#jon adamski

[anotherwvba]

During my lunch breaks at work, I've taken to practice doodling. Today, I sketched my story's Minor Circuit, most of it anyway.

Jon Adamski is an OC belonging to @punchout-ispunched that he allows me to use in my stories. Glass Joe is younger and less experienced in my fic (currently 0-21, I think), Disco Kid is the part of a strange buddy cop-ish duo with Bald Bull (read my side story Punchline for that to make sense), and King Hippo is the Minor Circuit Champ and avid retro gamer.

[postpunkindustrial]

Long John Nebel – The Flying Saucer Story

I was doing someprep work for my Halloween posts when I came across this oddity.

Long Jon Nebel was an over night New York City talk show host that was a predicessor to Art Bells Coast to Coast AM format. Giving voice to a wide range of paranormal theories with a bemused yet sympathetic ear.

This record details his interview with George Adamski about his Alien encounter.

You can get it from my Google Drive HERE

[jylesthejester]

Okay, multiversal casino staff and a bit of lore before I get too sucked into my hyperfixations and forget about it

[NOTE 1 !! If you want to make a similar concept feel free but do not take my concept entirely! You can make something SIMILAR but not EXACT replica please! I don't mind inspiration but do tag me in any art or rambles because I LOVE to see people be inspired by things or something I make!]

[NOTE 2 !! Some of these characters may act out of canon when I draw them (If I do), some of their Lore might be different, there is an explanation for it here, don't pummel me for it please.]

Origin/Main concept : The multiverse casino was originally made to be a hangout spot for people from other universes, somewhere where they could relax and discover other universes. This worked, but eventually they needed more Staff to help out on all the floors.

Why these specific characters for staff members? (Staff members are shown later) : I picked from my favorite characters from various fandoms (excluding any of my favorite children characters (theres only one here cause theyre celestes friend.)) and threw them here, they're all categorized by the card categorization I have.

Categorizations : There's both the card symbol organization, there will be a section for it at the end of the staff lists.

How does the multiverse casino get its staff? : they find almost exact copies of the universe they're trying to get a staff member from, and they talk to the person they're trying to bring in and see if they'd like to join. Old staff members get their memories of the casino entirely wiped before being returned back to their universes like nothing happened (this essentially happens whenever I leave a fandom)

Owners : Maxie Kanth (Minty) and Stella Novaflare (Sleepy)

Co-owners : Reagan Caballero and Kaede Archemoros

Staff members (fandom characters) : Popee The performer(PTP), Kedamono(PTP), Sammy Lawrence(BATIM), Boris(BATIM), Sun(TSAMS), Moon(TSAMS), Eclipse(TEAPS), Puppet(TEAPS), Frank(TSAMS/TEAPS), Francis(TEAPS), Jack-o-moon(TSAMS), Molten(TSAMS), Lunar(TSAMS/TEALS), Vegeta(MAFS/TEAPS), Dr Panik(Block City/HMF), Henry(Block City/HMF), Henric(Merge City/HMF), Dr Kalm(Merge City/HMF), Casey Jones(TMNT 2012), Panikbot(Block City/HMF), Jim davis(HMF), Therapist(HMF), Action(HMF), Rickutto(HMF), Darko(HMF), Hooper(HMF), Brandon(HMF), Aris(HMF), Rage(HMF), Mist(HMF), Birdie(HMF), Frosty(HMF), Little Ropo(TLC), Little Jack(TLC), Scuba Steve(TLC), Sharky(TLC), Luke(MCH), Peter(MCH), Goldy(MCH), Donald Duck(Ducktales), Pigsy(LMK), Redson(LMK), Googz/Parker(RTGC), Playtime(Baldis Basics), Tiger/Kotetsu(T&B), Jyles(OoO), Jon(LJ), Davis(LJ), Casey Jones(TMNT 1990)

Staff members (ocs) : Celeste Kanth Novaflare, Reagan Caballero, Alix Caballero, Gacey Xanthe, Kaede Archemoros, Palin Rockefeller, Lila Gear, Kaypen, Orbides, Inky Inkwell, Party Favor, Gelatin, Nova Starstruck, Tobey<3, Al Sokolov, Zin Sokolov, Ekko Hamato Jones, Jyles!!, Donavan Adamski, Ooze, Mutagen, C.A.G.E., Cain, Adaliah, Kuiper, Vortex, Raka, Juno, Epona, Zola, Lennox, Kay, Mirage, Asy/Asylum, Runaway, Jester, Gore, Clowny, Unalive, Intrusive, Joker, Ricin, Jimson, Chrome, Lily, Caleb, Kat, Boo, Loi, Noir, Moichii, Florence, Boyd, Cherub, Disco Cat, Karmen/Candy, Draven Adamski, Annabelle Sokolov, Beatrice Sokolov, Ohnn Sokolov, Tails Sokolov, Marij Achlys, Viper Jones, Lee Achlys, Lyra Cezhial, Atlas Cezhial, Celestino Cezhial, Helios Cezhial, Sammy Corvus, Crow Corvus, Hanahaki Corvus, Zeru Feller, Toxinz, Moichi, Zim/Theo, Chester, Jyles, Lyco, Gyre-Vortex/Malachi, Klown, Tom, Red, Carolyn Achlys, Wade Achlys, Kurtis Jones, Circuit O’Neil, Cyber Achlys, Lyn Achlys, Amaris Jones, Callisto Jones, Saturn Jones, Martin Jones, Alix the Arachnid, Gala, Dae, Bubble, Melanie, Finn, Gabriel, Mono, Xavier, Jassie, Axel, Flare Starstruck, Lala Tunes, Marie Melancholy, Chat Swoop, Lunar Lovelock, Bisty Isty, Dipsy Dip, Seraphim Sphere, Stephan Squared, Staine Sharp-Sphere, Glacier Glitters, Pluto Prince, Gale Games, Chassy Charcoal, Bea Buzzy, Diamond Dazzle, Tipsy Ticks, Benny Bronze

Old staff members : Tenya Iida (MHA & Might come back), Bakugou Katsuki (MHA & Might come back), Shinsou [forgot last name] (MHA), Shota Aizawa (MHA), Sundrop (FNAFSB), Moondrop (FNAFSB), Cuphead (Casino Cups), Mugman (Casino Cups), Sans(Undertale), Papyrus(Undertale) [Theres more but I can’t remember)

Original staff members that are still here : Popee The Performer (PTP), Sammy Lawrence (BATIM)

(The category things only apply to fandom characters)

Card organization :

Popee The performer(PTP) ♦️

Kedamono(PTP) ♠️

Sammy Lawrence(BATIM) ♠️

Boris(BATIM) ♠️

Sun(TSAMS) ♦️

Moon(TSAMS) ♦️

Eclipse(TEAPS) ♣️

Puppet(TEAPS) ♠️

Frank(TSAMS/TEAPS) ♠️

Francis(TEAPS) ♦️

Jack-o-moon(TSAMS) ♦️

Molten(TSAMS) ♠️

Lunar(TSAMS/TEALS) ♦️

Vegeta(MAFS/TEAPS)❤️

Dr Panik(Block City/HMF)♣️

Henry(Block City/HMF) ♠️

Henric(Merge City/HMF) ♠️

Dr Kalm(Merge City/HMF) ♣️

Casey Jones(TMNT 2012) ♦️

Panikbot(Block City/HMF) ♦️

Jim davis(HMF) ♦️

Therapist(HMF)♣️

Action(HMF) ♣️

Rickutto(HMF) ♦️

Darko(HMF) ♠️

Hooper(HMF) ♠️

Brandon(HMF)❤️

Aris(HMF) ♠️

Rage(HMF) ♦️

Mist(HMF) ❤️

Birdie(HMF) ❤️

Frosty(HMF) ♠️

Little Ropo(TLC) ♣️

Little Jack(TLC) ♦️

Scuba Steve(TLC) ♠️

Sharky(TLC) ♣️

Luke(MCH) ♠️

Peter(MCH) ♦️

Goldy(MCH) ♠️

Donald Duck(Ducktales) ♣️

Pigsy(LMK) ♦️

Redson(LMK) ♦️

Googz/Parker(RTGC) ♠️

Playtime(Baldis Basics) [celestes friend] ❤️

Tiger/Kotetsu(T&B) ♠️

Jyles(OoO) ❤️

Jon(LJ) ♣️

Davis(LJ) ♠️

Casey Jones(TMNT 1990) ♦️

The card symbols don't exactly determine where in the building they all work, it just really depends on their shifts.

Each of the main ocs in this story(Maxie, Stella, raegan, etc) has a favorite character they like to hang around, so heres that :

Maxie - Popee The Performer (PTP)

Stella - Sammy Lawrence (BATIM)

Raegan - Dr Panik & Henry (Horrormashfriends)

Lix - Jack-o-moon (TSBS)

Kaede - Mist (Horrormashfriends)

Gacey - Action (Horrormashfriends)

Palin - Frank (TSBS)

Lila - Redson (LMK)

Uhhh yeah that's the staff- :3

(Skitters off [I'll likely come back w more art n stuff])

[jayther]

The correcting feature of typewriters is not what I thought I was really taken aback when I learned how this works. Links 'n' stuff The Engineer Guy's video explaining the Selectric mechnism (It also has way better high-speed footage!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRCNenhcvpw Technology Connections on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechConnectify The TC Subreddit https://ift.tt/MwLrsia This channel is supported through viewer contributions on Patreon. Thanks to the generous support of people like you, Technology Connections has remained independent and possible. If you'd like to join the amazing people who've pledged their support, check out the link below. Thank you for your consideration! https://ift.tt/eVkmnRb Oh, and look at these wonderful patrons! Philipp Saß, Kenneth Perronne, Mark Lewin, Victor , Jared Fry, Nathan Bergey, Steve Davis, Keiran Hillcoat, David Lefton, Chris O'Dea, Tyler, Jason and Katie Corradino, Alex Gartrell, Spencer R, William O'Driscoll, Sam Ellis, Christian Bikle, Christian Czekay, Andrew Backer, Jonathan Tunnell, Forrest P, FrenchSword , Mike, David Green, Marie and Peter, Kevin Rogers, Ian Greig, Jaye Martindell, UbiquitousChris, Luke Hogan, Brian Alvarez, Kevin Marty, Bram , Paul Adamski, Anders Madsen, Josh Jones, Chrono , Pietro Gagliardi, Kornel , Becca Roughton, Romans Bajevs, Fernando Martinez, David Carpenter, Density, Joseph Shivak, Ben Douglass, Brentton Paulus, Nicholas Bellamy, Noah Kantrowitz, Lauren Nodonly, Paul Schermerhorn, Colleen Dunseath, Tashlin Familiy, Lellius Rose, andritolion, Adi , Christopher Berger, Nathaniel Kren, Simon J, Chris Dion, RICHARD CROWLEY, EmpiricalFox, Alex, Thomas Schenck, Clark Marx, Sierrajulietalpha, Rambling Nerd, James Cooper, ​, Joe Athman, Stewart Smith, Timothy Conard, Ron A Goldberg, Jon S., Mike Dean, Kyle Van Essen, Trevin Beattie, Joris Lankhorst, Dennis Hulsman, Ryan Gordon, Buddy DarDar, Steve Washington, Stainless, John F. Woods, Lianne Schroeder, Stuart Young, Sugarschild, Emerick Touilloux, Kate Bates, William Carpenter, Seren Ward, Tyler Dare, Steve Stuart, Axel Kingsley, Nuck, RangerMankin, Yuriy Taraday, Michael Kelly, Aaron Nichols, Paul Z, Anthony Castelli, Tony Drake, Zachariah Elliott, Jacob Jernigan, Isaac Oxendale, kyle, Ryan the Human, Sean King, Martin Wilson, Rad , Syswrek, Brian Roediger, Andrew Newton, Kas, S. C., Randall, Ian Washish, Neil Sly, Connor Crowley, the-alchemist , Neil Enns, Lettow , Brian Place, monoirre , Roland Roberts, Kurt Yun-Doyle, Jaap van Muijden, Anatoly Tishaninov, Dan Coster, Tyler Young, naota3k , James Hartnett, Laketri, Logan Koch, Patrick Neary, Andrew Larson, Trevor Powell, Zachary Boe, Dan Stark, Danny Griffin, Cale Sugg, Philip , Tristen Locklin, Spirit Bear, GigaDan , Simon , Rick Walker, Amir Omidi, Robert Gilbert, Christopher McKeen, Sophie Wagner, Marc Chametzky, Matt Nunes-Spraggs, Blythy, Cameron Duncan, Madellyn S, Javier Marinkovic, Dahip95, Five-Toed Sloth Bear, Kevin Copeland, ZeosPantera, Joseph Schmigel, Harald Dehner, LegoZEV via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE0U018Copw

[timmyrx2000]

Dipper Steps Up: Chapter 3

Chapter Index: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)

Chapter 3

Dipper made two discoveries when Monday arrived: First, high-school freshmen were so determined not to be impressed by anything that, though some of them had seen Mabel's photo of him, the general reaction in home room was "Meh. I've seen funnier." The second discovery was that some of his teammates did give him strange looks.

One of them, sharing a table with Dipper during lunch period—Jayden Dufresne (or J.D.; he was the one guy on the team who didn't seem to think Dipper's real first name was odd)—said, "Dude, I saw the picture your sister posted online. Cut way down on the eyeblack, 'kay?"

"She put that on my face," Dipper confessed, his cheeks feeling hot. "It's kind of hard to tell Mabel not to do something. Well, and have it stick, anyway."

At that point Mabel, tray in hand, joined them at the table, sliding onto the seat next to Dipper. She was wearing a brand-new sweater, a Navy blue one embroidered with a baseball bat and ball. She nudged Dipper. "Hey, Broseph!" Then she blinked at J.D. "Ooh, you made the team too! I recognize you from tryouts. Dip, introduce us!"

So Dipper did, and Mabel, in between shoveling food in as though she were stoking a steam engine with coal, said, "J.D., huh? What position didja get?" Crumbs flew when she pronounced "position."

"Left field," J.D. said, watching her eat with a fascinated gaze. "I was kinda lucky to get it 'cause I'm just a fresh—"

Mabel stretched her arm across in front of Dipper. "Hey, J.D., you gonna eat that apple? No? I claim it!" She snatched it off his tray. "Freshman, huh? Do you know anything about Chuck Taylor, other than he's dreamy?"

J.D. blinked. "Drea—uh no, no I don't, I just met him for the first time at tryouts and practice. He, uh, well, I know that everybody likes him."

"No wonder, am I right?" Mabel said, crunching into the apple for emphasis. "Hey, Dip, it's OK for me to come and watch you practice tomorrow, isn't it?"

"No," Dipper said. "Practice is top-secret, because, uh, Coach doesn't want anybody stealing our plays."

"What?" J.D. asked, sounding surprised. "That's not true!"

"Ah-hah!" Mabel laughed, dribbling a little chewed-up apple as she did. "My brother is such a kidder!" She gave Dipper's shoulder a shove, making him swallow some milk the wrong way. He coughed it out through his nose, mostly. "And a sloppy eater! Don't worry, Dipper, I'll be there, cheering you on. Hey—is there a baseball cheerleading squad?"

"Uh, no," J.D. said. "Never has been."

"There will be from now on!" Mabel vowed. "Uh-oh! Gotta run. I hate these short lunch periods! See you on the bus, Brobro. And I will see you on the baseball field tomorrow, J.D. TDLFN!" She swept up her cleaned lunch tray—she hadn't even left an apple core-and swooped off to return it.

"Wow," J.D. said. "Your sister is . . . I mean, she's . . . Mabel is . . . "

"I know, right?" Dipper said.

"Yeah." Then J.D. added, "Uh—what did she say? TD something?"

"T-D-L-F-N. Short for Too-Dle-Loo For Now," Dipper explained. "It's one of her ways of saying 'see you later.'"

"She left early, though. We still have, like, nearly ten minutes left for lunch," J.D. said.

"Not on Mabel time," Dipper told him. "She probably wants to get to her next class early to talk to some of her friends. It's hard to explain Mabel. My sister is sort of intense."

"Yeah," J.D. said. Then, sounding faintly surprised, he added, "I like her."

Huh. Well, you couldn't explain things like that. Heck, Wendy had once liked Robbie Valentino, too, despite his obvious limitations as a human being.

Then again, no one claimed that Gravity Falls had a patent on human mysteries. People liking Mabel was like the Bottomless Pit. You had to admit it existed, but you couldn't explain it rationally.

The following afternoon Mabel did show up to watch practice. In fact, when Chuck blasted a home run over the left-field fence, she went running to retrieve the ball and after a short three-step run-up made a power throw all the way back to X-Man, the first-string second baseman.

On the bench, Coach Waylund asked Dipper, "Did your sister consider trying out?"

"Uh, no. I guess she's more artistic than sports-minded," Dipper told him.

Coach shook his head. "Too bad. Heck of an arm on the girl!"

Then Dipper had to step up to the plate to do his usual weak batting performance, popping out to Chuck on the third pitch.

All through the practice Mabel ran back and forth on the sidelines. She was the only spectator, and she continually gave out encouraging cheers and urged the team on—especially, Dipper noticed, whenever Chuck was on the mound or at bat.

Some of the other guys found her a little distracting—Bobby Adamsky, catching, got beaned by a pitch when he heard her yell, "Hey, catcher, that crouch really shows off your cute butt!"

Fortunately, Bobby's catcher's mask saved him from injury, though he looked a little upset. Coach Waylund kept chuckling, though, and he told the team, "Don't get rattled by a little thing like that, men. This is good practice for when you'll be playing and the spectators for the other team might razz you to try to shake you up. Keep your mind on the game and your eye on the ball!"

Wily Casen—the tallest player, known as "Big W"—muttered, "I'm more worried about where she's keepin' her eyes!"

However, when practice was nearly over and Dipper was sharing the bench with Jon Jacobs ("Jon J"), the first-string first baseman, Jon said to him, "Man, I saw that picture Mabel posted of you and I was kinda mad at first, 'cause I thought you were sort of making fun of the idea of playing baseball with those crazy stripes and all, you know? But it was all her, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Dipper admitted.

Jon clapped him on the shoulder. "I got an older sister man. I feel you."

Jon went on to tell Dipper a little story about when he was six, and his sister, who was then ten, talked him into climbing into a shiny new galvanized-steel garbage can, just to see if he would fit.

"I did fit," Jon said. "And next thing I knew, she clamped the lid on, kicked the can over, and rolled me down a long hill. Thought I was gonna die, man! She told me she wanted to show me what an astronaut feels like when a spaceship comes in for a rough landing."

"How did you feel?" Dipper asked.

"Mad!"

At least, Dipper thought, as annoying as she could sometimes be, Mabel had never done anything quite that bad to him! Though prancing around outside the fence and yelling until she was hoarse came pretty close.

Thursday's practice was about the same, except that afterward Mabel brought a couple of cold sodas onto the field, one for Dipper, one for Chuck. Chuck looked at the can. "Pitt Cola?" he asked. "I've never heard of it!"

"It's real common in Oregon!" Mabel told him. "I brought back a whole case! Did Dipper tell you we like to go spend summers in Gravity Falls?"

"Uh—never heard of that, either," Chuck said, popping the soda.

"It's not on any map that I've seen," Dipper told him. "Before you drink that—"

"But it's the site of the world-famous Mystery Shack!" Mabel said.

"Oh. Uh. OK," Chuck said. "Uh, what is the Mystery Shack?"

Mabel punched his arm. "Now you get it! Bumper sticker! Bomp!"

"Uh," Dipper said, "Chuck, you ought to know that every can—"

Too late. Chuck shrugged and took a big swig of Pitt's and started coughing, nearly choking on the pit. He was a guy with guts, though. He spat out the pit and actually finished the soda without complaining.

But he politely told Mabel that since Pitt Cola was so rare in California, she should keep the rest of her case and not share it with him.

Soon baseball practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays just became a part of school routine for the Mystery Twins. The team progressed through September, October, and November, coming together, developing camaraderie, and improving their play. Finally, just before Thanksgiving, Coach Waylund told the guys, "You men are shaping up. Everybody still has work to do, but that's what we expect. Taylor, you want to explain the upcoming schedule?"

Chuck stood up. More and more, the coach was giving him responsibilities, and one was to organize practices and decide on what playing strategies and skills they needed to work on.

Another was to do things like, well, what he was doing: "We don't practice in December, guys—that's so we can concentrate on academics and finals. Everybody carrying at least a B average? Good! Keep it up so you'll qualify to play. Drop below a B, you'll be cut."

He waited out the inevitable moans and groans and then continued, "So, our first game will come up on February 15, home game against the Pico Padres. To get ready, we'll resume practice as soon as we get back from break in January, and we'll pick up the frequency—Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. We're also gonna take a look at some game videos from last year to see what we're up against."

"They're wussies, man!" Big W hooted.

But Chuck disagreed: "I hear that the Padres have like a half-and-half team, sophomores and freshmen, so they have an edge on us in experience, but we're getting pretty good. Next few days, I'm gonna talk to each of you one-on-one to suggest where you need improvement, things to work on in practice starting in January, but so far, guys—good work!"

Mabel, who was never far from the team, cheered while doing a triple cartwheel off to the side. Everybody grinned. They'd got used to having her around, and sometimes they called her the team mascot. She'd even brought a few other spectators around to watch them practice—now ten or fifteen people usually showed up, more than they'd ever had watch practice, according to Coach, though Dipper suspected they came mainly to witness Mabel's antics, not the team's efforts.

The only thing, the one dark cloud on the horizon—as far as Mabel was concerned anyway—was that Chuck so far had not asked her out or complimented her attractiveness or tried to smooch her or anything, really, except to be polite and to laugh when she made a joke and to chat with her now and then.

"I'm not discouraged, though," she assured Dipper that afternoon after practice while they waited for their mom to pick them up. "My spies tell me that Chuck still doesn't have a girlfriend. The field is clear! Next February I'm planning the big move! Wait'll that first game—Chuck Taylor won't even know what hit him!"

And knowing his sister, Dipper was inclined to agree. Chuck, he thought, should be afraid. Very afraid. . . .

To Be Continued

Note from the Authors: This was just an idea I had but the one who really worked his magic and wrote almost all of this is none other than BillEase. He’s an amazing author who usually hangs out at fanfiction.net. Don’t pass up on a chance to check out his stuff. This guy is AMAZING. He wrote the story, I just gave the plot.

[junker-town]

Mike Tomlin is 100 percent right about the NFL roughing the passer rule

It wasn’t just a problem for the Steelers this week either. Teams and players keep getting burned by this, and it’s a real problem.

One week. We had one week, last week, where the NFL’ roughing the passer rule wasn’t a total shitshow. The braintrust that came up with it in the first place had a conference call, didn’t make any changes to the impossible rule, but did quietly issue some clarifications that took some of the stupidity out of it.

We should have known it wouldn’t last.

This week, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was again spared the arbitrary wrath of an inexplicable flag. Instead, Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt got served up as the league’s sacrifice to a nonsensical rule. His teammate Jon Bostic got one too.

Mike Tomlin is mad AF, and you can’t blame him

It had to happen to the Steelers too, a team already volatile. At least they got the win. I can only imagine Mike Tomlin’s reaction if they’d lost, and he was plenty pissed off after yesterday’s game.

He made a direct attack on the penalties:

“Those looked like legitimate calls, we’ve gotta be better there, but some of the other stuff, man, is a joke. We’ve gotta get better as a National Football League. Man, these penalties are costing people games and jobs. We’ve gotta get them correct. So I’m pissed about it, to be quite honest with you, but that’s all I’m gonna say on it.”

The brutally honest comments unsurprisingly cost him some money:

The NFL has fined #Steelers coach Mike Tomlin $25,000 for public criticism of game officials, per source.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 10, 2018

But so what? Tomlin was absolutely right. Point. To. The. Lie.

Watt’s older brother, J.J. (perhaps you’ve heard of him), asked a very pertinent question about the hit that we are all wondering:

Would love to hear the explanation on how this was “roughing the passer” pic.twitter.com/Fv7reMBH84

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) October 7, 2018

T.J. Watt said after the game he did everything he could to avoid “roughing” the quarterback on that play.

“I understand the rules. I’m not a dirty player. I tried to pull off him at the end. Whether the ref saw it or not, I understand why they call it. It was a low hit. But I tried to pull my arms off. We’ll see if I get a check in the mail or not. ... It puts us in a bind because I don’t know what else I can do. I couldn’t have rolled off, then I risk hitting someone in the knees or hurting myself.”

When asked about the call on Bostic, the game’s referee told him he didn’t know why it was a penalty either.

Jon Bostic, on why he was given a personal foul flag after his sack of Matt Ryan: "To be honest, I don’t know. I tried to ask the ref, he said he didn’t know. So..."

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 7, 2018

The Steelers weren’t the only team to get burned by the rule this week

There were 11 roughing the passer penalties this week, bringing the season total up to 50 so far. And the infractions, mostly, are about as ticky tack and random as you can imagine.

49ers cornerback Ku’Waun Williams got a flag because his arm hit Cardinals QB Josh Rosen’s facemask while Williams was turning in mid air to avoid hitting Rosen.

The Eagles really got screwed on a call against Michael Bennett in a loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Bennett went to tackle Kirk Cousins above the knees, to avoid the penalty, but he slipped while he was bringing him down. FLAG.

Putting the quarterback to bed like a baby.... too roughpic.twitter.com/QMqtRacvs0

— Ben Livingston (@bliv94) October 7, 2018

The call might have flipped the game for the Vikings too. Minnesota was able to extend the drive because of the 15-yard penalty, instead of facing a third-and-35. They scored, and that put them up 17-3 at the half.

Eagles players were livid, screaming about the call as they headed into the locker room.

Referee Walt Coleman explained it this way:

“He went low into the quarterback’s knees with his shoulder, with force. And the rule is that you cannot hit the quarterback low at the knee area or below with force. He got him there with his shoulder, so that’s what I had as far as roughing the passer.”

That falls under the roughing the passer rules from before this season’s infamous “body weight” addition, and Coleman’s an experienced ref. But it’s still symptomatic of the larger problem here — there’s no consistency or room for judgement calls when players touch a quarterback who happens to fall to the ground.

“It wasn’t like he was putting him in danger,” Malcolm Jenkins said. “I know they don’t want low hits on the quarterback, but if you’re falling down, I guess you’re supposed to just let the quarterback go? The explanation from the official is he has to avoid that hit, which means he can’t do his job. He can’t tackle the quarterback while he has the ball.”

Why does this rule suck so much?

It’s the inconsistency, stupid. Textbook tackles are being punished now alongside malicious takedowns that really do deserve a flag. It’s not fair to players who are only getting flags telling them what they can or can’t do, despite the fact the rule emphasis obviously represents a major sea change for defenders.

And it’s a rule being enforced by the most inexperienced group of officials in years.

Don’t put it all on the refs though. They’re doing what they’re told to do by the guys who sign their checks.

Owners doubled down on the roughing the passer rule this season in part to protect their investments in quarterbacks. Plus, the league’s been so fixed on expanding the offensive element of the game over the years because of its appeal to a wider audience. It’s hard not to wonder if the recent ratings decline of the last few seasons has anything to do with this too.

But really, you should re-read retired NFL defensive end Stephen White’s assessment of the rule and its folly. Nobody’s going to explain it better than he did. In short, this is some ass-covering PR stunting by owners, who never sought or listened to player input.

Tomlin’s outrage over the rule is perfectly justified. It’s also worth pointing out he’s on the competition committee, so he’s uniquely positioned to do something about it or at least use his direct line to the league’s brass to lobby for a fix. But even that has its limits if it touches the upper bounds of the NFL pretending like its doing something about player safety.

But you know what, even if they do fix yet another mess they created, nobody should forget the Keystone Kops manner in which the NFL slapped together these rule changes this past offseason. And the next time the league claims to be committed to player safety, maybe be a little more skeptical before you buy that hook, line, and sinker.

Remember the catch rule and what a mess that was? This has the potential to be 100 times worse. This rule is even more arbitrarily applied. Refs on the field more pressure to enforce the rule while at the same time having less discretion to stand on their own judgement lest it be overturned by the league’s centralized officiating center in a black box somewhere on Park Avenue.

Worse, the more fans have to see it, have to hear their favorite team’s players’ exasperation over the rule deciding the outcome of games, it’s just going to give them one more reason to watch something else on Sundays.

[djblendsky]

➰ Gentse Feesten 2017 Party mix! Maar liefst 2uur aan plezier! :D Ook met een DJ BLENDSKY Mashup part!! ➰

Mixcloud: http://bit.ly/2vL2HK5 *17th Dutch House Chart*

Beatport: http://bit.ly/2ui6i2N

Hulkshare: http://bit.ly/2um4Jkq __________________________________________________

Download / Listen mix: https://theartistunion.com/tracks/d6766f Download Mix (on Beatport): http://bit.ly/2ui6i2N __________________________________________________ ► Visit DJ BLENDSKY Here: Facebook: bit.ly/1V099GY Twitter: bit.ly/1bPRfwd Facebook (Private): bit.ly/1X1T695 Tumblr: bit.ly/2rlbGU1 ___________________________________________ Soundcloud (Main): bit.ly/28WQtTW Soundcloud 2nd: bit.ly/1ghqTvB Beatport: bit.ly/1wfawlE Hulkshare: bit.ly/UGSBrd Demodrop: bit.ly/2rDFZoK Theartistunion: bit.ly/2935UwS Vi.be: vi.be/djblendsky ➥ Contact / Track Promo: dj.blendsky@outlook.com ----------------------------------------------------------- Tracklist: 1. JETFIRE X Lost Stories x Carta - India (Extended Mix) 2. Jetfire, Happy Enemies - Brazil 3. 50 Cent - P.I.M.P. (Tony Junior, Jimmy Clash Bootleg) 4. Axwell ^ Ingrosso - More Than You Know (Firebeatz Rework) 5. Clean Bandit - Rockabye ft. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie (SaberZ Remix) 6. Crazy Frog - Popcorn (Quintino 2K17 Bootleg) 7. Diego Miranda, Wolfpack - Point Break (Original Mix) 8. W&W & Blasterjaxx vs. The Chainsmokers feat. Daya - Don't Let Bowser Down (Jacob & TOSAK Mashup) 9. Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin - Save the World (Crankdat Remix) 10. Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You (W&W Festival Mix vs. Hardwell Bigroom Edit) 11. Cheat Codes feat Demi Lovato - No Promises (Bassjackers Remix) 12. Bastille - Send Them Off! (Tiësto Remix) 13. KURA & Syzz vs. Sergio Mendes - Calcutta vs. Mas Que Nada (Hardwell Mashup) 14. MOTi feat. Yton - The Game (ViP Mix Extended) 15. Rita Ora - Your Song (SaberZ Bootleg) 16. Ten Walls - Walking with Elephants (W&W Remix) 17. VINAI - Our Style (Original Mix) 18. The Chainsmokers & Coldplay - SJLT (SaberZ x Jaxx & Vega Festival Mix) 19. W&W, Mr. Probz, & Robin Schulz vs. Audiotricz & Wildstylez - Waves vs. Turn The Music Up (W&W Mashup) 20. ABBA - Gimme Gimme Gimme (Maurice West Bootleg) 21. Tim Berg - Bromance (VAVO & Steve Reece 2K15 Reboot) 22. Dzeko & Torres feat. Delaney Jane - L'Amour Toujours (Tiësto Edit) 23. Eminem - Without Me (Olly James Festival Bootleg) 24. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Ummet Ozcan Festival Remix) 25. Bob Sinclar - Rock This Party 2015 (Paolo Ortelli & Luke Degree Remix) 26. KEVU & Luke Alive - Final Countdown 2k16 27. Nari & Milani - Atom (Olly James Bootleg) 28. Patrolla vs Adamski - Killer feat. Seal(MOTi Remix) 29. Pakito - Moving On Stereo (Samual James Bootleg) 30. Rune - Calabria (Firebeatz 2014 Remake) 31. The Chainsmokers - Paris (Press Play & Paul Gannon Bootleg) 32. The Weeknd - The Hills (Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Remix) 33. Tiesto - Lethal Industry (KEVU Festival Remix) 34. Usher - Yeah (Olly James Bootleg) 35. Zara Larsson & MNEK - Never Forget You (Danny Avila Bootleg) 36. Yellow Claw - DJ Turn It Up (TIGHTTRAXX & ETC!ETC! Remix) BLENDSKY'S GF MASHUP SELECTION: 37. Yellow Claw ft. Rochelle vs. Ummet Ozcan - Raise Your Hands Shotgun (DJ BLENDSKY MASHUP) 38. Glantis vs. MOTi vs. Out Of Cookies - Who's Them No Money (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 39. Skrillex & Diplo ft. Justin Bieber vs JDG & Samual James - Where Are You Mumbai (ANDY vs. BLENDSKY Extended Mumbai) 40. Calvin Harris & Rihanna vs. Olly James & R3spawn - What You Came For Alarm (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 41. The Police vs. W&W & MOTi - Watching You Jarrow (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 42. W&W, Hardwell ft. Lil Jon vs Yves V & Sidney Samson - Magic Live The Night (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 43. W&W Vs. DJ SNAKE, Manjor Lazer - Lean On Rave (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 44. Darude vs. MOTi - Valencia Sandstorm (DJ BLENDSKY EDIT) 45. TJR vs. Garmiani - Bomb Party (DJ BLENDSKY REBOOT MASH) 46. Fetty Wap feat. Monty vs. Bassjackers & Jay Hardway - My Way Mariachi (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 47. Calvin Harris vs. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Paris C.U.B.A (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 48. Lost Frequencies, W&W & Blasterjaxx - Are You With Me Bowser (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 49. Skrillex & Diplo vs. Wolfpack & Diego Miranda - Jungle Nashville Bae (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 50. Manjor Lazer vs. Crystal Lake & The Dirty Code - Light It Up A While Sultans (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 51. Pitchback vs. MOTi, Kenneth G & Olly James - Cosmic Left To The Right Omen (DJ BLENDSKY SMASH) 52. Eiffel 65 vs. Armin Van Buuren & W&W - Blue Realm (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 53. Silento vs. Julian Jordan - Watch Me Pilot (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 54. Destiny's Child vs. R3SPAWN - Say My Name Heatwave (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 55. Eva Simons ft. Konshens vs. Bassjackers & JG ft. MOTi - On The Floor Policeman (DJ BLENDSKY SHORT MASH) 56. Adele vs. WallStreet ft. Hawkboy - We Coming Hello (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 57. Dawin vs. Timmo Hendriks & SaberZ - Dessert Drone (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 58. Rae Sremmurd vs. Quintino - Black Beatles Carnival (DJ BLENDSKY MASH) 59. Armin Van Buuren vs Vini Vici ft. Highlight Tribe - Great Spirit (Wildstylez Remix)

[anotherwvba]

Learning on the Job pt. 7

Mid-morning Friday found Jon Adamski making his way to the least favorite part of his daily routine. Since arriving at the WVBA Campus on Monday, Jon had spent an hour every morning with Dr. Yukiko Mera. She was the head of the Mental Wellness Center, part of the extensive medical program the WVBA offered to boxers and staff. If it wasn’t for his promise to the Frenchman, to Gabby Jay, he wouldn’t have bothered.

But, Jon was a man of his word and Dr. Mera hadn’t mistreated him. It was just a waste of time, at least as far as he was concerned. It’s not that Jon has a problem with controlling his anger. It’s more that others have a problem with the way he chooses to control it, usually with a physical, and typically violent, outlet.

“Yo, Jonny!” As Jon was walking toward Dr. Mera’s office, Disco Kid called out to him. Disco was another regular patient of the Doctor’s. Didn’t know they could treat annoying optimism, Jon thought as he nodded to Disco in greeting.

Disco smiled, “Hey, man, we gonna see you in the gym later? Cutie saw this new footwork drill she’s been dyin’’ to share.”

He wanted to snap back. Or maybe a swift kick in the… “Maybe,” Jon answered, struggling to keep himself in check against Disco’s incessant positivity.

“My man!” Disco held his hand up for a high five, but Jon just kept walking. Disco shook his head and smiled, but continued about his own day.

Jon, on the other hand, trudged on his way toward his appointment, muttering a litany of grievances in Polish under his breath. The day, his apartment, breakfast, therapy, life in general. It didn’t matter. None of it was really to his liking.

Finally making it down the long corridor, Jon opened the door to the Mental Wellness Center and found himself nearly immediately speechless. Dr. Mera’s nurse, it wasn’t worth remembering her name, sat behind her desk, as usual, but there was no Dr. Mera. Instead, there was a uniquely beautiful young woman, late 20’s maybe?

She was sharply dressed, very professional, in dark tones of gray and purple. Jet black bangs and a ponytail contrasted against not just her rather pale complexion, but the buzzed short sides and top of her head. And her glasses drew Jon’s attention to her eyes, cold and piercing. Without meaning to, Jon found himself staring.

“May I help you?” The woman’s voice broke Jon out of his stupor. Her tone was crisp, damn near cold. The same was true of her posture, proper and practiced.

“Uh, umm, yeah, sorry,” Jon, someone who performed on stage for, what some would call, a living, struggled to find words. “Jon Adamski, uh, 10 o’clock…”

The nurse handed the stranger a file folder, “Jon is Dr. Mera’s daily 10 a.m.”

“Ah,” the woman said plainly as she looked over the file. “Dr. Mera is out of the office today. Psychological conference in Athens. I’m handling her appointments today. If you’ll step…”

“Poczekaj cholerną chwilę!” Jon was immediately angered, looks be damned. “Who the hell are you? Are you qualified? Why wasn’t I told before…”

The woman held up a hand with an air of authority that, for some reason, silenced Jon. It was obvious that she expected to be listened to whenever she spoke.

“Apologies,” the woman looked up from the file and looked Jon in the eyes, unfazed and unflinching. No fear whatsoever. That’s different, Jon thought as the woman continued.

“Dr. Mera’s trip was a last minute opportunity, but you should have been informed.” She was direct, no sign of patronizing or pity. “As for myself, I am Miss Evelyn White. I am Dr. Mera’s intern. I have Bachelors Degrees in both Behavioral Psychology and Mental Health Counseling from UCLA and Ohio State, respectively, and am currently top of my class in the Master’s program at Duke. Does that satisfy your question of my qualifications?”

This wasn’t what Jon had come to expect from people. She wasn’t treating him like some volatile mental case to tiptoed around. She was treating him as an equal, a man to be talked to like any other adult. That hadn’t happened in a long time.

Evelyn stepped closer, Jon instinctively backing a step, blushing. If Evelyn noticed, she didn’t show it. “I understand this is highly unusual,” she lowered her voice to speak only to Jon in the moment, “and might be uncomfortable, but I assure you, Mr. Adamski, I am fully qualified to see you.”

As Jon fought to compose himself, at least mentally, Evelyn continued. Her voice was firm, but not unkind, “I’m not Dr. Mera. She has a very maternal approach, which works wonders, and yes, she is a truly amazing therapist. I am fortunate to study under her. However, I have a different approach. I am straightforward, and I don’t sugarcoat. I'm not here to befriend my patients, but to help them."

Trying to force his typical defiance and bluster, Jon asked bluntly, “Who are you to say I am your patient?”

With a nod, Evelyn conceded, “Quite right. You are not my patient, not unless you choose to be.” Her voice picked up a slight edge of resolve as she continued, “but if you allow me, you’ll find me honest, and I’ll respect you enough never to undermine your intelligence with platitudes."

There was something about this woman. Jon held her gaze for a moment before nodding slightly, “For today.”

The briefest flicker of a smile flashed across Evelyn’s face as she gestured once again to Dr. Mera’s office, “Then best not to waste time, Mr. Adamski. The clock is ticking.”

Jon Adamski & Evelyn White are an OCs belonging to @punchout-ispunched and are used with permission.

[anotherwvba]

Punchline pt. 3

The backstage corridor at the Laughing Skull Lounge was narrow and dimly lit, but Jazzy Jamboree led Gabby Jay through like a seasoned veteran.

“Mon ami, you come through here often?” Gabby asked as Jazzy guided him around an equipment chest.

Jazzy chuckled, “You know I dig the spotlight, Gabs. I might have been on that stage a time or two.”

Gabby laughed back, “That explains how you were able to talk the manager into letting this slide with a plug to the live crowd on the next few fight cards.”

“All about who you know, my brother.” Jazzy came to a halt in front of the dressing room door. An assortment of shouts and crashes came from behind the closed door. “Man, sounds like they on round two in there.”

Gabby took position by the door, “Mon Dieu, may this not be a complete disaster.”

“Amen to that. Open her up, Gabs.” Jazzy stepped aside to let Gabby lead the way.

As Gabby opened the door, a hamburger slider came whizzing at his face. The old fighter’s instincts were still there as he narrowly dodged the edible projectile, but it found a home squarely in the middle of Jazzy’s face. From inside, curses and threats filled the air.

“What in the world…” Gabby stared blankly into the utter mayhem that was the dressing room as Jazzy cleaned his face off with a handkerchief.

“Pozwól mi odejść!” Jon Adamski, the comedian that had been pummeling a heckler earlier, now had Disco Kid on top of him trying to hold him down on a couch. “Fight like a man, coward!” Jon screamed as he was furiously reaching for food from the catering table behind the couch.

Disco, struggling with a man half his size, pinned Jon’s wrists to the back of the couch. “Settle down, man! You wanna fight, we’ll do it in the ring. But we here to talk, so just chill.”

Bald Bull was standing by the door with his arms stoically crossed. Behind him on the wall was an assortment of splattered foodstuffs, but Bull was untouched. Clearly, his bobbing and weaving skills were not to be underestimated. He glanced at Gabby with an air of slight annoyance, “Found him. He’s little upset.”

Jazzy, wiping what was left of the ketchup from the slider off his face, “Boy, you lucky that didn’t hit my suit.”

Jon surged forward in a fury, trying to break away from Disco, ���Przynieś to, ty skurwielu!”

“Oh, hell no!” Jazzy lunged forward only to be intercepted by both Bull and Gabby. “You gonna talk that good shit? We can go! I wasn’t always an announcer, punk!”

In the midst of the scuffle, Jon got a hand free and hurled a piece of cake toward Jazzy… only for it to splatter against the back of Bald Bull’s head.

Bull straightened and the room went silent and still, all but Jon’s yelling that is. Never turning to face the projectile’s place of origin, Bull looked sideways at Gabby and held his gaze for a tense moment. “I get this one’s first match.”

As Disco continued his efforts to restrain the volatile comedian, Jon yelled, “You want me, starzec? You can’t sneak up on me now! You. Me. Parking lot! Now!”

Gabby, seeing the Turkish man’s expression, “Oui, that can be arranged. For now, please see that we aren’t interrupted.”

Bull moved to leave and Jazzy patted him on the back, “I’ll join you, Champ. The vibe’s getting too serious in here for my taste.”

Once Bull and Jazzy had left and the door closed, Gabby turned his attention to Jon. "Do you know who I am?" he asked in a firm tone.

Jon, still struggling under Disco, nodded. "Tak, you're Gabby Jay. That old loser that retired and started scouting talent."

“Close enough.” Gabby’s gaze was as sharp and intense as Disco had ever seen. “Let him go.”

Disco started to ask if Gabby was sure, but the Frenchman’s look shut him down. Disco got up and Jon bolted toward the door. Then, suddenly, Jon was on the floor holding his cheek. That cheek had the broad and quickly reddening handprint of an old loser on it.

“Jak śmiesz?!” Jon muttered as he rubbed his stinging cheek, now seated on the floor.

“Now, jeune homme,” Gabby straightened his sports coat and took a seat on the floor across from Jon, “may we converse like civilized men?”

Jazzy Jamboree is an OC belonging to @sukipershipper and is used with permission.

Jon Adamski is an OC belonging to @punchout-ispunched and is used with permission.

[anotherwvba]

Punchline pt. 4

There was a tension in the green room that you could cut with a knife. Gabby Jay sat on the floor in front of Jon Adamski. Jon rubbed his cheek where the retired French fighter’s handprint was reddening at an alarming rate. Disco Kid stood nearby, eyes darting back and forth between Gabby and Jon quickly, trying to figure out what just happened.

“Gabby,” Disco asked slowly, “did you… cause, like, I didn’t see…”

“You slapped me?” Jon’s eyes flared as his gaze was locked on Gabby’s expressionless face.

Disco chuckled, “Taste, brother. He slapped the taste outcha ya’ mouth.”

Gabby’s eyes never left Jon’s, but his expression softened, though his voice carried the gravity of the moment. “Oui, and you have my apologies. I felt it necessary to get your attention.”

“Tek, you have it.” Jon’s face twisted into a scowl. “But you listen closely, Frenchman. I will not go into that WVBA Headquarters building. Not now. Not ever. No way.”

Disco, still confused as to the whole situation, pulled a chair over and sat down. “What’s going on here? What’s this all about?”

“None of your damn business, pretty boy!” Jon snapped at Disco, anger rising, looking positively offended. “Unless you wanna make your business, kid. Do you? Huh?! You think you’re better than me?”

“Man, Gabby,” Disco’s confusion only grew, “what the hell?”

Gabby kept his eyes on Jon, but addressed Disco calmly and firmly, “Disco, please, join us on the floor.”

“Huh? Why should I have to sit on this grimy ass floor?” Disco shot back at Gabby.

With a look that brooked no arguments, Gabby glanced at Disco, speaking in the same soothing tones, “It is important, Disco. Please, join us.”

A shrug later and Disco was moving his chair and claiming a seat on the carpet. Gabby returned his focus to Jon, “Better?” Jon nodded slightly, a slight hint of respect in his eyes.

Gabby nodded, “Now, Jonathan…”

“Jon,” the comedian corrected him quickly and tersely.

“Jon,” Gabby corrected himself. “Jon, you signed a contract as a WVBA boxer. Your try-out in Warsaw was impressive, but your reputation is a little… concerning. Despite this, we’ve offered you a contract with generous terms and you accepted. What is this issue with coming in for fighter orientation?”

“I re-read the contract for myself.” Jon sighed and his shoulders slumped. “My attorney said it’s a good deal, but I will not have some shrink tell me I’m zwariowany or there’s something wrong with me when I know better.”

With an earnest expression, Gabby leaned forward, “Jon, I’m not in the business of hiring crazy people. Being quick to anger doesn’t make you crazy or wrong, but it can get you in a lot of trouble. We see potential in you and want to help you learn to control that anger.”

Jon’s gaze seemed to drift around the room now. It seemed he was considering Gabby’s words intently.

It was at this point that Disco chimed in. “You know, man, I’ve seen some stuff in my life. Not all of it easy to deal with. Sometimes you gotta talk, man. Our staff psychiatrist, her name’s Yukiko Mera, she’s good people. Kind-hearted, wants to help, genuine. I see her once a week. And she don’t judge.”

The look on Jon’s face said he was convinced, but it was softening. Gabby reached out and put a hand on Jon’s shoulder. “I’ve seen a lot of angry young men, Jon. Anger isn’t bad, if harnessed in a constructive pursuit.”

“Fajnie.” Jon returned his gaze to Gabby. “I’ll meet with your Doctor Mera… once. But if I don’t like her or how she treats me, I want out of my contract. No questions asked.”

Gabby stood up and extended his hand to help Jon up, “Agreed. Should I expect you tomorrow morning?”

With a slight hesitation, Jon took Gabby’s hand, stood, and shook hands with Gabby, “You’ll see me tomorrow, Frenchman.”

“Gabby.” the Frenchman corrected quickly and with a smile.

“Gabby.” Jon corrected himself, still not convinced, but willing to give the WVBA a chance.

Jon Adamski is an OC belonging to @punchout-ispunched and is used with permission.

[anotherwvba]

Punchline pt. 1

Author’s Note: This is a side story taking place between parts 11 and 12 of “By Blood or By Choice.”

Thursday nights on Peachtree Street in Atlanta weren’t the most exciting nights of the week, but the Laughing Skull was usually packed out. This night was no exception. After some difficulty, a silver Toyota Corolla found a parking spot. Out of the car, a motley crew stepped out, led by the WVBA’s Director of Talent Relations, Gabby Jay.

Gabby straightened his tie and jacket as he turned to his compatriots. “Remember, mes amis, we are not here to cause a scene. If our gentleman is on stage, we’ll let him finish his set. We’ll see about speaking with him backstage afterwards, non?”

Disco Kid climbed out of the back seat with a quizzical look, “But why am I here, Gabby? I had to cancel a boxercise class for this!”

“Kid, have you looked at Gabby and Bull lately?” Jazzy Jamboree, the colorfully clad announcer, chuckled as he got out the rear passenger’s side. “The last club they saw was a sandwich Giovanni served up in the cafeteria. You and me, Kid, we got the ins at every club in A-Town.”

“I mean,” Disco nodded, “makes sense.”

Bald Bull, now leaning his massive arms on the top of the car, looked at Gabby, “Why me?”

Gabby kept his gentlemanly cool, “Things may take a turn, Champ. Since I’m not, how you say, as spry as I once was, we may need a… presence.”

Bull crossed his arms and nodded as Gabby and Disco rounded the car and they all moved toward the club, but Disco raised an eyebrow in offense. “Might need a presence? You sayin’ I can’t handle myself if things get rough? Man, that hurts, Gabby.”

“I’ve seen videos of this Polish guy.” Gabby sighs and shakes his head before looking at Disco. “Have you ever seen a man beaten half to death with a microphone cable?”

“Naw, man,” Disco chuckled, “You mean choked, right?”

“Oh yeah, I saw that on TikTok,” Jazzy interjected before turning Disco, as well. “He means beat. As in ‘where’s my money’ beat.”

Disco stopped dead in his tracks, gaze darting between the three men. Then, with a nervous laugh and an anxious look in his eyes, he looks at the Major Circuit Champ. “That’s all you, big man.”

Bull smirked and put a reassuring hand on Disco’s shoulder. “We be alright. You watch my back.”

As the quartet approached the lounge entrance, boos and catcalls from inside the club got clearer and clearer. Disco looked at a sign hung prominently in a window. “Heh, ‘open mic night.’ Explains the booing.”

Gabby moved to pay for their admittance, but Jazzy waved him off. “You really don’t know how this works.”

Jazzy walked over toward the doorman, “Yo, Ricky! My man!”

The sharp dressed and burly doorman, easily Bald Bull’s size, looked over and his eyes lit up when he saw Jazzy. “Hey, Jambo! Good to see ya’, buddy. These guys with you?”

“Yeah, man,” Jazzy answered with a handshake and a hug. “Anybody good on stage tonight?”

“Aw, hell,” Ricky answered, “whaddya you think? Y’all head on in.” The doorman spoke into a lapel mic, “You there, Bobby? Let Jazzy and his crew in. They're on me.”

Jazzy smiled, “Thanks, brother. Let me know the next time you, Paula, and the kids wanna come to The Omni.”

“Thanks, buddy. Bring it in!” Ricky shook hands with Jazzy and pulled him into another quick hug. “Y’all enjoy the show, gents! Jambo, don’t be a stranger.”

The four men walked into the club and Disco looked in awe at Jazzy, “Jazzy, respect.”

With a smile, Jazzy looked back at Disco, “You’ll get there one day, Kid.”

As they entered the dining area where the stage was located, a commotion caught their attention. A young man on stage, mic in hand, barely a hundred pounds, dove off the stage! He took down an apparent heckler and all hell broke loose.

Disco, eyes wide, quipped, "That guy’s not getting booked again!" Gabby, shaking his head, remarked dryly, "That guy’s who we’re looking for."

Jazzy Jamboree is an OC belonging to @sukipershipper and is used with permission.

Jon Adamski is an OC belonging to @punchout-ispunched and is used with permission.

[anotherwvba]

Punchline pt. 2

“Aw hell, Gabby.” Jazzy scratched his head as he watched the scene unfold. A seemingly bad stand-up comic having dove off the stage and attacked a heckler during open-mic night at the Laughing Skull Lounge certainly wasn’t an unheard of occurrence, but it was a damn odd one. “You sure that’s our guy?”

“I’m sure, Jazzy,” Gabby replied as he rubbed his eyes.

Disco Kid’s eyes widened in disbelief as the audience got caught up in the frenzy, now with hands being thrown and drinks sailing through the air. “Which one? The comic or the heckler?”

Gabby nodded toward the stage area. “The comedian. His name is Jon Adamski. Technically, he’s on the Minor Circuit roster.”

“Well,” Disco glanced toward Gabby and Jazzy, “at least he’s winning.”

With an exasperated sigh, Gabby nudged Bald Bull, “Bull, s'il vous plaît?”

The large Turkish man cracked his knuckles with a smirk, then clapped Disco on the shoulder. “Got my back, Kid?”

Disco grinned excitedly, “Lead the way, big man!”

As Bull and Disco disappeared into the increasingly violent crowd, Gabby brushed off his suit coat and looked at Jazzy. “We have quite the mess to sort out, mon ami.”

Jazzy shot Gabby a knowing look. “Man, you act like this the first bar fight I had to smooth over. Just follow my lead.”

Gabby and Jazzy made their way in the opposite direction of the uproar that was now the bar and dining area. Fights broke out everywhere as Bull and Disco wove their way through the chaos. Bull shoved and pushed his way through with minimal effort. Disco, meanwhile, was dancing and whirling, slipping punches and dodging kicks from wayward patrons.

“Reminds me of that time they tried an open bar on fight night,” Disco quipped as he sidestepped a falling waiter.

“Reminds me of brother’s wedding back home,” Bull responded as grabbed two brawling men by their collars and moved them aside.

Disco swayed back as a woman dove across his path at her intended victim. “How’s that, big man?”

Bull pulled Disco out of the way of a plate of chili cheese fries that soared dangerously close to his face, then sighed, “Waste of perfectly good food.”

Meanwhile, Gabby and Jazzy slipped past bouncers and security that were headed toward the ongoing disturbance. Jazzy smiled fondly, “Yo Gabs, this remind you of anything?”

Gabby shot a deathly glare at Jazzy. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Man, you know.” Jazzy’s smile turned mischievous. “Your retirement party at The Clarmont? You had a few, that one guy made a pass at Vonnie, and dropped his ass. Man, when jumped up on the table and challenged the whole room…”

Gabby knocked on the manager’s office door as they arrived. “Jazzy, we’re here.”

“... and then you said,” Jazzy continued, now with a passable French accent, “‘C’mon! C’mon, you uncivilized connards! I’m leaving here with a winning record tonight!’ I mean, damn!”

“Jazzy! We are here.” Gabby broke Jazzy out of his reverie. Jazzy smiled sheepishly, while Gabby muttered under his breath. “Espèce de fils de pute.”

“What did you call my mama?” Jazzy shouted, Gabby’s face now bearing the mischievous grin.

Back near the stage, Disco ducked as a flying drink narrowly missed him, splashing onto a burly man beside them. The man turned, ready to throw hands. Disco snapped into his stance, but the man saw Bald Bull’s towering figure behind Disco, reconsidered and slunk away.

Disco, oblivious to Bull’s presence, yelled at the man, “That’s right, chump! You don’t want none of the Kid!” A tap on the shoulder made him turn quick, hands up, and he saw Bull standing there. “Dammit.” With a jerk of his head, Bull pulled Disco’s attention to their man.

Right in front of the stage, a man in a disheveled suit was in full mount and raining punches down on a bigger man, apparently his heckler. “Ty głupi idioto!” the comedian yelled as he delivered another blow. “Czy jestem teraz zabawny?”

Bull and Disco grabbed the man’s arms, surprising him, and lifted him to his feet. “Co do cholery? I’ll smash your face in, you…” and the comedian’s pale face got even paler, surprise evident, as he turned to see Bald Bull’s intimidating gaze upon him. “... um, cześć?”

“Easy, champ.” Disco instinctively stepped in as the ‘good cop’. “You Jon Adamski?”

Jon was nearly frozen, still being held by one arm and his lapel by Bull, but he managed a weak and nervous nod.

Disco looked around and saw what looked to be the heckler’s friends converging on the stage area, security and bouncers hot on their trail to restore control. “Big man, we better get backstage before this gets worse.”

Bull grunted in agreement, then shoved Jon toward the stage. “Lead way,” Bull ordered and the trio made a hasty retreat, leaving the chaos of the stage and dining area for security to sort out.

Jazzy Jamboree is an OC belonging to @sukipershipper and is used with permission.

Jon Adamski is an OC belonging to @punchout-ispunched and is used with permission.

[anotherwvba]

Learning on the Job pt. 4

As the day wore on, fighters and hopefuls came in and out of the WVBA Gym. It was a veritable symphony of thuds, grunts, cheers, and gripes. In the center ring, Gemma was now sparring alternately with Skye and Mika under the watchful eyes of Coach Maxwell and Dudley Bruce. Glass Joe was on the treadmill trying to warn people away from a napping trainee, while Disco Kid and Cutie Hondo were showing new signee Jon Adamski around the gym and introducing him to people with varying degrees of success.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the gym, Razor Sharp was on the speed bag. She was a force of nature. She danced around the bag, keeping its rhythm flowing for strikes from all angles. She had the flair and showmanship of a star. From all around the gym, eyes fell on her and the bag. She knew and she loved it.

As Razor drew stares and gazes with her incredible bag work, Luna Doll approached a neighboring speed bag, ready to start her own workout. Luna was as precise and quick on the speed bag as she is with a controller, something viewers of her streams knew all too well. But as focused as she was, Luna found herself stealing glances of Razor’s performance on the bag next to her.

Taking a quick break, Razor took a moment to hydrate and grabbed her water bottle. Most of those watching her went back to their own training at that point, but Luna caught a glimpse of the bottle, the word RAZOR boldly emblazoned across it.

“Yo,” Luna stopped her bag as she spoke, “you’re Razor Sharp, ain’t ya’?” Her tone was friendly and warm, as usual, but had a touch of challenge to it, like she was putting her quarter down on the arcade machine to call ‘next’.

Razor turned, sizing Luna up with a smile, “That’s me, girl! Philly’s finest in the flesh.” Her brash and braggadocious nature came through, but certainly good-natured. “And you’re Luna Doll, the stream queen herself. Loved your ‘Shadow Hearts’ playthrough. Pretty cool stuff.”

“Thanks! I can’t believe you watch,” Luna’s face lit up at the recognition. “You know, I gotta tell you, debuting against each other? It’s like a dream. I’ve seen you in action before and you’re amazing! It’s like you were born for this… which kinda makes sense. B-T-W, big fan of your dad.”

A mischievous quality came through Razor’s grin, “Appreciate it. Our fight’s gonna be lit, something really special. For me, anyway. Kinda like a good public workout.”

“Excuse me?” That comment hit Luna like a game over screen and her friendly expression darkened. “What do you mean by ‘public workout’?”

Razor’s confidence never wavered, her smile securely in place. “Means you’ve never had a fight, not a real one. I step into the ring, I’m not like your influencer friends. They playing tag. I’m starching chicks. You ain’t ready for what I’m bringing.”

Pride and determination overcame Luna. Her eyes flared, but she held her temper in check. “Just ‘cause I fought influencers before I came here doesn’t mean I don’t take this seriously. Those fights were real. We weren’t playing games. We were trying to put each other on the canvas. So, you best not sleep on me, girl!”

“Hey, chill,” Razor shrugged and put her hands up. “Ain’t saying you didn’t scrap. I’ve seen what you’ve done. It’s cool and all and it took a lotta guts. But this? Me? This is the big leagues, baby, and, like you said, I was born for this. You ain’t built for a beatdown, giving or receiving.”

Luna heard the challenge in Razor’s voice and smiled. It wasn’t out of amusement, though. It was ‘game on’. She stepped a little closer toward Razor, “We’ll see, Razor. But I’mma tell you right now, you treat me like anything other than another pro and I’m gonna flip the script on you, Baby Sands.”

Closing the distance between them to mere inches, Razor’s smile broadened, her voice dropped. She was loving this. “Let’s keep this 100, aight? You best be ready to catch a beating, girl. I’mma send a message to the whole damn Circuit and that message is gonna be you, out like a light, flat on your back.”

“Oh, girlfriend,” Luna met Razor’s gaze with her own, her smile bright, too. Unfazed and unflinching. “Stay cocky. Keep underestimating me. ‘Cause I can’t wait to prove you wrong. Just one thing… don’t blink, baby. You do and you’ll wake up on your ass wondering what happened.”

And there it was. Challenge laid out and accepted. Bring your best or pay the price when the bell rings. Luna turned back to her bag, finding her rhythm driven by a newfound purchase. Razor moved on to the heavy bags to continue her own training, but just couldn’t help herself as she called back loudly over her shoulder, the whole gym hearing her.

“Hey, Hitmaker! By the time I’m done whooping your ass, you gonna wish you stuck to boxing with TikTokers and Twitch streamers. It’s a lot safer than stepping to me, baby!”

Luna’s response was a barely there smile and words only loud enough for herself to hear, drowned out by the rhythmic sounds of her speed bag. “Game on, Baby Sands… game on!”

Star Mika is an OC belonging to @cyrah-is-cool101 and is used with permission. Jon Adamski is an OC belonging to @punchout-ispunched and is used with permission.

[junker-town]

Mike Tomlin is 100 percent right about the NFL roughing the passer rule

It wasn’t just a problem for the Steelers this week either. Teams and players keep getting burned by this, and it’s a real problem.

One week. We had one week, last week, where the NFL’ roughing the passer rule wasn’t a total shitshow. The braintrust that came up with it in the first place had a conference call, didn’t make any changes to the impossible rule, but did quietly issue some clarifications that took some of the stupidity out of it.

We should have known it wouldn’t last.

This week, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was again spared the arbitrary wrath of an inexplicable flag. Instead, Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt got served up as the league’s sacrifice to a nonsensical rule. His teammate Jon Bostic got one too.

Mike Tomlin is mad AF, and you can’t blame him

It had to happen to the Steelers too, a team already volatile. At least they got the win. I can only imagine Mike Tomlin’s reaction if they’d lost, and he was plenty pissed off after yesterday’s game.

He made a direct attack on the penalties:

“Those looked like legitimate calls, we’ve gotta be better there, but some of the other stuff, man, is a joke. We’ve gotta get better as a National Football League. Man, these penalties are costing people games and jobs. We’ve gotta get them correct. So I’m pissed about it, to be quite honest with you, but that’s all I’m gonna say on it.”

Watt’s older brother, J.J. (perhaps you’ve heard of him), asked a very pertinent question about the hit that we are all wondering:

Would love to hear the explanation on how this was “roughing the passer” pic.twitter.com/Fv7reMBH84

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) October 7, 2018

T.J. Watt said after the game he did everything he could to avoid “roughing” the quarterback on that play.

“I understand the rules. I’m not a dirty player. I tried to pull off him at the end. Whether the ref saw it or not, I understand why they call it. It was a low hit. But I tried to pull my arms off. We’ll see if I get a check in the mail or not. ... It puts us in a bind because I don’t know what else I can do. I couldn’t have rolled off, then I risk hitting someone in the knees or hurting myself.”

When asked about the call on Bostic, the game’s referee told him he didn’t know why it was a penalty either.

Jon Bostic, on why he was given a personal foul flag after his sack of Matt Ryan: "To be honest, I don’t know. I tried to ask the ref, he said he didn’t know. So..."

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 7, 2018

The Steelers weren’t the only team to get burned by the rule this week

There were 11 roughing the passer penalties this week, bringing the season total up to 50 so far. And the infractions, mostly, are about as ticky tack and random as you can imagine.

49ers cornerback Ku’Waun Williams got a flag because his arm his Cardinals QB Josh Rosen’s facemask while Williams was turning in mid air to avoid hitting Rosen.

The Eagles really got screwed on a call against Michael Bennett in a loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Bennett went to tackle Kirk Cousins above the knees, to avoid the penalty, but he slipped while he was bringing him down. FLAG.

Putting the quarterback to bed like a baby.... too roughpic.twitter.com/QMqtRacvs0

— Ben Livingston (@bliv94) October 7, 2018

The call might have flipped the game for the Vikings too. Minnesota was able to extend the drive because of the 15-yard penalty, instead of facing a third-and-35. They scored, and that put them up 17-3 at the half.

Eagles players were livid, screaming about the call as they headed into the locker room.

Referee Walt Coleman explained it this way:

“He want low into the quarterback’s knees with his shoulder, with force. And the rule is that you cannot hit the quarterback low at the knee area or below with force. He got him there with his shoulder, so that’s what I had as far as roughing the passer.”

That falls under the roughing the passer rules from before this season’s infamous “body weight” addition, and Coleman’s an experienced ref. But it’s still symptomatic of the larger problem here — there’s no consistency or room for judgement calls when players touch a quarterback who happens to fall to the ground.

“It wasn’t like he was putting him in danger,” Malcolm Jenkins said. “I know they don’t want low hits on the quarterback, but if you’re falling down, I guess you’re supposed to just let the quarterback go? The explanation from the official is he has to avoid that hit, which means he can’t do his job. He can’t tackle the quarterback while he has the ball.”

Why does this rule suck so much?

It’s the inconsistency, stupid. Textbook tackles are being punished now alongside malicious takedowns that really do deserve a flag. It’s not fair to players who are only getting flags telling them what they can or can’t do, despite the fact that the rule emphasis obviously represents a major sea change for defenders.

And it’s a rule being enforced by the most inexperienced group of officials in years.

Don’t put it all on the refs though. They’re doing what they’re told to do by the guys who sign their checks.

Owners doubled down on the roughing the passer rule this season in part to protect their investments in quarterbacks. Plus, the league’s been so fixed on expanding the offensive element of the game over the years because of its appeal to a wider audience. It’s hard not to wonder if the recent ratings decline of the last few seasons has anything to do with this too.

But really, you should re-read retired NFL defensive end Stephen White’s assessment of the rule and its folly. Nobody’s going to explain it better than he did. In short, this is some ass-covering PR stunting by owners, who never sought or listened to player input.

Mike Tomlin’s outrage over the rule is perfectly justified. It’s also worth pointing out that he’s on the competition committee, so he’s uniquely positioned to do something about it or at least use his direct line to the league’s brass to lobby for a fix. But even that has its limits if it touches the upper bounds of the NFL pretending like its doing something about player safety.

But you know what, even if they do fix yet another mess they created, nobody should forget the Keystone Kops manner in which the NFL slapped together these rule changes this past offseason. And the next time the league claims to be committed to player safety, maybe be a little more skeptical before you buy that hook, line and sinker.

Remember the catch rule and what a mess that was? This has the potential to be 100 times worse. This rule is even more arbitrarily applied. Refs on the field more pressure to enforce the rule while at the same time having less discretion to stand on their own judgement lest it be overturned by the league’s centralized officiating center in a black box somewhere on Park Avenue.

Worse, the more fans have to see it, have to hear their favorite team’s players’ exasperation over the rule deciding the outcome of games, it’s just going to give them one more reason to watch something else on Sundays.