#kenny turned around and became hawk

[danielsbian]

i will never understand what effect hawk thought slamming kenny against the stalls would have? i love him but hawk did not help that poor boy by scaring the shit out of him

[leviismybby]

Once a thief, always a thief

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x reader

Warnings: Angst, fluff, there's a lot going on, it's very bittersweet.

A/N: I wrote this while doing my essay today, the idea seemed too good to just let it go, let me know if I should do a part 2! :))

Taglist: @the-milk-anon @youre-ackermine @levisbrat25 @yakaaamoz @levisgreyeyes @notgoodforlife @ackermendick @laraackerman If you want to be tagged just let me know!

Levi's eyes followed as the scouts trained, every single one trying to impress him more than the other. Next to him, Miche is doing the same, hawk-like eyes watching their every move.

"Levi." He hears Erwins voice behind him, already on alert by the sound of it. Levi turns around to face the blond man, arms crossed against his chest. "We have a problem I'd like to discuss with you."

Without a word Levi follows Erwin to his office, something is telling him that it's about you, again. As they enter his office, he sees Nile sitting in one of the chairs visibly upset.

Levi sits down opposite Nole, his face stoic. Once everyone has settled, Erwin turns to Nile, already annoyed with the man. "So Nile, please repeat to captain Levi what the issue seems to be."

"Name has stolen from us again, this is the fifth time in three months. She needs to be put behind bars for good." There isn't any mercy in Nile's words, you had been a pain in his ass for a while now.

"Why are you telling me this?" Levi almost scoffs the words out, he would lie for you again however this time, he really doesn't know where you are.

"You have lied for her before, I have no reason to see why you wouldn't do it again." It was about a year ago when you had stolen a pretty expensive necklace from one of the nobles, when shown a drawing of you, Levi lied that he didn't know you. Too bad for him, Nile had already caught on by then.

"I have nothing to do with her anymore and I don't fucking care that she stole from you. Train your dumbass soldiers better and maybe they would be able to stop one woman from stealing." But you're a tough cookie, always have been since Levi met you all those years ago.

You used to be kids in the underground, Kenny had thought Levi many things but not how to properly steal, Levi got that from you. Somehow, be it luck or skill, you always got away with it. He remembers when you stole a whole bag of fruits from smugglers without being seen, that was the day he was introduced to apples.

The two of you grew up together and he watched you grow into a woman. When you were taken by the scouts you took it well, even got praised by the commanding officers for your impressive stealth, until Furlan's and Isabelle's deaths.

That was where you snapped and the next day you vanished. Levi lost it all in a span of two days but he grew from it, learned to adapt to the scouts, and became humanities strongest soldier.

As soon as he heard that there was a mysterious robbery in a dress store, he knew it was you. He knows you like the back of his hand.

Arrogance was always your big problem, how many times has Levi had to save your ass because you were too stubborn to quit?  He could count on his finger just how many times he lied not only to the military police but to Erwin as well, all to keep you out of trouble. Yet you always manage to get yourself into bullshit and Levi is getting tired of it.

"How about we set up a trap? What does she like Levi?" Erwin turns his attention to Levi, noticeably curious about what his answer will be. "I don't know, anything that can make her a bit of money."

A lie. He lied again. You loved diamonds and different stones, you kept a shelf in your old room full of them.

"Something from the king, perhaps his robe, that would be worth a bunch on the black market." Of course, all of these suggestions by Erwin are for the benefit of the scouts again. If his plan works, he will be awarded by the government.

"The king? What makes you think he would want to help?" Nile's body is now tense, even though he wouldn't want the king involved in all of this.

"A skilled thief is on the loose, she got past your security what makes you think that she can't get through to the king?"

"The king doesn't interest her, trust me. She is skilled but she never bites off more than she can chew." Of course, you hated royals and their selfishness for normal people, while they starved, the king and his men ate like pigs.

"So what do you propose Levi?" Erwin's eyebrow slightly raises, he is interested in hearing what Levi has in store.

"We wait. She will strike again I'm sure."

Levi doesn't want to complicate things, he simply doesn't want you to get caught by the government. If it means that he has to come up with a plan alone, then so be it.

__________________________________

And so it was, Levi waited for three hours to see if you would be interested in the new jewelry shop that opened not far away from the capital of Mitras. It was dark, only moonlight illuminating the empty streets, the smell of after rain was present, creating an unusual atmosphere.

No matter how many times he has told himself to hate you, to forget you, he couldn't do it. You were his first everything after all. How many times has he hoped that he would see you somewhere happy possibly married and even with a baby in your hands. Levi would hate that man with his whole being but he would know that you are safe.

All of that is far from reality, Levi knew that you never even thought about marriage let alone a child. You weren't mature enough for those things no matter how quickly you had to grow up and fight for survival.

Finally, he sees a hooded figure climbing down from one of the buildings onto the roof of the jewelry shop. Every one of your steps is calculated, at the moment when you concentrated the most is where Levi had caught you off guard.

Suddenly you weren't walking anymore, instead grunting in pain as you felt your arms being pinned behind your back. You tried to wiggle yourself out of the grip but to no avail.

"Name stop." You stop moving, eyes going wide. Levi. When he sees that you have relaxed under his touch, he slowly lets you go making you know that he can catch you should you try to run.

You get up from the ground, taking your hood off. "Heh, I should've known you would be tracking me. I felt eyes on me for a while now."

"I wasn't tracking shit, I just happen to know you." As blunt as ever I see. "Good for you then. Now please excuse me I have a store to rob."

Just as you were about to walk past him, Levi grips your arm halting you in place. "Are you an idiot? Can't you see that it's a trap?" Damn it. He wasn't supposed to tell you that. It was what Nile came up with after he had left Erwin's office.

"No kidding." You smile sarcastically, breaking your hand away from his grip. "You knew."

"Of course I did. A new shop opens out of the blue in the middle of Mitras, do you think that I'm stupid?" Your voice is raised and you don't even notice it. For all that you thought would happen in the future between you and Levi, this wasn't one of them.

You have always thought that he would be your partner in crime for life, it seemed so before anyway. But things have changed, he has changed.

"So why the hell are you here? Do you want to get caught?" The answer was no and yes, no you didn't want to get caught, yes because you wanted to see if the military police have learned from their past mistakes.

"Even if I do, what about it? I'm just a thief aren't I?" Levi scoffs at you, after so long of not seeing each other, he thought you would at least be more responsible.

"Don't test me name." He says eyes searching yours. it's clear that whatever happens on this roof tonight, you two are far from over.

"Or what? You're gonna scold me?

"I'm trying to protect you. You brainless idiot." Levi almost spits out those words, how can't you see that he has been doing it the whole time?

"How nice. Somehow everyone you tried to protect is now six feet under." Those words make Levi's eyes shoot open, you don't seem to realize what you just said until you see Levi grow mad.

Before you can move, your back is already harshly pinned against the stone wall, breath is almost knocked out of you. Levi's hand is gripping your shirt, pulling it up until your noses are almost touching.

"How childish do you have to be not to understand that I have saved your ass so many times? Do you even know how close they were to locking you up? Do you know what it means to be behind bars as someone who is from the underground!?" His voice is harsh but he isn't yelling, it's a mixture of hurt and worry.

"And why do you even do it? I didn't ask that from you! You just joined the scouts, you didn't even try looking for me after I left! Do you know how hard it is to see you after all this time?" Levi softens his grip when he sees that your eyes have been filled with tears.

"Let me go Levi!" A tear rolls down your face, Levi is frozen, stuck between his heart and mind.

"Levi! I said let me g-" Lips suddenly crush to your own and you blink. Without much hesitation, your hands are in his hair and you are kissing him back.

Neither of you are thinking, the only thing you're focused on is Levi. You have missed him so much. His hands run down to your waist, pulling you closer to him.

And you let him, let him savor this moment while it lasts. Your hands wander from his hair to his neck, tongue entering his mouth. Levi moans softly, kissing you passionately.

You're teenagers again, the same ones that clumsily had their first kiss, the same ones that used to cause trouble.

Levis hands move down to your hips, squeezing them, a moan escapes your mouth when Levi pulls away and starts kissing your neck.

"Levi...." You take his face into your hands, kissing him once more before pulling away. "Not here and not now..." He nods, aware of his surroundings again. Pulling away from you, his cheeks grow red.

"You should go. The military police could be here any minute." You nod taking the opportunity to kiss him again and he doesn't budge, fully accepting your kiss.

"Here is my address." You slip a piece of paper into his belt before putting your hood on and running in the opposite direction.

Levi is left on the roof, mouth agape, still trying to process what just happened. Only when he hears footsteps is he brought back to reality.

He will make sure to see you again, he takes the paper from is belt but notices that one of his knives is gone, Levi smiles slightly.

Once a thief, always a thief

[columbo-of-narnia]

You've probably been asked this before, but if you could insert your husbands into each other's shows (Tanner into HSMTMTS and Josh into Cobra Kai), how would you design their characters? What would they be like? What would their purpose in the narrative be?

And most importantly, would they finally get to snog men on screen?

I have never been asked this, BUT I have thought of it! First, let's do Josh in Cobra Kai. This is just part 1. I am gonna add Tanner to HSMTMTS next

His character would be named Briar Thorne and start out as one of Sam's friends. They grew up together, Briar's dad is a lawyer who grew up in poverty, so he does everything he can to provide for his son. Despite this, Briar isn't spoiled and rather understands his privilege and tries to give back to those who don't have as much.

He is very kind and sweet and absolutely hates unnecessary violence.

His narrative reason for being is to add some realism to the show because holy fuck does Cobra Kai not do that itself.

He first meets Robby mid season 1 when Robby first starts hanging around the LaRusso house and he is almost instantly Smitten. Nothing really happens romantically with them until season 3. Really he is a side character one season 1 and 2. He slowly becomes someone Robby can consider a friend and becomes more Robbus friend than sam's (He and she had been drifting apart for a while)

Briar avoids the out of tournament Karate fights but does show up to support Robby and actually goes to the locker room to check on Robby after Hawk cheats and hurts him. That shows Robby that Briar actually cares for him.

When Briar finds out that Shannon just left Robby without food or money. He immediately offers him a place to stay and Robby is thankful but declines because he is living with the LaRussos. Briar leaves the offer open and suddenly after that he is hanging out with Sam more at her place. He knows it's shitty but he wants to spend time with Robby more. He does have a crush but doesn't pursue it because obviously Robby is Dating sam

At the end of season 2 he is there for the Brawl and witnesses Miguel attacking Robby and Robby defending himself by Kicking Miguel over the edge.

Now this is where things change. Robby does still run away. However, Briar is very Vocal to everyone that it was self defense. He even posts videos online showing Robby trying to stop the fight and how Miguel antagonized and kept being aggressive towards Robby up until the point where Miguel fell.

When Robby is caught, Immediately Briar is there with his dad. Robby doesn't go to juvie for Assault but rather running from the police. His stay is still awful but now he had Briar as a Visitor daily.

There is also a lawsuit against the DAs office because they initially tried repressing the videos taken showing how Robby was just defending himself.

When Robby gets out he goes and Lives with Briar instead of staying at Cobra Kai. He doesn't even join the Dojo until Sam comes to see him at the skate park because she tries to just brush everything under the rug and act like she hadn't gone on the news and said "I don't know why robby did it". That's when he joins Cobra kai.

He isn't tricked or conned into it. He is using them. He wants to get back at his dad, at Daniel, at Sam and everyone who turned on him.

He still trains Kenny and forms a bond with him but it's more genuine. Because Robby had someone believe in him (Briar) he hasn't fully gone to the dark side and thus he is able to build a stronger bond with Kenny and teach him the importance of Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai. How Kenny can use both and not be consumed by either.

Robby initially struggled with his feelings for Briar when he first got out of Juvie. He still had Johnny's voice in his head telling him 'no way my son can be gay. Be a man robby'. It took some time and Briar never pushed, but Robby soon realized he liked Briar back and they began dating.

And Briar actually became good friends with Tory once he got to know her and She learned that he wasn't stuck up or judgemental like she thought. They became very close to the point where his dad was willing to help Tory with any legal Issues her Aunt may cause.

Robby goes to prom With Briar, who sets Tory up with a nice guy. They have a lot of fun until the after party where Sam confronts Briar for dating Robby.

She is upset that he is dating her ex and that he took his side. How she feels betrayed that he dropped her and has been ignoring her. That he is friends with the go who tormented and attacked her relentlessly.

He points out that she dropped Robby when he needed her. How she Betrayed Robby. How she showed up to prom with the man who started all this (Briar does not like miguel). He tells her she is acting immature and that the world doesn't revolve around her. He can date who he wants and be friends with who he wants. Because Tory never would have been aggressive if sam had not been judgmental.

Sam slaps Briar and that's when Tory and Robby come over and tell Sam to back off and Sam is horrified she slapped one of her oldest friends. She tries to apologize but Tory stands in the way and tells her to leave before they make her. Miguell comes over and that's when the after prom fight happens.

When it ends Briar and Robby leave and end up cuddling in the car Tetry lent Robby. They didn't have sex but instead spent the night just talking, Kissing and being together. Robby promises that after the All Valley, he was done with Cobra Kai and all of it. T

I've already written too much, and this is just half of my ideas for Joshua in Cobra Kai because I was trying to keep season 1-3 mostly the same with season 4 changing drastically and season 5 being completely rewritten and season 6 possibly not existing.

[anxious-cosplayer]

West SIDE Story (Prinxiety) Chapter 1

So this idea kinda smacked me in the face yesterday and I just had to start writing a little bit of it. So here it is! West Side Story x Sanders Sides (ft. Thomas and Friends)

Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five

Word count: 1,818 Warnings: violence, talks of violence, gangs

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Everyone has grown up with the play of Romeo and his Juliet. The tragic love story by Shakespeare himself, that can be regarded as one of the most amazing romantic stories of all time; or the cheesiest and most overrated thing that English teachers won’t shut up about. 

However, it takes a lot more than a good storyline to leave an impression. It’s the characters that people love the most. And it will be the characters that make a story come to life. 

This is West SIDE Story.

****************************************

The sun’s rays pierced through the silver clouds and greeted the Upper West Side of New York City. Despite it being only around nine o’clock in the morning, people were already up and about. People were at work, children in the playground, and the gangs that ruled over that area had started to come out and play. 

The Jets were walking the streets, whistling and grinning as they walked the path they owned. Their leader, Thomas, was absolutely glowing as he strutted down the sidewalk with his family. His lieutenant, Logan, walking to the same tune but keeping it cool. The youngest member of the gang, Talyn, was smiling in awe that they were a member of this mighty group that actually understood them. Joan was walking alongside them, laughing along to a joke made by Britney; the most hotheaded of the group. 

The bliss the gang were experiencing was soon interrupted when they stumbled upon a certain snake. And not just any snake, the Sharks leader himself, Deceit. No one knew his real name but that is the name everyone knew him as. He was handsome, proud, and watched as the Jets stopped in their tracks as soon as they saw him. They yelled at him to scram, and scram he did. The gang went back to their happy morning stroll, chatting and bantering back and forth when suddenly another group of the Sharks appeared; Adri, Leo and Dom. 

The Jets yelled at them to scram, and they ran. After several runs ins with each other over the course of the morning, the tension was brewing. And soon it became clear a fight was about to break out. When Brittney ‘accidentally’ trips over Kenny, the fights and chases started to break out. As each gang member faced off with one from the opposing party. 

But eventually, one Jet was left alone. Joan was running after some of the Sharks when he found himself lost. Then Deceit jumped in front of him from god knows where. One by one, the Sharks started to appear. Quill, Adri, Valerie, Leo, Dom, Kenny and Remy. They all surrounded Joan. Joan screams out a cry for help as they got closer and grabbed them.

The Jets leapt into action once more as the chase continued to the playground, where the two gangs openly brawled with one another. The shrill sounds of a police whistle broke the sound of the fight. 

“Alright, alright!” Officer Camden pulled the gang members off of each other to stop the fighting from occurring. 

“How many times have I told you punks?!” The Lieutenant barged in, splitting apart the two gangs.

“Well if it ain’t Lieutenant Terrence!” Thomas said, almost cueing the chorus that came from the rest of his gang.

“Top of the day, Lieutenant Terrence!”

Deceit chimed in, “and Officer Camden!” The Sharks responded on cue.

“Top of the day, Officer Camden!”

Lt. Terrence spotted some of the Jets climbing the bars nearby. “You! Get down!”

Joan and Logan chimed in. “But we’re having such fun!”

“We enjoy the playground!”

Thomas nodded, “it keeps us ‘deprived children’ off of the ‘foul city streets’!”

Camden looked at them all. “Shut up.” 

Terrence walks over to Talyn and pulled them over towards where the Sharks were. “All right, Talyn, which one of these guys got you?”

“Um...well,” Talyn looked to Thomas for help. Thomas immediately stepped in to help the young gang member. 

“As a matter of fact, sir, if you wanna know the truth, we suspect the job was done by a cop.”

“Two cops!”

“At the very least!”

“Impossible!”

“In America, nothing is impossible,” Deceit smirked at the other group.

Lieutenant Terrence called for quiet as he decided to try and talk some sense into them. “All right, wiseguys, now listen to me! You hoodlums don’t own the streets! I’ve had it with all the roughhouse I’ve put up with around here! If you want to kill each other, kill each other! But you ain’t gonna do it on my watch!” There was a small pause. “Any questions?” 

Deceit spoke up, “yes, sir. Would you mind translating that into Spanish?” Valerie chuckled behind him quietly. Terrence slowly walks over to where Deceit was. 

“Get your ‘friends’ out of here, Deceit. And stay out!” Deceit maintained eye contact with the policeman. Terrence sighed before saying, “please?”

“Okay Sharks. Vamonos.” The Sharks left together to head back to their area of the neighbourhood. Terrence turned back to the Jets, his mood suddenly shifting into a calm manner. 

“Now look, let’s be reasonable. If I don’t get a little law and order around here, I get busted down to a traffic corner, and your friend doesn’t like traffic corners. So that means that you’re gonna have to be nice to the Sharks from now on. I said nice. Get it?” His voice hardens. “Cause if you don’t and I catch any one of you brawling in my territory - I’m gonna personally see that you go to jail and rot there!” Terrence smirked and turned away, “say goodbye to the nice kids, Camden.”

“Bye, kids.” Camden left with Terrence, leaving the Jets to fume by themselves. They started to mock the policemen and the people that always yelled at them.

“Goodbye, kids.”

“‘You hoodlums don’t own the streets’!”

“Go play in the park!”

“Keep off the grass!”

“Get out of the house!”

“Keep off the block!”

“Get out of here!”

“Keep off the world!” Joan grumbled and protested, “a gang that doesn’t own a street is nothing!”

“We do own it!” Thomas yelled over the top of the protests, “Jets - let’s go!” It was only then that the gang realised that a certain short boy had joined them. Patton was a little boy from the neighbourhood that didn’t have any friends. He desperately wanted to join the Jets, and most of the gang members admired him for trying but they really didn’t think he was cut out for being a gang member. He was just too sweet! “Not you, Patton. Beat it!”

Patton immediately started to protest, “Aw, Thomas, you’ve got to let me in the gang! Didn’t you just see me? I was a smash! I’m a killer! I wanna fight!”

“How else is he going to hang out with other people?” Joan teased. Patton started to lunge at them.

“You dirty rat!”

Thomas grabbed the back of Patton’s shirt before they got near Joan, “the road, Patton, hit the road.” Patton grumbled and spat at the floor as he leaves the area. The Jets all crowded around Thomas as he started to try and raise their spirits. “Okay! Now listen! We fought hard for this turf and we are not going to give it up!” The Jets all mumbled out agreements. “The Emeralds claimed it and we shut them out! The Hawks tried to take it away and we knocked them down!”

“Yeah but these Sharks are different! They multiply!”

“They keep coming!”

“Like cockroaches!”

“Close the windows!”

“Shut the doors!”

“Help, I’m drowning!” All the Jets voiced their collective opinion until their leader interjected again.

“And you heard what Lieutenant Terrence said! We got to be nice to the Sharks or else! We got to let them move in under our noses and take it all away from us, or else!” All the Jets cried out in protest of what their leader was saying. Thomas stood up, “Damn right, no! So what are we gonna do? I’ll tell ya! We’re gonna be fast, we’re gonna move like lightning, and we’re gonna clean those Sharks up once and for all so they never set foot on our turf again!” All the Jets cheered. “And we’re gonna do it in one all-out fight.”

Brittney called out, “a rumble!”

“Cool it, Brittney. The Sharks want a piece of this world too. They might ask for blades or zip guns-”

“Zip guns?!” Talyn was nervous. 

Thomas stepped in to calm them down, “I’m not saying that they will. I’m only saying that they might, and we have to be prepared. Now, what do you think?”

All the Jets cheered out for the rumble to happen, but Tayln still stepped in and said that they should forget this whole thing, nerves still on their side. Logan piped up from the back, “What do you say, Thomas?”

Thomas paused to think before saying, “I say this turf is small, but it’s all we got! I want to hold it as we’ve always held it. But if they say blades, I say blades. If they say guns, I say guns. I say I want Jets to be number one, to sail, to hold the sky!” The Jets cheered and whistled at what their leader said. “Okay! We rumble!” The Jets all started marching together god knows where. They were electrified with the thoughts of finally getting their territory securely in their grasp. 

Thomas kept going, “Now protocol calls for a war council between us and the Sharks to set up the whole thing. I will personally deliver the bad news to Deceit.” 

“You’ve got to take a lieutenant with you,” Logan stated with Brittney slapping him on the back. 

“That’s Logan!”

“That’s Roman,” Thomas corrected. 

Brittney scoffed, “who needs Roman? He doesn’t belong anymore!”

“Cut it, Brittney,” Thomas scowled, “Roman and I started the Jets.”

“Just saying, Roman hasn’t been with us in over a month,” Brittney shrugged. Some of the members looked down at the ground, missing their old friend.

“We couldn’t have won against the Emeralds without Roman,” Joan interjected. Talyn nodded along saying how Roman saved their neck more than once in the past. Thomas proceeded to reassure them all that Roman would come through for them once more. 

“So where are you going to find Deceit?”

“At the dance tonight at the gym,” Thomas stated like it was obvious. 

“The gym is neutral territory!” Thomas smiled sweetly, “I’ll be nice there! I’m only gonna challenge him! So everybody, dress up sweet and sharp. And someone let Taylor and Dahlia know too! Meet Roman and I at ten and walk tall!” The gang split up to go do their jobs or to get ready for the dance, singing away about how amazing their gang is and how happy they are to be a Jet.

“We always walk tall!

“We’re Jets!”

“The greatest!”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Hope you guys enjoyed! This was half-written when I was about to pass out so I hope it makes sense. Roman and Virgil will be introduced next chapter and dm if you find any mistakes or have any questions. Requests are open too! - Anx

[olivereliott]

Good things take time: A Trackmaster from NYC Norton

There are a few builders we watch like a hawk, because everything they touch turns to gold. One of them is NYC Norton, run by the affable Kenny Cummings. He’s one of the top Brit bike specialists in the States, but he doesn’t build a bike up from scratch every week. When he finishes one, it’s always worth taking a closer look.

This Trackmaster-framed beauty is the latest machine to roll out of his Jersey City workshop, and was commissioned by a Norton enthusiast from California—who also has a very specific interest in the 1970s flat track glory days.

The brief was loose. “Sometimes we work with folks who want to have their hands on every fastener turn,” says Kenny [above]. “Other times we get a sketch, an outline, or a text, and away they go.”

Whenever Kenny got to a crossroads on this build, he emailed his client: “He’d answer with an old picture of Dave Aldana jumping his Norton, with the caption, ‘Like this.’ We were able to have latitude.”

The story of this Trackmaster started five years ago, when it was simply a motor build. The original brief was to build up a 1972 Commando ‘Combat’ engine—itself a tuned-up version of the familiar 750 twin. During the rebuild, Kenny added a bigger cam and a ported head, and machined it to allow for a magneto.

This sits in the traditional spot behind the cylinders, and it’s an elaborate mod that requires a longer intermediate spindle, turning down the timing cover boss, and modifying the points cavity.

Forged JE pistons and Carrillo rods were fitted, and Kenny chose a Mick Hemmings PW3 cam for good lift. “We built the head with KPM Black Diamond valves and bronze guides,” he reveals, “and ported it to give a little more flow, then skimmed it even further than a stock Combat, giving a measured 9.75:1 compression.”

“Once the motor was done it became a static art display, sitting prominently on our bench, awaiting instructions on where to send it,” says Kenny. “The idea was for our customer to source a dirt track chassis so he could dabble with a build in his garage out west. But after a year or so the call came in: would we be interested in the full build of a dirt track-inspired street bike? Yes!”

The NYC Norton shop is a sea of Commandos, Seeleys and Featherbeds, all built around the concept of superior ‘Roadholding.’ So for Kenny, the opportunity to order ‘off the menu’ for once was a welcome change.

A short time later, a Tri-C Trackmaster replica frame was delivered to the shop, and the fun really began. “The scope of the build was very basic,” says Kenny. “Put all foot controls on the RH side—à la flat track racers—and do just enough electronics to get it past inspection.

And when in doubt, Kenny was instructed to take cues from the famous Ron Wood / CR Axtell Norton twin-downtube flat tracker. Owned by Jamie Waters, it conveniently lived close by during this build.

Armed with a couple of cocktail napkin sketches, Kenny and his crew went to work. “The first thing to do was to get the motor and gearbox in the frame, with the proper plates.” The gearbox was built from scratch using an H-D shell, but the increased wall thickness required some relieving of the plates beyond the usual.

Then onto carbs and manifolds. This Norton runs Dell’Orto PHF 34s, just like Axtell’s, but it wasn’t a plug-and-play job. “We designed a custom manifold [above] to create a smooth transition from the carb choke bore down to the inlet on the head, while splaying out the carb bodies slightly for space,” says Kenny. He also designed the low-key but effective exhaust system, with compact reverse-cone mufflers.

The primary is driven by a Steve Maney Racing 40mm Belt drive, complete with anodized lightweight Commando clutch. The wide belt (and the aesthetic desire to run a Matchless G85 primary) meant cutting down the end of the Norton crankshaft, and tapping to add front pulley fastening.

The stunning frame is completed by a Ceriani replica 35mm front end, with caliper hangers. The 19-inch wheels are Borrani flanged alloy rims laced with stainless spokes, and shod with Pirelli and Carlisle tires. The brakes are controlled by AP Racing [F] and Hurst Airheart [R] masters.

Unfortunately, the swingarm bushings that came with the chassis we not up to spec, so the shop has made a custom set of bronze bushings in the same style used on their championship-winning Titchmarsh Seeleys.

After mocking everything up, most of the hard parts went to the plater. “We plated the chassis, swingarm, manifold, center stand, side stand, and so on,” says Kenny. “All the case covers are show polished, and the velocity stacks and rear sprocket are gold anodized.”

The wiring is tidy: a simple harness runs from a key switch to a small battery under the solo seat, which powers the 5-inch Bates-style headlight, a tail light from Analog Motorcycles, brake lights activated by hydraulic brake switches, and the horn—“enough to keep the coppers at bay!” The tachometer is a Veglia, adapted to receive the proper ratio from a Norton Commando tachometer drive.

The gleaming, sleek tank was custom-fabbed by famed metal magician, Evan Wilcox, who had to ensure that there was space underneath for neat cable routing as well as the Dell’Orto carbs. “Once done, it was obvious we couldn’t slap just any decal on this beauty,” says Kenny, “so we reached out to Jen Mussari—who has done some really beautiful lettering work for Belstaff, among many others.”

Jen’s brief was to do create a handmade logo in gold leaf, with clear-coat over the top. “When she brought the tank to our shop for the reveal, it was like our baby was born!”

Top east coast photographer Marian Sell was on hand to shoot these images, but not by accident: he’s a Norton aficionado too, and his 1936 Inter is currently in the shop for a refurb.

Kenny’s latest is almost too beautiful to get dirty or damaged on a track. But if it’s called into action, you just know it’ll hold its own.

NYC Norton | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Marian Sell

[junker-town]

4 ways the Titans turned the Ravens into the worst version of themselves

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Ravens had to play from behind, and their lack of skill players became a fatal flaw.

The Ravens weren’t the Ravens in their 2020 playoff debut. That’s why their season is over.

Baltimore built a 14-win season and a 12-game winning streak on a run-heavy offense. John Harbaugh’s offense was predicated on slipping the ball through the trenches in a league that had long ago transitioned to high-impact aerial attacks.

On Saturday, an early deficit and a nagging injury to tailback Mark Ingram forced the team to ask Lamar Jackson to throw them back into this game. While the likely 2019 MVP was up to the challenge, he was ultimately done in by the Tennessee defense, a rash of injuries to important weapons across his offense, bad calls on fourth-and-short, and some straight-up drops downfield.

We still saw glimpses of defense-gashing, linebacker-embarrassing Ravens in their 28-12 Divisional Round loss to the Titans — they just never stuck around for long. Jackson still figured out ways to carve up the Tennessee zone defense through the air and blister spy defenders with his feet, but he only found the end zone once. As a result, Baltimore’s epic season is over after just one playoff game.

Now the Ravens have to figure out what went wrong.

Baltimore’s early deficit meant the Ravens couldn’t run like they’d planned

The Ravens fielded 2019’s best rushing offense — in terms of both volume and efficiency. Baltimore was the only team in the NFL to rush for more yards (3,296) than it passed for (3,225) this fall. Between the sturdy play of Ingram and the freewheeling runs of Jackson, the club ran the ball on 56 percent of its plays this season — the highest percentage in the league since the 2009 Jets.

That strategy was put to the test early in the team’s playoff debut. After holding the Titans to an opening-drive punt, the Ravens turned the ball over twice (an interception and on downs, more about those later) to give Tennessee the short fields needed to take a 14-0 first-quarter lead.

Those first two drives saw Harbaugh opt for eight runs and four passes (66.7 percent run plays) while following a familiar script. In the nine drives that followed, Harbaugh flipped that to 55 passes and 21 runs (27.6 percent run plays) as his team desperately tried to climb out from a pool of quicksand mysteriously shaped like Derrick Henry’s quads.

This was exactly what Tennessee wanted. The Titans stacked the box against Baltimore in hopes of draining its ground game and forcing Jackson to pick up the slack through the air:

Great breakdown from Logan Ryan on how the Titans shut down Lamar Jackson: "We had 8-, 9-man boxes all night. You play Madden and run Engage Eight all day, it’s hard to run the ball. We pretty much did that." They also used Bills as a blueprint. Full quote here: pic.twitter.com/SzjQ206skw

— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) January 12, 2020

Before Saturday, Jackson had only thrown 30+ passes five times. He’d never thrown more than 43 in a single game. He threw 59 (FIFTY-NINE) times against the Titans. This meant players like Willie Snead (31 regular season catches), Seth Roberts (21), and Justice Hill (eight) were suddenly called upon to be significant contributors in the passing game. This was not a positive for the Ravens.

Not all of those dropbacks resulted in passes either, which had both benefits and drawbacks. Jackson scrambled efficiently to avoid pressure and churn out yards, but those runs also:

a) had a defined ceiling of 20-ish yards downfield, b) failed to stop the clock throughout a game where his Ravens stared down a 22-point deficit, and c) often led to long reset times between plays.

After seeing his carries per game drop to 11.7 during the regular season, Jackson ran the ball 20 times for 143 yards. Those are impressive numbers for sure, but the running clock and the team’s inability to run an up-tempo offense out of them meant they wouldn’t be enough to create a historic comeback.

Baltimore’s aggressive playcalling finally blew up in its face

Tucked into those 20 carries were two fourth-down attempts that portended the Ravens’ doom. Baltimore came into the Divisional Round at a perfect 8 of 8 when it came to fourth-and-1 conversions this season. On Saturday, Harbaugh overthought things. The Ravens started off six yards behind the line of scrimmage on the first attempt and moved laterally against a stacked line on the second, and converted neither:

how are the Ravens this bad at calling 4th-and-short plays for Lamar Jackson? pic.twitter.com/LgqOoFag3t

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) January 12, 2020

Each of these botched fourth downs led to an immediate touchdown response from the Titans. After converting 17 of 24 fourth-down attempts in the regular season, the Ravens went 0 of 4 on those plays in their one and only postseason game.

Jackson was good on paper, but he wasn’t his typical MVP self

Jackson had a perfectly fine game. The final numbers will say he accounted for 508 total yards — including a career-high 365 through the air. His offense turned 11 of its 18 third downs into first downs.

That Lamar run! 2nd-and-17 looks like NOTHING here. pic.twitter.com/3w2icTMqaa

— James Brady (@JamesBradySBN) January 12, 2020

Those are all very, very good numbers. He just wasn’t the tide-changing force that he’d been in earlier wins over the Patriots, Rams, or Texans.

He didn’t get in the end zone until the fourth quarter, becoming the third player — behind Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry — to throw a touchdown pass on Saturday night. He turned the ball over three times. He’d had just eight turnovers total in the regular season.

There were several factors behind his inconsistent play. Jackson got a worse-than-usual effort from his blockers, who struggled to contain a Tennessee pass rush that ranked 17th in the league in sack rate this season and couldn’t bring down the uh, slightly less mobile Tom Brady a week before. Jackson hadn’t been sacked more than twice since Week 5. The Titans got to him three times before the third quarter was over, and that included a strip sack that led to a 20-yard Tennessee touchdown drive moments later.

That doesn’t mean Jackson is blameless for his team’s struggles. His third-quarter interception to Kenny Vaccaro cut off what could have been a vital scoring drive in what was becoming an increasingly hopeless game. It wasn’t the function of poor blocking or a dropped ball — it was simply a bad pass.

INTERCEPTION @KennyVaccaro4! #TENvsBAL pic.twitter.com/ckZoKLL4uZ

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) January 12, 2020

He made the wrong decision on those aforementioned fourth-down runs and missed open targets downfield. Jackson was probably good enough to win in several multiverse replays against the Titans — but he would’ve had to have been nearly perfect to beat this version of Tennessee.

The Ravens didn’t have the personnel to prop up anything less than a superhuman Lamar Jackson

Jackson was limited when it came to support downfield. A healthier Ingram would typically be able to take some of the strain from his running game, and he also had an 89.7 percent catch rate and a career-best 8.5 yards per target in 2019. Against the Titans, he had only six carries and two targets while fighting off a strained calf that required attention during the game.

Tight end Nick Boyle, who ranked fourth on the team in total targets, left the game in the third quarter with a lower leg injury. He finished with zero catches. Pro Bowler Mark Andrews, hampered by an ankle malady, failed to have his usual impact. His tip-drill drop in the first quarter set up the interception that gave way to the Titans’ first touchdown.

BALL HAWK BYARD! @KB31_Era | #TENvsBAL pic.twitter.com/fyBAQroDqh

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) January 12, 2020

That wasn’t the only time Jackson was burned by his teammates downfield. Baltimore’s skill players came up with four drops in the first half alone. In all, seven of Jackson’s 59 passes would carom off his wideouts’ hands and to the turf — or worse.

Baltimore exceeded expectations in 2019 behind a curve-shattering quarterback who could do a bit of everything. Jackson’s ability to run like an amped-up Devin Hester and throw like the most efficient passer in the league (his 81.1 QBR led the NFL) helped paper over his team’s other issues — namely a lack of depth at its skill positions.

The Ravens got big plays from their quarterback. They got one amazing catch from Hollywood Brown and an otherwise solid performance. And that was about it.

The Divisional Round was a perfect storm that sunk Baltimore’s Super Bowl hopes. The Ravens were capsized by a stellar outing from the Titans, the unfamiliar territory of playing from behind, and the kind of self-inflicted wounds the team had avoided throughout a 14-2 season.

If this had happened in December, it would have been a valuable learning experience. Instead, it happened in the playoffs — and now Jackson and his teammates will have the whole offseason to think about how to fix their ship for 2020.

[kennybrixey]

Deeper Connection

While standing outside this morning, watching the glorious sunrise, a hawk’s call invited me to turn from the view I was enjoying. By turning to the west, I not only saw the hawk’s graceful flight, I also discovered a view there that was absolutely intoxicating. The tops of the trees were bathed in a beautiful orange tint while the lower parts were still dark browns and blacks. With each minute I took in this amazing sight, the painting of the trees became even more rich, more colorful, more glorious. As the trees became more illuminated, the birds’ songs began and the playfulness of the squirrels chasing each other up and down the trees began. With each moment, a feeling of connection and Oneness with God and nature grew deeper within me.

We often get so caught up in what is in our focus, tunnel-vision, that we fail to realize the abundance of extraordinary gifts around us. It is easy to see the wonders of God when we look at something beautiful; it is a special moment when we realize that the gifts of God are everywhere we look; if we choose to see and open our awareness.

This lesson is even more valuable in times where beauty is hard to find; when we are focused on the problems in our life or in the world. In these times we must remember to look beyond our focus; look beyond the troubles and even shift our focus to something new. There is beauty and love to be found in all times, in all situations.

Remembering we are One with God, the creator of all things, we feel connection with the Divine. We can be awe filled when we remember we are one with God always, not just in the good times. In this Oneness, we are connected to all things completely.

An ancient Hasidic saying reminds us of this truth;

“When you walk across the fields with your mind pure and holy, then from all the stones, and all growing things, and all animals, the sparks of their souls come out and cling to you, and then they are purified and become a holy fire in you.”

We can find support and guidance always when we look beyond the troubles of the day and expand our awareness. Doing this purifies us and allows us to receive the blessings and miracles that are present in our lives. Experience life beyond what you see with your eyes or what you feel with your human emotions or what you think with your egoic mind. Discover the gifts that are available in each moment of every day. In this experience, you know God, you know truth, you know the amazing wonder that is yours.

Love and Peace,

Kenny

[columbo-of-narnia]

I rewatched season 5 and all it did was further my disappointment. Ive never made it a secret that i only started watching the show for Tanner/Robby. And i only stuck around because i love the character.

But HOLY FUCK did they do Robby so Badly. Like do the writers hate Robby? Cause i think they do. He has been put through so much during the show and alot of it ended up not doing anything for the plot other than traumatize the already moat traumatized kid on the show.

Robby always seems to have the short end of the stick in this show from losing the AV twice because plot demanded it despite him being THE most (other than sam) talented of the participants, to going to juvie (self defense). Robby can never be happy, and his trauma and feelings are always downplayed by the writers.

What did this season have him do? APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE. I was so tired of seeing Robby apologize without getting any back. Especially from miguel, the scene with Johnny making them fight was so fucking stupid and dangerous. Robby admitting he regretted it was fine and probably good for him because it meant getting the guilt he felt off his chest, BUT he deserved and apology too. Miguel escalated everything during the fight and pushed everything to the point! He needed to apologize to robby too for pushing it that far, because news flash tory and miguel were the aggressors of the school fight and both owe robby and sam and apology. But Robby didnt get one because the writers feel like he either didn't deserve one or miguel shouldnt have to after what happened to him (which was tragic, but he needs to admit his hand in it too).

Hawk owes Robby an apology for a whole fucking lot imo. How he acted during the first all valley, how he jumped robby and sam, how he kept continuously accusing Robby of helping instigate fights between dojos at the water park (despite robby doing what robby does best and trying to stop them? See a pattern? Me too).

Hawk is a miniature Johnny, he never faces any real consequences for his actions. He destroyed the Dojo and nothing. Broke Dimitris arm? Nothing which is assault with bodily harm btw (not self defense at all). And never once did we see Hawk apologize to anyone (i might be misremembering but honestly it doesn't change my mind on hawk). Hawk is the character who owes the most apologies to the most people and yet nothing. But Robby seemingly apologized for everything to everyone amd i hated it.

I sort of enjoyed how everyone became friends at first until i realized that it was all because Robby had to conform and become someone else to fit into everything. Someone mentioned in a post that we saw Chameleon Robby out in full force this season and i couldn't agree more. Robby had to twist and turn to make his relationship with johnny work, and the one thing he was clear about was not liking or wanting to be Miguel's friend. And honestly i don't blame him, especially after johnny lied, tricked, and guilted Robby into helping him rescue miguel (the mexico plot was pretty fucking pointless imo) but Johnny kept pushing and once again made things dangerous for robby and miguel by telling them to fight.

My favorite interaction and the most genuine was with Robby and Daniel and i WISH we got more, because Robby was at his happiest in season 2 when he was living with the Larusso's and was accepted without question, no conditions. He could be himself. Where as with Johnny it feels like his acceptance of robby is conditional. Robby is only welcome if he conforms and essentially submits to what Johnny wants. And Robby has no reason not to think that if he steps out of line Johnny will abandon him like he has done Robbys entire life.

I hated this season solely because of how bad it was for Robby. Pure and simple. The only good thing was how determined Robby was to help Tory and Kenny. He never gave up on them. Robby has this habbit of being who he needs for others. He needs people to believe in him and never give up on him, He needed a mentor whose help wasn't conditional. He needed people to be there for him. But he didnt have that so he became that for others. Despite this being such a shitty season for Robby, at least that shone through.

[placetobenation]

*** Scott & JT’s Vintage Vault Refresh reviews are a chronological look back at WWE PPV and TV history that began with a review of WrestleMania I. The PICs have revisited these events and refreshed all of their fun facts that provide insight into the match, competitors and state of the company as well as their overviews of the match action and opinions and thoughts on the outcomes. In addition, Jeff Jarvis assists in compiling historical information and the Fun Facts in each of the reviews. Also, be sure to leave feedback on the reviews at our Facebook page. Enjoy! ***

Monday Night Raw #114

June 5, 1995 Struthers High School Struthers, OH Announcers: Vince McMahon & Jerry Lawler

1) Savio Vega defeats Kenny Kendall with via submission with a modified royal octopus hold at 1:30

Fun Fact: Tonight, we get the MNR debut of Savio Vega, who is Juan Rivera from Puerto Rico. After graduating from high school, Rivera took a trip to Miami, FL in 1986 to try out for the WWF. The WWF liked what they saw, but sent Rivera back to Puerto Rico to get some experience in the World Wrestling Council. While there, Rivera wrestled under the name TNT and won numerous titles in the organization. In early 1994, Rivera was brought back to the WWF where he started his Federation career under the name Kwang, a role he would hold until mid-1995. At this time the Kwang character had lost steam and had become stale. Rivera was repacked under the new name, Savio Vega.

Scott: Razor Ramon’s new running buddy makes his Raw debut against a pretty stacked jobber in Kenny Kendall. Savio has his name shaved into the back of his head. So 1995. We are in a high school gym. Yes, because I’m sure Struthers, Ohio doesn’t have it’s own “auditorium”. Is Vince strapped for cash that badly? It looks like Bret Hart has accepted Jerry Lawler’s stipulation for their match at King of the Ring. More on that later. Vega wins this slopfest easily. Grade: DUD

JT: Hey! We are live! Welcome to Monday Night Raw, coming at you from Struthers, OH where the WWF Blimp was circling around the arena earlier today while Bob Backlund was out there campaigning for President. Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler are in the booth and welcome us to this week’s show. The sirens are blaring, Vince is screaming about ratings and the Struthers crowd is pretty fired up here. The live shows really are the best. We open things up with the Raw debut of Savio Vega, the man who made a surprise debut back at In Your House, saving Razor Ramon from a beat down. Savio’s theme music is… generically interesting. Kenny Kendall attacks at the bell but Vega quickly fends him off and goes to work with quick strikes. Lawler mocks the fact that Savio has his name shaved into the back of his head as Savio dominates the jacked up Kendall. They botch a few moves with poor timing, mainly because Kenny is a bit of a stiff. Vince talks about Hurricane Allison hitting Florida and King says the next Hurricane is slated to be named Jerry. Savio grabs the easy win with an interesting submission hold, some sort of modified royal octopus hold. Next. Grade: DUD

*** We check out a special video package on WWF Champion Diesel, who is currently off at a USA Network event with Alundra Blayze. We then hear from Ted DiBiase, Sid & Tatanka as they talk smack on Diesel and Bam Bam Bigelow, promise victory at King of the Ring. ***

*** Barry Didinski is in the aisle hawking the special King of the Ring event sure. Call and order it today and you can wear it during the show! He also says if you buy the shirt you get a free Bob Backlund for President pin. ***

2) Skip defeats Barry Horowitz with a top rope leg drop at 2:00

Fun Fact: Skip & Sunny make their MNR debuts against Horowitz. Chris Candido (Skip) and his girlfriend, Tammy Sytch (Sunny), started in IWCCW with a faction called “Heart Throb 4” with Tom Brandi, Flex Lavender, and Darren Wyse. From there he’d head to WWA and then to Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1993. He’d do well there, winning the US and Television titles there before both headed to the WWF in 1995. Sytch started her career with Candido in Smoky Mountain where she became a very effective heel manager. They enter the WWF as stuck up fitness gurus who would spend most of their time making fun everyone else for being out of shape.

Scott: The Bodydonna makes his Raw debut against jobber legend Barry Horowitz. I knew Tammy Sytch from the early 90s in other promotions and now she and Chris Candido are here in the WWF, under a dopey gimmick. That’s the WWF for you. I do find it odd that Barry Horowitz is wrestling a babyface. He actually got some work in and gave Skip a run for his money in this match but obviously, it’s Barry Horowitz. Skip settles in and gets the victory. Some young talent is being brought into the company, but these gimmicks are hideous. Grade: 1/2*

JT: We head back to the ring as we get our second Raw debut of the night when Skip and Sunny jog out to the ring for a match with Barry Horowitz. Sunny immediately just blows away everyone associated with the promotion in the looks department, my lord. She cuts a promo about how physically fit they are and trashes the fat sweat hogs watching them and then we get started as the bell sounds. The old veteran Horowitz gives Skip some trouble early on but the Bodydonna sends him over with a gut wrench suplex to take control of the bout. Vince reveals that Jerry Lawler has accepted Bret Hart’s challenge and in Baltimore they will face off in a Kiss My Foot match. The King said he is already starting to ensure his feet will be in nasty condition come match time. As he gloats about that, Skip drops a leg off the top rope for the easy win. Grade: DUD

*** Todd Pettengill, sans mullet, is in the house with our King of the Ring Report. It all goes down on June 25th in Philadelphia and here are the matches discussed:

Diesel & Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Sid & Tatanka Undertaker vs. Mabel – King of the Ring Opening Round Match Shawn Michaels vs. Kama – King of the Ring Opening Round Match Bob Holly vs. Roadie – King of the Ring Opening Round Match Razor Ramon vs. Owen Hart OR British Bulldog – King of the Ring Opening Round Match Bret Hart vs. Jerry lawyer – Kiss My Foot Match

That will do it! Be sure to order now so you aren’t left behind. See you in Philly! ***

3) British Bulldog wrestles Owen Hart in a King of the Ring Qualifying Match to a time limit draw at 15:00

Scott: We know this one is going to be juicy, with the winner facing Razor Ramon in the first round on June 25. Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon doing commentary, as this is from the night of In Your House back on May 14. I believe this match was on the IYH tape that would eventually come out. Smart move using a PPV dark match to fill this RAW, even though this show is live. That’s weird. Owen starts out fast, but Bulldog takes control and does his famous suplex where he keeps Owen up for about 30 seconds before dropping him. Owen boots Bulldog in the gut to take control and works a headlock. Ross and Gorilla keep harping about the time limit of the match, which immediately tells you where this ending is headed. Bulldog powered out of the headlock with a suplex. This Syracuse crowd is somewhat tempered, which means this match was at the END of the show, not the beginning of the show. They did that a lot in 1995 and also in 1996. Bulldog starts hitting some strikes and turnbuckle shots and then goes for a Fisherman’s Suplex for two. Ross dances around the fact that Mr. Perfect used the move by saying “many superstars” used this move. Bulldog really had more control in this match than I thought he would have. Bulldog does hit the running PUWER SLUM, but Owen puts his foot on the ropes. We have multiple back and forth pin attempts, but as we knew all along, the time limit expires. So, instead of the common logic which is NO TIME LIMIT, they both are eliminated. Idiotic. This was a great match nonetheless. Grade: **1/2

JT: We head over to completely separate location (Syracuse, filmed the night of In Your House) where Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon will be on commentary for our final KOTR Qualifying bout. Owen Hart heads to the ring, flanked by Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette, looking to gain entry to the tournament to defend his crown. After a break, Davey Boy Smith marched out confidently, looking to dispatch his brother-in-law to snatch the last remaining KOTR slot. Gorilla says Owen thinks he should have gotten a bye to the finals as he is reining King. Bulldog works the arm to start as Gorilla reminds us that the winner of this has to face Razor Ramon in Philadelphia. The two trade some arm work on the mat as Gorilla and Ross talk about the prestige of the KOTR, noting that even Undertaker wants a shot at the crown. Bulldog drops Owen with a military slam for two, sending the Rocket to the floor to regroup with Cornette. Owen slips back in but Bulldog goes right back to the arm and then keeps his brother-in-law off balance, fending off a comeback with a monkey flip. Bulldog continues to tear at the arm and then dodges an Owen charge, leading to the Rocket slamming hard shoulder first into the post. Bulldog follows with a long delayed vertical suplex for a close near fall before hooking in a tight rear chinlock. Owen fought to his feet and caught Davey with a stiff knee to the gut to finally turn momentum around. Owen went right to work, kicking and choking away and then laying in strong elbow shots.

Owen controlled right through the break, catching a near fall with a spin heel kick as we returned. He followed with a sleeperhold as Gorilla notes that we are now under 5:00 remaining in the time limit, calling out that time was not a factor in any of the previous Qualifying matches. Bulldog survives the sleeper and breaks it with a suplex and then follows with a sunset flip for two. Owen pops up and hits an enziguri for two as we tick under 3:00. Bulldog blocks a dropkick with a slingshot and then gets a fisherman’s suplex for two. As the clock continues to drain, Davey hooks in a nice rocking chair submission but had to release since his shoulders were down. We get a flurry of reversals that ends with a Bulldog running powerslam for two as Owen got his foot on the ropes at the last second. Bulldog and Owen would both grab a few more near falls with various cradle holds but time ticked down and the bell sounded before either could win. The crowd wasn’t thrilled with that one. Ross  and Gorilla inform us that both men are eliminated from the tournament. This was a very good Raw match with both guys looking great but it also felt like an exhibition in ways too. Even with the tournament slot at stake and their family history it didn’t feel heated or urgent in any way. For two veterans like this, you could still tell that they were just filling to the draw, which was a tad disappointing. It is interesting that they would keep two top guys out of the tournament and PPV all together, but as of now that is where we stand. Grade: **1/2

*** Vince McMahon tells us that Jack Tunney is scrambling to sort out this final KOTR slot situation. We then check out Jerry Lawler and with his royal maids showing off his filthy feet that he isn’t going to wash until King of the Ring. He will finish off Bret Hart for good and then force him to kiss his disgusting royal feet. ***

*** Vince McMahon hops in the ring to chat with Bret Hart about his King of the Ring match with Jerry Lawler. Hart says he has seen lots of things and taken part in lots of things but nothing like this. He knew the King would come up with some sort of diabolical idea since King has a sick mind. McMahon asks Hart about the risk of humiliation as Lawler takes off his boot and shows off his foot at the announce table. Hart says he accepted the terms and will do what he agreed to do if he loses. For the past couple weeks, Hart keeps thinking about his loss at In Your House and that nobody will remember how or why he lost, just that he lost. He has to think about how he let his family and fans down that night and that he could let out his frustration tonight but he will hold back for KOTR. He is rededicating the match to his family, friends and fans that he let down at IYH and even though he doesn’t really want King kissing his feet, he will not only have him do that, he will also cram Lawler’s nasty foot down his own throat as well. ***

4) Jean-Pierre Lafitte defeats Jerry Flynn with a flying cannonball at 1:15

Scott: If this show is live, then why is everything being joined in progress out of commercial breaks? Bret was already in the ring for his interview instead of Vince doing his bombastic intro, and this match was already going on. Vince announces that since Owen & Bulldog are out of the KOTR, Lex Luger will face Yokozuna next week for the last spot. Lafitte wins in a throwaway. Grade: DUD

JT: We return from break in the middle of our final match of the night as the undefeated Jean-Pierre Lafitte taking on Jerry Flynn. Lafitte controls the action as Vince questions what Lawler was doing during that interview. Lafitte busts out a great diving cannonball to the floor as Vince reveals that Jack Tunney has decreed that Lex Luger and Yokozuna will square off next week with the winner filling the final KOTR slot. Laffite nabs the easy win with the flying cannonball. Grade: DUD

*** We head outside where Bob Backlund is still standing in the dark, ranting about his presidential platform as the WWF Blimp circles in the air above him. Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler then wrap up the show and Lawler promises to show off his training video next week. Bob Backlund also vows to be here next week so he can confront Man Mountain Rock. We finish off with Todd Pettengill narrating us through the history between Lex Luger and Yokozuna. ***

Final Analysis

Scott: I almost failed this episode because of once again the lousy in-ring quality. However Bulldog/Owen pulled this out of the toilet with a real good match, albeit one with a HORRENDOUS ending. I’m not liking where this tournament is going at all, unless we’re looking at a face/face final with Shawn and Undertaker. Somehow I don’t see that happening, especially since the current bracket setup doesn’t allow it. This is a live show yet we have all these awful out of commercial moments where everything is in progress. Don’t they format these things right? I was so close to giving my first F, but the Bulldog and the defending King of the Ring saved it. FINAL GRADE: D-

JT: So this show was definitely a bit of a dichotomy as the actual product itself is clearly suffering and flailing but the actual production of the show may be the best its ever been. The show overall is well produced, quick moving and focused. I liked how we joined stuff in progress and flew around, it made everything seem even more live and raucous. Every segment had a meaning and flowed smoothly. That all said, the quality of the product is less than satisfying. We have said it before, but even though there is plenty of talent and pieces, nothing seems to be slotting in well. The KOTR tournament brackets are looking a bit ugly once you take a moment to map out the potential progression. And the rest of the card leaves a lot to be desired as well, with a tepid tag team main event and a Bret Hart/Jerry Lawler match that feels stale and has a disgusting stipulation attached. Bulldog and Owen Hart had a really fun match but that had its issues as well, as I noted above. If they could just figure out how to really utilize their roster to its potential, things could be in really good shape but they just haven’t been able to sort that out at this point. Final Grade: D+

[addcrazy-blog]

New Post has been published on Add Crazy

New Post has been published on https://addcrazy.com/five-loose-retailers-the-dallas-cowboys-must-target/

five loose retailers the Dallas Cowboys must target

The Dallas Cowboys rolled to a 13-three report ultimate season behind stud inexperienced persons Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. The destiny of the franchise is in exact palms thanks to the ones, however, there are still several query marks, mainly on defense.

With loose business enterprise pretty much per week away, the Cowboys need to deal with the defense. They’ve 4 defensive backs set to hit the open market, whilst the skip rush is as underwhelming as ever. Unfortunately, They have simplest about $1.7 million in cap space as of now with extra to come back following some restructures and releases of men like Tony Romo.

When a loose employer starts March 9, those 5 gamers should be targets for Dallas.

five WR Kenny Britt (Rams) The Cowboys will probable be looking for a No. 2 receiver with Terrance Williams anticipated to cash in in the course of the loose employer. Britt suits the mold of what the Cowboys search for at that spot, boasting true size and decent velocity as a receiver opposite Dez Bryant. He’d be extra low cost than someone like DeSean Jackson or Kenny Stills, too. Britt had a profession year in 2016, that’s surprising because he played inside the Rams’ stagnant offense. Dallas covets large receivers that are 6-foot or taller, so Britt is a guy to maintain a watch on.

DE Jabaal Sheard (Patriots) four DE Jabaal Sheard (Patriots) Sheard had a remarkable season in New England years ago, but his snaps were constrained within the 2nd half of 2016. He can nonetheless be a powerful skip rusher, and his role in Dallas’ four-3 defense might be clear: sack the quarterback. He has precise length and strength to maintain up as a 4-three protective stop, at the same time as nonetheless showing the capability to rush the passer, recording seven-plus sacks 3 instances in his career. He has to be a goal for Dallas if the cash’s proper.

OLB DeMarcus Ware (Broncos) three OLB DeMarcus Ware (Broncos) DeMarcus Ware spent most of the people of his career with the Cowboys, and a reunion has to be within the playing cards. Ware can nevertheless provide a spark to a protection as a situational skip rusher, which is some thing Dallas desperately needs. Even though he plays most effective forty percentage of the snaps on a weekly foundation, he could be a valued addition. Even though he’s better as a 3-4 outdoor linebacker, he did play defensive stop for the Cowboys previously and showed the capability to hurry the passer with one hand within the dirt. Ware will be a budget addition with an incentive-laden deal that hinges on his health.

Associated PRESS CB Brandon Carr (Cowboys) 2 CB Brandon Carr (Cowboys) The Cowboys have four key players inside the secondary set to hit loose organization: Morris Claiborne, Barry Church, J.J. Wilcox, and Carr. Of the 4, Carr might be the maximum in all likelihood to go back, and he ought to be the Cowboys’ top target of the bunch. He’s never ignored a game in Dallas and despite his big quantity of critics, he’s honestly a great, dependable corner. He’s also a terrific teammate, displaying he’s willing to take a pay cut in the beyond few years. Carr shouldn’t be too high-priced for the Cowboys to hold. S Tony Jefferson (Cardinals) 1 S Tony Jefferson (Cardinals) With Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox set to hit unfastened enterprise, the Cowboys ought to thoroughly be looking for an upgrade at safety. Jefferson would be an ideal match as a strong protection subsequent to Byron Jones. He’s a ball hawk who continually finds himself in the action – 96 tackles, two sacks, forced fumbles in 2016. He has the capacity to force turnovers Whilst gambling around the road of scrimmage, some thing Dallas has struggled to do the past two years. If he instructions $7 million on the open marketplace, the Cowboys need to soar to sign him.

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Who is Kenny Golladay, the Lions’ latest breakout wide receiver?

Golladay’s instincts made him a breakout star in Week 1.

Matthew Stafford got a handful of presents this offseason. The first, and most notable, was a contract extension that made him the highest-paid player in league history. The second was a third-round draft pick who cut his teeth on Tuesday nights playing in the Mid-American Conference.

Kenny Golladay became one of the league’s hottest rookies after an electric, four-catch, two-touchdown debut for the Lions in their Week 1 win over the Cardinals. His performance was the continuation of an impressive offseason that painted him as a Day 2 steal for the NFC North standby. While his numbers were decent, the way he found the end zone was what set him apart.

His 45-yard touchdown to ice his team’s win was massive both for Detroit and the franchise’s budding star wideout.

Last Sunday’s performance proved he has the athleticism and hands to make big plays, but the preseason showcased his field awareness and ability to adjust to the ball once it’s thrown. He’s looked every bit the kind of receiver who can bail out his quarterback on underthrown or opposite-shoulder throws. Here he is adjusting back to the ball to increase his window while a Colts cornerback overcommits and can’t make a play on the ball:

Here he is in that same game, turning to box out a cornerback and adjust back to the ball to fall into the end zone for six points:

So how did a 6’4 wideout with instincts like that last until the third round of the 2017 NFL draft?

Kenny Golladay, no-star recruit, took the long road to the NFL

Golladay wasn’t a blue-chip high school recruit. He didn’t have a player page on Rivals. He had just one scholarship offer to a Division I school — and that was the University of North Dakota. At barely 6’0 and with middling speed, he didn’t have special measurables — but he emerged as an immediate contributor with the Fighting Hawks.

In two seasons in Grand Forks, he made 15 starts. He led the team in receptions as a sophomore, and after growing four inches his first two seasons with the program, he had developed into one of the Big Sky Conference’s top targets. However, the coaches who lured him to the Plains had been fired, and Golladay stood at a crossroads. Knowing he’d get little attention playing for a team tucked away in North Dakota, he chose to sit out the 2014 season and transfer to Northern Illinois — the only program to respond to the highlight reel he’d sent out to prospective teams.

"The things we wanted Kenny to get better at, and he did, is to hold his line on vertical routes a little more, embrace being the big receiver," NIU coach Rod Carey said, via ESPN.

One season on the sideline was all he’d need to catch up at one of the MAC’s top programs. Golladay instantly emerged as the Huskies’ top aerial threat. He averaged 15.5 yards per catch and scored 10 touchdowns for the MAC West champions. He followed that up with a second straight 1,100-yard season in 2016.

Golladay’s small school background and mediocre combine performance raised red flags

The rangy wideout had proved himself as a Division I standout at two different stops, but plenty of questions remained about whether that talent would translate in the NFL. He earned an invitation to test himself at the NFL Combine, but the results weren’t what the two-time All-MAC standout had hoped.

Golladay’s 4.5-second 40-yard dash ranked 19th among receiving prospects. His agility drill results were solid but unspectacular. Despite his track record of performance, he fell to the middle of the pack in a stacked class of wideouts. There were 11 receivers selected before Golladay heard his name called with the 96th overall pick.

The slide down the draft board helped him land in an ideal setting. The Lions did a solid job of replacing Calvin Johnson’s impact in the lineup with a more conservative passing attack in 2016, but a lack of depth hindered Stafford’s passing options. The young veteran helped push Marvin Jones to the best season of his career in his first year with the Lions and got a star performance from Golden Tate, but the team’s options were limited after that.

Anquan Boldin left in free agency before deciding he’d rather retire than play for the Bills. The rest of the team’s wideouts combined for just 281 yards — or 6.5 percent of the team’s total passing output. On Sunday, Golladay’s first game, he represented 23.6 percent of Stafford’s receiving yards.

Of course, Golladay still has a long way to go

The former MAC standout has earned his share of headlines, but he’s still in the infant stages of his NFL career. While he performed admirably in the preseason and during the Lions’ season opener, he’ll face plenty of struggles as opposing defenses study his game tape more carefully and begin to plan their passing defense around him.

Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter has tried to temper expectations a little:

Jim Bob Cooter on expectations for Golladay now: I doubt the guy gets 2 TDs every week, so if fans are expecting that it'd be a tall order.

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) September 15, 2017

However, he’s in a great position thanks to Stafford, the Lions’ pass-heavy attack, and the presence of Tate and Jones to take defensive pressure from his shoulders. Golladay has the talent and instincts to remain a valuable piece of the Detroit offense for years. It’ll be another major hurdle for him to overcome, but that’s all Golladay has done since stepping foot on the gridiron.