#to put himself between jake & the scrum

[kitnita]

roope puts himself between jake & the fighting   —   PIT vs DAL   —   3.23.23

[classpect-crew]

Hope and Rage: Narrative Engagement

I've talked quite a bit about Hope and Rage on this blog in the past, but I've stumbled upon something recently that I think puts a different spin on these two Aspects. I think it's quite fortunate we have a few different Classes to look at with regards to both Aspects, so I'll dive in with a quick summary of what I mean to get us started.

Hope and Rage are the Aspect pair that deals with emotions, belief, and one's range of options. However, they also represent something a bit more abstract: one's willingness to engage with a narrative. Now, this is something that applies if we're going with the interpretation that each Aspect also represents a concept in storytelling. (This is explained very well by both optimisticDuelist and Tex Talks on YouTube, both of whom you should absolutely check out if you haven't already.) What does this really mean, though? I argue that Hope represents getting sucked into a narrative and willingly embracing it, while Rage represents rejecting that narrative and actively mocking it. Hope is eulogy: Rage is satire.

In the comic, we see this most clearly in Jake, whose role as a Page of Hope pretty much dictates a strong relationship with his Aspect. He is theatrical and presents himself as someone who loves zany adventures and getting into scrums. When he speaks, he's like the unholy cross between an action film protagonist and a wealthy, antiquated gentleman. Later on in the story, we see counters to this narrative of who he is and what he truly enjoys. Jake seems to chew the scenery every time we see him, to the point of annoyance by others, and he seems to believe the spotlight is always focused on him. It's not necessarily out of pride, either, but rather his solitary lifestyle that gives him a sort of "protagonist complex," so to speak. All of this fits into what I've been describing: Jake is entrenched in his own narrative identity, built up from all the media he's consumed, and he embraces it as a way to escape from his current reality.

Heroes of Hope are empowered with the ability to affect their reality based on their own strong-held beliefs. It's the ultimate confidence in one's own abilities, taken to a ridiculous extreme. One of the most important themes of Homestuck is that each character is creating their own reality: Hope players do so in a very literal way. The stories they relate to and begin to live through start to impress themselves upon reality, and the players embrace it further. As long as their belief remains firm, this cycle continues.

We do see the very same theatrics and flamboyance in Eridan, who plays into his fantasies about killing the landdwellers. He engages with this aspect of Hope, just like Jake does. Yet, as the Prince of Hope, he also quite literally destroys the narrative set out for him when he begins his genocide of the angels on his planet. He later comes into conflict with the optimistic narrative of the other trolls, believing that their one way forward is to join Jack Noir. He then destroys the Matriorb in an attempt to tear apart the possibility of that story becoming reality. (Granted, he fails, because Life, uh, finds a way.) We also see the same traits in Cronus, though he has even stronger ties to Hope at the beginning of his own story. For much of his life, he fully believed in his own legacy, basically being Troll Harry Potter. Although he was convinced at some point to completely give up these beliefs, this was a big part of the narrative he wholeheartedly accepted. He now carries the perspective that he's "humankin," even dressing the part, and this new narrative has become what he engages with.

Now, Rage is a bit tougher to explain directly, since we don't have any Heroes of Rage who aren't a Destroyer Class, but we can still speculate based on what we know from the comic. Rage, broadly, is an Aspect that is drawn on when a character shows utter contempt for a narrative that's playing out. We see this extremely clearly when Caliborn is quite literally smashing around the terminal through which Hussie is speaking to him to explain his Quest, or his general frustrations at the idea that he must undertake a Hero's Journey, wishing to simply skip ahead to the point where he can fulfill his desire for power. We also see this during John's exploration of Homosuck, when Caliborn's unbelievably shitty storytelling and art skills lead John to express outright disgust and anger by the end.

When we look at a character like Gamzee, however, his relationship to this is a bit different. At the beginning of his story, he fully believes in the power of miracles and rejects other explanations for how everyday, mundane things happen, such as the fizz in sodas. He's absolutely indulging in a narrative as he allows the Rage in himself to melt away. As soon as the bubble bursts and Murderstuck begins, though, he stands once again on the razor's edge of his Aspect, but on the other side this time. He fully embraces his legacy of the mirthful messiahs being him (and also him) in a self-deifying way that seems to be toying with the protagonist complex of Hope, while also blaspheming his own religion in a way that echoes Rage. Gamzee begins to go off and do his own weird, bloody things. (Side note: the idea that Gamzee erupted into a fit of fury (Rage) when Dave showed him the ICP video where his religion (Hope) was being mocked (Rage) and seemed ready to start a one-man crusade (Hope) shows further how interlocked these opposites are in our resident Bard.)

I'll speak briefly on Kurloz, because I've got to keep things even, but dear lord, this is becoming quite long. Kurloz is obviously extremely faithful to the religion of his bloodline, even moreso than Gamzee at times, which leads to a humorous scene in one walkaround when Kurloz is attempting to show extreme reverence and speak in prose with Gamzee, who gets quickly fed up and cuts him off, all business. His dedication to Lord English is obvious, and he often seems to showcase more traits associated with Hope than Rage. Of course, this is intended in his role as a Prince, though his destruction of Hope is clearly seen in his ability to convince Cronus to give up his belief in his destiny to destroy Lord English.

To make a long story longer, Hope and Rage represent how one engages with their own story and the expectations placed on them by their role. Hope players embrace these wholeheartedly and seek to impress them onto reality, which rushes to meet them as their powers develop. Rage players reject and mock the reality that would box them in, laughing in the face of such audacity, and go off to do their own thing. It's a complete inverse from the Aspects' method of problem-solving, where Hope players tend toward open-mindedness and the ever-present Plan B, and Rage players limit their perspective to break through whatever obstacles dare to challenge them. Hope is Romanticism. Rage is Dadaism.

[bucket-of-rice]

Grappling with attention, suchi with friends, and so, so much soccer: A week in the life of Morgan Rielly.

Justin Kloke. 16 Jan 2019

(HEADS UP! this is a long post)

In a Maple Leafs season with high expectations and the hopes of making a legitimate push in the Stanley Cup playoffs, no player has had a more transformative year than Morgan Rielly. For one week, The Athletic was granted a glimpse into the life of the Maple Leafs’ star defenceman.

Saturday, January 5

Just after 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning, Morgan Rielly takes his place in front of an army of reporters and cameramen at the front of the Maple Leafs dressing room. His blonde hair walks the line between well-manicured and messy as he eschews the high and tight look of so many of his peers. He wears a slight stubble on his face, shorts, non-descript Black Nike trainers and large white socks bunched up just over his heels.

At first glance, the 24 year old looks more like a suburban father out on a diaper run than he does a Norris Trophy candidate. As Rielly speaks, there is no trace of ego. An outsider would be hard-pressed to believe Rielly has scored 44 points in 40 games, which at this point is tied for the lead among NHL defencemen.

“I feel like I have room to get better,” Rielly tells the scrum. “When you look, recently, we’ve had some losses and it’s important we all take that upon ourselves as individuals and try to get better.”

The Leafs welcome the Vancouver Canucks that night at Scotiabank Arena, Rielly’s hometown team. Rielly has become accustomed to being sent to speak for the Leafs ahead of a game. He has not just taken steps, but leaps and bounds this season to become the team’s number one defenceman. In training camp, Rielly confided to one of his best friends on the team, Jake Gardiner, that he was going to be “more assertive” offensively this season.

As such, it’s curious that the league’s highest-scoring defenceman was left off the All-Star Game roster when it was announced a few days earlier.

But Rielly still has a shot to get to San Jose and his first All-Star Game: Throughout this week, fans can vote for him as part of a “Last Man In” campaign. One player from each division will be selected.

Not surprisingly, Rielly, who has been hesitant to speak about his own personal accomplishments all season, isn’t viewing this week as a try-out for the All-Star Game.

“I don’t think it’s going to change anything,” Rielly says, shaking his head. “Voting is what it is. It’s based on a lot more than just what happens on Monday night and then Thursday night.”

After a five-game point streak through December that saw him net 11 points, Rielly has cooled, going pointless in his last three games. It is his longest scoring drought of an otherwise scorching season.

Tonight’s setting is seemingly right for Rielly to get back on track.

“I’d be lying if I said I just treated it like every other game,” Rielly says of facing the Canucks.

He knows all of his buddies back in Vancouver are watching, and he understands expectations surrounding his play might be heightened.

At 6:35 p.m., Rielly and the Leafs exit the dressing room, but not until famed Canadian astronaut, and noted Leafs fan Chris Hadfield quickly scoots through the blocked-off area directly outside the dressing room.

Rielly is the 19th player out of the dressing room. He stops to share a choreographed handshake with Mitch Marner that ends up looking more like an entanglement of hands than it does a high-five. They both burst out in simultaneous laughter.

“I like it in basketball when it’s a little bit more elaborate,” Rielly says of special handshakes among teammates.

Midway through the first period, Rielly sees his fortunes change. He throws the puck on net from just inside the blueline and John Tavares tips it in. It’s part of a comprehensive performance from Rielly in which he generates six scoring chances.

The Leafs humiliate Rielly’s hometown team, 5-0.

Still, Rielly isn’t interested in personal accolades, including breaking his pointless drought.

“People always ask me about points and stuff,” Rielly says. “I genuinely don’t think about it. I used to when I was younger. As you get a bit older, you put it out of your mind and you just worry about playing.”

Rielly will hang around Scotiabank Arena after the game until half-time of the Dallas Cowboys-Seattle Seahawks wildcard playoff game. He then quickly drives home to his Trinity Bellwoods apartment. He pours himself a glass of red wine and makes a beeline for his couch to watch the second half of the game and unwind.

Rielly won’t call himself a wine connoisseur by any means, but he’s met enough people through his NHL career that have influenced his taste in wine. He favours wines from Napa Valley instead of more traditionally popular countries like France and Italy. When he gets together with his parents, he always chooses the wine, even if they do talk a big game after recently returning from a trip to Italy.

“I know what I like now,” Rielly says, nodding his head confidently.

Sunday, January 6

Rielly arrives at the Leafs’ practice facility at 10:00 a.m. for a noon practice. He’ll get a bit of physical treatment, stretch, take part in a team workout around 11:00 a.m. then be part of a team meeting at 11:30.

When Rielly does take to the ice just before noon, there is a full-size dummy on the ice that goaltending coach Steve Briere uses to simulate screens for the team’s goalies.

Rielly has other plans.

“Me and (Gardiner) like to shoot pucks at it because we think it’s funny,” Rielly says.

Sunday’s practice is short, totalling just 25 minutes. The team avoids working on structure, instead opting for a variety of three-on-three games meant to, in Rielly’s estimation, “just keep the motor running.”

With the rest of the day to kill, Rielly considers his options: he’s interested in seeing ‘Vice,’ or perhaps spending time with Auston Matthews, Frederik Andersen and Tyler Ennis, all of whom are single and have established a routine of dining out and seeing movies together.

Rielly is all too aware that it’s important to have hobbies outside of hockey and not simply spend his personal time on the couch.

But Sunday is different.

“Today’s going to be about football,” Rielly says.

It’s the final day of the NFL’s wildcard weekend, and Rielly wants nothing more than to park himself on his couch to watch.

“I do believe in preparation, being rested and being aware of what you put in your body today,” Rielly says, perhaps using this as an excuse to spend a Sunday afternoon vegging.

Rielly’s interest in football isn’t just a passing one.

His father, Andy, was a Raiders fan after working in Orange County, California as a carpenter when he was younger. Morgan and Andy would drive down together from West Vancouver to Seattle to watch the Raiders play the Seahawks. When Rielly was seven and the Seahawks played at the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium, the two braved the freezing, snowy conditions by buying entirely too many blankets which they still have, and use.

“I’ll always remember that,” Rielly says.

His interest became even more deep-seated when he began playing fantasy football. Rielly’s incredible season isn’t just limited to the ice: He won the team’s fantasy football league.

His pick for the Super Bowl is the New Orleans Saints, led by Drew Brees. He admits to being mesmerized by one of the all-time great quarterbacks.

“He’s one of the only guys who I’ll watch the entire game and not change the channel. When I watch that team play I just think about how good they are. Their offence just clicks.”

Monday, January 7

Game days are always the same for Rielly. After waking at 8:00 a.m., as he does every morning, and throwing on the first clothes he can find, he’ll drive along Lakeshore Boulevard to the Scotiabank Arena, arriving no later than 8:45.

He’ll mosey around the dressing room, striking up a conversation with whichever teammate he meets.

“It takes me a while to wake up,” Rielly says.

Breakfast always consists of two eggs, over easy, with one notable exception.

“If I’m really hungry I’ll have these blueberry pancakes we have,” Rielly says. “They say they’re supposed to be good for you but I don’t really believe them.”

More coffee follows. Rielly will tape his sticks for the game while waiting for one of his favourite parts of his day: The pre-game soccer kick about. Players organize a tournament and whoever lets the ball drop is out of the circle. The last man standing gets a point, and the first player to three points wins.

“I’m the best guy on the team. You can ask,” says Rielly. He never played much soccer growing up but he has honed his skills.

The first team meeting is at 9:50 followed by another at 10:00. If the morning skate is mandatory, Rielly will take the ice.

If not? More soccer.

“That’s harder than pre-game skate,” Rielly says.

Lunch is served at the Platinum Club, a restaurant just steps away from the dressing room. He’ll always eat pasta in rosé sauce, and will always sit across from Gardiner. After lunch, Rielly grabs a cookie, a bottle of water and returns home.

He naps earlier than his teammates, generally from 12:30-1:30. Once he wakes up, he’ll open his laptop and pore through the endless stream of news stories emerging that day, paying particular attention to any stories his mother has sent him.

Rielly arrives back at Scotiabank Arena by 4:00 p.m. His pre-game meal is simple: toast, and, more coffee.

At 4:25, Rielly enters the trainer’s room for a thorough stretch. He’ll wait for Gardiner to finish his stretch immediately afterwards and a one-on-one game of soccer follows. First to 10 points wins.

By the end of that game, more teammates are waiting on the sidelines to join in. Another tournament commences.

At 5:00, Rielly enters the dressing room. The team’s penalty kill meeting begins at 5:12 sharp. He’ll then chat with defence partner Ron Hainsey about the evening’s matchup. Rielly is a fan of poring over the game notes on the opposition to see if any trends stick out.

Another meeting at 5:30 follows before…another game of soccer.

Rielly eventually has to be pulled away from his teammates for more stretching before getting dressed for the game.

Tonight’s game is one to forget for Rielly and the Leafs. After giving up two second period goals against the Nashville Predators, the Leafs throw caution to the wind and abandon their defensive structure in search of the tying goals. In doing so, they expose themselves and are exploited by a very good Predators offence. They add two more goals in the third period and the Leafs lose 4-0.

Rielly is unable to break out of the Leafs own zone as he has all season.

“It was an example of them clogging up the ice and making it difficult for us to generate offence,” Rielly says. “And that can be frustrating.”

Tuesday, January 8

It is a day off for Rielly and the Leafs. Rielly begins his day by running a few errands, including a stop at the bank, all fueled by a few iced coffees. He makes his way to Ossington Avenue where he meets Ennis, Andersen and Matthews for a sushi lunch.

The push to get Rielly into the All-Star game begins to ramp up. The Toronto Raptors post a short video with Pascal Siakam in a Rielly jersey encouraging fans to vote for Rielly.

Matthews also posts a photo of Rielly from lunch on his Instagram story, trying to generate more votes.

The four of them then move on to a local theatre for a matinee viewing of ‘Aquaman.’ Nothing special, according to Rielly, even if he is into superhero movies.

By the evening, the weight of two games over the past three nights catches up with Rielly. He’s exhausted, and can’t be bothered to cook. He says goodbye to his teammates and walks across the street from his apartment to Oyster Boy and saddles up to the bar.

He’s a fan of spending his evenings alone at the restaurant bar, often bringing a book, such as Thomas L. Friedman’s ‘Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations.’

As increased attention on Rielly’s social media ramps up, he needs drown out the noise. He isn’t entirely comfortable with all the attention. He plugs in his headphones and listens to an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience with a plate of oysters in front of him.

Wednesday, January 9

Wednesday’s practice ends with a competition born out of a discussion among Leafs teammates: Who’s better at taking faceoffs, defencemen or centres? Rielly has only taken two draws in his lifetime. Last season, with the Leafs trying to kill a 5-on-3 penalty and one Leafs forward already kicked out of the dot, Rielly was called in to face off against Henrik Sedin. He lost.

Assistant coach D.J. Smith drops pucks as the two groups bark after every draw. In the end, perhaps against the odds, Gardiner leads the defencemen to a surprise victory. A round of cheers breaks out among the Leafs defencemen.

Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri often debate whether forwards or defencemen have harder practices, and Rielly hopes this competition settled the debate.

“It was brewing for a couple of days,” Rielly says, “so I’m glad we squashed it.”

After practice, Rielly and his teammates board a flight to New Jersey in advance of tomorrow’s game against the Devils.

Rielly takes his seat near Gardiner, Kadri and Hainsey for a heated game of poker. Rielly has never considered himself much of a poker player, aside from killing time on his phone with a poker app. It’s the camaraderie he enjoys.

“I’m not a good player. I like being involved in making fun of guys,” Rielly says with a mischievous grin that is as commonplace to Rielly as his dad socks.

Nevertheless, he wins big on the flight down.

Previous attempts via social media to bring attention to Rielly’s “Last Man In” vote were only a start: On Wednesday night, Gardiner helps the Leafs go on the offensive. Gardiner films a series of short clips with players hamming it up for the camera in an attempt to influence voters and boost Rielly’s case for the All-Star Game.

Rielly was alone in his hotel room at the time, getting ready for a team dinner and was unaware of what Gardiner and the team were putting together.

“If I was, they wouldn’t have gotten out,” Rielly says.

When he returns to his room after dinner his phone blows up with notifications. He can only shake his head and text Gardiner to plead for the videos to stop.

Thursday, January 10

The majority of the Leafs don’t travel to the Prudential Center for a morning skate, so Rielly and Gardiner play soccer at the hotel on their own.

“I rinsed him,” says Rielly.

More videos continue to roll in on social media, encouraging fans to vote for Rielly.

Rielly tries to block out the added attention by continuing his routine. The Prudential Center offers a roomier space for the team’s pre-game soccer than many arenas. But that could only increase the attention on Rielly.

“He’s a target man,” says forward Andreas Johnsson, who is also one of the better soccer players on the team.

Rielly isn’t fazed. If anything, he believes Johnsson’s admission proves his superiority.

“If it’s Royal Rumble, you go after the best player, because you want him out early,” Rielly says.

The Leafs get the bounce-back effort they needed, a comprehensive 4-2 victory over the Devils. Rielly registers one assist and it’s one worth remembering. His patient highlight-reel pass looks almost effortless but still brilliant.

The Leafs don’t leave the airport in New Jersey until just after 11:30 p.m. Rielly finally arrives home just before 1:30 a.m. It’s a late night, but Rielly still sets his alarm for 8:00 a.m. the next morning.

“You have about 12 coffees and go about your day,” says Rielly.

Friday, January 11

As Rielly begins skating laps around the ice ahead of practice, the results are announced by the NHL: Rielly will not be going to the All-Star Game. Sabres forward Jeff Skinner is the final Atlantic Division representative.

After practice, Rielly is swarmed by reporters. Asked repeatedly what it would have meant for him to have been able to go to the game, Rielly deflects. He can’t imagine what it would be like to experience something that didn’t happen.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Rielly says repeatedly of the vote. The feelings of self-consciousness over the attention were a little too much to bear.

He’s already making plans to return to Vancouver and spend some quality time with his eight-year-old yellow lab, Maggie. Time away from the spotlight would serve Rielly well.

After a nap to recuperate from practice, Rielly and Ennis meet at Lee, a trendy Asian fusion restaurant, for dinner. Rielly is a massive fan of Susur Lee but even more so, considers living in Toronto as a way to expand his culinary palette.

“There’s a lot of diversity in this city,” says Rielly. “That is true certainly with the food. There’s lots out there that you can try, and find what you like.”

Saturday, January 12

By Saturday afternoon, the focus has shifted away from Rielly’s All-Star Game snub to that night’s opponents, the Bruins. After losing two of three regular-season meetings so far, questions continue to swirl about whether the Leafs have the mettle to combat the Bruins should they meet again in the postseason.

Rielly understands the questions, even if he doesn’t like them.

“If you’re a journalist and you look at the history, that’s the narrative I would write too,” Rielly says. “I don’t think there’s anything there that we’re afraid of.”

As the Leafs prepare to take the ice, Rielly takes his normal position in front of the silver Maple Leaf logo in the dressing room hallway to the ice. He wears an “A” on his sweater and is beginning to take more responsibility on this team. So much so that, as strong a year as he is having as an individual, he would trade it all for greater success as a team.

“That’s the end goal,” says Rielly, with the admission that the Leafs need their best players to be performing at their full capacity to succeed. “That’s why we’re here. We want to win hockey games. It’s not about what we do as individuals. That’s a trade I’d make for sure.”

In the second intermission, with the Leafs trailing 3-2 and slightly deflated, Rielly pipes up. His message is simple: Stay positive. He reminds those closest to him in the dressing room that the team is at home, down by just one goal and that they were getting their fair share of scoring chances.

“To hear voices, I think it’s good,” says Rielly. “You feel like there’s something that has to be said, whether you’re a young guy, old guy, it doesn’t matter.”

The Bruins hold on for the win. There were long stretches throughout the game that Rielly felt the Leafs were in control. It’s hard for Rielly not to imagine another playoff matchup.

“When you look at the standings, there’s a chance we’ll see them again,” Rielly says. “That’s something you always think about.”

Rielly returns to his apartment, alone with his thoughts. He tries not to let losses fester too long. He genuinely tries to find the positives in the game, and then “flushes it,” before practice the next day. Rielly is happy to have some time to himself. If there will be no reflection on his breakout season in public, the only time it might come is on his couch, free of distraction.

“I like my own space,” Rielly says. “My mom always commented on that, the way I liked to — not necessarily be alone, but — more or less, be alone.”

From the outside, Rielly may never live a more enviable life than he currently does. He does not allow for the admission that in playing the best hockey of his professional career, his profile has been raised dramatically. Even when his family visits and he dines out with his mother, she cannot get over how many people around Rielly are staring, whispering and pointing in admiration.

Rielly doesn’t want to notice the added attention, or have himself singled out for what could be one of the best offensive seasons by a Leafs defenceman, ever.

“I don’t think we’ve accomplished our end goal yet,” says Rielly. “Yeah, things are good if you look at it right now, but I think they could be a lot better. I don’t think our focus is enjoying everything that’s happening right now. We have bigger goals. And to reach that end goal, I think then we’ll be able to take a step back and look around a bit more.”

The following day is a practice, and Rielly has his alarm set for 8:00 a.m.

[blaperile]

Homestuck Epilogues - Meat - Page 5

[rougesrant]

Shoalhaven Get Up In Another Try Fest

Another scintillating display of attacking Rugby by Shoalhaven brothers Steven and Mark Brandon has laid the foundation for the Shoalies big 65 – 33 win over Shamrocks in Nowra. Mark Brandon crossed for two tries himself with both he and Steve playing prominent rolls in five more of their sides nine try haul. The win lifts Shoalhaven into third place on the table with two rounds remaining in the Peter Woods Challenge Shield Tournament.

Avondale looks to have secured the Shield with a bonus point win over Vikings, while Campbelltown maintained second place with a 21 – 5 victory over Kiama. The results mean that the Wombats now have a six point lead over the Harlequinns going into next week’s clash between the sides in Campbelltown. The match next Saturday virtually takes on a Grand Final look for this disrupted season as a win to Avondale will secure them the Shield in its inaugural year.

In a highly entertaining but none the less physical match at Nowra, Shamrocks registered first points inside the first minute of the time. After kicking off the Rocks injury depleted forward pack won possession at the very first breakdown. Center Jake Psaras took play left to the short side and found fullback Ben Ridgeway in support who crossed for the opening try in the corner.

Minutes later in a sign of things to come Shoalies fullback Steven Brandon made a strong break on halfway before finding his Brother Mark in support. Mark scooted deep into the Rocks half before finding Fly-Half Harry Hibbs in support who posted the Shoalies first of nine tries. After both conversion kicks failed Hibbs added a penalty goal four minutes later for Shoalies to lead for the first time at 8 – 5 with eleven minutes gone.

The Rocks scored next after their forwards put on several strong phases in the Shoalies quarter before big front rower Lachlan King touched down and with a conversion from Ridgeway, Shamrocks took the lead 12 – 8.

The lead was short lived when Shoalhaven Flanker Tom Hill pulled off a perfect charge-down meters from the Rocks line. Hooker Tyson Sue pounced on the loose ball to score. With the try converted by Hibbs, Shoalies were back in front 15 – 12.

Shamrocks forwards drove play deep into Shoalies territory putting plenty of pressure on their line and drawing several penalties. After a scrum drive close to the hosts line Referee John Maughan responded to another Shoaly indiscretion and awarded the Rocks a Penalty Try which gave the Rocks the lead for the last time in the match at 19 – 15.

Shoalies lifted at this point and the final minutes of the half belonged to them with their wingers crossing for a try each. Both came from a loose ball, the first to Mark Brandon who swooped on a Shamrocks lost ball just in his own half and outsprinted his opponents in a fifty plus meter run to the line. Left wingman Blake Gurney was then on the end of some good backline play to break clear on the left. His inside pass was knocked down by a Rocks defender but bounced fortuitously back to him and he raced away to score. Hibbs converted both tries and Shoalhaven went to the break 29 – 19 in front.  

The second half belonged to the brilliant Brandon Brothers who were instrumental in four of the five Shoaly tries. A minute after an early penalty goal by Hibbs, Mark Brandon created a chance for center David Priestman. Brandon showed blistering speed on the right after getting outside the defense before passing infield to Priestman who scored Shoalies fifth try for a 39 – 19 lead.

Shamrocks were not done yet however with winger Mitchell Adams crossing for two well-constructed backline tries with fullback Ben Ridgeway prominent to give the Rocks some hope of their chances at 33 – 39 with still thirty minutes left.

But the day belonged to the Home side and the mercurial Brandon brothers. Four tries came to the Shoalies in the final twenty minutes as the pace of the match took its toll on both sides. With Shamrocks experiencing a mounting injury toll over the last few weeks Shoalhavens bench had a bigger impact in this match as the personnel changes came late after a frantic high paced game.  

Blake Gurney scored two more tries, the second off a mid-field Steve Brandon break with Gurney showing all his finishing skills to position himself perfectly for the try. Steve Brandon showed all his strength again with another mid-field break, this time feeding replacement Half-Back Connor Trudgen for the try under the posts. The last try was vintage Mark Brandon. The flyer got outside his defenders again racing away from over fifty out only to be rounded up and held with thirty to go, but somehow broke free of the defender to score under the posts.

With thirteen tries scored in the match one would think that defense and effort was not too apparent on the day, but that was not the case with both sets of forwards ripping in to their work throughout. In the end The Brandon Brothers freakish attacking skills were a defining factor in the game but there were plenty of eye catching performances from players of both sides.

For Shamrocks font rowers Jesse Roche and Lachlan King lead strongly up front with their back rowers Jordan Stalker, Xavier McDevitt, Gareth Thomas and No.8 Kalem Smith again working hard. Half-Back Corey Aylett once again provided excellent ball to his outside players with Thomas McDevitt and Ben Ridgeway standout performers.

Whilst the Brandon Brothers are a significant factor in the Shoalhaven success, it would be wrong to underestimate the ability of the squad as a whole. As shown in this match they have a strong committed well disciplined approach to their football. Strong performers today up front were Dylan Moon and Tom Avey with backrowers Michael Raftery, Tom Hill and Michael Dunn getting through plenty of the heavy work. The Shoalies have plenty of strike power in their entertaining backline with Harry Hibbs, Aaron McDonnell and David Priestman also making strong contributions. As well as the Brandon brothers efforts in this match special mention should be made of young Wingman Blake Gurney who continues to show he has a bright future ahead of him.

Shoalhaven 65 (Blake Gurney 3 tries, Mark Brandon 2 tries, Tyson Sue 1 try, David Priestman 1 try, Connor Trudgen 1 try, Harry Hibbs 1 try, 7 goals, 2 penalty goals)

Def Shamrocks 33 (Mitchell Adams 2 tries, Lachlan King 1 try, Ben Ridgeway 1 try, 3 goals, 1 Penalty Try)

Other Match Results

Campbelltown 21 Def Kiama 5

Tech Waratahs 40 Def Camden 31

Avondale 22 Def Vikings 0

[thisdaynews]

England v South Africa: Can Faf de Klerk be stopped in World Cup final?

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England v South Africa: Can Faf de Klerk be stopped in World Cup final?

Faf de Klerk has made 29 appearances for South Africa

Rugby World Cup final: England v South Africa Venue:Yokohama International StadiumDate:Saturday, 2 NovemberKick-off:09:00 GMT Coverage:Live radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.

In a South Africa side packed with giants, it is the 5ft 7in scrum-half who stands out.

The Springboks’ route to the World Cup final has been characterised by the grunt and guile of their hulking forwards and dominant physical displays.

But directing the Bok brutes around the pitch in both attack and defence has been Faf de Klerk, the blond-locked, box-kicking number nine.

So who is the scrum-half dubbed “mini Hercules” who moved to Sale Sharks to reinvent himself? And how do England stop him?

The Springbok rediscovered at Sale

It is just over three years since De Klerk made his Springboks debut in a defeat by Ireland in Cape Town, but it threatened to be a short-lived foray into international rugby.

With De Klerk in the team, South Africa lost eight of his first 11 Tests between June and November 2016.

Six months later, and with a stipulation in place meaning players with fewer than 30 caps who moved abroad could not represent the Springboks, De Klerk left South African side Lions for Sale Sharks.

England proved to be an unlikely springboard back into a green and gold jersey.

“The main thing for me when I got to Sale was I got put in a role where I needed to make a difference in the team,” said the 28-year-old.

“A lot of responsibility came my way in terms of how we wanted to play, how we wanted to kick, how we wanted to play our running game.

“I started kicking for poles a lot more, started doing kick-offs. I played a lot of rugby, got a lot of starts, and the head coach Steve Diamond backed me continuously.”

Eighteen months after his last cap, South Africa boss Rassie Erasmus decided De Klerk’s Sale form could not be ignored and the scrum-half made a try-scoring return in the 42-39 win over England in Johannesburg in 2018.

“Coming back into the South Africa squad with Rassie and everyone we worked with in 2016, it was just a similar thing – the coach backing the players and knowing what they can bring,” explained De Klerk.

“It’s then up to us as players to execute whatever they give to us.”

‘Smallest guy on the pitch’ leading the fight

De Klerk said he was “just great friends” with Jake Ball after their semi-final clash

A year since his return and De Klerk is now first pick among three quality South Africa scrum-halves.

He put in a man-of-the-match performance as the party-pooping Springboks squeezed the life out of Japan to knock the hosts out in the quarter-finals.

Then, asked if South Africa could win the World Cup after beating Wales in the semi-final, De Klerk simply laughed and said: “Yes.”

But he has not escaped criticism at home from those who feel his kicking game often gives possession away too cheaply.

In the victory over Wales, the Springboks had just 39% of the ball and a 38% share of territory – which De Klerk says was all part of the gameplan.

“We’ve bought in to what we want to do every week. Part of our success is that everybody is on the same page with that,” he said.

“I’m pretty excited for when I get a good kick up in the air and I can really start chasing because I know it’s a 50-50.”

He’s not one to shirk confrontation on the pitch, either.

Footage of De Klerk going nose to nose with Wales lock Jake Ball, who stands 25cm taller than him, went viral on social media and saw the Springbok scrum-half depicted in a series of memes.

“We’re great friends. It was just a nice moment between us,” joked De Klerk afterwards.

“I do enjoy getting physical, it’s part of the game, and you do need to be up for it, especially against a team like Wales.

“So if I can, as the smallest guy on the pitch add a bit of it, that just gives motivation to the rest. So I need to be up for it.”

Rugby Union Weekly at the World Cup: Eddie’s hotel, Curry’s new cats and dodgy tattoos

The ‘mini Hercules’ you see before you hear

De Klerk joined Sale Sharks from the Lions in 2017

Sale wing Chris Ashton, who has 44 caps for England, rates his Sharks team-mate as the “best nine in the world”.

“When he’s on point I struggle to find a better one,” Ashton told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

“You cannot find a defending nine like Faf – he’s smashing people. He’s like a mini Hercules.”

Sale flanker Ben Curry is flying to Japan to watch identical twin brother and England international Tom face team-mate De Klerk in the final.

Curry says the South African brings a great energy to the club both on and off the pitch – although the Sharks’ WhatsApp group has been quieter since he’s been away.

“You hear Faf before you see him,” Curry told BBC Sport.

“He’s very loud, he dominates and controls the room, whether that is rugby or whether it is a social situation. He is the centre of attention.

“That’s great as a scrum-half, you want your scrum-half doing that. That’s why he commands a game so well. He can walk into a room and command that.

“What you see on a pitch is kind of what you get off the pitch.”

Springboks will grind out final – Erasmus

How do England stop him?

England scrum-half Ben Youngs and South Africa’s Faf de Klerk will face each other on Saturday

England scrum-half Ben Youngs described De Klerk as a “busy guy who likes confrontation” before pointing out he has already come up against two world-class opponents in the knockout stages in Australia’s Will Genia and New Zealand’s Aaron Smith.

However, with England having to call up Ben Spencer as a late replacement for substitute scrum-half Willi Heinz this week, World Cup winner Matt Dawson believes starting nine Youngs could become a Springbok target.

Dawson says Eddie Jones’ side must pay De Klerk similar attention.

“Everything centres around Faf de Klerk,” the former England scrum-half told BBC Sport.

“If you were in South Africa’s shoes, would you be looking at England and thinking they have got no replacement scrum-half so they should target Ben Youngs.

“Do they try and physically intimidate him and put him off his game? That is what you would be trying to do with Faf de Klerk.

“Maro Itoje is going to try and charge down his kicks. If he has a dart around the fringes he has got to be swallowed up, swung around like a rag doll and put back down.

“If you take his energy away then South Africa are running low on other avenues to inject any kind of energy into their own team.”

Dawson column: England could be at start of something great

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The Rugby Union Weekly team travel to Yokohama to cover the 2019 World Cup semi-finals

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[investmart007]

PITTSBURGH | Penguins hold Ovie without shot, even series with Capitals

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PITTSBURGH | Penguins hold Ovie without shot, even series with Capitals

PITTSBURGH— Mike Sullivan knows his team is “wired” for offense, as tends to happen when you have Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and — increasingly — Jake Guentzel on your roster.

Yet the Pittsburgh Penguins have proven during their two-year run atop the NHL they know what they’re doing at the other end of the ice, too, playing with a discipline that’s more grit than glamour.

Their hopes for a historic three-peat remain alive because of it.

Guentzel scored twice and the Penguins held Washington star Alex Ovechkin without a shot on goal for just the third time in 107 career playoff games to grind out a 3-1 victory in Game 4 on Thursday night to even their typically taut Eastern Conference semifinal.

Pittsburgh held Washington to three shots total in the third period.

“It’s like we played Game 7 tonight,” said Malkin, who scored from his belly late in the second period to put Pittsburgh in front to stay. “Unbelievable.”

Well. Not exactly.

This is what tends to happen when the two longtime rivals meet in the postseason. Washington edges ahead and the Penguins respond immediately, one of the main reasons Pittsburgh is 9-1 all-time against the Capitals in the playoffs.

Plenty of work remains to be done for Washington to shrug off the weight of its ignominious history and for the Penguins to push their bid for a three-peat to the next round. Yet Pittsburgh laid down the blueprint over three periods that were decidedly tamer than the Game 3 chaos caused in large part by Washington forward Tom Wilson’s illegal high hit that left rookie Zach Aston-Reese with a broken jaw and led the league to suspend Wilson for three games.

While Sullivan downplayed the impact of Wilson’s absence, the pushing and shoving was largely kept to a minimum save for a scrap between Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang and Washington’s T.J. Oshie as Guentzel skated down the ice to flip in an empty-net goal with 58 seconds to go.

For the Penguins, the stakes — as they so often have during Sullivan’s tenure — far outweighed any search for retribution.

“We understood it’s a huge game for us,” Malkin said.

Instead the teams head to Washington for Game 5 on Saturday night all tied up, the ninth time in 11 postseason meetings the series will go at least six games. Same as it ever was.

Oshie scored Washington’s lone goal — a shot from the slot on the power play 12:55 into the second that knotted the score at 1 — and Braden Holtby finished with 21 saves but the Capitals couldn’t sneak anything else by Murray, who stopped 20 shots just two days after putting together an admittedly “shaky” performance in Game 3.

The guys in front of Murray made his job relatively easy. The Penguins blocked 13 shots and rarely let Washington put together any sustained pressure.

Devante Smith-Pelly replaced Wilson on the top line with Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov, but Pittsburgh kept the clamps on. Ovechkin failed to put a single puck on net, though Washington coach Barry Trotz downplayed Ovechkin’s ineffectiveness.

“Trust me, Ovie will get his shots,” Trotz said.

He’s going to have to if he wants to keep pace with Guentzel. A year after scoring a playoff-high 13 goals while helping the Penguins to a second consecutive Cup, the slender 23-year-old is once again thriving in May.

Guentzel gave the Penguins the lead 9:21 into the second period when he stood on the doorstep and banged home a rebound of Dominik Simon’s shot for his ninth of the playoffs and his 20th point of the postseason. Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier in 1988 are the last two players to reach 20 points in 10 or fewer postseason games.

“I just kind of feel like the (pucks) are going in right now,” Guentzel said.

Guentzel has a league-leading 10 playoff goals, joining Mario Lemieux as the only NHL players to reach double digits in their first two career postseasons.

The 23-year-old, however, is still learning. He committed a slashing penalty after putting the Penguins in front, and Oshie’s shot from the slot 12:55 into the second tied it.

Malkin went to his belly to put Pittsburgh back in front with 2:33 to go in the second. The Russian star flung himself at the puck during a scrum in the crease, the puck just flitting over the goal line following a scramble. There was no initial goal call on the play, reminiscent of a sequence in Game 2 in which the red goal light remained unlit after Pittsburgh’s Patric Hornqvist jabbed at it from in front.

Replays in Game 2 proved inconclusive and the Capitals held on. This time, the review was kinder to the Penguins. Video clearly showed the puck inching across the line, and it stood after the Capitals challenged claiming goalie interference.

“It’s a good goal, we’re happy,” Malkin said. “Sometimes it’s a bad call against us. Sometimes it’s a good call. But we’re looking at the next game. We understand it’s not over.”

NOTES: Crosby also failed to get a shot on goal but had two assists. … Pittsburgh F Carl Hagelin played 16:11 while wearing a full face shield in his return from an upper-body injury that forced him to miss the first three games of the series. … The Capitals have scored a playoff goal in nine of 10 playoff games. … The loss was Washington’s first on the road in the playoffs (4-1). … The Capitals were 1 for 3 on the power play. The Penguins were 2 for 4.

__

By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer, By Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (Z.S)

___

[flauntpage]

Everything is Right Again…Or Not: Thoughts on Flyers 2, Sabres 1, and Star Wars The Last Jedi

  With a mild wave of my hand I feel confident in telling you, “This is not the hockey you were looking for.”

Yes, the Flyers won, extending their season-best win streak to five games. Yes, they somehow have turned a disastrous 10-game losing streak into a 5-5-5 performance over the past 15 games. And yes, it’s Star Wars day and I have something to say about that as well later, for those of you who are crossover fans.

But the reality is, last night’s 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, a team that, based on talent, is in that awful purgatory between NHL and AHL caliber, was Ugly, and yes, that capital U was intentional.

Don’t believe me, ask some Flyers.

“It was a boring game to watch,” Jake Voracek said. “I should know, I played in it.”

And while waiting for Dale Weise to finish up what had to be the longest media scrum of his career, Michael Raffl was standing off to the side waiting his turn – quite impatiently.

I was standing next to him and this quick exchange took place:

Raffl: (to no one in particular) “Come on Weiser, enough already.”

Me: “Guess you really don’t want to talk to us tonight, huh?”

Raffl: “You saw the game. Every answer I give you guys is going to be a one line answer. That’s all this game deserved.”

Hey, at least they could acknowledge when their own product was bad.

“Yeah, I don’t think it was our best game today,” said Valtteri Filppula, who scored a goal. “But it’s good, sometimes you have to be able to win these types of games and I think that’s a good sign.”

So is winning five in a row. It has quelled the mob chanting for Dave Hakstol’s firing… for now. It has saved the season from plummeting into the abyss… for now.

But, when you play that ugly of a game against the worst team in the sport, it’s got to leave you a little chaffed, even though you still got the two points.

Here’s the rest of the Raffl conversation, before his scrum:

Me: “Well, at least you guys won the game right? You gotta be happy with that, right?”

Raffl: “We’ll take it, but I would say we played better in about six or seven of those games in the 10-game losing streak than we did tonight. This wasn’t fun. It was like a war out there. There wasn’t anything fun about it at all.”

So yeah. Bad hockey. So much so that a non-media member sitting in the press box said to me at one point, “What the hell are we watching tonight?”

Which brings me to the shaping of a hockey narrative – which I think is one of the stories I want to tell you today.

I know the Philadelphia hockey media has taken some abuse over the years on this web site – some guys more deservedly so than others.

But, I will tell you it’s probably the hardest sport of the four majors to really cover for the following reasons:

It’s the fourth sport nationally, so the assumption is, outlets don’t need to have reporters covering the sport who are willing to dig deep for great stories – which encourages pack journalism.

Most of the people covering it never really played the sport, so gauging what is good and bad is often done statistically, which doesn’t always tell the story – even through analytics.

And it’s that second point that’s the real sticky one. Because what ends up happening is we become such slaves to those numbers – both traditional measures and modern analytical measures, that we oftentimes miss what’s happening right in front of us.

I admit, there have been times in my 18 years around this sport, that I have fallen in that trap myself. And, to the defense of the guys on the beat who are there day in and day out, it’s easier to do that when you have to provide content on a daily basis.

But, now that I am of the part-time variety here on Crossing Broad, and I don’t have to write something of value every day, it’s admittedly easier to sit back and be a little more analytical of a game.

I’m not a slave to a deadline. I don’t have to tell you any specifics about the game if I don’t want to. I don’t have to operate in that pack journalism mentality that is forced upon the media on game nights by the team – so that everyone ends up with mostly the same quotes.

No, my job here is easier in the sense that I’m given free reign to write about what I want as long as it’s compelling, informative and accurate.

So, I feel bad for the guys covering the team – at least the ones that are left anyway – because they’re working their tails off, even if the protocol leaves them chasing those same tails on a daily basis.

Which is why, last night, Travis Sanheim was your No. 1 star and everybody wanted to talk to him.

Look, it’s understandable. Sanheim scored his first NHL goal:

Travis Sanheim scores his first NHL goal! http://pic.twitter.com/R9Kgyp5B5p

— Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) December 15, 2017

And because of that his team recognized him post game by giving him the Ric Flair robe:

Sanheim wearing “Wooo” http://pic.twitter.com/jFN0zk9rA4

— AntSanPhilly (@AntSanPhilly) December 15, 2017

Good for Travis. It’s been a long-time coming and it’s certainly worth mentioning since he is such an important building block for the future of the franchise.

But star of the game? A crush of happy horseshit questions from the media?

Especially when he had plays like this:

Sanheim held the puck for a little too long and his turnover nearly resulted in a goal the other way. http://pic.twitter.com/aCB7SGGlal

— Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) December 15, 2017

and this:

Brian Elliott misplays the puck and it's 1-0 Buffalo. http://pic.twitter.com/6Cepe5Hq0y

— Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) December 15, 2017

Yes, that’s on the goalie primarily… but where was Sanheim going? He went too far with Filppula right there, ended up getting in the way of Elliott trying to get back into the crease, and wasn’t in his proper position to negate Kane in front of the net.

And he had at least one more turnover in the first period that I couldn’t find on Twitter.

To his credit, with everyone in the media salivating over his first NHL goal as a great story line, Sanheim started spitting truth:

“I don’t think we were very happy with our first period, especially me,” he said. “I thought minus the goal, that might have been my worst period of the season.”

Thing is, look at the advanced stats, and it looks like Sanheim had a good game as well.

His Corsi For percentage (CF%) at 5-on-5 was 60.00, which is very good.

So good possession numbers, scored a goal, must have been a good game, right?

Wrong.

“It’s obviously a challenge to find both sides of [the game],” Sanheim said. “I am just trying to stick with my game. I think the offensive side has always been there. I think if I make the right reads I can join up and join offensively. In saying that I have to make sure I am keeping it safe in my end.

“The better I am defensively; it turns out the better I am offensively. I am just trying to work on the little areas defensively and I can join offensively.”

Improvement? Yes. We’re starting to see it in bits and pieces. But, play this way against a better team? Toast.

The other narrative being pushed last night was discipline. Questions were flying around after another low penalty total for the Flyers that their improved play may be related to the fact that they are taking fewer penalties.

On this five-game win streak, the Flyers have only been shorthanded eight times. And if you count the last loss of the 10-game losing streak, it’s only 10 times in six games.

That’s definitely good stuff. It’s definitely a point worth talking about – like we did here on Crossing Broad two days ago.

Again, not a shot at the writers – it’s much harder to do that job when you are in the moment under deadline pressure and you have to construct a story.

So, I had no interest in that either.

Nor did I have interest in breaking down Elliott’s puckhandling mishaps. You already saw one, that led to the lone Buffalo goal, but then there was this one too:

Before the goal, Nolan Patrick saved Brian Elliott from another brutal goal after a bad play with the puck. http://pic.twitter.com/WPUJ4AH5Ru

— Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) December 15, 2017

So yeah, Elliott was a little shaky in the first period. Maybe he was bummed about the death of net neutrality.

Whatever it was, he bounced back and made some big saves – again – to keep the Flyers in the game until Filppula’s goal put them ahead, and then Elliott did a nice job of protecting the lead, finishing with 19 saves.

No, the guy I was most interested in talking to was the guy on the board nobody in the media really seemed to care to talk to – Nolan Patrick.

See, in that story from Tuesday linked above, I wrote that the Flyers were doing Patrick no favors by playing him in meaningless minutes and that they should let him go to World Juniors to rebuild confidence.

And then last night happened.

No, he wasn’t a star of the game. He didn’t muster a point.

He made a nice play to bail out Elliott on that wraparound, which was the one thing the pack did want to ask him.

But, as everyone peeled out of the locker room to go hear Dave Hakstol say a whole lot of nothing, I stuck back to chat further with Patrick. To his credit, Charlie O’Connor from The Athletic was there with me too, but that’s it.

And Patrick was pretty hard on himself when I asked him about not playing a lot of minutes:

“I don’t think I deserved to play any more than I did in those games on the road trip,” he said. “I wasn’t playing very well and I wasn’t doing anything to help the team. The last couple of games I’ve been trying to do what they are asking of me and it’s been getting better. Obviously I want to get the coach’s trust and as a young guy I follow the guys who have been doing this for a long time in their career because I want to keep getting better and earning their trust.”

Nice self assessment from the kid.

Patrick averaged less than nine minutes per game in the three games in Western Canada. He was basically playing a fourth line role and not getting many minutes.

The last two games, he’s seen a bump in ice time, garnering over 12 minutes each game. Against Buffalo, he even was granted a shift late in the third period when the Flyers were protecting a lead – a situation that would have him rooted to the bench in front of Hakstol in games previous.

And while his possession numbers have been terrible, as I documented Tuesday, last night, they were pretty good. His CF% was 60.00 against Buffalo, tied for fifth best on the team.

“One of the biggest things I needed to improve on was D zone faceoffs,” Patrick said. “I just need to keep getting better at that. It’s something that’s pretty easy to work on. We have a lot of really good faceoff guys, so it’s good to go against them in practice and I can learn from them. There’s a lot to learn.

“You know, in Junior you are ‘That Guy’ and you are thrown into every situation. It’s a real adjustment here. There’s guys who have been in this league a long time who are the go-to guys and you just have to try to contribute whenever you get the chance. It’s a process. I’m not worried about points, or confidence, or anything like that. I know with my abilities it will come eventually as long as I keep working every day.”

I still think the Flyers should loan him to Team Canada for the World Junior Championships. And I know this was the worst team in the NHL that he looked really good against, so we should temper any excitement.

But, it’s rare that a 19-year-old player understands what his strengths and flaws are and what he needs to do to become more well-rounded. Patrick’s got that. And although his development is slower than many would have hoped, he does appear to have the right mindset and that can only bode well for him as he sticks around the league even longer.

Holiday light show

If you’re going to the game tomorrow against Dallas, you’ll be in for a holiday treat.

No, the Flyers aren’t giving out free figgy pudding.

Instead, they will introduce the “Holiday Light Spectacular, presented by the Rothman Institute at Jefferson,” a new, holiday-themed light show.

The show will begin promptly at 7 p.m. and light-up bracelets will be distributed to all fans that are programmed to match the sights, sounds and colors of accompanying video projected on the ice and around the building.

The three-part show, the first of its kind in a NHL arena, is set to a compilation of popular holiday songs, and feature reindeer, elves, Santa, animated Flyers players (think Jib Jab), and much more.

“This show is a new, can’t-miss holiday attraction in Philadelphia and one that we hope becomes an annual tradition for us,” said Shawn Tilger, EVP & COO of the Philadelphia Flyers. “This show is in line with the holiday staples of the region, and we’re excited to bring entertainment of this caliber to Flyers fans here on Saturday night.” 

The 10-minute show, produced by Montreal-based technology firm PixMob, in conjunction with the Flyers and 3601 Productions, features eight, 32,000 laser phosphorus projectors and 50 moving lights that are programmed to be in sync with the 20,000 bracelets worn by fans. 

At least the Flyers are in the middle of a winning streak, so handing out bracelets isn’t a bad idea. Because that’s never gone wrong before, has it?

In all seriousness, it actually looks cool:

STAR WARS

I mentioned Star Wars in my lede.

I will tell you that my two sons convinced me to hustle home from the game last night to go see the late night premiere of Episode VIII: The Last Jedi.

As a kid, I was a Star Wars fanatic. I had every action figure, read every book, and saw each of the original trilogy movies dozens of times.

Then, the prequels came out when my oldest son was the same age I was when the originals came out. I didn’t think they were great, but I also didn’t think they were as terrible as everyone made them out to be.

Yes, there were issues. Yes, the acting was sub par. But, at least the story was there. It all tied together nicely, because it was what George Lucas had planned.

Then came the latest Trilogy.

I was one of the few who instantly hated The Force Awakens a couple years ago. Many Star Wars fans chided me for not liking it, although over time, I’ve noticed more and more people side with me that it wasn’t a good story.

What was a good story was Rogue One, which I felt stayed true to Lucas while J.J. Abrams went… well… rogue himself with a predictable story line in The Force Awakens.

So, with Abrams out and Rian Johnson in, there was hope that maybe the story would get better.

All the major reviews are in and they are praising Johnson for The Last Jedi.

I can’t. I just can’t.

Look, I’m not going to spoil anything here. I’m not going to break it down in gory detail. But, the plot of The Last Jedi is contrived. It takes faaaaaaaaaar too long to play out and tried to trick the audience with a lot of sharp twists and turns that only end up resulting in exactly what you’d expect.

The characters that die, die stupidly.

The ones that live, live in ways that really make zero sense.

And everyone has angst. Everyone is conflicted. And it keeps flip-flopping its way to a conclusion that, for me, is a flop.

There are new characters that are irrelevant. There are old characters with no thread to the story.

There are new creatures – including these annoying Furby-like creatures that really take to Chewbacca. Only thing is, I was waiting for them to get wet and multiply and start saying “Mogwai.”

Methinks the reason behind all the love is today’s audience likes things to be different than the past generation. I get that. Change is good. I don’t disagree.

But when you fly directly in the face of the original story, you’re hurting your product and cheating the audience.

It’s why Mark Hamill has had some negative comments about the movie, although he’s backtracked recently. But he did say Lucas’ original storyline for episodes 7-8-9 was far different than we we ended up with.

And that’s a real shame.

Look, I’m going to be on an island on this one, like I was two years ago, but I’m confident, in time, everyone will look back on this film and say, WTF?

Go see for yourself.

  Everything is Right Again…Or Not: Thoughts on Flyers 2, Sabres 1, and Star Wars The Last Jedi published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv