#that went Virtually The Same in DGS.

[boypussydilf]

im fine im totally fine and also normal (i am going to spend the next week comparing the details of the original hound of the baskervilles to what we know about the professor case in dgs to try and build up some specifics in my head about what happened during that time in dgs. WHETHER I LIKE IT OR NOT)

[blondebeardtheparent]

Captain’s Log

Stardate 20240731

Day ???

It’s been an interesting couple of days. We went to Shenzhen to process my green card. We were short by one official translation of my expired passport. That should be arriving in DG by tomorrow. We’ve decided to hold off on processing until we move back into our SZ apartment. That’s going to be a big transition. Our SZ apartment is 1/6th the size of the DG one, but I’d rather that 50 square meters than continuing in the land of madness.

This weekend, we had some SZ friends come to visit for two days. They also have two boys about the same age as ours, and their educational perspective is similar. Once we move, I will start a literature/ writing class with them. It was good to be able to share perspectives and to be understood.

Monday, we were invited to attend a sailing camp hosted by a friend. It is awesome and way out of our budget, but just like in the Philippines, Simon has been trying to make it miserable by refusing to participate in anything and constantly demanding phone time. Today, Rae decided to take him back home. I really think it’s time to eliminate phone time altogether. If the virtual world can control him to the extent that he passes up on real life, perhaps it is time to unplug.

Tomorrow there is supposed to be a helicopter ride. I want good things for this boy, but it’s his own mind that twists things to see himself as the unloved victim. My family in the US is raising funds to bring us home for a visit, but even if they succeed, I’m afraid of what he will do.

Lord, teach us to be grateful.

[wehavethoughts]

I Am Hera Review!

Album title: I Am Hera (more info here)

Singer: Hera Hyesang Park

Label: Deutsche Grammophon (DG)

Release date: November 2020

 Rating: 5/5 Hotteok’s

Summary: A debut album by soprano Hera Hyesang Park. The album includes songs written by Gluck, Pergolesi, Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Puccini, Bellini, and especially, two Korean songs by Joowon Kim and Un-Young La. 

No content warnings apply.

Note: I’m not that knowledgeable in classical music so I won’t be commenting on any musical technicality or quality in the review, but rather, will be focusing more on introducing the artist and talking about the impact the album had on me personally.

Review: As many other people did, I spent most of 2020 alone in my apartment. To pass time, I tried to stream many virtual live events, ranging from book readings and workshops to ballet and musical performances. Among them was a live concert by Hera Hyesang Park to celebrate her signing with the classical music record label Deutsche Grammophon (DG). Unfortunately, the event is not available for replay but DG did post one song from the event on their Youtube page, if you’re interested in listening.

The classical music sphere is heavily centered around white musicians in Europe and the field has a long way to go to be inclusive. Hera is the first Korean singer to sign with DG (and the second Korean musician to sign with DG; the first was pianist Seong-jin Cho) and I’m so proud of her. The fact that she is trying to be herself, as her album title “I Am Hera” suggests, is hopeful to me. She said in an interview that when she first went to the US, she tried to assimilate and act like an American, but she realized that she needs to love her own identity. She picked the album title from that transformative experience. It’s something that most expats in the U.S., including myself, can relate to.

Besides the traditional classical music by Gluck, Pergolesi, Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Puccini, and Bellini, the album also includes two Korean songs: Like the Wind That Met with Lotus (연꽃 만나고 가는 바람같이) and Psalm 23 (시편 23편). In DG’s 120+ years of history, it is the first time that Korean songs were included. It was refreshing and exciting to see Korean songs representing our existence, in the same album with songs by classical artists whom people conventionally think of. At the live event I mentioned earlier, she sang Like the Wind That Met with Lotus and another Korean song, Leaning On Time (시간에 기대어). I couldn’t find a video of Hera singing it, but here is one sung by Haewon Lee. It’s one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard and when I saw non-Korean-speaking listeners commenting on the beauty of these songs during the live event - I must say, I welled up a bit.

I would like to briefly note something about Like the Wind That Met with Lotus. It is a poem made into a song. The original poem was written by Jeong-ju Seo (서정주). He worked for Imperial Japan while Korea was colonized by Japan and also wrote poetry praising Japanese Imperialism. This serves as another reminder that while I was happy that she chose to include Korean music to be able to express her true self, complicated, painful, and unresolved bits of history are entangled in that song. It makes me think about the work that needs to be continued regarding decolonization and reparation.

I will leave you with Hera’s performance in a traditional Korean house. Her singing Purcell in a place surrounded by the kiwa architecture is a quite pleasant juxtaposition.

Happy listening,

CoreaMod

[sickkillerzach]

Drain You

Thursday November 26th 2020

It was the second Thanksgiving with my dearest Gloria and it was going to be amazing.

We had just gotten done watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, what we had watched last year, and watched the first Zombieland movie to celebrate the end of Fall.

There was something so satisfying about watching those survivors kick zombie ass, which made me want to do the same while I waited for Gloria to finish up the Thanksgiving dinner.

I turned on the xbox one and wanted to play call of duty zombies.

While the xbox was booting up and signing me in to my profile, I wanted to turn on some music.

I went to the CD player in our living room, and put in the album I listened to a lot in my childhood, Nirvana's Nevermind.

Within a few seconds, the guitar riff marking the beginning of their most popular song, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" began to play.

I grabbed my stuffed Pikachu, Meowth, Gothita, Gothorita, Dragonite, and Glameow, and sat down on the couch.

Now I had to decide which game I was going to play. The newest addition to the series, which came out almost two weeks ago, Black Ops Cold War, was pretty awesome, despite its flaws and glitches, however, I was tired of that game. It was a real surprise to see a new Call of Duty game be actually fun and good, especially since the most recent good one had only come out two years ago, Black ops 4.

But nothing would top the classic World at War, so I decided to boot that up.

I immediately noticed as the beautiful startup screen of the game, which flashed historical imagery of World War 2, how poetic this was.

I was a child once again. Cuddling up with the same six plushies I had as a kid, despite not being as interested in Pokèmon like I am now, playing the same game I watched my father play, and listening to the CD my father would play in his truck, which still held up amazingly after almost thirty years.

I almost had a flashback to that time, but snapped out of it once the game reached the main menu screen, and I could hear Manny, who was on Thanksgiving break from his college classes he was doing virtually thanks to the pandemic, and Joe laughing about something in the background.

I went to the zombies menu, and launched the classic fan favorite Der Riese.

As I played, the smell of Gloria's wonderful cooking almost distracted me.

I continued to hear the CD play, as it reached the eighth track, my personal favorite one, Drain You, which instantly made me think of Gloria as it discussed falling in love.

I always loved that song, along with the whole album, but this time, the song was incredibly emotional. I had listened to that song in a while, and now that I had a lover and companion in my life, I understood everything the song was trying to convey.

With Cobain's awesome guitar riffs, Novoselic's somber bass tones, which was unusual for his playstyle, but for this song worked perfectly, and Grohl's kickass drumming, mixed with the harmonizing between Kurt and Dave, it felt like one of those sappy love movies you'd see on the Hallmark Channel (which was airing Christmas Movies on a completely different holiday). Except this one was real life, and it was the happeiest I had ever been, despite most of our relationship being locked down due to the new virus.

Sitting on the catwalk, the character I was playing as, Tank Dempsey kept spurting out one liners and comments, as I schoked the undead Nazi's with the Wunderwaffle DG-2, and gunned them down with the PPSH42

"Ooh-fuckin'-rah motherfuckers!"

"If he were cool, he'd go pick that up and swing with it."

"Awesome! Bzzz!"

"Oorah, Wunderwaffle!"

"Hi, I'm Dempsey, and you are? DEAD!"

However, as the rounds progressed, I began to run out of ammo, and got surrounded.

"I think I'm fucked," I muttered to myself.

"It's a fuckin' freakbag convention over here!" Dempsey shouted, reacting to the amount of them there were.

Eventually poor Dempsey succumed to the undead horde.

"Ah, shit, this is embarrassing!" he cried as the zombies devoured him, and the game over screen flashed.

"Twenty seven rounds, not bad for my standards."

I left the game and went into the kitchen to check on Gloria.

The steam from the Kitchen immediately flew into my eyes.

"Holy hell, it's hot in here!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, now you know what I've been dealing with for the last hour," Gloria replied. "Can you take it for a while, I need to get soom fresh air."

"Absolutely, babe," I said, leaning in and kissing her sweaty forehead.

I got the turkey out of the oven, and stirred the stuffing together.

It was beginning to look like the best Thanksgiving dinner I've ever seen.

"Hun, it's amazing! You did such a good job!" I complimented.

"Really?" she asked rhetorically. "Thank you so much Oliver. I worked real hard on it."

"And you said your previous two husbands hated your cooking? Jesus, they have no taste."

She laughed slightly at that comment.

"I appreciate it. When you first asked me to cook for us when we first started dating, I was shocked because I always assumed I was just a bad cook. I mean, if your whole life you've been told something, you're bound to believe it."

"Hey," I assured, "I know exactly how that feels. I was told my whole time in school how fat and ugly I am, and how I should put the fork down, so naturally I believed I was just disgusting. When a woman as stunning as you found me attractive, I was just so shocked."

We locked eyes, and shared a passionate kiss. Something Gloria and I clicked on was our idea about life, and how hard it is, given how we both felt like life was against us our whole lives, but how those experiences led us to each other, despite our large age difference.

"I love you."

"I love you."

Our Thanksgiving dinner was indeed the best I had ever had. And I had one hell of a day with Gloria and her kids.

It was the second Thanksgiving, of many more to come.

Happy Thanksgiving!

🦃GOBBLE GOBBLE!!🦃

[everyonesfavoritelesbian]

Justyna (Jay) Lysenko

(BG - Before Game DG - During Game AF- After Game)

Simple Facts

Fandom: The Arcana (Virtual Novel)

Name: Justyna Lysenko

Nicknames: Jay, Magician, Yna, (and witch but only special people can call her that).

Gender: Female

Age (during game): 26

Love Interest: BF- N\A DG- Nadia Satrinava AF- Nadia Satrinava

Occupation: BF- Apprtence to Aunt\CoShopKeep DG- Apprtence to Arsa\Shopkeep AG- Royal Magician\CoShopkeep

Hair: A coral pinkish-Orange

Eyes: Bright Blue

Skin: Pale as Paper with a few freckles here and there (a mole in the center of the center left of her back, mistaken as a witches mark in BG)

Familars

A Raven: black, Crow

A Cat: Black, Blue

A Fox: Red, Ash

A Snake: Blue, Faust

(In my Au\ff I made Faust secretly my familar and Arsa has his own snake named Frost that looks almost similar to Faust. Arsa didn't was to put so much pressure on me when I "came back to life" so he lied to make it easier for me. Thank you BFF)

Family

Mother- Ann Novak

Father- Mateusz Lysenko

Aunt- Rebecca (Rebby) Novak

Twin- Emma Novak, Died a few months old

LAST NAME CONFUSION?

A total Parent Trap situation. The dad was gonna take Jay and Mom take Emma. But Emma died before the Dad left and so the mom took her and the dad didn't really give a shit.

History

Jay lived with her mother up to the age of 9, where her mother was abusive and even tried killed Jay because of her accidentally magic and sapphic comments. She was also sexually asulted a few times by Uncle's and Mother's boyfriends

Jay ran away at 9 year old to find her father in Spain, it was a 6 week journey, stoeing away on the back of carriages and accepting horse rides from strangers and a fee royal court memories helped with part of the journey. It took her several more weeks to find her father in Spain. She did, well thought she did. The man was an imposter and kidnapped her, put her in a small room with other girls around her age. They were all sexually abused and molested for a few months where Jay was able to help the group of girls escape (and even cursed the men with accidental magic). Jay got the girls home safe before taking another long journey to Vesuvia.

Once she got to Vesuvia, it took her about a week of asking around to find her Aunt. She met with Muriel and those kids and had an encounter with Count Lucio. Once Jay found her Aunt, Rebby, she began taking care of her wounds and feed her the biggest meal could make for the starving 10 year old. Jay told her Aunt all the abuse of her live and the Aunt broke down crying, saying as long that she is with her nothing would happen to her. And if it did, Rebby would curse and make the person suffer.

Rebby taught Jay more magic and how to control her accidental magic. They did spells and charms to help with the trama. But when she was sexually asulted again at the age of 14, Rebby tracked down the man and cursed him and beat his ass. Jay cried at this because no one before did anything like this. Rebby found Arsa and offered him with training and a living situation, where Arsa only accepted the training.

Both Arsa and Jay's familar\s find them at age 15.

At the age of 16, Rebby continued her traveling and made Jay CoShopkeep. Arsa would stay, protect, and keep Jay company. Arsa and Jay Bonded more and more, and found out that the each where attracted to the same gender. They gave each other support and made small jokes and pointed to possible others.

When the Plegue came to Vesuvia, Rebby was stuck in between a war in another country, so she couldn't return. Arsa begged to for Jay to leave with him, but Jay refused. She wanted to help to find the cure and to keep the shop safe. Arsa left and Jay meet with Julian, where she became his apprtence durning the time of the plegue.

Jay caught the plegue after a year or so of helping Julian. She tried her best to hide it and to find a cure but Julian quickly found out. Jay ran away to her shop and went through books. She didn't want to die, something told her that she would help figure out the plegue. Jay remembers meeting the Fool Arcacan a few times as a child and having a strong connection with them.

She flipped through hundreds of spell books and found a few for reseerecting the dead, but none of them would be perfect. She wrote a note explaining her connection with the fool and left for the Forest, where she went to mediate and spend her weekends. It was comfort for her.

That's where she spent her last hours in as much happiness and comfort she could.

Arsa retuned, guilty not so long after Jay's death. When he found the note, he couldn't stop crying and feeling guilty. He asked Julian for help to contact the Fool. Julian agreed and Arsa was able to speak to the Fool through the Magician. The Fool said Jay was the only moral to ever see them. The Fool offered their body for Jay to live again. The Fool admitted their life is dull and was ready for death. Their Spirit will still be in the body, but Jay would be the one controlling it.

Arsa did the ritual with Julian's and Muriel's help.

As we all know, three years of Jay(MC) relearning to live, Nadia in a coma, Julian accused of murder. Blah blah blah.

(The game is almost the same but I add and take away some things. I'm working on writing it now on Google Docs).

(Rebby will return sometime after the game, because the war she was stuck in for about 6 years finially ended).

[anycontentposter]

Our favorite gear, rewarded: DPReview Awards 2019

DPReview Awards 2019

If 2018 was the year that full-frame mirrorless went mainstream, 2019 was the year when all of the major manufacturers really doubled-down on their mirrorless strategies. Canon pumped out a series of very high quality RF lenses, alongside the world's cheapest full-frame mirrorless camera. Nikon went all-in on its range of affordable F1.8 primes, and Sony pulled out all the stops - yet again - in the a7R IV.

Meanwhile, Olympus threw all of its technological know-how into the sports-oriented OM-D E-M1 X, Fujifilm reinvented medium-format with the GFX 100 and Ricoh's GR III and Leica's Q2 offered a welcome refresh for fans of fixed-focal length compacts.

That's a lot, and it's only a small taste of what happened this year. At the end of every year we get together as a team to recognize the standout products of the past 12 months in our annual DPReview Awards. Take a look through the slides above to find out which products made our list of the best gear of 2019!

Best accessory Shortlist: DJI Osmo pocket DJI Ronin SC Gnarbox 2.0 SSD Peak Design Travel Tripod Runner up: Peak Design Travel Tripod

The role of photography accessories is to play support to your creative endeavors. That can mean support in the traditional sense, like a well-designed travel tripod or 3-axis gimbal rig. Or it can mean support in the form of peace of mind, like a rugged file back-up device.

Our runner-up for best photography accessory, the Peak Design Travel Tripod, falls into the former category. Travel tripods aren't new, but Peak Design has managed to radically rethink the concept to create a package that's significantly more compact than the competition and just as stable, if not more so. Its Arca Swiss-compatible, dual-locking ball head in particular is worth calling out for its clever low-profile design. Available in both aluminum and carbon fiber, this is the travel tripod we'll likely be reaching for in 2020, whenever space is tight.

Read more about the Peak Design Travel Tripod

Winner: GNARBOX 2.0 SSD

The Gnarbox 2.0 brings calm to the often chaotic world of photography. It's the friend in the field you always wanted: a rugged (weather, dust and impact-resistant) SSD (available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB) with built-in SD reader and super-fast transfer speeds (up to 350MB/s). It's there to protect all your precious data until you get it home for a full backup.

One-touch copying and an info LCD make it effortless to start transferring and confirm files have been properly duplicated. And for those eager to get ahead on their edits, Gnarbox will pair with a smart device so that you can sort and tag (using Photo Mechanic's image engine). But that's not all: Gnarbox also has swappable batteries and can even be used to charge other devices via a Micro-USB port. It'll also play nice with Apple's iPad Pro, with support for programs like Adobe Lightroom and Affinity Photo, when connected via its USB-C port. What more could you ask for?

Read more about the GNARBOX 2.0 SSD

Best smartphone camera Shortlist: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Google Pixel 4 Huawei P30 Pro Samsung Galaxy S10 5G Runner up: Apple iPhone 11 Pro

The iPhone 11 Pro is a significant step forward for Apple, and from a pure experience standpoint, is the nicest smartphone camera to use today. Its bright screen combined with HDR playback of photos makes the on-device experience of shooting and enjoying photos industry-leading. And unlike any other smartphone camera to-date, iPhones since the iPhone X utilize the wide P3 color space, meaning more life-like color capture and rendition.

A new ultra-wide lens allows for dramatic perspectives, and wide angle portrait mode - utilizing the main camera module - makes it easy to shoot more intimate perspectives of your loved ones and pets, with better image quality than the standard portrait mode offers. Editing photos, depth effects, and video is pleasing thanks to the Photos app updates, and clever features like 'capture outside the frame' offer creative uses of the phone's three lenses. Video quality is superb, with HDR capture up to 4K/60p.

We have some reservations over the warm and green-shifted colors, overly-processed faces from semantic rendering choices, significant lag in portrait mode, and image quality artifacts including banding, aggressive noise reduction and over-sharpening, but as an all-rounder, the iPhone 11 Pro is hard to beat.

Read more about the Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Winner: Google Pixel 4

The Pixel 4 offers compelling still image quality. If you shoot Night Sight - even during daylight hours - you'll be rewarded with some of the best detail retention and balanced noise reduction we've seen from a smartphone. It only gets better in Raw, since the DNGs produced by the Pixel 4 are the result of aligning and merging multiple frames. A new astrophotography mode is not just cool but inspiring, and also benefits any nighttime scene where longer exposures can be used. The combination of super-res zoom and a new telephoto module make 'zoomed in' photos better than many peers. And unlike the iPhone, you can continue to use the telephoto module in dim light.

New 'dual exposure controls' allow you to fine tune the 'look' of the resulting HDR image in real-time. Portrait mode has been improved to yield bokeh similar to what you'd expect from ILCs, with fewer depth map errors and virtually no shutter lag. As such, the Pixel 4 is truly an enthusiast's smartphone camera. We have reservations over its video quality, display, as well as certain metering and image processing choices, but its strong core competency in stills makes it our winner.

Read more about the Google Pixel 4

Best zoom lens Shortlist: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 S Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm F1.7 ASPH Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G Runner-up: Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

Every year we struggle to narrow down the number of lenses released to a shortlist of just four or five. This year saw a lot of action in the lens space, with both Canon and Nikon putting considerable energy into building out their native mirrorless lens lineup, and Sigma, Sony and Tamron doing the same.

One of the zoom lenses that has most impressed us this year is Nikon's Z 24-70mm F2.8 S. Built for use in difficult conditions, the Z 24-70mm is tough and weather-sealed, but more than that, it's optically outstanding. Sharp, virtually aberration-free and extremely flare-resistant, the Z 24-70mm F2.8 really lets Z7 shooters make the most out of their camera's resolution, for anything from landscapes to portraiture.

Read more about the Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 S

Winner: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

We really, really like the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM. It's small (at 70mm), relatively lightweight, autofocus is lightning fast and silent, and its optical image stabilization system is excellent.

The 70-200mm represents the first time we've seen Nano USM technology incorporated in fast L-series glass, and the increase in focus speed is dramatic compared to ring-type USM on EF lenses. But perhaps the most impressive thing about this lens is its optical quality. Contrast and sharpness are class-leading wide open at all focal lengths, bokeh is smooth with no distracting patterns, and both longitudinal and lateral forms of chromatic aberration are very well controlled.

This is the most impressive 70-200mm F2.8 lens we've ever seen, in a surprisingly compact form factor, and a worthy winner of our award for best zoom lens of 2019.

Read more about the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Best prime lens Shortlist: Tamron SP 35mm F1.4 Di USD Sigma 35mm F1.2 DG DN | Art Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm F1.8 S Runner-up: Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

There were so many great prime lenses released this year, and inevitably, it's near-impossible to reduce the list to just four. This 'shortlist' could have been at least twice as long and we would still have had to omit some great lenses. But the primes listed above represent our favorites of 2019, not only because of their optical quality, but also their versatility and overall value for money.

Among the most impressive lenses of any type released this year was the Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM. Designed for portrait fans, the 135mm F1.8 is stunningly sharp and delivers beautiful images at its widest apertures. It's virtually aberration free, and is the fastest-to-focus lens of its kind. Sony's optical science has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years and the FE 135mm F1.8 is an excellent example of the company's current state-of-the-art. While 135mm isn't necessarily an everyday focal length, the Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM is arguably the best option on the market right now for portrait shooters.

Read more about the Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM

Winner: Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm F1.8 S

Nikon's S-series prime lenses for the Z system have impressed us this year with their performance, not to mention their versatility and value. All sub-$1000 and all relatively small and lightweight, the best of Nikon's new F1.8 options outperform many faster lenses that cost considerably more.

The Z 85mm F1.8 S is a great example. Sharp, virtually aberration-free and still nicely portable, this portrait prime isn't as fast as some of its competitors, or as polished as (say) the Sony FE 135mm F1.8 which takes the runner-up spot, but it's a supremely practical, useful lens. With its smooth bokeh, the Z 85mm F1.8 S is, of course, a fantastic portrait lens for Z6 and Z7 shooters, and a nifty 135mm equivalent on the APS-C Z50. But its size and weight, plus its superb sharpness make it just as useful for landscape and candid work.

Read more about the Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm F1.8 S

Best compact/fixed lens camera Shortlist: Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II Leica Q2 Ricoh GR III Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII Runner-up: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

This is always a tricky category, spanning multiple sensor formats and including both zoom and fixed focal length lenses. This year saw the release of some very impressive - and very different - compact / fixed-lens compact cameras, from the high-end Leica Q2 to the more consumer-friendly Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II.

Despite their different shapes, sizes and prices, all of the cameras in this section cater to the same basic need: high quality imaging, in a compact form factor. Our runner-up this year is Sony's best RX100-series camera yet. A small, powerful zoom with a high-quality EVF, great video and formidable autofocus, the RX100 VII is a near-perfect camera for travel and everyday photography and video. Inevitably it's not cheap, but this kind of technology never is.

Read more about the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Winner: Ricoh GR III

First announced in 2018, the GR III was released this year and quickly became one of our favorite compact cameras. Small and lightweight, but with a stabilized sensor and capable of stunning image quality the GR III is - like the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII - a wonderful camera for travel and everyday photography.

Yes, the lens is a fixed 28mm equivalent. No, the video mode isn't great, but this is a pure photography camera, capable of getting you images that larger, heavier or more complicated models simply won't.

Read more about the Ricoh GR III

Best consumer stills / video camera Shortlist: Fujifilm GFX 100 Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII Runner up: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

While the RX100-series has always been primarily about stills photography, Sony has evolved its range of high-quality 1-inch sensor compacts into powerful video tools, as well. The Mark VII captures oversampled UHD 4K video, Full HD at up to 120 fps and lower resolution video with a top frame rate of almost 1000 fps. Unlike its predecessor, the RX100 VII has a built-in mic input.

In short: the RX100 VII offers excellent 4K video, very good autofocus and a handy built-in finder, making it exceptionally versatile for photographers that need to capture both stills and movie footage.

Read more about the Sony Cyber-shot RX100 VII

Winner: Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

It might seem odd having both the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 and S1H on the same list, for best stills / video hybrid camera and have the S1 beat its more video-centric stablemate, but this is precisely the point. With the S1H in the pipeline, Panasonic didn't need to make the S1 as good for video as it did, and it certainly didn't need to make it even better with a paid firmware update.

With the paid update, the S1 becomes a formidable camera for video, even to the extent that the costlier S1H may prove unnecessary for many filmmakers. We've done a lot of shooting this year on the S1 and it's an impressive machine from a manufacturer that perhaps more than any other, really knows how to do video right.

Read more about the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1

Best entry-level ILC Shortlist: Canon EOS M200 Fujifilm X-A7 Olympus PEN E-PL10 Sony a6100 Runner-up: Fujifilm X-A7

While a lot of attention gets paid to the high-end and professional market segments, often the most important cameras in a manufacturer's lineup are at the entry-level. The reason they're so important is that these are the products which - it is hoped - will attract new customers into a system.

The Fujifilm X-A7 is a significant camera for Fujifilm, and a great all-round option for beginner photographers in general. Significant for Fujifilm because it's the company's first entry-level offering that has really impressed us, and a great entry-level camera because it does exactly what a camera aimed at first-time buyers and smartphone upgraders should. It's simple, streamlined, reliable and responsive, and can easily transition between stills and high-quality video.

Read more about the Fujifilm X-A7

Winner: Canon EOS M200

If there's one thing Canon knows how to do it's make an attractive, sensibly-designed entry-level ILC. The EOS M200 is the company's latest, and while it doesn't represent a massive upgrade compared to the M100, the changes are very welcome including one change in particular - Eye Detect autofocus. Assuming that a lot of us (and arguably most beginners) will take a lot of pictures of friends and family, the addition of eye detection to the M200's autofocus mode really does make a big difference. Canon has also added 4K video capture and 'CRaw', for Raw format shooting without the massive file sizes.

Overall, the Canon EOS M200 doesn't bring much to the table which is genuinely 'new' but its combination of features, easy to operate design, and reliable image quality make it a great entry-level ILC, and our favorite of 2019.

Read more about the Canon EOS M200

Best midrange ILC Shortlist: Canon EOS M6 Mark II Fujifilm X-T30 Nikon Z50 Sony a6600 Runner-up: Nikon Z50

We define 'midrange' cameras as those transitional models between entry-level and enthusiast / pro which need to be able to work for inexperienced and more seasoned photographers alike.

Nikon's first APS-C format mirrorless camera is also one of its most user-friendly. Intended to be picked up by first-time ILC buyers and smartphone upgraders, the Z50 is designed to be simple and straightforward to use, but isn't 'dumbed down'. Featuring a high-quality electronic viewfinder, twin control dials and photographer-friendly ergonomics, the Z50 is a camera that leaves plenty of room for a beginner to experiment and grow creatively.

Read more about the Nikon Z50

Winner: Canon EOS M6 Mark II

Canon has been making good, solid interchangeable lens cameras for a really long time, and this experience shows in products like the EOS M6 Mark II. A really great camera doesn't need to do everything better than its competitors, it just has to do everything well enough, without getting in the way of your creativity.

The EOS M6 Mark II reaffirms Canon’s commitment to its compact, mirrorless EF-M system. After years of competent but usually beginner-focused models, the M6 II comes out swinging as a convincing option for more advanced users. Its new 32.5MP sensor has impressive resolution and dynamic range, the 14 fps maximum burst speed with autofocus is competitive, and its 4K video uses the full width of the sensor.

It doesn’t hands-down beat any of its competitors in any specific area, but as an all-around package, the M6 Mark II easily won us over for best midrange ILC of 2019.

Read more about Canon's EOS M6 Mark II

Best high-end ILC Shortlist: Fujifilm GFX 100 Olympus OM-D E-M1X Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R Sony a7R IV Runner-up: Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R

The Lumix DC-S1R will tick a ton of boxes for a ton of photographers, which is all the more impressive given that it’s Panasonic’s first full-frame offering (alongside the lower-resolution DC-S1). It’s built like a tank and all of the buttons and dials feel like they’re in just the right place.

The 47MP sensor at the heart of the S1R isn’t class-leading at this point, but it’s still capable of producing excellent image quality in almost any situation. Unfortunately, the DC-S1R falls somewhat short in terms of autofocus and tracking. While it can drive focus very quickly using Panasonic’s DFD technology, it just can’t quite keep up with competitors’ on-sensor phase detection systems for accuracy when photographing moving subjects.

Read more about the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R

Winner: Sony a7R IV

The fourth iteration of Sony’s high-resolution mirrorless full-frame camera is the most capable, well-rounded interchangeable lens camera on the market today. It shoots 60.2MP files, offers industry-leading autofocus tracking, is capable of 10fps continuous bursts and shoots the best 4K video of any high-resolution camera you can buy. Plus, Sony claims weather-sealing has been improved, battery life is well above average and ergonomic tweaks have made it more comfortable and enjoyable to use than previous models.

The a7R IV is a camera that you really can shoot just about anything with, from action sports to billboard-ready landscapes, and because of that, it earns the distinction of being our high-end ILC of the year.

Read more about the Sony a7R IV

DPReview innovation award Shortlist: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Fujifilm GFX 100 Olympus OM-D E-M1X Peak Design Travel Tripod Runner-up: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Optically the RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is stunning, but it's also a marvel of engineering. At its short end, it collapses down to a barrel size not much longer than that of the RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM. At 1070g, it's 26% lighter than its EF equivalent, and feels surprisingly light in one's hands, and well-balanced on an EOS R body. Optical image stabilization offers an impressive CIPA rating of 5 stops. Combined with dual-sensing IS on EOS R bodies, you can expect tack sharp handheld shots on the long end at shutter speeds as low as 1/13s.

If that's not innovative, we don't know what is.

Read more about the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM

Winner: Fujifilm GFX 100

While very little about the GFX 100 is new or unique to this model, what counts is how all the ingredients are mixed together. The addition of in-camera stabilization, impressive video capture and hybrid on-sensor PDAF to the medium format world makes the Fujifilm GFX 100 among the most capable and most innovative cameras out there.

Fujifilm has been working hard to democratize digital medium format for a couple of years, but with the 100 megapixel GFX 100, the company completely changed our understanding of what a medium format camera could be.

Read more about the Fujifilm GFX 100

DPReview product of the year, 2019 Shortlist: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Fujifilm GFX 100 Sony a7R IV Runner-up: Fujifilm GFX 100

As we wrote in the previous slide, the GFX 100 really did turn our idea of what a medium format camera could do on its head. While the MSRP of almost ten grand puts it out of reach to most non-professional photographers, there is an audience out there for cameras like this, and Fujifilm has done a great job of catering to them.

Pro wedding and event photographers, portrait and lifestyle shooters, and even a certain type of videographer have kept the GFX 100 on more or less continuous backorder since it was released. You may not need 100MP, but some people do. And the GFX 100, with Fujifilm's range of excellent GF lenses, makes 100MP shooting practical and enjoyable.

Read more about the Fujifilm GFX 100

Winner: Sony Alpha a7R IV

Sony is one of the more divisive brands on our site, partly because of a perception that it gets more attention than other manufacturers. This perception stems from two factors: firstly, Sony has released an astonishing number of high-end products in the past handful of years. Secondly, they have tended to be very good.

Taken as a whole, the a7R IV is Sony's best mirrorless camera yet. The enthusiast-focused a7 III continues to top the best-seller lists but if you want the highest resolution, the best autofocus system and some of the best video features on the market (not just in Sony's own product lineup) the a7R IV is where it's at. A true 'flagship', the a7R IV has undoubtedly benefited this year from no direct competition from Canon or Nikon, but it will take an unusually good product from either manufacturer to make the a7R IV look uncompetitive in 2020.

Read more about the Sony a7R IV

Read more about this at dpreview.com

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[whittlebaggett8]

Pakistan’s Women Marched for Their Rights. Then the Backlash Came.

On March 8, International Women’s Working day, hundreds of women of all ages in Pakistan came out and marched to show solidarity with their fellow females to push for accountability and restorative justice in opposition to violence, harassment, and injustice. The rally was called Aurat (Girls) March. it was open up to all and no group or society attempted to possess it. The females collected for the march below the banner of “hum Auratain” (we women), which is not an corporation or group but a label which they have given to all girls of Pakistan.

Aurat March commenced previous year in Karachi and distribute to the complete place this calendar year. It has emerged as a new wave of feminism in Pakistan — and with that, the march organizers have been obtaining rape and demise threats on-line.

Nighat Dad, founder of the Electronic Rights Foundation, is one particular of the organizers in Lahore. She received rape threats on Twitter in reply to a single of her posts on the Aurat March. 5 other women of all ages attained out to her nonprofit firm, which works for digital legal rights in Pakistan and operates a cyber-harassment helpline, to complain of acquiring rape and death threats.

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Dad took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce that grievances had been submitted in opposition to dozens of social media accounts that were inciting violence from females marchers and organizers of Aurat March.

Criticism has been filed towards a lot more than dozens of fb, Twitter and YouTube accounts who incited violence towards ladies marchers and organisers of @AuratMarch. DG FIA has ordered Inquiry immediately. We have presently discovered few folks driving some accounts. U know who you are.

— Nighat Father (@nighatdad) March 18, 2019

A number of recognized politicians, religious scholars, and actors also attacked the Aurat March, contacting it versus Pakistani cultural values. Minister of the National Assembly Aamir Liaquat Hussain requested that Key Minister Imran Khan operate an inquiry to learn the actual actors behind the march and their agenda.

Sindh Assembly lawmaker Abdul Rashid registered a criticism with the law enforcement from the organizers of the Aurat March for marketing vulgarity. He also protested in the assembly from placards exhibited at the march, demanding that the provincial govt acquire action.

A movie of a very well-identified Islamic cleric is building the rounds on social media, in which he is visibly furious in excess of a placard at the Aurat March. The sign browse, “Mera jism meri marzi” (my body, my selection). He threatened women of all ages with rape, declaring that if they assert to ideal to their bodies, adult men can also assert that suitable to rape women.

This video has additional than 67,000 sights on YouTube.

What Is the Aurat March?

Past calendar year, a lot more than 8 NGOs functioning for the legal rights of women in Karachi came with each other with a system to organize a march on Worldwide Women’s Day open up to all ladies and transgender and non-binary men and women. They resolved to hold their function nameless and to not acquire in excess of the march’s agenda. When contacted, they explained simply just that the girls of Karachi organized it.

This yr, very similar marches had been held in other cities too – primarily Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi. Countless numbers of youthful girls and females came out and marched with quite a few other individuals to smash the patriarchal norms and demand a well balanced modern society for all.

Lawyer and women’s rights activist Shumaila Hussain Shahani is one particular of the brains driving the Aurat March. She reported that very last 12 months, when they opened the connect with for the march, girls who had not been out in politics were being incredibly skeptical about the plan.

“Many of my friends who hadn’t been to a march ahead of were skeptical about the notion of a march. But just after its achievement, we saw exhilaration and an acceptance towards the women of all ages. Lots of females who or else are not witnessed actively getting component in political functions also joined the march this calendar year,” she claimed.

Aurat March unveiled a manifesto a day right before Women’s Working day, in which they demanded economic justice, implementation of labor rights and the Sexual Harassment Against Gals in the Office Act 2010, recognition of women’s unpaid labor, and the provision of maternity leave and daycare centers to make sure women’s inclusion in the labor power.

The Entire world Financial Discussion board rated Pakistan as 2nd worst in its 2018 Global Gender Hole Report, which gauges financial opportunity, education and learning, wellbeing, and political empowerment.

The manifesto also concentrated on climate modify and how it affects women of all ages. Gender legal rights activists demanded access to cleanse consuming drinking water and air, security of animals and wildlife.

Other needs protected virtually every element of social justice: recognition of women’s participation in the creation of food stuff and money crops, obtain to a reasonable justice method, equal illustration of ladies with disabilities and transgender people, reproductive justice, obtain to the general public, the legal rights of religious minorities, promotion of an anti-war agenda, and an stop to law enforcement brutality and enforced disappearances.

The Controversy

While the manifesto addressed incredibly essential troubles females experience in Pakistan, anti-march critics slammed the organizers for not focusing on the “real issues” of women of all ages and working with their platform to boost nudity, vulgarity, and anti-Islamic norms in the region.

The Aurat March experienced been producing far more headlines in community media for the backlash and criticism it acquired than for its real reason. Very last calendar year, two placards from the Aurat March Karachi chapter significantly captivated the ire of persons on the world wide web. 1 placard examine “khud khana garam kar lo!” (Warmth up your very own foodstuff) and other “Mera Jism, Meri Marzi” (My entire body, my decision).

Both placards were being terribly criticized on each discussion board – mainstream media, social media, and spiritual gatherings.

Pics of each girls with their placards were commonly shared on the world-wide-web. Some social media internet pages also manufactured memes on them. One particular of the women contacted DRF following her photo went viral and another person tracked down her id. She had not informed her family members that she was likely to the march. DRF reached out to Facebook and asked for that the social media big take out some of the most appreciated shots on their web site.

When having difficulties with the conservative composition of Pakistani culture, females seemed extra well prepared for the Aurat March this year. Most of the criticisms ended up again leveled at the placards the gals introduced to the march, which some observed provocative.

Renowned feminist poetess Kishwar Naheed also criticized some of the slogans made use of at a Women’s Day celebration event. Naheed experienced prepared a provocative poem “Hum Gunahgar Aurtein” (We Sinful Ladies) that acquired her fame the two as a feminist and poetess. Her comments on the Aurat March left the full feminist circle in shock.

Some doctored pictures of Aurat March placards also went viral on social media, which the organizers look at an try to harass women of all ages.

Shahani counts the backlash as a dent in the patriarchal structure, indicating that it is resisting.

“We have obtained assist from the ruling occasion of Sindh. I do not feel these petty ideal-wing methods will discourage the marchers. Marches will continue, our wrestle for a gender-just earth will proceed,” she reported.

Aurat March organizers are inquiring lawmakers with a professional-girls strategy to come and aid their cause. Chairman the Pakistan People’s Occasion Bilawal Zardari Bhutto has confident his aid to them.

This March, the female humor depicted by means of the placards has exposed the fragility of the patriarchy and kicked off a new feminist motion in Pakistan. Farida Shaheed, executive director of the non-income group Shirkat Gah – Women’s Useful resource Center, pointed out that the feminist motion had obtained the very same type of criticism in the past much too. Even Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, spouse of Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, was not spared from a vilification marketing campaign by the bigoted clerics. They referred to as her a prostitute for supporting the women’s motion.

“It is just the get started of a new era. We need to be proactive, not reactive,” she reported.

Tehreem Azeem is a digital media journalist primarily based in Lahore, Pakistan. She reports on women of all ages legal rights, minority concerns, blasphemy, and media censorship. She tweets @tehreemazeem

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[apsbicepstraining]

Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017

On the heels of a boasts year that was chock full of amazes, Guardian US contributors make their bold prognosis for the months to come

Here are our daring projections for 2017. Please memo the daring ( or should that be bold ?) in bold prophecies these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few contestants are as prepared for their own lives after basketball than Kobe, a husband of diverse fascinates and prodigious worldwide prestige. Few athletes too are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last-place few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of participates. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare lower him on the same flooring as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods “re going to win” again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone prevail, major championships was shortcoming even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs conference represents Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such surroundings now.

Still, he can and will win lower tier PGA Tour events. Timbers has a inclination to prevail on the same tracks, as shows up his register. He holds more competitive ability than some of the individuals who win once or twice on Tour in any generated year. If fitness hassles certainly are behind Lumbers, he will return to the platform. Then? Cue more major consideration. EM

An American not appointed Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did acquire Wimbledon six months ago, so gives not make her in the soil just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 there are still no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was faded during a year that determined the late-blooming Angelique Kerber triumph a duo of major entitlements to inherit “the worlds” No1 grading on deserve. The door has never been more open for the boasts 90 s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys are as follows this year. The 21 -year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the fires, and power on both wings. Look for her to give it all together and become the first American woman not reputation Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard crew will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To prevail the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and thumped three of the conferences top teams. That said, it has happened six hours before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champs came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017 s will as well. With no great, dominant crew, the footpath is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Whale and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are gazing red-hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/ USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the canvas, but virtually no commentators predicted a recur for a Villanova team that rendered most of its title-winning 2016 crew. Aside from a shaky rendition against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been best available actor in the country, Jalen Brunson renders offense at will when he has the dance and Villanova are touching their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last-place season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this unit I like those curious. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best actor in its own history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has stimulated himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS actor. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will expand as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and sun of all of our lives, sufficiently flunked during the course of its stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats maybe because of his measly slash course of. 194/.296 /. 242 over 70 plateful illusions. Tebow did not punched a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its perhaps safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so quickly: Tebow was emulating against some of the best potentials baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11 -game stretch where he stumbled. 281 and posted an OBP of. 425. In 2017, the Mets elude all logic and hopes by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their droop mid-week attendance. The Wilpons exchange a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which predicts at the least one pinch-hit image per-game and private autograph conferences for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only lives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they acquire their first name since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady remains ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/ USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40 -year old athlete in a contact sport will appear his age doesnt seem specially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favourite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his vocation. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Perhaps Brady extends his youth a year or two beyond that duet, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one guesses hes genuinely retired, even if more than 15 months have legislated since he last clambered through the ropes. Not when one more contend could promote him to the singular differentiate of 50-0, one better than Bumpy Marcianos accepted epitome of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively identify his own toll as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders speculate a rematch with Manny Pacquiao towers, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest engage in biography. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an adversary who scarcely deserves the possibilities of but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar capacity of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he swerved heel, trading in his respectful and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime scoundrel whom more love pay to watch lose than watch win. But simply because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt signify he doesnt am worried about beings liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit video games as the cowboy in the white-hot hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt prepare as a bold prophecy, after all most of the other competitors have put out. But Los Angeles was formerly killed as a hopeful after the USOC opted Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to legion video games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more pleading choices. And hitherto LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It is likely to be host the Competition next year. For the foregoing reasons Los Angeles will be the safe option. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey redoubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have conjectured that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will penetrate the octagon during the first half of the brand-new year, before Conor McGregor even books another combat, and get back to her winning practices. It wont is currently under 135 lbs, nonetheless. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight department and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino( presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last trench effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fighting. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the National did triumph the NL East by eight competitions in 2016, reciting in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the demon season that he had in 2016. Washington was also apparently chasing some bigger reputations this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen , amongst other, but were unable to territory them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a listing can make any team a playoff hopeful, there are questions encircling their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power limbs rendering from trauma, and other NL units including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants becoming moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as homosexual

Michael Sam was the first openly lesbian musician drawn up in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/ USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual devotees, will come out as homosexual. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive goal who came out prior to the NFL sketch and discontinued up never playing in a regular season activity, looms over the conference as a missed opening. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see recited. Because of this, I amply expect the first out player in the conference to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant know dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro boasts tournament will try to boost offense doesnt exactly definitely sounds like going out on a limb. Every league knows that tallying exchanges, and every conference manufactures sure the rulebook helps abundance of it. Its plays sell 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The tournament has talks to boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This time, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending material. Then, shrieks, they didnt constitute such adjustments in time, so good-for-nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is parcelled with agitating young endowment like we havent considered to be in an entire generation. Surely now is the time to let them glisten. Surely now is when well lastly get some forwards fantasizing from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of throwing tallying charges while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we are in a position. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, unhappily, this prepares. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will construct the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolled your eyes through personal computers. Real cute, but these projections are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently exclusively two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the merits of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be razed by the Fighters in four tournaments this spring.

The Lakers were poising around. 500 before Thanksgiving, then misplaced 12 of 13 during a brutal superhighway journey made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A health Laker team still cant performance much protection, but they are unable score against anybody, as triumphs over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good an opportunity as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have genuine hotshots, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite forces in the NBA. This is still a bumpy gang that is dragging a few laughable contracts down special courts every night, but they have as good as possibility as anyone right now. DS

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[apsbicepstraining]

Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017

On the heels of a boasts year that was chock full of amazes, Guardian US contributors make their bold prognosis for the months to come

Here are our daring projections for 2017. Please memo the daring ( or should that be bold ?) in bold prophecies these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few contestants are as prepared for their own lives after basketball than Kobe, a husband of diverse fascinates and prodigious worldwide prestige. Few athletes too are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last-place few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of participates. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare lower him on the same flooring as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods “re going to win” again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone prevail, major championships was shortcoming even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs conference represents Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such surroundings now.

Still, he can and will win lower tier PGA Tour events. Timbers has a inclination to prevail on the same tracks, as shows up his register. He holds more competitive ability than some of the individuals who win once or twice on Tour in any generated year. If fitness hassles certainly are behind Lumbers, he will return to the platform. Then? Cue more major consideration. EM

An American not appointed Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did acquire Wimbledon six months ago, so gives not make her in the soil just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 there are still no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was faded during a year that determined the late-blooming Angelique Kerber triumph a duo of major entitlements to inherit “the worlds” No1 grading on deserve. The door has never been more open for the boasts 90 s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys are as follows this year. The 21 -year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the fires, and power on both wings. Look for her to give it all together and become the first American woman not reputation Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard crew will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To prevail the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and thumped three of the conferences top teams. That said, it has happened six hours before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champs came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017 s will as well. With no great, dominant crew, the footpath is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Whale and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are gazing red-hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/ USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the canvas, but virtually no commentators predicted a recur for a Villanova team that rendered most of its title-winning 2016 crew. Aside from a shaky rendition against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been best available actor in the country, Jalen Brunson renders offense at will when he has the dance and Villanova are touching their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last-place season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this unit I like those curious. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best actor in its own history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has stimulated himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS actor. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will expand as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and sun of all of our lives, sufficiently flunked during the course of its stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats maybe because of his measly slash course of. 194/.296 /. 242 over 70 plateful illusions. Tebow did not punched a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its perhaps safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so quickly: Tebow was emulating against some of the best potentials baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11 -game stretch where he stumbled. 281 and posted an OBP of. 425. In 2017, the Mets elude all logic and hopes by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their droop mid-week attendance. The Wilpons exchange a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which predicts at the least one pinch-hit image per-game and private autograph conferences for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only lives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they acquire their first name since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady remains ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/ USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40 -year old athlete in a contact sport will appear his age doesnt seem specially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favourite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his vocation. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Perhaps Brady extends his youth a year or two beyond that duet, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one guesses hes genuinely retired, even if more than 15 months have legislated since he last clambered through the ropes. Not when one more contend could promote him to the singular differentiate of 50-0, one better than Bumpy Marcianos accepted epitome of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively identify his own toll as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders speculate a rematch with Manny Pacquiao towers, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest engage in biography. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an adversary who scarcely deserves the possibilities of but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar capacity of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he swerved heel, trading in his respectful and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime scoundrel whom more love pay to watch lose than watch win. But simply because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt signify he doesnt am worried about beings liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit video games as the cowboy in the white-hot hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt prepare as a bold prophecy, after all most of the other competitors have put out. But Los Angeles was formerly killed as a hopeful after the USOC opted Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to legion video games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more pleading choices. And hitherto LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It is likely to be host the Competition next year. For the foregoing reasons Los Angeles will be the safe option. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey redoubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have conjectured that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will penetrate the octagon during the first half of the brand-new year, before Conor McGregor even books another combat, and get back to her winning practices. It wont is currently under 135 lbs, nonetheless. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight department and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino( presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last trench effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fighting. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the National did triumph the NL East by eight competitions in 2016, reciting in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the demon season that he had in 2016. Washington was also apparently chasing some bigger reputations this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen , amongst other, but were unable to territory them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a listing can make any team a playoff hopeful, there are questions encircling their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power limbs rendering from trauma, and other NL units including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants becoming moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as homosexual

Michael Sam was the first openly lesbian musician drawn up in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/ USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual devotees, will come out as homosexual. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive goal who came out prior to the NFL sketch and discontinued up never playing in a regular season activity, looms over the conference as a missed opening. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see recited. Because of this, I amply expect the first out player in the conference to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant know dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro boasts tournament will try to boost offense doesnt exactly definitely sounds like going out on a limb. Every league knows that tallying exchanges, and every conference manufactures sure the rulebook helps abundance of it. Its plays sell 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The tournament has talks to boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This time, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending material. Then, shrieks, they didnt constitute such adjustments in time, so good-for-nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is parcelled with agitating young endowment like we havent considered to be in an entire generation. Surely now is the time to let them glisten. Surely now is when well lastly get some forwards fantasizing from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of throwing tallying charges while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we are in a position. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, unhappily, this prepares. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will construct the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolled your eyes through personal computers. Real cute, but these projections are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently exclusively two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the merits of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be razed by the Fighters in four tournaments this spring.

The Lakers were poising around. 500 before Thanksgiving, then misplaced 12 of 13 during a brutal superhighway journey made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A health Laker team still cant performance much protection, but they are unable score against anybody, as triumphs over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good an opportunity as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have genuine hotshots, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite forces in the NBA. This is still a bumpy gang that is dragging a few laughable contracts down special courts every night, but they have as good as possibility as anyone right now. DS

The post Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017 appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[apsbicepstraining]

Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017

On the heels of a boasts year that was chock full of amazes, Guardian US contributors make their bold prognosis for the months to come

Here are our daring projections for 2017. Please memo the daring ( or should that be bold ?) in bold prophecies these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few contestants are as prepared for their own lives after basketball than Kobe, a husband of diverse fascinates and prodigious worldwide prestige. Few athletes too are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last-place few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of participates. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare lower him on the same flooring as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods “re going to win” again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone prevail, major championships was shortcoming even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs conference represents Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such surroundings now.

Still, he can and will win lower tier PGA Tour events. Timbers has a inclination to prevail on the same tracks, as shows up his register. He holds more competitive ability than some of the individuals who win once or twice on Tour in any generated year. If fitness hassles certainly are behind Lumbers, he will return to the platform. Then? Cue more major consideration. EM

An American not appointed Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did acquire Wimbledon six months ago, so gives not make her in the soil just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 there are still no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was faded during a year that determined the late-blooming Angelique Kerber triumph a duo of major entitlements to inherit “the worlds” No1 grading on deserve. The door has never been more open for the boasts 90 s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys are as follows this year. The 21 -year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the fires, and power on both wings. Look for her to give it all together and become the first American woman not reputation Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard crew will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To prevail the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and thumped three of the conferences top teams. That said, it has happened six hours before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champs came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017 s will as well. With no great, dominant crew, the footpath is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Whale and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are gazing red-hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/ USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the canvas, but virtually no commentators predicted a recur for a Villanova team that rendered most of its title-winning 2016 crew. Aside from a shaky rendition against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been best available actor in the country, Jalen Brunson renders offense at will when he has the dance and Villanova are touching their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last-place season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this unit I like those curious. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best actor in its own history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has stimulated himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS actor. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will expand as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and sun of all of our lives, sufficiently flunked during the course of its stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats maybe because of his measly slash course of. 194/.296 /. 242 over 70 plateful illusions. Tebow did not punched a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its perhaps safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so quickly: Tebow was emulating against some of the best potentials baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11 -game stretch where he stumbled. 281 and posted an OBP of. 425. In 2017, the Mets elude all logic and hopes by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their droop mid-week attendance. The Wilpons exchange a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which predicts at the least one pinch-hit image per-game and private autograph conferences for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only lives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they acquire their first name since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady remains ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/ USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40 -year old athlete in a contact sport will appear his age doesnt seem specially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favourite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his vocation. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Perhaps Brady extends his youth a year or two beyond that duet, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one guesses hes genuinely retired, even if more than 15 months have legislated since he last clambered through the ropes. Not when one more contend could promote him to the singular differentiate of 50-0, one better than Bumpy Marcianos accepted epitome of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively identify his own toll as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders speculate a rematch with Manny Pacquiao towers, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest engage in biography. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an adversary who scarcely deserves the possibilities of but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar capacity of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he swerved heel, trading in his respectful and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime scoundrel whom more love pay to watch lose than watch win. But simply because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt signify he doesnt am worried about beings liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit video games as the cowboy in the white-hot hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt prepare as a bold prophecy, after all most of the other competitors have put out. But Los Angeles was formerly killed as a hopeful after the USOC opted Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to legion video games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more pleading choices. And hitherto LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It is likely to be host the Competition next year. For the foregoing reasons Los Angeles will be the safe option. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey redoubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have conjectured that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will penetrate the octagon during the first half of the brand-new year, before Conor McGregor even books another combat, and get back to her winning practices. It wont is currently under 135 lbs, nonetheless. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight department and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino( presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last trench effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fighting. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the National did triumph the NL East by eight competitions in 2016, reciting in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the demon season that he had in 2016. Washington was also apparently chasing some bigger reputations this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen , amongst other, but were unable to territory them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a listing can make any team a playoff hopeful, there are questions encircling their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power limbs rendering from trauma, and other NL units including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants becoming moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as homosexual

Michael Sam was the first openly lesbian musician drawn up in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/ USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual devotees, will come out as homosexual. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive goal who came out prior to the NFL sketch and discontinued up never playing in a regular season activity, looms over the conference as a missed opening. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see recited. Because of this, I amply expect the first out player in the conference to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant know dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro boasts tournament will try to boost offense doesnt exactly definitely sounds like going out on a limb. Every league knows that tallying exchanges, and every conference manufactures sure the rulebook helps abundance of it. Its plays sell 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The tournament has talks to boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This time, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending material. Then, shrieks, they didnt constitute such adjustments in time, so good-for-nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is parcelled with agitating young endowment like we havent considered to be in an entire generation. Surely now is the time to let them glisten. Surely now is when well lastly get some forwards fantasizing from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of throwing tallying charges while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we are in a position. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, unhappily, this prepares. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will construct the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolled your eyes through personal computers. Real cute, but these projections are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently exclusively two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the merits of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be razed by the Fighters in four tournaments this spring.

The Lakers were poising around. 500 before Thanksgiving, then misplaced 12 of 13 during a brutal superhighway journey made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A health Laker team still cant performance much protection, but they are unable score against anybody, as triumphs over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good an opportunity as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have genuine hotshots, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite forces in the NBA. This is still a bumpy gang that is dragging a few laughable contracts down special courts every night, but they have as good as possibility as anyone right now. DS

The post Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017 appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[circle111e-blog]

Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017

On the heels of a sports year that was chock full of surprises, Guardian US contributors make their bold predictions for the months to come

Here are our bold predictions for 2017. Please note the bold (or should that be bold?) in bold predictions these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few athletes are as prepared for a life after basketball than Kobe, a man of diverse interests and immense worldwide fame. Few athletes also are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of players. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare drop him on the same floor as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods will win again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone win, major championships was flawed even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs summit means Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such environments now.

Still, he can and will win lower grade PGA Tour events. Woods has a propensity to prevail on the same courses, as shown by his record. He retains more competitive ability than some of those who win once or twice on Tour in any given year. If fitness troubles really are behind Woods, he will return to the podium. Then? Cue more major discussion. EM

An American not named Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did win Wimbledon six months ago, so lets not put her in the ground just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 and theres no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was weakened during a year that saw the late-blooming Angelique Kerber win a pair of major titles to inherit the world No1 ranking on merit. The door has never been more open for the sports 90s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys will follow this year. The 21-year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the shots, and power on both wings. Look for her to put it all together and become the first American woman not named Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard team will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To win the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and beat three of the leagues top teams. That said, it has happened six times before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champions came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017s will as well. With no great, dominant team, the path is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Giants and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are looking hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the polls, but virtually no analysts predicted a repeat for a Villanova team that returned most of its title-winning 2016 team. Aside from a shaky performance against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been the best player in the country, Jalen Brunson generates offense at will when he has the ball and Villanova are hitting their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this team I like those odds. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best player in the history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has made himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS player. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will thrive as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and light of all of our lives, sufficiently failed during his stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats probably because of his measly slash line of .194/.296/.242 over 70 plate appearances. Tebow did not hit a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its probably safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so fast: Tebow was competing against some of the best prospects baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11-game stretch where he hit .281 and posted an OBP of.425. In 2017, the Mets defy all logic and expectations by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their sagging mid-week attendance. The Wilpons sell a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which promises at least one pinch-hit appearance per-game and private autograph sessions for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only survives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they win their first title since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady stays ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40-year old athlete in a contact sport will look his age doesnt seem especially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favorite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his career. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Maybe Brady stretches his youth a year or two beyond that pair, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one believes hes really retired, even if more than 15 months have passed since he last climbed through the ropes. Not when one more fight could lift him to the singular mark of 50-0, one better than Rocky Marcianos recognized paragon of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively name his own price as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders believe a rematch with Manny Pacquiao looms, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest fight in history. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an opponent who hardly deserves the opportunity but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar role of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he turned heel, trading in his polite and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime villain whom more fans pay to watch lose than watch win. But just because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt mean he doesnt care about people liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit the game as the cowboy in the white hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt qualify as a bold prediction, after all most of the other competitors have dropped out. But Los Angeles was once eliminated as a contender after the USOC chose Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to host the games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more appealing choices. And yet LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It could probably host the Games next year. For this reason Los Angeles will be the safe choice. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey doubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have speculated that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will enter the octagon in the first half of the new year, before Conor McGregor even books another fight, and get back to her winning ways. It wont be at 135lbs, however. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight division and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino (presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last ditch effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fight. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the Nationals did win the NL East by eight games in 2016, repeating in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the monster season that he had in 2016. Washington was also reportedly chasing some bigger names this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen, among others, but were unable to land them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a roster can make any team a playoff contender, there are questions surrounding their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power arms returning from injury, and other NL teams including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants making moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as gay

Michael Sam was the first openly gay player drafted in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual fans, will come out as gay. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive end who came out prior to the NFL draft and ended up never playing in a regular season game, looms over the league as a missed opportunity. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see repeated. Because of this, I fully expect the first out athlete in the league to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant experience dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro sports league will try to boost offense doesnt exactly sound like going out on a limb. Every league knows that scoring sells, and every league makes sure the rulebook encourages plenty of it. Its sports marketing 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The league has been talking about boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This year, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending equipment. Then, whoops, they didnt make the adjustments in time, so nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is packed with exciting young talent like we havent seen in a generation. Surely now is the time to let them shine. Surely now is when well finally get some forward thinking from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of plunging scoring rates while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we can. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, sadly, this qualifies. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will make the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolling your eyes through the computer. Real cute, but these predictions are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently only two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the bottom of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be demolished by the Warriors in four games this spring.

The Lakers were hovering around .500 before Thanksgiving, then lost 12 of 13 during a brutal road trip made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A healthy Laker team still cant play much defense, but they can score against anybody, as wins over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good a chance as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have true superstars, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite squads in the NBA. This is still a rough unit that is dragging a few ridiculous contracts down the court each night, but they have as good as chance as anyone right now. DS

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jan/02/bold-sports-predictions-for-2017

The post Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017 appeared first on Hockey Elite Group.

[circle111g-blog]

Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017

On the heels of a sports year that was chock full of surprises, Guardian US contributors make their bold predictions for the months to come

Here are our bold predictions for 2017. Please note the bold (or should that be bold?) in bold predictions these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few athletes are as prepared for a life after basketball than Kobe, a man of diverse interests and immense worldwide fame. Few athletes also are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of players. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare drop him on the same floor as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods will win again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone win, major championships was flawed even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs summit means Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such environments now.

Still, he can and will win lower grade PGA Tour events. Woods has a propensity to prevail on the same courses, as shown by his record. He retains more competitive ability than some of those who win once or twice on Tour in any given year. If fitness troubles really are behind Woods, he will return to the podium. Then? Cue more major discussion. EM

An American not named Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did win Wimbledon six months ago, so lets not put her in the ground just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 and theres no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was weakened during a year that saw the late-blooming Angelique Kerber win a pair of major titles to inherit the world No1 ranking on merit. The door has never been more open for the sports 90s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys will follow this year. The 21-year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the shots, and power on both wings. Look for her to put it all together and become the first American woman not named Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard team will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To win the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and beat three of the leagues top teams. That said, it has happened six times before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champions came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017s will as well. With no great, dominant team, the path is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Giants and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are looking hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the polls, but virtually no analysts predicted a repeat for a Villanova team that returned most of its title-winning 2016 team. Aside from a shaky performance against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been the best player in the country, Jalen Brunson generates offense at will when he has the ball and Villanova are hitting their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this team I like those odds. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best player in the history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has made himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS player. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will thrive as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and light of all of our lives, sufficiently failed during his stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats probably because of his measly slash line of .194/.296/.242 over 70 plate appearances. Tebow did not hit a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its probably safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so fast: Tebow was competing against some of the best prospects baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11-game stretch where he hit .281 and posted an OBP of.425. In 2017, the Mets defy all logic and expectations by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their sagging mid-week attendance. The Wilpons sell a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which promises at least one pinch-hit appearance per-game and private autograph sessions for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only survives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they win their first title since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady stays ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40-year old athlete in a contact sport will look his age doesnt seem especially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favorite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his career. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Maybe Brady stretches his youth a year or two beyond that pair, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one believes hes really retired, even if more than 15 months have passed since he last climbed through the ropes. Not when one more fight could lift him to the singular mark of 50-0, one better than Rocky Marcianos recognized paragon of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively name his own price as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders believe a rematch with Manny Pacquiao looms, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest fight in history. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an opponent who hardly deserves the opportunity but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar role of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he turned heel, trading in his polite and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime villain whom more fans pay to watch lose than watch win. But just because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt mean he doesnt care about people liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit the game as the cowboy in the white hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt qualify as a bold prediction, after all most of the other competitors have dropped out. But Los Angeles was once eliminated as a contender after the USOC chose Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to host the games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more appealing choices. And yet LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It could probably host the Games next year. For this reason Los Angeles will be the safe choice. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey doubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have speculated that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will enter the octagon in the first half of the new year, before Conor McGregor even books another fight, and get back to her winning ways. It wont be at 135lbs, however. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight division and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino (presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last ditch effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fight. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the Nationals did win the NL East by eight games in 2016, repeating in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the monster season that he had in 2016. Washington was also reportedly chasing some bigger names this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen, among others, but were unable to land them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a roster can make any team a playoff contender, there are questions surrounding their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power arms returning from injury, and other NL teams including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants making moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as gay

Michael Sam was the first openly gay player drafted in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual fans, will come out as gay. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive end who came out prior to the NFL draft and ended up never playing in a regular season game, looms over the league as a missed opportunity. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see repeated. Because of this, I fully expect the first out athlete in the league to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant experience dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro sports league will try to boost offense doesnt exactly sound like going out on a limb. Every league knows that scoring sells, and every league makes sure the rulebook encourages plenty of it. Its sports marketing 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The league has been talking about boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This year, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending equipment. Then, whoops, they didnt make the adjustments in time, so nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is packed with exciting young talent like we havent seen in a generation. Surely now is the time to let them shine. Surely now is when well finally get some forward thinking from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of plunging scoring rates while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we can. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, sadly, this qualifies. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will make the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolling your eyes through the computer. Real cute, but these predictions are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently only two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the bottom of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be demolished by the Warriors in four games this spring.

The Lakers were hovering around .500 before Thanksgiving, then lost 12 of 13 during a brutal road trip made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A healthy Laker team still cant play much defense, but they can score against anybody, as wins over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good a chance as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have true superstars, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite squads in the NBA. This is still a rough unit that is dragging a few ridiculous contracts down the court each night, but they have as good as chance as anyone right now. DS

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jan/02/bold-sports-predictions-for-2017

The post Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017 appeared first on Hockey Elite Group.