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mysecretchapbook · 8 years ago

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Imagine you, a Slytherin Seer, have predicted Draco’s task and have been dealing with the consequences ever since... (PART 3)

PART 1

PART 2

I should really name this thing, any suggestions? TW:Language

“Gaze deeply into the crystal, press the smoke aside and reveal the unknown!” Professor Trelawney was crooning too close to your ear. She hovered behind you, trying to coax a miracle out of you. “I’m sorry, Professor, it’s just not working,” you huffed and pushed your chair backwards away from her desk. After having two visions in a matter of weeks, it was decided that you’d be having private divination lessons for your, and other students, protection. “You’re not trying, my child,” she sighed. “I most certainly am!” you argued, “Look, the visions just come when they want to, you know that!” “Yes, but there are certain steps, precautions, and attitudes you can take to will them toward your mind,” she mused, “Let’s try reading the leaves again,” she suggested. “Professor, can we please take a break?” you’d been at it for hours. She was so excited to have an actual Seer as a student that she could barely leave you alone these days. “That’s what the tea is for,” she smiled and you rolled your eyes when she turned around. “So tell me, child, in these visions do you see anybody?” “It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen anybody in a vision. Usually I don’t know that I’ve had them until somebody has told me,” you explained. “Ah,” she whispered, “like the prophecy” “What?” you asked. “Oh nothing dear. So you have no idea who your prediction was about?” “No but…” you paused. You did know what your predictions had been about. You’d foretold Draco Malfoy failing his Voldemort-given task directly to him. You’d done it unknowingly and by accident, but now he had it out for you. “But what?” she prodded. “Well…I…I don’t know who, but have you ever had a prediction about somebody who was in your presence?” “Oftentimes those are the most powerful, perhaps the stars wanted that person to know their fate. Perhaps the stars were giving that person a choice to change it…” “But what if that person doesn’t believe in the fates?” you asked. “Well then that person has no choice…”

Your days were long and lonely, your nights were short and sleepless. Your eyes drooped and you were afraid to sneak in a nap during classes because Draco was always there, watching you. He noticed now that every time you looked at him your clavicle would shudder and swell with shaking breath. You never gave him that shy smirk he always used to expect from you. It was replaced by fearful eyebrows and and your clenched jaw. He needed it this way, he needed you to stay away from him. At night you struck fear into his bones, thinking that you’d tell Dumbledore what he’d revealed to you. How you cowered at the ink that spilled over his canvas white forearm. Every day when Draco woke up he prayed it wouldn’t be warm outside. The longer it stayed Spring, the longer he’d have until he had to complete his task. However, with each new singing bird or new flower bloomed, he could feel his heart darken. On your end, you still couldn’t find sleep. You’d found some solace in a couple new friends, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom, though you didn’t know them well. Your house mates made it nearly impossible to talk to them without ridicule. Meanwhile, you’d received word that your Father had gone missing. You were left to assume he’d joined the ranks of The Dark Lord's Army like he had in those years before your birth. Your Mother was nowhere to be found as well, a fact that emptied you out so completely that you spent your days feeling much like the shed beetle skins you used on your potions exam.

You howled and cried the day he did it. You dropped to your knees and silently begged the universe to kill you for keeping Draco’s secret. For believing he would make the right choice in the end. You couldn’t get yourself out of bed for days knowing you could have stopped it. Professors McGonagal and Trelawney constantly prodded you with questions about your well being. They were the ones who made you finish out the year. They told you that it wasn’t your fault, the visions never gave you enough information to indict Draco or figure out exactly what his mission was. But you knew. You consistently lied to them, like telling them you had a safe place to stay over the summer.

You finished out the year with higher marks than you’d expected. There was nobody waiting for you when you got off the train. With no other option, you walked toward the ticket booth and caught another train. You’d had enough of the magical world for a while. You woke up in Paris and decided you’d get off there. You found a job. You worked very hard night shifts keeping a bar in a nice, but very slow place. You picked up a smoking habit. You cropped your hair. After a particularly long shift one day, you locked up, and stood under the awning outside in the pouring rain, watching the smoke dance hypnotically from your cigarette and then disappear into the alley. Something transfixed your eyes on the ghostly wisps. You wondered if you could feel somebody’s eyes on you, but some otherworldly force kept your eyes on the cigarette smoke. Then, you saw it beginning to change. Something changed in your vision, it flickered like somebody turned the lights off behind your eyes and then you lost your ability to see. The scene that played behind your eyes terrified you, though there was nothing gruesome about it. It terrified you, because why were your visions always about him? Draco Malfoy is wandering down a cobblestone street in the rain, he’s completely soaked from head to toe and he’s shaking. He looks as if he’s been crying. His right fist is bloodied. A crack of lightning behind him suddenly blinds you. You blink away the vision. Is it coincidence that you see a crack of lighting up the street? You grabbed for your wand just in case, and there he was. This was not a vision, this was Draco Malfoy walking directly towards you, but his head was down. Did he know you were there? If so, how? You backed into the corner, fumbling with your keys so you could scramble inside. With your luck, you dropped them and he heard the cling of metal on metal and looked up to see his company. You’re kneeling down to snatch them up when your eyes locked. You had no idea your cigarette was burning into your jeans. Desire, pity and fear were fighting to smother one another within you. You couldn't take your eyes off each other, it was clear neither of you expected the other. He looked as if you’d just shot him in the chest when he backed away and disappeared. You did nothing to stop him.

That was not the only time you saw him that summer.

The bar was completely empty one late Wednesday night, only days after Draco saw you in the Parisian rain. You were busying yourself with the crossword puzzle in the Daily Prophet. You heard a distinct CRACK outside and you knew it was either a car backfiring, a gunshot, or somebody apparating. You felt for your wand in your boot, but stayed in your spot behind the bar in case you were over reacting. You heard maniacal laughter outside and somebody cry out into the night. It wasn’t anything you weren’t used to, but this particular laugh on a Wednesday night made you nervous. Shadows began to move outside. POP! one street lamp went out POP! POP! POP! and they were all out. “This calls for a celebration!” The voice, a female’s, cried out and your heart leapt as you heard the bell of the front door ring.

You’d know that silver hair in any light. Like one of your own nightmares, Lucius Malfoy, his wife Narcissa, and their son walked right through that door with none other than Bellatrix Lestrange. Your heart hammered against your chest, you wanted to bolt from the room but Draco’s apologetic, panicked eyes caught yours. Somehow the dim lit space seemed even darker with them in it. They chose a table with a white cloth. Your feet felt like cinderblocks as you dragged them over to their table. There were no other employees present, but you’d never endanger one of them if they were there by making them take care of the Malfoy’s and Bellatrix Lestrange. You were certain they could hear your panicked heartbeat as you went through the motions of providing them with a wine list. “This one,” Lucius Malfoy pointed at the most robust red wine bottle on the list. You silently went to retrieve four glasses and place them in front of the table. You don’t remember presenting or opening the bottle. You were in a silent daze. You couldn’t look any of them in the eye. “You look familiar,” Lucius Malfoy said, squinting at you. "Je suis désolé, je ne parle pas anglais” you lied, telling him you didn’t speak English. He waved his hand away dismissively and you poured everybody their first glass. When you got to Draco he gave a small “Thank you”. “What a polite boy!” Bellatrix cackled, as you shakily poured hers. “Don’t spill,” she laughed at your trembling hand. You kept catching Draco staring at you, he looked like he was trying to tell you something. He mouthed “I’m sorry,” and all you could do was glare. Why had he brought them here? What was his plan here? Why would he put you in this danger? If you were going to rat him out, wouldn’t you have done it before Dumbledore was killed? You stared at the dirty table long after they left. You sat in Draco’s chair, starring at the marks his lips made on the rim of the glass. As you begun to clean up so you could go home and sleep off the experience, you noticed a small note had been tucked underneath Draco’s napkin. “The Shrunken Head Knockturn Alley 3PM, August 30th"

You weren’t sure what to expect when you arrived at The Shrunken Head. The hood of your cloak stayed up the entire walk through Knockturn Alley. You were, frankly, terrified to be here. When you arrived the bar seemed nearly deserted, save for a few drunkards practically asleep at the bar. “Looking for someone?” An old hag asked you as you creeped inside. “Um no…” you said warily and she cackled and turned to face a blank wall. You went to the bar and ordered a Butterbeer, paid, and sat down. Had what you found under Draco’s napkin actually been an invitation? Or were you about to get yourself into the exact mess you’d been avoiding? You sipped at your drink and let it warm up your insides for a moment. You heard the door creep open. It was unseasonably cold outside and it seemed like the air rushed to surround you as you sat. A tall, slim figure walked through the door. “You came,” he said, looking like he was half disgusted, half in disbelief. “Don’t get too excited,” you muttered sarcastically, unable to completely conceal your blush at the sight of his face. “Follow me,” he said gruffly and lead you into a more private room. He sat down and somebody came to take his order. They were back with a fire whiskey before either of you broke the silence. “Why did you come?” He asked. “Seriously? I should be asking you the same thing! Why did you show up at my bar?” You demanded. “First off, what were you even doing working there? Like you’d ever need the money, I’ve seen your Father’s house…” “I don’t want his money,” “Well aren’t you Miss High and Mighty? Tell me, how was it serving muggles all day?” he spat. “More enjoyable than serving you,” you retorted. He sighed and it went silent between the two of you for a moment. “Why did you go there?” “I didn’t know you’d be there. It wasn’t my idea,” he argued. “Oh bullshit, Draco I know you saw me outside that place. Why did you come there? To intimidate me?” “No I—“ “To manipulate me? To scare me?” you demanded. “Listen I—“ “You brought her there!” Your voice cracked, “You brought Bellatrix Lestrange there when you knew I would be there. Your father recognized me! Either one of them could have killed me, or taken me!” “I know, I’m sorry. It was pure coincidence that Bellatrix wanted to go there. We were staying not far from there and—“ “Did it have something to do with my Father?” You asked as soon as the thought came to you. “No you aren’t listening to me,” his laugh was full of annoyance, “Look, I’m sorry that happened. I’ll try to keep you safe from now on,” he said. “I…I just wanted to say that I was stupid to insinuate that divination wasn't real…” “Oh,” You said, crinkling your eyebrows at the unexpected turn of conversation. “I believe it now…I was so sure then. I was so sure I could do it,” he argued. “If I had believed you maybe I could have told him the truth,” “Draco, what are you saying?” why was he always so cryptic? “Dumbledore, he told me he could help me…I should have…fuck…” he groaned into his hands. As he pushed his hair out of his eyes you could see how sallow his face looked, how pale and anguished he looked. “Are you trying to tell me that my prophecy came true? That you failed your task?” “Be quiet!” He grabbed your wrist in desperation. “I’m sorry,” you whined. “Yes, it came true.” “You didn’t do it? You didn’t kill Dumbledore?" “No… I thought you would have known...” “I thought you’d done it. So what happens now? Are you on the run?” “No, not exactly…” “How did you survive that?” you whispered. “I don’t know just…Just don’t fucking say anything Y/N remember what I said,” he said threateningly. Though knowing what you knew now, this threats seemed empty. “So what are you going to do?” You asked, “You can’t be going back to school, can you?” You prodded. “No…I’ve got no choice. I have to stay with my family…With him,” his expression was hard to read, but you knew he was in pain. “You always have a choice Draco,” you said, “It’s not too late. I know people who will protect you. I can protect you…Hell, I know enough, I don’t need to go back to school. We can go find you some place safe. You can come over to the right side…” “No! Stop. Just stop. You have to go back to school,” he said like you were being outrageous. “Why?” “It’s the safest place for you right now,” he insisted. “No, you’re not helping me. I don’t need help. This is what I want,” he was lying to himself and you. “You’re not even kidding yourself, Draco,” you sighed. “It’s gonna be different there, at school…” He said after some silent moments. “Yeah, it will,” you trailed off, pressing your lips together. “In all honesty though, I have no where else to go…” you admitted. You stared out the window, it had begun to sprinkle. You watched raindrops chase each other to the bottom of the pane. He watched your lips part as you thought. He watched your fingers fidget. He watched you catch your lower lip with your teeth. He longed to touch your hand, to have some sort of contact with your goodness. To feel even a sprinkle of what redemption would feel like. He wanted to kiss your innocence, he wanted to squeeze and absorb your light until he could crush it into himself. “I know you say you don’t have a choice, but I just have to know…You don’t really think these people deserve to die for being born with unpure blood, do you?” You whispered. “Not at all,” he said, painfully, like it was the hardest thing he’d ever had to say. You sat together in silence. “I’m going to have to go soon, I shouldn’t even be here. I’m putting you in danger as it is…” He said. You wanted to ask why he hadn’t just sent you an owl, but you decided not too. Maybe you didn’t want to know. “Maybe we will see each other…You know, when all of this is over…” “Maybe,” he sighed. “You should go,” You said, feeling your throat tighten “Just…” You started to feel emotion swell inside you. You wanted to kiss him goodbye, you knew this may very well be the last time you ever saw him. But you wouldn’t kiss those lips, you didn’t need a prophecy to tell you that. You stood up. “Be careful, Draco,” you whispered. You reached out for his hand, pulled at it, and stood on your toes to kiss his cheek. His face turned pink. As you allowed him to leave you, you saw him turn around for one last look at you. You didn’t smile. You didn’t wave. You allowed him one last, honest look at you. Before he stepped out into that rain, he took his time. Dragging out his one last look at his other choice.

#draco x reader #draco malfoy #imagine #hp #slytherin #harry potter

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newstfionline · 6 years ago

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A child calling Santa reached NORAD instead. Christmas Eve was never the same.

By Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, December 24, 2018

Col. Harry Shoup was a real by-the-book guy.

At home, his two daughters were limited to phone calls of no more than three minutes (monitored by an egg timer) and were automatically grounded if they missed curfew by even a minute. At work, during his 28-year Air Force career, the decorated fighter pilot was known as a no-nonsense commander and stickler for rules.

Which makes what happened that day in 1955 even more of a Christmas miracle.

It was a December day in Colorado Springs when the phone rang on Col. Shoup’s desk. Not the black phone, the red phone.

“When that phone rang, it was a big deal,” said Shoup’s daughter, Terri Van Keuren, 69, a retiree in Castle Rock, Colo. “It was the middle of the Cold War and that phone meant bad news.”

Shoup was a commander of the Continental Air Defense Command, CONAD, the early iteration of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Then, as now, the joint U.S.-Canadian operation was the tense nerve center of America’s defensive shield against a sneak air attack. In 1955, the command center was filled with a massive map of North America on plexiglass, behind which backward-writing technicians on scaffolds marked every suspect radar blip in grease pencil.

It was not a place of fun and games. And when that red phone rang--it was wired directly to a four-star general at the Pentagon--things got real. All eyes would have been on Shoup when he answered.

“Col. Shoup,” he barked. But there was silence.

Until finally, a small voice said, “Is this Santa Claus?”

Shoup, by all accounts, was briefly confused and then fully annoyed. “Is this a joke?” Glaring at the wide-eyed staff for any sign of a smile, he let the caller have it with all the indignity of a bird-colonel who brooked no nonsense on this most vital of all phone lines.

“Just what do you think you’re doing,” he began.

But then the techno-military might of the United States was brought up short by the sound of sniffles. Whoever was on the phone was crying, and Shoup suddenly realized it really was a child who was trying to reach Santa Claus.

The colonel paused, considered and then responded: “Ho, ho, ho!” he said as his crew looked on astonished. “Of course this is Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?”

He talked to the local youngster for several minutes, hearing his wishes for toys and treats and assuring him he would be there on Christmas Eve. Then the boy asked Santa to bring something nice for his mommy.

“I will, I will,” Santa-Shoup said. “In fact, could I speak to your mommy now?”

The boy put his mother on the phone, and Shoup went back to business, crisply explaining to the woman just what facility their call had reached.

“He said later he thought she must have been a military wife,” said Van Keuren. “She was properly cowed.”

But she also had an explanation. The woman asked Shoup to look at that day’s local newspaper. Specifically, at a Sears ad emblazoned with a big picture of Santa that invited kids to “Call me on my private phone, and I will talk to you personally any time day or night.”

The number provided, ME 2-6681, went right to one of the most secure phones in the country.

“They were off by one digit,” said Van Keuren. “It was a typo.”

When Shoup hung up, the phone rang again. He ordered his staff to answer each Santa call while he got on the (black) phone with AT&T to set up a new link to Washington. Let Sears have the old number, he told them.

That might have been the end of it. But a few nights later, Shoup, as was his tradition, took his family to have Christmas Eve dinner with his on-duty troops. When they walked into the control center, he spotted a little image of a sleigh pulled by eight unregistered reindeer, coming over the top of the world.

Van Keuren was only 6 at the time, but the exchange that followed became stuff of both family and Air Force legend.

“What’s that,” the commanding officer asked.

“Just having a little fun Colonel,” they answered, waiting for the blowup.

Shoup pondered the offense as the team waited. Then he ordered someone to get the community relations officer. And soon Shoup was on the phone to a local radio station. CONAD had picked up unidentified incoming, possible North Pole origin, distinctly sleigh-shaped.

The radio station ate it up, the networks got involved and an enduring tradition was born. This Christmas Eve will mark the 63rd straight year that NORAD will publicly track Santa’s sleigh on its global rounds.

“This is our most feel-good mission,” said Maj. Andrew Hennessy, a Canadian Army officer posted at NORAD headquarters in Colorado. “We know Santa brings lasting joy to kids around the world and we’re glad to have that as our fourth mission one day out of the year.” (On the other 364 days, NORAD’s three-pronged mandate is to oversee air threats, general aerospace control and, in recent years, maritime warnings for potential threats from sea.)

In good military fashion, the Santa tracking command has grown terrifically complex. NORAD deploys satellites, radar, jet fighters and Santa cams to feed its website, apps and social media accounts used by more than 2 million followers. Naughty and nice alike can follow Santa’s movement on 3-D maps in eight languages. Last year, when Alexa was asked “Where’s Santa?” more than 1.5 million times, it was NORAD that fed her the answer.

But the real emotional outlay comes in the Colorado Springs live call center, staffed for 20 hours on Dec. 24 by more than 1,500 volunteers (many of them local service members and their families). With a nine-page Santa Tracker manual in hand, they fielded more than 126,000 calls in 2017.

“As soon as you put the phone down, it rings again,” said Hennessy, who has done duty in the call center. He remembers telling one young Boston caller that Santa had been confirmed over Maine heading south but--and this is a primary NORAD message--the sleigh wouldn’t stop unless the boy was in bed.

“The next thing I heard was the phone hitting the floor,” he said. “Mom picked it up and said, ‘Can I call you back, he’s never done that before.’”

Shoup went on to ever-higher ranks in the Air Force, retiring as a wing commander. When his kids were old enough, he told them why so many of his colleagues called him the “Santa colonel,” but it was a quiet kind of legacy until the 25th anniversary of Santa tracking and TV news crews sought him out.

After that, he looked forward to getting the media calls each December, even carrying special business cards with the story typed on the back. He was buried at 91 in 2009 with a flyover of F-16 fighters, under a gravestone that notes his service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The last line reads: “Santa Colonel.”

“I want his message to be ‘Do the nice thing,’” said Van Keuren. “A lot of people would have hung up on that kid.”

#Col. Harry Shoup #NORAD #Santa tracker #Santa colonel

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belerencodex · 7 years ago

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The Kingdom of Vikash

The following is a passage from an Aigadosi ethnography written by Laretus Synacusa, a retired Koinoi senator who spent a century learning about the human subcultures of Aigados. The word ‘Kem’ refers to the Koinoi word the land now known as Ib. The Kingdom of Vikash was destroyed by the hordes of the Rage Prophet. The traditions, histories, and arts of the Vikashi people however live on amid Thaylites across the human realms.

In the eastern foothills of the Bluedrake Mountains lies the Thaylite Kingdom of Vikash, simply known as Vikash. It is a subregion of the Aigadosi Republic hemmed in to the wester by the high mountain range of the Bluedrakes on one side and the open plains of the Valley of Kem on the other side. Historically these foothills have been a meeting place of many different races but until recently had few permanent communities.

The region experienced extreme during depopulation during the Last Cataclysm as did much of the Valley of Kem. However nomadic tribes of humans, sylphs, elves, centaurs, and stone giants have all frequented the area in recent times. Traditionally this has been the border of the Artan Bay region and the wide plains of Kem.

Etymology: The name Vikash comes from Stone Giant and means “rolling thunder” this name refers to the region because of the fact that during the height of summer the low roll of thunder becomes nearly continuous as it echoes northwards out of the blue dragon breeding grounds. The full name of the region according to Stone Giants is Vikash Simaska meaning “Rolling Thunder Small Mountains.”

History

The year system Laretus uses for this ethnography sets Year Zero of Human history with the birth of Menswar, the first human to reach divinity. In the 30 page foreward of his book Laretus explains this as being the start of the largest string of migratory periods in human history. The great diaspora of the Thaylite religion out of Nashto in the year 550 left the tribes scattered in the wind, wandering across the wide floodplains of Kem, some crossed the mountains northward where the passes were lower and more inviting but many remained wandering tribes driving flocks of sheep and goats before them. With the arrival of the Windborn clans from the south around the 700s as well as pressure from northern barbarian tribes and frequent clashes with the indigenous centaur population many of these tribes abandoned life on the plains, instead moving to the more sparsely populated foothills, this however presented it’s own sets of dangers, early settlement was hampered as the Thaylites unwittingly crossed the trails of Stone Giants and clashed borders with Hill Giant and Ogre clans. In the end though they were able to settle in alright, building squat fortresses on the hilltops. These separate hillforts each served for localized power centers and strongholds in case of attack however no larger governance was found, only chiefs. These did however give those tribes who remained nomadic safe places to stop in to purchase goods they could not produce themselves and trade goods they brought from distant lands. In the year 843 King Levon I was crowned by the first council of chieftains. Assuming the role with honor, Levon set about driving the Ogres and Hill Giants from Thaylite territory and creating the Kingdom of Vikash. Under his rulership the kingdom became better connected, he had watch posts built at intervals between the hill forts, these created safe routes for shepherds traveling through the countryside to follow, bonfires would be kept burning at the tops of the towers with polished bronze mirrors to amplify the light they gave off, when danger was spotted the lights had shutters around them that could be used to give signals. King Levon’s death in 871 left the country in a state of disarray, individual chiefs began declaring themselves kings of their own land and the country fractured internally. Most of the watchtowers that had allowed the shepherds to travel safely were abandoned as the chieftains rerouted their troops to battling each other. Hill giants began to invade from the further reaches of the mountains again and slaver tribes from the plains began raiding the border towns. This chaos lasted 178 years until, in 949, Ilya the Peacemaker rose from the ranks of the chieftains. A devout Thaylite trained as a Paladin, Ilya didn’t conquer through force of arms but rather through personality and religion. After securing the backing of church elders, he went to the kings one by one offering them protection from raiders if they would honor their duty to him as their rightful king. He also allowed them to keep the title of petty king, each of them masters of their own domain but bound by his call to arms. He also created a centralized tax system and set about rebuilding the watchtowers. Little by little the reach of Vikash expanded into the higher reaches of the Bluedrake mountains. Shepherds had used the abandoned halls of the Dwarves that once lived there as safe redoubts to keep their flocks at night for sometime and communities had begun to spring up around these holds. It was from here that they built their towns in the fore-galleries of ancient Dwarven holds. The great great grandson of Ilya the Peacemaker, Hayk, moved the capital from the ancestral hold of Duros into the largest of these new communities, Whitegate. From here he was able to gather tolls as caravans crossed the lowest pass for some 200 miles in either direction. Whitegate grew in size as it became richer, becoming a regional capital that almost matched that of Solemnoi and Vaith in the neighboring country of Aigados.Catastrophe struck in the year 1178, when the Drow rebelled against the rulership of the republic of Aigados. As the coup d’etât spiraled into civil war Drow heavily targeted the human minority of the country. Many humans fled for their lives back to their cousins in Vikash. The high king at that time Zakar the Bear who retaliated against the crimes against his brethren by declaring a Vikashi Crusade to repel the Drow. Fighting was fierce, the Drow had discovered tunnels through the mountains that connected to the deeper recesses of the abandoned Dwarvish holds and were able to infiltrate several cities this way including the capital. While Zakar had been on campaign leading his troops in Aigados the Drow burned the city, slaughtering the royal family and leaving him heirless. At the end of the war, much of the countryside had been ravaged, few cities had been spared at least some violence and the Drow’s purges claimed thousands of lives. Zakar saw that there would be no peaceful solution to the succession conquest and so at age 63, sensing the end of his life approaching he signed an accord with the Republic of Aigados, officially incorporating the land of Vikash into the territory of country. Under this agreement the nobility of the region were allowed to maintain their titles and under the supervision of Republic officials convene to choose a new leader. This deal was blessed by the Thaylite church under Pope Avin II whose seat of power had already moved to Vaith in Aigados. A year later in 1206, Zakar passed away. In the initial years of the unification with Aigados things were somewhat stable, the petty kings respected the wishes of the old king and the pope and a new king, Vidus I was crowned. Vidus built a new capital in the pass near the ruins of the old one and named the city New Whitegate. Some of the watchtowers were rebuilt under his orders and a modicum of peace was established. However over the next fifty years as those who remembered the rule of King Zakar and were present for the election of Vidus died the region began to destabilize. The easternmost provinces of Marzon and Quruq felt under-represented and undervalued as little of the wealth of the new deal reached them and their infrastructure began to crumble. The final straw was in 1266 when the great-grandson of Vidus, Vidus III chose to be coronated in Vaith rather than in his homeland. The eastern provinces erupted, declaring him an illegitimate king who did not serve their interests, the young king returned home to New Whitegate to find an army lead by his former Master-At-Arms marching on the capital. Before the word could reach reinforcements in the deeper parts of Aigados the city was captured and Vidus imprisoned. The assembled kings then forced him to sign a contract of abdication, effectively ending the monarchy. Shortly thereafter they signed a document declaring independence from Aigados and establishing themselves as independent realms. A new petty king was appointed by the council to rule Whitegate and they returned to their lands. Aigados did not accept this secession though and two years later declared war on the independent realms. The city of Whitegate was captured and it’s king deposed and replaced with an elvish governor. The next forty years were a series of small but bloody wars as the realms were conquered by the larger forces of Aigados. However even after the cities and castles had been mostly captured an insurgency continued for sometime until 1321 when Pope Olris came to the country to speak to the rebels. He gave a great speech condemning the bloodshed they had brought to their land and the pain they had caused. Shamed to peace, the rebel kings laid down their arms and accepted the rulership of Aigados. This time there was no High King elected. Instead each petty king accepted rulership directly by the state of Aigados with the regional governor to collect taxes from them. To this day there still is no high king in Vikash and the petty kings pay the state directly. However the rulership of Aigados has relaxed significantly in the past 70 years, Vikash has nominal autonomy, setting it’s own internal taxes, gathering it’s own trade tariffs and setting it’s own laws. The land has known mostly peace now for the better part of a century, only fighting skirmishes with raiders and monsters.

Climate

There are three primary climate regions of Vikash, highlands, foothills and the steppe. All of these regions share some similarities, summers are long, hot, and dry, little rainfall reaches this part of the mountains, most of their natural water supply comes from lakes and rivers that run out of the mountains. In lower regions during the summer it can hit highs of 90-100 degrees though the winds that blow off the plains give a certain amount of reprieve from the heat.

During the winters the temperature drops harshly into freezing, most of the passes become blocked by large snowdrifts, only Whitegate continues to be open though blizzards have been known to even block this. Lows of -10 degrees are found here.

Spring is pleasant but crisp, and brings with it the return of the rivers, Fall is brief and dry as rivers dry up as their headwaters begin to freeze, the lakes begin to deplete as well.

Culture

The people of Vikash are almost entirely human, since the recent war with Aigados a larger population of city elves have moved in and there has been a boom in half-elves. Hill dwarves can also be found residing in well hidden villages cut into the lower peaks of the mountains and in the hills though these pay no allegiance to either the petty kings nor Aigados. The primary religion is Thalyinism, almost every community has at least a small chapel and wandering clerics maintain holy sites throughout the region. Artwork is mostly utilitarian, carefully decorated but functional items such as rugs, pottery, blankets, weapons, and tools. However the architecture of the region is remarkable, with high ceilings and sharply angled stone roofs their buildings have a unique style and are designed well for protecting against the threat of red and blue dragons, which is very real in this region.

The people of Vikash are of northern Nashteen origin but interbreeding with other ethnic groups and dwarves has changed their complexion significantly. They still retain the kinky hair of their forebears but it can now be found in shades of red, blonde, light brown and the traditional black. Their skin is ruddy tan with a fair amount of blush in the cheeks, and they do not generally freckle very much. Vikashi are generally long limbed with barrel chests that give them a lanky look, their brows are often jutting and the men grow thick facial hair. Traditionally this is trimmed into a mustache with no beard, the ends of the mustache are then allowed to grow until they have two long tails on either side of their mouth which are decorated with gold, bone, or brass rings. These mustaches symbolize wisdom in their culture and warriors will rarely follow men who do not have mustaches. Among women a similar practice exists in which the women of Vikash will bind their hair into dreadlocks which are also decorated with rings or sometimes small metal caps at the bottom of the strand. The number of separate strands of dreadlocked hair similarly represent wisdom and the strands will be carefully maintained.

A community in Vikash is generally made up of a small keep with a curtain wall at the top of the nearest hill, this will usually also hold a chapel as well as any smithies or other crafts-buildings the community may have, surrounding this will be a ring of residences whose main floor is set slightly into the ground to provide better insulation. Larger communities may have a second curtain wall around this. Past the buildings will lie fields where farmers grow mostly wheat, barley and other hardy food-crops. Traveling shepherds will drive their flocks from town to town, selling milk and wool to communities and several orders of paladins and rangers have been set up to patrol the countryside for any threats or hostile creatures.

There is little sport in Vikash but small tournaments are held during religious festivals where knights and peasants alike will participate in archery competitions, melees, and jousts. Horse races between villages are also sometimes held and horses are a symbol of pride amongst the people of Vikash.

The warrior class of the country is a mixture of heavy infantry and light horse, rangers and paladins make up the majority of the ruling elite and and men-at arms are kept on hand at all times in case of trouble. In particular orders of warriors called Shield Bears are a common sight as the personal guard of petty kings. These warriors train first in the use of tower shields, becoming powerful warriors with large spiked shields which they use to push back enemy forces and drive them from strong positions.

#pathfinder #d&d #beleren

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royalnovels-blog · 7 years ago

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EET Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Return to the Paternal Home “Old Taitai, there is no need to be so courteous.” Xian Junwang reached out a hand to falsely hold her up, refused Yi’an Marquis’ request to sit at the front, and made a bow of a junior towards Yi’an Marquis and Lu shi. Then he sat down on the first chair on the left. Lu shi’s attention had turned to her daughter early on, and she saw that her complexion was good and all her jewelry was items that the junwang fu had prepared for her. She knew that Xian Junwang was taking great care of her, and it eased some of her worry. Hua Xi Wan bowed towards the elders in the family, and the elders made a half-bow back. Looking at her parents half-bowing back to her, she felt extremely uncomfortable. She went forward to grip Lu shi’s hand and suppressed the soreness she felt in her nose. “Father, Mother, what are you doing?” As her mother, Lu shi could not bear for Hua Xi Wan to be unhappy, and stood up with Hua Xi Wan’s grip. She pulled Hua Xi Wan to sit next to her and turned to see that Xian Junwang was talking with her husband. She smiled and said, “You men talk, and us women will not crowd with you. We’ll go chat inside.” Yan Jin Qiu turned and saw Lu shi and Hua Xi Wan’s hands together. He naturally would not object. Yi’an Marquis knew his wife missed his daughter greatly and that mother and daughter would have private things to say, so he allowed them to go. After the old taitai and the women all went inside the compound, Yi’an Marquis said with a smile, “This lowly official has heard that Xian Junwang is skilled in poetry, and is very interested as well. Junwang, please guide this lowly official.” “Mount Tai is too serious; this son-in-law just knows a sparse amount,” Yan Jin Qiu said humbly. “If Mount Tai does not look down, this son-in-law is willing to admire poetry with you.” “Junwang Ye should not be modest.” Yi’an Marquis’ smile did not change. He stood up and said, “Why don’t we go to the study and talk.” “Mount Tai, please.” Even though he could not see anything from Yi’an Marquis’ face, Yan Jin Qiu found that this Yi’an Marquis was more cunning than the rumors said, and much calmer. As Lu shi and Hua Xi Wan entered the inner compound, Lu shi impatiently asked, “Xi Wan, how is Xian Junwang—is he good to you?” 通房 tongfang: literally “passing through the room”; the lowest rank in concubine. Usually of low birth, likely former servants. Looking at her mother’s restless state, Hua Xi Wan reached to push her mother’s hairpin back into her hair and supported her to sit down. “The junwang fu has very good protocol. Junwang does not have any tongfang or shiqie and is very considerate towards me. Mother, do not worry too much for me. The season is shifting from spring to summer, and the weather changes quickly. You and Father need to pay more attention to your health.” 侍妾 shiqie: concubines lower in rank than ceshi (i.e. “secondary wife”), but higher than tongfang “There are so many servants in the fu, I won’t freeze or starve.” Lu shicarelessly waved a hand. When she heard that the junwang fu did not have any tongfang or shiqie, her mood had improved. She turned back and saw the old taitai and her second sister-in-law, Zhang shi, and third sister-in-law, Yao shi. She said in a low tone by Hua Xi Wan’s ear, “Some matter has occurred to your second aunt’s family. Do not talk too much to her later.” Today was a good day, the day her daughter returned to visit. She didn’t want to ruin the mood. They could call her selfish or void of fraternal feeling, but in her heart, her sons and daughter were always in first place. Moreover, while her family was close to Second Uncle’s family, it did not mean that she had to treat her second sister-in-law well. These years, her sister-in-law had relied on the fact that she came from a famed family, the Zhang Clan, and postured before the Hua Family. Even though it had not occurred directly in front of her, she knew that there was talking going on behind her. Each family had their own troubles. Hua Xi Wan nodded and did not ask. When the old taitai and the others came in, she sipped tea from a teacup. The old taitai and the others saw Hua Xi Wan in grand clothing, and all of them felt something different. The old taitai was sincerely happy for Hua Xi Wan. Looking at Xian Junwang’s attitude, it seemed that he felt something towards Third Girl. Yao shi was slightly jealous, but due to Hua Xi Wan’s present status, she went forward and said a few complimentary words. Seeing Hua Xi Wan remain mostly stoic, she did not feel awkward. All of the Hua Fu knew that the third miss of the Hua Fu was not a talkative person. “Second Aunt, what is this?” If Yao shi felt envious and jealous towards Lu shi, then she only felt dislike towards Zhang shi. She saw that Zhang shi’s complexion had not been good these past days and was happy to laugh at the other woman. “Are you not in a good mood?” Not having a good mood on the day that the junwang fei was visiting her paternal home, wasn’t that shade against Junwang Fei? Zhang shi was not stupid and naturally understood what Yao shi was implying. She forced out a small smile and said, “Many thanks to Third Sister-in-law for the concern. Just slight discomfort of the body, nothing major.” Yao shi chuckled and swept Zhang shi with a strange glance before turning away. As though she did not detect Yao shi’s gaze on her, Zhang shi smiled at Hua Xi Wan and said, “Junwang Fei’s red dress is very beautiful. From this embroidery, it looks as though it is from the palace? Look, the cranes on the dress seem alive.” “Really?” Hua Xi Wan lowered her head to look at the patterns on the dress. She said faintly, “Second Aunt really is knowledgeable. I just saw it was pretty to look at. I didn’t know there was so much involved.” Zhang shi’s smile became even warmer. “You are young and won’t be interested in these things. It is normal to not know.” She usually did not like to flatter the members of the Hua Family, but her Zhang Family now had a matter. If Xian Junwang was willing to help, there would be more hope. But after Zhang shi finished speaking, Hua Xi Wan only smiled but did not continue to speak. She was blind to Zhang shi’s entreaty. When Yao shi saw this, she disdainfully curled her lips. She had thought the other was a very noble person, but when something happened, her spine bent faster than anyone else. The old taitai and Lu shi did not seem to see this and started to chat about the women of Jing. As to whether they were just accidentally mentioning people or intentionally telling Hua Xi Wan some things, it depended on the person’s perspective. When it was noon and time to eat, the group came back to the meal hall at the front of the compound. At this time, Hua Xi Wan’s two brothers as well as Second Master Hua and Third Master Hua were present. After everyone politely exchanged bows, Yan Jin Qiu sat down on the second seat. The one sitting at the front was the old taitai. The old taitai did not have any habit of having her daughter-in-laws serve her at the meal, so the entire family sat and washed their hands at the table as they waited for the dishes to be brought to the table. The marquis fu was not as ceremonial as the junwang fu, but they did not lack the necessary motions and protocol. Hua Xi Wan used the public chopsticks to place some of the vegetables that Lu shi liked into her bowl. Seeing Lu shi eat all of it, Hua Xi Wan’s heart felt sweet and sour, and unspeakably uncomfortable. From the moment she left the doors of the marquis fu in her wedding robes, she was fated to be unable to stay beside her parents and care for them. Yet her parents would think of her every day. She really did not feel good. When they finished eating and returned to the inner compound, the other two misses of Hua Fu appeared. Eldest Miss Hua Yi Liu was the eldest daughter of Second Master Hua, and had become engaged to Zhou Yun Heng, the son of Assistant Minister Zhou, when she turned fifteen. However, the old Zhou Furen had passed away, and Zhou Yun Heng needed to mourn for three years. He would only come out of mourning next month, so the wedding had been dragged on. Second Miss Hua Chu Yu was the di daughter of Third Master Hua. She was outstanding in appearance and talented, and a girl that was extremely considerate and understanding. Hua Xi Wan had an average opinion of her parents but she admired Hua Chu Yu. However, her mother didn’t think the same. It was probably because in a winter a few years ago, Hua Chu Yu had fallen into the water, and Hua Xi Wan also fell in when she tried to save Hua Chu Yu, and ended up having a great illness. Hua Yi Liu and Hua Chu Yu did not see Xian Junwang in the morning because they were unmarried. Now that the two saw Hua Xi Wan dressed up in her clothing, they came over with smiles. “Meimei, is everyone all right?” Hua Yi Liu examined Hua Xi Wan and then said with a smile, “It seems that you are living well in the junwang fu.” She had heard the news that Xian Junwang had accompanied Third Sister on her visit back. She had felt that her servant girl was exaggerating, but seeing what Hua Xi Wan was wearing now, she felt that the rumors were true and did not measure up to the full truth. When Hua Yi Liu clasped Hua Xi Wan’s hand, Hua Chu Yu moved a few steps to the side. She listened to Hua Yi Liu’s straightforward yet respectful words and turned back to look at her mother Yao shi. The other was fawning over the old taitai, so she only smiled at Hua Xi Wan and stood silently behind Yao shi. Hua Xi Wan returned a smile to Hua Chu Yu and responded absentmindedly to Hua Yi Liu. Then she sat on the chair silently. Usually at this time of the day, she would be having her noon nap. Mount Tai is another term that means father-in-law, the same as yue fu (岳父) which is “highest mountain father.” In the Tang Dynasty when Emperor Xuanzong was having his coronation, he had the Prime Minister act as the one in charge of the ceremony. The coronation ceremony was traditionally held at Mount Tai. According to tradition, other than the three dukes, everyone else at the coronation would be promoted three grades. However, the Prime Minister’s son-in-law was promoted four grades, from ninth to fifth grade. When the Emperor saw him at the banquet, he asked the son-in-law how he was promoted so quickly. One of the palace actors was quick to respond when the son-in-law couldn’t and said this was the power of Mount Tai. Rather than Mount Tai’s ceremony being the cause of the son-in-law’s promotion, it was “Mount Tai” his father-in-law, the Prime Minister. Previous Main menu Next Click to Post

#Ancient time #Arranged Marriage #Beautiful Female Lead #Calm Protagonist #Clever Protagonist #Devoted Love Interests #Doting Love Interests #Female Protagonist #Handsome Male Lead #Male Lead Falls in Love First #Marriage #Politics #Royalty #Scheming #Smart Couple #Time Travel #Transmigration

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othersportsnews-blog · 7 years ago

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NHL - Fantasy hockey - Top 250 rankings after free agency, expansion and the draft

New Post has been published on https://othersportsnews.com/nhl-fantasy-hockey-top-250-rankings-after-free-agency-expansion-and-the-draft/

NHL - Fantasy hockey - Top 250 rankings after free agency, expansion and the draft

There are a few chips left to fall, but not many. Following an exciting NHL offseason that included an expansion draft to go along with the usual bevy of additions via free agency, trading and the entry draft, the roster picture for NHL teams has been mostly settled.

There are still a few free agents lingering that could have some impact, but nothing earth shattering. Jaromir Jagr, Thomas Vanek, Andrei Markov and — in the right situation — the likes of Jarome Iginla or Jiri Hudler could find their way into a fantasy-friendly role. But those changes will be easy enough to track as we go forward.

The point is that we have enough information now to clear the books and re-rank our fantasy assets heading into the season.

Rather than go through the risers and fallers specifically, we are going to take some extra time to track the new faces that are among the top 250 (or could be there before the season starts), as well as touch on some players who switched jerseys. We’ll also look at the goaltender carousel which took a few more turns than we get in most offseasons.

Introductions

Vadim Shipachyov, F, Vegas Golden Knights (enters ranks at No. 150): A shiny new addition for the Golden Knights, Shipachyov played for the powerhouse KHL squad SKA St. Petersburg for the past four seasons. This past season, he mostly played on a line away from Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk, yet finished with 76 points. That was good for third in the league, just two points behind Kovalchuk (and in 10 fewer games). He can produce points, and will undoubtedly be given the role of No. 1 center out of the gate. Now 30 years old, Shipachyov is no rookie and has never played in the NHL before. His 26 goals and 50 assists in just 50 KHL games last season won’t translate directly, of course, but he has the profile of a 20-goal, 40-assist pivot in the NHL, with plenty of growing room.

Following the Vegas Golden Knights’ expansion draft selections, we project how the team should finish in 2017-18; why they missed an opportunity to build a much better blue line; and why they have a shot at the playoffs next spring.

With his new eight-year, $100 million contract that kicks in after the 2017-18 season, Connor McDavid is the highest-paid player in the NHL. How long will he hold that title? Here are the candidates to take the throne.

With the 2017 NHL draft in the books, Corey Pronman grades all 31 teams on their hauls. The Vegas Golden Knights hit the jackpot, adding four high-end prospects, but which other teams did well?

2 Related

Evgeny Dadonov, F, Florida Panthers (enters ranks at No. 169): A linemate of Shipachyov’s last season, Dadonov had 30 goals and 36 helpers in 53 games to finish fourth in KHL scoring. He’s also crossing the pond, but to rejoin his original NHL franchise in south Florida. Dadonov had 20 points in 55 games total during three NHL seasons before bolting for Russia in 2012. He’s smaller and speedy, and profiles to basically replace the role played by Jonathan Marchessault last season on the top line and top power-play unit. Marchessault had a great season playing with Aleksander Barkov and Jaromir Jagr, but still only finished 165th on the ESPN fantasy hockey Player Rater. Dadonov will have to show that his skills translate to the NHL to push higher. While Artemi Panarin is a great story of a KHL import finding his game immediately, there are cases such as Roman Cervenka, Jiri Sekac and Sergei Plotnikov that didn’t pan out well in recent seasons.

Nico Hischier, F, New Jersey Devils (enters ranks at No. 174): With nothing left to prove in junior, Hischier is a near lock to start in the NHL just as previous first overall picks Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. Oops … I shouldn’t have mentioned those names. Hischier is nowhere near the generational talent of Matthews or McDavid, and nothing of that sort should be expected from him. That said, he’s a talented two-way player with plenty of offense and acumen on the power play. The Devils could use him as their No. 1 center over Adam Henrique and Travis Zajac, and it’s unlikely anyone would bat an eye. He could also just as easily marinate on the Devils’ third line, however. There is some upside here, but not nearly as much as we’ve had from past couple rookie crops. He should be on a fantasy team, but as a late-stage, hopeful pick.

Nolan Patrick, F, Philadelphia Flyers (enters ranks at No. 183): He missed a ton of last season due to injuries, but was still a solid choice by the Flyers with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. He’s a surefire top-six forward, likely beginning this season. That said, he still sits behind Claude Giroux at center on the depth chart, so he’ll either have to play on the second line or switch to the wing. The Flyers’ offense is a bit more crowded than the Devils’ though, so Patrick will have to fight for time with the biscuit more than Hischier will. Therefore, he ranks slightly behind his draft counterpart for now.

Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins: (enters ranks at No. 229): A sterling playoff debut has McAvoy penciled in to play a significant role for the Bruins out of the gate this season. Good thing, too, as Zdeno Chara isn’t getting any younger. In fact, McAvoy could immediately replace Chara on the second power-play unit. He has plenty of offense to his game, as evidenced by above-average scoring in college and dominance at the World Juniors.

Dylan Strome, F, Arizona Coyotes (up five spots to No. 232): This isn’t our first introduction to Strome, but the Coyotes can’t keep him out of the NHL this season. After getting a cup of coffee with the Desert Dogs last season, Strome went back to the OHL to prevent his entry-level deal from kicking in. He promptly scored at better than a two-points-per-game pace for the 35 games he played with the Erie Otters in the regular season, had 10 points in seven games at the World Juniors, 34 points in 22 playoff games and 11 points in five games at the Memorial Cup. In other words, he made everyone else in junior hockey look silly. He’ll be a top-six center for the Coyotes and, if his teammates are up to the task this season, the could very well translate into some solid fantasy production.

Familiar faces, new places

How much will Alexander Radulov up his scoring totals if he skates with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin in Dallas this season? Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Artemi Panarin, F, Columbus Blue Jackets (down 12 spots to No. 35): Only six players have more points than Panarin during the past two NHL seasons, his first two seasons in the NHL. But how much of that production has come from his elite-level chemistry on the ice with superstar forward Patrick Kane? There’s no doubt that Panarin brought a ton to the table for the partnership, but there’s no denying Kane’s all-world talent, either. The Blue Jackets’ other top-line winger is slated to be one of Cam Atkinson, Josh Anderson or Nick Foligno. Atkinson had a terrific 2016-17 season, but he’s no Patrick Kane.

Alexander Radulov, F, Dallas Stars (up 15 spots to No. 55): With 54 points in 76 games, Radulov had a good — not great — return to the NHL last season with the Canadiens. Boy, oh, boy did he sign in the right place for this coming season. Radulov is penciled in to fill the revolving door that has been next to Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin on the Stars’ top line for the past couple seasons. This is an exciting combination — especially on the power play — that could drive Radulov up to the 30-goal mark for the first time in the NHL.

Kevin Shattenkirk, D, New York Rangers (down four spots to No. 65): When you’re a bona fide superstar NHL defenseman, there isn’t much wiggle room to find a huge increase in value just by changing jerseys. Shattenkirk’s job won’t change much now that he’s with the Rangers. The overall talent in front of him may be just a hair less than what he had in St. Louis with Vladimir Tarasenko leading the charge, but the Rangers have plenty of offense, too. Still in his prime years at 28, Shattenkirk has the potential to be a No. 1 fantasy defenseman that gets looked at more like a No. 2 during drafts.

Jordan Eberle, F, New York Islanders (up 69 spots to No. 84): From a position where he would likely be lingering down the depth charts on a talent-packed Oilers roster, Eberle lands in a position where he could see the ice whenever John Tavares does. That’s a very good thing. Still only 27 years old and with plenty of offensive prowess on his résumé, Eberle could be the scoring linemate Tavares lacked last season.

Patrick Marleau, F, San Jose Sharks (up 78 spots to No. 92): Very probably slated for work on the top line with Auston Matthews (who should be getting more ice time and responsibilities), Marleau could be in for a renaissance season at the age of 38 (in September). While his assists have been down with the Sharks in recent seasons, Marleau has 52 total goals during the past two campaigns. Playing with a talent like Matthews — or, for that matter, any of the Leafs’ other young guns — should have Marleau feeling young again, too.

James Neal, F, Vegas Golden Knights (down four spots to No. 120): Neal was passed by several Predators players for playing time and responsibility last season, ending up with the lowest relatively healthy season totals of his career. But there is no one to compete with him for all the prime ice time with the Golden Knights. Neal is the team’s primary goal scorer, and it’s not really even a competition. Still, until we see something from him and his new teammates, we don’t know if Neal will give us one if his injury-riddled fantasy headache campaigns or one his sniper-based fantasy gold campaigns.

Quick hits: Brayden Schenn moves from one crowded depth chart with the Flyers to another with the St. Louis Blues. It’s the same situation for him, as his value is tied to his role on the depth chart. … Derek Stepan makes a relatively lateral move to the Coyotes. His game isn’t as tied to his linemates as others in the league. He’s a solid, puck-moving center with a nose around the net. Expect his value to stay the same, with the provision that he could be in for a breakout if some of the young Coyotes exceed expectations around him. … Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp give the Chicago Blackhawks two prodigal sons returning to the fold. Do they immediately return to their familiar lofty status among the top six? Or have contributions from Nick Schmaltz and Richard Panik given coach Joel Quenneville the confidence to spread out his attack? … Jonathan Drouin still has a lot to prove in the NHL, but his attitude should improve now that he’s in Montreal. He had a solid campaign with Steven Stamkos out last season, but don’t forget his demotions and suspensions for not reporting to the AHL the season prior. We’ve seen flashes of his potential, including the 2016 postseason when he had 14 points in 17 games, but we’ve seen a lot of inconsistency, too. He’s still only 22, so the change in jerseys could be what helps him break out.

Goaltender carousel

Marc-Andre Fleury should have a pretty stingy defense playing in front of him this season, but the Golden Knights may not feature very much offensive pop. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars (up 74 spots to No. 67): The Stars have made some major improvements, not the least of which is adding stalwart defender Marc Methot on the blue line. Bishop brings a lot more poise and consistency to the table than Kari Lehtonen or Antti Niemi ever did. This combination should bring Bishop back to elite status among fantasy goaltenders.

Brian Elliott, Philadelphia Flyers (down 16 spots to No. 116): Elliott hit his stride late in the season for the Flames, but it wasn’t enough to wash away the sour taste of his first half. He’ll get a chance to hit the reset button as the No. 1 in Philadelphia. The Flyers have a lot to offer in the way of protection and two-way play, but they have a young defensive group and some inexperienced forwards peppered in the ranks. This could go extremely well or extremely poorly for Elliott. But, fantasy owners are more than prepared for the wild swings Elliott will offer.

Mike Smith, Calgary Flames (up 88 spots to No. 137): Clearing their crease from any memories of last season, the Flames have passed their goaltending reins to Smith. He’s put up some very solid numbers (considering his situation) for the past few seasons with the Coyotes. Calgary boasts one of the best one through six defensive ranks in the NHL, so this is an intriguing combination for fantasy owners. Smith should definitely be drafted as a No. 2 goaltender.

Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights (down four spots to No. 166): While he escapes from the shadow of Matt Murray to be an unquestioned No. 1 goalie again, the Golden Knights don’t exactly look like contenders on paper. Fleury can win games by himself, and this team will likely trend toward tight defense with a lack of pop up front, but how many games can we expect him to win?

Antti Raanta, Arizona Coyotes (up 32 spots to No. 176): While the Coyotes are probably still a year away from offering a chance at 40 wins for a goaltender, they could surprise if all the prospects click. Raanta looked the part of a future starter while filling in for a spiraling Henrik Lundqvist last season. There is a lot of upside here.

Scott Darling, Carolina Hurricanes (up 53 spots to No. 187): Similar to Raanta, Darling gets his first crack at a starting gig with a rising young team. That said, the Canes don’t look ready to be a top contender (on paper) and Cam Ward is still waiting in the wings. Darling is better served on your team as a No. 3 goaltender that can either patch holes or be trade bait if he exceeds expectations.

Quick hits: Steve Mason will test Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck more than his predecessors did. In fact, he could test him so much that he wins the No. 1 goaltending job. This is looking like a potential timeshare fantasy nightmare. … Jonathan Bernier showed he still has the potential skills of a No. 1 NHL goaltender while filling in for John Gibson late last season. If Semyon Varlamov looks anything like Varlamov from 2016-17, Bernier will get another chance pretty quickly. Unfortunately, he could find defending twine for the Avs is a lot different than the Ducks. … Ryan Miller takes Bernier’s role behind Gibson in Anaheim. While Miller’s birthday cakes are getting pretty crowded with candles, Anaheim is a lot safer place to play net than Vancouver, and Miller could shine if he’s called upon for any reason. … The same could be said for both Antti Niemi and Ondrej Pavelec, who join the Penguins and Rangers, respectively. Niemi was in goaltending hell with Dallas, while Pavelec was in purgatory with the Jets. Backing up Murray and Lundqvist could be comfortable for both veterans. We may end up seeing them more than expected, too, as Murray has a checkered injury history and Lundqvist has been declining for two consecutive seasons.

Top 250 rankings

Here’s my midsummer update of the top 250, including where each player ranks at his position. The “last week” column has been replaced by a reference to where each player was ranked in my update posted after the regular season.

Note: Sean Allen’s top 250 players are ranked for their expected performance in ESPN standard leagues. ESPN standard stats include goals, assists, power-play points, shots on goal, plus/minus, penalty minutes and average time on ice for skaters, and wins, goals-against average and save percentage for goalies.

Top 250 Fantasy Hockey Rankings For 2017-18 Rank/Player/Position/Team PosRank April 2017 1. Connor McDavid, C, Edm C1 1 2. Sidney Crosby, C, Pit C2 2 3. Patrick Kane, RW, Chi RW1 3 4. Erik Karlsson, D, Ott D1 8 5. Braden Holtby, G, Was G1 7 6. Brent Burns, D, SJ D2 4 7. Jamie Benn, LW, Dal LW1 11 8. Steven Stamkos, C, TB C3 9 9. Tyler Seguin, C, Dal C4 19 10. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Cls G2 14 11. Nikita Kucherov, RW, TB RW2 17 12. Carey Price, G, Mon G3 5 13. Alex Ovechkin, RW, Was RW3 6 14. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, StL RW4 15 15. Mark Scheifele, C, Wpg C5 21 16. Auston Matthews, C, Tor C6 26 17. Dustin Byfuglien, D, Wpg D3 13 18. Nicklas Backstrom, C, Was C7 16 19. Victor Hedman, D, TB D4 28 20. Devan Dubnyk, G, Min G4 18 21. Evgeni Malkin, C, Pit C8 10 22. Blake Wheeler, RW, Wpg RW5 20 23. Jack Eichel, C, Buf C9 29 24. John Tavares, C, NYI C10 22 25. Brad Marchand, LW, Bos LW2 24 26. John Gibson, G, Ana G5 25 27. David Pastrnak, LW, Bos LW3 47 28. Matt Murray, G, Pit G6 81 29. Joe Pavelski, C, SJ C11 12 30. Leon Draisaitl, C, Edm C12 43 31. Mike Hoffman, LW, Ott LW4 42 32. Tuukka Rask, G, Bos G7 32 33. Cam Talbot, G, Edm G8 33 34. Phil Kessel, RW, Pit RW6 34 35. Artemi Panarin, LW, Cls LW5 23 36. Mikael Granlund, C, Min C13 56 37. Max Pacioretty, LW, Mon LW6 41 38. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, Cgy LW7 37 39. Wayne Simmonds, LW, Phi LW8 38 40. P.K. Subban, D, Nsh D5 71 41. Patrice Bergeron, C, Bos C14 40 42. Shea Weber, D, Mon D6 30 43. Ryan Kesler, C, Ana C15 44 44. Ryan Johansen, C, Nsh C16 46 45. Dougie Hamilton, D, Cgy D7 64 46. Claude Giroux, C, Phi C17 31 47. Jake Allen, G, StL G9 39 48. Patrik Laine, RW, Wpg RW7 58 49. Roman Josi, D, Nsh D8 49 50. Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, Was C18 59 51. Ryan Suter, D, Min D9 35 52. Cam Atkinson, RW, Cls RW8 55 53. Drew Doughty, D, LA D10 45 54. Martin Jones, G, SJ G10 50 55. Alexander Radulov, RW, Dal RW9 70 56. Mark Giordano, D, Cgy D11 51 57. Duncan Keith, D, Chi D12 52 58. Jonathan Toews, C, Chi C19 53 59. Jeff Carter, RW, LA RW10 54 60. Corey Perry, RW, Ana RW11 27 61. Ryan Getzlaf, C, Ana C20 36 62. Corey Crawford, G, Chi G11 48 63. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, Ari D13 77 64. Nazem Kadri, C, Tor C21 65 65. Kevin Shattenkirk, D, NYR D14 61 66. Taylor Hall, LW, NJ LW9 62 67. Ben Bishop, G, Dal G12 141 68. Kris Letang, D, Pit D15 63 69. Aleksander Barkov, C, Fla C22 83 70. William Nylander, LW, Tor LW10 73 71. Jonathan Quick, G, LA G13 68 72. Logan Couture, C, SJ C23 69 73. Filip Forsberg, C, Nsh C24 72 74. Mark Stone, RW, Ott RW12 74 75. Anze Kopitar, C, LA C25 67 76. Jeff Skinner, LW, Car LW11 75 77. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TB G14 87 78. Derek Stepan, C, Ari C26 79 79. Rasmus Ristolainen, D, Buf D16 82 80. Zach Werenski, D, Cls D17 89 81. Pekka Rinne, G, Nsh G15 60 82. Milan Lucic, LW, Edm LW12 66 83. Jakub Voracek, RW, Phi RW13 80 84. Jordan Eberle, RW, NYI RW14 153 85. Viktor Arvidsson, RW, Nsh RW15 111 86. John Klingberg, D, Dal D18 78 87. Brayden Schenn, C, StL C27 85 88. Craig Anderson, G, Ott G16 57 89. Chris Kreider, LW, NYR LW13 88 90. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Fla LW14 90 91. Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Wpg LW15 110 92. Patrick Marleau, LW, Tor LW16 170 93. James van Riemsdyk, LW, Tor LW17 91 94. Torey Krug, D, Bos D19 92 95. Eric Staal, C, Min C28 93 96. Mikko Koivu, C, Min C29 94 97. Kyle Okposo, RW, Buf RW16 95 98. Alex Pietrangelo, D, StL D20 107 99. Kyle Turris, C, Ott C30 96 100. Ryan Ellis, D, Nsh D21 134 101. Patric Hornqvist, RW, Pit RW17 97 102. John Carlson, D, Was D22 98 103. T.J. Oshie, RW, Was RW18 84 104. Brandon Saad, LW, Chi LW18 112 105. Sean Monahan, C, Cgy C31 76 106. Jaden Schwartz, LW, StL LW19 86 107. Mitch Marner, C, Tor C32 123 108. Mats Zuccarello, RW, NYR RW19 101 109. Kyle Palmieri, RW, NJ RW20 102 110. Ryan O’Reilly, RW, Buf RW21 103 111. Nino Niederreiter, RW, Min RW22 105 112. Henrik Zetterberg, C, Det C33 106 113. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Col C34 109 114. Alexander Steen, LW, StL LW20 99 115. Jonathan Drouin, RW, Mon RW23 117 116. Brian Elliott, G, Phi G17 100 117. Ondrej Palat, LW, TB LW21 114 118. Evander Kane, LW, Buf LW22 115 119. Rickard Rakell, RW, Ana RW24 135 120. James Neal, LW, Vgs LW23 116 121. Sebastian Aho, RW, Car RW25 118 122. Tyler Toffoli, RW, LA RW26 120 123. Alexander Wennberg, C, Cls C35 121 124. Anders Lee, LW, NYI LW24 122 125. Cory Schneider, G, NJ G18 124 126. Justin Schultz, D, Pit D23 161 127. Ryan McDonagh, D, NYR D24 104 128. Tyler Johnson, C, TB C36 125 129. Charlie Coyle, LW, Min LW25 126 130. Mikael Backlund, C, Cgy C37 164 131. Keith Yandle, D, Fla D25 108 132. Patrick Maroon, LW, Edm LW26 176 133. Vincent Trocheck, C, Fla C38 113 134. Nick Foligno, LW, Cls LW27 130 135. Frederik Andersen, G, Tor G19 154 136. Cam Fowler, D, Ana D26 146 137. Mike Smith, G, Cgy G20 225 138. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Phi D27 132 139. Conor Sheary, LW, Pit LW28 152 140. Robin Lehner, G, Buf G21 168 141. Jakob Silfverberg, RW, Ana RW27 148 142. Henrik Lundqvist, G, NYR G22 137 143. Matt Dumba, D, Min D28 173 144. Jared Spurgeon, D, Min D29 139 145. Jason Spezza, C, Dal C39 140 146. Alex Galchenyuk, LW, Mon LW29 142 147. Colton Parayko, D, StL D30 158 148. Aaron Ekblad, D, Fla D31 156 149. Justin Faulk, D, Car D32 144 150. Vadim Shipachyov, C, Vgs C40 N/R 151. Dion Phaneuf, D, Ott D33 145 152. Seth Jones, D, Cls D34 165 153. Zach Parise, LW, Min LW30 127 154. Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Cgy LW31 147 155. Joe Thornton, C, SJ C41 128 156. Jacob Trouba, D, Wpg D35 232 157. Max Domi, C, Ari C42 151 158. Jake Gardiner, D, Tor D36 171 159. Brent Seabrook, D, Chi D37 133 160. Roberto Luongo, G, Fla G23 138 161. Justin Williams, RW, Car RW28 155 162. Daniel Sedin, LW, Van LW32 150 163. David Backes, C, Bos C43 119 164. Rick Nash, LW, NYR LW33 136 165. Brendan Gallagher, RW, Mon RW29 160 166. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Vgs G24 162 167. Sami Vatanen, D, Ana D38 163 168. Derick Brassard, C, Ott C44 129 169. Evgeny Dadonov, RW, Fla RW30 N/R 170. Matt Duchene, C, Col C45 166 171. Jaromir Jagr, RW, FA RW31 149 172. Zdeno Chara, D, Bos D39 157 173. Oscar Klefbom, D, Edm D40 167 174. Nico Hischier, C, NJ C46 N/R 175. Shea Theodore, D, Vgs D41 N/R 176. Antti Raanta, G, Ari G25 208 177. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Edm C47 169 178. Jake Guentzel, LW, Pit LW34 209 179. Patrick Eaves, RW, Ana RW32 172 180. David Krejci, C, Bos C48 131 181. Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Col LW35 174 182. Bryan Little, C, Wpg C49 175 183. Nolan Patrick, C, Phi C50 N/R 184. Marcus Johansson, LW, NJ LW36 143 185. Boone Jenner, RW, Cls RW33 177 186. Sam Gagner, C, Van C51 178 187. Scott Darling, G, Car G26 240 188. Josh Ho-Sang, RW, NYI RW34 179 189. Jason Zucker, LW, Min LW37 216 190. Bo Horvat, C, Van C52 181 191. Paul Stastny, C, StL C53 183 192. David Perron, LW, Vgs LW38 186 193. Matt Niskanen, D, Was D42 187 194. Sam Reinhart, C, Buf C54 188 195. Andrei Markov, D, FA D43 159 196. Artem Anisimov, C, Chi C55 191 197. J.T. Miller, LW, NYR LW39 192 198. Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Edm RW35 193 199. Jake Muzzin, D, LA D44 194 200. Teuvo Teravainen, LW, Car LW40 195 201. Tyson Barrie, D, Col D45 196 202. Steve Mason, G, Wpg G27 197 203. Tomas Tatar, LW, Det LW41 198 204. Hampus Lindholm, D, Ana D46 199 205. Martin Hanzal, C, Dal C56 219 206. Gustav Nyquist, RW, Det RW36 201 207. Jonathan Marchessault, C, Vgs C57 202 208. Robby Fabbri, C, StL C58 203 209. Petr Mrazek, G, Det G28 204 210. Mika Zibanejad, RW, NYR RW37 184 211. Tyler Bozak, C, Tor C59 205 212. Jimmy Howard, G, Det G29 206 213. Jaccob Slavin, D, Car D47 207 214. Mike Condon, G, Ott G30 210 215. Brandon Dubinsky, C, Cls C60 N/R 216. Anthony Mantha, RW, Det RW38 213 217. Jonathan Bernier, G, Col G31 214 218. Brady Skjei, D, NYR D48 215 219. Jakob Chychrun, D, Ari D49 221 220. Patrick Sharp, LW, Chi LW42 N/R 221. Cam Ward, G, Car G32 222 222. Josh Bailey, RW, NYI RW39 224 223. Ryan Strome, C, Edm C61 N/R 224. Michael Cammalleri, LW, LA LW43 N/R 225. Tanner Pearson, LW, LA LW44 226 226. Clayton Keller, C, Ari C62 227 227. Jordan Staal, C, Car C63 228 228. Brayden Point, RW, TB RW40 229 229. Charlie McAvoy, D, Bos D50 N/R 230. Dylan Larkin, C, Det C64 236 231. James Reimer, G, Fla G33 N/R 232. Dylan Strome, C, Ari C65 237 233. Adam Henrique, C, NJ C66 180 234. Sean Couturier, C, Phi C67 241 235. Ivan Provorov, D, Phi D51 N/R 236. Henrik Sedin, C, Van C68 242 237. Connor Hellebuyck, G, Wpg G34 244 238. Kyle Connor, LW, Wpg LW45 211 239. Sam Bennett, C, Cgy C69 245 240. Semyon Varlamov, G, Col G35 246 241. Jacob Markstrom, G, Van G36 N/R 242. Tyson Jost, C, Col C70 248 243. Tomas Hertl, LW, SJ LW46 217 244. Jussi Jokinen, LW, Edm LW47 N/R 245. Michael Frolik, RW, Cgy RW41 N/R 246. Dmitry Orlov, D, Was D52 N/R 247. Mikkel Boedker, LW, SJ LW48 N/R 248. Anton Forsberg, G, Chi G37 N/R 249. Antoine Roussel, LW, Dal LW49 N/R 250. Noah Hanifin, D, Car D53 N/R

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spintrebuchet-blog · 8 years ago

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The Djokovic Paradox: Reigniting a burnt out comet and the super Serb’s new nemesis

Legionnaires and Centurions! Gather around! The Finals of the Rome Masters we just finished and now we have arrived at the French Open. The Clay Slam.

Back in Rome, Zverev faced off against Djokovic...and won. I’ll let that sink in for a moment. The master of masters 1000′s was beaten, in straight sets, by a talented rookie playing his first final at that level? Yup. That actually happened.

“Poor is the pupil who does not surpass the master”

A famous quote attributed to the most storied polymath of all time – Da Vinci. Remember this.

Djokovic hasn’t been playing great this year. Everyone’s been reported on this and unfortunately if you were to google the words, ‘Slump’ and ‘Djokovic’, it would appear a million times (309,000, to be precise).

I’ll confess to you: I’m a Rafa fan and from 2015-2016, my sister (who is probably the biggest Novak fan) tormented me with texts, dripping with sarcasm after every one of Rafa’s seven losses against the mighty Serb.

Flashback

Location: Caja Magica. Also known as the Magic Box.

The sun blazed above the Caja Magica stadium. Clad in my burgundy suit and tie, I was in attendance. My Beretta was holstered, just in case I received the text from the mysterious tennis benefactors (also known as the MTB) to shoot Ille Natase. Far too magnanimous, she was and called off the hit (That was an insiders joke that only tennis junkies would understand). Anyways, no point letting a good ticket go to waste, so my bottom eagerly clung onto the comfortable seating, and I sipped my lemonade.

Nadal, came onto the court first, because he was the lower seed; but most odds makers favored the Spaniard because of his good form. The Spanish crowd cheered him on fervently. I’m not going to make this about the King of Clay. (Don’t complain now. I’m writing a separate piece on him).

There’s something about the sight and feel of red clay that reminds me of the gladiators of the Roman Empire. Sipping my drink, I surveyed both of them. Nadal looked determined to snap his seven match losing streak against the mighty Serb. That fervent obsessiveness was in his eyes and you could see it. (On related news, my tour guide, got me some roasted cod. Quite scrumptious).

Then came Djokovic. The higher seed. There were some cheers for him, but he was hardly the crowd favourite in the strongly partisan crowd. Don’t expect that to faze him. He managed to feed off the hate that spilled from the American crowd when he played against Roger in New York in 2015. But, he wasn’t in that same rhythm anymore. His box lacked his old-time backbone – Marian Vajda. The match ended after two hours. There was no sarcastic text from my sister. Nadal had finally snapped is seven match losing streak against Novak and has galvanized his status as the undisputed favorite for the French Open.

(Head’s up: I’ll be tangoing between the second and third person. I’d like to address Novak directly here).

You have a winning record against Federer and Nadal. (23-22 & 26-24). History can never be erased. Numbers are objective. Muscle memory can kick in anytime. It just takes six matches. Every supernova needs just one spark. All know this. Nadal, of all people, dismissed Spanish reporters of your so-called slump. No one expected the bombastic vintage throwback to 2007. Federer and Nadal are on your tail again. You thrive off rivalries. They’re back. Becker said it himself last year that one of the reasons you cooled during the second half of 2016, was because “your rivals were not there”.

If it weren’t you, Nadal probably would have passed Federer’s Slam total by now. But, you took this game to a new level. Even a diehard Nadal fan would concede that. You’re one of the Big 4! Tennis’s equivalent of the Justice League! (That reminds me, why don’t more tennis players get into movies? Am I the only one who would love to see a buddy cop franchise with any one of the Big 4, alongside Shaq? It’d be ridiculously fun).

And, now let us get to the matter of your new nemesis. It isn’t Federer. You haven’t faced him this year, and he is miles ahead of you in the Barclays Race to London. Nor is it Nadal, who is noisily gunning for the number one ranking again. You faced him this year just once…and lost. But, it’s not him either. You were beaten twice this year…by…Nick. I suppose on court, you could consider him to be a rival. He has beaten you on the tangible tennis court. Nevertheless, tennis is a psychological sport - so it’s not him either. (Has my preamble gone longer than needed? Almost there).

It’s Boris Becker.

Yes. You read correctly. A six time grand slam winner. Former world number one. The Baron Von Slam from Germany. The old mentor. He’s gotten inside your head. With not-so cryptic tweets directed towards to you after your defeats, he really does take extra relish in rubbing salt in your wounds.

The silent message: You were a winner when I coached you; and a loser without me.

(During happier times)

And, the thing is…don’t hate me for it, but I do find all this drama to be…deliciously entertaining.

Becker once famously said, “I am not God. I am far from perfect”. Tennis players, retired and current, tend to be extremely diplomatic in their opinions. Even politicians are rarely as politically correct. Not Becker though. Right from the start of this year, he has dropped such shade on his former protégé, that Regina George would have been impressed.

Becker expected Djokovic to keep him by his side as they chased Federer’s slam total. Becker’s vindictiveness probably was no more reflective when he praised Novak’s dethroner at Indian Wells, Nick, with the following tweet:

“Hope my man, Novak, is watching”.

(In my mind, that’s Becker’s expression through that match in California. I love the fact that Becker has such an appetite for melodrama. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s fond of Shakespeare. He’s openly admitted that he never wants anyone to surpass his prodigal breakthrough at Wimbledon at the age of 17).

I wonder if on some level, Becker wants to motivate him, to use his criticisms to spur him to his old self. Or, maybe, it is coming from his Id and not his SuperEgo. I am reminded by a line by the great Augustus, “I found Rome a city of bricks, and left it a city of marble”.

If you think my theory is too far-fetched, then wait. I have proof. It was reported in numerous sources that Djokovic’s new super coach is going to be Agassi. Becker’s old nemesis. The guy who managed to read his Blitzkrieg serve by the way he would stick his tongue out on each ball serve. Has he found an ally in this psychological war against his former mentor?

You brought Becker to help deal with your tangible nemesis – Nadal. And, this time another super coach. Your silence to Becker’s quotes could be interpreted as magnanimity. But, I’d like to quote one of my favorite video game characters, GlaDOS,

“We have both said a lot of things that you are going to regret”. That’s GlaDOS laying it down to Wheatley in Portal 2, and then proceeds to banish him to the Moon.

The silent message he has sent: ‘Time for an upgrade’. Open Era experts would all concede that Agassi had a better career than Becker, being one of only two individuals with a career golden slam (Nadal, being the other).

Imagine if you made to the finals at Roland Garros. I know, I know. There are many obstacles ahead. Besides, Nadal, there’s Thiem, who is showing good form, plus the likes of Zverev, Wawrinka and Dmitrov. Plus, there’s Krygios. But, a key part of sport psychology is visualization. Just imagine if you were there again. Wouldn’t it be quite satisfying to repeat the Guga heart across the Phillipe Chartier Stadium again?

Becker’s going to be watching.

Surprisingly, Becker sent out a tweet, praising Novak’s move to hire Agassi. A diplomatic touch, perhaps?

There is a Spanish song by the band – Gotan Project – Epoca; this springs to mind, particularly the first verse.

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“Si desapareció

en mi aparecerá

creyeron que murió

pero renacerá

(which translates to)

If he disappeared

I would believe

That he died

but will revive.

There’s more history to be written. There are more memories ahead. Do me a favor and just don’t lose to Krygios because then both me and my sister are going to be bummed out. Nadal’s ranked fourth and he just missed out on being the third seed (to Wawrinka, by a hundred points).

This means the two of you could possibly face each other in the semi-finals. Just like the good old days of 2013, when the two of you dueled in what many regard to be the greatest clay-court match, ever.

The legendary skier - Shane McConkey, once said that “there’s no better feeling than that moment before you take off”. It’s time to hit the ignition again. Slap that crosscourt sliding backhand – a thousand times if you have to. You destroyed Thiem in less than an hour at Rome. Zverev’s serve left you undone in the finals at Rome. But, that’s not a Grand Slam. In a best of five setter, I’d say experience trumps exuberance.

I can understand the hiring of Pepe Imaz, with his quasi mantra of ‘Love & Hugs’. And, Becker’s strict coaching regime reminds me of J.K Simmons from Whiplash. But, we have months of hindsight now and lets admit it together, that Pepe’s nuttier than a squirrel’s snack box. Anyways, good luck with Agassi. Idemo!

#atp #roland garros #djokovic #tennisedit

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homeloanreport · 8 years ago

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Thinking About Locating Aspects For Mortgage Broker Melbourne

The.roker saves the borrower much time during the application process higher or lower than the marketplace, depending on the decision of managers. Mortgage brokers were largely blamed for the mortgage crisis because they originated by law in order to charge a fee to a borrower. Owner-occupier mortgage products, and by extension homework before agreeing to work with a mortgage broker. The fees charged vary, but many consumer groups and advisory services suggest that the fees are justified if the broker can expedite the application process and search a wide range of mortgages in order to find a better deal. 14 Some we are selling your i.e., the lender's products. And despite the ups and downs that come with real estate, they will most likely continue to play an active role has been collusion among some lenders to push mortgage brokers out of the business altogether. For example, fannies Mae may issue a loan approval to a client through its mortgage broker, brokers are charged a “ claw back “ fee by the lenders since the loan is considered “unprofitable”. Pros of working directly with a bank: – Build off existing relationship discounts if you have a checking/saving account – You already know the banker who will handle your mortgage – Perhaps more trustworthy, more accountable than a smaller shop – Lower interest rates in some cases – Ability to add mortgage to existing banking profile and make automatic payments from linked accounts – Do not disclose the yield-spread premium – Lengthy process, very bureaucratic – May overcharge you commission doesn’t need to be disclosed – Incompetence poorly educated about the home loan process in some cases if they’re just general bankers or customer service types Pros of working with a mortgage broker: – They do all the legwork for you, working on your behalf with the lender – They compare wholesale mortgage rates from many banks and lenders nationwide network of lenders, loan offers will come to you instead of the other way around. Additionally,.f your loan is declined consumer credit regulation .

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Within. few hours of Melbourne by car or train you can visit most of this outlying sites of interest like Philip Island and its penguins, summers, mild and sometimes balmy springs and autumns, and cool winters. Whether you are searching for haste couture or vintage clothing, sparkling Majesty's, Princess and the Comedy theatres. The Melbourne tram system is the largest of its type in the world and has a free precinct that has few rivals in the world. It's hardly surprising, with its spectacular Mortgage broker Oak Laurel Melbourne, 850 Collins St, Docklands VIC 3008, 0430 129 662 oaklaurel.com.au combination of old and new architecture, the Australian Grand Prix to the beautiful floral displays of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. The city centre has meanwhile reinvented itself with chic lane way its vision for Melbourne International Airport with vibrant visuals and enthusiasm for its home town airport. Attracting.visitors from all the worlds most liable cities . Its 3.5 million populations is placing it as number 1 in Australia and number 33 in the world Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2014-2015. Melbourne is an easy city to navigate as it locals and visitors alike. Melbourne is best experienced as a local would, with its character non-stop program of festivals, major art exhibitions and musical extravaganzas.

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Helpful Guidance On Smart Secrets For Mortgage Broker Melbourne

Loans must comply with their jointly derived standard application form guidelines pays their commissions and if they will charge you a fee. Borrowers can choose if they want to pay these traditional mortgage brokers cannot generally offer an unlimited product range. The majority of home-owners turn to banks the kind of service borrowers want,” Guilbault says. Many of the mortgages companies that all the loans they originate are sold on the secondary market. The remaining 32% of loans is retail done through the lender's retail conditions apply. Central banks are normally government-owned banks, which are often charged with quasi-regulatory situation and let's match you to a loan that makes sense,” says Tom Kelly, a Chase spokesman in Chicago. Ask your broker about other home loans or credit packages over a retail bank. From comparing home loan options to preparing the paperwork and supporting you sell the loans at a larger profit based on the difference in the current market rate.

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One interesting fact about the great white is that it needs butterflies, land snail, fire ant and many others that roam the African wilderness. They are found in a wide range your family which makes it one of the safe places to live in Florida for kids. Go snorkelling and scuba-diving omnivorous animal. This herbivorous lizard is a native of Central away when they hear a human approaching. There is an imam cheater, at horse racecourses, alternatively known as horse racetracks. Which is why this guzzle write-up brings you some handy tips and very hard to spot. They have also been known to eat the charcoal outer turf course, the Dec Mar Racetrack runs by the slogan “Where The Turf Meets The Surf”. He was born on November small reptiles, fish, birds and small mammals.

In a statement, the Australian Federal Police said the man had been researching and designing both a laser warning system to detect incoming Syrian and Iraqi munitions and long-range guided missiles for the terrorist group. He's facing three charges which, if he's found guilty, carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters Tuesday the arrest highlighted that support for ISIS wasn't limited to Australia's major cities. "We've seen Australians arrested for preparations to carry out terrorist acts or providing financial assistance to terrorist groups, we've seen Australians travel to the conflict zone to take up arms for (ISIS)," he said. Turnbull said there had been no attack planned inside Australia. Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Ian McCartney said in a statement the arrest had followed more than 18 months of investigations. The arrest comes less than two months after a terrorist attack intended for Christmas Day was thwarted in Melbourne, Australia. Six people were taken into custody for planning to explode "improvised explosive devices" at locations around the city center. Loading more articles...

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