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davidshawnsown · 2 years ago

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USA BASEBALL/COLLEGE SUMMER BASEBALL - and - SAVANNAH BANANAS ONE SHOT RPF - Savannahskaya Kadrovsky??!! -

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(AN: 2022 turned out to be FIRST ever year and now just the only year following one of the more fun teams in college summer ball - the iconic and funny Savannah Bananas of the Coastal Plain League, which in the past few years have spun off two pro teams in theor umbrella playing their own take on baseball, Banana Ball. Now they are committed to play that form year round and leaving the CPL, but the memories of those first years of CPL play will forever go down as part of its history. I therefore present to the fans this one shot RPF featuring these guys from Savannah and the fun ways they have played baseball in these past years up to today and the first Ukraine-set fic of many featuring these guys in yellow, including a full blown RPF fic of their POV of the events in that country. To link up the fics with the wider universe I've included Scott Hatteberg, a former teammate of Eric Byrnes with the A's - and a Team USA Baseball CNT alumnus. This is dedicated to Dalton Maudin and Tanner Thomas - the two members of the Bananas organization and its constituent teams that have been bringing out weekly vlogs on Youtube, you better check them both, as well as Dalton's music there as well and on Spotify!)

SOMEWHERE IN POLTAVA OBLAST

SUNDAY MAY 22, 2022

1400H EEST

"The regiment from Savannah has done it again?!!"

That is the reaction from no less than BG Mark deRosa, the operational commander of US forces in Ukraine under the 46th Command. That regiment, the 716th Savannah, established in the spring of 2015, and led by its now newly promoted commander COL Byrnes, who took over this year from its first commandant, COL Cole, now a honorary Brigadier General and its first ever regimental colonel now retired even at a young age, had been in Ukraine since April, among the first of the collegiate units to be sent to the country to assist the war effort, fight alongside Americans in the International Legion of Territorial Defense and with Ukrainians in the Armed Forces and the National Guard, and also to give the young guys a taste of what their service to the nation entalls.

"Yeah indeed," replied COL Garza. "Those boys whose regiment carries yellow and white colors. They did it again!"

He and others on an ongoing meeting of the command staff in northern Poltava Oblast were referring to those TikTok and Twitter videos, as well as those on Telegram, featuring the boys of this young formation.

It is the sole infantry regiment among the formations of the 351st Southeastern Coastal Infantry Brigade, activated 1997 and whose numeral honors the North Carolina based Coastal Militia Rifles, a militia formation raised in 1935 which in 1936 was granted affilation with what is now the 169th Corps of the 46th Mobilization Command, US Army Reserve, affilated to the Southern Defense Command during the Second World War as a territorial defense brigade which lasted until the early 1950s. Their nickname of Bananas is a nod to the agricultural past of their home city and their full dresss honors partly its Union liberators during the Civil War and its home front efforts in both World Wars.

They began as a ROTC company in late 2015. Almost a year later, the 716th Infantry Battalion was activated, and within 5 years, evolved from a Humvee-armed unit into wheeled mechanized infantry, armed with the Stryker systems, and as a three battalion regiment, with its 2nd and 3rd battalions including minority and immigrant personnel to reflect its home city's character. One battalion each is made up of reservists and the Georgia Army National Guard, making up for a total of 5 battalions.

But these boys' Tiktok combat videos, set to popular Western pop tunes, have got the people motivated to know what is going on in the Ukrainian frontlines. They have been for weeks now in a tense battle for popularity against the Chechen National Guardsmen from Chechnya in Russia, which have been in the Ukrainian front since the onset of the invasion, as well as several of the Ukrainian frontline brigades and militia units, which have similar pop content. These so-called "Yellowshirts" after the yellow and white colors during its foundation today wear the same uniform as those deployed to Ukraine but with a yellow and white armband with the regimental DUI on it as well as the arms of their home city.

The 46th's Ukrainian operational HQ and elements of the 78th Brigade Combat Team had been watching what the boys had been doing on and off the field, while recieving word that their actions in the Soledar front have helped the local Ukrainian forces get motivated to continue the struggle in the weeks prior. Now they have been rotated out with a new assignment north of Kramatorsk City as a reserve formation ready to fight in the Donbas region. They will be on R&R before returning to their then brand new barracks located in Kovel in Volyn Oblast for equipment resupplies as well as to await the arrival of the local maintenance battalion from their home city. The town was chosen as it is a sister city to Chamblee, just northwest of Atlanta, the state capital. Just as in the other American and Canadian formations they were given a Ukrainian advisory team - in that case with officers and NCOs from the 14th Mechanized Infantry Brigade based in Volodymyr City, Volyn Oblast.

Thus the brigadier general had during the meeting phoned the now retired BG Jessie Cole, the newly appointed regimental colonel, on what the boys have had been doing in the frontlines. They were there since early April assigned there in Kovel town, with the 2nd battalion of the 72nd Atlanta based there as well and the local battalion based in Savannah from said regiment, both since early May. They chose that city to keep their ties to Georgia state and its traditions while in country as the first of the collegiate summer service units and the only regiment of its kind so far to fight for the cause of Ukraine in the opening months of the war. He had just arrived in Kramatosk that day with his wife Emily to check on the boys before joining them on the journey back to Kovel.

"I have with me one of COL Byrnes' friends and one who served with him in Oakland. This is now LTC Scott Hatteberg. This year I called for the man to return to service after retiring as a battalion XO almost two decades ago in Oakland. He will be our liason officer on behalf of the brigade, Mr. Cole, with your regiment as its new commander was a friend of his," said the brigadier general on the mobile phone.

"Understood Mark, I now will bring in Eric," Jesse responded. As usual he wore his variant yellow working dress but without the top hat he wore replacing the kepi beginning with his early retirement. The kepi had been worn alternately with the bicorne by officers of the regiment when in full dress in ceremonial events to honor the military history of its home city.

"Thanks sir."

Then Eric got on the cellphone.

"Morning, sir, Colonel Byrnes here of the 716th Infantry Regiment."

"IS THAT YOU ERIC BYRNES? This is Brigadier General Mark DeRosa of the 78th Brigade Combat Team based out of Cary, NC, I have one of your buddies in Oakland with me who is a graduate of the brigade's training program."

"Yes I am, sir. And is that guy with you, sir, Scott Hatteberg?"

"Affirmative colonel Byrnes. How's your regiment now on R&R after all those weeks in Soledar?"

"Nice so far, the American people and the people of Savannah have enjoyed the antics of the men of the 1st Battalion and also our combat videos all this time, which have awakened Americans on what we are supposed to do to aid Ukraine at this time."

"Regarding those in between combat dancing videos on TikTok and Twitter of your boys, as well as on Telegram, are they all true?!"

"Yes, DeRosa, and the people have loved it."

"Cannot believe this, but you boys are better than those Chechens. Dancing, singing, having fun in the field but fighting better than them and the Russians. And who suggested these?"

"Our first battalion commander LTC Gilliam, who has been with us since it was a battalion, and our long time A Company commander soon to be captain Bill Leroy, who's a 1LT by now alongside his faithful XO 1LT Kyle Luigs. The two began with the regiment on secondment from their colleges, last year, following their graduation, when I was appointed regimental commander to replace Jesse who retired a Brigadier General, he recommended that the two be granted permanent status due to their long service with 1st Battalion, and indeed they were permanenty assigned since then."

"1st Platoon commander?"

"1LT Jackson Olson, sir, joined the regiment early this year."

"2nd Platoon is led by whose officer?"

"1LT Dalton Cornett. All officers, NCO and enlisted here, general, were selected for permanent duty in the years after it became a regiment from being a battalion and these people and others from the past 5 years who served on secondment from their respective colleges and universities before with the local lads recruited from within the state were the once I asked, upon the urging of the regimental colonel, to join the 1st Battalion on permanent status. Some of these officers here in the battalion, DeRo, as well as NCOs and enlisted with no collegiate service here nor even direct ties, were recruited on national lines thanks to the efforts of our depot battalion personnel, while the regiment still retains its seconded personnel from the colleges and universities."

"3rd platoon commanding officer is.."

"Turner Pruitt. Was with the regiment in 2021 and is a 1LT. 2LT Bryce Madron from Cowley College's battalion, seconded from his alma mater's unit, joined the regiment on its Ukrainian deployment as the 4th platoon's commander."

"Your PAO chief?"

"CPT Biko Skalla."

"The A Company first sergeant?"

"SFC Malachi Mitchell."

"Acknowleged colonel, will have to bring in LTC Scott Hatteberg. I am damn proud of all of them for their efforts to help Ukraine's ongoing fight by any means. And regarding retired MSGT Bill Lee, your honorary regimental sergeant major for a few months now, he's at home in Connecticut, but has come to Savannah when the regiment was around for months before the departure to Ukraine, I've been told."

"Mark, Bill Lee was appointed by the regiment to serve in a honorary capacity due to his age, but his strength and fitness was still the same when he served with the 1st Boston and the Montreal City Fusiliers. And sir, he sent you an email yesterday thanking you all in the 78th for the support given to his secondary home of Savannah and the 716th Infantry. He was there in the sendoff ceremony last March. He still takes time to visit Grayson Barracks to visit our depot battalion and those recruits who have finished basic training."

"Was a pleasure. Tell him we are forever grateful for his service with the 846th Command and the 169th Corps and we also congratulate him for his appointment as honorary sergeant major."

"Noted, sir."

Then Scott got the phone to talk to Eric, whom he formerly served with.

"Scott Hatteberg here, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army. Just been returned to service after retirement. Now a part of the 78th Brigade Combat Team. It's because I was a part of the collegiate training unit under that platoon years before. You still remember me from those years?" he started up the chat.

"Yes Scott, this is Eric, I still remember those days in the Oakland barracks and training fields together with others. Glad you're back in uniform again. How's your regiment going?"

"Been a tough few weeks in Soledar, but boy, these were tough but happy days for the boys in yellow. Fighting against Russians and the Chechen allies at the front, but we never waivered, we never gave up hope in the fight with our Ukrainian allies."

"You guys going back to Kovel after this to recharge for the trip home and then to prepare to return here for the summer offensives?"

"You bet we are, Scott."

"I am thankful to you for having been a part of those years I spent in Oakland, as well as to General DeRosa for giving me this chance to coordinate jointly our efforts as well as with the other US and Canadian forces fighting with our Ukrainian allies. I'm sure this is the start of a great partnership together, especially that the general has given me this assignment to coordinate our efforts to help Ukraine fight its way to victory."

"You're welcome Scott, make sure there will be new videos coming out from you guys in the weeks to come." "Yes sir, there's more where they came from, colonel. BTW who was behind all of these aside from those in battalion and company leadership?"

"MAJ Frongillo, part of regimental staff. He's the one who came out with that idea."

"Well, congrats to him as well. I expect more from Zack in the coming weeks as well as to the PAO team led by Biko. Who's the main videographer of the regiment?"

"SFC Breaux. He's in charge of the video and film duties for Public Affairs. Also, I have to inform you that two of the guys in A Company - CPL Maudin who joined last year and was a part of 1st Platoon and CPL Thomas, a newbie of 2nd Platoon and a direct entry corporal with the unit - have been putting in superb combat videos and vlogs on Telegram and Youtube. They and many of the 1st and 2nd platoon boys whose stories have become the living witness to the ongoing war have inspired many not just to continue helping Ukraine but also to encourage others to dedicate themselves in service to the nation. If you check Telegram and Instagram, their English posts have opened many to the reality of the war they are fighting in and many of the young men and women are already following their journey so far."

"All the best for you guys, sir, Hatteberg out."

"Byrnes out sir."

"I'm sure there's more of that coming up," Scott stated to the gathered personnel from brigade command after watching the video of elements of A Company and the battalion staff dancing with their regimental commander and regimental colonel from his cellphone. And that was after Jesse spoke on video to those who have followed their journey so far on Tiktok and Twitter, as well as on the regiment's Telegram channel, expressing his gratitude and that of COL Byrnes to everyone who have supported them in every way possible on their journey to fight Russians in Ukrainian lands together with elements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as to those who have already given their time to support the country in her time of need. That short dance clip stunned everyone watching and confirmed everyone of what the online world had been talking about. He finishes with "I am certain the regiment has been going good in the PAO side of things and am glad to report that their regimental depot battalion CO has emailed me that their efforts, as well as the stories they shared online, has led up to a massive recruitment effort there in the city not just for this regiment but for the other military units in Savannah. And many who are trying to join the 716th are coming from all over the country!"

"That's incredible news," BG Maxwell stated.

"So are you sure that these new recruits, after finishing basic training and getting assigned here on their own wishes, will be serving in Ukraine with the regiment soon?" asked SGM Pollock.

"Affirmative, they will be there soon."

And when asked by COL Bianco on whose concept it was, the LTC replied that it was an officer of regimental staff, MAJ Traczuk, who helped the sergeant first class pitch that idea to Public Affairs and it was based on the post-exercise recreation and fun the boys had stateside since it was a battalion.

COL Bloomquist added, "You have a tough job ahead of you, colonel. But soon you will learn more about those boys."

"Got that, one day I will check them before they leave for home to welcome a new batch of summer enlistees who will be serving this time, given that the regiment is forward deployed to Ukraine, with the 4th and 5th battalions based stateside."

These boys from Savannah, who were selected from every corner of the nation to fight in this ongoing war, are not just contributing to the fight for Ukraine's independence, they are dancing their way to victory.

"And one thing's for sure," adds the lieutenant colonel from Salem in Oregon, "Dalton and Tanner, and the rest of their company, will lead more young people in realizing Ukraine and democracy all over the world are both worth fighting for, and we have to help defend Ukraine and our allies no matter what it takes. I'm sure you all watched their appeal to the people of Savannah and the nation lately. Now that I've been appointed liason to this unit and those units preparing to serve in Ukraine whose personnel are either ROTC or college regiment personnel, I will do my best to coordinate our efforts towards this goal."

@kiinghanalister @travisdermotts @lukeexplorer

#savannah bananas #baseball rpf #ukraine au #baseball fanfiction #ukraine war au #ukraine conflict #ukraine war #baseball au #baseball fanfic

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jonathanrodrigues23 · 2 months ago

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Beyond the Finish Line: Uncovering the Secrets of Cross-Country (Interview With Coach Spencer Lange)

Beyond the Finish Line: Uncovering the Secrets of Cross-Country

Introduction:

When talking to Spencer Lange, head coach of the Endicott College men's and women's cross country team, you're immediately struck by his infectious passion for running. Lange's journey in the sport began as a student-athlete at Coastal Carolina University, where he competed in cross country and track and field. His personal bests across various distances reveal a runner deeply committed to excellence, but it's his coaching philosophy that genuinely stands out. Having led the Endicott cross-country program since 2015, Lange has built a culture emphasizing resilience, positivity, and teamwork. Under his guidance, the Gulls have made impressive strides, earning top finishes in both conference and regional championships. What sets Lange apart, though, is his holistic approach to coaching. He believes in preparing athletes for the physical rigors of competition and the mental challenges that inevitably arise. Whether it's overcoming injuries, managing academic pressures, or dealing with the mental toll of long-distance running, Lange is there to guide his athletes through each step of the journey. His experience as a runner helps him connect with his team on a deeper level, allowing him to empathize with their struggles and celebrate their successes. But perhaps most importantly, Lange fosters a sense of community within the team. He encourages athletes to get involved beyond just the sport, participating in various campus activities to enrich their college experiences. By doing so, he creates well-rounded individuals who not only excel on the course but thrive in all aspects of their lives. As Lange reflects on his coaching career, it's clear that his goal is to leave a lasting impact on each runner, shaping them into not just better athletes but stronger people.

Interview Transcription:

Jonathan: How did you first get into running, and what made you stick with cross country specifically?

Coach Lange: I always enjoyed being active and was big into playing baseball.

When I got into high school, I knew there was an opportunity to do some sports in the fall, and I had always loved running around, so I found that an excellent opportunity to join the team. And I never really knew that there was much of an organized sport with it until that point. So, I just joined the team, going into a blind, and made some great relationships from there.

Jonathan: What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a runner, and how did you overcome them?

Coach Lange: The most significant thing was understanding the consistency required, going into it as a young athlete. You must fully comprehend how you can connect all the dots between what you do and how that will translate into your running career. The most significant adjustment was understanding how long it takes and the required patience.

Jonathan: Can you describe the most memorable race from your running career and why it stands out?

Coach Lange: A lot to choose from, but there are many different memories, like, more, you know, learning experiences, more proud experiences. So, it's not necessarily a specifically direct race experience, but it's related. In my junior year in college, we raced at Paul Short, one of the biggest cross-country races in the country. So, there are usually three or four levels of racing. It's a very intense and vital time of the year when people start moving. We were going down and knew it would be a big step up in competition. We were a young team at that point. You see, we only had a few upperclassmen who had some powerful experiences. So, we knew going into it would be a big shock to the system. But we were ready. We were training for it. And then, once the race came and went, it did not go well. We realized during it and afterward that we were a little in over our heads. And we didn't take it as seriously as we probably should have, and we weren't. We have prepared ourselves, and we know how we should have. And our coach, you know, we got back to the tent, and he didn't say much, but we knew how disappointed he was in knowing, not out of the fact that we didn't do well as a team, but because he knew we could have done better and we didn't, whatever it was, we just didn't connect the dots on the day. And we left there, and he said, all right, Monday, we're going to go to the track, and I'm going to give you a pace, and we're just going to hit that. And we're going to go until I tell you to stop. We were all embarrassed, frustrated, and worried about what it would be like if we could do it. We got there Monday morning and went on the track, stuck to the pace he gave us. We stopped about four or four and a half miles in. We all realized that we were on pace to either PR or finish significantly further ahead of where we were in the race two days before, so it was just a kind of a reality check to be like, you know, You know, there is always more there, and you just got to trust yourself, and whatever you got to do to get yourself to that point, sometimes you just have to do it, whether that's focusing on it or whether it's just kind of keeping your mind away from all the stress that goes with it, whatever it was, it just proved that there's always more there. So, it was a positive takeaway. You know, it's a bummer of a weekend. So, it's an excellent way to walk away from it.

Jonathan: Yeah, I know you talked about your coach briefly. But are there any specific things he did that impacted your running career, like what he taught you?

Coach Lange: Yeah, I mean a word that I will say a lot in this interview, and something I took away from him was consistency. We always knew what to expect from him. You see everyday showing up as an athlete, knowing your coach will give you XYZ consistently, and it's not like one day he will be in a great mood. One day's going to be in a bad mood like there was just that consistency, you know, whether that was more internal from us or just how he coached us, I always wanted to prove myself to my coach. I was always working hard and thinking about that in the back of my mind. All right, I have to push not just for myself right now but for my teammates and my coach. Like I want to make him proud and notice the work I'm putting in and the progress I'm making. I appreciate the chance that he gave me my first year for the team, and it led to so many opportunities and, ultimately, where I am now. So, uh, just that. That chance that he gave was tremendously huge. But ultimately, who he was for those four years was big.

Jonathan: What is/was your most memorable moment or achievement as a coach so far?

Coach Lange, I think the coolest was The men's cross country team; when I first started here as an assistant, there were like two or three guys on the team, and then they had to pull some guys from the crew team or some roommates and, and there were, you know, some meets where we didn't score as a team. So when they read the results at the end of the meet, we would be in 15th place, blah, blah, blah. We wouldn't even be mentioned in the results because there weren't enough guys. And then, when we would have a roommate or a crew kid join, we would be mentioned in the results, and we'd inevitably be last or close to the bottom. But it was cool to hear the name; they would be so excited to hear that. Or if we beat a team, it was awesome, which is excellent. But then, you flash forward like we got runner-up at the conference championship two years later, and the guys are bummed. It's, you know, not even just the fact that they heard their name getting second compared to where it was, but it's just the standard that they built and committed to themselves. Some of those guys were on that team two years prior. And it speaks volumes, too. The growth shown in this program is just from the people who have been part of it and are just taking pride and ownership. You know, we're building off of who we were. There was value in who the alums are, but we want to continue to build this thing and make those people proud. It was just a cool, like the happiest moment, but it was an exciting moment early on that made me realize we're doing something here.

Jonathan: Focusing on athletes and their mental health, how do you balance physical training with mental preparation for your athletes?

Coach Lange: Yeah, you know, that's so important. Over time, I've learned and grown as a coach to understand to a different degree now versus ten years ago how much of a factor that plays. And in terms of getting that balance, you know, with physical health and your mental health and whether that's allowing time, you know, whether it's an extra day off or just more conversations that we have or just a different way that we use our, our language at practices and how we prepare and, and just our outlook on the season, what our goals are. It gets down to such a trim level that we're just getting to understand that everyone's going through stuff. You know, we just want to be there for each other. We want to ensure the teammates are there for each other and have the necessary resources. Because at the end of the day, this is college cross country; this isn't anything more than that. And it's easy to get carried away, caught up, and take things very seriously. But, we ground that and ensure people enjoy what they're doing and trust the people around them. And feel like their voice and their feelings are heard and reciprocated.

Jonathan: Then, focusing on some racing a little bit. What role does mental toughness play during a cross-country race, and how do you feel you help your athletes develop it?

Coach Lange: Yeah, that's a good one. Mental toughness: I read a book recently about toughness and its definition. And it's easy to think of it as just, you know, fighting through, pushing through, and just dealing with it and finding a way. However, more vulnerability is required than not to be considered challenging. You know, in terms of how you can converse with yourself, how you can process your emotions, how you can receive them and, you know, try to shift them into a different direction rather than just, you know, gritting your teeth and, you know, flexing and going like that's, that's a different kind of toughness that I think is required for racing and cross country. And there's just so much that goes into that. You know, from our end, to help develop it. And it's just building that trust in what we're doing, faith in each other, but going back to the other thing where it's like, you can't take this next step too seriously to the point where, okay, if I don't do this, then I failed, and I got hurt. It's, it isn't that, it's just that I love doing this. I'm prepared for it. Let's just see what happens. And, and if we can do that, and we're healthy, then I think that going to a show that mental toughness of, I can deal with whatever comes my way, because, I know, I've experienced some of these things, I know how to talk myself through it, I know how to get my teammates through it like that's, that's the strength.

Jonathan: Can you describe some of the team dynamics and how you foster community among your athletes?

Coach Lange: Yeah, it goes back to recruiting and trying to vet out just bringing good people. It doesn't matter if you're a state or national champ. If you're not a good teammate and you're not going to cross that line, you know, look for your teammates and support them or you know, cheer for them or find them, the value in, What people can bring to the table that isn't just from running, then that's just not who we want to be. You know, I could care less about a team that will be a lot of individuals or take things to a degree where they're going to be disrespectful. So it's just about bringing people in that care. We have many people on this team who were captains or leaders in high school, so they come in with a different mindset. They're not just thinking about themselves. They're thinking about others and handling some conflicts or challenges that you otherwise wouldn't if you weren't in that type of position. So, from the start, you have people with these experiences who are open-minded and ready to go through these things. Because it's only sometimes going to take work. We should keep things light and not let you guys take things too seriously. We're not creating too much pressure for you guys. For example, if you're comfortable in an environment where you trust people, you feel comfortable being who you are and what you can bring. That will make this team what we want it to be. And it has nothing to do with the running piece of it; it's just the things that go into that.

Jonathan: How do you help your athletes balance their academics and the demands of being a college athlete?

Coach Lange: That's where Endicott's great, just with our resources. And, from day one of working here, you hear the language a lot. More here for the students at Endicott. Like, we're here to serve you guys, and it's not as much, like, we're not getting anything out of this other than trying to help you guys, and, and making your experience as positive as it can be, and allow you the space to grow and, thrive with the resources that are here. Some people may go four years and never need any extra assistance with their classes, and others may need that help from day one, and that's okay; so you guys understand that you're not alone in that sense like you have resources on your team, you have people that have been through your major, same classes, recommend professors or not, you know, just how to structure your studying and time management. The structure helps create those skills you're trying to understand, like, all right, there's only so much time in the day. If I have an hour and a half or two hours at practice, I will prioritize the other things around that and make sure that we can, and just utilizing those resources is critical. And reiterating to people throughout the season that, you know, we got to take care of our classes. Like we're here for a substantial degree and to set ourselves up for a career. We're not necessarily here to be professional runners.

Jonathan: Can you share any strategies you've seen work to prevent burnout in runners over long seasons?

Coach Lange: Burnout is always the biggest fear for an athlete, and as a coach, he is just hoping that people don't get to that point. But I avoid big swings in our actions. These significant fluctuations in work ethic prevent that, and that's just consistency over time, consistency in your recovery and sleep, a healthy diet, staying hydrated, taking care of yourself before and after runs, not even doing the crazy workouts and the higher mileage or the long runs or the hills or this or that, it's, it's just, just doing it over time. You have to start simple, but if you can string enough of that together, you will consistently be in a good spot. Your baseline is going to be stronger and healthier, and you're going to feel better. You're going to be capable of handling more of a workload, but you never know, you know, everyone's different. People handle things differently and, you know, whether it's injury or sickness that can come up, just these things that can't be controlled to a degree can help chip away at that feeling. If we can do as much as possible to mitigate it, then that's the best way to avoid burnout.

Jonathan: How do you approach race day strategy, and what factors influence your decision-making?

Coach Lange: Yeah. So, the race day strategy is on a case-by-case basis; look at the season and the championships. Okay, what's that course like? What's that? You know, what's the terrain like? Then, we know that in our training and language and throughout practices, workouts, and team meetings. And so, you know, sometimes it's just a hilly course, and we got to, you know, fight our way through it. And time isn't a factor. It's more just how kind of a recall, how tough can we be on these challenging courses? Some courses are just grass tracks, and we will need a different type of fitness. So. That preparation is just on a case-by-case basis, but within that, it breaks things down and makes it as simple as possible for the athletes so that they don't need to spend as much time thinking or worrying about it or figuring it out in their own way. It's just that we're building fitness and working hard. We just have to get out there and trust what we're doing, and everything we've done to that point will prepare us—and just have fun with it, too. If we're taking that too seriously, then we're going to overthink something. And then when it gets tough during the race, we're going to, you know, have a hard time working through that.

Jonathan: What advice would you give younger athletes considering cross country at the high school or college level?

Coach Lange: Yeah, if you love it, you'll know if you love it and get into it for the right reasons. Don't take it too seriously, but you know, take, take what the opportunities are seriously. Being a good teammate, the chance to put in, you know, the work and, and listen to your coaches, like to take those things seriously so that you can learn and grow and, you know, look at it in a different light. But, if you're not, if you don't love it from the get-go, if you're not going into it for a good reason, then it's going to be hard to make a longer career out of it.

Jonathan: Then, looking back on your running career, is there anything you would have done differently or any advice you'd give your younger self?

Coach Lange: Yeah, just train more in the offseason. That's the number one thing, and that's the number one goal as a coach, which is to communicate to the athletes. It's just easy to tell yourself that you don't have enough time in the day for something, or you want to see your friends, or, you know, you might be tired after working a summer job. Something came up, but I figured that out later regarding my growth and development as a runner. And I saw the benefits that came from that quickly. That would be the one big thing I would change: connecting those dots earlier.

Jonathan: At the end of a cross country runner's athletic career, as we have a lot of kids graduating this season, what would you like them to take away from it the most?

Coach Lange: Just the relationships and the memories, you know, on the bus and, you know, at the locker room before and after practice, like races, you're, yeah, those will come and go with time. You're going to remember some of them. You're going to forget a lot of them. Being proud that they were part of some was more significant than being part of them. Still, they played a massive role in this program, as did who we are as people and the identity we've grown and built together. As I look back on my college experience, that time together in those relationships was my team. Some of the stupid things that happened along the way didn't seem like much, but that's what comes to my mind. If that's something that people in this team can take away in 10 to 15 years, remember those things, laugh, smile, and be proud of it. Then, that's all I can ask —and one last final question.

Jonathan: If you had to give one piece of advice to a cross-country student-athlete or a student-athlete in general, what would it be?

Coach Lange: Just as a person?

Jonathan: Just as a student-athlete in general, like, going in, either they're a freshman going into becoming a student-athlete that they've never had to handle, like, college and being an athlete they did it in high school, but a lot more. So, if you had to give them one piece of advice.

Coach Lange: Refrain from comparing anything from high school to college. Just go into it with an open mind. It's a new chapter. And don't compare who you were or what happened in high school or anything like that. It's a new slate.

#cross country #interview

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laresearchette · 5 months ago

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Saturday, September 14, 2024 Canadian TV Listing (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS 2024 (Paramount+ Canada) THE HEIRESS AND THE HANDYMAN (W Network) 8:00pm HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU (CNN) 9:00pm

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA BACK TO BLACK NWSL: ORLANDO PRIDE V KANSAS CITY CURRENT NWSL: NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE V BAY FC NWSL: PORTLAND THORNS FC V CHICAGO RED STARS

CBC GEM ALL MY PUNY SORROWS

HORSE RACING (SN360) 9:00am: Irish Champion Stakes (SN360) 5:00pm: Canada Turf Champions Day

MLB BASEBALL (SN1) 1:00pm: Red Sox vs. Yankees (SN) 3:00pm: Cardinals vs. Jays (SN) 6:00pm: Orioles vs. Tigers (SN Now) 7:00pm: Dodgers vs. Atlanta (SN) 9:30pm: Rangers vs. Mariners

CFL FOOTBALL (TSN/TSN5) 7:00pm: ALouettes vs. Stamps

MLS SOCCER (TSN3/TSN4) 7:30pm: Toronto FC vs. Austin (TSN3/TSN4) 10:30pm: Vancouver vs. San Jose

SHORT FILM FACE OFF (CBC) 8:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Amanda Parris presents Canadian directors sharing their films and vying for a cash award; films in this episode: "For Roy," "Home," "Bounce."

2024 CCMA AWARDS (CTV) 8:00pm: The 2024 CCMA Awards celebrating the best in country music.

BUYING BACK MY DAUGHTER (Global) 8:00pm: A couple organize a widespread search party when their 16-year-old daughter mysteriously disappears. When they discover she's for sale on an online escort ad, they try to buy her back to rescue her from the trafficker who abducted her.

ABDUCTED OFF THE STREET: THE CARLESHA GAITHER STORY (Lifetime Canada) 8:00pm: Carlesha Freeland-Gaither gets abducted by a homicidal predator while walking home from a family gathering. Determined to survive and outsmart her captor, she leaves clues behind at every opportunity, while her mother stops at nothing to find her.

WILD MEDITERRANEAN (Nat Geo Wild) 8:00pm (PREMIERE): Iconic creatures thrive in the remote inland habitats of the Mediterranean. Wolves stalk deer on snowy mountain peaks and two young foxes face their first year alone in Spain's dramatic coastal mountains.

LOVE IN TAHITI (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:00pm: Brielle finds all sorts of lost items and returns them to their owners. When she helps Marcus find an engagement ring that was lost, Brielle soon discovers what has been missing in her life, a treasure of the heart.

ALL MY PUNY SORROWS (CBC) 9:00pm: A struggling writer returns to her hometown after hearing about her sister's failed suicide attempt.

ALL OF US STRANGERS (Crave) 9:00pm: As a relationship develops with mysterious neighbor Harry, Adam finds himself drawn back to his childhood home, where his parents appear to be living just as they were on the day they died 30 years ago.

BLACKMAIL, LIES, AND MURDER (Super Channel Fuse) 9:00pm: Candace and Kristen's conversation takes a dark turn when Kristen suggests they each kill someone who is tormenting them -- but swap the murders. Candace laughs it off, but when her mother-in-law ends up dead, Kristen expects her to return the favor.

WAIT FOR YOUR LAUGH (Super Channel Vault) 9:00pm: The life and career of comedian Rose Marie is documented through interviews with friends and colleagues as well as never-before-seen home movies shot by the actress herself.

UFC 306 AT RIYADH SEASON NOCHE (SN Now) 9:45pm: UFC O'Malley vs Dvalishvili

EAST HARBOUR HEROES (CTV) 10:00pm: As the long-awaited crab season begins, hundreds of boats hit the water and one sailor hopes to set a world record.

THE MANNY (CTV Life) 10:00pm: Morgan stalks his way into the lives of busy social media influencer Lani and her son, Jaylen, to become their male nanny; as Morgan shows himself to be someone who is too good to be true, he meddles with Lani and Jaylen's lives.

SONS OF SUMMER (Crave) 10:50pm: To mark the anniversary of his father's death, Sean takes his friends on a road trip to a favorite beach.

DEADPOOL (CTV) 12:30am: Armed with accelerated healing powers and a twisted sense of humor, mercenary Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) adopts the alter ego Deadpool and hunts down the man (Ed Skrein) who nearly destroyed his life.

#cdntv #cancon #canadian tv #canadian tv listings #short film face off #ccma awards #east harbour heroes #horse racing #mlb baseball #cfl football #mls soccer

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ppcseo · 11 months ago

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#baseballcards #HiltonHead #AmericanCulture #collectibles #MLB #memorabilia #youthleagues #TomWilson #tradingcards #Topps #Fleer #WillieMays #HankAaron #SandyKoufax #1969Mets #nostalgia #priceguides #JDDurbin #cardshops #tradingshows

#baseball cards #baseballcards #hiltonhead #hilton head island #american culture #americanculture #collectibles #mlb #mlb fanart #mlb fandom #mlb american league #mlb au #memorabilia #youthleagues

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therealimintobooks · 1 year ago

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Along the Dusty Road by Joey Jones @JoeyJonesWriter @xpressotours #giveaway

Along the Dusty RoadJoey JonesPublication date: October 5th 2023Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense An unexpected love. A surprising second chance. Everything Luke Bridges always wanted is in the small coastal North Carolina town where he has spent most of his twenty-six years—a fulfilling mental health therapy career, a loving family, baseball games with his dad, an adventurous beach…

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#Romantic Suspense

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news247planet · 1 year ago

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#Baseball #College #Baseball School Baseball Regional 2023: Outcomes, Highlights and Bracket from Friday https://news247planet.com/?p=483093

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saltingthecookingwine · 11 months ago

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Ok, I’m in no way any kind of Kentucky expert. I’ve been there precisely twice, once I visited the University of Kentucky to see if I wanted to matriculate there (I did not). The other time I was on a cross country road trip and I stopped in Louisville to see the Kentucky Derby Mueseum and drink a mint julep or six. I also went by the Mammoth Cave system, fucking cool. Stayed for two nights, maybe three. It was sometime around 2009ish.

But check out this list of the roadside attractions on offer. The world’s largest crucifix? The world’s largest bat, both baseball and flapping. So much weird shit.

The big cave system means there are a ton of unexplained disappearances too. And the whole state is pretty rural. Not too many big cities, and we all know the weirdest shit tends to grow out in the boonies.

Also they’re way too fond of that Kentucky bluegrass, the grass isn’t even particularly blue. The mint juleps are top notch though. My favorite stop was Bourbon County, where they distill some great whiskey. The Wild Turkey tasting room has a gigantic taxidermied Tom turkey in full flight which is worth a trip.

A weirdness about the people there - they are completely and utterly obsessed with the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team. This is typical American behavior you say? Not exactly. In the American south and Midwest, college football is king. Basketball is a coastal obsession. Kentucky is smack in the middle of football territory, but they have a terrible football program and a good basketball one. Hence, a regionally unsuitable obsession. One that gets them made fun of by Alabama and Tennessee and South Carolina and Texas, certainly.

So it’s a weird place. In the south, but kinda the Midwest too. If you’re already in the area, go get a whiskey and see some weird roadside attractions too.

If anyone has anyone can infodump to me about vultures right now go for it

This has nothing to do with Dimension 20 I swear

#kentucky #I am not an expert #whiskey #horse racing #bluegrass

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dalydose22 · 4 years ago

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paisley-print · 4 years ago

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Near The Water’s Edge: Chapter One

After fleeing your abusive husband, you find yourself in the small coastal town of July, North Carolina. Soon you meet Frankie Morales, Air Force Veteran and single dad. As the two of you grow closer, you begin to let go of your past and learn to love again. That is until a strange man shows up in town, and you 're forced to choose between your safety or the safety of the people that you love.

Inspired by the novel “Safe Haven�� written by Nicolas Sparks.

Frankie Morales x Female Reader

Rating: 18+ / Heavy adult themes eventual smut.

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Drowning, Dark Water.

Word Count: 1744

Note: I tagged everyone who liked the original posts. To stay on the permanent list please either send me a message or write it on the post. Enjoy <3

Series Master List

Chapter One

Aggressively American, that was the only fitting description of the place you found yourself in. July was a coastal town located in the southern part of North Carolina. It was pronounced like ‘Julie’ but nobody ever called it that. It had been the farthest place your two hundred dollars in cash could take you; and as the greyhound pulled away, you wondered if you should have chosen Nebraska instead.

It wasn’t that the town was dirty, quite the opposite actually...it just felt manufactured. Too perfect to be real. The streets were named things like Liberty and Independence. The shop fronts were brick and all along the main street there were American flags and flower pots holding red, white and blue geraniums.

The name Norman Rockwell came to mind.

As you walked along the main street, you surveyed the many shopfronts. To a passerby it seemed as though you were looking to buy something - in your mind, however, your thoughts were racing.

‘I made a mistake, I know I did.’ You analyzed the last few hours, replaying the memories over and over again as if on VHS; scrutinizing every last detail. ‘He would track me down, find me - by morning. Should I go back? No- it was too late for that.’

It was still early in the afternoon, but finding a place to sleep tonight was paramount. The trip had taken eleven hours straight through. Only ever stopping to change buses and refuel - you were exhausted and your muscles ached.

‘Food,’ you thought ‘I should eat…’

But did you have enough? Depending on how much a motel cost around here, you figured you would only have enough to cover a room for one night. So food would have to wait.

As you rounded a corner, you were met with the sight of the bay. It wasn’t anything like the brown water in New Jersey, the water here was a deep green. The boats created little swells along the surface, and the sun’s glint off the peaks made it look like the water was filled with emeralds.

On the left side of the street stood a marina and dockside restaurant. The smell of food made your stomach grumble. On the right side was a series of Victorian style houses, stone pillars and large porches dominated the structures.

A sign in front of one had caught your attention: American Dreams B&B.

‘Jesus’ you thought ‘they’re really leaning into this whole aesthetic aren’t they?’

A bell on the front door chimed as you entered. The decor of the place looked dated; as if it hadn’t been touched since the 80s. Lots of wood tones and floral patterns. You didn’t mind it though…. it made you feel at home.

An older woman was sitting at the front desk watching a soap opera on a little TV perched on the counter. She looked up and smiled as you approached.

“Hello there. How can I help you today?”

“Do you have any rooms open?”

“Sure do, we have three vacancies right now.”

Relief washed over you, “what’s the nightly rate for the smallest?”

“That would be the pink room at $175 a night.”

More than you had anticipated…. “All take it, thank you.”

The woman turned to the computer. The monitor was old and heavy- it looked bigger than the TV. “Driver’s license?”

You hadn’t even thought of that… “I don’t have one, would a birth certificate work?”

You cringed at the sound of it. Who carries around a birth certificate as identification? It was all you had, so you gave it to her, however you knew that the odd request made you stick out in the woman’s mind. Surely she would remember you if someone came asking…

The woman hesitated but took the certificate, reading it out loud “Summer Emma Sparks.”

You swallowed hard and shifted on your feet, feeling sick. The circumstances surrounding how you secured the certificate flooding your mind...

‘I needed it,’ you remind yourself.

The woman, whose name you found out to be Mae, handed you a key and sent you on your way. Now the plan would be to look for a job, something that worked off of tips. Having as much cash available to take with you at a moment’s notice was important. First, though, you would sleep.

And as the tide lapped against the boat dock across the street, you slipped into the darkest, soundest slumber you had in years. You were safe for the time being.

There was something to be said about the little joys surrounding small town life. In New Jersey neighbors barely knew each other, and would even go so far as to avert their eyes or turn their backs when passing them on the street. Here though, people were kind.

Too kind sometimes, always pressing you with questions...you couldn’t fault them for it though. If you were here under normal circumstances, you would have welcomed such friendly chatter. It almost pained you to be so dismissive, but you needed to be, for your safety and theirs. The less anybody knows about you, the better.

You set down a tray of empty cups and looked at the clock on the wall, debating whether to take another table. Even though your shift technically didn’t end for another twenty minutes, most of the night servers were already here and the day had been long.

You managed to get a job at the restaurant next to the marina on your second day in town. The owner suggested you start the following weekend, but you persuaded him to let you train that day just so you could get the free meal that they provided with every shift. The tips weren’t enough to buy a hotel room though, and so you had to sleep on the beach that night.

Thankfully, the tips for the last few days had been good, allowing you to buy a week in the bed-and-breakfast. Most of the servers at the restaurant were teenagers who could only work the evenings, allowing you to take as many morning and afternoon shifts as you wanted. Sometimes there would be another server with you, but most days you were alone. You didn’t mind one bit, the dining room was small and easy for you to handle by yourself.

You had your eye on a few rental properties on the far side of town. A mobile home community offering one bedroom complexes for dirt cheap prices. You were suspicious at first, but after taking a walk through the neighborhood you realized most of the people who lived there were snowbirds or weekend warriors.

Those residents who did live their full time seemed like you, friendly people who had fallen on bad times. They weren’t the confederate flag wielding, dip spitting, rednecks you first thought they would be; and for that you were thankful.

“Summer….. Summer.”

You turned suddenly, remembering that was your name. “Yeah?”

Your boss was holding two containers of soup “do me a favor and put these in the fridge before you go?”

“Of course,” you said, allowing him to pass the containers off to you.

The fridge was a separate unit out back; it looked like a little shed. From where you were, you could see a full view of the marina. It was set a little farther back than the restaurant. To the left, lines of boats bobbed up and down with the tide. There was a parking lot next to that, then at the very end was a house... or what you assumed was a house.

Elevated about six feet on stilts and spanning two stories high. It wasn’t anything like the grand Victorians that stood opposite of it. It was unassuming, modern and clean. Your eyes fixed on movement off to the side. Below the house to the right, you noticed a little girl. She had to be no more than three years of age, reaching for something over the bulkhead. A feeling of dread clutched at your stomach.

‘She’s going to fall’ you thought suddenly.

Both containers of soup hit the ground and exploded - painting the side of the building. You didn’t even notice as you sprinted down the shelled driveway towards the house. The splash came as soon as you threw open the gate and without even a moment of hesitation; you jumped into the water.

It was freezing, like little needles pricking your skin from all sides. The salt water stung your eyes like something wicked, but you forced yourself to keep them open. You scanned what was around you, murky green darkness and foliage that reached up from the sand like the tendrils of a kraken. Threatening to grab you and pull you down into its watery depths.

Your eyes landed on a flash of pink below. With all of your strength you pushed yourself forward, hooking an arm around the girl and bringing you both to the surface. Just as you broke through the world above, you saw a man skid to a stop and reach for the girl in your arms.

You gasped, and the little girl coughed and hiccuped... then started to cry. It was music to your ears; it meant that she was breathing. You held the girl up as far as possible; the man took her and moved away from the bulkhead.

“Make sure she’s okay,” you choked, the water assaulting your senses. You tread for a moment longer before the man reappeared and offered you his hand. You took it and he pulled you from the water easily.

Bracing yourself on the bulkhead you brought your weight over the rest of the way. The man immediately turned his attention back to the little girl, bringing her to his chest and clutching her as she wailed.

You blinked, hands coming up to rub the salt from your eyes, the world coming back into focus. The man was older, wearing a navy blue baseball cap and a grey flannel.

His brown eyes still held a spark of panic in them as he looked at you. “I don’t know how I could ever thank you enough….she was right there, then I turned around and….” He held onto her a little tighter and sighed, closing his eyes. The little girl was settling into a mess of sniffles and whimpers. “Don’t ever do that again, baby,” he breathed.

Tag List For This Chapter Only:

@heythere-mel @aquilacorvinal @krystlebee @pedro-pascal1503 @giizhkens-cedar @luckystrikesalterego @rayofhalsey @almost-golden-again @myheart-pedro @the-cosmic-ghost-18 @sewmanystitchssewlittletime @wwwbackslashcreedthoughts @anabundanceofmeg @petermj213

Permanent Tag List:

@hnt-escape

#pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal fanfic #triple frontier #Frankie fanfiction #frankie morales #Frankie Morales fanfic #Frankie Morales fanfiction #pedro fanfic #pedro fanfiction #nearthewater'sedge #frankie has a daughter #its basically canon at this point #so I stuck with it

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mlboracle · 6 years ago

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#baseball #sports #gifs #road #to #carolina #omaha #cws #coastal #ccu #collegebaseball

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libraryofsports · 6 years ago

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#baseball #road #to #carolina #omaha #cws #coastal #ccu #chanticleers #collegebaseball #NBA #Basketba

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snowlessknitter · 5 years ago

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Things The Golden Girls Got Wrong About Florida

Now, we all know how much I absolutely love The Golden Girls. While the show is set in Miami, Florida, the show itself was produced in Los Angeles and created and run by Hollywood people. And of course, there are some things that the show does get wrong about Florida culture as a result. Here are a few of them.

Floridians, in general, do not use the term “lanai”. The term “lanai” is actually of Hawaiian origin and refers to a covered/roofed porch or veranda. (Which means that Blanche’s lanai isn’t even a lanai in the original sense of the word, since Blanche’s lanai is open-air and does not have a roof over it.) “Lanai” is kind of seen as a term used by rich people or people wanting to appear fancy, and the majority of Floridians aren’t rich or fancy. The term that Floridians usually use is either a “porch” (which would be a raised area) or a “patio” (a concrete or tiled area resting right on the ground); Blanche’s lanai is more properly a patio.

There is no such thing as the Sunshine Cadets. Florida has Girl Scout troops just like everywhere else. And we do love our share of Girl Scout cookies as well. (My personal favorites are the Thin Mints, Samoas, Peanut Butter Patties, and S’mores.)

As far as I know, there is no such town as Appalachichobee (although we do have some city names that come from Native American terms), and trains in Florida usually do leave on time. The town featured in the episode “Bedtime Stories” is fictional, and the name is a combination of “Appalachian” and “Okeechobee”. And while Lake Okeechobee is very prominent in Florida’s geography, the Appalachian Mountains come nowhere near Florida. In fact, Florida’s highest point is Britton Hill, which has an elevation of just 345 feet above sea level. (Florida’s terrain is classified as coastal plains, and thus most of our land is flat. The lowest elevation in the state is sea level.) As for the trains...as far as I know, there is no place in Florida where trains regularly leave early. As for the ticket vendor’s accent...he sounds more like he’s from Georgia or the Carolinas than from Florida. Most white Floridians speak in what’s called a “Florida Cracker” accent that sounds more like a southern drawl than the lilt associated with southern gentry/“southern belles”.

Most Floridians say “vayse”, not “vahse”. The pronunciation of “vase” with a short A is seen as unnecessarily fancy, and being that most Floridians aren’t rich or they live in the more rural areas, we typically say “vase” with a long A like most other people.

The baseball game that Dorothy, Sophia, and Stan attend in the episode “Bang the Drum, Stanley” is definitely not a Major League Baseball game. Although the Dodgers are mentioned in the episode, Florida did not have its own Major League Baseball team until the Florida Marlins began play in 1993 (the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays, now the Tampa Bay Rays, began play in 1997). At the time the episode aired in 1988, Miami had one minor league baseball team, the Miami Marlins of the Florida State League (named in honor of a previous minor league team that had relocated to Puerto Rico after the 1960 season), and was renamed the Miami Miracle the following year. That team relocated to Fort Myers in 1992 and became the Fort Myers Miracle, the name they would play under until 2019. This year, the club changed its name to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. It has been the Single A-Advanced affiliate of the Minnesota Twins since 1992. The Major League club, the Florida Marlins, changed its name to the Miami Marlins in 2012. As for the Dodgers, the closest Dodgers minor league affiliate at the time of the episode’s original air date was the Vero Beach Dodgers (and Vero Beach is up in Indian River County, about 130 miles and a two-hour drive north of Miami). The Vero Beach Dodgers have since relocated to Port Charlotte, Florida and now play as the Charlotte Stone Crabs. The Stone Crabs are currently the Single A-Advanced affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Any other Floridians out there who can point out things that The Golden Girls may have gotten wrong about Florida?

#the golden girls #florida

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