#(The only white lead who is important in this is their Boss Phil because of the plot- 😭)

[mimpinightmare]

HECK YEAH!!!! POC SOLIDARITY!!! ✨✨✨✨

(I need to re-watch this show again-)

Glitch Techs really said "No White Leads"

[loki-hargreeves]

Once upon a dream - Loki x Reader Ch. 1

Warnings: amnesia/memory loss, imprisonment, angst, fluff, nothing major really (yet) Word Count: 8,5K Summary: You’ve been locked up for years with no memory of your past, ever since S.H.I.E.L.D. learned about your special abilities. When you get an offer to leave the prison-like facility on one condition; that you’ll join the Avengers, you take it. For years, you’ve dreamed about the same man. The dream man is also your target on your first mission. It’s Loki. He too seems to recognize you. In fact, it seems like he knows more than you do. You’re eager to find out what it is. {it’s like a soulmate AU with extra twists and turns} Author’s Note: I got this idea after I listened to Lana Del Rey’s version of the song ‘once upon a dream’. This will be a miniseries so I hope you’ll enjoy it! Please let me know what you think about this. Feedback means so much to me Xx Listen to: Once Upon A Dream playlist

[CH 1: In my veins]

THIRD POV

~ Will leave you in the morning

       But find you in the day    ~

Music was playing beautifully, echoing all around her because of the high, curved ceiling. The bright piano’s song blended in harmony with a gentle hum of a violin. People were talking, but it was all muffled. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was him.

Y/N was in a candlelit ballroom, dressed in an emerald gown that kissed the wooden floor when she walked. The dark-haired man held her hand gently, leading her to the middle of the floor.

Suddenly, the people stopped talking as they watched the couple prepare for a dance. Everyone seemed to gleam from joy. The aura was romantic, carefree, almost too good to be true.

“I love you,” The man said with a deep, raspy voice. Hearing that made her feel important and safe. She trusted the man. He had an elegant accent, jade eyes full of adoration. Y/N felt like she had always known this man, yet she couldn’t place a name on his face. All she knew was that she loved him too. Somehow, that didn’t trouble her. Nothing else mattered now but their moment. He grabbed her ever so gently by her waist and moved their bodies in the rhythm of the melody. They glided across the dance-floor with ease, as if they had danced to this song a thousand times before. There was no need to watch their steps, instead they focused on the intense and loving gaze they shared. It was perfect, until…

A loud beep made Y/N jump in her room, awakening her from her dream. Once again, the only thing she could recall from the vision her dreaming mind painted was that man. A face she had seen a million times before in her sleep, but she didn’t know why. Who was he? Did she know him before? She would’ve stopped to think, but she wasn’t given much time to do so.

A heavy door was opened from the outside and a group of armed guards marched into the dull corridor, nearing Y/N step by step. She didn’t see them, but by listening to their heavy steps, she figured that there were at least six of them. Her room, which was more like a cell, was a place where she had spent years by now. Years without aging a day on the outside. She looked the same she did ten years ago. Hell, she looked the same she looked a hundred years ago and beyond that – which she didn’t remember much of unfortunately. It’s like this facility had worn her mind down to the point she felt like a ghost.

She had done nothing wrong, yet people neared her with weapons and filled her days with threats.

The guards stopped behind her door and she sighed deeply, preparing to me hauled to another interrogation room. How long would they keep her there? Locked up, like a beast.

Her door opened and she welcomed the guards with an empty smile. It never reached her eyes, no matter how much her lips curved.

“Boss wants to see you,” one of the guards, Thomas informed her. Thomas was nice. He would talk to her sometimes and keep her company when they delivered meals to her. Out of all the numerous guards and agents Y/N had met, Thomas was her favourite. Seeing him genuinely made her days brighter. “It seems serious this time,” the tall man added.

As Y/N got up from her cold and lonely bed, she chuckled, “Isn’t it always serious?”

“I heard it might have something to do with the incident last night,” Thomas shared his thoughts as the other guards surrounded them, blocking Y/N from escape. She had tried to escape several times, but the machines and gadgets she was hooked to made it near impossible. If she used her powers, she would get shocked which kept her from doing anything. Eventually, she learned to accept her fate. It’s not like anyone missed her in the outside world anyway.

An incident? Y/N had heard whispers about a facility blowing up, but she had no idea what it was about. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Y/N smiled as they walked. They stopped behind the same iron doors and waited for that god-awful beep which alarmed them that it was unlocked. As it opened, they walked to the nearest elevator.

In the windowless elevator, Y/N took a deep breath. Whenever she was brought in for questioning, it always pissed her off. Sometimes it felt like they brought her in just to taunt her, to see if they could get a reaction from her and see her powers, if she would finally break the restrains. As if they didn’t see enough when she was pretty much forced to train every day.

“Do you remember when a god came to earth about a year ago?” Thomas wondered. It had been everywhere. People thought that gods were myths, but then humanity found out that Thor, god of thunder existed, and everything changed. Y/N had heard about it and about the change on earth, but she hadn’t seen it herself.

“Yes, what about it?” Y/N inquired curiously.

“They think that whatever happened yesterday is connected to that,” Thomas explained.

As interesting as it was, it confused Y/N, “What does that have to do with me though?”

Before Thomas could answer, another guard spoke, “Enough chit-chat!” It was Mark. Mark was an experienced soldier and the grumpiest man in the facility. He had a scar on his face which earned him the nickname, Scar. It wasn’t the most creative nickname, but it fit him. He was clearly a wounded man who had a harsh and modest shell. Y/N didn’t like him at all, and the feeling seemed to be mutual.

The elevator doors opened, and Y/N saw a much brighter floor. They were on the top floor. It was a huge facility. The corridor they walked through was short and they had to cross a huge common space to reach the interrogation room. The common room was large, and the bulletproof windows offered plenty of natural light. The view was beautiful, but haunting. There were trees that carried as far as Y/N could see. It meant that they were far from civility, in the middle of nowhere. No one would ever find them there.

As they finally reached the heavy door, they stopped behind it and Thomas pressed the buzzer next to the door. “She’s here,” He told whoever sat in that room with a monotone voice. Whenever Thomas spoke to Y/N, he sounded much livelier. She often wondered how such a nice man ended up in a terrible place like this.

“Come in!” A familiar voice replied through the speakers.

The door was opened for her and she was nudged to go in. Y/N put a stern expression on her face as she walked inside the white room, hating how the bright lights hurt her eyes. She was much more comfortable in the dark.

There was a table in the middle of it and several seats. There was a guard in each corner of the room, cameras too and in the middle were two familiar faces. Phil Coulson stood there with papers in his hands as Nick Fury sat by the table with a profoundly serious look in his eye. This didn’t seem good.

“Take a seat,” Fury told her and gestured at the plastic chair.

Y/N was slightly nervous, but she refused to show that as she sat down. “You look like you’ve gone through Hell,” she mocked him. Fury had scratches on his face which told her more than enough.

Her straightforwardness made him smirk. Usually, he would let out a sarcastic laugh, but it didn’t seem like he had time for that today. “I would say you’re absolutely right! You see, last night something really important was stolen from us.”

Phil opened his folder and pulled out a printed picture of a blue cube. Y/N had never seen anything like it before, yet the sight of it sparked a sense of familiarity inside her. She looked at it curiously without saying anything unnecessary. “That’s what he stole.”

So, it was a ‘he’ who stole that cube? Y/N wondered why that cube was so important that an otherworldly god would come all the way to earth to steal it. Personally, she didn’t really care. 

Coulson seemed to notice her wonder on her expression, “That’s the tesseract. We think it could be used to generate energy. It’s very precious, Y/N.”

“Who exactly was it that stole it?” Y/N wondered. If she was going to use her powers on somebody, she wanted to know who it was and what the cause was. Y/N knew better than anyone how much harm her powers could inflict – even on herself.

Fury sighed, “He called himself Loki, god of Mischief. Doctor Erik Selvig said he’s the brother of Thor, the other wacko that showed up here and left behind a massive mess for us to clean up. You should’ve seen him! He put on quite a show.”

Loki? That name rang a bell. Y/N could’ve sworn she had heard it before, but she didn’t know where or when. Then again, she had lived for several hundred years. Among her lost memories could be mentions of this god. She had always been fascinated by history; she wasn’t a stranger to Norse mythology. Knowing that it was all real was truly magnificent.

“Yeah I heard about it. Such a shame I missed the show,” Y/N pretended to be upset. A part of her wished she had been there just to see the destruction and the shock on these people’s faces when they realized they weren’t invincible. 

“We lost a lot of men because of him,” Coulson let Y/N know.

She simply raised her eyebrow, silently asking him if he truly expected her to care about that. “Did he look like he does in the history books? Big horns and all?” She wanted to know, completely ignoring agent Coulson. For her, it was truly amusing that these mythical characters could show up and stir up so much chaos on their journey.

“He has a scepter that he likes to wave around. It’s also a weapon, apparently,” Fury remembered. He had nearly been shot by Loki with a beam from that strange scepter of his.

“Nice,” Y/N seemed impressed. That’s when Coulson pulled out another printed picture. It was of a man with short, brown hair, tan skin and a strange outfit. She had never seen him before.

Coulson explained, “That’s one of our agents that Loki took with him.”

The plot thickens. “I assume you want him to be found?” Y/N jumped to conclusions and she was sure she was right.

“That too,” Fury confirmed her conclusion. “I don’t know what it is about these ‘gods’ who think they can show up here and do whatever they want, but it pisses me off. We need to get the tesseract back, ASAP which is why I’m offering you a…let’s call it a job,” Fury went straight to the point.

A job?

Y/N failed to hide her interest as she looked up from the paper to face Fury. He must’ve been in a hurry since he went right to the point. She had only been in that room for merely a minute. “What kind of job?”

Fury turned to look at agent Coulson who explained it to her, “We’ve been working on a project. The world is changing and so are the threats, which is why we’ve considered putting a group of special people together, to face these threats.”

He certainly seemed nervous to speak of this. It was almost like Coulson was afraid to use the wrong terms to upset Y/N. It was almost too good to be true, to see him like that. “Just call me a freak, Coulson,” She chuckled, shifting on her seat to be more comfortable. Their reactions were priceless.

“You would have to work with a group of people to find that son of a bitch that stole from us,” Fury explained which was obvious by now. Judging by the tone of his voice, he was furious - as ironic as it was. They were running low on time, which also became quite evident.

Although Y/N had waited for an opportunity like this for years, she was hesitant. They had captured her; they had kept her locked away from the world because she was ‘a threat to society’ but now they were asking for her help. As much as she wanted to say no out of spite, she wouldn’t. She could finally leave this facility. She could see the world again. It would be an adventure! Perhaps, just perhaps it was exactly what she needed. Y/N decided to push her luck, “What’s in it for me?”

“I thought you’d be jumping on the chance to get a breath of fresh air,” Fury raised his eyebrows in surprise as he continued, “You wouldn’t be a freak, Y/N. If this is a mission success, you’ll be a hero. Maybe we can see the good in you and trust that you don’t need to stay here anymore.”

Anger bubbled in her veins as she listened to him. She had never been a threat! But normal people would never understand. They saw her gifts as curses. They feared what they didn’t have or what they couldn’t control. But perhaps Fury was right? Perhaps this was her chance to prove that she wasn’t a villain?

“What do you say, miss Y/N?” Coulson wanted an answer. Now everyone in that room looked at her expectantly. She felt the pressure building up on her shoulders.

Y/N took one last glance at the paper before her and she felt certain of her choice, “I’m in.”

                         Being outside the large, secret facility for the first time in years was strange for Y/N. She was sent off immediately with Phil Coulson and to her surprise, there was someone waiting for them in the jet. Y/N was surprised that they let her walk outside without handcuffs, but she still had a chip in her neck, a tracker. They wouldn’t trust her that fast, now would they?

The moment they got seated in the jet, they flew off into the air, into the unknown which made Y/N beyond excited. Phil Coulson talked on the phone, which gave her a moment of privacy with the other man. He was tall, muscular, and blonde. She liked the brown, leather jacket that he wore. Y/N knew it was no other than Captain America, which was quite funny to her. Despite having lost so many of her memories, she could remember Captain America from the 40s. Back then, she had been free. It was impossible not to hear about this man and she was sure it was still like that today.

“Steve Rogers, it’s nice to meet you,” He broke the silence by introducing himself and then offering his hand for her to shake. So, he was polite. Y/N liked that.

She shook his large hand, “Y/N. Nice to meet you too, Rogers. The last time I saw you, you were on the silver screen.” He seemed surprised to hear that as they let go of each other’s hands. It appeared that the agent hadn’t told Steve much about Y/N yet. Good, she preferred to do that herself. “Just like you, I’m much older than I seem.”

“I’d ask you for your age, but that is a little rude, isn’t it?” Steve tried to lighten up the tension that seemed to linger in the aircraft. It was obvious that he was a man out of his time.

“Oh, I don’t take offense that easily. I’d give you an answer, but I don’t have one. Can’t even remember my own birthday,” Y/N let him know with a smile, acting as if her amnesia wasn’t hard on her.

Before Steve could react to that, Coulson returned to them. “We’re forty minutes away from the base. You’ll get to meet the others there,” He told them. Y/N was surprised to see how different Coulson was now that Fury wasn’t there. Perhaps, Steve’s presence made him that happy? “And I see you two already met,” Coulson pointed at the two of them as he spoke.

 It would be a long forty minutes.

Just as he said, they landed forty minutes later. They got out of the jet, which Y/N had learned was called a Quinjet. The platform they landed on belonged to an enormous ship. They were on sea and land wasn’t anywhere in sight. Other Quinjets were landing and taking off, soldiers were running on deck and overall, it seemed like a terribly busy place. Y/N had to admit it was nice to see something else than the white walls of the facility she had been stuck in for so long. The salty smell of sea was nice and even refreshing to her. The idea of jumping into the water and taking a dive seemed so tempting, but she knew that wasn’t an option. 

A red-haired woman walked over to them; eyes directed at Coulson. She seemed like she had plenty of work to do and that she wasn’t in the mood for smalltalk. Y/N liked that.

“Ma’am,” Steve greeted her.

“Hi,” She smiled but it was quite empty. Instead of staying to chat with Steve, she walked right up to the agent. Y/N watched from aside. “They need you on the bridge. Face time.” And just like that, Coulson was sent off.

“Glad to see you survived that flight with him,” She seemed more relaxed now as she faced Y/N and Steve. “I’m Natasha.”

Y/N recognized her name. Coulson had explained that Natasha, a Russian spy, would be working with them on the project. “I assume you already know all about us, but hello, I’m Y/N,” Y/N greeted the woman. She assumed if Natasha was anything like the others, she had read all there was to know about her background and memorized it already.

“Oh yes, I read all about you,” Natasha said as it was the most common thing to say. 

Before anyone else could speak, a fourth person walked up to them quite nervously. A man with a plain jacket, dark hair and glasses looked around and Y/N could sense how jittery he was. Was he anxious to be there?

“Doctor Banner,” Steve somehow recognized the man.

Jealousy stung Y/N’s gut a little bit as she stood there. Everyone else knew so much about this project already. Everyone else expect for her. She barely knew who and what they were looking for. Coulson could’ve used that flight time on telling Y/N more about the mission rather than swooning after Steve and talking about his Captain America memorabilia. 

A squad of guards neared them which by now was a very familiar sight for Y/N to see. She half-expected them to come and grab her to an interrogation room or perhaps a training hall. “Miss Y/N, you need to come with us.”

Although she expected that, it somehow surprised her. Why weren’t the others treated like prisoners? Why was she being treated like she was trying to smuggle explosives into the place?

Everyone around her looked at her awkwardly, but they all knew what was going on. Y/N was annoyed but defeated. “Show me the way,” She sighed and went along with the guards. She only had to assume she would regroup with the others inside eventually.

The guards surrounded her as they walked, just like they had earlier that day. Once they reached the inside of the ship, Y/N noticed how hauntingly much it resembled the facility. There was no personality or warmth inside the walls. It was all so cold and metallic. She was led through the clean corridors to a room with a bunch of computers and agents. It was just as busy on the inside as it was outside.

Somehow, Fury was already there. He must’ve taken a different route. The familiar face seemed to have expected Y/N and beside him was a woman. She seemed like an agent too. “Y/N! I think it’s time you get to know your teammates a little better. Agent Hill has offered to fill you in on the details.”

“Can’t wait!” She mumbled halfheartedly.

“As you get to know each other, we’ll keep trying to locate Loki. Once we find him, you’ll be on your way.”

That’s when agent Hill walked closer to Y/N. The guards seemed to trust the agent as they let her lead Y/N away from them. “Call me Maria,” She offered her a genuine smile. It was small but it was there.

“Alright, Maria. What am I supposed to do?” Y/N wanted to know more about the mission. Fury and Coulson had barely told her anything at all.

Hill walked them closer to the stations. They could see the screens. They were viewing security tapes from all across the world. Paris, New York, Tokyo.... Y/N saw some screens that were scanning several faces. It was almost fascinating to see how much work they put into this. That must’ve indicated that this was much more serious than a little hunt to find an energy source.

“Right now, your main mission is to find our target and bring back the tesseract. But you need to know who you’re dealing with,” Maria started, never taking her eyes off the screens. That’s when the ship began to tremble wildly, but no one seemed bothered by it. Y/N was cautious, but she didn’t feel the need to panic when everyone else seemed so calm. “Don’t worry, we’re just taking off.”

“Taking off?” Y/N spat out. 

That made Maria chuckle, “You’re on a helicarrier. It flies just as well as it floats.”

“Great!” Y/N managed to find something to say. When they landed, she saw the size of this thing. To think it could fly was astonishing, to say the least.

“You already met Steve. Natasha is one of ours. She’s might not seem it, but she’s one hell of a spy. She’ll keep an eye on you,” Maria started. Y/N wanted to comment on that, but she bit her tongue instead. “Doctor Banner, or just Bruce is a scientist. If you see him on the battleground, he’s going to be quite different. He turns into what some would call a raging beast, the Hulk.”

The Hulk sounded familiar. Y/N wasn’t sure how that worked, but she didn’t doubt it was true. She had seen stranger things. “So, I’m going to work with a spy, a scientist beast and a war hero to catch a god,” Y/N tried to put it all together. She didn’t quite understand where she came in use.

“Technically, yes. Don’t worry, Tony Stark aka the Iron Man is joining you too. Besides, you’ll have a team here as well. You won’t be alone,” Maria continued calmly.

Y/N wanted to ask more about the others, but she was curious to hear why they needed her help in particular. “Why did you ask for my help? It seems like you’ve already got quite a team gathered up.”

That question made Maria tense. So far, she seemed honest, so Y/N hoped she would come up with a good answer. “We’re searching for someone who claims to be a god, Y/N. He has abilities no one has seen before, expect…well, expect in you. I am aware that you’ve lost your memories, you might not know your full potential yet. But based on your training, you’re capable of far more than we thought. We thought that you could be able to fight this ‘god’.”

All that sounded far too nice, but Y/N didn’t mind it. Surely no one liked to admit they had captured someone and forced them to train. Perhaps Maria didn’t know. Y/N wasn’t in the mood to talk about it. Before she could say much, one of the agents seemed to get a match on the scanning system. “We found him! He’s in Stuttgart, Germany.”

That was quick.

“Let’s go find the others. Looks like you’re going to Germany,” Maria patted Y/N’s shoulder as they got on the move. Already, Y/N’s heart was beating a little faster in her chest. Adrenaline rushed through her system and she was excited. For the first time in a decade, she was going to break her daily routine. This was bound to get interesting!

                     That day had felt like a week and they were still not finished. They were in a Quinjet that was flying to Germany. How they would get there so fast, Y/N didn’t know. She only had to assume that the jet was much faster than a normal jet, but it felt like it barely moved at all as it soared through the sky.

She sat in the corner, watching as the others on her team spoke. Everyone was geared up, including Y/N. Natasha was flying, Steve and Tony were talking. Y/N hadn’t spoken with Tony yet and she wasn’t in a hurry to do so either. The man had looked at her with a strange look in his eyes when he got on board. Although it had only been minutes, Y/N could tell he knew much about her already. Did he fear her?

After a while, Tony turned to Y/N, interrupting the conversation he had with Steve. “You’ve been awfully quiet,” he noticed.

“I don’t speak unless I have something to say,” She explained bluntly. The day had been long, and she already had a lot on her mind. Despite how fun it was to do something else than stare at the facility walls, it was a lot. The pressure of it all made her tired. 

Tony walked closer to her, clearly interested in forming some sort of a conversation with her. “We could start with you telling me how you still look like that despite your age. Do you and Steve maybe share some anti-aging secrets? Do tell,” Tony tried to ease the tension between them, but it didn’t work all that well. It wasn’t like Y/N hadn’t heard that a million times before.

“I’m sure you would like to know,” Y/N tittered, hoping that she could ignore her weariness and at least try to get to know her team. After all, they were kind of stuck together.

That’s when Tony took a seat next to Y/N, minding a little distance though. “I heard you’ve been living at a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility for a while. That must’ve been a bore.”

Did he think before he opened his mouth?

Steve rubbed his temples as he eavesdropped on their conversation. Clearly, Steve didn’t like what he just heard any more than Y/N did.

“A bore, you could say that. One day they decided I was a threat to society, so they locked me up. I don’t see why they didn’t do that to you though. Do you also have trackers in your neck?” Y/N couldn’t help but to get a little heated. She wasn’t angry, but she felt defensive. She never wanted to go to that facility, and she would be damned if she let anyone talk about it as it was nothing.

That’s when Tony realized his mistake. “Right. Well let’s hope this is your chance to start anew,” He desperately tried to make up for what he said. Despite how dumb his words were, Y/N let it slip for now.

“So, what are we going to do when we find him? Doesn’t he have the power to make people do things in his favour?” She changed the topic of conversation.

That’s when Steve decided to speak, which was a relief. “We need to make sure civilians don’t get hurt. Hopefully, we’ll be able to overpower him. It’s easier to come up with a plan once we see the guy. We don’t really know what he’s capable of.”

Steve had a point. Coming up with a detailed plan with little to no information would be difficult. All they really knew was Loki’s location. 

Natasha joined in on the conversation from the cockpit, “We can’t kill Barton. He’s still in there. We just need to break whatever spell Loki has on him.”

“What if he gets one of us under control? What happens then?” Y/N wanted to know. She wasn’t interested to be mind-controlled if it meant it put a target on her back.

No one seemed to know what to say to that. They hadn’t thought of it, or so it seemed. “We can’t let that happen. Even if it happens, no one gets left behind. We’re supposed to work as a team and that we will do.”

“That sounds like the Captain I’ve heard of,” Y/N commented on his little pep talk. She had faint memories of Captain America’s speeches from his roles in the 40s. He sure knew what to say and he had a leader spirit.

“What exactly do you do then? According to your file you don’t age, great. But you’ve also shown to have super strength, speed, and senses. Did you get a superhuman serum too?” Tony seemed awfully curious about Y/N’s abilities. he had read her files but they were lacking. After years of training in the facility, they still struggled to put her in a box. 

She couldn’t blame his curiosity. “I don’t know why I am the way I am. I’m far older than I thought I was. I remember waking up on the streets of London in 1911. It’s like I was simply dropped into existence. All I could remember was my name. Throughout the years, I’ve got some memories back and I’ve tried to test my abilities, but it’s all vague, hazy.”

Tony never took his eyes off her. He seemed fascinated by her story and he examined every word she said. Even Steve and Natasha had stopped to listen. “Can you fly? Or shoot lasers from your eyes? That would be cool,” Tony wondered.

“Lasers? No, not that I know of,” Y/N giggled, finding his enthusiasm funny. “I’m not Superman,” She added.

“Fury wanted you on this mission because you can manipulate energy. Is that true?” Natasha wondered. They knew so much about each other, which made them all so curious about Y/N whom they knew so little of.

It was sweet of them to be curious, but Y/N didn’t know whether she liked all the attention. Her life had changed from a boring facility life to whatever this was. It was a lot and these questions were difficult to answer. She hardly knew herself! “You’ll see,” She decided to keep it mysterious. That way, she would get less follow up questions.

“Ooh, playing hard to get! I like that, Supergirl,” Tony gleamed, either happy over her answer or the stupid nickname he just gave her.

“Whatever you say.”

  Finally, they arrived in Stuttgart. The old buildings stood proud, beautiful trees were planted all around the place and it looked like a wonderful place – if it wasn’t for the god who seemed to threaten all life there was there. Y/N was dropped off with Tony. Tony flew out of the jet in his suit as Y/N used her powers to ease her landing. She floated down silently, hoping to stay unseen by the help of her dark outfit. They were a safe distance away, hidden by the night’s large shadows. There was a large mass of people outside the building and a man, several versions of him around them. Y/N could tell which one of them was real because only one of them had the warmth and energy of a living creature. The others were illusions - impressive nevertheless.

They were too far away for her to see his face clearly. At least she saw the golden horns which was almost amusing to see. How did he balance his head with that thing on it?

“Let’s get him,” Tony said to her and it was her cue to get on the move. Y/N was almost too excited. Adrenaline kicked in and she felt like she could run a marathon.Perhaps she was supposed to be worried or even scared. They were going to fight a god! But she liked it.

Just as Loki pointed his scepter at an old man, Steve attacked him. No one could hear Y/N, but she whispered, “Nice one,” as her own commentary on the situation. Captain America got the fight started and the frightened people scattered away from the scene, screaming in horror over what unfolded before their eyes.

Y/N was finally close enough so she could join in. Just as she was about to knock Loki over with a blast of energy, she froze on the spot. Loki turned to look at her and recognition sparked in his eyes.

She recognized him too

Y/N lost her breath as she faced Loki, now feeling much more frightened than before. Loki was the man she kept seeing in her dreams!

What truly freaked her out was that he seemed to know her as well.

Just for a moment, the world stilled around them. It felt like the flow of time stopped completely, giving them a brief moment of privacy. To make it even more terrifying for Y/N, who struggled to grasp why her enemy was in her dreams, he spoke, “Y/N!”

 He knew her name!

 Before she got a chance to answer him, Steve attacked Loki. It was a reminder that this fight wasn’t over. They were on the battleground and Y/N had a job to do. But now it felt impossible. The only stray of hope she had of remembering her past was that man - a god! She had seen him in so many dreams, so many nights that gave her glimpses of a life before, one that she yearned to return to. Now they were there, standing face to face and she was supposed to attack him! How could she?!

Even with Steve and Tony attacking the god from both sides, he seemed unbothered by their attempts. Loki was keen on defending himself, pushing the strong men away from himself like flies. He swung his scepter around and eventually pinned Steve to the ground.

The sight made Y/N react. Even with her legs feeling like jelly from the strange encounter, she ran towards them. Her feet moved much faster than any common human’s feet would. In only a split second, she pushed Loki off Steve, almost knocking him on the ground.

Her attack seemed to surprise him. Loki looked at her through knitted eyebrows and that looked hurt her. He seemed…betrayed?

“How do you know my name?!” Y/N felt tears stinging in her eyes. She was angry that this had to happen. The past seemed to haunt her and now that she had the chance to get answers, she would have to lock the man away! It was unfair. “Tell me!” She screamed when Loki didn’t answer. Oddly enough, he didn’t even try fighting her.

“I see what’s going on,” Loki concealed his pained expression by smirking darkly, as if he was completely unbothered by the situation, “You don’t even remember. That’s such a shame, dear.”

Dear? Who did he think he was?!

Y/N felt eyes burning holes into her back. She felt anxious as she was there, above Loki who was pinned beneath her. It was too much. She knew she had to end this, so instead of focusing on her own curiosity and shock, she decided to do what she was asked to do. To avoid further pain, she focus don her mission and tried to lock away her emotions. If she screwed up now, she could end up returning to the facility which was her last wish.

“Don’t call me that,” Y/N tried to sound as intimidating as she possibly could, but it was hard when Loki seemed to know her. Energy was flowing around her hands, illuminating a golden light all around her. Loki glanced at the power forming around her hands and he smiled. It almost felt like he expected this or that he had seen it all before. Whatever it was, it made Y/N’s skin crawl. Did they know each other from her past? It sure seemed like that and it didn’t look good on her record. S.H.I.E.L.D. would surely love to know how Loki knew her name. Could it be his power? Was he messing with her?

It didn’t make sense. Loki had been in her dreams; it must’ve meant something!

To everyone’s surprise, Loki raised his arms up in surrender. The defeated mannerism made Y/N let go of him as she stood up. By now, Steve and Tony stood right beside Y/N. Loki was seemingly overpowered, but she didn’t believe it at all. This seemed like something he wanted to happen, which made her feel sick.

This all felt like a huge mistake.

“Seems like you got me cornered,” Loki pouted, never taking his eyes off Y/N as the others grabbed him. His wrists were cuffed, and he lifted his magic, his golden armour vanishing into thin air. “Besides, I wouldn’t like to get torched by your little energy blasts, now would I?” Loki gestured to Y/N’s hands. Despite his words, he didn’t seem threatened by her power.

Nevertheless, Y/N let go of the energy and watched it fade into thin air. There was no use in attacking a man who surrendered and was clearly cooperating. Y/N just stood there, struggling to find the right words. Shock, disbelief, fear was boiling in her troubled mind and heart. Her thoughts were running in circles. Breathing felt alien to her.

“Let’s go,” Steve yanked Loki. He sounded angry. It seemed like the mission ended just as fast as it had begun. It was easy, way too easy.

Something was terribly wrong.

 They were all in the Quinjet again and this time, the atmosphere was tense. It felt heavy on Y/N’s slumped shoulders. Loki was cuffed and he sat on his seat ever so calmly. He didn’t even try to put up a fight.

No one had dared to ask Y/N about the more than odd encounter. Shortly said, everyone seemed on edge. Somehow, Y/N felt like it was her fault although she recognized they could feel on edge because of how easily Loki turned himself in.

Unfortunately, Loki decided to speak. His voice made Y/N’s stomach churn in worry. It also made Tony and Steve shut up, forgetting whatever conversation they were having. “Did you hit your head perhaps? Or did someone curse your mind?”

Why was everyone so interested in her memory loss? How did Loki know so much? It was infuriating and Y/N was tired, which only made it harder for her to handle.  Instead of answering him, she kept quiet.

Tony didn’t.

“You gave up quite easily. I thought you’d put up a fight. Heard you liked theatrics and all that,” Tony got closer to Loki.

“I couldn’t pass an opportunity to be stuck in a metal box with such…fascinating company,” Loki prolonged the word fascinating, almost as if he were being sarcastic. As he spoke, answering Tony’s question, he looked right at Y/N. It felt personal.

That’s when Y/N heard thunder roaring. It was odd, since she hadn’t seen any dark clouds around. Even Natasha seemed confused by the sudden lightning. Then again, they were flying fast through the sky. The weather could change in the blink of an eye, so she didn’t think too much of it. She was busy worrying about what nonsense Tony would say. Hopefully, nothing that would infuriate the god.

To everyone’s surprise, Loki seemed uncomfortable. Every roar of the storm made him flinch. That was…odd.

“What’s the matter? Scared of a little lightning?” Steve wondered. He too noticed how Loki reacted to it.

Loki didn’t like Steve’s question too much, at least not based on his expression. “I’m not overly fond of what follows,” he replied which made everyone feel a little confused and uneasy.

What ‘followed’? As the others wondered what Loki meant by that, Y/N remembered who he was. Loki, Brother of Thor. Thor was the god of thunder. Right before Y/N could say anything about it, a loud thud caught everyone’s attention. Something or someone landed on the moving Quinjet.

The heavy, metal ramp was torn open and a blast of lightning followed, making everything bright for a brief moment. As the lightning subsided, a man walked in which was unexpected. Someone just entered a moving aircraft!

It was Thor.

“Holy shit,” Y/N cursed as the angry Norse god marched inside, heading straight for Loki. He grabbed Loki by his scruff, unbothered by the other people onboard. He didn’t even seem to notice the others.

He couldn’t just take their prisoner away like that! Or could he? 

Before anyone could even try to stop him, Thor jumped out of the Quinjet with Loki. It had only been a few seconds and they were gone, leaving everyone else baffled.

“Now there’s that guy,” Tony was the first one to speak, trying to cover his shock.

“Another Asgardian?” Natasha wondered. She didn’t sound too thrilled by this.

Steve wondered, “Think the guy’s friendly?”

That’s when Y/N felt like they were talking too much. “It doesn’t matter. We need to get Loki back!” Getting Loki back was her only chance of getting a life, and perhaps answers of her past. Answers that somehow, as mad as it was, Loki seemed to have.

Tony put on his iron mask, preparing for whatever plan he came up with. “Funny you’d say that. Seems like you two know each other.”

Now wasn’t the time for offhand comments like that.

It sparked annoyance within Y/N, but she knew they didn’t have time to fight. Everyone else seemed to agree so they ignored Tony’s statement.

Steve returned to his soldier mindset, “We need a plan of attack.” That was quite clear.

Tony walked closer to the torn open ramp, “I have a plan. Attack.”

Y/N agreed with Tony this time. Just as Tony jumped out of the Quinjet, Y/N followed him. She didn’t have a parachute, but she trusted her powers. Her gut told her to do it and she trusted that gut feeling. As she felt her body fall dangerously towards the ground, she squinted her eyes and tried to aim her body towards the ground safely. It was far too dark to see Thor, but she had a faint idea of where they might’ve landed. After all, all living things left behind a trace of energy. Her heart was pounding in her chest. The adrenaline rush she had was unbelievable, but exactly what she needed to wake up. 

As she was free falling closer to the ground, Y/N closed her eyes and focused on the energy fields around her. She felt the wind, the temperature, the movement all around them. She caught onto the air and let it carry her body, slowing down her inevitable impact. Soon enough, her body was enveloped in a golden cast of energy, warming her body that had cooled down in the rapid fall and cold rain. She used her magic to direct her safely to the ground. Just like that, she landed on her feet without making a sound and she let go of the energy, releasing it back to the world.

Y/N found herself in a dark, mossy forest. Trees were tall and all around her. It smelled like rain which was a trace of Thor’s powers. She would have to find Loki, but where? For a moment, she felt restless until she heard something.

Someone was yelling nearby. It sounded like an angry man and Y/N knew that it must’ve been Thor. She followed the voices she heard.

“…You listen well, brother!” It was definitely Thor. Y/N crawled out from the bushes, just in time to see Thor and Loki on a large rock. Before she could even consider getting in between them, Tony flew right at Thor, grabbing his body and flying off the stone. They disappeared out of sight within a second.

“I’m listening,” Loki replied to his brother who was now far away and who most certainly could not hear him.

Was Tony serious? He left Loki out of sight! Unless he knew Y/N was there, that was quite reckless of him.

“Damn it,” Y/N cursed as she realized she was alone with Loki. The thought of facing him now was terrifying. She didn’t know what to expect, but she knew she couldn’t just stand there. Before Loki could make his grand escape, Y/N ran towards him and jumped up on the stone. In a second, she was right beside him.

“Fancy seeing your brother getting involved in this mess of yours,” Y/N muttered. She was furious that Thor had to get Loki. Then again, they were family. She couldn’t really blame the Asgardian.

Loki sighed, “You really don’t remember me? Or are you putting up some sort of an act?” Loki had seemed genuinely surprised when she hadn’t recognized him in the way he had hoped.

Y/N knew this was likely her only chance of speaking with Loki alone. Maybe she could use this opportunity to speak to him instead of fighting him. It didn’t look like he was in a hurry to run off either. Although it scared her, she decided to trust him just enough for a chat. “Am I supposed to know you?” She asked him, hiding the fact she had dreamt of him several times for decades.

“Fascinating,” He murmured the word again. Loki had a sad look in his eyes, but his expression was the contrary of it. He looked amused, but it didn’t feel genuine. Now that she got a better look of him, even in the night’s darkness, she noticed how beaten down and tired he looked. Everything about this mission and Loki was bizarre. Something wasn’t adding up.

“What’s so fascinating about this? What are you doing here? How do you know me?” Y/N struggled to stay patient. She had waited for answers for so long and this was the closest she had come to find them.

Loki narrowed his eyes and looked at her closer. She should’ve backed off; she should’ve informed her team that she found him, but she didn’t. She let him get closer. “Trust me, you’re better off not knowing. You’d thank me if you knew better.”

What on earth was he rambling about?

“Loki,” Y/N said his name. It didn’t sound foreign to her. When she said his name, it felt so natural. Her mouth had grown accustomed to it although she couldn’t remember him. “No one can hear us. If we’ve known each other, you can tell me. I need to know.”

Something about him was odd. She could feel that he wanted to act differently than how he did. Was something holding him back or was Y/N overthinking it? It’s like one moment he wanted to say something and the next he acted like he couldn’t have cared less. At this point, nothing seemed to make sense.

All traces of Loki’s sincerity vanished, “What if you don’t like what you’ll hear?”

“So you know something?” Y/N sounded a little bit too hopeful.

“I know a lot of things, Y/N,” Loki explained mysteriously. Sure, he was a god. He knew more than any human, but did he know anything about her past?

“Just tell me if you know something!” Y/N grew restless. She had a hectic need to know what he knew. 

Loki moved his lips and mouthed, ‘ooh’ after she finished her sentence. “You’re getting angry. You must be desperate.” He taunted her. Something told her this was useless, but she didn’t want to give up. It was so foolish, but she honestly believed Loki could give her answers.

That’s when he decided to change the topic. “Why do you even bargain with these mortals? They’ve held you captive; they fear who you are. They don’t deserve your aid, if you ask me. Once they’re finished with me, I’m sure you’ll find yourself where you came from. Locked away from humanity.”

How did he know all that? Shivers ran down Y/N’s spine as she stood there, listening to each and every word he said. She hated to admit it, but he was probably right. Maybe Loki wasn’t as evil as she had been told. Then again, he had done terrible things -- according to her captors.

The cunning god of mischief continued to stir the pot, “If you truly wish to learn from my knowledge, you could join me. We can finish this together and you’d be free from those invisible chains.”

She looked at him in shock. “Why would you do that? How do I know you wouldn’t kill me, first chance you got?” Y/N was tempted to join him, but she had common sense. He could lie to her, trick her into trusting him so he could stab her right in the back.

“I see you haven’t lost your brain,” Loki didn’t seem surprised by her response. “But you serve yourself. Please, befriend the people who treat you like a beast. Who am I to stop you?”

This was too much. It had been an incredibly long day and having a god toy with her mind wasn’t exactly fun. Y/N figured that she could question him later. Surely they would allow her to have a chat with him once he was locked up, right? She could prove she wasn’t evil. Maybe in the end, she could get her answers and her freedom? But Loki offered that to her right now. 

No. She couldn’t blow it. If they got caught, she would be locked away for good. It hurt to decline his offer, but she had to. “Let’s go. I’m taking you back to the Quinjet.”

Loki didn’t seem alarmed. “Fine,” He shrugged and even offered his wrists to her. Y/N gritted her teeth together as she grabbed his wrist so she could pull him with her. But as their bodies touched, she felt a jolt. It’s like an invisible force pushed her out of her physical body.

In the blink of an eye, she saw herself and Loki in a dream realm. Loki seemed to notice the change too. They weren’t in the forest anymore. Instead, they were in a dim ballroom. They were the only two people there. The candles had burned out, no music was playing, and it smelled like dust and rotting wood. There was an old piano in the corner of the ballroom. Dead roses were laid on it and the petals had worn off and scattered on the dusty keys and the floor.

The ballroom was so familiar.

Just like the one from Y/N’s dreams.

Their eyes met and for a moment, Loki seemed stunned. It was obvious that he recognized the place. He looked at Y/N and she could swear he looked sorry. It was all too much for her to handle now.

Startled by this, she let go of Loki and stepped back, nearly stumbling on the ground. They were back in the forest as if they had never left. “What the hell was that?” Y/N cried out in fear. Nothing like it had ever happened to her before.

Somehow, Loki didn’t even look startled by it. That same look of agony returned into his gaze, but he refused to address it. Before another word could be spoken between them, the Quinjet landed on the forest ground. The tall trees swayed because of the wind and leaves scattered up in the air. The broken ramp wasn’t useful so instead Natasha jumped out of it, landing smoothly on the ground. Steve must’ve joined Tony to fight Loki’s brother.

“I see you caught him all on your own,” Natasha broke the silence. Something about the way she spoke made Y/N feel guilty, as if Natasha suspected something had happened. Nothing had happened, right? Y/N had made sure Loki didn’t escape and she had only asked him a few questions. How did she still feel so bad?

“Yeah. He’s all yours,” Y/N tired to brush her worries away. She wished Natasha would take Loki into the Quinjet. After what just happened, touching the god wasn’t on the top of the list of things Y/N’s wanted to do. She wasn’t sure what she would do if that thing happened again.

[Ch. 2]

A/N: Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged. A reblog and your feedback would mean so much 💚

[disneyat34]

The Aristocats at 34

A review by Adam D. Jaspering

The second Disney Dark Age was defined by a series of decisions resulting in decreased film quality. Some decisions were timesavers, prioritizing efficiency above craft. Some were financial decisions, scaling back ambition, favoring simplicity. Some of it was a general sense of disillusionment. The glory days of the Disney empire were gone. Animation as a medium was in a rut. The prestige of working in cartoons was akin to working on an assembly line.

The Aristocats was never a children’s book, fairy tale, or published story. It was an original concept by writers Tom Rowe and Tom McGowan for Disney’s Wonderful World of Color. In 1961, they were instructed to develop stories featuring animal protagonists.

One of the stories involved a family of cats forced from their home by an evil butler and maid. The cats would hide around Paris, staying safe, exploring the locales, having adventures. This was the first draft of The Aristocats.

For years, the writers worked and re-worked the story as a two-part, live-action, made-for-TV movie. From every angle, The Aristocats was infeasible. The writers were trapped in an endless cycle of revision, rejection, revision, rejection. By 1966, they gave up. With so much time, money, and effort sunk, they recouped their losses by selling the treatise to Disney Animation Studios.

The animated medium worked to the writers’ advantage. The cats could now talk, react, move, emote, and think like more than simple house pets. It made completing the script much simpler. However, that was the only advantage earned.

The greatest indicator of the troubled writing process is how heavily the movie borrows ideas from previous Disney films. Disney had made films about pets in trouble before, and they were successes. To copy their success, The Aristocats copied a number of plot elements and themes.

Consider what is lifted from 101 Dalmatians. Someone nefarious kidnaps a bunch of beloved pets. The pets evade their captor, and are forced on an arduous trek back home. They find respite only through the hospitality of other animals along the way.

Consider what is lifted from Lady and the Tramp. A spoiled pet, accustomed to love and indoor life, is forced from home. They find a streetwise transient with a heart of gold who agrees to help. Over time, love blooms despite the pair coming from two different worlds.

The Aristocats is a shameless blend of 101 Dalmatians and Lady and the Tramp, simply substituting the dogs with cats. It offers nothing unique. What it lifts, it doesn’t improve on.

The xerographic animation is the worst its ever been. Xerography has always resulted in scratches, inconsistent line widths, and rough details. In The Aristocats, it’s laughably bad. Lines are sketchy, frayed, and wiry. In wide shots, character outlines are too thick. On close-ups, outlines are too thin. Errant reference lines are left in place, never cleaned before going to print. Detail lines are too bold and garish. The animators were either getting sloppy or lazy.

The female lead of the movie is Duchess, a white angora cat. She is voiced by Hollywood actress Eva Gabor. Gabor is best known for the sitcom Green Acres, where she played a socialite unwillingly relocated to a country setting. She admirably plays Duchess, a cat socialite unwillingly relocated to a country setting. 

Gabor lends an air of nobility and sophistication to the character. Unfortunately, she never fully hides her Hungarian accent. She slips between her natural voice and a French affectation, creating a definite European sound, but not of any particular area.

Duchess’s three kittens are Marie (white, voiced by Liz English), Berlioz (black, voiced by Dean Clark), and Toulouse (orange, voiced by Gary Dubin). All three are voiced by American children and speak in an American accent.

In most Disney movies, young characters are voiced  by actual children. The same is true for The Aristocats. Unfortunately, the three actors here are among the worst the studio has ever seen. The children lack a sense of timing and awareness in their recitations. Everything they say is forced and toneless. They’re not acting, just reciting the script. It’s made all the worse they don’t project, delivering their lines quietly and without passion into the microphone. Every line sounds as though they have sore throats and stuffy noses.

The male lead is O’Malley, an orange piebald shorthair voiced by Phil Harris. Phil Harris voiced Baloo in The Jungle Book, and was acclaimed for bringing the bon vivant bear to life. It’s no surprise, in a film that has already recycled so much, it recycles an entire character. Phil Harris gives O’Malley Baloo’s relaxed nature, cocky arrogance, love of music, and budding paternal instincts. The only difference between O'Malley and Baloo are their species.

The plot of the film centers around Madame Bonfamille, an elder Frenchwoman of notable wealth. An aging woman, she meets with a lawyer to draft a will. With no spouse and no living family, she bequeaths her estate and all monetary goods to her beloved cats.

This enrages her longtime, long-suffering butler, Edgar. So much so, he conspires to kill the cats, leaving him the sole beneficiary. The evil maid from the original story spec was written out completely.

There is so much to unpack in such a confounding setup. The first among them, Madame Bonfamille won’t relinquish her estate until she dies. She appears to be in her 70s, but is still fully ambulatory, healthy, and mentally sound. She won’t be passing on anytime soon.

So why would Edgar attempt to kill the cats immediately? If he killed the cats now, Madame Bonfamille would adopt new cats and start the cycle anew. Why wouldn’t he kill the cats when Madame Bonfamille is closer to death? If she’s enfeebled or incapacitated, she’d be unable to amend her will.

Let’s give Edgar the benefit of the doubt and assume he panicked. He was blinded by greed. He was offended his boss would discount his years of loyal service. He’s seen as lesser than a quartet of creatures who use a litter box. He didn’t consider the ramifications of preemptive catslaughter. The insult caught him off-guard.

If Edgar behaved rationally, bided his time, and planned a perfect murder, killing the cats would still be stupid. Without researching French estate law of the early 20th century, we can reasonably assume a person cannot name pets as beneficiaries. In which case, the will’s stipulations would be voided and Edgar would inherit the estate.

Assuming it’s unconventional but acceptable, the cats would need a caretaker. What would cats do with such money? Cats can’t shop, can’t pay bills, can’t pay taxes. Edgar would almost certainly be given power of attorney over the cats. He’d live in the manor, be granted a trust fund, and all in exchange for occasionally feeding a few cats. The cats would legally own the wealth, but Edgar would be in charge of where it’s spent. Edgar would get everything anyways, and his hands would be clean.

Even for a kid’s movie, the plot is overly simple and collapses under scrutiny. After so many rewrites and changing of hands, standards dropped noticeably. Nine different writers worked on this movie. The filmmakers had no expectations of the script beyond “complete” and “printed on paper.” The Aristocats is no masterstroke. But maybe it was never intended to be.

It’s never been officially stated, but in an era of financial instability, it’s easy to see the appeal of The Aristocats. A paper-thin plot is an acceptable concession to showcase a bunch of dancing and singing cats.

Disney had never made a cat movie. Disney had made dog movies, and subsequently sold dog toys and dog merchandise. But some people like cats more than dogs. There was an untapped market for cat toys and cat merchandise. All they needed was a cat movie. The plot was irrelevant.

The stakes of the movie are incredibly low. In 101 Dalmatians, the dogs are forced to walk from the outskirts of town back into London. It’s an arduous journey. The weather is harsh and unforgivable. The puppies are tired and hungry. The villain is actively on their trail, ready to attack at any minute.

In The Aristocats, the cats are forced to walk from the outskirts of town back into Paris. It’s a leisurely walk through the countryside. The weather is pleasant and sunny. Edgar doesn’t pursue the cats, assuming them already dead.

The cats were carted off somehow, and now must return home. Their journey isn’t one of survival, just inconvenience. It’s all the tension of a motorist running out of fuel and walking to the nearest gas station.

The plot is so razor thin, characters and vignettes are introduced that do nothing except pad the runtime. After O'Malley falls in a river, he’s saved by a pair geese. It’s an Avis Ex Machina.

Their contribution to the story fulfilled, the geese do not waddle off. The cats follow them into town. There, we meet the geese’s drunken uncle. The drunken uncle does nothing of significance or importance. He stumbles, confused, dizzy, inebriated in a misguided attempt at humor. It’s funny because he abuses intoxicants. Enjoy, kids!

When Edgar attempts to dispose of the cats, his efforts are interrupted by two hound dogs. These dogs chase his motorcycle, causing Edgar to crash. In order to escape without being mauled, Edgar leaves the sidecar and several personal effects behind. He’s forced to return the next day to retrieve the incriminating evidence.

Why these two dogs are so territorial is inexplicable. They don’t just chase Edgar’s motorcycle, they declare a vendetta against him. They chase him off, they chase him back, they even steal the motorcycle and attempt to run him down. If Edgar wasn’t literally trying to drown kittens, the dogs would easily be the villains of the movie.

The dogs have Georgia accents. There’s no reason why. They live in France, just the same as any other character. Should we assume the dogs immigrated from the American south just to work on a farm in a new country? Were they adopted by French farmers from breeders across the Atlantic?

Simply put, they’re hound dogs. Hound dogs are stereotypically southern. It would be silly to have them speak French. It’s also silly to have two characters with Georgian accents in the French countryside. There were no good solutions here.

There’s also a Chinese cat who supplants his L’s with R’s when he speaks. He has buck teeth and squinty eyes. He carries chopsticks around with him. The Aristocats copied so much from Lady and the Tramp, why wouldn’t it also copy its racist stereotypes?

Madame Bonfamille and Duchess are the only characters in the film to have French accents. The rest of the characters speak with American, British, and Appalachian accents. For a film set in France, an array of English dialects is distracting and confusing.

Maurice Chevalier sings the film’s title song. Disney secured a French icon, but shied away from the French language. French accents were either too distracting or too indecipherable. At the least, the replacement accents should be consistent.

The French setting was entwined with The Aristocats since its Disney’s Wonderful World of Color days. Producer Harry Tytle is credited with setting the film in Paris. The intention was, what 101 Dalmatians did for London, The Aristocats would do for Paris. Yet another idea borrowed from 101 Dalmatians.

While The Aristocats is set in France, there’s nothing specifically French about its setting. Except for the establishing shots, the movie could just as easily be set in Montreal or Stockholm. Most of the movie is set in a faceless countryside or indistinct buildings.

The other puzzling aspect of the setting is when exactly this movie takes place. The movie insists the year is 1910; the vehicles, furniture, clothing, mannerisms, etc support the assertation. But Scat Cat and his crew are cats out of time.

Scat Cat is a jazz musician (voiced by Scatman Crothers, hence the name). Scat Cat and his band are close friends of O'Malley, later becoming friends with Duchess and her kittens. The band play anachronistic, 60s-era swing jazz.

While jazz music did exist in the 1910s, it was closer to its Dixieland and ragtime forbearers. It certainly wasn’t present in France. Jazz didn’t reach French ears until WWI, introduced by American soldiers. All that’s beside the point; Scat Cat and his crew come straight out of the Kennedy era.

Anachronistic music has never been a problem in Disney films, but early 60s music in a 70s movie set in the 1910s is a disastrous choice. 70s music would be acceptable. 1910s music would be acceptable. Even 40s music, splitting the difference, would be an acceptable choice.

Music can’t be used in a movie just because somebody on staff likes the song. It needs to fit the film, of course, but it also needs to be either modern and contemporary, or a nostalgic throwback. It’s the exact reason the Sherman Brothers shirked from using a rock and roll song in The Jungle Book.

60s jazz is dated, irrelevant, and distracting. It doesn’t belong in the movie. It doesn’t fit the setting. It’s not old enough to be classic, and not new enough to be relevant. It makes Disney seem like their finger is off the pulse. But there were big jazzy numbers in The Jungle Book, and The Jungle Book was a success. So The Aristocats also got a big jazzy number, even if it makes zero sense.

The Aristocats is a mess from the bottom up. The paper thin plot is a discarded treatise no one else wanted to make. It’s puffed up with unnecessary scenes and characters that contribute nothing. What little is offered is blatantly recycled from other Disney pictures. The animation is among the worst ever proffered from Disney Animation Studios. The characters are bland and undefined, the setting is underutilized, and the ending is so conveniently contrived, you can tell precisely when the screenwriters threw their hands up in frustration.

It may be unfair to place the failure of The Aristocats on Disney Studios alone. The 1970s was a dark age for animation in general. The decline of the studio system in the 1960s had a ripple effect into the animation industry. Theatrical shorts from MGM, Warner Bros, Universal, Paramount, and Disney themselves ceased in the mid-60s. Animation was becoming outdated and irrelevant.

The end of the era would be tragic, but animation wasn’t a dead medium. Ironically, the rise of Saturday morning cartoons on television meant animation had a larger audience than ever. But without studio financing and prestige, cartoons were churned out cheaper, quicker, and with smaller returns. There was a market demand without standards or incentive. It was a no-win situation.

Still suffering from Walt’s death years ago, Disney Animation Studios was under financial strains and a creative dry spell. Disney animation was coasting on nostalgia, constantly in danger of being shut down. The board of directors only needed one excuse.

The filmmakers cut every corner and made every concession. In doing so, The Aristocats came in underbudget, and turned a profit. In financial terms, the movie was a success. And while the film has its share of fans and defenders, from a cinematic standpoint, in every other sense, it is a disaster. Disney Studios proved cats don’t always land on their feet.

Fantasia Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cinderella Alice in Wonderland Sleeping Beauty Pinocchio The Jungle Book The Sword in the Stone Bambi 101 Dalmatians The Three Caballeros Lady and the Tramp Peter Pan Dumbo Melody Time Saludos Amigos The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad The Aristocats Fun and Fancy Free Make Mine Music

[linguisticswithlester]

What is the Name?

Rating: NR

Word Count: 2775

Warnings: None

Summary: A curly headed barista becomes smitten with a new quiffed customer that comes into the coffee shop. Taking a chance, he makes a bold move that results in a battle of cute nicknames and feelings that could lead to a new adventure.

Written for the 2018 Holiday Exchange! 

Read on AO3

Christmas time always proved to be a busy time for a small coffee shop in the middle of London. The outside was rundown a bit and the inside had a homey feeling to it but, the patrons seemed to enjoy it. The shop wasn’t that modern and the employees had their opinions on making it seem more “2018.” However, the owner didn’t seem bothered by the suggestions. One barista however, enjoyed how the business remained consistent throughout the years. He was the one wearing an all black ensemble with a red and black flannel tied around his waist; his purple apron clashing with the plaid. His hair was brown with honey that shone through in the sun. It curled around his eyes and his shaved sides started to twist around as well with every week that a hair appointment was missed. His brown eyes matched his hair and they held a longing for something exciting to happen.

   Serving coffee to the everyday customers became tiring after a while and the barista was aching for something to happen that would give meaning to his days and maybe make waking up in the morning something that he wouldn’t dread. Then the bell above the front door rang.

Ding.

    In walked that something.

   The curly headed barista turned his head towards the door to greet the mysterious man that was gracing the small coffee shop floor. The barista headed for the register and waited for the man to make his way up.

   “Hello,” the barista choked out. The man standing in front of him was nothing short of beautiful. He hasn’t seen a man that looked quite like that and pulled it off so well. The man was pale white and it looked like the sun has never tanned his skin. His hair was dark, perhaps dyed but, it complemented his fair completion well. He had a sharp nose with cheek bones that most would pay for. His bright blue eyes were hidden by thick black rimmed glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose. He was tall, not taller than the barista but, then again he was tall himself. The stranger was wearing a bright orange jumper that most people couldn’t pull off but, he was wearing it well; on the front it had a festive cactus.

    The barista let out a little chuckle at the thought of the jumper in front of him which caused the man to raise his eyebrow. The barista cleared his throat.

    “What can I get for you on this fine day?” The curly haired man asked while trying not to look like a complete idiot. The man in front of him was mystifying  and he wanted to get to know him beyond his customer service spiel.

    “Yeah, um could I get the hot chocolate? Without the cream?” Said a voice that was much deeper that the barista was prepared for; it suited the man.

    “You sure can.” And now for the question that the barista actually cared about, “And what is the name?”  He tried to say it as cool as he envisioned it sounded in his head but, it came out a little higher than anticipated. He rolled his eyes at himself and continued to look forward at the man in front of him.  

    “Yeah, it’s um Phil.” The man said as he shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.

    He paid for his drink and found a spot to sit to wait for his beverage.

    While the barista was preparing the hot drink, he continued to think about the man now named Phil. It suited him; however, it is not what he would have pegged him as. He seemed quirky and cute. A funny novelty jumper with the order of a hot chocolate. How innocent was this man? He looked like he would get upset over the idea of virtual baby badgers getting hurt in their natural habitat and the barista’s heart warmed up with the hot chocolate. Leaving the cream out, he realized that he forgot to write the name on the customer’s cup. Looking around to make sure that no other co worker was within eyesight, he quickly wrote down a name in sharpie on the side of the take away cup.

***

    “Phil!” He called out pretending to look around the shop as if he didn’t know where the man had taken a set. He saw Phil get up and walk towards the counter. He walked with such a force that it intimidated the barista and yet, he could tell he was nervous.

    Maybe he will ask for my number?  

     Oh god!

    What if he’s straight?

    oops.

***

    Phil made his way to the counter to collect his drink from the cute barista that took his order. His curls looked like waves and Phil wanted to learn what secrets they held.

    “Thanks,” He paused looking down towards the baristas name tag, “Dan.” He said as interesting as he could make it.

    He took his drink and headed back to his seat. He pulled out his phone to continue his riveting game of scrolling through Instagram. He went to pick up his chocolate when he noticed that his name looked way longer than the usual four letters that it takes to spell it. He picked it up to inspect what was written.  

    “Mr. Cinnamon Bun”

    Oh mY GOD! What the hell?  

    Phil’s stomach was filled with butterflies and his cheeks have no doubt turned to a deep crimson. He wasn’t one for cute nicknames but, he would make a exception this time. He continued to drink his order and he thought about what to do next.

***

    Dan’s stomach was hanging above his head. He had never been this bold in his life and quite frankly, he was wishing he hadn’t been. He didn’t know what came over him but, Phil’s whole being was something that Dan wanted to get to know more of. Granted he could have done it in a more subtle way, he thought it was pretty clever. He kept looking over at the table in which Phil sat to see if he had noticed the name yet and every time he looked over, Phil was on his phone.

    Damn.  

    Dan was about to give up hope that Phil was going to notice the name when the man started his way to the counter. He sucked in a deep breath and held it.

    “Hey, thanks for hot chocolate. It was probably the best one I’ve ever had.” Dan’s face was deepening and he could feel it. “I’ll see you later… pumpkin, “Phil said as he slid a tip into the jar and walked away with his hips swaying with every step.

    And with that one utterance, Dan knew he was smitten. He watched the man walk out of the shop and he had no idea how anything was going to top his week, let alone his day.

***

  The days leading up to Christmas, Phil always managed to find his way back to the coffee shop. Each day he would get something new by letting Dan surprise him with a drink of his choice. They were growing closer and Phil always looked forward to being able to talk with Dan and see him and that smile that always accompanied him. Dan always looked like an excited puppy dog when Phil walked through the door.

   Today however, it was really slow at the shop and Dan was hoping that he would get a chance to have an actual conversation with Phil that only had minimum interruptions. He knew Phil was coming in today, like he always does, but he just didn’t know when. The last couple of weeks, he has been rushing to get all his cleaning responsibilities done and anything else that his boss might throw at him before Phil would come in. He wanted to spend as much time as he could with him. Today he was going to ignore the butterflies that unsettled his stomach and see if Phil wanted to go to see a movie this weekend. He knew Christmas was next week but, he might not have the nerve to do it any other time.

***

    He was wiping down a table when the doorbell rang and in walked Phil. He was wearing a light pink shirt that looked like it had anime characters on it from what was visible. He was also wearing a navy blue coat that had faux fur around the hood. Dan thought that that coat suited him very well and he couldn’t help that his breath hitched when he saw him. His stomach accumulated more butterflies and over walked Phil.

    Dan put the towel he was using in the front pocket in his apron and met Phil in the middle.

    “Hey Cherry Blossom.” Dan greeted Phil. It has been a ongoing challenge between Dan and Phil on who could call the other the most cringeworthy “cute” couple pet names without laughing. So far Dan has had more wins; Phil has a hard time not cracking when Dan fully embodies the name he was given for the day.

    “Hey Pudding.” Phil said back as he set his stuff down at a table. He looked up to meet Dan’s eyes and a smile spread across his face.

    Dan took that as a crack, “AH HA! I win again Lester. This Dan VS Phil isn’t turning out to be challenging for me. You’ve got to step up your game man.” Dan started to slowly spin in a circle as if being surrounded by applause.

    “Oh shut up you buffoon. I could win if you would just stop being so damn cute every time I meet eyes with you..”

    Dan stopped spinning and met eyes with the older man again; cheeks heating up.

    They’re relationship so far consisted of complimenting the other; making sure they knew how beautiful they looked that day while at the same time, making sure they threw a few good insults in there as well. They always called each other pet names and whenever they could talk they always acted like a couple that has been together for years; it just felt right. Although, they could never have a full conversation because of that fact that Dan was always working. Customers were always popping in and out needing something.

    Phil looked around and noticed that today was actually quite slow. “This might be the perfect time to ask Dan to go to dinner with me this weekend,” he thought to himself as Dan looked at him with his doe eyes. He was fully aware that Christmas is next week but, he wanted to see Dan before the holidays. He didn’t know exactly what their relationship was but, he hoped he was reading the signals correctly.

    Dan got taken away before their conversation could make it to anything actually important so Phil took out his laptop. He started replying to some emails in regards to his work to try to keep his nerves down to a minimum. Dan was cute and adorable; he was everything Phil always talked about having in a boyfriend. While Dan looked like the complete opposite of Phil, they were actually suspiciously similar. Dan liked dark colors and only wore according to those; it contrasted nicely to Phil’s bright and obnoxious wardrobe. He mess of curls balanced out Phil’s poker straight quiff. Hell, even their hair naturally grew to the opposite sides. However, they were both very socially and politically aware. Dan claimed that he was a master at Mario kart and he loved to brag about it and that was one of Phil’s favorite games to play. They both loved watching movies and staying inside to browse the internet. Pajamas and netflix sounded like the perfect day for them and just being in each other's presence made them feel at ease.

    “A match made by Cupid and brought together by fate...,” he thought to himself as he tuned out his uninteresting emails, “...or maybe these cheesy nicknames are just getting to my head.”  

    He did a comical shake of his head and started to focus on his emails again.

***

    “Okay stud-muffin, I’m on break today because it’s slow in here so I’m all yours for a full fifteen minutes.” Dan said as he interrupted Phil’s reading. He pulled a chair out from the table and sat down next to Phil. His purple apron was wadded up in his hand and rested on the table.

    “Well, I guess I better have something entertaining to provide you with then, babe,” Phil replied as he shut his laptop thankful for the well needed and highly anticipated break from adult responsibilities.

    Dan’s face flushed with “babe” and Phil noticed. Dan had this rosy patch on his right cheek that turns red when he gets warm and it was definitely on show after that. Phil was enamored with it and wanted to place a light kiss on him right there. This battle of “who can say the best name without laughing” has become the one thing Phil looks forward to during his days.

    Dan’s eyes widened and he felt his face deepen in color. Phil always seemed to know what names to say that would make Dan melt. Babe wasn’t something revolutionarily groundbreaking but, it was the little things that made Dan swoon. Although, Dan was sort of disappointed that he was going to have to make another move first. This whole challenge is fun and all and it makes the work days go by fast but, Dan really thought Phil would catch on to the fact that Dan wanted to go out with him. Nonetheless, his gut was ready and his time was now.

    “Hey Phil I-”

    “Dan, I was wo-”

    They both looked at each other.

    “No, you go ahead Phil,” Dan offered hoping his courage would still be as strong in a few minutes.”

    “Oh... well I was just wondering if you maybe... wanted to get, um dinner with me this weekend? Saturday maybe? If that works for you?” Phil asked with a shaky voice. He rubbed his hands together and took a breathe.

    He did it.

    “Oh my god, did Phil just ask me out? Oh my god.” Dan’s heartbeat got faster as he processed what he was just asked.

    “I know that it’s close to Christmas and everything so if you already have plans don’t even worry about it,”  Phil added soon after, looking down at his lap.

    “Oh no! I don’t have any plans. I would love to go to dinner with you on Saturday.” Phil let out a sigh of relief. “I was just a little surprised you asked because I was just about to ask if you wanted to see a movie this Saturday!” Dan’s heart was racing the fastest it ever had and he was sure his face was redder than a stop sign.  

    “Great minds think alike!” Phil laughed. “...I guess I’ll pick you up at 6 on Saturday and then we can officially start out date?”  Phil said more as a question than a statement.

    “Our date,” Dan repeated in his head. “ Wow” .

    “That works perfectly.” Dan said with a wide smile, the one that only appears for Phil. He looked down at his watch. “Ugh, I would love to stay and chat about our date and how you are going to spoil me in gifts but my break is almost over so I best get back to the counter but,” Dan got up and ran his hand across Phil’s shoulders,  “I’ll see you Saturday.”

    Dan started to walk away but, Phil called him back.  

    “Oh, hey boyfriend?”

    Dan turned around to face Phil with a look of excitement mixed with puzzlement on his face.

    “Does this mean that I win this Dan vs Phil? I mean I did just make my name a reality?”

    Dan walked back to where Phil was sitting and leaned down to be eye level with the man.

    “You wish, baby. I’ve got plenty other names that I have yet to use. Better keep up old man.” He closed the gap between them and placed a soft kiss on Phil’s cheek. “See you at 6 tomorrow, you absolute spoon.” Dan whispered in his ear leaving Phil’s neck cold from the absence of Dan’s breath. He walked away for good this time, swinging his apron back and forth.

    “Cinnamon bun to boyfriend,” Phil thought to himself as he leaned back in his chair with his hand laying against the skin that Dan had kissed, “I like the sound of that.”

[andrewuttaro]

New Look Sabres: GM 60 - TBL - Fourida Part Two

One tweeter asked me a simple “Why?” when she saw I was doing New Look Sabres today for this game. Why continue to subject yourself to this while there are other entertainment mediums that aren’t going to make you feel sad? Why be so engaged to write a blog when the Sabres playoff chances according to MoneyPuck now sit way down at 5.2%? The answer to both those questions is really the same answer: the ride isn’t over until elimination and the love of this team is deeper than wins. Honestly, I would rather work on my soccer blog right now, but I made a commitment to this team and they’re not done yet so neither am I. And last night’s game wasn’t as bad as the three losses that preceded it. Somehow games against the best team in the league are close and they have been all season. We were very nearly the second team this season to win two against the Bolts. That’s kind of a big deal considering the Lightning are running away with the President’s Trophy. Like its shocking how good they are right now, that is, you know how they are but its still something amazing to watch as it happens. We didn’t join that special category with the Nashville Predators, but a lot did go right for the Sabres in this game. In the summation of Jeremy White this morning: they had an agitating, physical presence, they made good scoring chances, Jack and Dahlin (#26 scored the only Buffalo goal) were themselves and Carter Hutton was a strong backstop. Hutton had his best game in months, and he was only in because of Linus Ullmark needing a little time to rest a minor practice injury. While Buffalo did get caved in on the faceoff category, they kept the shots on goal close in two out of three periods (even though the shot attempts category is rather ugly) and never looked out of it, even in OT. Dahlin’s goal was an awesome slapper from the point and the whole defensive scheme this game was able to breakup scoring chances and limit a club with a seemingly endless well of scoring talent to rely on. I get that brief summation out of the way now because our traditional game recap is hardly worth it when this team needs to string together 4-5 wins in a row just to get back in the race. We have other fun Sabres stuff to talk about today! This game did yield a point however for Buffalo and it ended 2-1 in the shootout.

Wednesday, after yours truly got the New Look Sabres blog up for the other game Buffalo played in Florida this week, Paul Hamilton and other members of the media cornered GM Jason Botterill. We’ll get to how different outlets processed what he said and how that can teach you an important lesson about Buffalo Sports Media in a minute but first let’s just take apart what he said. JB answered questions for about ten minutes. He’s a good GM so most of the answers were nothing. He did say he did not expect the Sabres to make first place in the standings like they did back in November. That was a way of framing the freefall we’ve seen since. The answer that is really telling is his thoughts on Coach Phil Housley whom I have called to be fired a couple times now and has reached the point of parody accounts on twitter. My thoughts on him aside JB draws something of a line with his responses. For one, he says “I think the Coaching Staff has done a very good job.” That is a direct quote. Whether that’s true or not is not the point here. That’s a public vote of confidence for your bench boss and that signals what might be a certain strategy going forward. A little bit more of JB first: When confronted rather snidely by the Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington about how supposedly us fans are just about running Housley out of town at this point, Botterill says: “They want to see a Coaching Change? [Mike Harrington responds with a firm absolutely because he’s a presumptive ass] No, we’ve made progress in our organization compared to last year. We’re in a position where we’ve been in games. I see the results on the ice. I see the communication we’re going through. There is not going to be a Coaching change.”

First lesson of this: Mike Harrington is the last man standing from a now-past Buffalo News Hockey department that largely failed its readers in the last 5-8 years. Harrington is the worst of it and assuming he was speaking for all fans saying a coaching change is wanted epitomizes his arrogance about the job he’s holding onto there. Seek better sources and tell your out-of-town friends to do so as well. That said you’re reading one of the lesser bloggers out there right now, so my word only goes so far. Second lesson of this: publicly sticking by your Coach signals JB is not fooling around. He’s not going to cut Housley loose and that message, if and when it gets to the locker room says, “You guys are figuring this out.” JB sees what’s going on and while we all may be criticizing the coach, and rightfully so, that’s not the way this mess will be fixed as long as he’s the GM. It maybe in May or June but not February. It may be tough to look at the stats and see how this team is only so much better than last year, a year they finished dead last by the way, but this is the reality of being a Sabres fan right now. There is another deeper question there that the radio guys have taken on that I am going to save for a later date: What is the standard for this team? Silver lining for now: JB may give the club a little jolt at the trade deadline.

Botterill gave nothing answers on the Trade Deadline but the rumor mill in this late day leads one to believe he is working the phones. The Sabres were rumored to be in on Charlie Coyle, Carl Hagelin and even Jakob Silfverberg but all those guys have now been accounted for. Rumored interest in Kevin Hayes still persists but the big rumor that the crossed swords was somehow in on yesterday was Matt Duchene. Yes, THE Matt Duchene, the one who… along with Senators teammates Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel (a whole line that is not that bad despite playing for Ottawa) is probably going to get moved. While we’ve seen potential Sabres acquisitions go off the market without Buffalo to this point, a Duchene move or any move of even half that magnitude is a vote of confidence by the GM we were just talking about for the guys in the room. Getting a guy that immediately improves this team is JB putting his money where his mouth is and potentially sending the message that winning and… dare I say it… playoffs matter for this club. That would not only give a lot more weight to his words on Wednesday, it would send a far more powerful message than the O’Reilly trade did. The merits of any such hypothetical trade aside, without a deadline move you’re leaning on a cast of characters who to this point lose against losers and almost win against winners to equal a grand total of Jack shit. For me, no deadline movement is the point I begin preparing for the Amerks playoff run and firing up the Soccer side of my sports watching life if you know what I mean.

It’s a Saturday Afternoon game against the Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals followed by a Monday Night game in Toronto for the Sabres now. Once again, it will take a win streak of 4-5 wins or more to get back into this race, but I am not going to predict that. I’ll just say if a deadline move is made in time for the new guy to make a difference in a game against the Leafs… oh you better believe that takes some heat off of this Front Office. I don’t want to say this team is completely dead-to-rights if a move isn’t made because then you might not like, comment and share this blog and I’d really like it if you did that; but the next 48-96 hours could put the final nail in the coffin of this season or inject it with whatever concoction was in those needles medics had in Battlefront V that make you spring back to life. Pay attention to this team right now if for no other reason than seeing which fate awaits them. I know I will: I’ll either be the loudest crier at the funeral or the most prolific medic in either event. Let’s Go Buffalo!

Thanks for reading.

P.S. No seriously, I don’t care about relitigating the O’Reilly trade. Certainly, we didn’t get anywhere near O’Reilly’s talent back, but we knew that long before the trade happened! It was never about that! Please stop grilling past trades for the sake of undermining the GM. And please stop with revisionist history well you’re at it!

[thisdaynews]

England v USA: Phil Neville says 'hearts and souls left on the pitch'

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/england-v-usa-phil-neville-says-hearts-and-souls-left-on-the-pitch/

England v USA: Phil Neville says 'hearts and souls left on the pitch'

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Highlights: England 1-2 USA

England’s players left “their hearts and souls on the pitch” in their Women’s World Cup semi-final defeat by the USA, said boss Phil Neville.

The Lionesses lost 2-1 in Lyon, with Ellen White having a goal ruled out by the VAR for offside and captain Steph Houghton having a late penalty saved.

“I’ve told them no tears tonight,” said Neville. “I’m proud. They have touched the hearts of the nation.

“I couldn’t ask for more. We had the time of our lives.”

England must now shrug off the heartbreak of a third consecutive semi-final defeat in a major tournament to face either Sweden or the Netherlands in Saturday’s third-place play-off.

“We’ll have to allow 24 to 48 hours for this to sink in and for them to get over this disappointment,” added Neville, who said beforehand anything other than reaching the final would be a “failure”.

“Nothing I can say will make them feel better. Elite sport and being on top of the world means that on Saturday in Nice we have to produce a performance.

“It will tell me a lot about my players. I’ve moved on from this already and now I’m looking forward to Saturday’s game.”

Pundits: ‘England must be honest to take next step’

Analysis: ‘England miss out on eureka moment again’

Football Daily podcast: More semi-final heartbreak for England

The USA, who are the world’s top-ranked team and defending champions, led within 10 minutes from Christen Press’ header. Ellen White equalised for England with her sixth goal of the tournament, a tally matched by Alex Morgan when she put the USA back in front.

The real drama came after the break as White had a goal disallowed and was awarded a penalty after she was tripped by Becky Sauerbrunn, with both decisions made by the VAR.

Houghton’s spot-kick was saved by Alyssa Naeher, and Millie Bright was sent off late on for a second booking as the game drifted away from England.

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USA’s Alyssa Naeher saves Steph Houghton’s penalty

“It’s about winning,” said Neville. “I can’t say to my players: ‘Unlucky.’ That’s white noise to them, because they wanted to win. That tells me that we’re closer than we’ve ever been. We came here to win and we didn’t do that.

“Football can be cruel. We have had a fantastic ride. When we got the penalty I turned to my bench and said ‘we are going to win it’ but it wasn’t to be.

“We knew it was going to be an open game and I felt they were starting to run out of steam in the second half.

“We only had a 10-minute period in the first half where we played with the belief that we talked about. We stood off them too much. We will learn massively from this.”

Neville accepted the offside decision against White was correct but said Bright should not have been shown her first yellow card and he thought “the referee wasn’t really in control of the game”.

How you rated the players: England v USA

Beers, cheers and dashed hopes for England fans

‘I was planning the next two years this afternoon’

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My players gave everything – Neville

Neville says he is already looking to the future as England look to win a major tournament for the first time. His contract runs until the end of Euro 2021, which is being held in England – with the final at Wembley.

Prior to that, the former Manchester United player will also take charge of the Great Britain team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – they qualified as a result of England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals.

“The minute the game finished my first thought was ‘how do we win on Saturday?’ and my second thought was ‘how do we win Olympic gold?'” he said.

“I was looking at them and that was my motivation. And then I looked at them and thought, ‘how do we win the Euros in 2021?’ I won’t wallow or go back to my room and feel sorry for myself.

“It’s now making us be better and getting the next two or three percent that will make us become the best team in the world. The aim is to become the best like America. We’ve still got a way to go. I won’t stop until I get there.

“I’ve started already. I was actually in my room this afternoon planning the next two years. It’s the way I work. It’s fast.”

I’ve let the team down – Houghton

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Steph Houghton’s post-match reaction following England World Cup exit

Neville said “no blame should be attached to” captain Houghton, who has had a fantastic tournament but missed the penalty which ultimately cost them extra time.

“That was cruel,” said Neville. “She was outstanding in the game and she read everything.

“She has probably had the best season of her career. She had the courage to take the penalty and then keep playing football after. She is an amazing person and a world-class footballer.”

Nikita Parris had missed England’s previous two penalties in the tournament.

Manchester City defender Houghton said: “I got told today that I was on the penalties and I was confident because I had been scoring all week but I didn’t connect with it properly and the goalkeeper guessed the right way.

“I’ve let the team down but we’ve got to try to get a bronze medal now. I hold myself to high standards. I’m gutted and heartbroken. It’s not just about me but in those actions it is. We were so close but I’m proud of everyone because we gave it everything.

“I thought we were the better side in terms of how we played football, but ultimately, lapses in concentration cost us.”

England goalscorer White added: “The person stepping up takes a lot of courage and we’ll never put anything on Steph – she’s our leader.”

Goalkeeper Carly Telford said: “I have to give my heart to Steph. It was probably the biggest moment of her career and unfortunately she missed it. But stepping up was inspirational to me.”

‘I’m going to cry’

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Tearful White ‘devastated’ after Women’s World Cup exit

White’s goal put her top of the Golden Boot chart with six, but Morgan pulled level – and the American leads because of her three assists to White’s zero.

The game could have been different had White’s second-half strike – which was initially allowed – stood. The VAR offside decision was correct, albeit marginal.

The 30-year-old, who has joined Manchester City from Birmingham this summer, was in tears as she spoke to BBC Sport after the game.

“I’m going to cry,” she said. “I’m devastated not to get to the final.

“All I feel is pride for my team-mates. I’m proud to be English. USA had an amazing match and we just couldn’t match them. I wish them all the best in the final.

“We gave everything. In the first half we were sloppy. We got ourselves back into the game with the goal and it’s bitterly disappointing.

“We’ve got an unbelievable squad and we had so much belief that we’d get to that final but we just couldn’t do that on the day.”

‘I hope a lot of girls and boys pick up England shirt’

Telford, who was playing because of an injury to Karen Bardsley, said: “It was devastating, heartbreaking. It’s not how we thought the journey would end.

“I knew yesterday afternoon I would be playing. I had 24 hours to prepare but I felt like I had been preparing for the whole of my life. I would have preferred to be on the winning side.

“It was end-to-end but you want to be on the winning side no matter what. I hope there are a lot of young girls and boys picking up an England shirt.

“That’s an important message for us.”

Read More

[torentialtribute]

He was mild-mannered but as England coach Phil Neville wants his side to discover a mean streak

In the breakfast room of a hotel, nestled in the hills above Antibes, Phil Neville describes the atmosphere in the England camp.

He says the team breakthrough Nikita Parris did not speak to him for 24 hours because she is angry at leaving the side that Japan played on Wednesday night.

He says that Beth Mead is not happy either. The same goes for Striker Ellen White, who was kept out of the game against Argentina. Marcel thinks about it and laughs.

<img id = "i-136f59208b1e3324" src = "https://dailym.ai/2ZHFck5 image-a-27_1561232697983.jpg "height =" 436 "width =" 634 "alt =" England Ladies Boss Phil Neville has called for his ruthless series to show "England Ladies Boss Phil Neville has called for his team to to show a ruthless series "

England Ladies boss Phil Neville has called for his team to show a ruthless series

Actually it is exactly what not only did England qualify for the last 16 women's competition against Cameroon in Valenciennes on Sunday, with three consecutive wins, but there are signs everywhere that the attitude in the team is hardening and that its players are developing the lead they know, they will

Optimism is building the side of Neville after those victories over Scotland, Argentina and Japan, but England knows that if they pass Sunday's opponents in the Stade du Hainaut, there will be much stricter tests ahead.

Somewhere there, the US, the best team in the competition and 13-0 winners over Thailand, make their way towards them like a car in the street of parked cars.

<img id = "i-5ca258411ddf8ea6" src = "https://dailym.ai/2FruFlr image-a-21_1561232300197.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Nikita Parris did not speak to Neville for 24 hours after he was left out of the team to play Japan "

<img id =" i-5ca258411ddf8ea6 "src =" https://dailym.ai/2ZHFdVb "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-5ca258411ddf8ea6" src = "https://dailym.ai/2ZHFdVb" height = "423" width = "634" alt = "Nikita Parris did not speak to Neville for 24 hours after being left out of the team to play Japan. do not speak to Neville for 24 hours after being left out of the team to leave Japan play

England played well in patches during the group matches and will have to improve if they have to match their semi-final performance from four years ago, but Parris' verve against Scotland, White's goals, Steph Houghton's intransigence, the impact of Rachel Daly and the endless class of Lucy Bronze are hints that even better results will come.

& # 39; I have not seen anything in the tournament that scares me & # 39 ;, says Neville. & # 39; I have faith in my players. I have seen nothing to let me go: "Oh dear, if we play them, we will fight."

& # 39; Our biggest tests are against teams like Argentina; teams that we expect to beat, but are low and really suffocate. The players are looking forward to the games where teams will come to us, as Japan did a little, and give us more leeway and more room to do counterattacks. & # 39;

Neville makes no secret of being an admirer of the success story of the US woman

Neville makes no secret of the fact that he is an admirer of the success story of the US woman

Neville makes no secret of the fact that he is an admirer of the US template for success. He sees a group of serial winners in them; women who impress him as much because of their mental resilience as their athletic ability.

It is something that I tried to blow into his players in the 18 months since he took over. Parris, Mead and White and their anger to play tell him that England arrives there.

& # 39; I have been studying the US since the first day I got the job & # 39 ;, says Neville. & # 39; The US is the best team, they have the best mentality, they have been doing it for a long time and they are the most successful, but they are there to be beaten.

& # 39; They have a winning mentality. They ran that & # 39; over someone to get that victory & # 39; to feel about them. You see how they are together; what they ask of each other

& # 39; That's what winning teams do. They are not afraid of falling out together. They are not afraid of going together because winning is the most important thing.

& # 39; That is something that we are constantly working on in our team. When I first came to work, there was real sympathy around the camp, but there was an incident in the first half against Japan when a few of our players really challenged each other on the field and I encourage that because that winning is a mentality that drives everyone.

& # 39; Our players have more exchanges on the field now, which are in fact good, old-fashioned roll-over. We told you early that you can't go through a game of football without saying to someone, "Come on, you must be better than that, your death must be better, work harder, stay with runners."

& # 39; It cannot always be & # 39; thanks, well done & # 39; and all nice and nice. We have introduced that mentality. We see it in training. & # 39;

The message to the players of Neville is that it is now time to step up the challenges for each other. The best matches often have a nasty streak, an ability to play with a grin and a smile, and now that England is in the knock-out phase, Marcel knows that the fighting spirit, the bloody attitude and the desperation to win in his players must come to the fore

It raises the question if the same applies to him. Not anymore, Mr Nice Guy? Neville was always considered one of the most equal men in the game when he was a player: a softer, quieter presence than his brother Gary; a man who was difficult to ride and was more used to taking a volley of assault by a teammate like Roy Keane than shouting at someone himself.

<img id = "i-43218e85c5b61328" src = "https://dailym.ai/2FltZ0X image-a-28_1561232719964.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt ="

] Neville accepts that there is now no room for rotation and he must call his best side "

Neville accepts that there is now no room for rotation and he should call his best side

Angry outbursts are still his style, but he accepts that the time for ruthlessness also rests on him, now that everything is at stake in every game that England plays.

Rotation has enabled him to give more players opportunities and keep them fresh from now until England's participation in this tournament stops, it will be just about the best XI.

& # 39; The difficult thing is the selection of teams & # 39 ;, says Neville. & # 39; If we give the team a name, it's the hardest five-minute meeting you'll ever have. You have players who are really disappointed. If you care about a series of players, that leaves something to you.

Now that we are in the last 16, it is the best team in every game. That is the merciless side that I now have to produce for my players. We have worked hard for 18 months to offer players opportunities, give experiences, rotate and maintain freshness. Now it's about being ruthless and winning every game.

& # 39; I said after the game against Japan that our playing style was not negotiable, but now it's about winning and that's where I am and my team has become serial winner. & # 39;

Entering the game with Cameroon, England knows that although their progress has been serene so far, they are in the more difficult half of the draw and their path will not be easy.

<img id = "i-22b1be6cdaa7a296" src = "https://dailym.ai/2ZFjQnu image-a-25_1561232527872.jpg "height =" 410 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-22b1be6cdaa7a296" src = "https://dailym.ai/2WgE5KP /22/20/15127096-0-image-a-25_1561232527872.jpg "height =" 410 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-22b1be6cdaa7a296" src = "https: //i.dailymail. co.uk/1s/2019/06/22/20/15127096-0-image-a-25_1561232527872.jpg "height =" 410 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-22b1be6cdaa7a296" src = "https://dailym.ai/2FltZxZ" height = "410" width = "634" alt = "<img id = "i-22b1be6cdaa7a296" src = "https://dailym.ai/2FltZxZ" height = "410" width = "634" alt = "<img id =" i-22b1be6cdaa7a296 "src =" https://dailym.ai/2ZHFesd .jpg "height =" 410 "width =" 634 "alt ="] England played well in shreds during the group spe and will have to improve "

England only played well in shreds during the group matches and will have to improve

If they negotiate Cameroon, they will meet Norway or Australia in the quarterfinals. If they continue to the final four, it is probably the US or France in the semifinals.

The quality of football during the tournament – including the goalkeeping – has suggested that the ladies game still shows an upward trend. The interest is also huge.

The BBC reported Friday that 17.2 million people had viewed their report at the end of the group stage in the UK, more than the total of the entire tournament in Canada four years ago.

Bumper television viewers in other European markets prove that there is interest and suggest that disappointing audience figures in France do more than posters and security issues and perhaps even France's sometimes ambivalent attitude to football than to underlying trends.

<img id = "i-f96c0f31047634d4" src = "https://dailym.ai/2Flu051 image-m-30_1561232893894.jpg "height =" 379 "width =" 634 "alt =" The atmosphere at the Japan game was not the best, but it should be fiery vis-à-vis Cameroon "

<img id = "i-f96c0f31047634d4" src = "https://dailym.ai/2ZHFg3j" height = "379" width = "634" alt = "The atmosphere in Japan's game was not the best, but it should be fiery towards Cameroon"

The atmosphere in Japan's game was not the best, but it would must be fiery against Cameroon

However, even Neville admits that the atmosphere at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice was a bit flat.

& # 39; If you go outside and the stadium is a bit quiet, & # 39; he says, & it doesn't feel like a world cup. & # 39;

That should be different in Valenciennes on Sunday, where a better audience is expected for the second round of England.

The contest also raises the possibility of a penalty shootout and despite the controversy over the VAR's penalty for keepers to deviate from their line to try to save spot kicks, Houghton says. skipper of England, the prospect of fines Does not fear her team.

& # 39; I feel like we are really prepared & # 39 ;, says Houghton. & # 39; We have practiced a lot of fines, we have our processes that we go through, every player gets a chance to go through that process at the end of every training.

& # 39; Karen Bardsley is the most prepared keeper I have ever played with and even when it comes to the finer details of where the strikers are shooting, whether they shoot high or shoot low, they sit down with the goalkeeper coach and go through the analysis and everything.

& # 39; We must ensure that we do not leave any substance unturned. If it matters, people will improve. They are competition winners. If it was a shootout, I would have confidence in the keepers that we have. & # 39;

<img id = "i-e9985097af06395f" src = "https://dailym.ai/2Frs378 image-m-24_1561232422094.jpg "height =" 546 "width =" 634 "alt =" Steph Houghton says it's important for the experienced players to share their wisdom "

Steph Houghton says it's important is for the experienced players to share their wisdom

Neville is even more optimistic. & # 39; There is no fear of punishment & # 39 ;, he says. & # 39; If it happens, we will win. & # 39;

Houghton has already demonstrated her leadership qualities during this World Cup, but she is equally aware of the responsibilities she and other senior players such as Jill Scott, Karen Carney and Toni Duggan have towards younger and less experienced players as the stakes in the tournament become higher.

& # 39; It would be a shame not to share our experiences with the young, & # 39; says Houghton, & # 39; and allowing them to use their potential in this tournament, and above all, enjoy it.

& # 39; These are the best days of your life in football. We have strong faith and so much potential. On our day we can beat everyone. & # 39;

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[tipsoctopus]

"A rare case where Marcelo is wrong" - Leeds fans react to big talking point from presser

Leeds have had a pretty crazy 2019 so far. With potential consequences of Marcelo Bielsa’s ‘spygate’ controversy looming throughout January, the Whites have let their lead slip but will have the opportunity to regain their seat at the top of the Championship this weekend against Bolton. They have also lost top-scorer Kemar Roofe to injury recently, but they battle on.

Their lineup might change from week to week as Bielsa struggles to contend with injury after injury, but what doesn’t change is the fans’ faith in the Argentine and his squad.

Making an appearance at an Under-23’s game on Monday, the former Athletic Bilbao boss was mobbed by supporters desperate to get a picture, to whom the eccentric manager obliged.

Who do you want to see promoted this year? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked their 3 favoured teams in the video below…

His reasoning for doing so was explained in his pre-Bolton press conference on Thursday…

“I do it because in football the most important element are the people who love the shirt, the club. They’re not asking for an autograph or photo of me. They’re asking for a picture with the head coach of Leeds,” he said, as reported by Phil Hay of The Yorkshire Evening Post.

The 63-year-old is a huge hit with the Elland Road faithful – he will only go up in their estimations if he guides them to the Premier League this season – they were out in numbers and in awe of his response, as they reacted on Twitter…

I would walk 500 miles barefooted through broken glass just to hear Bielsa fart through a walkie talkie

— R a c h a e l ��� 💛 (@bossladyrachxo) February 21, 2019

he is legend..such a modest , humble and down to earth guy

— Tanbhir Shipul (@Tanbhir) February 21, 2019

He has no idea.

— – (@elyouefsey) February 21, 2019

Tell him he is wrong, it’s him we love and we are so damn lucky to have him ❤⚽

— SUSAN SMITH 1 (@SmithLeedsUtd) February 21, 2019

What a humble brilliant great man he is .We are so so lucky to have him.

— Barrie Worsnop (@gillroydmor) February 21, 2019

He just gets it doesn’t he ? The man is class ???

— wayne armitage ?? (@armo1972) February 21, 2019

No that’s not true, I’d I had queued it’s 100% because it’s Bielsa, I didn’t see 100s in line for a moment with Heckingbottom

— Briggsy0104 (@Briggsy0104) February 21, 2019

What a man. We should all learn from him

— Matt (@mattolufc) February 21, 2019

A rare case where Marcelo is wrong. He’s always humble, but he underestimates the impact his personality is having. It’s more than excitement about the team.

— Marcelo Bielsa Fan Account (@TotalLeedsball) February 21, 2019

from FootballFanCast.com https://ift.tt/2U2HF6i via IFTTT from Blogger https://ift.tt/2IvzEpf via IFTTT

[melaninmonroe99]

Let’s ask the upper-middle class white women

I don’t have beef with white women. I really don’t. Now...I do think they have beef with themselves. Time and time again their problematic tendencies have gone unchecked. When it was time for some female essence at the American polls (but also the other poles too if you wanna talk about sexual liberation), Black women were left out of that picture. Even when women of color began to receive clout for intersectionality, there was an overwhelmingly “All Lives Matter”-esque response from white women. Now? They’re voting Trump into office and come in the Tomi Lahren variety. So excuse me if I’m a little wary of their being the driving voice in yet another story. Again, no beef with ‘em on my end. But according to my coworkers, I’m letting my “biases shine through.” But I recognize the overestimated importance of the white women, and the often unacknowledged narrative of poor white women and women of color.  

We’re working on a project to examine water contamination throughout the DMV area, ya know, important ish. Of course there are implications we have to consider:

Microeconomic

Macroeconomic

Family dynamic

Community response (or lack thereof) and relations

Government and big business

Race

Gender

Maybe because I don’t identify with a power demographic like men or white people I am ~hypersensitive~ to any instance when an issue doesn’t address the intersectionality of these issues. I’ve considered this before. They don’t occur in a vacuum. Life isn’t a textbook.

We met to discuss our progress with the project and while I’m more responsible for figuring out how to collect data, I’ve also gone on a lot of the interviews...and they’ve been lackluster to say the least.

I raise my hand. “No shade to Phil who has really done a great job reaching out to sources, but we need to expand our range of interviews.”

Phil looks up from his tablet and blinks real slow at me, as though he is waiting for me to explain further.

“Look at the locations and demographics for the interviewees we have thus far.” I get up and head to the presentation computer and begin a series of searches on the excel sheet of source information.

*types “D.C”*

*3 results: 2 Georgetown, 1 the Hill*

*types “Maryland”*

*12 results appear*

“Look at that: Potomac, Bethesda, Howard County.”

*types gender*

“More than half of these are women.”

*types race*

“White,” I pause and look at them.

“Okay you said no shade, but that was definitely shade, Amina,” Salsa chimes in as she pops a bite of quinoa into her mouth.

“Alright I can’t win. Look. All I’m saying is, you can’t expect people to want to read OR care about a piece that you’ve managed to shut them out of.” I start out. “How y’all drive miles and sit in traffic to interview people out in Bethesda and Howard County...but not Baltimore City or southeast D.C.? Shoot, even PG County down the road.” I realize.

“We have a demographic to cater to. Ya know, the ones who actually purchase subscriptions and pay us to work here? Plus focusing on Blacks or Hispanics or whatever disadvantaged group you want creates yet another sob, victim story” Phil said. Heads nodded slowly in agreement.

How could someone be so naive and shallow? HOW? How did you make it thus far, in this life, in this publication, as a lead on every damn project, believing that? I coulda fired that mf myself.

While I understand Phil’s point about victimization, as a seasoned journalist, you should be able to craft your interview questions around letting the interviewee take HOLD of their narrative and accurately represent them.

But hey, what the fuck do I know right?

“First of all, last I checked, advertisements paid my bills, but you got it Phil. If every newspaper only produced stories based on the majority demographic of their readership...matter of fact, just the majority demographics in general...where would we be? Please tell me. These issues do not occur within a vacuum, so when you begin to realize systemic issues ain’t that simple, let me know and maybe I’ll consider hearing what you have to say. I don’t know what the pushback is for us to expand upon this story, but y’all have some introspection to do.” I closed the spreadsheet on the computer and head back to my seat.

“Well how bout we take 5?” Boss Lady breaks the silence. “Melanin, can I have a moment with you?”

Y’all...this trick…I damn near creased my foundation looking at this bih. 

I’m good, luv, enjoy. “I’m all set.” I pack my laptop into my shoulder bag and take my 5...5 hours that is.

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Yankees failure to score runs reminiscent of how they lost '01 WS

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/yankees-failure-to-score-runs-reminiscent-of-how-they-lost-01-ws/

Yankees failure to score runs reminiscent of how they lost '01 WS

So this was a Yankee season that ended the way a World Series ended for them in Phoenix, Ariz. one time, a long time ago. The Yankees won three games in the middle of the 2001 Series that will always be remembered in New York, because of the stirring way in which they won them, in the shadow of Sept. 11. But it turned out that those Yankees, Torre’s Yankees, left that World Series and that season in New York, and at the Stadium. The Diamondbacks beat them up in Game 6 and then beat them in Game 7 when a starting pitcher – Randy Johnson – came out of the bullpen to get the last outs.

This series was different, of course, all this time later. That Series in ’01 was the symbolic end of greatness for Torre’s Yankees. This season is supposed to be the beginning of greatness, and perhaps lasting greatness, for Aaron Judge and so many other Yankees. But this one ends short of the Series because what happened to the Yankees in Houston in this ALCS is what happened to them in Phoenix 16 years ago:

They did not hit.

The Yankees scored five runs in four games on the road in the ’01 World Series. The Yankees scored three runs in four games in Houston in this American League Championship Series. For all the talk about the Yankee bullpen, across this regular season and across this postseason, they ended up being gassed by a couple of starting pitchers with big arms and big fastballs in Game 7: Charlie Morton, and a starter out of the pen named Lance McCullers, Jr.

Morton threw so many fastballs for strikes across the first five innings you lost count. Then McCullers, who had pitched so brilliantly in Game 4 as a starter before his bullpen betrayed him, became a one-man Astros bullpen at Minute Maid Park in Game 7. Morton gave the Yankees two hits and struck out five. McCullers was even better, striking out six in four innings and giving the Yankees one hit.

After all the big home run swings from Aaron Judge and the rest of the Yankees, after the way they had performed so brilliantly in one-game seasons against the Twins and the Indians, you were reminded of something on Saturday night in their last one-game season in Houston:

In a game like this, you are as helpless against big, star pitching as you are against a hot goalie in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Yankees started CC Sabathia, who was going on guile and heart and a formidable October resume. The Astros went with heat. They go to the World Series and the Yankees go home. The Yankees could do little with the great Justin Verlander on Friday night. They could do nothing on Saturday night against the firm of Morton and McCullers.

They had so much momentum going for them after winning three straight at the new Yankee Stadium. Verlander stopped it all in Game 6. Morton and McCullers did the same on Saturday night. The Yankees came back to Houston and scored one run in two games. Todd Frazier’s ball didn’t go out in Game 6. It was McCann who made the biggest swing on this night. It was McCann who finished off that play at the plate, catching and tagging and getting the out and remembering the play at the end of Game 2 when Gary Sanchez could not do the same.

All season long in Houston, and especially after the Verlander trade, the Astros were sure this was their season to go to the World Series. Then it looked like the Yankees’ season. Only the Yankees left it at home. They go home.

Trade of the season, Road to Stupidville & Popp’s voice of reason. . .

– Justin Verlander has not just established himself as one of the great October pitchers of all time.

He turned out to be one of the great in-season acquisitions of all time.

This is the ace they’re all looking for, even in August, the one who changes teams and doesn’t lose.

– There is a place called Stupidville in sports, and the population there sometimes seems to be growing by the day.

This isn’t about the intelligence of the people living there.

This is just about the way they act, and are so often enabled by the people covering that mythical place.

And the mayor of Stupidville right now is Lavar Ball, even as he has brilliantly figured out the way that the game is played in the modern sports culture.

– Every time Colin Kaepernick and kneeling during the National Anthem becomes another referendum on patriotism, you want to ask a question:

What’s less patriotic, taking a knee as some football players have done, or a qualified person can’t get a job because of his political beliefs?

The shame of the Giants’ 0-5 start is how wide-open the NFC now looks because Aaron Rodgers has broken his right collarbone.

And by the way?

Explain to me the logic of passing rules to protect quarterbacks in the pocket, and not when they’re outside it?

The ball was gone by the time Anthony Barr of the Vikings put Rodgers down the way he did last Sunday.

He had a clear shot at Rodgers and took it it and if that wasn’t a dirty play, it sure wasn’t a clean one, either.

The way these Yankees went out, with little offensive life, is reminiscent of how they lost the 2001 World Series.

(JOHN BAZEMORE/AP)

When the Falcons lose a game like they did to the Dolphins, they remind you all over again why no team that has lost a Super Bowl has made it back the next year since the old Buffalo Bills.

When you watch Willie Hernangomez sit until the last four minutes of the Knicks’ opener against the Oklahoma City Carmelos, you once again ask yourself what kind of coaching star search Jeff Hornacek was at the end of for Phil (The Thrill) Jackson.

– That was a terrible call against the Jets last Sunday at MetLife, without question.

And the explanation about it afterward made the people in charge sound like fifth-graders trying to explain quantum theory.

But the Jets weren’t going to beat the Patriots in that game from the time they got greedy at the end of the first half, got intercepted, watched the Patriots go down and make it 14-14.

The Jets played hard again.

In their own club fighter way, it has been fun watching them get to 3-3, in a year when we weren’t sure they would even get to three wins.

But when the Patriots were asked to play last Sunday, they did.

They aren’t what they were.

They don’t have much of a defense right now.

The win wasn’t all that pretty for them even after they did get the lead.

Justin Verlander turned out to be one of the great in-season acquisitions of all time.

(Troy Taormina/USA Today Sports)

But when they still have Brady and Gronk out there together, you can still see them going back to the big game.

I know Odell Beckham is gone for the season.

I know what the rest of the current Giants receiving corps looks like.

But don’t McAdoo and Mike Sullivan sometimes coach like they’re afraid of Eli?

– Roger Goodell said the other day that the national anthem is “an important part of our game.”

Well, yeah, now it is.

You know who keeps being heard on the state of his country?

Gregg Popovich.

If you are looking for proof that a basketball player can come all the way back from the kind of injury Gordon Hayward of the Celtics suffered just five minutes into his Celtics career, all you have to do is look at the way Paul George is still playing ball.

I thought his career might be over the night he crumpled to the floor near a basket support while playing for Team USA.

And now he has once again reclaimed his place and his status as one of the best players in his sport.

You know who keeps being heard on the state of his country? Gregg Popovich.

(Eric Gay/AP)

– Sarah Huckabee Sanders, talking from the White House podium about Gen. Kelly the other day:

“I think that — if you want to get into a debate with a four-star Marine general, I think that that’s something highly inappropriate.”

On Saturday the Washington Post’s Herman Wong reminded everybody of this tweet from Huckabee Sanders’ boss about Gen. Colin Powell last September:

“I was never a fan of Colin Powell after his weak understanding of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq = disaster. We can do much better!”

And so it goes.

What looked like the worst thing that could possibly have happened to the Dodgers – inexplicably losing 16 of 17 at one point, including 11 in a row – might have been the beset thing that could have happened to them.

Because in a season when they had made everything look so easy, they had to overcome something.

Now here they are.

Yup, Jets fans sure were lucky that their team passed on Deshaun Watson with the sixth pick in the first round of the last NFL draft.

The Yanks’ Baby Bombers probably have to be reminded sometimes how important A-Rod’s mentoring program was.

If laughter from the guys on the Fox studio show for baseball was part of a drinking game, and you had to take a shot every time they cracked each other up, everybody would be schnockered by the third inning.

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[proffloristsus]

Top 6 Florists Short Stories Of Inspiration

Inspirational Stories From Real Florists

We surveyed florists all over the world and gathered our Top 6 floral inspirational stories. It was not an easy task and we thank everyone who participated. So, with the busy Mother’s Day now over, why not grab yourself a cup of coffee, your favorite snack and take a moment to read these real florists short stories.

  image via pexels.com

My Grandmother And Her Garden –  Tarah

Every summer at Gramma’s house all my life has been full of ‘Purdy Flowers’ – as she pronounces it. Not a single corner of her yard is without a flowerbed and there are always hummingbirds and songbirds from dawn till dusk.

Every summer has always lead up to fair time. Gramma has competed in the local fairs for decades. I must add that Gramma almost always takes home Grand Champion prizes in every department she enters; crochet, canned goods, baked goods, photography, poultry, rabbits, goats, potted plants, vegetables, and my very favorite… cut flowers and floral arrangements! (she competes in the expert division). I just loved going out in the morning the day the flowers had to be entered and searching for the prettiest most uniform blossoms of each variety, cutting them in threes (for the holy trinity she said) and filling her kitchen with every kind of flower you could imagine surviving in Montana.

We filled jars and cups by the dozens with special cut flower elixir she made with soda pop, picked the best of every category for the cut flower division and prepared them for fair. Then the fun part, bouquet making! All of the flowers left that had been cut that morning (Gramma calls them the ‘reject flowers’) went into our bouquets, we got to use the pretty little vases she keeps in her curio cabinet for these.

Every year Gramma would set aside a beautiful old Victorian boot shaped porcelain vase, I’d always make a monochromatic arrangement with it in pink just specifically so I can put her chenille flowers into cascade down the side of the boot. One of Gramma’s favorite flowers is a petunia so there are always plenty in any pink or purple, double or single. We’d always make an ‘arrangement in white’ in her milk glass and hobnob vases, a great place for lots and lots of her adorable feverfew flowers! We had so much fun making our little bouquets, it’s always a day full of laughter! By far my fondest summer memories are during fair time with Gramma; spending the day playing with flowers and eating the ‘reject cookies’ that didn’t make the cut for fair.

She is my hero, my favorite person in the whole world, such an inspiration in every way in every part of my life. My little shop features many of her handcrafted treasures from her crochet work and beaded jewelry to her fresh baked goodies, and her canned jams and pickles (everyone loves these pickles!)

The biggest drawback to my shop ironically is that for the last handful of years since I opened I haven’t been out at my Gramma’s making bouquets in her kitchen for the fair…. So, I want to thank you for you’re putting this survey in your newsletter. I needed to remember why I wanted a shop in the first place, who’s garden started this. I think I’ll make a bouquet and take it to my Gramma’s and get our fair schedule set for this summer.

  image via pexels.com

Designers Choice – Harlins Renaissance -Shinese Harlins, Owner

I started my business at the moment in my life where a choice had to be made. I was laid off from a job. No money, no choices – so I took my savings and went to Phil Rulloda Floral University and received my floral certificate.

It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Being a florist allow me to use my creativity side. There is no color line – just balance, and harmony. I love when a customer loves the outcome. They come back. And when they say “designers choice”, my heart skips a beat!

  image via pexels.com

Flowers Touch Lives – Val Voigt- Detroit Lakes Floral 

A young man calls and would like to know prices on roses. He is going to bring his girlfriend some flowers. He places an order to be picked up. He arrives at the flower shop. He is so excited to bring his girl some beautiful roses.

In two weeks, he calls again and places another order for roses. He arrives at the flower shop. This time I ask him what is the name of this special girl? He smiles from ear to ear and tells me her name and how they met. She loved the first order of roses and now he says she will be very surprised and happy with the second order. He thanks me over and over for our service and says he will be back in two more weeks for some more roses.

That’s why I love the floral business. It touches people’s lives. We meet people and get the privilege of being a part of special events and moments in time.

  image via pexels.com

My Dream – Cynthia Dearnbarger – Flourish Flowers & Gifts, Old Town, Lewisville, TX

A dream in the making….

Years and years ago, I dreamed of opening a flower shop. I had completely forgotten about that dream, so many other things had taken priority and it was gone. Recently I have begun to dream again. God brought back this specific dream!

I am currently in the process of opening a storefront! The building is under construction and we are currently at our local farmers market, getting our name out to the community! Our hope is to bring life, love, compassion and hope to every person who gets an arrangement, bouquet or gift!

  image via pexels.com

 Love Conquers All – Cheryl Bakin-Parkway Florist

I was hired as an after-school high school helper during my junior year in high school. Because of the values instilled in me by my Dad, I knew that I had to be on time, and do my very best each day. I walked to the flower shop, which was inside the first Indoor shopping mall in the Pittsburgh area.

My boss was an older lady who was impressed that I showed each day on time, and tried to do and get done everything she assigned me to do. She kept me on after the Christmas holiday and began to teach me things, bow making, botanical, common names of flowers and plants and many other items large and small.

She instilled in me (or maybe brought out in me) a love for the beauty of flowers, and a desire to help others realize their dreams thru weddings, pretty everyday bouquets, and funerals. She taught me that education was very important, and to try to think out of the box.

After leaving the flower business at age 19, and going to work for corporate America for the next 20 years, I still kept my hand in the flower business and attempted to gain all the education — both flower and business — that I could. In 1987, I bought my flower shop. October 2017 will record a 30-year milestone of shop ownership.

That early training, as well as the fulfillment of my own dream of owning my own business, has helped me to mentor other people and get them onto a path where they can fulfill their dreams. Sometimes it is thru educational opportunities; Sometimes thru mentoring and being a good listener; sometimes it is being a trainer…….or just a role model.

In all cases, I try to always remember what my Dad and my first flower shop boss taught me……..”Kindness never goes out of fashion. Lead by example. Listen to all comments and critics. Be hardworking in all areas of your life, and you will succeed. And finally, Love conquers All”.

  image via pexels.com

A Final Goodbye – anonymous

During my late teens, I had a cocker spaniel that meant the world to me. After a couple of years, I forced to give my beloved dog up due to family members allergy. A family friend had found a good home for him in town about 40 minutes away from where I resided.  I was, to say the least, devastated and would have done anything and everything to keep him.  As time went on and now me in my mid 20’s, already set in my floral career I often thought of ways to kidnap my beloved dog from the family I gave him too. The issue here was I only knew what town he was in and not so much the house. I knew how irrational it was to try to kidnap my dog back, however, I just never felt a sense of closure or like I said goodbye.

As years passed  I never let go of the awful sadness of giving my dog away. Although the sadness was not as profound, it was always with me and made me feel like I failed him. After 10 years in the floral industry, I decided to open my floral business and was super excited to finally be a flower shop owner.  This was a great and overwhelming time in my life, I was very busy and focused.

Much to my surprise, I was also getting many bookings for weddings and one in particular which was referred by a customer. This customer was booking flowers for her daughter’s upcoming wedding in June. After 6 months or so her daughter’s wedding was finally here. I sent off the delivery driver to deliver the reception floral centerpieces and went to deliver the floral bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres to the bride who was at her mom’s house for pictures. Upon arriving I had, which was hard to explain a very airy feeling. I could not put my finger on it at this time. I was invited in and asked to stay and eat something. Which I did, not sure why, most of the time I just want to deliver the flowers and get as fast as possible, but something kept me there.

After many conversations, the bride’s mother mentioned she had a lab who was at the groomers, then she proceeded to say she used to have a cocker spaniel who had passed a few years back.  At this moment it all came together for me. This was the family that took my beloved dog, Crazy, I know but I felt it way deep inside. I asked her where she got the cocker spaniel, “from a young girl who a family member that was allergic.” She then proceeded to take me into her bedroom to show me my beloved dogs ashes in a beautiful box which sat on her nightstand. At that moment she handed me the ashes and said this is him. I tried hard to hold back my tears I could finally say goodbye to my beloved dog.  I realized then he was so dearly loved and had family and no longer felt as if I had failed him or was a failure.  The lesson it thought me was that not all decisions in life are ones we make. Choosing the floral industry was a decision I made and one that shows me I’m where I need to be every day.I realized then he was so dearly loved and had family and I no longer felt as if I had failed him or was a failure.  The lesson it taught me was that not all decisions in life are ones we make. Choosing the floral industry was a decision I made and one that shows me I’m where I need to be every day.

I realized then he was so dearly loved and had family and I no longer felt as if I had failed him or was a failure.  The lesson it taught me was that not all decisions in life are ones we make. Choosing the floral industry was a decision I made and one that shows me I’m where I need to be every day.

Florists, do you have an inspirational story to tell?  What keeps you in the floral industry? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below. If you have any questions please post below as well!

____________

Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Top 6 Florists Short Stories Of Inspiration published first on YouTube

[mikaylacollie]

Top 6 Florists Short Stories Of Inspiration

Inspirational Stories From Real Florists

We surveyed florists all over the world and gathered our Top 6 floral inspirational stories. It was not an easy task and we thank everyone who participated. So, with the busy Mother’s Day now over, why not grab yourself a cup of coffee, your favorite snack and take a moment to read these real florists short stories.

  image via pexels.com

My Grandmother And Her Garden –  Tarah

Every summer at Gramma’s house all my life has been full of ‘Purdy Flowers’ – as she pronounces it. Not a single corner of her yard is without a flowerbed and there are always hummingbirds and songbirds from dawn till dusk.

Every summer has always lead up to fair time. Gramma has competed in the local fairs for decades. I must add that Gramma almost always takes home Grand Champion prizes in every department she enters; crochet, canned goods, baked goods, photography, poultry, rabbits, goats, potted plants, vegetables, and my very favorite… cut flowers and floral arrangements! (she competes in the expert division). I just loved going out in the morning the day the flowers had to be entered and searching for the prettiest most uniform blossoms of each variety, cutting them in threes (for the holy trinity she said) and filling her kitchen with every kind of flower you could imagine surviving in Montana.

We filled jars and cups by the dozens with special cut flower elixir she made with soda pop, picked the best of every category for the cut flower division and prepared them for fair. Then the fun part, bouquet making! All of the flowers left that had been cut that morning (Gramma calls them the ‘reject flowers’) went into our bouquets, we got to use the pretty little vases she keeps in her curio cabinet for these.

Every year Gramma would set aside a beautiful old Victorian boot shaped porcelain vase, I’d always make a monochromatic arrangement with it in pink just specifically so I can put her chenille flowers into cascade down the side of the boot. One of Gramma’s favorite flowers is a petunia so there are always plenty in any pink or purple, double or single. We’d always make an ‘arrangement in white’ in her milk glass and hobnob vases, a great place for lots and lots of her adorable feverfew flowers! We had so much fun making our little bouquets, it’s always a day full of laughter! By far my fondest summer memories are during fair time with Gramma; spending the day playing with flowers and eating the ‘reject cookies’ that didn’t make the cut for fair.

She is my hero, my favorite person in the whole world, such an inspiration in every way in every part of my life. My little shop features many of her handcrafted treasures from her crochet work and beaded jewelry to her fresh baked goodies, and her canned jams and pickles (everyone loves these pickles!)

The biggest drawback to my shop ironically is that for the last handful of years since I opened I haven’t been out at my Gramma’s making bouquets in her kitchen for the fair…. So, I want to thank you for you’re putting this survey in your newsletter. I needed to remember why I wanted a shop in the first place, who’s garden started this. I think I’ll make a bouquet and take it to my Gramma’s and get our fair schedule set for this summer.

  image via pexels.com

Designers Choice – Harlins Renaissance -Shinese Harlins, Owner

I started my business at the moment in my life where a choice had to be made. I was laid off from a job. No money, no choices – so I took my savings and went to Phil Rulloda Floral University and received my floral certificate.

It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Being a florist allow me to use my creativity side. There is no color line – just balance, and harmony. I love when a customer loves the outcome. They come back. And when they say “designers choice”, my heart skips a beat!

  image via pexels.com

Flowers Touch Lives – Val Voigt- Detroit Lakes Floral 

A young man calls and would like to know prices on roses. He is going to bring his girlfriend some flowers. He places an order to be picked up. He arrives at the flower shop. He is so excited to bring his girl some beautiful roses.

In two weeks, he calls again and places another order for roses. He arrives at the flower shop. This time I ask him what is the name of this special girl? He smiles from ear to ear and tells me her name and how they met. She loved the first order of roses and now he says she will be very surprised and happy with the second order. He thanks me over and over for our service and says he will be back in two more weeks for some more roses.

That’s why I love the floral business. It touches people’s lives. We meet people and get the privilege of being a part of special events and moments in time.

  image via pexels.com

My Dream – Cynthia Dearnbarger – Flourish Flowers & Gifts, Old Town, Lewisville, TX

A dream in the making….

Years and years ago, I dreamed of opening a flower shop. I had completely forgotten about that dream, so many other things had taken priority and it was gone. Recently I have begun to dream again. God brought back this specific dream!

I am currently in the process of opening a storefront! The building is under construction and we are currently at our local farmers market, getting our name out to the community! Our hope is to bring life, love, compassion and hope to every person who gets an arrangement, bouquet or gift!

  image via pexels.com

 Love Conquers All – Cheryl Bakin-Parkway Florist

I was hired as an after-school high school helper during my junior year in high school. Because of the values instilled in me by my Dad, I knew that I had to be on time, and do my very best each day. I walked to the flower shop, which was inside the first Indoor shopping mall in the Pittsburgh area.

My boss was an older lady who was impressed that I showed each day on time, and tried to do and get done everything she assigned me to do. She kept me on after the Christmas holiday and began to teach me things, bow making, botanical, common names of flowers and plants and many other items large and small.

She instilled in me (or maybe brought out in me) a love for the beauty of flowers, and a desire to help others realize their dreams thru weddings, pretty everyday bouquets, and funerals. She taught me that education was very important, and to try to think out of the box.

After leaving the flower business at age 19, and going to work for corporate America for the next 20 years, I still kept my hand in the flower business and attempted to gain all the education — both flower and business — that I could. In 1987, I bought my flower shop. October 2017 will record a 30-year milestone of shop ownership.

That early training, as well as the fulfillment of my own dream of owning my own business, has helped me to mentor other people and get them onto a path where they can fulfill their dreams. Sometimes it is thru educational opportunities; Sometimes thru mentoring and being a good listener; sometimes it is being a trainer…….or just a role model.

In all cases, I try to always remember what my Dad and my first flower shop boss taught me……..”Kindness never goes out of fashion. Lead by example. Listen to all comments and critics. Be hardworking in all areas of your life, and you will succeed. And finally, Love conquers All”.

  image via pexels.com

A Final Goodbye – anonymous

During my late teens, I had a cocker spaniel that meant the world to me. After a couple of years, I forced to give my beloved dog up due to family members allergy. A family friend had found a good home for him in town about 40 minutes away from where I resided.  I was, to say the least, devastated and would have done anything and everything to keep him.  As time went on and now me in my mid 20’s, already set in my floral career I often thought of ways to kidnap my beloved dog from the family I gave him too. The issue here was I only knew what town he was in and not so much the house. I knew how irrational it was to try to kidnap my dog back, however, I just never felt a sense of closure or like I said goodbye.

As years passed  I never let go of the awful sadness of giving my dog away. Although the sadness was not as profound, it was always with me and made me feel like I failed him. After 10 years in the floral industry, I decided to open my floral business and was super excited to finally be a flower shop owner.  This was a great and overwhelming time in my life, I was very busy and focused.

Much to my surprise, I was also getting many bookings for weddings and one in particular which was referred by a customer. This customer was booking flowers for her daughter’s upcoming wedding in June. After 6 months or so her daughter’s wedding was finally here. I sent off the delivery driver to deliver the reception floral centerpieces and went to deliver the floral bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres to the bride who was at her mom’s house for pictures. Upon arriving I had, which was hard to explain a very airy feeling. I could not put my finger on it at this time. I was invited in and asked to stay and eat something. Which I did, not sure why, most of the time I just want to deliver the flowers and get as fast as possible, but something kept me there.

After many conversations, the bride’s mother mentioned she had a lab who was at the groomers, then she proceeded to say she used to have a cocker spaniel who had passed a few years back.  At this moment it all came together for me. This was the family that took my beloved dog, Crazy, I know but I felt it way deep inside. I asked her where she got the cocker spaniel, “from a young girl who a family member that was allergic.” She then proceeded to take me into her bedroom to show me my beloved dogs ashes in a beautiful box which sat on her nightstand. At that moment she handed me the ashes and said this is him. I tried hard to hold back my tears I could finally say goodbye to my beloved dog.  I realized then he was so dearly loved and had family and no longer felt as if I had failed him or was a failure.  The lesson it thought me was that not all decisions in life are ones we make. Choosing the floral industry was a decision I made and one that shows me I’m where I need to be every day.I realized then he was so dearly loved and had family and I no longer felt as if I had failed him or was a failure.  The lesson it taught me was that not all decisions in life are ones we make. Choosing the floral industry was a decision I made and one that shows me I’m where I need to be every day.

I realized then he was so dearly loved and had family and I no longer felt as if I had failed him or was a failure.  The lesson it taught me was that not all decisions in life are ones we make. Choosing the floral industry was a decision I made and one that shows me I’m where I need to be every day.

Florists, do you have an inspirational story to tell?  What keeps you in the floral industry? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below. If you have any questions please post below as well!

____________

Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

from Flower Decoration http://ift.tt/2q1bioy

[torentialtribute]

How Sportsmail made sure Bill Shankly got to 1977 European Cup final

The alarm was set for five minutes to seven hours of a spring morning 42 years ago.

There were two periods in a day when Shanks preferred to speak on the phone. At 7 or shortly before midnight. Times when he could be sure to be home with his beloved Nessie.

Sir Matt Busby and Don Revie were accustomed to continue to chat until the wee hours. Often strange, on a Friday night before his boys played Manchester United or Leeds on Saturday.

Bill Shankly (left) sits next to Sportsmail & Jeff Powell at the 1977 European Cup Final in Rome "

<img id =" i-be15ed187f72680c "src =" https : //i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/26/20/13986292-7072973-Bill_Shankly_left_sits_next_to_Sportsmail_s_Jeff_Powell_at_the_1-m-12_1558900450741.jpg "height =" 471 "width =" 634 "alt =" (left) is seated next to Jeff Powell of Sportsmail at the 1977 European Cup Final in Rome Bill Shankly (left) sits next to Sportsmail & Jeff Powell at the European Cup Final of 1977 in Rome

The custom continued for a long time after his sad departure from Anfield, but I wanted to catch him early to gather his opinion about the upcoming Rome finale in which Liverpool was destined to to win the first European Cup.

We talked for almost an hour and when we were about to hang up, I said: & # 39; Thank you, Bill. I'll see you in Rome. & # 39; A short silence fell. Then he replied: "Not me, son. Not invited. & # 39; What? Not invited Bill Shankly?

So deep was the shock that it took me to recover today. Okay, he was three years earlier with the board dropped out when he retired.

But not so much as a ticket for the Olympic Stadium?

I called him the next morning at seven o'clock: & # 39; Listen, Bill You are coming with me to Rome The Mail is repairing a press pass for the game I will contact you with the travel details & # 39; & # 39; Are you sure, son? & # 39; & # 39 Absolutely. & # 39;

The appointments were made but at 7 am on Friday morning five days before the end I called back: & # 39; Hello, son. I thought you should know the club had told him to go with them. & # 39; & # 39; Don't worry, Bill. I understand it's more fun when you're at the party, especially with the boys. & # 39; & # 39; No , no, I'm coming with you and z e are ashamed. You invited me and I'm still coming with you. If that's okay. & # 39; More than good

We met at Heathrow on Monday morning. I arrived early. In a gray suit, his Liverpool tie, his red and white Liverpool scarf around his shoulders, with a small, battered weekend bag. A group of fans bothered him when checking in.

Only one bill lean.

<img id = "i-c7ecfc4e798349f3" src = "https://dailym.ai/2VUHlH3 image-a-39_1558899419008.jpg "height =" 420 "width =" 634 "alt =" Emlyn Hughes all smiles while lifting the European Cup in 1977 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome when he lifts the European Cup in 1977 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome "

Emlyn Hughes all smiles while lifting the European Cup in 1977 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome

Those in the same plane took turns taking turns seat and he talked and chuckled with them during the flight. Our taxi driver from Fiumicino airport recognized him and refused to accept a ride for the ride.

We were booked in the Excelsior, on the Via Veneto. Historical resting place of prime ministers, presidents and kings. Home from home for Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Gina Lollobridgida and Isabella Rossellini. Channeled water well for Anita Ekberg while filming La Dolce Vita.

In 1977 this was the largest of all Roman hotels. Carved glass chandelier. Covered in velvet and gold. At the counter they presented two elegant keys with long keys. Shanks looked at his and asked: & # 39; What is this for? & # 39; I told him that two rooms were reserved. The nicest in the house. On the first floor with high French windows that open onto balconies overlooking the Via Veneto.

& # 39; Why two? & # 39; I asked, with a touch of fear. & # 39; They are adjacent to each other & # 39 ;, I tried to reassure him.

& # 39; But I share a room while traveling, & # 39; he said. & # 39; Always done. Because I was a little kid in the reserves. At every club. And the manager. Always. & # 39; I asked the receptionist about the layout of the rooms. The best, with a huge four-poster bed and the sitting room, would have been for him. The other had two large double beds.

& # 39; We can take the second & # 39 ;, said Shanks. Fine by me. An honor, by the way.

Before I unpacked his essential supplies, I stepped out onto the balcony. The word was already spreading. Dozens of Liverpool fans had gathered on the sidewalk below. For certainly not the last time in the coming days, he gave his blessing. If not exactly in the manner of the pope in St. Peter's & # 39; s.

There was that well-known bite on his knuckle. Two thumbs up.

The pre-match interview for the Mail was conducted that evening in a small trattoria about pasta: & # 39; Do you like the red and white tablecloths? These Italians know their football. & # 39; Although since he regrets his regret in handing over the reins a few short weeks after winning his second FA Cup – he was so unbearable to miss the game in all its glory – he was certain: & # 39 Bob will get it right on the night. & # 39;

He added: & the boys too. These Borussia are a good team, but my boys are ready now. That Simonsen is a great wee player, but that our Tommy will take care of him. & # 39; Tough Tommy Smith would therefore do his saddest thing on his Wednesday morning. And an essential lake, as it turned out.

<img id = "i-fedf28c139d19a94" src = "https://dailym.ai/30KOf5c image-a-40_1558899461238.jpg "height =" 493 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-fedf28c139d19a94" src = "https://dailym.ai/2J2OwKp /26/20/13986572-0-image-a-40_1558899461238.jpg "height =" 493 "width =" 634 "alt =" Liverpool star Kevin Keegan (left) hugs goalkeeper Ray Clemence after the last whistle (left) hugs goalkeeper Ray Clemence after the last whistle

Liverpool star Kevin Keegan (left) hugs goalkeeper Ray Clemence after the last whistle

Borussia Moenchengladbach

When he went to bed, Bill put on his Victorian nightdress, kept his red and

In Italian: & # 39; Football is the world language, son & # 39; . & # 39; On a small flickering set, in black and white: & # 39; Isn't red? & # 39; Color television had only been fully introduced on Italian networks 12 weeks earlier and even the magnificent Excelsior had not yet installed the receivers.

That evening, as on the following two, Bill let us talk until three or three in the morning. About football as a life. Soccer in its history. Football and its importance for Liverpool. Soccer Italiano. Football the folk game. Football and the biggest rivalries, including of course those between Liverpool and not only Everton but also Man United – and therefore football and George Best.

Aye, woe Georgie, & # 39; he mused when he recalled how Best Liverpool had defeated virtually lonely Saturday on Saturday. & # 39; The deepest tackler in the game … & # 39; He gave me the honor to know enough about football to know that he was a god on the ball, but I wanted to illustrate his point about the courage I demanded of his own players and the

What us naturally led to talk about the greatest footballers of all time.

That was my little surprise.

That was my little surprise. Liverpool manager Bob Paisley (left) embraces Ian Callaghan as they celebrate their victory "

<img id =" i-74141425968f7a95 "src =" https://dailym.ai/2uS4u1n 1s / 2019/05/26/20 / 13986606-0-image-a-41_1558899597293.jpg "height =" 447 "width =" 634 "alt =" Liverpool manager Bob Paisley (left) (19459009)

Liverpool manager Bob Paisley (left) embraces Ian Callaghan as they celebrate their victory

In one of the trendiest restaurants in Rome we shared baby lamb and warm memories with Bobby Moore and Carlos Alberto, World Cup winners, Eusbeio the Black Pearl, famous and towering Inter and Italy Giacinto Facchetti with left rear. The latter was accompanied by the first and most dear Italian football boss, Gigi Peronace, who also brought Enzo Bearzot, who would lead their country to victory in the World Cup five years later

and more legends were in the city for the finale. Because we now have tens of thousands of Reds, who, as we took our walks through the Eternal City, were greeted by my roommate as & # 39; Scotsman & # 39; s Brother Scousers & # 39 ;.

Only One Bill Shankly.

Match night in the press bench and he was besieged again. This time through & # 39; the world's cameras & # 39; s, microphones, and pen pushers.

There was a bit of that knuckle when Denees woe Allan Simonsen opened the way for Borussia to hit the post early. & # 39; Tommy, & # 39; Bill barked.

& # 39; Tommy, & # 39; he growled again when Simonsen early in the second half

<img id = "i-960ac3f80736e470" src = "https://dailym.ai/2uS4u1n 1s / 2019/05/26/20 / 13986616-0-image-a-42_1558899671862.jpg "height =" 456 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-960ac3f80736e470" src = "https: / /i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/26/20/13986616-0-image-a-42_1558899671862.jpg "height =" 456 "width =" 634 "alt =" Shankly promoted Liverpool before joining the First Division won three times the manager "class =" blkBorder img-share "Department won three times as manager"

Then, as Smith turned from enforcer to scorer from a rare goal just after the hour to give Liverpool the lead again: & # 39; Aye, Tommy. & # 39; Another nod to Phil Neal's late penalty made history safe.

I have again filed a lawsuit for the media because I dictated my report by telephone. We had copyists back in the day.

Taxi's were scarce outside the stadium, but that didn't matter. I wanted to walk. Even at its fast pace, it took about 45 minutes. Harry & # 39; s Bar was open late at the top of the Veneto.

& # 39; Celebrating a beer, Bill? & # 39; & # 39; Yes, but only those. & # 39; I was silent for a few minutes. This should have been his triumphant crown. Then we chatted with bottles and brought them to his boys when he quoted one of his other heroes, the Scottish poet Robbie Burns: & # 39; A man is a man for & # 39; that & # 39 ;.

Had he known that Liverpool would go Saturday for what he would still call the European Cup, how could he have seen the premature comparisons made by some between Jurgen Klopp, who had just come to one point shortly before Man City in the League, and himself?

The answer can be found in his own anthology of priceless statements: & # 39; If you are the first, you are the first. If you are the second, you are nothing. & # 39; We flew home the next lunch time. Shook hands at the airport. Grip like a vice.

He would die in barely four years, only 68. Officially, cardiac arrest.

I saw him running away from that day. Short in feet and inches but a giant in stature. Upright. Head high. Proud. Scarf now tied in a knot at his throat.

For a moment he was alone and glanced back. Only the slightest trace of sadness in the smile. Hardly perceptible. Again he was overwhelmed by the fans, his people.

Only One Bill Shankly.

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[torentialtribute]

England manager Gareth Southgate reaping rewards of giving youth their chance

Sir Alex Ferguson may seem a strange example to a manager from England. The Scot was not always considered to be the most helpful when he understood that the English team could replace Manchester United

Gary Neville recalls that there was once a dispute between when England ruled Glenn Hoddle and Sir Alex about whether he should return to Manchester or stay with England. & # 39; I could hear the manager calling: & # 39; That boy is coming home now! & # 39; "Neville wrote in his autobiography. & # 39; Blood ran from Hoddle & # 39; s face. Eventually he came on the phone."

Yet it is Sir Alex who coach England Gareth Southgate invokes the fact that he is in charge of feeding an extraordinary generation of teenage talent in the national team.

Sir Alex Ferguson may seem strange

<img id = "i-1dc6f5a6c0fe9cbe" src = "https://ift.tt/2FmJzZn 21 / 11370758-6843013-image-a-27_1553374892160.jpg "height =" 529 "width =" 634 "alt =" Sir Alex Ferguson may seem a strange example to England, manager Gareth Southgate role model for England manager Gareth Southgate "

Sir Alex Ferguson may seem a strange role model for England manager Gareth Southgate

On Friday evening, England built on the progress they had made in the fall and underlined their status as one of the most feared teams in world football with a 5-0 win over the Czech Republic.

The sight of Jadon Sancho making his way down the right wing, just as he had been in the Bundesliga, has been shown to the English eyes what the Germans knew: he really is among the best teenage talents in the game.

To see his childhood friend, Callum Hudson-Odoi, come off the bench – still not familiar with a League-start from Maurizio Sarri in Chelsea – and injected the same foot on the left from the last 20 minutes om Understand the depth of talent that comes in. Maybe it's Phil Foden from Manchester City.

Wolf Gibbs-White van Wolves will be released soon. Joe Gomez from Liverpool will return from an injury. Marcus Rashford was in Russia, but only as an additional player. Trent Alexander-Arnold is ready to play the right-back role if he can pass Kyle Walker.

But he is already ahead of Kieran Trippier and the stars of the summer can be repressed.

Southgate feels the responsibility very hard: it is the rich legacy that Southgate is burdened with when considering Euro 2020, which, if they reach the end at Wembley, would see England playing the majority of their games at home. & # 39; Very sorry, & # 39; he said. & # 39; I think that applies to everything: how much we expose them to the public, how much we put them in commercial situations.

& # 39; We have to think about all this time because it is very easy for them to enjoy these moments. And they must enjoy these moments. But there is also a good balance.

<img id = "i-e6666c3f95150717" src = "https://ift.tt/2uoMWtF image-a-17_1553374801225.jpg "height =" 435 "width =" 634 "alt =" Raheem Sterling was the star of the Wembley show when he scored a hat trick on Friday morning "

<img id =" i -e6666c3f95150717 "src =" https://ift.tt/2Fm8T1A "height =" 435 "width =" 634 " alt = "Raheem Sterling was the star of the Wembley show when he scored a hat trick on Friday night"

Raheem Sterling was the star of the Wembley show when he scored a hat-trick score on Friday night

<img id = "i-2b5bd7d64302cbfb" src = "https://ift.tt/2una77G The_Manchester_City_attacker_was_at_full_stretch_to_connect_with-a-20_1553374805597.jpg "height =" 361 "width =" 634 "alt =" The Manchester City forward was on v olle length to connect with Jadon Sancho & # 39; s low cross "class =" blkBorder img-share "

The forward city of Manchester was at full length to connect with a low cross of Jadon Sancho City forward was at full length to connect with Jadon Sancho

& I always think of Sir Alex with Ryan [Giggs] and how he did that or well. They were therefore successful.

& # 39; So although they are not our daily players, we have the responsibility to do that as much as possible, because we bring them to a different level and we

English class of 2017 , composed of the players who won the U-17 World Cup that year, may one day give classes of 92 to run for their money in terms of what they achieve for the national team

Of course, for such a collection of young British talents, in Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt, to merge into one club in 1992, were extraordinary.

The Football Association has the advantage of picking cherries. Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne and Tony (born March 1, 1964) is an American singer and songwriter. Adams.

& # 39; We cannot have the same influence because he

Eventually their successes would come in club football, not in England, but according to Southgate lessons could be learned. they can get into the office on Monday morning and figure out & # 39 ;, said Southgate, smiling wryly at the thought that & # 39; they might look like & # 39;

<img id = "i-65ed1996782c7336" src = "https://ift.tt/2Fp2P8F -22_1553374808654.jpg "height =" 422 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-65ed1996782c7336" src = "https://ift.tt/2FmJzZn 21 / 11340380-6843013-Harry_Kane_made_no_mistake_scoring_his_18th_consecutive_penalty_-a-22_1553374808654.jpg "height =" 422 "width =" 634 "alt =" Harry Kane was not mistaken – scored his 18th consecutive penalty to double England's lead "

Harry Kane was not mistaken – scored his 18th consecutive penalty to double England's lead

Harry Kane was not mistaken –

<img id = "i-c3c5f2cb05570d26" src = "https://ift.tt/2uypASF" height = "438" width = "634" alt = " <img id = "i-c3c5f2cb05570d26" src = "https: / /i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/23/21/11370768-6843013-image-a-23_1553374854396.jpg "height =" 438 "width =" 634 "alt =" England built against the Czech Republic build on the progress they had made in the fall "built on the progress they had made in the fall"

Against the Czech Republic, England built on the progress they had made in the fall

& # 39; But we can still ensure that we play them at the right time and recognize the times to pull him out. And less on the field, it's more what we expose them to. It is about the environment and the messages we give them.

& # 39; It is easy to give young people a lot of sugar and they know we are full of it, so we want them to feel it. But they are still learning, they are still adults, they are going to make mistakes, none of them is perfect.

& # 39; But they are surrounded by good role models in the team and our experience in developing young players should also help them. & # 39;

Southgate, however, understands that it seems Sarri and Jose Mourinho are not yet complete, that the world has shifted in the last 10 years when it comes to young footballers; and probably young people in general.

Even Pep Guardiola, once the youth champion when he pitched Pedro and Sergio Busquets to his first Barcelona team, appears to have become more conservative and less at risk in middle age.

Sancho & # 39; s confidence in leaving Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund would have been unthinkable five years ago with most English academics graduates.

Hudson-Odoi & # 39; s dissatisfaction about being told to know his place and awaiting his turn is evident from his desire to join Bayern Munich. Life is not what it was when the Southgate generation grew up.

<img id = "i-2e0af47db22537dd" src = "https://ift.tt/2Fm8U5E image-a-26_1553374868403.jpg "height =" 446 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-2e0af47db22537dd" src = "https://ift.tt/2Y6pO0I /23/21/11370762-6843013-image-a-26_1553374868403.jpg "height =" 446 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-2e0af47db22537dd" src = "https: //i.dailymail. co.uk/1s/2019/03/23/21/11370762-6843013-image-a-26_1553374868403.jpg "height =" 446 "width =" 634 "alt =" Southgate (right) is thinking about how Sir Alex Ferguson Ryan Giggs treated at Manchester United Think of Sir Alex Ferguson Deal with Ryan Giggs at Manchester United "

Southgate (right) thinks how Sir Alex Ferguson deals with Ryan Giggs at Manchester United

little more faith, "Southgate said. & # 39; We encourage them more.

& # 39; Bosses in all industries are less draconian in their way of working, less oppressive. That helps young people to come in and have more faith and be more creative, and to believe that they can make a difference.

& # 39; They are not afraid of anything. & # 39; The world's smallest place. They fly all over the world, they travel. I just think that if they get the chance, they will generally surprise people. & # 39;

Southgate was lucky. Mentor and friend Alan Smith made him captain of the 23-year-old Crystal Palace. But football was in general, even in Palace, old-school and hierarchies were honored.

& # 39; You had to earn everything & # 39 ;, Southgate recalls. & # 39; "Don't get carried away, you have to earn your right to play, you have to earn your right to do this." Did that get the most out of us? Probably not.

& # 39; There were some great qualities that gave us, and we must ensure that we do not lose it, because respect is important and appreciation for what you have. ]

<img id = "i-a094bb7d14e275ea" src = "https://ift.tt/2uypBpH .jpg "height =" 440 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-a094bb7d14e275ea" src = "https://ift.tt/2FnmHZS 11370770-6843013-image-a-28_1553374947277.jpg "height =" 440 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-a094bb7d14e275ea" src = "https://ift.tt/2UINeHc /2019/03/23/21/11370770-6843013-image-a-28_1553374947277.jpg "height =" 440 "width =" 634 "alt =" Southgate insisted that he could not have the same influence as the Ferguson due to the lack on time

Southgate insisted that he could not have the same influence as Ferguson due to lack of time

& # 39; We have seen that many young players from other countries get their chance, perhaps because they have limited resources, and we are a bit in that situation now.

& # 39; We have a smaller pool to choose from, so you have to start thinking more creatively. You can't wait for 40, 50 matches, but that doesn't mean that the players are not of the quality of the source, as we saw on Friday. "

Still, for all the excitement of what to attach this moniker to this generation. We have been there before and know that all the glitters are not necessarily golden.

a welcome change to just hope again and an approach to the Euro 2020 tournament, a large part of which is based in England, with expectation instead of hysteria.

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