#(( it has been. a while since i watched dt but hopefully this all works ))

[waitlifted]

@dollhousemuses​ for Huey

It had been a long trip from Pincosta, but she was finally here, at the McDuck manor. Cassandra mentally went over the details as she knocked on the door. Just get in, get the Eye, and get out. If she could manage that, she’d be back in time to stop the curse.

Of course, getting McDuck to part with one of his treasures would probably be the hard part. It’d be nice and easy if she could just explain the situation and have him hand it over, but she got the sense it was going to be more complicated. And while she’d like to think she could overpower an old man with a cane, she knew he didn’t become a famous adventurer by accident.

Not that any of that mattered, as the door swung open to reveal some kid in a baseball cap instead of the famed duck himself.

“--Well, you’re not McDuck.”

[hellofromthe-otter-slide]

One Upon a Time in the Crimson Waste

Did I just take the title of the episode that introduces the Crimson Waste? Yes. Do I admit to being lazy? Also yes.

I meant to have this out a long time ago, but then my dog dislocated and broke my ankle, so, you know. Life. But I figure now’s a good time since my university has suspended classes for two weeks.

Also, if anyone here would like an update about the last part of my Beast Island series, that’s next and should hopefully come out in about a week.

Enjoy!

Read on AO3.

~

The Crimson Waste feels warmer today than usual. Catra can feel the heat seeping into her fur, and while it feels good to her, she can see how uncomfortable everyone else in the tavern is. Jackets are thrown on the backs of chairs with grumbles of discontent, and everyone around her has ordered something cold and filled with ice.

Even Double Trouble looks uncomfortable as they plop down in the seat across from her.

They fan themselves as they ask, “How is it that you aren’t dying right now?”

Catra smirks, “Heat feels good in my fur.”

“Well, it feels absolutely horrible against my skin,” Double Trouble leans back in their chair, “Go fetch me something frozen as my heart.”

Catra leans an elbow on the table and takes a long drink of her own icy drink. “Go get it yourself,” she flicks the cold condensation at Double Trouble, and they immediately glare at her, “You’ve got two working legs.”

“And you won’t if you keep doing that.”

Catra barks out a sarcastic laugh, “I’ve seen you fight. There’s no way you could catch me.”

“Oh, Kitten,” Double Trouble winks at her, and Catra bristles at the nickname, “Your confidence in your fighting capabilities is almost laughable. I can become you, darling, therefore I can crush you without a second thought.”

“Someone’s cocky.” Catra leans back in her chair and takes another long sip of her drink.

“Just remember who got us out of that fight last week.”

“I had that handled.”

Double Trouble laughs, “You were getting your ass handed to you.”

“Why do I bother being around you?” Catra says it harshly, but she knows Double Trouble will hear the humor underneath it all.

That’s the nice thing about Double Trouble. They’re just as harsh and prickly as she is, even if they hide it under a mountain of drama.

They get her in a weird way Catra hasn’t felt since Adora left the Horde.

Double Trouble smiles, and Catra isn’t sure whether it’s supposed to be sweet or not, because it’s just the wrong side of unsettling. “Because, Force Captain,” Double Trouble uses Catra’s old title like a joking jab, “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have survived the troubles of the Crimson Waste.”

“That’s dramatic.”

“It’s the truth, darling.”

Catra pushes up from the table, “I’ll go get you something, but it’s only because my drink is gone and you're getting to be too much to handle.”

“Get me something fruity!” Double Trouble calls to her as she leaves as if she wouldn’t know what they want.

The tavern is full to the brim with everyone trying to escape the heat, and Catra catches pieces of conversation as she tries to push herself up to the crowded bar.

“-I can’t believe he even had the guts to leave. We all thought he was a bit of a wimp, all things considered—”

“-dead. I am actually dead. Literally dead. How can anyone or anything survive in this heat?—”

“-No, I’m being serious. Rod told me he saw her in the Waste. She had the sword and everything—”

At that, Catra pauses.

Plenty of people have swords. They’re a common weapon outside of the Horde, and Etherians have been trained to use them for centuries.

It’s the way they said it.

Not just a sword.

The sword.

Catra stops to listen in more.

“Bad things happened the last time a princess stepped foot in the Waste,” their friend replied, and Catra sees them shiver a bit at the memory, “Someone needs to do something about her now.”

Catra interrupts their conversation. “Who’s in the Waste?”

Now that she’s directly talking to them, she knows exactly who they are. It’s Dempsey and Hamill, two snake hybrids that were a part of Tung Lashor’s gang before Catra defeated him, and unlike the rest who followed Catra without a second thought, they ran to join another gang.

Since Catra’s been back in the Waste, they’ve avoided being anywhere near her for months.

They shrink away from her with a hiss.

“Knock it off,” Catra says with an eye roll, “I just need to know who you were talking about.”

But of course, everyone heard the whispers, even out here in the Crimson Waste. Everyone here knew who Catra was outside of the reputation she’s built over the last few months, and Dempsey and Hamill just look at each other with curiosity and a bit of fear.

“You know,” Catra says casually, pushing in between them and wrapping an arm around their shoulders, “I would really like to do this as quickly and painlessly as possible.”

“What are you going to do with the information we tell you?” Dempsey asks, and Catra shoots him a smile that’s mostly teeth.

Sharp, pointy teeth.

“That’s none of your business, Dempsey.”

“We know what happened last time,” Hamill says quickly, and Catra tightens her grip on him.

“Okay, I’m going to be honest with you two,” Catra says, her voice more friendly than it’s been for a majority of the conversation, “I just to know which of the princesses you were talking about and where Rod saw her,” Catra points across the tavern to Double Trouble amusing themselves at their table, “DT also asked me to get them a drink, and this conversation has taken a significant amount of time. Eventually they’ll start to wonder what’s taking so long, so they’ll come over here, and you’ll have to deal with them and me.”

Catra knows it’s not true. Double Trouble couldn’t care less about how long it takes her to get their drink as long as they eventually get it. They care more about keeping their table.

Double Trouble has a reputation, though, and it’s a good enough threat.

“It’s She-Ra,” Dempsey spits out, and Hamill levels a glare his way, “Rod saw her in the Valley. He knows it’s her because of the sword.”

“Good job, Dempsey,” Catra says with mock congratulations, “Anything else?”

Dempsey gulps before adding, “Rod heard that she was asking around for you.”

Adora’s looking for me, Catra thinks, Why is Adora looking for me?

“I appreciate the info,” Catra lets them go, and continues to the bar, turning to say, “Next time, don’t make it so hard on yourself,” with a smirk.

Dempsey looks guilty, and Hamill punches him before Catra turns back around.

She’s placing Double Trouble’s drink in front of them a few minutes later. “I heard—”

“She-Ra is in the Crimson Waste,” Double Trouble cuts her off, “The table next to us is talking rather loudly about it.”

Catra slumps down into her seat, “You could’ve let me finish.”

“I could’ve, but the cute little upset face you make when I do that makes it all worth it,” Double Trouble says before taking a long sip of their drink.

Catra runs her finger over the cool condensation of her glass, and she feels Double Trouble’s gaze piercing into her.

“Just ask already,” Catra spits out, “You never hold back, so I don’t know why you are now.”

“I wasn’t going to ask anything,” Double Trouble says, calm against Catra’s anger and frustration, “I was going to tell you to go find her before some idiotic Crimson Waste thug does.”

Catra scoffs, “Adora can handle herself.”

Double Trouble kicks her under the table. “Get out of here, Kitten.”

Catra downs the rest of her drink and hides a smile. “I’ll see you back at our place.”

“Maybe if you’re nice, I’ll provide dinner.”

Catra laughs, “You cooking is probably the best joke you’ve made today.”

“My plan was to buy, not cook,” Double Trouble flicks her with their tail, “And if you don’t get out of here, I’m going to go find She-Ra myself.”

“And do what? Ask if the Rebellion has enough money to hire you on?”

Double Trouble smirks, “I think the queen of Bright Moon could afford it.”

Catra deflates just so at the mention of Glimmer and reminder of why Glimmer is queen.

What she did.

“No one could afford you,” Catra says in an effort to mask the feelings she hasn’t had to think about since the Bright Moon guards brought her here.

“I am an expensive bitch,” Double Trouble says with a satisfied smile, “Now go. You’re boring me.”

“See you tonight.”

Double Trouble waves her off, and Catra leaves the tavern without issue.

The Valley of the Lost is emptier than usual today with the heat forcing everyone to find shade and cover. Catra notices a few shady deals in the corner of her eye, and there are still merchants trying to sell stolen goods, but it’s easy for her to walk the streets completely unnoticed.

Adora isn’t hard to find, and Catra scales a building to be able to follow her without Adora noticing. She watches Adora creep along the streets until they’re somewhere no one will follow.

“If you wanted to travel without being recognized, you should’ve left the sword at home,” Catra calls from her spot along the building, and she crouches down so that Adora can see her better.

Catra sees the exact moment Adora finds her. Her eyes search above her, and the moment she lands on Catra, there’s a small smile pulling at the lips that Catra isn’t sure she deserves.

“Coming to the Crimson Waste without a weapon sounds like a bad idea,” Adora says easily.

“You’re the talk of the Valley.”

“Really?”

Catra tilts her head just so. “Princesses aren’t really welcomed here after what happened.”

Adora’s head tilts too, like she’s trying to figure out why. “It wasn’t our fault.”

Catra sits along the edge and dangles her legs over. “They know it was me,” Catra explains, “Words travels, even here. Princesses aren’t welcome because you don’t understand the Waste.”

“I understand the Crimson Waste,” Adora scoffs.

Catra smirks, “If you understood, you wouldn’t have gone around asking for me,” she gives Adora a quick once over, “You also would’ve changed out of that jacket. It practically screams who you are.”

“Could you stop telling me everything I’ve done wrong and come down here?”

Catra’s tail flicks in amusement, and she lifts her leg and rests her chin on her knee. “Why are you here anyway?”

“I’m not shouting it up at you,” Adora rolls her eyes.

“Someone’s in a bad mood.”

“Catra—”

“Okay, okay,” Catra puts her hands up in surrender, “I’m coming down.”

She jumps and lands a few feet in front of Adora, and when she picks herself up out of her crouch, she smirks. “Hey, Adora.”

Adora leans against the wall at her back, and Catra notes that Adora isn’t guarded in front of her anymore. Adora’s sword is sheathed on her back, and her body language looks relaxed. She doesn’t look poised to fight at all.

“Been a while,” Adora says with her own smirk.

“Since the guards were leading me out of Mystacor to come to the Waste, right?”

“With guards who didn’t think I could take you,” Adora’s smirk becomes cockier, “I could totally take you.”

Catra rolls her eyes and ignores the bait. “Why are you here, Adora?”

“I need to talk to you about something.” It’s vague, and Catra’s mind starts to wander.

The only reasonable explanation Catra can come up with is that Mystacor learned that the princesses were lying about the Crimson Waste, and they sent Adora here to bring Catra back to Bright Moon for the Rebellion’s first execution is a hundred years.

There’s no other explanation for Adora coming here.

“Well?” Catra says, frustration painting the edges of her tone, “Go on then.”

Adora looks around them, and Catra wonders what she’s looking for.

“Is there anywhere we can go where someone can’t find us?”

It’s a weird request, even weirder given their history, but Catra nods without asking why. “Follow me.”

Catra leads Adora out of the Valley of the Lost, peeking around corners and ensuring no one follows them. They keep walking through the desert, the warm, unrelenting sun beating down on them, until Catra finds what she’s looking for.

It’s a cave, and deep within it is the only body of water Catra knows of in all of the Waste. The inside is cool, and after the long walk, Adora sinks against the cave wall.

“When I asked if there was somewhere we could go, I wasn’t expecting you to take me miles into the desert,” Adora groans and wipes some sweat from her forehead.

Catra sits against the cave wall opposite Adora, “You wanted someplace where no one will come. This is it.”

Adora lifts her head from the wall and looks around, her eyes going wide when she seeks the crystal-clear blue water about ten feet away from them. “This place is amazing.”

“Double Trouble showed it to me right after they helped me,” Catra says softly, “As far as I know, we’re the only ones who know about it.”

They fall silent, and while Adora looks around the cave and takes everything in, Catra just watches her. She watches the way the water reflects in Adora’s blue eyes and sends ripples along her golden hair.

“Adora?” Catra says softly, and Adora stops her examination of the cave to look over at Catra with a curious look.

“You came here to talk about something.”

“Oh, right,” Adora crosses her legs and takes the Sword of Power off of her back, “I wanted to ask you something.”

Catra snorts. “You came all the way to the Crimson Waste, probably without your friends knowing, to ask me something?”

“It’s one of those things I had to ask in person.”

“Okay,” Catra makes herself comfortable and pulls one knee to her chest, “Ask away.”

Adora seems to hesitate before she asks, “Why didn’t you tell me that you’re the queen of the Magicats?”

Catra goes still. “Who told you?” she asks, her voice so quiet, but it resounds in the echoing silence of the cave.

“Madame Razz took me to Half Moon,” Adora explains, “It happened accidentally. I always look for Razz when things don’t make sense, and usually she just leads me to a ton of dead ends, but this time she led me through the Whispering Woods right into Half Moon.”

Catra doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t know what to say, and in her silence, Adora keeps talking.

“I know you already saw it,” Adora says softly, “You already know what’s there, but it was awful. The Horde slaughtered them, but I barely got a moment to process it before Razz ushered me to the throne room of the castle. There was a body right in front of the throne—”

“Queen Reina,” Catra cuts in, “Queen Reina was killed by Hordak in the throne room during the invasion.”

My mother, Catra doesn’t say, You saw the body of my mother.

Adora takes a deep breath, understanding Catra’s unspoken words without acknowledging them.

“Razz told me about the connection you talked about during your trial,” Adora says, her voice quieter than before, “She told me that each She-Ra formed a connection with the Magicat queen of her time, and that it was destiny.”

Adora is silent for a few moments before saying, “She told me that our paths were meant to intertwine, that you’re my Magicat queen.”

Catra looks down at her lap, refusing to meet Adora's eyes, “What do you want me to say?”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Adora asks accusingly, “Why didn’t you tell me this at the trial?”

“Would it have changed my fate?” Catra retorts, her voice angry, “If the Rebellion knew I was the Magicat queen, would they magically accept me as one of their own?” Catra looks up at Adora, and just seeing her there, her eyes burning with determination, makes Catra even angrier. “I pulled the lever, Adora. I opened the portal. Just because I’m queen of a long dead and forgotten people doesn’t change that.”

“I,” Adora seems to lose some of her steam, “You still should’ve told me.”

“Why?” Catra shouts, and it reverberates along the cave walls, “I was still going to be exiled to the Crimson Waste.”

“Because, Catra,” Adora shouts back, “This isn’t just your destiny. It’s mine too!”

“Some destiny, right?” Catra scoffs, “This destiny that made us Horde soldiers under Shadow Weaver. It watched everything she did to us, everything the Horde did to us, and it did nothing while we suffered.” Now that Catra has started, she can’t seem to stop. “What kind of destiny tears us apart and makes us fight on opposite sides of a war? What kind of destiny forges itself in two child soldier who don’t know any better than to fight for all the wrong reasons?”

“You chose to stay, Catra,” Adora says, “That wasn’t a part of our destiny.”

“Of course I fucking chose to stay!” Catra yells, “The Horde was the only thing I knew, and after you left, I finally got some credit for all of the work I spent years doing. I thought that I finally got the same respect from Shadow Weaver that you did, and you know what? It felt great to be appreciated for once.”

Catra stands and starts pacing just to release some of her building frustration.

“You left me,” Catra says, “You left me so easily when you learned what the Horde truly was, but you saw everything Shadow Weaver did to me. You watched her use her magic on me and hurt me, and,” Catra breathes in, “and it was never enough to make you want to leave. You left for random people and two Rebellion fighters you barely knew.”

Catra hears Adora get up, and she assumes Adora is leaving until she feels a hand wrap around her wrist.

“I don’t know what to say to make that better,” Adora confesses, “I don’t know what I can do to show you that I tried stopping Shadow Weaver, but she always told me that your punishment was my fault. I always thought that if I were just a little bit better, a stronger soldier and a cunning strategist, I could stop her from hurting you, and it never worked.”

Adora’s thumb runs over Catra’s wrist.

“You were never second best to me, Catra,” Adora whispers, “You were never my sidekick, and you were never my pet. You have so much potential to achieve so many things.”

“But only for the Rebellion.”

“Oh, gods, no,” Adora laughs lightly, “I’m done asking you to join us. I know it isn’t what you want.”

Catra finally turns, and she lifts her eyes to see Adora with a soft smile just for her.

“I don’t know how you can even be here,” Catra says, “After everything I’ve done and every way I’ve hurt you, you should hate me.”

“I did, for a bit,” Adora admits, “After you pulled the lever and we lost Angella, I thought I would hate you forever, but then you showed up at Bright Moon wanting to stand trial for what you did, and I realized a small part of the Catra I grew up with was still in there. You just buried her deep down.”

Catra wonders if it’s really that, or if their shared destiny has anything to do with Adora starting to forgive her.

“I know this whole idea of destiny is hard to handle,” Adora says, letting Catra’s wrist go but not moving away, “It doesn’t feel like we have a choice, but I just need you to know that even if it wasn’t our fate, I would still choose you, Catra.”

“Even after everything?”

Adora smiles again, “In any universe, and in any timeline, I’d choose you without question.”

Catra smiles, and for the first time in a very long time, she feels comfortable around Adora. The comfort she feels is different than the comfort she used to feel around Adora in the Horde. There was no Shadow Weaver to put any strain, no ranks to fight for.

For once in their lives, they are just Adora and Catra with nothing forcing them to be anything else.

“I’d choose you too,” Catra says, “No matter what.”

Adora just smiles at her until something just clicks, and Catra’s seen that face a hundred times. She knows Adora has a million things she wants to talk about, and she can’t figure out where to start.

“So, C’yra was the queen during Mara’s time as She-Ra,” Adora says, “And Razz calls you C’yra.”

“According to C’yra, Razz gets her timelines messed up, whatever that means.”

Adora’s eyes go wide. “You’ve talked to C’yra?”

“Did Razz show you the library?”

Adora nods her head no.

“In the back, there’s a large orb that Razz called The Voice of the Ancestors,” Catra explains, and she hopes what comes next doesn’t sound too insane, “It holds the consciousness of every Magicat queen to ever reign, and because I’m part of the royal lineage, I was able to talk to Queen Reina and C’yra.”

“I wish I could talk to Mara like that.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure,” Catra crosses her arms, “C’yra really put me on my ass.”

“But, I mean,” Adora bumped Catra’s shoulder with her own, “You kind of deserved it.”

“Yes, when people ask me what put me on the path of realizing just how much of an asshole I am, I’ll make sure to make them think I’m crazy because a Magicat queen from a thousand years ago told me I needed to get my shit together.”

Adora laughs, “Well, we all have our ways. I have a magic sword that turns me into an eight-foot-tall warrior princess. You’ve got moody ancestors.”

Catra tackles her, and it’s just like when they were kids again, play wrestling because one of them didn’t have a good comeback. Catra has the advantage with surprise, but Adora’s strong even without the sword, and they play fight until Adora pins one of Catra’s arms behind her back.

“I have to admit,” Catra says, rubbing her shoulder to relieve the ache after Adora lets her go, “This is not how I expected my day to go.”

“And how did you expect it to go?” Adora asks, lying down right beside Catra.

Catra shrugs, “I don’t know. Double Trouble and I probably would’ve found a job to do, and they would’ve spent the entire day complaining about how hot it is, and then they would argue they did most of the work after we got paid and claim they deserve more of the cut.”

“Who’s Double Trouble?” Adora asks, “You mentioned them before.”

They fall into easy conversation. Catra tells the story of Double Trouble coming to her rescue when Tung Lashor’s old gang cornered her, and she talks about her life in the Waste, not even leaving out the less-than-legal things her and Double Trouble get up to.

Adora tells her about Bright Moon and life where the war between the Horde and the Rebellion still rages on. She tells Catra about missions and meetings, and when she brings up a mission where her and Scorpia defeated an entire squadron all on their own, she reached into her back pocket and pulls something out.

“She caught me on my way out,” Adora says, “Somehow she knew exactly where I was going. She wanted you to have this.”

It’s a letter, and on the outside, in Scorpia’s messy handwriting is just one word, a nickname Scorpia gave her so long ago: Wildcat.

“How is she?” Catra asks, her fingers messing with the letter nervously, “And Entrapta too.”

“Entrapta still refuses to leave Dryl,” Adora tells her, “She refuses to come back to the Princess Alliance, and we decided it was just best to leave her on her own.”

“And Scorpia?”

Adora points to the letter in Catra’s hands, “I think that’ll be able to tell you better than I can.”

Catra figures she’s right, and she stuff the letter into her pocket for later.

Adora tells her more about the war and how Hordak seems to be slipping after losing so many people, and Catra realizes that the more Adora tells her, the more she’s rooting for the Rebellion despite all of the work she put in against them.

“I’m sorry,” Adora says, cutting herself off mid-story about her, Bow, Sea Hawk, and Mermista protecting Sealineas from a growing Horde navy, “I didn’t even think about the fact that you may not want to hear about this.”

“No, it’s fine,” Catra laughs lightly, “Hordak almost killed me, so anything that’s a pain in his ass is a story I want to hear.”

Catra’s voice is light, but Adora sits up and grabs Catra’s wrist. “Hordak almost killed you?”

“Oh, yeah,” Catra realizes she might have been a bit too flippant about her almost-death, “After Angella closed the portal and the Fright Zone started to crumble, I got the two of us out. Everything was good until that imp found us and replayed the conversation I had with Entrapta where I tried sending her to Beast Island.”

“And then he almost killed you.”

Catra nods. “He almost choked me to death, and I hate to say that that wasn’t the first time.”

“You’re not taking this seriously.”

“I think I am.”

“Catra—”

“It was for the better, okay?” Catra wraps her tail around Adora’s wrist just like she used to, “I needed to be on my own, and that never would’ve happened if Hordak never knew the truth. Being on my own led me to the Magicats and taking responsibility for everything I did.”

Adora’s hand comes up and cups Catra’s face, her thumb running across Catra’s cheek. “I’m so sorry, Catra.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know,” the hand on Catra’s cheek slips into her mane, and Catra sinks into the contact, “Everything?”

“I’m sorry too,” Catra whispers, “For everything.”

Their conversation stays light after that, and they talk until Catra realizes that Adora probably needs to get back to Bright Moon.

“Do you know how to get back from here?” Catra asks as they leave the cave. The sun has set, and the stifling heat has been replaced by a gentle chill.

“Swift Wind is on his way,” Adora lifts the Sword of Protection and sheaths it on her back, “We’ll just fly back.”

“How did you have time to contact him when we just left?”

“Psychic connection,” Adora says like it isn’t the most insane thing Catra’s ever heard.

“You have a psychic connection with your magical talking horse.”

Adora nods. “Apparently the companion is a normal thing for She-Ra,” Adora explains with a smile, “One She-Ra apparently had a dragon, according to Bow’s dads.”

“And you got a magical talking horse,” Catra repeats as she tries to imagine Adora with a dragon companion.

“Swift Wind is nice when he isn’t on a crusade the liberate every horse on Etheria.”

Catra snorts, “That’s his noble mission?”

Adora laughs, “That’s his noble mission.”

They see Swift Wind in the distance, and Adora pulls Catra into a hug.

“Don’t get into too much trouble,” Adora says into Catra’s shoulder.

Catra wraps her arms around Adora tightly. “It’s all Double Trouble,” she insists, “It’s even in their name.”

Adora laughs as Swift Wind lands beside them, and Adora and him share a few soft sentiments before Adora climbs up.

Just at they’re about to take off, Catra stop them. “Hey, Adora?”

Adora turns, “Yeah?”

Catra smiles, “Don’t wait months before the next visit.”

Adora smiles back, “I’ll wear a disguise next time.”

And with that, Swift Wind takes off, leaving Catra on her own beside the entrance to their secret cave.

[takerfoxx]

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Season 4, Episode 3, First Impressions!

It’s partytime!

You know, this episode was fun and all, but part of it felt a little...off. And it wasn’t hard to figure out what. 

See, while the set-up for the plot was fine, it’s placement felt weird. It was the standard “Heroes get praised a lot for doing heroic stuff, fame goes to their heads, they make mistakes out of overconfidence, and have to fix them while learning a lesson about humility and whatnot.” Which is all well and good, but that sort of thing feels like it should have taken place earlier in the series, and not after Adora went through all that traumatizing craziness in the last finale. I get that it’s customary for this show to pull things back at the start of the arcs before working up to full throttle, and again, it’s not bad, it’s just...odd.

Anyway.

The party itself was a hoot though, and despite the aesop, I did enjoy seeing Adora and Bow genuinely enjoying themselves. Even Swift Wind was fun to watch. Normally I don’t care for these scenes because the recipients are usually uncomfortable and awkward and it’s painful to watch, but since they were actually receptive of the attention for once, it was just fun. So screw you, moral about being humble! Let the heroes have their party, they deserve it! Also, I got a kick out of how after Bow woke up in that cage with the villagers, he wasn’t all, “Oh no, I screwed up and got everyone captured. I’m such a failure and a fake, this is all my fault.” No, he was all, “Guys, relax! I’m friggin’ tech-master Bow! I’m in this sort of situation all the time, so of course I can figure out a way to get us out of here!” And he does. And it’s awesome.

Still, the absence of Glimmer was felt, which is probably part of the reason things felt off and they made the mistakes that they did. She really is kind of a grounding force in their group dynamic, and I do see that becoming a plot point later.

As for Flutterina...well, not much to say about her character, seeing how, you know, it’s DT in disguise, though that does raise some questions about our favorite shape-shifting thespian. First of all, were they Flutterina the whole time, or did they make the switch during the attack? If it’s the former, then how did no one notice a new fairy kid running around? If it’s the latter, then what did they do with the real Flutterina? Because there are some troubling implications with that whole business. 

Speaking of which, I am very curious about DT and what they’re all about. Because I don’t really buy how they’re being presented. I mean, them being Glimmer’s cousin seems to have been nixed, but what about the whole double agent thing? Like, sure, Catra staged this whole thing so that she would have a mole in the Rebellion, well done. But why did DT join the Horde in the first place? It couldn’t just had been wanting more opportunities to shape shift. No, I feel that there’s more to their game, that they’re pulling the long con on Catra. If so, the main question is why. Do they have a grudge against Catra and/or the Horde as a whole? Where they a relative or a friend of Tung Lashor, perhaps? Time will tell.

Anyway, as seems to be the formula, while the heroes were doing all the episodic stuff and learning the lessons, all the meaty character work is again done by the villains. Here we get a glimpse into Catra’s psyche, and it turns out that she really, really regrets what she did to Entrapta, and that Adora’s condemnations over opening the portal really got to her. Now she’s basically doubling down on her actions because she feels that she has no choice, sunk cost fallacy and all that. And any reminder of what she did causes her to flip out. 

Like she did to Scorpia. 

Now, I’m not sure how much of that I actually believe or how much was her putting on a front. I mean, so far she’s either turned on or been turned on by everyone she’s genuinely cared about, so she might just be instinctively protecting herself. Personally, I feel that the reason she lets Scorpia look after Emily is in part out of guilt. But regardless, the damage is done, and Scorpia’s heart is broken. But as hard as that was to watch, it needed to happen. Scorpia needs to stop lying to herself and hopefully face reality and oh did I mention that I am really looking forward to Scorpia’s personal arc?

But that doesn’t hold a candle to how Hordak feels about Entrapta. Damn, he took her alleged betrayal really personal, to the point where he assumes that any tech on the Rebellion’s side is her doing. He finally found someone who valued him as a person and didn’t judge him for his imperfections, only to be lead to believe that she turned on him. I have a feeling that when he finally finds out what Catra did to her is what’s going to cause him to throw her leash off of him and send her off to Beast Island. Hell, maybe he’s already planning on doing that. I can’t imagine that he’s going to put up with being her bitch for very long.

Speaking of Catra, I think I mentioned this before, but I’m noticing a lot of parallels between her and Glimmer, to the point where she’s kind of Glimmer’s dark reflection. They both had complex relationships with their mothers/mother-figures in which they felt like they were being held back and not given the responsibility that they wanted, they formed a tight-knit trio that proved to be their side’s most effective force, to taking over the whole she-bang. But their methods, motivations, and end results are so very different. And I’ve heard down the grapevine that the two are destined to have a face-to-face confrontation, and to be honest, I’m kind of looking forward to that more than I am to another Adora/Catra scrap. 

[ghost-bat-gamer]

DuckTales spoiler warning!

My boy! There he is! In DuckTales!

Aaaaaaa!!!!!  I think that was my favorite episode so far! And maybe of all time! Ooookay. There are some VERY important facts that this episode tells us though:

First of all, Fethry has been under there for a LONG TIME, so he has no idea about Della's disappearance, since he hasn't be in touch with Don and Scrooge, since they ignore him.

He calls Huey and Dewey “little Donalds”, which he was probably assuming they were his children.

He never once brings up Della, so he might have not had that close of a relationship to her(in the comics), as he was always dragging poor Donald around.(once again in the comics)

At the end of the episode, there is a HUGE comic reference, that not many of you might have caught. He talks about wanting to be an actual scientist, and asks if he can just fill out a form. This could be a major reference to how in the comics, Fethry works for the Scientist Ludwig Von Drake, and run into trouble with the beagle boys,(who overheard their conversation about treasure while the two were picking up library books.) I can understand that, but why were the beagle boys at the library? Anyway, due to the Dt-17 Canon however,with Ludwig von Drake being a scientist working for the head corporate secret organization of defeating F.O.W.L, and Gyro with his interns Manny and Fenton, who used to have an underwater Laboratory, there are three(  2 both awesome) ways this could go.

#1 Fethry does end up filling out a form, somehow ends up working for Ludwig von Drake at the top secret organization which would be very funny cuz he's he's quite...eccentric, and I'm dealing with some of the F.O.W.L, or somehow run into Beagle Boys Still. OR, another  idea is that somehow Fethry will end up working for Gyro, which will be very funny, seeing how  Gyro is a no-nonsense kind of guy, and Fethry might end up driving him crazy. (Or Fenton could mistake him for a genius and teach him in his “lab”, OR he could work for Gizmoduck, or  evil bulbtech, or like bulb, OOH or get tricked into working with beaks. Another thing is he might become a scientist on his own which isn't very likely. Another hopefully the last idea, it's not an idea I like because Fethry  you might become sad, might not become important to the plot at all. Who knows all I know is no matter what or who he's working for is probably still going to run into the Beagle boys and ma beagle, ooh! or pa beagle, since you know they're all like kind of enemies of Scrooge McDuck but anyway Fethry he's the best and I really hope to keep his personality  the same you know eccentric kind of a genius but also very very crazy but still we will figure it out.

Edit: Remember the continuity when Huey had a panic attack in the water because his suit got fogged up and how that’s related to the fact that he wants to see what’s killing him, yknow, from the terror of the  terra firmians episode? well yeah. When the very simular but also different in his own way to Huey Fethry notices his panic attack to the dark, I think he might have had an inner flashback, and that’s why he has the bio luminescent krill, because he was one terrified too. then he helps him outsrtbrthkerhtbhre such a good uncle.

(random headcanon) - Fethry loves going to the theaters to watch sci-fi horror movies, but he gets a little too rowled up for the public, so Don and the rest of team uncle cannot take him anywhere without being an embarrassment., 

Over all- I love comic Fethry, and now I also love DT17 Fethry!!!! HOPE FOR MERCH and if you see some, please show me

[dipulb3]

Polk React soundbar review: Built-in Alexa for your TV speaker

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/polk-react-soundbar-review-built-in-alexa-for-your-tv-speaker/

Polk React soundbar review: Built-in Alexa for your TV speaker

I’ve had a voice assistant in my house for the past few years and it’s hard to know how I ever did without it. The whole family uses it to turn off the lights, ask for the weather or, to my horror, listen to endless amounts of Spotify-skewing pop music. The Polk React brings the convenience of Alexa into a TV-friendly, soundbar form. The essential question is: Do we really need a TV speaker that’s also an assistant? 

Like

Amazon Alexa onboard works well.

Excellent sound quality for the price.

Smart looking design

Don’t Like

Only one HDMI input

Optional sub and surrounds are costly.

The new React follows up Polk’s original almost-but-not-officially-an-Echo soundbar, the Polk Command Bar. The React differs from the Command because it doesn’t include the wireless subwoofer — it’s just a single bar. The React sounds very good and is equally comfortable with movies and music, and its integration with Alexa is even slicker than before. The result is a well-rounded package for your money.

But back to that essential question. Honestly I prefer keeping my assistant in a separate, dedicated speaker. Ask Alexa a question on a hybrid device like the React and the audio grinds to a halt while the assistant does your bidding. That can be annoying, especially when you have to interrupt your The Nevers session to ask a related question.

Then again, you might prefer an all-in-one solution, in particular if you don’t already have an Alexa speaker in your living area. And the React is a better value than the $400 Sonos Beam, another Alexa-powered soundbar, although it lacks Sonos’ multiroom chops. At the time of publication the React is available for $200, and if you want to improve the sound you can add an optional sub ($180) and/or the SR2 surrounds ($180), providing a nice upgrade path for the future.

What’s in the box?

The Polk Command Bar lacked the stylishness of the Sonos Beam, but the React smooths out the awkwardness with touches like its soft, woolen grill. The distinctive central ring section remains — with volume, action and on/off buttons set in a circle that looks like the top of an old-school Echo — but the activity light is now an illuminated bar across the front edge. 

Ty Pendlebury/CNET

The bar itself measures 2.2 inches high, 4.76 inches deep and 34 inches wide. The soundbar is wall-mountable by way of keyhole keyhole mounts on the back. The audio section consists of two midrange drivers, two tweeters and two passive radiators underneath for added bass.

Inputs run to a single HDMI (ARC) output, an optical input for TV audio, Bluetooth, and a USB that’s strictly for firmware updates. I do wish it had the Polk Command Bar’s second HDMI port, which is a boon for users with multiple devices. The unit also offers Wi-Fi connectivity, though not Ethernet, for connecting the voice assistant to the Internet. 

Ty Pendlebury

The React includes Amazon’s Multi-Room Music compatibility in addition to Spotify Connect, but sadly no AirPlay or Chromecast built in. I did appreciate that song requests via Alexa can be played through Tidal by default, though.

The React can work with an optional Sub and/or surround speakers.

Ty Pendlebury/CNET

The optional wireless Polk React Sub is hefty, akin to the one I saw on the JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass, and it costs a pretty penny, too, at $180. The large 16.5-by-8.6-by-13.7-inch box has a 7-inch woofer onboard. 

Meanwhile optional rear speakers come in dedicated Left and Right versions and feature 10-foot long power cables. The speakers, shaped vaguely like a glasses case, are finished in gray marle and measure roughly 8 inches long by 4 inches square.

For a relatively inexpensive soundbar, the remote control is pretty comprehensive. It’s chunky but in a functional way and it offers plenty of control capabilities — even for the levels of the rears and the sub. These latter controls could also be seen as a not-so-subtle upsell attempt.

Interacting with Alexa

Ty Pendlebury/CNET

In the time since the introduction of voice assistant-enabled soundbars, I have some second thoughts on the technology, as have seemingly many manufacturers. There are two major reasons. First, people probably already have a digital assistant in their living room by now, because they’re reasonably cheap. Second, the sound from the main speaker “ducks” or mutes whenever you issue a command, meaning your show or movie is interrupted. 

Those caveats aside, the Polk React was relatively painless when it came to issuing commands, hearing my “Alexa” wake word even when at the highest volume. The speaker doesn’t mute completely when it ducks, meaning you can still sort of hear what’s going on. Queries were quickly resolved and so the interruption wasn’t as great as with other smart soundbars I’ve tested, such as the Yamaha YAS-209 or JBL Link Bar.

Ty Pendlebury/CNET

If you don’t want to use the remote you can also use your voice for all of the controls, including the ability to alter the sub and rear volumes. In a related fashion, the only thing that irked me during setup was that neither the soundbar nor the subwoofer manual tell you how to sync the peripherals. Hopefully the company can fix this for its May release, but if you’re stuck you need to press the sync button on the soundbar for 4 seconds, then the synching device’s for 4 seconds, and then touch the soundbar’s button quickly again.

A night on the couch

As with the excellent series of TV speakers before it, the Polk React is equally at home with movies as it is with playing music. The array of quickly-changeable sound modes means that you can ask Alexa on the fly if you want to boost intelligibility (voice volume) or bathe in pseudo-surround sound (movie mode).

Sadly, I did not have the Sonos Beam on hand for direct comparison, but I did have two subwoofer-less soundbars, the Vizio M21D-H8 ($150) and the JBL Bar 5.0 Multi Beam ($350), that bookend the Polk in price.

I started my testing with one of the most memorable sequences from a superhero movie — up there with Superman flying around the world backwards — which is Wonder Woman going “over the top” of the World War I trenches (1:14:00). Bullets fly as our hero strides confidently through the mud before bracing herself with the help of her shield for a machine gun assault. The scene brought me chills.

The Polk was able to capture the movie’s epic sweep, the soundtrack swelled and bullets zinged, but I did miss some of the oomph and immersiveness a larger system could bring. In comparison, the Vizio wasn’t as clear and didn’t have as much bass. It simply felt a little underpowered for this scene, even with the oft-reliable DTS Virtual:X processing employed.

But it was the JBL Bar 5.0 which sounded the most majestic in this test. With the JBL’s Smart Mode turned on, dialogue was still clear but bullets whizzed around the room in a way that they didn’t with the other two bars. There was also plenty of bottom end for the shells that exploded around our friends as they approached the German line.

With this and other material I found that the Polk offered the best compromise of sounding full for a reasonable sum, but the JBL was the better home cinema speaker. Maybe it could be worth the extra $100 for movie watching, but not if you want to listen to music.

Like other Polk’s before it, the React is able to tap out a tune very convincingly. Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand sounded natural and balanced on the Polk at every volume level. While the JBL can go much louder than the Polk, its musical performance came with sonic artifacts. The bass line started to distort and become synth-like beyond only halfway up the dial.

When I added the optional sub and rears the Polk was at its best, as you would expect from a system that now costs $650. The benefits of the sub and rears could be felt whichever kind of material I was listening to, sometimes in unexpected ways. For example, Dead Can Dance’s Yulunga Spirit Dancer, especially in Movie mode, was as enjoyable as ever — the world-music-tinged tune sounded huge, and it was hard to believe it was coming from a soundbar system.

Should you buy it?

With the Polk React the manufacturer has given users a clear upgrade path, a rarity in this category, by offering the optional sub and surrounds. If you have to choose between the two it’s a tough call. If you mainly watch TV sports or dramas, then the surrounds will make the most difference as they give the listener the greatest sense of immersion. On the other hand if you like your music loud or your action movies explodey, then it’s the sub you should get. 

Without the optional speakers, the Polk React offers excellent sonics for a single bar with a smattering of great features for the money. For people who want a hybrid Alexa speaker, it’s another satisfying system that lives up to the smart soundbar legacy created by the original Polk Command Bar.

[stevennavarro]

Unpacking (The End of 2020 And The Start of 2021)

On that first mid-September day I watched the deer grazing for about an hour. They have horrible eyesight, so they didn’t even notice me until I stood up to go get seconds. Spooked, they jumped back over the fence and went into the thicket. But by the time I came back to the porch with another serving of food, they had already forgotten what scared them and were slowly walking towards the fence again, looking for something fresh to nibble.

Yep. This was quarantine life in Texas hill country.

I’m sure most of you have had to quarantine or isolate in the past months for one reason or another. It’s not an uncommon thing by now. You travel somewhere, then you’re alone for a bit before you’re…released. Not too strange. But for me, this quarantine was odd for a few reasons: one, I just came from Amsterdam, where even through lockdown, it’s still city life that you’re living. Narrow streets, lots of buildings. These are your surroundings. Not big plots of grass and rivers, and certainly not hills. Also, I was around my community there. Through the different lockdowns, we were able to be with our roommates and assigned households. Together, still. Limited. But together, nonetheless. Now it was just me and the deer (and occasionally on some evenings, a fox). On top of all this, I was in Texas after being away for over a year, but not yet with my family. That was the strangest part, being in the same state but not being with them.

I was staying in an empty house fifteen minutes outside of a small country town called Boerne. The house was in between having renters, so I could use it for my quarantine before seeing my family. It was very much an in-between place. Quite literally, actually. Because I generally want to be in Amsterdam, with my family, or in some country on outreach, not isolated in a house by myself.

Yet for all of its sudden shock factor, that time alone was good for me.

I’ve read it somewhere that when you slow down, it gives your soul time to catch up to you. You, the one running and running with a noble mission and high calling, finally pausing to feel the burn in your lungs and the bewilderment of your feet who cannot understand why you are not running anymore. But your soul now greets you, thanks you, and asks why you’ve sped on without him. He carries some things you’ve been too busy to feel — tiredness, questions, sadness, a few aches and pains. Quite a care package to deliver, I’d say. But the Lord met me there in that house and helped unpack it all, the type of unpacking that is hard to do when you’re running. 

The unpacking continued as the weeks went on. But thankfully God has given us a wonderful place for this. It’s called family.

It was one of the sweetest times I’ve ever been with them. I cherished every moment.

When I came back to the Netherlands, I had to quarantine again. Some dear friends let me do so in a tiny house on their flower farm. It was magical. I felt loved.

Quarantining upon coming into another country is a unique experience for me. Usually I jump right into things upon landing. But perhaps these in-between times that are popping up every time I cross a border are okay.

Right after quarantine I met up with Zach at Central Station and we took a train towards the east of the Netherlands. We were headed to YWAM Heidebeek, our other base here in the country. I was invited to speak in their DTS again on relationships. I had five days of teaching. I felt quite tired after each teaching session. But the week overall was a blast.

Here’s a photo of me lying on the ground while teaching. And also some scenery from the forest surrounding the base.

Returning to Amsterdam felt exciting. I’d only been away two months, but I was glad to be back. It was good to be back with my team and community again. We were already well into November, so prep work for the DTS needed to be on the front burner. But before we could get to that work, a shift in our structure needed to happen.

I’ve been staffing DTS’s since 2016 and took on the role of school leader and team leader at the end of 2017. I’ve been able to run some great schools with great teams. Now at this point in my life, I feel the Lord changing my focus from running the DTS to training others to do so.

At first this seemed like a scary thing to do. Passing on leadership would mean a new role for me. What even is that role, I wondered. Thankfully we’ve got solid leadership on base who helped us sort it all out. What we decided on is that Camille and Amy will lead this coming DTS. My role then is to coach them in this and help them along the way with all that goes into running a school. This will involve a lot of pastoral support and feedback as they’re leading from the front.

Some cool teaching prospects have opened up in the coming months, so hopefully I’ll take some weeks to go speak in other DTS’s. And that’ll be the real test — leaving the school while it’s running! But this will give Amy and Camille a nice test run on what it’s like to lead the school without me in the future.

This year’s staff team: (from left to right) Laura, Noah, Janelle, Me, Amy, Camille, Zach

What exactly is that future where I’m not running DTS? I don’t know. There are so many opportunities for ministry in the city. I’ll be praying and looking for the Lord’s leading. But for now this upcoming school, that is, the people involved, is enough to focus on. Just pray we are actually able to run it during this time! All of our students are European citizens. But even our German neighbors will have quarantine upon arrival in the Netherlands. Who knows, maybe that’s a good thing? Maybe these future students will also begin unpacking big things with the Lord. Maybe we could even become some type of family for them to do that with.

[junker-town]

6 NFL players on the verge of their best season yet

Free agency and shrewd draft moves have surrounded these six veterans with more talent than ever.

This offseason, several NFL players found new homes that could lead to major improvements in their games. Odell Beckham Jr. moved from Eli Manning’s aging passing game to Baker Mayfield’s deep ball extravaganza in Cleveland. Trey Flowers left New England’s rotation-heavy defense to reunite with his former defensive coordinator in Detroit. Nick Foles will get the opportunity to make 16 starts behind center for the first time in his career now that he’s a Jaguar.

Then there’s the flip side. Plenty of players benefitted from staying home, watching the supporting casts around them improve.

For instance, Jacksonville’s group of wideouts upgraded from Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler sailing passes over their heads to working with a Super Bowl MVP. Mayfield gets an All-Pro wideout to fling passes at indiscriminately, knowing there’s a non-negligible chance Beckham will catch it no matter where it goes. The entire Lions defensive front will get some extra opportunities to crash the pocket thanks to Flowers’ versatile presence.

But then there are the veterans who are just waiting for an opportunity to regain lost glory or reach their potential. These are the players primed for breakout and comeback seasons, set to reward the faith their teams have invested in them.

So who’s in line for a big 2019? Here are six veterans whose front offices have put them in line for a significant uptick.

DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins

Since the start of 2019, Parker went from catching passes from checkdown masters Ryan Tannehill and Brock Osweiler (a combined 7.1 yards per attempt last fall) to deep ball lesser god Ryan Fitzpatrick (a league-leading 9.6 YPA). The results in training camp so far have been promising.

We've watched this 50 times already... What about you? Fitzpatrick >> @DeVanteParker11 pic.twitter.com/CDC3Tgfuzq

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) June 6, 2019

Parker’s inconsistencies have been endemic of the profile Miami was eager to cast aside. Despite carrying the pedigree of a first-round wideout with him into the league, he’s failed to match the numbers he put up over his final two seasons at Louisville. While he briefly emerged as a deep threat as a rookie in 2015 (19.0 yards per catch), his career has mostly stalled out thanks in part to his place in an offense that struggled to stretch the field.

Tannehill, a quarterback forged in the ether of limbo to be eternally stuck between good and bad, is gone. And although he wasn’t able to take advantage of Jarvis Landry’s absence last season, Parker will hear his number called more than ever now that he’s paired with a quarterback who prefers to look downfield rather than default to his slot wideout with regularity. The Dolphins recognized this potential, too. They extended him for two years and $10 million earlier this offseason.

If (or when) Fitzpatrick is replaced by second-year passer Josh Rosen, Parker will be the security blanket for a young, budding quarterback eager to prove himself — and who is capable of making throws like this:

.@MarkSchofield brought this Josh Rosen throw to my attn. while discussing Rosen's reported "third round" trade value. W13, 3rd & 23, tie game, 4:35 left. Leads to a GW FG. Couldn't put it anywhere else. pic.twitter.com/aaOWaJwBpL

— Michael Kist (@MichaelKistNFL) March 7, 2019

Derek Carr, QB, Raiders

The bad news is Carr won’t have Marshawn Lynch to provide support — both moral and ground — in 2019. The good news is, holy crap, Jon Gruden just gave him a brand new toolbox with which to work.

Gruden resisted the temptation to replace a quarterback who emerged as an MVP candidate in 2016 and instead improved his team’s foundation around Carr. Donald Penn and rookie Kolton Miller made up one of the league’s worst tackle tandems last season, so Oakland released the veteran Penn, kept 2018 first-round pick Miller at left tackle, and brought Patriots left tackle Trent Brown to the West Coast with a record-setting contract to lock down the other side of the offensive line.

This extra time to throw — Carr was sacked a career-high 51 times in 2018 — will come in handy after the Raiders completely revamped their receiving corps. Out went Martavis Bryant, Seth Roberts, and Jordy Nelson. In came Tyrell Williams, J.J. Nelson, Ryan Grant, Hunter Renfrow, and, most importantly, Antonio Brown.

While the club’s lack of tight end help is concerning, Carr will now have a deep lineup of targets who can create windows of opportunity up and down the field. If he can’t regain his 2016 magic with this roster, he may never — and that could leave Gruden angling to replace his franchise quarterback before his team’s 2020 move to Las Vegas.

David Johnson, RB, Cardinals

Johnson emerged as an all-world multipurpose tailback in 2016, but injury, awful blocking, the league’s least-threatening passing offense, and the Cardinals’ amazing excess of gridiron malaise transformed him into bad-year Doug Martin last season. Arizona was unhappy with all of that, so it blew everything up and wagered its future on an offensive savant who’d just been fired as the 35-40 head coach of Texas Tech University: Kliff Kingsbury.

The 2019 Cardinals will be leaning hard into a rebuild, but it’s easy to see what Kingsbury has in mind for his latest project. After drafting Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray with the first-overall pick and adding pass catchers like Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler, and KeeSean Johnson later in the draft, the first-year NFL head coach is assembling a limitation-free spread offense. He’ll allow Murray to take chances downfield and improvise mightily in and out of the pocket.

That creates a lot of space for a dual-threat back to thrive. Though Kingsbury only had one Red Raiders running back record more than 30 receptions in a single season (DeAndre Washington, who is currently part of the black-and-silver Raiders’ platoon), he’s also never had a weapon like Johnson to boost his offense. The former Northern Iowa standout broke out for 80 catches and 879 receiving yards while leading the league in yards from scrimmage in his monster 2016 season.

Now he’ll be the safety valve for a rookie quarterback who may need to make a whole bunch of short-yard snap decisions thanks to Arizona’s work-in-progress offensive line. That blocking could still be a problem, but Kingsbury’s spread offense and the keep-em-honest deep threats provided by Isabella and Butler should open up lanes for Johnson to thrive.

He’s also the top tailback on a depth chart that features T.J. Logan and Chase Edmonds, so he should get a lot of opportunities to prove he’s still an upper-tier runner.

Kyler Fackrell, LB, Packers

Fackrell set a career high with 10.5 sacks in 2018. This was impressive not only because it came in seven starts (over 16 games played), but because it came for a defense whose other primary edge threat was a 32-year-old Clay Matthews (3.5 sacks, 12 QB hits). It was also a bit of an anomaly, since Fackrell’s 12 QB hits suggest he wasn’t getting to the passer as much as your typical double-digit sack performer — Fletcher Cox, for instance, also had 10.5 sacks last season but contributed 34 QB hits as a master disruptor.

The fourth-year pro is now primed for a starting role at outside linebacker in 2019, and Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has given Fackrell some much-needed support to keep his trajectory pointed upward. Green Bay made an extremely uncharacteristic splash in free agency by doling out $154 million in contracts for outside linebackers Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith along with safety Adrian Amos. He’d later add former uber-recruit Rashan Gary in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft to round out his rebuild of the Packers’ pass rush.

This updated depth chart could push Fackrell out of the spotlight, but he’s already proven himself as a valuable rotation piece for a team with few real threats to contain. Now he’ll be flanked by players capable of occupying blockers and preventing scrambles and rollouts away from his pressure. While that may not lead to a new personal record when it comes to sacks, Fackrell should be a much more consistent presence in opponents’ backfields in 2019.

Myles Garrett, DE, and Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Browns

Third-year pros Garrett and Ogunjobi are hardly long-toothed veterans and both are coming off exceptional seasons. The addition of Olivier Vernon and Sheldon Richardson, a dynamic veteran duo set to lineup alongside them in Cleveland’s four-man front, will make them even more dangerous.

John Dorsey’s radical overhaul continued this spring as his Browns went above and beyond just stealing Beckham away. No team in the league can match the balance of pass-rushing power Cleveland will bring to the trenches behind a lineup that features four starters who combined for more than 30 sacks last fall. And now they’ll get more freedom than ever to baffle opposing linemen and quarterbacks thanks to the departure of rigid defensive coordinator Gregg Williams:

“I hopefully have more freedom to be the player I want to be,” Garrett told the media after a minicamp practice in Cleveland. “[Former defensive coordinator and interim head coach] Gregg [Williams] was more like: ‘You win with these two moves. I don’t want to see anything else out of you.’ It’s kind of hard with two moves. I feel like you can’t always be so predictable.”

Quarterbacks stepping up to avoid the edge pressure of Vernon and Garrett will only be pushed into the blocker-backpedaling force of Richardson and Ogunjobi. At 600 combined pounds, that pair will also be a hellacious combo to clear for runs up the middle. Their ability to absorb blockers should also create gaps for Christian Kirksey and Joe Schobert to excel as high-yield linebackers.

Pressure is going to burst through the Cleveland defensive front like a malfunctioning pressure cooker, and that chaos should lead to career bests across Freddie Kitchens’ roster.

[josephlrushing]

Xiaomi Impresses with Their Latest Launch

Xiaomi may not be the first brand that people in the US think of for smartphones, but they are ranked at #4 worldwide behind Samsung, Huawei, and Apple. Their smartphones have garnered praise from stateside reviewers for having excellent cameras, best-in-class features, and, most importantly, affordability. But Xiaomi makes more than just smartphones; they also sell home, health, and lifestyle products that include routers, fitness bands, LED desk lamps, air purifiers, and electric scooters, to name just a few.

This morning, Xiaomi hosted a virtual Ecosystem Product Launch event. The event kicked off with Shou Zi Chew, President of International at Xiaomi, on stage with a nod to the upheaval and uncertainty in these trying times. “We’re in this with you” was on the screen behind him. He said that since February, Xiaomi had sent aid to over 37 countries, and they have donated around 2.5 million masks, gloves, ventilators, and other emergency medical supplies. He implored us all to “do our part to look out for one another.” It was one of the most concise yet compassionate mentions I’ve yet seen in a product launch since the pandemic hit, and yet I was still bracing myself to hear prices that wouldn’t reflect his attitude. I must have forgotten for a moment that this was a Xiaomi event; they are a company known for their fair prices. But I digress! Let’s take a moment to look at the new products Xiaomi is launching, in this, their tenth anniversary year.

Mi Smart Band 5

The Mi Smart Band 5 has is revamped with a large, 1.1″ high-resolution AMOLED display

If you are one of the (many) people who feel like a workout doesn’t count if you haven’t tracked it, you’ll appreciate the Mi Smart Band 5 for its sleek styling and bright (450 nits) display that makes it visible even in direct sunlight. Available in black, orange, navy blue, yellow, teal, and mint green, the Mi Smart Band 5 can be personalized with over 65 different theme options through the Mi Fit app available on iOS and Android. Handling even more activities than its predecessor, the Smart Band 5 supports tracking your progress for 11 exercise types, including walking, running, yoga, jump rope, elliptical, and more. The Smart Band 5 also features easy to understand metrics from its Personal Activity Intelligence module. The Smart Band 5 offers 24/7 heart rate monitoring as well as upgraded sleep tracking; it also has an all-new stress detection with a breathing exercise function. Women can even use it to track their menstrual cycles. The Mi Smart Band 5 is rated for 5 ATMs so that it can be worn during swimming, snorkeling, and of course, showering. It comes with an easy to use magnetic charger, and it can get up to 14 days of battery life from a single charge. The Mi Smart Band 5 will start at €39.99; they will also have an early bird price starting from €44.99. The early bird offer is limited by time and quantity and will vary by region.

Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic

The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic offer crystal clear calls with dual-mic environmental noise cancellation. A 1.5-hour charge results in 5 hours of battery life from the earphones, but you can quadruple their time to up to 20 hours by recharging them in their case. Each earphone can auto-pair and auto-connect with a compatible Mi phone separately for single-ear listening, and their double-tap feature enables play, pause, phone call pick-up, and voice control access. The earphones have in-ear detection, so if you remove one, your audio will automatically pause. The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic support Bluetooth 5.0 and SBC/AAC codecs, and they’ll be great on the go or while in a Zoom call on your computer. The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic feature reliable quality, advanced technology, and leading battery life. Most importantly, they are easy to use, and they charge via USB Type-C, so there’s no need to carry a lone microUSB cable. They will sell for a starting price of €39.99, with an early bird starting price of €29.99. The early bird offer is limited by time and quantity and will vary by region.

Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2

If I lived in the city, I doubt I would own a car — but I would want an electric scooter. Not only are they fun to ride, but they can also be quite affordable and inexpensive to maintain and charge. Xiaomi is the number one scooter brand in the world, and  Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 has a maximum speed of 15.5 mph, and a range of up to 28 miles — perfect for zipping around the city for quick appointments or light errands on its pneumatic tires. The Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 has a 300W brushless motor that can handle 20% incline hills, and its dual braking system includes a mechanical disc brake and an eABS regenerative anti-lock brake. Front, rear, and side reflectors help others see you; there is a brake light on the back, and there is an upgraded 2W headlamp that can illuminate your way forward up to 33′ ahead for nighttime riding, and there is a built-in display for ride information on the go. The foldable scooter weighs a smidge over 31 pounds, so it is easily portable when you reach your destination — or have to deal with a random set of stairs. Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 starts at €499.

If you want an even less expensive scooter that is great for commuting, with a maximum speed of 15.5mph, a range of up to 18.6 miles, and that can handle 14% incline hills, there will be a Mi Electric Scooter 1S. It will have a 250W electric motor and the safety features mentioned for the Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2. It will start at €399.

And there was ‘one more thing’! Xiaomi has partnered with AMG Petronas Formula One Team to create the MI Electric Scooter Pro 2 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Edition. All we got to see was this teaser photo, but hopefully, we’ll have more info on its release soon.

Mi TV Stick

Not everyone has a Smart TV, but the Mi TV Stick can transform just about any screen (or older TV with a USB port) into just that. The Mi TV Stick comes with a Bluetooth remote with dedicated buttons for swift access to Google Assistant, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. You can also download other popular channels and apps through Google Play. The Mi TV Stick has the latest version of Chromecast embedded, so you can also cast any content from your mobile directly to the TV wirelessly. You’ll get the benefit of Dolby Audio and DTS at 1080p for streamed content, and the Mi TV Stick gas 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage to keep your show playing without interruptions when your internet hiccups. The Mi TV Stick will start at €39.99.

34″ Mi Curved Gaming Monitor 

If your 20″ display is no longer cutting it, you might want to check out the 34″ Mi Curved Gaming Monitor. Sure, the high-resolution WQHD (3440×1440 pixel) screen is perfect for gaming with its 144Hz refresh rate, vivid 121% sRGB wide color gamut, and 1500R curvature for maximum immersion. But it will also handily display your photos, videos, open windows, and spreadsheets. You’ll be able to tackle work and play with ease! The 34″ Mi Curved Gaming Monitor will start at €399.

But that wasn’t all. Xiaomi’s ‘one last thing’ was the introduction of three entry-level phones with “more.”

The Redmi 9 will feature a 6.53″ FDH+ display, Corning Gorilla Glass, Android 10, dark mode, Reading Mode 2.0, a non-slip ripple texture, and a splash-proof design. It will have a 5020mAh battery, a MediaTek Helio G80 processor, up to 4GB of LPDDRX4 RAM, 18W USBType-C fast-charging, and a Dual SIM +microSD slot for up to 512GB storage. As for cameras, the Redmi 9 will have four rear cameras, including an 8-megapixel 118º ultra-wide-angle camera, a 13-megapixel primary camera, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 5-megapixel macro camera. It will also feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, a 1217 ultra-linear speaker, Bluetooth 5.0, a wireless FM radio, an IR blaster, and NFC. Xiaomi says that Redmi 9 is “definitely the entry-level’s fastest and most powerful smartphone.” The 3GB RAM with 32 GB user memory version will sell for €149, and the 4GB RAM with 64GB user memory version will sell for €169.

The Redmi 9C has a 6.53″ dot drop display, a 5,000mAh battery that has been enhanced for a longer lifespan, a gaming-ready Helios G35 processor, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an AI triple camera array with a 13-megapixel primary camera, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The Redmi 9C will start at €119 for the 2GB RAM with 32GB user memory version, and it will be €139 for the 3GB RAM with 64GB user memory version. It will be available late this month.

The Redmi 9A Is described as a “highly reliable device that won’t let you down.” It will feature a 6.53″ dot drop display, a 5,000mAh battery that has been enhanced for a longer lifespan, a Helios G25 processor, a 3.5mm headphone jack, expandable storage up to 512GB, and a 13-megapixel AI camera. The Redmi 9A will start at €99 for the 2GB RAM with 32GB user memory.

You can watch the entire Xiaomi Ecosystem Product Launch event here; when you’re done, you can learn more about Xiaomi and all of their products by clicking here.

In case you didn’t catch it, this was the statement at the end of the video — complete with sweeping music and soaring vocals:

Smart technology doesn’t have to cost a fortune. At Xiaomi, we make amazing products at honest prices, and we’re the 4th largest smartphone brand in the world. Affordable prices certainly doesn’t mean low-quality. We only use world-class components from the industry’s best, and we’ve won countless design and innovation awards. We believe in efficiency, honesty, and transparency. We have pledged to keep pit hardware net profit under 5% because our vision is to provide innovation for everyone. Since our founding in 2010, we have won the trust of more than 200 million users in 80m markets around the world. Our customers are the heart of everything we do. With your help, we’ll grow even better. You tell us how to improve our products, and we listen so we can create even more amazing products at even more accessible prices. Xiaomi is looking to the future, where all our products talk to each other, so your life is seamlessly connected to make life a little bit smarter and simpler.

from Joseph Rushing https://geardiary.com/2020/07/15/xiaomi-impresses-with-their-latest-launch/

[auburnfamilynews]

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Tigers still have at least 3 spots remaining in the 2020 class. A look at the names to know heading into the final month of 2020 recruiting cycle.

With Early Signing Day now in the rearview mirror, it’s time to turn our attention to the final weeks of the 2020 class. While Auburn did most of their work in the early period, there are still at least 3 spots to fill come February. The good thing about loading up this week is that Auburn can now focus all their energy and resources on just a select few targets. It also means some coaches will now be focused solely on 2021.

Here’s a look at the names to know as we head into the late period of the 2020 class. Chances are very good some new names will pop up in January especially at the quarterback position but for now these are the names to know.

5* OT Broderick Jones | 6’5” | 275 lbs | Lithonia, GA | Georgia Commit

I suspect that every recruiting article I write from now until February will have to include an update on this prospect. The nation’s #19 overall player and #2 OT has been committed to the Dawgs since April of 2018 which is quite awhile in the world of recruiting. However, Auburn has never relented in their pursuit hosting the big man multiple times on campus over the past two years including for both the UGA game and the Iron Bowl to finish the season. The Dawgs sent him a National Letter of Intent this past week in hopes of getting him to shut down his recruitment but he elected to not sign. Jones will likely take official visits to both Auburn and Georgia next month.

The Tigers have always lurked but with Sam Pittman’s departure all of a sudden the door is more than cracked open for the flip. This is far from a slam dunk and you know Kirby Smart won’t go away quietly. But this is also a very real possibility and not a pipe dream. If the Tigers could pull off the flip it would solidify this class as Gus Malzahn’s best ever in my eyes. Let’s see what happens....

4* DL Jay Hardy | 6’4” | 290 lbs | Chattanooga, TN | Auburn Commit

The Tigers beat out the instate Vols for Hardy’s pledge back in November. However, the McCallie standout elected not to sign early with Auburn this past week. It’s not a complete shock as Hardy had said his whole recruitment that he planned to wait until February so he could sign at same time as his teammates. Auburn had hoped to convince him otherwise and there had been some hope a couple of weeks ago it would happen. But Tennessee has not stopped its pursuit and encouraged him to wait as well. In the end, he decided to hold off which means the Tigers will have to fight to keep his pledge until February.

As of today, I like Auburn’s chances of keeping the stud lineman. I know the memory of George Pickens’s recruitment is burned into all of our minds but the year before Auburn signed all three of their holdouts in Matthew Hill, Coynis Miller and Richard Jibunor. Hopefully Hardy’s recruitment turns out like the latter and not the former.

4* DT McKinnley Jackson | 6’2” | 327 lbs | Lucedale, MS

I imagine if Auburn were allowed to write their own ending to this class it would be pretty simple. Hang onto Jay Hardy, flip Broderick Jones and sign McKinnley Jackson. Mississippi’s top ranked player has been a top target for the nation’s elite since he was a sophomore in high school. For a brief period of time he was committed to LSU but has since backed away and now appears wide open. Both Auburn and Alabama hosted the big man on official visits in November. He will take three more in February to LSU, Texas A&M and maybe Ole Miss. I say maybe because UGA is looking to make a late charge in this race having recently offered Jackson. The Rebels’ former head coach, who has a close relationship with Jackson, is also on staff for the Dawgs. This one will be a circus to the finish but I truly believe the Tigers will be in it until the end. Can Marcus Woodson continue his great work in the Magnolia State?

4* WR Malachi Wideman | 6’4” | 180 lbs | Sarasota, FL | Florida State Commit

This one is a bit of a wildcard. The nation’s #132 ranked prospect was on campus for an unofficial visit back in late September when the Tigers thrashed Mississippi State. But not much else was heard between the sides. He took an official visit to Washington State and Florida State before the Early Signing Period. After that FSU visit last weekend, it was thought things had been shutdown and he would sign with the Noles. But on Wednesday he decided to wait.

Josh Newberg of Noles247 reported earlier this week that two of the programs in frequent contact with Wideman were Auburn and Oregon. Could the Tigers look to be adding a 5th WR? I am not really sure they have the room (thinking that 25 number might be a bit more flexible than being reported) but he’s a big time player and could be someone they decided to take if they can get him. But until he takes an official visit, I am not sure how big a threat Auburn really is in this race. Just a name to file away for now.

One other note on Wideman, he’s a two way star and would want to play basketball for the Tigers too. I do not know if Bruce Pearl has offered the big man yet. That’s something else to watch as well.

4* DL Deandre Butler | 6’5” | 280 lbs | Covington, GA | JUCO

Butler will likely officially visit Auburn in January and is a name to keep a close eye on over the coming weeks. Auburn hopes to keep Hardy and sign Jackson but if either of those go sideways Butler could be an option. He’s someone that could step in immediately and provide depth for the Tigers at both strong side end and maybe even defensive tackle. We should have a better feel for where things stand with him after his official visit. I suspect though that his recruitment is about to really heat up as teams scour the country for top defensive line talent to finish out their classes.

3* DT Marquis Burks | 6’3” | 285 lbs | Chicago, IL | JUCO

Auburn hosted the nation’s #4 JUCO defensive tackle for an official visit the weekend before the Early Signing Period which made some wonder if he would be an immediate take if the Tigers did not flip Dallas Walker. That didn’t happen, instead Burks will take his recruitment into February. My understanding is Burks would jump on board immediately if given the green light. What I don’t know is when or if ever that green light would come. If Auburn missed on Jackson would they turn to Burks or Butler? Or maybe there’s a new name that comes on the board in January. Either way, Burks’s recruitment is something to track over the final weeks of this cycle.

3* OT Jonathan Buskey | 6’7” | 320 lbs | Mobile, AL | JUCO

When Buskey committed back in February, Auburn thought they had found their starting left tackle for 2020. A lot has changed since that moment. First off, Auburn has already signed two other JUCO offensive tackles, both ranked higher than Buskey. Second, Buskey went from an expected early enrollee to possibly a non qualifier. Finally, Auburn made a serious move on Broderick Jones. Put all that together and it feels like the odds of Buskey signing in February are pretty low. My understanding is the staff is still very high on his potential and would take his signature if possible but confidence is fading he will be good to go. We will see if things trend in a more positive direction over these last months of the 2020 cycle.

K Evan McGuire | 6’4” | 210 lbs | Alabaster, AL

The Tigers appear to already be preparing for life with out a Carlson booming field goals from 50+ yards. McGuire has emerged as Auburn’s top target the question is whether or not the Tigers have room to bring him on as a full signee. If things go well in February that probably won’t happen. Would McGuire take a preferred walk on offer? Possibly but he’s getting attention from other SEC programs as well. If one of them were to offer him a full ride I think that would be hard to turn down. The ideal finish for Auburn is to get McGuire on campus as a PWO after signing Hardy, Jones and Jackson then put McGuire on a full ride in the fall.

War Eagle!

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/12/20/21031005/2020-auburn-football-recruiting-top-targets-signing-day-broderick-jones-jay-hardy-mckinnley-jackson

[flickdirect]

Probably the best family oriented superhero television show on the air has captivated a new generation of DC Comic followers and has regenerated interest with the older generations. Grabbing our attention at lightning speed with great storylines, a lighthearted romance that can be appreciated by all ages, as well as family values, Warner Bros. and DC Comics has brought prime time alive again with The Flash, even when there are unforeseen consequences that we regret.

Grant Gustin (Glee) is the Flash/Barry Allen. For the past three seasons, he has captivated audiences with his portrayal of Barry Allen a.k.a. The Flash. His boyish good looks and his seeming innocence penetrate even The Flash. Always wanting to help and do the right thing sometimes backfires for Barry, as we see Season Three start. The Flash runs backward through time to save his mother and father and have a life with them- that really doesn't exist- except in what will be known as Flashpoint. What Barry doesn't realize is that not only will he change the future for him- he will forever change the future of his friends when he finally realizes that he must step out of Flashpoint and re-enter reality.

Changing the future creates many new memories. Wally (Keiynan Lonsdale; Insurgent) becomes Kid Flash and is always off to prove that he can handle exactly what The Flash can handle- and better- except when he can't- and then when he can. Candice Patton (The Game) plays Iris- Barry's love interest and instead of remembering the love they shared and their first (and second kiss), Barry has to woo Iris all over again. Carlos Valdes plays Cisco Ramirez, who, before Flashpoint was Barry Allen's best friend, but losing his older brother and finding out during the season that it was due to Flashpoint, puts a serious wedge in their friendship. And, of course, Tom Cavanagh (Yogi Bear) who plays several characters- Eobard Thwane, Reverse Flash, Harry, and of course, this season's favorite rendition- H.R. is absolutely fantastic as we see the development of his character from musician-idea man into a savior of the team, who makes the ultimate sacrifice, putting others before his own happiness.

Besides changing the future for his friends, Barry Allen also brings a new coworker to the front- Julian Doran, another forensics genius that appears to be Barry's superior. Julian is played by the talented Tom Felton (Harry Potter franchise) and brings a new dynamic to The Flash, as well as the team since all he wants to do is bring the Metas down. At first, Barry and Julian clash at every twist and turn and we find out that Julian is almost a bad guy- but a forgivable one. He falls in love with Caitlyn/Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker; Time Lapse) and when he realizes that she is a Meta, he sees things in a different light. While Julian is obsessed with "curing" Killer Frost to get his Caitlyn back, Caitlyn has been struggling with her Meta abilities throughout the season and her internal struggle does color the season quite a bit. Not only does the team have to fight the villains, they also now must fight their friend.

New villains are introduced and I like that they each have a part to play in the cohesiveness of the season. Alchemy and Savitar are the focus of the season with some other minor villains thrown in to sweeten the pot. Trying to stop Savitar throughout the season, and find out who he really is, is the ultimate theme of the last half of the season- and when he is revealed it is a shocker- not only to the viewers but to Flash's team. Despite the adversities that Flash/Barry Allen faces throughout the season, it seems as if he will get his happy ending - until he doesn't. It's a thrilling ride and one that can be followed by the young and the young at heart without any confusion. Season Three answers many questions but also leaves us with many questions that hopefully will be answered soon into Season Four.

I don't want to fail to mention the crossover events that Warner Bros. and DC Comics present. Stephen Amell (Arrow) brings his character into The Flash, as well as Supergirl (Melissa Benoist). While I have to say that the musical episode Duet was interesting and beautifully done, it just seemed out of place in the big scheme of things. The episode did provide a basis for love and a reason for Supergirl and Flash to fight for everything, and if that was the sole purpose, then it makes sense.

Warner Bros. gives us season three of The Flash in 1080p High Definition widescreen 16x9 with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The blacks are inky and colors pop. I love the special effects of the speed force with the blues and almost whispers of silver peeking out. The colors of the costumes work with each other- Flash's deep burgundy/red works with the muted yellow of Kid Flash's costume. The white/silver of Killer Frost's outfit and hair really emulate the personality of the character. While sometimes the day scenes seem a bit artificial, the night scenes are deep in color and provide a good background for everything that happens at night.

The audio is presented in DTS-HD 5.1 Dolby Digital. Sound effects are pleasing and not overpowering. Background noises do not interfere with the dialogue. Even when Barry whispers to Iris and H.R hums when thinking of an impossible idea, you can hear the verbiage without strain. The DTS-HD 5.1 Dolby Digital is a full, luscious sound for this television show, highlighting both the deep resonance of music and sound effects, as well as the crisper dialogue.

The Complete Third Season Blu-ray is replete with bonus features that every fan will love and every newcomer will eat up. Bonus features are provided on each disc.

Disc 1

Deleted Scene Episode 4

Villain School: The Flash Rogues- Learn about the bad guys in Season 3

Disc 2

Deleted Scenes Episodes 8, 9, 10

Allied: The Invasion Complex (The Flash): Crossover event explained.

Disc 3

Deleted Scenes Episodes 15, 17

Rise of Gorilla City: See the artists' visions for Gorilla City

The Flash: I'm Your Super Friend: Musical tribute

Harmony in a Flash: Join Composer Blake Neely's as we travel with him arranging Duet's score

Synchronicity in a Flash: Neely and the live orchestra work on Duet.

Disc 4

Deleted Scenes Episode 23

The Flash: 2016 Comic-Con Panel

A Flash In Time: Time Travel in the Flash Universe: Flashpoint basics take us from the comic books beginnings to the consequences of time travel

A Conversation with Andrew Kreisberg and Kevin Smith: Interviews with the Directors from The Flash and Supergirl

Gag Reel

The Flash is probably one of the best television shows today. The writers bring you into the story and you feel invested as to what happens. The actors seem like a real team and their problems and achievements become yours. The bonus and special features provided on the disc are wonderful and only add to the classic story of love, perseverance, and sacrifice throughout this season. The Flash: The Complete Third Season is a must have in your collection. Run to the store when it comes out because you never know- it could be gone in a flash.

Grade: A

About Jennifer Broderick A graduate of The George Washington University and Nova Southeastern Law School Jennifer Fischer Broderick’s fascination with the movie world started when she first saw Snow White on the big screen as a young child. When the producers of the movie Annie held auditions in NYC, Jennifer stood on line in the cold to try out for a part and actually made it past the first few try-outs. A vivacious reader, she is fascinated watching books and stories brought to life on the big screen. Jennifer has passed her love of movies onto her children and they are often found planning their weekends around opening premieres.

Read more reviews and content by Jennifer Broderick.

via FlickDirect Entertainment News and Film Reviews

[takerfoxx]

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Season 4, Episode 4, First Impressions!

NET!

Okay, so the last few episodes were mainly for the purpose of housekeeping: clean up the mess left over by the last finale and shuffle the pieces into where they need to be for this season. As such, while they were fun, they weren’t as, well, engaging as the series’ more story-driven episodes.

However, the pieces are falling into place, the big picture is becoming more clear, and as such, this was the first episode of this season that I unequivocally loved!

First of all, finally Spinnerella and Netossa get some screentime! Granted, they didn’t do much besides fight, shield, and banter with each other, but it was still great to have them around. I dug Netossa’s competitive nature a lot, and lol, game night! Still, could they have an arc of their own? Pretty please?

In other news, looks like I might have been wrong about DT. At least, this episode seems to confirm that they really are a mercenary who’s in it for the fun and money. Still, I’m going to put a pin in that theory just in case this is all part of the plan. 

Regardless, damn, did anyone notice Catra’s face when DT reminded her of money owed? It does look like she was starting to think of DT as a friend, and was genuinely hurt when they brought up how their arrangement really works. It is interesting to note how hard she pushes Scorpia’s genuine affection away, but responds so readily to DT’s superficial friendliness. I think it might have to do with how Shadow Weaver raised her, to see confidence and usefulness as the only traits worth in an ally, whereas Scorpia’s bashfulness probably registers as “weak” in her mind. For example: while Entrapta was weird and annoying, Catra indulged her so long as she got results, which she quite often did. And turning on Entrapta fucked her up in a big way. The girl is a white hot mess of issues, and they’re going to bite her in the tail before this season is over. Again.

In the meantime though, DT is proving to be a real chaotic boon to both the Horde and the story overall. They’ve slid quite well into the chaotic bad guy devoted to their craft left by Entrapta, but since they give off a totally different kind of energy, their inclusion feels natural and welcome. And they are just wrecking shop on the Rebellion! From leaking news of their plans to suggesting false information, it scary how the little things can do so much damage. And I gotta admit, it is great fun to watch. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love the good guys, but...I kind like the bad guys more, so it’s nice to have their schemes pay off for once in a kid’s show, even if those schemes are terrible. I don’t know, it’s weird.

That being said, Bow getting that badly injured put my heart in my throat. Thank God She-Ra has the whole healing thing down. She really must be busy after every battle. Wonder if the medics ever get resentful?

Though speaking of which, another piece is also falling into place. Everyone predicted that Shadow Weaver would act as a corrupting influence on her to give us Dark Glimmer, and that’s turning out to be true. It’s scary how dangerous Shadow Weaver is. Even as a prisoner she’s able to hold influence over the danged queen. And the temptation to use that power makes perfect sense from Glimmer’s point of view. She’s felt helpless and/or powerless several times during the series, whether through restrictions placed on her by authority or her own position, or her own power not being enough. But now she has someone telling her exactly what she wants to hear, that she has the power to take direct action, to find Catra and confront her to her face, to destroy the Horde’s plans through brute force. And it works, which is what Shadow Weaver no doubt planned. It’s Palpatine and Anakin all over again. Hopefully this time it won’t involve mass execution of children and horrific burns.

Though that does raise a question: if Shadow Weaver’s seeker spell was able to find Catra’s hideout so easily, then why didn’t one of the Rebellion’s mages do it? I mean, Glimmer does have Castaspella on speed dial. 

Anyway, if I’m reading the emoji message right, next episode should involve Frosta as well as have Kyle and Rogelio hanging out. 

[cover32-yahoopartner-blog]

2017 Bengals Preseason Week 1: Top 5 Questions

The Bengals will start the preseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As we come closer to the game, let’s look at the top five questions, in no particular order, that is being asked before the first game in the preseason.

AROUND COVER32

The Latest: Packers release troubled, DT, Letroy Guion

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What’s Trending: Jets’ DE, Sheldon Richardson, takes shots at Brandon Marshall

Looking Ahead: Patriots’ offense set up well for QB transition after 2018

Game Preview: Preseason Week 1: Bears vs Broncos game preview

What’s going on with Joe Mixon?

The latest draft of the Bengals depth chart, Joe Mixon is placed as the number four back. Now, this could be because the Bengals are hiding their official starting lineup, or they still want to see what they have in the rookie. The first option seems more plausible. Mixon has been making great strides learning the playbook and keeping up with the first string in training camp. Joe Mixon and Jeremy Hill are rumored to be competing for the starting slot at running back.

What will the offensive line look like?

This question has been surrounding the Bengals since free agency. Losing Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler was devastating. To make matters worse, the Bengals almost neglected offensive linemen in the draft. Offensive line coach Paul Alexander stated there is still work to be done, but he likes what he sees. While Clint Boling, Andre Smith, and Russell Bodine are decent players, the line as a whole will need to step it up if they don’t want to be rated in the bottom five for offensive lines this year.

Who will be the kicker?

For now, this is Randy Bullock. The competition is fierce in training camp. However, Bullock still holds a slight edge over Jake Elliott. Special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons still has a positive outlook on Elliott and so does Cincy nation. Both kickers are considered average. Do the Bengals want to continue with the kicker they paid a high price for in the offseason? Or, do they want to go with the rookie that has similar traits for pennies on the dollar? This game may paint a better picture, but don’t expect this decision to be immediately after Friday.

Is AJ McCarron being traded to Denver?

Denver Broncos general manager John Elway was quick to extinguish this rumor. No. And he did not dance around the answer either. Elway has expressed that he has faith in his quarterbacks. Being a two-time super bowl quarterback champion, I would take his word for it. However, Sandy Clough states that a close source in the Bengals’ camp is saying both teams are trying to make a deal. Consider this fake news until real evidence is provided.

What is the biggest weakness right now as a whole?

Biggest weakness is a combination of the punt returner and the offensive line. The Bengals have been looking to utilize John Ross for punt returning. However, Ross hasn’t returned a punt since his freshman year at the University of Washington. Ross is still learning the mechanics and footwork for returning punts. This is expected to be cleaned up rather quickly as the Bengals have been placing a high focus on this for him.

The offensive line is no great site either. As stated before, the line needs a lot of work. Luckily, the Bengals have brought in plenty of prospects to play with to find the right chemistry. It is important that they figure out who is starting sooner rather than later so they can become a cohesive unit. Expect a lot of changes on the line in the Tampa Bay game to determine who fits the system and who does not.

Synopsis

Tune in on Friday, August 11 to watch the Bengals take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The way we look at it, McCarron is here to stay, Mixon is just paying dues as a rookie, Elliott has competition, and the line has work to do. The first game will tell us a lot. Hopefully, it will have more positives than negatives.

[andiekapi]

June 3, 2017

Day 10 post heartbreak

Double digits guys. Woke up this morning sore as efffffffff. Definitely went very hard at the gym yesterday, whoosh. My poor back and chest!

Work, as expected, was completely dead. Hannah and I got in mad early to try and make up for some hours, because everyone was planning to leave around lunch time + we as interns do not get paid for July 4th. Ughhhhhhh.  

Someone from management had sent an email saying the cafeteria downstairs would be closed today, but as a comp, we would be provided a pizza lunch at 11:30am today. So as 11:45am, Hannah and I went to scout out pizza, to find 6 empty pizza boxes stacked on top of the garbage can.

WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Literally no one I knew had gotten pizza! We deduced that the window cleaning team had gotten hungry and sneak attacked our pizza, but honestly who knows. Hannah emailed the manager dude back, and he ordered more pizza after we had left.

We drove home for lunch, and then groceries after. I made a very, very bold move today and left a note on a motorcycle in my complex, saying

“Hi! I’m new in town, and saw your bike in the complex. Looking for friends to ride with! If you are game for making a new friend, please give me a shout. Andrea (girl with the R3).”

And then Hannah and I wen grocery shopping.

Back home, took a nap for the headache.

Woke up around 6:30pm to a text, saying “Hey what’s up found your note on my bike!”

WHOA FAST SUCCESS.

So I may now have a new friend who is part of the marines, and used to play lacrosse. NEW WORK OUT BUDDY MAYBE? But new riding friend for sure. He rides a white R6, so nice 😊 Should he become a real friend, we can refer to him as “MR6”.

 ---

I emailed DTS’ parents today, with :

“Dear F&E,

I wanted to take the time to tell you how much I appreciate everything you have done for me in the past three years. From the first moment I stepped into your home, I have felt nothing but welcome in your family, and I can honestly say that I've never felt so at home anywhere outside of Calgary before. Your unwavering support and love has been an incredible foundation in my life, and I am so grateful to have been a part of your family, if only for a short period of time. I will cherish every memory I was able to create with both of you.

I love you both very, very much, and I hope this email finds both of you in good health and spirits.

 I still don't understand why this has happened, as it came as a great shock to me, so I apologize I couldn't tell you all of this in person. 

 Please send my love to the doggo and cat as well!”

 I got a very lawyer-esque response, not much emotion, just a thank you essentially.

I told my sister, who said “what else is she supposed to say though… Her priority is her son”. Which hurt like a bitch, even though I know it’s true.

 I’m just tired. And void of love. And hurting from losing a family.

 So tired.

 There were some fireworks within sight of the apartment today, through the trees. I am a sucker for fireworks – I am excited to be able to hopefully see them tomorrow. Hannah is taking us downtown to hang out with Ing, who is her father-in-law’s good friend. So we can have dinner together and watch the fireworks. Going to be mad tired for work on Wednesday though, that’s for sure.

 I put too much soap in the dishwasher by accident today, and it came foaming out of the bottom, whoooooooops. I scooped up a mad amount of foam from the kitchen floor while listening to fireworks.

 That basically sums up today.

Had my sister tell me things I didn’t want to hear (you might never get any answers from DTS but you’re going to have to live with it, you need to learn to love yourself, etc). It’s not like I don’t know these things, I just don’t want them continuously told to me over, and over, and over again. I personally think it is okay to be NOT OKAY after having your heart smashed into a million pieces. And I think it is okay to want answers, especially since he broke up with me so suddenly and I didn’t see it coming. If you think you are about to spend your life with someone, and they out of the blue decide it’s not for them, any normal person would want to know why. It was the first word out of my mouth to him when he destroyed my soul.

 Why.

 Anyways I’m absolutely exhausted and am off to bed. I will re-read this tomorrow and see if it needs editing, I feel just blobby and not comprehensive and sore and just unhappy.

  Goodnight.

[friends-call-me-wobbly-hands]

Truly Exceptional

An Undertale funfiction

Summary: In Underfell, Alphys starts her experiments on DT. She demands more subjects. She receives what she asked for.

Word count: 1609

Characters: Alphys, Asgore, Undyne

XX – XX – 206X

I managed to extract what appears to be the main source of a human’s soul power. It is seemingly clear enough to be used in following experiments. All the files on this research from now on are to be marked as “completely confidential”.

01 – XX – 206X

I decided to call the source DT, or the “determinant trait”, since it seems to be the only way we can put those souls to use before we have all seven. The previous tests on raw soul power were discarded as fruitless. All the documentation can be found in the royal archives, listed as the Soul Project and marked as “confidential”.

12 – XX – 206X

DT behaves differently from magic. The theory that it can be used as a power source was proved implausible (it would be too costly in any case). The readings I got recently show that monster souls are compatible with DT. This sounds very promising. His Royal Highness has requested a proper research of weaponry on more than one occasion, and I suppose living weapons will be enough to meet his needs.

22 – XX – 206X

The tests are disastrous. Monsters exposed to the DT either melt and dust or stay just alive enough to be a constant source of litter. Failure. Probably the cause of such a catastrophe is in the injections; the DT may be not clear enough. The tests will be continued upon an investigation. The remaining subjects will be classified accordingly and reduced to thirty percent for further experiments and research.

 30 – XX – 206X

 The studies showed that DT, no matter how well refined, leads to the same effects. It is obvious for me now that the main mistake lies in the weakness of chosen monsters. His Highness received my claim and agreed to solve this problem. I did not dare ask how.

 02 – XX – 206X

 The first new subject has arrived. She is a volunteer, as unbelievable as it is. His Highness has personally given her quite a flattering characteristic.

 She is… exceptional.

 06 – XX – 206X

 The new subject has been holding surprisingly well. Her body takes in DT like a sponge. As exciting as it sounds, it may prove to be detrimental for her on the later stages of the project. The results of the previous tests show that monsters that were most receptive to the positive effects of DT succumbed to it sooner. There is almost no chance to prolong her existence in case of a sudden crisis. It is both exciting and disappointing to work on such an exceptional specimen.

 14 – XX – 206X

 The subject has been on her best behavior. Today’s test required an operation on her left eye; it is a lucky coincidence that it was lost before she came in for the program, so less surgical intervention was needed. The scar is seemingly fresh. The remains of flesh and tissue were to be removed. Halfway through the operation the pump with the anesthetic broke down.  Much to my shame, this fact slipped my attention completely. I became aware of it only when I met the stare of the subject’s remaining eye while putting the bandages. She did not emit a single sound during the whole operation. Truly, such behavior can be only praised, as it allowed me to finish the procedure smoothly. It does feel somehow saddening to know how quick and inevitable will be her eventual demise. However, the job of a Royal Scientist requires emotions to be put aside for the sake of the majority. Single monsters can be sacrificed if that means breaking the barrier, defeating humanity and ensuring the rule of His Highness.

 19 – XX – 206X

 I demanded that the subject gave me the details of the accident that caused the loss of her eye. It was necessary for the treatment of her eye. She consented. Apparently it was lost as a result of a sparring session with His Highness, after a blunt trauma to her face. She stated that her main reason for coming into the program was a desire to regain her fighting abilities, and thus “to continue serving King Asgore as well as he deserves”. As noble as her reasoning is, I cannot help but remember that she will meet the same end as the others. It is probably in vain to try to prolong her existence, and yet I will do anything possible to get her at least a couple of months more. After all, this is exactly what His Highness wants me to do…

 28 – XX – 206X

 It seems that conversations with the subject have a positive effect on the subject’s psychological state. I thereby made a decision to arrange daily meetings with the subject in order to preserve this result. After all, it will only be a nuisance if I will have to deal with more problems than I already have. And maybe her emotional wellbeing will affect the outcome of this test as well. Anyway, such conversations may prove interesting and even pleasurable for me as well, even if it is not the main reason by any costs. As for now I will attend those meetings singlehandedly. I will try to find a therapist to handle them instead, but I am mostly sure I will not succeed as they are quite underprepared for such a task.

 16 – XX – 206X

 The subject is holding surprisingly well. She has proven to be quite an interesting person. The zest and passion she shows when finding a theme she likes are truly enviable. It seems she has a very close bond with Asgore, which can explain the characteristic he gave to her. Also this fact only made me admit that my subject is honestly exceptional (His Highness wouldn’t bother with her otherwise). Aside from her fighting skills, she also can boast with a sharp mind, which is an unusual combination, I dare say. If the test is a success, she will be a remarkable achievement for the monsterkind and the knight we could only hope for. She asked for a chance to continue her trainings. I am afraid we cannot provide her neither with a room nor with a sparring partner, and excessive physical activity can mess with my results, so I decided to give her some of my books instead. I bet she would not mind to learn more about the “human history”.

 25 – XX – 206X

 Un – The subject has proven to be possibly the finest colleague I could ever desire. It is truly a shame we cannot work together. She seems to catch my ideas about human history and characters so well. The DT seems to blend into her system perfectly, and the readings do not cross the margin of what was predicted. I could only dream of such a result. Then again, her opinions on the human fighting techniques prove to be so very interesting too… I appear to be in a hurry right now. I will continue this entry after the following meeting with the subject.

 30 – XX – 206X

 Attention: no talks are allowed with the subject aside from naturally neutral remarks and interrogations.

 01 – XX – 206X

 The worker that put a name on the subject’s cell should be properly punished. I should always remember that the subject, after all, is disposable, and the test will most probably end just like the rest of them did.

 12 – XX – 206X

 She is disposable.

She is disposable.

She is disposable.

 18 – XX – 206X

 Feelings like those are unprecedented and shameful for a Royal Scientist. Truly disgusting.

 27 – XX – 206X

 Today’s operation had to be painful. His Highness demanded a higher dose of DT to make the process quicker. This is the part that always challenged my composure. Even though the job of a Royal Scientist means that my emotions should be discarded so they don’t go in the way of my work, it doesn’t mean that sometimes I cannot feel a fleeting feeling of distress or disgust.

Even she couldn’t hold the screams.

The belts were fastened tight enough to prevent her from hurting herself, and the anesthetic was administered to numb her sensations, according to the common procedure. That was all I could do. However, even with the drug in effect the agony seemed to be almost unbearable for her, just as it always is for the subjects at this stage. I came in to check her. She fell silent when seeing me. I told her not to hold it in – after all, I am a mere scientist, and not someone to impress. She growled, but she didn’t scream anymore. I came close to her. She watched me for the whole time. I couldn’t identify the emotion she showed. I took her hand. I told her that the sensors were overloaded (this can be proven by the readings gotten from 01.23 to 02.01), and the only way to get her heart rate was to do it manually. She stayed silent for the whole time I was there. She closed her eyes. I told her I couldn’t count her pulse properly, so I held her hand a little longer.

 XX – XX – 206X

 The experiment is a success. It shall be classified properly and marked as “more than completely confidential”.

 XX – XX – 207X

 The former subject Undyne came back for a checkup. As always, it showed that her system works just fine. Hopefully, without any excessive physical strain, she will last for a long, long time.

She asked me for more of my history books – she said that our conversations were a perfect mind training. She asked if we could continue them.

I see no reason not to agree.

[auburnfamilynews]

Auburn broke a 2 month dry spell with Shedrick Jackson’s commitment and are hoping to land a few more studs over the next 2 months

Fanbases tend to get a bit antsy after a month of no commitments. That concern only doubles in intensity when it goes to two. Thankfully, we didn’t reach three months when people start questioning their existence and whether or not Auburn will ever field a football team again. That could just be me... Either way, 3* WR Shedrick Jackson’s commitment Monday was a welcomed boost to Auburn’s 2018 recruiting class.

Who is next? That’s usually the very next question after a commitment. Well, there are plenty of names to choose from especially with so many targets planning to announce in July and especially in August. Many of these recruits are hoping to have their decision made before their senior year so they can just focus on their final season of high school football. Add in the new early signing period and it makes sense for August to be a busy commit time.

Some of these expected announcements should go Auburn’s way while others not so much. Here’s a break down of whom Auburn has a good chance, 50/50 and not good chance of landing in the next 2 months.

Good

As of today, it’s hard to see 4* WR Matthew Hill, 4* Buck/LB Richard Jibunor and 3* CB Juanyeh Thomas not landing at Auburn. Hill is an admitted Auburn fan who has said the Tigers lead, a big reason being his childhood fandom along with his relationship with Kodi Burns. Justyn Ross tends to get most of the attention from Auburn fans and understandably so as a top 25 player. However, do not sleep on Hill. This kid is an elite WR in his own right who can do a lot of different things from the WR position. He has big time speed on a long frame with great hands and elite playmaking ability. There’s no question he would be Burns’s biggest commit to date.

I have talked a bunch about Jibunor before and like I keep saying this kid has a chance to be special. It’s not easy to win MVP awards at these camps with big time talent on hand. Jibunor has done it twice at two different positions. I honestly can’t remember another player doing that. He’s a guy that like his good friend Prince Tega Wanogho is probably going to need some time to develop but there aren’t many players in this class with higher upsides.

Finally, there’s Juanyeh Thomas who at this point just might be a must sign for Greg Brown. My opinion is Auburn had a top 3 at the CB spot of Jalyn Armour-Davis, Kyler McMichael and Juanyeh Thomas. With the first two off the board, Brown REALLY needs to get his guy in Thomas. And Thomas is definitely his guy. He sports a much lower rating than those other two but was one of, if not the first offer Greg Brown sent out upon arriving at Auburn. Since then, he’s become a top priority and a frequent visitor to the Plains. He’s even mentioned that committing has crossed his mind but has held off. There’s a very good chance that changes in July though his recruitment could last until August. Either way, the Tigers need to reel in Thomas otherwise they risk going 0 for 3 on their top CB targets.

50/50

This group right here is what will make or break this class. If Auburn wins more of these battles than they lose then Auburn fans will be feeling really good about this class as we enter the season. Strikeout and there might be panic. There’re a ton of guys who want to commit in August that I am just not sure where they end up, starting with the biggest fish of all in 5* QB Justin Fields. There’s a chance his recruitment could get pushed into the season which would probably be beneficial to Auburn as it would hopefully give them a chance to demonstrate a resurgent passing offense. As of right now, I honestly do not know where Fields goes as all four sides (Auburn, Georgia, Florida and Florida State) seem to think they are in great position. If I had to make a pick, my guess is he ends up a Tiger due to the fact that Auburn is both close to home and he has really good relationships with the staff and some players. But I don’t have a ton of confidence in that pick.

After Fields, there are two big instate dominoes that are expected to fall in 4* RB Asa Martin and 4* DT Coynis Miller. A month or so ago my prediction would probably be Martin to AU and Miller to Bama. I think I would flip those now. With Zamir White’s commitment to Georgia earlier this week, Alabama has made it clear that Martin is their one and only guy this class at RB. It’s just darn hard to beat Bama out for instate guys when that happens.

On the other hand, there’s a strange sort of confidence coming out of the Auburn camp when it comes to Miller. I am a bit skeptical of it as the Tigers have never signed an instate 4* DT since Nick Saban arrived but the thought of early playing time and Miller’s close relationships with the staff and players, most notably Tadarian Moultry, seems to have Auburn feeling good. So as of this exact moment, my picks would be Alabama gets Martin and Auburn gets Miller but it’s not out of the question either team could get both or they flip the other way.

Auburn’s top two DE targets should also have decisions in the near future. First there’s 3* DE Andres Fox. Auburn was the first “big school” offer Fox landed after a dominating state title performance in Jordan Hare last fall. Since then, Auburn has made Fox a #1 priority and he’s even said the thought of committing has crossed his mind. But this is a battle for sure right now. Ed Orgeron has stepped in and taken the lead in Fox’s recruitment which has lead to Fox saying LSU is recruiting him the hardest. There seems to be some renewal of effort on the Alabama side as well to land the stud DE. I personally think the orange & blue Tigers end up snagging Fox but again it’s just really hard to say. Whomever gets him will be landing one of the highest upside athletes in this state.

The other DE is 4* Caleb Tannor. Tannor’s recruitment exploded this past March when he landed offers from seemingly everyone over a month’s time. This race appears to have turned into an Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee battle with the Dawgs and Tigers probably the top 2. UGA probably has the edge being the instate school and Tannor’s most traveled too destination but Auburn did receive 3 straight visits this spring and Tannor was back on campus recently. Auburn really needs one of Fox and Tannor but I would not be shocked if they pushed for and landed both. As of right now, I am sticking with Fox to Auburn and Tannor to UGA.

The final 50/50 is a different type of battle. There’s no confusion about where 4* LB Michael Harris would like to sign. It’s Ohio State and it’s always been Ohio State. The big question though is whether or not they will take him. Chances are very good that Ohio State knocks Alabama off the recruiting throne this year and it seems like if they want a kid they get him right now. They have a few other big fish they might be waiting on before taking Harris. If he decides to pull the trigger this summer and the Buckeyes won’t take him, he more than likely picks Auburn. It will really come down to what Urban Meyer decides to do more than anything Auburn tries.

Not Good

Now we get to the depressing section. It wasn’t all that long ago that 4* S Quindarious Monday would have been part of the “Good” section but those days are long gone. Now that Clemson has thrown their hat in the ring it’s not looking good for Auburn. Monday has always said that the wrong shade of orange Tigers have been his “dream school” but many thought with their smaller class they wouldn’t have room. Well, Clemson has apparently decided that it would not be wise to pass on a player of Monday’s calibre and offered a few weekends ago. Unless something radically changes, Monday probably lands at Clemson in the near future.

4* CB Jordan Miner was a name mentioned a bunch early in this cycle as a guy the Tigers might make a major push for this summer. That never seemed to materialize and now the talented DB out of Florida is expected to pick the Nittany Lions on July 6th.

The last two names to watch are 4* WR Kearis Jackson and 4* ATH Harold Joiner. Jackson just last night dropped the news he plans on committing in August. Auburn is probably a solid #2 but it’s a distance #2 to Georgia. The Dawgs have been all over Jackson and it would be a shocker if he didn’t pick them this August. The wildcard to watch though is Justin Fields. The consensus among not only insiders but recruits seems to be that where Fields goes, Jackson is likely to follow. So even if Jackson picks UGA in August, don’t be shocked if he becomes a flip candidate if the Tigers can land Fields.

As for Joiner, his recruitment has just been weird all around. It appears he has decided that he not only wants to only play running back but that he wants to be “the guy” for that recruiting class. In other words, if he isn’t your #1 RB prospect you are probably not getting him. Well it looked like LSU was that school. They were telling him all the things he wanted to hear and he reiterated over and over again they were his #1 school. Then this past weekend they took 3 running backs (including 3* Tae Provens) in 3 days. His #2 school in Georgia landed the #1 RB prospect in the country on Tuesday. All of a sudden things were different. Joiner now claims that he’s dropped those two schools and even though that might give Auburn a window of opportunity the Tigers are still recruiting him as an athlete. Meaning they would let him play some RB but want him also to flex out at WR and possibly work some at the H-back. Now it appears that Michigan State is the frontrunner. I am starting to doubt he will commit in August but if he does I just don’t see Auburn being the pick.

That was probably information overload but the next two months are going to get busy. August especially should be a wild month. When September rolls around, chances are really good we will have a much better picture of just how good or bad things are looking for the Tigers on the trail. A strong fall is a necessity for Auburn to close big but it would sure help if a few of these top guys were already on board before the first kickoff.

War Eagle!

from College and Magnolia http://bit.ly/2tqhyf2 via IFTTT

[auburnfamilynews]

An early look at Auburn’s 2018 defensive targets

Before diving into this lengthy post I did want to take a second and say how excited I am to be joining this site’s great team. I was a longtime lurker before recently signing up and joining this awesome community. As one of those strange and bizarre fans that loves following the ups and downs of the recruiting world, my hope is I can keep readers on this site somewhat aware of the current happenings in the Auburn recruiting world. Like I have said in the past, I am no super secret insider or talent scout just a guy that likes reading and writing about this stuff. I do want to apologize ahead of time for my terrible grammar and tendency to write longish articles...

Last week I took a stab at some of Auburn's top offensive targets in 2018, today we look at the defensive board. I changed up the formatting some to hopefully make it a little more digestible and easier to read. Here’s who Auburn appears to be honing in on early in the 2018 class.

Defensive Tackle

Top Targets: 4* Coynis Miller, 4* D'Andre Litaker, 4* Brant Lawless, 4* Alfred Thomas, 3* Timaje Porter, Breiden Fehoko (Texas Tech Transfer)

Since 2013, Auburn has signed eleven recruits listed as DTs. Only three have not come from either the state of Georgia or Junior College. Because of that our DT recruiting tends to rely heavily on the available crop of DTs in GA. Unfortunately for Auburn, there is only one (Robert Cooper) in the 2018 cycle that is rated a 4* or higher and he's already committed to Florida State. So where will the Tigers look instead? Well, there's always JUCO though it's a bit early to really know who the top targets there would be. But more than likely Rodney Garner will have to capitalize on a strong year in-state and a surprisingly strong crop of Tennessee DTs. However, landing a 4* or better instate DT has proved a challenge in the past as the only four recruits to have met that criteria since 2013 have all signed with Alabama. Auburn hopes to change that in the 2018 class.

The main instate battle will be over 4* Coynis Miller who is beginning a fast rise up the rankings. He plays a host of positions for his high school team including wildcat QB, TE, kick/punt coverage and both DT and DE. Miller is former teammates with 2017 AU signee Tadarrian Moultry so you have to think that helps Auburn some. Both Alabama and Auburn have made him a big time priority early. The other in-state 4* is Alfred Thomas who as of now doesn't have offers from either instate school which surprises me some. I love what I see on film with this kid as he plays OLB, DE, and DT for his team and fits that hybrid SDE/DT mold we seem to be recruiting more of these days. It will be interesting to see when/if those offers come from Auburn or Alabama. Rounding out the instate talent is 3* Timaje Porter out of Theodore. At 6'3" 320 lbs, he’s got that run stuffer size Garner likes to sign and is not easily moved off the line of scrimmage. He named AU his leader a month or so ago.

Before this cycle, the state of Tennessee had produced only one DT rated a 4* or higher since 2013. This year, though, the Volunteer state has two guys rated 4* or higher and both targets are high on Auburn's list. The most intriguing of the two, in my opinion, is 4* D'Andre Litaker. Litaker had a breakout sophomore campaign that put him on the radar nationally two seasons ago. Unfortunately, his junior year was marred by injury and tragedy. He tore his ACL 8 plays into last season and tragically lost his mother in a car crash a few months later so this is a kid I am really cheering for no matter where he lands. Based off his sophomore film though you see an explosive force up front that looks exactly like someone you want at the 3-tech and could develop into a nice interior pass rusher. It sounds like Auburn and Florida are the two main schools pushing for him right now but you have to expect the instate Vols will also become a factor. The other target is 4* Brant Lawless who despite being a bit undersized at 280 lbs lines up as a true nose guard in his high school's 3-4 defense. Lawless has a tremendous first step and reminds me some of Dontavius Russell coming out of high school.

A final name to keep in mind is Breiden Fehoko who is transferring from Texas Tech. He was the #50 player in the 2015 recruiting class signing with the Red Raiders out of high school. However, due to recent defensive coaching turnover, the big man decided to transfer away hoping to find somewhere that can better prepare him for the NFL. He has already lined up three official visits including one to Auburn on March 3rd. Basically, every SEC team seems involved as the opportunity to land a proven DT doesn’t come around often. He would have to sit out the 2017 season but would be eligible to play two more years starting in 2018. Something that could work in the Tigers favor is that Jarrett Stidham was at one point in time committed to Texas Tech at the same time as Fehoko. Stidham has already shown in just a few months on campus that he will recruit hard for Auburn so you have to think he will in the big man’s ear. The Fehoko recruitment will definitely be something interesting to track in the coming months.

Other Names to Watch: 5* Taron Vincent, 4* Dare Rosenthal, 3* Ka'Darian Hill

Strongside Defensive End

Top Targets: 4* JUCO Daquan Newkirk (AU Commit), 4* Brenton Cox, 4* Stephon Wynn, NR Malik Langham

Auburn is already off to a strong start at SDE (position currently manned by Marlon Davidson) in the 2018 cycle. 4* JUCO Daquan Newkirk was supposed to be a part of Auburn's mega DL class in 2016 but he didn't qualify so he enrolled at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College last year where he redshirted to preserve an extra year of eligibility. Newkirk has been locked in with Auburn since his first commitment and is a guy I feel pretty good about keeping. He moves incredibly well for his size even being used as a RB his senior year. It will be interesting to see how he does in the very competitive Mississippi Junior College world. Newkirk could end up playing inside but I suspect he joins Auburn's rotation at the SDE spot behind Marlon Davidson when he enrolls at Auburn. Because he redshirted he will enter Auburn as a redshirt sophomore in 2018.

I imagine Auburn will want to sign at least one more SDE this cycle, especially since Newkirk is a JUCO player. The top two targets are most likely 4* Brenton Cox and 4* Stephon Wynn although Auburn has some catching up to do with both. Cox flew up 200 or so spots in 247’s most recent rankings bump and is a kid with tremendous upside. However, right now Cox appears to be a pretty heavy UGA lean but could he be the late Garner GA steal? We will see. As for Wynn, it will be a shock if he lands anywhere other than Clemson considering he is a Tiger legacy. Of the options on the table though he is my favorite SDE target and I would love for Auburn to somehow steal him away. Chances of that happening at this point seem very unlikely. A name to monitor though is NR Malik Langham out of Huntsville, AL. He only recently started playing football but has the size and athleticism college coaches drool over. Honestly, I like him just as much as Cox but it's believed the coaching staff wants to evaluate him further before extending an offer. Don't be shocked though if he lands in Auburn's 2018 class.

Other Names to Watch: 3* Jamarcus Chatman, 3* Tobe Umerah, 3* Tacorrie Russell

Buck

Top Targets: 4* Justin Mascoll, 4* Nik Bonitto, 3* Andres Fox

Despite having plenty of bodies at the Buck position, I expect Auburn to try and sign at least one guy to play this spot in the 2018 class. At the end of the day, you can never have too many pass rushers. The top two targets appear to be 4* Justin Mascoll and 4* Nik Bonitto. Mascoll was a 5* until last week when he fell pretty far in 247's rankings update. Still, he is a top 100 player and looks the part of an SEC player already. However, if given a choice I would probably take Bonitto over Mascoll. I love his film and to me he has the combination of size and speed we want in the Buck position. Mascoll in the early going appears to be an UGA/Clemson battle while Bonitto seems pretty wide open.

A guy I would have listed as Auburn's best chance a week ago is Mobile Christian's 3* Andres Fox. The 6'5" 230 lb rising senior has seen his recruitment blow up recently as Alabama, Georgia and LSU have all offered in the last week. Auburn once looked like the clear leader but considering Fox called getting an Alabama offer "a dream come true" I think chances of him being a Tiger have become very slim. I expect we see more targets emerge over the coming months.

Other Names to Watch: 4* Adam Anderson (UGA Commit), NR Channing Tindall

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