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xtruss · 2 years

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Phillis Wheatley: The Unsung Black Poet Who Shaped the US

She is believed to be the first enslaved person and first African American to publish a book of poetry. She also forced the US to reckon with slavery's hypocrisy.

(Image credit: Paul Matzner/Alamy)

When the Dartmouth sliced through the frigid waters of Boston Harbor on 28 November 1773, the Quaker-owned whaler carried a cargo that included 114 chests of British East India Company tea. Eighteen days later, the tea, along with 228 additional trunks from the soon-to-arrive Beaverand Eleanor, would play a starring role in the US Colonies' most iconic act of resistance, which ultimately led to the Revolutionary War.

In the Dartmouth's hold was another precious cargo: freshly printed copies of Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, a collection by Phillis Wheatley, the first enslaved person, first African American woman and third female in the US colonies to publish a book of poetry. Her life and work would become emblematic of the US struggle for freedom, a tale whose most visible representation – the Boston Tea Party, when American colonists protested Britain's "taxation without representation" by dumping tea into the harbour – celebrates its 250th anniversary this year.

Evan O'Brien, creative manager of the Boston Tea Party & Ships Museum, said, "Our mission, especially this year, is to talk not just about the individuals who were onboard the vessels, destroying the tea, but everyone who lived in Boston in 1773, including Phillis Wheatley."

Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral is believed to be the first book of published poetry by an enslaved person in the US (Credit: SBS Eclectic Images/Alamy)

Actor Cathryn Philippe, who interprets Wheatley at the museum, connected with the poet's remarkable accomplishments. "You often hear about the tragedy of enslavement, which is a part of history that needs to be understood. But we don't hear much about the joy or successes of enslaved or formerly enslaved Africans."

Wheatley was born in what is now Senegal or Gambia and was abducted in 1761 when she was just seven or eight years old. Forced, along with 94 other Africans, aboard the slave-trading brigantine Phillis, she survived the treacherous Middle Passage, which claimed the lives of nearly two million enslaved people – including a quarter of the Phillis' "cargo" – over a 360-year period, and arrived on Boston's shores that summer.

“We Shouldn't Hesitate To Call Her A Genius”

Frail after eight weeks at sea, the girl caught the attention of wealthy merchant and tailor John Wheatley. He purchased the child as a gift for his wife, Susanna, and renamed her after the vessel that had spirited her away from her home.

Phillis showed a natural aptitude for language. David Waldstreicher, professor of history at the City University of New York and author of the forthcoming biography The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley, said, "She became fluent and culturally literate and able to write poems in English so quickly that we shouldn't hesitate to call her a genius."

Despite Wheatley's connection to the Boston Tea Party, her legacy remains largely unknown (Credit: Robin Catalano)

Although the Wheatleys were not abolitionists (they enslaved several people, and segregated Phillis from them) they recognised Phillis' talents and encouraged her to study Latin, Greek, history, theology and poetry. Inspired by the likes of Alexander Pope and Isaac Watts, she stayed up at night, writing heroic couplets and elegies to notable figures by candlelight. She published her first verse, in the Newport Mercury, at age 13.

While many New Englanders took note of the poet's gifts, no American printer would publish a book by a Black writer. Poems on Various Subjects was eventually financed by Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, and published in London. As a 19-year-old in 1773, Phillis travelled to the city, escorted by the Wheatleys' son. She was an instant sensation. Her celebrity, along with England's criticism of a new nation that simultaneously subjugated her while comparing its own relationship to the Crown as slavery, led the Wheatleys to manumit her in 1774.

A keen observer, Phillis frequently wrote about significant moments in America's fight for independence, carefully walking a fine line between being overtly political or critical of the colonial government as a Black woman. As a 14-year-old in 1768, she praised King George III in the poem To the King's Most Excellent Majesty for repealing the Stamp Act. Two years later, in On the Death of Mr. Snider Murder'd by Richardson, she memorialised the killing of 12-year-old Christopher Snider by a Massachusetts-born Loyalist during a protest over imported British goods.

Soon after, in 1770, a skirmish between Colonists and British soldiers erupted in front of the Old State House, not far from where Phillis lived on King Street, culminating in the Boston Massacre. Today, a circle of granite pavers, its bronze letters dulled by age and thousands of footsteps, marks the spot where blood was spilled. Following the incident, Phillis was inspired to write the poem On the Affray in King Street, on the Evening of the 5th of March, 1770.

The Boston Massacre took place near Phillis' residence (Credit: Ian Dagnall Computing/Alamy)

Scholars estimate that Phillis produced upwards of 100 poems. Because her work makes few references to her own condition and is often couched in Christian concepts and the extolling of popular figures of the day, she has sometimes been dismissed as a white apologist.

Ade Solanke, a writer and Fulbright Scholar whose play Phillis in London will be performed in Boston later this year, said, "I think the biggest misconception about her is that she wasn't an abolitionist. You think of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, people who were explicitly condemning slavery and going to war against it. But the act of writing poetry as a Black woman in this time period was pretty radical."

Wendy Roberts, a University at Albany professor who recently discovered a lost Wheatley poem in a Quaker commonplace book in Philadelphia, agrees. "I don't think any deep reader of Wheatley comes away thinking she's an apologist. She was asserting herself, her agency, her wish for freedom, her presence as a person."

Most buildings in Boston with a direct connection to Phillis' life no longer stand. Some were razed by a pair of fires in the 18th and 19th Centuries, and others have been replaced by urban renewal in the mid-1900s. The Old South Meeting House, a stately Georgian red-brick church built in 1729 and tucked between glass-and-concrete skyscrapers on Washington Street, is an exception. Besides being Phillis's place of worship, it was a cradle of philosophical debate, and served as planning headquarters for the Boston Tea Party. It now operates as a museum, with a statue of the poet flanked by exhibits on other ground-breaking figures from the pre- and post-Revolutionary eras.

The Old South Meeting House where Phillis worshipped is one of the few buildings in Boston that remain with a connection to her life (Credit: Ian Dagnall/Alamy)

The writer almost certainly strolled through 50-acre Boston Common, the country's oldest public park (and site of the newly unveiled, and controversial, statue honouring Civil Rights icons Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King). Phillis may have conducted the Wheatley family's shopping at Faneuil Hall, once the city's main marketplace for household goods – and located next to where enslaved people were once sold. It's now a retail centre, where visitors can pick up souvenirs, sample a variety of foods, or take a tour with a guide outfitted in 18th-Century breeches, waistcoat and tricorne hat.

Some experts speculate that Phillis participated in funeral processions for Snider and the five victims of the Boston Massacre, in which their coffins were paraded from Faneuil Hall to the Granary Burying Ground – also the final resting place of Revolutionaries like Samuel Adams, John Hancock and Paul Revere. Sombre and quiet, the cemetery bears more than 2,000 slate, greenstone and marble gravestones, many carved with traditional Puritan motifs like blank-eyed death's heads and frowning angels.

Phillis, who died in poverty after developing pneumonia at age 31, is thought to be buried in an unmarked grave, with her deceased newborn child, at Copp's Hill, in Boston's North End neighbourhood. An elegant statue of her, alongside renderings of women's rights advocate Abigail Adams and abolitionist Lucy Stone, holds court over the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. This year, when a replica of the Dartmouth sails into the Boston Tea Party & Ships Museum on Griffin's Wharf, it will host a permanent exhibit on the poet.

In addition to a statue of Wheatley at the Boston Women's Memorial, a second statue of her is located inside the Old South Meeting House (Credit: Robin Catalano)

Phillis's legacy is perhaps best experienced in the work of contemporary artists. As part of the 250th anniversary celebrations, Revolution 250, a consortium of 70 organisations dedicated to exploring Revolutionary history, will host a variety of performances and exhibits, including a full-scale re-enactment of the Tea Party on 16 December. Several events will honour the poet, among them a photography exhibit by Valerie Anselme, who will recreate Phillis' frontispiece that adorned the original publication of Poems on Various Subjects.

Artist Amanda Shea, who frequently hosts spoken word events and poetry readings around the city, explained that, in many ways, she is carrying on a legacy pioneered so long ago. "I feel like I'm part of the continuum of Phillis Wheatley. It's really important to be able to write and tell our stories. It's our duty as artists to reflect the times in which we live."

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hopetofantasy · 3 years

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Actress Nora Dari (wtFOCK): “I hope I don't go crazy. I wouldn't be surprised if that happens”

Two years ago she was allowed to bump into Matteo Simoni in ‘Patser’, now your fifteen-year-old knows her as Yasmina from ‘wtFOCK’ and she ended up in Cannes because of the new film by Bas Devos. Where it ends for Nora Dari remains to be seen, but you don't want to get in her way. “You’ve been looking so long for a Moroccan girl who wants to act and then you get me.”

“So I always try to be a bit low key...” She hesitates. "Eumh, do you know what 'low key' means?" "How much of antique do you think I am exactly?" “Gosh. You have a flip cover for your smartphone, I saw.” “Point for Dari. But what are you trying to be a bit low key...” “Huh? Sorry, I have no idea anymore. I was completely distracted by that pigeon over there.” It’s easy to forget - especially when she starts talking in her Genk dialect about her sky-high ambitions or her tough childhood in Winterslag - that Nora Dari is barely seventeen. After all, she’s already accumulated a nice record of achievements in two years. From the Belgian-Finnish crime series ‘Bullets’ (shown on Telenet) and a leading role in ‘wtFOCK’, the online series of SBS and Telenet, to her supporting role in ‘Ghost Tropic’, the most recent full-length movie by Bas Devos, who made the selection of Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes in May. The day after our conversation at an Antwerp terrace, she leaves for London, for a fourth and final audition for a lead role in an international film project. “It looks good, but I can't tell you anything about it yet. That’s a tough assignment for me: my whole body really wants to scream. Seriously, I'm pretty much the Moroccan Tom Holland (Spider-Man, and the spoiler king of Marvel's Cinematic Universe). But I'll remain silent!”

How does a large, international production house ends up at your door? Nora Dari: “I started knocking on their door. I'm really not going to sit around and wait for someone to discover me miraculously, so if someone gives me a tip about an interesting movie, I'll go after it myself. I always want more and everything I set my mind to, seems to be working. An international series, ‘wtFOCK’, Cannes with my first film role and now this latest project is also within reach. Can you blame me for believing? In my head, I'm already in Hollywood. First become a Shooting Star at the Berlinale.” Just in between everything? Dari: “You can dream, right? Acknowledgement is not for me - I don't even know who decide such things - but rather, it’s a means to an end. If you end up in the same list of acting prodigies (those Shooting Stars) as Marwan Kenzari, Matteo Simoni and Matthias Schoenaerts, every director knows who you are.” You can also quietly build an acting career in Belgium. Or is that really not an option? Dari: “Why should I linger on a few square meters? My world was so small in Winterslag and now that it’s gradually getting bigger, I really don't know why I should stop at Flanders. Even if ambition is a very dirty word where I come from.”

How? Dari: “Winterslag is a neighborhood where many young people are going into the wrong direction. Big dreams are taboo, apparently. I was bullied, mainly because I wanted to start something with my life. Even if I said that I would one day want to go to New York, I would be laughed at: “Just sit down, Nora! Who do you think you are?”

Keep your head down, keep your nose clean and make sure that you can start working at the age of eighteen: something like that? Dari: *nods* “Graduating and going to work at the age of eighteen seems like quite an achievement in Winterslag. If you hadn't gotten into the wrong shit by then, you would’ve done well. At my school, we had two pupils without an immigration background and otherwise exclusively Turks, Moroccans and Italians from families who were really poor. Our parents worked very hard, you spend a lot of time on the street and bad things sometimes happened. *thinks* There’s a reason why I almost exclusively watch gangstershit movies. I come from a neighborhood where a lot of gangstershit happens. I’ve seen and experienced so many bad things, but at the same time Winterslag is such a big part of who I am and I get very angry when someone else talks about it like I do now. *small laugh*

I’ll buy a house there one day. It’s still my home, all the beautiful things and all the rotten things in one pile. To be clear: I don't want to romanticize my childhood. Winterslag is hard, but nothing to be sad about. There are so many people who have gone through the same thing. Only, it sucks to be called a whore, because you want to do something that is apparently 'not normal'.”

It dawns on me why you once said that Algerian-Canadian Zaho's song Kif'n'dir summed you up quite nicely. Especially the text 'Je fais la morte pour ne pas mourir'. Dari: “That's what I've been doing for a long time. Keeping myself deathly still and don’t stand out too much. In the long run, you also start to believe what others are telling you, that acting is not for you.”

When did you finally stopping ‘being death’? Dari: “When I was fifteen, when I heard that Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were looking for extras for ‘Patser’. That didn't mean much more than just bumping into Matteo Simoni, but I was sold immediately. In between shots, I approached Adil: “Mr. El Arbi, thank you for opening my eyes. From now on, I’ll go all out for this.” *laughs* We clicked and in the meantime we’ve become friends. I hope he thinks of me when they start recording ‘Patsers’, so that I can show how much I've grown in those two years.”

Not much later, through their casting agency Hakuna, you ended up as a suicide bomber in the Finnish-Belgian Crime series ‘Bullets’. What have I missed? How did you go from a sixteen-year-old extra to such an intense role in a few months? Dari: “I think - if I may say that - they were shocked after my casting. I’ve never thrown myself into a project as hard in my life. Whining. Shouting. Tantrums. All fucking emotions, one after the other. You’ve been looking so long for a Moroccan girl who wants to act and then you get me. *laughs* I've never loved anything as much as acting, so I’m giving everything during a casting. I know that I’m not the best and still have to learn, but I suspect my energy is making up for it. That, and I consider myself a very pleasant colleague. *laughs* I greet everyone in a Genk dialect, always walk around smiling and even bring cookies.

I've always had the feeling that I have to work harder than the rest, because people expect less of me. That's what my father taught my brothers and me. At the Liège boarding school where he studied, he was the only Moroccan in Latin studies: his classmates thought he was weird, because of his origins and the other Moroccans looked at him weirdly, because he aimed higher. "Ah, Mr. pope is back there." In the end it became so unbearable that he enrolled in the TSO (technical school), which was socially accepted.”

How does a 16-year-old feel like a suicide bomber? Dari: “They gave me a background, but I added a few things myself to make it easier. And music helps me really hard too: ‘Qui suis-je’ from Scylla on repeat and then a little method acting in that character. My mother was there on set and apparently got terrified. *laughs* I asked them not to accompany me anymore. When I see them, I come back to myself, while I try very hard to forget myself in front of the camera. I need to be able to get into a role on set. Although it remains very strange to hype yourself up for hours with the mantra 'I'm dying and I'm taking all these people with me'. Fortunately, I can also easily let go. I had to, I had exams the next day. *laughs* Suicide bomber by day, studying economy by night.”

In May you hopped around on the Croisette for the world premiere of ‘Ghost Tropic’. You play the daughter of Khadija, a woman who walks home through Brussels after falling asleep on the metro. Devos makes quiet, poetic arthouse films: it’s a huge leap from teenage series and thrillers. Dari: “It was an adjustment, yes. Before I played in ‘Bullets’, I had never even seen a Flemish film. Not a single one. Or wait: one at school. What was it called? I have to give a speech soon, with its protagonist.”

‘Daens’? With Jan Decleir? Dari: “That one! Everything I had already learned about acting was from Hollywood movies. That enlarged playing style also worked in ‘Bullets’, but when I tried that in ‘Ghost Tropic’, Bas blocked it very quickly. *laughs* "The less you do the better, Nora!" I thought about it all too hard. "Nora, just go." “Yes, but Bas, who am I? What have I been through up to this point?” I have a hard time playing without a backstory in my head.”

Did you learn something from Devos? Dari: “Bas and Maaike Neuville told me in Cannes that I shouldn’t forget to live. I was only busy with what should be my next big step, but I also have to learn to enjoy. Surrendering is nothing dirty, but if I put everything aside for this job, I’ll never be able to put content in my characters. Then they’ll give me a heavy role and I’ll get stuck.”

Sensible advice. Alarm bells already went off when I read in ‘Het Belang van Limburg’ that you certainly wanted to remain celibate until you were 27 and wouldn’t continue your studies, just focussing on your career. Dari: “In the end, I’ll study cross-media management and I’ve come back to that other one as well. *laughs* What?! I’m seventeen, I change my mind completely every month. When I am 40, I don't just want to have a nice IMDb profile to look back on.”

'9000 followers? That is more people than have seen my last film', Devos thought humbly in your Instagram Stories. Dari: “I hope ‘Ghost Tropic’ gets more visitors than I have followers, but I'm not going to bitch if only fifty people come to watch the film in the end. I just like to act and have hardly seen anything from ‘Bullets’ or ‘wtFOCK’ myself. When I'm not on set, I just feel bad. As if I'm not getting the most out of my life.

At the very least, ‘Ghost Tropic’ gave me another experience and I was able to take my father with me, when we went to the Dominican Republic. My grandfather had passed away just before the shoot and we kind of processed that together there, while we were watching the sunrise at five in the morning. A very tender moment. Very cinematic, too. *thinks* I’m a very passionate person. Everything I experience is immediately very big. It’s all hard, good or bad. So hard that I can't always process all the feelings. *dryly* I hope I don't go crazy. I really wouldn't be surprised if that happens.”

You seem to be especially prone to obsessions. Whether it’s making music, painting or acting: if you decide to do something, everything has to make way for it. Dari: “When I got a keyboard, I was immediately very invested in my music. Making beats to accompany my slam poetry, tinkering at night, searching and keeping my parents awake until they went crazy. And then I suddenly got tired of it and started painting. Swimming. Dancing. I also played soccer for a while, mainly to get my dad's attention. During the 'consultation hour' around the tajine I could never have a chat with my brothers and father, because it was only about football and anime.”

Anime? Dari: “The men in my family are all next-level anime fans. They even speak Japanese to each other. *thinks* And I also plunged into my religion for a while, in between football and slam poetry.”

How? Dari: “When the community center closed its doors around the age of 13 and I saw a whole circle of friends go away in one go, I started clinging to something else. So, faith. At that time I also wore a hijab, because I was convinced that you could only be such a good Muslim. I was really pretty strict and took everything way too literally. Today I understand that you mainly have to look for your own interpretation.”

In the meantime, the average 15-year-old is also going through a storm for the second season of wtFOCK, which can be followed daily on Instagram and wtfock.be, good for about 400,000 visitors a week and more than 8 million watched - or at least started - episodes. Significantly more than the first season, although that also had good numbers. Especially for a series that was deliberately launched in silence. “You’re already bombarded with advertising on Instagram, subtle and less subtle,” says Dari, while she tries so intensely to make eye contact with a waiter that he almost bumps into a glass door. “I don't have any big theories about the future of television, but ‘wtFOCK’ really was a relief. It’s on the internet and you mainly do what you want with it. "Ah, I don't have to look?" That unforced approach works. The worst thing that could have happened to us, was that the press started writing about it en masse: it had to remain a bit mysterious and above all belong to the young people themselves. Normally we don't give interviews either: ‘wtFOCK’ is one big bubble that you shouldn't talk too much about.”

Without any illusions about the appeal of Knack Focus to fifteen-year-olds: is this conversation a good idea? Dari: “Sounds okay to me. I’m more now than just Yasmina? And I think fifteen-year-olds do know Knack.”

For real? Dari: “That's the book we get in History as source material in class. *laughs* I think I'll stop giving interviews again after this. A little mystery can't hurt.”

SKAM, the Norwegian series of which ‘wtFOCK’ is a remake, became a hit in its own country. That’s not always the case with foreign remakes, except for the Flemish one. It continues to gain popularity. Do you have an explanation for that? Dari: “No idea why things were less successful in other countries, but ‘wtFOCK’ is so good because it is real. We don't disguise anything, don't pour Hollywood sauce on it and talk like I talk to my friends. Apparently, a lot of teachers also follow the series to get a better understanding of their students. Smart, because we tackle all issues a teenager has in a very realistic way.”

The makers of SKAM were prepared with a tour through its country and a survey of Norwegian teenagers. Their biggest conclusion was: no generation suffers as much from performance pressure and comparison anxiety as yours. Dari: “Social media. Instagram is a very beautiful, but at the same time very scary place. A lot of girls now ask me, for example, how they can also enter this profession. But if you ask them why, it turns out that there’s no passion, they just see it as a fast road to fame. Then join ‘Temptation Island’? They see people like Millie Bobby Brown (from Stranger Things), who is barely fifteen and has a crazy career and they let themselves be hyped about it. I should actually say 'we'. I said it already: I hope I don't go crazy.” *giggles hysterically*

About 1200 teenagers showed up for the casting of wtFOCK, but the makers did not find their Yasmina there. Dari: *nods* “In the end they also had to call Adil, who gave me the tip.”

Why do you think that is? Dari: “I get angry when someone says they want more diversity, but can't find anyone. *throws arms up dramatically* "They aren't there!" They are there. In my neighborhood alone, so much talent is packed together. You may have to do your best to find them, because if you come from a neighborhood where ambition is laughed at, you’ll not find your way to a casting. Because the TV and film world seem so closed off from the outside - and it is. I also didn't know how to do that, I was just lucky that Adil, Nora Gharib and Ikram Aoulad wanted to help me. They helped me avoid a lot of rookie mistakes. And that I won't sign myself up for Temptation Island or something tomorrow.” *laughs*

Gharib also predicted that as a Moroccan woman she would have problems with ‘Patser’. From the moment you do not portray a classic religious Muslim woman, it seems to already lead to commentary. Dari: “I've had my part too. Women who send to me that I brought shame on the entire Moroccan community, for example, because Yasmina doesn't always wear her hijab. Usually these are women who’ve seen two minutes of the series and then get angry without seeing the context. *blows* You know, I don’t care. If my parents and I are okay with it, then no one has anything to say to me. Criticism slips away from me. It really takes more than an angry DM to get me off my path, I come from Winterslag breeding.”

*** Bas Devos, director ‘Ghost Tropic’:

“I had never seen Nora at work, but her audition video immediately made me curious. At the final casting, where she had to improvise a bit, it was already clear to me after a few minutes. She did a beautiful job. Nora is not trained as an actress, but I often work with a combination of non-professional and professional actors. That really doesn't matter to me. It's all about how naturally someone relates to the camera and how relaxed you are while being filmed. Then very beautiful things can happen. And I think she also liked not having to make her character bigger in an understated film like ‘Ghost Tropic’, as that’s sometimes the case for TV. To hear that you are still playing without doing anything.

It's cool how she dares to go for something so outspokenly at such a young age, but I did point out to her that working alone isn’t the perfect solution. She’s very fond of that international career, but it is also easy to walk into a wall there. Seventeen-year-olds have to live, right? Well, she's sensible enough, I'm not worried. She'll eventually find the right balance. At the end of the shooting period, she said she hoped we could work together again. I told her that I hope she still likes it by then. *laughs* Who knows which films will she be in then.”

#wtfock #wtfam #older article

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baseballteacher · 5 years

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Baseball Bat Review Blog in 2021

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If you like baseball, you most likely take pleasure in softball too. And Also Ken Krause is the proprietor and also lead trainer of Softball Success. He's coached Fastpitch Softball for virtually 20 years as well as his honest posts reveal that. If you enjoy softball, after that Life in the Fastpitch Lane is a terrific read. However, even baseball followers will certainly appreciate the material, such as One Way To Stay Clear Of Re-Injuring A Knee.

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wanblismusehub · 6 years

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sb (obv white): “Oh, I went to a Native American ceremony last weekend.”

me, who clearly knows what they’re talking about, but decides to play along: “Really? What did you see and do?”

white sb: “There was dancing in costumes-” (me: *lets the urge to smack them for calling our regalia “costumes” subside*) “-and we ate these things called Indian tacos, and I bought one of those wolf t-shirts.”

me, about to school this fool: “Oh sweetie, I don’t know if you’re aware, but that wasn’t a ceremony; that was a powwow. If it really was a ceremony, you wouldn’t have been allowed to attend because you’re white and not American Indian.”

white sb, confused and offended: “What?”

me: “And, if it were a real ceremony, no one would have to pay for food since it’d be provided in a feast.”

So yeah, that just happened. Powwows are recreational and inter-tribal get-togethers where us natives dance, sing, and generally have fun celebrating our inter-tribal culture. Powwows are also open to the public so that people of other ethnicities (*cough cough* white people *cough*) can experience our culture in a controlled environment where we’re the ones in control. Ceremonies are very tribal-specific, so not only would white people be banned from attending, but so would others from different tribes unless they’re invited. Like hell we’d let white people in on our ceremonies.

Also, our REGALIA holds a lot of cultural significance, so do NOT belittle it by calling it a “costume”. You don’t see us calling the Pope’s getup a costume, so why do it to us? Costumes are for Halloween and other holidays.

#shut up wanbli #rant ///#though it's not really a rant per se

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junker-town · 6 years

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Chargers vs. Steelers 2018 live stream: Time, TV schedule, and how to watch online

Backup running backs will try and carry their teams to victory on Sunday night when the Chargers face the Steelers.

It will be a battle between teams without their starting running backs on Sunday evening when the Los Angeles Chargers travel to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. The only difference is that we know that the Steelers can thrive without Le’Veon Bell, but can the Chargers get by without Melvin Gordon carrying the load? Sunday’s game is set for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (live streaming via FuboTV, NBC Sports).

Bell has been away from the team all season while he lobbies for a better contract and job security, while James Conner has been effectively used in his absence. Conner has 849 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground while catching 49 passes for 453 yards and a touchdown. This season, Gordon has rushed for 802 yards and nine touchdowns and has caught 44 passes for 453 yards and four more scores.

Second-year pro Austin Ekeler will be the primary ball-carrier for the Chargers. In 11 games this season, he’s carried the ball 70 times for 409 yards and a touchdown, an impressive 5.8 yards per carry.

The Steelers sit atop the AFC North with a 7-3-1 record, but they’re coming off a 24-17 loss to the Broncos, which snapped a six-game winning streak. The Chargers are 8-3 and in second place in the AFC West, and are coming off a 45-10 win over the Cardinals. Prior to that, they had their own six-game winning streak snapped in a 23-22 loss to the Broncos.

Below is all you need to know to watch the action on Sunday.

Time, TV, and streaming info

Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Penn.

TV: NBC

Streaming: FuboTV, NBC Sports

Odds: The Chargers opened as 3.5-point underdogs to the Steelers, and the line has narrowed on some books, according to OddsShark.

Chargers vs. Steelers news

One of the more notable topics for the Steelers centers around quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and his willingness to call out his teammates publicly. Roethlisberger said he believes he has “earned the right” to do so.

And as the folks at Behind The Steel Curtain write, Roethlisberger publicly rebuking a teammate is nothing new, unfortunately.

Wide receiver James Washington was one who received plenty of mouth from Roethlisberger, but he says he isn’t lacking for confidence, but that he simply misjudged a specific catch against the Broncos.

Also from BTSC, five Steelers players who need to step up in a big way against the Chargers on Sunday.

On the injury front, the Steelers had seven players miss practice on Wednesday. Marcus Gilbert may be in line for missing his sixth consecutive game.

For the Chargers, Melvin Gordon is expected to miss multiple games.

The folks at Bolts From The Blue ask: how big is the loss of Melvin Gordon?

Also, don’t forget to listen to the latest podcast from our Chargers blog, in which they discuss the Steelers and the playoff implications of Sunday’s game.

With Gordon injured, the Chargers signed running back Troymaine Pope to the practice squad.

Chargers vs. Steelers prediction

In the latest SB Nation expert NFL picks, five of the seven picking think the Steelers will win, leaving just two picking the Chargers. The OddsShark computer is also going with Pittsburgh, while the coin flip also landed on the Steelers.

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minervacasterly · 7 years

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The Bull of Pope Innocent VIII that authorized the marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York "OUR holy fadre, the Pope Innocent the viij. To the p[er]petuall memory of this he [...] to he hade, by his p[ro]pre mocion without p[ro]curewent of our soverayn lord the Kyng or other person for consernacyon of the vniuersal peas and esehewyng of Sklaundres, and to engendre the contrary of the same. Vnderstanding of the longe and greuous variaunce, contentions, and debates that hath ben in this Realme of Englond betwene the house of the Duchre of Lancastre on the one party, And the house of the Duchre of Yorke on that other party. Wylling alle suehe diuysions [...] following to he put apart By the Counsell and consent of his College of Cardynalles approveth confirmyth and stablishyth the matrimonye and coniuncion made betwene our sou[er]ayn lord King Henre the seuenth of the house of Lancastre of that one party And the noble Princesse Elyzabeth of the house of Yorke of that other [party] with all thaire Issue laufully borne betwene the same. And in lyke wise his holmes co[n]fermeth stablishith and approueth the right and title to the Crowne of England of the sayde oure souerayn lorde Henry the seuenthe, and the heires of his body laufully begoten to hym [...] perteynig aswel by reason of his nyghest and vndouted title of succession as by the right of his most noble [...] and by eleccyon of the lordes spyrituales and temporales, and other nobles of his Realme and by the naunce and auctorite of parlyament made by the iij. states of this lande. Also our saide holy Padre the Pope of hys propur mocyon by hyegh and holy commaundemeut [...] requireth eu[er]y inhabitant of this lande and euery subgiect in the same of what degree, state or condicion [...] that non of theym by occasion of any successyon, or by any other coloure or cause within this Realme [by hym]selfe, or other mediate persones attempte, in worde, or dedc ayenst the sayd oure souerayn lorde, or the [heires] of his body lawfully begoten, contrary to the peas of him and his Realme, vppon the payne of his grete curse [and Ana] theme, the whiche thay and euery of thaim that so attempteth, fallyth in forth right by that selfe dede done: the whiche curse and Anatheme noo man hath power to assoyle thaym: but our holy Fadre him selfe [or his speci]all depute to the same. Forthermore he approueth confirmeth and declareth. That yf hit please god that the sayde Elizabeth whiche God forbede shulde decesse withoute Issue bytwene oure souerayn lorde and hir of thair bodyes borne than suche Issue as bytwene hym and hir whome after that God shall ioyne him to shalbe bade and borne [...] heritours to the same croune and realme of Englande, Commaundyng that noo man attempte the [...] the payne of his grete curse, whiche thay and euery of thaym soo doynge fallyth in, in the selfe dede done and may not be assoyled but by hym or his speciall depute to the same. Ouer this the same our holy Fadre yeueth his blyssing to alle princes nobles and other inhabitants of this Realme or outwarde that fauoureth aydeth and assisteth the sayde our souerayne lorde and his heires [...] or thaire rebelles, Yeuing thayme that dye in his and thayr querrall full and plenarye Pardon, and [remissi]on of all thaire synnes. Fynally he commaundeth alle Metropolitanes and Bisshopes vpon the payne of interdiccion of [...] the Chirehe Abbotes Prioures Archydecones Pareshpriestes Priores and wardeyns of the frerys and [other] men of the chirche Exernpte and not Exempte opon payn of his grete curse, whiche thay fallyth in [...] it not to denu[n]ce and declare or cause to be denu[n]ced and declared alle suche contrary doers and rebelles [...] suche time as thay to the same in the name of the sayd o[ur] sou[er]ayn Lorde shalbe requyred with aggraua[tion of the] same curse yf the case shall so require So that if thay for drede shall not moue to publisshe the same [...] them lefull to curse theire resistentis to the same and to oppresse theim by power temporall, whiche [...] calle for theire assistence to the same in the sayde our holy fader's Name. And as touching the articles of this Bulle The Popys holines by this presente Bulle derog [...] maketh voide all maner grauntes, Priueleges and Exempcions made by hym or hys predecessors[...] ny persone or place where as they shulde or myghte be preiudiciall to the execucion of this prese[n]tis [...] alle suche as expressely reuoked by thys same as thaugh they were written worde by worde within the presentis Bulles as by hit ondre leyde here more largely doith apere [...]" Henry VII had requested this papal bull since he was in exile, when he vowed that he would take the English throne and make Elizabeth of York his bride in the Christmas of 1483 at Vannes Cathedral (Rennes in other sources). The bull had been issued before he defeated Richard III in Bosworth Field in August 1485 and was crowned King of England at the beginning of October, but a copy of it didn't arrive in England until the end of that year when parliament began to worry that Henry VII was not going to fulfill his promise. To reassure them, he repeated his vows from two years earlier that December. He and Elizabeth were married the following year in January. Their marriage came to symbolize the union of the red rose and the white rose, of the Houses of Lancaster and York, shown in a new motif known as the Tudor rose. Sources: 1. Henry VII by SB Chrimes 2. Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors by Dan Jones 3. Tudors vs Stewarts by Linda Porter 4. Tudor by Leanda de Lisle 5. T udorhistory.org article: http://tudorhistory.org/primary/h7marriagebull/text.html

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weeklyactionlist · 8 years

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Week of February 19, 2017: Action Checklist for Americans of Conscience

Print out: the Americans of Conscience Action Worksheet and make a plan. Or use this adorable pocket version by the amazing Kelly Wooten.

Fight fake news.

Email or phone your public or academic library (lookup) (lookup). Script: (Ask for library director): Hi, I’m a library patron and am concerned about the spread of fake news. Can you tell me if the library offers resources or programs to help_people/students_ judge the credibility of online information?

I believe in equal rights for all Americans.

Protect Constitutional freedoms at the state level.

With Jeff Sessions as US Attorney General, Americans’ basic rights may be at risk (source).

Call: Both your state legislators (lookup).

Script: Hi! I am a constituent from ZIP. I am concerned about the expense and ineffectiveness of mandatory minimum sentencing in our state. I am asking for you to propose legislation to repeal this ineffective, often discriminatory practice. Thank you.

Support a new immigrant.

A thorough New York Times article presents ideas for making a difference. Choose one and take the next step.

Advocate for a filibuster for the Supreme Court vote.

Call: Both your senators (lookup).

Script: Hi! I’m a constituent from _ZIP_ calling to express my opposition to Judge Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. He doesn’t represent the majority of Americans’ views, and Republican senators haven’t earned this stolen seat. I am asking _name_ to filibuster the vote.

Get Disney CEO to speak out against discrimination.

Email: Disney CEO, Robert Iger [email protected]

Script: Copy and paste, “Disney’s brand is as American as mom and apple pie. That’s why I’m writing as a longtime fan to ask you to make a public statement against djt’s Muslim ban in any form. America’s strength is our diversity. Please speak out publicly against discrimination. Jasmine and Aladdin are counting on you.”

Or tweet him: @disney #BobIger As a key advisor to djt, please speak out against a Muslim ban in any form. #WallofUs #CEOsAgainstTheBan

(source)

I support the rights and sovereignty of indigenous people.

Support the Constitutional right to peaceful assembly.

Click: ACLU link here for a way to support Standing Rock.

This week: Call ND governor and demand he reject limits on free speech.

I believe in a government with qualified, trustworthy leadership.

Support a thorough investigation of Flynn’s Russia ties.

Call: Both of your senators. (lookup)

Script: Hi! I’m calling from _ZIP_. I’d like to know if _name_ supports an independent investigation into Gen. Flynn’s conduct with Russia. I’m requesting two things: 1st, to support SB 27. 2nd, given Attorney General Sessions’ ties with Flynn, is _name_ willing to willing to make a public statement insisting Sessions recuse himself from an investigation as required by the Department of Justice? (source, source, source)

I believe in creating a healthy planet for future generations.

Action 1: Protect the planet at the state level.

Call: Your governor’s office. (lookup)

Script: Hi! I’m a constituent calling from _ZIP_. I’m concerned about Scott Pruitt’s appointment to the Environmental Protection Administration. Since he will not pursue the planet’s interests, I’m asking _name_ to make a public statement about our climate crisis and support efforts in Oregon to reverse the trend. (source)

Action 2: Support a very special bumblebee.

Write: Office of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240

Script: Use a postcard. Draw a bumblebee and add the caption: “Bees are not optional. List the rusty-patched bumblebee as endangered.” (source, source, source).

I believe in a woman’s right to safe, affordable medical care.

Stop Congress’ interference with the doctor-patient relationship.

Call: Both your senators. (lookup)

Script: Hi! I’m calling from _ZIP_ regarding HJ Resolution 43. This bill seeks to invade the doctor-patient relationship and prevent low-income women from making responsible decisions about their future. (Share personal story, if relevant). Can you tell me where _name_ stands on this important issue? (source)

I support accountability and oppose corruption.

Support legislation that prevents presidential conflicts of interest.

Call: Your three MoCs (1 representative and 2 senators) (lookup) Script: Hi! I’m from _ZIP_ and calling about two issues related to presidential conflicts of interest. First, I support the proposed bipartisan bill that requires congressional approval of Russian sanctions. Secondly, I would like _name_to make a public statement of support for bills introduced recently in the Senate and House requiring the president to disclose and divest himself of financial conflicts of interest. Thank you.

Oppose 45’s actions that put national security at risk.

Call: Chairman, Sen Richard Burr (R-NC) DC: 202-224-3154 NC: 800-685-8916

Call: Vice Chair, Mark Warner (D-VA) DC: 202-224-2023

Script: Hi! I am calling _name_ regarding their role on the Senate Intelligence Committee. I am concerned by the president discussing classified national security information in an unsecured, open-air restaurant. Does _name_ plan to make a public statement or take corrective action on this risky behavior?

Oppose cabinet appointments that don’t represent your values.

Oppose Perry, Zinke, and Ross cabinet appointments.

Note: Ross vote is Feb 27, Zinke is March, and Perry is not scheduled.

Call: Your two senators (lookup).

Script: Hi! I’m from _ZIP_ and am calling Sen ____ to express my opposition to three cabinet appointments coming up for a vote.

The first is Rick Perry for his ties to the oil industry. (source)

The second is billionaire Wilbur Ross who has deep financial ties to Russia. (source) And finally Ryan Zinke who supports opening public lands to energy development (source).

How does _name_ plan to vote for these appointees? Thank you (or: I’m asking _name_ to represent my views with his/her vote).

Acts of gratitude

Thank senator Susan Collins (R-ME) for voting against Scott Pruitt for EPA.

Send a postcard to her address (here).

Thank Kamala Harris (D-CA) for standing up for immigrants (source).

Send a postcard to her address (here).

Thank CNN host Don Lemon for having chutzpah to stop mid-interview and oppose fake news and lies (source).

Send a note: Don Lemon, ℅CNN, 10 Columbus Circle, NY, NY 10019

Call: 212-275-8030

Thank Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) (email and address) Thank Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) (email and address) Script: Thank you for introducing your Presidential Conflicts of Interest bill in the _Senate/House_. I’m grateful for your efforts. This president must do what’s best for the country, not what’s best for his businesses around the world. #shepersisted Name, State

Thank Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) (address) Thank Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL4) (address). Script: Thank you for co-sponsoring bills to protect the National Security Council from political interference. Extreme partisans like Steve Bannon have no place on the NSC, so I’m grateful that you’ve taken a stand. Name, State, ZIP

Recommended reading

Me vs. We: 16-year political ideology cycle and a fascinating chart.

We have a year, at most, to defend American democracy (source).

The three potus/Russian scandals, summarized (source).

Why Russia hacking matters (source) and a case study (source).

How to frame a non-existent threat and make people fall for the lies (source).

18 stories of immigration to the USA (source).

You only think you won’t get taken by fake news. Here’s how to recognize it and combat it (source) (source) (source).

FOX News in trouble with the Feds (source).

A dysfunctional White House revealed: Flynn, Bannon, and incoherence on national security (source).

#NotNormal

A normal president doesn’t discuss confidential security issues in public (source).

A normal president doesn’t illegally delete communication (source).

A normal president doesn’t run a business during presidency (source).

A normal president doesn’t curry personal favors from foreign countries (source).

A normal president doesn’t call the media ‘the enemy’ (source).

A normal president doesn’t lie about attacks in foreign countries (source).

A normal president doesn’t run up taxpayers’ expenses (source).

A normal president avoids projects that increase taxes, invade private property, offend neighboring countries, and don’t solve the underlying issue.

Good news

4 Republican senators vote against anti-worker Puzder (source).

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) opposed Pruitt for EPA (source).

The Pope tweeted, “How often in the Bible the Lord asks us to welcome migrants and foreigners, reminding us that we too are foreigners!”

A win for voting rights in Georgia (source).

Federal judge fines Texas for dragging its feet in voter-fairness lawsuit (source).

Secretary Mattis upholds the role of the press in a democracy (source).

A church offers sanctuary (source).

MA introduces Safe Communities Act to protect Muslims (source, source).

Ellen pays off student debt for Sudanese immigrant teacher (heartwarming video).

#wac #weekly action checklist #weekly resistance #resist #resist trump #activism

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minervacasterly · 8 years

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The delay of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York's union: Simple, political, and nothing mysterious about it. With so much period dramas coming up, including the White Princess on Starz, I feel the need to clarify why it took Henry Tudor so long to marry Elizabeth of York. Historical dramas are fun to watch because you get to see history through the lens of several people. But being fiction, one has to be prepared for all sort of liberties that are bound to take place. When it comes to the Tudors, there are all sorts of liberties being taken, not to mention, a misinterpretation of the facts, especially when it comes to the religious divisions that arose during this time period. But let's get back to the topic of Elizabeth of York and Henry VII's union. Why did it take so long? Some fans love to say that Henry Tudor did not want to marry EOY because she could be pregnant. Some historians even go so far as to believe that (like in the documentary "White Queen and her rivals" presented by Philippa Gregory that had a number of historians giving their perspective on the wars of the roses or as some of them called it, "cousins' war"), saying that EOY must have been intimate with her one true love, her uncle Richard III. I can go on and on about how ridiculous this is, but I have written many pots with some of my editors and co-administrators that you can find on my other pages, so I wont' waste any time on it. What I will say though is this: The reason why Henry VII didn't marry EOY is very simple. And sometimes the simplest answer, to paraphrase from one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels that features everyone's favorite detective, Sherlock Holmes; is the correct answer. You don't have to go into conspiracy mode to make sense of everything. Henry Tudor wanted to establish himself as the almighty King of England and he didn't want to be seen as the man whose power depended on his wife. To do that, people had to get used to him. Hence, why he was busy the last half of 1485, restoring order to chaos. Then there was papal authority. The pope's verdict was crucial. It determined whether the union was valid or not. Henry needed Elizabeth of York as his wife to support his narrative that their union was the union of two warring houses that put an end to the dynastic conflict. Given that the two of them were related, like most royal couples were, they required a special dispensation and while that pope had approved of their marriage, he hadn't given the final authorization or sent a copy of the dispensation until the end of 1485. On January of 1486, the papal legate confirmed what everybody was eager to hear: Henry and Elizabeth were free to marry. So there you go, no mystery there. It is as Sansa Stark told Shae in season 2 from Game of Thrones (a show based on a series of books that itself is based on this time period), the truth is always either terrible or boring. In this case, there was nothing special about the delay of Elizabeth and Henry's wedding, other than the endless papal bureaucracy that plagued many other royal couples. Novelists however, are not satisfied with this explanation because it is not "juicy" enough and it doesn't provide enough drama, and feel they have to spice things up by having EOY hopelessly in love with Richard, being raped by Henry Tudor and at the mercy of her evil mother-in-law, Margaret Beaufort.

Recommended reading: Henry VII by SB Chrimes, Tudor by Leanda de Lisle, Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and Rise of the Tudors by Dan Jones (he gives some credence to the hypothesis that Richard was seriously considering EOY. He is a brilliant historian but I disagree with him on this issue. I think Richard might have thought of it at one point, but wasn’t serious about it given his animosity with the Woodvilles, not to mention that he preferred to do something similar to what Henry Tudor had planned, by marrying someone of Lancastrian descent (ie. A Portuguese Princess) and likewise marry EOY to a Portuguese Duke); Margaret Beaufort by Elizabeth Norton, the King’s Mother by Jones and Underwood (the only nitpick I have with one of them is that he believes that Edward IV was a bastard and Margaret Beaufort was really behind the princes of the tower’s disappearance. I am not against the idea, but more evidence is needed to back it up), and Elizabeth of York/ In Bed with the Tudors by Amy Licence.

#English History #Henry VII #Elizabeth of York #marriage #papal authority #15th century

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junker-town · 5 years

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5 winners and 4 losers from a wild NBA Draft Lottery

Plus, one team that’ll still be juuust fine.

You know why you’re here. I know why you’re here. No need to sugar coat. This is winners and losers, NBA Draft Lottery edition.

Let’s get right to it, shall we?

Winner: Pelicans

Wow. The Pelicans have a legitimate opportunity to build a contender from the ground-up. Not only did they just land the biggest fish since maybe LeBron James, but they’re now in the drivers seat of what could be the quickest rebuild or re-tool we’ve seen in a long time.

The Pelicans can try to convince Anthony Davis to stay, but if they decide to trade him, they’ll get a massive haul in return, including young players and draft picks they can use to build around Williamson, and fast.

Winner: David Griffin

The Pelicans’ new president of basketball operations should be christened as the owner of the NBA Draft Lottery. This is his fourth time his team came out with the No. 1 overall pick after the Cavaliers did so in 2011, 2013 and 2014. (Griffin was the full-time GM for only the final one of those three, but did work in the team’s front office).

His team’s track record with those picks, though? A little questionable.

Sure, they took Kyrie Irving No. 1 in 2011, but they also took Anthony Bennett in 2013 and Andrew Wiggins in 2014. Bennet, obviously, no longer plays in the NBA. Wiggins has been all potential for all of his career.

This should be a sure bet. Williamson is a player unlike the NBA has ever seen. But Griffin is the good luck charm that brought him to New Orleans.

Winner: Zion Williamson

If Zion Williamson thinks he’s a loser because he won’t be going to the Knicks, he clearly hasn’t had fresh-made beignets, crawfish étouffée or fried oysters in New Orleans.

NOLA is an amazing city, with plenty of basketball upside. Remember: This is a city that embraced DeMarcus Cousins, right up until he tore his Achilles and opted to leave for Golden State.

Here are ESPN and ABC’s top 10 highest-rated local markets for the 2018-19 regular season, according to the NBA: 1. Norfolk 2. Oklahoma City 3. New Orleans 4. Memphis 5. Birmingham 6. San Francisco 7. Raleigh-Durham 8. Richmond 9. Houston 10. Los Angeles A LOT of surprises!

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) April 12, 2019

Nawlins isn’t New York City, not by a long shot. It may always be a football town. But it’s not Salt Lake City, either. (No disrespect!) Williamson might have even ended up in New Orleans anyway, if the Knicks decided to trade him for Anthony Davis.

He won’t be playing on a team where the ball could be in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant’s hands. The offense will be built around Williamson. It’s not the biggest city, but it might be the best situation for him and his legacy. Zion’s never been to New Orleans. Someone take him to Bourbon Street.

Winner: Anthony Davis

Guess which two teams now have picks No. 3 and 4, and will engage in a bidding war with New Orleans for Davis’ services? Yup: the Knicks and the Lakers.

Davis’ chances of being dealt to one of the NBA’s two biggest markets just increased.

Winner: Lakers

Somehow the Lakers jumped from having the 11th-worst record to the fourth-best pick in this year’s draft. Do you remember what they offered for Anthony Davis at the trade deadline?

It was Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Ivica Zubac, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and two first-round picks. Now, one of those first-round picks will be pick No. 4, which the Pelicans can use to pair with pick No. 1.

We don’t know if the Lakers’ offer will remain the same, but it’ll need to be equally as strong if they don’t want to live in a world where they watch both Davis and Paul George be traded and sign extensions elsewhere. Jumping up in the lottery will only help their cause.

Neither: New York

It’s tough to call the Knicks losers here, for the sole fact that they have enough cap space for two max free agents, and one of those free agents will more than likely be the ever-unstoppable Kevin Durant.

The Knicks also are unlikely to get Murray State point guard Ja Morant, unless the Grizzlies sour on him. They’ll pick at three, where they’ll more than likely take get R.J. Barrett.

But the Pelicans will probably end up trading Anthony Davis, and now, the Knicks were fortunate enough to have ammunition to trade for him, even if it’s not Williamson. New York can now entice the Pelicans with an offer that could pair Barrett and Williamson in New Orleans, reuniting the Duke duo in the NBA.

It could be worse. They could have fallen to fourth.

Loser: Phoenix

The Suns have needed a point guard to pair with Devin Booker for basically ever, and if the draft order would have stayed intact, they were in position to draft Morant.

But the draft order didn’t stay intact — it was blasted, and in that blast, the Suns fell all the way down to pick No. 6. SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell doesn’t have another true point guard being selected in the first round of his mock draft.

Loser: Atlanta

The poor Hawks went from having excellent odds to jumping into the top four to falling all the way down to pick No. 6.

Here’s a live look at Hawks GM Travis Schlenk seeing his team’s draft standing: “Six?!?”

If there was a perfect landing spot for Williamson for purely basketball reasons, Atlanta was it. Trae Young plus Zion Williamson plus John Collins just wreaks of up-and-down, exciting, rim-rattling basketball. Now, we’ll never see that outside of video games.

Sorry Atlanta. It could have been worse.

Losers: Mavericks, 76ers

Dallas and Philadelphia traded first-round picks with protections to move up in previous drafts (for the Mavericks, it was to move up for Luka Doncic; for the Sixers, it was to move up for... Markelle Fultz). Dallas’ pick had top-five protection; Philly’s was headed elsewhere unless it was No. 1 overall.

Those protections proved moot. The Mavericks’ pick (No. 10) will go to the Hawks, while the Sixers’ pick (No. 14) will go to Boston.

The Sixers lost twice after the Kings absolutely double-owned them with this brutal meme, (though the response was solid):

Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way, @sixers fans. Trade complete. pic.twitter.com/zINTpdhrIP

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) May 15, 2019

Loser: Tanking

Those flattened lottery odds look so-so scary after all hell broke loose on draft lottery night. Any team that thought they were safe had that security blanket ripped from on top of them, then were doused with a bucket of ice water in the middle of REM sleep. It was a devastating night for some of the league’s worst teams, to say the least

Here’s what the draft order looked like before the lottery:

Knicks

Suns

Cavs

Bulls

Hawks

Wizards

Pelicans

Mavericks

Grizzlies

Timberwolves

Lakers

Kings

Heat

Hornets

And after?

Pelicans

Grizzlies

Knicks

Lakers

Cavs

Suns

Bulls

Hawks

Wizards

Hawks

Timberwolves

Hornets

Heat

Celtics

Two of the three worst teams in the league will pick fifth and sixth, respectively, and two teams tied for the sixth-worst record in the league will pick first and second. Mission complete, NBA. Tanking is no longer a golden ticket to the No. 1 overall pick.

This isn’t just a win for Adam Silver and the league office — it’s a win for fans that have had to put up with tanking franchises for years.

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junker-town · 7 years

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The 14 best moments of Kobe Bryant’s jerseys retirement

That’s right, two of them!

Kobe Bryant watched as not one, but TWO of his jerseys were retired by the Lakers in front of a packed house at Staples Center. No. 8 and No. 24 were unveiled simultaneously in the rafters as the Mamba grinned, soaking up the energy in the arena that his 20 years of play created.

It was a great moment in Lakers history, which featured an animated video tribute, words from team president Jeanie Buss, high praise from Magic Johnson, and Kobe surrounded by his family.

The entire day was about Kobe, and that seemed perfectly fine with the people of Los Angeles. Fans celebrated outside the arena, countless peers retold memories on social media, and there were “thank yous” all over Twitter.

Let’s relive all of Monday’s Kobe moments.

Phil Jackson accidentally called him the MOMba

Congratulations Kobe Bryant! Hail Momba, too. Two Jersey’s retired is one way to measure your impact for the Lakers. The GOAT measure is:

— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) December 18, 2017

Phil, how’s it goink?

He issued a correction, though.

Let me be clear, “Mamba” not Momba, ok

— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) December 18, 2017

Kobe and LeBron had a puppet commercial

#8v24 http://pic.twitter.com/DUuSb1fsup

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) December 18, 2017

Just like the ones from 2009!

JR Smith told a story about guarding Kobe 13 years ago

My rookie year. Coach told me he going to take two dribbles baseline and pump fake. DONT JUMP. First play he takes two dribbles baseline an what did i do?? Jump! Foul And1 SMH https://t.co/cDy4FvjpkM

— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) December 18, 2017

Damn, J.R. isn’t over this still. But come on, how did he not know Kobe’s classic move?

Kyle Kuzma wrote a thank you note

http://pic.twitter.com/mtWKOGarEK

— kuz (@kylekuzma) December 18, 2017

That’s nice from the rookie.

There was a “Kobeland” celebration outside Staples Center

The Lakers will host Kobeland, a street festival outside of Staples Center, before Kobe Bryant's jersey retirement tonight. http://pic.twitter.com/BrVBhANzbT

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) December 18, 2017

Ok, I guess.

Kobe picked his No. 24 jersey over No. 8

Finally, an answer to the question!

“It’s really, really tough for me,” Bryant said. “I think 24 was more challenging, and I tend to gravitate to things that are harder to do. And physically for me it was really, really hard for me to get up, night-in and night-out, man. It’s a grind. ... Thinking on the Boston Celtics. Having a bone fragment in my foot during that series. Having a broken finger. Muscling through that back half of the career. Some of the toughest stretches of basketball ever, man.

“And so, I guess if you force me to pick one, I’d probably go with No. 24 because of that.”

An animated video introduced Kobe

A passion project from 3 legends.#DearBasketball with @kobebryant, @glenkeaneprd and John Williams premieres today: https://t.co/Ty5GrvZJ5p #Ko8e24 http://pic.twitter.com/DgcqD8EeSI

— go90 Sports (@go90Sports) December 18, 2017

This brought out all of the emotions, as the story takes you through Kobe’s younger years into what he became. Somehow, Kobe didn’t shed a tear.

Magic Johnson called Kobe “the greatest to ever wear purple and gold”

"We're here to celebrate the greatest ever to wear the purple & gold."@MagicJohnson on @kobebryant #Ko8e24 http://pic.twitter.com/phlltN64ot