#hockey players are a horrifying breed

[p-antalons]

thought hockey boy vernacular was a joke but heard a player say with complete seriousness “she’s not a beauty like that” this morning

[workingforitallthetime]

I hate those reader insert fics. So many of them seem to write a really boring wooden mediocre lame annoying girl characters and then the hockey is like soooo in love with her (in a way that doesnt make sense) and then his entire friend group and team are just sooooooo invested in their relationship are commenting all over social media and absolutely loooove her, even though she’s the most boring and pathetic person ever, who constantly needs her boyfriend to save her from normal situations. And I just LOATHE trying to search a team or player tag and coming across screeds of these things.

i mean, i'm not a fan of the genre either, but i feel like i have to stick up for that particular breed of transformative fandom. i assume the absence of characterization for the female protagonist is an intentional choice that enables the reader to insert themselves. and i'm not really inclined to make fun of anybody else's brand of fic -- if someone else's preferred escapism is their imaginary relationship being fawned over on social media, that's honestly no weirder or less worthy than my preferred escapism where everybody's gay and/or a girl.

the real reason i am answering this ask instead of just passing it by because it's a little mean-spirited is that it made me wonder whether i'm not into self-insert because the idea of interacting with a hockey player is wholly horrifying to me, or because i just don't like the kinds of interactions i see in self-insert. like, "the time rutger helped out with your babysitting job" is definitely not for me. so i tried to think of a self-insert title that would encapsulate a more preferred interaction with a hockey player. here it is: The Time Luca Fantilli Who Is A Girl Subbed For Your Beer League Team And Taught You Her Tape Job. and yeah, i still don't want to read it.

[howyoutalktostrangers]

So,

It may be one of our country’s most iconic pastimes, but since 2012 the number of players registered with Hockey Canada has dropped by over 200,000. With controversies around concussion protocols, headline-making fist fights between parents in the stands and an increasing awareness of the toxic culture that sometimes permeates kids’ ice-time, it’s little wonder the national sport organization is going to extreme lengths to give their pastime a makeover.

In her memoir Home Ice: Confessions of a Reluctant Hockey Mom, Fernie writer Angie Abdou shares the story of watching her son Ollie become a hockey player. A naturally artistic and empathetic preteen, he struggles to make a place for himself at the rink while she watches anxiously from the stands. With a keenly watchful mother’s eye, she picks apart the traditional thinking of those immersed in that world, advocates for her kid and envisions a better way forward. She questions the wisdom of having athletes specialize in one sport early, decries the cruelty of cutting young players from the team and wonders aloud if there’s a way to limit the violence.

“We have elevated sports into a cultural religion,” she writes. “I know how tied up one’s identity can get with success in sport. I know how all-consuming that focus on gold can be. I worry about the transition to post-sport life.”

But this isn’t an anti-hockey screed, as you might assume from reading the opening few chapters. Rather, this is a call to arms for parents to embrace large-scale culture change, focusing on participation and fun rather than competition. She envisions a future for hockey culture that is more inclusive and less fixated on the outcome of reaching the NHL. 

According to Hockey Canada’s website, their chances aren’t very good anyway: only 1 in every 4000 players makes the cut.

A contemporary Colosseum

There have been a lot of negative headlines in the hockey world lately, with news of Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters using the “N-word” towards a player, Don Cherry getting fired for making remarks about immigrants and and numerous reports of violent hazing and racist bullying coming from the locker room. Writer and broadcaster Waubgeshig Rice recently shared on Twitter that he was routinely subject to racist taunts, and many others have come out with their stories of abuse.

A few years ago I took a job as a general assignment reporter for the Nelson Star, and ended up covering a local boys’ league called the Leafs. Headed by a belligerent bully coach who would ultimately be fired, the team was a breeding ground for macho entitlement and unnecessary cruelty. I was shocked to learn that the American teams they were playing still had racist names, like the Spokane Braves, and I marvelled at the Colosseum vibe in the arena as they banged their sticks against the boards and shouted epithets at the kids on ice. My distaste for the sport was at its zenith.

When I first picked up Home Ice, I was relieved to find that I wasn’t the only one disgusted by the current state of the sport and questioning whether things could be done better. And as I delved into the pages, following Abdou’s experience shepherding Ollie through a sometimes hostile environment, I found many of my particular issues being addressed head-on. If hockey culture is ever going to evolve from its barbaric past, it’s going to take buy-in from pretty much everyone: spectators, parents, players and coaches. Just as Rome’s gladiator fights have been phased out and replaced, it’s time for hockey culture to invest real time and money into making their sport appropriate for the present day.

And once I started spelunking around the Hockey Canada website, checking out the many ambitious initiatives they have underway to radically tweak the culture, I was heartened to find out they haven’t been sitting on their hands —just the opposite. Long before Abdou’s book was released, they knew they had to alter course. But like trying to turn a giant steamship, it’s not as easy as a quick pivot. Instead it requires diligent long-term attention from professionals who care about the well-being of the athletes.

Reasons to hope

In Home Ice, Abdou explores the consequences the Graham James sex scandal had on her brother Justin Abdou.

“In my story, my brother sidestepped any true ugliness. In my story, my brother saw James for what he was and knew enough to steer clear … The subtext implies that the sort of horror inflicted on Theo Fleury and the other players under James’ charge happens to people different from us, people less alert, less strong,” she writes, before learning the truth —that her brother had narrowly avoided being sexually assaulted by him as a teen.

“Let’s revise my history then: my heroic brother — who brings to mind my own son in a way I find very uncomfortable — was never immune from this particular personification of evil.”

But there is also reason to hope that the culture is improving, epitomized by the work Sheldon Kennedy and his organization Respect Group are doing to talk about subjects that were formerly verboten. By providing mandatory e-learning resources and launching campaigns to raise awareness about abuse, he’s working to ensure that organizations don’t create the sort of toxic, abusive environments that he grew up in. Part of that means establishing safeguards to ensure predators can’t take advantage of those less powerful than they are.

And even in Nelson, where I was initially horrified by the culture I experienced, progress is being made to create a more inclusive and supportive culture. One of the coaches, Sean Dooley, has championed a mental health program called Breakout that aims to disrupt these unhealthy cycles. Having experienced abuse that led to destructive behaviours in his own life, he’s now on the frontlines of making things better for his players. The more Sean Dooleys and Sheldon Kennedys we have in the world, and the less Graham James, the better our hockey system will become.

Something you can’t have

As hockey culture improves, one thing that needs to be addressed is accessibility. Abdou notes that it’s a rich person’s sport, historically inaccessible to people of a lower income. Even innovative programs that aim to foster inclusion often fall short. In Home Ice she writes about one such program, First Shift, which bankrolls the kids’ first years in the sport but then doesn’t continue into the rest of their career.

“First Shift gives these kids a taste of the sport: here is something you can’t have … it’s become a cheque-book sport available only to the well off,” she writes. “Research shows that … ninety percent of Canadian children miss out on the benefits of the sport and participating in the culture of hockey so synonymous with Canadian.”

This is a hurdle that many within the system are trying to address, but progress has been slow. Those who love the sport would like to see as many people involved as possible, from every facet of society, but don’t know how to bankroll that. In order to change this, and to address the many issues the hockey world is facing, some organizations have gotten proactive about making incremental changes to their systems. That includes BC Hockey.

“There’s a lot of traditional thought processes in hockey culture, and many people feel that things have always been done a certain way and there’s been a success to it. But at the same time we can sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture and it is important to embrace new ideas,” said BC Hockey’s Vice President of Programs Sean Raphael.

The way Raphael imagines it, we’ll be studying the successes of their institutional makeover to see the impact on an entire generation of kids. This information will be crucial for organizations as they make decisions moving forward.

“Overall long-term athlete development is a general concept that doesn’t just apply to hockey, it applies to all participants’ lives and their physical development. It may differ from one sport to the next, but I think the general concept of developing the overall athlete is a good place to start.”

Mobilizing solutions

At last year’s Sport for Life Canadian Summit, Abdou shared with delegates from across the country and did a reading of Home Ice. She was invited with the hope that her observations could be a catalyst for change. And though some of her opinions may have come across as incendiary or controversial, she was embraced by representatives from the hockey world largely because they agreed with her verdicts. They know concussions are a problem, they know bullying and racism are a problem, and they know there are better ways to implement the long-term development framework. Change takes time, but at least they’re getting started.

In an environment that sometimes rejects outside-the-box thinking, Abdou’s contribution was a breath of fresh air that had a large impact for those in attendance. They saw that she wasn’t only identifying problems; she was also offering solutions. By championing Kaizen, which means ceaseless self-improvement, she has given Hockey Canada deep analysis from outside their system that has the potential to create real change.

Next up: the hard work of putting her suggestions into action. 

The Literary Goon

[glopratchet]

Little Sin

In the world to come there is little sin. You have a new life, a new family and you are free. There are just lots of american alligators. After the election of the first ungendered president, the prediatrain movement caught fire in america. Since then most of the metaworkers involved in the project went private and made their fortunes selling to companies who were more intersted in financial gains than induction. Of coarse the metaworkers had been doing it for so long most just didn't need the money and had continued striving to make humans as perfect as possible themselves. Now only the poor have babies the traditional way and they are rarely more than 20% of any given populations usable babies. The demand for american alligator meat skyrocketed after a plague years ago and it became economic sense to breed them in captivity, who knew they stacked so well? Vats after vats of gator esscence sloshing about growing legs and then bodies then slaughtered and processed. Mostly it is a paradise, efficient, structured, specialized. Sadly your specialization did not prove to be highly valued. Who need classics when the old world is gone? Whorals where burned to ash while polled hereford heifors fetched over a billion dollars a head in auction. Your old farmhouse now an airport, your father would have been horrified, of course he was blown to ash scattering over a freeway while you mother's skeleton was proudly put on display in a metaworks museum. The old world REALLY is gone. You worked hard and got your primary education certificate then just as hard to get your secondary equivalent. You spent eight years studying in the library for your humanities and Social Science papers and got a two 2.1s and a 3. Googizon won the bid to construct for the military the most forward thinking alligator farm in existance so far and with your resumé you were head hunted to run it. You work in a half submerged glass an metal building sitting atop 523 alligators who are kept just wake enough through biog gas injection to allow them to shut their eyes without spilling out the layer of meat skewered on huge needles that run from their spinal cords into the machinery. It currently floats near the okeenokee snow swamp. You are so far from the old world it's not even funny. Sure on the T.V. they still talk about sports and throw around polotics but outside the farm all you can see for miles are trees, birds and insects and the odd alligator basking on a sunny 'beach'. Of course the building is still less then half a mile from a military base on an army enforced conservation area so humans can't wander and wipe out all the game for miles.... This is not that story. You have work to do We are primal ponds inc. we specialise in ultra farm husbandry. At the push of a button our gators from young to full grown can instantly become fashion jackets, leather coats, belts...even shoes and bags. We are pushing so many units every day we have sent reps to try and break into the japanese market, so far they haven't called back. A small mom and pop alligator farm attemping to make it. Last week our oldest gator surpass Cochon gate's world record of 880 years. The sun beats down on your farms back glass panels as you watch the thousands of beasts basking sleepily below. You snap a couple of photos with your phone and beam them over to your reps hoping they call you back soon. We need you to make deliveries for us. We have bought, rigged and updated an old freight submarine for you and set you up with a small crew, you just need to tell us where to drop off the goods. Please...we're dying here... On the rhelm of your glass office a pen floats near you. Point of view of the player: Hey, take a minute and think about where you want to go. I'm letting you choose the next sector of this adventure, with four options: theMilitary Side, Economics Side, Terrorism Side or Criminal Side... A delivery champion here is like no other: we have control over the world's only sentient beasts of burden (gators) incentive based economics that allouw us to sell our leather above price-cost, kick-back free operating licenses and few enough regulations that you can get amazing stuff done for you with a couple of well-placed bribes. Pick up the pen and choose your destiny The criminal side sounds fun: trillions of people live outside and inside the law why shouldn't we? He had a secert life as billy fea fbots biggest drug lord all along! And one more thing... It turns out no one has made a crappy real time virtual reality game based on your life and experiences yet and against all attact you have decided to give it a go.... Dedicated to delivering dragon tail in the far, far, future. Maybe that needs to change... Made by two guys on a coffee machine some sleepy afternoons...mayhaps...it's rubbish... We proudly introduce today the glamorous fallout: an adventure in the post-apocalypse and the two men who made it: bruce and ed. Glug, glug...any questions? Alligator delivery service. The story of a normal life in the post-apazaki...noh... The alligator farm where the gator are delivered is currently under a series of construction tasks. Temporary staff will used while these works last. Already we own over four over ten foot alligators including rex lex, the old female godzilla and lesi mellnick, the huge male dominant of our breeding group. We place breed these four as soon and they reach sexual maturity. We also own thirty-six smaller animals, mostly six to seven foot males and females. A massive 14 foot beast. Not nice. Bred for fights but joined our force with strange reluctance when he could do nothing against our huge alpha male. He's actually a right little so and so, never helps the keepers move any of the large trees in our scrapes.... So, we have delivered one alligator from the breeding farm to an area in florida where our electronics arm opened a new factory recently. This factory is currently attempting to recuperate from a bombing and so insurance fraud seems the most reasonable option. The factory is seeded with several obviously fake bomb scares. While this sucks for the factory work as they all have to stop working, many refuse to even enter thir building, others leave by afternoon. We plan to target the wood workers. (alves and winklehaus.....and thunder? A small safe has gone missing and we believe our bomber has probably taken it. he has clearly stolen large sums of money in the past as a means of terrorise his local communities as whenever something is stolen a new threat will appear the next day from ed or one of his fellow crack extortionists so we don't expect public interest into this theft for at least a couple weeks. At two pm on the dot bruce and ed! will enter the building wearing all black. This is when they plant the bomb that they have created in our secret base under a community centre... my brother and me got our name because ed regarded us as two like his brothers. I'm the quiet one and the brother who just does what I'm told. bruce has called ed a right character and I can't altogether dispute it. With me is greg, a new member of our team and an aspiring stand up comedian! Said he killed someone once but I'm not sure I believe that.... I finallly arrive at the building site where our two crack undercover agents are waiting. There were no actual bomb threats but daft people are still refusing to work. Ed hasn't responded to my last message so I assume that the pair of them are happily seeding the factory. We snuck in earlier, hammering boards over the glass walls to the offices at the top of the factory to avoid breaking in after hours. While at the front we pretend to be a work crew extending a main road so no one will questions us creeping about the 'closed' factory.We wander around the dark building looking for the seemingly empty offices on the top floor and come across a man trying to stuff armfuls of fabric printer paper in his sports bag. He is shocked to see us as much as we are him. The gulity man whirls around as we enter , dropping his bag in the doorway. "Hey we can help you there," I say , not knowing what else to say. 'I...um...thanks... ' he answers, patting down his pockets looking for his keys. I pick up the bag and find the keys in the first pocket I try. How about that? I hand them over and he looks at me with clear recognition in his eyes. He had obviously seen my photo in Newsweek. He must have though this was some kind of trap. So, he didn't come here to steal but to destroy the documents? Well these papers seemed pretty regular, all printer paper and cheap fabric....but then they don't exactly make a good quality paper especially not out here for convenience. Why would the guy go to the trouble of destroying these anyway? "Thank you...are you sure you can handle that?" He asks, nervously smiling at me. I'm quite big remember to add. There are two respectable fathers with me afterall. "Yeah why wouldn't we be?" I respond with a faint smile, but my smile is weak and unrealistic so as not to scare the man. I look at my brother who clearly doesn't react much to these kind of situations....or any situations really. "Right...well, you can just toss it over there." He points to a bare corner of a room behind us with his keys still in hand. 'Then um...thanks a lot....goodbye....' We shuffle towards the corner at first then I get the sense that something is not right with this guy. it may be the fact that he still isn't leaving or the nervous sweat pertruding from his forehead. We play air hockey for a second, me shuffling my feet to face him then him shuffling his feet to face me. He keeps his keys held tightly in his hands like some kind of knife. It dawns on me later that I should have grabbed them anyway. What happened after this I still cannot quite recall in exact detail... "Come on guys,.... can you let me go now? Please?", he says heading to the exit, greg mutters to him to just leave but I find myself obnixious and unpredictable as ever. Maybe he could shed some light on this situation? What was he doing with all these non work related papers anyway? Why destroy them in a hurry? It seemed pretty odd to me. I wait for him to take a few steps forward before I speak up from behind. "At least tell us how you make your paper seem so authentic." I like to lob questions like this at recent university grads whenever I can. It's part of human nature to talk about yourself and it also gives us insight into the security of new moneymakers. I had completely forgotten that some of men out there were not security at all but common criminals looking to rip off new businesses like ours so that they wont be such easy pickins later. I wasn't prepared for the booster to pull a 2x4 with screws sticking out of it out of his bag as he whirls on me with unnatural speed. If I had to fight him eye to eye my life would have been quickly terminated. Since I didn't expect the hostile response however, I had enough time to duck and cover inside the cramped bathroom . With it's cheap lock, I was ensured my safety.....or so I thought.Tip: If you're logged in, your games are auto saved for you. You can find them by clicking "My Stuff" on the sidebar menu.Story

[newstechreviews]

PlayStation VR launched exactly one year ago today, and it’s already delivered well over 100 unique experiences, ranging from the delightful to the horrifying and just about everything in between. As we celebrate PS VR’s first birthday, we wanted to give you a peek behind the curtain. Below, you’ll find a list of all the games currently announced to be coming to the platform through the end of the year (and into early 2018).

With virtual reality, you have to put on the headset and feel what it’s like to get the full experience. Head to your local retailer and strap on a PS VR headset, then come back here and let us know what you think in the comments.

Thank you for an excellent first year of PlayStation VR; we can’t wait for you to experience what’s next.

Coming in 2017

Bravo Team

SIE WWS

Supermassive Games (Tumble VR, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood) is creating an intense first-person shooter for single player or online two-player co-op*. The setting is a fictional Eastern European city, and after the president is assassinated, teamwork will be essential for you to survive. Bravo Team will make you feel like you’re in an action movie. * Active PS Plus membership required.

Doom VFR

Bethesda

id Software’s classic franchise levels up to give players a fully immersive experience. You’re the last known survivor of a demon attack on a Martian research facility. Well, you’re the last human survivor… and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to meet some of the other survivors. Can you take back control of the outpost and send the beasties back to… uh, H-E-double-hockey-sticks?

Gran Turismo Sport

SIE WWS

Each release in the Gran Turismo series becomes the new benchmark in realistic auto-racing games, and that bar is about to be raised — big time. With PS VR, you’ll feel like you’re in the driver’s seat, increasing the immersion to new heights. Learn more here.

Megaton Rainfall

Pentadimensional

Ever dreamed of being an indestructible superhero with the ability to fly at supersonic speeds? Ever fantasized about saving Earth from an alien invasion? Well, it’s time to wake up and get to it. Take on the attacking aliens — who can morph into various forms, including buildings — and evolve your superpowers. But be careful… you may leave more than a little mess behind while you’re defending humanity.

Moss

Polyarc Games

One of E3 2017’s brightest stars was Quill, a young mouse who awakens an ancient magic and sets off on an epic journey to save her uncle. The world of Moss is a gorgeous expanse filled with myth and magic, but there’s little time to savor the view. You’ll need to explore your surroundings and literally manipulate the world as you do whatever you can to assist Quill on her adventure.

No Heroes Allowed!

SIE WWS

In this immersive real-time strategy game, you play the God of Destruction. You ultimately seek world domination… but first you’ll need to find, feed, and breed monsters who’ll do your bidding. Invade human bases, fortify your defenses and carefully build your beastly ecosystem, and soon you may conquer all!

Obduction

Cyan

From the creators of Myst comes a science-fiction adventure filled with mystery, intrigue, and discovery. You find yourself transported off Earth to an alien world…but one that’s populated with pieces of Earth from various locations and times. Don’t spend too much time admiring the beautiful landscapes, though, because you need to find a way back home.

Pixeljunk VR: Dead Hungry

Q-Games

It’s well-known that zombies are always on the hunt for human flesh… but that’s only because they don’t know how to cook a juicy burger and whip up a frosty shake on their own. As a fearless food-truck cook, you’ll need to use your kitchen magic to save the world from disaster and distract the incoming zombie horde with nutritious noms.

Stifled

SIE WWS

Stifled is a unique horror game where you can only reveal your surroundings by creating sound waves–either by throwing nearby objects or speaking into the headset’s built-in mic. Keep in mind, however, that any noise you make may also reveal your location to the grotesque creatures that are lurking in the darkness…

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR

Bethesda

One of the most popular and ambitious open-world action RPGs ever made will now be even more immersive, thanks to a reimagining in PS VR. You’re the Dragonborn, and you’ll need to master swords and spells to survive the many threats you’ll encounter. Skyrim VR includes the critically acclaimed core game as well as the official add-ons: Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn, as well as multiple controller options.

The Inpatient

SIE WWS

The premise is the stuff of nightmares: You’re a patient in the Sanatorium and suffering from amnesia, so your main goal is to unearth your memories–to discover who you are and why you’re there. However, you’ll also reveal a conspiracy at the facility that complicates your efforts to get your life back. Multiple endings up The Inpatient’s replayability, too.

Other Upcoming 2017 Titles

Anamorphine

Ark Park

Brain Voyagers

Chernobyl

CoolpaintVR

CubeWorks

Discovery

DragonBlast VR

Dream Angling

Drunkn Bar Fight

DWVR

End Space

Everest VR

Fishing Master

Flatline: Experience the Other Side

Ghosts in the Toybox

Hex Tunnel

Honor & Duty

Hopalong: The Badlands

Justice League VR

Light Tracer

Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV

Nothin’ But Net

Prana

Quar Infernal Machines

Radial-G: Racing Revolved

RadianVR

Rec Room

Run Dorothy Run

Sculptrvr

Serious Soccer

Shooty Fruitie

Snow Fortress

Stardrone VR

Super Amazeballs

Survios

The Rabbit Hole

The Solus Project

Virtual Engagement Confronting Fears

VirtuGO

VR Apocalypse

Coming in 2018

Golem

Highwire Games

Golem, a PS VR exclusive, places you in a storybook world where you see through the eyes of and take control over stone creatures in order to discover the connection between your family and the mysterious Endless City you’re in. Along the way, you’ll find hidden treasure and valuable artifacts, while honing your melee skills to battle the Silent Watch, a band of hostile golems.

The American Dream

Samurai Punk Pty Ltd.

The American Dream is billed as a satirical VR trip through a 1950’s World’s Fair where guns are a part of the daily routine, including flipping burgers on the grill and assembling them for customers at your job; opening a can for a drink; and even watering plants, weeding and landscaping around your beautiful home; and other activities.

Torn

Aspyr

Torn, a mystery inspired by such classics as The Twilight Zone, is set in the Vermont forest where you discover a house full of secrets. What you find in there are numerous experiments, inventions, gear and documentation that reveal a lot about the doctor who lived there–however they’re also remnants of a man who’s been missing for 64 years.

Xing: The Land Beyond

White Lotus interactive

Right out of the gate, this first-person puzzle-adventure title tells you that you’re dead. Guess you’re off to a bad start, right? From there, you go at your own pace in an entertaining trek through the afterlife, with the story revealed mostly through poetry. It promises to be a unique game suitable for new and veteran VR adventurers alike.

Other 2018 Titles

Alvo

Ariel

Blasters of the Universe

Chainman

Cold Iron

Dead Secret

Dragonflight VR

Drone Fighters

Dungeon Chess

End of the Beginning

Knockout League

Penn & Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary and Underhanded (including Desert Bus)

Pixel Ripped 1989

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