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cuquitalocita · 3 years ago

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i love you yeah yeah yeah |rowaelin month- day 3|

rowaelin masterlist

an: i’m not gonna lie, i had so so much fun writing this one! i’m a tennis player and my sister is as well, therefore why i know so much about the junior pro league. for those of you who don’t know, the orange bowl is an actual tournament played internationally for juniors and i’m ranting wow so anyway i hope this isn’t too tennis vocab-y :)

word count: 3,876

It’s the final two days before competition at the International Orange Bowl this year being held in Terrasen and it’s no surprise that tensions between players and academies are more than high. We’re so glad to be here for yet another year of thrilling competition in which the winners will automatically be placed into the first round of the U.S. Open. I, for one, and more than excited to see some new teen faces this year, what about you, Gavriel?

You know Cairn, I completely agree and as someone from Terrasen, you must be more than excited to see some friendly competition on your home turf.

Oh, I sure am excited, but I don’t know if you’d call this competition exactly ‘friendly.’ For those of you unaware, the rivalry between the TAT (Tennis Academy of Terrasen) and the DTC (Doranelle Tennis Center) has been going on for close to ten years now, beginning all the way back to when founders Maeve Vesta and Evalin Galathynius were in college, rivals through and through. Now adults, their children carry on their competitive legacy, taking the nation by storm. If you see the final match of any tournament, you can bet your money it’s a Doranelle kid and a Terrasen kid.

The stakes sure are high during this tournament, as it isn’t closed, like the academies’ usual ones. Instead, anyone player eighteen years old and younger with the qualifying points was eligible to register. I’m looking forward to seeing some new faces this year.

Me too, but you can never go wrong with the usual suspects. This year, my money is on eighteen year- old Rowan Whitethorn from Doranelle, ranked second in the country, in the men’s finals. As Maeve’s nephew, Rowan has been put in the spotlight for most of his life, not to mention taking a clear leadership role among the DTC alongside Lorcan Salvaterre.

That’s a good point, Gavriel, in the past years Rowan has made it to at least the quarter-finals but has always lost before he can truly do. I have a feeling the kid has a lot more in him. And as for the women, I wouldn’t be too surprised to see the Terrasen seventeen year- old cruising through a few rounds before her tough competition starts. We can’t expect anything less than Evalin Galathynius’ daughter, right?

I for one, am more than excited for pre- first-round interviews. It’s always quite interesting to see each players’ mindset before they set out for blood.

“What do you think our favorite golden girl has in store for us this year, Gavriel? Something tells me she’s a little more than annoyed given what happened at the finals of the last international tournament held in Terassen when Remelle Frost from the Doranelle academy beat her in what was the biggest upset of the season.”

Aelin rolled her eyes and glared at the back of her mother’s seat, the woman in question frowning as the annoying voice of Cairn Rossa rang through the rental car. She reached forward to turn the station off just as Gavriel’s voice rang out once more.

“Let’s not beat around the bush here, Cairn,” the older man was responding. “I’ve been doing this just a bit longer than you enough to know when a player isn’t themselves. One loss isn’t the definition of a player the same way one win isn’t either. I suggest both teams- including Aelin and Remelle themselves- step onto the court, and play.”

Aelin let out a satisfied huff. She knew she had always liked Gavriel. Aelin liked that the man looked at the players as more than just players in a video game or statistics on a screen. As a former player himself, Aelin knew the man understood the game in and out and was more than qualified to report during the national tournaments, no matter where he was born and what side he was essentially placed on.

The station was snapped off as her mother’s finger found the correct button, earning an annoyed glare from the Uber driver next to her that she promptly ignored in favor of turning back to her daughter, opening her mouth to say something. Aelin’s own eyes stared back at her before shifting down to the phone she held in her hand. It had just buzzed signaling a new notification that had her mother lifting her brows.

Aelin immediately shifted forward in an attempt to look over her mother’s should before her hand was on her face, batting her daughter away with a motherly ‘leave me alone’ look. She relented, leaning back into her seat with slumped shoulders. Finally, her mother huffed but remained with her back facing Aelin.

She knew it was different this year, she could practically feel it in the air. Without her father with the two women in the car, the tournament atmosphere was a different universe.

It was getting dark outside, the sun setting behind them as they drove through the dazzling city. The car came to an abrupt stop in front of the hotel that sent Aelin jerking out of her own thoughts. Her mother turned back to her with a sad knowing smile and patted her daughter’s knee.

“We’re here. Try to get some sleep- you have a long day tomorrow.”

“What’s the plan for today?” Aelin asked her mother around a mouthful of bagel the next morning. It wasn’t every day the founder of the University came to watch her players in a tournament, but whoever won this won would be fed into the first round of an official professional tournament. It would be amazing PR for the academy, Aelin knew, but she also knew her mother felt bad that her father had escorted Aelin to all of her tournaments in prior years. And now that he wasn’t here anymore…

“Eat up- after you’re done I’ve reserved three courts at the complex and we’ll get together with everyone.” ‘Everyone’ being every other players from the academy who had enough points to enter the qualifiers. Not all of them were as highly ranked as Aelin, but she found it helpful to train with them all the same. They were her friends. “We do need to pick Lysandra up from the airport first though,” she said as she frowned at her phone. “Her flight was supposed to have landed a few minutes ago but she hasn’t reached out…”

Aelin rolled her eyes at her mother, she always did have a thing with protectiveness over her best friend.

“Mom, don’t worry about it,” Aelin assured her. “Aed said he would pick her up and then meet us at the courts. I wouldn’t want to be in that car if I were you.” She faked a gag, causing her mother to laugh.

“Alright then. Eat, find your rackets, and take the rental to the courts. It was just delivered this morning. I have some business to finish here at the hotel.” She left Aelin with a kiss to the head.

It didn’t take long for Aelin to pull up to the familiar yet daunting tennis complex bigger than even the academy, and she pushed the car into park, simply staring for a moment.

This was it.

Three years she had come close to winning as the youngest person in history. So close. But this was the year. This was her year. She could do this. She would do this.

And so Aelin Galathynius pushed her shoulders back and raised her chin as she grabbed her massive tennis bag from the trunk and slung it over her shoulders. The weight was heavy and familiar as she walked through the glass double doors and to the front desk, only to halt in her tracks when she came face to face with a familiar head of silver hair.

Rowan Whitethorn.

She had quite often mused about how unfair it was that her essential biggest rival was so attractive. It didn’t really make hating him very fair, now did it? But there he stood, green eyes shining and teeth flashing as he snapped something at the young man at the desk. The poor boy looked ready to pee himself and Aelin couldn’t help but release a sharp laugh, causing both Rowan and the blonde next to him to whip around.

Aelin watched as Rowan’s eyes sparked and his mouth curved into a sneer as he took her in from head to toe. She forced herself still and kept her eyes on his face. It was all she could do. Rowan opened his mouth and Aelin prepared her hackles to rise instantly.

“Aelin. Good to see you here.” But it wasn’t Rowan who spoke. No, it was Remelle Frost, her least favorite bottle blonde on the planet that spoke as she curled a possessive hand over Rowan’s bicep. Aelin simply rolled her eyes, never one to beat around the bush. It was common knowledge that the blondes didn’t like each other. And after the Adarlan tournament, Aelin wouldn’t hide her disdain for the girl.

“Wish I could say the same,” she replied dismissively as she shouldered past Rowan and made for the front desk. One charming smile and the boy seemed to handle her much better than Rowan. She gave him her mother’s name, him quickly nodding a confirmation and giving her the court numbers, saying they would be available in just a moment.

She turned around, unsurprised to see Rowan glaring at the back of her head. It had been almost eight years of this rivalry. At least for them. Aelin thought it might’ve been a little ridiculous, considering that it started with her mother and his aunt, but the Doranelle kids just made it so easy to hate them. So easy to want to pound them on and off the court. She wouldn’t apologize for the adrenaline the rivalry provided her with.

Aelin smirked, cocking her hip. “Like what you see?”

“Hardly,” he growled. “Just wondering whether or not you actually came to play this time.”

Aelin recognized the comment for what it was- a direct jab to the last tournament where she had lost to Remelle. If the comment hadn’t pissed her off so much she would’ve recognized the compliment for what it was.

“Well, that depends which game you’re talking about, Whitethorn.” Her voice was just teasing enough to annoy him once more, and Aelin’s grin grew.

“Don’t you have a court to go find?” Remelle cut in from beside Rowan, who had distanced himself from her. Aelin didn’t blame him. She wanted to do the same thing.

“And here I was enjoying our little chat. I’ll see you guys tomorrow, mar sin leat.”

“This isn’t Terrasen,” Remelle hissed. “We say ‘good luck’ here. Gods, you Terrasen kids are pieces of-”

Someone caught her by the waist as Aelin attempted to throw herself at the girl and she was soon spun around in their arms, coming face to face with her own eyes. Aedion’s were flashing too as his eyes were fixed behind her, no doubt at Rowan.

“Leave it, Ace, it’s not worth it.”

“It’s true, princess,” Rowan finally spoke with a sneer. “You’re gonna need those pretty little hands tomorrow. Wouldn’t want you to have an excuse when you get your ass kicked.”

“Oh, I’ll show you-”

Aedion dragged her away before she could get another word out, her fists clenched and her teeth bared. She shoved him when he put her down.

“Fucking Doranelle,” Aedion spat under his breath as he shook his head.

He merely gestured to a figure behind her, causing Aelin to whip around with wide eyes. Shit. Duke Perrington grinned at her through the snake-eyed lens of his camera and gave her a tiny wave as she bared her teeth at him

Perfect. Now it would look like Terrasen had begun a fight before the tournament even began.

Her mother was going to kill her.

Aelin felt like the stadium had never been bigger. She had known this year she would be playing where the professionals themselves did, including Maeve and her mother, but never in a million years had it looked so daunting or made her feel so small.

The tournament had been, well needless to say, easy for Aelin so far. She had breezed through her first few matches, absolutely destroying the poor girls, and her third had been straight sets as well. But now it was the semis. And she would have to face Remelle on center court. It seemed the gods liked playing jokes on Aelin Galathynius.

She could feel every pair of eyes snap to hers the moment she stepped onto the court but she looked forward. Maybe she was a crowd favorite- but that would do her no favors in the upcoming match. Aelin thought she was going to hurl all over her new shoes and she let the deafening cheering of the audience cover the sound of her pounding heart.

Remelle walked in not long after she and Aelin met her in the middle of the court, racket in hand. Showtime.

Aelin might have been paying attention when the coin had been flipped, might have been minimally involved when she called heads or when she won the call and opted to serve first. She might have been only slightly aware of her surroundings as she took a small sip of her water and walked to the back of the court.

And then it was movement.

It was backward and forwards, side to side, low and high, and it was the same dance Aelin knew better than anything. The same feeling in her feet when she sprinted to the ball and the same stretch of muscles when she reached for a shot. This was who she was- this was the pattern she had lived for ten years.

But it didn’t seem to matter, not as the score continued to tip less and less in her favor with every passing point. She was playing well- but Remelle was playing better. And there was nothing Aelin could do but survive and ignore the satisfied smirks the other girl would throw her during their side changes.

Think, Aelin, think.

Nothing was coming to her head. All she could hear was the pounding adrenaline through her body telling her to play. To cross each bridge when she came to it. There was nothing more she could do than play.

It was then, when Aelin threw herself at a particularly difficult ball, that she felt something shift. And she knew she was screwed.

Aelin was a tennis player- she had rolled her ankle before. But this was different. It had never hurt this bad. And as the rest of her body came down with her ankle, she thought that it could be it. That it was the end of the match all due to a stupid ankle injury.

With her heart in her throat, Aelin signaled to the red- headed umpire.

Injury, she mouthed to her, and the woman- Ansel, it seemed her name was- simply nodded. She was in the massive locker room without a second thought, dragging out a spare bucket of ice held in one of the corners of the room and shoved her foot it. Might as well get it over with.

Aelin winced as the ice on her foot began to take effect and her muscles began to ache, her breathing beginning to lose its consistency. Gods, she hated this. She hated the useless feeling that came over her at the thought of possibly being unable to finish the match. At the thought of all the people, she would be letting down.

She was tired. Aelin was so, so tired.

Gods, she just needed-

The door to the locker room burst open with a loud and abrupt clang, causing Aelin to jerk forward, spilling water on the ground as she opened her mouth. She was ready to tell them that she needed some privacy before her eyes locked onto a familiar figure that sent her heart pounding for a different reason.

“Rowan, you can’t be in here!”

The hulking boy ignored her protests, striding over her in no more than a few steps, both of his hands immediately going to the base of her neck to search her gaze with his own worried one, clearly not caring that he was in the girl’s locker room and would be kicked out of the tournament if he was found.

“Are you alright?” he insisted, his voice low and hoarse, forest eyes intense.

The gentleness in which he touched her had Aelin sighing and her hands reached up to lightly take hold of his wrists, bringing them down and gathering them in her own hands to hold to her chest.

She hadn’t meant to fall for Rowan Whitethorn.

But like everything in her life, it had happened quickly and unexpectedly, and Aelin had dealt with it head-on. It had been a year now. An entire year of playing tournaments in each other’s home’s just so they could see each other. Just so no suspicion was be aroused by the tabloids.

And Aelin hated it.

All she wanted to do was be able to link her hand through Rowan’s in public without causing a public scandal about a decade-long rivalry.

“I’m okay, you fussy buzzard,” she teased as she looked at him, pleased to see when the frown on his lips twitched the slightest bit upward. “It was just a little fall. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

But because he knew her so well, he had heard the uncertainty and fear in her voice as she spoke. So saying nothing, he pulled Aelin to his chest and allowed his arms to wrap around her completely, enveloping her in the scent that she had considered home for months.

And as she breathed him in, she wished home wasn’t always so godsdamned far.

Rowan let her breathe shakily into his chest, constantly running a soothing hand up and down her back as he hummed a small melody that he often did to get her to sleep over the phone at night. Aelin was the first person to admit it was much better in person.

“You don’t have to do it, Aelin,” he said finally, his movements never ceasing. “You don’t owe them anything.”

She knew who he was referring to of course, of the people who had come to watch the new ‘upcoming star’ in action and were expecting to see quite the show. They were the people Aelin had been trained to want to impress.

Aelin pulled back to tilt her chin up and look him in the eyes.

“I can’t just quit, Rowan. I won’t.”

“You have nothing to prove, Fireheart.” And Aelin almost broke as he used the nickname her father had. “Not to anyone.”

She shook her head, helplessness seeping through her body more and more as she looked at the boy in front of her. The pain in her ankle was even worse now. Unsurprisingly, he noticed, and his calloused hands moved to her wrists as he lead her back over to the bucket of ice water.

He kneeled down in front of the bench as she sat down and placed her foot in the water, wincing along with her even after she threw a glare at him.

I don’t see you with a foot in ice.

Seeing you in pain is enough to hurt me, his eyes gazed back playfully. Aelin rolled her eyes, quickly shutting them as another shock of pain rushed through her body, making her inhale sharply.

Her boyfriend frowned once more, clearly upset he could do nothing to help her. So he gathered her hands in his own, bringing them to his face to place a gentle kiss on them, pulling an unwitting smile from Aelin.

“I love you,” she said quietly. Rowan met her soft gaze for a moment before Aelin leaned forward, capturing his lips with hers in a kiss she hoped said everything she couldn’t. Thank you, I don’t know what I would do without you. I wish we weren’t a secret.

“I love you too, Fireheart.”

She would never get sick of hearing him say that. Of hearing the utter truth in his words.

Rowan was watching her with that adoring look he reserved only for her, his face open so she could see every emotion playing across his face. It only made her want to kiss him again.

So she did, although this time he met her halfway, taking her chin lightly between two fingers and tilting it up so he could kiss her thoroughly as her hands rested at the base of his neck, lightly twirling the pieces of soft hair she found there.

They sat there for a while, simply kissing, enjoying the feeling of each other’s lips and proximity when it was so few and far between, and Aelin relished in the feeling of loving someone who loved her back. In the feeling of not having to act.

When she accidentally tugged at a knot in his hair, Rowan pulled away with a painful groan and a nip to her bottom lip, causing Aelin to laugh and push his cheek away with two fingers.

“Sorry, Buzzard,” she laughed as Rowan stood up, with a playful glare. He folded his arms in front of him and it was only then that Aelin remembered she had a foot inside of a bucket of ice. And her medical time out was running out. “Shit. I have to go.”

Aelin jumped into action, taking her foot out of the ice with a hiss and grabbing a towel as Rowan maneuvered himself around her to find her shoes and socks. Apparently he had understood her message loud and clear about her intentions on forfeiting the match or not- he wasn’t stupid enough to argue with her.

Quickly enough, Aelin was good as new- well, as new as she could be with a half swollen ankle.

“Well,” she dropped her arms to her sides and turned to her boyfriend. “How do I look?”

“Like an idiot who shouldn’t be playing.”

“Or…?” she arched a brow. Rowan sighed and stepped toward her, his hands bracing both of her arms as he leaned forward to press an earnest kiss to her forehead.

“Or Terrasen’s champion,” he murmured against her skin.

Aelin grinned, a wicked and feral smile that meant she was ready to raise hell.

“Now that’s more like it.”

If someone had asked Aelin to regale the crowd with details of her match after she had come out victorious, she would have been unable to do so. Because all she remembered was the pounding of her feet on the ground, and the neon color of the tennis ball, and the feeling of her heart palpitating in her chest.

Oh, and of course she couldn’t forget the moment after her match- winning shot, when every care and inhibition had left her in one foul swoop. When she had sprinted over to the stands and thrown herself into the arms of the silver- haired enemy, delighting in his deep laughter..

And kissed him in the middle of the stadium for all to see.

this prompt was: secret dating

taglist:

@story-scribbler

@rowaelinismyotp

@live-the-fangirl-life

@claralady

@surielandiareendgame

#aelin galythinius #rowan whitethorn #aelin #rowan #aelin x rowan #rowan x aelin #rowaelin #rowaelin fic #rowaelin fanfiction #rowaelin au #rowaelin modern au #tog #sjm #throne of glass #rowaelin month

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dalerwalker2 · 3 years ago

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Reinaldo Marcus Green, the black and Latino director of "King Richard," speaks about fathers and sports.

They're regarded as two of the greatest tennis players of all time. Reinaldo Marcus Green, a Black and Latino film director, aims to transport spectators to a time before Venus and Serena Williams were champions — when all they had was an ambitious plan devised by a dedicated father who wore short shorts and a cowboy hat on a tennis court in Compton, California. "King Richard," directed by Green, opens nationally on Friday and depicts the tale of Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams (played by Will Smith). He embarks on a family journey from modest origins to the brink of tennis fame and prosperity with his wife, Oracene 'Brandy' Williams (played by Aunjanue Ellis). In an interview with News, Green said of Williams, "To the outside world, he was fairly contentious, vocal, and colourful."

In 2018, director Reinaldo Marcus Green attended the Sundance Film Festival. The filmmaker grew interested in showcasing another side of Williams' character after meeting the family and hearing their tale. "He was simply a parent trying to do the best he could with the resources he had to do right by his kids." "No one is flawless," Green said. "He's picked up some valuable lessons along the road." At the conclusion of our film, he had to accept that his girls were growing up, and he had to figure out what to do when that happened. Do you tighten your grip or relax?" Green was born in the Bronx and grew up on Staten Island and other areas of New York City. His father is Black and his mother is Puerto Rican. Green said that his neighbourhood was similar to Compton. about King Richard : ‘King Richard’ Trailer: Will Smith Transforms Into Venus and Serena Williams’ Father Green's mother and father opted to have him and his sibling live with their father when his parents split. Green said, "They really wanted us to have a father figure in the family." "It was also essential for my mother." The filmmaker said he can't help but compare his father to Williams, who was raising two boys to be big league baseball stars. "We had a father who was comparable to ours... I was born and raised on a baseball field. I was a trip and all-star baseball player "Green, who also played in college, agreed. "My father, too, was dressed in short shorts. So I understood what it was like to grow up with a father who other people thought was a bit odd, but who you knew deep down was a great man." When depicting the narrative of two Black sisters who became champions in a sport that has been unavailable to many different youngsters, Green wanted to convey that degree of intricacy and sincerity to audiences. The film, according to the filmmaker, is a one-of-a-kind look into the Williams sisters' early existence. Viewers will watch them take their initial steps toward becoming pros at an early age, as their parents laid the groundwork for all of their future tennis and other achievements. Green described them as "ambassadors for their neighbourhood." "Tennis is only one facet of what they've accomplished." Increasing judicial diversity Carlos Mendez, the founder of the Multicultural Tennis Association, recalls seeing tennis courts in his mostly Latino East Los Angeles neighbourhood as a kid. The courts, on the other hand, were all shut down. Williams, who devised a tennis plan for his children about 12 miles away in Compton, finds similar ground with the Mexican American parent. "When I saw the movie 'King Richard,' I discovered a lot of parallels and similarities," Mendez stated in a video interview. "It was critical for me to push my daughter, as a Latina, to do something outside of our heritage, our comfort zone." Mendez said that he wanted his daughter to have the chance to play tennis as she grew up. However, when his daughter began at a country club as the only Latina in a class of 30, he says the original purpose of sharing his love of tennis with his family evolved into spreading the sport with other people of his community.

Carlos Mendez, who formed the Multicultural Tennis Association, believes he can make a difference. "There aren't a lot of kids out there that look like me or like my kids," he remarked. "Only around 6% of collegiate tennis players are Hispanic, compared to approximately 25% of soccer players." Mendez created the Multicultural Tennis Association in Las Vegas, and he's now based in Chicago, where the organisation has grown thanks to the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation's support and is conducting free activities in inner-city parks in collaboration with the Chicago Parks District. But, in addition to the objective of making tennis more inexpensive and accessible, Mendez believes a cultural revolution is required. "We don't really push our young females to go out there and compete in our society," he remarked. "We need to tear down that barrier and enable youngsters to pack those tennis courts," says the author. Mendez, like Williams in the film, feels that combining school and athletics is the key to success. "As a father, it's critical for me to raise a well-rounded child," says the author "he said "And kids shouldn't only believe they'll be the next champion; what happens if they don't become professional tennis players?"

A scene from "King Richard" with Demi Singleton, Will Smith, and Saniyya Sidney. "Stories are being written for us." Green argues that more and more varied tales are being presented on film, when questioned about the significance of visibility on screen. Viewers, on the other hand, aren't interested in films that just tick off diversity boxes. "What you could see today is, let's put a Black person in charge, or let's put a Latino in charge," he remarked. "However, it was not written for us." It is being slotted since it was written for someone else. Rather than having tales written for us. And I believe that will be the next wave of films." Green believes it begins with Black and Latino individuals authoring and delivering their own tales, as well as having the chance to work both in front of and behind the camera. "We're on a lengthy road because we want significant, long-term change," he says of making authentic Black and Latino films. "It's not only a matter of the moment." Hopefully, our films will stand the test of time. And not simply let's do it right now and paint by numbers." more from new 24 hour Richard Sherman, now with Tampa Bay Buccaneers Should Richard Sherman sign the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Richard Buckley, fashion journalist and husband of designer Tom Ford, dies at 72 Police looking for missing woman Gabby Petito ask for her boyfriend’s cooperation source : nbcnews#instagram #happy #nature #photography #fashion #instadaily #beauty #instalike #fun #friends #me #summer #tbt #cute #beautiful #likeforlike #smile #music #ootd #family #model #follow4follow #lifestyle #design #motivation #beach #sunset #amazing #dog #makeup Read the full article

#actor #Arts #cinemanews #CNN #KingRichard #Netflix #New24hour #new24hour #New24hours #NEWS #news24 #News24hour

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cloveroctobers · 4 years ago

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IBRAHIM JARVIS —

IG info/bio: @/OFFICIALRAHIMJARVIS | 130k followers | pro🏌🏿, & yes i was on that dating show...don’t obsess over other people, obsess over water, stay hydrated friends!

22 (23) years old

From Birmingham, England

Pisces sun? + Virgo moon + Cancer rising

Parents are both Afro-Antiguan and Barbudans + migrated to The UK once they were pregnant with their first child

They’ve been married for over 20 years

He gets his height from both of his parents

His mother keeps her hair buzzed short, cooks the best Antiguan food + loves creole seasoning, she’s 5’11, & works as a bank teller

His father is 6’5, works as a substance a*use counselor & does not believe in tough love as a way of showing you care about your children. He learned that the hard way growing up

Ibrahim is a pro golfer & dislikes tiger woods, “he’s a proper arsehole, typical American yeah?”

Got into the craft thanks to his maternal grandfather who was also into golf along with other sports & taught him all he needed to know. At first Ibrahim didn’t like it, found it rather boring & would rather stick to video gaming but his grandfather wanted to break his grandchildren out of staying in the house all the time

It kept him fit and also relieved any anxiety Ibrahim had in life and he had a good amount

He’s got an incredible swing, thanks to his long arms

He’s 6’3

Has three older brothers: Jesse (27) , Keithroy (25), and Reuben (24)

He loves working out and spotting other people, feels likes it’s a team effort & he’s a team player

Drinks gallons of water on a daily and nothing else, it’s even better if he puts fruit in it

Always eating fruit, for breakfast/with or after his dinner. Rather eat fruits than vegetables...yes he’s an adult but he can’t stand broccoli or radishes

Canon: hates seeing other people test their fruit to see if it’s ripe or not. But it’s fine when he does it himself, he just thinks about all the germs that are on other peoples hands when they’re doing so; it physically makes him sick & irritated if he ends up touching the fruit that’s mushy/lumpy

He’s a big fan of comics. Always has been since he’s a kid and has a huge collection of them, his oldest ones are packed away in a couple of crates (in his loft room that he uses as a extra storage room) since he no longer has space in his room. Yes he has no shame (and shouldn’t) of having them on display even tho his oldest brothers clown him for it

Massive fan of black panther & was hyped when it first came to theaters. Saw it three times in one day

Was heartbroken when Chadwick Boseman p*ssed

He’s awkward at expressing himself & sometimes it makes him feel misunderstood & it’s frustrating

Hates people that come up with these ideas of him instead of allowing him to collect his thoughts and speak them the right way

Yet he can be the type of person that wants to ignore issues and hope they go away

He wishes people had enough patience like he did with others in the world

He seeks advice from his dad, since he’s a counselor & everything yet it’s slightly different?

Can be a sweetie & very romantic in relationships

Will do the most (he won’t see it that way) & drop $ on you if he wants to...buying things, trying & failing to DIY, doing wealthy ppl shit, expensive trips— canon: taking his girl to Spain? Was it? Or Italy? I don’t remember... the whole 9

Had 1 gf before the villa. He broke up with her for being too flashy with his things & found that she wouldn’t have liked him if he didn’t have a bit of money

His parents live with him. “They’re basically my roommates until or if they find a house they like.” He didn’t go overboard once he got his first paycheck, he didn’t need a mansion but he did go big enough, industrial style but homey with some minor modern touches for his dream home—he didn’t want it to feel cold or penthouse-like

Isn’t too flashy on the socials but will post something every now & then if he feels the need to show it

Doesn’t post much of his face, mostly what he’s doing in the moment...lots of golfing pics!

Dresses like a dad but it works for him. Loves a good snug polo & plaid trousers/regular that are cut above the ankle, “those are highwaters innit?!” “No mum, it’s the style.” Rolled up jeans, tall white socks & some patterned, baggy sweaters, fancy hats, picks oxfords over sneakers, etc...

Definitely takes the time to iron/steam/press his underwear & socks

Enjoys getting his hair braided, isn’t tender-headed at all (must be nice)

Only grows his hair out during the fall/winter seasons or cuts/gets a shape up

When he posts about his tournaments or time at the golf course, he can always count on Bobby to comment the usual... @/returnofdamckenzie: do you ever have moments where you Reenact troy bolton on the lovely green grass? @/officialrahimjarvis: Idk whether to block u or have a laugh mate, yes i had to look him up!

Dated Jo for about 5 months after the villa until she broke up with him, finding that their lifestyles were too hectic for them to continue, at least that was her public statement to the fans but they really grew apart & the “love” was no longer there

Ibrahim seemed to be more upset about it than Jo in the beginning resulting in snappy replies for awhile, which again stems from him not knowing how to express himself

She checked up on him A LOT, almost as if they never broke up but Ibrahim felt like he needed his space now. They talked it out the best they could over dinner and got closure but that didn’t mean it didn’t sting. He just didn’t think it was needed to be calling each other everyday to see how they were both holding up. If they were done, then that’s what they should be

Jo didn’t see it that way. She still cared for Ibrahim, that didn’t mean that they had to stop talking in her view. She wanted to know how he was coping, and was known for “sticking her foot in her mouth” so that was also a flaw in their relationship

She would say certain things that touched on how she was feeling but didn’t express them at the right times & then there was Ibrahim who didn’t know HOW to say the things he felt which left jo to assume things

Ibrahim was back to the single life and he hated it. He wanted someone he could come back home to, someone that wanted to be with him for the long run. A part of him feels like Jo wasn’t planning to be with him for the long run in the first place and in a way that was okay? Sometimes you don’t know where you’re going in relationships but there should be some sort of goal? Maybe? At least that’s what he thought. Yeah they had fun but he wanted more someday

He was still young he didn’t need to be hung up about it right? Sike. He didn’t know how to take things lightly. That wasn’t how he was built. And to get comments about his ex relationship and have fans dragging him about his choices in the villa A YEAR later!!! Was disheartening

Shannon seemed to be doing well. He thought they would still be friends, at least that’s what she showed before she left the villa. Before he got her dumped. They talked a couple of times since then, jo personally wasn’t a fan of that—Shannon didn’t care but it was clear there was some tension still there

Until he contacted her just to realize she probably had his number blocked but her IG was public and she had a new man & was traveling about

His dad and Reuben were the only ones rooting for them

He had no choice but to be happy for her. Who was he to come in between that? Not that he wanted to but it’s a natural reaction to wonder after a fresh breakup, “what if?”

Talks to Priya every so often now. He seems to find comfort in her, it’s the same for her on her end

His mother has a feeling Priya is the one her son will end up with. Even if she is older...Keithroy also liked her the best

While Jesse seemed to be the only one who supported his relationship with jo

I honestly thought he would have liked Hannah in the beginning but idk if it was him or Gary that said she was too unrealistic when it came to love? I think they both said something along those lines which is odd since it seems Ibrahim has no problem treating his girl like a princess

Probably only has one special dish that he can cook the best & it’s gumbo. otherwise hes out of the kitchen or having his personal chef cook for the family

Goes live on twitch—when he has time, playing many games with the boys from the villa, which pleases the fans

Talks to them all as much as he can

Noah seems to be the first to always text back since Bobby is the one who’ll start off responding in minutes then forget to text back cause he’s off doing handstands or booping people on the nose or some shit, Gary always ends up busy doing something with his nan or for Lottie—but Noah’s always around

They seem to be the closest outside the villa, they mesh well & hang out the most when they can

he likes having his sound on & LOUD when he texts! There’s something so satisfying about hearing the clicking of texting to him

Watches a lot of sports on the Telly, it doesn’t have to be just golf. Usually watching that sport sends him right to sleep while the others keep him active/vocal...yes he’s a tv yeller

Holds sports parties at his home & invites all of his family & mates, he HATES having to clean up afterwards. If it wasn’t for his mum he would save the cleaning until the next day yet he doesn’t mind cleaning his car twice a week

Continues to make his violet man drink & wouldn’t be opposed to someone giving him a endorsement deal for it

Is the “I love everybody!” Drunk

Enjoys yard work over cleaning the house

Has his own customized golf cart that he keeps in his garage

He likes driving that more than his Buick suv tbh

Wants kids some day, not too many, not too little just right— he’ll probably have two but for rn his Doberman pinscher is his bby

Either ends up with Priya with slight insecurities that she’s too good for him or he falls in love with a tennis player, either way I’m fine with both

Crushes/his type? : Jojo Levesque, SERENA WILLIAMS, China McClain, Brie Larson, Victoria Pedretti, Nathalie Emmanuel, & Keke Palmer

Listens to: Aminé, Big Sean, Frank Ocean, Brent Faiyaz, Pink $weats, B Young, Ali Gatie, Russ, Raveena, Jessie Reyez, Rayana Jay, Cosima, TianaMajor9 etc...

Anthem = Lucky Daye, “Buying Time”

#litg #litg2 #litg s2 #litg ibrahim #litg jo #litg shannon #litg priya #litg au #litg headcanon #litg headcanons #litg Bobby #litg noah #litg rahim

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my-name-stitch · 6 years ago

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about me

@anonthenullifier tagged me in a conglomerate of the “about you” things but i’m late (as always but like, you know why i’m late this time) bc i just remembered she did. so. under a read more if you do wanna know more about me. won’t be tagging anyone ‘cause i don’t have anyone to tag, but if you wanna do it, go for it and let me know, please. c:

ONE: Name/Alias - stitch bc I grew up when internet anonymity was Important and You Have To Do It Or Else and i’m not over that conditioning

TWO: Birthday - sep 22

THREE: Zodiac sign - virgo (or virgo/libra cusp to some)

FOUR: Height - 5'5

FIVE: Hobbies - tennis, reading, fantasizing about what i wanna write writing, drawing, surfing the ‘net, sleeping, amateur photography, avoiding things i don’t wanna do like the plague, sleeping, doodling (bc it’s different than drawing, i swear), being a lil shit, baking, going to museums, video games

SIX: Favourite colours - reds, black, purples, greens, pinks... but also like... i like every color a lot? red is a clear favorite and some hurt my eyes more often than not (neons, whites, yellows - lighter brighter colors) but like... colors, man. i love ‘em.

SEVEN: Favourite books - brand spankin’ new one - good omens. older one - pride and prejudice. still quite fond of the hp books, fuck off. sherlock holmes. getting into manga: bnha, ancient magus bride, daiya, hq!!

EIGHT: Last song I listened to - an a/c playlist... a bastille song, warmth, is on rn as i type this

NINE: Last film I watched in theatres - oh fuck uhh... probably spiderman far from home??

TEN: Inspiration for muse - music. straight up my only muse, generally speaking. if hyperfixation counts, that. but i don’t suppose it does, really.

ELEVEN: Dream job - pro tennis player. just. fuck, man. that’d be the life. or an archaeologist? shit i love dinosaurs lol. never considered it ever since i was a kid bc my dad said the salary was unstable, and he’s right, but... you know those kids that look like they’re gonna pee themselves when they’re looking at dinosaurs? i never grew out of that. startled my friends with that bc, i quote, “we’ve never seen you that expressive before”

TWELVE: Meaning behind your URL - i love lilo and stitch.

Nickname: poke-baller lmaooo. my friend’s parents call me that and have for like... eight years now? i mean, i suppose people generally focus on either my name or a nickname they want to give me (bc i respond to anything and don’t care so long as it’s not rude), but personally i think of myself as me and just go with whatever people wanna call me.

Gender: female

Where I’m From: ‘murica

Dream Trip: you know what. fuckin’ anywhere, man. this girl is gonna fuckin travel and no one is gonna stop me.

When I Made This Account: hell if i know. maybe 2009? a friend made me and didn’t explain how tumblr worked, so i didn’t use it, forgot about it, and got back on in 2013 when a different friend wanted me to make an account and explained how things worked. don’t think i used it too regularly until 2014-ish tho.

Why I Made This Account: oops. look above lol.

Hogwarts House: proud slytherin

Favorite Animal: cats. any type. house cats? big cats? little big cats? fat cats? skinny cats? hairless cats? fluffy cats? cats.

Followers: 611... which includes porn bots, accounts that have followed me through multiple fandoms (i see y’all, don’t think i don’t notice y’all), and dead blogs.

Rules: Bold everything that applies to you and tag ten people you’d like to get to know

I’m over 5’5” // i wear glasses // i wear contacts // I have blonde hair // I prefer loose clothing to tight clothing // I have one or more piercings // I have at least one tattoo // I have blue eyes // I have dyed or highlighted my hair // I have gotten plastic surgery // I have or had braces // I sunburn easily // I have freckles // I paint my nails // I typically wear makeup // I don’t often smile (resting bitch face ftw) // I am pleased with how I look // I prefer Nike to Adidas // I wear baseball hats backwards

I play a sport // I can play an instrument // I am artistic // I know more than one language // I have won a trophy in some sort of competition // I can cook or bake without a recipe // I know how to swim // I enjoy writing // I can do origami // I prefer movies to tv shows // I can execute a perfect somersault // I enjoy singing // I could survive in the wild on my own // I have read a new book series this year // I enjoy spending time with friends // I travel during school or work breaks // I can do a handstand //

I am in a relationship // I have been single for over a year my entire life lmao // I have a crush // I have a best friend I have known for ten years // my parents are together // I have dated my best friend // I am adopted // my crush has confessed to me (and then i turned him down on the counsel of a friend, which was good bc he had anger issues i’d never seen bc he never got angry with me) // I have a long-distance relationship // I am an only child // I give advice to my friends // I have made online friends // I have met up with someone I met online

I have heard the ocean in a conch shell // I have watched the sunrise // I enjoy rainy days // I have slept under the stars // I meditate outside // the sound of chirping calms me // I enjoy the smell of the beach // I know what snow tastes like // I listen to music to fall asleep // I enjoy thunderstorms // I enjoy cloud watching // I have attended a bonfire // I pay close attention to colors // I find mystery in the ocean // I enjoy hiking on nature paths // autumn is my favorite season

I can fall asleep in a moving vehicle // I am the mom friend // I live by a certain quote // I like the smell of sharpies // I am involved in extracurricular activities // I enjoy Mexican food // I can drive a stick-shift // I believe in true love // I make up scenarios to fall asleep // I sing in the shower // I wish I lived in a video game (give me pokemon or give me death) // I have a canopy above my bed // I am multiracial (technically speaking. do/will i claim it on forms? no.) // I am a redhead // I own at least three dogs

#ask stitch #well not really an ask #but like #thats the only tag i got

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suejbueche · 3 years ago

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Reinaldo Marcus Green, the black and Latino director of "King Richard," speaks about fathers and sports.

#actor #Arts #cinemanews #CNN #KingRichard #Netflix #New24hour #new24hour #New24hours #NEWS #news24 #News24hour

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bernadettedmoreno · 3 years ago

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Reinaldo Marcus Green, the black and Latino director of "King Richard," speaks about fathers and sports.

#actor #Arts #cinemanews #CNN #KingRichard #Netflix #New24hour #new24hour #New24hours #NEWS #news24 #News24hour

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rosepmarkert · 3 years ago

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Reinaldo Marcus Green, the black and Latino director of "King Richard," speaks about fathers and sports.

#actor #Arts #cinemanews #CNN #KingRichard #Netflix #New24hour #new24hour #New24hours #NEWS #news24 #News24hour

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lilianjdubose · 3 years ago

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Reinaldo Marcus Green, the black and Latino director of "King Richard," speaks about fathers and sports.

#actor #Arts #cinemanews #CNN #KingRichard #Netflix #New24hour #new24hour #New24hours #NEWS #news24 #News24hour

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laylavonrueden · 3 years ago

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Reinaldo Marcus Green, the black and Latino director of "King Richard," speaks about fathers and sports.

#actor #Arts #cinemanews #CNN #KingRichard #Netflix #New24hour #new24hour #New24hours #NEWS #news24 #News24hour

0 notes

mrfogmaxpro · 3 years ago

Text

Reinaldo Marcus Green, the black and Latino director of "King Richard," speaks about fathers and sports.

#actor #Arts #cinemanews #CNN #KingRichard #Netflix #New24hour #new24hour #New24hours #NEWS #news24 #News24hour

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debbiebfansler · 3 years ago

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Reinaldo Marcus Green, the black and Latino director of "King Richard," speaks about fathers and sports.

#actor #Arts #cinemanews #CNN #KingRichard #Netflix #New24hour #new24hour #New24hours #NEWS #news24 #News24hour

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techcrunchappcom · 5 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/todays-sports-news-what-you-need-to-know/

Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest – Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has said he is open to facing one-time rival Mike Tyson in a trilogy fight for charity on the condition that Tyson asks for the bout to be set up.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Tyson, 53, fought two epic bouts with Holyfield, 57, during their professional careers, including their controversial 1997 encounter in which Tyson bit off a chunk of Holyfield’s ear.

‘Iron Mike’ had released several training videos in recent weeks fuelling speculation he could be returning to the ring, while Holyfield announced his return for a charity bout on Instagram earlier this month.

“If I ask him it’s almost like me being a bully saying I want to go against somebody I’ve beaten twice,” Holyfield told the BBC. “I don’t want pressure on me that ‘you just want to fight Mike because you know you can beat him’.

“If he hits me I’m going to hit back. I’m going to be 58, he’ll be 54, you talk about being in good health and doing things the proper way that respects it. I don’t have no problem with it.”

Tyson, the first heavyweight to hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, retired after a loss to Kevin McBride in 2005, while Holyfield called time on his career nine years later.

If they do return, they will be following in the footsteps of Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao in coming out of retirement for an exhibition fight.

-Reuters

England womens football called off

England’s womens football competitions, stalled by the Covid-19 crisis, have been ended with immediate effect.

Manchester City women Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The FA says the decision was taken to end the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship following “overwhelming feedback from the clubs” and to give them the chance to “prepare and focus on next season.”

Manchester City were leading the Super League by a point from Chelsea, who had a game in hand.

The FA said no decision had yet been made on how the league winner or relegation to the Women’s Championship would be decided, or how entries for the 2020-21 UEFA Women’s Champions League would be determined.

Aston Villa were six points clear at the top of the Women’s Championship.

Top-flight English football’s men’s teams were given permission to resume training in small groups last week.

-Reuters

Remembering Jesse Owens

It was 85 years ago today that American sprint legend Jesse Owens set four world records.

Described by Sports Illustrated as the “Greatest 45 minutes ever in sports” history, Owens set records in the 100 yard, 220 yard, 220 yard hurdles and long jump.

He achieved the feat running for Ohio State at a College meeting in Michigan.

His tally was in fact six world records as he also achieved metric milestones in two of the races.

A year later Owens went on to win four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

-World Athletics

Baseball returning to Japan

Pro baseball is set to return in Japan with the Nippon Professional Baseball league to begin its 2020 season on June 19, as the government lifts restrictions aimed at stopping the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Games will initially be played without spectators, NPB Commissioner Atsushi Saito announced, without saying when fans may be able to return.

The NPB season was supposed to start on March 20 but has been delayed because of the coronavirus.

New cases in Japan have decreased significantly recently and a state of emergency imposed in April to help stop the virus is gradually being lifted and professional sport is being allowed to resume.

Two Japanese teams held intra-squad practice games in empty ballparks yesterday as they gear up for a return to action.

Several of Japan’s top football clubs, including Andres Iniesta’s Vissel Kobe, also began training on Monday.

-Reuters

Indian hockey legend dies

India’s three-times Olympic hockey gold medallist Balbir Singh has died at the age of 95 after a prolonged pulmonary illness.

Singh helped India win its first Olympic gold as an independent country at the 1948 London Games when they beat Britain 4-0 in the final. India then went on to defend the title at the next two Games in Helsinki and Melbourne.

Singh scored five goals in India’s 6-1 victory over the Netherlands in the 1952 final — a record that still stands. He also captained the country at the 1956 Games when they scored 38 goals in five matches and conceded none.

Following his retirement, Singh coached the Indian team which won the World Cup in 1975.

-Reuters

Reds okay with departing team-mates

Queensland Reds players harbour no ill will towards Wallabies lock Izack Rodda and two other team mates for rebelling against pay-cuts, the Super Rugby team’s captain Liam Wright said.

Rodda, flyhalf Isaac Lucas and lock Harry Hockings were released from their contracts last week after refusing to take pay-cuts signed off by the players union and governing body amid a financial crisis brought on by the coronavirus shutdown.

The three have been criticised heavily by former players and pundits for their stance, which has effectively ended their career in Australian rugby for the foreseeable future.

Wright, however, said the trio’s departure could bring the rest of the Reds playing group closer.

“It’ll definitely be a positive for us,” Wright said.

“We’ve lost some good mates but they’ll still be our mates and they’ve made their decision. This group can only get stronger through it.

“It just makes sure that everyone who wants to be here is really willing to put in.”

Rodda missed out of the Reds captaincy to South Africa-born flanker Wright and there were reports of friction between the lock and the team’s hard-nosed coach Brad Thorn.

The three players, who are all managed by the same agent, are expected to look overseas for playing opportunities.

-Reuters

Kvitova happy to be back

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is happy to finally play tennis again for fans around the world – even if they can only watch on television.

Czech tennis star Petra Kvitova. Photo: Photosport/Icon Sportswire

The world number 12 will headline an all-Czech tournament in Prague starting today without spectators, handshakes or the usual towel service.

The return to action is one of the first after pro tennis tours were suspended in early March as countries went into lockdown to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Some exhibition events without fans have been held in countries like Germany and the United States while more are planned elsewhere in the coming weeks.

Kvitova last played at the Qatar Open in February where she lost in the final to Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka. She said finding rhythm and playing without support would be the hardest part returning.

“That it will be without people is something I still can’t imagine at all,” she told a news conference on Monday.

“We will play some nice tennis… I think we are mainly here to bring tennis back not only to the Czech Republic, but to the world, too.”

The tournament, with eight players in both the men’s and women’s draw, will resemble regular tennis as much as possible.

-Reuters

Ban on cricket spit only temporary

A recommendation banning the use of saliva to shine a cricket ball when the sport resumes after the novel coronavirus shutdown is only a temporary measure, Anil Kumble, the chairman of the International Cricket Council’s Cricket Committee, said.

Cricketers have used the age-old method of shining one side of the ball with a combination of saliva and sweat to help bowlers generate more movement in the air as it travels towards the batsman.

However, as part of efforts aimed at minimizing the risk of spreading the virus, the governing body’s cricket committee has recommended the ban on using spit.

“We have been very critical and we have been very focused on eliminating any external substances coming into the game,” former India leg-spinner Kumble said on Star Sports’ Cricket Connected.

“This is only an interim measure and as long as we have hopefully control over COVID in a few months or a year’s time then I think things will go back to as normal as it can be.”

Australia quick Pat Cummins has said cricket’s lawmakers should approve the use of an artificial substance to shine the ball if the ban on saliva was enacted, while compatriot Josh Hazlewood has said it would difficult to police such a ban.

-Reuters

New Zealand to host tennis tournament

The prize-money is paltry, the field lacks star power and the tournament director is busy hammering out the draw while locked down in quarantine.

But New Zealand will be proud to revive elite tennis next week when it stages the “Premier League” in Auckland, marking the southern hemisphere’s first pro competition since the Covid-19 pandemic brought global sport to a halt.

The men’s team-based tournament will run for three weeks from June 3, giving tennis-starved fans something to watch in the absence of the pinnacle ATP and WTA tours, which have been suspended since early March.

It will also have the sporting spotlight exclusively in New Zealand for its opening 10 days, having left professional rugby’s June 13 restart in the dust.

All 112 matches will be staged without the general public in the terraces but the games will be broadcast live on Sky Sport’s Youtube channel, Sky Sport Next.

“Yeah, it’s a big thing,” Tennis New Zealand’s commercial manager Gareth Archer told Reuters.

“As soon as rugby starts there’s probably no more talk about (anything else) in New Zealand so to get a week or two on them is a good thing.”

-Reuters

#Sports

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rickhorrow · 5 years ago

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10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 102119

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 21 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

TV broadcasters and streamers invested $38 billion in sports rights in 2018, nearly double the $20 billion spent in 2012. Globally, TV broadcasters, and to a lesser degree, online streamers, fork out 26% of their total content spend on sports rights, according to a report published last Wednesday by Ampere Analysis and carried by the Hollywood Reporter. The market for sports rights has nearly doubled in the last six years, from $20 billion in 2012 to $38 billion last year. The U.S. remains the largest single market for sports rights, with a $19 billion annual spend, a figure likely to jump as new rights cycles kick in for the NFL, MLB, and the NBA. Ampere forecasts the top U.S. leagues generating $4 billion more per year in rights revenues by the end of the next six years. And in Europe, broadcasters and online players in Europe's big five markets – the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Spain – shelled out $11 billion for sports rights in 2018, double the amount from six years ago. European broadcasters and pay TV operators in the big five spend a third of their content budget, on average, on sports, compared to 26% in the U.S.

espnW and the U.S. Department of State are hosting the eighth year of the Global Sports Mentoring Program October 11-November 19. The program will see 16 emerging female leaders from around the world begin a month-long mentorship in the United States alongside top American female executives from some of the most influential organizations in sports and business. Including ESPN, executive mentors in the 2019 program represent: the Big East Conference; Creative Artists Agency (CAA); Google; LISC; Minnesota Lynx/ Timberwolves; the NCAA; New Balance; the NHL; Saatchi & Saatchi, Spurs Sports & Entertainment; the University of Connecticut; and the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA). The initiative joins such other events as this week’s espnW Women + Sports Summit in Newport Beach, CA and the recently-completed LPGA Indy Women in Tech Driven by Group1001 tournament and week-long symposium that promote women’s leadership, education, and advancement both in and out of sport.

MLS will officially award Sacramento an expansion franchise this week. According to the Sacramento Bee, MLS will hold a press conference and fan event in California’s capital city on Monday to announce that the United Soccer League’s Sacramento Republic FC will make the step up to become MLS’ 29th team. Sacramento has been attempting to secure an MLS expansion team since 2015, but its chances were improved at the beginning of this year when Ron Burkle, billionaire part-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, joined the Republic as lead investor. The Republic then received city council backing in April for a new $252 million, 20,000-seat stadium. Later that month, the Republic emerged as a front runner in the race to join MLS when the league announced it had been authorized to advance talks with the ownership groups of Sacramento and St Louis, which was officially awarded its own expansion team in August. If Sacramento is confirmed, it will pay a $200 million expansion fee to become the fourth MLS team in California. Confirmation would also mean that MLS has only one spot left to fill if it is to stick to its expansion target of 30 teams.

Tiger Woods has been the subject of countless articles, books, and TV segments, but for the first time, he will tell his story in his own words. Last Tuesday, Harper Collins announced Woods’ BACK, a memoir chronicling the golfer’s life from growing up a celebrated golfing prodigy to shattering racial barriers and rising to fame, then facing continuing injuries and personal scandal, to mounting a comeback at 43 years old culminating with the 2019 Masters. “I’ve been in the spotlight for a long time, and because of that, there have been books and articles and TV shows about me, most filled with errors, speculative and wrong,” Woods said in the statement. “This book is my definitive story.” No publication date has been announced; the release stated that BACK will be “the first and only account directly from Woods, with the full cooperation of his friends, family, and inner circle.” For the moment, however, Woods is focused on “The Challenge: Japan Skins,” a big money made-for-TV match with Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Hideki Matsuyama taking place at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan.

Formula 1 eyes Miami to host its first-ever Grand Prix after reaching an agreement in principle to host a race at Hard Rock Stadium beginning in 2021. The proposed Formula One Miami Grand Prix would see F1 cars navigating a custom-built track around the stadium. Formula One had initially set its sights on a downtown track location, only to scrap the proposal in favor of Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, after local opposition. Concerns remain among residents over noise, traffic and pollution, though organizers insist this new location would reduce disruption compared to a downtown race. According to the Miami Herald, Dolphins and stadium owner Steve Ross will cover all race costs, including an expected $40 million custom track. It takes Formula One a step closer to holding a second U.S. race, a long-held ambition for the global motor racing series’ owners, Liberty Media. Since 2012, the sole F1 stop in the U.S. has been the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. A Miami F1 race would have an estimated annual impact of more than $400 million and 35,000 room nights.

ATP Media, the in-house rights agency for the global men’s tennis tour, saw revenues rise by 6.7% to $120.96 million in 2018. The UK-based production hub, which is also responsible for ATP Tour content creation, has registered gross profits of $13.57 million. The spike represents a 9.6% growth compared to the end of 2017. Broadcast rights sales, where ATP Media works alongside IMG, remain the dominant source of income. ATP Media also said it had benefitted from “favorable movements” on the euro and British pound exchange rates during last year. Broken up geographically, the UK operation generated $11.59 million in revenues at the end of 2018, while the rest of Europe raked in $31.91 million behind $77.45 million generated by ATP Media in other international territories. Among several of the media group’s high-profile broadcast deals, 2019 has already seen ATP Media secure an improved five-year agreement with Amazon Prime Video in the UK, which runs through the 2023 ATP season. In addition, deals were confirmed with Discovery-owned Eurosport in France and Sky Deutschland in Germany.

Finally, before a big game, it’s important for fans to get a Goodyear night’s sleep. The Goodyear Blimp has provided aerial coverage of college football games since 1955, and later this season will become the first non-player or coach to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Now, Forbes reports, fans will have the chance to stay in the iconic dirigible prior to the Notre Dame vs. Michigan game October 26. One-night stays can be booked through Airbnb for October 22, 23, and 24 in the blimp hangar in Mogadore, Ohio. Each night is priced at $150 (plus taxes and fees) to celebrate college football’s 150th anniversary. Guests "will have exclusive access to the Goodyear hangar, which is the size of 2.6 football fields, and a football lounge will be provided where guests can relax and watch some of the all-time best rivalry games in college football history.” Goodyear and Airbnb will also collectively donate $5,000 to the Cotton Bowl Foundation, which supports college football-related causes. While the blimp will remain on the ground, this takes “Air”bnb to a whole new level.

FOX Bet becomes an MLB authorized gaming operator just days before the World Series. According to Sports Handle, FOX Bet announced a multi-year partnership with Major League Baseball under which the online and mobile betting platform will become an Authorized Gaming Operator of MLB. The announcement came exactly a week before the scheduled first pitch of Game 1 of the 2019 World Series on October 22. FOX Sports, an MLB broadcast partner, has televised the World Series in every season since 2000. FOX Bet is the fourth sports betting entity to join MLB’s Authorized Gaming Operator program since the Supreme Court’s historic PASPA decision in May 2018, joining MGM Resorts International, DraftKings, and FanDuel as MLB official data licensees under the program. The partnership is the latest in a string of deals for the network’s nascent sports betting division. FOX is looking to go all in on sports betting – this partnership marks the third deal that FOX Bet has inked with a major U.S. pro sports league, including the NBA and a deal with the NFL through its Super 6 contest.

Ex-NFL star Warrick Dunn helps deliver 173rd home to single parent for charity. According to FOX Business, the former NFL running back helped surprise a single Florida mother with a new home Wednesday through his charity along with Habitat for Humanity and health care company Cigna. Warrick Dunn Charities, which is run by the former Pro Bowler, presented LaToya Reedy with a new home in St. Petersburg. It was the 173rd home the charity has given thanks to its “Home for the Holidays” campaign, which helps single parents achieve home ownership. Reedy told local media she had been working hard as a nursing assistant to provide a stable lifestyle for her 18-year-old son, but high rent prices and living paycheck to paycheck was getting difficult. Before Dunn became a pro football player, he was living with a single mother who worked very hard to provide for him and five other children, but his mother was killed before his 18th birthday and he helped raise his siblings while playing college football. Dunn sees his charity as a form of therapy to deal with his own traumas, taking comfort that he is helping others avoid similar housing and economic struggles.

Michael Jordan donates a huge sum to two Novant Health clinics in Charlotte, North Carolina. During a recent speech, Jordan teared up as he spoke about his $7.2 million donation to two Novant Health clinics in his area. According to the Charlotte Observer, The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Clinic and a second facility expected to open soon nearby will serve at least 35,000 children and adults over the next five years. The clinics provide both primary health care services as well as access to social workers, behavioral health experts, oral health practitioners, and physical therapy. Jordan’s financial gift to Novant Health is the latest in his philanthropic giving in Charlotte and his home state of North Carolina. Jordan has significantly ramped up his charitable giving since he became the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010. The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic opened just over three weeks ago, and has already cared for more than 300 people. It is particularly important for Charlotte families to get the health care they deserve, as the city ranks last among major U.S. cities in enabling people to lift themselves out of poverty.

#10 #10towatch

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ladystylestores · 5 years ago

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Your Wednesday Briefing – The New York Times

Europe is considering barring American travelers

European Union officials are racing to determine who can visit the bloc beginning July 1, as countries try to restart travel while keeping new coronavirus infections at bay.

A draft list of acceptable travelers includes those from China and Vietnam, but visitors from the U.S., Russia and Brazil will not be welcome, according to the document seen by The New York Times. A final decision is expected early next week, though European officials aid it was highly unlikely an exception would be made for the United States.

Prohibiting American travelers from entering the European Union has significant ramifications and is a blow to President Trump’s handling of the virus. Millions of American tourists visit Europe every summer. Business travel is common, given the huge economic ties between the United States and the E.U.

In other news:

Boris Johnson announced that pubs, restaurants, museums and hair salons in England would be allowed to reopen on July 4 and cut the required social distance between people to about three feet, prompting warnings from scientists on the increased risk of transmission.

Facebook, Google, Amazon and others in the business world reacted with anger after President Trump suspended new work visas for foreigners at least until the end of the year.

The virus is gaining steam across Latin America, and experts fear the worst is ahead. Inequality, densely packed cities, weak health care systems and fumbled government responses have contributed to the spread.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said at a congressional hearing that the next two weeks will be critical in the country’s disease-fighting efforts, as he warned of a “disturbing surge” in cases.

Novak Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 in men’s tennis, is the fourth player to be infected with the coronavirus after he organized an exhibition series in Croatia and Serbia.

The Times is providing free access to much of our coronavirus coverage, and our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter — like all of our newsletters — is free. Please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription.

Heartbreak as annual hajj is essentially canceled

Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that only about 1,000 people will be allowed to perform the annual hajj pilgrimage at the end of July — a decision that effectively cancels one of the world’s largest gatherings of Muslims.

The restrictions are meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the kingdom, which has one of the largest outbreaks in the Middle East. Last year, 2.5 million people took part in the pilgrimage. This year, those allowed to perform the hajj will have to be younger than 65 and will be required to undergo a virus test in advance.

The announcement disappointed Muslims around the world, many of whom have saved for years to travel to Mecca, and will deal a financial blow to the kingdom’s economy.

Paris death renews scrutiny of the police

“I’m suffocating.”

Those were the words Cédric Chouviat called out seven times as police officers in Paris pinned him to the ground and put him in a chokehold, according to footage analyzed in an internal police report in April, but revealed by French outlets this week.

The video of Mr. Chouviat, a white, 42-year-old delivery man who died with a broken larynx after the confrontation in January, is reigniting scrutiny of the heavy-handed tactics used by the police as protests against police brutality, particularly against black people, have swept the country.

The four officers involved in the arrest were not questioned about the incident until last week and have not been charged with any crimes. “We don’t understand why they still haven’t been suspended,” said Sofia Chouviat, Mr. Chouviat’s daughter.

Context: Earlier this month, France’s interior minister said chokeholds would be banned and that officers would no longer be allowed to press on a suspect’s neck. But the French police have pushed back, and officers will be allowed to use the technique in the field until September.

Case study: In the postwar era, Germany overhauled policing to confront in detail the shameful legacy of policing under the Nazis, and to prevent it from happening again. The country’s experience might offer insight into how to redesign institutions. But clashes between the police and young men in Stuttgart on Saturday point to long-simmering tensions and criticism, with immigrants saying they are racially profiled.

Also: Eton College, one of Britain’s most storied boys schools, has apologized to one of its former black students who said he was told never to return after publishing a book in 1972 detailing abuse at the school.

If you have 7 minutes, this is worth it

In West Africa, terror from both sides

Burkina Faso has fallen into chaos over the past four years, becoming a recruiting ground for international terrorist groups in West Africa. At least 2,000 people are thought to have been killed there in the past 18 months. Above, soldiers protecting refugees at a camp near Dori, in northern Burkina Faso.

Our correspondent and photographer traveled there and found that government forces are now killing about as many people as jihadists are. “The government is traumatizing people,” a herdsman and farmer said. “It’s what pushes people to sign up to the armed groups.”

Here’s what else is happening

Australia judge: A court inquiry found that Dyson Heydon, a judge who presided over the country’s highest court for a decade, had harassed at least six women. He has denied the accusations.

U.S.-China trade: Stocks on Wall Street followed global markets higher on Tuesday, after President Trump reaffirmed the trade war truce between the United States and China and investors focused on new signs of economic recovery instead.

U.S. presidential campaign: A surge in donations has helped Joe Biden cut into President Trump’s financial advantage ahead of the November vote. Mr. Biden will hold his first presidential campaign event with Barack Obama on Tuesday.

Snapshot: Art restoration experts in Spain called on Tuesday for tighter regulation of their work after a Baroque-era painting of the Virgin Mary, above, was disfigured by a furniture restorer. The Association of Conservators and Restorers said in a statement that, if the poor restoration is confirmed, “part of our heritage is disappearing by these disastrous actions.”

French literature: With her strident, pro-sex views, Virginie Despentes upsets people on the left and the right. After years of being the outsider, she is finally taking over France’s literary establishment.

What we’re reading: This Atlantic article about blackness and racism. “Imani Perry writes beautifully about the full-body grief of being a black American,” says Jenna Wortham, staff writer for The Times Magazine.

Now, a break from the news

Cook: This tomato chickpea salad is the taste of summer. If you can, savor this meal outside, which is always the best way to celebrate the beginning of tomato season.

Watch: The director Joel Schumacher, who died on Monday at age 80, will be remembered for the flash and style of “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin.”

Listen: While live concerts and operas are on hold, the spotlight has turned to individual artists. Here’s a look at some memorable solos.

Do: If you are fortunate enough to have a terrace, a porch or a backyard, here are a few tips on how to make the most of your outdoor space.

At Home has our full collection of ideas on what to read, cook, watch and do while staying safe at home.

And now for the Back Story on …

America’s unpredictable medical bills

Last week, Sarah Kliff, a Times reporter, noticed something strange. A medical lab in Dallas had charged as much as $2,315 apiece for coronavirus tests, even though a test typically costs $100. Sarah called the lab to ask about the price — and the lab quickly dropped it to $300.

It isn’t the first time something like this has happened. In her years of covering health care for Vox and now for The Times, Sarah has frequently reported on the arbitrary nature of medical costs, often highlighting extreme examples. After these examples receive public attention, health care providers sometimes reduce the prices.

Of course, most medical bills don’t become the subject of journalistic investigations. Which means that medical labs, drug companies, hospitals and doctors’ offices are often able to charge high prices to insurance companies and patients, without consequence.

“If you look at pretty much any other developed country — Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Singapore, the list goes on — the government does some version of rate setting,” Sarah told The Morning newsletter recently. “The United States doesn’t.” That’s one reason that the cost of health care in the U.S. is higher than in any other country.

That’s it for this briefing. See you next time.

— Isabella

Thank you Melissa Clark wrote the recipe, and Theodore Kim and Jahaan Singh provided the rest of the break from the news. You can reach the team at [email protected].

P.S. • We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about the future of the U.S. Senate. • Here’s today’s Mini Crossword puzzle, and a clue: Like roasted marshmallows (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • Mary Suh is returning to The New York Times as acting Op-Ed Editor, Charlotte Greensit of The Intercept is the new managing editor and associate Editorial Page editor and Talmon Smith has been promoted to staff editor.

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reneeacaseyfl · 6 years ago

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The Lonely Pursuit of Air Hockey Greatness

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At a bar in Brooklyn this spring, when the hockey playoffs were still going on, a guy with a nose ring and glasses approached a visitor from Toronto who was watching the Maple Leafs game on a small TV in the corner of the bar. He challenged the Leafs fan to a game of air hockey and even offered to buy him a beer if he won.

He neglected to mention that he was currently ranked No. 10 in the world and was almost certainly the best air hockey player in New York.

His name was Justin Flores, and he had been coming to Ontario, a dive bar in Williamsburg, for weeks, waiting for anybody to approach the table. He’d recently found a student — a New Yorker named Liz Cash, who hoped to become the top-ranked female player in the world, and he had her training with the appropriate intensity. He himself was also getting ready for the World Championships that were set for the end of July in Colorado Springs. Both he and his mentee are attending and fully expect to achieve glory if not win much in the way of money.

But he was always on the lookout for more disciples, and he was always up for a game.

When the Canadian sidled over between periods, Mr. Flores was visibly pumped. If it was hard for him to attract opponents, it was no problem drawing a crowd once a game was underway. For one thing, Mr. Flores, who is 30, holds the mallet by its edge, not by the knob, the way most people do, which is the mark of a novice. He also knows how to put the puck into a so-called circle drift, gently cycling it back and forth before executing a killer shot.

Like a true hustler, Mr. Flores let the Canadian score a few points. The subsequent annihilation of his opponent drew stares. One bearded observer took the Juul out of his mouth and looked stunned. “I’ve never seen anyone play like that,” he said.

Mr. Flores became hooked on air hockey while shooting photos of the national championship for his college paper a decade ago in Houston, a hotbed of elite players. He can’t sum up what he loved about the game in a single sentence, or really at all — it’s just “too big” for him. He’s an engineer in training, a really no-nonsense guy. But for him, as much as he thinks it’s corny to say, air hockey is an art.

“It’s a level playing field,” he said, “and what someone does with it is up to them.”

But when he moved to New York in 2013, he found that few people felt the same way. In a city that has no less than five Quidditch teams and a competitive musical chairs tournament, almost no one seemed interested in his passion.

Mr. Flores has posted fliers around Ontario Bar (the only place in the area that would give him permission) and on Facebook groups like New York Air Hockey Club (which has fewer than 100 followers) with his challenge: He will buy a beer for anyone who can beat him. So far, he hasn’t had to.

According to the Air Hockey Players Association, one of the sport’s governing bodies, only 24 air hockey players in the world are designated professionals, and only 10 of them are recognized as masters. As far as he knows, Mr. Flores is the only air hockey master in the five boroughs. That’s something he’s been trying to change for years — his goal is to cultivate a local scene that rivals the one in his home state of Texas, where the game’s rules were first codified and the best players have historically come from.

But even there, competitive air hockey is relatively obscure. Aficionados blame the arrival of the video game Pong, released by Atari in 1972 — the same year that air hockey tables first went to market. Bar patrons clearly preferred digital table tennis; air hockey tables briefly went out of production in 1978.

A fanatic named Mark Robbins, who happened to be the son of Atari’s former president, rejected his birthright and rented a van so he could drive across the country and hold air hockey exhibitions at arcades, buying as many tables as he could along the way. His hope was that, at the very least, he and his friends could keep playing for the rest of their lives.

By 1985, he had persuaded a company called Dynamo Corp. to begin making what’s now considered an acceptable facsimile of the original table. Finding a Dynamo of a certain length — which by design features no blinking, distracting lights alongside it — is now the Holy Grail for enthusiasts.

Real estate is also part of the story. Competition air hockey tables are eight feet long, but space considerations in New York bars typically only allow for one that’s a foot shorter. Another complication arises from the fact that some of the few places in the city that can fit a bigger table don’t seem to want Mr. Flores around. He prefers to bring his own regulation puck, which is heavier and more robust than the flimsy plastic ones that you find at barroom tables.

“It’s like practicing baseball with a Wiffle ball,” Mr. Flores said.

With heaviness comes loudness. In fact, he was banned from training at a place with an eight-foot table in Bay Ridge last year because he switched out the default puck for a version that the pool-playing crowd found distracting. So now he’s exclusively training at Brownstone Billiards in Park Slope, where the air hockey table is in a different area from the pool players. It’s a trek from where Mr. Flores lives, in Ridgewood, Queens, but it’s worth it.

It’s also convenient for Liz Cash, Mr. Flores’s student, who lives in Crown Heights and will be joining him at the Colorado tournament. The table is paid for by the hour rather per game, which is much better for practicing maneuvers, like a boxer working a speed bag.

The two met in 2015 at Ontario Bar, and Mr. Flores instantly saw something in Ms. Cash, a muscular physical therapist. She’s a competitive boxer, unable to fully dedicate herself to martial arts because she keeps injuring both of her wrists. But she’s apparently in prime condition for air hockey.

Ms. Cash didn’t realize it was a legitimate sport until she met Mr. Flores at one of his air hockey meetups. When he told her that her competitive drive and athletic prowess gave her the capacity for greatness, she went from merely interested to obsessed.

“He told me I could be the best woman in the world,” she said at a recent training session. “At that time, Justin was like Yoda to me. He might as well have been levitating off the table.” She’s since started juggling and training her vision.

With only weeks to go before the 2019 Air Hockey Players Association World Championship tournament in Colorado Springs, the training partners had some work to do. Ms. Cash tends to stick out her left leg when shooting, like a figure skater going into an Arabesque. It’s a good way for her to build momentum — she describes it like the final piece of a whipping motion that begins at the arm. Plus: “Sometimes I do it because I’m only 5-foot-3 and have to be on my tiptoes.”

Although she’s quite ferocious and talented, she suffers from Meniere’s disease, which can induce the kind of vertigo she suffered the only other time she seriously competed, in 2017. She finished a disappointing 22nd in that tournament, but she thinks she could have won the whole thing if she hadn’t gotten dizzy.

An additional obstacle to her ascentis that she has only Mr. Flores and another pro, based out of Connecticut, to practice against. There’s also the fact that the table she’s training on in Park Slope isn’t very good. It meets the basic specifications, but it also has a huge gash on one end, doesn’t keep score, and frequently turns off in the middle of a game.

“This is like Chuck-E-Cheese for adults,” said Ms. Cash. “All the other serious players practice on tables that work well. Everything should be like butter.”

Before their recent practice session, Mr. Flores wiped down the lackluster table with isopropyl, and the two taped up their middle and index fingers. When they started playing, they both hit the puck so hard that it regularly flew off the table. They took turns unplugging the Dynamo, trying in vain to make it fully operational for the entirety of a match. It didn’t work, and Ms. Cash used the frequent pauses to drink a homemade concoction full of electrolytes out of a Mason jar. “I was surprised the first time I went to Colorado just how much you can sweat from air hockey,” she said.

After a couple of hours, the two were involved in a heater of a set. Ms. Cash was ultimately victorious, seven games to four. She was pretty sure that it was the first time she’d beaten her mentor — a good sign for Colorado — and something she attributed to the fact that she’d just learned how to juggle with four balls earlier that day. She was positive that had caused new areas to light up in her brain.

Since then, she’s spent hours practicing her forehand with a goal blocker. She’s also been playing against co-workers from the gym and training her vision. She thinks that this unique form of preparation will push her over the edge to beat Niki Flanagan, the best woman air hockey player of all time.

“My advantage will come from my insight into the human body,” Ms. Cash said. “No one else in the tournament is going to be thinking about their cerebellum.” As Ivan Lendl did with tennis, Ms. Cash also thinks she will introduce fitness and conditioning to the game of air hockey. “These big, heavy guys who I’m going to play against will be stiff,” she said. “That’s going to limit them.”

Ms. Flanagan is aware of her challenger. Now 47, Ms. Flanagan has returned from a five-year hiatus after having a daughter. A graduate of the University of Texas with what is said to be a devastating cross-straight shot, she was ranked as high as No. 14 in the world before she became pregnant.

When she decided to get back into the game about a year ago, she checked out some Facebook pages for air hockey and saw the sport had become much more physical than back in her day. Ms. Flanagan said that she started running and lost 61 pounds. She’s heard about Ms. Cash’s prowess but doesn’t quite know what to make of her.

“She has a good formula, because she’s into fitness and working out,” she said. “That’s a big part of things now. My stamina is up from running, and I’m on a low-carb diet. But I honestly have no idea what vision training even is. I’ll have to ask her about that when we finally meet.”

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