#his fc's actual back which is highly satisfying

[hellsdogs]

yamazaki dai, irezumi.

[mountphoenixrp]

We have a new citizen in Mount Phoenix:

                      Harper Song, who is known by no other name;                                       a 19 year old son of Arawn.                   He is a ballet & lyrical instructor at LOCO Motion.

FC NAME/GROUP: Song Hyeongjun / Cravity CHARACTER NAME: Harper Song AGE/DATE OF BIRTH: 19 / 30th November 2001 PLACE OF BIRTH: Tongyeong, South Korea but mostly lived in Seoul OCCUPATION: Ballet and Lyrical Dance Instructor at LOCO Motion HEIGHT: 174cm DEFINING FEATURES:

Usually speaks in a Seoul dialect but his native Tongyeong dialect comes through when he’s stressed

Tall frame and broad shoulders

Athletic frame with highly defined muscles: especially legs, arms, chest and back

Sweet smile and a baby face

A colourful flower bouquet tattoo on his inner arm (https://tattooblend.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/52.jpg)

Wears glasses when he’s reading for long periods of time

Weak right ankle with surgery scars

PERSONALITY: Harper spent most of his life living under his mother’s direction: what school to attend, what classes to take and what opportunities to accept. He isn’t very used to making decisions for himself and often finds that he reverts to his mother’s strict values; whether it is a strict diet or the countless hours of training every day. He knows that she’s wrong though and is actively trying to live for himself instead - it’s the exact reason he moved to Mount Phoenix.

He is passionate and lives for the sole purpose of dancing - with his favourites being Ballet, Modern and Lyrical. In fact, he possesses an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the history behind those styles, but is still wanting to learn and experience more. Although he was on the road to becoming a principal dancer, Harper had thrown it all away. He is now more interested in just chasing his passions. He is both happy and satisfied working as a dance teacher, but longs to return to the stage in the future.

To most people, Harper comes across as a very polite and warm hearted person. He’s genuine in everything that he does and is seldom known to lie. He is encouraging of the people around him and wanted to uplift all of his students - regardless of experience and skill level. Although he is young and with a pure, good heart, that should not be confused with naivety. His life has been filled with many years of pain and the experience has made him a stronger person. He tries to see the good in everyone but will also stand up for any injustice.

To his closest friends, Harper is an obvious Dance geek. He’s the type to become over excited about rewatching an old dance performance and could probably speak for hours about the technical details of a dance routine. He also had a cheeky sense of humor, embellished with a hint of good natured sarcasm. He has an innocent charm, especially since he is relatively inexperienced in terms of dating - Harper has been in relationships before, but is generally new to meeting people outside of his dance circles. Most of his life has been fairly sheltered and limited, so he has only a few life experiences to draw from.

Harper is known to wear his heart on his sleeve. He speaks his mind and, if the situation calls for it or if he is asked, would be willing to share even the most painful parts of his past. He takes the darkness in his heart as a reason to grow and is willing to relive his bad memories if the story will help someone in the present.

HISTORY: Harper had always known that he was special and, according to his Mother, that meant that he couldn’t do things like the other kids. He was the only son of Song Hayoung, or Hanna Song as she was professionally known. As one of Korea’s few internationally renowned ballerinas, she had a prolific career as the Principal Dancer for a number of foreign dance companies. Although she retired when she fell pregnant with Harper, she was never able to let go of her past fame.

Hanna was always about trying to be the best of the best. As a dancer, she pushed herself to the absolute limits and boldly grasped at every opportunity that came to her. Coming from a small town, she wanted nothing more than to be greater than anyone thought possible. Even her brief relationship with Arawn, a strange and powerful man with abilities beyond human, was an example of how she gravitated towards power. After she had Harper, a child that she initially wanted to erase from existence, she saw him as another opportunity to prove her greatness. Hanna raised him as though she were his talent manager - every ambition that she had for herself, ambitions that she felt were stolen from her, she forced onto her son.

She named him Harper, giving him a foreign name because he was going to be an internationally renowned dancer - a Principal Dancer for certain, and perhaps with the Berlin Dance Company. She would accept nothing less than that, so saw no reason to give him a Korean name. She didn’t intend on him leading any real life there.

She put Harper into dance classes as soon as he learnt to walk and hired him a private tutor to ensure that he could maximize his practice time - elementary school was just an excuse for play time, after all, and there was nothing homeschooling could not accommodate. Hanna was also rather outspoken to him about his parentage - thinking that knowledge of his father as well as the magic that he might have inherited would propel Harper into being a more aggressively ambitious person. But truthfully, Arawn and the dead had always scared him, so Harper avoided pursuing those abilities.

Instead, he put all of his energy and focus onto dance - doing just what his mother wanted. He genuinely loved it but his mother was always quick to criticize. Harper was never good enough. Winning first place was just an expectation, not an achievement. Hanna didn’t allow him to do much aside from dance, so he didn’t have the opportunity to meet other kids his age. He was a sweet boy though, with a warmth that his mother never possessed, and became close to other dancers easily.

It was only when he reached his teenage years that Hanna enrolled him in an actual school. Deciding that he had outgrown the backwards community in Tongyeong, she surprised him with a sudden move to Seoul. In fact, she hadn’t even spoken to Harper about it until the moving trucks arrived. Unable to even say goodbye to his handful of friends, he cried silently in the back seat, trying to make sure that his mother didn’t see his tears. She did though and, for the first time in her life, she hesitated. But only for a moment.

Success did not come to those who held themselves back.

…

Harper has been enrolled into the most prolific performing arts school in Seoul, where he also had his first experience living away from his mother. Being in a dormitory was different and it took him a while to get used to it, especially since most of his life has been spent living to such rigid rules. However, his concerns melted away and Harper made friends easily - his satoori, which he was initially self conscious of, was actually adored by the other students who thought he sounded cute and shy by default.

In his first couple of years at the school, Harper just managed to pass his academic classes but was absolutely excelling as a dancer. He enjoyed trying different styles but, with every phone call from his mother, there was another demand that he focus more of his time on ballet. Consequently, he ended up spending a majority of his time with his Pas de deux partner - Miyoung, a prodigal dancer and daughter of a renowned dance company director. She was an elegant and beautiful girl who shared a similarly strict lifestyle to him and so they were always on the same wavelength - it seemed only logical that they would date. His mother approved of the relationship, considering her a suitable partner for Harper even if she would have preferred him to focus on his training instead.

However, that happiness was short lived as the relationship lasted mere months - their chemistry as friends and dance partners didn’t translate to a healthy relationship. The two spent more time training and analysing dance techniques than actually getting to know each other. As the pressure of trying to feign a happy relationship built up, Harper also became closer with his new roommate - Junkai. He was an older student from the countryside in China, orphaned and without any money, but possessing such incredible musical talent that he was attending school on a full scholarship. He had a cool, stoic nature and seldom spoke, so Harper initially felt uncomfortable around him.

However, tragedy brought the two closer.

Harper had just returned to their room after late night rehearsals, thinking that Jun would have been asleep already, but instead found the older boy sitting desolate on his bed. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy, as though he had spent hours crying. Concerned for his roommate, Harper went to sit silently by the other boy’s side, waiting and giving him time to share what had happened. There was no pushing, no inundation of questions; just silence and the comfort of hands being held.

Jun revealed that he’d received word that afternoon that his younger sister had passed away. They had been each other’s only family for years and, while he was still living in China, he had been her sole guardian - even if he was only a child himself. She was the one who had sent his application to Korea and who encouraged him to go to study abroad, even if she would be left alone. As a childhood Leukemia patient, his sister had been admitted to the hospital in recent months but Jun wasn’t able to fly home to her - they didn’t have the money and she didn’t want him to give up his scholarship. In the end, all he had were daily video calls and then a final call from her doctor, delivering the news that she had passed away in her sleep.

Jun blamed himself for not being there for her, hating that his sister was alone even in her last painful moments. She was gone and there was nothing anyone could do, except Harper knew he could. He had never done it before, only having heard from his mother about the powers Arawn possessed, but he wanted to try it for Junkai.

“I want to try something.”

…

The two roommates grew closer in the following months and Harper could very confidently pinpoint the moment that he fell in love with Junkai - he was on the piano and Harper was barefoot in the dance studio, the music weaving its way into both of their hearts. Where he had to try so hard in his last relationship, being with Jun felt completely natural - the other boy balanced out all of Harper’s weaknesses, whilst Harper encouraged Jun to open up to the world around him. Sharing a room soon turned into sharing a bed and they often found themselves holding each other through the night.

In Harper’s mind, it was his first real relationship - and Junkai was the only person he wanted to be with - but Harper’s mother thought differently. Initially only shocked by her son’s sexuality, she was further appalled to find out about Jun’s impoverished background. She could not accept that her son would go from Miyoung, who she viewed as the perfect girlfriend, to someone who had absolutely nothing to his name. She forbid the relationship, going to great lengths to ensure that the boys were split up.

However, in his first real rebellious moment towards his mother, Harper refused. The two continued to see each other secretly throughout their high school years, often talking about how they might run away together after graduation, but reality soon caught up.

Due to his family background and good looks, Harper had been scouted throughout his high school years. He rejected them as the offers mostly came from modelling and idol agencies, but the one he had been preparing for his whole life came just weeks before graduation. The Berlin Dance Company contacted him to offer him a permanent role in the corps de ballet - with potential to graduate to a soloist and then principal role as well. The only downside would have been having to relocate to Germany.

Junkai, meanwhile, had to go home. He had graduated two years ago and had been trying to find stable work in Korea with no luck. His Chinese background and citizenship worked to his disadvantage in Korea, with no place wanting to hire him permanently. At the same time, a call had come from his hometown’s high school to offer him a position as a music tutor. He was concerned about leaving Harper, knowing that the other boy was still very much under the selfish control of his mother, but had no option left.

Before Harper’s graduation recital, and knowing that their paths would be inevitably split afterwards, the two boys had slipped out on the weekend. Heading to one of the more reputable tattoo studios in Hongdae, they spent a few hours getting matching tattoos on their upper forearm.

“But why the flowers?” Harper asked.

“Because I want to be the first one to congratulate you after every show.”

…

An entire year had passed and Harper was getting accustomed to life in Berlin. Although they had broken off their relationship, Jun was always on his mind - as the nightly phone calls proved. Over time though, Jun became quieter again and harder to contact, but there was nothing that Harper could do on the other side of the world. And so he just tried again and again.

1 missed call.

8 missed calls.

15 missed calls.

There were minutes to go until curtain, and Harper was backstage of the theatre checking on his costume. It had been nearly a week since Jun had called and so Harper nearly pounced when his phone lit up with a new message. For once though, he had wished that he hadn’t read anything. The words seared into his brain as the stage manager came in to rush them onto stage. Harper followed her instructions like clockwork, ascending to the raised platform for the opening number.

The orchestra started with a delicate melody that seems only to toy with the sinking weight in Harper’s chest. The world was spinning but Harper pushed on, because that was what he had been trained to do. Push on. Go on.

He slipped, his ankle snapping in the wrong direction and body falling meters below. The pain seared through his leg and Harper was certain that he’d broken something, but that wasn’t why the tears came, why his heart clenched, nor why he sobbed the entire night into his sheets. It was only one message, a couple of words, but it tore his world apart.

“This is Doctor Li. I’m not certain of your relationship to my patient, but I am sorry to inform you that Ma Jun Kai passed away this morning.”

…

Harper spoke to Junkai after that just once. On his bed with his leg in a plaster and his face sunken, he had called up all of his strength to use his powers once again - but for a more selfish reason. Jun came fairly easily to sit beside him in quiet comfort, much like what Harper had done for him before. The boy in front of him was different though - thinner than he had been just a year ago and with a deathly look to his complexion.

Harper looked up at him, his breath caught in his chest as the tears came to his eyes again. He’d promised himself not to cry.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Junkai looked at him, his expression filled with a mix of sadness and regret, “Because I don’t want you to remember me like this.”

…

Life is short, and Harper realised that he had spent most of his living under the control of his mother. Her words were so much a part of him that he didn’t know who he was without her direction. With Junkai gone as well, his singular attempt at pursuing something for himself, Harper could no longer continue the life that he had been living.

And so he left. He submitted his resignation to the Berlin Dance Company, citing time needed to rehabilitate, and packed all of his possessions up. He didn’t say anything to his mother, not giving her the chance to stop him, but had her to thank for his next move. When he was younger, she had told him about a place just off from Korea - it was an island where people like his father and, in turn, him, could go to become stronger.

And maybe find a fresh beginning.

PANTHEON: Celtic CHILD OF: Arawn POWERS:

The ability to communicate with the dead - this is not a passive ability and Harper has to put quite a lot of energy into actually doing this. At the moment, he is only capable of short communications. This will not work for any spirits that have moved on or reincarnated.

The ability to raise the dead - Harper has only ever attempted this once and is only able to do it for very short time spans (a few minutes at most). It is a very exhausting process and leaves him so weak that he may completely pass out.

Physically strong - Harper has his rigorous exercise routine and dance training to back it up, but his natural inclination towards physical strength surely helped the process.

STRENGTHS:

Physical strength, agility and flexibility

Encyclopaedic knowledge of dance history

Natural talent and professional training in a number of dance genres - specifically Ballet, Modern and Lyrical dance

Takes past experiences and failures as reasons to become stronger

WEAKNESSES:

Is absolutely terrible at making decisions

Does not have good grasp or understanding of his demigod abilities

Is trusting of the people around him and can be easily hurt

Has a very regimented lifestyle that he is trying to ‘unlearn’

[littlelonghairedoutlawllho]

Fanfic Writer Ask Meme!

Tagged by @bogglebabbles

Author’s Name: littlelonghairedoutlaw here and on FFN, ponderinfrustration on AO3, and generally just Shauna

Fandoms you write for: Phantom of the Opera, but I have written for Harry Potter, Sherlock, Saga of Darren Shan/Cirque du Freak, His Dark Materials, Chess, and Lonesome Dove. I think that’s all? Though there is a high chance I’ll end up writing for HDM again when the series airs because you know I love my disaster man Lee and my dear witch queen Serafina.

Where you post: Here, FFN, and AO3

Most popular one-shot: in terms of both reviews and favs it’s Twin Hearts, Echoed on FFN. On AO3, Permission of Intimacy has the most kudos, Compositional Interruption the most bookmarks, and Masquerade the most comments.

Most popular multi-chapter story: Soft Place to Fall has the most faves and reviews, Cartography has the most kudos and bookmarks on AO3, and SPtF wins on comments.

Favorite story you wrote: The Delta series and love-light. Both of them are just so satisfying. Delta has so much in it that I wanted to do for a long time, and it’s the sort of thing I’ve been wanting to read. Did not know how much I needed a tubercular Erik and an OT3 in my life until then. And as for love-light...God. It’s oddly personal in a way. It’s very much a tribute to the books I’ve been reading the last month, the sort of feelings I’ve been drawn to, and things I’ve been thinking about. There are probably about a hundred different things in it that Against the Tide and Thanks for the tea are responsible for, right down to Erik’s dodgy lungs and his English education and the description of his face. And just the fact that it’s Irish. It’s Connemara. It’s not even the part of Connemara that I’ve been to, but how I want to go there. love-light is just very important to me on a level that’s inexplicable but it’s deep in my heart. It’s my wine-drinking, Perseid story which included an interlude to cry over Noël Browne, and it is directly responsible for the existence of Stardust.

Story you were nervous to post: All of them. Nervous and excited. love-light especially because it’s so dear to me, but all the Tinder stories too and SPtF, and Etched and Wraiths and RTtR, and Delta. Every one of them has been a nerve-wracking experience and sometimes it’s turned to disappointment but also sometimes it’s become elation

How do you choose your titles? A lot of songs, sometimes poetry. Sometimes just words that feel like they fit.

Do you outline? Sometimes. I outlined SPtF and stuck to it. I outlined RTtR, and outlined it again, and again, and again... Wraiths and Etched both got sort of outlined halfway through. Dead Water and Digging Up Bones were unplanned in every way, as was Delta. I don’t outline one-shots, but I did draw up a timeline for Fifteen Christmases because it’s so vast, and now when I’m writing Tinder things I refer back to FC as a sort of base text so I know where I am in the timeline and what I can and can’t talk about.

How many of your stories are…

*complete? Afaik, all of them. So 322 on AO3, 304 on FFN.

*in-progress? I don’t think there are any? Unless I missed any which I admit is highly possible.

Coming soon: I need to edit and properly post that short SPtF sequel. I have mentally played with the nextgen a bit for it, but I don’t think I’ll do anything with them, though you bet I have headcanons about little Christopher John. Other than that, there is a Tinder thing I need to edit, another Tinder thing in progress if I ever get back to it, and one more Tinder thing I’d like to do. After that I really am done, unless I come out of retirement just to write Sorelli as a socialist in Dublin Artane in 1977.

Do you accept prompts? Sometimes. I reblog prompt sheets but I usually only get one or two off them, if that. I have pretty much a 95% clearance rate, I think, though it may take me more than a year to actually get to it, which is how Dead Water happened. I very much enjoy prompts, especially slightly unusual ones or ones that I can twist into something historical and a bit out there. I found writing E/C all the time extremely exhausting and most prompts will be E/C which is where that other 5% comes in, but for non-E/Cs ones I’m always willing. And ofc E/C as part of an OT3 is always extremely welcome

Upcoming story you are most excited to write: Nothing really in particular...unless I come out of retirement just to write Sorelli as a socialist in Dublin Artane in 1977, a possible OT3.

Tag five authors to answer these questions as well: @rscoil @hopsjollyhigh @maze-zen @convenientalias

[k-p-p-d]

I heard madtown is having problems with their management, because of their ceo's arrest, do you have any update on their situation? With all the members lack of activities/absence, late updates in fc, jota's cryptic messages in fc, it's really disturbing and concerning, and sometimes annoying that no one can answer anything, like, do we even have anything to wait for?

Hi! I don’t have any updates on their situation, considering I don’t work for GNI so I’m just as clueless as you. BUT, based on my deductions as well as my knowledge of just how stubborn resilient the members are, I do strongly believe they are working on a self-produced full album. I know it’s hard to keep positive considering all the late postings of schedules and complete radio silence on V app for BufHo’s birthdays (though honestly I think this is more so BufHo’s request than shitty management considering how chill they are about their birthdays in general; I mean both of them solo broadcasts last year rather than a full bonanza), but our boys are nothing if not dedicated to music and determined to stay together at all costs.

Below the cut are my reasons for this conclusion!

Okie dokie. So here are my deductions:

During his solo broadcast at the Han River, Heojun said that the members were still trying to figure out what side of themselves they wanted to show next. Now keep in mind, this was said: 1. towards the end of their September tour in Japan; and 2. towards the end of their time with JTC. They likely didn’t have a whole lot of free time between looking for a new agency and holding shows to actively come up with ideas or work on demos.

Additionally, we’ve seen Daewon, Moos, and Buffy in the studio (and in Pro-C’s case, their OWN little studios). Daewon uploaded these pics to his Instagram; Moos uploaded this pic and this video  to his; and Buffy uploaded this and this to his Instagram, held this Instagram live, and his Chainsmokers cover featuring Jaeho to the FC.

Both Buffy and Jaeho held Instagram lives in their practice room with Heojun. Considering these homebodies have a new, more spacious dorm, it’s highly unlikely they’re just gonna hang out in the practice room for shits and giggles. There’s no real proof for this, but my hunch is that Jun is helping Buffy with piano and Jaeho was there to help provide accompiament and practice his guitar. Plus, all three are part of ot7 damce line and are the youngest of the group so they could be practicing for a unit performance. We just don’t know but could you imagine???

Moos, Geon, and Buf released One Day, a track they all composed, wrote, and produced. Buf posted the lyrics to the song in the FC with a note saying he had originally wanted it to be done a month after he  got the idea for it, but it took him almost three months to get it done because he wanted it to be absolutely perfect. Now this really highlights just how Buffy, who is Madtown’s main producer (check their discography and you’ll see his name under “producer” on the majority of their songs) is an absolute perfectionist and refuses to release anything he’s not 110% satisfied with. Actually, all of the members are perfectionists in their own right (especially Walnut Line). So it stands to reason that with them being such a cohesive and inclusive group, they’re not going to release anything unless all 7 of them agree on it.

It’s taken, on average, 6 months between each of their previous comebacks and all those were mini albums, with the exception of OMGT which was a digital single. Considering they are from small companies, it’s understandable that it’s been a year since Emptiness; small companies just simply do not have the funds to be able to have eras back to back to back to back and they’re likely waiting for the right moment to come back so they don’t have to go up against massive groups. It’s all about timing so they get the most exposure which in turns means they get more opportunities; more exposure and opportuniites mean more money for the company; more money for company means faster turn around times.

In his third-most recent Instagram live, Buffy showed us his musical composition notebook.  I counted at least 20 songs in there. He also commented that he was taking a music theory course to help him hone and improve his skills.

Jota is busy AF. He’s constantly filming for and killing it on “I Am Actor!” so it’s likely he doesn’t have much time right now to really practice with the members. As such he likely has to play catch-up on choreo and vocal lessons when he does have the time. And then again, Jota is kind of the heart of the group (there’s definitely a noticeable difference in how the members act when he is there versus when he isn’t); so when he isn’t there, they get some stuff done no doubt but they likely don’t want to do a whole lot because they don’t want Jota to feel like he’s far behind the 8-ball and thus make him feel even more pressure than he likely already feels.

FINALLY: They deserve a damn break. If you look at it, they’ve been active from June 2016 to March 2017. They’ve had fanmeets, photoshoots, concerts, mini tour, album promotions in TWO countries, variety show taping, acting (in Jota’s case), appearances, etc. Like they had a whole helluva lot going on for a loooooong time. So if they wanna chill out for a few months and just relax, then please God let them do it. I don’t know about you, but I’m hella happy every morning when I wake up and see them just being themselves and enjoying their lives. Whether it’s Daewon going home to visit his parents and provide free promo for his dad’s shop, Geonie playing soccer and doing UFC training, Jun having coffee dates with Chan, Buf going on a weekend trip with Juyong to Tokyo best bro ever wtf I’m jealous, Jaeho hanging with random cats and hiking with his mom, Moos sipping coffee and being one with his beloved Squirrels, or Jota just being able to catch a movie and hit the gym, I am HERE for this healing.

So yeah. Maybe this is me naively positive but I just don’t see the point in worrying excessively over them. I think we as MadPi need to just breathe and chill out. Rather than screaming in comments “WHEN IS YOUR COMEBACK?!!1!1!!”/”PLEASE COMEBACK SOON!!!!!!1!!!1″ (which honestly annoys the shit outta me like damn y'all pls don’t annoy them with this), we just need to trust them. Our boys have done and will always do what’s right for them.

Sorry this got so long, but I hope this has answered your question and provided you some comfort & reassurance!

–Lily, a MadPi🐒

[freelanews-blog]

Ibrahim Mustapha: It would have been disappointing if Enyimba didn’t win 2019 NPFL title

Enyimba FC striker, Ibrahim Mustapha has said it would have been a big disappointment, if his team didn’t win the just concluded NPFL Super 6. According to him, ‘the Peoples elephants’ are the best club in the domestic league. The former El-Kanemi Warriors player also spoke to Trust Sports on his first NPFL title, the Super 6 playoff and his future plans. How happy are you with your team’s victory in the just concluded NPFL Super 6 playoff championship in Lagos? It is a thing of joy that against all odds, we emerged champions of the 2019 Nigeria Professional Football League. By this achievement, we have once again proved in words and deeds that we are the most successful club in Nigerian football. This is our eighth league title. I really want to thank God for making this possible. As a matter of fact, this is my first league title and I am extremely excited. Whom are you dedicating this victory to? Without any hesitation, I dedicate this victory to first and foremost almighty God, then my family especially my dad and my teeming fans. I want to most sincerely thank them for their prayers and support. They have always been there for me. I hope to win more titles, if I continue with my career in the NPFL. Did this victory come to you as a surprise? Not at all, it didn’t come to me as a surprise because everybody knows the quality of players in Enyimba. Instead it would have been a huge disappointment, if we didn’t win the league title. If you look at the players in Enyimba and their experience, you would agree with me that we were the best. This is however, not to underrate any of our opponents. Don’t forget that even last season, we were going to win the title before the LMC stopped the league prematurely. It was a painful thing but we all had to move on. However, everyone in Enyimba resolved that we would not miss the title this year. So as we set out in the Super 6, nothing other than the trophy was our target. Were you this confident even when Enyimba lost to Kano Pillars in your second match? To be honest with you, we were all sad that we lost all three points to Kano Pillars. We deserved to get at least a point but in the end, we lost the match. It was not a comfortable situation for us but we still believed that along the way, something might happen and we would go back to the top of the table. So when Pillars drew 1-1 with Rangers, we were very happy. We knew right then that we were going to win the playoff. In the end, it happened exactly the way we imagined because Pillars couldn’t catch up with us again. Lobi Stars, Akwa United and FC IfeanyiUbah failed to pick continental ticket. Among the three clubs, which of them really disappointed you? To be honest, I am really surprised at the failure of Akwa United to pick a continental ticket. They topped their group convincingly and to know that they didn’t qualify for the continent is surprising. I am sure their fans will be so disappointed. I am also surprised because I know the quality in that team. They have some of the best players in the league. How they failed to pick one of the tickets is really a mystery to me. Well, that is football for you. I just hope they will go back to the drawing board and come out stronger next season. Which of the matches was the most difficult for Enyimba in the Super 6? Without any doubt, our match with Rangers was the most difficult. It didn’t come to us as a surprise because we all know the rivalry between the two clubs. Anytime we play against Rangers, they try everything to beat us and it is never easy with either of the teams. At the Super 6, they gave us tough time but in the end, we proved to them that we are the better side. I am happy that they didn’t derail our ambition in the competition. Had we lost to them, it would have cost us the title. How satisfied are you with your personal performance? I am very satisfied because I put in my best anytime I was given the opportunity to play. You know in Enyimba, there are so many good players. There are many good strikers so we usually rotate the striking role. We are a united family so once any player is asked to drop to the bench, he understands. So in as much as I didn’t score, I feel I did well by engaging in team work which is actually the secret weapon of Enyimba. As a striker of repute, you must be disappointed that you didn’t score at least a goal…. Yeah as a striker, I feel disappointed that I could not score any goal. However, in my religion, we believe in the will of Allah. He decides our future. He is the ultimate. We as human beings cannot decide for him. When I was going into the competition, I had the belief that I would score goals. However, it didn’t come to pass but I still believe it was God’s will for me. Moreover, I was once down with injury so that also affected my game. I returned to the team few matches before the end of the regular season. But in all, I thank God for everything. What is your assessment of the standard of play at the Super 6? It was highly competitive. All the six clubs put in quality performances. Although they could not win a single match, FC IfeanyiUbah were not as weak as someone might think. When they played against us, we had to dig deep to beat them. At a point, the match was tied at 1-1. And if you look at the result of all the matches, the scores were usually very close. It was a very close race. Are you surprised that Kano Pillars didn’t lose a single match? No, I am not surprised. They deserve that record because they are solid in all departments. In the end, it was only two points that separated us. This means they too deserved to win the championship. As former champions, they deserve some respect. What is the next thing for you? Are you moving on to another club? For now, I have not decided. My contract with Enyimba ends this season so we may go into another negotiation. I will go back and think about my future before anything. Enyimba are the best club in Nigeria at the moment so it is a thing of honour to play for them. I have really enjoyed my stay in the club. Moreover, I now have the opportunity to play in the CAF Champions League so let’s wait and see how it goes. Read the full article

[seatsbythepit]

Hey Anna :) I just listened to Monday's Arsecast and they continued to talk about the silence of the board and the possible search for a sporting director and I was just wondering if in other EPL clubs the higher ups are really more present?

Because in Germany the sporting directors and comparable people are very present in the media. Like they get interviewed after games and are regularly on matchday shows and all. 

And I just got the impression that not only at Arsenal but in the EPL in general they are a lot less present. Or is that really just Arsenal?

Hey Sabrina, thanks for your question(s)! I’d like to start off by saying I am probably not the most educated on this topic, nor am I the worst - so I’ll try my best to give you a satisfying response!

Sporting Directors are very…fluid characters, they can often be referred to as technical directors, can be seen as the all-knowing all-seeing eye of a club’s footballing activities, they can be a guide/guardian for the manager as well as a buffer between fans and manager.

As you mentioned, in Germany they have a strong media presence, including post-match interviews - I would say that based on that information alone it’s definitely not the same for the Premier League as a whole, I cannot recall many times I have seen a sporting director for a club speak regularly and so presently. They tend to pop up at times of importance or interest for a club, maybe during a changing over of managers or during transfer season, but not in the day to day life, they work in the shadows so to speak.

In fact previously it was not at all a common thing for PL clubs to have sporting directors, at least not in that official role.

I know this next bit is probably very extra info, but I took the liberty of checking the bigger clubs (I was initially going to do all of them, but that would make this post even longer than it already is.) in the PL, whether they have such a figure and also how they are described on the club websites and here is what I found:

Chelsea | Michael Emanalo - Technical Director

He has been an important part of the first team management structure since his arrival in October 2007, and now supports the work of the first team manager, leading the club’s international and domestic scouting network, and assists in driving the technical programmes of our Academy and international youth network.

Tottenham | Rebecca Caplehorn - Director of Football Operations

Graduated from Loughborough University with a Joint Honours Degree in Physical Education, Sport Science and Mathematics.  She subsequently qualified as a Chartered Accountant via the NHS Graduate Management Scheme and has worked in senior finance roles within both tennis and football. Rebecca joined the Club in March 2015, after spending over five years at Queens Park Rangers FC.

Manchester City | Txiki Begiristain? Director of Football

Txiki is not listed on Manchester City’s corporate page, but in 2012 he was announced as Manchester City’s Director of Football. And there are recent articles about him, including Pep Guardiola speaking of him. So I presume he does still hold that role.

Liverpool | Michael Edwards - Sporting Director

From Nov 2016: Michael Edwards has today been appointed as Liverpool Football Club’s sporting director.

The 37-year-old is being promoted into a newly-created role as part of a restructuring of the football operations. Edwards will now lead the club’s overall football development, including player identification, acquisitions, sales and retention, as well as taking primary responsibility for reviewing and implementing improvements to the training ground environment and infrastructure.

Manchester United | Not applicable. (Make note of Edward Woodward.)

United do not have an official sporting director, but Edward Woodward, their executive vice-chairman, is probably the closest to it. However, he has been criticised in the past about how he has handled their transfers, and thus it was once thought United would eventually opt to bring someone experienced to take on the Sports Director role - but this was later denied, and it did not happen.

Arsenal | Not applicable.

Of course, we know the answer to this one. Ivan Gazidis has been proud in the past that we currently have no such figure at the club, trying to play the angle of “team effort” among the board, rather than a hierarchy. (Check out this episode of Arsecast Extra that Sabrina referred to hear of previous attitudes towards the club corporate setup.)

We once had David Dein, who came close to being a sporting director before such a title was really given. “Dein built up his shares until he owned 42% of the club in 1991. During his time at the club, he was responsible for football matters taking an active role in the transfer of players and contract negotiations where he was able to use his extensive network of football contacts. Dein was behind the appointment of the then little known Arsène Wenger to the manager’s job in 1996; under Wenger Arsenal have won the Premier League three times and the FA Cup six times, and Dein strongly backed him and his transfer wishes throughout.[3]”

However, as previously mentioned, we may now be seeking an official sporting director after Arsene Wenger leaves, due to the fact that Dick Law may also think about departing with him. The Telegraph wrote recently:

Dick Law has liaised closely with manager Arsene Wenger on player negotiations and contracts since 2009 and, while he would initially work with any appointment, it is understood that he is ready to step away from his current position in the longer-term.

The idea would also be to create a wider football operations role, with possible responsibilities stretching to shaping and fine-tuning the structures around sports science, medicine, scouting and recruitment, the academy and logistics.

Losing the two closest figureheads we have to a sporting director would likely be cause for a serious re-organisation of the club’s higher positions.

Wenger has largely become a one man band, he covers a lot of what a sporting director should. For example, he was the figurehead in the club moving to a bigger stadium, the club was outgrowing its beloved home, and a move was necessary to follow the growth, he was also key to assuring the banks we would pay them back in order to receive more loans. [x] He was also responsible for the state of the art training ground we currently have, he ensured that we invested in health and science to better our players to such a high standard, his success as our manager is proof of how crucial that was.

So remarkable is his influence that our club is actually viewed as a financial anomaly, here is a quote from a financial report I posted about in 2016:

“*Due to the structural issues identified below, our view is Arsenal is not investable for the general public, the fact its ISDX quotation has survived is anomalous.*

In my opinion, the growth of our club since the 90s and early 2000s has meant that this one-man role is even less feasible than it was back then, nor should it even try to be feasible now.

An interesting correlation I make between Arsenal and United is that the two big clubs without a sporting director are the two clubs who have had/still have (in our case) a recent long time serving manager. I feel that the greatness of both Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex allowed the figureheads behind their respective clubs to take a back seat and allow the two managers to be absolutely everything to their clubs - which whilst so very admirable on AF and AW’s behalves proves to be a problem when their tenures come to an end. You only have to look at United and see that there wasn’t really a backup plan for the departure of such a legend, and if there was it hasn’t really worked, and I can only hope that our farewell with AW happens when we have planned meticulously for everything that comes thereafter.

Not to mention the growth of the Premier League, the gap between clubs and their quality is getting smaller, therefore it is not ideal to rely on one person who already has a high position/highly stressful role at the club - I mean he’s the manager for goodness sake. Arsene is our manager, and manage is what he should be expected to do. He should not be under fire for the inner workings of our club, despite the fact that he often is. It is not wholly his responsibility and even if our directors are not sports directors, they still have a duty to manage this club effectively, both in the football we produce and otherwise.

A sporting director is supposed to be the go-between, the adviser, the helper, we need structure and strategy behind Arsene, or whoever is in charge of the team.  Which is why there has been a certain amount of annoyance/anger with the board, because they use that “one man band” role to let Arsene take a lot of the flack for the club’s stagnation, and have not committed to any real responsibility on their part.

Something I particularly find scandalous is when our CEO, Ivan Gazidis, charges such an extortionate amount for his services…none of which we actually get to see with any real transparency. It only aggravates the discontent among fans, and he does no good to act like everything is amazing at things like the AGM meetings and such.

Something else that Arseblog touched on in a regular Arsecast podcast is that he actually out-rightly said the fans would decide AW’s future, the fans. It displays a terrible amount of irresponsibility to place such an important decision on the fans, a lack of judgement and ultimately it has played part in the current situation we have with the protests etc, because through not taking charge, the directors have essentially shown the fans that they are not leading, they are not being clear in their goals and intentions as a board, BUT at the same time they are not listening to fans either, they are not listening to the fans as Gazidis had alluded they would. It’s this inaction that is painful to see, and to see AW take the brunt of the repercussions outside of the football elements is saddening.

And although he is majority shareholder first a foremost, then a director, Stan Kroenke charging for “advisory services” is bizarre. There is no confidence in the man who basically said he didn’t care about trophies, and it’s even more laughable that he should charge for so-called advice. I realise these are more likely to be business orientated services, not football ones, but that’s just it - we don’t all wear our Arsenal shirts seeking to cheer on a well run business, we want our team to thrive and succeed. I am proud of what we do outside of playing football, but we have to aspire to more than what we’ve already achieved, we are already very good but we could be even better. Which is why, after all I have written, I really do hope we get a sporting director.

I am SO sorry for basically answering your question in the first few paragraphs and then going on to write a novel, but I hope this has been useful in some way, it give me clarity to write in detail. I also recognise that I may be talking nonsense, and that I don’t know the ins and outs of other clubs as well as I know my own, so apologies for that, haha.

Thank you again for your question, Sabrina!

[ullielwrites]

「☩」    BLOO PRESENTS... A WANTED PLOT;

RELATION TYPE: Bad Meets Good, Opposites Attract, Optional Romance

KEYWORD(S): Hidden Heart of Gold, Reformed But Not Tamed

INSPIRATION: John & Claire, Link & Tracy, Percy & Annabeth

SONG CREDIT: I Wanna Get Better by Bleachers

When A met B, they absolutely hated everything about them. Partnered up for a project, they saw nothing but the differences and tried to complete control of the tasks to avoid (another) failure on A’s otherwise perfect record. However, B insisted that they are just as capable of the workload as A, even moreso in spite of their rumored delinquency; almost always resisting authority, they break noses almost as often as they break hearts, championing a record in the variety of drugs and drinks they’ve had. So, a bet is made: if B doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain, they will volunteer at the hospital A works at for a year. If B does, though? A has to go out - party included - with B.

BONUS: When B manages to get their part of the assignment done, A fears for the worst to come having always been an innocent goodie two-shoes. But they decide on a compromise, A not having to break curfew to attend the end-of-the-year bash with B so long as B volunteers at the hospital A works at for a summer.

SUGGESTED A MUSES;

OLIVER LEOI (FC: HARRY SHUM, JR): If ever there’s been someone that’s fallen into the family business so hard, it’s Ollie. Though he’d always had a heart set on becoming a performing artist, his dreams were dashed when the reality set in while in high school; his father strictly told him that he’d only get financial help so long as he was pursuing either an engineering or medical degree. Head turned down to the ground, nose set to the grindstone, he earned all the bells and whistles to become an emergency medical technician and now works at a local hospital - though it hasn’t stopped him from keeping an almost perfectly slender build with the diet and training of a professional dancer. He’s a street performer by day, emergency nurse by night.

HAYDEN OWENS (FC: HAYLEY WILLIAMS): The only child of Gillian Owens (and her dead lover - not that anyone would willingly mention him), she was raised by her family, a publicly-known witch coven in a small town. Though at first fearful that she may have corrupted energy due to her father’s influence, the paranoia resided when Hayden never showed any signs of magic, though everyone beside her uncle was disappointed. Fretted over constantly since then, she has been sheltered her whole life and now helps operate her mom and aunt’s shop despite not having an ounce of mana… Or so she thought until recently when she somehow stopped a delivery truck by blasting it backward ten feet, protecting a couple of little kids  that were playing on the road. Where did the sudden surge of power come from? And what keeps her from using it normally? Should she somehow manage to control these new abilities, will it be enough to break free and go off on adventures like her cousins?

SUGGESTED B MUSES;

QUINTAVIUS QUENTIN QUIRE (FC: NICK ROUX): Everyone that’s ever met him knows he’s a fuck-up. A former X-Man with powers rivaling Jean Grey, he left after rebelling against his peers not once, but twice; 1) he led a rebellion by forming a gang of more radical-minded mutants while under the influence of Kick, and 2) he had a heated political argument with Professor X that ended with him temporarily siding with Magneto only to be abused for his connection to the Phoenix Force until he was nothing more than a being made of psionic energy. Figuring that he’d be unwelcome back, Quentin moved to New York City, where he’s become the founder of his own company, becoming the patent-holder for anti-gravity boots. Though he’s been pestered by Beast and Wolverine to come back “home,” he’s adamant about staying out of the war. Frequently prone to boredom, he spends his days spending his money on alcohol and new ways to achieve a high - you name it, he’s tried it. Having regained a physical form after a couple years of recuperating, Quentin’s never without his spiked-up pink hair, fashion-forward punk suits, pockets full of sharpies, and cans of spray paint holstered to his belt. His closet’s full of blank shirts, which he self-designs and doodles on sometimes. He wouldn’t dare show it upfront, but he’s actually just a pop culture dork that’s good at making bad decisions despite wanting to be right instead of wrong for once…

MALAKAI HENRIE & JACKSON WALKER (FC: GASPARD ULLIEL): Dr. Wilson and Prim Witless’s forgotten bastard of a son, he was left at the doorstep of the Houndsditch Home for Wayward Youth upon finding out he’d inherited his mother’s sociopathic behavior. Growing up in contempt, Malakai mainly cares about his own well-being and gathers favors from those around him to use as advantages later on in order to keep himself safe, always on the move. On the other hand, Jackson lives one scenario at a time, turning things into “games of fate,” choosing actions with highly questionable morals so long as they allow room for mischief to satisfy his sadistic tendencies and terrible cravings to satisfy his endless curiosity.

Feel free to like, but don’t reblog.

[back-alley-magic]

The Renegade

Powers: Not much is known about him. He's mostly regarded as irresponsible, selfish, and unprincipled, a young hedge witch with wasted talent. If the rumors are true, he has a pair of Seven League Boots, a silver chain inscribed with gold and ash, and a knife carved of ivory. Those who know him say he is rather talented with blood magic, but practices a variety of highly symbolic magics (with varying degrees of success). These symbolic magics require substitution of items with those that are logically or emotionally connected to another object, such as lighting a log on fire by holding a piece of coal. This takes a strong physical toll the larger the logical leap.

He was the one to introduce the New Initiate to the world of magic, though he is afraid of getting them involved now that he is being hunted for The Stone.

Faction: Hedge Witches

FC: Dane Dehaan

Name: Lysander Crane (true name unknown)

Any other titles, nicknames, or epithets: The Thaumaturge, though no one actually calls him that. More often he's called Prick, ***hole, or some other choice four letter words. And now, he's The Keeper of the Stone, or simply the Keeper.

Age: 24

Personality:

+creative

+moral...ish, at least in principle. In practice he is more than willing to bend and break rules for what he views as the right cause. And yes, his own benefit does count as a "right cause."

+thinks better on his feet. If he's given too much time to plan he begins to second-guess and overthink

+intelligent, though he tends not to apply himself

+surprisingly disciplined about learning new things when he really cares about them.

+surprisingly accepting of others' flaws

+logical, though this logic is internal and can seem erratic to others

+/-dramatic

+/-headstrong

+/-dark sense of humor

+/-blunt when he shouldn't be and cryptic when it's very inconvenient 

+/-obsessive over small tidbits of information and completely oblivious to other (usually more important) facts

+/sarcastic

+/-self-indulgent

+/independent

+/-thrill seeker

+/-provocative

-pretentious

-disloyal

-cynical

-addictive personality

-aimless

-easily bored, and often turns to dangerous distractions

-selfish

-flippant

-chaotic

-self-destructive

-can be childishly spiteful, the "I'll hold my breath until I pass out, that'll show you" kind of vindictiveness

-irresponsible

Powers, weapons, and skills:

highly symbolic magic. His catch-all conduit is blood, for the sheer power it provides. But he tends to mix this raw energy with more targeted magic. His workings are usually very complex (some would say purely convoluted) and highly dramatic. Mostly it seems he wants to impress himself with crackpot, improbable, but often strangely beautiful magic when a simpler but humbler thing would do the trick. 

Since magic draws on connections and symbols it helps to have a powerful internal logic. He's good at quick-thinking and rushed spells, whereas most witches fall back on prior planning to ensure success. This makes his magic seem very fluid and organic, but also unpredictable. 

His magic deals mostly with change, usually in objects, and perception. He calls it his magical word games. In reality it's connecting a current reality with a desired outcome by making a series of logical leaps, folding and shifting reality until it meets that outcome, like magical origami. This magic is extremely energy-consuming so in his day-to-day magical life he usually uses a few pre-made magical objects. 

These pre-made magical items include a very worn pair of leather boots which, thanks to the sigils on their soles, allows him to move at incredible speeds. These seven league boots don't come without their dangers though. Operating them isn't as easy as simply walking. Without a careful input of energy proportional to the speed and distance you'd like to travel, you could end up literally walking your soul faster than your body. 

Lysander also has a knife carved from mammoth ivory which he uses for his blood magic. He found it deep in one of the underground tunnels, buried in a forgotten barrow. He may not know it yet, but it was buried for a reason, and the more he uses it, the more strange coincidences start happening around it. It does help focus his magic though, so he'll keep using it despite the random occurrences that spark around it. 

He also has a silver chain inscribed with gold and ash. As yet, he hasn't figured out what it does. But that won't stop him from wearing it. In the very least, the silver gives him some modicum of protection against fae.

Weaknesses:

Not very good at explaining himself. He prides himself on that fact, but it can be a big weakness when trying to work with others

extremely self-destructive, addictive, thrill-seeking behavior.

Hell-bent on doing things his way or not at all

Puts more raw energy into magic than is necessary. He's generally regarded (among those who know him in the magical community) as a waste of talent. Everyone assumes he'll burn himself out before he does anything worthwhile, and it seems he's determined to show just how quickly he can prove them right.

Gets bogged down with his own logic and the theoretical side of his actions when given time to plan. When he's working on the fly things come easier to him because he doesn't have time to overthink

Generally comes off as a rude, pretentious little s*** who cares only about himself and is hell to work with

Likes:

puzzles and logic problems

the sound of bells and tinkling jewelry (he wears a lot of bracelets and charms, only some of which are magical)

beautiful solutions (though not necessarily simple ones)

neon lights

deep pounding music

maybe experiments with hallucinogenic compounds more than he should

new experiences

staying one step ahead

confusing others

letting others know he knows they're confused

other curious individuals

taking notes on random scraps of paper

experimenting with....everything

frustrating authority figures

surprising turns of events

heights

theoretical mathematics

making then breaking things then making them into something new (with mixed results)

Morrow (especially the twisting maze-like streets and the underground tunnels)

the more theoretical side of magic (he isn't here for practical magic)

getting swept up in a moment

Dislikes:

not good at making sure he eats regularly and doesn't really care about food (he smokes more than he eats and jokes that he has a liquid diet consisting mostly of vodka)

coming down from a high (whether emotional or otherwise)

that look of disappointment in authority figures' eyes (he reflexively fights back with biting sarcasm and even more outlandish behavior)

his family

stifling regulation, especially from the witches proper, who he thinks act superior to hedge witches without good cause. He sees them as one-trick ponies who have closed themselves off to some of the most beautiful (though maybe more unorthodox) forms of magic

people trying to organize his things (it's a physical representation of his thought process and isn't very linear. But he knows exactly where everything is in the chaos, he swears)

the finer points of emotional interactions with people (he tends to interact with others in over-the-top, off-puttingly extreme shows of emotion or no emotion at all. Complex nuances of relationships are beyond his logic, and therefore very tough for him to understand)

people who refuse to innovate and experiment

water and swimming, he's terribly afraid of drowning

boredom

Short bio: As with all those who sink into the murky waters of hedge magic, Lysander gave up his old life and drowned the boy he was. It seemed an easy price to pay for the ability to grab the fabric of reality and tear it to shreds, and oddly satisfying to murder everything his family made him. Who he was before is shrouded in mystery. But a few close to him (and that is a very, very few) know he studied theoretical mathematics somewhere before finding his way to Morrow. Even those who haven't heard his fragmented, sparse telling of his past can recognize the pedantic, vaguely disdainful drawl of an academic when he discusses his craft. His horrible, gaudy tastes also hint at squandered wealth. It takes good money to look that cheap. The flippant disregard for the finer points of surviving (like the necessity of a job or even the basics of housekeeping) also hints at an upbringing as another spoiled, pampered child hell-bent on a downward spiral. No, that past is nothing but a murky shadow, his true name nothing more than an echo. He was truly born, as he'll tell you on a good day or from the bottom of a bottle (which, all in all are often the same), in a dark alley in the warehouse district, blood dripping from his chin and fury burning in his throat. His blood hit the cracked pavement of Morrow and, whether he knew it or not, it was his first offering. The ley lines of Morrow focused all his anger, all his pain, and left nothing but two vaguely-human singe marks on the alley walls. A better man would have been horrified, running far away from that power. And a lesser man would have been devoured by it. But Lysander is none of those, lost maybe, unprincipled sure, unfocused definitely. But he is no hero, and he is no villain. It's true, he hasn't killed since. But most agree using reality-shattering magic fed from your own life-blood to perform petty party tricks is not the most responsible path. But Lysander doesn't care. What matters is learning, knowing, searching. And it appears that searching has provided more questions than answers.

Life in Morrow: Those familiar with the party scene in Morrow have probably seen Lysander. He appears to be nocturnal, though that may just be a product of nights that leave him in hungover stupors more often than not. He isn't exactly a "productive member of society," spending most daylight hours holed up in his grimy apartment/laboratory (which in all reality is an abandoned warehouse full of mismatch furniture, dirty beakers full of who-knows-what, an entire wall covered in chalk markings, and haphazard stacks of books) fiddling with his powers. Every so often a question catches hold of him and he can be found rummaging through the university library. No one knows how exactly he gets in. Maybe he knows someone, or maybe he just jimmies the fire escape lock. In any case, his daylight appearances are few and far between. Most of his time not spent downing whatever alcohol he can get his hands on or trying to break the laws of physics is spent exploring the subways, sewers, and tunnels under Morrow's streets. His apartment has a small cellar with a few precious treasures and a staircase that descends down into the veins of the city. While he prefers to explore alone, he has been known to venture out with a few trusted acquaintances on occasion. No one really knows how Lysander survives. He doesn't seem to take in any money, though perhaps he has no need for it. He doesn't even have a kitchen, and most of his food comes from the few friends he has leaving leftover Chinese or a few cold slices of pizza on his desk. In all, it's a rather lonely existence, surrounded and consumed by his studies and drowning in his vices. While he doesn't go out in search of company, he doesn't turn it away when it finds its way to his doorstep, often desperate, frightened, and in need of help. It takes a /very/ peculiar sort of desperation to rely on Lysnder Crane for help, but surprisingly enough, he never refuses.

Why do they want the Stone? Right now he's doing his best not to get murdered in an alley for it. He's also trying to figure out how to get it to work (equally, if not more dangerous). In the long-run, many people are worried he'll use it for his own magic. Anyte Vale is the only one who believes he actually knows what he's doing with it.

Greatest wish? To make something truly beautiful.

Greatest fear? Losing his magic. Life was boring and pointless before, and now it's the only thing that makes sense. Also, that feeling of power is hella addictive.

What 5 items would you put in a pentagram to summon them? a bottle of cheap vodka, a pair of expensive leather shoes, a half-empty pack of cigarettes, chalk, a broken shot glass (the two biggest things to know about Lysander: he's always wasted, and always dramatic)

[wiersema1]

Sid Luckman was drafted 2nd overall in 1939.

As we approach the 2017 NFL Draft starting on Thursday night, the Chicago Bears are prepared to draft 3rd overall, their highest pick since 1972. What will Chicago and General Manager Ryan Pace do? Will they keep the 3rd pick? Will they try to trade it? How does Pace help Head Coach John Fox improve as he moves into his 3rd year? It will take more than one pick to help the Bears climb out of the hole they dug for themselves over the years. Let’s face it, this roster has needed much turnover and improvement since Pace was first hired prior to the 2015 Draft. It takes years of stacking picks to improve as much as the Bears roster needed prior to this administration. Ever heard the phrase, “the cupboard was bare”? When Phil Emery was fired at the end of the 2014 season, the Bears cupboard was not only bare, it had a hole in it where rats could enter and feed on whatever food was stored in the cupboard.

Therefore, when you need to replace virtually all of the 53 spots on the roster, it takes years of drafts in which you find 4-5 quality football players each year. Adding in free agents as the “patchwork to fix the holes in the cupboard”, in a few years you might actually have a cupboard that can store quality ingredients to satisfy the masses. Hopefully someday it’s good enough to prepare a feast for the kings (a championship……..get it?).

Therefore, not only is the first round pick important but all the picks from the 2nd rounder on down to the 7th rounder are all paramount. All play a vital role if the Bears are going to eventually challenge for league supremacy. Believe it or not, Pace actually had a very good/great draft last year. He mined the college ranks for 9 players overall last year, starting with OLB Leonard Floyd in the 1st round (#9 overall). Add in 2nd rounder OL Cody Whitehair and 5th rounder RB Jordan Howard and the Bears have three excellent building blocks already. Throw in possible good players in DE Jonathan Bullard, ILB Nick Kwiatkoski, S Deon Bush, CB Deiondre’ Hall, and DB DeAndre Houston-Carson and we’re looking at 3-8 good picks out of 9.

It’s too early to say with all of these guys but especially with Bullard, Hall, and Houston-Carson. The one pick that doesn’t look like he’ll be a contributor is 7th rounder WR Daniel Braverman. To be honest, I think Deon Bush will be a bust too. Obviously, it’s too early to write him or anyone else off, while at the same time it’s too early to predict Hall of Fame busts for the 3 starters. Nonetheless, it looks probable that Pace was successful in bringing in some solid NFL starters in the least. Now he’s got to do it again in 2017, and then again in 2018.

Here are the “Dutch Lion’s” projections for the Chicago Bears for the 2017 NFL Draft, beginning with the top picks in Thursday night’s 1st Round.

#1 Cleveland Browns – Myles Garrett/DE/OLB/EDGE/Texas A&M (NFL comparison: Von Miller/Denver) – Everyone expects the Browns to take this year’s clear-cut #1 pass rusher. The Browns will indeed take him. Even Cleveland won’t screw this up. Bank on it.

#2 San Francisco 49ers – Solomon Thomas/DL/Stanford (NFL comparison: Aaron Donald/L.A. Rams) – Most mock drafts have San Francisco taking Solomon from their home territory in nearby Stanford. Could they take a QB here? They might.

#3 Chicago Bears – DeShaun Watson/QB/Clemson/6-2/215/4.61 (NFL comparison: Dak Prescott/Dallas/6-2/226 with similar mobility)

The time is now to pick that long sought after quarterback. I strongly believe the Bears have to take a shot with Watson. If they skip on a quarterback with this #3 overall pick, four or maybe even five QB’s will probably be picked before the Bears pick again with the #36 overall pick in the 2nd round. If they don’t get one of the top 4-5 QB’s, is it worth it for the Bears to pick any QB in this entire draft? If not now…..when? I think Watson fits the profile that Ryan Pace wants in a QB. Like Prescott at Mississippi St., Watson lifted his program to new heights as he led Clemson to back-to-back Championship game appearances including his dramatic game-winning TD drive against the nation’s #1 defense, Alabama. Don’t be worried about Watson’s level of competition. He faced the stiffest competition in the ACC, and beat Ohio St. and Alabama to win the 2016 National Championship. As his college head coach Dabo Swinney once said, “DeShaun is Michael Jordan”.

Is it “overpaying” to take Watson 3rd overall?….maybe. If he ends up being good or great, who cares where he was picked, right? If they take a more “sure thing” by using the pick on a defensive player and that guy ends up being a bust, then everyone will trash Pace and he’ll be excoriated for not picking a QB……AGAIN…..for the 3rd consecutive year. Do the Bears need help on defense? Sure, but they need help almost everywhere. Honestly, the Bears have already improved on defense the last couple years under Vic Fangio and the many free agents gathered by Pace for their new 3-4 defensive scheme. Of bigger need is offense, especially the game’s most important position, quarterback. So let’s do it! Take Watson! This guy is the best chance at a successful QB in this year’s Draft. Sure it’s possible that he doesn’t work out. If that’s the case, then the Bears might not be very good over the next few years. But where will they be without a quarterback anyway, even if their defense improves by taking Jonathan Allen or Malik Hooker or Jamal Adams? If they take a defensive player and he’s good…..or not…..then they better hope new free agent acquisition Mike Glennon is the real deal. If he’s not, then it doesn’t matter if the defensive player is a Hall of Famer or a bust. Either way, the Bears aren’t going to the Super Bowl. So what’s the point in waiting? Take Watson. Keep picking QB’s every year until one of them is the real deal, a Pro Bowler, or a superstar. Let me quickly recap the Bears history at QB: You’ve got Sid Luckman, Jim McMahon, Jay Cutler, and a whole bunch of nobodies that didn’t really matter. Why has this franchise won only two league Championships since 1946?……because of my previous sentence.

STOP it Bears! Get a QB. Keep searching until you find one. It’s like being trapped in a cave or a coal mine. Would you stop until you found a way out? NO! You’d keep searching, right? As Bears fans, we deserve Pace and his scouts searching for the way out of the cave. We can hear the chisels and pick axes in between the shouting. Will they hear us? Will they be able to break through the rocks and save us? We pray for Ryan Pace to help us, to find us, to save us. Pick Watson. He’s our best hope, maybe our only hope.

Back up plan – DeShone Kizer/QB/Notre Dame/6-4/230/4.76 (NFL comparison: Jameis Winston/Tampa Bay/6-4/227)

If Watson is gone, I’m sticking with my plan of taking a potential difference making quarterback. There’s little chance both Watson AND Kizer would be picked in the top two picks, so if Pace likes both Watson and Kizer, I highly suggest he takes one of these QB’s at #3 overall. Again, trusting that the Bears GM and his scouts have done all their homework on Kizer, go ahead and take a chance on him. He needs seasoning, but what quarterbacks DON’T need work as they transition into the NFL? Even Peyton Manning of all players threw more interceptions than touchdowns in his rookie year in Indianapolis in 1998. Trust me…..look it up! And we all know how Peyton Manning’s career panned out. Of course, Manning was an obvious #1 overall choice. Oh wait, check that! Plenty of “experts” thought Ryan Leaf was the better prospect going into that Draft too. So what’s my point? My point is it’s all a crapshoot in a way, but you “gotta do your homework”. It’s not as much dart-throwing if you can interview these guys and get to know them. Of course, maybe that just makes it harder. From my perspective, Kizer seems like a great kid with all the boxes checked. But then again, I’m a Notre Dame fan so maybe I’m biased. Nonetheless, I would suspect Kizer has as good a chance as anyone at NFL success…..behind only Watson. As for Mitch Trubisky, I don’t trust him. I think it’s that he only started for one season in college. How many successful NFL quarterbacks do you know that had only one season of starting in college? I can think of one…………Cam Newton. I bet there’s more but I can’t think of any. If you can, please let me know in the comments section. One final thought, rumor has it that the Bears have stayed in close touch with Kizer. Interesting.

If not Watson, maybe DeShone Kizer???

Friday: 2nd Round, #36 Overall

Bears select…….WR Zay Jones/East Carolina/6-2/202/4.63 (NFL comparison: Dez Bryant/Dallas/6-2/220)

Chicago’s coaching staff met Zay Jones at the Senior Bowl and should know all about him. He had a great Senior Bowl week of practice and Senior Bowl game, leading all receivers with 6 catches, 68 yards, and a TD. My biggest fear is that other teams took notice and will draft Jones before the Bears 2nd round selection at 36th overall. I’ve seen some mock drafts with Jones going 30th to Pittsburgh. With Alshon Jeffery moving on to Philadelphia, the Bears need to find more playmakers on the outside to complement Cameron Meredith and former 1st round pick Kevin White. It won’t hurt to add Jones to the mix. He’s the FBS all time career leader in receptions with 399. Don’t get me wrong, I still believe in Kevin White. However, the Bears could use three starting quality WR’s nonetheless. I really love Zay Jones and I’m willing to bet the Bears do too.

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  Back-up Plan – Cooper Kupp/WR/Eastern Washington/6-1.5/198/4.47 (NFL comparison: Jordy Nelson/Green Bay/6-3/217)

If Jones is gone, how about Kupp? He’s the most prolific receiver in FCS history. He too dominated at the Senior Bowl. I would think the Bears noticed and will take one of these two similar receivers.

“Those two have had a really impressive week,” Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said, during the NFL Network broadcast, of [Zay] Jones and fellow North receiver Cooper Kupp. “They’re really football-smart guys and they’ve shown up (on game day) and showed up all week. It wasn’t a surprise to us that they’ve played the way they have.”

Back-up Back-up Plan – Tre’Davious White/CB/LSU/5-11/191/4.52 (NFL comparison: Morris Claiborne/Dallas/5-11/192)  

If both receivers are gone, don’t reach for one if you can get someone like stud cover corner Tre’Davious White. He looks like a potential NFL star after starting for 4 years for LSU against top SEC competition. White led LSU with 14 passes broken up last year. He also intercepted 2 passes and returned one for a touchdown. In his four-year career starting 49 games, he intercepted 6 passes, had 34 PBU’s, and made 112 tackles. Running between a 4.47-4.52 40 yard dash, White was also an excellent punt returner, returning 3 punts for TD’s over the last 3 seasons. What does it all mean? It adds up to a great fast athlete that has potential to help the Bears beleaguered secondary. Mock drafts have White going as high as 14th overall or dropping all the way to the 3rd round. IF he’s available, Pace might want to take White over any WR’s no matter WHO is available. I’m betting White is long gone by #36 anyway, but who knows?

Friday: 3rd Round, #67 Overall

Bears select………..Dawuane Smoot/EDGE/OLB/Illinois/6-3/255/4.83 (NFL comparison – Robert Quinn/L.A. Rams/6-4/265)

The Bears could use more OLB’s that rush the passer. I believe Leonard Floyd will be a superstar but the veterans at the position are getting up in age (Pernell McPhee & Willie Young). Why not pair Floyd with Smoot from Illinois? Last year Smoot was 2nd in the Big Ten with 43 QB pressures according to PFF. They came up with the Robert Quinn comparison which is a bit of wishful thinking in my opinion. He’s probably not THAT good. Another issue could be that he played as a 4-3 DE at Illinois under Lovie Smith. Can he transition to 3-4 OLB? Can he drop into coverage?

Back-up Plan – Jordan Willis/EDGE/OLB/Kansas St./6-4/255/4.8 (NFL comparison – Whitney Mercilus/EDGE/DE/Houston/6-4/254)

Like Smoot, Jordan Willis played 4-3 DE in college. While at Kansas St., Willis had a great senior season with 11.5 sacks. The downside, once again, is can Willis transition to the 3-4 where he may be asked to drop into pass coverage from time to time? Also, PFF noted that Willis graded out poorly at the Senior Bowl (in which the Bears coaches had close contact) despite grading out as their #1 EDGE rusher last season!

Saturday: 4th Round, #111 Overall

Bears select…………….Dalvin Tomlinson/DE/Alabama/6-3/312/5.1 (NFL comparison: Akiem Hicks/Chicago Bears/6-5/324)

Tomlinson was only a one-year starter at ‘Bama. He played DE in their 3-4 scheme. Think of Tomlinson as a poor man’s Jonathan Allen, who manned the other DE spot. Allen is getting all the hype, and deservedly so, but Tomlinson had 62 tackles, 5.5 TFL’s, and 3 sacks for the nation’s best defense in 2016. The Bears need to fill that “other” DE spot opposite Akiem Hicks and so far both Jonathan Bullard and Mitch Unrein (he’s just a “guy”) haven’t done enough. At least Tomlinson could push Bullard or learn from Hicks, as his backup, how to be a massive DE in Vic Fangio’s scheme.

Saturday: 4th Round, #117 Overall

Bears select……………..Jordan Leggett/TE/Clemson/6-5/258/4.73 (NFL comparison: Julius Thomas/Jacksonville/6-5/247)

Chicago has struggled at TE since they gave away Greg Olsen in a horrible, insufferable move with Carolina in July of 2011. The reasoning was OC Mike Martz didn’t really use tight ends in his offense. So of course Martz left after the ’11 season and the Bears were left with nothing after giving away one of the best young TE’s in the NFL. That’s so Bears! After a failed experiment with clubhouse cancer Martellus Bennett, the Bears are now left with Zach Miller. I like Miller but he’s already 32 years old and injury prone. Time for a new TE! Grab Leggett here as he’s an underrated explosive TE who caught 15 TD’s over the last two years from DeShaun Watson. Are you seeing a theme here? I like guys from winning college programs. They know how to win and expect nothing less.

Watson & Leggett…..together again?

Saturday: 5th Round, #147 Overall

Bears select…………Nathan Gerry/SS/Nebraska/6-2/214/4.55 (NFL comparison: Harrison Smith/Minnesota/6-2/218)

As a Nebraska fan, I’ve been following Nate Gerry for the last four years. It’s almost eerie how similar Gerry is to Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings, formerly of Notre Dame. They are both almost the exact same size and have similar skill sets. Both thrive as in-the-box safeties. Gerry showed a lot of improvement in his Senior year, intercepting 4 passes and missing less tackles than in his Sophomore or Junior seasons. Over his college career he intercepted 13 passes, a point of emphasis for a Bears squad that hasn’t been able to grab takeaways since Love Smith left town. Gerry’s a great athlete, winning South Dakota state track championships in the 100 and 200 meters, and even setting the state record in the 200 meters! Gerry is big, strong, and physical. The Bears need more safeties and in my opinion Gerry has room to improve. With some solid NFL coaching and in Vic Fangio’s scheme, I highly recommend the Bears take Nate Gerry with a late round pick. Not a big name, Gerry has earned some praise from the scouts at Pro Football Focus. In their list of best safety prospects, Gerry earned the #12 spot. If Chicago could land the 12th best safety this late in the Draft, they might have a steal in Gerry.

  Saturday: 7th Round, #221 Overall

Bears select…………WR Jordan Westerkamp/WR/Nebraska/6-0/194/4.54 (NFL comparison: Danny Amendola/New England/5-11/198)

As one of my all-time favorite players, Jordan Westerkamp had to be on my list of Bears draft picks. Sure I’m biased, but don’t worry about Westerkamp’s skills. He is a tantalizing slot receiver prospect in the mold of Danny Amendola, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Cole Beasley, or any number of successful difference making slot receivers in the NFL. You don’t have to be huge or the fastest player on the field. What you need is quickness and good hands. Westerkamp has both, along with an extremely positive mindset. According to Pro Football Focus, Westerkamp graded out as the 26th best WR last season despite injuries limiting him to just 10 games. At one point entering the 2016 season, PFF had Westerkamp as the nation’s #1 returning WR according to their grading system.

If the Bears miss out on Westerkamp, a smart team like New England will grab him and make him their next star for Tom Brady. A native of Lombard, Illinois, Westerkamp holds several IHSA records including 4,548 career receiving yards (2nd place is 3,498) and 68 career receiving TDs (2nd place is 43) at the prep level while winning three consecutive State Championships at Montini from 2009-2011. At Nebraska, Westerkamp proved his toughness and provided many memorable moments including catching the game-winning Hail Mary touchdown pass at my son’s first Nebraska game on his 7th birthday. There’s just something special about Jordan Westerkamp. If the Bears take him he will be a fan favorite right away. Trust me! Take him or you’ll be sorry.

To recap, here are the Dutch Lion’s Bears projections:

1st Round #3 Overall: DeShaun Watson/QB/Clemson

2nd Round #36: Zay Jones/WR/East Carolina

3rd Round #67: Dawuane Smoot/EDGE/OLB/Illinois

4th Round #111: Dalvin Tomlinson/DE/Alabama

4th Round #117: Jordan Leggett/TE/Clemson

5th Round #147: Nathan Gerry/SS/Nebraska

7th Round #221: Jordan Westerkamp/SLOT WR/Nebraska

With 7 picks overall, I suggest the Bears will take 4 offensive players: 1 QB, 2 WR’s, and 1 TE; and 3 defensive players: 1 DE, 1 OLB, and 1 SS. I would love to throw in a CB or an OT as well if they had more picks. I have Pace focusing on gathering players from winning programs with two players from Clemson, two from Nebraska, and one each from Alabama, Illinois, and East Carolina. Depending on time and situation, they could change course over the three days. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will these Bears be built in a day, or even a year.

In conclusion, the Chicago Bears need to have a successful NFL Draft this weekend. If they take the players I suggest, I believe they will return to the NFL Playoffs at the end of the 2018 season. For this upcoming season, they need to groom and mold their young guys, giving them the experience they need to make a sustained run in the proceeding years. It all starts with drafting a quarterback. Like I wrote above, if not now…..when?

Thanks go to NFL.com, Pro Football Focus, Pro Football Weekly for their 2017 Draft Guide, and Lindy’s Sports Pro Football Draft 2017 magazine for their information which contributed to this article.

  Chicago Bears 2017 NFL Draft Preview As we approach the 2017 NFL Draft starting on Thursday night, the Chicago Bears are prepared to draft 3rd overall, their highest pick since 1972.