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thehikingviking · 4 years

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Phipps Peak from Emerald Bay

I originally planned to do the Tells -> McConnell -> Silver -> Red Peak traverse, but Asaka wasn’t comfortable with me carrying the baby for 17 miles, so we came up with the idea of hiking Phipps Peak instead. Joining us on this trip were Sean and Scott King and Brett and Arthur Marsciani. My biggest concern was finding a parking spot near the trailhead along Highway 89, since Desolation Wilderness is the most heavily visited wilderness in the lower 48. Asaka, Leif and I left the morning of and arrived just in time to claim the last available parking spot. Brett and Arthur had to park at the Emerald Bay State Park parking lot which required a fee. We were a little slow in getting started, but we eventually got on the trail and began our way up Eagle Lake Trail.

We reached Eagle Lake after about a mile of hiking then took the left fork which continued above and beyond the the lake. I spotted a good chute that could serve as a potential alternate descent route if needed.

I tried to keep a brisk pace, partially for training purposes but also because I knew my comfortable pace would most likely be slower than the others since I was carrying a baby.

After 2.3 miles we hit another junction and took a right, aiming for the isthmus between Upper and Middle Velma Lakes. The trail gradually descended first to Upper Velma Lake. For being such a heavily trafficked wilderness, we really hadn’t seen that many people up to this point.

We crossed the creek and continued down the trail.

After a short distance I got a funny feeling and checked my map. While there is a trail that leads most of the way towards Phipps Peak, it is much longer than leaving the trail at the isthmus and taking a direct approach. I corrected our error and we began cross country through the forest. We took a long rest at the eastern shore of Middle Velma Lake.

While we waited for Asaka to feed Leif, Sean and I fooled around on some of the granite boulders. There were some mosquitoes which made a scenic rest point less enjoyable. What remained was 1400 ft of gain. The terrain was relatively easy but I still had to carry the baby.

Along the way I took note of several U.S. General Land Surveys. I found their placement rather strange. Maybe this was the old wilderness boundary.

Sean King took off ahead of the group and was soon out of sight. Asaka and Scott jostled for second and third place, while I hung back with Arthur and Brett in the back. As we climbed higher, I started to make some distance from Arthur. At least I was faster than a 10 year old, I thought to myself.

I spotted Sean standing on the summit rocks.

I finally made it to the summit and joined the others. To the south was Dicks Peak.

To the west were Tells Peak, McConnell Peak, Silver Peak and Red Peak.

To the northwest ran Rockbound Valley.

To the north was Haakens Peak, which Sean and I planned to visit as a bonus next.

To the east was the south shore of Lake Tahoe.

We had lunch on the summit, taking note of the growing clouds to our south.

Asaka kindly agreed to carry Leif all the way back down to the car while I went for the bonus peak. I was relieved to be done carrying the baby for the day.

Sean and I followed the ridge over to Haakens Peak. I had low energy, but the higher and more prominent peak just to our north called my name.

The temperature was getting too warm for my liking and I was running low on water. There was on section of brush along the ridge that we had to avoid, but aside from that there were no challenges. I noticed some bear sign below the peak, and while I kept my eye out, I never saw one.

I had service and was receiving texts from different groups of people. I learned that Colin and Dully were on Dick’s Peak. I strained my eyes as much I could to see if I could spot them on the summit, but they were just too far away to see with the naked eye.

We soon found ourselves on the highest point. To the southeast were Emerald Point, Maggie Peak and the southern tip of Lake Tahoe.

To the south were Dicks Peak, Pyramid Peak, Red Peak and Silver Peak.

To the west was Rockbound Lake.

To the north was the west shore of Lake Tahoe.

I spent some time texting friends on the summit. It’s not often that I have such good service, and everyone seemed to have something to say that day. We started back towards Phipps Peak, this time looking for a trail on the topo map that passed through Phipps Pass. To the east were Rubicon Peak, Jakes Peak and Emerald Point. They looked very close and I considered taking an alternate route down to Emerald Bay via the notch between Jakes Peak and Emerald Point, however I made the wise decision and chose to return back towards Eagle Lake.

We took the trail only for a short distance to the pass. We considered connecting with our return route, but a shortcut option that led below Eagle Lake Buttress stood out. It would be mostly off trail, but we expected we could shave off some distance and hopefully time.

I expected to find some sort of use trail, but we found nothing. Regardless, travel down the drainage went pretty smoothly. There were areas of knee high vegetation that I could simply walk through. I started getting attacked by ravenous mosquitoes, and since I was wearing a short sleeve shirt and had no bug spray, there was not much I could do. I figured the only way to find respite was to get out of this canyon as quickly as possible. I looked up and spotted some climbers on Eagle Lake Buttress. Sean had wondered earlier if we could add this as a bonus peak, however it was clearly class 5.

We finally emerged from mosquito canyon onto some granite slabs. Thunder started to rumble above Dicks Peak in the distance, and I wondered if Colin and Dully were off the peak yet. Lower Velma Lake looked awfully close, making me wonder if our short cut was even worth it.

The route down below looked brushy, so instead I suggested we follow some slabs directly to the notch just west of Eagle Lake.

There were some problems to be solved, but the slab route worked with some creative route finding and the occasional class 3 move. I sarcastically called the section “The Slabs of Terror,” partially to point fun at “The Slabs of Insanity” route on Mt Price, which don’t appear to be insane at all.

We eventually made it to the notch and Emerald Bay was now in view.

We found the same brush free chute that I spotted earlier that morning, and we followed it down to the lake below. We watched people swim to the island as we descended. It looked like a busy day at the lake.

Sean contacted his dad on the radio and they were doing well on their hike back. Our descent was tedious, but I was encouraged by the swimming opportunity down below. It had been a hot day and I wanted to cool off. Once at lake’s edge, I was a little disappointed to find a dirty lake. There was a lot of trash lying around, not limited to, but including a band aid, orange peels and a sock. After registering our aqua challenge, we hiked around the lakes edge back to the trail. There were a few of people trying their luck at fishing, however I would be surprised if there were any trout in this lake at all, since I believe the fish may have been exterminated in order to help the endangered Sierra Nevada Yellow-Legged Frog. The last mile was probably the highest exposure to Corona Virus that I had put myself in all year. There were so many disgusting and out of shape people panting and wheezing along the whole trail. Sean and I jogged the whole distance, almost as if to mock the plebeians who were struggling on such a tame path. We got back to the car and reunited with the others. I was happy to learn that Leif pooped. It was Saturday, which meant he was right on schedule. We then went to grab some Mexican food in Meyers where we brainstormed our options for the next day.

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pbwsports · 4 years

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Driveways, canyons, pools: NFL players create clever workouts

A farm. A field. A canyon. A pool. Even a driveway. As NFL players wait for a return to normalcy before the 2020 regular season begins, they have had to get creative with how and where they train.

The ripple effects of these unprecedented times -- nationwide social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic and an unknown timetable for a vaccine --have altered the professional sports landscape, and the NFL is no exception.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell authorized the reopening of all team facilities this week, in accordance with state and local regulations, although coaches and players who are not undergoing rehabilitation are prohibited from entering team buildings. While a handful of clubs took advantage of this allowance, states such as New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Washington and California are still imposing heavier restrictions that affect a dozen team facilities.

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These inconsistent regulations have also changed the responsibilities of NFL strength trainers, who have spent time remotely assessing the workout needs of players, including their access to resources, as well as acting as liaisons for online equipment purchases. NFL teams were permitted to provide each player with up to $1,500 worth of workout equipment. Nevertheless, players have had to find inventive ways to stay in shape.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins uses his parents' driveway as his outdoor gym. New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate mowed a track into a steep canyon near his home. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver James Washington designed a training regimen on his Texas farm. New Orleans Saintslinebacker Demario Davis has his personal trainers living with him. Giants linebacker Blake Martinez became the beneficiary of a state-of-the-art gym. And Cleveland Browns punter Jamie Gillan grabbed some beers and built a "grubby" garage gym.

Even though players' locations, living situations and resources differ, there's a lesson shared by all: There are no excuses.

Big-money quarterback staying with parents

The playful jab is uttered without warning, hurled from the driver's side of a passing vehicle.

"Go Pack, go!"

And in that moment of lighthearted jest, Kirk Cousins can only ignore it. He knows the stop sign in front of the house makes him a sitting duck every morning.

Four times a week, starting promptly at 9 a.m., the Vikings quarterback gathers equipment from the garage and arranges it neatly on the long, curved pavement leading from his parents' house to the sidewalk. Resting on a wooden chair is his laptop, connected by videoconference to his longtime personal trainer, Chad Cook, who is 450 miles away in Atlanta. This is a glimpse into what constitutes the 2020 NFL offseason.

2020 NFL offseason

"I like my privacy, so being out in the driveway, on display for the whole neighborhood to see is probably less than ideal. But desperate times call for desperate measures," Cousins said with a smile during a recent ESPN interview. "If it means a guy drives by in a truck and yells, 'Go Pack, go!' at me while we're working out, then so be it."

The manicured lawns of this Orlando, Florida, suburb serve as a backdrop to Cousins' regimen and his attempt at normalcy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

It's not a "home gym" by any means, Cousins concedes, but he insists he has everything he needs: a medicine ball, jump-rope, foam rollers, free weights and a football. And, the most essential tool of all: the laptop he uses to connect with Cook.

"[Every car will] see me doing my shuffles across the driveway, or my cariocas, or doing the jump-rope or different plank exercises, core work, medicine ball, lunges -- whatever it may be. And different people honk or wave, so it's kind of fun," said Cousins, who signed a two-year, $66 million extension with the Vikings in March.

Spotty Wi-Fi is a challenge when working out outdoors, but sheltering in place with his parents was by design: The nine-year veteran and his wife, Julie, now have plenty of reinforcements when it comes to taking care of their sons, Cooper, 2½, and Turner, 1.

"I kind of laugh when I talk about having two like I have 10," Cousins joked, "because compared to other guys in the league who have three, four, five, six kids, having two is not a big deal."

Dealing with this adversity has reaffirmed his commitment to his craft. It also taught him that the Public Broadcasting Service can be a football player's, as well as a father's, best friend: "'Daniel Tiger['s Neighborhood]' on PBS can be a lifesaver."

'Strict training mode' means living with trainers

The plan was to be in Nashville, Tennessee, for a month, but Demario Davis' offseason residence has become his permanent dwelling during the pandemic. His 7,500-square-foot house, purchased last offseason, is a saving grace of sorts, equipped with enough room for his wife, Tamela, and their four children under the age of 6.

And his two personal trainers.

Davis' trainers, Jose Tienda and Piankhi Gibson, typically work with him in two-to-three-week "strict training mode" spurts before heading back to their respective homes. They'll return to Nashville soon for another extended stay with Davis.

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As the 31-year-old enters his ninth NFL season -- and the final year of his contract -- he is determined not to lose ground to a youngster who might be aiming for his spot.

Mid-morning acupuncture and soft tissue work with Tienda give way to afternoon aqua training in a neighbor's pool with Gibson. Davis pauses for dinner and to help put the kids to bed. But before long, he's headed back for more body work. He crawls into bed around 12:30 or 1 a.m. on those rigorous training days.

With Louisiana still reeling from 35,316 confirmed COVID-19 cases (and 2,485 reported deaths) as of Thursday, Davis wasn't surprised Saints coach Sean Payton -- who was the first known NFL figure to test positive for the coronavirus -- announced there would not be virtual workouts, meetings or workout sessions at the team facility.

"The virtual offseason really wouldn't have fit the flow of how we operate down there," the veteran linebacker said of the Saints, who have one of the oldest rosters in the NFL. "We don't have a young team. ... He knew with our experience level, the strong leaders we have at each position, that we'd get it done as far as training."

While Davis is eager to play, he said he won't waste time guessing when the season will start.

"The pandemic don't know nothing about football season. The virus ain't just like, 'Oh, football season's coming, let me chill out,'" he said with a laugh. "So I'm going to train and stay in shape because that's just a philosophy of mine -- you stay ready at all times. But I think it's a discredit to people who are on the front lines working, and the people who are being affected by it, when we're just thinking about how fast we can get back to sports."

'Grubby little gym' becomes labor of love

The police officers approached without warning.

Jamie Gillan had been punting on a turf field almost an hour away from his Tremont, Ohio, residence, completely unaware of the state's shelter-in-place orders. With nonessential businesses closed, the Browns punter -- nicknamed "The Scottish Hammer" -- had used local fields to practice his kicking drills. That is, until he was no longer allowed.

"[The officers] were like, 'Yeah man, we want to let you punt. We love the Browns and everything, but it's just the rules,'" the Scotland-born special-teamer explained in his thick brogue.

Faced with the prospect of quarantining alone, Gillan chose to go be with family.

He made trips to the liquor store and the supermarket -- packing his truck with several bottles of bourbon for his father, "120 eggs and 16 racks of bacon" -- and then he and his German shepherd named Bear traveled seven hours to southern Maryland to stay with his parents and 19-year-old sister.

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The rural area around his parents' house affords him space to practice his booming kicks, and there's a "massive" field, owned by a friend, which Gillan uses, too. But the self-described "workout junkie" had to get creative with strength training. Soon his parents' garage became his gym.

Unable to buy equipment online because of limited inventory and "skyrocketing" prices, Gillan purchased old equipment from a local high school: barbells, bumper plates, 40-, 80- and 100-pound dumbbells and bands. He purchased rubber matting from a local tractor store.

He searched Facebook Marketplace for a squat rack, but he and his father, Colin, who is a former rugby player and member of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force, came up with a better solution -- they would construct their own.

"We came back [from Lowe's], cracked open some beers and just started building it," Gillan said with a chuckle. Even with old, rusty weights, his "grubby little gym" was everything he needed.

Gillan said his resourcefulness was forged during four years playing at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a historically black university. During offseasons when he and his teammates didn't have access to the gym, their surroundings became their workout room. They bench-pressed and squatted logs, they did dips and pullups on metal bars at local parks, and Gillan hopped fences to punt on neighboring fields when access to their football field was prohibited.

"One thing I notice about a lot of historically black colleges is they're very underfunded," Gillan said, stressing that he and other student-athletes had to be creative. "Maybe it got me prepared for this weird period."

State-of-the-art amenities ease the transition

Blake Martinez's father, Marc, had a master plan: purchase a plot of land 15 minutes from the family home in Tucson, Arizona, and build a facility for his son to train and live. It didn't take long for the idea to become Martinez's reality.

The linebacker thanks his father every day for his ingenuity, as well as his construction company.

The 18,000-square-foot facility -- conceptualized and built last year -- "has everything a football player would need," said Martinez, a 2016 fourth-round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers who signed a three-year, $30 million free-agent contract with the Giants in March.

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The warehouse-looking steel structure contains "a miniature version of a college weight room," a full-length basketball court, a 30-by-15-yard turf field and an outdoor sand volleyball court. It also doubles as a residence, with three bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen on the second level for him, his wife, Kristy, and their young daughter.

"It kept getting better and better as it kept getting built," Martinez said. He works out for two hours in person with his longtime trainer, Glenn Howell, four times a week.

But familiarity with his new franchise is a luxury Martinez, 26, doesn't have.

With New York and New Jersey being one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, Martinez doesn't know when he'll be able to travel to the facility or even meet members of the Giants organization for the first time.

"It's not like I've been on the team for a while and I know the guys already. So, it's been tough in that aspect, connecting with guys," he said.

Martinez said the pandemic has taught him "I literally have zero excuses not to show up the first day and make sure I'm 100 percent ready to go and help push all of the younger guys to that level if they haven't gotten there yet."

Making use of California canyons

Golden Tate's stunning San Diego views come at a price.

"I've just got to watch out for rattlesnakes," the Giants wide receiver said with a laugh.

When stay-at-home orders were issued in California in mid-March, Tate took advantage of his surroundings -- namely, the canyon his house is built on.

"It's not the best condition to be running in," admitted the 11-year NFL player, who mowed a 7-by-40-yard patch of grass on a steep incline. "But it'll suffice right now. It's better than doing nothing."

Team work makes the dream work! Uncle @tatethagreat & LoLo helping me get my daily catches in. Hope everyone has a great Friday! #FamilyFriday

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Tate, a married father of two small kids, purchased PowerBlock dumbbells and a Jugs machine from which he catches about 100 balls a day. He bikes at home on his Peloton and uses mountain bike trails for his aerobic conditioning. But finding a flat surface for route running has been a challenge. So, too, is self-discipline.

"Over my career, I'm so used to having someone -- an instructor or the guys around me -- push me. And right now, I'm forced to push myself," said Tate, who turns 32 on Aug. 2.

The veteran receiver played through the 2011 NFL lockout, but he said the coronavirus pandemic is unlike anything he has experienced.

"I feel bad for the first-, second-, third- and fourth-round guys who are expected to come in and help the team right away, but they're not having the same opportunity to grow as a player, not getting those reps on the field," he said.

"The offseason is when you have the time to really focus on the fundamentals of the game, the bigger picture and the details of the game. And it looks like right now we're going to show up for camp -- if we show up for camp -- in the middle of the fire of trying to figure out who's going to make the team and trying to get ready for a season. That can be overwhelming."

Strengths trainers turned investigators

With their players scattered across the country, NFL strength and conditioning coaches feel more like part-time sleuths and office managers than in-person trainers.

"We kind of went more into equipment sales and trying to be a liaison to help guys get set up and make sure they're doing the right thing," said Justus Galac, now in his seventh year as the New York Jets' head strength and conditioning coach. "What we found was, guys in the Southern states and more into the Midwest had more access than our guys in the Northeast and West Coast."

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Strength trainers have been tasked with identifying what their players need from a performance standpoint to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where they live and what resources they have access to. "Even though they might have access to a Steak 'n Shake parking lot or they might be in a third floor of an apartment," said Justin Lovett, the Los Angeles Rams' new head strength and conditioning coach.

Lovett was hired in the midst of California's coronavirus shutdown, but unlike during the 2011 lockout year, when he was on the Denver Broncos' staff, communication is permitted and has proved paramount. But there have been challenges.

"The biggest problem with the rookie class is they don't have the money that some of the older guys do," Galac said. "Not saying millions of dollars, but able to go buy equipment, pay for a trainer to take care of them, buying more food that you may normally not have to buy because the facility provides it. All those little things are adding up for these guys. And the rookies, they have no idea. And it's not their fault."

This time of year is crucial for strength staffs, not only for getting players in shape but also for getting new players up to speed with their programs. "And we've lost that," Galac said.

In fact, the Jets' weight room underwent a face-lift this offseason, complete with a new floor, turf accents and equipment. "And nobody's using it," Galac said. "It's sitting empty. The players haven't even seen it yet."

Finding space and serenity in the countryside

James Washington misses football. And, occasionally, his farm.

The 26-acre property the Steelers wide receiver purchased near his hometown of Abilene, Texas, made it easy for him to comply with social distancing rules. It also afforded him space to work out and keep in shape by way of chores. Washington, who was an agribusiness major with a concentration in farm and ranch management at Oklahoma State, finds the countryside calming. He enjoys the views of passing cars, wheat fields and cattle pastures during his eight- to 12-mile rides on his recently purchased bicycle.

His workout setup, which included an assortment of resistance bands sent by the Steelers and his high school dumbbells retrieved from his parents' house, was complete with the arrival of a Jugs machine, which he kept in the barn and carried to a flat area in one of the pastures.

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However, staving off boredom is a challenge whenever he's in Pittsburgh, a more crowded city with fewer options for keeping busy.

"When I was in Texas, I'd work out, do my virtual [team] meetings and then I'd have to find something to do cause I can't just sit in the house," Washington said last week, after he, JuJu Smith-Schuster and fellow receiver Ryan Switzer worked out in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's home weight room. "Being on the farm really helped me a lot, because there was always something that could have been done."

Washington loves his farm so much his recent stay in Pittsburgh was short-lived. He returned to Texas on Wednesday to celebrate Memorial Day weekend with family and tend to his most recent purchase: cattle. The time away from the Steelers' facility has also given Washington time to think.

"It just doesn't feel right," he said. "Everybody feels like we should be at the facility, doing physical stuff, getting ready to go. ... Even if there's no fans, we still have to go out there and just go 110 percent, even if it would feel weird. Fans help make the game. It's really crazy to think about.

"Just being away from things, you really find out how much you miss the sport. It sucks. That's really what I figured out. That I love football." Source - ESPN

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hrhduchessoflancaster · 6 years

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Chapter Eighty-One: Clearer Skies

A/N: Thank you for keeping up with the story! xx Bea

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She saw as he sprang in front of her, the gunshot ringing in her ears as she lowered her head, watching it hit the man in front of her. She heard the shot flying above her head, passing through Colin, embedding itself in the wall, as she ducked her head. He fell to the floor, blood oozing out of his chest and around his back, forming a puddle at her feet. She briefly looked down as Dmitri talked, her ears still ringing, seeing the look of horror in Colin’s eyes as he grew paler and paler until he stopped moving. She froze on her spot for a second, looking at the lifeless body of the man she once loved. Then she looked up, seeing the older man pointing the same gun at her, ready to take her life.

“ NO!”, she screamed in panic. Blinking and fighting back tear, Elle tried to calm herself down as she took in her surroundings. She looked around and saw the hospital room and someone rushing to her side. Harry.

“ Baby, I’m here. I’m here, love. It’s alright, you’re safe.”, he told her as he held her in his arms. Rubbing her back, Harry felt her start to relax, but she still clinging tightly to him.

“ I’m okay…”, she whispered. Harry wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or to herself, but he nodded his head and let her make the first move. So long as she was holding onto him, he wouldn’t let her go. After a few minutes, Elle backed off, leaning back on the bed. Harry looked at her and waited for her to feel comfortable enough to talk.

“ It felt so real…”, she whispered, not meeting his eyes. “ I… he died, Harry. I saw him die.”, she said to him.

“ There was so much blood… and the other man, Dmitri, he was ready to kill me.”, she said, now meeting his eyes. Her emerald green meets his aqua green ones. Hers were full of sorrow, guilt, relief and fear. His, were concerned and scared, but also full of love.

“ Oh my goodness! Alfred! He was shot too! What happened to him?”, said Elle, getting worked up.

“ Love, he’s alive! He’s fine! The bullet hit him in the ribs but he’s okay. He’s in recovery.”, said Harry and Elle nodded her head, calming down once again. Harry knew that what she had seen would be imprinted on her forever. He also knew what was like to face death in the eye, just like his wife just had, a few hours ago. And being in the military didn't make it easier to deal with it.

“ I know how hard it is. You know I do. But you have to focus on the fact that it’s over now, Elle. And you’re safe. We are here with you. You have me, Nugget, your entire family and friends. We are all here with and for you, my love.”, said Harry, running circles in her hands.

“ I know… I know… and I’ve been through traumas before but… I… he’s dead…”, she said, tears springing from her eyes once again. As much as he hated Colin for his role in what has been going on, Harry knew he meant something to Elle once upon a time, and watching him die was probably a big shock to her. Patiently and with care, he calmed her, helping Elle with her breathing exercises once again. This much stress was not only bad for her, but also for their child.

************

All of her family came to see her on the same day she was admitted in, but the person she was mostly worried about was Kate. She had been with Elle when it all happened and she was worried she had been hurt. When the Cambridges finally visited on the third day of her hospital confinement, she was beyond relieved to see Kate well.

“ I was so worried that something had happened to you as well.”, said Elle as they hugged each other.

“ Just the shock and a bruised head. Nothing more.”, said Kate, giving Elle a smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She saw as Kate and William looked nervously at each other when they asked about Elle’s health and the baby. She noticed that Kate flinched when Elle touched her arm and William moved swiftly at his wife’s side. Kate concealed it well but Elle knew something was wrong. The older couple kept on glancing at each other, as if they were trying to say something, every so often exchanging secretive glances. Once they had left, Elle turned to her husband.

“ Harry?”, she asked him. “ Yes, love?”, he said.

“ Did you think that Will and Kate were acting a little weird?”, asked Elle. Harry paused for a moment before nodding his head.

“ As a matter of fact, I did. Which is odd…”, said Harry.

“ Maybe there’s something going on and they’re keeping from us?”, suggested Elle.

“ No… if something was happening, Will wouldn’t keep it from me. I’m his brother. We tell each other everything.”, said Harry. Elle decided not to insist on the matter, even if she was still a little suspicious.

It took her almost a week to leave King Edward’s VII hospital, mostly due to the head trauma she had suffered and to monitor the baby’s health. By the time she left, the world media knew all about what had happened to the Duchess of Sussex and the Freedom Movement. While she had been hospitalized, Colin’s body had been sent back to what was left of his family, so they could give him a proper burial. The joint front formed by MI5, MI6, Scotland Yard and Armed Forces were able to track down the remaining members of the Freedom Movement in Britain and incarcerated them for life. Colin’s body had been sent back to what was left of his family, so they could give him a proper burial.

That, gave her as much as a sense relief as of dread. She knew that an organization this big and threatening must have hundreds of followers and people in chains of command. Elle knew she’d always have to be on her guard, as would everybody else in her family. But they’d be more prepared for them if and when they attacked again. She sincerely hoped that time would never come, but was better to be safe then sorry.

On the following days after her return to Kensington Palace, the nightmares, panic attacks and fear in general still were very much pricking under her skin. And so, she thought it was high time to get in touch with Dr. MacKellan once again. As she phoned him, he didn't seem surprise to hear from her and soon, they scheduled new appointments for her, to be had at her apartment, starting on the following morning. They started off tackling the immediate fears and traumas she had recently, going over all matter at hand: her safety, pregnancy, marriage and public life. By the sixth session, Elle began feeling like herself again. “ You know, you’ve been through quite a lot in the spam of two years, young lady.”, said Dr. MacKellan. “ I’m surprised you haven’t freaked out.”, lighting up the mood, Elle chuckled along with the elderly man.

“ Trust me, there’s a lot of self control involved. And a great support system.”, she said.

“ And that’s the most important thing. I know it’s hard to confide in people, specially when you have traumatic experiences like the ones you’ve had. But so has your husband. Opening up to each other will help you both, more than I can. I found that by sharing similar experiences, people tend to heal and move on faster. Think about, ok?”, said Dr. MacKellan at the end of their session.

“ I will.”, said Elle. And she really did. She spent the remainder of that afternoon thinking of ways to approach the subject with Harry and she figured out there was no beating about the bush. That evening, as they sat together in the sofa, Elle turned off the telly and faced Harry.

“ What did you do that for?”, he asked, eyeing her quizzically.

“ I think we should start opening up to each other about our traumas.”, said Elle. Harry tipped his head to the side.

“ I’m not following, love.”, he said.

“ I was talking to Dr. MacKellan today and he told me something that got me thinking. He said something that, thinking about it now, seems quite obvious but I haven’s considered it before. He told me that opening up about our traumatic events with people who had similar experiences, can be a good healing process. So, even though we have shared a few things, I want us to be able to tell each other those traumas. I want us both to get better and not handle this as some shame or guilt that we have to carry.”, she said to him. Harry paused for a second and sighed, nodding his head.

“ You know, I don’t remember if I’ve told you this but it took me years to finally talk about how my mother’s death shook my life and how it affected and changed me. And for the longest time I didn’t realize that my mental health was as important as my physical one.”, said Harry.

“ You’re right. We have to talk about it. If we want to get better and be able to move forward with our lives, we need to let the trauma go. And in order to do that, we need to speak up. Not only amongst ourselves, but other people too.”, he continued.

“ Precisely, darling. So can we do that?”, she asked him, taking his hands into hers.

“ We can. And we will. I want us both to put all of this sorrow behind us.”, said Harry smiling. As tired as she was being this far along in her pregnancy, Elle fought to stay awake and talk to him about all that she was feeling. And he did the same. They talked about their fears, not only from the Freedom Movement but of not being good enough parents, of the child they lost and how Nugget would never replace that baby, who was as much their child as the one who would be born in a few months and they loved both regardless.

Harry talked about his time in Afghanistan and what he seen. Elle shared what was like to be held hostage twice and how she coped with it. Little by little, they were letting their walls down and the more they shared, the more they were able to understand and trust each other. By the time all their tears had dried, it was almost four in the morning. As they snuggled against in the sofa, Harry and Elle realized that by talking about all of those things, they had found strength not only in in each other, but also and more importantly, in themselves. Strength to fight on, to live on, to believe they could be and would be better.

************

She had spent the remainder of February recovering from her attack. A few media outlets had been rather unforgiving on her but most of the reporters and the public were understanding of the situation. As March graced them with sunnier, bluer skies and flowers in blossom, Elle made her first public appearance, next to her husband at the Queen’s Young Leaders Programme, on behalf of Her Majesty. Being such a big event, held at Buckingham Palace no less, there was a large number of dignitaries, members from foreign countries and of course, the media was flooding the gates, waiting for a glimpse of the Duchess.

Side by side, Elle and Harry received the young leaders and ambassadors for the Commonwealth Youth at the ballroom of Buckingham Palace. The people, who were around sixty, stood in a line and waited for the royal couple to meet and greet them; from celebrities ambassadors like David Beckham and Hayley Atwell, to bright young teens and adults who had brilliant ideas for the Commonwealth future and a few politicians. Once it came time for the speech, Harry made his way to the small stage, as Elle stood next to him.

“ Good evening to you all. My wife and I are honoured to be here today to recognise and celebrate this year's Queen's Young Leaders. This programme was launched four years ago in honour of Her Majesty's service to the Commonwealth and Her belief in young people as a force for positive change. A change that can ignite the spark to make out world a better and safer place.”, said Harry, looking at Elle, who smiled at him.

“ I was honoured to have been named The Queen's Commonwealth Youth Ambassador earlier this year, and I am committed to supporting the legacy of The Queen's Young Leaders and the Commonwealth youth. I guess you can say you're stuck with me.”, he continued and laughs were heard in the room.

“ I… together with my wife Eleanor, look forward to convening young people from around The Commonwealth to hear your ideas, work with you to build platforms for you to collaborate and form partnerships, and continue to meet with many of you as we travel around in our work on behalf of The Royal Family. Thank you.”, finished Harry. Elle applauded her husband vigorously, feeling the baby kick in her belly. Smiling, she kissed his cheek as they walked hand in hand out of the stage area.

“ You were wonderful. As always.”, said Elle smiling.

“ Thank you, my love. For being here and for your constant support.”, said Harry.

“ Where else would I be?”, she joked. As they mingled among the people, a few of them congratulated them on their child while some other showed their concern for what had happened to Elle. For her, it felt a little overwhelming to have so many people expressing their sympathies for something that wasn’t directly related to them. Feeling a panic attack coming, Elle excused herself to a more secluded area, finding an empty room. Sitting down, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, until she felt herself calming down again.

“ Love? Elle, are you in there?”, asked Harry, coming into the room where she sat. Kneeling in front of her, he took her hands into his and caressed them.

“ Hey… is everything alright?”, he asked her as she opened her eyes.

“ It is now.”, she replied, giving him a small smile. Harry looked into her eyes, searching for any signs of pain. Finding none, he sighed and hugged her.

“ Let’s get back to the ballroom, shall we?”, he suggested. Nodding her head, she stood up with his help, only she did it a little too fast. A wave of dizziness hit her and she down back again.

“ I’m fine… I’m fine… just stood up too quickly.”, she said before Harry fussed over her.

“ I think, after today, it’s best if you don’t attend anymore public events. You’re nearing the end of your pregnancy and you’ve had a great trauma. I don’t want you to endanger yourself or the baby.”, said Harry. Elle opened her mouth to argue but was cut by her husband.

“ Please, Elle. Do this for me.”, he pleaded. “ I already feel powerless not being able to help you. I can’t bare to see you hurt in any way again.”

“ Fine. I have just one more that I cannot back down from, then will stay at home. But I’ll still work from the office.”, she said and he nodded his head, acceptingly.

************

William and Catherine had a lot on their minds after what had happened to Elle. When she was kidnapped, Kate, along with the other people in the room fell on the ground due to gas that Colin released. What no one noticed was that the bullet that hit Alfred through the ribs and grazed Kate’s arm, creating a flesh wound. Once they were awake no one seemed to notice since their main priority was to get her out of the museum. It was only on their way back to Kensington Palace that the wound was seen and Kate was assessed by a doctor at the palace.

William saw red when he was notified of it. He had rushed back to Kensington Palace from the engagement he was attending and couldn’t believe what had happened. Not only to his wife but to Eleanor as well. “ We need to get her to a hospital!”, exclaimed William as a dizzy Kate was being looked after.

“ We… can’t… it… will… be worse.”, said Kate, looking at her husband.

“ We strongly advise against it, sir. Her Royal Highness suffered a minor injury and can be looked after here. If we were to take her to the hospital, the situation would become ever more chaotic than it already is.”, said one of his RPO’s. He pondered over what the man had said and nodded his head. He was right. If this became public, things would get worse.

“ We keep this between us. No one needs to know about that now. Specially in a time of crisis.”, said William as Kate received a few stitches for her wound.

And so, up until the situation was controlled and Elle was taken to the hospital, no one knew what had happened, except for those in that room. Charles and Camilla went to visit the Cambridges that day after Harry had gone to the hospital after Elle. Once there, they were shocked to see Kate lying in a bed, with a gauze on her arm, a few specks of blood seeping through it.

“ What happened?”, exclaimed Charles.

“ Pa, we need to talk…”, said William in a serious tone.

************

What remained of the month of March passed as a blur to her. Elle had attended her last public engagement with Harry and the Cambridges for the Royal Foundation. They visited a sports’ centre for children and teenagers funded by the foundation. Together, they took part in a few games, chatted with the young ones, their parents, and the staff. From then on, Elle focused her time on her book. She went to the office everyday, getting reports from Lisa on her patronages, already planning what she could do after the baby was born.

Spending her days in her office had been easier than she predicted. It reminded her of her time at the Tower. As much as she loved being able to help people through her charitable work and her visits to the causes she supported, academic work was what she was used to, it was where she truly fitted and belonged. In the spam of a week, she was able to right far more than she had in the last three months. As she wrote, she reconnected with her old self, and also with Melissa and Trevor. Ever present, the trio talked for hours via Skype about their projects but also, about their lives.

In between her work, she visited Georgiana and continued her exercises with Helen’s help. All to make sure she and her baby would be healthy and ready when they needed to be. At thirty-seven weeks pregnant, Elle was told the baby by Georgiana that the baby could be expected from that point on but that Nugget would most likely arrive on their due that. At her weekly check-ups, she and Harry discovered that their child was weighting over three kilograms and was as big as 50 centimetres.

“ You have a big, strong baby in there…”, said Georgiana, making the couple smile.

“ Trust me… I can feel it.”, joked Elle, making Harry and Georgiana chuckle. “ Now, as the due date approaches, you’ll experience false alarms, the so called Braxton Hicks contractions. It’s normal, but they’ll get longer and more painful with time. So if they persist, it’s better to rush to the hospital, alright?”, she advised the couple.

“ As for the birth itself, have you chose the place where you want to deliver the baby?”, asked Georgiana.

“ Harry and I have decided on St. Mary’s Hospital. It was where he was born and Kate had only great things to say about it.”, said Elle smiling.

“ Of course. It is indeed a wonderful hospital with a even better equipped maternity facility. I imagine your midwife will also be accompanying you?”, she asked and Elle nodded her head.

“ Also, Dr. Alan Farthing, the Royal Surgeon will be attending the birth, per my grandmother’s request.”, said Harry. Yes, Elizabeth had asked that Dr. Farthing be present at Nugget’s birth just in case something went wrong. He would be there more as a consultant than an active part of the process. Elle had only met him twice during her entire pregnancy and he seemed nice enough.

“ Very well. I’ll make all the necessary preparations with the hospital and your staff to make you and the baby as safe and relaxed as possible during and after the delivery.”, assured Georgiana. Just two weeks, Nugget. Just two more and mummy will meet you., thought Elle caressing her belly lovingly.

************

#FATES INTERTWINED #royalfanficcollection #royalfanficcentral #phff #prince harry fanfic #prince harry fanfiction #prince harry

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socialwicked · 2 years

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Matt Smith Has Thoughts About House of the Dragon’s Sex Scenes

Screenshot : HBO

For those of you worried about the Colin Farrell -led TV series, The Penguin , don’t be . For those of you worried about HBO’s Strange Adventures TV series, do be. We also have a sweet little teaser for new episodes of Cuphead on Netflix. Forth, spoilers!

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The Munsters Herman and Lily make beautiful music together in a new photo from Rob Zombie’s Instagram.

T.G.I.F Time to crank some spooky tunes for the young Munsters in love. themunsters #robzombie #sherimoonzombie #jeffdanielphillips

Scoob! Holiday Haunt Relatedly, producer Tony Cervone revealed his canceled Scooby-Doo movie will still record its score.

So what do you do when the movie is canceled, but you’ve already paid for the stage and the musicians? You record the damn score! #scoobydoo, #scoob, #scoobholidayhaunt

Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Plantasm Master Shake jettisons a mutant horde of Carls from an airlock in a new clip from Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Plantasm .

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The Penguin However, Deadline reports The Batman spinoff series starring Colin Ferrell’s Penguin is still moving forward and plans to film next February.

House of the Dragon Matt Smith was openly critical of House of the Dragon ’s numerous sex scenes featuring his character, Daemon, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone .

You do find yourself asking, ‘Do we need another sex scene?’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, we do.’ I guess you have to ask yourself: ‘What are you doing? Are you representing the books, or are you diluting the books to represent the time [we’re living in]?’ And I actually think it’s your job to represent the books truthfully and honestly, as they were written.

In the same interview, Smith revealed Daemon rides a dragon named Caraxes.

My dragon’s called Caraxes. He’s a bit of an avatar of Daemon — he’s grumpy, sardonic, insular, volatile, chaotic. There’s a very strong connection between the dragon and the dragonrider.

Tales of the Walking Dead Tales of the Walking Dead does Naked and Afraid in the synopsis for its fourth episode, “Amy; Dr. Everett.”

In a nature documentary set in the “dead sector” a naturalist who studies walkers encounters a spirited settler; an unlikely respect is forged between the two as the settler tries to argue in favor of people taking back the land from the dead.

[ Spoiler TV ]

Westworld Westworld adapts a fatalistic attitude in the trailer for its fourth season finale, “Que Será, Será.”

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The Cuphead Show! Finally, Netflix has released a new trailer for the second season of The Cuphead Show! premiering August 19.

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Banner art by Jim Cook

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power .

https://socialwicked.com/matt-smith-has-thoughts-about-house-of-the-dragons-sex-scenes/

#robzombie #sherimoonzombie #jeffdanielphillips #scoobydoo #scoob #scoobholidayhaunt

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wsmith215 · 4 years

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Driveways, canyons, pools – NFL players create clever workouts

A farm. A field. A canyon. A pool. Even a driveway. As NFL players wait for a return to normalcy before the 2020 regular season begins, they have had to get creative with how and where they train.

The ripple effects of these unprecedented times — nationwide social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic and an unknown timetable for a vaccine — have altered the professional sports landscape, and the NFL is no exception.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins uses his parents’ driveway as his outdoor gym. New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate mowed a track into a steep canyon near his home. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver James Washington designed a training regimen on his Texas farm. New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis has his personal trainers living with him. Giants linebacker Blake Martinez became the beneficiary of a state-of-the-art gym. And Cleveland Browns punter Jamie Gillan grabbed some beers and built a “grubby” garage gym.

Even though players’ locations, living situations and resources differ, there’s a lesson shared by all: There are no excuses.

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins says of his training at his parents’ house in Orlando, Florida: “Being out in the driveway, on display for the whole neighborhood to see is probably less than ideal.” ESPNBig-money quarterback staying with parents

The playful jab is uttered without warning, hurled from the driver’s side of a passing vehicle.

“Go Pack, go!”

And in that moment of lighthearted jest, Kirk Cousins can only ignore it. He knows the stop sign in front of the house makes him a sitting duck every morning.

Four times a week, starting promptly at 9 a.m., the Vikings quarterback gathers equipment from the garage and arranges it neatly on the long, curved pavement leading from his parents’ house to the sidewalk. Resting on a wooden chair is his laptop, connected by videoconference to his longtime personal trainer, Chad Cook, who is 450 miles away in Atlanta. This is a glimpse into what constitutes the 2020 NFL offseason.

“I like my privacy, so being out in the driveway, on display for the whole neighborhood to see is probably less than ideal. But desperate times call for desperate measures,” Cousins said with a smile during a recent ESPN interview. “If it means a guy drives by in a truck and yells, ‘Go Pack, go!’ at me while we’re working out, then so be it.”

The manicured lawns of this Orlando, Florida, suburb serve as a backdrop to Cousins’ regimen and his attempt at normalcy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s not a “home gym” by any means, Cousins concedes, but he insists he has everything he needs: a medicine ball, jump-rope, foam rollers, free weights and a football. And, the most essential tool of all: the laptop he uses to connect with Cook.

“[Every car will] see me doing my shuffles across the driveway, or my cariocas, or doing the jump-rope or different plank exercises, core work, medicine ball, lunges — whatever it may be. And different people honk or wave, so it’s kind of fun,” said Cousins, who signed a two-year, $66 million extension with the Vikings in March.

“I kind of laugh when I talk about having two like I have 10,” Cousins joked, “because compared to other guys in the league who have three, four, five, six kids, having two is not a big deal.”

Dealing with this adversity has reaffirmed his commitment to his craft. It also taught him that the Public Broadcasting Service can be a football player’s, as well as a father’s, best friend: “‘Daniel Tiger[‘s Neighborhood]’ on PBS can be a lifesaver.”

An underwater workout? Saints linebacker Demario Davis doesn’t bat an eye when his trainers suggest some aqua methods to stay in shape. Courtesy of Demario Davis’Strict training mode’ means living with trainers

The plan was to be in Nashville, Tennessee, for a month, but Demario Davis‘ offseason residence has become his permanent dwelling during the pandemic. His 7,500-square-foot house, purchased last offseason, is a saving grace of sorts, equipped with enough room for his wife, Tamela, and their four children under the age of 6.

And his two personal trainers.

Davis’ trainers, Jose Tienda and Piankhi Gibson, typically work with him in two-to-three-week “strict training mode” spurts before heading back to their respective homes. They’ll return to Nashville soon for another extended stay with Davis.

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As the 31-year-old enters his ninth NFL season — and the final year of his contract — he is determined not to lose ground to a youngster who might be aiming for his spot.

Mid-morning acupuncture and soft tissue work with Tienda give way to afternoon aqua training in a neighbor’s pool with Gibson. Davis pauses for dinner and to help put the kids to bed. But before long, he’s headed back for more body work. He crawls into bed around 12:30 or 1 a.m. on those rigorous training days.

With Louisiana still reeling from 35,316 confirmed COVID-19 cases (and 2,485 reported deaths) as of Thursday, Davis wasn’t surprised Saints coach Sean Payton — who was the first known NFL figure to test positive for the coronavirus — announced there would not be virtual workouts, meetings or workout sessions at the team facility.

“The virtual offseason really wouldn’t have fit the flow of how we operate down there,” the veteran linebacker said of the Saints, who have one of the oldest rosters in the NFL. “We don’t have a young team. … He knew with our experience level, the strong leaders we have at each position, that we’d get it done as far as training.”

While Davis is eager to play, he said he won’t waste time guessing when the season will start.

“The pandemic don’t know nothing about football season. The virus ain’t just like, ‘Oh, football season’s coming, let me chill out,'” he said with a laugh. “So I’m going to train and stay in shape because that’s just a philosophy of mine — you stay ready at all times. But I think it’s a discredit to people who are on the front lines working, and the people who are being affected by it, when we’re just thinking about how fast we can get back to sports.”

Browns punter Jamie Gillan and his father, Colin, constructed a squat rack in the garage. Courtesy of Jamie Gillan’Grubby little gym’ becomes labor of love

The police officers approached without warning.

Jamie Gillan had been punting on a turf field almost an hour away from his Tremont, Ohio, residence, completely unaware of the state’s shelter-in-place orders. With nonessential businesses closed, the Browns punter — nicknamed “The Scottish Hammer” — had used local fields to practice his kicking drills. That is, until he was no longer allowed.

“[The officers] were like, ‘Yeah man, we want to let you punt. We love the Browns and everything, but it’s just the rules,'” the Scotland-born special-teamer explained in his thick brogue.

Faced with the prospect of quarantining alone, Gillan chose to go be with family.

He made trips to the liquor store and the supermarket — packing his truck with several bottles of bourbon for his father, “120 eggs and 16 racks of bacon” — and then he and his German shepherd named Bear traveled seven hours to southern Maryland to stay with his parents and 19-year-old sister.

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The rural area around his parents’ house affords him space to practice his booming kicks, and there’s a “massive” field, owned by a friend, which Gillan uses, too. But the self-described “workout junkie” had to get creative with strength training. Soon his parents’ garage became his gym.

Unable to buy equipment online because of limited inventory and “skyrocketing” prices, Gillan purchased old equipment from a local high school: barbells, bumper plates, 40-, 80- and 100-pound dumbbells and bands. He purchased rubber matting from a local tractor store.

He searched Facebook Marketplace for a squat rack, but he and his father, Colin, who is a former rugby player and member of the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, came up with a better solution — they would construct their own.

“We came back [from Lowe’s], cracked open some beers and just started building it,” Gillan said with a chuckle. Even with old, rusty weights, his “grubby little gym” was everything he needed.

Gillan said his resourcefulness was forged during four years playing at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a historically black university. During offseasons when he and his teammates didn’t have access to the gym, their surroundings became their workout room. They bench-pressed and squatted logs, they did dips and pullups on metal bars at local parks, and Gillan hopped fences to punt on neighboring fields when access to their football field was prohibited.

“One thing I notice about a lot of historically black colleges is they’re very underfunded,” Gillan said, stressing that he and other student-athletes had to be creative. “Maybe it got me prepared for this weird period.”

Taking it up a few notches, Giants linebacker Blake Martinez often escapes to a sports facility his father helped conceptualize and build. Courtesy of Blake MartinezState-of-the-art amenities ease the transition

Blake Martinez‘s father, Marc, had a master plan: purchase a plot of land 15 minutes from the family home in Tucson, Arizona, and build a facility for his son to train and live. It didn’t take long for the idea to become Martinez’s reality.

The linebacker thanks his father every day for his ingenuity, as well as his construction company.

The 18,000-square-foot facility — conceptualized and built last year — “has everything a football player would need,” said Martinez, a 2016 fourth-round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers who signed a three-year, $30 million free-agent contract with the Giants in March.

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The warehouse-looking steel structure contains “a miniature version of a college weight room,” a full-length basketball court, a 30-by-15-yard turf field and an outdoor sand volleyball court. It also doubles as a residence, with three bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen on the second level for him, his wife, Kristy, and their young daughter.

“It kept getting better and better as it kept getting built,” Martinez said. He works out for two hours in person with his longtime trainer, Glenn Howell, four times a week.

But familiarity with his new franchise is a luxury Martinez, 26, doesn’t have.

With New York and New Jersey being one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, Martinez doesn’t know when he’ll be able to travel to the facility or even meet members of the Giants organization for the first time.

“It’s not like I’ve been on the team for a while and I know the guys already. So, it’s been tough in that aspect, connecting with guys,” he said.

Martinez said the pandemic has taught him “I literally have zero excuses not to show up the first day and make sure I’m 100 percent ready to go and help push all of the younger guys to that level if they haven’t gotten there yet.”

Making use of California canyons

Golden Tate‘s stunning San Diego views come at a price.

“I’ve just got to watch out for rattlesnakes,” the Giants wide receiver said with a laugh.

When stay-at-home orders were issued in California in mid-March, Tate took advantage of his surroundings — namely, the canyon his house is built on.

“It’s not the best condition to be running in,” admitted the 11-year NFL player, who mowed a 7-by-40-yard patch of grass on a steep incline. “But it’ll suffice right now. It’s better than doing nothing.”

Team work makes the dream work! Uncle @tatethagreat & LoLo helping me get my daily catches in. Hope everyone has a great Friday! 🙌🏽 🏈 #FamilyFriday pic.twitter.com/RtZXRHcygS

— Golden Tate (@ShowtimeTate) May 15, 2020

“Over my career, I’m so used to having someone — an instructor or the guys around me — push me. And right now, I’m forced to push myself,” said Tate, who turns 32 on Aug. 2.

The veteran receiver played through the 2011 NFL lockout, but he said the coronavirus pandemic is unlike anything he has experienced.

“I feel bad for the first-, second-, third- and fourth-round guys who are expected to come in and help the team right away, but they’re not having the same opportunity to grow as a player, not getting those reps on the field,” he said.

“The offseason is when you have the time to really focus on the fundamentals of the game, the bigger picture and the details of the game. And it looks like right now we’re going to show up for camp — if we show up for camp — in the middle of the fire of trying to figure out who’s going to make the team and trying to get ready for a season. That can be overwhelming.”

Strengths trainers turned investigators

With their players scattered across the country, NFL strength and conditioning coaches feel more like part-time sleuths and office managers than in-person trainers.

“We kind of went more into equipment sales and trying to be a liaison to help guys get set up and make sure they’re doing the right thing,” said Justus Galac, now in his seventh year as the New York Jets’ head strength and conditioning coach. “What we found was, guys in the Southern states and more into the Midwest had more access than our guys in the Northeast and West Coast.”

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Danny Amendola impresses with some nifty, one-handed catches while working out with a helmet on in his backyard.

Strength trainers have been tasked with identifying what their players need from a performance standpoint to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where they live and what resources they have access to. “Even though they might have access to a Steak ‘n Shake parking lot or they might be in a third floor of an apartment,” said Justin Lovett, the Los Angeles Rams’ new head strength and conditioning coach.

Lovett was hired in the midst of California’s coronavirus shutdown, but unlike during the 2011 lockout year, when he was on the Denver Broncos’ staff, communication is permitted and has proved paramount. But there have been challenges.

“The biggest problem with the rookie class is they don’t have the money that some of the older guys do,” Galac said. “Not saying millions of dollars, but able to go buy equipment, pay for a trainer to take care of them, buying more food that you may normally not have to buy because the facility provides it. All those little things are adding up for these guys. And the rookies, they have no idea. And it’s not their fault.”

This time of year is crucial for strength staffs, not only for getting players in shape but also for getting new players up to speed with their programs. “And we’ve lost that,” Galac said.

In fact, the Jets’ weight room underwent a face-lift this offseason, complete with a new floor, turf accents and equipment. “And nobody’s using it,” Galac said. “It’s sitting empty. The players haven’t even seen it yet.”

Plenty of land and space around James Washington’s home in Abilene, Texas, allows the Steelers receiver the space to work out and social distance at the same time. Courtesy of James WashingtonFinding space and serenity in the countryside

James Washington misses football. And, occasionally, his farm.

His workout setup, which included an assortment of resistance bands sent by the Steelers and his high school dumbbells retrieved from his parents’ house, was complete with the arrival of a Jugs machine, which he kept in the barn and carried to a flat area in one of the pastures.

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However, staving off boredom is a challenge whenever he’s in Pittsburgh, a more crowded city with fewer options for keeping busy.

“When I was in Texas, I’d work out, do my virtual [team] meetings and then I’d have to find something to do cause I can’t just sit in the house,” Washington said last week, after he, JuJu Smith-Schuster and fellow receiver Ryan Switzer worked out in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s home weight room. “Being on the farm really helped me a lot, because there was always something that could have been done.”

Washington loves his farm so much his recent stay in Pittsburgh was short-lived. He returned to Texas on Wednesday to celebrate Memorial Day weekend with family and tend to his most recent purchase: cattle. The time away from the Steelers’ facility has also given Washington time to think.

“It just doesn’t feel right,” he said. “Everybody feels like we should be at the facility, doing physical stuff, getting ready to go. … Even if there’s no fans, we still have to go out there and just go 110 percent, even if it would feel weird. Fans help make the game. It’s really crazy to think about.

“Just being away from things, you really find out how much you miss the sport. It sucks. That’s really what I figured out. That I love football.”

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graffiti-vibe-blog · 7 years

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The Fading release new single 'A Moment of Insight' featuring Anneke van Giersgergen

Formed in 2000, Israel’s The Fading (then known as Excessum) struggled to establish a solid line up but once they had the ‘magic formula’ in place, they wasted little time spreading their name far and wide in the global metal community. Under the guidance of producer Daniel Varfolomeyev (Acropolis) the band entered the studio in 2005 to record their debut EP; ‘Instruction for Self-Destruction’. Another line-up change followed with Jonathan Bar-Ilan (Dissonant) joining the fold and with him at the production helm they recorded the 2007 follow up ‘Chaos in Flesh’. It also heralded the band’s first connection to the Swedish melodic-death metal scene with Jonas Kjellgren (Scar Symmetry, Carnal Forge) coming on-board to mix and master the release at his own Black Lounge Studio. The band the release of these two Eps, playing shows across Israel with leading Israeli acts such as Betzefer, Whorecore, Eternal Gray, amongst others…

2008 saw the band participate in (and win!) the Israeli Wacken Metal Battle competition which landed them a slot on the WET stage at the annual Wacken Open Air festival, the biggest heavy metal festival in the world. Whilst at the festival, the band also took part (and won!) Wacken Metal Battle competition, winning the band an international record deal with Wacken Records, and new instruments from the Metal Battle sponsors, as well as invitations to play more European festivals in the upcoming year. Significantly, The Fading were only the second Israeli band to appear at Wacken (after scene leaders Orphaned Land in 2006).

Recorded in Sweden, the band's debut full-length album, entitled ‘In Sin We'll Find Salvation’ was released at Wacken Open Air festival in Germany, with the band performing an acclaimed set once again. It was produced by Pelle Saether (Wolf, Ebony Tears, Necrodeath, Carnal Forge), mixing and mastering of the album was once again done by Jonas Kjellgren.with artwork provided by the talented British artist Colin Marks (Nevermore, Strapping Young Lad, Aborted). The band followed this release with their first European tour, opening for

The debut album ‘In Sin We'll Find Salvation’ was released in the band's home country of Israel in 2010, with the band preforming a special release show in Tel Aviv, featuring special guests Tomer Jonesof Whorecore, Sven de Caluwé of Aborted and Oren Balbus of Eternal Gray. Later that year, The Fading supported Ensiferum on their only show in Israel, in the Barby club in Tel Aviv.

In 2011, the band played as a supporting act for Misery Index on their one-off show at the Sublime club in Tel Aviv, on May 5. A week later, the band went on their first headlining tour of Ukraine, dubbed as the ‘Wind of the Other Side’ tour. The tour consisted of 11 dates, co-headlining with Russian symphonic black metal band Little Dead Bertha, taking place between May 12–22, 2011.

At the end of October, as a consequence of their successful performances earlier that year, the band returned to Ukraine to support the Swedish melodic death metal giants In Flames. After the concert with In Flames, they rushed back to Israel to be the supporting act for Children of Bodom on their one-off show at the Barby club in Tel Aviv, Israel, on November 3. Two months later, on January 11 of 2012, it was announced that the band will be supporting another legendary melodic death metal band, Arch Enemy, on two shows in Russia.

2013 saw the band finish recording their second full-length studio album entitled ‘Till Life Do Us Part’. The album was recorded at A.G. Studios, Israel, self-produced by the band itself. The album was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren (Soilwork, Amon Amarth, Opeth, Amorphis, Kreator) at Fascination Street Studios. Artwork for the digi-pack album was done by the talented Israeli animation artist, Tim Razumovsky.

In 2015, The Fading headlined 'Tbilisi Jam! Fest' (alongside Vader, Diary Of Dreams, Dead By April) following this with dates with Five Finger Death Punch, in Moscow & St. Petersburg. The band then completed a full scaled Eastern-Europe tour, supporting Bring Me The Horizon throughout Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.

Earlier this year the band once again returned to Russia opening for In Flames and filmed a brand-new video for the song ‘A Moment of Insight’ featuring the captivating vocals of Anneke van Giersbergen(Vuur, Gentle Storm, Aqua de Annique and The Gathering).

The band are currently in the studio working on the follow up to ‘Till Life Do Us Part’, due for release later this year.

The Fading line up; Ilia Badrov - Vocals Paul Mitiyanine - Guitars Eyal Ben Shushan - Bass Ran Shenkerman - Drums

News story provided by Factory Music Management & Agency Ltd

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