#noting also the 4th cold of the season thing there is clearly something going on with my body

[autogeneity]

why in fucks name am I now, after 11 years, out the fucking blue, apparently craving meat. but like, some abstract concept of it, obviously, because I damn well know that if there was any real thing in front of me I'd feel nothing but nausea about it. why the fuck.

[crystalracing]

Kimi Räikkönen talks and laughs and talks. And laughs again. motorprofis.at experienced the most talkative and analytical Iceman of all times in a double interview with his Alfa Romeo team mate Antonio Giovinazzi. It’s exciting what the two of them have to say to each other and to us.

Source: motorprofis.at    Pictures: Alfa Romeo Racing, Gerald Enzinger

In the end Spielberg was worth a trip for everyone: for the Alfa Romeo Racing drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi because they both scored with a 9th (Kimi) and 10th (Giovinazzi) place – in the case of the Italian for the first time in his career. And for the selected journalists, who were invited to the roundtable with the two, even more so: in this interview session one experienced a brillantly cheerful and talkative Räikkönen. And first impressions of Giovinazzi, who once drove at eye level with Verstappen, Ocon and Auer in Formula 3.

Your team has always been known for its ability to work well with young people – as was the case with you, Kimi. What are your memories of your beginnings in Formula 1?

RÄIKKÖNEN: I wasn’t as young as others, I was 21, but I was still very inexperienced. I came straight from Formula Renault (which was the 4th level at the time, note), but it was of course a completely different world than the one I was familiar with. When I first drove a Formula 1 car it was – I wouldn’t say it was a shock now – but it was definitely anything else I had known up to that point. But the first day went by fast and then with every day it became easier and more normal in all areas.

How has Formula 1 changed in all these years?

RÄIKKÖNEN: In essence, it’s still the same. Over all these years the cars have changed a bit, the driving as such, the rules. But in principle, we as drivers still do the same thing as we did back then. Maybe now we do more PR work and sit more in meetings.

What is your goal for the rest of the season?

RÄIKKÖNEN: Hopefully we can fight regularly for the top 10 places and points. You don’t really have concrete goals, it’s just that you should always improve your car step by step. And if that works, then we can be in a good position – after a long way.

Question to both of you: As boring as Formula 1 usually seems to be, it must be fun to fight in midfield, where things are very tight and you have a lot of battles in every race.

RÄIKKÖNEN: Everyone tells me all the time: the races are so boring. But I think if you’re in the middle of it, it’s not boring. On some days you’re just defending, then there are phases where it’s always about attacking. From the outside it looks more boring than in the car, where things can get very hectic in the midfield. In this area it’s so tight, you might even see better racing than at the front.

GIOVINAZZI: I fully agree. It’s so close. In this area of the race you’re on the offensive and defensive at the same time, and your race goes both forward and backward. You have to have both in mind. But that makes pure racing more fun here. Honestly: it’s hard.

Kimi, your memories of the A1 Ring and the first years of the Red Bull Ring now?

RÄIKKÖNEN: I’ve always enjoyed being here – and it was a shame we lost this track for so many years. I think 2003 was the race back then. I have many positive memories. Fortunately, I’m old enough to have gotten to know some old race tracks – like the old Hockenheimring when it still had its long straights. Many tracks that are fun in their own way – Spa with the bus stop chicane, Hungary.

In Spielberg there are great sections, even if some things have changed in small details. But the first turn or the last two, they are a lot of fun. It’s always a great place to come here. And it’s probably also because of the whole scenery with all the mountains that the atmosphere here is always so relaxed. It’s a shame that we once didn’t have the track on the calendar – but it’s great that they got it back.

I think that you would have loved the old ��sterreichring with its long Flatschach straight, in whose braking zone, as Gerhard Berger puts it, you always looked death in the eye.

RÄIKKÖNEN: Yes, definitely! Everything I’ve seen about it looks pretty exciting. And of course there would be really good overtaking manoeuvres on such tracks. There are a lot of good corners where you can do something while braking. That’s the kind of track we want.

Antonio, what are your memories of the Red Bull Ring?

GIOVINAZZI: It’s certainly one of my favourite tracks and I have good memories of this place as well. Here I won my first race in Formula 3 and had a very good weekend in Formula 2. There are many high-speed corners. It’s not a long track, it’s more of a kart track. That’s why there are often good races. Here in Formula 1 we have three DRS zones, so a lot of action is possible. That fits well!

Kimi, you as a racer: What do you want from the Formula 1 of the future?

RÄIKKÖNEN: Holidays! (laughs).

In the long run, doesn’t concern me what’s going to happen. If I have no interest, I will definitely not turn on the TV and let myself be disturbed in my free time (laughs again).

But if you ask me, I’m sure I’d change a lot. For instance, remove all these data analyses if possible. If you wouldn’t setup the cars based on so much data, it would depend more on the feeling and certain qualities could make the difference.

What’s more fun: driving a Formula 1 car or a rally car?

RÄIKKÖNEN: Rally is so completely different. You’re not really driving against each other, but against time. If you see another car on the special stages during the rally, then something just went damn wrong for one of you. (grins)

But if you compare: I drove NASCAR once, you were allowed to use telemetry data during testing, but not during the race. That’s why you have to make your own experiences at a certain point. This makes oval races seem very simple, but in reality they are far away from simplicity. It’s a highly complex thing. That’s more pure racing. If you realize: Shit, I’m not fast enough – then you can talk to others. Then one person tells you that, and the other means that. In the end you have to draw your own conclusions. In Formula 1, on the other hand, the data is there and they tell you everything that needs to be changed. If you have to find your own setup and can’t look at the computer during set up, then that would be a completely different feeling.

Antonio, does Kimi help you, can you learn from him?

GIOVINAZZI: It’s like Kimi just said: Even if he wouldn’t tell me or if I don’t ask him, I can see all his data and draw my conclusions. There are no real secrets in the team when it comes to voting.

RÄIKKÖNEN: Now imagine how difficult it would be for you if you didn’t have access to my data. That would make a massive difference.

GIOVINAZZI: Yes, I agree. Without data it would be difficult – especially for me as a very young driver in the first season, who of course benefits from having such an exceptionally experienced teammate. That would be hard, but I’m lucky to be able to look at everything. And so it’s easier to improve session by session.

There are quite revolutionary ideas in the DTM: For example, that you can’t preheat the tyres or that radio communication is now very limited: Would such rules also be good for Formula 1?

RÄIKKÖNEN: Originally there was also a radio ban in Formula 1, for example in the warm-up lap. I’m that guy who doesn’t mind if nobody talks. (grins mischievously)

In other teams it is often the case that someone says that this driver is faster here or slower there. But what difference does it make? For me this information is no help. I think: if you ban radio, it won’t really change the races.

And as for your tyre question: If it’s as hot as in Spielberg, we’ll bring the tyres up to temperature even after a few laps, even without blankets. But if it’s cold, we’d drive like on ice without heating up. We would have zero grip, especially in the morning sessions. We would even fly off on the straight because we would have so little grip.

So if you ban the heating blankets, you would have to change the tyres completely at the same time. If the tyres are designed in such a way that they have to work without heated blankets – then it’s fine. But there are no plans. And it won’t change the game.

You’re a fan favourite, a real hero. What does that mean to you?

RÄIKKÖNEN: Yeah, that’s clearly a nice thing. It’s nice when they cheer for you! So some seem to like what I’m doing. Or maybe I’m just old and that makes them sentimental. (smiles)

Antonio, for you as an Italian, the day Kimi won Ferrari’s last World Championship title in 2007 must have been something very special. What are your memories like?

GIOVINAZZI: Of course I was a Ferrari fan! I saw the race at home on TV. And it was also special as three different pilots could still become World Champion – Alonso, Hamilton and Kimi.

RÄIKKÖNEN: (interrupts) But I strongly hope that you cheered me on.

GIOVINAZZI: Uh, sure. I made the point difference. (laughs)

RÄIKKÖNEN: How old were you back then?

GIOVINAZZI: 14! No – 12. I was driving a mini kart.

You are now factory drivers of Alfa Romeo, a big brand in motorsport. What do you associate with this name?

RÄIKKÖNEN: I’m too young to have experienced Alfa in Formula 1. But I know that they have a great history in this sport. They have won races, world championships. I think it’s great that they’re back in Formula 1.

Who was the last winner with an Alfa engine?

GIOVINAZZI: (answers immediately). Niki Lauda! (Note: Right, Anderstorp 1978, Brabham-Alfa.)

Privately you also drive Alfa: Kimi a Stelvio, Antonio a Giulia. Right?

RÄIKKÖNEN: Yes, in the Quadrifoglio version. It’s good for Switzerland and with the family. It’s fun.

GIOVINAZZI: The Giulia is a well-done car. I always enjoy driving it.

What is the biggest difference between a big team like Ferrari and a smaller one like Alfa, Kimi? My feeling tells me that this is a family size that you really like.

RÄIKKÖNEN: The pure work is not really different. The driving, the workflow, the meetings, it’s all very similar. The big difference is the stuff around it, I have less to do here. That was one reason why I wanted to do it that way.

But the passion, it’s the same, and usually the cars are very good. Only if you have a problem with the car it can take longer to fix it here – in such a case the size of the staff and the budget does make a difference.

What do you feel today when you are in Maranello?

RÄIKKÖNEN: I had good times there, even if the results weren’t always. But Ferrari is a big part of my heart, of my life. Not many can claim to have driven for this team and have won a drivers world championship title and the constructors’ championship twice. That connects and I still have contact with the people there. Of course.

How was it in 2007? The day on which you became world champion – and little Giovinazzi was excited in front of the TV?

RÄIKKÖNEN: Our only chance in the races was to be in the top two and then look: what are the McLaren doing? We had a lot of speed, but the World Championship was no longer in our hands. We had to bring our cars to 1 and 2. It worked. But it wasn’t just this one race. We had a phase of the season where we were struggling, but then we were really good.

Can Vettel still fight for the championship this year?

RÄIKKÖNEN: He can fight. Can he also win? That’s something different. He’s not in an easy position, but things often change fast. They will fight to the end.

GIOVINAZZI: I agree. Giving up is not an option for a team like Ferrari.

[buckybarnesstar]

Snow Angel

Note: I hope you guys aren’t getting annoyed with me posting about Cody Fern/Michael Langdon for a little bit! I thought this was really sweet and I imagined it, clearly i had to write it down! please leave feedback if you enjoy it! .c

P.S.: listen to this while reading after the 4th paragraph:��https://youtu.be/_hW8VqaLdeU

You sat at the piano, your fingers lightly pressing the keys as you hummed a Christmas song to yourself. Keeping up with the time of year is difficult, considering you’re at an Outpost and seasons probably aren’t a thing anymore. Everyone celebrated Halloween and Thanksgiving - they came and went, and now it’s December. November passed by quickly, yet it felt slow at the same time. 

Christmas is your favorite time of the year. Even though it wasn’t always jolly - your family having their ups and downs - Christmastime was when you all got together and realized how much it means to be one.

Gallant groaned as he walked into the room, scratching his head. He was ready for bed, you could tell. But they had a strict bedtime schedule here. Emily and Timothy followed after him, small smiles on their faces. You stopped playing , catching Gallant’s eyes.

“Hey, don’t stop on my account. That’s much better than the crappy song that keeps playing on repeat.” He rolled his eyes and sat on the couch, slouching down as he rest his head back. You smiled and looked between Emily and Timothy for their approval too.

“He’s right.” “You should keep playing.” They said simultaneously. With that, you began playing this time, the sound of the song carrying through the whole Outpost.

Silent Night was your favorite song, so that’s what you chose to play. As the others came in, they smiled at hearing such a familiar tune that didn't make them want to shove scissors in their ears from hearing. Even Venable couldn’t contain her small smirk, standing off to the side. Only one person wasn’t here, but you knew he wouldn’t show his face. He rarely hung out with the people here.

You’ve seen him around during after hours when you went to use the bathroom or get a glass of water. Small conversation is the most you’ve gotten out of him, but you felt something there, it's hard to miss. He started to leave his room more often and would only try to talk to you when he did, there was no specific reason other than seeing you. You didn't have the guts to say anything about to him, though. Not yet.

All ears and eyes were focused on you as you played. They weren't usually so calm and quiet, but this seemed to do the trick. Memories of their lives before the world ended put them in a trance, it made them feel nostalgic. It made them miss what once was. Mallory and Coco were actually sitting close to each other, their hands gripped together, as if they've been best friends for years.

Gallant was sat beside his Grandmother, handing her a handkerchief as she shed a few tears. No matter how much Gallant and his Grandmother would fight, they knew they love each other deep down. The same went for Andre and his mother. Emily and Timothy were hugging close, her head on his shoulder as he rubbed her arm soothingly. 

Your own eyes filled with tears as you continued to play, your heart heavy and your mind full of memories; experiences you'll never have again. Your family was gone. Only you were left to carry on the genes, if you were chosen by Langdon. You sniffled and tried to hold it together but the longer you played, the harder it became. You knew everyone needed this, too, so you held your head high. If you could make the others fell as if things were normal again, you would.

As the song ended, the room filled with applause and cheers. You turned in the seat to face them and smiled shyly, meeting the eyes of people you'd have to spend the rest of your life with if you all made it. They clapped and cried, asking for you to play more songs, giving you compliments, and more than happy to have sat and listened to you play.

"Please! You're so good! I mean, damn, you talented bitch!" Coco said, laughing as she wiped her tears on the back of Mallory's hand, gaining a grossed out reaction from the grey assistant.

"Your wish is my command." You said with a smile.

You played a few songs you knew, ranging from Christmas songs to oldies. Everyone started to dance and you noticed movement to your side. Venable stood still, keeping her eyes on you, Ms. Mead standing right beside her. It wasn't the death glare she usually gave everyone, but her own look of sorrow. You turned back to the piano and focused on playing. 

The night went on and they all ran out of energy. Emily had fallen asleep on Timothy and the rest were yawning or nearly falling asleep. The last song was a lullaby, one your Mom used to play for you when you had nightmares or trouble sleeping. So, you knew it was the perfect song to close with. You sighed as you closed the lid to the piano and turned around, smiling as everyone stood to leave.

Emily walked over to you, leaning down to hug you. "We all needed that, thank you." She whispered with a smile as you hugged her back. Timothy hugged you, as well, then led Emily out of the room. Venable was the last to leave, the sound of her cane echoing through the room. You sighed and rest your elbows on the piano top, your eyes watering once more as you closed them.

You knew you'd never have a Christmas like before, ever again. Ice skating with your family, decorating the tree, giving special gifts to them, and drinking hot chocolate as you all sat by the fireplace, cuddled together. And your favorite part, the snow. Building snowmen, having snowball fights, making snow angels.

Your silent cries soon turned into broken sobs, your body jolting with every weep as you held your head in your hands. You sat there for a few minutes, letting everything that you've been holding in, out. You didn't want to wake the others from crying, so you tried to stay quiet, but you couldn't help it. Your heart was breaking and you knew nothing would put it back together again, nothing would fill the hole you felt growing in your chest.

Suddenly, something cold landed on your arm, then soon after, it happened again. It felt wet and cold. The temperature in the room dropped drastically and you opened your eyes. Staring at the wall in front of you, you exhaled shakily. Your breath came out in a puff of fog around you.

A small snowflake fell right in front of you and you followed it with your eyes, the intricate design clear as day to you. You gasped and reach your hand out, your fingers trembling. The snowflake landed on the palm of your hand and immediately melted, but soon, more fell.

It was snowing. Snow was falling as you sat there, bewildered. You quickly stood up and looked around, seeing the entire room covered in snow. Snow fell from thin air and you covered your mouth. How is this possible? Are you dreaming?

Your eyes watered as you walked around the room, holding your hands out, letting the snow fall onto them, only to melt away seconds later. You smiled and noticed the snow was gathering into a thick blanket on the ground beneath you, covering your hair, and even landing on your eyelashes for a second.

Before you could lie down to make a snow angel, a gentle touch on your back caused you to turn around. Langdon was standing there, holding his jacket out for you, a small smile on his face.

You were cold but you hadn't paid any attention to it before, too distracted by the snow falling. "I didn't want you to freeze and get sick." He said in his low, raspy voice. He reached his hand out to your cheek, wiping a tear that fell.

You took the coat from him and put it on. His eyes drank you in and he looked proud. You looked damn good in his clothes. His hand remained on your face, his body close to yours. It made you nervous.

"Thank you. But what- what is this?" You asked, glancing around the room. His smile grew as he watched your eyes widen with awe. "Snow, of course." He shrugged as if it wasn't inside the Outpost. You scoffed and shook your head. “I know, but it's... How?" You questioned, looking back at him.

He didn't answer you. He reached out for your hand and guided you to the middle of the room. He sat down and laid on his back, looking up at you with that smile. "Well? Are we going to make snow angels or what?" He raised his eyebrows and you couldn't help but giggle.

You joined him on the snow covered floor and gazed up above you. It looked as if you were looking into the sky it was snowing so much.

“I miss this.” You whispered, feeling a lump rising in your throat. Langdon hummed, looking over at you. “Why do you like snow so much?” He asked, sounding genuinely curious, almost childlike.

You sighed. “When it snows, it’s like it’s covering up all the bad experiences and bad memories, things that took a turn for the worst, capturing them to the ground. Then when it melts, all of the bad melts with it, and you can start fresh...a happy beginning.” You felt rather silly with your explanation but it stood true.

Langdon thought about what you said for a moment and looked up at the snow falling. There’s no denying he wants you to come to the sanctuary. You were peculiar, special. You made him feel something he’s never felt before, but he knows it’s something good. Maybe you could be his fresh and happy beginning.

You started to move your arms and legs in a swift motion, creating a snow angel. Langdon looked back at you and started doing the same, his chest full of joy as he watched you.

You laughed and looked over at him, noticing he was also chuckling. Snow fell onto his blonde hair and you had to admit, he looked like a real life angel on his own. You sighed happily and laid there, letting the snow fall on you as you closed your eyes. Memories flashed behind your lids once more but you decided to focus on the now. Langdon's smile filled your mind.

You felt movement beside you and you opened your eyes, only to find him hovering above you to your side. "You look beautiful in the snow." He said with a smile, reaching his finger out to caress your cold cheek. 

You blinked, seeing small snowflakes melt as you did. You didn't know what to make of all of this. It was amazing, it was something you missed so much. It still felt like a dream. But when Langdon moved closer and pressed his lips to yours, you knew it was very much real.

[pocketcost4-blog]

7 things we learned from Eagles victory over the Giants

Despite the fact that he came under some heat following a rough stretch earlier int he season, Jake Elliott remains super clutch — especially from distance. A year after putting the Giants away with a walk-off and record-setting game winner, Elliott came up impossibly clutch, completing a 22-3 run with under a minute left to give the Eagles a crucial win.

Elliott is still Top-15 in the league in field goal percentage and perfect kicking extra points. He’s only 1 outta 3 from 50+, which is supposed to be his forte — but he doesn’t necessarily get a ton of opportunity there, because of how often Pederson goes for it on fourth down in that range. (And one of his 50+ attempts was on a super windy day against the Panthers)

It’s better to never get on the kicker carousel, if you ask me — it becomes a revolving door. Elliott may not be perfect, but he’s a quality NFL kicker and the Eagles clearly trust him in late game situations — that’s more than a lot of teams can say.

And hey! If he’s gonna be his best against the Giants, at least it’s a team the Eagles play twice a year.

2. The Eagles season isn’t over at all

The Eagles are currently 5-6 overall, and 2-1 in the division. The Cowboys are 6-5, and 3-1 in the division. The Redskins are 6-5, and 2-1 in the division.

Cowboys (6-5, 3-1)

Redskins (6-5, 2-1)

Eagles (5-6, 2-1)

Now, the Cowboys face the Saints (who are very good!) on Thursday night. They are probably going to lose that game, because the Cowboys aren’t actually very good, and the Saints are actually very good.

On Monday night, the Eagles face the Redskins. Now, the Eagles have yet to win two games in a row this season — but with Colt McCoy at the helm and the Redskins reeling with injuries and the Eagles coming off an emotional comeback and so much riding on the result of the game...let’s say they win.

The division would then look like this:

Cowboys (6-6, 3-1)

Eagles (6-6, 3-1)

Redskins (6-6, 2-2)

Dallas ahead because of head-to-head record v. Philadelphia (1-0)

And that’s with an upcoming Eagles v. Cowboys game in Week 14. That game will decide who’s in the driver’s seat for the division.

If we take an Eagles perspective, it’s as simple as this: if they can win their next two divisional games, against very beatable opponents, they can still lose to the Rams and win the division. If Philadelphia wins their remaining divisional games, they can split the Rams/Texans games and win the division.

Obviously, it’s not as easy as that. Philadelphia needs to get healthy in the secondary, and a four-quarter offense would be very welcome instead of the current hot-and-cold product. But Philadelphia should beat the ‘Skins (6 1⁄2 point favorite) and New Orleans should beat the Cowboys (7 1⁄2 point favorite). Those results will hang the entire season on the results of the Cowboys Week 14 game. Clear your afternoon, folks.

3. Doug Pederson gonna be alright

This wasn’t something we ever really doubted (if you did, you played yourself), but Doug coached a great game against the Giants with a lot on the line. Gotta give it up for that.

He caught some flak for a 4th down conversion he didn’t attempt, but his offensive game planning was strong. The Eagles came out and attacked the Giants between the 30s with running plays that forced corners into the box; in the red zone with TE/Wing sets to create downhill lanes for Josh Adams; with a heavy usage of curl routes and RPOs to keep Carson Wentz’s depth of target in the intermediate area (a lot of his INTs have been deep). Everything was as it should be.

Throw on top of that the fact that Pederson was able to rally his team, down for three quarters of the game, to a key victory when they were absolutely reeling from multiple losses. Things coulda really gotten out of hand at 19-3. (I thought they were going to.) This team showed excellent fight, and thank goodness for that.

4. Golden Tate integration remains stale

I liked the way Philadelphia used Tate on orbit motion and WR screen ideas to set up misdirection plays — good! I liked the way Philadelphia was willing to throw quick screens to Tate when they had numbers into the boundary (even though 3rd and 10 is a long down for that approach). That’s also good.

But so many of Tate’s targets and plays are isolation routes; one-read ideas; manufactured touches. While Tate’s value is as a YAC player, and you want to get the ball in his hands, it’s important to remember that he’s just another wide receiver! He can run routes, catch the ball, and pick up first downs just like anybody else. It seems like Carson exclusively targets Alshon and Ertz on full-field ideas, and Tate and Goedert on one-read/manufactured ideas.

As Groh noted, integrating Tate has been ‘challenging.’ It’s because he basically represents a subset of the offense. He hasn’t been integrated, he’s just a guy who takes touches from everyone else at this point. He reminds me of Tavon Austin in the Jeff Fisher-Rams offense — he’s just force-fed the ball despite the fact that it adds little to the offense.

5. Nate Gerry isn’t good

Gerry played a significant amount of reps in respite of the injured Jordan Hicks, and wheew buddy it did not go great. Gerry was regularly lost with his middle of the field coverage responsibilities, lacked sufficient power in the trenches, and was a step behind in running play recognition.

Gerry represents another late-round pick who hasn’t really panned out for Philadelphia in the past few years: Blake Countess, Alex McAlister, Joe Walker, Wendell Smallwood, Donnel Pumphrey, Shelton Gibson, Elijah Qualls. While you shouldn’t expect much from late rounders, and it’s worthy to recognize the contributions of Jalen Mills and Big V, Philadelphia hasn’t really developed back-ups or depth pieces well over the Doug Pederson era.

With Nigel Bradham taking a step back in 2018 and Jordan Hicks potentially hitting the free agent market this year, it would be nice to have Gerry ready to potentially win a starting role. Kamu Grugier-Hill had a strong game against New York, and may be that guy — but Gerry’s struggles are mightily disappointing. He can’t be trusted as a back-up, at this point in his career.

6. Referees suck

I ain’t complainin’.

7. This Eagles OL can still be dominant

It was one of the best games of the year for the Eagles offensive line, which thankfully didn’t incur another gut-wrenching injury as Brandon Brooks returned to the game.

Josh Adams gets a lot of buzz from beats and fans, and he’s running well — but the offensive line deserves the majority of the love. With a heavier focus on power over zone concepts with Adams in the backfield, Lane Johnson and Jason Peters particularly impressed when they attacked the second level.

Philadelphia ran inside zone behind Johnson often, especially in the red zone, as his ability to wash down (along with TE Dallas Goedert) let Adams put his head down and just drive north instead of reading multiple blocks. Peters was the puller often on the trap and dart plays Philadelphia used as substitutes for their typical inside traps that the Giants were keying on.

Isaac Seumalo remains a bit of a liability, especially in pass protection — but he’s the worst player on a generally very strong line, and he’d be a starter on a fair number of NFL lines. Philadelphia’s offensive line, with improved play, will lift both the run and the pass game for the Eagles offense. With all the focus on Carson’s play, Tate’s integration, and the running back room, the OL might be the solution to the rough season.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2018/11/26/18113591/philadelphia-eagles-new-york-giants-things-we-learned

[kanralovesu]

Top 12 Anime Openings of 2018

There are too many pure “Top X Anime” lists and not enough love for the glorious opening credit sequences in anime! For this list I picked from any OP this year regardless of whether I watched the anime or not. There’s just too many anime to watch that I’d be screwing over so many good OPs if I only focused on shows I’ve watched. With that said here’s my top 12 anime OPs of 2018.

#12: Gegege no Kitaro [Song: Gegege no Kitarou]

https://youtu.be/vWTKaoi6UBE

A delightful little OP that oozes a mix of whimsy and horror. The characters that sing the OP (especially the frog) add that extra bit to push it over the top into being one of my favorite OPs this year.

#11: Aguu Genius Dolls [Song: prima dynamis]

https://youtu.be/PPg9yj3QILE

In 10th place is another horror OP but this one ditches the whimsy and goes all in on crazy wicked and horrific imagery, my favorite being the miniature lady tied up in strings being pulled out of another lady’s mouth. Yeah, this OP is insane and I love it, unlike the show itself which people seem to dislike. I can definitely see bits of jank in the character animations which are my least favorite part of this, but the rest of it easily makes up for it. Its also got a tune that will rival #1.

#10: Black Clover OP4 [Song: Guess who is Back]

https://youtu.be/cK9Z9Zcuso0

I’m never up to date on anime shonen besides My Hero, but I’m always up to date on the OPs and this is why. This is the kind of OP you jam to every time not only because of the music but how well the OP itself syncs to it. I absolutely love the stylistic slow motion used near the end!

#9: Pop Team Epic [Song: Pop Team Epic]

https://youtu.be/TmrosfxGifQ

What else can I say besides “It’s Pop Team Epic”. It has the same energetic, meme style of humor as the show which on its own wouldn’t put it far up this list, but its clever metaphors (like smashing the TV to break the 4th wall) bring it a step above.

#8: Uma Musume Pretty Derby [Song: Make Debut!]

https://youtu.be/nuuq0Ul_-_c

This is one where I haven’t watched the show at all, but the OP instantly got me hooked on the concept. A big part of this is the character animation and directing which clearly shows off the personalities of the girls. The backgrounds of shots are also packed with detail adding even more character to the character expressed by the foreground characters. This is the absolute peak of what “cute girls” anime should be doing in their OPs. Then after that’s done we still have a beautifully animated running sequence which perfects on what sports anime should be doing in their OPs. However, this is where my lack of knowledge of the series hinders me a bit because I can tell these shots have a deeper meaning to the rival characters presented but that’s the kind of information that becomes more clear as the series finishes. By the way having hidden info like that is a VERY good thing and you’ll only see more of that as we get further on.

#7: Happy Sugar Life [Song: One Room Sugar Life]

https://youtu.be/3QvZYI00voE

This is the best OP I’ve ever seen for the classic “cute on the surface dark underneath” type of anime. On a surface level evaluation you’ve got great sequences like the one starting at 0:35 where the song kicks into high gear, but on a deeper level its clear there is a lot of symbolism going on. Sweets and sugar are evocative of carnal pleasures that offer short terms gratification. The two girls themselves are represented by spiky gummy sweets which pays off at the end in a chilling way when one girl eats the sweet that represents the other.

#6: Wotaku: Love is Hard for an Otaku [Song: Fiction]

https://youtu.be/K3XCP-KMR68

The ending is hands down my favorite sequence from an OP this year with so much charm and style! Not only is it fun to look at but it also foreshadows the relationships by having each person start individually and then join together in a synchronized bit that symbolizes their chemistry. The rest of the OP doesn’t drag it feet either and offers some great characterization, especially in the beginning when it cuts between how each character outwardly portrays themselves and how their true hobbies. You also gotta love the references to both retro and new age gaming which I’m sure is an intentional choice.

#5: Devilman Crybaby [Song: Man Human]

Of course we’ve got to give credit to Devilman Crybaby on this list! This trippy delight has some amazing and imaginative imagery, but unlike Aguu Genius Dolls this one also focuses heavily on the transitions between things. My favorite example of this is when all the hands reaching up become an eye. There is clear thought not only into what is shown right that moment but how that thing will become the next thing in the most interesting way possible. This is also one OP that I will see myself re-analyzing upon finishing the series because I think there is clearly some hidden symbolism in there. The OP is just too deliberate to not be hiding something!

#4: Love is Like After the Rain [Song: Nostalgic Rainfall]

Starting our top 4 is an opening that I’ve actually already analyzed to great detail on my blog:

https://kanralovesu.tumblr.com/post/170873771493/after-the-rains-opening-how-hardship-brings-us

In summary, the OP’s imagery of rain, clouds, umbrellas, etc. all lead into the central idea that bad times can bring people together. This is illustrated beautifully when two rain drops combine and become a heart!

#3: Attack on Titan S3 OP1 [Song: Red Swan]

Attack on Titan has given us some of the best OPs in the history of anime which just makes it even harder for them to top themselves. When I first saw that this OP was taking a drastically different style than the older ones, I was skeptical, but in the end I fell in love with it. The best part is obviously where little Eren bumps into his older self. The whole theme of reflecting on your past and realizing how much you’ve changed is shown completely visually. You can see how the childlike wonder of the bright and colorful insert images is stripped away by the cold looks of Eren and his friends. Its one thing to show who a character is using the OP, but its a whole different level of skill showing how a character has changed using the OP.

#2: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5 [Song: Fighting Gold]

FIGHTING GOLD! Of course a new JoJo OP would impress but I’ll go ahead and say this is one of, if not my most favorite JoJo OP of all time! I love the visual motifs of chains and characters being trapped and then at the end they seemingly break free in what is of course the most amazing sequence in the OP. You just gotta sing along to this one! 

#1: Kokkoku [Song: Flashback]

Number 1 is none other than the jam itself: Flashback. This OP is absolutely incredible from its visuals to its music, but its also so much more than that. The imagery has clear purpose showing people’s hands forming hearts in front of stop signs and showing shadows twisting into the hands of a clock only to stop. There are also so many small spoilers hidden in plain sight. Near the beginning we get one shot of a clock pendulum swinging to reveal Shouko Majima and the near the end we get the same image but with Juri Yukawa and her dog connecting them as part of the same flashback. We also see Juri smash a heart as the beat drops and white lines fly out. At the beginning of the show this might seem completely stylistic but its actually a hint at her power to push you out of stopped time! A less obvious power showcase is in a single static shot of the grandfather who, if you look closely, is actually in two places at once showing that he can teleport. That shot isn’t even on screen for a second but they still put thought into it! This is masterful OP craftsmanship!

That rounds out this list of what I believe to be the top 12 anime OPs of 2018. I probably missed a good few OPs, but if its an consolation, this list is twice as long as the one I wrote down for 2017 which only had 5 I really thought were exceptional (That wasn’t posted on my blog but in case you’re curious it was Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu OP2, Twin Star Exorcists OP3, Re:Creators OP2, Konosuba OP2 and ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka). So what I’m trying to say is this was a fantastic year for anime OPs! With the OPs for next season already mostly out I can see next year is shaping up to be one of the best years for OPs yet so I’m looking forward to that!

Note: This is a reposting of my original list with 1 important addition because being the scatter brained nincompoop that I am, I forgot Fighting Gold! I know, I should have my OP license revoked for such a heinous mistake, so please forgive me Cruel Angel’s up above!