#the biggest jump in improvement for me will always be 2014 - 2015 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

cannonfullofcanons · 5 years ago

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Happy New Year to you all! A lot’s gone down this past year, and frankly, I can’t say the year was kind to me until the end of the year - but that’s alright. Sometimes the past is dark, but the future’s always brighter! I didn’t make any proper New Year’s resolutions this time, but I am aspiring to be better about reaching out to people, to become less withdrawn/reclusive, & to be less negative about everything. I’ve become a bit of a cynic, and that just won’t do! This year I’m making an effort to return to my old way of thinking, with endless positivity, optimism, and hope. And with this being the dawning of a new decade, I thought it’d be nice to kick it off by giving a shout out to some folks who, over the past decade, have helped me so immensely in so many ways. Some of the greatest friends I’ve ever made!

If you don’t see yourself here, don’t take it personally! These are people I’ve talked to a lot & count among my closest & oldest friends. If you’re not here, don’t worry - we’ll get there eventually! With that said, I hope the new year and the years beyond treat you all well. Here’s to the old, and plenty of new memories to be made!~

@abundleofcanons / @abundleofocs

Easily my oldest friend, and my best bud! I met Skittles shortly after I made my first blog, back in 2013, and we’ve been pals ever since. We’ve been talking a bunch every other day for at least the past 5 years. I gotta admit, hanging around Skits so much, it rubbed off on me a little - I’m a lot more laid back now than I was when I met him. I used to have a super short fuse, now it’s actually difficult for me to genuinely get angry. We’ve also done a lot of character development over the years! Although a lot of my OCs come from long before I joined Tumblr, a lot of them were made specifically for interactions with Skittles, and promptly took off. I’m so glad I met you & had a chance to be your friend, and I hope this year’s as awesome as you are!

@armedwithaflashlight

Another old friend! We met around mid-2014, if memory serves? Moira’s always been one of the kindest people I’ve ever known, always supportive, and I’ll always be grateful to her for putting up with my nonsense back then. She’s the one who taught me how to make icons, as well! For those who don’t know, Moira’s currently hosting an event on Tumblr, Hell’s Island - if you like the idea of being stranded on an island with horrifying monsters, then that’s the event for you! Go check it out!

@alastorology

Listen. Listen. Ace is one of the most admirable people I’ve met. We met back around 2015? 2016? I was in a dark place at the time and I’m still astonished I didn’t ruin our friendship with the shenanigans I pulled back then. Ace is one of the main reasons I was able to pull myself out of that pit and focus on self-improvement, instead of just continuing to spiral into depression & despair. I’ve always really adored your writing & your portrayals, and though we don’t talk much anymore, I still light up seeing you on the dash! Despite all that you have to deal with off of Tumblr, you’re still so kind and supportive of others, and continue to put out top tier content. I hope you’re well, and sincerely, I hope this year is kind to you. Take care, Ace!

@ryusxnka

Sincerely, one of the most supportive people I know, and the single biggest Toshiro stan I have ever met. We’ve only met a few months ago & I already count you among my best friends, Caleb. You’ve been so welcoming & really helped me be more at ease in joining the Bleach RPC - especially with all the positive messages! You’re such a kind soul, always spreading so much love, and I’m sincerely so appreciative of that. I may or may not be hoarding those asks.

@kibokill

Jester, Jester, Jester. How are you so nice??? You’re one of the main reasons I was able to jump headlong into the Danganronpa community without being hit by the tidal wave of anxiety I usually get - and you’re always there for me & so many others when we really need a friend. You’re a lot of fun to talk to & though we haven’t done so much yet, I’m sure you’re a blast to write with too! Thank you for being here, you magnificent mofo.

@courtcomposer

We haven’t interacted much writing-wise, but you always made an effort to reach out OOC-wise and you’re such a supportive guy. I know I’ve been distant and I’m sorry for that, but I love ya man. You’re a hilarious dude & you write good ol’ Forte really, really well! Let’s finally get some interactions going in the new year! (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞

#Gone Fishing { OOC }#{ positivity! }

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nbatrades · 11 years ago

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Miami Heat Move Up In Draft; Acquire Shabazz Napier

On June 27th, 2014, the Miami Heat traded the draft rights of P.J. Hairston and Semaj Christon, a 2019 second round draft pick (Jaylen Nowell) and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights of Shabazz Napier.

When the King tells you to do something, you do it or so the story went, when one LeBron James caused a stir on Twitter. The multi-time NBA MVP, made his feelings known that Shabazz Napier was the steal of the 2014 NBA Draft and his favorite player in the 2014 draft class.

No way u take another PG in the lottery before Napier.

— LeBron James (@KingJames)

April 8, 2014

My favorite player in the draft! #Napier

— LeBron James (@KingJames)

June 27, 2014

Napier was a two-time NCAA champion and was fresh off a season that saw him nominated as NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading the UConn Huskies to a National Championship.

In a coincidence — or not depending on what you read — the Miami Heat were focused on taking Napier in the draft, but faced a tough road to acquiring Napier with the 26th pick in the draft. Knowing that there was a possibility of a rival team taking Napier, the Heat braintrust of Pat Riley and co. scoured the league for a chance to move up the draft. The problem was that Miami’s infatuation with Napier was public, damaging their leverage in any trade.

Eventually, the Heat found the Charlotte Hornets who were willing to move down in the draft to acquire a shooter in P.J. Hairston. Charlotte had the 24th overall selection and drafted Napier for Miami. For the deed, the Heat sent the Hornets their 26th pick as well as two second rounders in 2014 and 2019.

Hairston was a promising talent with a checkered past. A former University of North Carolina Tar Heel, Hairston had been suspended by the NCAA after he was arrested on a drug charge at a traffic stop in 2013. The car that Hairston drove was under the name of felon Haydn Patrick "Fats" Thomas.

The NCAA suspended Hairston — who led the team in scoring during the 2012-13 season — and North Carolina refused to apply for reinstatement. With no other options, Hairston turned to the NBA’s D-League, where he played for the Texas Legends during the 2013-14 season in what would have been his junior season in college. He played well, averaging 21.8 PPG while shooting nearly 36% from three in 26 games.

Charlotte had a need for perimeter shooting and Hairston fit the bill leading to his arrival as Charlotte’s second pick of the draft behind Indiana University’s Noah Vonleh.

Miami had hoped to keep LeBron James, but the former MVP decided to return home to join the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat were forced to pivot and rebuild on the fly. Though stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh committed to stay, James’ departure left a massive hole in Miami’s lineup.

Entering his first basketball action, Napier joined Miami for 2014 Summer League. Playing for both Heat Summer League entries in Orlando and Las Vegas, Napier saw action in nine games. Napier had a rough performance, scoring 9.7 PPG on 27.5% shooting while having 3.8 assists per game versus 4.2 turnovers per game.

In a post-Lebron world, Miami got off to a 5-2 start after seven games. Injuries would derail their season. Wade missed 20 games and Bosh missed nearly half of the year after being diagnosed with a blood clot on his lung. Without Bosh in the latter half of the season damaged Miami’s playoff hopes as the team missed out on the playoffs by one game with a 37-45 record.

Napier had an inconsistent rookie season. Though he had a spot in Miami’s rotation through the first 20 games, his playing time was a rollercoaster ride. Napier even spent time in the NBA's Developmental League with the Sioux Fall Skyforce, averaging 19.5 PPG on 41.9% from the field, 5.0 RPG and 3.8 APG in four games.

Napier’s season ended early, as he had surgery for a sports hernia. He ended up with 5.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.5 APG and 0.8 SPG in 51 games (10 starts) and 19.8 MPG.

After his inconsistent rookie campaign, Napier played on the Heat’s 2015 Summer League entries in Las Vegas and Orlando. Nappier appeared in one game in Orlando where he recorded 14 points, four rebounds and six assists in a little over 17 minutes. In Vegas, Napier made appearances in three games and struggled, averaging 18.0 PPG on 34.9% shooting, 3.0 RPG and 4.0 APG in 25.1 MPG.

Soon after Summer League, the Miami dealt Napier to the Orlando Magic for a conditional second round pick in 2016. Looking to avoid the luxury tax, Miami also had the goal of keeping roster space open for guards Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson. Trading Napier for future considerations enabled the Heat to save $4.5 million in salary and luxury tax savings.

After the Hornets acquired Semaj Christon on draft night, they dealt his draft rights on the same day to the Oklahoma City Thunder for cash considerations.

It didn’t take long for Hairston to have another off the court issue. He was charged with assault and battery after getting into an altercation with a high school basketball player at the Durham YMCA.

Seen as a quality shooter, Hairston struggled in Charlotte’s Summer League appearance in Las Vegas. Hairston put up 18.3 PPG, but shot just 33% from the field and 34% from beyond the three-point line.

After adding Pacers guard Lance Stephenson in free agency, the Hornets were expected to build upon the previous season that saw them make the playoffs for the first time in four years. Charlotte went 4-15 in their first 19 games. The team was 10-24 when they went on a 12-3 run to wind up seventh in the East with a 22-27 record.

After 61 games, the Hornets were still seventh with a 28-33 mark. Their playoff hopes would come crashing down with a 5-16 finish that brought the team down to 33-49. Though Charlotte had managed to put together a solid, top-five defense, their offense was not up to task, finishing third-worst in offensive efficiency. A major problem was outside shooting for Charlotte. The team finished worst in the league in three-point shooting percentage (31.8%).

Hairston had some minor injuries, but for parts of the season found himself outside of Charlotte’s rotation. When he did play, Hairston was a mess, jacking up long distance threes regularly while converting on a very low rate (30.1%). This was a problem considering Charlotte brought Hairston in to space the floor and keep the defense honest. On defense, Hairston wasn’t much better. He failed many times to stick with his man and had a penchant for falling asleep off the ball.

Hairston also displayed immaturity, failing to adhere to the responsibilities of an NBA player. He was benched one night for missing a weight training session and benched another for missing a practice. Overall, Hairston appeared in 45 games during his rookie season and amassed 5.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.5 APG and 0.5 SPG in 15.3 MPG.

Going back to the drawing board, the Hornets got rid of Stephenson and acquired forward Nicolas Batum in separate trades. The franchise also picked up point guard Jeremy Lin in free agency and drafted big man Frank Kaminsky.

Hairston continued to find his name in the news. He was cited for speeding, driving with a revoked license, driving left of center and driving on expired tags. Hairston made five appearances in Orlando for Charlotte’s Summer League team. The 6′6″ wing produced 12.2 PPG, but was inefficient, shooting 29% from three and 33% overall.

Before the start of the 2015-16 season, the Hornets chose to decline Hairston’s team option for the 2016-17 season. This made the guard an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2016. Inconsistent play and behavior on and off the court were cited as major reasons for Charlotte choosing to decline the option.

Hairston was given a chance for some playing time after starter Michael Kidd-Gilchrist suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder. With Kidd-Gilchrist out for the foreseeable future, Hairston started the first 43 games that he appeared in. Hairston made noticeable improvements defensively after the Hornets gave him the directive to focus specifically on guarding the top perimeter options of the opposition. Charlotte did well early on with Hairston on the floor as a starter, going 14-8 in their first 22 games.

Still, Hairston could not find his shot. He had a 31.1% three-point percentage after his 43 starts and shot just 36.3% overall. After Kidd-Gilchrist returned from injury, Hairston was benched. Before the trade deadline, Hairston was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal involving the Miami Heat. The trade sent Courtney Lee to Charlotte via Memphis. Charlotte was 27-26 at the time of the trade and looking to make a playoff push.

Hairston finished his time in Charlotte failing to provide the perimeter shot that he was touted for coming into the league. He appeared in 93 games, averaging 5.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 0.5 APG and 0.5 SPG. The Carolina product shot 34% from the field, 31% from three and 83% from the charity stripe in that time.

The 2019 second rounder that Charlotte acquired from Miami was dealt in February of 2015 by the Hornets to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal centered around Mo Williams. The pick ended up in the 43rd spot of the 2019 draft. The Wolves used the selection on University of Washington guard Jaylen Nowell.

Shabazz Napier on if he would have any impact on bringing LeBron James back to Miami (via Sun Sentinel):

“I don’t know if I’m bringing him back [to Miami]. I would love it. Me and LeBron’s relationship, he’s a great guy. I’ve been to his camps. Me and him chatted a few times at his camps.”

On his role when he starts in Miami:

“There’s always opportunity to do something great, and no matter if I was going to slide in as a starter or come off the bench, I’m still going to work hard. I’m going to compete. That’s who I am.”

On his mentality starting new in the NBA:

“The first thing that jumps off is the winning attitude. That’s one of the biggest things. When you compete at that high level, you want to win every single game. That winning attitude comes in the first day you arrive at that camp. On the first day you arrive to that organization, you want to work, and you want to prove that you can get back there.”

On having a chip on his shoulder (via ESPN):

“No, the chip never leaves my shoulder. It will never leave my shoulder. That’s what makes me who I am. And I was saying that not to belittle any other point guards. There’s a reason why they’re here. But I was just saying that because that’s who I am. I wouldn’t be Shabazz Napier if I wouldn’t have said that. I believe it, and I’m going to prove it.

“What I always learned was that whatever you put in is what you’re going to get out. If I don’t put in the work, it's not going to show. So there’s always a chip on my shoulder to prove to myself that I'm the best, and to do that, I’ve got to work hard.”

If he thinks LeBron will come back:

“I would hope so. He’s one of the best players in the world. So if me going there helps him come back, it just betters our chances of being a complete team.”

On a conversation he had with Pat Riley after a workout (via Miami Herald):

"[Riley] was just giving me a lot of advice about the NBA, and adjustments and understanding that when you come into this league, you’ve got to work at this to be the best, and that’s exactly what I want to be. He never sugarcoated anything. He just said you have to be ready to work at every opportunity whether I was with them or not. It was definitely something I cherished and appreciated. It was kind of buzzing around that I wasn’t going to last that long [in the draft], but he wanted to tell me the right things, and I was really appreciative of that.”

P.J. Hairston on what he told Hornets management about the off the court mistakes he made while in college (News & Observer via Charlotte Observer):

“There was nobody else to blame. I put myself in that situation, and I had to pay the consequence. It was up to me to turn it all around – that I was able to overcome what’s happened in the last 12 months.”

On playing in the D-League after he was banned from the NCAA:

“The D-League wasn’t my choice, but when I was there it was, ‘OK, this is your job now.’ I wasn’t playing against boys now; I was playing against men. I think that’s huge in getting me prepared for the NBA – playing against guys just as strong, just as athletic, just as quick as me.”

How he tightened up on the group of people that hang around him:

“I now have a smaller circle (of acquaintances), and I keep my family in that smaller circle.”

On his defense:

“I’m not a bad defender, but there are things I need to work on. On-the-ball defense is probably my weakest thing. But it’s not something I can’t fix.”

Miami Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley on Shabazz Napier (via Heat.com):

“Shabazz Napier is a winner, he’s a two-time NCAA champion and he’s one of the elite players in college basketball. We feel very fortunate we were able to acquire him and we feel like he fits in extremely well. He has a high motor, high basketball IQ, is a great shooter and has great character.”

How Napier fits in coach Erik Spoelstra’s system (via Miami Herald):

“We’re very fortunate to have drafted Shabazz, and we feel very excited about him and what he can bring. He’s a two-time champion, high-motor guy, character guy, very quick, can shoot the ball, so he’s got a lot of qualities that fit with what [coach] Erik [Spoelstra] wants to do.”

How it was difficult to acquire Napier due to rivals knowing of Miami’s interest in the point guard:

“It’s very difficult when everyone knows you’re zeroing in on somebody.”

What the process is like trying to move up in the draft (via Palm Beach Post):

“It’s fun. It’s moving quick. You’ve got five guys working the phones and Adam (Simon) and Chet (Kammerer) and Erik (Spoelstra) and Andy (Elisburg) and Micky (Arison) and Nick (Arison) and everybody’s in this room talking to everybody on the phone. You feel like you’re on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at that particular time. Plus people are asking for this and asking for that — two first-round picks. It’s pretty exciting at that time. That’s what the draft is about for a lot of people. But we wanted this player, and the closer we got to our pick, I fell more in love with him. So you don’t want to get left at the altar.”

On picking so late in the first round of the draft:

“When you’re picking 26th, you never know what’s going to be there for that standpoint. So from that standpoint, we feel very good about adding [Napier] to the roster.”

On Napier competing with backup point guard Norris Cole for minutes:

“He’s going to compete just like Norris. They’re both cut out of the same cloth. Mario [Chalmers] is a free agent, so we’ve got to deal with that, so we’ll have some depth there at that position.”

On Napier’s competitive mindset (via ESPN):

“He’s a very competitive person, and I think competitive without a huge ego, too. He’s a winner. He’s talented and he’s skilled. You just have to watch him play the game and you can see the competitive level we all like.”

On questions of whether Heat forward LeBron James’ interest in Napier influenced the Heat’s decision in drafting the point guard:

“I know LeBron tweeted something out in the NCAA [tournament] about him. Why not. If LeBron and I have the same taste in talent, so be it. But he didn’t call me on the phone, or he didn’t make a point to me about it.”

Charlotte Hornets general manager Rich Cho on acquiring P.J. Hairston (via Hornets.com):

“When we made the trade to move back a couple of spots, with all the intel we acquired, we felt that P.J. would be there at 26, so we got some additional assets. P.J. was one of the best shooters in the draft. We followed him for a long time and did a lot of background work on him. He had a great year in the D-League in Texas and is a guy that really fills a need for us. Another thing we wanted to come away with in the draft was shooting, and he provides that for us in a big way.”

On his confidence that Hairston would be available at the 26th spot of the draft (via Hornets.com):

“We were pretty confident. We felt that Miami — when they called us to trade up — wanted Napier from all the background work that we had done. The next pick, Houston, we felt that they weren’t going to take P.J. We felt like moving back two spots would be beneficial. We could pick up a couple of assets.”

On being aware of some of Hairston’s prior off the court troubles:

“We’re aware of all the issues. We had a good interview with him, he came here a couple times to work out and we're comfortable with the situation.”

Hornets head coach Steve Clifford on drafting Hairston despite concerns off the court (News & Observer via Charlotte Observer):

“There are concerns always when there have been things in the past, but we did a ton of intel on all of these guys. Not one guy making one call. If we weren’t comfortable he can be a dependable, efficient NBA player, we wouldn’t have taken him so high.”

On Hairston’s defense:

“That’s not his strength yet, but he certainly has toughness and physicality and instincts. So there’s no reason why he can’t be a good defender.”

Hairston’s coach at North Carolina Roy Williams on Hairston joining the Hornets (via Charlotte Observer):

“I am happy that he will still play in state and for another Tar Heel, Michael Jordan. Life has given him another opportunity and he will take great advantage of that chance.”

Related Tweets:

Miami! Joining the #Framily- just got my @Samsung tab from @Sprint! http://t.co/ETAG7w4KFF

— Shabazz Napier (@ShabazzNapier)

June 27, 2014

Image Credit:

P.J. Hairston via Sam Sharpe/USA Today Sports

Shabazz Napier via Getty Images/Mike Ehrmann

#Shabazz Napier #PJ Hairston #Semaj Christon #2014 #Heat #2014*15 Season #Jaylen Nowell #Hornets

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dawnasiler · 5 years ago

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Amber Heard, Before and After

Amber Heard has the world's most perfect face.

At least that's what Dr. Julian De Silva, a London-based plastic surgeon, concluded when he analyzed the 33-year-old's features using computer mapping technology.

"The Phi ratio of 1.618 has long been thought to hold the secret for beauty," he says. After measuring Amber and other celebs across 12 key markers for the nose, lips, eyes, forehead, chin and facial symmetry and shape, he found that Amber came closest to the ancient Greek principles for physical perfection.

Thanks for watching!

"[She] has the most beautiful face in the world, scoring a high 91.85 percent."

Of course, a plastic surgeon more than anyone would know that the so-called "perfect" facial proportions can be achieved by going under the knife. Funnily enough, Dr. De Silva's algorithm scored Kim Kardashian a 91.39 percent, and we all know there's nothing natural about her!

So did Amber also have a little help? Let's find out!

Amber in 2005

Amber Heard at Teen People's 2005 Artist of the Year Party.

Thanks for watching!

Our first shot is from back in 2005, when Amber was 19 years old. She's got the same dirty blonde hair colour, the same eyes and the same gorgeous skin. What's different compared to now? I think it's mainly to do with her mouth. For starters, we can see that her upper lip was naturally a lot thinner than the lower one.

Amber in 2006

Amber Heard at the 2006 Los Angeles Art Show Opening Night Gala.

In this more front-facing shot from 2006, we get a better look at her original nose. It does seem a little wider and more prominent compared to more recent photos. Also, her smile doesn't have that "Hollywood" look yet, I believe because she has a bit of an overbite. Note the thinner eyebrows, which were on trend back then.

Amber in 2007

Amber Heard at the 2007 Awards Season Diamond Show Fashion Preview.

In 2007, Amber was still au naturel (I think!). I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have recognized her in this shot. Again, the difference is all in the mouth—her overbite is causing her teeth to slightly protrude over her lower lip, and her top lip isn't nearly as full. The makeup is also washing out her complexion. I think the foundation is too matte and powdery, and could use some dimension from bronzer or blush.

Amber Heard at the 2007 premiere of 'The Beautiful Ordinary.'

Amber looks even less like herself in this shot. While her skin was super pale before, now she's got a deep tan and tons of blush. Plus, a very dated eye makeup application (nobody does smoky eyes like this now!). Then there's the hair, which is even lighter, with a '70s-inspired feathered cut. Isn't it crazy how her smile alone makes her look so different?

Amber in 2008

Amber Heard at the 2008 Hot Hollywood Awards.

In 2008, she cycled through several hair colours. First, it was back to her natural dirty blonde—but styled in these stiff, retro curls. (There was a real old Hollywood moment around this time, do you remember? Scarlett Johansson used to wear this type of look as well!) Amber's teeth are also brighter, although there are more changes to come. As for the "bunny lines" beside her nose, sometimes those can happen from Botox. But she was only 22 at this time... hmmm!

Amber Heard at a D&G boutique opening in 2008.

Who knew that Amber once had black hair? This is totally a Megan Fox aesthetic (she was at her peak popularity at this time!). I think Amber actually pulls the colour off fairly well, even with much lighter eyebrows. It really shows off her striking green eyes.

Amber in 2009

Amber Heard at the 2009 Sundance premiere of 'The Informers.'

By the following year, the black hair had faded into this deep brown, which Amber paired with a spray tan and spiky false lashes. From this angle, I'm noticing two things. With her mouth slightly open, she still has that slight overbite look (which she doesn't have now). Plus, her nose still has the same tiny bump on the bridge, just like in 2007.

Amber Heard at Virgin America's 2009 Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale launch party.

By the end of the year, it was back to light hair—but this time, a radical bleached platinum instead of her natural dark blonde. Not only is it too light for her skin tone, but the colour is uneven and looks really fried. She also returned to the retro waves and bright red lipstick. I think this combination makes her look a lot older than her 23 years!

Amber in 2010

Amber Heard at Diesel's Black Gold cocktail reception in 2010.

Then came another dramatic transformation in 2010. To coincide with her first film roles as the female lead (in Drive Angry and The Rum Diary), she got an upgrade to both her hair colour and makeup. This warm blonde is a lot kinder to her skin tone, and the smoky eyes and flushed cheeks are super pretty. I don't think she changed anything further about her features at this time... but stay tuned!

Amber in 2011

Amber Heard at the 2011 Hollywood Film Awards.

The following year, Amber was a blonde again, but this time, it looks a lot more polished. Although I'm still not crazy about the colour, the sleek styling makes her look every bit the celebrity. Another observation: spray tans were a lot more obvious in this era! The same goes for the makeup, which is heavy-handed. As for her teeth, they're whiter and brighter than ever. I think she had veneers, since the sizes and shapes are different versus 2008.

Amber in 2012

Amber Heard at the 2012 24 Hour Plays on Broadway Gala.

At age 26, Amber had yet another hair colour change, and this one's my favourite of all, a warm medium brown. I can remember loving this at the time, and I feel the same way even now! Orange lipstick was a huge trend that year, and Amber is wearing it with beautiful fresh skin. Her brows have also filled in somewhat, compared to 2006. But there might be something else contributing to this look... a little tweak to her nose. Remember, celebs often change their hair at the same time, to throw us off!

Amber in 2013

Amber Heard at the 2013 Met Gala.

Amber's brunette hair was equally gorgeous in 2013. I actually did a double take with this photo—at first glance, I thought it was Miranda Kerr! You have to admit, she looks very model-esque with the minimal makeup and side-swept, brushed-out waves.

Amber in 2014

Amber Heard at the 2014 Golden Globe Awards.

I think 2014 was the year that Amber really "made it" as star, becoming a regular on the red carpet. The first thing that jumps out in this picture is her upper lip. Does it look fuller because the edge has been overdrawn with lip liner? Or did she have a little something injected? I'm not sure!

Amber in 2015

Amber Heard at the 2015 premiere of 'The Adderall Diaries.'

Okay, by 2015, I definitely think Amber was dabbling with hyaluronic acid lip injections. See how the bottom side of her upper lip is kinda lumpy? She also has this same expression in 2007, and her upper lip did not have this much fullness. In other news, I think she finally landed on her "Life Colour" with this blonde. She has stayed close to this shade ever since!

Amber in 2016

Amber Heard at the 2016 Glamour Women of the Year Awards.

Does Amber get prettier and prettier or what? She was 30 in this photo, and I'm loving the off-the-face updo and glowy makeup. Red lipstick has started to become her thing now (it also makes lip injections less obvious!). You'll notice that her mouth position seems more relaxed, possibly because her teeth are no longer protruding as much.

Amber in 2017

Amber Heard at the 2017 Art of Elysium Heaven Gala.

Hair and makeup always improve dramatically as people climb the celebrity ladder, and this look is no exception. The tousled beachy hair, brown smoky eyes, shaded brows, contoured cheeks and matte stained lips are all super sophisticated (and were no doubt executed by professionals). Notice how her upper lip now matches the size of her lower one.

Amber in 2018

Amber Heard at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 2018 Grants Banquet.

With a sleek ponytail and red lipstick, this ensemble was perhaps Amber's most grown-up look to date. See what I mean about the red lipstick camouflaging the plumped-up lip(s)? The makeup is good, although she is wearing a heavier layer of foundation. Her face also seems more angular now, perhaps from age, weight loss or stress. Truthfully, I think she looks a little tired. (Stars! They're just like us!)

Amber in 2019

Amber Heard at the Planned Parenthood of New York City 2019 Spring Gala.

That brings us to Amber's most recent pic—and even with red lipstick, these lips stand out. They're definitely the plumpest she's had to date, and are what got me thinking about this Before & After in the first place! Fortunately, they're balanced by super minimal makeup, an off-the-face hairstyle and her fullest brows yet.

Amber Heard Before and After

Amber Heard in 2007 (left) and in 2019 (right).

Amber Heard in 2006 (left) and in 2015 (right).

Before I started this Before & After, I assumed Amber underwent a few cosmetic tweaks in order to score so high with Dr. De Silva's algorithm.

Specifically, I was thinking a nose job—just like the majority of celebs we've looked at in this column. Now that I've examined her red carpet photos, I still suspect that procedure. But this is one of the harder cases to tell for sure!

With her face angled to the side, there's not a significant difference in her profile over the years, except for possibly a less projected tip. When she's facing the camera, I can see she might have had some conservative sculpting to narrow her nostrils, and to create a more button-like tip.

One thing I'm sure about, however—Amber made big changes to her lips and teeth!

There's no denying that she's experimented with lip injections these last few years, to increase the size of her upper lip.

What made the biggest difference was addressing her protruding teeth, probably with something like Invisalign's invisible braces. Now, when she smiles, her teeth no longer overlap her bottom lip. She also has a much whiter, more even smile, likely due to a combination of teeth whitening and porcelain veneers.

When we think about plastic surgery, we don't usually think about cosmetic dentistry, but Amber's Before & After goes to show you how transformative it can be!

How do you feel about Amber's beauty evolution? Which of these looks is your favourite? What "beauty work" do you think she's had done?

Amber Heard, Before and After syndicated from The Skincare Edit

#skincare #beauty #makeup

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neighsinthenight · 8 years ago

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Four years ♥

Mine since January 3rd, 2013 ♥ ♥ ♥

December 2012: I was searching for my very first own horse, looking for something about 8 years old, 150 cm height, solidly ridden, preferably Iberian breed (or mix), that could teach me more and be an uncomplicated companion for a first-time horse-owner. My family has zero horse connections so I was on my own with searching. After not having luck with one adorable small horse (bad legs) and the “horse of my dreams” being bought by a friend of the breeder before I even had the chance to test ride him, I was feeling pretty down when I read my Finn’s sales ad. Gelding, 4 years, Hanoverian, suitable for beginners, located close to my hometown. I thought “why not at least try him out?” and called the people selling him.

still at the seller’s barn, first photo I have of him

First impression: adorable face, far too tall, sort of in an awkward state of growth. I got on and yeah, it was far from perfect because he hadn’t been under saddle for long and I had zero experience with young horses, but after all, it somehow worked. So, he passed the vet check except for being diagnosed with Shivering and I got him for a very cheap price. I was floating on cloud nine! Those magical words “my horse”, mine and mine alone. I didn’t want to leave him on the first evening in his new home. My parents dragged me home, or I would have slept at the barn. :D

2013:

I was sort of overwhelmed with such a young, inexperienced horse, being young and unexperienced myself, too, and after some weeks of horrid riding - him not bending and breaking out over the outer shoulder, not moving forward or over his back, dragging me around while lunging and so on, I found an awesome instructor who started lots of young horses herself and worked on the foundations with us. She also taught my horse double-lunging when we had a long saddle-less phase, because my dressage saddle didn’t fit anymore and I wanted a western saddle and had one costum made. Finn was going through those young horse phases when he tested out his limits, so it was absolutely right to do lots of ground work and less riding.

awkward 5-year old body (this was one month after his 5th birthday)

winter 2013 - summer 2014:

I didn’t have any ambitions at all, mostly went trail riding, my horse didn’t really move like the dressage-bred warmblood he is but was rather happily plodding along (slightly on the forehand, shame on me) on light contact. In retrospect, I believe it was actually a very good thing I didn’t “work” with him but went on relaxed trail rides, because he was still busy growing and was not mentally ready for strenous work. That was actually a really happy time back then. I didn’t have any expectations, so I almost never got frustrated at our lack of progress and we went exploring the trails and he became a great horse to ride past anything we met outside.

Summer 2014:

I would say it was about summer 2014 when my interests changed. I had my dressage saddle re-fitted for him and took more lessons with the goal to improve his gaits, flexibility and most importantly, my riding. He was never really well-muscled, always more a gangly type, and we struggled with contact and rhythm because of this. He had enough stamina for trail riding but not for tight circles and collected gaits. But now he really tried to do well and we made rather quick progress and had lots of breakthrough moments, as well as a lot of fun learning new things.

2015:

We moved along in dressage, but at a snail’s pace. We started “jumping” a tiny bit, crossrails mostly. Several times I had immense self-doubts upon seeing all the talented riders at the barn starting in competitions every weekend and thought I wasn’t good enough for my horse, who had developed rather nice gaits, esp. the canter, and looked awfully good when being worked correctly. Sometimes I woud get frustrated and push for more than we were both ready for and threw us back miles. Finn would no longer trust my aids and stop cooperating. There were several fights I’m not proud of.

We also had wonderful phases when everything was perfect, though.

What really made things change was when I participated in our barn intern show and started in a costumed E-level dressage in October, both my and Finn's first competition. The judge’s protocol was, rightfully so, brutal and we only got the last place.That was when I didn’t want to sit on my horse like a wet rag anymore and had the strict goal to dramatically improve my riding. At that point I really got ambitious and was no longer frustrated at my horse, but exclusively at my seat and after some dressing-downs by my instructor I finally stopped doing some mistakes and we started floating. The only thing holding back my horse was me blocking his movements by leaning forward and not correctly swinging with his rhythm. Once this issue was resolved, it felt like a completly new horse. I could hit myself for not getting sitting trot on my incredibly bouncy horse down right earlier.

This is a photo of the trainwreck dressage.

We also participated in a 14 horse quadrille infront of hundreds of people for our barn’s Christmas show and he was a real trooper, not batting an eyelash.

2016 – our great year

In January, he gave me the biggest shock of my life when he had a really bad impaction colic and had to be driven to a clinic and fought for 4 days until he finally pooped normally again. It was a long recovery and after that horrible scare he even got more spoiled than usual. When he was back to riding strength though, he was unstoppable.

My horse moved on a completely different level now, we no longer had any trainwreck rides where nothing went right but always found harmony. I felt a lot more confident than ever before and did stuff like riding bitless with only a rope-halter, jumping small fences and even oxers because my dressage horse actually jumps rather well (only I look like a potato). We had a great summer and got third place at the very same competition we screwed up so badly last year.

Thank you, Finn, for putting up with my less than excellent riding, for cheering me up when I’m feeling down, for all the gifts and perfect moments you gave me and most importantly, for always being there for me! I cannot imagine life without you anymore and buying you was the best decision I have ever made.

I love you, my dear.

#my horse #finn #4 years #4 year anniversary #hanoverian #warmblood #gelding #equestrian #dressage #horses of tumblr

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tatiltutkusu-blog · 6 years ago

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thrashermaxey · 6 years ago

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Cage Match: Teuvo Teravainen vs. Nikolaj Ehlers

It’s very rare after as long as I’ve penned Cage Match (five years this month!) that I run into a true first: this week I think we have one in me pitting two players (Nikolaj Ehlers and Teuvo Teravainen) against each other who are both set to enter their “magical fourth year” (disregarding Teravainen’s abbreviated 2014-15 campaign with Chicago). Which one is poised for more success this season, and down the road? Cage Match is here to give you the all-important answers, and starts now!

Career Path and Contract Status

Ehlers, 22, was selected ninth overall in 2014 and returned to the QMJHL, where he nearly averaged two points per game, paving a path for him to enter the NHL for 2015-16. Ehlers appeared in 72 games as a rookie but barely surpassed the point per every other game mark, although 24 of those points came in his last 31 games, suggesting success to come. Sure enough, for 2016-17 Ehlers continued where he left off, rising to 64 points and looking like a player on the fast track to stardom. But then he dipped a bit in 2017-18 to only 60 points, leaving some to wonder whether he has more to offer and is being held back, or instead is perhaps not a player bound to score 70+.

Teravainen (“TT”), who turns 24 next month, was selected 18th overall in 2012 and arrived in North America at the end of 2013-14. But 2014-15 was his first true taste of US hockey and it didn’t go well; in the AHL he played decently (25 points in 39 games), yet for the talent-stacked Blackhawks he was a chicken and egg victim, not getting points to generate more ice time, which he needed to score, and he ended with only nine points in 35 games. For 2015-16 he was with the Hawks for a full season but again couldn’t carve out a featured role, posting 35 points in 78 games. That summer the cap-conscious Hawks included TT in a deal to unload Bryan Bickell’s albatross contract to the Hurricanes. In his first season with Carolina he didn’t show much more than in Chicago, with 42 points in 81 contests. In 2017-18, however, he broke out in a big way, upping his total to 64 points and then, if that wasn’t enough, shining at the spring IIHF World Championships to the tune of 14 points in only eight games, marking the fifth time he’d had point per game or better scoring in an international tournament despite not even having turned 24.

This season Ehlers commences his seven-year, $42M contract that was inked last October, while Teravainen will count $2.8M against the cap before – if not extended – becoming an arbitration-eligible RFA next summer.

Ice Time

Season

Total Ice Time per game

(rank among team’s forwards)

PP Ice Time per game

(rank among team’s forwards)

SH Ice Time per game

(rank among team’s forwards)

2017-18

16:05 (N.E.) – 7th

16:53 (T.T.) – 4th

2:02 (N.E.) – 8th

2:40 (T.T.) – 2nd

0:01 (N.E.) – 12th (tied)

0:01 (T.T.) – 10th (tied)

2016-17

17:29 N.E.) – 5th

16:14 (T.T.) 6th

2:37 N.E.) – 5th

2:14 (T.T.) – 3rd

0:01 N.E.) – 15th (tied)

0:01 (T.T.) – 11th (tied)

2015-16

16:06 N.E.) – 8th

15:21 (T.T.) – 7th

2:19 N.E.) – 6th

1:45 (T.T.) – 8th

0:01 N.E.) – 13th (tied)

0:47 (T.T.) – 9th

Looking at the last two seasons for Ehlers, his drop in production by a mere four points from 2016-17 to 2017-18 doesn’t look so bad after all, as it was in the face of him losing nearly a minute and a half of total ice time, a third of which was on the PP. And the fact that he still managed 60 points is impressive, since it means that twice by age 22 he tallied 60+ points while taking the ice in each season for less than 1500 minutes.

To underscore how remarkable that is, here’s the full list of players who, since 2000-01, also met both criteria and are now older than 25 (meaning we can get an idea of how their career is panning out or has panned out): Patrick Kane (who did it at age 20 and 22), Nikita Kucherov (at age 21 and 22), and Marian Gaborik (at age 20 and 21). All three went on to produce at least two 83+ point seasons, with Kane and Kucherov being two of the biggest stars in today’s NHL. Past data is not always predictive of the future, however, this is some pretty fine company for Ehlers to be in.

But here’s the issue – if we look at the players who received more ice time than Ehlers last season, all but one (Paul Stastny) is still on the team and none look to be in danger of losing their “spot,” with the possible exception of Kyle Connor in the event he has a sophomore slump. Thus, Ehlers may be oozing with talent waiting to manifest itself with higher scoring, yet if he can’t take the ice enough he’ll likely be stuck in the low 60s.

The silver lining is Ehlers’s situation likely can’t get much worse, so if he was able to score 60 points despite such poor ice time and deployment, that should be his absolute floor. And in fact, his floor could even be higher if he was victimized by unsustainable bad luck, which we’ll look at below.

Shifting to TT, he too made the most of his ice time, as although he tied for 54th overall in NHL scoring last season his 2.77 points per 60 minutes put him 36th overall (Ehlers’ 2.73 was 40th). But with TT already ranking fairly high in terms of total and PP Ice Time among his team’s forwards as compared to Ehlers, the major question we have to ask is whether there‘s realistic room for Teravainen’s situation to immediately improve?

The likely answer is yes, as the Hurricanes changed coaches in the offseason; and although there’s no telling for sure how new coach Rod Brind’Amour will approach ice time, chances are TT should see an improvement both overall and on the PP. After all, last season the Hurricanes were one of only five teams without a forward who took the ice for 18 non-shorthanded minutes nor a forward who skated for at least 3:00 on the PP. One of those teams (the Rangers) already fired its coach, while another (Minnesota) has a new GM. The other three, for those who are curious, were Vancouver, Toronto, and Las Vegas.

What this likely means is that with TT – unlike Ehlers, or at least the Ehlers of today – being an offensive focal point and a new coach coming in, his output could jump significantly. Here too though there has to be confirmation that TT didn’t luck into his jump in scoring last season, which is more of a concern than with Ehlers, for whom, as noted above, 2017-18 marker a second straight 60+ point campaign.

Secondary Categories

Season

PIMs

(per game)

Hits

(per game)

Blocked Shots (per game)

Shots

(per game)

PP Points

(per game)

2017-18

0.31 (N.E.)

0.17 (T.T.)

0.47 (N.E.)

0.31 (T.T.)

0.33 (N.E.)

0.27 (T.T.)

2.81 (N.E.)

2.25 (T.T.)

0.16 (N.E.)

0.24 (T.T.)

2016-17

0.46 (N.E.)

0.19 (T.T.)

0.52 (N.E.)

0.33 (T.T.)

0.34 (N.E.)

0.40 (T.T.)

2.48 (N.E.)

2.08 (T.T.)

0.14 (N.E.)

0.17 (T.T.)

2015-16

0.29 (N.E.)

0.25 (T.T.)

0.40 (N.E.)

0.30 (T.T.)

0.34 (N.E.)

0.39 (T.T.)

2.32 (N.E.)

1.74 (T.T.)

0.15 (N.E.)

0.11 (T.T.)

First things first – both players are liabilities in physical categories, with Ehlers being slightly less bad. With respect to the areas that influence scoring, TT has seen his SOG and PPPts per game increase in each of the past two seasons. That in and of itself is a good sign, as is the fact he’s far from maxed out both in terms of pure numbers and especially when factoring in the added ice time that, as noted above, he figures to get under Brind’Amour.

As for Ehlers, he’s also seen his SOG and PPPts increase with each season, however, we can’t quite feel as overwhelmingly positive about his situation as we did for TT. For one, the Jets seem completely opposed to using Ehlers on PP1. Though he managed to produce more PPPts despite fewer points overall and less PP Time in 2017-18 versus 2016-17, there’s not much hope of big gains there. The good news is he’s shooting a ton, and his rate can still climb if/when he gets more ice time.

But one thing that’s of slight concern is when looking at players who, like Ehlers, had a season in which they were age 22 or younger and had 230+ SOG in 75+ games despite taking the ice for less than 1300 minutes overall, the list is not nearly as star-studded as what we saw above for his points and minutes. It consists of one player who looks to be a star in the making in David Pastrnak, although he did so at age 20, with the rest consisting of two players who had a couple of decent seasons (Maxim Afinogenov, Devon Setoguchi), one who hasn’t lived up to expectations as yet (Jeff Skinner), one whose career was cut short due to injury (Joffrey Lupul) and one who morphed his game into less of an offensive role (Michael Frolik). This is food for thought and not predictive data, yet it can’t give poolies the warm and fuzzies like the comparisons above to Kane, Kucherov and Gaborik, that’s for sure.

Luck-Based Metrics

Season

Personal Shooting %

Team Shooting % (5×5)

Individual Points % (IPP)

Offensive Zone Starting % (5×5)

Average Shot Distance

Secondary Assists %

2017-18

12.6% (N.E.)

12.4% (T.T.)

8.69% (N.E.)

9.32% (T.T.)

70.6% (N.E.)

71.1% (T.T.)

53.7% (N.E.)

59.0% (T.T.)

35.6 (N.E.)

33.5 (T.T.)

32% (N.E.)

41% (T.T.)

2016-17

12.3% (N.E.)

8.9% (T.T.)

10.27% (N.E.)

6.88% (T.T.)

73.6% (N.E.)

67.7% (T.T.)

53.4% (N.E.)

58.8% (T.T.)

31.5 (N.E.)

31.5 (T.T.)

48% (N.E.)

55% (T.T.)

2015-16

9.0%(N.E.)

9.6% (T.T.)

8.17% (N.E.)

5.51% (T.T.)

60.3% (N.E.)

70.0% (T.T.)

55.7% (N.E.)

43.6% (T.T.)

31.4 (N.E.)

29.7 (T.T.)

30% (N.E.)

27% (T.T.)

One interesting bit of data for both is that, as noted above, their SOG rate increased from 2016-17 to 2017-18 and so did, as we can see here, their average shot distance. Yet despite this their personal shooting percentage also increased. That’s an odd combination of factors to all simultaneously occur. The question is what, if anything, should we make of it. My take is it’s a not a bad sign. Someone who can shoot more and from farther away yet still see his personal shooting percentage rise strikes me as a player to whom even better things, including in the goal scoring department, are in store.

That’s not to imply all is well for both though. In fact, each has a question mark when it comes to his 5×5 team shooting percentage and the fact that his most productive season coincided with that number being above the 9.0% level generally associated with scoring forwards. For TT, it was barely above the threshold, so we can look past it. And even though Ehlers exceeded the number by a far greater amount the fact that he managed 60 points this past season given his overall metrics shows that rather than being a case of unsustainable good luck, Ehlers’ data for 2016-17, which also included an impressive 73.6% IPP, was more of his fantasy coming out party. Long story short, I don’t see red flags here; and in fact with both having exceeded the 70% IPP threshold twice and having very healthy secondary assists rates the same number of times, they seem poised for continued success.

Who Wins?

If you want immediate results, Teravainen is the choice due to his “spot” and the likelihood of a new coach giving him even more and better ice time. The only risk is TT’s OZ% might drop a bit. However, that would be a small price to pay for another 90+ seconds of ice time and 30+ seconds more on the PP. If you’re planning further ahead, the choice would appear to be Ehlers, who has favorable player comparisons due to his production at his age despite low minutes and who, thanks to the young Winnipeg core, also will have what looks to be a better surrounding cast once he gets a chance to strut his stuff.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/cage-match/cage-match-teuvo-teravainen-vs-nikolaj-ehlers/

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ronaldmrashid · 7 years ago

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Develop Your Sphere Of Influence To Achieve Financial Independence

My first understanding of the power of influence came as a 21 year old at 1 New York Plaza, New York City. During a job interview with a sales trader at Goldman Sachs, I remember him telling me the most frustrating thing about his job was that as soon as GS showed up in the queue to buy, the stock would instantly move higher.

His job was to buy stock for an institutional client at the lowest price possible. But because GS was the most powerful investment bank at the time (perhaps still is), other traders would instantly try and front-run a GS order.

The thinking always went like this: If GS is selling, we should probably sell as quickly as possible because they probably know something we don’t know and vice versa.

Due to the constant front-running, algorithmic trading and dark pools were created to obfuscate large buyers and sellers. When there was simply too much stock a fund wanted to offload, an investment bank would act as a principal, buying the stock at a discount in hopes of selling off the stock to other clients at a lower discount. With enough discretion, taking such risk often paid off. But sometimes, the bank would get slaughtered due to loose lips.

The Power Of Influence

Nowadays, the most common example of influence lies in an announcement that XYZ famous investor took a stake in ABC stock. For example, whenever Warren Buffet says he bought something, you can be sure the stock will jump several percentage points. The only way you can really get an edge is to buy Berkshire Hathaway stock.

None of us will ever be as influential as Warren Buffet, but over time, we can all develop our own sphere of influence.

The easiest way to develop influence is do something and succeed over and over again.

For example, after you’ve done 1,000 successful eye surgeries, you will become the leading eye surgeon in the land. You will be invited to conferences, be able to direct research funding, and receive a steady stream of clients. Your influence will enable you to raise prices, create courses, license your name, and get rich in the process.

If you’ve done 25 surgeries, and botched five of them, nobody will ever want to see or hear from you again.

Develop expertise through consistent execution and patience.

Influence Can Come From The Smallest Idea

Although a lot of folks from all over come to Financial Samurai to learn more about personal finance, this site is really tiny in the grand scheme of things. I don’t expect to influence the world, especially since I’m an unemployed nobody.

I only expect to help the 3% of you who actually take my advice. That’s right. Based on conversion metrics, roughly 97% of you read something and never take action. That’s cool, because it just means something isn’t painful enough for you to do something about it.

Because I like to check out open houses, on average I speak with three real estate agents every week. I always ask the real estate agent at least three things: 1) How do you think the market is doing versus this time last year? 2) Where do you think the market is heading over the next 12 months? and 3) Where is the best place in the city to buy?

To my surprise, over the past several months, more than half of the experienced real estate agents have told me the western side of SF is the best place to buy. They pointed to Inner Sunset, Parkside, and Golden Gate Heights as the primo neighborhoods to make the most amount of money.

Several even listed reasons why Golden Gate Heights is the best area which sounded eerily similar to the reasons given in my post published in 2014 called, “The Best Place To Buy Property In San Francisco Today.”

Then one realtor handed me a flier with this chart below. It’s Redfin’s 10 hottest neighborhoods in the ENTIRE country to close out the year 2017. Notice anything funny?

There are around 150,000 neighborhoods in America and 119 neighborhoods in San Francisco alone. What are the chances that Golden Gate Heights, a tiny neighborhood, would even make the list? My guess is less than 0.1%.

When I Googled,”the best place to buy property in San Francisco,” I found my article in the #1 or #2 spot of the results. So I asked all the realtors whether they had heard of Financial Samurai before, and all of them said yes.

Ah hah! It’s seems that three years after I made a strong argument for Golden Gate Heights, Google now agrees with the argument, many realtors now agree with my thesis, public company Redfin agrees, and now a herd of new buyers agree.

In fact, just the other day, our local paper republished a post originally published on Business Insider about Golden Gate Heights.

http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/The-next-hottest-housing-market-in-America-is-12224612.php

I might not be able to influence the world with my tiny site, but I have been able to influence the population looking to buy real estate in San Francisco. In turn, this influence has helped improve my net worth given I’m long a panoramic ocean view home in Golden Gate Heights.

Who said the only way to make money blogging is through online advertising? My biggest mistake was not buying two GGH properties before the mass media and real estate companies decided to agree.

Will they give me credit for the thesis I made in 2014 they are now claiming as their own? Of course not. But it doesn’t matter because what I care most about are the results. The author of the Business Insider article graduated in 2013 and came to SF in 2015. So from her perspective, GGH is an incredible revelation.

Achieve Financial Independence With Influence

The most important place to grow your sphere of influence is at work. Do what you say you will do in a professional manner for a long enough time and you will get paid and promoted.

Once you’ve developed a solid track record at work, develop influence with your clients and competitors. If your clients all believe in you, then you can go anywhere and your clients will follow. The more you are respected and feared by your competitors, the more they will want to poach you for bigger bucks and a larger role.

To really scale your influence, establish a presence online. Compared to offline reach, online reach is unlimited. I could have tried to meet every single realtor in San Francisco to make my Golden Gate Heights pitch in person, but that would have taken forever and expended too much energy. Instead, I simply spent a few hours typing a post, then let the internet do its thing.

Once you develop influence you can scale your influence into any number of things:

Consulting

Public speaking

Building a business

Creating a subscription newsletter

Managing other people’s money

Selling your own product

Selling other people’s products you believe in

Getting other companies to hire you away for big bucks

With so many new ways to make money beyond your day job, your financial worries should decrease, if not disappear altogether. Achieving financial independence is only a matter of time.

Key Points Of Influence

* Influence must be earned through repetitive successful outcomes.

* You will only gain influence if you do what you say you will do.

* Providing an opinion when you have no skin in the game is pointless.

* The stronger your brand, the longer you can make your influence last.

* Once you gain influence, you can leverage your influence in many different directions.

* You’re only as relevant as your last result.

* You can skip the long slog of developing your influence by joining a firm that already has influence. However, you might always feel like an impostor piggy backing off your firm’s reputation.

When To Sell Real Estate: Every Indicator To Consider

For A Better Life, Be The One Percent In Something, Anything

How To Build Passive Income For Financial Independence

Readers, how would you rate your sphere of influence? Are you using your influence to help others? How has your influence enriched your life?

The post Develop Your Sphere Of Influence To Achieve Financial Independence appeared first on Financial Samurai.

from https://www.financialsamurai.com/develop-sphere-of-influence-financial-independence/

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flauntpage · 7 years ago

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Space Jam: The NBA’s Gravity Era Welcomes the 2017-18 Sixers

The Monstars were well ahead of the analytics curve in that they made all nine of their three-point attempts against Michael Jordan’s Tune Squad back in 1996. Even though they lost, the Monstars merit some credit for the modernity of their approach to the game. (Yes, someone from Harvard charted the game from Space Jam.)

Gravity – in basketball terms – wasn’t really a factor in Space Jam, as Jordan’s team didn’t attempt a single shot beyond the arc and still somehow beat a gang of efficient aliens with a crew of cartoons. The Monstars also jumped like 40 feet in the air, so even the Isaac Newton version of gravity wasn’t a factor in the premise.

What do I mean by gravity? In a basketball context, gravity is the propensity for defenders to be drawn to certain parts of the floor based on the quality and quantity of shooting threats. Dumbed down (for me, not you), gravity is the manifestation of how defenders respect specific shooters and scorers on the floor.

ESPN Insider Tom Haberstroh detailed elite gravitational players back in 2014, and unsurprisingly, Stephen Curry led the league in this inventive metric. You’ll catch shit from your coach if you leave Curry too much space, which might be 10 inches. Kyle Korver was second in the gravity index that season, with Klay Thompson third. It’s the fear factor, sans Joe Rogan, of modern pro hoops.

As Haberstroh details, “by tracking how the defense shifts at every instance in the game, gravity score attempts to quantify how much defensive attention a player receives when he’s off the ball. In other words, a player’s gravitational pull on the opposing defense.”

When I was a kid watching players like Shaquille O’Neal dominate the paint, while also witnessing increasingly tall and proficient ball handlers like Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway excel, I was convinced the NBA floor would one day become too small to accommodate the size and speed of the NBA athlete, and thus game. How would the floor not become clogged? This was a valid concern for fans who spent their formative years watching the Knicks and Heat fill the floor Royal Rumble style into the late 90s. I also wondered how dragons have sex, but that remains unresolved.

Innovation was the resolution to my concern (the NBA part, not dragon boning); the floor didn’t need to be expanded by square footage, the players had to expand their shooting range in order to open up the floor.

Some have deemed the modern trend of NBA offense the “space and pace” era; teams are increasingly unafraid to push the tempo (as in increased possessions and working quickly with the shot clock) and even less fearful of jacking a high volume of three-pointers. Mike D’Antoni’s Houston Rockets epitomize the extreme usage of this trend, while the Golden State Warriors are perfecting the use of space as a weapon with dynastic results.

The Rockets led the NBA last season with 46.3% of all of their shots from the field coming from three-point range, an NBA record for such allocation by a wide margin. In 2013-14, the Rockets paced the league with 32.9% of their shots from beyond the arc. The league-wide shift in shooting volume from three-point range isn’t adhering to a linear path, as savvy teams are rapidly realizing how influential floor spacing has become in the Golden (State) Era of the game.

It’s telling that D’Antoni, the architect of the Seven Seconds or Less Suns, was a short-lived assistant for the Sixers in the 2015-16 season. The Sixers badly want to excel in employing an effective space-and-space agenda, with an increased emphasis on the space element. The team hasn’t had many quality shooters – or gravity creators – during Brett Brown’s tenure in South Philly, but he’s had the team lofting from beyond without hesitation for several seasons now. Over the past three seasons, the Sixers have ranked fourth (in 2014-15, 32.1% of the 76ers’ shots were from three-point range), eighth (2015-16, 33.3%) and seventh (2016-17, 35%).

The Sixers sank 33.9% of their shots from beyond last season, 25th in the league, and yet were just 0.4% shy of the Warriors in their market share of three-point attempts. Imagine what might happen when, I don’t know, the team invests incredible short-term cash into an elite shooter like J.J. Redick and long-term draft capital into a gifted shot creator such as Markelle Fultz. Good things happen on the NBA floor when volume and efficiency converge.

The magnetism of a quality shooter such as Redick is apparent when using a new metric know as “Spacing Rating.”

A fellow NBA nerd named Nick Sciria developed Spacing Rating by incorporating three-point efficiency and volume into a formula. By his own admission, the model is “more of a rough draft than a final thesis,” but Sciria does offer a cool tool to help us tinker with how certain lineups around the league might fare in regards to the quality of collective gravity. (This reminds me of when I use the preset substitution changes on NBA 2K and select the “shooting roster” so I can jack three-pointers on every possession like I’m D’Antoni on the sticks.)

The way the Spacing Rating formula works in regards to results is that it spits out a percentile for how “good” a given five-man lineup is at creating spacing relative to the league.

So, for example, the Warriors’ lineup of death: Curry, Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green, earned a 100% factor in the metric. There just isn’t a lineup in the world that demands more respect from all over the floor. A Clippers lineup featuring Redick ranked 11th in the league in Spacing Rating, per the chart below.

Last season, the Sixers’ top gravity gang ranked 20th in the league in the 67.7th percentile of Spacing Rating and included Sergio Rodriguez, Gerald Henderson, Robert Covington, Ersan Ilyasova and Joel Embiid.

Sciria evaluated the 76ers’ potential playing the space game in a recent video breakdown. We slid into his DM’s in order to get additional Sixers-specific intel.

“Given that Brown’s scheme is one that produces a high frequency of three-pointers,” Sciria wrote. “I think Philly’s offensive spacing will be a bright spot this offensive season. The Sixers have a great combination of shooters (Redick/Covington), playmakers (Fultz/Simmons/Dario) and a big with a ton of inside-out gravity (Embiid) to collapse the defense.”

“I haven’t seen anyone look into the numerical aspect of inside-out gravity in the public sphere,” Sciria told me. “Which is why I can’t really add that aspect to the Spacing Rating at this time. I know players like Gobert and Embiid have that type of impact; you could *see* it when you watch their games.”

The impact of Embiid as a shooting threat beyond the arc and as an inside-out spacer (drawing additional defenders on the block) is simply massive. Just look at the chart above and marvel at Memphis’ newfound spacing; it’s all about Marc Gasol’s ascent as a shooter. It took Gasol nearly a decade to develop such range, and yet Embiid’s prodigious touch simply arrived. Stay healthy, Jo.

Let’s test how the Sixers’ potentially main lineups for 2017-18 might fare using Spacing Rating as a predictive measure of sorts.

It’s difficult to assess how Fultz’s three-point shot will translate to the pros, but thanks to another hoops nerd named Andrew Johnson, we can approximate this transition and assume Fultz’s 42% clip at Washington results in a rate around 34 to 35% in the league. This rate might even appear generous when we consider Fultz didn’t take many deep three-pointers in college and often toed the line, but given his effectiveness in a small sample from pro range in Salt Lake City this summer, the sweet stroke could capably survive the transition.

It’s even more difficult to approximate the quality of Ben Simmons’s range from beyond. Although, according to this video, he’s matched the Monstars by going nine-for-nine from three-point range. That’s all I need to see. But really, Simmons doesn’t need to be a proficient three-point shooter to garner gravity, as a player such as Dwyane Wade ranked among the elite gravity factors in 2014 despite sub-optimal efficiency from beyond.

In another piece by Haberstroh examining Wade’s outlier status as a gravity asset, the star himself was a bit perplexed, “I don’t think anybody has ever called me that term, a floor-spacer, before,” Wade said. “But honestly I’ve always known that I’m a floor-spacer, just in a different way.”

This different way manifests itself in Wade’s unique off-ball cutting skills and dynamic handle and passing abilities, elements Simmons might be apt to pursue in lieu of becoming an efficient shooter. Every player claims some degree of gravity, and for Simmons to mimic Wade’s ascension as a spacing weapon during his prime, his ability to create plays off the dribble and cut to the basket could prove valuable for the Sixers’ space aspirations. Simmons might not need to become a respected shooting threat to be treated like one if his game is as dynamic as some suspect.

“The increased playmaking this season might be one of the biggest factors in Philly’s spacing improvement,” Sciria wrote. “As guys like Simmons and Fultz can ‘move’ the defense by forcing them to help and creating holes and gaps–space!–in the overall defense.”

Now to the entirely assumptive final portion of this spacing appraisal for the Sixers.

Since Sciria’s tool doesn’t include rookies in its database, as it’s based on last year’s shooting results, I’m using Jrue Holiday as the comparison for Fultz, as the former Sixer shot 35.6% from three-point distance last season for New Orleans on a healthy 4.2 attempts per game. This might be a lofty correlation, but Fultz’s efficiency at a truly high volume in college demands some credence.

For Simmons, he of the three three-point attempts at LSU, I’m using T.J. McConnell as his mannequin for this exercise, he of the 20% three-point clip last season in a still ball-dominant role. I honestly sorted last season’s results by NBA players who have awful shooting rates from beyond, yet averaged at least four assists, to find some approximations for Simmons’s skill set. It’s not the savviest assumption, but holding Simmons to 20% from beyond the arc at just 0.7 three-point attempts per game, as McConnell did last season, appears viable when considering his NCAA sample.

This approximated Sixers lineup, one including facsimiles of Fultz and Simmons that we haphazardly concocted, scored in the 76.6th percentile in Sciria’s tool. Truly the 76ers. This rate would rank in the top 15 of all gravity lineups last year.

As for the bench mob, there are some creative ways to weaponize shooting and playmaking from deeper into the roster and rotation.

Feel free to play around with this tool with some imaginative Sixers’ lineups. I don’t know who made the lineup below, but maybe a certain disgruntled superstar in the Midwest reads Crossing Broad in mid-September.

We are speculating because it’s a speculative time of year. The season is right around the bend. It’s not long until we learn how much gravity Brown’s imaginative offensive agenda and the coalescence of this new space-friendly roster might create.

Space Jam: The NBA’s Gravity Era Welcomes the 2017-18 Sixers published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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buddyrabrahams · 7 years ago

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Top 10 NBA Rookie of the Year candidates

One year ago, who would have guessed the 2016-17 NBA Rookie of the Year would be awarded to Malcolm Brogdon?

The Bucks swingman had a nice career at Virginia, of course, but the odds were stacked against him. He was the 36th pick in the draft, and the award traditionally goes to a top pick. Additionally, Brogdon isn’t a flashy offensive player, and he doesn’t put up jaw-dropping numbers. He’s not a spotlight grabber. He’s more of a “glue guy.”

Brogdon’s charge to Rookie of the Year may have been the most surprising in NBA history — it was certainly the most unexpected in my lifetime.

As we look ahead to the upcoming NBA season, will we have another shocker this year? Or will Rookie of the Year go to a top pick, as it does most years?

Below are my top 10 candidates, as it stands today, to claim 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year. Just missing the cut: Josh Jackson, Caleb Swanigan, Bam Adebayo, and Luke Kennard.

10. Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers

Kuzma surprised a lot of people in Vegas this summer. The No. 27 overall pick averaged 21.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and he played with incredible efficiency. He shot 51.4 percent from the field and 48 percent (!) from deep. The 22-year-old forward from Utah was named the Summer League’s Finals MVP and second-team All-Summer League.

Though Kuzma was overshadowed by Lonzo Ball in Summer League and will continue to play in Ball’s shadow throughout this season, he’s looking like an early candidate for “Steal of the Draft.” Additionally, the two look like they may form a dynamic young duo for the Lake Show. Ball and Kuzma ran the floor well together, and Kuzma’s ability to stretch the floor made him a weapon even when he didn’t touch the ball.

The 6-foot-9 Kuzma is also versatile on defense; early indications are that he can switch most positions on the floor. Though the Lakers are a bit log-jammed on the wing (with Brandon Ingram, Luol Deng and Corey Brewer), Kuzma in Summer League looked like a guy who will get minutes for Los Angeles.

9. John Collins, Atlanta Hawks

The 19th overall pick improved tremendously from his freshman to sophomore years at Wake Forest, and he stood out in Vegas.

During Summer League he averaged 15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds — but get this: he did it in 23 minutes per game. Those are some impressive numbers. Lonzo Ball averaged 32.5 minutes per game and Jayson Tatum got 32.0. Think about the gaudy stats Collins could have put up if he had played 10 more minutes a game.

In addition to his impressive all-around showing, Collins absolutely posterized New Orleans’ Cheick Diallo and Keith Benson. He put the internet on alert: pay attention to Collins this year, because he might blow up Twitter.

Also helping Collins’ candidacy for ROY: he’ll have an opportunity to play in Atlanta. The Hawks traded Dwight Howard and let Paul Millsap leave for Utah as a free agent. There might even be an opportunity for Collins to start, depending on how the Hawks plan to utilize their weak 3 spot.

8. Markelle Fultz, Philadelphia 76ers

Though you can’t blame Fultz for missing much of Summer League due to a sprained ankle, it was a little scary to see yet another 76ers top pick miss time with a lower leg injury. With that being said, shutting him down seemed like a precaution, and we have no reason to believe he’ll miss time this year.

The pendulum on Fultz has swung quite a bit this offseason: first he was the consensus No. 1 (he’s the next great!), then the Celtics traded the pick and everyone wondered why they didn’t want Fultz (something must be wrong with him, it’s his jump shot!), and now popular opinion seems to be somewhere in the middle.

Fultz is a shifty athlete reminiscent of James Harden, and he has a similarly zoned-out mentality, which has caused some analysts to nitpick at his game.

The reality is that Fultz was picked first in a loaded draft for a reason. He’s going to be great, and he fits beautifully with Philadelphia’s roster. Though he might not post head-turning numbers now that he’s surrounded by other competent players, Fultz should be an immediate contributor.

7. De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

Fox is another guy who’s seen his stock go up and down this summer. The No. 5 overall pick had an OK Summer League — not great but not terrible. A few times he showed the impressive burst that we watched with amazement during his year at Kentucky. He had five steals in his first game.

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In Vegas, Fox averaged 11.8 points, three assists, and 2.3 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per game. He shot only 1-for-8 from three-point range, but that’s a limited sample size, and we already knew outside shooting wasn’t the biggest strength of Fox’s game.

What people love most about Fox, besides his freakish speed and fearless game at the rim, is his fire. He cried in the locker room after UNC eliminated Kentucky from the NCAA Tournament. In a day and age when many guys want to look cool on the court, Fox brings the passion.

That’s why so many have compared him to Russell Westbrook. Like Westbrook, it might take Fox a year or two to figure out his game as he adjusts to the NBA.

6. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Is Jayson Tatum Paul Pierce 2.0? It might be too early to make such a bold declaration, but the guy has an incredible offensive repertoire that is certainly reminiscent of “The Truth.” Though Tatum’s defensive abilities will probably always leave something to be desired, he was excellent offensively in Summer League.

Tatum, a 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 18.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. He had eight turnovers in three games, and his plus-minus was -20, but all in all Tatum played wonderfully, and he gave Celtics fans plenty of reason to be excited.

With the clock winding down and his team trailing by one, Tatum went off the dribble and hit the game-winner in his debut.

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Though he’s an explosive athlete, Tatum has an old-man game around the basket; he really knows how to maneuver his body and create open lanes. And though his shot wasn’t really falling in Summer League, Tatum is a reliable scorer. Given the Celtics’ depth chart, it seems likelier that Tatum will break out down the stretch this year (like Jaylen Brown last season) or in his second year.

See Nos. 5-1 on Page 2

5. Malik Monk, Charlotte Hornets

I think Monk is still mad he didn’t get picked until No. 11. In the fall, back when he was dropping 47 on the eventual national champions, he was looked at as a can’t-miss top-five pick, and it’s hard to comprehend how scouts’ opinion on him shifted so heavily during the pre-draft process.

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Though this year’s ROY (Brogdon) got there with defense, leadership, and a balanced game, the award typically goes to a guy who can hang big offensive numbers. Have a look at the last nine rookies of the year before Brogdon:

2015-16 Karl-Anthony Towns 2014-15 Andrew Wiggins 2013-14 Michael Carter-Williams 2012-13 Damian Lillard 2011-12 Kyrie Irving 2010-11 Blake Griffin 2009-10 Tyreke Evans 2008-09 Derrick Rose 2007-08 Kevin Durant

Those are all offense-minded guys who love to get buckets. Monk fits that mold. The five-star recruit from Arkansas averaged 19.8 points per game in his lone year at Kentucky. He shot 40 percent from downtown and attempted 6.9 threes a game.

Though I’m not fully convinced of his fit in Charlotte, Monk will likely hang some big numbers this year. Don’t be surprised if he goes on a vendetta to stick it to the NBA and average 17 a game.

4. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

In the week leading up to the draft, several NBA insiders told me Mitchell was the player who was being most slept-on. The 20-year-old from New Hampshire, who played two years for Rick Pitino at Louisville, went 13th overall.

He’s another guy who improved tremendously during his two years in college and benefitted from the decision to come back to school. He improved his per-game averages for points (from 7.4 to 15.6), assists (1.7 to 2.7), and rebounds (3.4 to 4.9). Additionally, he shot an impressive 35.4 percent from beyond the arc.

There are a few things in particular about Mitchell that have enticed NBA personnel. One is his unusual maturity. Another is his off-the-dribble shooting and skill in the pick-and-roll. And then there’s his 6-foot-10 wingspan.

That’s right. The 6-foot-1 guard has a 6-foot-10 wingspan.

Mitchell played in only two games but led the Summer League in average scoring with 28.0 points per game. He should be a valuable addition to Utah’s fascinating backcourt of Ricky Rubio, Dante Exum, and Rodney Hood.

3. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers

Simmons is the curveball of this group. He didn’t play in Summer League this year, and we still don’t really know what kind of player he’ll turn into. Remember, at one time he was touted as the next LeBron James.

Simmons recently turned 21, and though we haven’t seen him in a regular season game yet (he missed the season due to a foot injury), hopes for him remain high. There’s even a rumor that Simmons has grown 2 inches since he was drafted and now stands just under 7 feet tall.

Simmons presents an intriguing all-around skillset. During his tumultuous year at LSU — which I think we can all now say was not the right place for him — Simmons filled up the stat sheet, averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists.

Simmons is a world-class caliber basketball player and potential All-NBA guy. Basketball fans are hoping he stays healthy this year, because it should be plain fun to watch him play.

2. Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers

Ball, the No. 2 pick in the draft, is the favorite to take the rookie crown, and he showed why in Vegas. The former UCLA Bruin was named Summer League MVP and he posted impressive numbers, averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.

His showing in Vegas was a message to the sports world: now we can stop talking about his dad and just focus on how great this kid is going to be. (OK, maybe we’ll keep talking about his dad, too.)

Lonzo has sky-high potential. He makes everyone on his team better. His outlet passes are so beautiful they might make a tear run down your cheek. And though there are concerns about his effort (“he just wants to look cool too badly”), Ball has enough talent to eclipse any emotional shortcomings, be they real or perceived.

And here’s something to consider: Magic Johnson, who’s known to value competitiveness above all else, loves Ball. He looks at him as the future of the organization. He’s given the reins of his team to the 19-year-old. And based on what we’ve seen to date, the young Big Baller seems up to the task.

1. Dennis Smith Jr., Dallas Mavericks

John Collins had the best dunk of Summer League, but Smith had the best almost dunk. Feast your eyes on the near devastation:

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Smith had some moments at NC State, such as the Wolfpack’s win over Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, in which he posted 32 points, when he looked like the best player in the draft. Smith was named Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and second-team All-ACC.

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Averaging 18.1 points per game as a freshman in the ACC is quite an accomplishment. He even set the conference’s career triple double record.

So, why’d he fall? For one, he has a torn ACL in his past. Secondly, some had concerns about his defensive effort and ball-dominant playing style.

The assumption heading into the draft was: if Smith ends up with a team that’s the right fit, he could far outplay his draft position. And it seems like he will, as Dallas, which needed an explosive scorer, appears perfectly suited for Smith.

If the Mavs unleash the young guard and just let him be himself, Smith — the ninth pick in the draft — could very well lead all rookies in scoring.

Bettors are counting on it. Smith has the second-highest odds of taking ROY, per Oddshark, and he’s my early favorite.

Aaron Mansfield is a freelance sports writer. His work has appeared in Complex, USA Today, and the New York Times. You can reach him via email at [email protected].

from Larry Brown Sports http://ift.tt/2vKWr8W

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yourchoicepage · 7 years ago

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Years Of British Ridiculousness Pave The Way For UK PropTech Boom

It’s been a fascinating, if occasionally turbulent, few years here in the UK; when David Cameron first promised a referendum on EU membership back in 2015, even our best minds had no idea quite how dumbfounding the events that followed would be.

A sure-fire win for Remain was upturned by a narrow a Leave victory, at which point Cameron jumped ship before most of us had buttered our toast. Michael Gove, having stated repeatedly that he doesn’t have what it takes to be leader, stabbed Boris in the back by telling the nation that he’s the only man who has what it takes to be leader. It didn’t take long for Gove to reveal his overt repugnance, and after Andrea Leadsom suggested that only a parent could lead the country, she too fell away. It was Theresa May who finally staggered from the flames.

Despite a relatively strong Tory governance, May grew heady from surprisingly positive opinion polls and, having previously stated on multiple occasions that she would never plunge the country into a snap election, plunged the country into a snap election under the guise of strengthening her parliamentary majority and bolstering her negotiations with the EU.

That misguided plan, however, was scuppered by the The Summer Of Jeremy Corbyn. The Labour leader and old-timer surprised the entire nation, not least his own shadow cabinet, by stripping the Tories of any sort of majority at all. People like Jeremy because he seems honest and promotes peace and takes the bus just like you and me. But then other people hate Jeremy because he seems dishonest and is almost definitely ‘a terrorist’ and doesn’t even own a car.

In the midst of all this rubbish, one would be forgiven for assuming that the atmosphere has grown somewhat sour around here, but it’s not the case. And one of the biggest surprises, post-Brexit, is the fact that the property industry has not only survived, it has thrived. If 2017 keeps going the way it is, the UK will be able to boast more PropTech investment than anywhere else in the world.

How can it be possible that the most valuable asset class of a nation in political and geographical limbo can maintain such growth? The way I see it, there are a few reasons.

Brexit Boom

All anticipation of a post-Brexit property slump was proven wrong almost immediately. In fact, since Brexit, UK commercial property is healthier and seemingly more prosperous than ever.

It is my opinion that the vote to leave Europe may have contributed directly to this period of boom. By drawing attention to an uncertain future, Brexit may have forced big companies that hold a major stake in the UK economy to play their hand earlier than they were perhaps planning to.

In or out of Europe, the UK, and London in particular, are essential hubs for big US companies. The UK is America’s portal to the European market and, because business is carried out in the English language, it likely always will be. Therefore, companies like Facebook, Google and Apple have significant interests in the health of our economy. As such, in the wake of Brexit, they may have felt the need to act quickly to show solidarity and belief in the future of Britain. Apple purchased much-revered office space in the Battersea Power Station and Google has committed to a sprawling ‘landscraper’ campus in historic King’s Cross.

Had Cameron not been a complete twonk and called for a referendum based on self-interest and vanity, these companies might not have yet played their hands, in terms of investing further in the UK, and 2017 wouldn’t be proving such a bumper year for property.

What about UK PropTech?

Let’s move away from general property to focus on UK PropTech. What forces have allowed investment and growth to keep rising in a period of such uncertainty?

First and foremost, it was time. Between 2014 and 2016, America and Asia enjoyed the majority of investor’s interest. Millions upon millions were ploughed into disruptive startups as well as established companies pivoting to survive in this period of digital transformation. Meanwhile, the UK plodded along, sure and steady, waiting for its time in the spotlight. That time is now. America and Asian investment have levelled off and all eyes have turned to Europe.

But that’s not to sell short the talent that we have in the UK. Our budding startups and emerging brands have made bold moves to try and push increased adoption of their services and products. The property world is notoriously cagey towards new tech and one early barrier to the UK’s success was a reluctance to adopt the innovative systems being introduced.

That’s why PropTech companies have had to be simultaneously patient and proactive, re-analysing their business models to try and overcome initially cool receptions. One example of this is EyeSpy360, a virtual reality company who provide 360-degree virtual tours for property. In order to speed up the adoption of their tech, they made a brave and brilliant move. They realigned their plans in order to offer a Freemium service that allows anyone and everyone to create a virtual tour of their property absolutely free of charge.

A significant obstacle to wider market adoption of VR is accessibility. By providing the equipment and expertise required for people to create DIY VR property tours, EyeSpy 360 are actively contributing to the rising demand for the technology.

Numerous examples of this sort of creative problem solving have been key contributors to the rapid growth of UK PropTech.

The Queen is Ditching Deposits

Yes, the snap election was a pantomime, but it did result in a Queen’s Speech sooner than we planned. And because the Tories had lost their parliamentary majority, they were unable to push through the majority of their proposed policies. The Queen’s Speech was much shorter and lacking in solid pledges than ever before. However, what’s really interesting is that one thing that did make it in was a complete ban on the hidden fees that estate agents and landlords like charge incoming rental tenants. In a speech thin on content, it’s important that this was chosen for inclusion.

It has caused a mixed reaction; predictably, the people who get charged are happy, the ones who do the charging are glum. Fees and deposits are big news here, and there are numerous PropTech groups working to save homebuyers and renters money by eliminating extra costs.

We have companies like Purplebricks, the online estate agent, running ads like this, directly using ‘no fees’ as their hook. And then there is Reposit, a PropTech company with the singular mission of eliminating the tenancy deposit with an affordable and reliable alternative.

Interestingly, a large collective, lead by Zoopla (our equivalent of Zillow), has recently announced that they themselves are to introduce a tenancy deposit alternative; there could be no bigger sign that there is a growing interest in this niche sector.

Outlawing hidden fees is a good example of how changes in UK laws and regulations are paving the way for greater PropTech success, and it’s it’s early introduction is another example of UK PropTech enjoying a happy accident resulting from arrogant politics.

Collaboration

UK PropTech has long been a secretive industry where companies are reluctant to show too much and are closed to collaboration. But that’s normal for a young industry, still working out exactly what its core mission is. Thankfully, this is coming to an end as UK PropTech enters adolescence and entrepreneurs are realising that, to act truly in the interests of the property industry, they need to interact, share and collaborate with other companies and institutions.

For me, this sort collaboration is an essential ingredient in the future success of the UK scene. Without it, we place great limitations on the speed at which we can innovate.

As well as inter-PropTech, we are also seeing an even more exciting type of collaboration, one which demonstrates how the mentality of our major institutions is changing. One recent example is the announcement that HMLR and Ordnance Survey have partnered up with the sole purpose of helping the PropTech community with more accessible, more efficient and more comprehensive land data.

The UK has long suffered from sluggish, anti-tech attitudes from the established, traditional property firms. In 2017, we are finally leaving these Luddite attitudes behind and even the most traditional of institutions are opening up to collaboration with tech.

Open Data

The subject of land data brings me nicely to another key area of UK PropTech; the argument of open data.

Open data, data that is free for all, is quite simply essential for future growth. If big companies don’t share their data sets with each other, all they are able to do is analyse and reanalyse their own; over and over again. But if everyone shares, everyone has access to everything, and with access to everything, creative minds can do anything.

There is still some reluctance to sharing, especially from the biggest of firms, but to illustrate how seriously the idea of data is being taken in the UK, I point you in the direction of a man called Dan.

Dan Hughes is somewhat of a PropTech celebrity over here, thanks mainly to his position as Director of Data and Information Product Management at The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). For such a traditional body to create such a forward looking job position shows how important the improvement of data practices is being taken, and a great indicator that we are moving towards being a truly forward thinking industry.

Some Things Still Need Work…

Things are looking good for UK PropTech, but that’s not to say there aren’t a few areas of concern. One example, and a particular niggle for me, would be the apparent reluctance to distinguish between disruption and innovation.

Although ‘disrupt’ is very much the zeitgeist term, I am firmly in the camp that believes more in innovation, and it concerns me some recent PropTech announcements and forecasts have been more focussed on disruption.

The difference between the two, as I see it, is that innovation is technological advancement for the benefit of the user; disruption is the uprooting and replacement of a previously trusted system.

Disruption certainly has its place and is an important part of the digital transformation, but here in the UK, I don’t think we are asking enough questions before accepting disruptive rather than innovative forces.

For example, over in America, since Zillow introduced instant offers as part of their service (a clear attempt to bypass the realtor), there has been a strong backlash from the realtor community, including calls to boycott the Zillow platform altogether. I think it’s interesting, and a little disappointing, that we’re not seeing similar reactions over here. Zoopla, our prominent online property portal, has, in my opinion, obvious intentions to introduce a series of services that would normally be fulfilled by a broker.

Much like Uber has nearly wiped London cabbies off the map, Zoopla could start following up on their own leads, rather than selling them on. And yet nobody is saying anything about it.

The people at the core of our PropTech industry have worked too hard and too long to be completely disrupted by a full-service giant. I hope, moving forward, we hear more from the people who want to protect the core values of property and stop those in their tracks who want to introduce forces that go against the wider and greater interests of the industry.

The UK benefits from a rich history and enviable culture that is recognised the world over. Because of that, it will forever remain a key global hub. We are lucky in that. But there is still a real issue of North and South divide. As a nation, we place too much emphasis on London, and major cities in The North remain underserved by the government as well as global investment.

For UK PropTech to truly thrive, this needs to change. Currently, London has very different cultural and political stances than the vast majority of the country, something painted in screaming colours by the Brexit vote. This is the direct result of an uneven distribution of wealth and with property being the most valuable asset class we have, it carries a large responsibility in addressing this issue.

Our political future may be impossible to predict, but that doesn’t seem to have had any effect on the appetite for UK real estate. Just so long as our industry keeps its eyes open and looking forward, and our government improves efforts to share London’s success with the rest of the country, our PropTech entrepreneurs and innovators have a clear and fruit-lined road ahead.

Or maybe it’s all down to ‘The Bo-Jo Effect’

The last few years have been negotiated with a stereotypically British bumble, and maybe that’s the secret to our success? The rest of world finds it endearing, hence Boris Johnson’s staggering popularity overseas. It could be that, rather than turn the world off, our political ineptitude has actually helped the UK become more attractive. Maybe, when we finally get our shit together, investors will get bored and PropTech investment will level off?

The post Years Of British Ridiculousness Pave The Way For UK PropTech Boom appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

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clarencevancleave · 8 years ago

Text

Years Of British Ridiculousness Pave The Way For UK PropTech Boom

How can it be possible that the most valuable asset class of a nation in political and geographical limbo can maintain such growth? The way I see it, there are a few reasons.

Brexit Boom

All anticipation of a post-Brexit property slump was proven wrong almost immediately. In fact, since Brexit, UK commercial property is healthier and seemingly more prosperous than ever.

What about UK PropTech?

Let’s move away from general property to focus on UK PropTech. What forces have allowed investment and growth to keep rising in a period of such uncertainty?

Numerous examples of this sort of creative problem solving have been key contributors to the rapid growth of UK PropTech.

The Queen is Ditching Deposits

Collaboration

For me, this sort collaboration is an essential ingredient in the future success of the UK scene. Without it, we place great limitations on the speed at which we can innovate.

Open Data

The subject of land data brings me nicely to another key area of UK PropTech; the argument of open data.

Some Things Still Need Work…

The difference between the two, as I see it, is that innovation is technological advancement for the benefit of the user; disruption is the uprooting and replacement of a previously trusted system.

Much like Uber has nearly wiped London cabbies off the map, Zoopla could start following up on their own leads, rather than selling them on. And yet nobody is saying anything about it.

Or maybe it’s all down to ‘The Bo-Jo Effect’

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garynsmith · 8 years ago

Text

Years Of British Ridiculousness Pave The Way For UK PropTech Boom

http://ift.tt/2uy7S0D

How can it be possible that the most valuable asset class of a nation in political and geographical limbo can maintain such growth? The way I see it, there are a few reasons.

Brexit Boom

All anticipation of a post-Brexit property slump was proven wrong almost immediately. In fact, since Brexit, UK commercial property is healthier and seemingly more prosperous than ever.

What about UK PropTech?

Let’s move away from general property to focus on UK PropTech. What forces have allowed investment and growth to keep rising in a period of such uncertainty?

Numerous examples of this sort of creative problem solving have been key contributors to the rapid growth of UK PropTech.

The Queen is Ditching Deposits

Collaboration

For me, this sort collaboration is an essential ingredient in the future success of the UK scene. Without it, we place great limitations on the speed at which we can innovate.

Open Data

The subject of land data brings me nicely to another key area of UK PropTech; the argument of open data.

Some Things Still Need Work…

The difference between the two, as I see it, is that innovation is technological advancement for the benefit of the user; disruption is the uprooting and replacement of a previously trusted system.

Much like Uber has nearly wiped London cabbies off the map, Zoopla could start following up on their own leads, rather than selling them on. And yet nobody is saying anything about it.

Or maybe it’s all down to ‘The Bo-Jo Effect’

The post Years Of British Ridiculousness Pave The Way For UK PropTech Boom appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

from GeekEstate Blog http://ift.tt/2uUUYwm via IFTTT

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trilotechcorp · 8 years ago

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New Post has been published on PBA-Live

New Post has been published on http://pba-live.com/omar-figueroa-jr-drops-robert-guerrero-five-times-on-way-to-a-ko-victory/

Omar Figueroa Jr. drops Robert Guerrero five times on way to a KO victory

Welterweight Omar Figueroa Jr. returned with a vengeance from a 19-month layoff, dropping Robert Guerrero five times in a third-round-knockout victory in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card on Fox on Saturday night at the newly renovated Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

The Long Island arena was hosting a boxing event for the first time since Mike Tyson fought there in 1986, and Figueroa, a former lightweight world titleholder, showed the kind of aggressiveness before the crowd of 7,492 that the old Iron Mike used to display.

After Guerrero (33-6-1, 18 KOs) had a good first round, Figueroa (27-0-1, 19 KOs) went to work and turned Guerrero into a punching bag in a fight that featured plenty of action but was one-sided. After the fight Guerrero was taken to Nassau University Medical Center for precautionary reasons.

Figueroa took the time off in large part because of his chronically injured hands, which he estimates he has broken six or seven times. He said the layoff let his hands rest and that he felt good in his return as Guerrero suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

“I’m finally healthy. That’s it,” Figueroa said. “He put up a great effort. My respect to Robert. It’s an honor to be sharing the same ring with him and even better to beat him.”

In the second round, Figueroa landed a massive left uppercut that snapped Guerrero’s head back and knocked him down barely a minute into the round. Guerrero mounted a brief comeback but was soon down again from a right hand. And then it was a pair of left hands that sent him to the mat with about 20 seconds to go.

“We threw the punches we practiced a lot in training camp, the left uppercut. It just happened to work,” Figueroa said.

Guerrero, 34, of Gilroy, California, coming off an 11-month layoff, appeared to have weathered the storm when he came out fast for the third round and forced Figueroa into the corner, but Figueroa did not waiver. He fired back a right hand and Guerrero went down for the fourth times. Moments later, Figueroa landed a left hand to the body and Guerrero went down to a knee, and referee Ron Lipton waved it off at 1 minute, 34 seconds.

According to CompuBox punch statistics, Figueroa landed 88 of 185 punches (48 percent), and Guerrero, a southpaw, landed 78 of 201 (39 percent).

Although Figueroa, 27, of Weslaco, Texas, looked good as a welterweight, he said he wants to go down to junior welterweight to look for a world title.

“I felt good. I want to win a title at 140,” said Figueroa, who held a lightweight world title from 2013 to 2014 before moving up in weight.

For Guerrero, who has not looked good in years, the loss appears to be the end of the road for him at least in terms of major televised fights.

He has won world titles at featherweight and junior lightweight, as well as interim belts at lightweight and welterweight, but now has lost five of his past seven fights; it easily could have been six losses in that span but for kind scorecards in a 2015 bout with Aron Martinez.

Browne destroys Monaghan

Light heavyweight Marcus Browne, a 2012 U.S. Olympian, spent time in the gym sparring with Seanie Monaghan and they have been friends for several years. But when it came to the real fight, Browne destroyed his former sparring partner and pal in two rounds in front of Monaghan’s hometown crowd.

“I want thank Sean for giving me the opportunity and taking the fight,” Browne said. “It was very tough. This is a guy I got love for, but I just had to take care of business and do what I had to do.”

Browne (20-0, 15 KOs), a southpaw from Staten Island, New York, got off to a strong start, knocking down Monaghan, a Long Island fan favorite, with a clean straight left hand about 30 seconds into the fight. Monaghan (28-1, 17 KOs) also was hurt by a left hand that strayed below the belt, and referee Steve Willis warned Browne for the foul.

Browne, 26, continued to pound on Monaghan in the second round. He landed a powerful right hook that sent Monaghan, 35, into the ropes, and then Browne pounced. He landed about a dozen unanswered punches, and as Monaghan looked for cover along the ropes, Willis jumped in and stopped the one-sided bout at 40 seconds.

According to CompuBox punch statistics, Browne landed 42 of 105 punches (40 percent), while Monaghan connected on only 9 of 52 (17 percent), none of which remotely hurt Browne.

Browne wants a world title fight next and targeted Montreal’s Adonis Stevenson (29-1, 24 KOs), the lineal champion.

“I want Adonis Stevenson next. I want to fight for that strap and bring it back home to New York City,” Browne said.

Kownacki drills Szpilka

Brooklyn-based Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki tore countryman Artur Szpilka apart in a dominant fourth-round-knockout victory, by far the biggest win of his blossoming career.

Before the fight, Kownacki said the fight would be his “coming out party. I’m going to make a statement on Saturday. I’ve been patiently waiting for this chance, and now I’m going to prove that I belong.”

He did exactly what he said he would.

Kownacki, 28, roughed up Szpilka, also 28, in the third round and then took him out impressively in the fourth, in which he scored two knockdowns.

Kownacki (16-0, 13 KOs) unleashed a flurry of about 10 unanswered punches, including multiple big right hands, to knock Szpilka down for the first time. When Kownacki landed two massive right hands during the follow-up attack, Szpilka, who regularly left his hands at his side and paid for it, sagged into the corner as referee Arthur Mercante stopped the fight at 1 minute, 37 seconds.

“I always knew that I had him. From the first shot I hit him in the body, I knew he didn’t have enough. My pressure was too much,” Kownacki said.

According to CompuBox, Kownacki landed 63 of 222 punches (28 percent) and Szpilka, southpaw, connected with 27 of 144 (19 percent).

“He hit me once with a good shot and after that I just never recovered,” Szpilka said. “I’m going to rest now. This was not how I wanted this to go, and I’m very disappointed. I wish Adam the best going forward. This is a very hard moment for me.”

Szpilka (20-3, 15 KOs), coming off an 18-month layoff, suffered his second knockout loss in a row, having been knocked unconscious in brutal fashion in the ninth round of a world-title challenge against Deontay Wilder in January 2016.

“It took Deontay Wilder and Bryant Jennings a lot longer to get him out of there,” Kownacki said. “But I still have things that I’m going to go back and fix. Once I improve those aspects of my game, I think that a lot of people are going to know me.

“Whatever he was doing, I was ready for. I worked for four weeks with Tomasz Adamek in Poland, and then four weeks here, so it was really an ideal camp. I was able to really just focus on boxing and put myself in this position.”

Source: http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/20075534/omar-figueroa-jr-drops-robert-guerrero-five-s-way-ko-victory

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junker-town · 8 years ago

Text

Falcons’ ‘fast and physical’ identity starts with Dan Quinn

The culture Quinn has built in Atlanta has made the Falcons contenders.

If you spend any amount of time around Dan Quinn, you’ll notice that there are several words he consistently uses to describe the type of play he wants to see from the defense. It’s not just “fast and physical,” but also “toughness and grit.”

These are cliches, but you see the words translated to action with players like Grady Jarrett, who managed to sack Tom Brady three times in Super Bowl LI. You see it in the speed of middle linebacker Deion Jones, who returned two interceptions for touchdowns last year. And you see it in the dramatic improvement of Vic Beasley, who led the league in sacks last season.

The year before Quinn arrived, the Atlanta Falcons’ defense finished the 2014 season ranked dead last in the league for total defense. The hope was that Quinn could shape the unit into something like the top-ranked Seattle Seahawks defense that he was leaving to come to Atlanta.

The Falcons defense keeps getting better

In 2015, Quinn’s first season at the helm, the Falcons improved from 32nd in the league for yards allowed per game to 16th.

But those players didn’t fit what Quinn was trying to build. That defensive scheme is essentially a 4-3 defense, but with one defensive end, known as a LEO, who typically comes off the snap standing up instead of having a hand on the ground. It also employs a lot of cover 3 zone, which requires not just quality secondary play, but relies on linebackers who can pick up the slack, too.

Atlanta had two good cornerbacks in Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford, but it was lacking hard-hitting safeties like Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Also missing was someone who could fill the LEO role, and the speed Quinn covets on that side of the ball wasn’t really on the roster.

When you look at Atlanta’s traditional stats from last season, they’re not overly impressive. The Falcons finished the year ranked 25th in the league for yards per game, and 27th in the league for scoring.

But if you break it down game by game, you see improvement after the team’s bye in Week 11. The 361.3 yards per game they averaged over those six weeks was only slightly better than the 371.2 yards per game they allowed the rest of the season. The biggest improvement was that Atlanta averaged 20.5 points allowed per game down that stretch, compared with 25.4 per game over the whole year.

More importantly, the defense now fits Quinn’s ideal.

They’re fast

You see the speed everywhere on the roster, but most notably in the defensive players the team has brought in under Quinn.

Charles McDonald of The Falcoholic notes that the two traits the Falcons prioritize when scouting defensive players are their performance in the broad jump and the three-cone drill.

The three-cone drill provides a baseline expectation for a player’s change-of-direction skills, and the broad jump measures the potential for explosive play. All of the defensive players the Falcons have drafted in Dan Quinn’s first three seasons as head coach hit at least the 70th percentile in one or both drills, with the exception of De’Vondre Campbell.

Deion Jones exemplifies that speed. He used it to turn two of his three picks last season into scores.

That speed sets Jones, and the rest of his unit, apart.

“Deion, I don’t know if there’s a faster linebacker in the NFL,” linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “De’Vondre is not far behind, and then to add Duke. And Josh Keyes has speed. LaRoy Reynolds has speed. I mean, everybody — Jermaine Grace has speed. I’d put our group against about anybody when it comes to that.”

They added to that speed this offseason, bringing in Takkarist McKinley and Duke Riley in the draft. McKinley ran a blazing-fast 4.59 40-yard dash for a 6’2, 250-pound man. Riley, who is projected to take over the starting weakside linebacker role, was a top performer at the combine in the 40-yard dash with a 4.58, as well as the three-cone drill with a 6.89-second performance.

McKinley should help with the Falcons’ pass rush, building on what Vic Beasley did last season. Riley is already penciled in as the starting weakside linebacker.

They’re physical

Pressuring opposing quarterbacks is a priority in Atlanta, and it’s an area in which the team took a big step forward last season.

They went from 22 sacks in Mike Smith’s final season, to 19 and dead last in the league in 2015. Last year, they turned it around with 34, which placed them 16th in the NFL. Beasley had help last year from veterans like Adrian Clayborn and Courtney Upshaw, but McKinley’s speed could be devastating when coupled with Beasley’s.

It’s not just the young guys. The Falcons added Dontari Poe, a remarkably athletic defensive tackle who’s also 6’3 and 346 pounds. Just watch him score a receiving touchdown for the Kansas City Chiefs last season. Oh, and Poe had a passing touchdown for Kansas City, too.

The Falcons also brought in Jack Crawford, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, to replace Tyson Jackson. Crawford has the same skill set as Jackson and can play defensive end or slide over to tackle in Quinn’s scheme, but he’s got a better motor. That makes him a smarter fit for this defense.

It doesn’t stop with rushing the passer. It extends to limiting big offensive plays and creating turnovers, which is still a work in progress.

Last season, the Falcons finished with 12 interceptions, good for 18th in the league, and 17 forced fumbles, which placed them fifth. It’s an area where the coaching staff wants players get better.

They do all of this by constantly working on perfecting their fundamentals. Hand placement, sound tackling, gap discipline, and footwork are things that you might think would come naturally to players who have been immersed in this game since childhood. But the Falcons’ coaching staff believes that a constant focus on refining those basic elements of football will help this unit get to where they want it to be.

“If we improve on those, and as you look at the entire part of it — fundamentals,” defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel said. “Tackles where the guy throws four yards, but they gain 35 — that’s hidden yardage that shouldn’t be there.”

They’re young

Of the projected starters on defense, a majority have three seasons or fewer of experience. That includes three starters entering their second season — Keanu Neal, Campbell, and Jones, as well as nickelback Brian Poole, an undrafted free agent who played a majority of the defensive snaps last season.

Ulbrich said that experience the young players got as rookies last season is invaluable, and it’s rare.

“A lot of times, young players aren’t given that opportunity for whatever reason — the organization, coaches are scared, whatever,” Ulbrich said. “Because there were moments that were rough last year, where like I said, they didn’t know what they didn’t know. But it was really cool to see how they grew.”

As these young players get more experience, the defense will continue to get better. And while the Falcons still have work to do to build up that side of the ball, they haven’t let the offense fall by the wayside.

The offense hasn’t been neglected

The mistake Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith made when building the Falcons’ roster together was overlooking the defense to create an explosive offense.

The Falcons had the benefit of decent depth at most positions heading into this offseason. It freed them up to prioritize keeping key players who were set to hit free agency, like wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, a major contributor to Atlanta’s top-scoring offense last year, and tackle Ryan Schraeder, who has been a reliable fixture on the right side of the line.

The biggest question for the Falcons going into the season is how the departure of Kyle Shanahan will impact things. Shanahan was hired to be the San Francisco 49ers head coach after the Falcons lost the Super Bowl because he didn’t want to run the dang ball. Steve Sarkisian was hired to take his place.

Part of the reason the team went with Sarkisian to fill the offensive coordinator role is because he can orchestrate essentially the same offense Atlanta ran last season, with some tweaks. There will probably be less emphasis on the fullback and more on the tight ends, but otherwise, the scheme should remain similar to the one the Falcons experienced so much success in last season.

The other element of the culture Quinn has brought to the Falcons carries over to the locker room.

A ‘prove-it’ culture

“It doesn’t matter how they got their butts into that room,” Quinn said. “Here on a tryout, here as an undrafted free agent or a draft pick, we’re looking for great competitors and guys who want to totally buy into the team concept that’s part of our locker room, our team.”

You can already see the culture Quinn has worked to build reflected in the rookies. It hasn’t taken long for them to pick up his catchphrases.

“A lot of people don’t make it this far, and I’m just happy to be able to be here and just be a part of a brotherhood,” rookie first-rounder Takk McKinley said during rookie minicamp. “For me, being a brother, the brotherhood — you can say it all you want, but you’ve got to prove it to the guys.”

That brotherhood and the standard Quinn and the rest of the coaching staff have set are central to the team’s success, almost as much as the fast and physical play.

“It’s brotherhood,” Manuel said. “And the thing that we always talk about — if I can watch tape and I don’t see my brother straining the same way I am ... my brother, you know what, am I sacrificing my life for your life right now? I don’t know, as I look at that play. I could have probably done more.”

The Falcons got to Super Bowl LI because of the talent on the roster and the culture Quinn has built in Atlanta. They’ll lean on that culture to move past the blown 28-3 lead and the historic Super Bowl collapse to get right back into contention in 2017.

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