#instant hall of famer to me

[riverlarking]

[no1frogfan]

For love of the game

Takigawa Chris Yuu x gn reader

Word count: ~800

Tags & warnings: very vaguely suggestive language? (there are some good names in baseball), baseball lmao

Note: Been feeling unmotivated to write, so I decided to tap into my love of Chris and of irl baseball to do some dialogue practice. Thank u to the daiya server for motivating me and to @paleokarst for talking over the ending :*

“What’s that?” You give Chris a quizzical look as he steps through the front door carrying a large plastic storage box in his arms.

“Hello to you too.”

You pad over to give him the usual greeting kiss. “Yeah, yeah, welcome home or whatever. Now tell me what this is.”

“My parents found it while cleaning out their basement and I thought you might want to look through it together.” He sets it down in front of the couch. Reaching inside, he pulls out one of many smaller cardboard boxes and opens it to reveal a neatly-packed row of cards. “They’re my old baseball cards.”

“Seriously?” The box is in your hands in an instant and you immediately begin rifling through its contents.

There's a few minutes of focused silence until, “OH MY GOD,” you exclaim, brandishing a card at him. “This can’t be his real name. Dick Pole?! Dick. Pole.”

“Sadly, it is,” Chris chuckles before holding out a card of his own. “Here, I found one for you.”

“NO. His name is not Rusty Kuntz?!”

He snorts. “Actually, it’s pronounced KOON-tz.”

You erupt in cackles. “I mean…if my name were Rusty Kuntz, I would also insist that it’s pronounced KOON-tz.”

“What else do we have here— hello, what’s this?”

Glancing over, he sees you reach for a small leather binder. “Oh that’s where I kept my special cards.”

“Your special cards?” You tease, “god little Chris was such a little nerd.”

He rolls his eyes, pulling you closer to give you a peck on the head. “Well you’re the one dating me so what’s that say about you?”

“That apparently I like nerds,” and pointing to one of the cards, you urge, “now come on nerd, tell me what’s so special about this guy.”

“Ah, that’s Bob Gibson. He’s a Hall of Famer, probably the best right-handed pitcher in St. Louis history. He was good at fielding too, which is rare for a pitcher. He worked hard and led the team to two World Series wins.”

You flip through a few more pages. “Wow you have a lot of this Iván Rodríguez guy too.”

“Well, he was my favorite player growing up and maybe the best catcher of all time.”

“What makes him the best?”

“He’s a solid hitter and his defensive play is exceptional. He’s got unparalleled game sense and a great strategic mind. Um, he’s caught for some of the best pitchers of the era and he caught nine no-hitters. The only way you can have a no-hitter is if the battery works perfectly, so that means he was able to bring out the best in a lot of different pitchers. Plus, he was always fun to watch.”

“Is he why you became a catcher?”

“You know…” Chris contemplates for a moment, “that’s honestly never occurred to me. My dad was obviously the reason I started, but I played a lot of different positions before deciding on catcher. Dad was the one who suggested I try it — he thought I had a good understanding of the game — but you might be right, maybe I stuck with it because I wanted to be like Iván.”

You hum in response. “Makes sense. The way you described him…he clearly has a lot of qualities that you value as a player.”

It’s long past dinner time when the two of you finally tire of strolling down memory lane and begin to tidy up the mess of cards now littered across the couch cushions and coffee table.

“What are you gonna do with all of these?”

“Well right now I’m going to put them away. Then I’ll probably give some away and throw away the rest.”

“You’re not keeping any?”

“Nah. It’s not like they’re worth anything.”

“Well in that case, I’m gonna keep these.” You swipe the leather binder from the box before he carries the rest off into the storage closet down the hall.

“What do you think?” You gesture toward the refrigerator when Chris returns.

Some of the precious real estate on the fridge door has been tidied up, and a cleaned-up Rangers magnet now holds his signed Iván Rodríguez card front and center, nestled between memories. To its left is a picture of him with his parents and Coach Kataoka after his first game with Seidou. Below it is another picture of him and the coach, this time graduating from Seidou alongside the rest of his teammates. To its right is a picture of the two of you at his MLB debut game, your smile toothy and gleeful as you hold up the ball from his first major league hit.

A lump forms in his throat.

It’s just a baseball card, one fleeting snapshot in the collage of moments that make him, the values that shape him, and the people that support him.

It's just a baseball card, but he can barely get the words out. “It’s perfect.”

[frontproofmedia]

Canelo Álvarez vs. Jaime Munguía: Cinco de Mayo Super Middleweight Showdown!

LAS VEGAS – March 12, 2024 – Mexican superstars will go toe-to-toe as Canelo Promotions presents a Cinco de Mayo weekend blockbuster that will see pound-for-pound great Canelo Álvarez put his undisputed super middleweight world title on the line against unbeaten all-action former world champion Jaime Munguía headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video on Saturday, May 4 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

 In addition to the PPV being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to purchase the PPV via DAZN.com. On top of those options, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets.

 Canelo vs. Munguía is the first four-belt undisputed title fight between Mexican combatants and harkens back to the great Mexico vs. Mexico matchups of the past including classics such as Erik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera, Carlos Zárate vs. Alfonso Zamora and Jesús Castillo vs. Rubén Olivares, amongst many others. Canelo has already etched himself in history alongside the greatest Mexican fighters to enter the ring and can add to that legacy on May 4, while Munguía hopes to move himself up the pedestal and make his own lasting mark in the boxing annals with a signature victory Cinco de Mayo weekend.

 Pre-sale tickets are available Thursday, March 14 from 10 a.m. PT until 10 p.m. PT through AXS.com by using the code: PBC

 Public on-sale begins Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m. PT with tickets available through AXS.com. The event is promoted by Canelo Promotions, TGB Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Zanfer Boxing Promotions.

 “We are very excited to return on May 4, especially with a Mexican opponent,” said Eddy Reynoso, Canelo’s Manager and Trainer. “This will be a 100% Mexican celebration! There has been a long time since two Mexicans have faced each other in an event like this. It’s going to be a grand fight. Jamie Munguia is an ex-champion who’s been winning fights and demonstrating great things. That tells me it’s going to be an exciting fight. I am very happy and grateful to Jamie that he agreed to make this happen.”

 “Cinco de Mayo weekend is a crown jewel in the boxing calendar, and this year will be one of the most anticipated in recent memory with this all-Mexico showdown between undisputed champion and future Hall of Famer Canelo Álvarez taking on the undefeated power-puncher Jaime Munguía headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Saturday, May 4 at T-Mobile Arena will be the highlight of what is always one of the city’s biggest weekends. Fans know that when an all-time great like Canelo faces a hungry action fighter like Munguía, the chances for drama and fireworks are through the roof.”

 “An all-Mexican championship showdown on Cinco de Mayo weekend between two guys with immense pride for their country and at the top of their games — it doesn’t get any better for the sport of boxing,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Given Jaime’s incredible offensive attack, Canelo’s unmatched counterpunching and both guys’ tremendous power, fans are in for an absolute barn burner. We at Golden Boy are proud to have been able to work with our partners at DAZN to help make this massive battle and potential instant classic in Las Vegas that you don’t want to miss!”

 “Jaime Munguía continues to make history as he paves his way in the sport,” said Fernando Beltrán, CEO of Zanfer Boxing Promotions. “There will be an overflow of Mexican pride in Las Vegas. This fight was accomplished for the people of México between two of the top Mexican fighters in boxing.”

 *CANELO ÁLVAREZ VS. JAIME MUNGUÍA*

 The reigning WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO Super Middleweight World Champion, Canelo Álvarez will look to extend his own record of successful undisputed title defenses in the four-belt era as he defends his belts for the fourth time in a 12-round matchup against the unbeaten former 154-pound world champion Jaime Munguía, who will compete at the full 168-pound limit for the third straight fight. 

 Having captured world titles at 154, 160, 168 and 175-pounds, Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs) returns to action after a dominant victory last September that saw him drop former undisputed super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo on his way to a unanimous decision. The fighting pride of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Canelo became undisputed at super middleweight in November 2021 by taking the IBF belt from then unbeaten Caleb Plant via an 11th-round TKO. After dropping a light heavyweight title fight against Dmitriy Bivol in May 2022, Canelo rebounded to defeat Gennadiy Golovkin in their September 2022 trilogy fight before besting John Ryder in May 2023.

 Under the guidance of his renowned manager and trainer Eddy Reynoso, Canelo has triumphed over a long list of elite fighters since turning pro at just 15-years-old in 2005, including Golovkin, plus Shane Mosley, Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto and Sergey Kovalev to name a few. Outside of the Bivol fight, Canelo’s only other defeat came against undefeated legend Floyd Mayweather in September 2013.

 “I’m very proud and excited to be able to make this fight,” said Canelo. “A Mexican versus another Mexican is always a huge fight and it’s been a while since there’s been one like this. It’s great to give an opportunity like this to a fighter that’s earned it like Jaime has. It gives me a lot of joy that two Mexicans will be facing each other in such a big fight for the sport.”

 The 27-year-old Munguía (43-0, 34 KOs) first burst onto the scene in 2018, shocking Sadam Ali via a fourth-round TKO to claim a 154-pound world championship, which he would go on to defend successfully five times. A native of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, Munguía continued his dominance after moving up to 160-pounds, going 6-0 at the weight class from 2020 through 2022, including triumphs over D’Mitrius Ballard, Gabriel Rosado and Tureano Johnson, all while garnering a reputation as one of the most fan-friendly fighters in the sport.

 Munguía made his debut campaigning at super middleweight in June 2023, facing longtime top contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Munguía emerged victorious with a unanimous decision in the back-and-forth affair that garnered Fight of the Year honors from the BWAA. In his most recent fight, Munguia joined forces with legendary trainer Freddie Roach, who helped guide him to a dominant ninth-round stoppage of veteran contender John Ryder in January.

 “I’m very, very happy and filled with enthusiasm for this great opportunity,” said Munguía. “I’m incredibly grateful to everyone involved who were able to make this fight a reality. We are ready to give fans a great night of boxing on Saturday, May 4. I can’t wait to demonstrate to the world that I am capable of doing great things. Viva Tijuana and Viva México!”

Follow @Frontproofmedia!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id))(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

[cavenewstimes]

Jake The Snake Roberts Calls Working With WWE Hall Of Famer 'Golden Moment' Of Career

Read More Wrestling Inc.  By /Nov. 26, 2023 3:00 am EST Jake Roberts has opened up about his rivalry with André The Giant that culminated with a match against the fellow WWE Hall of Famer at WrestleMania V.  On “The Snake Pit,” Roberts revealed his instant reaction was “Are you f—ing kidding me?” when informed of the plans in 1989. Roberts recounted his first run-in with André at a TV taping in…

[toburnup]

hiiii just wanted to say ur writing is fucking incredible. i found sleep it off first and like. i read it all in the middle of the night a few hours ago and i cannot get it off my mind, it’s so perfect in every way n I really mean that 😭😭 you nailed the dynamics and the way they balanced each other out was just…aghhhhh the obvious hot vs cold and chatterbox vs restrained but also the more nuanced parts … SO GOOD!!!! and the fact that we got both povs?? everything just made complete and perfect sense so i hope u are immensely proud of it bc holy shit that was an instant hall of famer for me personally

also read thirty days and that backseat afterglow and lemme just say i am SOOO EXCITED for the thirty days continuation!!!! once again i am in love with how you write them and the way you build tension…the way steve just can’t shut up and eddie just runs with it it’s so perfect. u have no ideaaaa how excited i got when i saw how many works you have LOL sorry this ask was long but yeah keep doing what ur doing i can’t wait to read more the second i have free time >:)

💙💙💙 THANK YOUUU!! ah what the hell. this is so nice. i definitely want to do a part 3 to sleep it off, just have a few other things to get to first (shh technically i've already started it 👀)

yess thirty days part 2! tentatively titled one week more. we're going to be doing some proper edging this time around.

enjoy the rest of the fics! you've got some fun ones ahead of you 🥰

[shefanispeculator]

Blake Shelton was worried about the headline.

Following the first 10 songs of his final "Friends & Heroes" tour stop at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee Saturday, Shelton stepped offstage, and country music veteran John Anderson emerged from below it. There was an instant surge of energy from the near-capacity crowd, as Anderson, with Shelton's seven-piece backing band, crooned through a soft "Seminole Wind," followed by a boisterous "Money in the Bank" and the boot-scootin' "Swingin'," all huge country hits in the '80s and '90s.

And Shelton, half-jokingly, was just a touch jealous.

"Why do you all act so different for John Anderson?" Shelton asked. "I've been out here for 40 minutes, and all of a sudden John Anderson comes out here and the whole damn crowd … is line-dancing and (expletive). How do you line-dance in your seats?"

"The last thing I need is to wake up tomorrow morning and read the Wisconsin Post or whatever you have here, and the headline says something like 'John Anderson steals the show,'" Shelton continued.

Here at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, we don't take headline suggestions from people we're writing about. But that wouldn't have been an appropriate headline anyway — because Anderson wasn't the only one to steal the spotlight from Shelton.

And that's the beauty of the concept of Shelton's "Friends & Heroes" tour, which has been around for a few years but stopped in Milwaukee for the first time Saturday.

It gives Shelton a chance to share his sharp band and packed houses with veteran country stars who prove they've still got the goods, and are still beloved.

On Saturday, that included Martina McBride, who with her sparkling voice, brightened the night with the self-assuring gems "My Baby Loves Me" and "This One's for the Girls," before closing out with the shattering, and soaring, "A Broken Wing."

And the show also included Tracy Byrd, who actually got the strongest reaction of the three "Friends & Heroes" Saturday. He took full advantage of the runway, tipping his black cowboy hat and high-fiving any fans he could reach, hyping up the crowd with his magnetic stage presence and '90s and early-aughts party-starters "Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo," "I'm From the Country" and "Watermelon Crawl."

"Over and over again tonight, I have had my ass handed to me by these other singers coming," Shelton said near the show's end.

Shelton was, of course, selling himself short.

While the three guests were indisputable highlights Saturday, they performed for only 10 minutes each. Shelton, on the other hand, was on stage for the show's remaining two hours and 30 minutes, striving to fulfill an early evening promise to play "the longest country concert." (Eric Church routinely does three-hour sets, but this was an impressive marathon nonetheless.)

With the charm and charisma that's made him such a winning personality on NBC's "The Voice" for 21 seasons, Shelton handily slipped into various personas Saturday night, for the raucous "Boys 'Round Here," the moon-eyed duet "Nobody But You" (which he sang facing footage of his new wife Gwen Stefani singing back to him), or the outlaw-flavored "God's Country" and the George Jones classic "Ol' Red."

There were plenty of fun interactions with the crowd, too. Locking eyes with a guy in the front row for the love ballad "Sure Be Cool If You Did," Shelton chuckled mid-song, telling him, "Sing to her, not to me," gesturing to the man's date. And for "Hillbilly Bone," Shelton let himself get upstaged yet again, this time for a fiery duel between guitarist Beau Tackett and fiddle player Jenee Fleenor, the first woman to win the CMA Award for musician of the year.

Shelton was happy to share the spotlight, but after the performance, he feigned a bruised ego, and for the night's greatest moment, invited Anderson, Byrd and McBride to join him for a songwriter's circle session to see which of them had the greatest country song. (He also suggested George Strait, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan and Luke Combs were going to be the judges … although they were going to stay backstage.)

"How many of y'all think if this was the 'Who talks the most (expletive) of the Friends & Heroes' tour competition, we'd already have our winner?" Byrd said, gesturing to Shelton, another case of the headliner being upstaged Saturday, for funniest line of the night.

Shelton did his rendition of "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" solo on acoustic guitar, suggesting the lines "When you undress, do you leave a path/Then sink to your nose in a bubble bath" were about Anderson.

After the performance, Shelton did a little moonwalk victory dance, then playfully suggested they end the competition. But Byrd wouldn't have it, sparking a big singalong for a beaming "The Keeper of the Stars," followed by Anderson performing "Straight Tequila Night" (both with support from Shelton's band members). But it was clear, from fans and musicians alike, that McBride won this little competition with "Independence Day."

As they all left the stage, Shelton put an end to the jealousy act, saying some kind words about how much those three musicians inspired Shelton as he made his own ascent in the country music world.

"Those are Hall of Famers … you're never going to see something like that ever again," Shelton said. "My heroes, man, your heroes, man. Those are country music icons, all of them."

And Saturday's show suggested there was one headline Shelton will wake up to one day: "Blake Shelton inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame

[randomvarious]

Hanson - “Weird” Now That's What I Call Music! 39 1998 Pop-Rock / Soft Rock

My piping hot take on Hanson is that they were the best boy band of the 90s and that they were also the best set of underage brothers to play music since the Jackson 5, a group to which they constantly drew comparisons. They weren’t just some piece of transparently manufactured corporate schlock like the formulaic, Swedish-produced teen heartthrobs that soon followed them, although they were marketed in much the same way. Hanson were talented boys, who, despite their young ages, could play instruments well enough to make bubblegum pop bangers like “MMMBop” and “Where’s the Love”. Their songs appeared to be an attempt to hearken back to those days of warm, catchy, and sugary 70s radio pop, when kids could record a happy tune that would go big for a few weeks and no one would really bat an eye over how young the performers of those tunes were. And Hanson’s mission of rehashing that 70s kind of spirit was furthered along, of course, by their long, flaxen hair.

But here’s something you probably don’t know about Hanson: their quadruple-platinum-selling debut album, Middle of Nowhere, was co-produced by another set of brothers, The Dust Brothers (who aren’t actually siblings), who produced The Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique, three albums by Beck, including Odelay, and the score to Fight Club. If you’ve ever wondered why Hanson’s productions sounded so good, thick, and slick in the late 90s, it’s probably because of The Dust Brothers.

And one of the lesser-remembered singles off of Middle of Nowhere, “Weird,” was co-written by Songwriters Hall of Famer Desmond Child. Know some other bops that Child wrote? How about “Livin’ On a Prayer” and “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)”? And out of every song that Child’s ever written, what do you think his favorite one is? Weirdly enough, it’s “Weird”.

From Songfacts:

At the 2008 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction, Desmond Child was one of those who were inducted. When pressed [he] revealed that his favorite of all the numbers he'd ever penned was "a song I wrote with Hanson called 'Weird,' because it's about being different, and I grew up poor, I grew up being Latin, I grew up being gay, and now I'm fat!"

“Weird” is a clear departure from Hanson’s typically cheery, upbeat pop stylings, and for that, it may have suffered a little bit in the charts. But it’s still a very well-made song and it was a global top 40 hit. They didn’t write the lyrics, but it’s a clear attempt to show that they’re not just some one-trick pony that only churns out sunshine; they can make emotionally vulnerable, radio-friendly stuff, too. And they have periods of sadness, just like you do, and sometimes they don’t feel okay. And with this ballad they’re here to tell you that it’s both okay to not feel okay, and that it’s also okay to not feel like you’re normal. It’s like a late 90s version of R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts,” but sung by a child instead; just some good ol’ heartfelt soft-rock schmaltziness.

The production on “Weird” smacks of the 70s to me, too. The Dust Brothers made it lush, and a lot of 70s pop has lush and warm production, ergo a 70s feel. But the song also sounds like it could come out now, in a time where just about every famous American teenager who makes music seems to be really in their feelings. Maybe some young pop songstress could cover it. It would probably be an instant hit, especially for these extraordinarily “weird” corona times.

Last thing: guess who directed the music video for this song. Gus Van Sant! And lest you think that the director of Good Will Hunting teaming up with Hanson was some big, weird, inauthentic, corporate-fueled thing, it was actually Van Sant who approached Hanson after seeing their video for “Where’s the Love”. But he was actually kind of burnt out and couldn’t come up with any good ideas for the video after having just finished directing Good Will Hunting. Van Sant was about to pass up on the opportunity to work with the boys, but Hanson supplied him with some ideas and the result was a pretty cool video that was shot alternately between New York City subway platforms and trains and a domed room whose walls Hanson somehow walk across. Movie magic!

Okay, one more thing, actually, and it’s the worst piece of information I have regarding this band. Hanson appear to be unrepentant chuds now. 😔💔

[kurtrty-blog]

Our trainers and things

His full name was Nelson Louis Hawks, but 'Chicken' answered to one of the best handles in baseball history cheap jerseys. The outfielder/first baseman captured the Western Canada League batting crown in 1920 with the Calgary Bronchos and joined the New York Yankees the following season. In parts of two big league campaigns, his claim to fame was spoiling a no hit bid by Baseball Hall of Famer Dazzy Vance..

cheap jerseys "When I got my first briefing before I left Trenton to come here, I said to my staff, 'I feel like I want to throw up," Gov. Chris Christie said about the fire during a televised press conference, a few minutes ago. "After all the effort and time and resources that were put in to help the folks at Seaside Park and Seaside Heights rebuild to see this going on is just unthinkable.".  cheap jerseys

wholesale nfl jerseys That why you have to set the standard to where we setting it. Make them get to that standard or get out of the way and allow somebody else to get to that standard. It really that simple. When you first started coming out, who are some of the queens that you remember that really payed the way for you in a way? Well for starters, Victoria Courtez. She is my drag mother. Octavia Anyae, she was actually the first drag queen I saw at The Den.  wholesale nfl jerseys

wholesale nfl jerseys from china The "Clutch City" philosophy espoused by the Vikings had its roots in their state tournament run last spring. After opening the playoffs https://www.cheapjerseysitems.com with a 5 3 loss to Viewmont, Pleasant Grove had to battle its way through the one loss bracket. The Vikings met the challenge with success, running off six straight wins to reach the championship game..  wholesale nfl jerseys from china

Sign here, please. When selling to the "I" style, match your pace and presentation to their energetic approach. Be friendly and sociable let them know you like them personally. It been fun, it been a good ride. Were so many highlights to remember for a team that finished with a 9 7 regular season record and won the NFC East after finishing last with a 4 12 record in 2014. Still, it hurt to come up short on Sunday.time it happens, it doesn feel any better, Williams said of the playoff loss.

Our trainers and things, we're trying to get rest. I think we're also the only team in the league that had a 10 PM curfew last night so we're trying to do anything to kind of avoid what we went through last year. You probably noticed today there were very few, well actually none today, where the snaps split.  wholesale nfl jerseys from china

Cheap Jerseys china 2. Who covers Odell Beckham Jr.? Watkins being out is a shame because it deprives fans a chance at seeing both he and Beckham on the same field. The Giants' second year receiver is one of the NFL's brightest stars after a breakout rookie campaign, and has gotten off to a great start in 2015.  Cheap Jerseys china

Cheap Jerseys china Ollie: I'm so glad, when you look back at it, that I went and I was able to be around so many different players and so many coaches. Of course, when I was in the NBA, I wanted to stay in one city and have a 20 year contract and all that. But it's good to come in the locker room and you say, "Ollie's on one of those jerseys." So I don't care if I'm on a 10 day contract [or] I was on a make good contract.  Cheap Jerseys china

Cheap Jerseys from china Seth is able to go No. 1, or even No. 2, it would be such a huge turning point for so many people, Weekes said. He liked what he saw https://www.cheapjerseyssonly.com. Combs wore 10 of the jerseys, sold by Philadelphia based sports nostalgia company Mitchell Ness, at different times during the American Music Awards last year. Lakers duds for videos and concerts.  Cheap Jerseys from china

But Pitta's performance Sunday with two TD's in the wake of such devastating injuries, surgery and rehab is a huge and inspirational story line. And I don't think Harlan and Gannon came anywhere near appreciating what it means to Ravens fans to see Pitta triumph over adversity this way. And it does matter to the telecast, because I think it gives the Ravens a huge emotional lift that is important in assessing their play today and possibly in weeks to come as the schedule gets tough..

Cheap Jerseys free shipping The eggs, flour and salt should come to no more than 50 cents cheap nfl jerseys. Depending on how much you spend on your soup, you should be able to get a decent bowl of ramen for about a dollar in ingredients. Not much more expensive than a instant packet! You can, of course, really go crazy on the condiments..  Cheap Jerseys free shipping

nfl jerseys The number one most important thing I make sure to bring is a knife. They have so many uses in every day camp activities and life in general. If you find yourself in a survival situation, your chances of survival are infinitely increased with a knife.  nfl jerseys

Asked how it has helped him to be a part of the team, Hardik said, "I feel its a learning curve for me, I should be learning lots of things staying with the team and it always helps. I am improving my game day by day. That was the only reason why I made a comeback after a poor IPL.

cheap jerseys In June, I called Kyle Turley, a former NFL player who has become an outspoken critic of the league, particularly its treatment of former players https://www.ccmjerseys.com. He isn't easily shocked by the NFL's methods, but when I told him about the fantasy game, which he'd never heard of, he let out an exasperated growl. "The NFL is desperate," he said cheap jerseys.

[eitmonline]

EITM Playlist 5/27/22

Soul Asylum - Somebody To Shove | 5:42/4:42c

Fat Boys & The Beach Boys - Wipeout | 6:12/5:12c

Demi Lovato - Cool For The Summer | 6:33/5:33c

CHVRCHES - Clearest Blue | 6:39/5:39c

Yes – Owner Of A Lonely Heart | 6:46/5:46c

John Lennon – Imagine | 6:47/5:47

Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again | 6:50/5:50c

Depeche Mode - Just Can’t Get Enough | 6:52/5:52c

Depeche Mode – Strangelove | 6:54/5:54c

Depeche Mode - Policy Of Truth | 6:56/5:56c

Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus | 6:57/5:57c

Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence | 6:59/5:59c

Depeche Mode - Everything Counts (Live) | 7:00/6:00c

LFO - Summer Girls | 7:10/6:10c

Y&T - Summertime Girls | 7:38/6:38c

Ricky Martin - Livin’ La Vida Loca | 7:51/6:51c

Martha Reeves And The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street | 8:00/7:00c

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run | 8:32/7:32c

Ramones - Rockaway Beach | 8:56/7:56c

Jan & Dean - Surf City | 9:31/8:31c

Poison - Nothin’ But A Good Time | 9:44/8:44c

Kenny Chesney - Summertime | 9:52/8:52c

Bryan Adams - Summer Of ’69 | 10:11/9:11c

Bon Jovi with Jennifer Nettles - Who Says You Can’t Go Home | 10:37/9:37

[investmart007]

Professional wrestling great Bruno Sammartino dies at 82

New Post has been published on https://goo.gl/X3nya3

Professional wrestling great Bruno Sammartino dies at 82

April 18, 2018 (AP)(STL.News) —He was professional wrestling’s ultimate good guy. The son of Italian immigrants, Bruno Sammartino fled the Nazis as a child and built a career beating a string of bad guys that thrilled fans and made him reign as the conscientious champ for more than a decade.

Before the flash of The Hulkster, the electricity of The Rock and the foul-mouth of Stone Cold, all Sammartino required to become wrestling’s biggest box office draw was a pair of tights, boots and an honest promo that made fans believe in the most illegitimate of sports.

Sammartino, professional wrestling’s “Living Legend” and one of its longest-reigning champions, has died. He was 82.

“One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business,” WWE chairman Vince McMahon said . “Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. He will be missed.”

Family friend and former wrestling announcer Christopher Cruise said Sammartino died Wednesday morning and had been hospitalized for two months.

The WWE opened a live event Wednesday night with a 10-bell salute for Sammartino.

Sammartino’s name on the marquee about guaranteed a squared circle sellout in the 1960s and 1970s and he held the World Wide Wrestling Federation championship for more than 11 years (4,040 days) over two title runs.

Sammartino’s Italian heritage, brute strength and good-guy charisma helped make him an instant star in the northeast. He had rivalries with Killer Kowalski, Gorilla Monsoon and George “The Animal” Steele during his title runs and later wrestled famous grudge matches at Shea Stadium against Pedro Morales, Stan Hansen and Larry Zbyszko.

“Bruno came along in the ’60s and he reflected what was going on in terms of the American Dream story,” Zbyszko told The Associated Press. “Poor, starving immigrant kid who escaped Nazis. His mother was shot over the mountains and he came to this country starving and achieved the American Dream. He became the beloved heavyweight champion of the world. People saw that, they felt that. He was a real guy. Everybody believed in him.”

He was born in Italy and was a child when his family immigrated to Pittsburgh, where he became a champion power lifter and workout fanatic before learning the ropes of pro wrestling.

Sammartino defeated Buddy Rogers in just 48 seconds to become the second-ever WWE champion in front of nearly 20,000 fans on May 17, 1963, at the old Madison Square Garden . He held the title until 1971 and his second reign began in 1973 with a win over Stan Stasiak. That one lasted until he was pinned by “Superstar” Billy Graham in 1977.

Zbyszko, a WWE Hall of Famer, was billed as Sammartino’s protege until he turned on him during a famous televised match. Zbyszko got a quick lesson on how much fans loved their Legend when he bloodied Sammartino with a series of chair shots to the head.

“I was getting my car smashed, I had to hide in trunks,” Zbyszko said. “I was going down the highway in a new Cadillac with the windows smashed, the mirrors hanging, the lights are out. It was a different time, a different day. My god, the riots.”

They became engaged in a bitter feud that was capped by a steel cage match at Shea in 1980.

Sammartino escaped the cage a winner.

“People hated me for 20 years after that match,” Zbyszko said. “Everything I learned was from Bruno. He was my mentor.”

Sammartino and Hulk Hogan — the biggest long-term money-making draws in WWE history — tagged together in the “Legend’s” final match. He was in his son David’s corner for a bout at the first WrestleMania in 1985 and competed in a battle royal won by Andre the Giant at the second WrestleMania in 1986.

Sammartino became a broadcaster on WWE’s weekend morning shows before his frustration over the company’s direction into campier storylines and an outrage over the drug culture he said had permeated the industry led to a bitter, two-decade split with McMahon. He eventually made peace with WWE and accepted his induction into the Hall of Fame in 2013 . He was inducted by Arnold Schwarzenegger .

WWE said Sammartino sold out Madison Square Garden , known as the mecca of professional wrestling, hundreds times over his career. Sammartino suffered a broken neck when he was dropped on his head by Hansen in 1976 at the Garden.

Sammartino’s family fled a Nazi invasion of his village in Italy and he hid with his mother in a mountain during the German occupation. They eventually joined his father in Pittsburgh in 1950.

Bullied because he spoke little English, Sammartino, who had suffered from rheumatic fever in childhood, dedicated himself to bodybuilding and eventually authored “The Bruno Course of Bodybuilding.” The WWE said he once bench-pressed 569 pounds in 1959 which was noticed by promoter Vincent J. McMahon.

Paul Levesque, a top WWE executive better known in the ring as Triple H, helped bring Sammartino back into the fold.

“Devastated to hear the passing of a true icon, legend, great, honest and wonderful man… A true friend…and one of the toughest people I’ve ever met,” Levesque tweeted .

Olympic gold medalist and WWE star Kurt Angle, a Pittsburgh native, called Sammartino “a hometown hero ” who carried himself with dignity and was courteous to fans.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said Sammartino was one of the city’s greatest ambassadors. Sammartino’s name joined Dan Marino and Andy Warhol on two signs welcoming people to South Oakland.

“Through his uncommon strength and surprising grace he embodied the spirit of Pittsburgh on the world stage,” Peduto said. “Some of the fondest memories of my childhood are of sitting in the basement with my grandfather on Saturday mornings and watching Bruno wrestle.”

By DAN GELSTON by  Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (U.S)

[paulbenedictblog]

%news%

New Post has been published on %http://paulbenedictsgeneralstore.com%

Fox news Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa among NFL's top 10 disruptors of 2019 - NFL.com

Fox news

Desire a second to think the predominant names in soccer and the positions they play.

The predominant acknowledge is easy: Quarterback. A team goes as its quarterback goes.

The second acknowledge, though, would possibly perchance perchance also merely be various looking out on who you query. Some would possibly perchance perchance also jabber huge receiver, and others would possibly perchance perchance also lean in direction of cornerback or left kind out.

But one set apart community has taken on elevated significance within the closing half decade or so, which most attention-grabbing makes sense when enthusiastic about the upward thrust of the passing sport. The set apart must opponents invest their resources? In those that hunt the quarterback.

Now we discover seen these avid gamers -- defensive ends and out of doors linebackers, looking out on the defensive contrivance -- in actuality evolve into their very contain classification: edge rushers. They're accountable for wreaking havoc and sending future Hall of Famers residence empty handed within the game's biggest contests. Judge back to the 2015 marketing campaign, when Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware knocked Tom Brady out of kinds within the AFC Championship Sport. Or deem closing season, when the Patriots had Sam Darnold seeing ghosts.

They're effective. They topic. And they're no longer merely on the threshold of defenses (hi there, Aaron Donald).

So, who were the greatest disruptors of 2019?

Love we did in our earlier (and debate-challenging) pieces from this series, we're focusing on one Subsequent Gen Stat that offers us the acceptable indication of how effective a defender is on a per-scurry-speeding-down basis. The stat: Disruption Charge, which is the whole number of disruptions (the blended total of hurries, pressures or sacks, with most attention-grabbing one counting per play) divided by the whole number of scurry-hotfoot snaps.

In present to procure a tight steal of effectiveness over a substantial volume of scurry rushes, we quandary the baseline at 250 scurry hotfoot snaps. Of us who did no longer hotfoot the passer no longer lower than 250 cases in 2019 did no longer make the slash.

These are the greater of those that did.

Myles Garrett

Cleveland Browns · DE

Disruption rate: 18.5%. Sack rate: 3.5%. Total disruptions: 53. Sacks: 10.

Garrett performed in merely 10 games, as the indefinite suspension that resulted from his actions one day of Cleveland's Thursday night affair with Pittsburgh introduced his season to an conclude, however he had been performing to the level of a frail No. 1 total take dangle of until that point. Cleveland's scurry hotfoot suffered a drastic dropoff in effectiveness after his departure. The Browns had a 32.9 percent stress rate with Garrett on the field in 2019; with out him, that resolve dropped to 21.5 percent.

Garrett's disruption rate used to be the acceptable within the NFL. He registered a stress on 17.1 percent of dropbacks in 2019, which used to be the supreme share posted by a participant for the reason that 2016 season. He additionally changed into one of merely three avid gamers to publish a stress rate of 12 percent or bigger in every of the closing three seasons. The different two: Aaron Donald and Von Miller. With every Browns contest, there used to be a second or two in which a quarterback would hit the turf and there'd be most attention-grabbing one phrase to articulate in response: Myles.

Za'Darius Smith

Green Bay Packers · OLB

Disruption rate: 17.5%. Sack rate: 2.8%. Total disruptions: 84. Sacks: 13.5.

Smith's disruption total is bigger because, in half, he performed a beefy season, however his efficiency is practically on par with that of Garrett. Smith used to be the face of a turnaround for the Packers protection, offering instant returns on the profitable free-agent deal he inked closing offseason. He used to be a menace, pressuring the QB on 19.4 percent of scurry rushes when aligned on the inner. That rate used to be the supreme amongst all defenders speeding from the inner (minimum 100 inner scurry rushes), main second-set apart finisher Stephon Tuitt (14.1 percent) by bigger than 5 share aspects. Smith used to be second in total stress share at 14.8 percent, trailing most attention-grabbing Garrett. He and Packers DT Kenny Clark blended for 120 QB pressures closing season, doubtlessly the most by any teammate duo within the NFL.

Smith is formally within the class of the elite, and happily for him, he's being paid as such.

Robert Quinn

Dallas Cowboys · DE

Disruption rate: 17.2%. Sack rate: 3.3%. Total disruptions: 60. Sacks: 11.5.

Robert Quinn used to be smartly price the price Dallas paid to create him closing offseason, even when it used to be most attention-grabbing as a one-three hundred and sixty five days condo, and he's quandary to make the cash he deserves after signing a five-three hundred and sixty five days deal with the Chicago Bears in March. Quinn loved worthy success with the Cowboys while working opposite DeMarcus Lawrence, pressuring the QB on 14 percent of scurry rushes, the third-most attention-grabbing rate within the NFL (minimum 250 scurry rushes) in 2019. His ability to bend while affirming high-tail and energy around the threshold can be a nightmare for opposing tackles, and he'll doubtless abilities identical success as half of 1 other amazing tandem in Chicago in 2020. Quinn registered 49 QB pressures in 2019, which is the the same number his new Bears teammate Khalil Mack posted, however Quinn did it on 116 fewer scurry rushes. Peep out for that duo.

Gash Bosa

San Francisco 49ers · DE

Disruption rate: 16.4%. Sack rate: 2.1%. Total disruptions: 71. Sacks: 9.

By now, this chronicle. Bosa used to be the final share for a defensive line loaded with first-round abilities, which helped the 49ers reach the Unheard of Bowl. The Pro Bowl selectee and 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year earned his accolades, racking up the fourth-most QB pressures within the NFL (60) while ending with a stress share of 13.9, which used to be additionally merely for fourth-most attention-grabbing within the league. Bosa is merely getting started, and boy, what a approach to launch a pro profession.

Josh Allen

Jacksonville Jaguars · LB

Disruption rate: 16.2%. Sack rate: 3.1%. Total disruptions: 54. Sacks: 10.5.

Oh, look! It be one other youngster! It be unrealistic to articulate Allen did no longer help from playing on a protection that additionally integrated Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue, so 2020 figures to be a more difficult test for him, with Campbell now a Raven and Ngakoue, who has yet to set apart his franchise designate as of this writing, looking out out of town. Allen had rather a debut, though. Becoming a member of Bosa as a rookie Pro Bowl selectee, Allen feeble his athleticism and size to his help in 2019. His 10.5 sacks on 54 total disruptions areas him amongst a pair of of the acceptable rushers within the NFL, nonetheless it additionally sets him as a lot as receive extra consideration from offenses in 2020. We are going to ogle if he can help the the same high-tail.

Aaron Donald

Los Angeles Rams · DT

Disruption rate: 15.7%. Sack rate: 2.5%. Total disruptions: 90. Sacks: 12.5.

Sixth?! Aaron Donald is sixth on this checklist?! I'm in a position to hear it now and I understand your effort, so spare my Twitter mentions. Donald performed extra total snaps (882) than someone else on this checklist, so it is inevitable that his disruption rate is going to be somewhat decrease. We're ranking these avid gamers with disruption rate taking priority over everything else, in relate that's why he ranks within the bottom half. But it absolutely used to be additionally a shock to me when I started to pore over these stats following the conclusion of the customary season to ogle yet every other particular person (Za'Darius Smith) had in actuality registered extra disruptions than Donald, who most incessantly dominates that class on an annual basis. Donald is unruffled supremely effective, and his 267 QB pressures since 2016 are doubtlessly the most within the NFL in that span. His 69 QB pressures were second most within the NFL in 2019, and his stress share (13.5%) used to be the supreme amongst inner linemen with no longer lower than 300 scurry rushes (a key difference in baseline than that of Smith, who performed on the inner less usually than Donald). The five-time All-Pro is unruffled nice and an absolute nightmare to halt. Don't desire his ranking right here as me saying the rest less.

Shaquil Barrett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers · LB

Disruption rate: 15.4%. Sack rate: 3.8%. Total disruptions: 78. Sacks: 19.5.

Ah, sure, allow us to roll out the crimson (and pewter) carpet for the NFL's 2019 sack king. Barrett's ascension from afterthought in Denver to premier hunter of quarterbacks used to be amazing -- I indicate, he had 5.5 extra sacks in 16 games closing three hundred and sixty five days than he did in 61 games with the Broncos. His 78 total disruptions paint an image of a defender who used to be constantly inflicting complications for opposing offenses, and he capitalized on such opportunities extra most incessantly than someone else on this checklist, as evidenced by his sack total and sack rate. No shock Bruce Arians most incessantly assured the Buccaneers would get a approach to help him.

Love Donald, Barrett additionally performed a ton of snaps (836, including 508 scurry rushes), bringing his total disruption rate down a tad. That is a bunch it is probably going you'll perchance perchance study in two various systems, though -- a bigger sample size is virtually repeatedly going to bring a participant's success rate down, however conversely, extra scurry rushes skill extra opportunities. Appropriate a bit of food for thought before you procure to typing.

Dont'a Hightower

Fresh England Patriots · OLB

Disruption rate: 15%. Sack rate: 2.2%. Total disruptions: 38. Sacks: 5.5.

This is the purpose within the ranking the set apart we quietly shock whether or no longer the baseline would possibly perchance perchance also merely be a bit of too low (Hightower merely barely crosses the threshold with 253 scurry rushes), however most attention-grabbing because the Patriots linebacker is no longer most incessantly one of many predominant names that merely about mind when mulling scurry rushers. He's a disruptor, though, and a key share of a Fresh England protection that used to be traditionally effective within the predominant half of the 2019 season. Hightower leads your entire avid gamers on this checklist in tackles, with 71, and is fourth in stops (tackles that consequence in a successful play for the protection in conserving with yards to scurry by down), with 33, while additionally recording five hustle stops (defensive stops the set apart the participant covers 20-plus yards of in-play distance from snap to kind out). His scurry-speeding stats don't appear to be the gaudiest, however they're rather impressive when enthusiastic about his conventional starting up point on the field before every snap.

Adrian Clayborn

Atlanta Falcons · DE

Disruption rate: 14.5%. Sack rate: 1.4%. Total disruptions: 41. Sacks: 4.

Clayborn, who signed with the Browns this offseason, had extra sacks in one sport in 2017 than he had in all of 2019, however that most attention-grabbing illustrates how incomplete sacks are as a stat. Clayborn used to be an effective participant for the Falcons' protection closing three hundred and sixty five days by making the many of the scurry-speeding snaps he used to be afforded, recording 35 QB pressures on merely 282 scurry rushes. These pressures, plus his 24 hurries, comprise the backbone of his bigger disruption rate.

Seek, carry out I in actuality feel worthy about Clayborn making this checklist over guys love Chandler Jones, Joey Bosa or Cameron Heyward (to call a pair of)? Fully no longer. But his disruption rate wasn't some distance off from Myles Garrett's with a identical number of scurry rushes. The numbers say the chronicle right here. I'm merely the messenger.

Von Miller

Denver Broncos · OLB

Disruption rate: 14.4%. Sack rate: 1.9%. Total disruptions: 60. Sacks: 8.

Drastically surprised? We are too, a bit of. Miller posted his first single-digit sack season since 2013 and most attention-grabbing recorded 46 tackles. While no longer as dominant as he's been for noteworthy of his profession, Miller unruffled made an influence over the stretch of his 791 total defensive snaps in 2019. His 52 QB pressures were 29 bigger than the next closest Bronco (Derek Wolfe), proving the three-time All-Pro used to be unruffled the particular person in Denver. And it is an achievement for Miller, who turned 31 in March, to remain one of many league's most surroundings pleasant disruptors, posting a bigger rate than the likes of Joey Bosa (14.0%), DeMarcus Lawrence (13.9%), Yannick Ngakoue (13.8%) and T.J. Watt (13.4%). A closing show on Miller's success over the closing four seasons: His 235 QB pressures since 2016 lead all edge defenders and are second within the NFL most attention-grabbing to Aaron Donald. His QB stress rate one day of that identical span (14%) ranks No. 1 across the league (min. 1,000 scurry rushes).

[placetobenation]

Somewhere on the Road to WrestleMania, the WWE has lost its mind and creative wisdom!

Yup, I said it.

In a time where audience is eroding and stocks are on the wrong side of the ledger, the WWE has turned its collective championship eyes at Goldberg. Yes, 53-year old Bill Goldberg. Again.  For the second time in three years, Goldberg has taken out a younger star in mere minutes. In March of 2017 at Fastlane, it was Kevin Owens and now it’s The Fiend/Bray Wyatt.

I hate it!

The Fiend, over the past 8 months, is one of Smackdown’s most entertaining superstars. And with 2:00 of work in Saudi Arabia at Super Showdown Thursday, it was all thrown away.

Now, I get that Vince McMahon wants another superstar to highlight WrestleMania and a possible PPV deal before April’s big event, but this is not the way to do it. You shouldn’t have to tear down and discard one of your top draws just to give Goldberg a title he doesn’t deserve. Even if it is a transitional champion to get to Roman Reigns.

And to boot, at Super Showdown, we get The Undertaker coming back to lay waste to AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar obliterates Ricochet in less than two minutes. Add in John Cena’s return on Smackdown Friday night and we’ve got WrestleMania turned into a night of the elder statesmen.

I’m not saying that you can’t use the veterans and former stars, but don’t do it at the expense of the younger talent. Get them over. Make them over with personality and creative booking. Make it special and make it realistic. Make me want to be invested instead of trying to get the cheap, quick pop!

Right now, they are treating WrestleMania as a throwaway event and not something that I MUST see! It’s supposed to be THE biggest day of the year and now it’s just thrown in with Super Showdown and Elimination Chamber as another event over the month.

Count me as one who does NOT want to see Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns, John Cena vs. The Fiend/Bray Wyatt and The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles. Those matches are not MUST SEE for me.  Now, if it was Cena going for a Championship, he is 16-time World Champion after all, that’s something else. But, we can’t have that now that Goldberg beat The Fiend.

Remember, we already got Cena vs. Wyatt at WrestleMania 30.

Unfortunately, it looks like the lazy, predictable approach has even gotten to NXT, usually a standout week in, week out. Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair should’ve been a standout match, but lacked the high quality, emotion and intensity.

On RAW, how many times did we need to see Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler recapped?

Now, enough for the rant!

There were some positives on SmackDown. The tag team title match in the Elimination Chamber between John Morrison & The Miz vs. The Usos vs. The New Day could be epic! Sasha Banks’ return, despite the loss, is a good thing. A better show than in recent weeks and the best of the week for the WWE.

Super Showdown Results

The OC (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) defeated The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)

The Undertaker won the Tuwaiq Mountain Trophy Gauntlet Match over R-Truth, Bobby Lashley, Rey Mysterio Jr. and AJ Styles

Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match: The Miz and John Morrison defeated The New Day to win titles

Angel Garza defeated Humberto Carrillo

RAW Tag Team Championship Match: Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy defeated The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) to retain titles

Mansoor defeated Dolph Ziggler

WWE Championship Match: Brock Lesnar defeated Ricochet to retain title

Steel Cage Match: Roman Reigns defeated King Corbin

Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Bayley defeated Naomi

Universal Championship Match: Goldberg defeated The Fiend/Bray Wyatt to win title

And NEWWWWWWWWW @WWE Universal Champion! @Goldberg is now a 2-time Champion, and the first WWE Hall of Famer to win after being inducted. #WWESSSD pic.twitter.com/gcYLS4aCr1

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) February 27, 2020

Star of the Week:

Goldberg – I may not like it, but capturing the second biggest title in the company deserves a top spot, right?! I just wish he would’ve earned it.

RAW

RESULTS

Angel Garza defeated Humberto Carrillo

Ricochet defeated Luke Gallows

Aleister Black defeated Erick Rowan

Bobby Lashley defeated R-Truth

Angelo Dawkins defeated Buddy Murphy (DQ)

Seth Rollins defeated Montez Ford

Randy Orton defeated Kevin Owens

What we loved:

.@FightOwensFight demanded ANSWERS from @RandyOrton on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/xBjNh4KqHQ

— WWE (@WWE) February 26, 2020

Stand up KO – It was nice to see Kevin Owens be the next guy to take on Randy Orton for his attack on Edge. After all, how many times can we see Owens get punked by Seth Rollins and his Monday Night Minions (Buddy Murphy and the Authors of Pain)? Well, one more time I guess to help Randy Orton get a win. But at least it was a fun twist for a night.

It was a backstage blowup between @WWEAleister & #TheOC on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/bohbvzk09f

— WWE (@WWE) February 26, 2020

Aleister Black vs. AJ Styles – Sign me up for this one! But, something tells me we won’t get it as advertised now that Styles is looking for revenge against The Undertaker. Now, if you want to put The Undertaker with Aleister Black to fight The OC, I’m down with that.

Meh:

Garza vs. Carrillo – twice in four days was not exactly their best effort.

Huh:

The Women's #WWEChamber Contract Signing quickly turned into a BRAWL between @QoSBaszler & @BeckyLynchWWE!#RAW pic.twitter.com/As5dWbx2XG

— WWE (@WWE) February 26, 2020

So, no one comes out to save Edge or Matt Hardy against Randy Orton, but the entire locker room clears out to take care of the Elimination Chamber contract signing with Becky Lynch, Shayna Baszler, Asuka, Natalya, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan and Ruby Riott. That’s just so illogical on so many levels my friends!

NXT

RESULTS

Cameron Grimes defeated Dominik Dijakovic

Xia Li defeated Mia Yim

Tommaso Ciampa defeated Austin Theory

Killian Dain defeated Bronson Reed

The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) defeated The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake & Steve Cutler)

Charlotte Flair defeated Bianca Belair

.@MsCharlotteWWE has @BiancaBelairWWE right where she wants her! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/yGXG9NkWcy

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 27, 2020

Don’t get me wrong, the effort in the ring was there. Just overall, this latest episode of NXT just didn’t do it for me. I expected a can’t miss event from Flair and Belair and it just didn’t happen. Maybe they just had an off night chemistry-wise, but I just expected more. Otherwise, it was just a bunch of matches with a couple of run-ins thrown in for some intrigue.

“The #NXTUK Champion @WalterAUT would like to send you his regards…”#Imperium deliver a personal message to the PRIN

E @FinnBalor! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/BPJpb66Zgw

— WWE (@WWE) February 27, 2020

Finn Balor vs. Imperium has some interest, but why did we blow off the Gargano feud so quickly after one match? That seemed odd. Gargano, predictably, went after former friend and foe Ciampa after the NXT TakeOver: Portland screwjob. Ending Balor vs. Gargano and Ciampa vs. Cole seems like a blowoff and not a deserving finish.

Hopefully, just an off week for the folks from Full Sail. Their product isn’t failing at the moment, they are just getting outperformed on many levels by their counterparts on All Elite Wrestling, who are showing more of a flair for the dramatic in front of a bigger crowd week-in and week-out.  Plus, it just seems like they are having more fun. That’s a lesson all of the WWE could learn.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Non-title Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Naomi defeated Bayley (DQ)

Lacey Evans &  Naomi defeated Bayley & Sasha Banks

Robert Roode defeated Kofi Kingston

Daniel Bryan defeated Curtis Axel

Non-title Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: The Usos defeated John Morrison & The Miz

What we loved:

Tag team love in the chamber – New tag team champs – John Morrison and The Miz get a monster of a first title defense. They have to face The Usos and the former champs, The New Day along with Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode, Heavy Machinery, and Lucha House Party in the Elimination Chamber in Philadelphia next Sunday. That could be epic my friends! Nice win by The Usos getting instant heat on the new champs with the upset victory Friday night. Not a good luck for the new champs though after gaining the belts on Thursday.

It's official! @WWERomanReigns will battle @Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship at @WrestleMania. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Gj17p5Znmo

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) February 29, 2020

Boo boo Bill – LOVED. LOVED. LOVED the fans in Boston (my people!) booing the (bleep) out of new Universal Champion Bill Goldberg. The only thing shorter than Goldberg’s match at Super Showdown was the one line back and forth between Roman Reigns and Goldberg. We all know where this is going folks. What Vince wants, Vince gets. Whether we the fans want it or not.

'The Fiend' @WWEBrayWyatt never forgets…#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/1heu7CAedE

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) February 29, 2020

You knew it was coming:

Cena vs. The Fiend – You just knew John Cena’s announcement that he wouldn’t be part of this year’s WrestleMania wasn’t going to stand. It lasted all of about 30 seconds. So, now we get Cena/Wyatt II in Tampa. Playing the hits for the big show is all this is.

Huh?

Daniel Bryan – I look at Daniel Bryan’s matches the last few weeks after losing to The Fiend and I think he’s wrestling on the old All-Star Wrestling. He’s showcasing his wares in matches he’s clearly the favorite in against guys that have no chance against him while Bryan waits on his next storyline. Kind of odd they have nothing for him yet. I’d love to see him in a classic match we didn’t see coming. How about Bryan vs. Cole II in Tampa?

Elimination Chamber Card:

SmackDown Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match: The Usos vs. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler vs. Heavy Machinery vs. Lucha House Party vs. The New Day vs. John Morrison and The Miz

Elimination Chamber Match – Winner gets match at WrestleMania vs. Becky Lynch for RAW Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler vs. Ruby Riott vs. Natalya vs. Sarah Logan vs. Liv Morgan vs. Asuka

Intercontinental Championship 3-on-1 Handicap Match: Cesaro, Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Braun Strowman

Parting shots:

Oh no Joe – Tough to see Samoa Joe suspended 30 days for a Wellness Policy violation. A concussion and now suspension takes him out of one of the bigger angles on RAW but should be back in time for WrestleMania.

Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux – You have to think this couple is going to make a big debut either right before WrestleMania or in Tampa. Are the glitches a foreshadowing for something big for these two?

WWE Backstage – I’ve had high hopes for this show and it has had its moments. But, without CM Punk every week and no consistency other than Renee Young each week. I’ve been disappointed lately. Loved the talk between Mark Henry and Keith Lee last week. But did we really need a Bella Twins baby contest this week? Ugh!

Two cage matches for NXT this Wednesday? Sounds like overkill to me.

If you get a chance to listen to Lacey Evans on Boston radio Friday morning, it was a good listen on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Listen to it here.

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at jcrowe567@gmail.com. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND!

[stale-sandcastle]

habs, blues, isles, kings, cats, sens, yotes, caps

arizona coyotes: when/why did you start watching hockey?So after the 2014 Winter Olympics Sam made me watch a red wings game and they were playing the blues and I remembered Oshie from the US/RUS game and so I decided I wanted to keep watching.

florida panthers: favorite hall-of-famer?Chris Pronger

los angeles kings: if you could pick 5 players to go to dinner with, who would they be?Paajarvi, oshie, price, doan, burakovsky

montreal canadiens: if you could, is there any rule you would add/change/remove?I honestly don’t know but I’m still POed about the time Allen lost his mask during game play and the refs didn’t stop play so Allen had to make saves without a mask. I want the refs to blow the whistle just a little quicker in that instant.

new york islanders: do you have any unpopular hockey opinions?The maple leafs are not All That™

ottawa senators: all time favorite player?Magnus. Paajarvi.

st louis blues: a player you love a lot and you still havent figured out why?Magnus paajarvi bc like, he’s not really that good but I love him.

washington capitals: are you team USA af, team Canada af, or team other af?USA af. But it’s the only time I’m USA af

[4-now-incognito]

Walk A Mile (With You Beside Me) Chapter 3/?

“You like chasing. You don’t like having.” The words Mike Lawson’s ex-wife once told him play like a mantra in his head sometimes. It might have dulled as his budding relationship with Ginny Baker begins to soar (even when they are the only ones to know). But the baggage Mike carries through life can’t be ignored forever. Not by him. And not by Ginny. So where does that take them both when Ginny begins to ask the questions? And where does that leave them when Mike begins drowning in that mantra again?

AO3  

Chapter 1, 2

There were reasons why they hadn't told anyone. For a brief moment, as the Uber pulled up to the curb that was about a three-minute walk from Mike’s house, each and every single reason why did a quick fly-by through Ginny’s mind.

Ginny Baker had a code. Not one that had been pressed upon her, but one that she had pressed upon herself: she didn’t mix professional with personal. There had been a good reason for that. Trevor was example one and the only example she needed. Add the almost-tragic hack of old photos to that, and what more needed to be said?

She felt a tingle that started in her fingertips and automatically closed her hand into a fist. It wasn’t enough to be the first and only female baseball player. She had to deal with the leering and jeering from her supposed peers, the arrogance and the hurt male pride of those in the same locker room, and the assumptions of those men as to why she was who she was. (Bitch was a term she’d heard on the rarest of occasions, but she hated it all the same.)

That was all Minor League. The concerns had moved over to the Majors with her. And then she had met Mike Lawson…

All Ginny’s morals hadn’t flown out the window when she met him. It had been this gradual thing. This undeniable thing. This connection that came to mean a lot to her. A connection that had let her guard slip down at such a vulnerable time. Admiration for an idol became admiration of a teacher, followed by a begrudging true friendship and then… something else altogether.

Mike Lawson.

And yet… caution and concern was still embedded in her.

That’s what the Uber represented: caution. That’s what an evening with Blip and Ev, not only her best friends, but Mike’s best friends, had represented: concern. They didn’t know. They couldn’t know. Not yet.

Why?

Mike was Ginny’s little secret…The future Hall of Famer, Mike Lawson, was her secret.

The instant Trevor entered her mind for the second time in a matter of short minutes, the moment his half-truths, easy smile, and inability to grasp his misunderstandings...

She flexed her fingers, all five of them extending to their full length. Then she gripped at the car door handle with all of her might. Glancing over at her driver, she took in a small breath as she pushed the door open.

Two different scenarios. Two different men. Two different places in her life.

“Thanks.” As the word left Ginny’s mouth, she caught the generic feel it had. Peering closer and tilting her head, she amended herself. “Thanks for the ride.”

The Uber driver gave a short nod as he looked over his shoulder. “Not a problem, Ms. Baker.” He was quick to throw his arm around the headrest of the passenger seat. “Have a good night.”

Ginny’s hand slipped over to her bag that sat on the other side of her. With another small inhalation of breath, she pulled the door open as she slid over to make her way out of the car. Stepping out into the cool night air, she made a mental note to leave a good review for her experience. Soon enough, she was closing the door behind her and watching as the car pulled away.

A three minute walk.

She was no more than three minutes away from walking into Mike’s house and into his arms.

The fact that a warmth settled throughout Ginny’s chest, and not the anxiety that had been there earlier, made her feel even more grateful. Because there was a reason why she was less than three minutes from being with Mike. There was a reason why she’d stepped over her bruised heart and into Mike’s arms. There was a reason why everything wrong with her past relationship didn’t have to negatively impact her present and future relationship… with Mike.

Ginny pulled at the neck of her hoodie, stretching the material until it felt comfortable against her skin. Her gaze settled on the path in front of her, her back as straight and strong as each of her steps.

Potential mini self-crisis: averted. And… all on her own.

****

If Ginny had to make a guess on what she’d find on the other side of the door, it would have been either a knowing smile and appreciative eyes landing on her or that patented nonchalant ease that always spoke of calm but revealed none of his thoughts. Ginny wasn’t privy to either one of those greetings.

Mike stepped back and away from the door, letting it swing wide open. He acknowledged her with a lift of his chin before heavily padding across the floor.

She was missing something. Ginny’s shoulders hunched over as her brows sharply drew together. Closing the door behind her, Ginny assumed that she was missing something.

“Hello to you, too,” she said slowly. She hadn’t meant for confusion to be laced through her greeting, but it was undoubtedly there.

Mike twisted back around to face her. His teeth were sunk into his bottom lip and his brows rose high on his forehead. The look he gave her still didn’t read everything-a-okay Mike, but a fraction of annoyance seemed to slip away.

“Hello, Gin,” he finally offered quietly.

Although it wasn’t completely cantankerous, neither was it the sweet caress that her name had a tendency of eliciting from him when they were alone.

Ginny brought her fingers up to rub gently at her nose. Her gaze shifted over the squared shoulders and antsy movements of his hands slipping down his waist and over his hips.

“What’s wrong?” There was no point in prolonging her curiosity, no point in beating around the bush. The way Mike rolled his lips in and the way his grip tightened on his hips- instead of tightening around her, she might as well add- made her more than a little curious.

Mike’s hand shot out just as he shook his head. “Forget it.” The dismissive words still held a tinge of annoyance, which matched the lowered brow and tense mouth. “Want a beer?” He turned again, his head shaking once more as he continued his way across the room.

“I’d rather have the truth,” Ginny answered lightly. She tilted her head as her arms folded over her chest. Her steps were a lot smaller than his, and a lot slower, but she followed those broad shoulders and strong back from one side of the room to the other. “Mike, what’s up?”

She heard the short inhalation of breath and took note of the way his shoulders slightly lifted. She imagined what the scowl of his face must have looked like even as his head shook one more time.

Ginny’s arms loosened around her chest, but her steps quickened just a bit.

The visible tick in Mike’s neck gave her pause. It made her evaluate not only his silent present, but what she had witnessed when they were last together. It hadn’t been that long since they’d both left from the Sanders’ home, Mike only minutes before Ginny’s Uber arrived.

Perhaps the hush-mouthed man of mystery act hadn’t been for the benefit of Blip and Evelyn. Maybe it hadn’t been only his way to make sure he didn’t give anything away about them.

From what she could discern from what she had walked in to, and forgetting the surprise to them both, Mike had seemed to have had a pretty good day with Blip. When she had reached the house, he had handled the situation fairly well, even taking those brief moments to tease and taunt along with her. It stayed that way… Hadn’t it?

Ginny was no more than a foot away from Mike, watching his back as he made his way toward the kitchen.

A few hours as a foursome as the twins could be heard upstairs playing. A simple and rushed dinner to accommodate everything, where no one question the fact that Mike and Ginny sat next to each other. Easy and light conversation that was such a necessity after the intensity of the end of their season. So… what had happened? What had she missed? Maybe the front he’d needed to put up wasn’t only for the benefit of their secret, but something else as well.

“Mike?” Ginny stopped herself from rolling her eyes. He did that sometimes, didn’t he? He kept things in, chose not to share, feeling as if she wouldn’t understand. It hadn’t happened in a while, but she remembered.

Mike stopped abruptly. His turn was slow. When she was able to see his face, it was still a bit of mystery there.

His hand came up to his face, taking hold of his beard and dragging his fingers through it. The seconds seemed to tick away with him watching her, thinking, debating, before his question finally came.

“Do you think I’m a good guy?” Mike’s eyes peered on her, waiting.

Okay… Where had that come from?

“Do I think you’re a good guy?” she repeated. Ginny took a step toward him, her shoulders hunching in and her weight placed on that front leg.

Mike’s eyes squinted and shook his head in disbelief. “Yeah.”

Supposedly, it was an easy question that she shouldn’t have need to take much time in answering, based on the look if his face. And it did have an easy answer.

“Yes, Mike, I think you’re a good guy,” Ginny finally answered, a laugh almost escaping her at the same time.

His head lifted all of a half-inch at that. “Professionally?” was his next question.

Ginny stood up tall and tried to not frown at that one. “Professionally, yes.”

“Personally?” he asked in the same tick of time.

She lost her posture and melted just a little. Her smile was small because she was unsure where this was coming from. Then she nodded. “Personally, yes. I think you’re a good guy.”

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

“Good captain?” Mike’s face scrunched up at the question.

Ginny blinked at that. “Great captain.”

“Okay, that’s professional,” he murmured, staring at her. “Personal. I was married.”

Yeah, that was personal.

“I know, Mike,” Ginny said slowly, albeit confusedly.

“I’ve been around for a while,” Mike continued. “A lot of what you knew about me came from the professional, and for the longest time. That’s,” he said, eyes pinpointing on parts of her face, “changing now.”

Did it make her blush? Maybe it had a burning effect across her body.

“What do you think?” The inhalation of breath was quick and hard as his hands seemed to dig into his sides. “Really, Gin, what do you think?” He raised a single brow and the toes of his shoes grounded into the floor.

Ginny felt a pit begin to form in deep in her belly, but she tried her best to ignore it. He was getting at something, and she thought she knew what it was…

“About you… and your personal life?” she asked, the question sounding odd to even her own ears.

“About-”

“The women?” she couldn’t stop herself from cutting in to ask.

Why had that elicited the tense strain of his lips and the barely, yet noticeable, tightening of his hands on his hips?

For a good chunk of time, Mike had been single. He was a single Major League Baseball player. So would anyone believe that he was supposed to play the part of some sanctified recluse who ignored the numerous women who threw themselves at him? Ginny didn’t believe so….

She shook her head as a scowl took over her features. “I don’t care about what you did in the past.” Immediately, the more recent past came to mind…

“Rachel?” Mike asked, toes digging deeper into the floor. His hand left his hips so that his arms could cross over his chest.

Ex-wife…

Ginny knew about the lingering feelings that Mike had had for her. She knew the fact that Rachel was the last woman he’d been with. Not only was she the last woman that he’d been with, but that hook-up had come on the heels of a realization…

But Mike… was over her… now… It was almost difficult to not think that as a question rather than a statement. Ginny did her best.

Unbeknownst to her, the seconds between Mike’s simple enough question and her response were ticking away. Focusing wide eyes on him, she saw the attempt at relaxing his mouth and the conscious effort to not grip his arms too tightly.

“She was your wife,” Ginny finally offered slowly, thinking quickly and trying to choose each word carefully.

Mike gave a single shake of his head. “Not good enough, Baker,” he said curtly out one side of his mouth, eyes glaring on her.

Baker.

Ginny tilted her head and gave him a quick once-over. There was so much agitation building up inside him. Or maybe it was already built up, and she was about to see the volcano erupt any minute now.

She offered up a mirthless smile. “How much thought did you want me to give to a marriage that is over, Mike?” Her head tilted in the opposite direction.

Ginny never considered herself to be the overly jealous type. He hadn’t given her a reason to worry about Rachel, no matter how they had left things.

There was a deep but quiet rumble coming from Mike’s throat.

“Amelia?” The name his mouth peculiarly, his eyes darted across her face.

Maybe that took a little more concerted effort on Ginny’s part.

“My issues with that relationship had nothing to do with the two of you as individual people,” she said slowly, checking each word before she let them slip out. Ginny thought over her statement, making sure that it was the truth. When she was satisfied that it was, she nodded her head. “That was about both of your roles in my life. That was about a trust issue that comes from me. When I confide in one, I hated not being able to have that confidence go both ways.”

Okay, the Mike/Amelia topic was not one of her favorite things in the world. But she’d been honest: it had nothing to do with the relationship. Amelia’s attraction to Mike wasn’t out of leftfield.

The loosening grip of Mike’s arms and the gradual way they fell to his sides, was a sign that maybe he was accepting of her answer. His gaze fell away from her, looking off to the side.

Ginny felt some of the tension wash away from her. She felt her body release tension that she had tried to ignore was building up in her.

What had come over him anyway?

“Is this… about us?” she asked, her confusion coming through more than her curiosity. “Are you asking me about my thoughts on your past… because of us?”

Mike turned to give her his full attention once more.

“I mean… why are you so bent out of shape?” she asked, wanting to know. She took in a deep breath as her hand fell across her chest. “Were you the one with the rule that said no dating ball players? Because I thought that was my own personal demon to deal with.”

The squint of Mike’s eyes was automatic. It was followed by a quick blink of his eyes as he took a step back.

She hadn’t meant it in… whatever way he must have taken, based on the way he was looking at her. Damn, sometimes her mouth got her in trouble...

“I just don’t get it,” Ginny continued, her brows lifting. “What’s got you so on edge because Ev and Blip mentioned that you spent time making random female fans happy by giving them the time of day since you ended things with Rachel?”

She hadn’t meant it as a personal attack. Maybe Mike didn’t know that... Maybe he read her all wrong. With the humorless smile lifting the corners of his lips even as his head dipped toward the floor, it felt to her as if their signals were somehow crossed.

“Listen, I don’t need to hear about the bevy of beauties who have slipped in and out of your bed, if that’s what you think,” she assured him, huffing out a much-needed laugh.

Mike’s head came up, his gaze settling on hers. There was a hard stare there, an attempt at trying to convey some silent message to her over her laugh.

“And at this point- this point, Gin- I don’t need to hear it either.” His words didn’t only have a finality to them, but there was so much more.

Maybe she should have understood that by the underline he’d put there. Or maybe it was the stark stare that came with it.

Things were different. Now, things were different.

Ginny felt the slight uptick of her heartbeat and a hint of a tingle at the tips of all ten fingers. Things were different because… of her. Because of them.

Oh.

Oh…

A simple and routine conversation with Blip and Evelyn… was not so simple and routine anymore. Not this time. Because they didn’t know. They didn’t know…

Mike was making her nervous again. Ginny felt the warm moisture starting to gather in her palms while simultaneously feeling her mouth go dry. What had happened to that beer he’d offered earlier?

“Looks like we’re not talking about them then,” she murmured. Ginny’s head dipped just as she moved, eventually passing by him and finally continuing her trek towards the kitchen.

Their roles changed, she noted as she heard his hard steps following behind.

Ginny’s fingers came up to her ear, first cupping and then gently tugging at it. She felt the fierce pull of her brows into a frown as she consciously made sure her steps weren’t too quick.

Which scenario was better? Was it having Mike placing her in line with the rest of his relationships, featuring any and all iterations of that, or was it having Mike get bent out of shape all on his own about having to even think of Ginny as being lumped in with everyone the rest?

She had her own baggage to deal with. Hadn’t she just reminded herself of that while on her way here to be with him? Of course.

Regretting it even as she did it, Ginny swung around to face Mike.

Having been right on her heels, the turn brought her up close and personal with him.

She remembered when that panic attack had been averted… What had happened to that idea of not needing a definition to… this? To them?

“I don’t care about your past, Mike!” Ginny hadn’t shouted it, but it was more forceful than probably need be. Her hands flew down between them, her fingers flexing widely.

How did he do it?

Mike tilted his head just so, his lips pursing and his eyes wandering across her face. Silent.

Trevor had been on her mind. Her own failures had been on her mind. The fact that she had opened herself up only once before, and enough people knew how that story ended.

Apparently, Mike was dealing with his own demons, his own doubts. But that’s where they diverged from each other.

“I don’t care about the past,” Ginny said again, a lot quieter this time, much more serene. But there was a reason for that, wasn’t there?

As long as she focused on her and her own insecurities, there was less room to focus on Mike’s. There was less time to focus on the meaning in-between the words.

Six weeks wasn’t a very long time...

“What?” It was a combination of the silence and the stare he’d given her that continue to give Ginny pause. “You don’t believe me?”

But, again, it was more than that.

Finally, the facade that had kept him close yet still and silent began to break.

Mike took in a small breath, his eyes reaching skyward as his hand stretched out towards her and the rest of his body followed. His fingers tangled with hers until they final fit perfectly together.

“This isn’t a repeat of the past,” he murmured.

Ginny watched Mike as his head dipped to watch the coupling of their hands.The tingle that started in her fingers quickly spread throughout her body at the feel of his skin over hers. How had this been the first time they had touched in what seemed like quite a long time?

“You mean yours or mine?” Ginny couldn’t help herself from asking.

Mike glanced back up at her .

“It’s not a repeat of either,” he answered gruffly, his fingers spreading hers apart farther and farther. His tone, words, and look on his face left no room for misunderstanding.

Ginny’s deep intake of breath was involuntary, the meaning behind it unclear. She tilted her head and took just a second to look at him.

He wasn’t saying it in hopes he was changing her mind or convincing her of something she knew was wrong. Mike… wasn’t Trevor. And Ginny wasn’t… Rachel, or Amelia, or… anyone else. He was Mike. Ginny was… Ginny.

“Is that why you’re upset?” she asked, her chin lifting in his direction.

She didn’t expect his response. She didn’t expect for his fingers to tighten around her as he pulled her closer to him. Maybe that was why her eyes didn’t close immediately. Maybe that was why she has an extra second or two to see his gaze settle on hers before…

Damn. It was something deeper, something more. Even as Mike’s lips reached hers, Ginny couldn’t dismiss the niggling feeling that there was more. And then… it became just a little bit easier. Easier to let Trevor leave her mind once more. Easier to let the present outweigh the past. As Mike’s other hand found the hem of her hoodie, pulling her closer as he closed the gap with his own step closer…

This was their present.

Ginny let that last bit go, tried hard to let it all go for at least a little while, at the feel of his kiss. Sometimes… sometimes it was really easy to lose herself in his arms, in his kiss.

Mike stepped closer, forcing Ginny to take a step back. The hand on her hoodie became an arm around her back, pulling her back to him and holding close.

Ginny brought her hands up to rest at his chest, letting her fingers clutch into the fabric of his shirt. But…

He had a past…

Mike had a past. One that had him spinning in circles with doubt.

She had a past…

Ginny had a past. One that had had her spinning, questioning, wondering.

Had their doubts just collided? Maybe. But maybe she was the only one to know that.

“Mike?” Ginny balled her hands into fists at his chest, pressing him back and creating a much-needed space between them.

“What?” he murmured. Just as he was about to dip back in for another breathtaking kiss, he paused to look at her. “What?” Then he let her go, broadening the space between them.

She had a lot on her mind. Too much on her mind to be muddled and mixed with the physical of them together.

She didn’t had to voice the thought.

Mike took a step back. His arms came to fold in front of him, taking in a small breath and letting it out slowly.

It had been possible; tonight could have been the night.

The air was somehow different, leaving Ginny to match his position, her arms folding in front of her.

“Want that beer now? Mike asked in a mutter.

Ginny was quick to nod her head. “Yeah, sounds great.”

Lips pursed, eyes low, Mike returned the nod. There was a definite thought that crossed his mind, but it was his own.

He led the way. The tension that was left in the air was something altogether different as she followed.

[entergamingxp]

Someone should make a game about: Shipping containers • Eurogamer.net

Bleary eyed, I tore open my sachet of Quaker Oats, dumped it into a bowl, popped some milk in, and set the microwave to whirr for two minutes. This cost me. Usually it’s a bit of bran, cold milk, and it’s wolfed down in T-minus three minutes, give or take four. I hadn’t factored in the other variables and I missed my bus into work. No way was I waking up earlier, no deal.

A revelation hit me the next morning. I dried my hair while my porridge was rotating in the background, which bought me more time to scoff the blonde magma. Normally I’d separate the two – a foolish decision in hindsight. This sweet symphony of white noise and heat meant I caught my bus on time, and as each regular shuffled on at their usual stops and took up their positions, it made me question their morning routines. Were they chasing efficiency too?

Enter logistics hall-of-famer and the father of containerization Malcom McLean. Back in the 1930’s he’d parked his truck dockside and watched in growing disbelief as workers laboriously wheeled goods over to the side of a ship, attached them to slings, and precariously hoisted them into designated spots. Frustration led to a flash of inspiration: let’s just bung all this stuff in containers and have trucks slide them onto ships.

Sheets of corrugated steel, that’s all shipping containers are, really. Built as vessels for storing things and transporting them across the sea. Yet they’ve collectively scrunched the world up, and given us the ability to stretch our arms across entire continents to pluck something valuable right from its source.

And it’s only when you glance at the likes of this stunning visualisation of the global shipping trade by Kiln that their impact is put into perspective.

Look at it! It’s like we’re hunched over with our hands clasping our knees, peering at a colony of ants tending to their nest. Switch to another map view and the containers morph into spiders, instead, and it’s as if in our hunger for parts, for food, and for clothing we’ve spun a silken web over the ocean to feed our economy.

Shipping containers work tirelessly to keep global trade churning, and I can’t help but humanise these steel boxes as unsung heroes hauling our stuff day in, day out. You could even say I feel for them a little bit, but comfort can be taken from the kinship they share between each other. No matter where they’re from, they all speak the same language, and they all slot together. When a crane thunks one container on top of another, I like to think there’s a special metallic twang which resonates throughout the hold communicating each new arrival, which is then met by quiet approval as the sound dissipates; a wordless embrace of sorts. Without one another, there is no trade, after all.

Eventually, clock hands meet and a bell chimes. And all those containers deemed a little too rusty, or a touch rattley are separated from the pack by the same cranes that lifted them countless times in the past (Pixar, call me?). They are retired now, but ultimately freed from the cycle, and perhaps it’s this transition which has the most game-like promise.

Efficiency gives way to another form of efficiency, and it’s one where their contents are no longer goods, but guests, or even occupants. They might be used as building blocks for a skyscraper, like the one proposed by CRG Architects, or the remarkable concept by architects Mouaz Abouzaid, Bassel Omara, and Ahmed Hammad, which would provide micro-homes for those living in Cairo’s cemeteries.

Container skyscrapers. Image courtesy of CRG Architects.

Container micro-homes in Cairo’s cemeteries. Image courtesy of Sheltainer.

They’ve hit the big time too. Qatar’s 2022 World Cup Stadium is being built using modified shipping containers in the hopes it can be disassembled and reformed after the event has come to a close. Their straightforward nature encourages sustainable building and their history reflects our modern society where we’re forever on the move. They challenge the idea of traditional urban design, so much so, projects aren’t necessarily ticked off anymore, but bend and swivel to the community’s wants or needs.

It doesn’t take much nowadays to spot a shipping container complex that’s sprung up somewhere you’re familiar with – “wait, when did that get here?” Now they’ve developed a habit of popping up in the centre of towns and cities, their industrial aesthetic often at odds with the surrounding architecture. Pop-up swimming pools, restaurants, boutiques, you name it, they’ll weasel their way into an unused, or unwanted space and deliver a guerilla service. This often leads to a greater sense of community too, as more modified containers can easily snap onto these small hotspots to further the fun, or in the case of Daiken-Met’s container office building in Gifu, Japan, it can be dismantled, shifted and rebuilt elsewhere when it’s time to move on.

I particularly love the idea of shipping container retreats, and I’d like to spend a stint in a unique holiday home planted somewhere off-grid one day. Not only is it the thought of escaping to somewhere idyllic – like this cabin constructed by Yamamar in the North Californian wilderness – there would also be a buzz to staying in something that looks as if it has washed ashore, and gives off the impression that nature’s picked out this spot just for me. I imagine bidding farewell to my lodgings on the final day, and the tide reaching out to reclaim it the instant my back is turned.

Shipping containers are cubits of the global economy, ferried to-and-fro with the help of a well-oiled machine, and as we grow, the system becomes more intricate. Some highly sophisticated ports like Altenwerder are eerily quiet now. Gone are the yells of dockworkers, and the rumble of trucks, instead there’s the calm lap of the ocean and the silent blinking of the IT system’s lights.

As strides are taken in the march towards greater efficiency, more containers will tumble out of the system and appear in unexpected places, serving as a reflection of our society and a constant reminder to build a sustainable future.

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/03/someone-should-make-a-game-about-shipping-containers-%e2%80%a2-eurogamer-net/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=someone-should-make-a-game-about-shipping-containers-%25e2%2580%25a2-eurogamer-net

[frontproofmedia]

Las Vegas ‘Monster’ Fight: Naoya Inoue Aims to Unify Bantamweight World Titles Against Johnriel Casimero April 25 LIVE on ESPN+ at Mandalay Bay Events Center

PRESS RELEASE

Follow @Frontproofmedia!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

Published: February 15, 2020

LAS VEGAS —A five-foot-five-inch, 118-pound Japanese monster is ready to take over the Las Vegas Strip. WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue, the three-weight world champion climbing the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, will make his Las Vegas debut Saturday, April 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in a unification bout against WBO bantamweight world champion and fellow three-weight kingpin Johnriel Casimero.   Inoue is coming off a memorable decision in the 2019 Ring Magazine and ESPN.com Fight of the Year against future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire. This will be Inoue’s first bout under his long-term promotional agreement with Top Rank.   Inoue-Casimero and the 10-round bantamweight tilt featuring WBO No. 1 contender Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. and WBO No. 2 contender Jason Moloney will stream LIVE on ESPN+ beginning at 9 p.m. ET. In the final undercard bout on the ESPN+ stream, former super featherweight world champion Andrew Cancio will take on Tyler McCreary in a 10-rounder.   The preliminary bouts will air live on ESPN2 (7 p.m. ET) and will include the return of former world title challenger Alex “El Cholo” Saucedo in a 10-round super lightweight bout.   Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Ohashi Promotions, MP Promotions, TGB Promotions and SGG Sports Promotions, tickets priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25 (not including applicable fees) go on sale Friday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased online at www.axs.com or by phone at 888-929-7849. “The ‘Monster’ is coming to Las Vegas, and we couldn't be more excited,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is a generational talent, a fierce competitor who is ready to take the United States by storm. Casimero is a seasoned champion, and Inoue knows he’s in for a firefight at Mandalay Bay.”    Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs), 26, won his first title in only his sixth pro fight, knocking out Adrian Hernandez to win the WBC light flyweight crown. He is 14-0 with 12 knockouts in world title bouts, as he defended his light flyweight title once before moving up two weight classes to knock out long-time WBO junior bantamweight world champion Omar Narvaez in two rounds in December 2014. He defended that belt seven times before setting his sights on the bantamweight division. His first three bantamweight title bouts lasted a total of four rounds, as he catapulted up pound-for-pound lists with stoppages over Emmanuel Rodriguez and Juan Carlos Payano. The Donaire bout — the final of the World Boxing Super Series tournament — was the ultimate gut check, as he suffered a broken orbital bone before prevailing in an instant classic.   “It is a tremendous honor and a dream come true to headline a card in Las Vegas against a great fighter like Casimero,” Inoue said. “It is my goal to be the undisputed bantamweight king, and I am coming to America to put on a great fight for the fans. I would like to thank Mr. Bob Arum and MGM Resorts for making my Las Vegas dream a reality. Now, the work begins, and I will kick off my 2020 schedule at Mandalay Bay in devastating fashion.”   Casimero (29-4, 20 KOs), from Ormoc City, Philippines, is a newly minted bantamweight world champion who upset South African southpaw Zolani Tete via third-round TKO last November in Birmingham England. A world traveler, Casimero has won world title bouts in Mexico, England, China, Panama and the Philippines, in addition to interim world title bouts in Argentina, Nicaragua and the United States. He is on a five-bout winning streak and is in his physical prime at 29 years old. The Inoue-Casimero winner will be one belt shy of completely unifying the division, as WBC world champion Nordine Oubaali holds the final piece of the championship puzzle.    “This is my dream fight. I have traveled the world and fought in 10 countries. I’ve won world titles at 108, 112 and 118 pounds,” Casimero said. “But ever since I saw my hero and fellow countryman, Senator Manny Pacquiao, fight in Las Vegas, that has been my dream. To everyone who thinks I am the underdog on April 25, I will shock the world and show the fans who the real ‘Monster’ is in the ring.”   Greer (22-1-1, 12 KOs) has won 19 fights in a row, but as he heads into the most significant bout of his career, he’s made a significant change. After seeing his seven-bout KO streak ended with a pair of close decisions over Nikolai Potapov and Antonio Nieves, Greer has moved his training base from Southern California to his hometown of Chicago. He has reunited with former trainer George Hernandez and is training at Garfield Boxing Gym, the place where he developed from amateur standout to promising professional. With a world title shot in his sights, Greer is not taking chances.   “I know what I’ve done before, and I know that I’m capable of,” Greer said. “George is the perfect man for the job. We have great chemistry. I love being back in the gym with him. This is what separates the boys from the men. I’m just ready to show the world who I am. At Garfield, the young kids keep me hungry. They don’t care about my ranking or that I’ve fought on ESPN. Chicago keeps me humble. Thanks to Moloney for taking the challenge, and I look forward to getting busy April 25.”   Moloney (20-1, 17 KOs), from Australia, will be fighting for the second time away from home as he seeks a second world title shot. He fought for the IBF bantamweight world title in October 2018 in Orlando, Fla., dropping a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez. Moloney has fought three times since, securing a trio of knockout wins during a successful 2019. In his last bout, he blitzed Dixon Flores in two rounds on an ESPN+-streamed card that also featured his twin brother, 115-pound interim world champion Andrew Moloney.   “I’m extremely grateful for this big opportunity. Fighting in Las Vegas has been a dream of mine for many years, and I’m looking forward to having a very impressive win over Joshua Greer Jr. and moving another step closer to becoming world champion,” Moloney said. “April 25 is a very important day for us in Australia and New Zealand called Anzac Day. It is a day of remembrance, where we pay our respects to all those who have served and died for our beautiful country. I will do whatever it takes to win this fight, and I will dedicate this victory to all those who have served for us.” Cancio (21-5-2, 16 KOs) had a dream start to 2019 when he knocked out Alberto Machado in February to win the WBA super featherweight world title. He stopped Machado in three rounds four months later, but he was dethroned in November via seventh-round knockout by Nicaraguan veteran Rene Alvarado. McCreary (16-1-1, 7 KOs), from Toledo, Ohio, is looking to bounce back from a unanimous decision defeat last November to former two-weight world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton.   "I'm very excited to start my next chapter with Top Rank on April 25 against Tyler McCreary at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and on such an outstanding card,” Cancio said. "I know how formidable an opponent McCreary is, but I'll be more than ready to be victorious and put on a great show for the fans when I return to battle."   “It’s another big opportunity, something I couldn’t pass up,” McCreary said. “He’s a former world champion, but he’s no Carl Frampton. This is a stepping stone for bigger fights. I have to get past him to see the bigger names. I learned a lot from the Frampton fight, and that experience is the number one teacher for me.”