flames. hell, sometimes she’ll do that just for the fun of it anyways. and if that’s what she does for her own enjoyment, then you do not wanna know what she does when she’s pissed off.

━ with that mentality, it’s no surprise that sabina easily became the top student of her program and student council president. though she may have lied and cheated her way to the top on several occasions, there’s no denying that she’s fucking brilliant. yes, she could have done it the right way, but where’s the fun in that? if anything, pulling off all the lying, cheating and scheming proved just how smart she really was. and maybe that’s why michael fell for her.

━ sabina always thought she was too good for michael. in fact, too good for almost anyone at this school. the whole golden boy, mr. popular act was boring and cliche, and she saw right through it. and yet somehow, almost as if it’d happened overnight, michael had won her over and they were quickly known as du pont’s ‘it’ couple. everyone envied them and wanted to be them. they couldn’t be a more perfect couple and she was the perfect girlfriend - sweet, adoring, supportive. in fact, so perfect that no one ever knew that deep down, sabina had never hated anyone more in her life than michael fucking valmont. and she couldn’t be happier now that he’s dead.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

BEST FRIEND ━ someone who can put up with sabina’s awfulness, or maybe they’re just as awful as she is. this is probably one of the few people she’s actually relatively nice to (at least, by her standards) and will always have their back. possibly even one of the few people she’ll ever let her guard down for. preferably m/nb tbh bcuz she tends to be a bigger bitch to girls cuz they’re obvs more threatening than dumb boys are lol. taken by simon bexley, cade harrington, sofia gonzalez-cortes MORAL CONSCIENCE ━ does sabina even have a moral compass? your guess is as good as mine. this is someone she is more likely to listen to and could try to sway her from doing, y’know, ~*just sabine things*~. kind of the angel on her shoulder? often tries to get her to be nicer and overall be a decent human being. taken by grant winter-grandview EXES ━ either she dumped him/her, or she was dumped (in which case, rip my friend). maybe there are lingering feelings. who knows?? could be interesting if they’re very different from sabina and that’s why it didn’t work out despite the chemistry or whatever. RIVALS/ENEMIES ━ ho’boy. homegirl can piss off a lot of people just for shits and giggles, nor does she care to be likeable and personable, so i’m sure she’s got a hella long list of enemies/people she rubs the wrong way. also people she’s sabotaged and manipulated to get her way? plz. taken by adelaide montserrat, alice coltell, saylor winter-grandview, daisy kennedy CHILDHOOD FRIEND ━ self-explan. they’ve known each other since they were kids and their parents are likely friends. taken by madelyn vasquez UNWANTED CHILD ━ sabina somehow ended up being this person’s very reluctant mom friend. she hates it, she does not want to deal with them, and yet she’ll still go pick up their drunk ass at 4am. she’s all about tough love, so while she may be super harsh and hard on them, she does it out of love and because she cares. not that she’d ever admit caring. taken by nicollo fernez, james thompson UNLIKELY/ACCIDENTAL FRIENDS ━ they shouldn’t get along, but somehow, they just do and their friendship works. not typically someone sabina would see herself being friends with, but somehow an accidental friendship of sorts developed. taken by aurora van der berg, crimson cooper SECRET FLING ━ the person sabina cheated on michael with. it’s definitely more than a one-time hook-up, but not quite a relationship yet either. she cares about them a lot more than she’d ever care to admit out loud, but it shows through her actions. taken by william acher CAT & MOUSE ━ the more sabina can’t have something, the more she’s driven to go after it, even if it’s just to prove a point. and that point is that she’s always right and she always wins. so she’ll flirt, sweet talk and pull out all the stops just to get them to admit that they’re wrong about her. could also work the other way - the more they want her to cave, the more she’ll push and fight it. taken by gabriel johnson

okay, that’s all i can think of off the top of my head. some plots i’m open for multiple characters to fill, unless it has been crossed out. and ofc, i’m always open to new ideas too!

#dupont.intro #intro. ( sabina marquez. )

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maximumphilosopheranchor · 5 years

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Mary Queen of Scots’ letter to Anthony Babington approving his plot and Elizabeth I’s assassination, 1586

“Trusty and well beloved / According to ye zeal and entire affection which I have known in you

towards the common cause of religion and mine, having always made accompt of you as of a principal and right worthy member to be employed both in the one and the other: it hath been no less consolation unto me to understand your estate as I have done by your last, and to have found means to renew my intelligence with you, then I felt grief all this while past to be without the same. I pray you therefore from henceforth to write unto me so often as you can of all occurrences which you may judge in any wise important to the good of my affairs: whereunto I shall not fail to correspond with all the care and diligence that shall be in my possibility.

For divers great and important considerations, which were here to long to be deduced, I cannot but greatly praise and commend your common desire to prevent in time the designs of our enemies for the extirpation of our religion out of this Realm with the ruin of us all. For I have long ago shown unto the foreign Catholic princes, and experience doth approve it, the longer that they and we delay to put hand on the matter on this side, the greater leisure have our enemies to prevail and win advantage over the said princes, as they have done against the king of Spain, and in the mean time the Catholics here remaining exposed to all forces of persecution and cruelty do daily diminish in number forces means and power. So as if remedy be not thereunto hastily provided, I fear not a little but they shall become all together unable for ever to arise again and to receive any aid at all, whensoever it were offered them. For mine own part I pray you to assure our principal friends that, albeit I had not in this cause any particular interest (that which I may pretend unto being of no consideration unto me in respect of the public good of this state) I shall be always ready and most willing to employ therein my life and all that I have or may ever look for in this world.

Now for to ground substantially this enterprise and to bring it to good success you must first examine deeply.

1. what forces as well on foot as on horse you may raise amongst you all and what Captains you shall appoint for them in every shire, in case a chief general cannot be had.

2. of what towns ports and havens you may assure yourselves, as well in the North west as South to receive succors from the lowe countries and Spain and France.

3. what place you esteem fittest and of greatest advantage to assemble the principal company of your forces at; and the same being assembled, whether or which way you have to march.

4. what foreign forces as well on horse as foot you require (which would be compassed conform to ye proportion of yours) for how long paid, and munition and ports the fittest for their landing in this Realm from the three foresaid foreign princes.

5. what provision of money and armour (in case you want) you would ask.

6. by what means do the six gentlemen deliberate to proceed.

7. and the manner also of my getting forth of this hold.

Upon which points having taken amongst you, who are the principal authors, and also as few in number as you can, the best resolution, my advice is that you impart the same with all diligence to Bernardino de Mendoza ambassador lieger for the king of Spain in France, who besides the experience he hath of the estate of this side, I may assure you will employ him therein most willingly. I shall not fail to write unto him of the matter with all the earnest recommendations that I can; as I shall also to any else that shall be needful. But you must make choice for managing of this affair with the said Mendoza and others out of the realm of some faithful and very secret personage unto whom only you must commit yourselves, to tend things be the more secret which for your own security I recommend unto you above the rest.

If your messenger bring you back again sure promise and sufficient assurance of the succor you demand, then thereafter (but no sooner, for that it were in vain) take diligent order that all those of your [?] on this side make so secretly as they can, provision of armour, fit horse and ready money, wherewith to hold themselves in readiness to march so soon as it shall be signified unto them by their chief and principals in every shire.

And for better coloring of the matter (reserving to the principal the knowledge of the ground of the enterprise) it shall be enough for the beginning to give out to the rest, that the said provisions are made only for fortifying yourselves in case of need against the puritans of this Realm: the principal whereof having the chief forces of the same in the low Countries, have (as you may let the brute go) designed to ruin and overthrow, at their return home, the whole Catholics, and to usurp the crown, not only against me and all other lawful pretenders thereunto, but against their own Queen that now is, if she will not altogether commit herself to their only government. The same pretexts may serve to sound and establish amongst you all an association and confederation general, as done only for your own just preservations and defence, as well in religion as lives, lands and goods against the oppression and attempts of the said puritans, without touching directly by writing any thing against that Queen, but rather showing yourselves willing to maintain her and her lawful heirs after heir, unnaming me.

The affairs being thus prepared and forces in readiness both without and within the Realm, then shall it be time to set the six gentlemen to work, taking order, upon the accomplishing of their designing, I may be suddenly transported out of this place, and that all your forces in the same time be on the field to meet me in tarrying for ye arrival of the foreign aid, which then must be hastened with all diligence.

Now, for that there can be no certain day appointed of the accomplishing of the said gentlemen’s design, to tend that others may be in readiness to take me from hence, I would that ye said gentlemen had always about them, or at the least at court, a fewer stout men furnished with good and speedy horses, for, so soon as the said designing shall be executed to come with all diligence to advertise thereof those that shall be appointed for my transporting, to tend that immediately thereafter they may be at the place of my abode, before that my keeper can have advice of the execution of the said designing, or at the least before he can fortify himself within the house, or carry me out of the same. It were necessary to dispatch two or three of the said advertisers by divers ways, to tend that, if the one be stayed, the other may come thorough; and at the same instant were it also needful to assay to cut of the posts ordinary ways.

This is the platt which I find best for this enterprise, and the order whereby you conduct the same for our common securities. For stirring on this side before you be well assured of sufficient foreign forces, it were for nothing [but] to put yourselves in danger of following the miserable fortune of such as have heretofore travailed in like occasions. And to take me forth of this place, unbeing before well assured to set me in the midst of a good army, or in some very good strength, where I may safely stay on the assembly of your forces and arrival of the said foreign succors, it were sufficient cause given to that Queen in catching me again, to enclose me forever in some hole, forth of the which I should never escape, if she did use me no worse, and to pursue with all extremity those that had assisted me, which would grieve me more then all the unhap [which] might fall upon my self. And therefore must I need yet once again admonish you so earnestly as I can to look and take heed most carefully and vigilantly to compass and assure so well all that shall be necessary for effectuating of the said enterprise, as with the grace of god you may bring the same to happy end: remitting to the judgment of our principal friends on this side with whom you have to deal herein, to ordain [and] conclude upon this present (which shall serve you only for an overture and proposition) as you shall amongst you find best: and to yourself in particular I refer to assure the gentlemen above mentioned of all that shall be requisite of my part for the entire execution of their good wills.

I leave also to your common resolutions to advise (in case their design does not take hold as may happen) whether you will or not pursue my transport and the execution of the rest of enterprise. But if the mishap should fall out but that you might not come by me being set in the Tower of London or in any other strength with greater guard: yet notwithstanding leave not, for god’s sake, to proceed in the rest of the enterprise: for I shall at any time die most contented, understanding of your delivery forth of the servitude wherein you are holden as slaves.

I shall assay that, at the same time that the work shall be in hand in these parts to make the Catholics of Scotland arise and to put my son in their hands, to the effect that from thence our enemies here may not prevail of any succor. I would also that some stirring in Ireland were labored for, and to be begonne somewhile before that any thing were done here, to tend the alarm might be given thereby on the flatt contrary side that the stroke should come from.

Your reasons to have some general head or chief, me thinketh, are very pertinent, and therefore were it good to sound obscurely for the purpose the Earl of Arundel or some of his brethren, and likewise to seek upon the young Earl of Northumberland, if he be at liberty. From over sea the Earl of Westmorland may be had, whose house and name may much, you know in the north proves [?]: as also the Lord Pagett, of good ability in some shires hereabout; both the one and the other may be brought home secretly: amongst which some more of the principal banished may return if the enterprise be once resolute. The said L. Paget is now in Spain, and may treat there all which by his brother Charles or directly by himself you will commit unto him touching this affair.

Beware that none of your messengers, whom you send forth of the Realm, carry over any letters upon themselves, but make their dispatches be conveyed either after or before them by some other. Take heed of spies and false brethren that are amongst you, especially of some priests already practiced by our enemies for your discovery, and in any wise keep never any paper about you that in any sort may do harm: for from like errors have come the only condemnation of all such as have suffered heretofore, against whom could there otherwise have been nothing proved. Discover as little as you can your names and intentions to the French Ambassador now Lieger at London: for although he be, as I understand, a very honest gentleman, of good conscience and religion, yet fear I yet his Master entertaineth with that Queen a course far contrary to our designs: which may move him to cross us, if it should happen he had any particular knowledge thereof.

All this while past I have sewed to change and remove from this house, and for answer the Castle of Dudley only hath been named to serve the turn: so as by apparance within the end of this summer I may gone thither.

Wherefore advise, so soon as I shall be there, what provision may be had about that part of my escape from thence. If I stay here, there is for that purpose but one of these three means following to be looked.

The first that at one certain day appointed in my walking abroad on horseback on the moors betwixt this and Stafford, where ordinarily you know very few people do pass, a fifty or threescore men well horsed and armed come to take me there, as they may easily, my keeper having with him ordinarily but eighteen or twenty horsemen only with daggers.

The second mean is to come at midnight or soon after to set fire in the barns and stables, which you know are near to the house, and whilst my Guardian his servants shall run forth to the fire, your company (having every one a mark whereby they may know one another under night) might surprise the house, where I hope with the few servants I have about me, I were able to give you correspondence.

And the third, some that bring Carts hither ordinarily coming early in the morning, their Carts might be so prepared and with such Cartleaders that being just in the middest of the great gate ye Carts might fall down or overwhelm, and that thereupon you might come suddenly with your followers to make yourself Master of the house, and carry me away; so you might do easily, before that ever any number of soldiers (who lodge in sundry places forth of this place, some a half and some a whole mile off) might come to the relief.

Whatsoever issue the matter taketh, I do and will think myself obliged, as long as I live, towards you for the offers you make to hazard yourself as you do for my delivery, and by any means that ever I may have I shall do my endeavor to recognise by effects your deserts herein. I have commanded a more ample alphabet to be made for you, which herewith you will receive.

God almighty have you in protection.

Your most assured friend forever )-(.

Fail not to burn this present quickly.”

Source

In bold - the lines that refers to Elizabeth’s assassination.

P.S. I modernized spelling a bit. There were words I didn’t get though hence the question marks.

#Mary Queen of Scots #Mary Stuart #Elizabeth I #Anthony Babington #sources #also note she planned to kidnap her son #and refers to previous times she plotted against Elizabeth

23 notes · View notes

crystalracing · 5 years

Link

Kimi Raikkonen 2008: Connecting the "dots"

September 10, 2013 UPDATE: Today, Ferrari announced Kimi's re-signing for 2014 F1 season as a SF driver. In many ways this is a confirmation of what we have been saying all along that Kimi's ousting at the end of his first stint took place under a totally unusual circumstances which had nothing to do with his racing and driving abilities.

I'll continue to update this documentary blog as new information becomes available but judging from the visitor traffic to this blog a lot of people are now even more curious as to why would Ferrari re-employ Kimi if in fact all those reasons and justifications to fire him were true... So, my guess is that we'll continue to learn a lot more about the details of 2008 events as the insiders continue to talk (they always do...). We'll keep this documentary blog as an example of a Hall of Shame Piece for Formula One Journalists who have been either sleeping on the job or too scared to expose/talk about what goes on behind close doors...

This is the working version of the article "

Why Kimi was not on top of his game in 2008"

-- the original was published in AS forum and F1Bias.com (Soren is a good friend).

Dates of events in the following timeline are important, because according to official Ferrari, or Santander accounts, and timelines most of the following did NOT take place in 2008, but in 2009.

You may read all original articles in this blog in their timeline order (starting from the bottom on the main page, all articles are posted under their original 2008 dates).

Why Kimi was not on top of his game in 2008

by wrcva

The period between April-July 2008 is probably one of the worst periods not only for Kimi’s F1 career but probably in his life. All his life he and his family believed in hard work and doing their best to achieve good things on merit. In Kimi’s case this means putting his natural talents to best use in performing, and winning races.

2007 season was a dream come true year for Kimi. He won the closely fought Formula One (F1) World Drivers Championship (WDC) and was ready for defending his title in 2008. From all indications outlook for the 2008 season was pretty good, arguably conditions were even better than the 2007 season for Kimi to defend his title.

Backdrop for 2008:

As of April, Kimi Raikkonen is already leading in WDC points 4 races into the 2008 season. Generally, life is good other than the management changes that took place at Ferrari as

Stefano Domenicali

replaced

Jean Todt

as the head of Scuderia Ferrari the 1st of January 2008. It's no secret that Todt and

Luca di Montezemolo

(LdM)

had a power struggle within Ferrari, something which lead to Todt'd eventual and swift exit. With Todt effectively out of the way from early 2008 and Domenicali, di Montezemolo's protege, in his place it was basically a different Scuderia overnight

(thanks to OSX).

"In 2007, [Todt] prepared the ground for Stefano Domenicali to succeed him as head of the Scuderia as from 1 January 2008. Then, on 18 March 2008, he resigned his position as Special Advisor to the Ferrari board, to be replaced by Amedeo Felisa. He nonetheless remained a member of the board of Ferrari for a further year before resigning all his functions within the Italian firm in March 2009."

April 27, 2008

-- FIA post-race press conf after winning Spain —

Kimi –

“It was a perfect weekend for us in Barcelona,” explained Raikkonen. “We were going really fast all the time and we didn’t have the slightest problem. Many times I have won and afterwards still had the feeling that it could have gone better. This time I did not have that feeling: this was probably the best weekend I’ve ever had in my career.”

Comment

: The guy won Spain just several days ago… then, all of a sudden Public Relations (PR) seed planting & “rumors” kick in. It is not clear who started them but the mission was to melt the iceman because it would be terrible PR to get rid of a 2 times WDC, in the event that he managed to win the 2nd one in 2008.

In the following, partially narrated timeline, I tried to put the main news item with the earliest approx. date of first showing up (in google news based on article posting date) out of 100s or 1000s regurgitated ones for each article. They give a good glimpse into what was in Kimi’s mind as he was facing a psychological PR war, aside from racing issues during 2008.

May 1, 2008

–

Luca di Montezemolo:

Massa’s future with the team is secure. It will be too damaging to partner Alonso with Kimi.

Keke Rosberg:

Kimi has to make way for Alonso…

Stefano Domenicali:

Kimi is motivated from head to toe, and I know he is not thinking about retiring.“

here

Comment

: You can tell that they have been talking about Santander coming in as the new long term sponsor but the plan is to not to talk about it externally… This is the first time appearance of Kimi’s “motivation” by Domenicali. It is not yet used in a negative way but it is a crucial PR keyword because at this point they cannot start talking about Kimi’s performance as he is in the lead. But, this is point the decision has been made that

Kimi has to go

. Also note the disconnect between LdM & Dom’s statements. Yes, the date is correct - May 1 2008, and Ferrari leaders are are forced to answer questions about the driver line-up, Kimi's motivation, and retirement rumors instead of talking about their win of Spanish GP several days ago.

May 8, 2008

– Niki Lauda scoffs at Alonso-to-Ferrari rumours —

"Raikkonen and Alonso together?"

former triple Formula One World Champion Lauda, 58, is quoted as saying by the German news agency DPA.

"Last year Raikkonen was champion and now he is number one. Why must we now discuss whether Alonso is going to go there?"

the great Austrian wondered.

"They already have the perfect team with Massa, so why should they bang their heads together?"

Lauda, who won two (1975, 1977) of his drivers' world titles with the Maranello based team, added.

Comment

: Hearing all kinds of rumors, Lauda is wondering WTF is going on at Ferrari as they seem to have one of the best line-ups for defending the championships they won with Kimi just six months ago... He is a racer and he simply is thinking about these rumors from the racing perspective as to why the team would change their existing WDC/WCC wining line-up... but what he does not know is that the seed is already planted about a month ago when

Emilio Botin, Fernando Alonso and Flavio Briatore

(Renault boss and Alonso's manager)

, and

Luca di Montezemolo

got together to discuss

Santander/Alonso Ferrari move

(April, 21 2008). Interestingly, the next day

Montezemolo (April, 22 2008)

, and subsequently

Briatore (April, 24 2008)

both denied the rumor

Briatore agreeing with Montezemolo that.

"When a team has two drivers equally good, the teammates become their biggest enemies. Pilots as Raikkonen and Alonso are complicated and put them in one team does not produce the best result for a team. During the last year, see the McLaren. Hamilton and Alonso lost the championship and the reason was simply because of their rivalry." -- link

So, by the first week of May 2008 Santander-Alonso-Ferrari plans were already in motion. From this point on Ferrari's challenge is to manage the situation with the media and fans to make sure Kimi is phased out of Ferrari with minimal negative publicity for Ferrari for getting rid of their World Champion.

May 24, 2008

– Alonso signs for Ferrari —

The word in the F1 paddock in Monte Carlo is that Fernando Alonso has just inked a deal to drive for Ferrari in 2010. No confirmation is expected for a year, and there may be denials of any arrangement, as there would obviously be some serious knock-on effects for other parties in the F1 paddock.

here

Comment

: Spanish press is going nuts over this as well at this time.. You can use google news with date filters if you want to see for yourself. Emphasis:

do not confirm and deny until next year

— which they did…

June 6, 2008

– FIA interview —

Kimi: “

I still have a contract until the end of next year,” Raikkonen said during the press conference ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Thursday. “I haven’t made any decision as to whether I will keep going or not. That’s the last contract I have and we will wait and see during this year and next year what happens.” “I haven’t made my mind up and we will see.”

"I like the racing and the other stuff is not always the best thing... When there's too many things that you don't enjoy, or you think that the whole thing is not what you want any more, then it's time to go away.

Comment

: (this is the GP Hamilton rear ended Kimi) — why would this contract issue come up in the FIA press conference? You can tell internal discussions about his departure is well underway. Yet, we are only 7 races into the season…

July 10, 2008

– German magazine Sport Bild

According to popular German magazine Sport Bild, it would seem that Spanish bank Santander would be moving from sponsoring McLaren to become one of Ferrari’s top sponsors from 2009 onwards. The big bank would have their adverts on the front and rear wings, alongside lettering on the drivers overalls. Ferrari have been touting for a new top sponsor since cigarette advertisers were not allowed in many countries, Marlboro being the major backer for many years. With a contract with Marlboro still in place, hash markings would still be on the cars. For the Scuderia though, Santander have said the major condition of their deal is that former World Champion Fernando Alonso would drive for the team. He won’t confirm his future, and will not comment until September.

here

Comment

Santander-Ferrari-Alonso deal is done at this time but negotiations with Kimi are in full force. Look at the desired date for the sponsorship… Now, how did Alonso come up with that

September

date, unless he red Kimi’s contract, and is familiar with the performance / and renewal options Kimi could exercise? I think that is an accidental slip up by the Spaniard because the September date was significant only to Kimi’s contract. He cannot comment on what will happen because they do not know what Kimi will do yet – as Ferrari is still negotiating! (see Sep 12 news, in the following).

July 11-19, 2008

-- Kimi's front suspension is updated sometime between these dates..

According to Interview with Ferrari team principle Domenicali on December 16 2008, this is the point Kimi lost his front suspension. From all indications this was a surprise to Kimi, given how sensitive he is to changes made on the car.

Question to Domenicali by Autosprint:

Did Kimi share his problems with you? - We always talk with each other and argue about general technical issues. From the technical point of view he was dissatisfied with front suspension, and it didn't work the way he wanted. The front suspension to suit him was a recurrent topic of our discussions. How fast did you discover that? - In midseason. We changed the suspension in Germany and returned it for Kimi in Monza.

In this interview Domenicali misspoke. Kimi got his old suspension back in Singapore, not Monza. This issue is also alluded to by Michael Scumacher who is in charge of car development and updates:

“In a way it is his (Kimi's) strength that he has a very focused vision, and maybe sometimes it doesn't always help him. We could maybe help him more if he would ask for it,”

said Schumacher in an interview for BBC earlier yesterday. The German insisted that part of Kimi's loss in form in the second part of the season was because the Fin failed to adapt to the new developments introduced by Ferrari in the mid-season. “I think I have to protect him in many ways, because in the middle of the season we made some developments to the car but Kimi simply didn't get on with these ones. The moment we went back to those changes, we got him back to competitive lap times," link

Here, if we look at the WDC points table, from mid-July to the end of September Kimi was able to score only 9 points in 6 GPs. Surely, there was some bad luck involved as well...

July 20 2008

-- FIA -

German Grand Prix

Post Race driver quotes:

Look at Kimi's reaction in the interview in his own words:

"This was definitely not the kind of race we had been hoping for. We have struggled all weekend and we have to try and understand why. Usually, our race pace is always good, but today that was not the case, because I almost always suffered with a lack of grip: only in the final stages did the situation improve a little bit, but it was never enough to be competitive. We have a test in Jerez, where we will try and improve the car so as to arrive in Budapest in better shape. This is definitely not a crisis, but we have to study carefully the handling of the car to understand if we have taken the right road in terms of development." Source: http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8126.html

Comment

: Mr. Schumacher definitely knew what was the deal but maybe he did not have a chance to inform Kimi that his front suspension was totally different for the German GP... This also amplifies the communication and turf problems between Domenicali and Schumacher.

Now, imagine or try to visualize what would Schumacher himself (as a driver) or Alonso would have done after learning the fact that their front suspension was replaced without their knowledge or they were not invited to driver debriefs... not a pretty picture huh.

Interestingly, Schumacher made another comment back in early April about Massa with a prediction. At the time, it was not a big deal but hindsight his support for Massa, and willingness to predict his WDC chances, given his 3rd and development driver role for Ferrari, further supports the timeline that he knew a bit more...

"He (Massa) has zero points for the season, so it is not the best of starts ... he has played his jokers so far, and doesn't really have any more jokers to play,"

"But things will turn around very quickly I think in his favour. He is certainly still very capable of winning the championship this year.

"If Massa wins the championship at the end of the year, nobody will care or remember about the start of the season." (link)

July 31, 2008

– FIA Thursday press conference - Hungary

Question: People are talking about you retiring, not necessarily at the end of this year but at the end of next year. Are there any thoughts on that?

KR:

I never said anything like that. I only said that I have a contract until the end of next year and then somebody made up that I will stop at the end of this year or the end of next year, but I never said that.

here

Comment

: Guess who is propagating retirement rumors? This is a pretty major PR war against Kimi… and they are wearing him out. You know, all by itself, it is pretty hard to fight for the WDC – even when you have full support from the team…

Aug 24, 2008

– FIA post-race press con –

Massa: “My win in Valencia moves me ahead of Kimi into second place in the championship. I’ve been asked if I feel Ferrari should favour me for the title since there are just six races remaining. All I can say is that I want to keep winning, to keep beating not just my teammate (Kimi Raikkonen) but others too,” Massa was quoted as saying on the Ferrari website. The Brazilian, who is on 64 points, six behind the leader Lewis Hamilton, further added that he has got nothing to do with such decisions. “I just do the best possible job for the team and leave the rest to the management,” he added.

Raikkonen is third on the table with 57 points. Meanwhile, Kimi has rubbished the claim that he lacks motivation.“Next week, we will go to Spa (venue of the next Grand Prix). I love this track. I will give it all to win again. If someone has doubt as far as my motivation is concerned: go ahead. I want to win. More than ever,” he said on the Ferrari website.

Comment

: Since April, Kimi’s lack of motivation stories have been propagating into millions of articles, blog and forum posts. (Google is your friend). Motivation is the keyword because they still cannot talk about performance…

Sep 12, 2008

– Ferrari confirm Raikkonen to end of 2010 —

Ferrari have announced an extension to Kimi Raikkonen’s contract for a further two seasons, keeping the world champion with the Italian team until the end of 2010. With Raikkonen’s teammate Felipe Massa also under contract for that period, it means Ferrari’s race line-up will remain unchanged until at least the start of their 2011 campaign. Raikkonen joined Ferrari from McLaren last season, while Massa has been with the team since 2006. The announcement should end media speculation suggesting that Raikkonen may retire at the end of this season.

here

Comment

: This is the automatic contract renewal option Kimi is exercising to increase the Santander/Ferrari payout based on exceeding his performance benchmarks on his contract. He knows he is done with Ferrari… and if he could find a way, he could have left by the end of 2008. He is loosing the PR war, but trying to secure finances in negotiations. I also think this is the point that Kimi's generally cooperative relationship with LdM went south. (read about

Kimi's contract

)

Sep 12, 2008

– Alonso "Kimi deal has no impact"

Fernando Alonso insists that Kimi Raikkonen's extended Ferrari deal has not put a dent in his plans for the future. Ferrari announced on Friday that Raikkonen had extended his contract and would remain with the Scuderia until the end of 2010.

This put an end to reports that Alonso could be heading to Ferrari at the end of 2009.

However, the Spaniard insists those were just rumours and that Raikkonen's deal has not upset his future plans.

"I knew already that they will extend the contract," he told Autosport. "Nothing has changed. "Talking about 2010 and 2011 is way too far for me. I want to win before that! "Always my plans were more focused on 2009 and in 2009 there was no possibility of Ferrari so it was never in my plans." It remains to be seen which team Alonso will race for next season as while Renault are keen to retain their double world champion, Honda are also reportedly on the look-out to sign him.

here

Comment

: Alonso knew Kimi had to exercise the automatic contract renewal option after negotiations with Santander failed... I guess he could not convince Botin to pay up Kimi to walk at the end of 2008, so he could move to Ferrari starting 2009. It is interesting that Kimi's contract renewal announcement date is the same date as Alonso's statement: September 12 2008.

I also think between July and September 2008 Santander explored various possibilities to get McLaren let them off the hook from the exclusivity clause in the old Santander-McLaren sponsorship agreement but their attempts were unsuccessful (probably Ron asked for a lot of money). If that took place Santander could have started their Ferrari sponsorship a year earlier. So, during this period (until September) Kimi was waiting to see if he would be able to end his relationship with Ferrari at the end of 2008.

Sep 14, 2008

– FIA post race int. Monza —

Raikkonen. “

You don’t have to be Einstein to understand that this is not the right way to fight for the title. It’s not over yet, but now it will take a miracle, like one that makes lightning strike twice

.”

Comment

: He is not just talking about racing here. Even though he is still within the mathematical possibility with 4 races left in the calendar (he is 20 pts behind Massa, and yet that still is better odds than 2007); he is up to his neck in the swamp trying to fight/fend off elegators on multiple fronts:

Santander/Ferrari lawyers…

His relationship with Schumacher. It was never emphasized in 2008 but I think it was a very significant issue. For 2008, Michael’s role was, per LdM: “official 3rd driver, in charge of car development.” See footnote 1 (and check out Michael’s Ferrari and wiki profile for his role in 2008). Kimi did not like this at all because Michael was in charge of something (the car itself) that he had been used to controlling/influencing all his career. Link

Pressure from LdM and Dom to help out Massa because if Massa wins the 2008 WDC, Santander will be thrilled given their upcoming 2009 IPO in Brazil. In my opinion, Dom or LdM never mandated this, but they highly encouraged Kimi to fall back because financial implications for Santander, the future sponsor, was in Billions of $. (not Millions, it is Billions) And because Massa is a native son of Brazil who can mobilize local investors even better than Alonso. here. In the end, Santander’s IPO gains were about $9 Billion. See footnote 2. Note: IPO means Initial Public Offering. Or the stock market launch for that company. In this case, in Brazil. Click on this link to read about the inportance of Brazil to Santander.

Sep 24, 2008 - Pitpass –

Spanish media is claiming that Ferrari’s recent decision to re-sign Kimi Raikkonen until the end of 2010, is a smokescreen, aimed at putting everyone off the real story, which sees Fernando Alonso heading to Maranello as early as next year. Spanish newspaper Marca claims that Santander, which headed to McLaren with Fernando Alonso in 2007, is behind a move which will see the two-time champion join Felipe Massa. The Spanish banking giant is due to take its account to Ferrari next year, and, having lost out when Alonso quit McLaren after just one season, wants its national hero back on board and in a winning (red) car. It’s claimed that the bank will not only meet Alonso’s financial requirements but will also meet any compensation demanded by Raikkonen.

It is fair to say that the announcement that Raikkonen is to stay with Ferrari for two more years caught many by surprise, especially since the Finn appears to have lost his sparkle in recent months, a situation not helped by the fact that he is now almost certain – barring a miracle recovery – of having to play second fiddle to his Brazilian teammate. While several teams, most notably Honda, have been wooing Alonso, the Spaniard needs to be back in a winning car, and other than BMW – which is backed by Santander’s rival Credit Suisse – Ferrari appears to be the only option.

Comment

: Looks like negotiations for buying out 2009 failed, probably to Kimi’s dismay — from here on it is a Cold War within the team and

Kimi is the unofficial #2

by corporate decision because they still need to ramp up Massa’s standing in Brasil for the upcoming IPO.

The only thing they could not foresee was Massa’s accident in 2009. Kimi’s departure was a done deal as early as May, 25 2008, latest Sep 14 2008. They just had to make sure he did not accidently win 2008 WDC as Ferrari would have looked really stupid… Very curious about that pit screw up in Monaco, if it was real or orchestrated because this is where it all started, it is a milestone event for things starting to go wrong for Kimi for the rest of the year, along with some unlucky situations.

May 25, 2008 FIA post race Monaco — Kimi “A very poor race for me, right from the off. There was a problem with a wheel before the start and we broke the rules, which meant I was given a drive-through penalty. During the race, my main problem was trying to get the tyres to work as well as possible. Then we decided to change the strategy as we expected it to rain again, but it didn’t happen. Twice I had to change the nose after breaking the front wing. So, as you can see, a long run of things going wrong which explains the 0 points. I am sorry for Sutil, who I hit with just a few laps to go. I lost control of the car under braking coming out of the tunnel and I could do nothing to avoid him. It’s a shame how things went today, as we had the potential to do well. It’s true that I’ve lost the championship lead, but I always said the championship would be a very long one. Now we must prepare as well as possible for Canada where we will try to make up for this disappointment.”

That is why, Kimi always said;

“There are many reasons. In F1 there is always a lot of money and there can always be different options. That’s what happened in the end. It’s nothing to do with racing or what I do in the team.”

In short, Kimi was in the wrong team, at the wrong time stuck between Ferrari and future sponsor Santander, because he had the wrong nationality (the Latin lineup), relative to Santander’s business plans, and Ferrari’s role within.

January, 13 2009

-- Ferrari approves of Kimi's rally outing --

Ferrari has no problem with Kimi Räikkönen contesting Finland's famous Arctic Lapland Rally later this month, team boss Stefano Domenicali has insisted.

Formula one teams often baulk at drivers' requests to engage in dangerous off-season activities, but it emerged last week that Räikkönen, the team's title winner of 2007, has entered himself as the driver of a Fiat Abarth S2000 in the event later this month.

"This is the traditional attitude we take to our drivers," Domenicali said at the launch of the team's new 'F60' single seater for 2009.

"We always try to have a very open attitude to what they do. I see this as an extra two days of testing for Kimi."

here

Comment

: Why change of heart by Ferrari after two years with Kimi, all of a sudden approving a "dangerous sporting activity" for Kimi? Because that was a part of

Kimi's separation negotiations

back in September that he will be allowed to participate in whatever sports activity he desired, including rallying. Domenicali is referring to Michael's soccer activities in "We always try to have a very open attitude to what they do."

Possible reality is they are no longer concerned about Kimi or whatever happens to him as he is on his way out. Again, note the dates...

Now, let's fast forward to September 2009...

September 14 2009

-- Formula1.com - Q&A with Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali--

Formula1.com Q&A with Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali

Q: After all the rumours it would be helpful to hear one word from you regarding Kimi’s future. Is Kimi driving a Ferrari in 2010?

SD:

I am definitely not going to discuss that now. As everybody is aware, Kimi has a contract with us next year and I am very happy with his performance because he is driving very, very well, especially in the second part of the season. The last five races he has always been on the podium and I think after Barrichello he has scored the most points, so he has shown true qualities of fighting for the championship. That is our position

Comment:

So, Kimi's ousting is not officially announced yet...but the new contract was already signed and sealed about a year ago, back in Sep 2008 that;

Option 1) 2 year full pay (2010+severance) provided he walked away from F1 for 1.5 years.

Option 2) 1 years pay (2010) + some severance + get the McLaren seat.

As we know Kimi took option 2 - you can read more about this

here

December 11 2009

-- SportsPro discussion interview --

The following snippets are one of the few direct mentions of Massa's role within the Santander world from Mr. Cendoya, who is the Senior Executive Vice President in charge of Communications, Corporate Marketing and Research for Santander Bank (Mr. Botin's number 2 guy for sponsorship affairs)

... Cendoya is understandably reluctant to place the bank in the pecking order of Ferrari sponsors and says simply: In Ferrari, we are on the podium and the podium is a very good place to be. Ferrari has a process and they are going to announce the car and image later on. We are a main sponsor; we are not a title sponsor. I cannot say more... ... Cendoya rightly points out that Santander is not in charge of driver selection and intriguingly suggests that, for example, the commercial appeal of current Ferrari driver Felipe Massa might be an effective way of growing the brand worldwide the implication being that, even with Alonso on board, the bank's popularity might only increase in Spain by one or two percentage points, whereas the potential gains in other markets are significantly greater. Cendoya says it is all about creating an emotional link between potential new customers and the bank. How many Spanish people, for example, are today very happy because we are with Ferrari? I don't know, but in my opinion a lot because I received more than 700 emails giving felicitations for this agreement. Every employee in our bank can guess a figure but it could be 10 million. In Brazil there are 50 million fans of Formula One, 80 per cent of them are Ferrari fans and they now feel happy and proud of being part of the Santander group (source article:: Sport is playing its part in the Santander story).

This SprortsPro article is very telling about why Kimi had to go without mentioning his name even once. Mr. Cendoya further states;

Cendoya makes clear, a cold, rational business decision, just as was the decision to sponsor McLaren three years ago. We started at the McLaren team, with an English pilot and a Spanish pilot at the beginning. We had a low presence in the team but we paid a lot of attention to every penny, peseta, euro that we were spending. We don't give money away. We have given a lot of attention over the last 100 years to caring for the money of our shareholders.

Comment

: This article also sheds light into Massa's continued presence at Ferrari without results (read update on this here). His presence alone is enough to produce the expected

Return On Investment

(ROI) at the levels that are even better than what Alonso is able to generate as a Spaniard. Santader's ROI does not even depend on Alonso or Massa winning races. Given their demographics they have enough appeal in the Latino world to satisfy Santander's financial expectations by just driving the red cars around to boost credit card, insurance, other financial instrument sales as well as merchandising.

What is a bit hard to understand is how the journos/media could not connect these dots to show what really went on in 2008. You do not have to do any major investigation because pretty much everything is in the public domain. While we understand commercial pressures on the racing business, 2008-9 was anything but sporting for Ferrari. They should have just let him go after 2007 instead of playing all kinds of games, and engaging in a PR war to give it an appearance of performance problems.

I suspect, even Massa will not bet against Kimi’s performance this year, or when he appeared to beat him back in 2008-9 as he knows what the deal was relative to his role within the Santander world. I think Kimi understood the business aspect of the issues, and in line with his character never washed any dirty Ferrari laundry in public. Yes, he did have several unlucky situations but his fate was already signed and sealed mid season 2008 purely for business reasons. 2009 was essentially continuation of the 2008 theatrics until Massa’s accident. On another front, almost identical scenario (to Santander-Massa-Brasil situation) is in play for Perez in a Santander sponsored car (Ferrari or McLaren) — Perez-Santander-Mexico, from the same playbook.

November 8 2012

-- Spanish sports newspaper Marca --

Asked by the Spanish sports newspaper Marca to recall his memories of racing for F1′s most famous team Ferrari, Raikkonen answered: “Neither good nor bad.“

I won a title with them and had some good times. I am satisfied with the three years I spent there.

“I don’t miss anyone,” he admitted. “To me, leaving there (Ferrari) was a relief.“

The situation could have been better, but it’s the past and what is done cannot be reversed,” said Raikkonen.

“Things don’t last long if you’re working somewhere and the relations are not good.”

He explained that, in contrast, he enjoys working with Lotus.

“I felt good from the start,”said Raikkonen. “

People work hard and calmly, but they want to win and the sport and the technical sides come before the politics.” --

Source

December, 4 2012

Mercopress.com

For Spain’s Santander bank Brazil is number one and ‘absolute preference’

Emilio Botin chairman of Santander Bank, the leading financial institution in Spain and among the top largest in the European Union said in Sao Paulo that Brazil is the “number one country in Latin America” and the absolute preference of his institution...

read full article

Footnotes:

1) As to how things evolved with the car I am not totally sure, but the person who had a front seat was Chris Dyer. In the following quote, he is reflecting on 2008 season.

“We had a tough and hard season but Kimi did exactly the right thing within the team and everyone respected what he did and how he reacted to this situation. We had a fantastic car but unfortunately we made mistakes when thinking about what’s best for our driver (Raikkonen).”

I believe the "situation" he is talking about is the Ferrari corporate decision to support Massa – not exactly sure when, but possibly Sep 24. (Kimi was told that they have to let Massa contest the 2008 championship because they are stuck with this request from Santander).

I think

“we made mistakes when thinking about what’s best for our driver”

bit is referring to Michael Schumacher, because Michael wanted Massa to be the official feedback/debrief driver sometime around Monaco. I think all of Michael’s initiatives were well intentioned organizational efficiency related enhancements trying to help Ferrari without favoring any driver but because he was closer to Massa probably Massa benefited more from them.

The other issue was the infamous suspension change that was introduced mid-season, again by Michael's planning and directives. It was a unilateral action by him as he was trying to improve the car.

link

If you recall, recently Kimi said there was only one person at Ferrari he did not like… he did not name that person but I believe it is Michael, because Michael was officially in charge of the car. I think he was/is on good terms with Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo (LdM) because he understood the Ferrari business situation that he could not control but Michael was in charge of something (the car itself) he has been used to controlling all his career. In any event, this area – Michael’s role — needs more research because it is mostly opinions. I suspect Dyer will talk or imply after his departure mid year.

2) Massa was at the right place, at the right time and with the right Sponsor, given his nationality. In fact Botin personally made sure

Massa was taken care of

even before the 2010 Ferrari sponsorship started:

Massa-“I’m glad to get this support from Santander. Lately I met President Emilio Botin twice and he is absolutely excited about the potential of the Brazilian market…

Being Brazilian, going into the IPO Massa became the

brand ambassador for the bank

(read the last paragraph in the link relative to the date of the article. Alonso was supposed to be in the list but not Massa, on that date) sometime during the summer of 2009, well before Santander-Ferrari relationship kicked in on Jan 1, 2010 (Alonso had been the brand ambassador for Spain for a while). This was a direct Massa-Santander payroll relationship ~$5-7M per year.

Fast forward to Nov 2011,

Botin decided to personally fire him

because he was upset with Massa for the results of 2010/2011 seasons. To understand the importance of Latin America to Santander, just look at their annual reports. So, to those who have been wondering why Massa has been with Ferrari despite underperforming? Because his nationality has been more important than his performance. And remember this stuff was not supposed to take place prior to Jan 1, 2010.

Global recession further increased the importance of Brazil

for Santander as they are desparately looking for new markets to offset losses in Spain. Therefore, they couldn't afford to drop Massa despite his not so stellar performance between 2010-2012, so they had to renew his contract.

This area could use some more research – journos: talk to some ex employee perhaps…

Posted 10th September 2013 by wrcva canvass

#Kimi Raikkonen #ferrari #raikkonen #Scuderia Ferrari #F1 #fernando alonso #Felipe Massa #Massa

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wavemaker9 · 6 years

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Firefly AU!Toni notes + some bits with kyle at the end

I think Toni definitely lied to Mel about his involvement with the war. This wasn’t something like Aus where oh it just never came up that I used to be a part of the alliance you never asked haha! Like when he first met her in the war, it was something he could kind of dismiss, just cite battles he fought in and they assumed it was on their side. But either before the war’s end or shortly after, some situation arising where he had to say to mel’s face that he had been fighting against the alliance the whole time. It wasn’t a dramatic thing I don’t think, like her accusing him of lying and him having to specifically lie to defend himself. I think it was just a casual conversation, her asking for clarification on something, maybe him mentioning without thinking at some point that he grew up on an allied planet and when she questions further, it leading to a point where he realizes okay she does actually believe that he’s always been fighting for the independent planets. And he either has to admit he was actually fighting with the alliance there for a bit or lie & confirm her beliefs. And he’s pretty good friends with Mel, he doesn’t want to lie to her, but he also figures she won’t take the truth too kindly, not at this point in their friendship, not after she already believes this lie about him, so after a moment’s hesitation, he laughs and tells some story about when he first entered the war, but changes up the details per what he saw serving as a browncoat so as to confirm yep yep, from the start i was on your side! Like i want toni to not have completely lied about being a browncoat where he never was one at all, and him actually fighting alongside Mel is a good thing to build their friendship and respect for each other on, but i also don’t want this to be something toni can try to sweep under the rug with a “technically i never /lied/ to you” excuse. No, he definitely did! He definitely, definitely lied to her and also did again and again later whenever it came up to anyone.

God i remembered the apple story from war stories again and fucking. Okay but mel having a story like that. Not necessarily that, but something like it where she watched a lot of her fellow soldiers die in like some at least low level fucked up way from something alliance soldiers had done under the guise of kindness that actually turned fucked up. Now. toni /definitely/ being in the group of alliance soldiers who did that thing and going a touch pale when he first hears Mel tell the story from the other perspective. Mel even catching and asking based on his reaction if something similar happened to him, too. Him giving a shaky, hollow sort of chuckle, saying he remembers something like that happening, yes.

Even if/when mel finds out about toni lying about his past in the war, i don’t know if she should ever find out about that. especially since like, idk maybe i’m wrong but i’d imagine she could move past just finding out he was alliance but swapped sides and then lied to her about it. It would take some time to rebuild the trust there a bit but eventually they’d work things out. but finding out he was specifically involved in a moment like that and knew but never told her would be. Rough for them to come back from? if even possible? I also just like that having to be something he holds in his chest forever.

I don’t even know if toni actively participated in it or was just there and didn’t stop any of them. If he didn’t stop them, it wasn’t like a “i’m too scared to speak up”, he just didn’t think about it, wasn’t in the mindset to think about it from the other side, few soldiers are. a lot of times, especially in a long lasting battle, you’re just trying to beat the other side, who cares how sometimes. I think he’d see the action the same either way because of that. Like literally if asked, his response would be “Does it really matter?” because like either way in his mind it’d be a shitty fucked up mistake he made that was pretty fucking lowdown and underhanded and he’s especially ashamed of it knowing it ended up being against his current friend.

Toni def had like shoulder length hair he wore in that ponytail look but cut it to the shorter length it’s at now. a part of me wants to say he cut it when he left the alliance as a symbolism thing, but a part of me also definitely wants to say it wasn’t until after the war and mel still teases him about it sometimes.

Even if he switched last minute just to end up joining the losing side, toni doesn’t really regret losing. He didn’t switch to win, he switched because he felt it was the right thing to do. He’s also pretty happy with where he ended up. The Oasis isn’t quite as sort of like. A pleasant agreeableness or as advanced a home as he had back as a part of the alliance, but he’s used to it and it’s comfortable in its own way. He likes being friends with Mel, values their relationship and is very grateful that they fought together during the war, that they still fight together now. Similarly, he’s met some good people being on the ship, like he didn’t like gil at first but now they’re like best friends and that never would have happened otherwise. He’s content with where his life is, and that’s all he can really ask for considering.

Besides Toni’s parents, has a brother. hey lemme preface this with i know very little about the hetalia historical relay between portugal and spain so like. this is just basing on very basic stuff from that and then what i wanted to build to fit the story i wanted to tell!

They didn’t get along too well growing up. They fought a lot, at first just as siblings tend to, but a bitterness kind of grew between the two as they each pursued their own interests and paths in life. Bro was nicknamed Port because he could fly very well and so made that into his job. before the war if you were looking for him, head to the nearest spaceport, he’s probably there heading out or coming in from a job. Toni learned a little how to fly from him and thus likely flew the oasis more than mel did before cian came on board.

I think during the war, port was pretending to be working with the alliance but was actually aiding the browncoats when able to. I’m not sure yet what the deciding factor was for toni to leave the alliance but it probably being related to that. Atm i’m fleshing out an idea of maybe port being found out by the alliance and needing an escape, setting aside his differences with toni to ask him for a final favor to help use toni’s ranking to help him slip under the radar to get away. Toni at first resisting, why risk his own title for a foolish mistake his brother did? But in the end it’s still his brother and it doesn’t take much to get toni to cave, promising help this one time. It’s risky, but they make it. Port tries to sway toni during the whole trip into joining him and helping fight against the alliance, and though some of the stories he gives chip away at toni’s resolve a little bit, he still seems determined to just be done with this and get back to his life. Again, i’m not sure exactly what’s the turning point, i just know that like. the reason toni supported the alliance at first was mainly he was genuinely just kinda clueless about these factors for why the independent planets were rebelling. but both sitting down and having to hear these details be explained to him + likely seeing some shit first hand while on the trip shakes a lot of those beliefs up for him.

I know that’s the last time he sees his brother, that i’m certain of. He gives his brother a final hug and wishes him well when asked a final time if he can’t join him. and then he drops Port off to find another ship to take him the rest of teh way he needs to go and he goes back into teh ship and heads off. A part of me says thinking more about it on his own on the flight back is the push toni needs and he just steals the ship and disappears, but a part of me also likes him making it back and trying to focus himself back to his normal way of thinking. Going into another battle or two thinking more and more about this, starting to realize it’s harder doing all this because he’s more aware of the other side as people wanting something rather than as enemies fighting something. and some final trigger in one of the fights being the final push. It being just a rough terrible battle near the end, so it’s not super easy but it’s not too hard for toni to find a small ship crashed with its pilot dead, stealing it, and taking off. There’s a belief he died in the battle, plenty of people did even if not all of them could be named officially. His family has at least assumed he died, and while Toni doesn’t know that for sure, he assumes they’ve assumed it and figures it’s probably for the best. I think it took longer but even Port eventually heard he died in the war and regrets to a point not being able to convince toni to leave off with him instead.

Hey! What if the not-apples thing was part of the tipping point? Okay here’s a thing. Him definitely participating, but as part of his “i gotta get my head on straight” attempt. And then after the fact, him not able to stop thinking about it? I feel that still shouldn’t be the final moment. Either that battle getting really bad or him joining another battle that’s much worse and leaving during that one, but i kind of like it being like another step towards the final straw? Idk, i’ll probably eventually figure out something

Toni having been made a captain in the army before leaving the alliance? does not plan to tell anyone about this ever. I think he slipped up and mentioned it to like one person once, like gil. Included it as some detail in another story (“He says to me- he says, ‘Captain Fernandez, do you have any idea-?’” “Hold on, hold on, wait, when the hell were you a captain? Mel said you joined after her.”). Toni immediately waving it off as a mistake, though, hahaha, freudian slip he guesses, could you even imagine him as a captain? No thanks! corrects the story this time with a lower, more fitting rank as if it really was just a misspeak. Because he plays himself off as being careless like that a lot, Gil kind of lets it go. He’s still probably a little suspicious? especially as he’s gotten to know Toni more and realized the guy is not as obvious or clueless as he lets on, but he hasn’t brought it up to toni again yet.

Most kyles get temporary crushes on mels in an au and i want that to hold true for simply one reason. Before kyle eventually hooks up with ivan, him trying to lowkey woo mel. By which i mean lowkey for kyle, medium-to-highkey for everyone else. Toni catching him one night with some flowers he stole from austin’s garden to give to her (austin is so mad when he finds out) and toni is just so fucking amused? Trying very hard to fight a grin as he asks to confirm if kyle is trying to court their captain. Kyle suddenly feeling a little flustered like toni’s making fun of him, puffing out his chest and setting his shoulders back, fake cocky and asking yeah, why, toni jealous? And toni just fucking. Can’t fight it anymore, just starts laughing. Really loudly? Oh my god this kid is precious, i’m so glad we got him on this ship. Yeah! Yeah, Kyle, i’m jealous. I don’t even know if you were trying to say i was jealous of mel or jealous of you but sure, yep, you nailed it, got it in one! Kyle even more upset while toni heads off laughing, but definitely quiets down in the hall and doubles back. he can’t wait to see the kid try to get mel into bed with some fucking stolen flowers, oh this is going to be hilarious. Toni, please.

When kyle and ivan do start flirting more with each other, toni even more amused? Teasingly asking kyle at some point if he’s planning to run through the whole ship or-? Should he be prepared for a late night visit from kyle soon too or will kyle be moving on to cian next instead~? Kyle immediately upset, grumbles out a ‘fuck you’ and starts to stomp away, before calling back at a still giggling toni ‘y’know, you fucking wish I’d stop by your room! Y’should be so fucking lucky’ which only gets toni to laugh harder again and tease again “oh absolutely! I’d be so honored! Y’know, I’ve actually been waiting up every night wondering when to expect you! I’m saving a bottle of wine and some very good candles just for the occasion” before just devolving into giggles again while kyle just fumes and stalks off. Worst fucking guy ever. The captain won’t mind if I kick her war buddy and second in command off the fucking ship next time we’re about to leave orbit, right? Right? Pretty sure. God, toni, just let the kid live, cmon.

He’ll probably cook a nice meal for kyle later to make sure the kid knows he’s just teasing and he really is sorry if he genuinely hurt kyle’s feelings. it’s just so amusing in the moment he can’t help laughing.

ALTERNATIVELY TO THE FIRST! When kyle tries to pick up mel, mel realizing toni’s down the hall clearly expecting kyle to fail spectacularly and deciding to play it up a bit to fuck with him. Probably leans in close and whispers to kyle that toni’s there so play along! Kyle’d be a little upset at it being play if it weren’t for the fact that he and the captain are fucking helping each other prank the shit out of toni for being a jerk? he’s in! the two fake flirting with each other a bit before her inviting him into her room. Once the door is shut her kind of more honestly talking to kyle about him apparently being interested in her? and that idea eventually being talked down with kyle disappointed but understanding. Pro is that she just lets him hang around for a bit and they spend some time just talking and getting to know each other better until it’s late enough where it’d be reasonable for him to go under the act. Her knowing toni would come talk to her about it to confirm before mentioning it to anyone else, so her also adding before kyle leaves that he can shoot toni a few smug looks tomorrow if he wants to really fuck with him and she’ll just set toni straight whenever he does come talk to her. Listen, toni loves being sly about his shade/sarcasm all the time, it’s about time she got him back. what are friends for?

if cian’s religious too, that being something him and toni can bond on! also the two reacting to just how aggressively kyle is gnostic atheistic. kyle’s a bit more chill about it with cian than he is with toni since honorary uncle, but like. definitely hard rolls his eyes any time religious talk comes up. the one thing they probably like about austin more than kyle is that at least austin doesn’t throw how dumb he thinks your religious beliefs are in your face half the time.

#ignore this #the boss kid #the thief kid #amusing muse musings #hey you au #au firefly edition

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submergencethemoviefanpage-blog · 7 years

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James McAvoy - Codigo Uno interview*

We would like to thank @gofckapineapple on twitter for providing the translation of James’ interview to Spanish magazine Codigo Uno.

Be sure to thank her if you're on twitter and share it!

Original article - Codigo Uno

Translation : @gofckapineapple

JAMES MCAVOY: "ACTORS ARE EITHER VIRTUOSOS OR FUCKING IDIOTS"

- He is the new fetish actor of Wim Wenders. Without mincing words, James McAvoy speaks with equal frankness of terrorism or classism that reigns in British cinema. Oh, and in his last film he lives an intense romance with Alicia Vikander. - James McAvoy is an actor dedicated to his characters and his nomadic lifestyle. It is also pure authenticity and is not afraid to speak openly. Not long ago he said that the dominance of posh actors in the UK "is damaging society" This 38-year-old Scotsman is peppered with that debate because he is the complete opposite: he had to pay for his career at the drama school working in a bakery. - In his latest film, Submergence, McAvoy travels to the depths of his emotions. The film represents the romantic idea of surrendering to the maximum and, in doing so, alter everything that surrounds us, with jihadism as a fundamental theme. It is the last and most beautiful story of Wim Wenders, and in it McAvoy and Alicia Vikander, co-star of the film, confirm themselves as two of the most erotic Hollywood actors. - Separated from Anne-Marie Duff, who was his wife for a decade, McAvoy now lives between Los Angeles and the UK with his new girlfriend. "Codigo Uno" had the opportunity to speak with the interpreter in Toronto.

Submergence had to be a terrible physical experience ... - Horrible, I had a terrible time because I had to lose a lot of weight between the middle of the movie and the end, and I'm not a man who was overweight. During the filming in Normandy I tried to win some weight to make a difference and to make it more obvious that I had lost weight. In the past I've shot movies where I also had to lose weight, like Trance , with Dany Boyle, and it hit me because I discovered that it's not something that I enjoy. In this film, as I already knew it would irritate me, I tried to enjoy my time in Normandy with Alicia and then we went together to Spain.

You mean you were angry during filming? - Yes. Not being able to eat properly irritates me, it surpasses me because I'm tired all the time, without energy. I think that when I watch the movie, I can identify the moments when I feel uncomfortable. Not only on screen, also when we stopped shooting was uncomfortable. When the filming ended, I dedicated to eat without stopping. The whole experience was awful. I don't feel ready to gain and lose weight.

You were able to relax and enjoy at some point? - Yes, of course. By nature, I'm not a nerve-wracking person. And, to be honest, the shooting in Spain was sensational.

How was the filming with Wim Wenders? - Sensational. I had to let myself be guided by his vision, which seemed articulate and very intelligent. This is a philosophical film, intentionally romantic, sensual. It is the story of a couple of scientists who fall in love. Their conversations, for moments, are academic, they do not fall in love with a smile, but of their intelligence. We were all in Normandy exploring the characters, rehearsing before shooting. Wim is a wonderful guy.

You are very close friends with Michael Fassbender, and you knew Alicia because she is his fiancee. Is not it rare to share intimate scenes with the fiancee of one your best friends? - No, I don't think so. I was married for nine years and filmed many romantic scenes at that time. In this profession we have to make many sequences of love with other people, it's part of the work. Anyway, it wasn't weird for me, maybe for her, but I hope not. I tried not to make her feel strange while filming with me.

You said that this character looks like you. What did you meant in particular? - Let's say I did not feel like playing a role, that character could have been me if my lifestyle had been different and if i would have chosen that kind of job. Of course, he is not like me, he has lived experiences that I will never be able to live. However, inside, he is much more like me than any of the other characters I have ever played in my career.

Do you consider yourself an adventurer, a being able to get to the depths of your being by someone else? - Until a certain point. I once said that I wanted to be a missionary and that interview was chasing me for years. I don't want to repeat the experience [laughs]. When my son was born I was talking to many nurses who had been in Africa and I found that their work, saving lives, was wonderful. That is what I meant. As for being adventurous, the actor profession fits the profile because we spend our time traveling. That amuses me, to live here and there, to work from one side to another of the planet, to know cultures. When I started at 17 I had no idea that I could end up where I am now. I got into drama school in Glasgow and I did not leave there for 3 years, but, in doing so, I became an adventurer because in that place I could build dreams and travel with my imagination. I realized that my life as an actor was going to allow me to experience adventures regardless of a location.

Do you enjoy the emotional load of an actor's life? - Of course. We are always on the brink of failure, always judged severely; or you're a virtuoso or a fucking idiot, with no space between those two concepts. For me, all that is exciting.

When you film in exotic places, do you have time to explore? - No. When I go to work, I work, I don't go on vacation. I will take some holidays now, since I have two months free. I have to force myself to move from my state of permanent curiosity to one of relaxation that allows me to enjoy my vacations. It costs me more to be doing nothing than working.

Submergence was not a pleasant shoot. Why did you choose to do it? - For the romance, for the love story of the protagonists, for the deep connection that exists between them. It's always fun to explore feelings when you connect with someone, it really is interesting to represent those emotions. I find it more human, being beaten in a movie than to hit, and that also caught my attention in this narration, the physical test of the character.

What is your opinion on the terrorism that strikes Europe? - I don't understand it, that's the only opinion I have. After shooting this movie, even less. If there is one thing that surprises me, it's the possibility that there may be someone who can think of the terms of my character, James. He wants to change the world, but because he can't do it alone, he integrates into an organization. First in the army, and then in this spy organization that helps him carry out his plans. All the protagonists in the film try to change the world in their own way. That is the beauty of history, how important it is that we all do our part. War films have shown us that there are many perspectives on the same story. However, we all want the same, that wars no longer exist. In this case we are living a strange war because we don't understand the enemy.

For a while, after the Atonement premiere, you became a star for the teen audience. However, your latest films seem to want to break with that image. - I am aware that there is this group of fans because I get a huge number of letters from South Korea, more than anywhere. I'm not very aware of who follows me or who watches my movies. I do not consider myself a strategic actor, I have never been an engineer of my legacy. I did not do it at first and I will not start doing it now. All I do is read the script, if I like it and if I think it's going to be a challenge, then I will do the movie. I feel like I am responding to stories that will awaken the audience.

You have criticized that there are no opportunities for working-class actors in the UK. - When we speak of this we must be clear. There are posh actors who have been in boarding schools that now feel cornered. Nobody has anything against a posh actor who is doing well. We live in a scary world, as soon as a small group dominates the creation of the arts and becomes a representation of a society that is not for everyone but for a few, the damage is irreparable. In five or ten years we will see how it affects us.

You emerge as a new sex symbol for your generation. - I don't think so. To be honest, I don't know if someone considers me an erotic symbol because it does not cross my mind. I don't get up in the morning thinking, "How sexy I am today." And, by the way, I still have not met anyone who treats me like I'm a sex symbol, so I can not feel one. I'm not convinced by the title.

Are you still taking care of yourself physically, for the pleasure of staying in shape? - I haven't been back to the gym since I finished the movie. I've been to the sauna a couple of times in eleven months. I'm quite lazy and I don't like exercising.

Who were the heroes of your adolescence? - I was a sophisticated twelve-year-old boy fascinated with James Bond and the spies. I suppose I let myself be influenced by Sean Connery, an illustrious Scotsman.

*Originally published on Facebook, posted here with some minor edits.

#james mcavoy #interview #codigo uno #magazine articles #submergence

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jurakan · 7 years

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I made this post basically because @andasideofpanache told me to.

So there’s a bit of a kerfuffle going around because the makers of Game of Thrones announced that they want to do an alternate history show about what life would be like if the Confederacy had won the American Civil War. And I don’t know how I feel about it, exactly, other than I think it’s...kind of boring? As far as alternate histories go, it’s pretty standard. “If the Confederacy won the American Civil War” and “If the Nazis won World War II” are the two alternate histories I see all too often and that’s horrible because the answer is that life would suck.

I think it’d be much better if you took some other point in history and took something that was pretty much neutral and said what if it’d gone the other way? So for the viewing pleasure of the followers of this blog:

A BUNCH OF ALTERNATE HISTORY IDEAS THAT ARE MORE INTERESTING:

-What if Christianity was not the dominant religion of Western Civilization: Look as a Roman Catholic I don’t know if I can conceive of the idea of Christianity just not existing so that’s not what I’m suggesting here. But i am suggesting that it’d be interesting to design a world where it didn’t become the dominant theological viewpoint in Europe. How would the medieval world look? What would make the art different? What would our modern world look like? What would be considered “traditional values” in that world? What would our calendar look like?

And I’m curious as to what different people would put to replace it; my first instinct is Mithraic religion, but as that was a mystery cult I don’t think it’d pick up much steam. Islam’s still a big contender for that, but if you wanted to do something more out there you could pick Zoroastrianism or the official Roman state pantheon of gods. I mean could you imagine PETA freaking out over augurs reading animal guts? There’s a fun picture.

-What if Spain had controlled North America until it had become independent?

As a Hispanic person I get a bigger feel for how much English culture still influences American society today. I’m still baffled by people’s fetishization of the English royal family (especially Anglo Catholics, considering that whole Church of England thing but whatevs), given that a King of Spain actually told Hugo Chavez to shut up to his face in 2007. Really guys, the Spanish-speaking world is where it’s at.

So to see the US as a country more culturally influenced by Spain than England would be a great thought experiment, especially considering that Spain came to the New World first, and fully expected that that new land was all theirs for the taking. The obvious changes would be the dominance of Spanish as the spoken language and probably Catholicism would be more common than Protestantism. But what cultural values would be more common? What would the US’s government turn out to be without the direct influence of English Enlightenment thinkers? Which thinkers would be influential? How would the relationships between countries change in that setting (do we eventually become BFFs with Spain like the US did with Britain or with Spain instead and what’s up with France)? What would the State names be like? Would religious freedom have been such a big thing in our country? Would all the Neo-Pagans be less inclined to British Celtic and Germanic mythologies as much as Roman, Ibero-Celtic, Basque and Mesoamerican mythologies? How would the architecture look different? And so on and so forth.

-What if China colonized North America first?

There’s a conspiracy theory that floats around every now and then that China actually found the west coast of the North America long before Columbus set sail. So...what if they did? What if they set up a colony there? How would that completely change the game?

For starters, the capital would be on the West Coast, and European culture wouldn’t be the dominant one in the country. Even after independence Mandarin Chinese would remain the biggest language in the world, Chinese philosophers would be the important ones people in the country studied and I strongly suspect that democracy and republicanism wouldn’t be as popular given that the Chinese government was imperial until 1911--and not in the same sense of having a Parliament or representative body like England or France. All our urban legends would be more like Chinese ones, and...I don’t know what the opposite of Yellow Peril stereotypes would be, but that’d be something interesting to explore.

Also, would slavery had been a thing? I mean, not that the Chinese never had slaves, but would it be so racialized as it was under a European model of colonialism? I have my doubts, especially considering that there’s not an Africa right there for them to exploit.

-What if Alexander the Great had an heir that held his empire together?

Very famously when Alexander the Great died his empire was divvied up between his generals and became several different nations that all eventually fell to Rome. But what if it hadn’t? What if Alexander had named an heir (a son or general or whatever) who’d been able to hold everything together until Rome came along?

What would the empire be called? And would it be able to hold against Rome? Would the two become allies? Or, more likely, would they duke it out and become bitter enemies? And who’d win? How would that change the world today? How would that effect Greek and Roman philosophy/language/culture and the place they held in Western Civilization today? Would we still have Hanukkah?

-What if Napoleon hadn’t been defeated?

What if Napoleon had been lifelong emperor? Whether that means succeeding in escaping from that island prison, or just never being defeated in the first place, it’s an interesting thought? How long would his empire have lasted? Would it last into the modern day? And if so how different would it be from the EU? Would Britain join or always be in conflict?

And what about his descendants? Would they hold his empire or lose it bit by bit? Or would they expand it and take even more land? Would the French Empire be THE superpower and dominant society on the world stage in modern day?

-What if Antony and Cleopatra defeated Octavian?

Oh hey, what if Octavian was defeated and Egypt didn’t get as Romanized? What if he was killed and the Roman Empire got stopped before it really got started? Suddenly we don’t have an emperor. Does that mean Rome goes back to a (decadent and corrupt) republic? Would Egypt conquer them (and then the repercussions for the world stage after that)? Or would they be in a sort of cold war?

If Rome did endure as a country, what would be the opinion of the Roman Empire? Would we still glorify the “old days” of the Roman Republic if they’d endured, given they were corrupt and lasted? Or would we think of the good ol’ days of Rome being the Empire that never really lasted?

-What if El Dorado was a real place?

And the Spanish found it? And they were able to hold on to that gold, meaning that they remained the dominant superpower in the Age of Exploration/Colonization? Or what if El Dorado was able to defend itself and remained an oasis against Spanish colonization and European influence in Mesoamerica?

Or what if the Spanish didn’t find it but someone else did much later? And how would that discovery be taken by the world?

-What if Mesoamerica repelled the Spanish invasion?

Does that mean Spain wouldn’t have become a major power at all? Does that mean that it’d also be able to resist Anglo American settlers trying to expand the US? How long would the Aztec Triple Alliance last considering it was pretty crappy to its neighbors, and what would happen to replace it? A new Mayan empire, or something else entirely? How long would the practice of human sacrifice last?

Would Latin America be primarily indigenous then? Would Mesoamerica help other nations of indigenous peoples in the Americas and the Caribbean fight against European colonizers? Would Mesoamerican mythology be a more common religion in the modern day?

-What if the Eastern Crusades didn’t happen?

What if the Pope didn’t answer Constantinople’s call for aid against Muslim conquest? Or what if things had just gone peacefully in the meeting between Islam and Christianity? Alright that’s unlikely, but what if some sort of agreement and territorial difference was settled not through armed pilgrimage but by any other means?

But by the Crusades Europeans got a bunch of information about places beyond Europe and preserved Greek and Roman texts from their occupation of the Holy Land (and arguably, this helped contribute to the Renaissance). So does this mean that the Renaissance wouldn’t have happened? Or that certain military and cultural developments wouldn’t have happened?

If the West never went to official war with Islam in such a way would their be the same level of Islamaphobia around today? And what would the status of Israel be, considering that it was taken by Islamic forces in the Crusades? Would Islamic/Christian tensions be assuaged by Jewish people still be screwed by having their lands still not be in their own hands?

-What if the Reconquista never succeeded?

What would happen if Spain never became a Catholic nation again, and continued into the modern day to be dominantly Islamic? It would lead to their being an Islamic country in mainland Europe for one, but what would that entail? Would Portugal exist? Would the relationship with the rest of Europe be good or bad? What would it be like to be Christian, Jewish or atheist in a primarily Islamic modern day Spain?

And of course, what would that mean for Latin America? It wouldn’t be ‘Latin’ at all if it was colonized by an Islamic power rather than a Catholic one. How would that conquest go anyhow? Would African slavery be a thing on the scale it was under Christian Europeans? Would most of Central and South America be Muslim? Would the language be Spanish or Arabic? Or would there be an in-between language?

Would prejudice against Mexican immigrants be based in Islamaphobia? Or would Islam be more accepted in mainstream American society considering that there are tons of immigrants from Mexico?

-What if World War II just didn’t happen?

I don’t know what to do with this one other than suggest that question.

-What if the US had invaded Japan instead of dropping the atomic bomb?

Alright so a bunch of people on Tumblr always like to claim that the US was dickish because it dropped the atom bomb. Which, okay, it’s hard not to construe dropping an atom bomb as a dick move, but what if we’d gone with the other option, which was invading Japan with infantry? That would have sucked, because it’d result in more deaths of both Japanese and Americans.

So you know, think about how that’d turn out?

-What if the Mongols has conquered Europe?

The Mongols tried to take Europe one time. What if they succeeded? How long would that have lasted? What would the cultural influences of a Mongol Empire, connecting Europe and Asia? Cross-cultural exchange existed then, of course, but it’d be even more prominent. We’d also have Western religions being more common in the East and Eastern religions more common in the West.

And THEN think about what would happen when that Europe or Asia goes out colonizing the world.

Some other ideas that I don’t have time to write about: -What if Buddhism hadn’t caught on? -What if there hadn’t been a Bronze Age Collapse? -What if Italy had funded Columbus’s voyage instead of Spain? -What if Italy never united? -What if the Saxons couldn’t conquer Britain?

#AU #history #alternate history #ramblings

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vagrantblvrd · 7 years

Text

Slide It to the Right (1/1)

Summary: Ryan doesn't do social media.

Based off this post.

AO3

Ryan doesn't do social media. It's just. Why would he? He's arguably one of the most dangerous people in Los Santos and has been at the top of various wanted lists for several years running. Social media would be a disaster for someone like him, so of course -

“Meg, why,” Ryan says, staring down at his phone and the recently installed app therein.

No answer of course, because Meg left for a job halfway across the world earlier that morning while Ryan was happily asleep, trusting that his occasional partner in crime would never, ever dream of betraying him in such a manner.

There's a part of Ryan tempted to text Meg nothing but sad emojis, but no. He's the Vagabond, and the Vagabond has not yet sunk to such a pathetic level.

Seriously.

If he uninstalls the app, Meg will know, and he cannot allow her this victory. Instead, drags the app's icon from his phone's home screen into the trash. A small act of defiance that gives him momentary peace of mind.

========

They have an system of sorts, the two of them.

They don't ask each other about the nature of the jobs they take, don't pry, but they'll let things...slip, from time to time. Nothing of note really, just enough to know with certainty they jobs they d accept won't result in a conflict of interests. Convenient, really, because it's never been clear which one of them would win in that kind of scenario. (Not that Ryan hasn't considered it, who wouldn't?)

Still.

There's a difference between offhand comments and Meg sending him snapchats of her exploits somewhere in Europe. Spain, maybe, the first week, if background details are anything to go by. Her smile is bright and sharp and vicious, gleam of satisfaction in her eyes that's so very familiar.

It lulls him into a false sense of security, the kind that has him dong a slow blink when he checks his phone and sees someone who is very clearly not Meg.

Slim, tanned skin and a shock of bleached hair to go with a smug smirk that is infuriating in a way Ryan can't quite explain.

Also, a truck that's been forced off the road somewhere between destinations and -

“Why, though?” Ryan asks, because the idiot has a pair of Ray-bans shoved into that abstract piece he calls hair, and another pair riding crooked over gold-framed sunglasses.

To top it off, make the whole thing the epitome of douchiness, it's nighttime.

“Oh my God,” Ryan says, traitorous fingers taking a screenshot because they no longer obey him, have revolted against all common sense. “Oh my God.”

========

The snapchat sticks with Ryan days later. Has him pulling up that screenshot and staring, blank and horrified at himself for not deleting it already, it's such an affront to everything ever.

It stays with him through several phone calls and texts of varying degrees of shadiness, through the drive down to the warehouse district for a meeting with a potential employer and the exceedingly awkward negotiation that follows. From there its a hop, skip, and a jump to the simple little job they want him to do, and fuck it, Ryan's only human after all, right?

========

Right.

So.

There's only one person currently in the know as to Ryan's deep, dark past. The one that haunts him to this very day, visions of tights and cheap plastic prosthetic crimping his ears, and there's no doubt she'll be laughing her black little heart out the moment she sees Ryan's snapchat.

Ryan posing for the camera, working it for all he's worth with Gucci belts draped around his hips like a Final Fantasy character because apparently he's finally lost his goddamned mind.

Must have, if he's actually looking forward to whatever reaction the idiot in the gold sunglasses has, what his next move will be.

========

The idiot - “Your idiot,” Meg teases, sly and knowing, when she calls him shortly after his brief dalliance in the world of fashion, and Ryan tries not to think to hard on that because no, no, this is just a ridiculously dumb, indulgent thing Ryan is doing because he's an utter moron and nothing, not even living a life of crime in a place like Los Santos has beaten out of him – doesn't disappoint.

Retaliates, if it can be called that, by posting snapchats of him grinning like a lunatic next to a LSPD officer handcuffed to a sporty little car worth quite a pretty penny.

And, really, it's not like Ryan can just let him get away with that, right?

Right.

========

It takes a bit of planning, but luck and fate and the general low hiring standards of the venerated Los Santos police department make it possible for Ryan to orchestrate his next snapchat.

Ryan should probably be worried about this whole thing, the way it has him taking stupid, reckless risks for a brief moment of giddy satisfaction, but it's not like his usual life choices are in an way bordering sane.

Still.

There's being daring, and then there's being completely stupid, which he is because this is so beyond courting danger it's ridiculous.

========

“I should stop,” Ryan tells Meg, knowing full well he won't, because he's an utter moron and this is stupid-fun.

“You should,” Meg says, but there's an edge of mischief in her words. Warm and familiar and as often as it spells trouble for him, he loves it. “But you're not going to, are you.”

Not a question, when she knows him so well.

Ryan grins, because no.

========

There's only one right way to one-up a stolen fire truck, and Ryan does it with flare.

(Ha, puns.)

========

All this time, Ryan's been very careful not to use names, even in that tricky little cavern of his mind because it felt like doing so would ruin this whatever they've been doing. (Oh, he knows exactly who the idiot with the gold-framed sunglasses is. Knows who he works for the same way he knows that very same idiot knows exactly who Ryan is.)

Which, makes no goddamn sense really because it's not as though they've been exchanging letters, really. Just making use of a dumb little bit of technology that allows them to flaunt their criminal exploits to a reckless, dangerous degree.

They have enemies, and Ryan's caught a few sniffing around lately. Trying to use their snapchats to track them down, and while a bullet here, a knife there takes care of things like that, there's only so long their luck can hold out.

========

For some inexplicable reason, it's the fact that the idiot uses the crying cat emoji that sets Ryan in motion.

Has him pulling on his mask and settling his bulletproof vest, checking his guns. Has him ignoring Meg's own text comprised of laughing smiley faces as he races down the streets of Los Santos in his Zentorno.

Fucking Gavin Free grins up at him as he wrenches the back door of the police car open. Holds his handcuffed hands up like he thinks Ryan's not there to put a bullet in him to match the one in his arresting officer's head.

“About time,” Gavin says, light and cheerful, as if Ryan's late for a lunch date.

There are sirens in the distance drawing closer and the faint sound of a chopper – because of course, why not a goddamn chopper. There's a dead police officer in the front seat, shattered glass and twisted metal where the car hit the side rail. There's Ryan, skull mask in place as he looks down at this idiot he's been sending snapchats to for weeks on end and how the hell did his life end up like this?

“I don't meant to rush you,” Gavin says, grin faltering as he tries to spot the approaching chopper, “but we're in a bit of a time crunch here.”

Ah, right, Ryan thinks, sighing as he pulls Gavin out of the police car. I'm an idiot.

========

It's hard to get good footage while driving down Chiliad with a police chopper circling overhead directing police cars their way. Somehow, though, it's worth it with Gavin laughing in his ear as the sun goes down behind Chiliad like something out of a fucking movie.

“This is so cinematic!” Gavin yells, leaning into frame to give a victory sign because of course he does. “I'm going to have to do something incredible to top this!”

Ryan doesn't take his eyes off the road – ha, as if the dirt path they're following is anything close to being a road - because that would be suicidal at this point.

Still.

“I'd like to see you try,” Ryan says, and God help him, he actually means it.

Stars Like Forever

#fahc #freewood #vagrant fic #i have no impulse control #here we go i guess #a life less ordinary

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zevons · 7 years

Note

what are your favorite EVERRRRR football fics?

The first thing I did when I saw this in my inbox was zip over to my handy dandy excel doc of fics I like and filter for football rpf.

WOW, okay self. So I scrolled through and opened up the ones I remembered particularly adoring, trying to be selective and

…alright then.

So what you see here is a list, painstakingly teased out and compiled and highly angsted over! There are so many excellent fics out there, goddamn. These are the ones that I return to over and over, and I also tried to get a good cross-section of some of my favourite pairings, because honestly I have 43 gerlonso fics alone to choose from and wanted to get a wider selection. (Also hey, my excellent followers! Please add what fics I’ve forgotten/whack me over the head with a newspaper for leaving out your faves.)

As Far As You and Me Go - distira: Pep Guardiola/José MourinhoFULL DISCLOSURE: I AM SO WEAK FOR THIS ~NARRATIVE IT IS EMBARRASSING. It’s so trope-y it could have been scripted for television. And this is, imo, the best fic out there for them, and a brilliant read besides. Even if you’re not into the pairing I can’t recommend it enough, as by nature of the ship it’s sort of the opposite of a getting-together story. (Also Sharon refused to read it for ages and ages bc ew, Mou, but I broke her down and she agreed it was good SO THERE.) The slow collapse of their relationship, the underlying nastiness on both sides, the scheming, conniving…this is the perfect example of ‘like a trainwreck; it’s terrible but you cannot look away’. You just have to keep on reading in a sort of fascinated horror as they go about carving their way through to their various victories, and at the end it’s impossible to be sure that they’ve even lost anything of value. If someone asked me to explain José Mourinho to them, I would probably give them Jonathan Wilson’s excellent article in the actual, real life Guardian, and this fic. SERIOUS BUSINESS.

Being Young and Famous is Not a Consolation Prize - synaesthetical: Thomas MüllerA lot of these fics are Spain/England-based, but do not be fooled. On my deathbed, when my family is gathered around my withered corpse, weeping as I slowly fade from this life, one of my favoured great-grandchildren will ask, ‘Sabina, did you lead a happy life? What was your finest moment?’ And I will gaze up at the ceiling through my cataracts and say, smiling with true joy, ‘Yes, my life was fulfilled. Germany won the World Cup in 2014.’ AND THEN I WILL DIE. This particular fic is not about 2014, it is about 2010, but the point stands. If you love Germany NT, or feel, y’know, not hatred towards them, then please read it because it captures so wonderfully the tone of that tournament and that squad. Old enough to know better, but young enough to have a second chance when the time comes. This is one of those fics that I think really exemplifies not only a good story, but a good piece of football writing as well. That World Cup feeling, deliriously, dangerously happy, and at the same time how deadly serious this is. How deadly serious football is. It’s light, lovely writing, and it hits hard.

eDisharmony - ascience: Benedikt Höwedes/Mats HummelsI’m not even going to pretend like this fic doesn’t hold the massive cool award of being the fic that inspired me to get back into writing. I gotta love myself, yknow! It’d been five-ish years since I’d written any fic of substance (I think I only posted about 4,000 words in total in that time) and then wham, I read this fic, fell entirely in love, and decided to jump on the train. And just so you know I’m not entirely biased, I reread it like a week ago and yes, it’s still hilarious, 10/10 would restart my fic career again. The dialogue and the pacing bounce along so gleefully in this story, you really have to be eating popcorn while reading. There’s a wonderfully joyful irreverence and so many shenanigans. Sooo many shenanigans. The style of the humour is also just infectious. It’s fun, there’s no better way to say it. This is a fun fic. It also has the added pleasure of reminding me just why I love/hate forums. Ohhh forums. Bring back forums! I’ve lurked on ONTD-F too long to ever properly participate and r/soccer is full of manchildren.

Filling Up the Space - luxover: Xabi Alonso/Steven GerrardThis isn’t exactly what you would think of as ‘traditional’ gerlonso (and forreal, it’s such an Institution by this point that it’s practically spawned its own subgenres. That’s when you know a pairing has really made it.) and so it’s always stuck out to me. It’s mean, in a way that this pairing usually isn’t, and I find it absolutely fascinating. I also love this Steven; a bit harsher, a bit harder, a bit more destructive than usually shows up in fic. I mention it later down this list in a different rec but fic!Stevie has a tendency to become a bit soppy, and this is a man who would kill for his club, grim but determined. This is a divorce fic, more or less, and the way that it pulls all the threads apart to show why they were woven together in the first place is…I don’t want to say chilling, because that makes it sound like a horror story or something, but it definitely gives you pause. Idk, I just really appreciate it. (By the way it does have a happy ending, if a lack thereof would have turned you off. On the other hand, if you’ve been jaded to gerlonso and are just sick to the teeth of them, this might be the thing to draw you back in! Incredibly compelling read.)

Good Timing - Ferritin4: Xabi Alonso/Steven GerrardI couldn’t even tell you how many times I’ve read this fic. I love future fic, love love looove it, and this is possiblymaybedefinitely my favourite of the genre. Xabi is managing Real Madrid and Stevie is a pundit and it is glorious. Their voices are so perfectly written, it’s the kind of fic where I have to set aside twice as long to read it as I usually would, because I inevitably end up reading and rereading almost every line, just to really savour the dialogue and the pacing. And the pining! Oh, the pining. Stevie and Xabi are so perfectly characterised, and in such generous characters. That’s really the only way I can think to describe them. Generous. The fic is warm and funny, and so comfortable. You can really tell that they’ve been friends for decades, and how deeply important that friendship has been to both of them. Also did I mention the pining? Oh god, the pining. It is delicious.

look back in anger - neyvenger: Jamie Carragher/Gary NevilleIf you like rivalshipping and you haven’t read any Carraville fics, WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING. I don’t care if you’re only vaguely, guiltily fond of Liverpool and still haven’t forgiven Manchester United for doing All That Winning in the most formative years of your footballing life, filling you with the kind of simmering rage that probably won’t go away until you die. (What, talking from experience? Nah m8, this is a hypothetical. Haha. Hah. sigh) I don’t care!! It’s a great pairing that managed to escape the boundaries of being a crack ship and has somehow strayed dangerously close to being the best ship in the business! And if you like Carraville and haven’t read this fic, THEN I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO YOU UNTIL YOU SIT YOURSELF DOWN AND READ IT. There’s time-travel! There’s enemies-to-friends-to-enemies-to-friends! Bb!Carra putting in tackles! At one point David Beckham is described as having “the air of a lazy cat”, which made my deep and enduring crush on said David Beckham cry out for mercy. THIS FIC HAS EVERYTHING.

Sandbox - scheherazade: Michael Ballack/Alexi LalasDo you like nonsense? Do you like obnoxious Americans? Do you like obnoxious Germans? How about a lot of insufferability on both sides, a whole lot of pigtail pulling, and people being Wrong in football analysis? Then this pairing is for you! Micha was my first football crush and I will forever thank whoever decided that he would make a good analysis partner for Alexi Lalas. There’s something so great about that footage from 2012, whenever Alexi says something and you can actually witness the incredulity in Michael’s face as he prepares to utterly and irrefutably shoot down whatever ridiculous statement he’s just heard. God bless! I just love these confrontational ships. They deserve a mountain of fic but with ones as good as this, I’m satisfied. They dance the line between dickiness and idiocy with such delight, you almost find yourself rooting against them because they probably don’t deserve it, even if good-hearted golden retriever Taylor Twellman is pulling for those crazy kids. This is a funny fic, and they’re such a wonderful odd couple, but if you’re like me and are consistently being emotionally tortured by the 2006 World Cup/Euro 2008/Michael Ballack’s general life and career, then you will also appreciate the underlying disappointment of a man behind a desk when he just wants to be out on the grass.

Supertyp - imkerin: Pep Guardiola/Philipp LahmLAUGHS WILDLY INTO THE VOID OHHHH MY GOD this fic exposed me for the wreck of human being that I am, because I seriously seriously did not mean to ship this beyond like, a thought experiment, and then this fic happened and I was forced to come to terms with the fact that wow, I am All About This. Pep and Philipp’s mutual appreciation society finds its beginnings, Pep is exploratory, Philipp is cautious, José Mourinho is a ruinous individual who knows just when and where to twist the knife, I am fired into the sun by the United Nations for being entirely not okay. I was vaguely keeping it together until this fic. And so naturally, I reread it like, every other week. Every word is perfectly placed and every exchange is shoot to kill. The characters in this fic don’t do anything out of the ordinary for their jobs, but you get the sense that if they were in politics or poisons they would be frightening.

they were a long hallway - madanach: Bastian Schweinsteiger/Lukas PodolskiTen years for this shit, man. Schweinski is one of those long-term, rock solid ships that you can rely on to like, have made you dinner when you get home from a twelve hour shift and pour you a fourth glass of wine without asking if you’ve maybe had too much. It’s always gonna be there, even though they’ve had their shaky moments. Despite those shaky moments and a lot of awkward growing up, it’s also a ship that can somehow seem easy. It can somehow seem like they don’t have to work for it. This fic has them work for it. There’s messiness and idiocy and some amazing fun times and some shitty low times. This fic is like the Bildungsroman for schweinski. It’s not clear-cut and it’s not straightforward: in life you get all tangled up and are sometimes tempted to just chop your way out, Gordian Knot-style, but you just can’t do that, y’know? This fic does such a good job with the tangling and the untangling, I feel like it validates a lot of the nonsense I got into in my Youth. Even though I’ll probably never win the World Cup as payoff, but still.

This Bitch of a Country - Rave: Xabi Alonso/Steven Gerrard[quiet wailing noise] nnngnggjhgn okay I said I was going to try and mix up the ships in this list but look!! look. Gerlonso is like, the ultimate holy fucking grail and there’re simply too many good fics not to throw more than one in here. Also it would be a crime not to include this one, which manages to be hilarious and heartbreaking, comforting and cruel, all at once. There’s something about mid-2000s Liverpool that will never fail to make my breath catch, this sort of tragic magnificence that achieved so goddamn much and yet…and yet. (Read this fantastic article from gone-too-soon Grantland, because this fic understands that atmosphere. Also I blame Thierry Henry entirely for validating my soft spot for this club. He set such a precedent!) There’s familiarity here, and anger, and the sort of hopeless love that makes you want to weep your goddamn eyes out. This fic manages to show the hurt on both sides without woobifying anyone out of recognition (and look…I love a good woobie as much as the next person but sometimes gerlonso gets skewed a bit too much in one direction or the other, with Stevie either being a helpless weepy ruin or Xabi being run out of everyone’s hearts on a rail, which can be great if you’re in the mood but a little bit of perspective is nice. And this fic has perspective in fucking droves.)

tripas y corazón - Hyb: Iker Casillas/Sergio RamosThis fic will have you on the fucking floor. One of the inspirations behind football fic is, of course, the personalities and the relationships: who are these people, how do they interact, what ties them together. But another aspect is of course the clubs. Some of the best football fics are the ones that can really dig into the clubs, which are really sort of nebulous entities defined mostly by the players and the supporters. This fic uses the entity of Real Madrid to devastating effect. It’s a seriker fic, but it’s also very much a fic about the love affair between Iker and Real, and how thorny and complicated such a love affair can be. (Do you ever cry your eyes out about Iker Casillas? Do you ever wish you could throw yourself into a volcano as a sacrifice to make his life easier and happier? JOIN ME TODAY!) There’s something about the prose that brings everything out into a kind of harsh definition. As you read, you think that you can see what’s happening but then it does happen, and you feel winded, somehow. Blindsided. As a bonus, there’s also a cryptic and unhelpful Xabi cameo, in utterly classic style. Read and enjoy, read and die slowly inside because your life is a mess and you never even really supported Real Madrid what has happened!!!!! here!!!!!!

und wenn ein lied - scheherazade: Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, genThis is a difficult fic, okay. It’s not a nice fic, I guess, definitely not a happy fic, and it’s a tricky subject. It’s hosted on lj but if it had been written yesterday on AO3 there would be a lot of warning tags. Essentially it deals with homophobia in the sport, and whether or not players should come out or not. It’s a serious story and more than a little bit heartbreaking, but it’s a brilliant read and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Maybe I’m a little bit biased, because I love Fips and this fic can be seen as a kind of vindication for some disagreeable comments he made back in 2011 that got the fandom all a-spinning and it was generally not a great time. (On a side note, it is really interesting to read today and see just how much these politics have changed in the past- oh, fuck me, six years? Jesus I feel old) So definitely a huge YMMV warning on this one, but it remains one of my favourites. It’s beautifully written and really delves into various characters and the tightropes that they walk.

vainglory - anemoi: Raúl González/José María GutiérrezI blame two culprits for my complicated Thing with Real Madrid. The first is Iker Casillas and his unfairly beautiful face/hands, and the second is this fic. Because it’s fine to have a long-lasting crush on a player, but when you start delving into a club’s legends and becoming invested in the story lines? Then, my friend, you have a problem. There’s something gloriously sparse about the prose of this fic. It’s like a thin jacket in late fall that isn’t quite keeping you warm, so you just have to pull it tighter around yourself even though you keep shivering. There are so many descriptive passages that make you shudder: orange streetlights, oranges from a cart on the streets. There’s a sense of desperation in the bones of this fic, which is so stark against the backdrop of the club and the responsibility placed on the captain and vice-captain. Strength on the pitch contrasted with open vulnerability in quieter, more private moments. Breath-taking and just- ugh. This one really made an impact on me, and is always going to be one of my favourite Raúl/Guti stories amid a multitude of excellence.

….

good grief, I know I’ve forgotten so many (and will in all probability wake up in the middle of night tonight in abject horror because how could I have forgotten such-and-such fic! And so-and-so!) but here you go, thirteen fics that I love and adore. All of these authors, too, have incredible oeuvres that are worth checking out! I could talk forever about fic and honestly, come ramble with me because yayy literary criticism! and also crying about footballers! etc etc

If you’ve read this far, I commend you. Thanks for the opportunity to talk your ear off!

#Anonymous #replies #fic rec #of course a side-effect of this answer is i have now been exposed as having over 1000 fics bookmarked #in my defence that excel doc has been going since about 2009 #and i read a lot #also sprach sabina #football

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flauntpage · 6 years

Text

'Barça is More Than a Club'

Alex and Sílvia are good friends. Born in the same year, they have known each other for more than two decades: they went together to the same school in a small town near Barcelona, and they went on to be university classmates in the Catalan capital afterwards.

Alex and Sílvia also share a big passion: they are die-hard FC Barcelona fans.

On the outside they seem really alike, but nothing could be further from the truth. Alex and Sílvia are really different…especially in everything related to politics.

"Estelada" flags, symbols of the independence movement, are usual in balconies in Barcelona.

On Sílvia’s balcony there is a huge Catalan flag with a white star on a blue triangle: it is the "estelada," a symbol which identifies the independence movement in Catalonia.

In the election held on December 21 in this region of Northeastern Spain, Sílvia voted for the center-right secessionist party Junts per Catalunya. In the vote, pro-independence parties won by a narrow margin over unionists.

On Alex’s balcony, however, there are no flags at all. In the elections, he decided to vote for Catalunya en Comú, a left-wing party which preferred to focus their campaign on social issues rather than positioning on independence.

"Caganers"—literally meaning "guy taking a shit"— are an an awkward traditional Catalan figure used in Christimas nativity scenes, wearing Barça jerseys.

Alex and Sílvia’s political ideology, as usual in Catalonia, has an echo in sports. Alex belongs to a sector of blaugrana fans whose motto is ‘only Barça.’ For them, the club is nothing more than a football team that carries no political significance. When he goes to Camp Nou, Alex’s chants simply cheer the players. Nothing else.

“I go to Camp Nou to enjoy football. That’s it,” says Alex. “In my opinion, when you go to the stadium you have to leave politics at home.”

FC Barcelona flags —as well as official shorts from different seasons—at the Peña Barcelonista Sant Antoni, a fanclub located in central Barcelona.

Sílvia, however, believes that Barça is bigger than sports.

“Narcís de Carreres, a former president, described it very well: Barça is more than a club,” Sílvia says, referring to the famous blaugrana motto "més que un club."

Every time Sílvia goes to the stadium, she wears yellow clothes, a reference to jailed pro-independence politicians and activists. She also shouts in favor of independence every game at the 17:14 minute: 1714 was the year Barcelona fell into the hands of Bourbon troops during the War of Spanish Succession.

“Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, a famous Catalan writer, described Barça as the unarmed army of Catalonia,” Sílvia adds. “I believe that this sentence defines the club really well.”

Barça fans watch the Clásico between Madrid and Barcelona at the at the Peña Barcelonista Sant Antoni.

Alex and Sílvia exemplify two visions of a club which has as many faces and interpretations as fans.

Marc Duch is president of Manifest Blaugrana, an association of members whose objective is to build a more democratic and transparent FC Barcelona.

“What is Barça, you say?,” asks Duch. “I would say it depends on the time: for me, it has been a hobby, an untamable passion, an example to imitate, an absolute shame…and much more.”

“This game is just life for me,” says Ángel, a die-hard Barça fan. “We wait for Barça-Madrid all year long: winning at the Bernabéu stadium is the best thing that can happen. The country’s current situation increases this rivalry, which is goes way further than just sport: it comes from many years ago, and now it’s even tougher. Without a Catalan team, the Spanish league would go down the drain.”

“Barça is an institution with the ability to mobilize hundreds of thousands of people, and that’s why we should demand it to have a proactive role in the social and human improvement of the country,” Duch adds. “That is where, at least partially, the motto ‘more than a club’ comes from.”

"FC Barcelona is the representation of a country, of a feeling.”

Marc Cornet takes this idea even further. On October 1, the Catalan regional government tried to organize a referendum on independence: the Spanish government considered it illegal and sent the police to repress it…violently. After the referendum, Cornet thought it was absolutely necessary for Barça to get more involved in social matters, and that is why, with other club members, he founded the Barça Republic Defense Committee—CDR, in Catalan.

“This game is much more than just sports,” says Cristian. “It’s a representation of the Catalonia versus Spain clash.”

“Our club has always been a symbol of anti-authoritarian resistance,” Cornet explains. “During the twenties, dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera closed our stadium because some fans whistled while the Spanish anthem was played; in 1936, our president Josep Sunyol was killed for being a Republican Catalanist; after the Civil War, the fascists took out the Catalan flag from our crest.”

“We don’t ask Barça to be openly independentist,” Cornet adds. “But we want it to be always on the side of civil rights, and that’s why we founded the CDR: we don’t want any other October the 1st, ever.”

“For us die-hard fans, Barça is our life,” says Jordi, who has followed the blaugrana team for decades. “Beating Madrid is important, but all games are important. Being a Barça fan means being part of something bigger, of some kind of huge family.”

The partisan positions of Duch and Cornet are pretty common among the Catalan culers—that is, Barça fans—but they’re not the only positions. Recently, the fanclub of Elda, near Alicante in Eastern Spain, publicly announced their decoupling from Barça as a reaction to the club’s decisions on October 1 to play their La Liga game behind closed doors as a means to protest against police violence.

An Elda fanclub spokesperson declared to local media that their members had “unanimously” decided to end their relationship with Barça “due to the implication of the club and its leaders in the events that took place in Catalonia.”

“Barça-Madrid is the best game of the season,” says Víctor, barman at the Penya Barcelonista Sant Antoni. “But that’s it. It’s just a football game, nothing more.”

Other public figures such as the former Spanish international Julio Alberto Moreno, who played in FC Barcelona in the eighties, have also shown their disapproval of the club’s management: “The board has been chosen to rule a football club, not a political party,” Moreno said to the Spanish TV channel Antena 3.

“The independence process has destroyed much of the confidence between different social sectors and has caused a clear crack within Catalan society," says Berta Barbet, a political scientist at the University of Barcelona.

“It has also caused a political deadlock in the whole of Spain and has affected many important institutions in Catalonia—including Barça, of course,” Barbet adds.

“Beating Madrid is beating the number 1 enemy,” says David. “Unfortunately, there’s more than football in this game.”

“Still, Barça can still be a key factor in order to fix this division: given its relevance, it could become a positive reference and generate a feeling of union between people who support independence and people who don't,” Barbet suggests.

Jordi Fexas, geographist, historian and writer of several books on the independence movement, disagrees with Barbet’s diagnosis: “The independence process had no negative effects until the Spanish government intervened,” he says.

“Barça is a key part of my life,” says Marta. “It’s not just football. FC Barcelona is the representation of a country, of a feeling.”

“It’s the Spanish State who created the concept of ‘social crack,’” Fexas adds. Independence activists might be naive sometimes, but they have never been violent. It was the State who tried to build the idea of latent violence in order to justify their intervention. Given this repressive context, Barça might act as a soft power to mediate.”

Alex and Sílvia, like most Catalans, are deeply invested in the political events surrounding the Catalan independence movement. The independence debate has been at the center of Spanish politics for almost a decade. Many people are getting exhausted by it.

“The Clásico against Madrid is emotional. It’s really difficult to explain,” says Juan. “There’s a huge rivalry, and winning it is great, because everybody has some friends who are Madrid fans and whom you can laugh at when you beat them. I know the game may also have a political sense for some people, but for me it’s just sport: my family are from Galicia and Andalusia, and I have many friends in Madrid, so for me it’s just football.”

Barça’s convincing victory over Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu was seen by many fans as a pause, a little measure of happiness in tense times. For some hours, all culers agreed on celebrating Suárez, Messi, and Vidal’s goals at the eternal rival’s stadium.

“The Barça anthem says it all: ‘una bandera ens agermana,’—‘a flag unites us all’”—says Sílvia. “That is precisely what Barça is able to do: unite.”

Alex sums it up quickly: “In the end, everything is quite simple: we might think differently in political terms, but our love for Barça is the same,"

Barça fans celebrate a goal against Madrid at the Penya Barcelonista Sant Antoni.

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Text

‘Barça is More Than a Club’

Alex and Sílvia also share a big passion: they are die-hard FC Barcelona fans.

On the outside they seem really alike, but nothing could be further from the truth. Alex and Sílvia are really different… especially in everything related to politics.

‘Estelada’ flags, symbols of the independence movement, are usual in balconies in Barcelona.

On Sílvia’s balcony there is a huge Catalan flag with a white star on a blue triangle: it is the ‘estelada’, a symbol which identifies the independence movement in Catalonia.

Caganers’ —literally meaning ‘guy taking a shit’— are an an awkward traditional Catalan figure used in Christimas nativity scenes, wearing Barça jerseys.

Alex and Sílvia’s political ideology, as usual in Catalonia, has an echo in sports. Alex belongs to a sector of blaugrana fans whose motto is ‘only Barça.’ For them, the club is nothing more than a football team with no political significance. When he goes to Camp Nou, Alex’s chants simply cheer the players. Nothing else.

“I go to Camp Nou to enjoy football. That’s it”, says Alex. “In my opinion, when you go to the stadium you have to leave politics at home”.

FC Barcelona flags —as well as official shorts from different seasons— at the Peña Barcelonista Sant Antoni, a fanclub located in central Barcelona.

Sílvia, however, believes that Barça is bigger than sports.

“Narcís de Carreres, a former president, described it very well: Barça is more than a club”, Sílvia says, referring to the famous blaugrana motto ‘més que un club’.

Every time Sílvia goes to the stadium, she wears yellow clothes, a reference to jailed pro-independence politicians and activists. She also shouts in favour of independence every game at the 17:14 minute: 1714 was the year Barcelona fell into the hands of Bourbon troops during the War of Spanish Succession.

“Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, a famous Catalan writer, described Barça as the unarmed army of Catalonia”, Sílvia adds. “I believe that this sentence defines the club really well”.

Barça fans watch the Clásico between Madrid and Barcelona at the at the Peña Barcelonista Sant Antoni.

Alex and Sílvia exemplify two visions of a club which has as many faces and interpretations as fans.

Marc Duch is president of Manifest Blaugrana, an association of members whose objective is to build a more democratic and transparent FC Barcelona.

“What is Barça, you say?”, asks Duch. “I would say it depends on the time: for me, it has been a hobby, an untamable passion, an example to imitate, an absolute shame… and much more.”.

“This game is just life for me”, says Ángel, a die-hard Barça fan. “We wait for Barça-Madrid all year long: winning at the Bernabéu stadium is the best thing that can happen. The country’s current situation increases this rivalry, which is goes way further than just sport: it comes from many years ago, and now it’s even tougher. Without a Catalan team, the Spanish league would go down the drain”.

Marc Cornet takes this idea even further. On October 1, the Catalan regional government tried to organize a referendum on independence: the Spanish government considered it illegal and sent the police to repress it… violently. After the referendum, Cornet thought it was absolutely necessary for Barça to get more involved in social matters, and that is why, with other club members, he founded the Barça Republic Defence Committee —CDR, in Catalan.

“This game is much more than just sports”, says Cristian. “It’s a representation of the Catalonia versus Spain clash”.

“For us die-hard fans, Barça is our life”, says Jordi, who has followed the blaugrana team for decades. “Beating Madrid is important, but all games are important. Being a Barça fan means being part of something bigger, of some kind of huge family”.

“Barça-Madrid is the best game of the season”, says Víctor, barman at the Penya Barcelonista Sant Antoni. “But that’s it. It’s just a football game, nothing more”.

“The independence process has destroyed much of the confidence between different social sectors and has caused a clear crack within Catalan society, says Berta Barbet, a political scientist at the University of Barcelona.

“It has also caused a political deadlock in the whole of Spain and has affected many important institutions in Catalonia —including Barça, of course,” Barbet adds.

“Beating Madrid is beating the number 1 enemy”, says David. “Unfortunately, there’s more than football in this game”.

“Barça is a key part of my life,” says Marta. “It’s not just football. FC Barcelona is the representation of a country, of a feeling.”

“It’s the Spanish State who created the concept of ‘social crack,’” Fexas adds. IIndependence activists might be naive sometimes, but they have never been violent. It was the State who tried to build the idea of latent violence in order to justify their intervention. Given this repressive context, Barça might act as a soft power to mediate.”

Barça’s convincing victory over Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu was seen by many fans as a pause, a little measure of happiness in tense times. For some hours, all culers agreed on celebrating Suárez, Messi and Vidal’s goals at the eternal rival’s stadium.

“The Barça anthem says it all: ‘una bandera ens agermana’, ‘a flag unites us all,’” says Sílvia. “That is precisely what Barça is able to do: unite.”

Alex sums it up quickly: “In the end, everything is quite simple: we might think differently in political terms, but our love for Barça is the same,”

Barça fans celebrate a goal against Madrid at the Penya Barcelonista Sant Antoni.

‘Barça is More Than a Club’ syndicated from http://ift.tt/2ug2Ns6