#it’s 2:31 am i started this when i rb that last post

[hana-the-ghostieee]

haii!! so um not sure what to post but like all i can think of right now is um the correlations between Dakara Boku wa Ongaku wo Yameta and Elma so um here! have a list of the different ways Elma (the album) references the diary, letters and the album it responds to

(if i miss some let me know please)

and dearest mobile users i will spare you so have a cut

edit: so @just-nonsense-bungaku said some stuff in the replies (thank you so much!) and all the songs after 8/27 (or the Nautilus MV) were written by Elma when her anger lost steam and she started to process her grief. explaining why Ame to, Yuu, Kokoro and Amy sound so different from the style she used (or copied off of Amy) from pre-8/27

and another edit: @teamsavingmyles said some stuff in the rbs, thank you thank you thank you!!! i've been thinking about Yuunagi's references recently cuz i've been working on translating both albums but i never really got around to it so yeah thanks!

edit: i just changed the order of stuff because i forgot well. each song would be written on different days, so for example Koe wouldn't refer to Kokoro, more like Kokoro was inspired by Koe and Yuunagi's metaphor for a hole in the heart

1. 8/31 & 車窓 (Shasou/Train Window)

...they're instrumentals :P (seriously i find no connection)

2. 藍二乗 (Ai Nijou/Deep Indigo) & 憂一乗 (Yuu Ichijou/Only Sorrow)

the concept of i to the power of 2 (and however that relates to Amy's feelings about Elma)

also the first kanji of both titles sound like "i" and "you"

edit: so Ai's chorus' motif is about how blurred the world is, because of Amy's tears, while Yuu's chorus motif is how transparent the world feels to Elma, now that Amy's gone

edit: Yuu takes the phrase "I don't need anything" from Hachigatsu, but for a completely different reason. i think in Hachigatsu, Amy says he doesn't need anything to show his life will ends soon, so like what's the point of anything. in Yuu, Elma says she doesn't need anything besides Amy. she just wants to hear him sing, just one more time (or something)

i mean other than that there isn't much, they sound so different

(like seriously. Ai is like TADA. TADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-- and then Yuu makes suis sound like she's about to cry. dakede *sobbing*)

3. 八月、某、月明かり (Hachigatsu, Bou, Tsukiakari/August, A Certain Place, Moonlight) & 夕凪、某、花惑い (Yuunagi, Bou, Hana Madoi/Evening Calm, A Certain Place, Fireworks)

so first of all both seem to stem from one memory of watching fireworks in the summer (according to a summary of Letters and Diary i read some time ago)

edit: re-reading Diary and it was Memory 17

Yuunagi was the first song Elma wrote, which is why it sounds so similar to Hachigatsu (INTENSE electric guitar, softer at the verses, picks up at the chorus, drops again)

also unrelated note but Hachigatsu is by far the angriest song i can think of. at least by Yorushika

edit: one of the last lines of Yuunagi may be what inspired Kokoro, "In my heart, a hole opens"

Yuunagi also references Ai, in the line "this song has about ___ characters" and the phrase "drowning in flowers" is seen again in Ame to

4. 詩書とコーヒー (Shikaki to Koohii/Songwriting and Coffee) & 雨とカプチーノ (Ame to Kapuchiino/Rain and Cappucino)

...coffee

okay seriously though, both also sound somewhat similar to each other (but from here on out, Elma's developing her own style :DDD)

in both songs they do struggle to keep up with memories of each other, in Shikaki Amy states he forgets things like dreams, things like Elma's mouth and eyes and in Ame to Elma tries not to let anything, literally all of her memories of Amy fade away. (reminds me of the reason why Elma kept a diary for her trip to Sweden)

5. 7/13 & 湖の街 (Mizumi no Machi/Lakeside Town)

...they're also instrumentals

6. 躍ろうぜ (Odorouze/Let's Dance) & 神様のダンス (Kamisama no Dansu/Dance of the Gods)

um the titles have "dance" in them???

not sure really. in Odorouze, Amy pretends everything's fine when he's still struggling with his memories of Elma and depression and whatever and in Kamisama no Dansu Elma is PISSED OFF about the fact that she decided to follow Amy's footsteps considering his values. i mean i don't blame her i don't feel like being told i'd have about a year left to live and just LIVE AND GO DO STUFF and go to Sweden before realizing "dang. i screwed up. can't talk it back now--" *oofs self on some random dock*

oh also a discussion i had w/ nonsense-bungaku on Kamisama has changed my beliefs slightly; Elma is still mad at Amy (and herself) for following his path and beliefs but she's also kind of done trying to create music with "value" and "purpose", just creating music because it's fun, because the process of creating music is something one can derive joy from

edit: Kamisama does take a line, "名もない花が綺麗とか" ("Nameless flowers are beautiful") and a slightly altered version of the line "そんなのどうでもいいから" ("I couldn't care any less about that", being "どうでもいいことばっかだ" meaning the same thing) from Yoru Magai

Kamisama also references Yoru Magai in the lines "I keep my head down, like I'm scared" because in the verses of Yoru, in the fifth lines, Amy talks about keeping his head down, so he can't see how blue the sky is or so he doesn't understand everyone's feelings.

another unrelated note, Kamisama no Dansu is still freaking good. not that it wasn't good before but like there's something about it that i really like and would talk about until i fainted from loss of oxygen.

7. 六月和雨上がりの街を書く (Rokugatsu wa Ameagari no Machi wo Kaku/In June, I'll Write About the Town After the Rain) & 雨晴るる (Ame Haruru/After The Rain)

first of all, both of them are about rain (astute observation. round of applause.)

i do think it's really cool how Amy says he'd write about the rain in the town he stayed at but never stayed long enough to write about it, so Elma does it for him. also Elma's style has changed from where she was before, like say, Yuunagi or Koe

also Rokugatsu references Ai Nijou and may be what inspired the creation of Parade

edit: both Ame and Rokugatsu talk about this "ultramarine" which, at least to me, in Rokugatsu refers to the whole memories and the window and in Ame Ha it refers to tears

Ame Ha also references Gogatsu with the swaying curtains, and *potentially* references Hachigatsu in the line "my heartbeat rung out". potentially. if i'm looking too deep and they aren't related don't yell at me

8. 五月は花緑青の窓辺から (Gogatsu wa Hana Rokushou no Madobe Kara/In May, from the Emerald Green Window) & 歩く (Aruku/Walk)

again, not sure how these correlate. though i like how Aruku's chorus is a slowed down version of Gogatsu's chorus.

edit: ...how i didn't notice this i will never know. the frikking Emerald Green/tears metaphor.

Aruku also talks about feeling "asleep", where Elma (as she said in Ame Ha) plays dumb and pretends not to know Amy would die early cuz chronic illness and moveth to foreign country (though Amy did grow up there) and unhealthy mental state. this song and Koe also talk about Elma hating herself for doing so, but Elma and Nautilus think that her playing dumb was pretty endearing

both songs also have this feeling of being "trapped", where Amy feels trapped in this life, and the only way out is Emerald Green, while Elma got left behind and is now stuck looking for at least scraps of the person she loves through these streets

Aruku also potentially references Yoru Magai in the way Elma imitates Amy by keeping her head down, the same way as Kamisama

9. 夜紛い (Yoru Magai/False Night) & 心に穴が空いた (Kokoro ni Ana ga Aita/A Hole Opened Up in My Heart)

i think it's cool how Yoru's main and last line is "I want to open up a hole in you" and then Kokoro's is like "That's why a hole has opened up in my heart" like HOWWWWW HOW MUST YOU HURT ME LIKE THAT

also Kokoro's third line references the song it responds to, as well as Letters 6/26, "a false night, like twilight, painted the town"

also another unrelated note KOKORO NI ANA GA AITA IS JUST SO SAD AND PAINFUL. LIKE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA LET ME CRY

edit: how none of you said this gets me. um the line "君だけ���僕の音楽なんだよ"、 エイミー ("You alone were my music", Amy) is literally from Ai Nijou (i mean i guess it was too obvious but whatever i'll put that in)

10. 5/6 & 森の教会 (Mori no Kyoukai/Church in the Forest)

more. instrumental.

11. パレード (Parade) & 声 (Koe/Voice)

both incorporate the concept of the God of Art which i think is cool

both are lyrically short

Koe references Yoru in the line "this heavy life is like a machine gun" and may have alluded to the metaphor from Yuunagi - in the line "what I want to draw/picture is the time that hollowed my heart" (and maybe a part of a line got re-used in Ame to Kapuchiino?? does the line "when I cry, it overflows” count???)

Koe also sounds like Parade, just in the key C#, not D

edit: in Letters 7/13, Amy said Parade was Koe

another edit: Parade is the song about the God of Art, right??? well i read @saikisser 's post on how FREAKING SAD PARADE IS AND LISTENING TO IT WITH CONTEXT MAKES IS EVEN SADDER and well Amy also thinks Elma is divine to him (because she's the one that sings the lyrics the God of Art managed to find in his fingers)

also another unrelated note but listen to Parade it's such a beautiful song i loveeeeeeeeeeeeeee ittttttttttttttttt

12. エルマ (Elma) & エイミー (Amy)

awwwwww the non-depressing songs!!! i love them sm

um they're messages directly to each other

both were the last songs each other wrote in the story

they both sound sweet and Kumo to Yuurei-esque, but slightly more upbeat (basically just similar to each other)

yeah i love those songs they're the only happy ones by Yorushika i can think of besides Haru Dorobou (which is just SPRING :DDD oooo flowers!!! they're pretty!!!)

anyways.

13. 4/10 & 海底、月明かり (Kaitei, Tsukiakari/Seabed, Moonlight)

another. instrumental. (dw this is the last instrumental)

aaaaaaaand the last one. the one we've been waiting for.

14. だから僕は音楽をやめた (Dakara Boku wa Ongaku wo Yameta/That's Why I Gave Up On Music) & ノーチラス (Nautilus)

so they were both featured at the end of their journeys. (Amy oofs himself on the dock, Elma finds his stuff a year later and cries before going home on a ship like a month later but in that month there's like no lore whatsoever so it's kind of an epilogue???)

Dakara Boku mainly is just. looking at whatever happened back then and how much Amy regrets whatever he did in Letters. he wishes he stayed with Elma cuz then he'd have a bit longer to live but well i guess he really isn't going to make it past the summer. also screaming. aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--

i will say Nautilus was also written by Amy, because at the literal end (just before he wrote Elma, i think. he doesn't write when he says goodbye in Letters and Diary obviously doesn't state when it was written because well Elma doesn't know) he was going about his day before realizing the day he runs out of ink draws nearer and nearer. and he hasn't even considered how Elma felt/would feel after he's gone so he wrote Nautilus as a way to say "it will be hard, but turn away from me and lift your head to the future" and that makes me cry even harder like NOOOO I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU HERE BUT ALSO I CAN'T TAKE YOU WITH ME CUZ YOU TOOK THE BUS TO THE OTHER WORLD CYA

and that's it for the albums! =w=

*pathetic bowing*

[bendarius]

the way the initial reaction to s4 was blown to be because of brooklynn and kenji. not saying it isn’t justified as i get ppl can be uncomfortable w it, but the fact is that it wasn’t about how darius wasn’t really given the space to show emotion even as the main character. he’s the youngest and has the overwhelming pressure of being leader while dealing with loss and the season told us no he did not notice other people having nightmares implying that he doesn’t have them (they could’ve said “wait, the others are having nightmares *too*?” but they didn’t). for gods sake dreamwork’s post about “this is what a natural born leader looks like” That boy is traumatized beyond belief

why are they so afraid to show us him suffering the traumatic effects of the events that have happened so far. And anyways i started off with mentioning the fan reaction at first because when i first watched it i didn’t notice it until someone pointed it out. and man, when that was brought to my attention…the proportion of people angry over the ship vs over how darius was treated in writing. like i like camp cretaceous for diversity. i love the fact they have a black character as the main one. but they’ve been treating darius like he’s indestructible. He’s 12/13 how are you going to treat the main kid like this

1.) the responsibility of keeping 5 other people alive. he’s just a kid and even older people would have that eating away at him. did no one try and comfort darius about ben aside from yaz. no one just asking how he was doing sure they brought ben up but more as a “we all think about him” moment. knowing how critical darius is of himself why weren’t we given moments where it focused more on his guilt. we got one nightmare in the first episode and it being brought up in the reunion but…the lack of clarity we have on his feelings aside from the one-off Yeah he feels guilty okay back to survival really bugs me the more i think about it bc it clearly stuck w him enough to affect his self sacrificing mindset

2.) nearly died on the boat! he almost drowned and got eaten by a mosasaurus and i know the boat ship wrecked immediately after and they’re all “used to being at risk for death” but why did they all agree to let this kid down. no one but kenji jumping in to save him like it’s nice that they show him as not the one that always saves people but. Him being the first to ask if they’re alright when they wash up on the island. no one asking if he’s okay after suffering the water (honestly howd they all get on the island without drowning or getting eaten they were pretty far but that’s another thing).

3.) bringing up his dad only to have darius use him as a device in his lie and having kash discount that as a lie! i get that man is terrible but doing that to darius esp w us knowing he’s still grieving (cause there’s no way he’s gotten over it even if it’s been 6 months. stacked trauma on grief = Not Processed Properly!). and having darius only bring his dad up for that purpose when grief is still fresh. Man. Man i just think about it and i get pissed

4.) was held hostage by a white man. i get it. he’s bad but the amount of times darius had to appease that man made me so sick. the simple act of being held hostage is traumatizing in itself and he was with this horrible ass man who tortures dinosaurs (one of the last connections he has to his father), being watched over by robots nonstop even when he’s trying to sleep, knowing that if he makes one wrong move kash could easily decide to kill him; this emotionally volatile man, Almost having to contribute to the project before brooklynn hacked BRAD-X. it’s like they can only show him be vulnerable if he’s in physically precarious situations where his knowledge can’t save him

5.) during that part we dont see darius process the situation in his own time. sure there might’ve been a crunch where it would’ve interrupted the plot but you know what? we didn’t need all those brooklynn and kenji scenes either. s3 worked so well bc we had equal time in all the dynamics they wanted to show us and from the start of s4 that was clearly skewed (the fact that romance wasn’t ever a big factor in jwcc and just. the amt of screentime). we didn’t get to see darius being comforted by someone other than brooklynn for less than a minute about the tension between kenji and him, and we don’t even see ben and darius interact. not even through ship goggles. yaz and sammy were shown talking aside from the large chunk that brooklyn and kenji took up. Why not darius feeling distraught over how kenji is treating him. i’m just saying if there was a time issue and bc of that not being able to focus on how darius is feeling, MAKE TIME. that’s how i’d understand b/k being brought up as much as it did; bc it intrudes on darius’ time and the equal spread of dynamics. they couldve added in a moment where darius had time to himself in his designated bedroom while hostage (which we don’t get to see. why) and thinking to himself. What was he eating during his time there. all we are shown is how much he’s suffering bc of the things he’s forced to do to survive under kash but he still doesn’t break. he has to keep going

6.) i’m hoping this overt treatment was only for this season bc they did show his dad feelings (if only for a little s1-2) and his feelings of guilt toward ben (s2-3) but while this can be interpreted as him repressing his emotions for the sake of keeping the group going, we haven’t been shown that in a specific moment. this is all still speculation even as obvious as it seems to me as a viewer i’m just trying to make sense of what they’ve given us in canon. can we have darius show us how he himself is feeling without having it based off another person

the one thing i enjoyed is darius having been given space to finally have to choose between dinos and his friends. he may have had his eyes set on the obvious choice back when he was arguing with sammy about releasing that dinosaur, and i can see how he’d be stuck between the big picture of the right thing vs the local right thing (although it’s strange how thatd usually be a choice made in a healthier mindset where you’re given the space to think abt morals rather than a need to survive in which the obvious choice would be to save your friends. perhaps it can be explored as a way for darius to hold onto his sense of self/his father) but i’m glad they showed there’s not always a compromise which is what they had darius do in the past 3 seasons. that was a nice moment, i had thought….until immediately hes in the hostage situation, having to lie about his father, and deciding to stay in the hostage situation (seriously. ben and yaz the only ones logical enough to say NO to his plan…my favorite trio for real). and you know it’s nice that they gave us ben and darius’ arcs reflecting off one another, but the fact that ben feels like he progressed more than darius (from his identity confusion to finding himself, and from “i don’t want to hurt by leaving dinos behind again” to “i will open up despite the vulnerability”) having two different starts and endings…i don’t know. feels really off. technically all the kids are main characters but darius was introduced as the main main one. s3 gave us some emotional vulnerability when he was fighting to save ben, desperate not to repeat his mistakes, and this was one of the times where he gets to confide in someone (the other being sammy while he was being critical of himself before she tries to say it isn’t his fault and he immediately counters her with Get to the boat. so. not rly) and while it’s a Woo ben and darius bonding moment giving fuel to how they can understand and confide in one another, i just wish that wasn’t the only instance and we had another one where darius got to talk about his dad and all the complex feelings he must be having. it makes sense for him to repress it to keep moving forward in fear of not being able to function but that’s all speculation. as a kid whose brain is still malleable (like the others but since he’s the youngest) he should NOT be left to do this i just know he’s fighting inner demons

my point is: even if he wasn’t a COMPLETE plot device in this season like how people are saying (not complete bc as little as they were we got peeks into his psyche. Even if it was only for a minute total adding up), i totally get why they do say that because the ratio of his inner struggles vs what the show focuses on is so skewed. as the main character, shouldn’t we have more insight on how he’s feeling aside from having to speculate off things given to us in s1? and from the way the fanbase treats this boy sometimes, like multiple people saying they didn’t know that darius was the main character because of how much of the fandom is focused on other things…yeah. alright. like 2 people i saw talking abt his treatment this season whats w that. maybe this fandom treatment in itself is a sign of how much the show itself doesn’t flesh him out as much as it should, but i can easily counter that considering how much the fanbase fills in the blanks with other topics. i’m holding out for s5’s treatment in hopes they actually spend some time exploring his feelings and that this was just so they could have space to introduce elements, but it’s a flimsy hope because they had the space to explore other campers feelings and just. urghhhhhh.

[plague-of-insomnia]

I totally get your point. Like... the whole feed your creators, we're starving, thing started to get momentum, then it was pushed back by people doing a mix of bringing up valid concerns, like, some people have social anxiety and struggle with commenting because of that, but then it got into... creators are ungrateful for voicing that they need interaction and :/

It takes a lot of emotional real estate to say, no, I should be getting feedback on my things that I spent hours doing too and everyone who is pushing back and claiming that real estate is doing such a good job. It's incredibly disheartening to spent hours, weeks, months, years, working on a project and then people can't even be bothered to hit a kudos button.

Like, I'm not super popular, and I write niche things and shorter things, which both get less hits, and even less feedback. But when my most popular fic, which sits at 2k hits, only has 89 kudos, not even comments, just hitting a button kudos, it's aggravating and makes me feel unappreciated.

My most kudos'd fic has ~725 hits and 172 kudos. My most popular fic is ranked fifth for kudos, fourth for that fandom. (The other three have 955 hits, 116 kudos and 642 hits, 103 kudos and 769 hits, 99 kudos. A fraction of 2k hits.)

And the fic, although it leaves a lot to be desired, isn't even bad, so it's not clicking out because it's hot garbage lol. It's about average quality, because it's five years old and I grew a lot as a writer. I just do not get it lol, and looking at and comparing stats like that really drags out how lacking engagement is.

Thankfully, on tumblr, most of y'all leave comments on the post or in tags, which I love and appreciate and save each one

{In reference to this post}

@gabedemon, I apologize for taking awhile to respond to this as I was trying to collect my thoughts because I know this is a hot-button issue and I really don’t want to make anyone think I’m trying to attack them personally or anything.

I honestly was so relieved to get this ask because tbf that post pissed me off.

I’m understanding but I’ve already done just about everything that I can to be accommodating, and I still don’t get many comments.

I know this isn’t just my problem, because I know that more popular writers who write more “mainstream” stuff have also had issues with lack of feedback/interaction.

I have 15 works on AO3 right now (not counting 2 bc they’re not really only mine), and only FOUR have more than 100 kudos. Only one has over 200.

I’m aware that what I write isn’t for everyone. I tend to be interested in more niche/fandom-divergent topics and I love writing rarepairs. I’m also painfully aware that I have been unable to post much writing at all, and none on AO3 in several months.

But I’ll admit that it’s not only the lack of comments, but poor interaction on tumblr that has made me increasingly frustrated.  It’s such a struggle for me to write anything right now, and I’m always so happy and proud when I am able to share something here even if it’s just a little taste, only to get almost no reblogs for my writing.

For example, for my most recent snippets and such that I’ve posted lately, these are my stats:

6 likes / 4 reblogs (50% of which are me)

6 likes/ 4 reblogs (75% are me)

18 likes/ 7 reblogs (29% are me)

31 likes / 8 reblogs (25% are me)

16 likes/ 13 reblogs (46% are me)

19 likes/ 12 reblogs (17% are me) - this one is from last year

I’m super grateful for the people who have continued to support me and be excited about my work despite my limitations over the past year, but at the same time, I’ve become really frustrated by how few people in the fandom bother to reblog my writing.

I have tried my hardest since joining the fandom 3 years ago to be as supportive as I can of other creators, and I know I’m not churning out the main OTP content, but I still feel really disappointed when I can’t even get a RB of a snippet or ficlet.

I don’t write for comments and I don’t support others because I want something out of it.

But after awhile, not getting that support back, even with something as simple as a RB, starts to wear.

I know the kuro fandom has been pretty dead (especially on tumblr) lately, and I’m really appreciative of those who DO regularly interact with my posts, send asks, reblog, etc.

I really have been putting off saying most of this for a long time because I didn’t want it to think like I was trying to be a whiny, entitled brat or anything... maybe this response doesn’t even make sense or came off awful despite my best attempts.

And I’m sorry if any of this comes off as manipulative or guilt tripping or anything as that isn’t my intent (and part of why I’ve stayed silent about this more or less for months), but seeing that post just reminded me all over again.

[bestfluteninja]

I posted 2,246 times in 2021

48 posts created (2%)

2198 posts reblogged (98%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 45.8 posts.

I added 2,827 tags in 2021

#0 - 448 posts

#spn - 703 posts

#q: clearing out likes - 367 posts

#dean winchester - 264 posts

#castiel - 216 posts

#deancas - 214 posts

#eddie diaz - 188 posts

#evan buckley - 182 posts

#the old guard - 124 posts

#buddie - 121 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#if sunday counts as the end of the week then i’ve just had a really full week and i’m very tired and that’s why i feel like shit and i still

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

it’s the way that that was a love letter to the fans for me 🥺

9 notes • Posted 2021-12-03 23:24:58 GMT

#4

i just don’t understand what the Point of having charles die was. it seems like an unnecessary tragedy to me. what does it do for the story? it plunges tommy and her daughters into grief, makes life a whole lot harder for them. it’s not like it teaches anyone anything new.

unless it was just supposed to be about the randomness and unfairness of tragedy. that’s really the only explanation that makes sense to me. (i have not yet finished the episode so if my opinion changes with the last 19:30 of it i’ll rb this.) but why? this is a tv show, this isn’t real life. there’s no Point to killing the beloved husband of one of your mains. it’s just shitty and upsetting. and if that was just the point, to just be upsetting, then i think that’s a stupid point to make. i don’t watch this show to be upset by the pain of tragedy, i watch it for the found family. what the fuck.

10 notes • Posted 2021-11-18 08:01:15 GMT

#3

tk and nancy in this episode (2.07) is really just mlm/wlw hostility isn’t it

13 notes • Posted 2021-11-17 04:42:41 GMT

#2

not the lyrics “how can i forget you girl / when there is always something there to remind me” over judd getting his psalm 31 tattoo 😭😭 2.09 has made me heavy sob three times already and it’s looking to rack up some more!!

16 notes • Posted 2021-11-17 07:10:57 GMT

#1

i’ve started watching 911 lone star (a surprise to absolutely no one) and i am very much enjoying it but a moment that just made me laugh out loud was tk straight up going “just so you know ma’am i am a homosexual” in ep 2 like yeah tell ‘em babe

26 notes • Posted 2021-11-10 17:36:22 GMT

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Sports news feed: Wonderkid Moukoko hits hat trick for Dortmund amid crowd abuse | Sports| German football and major international sports news | DW

Latest headlines

Dortmund’s Moukoko hits derby hat-trick

Egyptian plays professional football aged 75

COVID-19 fears at the Giro d’Italia

October 18

Moukoko can’t stop scoring

He’s only 15 years old, but Youssoufa Moukoko has continued his scoring streak for Dortmund’s U19 team.

The young star netted his third hat trick in as many games against fierce rivals Schalke as Dortmund ran out 3-2 winners.

Moukoko turns 16 on November 20, when he will become eligible to play for Dortmund’s first team in the Bundesliga.

His recent exploits were sullied, however, with Moukoko suffering verbal abuse from Schalke supporters.

The club itself released a short statement on Twitter apologizing for their fans’ behavior.

Egyptian grandfather breaks record for oldest footballer

Ezzeldin Bahader has played his second professional football match in Egypt, qualifying him for the world record as the world’s oldest pro footballer at the age of 75.

The Guinness Book of Records only recognizes footballers who have played 180 minutes professionally. Bahader completed his first 90 minutes for the team called October 6 in Egypt’s third tier back in March, even scoring a penalty, and has now completed his second full match.

The father of four and grandfather of six overtakes Israeli Isaak Hayik’s record, who played in goal for Ironi Or Yehuda at the age of 73 last year.

October 16

Two Hoffenheim players test positive

Ahead of the Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, two Hoffenheim players have tested positive for COVID-19, the club confirmed on Friday. 

According to the club, the two players returned positive tests after returning to Germany from international duty. They are said to be asymptomatic and in quarantine, having had no contact with other teammatesor staff members.

Giro d’Italia limps on amid coronavirus fears

After a number of riders tested positive for COVID-19 and two teams withdrew, doubts are growing as to whether this year’s Giro d’Italia can be safely completed. Team EF Pro Cycling have already demanded the race be abandoned, saying that the protective bubble around the teams has been “clearly damaged” and that “further infections” are to be expected. 

Belgian rider Thomas De Gendt from team Lotto-Soudal said there had already been heated discussions within his team over whether or not to start Friday’s 12th stage, adding that he had heard fellow riders coughing in the peloton. “Things aren’t going well, we don’t feel safe,” he said. “In the end, you can’t concentrate. I am one of the riders who would prefer not to start.”

Organizers claim that the eight positive tests registered across five teams earlier this week, including British favorite Simon Yates, are proof that the hygiene concept works, with race director Mauro Vegni accusing individual teams of “carelessness in the bubble.”

“I think the organizers are hiding things,” said De Gendt. “There’s a lot of money on the line and it’s important for the sponsors that we make it to Milan.”

October 15

Ronaldo’s flight home to Italy questioned

Italy’s sports minister, Vincenzo Spadafora, says Cristiano Ronaldo may have breached COVID-19 protocol by returning home to Turin despite testing positive for the virus while on international duty.

The Juventus forward was ruled out of Portugal’s friendly against Sweden in Lisbon and forced into a period of self-isolation. Ronaldo traveled back to Italy on Wednesday evening by private jet.

Spadafora told Italian radio he may have broken health rules.

“Without authorisation from the health authorities, I think he has violated the protocol,” he said.

Juventus president Andrea Agnelli said no rules had been broken.

“You must call the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Interior and have them explain what has been violated,” Agnelli said during a news conference.

Juventus said on Wednesday that Ronaldo had returned on a medical flight “authorised by the competent health authorities”.

Hertha’s Matteo Guendouzi tests positive for COVID-19

Hertha Berlin midfielder Matteo Guendouzi has tested positive for coronavirus after returning from international duty with the French under-21 team. The 21-year-old remains asymptomatic and will spend ten days in quarantine, meaning he will miss his team’s Bundesliga home game against Stuttgart on Saturday and the trip to RB Leipzig a week later.

Guendouzi, who has joined Hertha on a season-long loan from Arsenal, will be eligible to finally make his debut against Wolfsburg on November 1.

October 14

German FA hits back over tax evasion accusations

A bizarre twist in the German Football Association’s current problems with the tax authorities, with reports suggesting the outstanding fees have already been paid.

The DFB has endured a rocky few days after tax authorities raided its headquarters and private apartments as part of a tax fraud investigation last week.

The public prosecutor’s office has accused six former or current DFB executives of deliberately submitting incorrect tax declarations relating to advertising revenues in 2014 and 2015, avoiding about €4.7 million ($5.52 million) in taxes.

Yet the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reports that the association actually cleared up those tax irregularities in March 2019.

The DFB has so far failed to declare whether or not they settled the dispute previously. 

October 13

Ronaldo tests positive for COVID-19

Juventus and Portugal soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement by the Portuguese soccer federation (FPF).

The statement said that Ronaldo was showing no COVID-19 symptoms and was in isolation, thus missing Wednesday’s Nations League match against Sweden. Due to isolation rules, he will also miss Juventus’ upcoming games in Serie A and the Champions League.

The FPF said that all other Portugal players underwent new coronavirus tests on Tuesday and all returned negative.  

Golf star Johnson also tests positive

World number one golfer Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from this week’s CJ Cup after testing positive for COVID-19.

The 36-year-old American reported symptoms to the PGA Tour on the weekend and following a test will now begin to self-isolate.

“Obviously, I am very disappointed,” Johnson said. “I was really looking forward to competing this week, but will do everything I can to return as quickly as possible.

October 11

Rafael Nadal produced a vintage performance on Sunday to remain the king of the clay in Paris. The Spaniard’s flawless 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 win over Novak Djokovic brought him his 13th French Open title.

Perhaps more significantly though, Nadal’s win equalled Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles, the last of which the Swiss won at the 2018 Australian Open.

“Winning here means everything to me,” Nadal said on court straight after his win. “I don’t think today about equalling Roger’s record of 20 Grand Slams. For me, today is a Roland Garros victory. Roland Garros means everything to me… many of the important moments of my career have been here. The love story I have with this city and this court is unforgettable.”

The French Open usually starts in late May but was postponed until late September due to the coronavirus pandemic. And Nadal had some words of encouragement for the world’s fight against the virus.

“I want to send a message to all the people in the world,” Nadal said. “We are going through a tough moment with this virus, but everyone stay positive and we will beat it together.”

October 10

Poland’s Iga Swiatek has made history. The 19-year-old, who did not drop a set throughout the tournament, beat fourth seed Sofia Kenin 6-4 6-1 to win the 2020 French Open.

In doing so, the world number 54, became the first ever Grand Slam singles champion from Poland, the youngest French Open winner since 1992 and the ninth first-time champion in the past 14 Grand Slams.

October 9

The 2021 Tokyo Marathon has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The race was to be held next March, but organizers said Friday that the race would now take place on October 17 instead, two months after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, another event which was pushed to July 2021 due to the pandemic. 

The organizers said they were “carefully reviewing plans that will adhere to the situation surrounding COVID-19,” and that they’ll do everything in their powers to “deliver a safe and secure event.”

Around 38,000 participants from around the world were to take part.

The Tokyo marathon has been postponed

October 8

Özil not named in Arsenal’s Europa League squad

Mesut Ozil’s ostracization at Arsenal went to a new level Thursday when he was left off the team’s Europa League squad list for this season.   

The 31-year-old Ozil hasn’t played for Arsenal since football started in June amid the coronavirus pandemic, leaving his future at the club in question. 

 Asked recently why Ozil _ one of the club’s highest-paid players, reportedly at more than $20 million a year, was out of favor, Arteta said: “The team is evolving, you can see the level they are achieving.” 

Mercedes team member tests positive for COVID-19

Formula One champions Mercedes reported on Thursday that a member of their team had tested positive for COVID-19 but a spokesman said drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were clear.

“We can confirm that a team member has tested positive,” said a spokesman. “This has been handled and is being handled in line with FIA protocols, working closely with the FIA,” he added, without giving further details.

Six times world champion Hamilton leads Bottas in the championship by 44 points after 10 races.

Lack of fans factor in ‘crazy’ football results

Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Conor Coady believes the absence of crowds at stadiums is a major factor behind the surprising scorelines seen in the Premier League this season.

“Honestly, they are mad, the scorelines,” said Coady. “It’s a tough one to put your finger on, it really is. You look at it at the start of the season, some teams are ahead of others in terms of fitness, in terms of having a pre-season.

“The teams that have been in European competition obviously haven’t had that … so that might play a bit of a factor. I think fans play a big factor… I think we all want them back as soon as possible.”

Long-distance world records broken

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey shattered the long-standing world records in the men’s 10,000 metres and women’s 5,000m in Valencia on Wednesday at an event dubbed ‘World Record Day’.

The 24-year-old Cheptegei ran a provisional 26 minutes 11.02 seconds in metronomic fashion to better the 26:17.53 minutes by Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele from 2005. Gidey claimed the women’s 5,000m world record of her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba by running 14:06.62 minutes.

October 7

Kvitova clinches semifinal berth at French Open

Petra Kvitova returned to the French Open semifinals for the first time in eight years on Wednesday after defeating Germany’s Laura Siegemund 6-3, 6-3, describing Roland Garros as her “lucky place.”

“It means a lot to be back in the semi-finals,” said 30-year-old Kvitova who was beaten by eventual champion Maria Sharapova when she made the same stage in 2012.

“After my last match, I was very emotional to be in the quarter-finals. Now I am in the semis. I never imagined this would happen after everything that has happened. This is my lucky place.”

Global Rapid Rugby cancels 2021 season 

The 2021 season for the franchise-based Global Rapid Rugby (GRR) competition has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said on Wednesday.

The competition, backed by Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest, had suspended its inaugural season after one round due to the pandemic before cancelling it entirely in April.

German FA in tax evasion probe

The German Football Association (DFB) headquarters and the homes of DFB officials have been searched on suspicion of tax evasion, Frankfurt prosecutors say.

It said six former and current officials of the DFB were suspected of having intentionally falsely declared income from advertising inside soccer stadiums during certain matches in 2014 and 2015 as income from asset management, leading to an evasion of 4.7 million euros ($5.52 million) worth of taxes. 

To read more on the story click here. 

October 6

Sancho apologises for party

Still in hot water with club and country over his flouting of coronavirus protocols, Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho took to social media to issue an apology.

“I would like to apologise for breaking the government guidelines and although I was unaware upon arriving of the numbers attending, I take full responsibility for my actions. I will make sure that I learn from this,” the 20-year-old said in a statement on Instagram.

England have delayed the call-ups of Sancho, Ben Chilwell and Tammy Abraham, whose birthday they were celebrating.

World #131 into semis at French Open

Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska became the first qualifier in the Open era on Tuesday to make the women’s semi-finals at Roland Garros after stunning third seed Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4.

World number 131 Podoroska had never won a Grand Slam main draw match before the tournament and is the first Argentine woman to reach the last four of a major since Paola Suarez in Paris in 2004. The 23-year-old Podoroska will play Polish teenager Iga Swiatek or Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan for a place in Saturday’s final.

Match-fixing probe at French Open

French police are investigating possible offences of organized fraud and sporting corruption linked to the French open, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday.

The confirmation came a day after German newspaper Die Welt and French sports newspaper L’Equipe reported that police were looking into a first-round match in the women’s doubles competition. The reports said that one particular game in the match in question had aroused suspicions.

To read more on the story click here.

October 5

Jadon Sancho in hot water with Dortmund and England

Borussia Dortmund have announced that they are “in close contact with the English FA and the representatives of the national team,” following the publication of pictures showing Jadon Sancho at a party in London.

The winger was celebrating the birthday of Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham at an event that flouted the recent coronavirus restrictions put in place in England. Sancho missed BVB’s last two games due to “throat infection” and the club are reportedly decidedly unimpressed with the 20-year-old’s decision to attend. 

Meanwhile, there have also been calls for Sancho, Abraham and other England national team members in attendance to be dropped for the upcoming internationals.

Germany’s Siegemund reaches French Open quarterfinals

Germany’s world number 66 Laura Siegemund reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final on Monday, but garnered attention for more than just the result after ordering a plate of food to be delivered to her on court.

“I was trying to get some carbs in. I tried the bar. Couldn’t get it down really. I tried,” said Siegemund after her 7-5, 6-2 win over Badosa on Court Simonne-Mathieu. “I asked my physio to bring me something else. I just wanted to get some carb, some potato or rice.”

Energised by her food intake, she won 10 of the last 12 games to set up a quarter-final clash against seventh seed and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.

Turkish Grand Prix will be without fans

Next month’s Turkish Grand Prix will be held without spectators because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Istanbul government said on Monday. Turkey has registered nearly 325,000 coronavirus infections and more than 8,400 deaths.

The race, the 14th of 17 in Formula One this season, will return to Istanbul after a nine year absence on November 15.    

Crazy scenes in Karting World Championships

A video that has to be seen to be believed. At the FIA Karting World Championship final at the Lonato circuit, Luca Corberi – whose family operate the venue – ended up throwing his bumper at a rival before ignoring marshals as he stormed off across the track after an incident knocked him out of the race.

October 4

Zverev out of French Open

Alexander Zverev was knocked out by 19-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner, playing his first Roland Garros, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Sinner’s reward is a quarterfinal against the king of clay, Rafa Nadal. Zverev meanwhile, says he wasn’t feeling well.

October 3

German qualifier serves up career best

Daniel Altmaier, ranked 186th in the world, beat seventh seed Matteo Berrettini in the French Open 6-2, 7-6, 6-4.

The 22-year-old was not even sure he would make his debut at Roland Garros as he was struggling with an injury and needed a go-ahead from a doctor at the last minute to take part in the qualifiers.

October 2

Bundesliga player tests positive for COVID-19

Wolfsburg’s Renato Steffen has tested positive for COVID-19, the club announced early on Friday evening. The Swiss, who is asymptomatic, has gone into quarantine at home and will miss Sunday’s game against Augsburg as well as the international fixtures next week. 

German sides handed Europa groups

After Wolfsburg fell in the qualifiers, Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen were handed their Europa League draws on Friday.

In a tougher draw than they would have hoped for, Leverkusen, seeded in pot 1, will play Czech outfit Slavia Prague, Hapoel beer Sheva, of Israel, and French outfit Nice. 

Hoffenheim, seeded third,perhaps got away a little lighter. They will play Gent (Belgium), Crvena Zvezda (Serbia) and Slovan Liberec (Czech Republic). The full fixtures will be announced later on Friday. 

Löw names squad for triple header

After their Champions League exertions caused them to miss Germany’s previous matches, Bayern Munich quartet Joshua Kimmich, Manuel Neuer, Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry return to the fold.

But they, along with RB Leipzig pair Marcel Halstenberg and Lukas Klostermann, will only be available for the Nations League games with Ukraine (October 10) and Switzerland (October 13) and not the friendly with Turkey next Wednesday.

Three games in such a short space of time given the current packed schedule has led Löw to name 29 players in his squad. Fringe players like Nadiem Amiri, Robin Koch, Luca Waldschmidt, Florian Neuhaus and Niklas Stark will hope for opportunities while there are maiden callups for Borussia Dortmund’s Mahmoud Dahoud and Jonas Hofman, of Borussia Mönchengladbach.

October 1

US soccer team forfeits match over alleged homophobia 

San Diego Loyal players walked off the pitch in a second division game against Phoenix Rising after a homophobic comment was allegedly aimed at midfielder Collin Martin, who is openly gay.

San Diego, who are managed and owned by former US international Landon Donovan, had already forfeited a match against LA Galaxy’s reserves the previous week after midfielder Elijah Martin was the victim of alleged racist abuse.

“We went through a really hard incident last week in the LA match,” said Donovan, who also made a handful of Bundesliga appearances for Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich. “We made a vow to ourselves, to our community, to our players, to the club, to USL, that we would not stand for bigotry, homophobic slurs, things that don’t belong in our game.”

Despite leading 3-1 at half-time, San Diego thus forfeited a chance of reaching the playoffs. Opponents Phoenix Rising said the alleged perpetrator “vehemently denied” the allegations.

Bundesliga clubs criticize international matches

Ahead of next week’s international break, several Bundesliga club bosses have issued scathing criticism of FIFA and the German Football League (DFL) over the issue of sending their players on international duty in regions considered coronavirus risk areas, resulting in quarantine upon their return.

In September, for instance, Hertha Berlin striker Krzysztof Piatek had to quarantine for five days after playing for Poland in Bosnia, and missed Hertha’s German Cup defeat to Eintracht Braunschweig. At the time, FIFA had relaxed regulations obliging clubs to release players for internationals in regions considered COVID-19 hot-spots, but no such steps have been taken this time.

“We learned in September that we, the clubs, are left high and dry,” said Hertha boss Michael Preetz. “We release our players, we pay our players and, in the case of Krzysztof, we were left footing the bill. Ultimately, nobody was prepared to fight our corner. We realized that we can’t count on any help from the DFL or FIFA.”

“For me, it’s absurd to send players to risk areas,” added Augsburg’s Stefan Reuter. “It is FIFA’s responsibility either to postpone these matches or guarantee that players don’t need to quarantine when they return.”

Germany face Ukraine in the Nations League in Kiev on October 10, but local authorities in Germany have already stated that players will be exempt from quarantine regulations given the security and isolation measures in place in the Ukrainian capital.

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[junker-town]

A bunch of sad score graphics posted on social media by college football teams in each week of 2017

Keeping fans up to date via pretty graphics is a social media standard, but what happens when your team is losing badly?

When you’re winning, social media is easy. It’s easy to show off important program milestones like winning a national championship ...

FINAL#OutworkYesterday #RollTide#CFBPlayoff #NationalChampions http://pic.twitter.com/kziJlg28tp

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) January 9, 2018

... or claiming one.

#ChargeOn http://pic.twitter.com/ihhWoLReal

— UCF Knights (@UCFKnights) January 10, 2018

Back before the 2017 season, I asked the Jonathan Gantt (who runs Clemson’s social media operation) how winning makes his life easier.

��My goodness, yes,” Gantt said. “There’s a lot of people doing great content across the country and across the world, but there’s not a lot of them that have championship teams or that have a personality as a head coach like Coach Swinney.”

But every week, teams who don’t win still have to present themselves online.

Someone’s got to find a way to market a losing effort.

You see it most evidently in the score update tweet. They’re simple and help fans who are keeping up with the game via social media, but they aren’t so fun when your team is losing.

These are some of the saddest ones to be found from every week this season.

Week 0

I understand that a win’s a win, but a game that went to the fourth quarter with the Cougars up one score against an FCS team isn’t one to write home about. This photo choice is apt. No one is happy.

COUGARS WIN!!! . #BYUFOOTBALL #GoCougs

A post shared by BYU Football (@byufootball) on Aug 26, 2017 at 3:25pm PDT

Week 1

How innocent this tweet is in a vacuum.

Aggies out-gaining UCLA 407-165 at the 4 min mark of the third quarter. #12thMan #TAMUvsUCLA http://pic.twitter.com/WkkebicE4y

— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 4, 2017

The Aggies were up 44-10 and walloping the Bruins. What could possibly go wrong? Apparently, the answer was: absolutely everything. From this point forward, the Bruins would rip off five TDs to come back and win the game.

A&M didn’t post a postgame score graphic.

Week 2

Washington State actually beat its FCS opponent in Week 1 this season, which shoulda put Boise State on notice. The Broncos led by 21 points with 10 minutes to go, but ...

Recap, stats, notes from Boise State's 47-44 3OT decision at #20/22 Washington State. #BleedBlue https://t.co/IldMcoqrVZ http://pic.twitter.com/xya6C6Ip1r

— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) September 10, 2017

Week 3

We didn’t know Purdue was actually good at this point. All was knew was that a Missouri squad that had struggled with an FCS team for a half was getting blasted by the Boilermakers.

AT THE HALF: Tucker McCann's 29-yarder gets #Mizzou on the board.#MIZ #ShowMe http://pic.twitter.com/rWWYOJXcSn

— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) September 16, 2017

This is the only score update from this game by the Tigers’ account. They’d lose 35-3.

Week 4

Vanderbilt said it wanted Bama. This is what they got:

Final from Vanderbilt Stadium. Commodores are on the road next week at Florida. #AnchorDown http://pic.twitter.com/J94XMHulJK

— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) September 23, 2017

Somehow, 59-0 doesn’t really do this game justice, so here’s another visual:

This is up there with the more comprehensive ass whoopings I've ever seen. I'm really not kidding. They erased them. https://t.co/sLYCog3VfH http://pic.twitter.com/TXxq2zmcc3

— Richard Johnson (@RJ_Writes) September 23, 2017

In extreme garbage time, the Crimson Tide brought out their backup quarterback to get some reps. Perhaps you’ve heard of him by now.

That’s Alabama freshman backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa pulling off a little Johnny Football action against Vanderbilt. The Tide had already piled up 45 points, covering the over by themselves with 20 minutes to go, all against a team that’d given up only seven points to Kansas State the week prior. Bama’s still Bama.

Week 5

The text “Final from Neyland,” combined with the dark uniforms and smoky mountain pattern create a graphic that perfectly summarizes the day’s grimness.

Final from Neyland. http://pic.twitter.com/HQWKfnzCi8

— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) September 30, 2017

Week 6

I do respect UConn for keeping up with their tweeting throughout the whole loss to Memphis. Every time UConn scored, they’d tweet a graphic like this one:

First TD of the season and fourth of his career for Alec Bloom! #Huskies tie it up at 21 with 7:13 left in Q2. #UConnNation http://pic.twitter.com/XlLl2Dc549

— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) October 7, 2017

That’s the last time the game would be that close. It ended like this:

http://pic.twitter.com/bAuwTQmSEX

— UConn Football (@UConnFootball) October 7, 2017

Week 7

Kansas’ social media shop doesn’t do complete, in-game score graphics. This will do though. This game ended 45-0 and was well on its way at halftime.

Halftime in Ames. http://pic.twitter.com/wsptZZbd7a

— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) October 14, 2017

Week 8

UNC’s accounts had to share some close losses this season ...

Final: http://pic.twitter.com/xTOyRl3N4M

— Carolina Football (@TarHeelFootball) October 28, 2017

Final: http://pic.twitter.com/LeIH0khvnN

— Carolina Football (@TarHeelFootball) November 26, 2017

... but the Virginia Tech loss was not in any way close. The last graphical correspondence we have from the Heels is this halftime update.

Halftime in Blacksburg: Carolina 0 | Virginia Tech 35 http://pic.twitter.com/2VFzyMaW2I

— Carolina Football (@TarHeelFootball) October 21, 2017

They lost 59-7.

Week 9

FSU’s Twitter account commemorates the record-setting performance by Boston College in a blowout.

Final. http://pic.twitter.com/8HHd6Wl3uo

— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) October 28, 2017

Week 10

No final score updates, as things really got out of hand. But the halftime update gave us an idea that the Buckeyes were en route to the 31-point loss that would effectively knock them out of Playoff contention.

There's still another half. #GoBucks #BeatIowa http://pic.twitter.com/Xs6qGVbUwj

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 4, 2017

Week 11

In a game preempted by a truck race for most of the first quarter, Washington saw its Playoff hopes unofficially come to an end in a loss to Stanford. Cardinal RB Bryce Love ran for three touchdowns on a gimpy wheel and led his team to the victory.

No. 9 Washington falls to Stanford 30-22 on the road.

A post shared by UW Football (@uw_football) on Nov 10, 2017 at 11:37pm PST

Week 12

The boat was rowed ... the wrong way.

Final. #Gophers #SkiUMah #RTB http://pic.twitter.com/R3zuf7Emp5

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) November 18, 2017

Week 13

Maryland might be headed in a positive direction on the recruiting trail. But the on-field product was not where it needed to be on the final weekend of the regular season.

Final http://pic.twitter.com/srV1SCwivo

— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) November 25, 2017

Championship Saturday

A loss that both cost the Canes a Playoff berth and the ACC title. Tough double whammy to be emblazoned with a Photoshopped graphic, but at least it was sponsored.

Final. http://pic.twitter.com/GBezlUhqPJ

— Canes Football (@CanesFootball) December 3, 2017

Bowls

One of the first bowl games saw a pretty lopsided result. That’ll do indeed.

That'll do it here in Mobile. Final score of tonight's game: Appalachian State 34, Toledo 0. http://pic.twitter.com/8K5XhKIwMj

— Toledo Football (@ToledoFB) December 24, 2017

Sad score graphics started 2018 in style on New Year’s Day.

Up 19-3 against a sputtering South Carolina offense, Michigan had this one in the bag. Then, a magical onion showed up in the third quarter to support the Gamecocks ...

... and then this happened:

Final from Tampa. #GoBlue

A post shared by Michigan Football (@umichfootball) on Jan 1, 2018 at 1:00pm PST

And the National Championship saw an epic kick by a great kicker, Rodrigo Blankenship, justifiably get its score graphic moment.

Blankenship with a 51 yd FG!#NationalChampionship #CFBPlayoff // #ATD http://pic.twitter.com/KBFU5w6ipp

— Georgia Football (@FootballUGA) January 9, 2018

It’d be UGA’s last score graphic of the of the season though, because you know what happens next.

No graphic needed to transmit this disappointment.

FINAL. Georgia 23 // Alabama 26#ATD

— Georgia Football (@FootballUGA) January 9, 2018

Have a favorite sad score graphic from this season? Drop it in the comments.

[first-and-ten]

Week 11 Recap

This is the darkest timeline.

Teams That Need Kaepernick: CLE, CIN, BAL, HOU, JAX, IND, BUF, NYJ, MIA, DEN, GB, CHI, TB, NYG, ARI, SF

Teams on bye: CAR, NYJ, IND, SF

TEN 17 - 40 PIT Game Ball: Ben Roethlisberger [W] Marcus Mariota threw three picks and when he actually hit his own guys, they dropped it. So that’s not exactly a recipe for success.

TB 30 - 20 MIA Game Ball: Jay Cutler but in a bad way [W] Cutler threw three picks and got a concussion. Matt Moore came in and had the game tied at 20-20 with about a minute left. Then Ryan Fitzpatrick marches down the field, the Buccs kick a FG with 4 seconds left, and the Dolphins’ hook-and-ladder attempt ends up as a fumble recovery the other way. That play hit the over on the game in vegas, so that’s hilarious.

DET 27 - 24 CHI Game Ball: Matthew Stafford [W] A sneaky-good game where Stafford once again had to throw his arm off to a billion different targets. The has been the Bears all year.

JAX 19 - 7 CLE Game Ball: Yannick Ngakoue  [W] As hard as Bortles tried to ruin this one for Jacksonville, the most predictable thing in the NFL happened and the Browns couldn’t keep the ball against the Jags defense.

BAL 23 - 0 GB Game Ball: Eric Weddle [L] The Packers ended their first three drives with turnovers. The Ravens have pitched three shutouts this season, which is just nuts. This was a stupid pick on my part, and honestly this is just one more week where the Packers prove that Kaepernick is legit being blackballed.

ARI 21 - 31 HOU Game Ball: D’Onta Foreman [L] Foreman broke out a big TD to salt the game after Arians got AP stuffed on a 4th and short. Foreman then broke his leg. Seems about right.

LAR 7 - 24 MIN Game Ball: Case Keenum [W] Keenum’s revenge game could not have gone better. The teams entered halftime locked up 7-7 after Cooper Kupp fumbled on the 1 yard line, and from that point Keenum took control. Minnesota’s o-line just mauled LA’s smaller defenders, and Jared Goff got overwhelmed.

KC 9 - 12 NYG OT Game Ball: Satan [L] I JUST... WHAT??? THERE WERE TWO INTERCEPTIONS IN THIS GAME: ONE BY A TE AND ONE BY A RB. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? What the actual hell????

WSH 31 - 34 NO OT Game Ball: Cameron Jordan [W] This almost played out exactly like my This Is Why I Might Be Wrong scenario. And then Drew Brees happened. There’s no describing what happened, just go watch the last two minutes of this game. It’s a concern that the Saints got pretty banged up, but the big question in this defense-and-run-game streak was whether they could still be the 5,000-yard passing explosion they’ve been for the last several years if they need to. The answer was yes. And they just managed to bury one of the games of Kirk Cousins’ career in a loss. Amazing. Oh and Washington lost another RB. Lol.

BUF 24 - 54 LAC Game Ball: Nathan Peterman but in a really bad way [W] Peterman threw 6 completions to his own team, and 5 to the opposing one. In one half. That’s not good. That’s how you turn a 5-2 start into a 5-11 finish.

CIN 20 - 17 DEN Game Ball: Dre Kirkpatrick [L] The Bengals win in Denver for the first time since goddamn 1972. We can’t do a single thing right. This post of mine from about 5 minutes into the game sums it all up: “>Broncos block Bengals punt >Bengals let Brock Osweiller scramble for 15 yards on 3rd and 7 >Osweiller throws an INT >Dre Kirkpatrick returns INT 100 yards but fumbles randomly on the 1 yard line >Broncos stuff Bengals on two straight run plays but bite hard on the play action to allow a Bengals TD > Bengals miss the extra point.CIN 6 - 0 DENThis is pretty much what I expected from this game.”

NE 33 - 8 OAK Game Ball: Tom Brady [W] Brandin Cooks really earned his contract here but this was just Brady kicking the ever-living shit out of the Raiders. Oakland has not yet intercepted a pass. It is now week 12. 

PHI 37 - 9 DAL Game Ball: Carson Wentz [W] This game was 7-9 at halftime. The Eagles are bizarrely winning this year the same way they won in the 2017 season on my madden franchise: ball control, amazing big-play quarterbacking, smothering defense.

ATL 34 - 31 SEA Game Ball: Matt Ryan [W] Fuuuuuuck. The Seahawks had to play their asses off to even be in this position at the end. Russell Wilson turned the ball over twice in the first half, one a tip-drill INT and one a sack-fumble returned for a TD. He also, though, caught fire and dragged the Seahawks back into the game. Pete Carroll went for the fake on a FG attempt before the half and paid the price by wasting a chance or 3 points, leading to the Seahawks needing to make a 51-yarder to tie it. Blair Walsh kicked it in the right spot but a good 5 yards short. Of course. Ugh, Seattle really needed this game.

Record this week: 10-4 Record this season: 101-59 Locks record: 40-12 (Survivors used [XXX]: ATL, SEA, NE, GB, PIT, DEN, DAL, MIN, NO, DET, KC) Upsets record: 20-23 2014 pace: 106-40-1 Pickwatch leader: 110-50 (Jeff Ratcliffe, PFF/Jamey Eisenberg, CBS)

NFL Title Belt: PIT (defended from TEN)

MMA candidates: CLE (10)

The Room Where It Happens: N/A

Fallen Tributes: N/A (Though the Browns, 49ers, and Giants are eliminated from their conferences’ top seeds, and the Browns are eliminated from contention for a playoff bye.)

FANTASY CORNER

Danger Squirrels 108 - 137 Team Toomey [L, 4-7]

This is the week the Saints defense chooses to suck for fantasy? The week the Jags have a billion takeaways? Fuck. Siemian the Finals 180.92 - 188.36 Snatching Defeat [L, 5-6]

AAAAUGH, what am I supposed to do? What the hell, Zach Ertz? And Jimmy Graham dropped like six TDs! Why???

[sportsleague365]

Raiders 31, Chiefs 30: Five takeaways from the game plus your questions and comments. Posted by Arrowhead Pride: For Kansas City Chiefs Fans on Thursday, October 19, 2017Note: The version of the winners-and-losers article after the Chiefs’ would-be win was done and filed, ready to post. Then the final drive happened, and now it will never see the light of day. The Oakland Raiders pulled off a miraculous comeback Thursday night to stun the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-30. The Chiefs drop to 5-2 on the season. Here are the game’s winners and losers: WINNER: DEREK CARR AND THE FINAL DRIVE It doesn’t get any better for Derek Carr than what he was able to do on the Raiders’ final drive, especially after the previous one in which his offense went three-and-out and looked all but done. Starting at his own 15, Carr hit Amari Cooper for gains of 15 and 39. Later, at the Kansas City 42, Carr faced fourth-and-11. Tight end Jared Cook beat Eric Murray right at the first-down marker, and the Raiders converted. Then there was what appeared to be the 30-yard touchdown to Cook a couple plays later. The refs instead ruled Cook down at the goal line. With eight seconds running off the clock, Michael Crabtree took an offensive pass interference penalty, backing the Raiders up to the Kansas City 10. Two Chiefs penalties to follow placed the Raiders at the 2-yard line, and Carr made a perfect pass to Michael Crabtree for the score. TOUCHDOWN #RAIDERS pic.twitter.com/bDNi6BIWbm — Clay Wendler (@ClayWendler) October 20, 2017The Raiders were supposed to drop to 2-5 and 0-3 in the division. Instead, their season is alive because of Carr. WINNER: AMARI COOPER Prior to the season, Amari Cooper was thought to be entering the discussion of being one of the league’s elite receivers, but through the Raiders’ first six games, he wasn’t playing like it. Then he had a tremendous start to Sunday night’s game. 12:10 left in the second quarter. Amari Cooper, 109 yards, 2 TDs — Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) October 20, 2017Cooper was the benefactor of what probably was a bad non-call on Terrance Mitchell for his first score, a 38-yarder, but he still put up another score and a whopping 210 total yards on the night. In my opinion, he will be a player who continues to frustrate Chiefs fans for years to come. WINNER: JARED COOK Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton made a point to mention the Raiders’ tight end this week, and at the time I didn’t think anything of it. Once he put up six catches for 107 yards Thursday night, I did. The 6-foot-5, 254-pound Cook was a mismatch for Murray and much of the Chief secondary, especially on that critical 29-yard catch to bring the Raiders to the 1-yard line late in the game. WINNER: KAREEM HUNT Coming into Thursday night’s game, the Chiefs’ Kareem Hunt led all running backs with 43 total missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. What makes Hunt so fun to watch is his innate ability to make the first defender miss, and he was showcasing it again early on against the Raiders. I thought Tyreek Hill was special last year with speed I’ve never before seen. Kareem Hunt has done same thing in my eyes with elusiveness. — Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) October 20, 2017Additionally, in case you missed this on Tyreek Hill’s 64-yard touchdown, for all the flak he took as a run blocker this week, Hunt allowed the play to happen by affording Alex Smith the time to throw. Chiefs RBs. Well coached. pic.twitter.com/iNpzeC8uKb — Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) October 20, 2017WINNER: TYREEK HILL Tyreek Hill displayed elite speed on the 64-yard touchdown pass from Smith. TORCHED #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/EBcLV7Kpnz — Clay Wendler (@ClayWendler) October 20, 2017And this, well this is just incredible. 50+ Yard TDs since 2016 Tyreek Hill: 8 (rest of @Chiefs have 6) Redskins: 8 Dolphins: 8 The other 29 teams all have fewer than 8 https://t.co/zFYynectgH — NFL Research (@NFLResearch) October 20, 2017Hill continues to offer a level of speed that no other player in the league can match, and it was nice to see him get a bit more involved in the game Thursday night, when he led the Chiefs with six catches for 125 yards. LOSER: ERIC FISHER, CHIEFS O-LINE I’ve said this before—it’s hard to judge the O-line before you catch the all-22--but from a couple looks I saw on social media, left tackle Eric Fisher had a tough night. #1 overall pick Eric Fisher just got destroyed LMAO #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/fVQ9QRAENi — Clay Wendler (@ClayWendler) October 20, 2017and... Eric Fissure got absolutely destroyed tonight. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/vuCkBZouv2 — Clay Wendler (@ClayWendler) October 20, 2017The Raiders only registered one sack, but it seemed like there was consistent pressure on Alex Smith all night. LOSER: ERIC MURRAY There was a little good: Murray did block a field goal Thursday night. But there was a lot of bad. Murray looked to be quite outmatched all night, getting beaten by Cook on a number occasions, including a play in which Murray just stopped playing before the whistle, allowing Cook to get a first down. Murray was the victim on Cooper’s second touchdown of the game when he didn’t look to have taken the correct angle on the ball carrier. Hoo Cooper just beat Eric Murray after the catch. Murray had an angle. — Sam Mellinger (@mellinger) October 20, 2017Murray was also the victim of two penalties in the fourth quarter, the last of which gave the Raiders an untimed down at the 2-yard line to win the game. LOSER: MARSHAWN LYNCH On the score sheet, he had two carries for nine yards. On the field, there was this: Marshawn Lynch should not touch officials. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/iJxqiIpbrj — Clay Wendler (@ClayWendler) October 20, 2017By many accounts on social media, Lynch, not in the play, actually ran onto the field from the bench to protect Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters after a play in which Peters was suspected to hit Raiders quarterback Derek Carr late. It’s important to note that Lynch never confirmed that this was his intention, but it certainly looked that way on replays and by the accounts of writers in attendance. As is widely known, Peters and Lynch are very close (to the point of family), but I can’t imagine his Oakland teammates will be happy to see him running onto the field to protect a member of the opposing team when they watch the film. In the midst of the skirmish, Lynch grabbed a referee and was disqualified from the game. Here’s a report from local sports reporter Henry Wofford: Out of here! Marshawn Lynch just left the locker room upset. He left in street clothes and is heading to his car. — Henry Wofford (@HWoffordKRON4) October 20, 2017It will be an interesting week in Oakland as it pertains to their running back. LOSER: THE REFEREES IN THE FIRST HALF I am not one to mention referees. I want to make that clear before I begin. I usually take the stance that these people are humans, and the entirety of a game is 60 minutes long. That should be enough time for you to overcome one or two mistakes, which happen. But guys, that first half was BAD. The 38-yard Amari Cooper touchdown could have been called for blatant offensive pass interference. It wasn’t. 7-3 Raiders. I am as surprised at that no-call as I would be if I ordered a cheeseburger and the waiter brought me new suit. — Sam Mellinger (@mellinger) October 20, 2017Then, in the second quarter with the Chiefs trailing 14-10, Allen Bailey made an incredible play by using one arm to knock the ball away from Carr with an offensive lineman between them. Justin Houston recovered and it would have given the Chiefs the ball at the Oakland 16-yard line. But a penalty on Chiefs safety Eric Murray negated the play. Upon replay, Murray had limited contact with Cooper, all seemingly within five yards, and the Raiders kept the ball. If that's illegal contact then we can just all get up and go home here, we're not playing football anymore — Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) October 20, 2017Then there was the aforementioned Peters play. On third-and-10, Jack Del Rio called an empty-set quarterback run. Kinda, gimmicky, Jack, no? Anyway, I get that it’s the quarterback, but a QB run was the call, and Carr wasn’t down when Peters made contact. Lost in the Lynch drama: That was a terrible flag on Peters for unnecessary roughness. Whistle hadn't blown & Carr didn't give himself up. — nick wright (@getnickwright) October 20, 2017This blazing-hot-fire (but actually true) take from Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest: Both teams tonight have legitimate beefs. This is the worst officiated game I've seen in a long time. Just putrid. Whole crew bad tonight. — Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) October 20, 2017LOSER: DONALD PENN You may remember Raiders left tackle Donald Penn from this little incident 10 short days ago. Well, Penn was the player who caused the initial dustup that led to Lynch being tossed and then apparently was trying to fight fellow Raiders on the sideline. Tracy Wolfson reporting some pushing and shoving on Raiders sideline -- Crabtree and Donald Penn — Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) October 20, 2017LOSER: THE CHIEFS’ DIVISION CONTROL At 5-1 with a lead against the Raiders and less than three minutes left, the Chiefs had an opportunity to go into an 11-day break with the Raiders all but dead and division control. The bad loss Thursday night opens the AFC West window they could have slammed closed in the case of Oakland. #KansasCityChiefs #OaklandRaiders #KansasCity

[cover32-yahoopartner-blog]

Redskins vs. Ravens Preseason Recap

This early in the season, most defenses are ahead of offenses. The NFL rules concerning practices, OTA’s (organized team activities), mini-camps and training camps does not give NFL coaches enough time to be ready for the regular season. Also, a factor coaches are dealing with this season is that they have more players to evaluate. This season there was no NFL cut down from 90 to 75 players. This is good because it gives players more opportunity to win a roster spot.

In the first preseason game at Baltimore, the Ravens defense dominated the Washington Redskins offense. The offensive line did a poor job in both pass protection and run-blocking. However, in this disappointing loss with a score of 23 to 3, I did see an improved pass-rush and harder hitting defense. There were some impressive individual plays. However, this game proved there is room for improvement and hopefully this poor performance will be a “wake up call.” Preseason games do help evaluate players and help coaches decide who will make the 53-man roster. The Redskins lost Trent Murphy for the season. Josh Doctson did not play after a hamstring pull in training camp. Su’a Cravens suffered a knee injury and will not play for 2 -3 weeks. Junior Galette is also being checked out by the medical staff for what is reported to be a possible hamstring injury.

Here are some statistics from last Thursday night’s game which reflects a poor game overall by the Redskins: Passing yards – only 99. The Ravens had 135 yards. Ravens won the time-of-possession battle by almost 10 minutes. The Redskins made a pitiful showing on 3rd down conversations at only 15.38%.

Rushing statistics: Perine – 6 carries, 15 yards; Mack Brown – 4 carries for 15 yards; Thompson – 2 carries, 10 yards; Kelley – 3 carries for 2 yards and Matt Jones – 3 carries for minus 1 yard. Performance definitely has to get much better before we open against the Philadelphia Eagles in less than a month.

For whatever reason, Head Coach Jay Gruden did not keep our starting quarterback Kirk Cousins in the game long enough to get our offense moving the chains. Cousins went 1 completion of 2 passes for 5 yards; Colt McCoy was 6 of 13 for 40 yards and threw an interception. Nate Sudfeld went 5 of 12 attempts for 68 yards. All three of our quarterbacks were not protected well by our offensive line.

There was good individual play by some Redskins players. I saw an improved pass-rush! Anthony Lanier II, Zach Brown, Nico Marley and Phil Taylor were impressive. Our number 1 draft pick Jonathan Allen got a sack. Robert Davis, wide receiver, made a 31-yard reception and ran good routes. Wide receiver Brian Quick had 3 receptions. Jeremy Sprinkle, tight end, caught one pass and should have been targeted more because of his height (6’5″ tall). Ryan Grant had a catch for 17 yards and running back Matt Jones had also had a 17-yard catch.

Although the Washington Redskins first preseason game did not go well, I do expect to see a better Redskins team when we play the Green Bay Packers next. I am sure offensive line guru and Assistant Head Coach Bill Callahan will get our offensive line doing a better job pass protecting and run blocking. That will increase the passing and rushing yards tremendously. We fans do have to remember our coaches are not going to show all their cards in the preseason and they do have more players to evaluate this season.

Redskins fans can find and like us on Facebook at Cover32Washington Redskins. Follow and tweet us on Twitter at @cover32_WAS for current posts, articles and other Redskins information. Cover32 Redskins covers our team, coaches, Ring of Fame members and outspoken female Redskins fans in our “Redskins Ladies Pulpit.” We appreciate our Redskinette Cheerleaders, our Women of Washington (WOW) organization, our #RedskinsTweetTeam and of course, we honor and salute the brave men and women in our United States Armed Forces. Please join us and don’t be a stranger. Hail. HTTR!

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The post Redskins vs. Ravens Preseason Recap appeared first on Cover32.

[jamieclawhorn]

2 FTSE 100 stocks I’d buy on the next dip

These two FTSE 199 stocks are cheerfully riding the current stock market bull run, but look a little pricey as a result. They will be first on my shopping list when markets slide.

Shares in US-focused plumbing and heating merchant Wolseley (LSE: WOS) recently hit an all-time high, tempting some analysts to suggest that now could be the time to sell. Trading at 20.55 times earnings, you can see why they might think that. Recent rapid growth, which has seen the stock climb 30% in the last year and 114% over five years, should give existing shareholders plenty of profits to bank. This has also driven down the yield, which is currently just 1.95%.

There is another reason why you might be lured into selling. Wolseley generates 66% of group revenues and 84% of trading profit from its US arm Ferguson, and has therefore been boosted by sterling’s post-Brexit slump against the dollar. It has been so successful that the company now proposes changing its name to Ferguson (although it would retain Wolseley in the UK and Canada).

One to watch

On Tuesday it reported a trading profit of £515m for the half-year to 31 January, a rise of 25% year-on-year, although just 5% at constant exchange rates. However, the dollar play may now be coming to an end as markets start to lose faith in Trumpflation, and the pound appears to find a floor against the greenback. In that case, recent currency tailwinds could quickly turn into currency (and share price) headwinds.

For those reasons, I wouldn’t buy Wolseley today. However, forecast earnings per share (EPS) growth of 19% in the year to 31 July, followed by 9% in the next four months, suggest continuing strong growth prospects in the pipeline. The yield may be low but is nicely covered 2.5 times, which gives scope for progression, and analysts project it could rise to 2.5% by next summer. Wolseley is pulling out of its underperforming Nordic markets to focus on the US, where it may ultimately list. I see strong growth opportunities ahead, especially if North America starts building again. All we need now is a little market correction.

Full house

What’s not to like about household goods giant Reckitt Benckiser (LSE: RB)? Its stock just keeps rising and rising, year after year, as it gets on with the job of selling everyday health, home and hygiene brands such as Dettol, Harpic, Scholl, Nurofen, Vanish and Durex to an ever-expanding range of global consumers. This company is built to thrive in boom times and recessions as well, as people still want to clean their homes when times are hard, get pain relief for their headaches, and have fun without having babies.

Actually, I will tell you what’s not to like about Reckitt Benckiser. Its high valuation of 23.87 times earnings, which follows five-year growth of 113%, and its lowly dividend yield of 2.1%. I am not saying it is overvalued, it typically trades at around this premium level. It is just that a market dip, where investors sell indiscriminately, could be a great opportunity to buy this great British (but actually global) company at a knock-down price.

Scooping up top companies on market dips is just one way to get rich from stocks and shares, but there are plenty of other strategies out there.

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Harvey Jones has no position in any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Reckitt Benckiser. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.