#i’ve reached the bargaining in french stage.

[cornerihaunt]

montréal. mes frères. je vous en prie. SVPPPPPPPPP. un but c’est tout que je demande. SVPPPPP. vous savez gagner un match de hockey j’ai vous vu il y a deux jour contre les flyers. s’il vous plaît !!!!!!!!!

[byneddiedingo]

Stéphane Audran in Babette's Feast (Gabriel Axel, 1987)

Cast: Stéphane Audran, Bodil Kjer, Birgitte Federspiel, Jarl Kulle, Jean-Philippe Lafont, Bibi Andersson, Ghita Nørby (voice). Screenplay: Gabriel Axel, based on a story by Karen Blixen. Cinematography: Henning Kristiansen. Production design: Sven Wichmann. Film editing: Finn Henriksen. Music: Per Nørgaard.

Gabriel Axel's Babette's Feast is a "mood movie," one that, like some pieces of music, is designed -- or perhaps better, destined -- to put you into a certain emotional state. In the case of Babette's Feast, it's a kind of sweet melancholy, a state so ephemeral that almost anything can sweep it away. This is not meant as a knock on Axel's film, the screenplay for which he adapted from a story by Karin Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen). After all, it won the Oscar for best foreign language film, beating out among other contenders Louis Malle's Au Revoir les Enfants. It does what it does extraordinarily well, which is to tell a story, evoke a particular time and place, and present us with memorable characters. It centers on two sisters, Filippa (Bodil Kjer) and Martine (Birgitte Federspiel), who live in a small Danish village where they tend to the aging congregation of a small, austere sect which their father gathered together many years ago. A kindly man, he nevertheless dominated their lives to the extent that suitors were discouraged from marrying them. One of Filippa's suitors was an aging French operatic baritone, Achille Papin (Jean-Philippe Lafont), who was traveling through the village and happened to hear her singing in the church. Smitten with both her beauty and her voice, he offered to give her singing lessons, but when he proposed to take her to Paris and make her a diva, she took fright and turned him down. Some years later, during the unrest in Paris after the fall of the Second Empire in 1871, Papin sends to the sisters a young woman whose life has been threatened. Her name is Babette Hersant, his letter tells them, and she's an excellent cook who would be a fine housekeeper for them. Babette (Stéphane Audran) takes up residence with them and proves to be invaluable, bringing with her Parisian skills at seeking out the best food in the markets and bargaining for the best price. And then one day Babette receives word that an old lottery ticket has finally paid off to the tune of 10,000 francs. It is also the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the small congregation, and Babette proposes that she cook a dinner for the elderly, cranky, often fractious flock to celebrate. What the sisters don't know, but will soon learn, is that Babette had been one of the most celebrated chefs in Paris. The film climaxes in a triumphant union of the spiritual and the physical, as Babette's feast transforms the group into a true fellowship. Axel stages the feast beautifully, and cinematographer Henning Kristiansen emphasizes the transformation wrought by Babette's food with a steady focus on the faces of the congregants, which change from icy gray to rosy warmth as the meal progresses. There's a lovely little moment in which one of the sternest of the group reaches for a glass, discovers that it's filled with water, makes a face, and eagerly picks up a wine glass instead. As I've said, it's an ephemeral film, and I certainly don't think it deserved the Oscar over the more complex and powerful Au Revoir les Enfants, but on the other hand, what's so bad about feeling good?

[fumingspice]

All The Things She Said

Pairing: Lana Winters x Reader

Request:  student x teacher au fic with lana, billie or cordelia?

Note: Added in a little sparkle with a soulmate AU. Those who are lucky enough to have a soulmate are assigned a necklace with a small pendant. No one knows where they come from or how they’re decided; they just appear and will match your soulmate’s identically. Also, yes the reader is eighteen, and yes there will probably be a part two.

Requests are open!

Your routine was like clock-work; every morning without fail. 5am you would get out of bed and go on a run. There was no reason, really. You weren't someone who was that interested in athletics, it was just a way to clear your mind and wake up your mind and body before going to school and having the energy sucked out of you.

You adored the way the sky looked this early in the morning as you ran through the country park. The heat gave you an extra kick of gratification as you watched the sky dance in colours of orange and pink, painting everything in shades of gold. The sun crept through the mountain like liquid glory and you couldn't get enough of it.

Realising the time, you made your way back to your neighbourhood, waving at neighbours you often saw at this time of morning.

You saw many of the same people on morning runs that you eventually learned by name while running past them, shouting a greeting and waving as you sped past them. This morning, you noticed that the home a few lots down from your own had been purchased; the new inhabitents were outside, speaking with a contractor.

As you ran, you noticed the woman watching you. Breaking your glance, you made a mental note to introduce yourself later.

The shower couldn't come soon enough as you lathered the cool water on your body. Cold showers after a run provided that little extra adrenaline rush that you needed to get you through the day, and boy would you need it today.

After months of persuasion, you had finally given in to skipping the end of school and heading to a gay bar with your friends Emmett and Heather. Being the model student you were, you had declined the offer time and time again; but after catching your boyfriend with another girl and the subsequent break up of one of the most liked couples in school, you decided that now would be the best time for it.

The school day rushed in and at 12pm on the dot, you and Emmett made your way to Heather's car, where she sat impatiently tapping her foot.

"You two took your sweet time," the blonde muttered, pulling on a pair of sunglasses and revving up the engine.

The plan was simple; Heather's parents were out of town for the week so the three of you planned to stay over. Today would be spent getting ready and having a few drinks before hitting the bar in order for you to have a "drink in celebration" for breaking up with your ex-boyfriend.

The bar was lively, and you could smell the mixture of cheap cigarettes, alcohol and weed and hear the music from the street behind. Emmett compared the similarity of the three of you strutting to the bar to the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus.

Heather nudged you yet again, her elbow hitting a nerve in your ribs and making you bounce.

"Will you quit that?" you snapped, realising your fourth cocktail was making you slightly irritable.

Heather glared at you and pulled you over to whisper in your ear. "The brunette at seven o'clock has looked from her phone to you at least four times," she hissed, releasing you and nodding her head in the direction.

You nodded in understanding and gestured for her to tell you what to do. Picking chicks up at a bar wasn't exactly something you were accustomed to, after all.

"Go up to the bar and order something-" she looked at your outift, "-I don't know. Some business casual-sounding drink. Like an Old Fashioned or something. Make a joke about how much you've drank and if she's warm then ask if she's here with someone. Then go in for the kill and Emmett and I will be your wing-people when you break your seal."

"Break my what?"

Heather practically shoved you off your chair.

You shrugged and walked towards the bar, standing close to the brunette, but not close enough so that she knew what you were up to. The bartender approached and you smiled at her.

"Hey, could I get an Old Fashioned pl-"

"And get me another piña colada while you're making your move!" Heather called, acting more drunk than she was in an effort to hint off to the lady. You glared at her, and in return, for some added effect she lent into full view of the lady, shot her a cheesy grin and gave her a thumbs up.

You spun on your heel to see if the lady had noticed, and to your dismay she had. She looked at you with a raised eyebrow.

At least she didn't look disappointed.

"Was that for me?" She chuckled, taking a tip from her class. You grinned as casually as possible, looking down at your hands. You finished off your order and paid, waiting for Heather to get her drink to no avail.

"You know what, yeah I think it was for you actually," you replied. Keeping it cool was the buzz phrase Heather had been using all day. "I'm sorry but my friend claimed that she had seen you checking me out a few times and was pretty insistant that I come over and talk to you."

You sat in the stool, leaving one between you.

The lady chuckled. "It's fine," she said, taking another sip. "I'd be grateful for the company."

"You're alone? You're more than welcome to sit with my friends and I," you offered.

You cut off immediately by Heather collecting her drink, standing between you and muttering, "don't you fucking dare," into your ear before walking over to the woman and leaning over her shoulder.

"Now, you see, Ms- I'm sorry what's your name? Jesus, Y/N! When you flirt it's basic manners to ask for a name," Heather muttered.

"It's Lana," she replied, smiling at you.

Lana. A pretty name.

"Awh, that's a lovely name actually, I wish my parents liked me enough to call me something like that. Anyways, enough about me. So, anyways, my good friend Y/N here just got two-timed by a piece of human trash that she's way hotter than and everyone warned her against dating but hey- you know our Y/N, she's balls-ier than a dodgey testical. So, all I'm really gonna say is we came here because we really want to get her laid so she doesn't need to feel like she got the short end of the bargain so, you know-"

At this stage Heather was trying to communicate through a series of dramatic gestures. Emmett strod over, took Heather by the shoulders and apologised to Lana before walking your drunk friend back to your table.

You were both a little shell-shocked and you feared that Heather's drunken rant had ruined any sembelance of a chance that you had with getting anywhere with this.

"I- I'm so sorry. She doesn't get out much," you said. Lana's smile returned as she waved it off.

"Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot younger than twenty-one?" she asked. You couldn't tell if she was being genuine or if she was trying to hint that she thought you were younger than your ID said.

You nodded. "All the time," you say, it's not like that's a lie. "How old are you? If you're not offended by my asking."

"I'm twenty-nine. I hit the big three-oh in November," she replied. Lana reached into her bag and pulled out a box of Newport cigarettes. "I'm sorry, I've had a long day and I'm dying for a smoke. Care to join me?"

You sat still for a moment before excepting the offer. The club was absolutely packed and you could barely follow Lana through to the balcony without getting separated from her. She noticed and turned around, taking your hand and keeping you close so that you didn't get lost in the crowd.

Lana lent over the metal fence, cupping her hand over her lighter. You watched how her cheeks sucked in, defining her cheekbones and her jawline. You mirrored her position against the fence.

"Hard day at the office?" You asked, declining the cigarette she offered you. "Thanks but I don't smoke."

Lana smiled down at her cigarette. "I like a smart girl. Stay away from these for as long as possible," she took a long draw. "And to answer your question; I moved into a new house today only to find out that none of the plumbing was actually installed and contractor has no idea why."

"My house was like that too; turns out the pipes are just in really weird places," you replied. You turned to face in the opposite direction, laying your elbows onto the bar and watching the crowd. "What do you do? Career wise?"

Lana blew out a puff. "I'm a teacher. French and English Literature."

Ah great; a French student trying to hit on a French teacher. This was gonna be a fun story to tell the group.

"You're kidding? I'm studying French," you replied. 

Lana laughed. "Damn, Y/N. This just has to be written in the stars," she replied, you could sent the well-meant underlying sarcasm in her voice. "You think I have that chance?" You ask, your eyes dart down to her hand. Her ring finger, although bare had an imprint on it as if she had only recently removed a ring. She noticed you looking and brought her hand into a fist.

"Don't look at me like that, Y/N. We're getting divorced," she said. She bit her lip and looked down into the woods beneath. 

You felt slightly guilty. "Oh, I'm sorry." Lana shook her head in response.

"I'm in a gay bar for Christ's sake. We definetly weren't compatiable," she chuckled, reaching for another draw of her cigarette. She turned around, some noise in the background catching her attention. Her sleeve dropped a little bit, revealing two bruises at the side of her wrist that she had clearly tried to cover with foundation. Lana turned back around and you dropped your eyes before you noticed, unaware if it was your place to ask.

"If I'm honest, I don't really like bars. I know this really nice café a few places down. Do you wanna come with me?" You asked. Lana's head cocked slightly, her eyes scanned you as if they were looking for some alterier motive. "I'm not trying to get laid, Lana. I just don't like clubs and I don't think you do either."

Lana's shoulders relaxed, as if trying to decide. "Sure," she nodded. "I'd love to."

You walked back in through the bar, telling Emmett what you were doing. He made you promise to turn on your location and to call him to pick you up when you were ready to leave.

"It's nice that you have friends to watch your back," Lana said as you walked down the street. The air was now cold, nipping at your cheeks and nose. Lana slid her arm through yours after asking if it was okay to do so.

The café in question was small; dimly lit, decorated with plants. It was warm inside and the candles lit everything in orange. It was peaceful. You heard Lana sigh with relaxation as you asked her what she'd like to drink.

Two lattes later, you and Lana lay on the same old, green, springless couch. You giggled and talked for what could have been hours.

Lana noticed your Soul Necklace. “I have one too,” she said, touching the stone delicately. “I’ve never worn it though.”

She told you stories from high school and college while you sat and listened to her in some new form of fascination. You could listen to her talk forever. Your head rested on her shoulder, and hers rested on your head. There was an echo of peace which bounced around the both of you.

Eventually there came a moment when you had finally plucked up enough courage in a moment of silence between you to lift her chin with your finger and close in for a kiss. It was short and sweet, but you could still rellish the feeling of her lips kissing back against yours in a gentle passion.

She waited on you while Emmett drove back to get you, with an extremely drunk Heather in the backseat. 

"Are you free tomorrow night?" Lana asked before she walked away. You nodded. "Would you like to maybe go out? On a date?"

Her final question was asked with a shyness that you found adorable, and giving her a kiss on the cheek as

The next day you went to school in a good mood. Your run was better than ever. Your breakfast was tastier. The sky was more beautiful. You couldn't contain your giggles as Heather drove you and Emmett to school.

"I cannot believe you've landed yourself a date with a teacher," Emmett said as the three with you walked to your French class. You practically danced down the corridor with happiness. The three of you were slightly late to class.

You pushed the door open harder than you intended, making it crash against the wall with a loud bang. You muttered an apology while your friends laughed at you and the teacher settled them down, chuckling under her breath.

That it until she looked up at you.

And you looked up at her.

Lana muttered a profanity under her breath as she realised that she had asked one of her students on a date.

taglist: @its-soph-xx​

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hey Steph!🌟Do u have any fics with smut that is feelingy, ie more focused on the emotional aspect & how they're feeling while doing it than the phy sensations & descriptions? Hope u get wt I'm saying. Thx in Advance!💖

OOOOO Nonny! 

I’ve got just the list for you! and it will give me an excuse to do a part two to another list of mine!! <3 

I do have a Sensuality list in the works, so look out for that in a while, but I think for now this list and the “see also” is perfect for you! 

Feel free, friends, to add your own!

EMOTIONAL LOVE MAKING Pt. 2

See also: Emotional Love Making Pt 1 || [MOBILE POST]

Just Like That by sussexbound (E, 8,442 w., Ch. 1 || First Time/Kiss, Frottage, Virgin Sherlock, French Kissing, Anal, Emotional Lovemaking, Enthusiastic Consent, Tenderness, Crying John, Bathing/Washing, Insecure John, Toplock) – John doesn’t want to talk anymore. He wants. Oh dear god, how he wants. For the first time in what feels like years he WANTS.

My First, My Only, and My Forever by vintagelilacs (E, 6,220 w., 1 Ch. || Post-ASiB, Virgin Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Sherlock’s Bum, John’s Scar, Sherlock POV, Body Worship, Fingering, Bottomlock, Promise of Forever / Proposals, Misunderstanding, First Kiss/Time, Loss of Virginity, Virginity Kink, Seduction) – Sherlock narrowed his eyes. He was missing a vital piece of data, he was sure. John had been looking at him oddly ever since they left Buckingham Palace, and the ensuing incident with Irene Adler had only exacerbated his erratic behaviour. What was it? Why would he care that Sherlock was a virgin? There was nothing reminiscent of mockery or pity in his gaze. And then it hit him. John Watson was aroused.

The Haunting of 221B Baker Street by earlgreytea68 (M, 10,388 w., 2 Ch. || Post TRF, Halloween / Ghosts, Pining Sherlock, Ghost Sherlock, Stroppy Sherlock, Sherlock POV, First Kiss/Time, Angry Sex, Ghost Sex, Love Confessions, Open / Ambiguous Ending) – In which Sherlock Holmes is a ghost.

To be loved by Strange_johnlock (E, 12,436 w., 8 Ch. || Post S3, Established Relationship, First Person POV Sherlock, Pet Names, Soft Sherlock, Mild ADHD, Protective John, Captain Watson, Body Appreciation, Bottomlock, Rough Sex, Travelling for Holidays, Introspection, Sherlock Loves John So Much It Hurts) – John is so deeply integrated into the work, both as my conductor of light, and as a great shot with a vicious right hook who tackles men -and women- no matter their size all in my defense. He protects me with all he can without question, and this loyalty is surely more than I deserve. Or: Sherlock is counting his blessings.

The Invocation of Saint Margaret by Ewebie (E, 15,831 w., 1 Ch. || POV John,  Crossing Timelines, Light Angst, Fluff, Series 3 John / Series 1 Sherlock, The Matchbox, Mushy Romance, First Time, Bisexual John, Pining John, Bottomlock, Love Confessions, Sensuality, Emotional Love Making, Snippets of Time) – When Sherlock Holmes opens the matchbox from The Sign of Three and John finds himself years in the past, back to that first dinner at Angelo's with a much younger Sherlock Holmes. Is he dreaming?

The Palmyra Atoll by elwinglyre (E, 16,609 w., 3 Ch. || TSo3 Divergence / Episode Fix-It, Stockholm Syndrome, Kidnapped John Watson, John Whump, Evil Mary, Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Toplock, Limited 3rd John POV) – As John's preparing for the wedding, Sherlock is preparing to have his heart broken, and Mary is prepared to do the unthinkable. Intervention required. Enter Sherlock. Set before Sign of Three with a far different outcome. John is drugged, kidnapped, and left on an island, but not just any old island.

Permanent Fixture by vitruvianwatson (E, 18,836 w., 9 Ch || Post-S4, Parentlock, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, They’re Good Parents, Blushing Sherlock, First Kiss/Time, Explicit Consent, Sexual Content, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Big Feelings, Crying, First Kiss, Fluff, Anxious Sherlock, Inexperienced Sherlock, Emotional Communication, Love Confessions) – Now, as Rosie sat curled up against Sherlock’s side, John watched and wondered exactly how he had ended up here. Domesticity had never suited him before, not at any point in his life. His disastrous marriage had been proof of that. But somehow, here in the warmth and safety of 221B Baker Street, here with Sherlock Holmes reading medical jargon to his daughter, Sherlock’s bony feet nudging against his leg, John couldn’t imagine anyplace that would make him happier.

Division by MrsNoggin (E, 19,542 w., 11 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || First Kiss/Time, Fluff, Barista Sherlock, Clingy Sherlock, POV John, John’s Limp, Bed Sharing, Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles, Sensuality, Touching, Virgin Sherlock, Insecure John) – John likes mysteries. And every morning he dips into the local independent coffee bar with his newspaper and ponders another... one Sherlock Holmes.

The Wisteria Tree by SilentAuror (E, 29,773 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S3, Emotional Love Making, Amnesia/Memory Loss, Sherlock Loves John So Much, Sherlock POV, Romance, Angst with Happy Ending, First Times, Hurt/Comfort, Est. Rel., Retirement) – Sherlock wakes up from a month-long coma only to discover that he has no memory of the previous six years to his own shock as well as John's...

Only To Be With You by SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John (M, 40,768 w., 4 Ch. || Black Mirror / Future AU || Character Death, Future Technology, Sickness/Cancer/Illness, Heavy Angst with Happy Ending, First Person POV John, Pining John, Heart-Wrenching Angst) – I tell myself that next time I’ll come near this same place again. Wait around for the mysterious stranger in his coat to dash past me, hot on the heels of a new criminal in black. I think this all the way back to my Exit, planning where I’ll wait and what I’ll say when I see him. Scheming on how to get his name. It’s only once I reach the Exit Point door that I realize two hours and forty-five minutes have passed, and I realize that this won’t be the last time I Visit. It won’t be the last time at all.

Guidelines by WithLoweredVoices (M, 43,018 w., 15 Ch. || Winglock || Angels, Fantasy, Angst, BAMF! John, War, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Jealous John, Falling in Various Ways, Needy Sherlock) – The Good Soldier, one of the oldest and strongest of the fallen, is offered a bargain: to live as John Watson and to Guide a fledgling archangel so that he will stay on the path of good. Of course, Sherlock Holmes has different ideas about his destiny. Fantasy AU. Warnings for violence, occasional gore, and a whole load of hurt and angst.

Anchor Point by trickybonmot (E, 49,856 w., 80 Ch. || Truman Show AU || Psychological Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Dark Characters / Fic, Alternating First/Third Person, Protective John, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Tender Moments, Love Confessions, Hand/Blow Jobs, Cuddling, Jealous John, First Kiss/Time) – The world tunes in nightly for Sherlock, the ultimate in reality TV: Sherlock Holmes, a real person with a legendary name, unknowingly lives out his life in a staged setting contrived by his brother. Things get complicated when a retired army doctor joins the show to play the part of Sherlock's closest friend. This fic borrows its concept from the 1998 film, the Truman Show. However, you don't need to have any knowledge of the movie to enjoy this story.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by SilentAuror (E, 50,635 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4/S4 Divergence, Case Fic, For a Case / Reverse Fake-Relationship, Conferences, Marriage Equality, Travelling / New York, Pride, Homophobia, Bottomlock, Marriage Proposal, John POV, Sexuality, Love Confessions, Emotional Love Making, Public Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Passionate Kissing, Needy/Clingy Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Touching / Hand Holding, Bed Sharing, Little Spoon Sherlock, Intense Orgasms) – John and Sherlock go to New York to attend a conference run by the National Defence of Traditional Marriage Coalition in order to investigate the potential bombing of the annual Manhattan Pride parade. As the conference unfolds, John finds himself repulsed by the toxic ideology being presented, which becomes relevent to his own unacknowledged issues and his friendship with Sherlock...

Points by lifeonmars (E, 53,791 w., 42 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || HLV Rewrite / Canon Divergence, Married Life, Pregnancy / Baby Watson, Drinking to Cope, Boxing / Fisticuffs, Clueless John, Angst, Minor Medical Drama, Tattoos, Christmas, First Kiss/Time, Eventual Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Doctor John, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Case Fic, Drugging, Blow/Hand Job, Emotional Love Making, Parenthood, Passage of Time) – What if His Last Vow never happened? This fic picks up a few months after John and Mary's wedding, in an alternate universe where Magnussen doesn't exist, but Mary is still pregnant. Life continues -- just in a different direction. And slowly, Sherlock and John find their way to each other.

Isosceles by SilentAuror (E, 56,609 w., 7 Ch. || Post-S4, POV John, Original Male Character / Sherlock Dates Another Man, Love Triangle, Jealous John, Virgin Sherlock, Sexual Coaching, Angst, Romance, Domesticity, Unrequited Feelings, Miscommunication, First Kiss/Time, For a Case, Friends With Benefits, Bottomlock, Love Confessions, Spooning) – After solving a case for a major celebrity, Sherlock gets himself asked out. When John asks, he discovers that Sherlock has no intention of going, at least not until John agrees to coach him through whatever he might need to know for his date...

The Thing Is by TSylvestris (E, 56,743 w., 21 Ch. || Case Fic, Dev. Rel., Anal/Oral, Blow Jobs, Meddling Mycroft, Drama, Romance, Humour, Casual Encounters, Pining Idiots, Possessive Sherlock, Orgasm Delay, Rough / Alley Sex, Public Sex, John Whump, Drugged John, Emotional Love Making, Awkward Relationship, Marriage of Convenience, Switchlock) – The problem with living with Sherlock, John thought, was that you never, never, ever knew the significance of anything. Like your flatmate's nose buried in your hair. Whilst you're in bed. Part 1 of Nitroglycerine

White Knight by DiscordantWords (M, 69,840 w., 13 Ch. || S4 Compliant/Post S4, Marriage For a Case, Jealous John, Pining John, Janine / Sherlock Fake Relationship, Serial Killers, Case Fic, Undercover as a Couple, Weddings, John is a Mess, Misunderstandings, Wedding Planning, Jealousy, Drunkenness, Love Confessions, Angst with Happy Ending) – Green. The word green was used to convey a great many things. Illness. Envy. Inexperience. Standing there amidst Janine's chattering bridesmaids, watching Sherlock furrow his brow and study fabric swatches, watching him smile and simper and flirt, John thought it a remarkably apt colour choice. Because he felt quite sick to his stomach, he feared the source of said sickness might very well be jealousy, and he had absolutely no idea at all what to do about it. Or: Sherlock needs to fake a relationship for a case. He doesn't ask John.

Being John Watson-ish by elwinglyre (E, 69,902 w., 17 Ch. || Bodysnatcher AU || Author John, Cranky Sherlock, Angst, Sexual Tension, First Kiss / Time, Falling in Love, BAMF John, Past Soldier John, Feelings, Inside Someone’s Brain, Shy Sherlock, Sherlock Loves John, POV Sherlock, Switchlock, Slow Burn, Internal Dialogue, Mental Turmoil) – When consulting detective Sherlock Holmes steps on one toe too many at a crime scene, he's consigned to a desk job in an archaic office on the seventh-and-a-half floor of the New Scotland Yard. It’s in this bleak office that Sherlock discovers a portal into the mind of renowned author John Watson. Grander than his mind palace, this new wonderland affords Sherlock new vistas of experimentation. To learn more about the mystery behind the portal, Sherlock seeks out and befriends Watson. But then it all goes wrong when others find the secret portal door—including the man whose brain he visits.

Gold Rush by ShirleyCarlton (E, 71,783 w., 17 Ch. || Post S3 / No Mary, Friends to Lovers, Mentions of Past Sexual Abuse, First Kiss, Case Fic, Slow Burn, Alternating POV, Switchlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Marriage Proposal, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Abduction, Anxious/Insecure Sherlock, Miscommunication, Emotional Lovemaking) – John has divorced Mary and pops round to 221B one evening to find Sherlock in the middle of a case. As Sherlock tries to find the identity of a young woman’s stalker, John realises he can no longer deny his feelings for Sherlock – which then, to their befuddlement, turn out to be mutual. Shy kisses and tentative embraces ensue. But will Sherlock be able to cast off a shadow from his past that he thinks might prevent John from wanting to stay?

Two Two One Bravo Baker by abundantlyqueer (E, 114,574 w., 27 Ch. || Military AU || Afghanistan, War Story, Thriller) – Captain John Watson of 40 Commando, the Royal Marines, is assigned to protect and assist Sherlock Holmes as he investigates what appears to be a simple war atrocity in Afghanistan. An intense attraction ignites between the two men as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens everything they’ve ever known, but Sherlock is as much hunted as hunter, and everyone close to him is in deadly danger. Can he solve the case in time to save himself and John? Part 1 of Two Two One Bravo Baker Universe

Not Broken, Just Bent by Schmiezi (E, 87,585 w., 43 Ch. || Pining, Love Confessions, Rape/Sexual Assault, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Villain!Mary, Suicidal Ideations, Main Character Death, Sherlock First Person POV, Parentlock, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Grief/Mourning, Emotional Love Making, Possessiveness, Depression, PTSD, Kidnapping, Virgin Sherlock, Eventual Happy Ending) – "For a second, I allow myself to remember teaching John how to waltz. There is a special room in my mind palace for it. A big one, with a proper parquet dance floor. For a second, I go there. I remember holding him, closer than the World Dance Council asks for, excusing it with the fact that we are training for a wedding, not for a competition. For a second, I feel his hand on mine again, smell his sweat, hear the song we used. For a second, I allow myself to love him deeply. For a second, only a second, that love reflects on my face." Fix-it for S3, starting at the end of TSoT. Evil Mary.

Kintsukuroi by sussexbound (E, 91,823 w., 20 Ch. || S4 Compliant / Post-TLD, Grief / Mourning, PTSD, Internalized Homophobia, Therapy, Past Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Depression, Anxiety, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, Cuddling, Suicidal Ideation, Masturbation, Minor Character Death, Sexting, Frottage, Inexperienced Sherlock, Rimming / Anal / BJ’s, Emotional Turmoil, Finding Each Other) – “I love you.” Sherlock sees the words hit John with almost physical force. He reels back a little, jaw twitching and eyes filling. “I love you,” he repeats, a little softer, a little more gentle, as earnest as he possibly can. Because they’ve been teetering on the brink of this thing for years, and it had become painfully obvious over the last few months that they were at a tipping point. This had to happen. Now it has. Now they can see where they end up. The tears in John’s eyes spill over, and he wipes at them angrily. “Do you even know what that means?”  

Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w., 27 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU ||  BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Drug Rehab, Falling in Love, Pining Sherlock, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Panic Attacks, Switching, Anxious / Protective Sherlock, Hugs for Comfort, Suicide Mentions, Healing Each Other) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn't truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes." Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest

Against the Rest of the World by SilentAuror (E, 151,714 w., 20 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Hiatus Fic, POV First Person Sherlock, Present Tense, First Kiss/Time, Big Brother Mycroft, Escaping from Capture, Soft Sherlock, Toplock, Insecurity, Infidelity, Travelling, Introspection, Pining Sherlock, Depression, Fantasies, Yearning for the Past, PTSD Sherlock, Suicidal Ideation) – Sherlock has been away from London for nine hundred and twelve days and counting, and has no idea what sort of reception to expect when he finally returns.

Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.

[worryinglyinnocent]

Fic: The Real Housewives of Storybrooke (18/?)

A fic based on this premise here, following the lives of Storybrooke’s elite wives, with all the scandal, bitching and backstabbing that goes on behind the scenes of high society…

This verse is open for prompts!

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[One] [Two] [Three] [Four] [Five] [Six] [Seven] [Eight] [Nine] [Ten] [Eleven] [Twelve] [Thirteen] [Fourteen] [Fifteen] [Sixteen] [Seventeen] [AO3]

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ARIEL

“Well, I don’t think we can deny that we had an interesting night last night.” Ariel stirred a generous helping of sugar into her coffee and looked at her watch. “Where is this guy anyway? And what possessed us to have a brunch meeting the day after the gala?”

“It was the only day that he could do,” Eric said. “He’s coming from California, so we should probably be accommodating if we’re hoping to get any business out of him.”

“Well, the least that he can do is turn up on time.” Ariel sighed, taking a huge gulp of coffee before looking at the menu. “Screw it. The next time the waiter comes over and asks if we’re ok, I’m ordering. Politeness only goes so far on an empty stomach.”

“Do you think that this will put a dampener on Zelena’s enthusiasm for causing havoc?” Eric asked. 

Ariel made a face. “Of course not. She’ll probably just move her focus for a while. Belle’s proved that she’s not to be messed with, and that’ll knock her for six a bit, but then she’ll be back with a new target.” She paused. “It does make me wonder who she’ll pick, though. She’s failed with me and Belle, she’d never succeed with Regina, and Mary Margaret’s got bigger things to worry about…” She trailed off as the restaurant doors opened, peering around Eric to get a better look at who was coming in. “Speak of the devil.”

Eric surreptitiously glanced over his shoulder, and both of them watched Zelena enter the restaurant, looking around furtively before allowing herself to be led to a free table. She didn’t see Ariel and Eric in their corner.

“I wonder why she’s acting so secretive then? It can’t be out of embarrassment at Robyn dragging her out of the party last night. I don’t think embarrassment is in her nature.”

“Well, she’s at a table for two. She’s probably meeting someone.”

“That still doesn’t explain the secretiveness.” Ariel’s eyes narrowed. “She’s up to something. I can tell.”

“New boyfriend?”

“No, no, she likes to show them off.”

“New boyfriend whilst still attached to the old one?”

Ariel considered this for a moment and shrugged. “Perhaps. It’s got to the stage where I wouldn’t put anything past her.”

The doors opened again, and Ariel had to put all thoughts of Zelena and what nefarious schemes she might be planning aside, as their potential client had arrived. 

“I’m so sorry I’m late; I got lost. Storybrooke’s changed a little since I was last here. You’ve certainly come up in the world.”

“It’s fine, Mr Jones,” Eric said. Eric had always been the diplomat out of the two of them, and there were several occasions when Ariel was very glad of it. This was one of them. “We were just about to order, what will you have?”

A waiter appeared next to their table as if he’d teleported there, taking their brunch order. 

“I’ll have the French toast with extra bacon, fruit salad and a side of hash browns.” Ariel handed her menu back to the waiter and raised an eyebrow at Killian Jones as he chuckled. “Do you have a problem with that, Mr Jones?”

“No, no, not in the slightest. I always like to see a woman with a healthy appetite.”

Ariel made no comment, but looked across the table at Eric, who gave a barely perceptible little nod. They’d always had a way of communicating without words, ever since they’d first started dating, and it had become even more nuanced since they had started their business together. They were both thinking the same thing - Killian Jones was definitely one to be watched closely, and not just because Ariel was certain she knew him from somewhere. She didn’t remember seeing him around Storybrooke although he’d said he’d been here before, and she was racking her brains for where she knew the name from. 

The food arrived and the talk turned to business, everyone becoming more comfortable once small talk was off the menu. Ariel was soon distracted from her concerns by hard bargaining, and it was only once they had concluded proceedings and Jones had left that she remembered she’d been spying on Zelena up until the point he’d arrived. 

She looked over at Zelena’s table. She was still there, and now she’d been joined by someone. 

“Uh oh. That cannot be good.”

“What?” Eric muttered. “Don’t tell me, Zelena’s plotting something.”

“Of course Zelena’s plotting something. She’s never not plotting something. I’m more worried about who she’s plotting it with.”

“Yes?”

“She’s with Victoria Belfrey.”

Eric looked over his shoulder and Ariel reached out quickly and turned him back round. “Don’t be so obvious about it! Honestly, you’d make a terrible private eye.”

“I don’t think it’s a job choice for either of us, frankly. What do you think we should do about this?”

Ariel pondered for a moment. “You know, I think we ought to take refuge in audacity. She’s obviously trying to be sneaky about it, and neither of us are very good at being sneaky, so we might as well be obvious. After all, she can’t hold the queen of local gossip-monger forever.”

Eric gave her a pleading look. “Please, love, don’t sink to her level.”

Ariel smiled wickedly. “I have no intention of doing so. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t make her think I’m going to. Let me finish these hash browns and we’ll get started.”

With hash browns eaten and the bill paid, they made their way out of the restaurant, with Ariel purposefully leading Eric past Zelena and Victoria’s table. 

“Oh, Zelena!” she said, stopping suddenly and almost causing a waiter to upend a mimosa over Zelena. “Fancy meeting you here. It seems that everyone’s out for brunch after last night’s festivities. And Ms Belfrey, although I don’t recall seeing you at the party. Still, I’m sure you had a good reason for not attending. I didn’t know that you and Zelena were friends. Anyway, it was lovely to run into you. Must dash.”

With that, she left the restaurant before Zelena could get a word in edgeways, Eric jogging along after her. 

“What was that all about? And now what are you going to do?”

“Now, I am going to do precisely nothing,” Ariel said. “I just wanted to put them out of joint. The trouble with Zelena is that she assumes everyone is like her, so you can bet she’ll be scared stiff that the news of her having a clandestine brunch meeting with the enemy is going to be all over town by tonight. Let her jump to conclusions and try to perform damage limitation. She doesn’t know that you and I’ll be keeping this information to ourselves.”

Eric smiled and wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders as they made their way home. 

“I never had you down as the devious type.”

“Darling, how long have you known me?”

“Ok. True enough.”

Ariel just laughed. It was good to give Zelena a taste of her own medicine once in a while. All the same, she did wonder what they were up to.

BELLE

Belle did not usually consider herself to be a particularly fidgety person, but sitting in the maternity unit waiting room, she found that she just couldn’t keep still.

“It’ll be ok, I promise.” Cameron reached across and closed his hand over her agitated fingers. “Everything will be fine.”

“I know, I know you keep saying that, but you can’t know for certain. I’m just so terrified that something’s going to have gone wrong. I keep thinking that maybe I’ve been wanting this baby too much, and now that I’m finally pregnant and I’ve been so excited and so happy about the whole thing, fate is going to turn around and bite me in the backside.”

“Why would it do that?”

“I don’t know. I’m just scared.” She sighed. “I wasn’t scared until I actually got in here. Up until then, I was really excited to be seeing the baby for the first time. But then everything just started creeping up on me. What if they can’t find a heartbeat?”

“Belle, I am sure that everything will be fine, and if it’s not, then we can cross that bridge when we come to it.” Cameron leaned across and kissed her, pressing his forehead against hers. “Whatever happens, we’re together. I’ve got you, love.”

“Mrs Gold?” The sonographer came through into the waiting room. “If you’d like to follow me, then we’ll take a look at your baby.”

Belle held Cameron’s hand tightly as they made their way into the sonography room, and the technician got Belle settled on the bed, squeezing out gel over her tummy. 

“You’re ten weeks along, aren’t you?”

Belle nodded. “Yes.”

“Excellent. All right, let’s take a little look.”

It seemed to take an awfully long time of the sonographer moving the wand around and clicking about on the computer screen before she finally spoke, and Belle thought that she might have cut off the circulation in Cameron’s hand, she was squeezing it so hard. Everything had to be ok. She couldn’t have got this far only for things to go wrong now without her even knowing. 

“All right.” The sonographer was smiling as she turned the monitor around so that Belle and Cameron could see it, and Belle let out a huge breath of relief. “Everything’s shaping up very nicely in there. Your baby is about the size of a strawberry, which is just what we’d expect at this stage of the pregnancy.” She pointed out the outline of the baby on the screen, along with the tiny flickering dot at the centre. “That’s the baby’s heartbeat. Everything’s looking just the way we want it to, so all we have to do is make sure that it stays that way. Right now, there’s nothing to worry about in terms of the baby. They’re doing just fine, so just keep doing what you’re doing.”

Belle gave a little sob of relief, and Cameron kissed her cheek. Although their child was barely more than a shape on a screen, it was so good to see it and know that all of her hopes had paid off. 

[junker-town]

What we know about the CBA talks between the NFL and NFLPA

Photo by Larry French/Getty Images

The NFL and NFLPA are trying to get a jump start on negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement two years in advance.

The NFL and NFLPA have a daunting task ahead of them: Reach common ground on a new collective bargaining agreement in time to avoid a work stoppage ahead of the 2021 season.

The current CBA — set to expire after the 2020 season — was agreed upon in 2011 after a 132-day lockout. There were two even worse work stoppages a few decades ago when the 1982 and 1987 NFL seasons were both shortened by player strikes.

Seeking to avoid that kind of labor dispute, the NFL and NFLPA got a jumpstart on their 2021 negotiations by kicking them off two years in advance. How much progress they’ve made since then depends on who you ask.

The two sides had early meetings

When exactly the NFL and NFLPA descended on Minneapolis in spring 2019 for the first negotiations isn’t clear. Giants owner John Mara said at the NFL Annual Meeting the two sides would have preliminary talks “in early to mid-April,” and the first indication that the talks started came on April 9.

That’s when ESPN’s Todd Archer reported Jerry Jones missed a press conference to announce a new contract for DeMarcus Lawrence because he’s in Minneapolis for CBA talks. A few hours later, a joint statement was released:

“Today, the members of the NFL’s Management Council and the NFLPA’s Executive Committee met to discuss negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The League and the Union have committed to meet regularly in the coming months, which will involve staff, NFL leadership, members of the NFLPA Executive Committee and Player Representatives.”

They met throughout the summer and finally broke talks in late August ahead of the 2019 regular season.

Did progress on a new CBA actually get made this early?

The talks started two years ahead of the expiration of the CBA, so the biggest question the sides had to answer in the preliminary meetings was just how much work they have to do.

According to the Washington Post’s John Clayton, it really wasn’t much. He wrote that there was optimism a deal could get done as early as 2019. That always seemed unrealistic, though.

Still, Clayton said both sides were happy with the current CBA due to the fast rising salary cap and minimum spending requirement (teams are required to spend at least 89 percent of their caps):

With that much money being spent, the feeling among some union leaders is that there is an incentive for players to make a deal rather than enter into an extended labor dispute. The NFL is on the verge of surpassing $15 billion in revenue, with the league’s television deals due to be extended within the next year. Each team received $255 million of shared revenue last year, with most of it coming from television.

NFLPA president Eric Winston wasn’t quite as positive about the status quo, though:

Any conversation with NFL owners will be a renegotiation for a new deal, not an extension. At our board meetings we told everyone to prepare for a work stoppage; nothing has changed. https://t.co/DE2RLh1tBL

— Eric Winston (@ericwinston) March 27, 2019

In August 2019, the Washington Post said the talks were “progressing,” but also said it’s still way too early to expect a resolution to come soon:

Executives with several NFL teams said it’s a good sign that talks are taking place without obvious acrimony or public sniping between the two sides. But they described the discussions as remaining in the relatively early stages and said they would be surprised if the process accelerates enough in the coming weeks to produce a near-term deal. A more realistic goal, one of those executives said, might be next spring.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who also serves as the team’s NFLPA rep, also said he doesn’t expect an easy negotiation:

“I’ve got a feeling it won’t be as simple as it was last time,” Jenkins told ESPN. “Just because you have more players like myself who have been through the lockout before, saw how the NFLPA leadership handled that into where we are now, which I don’t think was a bad deal but there is a lot that I feel like we want to get back as players, or get as players.”

A month after the preliminary talks got started, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the conversation between the two sides was “cordial” and “amicable.”

Though it’s possible a deal could be reached before the 2019 season, negotiations would have to ramp up considerably. Unless the pace changes, that’s not seen as feasible. Perhaps more likely is a deal next spring, a year before the CBA expires following the 2020 season.

One source went as far as saying, as of now, there are disagreements but no contentious issues like last time. “Nothing that would make it blow up,” as of now, one person briefed on the talks said.

The New York Times warned that it’s still early to get too optimistic, though.

Officials from the league and the players’ union, who asked not to be identified so as not to be seen as negotiating in public, cautioned that labor negotiations had just begun and could quickly sour.

But the NFL’s early negotiation tactics bode well for the future. Via the Times:

The N.F.L., however, has shifted away from its combative approach of the last round of bargaining. People involved in the current discussions expect the league to agree to a modest increase in the players’ share of league revenue, and for there to be few major changes to an agreement that has led to significant gains in league revenue and player compensation for the past eight years.

Two years ago, NFLPA officials told players to begin the process of saving money for a potential lockout. That’s advice that hasn’t changed. He said as much in May 2019:

NFLPA Exec Dir De Smith sent an email out to all NFL agents this morning, advising them to urge player clients to save money in the event of a work stoppage. "We are advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length," the letter states. More in SBD.

— Liz Mullen (@SBJLizMullen) May 28, 2019

And again in January 2020 just before Super Bowl 54. Via NBC Sports:

“People need to understand that it’s really easy to call for a work stoppage; it’s really hard to win one,” Smith said at the rally. “So that’s why I started notifying players four years ago about saving their checks, making changes to their debt structure, and the reality is that if we want to hold out and get everything we want, that’s probably going to mean a two-year strike.”

Those comments from Smith came just days before Rapoport said optimism abounds in the early CBA talks:

From Super Bowl Live: Progress is being made on the new 10-year extension for a CBA, and optimism abounds. pic.twitter.com/fxH7Eprezi

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 1, 2020

There’s a clear battle between the two sides in setting the early narrative. The NFL appears to be pushing optimism, telling reporters and fans that both sides are happy with the current circumstances and probably won’t need a lengthy fight. The NFLPA, on the other hand, is warning that a labor dispute is likely and that an agreement is still distant.

What’s the No. 1 priority in the CBA talks?

A wise group of men once said “cash rules everything around me.” The negotiations of the next CBA will revolve around money, money, money, a couple other things, and money.

In 2011, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to a split of the league revenue with players getting 47-48.5 percent. That was down from 50 percent in the prior CBA. It was widely considered a win for the league and a loss for the players.

With league revenues soaring so much that the salary cap rose from $123 million in 2013 to $188.2 million in 2019 — more than a 50 percent increase in six years — a couple percentage points represent a LOT of money.

It’s unclear what exactly constitutes a “modest increase” for players, but if the NFL is willing to cede a chunk of their revenue it’ll help grease the wheels. What the league wants in return is more games. Via NFL.com in late August:

there still has yet to be a breakthrough on the No. 1 issue, with NFL owners continuing to want more regular-season games and NFL players continuing to want a larger share of revenue without adding regular-season games, sources say. Players are guaranteed 47 percent of total revenue under the current CBA, which is set to expire after the 2020 season.

The two sides are reportedly agreeable on the idea of expanding the postseason field from 12 teams to 14, though.

What other money issues will the NFL and NFLPA haggle over?

The NFLPA will aim to raise that revenue sharing percentage, and that number will likely be the crux of the negotiation. But the money talks will go deeper than that. Both sides have other ways to try to get a bigger piece of the pie. Here are some examples:

The 89 percent spending floor could be raised to force teams to pay players more, or lowered to allow teams to save more.

The NFL secured large amounts of “stadium credits” in the 2011 CBA — allotments of league revenue that help pay for new stadiums. Owners are aiming to seek even more stadium credits in the next CBA too, according to ESPN. “The [stadium credits] issue has prompted the NFLPA to scoff at the notion that the current talks relate to an ‘extension’ of the 2011 agreement,” wrote Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The NFLPA considers the NFL’s requests “a major tweak” of the 2011 agreement.

A rookie wage scale was introduced in the 2011 CBA to end increasingly gigantic contracts for early draft picks. Sam Bradford received a six-year, $78 million deal after he was the No. 1 pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. In the most recent draft, Baker Mayfield received a four-year, $32.68 million contract for being the No. 1 pick. The wage scale is probably here to stay, but the NFLPA could aim for higher amounts for rookies or shorter contracts for first-year players that lets them cash in on second deals sooner.

The franchise tag could be in the crosshairs too with players now threatening to sit out seasons — and Le’Veon Bell even following through — to avoid it. The tag originally served to give teams more time to extend stars, but now it’s become a way to artificially avoid allowing the best players in the game to set the market higher at their respective positions.

There are a few non-money items on the agenda too

Money is the biggest reason to expect a lengthy fight, but there are also non-money issues: the league’s personal conduct policy, the substance abuse policy, and the commissioner’s unilateral authority to hand down punishment, to name a few.

The possibility of an 18-game regular season, increased or decreased practice time, and changes to the players’ healthcare plan are a few more wrenches that could be tossed into the mix.

The idea of an 18-game schedule has been floated by the NFL for several years. The league reportedly came to the NFLPA with the idea of allowing players to only play in 16 games per season — aiming to quell the union’s concern of players being overworked. There are several issues with that idea that would make it a bad compromise for both sides, though.

That was also around the time a group of Hall of Famers led by Eric Dickerson threatened to boycott future induction ceremonies if the next CBA doesn’t include significantly better healthcare benefits and revenue sharing for Hall of Famers.

The conflicting reports on the CBA meetings thus far make it tough to gauge the progress so far. The likely answer is that it’ll take a lot more time for an agreement to be reached.

[i-just--dont-understand]

Alex Morgan: ‘If Fifa start respecting the women’s game more, others will follow’

On a cold, grey January day in Lyon the fire of Alex Morgan’s ambition is obvious. She has already spoken of her desire to become the best female footballer in the world and, a long way from the winter sunshine of Florida, to adapt to a new culture in France. Morgan arrived in Lyon just a few days into 2017, after she had been pursued on Twitter by Jean-Michel Aulas, the president of Lyon. Aulas made it clear that signing the American star striker would underline Lyon’s commitment to a women’s team which won the French title, domestic cup and Champions League treble last season. 

 Morgan’s drive might be matched by Lyon but the 27-year-old World Cup winner and Olympic gold medallist, who has scored 73 goals in 120 games for the USA, stresses how many more important battles are still to be won for women’s football. “It’s great to see women standing up in their own line of work and fighting for fair value,” she says after name-checking Jennifer Lawrence and Taylor Swift. Such starry allies suit Morgan, who has more than 2.8m followers on Twitter, but there is also a wearying grittiness to the struggle for equality in women’s sport. USA forward Alex Morgan to join European champions Lyon on loan Read more 

“We’re trying to do the same thing and we’ve come a long way. But it gets exhausting having to do this every day, every week. Our male counterparts have not had to fight as much – so sometimes you feel a little exhausted always having to prove yourself and show your worth.” 

 Morgan rolls her eyes when I say how odd it is that sportswomen are having to fight so hard for parity in 2017. “Sometimes it feels a little redundant and I wish we didn’t have to fight so hard. But you see female actresses and singers standing up for themselves as well as women in general. A woman earns an average 73 cents to the male dollar in the US. So there’s still a long way to go. There’s hope in the fact that so many people know about our struggle in football – with the CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement] and our fight for equal pay. The fact that the agreement was such a big deal last year showed how much the women’s game has grown.” 

In her new European setting Morgan is note-perfect in always saying “football” rather than “soccer”. But semantics do not really matter when the issues within the women’s game in the US are so tangled that Morgan speaks of “a crisis”. She stresses that the dispute between US Soccer and the national team, with the players calling for a fairer structure in relation to the men’s squad, could lead to strike action. 

“It’s necessary for change sometimes,” Morgan says of a possible strike. “It wouldn’t be the first time women decided to strike. Colombia and a couple of other countries might do the same. And Australia didn’t play us a year ago because of the same battle. We were supposed to play them in a few weeks and they decided not to get on the flight because they weren’t getting paid what they were worth – or anywhere close. 

 “To force a change sometimes you need to stand up. You know what you’re worth – rather than what your employer is paying you. We’re not scared. To move the women’s game ahead we need to do what’s necessary. I feel other national teams are looking at us for that guidance.” 

 Morgan laughs wryly and says “Where do I start?” when asked for a potted history of the US dispute. But she then speaks clearly. “As a national team we have a collective bargaining agreement and from 2001 we’ve had a salary-structured contract because there hasn’t always been a league for national players. So US Soccer has funded the players by giving them an annual salary. Moving forward we would love to keep that consistency in being paid [by the federation] but we want to close the gap between men and women. How turmoil in US women's soccer could drive players to Europe Read more 

“It’s difficult because we are probably the first national team to get a salary. We’re also probably the highest paid in terms of a women’s national team. But do you compare us to other women’s national teams or to the US men? Do you compare us to clubs? With US Soccer also funding the NWSL [National Women’s Soccer League] it’s very intertwined and hard to understand from the outside. 

 “But the fight is about receiving equitable treatment – not just pay. Our CBA ended last month so right now we’re locked with the status quo. Neither US Soccer nor us have submitted anything that says they’ll lock us out or that we will strike. We’re hoping to reach agreement – but there eventually needs to be pressure from one side to meet in the middle. 

“We don’t have a World Cup or Olympics to use as leverage while we negotiate a new contract. But we have an important tournament coming up [in March]. The SheBelieves Cup brings France, England and Germany to the US. Before we play those matches we want to get a deal done so we can move on.” 

 The fact that women’s soccer still struggles for parity in the US – where it is such a popular sport – indicates the depth of the battle facing the female game globally. Morgan is forthright when she considers Fifa’s attitude to women’s football and their decision to stage the 2015 World Cup on artificial pitches. “We took it very personally because it was an insult. They had never done that for the men – and they never would. The men wouldn’t stand for it. We tried to take a stand and we brought in lawyers and tried to bring it to court in Canada. Lots of players were involved internationally. But it was too late to change anything. 

 “At least we won the tournament and a concession from Fifa that they will never do anything like that again. But it’s also about the win bonuses for the champions or even the teams who finish second, third or fourth. It’s about the amount of fans who watch and the amount of security the women get compared to the men. It’s about the amount of marketing dollars spent promoting the World Cup. 

 “I understand there’s much more money in the men’s game. But Fifa spent so much time on the men they now need to focus a little more on us. I would like to close that gap even if I’m not expecting it to be equal. I’m not expecting there to be a huge jump and the win bonus to be $35m when, for the women, it’s $2m. I don’t think the entire world respects women in sport. But if Fifa start respecting the women’s game more, others will follow.” 

Morgan’s decision to immerse herself in European football, at least for an initial six-month loan from Orlando Pride to Lyon, is motivated by a desire to “improve my game” as she seeks to become the world’s best female footballer. “I still have a way to go. I hope to get there this year or next year. I’ve been able to step up in big moments in the 2012 Olympics and the World Cup. But before I’m able to be the best player in the world, I need to be in the world’s best XI. The start of that is training with the world’s best [club] team. 

 “I would like to win the Ballon d’Or for women. But every top professional should have that ambition. We’ve just seen the 2016 award [won last week by Morgan’s US team-mate Carli Lloyd]. Carli was up against Melanie Behringer [of Germany] and Marta [the Brazilian who previously won the award five years in a row]. They’re three of the world’s best players – but others can compete with them.” 

 Morgan has star-appeal and this past weekend L’Équipe ran a six-page magazine cover story on her. “That’s heartening, isn’t it,” Morgan says, “because you expose not only yourself but the sport as a whole.” The 20 greatest female football players of all time Read more It’s still difficult for Morgan as she tries to learn French – and after just a few days she admits she is not moved far beyond “bonjour”. She is also missing her husband, Servando Carrasco, a defensive midfielder for Orlando City, and their dog Blue. “My husband found it hard as well because we are finally in the same city [Orlando] after six years of playing professionally in different cities. But I told him I need to challenge myself and evolve as a player. He ended up not only supporting me but feeling like it was necessary for me.” 

At least her established role as one of the world’s best players means that Morgan, as an American, will not suffer the prejudice that afflicted her countryman Bob Bradley during his brief managerial spell in the Premier League with Swansea. “I was cringing and felt really bad for him,” Morgan says of Bradley. “I didn’t feel like he had enough time. He couldn’t bring in any of his own [coaching] guys and it was a little cruel and unfair.” 

 More than 26m people in the US watched Morgan and her team-mates win the 2015 World Cup final – a much larger television audience than for the men’s team. But Morgan points out that most women playing the game professionally, but not at national level, have to work in additional jobs. “They have to do that for five months a year because our season is only seven months long. They definitely need to find jobs, whether that’s soccer clinics or camps or an actual desk job. The minimum salary when we started the League four years ago was around $6,000. It’s improved a little and players receive housing so that helps. But even now the minimum salary is barely liveable. That’s why you’re seeing players retiring at 25 – before their prime.”

 How would Morgan improve pay for women’s soccer in the US? “Accessibility is important. Having games on TV and that sort of marketing is crucial. Sometimes I’ll be walking through Orlando and people recognise me and they ask if I’m here for the national team. They don’t understand they have a women’s club team in their own city. I get that it’s only been a year but awareness hasn’t been great. 

 “The NWSL is our baby because we’ve seen two leagues in the US fold. Players, coaches, owners and fans want it to succeed. And just because I’m playing in Europe the next six months doesn’t mean I will stop caring about football back home. I’m going to be very active in our fight for the new agreement.” 

 Morgan’s allegiance to the US means she smiles when reminding me that the 2019 women’s World Cup final will be held in the very same Lyon stadium where we now sit. Her aim is to win that tournament in her adopted French home. But, in terms of winning the wider battle for women’s football, can equality be achieved soon? 

 “That’s the hope. Ten years? I don’t know. Twenty years I see as definitely doable. Fifa has to do a lot more to evolve our game because women in sport aren’t respected equally around the world. Our current battle in the US will get resolved but I don’t believe the fight will ever end globally for the women’s game. We will always have to fight for our rights.” X

[myrishspell-blog]

Statement of Intent: Mastery Journey This journey is a start to a lifetime achievement. I plan to own and operate a music venue that will offer lessons to disadvantaged students and create long lasting relationships in the community. In doing so, this will bring a sense of hope and security for these students, giving them solace that any dream they dream is possible. Over the next 12 months, I intend to implement a plan of discipline and passion that will help me move to the next active step in my journey: pursuing a job within my field. As I pursue this degree online, I also plan to actively seek mentorship that will guide me through how to achieve this. I will continue to perform and teach but I will also explore options for a new job in my field such as executive assistant, a&r specialist, or creative director. I do not have experience in these fields but obtaining my master's degree can compensate for that as I will have more concrete knowledge on this subject. Taking this step will leave room for growth and hands on experience that will be applicable to my business.   I hope to learn valuable skills that will push me to the next phase of my journey. Understanding how to interact with business and negotiate contracts will be of great use to my goals. Learning how to develop my brand will also help in understanding my target market as well as developing a loyal relationship with customers.  Valuing my own personal development and working to better myself throughout this experience will boost my self-confidence and allow me to learn more about myself and how I manage situations. In gaining this insight, I plan to achieve this childhood dream of being my own boss and spreading wealth all around me via performance and music education. Mastery Journal: Project Management Planning this project has opened my eyes to even more possibilities on how I choose to execute this goal. My original objective is to create a music venue where students are able to participate in master classes with visiting artists. During the week, the students facilitate the jam sessions, and on weekends, artists visit to perform a concert and teach a clinic to members of Rea’s Corner. This idea is still in the works, but when creating the project plan, I envisioned the concert being exclusive in order to build rapport and tenure for the venue. Releasing the performing artist details hours before the concert/clinic is scheduled will create a unique environment for everyone participating. It will be exclusive to members, building a relationship that will carry the business on its shoulders. This course made me open my eyes to different possibilities of what could be Rea’s Corner. Working throughout this plan has taught me how plans can be modified and should be until you’ve molded exactly what you plan to offer the world. The tools taught in this class will definitely be a guide in bringing this project to life. Understanding the different PM methodologies will cater well dependent upon your project. I feel running a music venue works well with Agile methodology as there is something always subject to change. Furthermore, testing it at each stage guarantees that you’re correcting mistakes as soon as they are made. The turn-around for this allows you to quickly identify the problem so that it doesn’t tremendously affect the timeline of the project. The skills I have learned during this class will transfer over to my day-to-day routine. This class has taught me that planning is essential to productivity. Creating work breakdown structures and management plans are things to consider when achieving my short-term goals. It is a step in the right direction , and I’m looking forward to using the skills I’ve attained to push the dream forward . Mastery Journal: Business Finance This course was beneficial to me as it opened my eyes to content I hadn’t considered regarding my business. It also created ideas for me to consider in opening my venue. For example, I didn’t think too deep into the financial side of things because Ive always planned to hire an accountant. However, it would be nice to be familiar with the jargon of the business so I know whats happening. As a musician, too many people are only musicians and not business savy. I plan to be both. This class also opened my eyes to different ways the business could be started. I am a person of little patience, and I believe sometimes I overreach in believing whats possible in a certain amount of time. For the longest, I’ve had the vison of my business operating as a venue/studio from the very beginning. This is still my vision, but realistically I think I need to start my business solely as a venue to see how well received the business is in the beginning. Before this class, I never thought to start my business operations at home. If I start the business as a venue, it can start off as me renting a building once a month for a jam session for local artists while I still teach my private lessons at students’ homes. In that time, I can build rapport with the student’s parents as well as a relationship with the students. Also, I could gain a name around the community as someone hosting a session once a month for artists to share their creativity. By starting off slow, I am able to give myself time to truly gather what I want to see in the future for my operations. School is here to push us further and open your mind to ideas you wouldn’t have thought otherwise. This class did exactly that. In the future, if this is the best option to start my business I would certainly test it to see how it goes.  If it doesn’t and I’m able to blossom right into my dreams, that’s awesome too. Just having the open mind to control patience and have several options will also be to my advantage as a person and business women. Mastery Journal: Digital Marketing My originals goals for this course were to effective run social media platforms, break barriers within my target market, and utilize brand development within social media. I believe some of my goals were met by this class. I learned how to optimize search engines to consistently get hits on my website. Learning about long tail phrases and how they impact search results helped me gain a better understanding as well as the use of keywords/phrases. In researching about competition, I learned what strategies worked for my business as well as what not to do. This course also gave me valuable information about my target market. As a teacher, I have more insight on the students I will be working with in New Orleans. Learning about the city’s demographics and challenges within their charter school system put a lot in perspective, and now I know how to approach my market and develop a plan that will gain access to them. I also gained insight into who my secondary market was. I was so focused on providing this venue for students that I totally forgot who my audience would be for concerts. Now, I know how to market towards music lovers as well. This information contributes to how I consider my marketing plan to include both markets. I found the marketing calendar to be very helpful. I’ll be able to keep track of performance - what we get accomplished and what we don’t. I am not great at planning, and this honestly will change my personal lifestyle as well. Also, learning about the different programs available for emaial marketing was interesting because I am able to relate it to what happens in life. The weekly email I receive from different companies about promotions track their performance just like I would. they track the amount of emails that are opened plus potential sales from promotions. It was cool to get the information and relate it back to things I see everyday. This class was helpful in my journey towards my degree. I learned worthwhile information that will play a role in how my business progress. Mastery Journal: Negotiating & Deal Making Going into this course, I expected to learn how to successfully reach a deal based off of respect and both parties receiving what they intended. So far, this course has helped me understand the jargon associated with negotiation and deal making. For example, I wasn’t aware of certain terms like bargaining positions or underlying interests. The different communication styles were very helpful to learn because now I am able to approach a negotiation with those in mind. I am able to observe how the other person in interacting so that I make the best choice in responding. Furthermore, learning about avoiding negative emotions can save so much time and respect within the negotiation. For example, if a person is responding in an unprofessional manner, I can mitigate the situation by acknowledging their point of view. Hopefully in doing so, they feel respected and we are able to reach a mutual agreement. This class can definitely help in real-life situations. Whether it is personal or business, it is good information to have so you’re able to handle the situation in a professional manner. For example, this past weekend I went to the French Market in New Orleans where I applied the information I’ve learned in this class. Observing the merchant’s communication style and understanding his position within the negotiation helped us reach an agreement where we were both satisfied. I also found that in learning how to negotiate, you have to make sure that you are not taken advantage of. You also have to acknowledge that there is a way for both parties to get what they want out of the negotiation. If these two factors are kept in mind, negotiations can be less stressful and easy going. This class has been eye-opening and I’m excited to go into negotiations with the jargon learned and the ability to make decisions confidently. Mastery Journal: Product & Artist Management This course helped direct me towards my passion. Not that I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but this confirmed it. I enjoy playing trombone, but I enjoy the business side of music just as much. This class pushed me to think more creatively about my business. For example, I was very lost in choosing what to do for my product planning project. However, it was the perfect time to brainstorm so that I may have grounding ideas when it is time to launch my business. It opened my to possibilities I hadn’t thought of, and I am grateful for it. During the course of the class, there was an assignment to evaluate two talent agencies. It was interesting to learn how two different business excelled at the same rate. I decided to compare a huge company to one that is just starting out, and despite their differences, both are successful. This exercise helped me understand the importance of experiences and connections. This second business that just started excelled so quickly because they knew what they were doing. They had failed enough times to know how to approach the business. As a small business owner, it is my responsibility to understand the industry and how i fit inside of it. This course will be great to reference when starting my business post graduation. I believe it has shaped my ideas how it could function if approached with the right intentions. Mastery Journal: Advanced Entertainment Law Upon entering this class, I expected to learn about different cases that related to entertainment law. I wasn’t expecting to research them myself, however it was more fulfilling. This in itself taught me how important it is to research information yourself so that you are sure that you have a reliable source. For example, if I contracted someone to write a jingle for my company, I would have to know if they used a sample in the recording so that I could acquire the proper licensing for that. It is my responsibility to know those details so that I hold myself accountable. This class was very useful to future endeavors. Whether I’m registering a trademark or in court for copyright infringement, I am now aware on how to approach it. So many musicians are oblivious to how the business side of the industry works, so it’s imperative to not be taken advantage of. This class also helped me in identifying different types of liabilities that my company could be responsible for. I gained understanding in how to be cautious when offering a service. The example used of the contest review shed tons of light on how you should approach your customers/future prospects. Learning about intellectual property and how it can be misused in crucial in this industry as well. In selecting the cases to research different court opinions, it was beneficial to see how the industry changed over time and how those different opinions were decided because of that era. Therefore it’s necessary to understand the history of intellectual property. Using what I’ve learned in this class will only further my success within the business. Mastery Journal: Entertainment Media Publishing & Distribution In taking this course, i thought we would discuss the generic ways of obtaining a record deal and how distribution works through a record label. I was shocked and when learning how to distribute and publish media as an independent artist. Learning about the different distributors definitely help in determining who I should use. For example, I’ve heard so much about TuneCore because it is so popular. So many artists I know use it. There have been several times where I plan on setting up my account with TuneCore to distribute my music. However, now that I know about DistroKid, it is to my benefit to use their service. It was a lesson in learning just because it’s popular, doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. This class has also taught me jargon I was not aware of. For example, writing the query letter was kind of difficult because you had to make it interesting enough for the viewer to continue reading. It was great practice in case I ever find myself having to write one. Preparing a press kit is something I’ve had to do for a while now, but there’s no such thing as too much practice. This course helped reiterate certain documents I would need in order to book a gig and introduced some new topics I have no experience in. Nonetheless, I’m excited to use this knowledge in the real world. Mastery Journal: Business Plan Development My original goal for this course was to go in depth about things in the business plan. For example, now that I know my target market, how do I reach them? What resources am I able to use to make my idea a little more tangible? Writing a plan will help me keep track of progress, but I would’ve liked to focus more on how to make these “plans” a reality. One part of this class that I really enjoyed were the motivational videos we watched of Jayson Whitmore. I think it’s very important to remain humble before and after your success. I think it’s crucial to your continued success. His approach on professionalism was synonymous with personality or a lifestyle trait. It’s something that should stay with you for your life. Showing up on time, being prepared, and having a good attitude should be things you strive for everyday, so to incorporate them in your lifelong dreams shouldn’t be a problem. It is definitely something I will take heed to. As an undergrad, I studied the same material, but I feel I have a clearer understanding of how I want to pursue my business. This class helped me shape my ideas at a more mature level, and that I am happy for. Mastery Journal: Final Project: Business Plan This program has shined a light on my ability to endure in the face of adversity. If I’m being candid, this program was a struggle for me. Although my grades were affected, I learned how to be resilient and push myself to focus when I was struggling mentally to maintain day to day life. Nonetheless, I’ve learned much about distribution. I’ve learned how to negotiate. I’ve learned how to understand my target market. I’m excited to release my music because of the information I was given through this program. I’m also excited to relay my first impression upon people. Because of this program, I am more prepared and learned about things that make me excited to get up in the morning to do my job. This class in particular brought all of the pieces together. Understanding integral components in the business plan is what will help me in my process of starting my business. For example, knowing that finances are what investors are interested in (which is valid) will make sure I approach this venture in the right manner. I’m thankful for this journey, and excited for my future.

[worryinglyinnocent]

Fic: On with the Show

A @rumbellechristmasinjuly gift for @prissyhalliwell. Enjoy!

Summary: Storybrooke library is hosting a summer theatre camp. Librarian and camp co-ordinator Belle French and parent-of-a-camper Cameron Gold use it to try and get to grips with their burgeoning feelings for one another.

Rated: T

Prompt: “That’s not my son.”

=====

On with the Show

DRAMA SUMMER CAMP AT STORYBROOKE LIBRARY - SIGN UP TODAY!

The brightly coloured poster had been up in the window of the library for the past six weeks and today, being the first day of the school summer vacation, was the last chance to sign up before it began on Monday. Gold looked from the poster down towards his son, who was staring intently at the sign and looking for all the world like the decision about whether or not to go was one of life or death. 

To be fair, for Bae, it probably felt that serious. Gold was well aware of the fact that his son was painfully shy, and his previous experiences at summer camps had led to him tearfully declaring that he was never going to leave home ever again. Signing up to something like this was a huge undertaking. 

Still, this time there were some mitigating factors. For a start, the library was only across the road from the pawn shop and only ten minutes' walk from the Golds' house, so Bae could always just run away to safety if the worst came to the worst. He would be sleeping in his own bed at night and coming home to his dad's cooking more often than not (Miss French had promised a barbecue in the library garden one evening). 

Another incentive was Emma Nolan, who had eagerly signed up on the first day that the poster had appeared and had talked of practically nothing else throughout the intervening month and a half. Bae and Emma were practically joined at the hip and it was the first time in a long time that Emma was in town for the entirety of the summer break, her mother being about to bring a baby brother into the world at any moment. Naturally, Bae wanted to spend as much time as possible with his best friend before school started again. 

The final point firmly in the camp's favour, and in Gold's eyes the most important point was Miss French herself, the librarian who had personally organised the camp out of her own pocket and was justly proud of all the work that had gone into it and just as eager as Emma to get started. Belle French was universally adored by all of the children who frequented the library, and by their parents. One parent in particular.

Gold peered past the bright poster into the library proper, squinting against his own reflection in the window. Belle was sitting at the issue desk absorbed in a book, which Gold had come to learn was her usual aspect. He'd wondered more than once if she had read the entire library. There was a secretive little smile on her face, as if she'd just got to a particularly juicy part in her story, and Gold looked away sharply, trying to distract himself both from that specific train of thought and from the delightful curve of Miss French's full lips. Thankfully, Bae spoke at that point and he was able to come back to the real world after his flights of fancy involving the librarian. Really, he was too old to be thinking of such things. 

"What do you think I should do, Papa?"

Gold sighed, wishing he knew how best to counsel his son. He wasn't exactly the most sociable of people himself, and he was glad that summer camps had never featured in his own childhood. He would never force Bae to do anything he wasn't entirely comfortable with, unlike Milah who'd told him to man up and shipped him away from home at the earliest opportunity. On the other hand, he didn't want Bae to miss out on what promised to be a week of fun with his friends. The aim of the camp was to get the children interested in plays and drama, with them rehearsing their own play, making props and costumes, and performing to the parents on the last afternoon in the library garden. 

"Well," Gold began, trying to reach a compromise. "If you decide not to go, and if Emma starts telling you about it, will you be jealous that you're not having a great time here with her?"

Bae looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded. "I guess so."

"Why don't you go along and see what it's like, and you can always stop if you don't enjoy it." He paused, before adding what he hoped was a stroke of genius. "I'm sure you don't need to act in the play if you don't want to. There are lots of things to do in theatres that don't happen on the stage. You could pull the curtain." It belatedly occurred to him that if they were performing outside, then there probably wouldn't be a curtain, but hopefully the message would still ring true in intent if not in actuality. 

At this reassurance, Bae gave a more decided nod. 

"All right. Let's do it."

They entered the library and Gold was very glad of Bae's presence. Every other time he went in on his own and had to talk to Belle, all words went entirely out of his head and the usual confident demeanour with which he conducted business vanished. Perhaps that was why Belle was one of the few people in town who didn't treat him with something akin to fear: because he could only act like a complete idiot around her. Jefferson, someone else who was not scared of him because it was not in that man's nature to fear anything, remarked that it was the most obvious case of twitterpation that he had ever seen, which didn't help matters. 

Belle looked up as they approached the desk, putting down her book and giving them a brilliant smile.

"Mr Gold, Bae. It's lovely to see you. What can I do for you today?"

Bae opened his mouth to state their purpose, but his nerves failed him at the last minute and he looked to his father for assistance. 

"We'd like to sign up for the drama camp, please."

"Of course! The more the merrier. You're just in time." She rooted under the desk and came up triumphant with a clipboard, which she passed to Gold to fill in Bae's details on the sign-up sheet. There were quite a few names there already, Emma's at the top of the list, but the nature of the event meant that they were all local children whom Bae would know from school. As Gold wrote, Bae looked up at Belle.

"Will I have to act?" he asked. 

"Not if you don't want to. We'll need people to move the scenery and pull the curtain." So, there was going to be a curtain after all. "And of course, we'll need a prompter to whisper to the actors if they forget their lines. I'm sure that you could do that, you're always so quiet." 

Bae certainly perked up at the idea of being a prompter, and he brightened even more when Belle leaned over the desk and whispered: "Between you and me, we could do with some more people like you who don't mind not being on the stage. I'm not sure I've got enough parts for everyone." At this, Bae giggled, and Gold knew that the deal was sealed. Hopefully, Bae would last the week out and might make some more friends into the bargain. Not that there was anything wrong with only having a few close friends; Gold himself was a case in point, but after so many years of thinking that it was better to be feared than loved, he had learned his lesson hard and late, and he was determined not to instil the same sense in Bae. 

He handed the clipboard back to Belle who stowed it back under the desk, and he distracted himself from the brush of her soft fingers against his hand by wondering aloud if she'd have any more last-minute sign-ups.

"I'm not sure. A lot of people have the tendency to change their mind at the last minute."

Gold wondered if it was an allusion to himself. Very often he had found himself going up to the counter with a pile of books to check out, only to go away and pick different ones because he was scared of what she might think of his choices. That was how come he'd ended up checking out Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare when he already owned a well-thumbed and much-loved copy at home.   

For a long time, he and Belle just looked at each other, as if each of them was expecting the other to say something. Unfortunately, under Belle's beautiful blue gaze, everything remotely intelligent flew clean away from him and the only word that Gold would be able to articulate in that moment would have been something along the lines of 'mwawp'. He looked away before he could drown in her eyes any further, giving an awkward cough.

"We, erm, we'd best be off then. We'll see you tomorrow, Miss French."

"Bye, Miss French."

He turned and left the library, Bae still beside him completely unaware of the mental chaos that his father was going through, and Gold spent the entire journey home mentally kicking himself for the inanity of the conversation. Or the non-conversation, they hadn't really got started and Belle had spent most of the time talking to Bae. 

Still, he'd be seeing her every day throughout the coming week. Maybe some kind of opportunity would present itself. As long as his tongue didn't desert him again, of course. 

X

After watching father and son leave the library together, Belle slumped in her chair, resting her forehead against the desk with a groan. Yet another wasted opportunity. He had been right there, damn it, and she had once again failed to engage him in conversation. She tried to console herself with the thought that she couldn't exactly ask him out on a date whilst Bae was with him, but that didn't mean she couldn't talk to the man. She could have asked him how he was getting on with Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare, which he had checked out last week. Or if he was having any luck tracing the origins of the vintage typewriter that he'd received into the antique shop a month ago; he'd spent countless hours in the reference section searching for clues to no avail.

"Are you all right?" Marian had come out of the back office where she'd been making a pot of tea and she sounded rather alarmed at finding Belle in her melodramatic position. Belle just grunted her thanks for the tea and reached out for her cup without moving her head. 

"You can't drink it like that, you know."

Grudgingly, Belle looked up and she followed Marian's sight line through the doors and up the road towards the vanishing figures of Cameron and Bae Gold. Marian turned to her, trying very hard not to smile. 

"Oh, Belle, you've got it bad."

"I know," Belle muttered. "Believe me, I'm the last person that you need to tell."

"Hey, I'm not knocking it. If it's any consolation, I'm pretty sure he feels the same way."

Belle snorted. "Yeah, right. He's a suave businessman with impeccable taste in suits and I'm, well, me."

It was Marian's turn to snort. "Maybe you haven't seen it yourself because you're too busy being ridiculously infatuated with him to notice, but that man is absolutely not suave when you're involved. 'Schoolboy with a hopeless crush' is more like it. Can't disagree with you about the suits though."

"You don't even like him,"

"Well, he drives a hard bargain and Robin nearly came to blows with him once, but no one could deny that he's a good father, and he's definitely gooey about you. Besides, he's Jefferson's best friend and Jefferson's one of my friends, so he can't be all bad." Marian sat down beside her, looking far too cheerful about the entire situation. "Look on the bright side though - you'll be seeing a lot of him next week with Bae coming to camp, so there'll be plenty of opportunities for sneaking a quick snog in the geography section."

"Marian!"

"Or take him down the erotica aisle and see what happens." 

"Marian!"

Marian just winked and took a sip of her tea, looking as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. Belle groaned, but since some more patrons were coming in, she refrained from returning her head to the desk. Marian did have a point, as loathe as she was to admit it. Whilst she was running the camp, there would be plenty of chances to speak to Gold. And perhaps speak to Bae about his father. No, that would be awful. She could hardly ask a ten-year-old to act as matchmaker for her. Marian, on the other hand... She'd already proved herself very observant (although the truth of her matter of fact statement regarding Gold's attraction to her remained to be seen), and as she was taking over the full-time operation of the library during camp week, she would be well-place to note Gold's movements. Good grief, now it was sounding like a major espionage operation. No, best to just put it all out of her mind. If she got the chance to speak to Gold, then so much the better, but she wasn't going to drag his son into her world of ill-fated romance. 

"Buck up." Marian nudged Belle with her elbow. "There's no need to look like a wet weekend. I'm sure that something will come of all this."

Knowing that she wasn't going to be able to get away from the subject, Belle decided that doing the re-shelving would be an excellent way of spending her time, and if she happened to start daydreaming about the possibilities that dragging Mr Gold into the erotica aisle might have to offer, then it was no one's business but her own. 

X

The first morning of the drama camp dawned bright and sunny, and Bae seemed to be his usual happy self as they ate breakfast and waited for Emma. Mr and Mrs Nolan had an appointment at the antenatal clinic, and they had asked Gold and Bae to see Emma safely to camp. Emma was practically bouncing as she got out of her parents’ car and only just managed to remember to say goodbye to them. Any last-minute nerves that Bae may have had were swept away as Emma chattered on excitedly and, when it was time to leave for the library, pulled him along down the road. They had not reached the library itself when the two children stopped, looking over the fence around the garden in awe at the makeshift stage that had been set up. When they could finally be moved on and arrived in the library garden proper, Gold could see the work that had gone into the temporary structure, a raised platform with a proscenium arch made of cardboard and a working curtain. Leroy and Marco were putting the final touches on, checking the screws and staples to make sure that the structure wouldn’t collapse on any unsuspecting campers. 

“Hello Bae, Emma!”

Belle came out of the library with a large jug of squash and a plate of snacks, which she set down on one of the rickety trestle tables. 

“Help yourselves. You’re the first to arrive.”

Bae made a beeline towards the cookies, ignoring Gold’s protests that he’d just had breakfast, and Belle came over to Gold. She stood beside him for a while, gazing in proud satisfaction at the stage. This was the perfect excuse to talk to her. It was just the two of them, indeed, there was really no one else that they could talk to, with Leroy and Marco otherwise occupied and Bae and Emma chatting among themselves with great excitement. Bae was showing no signs of trepidation; Emma’s enthusiasm was infectious.

Gold took a deep breath. It was now or never. Well, that wasn’t strictly true. There would be plenty more opportunities to speak to Belle throughout the rest of the week and beyond, but if he kept putting it off then he would never do it. Besides, he knew that he couldn’t guarantee such an excellent chance to segue naturally into conversation.

“It’s very impressive,” he said, nodding towards the stage. “You should be very proud of your achievement.”

“Oh, Marco and Leroy did most of the heavy lifting and building.” Belle flushed. “I just told them how I wanted it to look. They’ve worked wonders with it.”

“Still, I think that this whole venture is an achievement. It’s great that Storybrooke has a local summer camp for the kids this year. Normally they have to go out of town.”

“I just thought that it would be something nice to do to give back to the town.”

“But you’ve already given so much.” Book club meetings, after-school groups, reading to the elderly; it wouldn’t be too much of an exaggeration to say that Storybrooke library was at the heart of the community. Since Belle had opened it up and then taken Marian on as an assistant, the building had truly blossomed into life.

“I’m glad you think so.” Belle gave a little sigh, and Gold noted the pensive expression on her face, wondering what could have caused her such consternation.

“Miss French? Is everything all right?”

Belle nodded. “Yes, yes. I’m fine. I just… I always feel like I ought to be doing more.”

“Sorry?”

“The library cost so much to reopen and restock,” Belle continued. “Everything I do, I do to try and show that the library was a worthwhile investment, and no matter how much I do, I can’t help thinking that it’s never enough, that one day the council will decide that it isn’t worth the expense to keep us open like they’d obviously done before I arrived.”

“I’m sure they won’t do that.” Gold was alarmed at the thought, and at the related thought of Belle leaving town as a result. “Has the mayor said anything along those lines to you?”

“No, the mayor’s always been behind the project, but the mayor isn’t the whole town council. There’s still a lot of old men I need to convince, and they’re not the sort to be swayed by community outreach programmes. The money we receive in late fees isn’t exactly going to line their pockets.”

It saddened Gold to see Belle so pessimistic about the library’s future, especially when she was the heart and soul of it; he had never seen her so upset or melancholy before.

“You know, I know most of the council members,” he said. “I’ve been in Storybrooke long enough to be acquainted with most of the old families who run it behind the scenes.” With the amount of properties that he had accumulated here and there, he was fast becoming one of them. “I could always put in a good word should you ever want me to.”

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“It would be my pleasure, honestly.”

Belle tailed off her protests and looked up at Gold’s face. He hoped that his expression was earnest, for that was certainly how he felt.

“Would you really do that for me?”

“Of course.” He’d do anything for her, but he managed to stop those words before they came out of his mouth.

“Thank you, that would be wonderful.” Gold gave a small squeak of surprise as Belle threw her arms around him in gratitude. When she let go of him, there was a furious blush spreading over her sheepish face, and Gold knew that he was looking exactly the same.

“Sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” Belle mumbled.

“No, no, it’s fine, don’t worry about it.” Gold didn’t want to let on just how much he had enjoyed Belle hugging him. Thankfully more parents and children were arriving by that point, with Jefferson and Grace being among them. As Belle hastened to welcome the newcomers, Gold said his goodbyes to Bae and Emma and quickly left the garden before anything else happened. Luck was not in his side, however, as Jefferson caught up with him before he could cross the road to the pawn shop.

“I am on the verge of locking you two in a cupboard together to get you to admit your feelings for each other.”

“Hello to you too, Jefferson.”

“Hello. You’ve both got it so bd that you’re practically making heart eyes at each other.”

“I was not…” Gold stopped in his tracks. “Wait. Heart eyes at each other? Do you… Do you think she feels the same way?”

“No. I don’t think it. There’s no need for any thinking at all because at this point it’s blindingly obvious to everyone except you.”

Gold took a while to digest this information, staring across the road towards the front door of the pawn shop without looking at it at all. He thought of the pink tinge rising in Belle’s cheeks as she had let go after hugging him on impulse, and the brightness in her eyes.

Perhaps Jefferson had a point after all.

X

The first day had gone rather well, even if Belle did say so herself. The plays had been read and discussed, and the kids had decided (as Belle had suspected they would) that they wanted to perform the one about knights and dragons. Parts had been cast, with Lily Mallory becoming the dragon and Emma Nolan the leader of the knights. They’d just had time to start building a dragon costume out of cardboard boxes before the parents started turning up to take their children home.

Bae Gold had been designated chief curtain puller and was helping to design the dragon costume. Now that almost everyone else had gone home, Emma had managed to persuade him up onto the stage with her and Lily and a three-way cardboard sword fight was going on, all of them happily oblivious to their parents standing at the other end of the garden watching their shenanigans.

Belle was loath to interrupt their game, but the library had to close up.

“Bae, Emma, Lily,” she called, pointing to their parents once she had their attention. Immediately the spell was broken, with Bae jumping down off the stage as soon as he saw that he had an audience. Belle wondered if this might be another chance to speak to Mr Gold. She had rather embarrassed herself this morning, hugging him out of the blue, but she didn’t think that the gesture had been wholly unappreciated at the time. Maybe there was some truth in Marian’s words. The only trouble she had now was how to broach the topic in polite conversation. If it turned out that everyone had the wrong end of the stick, then it would be even more embarrassing than hugging him. Mr Gold had never been the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, reticent more often than not, and she wondered if the same trait had passed down to Bae, manifesting itself in his shyness. Or perhaps the other way around was true, that what people took for standoffish superiority on Gold’s part was in fact just shyness. She didn’t want to push him out of his comfort zone if that was the case, but God, she was desperate to know how he felt.

She realised too late that she was still staring at him as he waved his goodbyes and left the garden with Bae. Belle waved back, and then heard childish giggles behind her. Emma and Lily were whispering together, and Belle realised she’d been caught out yet again. Honestly, if the ten-year-olds could see her attraction then Gold must have been able to see it. Maybe he was just too polite to act on it.

Still, there were another five days of the camp to go, and many months after that. There was plenty of time. And at least the camp was keeping her so busy that she didn’t have time to think about him during the day.

That was the plan, at least.

X

The sun was shining brightly in the sky and there was a cool breeze; they could not have asked for a more perfect Saturday afternoon on which to perform their play. There was a distinct spring in Gold’s step as he locked up the shop and made his way across the road to the library. A few parents were already there, milling about, and he slipped into a seat next to Mary Margaret Nolan, who was now two days overdue and glaring at her belly. Behind the closed curtains up on the stage, Gold could hear the giggles and whispers of the children getting ready. Every so often, a face would appear around the red fabric and peer across the garden, then a hand would wave enthusiastically when they caught sight of friends and family, then another hand would pull them back to the sound of further giggles. Gold wondered if he would see Bae. Emma had already popped out twice. 

Whilst waiting for Bae to appear, or not to appear, Gold fell to thinking about the conversations that he’d had with Belle throughout the week. There had been times when he had been collecting Bae when he got the distinct impression that she had been avoiding him, although he hoped he’d made it clear that she was completely forgiven for the hugging incident on Monday. Maybe he had been too forward and scared her off. That would never do. Maybe Jefferson had it wrong and there was no underlying attraction on Belle’s part, and her avoiding him was the best way of letting him down gently – especially if, as Jefferson had said, his own feelings were so painfully obvious to the outside observer.

Whatever was happening, he hoped that he would get the chance to speak to her tonight after the performance. She could not be pinned down at the moment, rushing here and there and everywhere, in and out from behind the temporary stage and up and down the steps into the library. Marian had closed up and come out to help shepherd parents into their seats, and she was watching the proceedings with an air of calm amusement, occasionally grabbing Belle in the midst of her dashing about and reminding her to breathe and drink water.

Gold pulled his thoughts back to the camp as he thought he caught a glimpse of Bae crossing the stage in the gap where the curtains did not quite meet as a result of so many people peering between them to wave at their parents. He had been surprised at how much Bae had enjoyed himself, coming home every night with tales of all the things that had happened and all of the things that he had been involved in making. He’d come out of his shell so much and Gold was so happy for him. The last thing that he wanted was to Bae to have regretted his decision, especially when Gold had been the one to encourage him to take a step outside of his comfort zone.

The last couple of nights, Bae had not been quite so chatty, although Gold could tell that it was not out of any sadness or awkwardness, but out of the desire to keep a secret. Bae had been wearing a mischievous little smile for the entire time, and Gold wondered what kind of surprises would be in store.

At length, the hubbub of noise behind the curtain quietened down, and Belle stepped out onto the stage to get the audience’s attention and introduce the players. She looked a true vision of summer beauty in a bright yellow sundress, and Gold’s heart momentarily leapt to his mouth. No, his feelings for her could not be denied at all.

“Good afternoon everyone and thank you so much for the brilliant turnout. Still, you didn’t come here to see me, so without further ado, I present Storybrooke Library Summer Camp’s production of The Grumpy Dragon!”

Belle jumped lightly off the stage as the curtains were pulled with great flourish, and Gold applauded heartily at what he knew was Bae’s part in the play.

Although, thanks to Bae and Emma’s constant talking about it, he now knew the plot of the play by heart and could probably recite most of the characters’ lines into the bargain, it was still a roaring success in all senses of the words.

Everyone gasped and laughed in all the right places, and if there were any fluffed lines or other mishaps on the stage, then Gold didn't notice them. Even though he never saw Bae for the length of the production, he knew that his son was there in the background, and once the final bows had been taken, he was applauding so hard his hands would likely never be the same again.

The curtains swished open a final time and Belle stood up from her place in the front row, encouraging all the children who had not had starring roles to come out and take a bow as well. Bae was there among them, grinning like the Cheshire Cat and showing no signs of unease at being centre stage. They received their applause in their turn, and then Bae rushed off the stage again. Gold couldn't say he blamed him.

His eyes almost popped out of his head when he returned with a large bouquet of flowers that Gold had noticed Marian taking care of to one side of the stage, and the vociferous clapping and cheering died down as it became clear that Bae had something to say.

It took him a little while to start his speech, but once he had found his father in the audience and locked eyes with him, Gold gave an encouraging nod. Bae took a deep breath.

"We just want to say a big thank you to Miss French for making it all possible. These are for you." He reached down off the stage and handed the flowers to Belle, who had gone very pink.

"Thank you, Bae. Thank you everyone. This week's been a joy. I really don't think that there's anything else to say except to enjoy the party!"

The children took a final bow, and then went to find their parents. In Bae's case, he would be finding a very stunned parent indeed.

X

Belle felt like she was walking on air as she helped Bae off the stage and the two of them made their way over to Mr Gold. The production had been a huge success. She’d had no doubts that it would be, and when the audience was made up of loving parents all seeing their children as the star of the show, no matter how big or small their part, then huge applause was guaranteed. No, this was even better than expected. Truly nothing had gone wrong that could have marred the day or ended the week’s camp activities on a sour note.

True, she had been avoiding Gold a little during the last few days, still somewhat mortified about her forwardness in hugging him, but mostly because she always ended up becoming so tongue-tied and distracted around him that it was affecting her concentration, and she really hadn’t wanted a repeat of Monday evening when Lily and Emma had sussed her out.

Now though, it was the end of the week, and the children were all far too busy with their friends and parents celebrating their success and tucking into the barbecue that Leroy and Marco had been preparing throughout the performance. Now it was time to make a move.

Gold was beaming with pride from ear to ear as they approached him, and Belle didn’t think that she had ever seen so much happiness on his face before. She had exchanged the odd little shy smile with him in the past, and he always smiled more readily when Bae was around, but this was something entirely different.

“That’s not my son,” he said, grinning down at Bae. “My son would never have gone up on stage and made a speech like that.”

Bae’s grin could have matched Gold’s for luminosity.

“No, it’s really me.” He threw his arms around his father and Gold picked him up, before putting him down again quickly with a strained huff.

“You’re getting far too heavy for that.” He was still smiling though. “Oh Bae, I’m so proud of you.”

Belle just watched father and son from the side lines for a while, not for the world wanting to interrupt their triumphant moment. She had been as surprised as Gold had been when Bae had made his little speech, but she’d always known that he had it in him – just as Gold did, probably. Over the last six days Bae’s confidence had come on in leaps and bounds, and she was so proud to have been able to help this blossoming come about.

At length, Bae broke away from Gold, running off to go and find his friends and continuing playing in the garden, and Gold looked over at Belle.

“Thank you so much,” he said. “I really don’t know… I’m astonished. I’ve been trying to bring Bae out of his shell for years, but I just never knew how to go about it without discomfiting him.”

There was so much emotion in his words, and Belle couldn’t think why so many people saw him as a beast. If they could hear him in this moment, his voice low and almost cracking with overwhelming pride, they would certainly have a different opinion. Gold felt just as deeply as the rest of them, but his feelings were concentrated towards Bae.

And perhaps, just perhaps, towards herself.

“It’s been my pleasure,” Belle said. “Honestly. Bae’s a wonderful kid. And you know,” she added, bolstering her courage and working on the principle that she was only going to live once and might as well make the most of it, “his father’s not bad either.”

Gold blinked in surprise, staring at her, but there was something more than just shock registering in his face. There was also something very akin to hope.

“I… I’m flattered that you think so, Miss French.”

“Please, call me Belle. And I do think so. In fact, I’d very much like to get to know him better.”

“Who, Bae?” Belle recognised the attempt at diversionary humour for what it was, and she shook her head.

“No, Mr Gold. You.” She paused, letting the information properly sink in. If there had been doubts in her mind as to whether her interest was returned before, then they were well and truly squashed now. She held out a hand, an invitation or a peace offering or whatever he wanted to make of it, and after almost a full minute of looking at her fingers as if they were a poisonous snake, he took her hand and squeezed.

“If we’re on first name terms, then you can call me Cameron.”

“Very well, Cameron. Would you like to join me for lunch tomorrow so that I can get to know you better?”

He nodded eagerly. “I’d like that very much, Miss Fr-Belle.”

Their hands were still linked, and Belle looked up at the fronds of honeysuckle drooping softly from the tree above them. A random thought caught her, and she giggled.

“What?” Cameron asked.

“Nothing. I was just wondering what would happen if it was Christmastime rather than summer and if all this honeysuckle was mistletoe.”

“Ah.” Cameron had gone rather red in the face at the thought. Belle just laughed again, knowing that when the winter did come, there would be plenty of mistletoe to catch him under if this was going to be the reaction. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his flushed cheek, lingering for longer than was perhaps strictly appropriate. As she broke away, she caught sight of Emma and Lily watching them with eyes agog. The news of her and Cameron’s fledgling relationship would be all over the town before breakfast now, but Belle found that she really didn’t mind.

The look of wonder on his face was completely worth it, and Belle knew that she was wearing a similar expression herself.

All in all, this had been an extremely successful summer camp.

X

(As things turned out, though, they were not the most eventful thing to occur on the final day of the camp, as three minutes later Mary Margaret Nolan’s water broke.

Although naturally sorry for her ordeal, Gold and Belle couldn’t help but be grateful for her impeccable timing.)

[junker-town]

What we know about the CBA talks between the NFL and NFLPA

Photo by Larry French/Getty Images

The NFL and NFLPA are trying to get a jump start on negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement two years in advance.

The NFL and NFLPA have a daunting task ahead of them: Reach common ground on a new collective bargaining agreement in time to avoid a work stoppage ahead of the 2021 season.

The current CBA — set to expire after the 2020 season — was agreed upon in 2011 after a 132-day lockout. There were two even worse work stoppages a few decades ago when the 1982 and 1987 NFL seasons were both shortened by player strikes.

Seeking to avoid that kind of labor dispute, the NFL and NFLPA are getting a jumpstart on their 2021 negotiations.

The two sides had early meetings

When exactly the NFL and NFLPA descended on Minneapolis in the spring to get negotiations started isn’t clear. Giants owner John Mara said at the NFL Annual Meeting the two sides would have preliminary talks “in early to mid-April,” and the first indication that the talks started came on April 9.

That’s when ESPN’s Todd Archer reported Jerry Jones missed a press conference to announce a new contract for DeMarcus Lawrence because he’s in Minneapolis for CBA talks. A few hours later, a joint statement was released:

“Today, the members of the NFL’s Management Council and the NFLPA’s Executive Committee met to discuss negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The League and the Union have committed to meet regularly in the coming months, which will involve staff, NFL leadership, members of the NFLPA Executive Committee and Player Representatives.”

They met throughout the summer and finally ended talks in late August ahead of the 2019 regular season.

Did progress on a new CBA actually get made this early?

The expiration of the CBA is still nearly two years away, so the biggest question the sides can answer in these preliminary meetings is just how much work they have to do.

According to the Washington Post’s John Clayton, it might not be much. He wrote that there is optimism a deal could get done as early as this year. That’d be extraordinarily quick, but Clayton says both sides could be happy with the current CBA due to the fast rising salary cap and minimum spending requirement (teams are required to spend at least 89 percent of their caps):

With that much money being spent, the feeling among some union leaders is that there is an incentive for players to make a deal rather than enter into an extended labor dispute. The NFL is on the verge of surpassing $15 billion in revenue, with the league’s television deals due to be extended within the next year. Each team received $255 million of shared revenue last year, with most of it coming from television.

NFLPA president Eric Winston hasn’t been quite as positive about the status quo, though:

Any conversation with NFL owners will be a renegotiation for a new deal, not an extension. At our board meetings we told everyone to prepare for a work stoppage; nothing has changed. https://t.co/DE2RLh1tBL

— Eric Winston (@ericwinston) March 27, 2019

In August, the Washington Post said the talks were “progressing,” but also said it’s still way too early to expect a resolution to come soon:

Executives with several NFL teams said it’s a good sign that talks are taking place without obvious acrimony or public sniping between the two sides. But they described the discussions as remaining in the relatively early stages and said they would be surprised if the process accelerates enough in the coming weeks to produce a near-term deal. A more realistic goal, one of those executives said, might be next spring.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who also serves as the team’s NFLPA rep, also said he doesn’t expect an easy negotiation:

“I’ve got a feeling it won’t be as simple as it was last time,” Jenkins told ESPN. “Just because you have more players like myself who have been through the lockout before, saw how the NFLPA leadership handled that into where we are now, which I don’t think was a bad deal but there is a lot that I feel like we want to get back as players, or get as players.”

A month after the preliminary talks got started, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the conversation between the two sides was “cordial” and “amicable.”

Though it’s possible a deal could be reached before the 2019 season, negotiations would have to ramp up considerably. Unless the pace changes, that’s not seen as feasible. Perhaps more likely is a deal next spring, a year before the CBA expires following the 2020 season.

One source went as far as saying, as of now, there are disagreements but no contentious issues like last time. “Nothing that would make it blow up,” as of now, one person briefed on the talks said.

The New York Times warned that it’s still early to get too optimistic, though.

Officials from the league and the players’ union, who asked not to be identified so as not to be seen as negotiating in public, cautioned that labor negotiations had just begun and could quickly sour.

But the NFL’s early negotiation tactics bode well for the future. Via the Times:

The N.F.L., however, has shifted away from its combative approach of the last round of bargaining. People involved in the current discussions expect the league to agree to a modest increase in the players’ share of league revenue, and for there to be few major changes to an agreement that has led to significant gains in league revenue and player compensation for the past eight years.

Two years ago, NFLPA officials told players to begin the process of saving money for a potential lockout. That’s advice that hasn’t changed.

NFLPA Exec Dir De Smith sent an email out to all NFL agents this morning, advising them to urge player clients to save money in the event of a work stoppage. "We are advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length," the letter states. More in SBD.

— Liz Mullen (@SBJLizMullen) May 28, 2019

These early meetings may have given an indication whether or not that’s still likely to be necessary.

What’s the No. 1 priority in the CBA talks?

A wise group of men — let’s call them a clan — once said “cash rules everything around me.” The negotiations of the next CBA will revolve around money, money, money, a couple other things, and money.

In 2011, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to a split of the league revenue with players getting 47-48.5 percent. That was down from 50 percent in the prior CBA. It was widely considered a win for the league and a loss for the players.

With league revenues soaring so much that the salary cap rose from $123 million in 2013 to $188.2 million in 2019 — more than a 50 percent increase in six years — a couple percentage points represent a LOT of money.

It’s unclear what exactly constitutes a “modest increase” for players, but if the NFL is willing to cede a chunk of their revenue it’ll help grease the wheels plenty. What the league wants in return is more games. Via NFL.com in late August:

there still has yet to be a breakthrough on the No. 1 issue, with NFL owners continuing to want more regular-season games and NFL players continuing to want a larger share of revenue without adding regular-season games, sources say. Players are guaranteed 47 percent of total revenue under the current CBA, which is set to expire after the 2020 season.

The two sides are reportedly agreeable on the idea of expanding the postseason field from 12 teams to 14, though.

What other money issues will the NFL and NFLPA haggle over?

The NFLPA will aim to raise that revenue sharing percentage, and that number will likely be the crux of the negotiation. But the money talks will go deeper than that. Both sides have other ways to try to get a bigger piece of the pie. To name a few:

The 89 percent spending floor could be raised to force teams to pay players more, or lowered to allow teams to save more.

The NFL secured large amounts of “stadium credits” in the 2011 CBA — allotments of league revenue that help pay for new stadiums. Owners are aiming to seek even more stadium credits in the next CBA too, according to ESPN. “The [stadium credits] issue has prompted the NFLPA to scoff at the notion that the current talks relate to an ‘extension’ of the 2011 agreement,” wrote Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The NFLPA considers the NFL’s requests “a major tweak” of the 2011 agreement.

A rookie wage scale was introduced in the 2011 CBA to end increasingly gigantic contracts for early draft picks. Sam Bradford received a six-year, $78 million deal after he was the No. 1 pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. In the most recent draft, Baker Mayfield received a four-year, $32.68 million contract for being the No. 1 pick. The wage scale is probably here to stay, but the NFLPA could aim for higher amounts for rookies or shorter contracts for first-year players that lets them cash in on second deals sooner.

The franchise tag could be in the crosshairs too with players now threatening to sit out seasons — and Le’Veon Bell even following through — to avoid it. The tag originally served to give teams more time to extend stars, but now it’s become a way to artificially avoid allowing the best players in the game to set the market higher at their respective positions.

There are a few non-money items on the agenda too

Money is the biggest reason to expect a lengthy fight, but there are also non-money issues: the league’s personal conduct policy, the substance abuse policy, and the commissioner’s unilateral authority to hand down punishment, to name a few.

The possibility of an 18-game regular season, increased or decreased practice time, and changes to the players’ healthcare plan are a few more wrenches that could be tossed into the mix.

The idea of an 18-game schedule has been floated by the NFL for several years. The league reportedly came to the NFLPA with the idea of allowing players to only play in 16 games per season — aiming to quell the union’s concern of players being overworked. There are several issues with that idea that would make it a bad compromise for both sides, though.

That was also around the time a group of Hall of Famers led by Eric Dickerson threatened to boycott future induction ceremonies if the next CBA doesn’t include significantly better healthcare benefits and revenue sharing for Hall of Famers.

The preliminary meetings were a chance for both sides to see just how far apart they are, and how much ground needs to be made up.

[junker-town]

What we know about the CBA talks between the NFL and NFLPA

Photo by Larry French/Getty Images

The NFL and NFLPA are trying to get a jump start on negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement two years in advance.

The NFL and NFLPA have a daunting task ahead of them: Reach common ground on a new collective bargaining agreement in time to avoid a work stoppage ahead of the 2021 season.

The current CBA — set to expire after the 2020 season — was agreed upon in 2011 after a 132-day lockout. There were two even worse work stoppages a few decades ago when the 1982 and 1987 NFL seasons were both shortened by player strikes.

Seeking to avoid that kind of labor dispute, the NFL and NFLPA are getting a jumpstart on their 2021 negotiations.

The two sides have had early meetings

When exactly the NFL and NFLPA descended on Minneapolis in the spring to get negotiations started isn’t clear. Giants owner John Mara said at the NFL Annual Meeting the two sides would have preliminary talks “in early to mid-April,” and the first indication that the talks started came on April 9.

That’s when ESPN’s Todd Archer reported Jerry Jones missed a press conference to announce a new contract for DeMarcus Lawrence because he’s in Minneapolis for CBA talks. A few hours later, a joint statement was released:

“Today, the members of the NFL’s Management Council and the NFLPA’s Executive Committee met to discuss negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The League and the Union have committed to meet regularly in the coming months, which will involve staff, NFL leadership, members of the NFLPA Executive Committee and Player Representatives.”

Will progress on a new CBA actually be made this early?

The expiration of the CBA is still nearly two years away, so the biggest question the sides can answer in these preliminary meetings is just how much work they have to do.

According to the Washington Post’s John Clayton, it might not be much. He wrote that there is optimism a deal could get done as early as this year. That’d be extraordinarily quick, but Clayton says both sides could be happy with the current CBA due to the fast rising salary cap and minimum spending requirement (teams are required to spend at least 89 percent of their caps):

With that much money being spent, the feeling among some union leaders is that there is an incentive for players to make a deal rather than enter into an extended labor dispute. The NFL is on the verge of surpassing $15 billion in revenue, with the league’s television deals due to be extended within the next year. Each team received $255 million of shared revenue last year, with most of it coming from television.

NFLPA president Eric Winston hasn’t been quite as positive about the status quo, though:

Any conversation with NFL owners will be a renegotiation for a new deal, not an extension. At our board meetings we told everyone to prepare for a work stoppage; nothing has changed. https://t.co/DE2RLh1tBL

— Eric Winston (@ericwinston) March 27, 2019

In August, the Washington Post said the talks were “progressing,” but also said it’s still way too early to expect a resolution to come soon:

Executives with several NFL teams said it’s a good sign that talks are taking place without obvious acrimony or public sniping between the two sides. But they described the discussions as remaining in the relatively early stages and said they would be surprised if the process accelerates enough in the coming weeks to produce a near-term deal. A more realistic goal, one of those executives said, might be next spring.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who also serves as the team’s NFLPA rep, also said he doesn’t expect an easy negotiation:

“I’ve got a feeling it won’t be as simple as it was last time,” Jenkins told ESPN. “Just because you have more players like myself who have been through the lockout before, saw how the NFLPA leadership handled that into where we are now, which I don’t think was a bad deal but there is a lot that I feel like we want to get back as players, or get as players.”

A month after the preliminary talks got started, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the conversation between the two sides was “cordial” and “amicable.”

Though it’s possible a deal could be reached before the 2019 season, negotiations would have to ramp up considerably. Unless the pace changes, that’s not seen as feasible. Perhaps more likely is a deal next spring, a year before the CBA expires following the 2020 season.

One source went as far as saying, as of now, there are disagreements but no contentious issues like last time. “Nothing that would make it blow up,” as of now, one person briefed on the talks said.

The New York Times warned that it’s still early to get too optimistic, though.

Officials from the league and the players’ union, who asked not to be identified so as not to be seen as negotiating in public, cautioned that labor negotiations had just begun and could quickly sour.

But the NFL’s early negotiation tactics bode well for the future. Via the Times:

The N.F.L., however, has shifted away from its combative approach of the last round of bargaining. People involved in the current discussions expect the league to agree to a modest increase in the players’ share of league revenue, and for there to be few major changes to an agreement that has led to significant gains in league revenue and player compensation for the past eight years.

Two years ago, NFLPA officials told players to begin the process of saving money for a potential lockout. That’s advice that hasn’t changed.

NFLPA Exec Dir De Smith sent an email out to all NFL agents this morning, advising them to urge player clients to save money in the event of a work stoppage. "We are advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length," the letter states. More in SBD.

— Liz Mullen (@SBJLizMullen) May 28, 2019

These early meetings may have given an indication whether or not that’s still likely to be necessary.

What’s the No. 1 priority in the CBA talks?

A wise group of men — let’s call them a clan — once said “cash rules everything around me.” The negotiations of the next CBA will revolve around money, money, money, a couple other things, and money.

In 2011, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to a split of the league revenue with players getting 47-48.5 percent. That was down from 50 percent in the prior CBA. It was widely considered a win for the league and a loss for the players.

With league revenues soaring so much that the salary cap rose from $123 million in 2013 to $188.2 million in 2019 — more than a 50 percent increase in six years — a couple percentage points represent a LOT of money.

It’s unclear what exactly constitutes a “modest increase” for players, but if the NFL is willing to cede a chunk of their revenue it’ll help grease the wheels plenty.

What other money issues will the NFL and NFLPA haggle over?

The NFLPA will aim to raise that revenue sharing percentage, and that number will likely be the crux of the negotiation. But the money talks will go deeper than that. Both sides have other ways to try to get a bigger piece of the pie. To name a few:

The 89 percent spending floor could be raised to force teams to pay players more, or lowered to allow teams to save more.

The NFL secured large amounts of “stadium credits” in the 2011 CBA — allotments of league revenue that help pay for new stadiums. Owners are aiming to seek even more stadium credits in the next CBA too, according to ESPN. “The [stadium credits] issue has prompted the NFLPA to scoff at the notion that the current talks relate to an ‘extension’ of the 2011 agreement,” wrote Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The NFLPA considers the NFL’s requests “a major tweak” of the 2011 agreement.

A rookie wage scale was introduced in the 2011 CBA to end increasingly gigantic contracts for early draft picks. Sam Bradford received a six-year, $78 million deal after he was the No. 1 pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. In the most recent draft, Baker Mayfield received a four-year, $32.68 million contract for being the No. 1 pick. The wage scale is probably here to stay, but the NFLPA could aim for higher amounts for rookies or shorter contracts for first-year players that lets them cash in on second deals sooner.

The franchise tag could be in the crosshairs too with players now threatening to sit out seasons — and Le’Veon Bell even following through — to avoid it. The tag originally served to give teams more time to extend stars, but now it’s become a way to artificially avoid allowing the best players in the game to set the market higher at their respective positions.

There are a few non-money items on the agenda too

Money is the biggest reason to expect a lengthy fight, but there are also non-money issues: the league’s personal conduct policy, the substance abuse policy, and the commissioner’s unilateral authority to hand down punishment, to name a few.

The possibility of an 18-game regular season, increased or decreased practice time, and changes to the players’ healthcare plan are a few more wrenches that could be tossed into the mix.

The idea of an 18-game schedule has been floated by the NFL for several years. The league reportedly came to the NFLPA with the idea of allowing players to only play in 16 games per season — aiming to quell the union’s concern of players being overworked. There are several issues with that idea that would make it a bad compromise for both sides, though.

That was also around the time a group of Hall of Famers led by Eric Dickerson threatened to boycott future induction ceremonies if the next CBA doesn’t include significantly better healthcare benefits and revenue sharing for Hall of Famers.

The preliminary meetings were a chance for both sides to see just how far apart they are, and how much ground needs to be made up.