#and while alun is not like. OUT out with his sexuality like it's not something he hides but it's not something he discusses much either

[eppysboys]

hey! sorry if i'm bothering you but i rewatched a hard day's night recently and the dynamic between the manager and john particularly stood out to me and i thought you’d know something about it for sure. the way norm always targeted john, them exchanging insults, the "i'll tell them all the truth about you" scene. why did they do it? was the writer/richard lester acquainted with brian and john? was it the popular story among newspapers/fans that john was the naughty one? so many questions lol.

No bother at all, love!

Alun Owen did spend some time with the band on tour as he wrote the script for the film, not a great deal of time, but enough to get an idea of them. The Norm character definitely seems familiar - tormented by an antagonistic John, nervous, prone to losing his temper, chasing around his misbehaving boys....

For whatever reason, the common wisdom is that Norm was based on Neil Aspinall, though the character seems too neurotic. As said here, it seems like the answer might have been that Brian did serve as inspiration, but Owen was obeying Brian's wish not to be too far into the spotlight with the Beatles.

I think in the process of creating each Beatle 'archetype', Owen noticed that while all the guys were witty and could talk back, John probably stood out as the most cheeky, and made jabs at Brian to his face.As for the sexual tension between the two......... I don't know! Maybe he did pick up on something, or it just seems that way because John had quite a lot of chemistry with every man he interacted with. We know John was the kind of guy to 'joke' about being gay (as put-downs and truth wrapped up in humour to hide true feelings sort of joking), so I always sort of assumed that Owen put the 'Queen' comment amongst other things in there based on that.

[calacuspr]

Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Simone Biles & Rassie Erasmus

Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.

HIT – SIMONE BILES

Simone Biles has been the superstar of gymnastics - if not female sport - since she burst into global consciousness by winning four gold medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

With 19 world championship gold medals as well to her name at the tender age of 24, expectations were high at Tokyo 2020.

Not content with leading the world in gymnastics, Biles showed remarkable strength from one so young by putting her mental health ahead of the attention and anticipation of her performances at this year’s Olympic Games.

After pulling out of the women's gymnastics team final. Biles explained: “I have to focus on my mental health. I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now.

"We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do.

"I don't trust myself as much anymore. Maybe it's getting older. There were a couple of days when everybody tweets you and you feel the weight of the world.

"We're not just athletes. We're people at the end of the day and sometimes you just have to step back.”

The Olympic Games may be one of the biggest stages in world sport, but Biles showed remarkable poise to withdraw given her unofficial role as the symbol of Team USA.

It is further proof, if proof were needed, that sports stars now feel empowered to stand up, not only for social justice but also for themselves, as we saw with Naomi Osaka withdrawing from the French Open in much the same way earlier this year.

Michael Phelps, himself an Olympic phenomenon, defended Biles after previously revealing his own struggles with depression. He said: “This is an opportunity for all of us to really learn more about mental health, to all help each other out.

"For me, I want people to be able to have somebody that can support them, who’s non-judgmental and who’s willing to hold space. There’s a lot that we can do to help one another and we have to start. We can’t brush it under the rug anymore.”

Biles, remember, has spoken out about the sexual abuse she and many others faced at the hands of the former U.S.A. Gymnastics doctor Lawrence G. Nassar and the devastating effect it has had on her life.

She has also spoken out about racism, which she has encountered in life and in gymnastics competition; She said: “It happens every day, and I feel like every Black athlete or colored athlete can say that they've experienced it through their career.”

Biles has had to watch as her brother Tevin Biles-Thomas was accused and then recently acquitted of 15 charges including murder related to an incident three years ago.

The gymnast later withdrew from the final individual all-round competition, with USA Gymnastics stating: “We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”

There have been accusations that she let down her team by walking away, that she displayed an appetite for ‘losing, quitting and failure’ rather than seeing the bigger picture of fighting through adversity.

American conservative activist Charlie Kirk was also quick to criticise, saying: "We are raising a generation of weak people like Simone Biles. If she's got all these mental health problems: don't show up."

“She's probably the greatest gymnast of all time. She's also very selfish, she's immature and she's a shame to the country."

Those opinions were echoed by other right-wing activists and yet US newspapers such as USA Today called Biles’ decision “important” and a “powerful message.”

The New York Times lauded the 24-year-old for putting her “mental health first and the expectations of others, at best, second” and after Biles spoke about the mental exhaustion endemic to being the best, the Washington Post asked, “What are we doing, breaking our athletes?”

Mental health organisations such as The Rethink Mental Illness charity praised Biles and said: “Everyone needs to prioritise their mental health, even the best athletes in the world.

“Simone Biles’s decision to withdraw from an Olympics final will not have been taken lightly, and it’s great to see the support she received from her teammates.”

Mind also congratulated Biles on her bravery and posted on Twitter: “Working in elite sports like gymnastics comes with unimaginably high levels of pressure, perfectionism, scrutiny, and comparison. Simone Biles is incredibly brave for speaking out, and highlighting the importance of looking after your mental heath.

“Simone is a role model for women and girls everywhere. She deserves our applause, respect, appreciation – and above all our support right now.”

MISS – RASSIE ERASMUS

Rugby union prides itself on respect and one of the most fundamental aspects of game is based on how referees are treated.

It’s common law within the sport that players and coaches accept refereeing judgments without abusive disagreement but in recent times, the game has been caught up in controversy due to reactions over refereeing decisions.

During the 2021 British and Irish Lions and South Africa test series, South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has taken the disrespect of officials to a whole new level, as he openly criticised the officiating of the first test match between the two sides.

In an hour-long video, Erasmus let out his fury towards Australian referee Nick Berry in which he analysed 26 clips from the game of incidents which he believed were blatant mistakes.

In the video, he said: "It's comical the respect the [officials] showed towards the South African players compared to the Lions players.

"Let the Springboks and the Lions have an equal chance on the field when it comes to laws, respect, the way players are treated, what is said in the coaches' pre-match meeting with the referees, how they give feedback post-match and how things are said in the media.

"When Siya [Kolisi] spoke to the referee and when Alun Wyn [Jones] spoke to the referee, I just felt the reactions on how they treated both those players, there was a vast difference between who he was taking serious and who he wasn't taking serious."

Erasmus ends the video by saying that he recorded the video “in my personal capacity, and not as part of the Springboks”, even offering to quit his position for the remainder of the series.

But when you’re the head coach of the world champions in any sport, let alone rugby union, recording a video criticising a referee is entirely inappropriate.

Despite his claims that neither Nick Berry nor World Rugby provided feedback on the officiating during the first test, Erasmus raised his complaints in a totally unprofessional manner.

In response to the video, Rugby Australia defended Nick Berry and deemed the comments from Erasmus as "unacceptable", while World Rugby reacted by saying they would be taking up the matter with the South African Rugby Union.

Erasmus has never been afraid to speak out, but his comments towards referees has cast a shadow over the already disrupted Lions Tour in South Africa.

In the week running up to the first test, Erasmus refused to disassociate himself from a burner Twitter account named “Jaco Johan”, which carries video clips of controversial refereeing incidents for the previous games of the tour.

“When something makes sense to me I like to retweet it,” Erasmus said. “If you do analyse the things that he is supposed to see, then you are actually spot on with the integrity of the game.”

It’s also not the first time that the Springbok head coach has been caught up in controversy regarding the officiating in rugby.

Back in 2019, the then New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen accused Erasmus of trying to pressure referees into preferential treatment towards his team, after the South Africa boss suggested that the All Blacks had for years received soft officiating during matches.

Debate surrounding refereeing decisions has been a constant theme of the Lions series, with the tourists also raising concerns regarding the appointment of a South African television match official in the first game.

With South Africa going on to claim victory in the second Test, Erasmus could claim that his mind games paid off, especially considering several decisions went the Springboks' way.

Regardless, raising concerns about refereeing in rugby should be done in a respectful manner and in that regard, Erasmus missed the mark completely during the 2021 Lions tour.

[moretreasurewithinarchive]

Under the cut, I’m gonna put what I have so far for Eiluned & Elyan. And if anyone is interested, feel free to message me. Cause I would be so thrilled if someone wanted to write Elyan. Knowledge of the Chronicles of Prydain isn’t necessary for him as it would be for Taran and Adaon, though I’d love to have them too, no lie. Content warnings for stalking and sexual harassment, as well as miscarriages and stillbirth.

Eiluned and Elyan are the birth parents of Taran, the main character of the Chronicles of Prydain. In the books we find out that she and his dad were killed in a battle and the enchanter who took Taran in and raised him didn't know who they were.

Eiluned is an orphan herself, her dad died before she was born, and her mom died giving birth to her. She's raised in the castle of King Pryderi, a minor character mentioned in the last book. She works as a maid most of her life until Pryderi decides that he wants to marry her, because of her beauty. However, Eiluned is in love with Elyan, who’s a gardener. Pryderi, however, doesn’t take that well, and plans to force the marriage anyway. Essentially Belle and Gaston. 

Before the forced wedding can take place, Eiluned and Elyan flee the castle, and Pryderi’s lands. They run across the country, and stop for a while at Caer Dathyl, castle of High King Math and Prince Gwydion; the latter ends up becoming their son's mentor and hero in the future. Also the same castle where Adaon and Arianllyn reside. Gwydion is friends with Pryderi, as they come from a race called The Children of Don, who was a Welsh Goddess. 

Gwydion marries Eiluned and Elyan, and she tries to warn him about how depraved Pryderi is becoming, already starting down the path that would lead him to his fate in the last book roughly 20 years later, but he doesn't listen. Elyan would have been happy staying at Dathyl, but Eiluned thinks Pryderi is gonna follow them. So they keep running until they either arrive at a location I have yet to determine yet. There’s 4 or 5 possibilities. I just have to do some reading and try to pin down which would fit best. They settle down there and Elyan becomes a farmer, and Eiluned becomes a potter. And they're happy. Eiluned, of course, is on edge for a while, and looks over her shoulder all the time, expecting Pryderi to come for her.

They do have some struggles having a family. Eiluned has 1 or 2 miscarriages, and a stillborn daughter, before Taran comes. And then the battle comes and they both die, but she hides Taran in the trees to keep him safe, and the enchanter Dallben finds him there and takes him into his care, as he’s been searching for him for years.

There are 3 witch type figures, who I can most closely equate to the Fates. Taran and other characters have encounters with them later. And I'm thinking Eiluned has some sort of connection to them. Like maybe she has dreams that guide her choices or something. Not exactly pinned down yet. And neither she or Elyan know exactly what their son's destiny is, but from the dreams and her own intuition, she knows it's something great.

I'm also thinking of Aus where Eiluned lives- in which case her fc will be Liv Tyler- and looks for Taran, where both she and Elyan live and look for Taran, and like a modern reincarnation thing? Where Don is like look you guys had a bad hand. We'll give you another chance. Arianllyn has a similar verse for Adaon.

Eiluned and Elyan are both Pagan. As is Prydain. Elyan is up for debate in modern stuff, and up to mun if they decide to take him. But Eiluned will remain pagan regardless of verse. 

While at Caer Dathyl, Eiluned and Elyan spend time as well with Taliesin, his wife, and his little son Adaon, who later become Arianllyn’s fiance. Taran later meets Adaon and it's a thing. I'm going for as many connections between them and Taran's story and later life as I can get CAUSE FATE IS INTERCONNECTED DAMN IT.

Eiluned is very much like Ella, personality wise. She remains optimistic and faithful, good natured, and tender hearted despite all the hardships she and her husband go through.

SURVIVAL AU WHERE EILUNED ACTUALLY FINDS HER BABY AND HE'S ALL GROWN UP.

Taran’s birth name is Alun Uang, the first name means Harmony and indicates his destiny while the second is his father’s first name. Taran, on the other hand means Thunder. Elyan means A Moment In Time, and Eiluned means Much Desired. Her middle name is Siriol, which means Content. 

Elyan calls Eiluned his primrose, and brings her primroses from the garden all the time.

Elyan’s full name, in modern threads, will be Uang Elyan Jin. The first and surnames mean Great and Gold. His paternal grandparents were immigrants to Prydain. His father was born there, and his mother and her family were Prydainians. His fc, Remy Hii’s father is Chinese-Malaysian and his mother is English. 

Pryderi is stated to be good looking, harsh, and blonde. So his fc is likely to be Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Nikolaj is 18 years older than Anna, and I did want an age and power gap between Pryderi and Eiluned.

In Prydainian verses, neither Eiluned or Elyan can read or write. But they’re by no means dumb. Elyan, as a gardener, can identify almost any plant by sight, and knows their uses. He knows some blacksmithing and fighting. Eiluned is a potter who also knows a bit of weaving, and though she can’t read, she can come up with stories and tunes with some ease. And in verses where one or both of them survive and find Taran, they’re proud that he can read and write, as well as sculpt, smith, garden, and weave. They’re also extremely proud of his accomplishments and skills. 

The youngest age we see Eiluned is 18. She has Taran around the age of 22. And, at the most, he was 6 months old when the battle that killed Eiluned and Elyan took place. In that time, Alun/Taran was her world. 

Taran’s late sister’s name was Lyn Dafina. 

Pryderi uses his tactic mentioned in the final book, wearing an unsheathed sword until a battle is won, to intimidate the members of his household.