#uh sorry about taking over your post Kasper

[bunnymcfoo]

Just for the record: JMac had 577 games under his belt before he had the stroke.

…. Oh, yeah, um. Soooo yeah, he had a TIA that ended his career. In case you’re new or new-ish, you may be interested to know the following lore about JMac:

He attended St John's Prep for high school which is “A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School for young men in grades 6 through 12" (so yeah he's super Irish Diaspora Catholic) and was the captain of both the hockey and football teams his senior year. The school added him to their Hall of Fame in 2014 and there's a video of his speech accepting that honor HERE (skip to 1:08:00)

He played at Boston University for 4 years, graduating in 2009 with a degree in Economics and as a member of the Scarlet Key Honor Society. He also won the John B Simpson award, and was on the Hockey East All Academic Team for 3 years. He wore the C his senior year and led the Terriers to a victory in the Beanpot (photo with trophy) and winning the freaking Natty in the most epic and dramatic way possible - and seriously, go watch that it's an incredible 6 minues wtih an epic comeback and overtime win. (photo with trophy team photo with the trophy and photo at the parade please look at what a baby he was). Also, guys, he played with David Warsofsky who is, in fact, Ryan Warsofsky's younger brother.

Was drafted by the Sharks at the 2006 draft in the 7th round, 202nd overall. That was the same draft class as Brad Marchand, Claude Giroux, James Reimer, Phill Kessel, and Erik Johnson. Played 88 games with the Sharks between 2009 and 2015.

Played for Team USA at the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang. They finished 4th behind the Russians, Germans, and losing Bronze to Canada. Fuckin' Canada, I swear to god. At least the US Women's team beat Canada and got gold that year (it was a fucking awesome game, you should go watch it.) Anyway, there's a cute lil article/interview about him going from his high school's newspaper over HERE.

Played 577 games in the AHL, all but 25 of them with the Sharks' affiliate. Wore the C in 2012-2013 for the Worcester Sharks and then for the San Jose Barracuda from 2016 to 2020 and had 233 penalty minutes. If you wanna see his fights you can find those HERE.

It's completely wild to me but he played on the same team as Timo Meier, Barclay Goodrow, Kevin Labanc, and Jake Middleton. Actually he played with Middsy for, like, 5 years. Like, he was their captain.

YOU GUYS, HE PLAYED WITH AARON DELL FOR NOT ONE BUT TWO SEASONS

Also, I cannot emphasize this enough: go look at the 19-20 roster. Yeah. It's so weird to look at the guys on that team and realize that he played with them and coached them that year BECAUSE:

He had a transient ischemic attack (aka a TIA, basically a stroke) on December 10th, 2019 at the age of 33. He played his last game on December somethingth, officially retired from hockey on December 27th, and was hired as an Assistant Coach the next day. HERE is an article/interview about it in (once again, his high school paper). HERE is the highlight video that the Cuda made for him. Oh, and he obviously won the Fred T Hunt Memorial Award that year.

also, he volunteered for an ALS fundraiser for, like, 6 years and I think that's nifty.

Thank you for coming to my presentation on John McCarthy, head coach of the San Jose Barracuda since May 18 2022 when he succeeded Roy Sommer to the throne i mean position (Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!)

I appreciate your time as I may have gotten a little bit carried away. Whoops. >.>

nolly just said poturalski is after this game 5 games short of 500 games in the AHL which is. insane. can we all appreciate that, that's an insane number of games to play in the ahl and not had to have every tooth in your mouth replaced. anyway i got curious who has the most games played in the ahl as an active player and it's cal o'reilly of the milwaukee admirals with 976. NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX. i guess now with our beloathed flohockey i could see if the man still has kneecaps or teeth. 976 games in the ahl is unreal.

also in the top 100 list of games played is former barracuda captain andrew agozzino 🥰🥰 760 games! no wonder he was done with the cuda after one season. i wouldn't have any patience left for jmac if i'd played upwards of 600 ahl games at that point in my career either.

[onlycags]

Movie Night 9 | Çağlar Söyüncü

August: Barnes

- - -

This Saturday’s movie night is dedicated to my girl @chilly-me-softly because this is the first chapter she hasn’t read through completely before I posted it. Enjoy! xx

Alternate Title: Redemption

Çağlar hadn’t wanted to miss July’s movie night; up until two hours before, he had planned on going.

“Söyüncü!” Rodgers had yelled in the changing room after practice. “See me when you’re changed.”

He had followed reluctantly, noting the time on the clock before he entered Rodgers’s office. Even if whatever this meeting was ran over two hours, he would still be able to make movie night easily.

“Sir?” He asked, knocking lightly on the door.

“C’mon in, son. Have a seat.”

Çağlar sat down warily, wincing slightly from the tackle he’d taken out on the field earlier. “You okay?” Rodgers asked, taking off his readers.

“Yes,” he answered automatically, not wanting to admit weakness.

Rodgers shot him a look. “You sure?”

“Yes, sir.” Çağlar started to get up to leave.

“Sit back down,” Rodgers ordered, shocking the Turk into submission. “I was watching your performance during the EuroCup and I got worried, especially with that last match. You got subbed off after the first half and you were playing poorly. Care to tell me what’s been going on?”

Çağlar grimaced, running a hand through his hair. “It sounds stupid when you say it out loud.”

“Do I look like the kind of man who cares?”

“No, sir.” Çağlar took a breath and said, “It’s about a girl.”

Rodgers ran a hand over his face and sighed. “Forget what I just said, Söyüncü. I do care and it does sound stupid when you say it out loud. Spit it out - who is she?”

“She’s, uh, Maddison’s best mate.”

“[Y/N]? The one who comes around occasionally and is always visiting after matches?”

Çağlar nodded, looking down at his hands. “That’s her.”

“What’d she do to you? Is she messing with you? I can get a restraining order, we can take her to court, whatever needs to be done to get this taken care of.” He reached for the landline on his desk. “Hell, let’s get the PR team in here now and we can sort this whole thing out now. She trying to take you for your money?”

“No, sir. Nothing like that.”

“Well, then, what is it?”

“She slept with someone else.” Çağlar blushed and looked away, embarrassed to be sharing such intimate information with his coach.

“Well…fuck.” Çağlar raised his eyebrows at Rodgers’s swearing. “Were the two of you together?”

“Uh, not officially, sir.”

“But you had enough feelings for her that it’s affecting your performance on the pitch.” He sighed again, muttering to himself. “Ain’t that just a kick in the nuts.”

“Sir?”

“Sorry. An American expression I saw on telly - my daughter suggested I start ‘binge watching’ this American Football program called Friday Night Lights because she swears I am, and I quote, ���just like Coach Taylor’. Needless to say, I am a bit obsessed.” He chuckled. “Women get us to do the craziest things.”

Çağlar nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Now, let’s discuss possible strategies to get you out of your head when you’re on the pitch. You’ve been so good at it before, but I’m betting that it’s because you trained to put certain scenarios out of your mind while you play.”

“That’s right. I always strategized about how I could improve my concentration and minimize distractions. Now, with a new distraction that I have not planned for, it is hard.”

“Let’s go make it easy.”

Rodgers ran drills and plays with Çağlar long after Belvoir’s closing time. By the time he was done, Çağlar was sure he would be able to play and not think about you.

He went home, tired and weary, completely forgetting all about movie night. When he did remember, he sent you a two-word text: I’m sorry.

~~~

He was slower than usual at training the next day, something the lads noticed and teased him about, but Rodgers gave him no flack.

At the end of training, Çağlar and Madders sat in the ice bath, Madders on his phone texting someone a kilometre a minute.

“You okay, mate?” Mads asked, setting his phone down.

“Yes.”

“We missed you at movie night.” A pause. “[Y/N] was there.”

“I am sorry. I was training last night.”

“That why you were slow today?”

“Yes. I was working out ways to get her out of my head when I play so that I am not distracted.”

“That why you weren’t at movie night?”

“Yes. I was running drills with Rodgers until late.”

“Did they help?”

“I think so. We shall see on Saturday’s match.”

“Have you gotten a chance to speak to her?”

“I do not know what to say. I do not even know if she will want to see me.”

“Mate!” Madders sighed, exasperated. “She was looking for you last night. Trust me, she wants to talk to you.” Madders pulled out his phone. “You know where The Ivy Soho Brasserie is in Leicester Square?”

Çağlar nodded.

“Good,” Mads replied, “because you’re meeting [Y/N] in an hour.”

“What?! No - I cannot meet her.”

“Relax, mate. She thinks she’s meeting me. Just show up and talk to her.”

~~~

An hour later, Çağlar showed up at the restaurant, nervous to see you. You were seated at a table in the back, head buried in your phone. You looked up from your phone and your eyes met Çağlar’s. The shock on your face had him wanting to turn and leave but he walked over to you with more confidence than he felt.

“Hello,” he greeted, placing an awkward kiss on your cheek.

“Hi. I thought James was meeting me here?” you asked, looking away as he sat down.

“He wanted us to talk so he sent me instead.”

You shrugged. “Okay.”

The waiter arrived and the two of you placed your orders. You were grateful for the distraction - it was unexpected to see him here and you were still reeling from the kiss he’d placed on your cheek.

When the waiter left, the awkward silence returned. You took a sip of your water and sighed. “Çağlar,” you whispered, your voice breaking. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

He reached across the table and grabbed your hand, desperate to touch you in some small way. “Please, [Y/N], can we start over?”

Your heart hurt - you were still reeling from emotions you still processing almost a month later. “I…I don’t know, Çağlar. Did you sleep with her?”

“No,” he replied, shaking his head vehemently. “She tried to, but I stopped her because she was not you. What you saw the day you FaceTimed me - that was her trying to seduce me again. I told her that day that she and I were over and that we would never be together like that again.” He paused, the expression on his face tortured as he said, “We can work past this - I forgive you for sleeping with Jack.

You were openly crying now. “I didn’t sleep with Jack. I kissed him the night before we talked and I almost did, but I didn’t. I wanted to move on so badly, but you’re in my head and I-”

Your food arrived, Çağlar asking for the check and some takeaway boxes. You could only agree, your appetite gone the moment you saw him walk through the door.

The two of you walked to the nearest park in silence. You tried to get your emotions under control, still reeling from the restaurant.

You found a quiet space in the park away from everyone at a picnic table.

“Can we start over?” He asked again.

You played with the takeaway box in front of you, trying to find words. “I want to,” you whispered. “I just don’t know how we can.”

“Come to movie night in a month and we will begin again.”

You hesitated, but ultimately nodded. “Okay.”

The two of you parted ways a short time later. It was going to be a long twenty-nine days.

***

You arrived a few minutes early to Barnes’ flat, wearing your favourite sundress that gave you confidence and let you enjoy the last few sunny days of a Leicester summer.

Harvey wrapped you in a hug the moment you stepped through the door. “I haven’t seen you in ages, [Y/N]!” He exclaimed, his face flushed.

You laughed, pushing Harvey off you after he almost suffocated you with that hug. “Barnes, it’s only been a month! Are you drunk already?”

He shrugged. “A month is too long.” He smiled at you, cocking his head. “And yes, I’m a liiitle tipsy.”

You ruffled his hair, giggling at his outrage. “You silly boy.”

You made your way into the kitchen, setting your six-pack of beer on the counter along with the snacks you’d decided to bring. Just as you were cracking open your first beer, your eyes connected with Çağlar’s. Your body reacted the same way it always did when he was around - you looked away, blushing a bit, shocked at how much it felt like the first time you were seeing him again.

He took his time approaching you, which gave you time to drink him in. His joggers hung low on his hips and his dark t-shirt clung to his muscled shoulders and arms. He smirked when he noticed you checking him out, his eyes going a shade darker. He stopped inches from you and you stopped thinking for a moment as the smell of his cologne overwhelmed your senses.

“Hello, I’m Çağlar,” he said, holding out his hand.

You took it, gasping a little at the contact. “[Y/N],” you said, blushing again.

“Nice to meet you,” he murmured, leaning in.

Just as you were about to say something, a cacophony of noise brought the two of you out of your own little world as Tielemans, Perez, Madders and Chilly arrived.

“Thank god you’re here!” Barnes said, waving his arms dramatically at the four boys.

“Don’t say a word about being us being late,” Madders muttered, rolling his eyes as he walked over to you and Çağlar.

“Hey you two,” he said, pulling you in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey, Mads,” you replied, smiling at your friend. “Why so grumpy?”

“Long day - those three kept annoying the shit out of me.”

“Well, Kasper Van Damme should be arriving soon, so he should be able to protect you from the big scary boys!” Harvey called out, cackling.

James reached into a nearby bowl of popcorn and chucked a handful in Harvey’s general direction. “Hey! No throwing popcorn in this flat, Maddison!” Came Harvey’s voice again.

“Sod off, Barnes!” Madders yelled back, making you laugh, accidentally leaning back into Çağlar as you did so.

“Sorry,” you mumbled, putting a bit of distance between the two of you.

“It is okay,” he said, placing a hand on your arm.

Schmeichel, Evans and Vardy arrived shortly before the movie began, Barnes huffing in annoyance, causing the three men to roll their eyes at him.

You tried to figure out where to sit, torn between wanting to sit next to Çağlar and hanging out with Mads. Just as you were about to give up, Çağlar grabbed your hand. You looked up at him, a questioning look on your face.

“Sit with me?” He asked and you nodded, smiling shyly.

You let him lead you to the sofa, automatically curling into his side as Barnes turns the lights down.

The movie opened with a New Orleans jazz scene that was obviously set in the eighties or early nineties. “What even is this?” Madders asked, obviously still in a mood.

“Only the best, weirdest spy movie ever!” Barnes replied. “One of my American friends introduced me to it.”

“What’s it called again?” Perez asked, grabbing some popcorn out of a nearby bowl.

“More importantly: how does Barnes have American friends?” Evans teased.

Barnes shushed everyone, citing the movie night rules. “It’s called Undercover Blues, and I have American friends because I’m a social butterfly,” he pouted, making everyone turn their attention back to the movie.

You were utterly fascinated. It was an American film you hadn’t seen before, which seemed to be rare these days. Everyone seemed to be enchanted by it - even Kasper laughed out loud multiple times. Stanley Tucci, Dennis Quaid, and Kathleen Turner were amazing, the comedic timing off the charts.

“Hey, isn’t that Aunt Petunia?” Chilly asked when the antagonist came on.

“It is,” Barnes confirmed, his expression serious. “Fiona Shaw is a goddess.”

You laughed, snuggling deeper into Çağlar. It felt like the first few movie nights again, the two of you cuddling on the sofa while everyone else watched the movie. You could feel his heart beating underneath your fingertips, enjoying the feel of him next to you.

The movie ended, everyone still slightly confused by nineties-American humour but you had thoroughly enjoyed the movie. “Can I take you home?” Çağlar asked, appearing at your side as you walked out of Harvey’s flat.

“Sure,” you said, butterflies in your stomach as you remembered the last time he took you home.

You sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with your hands. The deja vu was intense, struggling to remain calm as you thought about what was going to happen when the two of you got to your flat.

“Walk me to my door?” You asked, your voice shaking slightly.

“Okay.”

Çağlar walked next to you, silent. He stood behind you as you put your key in your door. You turned to him.

“Would you like to come in for a nightcap?”

“No, thank you,” he said, shaking his head. You tried not to let your disappointment show, but Çağlar wouldn’t let you hide your feelings from him, placing a hand underneath your chin and making you look at him. He tucked a lock of your hair behind your ear.

“Go on a date with me.”