#the devil is both the actual devil and the isu

[ylge]

KhunBam Dungeon Meshi AU doodles

Explore the dungeon and discover delicious monster-cooking recipes with Bam's party!

Trivias and HCs:

1. Bam once got trapped in the dungeon, where he discovered he could eat the monsters there.

2. When Bam was taken to upper ground, he kinda misses the taste of monsters he ate back then. When he has the chance to go back to the dungeon with his new party, he's overjoyed that he can try monster-cooking again.

3. Bam has many secrets from his time being trapped in dungeon.

4. Khun is Bam's 1st party member, but before then he's already Bam's close friend.

5. Khun is a mage graduated from magic academy. His main element is ice.

6. Endorsi was actually an ordinary human. Her soul got mixed with a beast's soul in an accident in her past.

7. Having a feline characteristics, Endorsi is incredibly flexible and it makes her a strong combatant

8. Endorsi is a calico cat

9. Both Hatz and Isu are the last member joining Bam's party

10. Hatz is a swordsman from eastern archipelago

11. Before joining Bam's party, Isu works as an informan

12. Just like in canon, Hatz and Khun bicker a lot. Bam thinks they are really close, aren't they?

13. Khun always initially never agrees when Bam wants to cook monsters, but then gives up because he's a pining idiot and he can't refuse Bam.

14. Yes, Khun is in love with Bam.

15. Bam likes Khun too, but he's too dumb about romantic love.

16. Bam is too immersed in monster-cooking to realize his feelings, Khun is too scared to tell Bam about his feelings. You know, the usual.

17. Rak is also the part of Bam's party, he's the real latest member of the party. I just haven't decided his race yet. That's why he isn't here

18. There are Yuri and Evan too, Yuri is also a beastkin ( I planned all the Jahad Princesses to be beastkin because you know, beastkins are artificially made just like Jahad Princesses). Evan stays as his canon race (dwarf)

19. Bam has a sword named The Black March. Yuri gave it to him, she was also his first sword-wielding teacher

20. There's a rumor about the devil of the dungeon in the lower level spreads around the adventurers. The devil was seen to have a pair of horns, A pair of jet black wings, and a long dark hair. Its presence suddenly vanished mysteriously, at the same time Bam was taken to the upperground.

[teecupangel]

An AU of an AU for you: "Desmond is Fenrir (kinda)" but Desmond isn't really in it. Basim first sees Desmond when he is awakened from Yggdrasil and it... Messes up a lot of things. He researches Desmond (not odd for Shaun&Becca, though staring is kinda creepy). He realizes Reader was Desmond (he is shiny all time it can be forgiven). Next stop? Same as for Alatheia, insuring he also has a body to return to

Basim after realizing Desmond is that shiny dude he probably had one or two conversations with during his imprisonment:

I honestly don’t know how Aletheia would even react to that. For one, I feel like Aletheia would be the one to think “that can’t be our son” and that would develop cracks in their relationship. On the other hand, that may be the push Basim needs to develop a better relationship with Shaun and Becca. To be fair, in this scenario, I feel that Shaun and Becca could easily be persuaded to help him find Desmond a body.

But you know who wouldn’t need that much persuasion?

William Miles.

I see Bill actually agreeing to Basim’s plans just to see Desmond once more. He doesn’t show it but Desmond’s death has screwed him up even more and he’s more willing to make deals with the devil on the off-chance that it would revive Desmond. (To be fair, that’s just me trying to make sense of why someone as paranoid as Wiliam Miles would be so cordial with Basim in the last chapter)

In this case, I think the ones who would try to stop them are the other Assassins.

For one, Basim is a fucking Isu. There’s no way Assassins would just be okay with letting him do as he pleases. Even if he was a Hidden One, Eivor’s memories made it clear that he has an agenda of his own that could be detrimental to the world.

So now, Basim and Desmond’s cell will become rogue Assassins and they need to evade both the Templars and the Assassins.

And… maybe… that was the Reader’s plan from the start.

Those last eight years in the Gray had skewered his priorities and moral compass to… well… a monochrome of gray.

And what he found out is that, for the world to continue to keep on surviving against all odds, against all the other catasthropes heading its way after the solar flare…

Desmond Miles must be revived at all costs.

[russianfigureskatinghell]

I'm dumb and forgot the Grand Prix of Russia had already been announced, no assignments yet tho.

Moscow - October 21st-23rd

Sochi - October 28th-30th

Kazan - November 4th-6th

Moscow - November 11th-13th

Samara - November 16th- 18th

Perm - November 25th- 27th

Sochi - March 3rd-5th (*Final*)

[anewbeginningagain]

Hey! This is maybe a totally out of left field/old news question, but I am a non figure skater who started following you when I went through a real TS phase in 2018 (me and everyone else lol) and I always find your anon responses thoughtful and informative. So basically, I watched a YouTube video about Russian skaters (and the “Eteri expiration date”) which left me wondering: should competition age for seniors and olympics be raised? A google search tells me it’s something that comes up in discussion once every few years but never goes anywhere. Like, let’s have skaters develop and grow before they ruin their bodies jumping all over the place and training night and day, and it seems like these tiny, underfed girls lose their skills as they age because they don’t know what to do with their matured bodies (like weight distribution etc). And if the rules mean that this kind of skating always wins, it becomes a lot less fun to watch. Additionally, as a layperson, I don’t give a shit about quads lol. I feel like skating is losing popularity because those at the top are often sacrificing artistry to add a rotation that doesn’t actually look any different to Olympic viewers at home. Not sure how much the isu cares about viewership or if that is a consideration for them financially, but I digress. If this is something you are not interested in talking about I won’t be offended, but I’d love your thoughts!

I don’t think there’s a good answer to the raising the age limit question tbh. Playing the devil’s advocate I can admit that in some ways Eteri skaters have contributed to the progression of the ladies' field n some way and definitely made it bigger than it was before in terms of attention and publicity. And there’s no denying that the technical advances that we are seeing because of the Russian skaters are something that not many people thought we’ll see.

There are two major issues with the “Eteri method”:

The first and most important is that the lasting damage to these skaters is something that we know happens but we still don’t know the ramifications of it.  I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Medvedeva lost pretty much all of her jumps once she matured, same goes with Zagitova who can still land some of her jumps but there’s no way she’s close to competition shape. I think that no matter what they both say, Medevedeva and Zagitova are essentially retired. I also think it’s not a coincidence that Kostornaia, the skaters with the best skating technique out of Eteri skaters is left so vulnerable because of injuries now that she grew more. This is basically the Eteri method, take a skater pre-puberty, work her to a point of complete breaking point and switch the new and improved model once the original skater can’t sustain it anymore. We’ve already seen it with Liptniskaia, Medvedeva, Zagitova, and Tsurkaya and I assume we’ll see it not too far with Shcherbakova as well and in a more far future with Valieva. The only one I think has a chance to escape it is Trusova, and even that is only because of her insane grit. And this is just discussing the physical aspects of this, not even mentioning the much more problematic psychological aspects.

The second part is that when you get Olympic champions at 15-16 who lose all of their jumps in a year after the Olympics you completely lose the opportunity to see actual growth and maturity from skaters who could have had years of skating to enjoy. 

But the thing is that I don't think raising the age limit to 17 will make that big of a difference, I think someone like Eteri will simply adapt to the change and will work even harder with her skaters to do everything in order to delay puberty (or work with skater like Tursynbaeva who at 21 looks 14). I think the true solution is to somehow balance the reward for the technical and the artistic parts. And of course, start rewarding justified PCS. The fact that Zagitova got PCS at 9.0 or higher in her first year as a senior (and even later) when she had very limited skating and performance skills pretty much make the competition rigged. The fact that a skater has strong technical content does not mean they deserve high PCS and the lack of differentiation is a much bigger factor when it comes to balancing skaters imo. The current gap between the technical part (BV+GOE) is so big that even the best skater in the world can’t catch it even when the skaters with the 3A and quads make mistakes)

I will give Eteri some credit for improving her models, I mean for me Valieva > Shcherbakova > Zagitova, so they are for sure working on perfecting their method and making sure their skaters will be able to defeat the rest of the field without a hitch. I mean Valieva getting a 3A to go along with her 4T and 4S and pretty flawless spins will make her almost untouchable in the Olympic season (unless something unpredictable will happen).

[thecollegefootballguy]

2019 Top Games of the Week: Week 3

Not much is changing at the very top of the sport, but usually that takes more than a few weeks to figure out, but everything else, man, we’ve got a season on our hands. I mean, my god, Virginia and Maryland are ranked. Week 2 was packed with big games and near-miss upsets. I hope the trend continues as the weeks go on.

The Top Ten Games of the Week

10. TCU 1-0 (0-0) at Purdue 1-1 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

I’m a fan of this nonconference matchup, mostly because I can’t place either of these teams just yet. TCU has only played one game against an FCS opponent which doesn’t tell us a thing. Purdue has lost to Nevada but beat Vanderbilt pretty handily, so I really can’t say I’ve made up my mind about the Boilermakers except maybe Vanderbilt is worse than I thought.

9. Kansas State 2-0 (0-0) at Mississippi State 2-0 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

Neither team has played much competition so far, so this game could end up telling us a lot about each squad. Both are hoping to crash their respective conference races and could use some momentum going into league play.

8. #24 USC 2-0 (1-0) at BYU 1-1 (Saturday 9/14)

Well I’m very curious what’s gonna go on here. USC seems to have found themselves a gunslinger in true freshman Kedon Slovis at QB. Meanwhile, BYU has become the latest non-P5 team to go to Knoxville and come away with a win. The Trojans have to be the favorites here but Brigham Young, despite its best efforts, almost never gets a shot at a team like Southern California in Provo. This is a huge statement game for the Cougars and they should give SC their best shot.

7. #9 Florida 2-0 (0-0) at Kentucky 2-0 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

Do you believe in miracles? How about twice in a row? Last year Kentucky beat Florida in Gainesville for the first time since the 70′s. Now the Wildcats are tasked with taking down the Gators in Lexington for the first time since 1986 and with winning two in a row since 1976-77. It’s a tall order, but the seal has been broken. UK has the ability to beat Florida again, let’s see if they can take advantage.

6. #2 Alabama 2-0 (0-0) at South Carolina 1-1 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

I don’t think I’d have put this game on the top ten if it was played later in the season, but here we are. Alabama will probably crush South Carolina, but the Gamecocks just outdid their all-time scoring record on UT Martin, so maybe they can make something happen on offense. And besides, they aren’t playing Clemson yet, it’s not like this is the hardest game on the South Carolina’s schedule.

5. #1 Clemson 2-0 (0-0) at Syracuse 1-1 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

This one felt a lot more interesting before last week before Syracuse got blown up by Maryland. Clemson should probably knock over the Orange with little effort, but that’s what we all thought the last time the Tigers went to the Carrier Dome, and we all remember what happened then.

4. North Carolina 2-0 (0-0) at Wake Forest 2-0 (0-0) (Friday 9/13)

How can you not be fascinated by this game? North Carolina has turned from out and out loser to serious ACC Coastal contender in two weeks. Mack Brown has somehow resuscitated the Tar Heels in just two short weeks. Meanwhile, Wake Forest keeps plowing along, punching well above their weight in the past few years and looking to further improve up the Atlantic hierarchy despite massive institutional disadvantages. These long time, in-state rivals wanted to play each other so badly that they scheduled a non-conference series against each other to take the field this Friday night. That’s right, this isn’t even an ACC game and doesn’t count in the league standings. My god, this is just wild that we’re seeing this.

3. Arizona State 2-0 (0-0) at #18 Michigan State 2-0 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

This part of the season is so fun because narratives about each team are just starting to crop up. Not for Arizona State though. The Sun Devils are the only team in the PAC-12 South to have absolutely no buzz around them positive or negative. So we’ll learn a lot from them this week. Michigan State, meanwhile, needs a good challenge to see if the Spartans are the real deal or not. Against Tulsa they looked moribund, against WMU Sparty looked kind of scary on offense. Imagine if MSU had an offense, just the thought sends a chill down my spine.

2. #20 Washington State 2-0 (0-0) vs Houston 1-1 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

Boy, the PAC-12 could actually sink lower if they lose this one. They really shouldn’t if they want any part in the national conversation. This one is being played at NRG, allegedly a neutral site, but I don’t think anybody is buying that one. Oh yeah, it’s the Cougar Bowl. That’s kind cool.

1. #19 Iowa 2-0 (1-0) at Iowa State 1-0 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

As the prophesy foretold, one day, the Iowa-Iowa State would grab the nation’s attention. God I’m so mad that the AP took the Cyclones out of the top 25, even if it was warranted by almost losing to Northern Iowa. This could have been a top 25 matchup! That would’ve been so cool given that this game is usually either ignored or laughed at. Oh well, you’re missing out if you don’t watch this one. Iowa is one of the two serious players in the Big Ten West race and ISU has been among the three best teams in the Big 12 the past two years.

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Top 5 G5 Games of the Week

5. Miami OH 1-1 (0-0) at Cincinnati 1-1 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

I’m a sucker for longstanding rivalry games, which explains why this matchup is in the top 5 and not something like Air Force at Colorado. I remain unrepentant. The Victory Bell is one of the G5′s best (and only) non-conference trophy games and it’s fantastic that these two still play every year. Also Cincinnati could use a tune-up after getting thrashed by Ohio State.

4. Southern Miss 1-1 (0-0) at Troy 1-0 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

I really like this regional non-conference matchup. Southern Miss and Troy are both hoping to win their respective conferences and a victory here would help out a great deal despite not counting in the official standings.

3. Hawaii 2-0 (0-0) at #23 Washington 1-1 (0-1) (Saturday 9/14)

I think Washington is going to use this game to remind people why they’ve won the PAC-12 twice in the last two years, but Hawaii has won two games already against PAC-12 opponents. We can dream.

2. Stanford 1-1 (0-1) at #17 UCF 2-0 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

UCF might have another big season here. The Knights are getting to play two P5 teams in a row and should be the favorites both times. Stanford started strong but ended up getting hammered by USC last week. KJ Costello should be back as QB but the Cardinal’s issues on offense and defense probably won’t get covered up fully against an experienced team like Central Florida.

1. #21 Maryland 2-0 (0-0) at Temple 1-0 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

Temple’s relatively innocuous game against Maryland has suddenly gained some importance now that the Terrapins have shown themselves to be severely underrated. The Owls have the chance to knock off a high flying opponent with a lot of momentum going their way.

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FCS Games of the Week

I didn’t include the FCS vs P5 games this week, mostly because the FCS teams are all severely overmatched by P5 opponents. I mean, I think it’d be cool if they won, but it’s not very likely.

5. #13 Illinois State 1-1 (0-0) at Eastern Illinois 0-2 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

The Mid-America classic is one of the FCS’s most played rivalries outside of the Ivy League. Illinois State is probably Playoff bound, but the Redbirds have to win on the road against the rebuilding Panthers.

4. #6 Weber State 1-1 (0-0) at Nevada 1-1 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

Let’s get the transitive wins going. Nevada beat Purdue already. We could do some real damage here. Idaho State > Ohio State?

3. #4 Eastern Washington 1-1 (0-0) at #17 Jacksonville State 1-1 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

Two perennial FCS powerhouses square off in this Playoff preview. Jacksonville State might need this one a bit worse, though. The Gamecocks’ loss to SELA in Week 1 really took the wind out of their sails.

2. #1 North Dakota State 2-0 (0-0) at #18 Delaware 2-0 (1-0) (Saturday 9/14)

Two perennial FCS powerhouses square off in this Playoff preview. This time without a qualifier.

1. #8 Towson 2-0 (0-0) at #6 Maine 1-0 (0-0) (Saturday 9/14)

The CAA has gifted us with a great Top Ten matchup early on in the season. The only one in D-I football this week. Might as well watch it right?

[icedanceupstarts]

2019 Junior World Championships Preview

Thirty-one dance teams take on Zagreb, Croatia for the last major junior event of the 2018/2019 season, because wow does time fly. Check below for our preview of some of the top contenders you won’t want to miss!

Alicia FABBRI / Paul AYER Canada Age: 16/20 Started Skating Together: 2018 Coach: Julien Lalonde Season's Best: 135.66 Rhythm Dance: A Evaristo Carriego Free Dance: Quand on na que l'amour(2:09:00 on the video)

Ice dance tends to favor lengthier partnerships, but Fabbri/Ayer have been forced to do a speed run of their junior career, as he ages them out after this. They suffered serious growing pains in the fall, but hit their stride starting with Skate Canada Challenge, and grabbed the silver at Nationals ahead of some heavy competition in order to win a berth here. Alicia Fabbri has been around and a favourite of ours for the past two seasons with former partner Claudio Pietrantonio, but this will be the first trip to Junior Worlds for either. Watching them skate together, it's clear why they teamed up despite the inconveniences-- they have great depth of edge, power, and matching glide, and as they’ve gotten used to competing together they give the impression of a more established team. The ideal partnership is the one that works, and as they've settled into each other, it's clear that this works. Alicia has always been such a mature, nuanced performer and Paul is a very strong lead that has helped them come together so quickly. They're kind of wildcards-- they had a very messy fall season that made us increasingly nervous, and it's hard to be sure just how a clean, strong Fabbri/Ayer will stack up in this crowd. Rather than the actual results, the important part is probably that they show up with two strong, clean skates with good levels and high performance quality to best showcase their abilities and begin their transition to seniors with a positive experience.

Marjorie LAJOIE / Zachary LAGHA Canada Age: 18/19 Started Skating Together: 2011 Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer, Pascal Denis Season's Best: 166.52 Rhythm Dance: Otros Aires Free Dance: Warsaw Concerto

One of the major medal contenders here, the three time Canadian Junior National Champions will be looking for redemption after a history of close calls. 4th at Junior Worlds last year, and 4th again at JGPF in December, Lajoie/Lagha will want to close out their junior career with a medal, possibly even the gold. They're one of the veterans of the field, with this being their fourth trip to Junior Worlds, and they're ready to move on to the senior ranks even though they have another year of eligibility left. They’ve really stepped up recently showing more maturity in their skating and finding ways to connect with each other and the audience. They have a really sharp midline step sequence in their rhythm dance this year, and their free dance opens with an undeniably stunning stationary lift. If they skate the way they can at their best, such as at JGP Richmond in the fall, it will be difficult for their rivals to keep them off the podium.

Maria KAZAKOVA/Georgy REVIYA Georgia Age: 17/19 Started Skating Together: 2017 Coach: Denis Samokhin Season's Best: 164.65 Rhythm Dance: Building the Bullet Free Dance: Carmina Burana

Kazakova/Reviya made their Junior World debut last season where they cracked the top 10, and have continued to make a statement this year winning the first JGP medals in ice dance for Georgia as well as qualifying for the JGPF in their first JGP season together. These two have risen fast through the ranks and have an outside shot at a medal here. They had a somewhat disappointing experience at JGPF, tripping in the pattern during the rhythm dance and placing last in both segments, but that just means the pressure is off here. They have no domestic competition to worry about, they're not aging out, and the spotlight is off them despite having posted some very competitive scores at points in the season. This makes them perfect dark horse material if any of the bigger favorites screw up. All they need to worry about is themselves. They've got a lot going for them, speed and power, and they're really getting to be able to skate up to the drama of Carmina Burana, which is no small feat. They have a really great lift in the free dance as well, and they're generally committed performers. Even if they don't climb on the podium this year, they can set themselves up as big contenders for next season. As long as they remember that they have nothing to lose and everything to gain, Kazakova/Reviya can make quite a splash in their second appearance at Junior Worlds.

Elizaveta KHUDAIBERDIEVA / Nikita NAZAROV Russia Age: 16/20 Started Skating Together: 2016 Coach: Denis Samokhin Season's Best: 164.54 Rhythm Dance: Tango Amore Free Dance: Human/Nemesis

Reigning JGPF and Russian junior national bronze medalists, Khudaiberdieva/Nazarov are one of the teams making their Junior Worlds debut who are also aging out of juniors after this season. They definitely have a chance to keep up their medal streak here, and potentially more than just bronze. They're a team that knows their strengths and use them to full effect-- the dramatic, eye catching opening to their tango which makes full use of her long lines and flexibility has stuck with us all season. They've tinkered with their angsty, modern free dance, a great fit for their performance style, over the season though that great stationary lift has stuck around. They’ve struggled with consistency issues and giving up big points on fluke errors in the past, but have proven themselves to be formidable competitors in their third season skating together.

They defeated rivals Lajoie/Lagha on their home ice, which was no small feat particularly considering Khudaiberdieva/Nazarov qualified to the JGPF without having to face off against any major rivals. But they delivered under pressure and will at minimum be looking to put out two strong performances and ideally take home one more junior medal., but even so it was by a hair and they'll need to be at their best to medal again. Despite winning both of their JGPs, they're not favored to take the top spot, which may be all the better for them. If they can clean up their little errors and skate with all the speed and emotion they're capable of while getting good levels, they have a great shot at earning a medal.

Sofia SHEVCHENKO / Igor EREMENKO Russia Age: 17/21 Started Skating Together: 2014 Coach: Irina Zhuk and Alexander Svinin Season's Best: 170.66 Rhythm Dance: La Cumparsita Free Dance: Witchdoctor/Lijo

In their fourth and final junior season, Shevchenko/Eremenko are aiming to finish out their junior career on top of the podium before making the jump to the crowded senior ranks. They've never missed a JGP medal in their four seasons on the circuit, but have always been overlooked in favor of their rivals until this season, indeed, until the JGPF where they were the surprise winners by the slimmest margin possible. They followed that up with a more decisive victory at Russian Junior Nationals, winning by around four points. In our opinion their tango is one of the best this season at any level, they have such an instinctive feel for it and wonderful choreographic touches as well. Her spin exit out of their twizzles and their lift perfectly timed to the musical accents and styled for the tango are highlights. Their free dance is innovative and quirky with elements perfectly suited to the music and a standout choreo character step sequence. Their last Junior Worlds may only be their second appearance at the event, but they’ve set themselves up quite well this season to wind up in one of the top spots.

Arina USHAKOVA / Maxim NEKRASOV Russia Age: 16/18 Started Skating Together: 2015 Coach: Alexei Gorshkov Season's Best: 172.81 Rhythm Dance: Libertango/Flamenco Free Dance: Black Cat, White Cat

The reigning Junior World Medalists, Ushakova/Nekrasov absolutely peaked at the right time last season and will be looking to do so again this year. After an impressive start to the season where they absolutely dominated both of their JGPs, they lost out on the JGPF title but a heartbreakingly close margin of 0.01 to domestic rivals Shevchenko/Eremenko. They skated well at Nationals but were unable to take the title there either. They still have the highest personal best of the teams here, earned with their unforgettable athletic, quirky style. Despite their undeniable talents like speed and power that would fit right in at the senior level, and a rare commitment to performing, they're a bit of an acquired taste. Their performance style and approach to their programs is uniquely them., which makes them stand out from the crowd even if it turns some people off.

It’s worth noting that last season they also lost to Shevchenko/Eremenko at both JGPF and Nationals before beating them to the podium at Junior Worlds. They’ve got up to two more seasons in juniors if they want it, but as they showed with their Junior Worlds bronze last year, there’s no time like the present to make a statement.

Caroline GREEN / Gordon GREEN United States Age: 15/17 Started Skating Together: 2009 Coach: Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov Season's Best: No ISU SB, 157.41 at Mentor Torun Cup Rhythm Dance: "Essa" by Ostra Aires Free Dance: The Devil Violinist

An impressive 6th in their Junior Worlds debut last season, the Greens’ fast rise through the junior ranks was interrupted when Caroline took ill and missed the fall season. She recovered and they bounced back in time to win Sectionals, Golden Spin, Torun Mentor Cup, and finally their first Junior National title, beating out heavy favorites Nguyen/Kolesnik. By the time January rolled around, you couldn't tell that they'd missed any time at all. They've always been fast and powerful for their ages, but a growth spurt over the past year has only accentuated that. They're especially strong in the rhythm dance, where their power, long lines, and flair are shown off to the greatest effect. Their presentation and projection isn't quite as developed and mature as some of the other teams, but they have great attack in their skating and performance. Definitely a team on the rise, and while this may be a pretty stacked event for the top spots, they shouldn’t be counted out.

Eliana GROPMAN / Ian SOMERVILLE United States Age: 18/18 Started Skating Together: 2009 Coach: Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov Season's Best: 148.51 Rhythm Dance: Nuevo Tango Free Dance: Mozart L'Opera Rock

The newly crowned US National bronze medalists will be making their Junior World debut (and are also somehow both adults now?) and looking to try to muscle their way through the tightly packed top ranks. Their JGP season was not without its struggles, but hopefully they can take some confidence from earning both their first JGP medal and their first top 3 finish at Nationals. These two have been skating together awhile and have such an instinctive feel for each other as well as a lovely glide and great edge quality. They need more power and amplitude in their skating to take it to the next level, but their flow across the ice is incredible, and their partnering is seamless and fluid. Their expression is top-notch, and their movements are always purposeful and placed. If they can hit their levels and present good programs, they could set new personal bests and even sneak ahead of some more decorated teams.

Avonley NGUYEN / Vadym KOLESNIK United States Age: 16/17 Started Skating Together: 2017 Coach: Igor Shpilband and Pasquale Carmerlengo Season's Best: 165.63 Rhythm Dance: Building the Bullet/Vuelvo Al Sur Free Dance: “Demons” by Imagine Dragons/Experience by Ludovico Einaudi

In their second season together, Nguyen/Kolesnik made a huge splash and became fan favorites as they qualified to their first JGPF. At their second JGP event, they even beat Shevchenko/Eremenko to take the gold, although they faltered a bit at JGPF, placing fifth. They had some stumbles in the rhythm dance at Nationals, causing them to lose the title, although they fought back and won the free. They're a quick, agile team with a lot of charisma and showmanship, and they're always a delight to watch. They pull difficult elements out of nothing with particularly impressive lifts fitting the music and character of their programs. Their size difference sometimes makes skating in hold a little awkward, and they're not quite generating the power of some of their competitors, but they have some of the best lifts out there as well as an innate sense of showmanship. They're young and only in their second season together and regardless of the outcome, this will be a great experience(no pun intended) for them, but they have a great shot at the podium if they clean up their tango.

[the-real-xmonster]

hi id like to ask about the edges. youve mentioned in one of the previous posts that yuzu basically forces himself to use the inside edge on 3F but uses it with jumps that usually dont have that take off edge (4Lo??) so i was wondering if the outside edge take off is usually considered to be more challenging?

I have to say, this is the kind of question you can only expect from fans of Yuzuru Extra™ Hanyu. You know that Yuzu has to force himself into an inside edge for the flip, and he uses the outside edge for a jump that doesn’t exactly require it, and yet you are wondering if the outside edge actually makes things harder :)) Shouldn’t the logic be the other way round?  

Anyhow, joking aside, theoretically speaking, the hierarchy of jump goes like this, from easiest to most difficult (in the [ ] is each jump’s takeoff edge for a skater that rotates counterclockwise, for a skater who rotates in the other direction, left and right are reversed): toe loop [right back outside], Salchow [left back inside], loop [right back outside], flip [left back inside], Lutz [left back outside], Axel [left forward outside]. So you see the takeoff edge does not tell you everything about a jump’s difficulty.

The toe loop, taken off from an outside edge, is nevertheless the easiest jump because it has both a toe pick assist and an open rotation: the skater brings their left foot behind to pick, which opens up their body alignment toward the direction of rotation. 

The Salchow, taken off from an inside edge, is more difficult that the toe loop because it doesn’t have a toe pick assist: the skater has to take off directly from their left back inside edge.

The loop, taken off from an outside edge, is harder than the Salchow, but mainly because it’s pushed off from the right foot, so the skater doesn’t have the benefit of the momentum created by their left leg sweeping backward as in the Salchow or toe loop. You see this especially in jump combos where loop is used as the second or third jump: the loop takeoff, without the leg swing, is done a lot faster compared to a +toe loop or +salchow.

By the way yes, Yuzu does have an unusual loop takeoff. He still uses the right back outside edge (as is proper), but he tops it up with a left back outside edge as well (this trait is not too pronounced in his triple loop, but it’s emphasized in his quad version). The more usual approach, as demonstrated by Patrick on the right below, is to stay on a left back inside edge.

Flip, taken off from an inside edge, is harder than loop because in a flip the skater’s body is closed against rotation: the skater picks with their right foot and rotates to the left, so their rotational path is partially blocked by their left leg. The same is true for Lutz, and here we have the one case where the takeoff edge is the sole determinant of one jump’s difficulty vs. another. Compared to flip, the Lutz’s outside takeoff edge adds another level of complication, because it pushes the skater’s body in a direction counter to the jump’s rotation. 

Axel, taken off from an outside edge, is considered the most difficult jump not just because of the takeoff edge, but also because (1) it does not have a toe pick assist, (2) it’s a close jump because its left-foot takeoff keeps the skater’s hip closed against rotation, and (3) it requires an extra 0.5 revolution due to the forward takeoff (i.e. a triple Axel is actually a 3.5-revolution jump).

By the way, fun fact: there’s a variation of the Axel done from the right forward inside edge, which would make it an open jump. It’s called the inside Axel - it’s not a listed jump though so it doesn’t have any base value.

Now that’s all very well and good on paper, but in practice, whether outside edge is more challenging really depends on which skater you ask. If you ask Yuzu, he’d tell you jumps taken off from outside edge are gifts from god and inside takeoff edge is the devil’s invention (he might then go on to profess his undying love for that outside edge in a lengthy monologue, so be sure to shut him off or you’re never going to hear the end of it). That is why the ISU deducts BV for both flip and Lutz taken off from the wrong edge. You can’t defend jumping a flip off an outside edge by saying that it theoretically makes the jump harder. If your natural preference is for outside edge, jumping a flip that way makes it easier for you, so it’s only fair you don’t get full BV for it :)   

[auburnfamilynews]

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Join in and let us know your predictions as well!

Unlike Week 1 (with Auburn-Oregon), and Week 2 (LSU-Texas, Clemson-Texas A&M), Week 3 doesn’t have any big marquee games. College Gameday is going to El Assico for crying out loud. That doesn’t mean we take a week off, though! Here are some of the other matchups on a rather bleak slate...

***IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PICKS YOURSELF, JUST PUT THEM IN THE COMMENTS AND RYAN STERRITT WILL KEEP SCORE. MAKE SURE YOU PUT AN ACTUAL SCORE IN YOUR PICK AS WELL SINCE WE KEEP TRACK OF THE LINE AND THE OVER/UNDER***

UCF (-7) vs Stanford (O/U 58.5)

Stanford travels across the county to take on UCF. Stanford doesn’t look the same without their starting quarterback, and it’ll show. The UCF chants will continue to grow louder. UCF 31, Stanford 7 - Josh Dub

Did not see Stanford getting walloped by USC coming at all... Now they take on the 2017 national champs & you have to think the Golden Knights are pissed the Cardinal aren’t ranked anymore. Stanford is down their starting QB & both starting tackles. I think this one is all UCF. UCF 38 Stanford 17 - AU Nerd

My 2017 national champs are going to beat the Cardinal fairly soundly. Knights 35, tree 20 - Son of Crow

I’d love to pick the nerds in this one, but UCF takes a P5 win and we have to hear about them for a while longer. UCF 34 Stanford 27 - Josh Black

Lifelong Stanford fan here. It would be quite satisfying to see the Cardinal go into Orlando and stop this nonsense from UCF. Stanford gets KJ Costello back at QB this week after missing the USC game. Still, the Knights always seem to find a way to win and I’m afraid they’ll do the same this week. UCF 38 Stanford 34 - Will McLaughlin

KJ Costello has been cleared, so I thought that would help keep things close, but Stanford is also missing both of their tackles. That could be a problem against an athletic DL While I’m not impressed by Stanford’s defense, I think they slow this one down enough to hit the under. SP+ likes UCF by as much as 16, and this line has already moved up to UCF -8.5. I don’t love following the money, but I’ll take the extra 1.5 points. Central Florida 31, Stanford 19 (UNDER, UCF Wins and covers) - James Jones

Admittedly, I haven’t watched a whole lot of the Cardinal and I only saw one series of the UCF-FAMU game to start the season. That said, I know defense has started to not be a thing Stanford believes in and that plays directly into the Knights hands. I do think Stanford still has enough to go with the under but they don’t have the offense to stay close. 28-17 UCF - Drew Mac

If that USC team with a freshman backup quarterback can boat race Stanford, UCF should be able to do the same. I’m not familiar enough with either roster this year, but UCF is a sizable favorite in most projections. With the Knights being at home, give me UCF 34-21. - Ryan Sterritt

This is a weird match-up. Stanford in Orlando? What is this world coming to? That’s a long trip for the Cardinal to travel to play a non P5 school. Maybe that affects them a little. 2017-18 National Champions 24-10 - AU Chief

For some reason it always like Stanford is wearing over-large shoulder pads to me and it makes me not like them. That and their triple tight end offense and the fact that their win over Oregon in 2012 was one of the key cogs that put Bama into the title game that year. I hope UCF beats them bad. Knights 38, Stanford 21 - Jack Condon

South Carolina vs Alabama (-25) (O/U 60)

This is the CBS game of the week? Yikes. This one will be over by the 5th Alabama offensive play. South Carolina’s back-up quarterback, Ryan Hilinski, won’t have any success against this defense. Alabama 49, South Carolina 10 - Josh Dub

Remember when folks thought South Carolina would be a threat in the east last year? Welp... New freshman QB Ryan Hillinski looked good against Charleston Southern but I suspect he looks terrible this week. Gary will have all afternoon to fawn over Tua. Alabama 56 South Carolina 10 - AU Nerd

Yucky. As much as I want to see a replay of st. Stephen Garcia’s magnum opus, I don’t think the gamecocks have the horses to get it done this time. Plus I’ve met Steve spurrier and will muschamp is no Steve spurrier. (I haven’t met Steve spurrier) Tide 39, Scar 14 - Son of Crow

‘Member when Stephen Garcia had an out of body experience in 2010 against Alabama? I ‘MEMBER! But this Bama sleepwalking tour through the first 2 months of the season is not getting derailed in Columbia. Though someone will be very mad about winning a road conference game because he secretly hates his current state of affairs. I JUST WANT YOU TO GO FIND SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY, NICK! Bama 48 South Carolina 21 - Josh Black

Let me remind you that Auburn faces Georgia and Florida from the East this year. Alabama faces South Carolina and Tennessee from the East this year. Perhaps balancing the schedules would put more butts in the seats... oh wait, this games actually in Columbia, not Tuscaloosa. Never mind, Alabama rolls, ho hum. Alabama 52 South Carolina 10 - Will McLaughlin

The Gamecocks showed plenty of life on offense last week, even if it was Charleston Southern. I don’t usually like taking a road favorite with this big of a number, but I don’t think this is close. Alabama 41, South Carolina 14 (UNDER, Alabama wins and covers)

This is the toughest play on the board. Not the Bama covering part, but the O/U. I will go that this is a Saban Special. You know, the one where he wins but makes sure he keeps it close enough so you don’t think you should fire your coach because you kept it close with them. If you are thinking, “Drew, that’s dumb. No one thinks that way.” How much time do you have to go over the history of the state of South Carolina? 42-10 UAT - Drew Mac

No Head Ball Coach. No Stephen Garcia. No chance. Plus, former assistants never beat Saban, or ever come close really. Alabama 48-13. - Ryan Sterritt

The Fighting Coach Booms don’t stand a chance here. I feel bad for any Cock fan that has to sit outside in the raging heat and fetid humidity of this 2:30 CDST kickoff to watch this blood letting. Tide 55-6 - AU Chief

Nick Saban will keep it somewhat close by barely playing his starters into the third quarter, and when the third string gives up 10 points late, he’ll go thermonuclear and strangle a reporter or something. He also won’t run up the score on Muschamp too badly, for fear that he’ll get fired and Stephen Garcia may actually come run the offense or something. Bama 48, South Carolina 17 - Jack Condon

Iowa State vs Iowa (-1.5) (O/U 45.5)

Iowa’s quarterback, Nate Stanley, has been the star of the Hawkeyes so far. That’s pretty much the extent of my knowledge here. Iowa 21, Iowa State 14 - Josh Dub

This is actually a fascinating matchup. Iowa has come out strong to start 2019. Iowa State had a lot of preseason buzz then struggled to get by Northern Iowa. All the rankings that use fancy math like the Hawkeyes. Gotta trust math. Iowa 24 Iowa State 13 - AU Nerd

Ohhhhh the greatest tradition of all.....el assico. Iowa state might not be that good...even though they are ranked 26. Iowa? Who knows. This game is always weird and bad and I’m not gonna lie, I probably won’t be watching it. Cy wins 21-14 - Son of Crow

¡EL ASSICO! La batalla de los productores de maíz será una para las edades. Dos equipos que luchan por la supremacía para finalmente demostrar de una vez por todas quién es el mejor maíz. ¿El ganador? Iowa 23 Iowa State 14 - Josh Black

I’ll go out on a limb here since most folks are picking Iowa and take Iowa State. I know the opener against Northern Iowa was UGLY for the Cyclones but at home, they’ll be much more prepared for this one. Iowa State 20 Iowa 17 - Will McLaughlin

EL ASSICOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! We’re robbed of this one being our only ranked game of the weekend by one spot (ISU is “26th”). I think this one will be the best game of the day. Give me the home dog and the over in an Instant Classic. Iowa State 34, Iowa 31 (OVER, ISU wins and covers)

EL ASSICOOOOO!! One of my favorite games for absolutely no reason! If I had to be a B14 fan, I think I would be an Iowa fan, so of course the Hawkeyes win! No reason, but yeah. I think this will happen. 17-14 Iowa - Drew Mac

This game is always dumb and unpredictable, which is the best kind of college football there is. I’m going to be rooting for our farm bros in Ames, but Iowa usually steals this game. Iowa QB Nathan Stanley has been pretty solid through two games, and I’m not sure I trust the Cyclone defense to slow him down. Iowa 27-17. - Ryan Sterritt

I guess this is interesting since it’s the two Iowa teams. I guess. BigXII vs B1G. And not one of the rare fun teams from either conference. Hawkeyes 28-27 - AU Chief

Iowa’s gonna win this and end up being a random team in the top five late at like 11-1 somehow, even though everyone knows they’ll have no chance to get into the playoff. I guess the Hawkeyes win, 23-21 - Jack Condon

Michigan State (-13) vs Arizona State (O/U 44.5)

Herm Edwards! Arizona State 30, Michigan 28 - Josh Dub

This is Michigan State in its purest form. Elite defense, dreadful offense. Herm Edwards has the Sun Devils off to a fast start behind true freshman QB but Sparty’s defense is a different beast. Given Michigan State’s hatred of offense they are always a team that can be upset if their defense gives up some cheap ones but I don’t think that happens here. Sparty gets it done. Michigan State 27 Arizona State 13 - AU Nerd

Jack. Gross. Devils 33-20 - Son of Crow

At the end of this I’m sure we’re all going to say what we’ve been saying for years…we should’ve considered Arizona State. Michigan State 24 Arizona State 10 - Josh Black

Sparty looks to avenge last year’s loss in Tempe. Arizona State struggled to put away Sacramento State last Friday night. Gotta feeling Sparty rolls in this one. Michigan State 34 Arizona State 17 - Will McLaughlin

Ew, really? This is the opposite of El Assico. I hope this game is on the Pac12 network so that I don’t accidentally start watching it. That’s a hilariously low total, but I’m still hammering the under. MSU 17, ASU 6 (UNDER, MSU wins, ASU covers)

Sparty’s offense has looked better for the first time in a decade so there’s that. Herm Edwards still coaches ASU so that’s another thing. I think that’s all we need here. 28-14 Victory for M-S-U - Drew Mac

Michigan State has a really good defense, and they should be able to smother the Sun Devil offense most of the night. Sparty’s offense isn’t too great, though, so I suspect this will be another super low scoring punt fest that East Lansing is so well known for. Give me Herm to win an upset, though. 19-13 Sun Devils. - Ryan Sterritt

Look, I’m a noted Arizona State uniform enthusiast. That’s the only thing that will is getting me to respond to this SECOND MATCHUP OF THE WEEK CONTAINING A B1G TEAM, COME ON JACK. I’m also a noted Herm Edwards skeptic. I’m seeing some places saying to take the over, but I just don’t see that myself. Michigan State isn’t exactly exciting on offense. Sparty 21-13 - AU Chief

Here’s the other team that’ll end up randomly being ranked in the top five late even though they’re no good. Michigan State’s not gonna lose to Herm again, are they? Not this time. Sparty 27, Sun Devils 13 - Jack Condon

BONUS: The best game Saturday to me and it’s not on here is Florida/Kentucky. Kentucky lost its starting QB for the year but Troy transfer Sawyer Smith will take over and I think he’ll be a suitable replacement. Kentucky beat Florida for the first time in my life last year in Gainesville. I think this is a close one but the Gators get the close win. Florida 27 Kentucky 24 - Will McLaughlin

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/9/12/20863250/staff-picks-college-football-week-3

[canadianvirtues]

A note on judging

There have been moments throughout the season where I've seen judging panels give better scores to performances that didn't deserve it (see: SCI pairs) and teams get pulled down because of crazy inflation. But TSL itself had to correct the tweet after realizing it was wrong by saying both tech and component were scored unfairly. Judge 5 (Canadian) actually scored TS 7.4 pts higher than the closet American team (compared to a mere 1.2 pts difference of SS and TS from Judge 6.) Those weren't even the lowest scores given out. China for example gave them 39 in TES while Spain gave them a 37.20 in PCS. So yes, there is bias and judging can be sketchy, but it is true across the board at every competition and for every country. Let's be real, what federation isn't going to put their skaters above? Not to mention the fact the SD was far from clean when Bock for example were practically spotless. The reason the ISU has both a tech panel and 9 ISU sanctioned judges goes to show there are checks in place. Unless it's Didier. Didier is actually the devil.

[junker-town]

NCAA bracket predictions 2017: Villanova will repeat as national champions

Let’s stop over-thinking this. Villanova is the best team in the country, and the Wildcats will prove it for a second straight year.

In 2002, I finished No. 6 overall in The Sporting News’ national bracket contest. I won a pair of binoculars. In the same bracket that wound up being closer to perfect than all but five in the contest, I had a 16 seed (Boston University) defeating a No. 1 seed (Cincinnati) in the first round.

If you’re a person who’s looking to put stock in the predictions that you’re about to read, I don’t know if the previous paragraph is encouraging or terrifying. I merely presented as a courtesy.

Fifteen years later we’re staring down a bracket that I think possesses the potential to produce all the qualities that make a great tournament. There appear to be openings for significant upsets to take place on the tournament’s first Thursday and Friday, there are some potential showcase second round matchups to keep us entertained through the weekend, and then it’s more likely than not that the second weekend and Final Four will feature more chalky results that give us the clash of the titans that make for memorable regional finals and Final Four games.

Let’s take a tour around the bracket and see how this thing’s going to shake out.

EAST REGION

Reigning national champion and overall No. 1 seed Villanova got a raw deal by having Duke, a team many people believed would earn the fourth No. 1 seed from the Selection Committee, as its No. 2 seed. Outside of that, though, this is a pretty navigable draw for the Wildcats.

Two of what I assume will be the most trendy first round upset picks exist right next to each other here with UNC Wilmington taking on Virginia and ETSU battling Florida. Everyone saying both of those upsets is going to happen guarantees that only one at the most will, so I’m rolling with Kevin Keatts and UNCW, who I also like to take out the John Egbunu-less Gators in the second round.

The last time SMU was a six seed awaiting the winner of a First Four game, the Mustangs somehow found a way to lose on a Bryce Alford airball. Tim Jankovich won’t let history repeat itself, and SMU will also pick off a Baylor team that’s been pretty average for the last four or five weeks.

Over-seeded South Carolina vs. Marquette might be the biggest dud game of the first round, which means Duke walks to the second weekend and then takes care of Shake Milton and company to set up the regional final we all want to see. The Blue Devils’ memorable March run ends there, however, as ‘Nova reminds everyone why they’re both the defending champs and the top overall team in this tournament.

WEST REGION

There’s been so much talk in recent months about this being “the year” for Northwestern. That came to fruition, and so will the talk of this being “the year” for Sean Miller.

Miller knew that his team would be better for the long run with the return of Allonzo Trier, who missed the first 18 games of the season under some bizarre circumstances. That’s exactly how it’s played out, with the Wildcats suffering through a couple of disjointed weeks immediately following Trier’s return, and now rounding into top form at precisely the right time. Toss in a relatively friendly draw that doesn’t include Wisconsin and you have the perfect recipe for Sean Miller’s first trip to the season’s final weekend.

As for Gonzaga, them losing in the Sweet 16 isn’t so much of an indictment on their team as it is a recognition of the fact that Notre Dame is a bad matchup for most teams in this tournament, the Zags included. They are still absolutely one of the 10-12 teams that can win six straight games in this tournament, but they might need somebody to pick off the Fighting Irish for them in order to make that happen.

West Virginia is a dangerous team to roll with in this tournament. The Mountaineers struggle in the halfcourt and generate a solid chunk of their offense off of turnovers. Any team that relies so heavily on the mistakes of others for their own success is difficult to trust, especially when they’re placed in a pod with two teams that take care of the ball and execute as well on offense as Bucknell and Notre Dame do. The Bison pull the first of two (spoiler) 13/4 upsets that we see in the first round.

Florida Gulf Coast over Florida State is another trendy upset pick, and it’s easy to see why. This “Dunk City” team actually has more total dunks than the 2013 team that became the first 15 seed ever to play its way out of the tournament’s opening weekend. They’ll give a vulnerable FSU team all it can handle Thursday night before ultimately coming up short. Maryland and VCU will advance over un-sexy at-large qualifiers Xavier and Saint Mary’s before falling in the second round.

MIDWEST REGION

Welcome to the tournament’s chalkiest region, where the double digit seeds were dealt matchups just a little too unfavorable to make any noise.

The lone exception is A-10 tournament champion Rhode Island, which takes care of a Creighton team that hasn’t been the same since Mo Watson’s injury, and which is probably over-seeded as a six. Vermont will give Purdue all it can handle before the Boilermakers make enough plays down the stretch to get a win that lets Matt Painter avoid a billion questions about why he can’t beat anybody in the postseason. Iowa State/Nevada also has the potential to be the first round’s most entertaining game, as there will be athletes all over the court. Ultimately, Monte Morris refuses to let his final run in the tournament be a one and done endeavor.

One of the most intriguing potential second round games of the entire tournament exists at the bottom of this bracket, where Louisville and Michigan could meet. The Wolverines are riding high after an insane week that began with a plane crash and ended with a Big Ten tournament title. Perhaps the next step is John Beilein getting revenge on the team that has dealt him the two toughest losses of his career -- an Elite 8 overtime loss in 2005 when he was at West Virginia, and a defeat in the 2013 national title game. I said “perhaps,” because I don’t think it happens. Louisville wins a thriller and moves on to the second weekend, where Rick Pitino is always at his best.

Kansas/Iowa State in the Sweet 16 is intriguing for obvious reasons. Jayhawk fans will obviously dominate Kansas City, but the rabid ISU fan base will also be well-represented as evidenced by the past week at the Big 12 tournament ... which the Cyclones won. Plus, there’s the little fact that Iowa State won at Phog Allen earlier this year, snapping Kansas’ 54-game home winning streak. The Jayhawks right that wrong as Frank Mason again plays hero in the final minute.

Louisville-Oregon still has the potential to be a thrilling Sweet 16 game, but at some point, the lack of Chris Boucher is going to cost the Ducks. We’ll say it happens here, setting up a 1 vs. 2 regional final that Kansas claims.

SOUTH REGION

Welcome to the “glamour region,” featuring three of the sport’s biggest names who also just so happen to field teams that like to score a lot of points. One of them isn’t making it out of the first weekend.

Wichita State got a totally unfair shake in 2014 when its reward for entering the tournament with an undefeated record was having to face an under-seeded, oversized and extremely talented Kentucky team in the second round. The two played one of the more memorable games in recent tournament history, with the Wildcats prevailing and going on to play in the national title game. The Shockers, who are under-seeded for the third year in a row because of an RPI-heavy philosophy that will thankfully disappear after this year, get revenge in an equally thrilling second round game this year.

Just because Middle Tennessee over Minnesota is the upset everyone else is picking doesn’t mean you can’t too. The Blue Raiders are much, much better than they were a year ago when they stunned Michigan State in this spot, and Minnesota is the token overachiever whose best days are ahead of it. This one happens, and so does Winthrop over Butler, as Keon Johnson goes nuts and puts a premature end to the Bulldogs’ manic season.

North Carolina benefits from this chaos, cruising into the second weekend and then holding off a game MTSU team in a contest that reminds fans of the Tar Heels’ win over Ohio in 2012. They’ll face high-scoring UCLA, which takes care of Wichita State in the Sweet 16 thanks to the play of TJ Leaf, who gets the spring back in his step. The best of the four regional finals ends with North Carolina taking out the Bruins and moving on to Phoenix.

FINAL FOUR

Let’s all stop overthinking this.

Villanova won the national championship last year, they are the No. 1 overall seed in this tournament, they have more wins entering the NCAA tournament than any defending national champion before them, and they have maybe the best player in the country in Josh Hart.

Yeah, I got cute with the final score, but whatever. Villanova takes out Arizona and then knocks off North Carolina in a national title game thriller for the second straight year to become college basketball’s first repeat champion in a decade.