#but i have to pay attention bc this is just what most of serena's content happens to be. which isnt fun when she's the 5th companion

[perenlop]

since its impossible to watch xy without commenting on it (tho im gonna try my best) just wanna say that i dont inherently hate the idea of ash and serena being together or them being shipped in the show. in fact, it kinda makes sense that they’d choose the arc that takes place in france to give ash a blatant love interest. i actually shipped them when i was a kid and this was first airing, lol. so whatever i say about it, it’s not really coming from a place of “ugh its not the ship i wanted to have happen” because they’re ten and i dont care. 

but then the issue after that is. they’re ten and i dont care.

[theblogtini]

"Did you ever think that their fall from grace would be as fast as this"

So when they first got married, had everything worked out great, they probably would've stopped dominating headlines, being in the news 24/7 like they were, when George went to university because then he would be reported on like crazy, just like with William. So about 12-13 years and it wouldn't have been a "fall from grace," just a "everyone likes them but they just aren't the most reported on now" like Edward and Sophie.

When they stepped back in January, I assumed that this timeline would be pushed forward a few years, so maybe 8 years or so? When they announced Netflix and Spotify, I thought that would be their way of staying relevant because COVID had shown that they weren't able to do so without being royal. And it still wouldn't have been a "fall from grace."

Now though, I would say they would be lucky if this doesn't happen by the end of next year. And that's the latest I would push it, honestly thinking it will be end of this year. The people have gotten all the drama they're going to get. So they don't care.

Looking back, I have no idea why they did the Oprah interview how they did it. Not what they said, (well, telling the truth would've been better bc then the press has less to object to, but then it wouldn't have been a very interesting interview) but why they didn't come out with podcasts and Netflix news. The world has a pretty short attention span and you HAVE to capitalize on it. Had they released content or launched a social media there would have been VERY different results for them and the BRF. But they pretty much just did the interview and disappeared (while the royals kept on carrying on) until Philip died (which made H/M look terrible bc it was obviously not unexpected- and gave the RF a lot of support) and then Harry did Dax and Oprah, which honestly weren't good looks for them. And then they named their kid for the Queen (which left people's heads spinning) and then disappeared again.

And we aren't supposed to get Netflix content anytime soon. They don't even have a set title or content director for the animated program. The recycled Invictus doc is about the May (?) 2022 games so filming for that won't wrap until at least next summer, with post-production the absolute earliest it could be released would be early 2023. This is why they NEED to use Spotify in the meantime. Maybe his book could give them something but it's not going to be released until next fall and I'm not sure how much support they're going to have then. People just kind of think he's spoiled and annoying.

IMO, New York/TIME was supposed to be their big relaunch, look at how much news we've gotten in the weeks since. But they are too late. And I (meanly) am wondering how they are handling the hard truth that is The Crown Always Wins Against Spoiled Brats.

Every single thing you said! The complete lack of content is mind-boggling. Like... they are being paid to be content creators these days, that's the ONLY thing they're actually being paid for - and none of it is landing anytime soon. You would think since they spent so much time plotting their exit they would have had some shit in the works. And why - WHY - is there nothing on Spotify? We know the two of them adore the sound of their own voices, so why are they having so much trouble with the podcast... I mean FFS I never was a princess who lived in a palace and traveled the world and was a Hollywood actress who is best friends with Oprah, Amal Clooney, and Serena Williams but I could come up with enough interesting shit to say to fill an episode a day if someone was paying me millions of dollars. FFS I could probably find enough interesting stuff to say if someone was paying me attention, nevermind money 🤣

But also I agree. The NY thing was supposed to be a "re-launch" -- a "look hey remember us, we're ROYAL" but as you said, too little too late. No one cares anymore. There was zero context behind the visit and it made no sense - it was just so weird.

[kornyo]

Hello, my name is korny and some of you know me as a former beta, then sweet elite’s former clothing artist, that also (singlehandedly) drew the animated mini-game with momo and the little coffee and coin icons. I never had a proper introduction which is why probably most of you see me for the first time now.

I didn’t plan on publicly making a statement, but it has been brought to my attention that the se management said rude and nasty things that – most importantly – are just plain bullshit and I cannot let this be said without a proper response.

 If you click this link you will find a google doc with various screenshots, showing what exactly has been going on that made me (& cecile) finally leave the team. I made the doc and the screens a few days prior to leaving (April 2019) and already shared it with all the betas and some staff back then, but also some people on tumblr who have come into my dms asking me to clarify what happened. I feel the right time has come to share this link with the public, although it might be a little confusing to understand for some.

 Now, what bothers me the most about serenas ugly behaviour from the past few days is the topic of “’lazy’ cecile”. I’d like to clarify that this entire post is MY opinion, and was written because *I* am angry about this, I was not forced to write this whatsoever by Cecile or anyone else. I’ve kept my mouth shut so far bc I could not be bothered, but this is where I draw the line.

“Lazy Cecile” has been something even BEFORE my beta days (which started in January 2018). Serena used (and still does, as you can see in her latest posts) to call Cecile “lazy” a lot jokingly, but saying it that often didn’t make it funny anymore, and it certainly isn’t a nice thing to say to a good friend. She continued to say it even after Cecile approached her not to.

To add, Cecile is - if not THE - most hardworking person that ever participated in the production of the game. While juggling a full-time job, she also drew AND redrew ALL the sprites, for a short time also drew ALL the illustrations WITH customization (2 genders x 3 three different hairstyles), AND new backgrounds because An already left the team. And that’s just the art she did! She also took part in writing large chunks in almost every chapter, even writing an entire big ass chapter 7 ON HER OWN, which she now has posted on her blog @retconomics (which Serena in response tried to make us afraid by telling us how merciful she is by not suing us for copyright. Your case wouldn’t be that strong honey LMAO not without a contract anyway 😉 ). ALL WHILE WORKING A FULL DAY JOB AND GETTING A DOG, WHICH ALSO REQUIRES A LOT OF ATTENTION. Meanwhile, it took Serena several months to almost a YEAR now, guessing from the release date, to write chapter 6 and it wasn’t a rare case for her to magically loose the file or it getting corrupted. So please tell me how the fuck cecile is lazy? In any fucking way?

Her time schedule was very demanding, so of course we had to cheat a little bit, which brings me to my next point: professionalism. Serena claims that Cecile was very unprofessional, “cutting corners” and her art “unpolished” and “not up to par”. In her example of ‘proper’ professionalism, serena used this image:

Illustrating how the new artist does things better and more polished.

This is where I call huge, MAJOR bullshit.

I have worked on the sprites with cecile. Due to the tight deadline Serena has given us, Cecile would give me the rough sprites and I would finish them & look for any spots that were smudges/did not have clear edges or full transparency. Wanna know how these files looked like?

Hm! Absolutely no fucking different! The expressions were all on one layer, unlike in the example above, but as Serena said: she didn’t say anything against that. That was because Serena wanted to pump content out, which, fair enough, and she needed everyone in the team to “set priorities”, as she said. And adding so much customization was NOT a priority at that time and she knows it.

However, if it DID bug her that much, it’s her own fault if she won’t say “hey Cecile, could you put all the brows on one single layer, all the mouths etc”. And if her excuse is that Cecile lacked the time, I could’ve done it just as easily, as I worked on the sprites anyway and did not have the huge workload cecile had at that time. If the manager is unhappy with their product, they should say something, otherwise nothing will happen. So, if Serena was unhappy with the ‘lack’ of expressions (lets be real tho, 5 expressions isn’t lacking at all)? Her fault.

“Not to mention, all of the sprites will be polished and the artstyle will finally be consistent throughout the entire game (something that our old artist really struggled with at times). Also, both Alita and Ariel are awesome at what they do, take growth and sustainability seriously, and constantly look for ways to improve and build onto the world of Sweet Elite.” Taken from here (x).

Ah, yes. You want consistency and yet hired two artists with two very different styles, and even *advertised* it as something good. Also, if somebody improves art wise, they rarely stay the same way. Art is FLUID. Art CHANGES, especially while improving. And if ceciles art was so unprofessional looking and unpolished for you serena, why didn’t you just tell her to stop drawing? Why not “get rid of the garbage” sooner? Would have saved both you and cecile the clownery that has happened and is going on right now.

(taken from here)

Also calling Cecile a weakness while she literally held the weight of the entire game on her shoulders while having to provide so much art and writing while you failed to write even one chapter during all that? You’re pettier than you care to admit.

I literally could go on and on about this, but this is already 1k words, so im gonna wrap this up. But I am so mad about this “boo hoo there is a narrative spun against me ☹” “I was creatively constricted by my cowriters” (also bullshit lmao, but another topic). You’re just a big liar and an awful person overall, and don’t get me started on your boyfriend.

While you’re getting “rid of the garbage”, please also remove MY minigame which I was forced to make while I was collecting money for my dog, and pay me 100€. You can have the clothes as I actually *agreed* on doing that for no money. 25€ for all the coffee and coin icons would be appropriate as well.

Now, as a former fan thats been on this journey since 2015, I am very dissapointed in how this game is developing. You’re taking this game into a direction you promised not to - not diverse, full of clichés, mainstream. As a fan, this broke my heart. A lot.

I hope you learn that your actions have consequences and that I will NOT be quiet if you decide to spit some lies again.

[rickhorrow]

18 FOR ‘18: TOP SPORTS STORIES OF 2018

18 FOR ‘18: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BUSINESS/

TECHNOLOGY/PHILANTHROPY STORIES OF 2018 with Tanner Simkins

This past year in sports was full of gripping storylines and iconic events. We isolate some of the more unique happenings and their impact in our 18 for 2018 list.

The Golden State Warriors’ appearance in the NBA Finals has become expected. The Warriors have reached the Championship each of the past four seasons. Their 2018 sweep victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers brought them to their third championship in those four years and their first back-to-back O’Brien trophy. When winning is as plentiful as it has been for the Warriors, business booms for the team and its players as well. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson all were in the top 10 last year for money earned in endorsements for NBA players.

Serena Williams accused Finals chair umpire Carlos Williams of sexism after her multiple outbursts at the 2018 U.S. Open. This became international news because of the impact of Williams on tennis and the polarizing debate that ensued with respect to sexism in sports and removal of any double-standards in tennis. The incident also drew attention away from first time U.S. Open winner Naomi Osaka, the first woman from Japan to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Tiger Woods won his first golf tournament since four back surgeries and renewed debate about whether he remains capable of breaking Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 Major victories. The season-ending Tour Championship Sunday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta was the first Woods victory at a professional golf tournament in more than five years. This was Woods’ 80th career PGA win — two short of the career record held by Sam Snead. Woods' last victory was in 2013 at the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Later in 2018, Woods and Phil Mickelson held a PPV special head to head match where Mickelson ousted Tiger after the match went into extra holes. As a result, Mickelson took home $9 million. Vegas odds makers currently have Woods at 25-1 to beat Nicklaus’ record.

University of Central Florida football fans will tell you they are National Champions from the season prior, and likely will push for that same recognition this year if the team keeps up their undefeated game streak. Debate like this was common during the BCS Championship years, but by 2018, the NCAA was supposed to have it figured out. The College Football Playoff system was designed to identify a true national champion. But with the success of UCF, perhaps the system isn’t as foolproof as it suggests. Does there need to be an eight-team tournament?

One year after the horrific Las Vegas shooting, the sports community is still proving to be a platform for healing and repair. “Our great state has shown the country and indeed the world what Vegas Strong is every day for nearly a year,” said Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval. “The events of 1 October affected so many and I think it is only right to show the world again how Vegas Strong Nevada is on the one year anniversary.”  The NHL Las Vegas Golden Knights have completely bought into the VegasStrong movement, providing hope and a positive distraction to the still-recovering region.

Bryce Harper won the 2018 MLB Home Run Derby and solidified himself as a superstar.  A six-time All-Star at the age of 25, Harper has established himself as one of the game's premier young stars. The 2015 National League Most Valuable Player Award winner had his breakout season at the age of 22. Coming off the Home Run Derby victory, Harper is baseball’s top free agent in 2018. This will likely yield him a $400 million dollar contract – the main reason he made our list.

High level athletics equal big time money – this year, college basketball added corruption and abuse into that mix. The FBI and other government agencies arrested NCAA basketball coaches, others close to NCAA programs, and Adidas representatives at the University of Arizona and elsewhere on various corruption and fraud charges including bribery, money laundering, and wire fraud. The investigation spread to reveal a much larger level of corruption, naming more than a dozen schools and over 25 current and former players as having been potentially implicated in the scandal. While there have been pay-to-play NCAA scandals in the past, what made this story unique was its size and breadth, in addition to the consequences. This was also the first time real jail time has ever been a factor in collegiate corruption scandals.

HBO Sports dropped boxing both from a coverage and PPV revenue perspective.  This headline was easy to miss if you do not follow this sports media vertical, but its weight on boxing’s decline cannot be overstated. MMA, on the other hand, has been on the rise with coverage extending into new markets and new networks like ESPN. But for combat sports in general, the new-age coverage and subscription approach of networks like DAZN (which made headlines by signing Canelo Alvarez to a five-year, $365 million fight deal) seem to be the future and the final blow to PPV as we know it.  

NASCAR celebrated its 70th season in decline. The anniversary came amidst the fourth year of its current 10-year television contract with Fox Sports and NBC Sports and the third year of a five-year race sanctioning agreement with all tracks.  But who really cares? With TV ratings and race attendance on the wane, NASCAR in many ways remains mostly a sport for B2B plays and only its most diehard fans.

Sports in 2018 continued to be a platform for protest, change, and political platforms. From athletes, coaches, and team owners supporting candidates during the November midterms to powerful hashtag campaigns to retracted championship invitations to the White House, sports continued to be firmly entrenched in the national political scene. Whether this is right or wrong, it seems that sports has become a vehicle for these debates. When these hot button issues interfere with fan enjoyment, what will the effect on viewership be? Just ask the NFL and they will tell you this is no easy issue to navigate. One clear 2018 political victory for all that was heavily influenced by pro athlete voices: the December 14 passage of The First Step Act, Congress’ bipartisan criminal justice reform bill.

The business of esports continued to accelerate in 2018 and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Total prize money in 2018 across all major esports games was nearly $150 million, with a total of 3,261 high-level tournaments and 18,016 professional players. The global esports economy is around $900 million, with brands contributing about ⅔ of this. According to a report by Newzoo, the global esports audience will reach 380 million this year, made up of 165 million esports enthusiasts and 215 million occasional viewers.  

The nationwide legalization of sports betting has been a gradual process that exploded in 2018. This year, New Jersey, Delaware, Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island joined Nevada in offering legal sports wagering in some form, in the wake of New Jersey’s U.S. Supreme Court victory that paved the way. All seven newly legal gaming states are seeing tens of millions of dollars in new tax revenues as a result, with those numbers increasing exponentially every month. As sports gambling becomes more widespread, surrounding businesses like big data, new-age sportsbooks, and gamification apps and platforms will continue to boom.

Sports continues to have a unique power to inspire and motivate positive change. 2018 had some memorable philanthropic standouts, such as LeBron James opening the I Promise School in Ohio, insurance leader Group1001 continuing to champion the LPGA Indy Women In Tech Championship and related initiatives for girls, and online education platform EVERFI partnering with young IndyCar driver Zach Veach and Andretti Autosport on the Endeavor STEM education program, just to name a few. More personally, we continue to be proud of our monthly “Power of Sports” TV program, carried by Fox Sports RSNs nationwide and highlighting standout team community service initiatives, athletes giving back, and sports facilities being built in underserved communities across America.

Content will always be king. This was cemented even further in 2018 as we saw OTT content proliferate on mobile apps, tablets, streaming devices, Smart TVs, and all the latest tech. In short, from now on every piece of hardware manufactured with the capability of viewing content will have accompanying software providing it. This is a pivotal time for content providers both inside and outside of sports to either get with the program or get phased out.

USA Gymnastics filed for bankruptcy in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal. Late in the year, the organization continues to attempt to reach settlements over abuse. Out of Michigan State, Nassar served as USA Gymnastics’ national team doctor and was accused of molesting at least 250 girls including a number of well-known Olympic gymnasts, dating as far back as 1992. The USOC has taken steps to revoke the status of USAG with superstars such as Simone Biles supporting the move. Olympic medalists such as McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman not only helped to blow the whistle on the disgusting scandal but continue to be voices of power for all victims.

LeBron James’ move to Los Angeles was the lead NBA headline until the season tipped off. ��James’ long term impact on the Lakers franchise and his personal entertainment empire remain to be seen. But in his first year with the team, there have been personnel growing pains on the court and also tremendous growth for LeBron’s brand (specifically in the content space). James has made it to the NBA Finals nine times, including each of the last eight seasons.  His overall record in the Finals is 3 wins and 6 losses. Will the Lakers bring home the Championship? Anything short of that would be a failure if you ask LeBron.

University of Maryland football player Jordan McNair tragically passed away from a heatstroke, spurring further debate on athlete healthcare and well-being. The offensive lineman showed signs of extreme exhaustion after running a series of sprints at a Maryland football practice. After evaluating McNair at the on-campus football facility, EMT responders reported a male patient with a seizure, and McNair was transported to Washington Adventist Hospital, according to the 911 call. He later was moved to Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he died June 13. The incident led to the firing of head football coach D.J. Durkin, the resignation of the university’s board chairman, and a reexamination of heatstroke prevention tactics at all levels of outdoor sports.

Internationally, 2018 saw mega events like the PyeongChang Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup. This was the first time that South Korea had hosted the Winter Olympics and the second Olympics held in the country overall, after the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. It was the third time that an East Asian country had hosted the Winter Games, after Sapporo (1972) and Nagano (1998), both in Japan. It was also the first of three consecutive Olympics to be held in East Asia, the other two being the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The FIFA World Cup came and went with less controversy than the 2014 event, but debate is already heated around the 2022 Qatar World Cup both from a political and athlete safety (read: high temperatures) perspective.