#trent is the first person he tells that he’s going back to kansas to be with his son

[humanthatexistsrn]

praying that if tedtrent is even in the cards they start building it up next episode with longing gazes, confused looks from other characters, sweet comments about one another, and just all around typical rom-com stuff.

[itsclydebitches]

I'm preparing myself for the personal disappointment of Ted going back home to Kansas (even though I don't believe that's his home anymore) and that Trent will see him off in a ruby slippers shirt, especially since Lance has worn one before and we now know a lot of Trent's shirts are coming from his closet:

But in writing another meta I've been thinking a lot about Ted Lasso's clothing, particularly how it is used to connect with others and showcase growth. Sometimes that attempt is a failure and the growth is a detriment to the character, such as Nate trying to copy Roy's all black suit, and sometimes it's a success and the growth is something to celebrate, like Roy finding a compromise between his and Phoebe's tastes with his dark-colored, tie-die t-shirt. Beyond the issue that I don't want Ted to go back to Kansas at all (not unless the intention is to have him realize that Richmond is his true home now), a Dorothy shirt would fall flat for me because there's no in-universe connection to Ted. We as the audience understand the allusion because we've been picking up on hints since Season 1: Ted makes a quip about not being in Kansas anymore, he holds high scores on a Wizard of Oz pinball machine, he's surrounded by other allusions such as an emotionless man in need of a heart (Roy), a scared lion who rejects being a panda (Rebecca), and the comedic, presumed idiot who does in fact have a brain (Jamie). But all of that exists on an analytical level. In-world, Ted hasn't identified with Dorothy and what few connections there are -- such as that acknowledgement that he feels out of his depth in a new world -- are no longer accurate three seasons later, after a hell of a lot of growth. Unlike the suit and the shirts that exist overtly on screen as a way to say, "These characters are sharing a connection," Trent talking to Ted in a Dorothy shirt would feel too removed from textual!Ted and textual!Trent to have the same impact. This shirt totally sums up his story!... provided you've done the work to interpret all the easily missed hints and ignored the ways in which a Wizard of Oz ending would (imo) be a regression for Ted.

With an acknowledgment that I'm playing with all this through the assumption that Trent's shirt will have something to do with Ted, rather than us just getting an Overtly Queer shirt to show that Trent has fully embraced who he is, I've been hemming and hawing over what I'd give him instead. In some ways, Ted is notable for his lack of distinct fashion. He wears Richmond gear 70% of the time and the rest is plain colored long-sleeved shirts and collared shirts with polos. It's a distinctly Ted look to be sure (passionate and athletic vs. soft, comfortable, and mildly professional while still feeling approachable), but there's less material to work with than, say, Keeley's vibrate, quirky wardrobe; or Rebecca's preference towards outfits that emphasize her power as a kind of shield: wealth, beauty, her height; or -- of course -- Trent's move from buttoned-up journalist to queer bracelet, queer mug, queer style icon t-shirts. I can't think of anything Trent could wear off the top of my head that would a) be within his "vibe" and b) scream "I'M DECLARING MY SUPPORT AND/OR ROMANTIC LOVE FOR TED FUCKING LASSO."

Except, of course, for a "BELIEVE" shirt.

While I love and fully agree with Ted's speech about how belief needs to come from within and, thus, their sign is not actually necessary, a part of me is still disappointed that "BELIEVE" is no longer a visual part of the club. I'd be more willing to accept letting it go if we hadn't seen that Ted himself still relies on those visual reminders. Not only does he choose to put the sign up in the first place rather than simply telling the boys to believe in themselves, but back when Nate was doubting their chances in Ted's apartment, Ted sprints to his bathroom to retrieve one of mini signs he, obviously, keeps on hand and presumably sees every morning, soon as he gets up. It's important to him, not just the message, but the physicality of the reminder itself, so I've been expecting/hoping for the message to return in a new form by the end of the season.

Granted, that little moment was a while ago and it's possible that the writers didn't realize the implications it would have when Ted later ripped up the sign. However, another reason why I don't think my expectation is completely hopeless is because of the Season 3 promo, wherein all the Richmond family make their own BELIEVE signs. Forgetting a small gag back in Season 1 or 2 is understandable, but the promotion for the latest season? Why in the world would our advertising emphasize -- and celebrate! -- all the characters creating signs of their own if the message was meant to be, "Let the sign go. It's no longer needed"?

We didn't get this scene in the show proper, but it still speaks volumes that they filmed a moment where every character puts their own spin on the BELIEVE sign, using it to highlight their personality. Then, we end with a shot of Ted's touched approval as he talks about feeling seen.

Chronologically, Trent would have been around for all this. There's no need for the team to make their own signs until they realize the original has been torn and, obviously, Trent had become a part of the family by then. He's the one who discovered how the sign was torn in the first place. So if we read the promo as canonical, even if it didn't end up in an episode, why wouldn't Trent have joined in with everyone else? Thing is, he doesn't have a locker to hang a sign on, or even an office to put it in, and given that he's worn the same two bracelets and consistently used the same mug, there's really only one way that Trent shows his personality:

Shirts.

Some of which are notably brightly colored with blocky text referencing American-style learning.

I don't want Trent to walk into the finale with a Dorothy shirt whose importance only exists on a subtexual level and heralds Ted leaving the actual home he's worked to build. I want Trent to strut out in a bright yellow shirt with BELIEVE across the front, announcing to the world that, yes, he believes in the Lasso Way. Give me the implication that he had this made when everyone was personalizing their signs. Give me a fully confident "dork" who's willing to excitedly proclaim his love and support without fear of censor. Give me a BELIEVE reminder that's now tailored to the individual and can be worn or safely tucked away as needed. Give me the possibility (because it's not gonna be canon😭) that Trent is in love with Ted and he's going to display that in the most overt but-not-actually-saying-it way possible.

He sees Ted and he loves what he sees.

Dorothy and her allusion don't exist in the textual show proper and they're definitely not connected to Trent's relationship with Ted. What is though? The very first words Trent said about Ted that weren't an insult, accusation, snide remark, or disbelieving question:

"I can't help but root for him."

What better way to take Trent full circle than to let him literally wear his heart on his sleeve, shouting in bright colors and with a noticeable vibe that yes, he does believe in Ted Lasso.

[roamwithahungryheart]

Ted Lasso 3x01 - Episode Review

It's that time again!

For anyone who has yet to catch the s3 premiere, I'm posting my review under the cut. Are you ready Greyhounds? Let's go!

There's a lot to pack into 46 minutes, and boy does this episode pack a punch.

The episode opens with a close-up of a visibly anxious Ted at London Heathrow. He checks his phone - a text from Michelle - 'Have a safe flight! I love you!'

They know how to throw us for a loop. Is Ted leaving? Is this a flashback?

All is revealed. The text wasn't meant for Ted.

Henry is heading back to Kansas.

Not only is this a deeply personal and conflicting moment for Ted, it's a gut punch for anyone who's ever been in his position as a parent, as a partner, as someone away from home. Sooner or later, you start to wonder if you're doing the right thing.

From the outset, it's made clear that this is going to be one of the major themes of this season. One of the many things this show does well is the level of attention to detail. Everything connects. Everything means something.

The opening credits are darker. The color palette is more muted.

Change is afoot in our beloved Richmond.

We're in the dark forest.

It's jarring, because even though we see the team going on another one of Ted's classic unorthodox training adventures, even though there are laughs along the way, things feel different. A lot has happened in six weeks.

At the end of season 2, we knew there would be a focus on mental health with the irreplaceable (sorry Marcus Adebayo) Trent Crimm, independent, hoping to publish an article on the subject after Ted's very public panic attack.

At the beginning of season 3, Ted addresses his mental health in a press conference with self-deprecating humor that at times makes you feel a little uncomfortable. But it's supposed to - we're watching a man on the brink. Anyone who's suffered the same mental health struggles as Ted will recognize the walls he puts up. The facade of happiness. Behind every joke is a search for validation - confirmation that the world sees him the same way he sees himself, for better or for worse.

This is the most obvious and brutally honest depiction of mental health struggles we've seen in the show so far. We have more sympathy for, and a more visceral reaction to Ted's journey. This season is about facing demons, finding yourself and healing.

It isn't limited to just one character either - in the first episode alone, Rebecca, Roy, Keeley and Nate have their own demons to exorcise.

Rebecca is still haunted by Rupert, Keeley is suffering from burnout, Roy's insecurities are starting to show, and Nate's identity crisis has landed him in an abusive working environment.

Keeley tells Rebecca that she 'trust[s] in the universe'. But we start to get the feeling that the way things are working out will prove to be a case of right place, wrong time.

The journey s3 is taking us on is a much rockier road than previous seasons, but if we've learned anything from previous seasons, it's that we have to trust in the process. After all -

'it may not work out how you think it will, or how you hope it does, but believe me, it will all work out. Exactly as it's supposed to. Our job is to have zero expectations and just let go.'

[politelymenacing]

I have a few crack predictions, some realistic and some not:

-The whole team comes out as some kind of queer person and Colin's dream has come true

-We get Michael this episode (and if they win Colin gets to kiss him, maybe not in front of the cameras but surrounded by his friends)

-Totally ripped off another person's post but the team finds out Ted's leaving and they all run to the airport to stop him rom-communism style

-Trent will once again be serving cunt

-I am a TedTrent girly so I desperately want another interaction

-Bex and Rupert break up and she gets the club :)))

-Say Ted does leave to Kansas and we see him there, I want him to mention his boys are coming for a visit soon 🥺🥺

-Roy and Keeley back together, and they're in a throuple with Jamie

-I kinda wanna see Henry again this episode??? Like maybe even if it's just via FaceTime and Henry is the one that convinces Ted to stay in London (because if the whole reason Ted is leaving London is for his son, then I think his son should be the one to convince him to stay)

-I WANT TED TO CALL THE TEAM HIS BOYS AND TELL THEM HOW PROUD HE IS OF THEM OKAY IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK FOR?????

-I want Richard and Jan to have some more screen time I love them so much 🥺🥺

This went off the rails a bit but yeah 👍 this is my list what do you think???

Ahhhh thank you!!

Gonna take these one by one.

1. I think there are a few token straights in there, but definitely few and far between! Someone call Oprah, stat!

2. Yes yes yes. Before Amsterdam I was convinced that Colin was going to kiss Michael after a match or something and prove Nate wrong when he told Colin he doesn't inspire people. Notably, I thought he would inspire Baz to introduce his West Ham boyfriend to the pub gang. But then Colin said he didn't want to be a spokesperson, so I think maybe at a post-season or leaving party. Having said that I think that Colin and Will are adorable and should date.

3. YES. I saw this post too! Absolutely love this idea and want it to be true more than any other theory. He has won them over (even Roy!) with the Romcommunism. And the absolute chaos of all of them running through the airport would be a thing of beauty.

4. When is Trent not?

5. I too have fallen prey to the Tedependent brain rot. They have to talk about the book surely? And Ted HAS to ask Trent what he is doing next, right?? I mean, in a world where the ship became canon there are a million different scenarios I would be happy with. Trent doing the airport dash (maybe with the himbos as support), Trent saying nothing and Ted realising when he read the book which is just a long love letter, Trent turning up on the plane to Kansas, something in the press room, they go out for a meal to relive their first date interview... the list goes on.

6. Yes. 100% think this will actually happen. Slightly more on the cracky side: Rebecca and Bex are slowly going to get all the Premier League owners' wives to take over the clubs 🤣

7. Beard and Rebecca are going to arrange some friendly matches for Richmond to play against US Teams so everyone will visit.

8. Wouldn't be mad about Roy/Jamie/Keeley if it happened. It would certainly make sense after the last few episodes! Phoebe would be over the fucking moon. She is gonna be one rich niece! 🤣

9. I think Henry will play a big part for sure. Either he stops Ted from leaving, convinces him to go back to London because he's unhappy, or he moves to London. I am sort of half convinced it's the last one because they have been laying the ground work for it with the bullying and the failing science and the fact he doesn't seem to care too much for Dr. Jacob.

10. There will for sure be one last locker room speech, but I am kinda holding out for him winning Manager of the Season and saying something like that then and making everyone (especially me) cry.

11. Richard and Jan both crack me up. I am so grateful that we have gotten more of the team this series, but there's never enough time 😩

[sweaterkittensahoy]

Michelle and Henry coming to visit in Forward For Growth

"Hi, Michelle," Ted replies. Henry wiggles in his grasp, and Ted lets him go. Henry walks over to Beard and holds out his hand, and Beard lets go of Michelle so he and Henry can go through a particularly intricate handshake. 

Ted watches with a smile on his face. Michelle sidles up to him and gives him a real smile. Not at all like the last time she flew in. A small part of Ted mourns how unhappy she was the last time she came, but a much larger part is sincerely happy that she's happy. 

"Hug okay?" Ted asks. He'd asked when he'd landed in Kansas, too. He'd worked with Doc Larry about how he wanted to show Michelle he was committed to seeing and respecting the change in their relationship when they were in person, and making the hug a question has been the exact option that Ted needs.

"I would love one," Michelle says, throwing her arms out, and she and Ted hug in a tight, beautiful way that quiets the last of the anxiety in his head. It feels like a hug from Keeley or Rebecca, he realizes. Full of love and care for him that carries no romantic undertone. 

Ted doesn't try to blink away his tears when they pull away from each other. He smiles when he sees Michelle is teary-eyed as well.

"Are we staying with you, Dad?" Henry asks.

Ted and Michelle share a chuckle at Henry's interruption, then Ted turns to Henry. He has to stop himself from crouching down. Henry's too tall for that now. He settles for clapping a hand on Henry's shoulder and bending over so they're nearly eye-level with Henry looking up a little. "You're just down the street from me," Ted says. "And I've got a key at my place for you and your mom so you two can come in and out however you want."

"Can I stay with you some nights?" Henry asks, looking suddenly nervous. 

Ted's stomach yanks hard, and he has to take a deep breath. "Of course!" he says. "Absolutely and as many times as you want to. I just didn't think it was nice to make your mama sleep on the couch."

"Mom's short enough to fit," Henry says with all the guileless insult of a ten-year-old who really isn't trying to be insulting. 

"Oh, to have the spine of a child," Michelle mutters, sharing an amused look with Ted. 

Ted claps his hands and points over his shoulder. "Let's get your other bags," he says. "If you're up for lunch by the time we get to where you're staying, we'll grab a bite together, but if you need to get some rest, I can leave you to it."

"I'm fine," Henry says, even as he rubs his eyes again. 

Ted can't help dropping another kiss on the top of his head. "Tell me that again once we're in the car, all right?"

"Okay!"

Beard crouches down so Henry can clamber onto his back, then he and Henry take off at a leisurely ramble towards baggage claim. Ted grabs the handle of Henry's abandoned carry-on and wheels it behind him as he and Michelle fall into step together. 

"I know we just saw you," Michelle says in an undertone as they follow the tall, lean line of Beard with Henry draped across his back, "but how are you since that reporter started working with you?"

"I'm good," he says. "Honest," he adds when Michelle elbows him in the ribs. "Therapy's helping," he adds. He's mentioned in emails that he's seeing a therapist, but it's the first time he's actually said it out loud to Michelle. He doesn't miss the way she skips a step at his statement. "Trent's going through his own stuff, you know. Makes it easier."

"Because he seems happy where he is or because you can distract yourself trying to make him feel happy?" Michelle asks. She winces. "Sorry," she says before Ted can do more than give her an incredulous look. "I had a different phrasing in my head, but I only slept for about two hours on the plane."

Ted smiles. Michelle's always slept terribly on planes. She's been exactly this blunt with him after much shorter flights. "Because we've talked about it a little. We're getting to be friends."

Michelle snickers. "Of course you are."

Ted can't help his own chuckle. "You could meet him, if you want. He works in the office with me and Beard and Roy."

Michelle's side-eye is as legendary as ever. "Ask me again after I've napped," she replies. "I read that article he wrote, and I still want to punch him in the back of the head for it."

Ted takes one step to the side so they can bump shoulders. He doesn't have the words to thank her for her protectiveness while also assuring her he doesn't need it. She bumps her own shoulder against his like she knows exactly what he's thinking. 

Ted's heart feels like a helium balloon, full and light and bouncing. It makes his smile deepen as they catch up with Beard and Henry at the baggage claim. 

There will be no fighting between co-parents in my story. There will be mutual respect and understanding and friendship. 

And Michelle lightly threatening Trent because when you have a Ted Lasso in your life, you are ready to throw hands with all perceived assholes.

[repulsivepangolin]

SEAL Team Whumptober 20/31 -All

No 20. TOTO, I HAVE A FEELING WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE Lost | Field Medicine | Medieval

_________________

Jason rubbed hard at Clay’s sternum, hoping to wake the youngest member of their team.

Hazed blue eyes blinked up at him and a pained grunt escaped the blond guy.

“Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore…”

“How is he?” Trent asked from where he was tending to one of the other guys.

“Think he hit his head.” Jason frowned, “Unfocused eyes, and thinks he’s Dorothy from the wizard of Oz…”

Trent nodded, “I’ll take a look at him later. -Ready to roll?”

“Yes.” Brock nodded as he tilted the litter at an angle so they wouldn’t have to physically lift Metal to get him on it. He also held a rolled up shirt in place so it would land behind the small of Metal’s back and give some support there, if it was needed.

Sonny and Ray had their hands wrapped in the fabric of Metal’s uniform, Sonny’s left hand at his shoulder, Ray’s left hand at his waist, Sonny’s right hand on his hip, Ray’s right hand near his knees.

“Ready.” Both Bravo 2 and 3 nodded.

“Roll up!” Trent ordered as he held Metal’s head in line with the rest of his spine.

They moved as one. Trent, Sonny and Ray rolling Metal onto his side and Brock lifting the litter in right behind Alpha-1’s back.

“Ready to roll back?” Trent asked.

The guys let him know they were.

“Roll back.”

Trent held Metal’s head until Sonny had placed something under the man’s head and neck so his head wouldn’t fall back from the current position, and something on each side to make sure they could secure his head completely.

“How are you doing?” Trent asked looking down at Metal.

“The neck brace and all of that is overkill…” Metal frowned as he pointed towards his head. “Told you it’s my lower back which is hurting.”

“Better safe than sorry…” Trent shrugged, “And I don’t like that you’re moving your arms either. Just in case…”

Metal rolled his eyes and let his right hand fall back to his side.

“Can you still feel your legs?”

“Yeah…” Metal paused, “Think I still can wiggle my toes as well”

“Let’s see it then…” Trent nodded towards Metal’s feet, and waited for the man to attempt, “Congrats, you’re right.”

“You should look to Clay…” Metal paused, “Pretty sure one of the others can secure me to this litter without you.”

*    *    *

“How is he?” Sonny asked as he stepped over to where Trent was checking on Clay.

“He called me Tinman…” Trent frowned, “Asked if I wanted to come with him to Oz to get a heart…”

Sonny chuckled a bit, “What does that make me?”

“Definitely the scarecrow…” Trent chuckled, “-Or the cowardly lion… You could be that as well…”

“Okay, not gonna take that personally…” Sonny frowned, “So he got his bell rung, anything else?”

“He yelped when I bumped into his leg…” Jason shot in, “Looked swollen above his ankle, but wasn’t able to get him to tell us if he was hurt anywhere else…”

“See if you find another neck brace in the chopper.” Trent ordered, “Just in case he injured his neck as well as his head.”

Sonny nodded and limped over to the downed helicopter they had crash landed with.

*    *    *

“So…” Metal sighed, looking over at Brock by only moving his eyes, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m not the one on a stretcher…” Brock tilted his head a little.

“No, but you also took a hard landing with a helicopter. And Sonny had to pop your shoulder back in place…”

Brock nodded.

“So, how are you?”

“Shoulder’s gonna be sore for a while…” Brock shrugged the shoulder which hadn’t been dislocated recently, “Glad Cerberus didn’t come on this mission.”

“Yeah, that’s luck…”

Brock nodded, “And you?”

“All this is probably blown way out of proportion…” Metal sighed, “Pretty sure my back is fine. Just a bit beaten up…”

“Well, Trent’s got a point with that ‘better safe than sorry’ way of thinking…” Brock offered up a quick smile.

“Yup, wouldn’t be the first time he was right about something…”

Brock nodded.

*    *    *

The rescue chopper came for them. They were loaded in and some of the other guys had to strap in, not getting a place to sit down.

They were almost back to the base when he realized that he no longer felt his legs.

He reached down with one hand and squeezed his thigh. Nothing.

The feeling in his legs hadn’t disappeared in the blink of an eye. It was more like they had gradually gotten more and more numb. And now it was like his legs didn’t exist.

He knew it was a bad sign.

He wanted to tell someone. But the chopper was too loud, and he didn’t have a headset to speak to the others to.

How life could be from now on started playing across his retinas, he felt some sort of panic grip at him. He wasn’t ready for this. What the heck was he going to do if he couldn’t be an operator anymore?

His eyes were stinging. He couldn’t cry right now. He couldn’t.

He squeezed his other leg. Also nothing.

Then he caught Sonny’s concerned eyes.

“Can’t feel?” the Texan mouthed.

If it hadn’t been for the neck brace, he would’ve shook his head in return, but he had to resort to mouth ‘no’ back.

He saw the concern multiply in Sonny’s face, before the Texan schooled his expression, “Gonna be fine…”

He knew neither of them believed it.

*    *    *

“Why am I on a stretcher?” Clay asked once the helicopter engine shut off.

“We were in a heli-crash. You hit your head really bad.” Trent winked.

“Why is my neck stuck?”

“Put a neck brace on you in case you hurt your neck as well…”

“Oh…”

Trent nodded, “You feel any pain?”

“Now that you mention it, my head feels like I got in a headbutting match with an ox.” Clay frowned, “And pretty sure my ankle’s broken…”

“Good.”

“How’s that good?” Clay frowned.

“Trust me, if you feel your legs, that’s good.” Trent winked, “You really hit your head bad.”

“I had this weird dream…”

“Wizard of Oz?” Trent asked.

“How’d you know?”

“Apparently Jase is Toto, and I’m Tinman…”

“Oh no…” Clay frowned.

“Oh yes…” Trent chuckled, “Dorothy…”

*    *    *

“…Why are you here?” Clay frowned as Full Metal was rolled into the same room he was resting in.

“Was in the same crash as you…” Metal sighed, not looking away from the ceiling.

“Did you get hurt as well?”

“I think everyone did.”

“But you’re the only other one here. The rest is resting up on their own.”

Metal sighed.

“Come on…”

Metal tilted his head a little, to look over at the younger team member. He saw Clay had his right leg in cast, rested high on a mountain of pillows, and bruising on large areas of the left side of his face.

“You look like shit.” He almost chuckled.

“Feel like it too, if you wondered…” Clay admitted, “What are you here for?”

Metal sighed, “I broke something… Had surgery to fix it.”

“That’s vague…”

Metal nodded a little, “Broke something in my back.”

“Oh…”

Metal offered up a tired smile, “I can’t feel my legs. But the professionals said they couldn’t see any injury to the spinal cord. They think it might be because it’s swollen right now, and that it might go back to normal… Or it might not…”

Clay swallowed, “Sorry…”

Metal nodded a little.

“You broke your back, but it didn’t cut the spinal cord?”

“I broke one of those spikes…” Metal shrugged a little, “The canal the spinal cord is in was unaffected by the break. But of course everything near it swelled up. Hopefully it’ll return to normal in a few weeks or months.”

Clay nodded, “Fingers crossed.”

“Yeah, fingers crossed.”

[sustainablehedonism]

july 30.2020

I had the first real conversation with Erik that I’d had in a very, very long time. Like, it's been years. Who knew that the most mature and well-adjusted person I can talk to is the youngest person in my life - a 17 year old gamer slash TikTok star no less - go figure. Says something about the people in my life. But Erik truly is a thoughtful and responsible person. Even Trent likes him, and that is saying something. Erik admitted that he cried the other day because his girlfriend was sent back to Kansas to live with her abusive mom and he didn't know if he'd ever see her again. He feels like he couldn't tell anyone about it because of toxic masculinity. He told me though because he knows my politics and he knew I wouldn’t judge him. 

I confessed to Erik that Trent and I have an unhealthy relationship. I told him almost everything. “I am more afraid of being a divorced person than I am of actually getting divorced.” 

Erik said that a breakup could be a positive thing. “People don’t get divorced because they want to be sad. They do a hard thing so they can make their lives better long term. Like if you wanted to break up with someone, I would support you.” I said thank you, and he continued, “I learned that from a fuckboi. After I broke up with Lynn, everyone said ‘oh no, I’m so sorry’ except this one fuckboi, who said ‘congratulations bro!’ and I was like, ‘whooooa.’ It changed my outlook.” 

While talking to Erik, I remembered again: when you're with someone for a long time, and with only them with few other people in your life, it becomes very easy to forget that Trent's opinion isn't the only one out there. I got another glimpse of a non-Trent world, the same as when I visited our sister. I revealed to him that Trent thinks he should just take the money mom and dad are planning on spending on his college and use it for something actually useful, like a house or starting his own business for sustainable income. That Trent thinks of Erik as a victim of mom and dad's expectations of college and that going along with it would be tragic, but I forget that Trent’s opinion isn’t the only one in the world. Erik said he wants to go to parties and make connections, which is hard to do anywhere other than college. He actually does want to go, and I hadn't considered that. Maybe we're not all falling. 

For a moment I felt a brief jolt of excitement at the thought that there is an entire world of people who don't think like Trent does, and I don't have to be stuck with him. What if I find someone out there who is like Erik, someone with whom I could have lengthy meaningful discussions? Someone with whom I could be vulnerable? I want to find those people, but people who won't degrade me either. 

He made me think of an idea for a novel: I could write a dystopian alternate-timeline story about what it would look like if Cascadia actually happened. My character would leave for Europe in 2021 to get my mind off of whoever is president by then, and by the time I get back, Washington, Oregon, norther California, and British Columbia would have succeeded from the US to form a utopian PNW union. 

I get it: I am putting Europe on a pedestal as this cosmic opposite from where I am now, where it is inhabited by a people who are practically an alien, well-groomed species.

I told Erik the story of that bike ride when that crusty boomer in the pickup truck flipped us off and then we passed by a literal tractor driving down the road. "He seems happy," Erik said. I don't doubt that, I just have so much American angst. Jake Smith and Sequim deserve each other, like CD6 and Derek Kilmer deserve each other, and Joe Biden and the US deserve each other. And that is not a compliment - to anyone. 

“Do you ever have Mr. Van de Wege as a teacher?” I shook my head. “Well, he’s Dutch, and he told my class this story once about how we should invest in things that are important to us, so he bought his whole family bikes. And he rides his bike to school every day, in Sequim.” It is possible for Sequim to be what you make it.

Erik told me to be more positive and find little joys among a shitty temporary situation, like subscribing to r/aww. He pointed out that what mom and dad see Sequim as is the river with the nature and the birds and the mountains; they don't see the provincial, unintelligent backwoods opioid-addicted hicks who don't share my values. Somehow, I didn't feel defensive when he tried addressing my problems by rationalizing other people. 

I got the simple joys part down. I would never show anyone, but that's what this diary is for me. What I really need to fix the structural lifestyle like job, city, house, and relationship, and the part about my fear of chronic loneliness. Sure enough, my phone gave me a notification this morning for a trending post on r/aww of a cute cat. 

[kansascityhappenings]

Chiefs fans react to Tyreek Hill news, drafting of speedy new wide receiver

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On a night when the Chiefs were supposed to be adding the missing pieces of the Super Bowl puzzle, fans were left wondering if one of their stars will or should be on the field next season.

“I feel like I am making the pick for the 2020 Super Bowl Kansas City Chiefs,” Gary Green bellowed from the podium before the Chiefs selected Mecole Hardman, a speedy wideout and return man from the University of Georgia.

Instead, they were selecting what many fans see at best as someone who could eventually replace at least some of the production Tyreek Hill gave the Chiefs on the field the past three seasons.

Hill’s future with the team is again in question, as the team said prosecutors reopened the criminal investigation into possible child abuse involving Tyreek Hill or his fiancee, Crystal Espinal, on Friday.

During a news conference Wednesday, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe had said that charges would not be filed because there wasn’t conclusive evidence to determine who committed that crime.

On Thursday, the Chiefs announced that, for the time being, Hill will not be taking part in any team activities. The team cited an audio recording that was released Thursday allegedly involving Hill and his fiancee where the two spoke about alleged abuse against their 3-year-old son.

“It’s frustrating. It’s probably more disappointing. You have this opportunity, and he’s been making the most of it. And then you kind of throw it all away in a sense if everything is true,” fan Trent Wood said.

Chiefs Kingdom saw the team part ways with one of its running backs last year when we was caught on camera pushing and kicking a woman.

“Hoping that this won’t turn into a Kareem Hunt situation where we get rid of him because it’s the right thing to do and see that come back to the person is still in the NFL,” Jack Nolte said.

Oklahoma State grad Rae Blankman said she still rooted for the Chiefs when the team drafted Hill after he was kicked off that team for choking Espinal, who was pregnant with the boy at the time. But it was tough to support Hill.

“I’ve been to games where I would literally not clap, just knowing the back story. I used to work in the domestic violence shelter in Stillwater. It was close to home,” Blankman said.

She said after hearing the recording released Thursday she could no longer root for a team with Hill on the field. But if their first pick of the draft is any indication of the teams plans, fans may not have to wrestle with their morals and their fandom.

“I think them choosing a wide receiver tells you everything you need to know about the Tyreek situation and the direction they may be going there,” Jason Cobb said.

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2019/04/26/chiefs-fans-react-to-tyreek-hill-news-drafting-of-speedy-new-wide-receiver/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2019/04/27/chiefs-fans-react-to-tyreek-hill-news-drafting-of-speedy-new-wide-receiver/

[stuprosu]

september 23rd, 2018 12:08 AM

in my last entry, i said that i would not type up another until i had confronted my mother. 

well. over a year later, and here we are. my mother has been confronted, but not by me. i would like to attempt to do an overview of my life the past year. 

a warning. i am in emotional states all the time. if my thoughts dwell on my family members that i miss or events that enrage me, i bring myself to tears within seconds and my head aches and i cannot focus much these days. my depression is at its height but by some fucking miracle i didn’t relapse. i didn’t. i also didn’t have the means as the box cutter disappeared.

i will try to remember the details. i found out recently that untreated mental illness literally erodes away your physical brain and memory. so. forgive me. 

[aug 2017] my birthday passes by with a quiet birthday. we had taken my brother down to his school in hollister. my mom came with us and everybody was uncomfortable. my mother made a scene, asking my father if it was okay to eat the food that came with our air b&b. she was pathetic. i ignored her and shut her out this entire time. the brakes went out in my dad’s yukon. what would have been a fun trip is now spent fixing the yukon and sweating in the car. this trip marks the end of the close relationship i had with my brother for nearly all my life. we’re still close but i see him every three months for a few days at most. this wears on my soul and brings me to tears now. i miss him so god damn much, all the time. anyways. mom moves to atchison. toby goes back and forth each week despite his desire to live with my dad all the time. my mom doesn’t care, doesn’t get a job, can still to this day never pay for anything, such as gas or food for her own son, and constantly pawns my brother off on my father. my littlest brother is 13, now 14, and is still subject to all that. 

[sept 2017] i move into the dorms pretty much by myself. i think my dad brought up my minifridge, but it was sophomore year and no big deal. no one else really said anything, no one else being my extended family. i expect their silence constantly and nothing else except for when it’s “important”. you know, christmas, birthdays, baby showers, all that sort of bullshit. anyways, i start classes and i actually make a ton of new friends in my biology and chemistry classes. amanda, maggie, dev, trent, carter, mackenzie, aaron, all the katies. through them? ameen, meg, brendan, kady. it’s really wonderful. i have a good community. classes are fine. i go home for toby’s homecoming. mom has become the master narcissistic manipulator that she is and is trying to warp everybody’s image of my father and me. she does so within the small, close-minded community we’re from. friends of my family, people i’ve known for years, people i haven’t had conversations with for years, block me on facebook, on all social media. it’s really awful. at homecoming, my mother carpools with us while spouting all that bullshit on facebook and actively shitalking my father. i know that homecoming is going to be fighting between my mother and father. we don’t even make the 10 minute drive to the school before they start in. they begin yelling. oh, i forgot to mention. i told my father about the men my mother had been sexting on facebook with the help of my sister. so my dad knows. he brought those men up. my mom laughs hysterically asks my dad how he knew. he doesn’t respond. my mom asks why my father isn’t stepping up and giving her gas and food money like he should. i ask her why she doesn’t get a job if she’s able to walk 12 miles a day like her facebook posts say she can? my mom scoffs and says, “so you’ve got her on your side too, huh? telling her lies?” this pisses me off as i’m 19 years old at this point, fully capable of thinking, and tell my mom this. i tell her she doesn’t have her family anymore. she tells me thanks and walks away. my mother asks my father to walk with her later on. i tell my sister and cousins the deep gossip. they send their condolences. it’s petty thinking back on it. 

[oct 2017] nothing much happens. i get along fine with my roommate. classes are fine. mom is spouting shit and i just get angrier and angrier. she walks over everybody. all my mom’s family isn’t talking to her. my sister and i bond over the salt. 

[nov 2017] pretty much the same. my cousin has the first grandbaby. she’s cute and i love her and her name is kyah. my cousin salts with me. no one lets my mom know of the baby’s birth until a facebook post a few hours later. pisses my mom off. haha. i think it was around november that a leak sprung up in my room and i was moved. the girl i moved in with is named erin. she’s incredibly rad and understands me pretty deeply. both equal parts oversharing and similar past experiences and we became very important to each other very quickly. i’m also still angry and emotionally distraught all the time and erin helped. she genuinely makes me laugh and was a pillar of support. she knew intricate details better than marissa does. she is easier to talk to than marissa. isn’t that wild? 

[dec 2017] garryck comes for christmas. i am still working. i do good in classes. i have a crush on my friend carter in my chemistry class but nothing happened with that and i’m at the point where i just appreciate the aesthetic and his personality yknow. anyways. we have christmas with my mom’s family but don’t invite my mom. shitty, yeah? who the fuck cares. i am able to tell erin about all this in full detail. i have never been so fully understood by another person outside of my family. it’s really incredible. 

[jan 2018] nothing really happens. normal month, normal me, whomst this. nah, i’m still angry all the fucking time. every little thing sets me off. it all stems from my mother and what she is still actively doing, besmirching my father and i. it’s awful awful awful shit. 

[feb 2018] something of importance happens. those first few months, i was always able to rely on my mom’s side of the family to vent and shit and i still am, but not with my sister. my sister got pregnant in december and february was when the prospect of having a child really got to her. and she didn’t want to do it alone. she didn’t want to do it without my mom. so my sister really, really pressured me into making up with my mom, to sweep everything away, to rewire my brain and change my chemical makeup and forget all my god fucking awful memories and somehow muster up the strength to speak to my mother without wanting to deck her. it doesn’t work. the kid won’t bring us together. spoiler: he doesn’t. my sister stops talking to me. she is easily manipulated. she beings believing the shit my mom says about my dad, her stepfather. it’s all shit. 

i think this went down in february. my memory is foggy. erin meets my friends and there’s awkwardness. erin occasionally makes me uncomfortable. she made them uncomfortable. i have to talk to her all the time. i have to compose myself all the time and be around her all the time and. and i dont think i could take it. i’m a really awful person, you know? i have been this past year. anger and malice has been eating away at me for so long and i am so tired. so... i switched rooms without telling erin why. she asked and asked and pestered and insulted until i finally laid it out. she apologized. she said she would change. she said she didn’t realize. she said she was sorry and sorry and sorry. i left her on read for six months. i ignored her in between classes and at meals. i became a real fucking asshole. i cut off one of my closest friends. 

[march 2018] the shit with toby goes down. i won’t bother logging it here. buchanan county courthouse already has. but it puts a strain on things. mom wants to move back to kansas kansas. like the shawnee mission area. dad does too. dad wants to leave rushville and missouri. they begin arguing about schools. mom wants wellsville, a hick town of hick people and hick classes and hick education, the worst. my dad wants a normal functioning school where toby can be a normal non-hick. so does literally everyone, even my mom’s friends. my dad gets laid off. he is struggling to make ends meet. 

[april 2018] my dad begins talk to me about rehoming my dogs and our cats. the thought really fucking tears at my heart. he wants to leave rushville so bad and go back to his friends and his life before my mom, before everything went to shit for him. i could not imagine being my father and living in that house all completely by myself. the house that held my family of 5 people, two dogs, three cats, birds, fish, loud, furniture everywhere, home everywhere, music everywhere. his family. everywhere. and that house without my brothers and me and mom became a husk. a ghost of his life when it was bad but it was full and it was full of life and it was full of his children and their voices and their music and god do i fucking miss it so fucking much i miss that so fucking much and i can’t spend my nights alone without thinking about things used to be and i miss everything so much i miss everyone so much. i was so afraid of my father killing himself after being laid off and facing massive amounts of debt that he called his father, whom he hadn’t spoken to in nineteen years, for help, only to be met with silence. he didn’t though. he had three children who loved him so fucking much and relied on him for everything and everything was him and he was everything and is everything to me and there’s no one on this godforsaken planet that i love more than my father. while untreated, my life would end with his. i think he knew that. i was so afraid of my mother killing herself because that would be completely and totally my fault but how could i prevent that? i need to turn off the smiths right now. 

i need to breathe. i need to ground myself. i need to remember it is going to be okay. april was okay. nothing happened major.

[may 2018] nothing happens here. school ends. dad has been hanging out with his friends, one of them being amy and her family. oh, my mom through all of this has been disagreeing to settlements and therefore heavily delaying the actual divorce and has been doing that since sept 2017. my parents didn’t get officially divorced until aug 2018. that’s how much of a cunt she is. my dad’s two greatest friends are amy and marilee. they’re really really really wonderful women who help my dad and help me and family and i don’t know them that well but they’d do anything for my brothers and me. they’re true friends, good kind souls that fill this world. amy is also going through a divorce. my dad and her bond over that. but they don’t see each other. they don’t date, despite my mom’s best efforts to convince the world they’ve been having a 12 year long affair and amy’s youngest is actually my dad’s. oh well, haha. my mom’s a dumb petty bitch. anyways. we go to amy’s mom’s lakehouse and have a really good time swimming in the water. garryck comes up from school for a few weeks and brings his friends and it’s all a really wonderful time and we spend weekends out there and amy’s mom nancy is a wonderful woman and everything is great. 

[june 2018] summer is still great. i work all the time. i move into an apartment in saint joseph with my friends kady and ashleigh. everything is good. we split it. jyro moves with me. everything is really great and nice. the summer is nice. i don’t hear much above my mom. living on my own, it was like. yknow. The Milestone. The last one that separated me from my adolescence. i see my dad about every two weeks on the weekends i don’t work. it is a good routine and it really really messes with me if i don’t see them at least every two weeks. i can see the damage to my mental state. it gets the worst right before i go and visit them, when it’s been the longest. i just love sitting and  chatting with my papa. i feel like it makes me whole, complete, recharged and energized. i love him so much. the summer is bliss. the summer is great. i pay rent and become and adult and bills and everything is good. 

[july 2018] my mother moves to wellsville and moves in with a guy down there, so the dumb bitch loses her alimony lmaooo. however this means there is now an hour and something odd drive between my mother and father’s house, where toby must be transported. my mother can’t even afford her phone bill, so there’s no way she can afford the gas for this. of course, my father transports him, because he’s working odd jobs constantly and stressed about not being able to find a job and i get that second hand anxiety because i want him to be okay and i want to live an easy life without stress and he can’t do that with my leeching mother. breathes. anyways. she moves toby down there without telling him that doesn’t go well and that pisses me off royally and everything is rough for a few moments. i don’t ever talk to my mom. i block her on facebook. i think my sister’s baby shower is this month. i spend the days prior with my aunts and cousins helping set up. i was also sick and pretty useless. anyways, we salt about my mom because she’s not communicated about shit and everyone is upset with her and not talking to her so i’m just drinking the tea at this point in time.  baby shower is fine, sister is exasperated with lack of a relationship with my mom, the thing goes fine, whatever. nothing really else happens in july. i bought my dad a hat for his birthday. 

[august 2018] wooooooooooo birthday month. also a really awful month. my brother went back to school. my dad rehomed both my dogs to new homes, but at least they’re together. that was really really really really really rough and i miss those pups so fucking much and i am so angry at the situation at everything at everything at everything i miss my dogs. i had to rehome my ferrets. i did that by myself. a rescue in liberty took them. i miss those fuckers so much. but they’re in a better place. my dad also rehomed our two other cats. i did not get to say goodbye. i don’t know where they went and i can’t visit them like i can the dogs. it really really gets to me sometimes, thinking i was so important in their lives and now i’m gone. i got a card from work for my birthday. marissa and ashleigh took me out to dinner. some cards and a bunch of facebook posts. school starts back up. i see my old college friends that i genuinely miss. i see erin in one of my classes and i realize how much i miss her, but she looks at me with so much resentment. i fucked up so bad. but i missed her and i needed. well i wanted our friendship back. it wouldn’t be the same, no, but god do i  need all the help i can get traversing my fucked up life. so i sent her this long ass message, explaining myself, my mistakes, why i fucked up, why i was so immature, why i was a total asshole for no reason. she took me back and i am so happy. our friendship is so good again. i love having her back and i think about the good things in my life like that a lot. toby started at wellsville, much to everyone’s chagrin. my sister has her baby. his name is bentley. he is very cute and i love him. my sister does not talk to me or my dad as much. i think she is slowly cutting us away. i try not to think about it.

[sept 2018] my dad did get a new job and apartment actually in august but i’ve already typed this and ya bitch lazy. hence all the rehoming. he gets health insurance october first. i am so ready to go to the doctor again and get my thyroid and my depression treated. i don’t remember a lot of things from my childhood anymore and it is scaring me and i think my depression is causing it. though i am not a doctor. this boy sam is talking to me and goes to my uni but we haven’t met in person, though i think he likes me. i am not sure. 

life is okay right now. i am sitting in my dad’s apartment waiting for him to get off work at 2am. i have been watching rick and morty and shitty teenage romcoms all day. i am really exhausted right now but i’m waiting for him. i hope things get better for me. they’re okay right now. i am going to see the national october 7th. i saw modest mouse back in may. that was really fantastic. i don’t have to retake chemistry 120. i have my cat. my monstera has new growth. halloween is soon. there are a lot of good things right now. i just heard matt’s “hey baby” in nobody else will be there. what else do i need right now?

hopefully i’m treated soon and will keep up with this better

xox lex

[yahoo-shutdown-corner-blog]

Highlights from the speeches of the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

The 2017 Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, from left to right: Kurt Warner, Terrell Davis, Jason Taylor, Jerry Jones, LaDainian Tomlinson, Morten Andersen and Kenny Easley. (AP)

What a fun, eclectic class the Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed on Saturday night.

In Canton, Ohio, the seven new inductees were officially enshrined with each giving a speech that mentioned teammates, friends, family, coaches, and their journeys in general. There were some touching moments and some serious ones. Here are the highlights from each of the seven speeches (to read about each new Hall of Famer’s greatest moment, click on the links below):

Seattle Seahawks S Kenny Easley

Easley was first to speak at the ceremony. Easley often mentioned his religious faith, and how grateful he was to to “Hall of Famer No. 306.” The most touching part of his speech came when he talked about his parents: his mother, who fell ill last week and couldn’t attend Saturday’s ceremony, and her support when he left his home in Virginia for UCLA, and his late father. Easley got serious near the end of his speech and said he had a message that was important to him: “Black lives do matter,” Easley said. “And all lives matter, too. But the carnage affecting young black men today, from random violence to police shootings across this nation, has to stop.” A little later he said his teleprompter cut off, so he finished his speech.

Memorable quote: “You see, this joy I have tonight, the world didn’t give it to me, and the world sure can’t take it away.”

Miami Dolphins/New York Jets/Washington Redskins DE Jason Taylor

Early in his speech Taylor thanked his mother Georgia, who he said was the toughest person he ever met. He continued talking about a tough upbringing and Georgia Taylor’s guidance while she wiped away tears. Taylor broke down crying himself when talking about his agent and friend Gary Wichard, who died in 2011, and said Wichard was the father he never had. He singled out many teammates, and also Alonzo Mourning, the former Miami Heat star who was in Canton. He also joked to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder that he “stole a lot of money” from him after not playing well in his one Washington season. Near the end of his speech he had another emotional moment, telling his kids that he hoped he’d be remembered as “a Hall of Fame dad.”

Memorable quote: “After about the fifth day of training camp my rookie year, between the two-a-days, the heat and humidity, Jimmy [Johnson, his first coach], I went back to my room and called my mom and said, ‘You know what mom? I don’t know if this NFL thing is for me.’ I was that beaten down after five days. She said, ‘Well you can come home and get a job or go to the military. Or you can get your butt to bed and get back to practice.’ So coach, you almost made me quit, but I’m glad I didn’t. I’m glad you kept pushing me and forced me to grow and become the player I am.”

New Orleans Saints/Atlanta Falcons/Minnesota Vikings/Kansas City Chiefs/New York Giants kicker Morten Andersen

The NFL’s all-time leading scorer began his speech with: “Good evening Canton, Ohio. Good morning, Denmark,” a nod to where he was born. He said he planned to spend less than a year in the United States as a foreign exchange student, but he was asked if he could kick for Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. He told a funny story about his first practice playing American football, and how players “blocked my view of those funny-looking posts sticking up in the air.” And when the ball was snapped back he thought, “Man, the ball is not round.” He said he made his first kick and it changed his life.

Memorable quote: “I’ve learned with age comes wisdom and perspective. I know now that quality life is all about purposeful living with people you love and respect. The focus is on ‘we,’ and not ‘me.’ This I learned from football.”

Denver Broncos RB Terrell Davis

Davis’ speech focused on his hard road to the NFL. As the youngest of six boys, he said he wanted to prove his toughness to his dad, and that’s part of what drew him to football. Davis talked about how he started getting in trouble after his dad died when he was 12, and he was a “child in crisis.” He said he had a shotgun pointed at him at 14, and was lucky to escape alive. He vowed then to get on a better path. He ended up at Long Beach St., whose football program folded when he was there. He transferred to Georgia (and wondered if he’d ever play again after after a hamstring injury), became a sixth-round pick of the Broncos, and ultimately became a Super Bowl MVP, league MVP and Hall of Famer. During his speech was one of the best moments of the night, when Davis was talking to his young sons, and one wanted to show everyone he got Sour Patch Kids candy, and the other made a face for the camera.

We cannot with how cute Terrell Davis’ kids are! #PFHOF2017 #canwegetsomesourpatchestho?! pic.twitter.com/dPqHuGpkZw

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 6, 2017

Memorable quote: “I had one of my worst practices prior to the game [Davis’ first preseason game his rookie year, which was in Tokyo], I thought I had blown my chance of making the team, so I decided to quit. Can you imagine that? I called the front desk at the hotel and arranged for a flight home, but because I couldn’t speak Japanese, we couldn’t communicate, so I couldn’t leave.”

San Diego Chargers/New York Jets RB LaDainian Tomlinson

Near the end of Tomlinson’s speech he talked about his great-great-great grandfather, who was a slave, and he made inspiring comments about improving race relations and everyone getting along. Those comments drew two standing ovations. It was a very powerful moment.

Before that, Tomlinson told a touching story about wanting to go former Cowboys Jay Novacek’s football camp when he was 12 years old to meet his idol Emmitt Smith. His mother told him it would be too much money, but weeks later she told him she saved up the money so he could go. Tomlinson spoke of getting a handoff from Smith at the camp, and later Smith ran into him – literally, Tomlinson said Smith almost knocked him over – and he was awestruck. On Saturday, with Smith behind him with the rest of the Hall of Famers, Tomlinson said, “Because of two astonishing moments with my idol, a 12-year-old kid who entered camp lacking in self confidence as an athlete, left on top of the world feeling he could truly fulfill his dream of playing in the National Football League.”

Memorable quote: “In sports, we’re evaluated on our desire, ability and we’re given a chance to compete. America is the land of opportunity. Let’s not slam the door on those who may look or sound different than us. Rather, let’s open it wide for those who believe in themselves, that anything is possible.”

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones

Jones started his (long) speech by recalling his own football days at the University of Arkansas, working up from 13th string to being a starter on a national championship team. Football had a hold of him, and buying the Cowboys was a way for him to have a career in the sport. He said it was risky to buy the Cowboys – he said he had some business failures before then – but “it was time to put up or shut up.” It was unclear how Jones would address Jimmy Johnson in his speech. Johnson happened to be on stage because he presented Jason Taylor earlier in the evening. Jones and Johnson had a messy breakup after winning a couple Super Bowls. Jones singled out Johnson as he talked about hiring him: “Jimmy, it was a great decision. You were a great teammate. You were a great partner. Contrary to popular belief, we worked so well together for five years and restored the Cowboys’ credibility with our fans … I thank you.” Johnson gave a thumbs up, and then cheered. Later, Jones cracked a joke about when he fired Johnson: “After Jimmy screwed up and we parted ways … ” Johnson smiled and raised his hands. Shortly after that, Jones called Johnson a genius. Jones also explained his gold sneakers: They were sent from Nike founder Phil Knight to match his gold jacket.

Memorable quote: “That’s football. Maybe it’s someone who did play football. Someone who was scared every single day of my life, his business life, but football taught you to not show it and go on. Michael Irvin taught me the art of smiling in the face of adversity. The rougher it was, the harder he laughed. He was a football player. Frank Broyles taught me the games were won in the fourth quarter. He was a football coach. I did see things sometimes against the grain and sometimes it rubbed people the wrong way.”

St. Louis Rams/New York Giants/Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner

At one point during his speech Warner was talking about being on the bench for four years in college and asked the Hall of Famers on stage if any of them had spent a total of four years on the bench at any level. Nobody raised their hand. That sums up Warner’s crazy story. He talked about his unbelievable ride, from Northern Iowa to famously bagging groceries (he told a story of seeing Dan Marino on a Wheaties box in “aisle 7 at 3 a.m.” and how it motivated him to keep chasing his football dream) and stops in the Arena Football League and NFL Europe before eventually authoring one of the greatest tales in sports history. One memorable moment came when Warner singled out Trent Green for his class. Warner talked about how Green helped him after Green suffered a knee injury, which allowed Warner the opportunity to start for the 1999 Rams. The Rams won a Super Bowl that season, with Warner winning NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP.

Memorable quote: “People say Hollywood couldn’t have written it any better. After this, they don’t have a chance.”

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

[junker-town]

Trevon Duval is the 5-star recruit who treated high school like a pro career

The best prep point guard in the world has been living and training like an NBA player for years.

Trevon Duval initially had little interest in attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL.

After spending his first two years of high school at St. Benedict’s in New Jersey and the next at Advanced Preparatory International in Texas, the constant changes of scenery left the Delaware product homesick and craving a sense of normalcy.

It was in these moments that Duval wondered what it might be like to be a typical high school student. Then again, as the best point guard in the class of 2017 and projected lottery pick in the 2018 NBA draft, nothing about Duval has ever been typical.

“Quite frankly, he didn’t want to come,” IMG Academy head coach Vince Walden told SB Nation. “We obviously had a bunch of interest in him joining us, and he had some interest in coming. But then, one day he just texted me and said, ‘Coach, I really don’t want to come.’

“I didn’t want to hear no, so I started talking to him about what some of his goals were and some of the things he was looking for. I thought that as a school we could still meet the things that he was looking for athletically, academically and socially.”

Duval has been in the spotlight since exploding onto the national recruiting scene as a sophomore. His explosive yet graceful style of play has already drawn comparisons to Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose.

Duval is considered the No. 4 overall player in the class of 2017, according to Rivals. He’s currently choosing between offers from Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Seton Hall. A decision will come sometime over the next month. But before he could move on to the next step in his basketball journey, he first had to finish his final year of high school.

Every move Duval made has been dedicated to improving his basketball future

Duval would’ve preferred to play out his senior year back home in Delaware surrounded by family and friends. Or even at St. Patrick’s, a perennial hoops powerhouse in New Jersey only a few hours away.

But the decision wasn’t his to make. Duval’s parents had a different plan.

“As his father and as his trainer, I felt like IMG was the ideal place for Trevon to be,” Trevor Duval said. “We had his back 100 percent, and we just wanted what was best for him. We felt like IMG would give him a sense of responsibility and would better prepare him for the next level.”

Since its establishment in 1978, IMG Academy has built a reputation as the nation’s premier multi-sports boarding school and training facility. Its campus spans over 500 acres, and the student body is comprised of roughly 1,000 students who come from more than 80 countries.

IMG basketball has produced 89 Division I commits since 2012, and three NBA Draft picks since 2014. IMG has also trained the likes of Jimmy Butler, Iman Shumpert, Moe Harkless, Skal Labissiere, Diamond Stone and Satnam Singh during their NBA pre-draft process.

Based on raw talent alone, Duval was already good enough to play high-major college basketball. He didn’t need IMG. But his parents understood that if he wanted to reach his full potential, he’d have to continue to push the boundaries of his comfort zone.

In most cases, mom and dad know what’s best. And in hindsight, Duval agrees that transferring to IMG Academy was a necessary sacrifice.

“[My parents] were telling me about how they thought IMG was the best fit for me on the court and off the court,” Duval said. “Once I got here, the more I settled in, the more I realized they were right.”

Every move Duval made has been dedicated to improving his basketball future. His loyalty to the game was instilled at a young age.

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Trevor Duval would always play his son against older, faster and bigger competition in local YMCA leagues. And on the AAU circuit, Trevon competed with some of the best teams throughout the Mid-Atlantic region such as WE R1, New York Gauchos, Bentalou Bombers and D.C. Assault.

The Duvals would sometimes drive hours from Delaware to D.C. and back just so he could make it to practice.

“We always had higher goals for him,” Trevor Duval said. “When I heard about competitive, young and talented kids somewhere, I took him to that area so he could play with the best.

“When he was younger, D.C., Maryland and Jersey had the best competition, so the movement was just situational. It wasn’t about jumping on someone else’s bandwagon.”

When Duval left St. Benedict’s for Advanced Preparatory International as a sophomore, it was to surround him with better athletes as he made the transition from the wing to the point.

And when he left API for IMG Academy as a rising senior, Duval gained the coaching and resources necessary to train according to his aspirations.

In many ways, Duval’s high school career has been treated like a professional career. And though his journey has been unique to him, it’s a similar path taken by young athletes every year.

“Everything I do is with a purpose—for me, my future and my family.”

Star recruits are increasingly choosing the prep route over traditional high school because of its superior competition and opportunities for exposure. DeAndre Ayton, Mohamed Bamba, Brandon McCoy and Gary Trent Jr.—four of the top 10 prospects in the 2017 recruiting class—all attend preparatory schools.

These prep schools typically play a national schedule, which means players have to travel frequently and find a balance between school, sports and personal life just like college athletes do. At a boarding school like IMG, kids have the added responsibility of taking care of themselves while managing their time efficiently.

It’s kind of like being a college athlete, without actually being a college athlete—and believe it or not—a few of these prep schools are actually treated better than some college teams in terms of media coverage.

“It was different at first with the schedule, training and everything that goes on,” Duval said, “but I think I adjusted very well and I’m better now because of it. I became more mature and a better a leader on and off the court.”

Duval has always understood the value of playing against the best competition. These days, anyone can edit game film and make an average player look elite. Duval rose to a five-star prospect because he was constantly testing himself against the best.

“There’s a lot of misdirection these days [when assessing a players talent],” Walden said. “Everything is somewhat staged now. Guys are quick to put up the highlight dunks. Which is great, but can that player still do the things that translate to winning at the college level? That’s what college coaches have to figure out.”

However, there’s no misdirection when evaluating Duval’s game. Against the nation’s best, the senior averaged 16.2 points and 7.7 assists per game.

Because of Duval’s contributions, IMG Academy spent the majority of the 2016-17 high school basketball season ranked as one of the top teams in the country. The Ascenders’ 26-1 regular season led to the school’s first-ever appearance at the DICK’S Sporting Goods High School National Tournament in New York back in March.

Second-seeded IMG Academy was upset by seventh-seeded Greensboro Day in its first round game, but Duval still managed to lead the team with 14 points despite playing in the McDonald’s All-American Game the night prior. Until that point, the Ascenders’ only loss of the season was against Monteverde Academy.

Though Duval’s senior season at IMG Academy didn’t end with a championship as he would’ve liked, he still considers the growth he experienced during his time with the program to be invaluable. With college basketball looming, Duval and his parents know that there’s still a long journey ahead.

Duval has proven throughout his high school career that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. Now his elongated path through high school is about to end, and he’s ready for the next step.

“It’s been a journey since I was a baby, but I think that’s what helped me become the person I am now,” Duval said. “Everything I do is with a purpose—for me, my future and my family. I missed out on being home, I missed out on being with my family and friends but hopefully the sacrifices I made will get me to where I want to go.”