#league club coach interactions

[dark-pulse-girl]

What Larry gave me after beating him in the league club

[meazalykov]

the video

aitana bonmati x barca femeni x barca!reader

summary: on international break- a video circulates online that will cause your girlfriend, and club teammates, to be concerned

warnings: mentions of abuse, angst

on international break, you clashed with your coach over a situation. 

you’ve realized that your national team coach was being overly aggressive towards some of the younger players– the 18 to 22 year old ones. 

as the captain, you gave them a safe space to talk to you about it. you had the platform– as a 2020 ballon d’or winner, and 2 time champions league winner– to speak up about any situation that is bothering you. 

even if that might piss off the “higher ups” of your national team. 

after seeing your coach nearly scream, not yell, but scream at one of the youngsters on the team for not making a header during an international friendly.. you had enough. 

you pulled your coach to the side and confronted him at halftime.

 

“hey, why did you scream at her over the failed set piece? its her debut?” 

“don’t question me about my corrections.” he mumbled, looking away from you and waving at another staff member yards away. 

“i will! you can’t scream at the players about their mistakes, it's affecting the team chemistry and they need to be nurtured into having experience– not screamed at. you can see that they’re SCARED to even come to training because of this.” you snapped.

this has happened for long enough. 

little did you know, a few people in the distance were recording this interaction between your coach and you. 

what shocked them was when the coach grabbed your arm, aggressively, and pulled you close to him so you’re just 3 feet from the left side of his body. 

he squeezed your arm, purposely, which caused your face to squeeze as his physical assault caught you off guard. 

“listen, you do NOT question me about my coaching! maybe if she scored that, she wouldn’t have been punished!” he said through clenched teeth, staring at you with darkened eyes and a vein nearly popping out of his forehead.

realizing that you wouldn’t let him do this to you, you smacked his hand off of your arm and sprinted off– completely shocked that he would do that to you. 

the people who recorded the interaction sent the video to all news publications afterwards– the new york times, bbc, foxsports, tmz, 433– you name it. 

at the end of the game, where you were benched after that confrontation before the start of the second half, everyone booed the coach. 

everyone was confused– even you. at first, you assumed that your own country was booing you guys. that didn’t make sense– you guys won 3-2. 

once you guys were in the dressing room, all of the fifa officials took your coach away to talk to him. 

you had no idea that people recorded that assault that happened to you. some of your teammates noticed the red mark on your arm and the quietness of your voice– so they figured it had to do with the coach. 

“y/n..” you turn around to see the young midfielder behind you with a sad smile. 

the same 17 year old girl you defended after she was screamed over a missed header. 

“hey! congrats on today.” you pulled her into a soft hug, rubbed her upper back before pulling away. 

“thank you.” she smiled. 

you couldn’t resent her for the moment between the coach and you– he is the problem not her. 

when the national team got on the bus, the coach wasn’t there. the nice assistant coach (who has fallen to the main coaches abuse too) took his place. 

your eyebrows knitted together as you saw a notification from your barcelona teammate and close friend– alexia. 

ale 

WHAT THE FUCK? 

ale 

are you okay?!! 

y/n 

i am? 

y/n 

what's going on!?

ale

there’s a video on the internet

alex 

instagram.com/justwomensports….

when you clicked on the link, your face turned pale. 

many people have recorded the moment between the coach and you from hours before. 

you looked strong at first, until he grabbed your arm. the terrified look on your face was present until you smacked his arm away. 

to say that the media was in an outrage– that would be an understatement. 

almost every news publication has posted about it. there was no possible way that the coach wouldn’t be sacked for the amount of negative attention this has brought. 

you didn’t want to imagine how aitana, your girlfriend, is reacting to the situation– as she keeps calling you over-and-over again.  

y/n 

tana, i’ll call you once i’m back in the hotel. i will explain. 

aitana

i should kill him 

aitana

are you okay mi amor? 

y/n

i don’t know

y/n 

i think my mind is trying to supress it, but i can’t explain how i feel 

aitana

please call me asap 

when you clicked off of your imessages– mapi texted you in the groupchat between ingrid, her, and you. 

mapi 

y/n are you active? 

y/n

yes, hi!

mapi

do you want me to kill that pos? 

you giggle at the message- not because you want to see him dead- but the barcelona girls have their extreme way with defending their loved ones. 

ingrid

maybe you shouldn’t threaten ppl mapi 

ingrid

especially not now

ingrid

y/n please tell me you’re okay 

mapi

or will be okay? 

y/n 

i don’t know how to feel about it

y/n 

it happened so fast 

y/n 

i think my brain isn’t trying to process it. i’m scared

ingrid

call aitana

y/n

i am once i’m back in the hotel, i’m on the bus with the team right now. 

after turning your phone off and looking at your phone, your national teammates on the bus were very quiet. 

as they’re scrolling on their phones– they’re understanding why the mean coach isn’t on the bus anymore.

 your best friend on your national team taps your shoulder and you look over at her, seeing that she finished watching the video. 

“WHAT THE FUCK?” she mumbles very quietly as she gives you a heartbroken look. 

“when did this happen?” she asked. 

“at halftime, remember when i had to pull him outside of the dressing room to talk to him..” you say. 

your best friend frowns before pulling your head into her body for a hug. 

“is this why you were benched once the game started again?” she whispers. 

“i believe so.” 

one thing that everyone knew– your girlfriend in spain wasn’t going to let *that* slide. 

the next day-- your 2023 ballon d’or winner girlfriend scored a goal in a game against another country.. she held up two fingers on her left hand and one finger on her right, dedicating her golozo for you. since you wore the number 12 on your club and national teams.

next, an important post on instagram spoke up about abuse in the community. a post that went viral alongside your situation.

aitana was quick to repost it on her story– bringing more support for you as you struggled with that traumatic moment. 

before you came back to barcelona a week later, you told the “higher-ups” of your national team that if your coach stays, you would retire from international football. 

you are 24 years old, so that is an extreme ultimatum. 

they couldn’t afford to lose you, one of the best players in the world. 

the coach was sacked, charged for assault, and you are happy about it. 

in barcelona, most of the girls came to your apartment to comfort you. 

alexia, her girlfriend olga, ingrid, mapi, esmee, fridolina, patri, caroline, marta, and jana were all there to give you support. 

you cried for the first time about it since the incident occurred. never in your life were you treated that way. 

once the girls left your house hours later, aitana stayed. well– you guys lived together so it wasn’t an option for her to leave. 

with aitana, you told more details about the things you’ve seen the coach do to the team. the way he ruined the chemistry and motivation of the girls is something you’re prepared to fix with the new coach coming onto the national team. 

she cuddles you and plays with your hair as you talk. refusing to leave your side for a while. 

the spanish national team had their own problems, which you know about, so aitana is able to help you as you help her through her problems too.

aitana and your club teammates vows to never let someone hurt you like that again. 

authors note: this has been in my drafts for over a month.

my master list is linked here if you want to read more fics <3

[leah-lover]

Closed for maintenance . Leah Williamson × reader

Reader embarks on a new journey with a new club. Part 1.

My day started out like any other in the past 4 weeks. The beeping sound of my alarm wakes me up, I dread the thought of getting up even though I still do, I get my shit together, I leave for training, come back a few hours later and go to bed early.

My days have been blending in ever since that heart shattering break up. However, today had a little twist to it. As I was leaving the gym to go to the physioroom I got called into the Manager's office. Upon getting in, the coach said “hey, so I called you here to let you know that we are going to transfer you. You have been an absolute killer for our team. You will always have a place between us. The thing is your dynamic with the team has been off which has been causing some tension. And the best thing I thought to do was to transfer you this January.” Shock couldn't describe the state I was in. Running on autopilot, I got out of the coach's office, got my things and departed home without talking to anybody, which has been my pattern this past month.

My head was in the clouds for the entire drive, and when I got home I threw myself on the coach and started sobbing. About 20 minutes later I called my best friend the only person I trusted more than anything.

“Hey are you okay? The girls are worried about you, tell me what is going on please”said kristie with a worried tone

“Well tell Sam and the team not to worry anymore. Emma has decided to ruin my life and get rid of me. I won't be at Chelsea anymore. I am basically fired.” I replied, now more angry than sad.

“What the hell are you talking about? Are you transferred where? when? How ? Are you okay? Did you tell her?.” She asked.

“I think it will be announced tomorrow at the meeting. I don't know anything kristie Chelsea is home. Niamh is home. I can't live without them.” I replied, memories of Niamh and I fludding my brain.

“Sure you will. I love you bubs no matter where you go.” She said, “Me too buddy, me too.” I added, sadness creeping into my heart again.

—-------—---—------------------------------------

It has been an eventful week. It was announced that I would leave Chelsea for Arsenal. The topic has been the talk of the town. From newspapers, Instagram pages, fans on Twitter, Arsenal fans were excited to have me. However, Chelsea fans were bitter I was let go. Most of the mean comments were directed at Emma and Chelsea which I thought was fair. I was the leading goal scorer in the WSL and we were on a great track record to win the league again.

I got a new apartment, and a new car. I tried to begin again. A clear slate and a focus on winning with my new team, the gunners.

Today was the first day of practice. The girls are really nice. This team, this family, seem really gelled together and they seem to start getting me out of my dark hole.

“Hello you.” Said Beth, “I hope you are well and I well we want to let you know you are very welcome and we hope you have a great time with us here.” she added. “Me too “ I responded.

__________________________________

It has been over 2 months since that last interaction with Beth, who I can call my best friend now. Her, Steph ,Katie and I have been inseparable. Arsenal have been on a winning streak since I got here. I seem to enjoy the way they play and interact with each other.

The player I enjoy hanging out with the most is my second Captain, which I can never fully admit.

Leah has been fun, heart warming, safe and a friend and a good one. I can't let whatever is happening affect my career again. I dated a teammate before it ruined my career, or so I thought.

“Ladies, how are we feeling about a party? We won again thanks to wonderful strickers. Let's have a party, we deserve it.” Said Katie on the bus. Shortly after a plan was made.

We went to a bar, we drank, sang, danced, and it was that time of the night where I got hungry for warmth. Human connection however unmeaningful. So I kissed the first girl I fancied.

That's when I felt a hand separate me from the girl and drag me outside.

“You are drunk, let's go home before you do anything you will regret.” Said Leah with an angry tone. “ Let go of me, I am lonely. I need this, please let go.” I pleaded with the alcohol affecting my judgment.

“ You are a fool if you think I would let you put yourself in danger. You are important to me, you should know that. Now let's go.” She ordered.

“ I am not going anywhere with you, you are not my girlfriend.” I protested.

That's when she pulled me in for a small kiss. That felt reassuring but not abusive of my drunk state.

“ You are not kissing anyone or going anywhere tonight. Home it is. Now stop complaining and get in please.” She said with a pour on her face. I did as she said, my mind still on the feeling of her lips.

This is going to be a lot to unpack in the morning.

[hopefulromances]

Long Time Coming I Chapter Eleven I Jealousy, Jealousy

Summary: Being hired as the first female assistant coach in the league was a challenge of it itself. Being a football protigy and University Football Legend was easy enough. Coaching Jamie Tartt was a challenge all on its own.

Word Count: 4.1k

Warning: Jealousy, Zava smh, some angst

A/N: Meaty chapter. Some filler stuff tho. But It'll pick up soon!

Prologue One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten

We set this whole thing up for Zava’s arrival. With press and the whole team there but he never showed. We are all sat waiting in the sun for him for well over an hour. Ted sent us all back to the locker while he went to discuss with Rebecca. I sat in my chair that I’d brought out from the office, spinning absentmindedly as the boys chatted.

            “Hey, did Zava come through here?” Ted walked into the room, causing me to stop my spinning.

            “What? No,” I answered, rising out of my chair. “Did you see him?”

            “Yeah, he was upstairs just a second ago.”

Great, so now we had a random superstar football player wandering around the building. I slumped back into my chair as the boys began to figure out how they would find him. I turned to look at Jamie who looked just as disgruntled as me. I shrugged at him, trying to find some levity in the situation but Jamie just crossed his arms and shook his head.

Then my eyes wandered to the doorway where, lo and behold, Zava appeared. A hush fell over the room as he sauntered in, all eyes watching to see what the man would do next. He took a deep inhale, then exhaled just as deeply.

            “I will begin by address the most important person in this room,” Zava announced. The boys hung on his every word, hoping that somehow, they would be the most important person in the room. “Which of you is the kitman?”

I saw Will’s eyes practically bug out of his head as he jumped up from the back of the group.

            “That’s me! Uh… I’m Will,” He stutted out. “Uh, I am…”

            “Will,” Zava addressed. “I too worked as a ball boy for a club when I was just 11 years old.”

            “I’m 25”

            “Your passion… is why I play,” Zava breathed out. I rolled my eyes and shot Jamie a glance. He was giving me the same incredulous smile that I had. I was glad at least one other person in the room was finding the humor in this situation. I let out a scoff at Jamie’s face.

Unfortunately, my scoff seemed to gain the attention of Zava as he turned to face me.

            “Any you,” He knelt down in front of me, taking my hand in his. “You are a warrior. I pledge my allegiance to you, my queen.”

            “Oh… uh…. Thanks?” I wasn’t quite sure how to respond when a grown man pledges his allegiance to you.

            “Your bravery and determination know no bounds.” He brought my hands up and place a kiss on each palm. “Lead me down your path.”

I gave him a tightlipped smile as he nodded at me. He finally let go of my hands and walked back to address the team. I sat there, still in shock at the interaction. I looked over at Jamie again, expecting to laugh things off with him but he wasn’t laughing, in fact all the humor in his face had left.

The coaches left the locker room to go discuss our strategy with Zava. As we did, I looked over at Jamie one last time who was untying and retying his shoes, refusing to even look my way. I groaned internally, now I’d have that to deal with when I got home.

Training was fine for the rest of the day. The boys were buzzing thinking about Zava. I stood next to Roy as we watched them run their drills.

            “I just don’t get it,” I said to Roy, arms crossed in front of me. “I mean he’s a good player yeah, but we have plenty of great players on the team. O’BREIN IF I SEE YOU CUT A CORNER AGAIN, I’LL CHASE YOU AROUND THE PITCH MYSELF.”

Roy nodded at me. “The boys need something to hold onto, if they want to hold onto Zava, that’s fine by me.”

I watched as Jamie pushed himself to be in the front of the pack. “I think it’s incredibly short sighted to depend on one player. Just thinking about when Jamie was their Zava.” Roy grunted, remembering all too well when Jamie was the hero of the lads. “I guess I just don’t get it.”

“I think it’s a guy thing… like Ryan Reynolds,” he surmised. I shook my head, a disgusted look on my face.

“Well, that’s one thing I can be glad not to get behind.”

…

After training, I was sitting in at my desk, drawing up a different strategy. Or at least trying to. I sucked at this part, trying to figure out how the players should move. I was good at interpreting strategy and executing it, but coming up with one on my own, forget about it. I was just about to give up and get ready to head out when Jamie walked into the room.

“Hey, Jamie,” Ted greeted with a smile. “How you doing?”

            “Um. Can I talk to you for a minute?” Straight and to the point. He didn’t even look at me when he walked in the room. I frowned glancing over at Beard who shrugged.

            “Yeah! You can talk to me as long as you want, though I do have a tendency to doze off around 1:00am.” He laughed at himself. How many dad jokes could Ted make in one day? The world may never know. “What’s up.”

            “Uh, so look… uh,” Jamie turned and closed the door and finally he looked at me. I tried to give him a smile, but he didn’t seem very receptive to it. “I know we’re all excited Zava’s here. Yeah, I get that. But I know a lot of players like him, and they’re all just self-absorbed glory hunters who care about themselves.”

Ted and Beard gave each other a look. I knew what they were thinking. Jamie was that exact self-absorbed glory hunter just a few seasons ago. But Jamie was different. He really was. And the fact that Zava was that version of himself was truly mature of him. I knew it took a lot for him to come talk to us and I wanted to support him.

            “Uh. Jamie, don’t you think that… coming from you… that’s a little bit ironic,” Beard scoffed, giving Jamie a condescending look. I frowned at him. It wasn’t even ironic.

            “Look!” Jamie stammered trying to figure out how to word his thoughts correctly. “The point is. We don’t need this guy. I… I think we’ve got a good thing going here, and he’s already fucking it all up.” He pointed to the white board that Zava had messed with. The one where everyone else was behind him.

I hurt me to see Jamie to insecure. But it was different from the insecurity I’d seen when he was worried about Dani. Not only was he being way more eloquent with his words, but he was showing his insecurity to the coaches. Something he never would’ve done before.

“Hey, Jamie, I hear what you’re saying man,” Ted reassured him. “But I think we’ve got to give it a game or two and see what’s what.”

Jamie glanced at me again. Only the second time since he’d walked into the room. I nodded, agreeing with Ted. As much as I didn’t get the obsession around Zava, he was a good player and we had to give it a chance before dismissing him completely. Especially after everything Rebecca did to secure him to the team.

            “Yeah, yeah…” Jamie nodded, wringing his hands. “Yeah, no, course, yeah. Well, um. Thanks for hearing me out.”

            “Alright!” Ted responded, hitting his desk. “Thanks for speaking your mind. Please continue to do so.”

Jamie nodded and turned to leave. “Oh, and uh, I weren’t being ironic… I was being hypocritical.” He said to Beard. “That’s it.”

And he left. I raised my eyebrows and smiled widely, looking at Beard in excitement. Beard was furious. His mind reeling with the idea that Jamie had corrected him.

            “Is that right?” Ted asked.

            “Mmm.”

            “Yes or no!” I pressed, doing a drumroll on my desk.

            “Yes…” Beard squeaked out.

I laughed, pumping my fist in the air. “Jamie 1, Beard 0”

            “So that was actually ironic,” Ted pointed out.

            “More like Beard 5 Jamie 1, okay?” Beard pouted and stormed out of the room. Ted and I sat chuckling to ourselves as he left. I turned back to my paper, looking at what I had drawn.

I scrapped it, balling it up into a ball before throwing it into the trash, nearly hitting Ted as I did. I let out a loud groan and slammed my head into the desk.

Ted rolled over to sit next to me. “What chu working on there.”

“Do you ever think it’s crazy?” I asked him, rolling my head over to look at him. “Being here? Being a football coach?”

Ted laughed ironically. “You know that question does cross my mind from time to time, yes.”

I smiled, but the pit in my stomach wouldn’t let me celebrate quite yet. “But then I remember why we’re here. Do you remember that?”

I looked over at him. “To win the whole fucking thing.”

            “To win the whole fucking thing,” Ted nodded, hitting my arm. “Now why don’t you go on home? You’ve worked enough for today.”

            “Whatever you say, Ted.” I pushed back from my desk, grabbing my bag. “I’ll see you at the game, yeah?”

            “Sure will, miss ma’am,” He responded, standing from his seat. “Have a nice night.”

I walked out into the carpark, looking forward to getting home and taking a long shower… maybe with Jamie involved. But instead, he was leaning against my car waiting for me. I approached him, looking around to make sure there was no one else around.

            “Hey Jamie, what’s up.”

            “Oh, hey (Y/N), thought you’d forgotten about me,” Jamie grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I unlocked my care. “What are you talking about?”

            “Thought you’d be too busy talking to Zava,” he said pointedly, not even having the decency to look at you.

You stared at him face unmoving. Your blood was boiling. “Nuh, uh, no we aren’t doing this jealous bullshit.” Jamie shrugged noncommittally, but you could tell his exterior was breaking. “You don’t get to take your anger and insecurity out on me.”

            “I was just-“

            “You were just nothing, get off my car.”

He pushed himself off my car, hand coming around to rub the back of his neck. I pushed him aside and opened the door to the car.I knew Jamie was upset about Zava, I knew he was feeling insecure about his skill and his abilities I knew all those things. But he had no right to pin his emotions on me. If he had actually talked to me, he would’ve learned that I think Zava is an overrated prick with an ego to match but no. Instead, now I was getting in the car to drive home and shower, alone.

I didn’t say another word to Jamie was I slammed the door and drove off. In my rearview mirror, I saw him kicking a rock on the ground and knew he was probably kicking himself as well. My shower wasn’t as satisfying as it would have been if Jamie had been there, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless.

I let the hot water roll down over my body, washing away the stress and anxiety the day had brought. But when I stepped out, I found myself wishing Jamie was there to make some stupid cheeky comment about my body. I had to remind myself that I were mad at him long enough to not text him to come over.

Instead, I went back to my drawing board and tried to draw up another strategy. But try as I might, I couldn’t focus. I tapped my pencil against the page. Every tap sending a pitch to my mind of my football days, the stomps on the seats, the cheers of my chant, the swish of the goal. What were I missing?

I snapped out of my trance when I saw my phone was ringing. I picked up my phone and answered the called.

“Hello?”

It was only a few minutes later when Colin showed up at my doorstep with a bottle of sugary rose and two glasses.

            ��Are you sure I wasn’t bothering you?” he checked as I walked him into my house.

I waved him off, sitting down on my couch. “Not at all, I was just relaxing after a shower, now pour me some wine and talk to me.”

Colin followed my instructions and poured me a hefty glass of wine. He sat on my couch, trying to make himself comfortable but I could tell there was something on his mind. He was vague on the phone, something about relationship problems and just wanted to chat, but that was it. He shifted so his body was facing mine.

            “Do you ever feel like… a part of you is… missing?” He asked sincerely. “Like… you can almost tell it’s there but it’s just out of reach.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. “Is this about Zava? Cause I told Ted that taking you out of the lineup was a bad idea.”

            “No! Well… maybe.” He considered his words, tapping his fingers against his hands. “Maybe something more than Zava.”

I thought back to my dilemma with the strategy. I could see the field, the ball in in stride, the crowd cheering my name, but not the formation. What was I doing there? I thought through this as Colin waited for me to respond.

            “I think maybe Zava getting me benched has me thinking about… my place on the team and just who I am…” He told me, looking down. “Something Nate said to me last season.”

I rolled my eyes, grumbling to myself. “What did he say?” I scoffed, thinking about what Nate could possible have said, brining my wine glass to my lips.

            “He called me uninspiring.” I almost spit out my wine. “Like Jamie and Dani are Van Goph and I’m… motel art.”

            “He said WHAT?” I shouted, nearly jumping out of my seat. “What a bastard.”

            “Yeah…well… maybe he was right.”

            “No, no, Colin…” I got up from my spot and moved over to sit next to him. “You are not motel art.”

Colin shrugged, looking noncommittal. “Zava inspires, that’s why he’s on the team.”

It broke my heart to think someone made Colin think he wasn’t inspiring. Like his work on the team wasn’t enough.

            “Colin…” I sighed, sucking my lips into my teeth. “You are inspiring. The only thing Zava inspires is a headache, but you… you make the team work. On and off the field.” I brought my hand to shake his shoulder. “You’re my friend, Colin. I don’t become friends with just anyone on the team.”

            “Bumbercatch said he was sorry”

            “If he was sorry he would knit me a new scarf, wouldn’t he.”

Colin chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah… I guess.”

I could tell there was something more going on in Colin’s head. Something that went deeper than just the team’s lineup. His hands were still tapping away at each other even as he smiled. I knocked my shoulder against his.

            “Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?” I checked, glancing down at his hands and back up at him.

Colin chewed on his bottom lip as his eyes averted away from mine. “Uh, no, I don’t think so.”

I nodded, knowing that if it was something I should know he would tell me.

            “Alright, then get your switch out we’re playing Smash Bros.”

            “Oh, you are so on.”  

The day of the game arrived and the whole city of Richmond was buzzing. Everyone was excited to see Zava make his debut for the team, see what he could do for us. I found myself spacing out as the coaching staff went over the plan to the team again. How many times could one man say Zava before the it didn’t even sound like a name anymore.

We had exactly four minutes until we had to be on the field. I was heading to fill up my water bottle when a hand pulled me into the boot room. I yelped but knew exactly who it was.

            “Jamie, you have to stop surprising me like this,” I scolded, trying to regain my balance.

            “Sorry, sorry, but I we don’t have a lot of time,” He apologized, running a hand through his hair. “I just want to apologize.” I softened, standing up straight as I listened to him. “I was being a dick yesterday, and I took me… stupid insecurity about Zava out on you.”

            “Yeah… you did,” I agreed, the ends of my lips curling up just slightly.

            “Anyways, I just wanted to say I’m sorry, yeah?” He concluded, skewing his mouth at me.

I glanced around the room, making sure the coast was clear before going up on my tallest tip toes and placing a quick kiss on Jamie’s mouth.

            “Thank you,” I murmured, my eyes crinkling with my smile. “But next time… just talk to me. “

He scoffed and nodded, looking down at the floor. “Yeah… I should’ve just talked to you. I know��� but it’s just Zava gotten into me head.”

I started to head towards the door, shrugging. “Don’t worry about Zava, how back could it possibly be?”

…

Very bad, apparently. Well great for Richmond. But terrible for Jamie. Zava took the league by storm, leading Richmond through a string of powerful wins against all of our rivals. It made us look great, but I could tell it was taking a toll on Jamie’s self-esteem. He barely had a single goal the whole season, even one that looked like a sure goal for him that Zava stole at the last minute.

That’s how he ended up moping in the corner of Sam’s restaurant. I stared at him as I chatted with Rebecca and Keeley. After another successful win, Sam had invited us over for an early opening of his restaurant. Everyone had come. Even Beard and Jane were there to show their support. I would give anything to go over and comfort Jamie, but right now, I could only stare as he looked so fucking good, even as broody as he was.

            “It’s a pity you and Jamie never worked your shit out, isn’t it,” Rebecca commented, popping an olive in her mouth. “You were all over him last season.”

I widened my eyes at her, nodding sadly. “We just never figured shit out, I guess.”

            “It’s too bad,” Keeley agreed, looking over at Jamie. “I think the two of you would’ve been great.”

I glanced over at Jamie again who was playing with his food, a warm feeling flooding my chest. “Yeah… we would’ve.”

Rebecca and Keeley shared a glance. Rebecca subtly refilled my glass with champagne as Keeley pulled me back into the conversation.

            “Well, we need to get you back on the horse! Gotta get back on bantr!” Keeley insisted, forcing me to look at her. “I bet if you tried you could take one of these guys home tonight.”

            “Well, it’s a good thing I don’t want to do that,” I soothed, shaking my head. “I think I just want to be single for a little while.”

Rebecca nodded at me. “Good for you, being single is great!”

            “You hate being single,” Keely pointed out, giggling.

            “But I have come to accept it, (Y/N)” she looked at me seriously. “Just focus on you and the rest will come.”

I smiled at her. She was right. Not in the way she thought but it meant a lot to me. Here I was, working for a premiere league football team, dating my best friend and I should be happy. I was happy. But my mind wandered to my conversation with Colin. There was a part of me missing but I didn’t even know what part.

I looked over at Jamie again, this time he was with Roy. I didn’t know what they were talking about, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. But I missed Jamie. I missed him even though he was sitting in the room with me. I knew that if I walked over there and pulled him up and kissed him in the middle of the room, no one would care.

But it wasn’t them I was afraid of. It was everyone else. Once the word got out into the world and the press knew and the fans knew, no one would look at me the same way. They would look at him the same but me, I’d be the coach who was dating her player. I’d be the girl who slept my way to the top. And I don’t think I could handle that.

…

The rapid knocking on the door was what woke me up. I was laying on Jamie's chest, an arm slung over his waist as he kept me secure with an arm around my shoulder. I blinked my eyes open and propped myself up on my elbows to look at the clock. 4:00AM.

"Jamie," I grumbled, tapping his chest. "If you don't get the door, I'm gonna kill someone. Most likely you."

"Why do I have to do it?" He growled, wrapping his arms around me to pull me down to his chest again. "Just ignore it, they'll go away."

I smile sleepily, closing my eyes again. He was right. Whoever it was knocking at the wrong house. They would go away eventually.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Or not. I groaned again. "Jammieee."

He didn't move, pretending not to hear me. I trailed my hands up his chest and flicked his bare nipple.

“Oi!" He shouted, suddenly very awake. "What'd you do that for?"

"Go. Get. The. Door." I demanded, wriggling out from his arms, and turning over.

Jamie let out a frustrated grunt but got out of the bed, throwing a shirt on before walking out again.  I felt your eyes begin to droop again. Jamie would be back eventually, and we could go back to sleep for a few more hours.

But he didn’t come back, and it sounded like he was actually talking to whoever was at the door. I frowned and let out a hard sigh as I rolled out of bed. I found Jamie’s shirt – he must have taken mind by mistake – and threw it on over my head. I slumped down the stairs rubbing my eyes.

            “Jamie, who the fuck is at the door?”  As I rounded the corner, a bright light came to shine on me. I blinked my eyes and realized that it was Roy. “Oh, fuck.”

            “What the fuck is she doing here?” Roy barked, looking at Jamie.

            “None of your fucking business, grandad,” Jamie waved him off turning around. He walked over to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing my head. “Goin’ for a run, you gonna be okay?

I nodded at him, giving him a tight-lipped smile. “You’re wearing my shirt and your ass is out.”  

He looked down at the shit then glanced over his shoulder. “Thought I’d give Roy a show, whatdaya think.” He leaned down pursing his lips dramatically.

I pushed his head away and laughed. “Very funny, now go change so I can go back to sleep.”

Jamie frowned at me and sulked as he walked off. I watched him leave for a second, my lips pursed as I became very aware of Roy’s eyes on me. I walked over to the open door, waving at Roy.

            “You sleepin’ with Tartt?” He grunted, his bushy eyebrows lifting slightly.

            “Your knees still creak when the wind blows?” I shot back, meeting his expression.

Roy grunted at me, smirking fondly. “Touche.”

I smiled, a real smile, not a tight-lipped or pursed smile. It was 4 o’clock in the fucking morning and I’m standing in Jamie’s shirt in front of my friend and the world didn’t explode. Roy and Jamie getting along, well as best as they could. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Sure, it wasn’t the whole world, but it was someone. It was a start.

            “Holy shit.” Roy’s voice brought me back to reality.

            “What?” I leaned against the door frame.

            “You’re proper fucking into him aren’t you,” Roy questioned. “Like it’s not just a sex thing.”

I bit my lip, turning as Jamie reemerged from our bedroom. I felt my ears begin to burn as I replied.

            “Yeah… I’m proper fucking into him.”

Taglist:@heletsmelovehim @higherthanheroes @ajax-petropolus-wife @oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo @optimisticsandwichgladiator @kno-way-home @sleepy-time @wigglegiggle @skewedcherries @respondingtoshowerthoughts-blog @snubug @rana030

[ecargmura]

The Mochi Mayhem Epilogue Was Hilarious (Review)

Here it is. The finale of the DLC. The ending to an era. How should we celebrate this milestone? Excuse me? Could you repeat that again? The Chicken Dance? What?

Anyways, this epilogue is bringing in the main story and DLC together by making the Paldea trio meet up with Kieran and Carmine, the DLC characters in one last misadventure to stop the land of Kitakami from doing the chicken—er, Mochi dance by a mysterious Pokemon that looks like a Pecha Berry.

The overall epilogue was very hilarious, but it also got me having a lot of questions. I know that the event starts in Kitakami when you examine the peach plush in Peachy’s. After the little scene that happens, Arven calls because he wants to come over to the player’s house, meaning you have to travel all the way back to Paldea where Nemona and Penny tagged along and then Kieran gives the player a letter, which then makes the Paldean group go back to Kitakami, which is when the event starts happening. I don’t know why the game makes it so that we have to jump through different regions. I know it’s for plot as the Paldean trio didn’t get offers to study abroad. It made me wonder what would’ve happened if they had come along during Teal Mask.

Despite that, Kieran meshes well with the Paldean trio. It sucks that Carmine was possessed throughout the whole story, but it makes sense as she had her fair share of spotlight in the Teal Mask. This is Kieran’s time to shine! I find it hilarious how he was theorized to have been possessed, but when Pecharunt showed up with the evil mochi, Kieran is the only other person aside from the player to not eat the mochi as it hit his forehead and flew off. Ha, take that, theorizers! I wonder what would’ve happened if Nemona had been involved in the Teal Mask DLC—maybe that was why they took the Paldea trio out of the story for the DLC because the story’s issues would’ve resolved fast.

Pecharunt is a weird Pokemon. While it has a connection with the Kitakami lore, it was never really explored. It just showed up and wrecking havoc. While it did give the Loyal Three their toxic chain, it never really had an involvement in Teal Mask until this DLC. The Loyal Three are its retainers, but there were slight hints of its existence sprinkled here and there. I’m also confused on why it decided to wake up and decided to possess everyone with toxic mochi. Is it angry? Chaotic? I’m not sure. Despite that, Pecharunt is no slouch in battle.

What I liked about the DLC is the fact that Kieran joins the player as a Multi Battle partner which is a definite redemption from his behavior in the Indigo Disk DLC. It was nice being able to battle together with him. I was actually surprised that Kieran’s grandparents were trainers too. They were pretty tough. Arven and Penny were challenging too. I do like that in the midst of the double battles, the last match is against Nemona, who is challenged as a single battle. I loved the mix-match of battling styles.

Once you complete the DLC, Nemona, Arven, Penny, Kieran and Carmine can be interacted with in the League Club with the former three being special coaches. I do like that they give you such a bonus afterwards. I feel like it’s a good way to end everything as you are reunited with the three most important characters in the main story followed by the two most important characters in the DLC. What makes Paldea special is the unique varieties of characters that makes it a worthwhile experience.

Argh, it’s going to be hard to say good-bye to these characters because they’re all so good. All the Gym Leaders, Elite Four, teachers, Team Star, students and DLC characters were just so GOOD! Scarlet and Violet legit shot up to my third favorite mainline Pokemon game because of how good the game and DLCs were. What will Pokemon do now after the masterpiece that was SV? If Unova remakes are true, will it live up to SV’s hype? Will it be better than BDSP? Only time will tell. What are your thoughts on this epilogue and the DLCs as a whole?

[ask-thebbleague]

[OOC post;

Howdy and welcome!

This is an in character art ask blog for the members of the Blueberey Academy's Pokemon League Club from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's DLCs run by @phopollo

Most if not all questions will be answered with a drawn response, so I ask that you please be patient with the time it takes to respond to them!

Let's get some rules out of the way!

RULES

Please keep your questions and interactions SFW.

Please try to keep questions within the meta. With that in mind, know that the events of the DLCs and the epilogue have already occurred.

In character interactions in both the ask box and reblogs are perfectly fine and allowed! It's even a bit encouraged! Have fun!

(Starting with a small list because I trust y'all)

Does this blog accept;

Magic Anons? - No

Peliper Mail? - While I'm not entirely sure what this is, yes! Seems like a fun way to learn

But! We are not opposed to getting a little silly!

Call a coach!

Calling a coach will bring a bonus character on to the blog for 3 days worth of asks! The dates you can begin and end asking questions with that character will be specified in the initial response to the call!

Only the characters you may call in the games can be called here for the time being

How to call a coach;

In the ask box, begin your message or ask with "Call:"

Input the name of the character you would like to call in following "Call:"

I believe that's all for now!

Have fun!]

[moonymase]

pillow dilemma | r. d

summary ; Ruben Dias and Y/n, fierce football rivals, grapple with an uncomfortable compromise during a team retreat, leading to a surprising and intimate connection that transcends their competition

masterlist

In the heart of a bustling football stadium, the fiery rivalry between Ruben Dias and Y/n was the talk of the town. Their fierce competition on the pitch was the stuff of legends, captivating fans and pundits alike. Each time they faced off, the intensity of their clashes reached unprecedented heights, as if the very essence of their beings clashed in a monumental struggle for supremacy.

Off the field, their animosity was equally palpable. Their encounters were marked by icy glares, sharp exchanges of words, and an unyielding determination to outdo one another. The media feasted on their bitter rivalry, fueling the fire and ensuring that every match between them became a spectacle not to be missed.

Both players hailed from different football clubs, with Ruben Dias being a defensive stalwart renowned for his uncompromising tackles and exceptional leadership on the field. Y/n, on the other hand, was a dazzling attacking force, blessed with speed and agility that left defenders in her wake. Their contrasting styles only added fuel to the fire, as they battled for supremacy in every aspect of the beautiful game.

Beyond football, Ruben and Y/n moved in separate circles, avoiding any interaction beyond the obligatory formalities during league events. Their lives seemed destined to revolve around the perpetual tug-of-war on the field, with little room for anything else.

As the football season reached its midpoint, both players found themselves facing burnout and waning team morale. It was then that their respective coaches devised a plan to bring their teams closer together—a bonding retreat in a secluded countryside resort.

Reluctantly, Ruben and Y/n found themselves on the same retreat, surrounded by teammates who were blissfully unaware of the underlying tension between the two stars. The resort was picturesque, with lush greenery and serene landscapes, seemingly a world away from the football pitch.

As the sun dipped below the horizon on the second day of the retreat, the teams retired to their respective rooms. To their dismay, Ruben and Y/n discovered that, due to an administrative oversight, their room was equipped with only one pillow.

On the first day of the retreat, the teams participated in various team-building activities, intended to foster camaraderie and unity. Despite their competitive natures, Ruben and Y/n's coaches hoped that the activities would help break down the barriers between the two rivals.

In the past, this trivial matter might have been resolved without fuss, but given their longstanding feud, neither was willing to back down. They stood at opposite ends of the room, their arms crossed, and stubbornness etched on their faces.

"I can't sleep without a pillow," they declared in unison, their voices dripping with irritation.

The room was tense, and the air seemed to crackle with the animosity between Ruben and Y/n. They stood at opposite ends, their arms crossed, each unwilling to back down.

"This is ridiculous! How can they mess up the room arrangement like this?"

"They probably did it on purpose just to see us squirm"

"Well, I'm not giving in to you, Ruben. I need a pillow to sleep properly."

"And I'm not giving you the whole pillow. We'll have to find another solution."

"Like what? Sleep on the floor?"

"No, but maybe there's an extra pillow in the closet or something"

"You really think they would have an extra pillow hidden away in a tiny closet?"

"I don't know, but it's worth a look."

"Fine, go check, but I doubt you'll find anything." Ruben marched over to the closet and began rummaging through the limited contents. He pulled out a couple of blankets and a towel but no sign of another pillow.

"No luck. They really did mess up."

"I told you so."

After several minutes of fruitless arguing, Y/n finally broke the deadlock. "Fine, let's split the pillow then. I'll take one half, and you can have the other."

Ruben was equally unwilling to give in but realized that any other solution would mean conceding to the other's comfort. Reluctantly, he agreed, and they prepared the bed, each taking half of the pillow.

As they lay down to sleep, their heads were merely inches apart. They were closer than they had ever been, and the proximity felt strange yet strangely comforting.

"Is this okay?" Ruben asks.

"Yeah, it's fine."

In the dim light of the room, their eyes briefly met, and for a moment, the rivalry seemed to fade into the background.

"We're still rivals, you know."

"I haven't forgotten." Y/n smile.

As the night wore on, exhaustion slowly overcame their animosity, and their guards started to lower. In this gentle intimacy, the walls between them began to crumble. Y/n turned to face Ruben, her face just inches away from his. The dim light filtering through the curtains highlighted her features, making her look surprisingly beautiful. Ruben couldn't help but notice her soft lips and the way her eyes seemed to sparkle.

Y/n's heart skipped a beat as she saw Ruben's handsome face up close. Despite their rivalry, she couldn't deny the attraction she felt for him. The tension in the room shifted, and they found themselves drawn to each other like magnets.

Without a word, Ruben's hand found its way to Y/n's cheek, and she leaned into his touch, their lips meeting in a tender and unexpected kiss. In that moment, the world around them faded away, and they were left with nothing but the electricity of their newfound connection.

The night was filled with whispered confessions, tender touches, and a newfound intimacy that neither of them had expected. The rivalry that had consumed them for so long seemed insignificant compared to the sparks that ignited between them that night.

*****

As the season progressed, Ruben and Y/n's performances on the field seemed to be influenced by their newfound connection. Their rivalry remained intact, but it transformed into a spirited contest marked by mutual respect and admiration.

The media, eager to unearth any drama, caught wind of the subtle changes in their behavior. Speculation ran wild, and whispers of a secret romance circulated throughout the football community. Yet, despite the pressure, Ruben and Y/n kept their love shielded from the spotlight, choosing to explore this uncharted territory on their terms.

[gavisuntiedboot]

uhm so gavi his agent has met a few times with chelsea so that means a move to chelsea this season is likely since he isn't happy with Barça at all. and i get why cause since messi has came back into the picture they're kind of neglecting him?

Hello anon!! Firstly, I want to apologize in advance if I come across as condescending because that’s not my intention at all.

There is only one reporter who put out that Gavi was unhappy and moving to Chelsea. All the articles are based off of that one report, and many other Spain-based sports journalists are saying this ain’t true, which makes a lot of sense.

Gavi is a La Masía kid who has been starting for the first team all season and has been performing very well. To break his contract (originally until 2026), the club set the price at a billion Euros!! They also fought like hell to have his contract go through, so him being “unhappy” at Barça doesn’t make much sense from a logic standpoint. They were chanting his name in today’s game. So I think it’s highly inaccurate to say that Barça have been neglecting him, as they have been starting him every game, a large part of their media revolves around him, and there has been consistent effort to upgrade him and get his contract situated.

Secondly, it makes no sense for him to switch teams now, especially when his future has been hinged upon the new “Xavi and Iniesta” duo in him and Pedri. If he’s in it for money, the money that can come from that pairing alone is astronomical. He’s super highly favored in Spain, and so it makes literally zero sense for him to move to the premier league as well.

There’s more but it’s 6am and I haven’t slept, but you can read for yourself on other sites. Gavi shares an agent with none other than Luis Enrique, who (if you pay attention to sports news) is a favorite candidate for the new coaching position at Chelsea.

All in all, it’s very important to be critical of the media we consume and not take everything at face value. Reporters take advantage of a lack of media literacy in order to get people to interact with their pieces more out of outrage/ fear/ etc. For someone who was playing like a first team player on a B team contract and celebrates his goals by literally kissing the crest, there should be more confidence in his loyalty.

(Last thing: now that Messi is old, he plays striker. So if anyone is in danger cause of El Leo, it’s Ferran and Ansu)

[abstractnaturaldisaster]

Steddie Hockey Casino Night AU Part 1

so for people who might not be part of the general hockey fandom, Casino Night is a fundraiser a lot of clubs do where fans can by a ticket to play casino games with players and raise money for the team’s charity foundation. it’s a chance for fans to interact with the players in a more social environment and it’s a pretty popular event for most clubs. more comments about this AU below the ficlet! c:

***

Steve Harrington was used to Casino Nights. His NHL career had spanned about a decade at this point and he’d been to his fair share of fan-facing fundraisers. In his younger years it was a fun night to let loose a little during the season (with the coaches blessing, no less). He’d used his easy charm to hook up sometimes but mostly he wandered the venue and enjoyed feeling wanted by the admiring crowds. In his veteran years, Steve usually b-lined his way to a back poker table and sat near the dealer, hunched over his cards, making friendly but limited conversation with the rest of the table. Most of his teammates brought a significant other, a girlfriend or fiancée, to help take pictures, hold drinks, and jump in with any awkward silences throughout the evening. Steve Harrington didn’t have a partner, but he did have a cadre of rookies (one of which lived with him at his condo Henderson (said-rookie) affectionately called the Bachelor Pad), a tortoise named Fred, and the team’s social media manager turned best friend, Robin. 

The hurried hook ups of his youth ended up creating his girl-in-every-port reputation and Steve was willing to ride those rumors to avoid any more serious speculation into his love life. Steve was out to team management and his teammates as bi but he didn’t particularly feel like addressing his sexuality in a press conference so the genders of his affairs were a closely guarded secret. At one point Robin had tried to convince him to have NDAs ready to hand out to anyone he brought back to a hotel room after an away game. Steve had ignored the suggestion. Honestly if his bisexuality were to come out via some sort of tell-all tabloid at least he wouldn’t have to be the one to break the news. In reality, who Steve hooked up with was of very little interest to the general population. At the end of the day, he was nearing retirement and was hoping he could finish out his contract and melt into the relative obscurity most minorly successful NHL alums were able to do. He wasn’t going to have the long drawn out career of someone like Ovechkin but he would be able to retire and live happily without much concern for future finances. He’d thought about taking a couple of years off and then maybe starting to coach youth leagues or college teams depending on how far the Harrington name could get him. Steve’s musing was interrupted by Henderson aggressively knocking on his bathroom door.

“Steveeeeeeeeeeee,” Dustin yelled.

“What, Henderson?” Steve answered.

“Help?” Dustin asked and pointed to a full on rats nest that had somehow developed in his crispy gelled curls.

“Oh, man, how did this happen?” Steve asked.

“I dunno, dude, please fix it? Mike and Lucas won’t let me live it down if I show up like this.” Dustin moaned.

“Alright kid, come here, we gotta get some of this gel out of your hair first,” Steve said as he bent Dustin’s head over his sink. 

Steve was able to get enough of the gel out and run a comb through Dustin’s curly mop to approach something that could be considered a hairstyle. They were getting close to running late so Steve rushed through the process of throwing on his tux and pressuring Dustin into wearing his nicer game day suit while calling their driver to meet them out front.

“Alright, kiddo. You ready for your first casino night?” Steve asked.

“Yea! Mike and Lucas are dragging Will out so it should be fun to hang out and meet people.” Dustin answered.

Will was Robin’s social media intern. Not all of the staff had to go to the event but similar to how Steve and Robin had become inseparable at team events, Will was pulled into the Mike-Lucas-Dustin orbit in a similar way. The group had even taken to playing D&D one-shots on long travel days since Mike had some experience DMing in a high school club. Steve was a little impressed with himself for being able to remember some of the terminology for the game; however, he did give the group shit for playing their nerd game instead of going out to celebrate after away wins.

“That’ll be nice.” Steve said as the elevator door opened to the lobby of his building.

The big black SUV was already out front waiting on them so Steve herded Dustin through the lobby and into the car. 

“Hey Jon!” Steve greeted his driver. Jonathan had been with Steve for a while, long enough to have been roped into his ragtag adopted family. There was a little tension between them for a while when Steve found out Jon and Nancy had started dating seriously. Nancy had been Steve’s longest relationship and they’d stayed friendly after they broke up. Nancy had wanted bigger and better things than being a SOAP to an NHL player and honestly Steve couldn’t blame her. Jon had been enamored with Nancy since he met her through Steve. Steve hadn’t loved that they’d gotten together but that had been years ago at this point. They had two girls that Steve was low key obsessed with and offered to babysit as much as his schedule allowed so he had let go of his (admittedly low-stakes) rivalry with Jon.

“‘Sup, Steve? Dustin?” Jon asked.

“Jon! Can you please convince Steve that he is absolutely overdressed for this shindig?”

“I dunno, dude, I think he might be the expert?” Jon joked. He’d driven Steve long enough to know not to get in between Steve and his rookies.

“Ugh. You’re such a pushover.” Dustin said as he buckled in.

“I just know who out of the two of you pays my bills, kid.” Jon winked at Steve in the rearview as he pulled out into traffic.

Steve settled into his seat and used the drive to melt into his public-facing-Steve-Harrington persona as Dustin prattled on about their cup chances this season. Steve let him ramble on even though he personally hated to jinx anything mid-way through the season.

“Alright, gentlemen, we’re here! Just give me a call when you’re ready to head out.” Jon jumped out to open Dustin and Steve’s doors, a formality Steve only allowed when Jon drove him to official team events.

Steve took one more deep breath and steadied himself for the evening as Henderson was already running off to join the rest of the team. Steve was a little nostalgic for his rookie days when everything seemed so fresh and new. Now he felt like he needed to crack his back after getting up from sitting too long and he was absolutely looking at hip surgery if he got another bad check. Regardless of how old Steve felt, he put on his media smile, straightened his jacket and got ready for introductions, already mentally planning out his escape routes for the evening.

***

hi friends! my sister and i recently went to our first casino night and i have had this brain worm in my head rolling around for a while and this giant first chapter just appeared, lol

in terms of world building, if you’re familiar with hockey twitter i am thinking of steve as a joe pavelski type and dustin as one of his rookies. lucas and mike are also team rookies but i haven’t really picked any positions for anyone since it’s casino night and i don’t have to lol. so if anyone has any specific head canons for positions please share!!

don’t worry -- eddie will be here in the next part! 

like last time, i’ll post on AO3 when i get a few more parts finished.

[absolute-filth-factory]

I was already excited for the 23-24 season for the hawks and all of the new prospects coming up through the system, but the new every shift episode just made me more excited. I was originally kind of skeptical about the whole "taking dev camp off-ice" thing, but now I'm really glad they did it, for a lot of reasons.

Management actually gives a shit about the players!! I know that's like, basic human curtesy, but knowing a huge reason that Kyle Beach went through what he did was because management did not give a single shit about the players and only cared about the cup, it's a huge relief to see Davidson and Richardson being really supportive of the players and making decisions based on what's best for them, not just the hawks overall.

A big purpose of this camp was to allow the prospects to develop off-ice and get to see the city that they're (probably) going to be playing in within a couple years. I mean, they went to a Cubs game, took a boat tour on the Chicago river, took a cooking class, played floor hockey with a local boys and girls club, went to Second City (comedy club), and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting. Management isn't hanging them out to dry in that respect, and I am very glad for that.

Player interactions!! The episode was great in that it showed off so much personality, and it didn't just focus on the first-round draft picks, although of course they did get a bit more attention. We got to see a ton of different players doing things and interacting with one another, and it seems like the goal of team bonding was achieved. As Nazar said in the episode, you've got guys from America, Canada, overseas, and it's good that they're able to talk to each other and develop the kind of relationships and camaraderie that's necessary for a winning team (and also just really fun to watch). Sure, some of the players might have been up against each other in their league or in a tournament or maybe have been on the same team, but that's not really conducive to building team chemistry anyways.

Another two big reasons why they took the camp off-ice this year was to avoid causing or exacerbating injuries and to remove the stress of trying to perform well in a short period of time in front of management. I mean, these guys have already been playing hockey for a really long time, and scouts have already been watching and evaluating them, so why have them play high-stress, mostly meaningless hockey and put them at risk of somehow getting injured or making something worse. Yeah, you probably don't run into that many new injuries at dev camp (except for that kid up in Toronto who got a concussion the other day), but if players are trying to prove something to management, they're gonna be a lot more likely to play through something they should probably be leaving alone. It just seems like a better solution to me, and they're still going to be getting ice time in training camp in September.

Even though the camp was off-ice, the players were still doing a ton of conditioning. They boxed, did regular weight room stuff, probably some other things, and they took a class with Oduya on breathing techniques that can be used in a number of different ways. Richardson was directly involved in the boxing, too, which is great for a number of reasons, especially to help player-coach interactions.

Davidson seems to have a huge focus on culture and character, both in determining who he picks and how the players are expected to conduct themselves. There was a session on inclusion, from what I remember, and at the end of the episode, Davidson specifically brings up Moore talking about how the way Bedard carries himself has already affected him and the way he does things. That kind of thing is huge on any team, but I think it really shows that the hawks under Davidson are trying to create a good environment to play hockey and just be a team in, and it makes me really excited for the future of this team.

[kutputli]

One thing I wished the show would talk about is racism in English Football, esp given how the Richmond team is comprised of mostly Black and Brown players. In real life, 43% of the players in the English Premier League are Black, and despite representing England, Black players are subjected to racist abuse should they fall short of spectacular. The fact that the white footballers are given more screentime and depth in the show is frustrating as fuck. But thats the product of a white writing room I suppose.

Mmm HMM.

I reblogged a Subjectify Media post yesterday that talked about this, and how it would be weird if the show had the crowds heckling Colin for being gay in a way the Black and Brown players and coach never were. It was a post I was deeply upset by because the two fans writing it were being so racist themselves, in a typical queer white fangirl way, while decrying the more obvious racism of football fans. Their take was that it was better that the show not get into spectator heckling at all, for anyone.

Which in and of itself is a valid way to tell a story. I think of my favourite sports anime Yuri on Ice, and how it just gracefully sidestepped into an AU where gay ice skaters are just normal and unremarkable and there is no homophobia at all.

It would be a logistically easier storytelling choice to limit the portrayal of bigotry to interpersonal interactions within the professional settings of the club. But here's why I know that the show won't.

Because they did already include crowd heckling. Only, the target was (presumed) straight, white man Ted Lasso. Ted is the only one we see getting yelled at by the crowd. And even though its the extremely tame insult of 'wanker', which gets cutely diffused into a term of affection, we see Ted reacting to being yelled at by the crowd with the beginnings of a panic attack.

So Ted Lasso faces the gauntlet of a hostile crowd, and pulls through it and wins them over through charm and shape-based jokes, and not once does he ever think that anyone around him might be facing hostility as bad or worse.

When I say the show gaslights fans of colour, its not just because we seem delusional for assuming that racist things are happening to characters of colour that the show never shows. The show gaslights us because none of the characters act like those things happen. Nate never says, 'yeah, the first time I was called a Paki I was...", Sam never says, "I never really thought of myself as Black until I moved to England and they were throwing bananas at me". And none of the kind, supportive people around Ted - Keeley, Roy, Rebecca, Leslie, Beard - tell him to put his heckling into perspective by empathising with what the people of colour around him must be going through.

The AU world that Ted Lasso lives in is where the the worst football heckling happens to a white man.

[nightflower-stuff]

Doodle art of Miko (II) + OC interaction/Rivals 💖

• 1st art doodle:

👴 Miko's great great 10x grandfather 🏆

Miko & his unnamed friend going to sneak the Ga Shuku Stadium where does the players lives it on Earth. We don't know sure about the next coach of the future was hired 😎♥️. The picture of Nakama FC was the past players on Earth & the future that the players' bodies are humans/creatures/robotics or maybe they are halves 💁💞.

They sees the man holds the golden champion of Super League. He looks like him & that was his great great 10x grandfather, the previous man on Earth was Miko Chen (The former lead striker/Captain of his team) 😎🥺❤️💖

• 2nd art doodle:

😔 His ex girlfriend 💔

Miko search his ex girlfriend on social media. He sees her with her perfect love. His ex girlfriend was Vida. Vida & Miko are couples in 3 weeks until Vida break up with her ex boyfriend. They are both separate. She was found her new boyfriend & Miko feeling sad about her. He's ignore his ex girlfriend, while Yang (his pet friendly) was feeling sad about him. She can support him always. She's a cheater & ruin the couple relationship. 😭💕❤️

His ex girlfriend was straight + cannot support LGBTQ couples 😭

• 3rd art doodle:

🍺 Lizzie's bar ♠️

Miko (II) ride his bike when he saw Cherry standing. She's get hop on Miko's bike & he ride it with her 💗🙌☺️. They goes to the bar restaurant called "Lizzie's bar". They are inside & so many people can dance on the club knowing as Brain dance club.

Xavion was the humanoid robotic & he's trying to ask the two visits the bar, he couldn't stop them for what are they doing. These two gets blush & couldn't stop working when they looked at him hot 💗👁️👄👁️💅🔥🛐

Meet Xavion, The bodyguard of Lizzie's bar 💁🙌❤️

Fanart Gift for @/janajakovleva35 on Instagram

I hope you like them 💖🙏

• 4th art doodle:

❤️ Tonight's party 🍷

Miko, Cherry & Xavion are invite the party tonight while they are very excited 🤩💘🥰💞💖part

Fanart Gift for @/janajakovleva35 on Instagram

I hope you like them 💖🙏

• 5th art doodle:

👮 Chased by officers 🏍️

Miko has his motorcycle & he was riding it since he gets caught by the officers can catch him. Xavion saw him riding it fast. He asked him to hop on when the officers got them. Xavion was mad at the officers trying to chase them at all 😂💞💖❤️

OC/Canon AU:

Miko (II) (My 9th OC, Reincarnation of Miko Chen I)

OCs:

Cherry (@/janajakovleva35 on Instagram)

Xavion (Humanoid Robotic OC)

[theultimatefan]

Angel City FC Launches Performance Optimization Solution From Kitman Labs

Kitman Labs, the global enterprise SaaS platform providing the only single, centralized operating system for performance intelligence in the elite performance industry, today announced a new relationship with LA-based, NWSL club, Angel City Football Club.  On the heels of the NWSL’s deployment of the Performance Medicine Solution from Kitman Labs as its league-wide advanced EMR, Angel City FC will expand the use of iP: Intelligence Platform across the club to include Performance Optimization.  

Angel City FC will now be able to combine performance data - including game, training, gym, physical testing and more - with player-level medical data for a complete, real-time assessment of each athlete.  All data is captured in a single, interactive system - eliminating data and information silos, enabling cross-Departmental communication and supporting informed, data-led decision-making.  Both players and practitioners will be able to access and input data through a dedicated Coach and Player App to allow for real-time data capture and on pitch application.

“Communication, collaboration and cohesion are critical for the success of any elite sports organization.  By combining both the medical data from our new advanced EMR with our performance data, our staff, coaches and players are now equipped with the analytics and actionable intelligence necessary to work together to unlock optimal performance outcomes across the squad,” said Sarah Smith, Head of Medical and Performance at Angel City FC. 

"The purpose of The Intelligence Platform is to unify data, people and processes,” said Stephen Smith, CEO and Founder of Kitman Labs.  “Elite sports organizations are inundated with data - typically incomplete, captured in various departments throughout an organization and largely under used and under leveraged.  Angel City FC now has the ability to centralize and mobilize their data and extract the full value of that data to support evidence-based decision-making at every level of the organization.”

Kitman Labs has an established track record of working with top leagues, teams and athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer, basketball, rugby, and American football.  The company's technology is currently being used by leagues and teams within some of the world's most elite sports organizations, including the National Football League (NFL), Premier League, Major League Soccer (MLS), National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU). 

This launch follows other recent business strategy moves Kitman Labs has undertaken including two strategic acquisitions of The Sports Office and Presagia Sports. The combined companies represent the industry’s largest network of elite and youth organizations (1000+), creating the industry’s largest dataset of talent, performance, and medical data for all stages of the athlete lifecycle.

[ms-taurusvenus]

PSG is known to buy players for ridiculous amount of money in hopes to win the Champion League, and giving the players and their fans hopes that they will do so. From your intuitive perspective will their strategy work out? What is their deal? What is going on? Will Neymar, Messi and/or Mbappe lift the Champion League trophy for PSG?

I never knew thats the reason why they spend do much on players, all for the Champion League?! I always thought it was so they can have. a prestigious reputation. Maybe thats my intuition speaking.

The team has some very good players. Mbappe, Messi, Neymar, and others, just a few examples. This is subject to change, but for the time being, if they keep the players and are smart about formations and who plays during the game, their strategy will work. I imagine them experimenting or testing different formations with players and going through a trial and error phase. I doubt they'll take the risk during a game. During training, most likely. I see the coach/manager having players spend 30 minutes to an hour experimenting with different formations 2-3 days before a game, with someone taking notes on how it goes. I also see them interacting with players to find out what they know and think. It will all work out in the end. I see Mbappe working his ass off and constantly checking and see any new updates and decisions the manger/team have made. So yes, their strategy will work, for now. Unless they decide to change things.

They appear to have a goal in mind. Perhaps one of the best clubs in the world, if not the best. They want to gain weight and have children, and it is their ambition to join PSG and possibly establish a strong, prestigious reputation. Is it possible that in the future, they will prefer younger players? They want to have the hot new talent that everyone is talking about. If anyone wants that player, they'll have to pay a lot of money. They also appear to want more sponsors and money. This will be a long journey, and they may struggle to reach their goal, but it is possible if they play their cards correctly. (This may be what their deal is).

If the team plays their cards right then yes, they can and will win the Champions League. Also I keep seeing PSG being very cunning and sly. Perhaps looking or trying to overhear what managers are doing?

I hope this was helpful! Please let me know if you have any further questions. I have a feeling there are more layers to PSG's goals and intentions.

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Left: Neeraj Chopra, Right: Jan Zelezny . Source: X You could well call it a coup of sorts. Superstar javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will train with legend Jan Zelezny from 2025. The last few days have seen a flurry of activities on social media, first with Neeraj posting an emotional message for his outgoing coach Klaus Bartonietz. The German was more than a coach to the Indian legend as he guided him through highs than lows. It saw Neeraj win two Olympic medals – gold in Tokyo and silver in Paris 2024. There was a speculation that Neeraj and his coach were parting ways. For all those who have read the athlete’s post, it was emotional and reverential, which defines Neeraj as a person. Klaus is 75, has spent years away from his family and wanted to return to Germany. The video of Neeraj hugging him and playfully joking with him told a story of how the duo had prepared for campaigns not only at the Olympics, but also the Asian Games and important World Athletics events. Most recently, Neeraj had finished second in the WANDA Diamond League finals. Even before Klaus had officially left, Neeraj suggested at a few media interactions in India, he needed to find a new coach who could take him to the next level. Zelezny has won four Olympic medals. Born in erstwhile Czechoslovakia, which later broke into the Czech and Slovak Republics, Zelezny is respected for his medals at the Olympics – one silver and three gold – plus what he achieved with the javelin in the big-ticket World Championships. Sample this, he threw the javelin to a distance of 98.48 metres in 1996. Nobody has gotten near that mark in the last 28 years. Recently, at the Paris Olympics, when Ashraf Nadeem crossed the 90-metre mark more than once, it was seen as phenomenal. Yet, when one compares 92.97 metres for gold from Nadeem with what Zelezny achieved, he is expected to guide the Indian to greater heights. Interestingly, the first press release came from the Czechia athletics association where Zelezny was more than happy to announce he would be working with an athlete (Neeraj) he has admired. Way back, when Neeraj met Zelezny in 2017, he had posted on social media how happy he was to come face to face with someone he had idolised. Neeraj had even mentioned how he had seen videos of Zelezny’s technique and the way he threw the javelin so beautifully. Now, it is like a mutual admiration club, where Zelezny will be hands-on with Neeraj. There is a catch, though, as Zelezny has committed to only two years. For athletics buffs in India, Neeraj can go full tilt at a third Olympic medal in 2028 at the Los Angeles Olympics. Neeraj Chopra with his Silver medal (PC: X) What they do not understand is, Neeraj has battled fitness issues, the latest being a groin injury. He competed with it through the 2024 season. Neeraj is headed to South Africa for an off-season training camp, where the focus will be on strength and conditioning. The big picture will be the 2025 World Championships, to be held in Tokyo from September 13 to 21. Neeraj and Zelezny will have ample time to prepare for it. The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in the same year in Nagoya will also be important for Neeraj. The way talk has centred around when the Indian can hit the 90-metre mark, Zelezny may well be the best to guide him. As long as Neeraj was with Klaus, the relationship was one of massive respect. For those who had heard Neeraj speaking on his return from Paris, he had hinted, to go to the next level, he would need a new coach. So, Neeraj and the think-tank, comprising the Athletics Federation of India and the Sports Authority of India, had done their homework well. Zelezny coaching Neeraj from 2025 has, surprisingly, upset a few throwers back home in Czechia. There is a speculation that a few like Jakub Valdejch may opt out of the centre where Zelezny will be guiding Neeraj, along with a few more javelin maestros. It is well-known, the ‘throw’ events are very technical in nature.

So, there may be a few Czechia elite javelin throwers who will feel pressure as Neeraj can get better. Despite the Indian superstar winning two Olympic medals, social media has pointed out certain areas where Neeraj can improve, like his follow-through after the javelin is released. Some of them have attached videos and split images to support how Neeraj can get better. For the record, the SAI will foot the coaching bill of Neeraj’s coach, Zelezny. The post Neeraj Chopra to train under legend Jan Zelezny from 2025 appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Left: Neeraj Chopra, Right: Jan Zelezny . Source: X You could well call it a coup of sorts. Superstar javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will train with legend Jan Zelezny from 2025. The last few days have seen a flurry of activities on social media, first with Neeraj posting an emotional message for his outgoing coach Klaus Bartonietz. The German was more than a coach to the Indian legend as he guided him through highs than lows. It saw Neeraj win two Olympic medals – gold in Tokyo and silver in Paris 2024. There was a speculation that Neeraj and his coach were parting ways. For all those who have read the athlete’s post, it was emotional and reverential, which defines Neeraj as a person. Klaus is 75, has spent years away from his family and wanted to return to Germany. The video of Neeraj hugging him and playfully joking with him told a story of how the duo had prepared for campaigns not only at the Olympics, but also the Asian Games and important World Athletics events. Most recently, Neeraj had finished second in the WANDA Diamond League finals. Even before Klaus had officially left, Neeraj suggested at a few media interactions in India, he needed to find a new coach who could take him to the next level. Zelezny has won four Olympic medals. Born in erstwhile Czechoslovakia, which later broke into the Czech and Slovak Republics, Zelezny is respected for his medals at the Olympics – one silver and three gold – plus what he achieved with the javelin in the big-ticket World Championships. Sample this, he threw the javelin to a distance of 98.48 metres in 1996. Nobody has gotten near that mark in the last 28 years. Recently, at the Paris Olympics, when Ashraf Nadeem crossed the 90-metre mark more than once, it was seen as phenomenal. Yet, when one compares 92.97 metres for gold from Nadeem with what Zelezny achieved, he is expected to guide the Indian to greater heights. Interestingly, the first press release came from the Czechia athletics association where Zelezny was more than happy to announce he would be working with an athlete (Neeraj) he has admired. Way back, when Neeraj met Zelezny in 2017, he had posted on social media how happy he was to come face to face with someone he had idolised. Neeraj had even mentioned how he had seen videos of Zelezny’s technique and the way he threw the javelin so beautifully. Now, it is like a mutual admiration club, where Zelezny will be hands-on with Neeraj. There is a catch, though, as Zelezny has committed to only two years. For athletics buffs in India, Neeraj can go full tilt at a third Olympic medal in 2028 at the Los Angeles Olympics. Neeraj Chopra with his Silver medal (PC: X) What they do not understand is, Neeraj has battled fitness issues, the latest being a groin injury. He competed with it through the 2024 season. Neeraj is headed to South Africa for an off-season training camp, where the focus will be on strength and conditioning. The big picture will be the 2025 World Championships, to be held in Tokyo from September 13 to 21. Neeraj and Zelezny will have ample time to prepare for it. The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in the same year in Nagoya will also be important for Neeraj. The way talk has centred around when the Indian can hit the 90-metre mark, Zelezny may well be the best to guide him. As long as Neeraj was with Klaus, the relationship was one of massive respect. For those who had heard Neeraj speaking on his return from Paris, he had hinted, to go to the next level, he would need a new coach. So, Neeraj and the think-tank, comprising the Athletics Federation of India and the Sports Authority of India, had done their homework well. Zelezny coaching Neeraj from 2025 has, surprisingly, upset a few throwers back home in Czechia. There is a speculation that a few like Jakub Valdejch may opt out of the centre where Zelezny will be guiding Neeraj, along with a few more javelin maestros. It is well-known, the ‘throw’ events are very technical in nature.

So, there may be a few Czechia elite javelin throwers who will feel pressure as Neeraj can get better. Despite the Indian superstar winning two Olympic medals, social media has pointed out certain areas where Neeraj can improve, like his follow-through after the javelin is released. Some of them have attached videos and split images to support how Neeraj can get better. For the record, the SAI will foot the coaching bill of Neeraj’s coach, Zelezny. The post Neeraj Chopra to train under legend Jan Zelezny from 2025 appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link