#Houston Open Air Lineup

[everybodyscupoftea]

jj the soccer fan

jj x unc women’s soccer reader

this is very short and purely to indulge @moldisgoodforyou​ @sunnypogue​ and i. however i could be convinced to add to this in the future.

(warnings: cursing, not proofread)

It was love at first slide tackle. Or, that’s what John B liked to tell JJ mockingly. In reality, that’s the first time he saw you.

A guy in one of JJ’s classes had an extra ticket and invited him because, “Dude, you have to see the soccer team, they’re insanely good every year.”

JJ was unsure, he’d seen a few of the girls’ soccer games at his high school, and it wasn’t really his cup of tea. But five minutes in to the Tar Heels home opener, it was safe to say JJ was incredibly impressed. The speed and technicality were astounding.

It was your sophomore season, and the game wasn’t against a particularly hard opponent, but you were still feeling a lot of first game nerves. Shaking your legs and arms out while you waited for the coach to call the team together, you stared out at the crowded stands.

One of your older teammates came to stand beside you, “More than last year, don’t you think?”

You nodded and stood in silence with her for a few seconds. Just as she moved to walk away, you asked, “You nervous?”

She laughed, “Always. But don’t worry, we’ve got this.”

You took a deep breath. You’ve got it. The shaky confidence held through the coach’s speech, lineup announcement, anthem, and taking the field. Once you got out there, you felt like you could breathe again.

The right midfielder on the other team lined up, and you could tell she was about to streak up the line, so you prepared, dropping into a ready stance. When the whistle blew, she took off, and you gauged, trying to decide where the ball was going to go. With your perfect read and interception, the student section next to you went insane and you settled in.

JJ and his friends were late. They’d met to drink a little before the game, planning on going out afterward. The air was warm and a little humid, and his shirt kept sticking to him while they looked for seats. The game in the background was tied he thought.

Suddenly the crowed roared a little and he turned just in time to see you slide and tap the ball out of bounds, the other girl flying over your leg and hitting the ground hard. You popped up, shaking your hand out, and she got up, giving you a dirty look.

“All ball,” you told her with a shrug, “stay on your feet next time.”

JJ couldn’t hear what you said, but he saw the little exchange and the amused look on your face was incredibly attractive. His friend nudged him, “She’s insane. Recruited out of Houston, and she’s been to a few National Team camps.”

He nodded wordlessly, taking in the information as he watched you sprint up the sideline, screaming for a drop pass.

You collected the pass and picked your head up, looking for the forward supposed to be checking across. Passing her the ball, you told her she had time and started crashing the goal, praying your midfielder would fill your position. The goalie ended the attempt and you sprinted back as fast as possible, managing to get back in time to shield the ball out of bounds.

JJ was impressed with your speed and stamina. He could tell you were breathing heavy, but it didn’t look like you were slowing down at all. The game flew by and he spent most of it watching you. When it ended, he was hooked.

His friends could tell and they made fun of him a little, “Yeah dude, good luck with that.”

Unbeknownst to him, you’d noticed when him and his rowdy friends had showed up. You could tell they were well on their way to being drunk and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes. It seemed a little inconsiderate, but nothing you could do about it.

After the game, it seemed like JJ saw you everywhere. Eating in the caf with your teammates, sitting in the hallway of the math building waiting for class, in line for coffee before an 8 a.m., and leaving the rec center, headphones in.

One afternoon, when you were studying for a psych exam in the library, he sat in the chair across from you. You didn’t really care, the library was pretty full, but it started to get a little uncomfortable when you felt him staring at you.

He eventually cleared his throat, “Good game the other night.”

You looked up at him, “Thanks.”

“I’m JJ,” he continued, holding his hand out.

Shaking it, you nodded, “Nice to meet you.”

“Not going to introduce yourself?” JJ asked, jokingly.

With a shrug, you told him, “Seems like you already know me.”

“Fair enough.”

The conversation ended and you went back to studying. Halfway hoping he would leave you alone so you could focus, halfway wanting to talk to him because he was incredibly cute. JJ packed his stuff up several hours later, around dinner and addressed you one last time, “You hungry?”

Closing your textbook, you nodded, “I could eat.”

“Want to grab some Subway?”

The two of you walked across campus together, exchanging small talk. He was mostly asking about the season and your position, and you started to get the impression that he didn’t know much about soccer. After another question about how many players on the field at a time, you had to ask, “You a big soccer fan?”

JJ blushed in the evening light, “That obvious, huh?”

“Just a little,” you told him with a laugh, nudging your shoulder with his, “it’s okay though, I don’t mind talking about it.”

When you sat down with food, JJ changed the subject more toward getting to know you, and you were pleasantly surprised with how well it was going. JJ was funny and seemed interested in what you had to say. You found yourself joking back, and even reaching across the table to shove his arm when he said something ridiculous.

Eventually, you had to get home. It was a little bittersweet, you were having a good time. JJ held his phone out, “Can I text you any soccer questions I have?”

You took it and put your number in, biting your lip to hold in a smile, “Yeah, definitely. But you could also come to some home games and we can get dinner after. That way I can answer them before you forget.”

JJ beamed, “Bet. See you on Thursday, then.”

And just as he said, you looked around the student section Thursday evening while warming up and found him. He caught your eye and waved and you waved back. One of your teammates cooed mockingly, “You have a fan club.”

“Shut up,” you muttered, secretly thrilled.

He was cradling a hot cup of coffee, exhausted, because he’d spent most of the night before googling rules and your position so that he’d have a better understanding when watching you again. And when your eyes lit up when JJ asked a mildly informed question at dinner that night, it was all worth the lack of sleep.

[blackkudos]

Star Jones

Starlet Marie Jones (born March 24, 1962) is an American lawyer, journalist, television personality, fashion designer, author, and women's and diversity advocate. She is best known as one of the original co-hosts on the ABC morning talk show The View, on which she appeared from 1997 to 2006. She was also one of sixteen contestants of the fourth installment of The Celebrity Apprentice in 2011, coming in fifth place.

Early life

Jones was born in Badin, North Carolina and grew up in Trenton, New Jersey with her mother, a human services administrator, and her stepfather, a municipal security chief.

Jones graduated from Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. She earned a B.A. degree in Administration of Justice at American University, where she was initiated into the Lambda Zeta chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Jones earned a J.D. degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 1986, and was admitted to the New York state bar in 1987.

Television career

From 1986 to 1991, Jones was a prosecutor with the Kings County District Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, New York. In 1992, she was elevated to senior assistant district attorney. She was recruited by Court TV in 1991 as a commentator for the William Kennedy Smith rape trial and spent several years as a legal correspondent for NBC's Today and NBC Nightly News. In 1994, she was given her own court show, Jones & Jury, which mimicked the arbitration-based reality format of The People's Court, though with a talk show like set as opposed to a courtroom set. Although the show was canceled after only one year, Jones became the first black person and female to serve as a television arbitrator of a courtroom series.

Jones then became chief legal analyst on Inside Edition, where she led the coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder case. She was the only reporter to interview Simpson during his civil trial, which she covered for American Journal.

The View

In 1997, Jones joined The View as one of its original four co-hosts. Jones's nine-season tenure on The View was marked by controversy at times. Jones, who had been diagnosed as morbidly obese, began to undergo dramatic weight loss beginning in 2003. In a September 2007 essay in Glamour magazine, she revealed that she had undergone gastric bypass surgery in August 2003, resulting in a loss of 160 pounds (73 kilograms) over three years. Many criticized Jones for her initial dishonesty when she claimed she had lost weight via diet and exercise. Barbara Walters told Oprah Winfrey in May 2008 that she had kept Jones' gastric bypass surgery a secret because Jones had asked her to, and that lying on the show turned the audience off.

Additionally, when she married investment banker Al Reynolds in 2004, Jones reported her wedding plans on The View for months beforehand, including "plugs" (public mentions) for her suppliers, such as the wedding invitations, clothing, and airlines. It was later revealed that Jones had pushed product-placement in exchange for receiving those products and services for free. ABC claimed that her excessive self-promotion alienated viewers. On April 21, 2006, Jones discovered that her contract would not be renewed for the following season. Her agent called her then husband Al Reynolds and informed him as Jones was in Phoenix at the time. Reynolds flew to Phoenix & told Jones her contract would not be renewed.

ABC, Barbara Walters and Bill Geddie then told Jones she could go out on "her own terms". They had collectively decided for Jones to announce her impending departure on Thursday, June 29, 2006, but Jones surprised her co-hosts by announcing it two days earlier on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 when they returned from their first commercial break that she would be leaving the show. She stated that she would remain on the show through July, and she would not return in the fall. She did not reveal during her announcement that her contract wasn't renewed. After Jones revealed her departure live on air, co-host Joy Behar jokingly said, "Who am I going to fight with now?" to which Jones replied, "I have a feeling you'll have someone else to fight with."

Despite this, Walters announced the next day that Jones would no longer appear on the show with the exception of previously recorded segments, publicly claiming feeling "betrayed" by Jones for unexpectedly making the announcement two days ahead of schedule. In an interview with People, Jones claimed the decision to leave was not hers and that in April, producers told her that her contract would not be renewed.Walters later stated that ABC executives had decided not to renew Jones' contract due to diminished approval for Jones through their market research.

Jones's contract was due to expire July 13, but after the program finished on June 27, ABC had discovered Jones had released an article with People magazine about her contract not being renewed, and that the decision to leave was not her own, saying, "What you don't know is that my contract was not renewed for the 10th season... I feel like I was fired." The next day, Barbara Walters gave a statement to the audience at the start of the program revealing that she had been "blindsided," and that Jones would no longer appear on "The View". When the series went into summer reruns, only programs in which she had been absent from the panel were rebroadcast. Jones was removed from the opening credits, leaving only Walters, Joy Behar, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

Shortly after her dismissal, Jones appeared on Larry King Live to respond to questions about why ABC had refused to renew her contract. Regarding her wedding controversy, Jones insisted that every mention of her wedding had been specifically approved and negotiated by the network, and not in violation of any policy. She also denied that she had caused a ratings drop, and claimed that the ratings during the 2004-05 season were the highest The View had had in the nine years she was a co-host.

Jones' departure caused a rift between her and Walters that lasted nearly six years. In May 2008, in response to allegations in Barbara Walters's autobiography, Audition, Jones told US Magazine: "It is a sad day when an icon like Barbara Walters, in the sunset of her life, is reduced to publicly branding herself as an adulterer, humiliating an innocent family with accounts of her illicit affair and speaking negatively against me all for the sake of selling a book. It speaks to her true character." Walters did not respond.

On February 22, 2012, Jones returned to The View as a guest, and has made subsequent guest appearances since then.

truTV

On March 7, 2007, Jones announced that she would return to her original network, Court TV—now rebranded truTV—as its new executive editor of daytime programming, and that she would host an eponymous live weekday talk show based on the law and pop culture. Star Jones premiered on August 20, 2007, as a guest-driven live broadcast (with taped segments) covering recent stories from the worlds of pop culture, entertainment, crime, and justice.

Just six months later, her show was canceled, and it was announced that Jones was leaving truTV due to "changes in their programming selection." The final episode of Star Jones aired on February 1, 2008. Jones received the balance on her $24 million, three-year contract, and the network stated that Jones was eliminated from the channel's lineup because it deemed Jones "too serious" for its tabloid-focused coverage. However, according to The Washington Post, "[Jones's] show averaged 186,000 viewers and, by its final telecast, was down in the neighborhood of 85,000." In January 2011, the talk show was featured among "10 Notable Talk Show Failures" by CNBC.com.

Other appearances

From September 2004 to September 2005, Jones was a red-carpet host for the E! television network, conducting interviews at awards shows. E! declined to renew her contract after one year.

Jones has hosted or guest-hosted numerous cable programs, including the HGTV program House Hunters in New York City (which "scored the largest household ratings in the cable channel's history"), the Michael Eric Dyson radio show, Larry King Live (where she interviewed Beyoncé Knowles while King was on vacation), and The Bad Girls Club Season 2 reunion on the Oxygen Network.

In addition, she has made acting appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (where she played a former incarnation of herself—a Brooklyn prosecutor named Star Jones—in the eighth-season finale), and as a judge in Drop Dead Diva in August 2012.

She has also served as a legal analyst for The Insider and Dr. Phil, and often appears on The Wendy Williams Show.

On July 17, 2009, Jones appeared on a celebrity version of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, during which she won $25,000 to benefit The East Harlem School at Exodus House, a New York City middle school for underserved populations.

Jones was also a contestant on the fourth season of The Celebrity Apprentice. She placed fifth on the show, eliminated after her brand messaging efforts in a TV commercial for OnStar were not well received by the OnStar executives.

Books

Jones is the author of You Have to Stand for Something, or You'll Fall for Anything, a collection of autobiographical essays published in 1998. Her second book, Shine: A Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Journey to Finding Love (2006), detailed changes she made to reshape her life, including her marriage and dramatic weight loss. She released a third book in March 2011, Satan's Sisters, a roman à clef about a fictional television talk show featuring five women of clashing temperaments. A scripted television series based on Satan's Sisters, titled Daytime Divas, aired for one season on VH1 from June 5 to July 31, 2017. Jones served as an executive producer on the series, and guest-starred as herself in the July 24, 2017, episode.

Affiliations

Jones is the President of the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW). She created the organization's philanthropic endeavor, NAPW Foundation, to benefit the American Heart Association, of which Jones is also a National Volunteer; the Breast Cancer Research Foundation; Dress For Success and Girls, Inc. Jones also conducts regular visits to NAPW Local Chapters and hosts the organization’s annual National Networking Conference.

Jones is also the president of Professional Diversity Network (NASDAQ: IPDN). She is also a member of its board of directors, becoming the youngest of a small circle of African-American women in the US leading a public company.

Personal life

Jones underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She lost 160 pounds as a result of the procedure.

Jones married investment banker Al Reynolds on November 13, 2004. Reynolds proposed to Jones during the 2004 NBA All-Star Game. Amid much publicity, the wedding was held at Saint Bartholomew's Church in New York City in front of five hundred guests and featured three matrons of honor, twelve bridesmaids, two junior bridesmaids, three best men, twelve groomsmen, three junior groomsmen, six footmen, four ring bearers, and four flower girls. More than thirty corporate "sponsors" donated wedding attire and merchandise for the event in exchange for mentions in the media and on Jones's website. After the wedding, Jones began using the name "Star Jones Reynolds" professionally, but reverted to "Star Jones" in 2007, telling Entertainment Weekly that she wanted to keep her public persona separate from her private self. On March 9, 2008, Jones and Reynolds announced they were divorcing.

On March 17, 2010, Jones underwent cardiac surgery related to a surgery she had three decades earlier for a thoracic tumor.

On October 24, 2017, Jones went public with her engagement to Ricardo Lugo, who recently worked in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Lugo was employed as an assistant state's attorney from April to August, according to a State’s Attorney’s Office spokesperson. He was one of 17 prosecutors laid off because of county budget issues.

Jones married Ricardo Lugo on a cruise ship in the Bahamas on Sunday, March 25, 2018.

[themusicenthusiast]

The Bands of Monster Energy Houston Open Air 2017: Beartooth

There’s no denying that Monster Energy Houston Open Air got off to a rocky start last year. Keeping everyone safe (fans, musicians, staff and vendors) is paramount and trumps even music, no matter how great the bands scheduled to perform may be. People learned that the hard way when a perpetual threat of thunder storms delayed the start of HOA on its first day and essentially cancelled day two of the event. Festival producers Danny Wimmer Presents (with Live Nation also participating) promised to be back and give the people of Houston the festival they deserve, and for year two they are going to deliver. Slated to go down on October 14th and 15th, Monster Energy Houston Open Air will be relocating to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. The outdoor arena should ensure that, even if weather conditions get somewhat nasty, the show will go on; a second stage planned to be set up to accommodate the more than two dozen bands that will be performing. DWP’s first ever festival in the Lone Star State, 2017 should be the year that they show Texans and other festival goers why they are one of the most revered and successful concert producers in the U.S. Their events have a special touch about them that only they can create; and if you still need further convincing to get your tickets, well, here’s a look at some of the bands performing this October… A couple of years ago Beartooth was one of those notable up and coming acts, taking the festival circuits by storm as they entertained sizable crowds on some of the smaller stages at those events. The musicians that comprise the band have pushed themselves as far as they can since, their tour schedule barely letting up as they’ve made multiple runs across the U.S. and even the UK and Europe, both supporting other well-known bands and also serving as the headliner.

Their biggest U.S. shows came last fall, Beartooth embarking on a lengthy headline run, performing multiple sold out shows as they promoted their second LP, Aggressive, and more recently they used the Vans Warped Tour to continue sharpening their skills and honing their live performances, being a standout of that massive tour/festival. They’re as high-energy as anyone could want a band to be, though that’s not their only appealing quality. There’s something to be said for the songs they write as well, being open and genuine, subject matter often focusing on addiction or bouts with mental illness, issues a lot of people can relate with, Caleb Shomo singing about his personal battles with absolute conviction, using his talents to try to help others with their struggles. Metalcore is the genre that Beartooth’s music identifies with most closely, but depending on the song you’re bound to hear an array of influences, their music being aggressive and merciless, easily captivating the spectators. Event info: Saturday, October 14th and Sunday October 15th at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX. $45+

[pinerclassifieds]

Breakaway music festival 2021 lineup michigan

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We are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our festivalgoers. Privacy policy for Zurich Open Air 2022 Switzerland: I have a question that isn’t listed here! For more information, please check the Hip-Hop Festival website or contact the Hip-Hop Festival cSwitzerlandtomer service team.

#Breakaway music festival 2021 lineup michigan full#

For a full list of prohibited items, please check the Hip-Hop Festival website. Some items that are not allowed at Zurich Open Air 2022 in the Blues River, Switzerland Hip-Hop Festival: are illegal substances, weapons, selfie sticks, and drones. What items are not allowed at Zurich Open Air 2022 Switzerland? You can bring food and non-alcoholic drinks to Hip-Hop Festival, but there are also plenty of food and drink vendors on site.ġ. Can I bring food and drink to Hip-Hop Festival It is also recommended Blues River, and Hip-Hop Festival and you bring sunscreen, hats, and water.Ħ. You should bring a valid photo ID, your ticket, and enough cash to last you the day. Switzerland Hip-Hop Festival is a 16+ event.ĥ. What are the age restrictions for Hip-Hop Festival? Tickets for Hip-Hop Festival start at $9.50 + the booking fee for a weekend ticket. How many are tickets to Hip-Hop Festival? Line-up: Two Door Cinema Club, Fritz Kalkbrenner, and La Fleurģ. Tuesday 23 August 2022 – Saturday 27 August 2022 In the meantime, you can check out the lineup for Hip-Hop Festival 2022 here. The lineup for Zurich Open Air 2022 will be announced closer to the festival. Switzerland Hip-Hop Festival will take place from Tuesday 23 August 2022 – Saturday 27 August 2022 at Hip-Hop Festival, Switzerland.Ģ. You will be able to camp on-site and enjoy the festival atmosphere for the whole weekend FAQ SECTION About Zurich Open Air 2022 Switzerlandġ. You will be able to see your favorite artists perform live in an intimate setting. You will be able to meet other Music lovers from all over the world and make new friends. You will have the opportunity to explore different parts that you may not have had the chance to visit before. This Music festival will allow you to enjoy live Music from a variety of different genres, all in one place. So stay tuned! Some benefits of the Zurich Open Air 2022 Switzerland Today 2022 is coming up! We hope that you make this a regular visit to We will give you current information on upcoming events Worldwide. We are excited to be in our 17th DAY that covers all events! Check out our new recruiting page. If you are not able to watch Zurich Open Air 2022, you can go live and watch this event via online streaming on the channels given below:

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Stream: Zurich Open Air 2022 Live Stream ( Free Trial) Watch Zurich Open Air 2022 Info Live Online Location: Motion Open Air Festival, Zürich, Switzerland

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How to Watch Zurich Open Air 2022 Live Stream, Live Online, start time, TV Guide, artists, line-up, location. Switzerland Hip-Hop Festival is known for its positive vibes and friendly atmosphere. Heavy Metal And MetalThere are also several stages, each with its atmosphere. The festival is held in Switzerland and features a variety of genres, including dance, electronic, hip hop, rock, and Hard Rock. It is a 05-day event that takes place in August. Past lineups have included Atlanta trap trio Migos, electronic live act duo Odesza, Chicago’s own EDM sensation Kaskade, cult favorite rapper Wiz Khalifa, award winning singer-songwriter Khalid, critically acclaimed Houston-born rapper Travis Scott, electro-house Grammy award winner Zedd, and many more.Zurich Open Air 2022 is a Music festival OUTDOOR that takes place in Switzerland. Ticket holders are able to catch acts ranging from hip-hop artists, to international DJs, to chart smashing pop stars, and beyond. Finally, Breakaway Nashville will be taking place on October 11th + 12th at its new home of Fair Park at the Nashville Fairgrounds.Įach edition of Breakaway promises lineups filled with multi-genre talents that embody the sounds of today. railing close behind, Breakaway Charlotte will take place on October 4th and 5th at AvidXchange Music Factory Festival Grounds. The first Breakaways kicking off the stream of events will be taking place in Columbus and Grand Rapids both on August 23rd + 24th at MAPFRE Stadium and Belknap Park respectively.

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Collectively, the Breakaway series hosted 65,000 attendees last year. Breakaway will also be returning to Columbus, Ohio Grand Rapids, Michigan and Charlotte, North Carolina. Last year, Nashville – also known as “Music City USA” – became the festival’s newest home and will host its second edition of the festival this year. Breakaway is PSG’s signature multi-city event and has seen mass success through its expansion across the country.

[mslaurynhill]

‘THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL 20TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR’ ANNOUNCED 

Tickets and VIP Experiences for the North American Portion of the Tour Go On Sale to the General Public Starting Friday, April 20 at LiveNation.com

Citi Presents Ms. Lauryn Hill at the Apollo Theater Announced for May 1

Los Angeles, CA (April 17, 2018) – Ms. Lauryn Hill is celebrating twenty years of her anthemic debut solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill with a newly announced World Tour produced by Live Nation. The GRAMMY® Award-winning artist will kick off the North American summer leg of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary World Tour on July 5 in Virginia Beach, VA. Tickets and VIP experiences go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 20 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com. More details will be announced soon, including international dates, as well as the full lineup with Special Guest performers at each show on the tour.

Ms. Hill uses her platform to raise money and awareness for frontline charity initiatives through touring.  A portion of the ticket sales go towards the MLH Foundation, which directly contributes support for education, health, agriculture, technology, and community based businesses and development initiatives throughout the Diaspora. Your contribution will be put to use through donations made from ticket sales to support community building worldwide. See the full list of charities below.

Of the tour Ms. Hill notes, ”This album chronicled an intimate piece of my young existence. It was the summation of most, if not all, of my most hopeful and positive emotions experienced to that date. I Loved and  believed deeply in my community’s ability to both Love and heal itself provided it received the right amount of support and encouragement. Our world today, both complex and changing, is in need of the balance between moral fortitude and cathartic expression. I hope the Love and energy that permeated this work can continue to inspire change with Love and optimism at the helm.”

In addition to her scheduled tour dates, Ms. Lauryn Hill will also be playing at the iconic Apollo Theater on Tuesday, May 1st exclusively for Citi cardmembers. The tickets will be $20 in honor of the twentieth anniversary of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album. All ticket proceeds will go directly to the MLH Foundation. https://mslaurynhill.tmverifiedfan.com

The Citi Presents Ms. Lauryn Hill at the Apollo Theater show will be powered by Verified Fan – the newest technology to ensure tickets get directly to the most passionate fans. Not scalpers or bots. Starting Tuesday, April 17 at 10AM ET, Citi cardmembers can register through Thursday, April 19 at 10PM ET to unlock access to tickets and use their Citi card to complete the ticket purchase if verified. Only fans that have received a unique code will have the chance to purchase tickets for performances on Monday, April 23 at 10AM ET. Register now for the Citi Presale powered by Verified Fan at: citiprivatepass.com and for additional information.

Exclusive VIP experiences will be available for all tour dates. VIP experiences include a meet and greet with Ms. Hill, complete with photo opp and autograph signing, as well as a package where fans will have an opportunity to watch a portion of the show from on stage. VIP experiences can be purchased as an upgrade when buying tickets. Limited edition specialty merch items, designed by Ms. Hill, will also be available at all shows and online. For more details on VIP experiences, please visit www.MsHillVIPs.com and www.MsLaurynHill.com.

Citi® is the official pre-sale credit card of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hil 20th Anniversary Tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, April 17at 2:00pm local time until Thursday, April 19 at 10:00pm local time through Citi’s Private Pass® program. For complete pre-sale details visit https://www.citiprivatepass.com/.

Multi-platinum artist Ms. Lauryn Hill rose to prominence with The Fugees and took the world by storm two decades ago as a solo artist with The Miseducation of Ms. Lauryn Hill. Singles including “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “Everything Is Everything” catapulted her to superstardom, ultimately lauding her with ten GRAMMY® nominations and five GRAMMY® Award wins.

MS. LAURYN HILL TOUR DATES:

Thu Jul 05 - Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

Sun Jul 08 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live

Wed Jul 11 - Boston, MA - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion

Fri Jul 13 - Philadelphia, PA - Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing

Sun Jul 15 - Wantagh, NY -Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Wed Jul 18 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage

Fri Jul 20 - Detroit, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Wed Jul 25 - Charlotte, NC - Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre

Thu Jul 26 - Raleigh, NC - The Red Hat Amphitheater

Sun Jul 29 - Tampa, FL - Al Lang Stadium

Tue Jul 31 - Miami, FL - Bayfront Park Amphitheater

Thu Aug 02 - Jacksonville, FL - Daily’s Place

Fri Aug 03 - Atlanta, GA - State Bank Amphitheatre At Chastain Park

Sun Aug 05 - Nashville, TN - Nashville Municipal Auditorium

Wed Aug 08 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center

Fri Sep 07 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint

Sun Sep 09 - San Diego, CA - Open Air Theatre

Wed Sep 12 - Portland, OR - Portland Memorial Coliseum

Fri Sep 14 - Vancouver, BC - Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park

Sat Sep 15 - Seattle, WA - ShoWare Center**

Thu Sep 20 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre

Sat Sep 22 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre

Mon Sep 24 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater

Wed Sep 26 - Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater

Sat Sep 29 - Houston, TX - Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land

Sun Sep 30 - Dallas, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

Wed Oct 03 - New Orleans, LA - UNO Lakefront Arena

Fri Oct 05 - St Louis, MO - Chaifetz Arena

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

The Secret Formula Behind Hallmark's Christmas Movie Empire

Hallmark's holiday lineup has gone from guilty pleasure to appointment television. How? Glamour's Jessica Radloff explores.

BY JESSICA RADLOFF NOVEMBER 30, 2018

Decorating for the holidays is serious business for many—but if you're CEO of Crown Media Networks (aka the Hallmark Channel) the bar is on a different level. "Oh, I'm a Christmas nut," William J. Abbott, Crown Media's CEO and president, tells Glamour.com. "We actually built [an addition] in our house so we could accommodate a 12-foot tree in the middle of our den, so, yeah, we just love the holidays." The same goes for Michelle Vicary, the network's executive VP of programming and publicity. "Christmas decorations go up the day after Halloween," she jokes. "I'm a little [like the] Griswolds."

Tinsel and trees aside, Abbott, Vicary, and the entire team at Crown Media actually live the business they're selling. And they're selling it well. Vicary says nearly 85 million people lay eyes on the network between Halloween and New Years. If that sounds more like a Christmas miracle than reality, you haven't been paying attention to the Hallmark Channel—or its sister property, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries—the last few years. When the network says it is "cable's biggest success story," it's true.

This year Hallmark is in the midst of airing 37 original holiday movies for its Countdown to Christmas programming (and planning the 2019 holiday slate). And watching these movies is no longer a guilty pleasure—it's appointment television. From unofficial drinking games to a user-friendly app, it's become cool to stay home and watch two people in sweaters fall in love in a town named like a Bath & Body Works lotion.

(PHOTO: HALLMARK 'Christmas at Pemberley Manor,' starring Jessica Lowndes and Michael Rady.)

Abbott says Netflix is partially to thank for changing viewer habits, particularly among millennials. "They have a formula that certainly has worked for them in terms of driving people toward watching on their smart TVs," he says. "Ultimately the more people that consume entertainment, the better off we all are."

But Netflix is only a small part of Hallmark's success. Vicary cites the constant, and often depressing, 24/7 news cycle as another factor. "I think people can only take so much," she says. "We purposely look to be an escape. We try not to be issues-oriented in terms of creating polarizing conversations, because there are places to get that. We are a place that is a haven from that. We're just a different conversation."

Abbott agrees. "I think it’s not only the political landscape, but the entertainment landscape to a degree too. There are just very few options that are not shocking, looking to shock, or looking to be over-the-top in terms of violence or salacious for salacious sake. I think people tire of that." Abbott admits that's not the only reason people tune into the channel, it is a big one—and something that Hallmark has included in its strategy. "It's tapping into emotion in a positive way and making you feel a little better about relationships and how people interact," he explains. "The Hallmark brand is all about people connecting. The secret, I think, to our success is that we focus on that relentlessly."

This secret to success doesn't come without detractors, though. Abbott and Vicary know there are plenty of people who think the content is cheesy, but to them, that doesn't have to be a negative. "I have to be honest, I don't always think predictable is a bad word," Vicary says. "I think of every Nora Ephron comedy I ever watched—the first time I saw Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan on screen, I knew they were going to end up together. But it was the journey! So I don’t mind when you tune in that you know our characters—who are on two separate journeys—are going to end up together by the end. It's about how they get there."

OK, so how did Hallmark get here? How did it go from a brand-new network in the early aughts to a holiday empire? For one, consistency. Hallmark premieres most of its original movies on Saturdays and Sundays, a time when other networks air sports or reruns. "It's the perfect time to unwind and get away from reality," Abbott says. "We appeal to people wanting that escape over the weekend."

Second, it's investment. "Our movies are so much better because our production value, our stars, our music, our scriptwriting, our development, and our production are so much better than they’ve ever been," Abbott says. "Success snowballs. The more you do right, the more people notice; the more people notice, the more you invest; the more you invest, the more you pay attention, and the better it gets."

(PHOTO: HALLMARK CHANNEL LeAnn Rimes in 'It's Christmas, Eve'.)

And finally, as Vicary points out, it's about creating an experience. "We’re an emotionally driven brand. We’re about enhancing relationships and enhancing life." She says in the last decade the network has tapped into viewers' love of celebration. "The Hallmark brand already lives in that space, so it really is about delivering on the experience of the brand."

And then there's the wish-fulfillment aspect, those picturesque, snow-capped towns and leads in color-coordinated holiday attire. "We’re not embarrassed to say, ‘Let’s make it sound even more holiday oriented,'" Vicary says with a laugh. "We are not shy about creating an environment that compliments and enhances that great story."

Still, that "environment" has come under more scrutiny in the past few years for being predominantly white, straight, and without much diversity. The network needs to do more to reflect America today—and Abbott says the Hallmark Channel team is aware and working on it. "Absolutely, no question about it," Abbott says. "We've worked really hard at it. It's the type of thing we should have been doing all along, but we're pleased at where we are."

Where they are is a more diverse slate of programming than years past. It's not perfect yet, but one example of progress is a recent full-page ad Crown Media took out in The Hollywood Reporter to showcase its holiday slate. Of the 14 actors in the ad, nine were women, seven were people of color, and five were women of color.

"Our goal is to do everything we can to represent the public faces on television and represent the United States as it really looks on our air," Vicary says. "I think we have some terrific casting this year with Tatyana Ali, Dondre T. Whitfield, Patti LaBelle, Christina Milian, Jerrika Hinton, Tia Mowry, and more. We have our most diverse slate ever."

In addition to what viewers see on air, Vicary notes that "more than 50 percent of the scripts that were written this year were written by women." She also said they're consciously trying to hire more female directors and behind-the-scenes crew. "I think in the last year we have added three more women to our roster of directors," Vicary says. "We are very conscious of it."

But Abbott or Vicary know that's not enough. The executives are discussing a possible Hanukkah movie to join their holiday lineup ("One of my development execs brought me one this week that they were really excited about," Vicary says. "I said, 'Great, let's meet and talk about it for 2019.'") According to Abbott, he's even open to a Hallmark movie where the main couple doesn't end up together. "As we delve into our content and [look for] a more authentic way, we’ll progress," he says. "Everything is on the table."

(PHOTO: HALLMARK Danielle Panabaker and Matt Long in Christmas Joy.)

That progress is important to Abbott and Vicary, who want Hallmark to stay current and evolving. "It's particularly important that we represent the reality of the 21st century in that everybody is different and unique," Abbott says. "It's a pet peeve of mine when I read a story and kids are portrayed a certain way. The reality is girls can play baseball or be into science or play with dolls."

Abbott even acknowledges that the network's older movies were guilty of playing into stereotypes."You look back at some of old, old movies, and it's kind of the stereotypical situation of the woman at home," he says. "We work very hard to stay out of that stereotypical dialogue and situational behavior because it’s just not reality, and it’s not authentic. We really try to empower women. We really work hard to ensure that our women are strong—while they don’t need a man, they’d love to fall in love. But at the end of the day, that is not what they need to be successful or happy or fulfilled or have a good career. That is something that is very important to all of us to portray."

That awareness is one of the reasons Abbott credits the Hallmark Channel's growth in markets like Chicago, New York, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, and D.C. "I think there’s this feeling that we’re 'flyover country' and that it’s all red-state people," he says. "That’s just completely not true. Everybody likes to feel good. I don’t care what political party you’re part of or where you live, people like to feel positive." Yes, Hallmark's content isn't edgy—"and never will be"—but it's certainly smarter than it's ever been, he says. "And that wins."

It's been a stressful year, but at least you can count on Hallmark, Lifetime, and Netflix to come through with the holiday cheer. After all, what's more relaxing than watching an overworked woman fall in love with a Christmas tree farmer? So decompress with all of our delightful holiday content right here.

Source: glamour.com

https://www.glamour.com/story/hallmark-christmas-movie-secret-formula

[tkmedia]

10 Fantasy Thoughts: Is Cooper Kupp your 2021 fantasy saviour?

What a week for individual performances.Derrick Henry and Aaron Jones followed up lacklustre Week 1 performances to win plenty of matchups. Aaron Rodgers did what Aaron Rodgers does with a monster bounce-back performance. Austin Ekeler was used heavily in the passing game with nine catches on nine targets. Just like we all thought. Well, some of us. Week 1 overreactions are almost always followed by a market correction, so maybe keep the hot takes to a low whisper instead of shouting them out to the world. It’s very unbecoming. But hey, if people want to make it known that they think Robert Woods is washed or that Saquon Barkley suddenly became a bad running back, then be sure to seek them out and offer to take those “terrible” players off their hands. Do them that service, take that weight off them on this journey, almost like their Fantasy Sherpa. And then crush them. (All weekly rankings courtesy of Fantasy Data) 1. Cooper Kupp’s revelation I will be the first to say that I thought that the biggest benefactor of Matthew Stafford heading to Los Angeles this off-season would be Robert Woods. Through the first two weeks of the year, it’s becoming apparent that I might be just a little bit off. Kupp has been nothing short of brilliant in the first two weeks, compiling back-to-back top-10 weeks, including the top spot in this week’s finish. He has 21 targets which places him in a tie for fifth among wide receivers, 16 catches (tied for first) and 271 yards (third) with Stafford under centre and occupies a ridiculous 37.5 per cent target share. It feels like every time the Rams get possession that Kupp is going to get an opportunity to score because he constantly looks like he’s wide open. Sean McVay is also unleashing Kupp out wide as opposed to the slot where he’s primarily been deployed from since his rookie year. That percentage of slot snaps has dropped from 73 per cent in his sophomore year in 2018 to 44 per cent through the first two games of 2021. Alpha wide receivers don’t play out of the slot and it seems as though the Rams have found their alpha receiver. Kupp is going to have an off game here and there and I expect Woods is going eat a bit more into Kupp’s target share, but make no mistake about it, Kupp is going to have a monster year. 2. Derek Carr, the unlikely addition to the QB1 group Steady. Decent floor. Capped ceiling. Great second quarterback. Those have been terms used to describe Derek Carr’s fantasy relevance since coming into the league, but we might be seeing him turn a corner and maybe, just maybe, he’s actually as good as we’ve seen in the first two weeks. It’s certainly early in the schedule, but it’s not like Carr has been up against cupcake defences to start. Baltimore’s D has playmakers and the Steelers basically shut down the Bills’ aerial attack in Week 1. He currently leads the league with 817 passing yards and has four touchdowns to one interception, while occupying the QB8 spot. With the Dolphins on the docket next, it looks like another matchup that Carr can exploit, especially considering that this Raiders offence looks like it has some pretty good pass catchers outside of Darren Waller. Henry Ruggs appears ready to take the next step forward after not living up to the rookie hype of being a high first-round pick last year. Hunter Renfrow is a reliable slot receiver and Bryan Edwards has all the tools to become a good receiver at this level. All this while the running game hasn’t been too great and Josh Jacobs is dealing with an injury. Carr is going to have to be on top of his game in the coming weeks as he gets the Chargers, Bears, Broncos and Eagles in the four games following Week 3's Dolphins game. By then, we should have an accurate assessment of where Derek Carr fits into the QB1 conversation. Something tells me that this is for real. 3. The Mike Williams we’ve been waiting for He’s had a 1,000-yard season and a 10-touchdown season, but both did not occur at the same time. We’ve been drawn in by his tantalizing talent and incredible ability go make absurd leaping catches, but we’ve never seen the consistency that warrants a regular spot in your lineup. Enter new Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, formerly of the New Orleans Saints, with Williams in a contract year and you've got a recipe for success. Lombardi talked up Williams in the off-season and is using him like he used Michael Thomas with the Saints. Justin Herbert even talked about his skill set and also wanting him to get the ball more. We’re now seeing the fruits of these discussions. Williams is currently the WR5 (tied with Amari Cooper) and has 22 targets in the first two games, parlaying those into 15 catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns. That’s the good stuff right there. I, for one, have been a big proponent of Williams ever since he was drafted out of Clemson and I’ve drafted him basically every year he has been in the league, so this one feels good. 4. Brandin Cooks = Automatic Cooks may be the most underappreciated fantasy player that we’ve seen in a long time. All he does is get the job done and his ADP almost never reflects his production at the end of the year. Last season, Cooks was the WR17 in 15 games with 81 catches for 1,150 yards and six touchdowns on only 119 targets. In five of seven seasons (including his rookie year where he only played 10 games), he has accumulated at least 65 catches, 1,082 yards and five touchdowns. It’s a pretty impressive resume that probably doesn’t get enough credit, especially in fantasy. The question now becomes, can Cooks still thrive with Davis Mills as the quarterback in Houston following the hamstring injury to Tyrod Taylor. What we know is that there isn’t a lot of competition for targets and that Houston is going to have to throw a lot in order to stay in games, so I will bet on Cooks getting plenty of looks and still manage to be in the WR2 or WR3 conversation going forward. 5. Teddy Bridgewater, the Wild (AFC) West’s newest gunslinger In a division that includes Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr, Denver needed to being to have success through the air to stand a chance to stay alive in the AFC West arms race. Teddy Two Gloves was always perceived to be a dink and dunk type quarterback as evidenced by his Air Yards Per Target last season which had him near the bottom of the league for starting quarterbacks. Something has changed. It could be the poor competition faced so far as the Broncos took on the Giants and Jaguars, or it could be that Bridgewater has finally been unleashed. Through the first two weeks, he sits fourth in Intended Air Yards behind Trevor Lawrence, Derek Carr and Tom Brady and fifth in Completed Air Yards behind Brady, Carr, Daniel Jones and Justin Herbert. What we can deduce is that Teddy is slinging it early on. The Broncos offence has been very good through the first two games and gets a peach matchup against the awful Jets in Week 3. Teddy Bridgewater has become quite the fantasy asset in Denver with a plethora of weapons at his disposal and if they continue to let him sling it, we could really see him stay in the conversation as an every week starter and a back-end QB1 by the time the season is done. 6. The Cowboys RB timeshare…really? One of the Cowboys running backs is RB12 and the other one is RB26. My guess is that you’ve figured out that Pollard is the RB12 and Elliott is the RB26. Yes, the above statement is accurate. “It has to be because Pollard is making the most of limited opportunities though, right?” Incorrect! Pollard has 23 touches compared to Elliott’s 31, so yes, Pollard is making the most of his opportunities (7.7 yards per carry and seven catches on seven targets), but the workload is a lot closer than it has been in years past. Elliott just doesn’t look like nearly the same player that we saw two years ago and looks more like the player that we saw last year. So maybe this is just what he is at this point in his career. On the other hand, Pollard looks great seemingly every time he touches the ball. You’re going to start Elliott every week, but now you’re going to have to start Pollard every week until we are given a reason not to. The thought process is that the workload going forward is going to look very similar to what it is now, but there’s also a chance that if Zeke doesn’t perform that we could see Pollard get even more looks as the season progresses. 7. The Patriots backs are relevant again The best thing that happened to the Patriots running backs was to get rid of Cam Newton as the team’s signal caller and bring in a less athletic, more accurate passer in Mac Jones. That much has been evident over the first two weeks of the season. Damien Harris has taken over as the lead dog in that backfield and established that he’s going to be the guy to get the bulk of the carries. We’ve also established that James White is back after a tumultuous season last year where he dealt with great personal loss and injury. There is a very good chance with Jones at the helm that both Harris and White finish as top-30 running backs. Harris because of his workload and usage in the red zone looks like a virtual lock. For White, it comes down to how much usage he’s going to get in the passing game. With 13 targets (18 per cent target share) through two games, he’s on pace for 110 targets and if that holds up, he should be a great return on value, especially considering he was way down everyone’s draft board before the season started. The Patriots look like they’re back to being the Patriots we had seen for so many years prior, except for, you know, that Brady character. 8. Is the Vikings duo of receivers now a trio? It’s early in the season, we are all aware of that, but some times, some things happen that make you raise an eyebrow. There was obvious hype surrounding Justin Jefferson after his incredible rookie season and even though plenty of people were down on Adam Thielen, he certainly didn’t become a bad receiver overnight. But nobody expected what we’ve seen out of the third member of what might now be a trio of good receivers. KJ Osborn has been a revelation early on in the season for Minnesota, currently sitting at WR19 with 12 catches, 167 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets (18.5 per cent target share) and has been a great complement to the two great receivers ahead of him. The likelihood of this production is due to the injury of Irv Smith Jr., the lack of talent at the tight end position and Thielen and Jefferson drawing top coverages. Jefferson and Thielen are going to get theirs, but Osborn is worth an add in deeper leagues, especially because we have to think that the Vikings are going to be throwing the ball a lot this season. If Jefferson and Thielen go down with injury, Osborn is an easy WR3 play but could even pay dividends as a high-risk, high-reward flex play with those two in the lineup. 9. Patience is a virtue with Hollywood Brown There’s a very good chance that we overlooked Brown’s finish to last season where he was the WR13 from Week 12-17. Yes, he did have five touchdowns in that span and yes we know that is a fluke stat, but you know what, he’s been a touchdown machine since Week 5 of last year. In that stretch of 14 games he has 10 touchdowns, so he could just be on a hot stretch, but it’s worth noting. Through two games this year, Brown is the WR8 with 182 receiving yards, two touchdowns on 16 targets and looks like he’s becoming a lock for your lineups every week. We know that some receivers take some time to adjust to the NFL game and Brown is probably that guy. It also helps that he’s becoming a focal point of the passing game (28 per cent target share) while rookie Rashod Bateman is on the sidelines and Mark Andrews has scuffled a bit out of the gate (eight catches for 77 yards) because this Ravens team is still going to need to have some success in the passing game to make a run in the AFC. Hollywood has arrived. 10. The Weekly “Mike Tolbert Vulture Awards” Ricky Seals-Jones This is one of those rare occasions where a player vultures a touchdown and it was on a great play. Seals-Jones made the most of his lone catch, going for 19 yards and a touchdown but making a great grab in the corner of the end zone on a pass from Taylor Heinicke. I’m sure Logan Thomas managers were thrilled by this. Andy Janovich The Browns fullback not only vultured a rushing touchdown from both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, but he also outscored Clyde Edwards-Helaire, James Conner, Nyheim Hines and was decimal points behind Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara and Miles Sanders. Janovich’s two carries resulted in zero yards and a touchdown. Can’t make this stuff up. Jauan Jennings Jennings is outscoring Brandon Aiyuk in fantasy scoring just like you all predicted. He had two catches for 17 yards and a score in the Niners win over the Eagles and followed up the San Francisco train of touchdown vultures after they doubled up on the award last week thanks to Trey Lance and Trent Sherfield. Darrell Williams This one was easily my favourite vulture line of the week. Williams was a pre-season sleeper to take away work from Clyde Edwards-Helaire (and even outscored him this week), but you’re not going to get very far with his line of three carries for -2 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 0.7 yards per carry and still outscored the RB1 on his team. I love fantasy football. Read the full article

[skateofministry]

Prodigy Skateboarder Jordan Santana Is Going to the Olympics

At 16, Jordan Santana handled an accomplishment just formerly accomplished by a handful of females on the planet. She landed a 540. For the unaware, a 540, aka the McTwist, is a skateboarding technique where the rider launches from a vertical ramp, spins in the air for a complete one and a half rotations (540 degrees), and lands effectively back on the ramp. After months of tough falls and a long healing from a damaged leg, Santana, a Houston native and semi-pro prodigy (she has sponsors however contends as an amateur), turned into one of just 3 American female skaters at the time, 2020, to ever land it. In what’s definitely an appealing indication for the sport’s future, just a 9-year-old and 11-year-old prior to her had actually landed the technique.

“It took a lot of hard work,” she states. “I had been spending so much time trying to understand the spin.” Finally, she simply went all out.

So, how did she discover herself not just landing 540s however ending up being an Olympic enthusiastic in her teenagers? Hard work, sure—she invests hours a day training on 12-foot-high vert ramps and in swimming pool-like bowls. But she likewise had rather the coach: two-time X Games gold medalist Christian Hosoi.

Santana satisfied Hosoi, a skateboarding legend and born-again Christian, when her dad welcomed his skateboarding ministry to visit their household’s church in 2008. Hosoi flew in from California.

“I was 5 at the time, so I really didn’t know anything about Christian,” she states. The conference would show to be an extremely prominent minute in her young life.

During Hosoi’s journey, the Santanas accompanied him to the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark. Watching skaters fly around the bowls, Jordan informed him she’d like to attempt it out. Hosoi cleared a bowl and held her hand as she got on a board and stabilized on it for the very first time. She was connected. “It was immediate,” Hosoi states. “Her eyes lit up. All she wanted to do was skate.”

Since then, he’s been by her side, mentoring and supporting her profession both as a coach and sponsor—in truth, she was the very first lady ever on his group of young (possibly pro-bound) skaters, Hosoi Skateboards.

“She was ‘go for it’ right out the gate,” he states. “She wanted to do the biggest jumps, and she was little. She was like 10, 11, 12, and just going big.”

Santana’s capability to skyrocket through the sky made her leading areas at regional and state contests in her tweens—typically outplacing much of the otherwise all-boys lineup, or directly winning the occasions completely. In 2015, she made her very first U.S. Nationals look, later on winning that competitors in 2017. At the 2019 World Championships in Brazil, she made an area on the 2020 U.S.A. Skateboarding National group—an accomplishment that put her within arms’ reach of an area at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. That is, till the pandemic brought all 2020 contests, and Jordan’s Olympic hopes, to a grinding stop.

With just a few certifying occasions left previously Tokyo, and an area on the Olympic group on the line, all staying 2020 skateboarding occasions, consisting of the Tokyo video games themselves, were canceled. The cancellations put the brakes on countless appealing young athletic professions, Jordan’s amongst them. Still, the young Houstonian wasn’t too dejected.

Instead, Santana utilized the extended lockdown as a chance to train, dealing with the 540 and other huge techniques at North Houston Skate Park, where she does the majority of her training and which occurred to stay open throughout lockdown unlike numerous others around the nation. “The focus right now is just training as hard as I can with the timing that we’ve had during Covid, just trying to make the most of it,” she states.

Today, she’s on the 2021 U.S. National Team and gotten approved for the Tokyo Olympics in June while managing the needs of homeschooling and ending up being rather of a star.

“I think I’ve done the local news four or five times now,” she states, with an ashamed laugh. A 2020 episode of No Days Off (a YouTube series) that included Jordan has actually acquired almost 400,000 views. Back in November she skated in a surprise half-pipe session with Tony Hawk at the Houston Vert Ramp in Montrose. The legend shared a video of Santana’s McTwist on Instagram (generating more than 100,000 likes) and in the caption composed that she’s “further proving that skating is for everyone.” As such, Santana has rapidly end up being a motivation for young female skaters, who typically approach her to request images or merely state hey there.

“I saw the potential before it ever manifested,” states Hosoi, for whom Jordan’s ascension has actually provided significant pride and affirmation. “As it’s manifesting, you’re like ‘I knew it! I knew it!’ As a coach, or a mentor, or someone with an eye for talent, that’s something you’re always hoping happens.”

Whether she recognizes it or not—and she’s starting to—Santana is partly accountable for opening the really doors she now strolls through. Her 540 accomplishment is a sign of a higher shift within the when male-dominated sport. As of 2021, Jordan states about 10 other females have actually landed the technique and some are now trying to land the 720 and 900 (yes, a lot more rotations).

“I had never seen myself in any of the skaters I looked up to growing up,” she states. She keeps in mind being among just 2 or 3 lady skaters at her preferred Houston parks on any provided day. Now, she states, “I see a new girl coming in, buying a skateboard, wanting to skate pretty much every day.”

So what’s it like being an important part of the growing group of females skaters altering the sport and its culture? 

“I think that’s absolutely awesome,” she states.

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from Skate World. Skateboard News, skateboard shop https://ift.tt/3rvMDtL

[fromfantofan]

TORONTO RAPTORS DRAFT SCENARIO

AND WITH THE 4TH PICK IN THE @NBA DRAFT, THE RAPTORS SELECT JALEN SUGGS!!(@jalensuggs) (Detriot-1. Cade Cunnignham, PG of the future)(Houston-2. Evan Mobley, Trust Kevin Porter as the PG of the Future, grab is partner in crime)(Clevland-3. Jalen Green, committed to Darius Garland as PG of future but not Sexton at Shooting Guard)(Toronto- 4. Jalen Suggs) The Toronto Raptors currently have 3 Starting positions that seem locked by current players; MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE KYLE LOWRY(nor did I assume we got a player in trade) **Our PG Fred Vanvleet.**Our Forwards(SF/PF) are Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Jalen Suggs is the second best Guard to play in the NCAA this year. You're talking about a really good scoring guard that ran the point for his team this year, amazing mentality and great off court traits as well. All these things translated to Suggs leading his team to the NCAA FINALS as they finished the season being the tournament runner-ups. He's a Combo guard that is versatile enough to slide up to SF in small ball lineups due to his size and defensive movement(much like Raptors' very own Gary Trent Jr.). Oh, did say he is a Combo Guard? This guy can score from 3 with the step back. He will get into the paint and do Mid-air adjustments to get his shot off. He's a SNEAKY athlete too, has a great stop-and-go game where he explodes to an open spot, reads the defense, then react with either a pass or a score. (playing PG held him back, forcing him to be pass first when his strength is score first). He has ALOT of @Canadian NBA player Jamal Murray in his game, and his offensive impact could be very similar as well. The Raptors have an amazing system and our staff can REALLY do something with a player like this. On offense he looks like Gary Trent Jr with the point guard IQ and mentality of a Jamal Murray. He does not have the go too moves like Jamal, but he easily gets to his spots much like Gary Trent Jr does. The Raptors pairing Jalen Suggs with Fred Vanvleet in the backcourt is a match made in HEAVEN. Both are amazing defenders. Both players play Shooting guard And Point guard. Both players are able to get their own shots off AND make high IQ passes to teammates. Does he help us win RIGHT away? I am not sure. But he is most DEFINETELY an upgrade from GTJ. (not to knock Gary Trent Jr). It's just that Suggs is the same size, Both have the same defensive potential, and shooting potential. But Suggs is a LEADER, and has such a high basketball IQ at this stage that I just cannot deny his ceiling is way higher than GTJ's AT THIS POINT. Masai Ujuri is the guy that will let us know how good Gary Trent Jr is. If Trent Jr gets a MAX extension, then I do trust that he will play up to his contract and be the starter giving us 20+PPG(Gary can ball). But anything LESS than a MAX extension lets me know that Jalen Suggs is gonna be that guy for us. The Raptors have such an amazing development staff,  I just do not see how Suggs does not develop into one of the Leagues next great Combo guards. (much like a Jrue Holiday or a young Bradley Beal). But Suggs also has a ceiling of becoming Devin Booker with his mix of getting to his spots, hitting shots, and still being able to play Point guard.   Predictions: ***If Gary Trent JR signs a MAX extension**Suggs is our 6th man off the bench and that is his role for his first year. He works on his game in the shadows of our starters, and puts out one of the most efficient campaigns of ANY rookie because he gets to play without responsibilities. For a high IQ player like Suggs, knowing that he just has to MAKE the right plays instead of CREATE or FORCE the right play is gonna do great for his game. 12PPG, 5APG to 1.5 Turnovers per game is good in a 6th man role for a rookie.****If Gary Trent Jr does not get MAX extension**Suggs is an INSTANT starter for the Raptors and Complements Fred Vanvleet and the other starters well. As a Starter he would NEED to create or force the right plays, and would be the Raptors 3rd play maker on offense right away. 16PPG, 4.5APG, to 2.5 turnovers per game on 43% from the field is a good guesstimate for a rookie in this role and scenario. Ceiling: Prime Utah Jazz Deron Williams if he completely hones his point guard skills. IF he ends up being a combo guard? You guys know who Brandon Roy is ??? Suggs is Prime Brandon Roy 2.0.Floor: Bogdan Bogdonovic (Hawks). What you guys think ?? IS Suggs the guy for us ?

[themusicenthusiast]

The Bands of Monster Energy Houston Open Air 2017: Avatar

There’s no denying that Monster Energy Houston Open Air got off to a rocky start last year. Keeping everyone safe (fans, musicians, staff and vendors) is paramount and trumps even music, no matter how great the bands scheduled to perform may be. People learned that the hard way when a perpetual threat of thunder storms delayed the start of HOA on its first day and essentially cancelled day two of the event. Festival producers Danny Wimmer Presents (with Live Nation also participating) promised to be back and give the people of Houston the festival they deserve, and for year two they are going to deliver. Slated to go down on October 14th and 15th, Monster Energy Houston Open Air will be relocating to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. The outdoor arena should ensure that, even if weather conditions get somewhat nasty, the show will go on; a second stage planned to be set up to accommodate the more than two dozen bands that will be performing. DWP’s first ever festival in the Lone Star State, 2017 should be the year that they show Texans and other festival goers why they are one of the most revered and successful concert producers in the U.S. Their events have a special touch about them that only they can create; and if you still need further convincing to get your tickets, well, here’s a look at some of the bands performing this October… Avatar is arguably the best metal band to come out of Sweden in recent memory (which is saying something) and one that has certainly struck a chord with American metal lovers. Basically, they’ve become honorary Americans thanks to their relentless tour schedule that often has them spending months on end in the U.S.

While being influenced by some of the heaviest types of metal and fitting into the melodic death metal category, there’s something overwhelmingly appealing about them, something that allows them to win over even those who aren’t die-hard metal fans. Part of that could be attributed to their presentation, their outfits making them look as if they belong to some demented circus; the way they finesse the spectators being almost unrivaled. Avatar is one band that thrives on building a rapport with the spectators, doing everything within their power to establish a connection with them, regardless of how brief their set time may happen to be. In turn that winds up being one of the most memorable traits about them. Returning to their sound, despite the heavy tendencies, there’s something about it that makes it accessible to all, hits such as “Smells Like a Freakshow” and “Hail the Apocalypse” being invigorating songs that cause one to throw personal preference to the wind, drawing everyone in. Houston Open Air will be Avatar’s lone performance on the U.S. fall festival circuit, so if you’re going make certain you don’t miss them. Event info: Saturday, October 14th and Sunday October 15th at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX. $45+

Photos by Jordan Buford Photography

[themusicenthusiast]

The Bands of Monster Energy Houston Open Air 2017: Gojira

There’s no denying that Monster Energy Houston Open Air got off to a rocky start last year. Keeping everyone safe (fans, musicians, staff and vendors) is paramount and trumps even music, no matter how great the bands scheduled to perform may be. People learned that the hard way when a perpetual threat of thunder storms delayed the start of HOA on its first day and essentially cancelled day two of the event. Festival producers Danny Wimmer Presents (with Live Nation also participating) promised to be back and give the people of Houston the festival they deserve, and for year two they are going to deliver. Slated to go down on October 14th and 15th, Monster Energy Houston Open Air will be relocating to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. The outdoor arena should ensure that, even if weather conditions get somewhat nasty, the show will go on; a second stage planned to be set up to accommodate the more than two dozen bands that will be performing. DWP’s first ever festival in the Lone Star State, 2017 should be the year that they show Texans and other festival goers why they are one of the most revered and successful concert producers in the U.S. Their events have a special touch about them that only they can create; and if you still need further convincing to get your tickets, well, here’s a look at some of the bands performing this October… Gojira will be one of the bands bringing a sort of diversity to Houston Open Air in a few different ways. For starters, the France-based metal outfit is one you don’t typically see on the festival circuit—at least the U.S. one--their appearance at a handful of the festivals this year no doubt delighting the metal lovers that will be attending. That said, they should add a refreshing quality to the event; and on top of that, they’ll lead the way as one of the heaviest bands performing at Houston Open Air .

The four-piece outfit stand as leaders of the pack in terms of modern metal, combining technical elements to death metal while also incorporating prog metal and groove metal to their material, just to name a few. What they’ve created over the last couple of decades has wound up raising the bar for the ever-evolving genre, being distinct and even earning them a Grammy nod for their most recent release. That record would be 2016’s Magma, an album they’re still touring heavily in support of, and one they may well be focusing on a little more now that it has been out for more than a year. Festival goers will just have to wait to see what Gojira has planned for them, though rest assured, it will be something unforgettable. There may be plenty of hard rock and metal bands taking the stage at Houston Open Air, though few go to the extremes that Gojira does, ensuring they’ll be a highlight. Event info: Saturday, October 14th and Sunday October 15th at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX. $45+