#but i guess soccer (football) would be the best comparison

[andi-o-geyser]

reminder: vote for the character who is the most girlboss, not who your favorite is (unless they are one in the same)

[strikermind]

What exactly happened in the Wild Card?

So what exactly is the “Wild Card"? As of now, we know that it’s an experiment to create a player with the same exact characteristics as Noel Noa, the world’s greatest striker. Additionally, only Blue Lock participants who had lost were able to participate. One of those losers in question was Rensuke Kunigami.

Not knowing what awaited ahead of him, unwilling to give up, Kunigami went through the Wild Card door, with only a slither of hope left. When he opened that door once again, he was a completely different person.

Ego himself had explained he forced different philosophies on the ones who competed in the Wild Card. And yet with every visual depiction of the Wild Card, you can see corpses lying on top of eachother, with only one survivor being emphasized.

So what does this mean? What does this say about Kunigami, the only one who survived the Wild Card? After theorizing and thinking about it for a long time, I kept on reaching the same conclusion…

Kunigami is a c*nnibal. Now does that sound absurd? Yes, but there’s a surprising lot of evidence pointing to it. By the end of this analysis, you’ll be convinced. Now the best way of explaining this is splitting it into sections.

How? Why?

Symbolism

Mannerisms

Conclusion

1. How? Why?

Old tribes, like the Aztec or the Tonkawa, had two main types of c*nnibal customs: those who ate their own people, and those who only ate their enemies. The wild card, being the latter, is comparable in this respect. It is first and foremost a group of competitors trying to defeat each other by any means possible. Now this doesn’t immediately mean c*nnibalism, what if they just killed one another? That’s also a plausible theory, but think about it, what else would they be able to eat and drink?

I highly doubt that the ones fighting for their lives were being malnourished and given supplies to survive. That’s what they got spoiled with in blue lock already, and they already failed. Now this isn’t to say they got told, “Go eat each other!”, because how would that help their strength in the slightest? These participants are probably doing something similar to endoc*nnibalism, eating humans only after they have died. I imagine it could be something like a fight to the death, and whoever dies has to give up their body to the survivors. It could be even less literal like whoever loses a soccer match dies.

But how would this be possible? Wouldn’t this be incredibly illegal? Think about it this way, no matter what had happened down there, it definitely wasn’t safe. What’s even more surprising is if people actually made it out alive, because as of now, nobody but Ego, Noa, and Kunigami has even mentioned what the Wild Card is about. It’s very likely those bodies are all still down there. But if that’s true, wouldn’t Ego be worried people might find the bodies and Blue Lock would be shut down? That’s why he thought of the quickest and efficient way of getting rid of them.

Back to Ego and Noa, isn’t the entire goal of this to get a player to have the same abilities Noa has? Even to surpass him? Why would Ego go through all this effort for something that isn’t even related to football? If you guessed it, then that’s right. Noel Noa is also a c*nnibal. That is his core component that makes him the best striker in the world, one that no one can beat, not Isagi, not Sae, not even Ego. That is Noel Noa’s true power, and that’s what Ego set out to create.

2. Symbolism

Even with my theory aside, there’s symbolism hinting at Kunigami being a c*nnibal.

In mythology, c*nnibalism is a method for revenge or hatred. From the moment Kunigami lost that match against Shidou his ego has only grown larger. I can only assume he wants to play against Shidou once again for revenge, but even if that isn’t his main goal, he wants to prove to everybody how much stronger he’s gotten so he can beat them.

And this might sound like a stretch, but comparisons to mythology have been used before. One example is the animals that represent the players. Shidou’s dragon in mythology represents supernatural power, untamed nature, and is the embodiment of chaos. Reo’s chameleon represents transformation, balance, and the passage of time.

C*nnibalism also often symbolizes others that are less than fully human in some way. Take stories with c*nnibals into consideration like "Hansel and Gretel," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and "Little Red Riding Hood." You have witches, giants, and wolves. None of them are entirely human. And just like Kunigami, he’s lost part of his humanity and personality from when the series began.

There are other comparisons I could make, but I think those two are enough to understand how c*nnibalistic symbolism fits Kunigami’s character perfectly.

3. Mannerisms

Kunigami becomes much more cold post Wild Card, similar to someone like Rin or Barou. He also seems to reject how he acted in the past. He’s a lot more cruel towards people too, even ones he considered to be friends. He might be pushing them away from him on purpose. Not just so he can be the singular best striker, but maybe because he’s also resisting the temptation to eat them every second of the day.

Besides the fact Kunigami throws insults from time to time, he’s usually eerily quiet, even when they’re losing. His face also remains the same, neutral frown. This might seem insignificant until you see it happen ALL the time. Even in important frames, he either stays silent or says something short.

Whenever we’re learning about Kunigami and his skills, it's always from Isagi’s perspective. We almost never get any explanations from Kunigami himself. We know so little about him even though at the time of making this he’s been in three games with Isagi post Wild Card. So many panels wasted with just Kunigami’s face looking upset without knowing his true thoughts whatsoever.

Considering Blue Lock spends so much time explaining things through other people’s POV, the lack of Kunigami’s has to be on purpose. The authors don’t want us to know what’s going on in Kunigami’s brain, his thoughts are supposed to be a secret from the audience. But now we know… He is constantly thinking about eating the players in Blue Lock.

Every second, every minute of the day, Kunigami is stuck in a battle between his urges and his rationality. He tries his hardest to stay away from his friends because he wants to eat them so badly. He’s reminded of the trauma and pain he had to go through in the Wild Card, and wants to take out his hunger on his closest comrades. He spends so much time looking at them, not saying a thing, wondering the value of their lives day by day. That is Kunigami’s true nature.

He wants to eat Chigiri the most.

4. Conclusion

To sum it all up, Kunigami is most definitely a c*nnibal. From the symbolism, to the plot, it all matches up in the end. I recommend you to re-read Blue Lock from chapter 155 and replace all the silence Kunigami has in those panels with his c*nnibalistic thoughts. It truly enhances the story and further strengthens my theory.

How do I think the story will go on from here? I believe once Isagi finds out the truth about Noel Noa and how he’s a c*nnibal he will be shocked, but he will also ask Kunigami for advice. I’d say the most likely to get eaten would be Nagi, but that might cause an uproar and ruin Kunigami’s reputation, so I have come up with three possible solutions.

1: Kunigami eats Isagi and goes to jail

2: Isagi and Kunigami team up to eat someone together who is not well-known

3: Kunigami goes to recovery therapy

And that’s the end of this theory. Remember, this is all speculation and I could be wrong! But there's technically no way of disproving this theory either since none of us knows what actually happened in the Wild Card. Have a good day everybody, Mod Bachira signing off!

- ☀︎

[surveysand]

one.

When was the last time you did clay work/pottery? middle school, i think? i can't remember if it was middle or elementary school where i last had a pottery unit in art class, lol.

Do you like art, hate it or just not mind it? i love it. i have a yearly membership with my city's art museum.

If you had to choose would you prefer dull pain for 12hours or sharp for 2? dull pain.

Koala or Kangaroo? koala.

Do you know the words to the national anthem of your country? yes.

Is your country ruled by a president, prime minister, queen or other? president.

Does blue occur in your national flag? yes.

Talking of flags. Do you like football/soccer? If yes, do you play and what position? no, just never been my type of thing.

Would you rather be a Model, Famous Scientist, Singer or Chef? famous scientist.

Would you rather be a pilot, crime scene investigator or estate agent? crime scene investigator.

Does making others happy really make you feel happy? absolutely. it's hard to be in a bad mood when i know i've made someone else feel good.

What colour literally doesn’t appear in your wardrobe at all? i have at least one item in every color, but orange is definitely the one least represented.

Do you actually read the answers others give to your surveys? i don't make surveys, just answer them.

Did you ever swear at a teacher in school? Why? no.

Have you ever pricked your finger on Holly or another ‘sharp’ plant? no.

Speaking of Holly, do you adore Christmas or does it bug you? i can get overwhelmed, but it is probably my favorite of the traditional holidays. i'm not religious, but i love winter and the music/food/etc. reminds me of my childhood which i hold very closely.

Have you ever wrote your own short story? What about a novel? Or perhaps you started and couldn’t finish? i've written several short stories for school projects, but never any novels. also, have never started and left anything unfinished.

Do you prefer SciFi/Fantasy/Action/Horror or Rom/Com/RealLife? i am not really a movie person, but i guess real life if i had to choose. the only movies i really watch are documentaries.

What do you have a lot of faith in [note: can be anything]? the true good in people.

Think of a material thing you want. Name it here (material, made or bought). Would $100/60 be enough for this item? How about $1000/600? i would love a desktop computer, but really don't know what brand exactly. i figure it would be at least $1,200, though.

Would you rather have a big house, a lot of kids or a high flying job? high flying job.

Have you ever been to a creepy/haunted/abandoned place? What did it look like and what were the circumstances? yes, i actually recently visited a (supposedly) haunted prison in my city despite having lived here for years and never gone. i went on a tour with my parents for a day together after my college graduation. i didn't think it was too scary despite getting pretty freaked out at paranormal stuff. What’s your favourite dip? french onion.

Chocolate Cookies or Fudge Brownies? brownies.

I give you a little baby puppy. What do you name him? it really would depend on the breed of dog.

Is crime a big problem in your area? not a ginormous problem (it could very easily be much worse), but i live in a very big city. so yes in comparison to other places.

What’s your town/city most well known for? importance in american history and annoying sports fans (which i am unapologetically a part of), lol. Do you know a Jack? What’s he like? How about a Lisa? What’s she like? yes, but neither very well. jack is one of my partner's best friends and lisa is one of my mom's close family friends. they're both nice from the limited interactions i've had with both of them.

Are most your friends older, younger or the same age as you? all the same age, except for one who is two years older than me.

Do you subconsciously hang out with those with the same star sign as you or as each other, perhaps due to certain personality traits? no.

Name 5 objects that you don’t have but would like right now? two bedside tables, a new mattress, a new bedframe, and a dresser. i really need to upgrade my bedroom furniture, lol.

When you have children, would you like twins? i wouldn't be opposed, but it's also not something i yearn for necessarily. Do you know any twins? If so, what are they called? yes, there were three sets of twins that i went to primary/middle/high school with, two sets were in my grade and the other set was in the grade below me. i won't name them fully for personal reasons (i.e., i'm paranoid someone i know would find this, lol), but their initials are as follows: c/c, j/z, and l/l.

If you were given the choice to choose your child’s gender, would you? honestly, yes. i would want a girl first.

What instrument would you love to learn how to play? piano.

Does the sound of knocking/tapping startle you? yes.

What’s the scariest story/urban legend/creepypasta etc you heard? i really don't know. those things i was never really into.

Do you miss someone currently? yes.

When was the last time you were in hospital? What for? a few months ago. i had to get an mri for some head pain i was experiencing.

When was the last time you went to the dentist? middle school, i think (i turn 23 in a few months). my family no longer has dental insurance and i can't afford out-of-pocket, but i know it's bad i haven't gone in so long.

Do you get along well with your family doctor/your doctor? yes, she's very nice.

What personality trait does nearly everyone in your family seem to have? we're all very loud, lol. everyone outside our family is always telling us to quiet down.

[senotsuri]

Way back when, I posted an image of an OC, who fairly recently got a full name (she only had a surname back then.) So, with Eliza’s name finally figured out, I realised I hadn’t actually given my overview of the game that spawned her; Champions of Vestroia.

Time to lose my mind, I guess.

Some fore-knowledge before we get into this.

I am, by all means, a legacy bakugan fan, not a reboot fan. I’ve only seen one double episode (the become-smaller-child episode, which was cute, and Outer Demons, which has a super good premise, but the execution is. something.) By all accounts, CoV is essentially my introduction to the world of the reboot, and I’ll come to this later.

I played both the first game (Bakugan Battle Brawlers, specifically the Wii edition), and the... third game (Defenders of the Core, shortened to DOTC, also for the Wii. The second game, for anyone curious, is Battle Trainer, a DS exclusive.) This will come up later, of course, but I want to point out these two as they’re basically my control group for the quality here (not for the battles though; different battle system and all.)

I am incredibly stay-at-home. A lot of people I know irl I don’t have contact with, and most of them don’t live in my city. This is only important when it comes to the protagonist and literally no one else in the game, but I thought I’d mention it anyway.

So the game begins with the character creator. This is pretty standard stuff, honestly. My one issue with it is just-- this is probably my fashion sense speaking, but the fashion in the game is very... for lack of a better term, naff. There aren’t many options that look good, personally speaking. This is ignoring the issues where the protagonist loses their name, mid conversation, or is referred to as if I chose the male option instead of the female option. These issues are likely just oversights, by all accounts, but talk about jarring.

The first time you see your character is where 3. comes in. The protagonist, no matter what you chose (I have two save files, in case there was a difference. There isn’t), will always be a football/soccer player. Are you one of many, many people who isn’t sporty, who is trying to play as themselves? Sorry, your character is sporty, and you can’t do anything about it.

In the legacy games, this was never really a problem; your character was never seen doing anything other than brawling and interacting with other characters. Whether they played sports, or stayed indoors and wrote fanfic, the game let you decide on that for your character, by not having them do either of those things: your character only battled, or snuck around in DOTC’s case.

Once you stop playing football, you get to run to your best friends, and I guarantee you, you won’t immediately guess who they are unless you somehow already knew.

I mentioned BBB and DOTC being my control group on quality. Bringing the character creator back into this, the NPCs are laughable in quality. Any character who has the same model as you (older child. There are only two other model types: adult, and younger child) will look like a remixed version of your character. Had it not been for some characters having special eye shapes, you could practically cosplay any character in the game, because they were made the same way you made your character.

This includes your two best friends.

You could easily make the same character (minus clothes) as one of your best friend characters, without knowing it until you saw them.

While, yes, BBB and DOTC had the characters from the legacy anime in them, the fact that your best friends are nigh indistinguishable from any other character in the area, because you could easily make any of them in the character creator, isn’t... great.

Speaking of that. Characterisation is questionable, to say the least. Whatever bakugan you have in your first slot will answer to you the same as any other bakugan you have in your first slot. If you started off with Howlkor in the front of your party, and you replaced him with, say, Barbetra, Barbetra will act the exact same as Howlkor did, and it’s really something.

There’s only (?) Armoured Alliance bakugan in the game, other than Dragonoid, Pegatrix, Trox, Hydorous, Nillious, and the afforementioned Howlkor. That’s a small roster, by all accounts, so having varied dialogue depending on the bakugan would make sense.

The characterisation of the other characters is also a little funky in places. Your best friends don’t brawl, and I honestly forgot about them for a portion of the game. The tournament brawlers are practically as faceless as the villain minions, and the villains- oh the villains...

Preston. I don’t like Preston, at all. He’s a villain from the moment you see him, and the whole “try to find Preston” section in Helena Heights makes me want to punch someone. When you fight him in the Parasol HQ, his dad being the CEO, it’s fairly clear that Preston is little more than a tool for him. Sometime later, you fight Preston again, this time as the final tournament’s final battle, and he’s laughably weak compared to the other challengers. Remember, this kid fights you with Leonidas.

You’d think Leo would be good, but I’ll get into the butchering that happened to my death dragon later.

Anyhow, he fights you, assuming his dad will enjoy him defeating you. With the power of you’re the player character, you beat him, he hands all of his bakugan to you, and gives up on brawling for good. Kinda.

The next time you see him... hoo boy. In Old Town, on the way to defeat dear detestable dad, you come across Preston. He offers you help, and when player character is understandably suspicious, Preston complains that... one of his toys was taken away because you beat him, and now he wants Revenge On Dad.

I wish I was joking. His revenge, by helping you defeat his dad, isn’t because he’s obviously neglected by his dad (company taking priority over him, the CEO’s son), and then is used as a minion to try and get rid of you. It’s not out of bitter feelings because his dad doesn’t care about him, no, it’s because his dad took his ball away.

What’s worse is how player character reacts: “Oh! :) You’ve learned that bakugan aren’t just tools! :) Yes you can help me, despite the fact that you learning this sounds less than genuine and definitely not last minute! :)”

This is a level of stupidity I’ve only seen in DOTC Mira when Spectra tricks her into giving him Drago. He’s literally sulking and moping about over his ball, and then he sees the player character, immediately being manipulative so that player character can take down his dad for him. 

Leonidas also forgives him, and has the same reaction as the player character.

Speaking of Leonidas! I think everyone’s been excited for Leonidas in general - we all love a shark headed death dragon, and we wanted one in the reboot for ages.

I refuse to call reboot Leonidas Leonidas. This is like the Shun Kazami debacle, but one I’m substantially more angry about.

Leonidas, in BBB, was untrusting of everything, wanted to throw down with everything in sight, had no fear of anything because “I don’t fear weak [humans]”, and literally came from hell. He eventually grew to trust you and others, to calm down and enjoy himself at his own pace, and was willing to have help from others, showing anyone around him that his origins aren’t the be all and end all about him.

Leonidas, in CoV, is immediately trusting of the first human who showed a hint of kindness, has a weakness to all attacks in the game, comes from Vestroia (not the Doom Dimension), and forgives the human who threw him away when he didn’t win the battle against you for him.

Ignoring the fact that Leonidas just doesn’t look good in CoV, I’d say he got bastardised. That’s not Leonidas, it’s just a dragon with the same name.

The main villain is the CEO of Parasol, an energy company that, assumedly, used to use solar power. Upon finding out that bakugan battles give off incredible levels of power, they turned to using bakugan, forced to battle, to generate power. These guys literally dug into someone’s house to try and get Leonidas. They’re evil.

On the topic of the battling for power generation; this has a decay effect on Vestroia, as it happens, as battling energy would usually go back into Vestroia, which would be recycled and reused.

The CEO doesn’t bend the knee to you until you break him, which is undoubtedly nice for a villain; I was honestly expecting him to give up, but he doesn’t. You beat him into a corner.

But as my introduction to the world of BP, through CoV, is lackluster at best. Obviously the game is meant for those who have seen the reboot, and don’t mind being completely disconnected from the story, because CoV is self contained, and Dan only shows up to be the tutorial giver (as a jpg, no less).

From what the game tells me about the setting; bakugan are often exploited by adults, bakugan do not like adults because of this, but can’t tell when a human child is manipulating them, unless another child removes them from that situation (the lack of agency here is somehow worse than in the legacy series, who knew).

Despite bakugan being around for 18 years in the setting, no one seems to be aware that they’re living beings, other than the main charcter, as if BP humans are equivalent to Legacy’s Vestals. I was already aware of Vestroia and Earth sharing a location in space, but the fact that drilling deep enough causes bakugan to appear on Earth seems... really weird? Schrödinger’s Bakugan Summoning Pit, but they exist on every digging site possible. Bonus points to all bakugan being able to speak, and they do speak a lot, but only to the player and whoever is around the player in a cutscene.

I’m missing a lot of things, such as battle items being the worst sometimes, I’m aware, but at this point I’m tired of rambling, so let me end off in a comparison.

CoV has, in my opinion, the same replayability levels as Pokemon Shield; I couldn’t replay either game to the end, and I wouldn’t recommend either to anyone unless they were desperate for a new game to play, and had nothing else to chose.

[1ddiscourseoftheday]

Tues 7 May

The reviews are in and the experts agree, Harry was a hit! He didn't steal the show from those who set out to do that, he just calmly lived up to his co-chair position, raked in the good reviews and plaudits, and snagged spots on countless best dressed lists. Allessandro Michele posted a pic of him and Harry captioned Platone/Symposium, reinforcing their outfits as complimentary and paired, and the idea of them as master and apprentice, with a heavy handed reminder that they're GAY. Nice. Elton John approved, commenting with a heart. Alessandro's long term boyfriend presumably also approved, please calm down out there. Harry Lambert and others spoke about the New Romantic references in both of Harry's outfits and dropped hints of perhaps a new era in hashion. We heard "new romantic" and "gender fluidity" repeated endlessly, and not one person said Mick Jagger again after the second he stepped onto that carpet: may this be a sign of things to come and the death knell of that tired ass comparison.

A new tattoo was spotted the back of Harry's right arm, a palm tree- it looks to be a near match for tattoos Lottie and Gemma have.

He went from the gala to an afterparty, then an afterafterparty, which the Sun reported was hosted by him and Kendall but they soon edited to take that out and mention her boyfriend because that was apparently too made up for even them, marvel at that, then was papped along with lots of other attendees leaving the hotel in the bright light of morning looking implausibly flawless, white shirt creases and all. How the fuck. He apparently stayed awake after all that long enough to follow some new friends on ig, including Lizzo and Tessa Thompson.

Oh yeah and the Make A Wish meet and greet photos of Harry with the fans are finally out but who has time for that now? Not me. They cute tho.

Liam visited the Sherlock themed escape room and says he had fun, and talked fashion evolution himself- he says that the Strip That Down era was amazing but "it didn't necessarily paint the right picture of me and who I actually am." He says, "with a lot of the chains and the clothes and the fashion, I was kind of hiding behind something. It's a bit like being stuck out in deep water and you're just going 'well, it would be really nice to get back now.'" Interesting!

More (old) Louis interview footage- he is as usual asked about a 1D reunion, yeah yeah it's gonna happen "no question" what scoop are you hoping for exactly here? They're getting desperate though and are like how about just like TWO OF YOU then at least?? Louis says he thinks no, that that would just be a tease of the team thing. I mean. I guess. I wouldn't complain about some new Lilo tunes but not at the expense of LT1 so yeah. And he says they're all in touch all the time and see each other plenty and it just feels "like it always was." Aww. Anyway, in actual news, Louis headed out to see Sam Fender in London tonight and by all reports had a good time. He took fan pics outside in a familiar skull jumper and Burberry hat. We also got loads more hq pics from the Birmingham show.

Niall was papped in West Hollywood the other day, talks about getting in shape for Soccer Aid, and says "Never give up!!! Even when the whole world writes you off!" So inspirational! I mean he's talking about an exciting football game but I'll take my inspirational quotes where I find em. Louis also comments on the game ("maybe the biggest game this season"), but only to say it was worth missing even that to see the "sick sick show" tonight.

And a new Zayn pennshoppe photo is out, it's really really cute you guys. It's nice to see him looking so happy and smiley even if it is all posed.

[brodymeetsworld]

This Christmas.

When I was a little girl, Christmas was my favorite holiday of the year. My grandmother would cook for days in preparation for the entire family( 6 grown children, 10 plus grandchildren) to gather around the table together (or the infamous kids table.) It was one of the only times of the year I was able see my extended family, and I soaked up every second of the time we had together. I have so many memories from learning how to cook with my Grandma, Aunts, and my oldest cousin Erin. To watching football in the living room with everyone including Granddaddy snoozing in “his chair”, to secretly learning how to play the card game “bullshit” (at a very young age I might add lol) with all of the cousins on the back enclosed porch. We would always end our evening the same way, after dinner we would sing the “Happy Birthday” song to Jesus, and because my little brother and I were the babies of the family, we usually got to blow out the candles on the cake. Afterwards, most of us would attend Christmas eve candlelight service at the Monterey Methodist Church. I didn’t get to go to Church very often, so these services were so special and beautiful to me. Those memories are some of the best memories of my childhood. 

After my grandparents passed away, the glue that held our extended family together dissolved. Everyone decided to host their own families for the holidays, and no longer wanted the financial or time burden to feed and host twenty-thirty family members. It saddens my soul to never see my aunts, uncles, or cousins anymore. The only way we see each other and communicate now is through social media or phone calls. One big portion of our family even moved half way across the country to Missouri, so the chances of seeing them anytime soon are slim. I truly haven’t felt the magic of Christmas since Christmas in Monterey, and that was 15 years ago.

After I met and married my husband, and when I became a mom, at the age of 26 and again at 27, I thought that magic would suddenly just appear again! Wrong, if anything, Christmas was harder all around. Not only did my two babies want nothing to do with Santa Clause, or the presents my husband and I worked so hard to buy, wrap, put together, but they were determined to destroy all of our decorations, including 3 separate artificial trees. I was completely emotionally and physically drained the first two Christmas’s with our children. I always just threw it off as of well this is life with two under two, or two under three. It never occurred to me, that one of my children may have special needs.

Fast forward to today, this will be my 30th Christmas. This will be my boys 4th and 5th Christmas. This year they have finally left our beautiful tree alone, and most of the presents underneath it as well. They both love to sing Christmas songs, and watch the snow fall on the ground. Our favorite thing to do right now is make Christmas crafts, and go searching for Christmas lights at night in the car. The proof of them growing and learning is obvious this year, and it brings so much joy to my heart. We also started going to church this year. What brought us to church was learning about our oldest son, Brody, diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder over Easter weekend this past year. 

You see, my husband and I always knew Brody was special, but we had no idea how special he really was. We were first time parents, and when Bentley came along just 14 months after his brother, we entered survival mode and did our very best. Looking back, I think Brody started showing signs of Autism shortly after his brother came into the world, around 16 months old. I was in denial for a long time, as well as my husband. I can remember looking back and thinking how hard it was in the beginning with both boys, and I never thought of the hard times as Brody being “abnormal”. I always blamed myself for “not being a good enough parent”, and that’s why he is crying all the time. Or “I’m not a good cook, that's why he won’t eat any of the meals I make for him”. And the one I really truly believed, “I guess I don’t talk to him enough and that's why he won’t speak”. All of these things would torment me every day, and all I could do was vent to my husband or his pediatrician. I even took him to see a ENT doctor determined because he had so many ear infections as a baby, maybe he had a hearing problem. It wasn’t until a close family member kept Brody over night that Autism even crossed our radar. Bless her heart too, she tried to tell me, but instead of accepting help, I was angry with her. The first time I reached out for help with our children and my biggest fear was being confirmed.(crazy when I think back, I really was scared of this diagnosis) I was so deep in denial there was nothing she could have done at that time that wouldn't have upset me. It took a toll on our relationship, and I regret the time we lost together over it.

Before we even received Brody’s diagnosis, we enrolled him into the special needs pre school in our county. He qualified right away, and he started right after his third birthday. He went from speaking one word sentences, to three to four word sentences in a year and half time so far, and most importantly he can communicate his needs and wants. His eating has improved, and we have a list of foods he will eat as oppose to 4 things total. Brody will dance with us down the hallway, and sing silly songs for us. He knows how to say please and thank you, I’ve been told by his teachers he is showing empathy to his classmates, and he can finally say “I love you, mommy” or “I love you, daddy” without signing them to us at the same time. All of these things are so bittersweet for us, because there was a time not too long ago we weren’t sure they were even a possibility. 

Easter 2019 comes, we receive our sons test results in the mail. If you’ve never read ADOS results before, they can be a bit confusing. My husband and I read the results, googled our sons comparison score of “4″, and thought he was on the severe end of the spectrum. It wasn’t until the next day did we find out we were wrong, Brody is in fact on the mild end of the spectrum. But the night before was rough, we both cried and cried. Why did we cry? I really don't know the answer to that question. When you receive a diagnosis for your child, no matter the diagnosis, a part of you inside just breaks into a million pieces. I can’t speak for my husband on this, but I know for myself, as a mom, I blamed myself for a long time. I spent so much time trying to think back through out my pregnancy with Brody what I could have done wrong. I think back through out his infancy what could have went wrong, “what did I do, what did I do that made him different.” The end of the school year was coming, and we have a yearly IEP meeting with all of Brody’s team members. In that meeting, the school psychologist who tested Brody, told us it was imperative for Brody to constantly be put into small social circles. She recommended t-ball, soccer, church, birthday parties, etc. So that is exactly what we did. Brody wasn’t old enough to enroll into sports in our county yet, so we accepted every single birthday party invite, and focused on finding a Church family.

We had several invites to different churches in our community, but because I myself hadn’t been to church in over 15 years, I was a nervous wreck deciding which church to attend. Going anywhere, by yourself (my husband works A LOT), with two rowdy boys is hard. It’s 10x harder when you have a child with Autism. I knew I had to get over my fears of my sons meltdowns, and do this not only for my sons social interaction sake, but also so our children could learn about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I always wanted to learn about the Lord when I was growing up, but no body ever wanted to wake up sunday morning to attend a church service with me. In fact, the only times I ever attended church was during Christmas or if I stayed the night with one of my friends whose family attended. Now its my turn, it’s my duty as a mother, and as a daughter of the King, to teach my children his word and of his sacrifice for all of us. 

I choose our church family, Redeeming Grace Outreach Worship Center. The boys and I go almost every sunday. Both boys wake up excited to go to church, and really enjoy singing and dancing for the Lord. After a bit of a transitioning period in the beginning, Brody will finally go to the nursery without mama having to be there too. I am finally able to read the bible and worship God and take something away from each and every service, and that truly has been a game changer in our life as a family. 

So for my 30th Christmas this year, this will be by far my best Christmas yet. Its been a year of ups and downs, a year of believing in miracles (Ezekiel Rhett), a year of building our faith, and a year of learning acceptance. Our son is exactly who he is supposed to be, and he was made in the eyes of our father. Through him, I’m learning exactly who I’m supposed to be too. God has a purpose for each and everyone of us, and our mighty King makes no mistakes. This Christmas will be magical because we made it that way.

#autismawareness #autismacceptance  

[footballbettips35-blog]

College Soccer Betting

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Listed above are the football tipsters who at the moment have suggestions open and are exhibiting an annual profit. Some individuals come into sports activities betting with the misunderstanding that it's easy to make a living doing it, they don't follow greatest practices making the game flip into taking part in roulette. Football accumulators are everybody's favorite sort of guess. Let's be honest who does not love the concept of turning £10 into over £500 in ninety minutes! We now have each day accumulator suggestions for the main betting markets and league particular accumulators for the Premier League and prime European competitions. Should you're in the inexperienced, it is best to proceed along with your present technique. However, in case you're in the purple, verify which bets are shedding you probably the most money and see in case you can change your ways slightly. I recommend you don't wager on a crew you support except your soccer evaluation and research suggests it's best to. As is normally the way in which, bringing your emotion into the combination may cloud your higher judgement.

[kvjff-blog]

Joshua Ojonuba

Professor Robert Lunday

ENGL 1301

10 October 2019

The Beautiful Game

Two sprained wrists, at least four ankle sprains, couple of cuts and at least a dozen splinters: those are just some of my injuries over the last six or so years of playing competitive soccer. My injuries are on the minor side as many others suffer worse injuries that often require surgeries and months of physical therapy. Professional soccer is played by approximately two hundred and fifty million players in over two hundred countries and dependencies all around the world, making it the world's most popular sport. This does not include the millions more who play for fun, in semi pro clubs, and in amateur leagues all across the world. It would be almost impossible to imagine the amount of injuries they sustain as well as the extent of them. Seeing as the consequences and pain are so substantial, the question as to why so many people like myself play and get influenced by this sport on such a grand scale. The answer is: I don’t know, I don’t think anyone know to be fair. We all just play no matter the cost; the game is all. I remember reading an article about Ada Hegerberg, who is regarded as one of if not the best women’s soccer players alive. In the article she was asked why she even played since she had opted to sit out the women’s world cup for her country. She responded, "Playing football can be damn harsh, but every day is a fight.” reading this the first time I thought to myself, if it is as harsh as you say why not just quit playing? As I look back now I am able reflect on her statement, and I realize that we are similar. Never once while I played did I think about quitting, through the many injuries, through the long draining practices, through the failures and let downs, I fought through. Like Ada and many others I kept on going necessarily because I wanted to but more so because I had to; quitting never seemed like an option as least not one that crossed my mind.

Soccer has been a major factor in my life probably ever since I was a little baby especially after experiencing the major soccer atmosphere in Lagos, Nigeria, where I was born and raised. In fact my earliest memory of the sport was maybe in 2006 during the world cup. It was the qualification stages against Angola, and Nigeria desperately needed a win to qualify for the most famous and prestigious tournament in all of sporting history. When I was a kid in Nigeria, power outages were extremely common as Nigeria was and still is going through a power supply crisis. So it came as no surprise when suddenly in the middle of the game there was a power outage. Because this was an everyday occurrence we had a phase for it - “down nepa”, and when the lights would come back up we would yell “up nepa”. I had never witnessed a sense of community like I saw that day. As soon as the power went out, we immediately rushed out to the industrial generator out back like we always do. After about five minutes of tussling with the generator, struggling, trying to get it started, there was finally a spark visible through the window of the back room. By this time there had been a crowd formed behind us, seemingly the entire neighborhood was behind us cheering at the sight of light. Apparently we were the only household with enough gasoline to power their generator. “Ta lo fe wo ball”, my aunt said in her native Yoruba; she was asking who was ready to watch some ball or football. Which brings me to the question of why it’s called soccer in the U.S.A instead of football like it is everywhere else in the world, it’s like Americans always have to one up everyone else; anyway, I digress. Seeing as we were the only household with power and our TV was definitely not big enough for the magnitude of people that had now gathered expecting a game of soccer. Luckily one of the families in the neighborhood had a flat screen which in retrospect could not have been very big but it was definitely bigger than anything we or anyone within maybe the next three miles did. With our always reliable generator and the newly found TV, we were all ready to witness Nigeria do us proud and make it to the world cup for another year in a row. Even though the rest of the game was boring and disappointing with Nigeria losing one to zero to an admittedly much stronger and experienced squad in Angola, the moment of community and coming together is what makes it a memorable. Year after year, game after game, support poured in from all over the neighborhood. Nigeria vs. Ghana, Nigeria vs. Argentina, Nigeria vs. Brazil, Nigeria vs. Mexico, every lost seemly just as enjoyable as a win. These are the memories that I’ll keep forever, the memories of love, joy, peace and innocence during a time that would otherwise be considered bad or at the very least not ideal.

There is a famous quote that I along with numerous other soccer fans have heard that goes “you play soccer anywhere, you play soccer everywhere” the phase actually says “football” but for the purposes of this we’ll say soccer. The game is simple, right? Score and do not get scored on. The Truth is: yes, it is simple; but the difficult part is what’s left unsaid, the little things that make the game just so beautiful. The buildup, the passionate moments, the joy, the rivalries; these are all things that every fan and player all across the world can relate to. They have been numerous stories of soccer saving communities and bringing people together because as they say no matter how you’re raised or what culture you subscribe to, just like people are people soccer is soccer always. I remember reading a story about one of my favorite soccer players ever, Didier Drogba; unfortunately people from Africa are used to hearing stories of and even experiencing war or civil unrest. Even with him being from the Ivory Coast, where they had gone through extreme civil unrest, he was always representing his home country. "Come to Abidjan, Alex. You will not be disappointed.” he was quoted as saying to a reporter asking about his native country.   Civil war had been happening for five years in the ivory coast when, right after leading his nation to the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany back in October 2005, he picked up a microphone given to him by a reporter in the dressing room and, surrounded by his team-mates, he fell to his knees live on national television. He begged both fighting sides to lay down their guns and, within a week, his wish had been granted. "It was just something I did instinctively," he said. "All the players hated what was happening to our country and reaching the World Cup was the perfect emotional wave on which to ride." Didier Drogba proved exactly what I have been saying about the power and passion soccer brings into the lives of its fans. In front of everyone in the world and his native people, he got on his knees and pleaded for peace. I can’t think of any other sports that could possibly do that, five years of deadly civil war, ended just like that. As a fellow African watching this unfold on TV, this further inspired me as well as other young African kids to play.

In 2011, when I moved to Houston, I went from merely watching soccer being played to actually playing it. Besides the occasional after school sessions of just the kicking of a peeled over leathery ball, I was never able to fully experience the true essence of the sport. Because not only was it hard to find a suitable environment to play but finding a ball was also almost always impossible as well. Going into middle school I knew that although we did not have a proper team I wanted to be a soccer player, if not professional (I knew at this point I surely could not be a professional player) then at least I could be competitive within the local club or school scene. After I somehow survived three long years in middle school without a sport to play it was finally high school and I would get a chance to play. Quotes like Tony Adams’ - “Play for the name on the front of the shirt, and they will remember the name on the back” played back over and over in my head. At the time it almost seemed like making my high school JV b team was at all comparable to the years of years he spent on top of the sport.

Who is Tony Adams, you may ask? Well my dear, dear reader, Tony Adams is without a doubt the best captain arsenal football club has ever seen in all its 133 years of being a top tier team.  He was not only one of the reasons I became an arsenal fan but he influenced almost every part of my soccer career. I found myself studying almost everything he did in his prime, looking to emulate even the slightest bit of success from his greatness. I guess looking back now I think it’s clear to me that I desperately wanted to become someone better than I was. Someone more confident, more secure, maybe even just someone different than I was. I essentially tried copying every aspect of his playing style, even incorporating his celebrations as well. If I’m being honest I still sometimes have that feeling of wanting to be someone else other than myself, although not as much as I used to. Honestly I believe playing competitively really forced me to legitimately discover who I was and be comfortable as myself. That being one of many reasons why I would recommend everyone participating in some kind of sport or physical activity. Not to mention the atmosphere and relationships I created along the way.

I find that there is a certain unique sense of community with soccer that just isn’t present in any other activity on the planet, or at least not one I have participated in. Now I do not claim to be some sort of super athletic multi-sport champion but I have played my share of sports and been in quite a few communities. I have played basketball and football, been involved in concert band, art club and even science club. In my humble opinion, in terms of love and support expressed in each community they all pale in comparison to this beautiful beautiful game. In fact the only good comparison that I’ve found seems to be within the jujutsu and kickboxing community which oddly enough is less violence orientated as you would think by just taking a glance in. predictably I have been enjoying the martial arts mainly for the community to the point where it has begun to be almost a religion like soccer was and still is.

Soccer or football (as it’s more commonly called in other countries) is of course a way of life in almost every country all over the world, but more than that I would say it is a religion of sorts. The U.S. is one of the very few places soccer is not hallowed so it is perfectly understandable that some people do not understand the extent of the love people have for this sport. This is the part where I would try drawing a connection to another sport, American football or baseball maybe? Truth is I would hesitate to compare soccer worldwide to any sport as a matter of fact, not just popular American sports. In my experience American football and baseball defiantly have an extremely loyal fan base, but the fans are naturally fickle at times even sometimes changing and switching over between teams. However soccer fans, real soccer fans at least, are often born into their respective team and stay loyal all the way till death. Just like any other religion switching over to another religion (or club in this case) is highly frowned upon and potentially even dangerous. Like most all religions throughout the history mankind, intense rivalries are an ever present theme usually dependent on proximity to the rival club as well as any minor disagreements that may or may not have occur somewhere buried deep in the history of both clubs. As an arsenal fan, of course I despise our rival club, the Tottenham Hotspur, although I will admitted that there are a couple of Tottenham players I enjoy watching and sometimes even root for. I think the first time I ever thought of soccer as like a religion was when I randomly ran into a you tube video comparing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two players widely considered two of the best to ever play. The video creator spends the beginning portion of the video comparing both their stats for the past 12 years as well as their respected following. He then goes on for what seemed like eternity talking about sportsmanship and how well they have both individually represented the sport. Finally, at the end of the video, he comes up with the conclusion that although the two players are absolutely the best to ever lace up their boots and step onto the field, Messi is the greatest. In his words, “Messi in all his glory is the God of football, with Ronaldo sharing his glory as Jesus or Muhammad”. This seems to have stuck in my subconscious, only revealing itself now after a couple of years after going mainly unnoticed by me at the time.

Before I started writing this memoir I would have never thought that I had this much to say about soccer especially since it is not as much a part of my life as it’s been in the past. I guess in a lot of ways I have changed and evolve into what I would consider a better, more self-actualized version of myself. With that being said, I think it makes sense that soccer isn’t as important to me; it has served its purpose in my life and I’m sure it will continue to. I am forever grateful to this beautiful game and all the wonderful memoirs it brought into my life.      

 Afterword.

The honest truth is at the beginning of this memoir I was not really going to try as hard as I maybe could have. I was procrastinating, only waiting till the last minute to finish each installments that was due. I think I was thinking about it just as a class project I just had to get done instead of an interest project. After the turning in the first installment of this memoir and getting back the feedback, I began using my free time to write and combine the texts. It is amazing how much I've retained over my many years of playing and watching soccer. it was really interesting bringing back the memories and ideas I had lodged somewhere in my mind. I think by actually caring about this project and the subject, I was able to not only dive deeper but also articulate better.    

[ectrs-blog]

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[femsff]

Every number that contains a 2 please 🍍

“hi, I’m not from the US” ask set

given how Americanized this site is, it’s important to celebrate all our countries and nationalities - with all their quirks and vices and ridiculousness, and all that might seem strange to outsiders.

For the record, I’ve included previously answered questions.

1. favourite place in your country?

Is it weird if I say my bed?

2. do you prefer spending your holidays in your country or travel abroad?

This is a toss-up. If I could choose without any consequences it would definitely be abroad. However, holidaying for me has always meant relaxing, preferably near the beach and an occasional stroll around town and maybe, depending on the company, a cultural outing, but I’ve been diagnosed with melanoma in the past and therefore such vacationing is out of the question. So, in actuality, it more often means I’m staying in my country and I’ll go somewhere (or visit friends/family) for a long weekend or something. It’s unfortunate, but I’m pretty sure my two cats are happy with the arrangement.

3. does your country have access to sea?

4. favourite dish specific for your country?

5. favourite song in your native language?

Hmm. I actually don’t listen much to the radio and especially not to songs in my native language specifically. The only one that really comes to mind right now is an older one that I heard a lot in my teens and it’s actually a sequel to another song by the same band. Part one is about when a good relationship starts to get rocky, all the dangers threatening their relationship, but that he (the singer) will keep the course because he knows their final destination. It’s pretty hopeful, I guess. Part two is when everything is ending, how they’re always fighting and love has turned to hate. Both songs have a maritime theme, and in the beginning he’s the strong one, the captain who’ll get them through it and in the second it’s like their ship has two captains and they’re steering in opposite directions.

6. most hated song in your native language?

7. three words from your native language that you like the most?

Gezellig - has no direct English translation but basically means something along the lines of cozy, intimate, warm, fun, snug, homey and can be applied to situations (like having a great time with family/friends), an atmosphere or even the interior of a house or something.

Katuitdeboomkijker - has no direct English translation but literally translated means ‘someone who stares a cat out of the tree’ and basically means that you tend be a bit reserved and will observe everyone/a situation first before engaging. Often used to describe a person’s behavior in social settings.

Mierenneuker - literally translated it means ‘ant fucker’ and is basically the same as a nitpicker or hairsplitter.

8. do you get confused with other nationalities? if so, which ones and by whom?

9. which of your neighbouring countries would you like to visit most/know best?

I’ve already been to all my neighboring countries several times. My least favorite was probably Belgium (no offense, Belgians) although my friends and I did have a blast there when we went there on a week-long school excursion in high school (I think as freshmen or maybe sophomores). I haven’t explored much of Germany yet, so maybe that would be it? I also like the UK and would definitely want to explore more of it (and yes, I’m using UK rather than England because that way there’s more to explore!).

10. most enjoyable swear word in your native language?

Oh my. Hmm. I think I’m going to have to go with ‘kut’, because of the k-sound which just sounds really good when expressing it in dismay/anger. It’s basically a vulgar word for a woman’s private parts and can be used in a similar manner as the English ‘fuck’. It is not considered as being on the same level of offensiveness as the English cunt. I also like ‘tering’ because you can really draw out the e. That’s the word for consumption (tuberculosis), by the way, but I only use it as an exclamation (there are variations where people basically wish it on you or, from the olden days, accuse you of suffering from it).

I probably should have prefaced this answer with the fact that in my culture, we tend to use diseases (often dreaded ones from the past) and sex organs in our swearing and profanity (also, often food for insults, like calling someone a pancake for being a dumbass).

11. favourite native writer/poet?

12. what do you think about English translations of your favourite native prose/poem?

Eek! I feel like this answer might disappoint folks, but I’m not a big fan of prose/poems and honestly, couldn’t name one. In my experience, translated written works always seem to lose something in translation though.

13. does your country (or family) have any specific superstitions or traditions that might seem strange to outsiders?

14. do you enjoy your country’s cinema and/or TV?

15. a saying, joke, or hermetic meme that only people from your country will get?

This is a tough one. I think I’m gonna go with a saying, “doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg”, which basically means ‘act normal, that’s weird enough’ because we don’t like crazy or over the top things.

16. which stereotype about your country you hate the most and which one you somewhat agree with?

17. are you interested in your country’s history?

I feel like this is a trick question and am now wondering if this questionnaire was created by an American or non-American. Why? Because, in comparison, Americans are very patriotic and nationalistic. My country and many in Europe are far less so, not in the least due to having seen the devastation such extremes can bring (WWII). This is not in any way meant as an accusation, it’s just an observation and I think, for the context, an important distinction that should be made.

Anyway, to answer the question, I’m not obsessed with my country’s history but am informed. History has never been my favorite subject (dropped it in high school as a freshman) but I do like to learn the origin of certain things in my country/culture.

18. do you speak with a dialect of your native language?

19. do you like your country’s flag and/or emblem? what about the national anthem?

20. which sport is The Sport in your country?

Looking at the Olympics, probably ice skating. But soccer (football for the Americans) comes as a pretty close second and it’s definitely one the whole country goes wild for when the national team is in the EC/WC (think: orange madness). Don’t get me wrong, we also like the Olympics but it’s not on the same level. Yet.

21. if you could send two things from your country into space, what would they be?

In order to destroy them? Or to make contact with the aliens?

22. what makes you proud about your country? what makes you ashamed?

Like I’ve said in another answer, we don’t really do the whole national pride thing to the same extent as some countries, but I like how we’re so small and yet are pretty good at certain things (water management, infrastructure, sports, agriculture, healthcare, science). My identity is not really tied to my country or vice versa, so I can’t say I’m really ashamed of something my country as a whole has done or does, but we used to be known for being very tolerant and the past decade or so you see more and more intolerance and that’s just a shame.

23. which alcoholic beverage is the favoured one in your country?

Good question. I think maybe beer or wine? A quick google search gave me no definitive answer either.

24. what other nation is joked about most often in your country?

Belgium! There’s a long standing tradition of us calling the Belgians dumb and, apparently, they do the same thing about us! However, lately, the US is a very hot topic as well.

So, I’d say historically/traditionally the former but in every day conversation and such it’s the latter.

25. would you like to come from another place, be born in another country?

I used to feel that way, but now that I’m older I think I’m far more appreciative of my country and culture.

26. does your nationality get portrayed in Hollywood/American media? what do you think about the portrayal?

Yes, sometimes. They’re all cliches and many of the stereotypes are very dated. Also, for some reason certain movies/shows like to use the language probably because they feel it’s “special” since, relatively speaking, so few people speak it worldwide but then they apparently can’t be bothered to actually hire a voice coach who speaks the language and it ends up being incomprehensible for native speakers as they pronounce the words often in a mix of German and some kind of Eastern European language or something. Very strange. I mean, why even bother?

27. favourite national celebrity?

I’m not really into celebrities, so I’ll pick the king&queen.

28. does your country have a lot of lakes, mountains, rivers? do you have favourites?

Nope, flat as a pancake as we like to say.

29. does your region/city have a beef with another place in your country?

Not really, anymore. We just have a long standing tradition of mocking the Belgians for their lack of intelligence and accusing Germans of stealing our grandparents’ bikes.

30. do you have people of different nationalities in your family?

[recentanimenews]

The Ultimate All-Anime 2018 World Cup Team

The world's greatest sporting event, the World Cup, kicks off today as Russia takes on Saudi Arabia. While the Japanese national team doesn't play its first match until next week against Columbia, that doesn't mean we can't start thinking about Japan and soccer! While the sport isn't the country's #1, it's still quite popular – and, of course, has made an appearance in many different anime and manga. In fact, a few prominent players at this year's World Cup have shared about their experiences with anime and manga – including Spain's Andrés Iniesta, who loves Captain Tsubasa, and Argentina's Sergio Aguero, whose nickname comes from an anime he watched as a kid.

  And so, as the self-appointed coach of the Anime National Team, I'm proud to present you with my selections for the 2018 all-anime World Cup team!

    A quick word about the criteria for the squad: With so many anime characters having crazy magical and sci-fi powers, I struggled to decide whether to allow in characters who could literally light the pitch on fire or move the ball with their minds. On the other hand I've not seen enough soccer anime to make selections only from those, and limiting my choices to those characters would be pretty boring anyways. So, I've decided to allow in only those characters whose powers are mostly physical in nature and tried to avoid those who are so overpowered they'd just break the game. We'll be using a 3-4-3 formation because I like offensive soccer.

  With that, let's get to it!

  Goalkeeper

  In goal for the Anime National Team is... Luffy D. Monkey from One Piece! All things considered, it was an easy choice to select Luffy over his competition, as his Devil Fruit-granted powers and natural reflexes make him a perfect fit in goal. Although Luffy is actually fairly short (around 5 feet, 7 inches according to the Anime Football Federation), he more than makes up for his lack of height with his amazing jumping and ability to stretch his arms to reach pretty much any corner of the goal with ease. His talents don't make him invincible, especially against strikers who can put a lot of power behind their shots like Medaka Kurokami from Medaka Box, but even guessing wrong on a penalty kick won't necessarily stop him from making the save!

  Defense

  At core of the team's defense is Shizuo Heiwajima from Durarara!! Although the 3-4-3 formation is a little light on defense due to only having three fullbacks, this team gets away with it because Shizuo is the enforcer every team wishes they had – one who's not afraid to get a little chippy when needed. His physical strength is second to none, and his height (6'1" according to the Anime Football Federation) means he's able to control aerial battles just as easily as those on the ground. On either side of Shizuo are Nagisa Misumi aka Cure Black from Pretty Cure and Maka Albarn from Soul Eater. In her transformed magical girl state, Cure Black holds down the right side of the field with both speed and power. And while it could be argued that Soul Eater's Black Star, as the more natural athlete, should have been given the nod over Maka, Maka makes up for her lesser physical abilities with phenomenal intelligence and discipline. She's never caught out of position on the left and has enough pace to keep up even with the quickest strikers.

  Midfield

  With only three players on defense, the midfield in the 3-4-3 must have both the stamina and willingness to track back to support the defenders. As such, the two central midfielders I've selected are both consummate athletes with both speed and the ability to get up and down the field for a full 90 minutes: Suruga Kanbaru from Bakemonogatari and Birdy Cephon Altera from Birdy the Mighty: Decode. Of course, in the Monogatari series Kanbaru is shown to be a basketball star, but before she played basketball she was on the track team, and her overall fitness level is a cut above that of anyone else in the series. For her part, as a member of Space Federation Police, Birdy has great pace and strength, as well as a fine strategic understanding that allows her to pick out passes to the other members of her team just as easily as smashing in shots.

  On the wings are two shonen stars, Tenya Iida from My Hero Academia and Killua Zoldyck from Hunter x Hunter. Although each of them is still young, their individual talents allow them to serve well in their given roles. Iida's speedy Quirk makes him an obvious choice on the right side, although he's being coached to avoid using his Reciproburst skill at all costs, since it leaves him incapacitated afterwards. On the left, Killua's harsh assassin training has granted him endurance that's better than that of anyone else on the team. He can use either foot equally well when he has possession of the ball, which allows him to play in crosses or dribble into the center of the field at will.

  Forwards

  And, at last, it's time for what you've all been waiting for – the strikers! In center of the attack is the Messi of the Anime National Team, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress's Mumei. If this comparison between a zombie-killing anime girl and the world's greatest soccer player seems odd, consider the similarities. Both Messei and Mumei are known by two-syllable names that start with "M" and end with "I," both possess a diminutive stature but excel at making quick movements in small spaces, and both are extremely moe. Because Mumei doesn't have the power to be the focal point of the team's attack, I've deployed her as a false 9, using her incredible coordination to control the center of the pitch and her great instincts developed in battle to pick out passes to the team's main goal scoring threats.

  Those first of those two strikers is Suzaku Kururugi from Code Geass, Mr. Spinzaku, the master of the spin kick himself. Shown to be one of the most fit characters in his show, Suzaku plays on the right, where he can use his incredible kicking powers to their full potential. He's probably the most potent goal-scoring threat on the team, but is backed up on the left by Bell Cranel from Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? The team's youngest player and earning his first cap for the Anime National Team, Bell's inexperienced, but grows in leaps and bounds with every match. By the end of the World Cup, after honing his talents on the best players in the world, he's liable to be in the running for the title of best player on the team! Oh, and his celebrations after he scores are the most wholesome thing you will ever see.

    And that's the official line-up for anime's 2018 World Cup representatives! Although we had to leave out a few stellar players, like defender Satsuki Kiryuin from Kill la Kill, Bell's fellow striker and clubmate Aiz Wallenstein, and athletic phenom midfielder Cinque Izumi from Dog Days, we're feeling confident about our chances. The team's chemistry has come together splendidly in the weeks leading up to the competition, and, as their coach, I'm excited about what they can do. Thanks for following along, and please support the Anime National Team in our quest to win the World Cup!

  Now, it's your turn! Which anime characters are going to be starting on your World Cup squad? Leave us a comment below letting us know your picks!

---

Isaac is an art student, semi-retired anime blogger, sometimes podcaster, and Associate Features Editor for Crunchyroll. You can read more of his work on his blog, Mage in a Barrel, and follow him on Twitter @iblessall.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[tinamustdie-blog]

The Essentials Of How Football Betting Works

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[junker-town]

Can speed save Ben Simmons?

In a modern NBA defined by shooting, is Simmons’ deadliest weapon good enough?

Ben Simmons is a generational talent who, because of glaring flaws exacerbated by Philadelphia’s roster and the way basketball is trending, finds himself in the wrong generation. For a player who can do so much, conversations about his game necessarily gravitate towards everything he can’t do.

The NBA is still in the midst of a revolution that’s being dictated by outside shooters who effortlessly plop in three-pointers from 28 feet. Those unable to earn respect from distance are getting left behind. Right now, that includes Simmons. In these playoffs, he has yet to attempt a single shot outside the paint, and opposing game plans don’t worry when he’s stationed on the perimeter. Simmons can cut, duck into the post, and crash the offensive glass, but those actions neither maximize his own talent nor complement his all-star teammates enough to elevate Philly’s offense as a whole.

Despite his limitations, Simmons finished this year as the third player 22 years old or younger to average at least 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists for an entire season. He made his first all-star team and spent many of his 2,700 regular-season minutes looking like the vigorous No. 1 pick most people expected him to be.

Simmons’ success is thanks to several physical advantages — size, strength, and preternatural vision, to name a few — but his pure speed, when harnessed at the right time, is awesome enough to conceal every blemish. At this point in his career, it’s Simmons’ most powerful ally, and a marvelous tool that allows him to do things very few in league history ever could.

Let this jaw-dropping sequence against the Dallas Mavericks serve as an example.

Think about it: How many players can outrun a near full-court pass to wipe out a dunk?

By itself, unbridled velocity isn’t enough to make it in the NBA. A compact court rewards shiftiness and deception much more than a dead sprint. But the open floor is where Simmons strikes fear in opposing coaches. It’s where he best resembles Magic Johnson and LeBron James. In it, his ceiling disappears and expectations soar. And over the past few weeks, both the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors have discovered how devastating Simmons can be when his engine goes from idle to a deafening roar.

“I’m just blown away by his speed all the time,” Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson says, one day after Simmons scored a career playoff-high 31 points in Game 3 of their first-round series.

The publicly available data that tracks Simmons’ movement hardly captures just how spectacular it can be. According to NBA.com, his average speed this season was 4.17 miles per hour, slower than Rudy Gobert, Joe Ingles, and more than 100 other players who, relatively speaking, are sloths. A look at how he impacts the 76ers in transition roughly reflects how he and the team deploys his speed. According to Cleaning The Glass, the percentage of Philadelphia’s possessions that were in transition this year was four percent higher with Simmons on the floor and 10.6 percent more likely after a defensive rebound — both numbers were near the top of the league, but don’t do Simmons’ speed proper justice.

According to private data provided to SB Nation by NBA Advanced Stats, Simmons’ top recorded speed this year was 19.7 miles per hour, which translates to him racing the length of a court in roughly 3.25 seconds. For a bit of context, Kings’ point guard De’Aaron Fox, who declared himself the fastest player in the league, recorded a top speed of 18.6 miles per hour just before the all-star weekend. (Second Spectrum doesn’t make top speeds available in their platform, but do collect the data. A master list that details where Simmons ranks relative to every other player in the league was not made available.)

Simmons’ teammates agree with the numbers:

“He’s definitely the fastest I’ve played with,” says Sixers teammate and fellow Australian Jonah Bolden, who’s known Simmons since they were children. “I think everyone’s focal point when on the court with him is just to keep up.”

“You really don’t see anything like that,” Sixers rookie Zhaire Smith says. “And me guarding him in practice, I see his speed all the time.”

“It’s special,” Jimmy Butler says. “It’s definitely different.”

Players and coaches who were polled for this story most frequently compared Simmons to 6’8 James, but smaller speed demons like Russell Westbrook, Tony Parker, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, and John Wall were also mentioned. For him to even be mentioned in the same breath as those players defies science. Simmons is listed at 6’10 and 240 pounds. Human beings that huge are not supposed to gather speed as quickly as he does.

“Being really large, it’s hard to be fast … Anything where you’re trying to move body mass in space, it’s an advantage to be small,” says Dr. Peter Weyand, a biomechanist and physiologist who’s spent decades conducting performance related research. “It’s just basic biology, how muscular strength relates to body size. Bigger people are weaker.”

He makes a comparison to sprinters: “The quick and dirty is that if you’re smaller, shorter, and less massive, it’s easier to accelerate,” Weyand says. “So if you look at the difference between 400- vs. 200- vs. 100-meter specialists, the shorter the race is the shorter they get, because more of that race is accelerating. And then if you go to the indoor competitions, where typically the standard race distance is 60 meters, the guys that excel at that rate tend to be even shorter, because more of that race is accelerating.”

Without knowing specific metrics or looking at a detailed study of Simmons’ genetic makeup, including a deep dive into the ratio of his fast-twitch to slow-twitch muscle fibers, Weyand is unable to pin down exactly how much of an outlier Philly’s point guard is. But using just the aforementioned data, he doesn’t hesitate to say that Simmons is rare.

“If he hit 20 miles per hour, or just under, in an open-court situation, then I would guess his flat-out speed — and this is an estimate — could probably hit at least 24 miles per hour, if he was able to wind it all the way out,” Weyand says.

For another reference, Usain Bolt’s top speed was clocked at 27.8 miles per hour during a race in which his average speed was 23.35 miles per hour. Simmons does not have starting blocks or spikes, which are two of many unaccounted for variables when comparing a basketball player to a track star.

An NBA court is not a track, soccer pitch, or football field. It’s only 94-feet long, which prevents Simmons from really running as fast as he can. But when there’s enough time and space to turn hardwood into his private runway, it’s impossible to miss Simmons’ drag-race acceleration, how he blasts into open space sooner and with more force than should be possible. Those ruptures through the sound barrier make him look like an undiscovered species.

When he’s able to locate a crease that’s typically cleared by a J.J. Redick back screen, Simmons rumbles downhill faster than just about anyone. On the other end, his speed is particularly useful getting back in transition, be it for a chasedown block, poking away a live dribble, or choking off penetration. Here’s Simmons throwing on a cape to erase what would’ve been a wide-open DeMarre Carroll three.

Even though the play below leads to a corner three, think about how many players can smash the turbo button and cut off Pascal Siakam the way Simmons does.

Same goes for this sequence, where Simmons does what Tobias Harris can’t.

When Sixers head coach Brett Brown is asked if Simmons is the fastest player he’s ever seen, he doesn’t hesitate:

“Tony Parker was the closest and I even think Ben is faster than that. There are times when we all think ‘oh he’s really fast.’ What I do is count the steps from foul line to foul line and there aren’t many. Count the dribbles. There aren’t many. He covers ground quicker than anybody I think that I’ve ever coached and the closest would be Tony.

”And you’d all go back and you’d look at Russell Westbrook, maybe early days Derrick Rose. John Wall. Like, those greyhounds that just take off. But really, forget your stopwatch, count the dribbles and count the steps. He is elite when it comes to that part of the game.”

But basketball is not a race. Instead, speed is a means to the end, and that end is putting the ball in the basket and stopping the other team from doing the same thing. A disciplined defense can neutralize Simmons’ advantage if they abandon the offensive glass, race back, spread their arms, and shrink the floor.

“It’s not something where I’ve got to pick him up at half-court or the three-point line,” Dudley says. “I’m meeting him at the free-throw line and then it’s his athleticism vs. me taking angles and [being] smart.”

“I don’t care how fast you are, you’re not gonna beat five guys.” -Brett Brown

In many ways, not being able to unleash such a devastating weapon at a moment’s notice is the cruelest irony. But it’s also a learning exercise to help Simmons get a better feel for when it’s appropriate to race ahead, and when to pull back and hunker down in the halfcourt — even if, relative to the warm bath of a jaunt through the open floor, halfcourt play remains Simmons’ coldest shower.

“I don’t care how fast you are, you’re not gonna beat five guys,” Brown says. “It’s no mystery of how people want to guard Ben Simmons. It’s Giannis. You know, it’s young LeBron. Get back, let him see five sets of jerseys and numbers, and let him play one on five. And that is dangerous. That is where he gets himself in trouble. So there’s a place for his speed, but it’s not all day every day.”

Right now, the growing pains are real. During the regular season, 83 players finished at least 150 possessions in transition, per NBA.com, and Simmons’ turnover frequency (23.6 percent) was worst among all of them. This season, the Sixers had the second-highest turnover rate in the league with Simmons in the game. They tied the Boston Celtics for third lowest when he sat, per Cleaning the Glass.

“[I’m] just learning when to use it,” Simmons says. “The appropriate time to fly down the floor, get to the rim, whatever it is.”

Even when Simmons is stifled as a scorer, that one-man transition tidal wave can’t be ignored. He forces defenders to collapse and/or pick up assignments they otherwise would like to avoid, creating mismatches.

But against the Toronto Raptors, too often Simmons has been a Ferrari stuck in second gear. Knowing half-court situations aren’t where Simmons can consistently influence a game, Brown has given the ball to Butler, whose pick-and-rolls with Embiid have forced Simmons to imitate Rockets’ center Clint Capela by standing around the basket, hoping for a putback or lob. Simmons led last year’s playoffs in touches (104.5 per game), but this year he’s down to 77.6.

Simmons has plenty of time to add a reputable jump shot to his repertoire, but if he fails to do so, Philadelphia’s upper management will have a hard choice to make as it decides how to build around Embiid, and possibly Butler and/or Harris, both free-agents-to-be.

If Simmons can knock down open pull-ups with confidence and consistency, there’s a universe in which no defensive strategy will matter. Philly’s offense will be less predictable. Simmons will be able to create his own shot, run high pick-and-rolls against teams that won’t be able to duck under the screen and keep him on the perimeter, or completely ignore him when he doesn’t have the ball.

It’ll also make him so much more effective in transition, because there won’t be any pressure to force the issue and avoid settling into the halfcourt. Turnovers will go down, and defenders will be forced to pick him up higher on the floor, which creates more space for everybody else. Philly becomes a more dynamic team if Simmons is able to threaten opponents from more areas of the floor.

Until then, everyone must conform to a player whose unprecedented speed affects everything around him.

[midnightiscoming-kasabian]

KASABIAN’S SERGE ON WHY HE WON’T READ REVIEWS

But can put the ball in the back of the net.

Serge Pizzorno, co-frontman of Kasabian, is softly spoken, polite, and I spend most of our interview internally admiring his hair—his trademark ‘do that he’s described in the past as, “The Japanese manga version of Keith Richards.” We’ve met up to chat about the band’s recently released album Put Your Life On It (which he wrote in six weeks), and although I’m sad to see he’s not sporting one of his trademark DIY t-shirts bearing a slogan of his choosing, he assures me he’s got plenty of ideas in the bag.

Keep reading

In the past, music journalists have been quick to lump Kasabian into the arrogant, lad-rock pile previously reserved for fellow Brits Oasis, but other than their working-class upbringing and the fact that they’re mates, the comparison falls flat. True, they’ve got not qualms in saying exactly what they think, but that shouldn’t be confused with arrogance. Going from a “shitty little rehearsal room” in Leicester to playing the main stage at Glastonbury, they’ve definitely done well for themselves, and Serge reckons this recent album could be their best work to date. We chatted about their upcoming tour and freshly dropped record, why he stays away from reading reviews and that goal on the pitch five years ago that’s got to have put him into some kind of footballing Hall of Fame.

So how was the gig at the Opera House last night?

We didn’t know what to expect because they’re obviously not really ‘gig’ venues. So it can be like, “What do we do in order for the fans to really let go?” Cause you’ve got seats and stuff…

It’s kind of formal.

Yeah, but it wasn’t like that at all. It was so rowdy and it proper felt like a homecoming. It was great, the energy and the acoustics on stage are amazing. It was our first gig back, we’ve not played for nearly a year, so from the first note we were just made to feel really welcome.

I saw you gave them a little taste of your new album as well, how’d that go?

Yeah, we played a couple of new songs. It’s always a little confusing for everyone with new material, but it went down great.

Your records always have a lot of cultural and historical references within them. Have you carried that on through this album?

There’s a lot of humour in the lyrics in this one. They sort of make me laugh, it’s just way more relaxed. I wrote about way more simpler things and there’s some really nice little cheeky lines in there.

Some good t-shirts?

Great for t-shirts, so many good t-shirts.

Everyone seems to be so into doing collaborations these days, but you mostly go it alone. Why’s that?

Yeah you are right, I suppose it’s not really come up. I’m not against it at all, but when we stop playing live I get in the studio and get a new album done, we’ll record it and get straight back out there. The timings have been great for us. If collaborations happen naturally they’re great, but sometimes you can see they’re a little bit contrived. And you just go ooh, that just looks like they’re…

Doing it for the sake of it?

Yeah. “We’ve got fans, you’ve got fans!” Y’know? But for me, I really would like to and I will do one day for sure, get some MCs and stuff.

You guys are influenced quite a bit by hip hop right?

Massively. I’d really like to do a record with someone or a collective, I’ve got bags full of beats and stuff. But once again, when it’s right. I do like the idea of… well I’m a romantic, so I like the idea of meeting someone in this bar here, and saying “Oh should we do something?” Rather than going through agents and stuff, that seems a bit weird you know?

Do you ever get annoyed with each other in the process of making the record?

It tends to run quite smoothly. It never really feels like recording because we’ve always recorded in our home. There’s something about that relaxed feel, it’s almost like you’re not even at work which is great.

Do you allocate certain guitars just for when you’re writing and recording?

I’ve got a Hofner guitar, Elvis had one, I‘m not sure if it was that exact model but similar. And that seems to be really lucky. I don’t really understand where it comes from, it’s just one day you pick up a guitar and you’ve got a song. Then other times you can go for weeks and weeks without anything. But that one seems to be a good conductor of thoughts and it sounds great.

One thing I’ve noticed about you guys is that you’re Kasabian fans, you really like and are proud of the music you’re creating.

It can get misconstrued as arrogance and stuff, but if you don’t believe in what you got then it’s hard to back it up. You play it every night and if it’s not from the heart and honest and you’re proud of it, then you can’t convince people of that when you’re on stage. When you get someone who doesn’t understand it, at least you know that it was what you wanted to make, and that’s the most important thing. It’s honest, it’s what we wanted to make, and you can’t really argue with that. You can not like it, fine, but it’s pure.

Do you still read what people write about your music?

I stopped about 10 years ago. The problem is the baggage you collect never really leaves. Whatever you’re trying to do, there’re people out there who won’t let you be who they don’t think you are. So it just seemed pointless, you know? Good or bad, I just don’t look at it. What you create should be free and if you overthink it and try and please everyone you’re not really making anything then.

I guess instead of reading about the reaction to your music, you can experience it yourself like at the Opera House the other night?

Yeah, it’s always surprising what translates and what people connect with. It’s always the last thing you think of as well, like you think it’s definitely gonna be this tune, and then it’s something else and you’re like, well how did that happen? There are so many different factors with what people connect with, and why and when. Timing is such a crucial thing.

I noticed that “Put Your Love on It” and “Acid House“ at the end of this new album. Was that a similar choice to putting “Fire“ at the end of West Ryder?

I don’t really know who listens to albums anymore, I think that’s just something that’s a lost art form. But yeah, the thinking behind that—and it was the same for West Ryder—was that it’s getting too near the end and you go, “This is on it as well? I love this album!” You get the story then you get this big giant bit at the end, like “fuck!”

Speaking of Fire, is it still the goal celebration for Leicester City?

Leicester City yeah, it’s amazing. Get paid every time they score which is brilliant.

Before I came to interview you, someone at work sent me a YouTube video of your goal at the Soccer Aid match. Was that one of the best moments of your life?

It’s up there, it is up there. It was a mad experience, it will live with me forever that. It’s amazing those little clips get bigger and bigger. What’s amazing is that Will Ferrell is the first person to come and congratulate me which makes it even weirder. Like, it’s Elf, you can’t not see Elf.

What’s the greatest length you’ve gone to, to catch a game?

It’s a mad season but usually we have to watch it on tour and it’s four in the morning. So it’s getting up in Brazil or staying up all night to watch it which is really annoying. But I live in Leicester so it’s pretty easy to get to the games.

Source: www.monsterchildren.com | Photos: Maclay Heriot

[flauntpage]

Vindicated: Philadelphia Union 3-1 Atlanta United

As I trod through a gravel parking lot, a gentle breeze blew off the Delaware River. I was surrounded by hundreds, nay, thousands of people donning blue and gold. There were tailgates as far as the eye could see. This, I thought to myself, is how it was meant to be. A line of fans wrapped around the Power Training Complex building sitting near the unmistakable Wharf building. Fans of every age, race, gender, and socioeconomic standing were represented. As kids waited with their parents and grandparents for their chance to tour the fitness room, video room, and the rest of the facility, it became apparent that this night would last a lifetime. To be honest, it brought back the feelings I had as a kid walking up to the Vet for the first time.

The hike to Talen Energy Stadium from the former Sons of Ben lot was full of everything you’d expect from a playoff football game: music blasting, the unmistakable smell of grilled meats, the merging of tailgates as games broke out in the parking lots. The diversity of the flags flying, music playing and food being grilled was something that was so unique to these lots. It doesn’t exist in any other tailgate of any other Philly team, at least not to this level. There was a distinct electricity powering the atmosphere around the stadium. There was a pride coursing through the veins of every single person who entered the stadium.

The Battle for First Place was about to unfold as the reigning, defending, undisputed MLS Champion Atlanta United entered a matchup with the often-mocked, nearly always overlooked, Philadelphia Union. Looking at the Tale of the Tape, it appeared to be as lopsided as you could imagine were it not for the standings that showed the teams even on points entering the game. Atlanta’s squad is backed by the incredible financial resources of Falcon’s owner Arthur Blank. Simply look up the Top 10 most expensive transfer fees in the history of the league and you’ll see Atlanta United listed four times. They set an MLS record ahead of their inaugural season, bringing in Miguel Almirón for $8.55m fee and later sold him off two years later for $27.36m to the EPL’s Newcastle United. The next year they broke that record with a $13.99m fee for Ezequiel Barco. The next year -you guessed it- they broke their own record again when they brought in Gonzalo “Pity” Martínez for another record-setting $15.05m. For the sake of comparison, the Union’s biggest off-season transfers were for midfielder Marco Fabián on a free transfer for $3.42m and forward Sergio Santos for $510k. They took a massive loss on their biggest acquisition from a year prior, David Accam, who cost a club-record $1.12m fee and was sold off for $509k. Their previous record-fee acquisition ($1.02m) and club captain Alejandro Bedoya, who earlier this season captured headlines for calling for gun control reform on a nationally televised game, was suspended for this match due to yellow card accumulation. The deck was stacked against the Union. Practically no one outside of the Greater Philadelphia area gave this team a shot.

But, you know what they say about underdogs.

The first half of the game was in line with what you might expect. With their captain missing, head coach Jim Curtin was forced shake up his Starting XI from a week prior. In fact, he admitted after the match that he had to juggle his lineup again due to two injuries that occurred the day before in training:

.@PhilaUnion coach Jim Curtin: Ilsinho was slated to start as of yesterday w/ Warren on the bench. Caught a couple of knocks in training yesterday [that changed the gameplan].

— Russ Joy (@JoyOnBroad) September 1, 2019

The question was whether dropping the dynamic magician Jamiro Monteiro back to play alongside Haris Medunjanin would pay off. Curtin also opted to start Fafa Picault on the right flank with 18-year-old homegrown Brenden Aaronson occupying the left. Marco Fabián -in the midst of an injury and suspension-riddled up-and-down season- was expected to link up play between the midfield and attacking third. It wasn’t a perfect first half from the Union, who conceded 64.7% possession to the favorite Atlanta. They did, however, have their chances in the first half including the aforementioned Fabián pinged a shot off the crossbar in the 10th minute:

The Union -and most of the assembled media- thought the Union had gone ahead in the 33rd minute off a nice buildup play between Monteiro, the team’s captain Medunjanin, forward Kacper Pryzbylko, and Fabián:

Almost the opening goal but goal waived off.#DOOP | #PHIvATL 0-0 pic.twitter.com/XCuS7TifSI

— X – Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) September 1, 2019

From where I sat, I knew that was coming back, and after a video review (#ThanksVAR), the goal was taken off the board. The team didn’t get down on themselves, mustering a  few more opportunities, including this scorcher from Pryzbylko:

Unfortunately for the Union, Atlanta has arguably the league’s most dangerous goal scorer in Josef Martínez, who entered the match having scored in twelve consecutive games:

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME 👏

Impressive build up play to feed the King, @JosefMartinez17 😡 pic.twitter.com/M9LWHessFf

— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) September 1, 2019

Make that thirteen.

I expected a halftime substitution of one of the outside mids, which didn’t come to fruition. There were enough reasons to justify keeping Fafa Picault in the the game on the right, where he had been an absolute nightmare for Atlanta’s backline, but Aaronson had missed at least three streaking runs from Pryzbylko and Fabián that could’ve netted dangerous scoring chances with a properly-weighted through ball.

Just under sixteen minutes into the second half, Medunjanin lofted a gorgeous ball over Atlanta’s backline to a streaking Aaronson and a definitely-offside Pryzbylko:

2️⃣ games, 2️⃣ goals for Aaronson against the 🍑#DOOP | #PHIvATL 1-1 pic.twitter.com/SMJAD9JRBR

— X – Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) September 1, 2019

For those wondering, it was confirmed by the lead official after the match that the play was allowed after having deemed Pryzbylko as not being actively involved in/interfering with the play. Momentum shifted in that moment. Things did get hairy for the Union when a miscommunication between center back Jack Elliott and goalkeeper Andre Blake led to an opportunity for Martínez to shoot on an empty net, albeit from a tough angle. Martínez was so embarrassed by missing the net that he rolled around in agony, grasping his hamstring as though it’d been severed by a bayonet.

In the 77th minute, Sergio Santos entered the match for the Blue & Gold. He hadn’t played in a game for the team since July 14 due to an ankle injury and was handed a match suspension after getting a red card while in a rehab game with Bethlehem Steel. Thankfully that suspension didn’t transfer to MLS competition, as Santos was immediately dangerous. He showed the explosiveness that made me view him a surefire start early in the season.

#TheFriendlyStriker doing what he does best!

🎯#DOOP | #PHIvATL pic.twitter.com/MnA47DRtLe

— X – Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) September 1, 2019

Leftback Kai Wagner, plucked from Germany’s third division by Sporting Director Ernst Tanner, set up the play with a straight ball to Santos’ diagonal run (that’s how you draw it up, kids). Santos guided the ball to the end line, cut it back to Kacper the Friendly Striker, who plowed through the ball with a powerful left boot past Brad Guzán for a 2-1 lead.

It got even better for the Union just two minutes later when “Brazilian Ben Affleck” Ilsinho found a sprinting Pryzbylko, who laid the ball off across the face of goal to a waiting Santos:

Speed. Pass. GOAL! Santos makes it 3-1 in the clash for first!#DOOP | #PHIvATL 3-1 pic.twitter.com/jQCUR9e0ad

— X – Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) September 1, 2019

The Brazilian flexed on the Chester faithful like he was Cristiano Ronaldo, and just like that, the Union went up 3-1 and never looked back. This was a game that the Union historically never win. I think this win over Atlanta marks the fifth of such games this season alone.

For my money, Santos was the standout star. He spoke after the game about working hard to keep his confidence while recovering from injury and said of his performance (translated from Spanish):

Very happy. Moving around getting to set up the assist, scoring (the goal) is really important to build confidence, continuing to raise my (level of) play.

Medujanin said of Santos’ play:

“He just needs to know what his qualities are. He just needs to run at the backline. Every run behind the backline was dangerous. Sometimes he thinks he wants the ball in the field, but that’s not his quality. He needs to just run, make them tired, and chances will come. He runs in the box, he’s fighting… he had a great game.”

Head coach Jim Curtin also alluded to Santos’ need to stick to the gameplan, focus, and -similar to what Medunjanin said- know his role, if you will:

.@PhilaUnion coach Jim Curtin: Sergio's been fighting to get back off injury. Really happy for him. He's listening [in training] and learning.

— Russ Joy (@JoyOnBroad) September 1, 2019

This team is a confident bunch and according to the 18-year-old Aaronson is so close-knit that falling behind doesn’t bother them. Aaronson is off to USMNT U-23 camp during this week’s international break. The rest of the squad will host Liga MX’s Pumas UNAM on Saturday in a friendly before hosting LAFC, whose 62 points and 19 wins lead the entire league.

It was an incredible evening and one that ranks as possibly the most important win in club history. As someone who once held season tickets and stood with the Sons of Ben for years, there was something about Saturday night’s win that vindicated an often downtrodden fan base. For this night at least, the Union asserted themselves as the real Beast of the East.

For more Philadelphia Union talk, check out It’s Always Soccer in Philadelphia with Kevin Kinkead.

The post Vindicated: Philadelphia Union 3-1 Atlanta United appeared first on Crossing Broad.

Vindicated: Philadelphia Union 3-1 Atlanta United published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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From Brescia’s answer to Pirlo to the latest Maldini star – 10 Serie A youngsters to watch

The excitement increases before the start of the 2019-20 season Series A and while fans are eager to see some expensive newcomers, many urge managers to give young, native talents regular playing time.

The last star from the Maldini family – Daniel – hopes to make his way into the starting team at AC Milan Brescia hopes that Sandro Tonali are Andrea Pirlo comparisons and [19459007waarmaakt] Juventus Look at their future captain in Matthjis van Ligt.

With that in mind, Sportsmail looks at the top 10 young players to watch out for this season ..

Sportsmail looks at 10 young stars to keep an eye on in Series A in the 2019-2020 season

10. Cristian Romero, 21 (Genoa – on loan from Juventus)

Now you don't see him, that's how Juventus fans felt this summer when the news about the arrival of Romero in Turin was quickly followed by the fact that he will immediately return to Genoa on loan.

The ambiti Romero's e can hardly be questioned. At the beginning of the year he talked about a possible switch to Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus.

In his first season he saw 27 appearances for Genoa, but for all the successful interceptions and equipment he drew, the reason he is back for a second loan period is to correct the errors in his game, namely his bad discipline.

Ten yellow cards Last season was too much for a player who wanted to cement himself as one of the best middle backs in Europe – in context, Juventus received more than three warnings in the middle of the back of the season.

Down with the inconsistencies in his game and Romero noticed that he was pushing Giorgio Chiellini and Co in 2020-21.

Cristian Romero will try bad discipline in his game to resolve while back on loan with Genoa

9. Hamed Junior Traore, 19 (Sassuolo – loan from Empoli)

Traore has always led the way . Take for example his first team debut at Empoli. He was only 17.

Now two years later and comfortable in Serie A, heaven is the limit for Traore after joining Sassuolo this summer.

Beginning as an attacking midfielder, he has since been deeper deployed in an attempt to maximize a box-to-box role with his robust frame that resembles Tanguy Ndombele to Tottenham.

Juventus has watched this summer, just like Inter, but his end product is where the question mark now stands. Only two senior league goals to his name are not good enough for a player who is central in midfield.

Improve your end product and the teenager will be a wanted man.

Hamed Junior Traore will continue its incredible rise and become the key for Sassuolo

8. Luca Pellegrini, 20 (Cagliari – on loan from Juventus)

Like Romero, Pellegrini is another player that Juventus believes it will be in the future will be an important part of their side.

But for now he is going to Sardinia; Cagliari to be precise. Pellegrini & # 39; s long-term knee injury over 12 months ago is still acutely felt and regular minutes are necessary for his development, as Alex Sandro is the undisputed choice for left back in Turin.

A real rising star, the 20-year-old started all four games of Italy during the Under-20 World Cup this summer and there is a feeling that he will achieve even greater highlights in his second season Series A.

Let's hope his agent, the infamous Mino Raiola, Pellegrini gets to work with it without much hassle.

Juventus sees Luca Pellegrini's left back of the future coming to him this summer has picked up

7. Federico Dimarco, 21 (Inter)

In the books at Inter since he was seven, it is reasonable to say that Dimarco has his time has been waiting to get a shot back and make his left spot his. But although he is a force that must be taken into account as a defender, he is ahead of Pellegrini in his list as a scorer.

It was during his loan last season in Parma that he showed Inter that he has finished being lent.

Dimarco grabbed the ball on his chest and brought it down before he drove into the space in the middle of the park 30 meters from the goal before shooting a spectacular shot into the net.

Parma won 1-0 and all Inter Milan fans could wonder why Dimarco, the proud Milanese resident, wore yellow and blue, not black and blue.

That should be changed, not surprisingly, this time.

Federico Dimarco is a proud Milanese resident and can establish himself as a favorite fan

6. Daniel Maldini, 17 (AC Milan)

Few prospects in Italy are weighed with a name that is as synonymous with football in Italy as Maldini is.

Daniel, the latest step forward, after father Paolo and grandfather Cesare, remains an incredibly raw talent who can expect the least amount of action from anyone on this list.

Milan boss Marco Giampaolo is proud to develop and nurture talent, but Maldini must make his life as a footballer easier, not least in view of the weight of expectation that will fall on his shoulders.

His father won seven Series A titles and five Champions Leagues for three decades.

If the 17-year-old is even half the player who was Paolo, Milan still has a Maldini to cherish for many years to come.

Daniel Maldini must be brought to life as a soccer player given series his family history

5. Mirko Antonucci, 20 (Rome)

Ask fans in Rome what they think of 20-year-old Antonucci and nobody will give you the same answer. He can be breathtaking one moment, pure frustration the next. But he has everything to be a true superstar who destroys his tender years.

He is versatile, both central and in large areas and is likely to recommend him this season to boss Paulo Fonseca with Rome looking for a pair of aces on his sleeve in an effort to make rivals guess. He failed to score in the Series B in Pescara last season and that must change.

It should be with better players, but like with many young stars, he must make himself indispensable. Fonseca wants attacking midfielders who can drag defenders into unnatural spaces, create enough space for the attackers to work, and Antonucci ticks that box.

Teammates have urged him to lose his game of selfishness, he is also often inclined – largely in an attempt to attract attention – but this feels like the Antonucci season can force the European elite to stand upright to sit down and take notice.

Mirko Antonucci can create space for forwards such as Edin Dzeko ( right) to operate in

4. Eljif Elmas, 19 (Napoli)

Out with Amadou Diawara and Marko Rog, finds Carlo Ancelotti seriously few options in Napoli midfield.

James Rodriguez was the name on most lips, but there was a stump almost bursting with excitement when Eljif Elmas was snatched from Fenerbahce.

While question marks surrounding them below him are on the list in terms of their chance, the Macedonian teenager is expected to get many games for the Parthenopei this season.

Great in cramped spaces with its low center of gravity and boldly determined in the tackle, Elmas fits into the fiery atmosphere of Naples at home. Fitness and physicality appear to be the intended point of improvement this summer and that will come with time.

But since he hit four goals and achieved 84 percent success rates in the Turkish Super League last year, Elmas arrives with the mindset and can be a normal starter. And it would be foolish to argue with him.

Macedonian teenager Eljif Elmas is expected to get many chances this season to make an impression

3. Sandro Tonali, 19 (Brescia)

The comparisons with the great Andrea Pirlo go further than the smooth locks of the couple.

Both Pirlo and Tonali come from the Lombardi region and Tonali shine brightest in Brescia, where Pirlo began.

Chelsea and Manchester City are aware of a player who turned heads without kicking a ball in the Serie A.

Tonali has collected rave reviews in the second layer of Italy because of his calmness under pressure, and also his need to pass long and short distances.

Unlike players like Antonucci, Tonali has no interest in becoming the star of the show, he is much more focused on efficiency.

Brescia, despite the arrival of Mario Balotelli, will build around Tonali this season and hope for what his last full term could be for the club, and he can deliver the magic dust that Pirlo has known with so much regularity. to produce for club and country in his esteemed career.

No pressure, Sandro! 2. Nicolo Zaniolo, 20 (Rome)

Simply put, Zaniolo is the real jewel of a player.

He is definitely worth the attention and he gets no surprise to see Tottenham weighed a move for him this summer before he landed on Real Betis' Giovani Lo Celso.

His talent saw him be summoned by Roberto Mancini to the senior team in Italy before he even made his debut with Roma. That eventually came in the Champions League against Real Madrid, in a match in which he could still impress what a 3-0 defeat was.

Coaches at Inter, where Zaniolo developed as a young player, compare him with & # 39; Gerrard or Lampard & # 39; while a more recent comparison, at least in Serie A, is the Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Lazio.

His debut season in the top flight had wagging tongues. Improve that and they will be an absolute frenzy for his signature in 12 months.

1. Matthijs de Ligt, 20 (Juventus)

There was a reason that Cristiano Ronaldo focused on From Ligt after Portugal defeated Holland to win the UEFA Nations League this summer.

Ronaldo was impressed and wanted to be from Ligt next to him, not against him, when he started the season.

After all, it was from the Ajax side of Ligt that Juventus in the Champions League last season. Everyone can see the leadership qualities of Ligt after he had conquered the Dutch champions in a semifinals of the Champions League at the age of 19.

Juventus represents a serious step forward, where errors of any kind are not accepted under Maurizio Sarri. But Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci the mentors see the student quickly becoming the teacher at the back for the Bianconeri.

You have all the characteristics of the most impressive defender in all of Europe of his generation.

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