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shihalyfie · 4 years ago

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The relationships between the Adventure group and the 02 group

As much as it would sound romantic to group the older Adventure six and the younger 02 juniors into one huge “group of twelve” all of the time, it’s undeniable that there’s a boundary between them, especially since there’s a different internal dynamic within each group as well -- of course, for important events or incidents like Diablomon Strikes Back, they’re capable of getting together as a whole, and they hand off information and call on each other freely for support over the course of 02, but once we start getting into “social life relationships”, things get a bit more complicated. Overall, we all know that the juniors adore and respect their seniors, and the seniors are happy to mentor and support their juniors, but the way each of the older Adventure six approaches the younger kids has an interesting variance from person to person!

Overall

The other sections of this post deal with how each of the “02 quartet” (Daisuke, Miyako, Iori, and Ken, or in other words the four Tokyo Chosen Children introduced in 02) interacts with individual seniors, but in general it should be established that each of the Adventure and 02 groups is always comfortable calling in the other for backup or assistance if necessary. This is especially accentuated in 02 episode 46 (when Daisuke ropes Taichi and the others into helping them do a full-on stakeout of the Dark Seed kids all over Tokyo, which is a lot of work), and Diablomon Strikes Back (when the initial mission was very obviously intended to have the older kids at the forefront and the younger ones as backup, before things went south).

It’s also indicated multiple times over the course of 02 that “sharing information” is a huge priority for everyone, especially with the D-Terminals in play that allow people to keep people in the loop about what’s going on, so that backup can be called in at any time -- see how quickly information passes from the juniors to the seniors during the crisis in 02 episode 7, or how Takeru and Hikari constantly keep each other posted on the situation and their whereabouts in the first half of Hurricane Touchdown. (This is especially when you keep in mind the real-life context that, in 2000, it wasn’t common yet for the average elementary school student to have a cell phone, so 02 deliberately inserted the D-Terminals into the lore so that this kind of communication could be possible, further tying into the overall franchise theme of the impact of technology on society.) There is no issue in 02 that’s caused by lack of communication (at least, unless it involves someone being emotionally unable to communicate), because of how quickly, easily, and constantly everyone is kept in the loop.

Each group is a valuable resource for backup in any situation, and both groups have a clear and obvious sentiment of “wanting to help as much as they can” and “not wanting to be useless”; the Adventure seniors constantly express frustration over the course of the first half of 02 that they can’t do more, and do their best to provide as much support as they can within the restraints of the situation. Once evolutionary restrictions are lifted in the final quarter of the series and everyone goes on winter break, the older Adventure seniors start making a significantly larger number of appearances and directly getting involved without even needing to be asked; since everyone clearly wants to help each other out, there's no reason to refrain from seeking all of the help one can get. By the time of Kizuna, Daisuke (and, if the storyboards are to be believed, Ken too) is still on Koushirou’s call list even if he’s not present for that single incident, and Yamato loops them in to help scout on Menoa in New York since they’re in the right place in the right time.

This is especially in the case of Koushirou, the team’s resident analyst, who can only do his analyses if he has all of the information he can possibly get; since the 02 kids can do certain things that he or the others can’t, he often asks them to do favors for him or provide him with info (such as borrowing Miyako’s D-3 in 02 episode 4, or having Daisuke test out opening a gate at the Yagami residence in 02 episode 17, or picking Ken’s brain in 02 episode 33) so that he has more to work with. It is generally advantageous for Koushirou to get as much as he can on the table and make use of, and since he has an important role in 02 as a personnel manager and team organizer, it’s in his best interest to use the 02 group as guinea pigs make extensive use of their own abilities, as much as he can.

With Daisuke

Daisuke is a very deferential person in general, so him treating his elders with utmost respect and deferring to them is kind of like saying water is wet, but there are some relationships in particular that stand out!

Daisuke being Taichi’s soccer junior and “inheritor” of both his Crest of Courage and his goggles is of course one of the most iconic and well-known parts of 02, but it’s interesting to see how Taichi treats Daisuke in return. While it’s unclear if Taichi knew him as anything but yet another of his soccer juniors prior to the events of 02, there’s a lot to be said about how Taichi hands over his goggles without hesitation -- as much as we as the audience associate this with “leadership”, the 02 group doesn’t actually have a leader from an in-story perspective, and, in-universe, Taichi gave him his own goggles on account of the fact that Daisuke was a “new Chosen Child”...and also the fact Daisuke had just broken his own and he presumably felt bad for him. (How much Taichi was consciously aware that Daisuke was doing it specifically to imitate him will be left to your imagination, because Daisuke never actually vocalizes this to his face.)

That’s a pretty big deal of a thing to do, given that even if you don’t necessarily believe there’s a huge sentimental backstory behind those goggles, Taichi took off an item he’d been wearing for at least seven years and just handed them over! So in other words, Taichi really did believe in Daisuke’s potential enough to entrust him with something this important.

We also see Taichi come to watch Daisuke’s game against the Tamachi team in 02 episode 8, and it should be pointed out that Taichi, being from Odaiba Middle School, had no practical reason to be at this game -- as far as the kids knew at the time, Ken had no connection to any of the Digital World incidents, and it was just a game that they all attended to give Daisuke their moral support, and so Taichi was mainly just here to watch how his junior would do in such an important match and give him advice. (Although, as Daisuke points out later in the episode, he’s pretty strict, too.)

Eight years later in Kizuna, in a scene where it’s established that Taichi is drifting enough from of the others to the point Yamato has to update him on them (Sora and Takeru), Taichi still seems to be roughly aware of what’s going on with Daisuke, despite neither of them playing soccer anymore -- and, of course, Daisuke seems to have always had utmost faith in him. (Also, Daisuke seems to have returned the goggles; we’ll leave to the imagination what might have led to that.)

Some interesting history about Daisuke’s relationship with the soccer club members: as per 02 episode 2, he was already at least roughly acquainted with Sora prior to her switching her sport to tennis, and, if the Adventure novels are to be believed, he was apparently already a member at the time of Adventure in 1999 (likely as an “unofficial member”, given that he would have been too young to formally enroll in it until Taichi had already graduated). If this is true, this would make him likely to be roughly acquainted with Koushirou as well. He was, at the very least, also around to overhear Taichi discussing the Digimon (although we don’t actually have all that much evidence that anyone was working that hard to keep it a secret).

According to Spring 2003, Daisuke is said to have picked up his goggles in imitation of “the person wearing goggles” whom he witnessed from afar during the Odaiba fog incident three years prior, not necessarily Taichi as his soccer club senior -- meaning that he may not have immediately recognized that they were the same person (although that certainly begs the question of how many people in Odaiba wear goggles; given that Daisuke seemed to just have a pair lying around at home, perhaps this is a normal fashion statement?). Taichi is portrayed as being much better at soccer than Daisuke is (Taichi was already a soccer captain in his fifth year while Daisuke didn’t even become a regular until his sixth), and so learning that they’re the same person at some point presumably solidified Daisuke’s personal image of Taichi as an absolutely incredible senior to look up to.

Daisuke infamously starts off on a bad note with Yamato in 02 episode 4 -- he insults an older sibling, something Yamato takes very personally, and it’s a bad mix of Daisuke’s abrasive demeanor and Yamato’s emotional passion -- but by the time of 02 episode 11, it all seems to be water under the bridge as Yamato treats Daisuke very endearingly after watching the process of him earning the Digimental of Friendship. (While it’s not stated in words, one might imagine that Yamato also became a lot more forgiving of Daisuke not being very respectful of Jun after personally witnessing how much of a handful she could be in 02 episode 7.) And, as Daisuke’s technically the inheritor of his Crest of Friendship, it’s interesting to point out that Daisuke arguably shares as many of Yamato’s personality traits as Taichi; he’s an intensely emotional person (far more so than Taichi is), and has somewhat of an awkward way of expressing himself.

Yamato is also the Adventure group member who maintains contact with the 02 quartet over the course of Kizuna, and with Daisuke as the main representative calling back, he naturally goes straight into “happy puppy mode” the moment one of his seniors calls to ask him a favor. The novel refers to the 02 group as “reliable juniors they can count on” (which we can imagine reflects Yamato’s mindset at this point), and he also makes sure to check on whether the 02 group hasn’t also been subject to the ring of light issue, out of curiosity but also worry.

While it’s less immediately apparent, Daisuke also forms a recurring relationship with Mimi. Interestingly, most of their interactions have to do with Mimi’s location in the US, with Mimi teasing him in an email in Hurricane Touchdown and inviting him to come over, Daisuke helping Mimi and Michael out in 02 episode 40, and Mimi getting a lot of mileage and fun out of teasing him in The Door to Summer (this trip is implied to at least partially have been planned with meeting Mimi in mind; perhaps Daisuke was following up on that email one year prior). All of this happening with no translator; one might say that Daisuke seems to be good at befriending Americans in New York, which is interesting when you consider that his English is implied to be reasonably good, and the fact he eventually opens his ramen shop in New York...

Both he and Mimi are pretty like-minded overall, being very pure-hearted people who love supporting others and are never condescending or consciously rude to others, so it’s easy to see why they’d get along.

With Miyako

Rather famously, Koushirou was Miyako’s computer club senior prior to the events of 02, and she still looks up to him and adores him (she even goes out of her way to bring souvenir yatsuhashi from Kyoto for him in 02 episode 34). Koushirou’s handling of her is rather professional -- he calls her “Miyako-kun” -- but this is, in general, more of a symptom of the fact that Koushirou isn’t exactly the kind of person who shows open affection for anyone, and he’s still dealing with the fact that he used to compulsively push people away, so being able to talk to anyone neutrally like this is already kind of a big step.

This is especially because he’s got a pretty huge investment in the kids in general -- he’s one of the most visible of the seniors in 02, and while part of it is also because of his specialty in computers and his inquisitive personality driving him to take a very direct role in things, he also rails at the kids in worry in 02 episode 7 and continues to support the kids with actual support, providing them things they might find helpful or useful. So, in effect, it’s just that Koushirou has his own ways of showing support for his juniors, especially since his character arc has heavily to do with developing a skill in coordinating others.

Miyako continues working in the computer club under Koushirou even after entering middle school, and, eight years later in Kizuna, it seems that Koushirou is actively maintaining contact with Miyako (in the opening, he’s the one directly shown initiating contact via email), since she’s personally helping him with Chosen Child community management. There’s no computer club anymore and the group isn’t necessarily working as a cohesive group all of the time either, so this is something they’re actively involved in together...and Miyako is clearly comfortable enough to dump work that she doesn’t want to do on him. (He doesn’t seem to mind that much.)

Miyako first meets Mimi in 02 episode 6 and immediately latches onto her without hesitation, to the point of fantasizing about their relationship and labeling her “Mimi-oneesama” (big sister Mimi) thereafter. (Note that she only does this when it’s a very casual or playful situation, since 02 episode 14 later establishes that she’ll go back to the usual “Mimi-san” when things get more serious or her mood is worse.) Mimi answers to Miyako’s affection easily, given their similar temperaments, and they get along swimmingly.

We get a little more insight as to Miyako’s feelings on Mimi in 02 episode 14, where Miyako spends the duration of it negatively comparing her own behavior and personality to Mimi's kinder and more mature way of handling things, implying that she sees Mimi as an example to follow that she sees herself as not sufficiently reaching. Notably, in 02 episode 25, when Mimi takes charge and uses Miyako’s D-Terminal to request Ken’s help, Miyako doesn’t protest at all; it of course wasn’t helped by the fact Miyako herself was tussling with mixed feelings on Ken, but it’s worth pointing out that, after all of the vehement verbal arguing about the issue, Miyako respects Mimi’s decision enough to not protest.

Miyako also bonds a bit with Sora, both during her initial process of receiving her first Digimental in 02 episode 2, and during them working together in 02 episode 42. Miyako doesn’t seem to put her on as much of a pedestal as Mimi, but still very much defers to and respects her stance, and Sora is happy to indulge around and bond with her (note how casually she carries herself around Miyako).

While we don’t see them interact much in the series proper, Miyako reveals in 02 episode 29 that she does sound engineering work for Yamato’s band (in conjunction with Koushirou), which she continues doing after entering middle school in Spring 2003 -- although it seems she’s having a hard time getting him (and everyone else) to embrace techno.

With Iori

Among the Adventure seniors, Iori’s most notable relationship is with Jou, which is pretty interesting on its face given that this is the largest possible age gap among any two from this group (Iori is 9, Jou 15). Yet the two are put together in major situations no less than three times -- 02 episodes 5, 16, and 41 -- and with the first two depicting Jou as having a major role in mentoring Iori, in regards to the importance of personal choice and responsibility in being a Chosen Child (02 episode 5), and the conflict between moral principles and practicality (02 episode 16). A lot of the gist of Jou’s and Iori’s character arcs and dispositions are quite similar -- Jou himself struggled with trying to adhere to arbitrary standards without regard to practicality back in Adventure, and it’s because of this that he can figure out Iori’s mentality and reach out to him in a way he understands. For Iori, being a polite and respectful person in general, it’s only natural to expect that he would take very well to Jou being an admirable and honest model citizen.

Iori also receives his initial Digimental consultation from Koushirou in 02 episode 3, and, like with how Daisuke and Miyako also have some degree of personality traits relevant to the characters they inherit their Crests from, Iori also has some characteristics that evoke Koushirou as well, most prominently his tendency towards politeness and deference (albeit for different reasons). While they don’t end up following similar paths for the rest of the series due to Koushirou’s “curiosity” being more about intellectual knowledge and Iori’s “curiosity” being more about human behavior and psychology, Koushirou does correctly identify Iori as having the potential for that kind of inquisitiveness in said episode long before the relevant character arc clearly sets in, allowing Iori to claim the Digimental of Knowledge.

With Ken

Due to the late position of when he’d joined the team and the even later position in which everyone came to like him, Ken isn’t shown necessarily bonding too deeply with many of the seniors, although it’s clear that they all came around for him in the end. That said, some of his limited interactions or interactions by proxy with the seniors end up fairly notable:

Ken has a long and extended chat with Koushirou in 02 episode 33, which is interesting because it’s a point in time when not even everyone in the 02 group itself was particularly receptive to him yet (at the time Hikari and Takeru were still maintaining silence on their stance on him, and Iori still ironing out a lot of complicated feelings about his presence). Yet Koushirou has no qualms whatsoever approaching him and picking his brain about what he knows, since Ken, as a hitherto unknown factor with a lot of background information that Koushirou could make extensive use of, has a lot to offer him. That said, he’s not just using Ken as a resource for intellectual purposes; Koushirou offers him emotional goodwill in his own way, hearing about how Oikawa had targeted Ken and even lamenting that it would have been better if the older kids had reached out to him first.

During 02 episode 25, Mimi makes an active bid to reach out to Ken when Golemon is about to destroy the dam, in the midst of everyone having an argument over whether to allow him to help (and not only that, she’s vehement about doing so). Recall that Mimi is forgiving to a fault, allowing herself to get beaten up by Digitamamon in 02 episode 14 and refusing to give up on him despite knowing he was actively brainwashed -- so it stands to reason that she’s actually one of the most receptive to Ken, even moreso than the more emotionally overwhelmed Miyako, and offering him a chance to join in (she’s never really been depicted as the type to hold grudges).

During Iori’s consultation of him in 02 episode 35, Yamato makes a remark regarding Ken pointing out that he and Takeru have technically gone through the same experience in witnessing the death of a partner, which means he’s actually willing to cast Ken in a sympathetic light at this point! Once Ken has integrated more smoothly with the others, Yamato and Ken work together in 02 episode 42, and they get along swimmingly with zero discomfort at all (not only that, Yamato’s dropped the honorific, going from 02 episode 35′s “Ichijouji-kun” to the more casual “Ichijouji”). Not bad!

#digimon #digimon adventure 02 #digimon adventure last evolution kizuna #kizuna spoilers #shihameta

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thatesqcrush · 4 years ago

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The Wedding

Rafael Barba x Reader. For kink bingo: voyeurism. CW: male masturbation. NSFW, obvs. WC: 2145.

“Are you sure you know where you are going?” Rafael replied, staring at the road ahead of you.

“Yes, Rafael – I know where I am going. And besides, Alexa…” You replied, with an annoyed huff. Alexa chimed in to make a turn and you shifted the turn signal on.

“We’re going to be late.” Rafael muttered. You glanced at Rafael quickly, before looking back at the road.

“We’re going to be fine.” You replied in a sing song voice, trying to not get any more irritated. “Right on time.”

“I’m the best man – I am Carisi’s best man. I am going to be late.”

“I know you’re Carisi’s best man. We are 5 miles away. Fifteen minutes tops. They’re not going to start without us.”

“That’s if you’re the bride! Or the groom!” Rafael replied exasperated. He stared out the passenger side, a mixture of yellow, gold, copper, red, burgundy, and orange leaves whirring past him. “I still need to drop off my things at the farmhouse.”

You ignored him. “It’s leaf peeping season here in New York. Did you know that? I never understood that but now, coming up here – I get it. It’s so beautiful. I would totally do this with someone…” you trailed off.

You focused on the road ahead. Internally you were swearing up and down. You didn’t mean to be running behind to Amanda and Sonny’s wedding. Originally you were planning on taking the train but then planned track work derailed – literally and figuratively – that plan. So you decided to drive – and because driving to new places gave you anxiety, you decided to give yourself an extra hour of wiggle room. That hour was shot to shit when Rafael called about his rental not showing up. And then you had made a wrong turn and traffic had built up earlier on which further set you back

Now Rafael was blathering in your ear about how you were making him late. Had this been any other person, you would have torn them a new one – you hated being barked at while driving – it made you more anxious and tense. Which was surprising considering the line of work you were in. You were a detective, second grade with Special Victims. This was your pet peeve. And because you had a crush on Rafael from the moment you started, you let this – him griping at you, slide. When you first began to work at SVU, you were instantly taken by the handsome prosecutor. He was intelligent, fashionably sensitive, and his sassy one-liners always made you chuckle. He also cared for the victims and it was his passion for both the victim and the law – taking on cases no one else dared to, made you fall for him that much more. ‘Does Rafael knew how handsome he is?’ you wondered as you waited for the traffic light to change. You snapped out of your reverie and gave Rafael a pleading look.

“Rafael – ten minutes. Just give me ten. We will be there.” You let out a deep exhale and pressed your foot on the gas pedal a little heavier.

The wedding venue – a repurposed barn in upstate New York - was unique and versatile, rustic yet chic. The ceremony took place on the manicured paddock, cocktail hour took place on the lawn and then dinner and dancing took place in the barn itself. For those guests not into dancing, they relaxed with their drinks and desserts by the fire pit.

You watched Amanda and Sonny dance with Jessie and Billie. The little family was all smiles. Earlier in the day, it had been unseasonably warm but by nightfall there was a small chill. You wrapped your shawl around your shoulders and rubbed the tops of your arms. Rafael was sitting by the fire pit, finishing off his drink. He sat forward, his shoulders slumped. You made way to the bar and nabbed two beers before making way outside.

“Hey there counselor. Enjoying yourself?”

Rafael smiled when he saw you and moved over on the bench he was sitting, to make space for you. You murmured a thanks and then handed him a beer.

“Thanks, Y/N.” Rafael replied. “Salud.”

You clinked your bottle with his. “Cheers.” You took a long drag of your beer, watching as the flames danced in front of you.

Despite the roar of the ongoing party, you could hear the sound of crickets chirping and it was soothing. The string quartet began to play “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and you looked wistfully at the dancefloor laid out on the grass.

“Do you dance Rafael?” You asked.

Rafael perked up. He stood up and put his drink down and then reached for your hand. You took another swig of your beer, neatly folded your shawl and then put your beer down before taking his hand. Rafael led you to the dance floor. You wrapped your arms around his neck while his hands gripped your hips.

“You’re quite the dancer Mr. Barba.” You complimented. The combination of his solid body against yours mixed with his cologne made you feel intoxicated and warm. Rafael hummed his appreciation and in response drew you closer to him.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier. I was just anxious about getting here.” Rafael apologized. You pulled back and saw the sincerity in his eyes.

You shook your head and waved him off. “It’s fine – we were running late – shit happens. I was anxious too. I mean we made it, didn’t we? Yes by the skin of our teeth, but we made it.”

“No, I was out of line.” Rafael replied. “I should have just said thank you for the ride. The last thing I would want is to have you be upset with me.”

“Really? And why’s that?” You asked, curious and ever hopeful, searching his eyes.

Rafael cleared his thought, his throat suddenly dry as he racked his brain as to what to say. “Because it would make the ride back to the city super awkward.” He lied. Rafael turned his head, unable to meet your eyes. And in turn, missed the disappointed look on your face. In reality, he was completely fascinated with you. And he had been since he first met you a year and a half ago when you joined SVU. You had made your own lateral move to SVU, transferring over from white collar crimes. Rafael would watch you out of the corner of his eye, admiring your intelligence and quick wit. You showed empathy for the victims. You had a keen sense of skirting the law but were always able to maintain its integrity. A lot of the time, you drove him – and sometimes your commander – ostensibly crazy. To top it off, you were beautiful. Whenever he was in close quarters with you, he felt enchanted, like a moth to a flame. But you were also fourteen years his junior and he was certain the feeling was not mutual. ‘Why be with me, basically a viejo with commitment issues when you could be with someone younger who was more handsome and could offer you the world.’ He would bitterly think on more than one occassion.

You both continued dancing and you closed your eyes, lost in the play pretend that there was more between you and Rafael. ‘The detective and the lawyer.’ You snorted to yourself – ‘sounds like a cheesy Harlequin romance novel. You then imagined Rafael bare chested with his leg propped on a rock and you snorted again. Rafael looked over at you, his brow cocked and you felt your cheeks burn. “You look very handsome today.” You replied in an attempt to change the subject.

“Thank you. So do you.” Rafael replied. And to him, you did in your mint floral maxi dress with a lace-up crisscross bodice. He wasn’t used to seeing you so dressed up and when you came to pick him up with a full face of makeup on, he damn near came in his pants right there on the corner of 85th and Lexington Avenue. The song overlapped into the next and soon two songs became three, then four. Some picked up in beat and by the end, you were both hot, sweaty and out of breath. Your hair, which had been pinned up, had fallen. His eyes tracked a single bead of sweat as it dripped down your collarbone and down your chest, finally landing in between the swell of your breasts. He swallowed hard trying hard to ignore how his cock twitched against his pants.

“I think I am going to get another drink.” Rafael replied. “Do you want one?” You nodded in response and watched him take off. You bit your lip - ‘damn that ass looks good in a tux.’

“Are you going to make your move tonight? You should.” A voice interrupted your thoughts.

You looked over at the bride who joined you. “Do you want to die on your wedding day? I mean that’s awfully macabre.”

“I swear on my babies, that man is in love with you. And I know you have some feelings for… what did you say? Oh, that’s right! The one with the gleaming crystal eyes and the mouth that looks like it just finished eating a peach.” Amanda winked.

“I said no such – oh who I am kidding. I said that.” You sighed. “I don’t know. What if he rejects me? That ride home will be so awful.”

“If he does that, then it’s a good thing you’re at a wedding full of cops. We know how to bury bodies and get rid of the evidence.” Amanda replied. “But seriously – make the move.”

You hiked up your dress and looked all over for Rafael. He went to the bar – he should have been back by now. The venue was large and people were still milling about. You spotted Sonny, who was carrying a sleeping Billie in his arms.

“Sonny! Have you seen Rafael?” You asked.

“He went to the farmhouse to check his phone or something. Something about checking on a filing. You know how he is – work, work, work. Did you see Amanda?”

“Over that way – thanks.” You pointed behind you. You leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Congratulations again.”

“Thanks – and thanks for coming. So glad you were able to make it.” Sonny replied.

You nodded and continued walking towards the farmhouse which wasn’t that far off from the events venue. The farmhouse was quiet and almost eerie. Your heels made an obscene sound against the hardwood floor and you paused to remove them. “Rafael?” You called out. No answer.

A light from down the hall caught your eye and you made your way down. The door was open a crack and what you saw, made you pause.

Rafael was sitting on a bed, his cock jutting out of his tuxedo and he was masturbating furiously.

Rafael pumped and stroked himself rhythmically. He squeezed at the base with every downstroke of him fucking his fist. Rafael let his thumb glide across the head of straining cock, smearing pre-cum. Rafael released himself and spit into his hand before resuming his movements, now stroking faster. He let out a moan and you were stunned to hear your name escape his lips. Desire pooled in your belly and you felt a delicious ache develop in between your legs. You wanted to so badly to hike up your dress and touch yourself to relieve that sweet ache but you couldn’t. Instead you watched, utterly transfixed at Rafael masturbating. About you. You were his fantasy plaything. Your nipples strained at the confines of your dress and you reached up to cup one. You could feel your arousal grow in intensity – if you weren’t wet before, you were now – you were positively soaked.

Rafael moaned your name as his hips bucked; his balls began to feel heavy and that familiar coil in his gut began to emerge, signaling his need for release. Rafael began to stroke himself feverishly, working faster and faster. “Oh fuck Y/N, take that cock – let me fill you up with my come.” Rafael made noises of a man who had been denied for far too long. You bit down on your bottom lip to avoid gasping and you winced as the taste of blood filled your mouth. Rafael continued to stroke himself, cupping a hand in front of him, and you realized that he was about to come.

You take a step back and the floor creaked and you silently curse. You peeked through again and you met Rafael’s eyes from where he is sitting. He looked completely aghast at having been caught.

You smirked, and opened the door wider, taking a step in. You turned to shut the door behind you and you made certain to lock it. Turning towards Rafael, you begin to slip off your dress.

“How about you give me a ride as a thanks for earlier?”

FIN.

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#thatesqcrush kink bingo #rafael barba smut #rafael barba x reader #rafael barba and reader

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grapefruitsketches · 5 years ago

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Untamed Spring Fest - Day 14: Butterfly

2,601 Words

The Junior Quartet, fluff, hurt/comfort, post-canon.

“Whoa - Zizhen, be careful! If you can’t even make this step, we’ll start to think you’re a fierce corpse yourself!” Lan Jingyi laughed as he caught the Ouyang heir before he tripped over Sizhui’s doorstep.

“She is beautiful like the dawn, kind like a… a… like ripples on the pond!” Zizhen sang, off any key he might have been trying to hit.

“I didn’t think it was possible for you to be any worse at poetry than you usually are, but good for your drunk-self for proving me wrong!” Jingyi dragged his friend over to the table and sat him down. “Why did you even challenge that old man to a drinking contest? You’re the lightest light weight I know.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Sizhui said cheerily as he entered his room behind his friends, grinning as if at some private joke. He turned to Ouyang Zizhen, “Who are you talking about, Zizhen?” Sizhui asked kindly, but had a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Only the most beautiful, the loveliest, the…” Zizhen paused, scrunching his face and scratching his chin, “I can’t remember.”

Jin Ling shook his head, sighing heavily, “I don’t know why I’m friends with you.” Zizhen only shrugged in response, grinning.

The four of them had just come back from the annual Spring festival in Gusu, planning to stay over in Sizhui’s room given that Jin Ling and Ouyang Zizhen would not (could not, given Zizhen’s current state) travel back that night. Jin Ling rolled his eyes, and took a glance around the room.

His eyes widened.

Zizhen, who had followed Jin Ling’s gaze but didn’t have the benefit of a sober man’s restraint, blurted, slurring his words almost incomprehensively “What’s up with all the butterflies, Sizhui?” He gestured vaguely at the dozens of grass butterflies decorating the room, disrupting the otherwise very-Lan appropriate, minimalist aesthetic.

Jingyi whacked him over the head, “He invites you to stay in his home and you ask such rude questions? You should have stayed away from that special Emperor’s Smile brew when you had the chance.”

But Sizhui only smiled, deciding to answer Zizhen’s question, “They’re stories,” he said, as though this explained everything.

Jin Ling turned to him, “Stories?” He raised an eyebrow.

Sizhui nodded, and sighed, “They’re all from…” he pursed his lips and glanced quickly at Jin Ling, then the floor, “They’re from Wen Ning.”

Jin Ling gaped. Zizhen swayed, though only from the wine. Jingyi glared at Jin Ling, challenging him to comment.

Sizhui explained, “He made all of these for me.”

Jin Ling looked around the room, taking in the various colours and sizes of the butterflies, “He made… all of these?” he asked, incredulous.

Sizhui nodded, a bashful smile on his face.

“They’re so pretty!” Zizhen remarked.

Jingyi rolled his eyes, jabbing Zizhen in the side, “Of course they are! Did you expect an uncle to give his nephew an ugly gift?”

Sizhui hadn’t taken his eyes off of Jin Ling, worried at his reaction to the subject of Wen Ning. Jin Ling didn’t seem bothered, though, just curious.

“Why did he make you so many?” the Jin Clan Leader asked.

Sizhui flushed, “They’re each… Well, he makes them, and he tells me a story each time he gives one to me. A story of one of my… my family members.”

Jin Ling blinked, understanding dawning on his face, “What kind of stories?” he asked.

Sizhui glanced around at the various figures, smiling softly, “All kinds of stories. What they were like, things we did together, life in the Burial Mounds, memories from Dafan Mountains, that kind of thing.” His smile faltered as he finished. He looked back to Jin Ling, who had unconsciously reached for Suihua, touching it gently and nodding.

Jingyi steadied Zizhen in a seated position, and made his way to Sizhui, touching him lightly on the shoulder, “Sizhui…” he said.

“I’m ok, Jingyi.”

Something that sounded like choking came from the other side of the room, and the three junior cultivators closest to the door looked up to see tears streaming down Zizhen’s face.

“So each of these,” he blubbered, looking around, “Each of these is one of your clan members?”

Sizhui nodded, “I know it makes things seem a bit messy in here, but it’s nice to have them around.”

“Sizhui…” Zizhen cried, “That’s so… so beautiful…”

It was Jingyi’s turn to roll his eyes, “Be quiet. You’re making Sizhui think about depressing things. Tonight is supposed to be about having fun.”

But Jin Ling was intrigued. “What were they like?”

Lan Sizhui leaned forward, “I’ve heard so many stories.” He looked around the room, and stood up to grab a butterfly dyed a vibrant orange, “This one is Fourth Uncle. He used to carry me on his back when I was little, while he planted vegetables.” He put the butterfly down, and picked up deep red one, adding excitedly, “This one is Wen Ning’s sister, Wen Qing. She was apparently the best at getting me to stop crying, and the best doctor in the world.” He blushed, looking around to see if the thought of him wailing like an infant would make his friends laugh, but they all looked on, nodding, or, in Zizhen’s case, leaning forward on the table, chin supported by both hands, smiling dopily. Encouraged, Sizhui reached for a pair of butterflies sitting side by side, one blue and white, the other red and black, “Uncle Ning made these to be my fathers, so they could always be with me even when they were away.” He paused, stroking the two tiny sculptures softly before returning them to their perch.

He shook his head, “I mean, each one has a story but…” he sighed, looking around fondly at the display, “Well, I don’t want to bore you. Like Jingyi said, we should be having fun.”

“Family memories are never boring.” Jin Ling said firmly. His grip on Suihua tightened. Jingyi, who was currently trying to force Zizhen to drink some water, nodded vigorously.

Sizhui smiled at the two of them, “Well if the two of you agree on something, that must mean it’s true.”

“I disagree though.” Zizhen barely avoided falling flat on the table as he pointed forward wildly. The three others turned to him, one curious, one angry, one annoyed. Zizhen went on, “Yours might be interesting but… my family story is…” he exhaled heavily, “Very. Boring.”

“Why do you say that, Zizhen?” Sizhui asked. Jin Ling and Lan Jingyi, who had seemed set to ignore this interjection, looked to Sizhui, mirroring each other’s single raised eyebrows. Sizhui cast them a glance that prevented any interference.

“Where do I start?” Zizhen grumbled, “I mean, my dad’s a coward - you saw him at the Burial Mounds. At least your uncle,” he looked at Jin Ling, “actually had personal stuff going on with the Yiling Patriarch, and wasn’t just siding against him because everyone else was.” He bit his lip, “And my mother? I mean, I love her, but she’s hardly as intense as all of your ancestors - Lan Yi, Madam Yu. They were awesome.” He took another look around at the butterflies, “And look at all these! Sizhui, your family’s story is incredible! Refugees, wrongfully accused! Your fathers are the Yiling Patriarch and Hanguang Jun, who have the most incredible love story in history!” He looked around to his friends, then down to his lap, “I mean… it’s stupid, but… I don’t know, it’d be nice to have some epic story like that as my legacy, you know?”

A silence worthier of the Jingshi’s name fell on Sizhui’s quarters, before Jin Ling broke it.

“Yeah. It is stupid.” The other three looked up at Jin Ling’s harshness. He sounded more like Clan Leader Jiang than ever, “You want a legacy? You want a family tragedy worthy of those stories you spend all your time reading? You want the heroic deaths of your parents put up on a wall by the person who orchestrated their murders? You want to grow up with one uncle who’s too sad to talk about them and another who worshipped them too much to tell you anything meaningful about their lives? Fine. I’d trade you in an instant.” Jin Ling huffed, crossing his arms. Tears grew out of the corner of his eyes, and he wiped them away fiercely, sitting down on the floor. He gritted his teeth, “An. Instant.”

Zizhen gulped. “Jin Ling, that’s not… I-“ He looked helplessly around to his friend, his inebriated mind only now catching up with what he had said, and what it must have sounded like to the others, “I’m sorry, of course I wouldn’t…”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it that way.” Jingyi jumped in. Zizhen looked to him gratefully. Sizhui was trying to look anywhere but any of the other Juniors’ faces, choosing instead to linger on a few of the more prominently placed butterflies.

Jin Ling’s shoulders shook as he tried to hold back his frustration, “I know… I just… I mean…” he looked to Zizhen, “Your dad sucks,” he said bluntly. Zizhen recoiled in surprise, Sizhui blinked, torn away from his thoughts and contemplating jumping in given the turn to more personal attacks. Jin Ling went on, his desperate expression and the group’s understanding of this subject’s significance to him preventing further interruptions, “But at least he’s there, you know?”

Zizhen put a hand over his chest, nodding earnestly, “You’re right,” he said, genuinely apologetic, “I shouldn’t be so selfish.” He paused, following Jin Ling’s eyes, which had drifted towards Suihua, “But Jin Ling?” he added, “Your parents were amazing. I wouldn’t trade my parents for anything, but I’m still jealous of the ones you got.” Jin Ling didn’t look up, but the corner of his mouth twitched in appreciation. Zizhen took this as a sign to keep going, looking up as his voice shifted to the tone he usually used when he was reciting his most recent love poem to them, though his voice was more garbled than usual, “They had the most epic romance. They fought to the end to protect the things they loved.” He looked at Jin Ling, “To protect you.” He pointed sloppily at the golden-clad teen.

Jin Ling coughed, once, twice, but this was only a fruitless attempt to stop the tears that came anyway. Sizhui placed a hand on each of his shaking shoulders.

“You’re still stupid, but… thanks, Zizhen,” the Jin Clan Leader managed, “Sorry I said your dad sucks.”

Zizhen shrugged, and clasped his hands together, going into a bow which only ended with a faceplant into the table. He was asleep immediately.

Jingyi rolled his eyes, “Idiot.” But he smiled, alongside Sizhui and Jin Ling (although the latter still had tears streaking his face). Jingyi stood up. “I’m gonna go grab some blankets for all of us, and I guess we can just cover him up there if he’s comfortable. No use in him catching a cold before our night hunt tomorrow.”

Sizhui nodded, arms still wrapped around Jin Ling’s back comfortingly, “Thanks Jingyi.” Jingyi nodded, and left.

“Jin Ling?” Sizhui tilted his head, trying to catch his friend’s eye, “Are you okay?”

Jin Ling sniffed, wiping his nose with his sleeve, “Yeah. Yeah it’s nothing. It’s no big deal. I shouldn’t have yelled like that - Zizhen was just being his stupid drunk self anyway.”

Sizhui patted his shoulder before standing up. “I have something for you,” he said.

Jin Ling looked up, watching Sizhui as he walked towards a shelf not far from the butterfly-Yiling Patriarch and butterfly-Hanguang Jun’s places. The Lan disciple stood there for a moment, scanning the various figures before reaching for one that Jin Ling couldn’t quite see. Sizhui cupped it in his hands and made his way back around the table to Jin Ling.

“I want you to have this.” Sizhui said, opening his hands to reveal a delicate grass butterfly, light purple with what looked like dried lotus leaves weaved decoratively into its wings.

Jin Ling looked to Sizhui in confusion, but reached out and took the butterfly anyway.

Sizhui smiled. “While I was still living in the Burial Mounds, my uncle, the Ghost General, he brought me a bowl of soup one day. He had brought it all the way from Yiling. When he told me this story, I tried to think back. I think I can remember that day just a bit - it was a delicious, but stone-cold soup, better than anything I’d eaten in a long time.” He sighed. Jin Ling was confused, wondering if Sizhui was just getting pointlessly sentimental so far past the Lan bedtime, “When he gave me this butterfly, my uncle told me that the soup had come from the nicest woman he’d ever met, and the best cook too. He told me that it had been from Wei Wuxian’s sister, that she had given it to Uncle Ning but that he couldn’t eat it so he had wanted me to have it instead.” Sizhui looked up at Jin Ling in time to see realization dawning on the other boy’s face, “I only remembered the taste of the soup when Uncle Ning told me this story. When he gave me this.” Sizhui held up Jin Ling’s hands, which were still clutching the carefully woven insect. “I think he’d want you to have it.”

Jin Ling held the butterfly up to his face, stroking the sides tenderly, “This…” he gulped, “The Ghost General made one of these… this one is… my mother?”

Sizhui nodded, smiling. “He almost cried when he told me about her. Jin Ling…” Sizhui caught his gaze, “She was an amazing person, kind even to someone like Wen Ning who most of the world hated at that point.” Sizhui sighed, “I’m sorry I don’t know more about your father but, knowing you? He must have been amazing too.”

Jin Ling smiled, though his chin trembled, “Sizhui…” he held the butterfly close to his chest, “Thank you.”

Sizhui smiled, “No need. We all need something to remember people by, right?”

Jin Ling nodded, looking around at the memories of all the people who had been incredible enough to be related to Sizhui.

By the time Jingyi got back, heavy blankets gathered from the guest rooms, he had to cover up not just one but three cultivators. He would make fun of Jin Ling for drooling on his sleeve the next day, but was happy to see the peaceful expressions on all three of their faces.

“I am never. Drinking. Again.” Zizhen groaned, holding his head and plodding along behind the others. The four of them followed Wei Wuxian and Hanguang Jun for what was sure to be an exciting night hunt.

Wei Wuxian laughed, “I’ve said that to myself more than once. It never works out.” He punched his husband lightly on the arm, “Right, Lan Zhan?”

Hanguang-Jun only said “mmm” in response, but Wei Wuxian could see the hint of a smirk on his face. Wei Wuxian glanced back at the Juniors. All except Zizhen, who was still too hungover to offer more than a half-hearted grin, laughed with him. It was then that Wei Wuxian noticed, contrasting sharply against the golds of his robes, a little purple butterfly dangling from Suihua’s hilt. Sizhui, who had followed his father’s eyes, looked to him and smiled, confirming Wei Wuxian’s suspicions.

Wei Wuxian sighed happily, turning to look forward again. I’m glad you can still be at his side, Shijie.

#untamed spring fest #the untamed #junior quartet #lan sizhui #jin ling #ouyang zizhen #lan jingyi #cql #the kids are alright #also I just really like the idea of wen ning picking up some nice quiet hobbies #my writing

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fleetofshippyships · 4 years ago

Text

Off-Centre

Pairing: Jin Ling/Lan Jingyi (focus), Jin Ling/Lan Jingyi/Lan Sizhui/Ouyang Zizhen (background) Rating: Teen Word Count: 1.4k Summary: Lan Sizhui is enjoying the morning light when a commotion breaks out in the courtyard in front of him.

(Poly Junior Quartet, but with this fic focusing on Jin Ling/Lan Jingyi specifically)

Tags: Polyamory, Poly Junior Quartet (Lingyi focus), Lanling Jin Vermilion Mark, Gusu Lan Forehead Ribbon, Miscommunication

Part 1 of ‘Of Forehead Ribbons and Vermilion Marks’

This was loosely inspired by this art by @sweetlittlevampire where I thought to myself, what is he looking at? And then this idea popped into my head XD

AO3 Link

Off-Centre

While Lan Sizhui sat outside his room enjoying the morning light, the quiet stillness was shattered by thundering footsteps and angry shouting. He looked up from the rabbit in his lap to see A-Ling and Jingyi bursting out of the guest quarters near his room.

The rabbit in his lap seemed undisturbed by the commotion, instead still trying to nibble on the grass butterfly Lan Sizhui was forever fidgeting with.

He moved the butterfly beyond the rabbit’s reach, then turned back to watch Jingyi and A-Ling.

A-Ling had Suihua in one hand, still sheathed, but taking swings at Jingyi regardless. Jingyi danced around, alternating between laughing and attempting to make soothing sounds that were still tainted with amusement.

“It’s not funny!” A-Ling cried out. “This is important! I trusted you! I’ll break your legs for this!”

Jingyi dodged another swing of Suihua, stepping back out of reach and raising his hands in a placating gesture that was sure to only infuriate A-Ling further.

“What? You asked for a vermilion mark on your forehead and you have one! So my hand slipped a little, I’ll try again.”

A-Ling made an enraged sound and lunged for him. Jingyi managed to get out of the way, but not fast enough to avoid being clipped by Suihua. He stumbled and almost fell before regaining his balance and dancing two sword’s lengths beyond A-Ling’s reach.

Lan Sizhui bit back a smile as he found the offending mark on A-Ling’s forehead was indeed very out of place. It was too high and too off to the left to be acceptable. It was more than likely Jingyi had forgotten the significance of being asked to draw it and had thoughtlessly done it wrong on purpose to rile him up.

He sighed and shook his head, stroking the rabbit and wondering if he should try and intervene before their shouting brought Lan Qiren down upon them.

“You did it on purpose! How would you like it if I put your forehead ribbon on crooked?” A-Ling shouted, no longer chasing after him but standing in place, his chest heaving and his hand shaking where it held Suihua in a white-knuckled grip.

Jingyi stumbled to a stop so suddenly he almost fell over again. His face flushed pink so fast it was startling. He blinked at A-Ling, mouth agape, searching for words.

Lan Sizhui shook his head and smiled down at the rabbit, who was making another attempt towards the butterfly. He gently tapped it on the head with it and then tucked it away into his robes.

“Do you think Jingyi will figure it out?” he whispered to the rabbit, before turning back to watch them.

“Who said you could touch my forehead ribbon?” Jingyi finally shouted. “What makes you think I’d let you?”

A-Ling opened his mouth, then shut it so hard Lan Sizhui could hear his teeth clacking together from across the courtyard.

“What’s going on?”

Lan Sizhui startled, almost rising to his feet from fright, and the rabbit bounded off his lap and away between the buildings. Zizhen sat down beside him, leaning close and watching A-Ling and Jingyi with blatant amusement. His guest room was across the courtyard, next to the one A-Ling and Jingyi had emerged from, and Lan Sizhui marvelled at the fact that he must have exited his room through the rear window and snuck around to appear beside him without being seen.

“It seems Jin Ling asked Jingyi to draw his vermilion mark this morning,” Lan Sizhui whispered.

“No!” Zizhen gasped, one hand rising to cover his mouth. “Finally!”

“And then Jingyi drew it wrong,” Lan Sizhui added.

Zizhen hissed softly. “Fool. Doesn’t he know what it means yet?”

Across the courtyard, A-Ling had raised his hand and was rubbing his forehead furiously with his sleeve to remove the mark. His face, what little could be seen behind his sleeve, was as red as Jingyi’s now.

Lan Sizhui’s amusement faltered. It really must have been hard for him to finally ask, Jingyi really did deserve a few solid whacks with the sheathed Suihua. Then maybe a crookedly tied forehead ribbon to solidify the point.

“Don’t...don’t do that,” Jingyi said awkwardly, stepping forward, one arm twitching up as if to stop him, then back down. “You’ll get it all over your face.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” A-Ling snapped, only rubbing his forehead more furiously.

Zizhen leaned close to Lan Sizhui. “I’m surprised he hasn’t torn Jingyi’s forehead ribbon off and stomped on it.”

Lan Sizhui couldn't help but raise a hand to touch his own forehead ribbon, horrified by the thought. It was certainly something A-Ling might have done once, but he liked to think he’d at least matured enough not to go that far when angry with them.

“He wouldn’t do that,” Lan Sizhui murmured.

“Oh?” Zizhen gave A-Ling an appraising look. “I suppose you’re right. I’ve seen how he touches yours, more carefully than how he handles Fairy and the rabbits.”

Heat flooded Lan Sizhui’s face. He could only nod and try not to touch his forehead ribbon again for comfort. He really ought to tell A-Ling not to do it where others could see. The last thing they needed was Hanguang-jun and Senior Wei seeing.

But then, he had a feeling that if he tried, A-Ling might stop altogether. He’d almost stopped after Lan Sizhui had explained what it really meant that he let A-Ling, and the others, touch it. A-Ling’s face had turned just as red then too, and each time he’d touched it for a while after.

Zizhen bumped their shoulders together, a sly smile on his face. “Have you painted his vermilion mark yet, Sizhui?”

“Shh!”

Zizhen snickered and turned his attention back to Jingyi and A-Ling. It seemed unbelievable that they hadn’t noticed the two of them sitting there watching yet, but then, out of all of them, Jingyi and A-Ling were the ones who were always more easily caught up in things to the point where they forgot their surroundings. Years and years of punishment from Lan Qiren still had not taught Jingyi that lesson.

A-Ling would not be pleased when he noticed they had an audience for this, but neither did Lan Sizhui want to sneak away and miss how they resolved this.

Across the courtyard, Jingyi tried to tug A-Ling’s hand away from his face.

“Stop, let me,” he said. “I’ll try again. I’ll do it right. Stop being so dramatic.”

A-Ling shoved at him, far more weakly than they all knew he was capable of.

“Dramatic? As if I’m ever letting you near it again! Don’t touch me!” he hissed.

Lan Sizhui shook his head at them. The motion brought with it a slight tugging sensation, and his face burned as he realised Zizhen was holding his forehead ribbon. He turned his head just enough to see he’d wrapped the ends around his fingers.

He truly did dread the day Hanguang-Jun and Senior Wei noticed the fact he let not one, not two, but three others touch his forehead ribbon. And Lan Qiren...he did not wish to be responsible for sending another person into Qi deviation, but he could imagine no other outcome.

Zizhen turned his attention from the others and smiled softly at him, tugging the ends of the ribbon lightly, just enough that Lan Sizhui felt it in a slight increase of tension around his forehead.

“You know, I’m jealous. You all have these romantic traditions with the forehead ribbon, the vermilion mark, and I don’t have anything like it,” Zizhen said with a wistful sigh. “I tried to get father to impose one on the sect but he wouldn’t listen to me.”

“You’ll find your own someday, and then we’ll all join you in the tradition,” Lan Sizhui said with a gentle smile. Zizhen really was the most romantic out of all of them. A-Ling still scoffed at his every word about romance, his every spontaneous recitation of poetry, but Lan Sizhui was more than aware that Zizhen had been the first of them to paint A-Ling’s vermilion mark.

In the courtyard, things had finally become quiet while Zizhen gently played with the ends of his forehead ribbon. A-Ling stood looking down at the ground, his jaw clenched tight, one hand curled into a fist, the other white-knuckled around Suihua. Jingyi was carefully removing the last traces of the vermilion mark with his own sleeve.

“Ah, I missed it,” Zizhen muttered. “I always miss it! How do they always go from yelling to that so quickly? What does Jingyi say to him?”

Lan Sizhui smiled as he watched Jingyi curl a hand around A-Ling’s wrist and slowly lead him back into his guest quarters. “I think that’s something just for them to know.”

#lingyi #zhuilingyizhen #mo dao zu shi #mdzs #the untamed #junior quartet #poly junior quartet #jin ling #lan jingyi #lan sizhui #ouyang zizhen #mxtx #jl #ljy #lsz #oyzz #my fanfic #of forehead ribbons and vermilion marks #*

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soranihimawari · 4 years ago

Text

running at 6a.m.

word count: 3.5k

random, but can you believe i haven’t written for hanamaki yet, @oikawa-obvs? tagging: @m0nstergeneration20xx [youse all gotta thank them for this one, fr fr]

warnings: new neighbor x makki// seijoh 3rd years x baffoonery// slightly suggestive scenes [pg 13 recommended] // rated W for woo!

<< |masterlist| >>

Of all the times in your high school career, you did not think you’d find yourself waking up before the sun when your neighbor called you at 5:45a.m. one weekend. Your neighbor, time and time again, has been trying your patience recently seeing that his sports club was asking for extra volunteers around this time of year for the conditioning exercises. Granted, your school was considered a powerhouse all because of one high caliber setter, and now you found yourself fumbling around your bed trying to ignore the chiming ringtone of your phone. Your eyes squint to readjust for the brightness of your Do Not Disturb setting to see the fourth missed call from him. You slide your finger in an attempt to unlock your phone the second time and redial the number.

“Morning ichigo no kori,” you state rather flatly. You knew the Hanamakis ever since you moved to this neighborhood to be closer to your high school after you had convinced your uncle and aunt to let them use their spare bedroom in the loft attachment of their town house. Your father was not shocked by this development in the slightest since he did lay out some ground rules between all parties involved. You did come from a single parent household, but given the fact the company your father worked for had a position opening up overseas in the Hong Kong office, you spoke at length about how you didn’t want to move right away due to your third year at aoba josai was about to begin again.Thus here you were, three months later, laying down in a comfortable full bed hoping neither of your guardians stirred from their slumber.

“Strawberry ice?” hanamaki was amused by this development.

He remembered the day you moved because the moving truck was pretty hard to miss; his friends from the volleyball club were walking back from the convenience store with snacks only stopping briefly to ask if he knew about the family that lived there:

“You mean Kurarun-san?” hanamaki asked. He shrugged his shoulder explaining shortly thereafter he didn’t know them very well, but maybe his mom did. She was always seen talking about her day (the daily gossip) with the wife of the homeowner. “I don’t think they had kids.”

“You might be wrong about that,” his friend in arms, mattsukawa, mentions as his eyes wondered to where you were standing. Your arms folded over your chest observing the movers lower the ramp to the pavement. Now considering you were raised by your father, it didn’t surprise your uncle and aunt to say the very least, you grew up learning how to fix dirtbikes one summer with him. Your father taught you everything there was to known about rebuilding a motorcycle from spare parts, which to be fair, was a huge bonus to the quartet of volleyball boys across the way.

“Be careful with that! I built that bike from the ground up, ok?” you instructed sternly, lending a hand to the movers who nodded grateful you were there to help them when the bike teetered too far to one side. Your aunt came out of the garage clasping your shoulder when the bike was securely out and off the ramp.

“Oh wow, that’s a gorgeous bike dear,” your aunt smiled. “You going to take it out for a spin later?”

“Yep! Right after the movers leave for the day,” you said. Your smile did not go unnoticed by the boys who not only stopped to look, but now were staring at you. It was 16:24 (4:24p.m.) when Hanamaki Takahiro first fell in love with you.

True to your word you went out the rest of the week running errands for your hosts (did a little grocery shopping while wearing your favorite backpack) on Monday, then on Tuesday you took a little joyride to the library to familiarize yourself with the layout of the neighborhood, by Thursday you already knew the earliest and latest time you should be out the door to make it to campus, so by Saturday, you were free to help with the chores around the house. It was the same day your aunt had planned a special dinner with her neighborhood best girl friend, Hanamaki-sama, as you affectionately called her. You aunt reminded you to go start cleaning up after your uncle returned from buying the last of the ice cream pops at the store down the block. You took a quick shower and changed into a pair of jean shorts paired with a royal blue loose fitting dri-fit longsleeve v-neck. You wandered into the kitchen wearing ankle socks covered by your house slippers. You were tasked with setting the table trying to get a sneak peak at the hot pot dinner your aunt was stirring. After shooing you away with a short laugh, you took a glass out of the dishwasher drying rack and poured yourself some water.

“Hanamaki-sama is bringing her son along too,” your aunt said, silently gauging how you’d react. You just sipped your water with a curt nod pretending to simmer down your nerves. Was her son older than you? Younger? Was he nice? Etc.

“Apparently you’re going to be in the same year when the school year starts,” your uncle’s voice echoed from the living room. He shut off the television to join you two in the kitchen.

“Oh, that’s nice.”

DING DONG DING

“Looks like they’re here,” your uncle said, holding on to your glass for you. “Why don’t you let them in.”

You nodded, brushing your stray bangs behind your ear. With a soft sigh escaping your lips, you opened the door with a swift turn of the nob.

“My my, dearie, aren’t you gorgeous,” hanamaki’s mother greeted you tapping your arm gently. Hanamaki on the other hand, for as tall and lanky as he seemed, he seemed a bit lackadaisical upon seeing your bright smile greet them at the door. He held a small bowl that was filled with tri colored popcorn with a thin cellophane cover on top. The snack was his idea because he had heard his mother speak to your aunt at length candidly mentioning how you would watch home movies with your father’s family every weekend until you started primary school.

“Hello to you too hana-sama,” you reply motioning her to come in. Then you notice her son with strawberry blond hair walking in behind her. He had dressed a little bit more formal like how he would on days leading up to an official match (solid color slacks and relaxed-fit printed shirt with a small moogen [infinity symbol] embroidered on the left sleeve) “And you must be…”

“Hanamaki Takahiro, but you can call me Makki,” he says when you close the door behind them.

“I saw you at the store the other day buying some popcorn,“ Hanamaki-san mentions when she hands you her light jacket to hang. “You know how we talk, anyways, your aunt told me how much you like bite size chocolate squares in your popcorn I heard.”

Makki says nothing when your eyes glance toward the bowl. You had a full conversation with him when you two kept looking at each other. Your aunt had washed her hands and joined you as she and Hanamaki’s mother exchanged casual greetings as they headed to the dining area; your uncle was giving the curry a final stir. You and Makki were thankfully, left to your own devices and my gods did you two relish in it.

Earlier that afternoon, he was speaking at length about his mother had been invited over to their neighbor’s house. It wasn’t the first time Makki had come over before, yet he had trouble easing his nerves because you were also going to be there. Makki paced back and forth trying “to get his shit together” while the company he kept on call was chuckling in what would certainly be an entertaining story for future reference.

“Makki, if you don’t date her at some point in the first quarter of the year, i will gladly dote on her out of my own free will,” Mattsun meant well, but at the same time, Makki knew the threat was an empty one. He was on a video call with his friends who shared the same sentiment as Mattsun. Soon the time approached for when his mother told him about the dinner party at your place.

“Listen Takahiro, take it from me,” Oikawa says. “Treat Mattsun’s words as not necessarily a threat, but more of a firestarter.”

“Makki!” his mother’s voice calls from the otherside of his closed door. “C’mon, let’s go.”

He ends the call after his teammates hang up.

The cold piece of technological glass rubbed against your warm cheek. With your eyes closed, you recalled hearing OIkawa and Iwazumi remind the other two to spread the word to their juniors to start their conditioning regiment this upcoming weekend. Be it as it may, Makki took this opportunity to ask you if you wanted to be his running partner (this was a trap his other friends laid out for him since they’re trying their best not to meddle too much in your private affairs).

You grumbled into your receiver imploring your neighbor to reconsider waking you up this early for a morning run. You left a note on the kitchen counter next to the landline in case your guardians woke up ahead of you to discover your now empty bed. Stifling a yawn, you meet Makki at your front door, dressed in a light jacket and a pair of running shorts. Your shoes weren’t in the best condition for running, rather, they were an old pair you didn’t mind using for this house call.

“Who runs at 6a.m. on a regular basis?” you ask him with a coy smile.

“Psychopaths and,” he holds your hand to steady yourself when you step down from the ledge of your short walkway. Makki lets go of your hand for a second to whisper an alternative answer. “Lovers.”

“Oh,” you tease, poking his cheek. An amused smile tugged your lips upward which you did not bother hiding. “Of course.”

“You don’t have to sound so annoyed by it, chisana josei.”

Makki had since insisted on giving you the nickname because it was what his other three cohorts dubbed you one evening when you came over to return something your aunt borrowed from Hanamaki’s mother.

“Makki, who’s at the--oh hello there chisana josei,” the charming boy wearing an alien lime colored shirt and pearl sweatpants peered around the corner of the living room. You were reluctantly (read as invited inside) to disrupt the boys only sleepover being conducted at the Hanamaki household.

“She’s cute Makki,” another disembodied voice, this time it was much deeper, spoke up this time. His curious eyes wandered up and down, yet although you were fully clothed, you felt entirely skyclad by the giant. You laughed a little bit at the compliment.

“I wouldn’t say I’m cute,” you said when you ceased laughing, handing Makki the bowl and other tupperware you aunt borrowed from his mother a few nights ago. Makki quirked his brow at his two friends, sighing at their comments and for a split second, you saw his bottom lip jut out in a slight pout.

“Oikawa, Mattsun, shut up,” he stated praying Iwazumi would at least straighten them out later. Unfortunately for Makki, Iwazumi was game in making his friend sweat a little bit because so far, you were able to refuse both Oikawa and Mattsukawa’s praises/favors.

“Oh ho ho,” you observed the last member of the trio to speak up. “And what would you describe yourself as anyway? It’s not like Makki to keep such a pretty secret from his friends.”

“Not you too Iwa-chan,” lime green sweater guy whined.

“Are you three always like this to every girl or is it just the ones that don’t like you?” your eyes glazed over and Makki didn’t want to admit it, but you definitely telegraphed that you were angry. Iwazumi realized this as soon as he found himself face to face with your shorter stature defiantly staring up at him. The other boys watching the silent argument continue before Makki calmly told you they were just messing with you. Introductions and apologies were exchanged as soon as your stubbornness subsided when the four boys surrounded you rather quickly at the hallway of Makki’s front door. If it weren’t for the fact that each of them had a qualm of serenity, charisma, and stealth boosted up by plus 10, you would have challenged them to a simple game of chess. Then again, they were literal pillars loyal to the princely type who bestowed upon you your nickname.

“If they really wanted to ruffle my feathers,” you begin to say, crossing your arms over your chest opening. “They’d form a reverse harem and vie for my attention. You included Makki. I’ll see myself out.”

“I-wait, what?!” Makki finally had heard enough.

“I have spoken,” you mentioned over your shoulder looking at his confused expression. “I’ll let you know when I’m back home. Have fun boys.”

You shut the front behind you, shaking your head whilst casting a glance to the heavens above, grinning like a wild cat.

“That went well, don’t you think?” OIkawa said, returning to his spot on the couch. “Makki, what’s with that look?”

Mattsun and Iwazumi both shrugged when dragging their host back toward the kitchen area to gage how their friend suddenly realized something right then and there. It was 21:07 when Mattsun and Iwazumi realized their friend was in like with someone a month before their third year would commence.

“I like her,” Makki found his voice suddenly and Oikawa had a large smile on his face.

“Stage five, acceptance,” Mattsun states before he blocks a throw pillow aimed at his direction. Iwazumi shakes his head before laughing at the strawberry blonde’s luck.

When you two round the corner of your block for the fourth time, you slowed your pace while Makki turned around and began running backwards facing you. Sweat covered both of you in a glowing sheer shine as the sun was ever presently rising.

“Slowing down already?” Makki taunted.

“I’m not the one on the school’s volleyball team,” you explained in between your short breaths. “You submit your body to this kind of torture willingly and call it conditioning training?”

He stopped jogging backwards for a second, instead opting to walk briskly toward you when he noticed your breathing becoming more steady. Makki might always be the first to challenge Iwazumi to an arm wrestling match and really gets along well with reading Mattsun’s expressions, but he was always reliable in helping keep Oikawa’s personality in check right behind the aforementioned.

“Pretty much, chisana josei. C’mon,” he knelt down with his back toward you signaling to get on. You gladly accepted the piggy back ride on these mornings. It was the top reason why you didn’t mind the morning calls as much anymore.

“I’m not too heavy for you?” you ask sheepishly, wrapping your arms around Makki’s shoulders when he stood up.

“For the nth time, y/n, you’re not.” He shifted his arms underneath your knees, locking you in place after allowing you to shift your weight a little bit for comfort.

“Ready when you are,” your breath fans across the back of his neck, causing his usually smooth spun cotton candy colored baby hairs to spike up. You pretended to not notice how pink his cheek was when you raised your head a short distance while he began his cooldown lap.

“Thank you Takahiro,” you say in a hazy tone, resting your head against his shoulder once again. He muttered a quiet “no problem,” internally screaming at himself for trying to not to die from the way he fell harder for you with every step he took.

Makki glanced down a few minutes later, being greeted by your peaceful sleeping expression when he woke you up again arriving at his place once again; he was too proud to admit you were rather clingy as you got more drowsy during the third time you were invited to a film night.

By this point, you had been living with your aunt and uncle for a week and a half, which in of itself was a delight for them. Yet it was rather treacherous for you because since the night you returned Makki’s bowls, you were often found crossing paths with either Oikawa, Mattsukawa, and/or Iwazumi. Sometimes Makki was with them or more often than nought, the boys were alone. Considering that the market was exactly in the center part of all your places of residence, the probability was rather high.

However, as a sign of good faith, OIkawa, with Makki’s blessing apparently a detail you were not aware of at the time, invited you to come along for a movie marathon the week before his birthday. Unbeknownst to you, as your eyes continued to droop during movie five of the line up, Makki froze when you decided to snatch one of the spare pillows from Oikawa’s sofa and used it as a buffer to rest your weary head on your neighbor’s lap. The boys were howling behind their eyes as they watched their friend finally succumb to the one time their newly appointed token girl friend had Makki wrapped around her finger by the simplest gesture the minute he started running his fingers through your hair.

“Aaand here I thought Makki wasn’t going to get any sort of affection from a girl this year,” Oikawa teased.

“Shut up and let me enjoy the movie,” Makki retorted. The other two in the living room sharing the couch with you and Makki noticed your childlike grin fade the deeper you fell asleep to the soundtrack of the movie.

Now you were sleeping again, tugging on Makki’s shirt instead, burrowing your head in between his shoulder blades causing his heart to jump to his throat.

“Mmm, don’t want to go,” you mumbled. “Too early.” He found the spare key where his mom usually left it (in the rain gutter above the door frame) and opened his front door with ease; he coughed to clear his throat.

“OK,” was all Makki could say in the front of his peaceful hallway, kicking off his running shoes before entering the rest of his house. Upon reaching his room, he left the door slightly ajar as he laid your groggy self down on his bed. He was about to tuck you in after tracing your prominent features with his index finger, leaving a message on your cheek: “I like you my chisana josei.”

“Me too, ichigo no kori,” you murmur as you stifle a yawn, prying one eye opened allowing your selfish need to see Makki’s face turn to stone.

You pull yourself high enough to bump the tip of your nose with his, causing your lips to briefly brush past his own. Immediately upon receiving said peck, Makki regained his composure rather quickly allowing his hands to find their way on to your shoulders pulling your lips back on to his again. Her lips always looked so inviting, plump and deliciously filled with the right amount of venom and sugar, Makki thought. You inhaled a sharp breath. There was a growing rhythm between you two within the fleeting seconds you counted in your head.

“Mmph~!” you nodded in a miniscule way to keep Makki setting the pace your body reacting to the way Makki’s hand openly traced over the exposed parts of you; you cautiously looping your arms propelling him forward. Makki crawled back onto his bed the moment he guided you back down amongst the wrinkling sea of the bedding; his body now hovered above you with knees on either side of you, thus caging you beneath him. You pulled away first, revealing a hauntingly entancing smile.

Makki’s face seemed a bit more flushed than when you started running your regular route less than forty-five minutes ago.

“Now look who’s the breathless one,” you chastised your host in a cheeky manner.

For the first time since July, Makki really studied your features, trying to commit every imperfection to memory tethering it to this love-drum beating in his chest. You laid there surrounded by the dark gray and black undertones of the surrounding pillows, your attire cascading a holographic reflection of the ever rising sun, illuminating your figure. Makki was the only one who got to baskin your natural face with the lack of makeup; your heaving chest; your scar above the bridge of your nose from when a crab nicked you with its claw as a child in the market. Despite your insecurities you told him about one day, returning from the store with him together, Makki saw only beauty.

He could tell behind the way your pupils were focused on his own, the sun’s rays enhancing his reflection in them that caused his heart to bask in the light of a new day. Makki liked the way your hair was frizzy and tangled from the way his hands tousled it in his hands when he laid you down beneath him. Her hands were strong yet at the same time gentle. And her sweetened lips tasted like spun sugar fresh from the fair. Makki bent down toward your left side and whispered something before he continued to kiss you senseless.

The way I know you relented as Makki played with you hair and held you tighter and tighter, was something you craved, even if you weren’t pondering it before, you returned the seemingly unspoken gesture with a similar kindness.

You cradled Makki’s face in your hands, pushing back his saccharinely hued textured hair again, asking him to catch his breath for a moment, synching his breathing with yours.

“C’mon Takahiro, b r e a t h e,” you advise, your eyebrows added to your pleading, moving one of your hands to rest against the middle of his chest tapping your fingertips lightly against his chest. You took advantage of this tonal shift; using your lower body to coerce his in switching positions with him. You were now the one hovering him, your hair undone, snuffing out the morning’s rays eagerly trying to sneak their way through the blinds of Makki’s room. This was not how either of you thought running at six in the morning would have ended, yet here you both were caught in the throes of your own summer enquinoxal love. Whether you two would want this to continue was entirely up to the two of you.

As Makki’s breathing finally returned to his resting rhythym, you allowed his hand to caress the side of your face, tucking a few long strands of hair behind your ear.

“My pretty chisana josei,” he said in the lowest register of his voice. “Finally.”

“...call me that again,” your voice has a slight lilt in it when you sigh. “I need to get used to it.”

Your natural smile could rattle the stars and Makki was determined to make sure not only knew that, his friends in arms also knew it too.

“Mine,” Makki said looking away like a child about to get scolded.

“Uh-huh,” your retort mixed wonderfully with a chuckle harmonizing the two. You release him from your hold, checking the time on the analog clock when you quietly lept off his bed. “Get some sleep dear one; you earned your keep.”

You tapped your fingers over your lips glancing at Makki long enough to watch him bring an arm over his eyes. Literal steam could have been escaping his ears with how your taunts drove him mad.

It was 06:59 when y/n and Hanamaki decided this was when you truly loved another.

--weekend messaging rates apply--

Suffice to say you made a mental note to make good on your word, but opted to maintain the peace seeing him outside with said dessert with a grin.

#running at 6a.m.#hanamaki takahiro x y/n #5W's miniseries #who what when where and why #mini series event

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infinitepiner · 2 years ago

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Franz klammer olympic downhill run

Still, Mayer smiled as he noted, "I have Olympic blood in the family." Mayer, though, said he's not sure how much weight his father's advice would carry these days, because skiing is so different now than it was a quarter-century ago. "They are really concentrated and very nice guys. "Both are very good technical skiers," Pum said. When Mayer's father, Helmut, took home a silver in the super-G at the 1988 Calgary Olympics - a little more than two years before Matthias was born - Pum was an assistant coach with the Austrian team.įather and son are rather similar, it turns out. Pum also has ties to Mayer's family that go way back. Those super-G skills would seem to suit Mayer well for the Olympic course, which several racers found to be a bit on the technical side. Pum knows that his quartet of downhillers for Sunday - Mayer, Max Franz, Klauss Kroell and Georg Streitberger - can boast of a combined zero career downhill victories.īut he also likes what he has seen lately from Mayer, who has had more success in the super-G, including a silver medal at the 2008 junior world championships and two second-place World Cup showings. "I hope we are more lucky than in Vancouver," Austrian Alpine director Hans Pum said. They came oh-so-close, too, with four fourth-place finishes. So is Franz Klammer, who won the 1976 Innsbruck downhill.Īll told, Austria has collected nearly twice as many Alpine Olympic medals across every event as any other country, 105, but its men left the 2010 Games with none. Ski-loving Austria has won more men's downhills at the Olympics than any other nation, six of 17, but the last came in 2002 from Fritz Strobl, who happens to be from the same region in southern Austria as Mayer. Reigning overall World Cup champion Tina Maze of Slovenia was fifth, one spot ahead of Stacey Cook of the U.S., with three-time Olympic medalist Julia Mancuso of the U.S. Fabienne Suter of Switzerland finished in 1:42.70 Friday, followed by Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein and Anna Fenninger of Austria. The women's training session was completed without a hitch, a day after the run was halted for an hour so a particularly dangerous jump could be trimmed down. "I'm not under pressure," said the 23-year-old Mayer, who might be excused for being nervous about his status as Austria's best downhill hope now that Hannes Reichelt is sidelined after back surgery. Miller, who led Thursday's opening training run, was sixth Friday. Mayer was timed in 2 minutes, 6.51 seconds on Friday, 0.27 ahead of past overall World Cup winner Carlo Janka of Switzerland, and 0.55 ahead of Svindal. High praise from a pair of two-time overall World Cup champions and triple medalists at the 2010 Vancouver Games. had this to say about Mayer, whose father won an Olympic medal 26 years ago: "He's got great touch."

#Franz klammer olympic downhill run

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blackkudos · 6 years ago

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O. J. Simpson

Orenthal James (O. J.) Simpson (born July 9, 1947), nicknamed The Juice, is a former American football running back, broadcaster, actor, and convicted armed robber and kidnapper.

Simpson attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he played football for the USC Trojans and won the Heisman Trophy in 1968. He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) as a running back for 11 seasons, with the Buffalo Bills from 1969 to 1977 and with the San Francisco 49ers from 1978 to 1979. In 1973, he became the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He holds the record for the single season yards-per-game average, which stands at 143.1. He is the only player to ever rush for over 2,000 yards in the 14-game regular season NFL format.

Simpson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. After retiring from football, he began new careers in acting and football broadcasting.

In 1995, Simpson was acquitted of the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman after a lengthy and internationally publicized trial. The families of the victims filed a civil suit against him, and in 1997 a civil court awarded a $33.5 million judgment against Simpson for the victims' wrongful deaths.

In 2007, Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and charged with the felonies of armed robbery and kidnapping. In 2008, he was convicted and sentenced to 33 years imprisonment, with a minimum of nine years without parole. He is serving his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Lovelock, Nevada.

Early life

Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Simpson is the son of Eunice (née Durden; 1921–2001), a hospital administrator, and Jimmy Lee Simpson (1920–1986), a chef and bank custodian. His father was a well-known drag queen in the San Francisco area. Later in life, Jimmy Simpson announced that he was gay. He died of AIDS in 1986.

Simpson's maternal grandparents were from Louisiana, and his aunt gave him the name Orenthal, which she said was the name of a French actor she liked. Simpson has one brother, Melvin Leon "Truman" Simpson, one living sister, Shirley Simpson-Baker, and one deceased sister, Carmelita Simpson-Durio. As a child, Simpson developed rickets and wore braces on his legs until the age of five. His parents separated in 1952, and he was raised by his mother.

Growing up in San Francisco, Simpson and his family lived in the housing projects of the Potrero Hill neighborhood. In his early teenage years, he joined a street gang called the Persian Warriors and was briefly incarcerated at the San Francisco Youth Guidance Center. At Galileo High School (currently Galileo Academy of Science and Technology) in San Francisco, Simpson played for the school football team, the Galileo Lions.

College football and athletics career

From 1965 to 1966, Simpson was a student at City College of San Francisco and a member of the California Community College system. He played football both ways as a running back and defensive back and was named to the Junior College All-American team as a running back.

Simpson was awarded an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he played running back for head coach John McKay in 1967 and 1968. Simpson led the nation in rushing both years at USC: in 1967 with 1,543 yards and 13 touchdowns in 1968 with 1,880 yards on 383 carries.

As a junior in 1967, Simpson was a close runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting to quarterback Gary Beban of UCLA. In that year's Victory Bell rivalry game between the teams, USC was down by six points in the fourth quarter with under eleven minutes remaining. On their own 36, USC backup quarterback Toby Page called an audible on third and seven. Simpson's 64-yard touchdown run tied the score, and the extra point provided a 21–20 lead, which was the final score. This was the biggest play in what is regarded as one of the greatest football games of the 20th century.

Another dramatic touchdown in the same game is the subject of the Arnold Friberg oil painting, O.J. Simpson Breaks for Daylight. Simpson also won the Walter Camp Award in 1967 and was a two-time consensus All-American.

Simpson was an aspiring track athlete; in 1967 he lost a 100 m race at Stanford against the then-British record holder Menzies Campbell. Prior to playing football at Southern Cal, he ran in the USC sprint relay quartet that broke the world record in the 4 x 110-yard relay at the NCAA track championships in Provo, Utah on June 17, 1967.

As a senior in 1968, Simpson rushed for 1,709 yards and 22 touchdowns in the regular season, earning the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award. He still holds the record for the Heisman's largest margin of victory, defeating runner-up Leroy Keyes by 1,750 points. In the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, #2 USC faced top-ranked Ohio State; Simpson ran for 171 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run in a 27–16 loss.

Professional football career

Buffalo Bills

The first selection 1969 AFL-NFL Common Draft was held by the AFL's Buffalo Bills, after finishing 1–12–1 in 1968. They took Simpson, but he demanded what was then the largest contract in professional sports history: $650,000 over five years. This led to a standoff with Bills' owner Ralph Wilson, as Simpson threatened to become an actor and skip professional football. Eventually, Wilson agreed to pay Simpson.

Simpson entered professional football with high expectations, but struggled in his first three years, averaging only 622 yards per season. Bills coach John Rauch, not wanting to build an offense around one running back, assigned Simpson to do blocking and receiving duties at the expense of running the ball. In 1971, Rauch resigned as head coach and the Bills brought in Harvey Johnson. Despite Johnson devising a new offense for Simpson, Simpson was still ineffective that year. After the 1971 season, the Bills fired Johnson and brought in Lou Saban as head coach. Unlike Rauch, Saban made Simpson the centerpiece of the Bills offense.

In 1972, Simpson rushed for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, gaining a league-leading total of 1,251 yards. In 1973, Simpson became the first player to break the highly coveted 2,000 yard rushing mark, with 2,003 total rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Simpson broke the mark during the last game of the season against the New York Jets with a 7-yard rush. That same game also saw Simpson break Jim Brown's single-season rushing record of 1,863 yards. For his performance, Simpson won that year's NFL MVP Award and Bert Bell Award. While other players had broken the 2,000-yard mark since Simpson, this record happened back when the NFL only had 14-game seasons, as opposed to the 16-game seasons since the 1978 season.

Simpson gained more than 1,000 rushing yards for each of his next three seasons. Simpson did not lead the league in rushing in 1974, but did cross the 1,000-yard barrier despite a sore knee. Simpson also made his first and only playoff appearance during the 1974 season. In a divisional game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Simpson rushed for 49 yards on 15 attempts. Simpson also caught one touchdown pass. The Bills lost the game 32–14.

Simpson won the rushing title again in 1975, rushing for 1,817 yards and 16 touchdowns. Simpson also had a career high 426 receiving yards and 7 receiving touchdowns that season. Simpson once again led the league in rushing in 1976, rushing for 1,503 yards and 8 touchdowns. Simpson had the best game of his career during that season's Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions on November 25. In that game, Simpson rushed for a then-record 273 yards on 29 attempts and scored two touchdowns. Despite Simpson's performance, the Bills would lose the game 27–14.

Simpson played in only seven games in 1977, as his season was cut short by injury.

San Francisco 49ers

Before the 1978 season, the Bills traded Simpson to his hometown San Francisco 49ers for a series of draft picks. Simpson played in San Francisco for two seasons, rushing for 1,053 yards and four touchdowns. His final NFL game was in December 1979, a 31–21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium. His final play was a 10-yard run on 3rd and 10 for a first down.

Career summary

Simpson gained 11,236 rushing yards, placing him 2nd on the NFL's all-time rushing list when he retired; he now stands at 21st. He was named NFL Player of the Year in 1973, and played in six Pro Bowls. He was the only player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a 14-game season and he's the only player to rush for over 200 yards in six different games in his career. From 1972 to 1976, Simpson averaged 1,540 rushing yards per (14 game) season, 5.1 yards per carry, and he won the NFL rushing title four times. Simpson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year of eligibility.

Simpson played in only one playoff game during his 11-season Hall of Fame career: a 1974 Divisional Playoff between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Simpson was held to 49 rushing yards, 3 receptions for 37 yards, and one touchdown, and the Bills lost 14-32 to the team which went on to win Super Bowl IX.

Simpson acquired the nickname "Juice" as a play on "O.J.", a common abbreviation for "orange juice". "Juice" is also a colloquial synonym for electricity or electrical power, and hence a metaphor for any powerful entity; the Bills' offensive line at Simpson's peak was nicknamed "The Electric Company".

NFL records

Fastest player to gain 1,000 rushing yards in season: 1,025 in 7 games in 1973 and 1,005 in 7 games in 1975 (tied with Terrell Davis).

Fastest player to gain 2,000 rushing yards in season: 2,003 in 14 games in 1973.

NFL career statistics

Acting career

Even before his retirement from the NFL, Simpson embarked on a film career with parts in films such as the television mini-series Roots (1977), and the dramatic motion pictures The Klansman (1974), The Towering Inferno (1974), The Cassandra Crossing (1976), Capricorn One (1978), and the comedic Back to the Beach (1987) and The Naked Gun trilogy (1988, 1991, 1994). In 1979, he started his own film production company, Orenthal Productions, which dealt mostly in made-for-TV fare such as the family-oriented Goldie and the Boxer films with Melissa Michaelsen (1979 and 1981), and Cocaine and Blue Eyes (1983), the pilot for a proposed detective series on NBC.

NBC was considering whether to air Frogmen, another series starring Simpson, when his arrest in 1994 on charges of murder canceled the project.

Besides his acting career, Simpson worked as a commentator for Monday Night Football and The NFL on NBC. He also appeared in the audience of Saturday Night Live during its second season and hosted an episode during its third season.

Frogmen

Simpson starred in the un-televised two-hour-long film pilot for Frogmen, a The A-Team-like adventure series that Warner Bros. Television completed in 1994, a few months before the murders. NBC had not yet decided whether to order the series when Simpson's arrest cancelled the project. While searching his home, the police obtained a videotaped copy of the pilot as well as the script and dailies. Although the prosecution investigated reports that Simpson, who played the leader of a group of former United States Navy SEALs, received "a fair amount of" military training—including use of a knife—for Frogmen, and there is a scene in which he holds a knife to the throat of a woman, this material was not introduced as evidence during the trial.

NBC executive Warren Littlefield said in July 1994 that the network would probably never air the pilot if Simpson were convicted; if he were acquitted, however, one television journalist speculated that "Frogmen would probably be on the air before the NBC peacock could unfurl its plume". Most pilots that are two hours long are aired as TV movies whether or not they are ordered as series. Because—as the Los Angeles Times later reported—"the appetite for all things O.J. appeared insatiable" during the trial, Warner Bros. and NBC estimated that a gigantic, Super Bowl-like television audience would have watched the Frogmen film. One of Simpson's co-stars in the film commented that the studio's decision to not air it or even release it on home video, and forego an estimated $14 million in profits, was "just about the only proof you have that there is some dignity in the advertising and television business".

Juiced

In 2006, Simpson starred in his own improv, hidden-camera prank TV show, Juiced. Typical of the genre, Simpson would play a prank on everyday people while secretly filming them and at the end of each prank, he would shout, "You've been Juiced!" Less typical, each episode opened with topless strippers dancing around Simpson, who is dressed as a pimp. He sings his own rap song, which includes the lyrics "Don't you know there's no stopping the Juice / When I'm on the floor I'm like a lion on the loose / Better shoot me with a tranquilizer dart / Don't be stupid, I'm not a Simpson named Bart." In one episode, Simpson is at a used car lot in Las Vegas where he attempts to sell his white Bronco (made famous during the chase in Los Angeles prior to his arrest). A bullet hole in the front of the SUV is circled with his autograph, and he pitches it to a prospective buyer by saying that if they "ever get into some trouble and have to get away, it has escapability." In another sketch called "B-I-N-G-O.J.", Simpson pretends to be having an affair with another man's girlfriend. Later he transforms into an old white man whose dying wish is to call a game of bingo. "Juiced" aired as a one-time special on pay-per-view television and was later released on DVD.

Endorsements

Chuck Barnes helped Simpson form business relationships with Chevrolet and ABC early in his career. By 1971, New York wrote that he was already wealthy enough to, "retire this week if [he] wanted to". Simpson's amiable persona and natural charisma landed him numerous endorsement deals. From 1975, he appeared in advertisements with Hertz rental car company, in whose commercials he was depicted running through airports, serving as an embodiment of speed. Simpson was also a longtime spokesman for Pioneer Chicken and owned two franchises, one of which was destroyed during the 1992 Los Angeles riots; as well as HoneyBaked Ham, the pX Corporation, and Calistoga Water Company's line of Napa Naturals soft drinks. He also appeared in comic book ads for Dingo cowboy boots.

Family life

At age 19 on June 24, 1967, Simpson married Marguerite L. Whitley. Together, they had three children: Arnelle L. Simpson (b. 1968), Jason L. Simpson (b. 1970), and Aaren Lashone Simpson (b. 1977). In August 1979, five months after the couple divorced, Aaren drowned in the family's swimming pool, one month before her second birthday.

Simpson met Nicole Brown in 1977, while she was working as a waitress at the nightclub "The Daisy". Although still married to his first wife, Simpson began dating Brown. Simpson and Marguerite divorced in March 1979.

Brown and Simpson were married on February 2, 1985, five years after his retirement from professional football. The couple had two children, Sydney Brooke Simpson (b. 1985) and Justin Ryan Simpson (b. 1988). The marriage lasted seven years, during which Simpson pleaded no contest to spousal abuse in 1989. Brown filed for divorce on February 25, 1992, citing irreconcilable differences. In 1993, after the divorce, Brown and Simpson made an attempt at reconciliation, but according to Sheila Weller "they were a dramatic, fractious, mutually obsessed couple before they married, after they married, after they divorced in 1992, and after they reconciled".

Legal history

Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman murders and trialsCriminal trial for murder

On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside Nicole's condominium in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles. Simpson was a person of interest in their murders. On June 17, after failing to turn himself in, he became the object of a low-speed pursuit in a white Ford Bronco SUV; TV stations interrupted coverage of the 1994 NBA Finals to cover his case. The pursuit, arrest, and trial were among the most widely publicized events in American history. The trial, often characterized as the Trial of the Century because of its international publicity similar to that of Sacco and Vanzetti and the Lindbergh kidnapping, culminated on October 3, 1995, in a jury verdict of "not guilty" for the two murders. An estimated 100 million people nationwide tuned in to watch or listen to the verdict announcement. Following Simpson's acquittal, the crime remains unsolved to this day.

Immediate reaction to the verdict was notable for its division along racial lines: a poll of Los Angeles County residents showed that most African Americans there felt that justice had been served by the "not guilty" verdict, while the majority of whites and Latinos expressed an opinion that it had not. O. J. Simpson's integrated defense counsel included Johnnie Cochran, Robert Kardashian, Robert Shapiro, and F. Lee Bailey. Marcia Clark was the lead prosecutor for the State of California.

Wrongful death civil trial

Following Simpson's acquittal of criminal charges, Ron Goldman's family filed a civil lawsuit against Simpson. Daniel Petrocelli represented plaintiff Fred Goldman (Ronald Goldman's father), while Robert Baker represented Simpson. Superior Court Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki presided, and he barred television and still cameras, radio equipment, and courtroom sketch artists from the courtroom. On October 23, 1996, opening statements were made, and on January 16, 1997, both sides rested their cases.

On February 5, 1997, a civil jury in Santa Monica, California unanimously found Simpson liable for the wrongful death of and battery against Goldman, and battery against Brown. Simpson was ordered to pay $33,500,000 in damages. In February 1999, an auction of Simpson's Heisman Trophy and other belongings netted almost $500,000, which went to the Goldman family. The Goldman family also tried to collect Simpson's NFL $28,000 yearly pension but failed to collect any money.

In 1997, Simpson was evicted from the estate in which he had lived for 20 years, at 360 North Rockingham Avenue, after defaulting on the mortgage. In July 1998, the house was demolished by its next owner, Kenneth Abdalla, an investment banker and president of the Jerry's Famous Deli chain. The property's address has since been renumbered to 380 North Rockingham Avenue.

A 2000 Rolling Stone article reported that Simpson still made a significant income by signing autographs. He subsequently moved from California to Florida, settling in Miami. In Florida, among a few states, a person's residence cannot be seized to collect a debt under most circumstances.

On September 5, 2006, Goldman's father took Simpson back to court to obtain control over Simpson's "right to publicity", for purposes of satisfying the judgment in the civil court case. On January 4, 2007, a Federal judge issued a restraining order prohibiting Simpson from spending any advance he may have received on a canceled book deal and TV interview about the 1994 murders. The matter was dismissed before trial for lack of jurisdiction. On January 19, 2007, a California state judge issued an additional restraining order, ordering Simpson to restrict his spending to "ordinary and necessary living expenses".

On March 13, 2007, a judge prevented Simpson from receiving any further compensation from the defunct book deal and TV interview, and the judge ordered the bundled book rights to be auctioned. In August 2007, a Florida bankruptcy court awarded the rights to the book to the Goldman family, to partially satisfy an unpaid civil judgment. Originally titled If I Did It, the book was renamed If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer, with the word "If" reduced in size to make the title appear to read I Did It: Confessions of the Killer. Additional material was added by members of the Goldman family, investigative journalist Dominick Dunne, and author Pablo Fenjves.

Other legal troubles

The State of California claims Simpson owes $1.44 million in back taxes. A tax lien was filed in his case on September 1, 1999.

In the late 1990s, Simpson attempted to register "O.J. Simpson", "O.J.", and "The Juice" as trademarks for "a broad range of goods, including figurines, trading cards, sportswear, medallions, coins, and prepaid telephone cards." A "concerned citizen", William B. Ritchie, sued to oppose the granting of federal registration on the grounds that doing so would be immoral and scandalous. Simpson gave up the effort in 2000.

In February 2001, Simpson was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida, for simple battery and burglary of an occupied conveyance, for yanking the glasses off another motorist during a traffic dispute three months earlier. If convicted, Simpson could have faced up to 16 years in prison, but he was tried and quickly acquitted on both charges in October 2001.

On December 4, 2001, Simpson's Miami home was searched by the FBI on suspicion of ecstasy possession and money laundering. The FBI had received a tip that Simpson was involved in a major drug trafficking ring after 10 other suspects were arrested in the case. Simpson's home was thoroughly searched for two hours, but no illegal drugs were discovered, and no arrest or formal charges were filed following the search. However, investigators uncovered equipment capable of stealing satellite television programming, which eventually led to Simpson's being sued in federal court.

On July 4, 2002, Simpson was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida, for water speeding through a manatee protection zone and failing to comply with proper boating regulations. The misdemeanor boating regulation charge was dropped, and Simpson was fined for the speeding infraction.

In March 2004, satellite television network DirecTV, Inc. accused Simpson in a Miami federal court of using illegal electronic devices to pirate its broadcast signals. The company later won a $25,000 judgment, and Simpson was ordered to pay an additional $33,678 in attorney's fees and costs.

Las Vegas robbery

In September 2007, a group of men led by Simpson entered a room at the Palace Station hotel-casino and took sports memorabilia at gunpoint, which resulted in Simpson's being questioned by police. Simpson admitted to taking the items, which he said had been stolen from him, but denied breaking into the hotel room; he also denied that he or anyone else carried a gun. He was released after questioning.

Two days later, Simpson was arrested and initially held without bail. Along with three other men, Simpson was charged with multiple felony counts, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, assault, robbery, and using a deadly weapon. Bail was set at $125,000, with stipulations that Simpson have no contact with the co-defendants and that he surrender his passport. Simpson did not enter a plea.

By the end of October 2007, all three of Simpson's co-defendants had plea-bargained with the prosecution in the Clark County, Nevada, court case. Walter Alexander and Charles H. Cashmore accepted plea agreements in exchange for reduced charges and their testimony against Simpson and three other co-defendants, including testimony that guns were used in the robbery. Co-defendant Michael McClinton told a Las Vegas judge that he too would plead guilty to reduced charges and testify against Simpson that guns were used in the robbery. After the hearings, the judge ordered that Simpson be tried for the robbery.

On November 8, 2007, Simpson had a preliminary hearing to decide whether he would be tried for the charges. He was held over for trial on all 12 counts. Simpson pleaded not guilty on November 29, and the trial was reset from April to September 8, 2008. Court officers and attorneys announced, on May 22, 2008, that long questionnaires with at least 115 queries would be given to a jury pool of 400 or more.

In January 2008, Simpson was taken into custody in Florida and flown to Las Vegas, where he was incarcerated at the county jail for violating the terms of his bail by attempting to contact Clarence "C. J." Stewart, a co-defendant in the trial. District Attorney David Roger of Clark County provided District Court Judge Jackie Glass with evidence that Simpson had violated his bail terms. A hearing took place on January 16, 2008. Glass raised Simpson's bail to US$250,000 and ordered that he remain in county jail until 15 percent was paid in cash. Simpson posted bond that evening and returned to Miami the next day.

Simpson and his co-defendant were found guilty of all charges on October 3, 2008. On October 10, 2008, Simpson's counsel moved for a new trial (trial de novo) on grounds of judicial errors and insufficient evidence. Simpson's attorney announced he would appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court if Judge Glass denied the motion. The attorney for Simpson's co-defendant, C. J. Stewart, petitioned for a new trial, alleging Stewart should have been tried separately and cited possible misconduct by the jury foreman.

Simpson faced a possible life sentence with parole on the kidnapping charge, and mandatory prison time for armed robbery. On December 5, 2008, Simpson was sentenced to a total of thirty-three years in prison, with the possibility of parole after about nine years, in 2017. On September 4, 2009, the Nevada Supreme Court denied a request for bail during Simpson's appeal. In October 2010, the Nevada Supreme Court affirmed his convictions. He is now serving his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center and his inmate ID number is #1027820.

A Nevada judge agreed on October 19, 2012, to "reopen the armed robbery and kidnapping case against O. J. Simpson to determine if the former football star was so badly represented by his lawyers that he should be freed from prison and get another trial." A hearing was held beginning May 13, 2013, to determine if Simpson is entitled to a new trial. On November 27, 2013, Judge Linda Bell denied Simpson's bid for a new trial on the robbery conviction. In her ruling, Bell wrote that all of Simpson's contentions lacked merit.

On July 31, 2013, the Nevada Parole Board granted Simpson parole on some charges from armed robbery convictions, but he will continue to be held at least until October 2017 based on the other sentences.Simpson's age and reports of his good behavior in prison increase his chances of parole. His next parole hearing is set for July 20, 2017.

Filmography

In popular culture

Films and televisionFilms

In Fox network's TV movie, The O.J. Simpson Story (1995), Simpson is portrayed as youth by Bumper Robinson and as an adult by Bobby Hosea; his close friend Al Cowlings is portrayed as a youth by Terrence Howard and as an adult by David Roberson.

BBC TV's documentary, O.J. Simpson: The Untold Story (2000), produced by Malcolm Brinkworth, "reveals that clues that some believe pointed away from Simpson as the killer were dismissed or ignored and highlights two other leads which could shed new light on the case."

The Investigation Discovery TV movie documentary, OJ: Trial of the Century (2014), begins on the day of the murders, ends on the reading of the verdict, and comprises actual media footage of events and reactions, as they unfolded.

The Investigation Discovery TV movie documentary, O.J. Simpson Trial: The Real Story (2016), entirely comprises archival news footage of the murder case, the Bronco chase, the trial, the verdict, and reactions.

Series and mini-series

In CBS's TV miniseries American Tragedy (November 15, 2000), Simpson is played by Raymond Forchion.

The documentary mini-series, O.J.: Made in America (released January 22, 2016 at Sundance), directed by Ezra Edelman and produced by Laylow Films, is an American 5-part, 7.5-hour film that previewed at the Tribeca and Sundance Film Festivals and is airing as part of the 30 for 30 series airing on the ABC and ESPN sister networks. This film adds "rich contextual layers to the case, including a dive into the history of Los Angeles race relations that played such a central role in his acquittal". As James Poniewozik observed in his June 20, 2016 New York Times review: "the director Ezra Edelman pulls back, way back, like a news chopper over a freeway chase. Before you hear about the trial, the documentary says, you need to hear all the stories—the stories of race, celebrity, sports, America—that it's a part of." The film won a 2017 Academy Award for best Documentary Feature.

In FX's cable TV mini-series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (February 2016), based on Jeffrey Toobin's book The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson (1997), Simpson is portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr.

Exhibits

The Bronco from Simpson's police chase was on display in Pigeon Forge's Alcatraz East Crime Museum as of the fall of 2016.

Wikipedia

#O. J. Simpson #07-09

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exxar1 · 4 years ago

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Chapter 15: What Is A Year?

5/21/2021

This morning, as I walked out of the gym, I was hit with a pleasantly cool spring breeze. Here in Las Vegas it’s a beautiful sixty-five degrees, the sun is shining, and the wind felt blessedly cool against my sweat-soaked skin. I couldn’t help but pause in the middle of the parking lot, lift my face to the sun and close my eyes. Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” was still blasting in my ears, and the endorphins from my workout were still raging high beneath my skin.

It’s been awhile since I’ve sat down to write a new chapter for this blog. There’s two main reasons for this: 1) I’ve been super busy with the two full time jobs, and 2) I just simply haven’t had much to say.

It’s that second reason that’s the more important one. There was a lot happening with me in the first quarter of 2021. But, in the last few weeks, my life – both within and without – has calmed down greatly. For starters, the Lord answered my prayer in which I had been requesting for awhile now to be able to go back to just one job. Here in Nevada, as more people are vaccinated, and as our COVID numbers continue to drop, our governor FINALLY rolled our state forward to stage 3 recovery. (Insert the eye-roll emoji here.) As of the last week of April, restaurants have been allowed to operate at 50% capacity, and larger venues like churches and superstores could increase the amount of people that could be inside at once. (How nice of our government to return to us basic rights and freedoms that we the people should never have given up in the first place.) And, as of this past Thursday, our almighty and gracious government FINALLY decided that everyone who’s been vaccinated is now free to go out and about without a mask. (Insert multiple eye-roll emojis here.)

As great as the fallout of the bureaucratic idiocy surrounding this “pandemic” has been, the one good thing about these recent relaxations of statewide shutdowns is that more and more businesses are either finally re-opening or getting back to normal operations. Here in Las Vegas, that means that the casinos and other related businesses on the strip are extending their hours and re-hiring most of their furloughed or laid-off employees. And that is the main reason that my primary, full time job is also starting to finally get back to normal. That means that more and more overtime is becoming available as various stores now need coverage for employees who are either going on vacation or were fired (or needing to take sudden sick day because of the vaccine) or the stores’ daily operating hours have been extended to what they were before the pandemic.

As of Friday, May 7th, I’m no longer working at Walmart. Last week I was able to pick up four OT shifts, and I clocked out the week at seventy-one hours! This week, I picked up three extra shifts. Saturday mornings are no longer the only days I get to sleep in! I have more free time now to do the activities that I used to enjoy in my pre-pandemic life, such as going to the gym. Thanks to the new CDC allowance, no one at Planet Fitness hassled me this morning when I went in maskless. I spent almost two hours there, and it was damn good! (I was disappointed, though, to see almost everyone else there in some kind of mask. I feel so sorry for them.)

This blog entry is more of a general update than a dramatic chapter in my new life as a Christian. While it’s nice – and a great relief – to settle into a new and stable routine, it also means that there’s simply not much to report. I took another look today at my new year’s resolutions, and I felt a pleasant sense of satisfaction at the fact that I’ve accomplished all of them! (Well, almost all. I still haven’t found a boyfriend, but that’s moot now. I erased that one from a list awhile back. And no, I couldn’t change the word ‘boyfriend’ to ‘girlfriend’. God hasn’t granted that particular prayer request yet.) But everything else on that list – daily Bible reading/prayer, changing my introverted and uncaring attitude towards the people that cross my path every day, being more social and outgoing, and joining a solid, Bible-believing, Baptist church - check, check, and check! I’ve succeeded at keeping to this list, with only minor slip-ups here and there. (There were some days when all the coffee in the world couldn’t change the fact that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and was severely annoyed by everyone and everything around me.)

That last resolution, especially, has been the source of greatest joy and contentment in my new daily routine. In chapter twelve, I detailed my adventure in finding a local church where I could set up camp among fellow believers that would encourage me, accept me, and challenge me in my new walk with God. I thought I had found that in True Light Baptist Church (referred to in that entry as Church #1). But after only a month, the Holy Spirit led me to seek again, and this time I found Bible Baptist Church (referred to in that chapter as Church #2.)

Back in February, during one of my counseling sessions with Pastor Sjostrom, I was lamenting that I might not find a small, local church like the one I grew up in. All that seemed to be available in a metropolis like Las Vegas – according to Google anyway – was churches with congregations of five hundred to a thousand, or more. A couple of them did identify as Baptist, while the others seemed to be either non-denominational or one of the mainstream categories such as Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc.

“Neal, you’re not going to find a church like Grace Baptist down there,” Mark said, and I unhappily agreed.

God, thankfully, didn’t.

Bible Baptist Church is nestled in a quiet, homely neighborhood in North Las Vegas, and it looks exactly like the type of building you would expect to find on the corner of Main and Second Avenue in some small town in the American Midwest of yesterday. Its appearance is that of a traditional church – complete with a steeple over the main doors that houses a working bell – and, inside, is an auditorium that houses a congregation of no more than about a hundred and fifty. There’s an adjacent hall that leads to classrooms and a general meeting room, and out back is a good sized courtyard that serves as a playground for the kids. Behind the auditorium is a fellowship hall and kitchen, and the parking lot beside the church is not paved. (The photo at the top of this entry was taken by me on a recent Sunday evening as I stood in the parking lot after the service.)

My first visit was Sunday evening, February 28th, and the moment I stepped in the door I was greeted by no less than six different guys, one of them being the pastor. Mitch Serviss (yes that’s really his last name) is a fellow transplant from Idaho, and he and I chatted about Boise and the BSU Broncos. After the service, there was an ice cream social in the fellowship hall, and I had the opportunity to continue getting to know the same guys that had greeted me before the service. They all talked to me as if I’d been attending their church for years, not just a few hours. I was also happy to see that the congregation was a good mix of generations – some older than me, some from my age group, and then plenty of younger ones with lots of kids running about underfoot. I pulled out of the parking lot that night feeling as if I had just sampled a taste of home – the home from my youth in Twin Falls that I had been longing for for almost two months.

It’s only gotten better in the last ten weeks. The more that I’ve attended this church, the more I’ve gotten to know several members of its congregation, the more happiness and contentment I’ve felt in my daily life. Everything – and I do mean everything! – that I remember from the Grace Baptist Church of my childhood I have found here. All the old hymns that I knew by heart - and still do – are sung here at every service. The Wednesday night service concludes with everyone putting forth prayer requests and then splitting into small groups to kneel together and pray. The preaching from the pulpit is doctrinally sound and comes straight out of the Bible, with no embellishments or radical interpretations by the pastor. The only instruments that accompany the congregational singing is the piano, organ, and a quartet of stringed instruments that certain members will sometimes play, usually on Sunday mornings. For the kids there’s the usual Sunday school and junior church, as well as something called “Master Club” on Wednesday nights which, as best I can tell, is something equivalent to the old Cubbies, Sparks and Awana programs that I used to be in.

The third week of April was a special week of revival. There were two visiting evangelists and a service every night except Saturday. A potluck was served in the fellowship hall every night an hour before the service. These week long events I remember especially well because I hated them when I was a teenager. Now, I was very heartbroken that I could only make it to two of the services because of my work schedule.

Throughout the year, on certain Monday nights, there’s a potluck at 5:30 and that’s it. Just food and socializing. No service, no agenda, just plain and simple fellowship. They call these events “Family Nights”. I was able to arrange my work schedule last week so that I could attend my first family night, and I wasn’t disappointed. (My contribution was a pot of tator tot casserole. And yes, I made it myself.) I had a great time chatting with a bunch of the guys – and a few of the ladies as well – while the kids tore around outside, creating a pleasant background hum of laughter, shouting and general merriment.

Two weeks from today I will be turning 43 and I will be baptized in this church that same weekend. My family is coming down for the occasion, and I can’t wait for them to meet these people and see this church for themselves!

Proverbs 30: 7-9 says, “Two things I request of You (deprive me not before I die): remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” As you know from my previous chapters, I have been working my way through the Old Testament since the beginning of the year, and, thus far, I have found the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes to be the most spiritually fulfilling and deeply engrossing. Those three verses from Proverbs 30 seem especially fitting for my life just now.

As my 43rd birthday draws closer, I keep thinking back to where I was just one year ago. The world had only started to go off the rails with the statewide, economic shutdowns due to the start of the “pandemic”. George Floyd wasn’t yet a household name. Major U.S. cities like Portland, Chicago and Minneapolis were still relatively quiet and peaceful. Our government was still a reasonably normal, sane, good one, and there was hope that Trump just might be able to win the election. Here in my backyard, I was bored, just returning from an unplanned, two-week vacation back home to Idaho, and I decided to put up a personals ad on Tinder. I hadn’t yet landed the second job at Walmart, I had way too much time on my hands, and I was watching way too much TV. The first glimmers of soul searching had just barely begun, and I had no clue about what my immediate future would hold.

Now, looking back, I can only shake my head in wonder, amazement, and immense humility at how God guided, protected and supplied for me this past year. While there were many that were forced out of work and had no immediate relief from unemployment, God saw to it that I was taken care of. Even when I hadn’t yet accepted Him, when I was still living in my sin and trying to pretend that everything was fine, that I could make it on my own as I always had, God was patiently waiting for that day when I was finally ready to admit my weakness and just accept Him and Him alone.

As I approach year 43, I don’t feel 43. I feel 23. I feel as if every day since September 17th, 2020 has been a fresh re-start; as if my whole life is ahead of me again, and the possibilities are endless. The crisis that brought me back into the Great Shepherd’s fold wasn’t – thankfully – a car accident, or a diagnosis of cancer, or a sudden, complete loss of income and housing. It was, instead, the old, traditional existential kind. Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? What have I accomplished thus far in my life that is worth anything? What will I leave behind? And, most importantly, when the world around me goes absolutely mad, to what – or whom – will I turn for security and peace?

I found the answers I sought in God’s Word and in His arms that are far bigger than me and my life. In many ways, 2021 has been an even worse year than 2020. Our nation – and the world at large – continues to go off the rails. In fact, we left the rails a long time ago and this train is now rapidly chugging across Hell’s desert landscape at full speed towards the Grand Canyon. If we are not living the prologue to chapter 1 of the book of Revelation, then we are most definitely getting close. But you know something funny? Here in my own backyard, when I lower my gaze from the world beyond the fence and look around at my simple, little life here in Las Vegas, Nevada, I can only smile and praise God as I count the numerous blessings He has bestowed on me. As those verses from Proverbs 30 state, God has given me exactly what I need – no more, no less. I have absolutely nothing to complain about. The world outside is falling apart day by day, yet I sleep at night in absolute peace and wake up each morning filled with immeasurable joy and purpose.

I don’t know yet exactly what God has planned for me. But I do know my best years are yet to come, and I am deliriously happy abiding within Him and His will. No matter what comes, I will always delight myself in the Law of the Lord, as David says in Psalm 1, and fear Him alone.

Year 43 is going to be my best one yet! Cheers!

#god #life #Spirituality #personal growth #las vegas

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our-mrs-saku-love · 4 years ago

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WRC STARS FEATURE IN FINLAND ESPORTS DOUBLE-HEADER

While Neste Rally Finland’s fast forest roads will remain silent next month, WRC stars will ensure there is plenty of virtual motorsport action on the famous gravel tracks to excite fans.

The FIA World Rally Championship’s classic fixture, scheduled for 6 - 9 August, was cancelled due to Covid-19. But two eSports events will feature a quartet of WRC drivers aiming to show their sim driving skills are as hot as their abilities in the forests.

M-Sport Ford’s Esapekka Lappi heads the invited entry list for the Neste Rally Finland eChallenge Shootout, which will be broadcast across three nights this week on the WRC’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Also competing will be Bolivian teenage hotshot Marco Bulacia, who is currently tied at the head of the WRC 3 standings, ex-Formula 1 ace Miko Salo, and two Finnish stars of the future from the Junior WRC, Sami Pajari and Lauri Joona.

Fellow junior driver Raul Badiu, WRC 3 competitor Roland Poom and 18-year-old schoolboy Sami-Matti Trogen, who could upset his better-known rivals in the knockout event, complete the entries. Finnish Championship contender Trogen is also an official driver with the Williams eSport squad.

Trogen faces Badiu in the quarter-finals, while Poom meets Salo, Joona takes on Lappi and Bulacia goes head-to-head with Pajari in the other ties. The action will be broadcast on Thursday (30 July) at 20.00 CET on the WRC Facebook page here and YouTube channel here.

The winners go forward to the semi-finals at 20.00 CET on Friday (31 July), with the final broadcast on Saturday at the same time, featuring Jyväskylä’s Harju street stage and the famous rollercoaster Ouninpohja test.

Lappi will then be joined by M-Sport Ford team-mate Teemu Suninen and Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers Kalle Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta in the Neste Rally Finland eChallenge, held in the harbour area of the event’s Jyväskylä service park on 8 August.

Salo will also compete, along with other drivers and Finland’s leading WRC eSports competitors, including Trogen.

Both competitions will be held on WRC 8, the official game of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Highlights from the Jyväskylä event will be broadcast in Finland by Yle, while live coverage will be streamed on the WRC’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

Fans will be welcome, with the attendance capped at 1000 people in accordance with Covid-19 restrictions. ผลบอล

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revellious-nation · 7 years ago

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It is said that by the time you reach you’re 20s, you should be sure of what you want for your future. To be honest, that is not me: I don’t know exactly what I want. When I was little, I was given the typical question every adult gives a child: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Out of all other prospective careers I had known during my childhood, I would always tell people I wanted to be a scientist, most likely because I found science to be the most interesting subject compared to the others I was taught. As I grew older, my focus was sharpened toward life science, particularly the human body. I loved anatomy and physiology and health, and my desire to be a doctor grew stronger. This all began in 7th grade. High school redefined what I had desired. I became exposed to Drama, where my appreciation and enthusiasm for acting thrived for the three years I spent pursuing it. Science overthrew me completely, at least general science. Physics, Chemistry, and Biology were not compatible with me and I no longer had an interest in pursuing science. My prospective career plan was sharpened once I became exposed to the human body once more in Anatomy and Physiology. From dissection of a fetal pig, I knew my pathway would lead in becoming a surgeon. Writing also grew on me as I read more books. I wrote short stories and even started writing my own novel that I had planned to become a quartet should I continue to draft it. College finally put my career on the line. Choosing the Human Biology and Society major initially during my first two years only to not get accepted during the spring quarter of my sophomore year really caused a decline in my confidence. Having to switch into the Physiological Science major was hard: having to take summer classes with little financial aid and a moderate loan worried me. Junior year came with a punch to the face: classes were harder and grades and GPA dropped as a result. Through it all, I was still able to have the anatomy and physiology aspect that I have loved since middle school, despite the fact that it was difficult to maintain a strong academic record. Keeping busy with trying my best in school caused me to stop writing. Acting was no longer a possible pathway for me, as much as I want to continue to pursue it in college. Furthermore, overhearing conversations about the MCAT, research, internships, and applying to medical school really caused me to question my potential in becoming a future surgeon and drift off into space, meditating on how I can be successful in the modern world: how to have financial stability and not live check by check, how to achieve a career that pays really well, allows me to be happy, and gain my heart’s desires. Only God knows what postgrad life will have in store for me. Even without knowing, I pray to Him that He leads in the correct path that will take me where He wants me to go. I pray that wherever He takes me, that He will keep me humble and allow me to be happy. I tell Him the desires of my heart. I tell Him about my love for the human body that He has perfectly designed, but how I do not know whether it is something for me anymore. I pray to Him that in the coming academic year, that He may open doors that will lead to opportunities, flexible with my life and guiding me on the correct path. Knowing that I will not go directly into medical school for at least 2 years, I pray that He helps me during that gap to find my passion and pursue it, if it is His purpose. Overall, I pray that He does not leave me during this difficult journey: that He may give me peace when I have none, that I will make it where I need to go and be content.

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winterolympicssports2018-blog · 7 years ago

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(Yonhap Interview) WINNER aims to extend YG's winning streak with 'EVERYD4Y'

Click here for More Olympics Updates https://www.winterolympian.com/yonhap-interview-winner-aims-to-extend-ygs-winning-streak-with-everyd4y/

(Yonhap Interview) WINNER aims to extend YG's winning streak with 'EVERYD4Y'

By Chang Dong-woo

SEOUL, April 4 (Yonhap) — The first quarter of 2018 was not short of blockbusters for YG Entertainment, South Korea’s third-largest music label-entertainment agency. The company’s junior boy band iKON hit a massive home run with “Love Scenario,” followed by BIGBANG’s recent hit “Flower Road,” which dominated streaming charts for over three weeks.

On deck to bat next for YG is boy band WINNER, which returns to the spotlight with “EVERYD4Y,” its second full-length studio album and its first domestic release in eight months, after “Our Twenty For” back in August last year. As with “Fate Number For” from a year ago, the group opted for a release window centered around the number four — putting it out on the fourth of April.

The self-produced 12 track album is fronted by “Everyday,” a slow-paced trap song written by Seungyoon and Mino, and arranged by YG’s in-house producer Jang Seok-joon, aka AiRPLAY. Also thrown in the mix are two songs — “Raining” and “Have a Good Day” �� originally first released in Japan in February.

“It’s as if our past four years are encapsulated in this album. We have some songs that were written four years ago and recent works as well,” Seungyoon, the band’s primary songwriter, said during a group interview at a cafe in western Seoul, hours before the new album’s scheduled release at 6 p.m.

The album title, partly inspired by last year’s four-themed marketing campaign, as well as that of the lead song, was chosen to emphasize the importance of each and every day of people’s lives.

This photo provided by YG Entertainment shows members of K-pop band WINNER posing for photos during a group media interview for their latest album, “EVERYD4Y,” on April 4, 2018, in Seoul.

“We want to be most active at what we do every day. It is a song that encompasses such adventurous spirit,” Seungyoon said.

Before April last year, WINNER’s fate had become uncertain amid the band’s prolonged 14-month hiatus and the fallout from founding member Taehyun quitting in 2016. That all changed after the band remade themselves as a four-man team and rocketed to stardom with “Really Really,” a tropical house number included in “Fate Number For” that was released in April 2017.

“EVERYD4Y” is WINNER’s first studio album since “2014 S/S,” released in 2014. This time, the quartet is trying to further capitalize on their success from last year while also diversifying their musical spectrum.

“We don’t like standing still. There’s no enjoyment in repeating the same success formula. I think songs that we make and enjoy singing are the ones that best express who we are,” said Sengyoon.

WINNER also thanked YG and senior producer Yang Hyun-seok for allowing the band to release a full-length album.

“It’s not easy putting out a full-length studio album nowadays. In a market where many artists have to suffice with singles, we’re glad that our boss has led us properly. We worked with ambition and put our heads together for higher quality,” Mino said.

But according to the members, the decision required some persuasion and the quartet worked hard to get their determination across to Yang. According to Seungyoon, Yang said the band had to produce a certain amount of tracks in a week. According to Seungyoon, the album would have ended up an EP record if they had failed to meet the deadline.

“Some days, we would record two or three songs a day. We ended up finishing eight tracks in a week,” Seungyoon said of the production process during crunch time.

As BIGBANG is on virtual hiatus while its members serve their mandatory military service, WINNER has now become YG’s senior boy band. With successive hits from iKON and BIGBANG, WINNER hopes to add momentum to YG’s winning streak in 2018.

“I don’t want to burden ourselves with the duty of filling in the blank space left behind by BIGBANG. But as part of the YG family, we would like to continue this positive energy,” Mino said.

The band also shared their thoughts on the emotional agony an artist faces monitoring how their work is received, especially in an age of cut-throat chart competition. Seunghoon shared his honest thoughts.

“The first hour is very agonizing. I’d rather take sleeping pills and take a deep sleep. Checking reactions during the first hour feels like a year,” said Seunghoon. “That’s why I try to control my mind and avoid the early feedback, if possible,” he said, chuckling.

The singer also said WINNER as a collective unit seems to be getting stronger.

“Many talk about resting on their laurels after years pass by. But I think we’ve become much more solid and hard amid external circumstances. We try to process stress as factor in creating better teamwork,” said Seunghoon. “If we enjoy our work and receive cheerful energy, results will follow accordingly.”

This photo provided by YG Entertainment shows members of K-pop band WINNER posing for photos during a group media interview for their latest album, “EVERYD4Y,” on April 4, 2018, in Seoul.

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gibsonsflowofthoughts · 6 years ago

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Clemson football preview 2018: The standard keeps rising

Bill C’s annual preview series of every FBS team in college football continues. Catch up here!

Despite the tradition, Howard’s Rock, the Death Valley moniker, heavy attendance, a brilliant recruiting base (two and a half hours from both Atlanta and Charlotte), and that lovely shade of orange, Clemson was long either the prototype underachiever or the prototype for delusions of grandeur.

Large crowds and ambition had only bought the program one top-five finish — 1981’s unexpected national title run — when Dabo Swinney took over midway through the 2008 season.

Let’s just say the progression to the mean has been impressive, and history has evened itself out quickly. The Tigers now have four top-five finishes to their name after three consecutive trips to the College Football Playoff — a trip to the final in 2015, a national title in 2016, and a trip to the semis in 2017.

Along with Nick Saban’s Alabama and Urban Meyer’s Ohio State, Swinney’s Clemson has become one of the three best-managed programs in the country.

The Tigers lost an awesome assistant (former offensive coordinator Chad Morris is now an SEC head coach) and awesome players (QB Tajh Boyd, defensive linemen Da’Quan Bowers and Vic Beasley, etc.) and then made their run.

They lost their best QB ever (Deshaun Watson) and basically the top player from every other unit as well, then still won the ACC and made the CFP last fall.

They lose such a small number to attrition that Swinney has signed more than 21 prospects just once in his last five recruiting classes. (They’ve averaged 19.8 signees per year, compared to Alabama’s 25 and Ohio State’s 24.6.)

2017 certainly wasn’t bad for a retooling year, huh? Clemson carried itself like a wily champ, laboring through large portions of games but then making the the exact right plays to win comfortably. They weren’t nearly as impressive offensively, falling from second to 45th in Off. S&P+, but only three games weren’t victories of more than seven points.

They slipped up in an ill-fated Friday night trip to Syracuse, escaped NC State again, and lost the plot in the third quarter of the Sugar Bowl/CFP semifinal against Alabama. So 2017 was only Clemson’s fourth-best season ever. The horror.

The retooling is over. Clemson returns quarterback (and leading rusher) Kelly Bryant and brought in an all-world freshman (Trevor Lawrence) to nip at his heels. The Tigers get their top three running backs back, along with seven of nine wide receivers, their starting tight end, All-American left tackle Mitch Hyatt, and all-conference center Justin Falcinelli.

Oh yeah, and a defense that ranked second in Def. S&P+ returns eight starters and nearly every lineman. Counting the second string, Clemson might have two of the country’s 10 best defensive lines.

The offense only has to improve so much.

Per S&P+, Clemson is a projected double-digit favorite in every game this season. Only two games (the trips to Texas A&M and Florida State) are projected within 15 points. The Tigers are only projected third overall in S&P+ because Ohio State and Alabama are similarly loaded and proven, but the odds of a fourth-straight top-five finish are high, and finishing outside of the top two would end up feeling a little disappointing.

The offense will be the deciding factor. It rounded into form from an efficiency standpoint as the season progressed, but a total lack of big plays and an average performance on passing downs gave drives opportunities to stall out. They failed to average more than 5.7 yards per play (roughly the national average) in any of their last 10 games against FBS competition, and their limitations were magnified for the world to see against Alabama.

Without any offensive improvement, this team can win another 10 or 11 games. But I’m thinking expectations are a little higher than that.

Offense

Kelly Bryant became a less effective runner as he took more and more hits. Still, he’s a good runner, and he shares a backfield with a bunch of former four-star recruits: junior Tavien Feaster, sophomore Travis Etienne, senior Adam Choice, and incoming freshman Lyn-J Dixon.

There really wasn’t an excuse, then, for how bad Clemson was on first downs last year. The Tigers averaged just 5.2 yards per play on those downs, 109th in the country and 10th in the ACC. They got away with it because they were excellent at making up ground on second down and then converting third-and-manageables (and because the otherworldly defense made sure that three-and-outs weren’t fatal).

Still, if you fall behind the chains a lot and don’t show the big-play capability to make up ground, it’ll catch up to you. Bryant averaged just 10.7 yards per completion, and Clemson ranked just 119th in IsoPPP (which measures the magnitude of your successful plays).

Part of the reason for this lack of big plays was the lack of a need for them. When you can create and convert third-and-manageables, and when your defense can carry so much weight, you can keep things conservative, and co-coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott did.

Still, with so many athletic specimens, you’d love to see a few more of those conservative plays busting large gains.

We’ll see if that changes now that Etienne is no longer a freshman. The speedster from Louisiana went from boom-or-bust in the first half of his first season to a more efficient back. He and Feaster ended up tied for the most carries in a RB-by-committee backfield, but he gained 97 more yards and scored six more touchdowns. And Feaster wasn’t bad!

Travis Etienne (9) and Kelly Bryant (2)

Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Etienne’s got elite potential from both an efficiency and explosiveness standpoint.

170 FBS running backs carried at least 100 times last year.

17 had a marginal explosiveness of plus-0.08 points per play or higher.

Four had a marginal efficiency of plus-9 percent or higher.

One had both: Etienne.

Granted, if he takes on a heavier load, those rate stats might shrink. But his potential is off the charts, and it’s hard to see Clemson’s No. 13 ranking in rushing success rate falling at all in 2018, especially when you take Bryant’s running ability and an excellent line into account.

Hyatt, Falcinelli, guard Sean Pollard, and tackle Tremayne Anchrum have combined for 76 career starts, and it almost goes without saying that some former blue-chippers are waiting: junior guard John Simpson, redshirt freshman Matt Bockhorst, incoming five-star Jackson Carman, etc.

Tee Higgins

Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

At some point, Bryant’s going to have to pass, though. And that will probably determine whether he gets to keep his job. Lawrence showed plenty of his five-star potential this spring, and Bryant’s 131.7 passer rating last year was much closer to that of Cole Stoudt (who started for part of 2014 before losing his job to a freshman Watson) than Watson or Boyd. On third-and-7 or more, he completed just 51 percent of his passes with one touchdown, two interceptions, and a 111.4 passer rating — not terrible in those circumstances, but maybe not good enough for a title contender.

Bryant loses two of last year’s three security blankets, but it’s hard to worry too much about the receiving corps. Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud combined for 110 catches and a 70 percent catch rate, but their combined 51 percent success rate was merely solid and matched by young backups Tee Higgins, Diondre Overton, and Amari Rodgers (combined: 50 catches, 53 percent success rate). All three were, of course, blue-chippers, and Higgins was, per the 247Sports Composite, an overall top-20 prospect in 2017. Two more top-50 freshmen (Derion Kendrick, Justyn Ross) enter the fold.

If the offense produces a lot more big plays, Etienne and Higgins might be the main reasons. Higgins gained 345 yards in just 17 catches, and his two biggest games (combined: nine catches, 262 yards against The Citadel and South Carolina) happened late. And if Bryant is able to get him the ball downfield, that might stave off Lawrence.

The Read Option

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Defense

I think I had the same reaction as everyone else when both tackle Christian Wilkins and end Austin Bryant announced they would return for their senior season: “OH, COME ON.”

It’s almost unfair what the Tigers will bring up front. They ranked seventh in Rushing S&P+ and first in Adj. Sack Rate, and now eight of last year’s top nine linemen are back. That includes two ends (Bryant and 2017 breakout star Clelin Ferrell) who combined for 33.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks.

It also includes a quartet of tackles (Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, and backups Albert Huggins and Nyles PInckney) who boast an average size of 6’3, 311, and combined for another 18.5 TFLs and 9.5 sacks. Former blue-chippers like sophomore ends Xavier Kelly and Justin Foster and redshirt freshman tackle Jordan Williams will have to keep waiting their turn, and that says nothing of the newest set — freshman ends Xavier Thomas and KJ Henry were both top-15 prospects.

(Seriously, Clemson signed just 17 prospects in the 2018 class, but five of them were in 247’s overall top 26, and 12 were at least four-stars. Ridiculous.)

Clelin Ferrell

Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Oh yeah, and while coordinator Brent Venables does have to replace an awesome strongside linebacker in Dorian O’Daniel, every other linebacker — seniors Kendall Joseph and J.D. Davis, juniors Tre Lamar and James Skalski, etc. — returns. This is an embarrassment of riches.

As scary as this sounds, there’s still room for improvement up front. Clemson did, after all, rank only seventh in Rushing S&P+, and they ranked 39th in stuff rate (run stops at or behind the line) and 79th in power success rate. They pursued as well as anyone, but they could still create a little more havoc against the run.

Against the pass, though, it would be just about impossible to improve. The Tigers were second in Passing S&P+, second in passing success rate, and first in Adj. Sack Rate. Five different Tigers recorded at least four sacks, and four are back. The secondary has a couple of pieces to replace — safety Van Smith and corner Ryan Carter, who led the secondary in havoc plays (TFLs, passes defensed, forced fumbles) — but will likely benefit from the nation’s best pass rush.

Besides, despite the loss of Carter, they basically still return two starting corners anyway, with Mark Fields returning from injury. He had three TFLs and two breakups in six games before succumbing to a foot issue. And sophomore A.J. Terrell defensed eight passes in a backup role, too, so returning starter Trayvon Mullen isn’t exactly going to be alone.

The Tigers are fine at safety, too: Tanner Muse and Isaiah Simmons combined for five TFLs and 11 breakups as a sophomore and redshirt freshman, respectively, and oft-used junior K’Von Wallace is back, too. The depth isn’t quite what it is elsewhere, but it’s far from perilous.

Barring a targeted run of injury at safety, Venables will almost certainly field his fifth straight top-6 (per Def. S&P+) defense. Clemson is paying him more than a lot of FBS head coaches make, and he’s backed up the lofty salary.

Isaiah Simmons

Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

Special Teams

Over the last two years, Clemson has fallen from 50th to 85th to 114th in Special Teams S&P+. And that was with an awesome punt returner in Ray-Ray McCloud. He’s gone now.

Legs were the issue last year. Alex Spence and Greg Huegel combined to miss three PATs and go just 2-for-6 on field goals over 40 yards, and Will Spiers’ punts were a little bit short (40.6-yard average) and awfully returnable (9.8-yard return average). Clemson ranked 102nd in FG efficiency and 122nd in punt efficiency. That could have turned a few close games ... had Clemson actually been playing in close games.

2018 outlook

2018 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 1-Sep Furman NR 47.5 100% 8-Sep at Texas A&M 24 11.9 75% 15-Sep Georgia Southern 106 36.4 98% 22-Sep at Georgia Tech 53 19.4 87% 29-Sep Syracuse 71 28.5 95% 6-Oct at Wake Forest 34 15.6 82% 20-Oct N.C. State 37 20.7 88% 27-Oct at Florida State 18 10.6 73% 3-Nov Louisville 29 18.6 86% 10-Nov at Boston College 48 18.9 86% 17-Nov Duke 40 22.2 90% 24-Nov South Carolina 35 20.7 88%

Clemson was a hard team to evaluate in 2017; the Tigers mastered the art of doing just enough while keeping as many clubs in the bag as possible. That made it seem as if they had something else held in reserve, even though S&P+ didn’t ever totally trust the Tigers, who ranked in the teens for much of the season. They surged to seventh by drubbing South Carolina and Miami, then finished eighth after letting Alabama get away from them.

This year, with this ridiculous returning production and continued ace recruiting, the Tigers appear extremely likely to surge back toward the top. And since they avoid both Miami and Virginia Tech from the ACC Coastal, they play a schedule with just two projected top-25 teams. There are five other opponents between 29th and 40th, so there’s plenty of upset potential if Clemson keeps showing its A-game as little as possible. But unless FSU explodes in Willie Taggart’s first season, it’s hard to see any guaranteed landmine.

Clemson has depth, experience, athleticism, and room for growth. The ACC’s middle class is loaded this year, but Swinney’s Tigers are on an entirely different plane.

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jhaaaasworld · 7 years ago

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The First Note

One shot. One opportunity.

The last choir before us had finished their performance. Their last song ended with a demonic clash of chords that echoed in the audience's ears.

Finally, it was our turn.

This was our third performance of the day for the folklore category. We stepped into the stage with trembling knees.

The 29th Voyage of Songs held in Penang, Malaysia is an annual international choir competition that has a lifelong mission to promote cultural learning and choral excellence through collaborations. It has four categories: mixed voices for both male and female, equal voices for either male or female only, folklore, and chamber choir for choirs with less than twenty choristers.

The first two categories are further divided into subcategories: open, senior and youth. We were participants for the youth mixed voices, folklore and chamber choir. Our choir was arranged into various positions depending on the category. Fourth from the left, I stood with a quivering posture. My hands were covered with cold sweat despite the freezing temperature inside the auditorium.

I took a peek at the audience. Silence ruled the auditorium. In the middle were the judges, intensely staring with eyes and ears ready to judge every note and interpretation of our song. Near the exit, in the middle of the aisle, there sat my fellow schoolmates; the principal, one professor who sometimes sings with us and some of my co-members parents. They were our guardians during the trip. They were the only ones present in the room to cheer for us but we knew they were not our lone supporters. Back in Laguna, we also had the school community, our families and the people who were part of our workshops to polish our songs. Even without their presence, their support was felt across a hundred miles through goodbyes and prayers.

Yet on the stage, it is only you who will perform. It is only you who will be judged.

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I have been in the UPRHS Glee Club since Grade 9. Unlike the other members of the choir, I didn’t undergo an audition. Prof. Marife Rebutar, commonly known as “Ma’am Reb”, our music teacher and the conductor of the choir suddenly invited me to join the rehearsals during our class because I had a deep voice and knew how to play the piano. At first, I thought she was just joking around but when she gave me the time and date for the rehearsals, I knew it was a real deal.

I think highly of the Glee Club not merely because of their talent but also for their work ethic. I have seen my fellow classmates and servicemates who are also part of the group rehearse during lunch breaks and after classes. Their dedication is unbelievable. As irresponsible I was during junior high school, l never thought that I could commit to such activities.

I was a trainee for almost three months. We had quartet exams to determine our mastery of a song, overall skill level and see whether we will be promoted to become a member. Initially, it was painful and embarrassing to perform in front of the group but because of the hospitality and willingness to help of the other members, especially in the bass section, I slowly learned the mechanics of the group and gained confidence.

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Ma'am Reb blew her pitch pipe giving the first note for our first song. My moment of spacing out went to an end. She lifted her arms towards us. The song was on four quarters. The tempo will be dictated by the first four swings of our conductor's hands.

When she gave the first swing, a sudden rush of motivation ran into my blood. It was adrenaline that fueled me through extreme panic and nervousness. I felt numb like in was my first quartet exam. Only my heartbeat, slowing down was heard as if it was going to stop.

On the second sway, my mind hastily gathered consciousness and I sang my first note. It was on the third and fourth sway, when I slowly gained confidence yet it was on a wrong timing.

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The first time I read the piece of Ilay Gandangan was three months before the international competition. The song is a popular piece among Filipino choirs. Derived from a sun chant of the Maguindanao tribe, the people call on the sun god, Ilay, to end the rain that covered the land. It has different moods, lots of changes in the keys and melody--- that offers the flow of story in the songs. It has made the song challenging to learn.

A day before the competition, the soloist had problems with her throat. She couldn’t hit the high notes of the song that she had been hitting easily during our rehearsals. Therefore, we had to make adjustments on who was going to sing the solo; a female with a wide range of vocals to hit the highest parts with a chesty voice of strength and ease then the lowest parts with depth and thickness. We rehearsed it again and again until the soloist got her finest notes. Even though it was only the soloist who has to make the most adjustments, it was the morale of the whole choir that was touched--- truly an essence of being a team.

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On the fifth sway, I inhaled deeply and sang our first note with full confidence. Ilay Gandangan was the song stuck in my head the whole time that even without giving the pitch, I had memorized the first note with certainty.

But nobody from the males sang with me. Only the female section went through the song and it was of different lyrics. This was the moment I realized that I messed up bigtime in the grandest stage of the choir’s history. While the song went on, memories flashed back: tireless months of weekdays practices, sacrifices of not playing in the Intramurals, morning joggings under the vicious sun and workshops with the most recognized people in the Philippine choral community. All of this will come to a waste just because of a foolish careless mistake.

The performance was finished. We came down the stage and left the auditorium. I quickly ran into my hotel room and locked the door as my tears rolled down by itself. A few minutes later, someone knocked at my door. I drained my tears before I peeking through at the door’s peephole. It was Ma’am Reb. I opened the door, gave her a tight hug and deeply apologized.

Fortunately, the judges didn't mind my solo mistake. Our choir still got the Gold medals from each category. Embarrassing and self-demoralizing it was from the moment I made the mistake, today it is just a hilarious experience.

Performing taught me that life is a stage of opportunities. Everyday we encounter lots of it, big or small but only few is recognized. We have to open our eyes and be aware of the things we take for granted because our future will be determined by the opportunities we choose at the moment and how we dwell on it.

#shshum4

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