#oh I think I wrote this after seeing some post talking about the multiple axes of gender identity

[asleepinawell]

as an agender person, when I see discussions of gender and gender expression that don't include agender people I feel very conflicted, because on the one hand my gender is basically "can we please forget I have a gender and not even think about that word in regards to me" but on the other hand some parts of the discussion will always apply to me whether I want them to or not simply due to how people perceive each other and decode gender presentation. and it's distressing to feel overlooked in those conversations

so, basically, I want to be invited to the gender party as a courtesy but don't expect me to show up

[sp-ud]

Waking Up

AO3 Link

Inspired by this post: Link

And my own post about this concept: Link

Content Warnings: Panic Attacks, Memory Loss

Words: 1817

Ranboo suddenly finds himself back in reality with his hands in the middle of braiding his own hair. Not the worst thing he’s woken up to after Enderwalking. He lets out a sigh as he continues braiding his hair, eyes drifting towards the ceiling as he reflects on what he can remember doing while Enderwalking.

Wuh oh.

---

This is basically me sharing my theories about Enderwalking in fic format. That's kinda it. I took my theories, and wrote em as a fic.

I also posted this at 3am which is why it took me till 2pm to make a proper Tumblr post about it.

Ranboo suddenly finds himself back in reality with his hands in the middle of braiding his own hair. Not the worst thing he’s woken up to after Enderwalking. He lets out a sigh as he continues braiding his hair, eyes drifting towards the ceiling as he reflects on what he can remember doing while Enderwalking.

Wuh oh.

Quickly tying off the braid he grabs the memory book. Reading through page 13 again. “New table”? Axe feeling lighter? Eye inside a block? Eye that looks his? Now, Ranboo might not know a lot about his Enderman heritage, but he knows a portal when he's described one.

Lightly smacking his face, Ranboo tries to shift through the foggy memories he always has after Enderwalking. Memories where he feels like a passenger, not the one experiencing it. He… he was mining. Just chatting with those particles of his, when he came across an exposed stronghold. He went to investigate… finding the portal but not recognizing it in his Enderwalk state.

Ranboo starts to head downstairs as he digs through his memories more, he’d… he’d realized the portal would probably help with the experiments he did while Enderwalking but had left to build a lab another day.

… Has he already built the lab? Yes, he has. Replacing the stone walls with iron and setting up what he’d discovered as ‘the solution’ to Enderwalking. Without having to remember, Ranboo can already tell he hadn’t gone through with it while Enderwalking. Otherwise, he would have woken up in the lab. Or in his bed from respawning, after all, his Enderwalking self didn’t seem to realize some of the multiple flaws in his solution.

But Ranboo is too scared to correct his Enderwalking self. It’s already taken him ages to convince his Enderwalking self that he isn’t some evil dissociative state that committed war crimes he can’t remember. He doesn’t want to imagine how it’d go over trying to inform his Enderwalking state he has it backward.

Sliding down into his basement he quickly mines through the wall to get the experiment log he's written in Ender. Flipping all the way to the last page where he’s written the solution. He pulls out a pen from his pocket and holds it hesitantly over the page.

He knows how he is when Enderwalking. A paranoid anxious mess with less than half of his memory. If he sees this when Enderwalking, he’d freak out, he’d get suspicious, and then probably do it anyways.

Reluctantly, he hides the experiment log back away, sealing it back behind stone bricks. He has to tell someone he both trusts out of Enderwalk, and in Enderwalk.

Which is admittedly a short list of people. Phil would be good, but the old man would likely ask too many questions he doesn't know how to answer. Techno, while also a good option, is also currently hibernating. And would likely pass the message onto Phil.

Niki would be an option if the two crossed paths more often, and Tommy has so many issues of his own right now, he doesn't need Ranboo's. The particles, while well meaning, are honestly more of a nuisance who would likely just increase any suspicion.

Which only really leaves one other person, Tubbo. Who, while Ranboo loves his husband, still isn't the perfect option for this, is the best he honestly has.

Someone he trusts, who will listen, who will understand, and who'll actually be able to help. The only issue is Tubbo himself might want to experiment, Ranboo personally still is a little salty over the whole electric chair thing. But hopefully the moobloom-hybrid wilk put aside his scientific interests for the sake of Ranboo's wellbeing.

Not wanting to waste any more precious time he has before falling back into Enderwalk, Ranboo leaves his house as fast as he can after quickly snapping on his armor.

The journey to Snowchester is quick, one he likes to thinks he'd still know even if he had no memories. By the time the water tunnel has shot him back out, it feels like barely a minute has passed since he woke up.

Letting his enchanted armor drip off the water, Ranboo quickly starts towards the mansion where, if his memory serves him right, should be where Tubbo is currently.

"TUBBO!" He shouts as soon as he enters the mansion, yelling being the most efficient way to locate someone in the massive building. His long ears strain themselves to listen for a shout back.

"I'M IN THE UPSTAIRS GUEST ROOMS!" The ender-hybrid hears distantly, darting up the stairs as fast as he can. "THE ONES NEAR OUR ROOM!" Tubbo shouts once more, Ranboo quickly taking a left.

He almost bumps into Tubbo as the moobloom-hybird steps out into the hallway. Luckily scrambling to a stop just before bowling the smaller teen over. He rests a hand against the wall, somewhat hunching over as he tries to catch his breath.

"You good bossman? Something wrong?" Tubbo asks, taking a small step towards Ranboo. The taller huffs a few more breaths before holding his other hand up to tell Tubbo to wait a second.

"It's…" he starts, before taking a deep breath and straightening up, "It's… oh God, I was so focused on getting here quickly that um, didn't really think through how to explain this all…" his tail flicks restlessly behind him.

Tubbo hums to himself for a second, "This is a sit-down kind of thing, isn't it?" Ranboo gives a small nod, "Good thing I just set up yet another 'sitting area earlier today, come on," the brunette grabs Ranboo's hand and gently drags him further down the hallway before opening a door with dramatic flourish.

It's another room consisting of multiple sofas and chairs around a coffee table. The amount of rooms they have that look like this is honestly concerning, but at least Tubbo has enough eye for design that they all are clearly different. Much less confusing than the identical empty rooms Foolish left them with.

Ranboo all but collapses onto one of the couches, Tubbo taking a seat across from him. The brunette's mouth is twisting in worry, nose scrunching up as watches Ranboo through messy bangs.

"Okay," a sigh escapes the ender-hybrid, "I, I guess the best place to start would be… explaining my… condition?" He still isn't sure what the right term for Enderwalking is as there's next to no public documents on the topic. "So, you know how I have bad memory?"

A slight snort before a nod tell Ranboo to continue, "Well that's, that's just one symptom of my, condition. The Enderwalk. It's genetic, I'm pretty sure. There's uh, not much known about it," Ranboo starts messing with the furred tip of his tail, "But it's basically a, a state I go into? I guess? And it…" he trails off.

How does he explain to his best friend, his husband, that the 'him' he always interacts with isn't 100% 'him'. His mouth hangs open before snapping shut, shaking his head a little. Tubbo won't hate him for something out of his control, Tubbo is reasonable, he's smart, he's a good person.

Another glance at Tubbo shows that the moobloom-hybrid now has a serious look on his face, leaning forward, waiting for Ranboo to continue.

"It doesn't just affect my memory. It, it can affect my judgment, my reasoning. And it worsens with age," Ranboo focuses his gaze back down to his tail flicking in his own grasp, "and, don't get me wrong, I'm still me when Enderwalking I'm just…" he loses his words again. Letting a silence fall over the room.

"Okay," Ranboo looks up. Tubbo has a hand to his chin in thought. "okay, I get what you're saying. Plenty of species have illnesses like that," the ender-hybrid nods, "and I'm glad you told me but, why now?" A hint of light blue eyes peer through messy bangs, "did something happen?"

"More like… something's been happening but it's, it's close to becoming worse." He shifts on the couch, once again struggling to find the right words, "I'm Enderwalking all the time… I'd say that you uh, you probably see me Enderwalking more than you see me normally," he pauses to swallow. "When Enderwalking I, I dont realize I'm Enderwalking," a humorless laugh escapes him. "I don't even have half of my memories then. I managed to forget what Enderwalking even is! And somehow," his voice is starting to go static with anger, "I managed to come up with the name again, while Enderwalking, to explain my normal state!"

He hunches over, burying his head between his knees as he lets out static-filled laughs. His ears no longer hearing anything other than a growing buzz. Hands gripping and twisting his hair as his laughs start to devolve into something more like sobs.

A light weight settles over his shoulders and back, hands slowly unclenching his hair to drift down to wrap the blanket around himself. He feels a head rest itself on his shoulders, following the deep breaths he can feel carefully. His tail loosely wraps around a waist before small hooved finger tips start bruising through it.

"Sorry," he mutters. Tubbo hums, leaning his head more onto Ranboo's shoulder.

"Nothing to be sorry about, it sounds like… a lot," Tubbo says back, "You sure you want to talk about this now big man?"

The ender-hybrid nods, tilting his head to somewhat rest on top of Tubbo's, the smaller's dull horns pressing into his face. "I don't know when I'll start Enderwalking again, I have to tell you now before I forget again."

"As long as you're sure," Tubbo replies with a shrug, but Ranboo can still hear the concern under the layer of dismissiveness.

"When Enderwalking I've, starting to experiment on myself. It's progressively gotten more… intense, to put it simply. My Enderwalking self thinks he's found a solution, to stop from 'Enderwalking' but," Ranboo pulls back, doing his best to make direct eye contact with Tubbo, "the 'solution'? It's, I know what it's going to do! It will just make the Enderwalk worse. I'll probably be down to only a quarter of my memories! I might even, even lose a life."

Ranboo's eyes loss focus as his panic starts to build before he feels Tubbo's dull horns pressing into his chest and arms wrapping him in a loose hug.

"That's what you wanted to tell me, right?" Tubbo sighs, "you want me to make sure that you don't go through with it while Enderwalking?" Ranboo lets out what's supposed to be a hum that ends up sounding more like a buzz in response.

"Don't worry bossman, you can count on me," Tubbo tightens his hug and Ranboo can slowly feel the fog that comes with Enderwalking creep in.

"I know, I always know," he responds, before letting himself drift into the fog.

[orrtala]

Peepers: my darling precious evil frustrated ambitious little eyeball man

Post S1 analysis

Also it would be nice if you’d read the thing. I like the thing.

A good while ago I wrote how much I liked Peepers willing to put his foot down, when he's not afraid of Hater, when he's done with his boss and it shows. And some of you told me "Oh man, you're going to like Peepers in S2!" And I was like "Ok, fine, we'll see."

"The Greater Hater" started with Peepers clearly annoyed with Hater, not caring if he get blasted or not. Okay, good. Then he's clearly in awe of Dominator's ship and I go "oooooooh I suspected he'd leave Hater in S2 looks like I was right!" Then he goes off on Hater again and as we all know frustrated Peepers is the best Peepers. So here I was, thinking that Dom was going to be Peepers' new boss, happy about Commander letting his frustrations out, maybe he'd get some character arc thanks to the switch? …But at the same time I enjoyed that dynamic between Peepers and Hater and I was also kind of sad it was going to end right when it started to get really good? The episode continued; Dominator managed to trap Wander and Sylvia, enrage Hater and fight him back with ease, while Peepers gets a good look at bot factory. "This is it," I thought. "He's going to leave Hater for the new guy for galactic domination."

And then Peepers saved everyone by wrecking the console and, though I didn't really know it at the time, became my favorite character.

Peepers got A LOT of character development this season. And, strangely, his character arc wasn't even that big or prominent. He wasn't the one who was supposed to face Dominator in one way or another (though he tried, oh boy he tried and ended up with disastrous results). He was a guy who wanted to have universe at his feet, knew he lacked the abilites to do so and had to rely on someone powerful. But now with Hater being distracted by Wander all the time he had to work even more and even harder to fullfil his ambitions.

Aside from the very first episode it didn't start with much. In "The Big Day" he tried hard to get Hater out of Wander-frenzy, and failed miserably not noticing the whole skullship planned a wedding destruction ceremony. He broke down in tears and that was that. In "The Breakfast" he just served the titular meal multiple times only to get roped into cleaning the mess Hater left in his morning tantrum.

But then "The Axe" happened. Peepers is fired by his boss, keeps on hoping Hater would rethink the matter, but it seems like skeleton man gets on his own just fine. Peepers suffers through his inner "Grop I'm so sad about life and stuff" song (and I still didn't got to hear Tom Kenny's version, come on, when is it going to be released?) gets into taxi and… tries to find a new job in newspaper? What the heck, there are so many villains around, why can't he just work for one of them? It's because he truly believed Hater is the greatest, the most powerful villain in the galaxy. And that they could be great again working together if Hater would just let him. And, well, eventually he does, almost to the point of begging. They get back together, Peepers gets a statue, and everything is right in the world.

We also got to see his room in that episode. It's small, it has a bed, a toilet, a locker and a giant Hater poster. That's it. And then he can fit all his belongings in cardboard box (along with a plant that I'm sure he stole from the cafeteria to have something to put into box). It just shows how much time and effort he put into his work. No wonder he was depressed about the prospect of losing it all.

"The It". Oh my grop I absolutely adore this episode. Aside from being hilarious it was great Peepers episode. Commander is fed up with Hater's shenanigans and decides to work with what he can. Hater causes a chaos with the game of tag (and also wants to tag Peepers himself, and, well, we can't have that… cause… reasons… nobody would like to be it anway…) – time to freeze him in coldbrrnte! Nobody wants to be it? Time to use it against other villains! And we get this nifty montage of evil, ambitious Peepers. "A true villain turns weakness into a strength!" Thanks, Peepers, that was subtle. While writers just can't keep Commander happy for too long and episode ends up with him crying, at this point Peepers understands that while he needs Hater for the empire to work, he ensures watchdogs are working with him anytime skeleton man gets distracted by Wander.

…Though then again does he actually need Hater that much?

Enter "The Cool Guy". Peepers and Hater's relationship is actually pretty decent at this point. They seem to have an actual fun playing with toys strategic figurines and planning an invasion at the same time, but Emperor Awesome's arrival puts a wrench into the whole thing. On Peepers side he worries that his boss won't get to the invasion on time but eventually gets fed up with waiting – it's invasion time! Commander goes on how he knows very well what Hater truly wants, mocking his dreams of being popular and tries to lead the invasion on his own. While putting his eye-face on the flags. Though he definitely used Hater's popularity as a villain to do this.

When he goes off to the aliens about bowing down to their new master and ruler he gets interrupted. And no one, no one will ever convince that he wasn't talking about himself. He wanted to conquer in his name for once, just to try, maybe he had capabilites, maybe he was enough, maybe he didn't need Hater after all? But Awesome makes fun of him, of his cuteness, his height, and him being a nerd. And Peepers, despite the initial failure, responds in truly great manner, making fun of him instead, pointing out what pathetic person he is. However he does that without mentioning the jab at his height. It's clearly a thing he doesn't want to talk about.

There's not much to talk about when it comes to "The Rager" and "The Good Bad Guy". Peepers continues on being Peepers to who Hater actually listens to, but also gets smacked around by his boss (more about that in relationships analysis). He's just kind of there. Getting punched by Sylvia who wasn't even there.

Oh yeah, time to mention his relationship with Syl, huh. Since their moment in "The Battle Royale" they started to get along, somewhat. It's continued in "The Show Stopper", "My Fair Hatey" and "The End of the Galaxy". They found a similriaties in each other, common goals, and at some point even had fun together. Their frenemy thing going on is important to both of them, but especially Peepers, who, so far, didn't have anyone who he saw on a same level as him.

Before "The Battle Royale" Commander managed to get his boss to the #2 spot on the leaderboard, learned to work with childish Hater and the only real obstacle was Dominator on the first place, destroying planets left and right. After this episode Dom rmeained as obstacle, but in an entirly different way: previously Hater was willing to fight the guy back. But since he developed a crush on her things started to be… complicated.

Peepers, after the fluke of attack in "The New Toy", where Hater sabotaged every attempt at fighting Dom back using the frostonium, is done. He just wants to get rid of Dominator, wants his boss back on track; he doesn't even dream of getting S1 Hater, he just wants the things to be what the status quo from the S2 first arc back, when childish, distracted Hater was a person he could work with.

So when Commander gets Hat into his hands he snaps. "The universe will be mine!" He's entirely willing to leave Hater and conquer the universe – yes, he said universe, not galaxy – by himself. Dude's definitely ambitious. Of course after everything blows up and Wander gets his Hat back things get back to normal. Well, relatively normal. As normal as WoY with Hater having a crush on a bigger villain can get, I guess. But it was there, Peepers and his ambitions resurfaced yet again.

By the time "My Fair Hatey" rolls Commander decides to take matter into his hands. I feel like fighting Dominator was pretty personal for him at this point; she was the person who messed up his plans, who made Hater into total fool. He explains his plan to Sylvia in a glorious singing manner, roping her into bringing frostonium onboard Dom's ship and… well, he successed. Sort of. It's unclear what has actually happened, but Dom gets ice powers thanks to that and the galaxy is even more doomed. But nobody can accuse the little guy for lack of trying.

In "The Bad Neighbors" Peepers clearly feels guilty and tries to reach to Hater for help. He doesn't sleep, overworking himself even more than normally, and comes up with nothing. There is a bright spot at the end of a tunnel though – his confidence is back by the end of episode and everyone is free from sitcom shenanigans.

When I finished the series my Screener asked me which arc from S2 was my favorite and which one I liked the least. Without thinking I responded that I the third arc was definitely my least favorite. Before I could mull over my response she said: "oh yeah, it didn't have enough Peepers in it, right."

Yeah, Commander kind of disappeared in a last act and took backseat to Wander and Sylvia trying to find ways to beat Dominator. He finally got to appear in "The Robomechabotatron", where he pretty much laid out his opinion about Hater to Wander (which also meant some Peepers&Wander interactions, yay!) And while I love "The End of the Galaxy" he didn't do much there. At the beginning he lost all hope, though was later shown to be looking for Hater, probably trying to plan what to do next, if that galaxy was lost. He was extremely happy about getting his compentent boss back, saved Sylvia's life, got a serious case of heart eyes and it ultimately got back to chasing Wander across the galaxy.

So, Peepers. Ambitious, evil, workaholic Peepers. I love this guy.

While it's obvious he's evil, more evil than Hater, I was thinking: how evil is he? Can we assume he's as evil or even more evil than Dom? (Or Screwball, but let's stick to evil guys who know they're evil kay.) People seem not to think so, if only because he exclaimed: "Man, that's evil!" upon learning her plan of destroying the whole galaxy. First of all he's fine with destroying few planets. He was planning a tour to do it back in "The Big Day" for flarp's sake! It's not about all the people who would lose their homes and lifes in that, no. It's about his lack of comprehension about this plan. See, Peepers is ambitious, he wants to conquer, he wants to rule, even if it has to be in someone else's name (though we all know he would gladly do it alone if he could). Sure when he sees her plan on a giant screen he's shocked, but then…

…he has this look. It's not 'it's so evil why would she do that to these people' look, it's: 'what the flarp, why would anyone do that, what are the benefits, is that her plan, is that why she destroyed everything on her path, better stop her quickly or I won't have anything to conquer.' He wants to save the galaxy only to conquer it, he says it himself later in musical episode, and Hater remembers it in the finale, causing the heart eyes. So, yeah, personally I don't think Peepers is less evil than Dominator, he's just more cautious, needs to work with others, and doesn't see sense in destroying everything; what is there left to rule after all?

So what would happen to Commander in S3? A lot of things, I imagine, I wrote the whole post about my suspcions regarding his future. Also there's a matter of his and watchdogs' home planet, that aaparently was destroyed by Dom. We would learn about his background, maybe finally get his first name. More interactions with Hater and Sylvia. Please, please, more interactions with Wander and Dominator. And…

…I'm… just gonna go cry in the corner, okay?

TL;DR: I love this character so much. He's ambitious, evil, and was supposed to get an arc in S3. Still got a lots of development in S2 and what we got was glorious.

[junker-town]

The 14 steps along the path to a college football coach getting fired

Barring a sudden surprise firing, it goes something like this every time. Where’s your coach right now?

Think back to the day your college football coach was hired. He was the right guy. He was excited to be there, and you were excited to have him. His intro press conference filled you with optimism.

But that was then. Your team’s falling on hard times again, and it’s time to make a change.

There is a rhythm to the head coach exit. The ebbs and flows that beget the pink slip are largely the same at each school. While there are always going to be unpredictable, overnight breakups, programs tend to progress through the same stages, and it usually plays out over a two-season stretch.

So, where is your program on the progression?

1. The first bad loss.

Maybe the coach has had some time to tear the program down to the studs and rebuild. Maybe he’s an institution, and things are just starting to stale. Either way, the fanbase needs some proof this thing is going to work long-term.

This isn’t the loss that signals the end. This is just planting the seed. You shouldn’t lose to this team, but here we are.

Like when Texas lost, 24-0, to Iowa State in Charlie Strong’s second year.

All the good feelings, all the talk about the potential for bowl eligibility and progress? Out the window. This team won't have a postseason and Strong has major questions to answer. Saying that the team is better than it showed will no longer suffice. If there's one positive, it's that he didn't try to do so in the post-game press conference.

Strong would get one more season.

2. The buck-stops-here press conference.

Everyone’s upset, and it’s time for the coach to take responsibility, like Will Muschamp after Florida lost to then-FCS Georgia Southern:

“You got to change the scoreboard offensively. You got to be able to change the scoreboard. We’ve just struggled scoring points offensively. It’s been a week-in, week-out occurrence. My job to get it fixed and it will get fixed.”

Oh, that did not get fixed. Muschamp would exit stage left the next season.

3. The vote of confidence.

There’s blood in the water, but your AD or school president isn’t punting yet. They just need a little bit more time. Like Kyle Flood at Rutgers, when then-AD Julie Hermann pledged support.

Flood is 15-10 in his two seasons.

“Our football program continues to evolve and grow, as evidenced by the changes Coach Flood just announced," Hermann said in a statement. "I support these moves and Kyle’s leadership as we transition into the Big Ten.

Flood would be gone after two more flailing seasons.

4. Firing assistant coaches.

One side of the ball just isn’t working like it’s supposed to. It’s time to axe a coordinator to placate the masses. The new guy can promise the offense/defense will be more multiple and physical.

Finish 97th nationally in total defense like Maryland did in 2014? It’s time for a change.

The Terrapins' defense had declined statistically over each of the past two seasons, culminating in disappointing performances for the senior-heavy unit against Rutgers and Stanford to end the season. Randy Edsall has decided to overhaul the defense[.]

Edsall would get the boot at the end of the 2015 season.

5. “How many wins does he need?”

Is it a magic number, or is it the “right” wins on the schedule? Either way, if media days are dominated by trying to figure out the right combination of wins and losses, the goose is likely cooked.

How good is good enough for Michigan, and Brady Hoke, in 2014?

Not only in regaining the respect the Wolverines have lost since the shocking upset loss to Appalachian State to open the 2007 season, but to justify Hoke remaining as the Wolverines’ head football coach.

Hoke was gone by the end of 2014.

And the jig is close to up if one particular game is make-or-break.

There is a dwindling number of scenarios wherein [Al] Golden keeps his job, but all of them include Miami winning in Tallahassee (and then doing quite a few other things).

Golden couldn’t beat FSU, among other teams, and was out.

6. Benching the QB for a younger guy.

Your QB might be a veteran junior starter, but the offense just doesn’t look like it’s clicking. It’s high time for that backup to play and show the administration how great the future looks under you.

The bye week is a perfect time for this. He’s got the first week to get adjusted to the first-team offense, and the second week to get the game plan.

Helfrich became the first coach Oregon had fired since the 1970s.

7. Young alum coordinator or head coach is getting it together, wherever he is now.

Y’all see that grass over there? It’s green as hell.

You think it’s time for your AD to make a phone call to that former player coaching somewhere else, damnit. Certainly he’ll come home.

"I left Texas A&M because my school called me," Bear Bryant said when he took the Alabama job 60 years ago. "Mama called, and when Mama calls, then you just have to come running."

You might not have even fired your actual head coach yet, but it’s time for some public flirtation by the fanbase (Lookin’ at you, Nebraska).

This is the type of ENERGY and PASSION we need from a head coach! https://t.co/y5kGvSOpZc

— Scott Frost to NU (@frost_to_NU) October 18, 2017

8. Social media is fed the hell up, way beyond the usual. Your entire timeline is unified.

This one can take a ton of different forms. It could be calling for a Lane Kiffin tarmac firing this instant:

4 years ago, USC fired Lane Kiffin. If Helton doesn’t want a similar fate at the end of the year, he needs to fix his ship.

— Victor The Great ✌ (@vicorly) October 27, 2017

Leave him on the tarmac like Lane Kiffin when he was fired at USC

— #DutchDestroyer (@_Philly_Talk) October 24, 2017

Perhaps the former players start weighing in:

#WAREAGLE http://pic.twitter.com/2Qp0Dm3Zt5

— Heath Evans (@HeathEvans44) October 14, 2017

I think it's time for the UT leaders to have a come to Jesus meeting with Butch!!! #changeisamust #VFL

— Albert Haynesworth (@haynesworthiii) September 23, 2017

Your area’s entire Twitter presence turns entirely to the cause:

And once that crosses over into the real world, you’re REALLY in trouble:

FIRE BUTCH JONES signs have appeared at every pro venue in the state, random colleges elsewhere, a grocery bakery, https://t.co/0jZGVcISfk

— SB Nation CFB (@SBNationCFB) October 21, 2017

9. Plane banners.

The effort here, just to get rid of guys who already seem like dead men walking, is truly stunning.

Annnnnd here's the banner. Says "I Flew 1124 Miles Just To Say #FireAlGolden" http://pic.twitter.com/KKNlsst6uc

— Matt Porter (@mattyports) October 1, 2015

http://pic.twitter.com/1Fes8eMLov

— Matt Scalici (@MattScalici) October 21, 2017

10. Booster shade.

The highest-ranking rich guy has had enough. He’s called the folks he drinks with at suite level and started to pass the hat. Your coach has a buyout number to hit.

Beat writers are getting wind that the people who control the pocketbooks have had it up to here.

But when Ed Hansen — lawyer, multimillionaire, University of Washington alumnus and former three-term Everett mayor — wrote UW President Mark Emmert six weeks ago, he abandoned all sense of delicacy.

Hansen, unhappy with the state of Huskies football, placed a price upon the head of the football coach and the school’s athletic director. His e-mail said:

“By this letter I hereby pledge to contribute a minimum of $100,000 towards a law school scholarship within 90 days, conditioned upon the termination of Ty Willingham as football coach.

Willingham would be gone by the end of that season.

11. Coach is saying some really weird stuff now!

The message board chatter is at a fever pitch, and the season isn’t going well at all. But the head coach is trying to stay positive and wants you to be too, like Gene Chizik in 2011.

“They’re going to say what they’re going to say and discuss what they’re going to discuss, and you have absolutely no control over that. I call those energy vampires. They’re not going to suck my energy out worrying about that. That’s how we work.”

Chizik would last through 2011, but be gone after 2012.

12. The local columnist is finally done.

As media members, we often want to give coaches a bit more benefit of doubt than fans. Particularly if the coach seems like a good guy. Mid-season firings sometimes seem impulsive, after all.

But when the local columnist does drop the guillotine, it’s another indicator that the situation is untenable.

Has Bob Diaco coached his final football game at UConn? He’s done little to earn himself another season. The Huskies lost to Tulane Saturday to finish 1-7 in the American, a game almost nobody attended, and went an entire month — 16 quarters over parts of five games — without a touchdown.

A month after that story got published, Diaco was shown the door.

13. The death-knell loss.

It could be a blowout, or it could be a close shave, but there’s always one loss that signals that the end is truly nigh. An example? Losing to Kansas, if you’re Texas.

The Texas Longhorns, a titan of college football, just lost to Kansas in overtime, 24-21. This is the first time the Horns have lost to the Jayhawks since the Great Depression.

Strong would get canned the next week.

14. The actual end.

It’s probably a Sunday morning, and your coach is about to have a closed-door meeting with the AD. The loss last night was rough. It’ll all be over soon. Players start finding out on Twitter or via their news apps, just like the rest of us, and begin to voice their displeasure. The news is leaking, but they are yet to have their team meeting to make things official.

Gotta love finding these things out through twitter.... a heads up would’ve been nice

— Luke Del Rio (@Ldelrio12) October 29, 2017

Whatever happens today just know that @CoachMcElwain has been a father figure and a great mentor in my life and family’s life. #GotyourBack

— Eddy Piñeiro (@eddypineiro1) October 29, 2017

— Drè Massey (@D1Masseyy) October 29, 2017

Recruits who are experiencing the business end of college football for the first time start chiming in.

Im not answering any interview questions about whats going on, that isnt my place to speak about. Nothing is changing this class.#AllBite18

— M A T T Y (@corral_matt) October 29, 2017

I will not do any interviews about the situation with Coach Jim. #GoGators

— Ja'Marr Chase (@10jayy__) October 29, 2017

#Gators WR commit Corey Gammage posted this, deleted it a minute later. http://pic.twitter.com/FBTID9pW3P

— Graham Hall (@GrahamHall_) October 29, 2017

The team meeting is announced.

#Gators players meeting now expected to be at 5:30 p.m.

— Graham Hall (@GrahamHall_) October 29, 2017

And around the time the meeting goes down, the end comes.

McElwain, UAA Mutually Agree to Part Ways Details: https://t.co/QsGUA7spfI

— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 29, 2017

The official statement brings an end to the often long (but sometimes short) march through the hot seat stages. It could termed be a “mutual parting of the ways,” could be a firing, or a forced resignation.

Either way, your team’s coach is gone, and it’s time to reset the program to try all over again.

Certainly the next hire won’t end like this one did, right?

[cover32-yahoopartner-blog]

Titans first round thoughts

Titans first round thoughts

We have discussed the wide receivers many times this offseason. I was not a fan of the first round wideouts. I expected the Titans to select wide receivers later in the draft and preferred those types for the roles they play. Kendall Wright, Justin Hunter, Dorial Green-Beckham, and Kenny Britt have contributed to my nerves here.

An offseason that started with Wright cleaning out his locker, then a Brandin Cooks trade, then draft prospects…it looks like we will be discussing wide receivers all offseason, yet again. How many years has it been? The secondary has been about the same. We’re always discussing a deficiency. Will the new players pan out? Will the veterans step up? Same story, just different characters.

The first round didn’t go as expected, but I don’t blame Jon Robinson one bit. He has to throw a big giant ax at this tradition. How often were Cowboys fans worried about the run game with Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston? Were the 49ers concerned when Joe Montana was slinging it to Jerry Rice? This secondary and wide receiver negative roundtable needs to be destroyed. Robinson hacked away at it with Corey Davis, then smashed it by adding Adoree Jackson at pick 18.

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Gold star for me, yep. I have regularly called Jackson my surprise pick for the Titans. One reader offered to buy my kid a fathead if I got it right and it’s already on order. Thank you again, very kind and generous. Due to the playfulness of the emails and the whole surprise nature of my prediction, I didn’t expect the bet to stand up. I will give you a chance somehow, email me some surprise prediction for tomorrow.

The surprise nature was simply to pick someone unexpected that the Titans may select. Quite honestly I did not expect them to select Adoree.

Cliche? Odd? Whatever…I adore Adoree.

Years ago, when Randall Cobb was at Kentucky, he played quarterback, running back, and wide receiver. There have been many players that have shown similar versatility, but something about him stuck out to me. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, until it “hit me.” He looks like a quarterback. He looks like a wide receiver. He looks like a running back. He’s not just some guy playing a part as we oh so often see, he looks so comfortable, so natural. I loved that. What a football player! Not what a quarterback or…but a football player. That was my thought. He was so good, I stopped saying the positions he played.

The Titans selected someone I find quite similar in this regard. I don’t know that I would call Adoree a great corner or a great receiver, but I would call him a great football player. He is comfortable no matter what he does on the field. He runs. He returns kicks. He’d probably kick off and go sell hot dogs if the coaches would let him. He’s a rare type of athlete- a sincere football player’s player.

As I wrote previously, the Titans two and three tight end offense only uses multiple wide receivers in third and long situations. If there was any team where he could sprinkle in on offense, the Titans were the perfect fit. Well, this is still the case here.

My issue now is with Tajae Sharpe. The heat is on for Sharpe in a big way. The second Corey Davis was drafted, he became the second wide receiver. I’m not sure if he can supplant the reliable Rishard Matthews so easily, as the lone wide receiver on early downs. In training camp and in college, Sharpe was mister reliable with hands that must have glue on them. His catch rate his rookie year was not as predicted. Sharpe does not have big play ability whereas Adoree can take it to the house. I think we will discover that the Titans alternate Adoree and Sharpe on third downs. Sharpe has to step up. He will have to be the wide receiver he was last summer or become buried in the Titans depth chart.

Adoree Jackson is personable and I rarely have heard him called Jackson. He’s always Adoree.

The swiss army knife from USC could also be the Titans third down back on occasion. The draft isn’t finished. The Titans could add yet another wide receiver or another running back. For now, it seems reasonable to project a few carries here and there for Adoree. Not many. The Titans won’t mess with the Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray backfield. He will get a tiny number of carries that will provide a breather for these two.

I don’t so much like Adoree Jackson’s technique in man to man coverage. He’s a special athlete and he can follow guys around just fine. He can keep up with anyone. There is more of an art to playing corner though. This reasoning is why I wouldn’t start him if I were Dick Lebeau. I would sub him in all game long and feel comfortable playing him all over the field, but, I wouldn’t start him.

Year two should show tremendous growth for Jackson. This “football player” will have time to drink it all in and focus on the differences of the NFL game. He’ll have a year of coaching and filmwork under his belt also. His position and how the Titans utilize his skills, will be far more well defined by then. I would expect a rookie year of him sprinkling his skills all over.

Ahh Eric Weems we barely knew ya. The Titans are already close to cutting their brand new free agent kick returner. Rookies usually have nerves and drops issues. It is possible they keep Weems, but the second Jackson was selected, Weems became at risk to be cut.

An interesting nugget could be Weems as a wide receiver. He is fast and “slick.” He hasn’t been all that successful in the NFL as a wide receiver. Maybe he sees the Adoree pick and starts working on his route running. Maybe he starts spending hours in front of the juggs machine? It would be a wonderful story in camp to see Weems step up and prove to be a weapon at wide receiver.

Round two

The Titans do not have a pick in round two. It wouldn’t surprise me if they traded up into round two, but I don’t think there is a big need. As I’ve stated a few times, the talent drop off from about round three to about round four is huge. If Robinson is going to somehow trade for picks, I would imagine he wants as many as he can get in round three. The Titans do have two picks already.

If the Titans trade up into round two, it would have to be for someone they love. A player they really came away impressed with from the interview process. Someone that fills a glaring need. I would suggest this could be a corner or Zach Cunningham. I know many of the readers adore Cunningham and are hopeful. I would want a 3rd and 4th or 5th or 6th depending on the perceived market. With the talent drop I mentioned earlier, I’d do that trade “in a heartbeat” if I was in Robinson’s shoes.

Not trading

Isn’t it odd how surprising it was that the Titans didn’t trade? An entire calendar year of trade talks involving Robinson the trader GM were all for nothing. The thing that surprised me most was not trading to 17. I thought for sure the Titans would go and get Johnathan Allen. He fell so far, it’s possible the Redskins weren’t interested in a trade. However, they were “this close” to getting what seems to be the steal of the draft.

No corner

I don’t think Jackson’s selection indicates a corner is likely on the chopping block. The Titans had released Jason McCourty and freed up a spot. I suppose Kalan Reed is most affected by this in a numbers game, but as a former 7th round pick this was inevitable. I still like Reed and how he has a knack for getting his hands on the football. He’s going to have to step up though in camp.

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