#I feel like I’m most tempted by Arizona though……. mostly just. I don’t want to live California but I do but it’s so expensive but it’s

[foxgloveinspace]

The humidity is low enough that I am. Very much so ok with the heat. (I mean… not really but also. Yes).

It shouldn’t be 80 in February, but also!!! I can enjoy the warmth without the awful humidity making me feel like crap!!

[shkspr]

The Gospel according to David and Michael

transcribed from [x]

Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s darkly comic novel about the battle between good and evil, comes to Amazon Prime this spring. To mark the occasion, the British stars of this hugely anticipated show  — Michael Sheen and David Tennant  — take New York in style. HAYLEY CAMPBELL meets them.

It’s Sunday morning in New York City and it’s snowing outside the warm, jazz-filled Beekman hotel, where a 50th-birthday balloon has been trapped for months at the apex of the glass atrium at the top of one of the city’s first skyscrapers. One thousand New Year’s Eve balloons have risen and fallen in the time this one silver balloon has taken to not die. If the apocalypse were to arrive tomorrow, this balloon would survive along with the cockroaches, the deep-sea fish, and the angel and the demon who tried to avert the disaster. If the prophecies of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s cult novel Good Omens prove to be correct, this balloon would bob high above their heads as it is doing now — above Michael Sheen and David Tennant, light and dark, good and evil, an angel and a demon sitting either side of me in lower Manhattan, eating eggs.

I last saw these two together in 2017, in the middle of London’s Battersea Park, shooting some early scenes of their hugely anticipated television show. Good Omens is about the birth of Satan, the coming of the End Times, and an angel (Aziraphale — who has been living on Earth since the dawn of creation and is currently working in a bookshop avoiding selling books because he really just likes to collect them) and a demon (Crowley — who used to be known as Crawly, the snake who tempted Eve with the apple). The pair have spent so much time on earth that they’ve come to quite like it, and don’t much fancy the idea of it all ending. The novel was published in 1990 and has gone on to become so loved that it is rare to see a pristine copy in the world: copies of Good Omens almost always come pre-dunked in tea. Shortly before his death from Alzheimer’s in early 2015, Pratchett wrote an email to his collaborator Gaiman asking him to take it to the screen, to do it properly. “I’m making it for Terry,” says Gaiman. “I wanted to make the thing that Terry would have liked.”

Sheen and Tennant star as the angelic and demonic representatives of their respective head offices, Heaven and Hell, along with a knee-weakening list of stars including Jon Hamm as the archangel Gabriel, Spinal Tap’s Michael McKean as the last of a once proud witchfinder army, and Frances McDormand as the voice of God. There’s Miranda Richardson, Jack Whitehall, three quarters of the League of Gentlemen, and Nick Offerman as the father of the Antichrist (sort of). The cast list reads like someone collecting acting talent to put on an ark ready for a biblical flood.

For months, we have tried to get them together again to talk about the end of the world. But life and work had them circling the globe separately, unmatchable as opposing magnets. Sheen is currently in New York filming The Good Fight, in which he plays a Machiavellian lawyer, and Tennant has flown in on the red-eye from Phoenix, Arizona, where he was appearing at the Ace Comic Con, mobbed by Doctor Who fans. Both of them have, since they last saw each other, grown beards. Tennant is ecstatic about the beards, and both are thrilled to see each other, and New York, again.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in New York over the years now,” says Sheen. “But still there’s times where you look at something and you think it just looks so incredibly beautiful, or strange, or filmic. It never loses that sense of unreality. I love being able to take it in by walking through the streets. Los Angeles feels like everything happens indoors, whereas here in New York, everything happens outdoors.”

“I do like New York,” adds Tennant. “I love a big city, and I love a busy city.”

Tennant and Sheen have bumped into each other before, both appearing in Stephen Fry’s 2003 film Bright Young Things, but they were never in the same scene. Sheen voice a character in an episode of Doctor Who written by Gaiman, but by then Tennant’s Doctor had regenerated. They tend to go for similar roles so there’s rarely a chance for them to both be cast — it’s usually one or the other. Gaiman, the author and showrunner of Good Omens, selected Sheen for the role. “I’ve known Michael for about a decade and one of the things that always impressed me about him was his goodness,” he says. “He’s just very good. He radiates goodness and lovability. I was always fascinated by the fact that he tends to play characters who, at least on the outside, are sort of brittle and perhaps a little damaged or dangerous.”

Selecting an actor to play the BMW driving, skinny-jeans-wearing demon was an equally tricky task. “For David, I was writing episode three and there is a scene set in a church. I had to bring Crowley on and suddenly I knew exactly how I needed that scene to be done in order to work: with him coming down the aisle hopping from foot to foot, going ‘ow ow ow ow ow!’ like he’s at the beach in bare feet. Only David Tennant could do that right. People seemed baffled when it was announced that they were cast because they’re a similar kind of actor, but the similarities between them felt so incredibly right when you’re building this kind of thing.”

Tennant and Sheen joke that when the theatre production of Good Omens (hold your horses, there isn’t one) travels the world, they will swap roles every night, even though Sheen says he couldn’t imagine it the other way around: “Ultimately I don’t think I can pull off cool,” he says, as Tennant scoffs in disbelief. “I think it just suits my natural being, that I’m kind of a worrier, and a little bit too anal for my own good. Things annoy me if they’re not quite right. And yet I like to think of myself as being a good person. So all of that hypocrisy and finickiness seems to lend itself to the natural rhythm of Aziraphale.”

“I love that you describe Crowley as cool,” laughs Tennant. “I think he thinks he’s cool, but isn’t.”

Tennant is adamant that having Gaiman as a showrunner is the pin that is holding this strange world together, one that is “tonally sort of nebulous”, but definitely very funny, and one that would benefit from a bingewatch to take it in all at once (all six episodes will be available on Amazon at once and later the BBC will broadcast them week-by-week). “I think if anyone else was running this they would’ve normalised it, would’ve made it saner, and would’ve ironed out some of the quirks of it,” he says. “Neil’s been fantastically clever at making it televisual where he had to, but it still has the madness, the impracticality of the book.”

Plus, there’s the fact that Gaiman is 50 per cent of the book. Because of that, his casting choices landed a little more softly in the world of Good Omens fandom. But Sheen and Tennant aren’t too worried about being unwelcome: they have in their short time as Aziraphale and Crowley discovered that Good Omens fans may be devoted to the point of madness (the cosplay and pornographic fan fiction has already begun), but they are certainly kind. “I have found that Neil’s work is almost like the Arthurian sword in the stone,” says Sheen. “You can only pull the sword out if you are pure of heart. And I think you only like Neil’s stuff if there’s something about you that means you won’t be mean to people on the whole.”

“I think that’s true of Doctor Who fans as well,” says Tennant. “If your mind is set in that way, then you have a generosity of spirit. And there’s quite an overlap between the two fandoms.”

They seem almost wistful until I bring up the airfield. Days after filming during a cold snap in Battersea Park, where we huddled like penguins around glowing heaters in tents, production moved to an airfield outside London where they had built a fake Soho to house Aziraphale’s bookshop. It was the place that changed everyone’s idea of what ‘cold’ actually meant, but it also became the ultimate green room of all time. Both of them look wide-eyed at the mention of the place, for both reasons.

“That blasted airfield! It was blasted in every sense of the word,” says Tennant. “But the great joy was you had all the cast together at once. Between takes we had this big trailer where they would blast the heaters and we’d go and recover.”

“We’d drink hot chocolate, tell stories, and watch TV,” beams Sheen, who says the thing he misses most about the UK is the fact that he can mention The Flumps and people actually know what that is.

“But the only TV channel that would work was some version of Turner Classic Movies,” says Tennant. “Ancient old movies on a loop. Michael McKean would just sit there telling us stories about people he knew or about some sort of terrible Hollywood lifestyle they’d once lived.”

Though it took months to get them both in the same room in the same city, it is a genuine treat to see Sheen and Tennant together. They seem to prop each other up, to fill the space where the other is not, in both acting and conversing. Neither steps on the other’s toes. Above all, they seem to have a deep respect for one another. “It genuinely made me sad when we stopped filming,” says Sheen. “I didn’t want to not be doing it any more.” Good Omens makes you wonder why nobody thought of putting them together sooner. It is the strangest buddy story so far, the one just before the end of the world, starring the most unlikely pals who for some reason quite like each other — mostly because they’ve just been posted here a bit too long by their superiors so they have more in common with each other than they do with Heaven or Hell — and, crucially, quite like us. It’s the kind of thing that makes you believe the world is worth saving.

[megaphonemonday]

good shape will do

mazza: Mike teaches Ginny to play pool.

While, yes, I would love to see more of Ginny in Mike’s weird house because I love both of those things (Ginny and Mike’s weird house) I went for something else I love. Enjoy!

read on ao3

It was something of an exaggeration to say there was nothing to do in Peoria. It was a big suburb of a major city, not Bumfuck, Middle-of-Nowhere, after all. 

It might’ve been an exaggeration, but that didn’t negate the fact that the six weeks of every year that Mike was stuck in Arizona, it always felt true. 

Sure, there were restaurants that weren’t McDonald’s or Taco Bell, not to mention movie theaters and malls and more besides. Mike would know. He’d learned each and every one like the back of his hand a decade ago. And, yeah, Peoria even boasted a few clubs—on top of the scores of bars (because what else was there to do in suburban Phoenix?)—of its own, but their appeal waned with every passing year. Mike kept getting older, but it seemed like the clientele never did.

And wasn’t that just a bitch.

Maybe, he considered as he took another sip from his beer and tried not to look bored out of his mind, he’d been doing this too long. He’d been haunting the same bars and hot spots in this town since he was 20, invited to his first training camp for his first taste of the bigs and getting his fill—of the parties and the admiration and, God, the girls—in case it was also his last. 

Obviously, it hadn’t been. He’d gotten much more than a taste. More than his fair share, he was sure some might say. 

After 17 years in the bigs, Mike could maybe, possibly, see where they were coming from. Most days after a game behind the dish, his knees felt more like loose gravel than functioning joints. Spending nine innings over at first was less of a battle, but it wasn’t what he loved. Sure, it was still baseball, still kept him on the diamond and with his team, but the first baseman didn’t run the show like the catcher did. 

And Mike really liked running the show. 

He couldn’t quite manage it in his personal life—back in December, Rachel’d taken a promotion that would move her to New York without pausing to ask what he thought; it was probably better if he didn’t get into where Mike stood with the other women (well, woman, if he was being honest) in his life—so he’d have to settle for it professionally.

Thank God he could. He’d put in the effort over the offseason to win back the team, and it’d paid off. 

Mostly. He still had to put up with more ribbing, often far less friendly than it used to be, than he was used to, but Mike had at least shored up his standing with his teammates enough that they listened to his input on what to do in the yard. 

And, more immediately, where to spend their off nights. 

Which was why the San Diego Padres had ended up in the seediest pool hall Peoria had to offer on this particular Wednesday evening. 

Hey, it was hard to be bored when the possibility of a bar brawl increased exponentially with every round of shots Hinkley and Melky knocked back. The Padres hadn’t gotten into a dust up off the field in a long time. Maybe it would be enough to knock Mike out of this mood. 

Probably he shouldn’t be pulling for one or more of his teammates to get their faces beaten in, but, well... Mike couldn’t take yet another night in yet another townie hangout he’d been frequenting the last seventeen years of his life.

So, the pool hall it was.

Was there a pool table in Mike’s Arizona house? Definitely; he loved playing pool, liked the meditative aspect of it. Did that mean he wanted a horde of ballplayers descending on that house just so he could teach them the fun of the game? 

Hell fucking no.

A few of them, sure, but Mike wasn’t about to re-alienate the ones he didn’t want around just for the sake of not having to leave his house. Mike didn’t want to spend more time with most of them than was absolutely necessary. 

Most of them. 

The woman currently leaning on her pool cue, casting a skeptical eye over her table, however, was not most of them.

Ginny Baker was, and always would be, in a class all of her own. 

Tonight, wearing a pair of beat-up jeans—they’d probably come off the rack with all those holes, but the way the denim hugged every last inch of her leg had to be the work of a very dedicated tailor; one Mike would probably be better off never meeting—with a loose blouse that showed off her shoulders and delicate collarbone and the shadows pooling there in the low lighting, that was more than clear. 

Unfortunately, Mike wasn’t the only one who noticed.

It was impossible to miss the way too many pairs of eyes trailed her trim figure as she circled the table, looking for a shot, lithe fingers trailing up and down her cue. His did, too, but he knew how to fucking keep it subtle. Especially when it came to Ginny Baker. 

Playing down the way his attention always gravitated straight to Ginny Baker, no matter the crowd or situation or distance between them, had become something of a specialty of his.

And even if her ass did present an incredibly tempting prospect as she bent over to inspect an angle, the way she jabbed her cue forward, skidding the tip across the green felt and making the cue ball bounce twice before it knocked weakly into the 10-ball, was enough to drive all thoughts of her perfect backside straight out of Mike’s mind.

Well, almost.

“Someone needs to work on Baker’s technique.”

Mike was so focused on the game across the room that he missed Blip’s disbelieving snort. “Is that what you’re calling it these days?” the center fielder asked, something knowing and more than a little belligerent in his tone.

His captain ignored it.

“If she tears a hole in the felt,” he reasoned, less interested in convincing his teammate than working out the rationale for himself, “I’m not gonna pay for it. Are you? It only makes sense to make sure she doesn’t cause too much damage.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, man,” Blip started, but Mike was already walking away, heading straight toward the small knot of Padres across the bar.

He hadn’t picked a pool hall just so he could show Ginny the ropes—to say nothing about a little quality time that had so far been in short supply this spring training with her while he was at it—but now that he had the chance, Mike certainly wasn’t going to complain about it.

“C’mon, Baker,” he said, catching her awry elbow in one hand before she could jerk it forward and send the cue ball popping into the air yet again. “Someone needs to show you a thing or two.”

He didn’t give Salvi or Butch a chance to protest, knew Omar wouldn’t once he’d been sufficiently glared at, and pulled her over to an empty table tucked into the far corner. She only dragged her feet a little.

“I don’t need—”

“How’s your elbow feeling?” he interrupted. Mike didn’t really want to hear that Ginny didn’t need, or maybe want, anything from him.

“More than up to the oh-so strenuous task of shooting pool,” she sniped. 

Mike rolled his eyes. “Just making sure.”

“You and everyone else in a 15-mile radius,” Ginny muttered grumpily, like she hadn’t thrown four shutout innings of baseball today.

To be fair to everyone else, she’d just thrown her, much anticipated, first start of spring training. Al’d kept her in the bullpen until now. She’d made a few strong showings in relief, but Ginny would be the first to say coming in to throw out one or two batters wasn’t the same as going the distance from the first pitch. Still, they’d been strong enough that she’d more than earned her start today. 

Mike couldn’t help but worry. 

Rather than tell her that, though, he shrugged. “We’re in the middle of the desert. What else is there for people to care about?”

He didn’t give Ginny a chance to snark back, just ushered her onto a stool and launched into a soliloquy on the mechanics and motion of the perfect stroke and trying to make her laugh.

Mike wasn’t proud about commandeering what should have been her victory lap, but he hadn’t suggested this outing so they could all get kicked out when Ginny inevitably ruined all the playing surfaces. Or so Omar could stutter and blush every time Ginny leaned over to take a shot, his eyes right where Mike’s wanted to be. And what Mike really wasn’t going to do was give some other mook the opportunity to crowd up behind her and give her a hands-on lesson—as he was sure more than one person had considered. 

Not that Mike planned on doing it, either—not if he wanted to maintain his grip on sanity—but he definitely didn’t want anyone else thinking they could even try it.

As he went over the basic rules and racked the balls, he couldn’t help but notice Baker’s restlessness. 

The whole—though it really was short for him—spiel about stripes and solids and racks and breaks, Ginny’s leg bounced up and down, impatient and unwilling to pretend otherwise. Apparently, Ginny Baker was too good for the rules. Mike wanted to laugh. That was just typical, wasn’t it? She wanted to run before she even had the lay of the land. 

“Got somewhere to be, Baker?”

“Just wondering how long this is gonna take,” she drawled, hopping off her stool to stare up at him in exasperation. “I already know how to play pool.”

Mike snorted. 

“I do!” she defended, laughing at his skepticism. “How else would I know I can win the game on the first shot if I sink the 8-ball?”

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s something you’re gonna have to worry about.”

“Asshole.”

Mike shrugged in agreement, but grinned down at her.

Hanging off her cue, she tilted her head to the side, soft, pink lips following in an uneven grin. Just the one dimple pressed into her cheek. Her curls cascaded messily over her shoulder and bounced away when she waved off any more explanation, uncovering more of her smooth, unblemished skin. Not that Mike was capable of much more when she looked like that. 

Like she was his dream come fucking true. 

Then again, she always looked like that.

“You gonna show me how it’s done or not, Lawson?” she challenged, teeth sinking into the lush curve of her lower lip for a bare second. 

“If you insist,” Mike replied, shaking off the slight daze that Ginny so effortlessly inspired in him. It was easier now that he was methodically filling the rack, keeping his eyes down. “You want the break?”

She shrugged, fingering a spare cube of chalk and inspecting the sheen of blue dust it left behind before brushing it off on her pants. Disinterestedly, she replied, “If you don’t want to, sure.”

“All right,” he said, determined to get her interested in this game if it killed him. Maybe, once they got back to San Diego, Mike could get her to come over and play a few games. With Blip, of course. If he wanted. It wasn’t that he just liked the idea of Ginny in his house. Okay. It wasn’t only that. “Go ahead and put the cue ball in the kitchen, then.”

One of Ginny’s eyebrows climbed her forehead, and she leveled him with an unimpressed stare. “You better not follow that up with a joke about a sandwich, old man.”

“A little faith, rookie,” he threw back, clutching at his heart in mock offense. She pursed her lips, but didn’t protest the nickname. Ginny Baker might not technically be a rookie, but she was always going to be Mike’s rookie. One of his last, maybe. Tapping the diamond a quarter of the way down the table, he said, “Just put it down anywhere behind this line.”

Ginny shrugged and carelessly let the ball roll out of her fingers. It came to a stop just a few inches away from the edge of a rail.

“You sure that’s where you want to put it?” he checked, eyeing the ball in question. It was far from an impossible shot, but it didn’t give her a great angle for a clean break.

“It doesn’t really matter, does it?” Ginny shrugged as her attention wandered around the bar, clearly more interested in their teammates’ bullshit than the truly excellent advice Mike was trying to give her

He rolled his eyes but did his best not to frown. “If you don’t get a legal break, it matters.”

“And you think I can’t.”

It was hard to tell in the dim light, but Mike would have sworn Ginny’s eyes were twinkling in spite of the accusation in her tone. She blinked slowly at him, one corner of her lips tugging to the side. He shook himself and went to recheck the rack. They hadn’t moved, but it gave him something better to do with his time than gaze adoringly at Ginny Baker. He’d already hit his quota for the day.

“It happens sometimes. You have to get at least one ball in a pocket or four to the sides.”

Of course, she caught on quick. “If I don’t, then you get a shot at it?”

“That’s the idea.”

She eyed the ball once more before nodding. “It’s fine there.”

“If you say so.” 

The doubt in his voice didn’t seem to get to her as Ginny leaned over and lined up her shot. Before she could take it, though, she lifted her eyes to Mike, all the way at the foot of the table. With a grin that did dangerous things to his insides, she asked, “What do you say we make this interesting?”

Mike raised a brow of his own. “What’d you have in mind?”

Her lips quirked to the side in thought. If she had a free hand, he was sure she’d tap her chin to really sell the bit. After just a moment, she lit up, and if Mike had thought her grin was dangerous before, the curve of her lips now was downright deadly. A throb of interest pinged low in his gut. Lower, if he was being honest. 

Jesus Christ. This was not the time.

“If you lose, you have to pay for my dinners for the rest of spring training.”

Mike could imagine worse fates than treating Ginny to a few dinners here in Arizona, even with her bottomless pit of a stomach.

“Fine,” he agreed. Though not so quick as to seem desperate for some of her time. “What about if I win?”

“Up to you.”

Oh, now that was a dangerous prospect. There were so many things Mike ached to say: If I win, you sit next to me on every plane ride this season instead of walking by like you have so far; you come over and watch Star Wars without complaining about the hokey special effects; you tell me the name of your perfume so I can soak my sheets in it; you agree to talk about this thing between us; you let me take you home and show you a much better use for a pool table. The possibilities were limitless.

But, Mike wasn’t going to push it. They were only just getting back into the swing of things, slowly easing into a collegial relationship that was indisputably aware of the current of desire underpinning it. He didn’t want to mess with their fragile status quo.

So, he said, “If I win, you can only shake me off twice a game until we leave Arizona.”

“Four times.”

“Three.”

“Deal.”

She reached out, across the table so Mike had to lean in too, and they shook on it. Ginny’s warm, callused palm against his felt beyond right, but now wasn’t the time for Mike to get all mushy about holding her hand. So, after maybe a second longer than necessary, he released her and nodded to the table. 

Ginny studied him for another long beat before bending back down to line up her shot. 

Unlike the few strokes he’d seen her take in that game he’d pulled her from, this one was smooth and measured, brisk. The cue ball shot forward and knocked into the rack, scattering the formation easily.

Definitely a legal break. She hadn’t pocketed anything, but there were certainly more than four balls on the rail. A couple were still lazily spinning toward them, too. 

One happened to be the 8-ball. 

Transfixed, Mike watched as the black ball, freed from its spot in the middle of the pyramid, spun its way towards a center pocket. Just when he thought it would stop, only a smidge shy of the hole, another ball ricocheted into it, neatly pocketing it and winning Ginny the game. 

One stroke and she’d beat him.

Smoothly, Ginny straightened, a triumphant smile making her glow. 

God damn it, that was hot as hell.

From a table away, having clearly drifted closer when Mike wasn’t paying attention, Blip burst into howls of laughter. Ginny grinned over at him, lifting her chin in acknowledgment before leveling her victorious grin on Mike again. It probably shouldn’t have made his heart swoop in his chest, but there were a lot of things about Ginny that shouldn’t make Mike feel the way he did. The center fielder wiped a few tears away from the corner of his eyes, his shoulders still shaking. 

“Man, I wanted to tell you,” he crowed when he caught sight of Mike’s shocked face, “but you didn’t even give me a chance. Ginny used to hustle all the locals back in San Antonio.”

When Mike turned his disbelieving stare on her, she hitched a shoulder modestly.

“Minor league pay only takes you so far.”

That was certainly true, but it didn’t make pool sharks out of all its players.

“How the hell did you learn how to do that?” Mike demanded, feeling more than a little guilty for underestimating Ginny. Someday, he’d learn to stop doing that.

“I lived in Texas for three years, Mike,” she said, like that explained everything. Then again, it wasn’t like he’d spent a lot of time there in the minors, so maybe it did. “And I aced Geometry.” Ginny shrugged, like that was a reasonable segue. Mike just stared at her, still more than a little gobsmacked. The right side of her mouth quirked up, dimple sinking into her cheek. “That’s all this is. Planes and angles. Like pitching.”

“Like pitching?” Mike sputtered, staring in bewildered amazement at this woman.

“Yeah,” she said, finally turning that steady gaze of hers on him. An eyebrow arched. “Haven’t you heard that before?”

There was a fog or something clouding Mike’s brain. That had to be why his voice sounded so distant when he said no.

That fog only thickened when delight spread across Ginny’s face, lighting up her dimpled smile. Grinning like a maniac—the prettiest god damn maniac Mike had ever seen—Ginny hung off her pool cue and teased, “Are you telling me there’s baseball wisdom Mike Lawson’s never heard before?”

He rolled his eyes and did his best to cut through the haze hampering his critical thinking skills. That and the knots his tongue had been tied into.

“You make me sound like a walking encyclopedia,” he eventually managed.

“Aren’t you? When it comes to baseball, at least? Coulda sworn I saw your name in Ken Burns’ credits.”

“I am wise beyond belief, yes,” he replied, puffing out his chest and ignoring Ginny’s incredulous snort, “but even I don’t know everything. I’d be too amazing if I did.”

“You’d be too something, that’s for sure.”

“Respect your captain, rookie!”

She bit her lip and looked down, long lashes casting a heavy arc of shadow on her bronze cheek. When she glanced up at him, her eyes were sparkling, delight dancing deep in the whiskey brown depths. God, if this was how he felt from just a smile, fuck him if she ever decided to— Well, fuck him. “Only if you keep me well fed, captain.”

“Now that, I can do. I make a mean chicken parm.”

What? He said he’d pay for her dinners, and he would. Just, she never specified who was going to make them.

Both of Ginny’s eyebrows jumped in surprise. “You don’t have to do that,” she tried, a flush rising up her chest. It was unusual to see, and not just because Mike usually didn’t have such an unencumbered view of her chest. 

“I’ll pay for your dinners, Baker, but don’t think I’m paying for you to eat a cheeseburger and a strawberry malt every day. Oscar and Al’d kill me if I let you clog your arteries at the ripe old age of 24.”

“My dietician says it’s malts every other day,” she corrected, another grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Well, that makes all the difference, doesn’t it?” Ginny laughed and Mike didn’t keep himself from joining in. When the brash, braying sound—which sounded more and more like music every time he heard it—faded away, Mike tipped his head to the side, regarding her. Something that felt an awful lot like yearning burned a hole in his chest. “C’mon, Baker. I promise not to poison you.”

For a long moment, she studied him. Mike had no idea what she wanted to find, but she must’ve because Ginny nodded and asked, “Your place or mine?”

“Do you even have cooking utensils in your kitchen?”

“My dishes are all microwave safe. What more do I need?”

He rolled his eyes. “That’s a no, then. All right, tomorrow after the game, you’re coming over and I’m feeding you food that didn’t come in a microwaveable box. How’s that sound?”

He’d be lying if he didn’t want the next words out of her mouth to be: “It’s a date.” And while Mike Lawson could lie with the best of them, he had no interest in stretching the truth on this front. 

He also knew that now, as was so often the case lately, just wasn’t the time. 

But maybe now was the time for laying a foundation. For when the time eventually came. 

Ginny nodded. “Works for me.”

“Good.” Mike tried not to heave a sigh of relief and pushed all the plans he was already busy making to the back of his mind. “Now, show me that trick shot of yours.”

“It’s not a trick!” she protested, laughing but still circling the table to start reracking the balls. “It’s geometry. And physics.”

Mike rolled his eyes but listened attentively as she leaped into her explanation. No, he had no idea how torque or angles or the Newtonian laws of physics could be applied to a pool table, but Ginny did, and he would be more than happy to listen to her talk about duller things for much longer.

Okay. So maybe Peoria still didn’t have much to offer in the way of entertainment, especially not when Mike had learned the town inside and out over the past 17 years. It was as familiar as the back of his hand.

However, for the next month, Peoria had Ginny Baker. And, as Mike was learning, with Ginny around, the familiar things had this funny habit of feeling brand new. 

[junker-town]

2021 NFL Mock Draft: Complete first round

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

A complete first-round Mock Draft following the end of the regular season.

With the regular season in the rear view mirror we now turn our attention to the NFL Draft. There’s still a lot unknown about the format it will take, how the scouting combine will proceed (if at all), or whether the world will be in a place where we can have people attend live. But outside of those unknowns we do know what order non-playoff teams will be drafting, and today we dive into who may be selected.

No. 1: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson — Jacksonville Jaguars

The sweepstakes are over, the dust has settled, and the Jaguars have won the prize. Quarterback definitely isn’t Jacksonville’s biggest need, and Gardner Minshew has played pretty well in 2020, but chances like this don’t come along very often.

Lawrence is the most polished, lock No. 1 QB since Andrew Luck entered the league in 2012. The Clemson passer has proven he can work under pressure, make plays, and be the face of a franchise for years to come. The Jaguars are lucky.

No. 2: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon — New York Jets

There was seemingly no doubt the Jets would end up with Trevor Lawrence for much of the season, but wins took them out of the No. 1 pick conversation. It’s temping to simply shuffle them down a peg and take the next best quarterback, but deep down I think New York know that just taking quarterbacks is like shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

Penei Sewell is a safe pick, and he’s ludicrously talented too. At the very least it’ll give the offense some support so they can determine if Sam Darnold has a future, or whether it’ll be time to cut bait in 2021.

No. 3: Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama — Miami Dolphins (via Texans)

The Dolphins are in one of the best positions in the NFL with a luxury almost nobody gets: Being a near-playoff team with a Top 3 pick. At this point Miami has its QB of the future, it has a solid base, now it’s time to get weapons.

Adding Devonta Smith is a dream come true. A receiver so good he’s Heisman worthy, with a history of working with Tua Tagovailoa. The handcuff is cute, but the pick makes too much sense. I think this is a piece of the puzzle that can really take the Dolphins to the next level.

No. 4: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State — Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have a lot of needs, especially in the secondary, but it’s important to realize all those comically blown leads also means this team is close as constructed. I don’t think Atlanta is really as bad as their record showed, so the smart move is to solidify the future.

Regime change is on the Falcons’ minds, but it doesn’t need to be immediate. Justin Fields could sit behind Matt Ryan for a year, get used to the NFL and get the development he needs to be ready to take over. It’s a great scenario for everyone involved, and getting a QB of this caliber without needing to trade is too good to pass up.

No. 5: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU — Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals would love to get Sewell or Smith in this spot, but the draft didn’t quite break for them. It’s not like this is a sob story though, because Ja’Marr Chase is a heck of a player who we know has chemistry with Joe Burrow.

Chase totaled 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns with Burrow at LSU in 2019. A.J. Green is getting older (and growing weary of the rebuild), the Bengals need to upgrade their receiving corps, and need to get Burrow more help. This pick fits all those needs.

No. 6: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State — Philadelphia Eagles

Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Philadelphia needs help in a lot of areas, and while wide receiver might be the biggest area that needs improvement, I don’t have the mock breaking in a way where it’s in the team’s best interest.

Pass rushing is a key need for the Eagles as well, and getting Parsons from their own backyard will help in that regard. Arguably the best pure pass rusher in the class, I don’t think him skipping the 2020 season will really hurt. I think it’s a trap to think Parsons can only excel in a 3-4 base defense, with coordinators getting more creative in using weapons. With a player this good you just take him, and work out how to slot him in later.

No. 7: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama — Detroit Lions

Death. Taxes. The Lions taking first round receivers. I’m sure it’s a bummer that Detroit will have to settle for the third best in the class, but Jaylen Waddle fits what the team likes to do on offense.

A smaller, shiftier wide receiver, Waddle is a playmaker who just needs the ball in his hands to make an impact. That makes him a receiver who can fit with any quarterback, whether that’s Matthew Stafford or someone new.

No. 8: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida — Carolina Panthers

I know there’s an allure to giving Carolina a quarterback here, especially with Zach Wilson still on the board, and Teddy Bridgewater looking like he’s not the guy, but ultimately I think Matt Rhule wants to get players he really believes in, and is willing to wait for them.

Years of Panthers success on offense were dictated by the receiving skills of Greg Olsen. Kyle Pitts has a similar skillset and could quickly become a league-defining tight end, among the best in the league. With the Panthers receivers set, I see this being a way to round out their offense, giving Bridgewater more time to prove if he can be the guy or not.

No. 9: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern — Denver Broncos

Denver is a much better team on paper than a lot of people gave them credit for. Drew Lock is really developing into a nice quarterback, they have pieces on both side of the ball to make plays, but it’s the little things this team lacks that’s hurting them.

In a perfect world the Broncos would trade down a little with a team wanting a quarterback jumping up, but for the sake of this exercise I have they staying put and drafting a rangy, reliable offensive tackle to help fix their line. Rashawn Slater is an athletic, excellent tackle who won’t be a sexy pick, but it’ll be the right one.

No. 10: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech — Dallas Cowboys

Dallas wasn’t bad against the pass, in fact, far from it — but this is a need meets BPA pick that can’t be ignored. The Cowboys are facing massive turnover in their secondary this offseason, and are in dire need of help. That help comes in the form of the best defensive back taken.

Caleb Farley has speed, strength, excellent football IQ and an ability to make plays. Virginia Tech were confident enough to give him little help, and still he excelled. The NFC East will be a mess for a while, but Farley is a difference maker who could turn the tide.

No. 11: Kwity Paye, DT, Michigan — New York Giants

This might be the safest, most obvious pick of the first round outside of Trevor Lawrence going to Jacksonville. The Giants need an elite defensive tackle to round out their burgeoning defense, and general manager Dave Gettleman has an endless love of big tackles.

Kwity Paye had the power to hold the middle, and the skills to get into the backfield. He’s not dissimilar to Kawann Short, who Gettleman drafted in Carolina and quickly became of of their best defensive players. Paye has even more upside, and could be an anchor on the line for a long, long time.

No. 12: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU — San Francisco 49ers

Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

It’s been so tempting to give Zach Wilson to numerous teams before, but here we are. The 49ers are at a crossroads. They’re a year removed from being one of the best teams in the NFL, and 2020 really derailed everything.

That also means there’s an opportunity here, much like Atlanta, to draft higher than they probably deserve. It’s unclear if Jimmy Garoppolo can stay healthy enough to be a franchise player, but if anyone can unlock Wilson in the NFL it’s Kyle Shanahan. The foundation is in place to make him succeed, now it’s time to execute.

No. 13: Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State — Los Angeles Chargers

This was supposed to be a full rebuilding year for Los Angeles. Very little was expected, and 2020 was mostly about getting Justin Herbert reps, and making him feel comfortable. However, nobody expected Herbert to be as good as he was this season, which pushes the priority completely on protecting Herbert.

Los Angeles really needs a tackle more than a guard, but the talent isn’t quite there. Wyatt Davis is versatile enough to play along the line, and helps solidify the middle. I know this is early for a guard, but Davis is worth it.

No. 14: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Miami — Minnesota Vikings

Goodness, where do we begin on this one? The Vikings need a lot of help on defense. In fact, they need a lot of help everywhere — but with questionable options on the OL I have them addressing the mammoth problems with the secondary.

Minnesota gutted its secondary for seemingly no reason, allowing talented players to walk and hurting the team in the process. Patrick Surtain II has the pedigree, and the talent to start fixing those issues.

No. 15: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama — New England Patriots

I have this being my obligatory draft “shocker.”

I know everyone has Trey Lance ranked higher, but I can’t shake the feeling that a late-career Bill Belichick won’t be that interested in taking on a project QB, especially with someone as reliable as Mac Jones available.

The ceiling is definitely lower, but he’s a safe, proven commodity. The Patriots have no quarterback to speak of at this point, and there’s a scenario here where Jones can start from Day 1. It’s not like the Patriots to take a QB early, but these are weird times.

No. 16: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC — Arizona Cardinals

Similar to the Chargers, the Cardinals would probably rather a tackle be on the board. There’s a good chance they go defense here, but we know Arizona is an offensive team first, and that’s where the priority is.

Alijah Vera-Tucker will hold the middle, protect Kyler Murray, and solidify the base. This team has sizzle, now this is a beef.

No. 17: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami — Las Vegas Raiders

It’s unheard of to have one of the best pure pass rushers in the draft go this low. That’s not a testament to Gregory Rousseau’s talent, but rather that other teams have bigger fish to fry.

Rousseau has the athleticism and speed we know Jon Gruden craves out of players, and he’s versatile enough to help across the board. A solid addition for a team that ranked 29th in sacks.

No. 18: Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee — Miami Dolphins

I’m a big time believer in Tua Tagovailoa, and don’t fully get why anyone is doubting him. At this point it’s all about putting gas on the fire, and after getting a top-tier receiver, now Miami can turn to helping the line and adding some protection.

This could easily be a tackle, like Christian Darrishaw or Jalen Mayfield, but ultimately I think this big, road-grading guard offers a little more top-end talent, something Miami needs.

No. 19: Christian Darrishaw, OT, Virginia Tech — Washington Football Team

Do you know who’ll quarterback this team in 2021? I sure don’t. Let that be a future problem.

Ron Rivera is a risk-averse head coach (despite his “Riverboat Ron” billing), and to that end I think Washington takes an excellent, unremarkable player who simply makes their team better.

No. 20: Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan — Chicago Bears

I have a hard time really knowing what the future holds for the Bears. Just when you think you have Mitchell Trubisky figured out, he wows you, then lets you down, then wows you again.

For now, I think Chicago banks on him being the guy for just a little longer. Part of that evaluation process involves getting him more protection, and Jalen Mayfield is a guy who can really help.

No. 21: Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State — Jacksonville Jaguars (via Rams)

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Young quarterbacks need tight ends.

With Trevor Lawrence locked down, Pat Freiermuth seems like an amazing option here. He’s such a talented blocker that it’s easy to confuse him with a sixth offensive lineman, and the dude can catch when needed. That provided a hell of a lot of safety for a rookie QB, and someone who he can grow, and rely on.

No. 22: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue — Indianapolis Colts

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Rondale Moore definitely doesn’t have ideal size, but the Colts are used to working around that with T.Y. Hilton. This pick hinges entirely on whether Indianapolis brings back their top receiver, but even if they do, I think Moore is a solid pick.

A small, shifty receiver — he’s able to find gaps and make big plays, just like Hilton. This is a case where the team match could be all the difference, and I see Indianapolis being able to use him.

No. 23: Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri — Cleveland Browns

The Browns are back in the playoffs, and that’s glorious. The one thing this team still lacks is consistency. Sure, there’s a lot of excitement on both sides of the ball, but that tends to wax and wane from game to game.

Nick Bolton is the kind of player who will help solidify the defense, and allow players around him to shine. That’s a characteristic often underrated.

No. 24: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame — Baltimore Ravens

I don’t know where Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will end up in the NFL. Will he be a linebacker? Will he move to safety? It doesn’t really matter in the long run, as long as he goes to a team willing to embrace his talent.

Perhaps nobody is better suited to finding a place for him to play than the Ravens, who are less concerned with archetypes, as they are making plays. Owusu-Koramoah makes plays by the bunches, and I think that will be enough to get him into the first round. Heck, if he had a more solidified size I think he’d go Top 10.

No. 25: Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama — Tennessee Titans

The Titans are the best playoff team without a pass rush. Christian Barmore doesn’t exactly solve that problem, but he makes everyone’s line on the line easier.

Tennessee doesn’t really have a lot of needs outside of the defensive line, so let’s sort this out quickly.

No. 26: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota — New York Jets (via Seahawks)

I’m applying a lot of the same logic here as I did the No. 2 pick. My money is on the Jets taking one more year under a new coach to evaluate Sam Darnold, and to do that effectively, he needs weapons.

Bateman is one of those guys who doesn’t burst off the screen with every play, but you see how many ways he can excel in the NFL. He’s similar to Michael Thomas in that way, and that’s a hell of a compliment.

No. 27: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State — Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady won’t last forever. In fact, he might not last another full season, depending on who you ask. There’s no doubt we’ve hit the twilight years of No. 12’s career, which means it’s time to have a plan in place once he’s gone.

Tampa Bay is still firmly in “win now” mode, but that doesn’t mean they should ignore the future. Trey Lance is a little raw, but if he can find his way in the NFL the sky is the limit. Give him a season to sit behind Brady and learn the NFL, and if that turns into a couple of years, you still know the future is secure.

No. 28: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson — Pittsburgh Steelers

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

It’s so bizarre to see a Steelers team in the playoffs without a ground game identity. Pittsburgh has tried, and failed a few different experiments since saying goodbye to Le’Veon Bell, and now it’s time to fix the issue.

Travis Etienne isn’t the classic, bruising Steeler running back we’re used to, but we saw what the team was able to do with DeAngelo Williams as his career winded down. Etienne has elite speed at the position, and an ability to make plays from the backfield. Pittsburgh needs that.

No. 29: Derion Kendrick, CB, Clemson — New Orleans Saints

New Orleans may be living on borrowed time when it comes to quarterback, but this is too low to take a risk and the team is still too good. Getting a cornerback like Derion Kendrick helps keep the Saints competitive in the division, and shut down the next generation of quarterbacks entering the NFC South.

No. 30: Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas — Buffalo Bills

At this point Buffalo is simply looking for the last pieces of the puzzle. They have the quarterback, the talent all over the roster, and getting some future protection for Josh Allen has to be the priority.

Samuel Cosmi might not have elite athleticism, but he’s incredibly smart. When you have an athletic quarterback like Allen you don’t need raw power, as much as you need someone who won’t make mistakes.

No. 31: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon — Green Bay Packers

Holland is a little difficult to project at the next level, but what he has can’t be taught: An innate ability to local, and play the ball in the air — paired with a willingness to take part in run defense.

A bit of a Swiss Army Knife player, Holland projects well into the Packers’ defense.

No. 32: Deonte Brown, OG, Alabama — Kansas City Chiefs

I cannot believe I’m having four guards go in the first round, but here we are. This is a talented position in 2021, loaded with good players, and I think the Chiefs have a knack for just getting great picks.

At a listed 6’4, 350, Brown is simply a monster of a man. He’ll eat up a lot of space, and time on the offensive line. When you have players like Patrick Mahomes and Clyde Edwards-Helaire they just need that time to get an edge. I think this is a sound, solid pick by a team already dominating.

[pisati]

I almost feel like I’ve fallen back into that near-reckless impulsivity I was fighting before. 

it’s not because I want to be reckless. it’s because I don’t really care anymore. 

I don’t know why I got this cat. I’ve never had a cat in my life. I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing. people who have asked me about him tell me it’s fate that he and I ended up together. and don’t get me wrong, I love him to death. he really is the best cat. but I went in knowing he’d be a very expensive challenge and I just. don’t care. I feel like I should.

I wrote up a little chalkboard with all my bills as of late. right now all of my pay is going into rent and bills. I didn’t do the math but I don’t really need to. I just. I need to get paid more. I love living on my own but I’m starting to regret moving out. I do have a good bit saved, still, and I’m not that worried. but I’m starting to worry. 

I’m mostly worried because I feel like I should be. it’s hard seeing those paychecks come in and knowing they’re going to be gone just as fast. $1500 every month on venmo to my landlord; 750 from me. that’s a whole paycheck on a good pay cycle. $200 every month to carecredit for ollie’s ER bill. $250 a month at some point to my aunt for her car over god knows how many years. that leaves me with 200-300ish per month for electric, gas, and internet. which, over a quick calculation, is about $200. so maybe 100 a month if I’m lucky for food and pet things. misc expenses that I end up making. it’s a tight budget, and I’ve been watching my savings shrink faster than ever. I’ve still got a good bit put away, but I don’t know how long I can keep it stable. that worries me. 

my friend aria messaged me a day or two ago to let me know a picture of us from pride this past year was on the ace/aro advocacy group page, and she also just wanted to check in. I was glad to hear from her; she started grad school in arizona last year and I was glad to hear she was doing well there. she told me rent there on a 2br split with a roommate costs her $450 a month. I was already thinking about arizona before but that’s really, really tempting. I may have to go visit her one of these days, scout it out. if I could get a job out there in animal care that paid close to what they do here, I’d be golden. I hear it’s more laid-back out there. I need that. my psych referred to it as more “salt-of-the-earth”, and it’s occurring to me that that might be more my speed. I don’t know why I ever thought I could make myself fit here. I never have been able to, and I’ve felt like it was a personal failing of mine that I couldn’t. maybe it’s not; maybe it’s just the place. it’s always been my home but it’s never been my place. I’ve felt more at home in places I’ve only been to briefly.

I’m meeting with Luca’s surgeon tomorrow. I’m nervous. it’s about to be a shitshow of a day. thankfully Luca is such a great cat; I can just set him up in the kennels and he’ll be fine all day. I’m not sure when my consult is, but it’s during my shift so I’ll get a little break from the monotony of reception at least. 

I’m grateful this job isn’t burning me out. most days I feel like I can make myself dinner, even though I’m tired. I’m tired, but it’s not because of the job. I’ve been there almost 6 months now and I do still like it. I can see myself being there for a while. which is a good feeling, honestly. I like my coworkers. I like a lot of our clients. I like being able to see and interact with animals every day. 

two of my coworkers invited me out monday night. apparently the mexican place in our shopping plaza has started doing karaoke nights on mondays, and a group from work went out a few weeks ago and they liked it. this time it was just the two of them, and even though it was my day off I went too, once they’d closed up shop. it was fun, honestly. they even got me to sing mazzy star’s fade into you, even though I was so quiet it was almost impossible to hear (fine by me tbh; I don’t wanna have to hear me sing). I’d never sang in front of anyone before. maybe next time I’ll have a drink or something. see if I can get the balls to do another song.

one of them also suggested we go see Birds of Prey on valentines day, since we’re all single ladies and it’s a nice girl-power movie. I liked that idea. I haven’t been to a theater since I saw gone girl with dad in 2014. I think part of me kind of wants to keep that intact; it’s one small thing I have left of significance related to my dad. like, he was the last person I went to a movie with. if I break that, then he won’t be. I don’t know why that feels kind of important to me now. I know he wouldn’t care. hell, he’d probably want to come with us. pretend he’s a single lady too. I really do miss him.

I do think I want to go ahead with animal behavior. I want to have a goal with it first, before I make any decisions. I want to finish my fear-free shelter training so I can put it on my resume. I want to prepare as much as I can for when the shelter starts opening up care staff positions. I want to talk to my shelter’s behaviorist on-staff and ask questions, see if she can point me in a good direction. I want to look into graduate programs, or at least certificate programs. I basically want to send out feelers; poke my head into as many avenues as I can until I settle on something, but I feel like that’ll still end up being broad. which is not a bad thing. in this case, I want to be a jack of all trades. I want to be well-versed across the board, and I want to be able to be dynamic so I can mold myself to whatever environment I find myself in. that’ll make me employable anywhere, and I can hopefully make my move then. I just can’t wait to get out of here. soon, soon.

for now, I have to get through tomorrow. get my cat through his surgeries. get myself through these bills. it’s not what I expected. not what I planned. not what I thought. but soon enough this will become what my life is and I’ll never have known different. it’ll be okay. every day I’m grateful that I can know that at my core. 

[dinafbrownil]

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

The Friday Breeze

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes, who reads everything on health care to compile our daily Morning Briefing, offers the best and most provocative stories for the weekend.

Happy Friday! As tempting as it might be this weekend to catch up on your extra z’s (and as someone who wakes up at 4:30 a.m. every morning I feel you) resist! Or so experts say. I, on the other hand, say we’re all a bit tired from staying up to watch the Nats win the World Series and we deserve that extra hour when the clock falls back on Sunday.

Now here’s what you might have missed if you were busy celebrating.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released her plan on how she would pay for “Medicare for All.” The proposal leans heavily on employers, who Warren said would “pay slightly less than what they are projected to pay today” since they’ll no longer be providing health care for their workers. She would also ramp up her signature wealth tax and cut military spending. For all of this to work, Warren is banking on substantial savings in administrative costs. And the middle class won’t see even “one penny” in tax hikes, she said.

As she only just dropped the plan this morning, I’m sure we’ll see a plethora of reactions through the weekend and into the campaign. But at first glance the main one seems to be: Good luck getting that past the major health care players (insurers, hospitals, providers) … not to mention a potentially GOP-led Senate.

The New York Times: Elizabeth Warren Releases Plan To Pay For ‘Medicare For All’

The Associated Press: Warren Health Care Plan Pledges No Middle Class Tax Increase

The politically fraught plan is unlikely to reassure vulnerable Democrats who are fretful about running down-ticket of progressives who are embracing Medicare for All. Where health care was a winning topic for the Dems in the mid-terms, candidates running for competitive seats worry the issue could become more of a headache than anything else.

The Wall Street Journal: Vulnerable House Democrats Wary Of Campaigning For Medicare For All In 2020 Race

And should we be expecting such a detailed plan from the crafter of the bill himself? Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) essentially said, don’t hold your breath. “I don’t think I have to do that right now,” in response to questions about costs.

NPR: Bernie Sanders Won’t Yet Explain Details Of How To Pay For Medicare For All

The Friday Breeze

Want a roundup of the must-read stories this week chosen by KHN Newsletter Editor Brianna Labuskes? Sign up for The Friday Breeze today.

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The Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment season kicked off today with one of the most stable marketplaces we’ve seen yet. Premiums are lower on average, more insurers have come back to play, and there’s a general sense that the rough storms have been weathered. Experts still project, though, fewer people signing up this year. And a federal appeals court ruling over the health law’s constitutionality hovers like a dark cloud on the horizon.

The Hill: New ObamaCare Enrollment Period Faces Trump Headwinds

Politico: Obamacare Is Stronger Than Ever — And A Trump-Backed Lawsuit Could Destroy It.

In news that shocked no one, Senate Democrats failed to pass legislation undoing the expansion of “junk” insurance plans. It was largely symbolic move to force Republicans supporting the administration to vote on the record against the health law—which has become a handy little political tool for Dems now that Americans have become attached to provisions such as protections for people with preexisting medical conditions.

Politico: Senate Democrats Fail In Bid To Block Trump’s Obamacare Opt-Out

Indiana was the second Republican-led state in recent weeks to pump the brakes on adding work requirements to its Medicaid program. The move follows Arizona’s announcement that it would be pausing implementation and comes despite enthusiastic encouragement from the Trump administration. It’s the latest roadblock on a fairly bumpy road for work requirements—which goes to show that just because you have the political capital doesn’t mean implementation is going to be smooth sailing.

The Washington Post: Indiana Backs Away From Medicaid Work Requirements

Meanwhile, over in Tennessee, sharp negative criticism has forced leaders’ hands into reworking a controversial plan to shift the state’s Medicaid program into a block grant system. However, the changes won’t be made public until after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gets to see them.

Nashville Tennessean: TennCare’s Revised Block Grant Plan: The Feds Get It Before Public

Any other news coming out of the hearing over Missouri’s last-remaining abortion clinic was mostly overshadowed this week by the revelation that the state’s health department was tracking patients’ menstrual periods on a spreadsheet. While state officials were quick to offer assurance that the women’s privacy was not breached, many were still perturbed, to say the least. “From an ethical standpoint, it’s frankly bonkers,” said one OB-GYN.

Kansas City Star: Missouri Health Director Kept Spreadsheet Of Planned Parenthood Patients’ Periods

And, as expected, a judge blocked Alabama’s strict abortion ban, which would effectively make the procedure illegal and criminally punish doctors with harsh sentences for performing one. The bill’s supporters, however, have their eyes on Roe v. Wade and see the ruling as just a necessary step on the way to the Supreme Court.

The New York Times: Alabama Abortion Ban Is Temporarily Blocked By A Federal Judge

A lawsuit filed by a fired Juul executive claims that the company knowingly shipped 1 million nicotine pods that were contaminated. Siddharth Breja accused the former CEO Kevin Burns of shooting down concerns over the product by saying “half our customers are drunk” so they won’t notice. Both Burns and Juul denied the allegations.

BuzzFeed News: Juul Shipped At Least A Million Contaminated Nicotine Pods, New Lawsuit Says

The coverage of the wildfires in California has been so extensive and dramatic, it’s impossible to link to just one story. The Los Angeles Times, the Sacramento Bee, the San Francisco Chronicle and many other California media organizations have done a fabulous job of covering every angle of the disaster.

But for health care stories in particular, I recommend checking out our own California Healthline offerings.

In the miscellaneous file for the week:

• ProPublica offers a chilling story about a patient identification error that resulted in the wrong man being removed from life support. The realization came days too late for the patient who died minutes after the care was halted.

ProPublica: The Wrong Goodbye

• Fecal transplants were getting a lot of interest and buzz—and then came a startling death of one of the patients involved in an experimental trial. The group of doctors involved take a hard look at what went wrong in a frank and public self-examination of their missteps involved.

The New York Times: How Contaminated Stool Stored In A Freezer Left A Fecal Transplant Patient Dead

• Why doesn’t Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who is not only one of the richest men in the world but also deeply involved in health care issues, contribute more money to fighting Alzheimer’s? His science adviser says it’s because they feel “throwing money at the issue” just isn’t going to move the needle at all.

Stat: Bill Gates Spends Billions On Global Health. With Alzheimer’s, His Science Adviser Says, Money Is Not The Issue

• A new study has a stark warning for parents who don’t see the benefits of vaccines: It’s not just the measles you have to worry about. Getting infected with the virus is like a “car crash” for your immune system. Kids are far more vulnerable to other dangerous diseases up to years later. It’s flown under the radar, though, because people don’t connect a bout of pneumonia down the road to a measles infection months earlier.

Stat: How Measles Infections Can Wipe Away Immunity To Other Diseases

And that’s it from me! Have a great weekend.

from Updates By Dina https://khn.org/news/must-reads-of-the-week-from-brianna-labuskes-28/

[i-am-very-very-tired]

It’s tempting to write off critiques of identity politics the same way you would ironic tattoos or Taylor Swift as a “white-people thing,” but the term has become so hotly debated and so misunderstood that an increasing number of young people of color feel put off by it.

Recently, one Bernie Sanders supporter, provoked by an article I had written, wrote a kind and reflective email disagreeing with me. Describing himself as biracial, he confided that he found identity politics “dangerous” and “utterly pointless.” In his view, in order to be “ordinary Americans,” we had to let go of minority identities.

00:0000:00

This feeling was echoed somewhat in a recent Atlantic article addressing a radical student movement at Reed College in Portland, Ore. In a confrontation between student protesters and a queer black freshman, the freshman told the group (who, frankly, sounded like assholes), “Identity politics is divisive.”

Just a line earlier, the freshman had said the protesters “had a beautiful opportunity to address police violence”—indicating that police brutality, an issue popularized through identity politics, was a priority to him.

Even Sanders, the progressive left’s most prominent and important figure, has pushed back on identity politics—though not quite in the way mainstream media describes it.

“It’s not good enough for someone to say, ‘I’m a woman! Vote for me!’” No, that’s not good enough,” Sanders said after Donald Trump’s election last year. Politico’s headline: “Sanders Slams Identity Politics as Democrats Figure Out Their Future”—even though voting for someone because of his or her gender or background isn’t actually what identity politics is.

For all the words spilled about the topic in the last two years, a growing number of Americans, including some so-called political experts, don’t seem to understand what identity politics is at all.

In part this is because many pundits have failed to define the term as it’s been applied historically and as it’s being understood now. Instead, we’ve been collectively arguing based on our assumptions of what it means and who it belongs to.

It’s worth redefining what identity politics means and what it has meant. It’s worth examining what it isn’t. And it’s high time to claim it.

Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro, a professor of political science and chair of the gender-studies department at the University of Southern California, tells me that identity politics, in the scholarly sense, has to do with a politics of activism and engagement “that is focused on the fact that people of certain identities have specific experiences that marginalize them or prevent them from otherwise being treated equally in society.”

In this way, Hancock says, the fight for LGBTQ equality, the women’s rights movement and the civil rights movement were all, in some form, identity politics movements. It’s not a worldview, she adds, as much as it is a tool to exact very specific political and social gains.

What defines identity politics now is its focus on intersectionality, on multiple identities and how they inform the way Americans experience things like debt, employment, housing and policing. Advocates of identity politics would point out that intersectionality informs a class discussion, rather than detracts from it.

Nonetheless, it’s this specific iteration of identity politics that has drawn criticism not just from the right but from self-described liberals and progressives like Mark Lilla, whose book The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics argues that identity politics will break the Democratic Party.

Lilla and other (mostly white) liberals of his ilk, Hancock says, will disavow racism and sexism and look at them as “bad,” but also believe that tackling systemic oppression splinters and fractures progressive coalitions in ways that prevent them from getting the change they want.

In their arguments against identity politics (or what they think is identity politics), the Mark Lillas of America center that narrative primarily around white feelings and insecurities—a move that, ironically, actually does more to narrow the progressive umbrella than expand it.

As Lilla himself put it in a particularly excruciating NPR interview, “Imagine that you’re canvassing door-to-door somewhere in Missouri or Mississippi and you knock on someone’s door, and you say, ‘I’m here from the Democratic Party and I’d like to ask for your vote. But before I do, I have a series of tickets to give you.

“‘The first ticket is for your privilege. The second one is for being a racist. And the third one is for being homophobic. I hope to see you on Tuesday.’ Now, that is not going to attract or persuade anybody,” he continued.

It’s clear that Lilla’s “someone” is likely white and likely male; the subtext, that persuading this person to carry out a progressive agenda is the sole key to the Democratic Party’s future. In their arguments against identity politics (or what they think is identity politics), the Lillas of America center that narrative primarily around white feelings and insecurities—a move that, ironically, actually does more to narrow the progressive umbrella than expand it.

Mychal Denzel Smith expands upon this in his excellent rebuttal in the New Republic: “What Liberals Get Wrong About Identity Politics.” In it, Smith cites the Combahee River Collective, a collection of black feminist activists and scholars from the mid-1970s who championed the rights of women of color against “racial, sexual, heterosexual and class oppression.”

Their mission and their work, Smith points out, was never intended to exclusively affect women of color—though they operated out of their identities as black women to challenge system of power.

The founders of the Combahee River Collective wrote, “If black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression.” As Smith expands, the focus was always on coalition building and expanding the fight for equality on multiple fronts and with those holding intersecting interests:

“Any coalition worth forming has to take stock of those differences,” Smith writes, “or suffer an agenda that is insufficient to liberating all people.”

Part of the pushback against identity politics has been the emergence of the “alt-right”—Nazis and neo-Nazis, neo-Confederates, white nationalists and white supremacists. White nationalists, in particular, whose foundational belief is that white people are under attack in this country, both in terms of population and power, practice a fun-house-mirror version of identity politics. Because they operate from a place of assumed disenfranchisement, of assumed oppression, one could argue that those groups fit the definition of identity politics.

This is different from simply being white and loving Donald Trump because he’s angry about the same white things you are. (As The Root’s Michael Harriot might write, that’s just white supremacy.)

Either way, the liberal argument that all of identity politics needs to be abandoned simply because certain white people have violently co-opted it isn’t a compelling argument, according to professor Hancock. “All tools are co-optable,” she points out.

What identity politics has done and continues to do is add nuance and detail to our understanding of the nation’s challenges. A class approach simply isn’t complete without examining race and gender—how pay inequity is particularly egregious for women of color, for example, or how wealth is shrinking in black and Latinx communities.

What confounds many pundits on the left and right is the idea that what may be good for black women or Latinx middle-income families would actually end up being good for white people, too. Identity politics splinters conversations around class only if you’re fundamentally uninterested in making people who are not like you a priority.

“We have an entire toolbox, and identity politics is one important, but not the only, tool that we have in our toolbox for progressive change,” Hancock says, adding that she’s concerned about the “all or nothing” way that identity politics’ detractors frame the debate.

Hancock also points out that most Americans don’t really know that broad solutions that prioritize specific demographics exist, so it’s difficult to envision them. She cites Rep. James Clyburn’s (D-S.C.) 10-20-30 poverty planas one such example.

Clyburn’s proposal would require Congress to direct 10 percent of rural-development initiatives to counties where 20 percent of the population has lived below the poverty line for 30 or more years. Clyburn’s proposal leads with identifying specific communities that could gain from such a plan: “Appalachian communities in Kentucky and North Carolina, Native American communities in South Dakota and Alaska, Latino communities in Arizona and New Mexico and African-American communities in Mississippi and South Carolina.”

The proposal doesn’t shy away from identity—it reckons with it and how it defines specific communities living in poverty. And it offers a solution that could be applied equitably across those different groups.

There is a progressive future in which the shrinking of the black middle class is talked about loud and often in conversations about income inequality. There is a progressive future that values immigration reform because population growth is absolutely essential to a healthy economy.

If progressives are still riding the high from Tuesday night’s victorious election results, we should also recognize that now is the time to embrace identity politics and what it could mean for a progressive future in 2018 and beyond.

There is a progressive future in which tackling racist and political gerrymandering is as much a priority as campaign-finance reform. There is a progressive future that recognizes the fact that predatory lending primarily targets black and brown people. There is a progressive future that recognizes that affordable college is useless for undocumented students if they don’t have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protection. There is a progressive future in which the shrinking of the black middle class is talked about loud and often in conversations about income inequality. There is a progressive future that values immigration reform because population growth is absolutely essential to a healthy economy.

Sanders did something incredibly important when he pushed Democrats left: He gave progressives the range and diversity of policy options that they deserve. Americans need someone willing to push single-payer health care; Americans need a substantial increase in the minimum wage on the table. We can also ask for more, and now—a year before the midterms and three years before the next presidential election—is the time to do so.

This week’s election results were heartening not just because of the wide Democratic wins but also for the sheer diversity of those wins (diversity that extends far beyond the elected officials’ backgrounds). A Black Lives Matter lawyer who sued the police is now South Philadelphia’s district attorney. Andrea Jenkins was elected a Minneapolis City councilwoman on Tuesday, becoming the first openly transgender black woman elected to public office in the United States. St. Paul, Minn.’s first black mayor campaigned on police reform, affordable prekindergarten education and expanding public transportation.

We can go even further to create a more just, more equitable society, and if we let it, identity politics can help take us there.

[junker-town]

7 winners and 5 losers from Day 1 of the NFL Draft

Isaiah Simmons, Jeff Okudah, and Jedrick Wills Jr. heard their names during Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Things went great for the Dolphins, Tom Brady, and Ohio State. Not everyone was so lucky, though

The first round of the first-ever teleconferenced NFL Draft is over. Tragically, it was short on unmuted phone lines, random dog interruptions, and pick-disrupting technical difficulties. In fact, it was pretty much just a normal draft, only without Roger Goodell getting pummeled by 300-pound defensive tackles and their excessive hugs.

While the true results of this year’s opening day at the draft won’t be understood for more than a decade, the first 32 picks were able to earn knee-jerk reactions. The Dolphins got to see their rebuild take root with a QB-OT combination that will hopefully carry them into the future. Across the division, Bill Belichick played his cards so close to his vest he opted out of Thursday entirely.

The Packers got a new quarterback to play behind one they still owe more than $120 million. The Jaguars killed the trade leverage of one of their few remaining stars. The city of Columbus, Ohio, got to see a whole bunch of former residents make the leap to football’s biggest stage.

Who were Thursday night’s biggest winners and losers? We’ve got a few ideas, some of which won’t be completely proven wrong over the next five years.

Winner: Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa was the smart choice. Though it looked like the Dolphins may trade up for an offensive lineman or opt for Justin Herbert, those pre-draft rumors turned out to be a smokescreen. Miami has its franchise quarterback, and it’s the guy who lit up the SEC over three sometimes-healthy years.

The same guy who looks good in a suit, even in his family’s swank-ass living room:

Tua's suit pic.twitter.com/cJspF4DxGY

— SB Nation (@SBNation) April 24, 2020

The Dolphins were able to get their cornerstone tackle 13 picks later. Austin Jackson isn’t just a great pass blocker, he’s a tremendous human being who put off his dreams in order to save his sister’s life. He’s a raw talent, but he’s got the potential to be an All-Pro with the right development.

That wasn’t all! They turned the 26th pick — one acquired from the Texans in exchange for Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills — into the 30th pick and a fourth-rounder through a deal with the Packers. That pick turned out to be speedster corner Noah Igbinoghene, who will team up with Byron Jones and Xavien Howard in one of the NFL’s most terrifying secondaries.

The Dolphins needed A LOT of talent to speed up their turnaround. They got three possible future stars and the chance to add more all in the course of a few hours Thursday.

Loser: Patriots fans

New England was set to make only its second draft pick inside the top 23 since 2012 after flopping out of the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. But instead of selecting a potential quarterback of the future, Bill Belichick decided to defer to Friday. He shipped the Patriots’ first-round pick to the Chargers for their 37th and 71st overall selections.

The move recharges the team’s Day 2 draft pool and gives the Patriots more low-cost ammunition to refill a roster that’s been picked apart in free agency. Per Adam Schefter, Belichick is confident the player he wanted at No. 23 will be available at No. 37, which would effectively give the club a free third-rounder.

That’s good! But if you’re a Pats fan who came into Thursday night waiting for some semblance of local sports news or a glimpse into the team’s future, well ... at least you got to see Belichick’s wicker collection:

Bill Belichick’s draft room, via ABC pic.twitter.com/Sw0FKOJqkS

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) April 24, 2020

Winner: Ohio State

Joe Burrow. Chase Young. Jeff Okudah. What do the top three picks in this year’s draft have in common? They all, at one point, played for Ohio State.

Consider for a second the Buckeyes’ 2017 roster. It not only had Burrow, Young, and Okudah, but also another first-round pick in this class, Damon Arnette, and several first-round picks from other years, including Nick Bosa, Dwayne Haskins, Billy Price, and Denzel Ward. And probable future first-round picks like Shaun Wade and Wyatt Davis. And way more NFL players (Jerome Baker, Sam Hubbard, Terry McLaurin, etc) than that.

It’s no wonder OSU alums are already coming up with a new nickname for the program, when DBU no longer does it justice:

Nah we might as well just say NFL U ! I’m sayin that from now on Sunday Night Intros ! Lol https://t.co/fcqxFZM8OE

— Bradley Roby (@BradRoby_1) April 24, 2020

Round 1 ended up being a pretty good recruiting tool for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day:

If either one of my Kids decide to chose Football for their Career I’m definitely sending them to OHIO STATE!!!

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) April 24, 2020

Not that he needs much help these days.

Loser: Yannick Ngakoue

The Jaguars pass rusher is very publicly angling to get out of Jacksonville. While he was given the franchise tag by the team back in March, Ngakoue has taken to Twitter to express his desire for a trade. He’s even got into public spats with Jaguars executive Tony Khan about it.

Just trade me . I don’t need the speech

— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) April 20, 2020

However, the first round of the draft was nothing but bad news for Ngakoue. It showed there continues to be no worthwhile trade market for his services — something Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell confirmed later in the night — and the team added another pass rusher to the mix by picking K’Lavon Chaisson.

Ngakoue is backed into a corner now. He can follow the Le’Veon Bell path and sit out the entire 2020 season, but that’d cost him the $17.8 million he’d make from the franchise tag. The Jaguars could trade Ngakoue, but they certainly don’t have to either. With Chaisson and Josh Allen on the roster, Jacksonville can feel OK with whatever route it chooses.

Even though the Jaguars already had most of the leverage, picking Chaisson gave them just a little bit more. Ngakoue’s chances at getting out of Duval any time soon looker slimmer than ever.

Winner: Kliff Kingsbury

The Arizona Cardinals needed a little bit of help all over their defense. So they got a player who can do a little bit of everything. Isaiah Simmons was projected to go as high as the No. 3 pick, but his brief slide down the draft board paired him up with an innovative head coach who’ll be receptive to his freewheeling, play-almost-anywhere skills.

And we do mean play almost anywhere:

good god pic.twitter.com/tD1OkganXw

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) April 24, 2020

Even better news for Kingsbury is that he can scheme up plays for Simmons, all from the comfort of his Parasite home:

what does Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury look like he does for a living pic.twitter.com/ODEl8ic3dX

— SB Nation (@SBNation) April 24, 2020

Loser: The Panthers’ draft reasoning

Simmons, the Clemson linebacker/safety/corner/etc, was still on the board when the defense-needy Panthers made their selection at No. 7 overall. The fact they chose Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown over him wasn’t especially eye-opening on its own, considering what a talent Brown is.

Carolina’s reported reasoning behind the pick, however, was:

The Panthers liked Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons a lot at No. 7 and he was the best pure athlete on the board, but they felt he was a better fit for a veteran team because of his ability to play so many positions. So they went with Auburn DT Derrick Brown,... https://t.co/Wfu6yhMSgv

— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) April 24, 2020

Ah. So Simmons was too athletic and versatile for the Panthers. Got it.

Winner: Tom Brady

Brady’s week started with the addition of a recently un-retired Rob Gronkowski. Then the Buccaneers reiterated their commitment to keeping their new QB happy by trading up one spot to pick up a tackle who could be the best blocker to emerge from this year’s rookie crop.

Tampa Bay gave up a fourth-round pick to move from No. 14 to No. 13 and select Iowa hoss Tristan Wirfs, the reigning Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year. Wirfs was widely regarded as a top-10 pick this spring, but his slight fall made him too tempting for the Bucs to pass up. Now he’ll go from protecting Nate Stanley to keeping a six-time Super Bowl winner upright.

Loser: Aaron Rodgers

Coming into the 2020 draft, Rodgers was eager to point out how cool it would be for his Packers to add some receiving help in a draft loaded with wideout talent.

Aaron Rodgers on @PatMcAfeeShow: "We haven't picked a skill player in the first round in 15 years, so that would be kind of cool." Rodgers says whoever the pick is, he'll track down his phone number and welcome him to the team tonight — if the Packers don't trade out.

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 24, 2020

It looked like Green Bay was going to fulfill those expectations when it traded up to No. 26. Then the franchise selected ... Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. Instead of getting a first-round wide receiver or tight end to lighten Davante Adams’ load, Rodgers got the player who the Packers will groom to be his successor.

We’re sure he’s fine with that.

Winner (mostly): Javon Kinlaw

Kinlaw has big shoes to fill. His landing spot at No. 14 was made possible by the Niners’ willingness to ship DeForest Buckner — another first-round pass-rushing interior lineman, who has 19.5 sacks in just the past two years — to the Colts.

But Kinlaw is also capable of becoming an All-Pro for the 49ers. He was a wrecking ball in the middle of the field for South Carolina and should start immediately in the NFL. The presence of pass rushers like Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, and Dee Ford should limit the number of double teams he sees as a rookie.

On that note, here’s Kinlaw’s dad impersonating every QB who has to face the 49ers’ defensive line this coming season:

Javon Kinlaw's dad's reaction to his son getting drafted pic.twitter.com/f6amsidFbj

— ESPN (@espn) April 24, 2020

Loser: The trade market

There was a lot of handwringing about the effect a fully virtual NFL Draft could have on teams’ ability to trade. The league even considered adding an extra time option if GMs were working on finalizing a trade. Maybe that’s why John Lynch of the 49ers had three phones at his draft day set up.

Teams worked ahead of time to make sure that they could get trades done.

More than ever, teams will try to work out trades before the NFL Draft begins just in case. To that point: The #Lions have been engaged with multiple teams on potentially trading out of the No. 3 spot, sources say. Things have heated up over the last 24 hours.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 23, 2020

So why was there just one trade in the first 20 picks and none in the top 10? There weren’t any technical difficulties that kept deals from happening. It seems like teams were content to patiently wait for the prospects they coveted to slide their way — which is fine, but kinda boring.

Winner: Mock drafts

Well, it wasn’t the most wronger year after all. Despite warnings that mock drafters were way off this year, they weren’t at all. It was actually one of the most accurate first rounds for mocks in a while.

Five of the first six selections were the most popular choice in mock drafts. The only exception was the Giants taking Andrew Thomas instead of a different offensive tackle. While there were a few relative surprises — like cornerback Damon Arnette to the Raiders with the 19th pick and linebacker Jordyn Brooks sneaking into the first round to the Seahawks at 27th overall — no pick came completely out of left field.

Even those two picks by the Raiders and Seahawks addressed needs that were expected to be priorities. It’s time to give the draft prognosticators a round of applause for their 2020 performance.

Winner: The Browns’ Super Bowl chances

There was little doubt the Browns would draft a tackle in the first round. It was just a matter of which one. Still, it was a little surprising they took Jedrick Wills, who’s only played right tackle, when they just signed Jack Conklin in free agency.

Wherever he lines up, though, Wills is ready to play right away, which is what Cleveland (and Baker Mayfield) needs most of all. And that has former Browns stalwart Joe Thomas pumped as hell:

@JWills73 @Browns #NFLDraft2020 #NFLDraft #Super Bowl https://t.co/EOhgAkO4pJ pic.twitter.com/FbJe1HELRe

— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) April 24, 2020

That’s it, we’re ready to believe this is the Browns’ year.