#watch out phil we might have to tussle

[danandfuckingjonlmao]

already captioned AND dan looks like the emo lesbian of my dreams? this one’s for me specifically, guys. sorry.

[mymelodyheart]

Highland Destiny Chapter 18 ~Highland Shenanigans Part 2~

"Aaah, nothing to worry about. High blood pressure, nausea...quite common during pregnancy. I don't think there's anything life-threatening, but I would advise you to see your doctor as soon as possible - just for safety measures, " the doctor said, smiling down at Claire. "As far as I can see, you look like a picture of health."

"Thank you, doctor, I think I might have over-indulged a bit, and there's been a lot of excitement lately..." Claire replied, wincing as another wave of nausea hit her as she tried to sit up. She noticed her surrounding for the first time - they had brought her up into the hotel room. Under normal circumstances, Claire might have enjoyed the luxury setting, but in this case, there were other things she was concerned about. Then she looked at her worried friend Phillip Wylie. "Phil, how are the boys?"

"Oh, the boys..." Phil looked up suddenly. He was so deep in his thoughts, he hadn't realised the doctor was about to leave. He stood up from his chair and shook hands with the doctor, thanking him for coming immediately. Then Phil sat down on the bedside next to Claire and took her hand in his, smiling. "I'm so glad you alright, Claire. You scared the shit out of me. And as for the boys, I've told them you're well, and I have prohibited them from coming in until the doctor has done a thorough check with you. I told them to wait in the lobby. Stephen was more compliant, and Jamie looked like he was about to bulldoze the door, but after I yelled all sorts of obscenities at him, he did as he was told." Phil said chuckling.

Claire laughed. She tried to imagine gentle Phil shouting at a raging Jamie but couldn't quite picture it. "They're alright, though?"

"More than alright except for a few minor bruises and bumps. I was told Jamie and Stephen are in the lobby now drinking whisky and laughing like long-time buddies. I guess whatever issues those lads had, they have sorted it out."

Claire let out a sigh of relief. Then she looked at Phil and knew there was something else bothering him. "Phil, what is it? That worried look can't be all about me. We might not have seen each other for a long time, but I know that look. Want to talk about it?"

Phil hesitated a bit. He knew Claire could read him like an open book, always had done and she was one of his dearest friends. He wondered for a moment why they lost touch. "Claire, I'm truly happy for you and Jamie. I can see that both of you are in love, and that is wonderful. And the baby...that is one big cherry on the cake. I too would like to have children one day, three tops."

"Phiiilll, you're not talking to me. If you'd rather not, say so. I will understand."

"Well, I don't know how to say this," he paused, thinking for a moment. "But I couldn't help but notice how Mary looked at Jamie. I know there had been a few men in Mary's life after she was widowed and I can't help but think if Jamie was one of them."

"Oh, Phil..." Claire knew exactly what he meant. She had seen that look too. "I'm going to go straight out with it, ok?" Claire waited for Phil to nod. "Yes, it's true... they had something in the past. Jamie told me today. But surely, the past is the past right?"

Phil smiled ruefully. "Oh, I thought so. About the past... I understand that, but I can't marry someone who is pining for another. Mary must want and love me wholeheartedly."

Oh damn, me and my mouth!  "Phil, you and Mary need to talk. Jamie and I are doing a lot of that lately. He and I had quite an unconventional start to our relationship, so we've had a lot of teething problems along the way, but we're learning and hopefully, getting there. The most important thing is communication, and if you don't have that, the relationship can't survive. Speak from the heart and don't beat around the bush."

Phil sighed. "I guess that's the only way I'll find out. God, I hate talking about these things. Damn, those kinds of talks give me the heebie-jeebies...but I guess it must be done." He contemplated for a bit. "You're right! I'll talk to Mary tonight." He gave Claire a quick hug and stood up. "I'll go and get big Ginge for you. And then see Mary." Before he opened the door, he turned to Claire. "And Claire, thank you!"

Then Phil left the room.

..........

Jamie had panicked after one of Phil's guest had run-up to the field and shouted, "Your girlfriend has collapsed," during a tussle with a rugby ball with Stephen. It didn't register at first, but Stephen had heard instantly and pulled him up from the ground. "It's Claire!"

Both men ran immediately towards the hotel and asked at the reception if they knew about a woman collapsing. They were promptly given a room number only to be greeted by a red-faced Phil sending them away. Jamie had blamed himself, and his first thought had been their baby. He knew he wouldn't have been able to forgive himself if Claire had lost it. 

As he was pacing back and forth in the lobby, Mary MacNab approached him, touching him on his arm when he didn't see her.

"James, I see that ye're engaged to the Sassenach," she had spoken softly, meant only for his ears, running a finger down his chest. "...But...ye and I, you know, it needn't stop..." she hinted with a provocative smile.

He gave her a wild-eyed look, not quite believing what he was hearing. At that moment, he had wanted to throttle her and scream. He had been too preoccupied with his worries with Claire, and the last thing he needed was the past catching upon him.

"Christ Mary, have ye no shame! Ye're about to marry, and here I am worried sick about our baby..." he hissed through gritted teeth.

Mary wasn't perturbed and had ignored his last statement. Instead, she batted her eyelashes and pouted seductively. "Surely, Jamie...we could arrange..."

Jamie didn't let her finish. "Mary, listen to me, it's fucking over! Do ye not understand? Aye, we were lovers before, but that's not me anymore. I'm getting married, and soon Claire and I will have a baby."

"It never stopped ye before I was widowed..."

"Christ Mary, I was verra young, and you seduced me aye? You taught me a lot of things, but surely ye dinna expect that to go on forever. I have a family now, and ye're about to get married. What do ye think yer groom will say? And he's good friends with my fiancee. No, Mary, it's over. It was over long ago. Give it a rest, aye?" 

Mary straightened up and looked at him indignantly, her cheeks blotched red. "Well, James, if that's the case, I do not want you and your Sassenach bitch in this hotel. You are both no longer guests. I want you both to leave immediately." With that final statement, she turned around and walked off to the lift.

"I don't intend to stick around, ye witch," he muttered under his breath, before heading to the bar.

..........

At the hotel bar, he saw Stephen signalling to an empty seat next to him. Jamie exhaled profoundly and walked over. He could see Stephen's face' bruising starting to show.

"You look like you need a drink, mate," Stephen offered, grimacing as he tried to smile, obviously in pain. Then he whistled, as he got a better view of Jamie's face through one slit eye. "Damn, you look like shit! I don't think Claire would be too happy." 

Jamie forced a smile and ordered a double, neat whisky from the bartender. "Aye, that's what I'm afraid of. The lass has got temper...I've seen it before. Listen, Stephen...about earlier..."

"Ach, think nothing of it. I was just as bad," Stephen interrupted. "I just want you to know, there was nothing between Claire and me. Maybe one impromptu kiss but that was it...we were young when it happened ..." He breathed before moving on. "She had her eyes on Frank already, and Claire didn't take any notice of me. For her, I was her big brother...she said it often enough that I gave up any notion of pursuing her."

Jamie slapped his forehead and immediately regretted it, the bump on his forehead ricocheting pain to the top of his scalp. "Christ, I'm such an eejit! I wouldn't be surprised if, after all this, she goes back to Oxford. She hasn't had much good experience in Inverness and here I am...making things worse for her. She must have fainted because she thought we're going to kill each other," Jamie pulled a face as he took a sip of the whisky, the alcohol stinging his wounded bottom lip. "Phil said that Claire called us a couple of Neanderthals," he added laughing in spite of himself.

Stephen laughed. "Aye, that we are! But I don't think Claire will go back to Oxford. The lass loves you. It's very apparent. The worse thing that could happen is she'll probably skewer your balls the moment she's feeling herself again."

"Aye, I could live with that I think," Jamie chuckled, looking at his watch and wondering when he could see Claire. "I don't think we'll be staying much longer. I want to take her to Lallybroch, it's more peaceful there."

"Well, whatever you do and wherever you go, just cherish the lass. She'll never ask for much as long you remain devoted. But it probably doesn't help your cause when you're featured in the newspaper with different lassies all the time..."

Jamie shook his head. "Aye, that will need to stop. I'll take her with me if I need to...and..."

"Jamie, I don't think that's the solution. Claire didn't look too comfortable at the party earlier. These people are not her kind of people, and I don't blame her. I can't be asked hob-nobbing with a bunch of pretentious tits either. I'm only here because Phil is my mate. I'm not saying you're one of them because if that's the case, she wouldn't be with you."

Jamie thought about what Stephen said, and if truth be told, it wasn't his scene either. It never was. The celebrity and socialite side of his life were all in the name of promotion and publicity. And he doesn't need to do that anymore. All his businesses were doing well, and he can set up a team to do all the legwork for marketing. He wanted to concentrate on family life and not traipsing around the world. And maybe spend some time with his sister and her family in Lallybroch. Jamie and his sister were close, and he missed his nephews and nieces. But, ever since his whisky catapulted into success and his French publicist decided it was a great idea to throw him into the limelight to ensure favourable profit, he had neglected family and friends. Jamie must admit, despite the perks of his fortune, he never felt complete, and there was always something lacking. With Claire, he can have a fresh start once they're married and he hoped she wouldn't be too mad at him.

"Aye, I agree with ye. It's not my scene, either. Something has to give, and Claire is more important."

.........

There was a knock, and before Claire could answer, the door opened. "Sassenach?"

"Jamie?" Claire put her magazine aside. "Come here and let me take a look at you, you clodpole."

Jamie walked gingerly towards the bed, with a slight limp on his right leg. After sitting for more than an hour on an uncomfortable bar chair, he can feel his muscle seizing. It didn't help much that he was bruised and achy from the rough and tumble of the earlier rugby game. "Ye're not mad at me Sassenach? I dinna blame ye if ye are."

Claire smiled but frowned when Jamie sat on her bedside and got a closer look at his face. "Ouch! Those bruises look nasty, Jamie. And no, I'm not mad. I think you're suffering enough as it is."

"Sassenach, I'm so sorry for..."

"Sshh, forgiven, it's alright Jamie," Claire hushed, as she reached out to gently touch a bump on the forehead. "Just get me out of here. I don't think I can face another day with those people out there."

"Aye, I want to get out of here too, but we'll have to call for a cab. I think I've had one whisky too many. We can get the van tomorrow and maybe leave Skye altogether and head for Lallybroch." He flinched as Claire leaned forward for a kiss. "How 'bout ye Sassenach? How are ye feeling?" He raised her hand to kiss her palm.

"I'm feeling good. It's all just pregnancy symptoms what I had earlier, but I was advised to see a doctor, just to make sure the baby is alright."

There was silence for a while, as Claire checked Jamie's bruises.

"Sassenach?"

"Hmm?" Claire was absorbed doing her thorough medical check-up.

"Ye ken how I said I can wait for as long as it takes about getting married?" Jamie shifted on the bed. "Weel, what I'm trying to say is. I love ye, and ye love me, aye?"

"Uh-huh."

Jamie cleared his throat. "Do ye really want to have a long engagement?"

Claire raised Jamie's shirt to see if he had any injury in his abdomen. "No."

"No?"

"Uh-huh."

"So ye saying, we can marry any time?" Jamie had to make sure if he understood what Claire was trying to say.

"Uh-huh." She gently touched a purple patch near his ribs.

Jamie licked his swollen lips, still unsure if he heard right. He wanted to push it further to see how far he can go. "Want to get married in Lallybroch as soon as we get there?" In his mind, he was crossing his fingers.

"Sure, it should be something to do," Claire said, trying to suppress a smile, as she straightened Jamie's shirt after concluding her examination.

"Christ, Sassenach! Look at me, will ye! I dinna ken if ye're joking with me or no'. What do ye mean sure?" he said impatiently and wincing at the same time from his sudden movement.

Claire looked him straight in the eye, grinning. "Sure, let's get married in Lallybroch, it will be something to do while we're there."

Aches and twinges forgotten, he lunged at Claire for a hug, kissing her and groaning at the same time as he felt pangs from his soreness. "Christ Sassenach, ye better not be joking. I dinna think my heart can take it."

"I don't take marriage talk lightly, Jamie," she whispered, as she wrapped her arms around Jamie's neck.

..........

Later in bed at their rented cottage.

"Sassenach, ye awake?" Jamie couldn't sleep. He was thinking of Claire's sudden change of heart.

"I'm awake, Jamie," she sighed, concerned that there must be an injury she had overlooked. "You're tossing and turning a lot, I can't get to sleep. Are you in so much pain?"

"Sorry...I just wanted to ask what made ye change yer mind about getting married."

"Hmm, well, I'm sick and tired of girls looking at you like you're some piece of prized meat and I was hoping if we do get married, you'll stop having fits." She replied, with slight exasperation in her voice.

"Fits?"

"Yes, jealousy fits!" Claire turned on her side to face him and softened a bit. "I do love you, Jamie. Maybe I should have said it to you more often. So I'm hoping when we do get married, you will realise I meant what I said."

Jamie smiled in the dark, his heart soaring.

"Sassenach?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm sore all over," Jamie murmured.

"Well, I can't do much about it, Jamie. You have to let healing take its course. You've done this to yourself," she pointed out.

"Do ye think ye can kiss it better?"

"Well, as your doctor for tonight, it's not ethical to take advantage of one's patient," Claire replied, feigning sternness. But she was on her elbows already, leaning towards his chest, her tongue licking in swirls at the sensitive bud of his nipple, and as she went lower, her lips grazing his abdomen, she heard him gasp.

"Christ, Sassenach!"

Claire whispered, smiling as she nipped at his lower navel. "Not Christ, Jamie. It's Doctor...Doctor Beauchamp."

[tisfan]

@whistlingwindtree I like this one for Quakerider!  Writing a secret love letter and leaving it on your crush’s desk 

All That for a Lacy Card

“Stop right there,” Daisy said. She put one hand on her taser, even though she did, in fact, have a gun. “And come out where I can see you.”

The guy slowly held up both hands, then realized she wasn’t drawing a weapon on him. Daisy wasn’t stupid and her boss, Phil Coulson, had told her many times not to draw unless she was intending to fire on someone. Tasering wasn’t even a hundred percent safe. Not that she really wanted to get into a tussle with anyone who was going to break into Hydra. She hadn’t really believed how evil a company could be until she started working with Hydra.

Robbie Reyes took a step out into the light.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Daisy said. “What the hell are you doing here, they fired your ass last week.”

“Yeah, about that,” Robbie said. “I might have left something in my desk and-- look, can we just go up there and get it?”

Daisy sighed. “I’ve been hearing rumors, Reyes, what happened?” She did take her hand off the tazer, though, and jerked her chin toward the elevator bank. Hydra’s stooges didn’t need to know and it was the least she could do. Daisy didn’t work for Hydra, she worked for SHIELD, which was the contract security company that guarded Hydra’s assets.

“I asked too many questions,” Reyes said. “I was already looking for new work, got it, too, with Rider’s Delivery.”

“You’re a courier driver now?”

“Yeah, it’s a nice change of pace. More friendly co-workers and less morally ethical business dealings. But I did want a few things out of my desk and I wasn’t given a chance to clear it out before I was escorted out.”

“Hydra yells, we jump,” Daisy said. “Mack told me about it.”

“He was at least nice about it,” Robbie said. 

Daisy card-keyed them up through the elevator and onto the cubical floor. She knew where Reyes’ desk was; Robbie was nice to look at. She even had the camera set up so she could watch him work when she was in the fishbowl. Unfortunately, her shift had started right after Robbie was escorted out. So she hadn’t gotten to say goodbye.

Robbie grinned at her, then started going through his desk. 

“You left your desk a mess,” Daisy teased him. She flipped through the stack of papers that were shoved in his inbox. 

“No, I didn’t,” Robbie said. He reached under the bottom drawer and pulled something out-- “someone else was looking for this.”

“What’s that?”

“Evidence,” Robbie said. “You might want to look for new work, yourself. Hydra may not be in business much longer.” He pocketed a thumb drive.

“Huh,” she said, taking out a red envelope from the stack. “You left your Valentine here, too.”

“That’s not mine, that’s for you. And the box of candy in the second drawer,” Robbie said. “I didn’t get the chance to give it to you.”

Daisy couldn’t help but smile. “That’s sweet. I’m going to lose my job because I let you in here, and you’re giving me a Be Mine card?”

“I like you.”

“I like you, too. Um, hey, as long as we’re sinking the ship-- you know I keep the camera focused here, right? We might be able to find out who was poking in your desk.”

Robbie raised an eyebrow. “All that for a lacy card and some cheap chocolates?”

“All that, and a date, too. Dinner? My treat?”

“Sounds like a plan.” 

[askcarlyle]

[A contribution (in conjunction with @askbarnum and @askbennett​ ) to FanFicFeb on @theothersidediscord for Prompts #24 (Whump) and #26 (Sanctuary). Edited from the live version, which concluded on server last month.] 

Barnum

Knocks loudly on Bennett's door for several minutes, when it finally gets opened by the butler. Then argues with him for several minutes

I insist, I am a close personal friend of his. Just let me in, or go and fetch him. I must talk to Mr Bennett immediately.

Bennett

Walks down the stairs into the entrance hall to see what the racket is about, and on seeing Barnum levels a glare before politely requesting his butler goes to check that all his cats are accounted for.

Mr. Barnum.

Stands in the centre of the doorway, continuing to glare.

To what do I owe this exceedingly unwelcome intrusion?

Barnum 

Leans against the doorway with a beaming grin, crossing his arms.

Ahhh, Mr Bennett, at last. I was passing by and I came by to ask a big favour. Can I come in?

Bennett

No. I can hear you just fine here. In fact, I would be able to hear you quite adequately were you to remove yourself from my property and stand beside that tree on the other side of the road.

Barnum

Raises his eyebrows sarcastically

Well that is no way to host a guest. I really do think I would be more comfortable inside. Really, I don't know what Phillip sees in you. I am a little short for time though, are you willing to do me a favour or not?

Bennett

Sighs in exasperation and steps out of the way to allow Barnum in

I would be far more hospitable had you either warned ahead of time of your arrival, or at the very least not attempted to break my door down in your knocking. That obviously depends on the favour.

Carlyle

peeks head out from parlor, Lady Vaudeville wrapped around shoulders like a fur stole and purring

What's the commotion abou... oh. Hi, PT. I thought you were with the girls today.

Barnum

Blinks at Phillip, pausing in the doorway in surprise rather than stepping in

Oh, no I just dropped them off with Charity an hour ago and was on my way to the market to pick up some groceries for tonight, I was planning on cooking for you. Might have to go on the back burner though, something came up.

Turns his gaze back to Bennett

Really, a proper gentleman should always be prepared for company. What would you do should a beautiful young lady turn up swooning at your doorstep? One should always be ready for these things.

Bennett

Rolls his eyes at the insult to his gentlemanly nature

Do you imagine I have a multitude of beautiful ladies regularly turning up at my door and endeavouring to smash it to splinters as you did?

Barnum

Well, you clearly have Phillip turning up at your door. Why are you here anyway, Phil? I thought you were going out with Anne this afternoon.

Carlyle

scritches the cat's chin thoughtfully and shrugs with a slight frown

No, that's on Mondays. 

Bennett

Well, Mr. Barnum? What is it that was so urgent?

Barnum

Chuckles gently

Oh, right.

Steps inside and turns around to reveal a knife sticking out of his shoulder, the coat around it stained a darker red than usual

I was on my way to the market and I am not one hundred percent sure but I think I might have been stabbed, your house was closer than mine so I thought I'd pop by and see if you could do me the favour of lending a bandage.

Carlyle 

blinks for a moment uncomprehendingly then sets down the cat and rushes over

What the actual fu... get in here. On the couch. Now.

gingerly slides an arm around other shoulder and starts half carrying Barnum to the parlor with a look of grim terror

Barnum

Stumbles along with Phillip as he is pulled into the sitting room and pushed down on the couch

Easy, easy. You have that panicked look in your eyes again, Phil. If you keep worrying like that you'll end up with crows feet. I'll be fine. Hey Bennett, you got any whisky?

Carlyle

examines Barnum's shoulder for a moment, frown firmly stamped in place

Right. Stay.

rushes off to rummage in kitchen, then comes brandishing an even larger kitchen knife

To finish the job.

watches Barnum blink and stare

Or possibly for this.

cuts coat and shirt off to avoid disturbing what turns out to a fairly smallish pen knife shallowly embedded in the shoulder

Bennett 

Follows the other two into the room several minutes later with a bottle of whisky and a roll of bandages

Did you not think to go to a hospital, perhaps, rather than, say, my house?

Peers over to examine the small knife in Barnum’s shoulder

Hm. It doesn’t look so bad. As ever, exceedingly dramatic, Mr. Barnum.

Hands the bottle to Barnum, waiting for him to take a sip before quickly pulling the knife out

Barnum 

Turns entirely white at the statement, only letting out a breath and a nervous chuckle as Phillip uses it to cut off his shirt rather than his head

Had I been aware you were in the middle of another tea party I would have gone to the Rochester's house down the street, but here was closer.

Takes a mouthful of the whisky, rolling his eyes

I would have kept walking to the hospital only-

Yelps as he pulls the knife out, going a little pale and turning to glare at Bennett

Uncalled for.

Takes another heavy glug of the alcohol

I would have kept walking to the hospital only-

Is cut off as something heavy bangs against the door, then a stone comes flying through the glass window

...only, they were still following me. Not as young as I used to be, wasn't sure I could keep running.

Bennett

You brought violent individuals to my house?!

Leaves the room before returning promptly with a cane and his hat

How many of them are there?

Carlyle

peeks out other window quickly

Three. Two big ones and one hairy one that looks like a gorilla. Two more knives and a... is that a pitchfork? Christ.

Barnum 

Shrugs his good shoulder, leaning back and kicking his feet onto the coffee table lazily

I may have had a few words. I probably should have resisted name calling. Ah relax, Bennett, we will be perfectly safe in here. We can camp out for a while until they get bored and leave. Do you have any puzzles? I love a good puzzle. I'll make us some snacks.

Stands casually and wanders off shirtlessly to the kitchen, bottle of whisky still in hand

Bennett

Shakes his head

They broke my window. And pose a threat to my dear ladies.

Dons his hat

Mr Carlyle. Bandage your partner up before he bleeds on my carpet. I’m going to take care of our company.

Marches out of the house

Carlyle 

marches off after Barnum, pulling bottle out of his hand and taking a very long pull before splashing some on the wound

This may sting.

pauses, considers, then dumps the last finger of whiskey over Barnum's head

That's just because I felt like it.

pushes his wayward partner down onto a kitchen stool and deftly dresses the wound, bleeding already nearly ceased

Barnum

Frowns and rolls his eyes, sitting still obediently as the other man bandages him up though bounces his feet impatiently

Could we do this in a few minutes, I do believe Mr Bennett just stormed outside to face a group of thugs brandishing knives with nothing but a cane in tow. He is wearing a monocle, I suspect they may kill him and we should really do something about that. Oww that stings. Is it done yet? How many knots do you need? Okay done now?

Stands up and kisses Phillip sloppily on the forehead.

Thank you, I love you. Okay let's go!

Smashes the empty bottle against the counter and rushes out the door brandishing the razor sharp bottle neck

Bennett

Stands surrounded by the (probably just) unconscious thugs wiping blood from his cane and watching Barnum run out with the smashed bottle

Please be careful with that. You’ve already got yourself stabbed once. I don’t have enough bandages to cope with you impaling yourself on a bottle too.

Examines a slash in his hat forlornly

How are you at sewing? I am rather fond of this hat and it seems to have been stabbed once or twice.

Carlyle 

walks out at a leisurely pace, nursing a new bottle of whiskey and tossing Bennett a clean wet towel

There's a spot on your lapel. Get it before the stain sets.

Barnum 

Glances around in disbelief for a few moments, letting the broken bottle drop to the floor. Then stares back and forth between the two men as if demanding some kind of explanation

What did-? Is this some kind of elaborate joke? How did you-?

Bennett

Cleans off his lapel calmly and then uses the towel to wipe his cane properly

A man must defend his home, Mr Barnum. Now, how about we go back inside and enjoy that whisky Mr Carlyle seems to have acquired together.

Walks back towards the house with a notable spring in his step

Well now! I certainly have missed the thrill of a good tussle. 

Carlyle

drapes a dressing gown over Barnum and steers him back inside

I've taken the liberty of sending your man off to inform the authorities, Gordon. They should be here shortly.

slings arm around Barnum as they walk, offering him bottle

Did I ever mention that Mr. Bennett and I met at a bar fight?

Barnum 

Scowls as he has a dressing gown draped over him, only tugging it shut to keep out the cold, then tugging Phillip's arm from off his shoulder

I can protect my home perfectly fine, thank you, Bennett.

Takes the bottle to swig from a little crankily

You were in a bar fight? Hard to imagine that, I've seen you try to engage in fisticuffs before, Phil. Not the most impressive show.

Bennett 

Throws Barnum an unimpressed glare from the doorway

As has been demonstrated, Barnum. I look forward to what you choose to house yourself in after the tent. An air balloon, perhaps.

Disappears inside, calling out of the broken window as he passes

Admittedly, Phillip was not exactly sending his adversaries sprawling. Or staring them down all too effectively. But I’m sure the intent was there...somewhere.

Carlyle

For what it's worth, we have already ascertained that a hot air balloon is not suitable even as an overnight accommodation, let alone for longer.

sits back down in parlor and takes a sip of his now cold tea, wincing

Hmm. New pot please. And I was handling myself perfectly fine until that bald fellow with the collar showed up. Wasn't quite sober enough to aim for for his face, perhaps. Luckily, Gordon managed to get him from behind and before I knew it, he was issuing attack strategy interspersed with rather harsh commentary on my latest drama. 

Barnum

Takes a seat next to Phillip, still scowling

A balloon wouldn't be necessary anyway, we will never loose the tent. I won't let that happen, not for as long as I live. I am perfectly capable of protecting my home and my family, I'll never let that happen again. Never. I can protect them just fine.

Takes a long mouthful of the whisky, pausing for a heavy breath before taking another one

The tent is perfectly safe and I'll always be there to protect it from now on. I can and will protect them. I'll always be there. The tent will be fine.

Hands the bottle to Phillip to stop himself gulping down anymore

How long ago was this? Where on earth did you learn to fight in such a brutal manner? I spent most of my youth getting into brawls on dirty street corners and I am less of a thug than you just demonstrated.

Bennett

Observes Barnum’s earnest vows with a small smile

I do not doubt it, Barnum. As for that...

Nods our the window to the thugs left out cold on the street

As you take great pains to draw to my attention on every available occasion, I’m not the most amenable of fellows. It proved not unwise to acquire some training in the art of bartitsu. I learnt in London, but it has been far more useful here. You’d be amazed the number of playwrights who turn to the fist or reach for a knife following receipt of an unsatisfactory review.

Carlyle 

thoughtful look

Nobody told me that was an option.

Barnum 

Calms a little at the reassurance, leaning back in his chair to get more comfortable.

Snorts at Phillip's statement

Turning the fist to Bennett? Even I have considered that as an option a few times.

Bennett

It wasn’t an option for you, I’m afraid.

Shrugs nonchalantly

I stand by what I write. A violent reaction merely implies a lack of intellect. It is those who engage in a debate with me who ultimately prove the most successful. Well, aside from you it seems, who simply accosts me with fraudulent or insulting letters. 

Barnum 

Cracks a grin

Hey I stand by that offer. I think you would make a very good judge for the baby competition. It would be hilarious to hear your critiques in that context. [ftb]

[auroraphilealis]

Steal My Heart Chapter Twenty-One

Genre: Chaptered, fantasy AU, Prince!Phil, Thief!Dan, romance, enemies to lovers, angst and fluff, slow burn (like serious slow burn)

Warnings: some violence, mentions of death (no main characters), dark magic, descriptions of wounds/blood, some hints of sexual scenes (but no actual smut), murder, dangerous situations, stealing/thievery

Summary: Captain of the Royal Guard and Prince of Morellia, Philip Lester has never been given the chance to find love. Instead, he’s run from a system that works to end class differences and improve equality for its citizens. Happy as he is to make the world a better place, Phil can’t help feeling bitter towards his ancestors for making it impossible for him to find someone who will actually love him for more than just his title, and strives instead for a life of justice and doing good - only to meet his match in the King of Thieves, a man who will change everything he once thought he knew in life. Together, they must depart on a quest to save the kingdom, and, in the process, destroy their differences and find their own form of love.

Word count: 240,000+

Updates: Sunday

Thanks so much to @botanistlester for betaing this giant monster, as she’s been super helpful and encouraging with her little comments and endless excitement. We couldn’t have done it without you <3

I am so, so sorry if we have yet to reply to your comments/messages. You guys can't imagine how much they mean to us, and how much you guys make us smile. This fic is everything to us, and it makes us sad when we can't reply as much as we'd like to. Julia has a harder time with getting the energy to reply, so I usually take care of it, but I have been insanely busy lately and haven't been able to sit down and do much of anything recently, part of why this chapter is being posted early tonight! Thank you guys for being so understanding, and know that we appreciate every single comment we get!

Disclaimer: In no way do I claim that this is real or cast aspersions on Dan or Phil

For reference, @snowbunnylester is Phil, @ineverhadmyinternetphase is Dan

(AO3 link) (Masterlist)

Chapter 21

It wasn’t until they were able to see the third village appearing rather suddenly within their view that Dan used his hold on Phil’s hand to drag him rather suddenly behind a large boulder that had been hiding a large cave from view. For a moment, Phil didn’t even realize it was there, either, and he made a surprised squeaking noise at Dan’s sudden movement, but then his gaze caught on the hollow darkness, and he felt a grin begin to curl up the sides of his mouth.

“My thief?” Phil asked, a quiet question he already knew the answer too.

“Better safe than sorry,” Dan replied easily with a quick shrug and an easy smile. “Besides, now we have a hiding place for our gear, and a chance to change into those disguises we talked about -- hmm, how long ago now?” Dan teased, already dropping his bag to the cave floor and ushering Phil inside.

Following after him, Phil used the light from the still setting sun outside to help him find the outfits Dan had figured would do back at the beginning of their journey. He stripped out of his clothes as Dan did the same, and pulled on the slightly more baggy pair of trousers, but paused as he moved to tug on an old looking tunic. Perhaps… the blood soaked one would serve him better?

Phil considered it for a moment, and then, at the last minute, decided to change his outfit, tugging the blood stained item over his head, and then using the old tunic Dan had originally intended for him to use and taking his knife to it, carving out a kind of sweater that he then threw over his shoulders. With a grin, Phil tussled up his mussed and dusty hair, and turned to Dan, who was already standing beside him dressed in far neater clothes that made Dan look almost particularly muscular, and his hunter’s bow thrown over his back.

He had one brow lifted in question at Phil’s outfit, but didn’t say anything as Phil stared back at him.

“You look ridiculous,” Dan eventually settled on, making Phil laugh as he reached out and tussled up Dan’s hair as well.

“As do you, my Prince, but that’s the point. The villagers aren’t meant to take us seriously, remember? They’re meant to assume we’re going to willingly sacrifice ourselves to their idol.”

Sighing loudly, Dan could do nothing more than concede to Phil’s point with a heavy shrug.

“I suppose… that’s not far from the truth, in the end. Alright. Are you ready then, uncle?” Dan teased, nudging at Phil and watching as he laughed as well. The expression almost didn’t fit his outfit, covered in dried, old blood as he was, and yet, Dan could see vestiges of his love under all the dirt and sweat and tears on his cheeks.

"I'm ready," Phil agreed after a moment.

Dan emerged with Phil back into the daylight, then, blinking, and led the way over to the path leading into the village they’d been approaching only moments before. Shifting a bit in his unfamiliar clothes, and not much liking the way he felt so much younger in this outfit, Dan tried not to let his antsiness show.

He was definitely enjoying Phil's look, though, dressed up like a senile old fool as he was.

"Come along, then," Dan hummed. "You're going to be my mad Uncle Alfred, and I'll be your nephew called Jason. You were insisting on coming here for gold, and as the most fit of the family I got dragged along for the ride. That's our backstory, if you've got any suggestions let me know." Dan winked, smirking. "Personally, I don't think you'll have to work too hard to look senile, though."

Phil rolled his eyes, whacking Dan roughly and trying not to feel too annoyed when his thief avoided it.

Dan dodged Phil's whack with a snicker, reluctantly removing his hand from Phil's as they drew near to the village. Unfortunately, their story meant that he'd have to watch his touches around Phil, keeping things appropriate for an uncle and his nephew.

"Just… follow each other's lead. We don't want to get ourselves into more trouble than we already have if we screw each other up," Phil muttered in reply. He didn’t really have any other suggestions than that one, though. Dan’s cover story would work well enough, and it was just as well that Phil wouldn’t have to act too much older than a crazy uncle who’d probably had one too many knocks to the head.

All he really knew, however, was that the villagers were never going to let the Prince and his suitor through to the Dragon, no matter what pull Phil and his family supposedly had here. It might be strange dressing as anything other than a commoner, and playing pretend as someone entirely loony, but, well, if it meant saving his family, so be it. There was no way in hell Phil was letting anyone else hold the cure for his family over his head again.

The Duke had learned the hard way not to try and manipulate Phil.

The final village the two men entered did not begin with a greeting at the gates, though it was clear from the few people out and about that they’d seen the two coming from miles away. The village itself was pretty quiet, with most people out mining in the mountains, but there were still a few people left around to watch them with slightly suspicious gazes.

In reaction, Dan did his best to keep his act up, back straight and eyes bright with the eager interest of a young boy, possibly just shy of sixteen.

Phil, meanwhile, did his best to paste a stupid, eager grin across his face as he and Dan moved steadily through the mountain people’s home. He knew, any minute, an elder would appear to bar them entry any further, but a senile old uncle and his nephew surely wouldn’t know that, right? So Phil pretended as if he wasn’t suspicious in the least bit, choosing instead to swing his gaze from side to side like this was all entirely new to him.

As expected, a village elder stopped them just at the other end of the village, just as the village exit came into sight. He appeared as if he’d been there all along, seeming to arrive out of thin air and press a long, thin spear in front of him against the ground. His expression was dark and intimidating, much harsher than the elder at the first village, and his eyes were shrewd, like he was looking through both Dan and Phil.

Phil tried to hide his shudder, before realizing that perhaps he should not.

Moments later, two more guards appeared on either side of the elder, effectively blocking Dan and Phil off from the exit of the village.

"What is your business here?" the elder asked, voice gruff.

He had a long white beard that had been braided, and a green tunic on, arms crossed tight across his chest. The green tunic, however, was what caught and held Phil’s attention, as it had a tint to it, as if it had been touched by magic, and Phil flinched as he realized the dangers that might reside here.

The witch had been here, but would the villagers truly attack them? Phil had no way of knowing. How in the world were he and Dan going to escape from the villagers after they’d survived the dragon? Better not to think of that just then.

Dan tensed the instant the bearded man appeared seemingly out of nowhere, Dan’s eyes quickly flickering to take in the two spear-bearing, threatening-looking people behind him. Dan held back a small sigh. Some small, hopeful part of him had been thinking they might just make it through the village unnoticed, but he should have known better.

Time to start the act.

"Greetings, my good friend!" Dan greeted, deliberately lightening his voice, pitching it up a bit higher than he usually would. He made sure to look as eager as he could. "We're just passing through, meaning you no disrespect."

As the charade began, Phil did his best to make himself appear far more senile than he really was. He knew his hair appeared to be greying from all the ash and dust on the mountain, even after his recent bath with Dan, but he needed far more than to appear older to these people. He needed to act insane, and as Dan spoke to the elder, Phil merely grinned at the guards on either side of him and allowed one of his eyes to drift to the right a little before righting itself in a little trick Phil had learned to entertain the kids in the Castle.

"I see." The bearded man, the elder of the village, looked them over suspiciously. "And your business is?"

Dan sighed. "Nothing of import, save an old man's wishes." He tugged on Phil's arm at that point, dragging him forward. "This here is my uncle - once a great, proud man, turned a little strange in his old age. He has these funny turns, you see." Dan dropped his voice conspiratorially, keeping up the dialect of the mountain people that he'd picked up from Brandon over the years. "He's convinced he had a vision of some gold, wouldn't let it go until he came to see for himself."

When Dan dragged Phil closer still to show him off, Phil jostled forward as if he were about to attack, watching as the guards and the elder all flinched back before the two guards picked up their spears to point them threateningly at Phil. Raising his hands in the air as he righted himself, Phil merely grinned at the two men, and did a slow circle for them to show that he was no threat.

The village elder watched this all with narrowed eyes, looking absolutely taken aback by both men. "Gold hunters?" he asked, sounding suspicious, unbelieving almost.

"Unfortunately," Dan replied ruefully. "I'd much rather be laying home in bed, to tell the truth, good Sir. But my family commands, and my mother said she'd whack me something rotten if I didn't lend my uncle my assistance." Dan deliberately grimaced. "You know what women are like."

The village elder looked suitably entertained, looking Phil over with a sharp eye. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm afraid you won't have much luck with gold in these parts - it's mostly a myth."

"Shh!" Dan quickly slapped his hands over Phil's ears, perhaps enjoying this a little too much. “You can’t tell him that, it’s his dream, he’s utterly convinced of its existence.”

Phil, for his part, jumped, and returned his wandering gaze back towards the elder, eyes narrowed suspiciously, though he allowed himself to get distracted again quite easily.

Dan was quick to continue on the conversation by mouthing to the elder, "I'll never hear the end of it if we don’t at least try. Truthfully, I just want to spend a month or so camped out in the mountains, and then he'll forget all about this weird dream and we can move on. Just, please, grant us safe passage so I can get this charade over with soon."

The elder studied them closely, and Dan widened his eyes, attempting to look as innocent as possible (and he was a good actor and he knew it).

Eventually, the elder stepped aside, waving off his spears. "Alright. On your way. I wish you safe travels, though my advice is you don’t stay too long. We're expecting snow in a few months."

"Many thanks, and a blessing on your house," Dan responded formally, giving a short bow before grasping Phil's sleeve and leading him on his way.

All the acting was well worth it, when, quite suddenly Dan released his hold over Phil’s ears and started praising the mountain elder, tugging on Phil’s hand and beginning to lead him past the man who’d parted to allow Dan and Phil through. For a moment, Phil couldn’t believe that things had been so easy, and then he remembered the way the village people had looked at them.

They hadn’t been in the least surprised when Dan and Phil had shown up. They’d known they were coming, must have seen them coming through the pass much further down the mountain. They had such a good vantage point up here, in the highest village on this peak.

They thought Dan and Phil were nothing more than sacrifices to the dragon, and if they somehow managed to survive… well, then, their elder held a gift from the witch that he wore at all times, and Phil had no idea what it could actually do.

When this was all over, Phil had to come back here. Something needed to be done about these people and their -- their… beliefs. Sacrificing innocent people who happened to wander up here… that just couldn’t be done. Perhaps the prince had very little sway, but he could strike fear in these men’s hearts, and he could lead an army against them, if only to save his people.

Once free of the village, Dan and Phil continued their trek through the mountain pass, and up towards where they both guessed the dragon’s lair to be. The sun was on its slow descent, and noon had long passed, but dusk had not quite yet fallen. If all went well, Dan and Phil would escape the clutches of the dragon by sunrise, but if all went to hell… they could very well be here for a few days, if not weeks, yet.

The dragon needed to be asleep, but there had been no indication from the village people whether or not it was. Neither man had anything to go off of just yet, but they had safe passage now. The could travel back and forth from the dragon all they wanted, and no one would stop them. Not if they wanted their dragon to have a sacrifice, at least.

“When we go back… if we go back, after we’ve had the scale, at least... “ Phil said to Dan in a rush, “We pretend nothing has happened. We pretend we are still on the search for gold, and surely, the villagers will let us through for the night. They don’t want to lose their sacrifices, after all. And then, we can make our getaway,” Phil explained.

Dan nodded in quick agreement as the two continued moving swiftly up the mountain pass, far faster now than they had before. Dan didn’t show it outwardly beyond the tense line of his shoulders, but he was growing worried. It was close to nightfall already, and those villagers had been far too happy to let them pass. He knew they would expect Dan and Phil to die out here, but Dan was absolutely not going to let that happen.

Still, it was growing dark, and the dragon would be fearsome at least and murderous at worst. Dan would be much happier if they could make camp before facing it, but they were too close now, too high up the mountain. If they camped, and the dragon was awake and hunting, then there was every chance it would find them and kill them before they ever had the chance to get a piece of its scale.

No, the only way to do this was to try and surprise the dragon, so Dan prayed with everything he had that they would find it sleeping.

Phil could feel the exhaustion left over from his panic attack fading away to background noise in the back of his mind as his body spiked with adrenaline.

Now was the fateful moment; was the dragon sleeping, or was it awake, and if the latter, how much longer before it went under?

It took more time than Phil had anticipated to find the entrance to the small cavern then knew existed up here from the ancient map Dan had stolen, but eventually, they found it, nestled behind a kind of rock slate that hadn’t quite looked like it belonged. It had carvings across it, and words in a language that Phil could not read, but he was willing to bet they were some kind of scripter. The village people here worshipped the dragon, after all.

Perhaps it was the Final Rights, a prayer for those sacrificed to the beast inside.

It was Dan who caught sight of it first, and Phil who followed after him as he squeezed past the stone to a large, open passageway that appeared to lead upwards into a cave that Phil could just see glimmering with --

“Gold,” Dan whispered. “The dragon must be here.”

Phil swallowed thickly, as it suddenly hit him that this was real. He’d never once taken this trip to be any less than it was, and yet it had never seemed quite so dangerous as it did right then, as both he and Dan stood on the cusp of entering the realest danger either man had ever faced.

Neither of them made the first move to walk inside, but instead, stood hovering just outside.

The passageway leading up to the cavern where the gold glinted was steep, littered with stones and bones and dust, and Dan did his best not to focus too greatly on exactly what lay in their way. All that mattered was how they got up there, even if Dan quailed at the very thought.

Going after a dragon was madness. Brandon had been right. What on earth was Dan doing here--

But then he glanced over to Phil, where Phil stood staring determinedly up the passage past the cave entrance they stood before, his face pale but expression set.

There. That was why Dan had to do this.

Taking a breath, Dan reached out and took Phil’s hand in his own.

Phil was biting his lip, his fingers curling at the large, curved knife at his waist, while Dan seemed itching to reach for his bow. He didn’t, choosing instead to stare blankly inside of the cave. Phil wondered if Dan was quite as terrified as Phil was in that moment.

They were about to face a dragon, head on.

“If it’s awake --” Phil whispered.

“We run like hell,” Dan finished for him with a firm nod, and then squeezed Phil’s hand, turning to face him. “Ready?” he asked, not looking the slightest bit ready himself.

Phil nodded, but swallowed thickly.

Dan nodded back, but fear was gripping deep in his heart. Fear, and dread, that this was the wrong thing to do. That this would go horribly wrong. That he and Phil would not come out of this in one piece.

He couldn’t face that thought, so he took a deep breath and gripped tighter to Phil’s hand. “Just promise me one thing?”

Phil glanced back at him, momentarily surprised. “What’s that?”

Dan took another breath, and for once, let his guard completely down. All his fear and worry showed through on his face as he stepped closer, releasing Phil’s hand to instead place both his palms against Phil’s shoulders. He levelled him with a look that was supposed to be stern, but ended up being… more desperate. “Don’t get yourself killed.”

There was something about the desperation of Dan’s words that cut deep inside of Phil, and, before he could over think it, Phil was reaching out and gripping tight to Dan’s tunic, only to drag him into a fierce kiss.

It felt like a promise, and a goodbye all rolled up in one. It felt like everything, as Phil pressed his tongue past Dan’s lips and licked into his mouth, tasting him for potentially the last time. His brow was furrowed in pain, and he could feel Dan’s in the way that he nipped at Phil’s tongue, chased it back to his mouth only to nip at Phil’s lips, and lick into his mouth in return, his fingers coming up to curl into Phil’s hair and yank, until their bodies collided and Phil could feel every inch of Dan’s heat pressed up alongside him.

It was everything, and as Phil kissed Dan, all he could think was that he would do everything in his power to save this man, to save them both, and his people too.

**

Dan stayed close to Phil's side as they ventured slowly inside the dragon’s lair. For the longest time, this had been the main goal of their journey, and yet they had prepared for it the least. How did you prepare for an encounter with a dragon when you didn’t even know what state in which you’d find it, let alone how you were meant to steal from one? Never in the history of their world had Dan heard of anyone stealing from a dragon, let alone its scale from directly off of its back, or tail, or wherever.

Dan had drawn his dagger to hand the moment Phil had let him go from that kiss, and his eyes were sharp now as he took in the rugged edges of the cave they were pushing inside of now. Whatever happened from here on out, Dan knew he wasn't going down without a fight, and he had absolutely no intention of letting Phil get hurt.

Brandon’s words from earlier were cutting him deep. That Phil was the only one Dan had ever let in this close, and he didn’t even know how important that was yet, because Dan had never told him. Suddenly, Dan regretted that.

He needed them both to survive this.

A few steps into the cave, the mouth of it began to lower above them. Dan crouched, tugging Phil down next to him so they got a better angle into the dragon's cave, and so that they would have less chance of being seen. The entrance was a little way above their heads, up a steep passageway littered with loose rocks and stones and bones and fuck-knew-what-else that would be a nightmare to traverse.

The heat was already immense, and as Dan wiped sweat from his brow, he caught sight once again of a glint of gold in the distance. A hoard. There was no remaining doubt that this was the dragon's lair.

Dan crawled his way through the last bit of the lowered rock before the passageway, Phil close behind him, thankfully not panicking too much from the enclosed space, too fearful of what they were about to encounter to panic. As the rocky ceiling opened out again above their heads, Dan stayed on his hands and knees, crawling to the edge of the steep passageway leading up to the dragon’s lair, and gestured for Phil to stay right by his side.

Then, taking a deep breath, Dan lifted himself into a crouch and peeked over the edge of the passageway.

What he saw had his breath slamming out of him and his heart pick up to a painful speed, hammering away in his chest.

The passageway continued up for several metres above them, leading to the mouth of a giant cavern that glinted with gold. The heat coming from the cavern was sweltering, the smell rotten and stifling, and there in the entranceway, filling the entire opening, lay a huge, red, scaly, moving flank.

The dragon.

Huge and red and scaly, it was currently sitting curled up with its wings folded and its long, spiked tail curved around its legs. It's back was to Dan, leaving him unable to see if it was awake or not. It's heavy flank was moving with its breaths, but beyond that, everything felt silent and calm.

Speechless, Dan dropped back down to his hands and knees beside Phil, his face paler than it had ever been before.

They held their breath, waiting for some kind of sign, some kind of movement that would alert them to the dragon being awake, but none came. Dan wasn’t sure how long they could waste just waiting, though. What if the dragon was asleep…

Turning to Phil, Dan beckoned his Prince to follow behind him, and rose swiftly to his feet, using every trick he knew to move silently. Phil followed in his movements, mimicking his stride, the way he stepped, nearly perfectly, and if this hadn’t been a life or death situation, Dan would have been quite proud of him. As it was, there was no room for pride when they very well could die any second now.

The passage, however, was horrendously steep, and exceedingly slippery, and more than once, Dan nearly slipped, just managing to avoid sending both himself and Phil from toppling to their deaths.

Dan tried not to think about it too much.

Should the dragon truly already be asleep, Dan knew that he and Phil would be beyond lucky. It would leave them open to pinch a bit of dragon scale right away, and be on their way, but if the dragon was awake… Dan wasn’t sure what they could do. There was no way they could kill the beast, and yet, they were inside of its lair. How easily it could murder them now…

Somehow, both Dan and Phil managed to scramble up the ridge with a steep drop on either side of it, and up onto the platform above without falling or damaging themselves. The dragon, for its part, had yet to move, and Dan almost wanted to stop, admire its hefty claws and brilliantly red skin that reflected the dying sunlight rather prettily. He had to stop and remind himself that this thing could literally kill them, and Dan knew he sure as hell didn’t want to be this close to it for any longer than he absolutely had to be.

They needed to get that dragon scale, and fast, no matter how tantalizing the rest of the cave glinting with its gold was.

He and Phil crept forward, quiet as ever, with Dan holding his dagger outstretched to pierce a bit of scale from the beast’s tail, when, quite suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, Phil stepped on a rock.

The noise it made was miniscule, barely even a tap as it crunched under Phil’s boot, but it was enough. The sound echoed hugely inside of the dragon’s lair, bouncing off the walls with seemingly unending sound, and Dan flinched. Then, just as suddenly, the dragon was climbing to its feet with a giant roar unlike anything Dan had ever heard before.

The ground shook beneath its giant, clawed feet, its tail whacking around the cave so fast that one of the spikes almost caught Dan across the face. He dived, throwing himself against the closest wall and all but cowering against it. It wasn’t often he felt fear anymore, but right then, Dan’s insides were wriggling and coiling tighter and tighter with terror.

Phil was somewhere. Dan had to keep track of him, but with the dragon roaring and continuously flicking its tail as it tried to turn around in the tight space, gold sliding under its claws, it was difficult to find him.

Nevertheless, Dan tried, crouched in his corner with his arms up over his head, peeking through them into the darkness inside the cavern.

There was a flash of movement from across the cave… there. Dan caught a glimpse of a white tunic, could just about make out Phil’s body crouched opposite from Dan, the other side of the dragon’s tail. His face was wane, a dagger faltering in his grip, but he was looking straight at Dan.

Their eyes locked, and Dan let out a breath of relief. Phil was there, still moving, unharmed.

The dragon roared, opening its giant maw and suddenly the air got hotter, much, much hotter, until the skin of Dan’s arm grew singed and red. The dragon roared and fire burst from its mouth, scorching the opposite wall as it turned its massive body around, red eyes flashing dak through the shadows. It spun, and Dan ducked, keeping as low as he could while also peering through the darkness to see Phil, to check he was safe from the beast that was slowly turning in the tight space.

The dragon belched out another round of flames, and Dan threw himself to the ground, gold scattering beneath him, making the ground slippy. The dragon’s back was to him now, its tail cutting through the air, and its head…

Its head was heading straight for Phil.

Dan watched in petrified horror as its dark red eyes alighted on Phil, who was still cowering in a corner, trapped, and with absolutely nowhere to go. It roared, and Phil ducked, but the dragon was lifting one giant front leg, claws extended, red scales shining and glimmering and exactly what they needed, but how on earth were they going to steal some of its scales when it was awake and angry and had them trapped in its hoard…

The dragon slashed its paw through the air, heading straight for Phil’s side, Dan’s Prince’s side, in an attack that would surely be deadly should it manage to land.

Dan didn’t even think. All he knew was he couldn't allow Phil to get hurt for him -- that Dan could never live with himself if that happened, not when Phil was the only thing he had left in his life. So he moved on instinct.

One second Dan was crouching there, staring in horror as the dragon swiped a huge clawed leg at Phil, and the next, he was diving forward with a screech, scrambling his way around the giant dragon and knocking Phil down to the ground, unheeding the knife Phil had raised towards the great beast.

His Prince landed in a heap underneath him, and Dan caught one glance of his terrified, wide-eyed expression before the dragon’s claw hit.

Instantly, searing pain ran through Dan's left side, and he had the vague thought that the dragon must have clawed him instead of Phil, before everything went blissfully black.

Everything happened too fast. Phil felt as though everything was moving in a different reality. One second, Dan was right beside him, and the next, he was gone. Phil didn’t even have a second to panic or wonder what had happened to him, however, as moments later, he was turning once more to face down a raging dragon whose strange eyes, red gilted but blackened, were suddenly turned towards him and --

Phil found himself staring down the terrifying sight of a sharp, blood red claw coming for his face, with no time left in him to so much as react. Dan -- Phil had just seen him, Dan was alive, but Phil -- Phil would not be for very much longer.

Holding up his dagger in a last ditch attempt to protect himself, to help his family, to maybe grab a claw, Phil waited for the impact, to be knocked to the ground -- only it didn’t come from the direction Phil had been expecting.

His knife went skittering across the dragon’s cavern floor, shooting out from beyond his hold, and his face struck the ground so hard that he actually groaned miserably, forgetting that now was not the time to make any more noise. He just couldn’t help it, and he had no idea what was happening. All he knew was that his ears were ringing now, and that his head hurt worse than it ever had before, and that the room was far too hot to be normal.

Something heavy was on top of him, something heavy that felt like the worst pressure Phil had ever experienced, and he pushed at it, desperate to get it off of him, desperate to survive.

The dragon roared again, then, reminding Phil of its presence, of the danger that he and Dan were currently in, and he rolled before he could think about it just as something hard and heavy hit the cavern floor. The loud rumble following the force told Phil it had been the dragon’s foot, right where Phil had been only moments before, and he shoved himself to his feet before he could think twice about it.

His head was spinning, and Phil couldn't see straight. His thoughts were scattered and confused from the blow to his head, but he knew that something was wrong. The blow he’d taken hadn’t been from a dragon’s claw, it had been from --

No, no, Phil thought as he scrambled into what he thought was a standing position, only for him to keel forward and land on his face once more. Phil groaned at the same time as the dragon roared once more, and for a second, Phil wished he was running right then, but moments after, the sound of something whisking over his head echoed throughout the cave, and Phil heard the impact as the dragon’s tail swung out and crashed into the walls around them, attacking anything and everything in its way.

Body filling with both adrenaline and terror, Phil tried to shove himself to his feet once more, and this time managed to succeed. His heart was hammering away in his chest, his mind was buzzing, and some horrified part of him just knew that what he was about to find would not be good.

Dan, Dan, where was Dan!?

Phil was beyond certain now that the blow he’d taken had come from the wrong direction. Dan had been safe, he’d been safe, what had he done!?

“Dan?” Phil cried, his voice a croak as the dragon roared once more, and the room seemed to heat up again. Phil could see the signs of a fire behind him, growing in intensity, and his eyes searched wildly for the dragon, desperate to find him, so he could find Dan, so he could save him. That’s when he caught sight of the dragon’s eyes again, the strange, gilted red he’d been staring into earlier, the strange blackness…

The dragon’s head swung around, searching, and that’s when Phil realized why he looked so wrong. He was blind. The dragon was blind, its eyes missing from its skull, nothing more than two dark holes and a scorched mark deep inside that Phil could only just make out.

Phil nearly fell forward in shocked relief, scrabbling for some kind of sense of balance. The dragon was blind. This could be both a blessing, and a curse, and he set out to find Dan once more. The heavy thing on his body earlier… that must have been Dan, who Phil had so carelessly pushed off of him.

What if the Dragon has stepped on him, earlier, when Phil had rolled out of the way just in time? What if Phil had put Dan in more danger, what if he was dead. Gulping back a horrified sob, Phil reached up with dirty fingers to swipe angrily at his eyes.

“Dan, Dan, please,” Phil whined, his voice a whisper as the dragon began to stampede around his cave, wandering further away from where Phil currently stood, desperate to find his Dan in the dark of the cavern, and -- there!

A lump on the ground, just visible as not belonging amongst the rest of the rocks and the treasure scattered about, but most importantly of all, not smashed, clearly saved from the damage of a large beast stepping on his bones.

Letting out a breath of relief, Phil rushed to Dan’s side on unsteady legs, praying that his idiot of a thief was still alive and hadn’t gotten himself killed trying to be a fucking hero. Phil was panting as he collapsed to his knees at Dan’s side, but he didn’t care. The dragon was making so much noise on its own at this point that Phil was terrified rock was about to start crumbling from ahead just from the force of it and knock him out, rendering him as good as dead.

“Dan… Dan, please. Hey, Dan, don’t -- you can’t go,” Phil begged as he grasped Dan’s shoulder and rolled the man towards him, praying he wasn’t dead. Surely, surely Dan wasn’t dead? He couldn’t be dead, not now, not when they were so close, when they’d found the Dragon, and they were getting his scale, and they could finally go home and just -- just -- be.

Phil choked on a sob as he shoved at Dan’s body, rocked him, shook him, did anything he could think of to get some kind of response, any response, from the body on the floor in front of him.

“Dan please,” Phil hissed, growing frantic as he realized that Dan wasn’t answering him, that he didn’t seem able to, in one way or another. Something was terribly, terribly wrong, and as Phil touched Dan’s stomach, only to feel something hot and sticky touch his hand, he began to truly panic.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, no - Dan, no you can't do this to me," Phil whispered, desperate as the dragon roared around them, shaking the very rock of the cave, and sending a shower of rocks down upon them. Phil keened, and threw himself over Dan’s body, desperate to protect him from any more damage, and holding his own hands over his head in the desperate hope that he could remain conscious enough to finish what he’d come here for.

The rocks struck Phil’s body all over, but miraculously, none struck his hands or his head, and for that, Phil was grateful as he shook on top of Dan’s unmoving form. He moaned against Dan’s body, praying for some kind of miracle, that Dan would just react in some way, but even as he thought the words, he knew that Dan would not.

As the rock fall stopped and the dragon once again blew fire at the wall of the cave furthest from where Dan and Phil currently lay, Phil drew back from Dan’s body, and sobbed as he gripped Dan’s face tight in his hands.

“You are not leaving me, Daniel Howell, do you understand that?” he demanded through his cries, stroking at Dan’s cheeks, hands moving down his neck, over his throat, and -- there! A pulse! Phil could have cried with relief if he wasn’t so desperate to get them both the fuck out of there, and suddenly, Phil was tearing the stupid jacket thing he’d cut for himself earlier off of his shoulders and shoving it under Dan’s body, wrapping it tight around the worst of the wounds on his stomach.

It was the best that Phil could do, especially with his knife gone, but it would have to do. All that mattered, as Phil continued to sob into the void of the cave, was that Dan was not dead, and that Phil would get him out of here alive, one way or another.

Unconscious, that was all. Dan was just unconscious. That, Phil could work with. Dan could survive this yet.

Doing his best to pull himself together when there was grief and adrenaline in equal measure coursing through Phil’s veins, he swiped a trembling hand across his face to wipe away both the tears and the snot, and then inhaled deeply.

He had to get himself together, right now, before it was too late.

The dragon roared, and another shower of rocks started. Phil thrust his body over Dan’s, protecting him, and tried not to cry any harder than he already was as he waited the shower out once again. He was lucky when nothing struck him this time, but Phil knew that soon, his luck would run out on him.

Biting his lip savagely hard, Phil began to look about himself in a wild frenzy, desperate to find some kind of exit that would get both him and Dan out of here safely. Surely, there had to be a way where the dragon wouldn’t see them, where they could be safe…

But no, no, They hadn’t managed to get a scale yet, and for as much as Phil wanted to say fuck it and just get the hell out of here before one of them died, he knew that the sacrifice would be worth nothing without what they’d come here for. Phil had to get the scale, or else Dan had taken a claw for him for no reason.

Gritting his teeth, Phil tried to force himself to focus, but it was hard, and he hated himself when another slew of tears attacked him. He needed to stop this, and now. He had a job to take care of. He couldn’t afford to cry anymore. Dan wasn’t dead, but he very well could be if Phil didn’t hurry the fuck up.

That’s when Phil saw it; glinting on the floor, just a few meters away from his foot was the knife he’d sent skittering across the floor when Dan had knocked him out of the way of the Dragon’s claw, and just beyond that glittered a bright red scale.

For a moment, Phil didn’t know what to think. Had they cut it free of the dragon? Or had it fallen off of him? Did it count for anything at all, or would it just be a waste of Phil’s energy to go and grab for it? He didn’t know, but he started to crawl across the cavern floor towards the knife and the scale, only for the cavern to shake once more as the Dragon’s tail collided with the walls. Another rain of rocks began, but Phil had no time left.

He had to get to that scale, and he couldn’t protect Dan. Not now.

All he could do was cry as he crawled across the floor with blood in his eyes from touching his face after bandaging Dan, and reach out with trembling fingers for the two items he needed now more than anything else.

A rock struck at Phil’s wrist just as he grabbed tight to the scale, and he had to bite down on his lip to prevent himself from screaming out in pain. He felt it stab into him, the pain radiating up his arm, but Phil had no time for the pain. His fingers reflexively let go of the scale, but seconds later, Phil was grasping tight to it once again, just managing to grab hold of his knife at the same time with the other hand.

The rockfall came to another abrupt end, even as the dragon roared once more, and Phil scrambled to his knees to skitter across the floor once more.

The minute he arrived at Dan’s side, he was dropping both the knife and scale from his hands, and checking Dan over for any injuries, sobbing with his mouth wide open to pant. He’d never forgive himself if Dan died for him but -- nothing. The King of Thieves remained unharmed by the falling rocks, and for that, Phil could nearly collapse in relief.

But he didn’t, because he had a scale to inspect, and how was he even meant to know if it was enough? His hands shook as he reached for the blade and the scale once more, squinting through the blood in his eye -- shit, his head must be bleeding, because it just kept dripping -- looking for any kind of sign that he’d taken off the scale with his two hands and a piece of metal.

Just when Phil was about lose all hope, he turned his blade only to be met with the sight of fresh blood, and was that -- yes, a broken bit of scale that had adhered itself to Phil’s blade thanks to the heat of the Dragon’s cave. Phil must have cut it free when he’d tried to defend himself against the dragon’s claw, just before Dan had struck Phil down. Nearly sobbing with relief, Phil shoved the severed dragon scale into his trousers pocket, and jammed the knife into his belt for good measure, in case the one bit of scale was not enough.

Then, he turned to Dan with a choked up laugh, and said, “Look, Dan… look… we’ve done it. We got the scale, please. Please wake up, please, I’m begging you,” Phil whined, and leaned in close to press the bravest kiss he could manage to Dan’s forehead.

“This is not goodbye,” he insisted, before drawing away once more.

Standing on shaking feet, never once leaving Dan’s side, Phil tried once again to find a way out. The dragon was beating its claws into the far wall, looking as if it were trying to destroy something hiding against it, and Phil shuddered at the image of that being him. He had to remind himself that it wasn’t, and that he needed to focus now. Exit. He needed an exit, a way to get both him and Dan out of here before anything worse happened to either of them.

That’s when Phil saw it; a light, to the far right, opposite to where Dan and Phil had first come in, and the dragon was staring right at it. Not an exit, then, but a distraction. A way for Phil to keep the dragon away long enough for him to drag Dan back out of the cave.

He only had one shot at this, and he bit his lip as he turned to stare back down at Dan one last time.

“Please,” he whispered. “Wake up.”

There was no response, but Phil hadn’t really been expecting one. He felt defeated, weary to the bone, and all he wanted was to escape.

All he wanted was his happily ever after.

Phil’s hand were shaking when he lowered himself back to Dan’s side again, taking the man into his arms and dragging his dead weight backwards across the ground, closer to the ridge Dan and Phil had originally come up from. He could just see its dip into the light from here, and that would have to be good enough, because the dragon was roaring all over again, whipping its tail against a wall and sending a shatter of rocks down all around them once more.

Phil just managed to cover Dan’s body before it was too late, but as the rocks collapsed against his body, Phil almost couldn’t feel them anymore. Instead, he waited for them to stop, and picked up the largest he could find, something he knew would make enough noise to get the dragon’s attention.

Gritting his teeth, Phil waited for the exact right moment, and then threw the rock as hard as he could towards the light from earlier, cringing away as it landed with a loud bang against the ground and then skittered across until it hit the far wall.

For a second, the cavern was completely quiet, aside from the sound of the dragon’s heavy breaths, and then -- a roar unlike the ones before, and the sound of the dragon’s claws as it scrambled towards the sound Phil had made.

Not wasting another moment, Phil hefted Dan into his arms, stood on shaky legs, and began to run. He only had one shot at this, but it no longer mattered to him. He was going to save Dan if it was the last thing he did, and he was going to escape this dragon if it killed him.

The ridge was close, Phil could see it as he ran, his legs nearly giving out on him on more than one occasion, but though he tripped, he refused to stop moving. He was carrying the dead weight of his one true love, and he wasn’t leaving him behind.

The dragon was also close. At the sound of Phil’s footsteps, it turned around from its dead run towards the rock Phil had thrown and began the chase on him. The sound of its claws on the cavern ground, its tail whacking the far wall yet again, its roar as it thundered through the cavern, terrified Phil like no other, but there was nothing he could do now.

He just had to keep running.

If he could make it to the ridge, surely --

The dragon roared, and heat soared up past Phil. For a moment, he thought he was on fire, but then his feet found the ridge he’d been running for, and despite the fact that he was going down now, it was just as slippery a slope as it had been the first time around. Phil couldn’t stop moving now, though, not when he was almost out, not when the dragon was breathing fire that was only missing him because of the low ceiling on the ridge.

He could see the light at the end of the tunnel, his feet skidding down the slippery slope, when, quite suddenly and out of nowhere, Phil’s foot hit a rock.

He went stumbling, and his arms gave out. Dan tumbled to the floor, rolling across the ridge the opposite direction to Phil, falling just short of careening just off the edge. His leg, though, his leg --

Phil cried out, screaming Dan’s name as he watched Dan sliding away from him.

Pain was the only thing in Dan's head. A hot, searing pain that started at his shoulder and spread right down to his hip, bursting and burning and tugging at him until he couldn't feel anything past it. His brain shut down until all he could see was black.

He could feel himself being moved, could sense a familiar presence nearby. An important presence. Dan wanted to open his eyes, to reach out and grope for the familiar thing moving around him, but he couldn't find his limbs through the searing, endless pain. Every time he tried to shift, another searing flare tore through him until he was left shaking and screaming silently.

There was a voice tugging at the edges of Dan’s consciousness -- a voice he knew, a voice he wanted to answer. Dan focused on it, trying to find his way back from the blackness, from the pain. It was calling his name. If only he could focus… if he could just make himself reply...

Then there was the sensation of falling, and pain tore through him again, wracking his body with trembling and shaking and all Dan wanted to do was cry. It hurt so much. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't move beyond the constant flaring burning that spread out from his side, making him want to curl up in a ball and give in, forget everything, and fall into the welcoming blackness.

The voice called his name again.

Dan frowned, focusing -- he knew that voice. Using every last bit of strength he had, Dan forced himself to listen, forced himself to think through the searing, unending pain.

Phil was starting to slip, mere moments after he’d landed hard on the ground, and he scrambled desperately for something to hold onto. As far as he could tell, there was nothing below this ridge except a death drop, and he couldn’t die, not now, not when he was so close.

Crying out harshly, Phil just managed to grab onto a rock that he prayed was stable on the ridge floor before the lower half of his body plummeted off the side of the ridge and nearly sent him plunging below.

Sweaty hands kept him anchored to the ridge, but that was not what Phil feared most. No, what he feared most was the fact that Dan was so far away from him, completely unconscious, with both legs hanging off the edge of the ridge, and the entire cavern rumbling from the dragon’s fit of rage. With every new surge of the cavern walls, Dan began to slip more and more, and all Phil could think was that he couldn’t save Dan now.

He wasn’t even sure he could save himself.

The sobs returned anew.

“Goddamnit Daniel Howell!” he screeched. “Goddamn you! We are not dying here, not before I get to tell you how I feel about you, you idiot. Not before I get to marry you! Wake up! Please, Dan, please, wake up for me! Please, I love you!”

Those words echoed around the ravine, cutting through the roaring of the dragon, the rumbles and clatters as the cavern moved, the precarious ridge they were clinging to wobbling more and more, but those words cut through it all, cut through Dan’s half-conscious, panicked, pained state, and made their way into his ears.

Someone loved him.

The world came crashing down around Dan's ears, the pain draining just a little as he clung to those words. Someone wanted him there. Someone needed him. Someone loved him. Dan wasn't giving up that easily.

With a gasp and a wrench of pain, Dan forced his eyes open.

Phil's hands were bloody with his attempts to drag himself up from where his legs were dangling over the edge of the ravine, the rock he'd caught himself on digging painfully into his palms, but that almost didn't matter to him when he was crying so hard and trying to get Dan to wake up, because Phil didn't know if he was going to make it to Dan’s side fast enough to prevent him from falling as well. Dan was dead weight, right now. Dan was dead weight, and the ravine was slippery and covered in rock, and if he didn't wake up, Phil might very well let himself fall too.

Family be damned.

Phil could see Dan's body pulling backwards, could see his hands were so close. The ravine was thin, and Dan had landed better than Phil had, his body so long that only part of his legs dangled off the opposite edge Phil's did, his hands close enough he could grab the other edge if only he were awake. If it weren't for Phil's own precarious situation, dangling halfway off his own ledge, he would grab for Dan's arms and drag him to safety, but he couldn't afford to let go without risking both their lives, and he couldn't save himself fast enough to save Dan.

Phil was crying so hard.

And then Dan's eyes opened, and he let out a loud gasp and whimper of pain. Phil would have collapsed in relief if it weren't for both his and Dan's precarious situations.

Dan took in the situation in one panicked glance -- somehow they were out of the dragon's cave, although he could hear roaring from somewhere above that said the dragon wasn't too happy about that fact. Dan was lying flat on the ground of the passageway they’d come up, littered with tiny rocks and stones that pierced his hands and feet. His side was burning, and Dan could smell the tangy stench of his own blood. He didn't dare to look, was already dizzy from the pain.

Instead, he looked forward, and saw Phil staring at him with wide, desperate eyes.

Of course. Phil.

"Dan, Dan, Dan," Phil chanted, desperate to get his attention. "Come on, Dan, you can do this. Grab hold of the edge so you don't fall. I know it hurts, baby, I know, but you have to do this for me. You have to pull yourself away from the edge, baby, please," he was begging, unsure if Dan could even hear him over the sounds of the dragon's roars and Phil's own sobs, Dan's whimpers of pain.

Dan gasped again when he realised he was sliding, slowly but surely, away from Phil. The ridge was steep and either side led to a drop down a huge ravine, and Dan was inching further towards it with every passing second. He couldn't fall, though. Not now. Phil had just said he loved him, and Dan was definitely going to have to reply to that as soon as they weren't so close to imminent death.

Unthinkingly, he reached out and grabbed hold of the ridge, fingers digging in. He cried out in pain when his side stretched, feeling it flaring through him, but he had a grip now and was kicking and scrambling, forcing himself to climb back onto the ridge, onto safety. His side pulled and ached and flared with pain every time he moved, and Dan could see black spots creeping at the edge of his vision again, so he focused on Phil and pulled himself up towards him.

Dan seemed to instinctively grab hold of the edge and begin to pull himself away from falling. Phil was far less secure in his own hold, but with the ridge so thin, and Dan hanging off far less than Phil, it should have been easy for Dan to pull himself to safety.

If it weren't for the long, gaping wound in his side.

Phil choked on another sob.

"Come on baby, come on, Dan. You can do this, please, you can do this. Please, for me, Dan, for me. I love you," he gasped again, and then Dan was pulling himself, pulling, pulling, pulling, until finally, he collapsed against the ridge, to safety.

Phil let out a breath, a choked sob, and nearly let himself go, if he hadn’t been so focused on keeping them both alive.

Dan made it, just barely, and he collapsed against the ridge with loud, panting breaths. He wanted to reach for Phil, to talk to him, to guide them both back down the ridge to safety, but pain was blackening his vision once again and it was all he could do to stay conscious. Gingerly, Dan glanced down at the wound and saw Phil's sweater pressed up against his side, already soaked in blood. He trembled, quickly looking away again and back to Phil, but the pain didn’t leave him. Everything was spinning, the entire world, and it was disorienting and terrifying and Dan couldn’t figure out which way was up, which way was down, where he was supposed to be going. All he knew was Phil’s eyes, and pain.

His side felt pierced, ripped in two, and he didn’t even want to contemplate what kind of damage might be done. All he knew was he could feel it like poison in his veins, slowing his every movement, making him lethargic and weak. He was just barely grabbing onto the edge of the ravine, his fingers slippery, his mind muddled and weak. And Phil, to his side, in no better shape.

How were they going to get out of this one?

Desperately, Dan tried to move again, tried to reach out for Phil, to take his hand or grab his arm and pull him back up to safety, but just one slight movement sent pain sharper than anything lancing through his side. Dan gasped, and rolled, curling into a ball as much as he could. Every movement of his breathing forced his side to move, the wound stretching, and it tore through him until there were tears streaming down his face.

Dan never, ever cried. He’d been stabbed before, his body littered with scars, but this -- he’d never felt anything like this before.

Dan had nothing left, just the trembling and the pain. He reached a hand out for Phil, weakly, and forced himself to say one word in a cracked, shaking voice. "Help."

Phil’s thief was collapsed breathlessly onto the middle of the ravine, body curled uncomfortably, eyes unfocused but looking at Phil.

The pleading little "help," broke Phil's heart, and with his own last remaining strength, he began once more to kick and yank and pull himself to safety. He gritted his teeth against the pain digging into his hands, the bit of his wrist where the rock had struck, and continued to pull, because if he had nothing else to live for, he had Dan, safe and sound, and fighting for his life.

Phil had to get to him, and fast.

With Dan watching on, so close to passing out once more, Phil strained as hard as he could, gasping and crying and shuddering with each aching pull of his muscle against the ridge.

Why did he have to be so fucking tall, so fucking clumsy? He shouldn't have fallen. The ridge was a straight shot down from here, Phil should have been able to make it.

They were so close to safety.

"I'm coming Dan," he grunted. "Hold on for me."

But Dan's eyes were closing now, and the only things keeping Phil going were the tiny panting breaths puffing from Dan's mouth, the fact that he was alive. Phil couldn’t give up now, not when Dan had woken up for him, not when Dan had survived.

Phil grunted as his fingers scrabbled against dense rock, fought to get a grip on something, anything, he legs weighing heavy on his body and dragging him down. His fingers were bloodied, his palms ruined, burning, arm muscles aching, but he couldn’t stop trying. He grabbed for every rock he could find, blinking blood from his eyes, and nearly screamed with rage when each new stone tumbled and almost sent him falling.

“Please,” Phil begged anyone, anything, gritting his teeth and shoving his body forward one last time. He was losing grip, losing strength. He didn’t know how much more he had in him, but there was one last stone, one last rock he could grasp onto, far enough Phil might just be able to pull himself up, might just be able too --

Crying out, Phil managed one last, final heave, grasping tight to his final hope, and tugged as hard as he could on the rock until his entire torso struggled up the side of the ravine and he managed to pull himself up and over the side of the gorge with the help of the one steady rock. Phil landed, then, in a crying heap next to Dan, his entire body shuddering with nothing less than adrenaline, pain, and fear.

“Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, thank fuck, oh god. I thought I’d lost us both, Dan, I am so… so, sorry,” Phil gasped, and collapsed, finally, against the ground for a moment of rest.

They were safe. They were safe for now, and that was all that mattered, and yet their wounds, Dan’s wounds, sat heavy on Phil’s mind, even as he fought to regain the energy to just… move.

He just needed a second… just a second more… Phil let his eyes close, and tried not to cry, desperate to get his breathing back under control.

[dontforgettopanic]

Somehow

Rating: PG-13

Word count: 1,066

(Read on AO3)

Summary: After all, everyone’s got to cope somehow. Zombie!AU

“They’re out. Dan, they’re out.”

“Mate, there’s a whole case of ChapStick, just grab one so we can get the fuck away from here,” Dan yells, voice accented by the crunch of the zombie skull he just upper-cut with a wooden bat.

“We have to go somewhere else, they’re out,” Phil repeats, calm, determined.

Dan hits the zombie one more time to make sure he killed (re-killed?) it before moving back to Phil’s side, face splattered with second-hand blood and eyes cold, piercing. Phil feels a sharp prick of fear before he shakes it off, remembering Dan’s the most gentle, awkward person he’s ever met.

Skilled zombie killing aside.

“There’s a bunch of ChapStick right there,” Dan says, bumping his shoulder against Phil as the dry summer air swirls around them.

“Only red,” Phil says, resigned, “I need the blue one, the red makes my lips sting.”

“Your lips are already bleeding, Phil, anything should be better,” Dan points out, but he doesn’t press, instead retreating to the back of the store to search for embroidery yarn to make bracelets. Phil’s not exactly sure why he still makes them, given the fact that it’s been months since they’ve last seen someone living and Phil and Dan already have every centimeter available on their arms covered with Dan’s bracelets. It doesn’t matter, Phil thinks, Dan probably makes them to keep his hands busy. Everything feels okay as long as you're busy.

After all, everyone’s got to cope somehow.

“I bet you were going to school to be a lawyer; you have that lawyer-like resting face,” Phil says one night, a few weeks after they got together.  They’re on their backs outside, shoulders pressed together and stars the only source of light.

“What?” Dan asks, turning his had to watch as Phil sits up a bit so he's hovering partly over Dan. Once certain Dan can see him, Phil twist his face into a frown, eyebrows furrowed and shoulders dramatically hunched.

Dan surprises himself when he bursts out in laughter because it's weird, hearing his own laughs after so long. He knows Phil’s exaggerating but regardless, it’s a good imitation of post-Sickness Dan.  

Dan wanted to be a musician, but he doesn’t tell Phil that.  Instead he sticks his tongue out and asks if Phil always wanted to be a pain in his ass or if it was a recent aspiration.

“Come on, it’s a drug store they have to have your ChapStick here,” Dan whines.  It’s their fifth store in two days—or six zombie kills depending on how they measure time.  Phil’s got the bat this time, Dan now holding a five-iron close to his chest, eyes predatory, searching for threats.  Phil’s less cautious, heading straight to the display case near the rusted checkout aisle and leaves Dan to look for non-perishables.  A quick survey of the display reveals black medical ChapSticks and red strawberry ones, and Phil’s hands are shaking as he searches for the blue kind, checking the back of each row hoping a blue got mixed in somewhere.

He’s about to give up, tell Dan that they’ve got to go to another store when he sees it, a glimmer of lifesaving blue, the most beautiful color he’s ever seen. His breath catches as he pulls it out, the single blue ChapStick hidden behind a row of red.

Phil’s fingers are numb when he rips off the wrapper and yanks the cap off. He relishes in his little victory as he holds the ChapStick up near his lips, letting the medical smell filling his lungs.  This feels better, he decides, better than last week when he made them travel through three states to find Ghirardelli Chocolate. Better than the month before when they somehow ended up in Mexico looking for a Diet Coke specifically packaged in a glass bottle.  This ChapStick, right here, this is what he needs. Everything will be alright now.

Phil’s breath is shallow and his hand shaking, right about apply it to his lips when he hears a distinct thud behind him.

Phil was never athletic, but he used to play tennis with Martyn who, if the world hadn’t fallen to apocalyptic shit, would’ve gotten an athletic scholarship to any university he wanted.  Now he doesn’t get to play at all, because Phil’s whole family was in Florida when The Sickness started.  No one made it out.

Now Phil’s body channels his inner tennis player and reacts before his head can catch up, already swinging his bat around towards the threat behind him. His bat catches the center of the zombie’s forehead, a sickening crunch ringing through the store, and he hits it one more time in the same place before it has a chance to move.  A horrid, grotesque sound erupts from the creature, gurgling up blackened sludge and expelling through its nostrils and mouth. Phil’s screaming as he smacks it one more time over the head, hard enough to snap its jaw and unhinge its neck, the head now mostly detached from its shoulders.

He’s panting when Dan comes reeling around the corner.

“Are you okay?” Dan asks, breathless, concerned. Phil’s about to answer when he notices something sticking out from under the zombie’s shoulder, a light glimmer of blue in the middle of the black pool of pseudo-blood. Phil double checks his hands and realizes he must have dropped his ChapStick during the tussle.

It’s sudden, Phil’s laughter, and when it comes it floods all his senses, laughs erupting so hard his side hurts and lungs burn.  Dan stands frozen, watching Phil double over in hysteria, tears of laughter prickling the corners of his eyes. Phil motions for Dan to look down at the bloodied ChapStick.

“Was that the last one?” Dan asks, resigned, and Phil nods.  He’s still laughing through the tears, scared if he stops the tears might fall for a different reason, tears not for the ChapStick but for the family he lost, the friends he lost, the future he lost.

“It’s okay, we’ll keep looking, we’ll find it,” Dan says, throwing an arm around Phil’s shoulders. They head towards the front door together, planning their next destination in their search for the blue ChapStick.  They’ll feel so much better once they finally find the ChapStick, because once they find it everything’ll be okay.

After all, everyone’s got to cope somehow.

[usatrendingsports]

Masters 2018: Are we constructing in the direction of an all-time occasion at Augusta Nationwide?

Bounce forward in time with me to 34 days from now when the ultimate spherical of the 2018 Masters will begin. Think about the place you will be sitting, how you will be watching, what you will be doing. Conjure up what you wish to see as CBS comes on the air. Image your supreme leaderboard, who’s on it and what the scores appear to be.

However first, take into consideration how stoked you had been for Phil Mickelson to play within the ultimate group with Tyrrell Hatton and Shubhankar Sharma on the WGC-Mexico Championship and the way a lot that pleasure was exacerbated by Justin Thomas‘ eagle on the 72nd gap. Envision Mickelson chumming it up with CEO of the occasion on his 73rd gap, minutes earlier than his five-year successful drought would finish, and take into consideration what he did to get there. 

Now multiply that pleasure by what we have seen all through this yr — Jon Rahm’s sixth gear, Justin Thomas’ ridiculous theatrics, Bubba Watson hitting dizzying photographs throughout southern California, Jason Day and Dustin Johnson hitting the accelerator, Tommy Fleetwood repeating — and you may land the place I am touchdown once I consider what 34 days from now might be like: full and complete euphoria.

I have never even talked about Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth but.

Consider the permutations. Consider final yr once we received two European stars who are usually not essentially probably the most marketable entities in the USA. Consider what a unadulterated thrill that again 9 was for patrons. And consider what it might be come 5 weeks from final Sunday.

We now have longed for the heads of generations — notably Woods and  McIlroy — to conflict for thus lengthy, I believe we forgot about what else was on the market. Mickelson and  Thomas going heads-up in Mexico for a giant boy trophy jogged my memory that there are different doubtlessly nice matchups between the group exiting stage proper and the group nonetheless tuning the guitar. 

One of many kind of soiled secrets and techniques of the Masters in recent times is that we’ve got hardly ever seen true heavyweight bouts for the jacket. There was no Mickelson-Henrik Stenson twin at Royal Troon. There was no D.J.-Spieth roundabout at Chambers Bay. There was no Mickelson-McIlroy-Ricky Fowler brawl at Valhalla. 

Sure, final yr was superior (and can be traditionally underrated), however earlier than that you need to do some touring to seek out one other nice sword struggle at Augusta Nationwide. Spieth vs. Bubba Watson in 2014 was terrific, and Adam Scott and Angel Cabrera in 2013 was sturdy, however you most likely need to go all the way in which again to 2004 to discover a true icon-on-icon tussle. Mickelson shot 31 on the again 9 that yr to clip Ernie Els by one. The climax of that match is now a emblem on Mickelson’s belt buckle.

This yr, although, effectively this years has the makings of one thing large. We get all the trimmings of a traditional main with two key elements that many Masters (particularly lately) have lacked. Elder statesmen Mickelson and Woods attempting to rekindle one thing particular. Two all-timers attempting to recollect what it feels wish to have all of the Masters you might presumably need in entrance of you and the chance that you might win all of them nonetheless in play. There may be nothing in all of sports activities as dramatic or compelling as that narrative. And now we get it with a fair deeper technology attempting to take it away from them. Mickelson is enjoying among the finest golf of his profession (his phrases), and Tiger is twirling irons prefer it’s 2001.

“Effectively, definitely the U.S. Open is all the time on my thoughts, nevertheless it’s not one thing I will take into consideration till after the Masters,” stated Mickelson after successful the 43rd occasion of his profession on Sunday. “It is necessary I believe to have a win in a match, particularly a giant match like a World Golf Championship earlier than the majors since you do not wish to really feel that sort of strain coming down the stretch of a serious having not received shortly.”

Their presence at Augusta — when in good kind — exponentially raises the bar on what we might see. The chances are so tantalizing, I am unable to even select. I really feel like my youngsters would really feel strolling into Bubba’s sweet retailer and being handed a $100 voucher.

Mickelson dealing with anybody down the again 9 of an occasion is all the time immense. He was paired with any individual on Sunday whose title I nonetheless can not pronounce and was ranked exterior the highest 400 on the earth just a few months in the past, and I used to be extra riveted than Zach Johnson at a corn-shucking conference.

What if we get a Mickelson-McIlroy redux? Run it again from the 2014 PGA Championship. What if D.J. begins galloping on Sunday afternoon with Thomas and Rahm conserving tempo. What if — pausing to wish to TV score Gods for a blessing — Woods and  Spieth go to a playoff? Hell, what if Mickelson and Woods are paired collectively within the ultimate twosome on Sunday? What if Thomas and Spieth (!) begin throwing bows at one another? What if Fowler and McIlroy are within the pairing in entrance of them? What if Sergio Garcia is able to repeat?

I do not know what to do with my arms!

The chances are as innumerable because the Corridor of Famers on this yr’s occasion, and whilst you can say this about most majors on this period, I am undecided there’s ever been extra actual momentum heading right into a Masters in current reminiscence. If any of McIlroy, Fowler and Spieth in some way win over the subsequent 4 weeks main as much as Augusta, Jim Nantz goes to need to put on a fire-retardant swimsuit all the week of the occasion.

It is no secret that the logic of circumstances leads us to the truth that when there are extra large storylines there’s a increased share that multiples of these will converge in golf’s cathedral that first week in April. However the flip aspect of that’s that, if we do not get one thing actually particular or if we get Danny Willett Half II, the frustration will linger till the U.S. Open at Shinnecock in June.

However we’ve got to get one thing nice, proper? We’ll solely have 5 or so Masters like this one. Perhaps extra. Perhaps fewer. However solely round 5 that embrace so resplendent a future, most lifeless within the heart of their primes, intersecting two proud and immortal (on this golf world) lions like Tiger and Phil. 

Perhaps it is going to by no means play out like we wish, both. Perhaps Francesco Molinari will win the Masters, and we are going to all transfer on with our lives. However perhaps, simply perhaps, we’ll get our 2006 USC-Texas Rose Bowl this yr. Perhaps we’ll get The One they’re going to all the time present when Golf Channel wants an previous Masters to run again in the midst of November. Perhaps for one week Tiger and Phil and Spieth and Rory and Rahm and Rickie and D.J. and J.T. will all be feeling it. Perhaps we’ll get the best Masters of all-time. 

And in golf, as many of those guys have proven us, perhaps is usually all you want.

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Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017

On the heels of a boasts year that was chock full of amazes, Guardian US contributors make their bold prognosis for the months to come

Here are our daring projections for 2017. Please memo the daring ( or should that be bold ?) in bold prophecies these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few contestants are as prepared for their own lives after basketball than Kobe, a husband of diverse fascinates and prodigious worldwide prestige. Few athletes too are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last-place few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of participates. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare lower him on the same flooring as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods “re going to win” again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone prevail, major championships was shortcoming even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs conference represents Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such surroundings now.

Still, he can and will win lower tier PGA Tour events. Timbers has a inclination to prevail on the same tracks, as shows up his register. He holds more competitive ability than some of the individuals who win once or twice on Tour in any generated year. If fitness hassles certainly are behind Lumbers, he will return to the platform. Then? Cue more major consideration. EM

An American not appointed Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did acquire Wimbledon six months ago, so gives not make her in the soil just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 there are still no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was faded during a year that determined the late-blooming Angelique Kerber triumph a duo of major entitlements to inherit “the worlds” No1 grading on deserve. The door has never been more open for the boasts 90 s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys are as follows this year. The 21 -year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the fires, and power on both wings. Look for her to give it all together and become the first American woman not reputation Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard crew will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To prevail the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and thumped three of the conferences top teams. That said, it has happened six hours before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champs came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017 s will as well. With no great, dominant crew, the footpath is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Whale and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are gazing red-hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/ USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the canvas, but virtually no commentators predicted a recur for a Villanova team that rendered most of its title-winning 2016 crew. Aside from a shaky rendition against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been best available actor in the country, Jalen Brunson renders offense at will when he has the dance and Villanova are touching their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last-place season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this unit I like those curious. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best actor in its own history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has stimulated himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS actor. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will expand as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and sun of all of our lives, sufficiently flunked during the course of its stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats maybe because of his measly slash course of. 194/.296 /. 242 over 70 plateful illusions. Tebow did not punched a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its perhaps safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so quickly: Tebow was emulating against some of the best potentials baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11 -game stretch where he stumbled. 281 and posted an OBP of. 425. In 2017, the Mets elude all logic and hopes by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their droop mid-week attendance. The Wilpons exchange a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which predicts at the least one pinch-hit image per-game and private autograph conferences for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only lives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they acquire their first name since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady remains ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/ USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40 -year old athlete in a contact sport will appear his age doesnt seem specially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favourite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his vocation. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Perhaps Brady extends his youth a year or two beyond that duet, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one guesses hes genuinely retired, even if more than 15 months have legislated since he last clambered through the ropes. Not when one more contend could promote him to the singular differentiate of 50-0, one better than Bumpy Marcianos accepted epitome of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively identify his own toll as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders speculate a rematch with Manny Pacquiao towers, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest engage in biography. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an adversary who scarcely deserves the possibilities of but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar capacity of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he swerved heel, trading in his respectful and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime scoundrel whom more love pay to watch lose than watch win. But simply because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt signify he doesnt am worried about beings liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit video games as the cowboy in the white-hot hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt prepare as a bold prophecy, after all most of the other competitors have put out. But Los Angeles was formerly killed as a hopeful after the USOC opted Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to legion video games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more pleading choices. And hitherto LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It is likely to be host the Competition next year. For the foregoing reasons Los Angeles will be the safe option. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey redoubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have conjectured that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will penetrate the octagon during the first half of the brand-new year, before Conor McGregor even books another combat, and get back to her winning practices. It wont is currently under 135 lbs, nonetheless. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight department and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino( presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last trench effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fighting. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the National did triumph the NL East by eight competitions in 2016, reciting in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the demon season that he had in 2016. Washington was also apparently chasing some bigger reputations this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen , amongst other, but were unable to territory them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a listing can make any team a playoff hopeful, there are questions encircling their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power limbs rendering from trauma, and other NL units including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants becoming moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as homosexual

Michael Sam was the first openly lesbian musician drawn up in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/ USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual devotees, will come out as homosexual. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive goal who came out prior to the NFL sketch and discontinued up never playing in a regular season activity, looms over the conference as a missed opening. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see recited. Because of this, I amply expect the first out player in the conference to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant know dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro boasts tournament will try to boost offense doesnt exactly definitely sounds like going out on a limb. Every league knows that tallying exchanges, and every conference manufactures sure the rulebook helps abundance of it. Its plays sell 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The tournament has talks to boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This time, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending material. Then, shrieks, they didnt constitute such adjustments in time, so good-for-nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is parcelled with agitating young endowment like we havent considered to be in an entire generation. Surely now is the time to let them glisten. Surely now is when well lastly get some forwards fantasizing from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of throwing tallying charges while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we are in a position. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, unhappily, this prepares. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will construct the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolled your eyes through personal computers. Real cute, but these projections are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently exclusively two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the merits of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be razed by the Fighters in four tournaments this spring.

The Lakers were poising around. 500 before Thanksgiving, then misplaced 12 of 13 during a brutal superhighway journey made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A health Laker team still cant performance much protection, but they are unable score against anybody, as triumphs over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good an opportunity as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have genuine hotshots, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite forces in the NBA. This is still a bumpy gang that is dragging a few laughable contracts down special courts every night, but they have as good as possibility as anyone right now. DS

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Previewing the Thanksgiving college basketball tournaments

Thanksgiving has a reputation for being a football-filled holiday. Those days are long gone. College hoops has staked a claim on not just Turkey Day, but the entire weekend. The next few days are jam-packed with top-level teams squaring off in a variety of tournaments and events. If the NFL and college football games aren’t for you, the action on the hardwood this weekend will be nearly non-stop. From early afternoon until late into the wee hours of the night, mid-majors and top ranked teams will be padding their tournament resumes and fighting for bragging rights. It’s the perfect time to get to know the college basketball landscaping, learning about the best teams and Player of the Year candidates.

Three tournaments stand out based on their stellar lineups. Here’s a breakdown of what to watch for in these key early season events.

PK80

Nike outdid itself in planning an event to celebrate the 80th birthday of company founder Phil Knight. The list of possible match-ups reads like a hoop junkie’s fever dream. Oklahoma-Arkansas, Butler-Texas, and Gonzaga-Ohio State are all scheduled for Thanksgiving Day. Over the rest of the weekend, we could be treated to gems like Michigan State-Oregon, Duke-Butler, Gonzaga-Florida, and North Carolina-Arkansas, to name a few. Many of those teams feature players worth checking out early in the season. Oklahoma freshman Trae Young is averaging 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and an absurd 11.5 assists per game, with the Sooners topping 100 points in both of their games thus far. Jaylen Barford from Arkansas is posting 20 points per night, and Oregon’s Payton Pritchard is shooting the lights out at over 57 percent from outside the arc.

The real potential headline match-ups would occur on Sunday, Nov. 26. The best case scenario in one half of the championship-free tournament is a date with Gonzaga and Duke. The Zags lost a lot of production from the team that went to last year’s national championship, yet still have the pieces to be a factor this season. Nothing would prove a tougher early season test than top ranked Duke. The Blue Devils impressed with a big win and a dominating performance from Grayson Allen against Michigan State at the Champions Classic. Freshman phenom Marvin Bagley missed most of that game with an eye injury and could really flash at an event like the PK80.

The other side of the brackets could lead to a high-octane North Carolina versus Michigan State game. The talent on those two squads would cram the building with NBA scouts, in part to see National Player of the Year frontrunner Miles Bridges. North Carolina plays one of the fastest paced games in the nation, with Michigan State looking to have its bruising frontcourt slow down the Heels and score in the halfcourt.

The Battle 4 Atlantis

Despite being played in what is essentially a hotel ballroom, the annual tournament in the Bahamas has become one of college basketball’s most intriguing early-season events every year. This year is no exception as the Battle 4 Atlantis – excuse me, the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis – should feature some really nice tests for a few of America’s best teams.

The top half of the bracket could lead to a Villanova-Purdue semifinal on Thanksgiving, which would be a rematch of an excellent game from early last year. Since that game, however, each program has lost the services of a first team All-American (namely Josh Hart at Villanova and Caleb Swanigan at Purdue). Both teams will still contend for their respective conference championships this season. Villanova is led by the excellent point guard play of Jalen Brunson, though highly-touted recruit Omari Spellman gives them a big man, and a new face, to keep an eye on. Purdue collected a silver medal at the World University Games this summer playing as Team USA. That experience could prove valuable for exciting sophomore point guard Carsen Edwards.

Elsewhere in the bracket, Arizona should face SMU if both can take care of business in the early rounds. Arizona’s Allonzo Trier might be the most complete swingman in the country, with the ability to shoot, slash, and defend multiple positions. He’s joined this season by top level recruit DeAndre Ayton. The rim-rocking big man is looked at as a legitimate game-changer in the paint. The Wildcats will likely be tested by a feisty SMU team in the semifinals. Junior guard Shake Milton can fill it up, dropping at least 16 points in all four of the Mustangs’ games to date. As a career 43 percent outside shooter, Milton can get hot in a hurry. He made six longballs in multiple games last season.

A Villanova-Arizona title game on Friday would make for the best possible match-up, but any match-up of these four teams should make for an exciting watch with a leftover turkey sandwich nearby.

NIT Tip-Off

Madison Square Garden never has a shortage of exciting games, including some interesting match-ups this week. Thursday features Seton Hall battling Rhode Island and Virginia tussling with Vanderbilt. All four teams are worth checking out this early in the season, but should they both advance, a game between Seton Hall and Virginia could really show where each of those teams stands early in the year.

Many believe the Pirates have a chance to challenge Villanova’s dominance in the Big East this season, on the shoulders of double-double machine Angel Delgado. He’s already posted three double-doubles this season in four games. Delgado commands space in the paint and clears the glass on both ends of the floor. The senior big man is flanked by fellow four-year players Khadeen Carrington and Desi Rodriguez, making for a balanced attack.

Virginia trots out a trio of deadly shooters, with Devon Hall, Ty Jerome, and Kyle Guy all able to stroke from well beyond the arc. Guy in particular has been exceptional for coach Tony Bennett. In two years as a Cavalier, Guy has taken 121 threes and made 60 of them. His green light flashes as bright as any scorer in America and he’s capable of heating up without a moment’s notice.

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off the rack #1159

Monday, April 17, 2017

 I'm back. Missed posting last week while I was vacationing in Cuba. It was a nice break to be totally unconnected. I managed to read two week's worth of comic books for today's deadline so this will be longer than usual.

 Weapon X #1 - Greg Pak (writer) Greg Land (pencils) Jay Leisten (inks) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). That was a very promising start. This new mutant team book opens with Old Man Logan chillaxin' in the wilds of Washington state and ends with him teaming up with Sabretooth. The age old enemies must work together to fight a common enemy. I look forward to seeing how they hook up with the other three mutants featured on the credits page.

 Superman #20 - Patrick Gleason & Peter J. Tomasi (writers) Patrick Gleason (pencils) Mick Gray (inks) John Kalisz (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Venom was all over Marvel variant covers recently but I didn't expect to see him in a DC comic book. Part one of "Black Dawn" is a World's Finest team-up that has Batman visiting the Superman family on their farm. Seems the neighbours are not what they seem. It's stories like these that make me appreciate the biweekly release schedule.

 Godshaper #1 - Simon Spurrier (writer) Jonas Goonface (artist) Colin Bell (letters). This is the story of Ennay, the godshaper. He travels around reshaping gods for people in a weird new world where personal gods make life easier. See, natural science doesn't work in this world so gods are what helps people live. I like Ennay. He's a hustler with a conscience who is just trying to get by

and not a con man. Jonas's art is vibrant and colourful and Ennay's little god sidekick Bud is cute.

 Deadpool vs. Punisher #1 - Fred Van Lente (writer) Pere Perez (art) Ruth Redmond (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). Well, that's one way to start a feud. Frank hurts Wade's accountant and the battle is on. I know that neither killer will win this fight but I might read it to see how they settle the feud.

 Action Comics #977 - Dan Jurgens (writer) Ian Churchill (art) Hi-Fi (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Part one of "The New World" starts off with a rehash of Superman's origin story going right back to when his parents put him into a rocket ship to Earth just before the planet Krypton explodes and Ma and Pa Kent finding baby Kal-El on their farm in Smallville. I found the retelling tedious but there are a few pages peppered in showing a mysterious new super villain that almost made up for that feeling of reading a rerun. This new villain will keep me coming back for more.

 Riverdale #1 - This new Archie publication is based on the new "hit" TV series. I have not seen the show but I have a long time love of these characters, especially for a certain blonde girl next door. There are two short stories. The first by Will Ewing (writer) Joe Eisma (art) Andre Szymanowicz (colours) Janice Chiang (letters) features Archie going through the varsity football team's hazing rituals. I am impressed that Will made me like this version of the redheaded teenager. The second story by Michael Grassi (writer) Joe Eisma (art) Andre Szymanowicz (colours) John Workman (letters) features my gal Betty Cooper as she endures hazing by Cheryl Blossom, the wicked witch captain of the cheerleading squad. This book made me want to tune into the show now.

 X-Men Blue #1 - Cullen Bunn (writer) Jorge Molina & Matteo Buffagni (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This is the original young X-Men team with Jean Grey/Marvel Girl as leader. It reads like a straight up super hero comic book with Marvel Girl, Cyclops, Angel (with flaming wings, when did that happen?), Beast and Iceman fighting Black Tom Cassidy and Juggernaut on a luxury yacht. Not very interesting until the surprise twist at the end. The twist bothered me more than intrigued me because the character is also in other X-books and I'm wondering are they good or bad in this one? The back-up story looks like it features Wolverine but this guy is a blonde. I liked the art throughout, especially the cover by Art Adams but my opinion is that these kids should be in their own little world to make it interesting for me and that isn't this.

 Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #18 - Robert Venditti (writer) V Ken Marion (pencils) Dexter Vines (inks) Dinei Ribeiro (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). The Green and Yellow Lantern Corps working together would be like the FBI and the CIA working together. Things are going to get testy at times. Having Guy and Arkillo make peace after almost killing each other in a slugfest is hokey but it kind of works for this comic book. This is a good issue to jump in on as it starts the new story "The Prism of Time". I don't know how long I will stick with this story as it involves time travel. I know because the surprise guest star on the last page gives it away.

 American Gods #2 - Neil Gaiman (writer) P. Craig Russell (script & layouts) Scott Hampton (art) Rick Parker (letters). I have a mild obsession with time. I like to know how long something lasts. I put a date label on Bic pens to see how long it takes for the ink to run out. We rarely lost one at the Snail and one pen would last just over a year. A can of my shaving gel runs out after just over a month. The number 44 is bad luck in Chinese culture so I wear an analogue watch rather than a digital. It always seemed that whenever I looked at the time on a digital it was 44 minutes after the hour and I would get anxious. I kid you not. There's an incident in this issue that relates to a certain time and now that I am aware of it I am going to see if it happens in real life. This is the kind of stuff that makes reading comic books a lot of fun for me. Seeing the incident unfold in three panels made the impact on me even bigger than just reading about it in a novel.

 Jessica Jones #7 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Michael Gaydos (art) Matt Hollingsworth (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This issue starts and ends with Maria Hill and leads to a new case for Jessica. There's a touching scene with Jessica, Luke and their daughter Danielle but not a resolution to their damaged relationship. I really hope Luke forgives Jessica.

 Batman #20 - Tom King (writer) David Finch (pencils) Danny Miki & Trevor Scott (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) Deron Bennett (letters). The finale to "I Am Bane" was meh. It's a fight between hero and villain that I've witnessed many, many times. This one is just brute force versus brute force and how Batman puts down Bane (because we all know that's what will happen) was very mundane. I hope the next story ends in a more interesting way.

 Rat Queens #2 - Kurtis J. Wiebe (writer) Owen Gieni (art) Ryan Ferrier (letters). The main story has the Queens landing the demon Canada goose to tie up another quest. The back-up story by Patrick Rothfuss (writer) Nate Taylor (art) Ryan Ferrier (letters) is a nifty little campfire story that was very clever. Fooled me.

 Guardians of the Galaxy #19 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Valerio Schiti (art) Richard Isanove (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This issue is "Bendis' big-time bye-bye blowout!" and it is an artists lover's dream. The guest artists here are Phil Noto, Andrea Sorrentino, Ed McGuinness & Mark Morales, Arthur Adams, Kevin Maguire, Mark Bagley & Andrew Hennessy, Sara Pichelli and Filipe Andrade. It's basically a big fight between the team, a few of their friends and Thanos. My one complaint is that Gamora did not act like I thought she should but it was an expedient reaction to seeing the Mad Titan in that situation. I loved Brian's run on this book so writer Gerry Duggan has a hard act to follow.

 Wonder Woman #20 - Greg Rucka (writer) Bilquis Evely (art) Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colours) Jodi Wynne (letters). Veronica Cale has exhausted all medical means for getting her daughter Izzy back from the clutches of Phobos and Deimos so it's time for the mystical option. I like Greg's incarnation of Circe. She can give Loki a run for his money.

 Paper Girls #13 - Brian K. Vaughn (writer) Cliff Chiang (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) Jared K. Fletcher (letters). Time travel makes my head hurt but I have an emotional stake in these girls now and want to know what happens to them.

 Champions #7 - Mark Waid (writer) Humberto Ramos (pencils) Victor Olazaba (inks) Edgar Delgado (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). That's twice that the team has tussled with the Freelancers and the super villains have given up too easily. There's a good reason for that other than because they're cowards and bullies. There's more than one way to hurt the good guys besides beating them up. Time to call in Matt Murdock.

 Kingpin #3 - Matthew Rosenberg (writer) Marc Laming (layouts) Ben Torres (art) Jordan Boyd (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Sarah the biographer gets chummy with Wilson Fisk which leads Sarah the reporter into very deep trouble with Tombstone. Can Wilson protect her from harm? I like this portrayal of the Kingpin.

 Savage Things #2 - Justin Jordan (writer) Ibrahim Moustafa (art) Jordan Boyd (colours) Josh Reed (letters). Ruthless terrorists who have no qualms about killing women and children make for some very nasty bad guys. It's interesting that the good guy Abel trained with these same men. I am anticipating the much larger threat that Cain has planned.

 All-New Wolverine #19 - Tom Taylor (writer) Leonard Kirk (pencils) Cory Hamscher (inks) Michael Garland (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). The 3-part "Immune" starts here. Laura and Gabby take down a human trafficker while an alien craft crashed on Roosevelt Island, New York. That crash has consequences for Laura. I am waiting to find out what the connection between the alien and Laura is. I really like Gabby and I hope she plays a bigger role in this book.

 Red Team: Double Tap, Center Mass #6 - Garth Ennis(writer) Craig Cermak (art) Vinicius Andrade (colours) Rob Steen (letters). This issue adds some true romance to the true detective plot of the story. Detectives Mellinger and Giroux break the cardinal rule of workplace romance and that never ends well. Garth will get back to blood and mayhem soon I'm sure.

 Amazing Spider-Man #26 - Dan Slott (writer) Stuart Immonen (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Plenty of action in part 2 of "The Osborn Identity" with Spidey and Silver Sable fighting Norman's henchmen. Some mild intrigue with Doc Ock in the background. I don't get S.H.I.E.L.D.'s stance on what Parker Industries is doing to help Symkaria. Dan has made up some political drama for the sake of the story that doesn't make sense to me.

 Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #6 - Kieron Gillen (writer) Kev Walker (pencils) Marc Deering (inks) Antonio Fabela (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). No killer droids this issue made it a lot less fun but I did like how the story ended.

 The Unstoppable Wasp #4 - Jeremy Whitley (writer) Elsa Charretier (art) Megan Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I really like this energetic and slightly naïve super hero. She did try to reason with a super villain but when she had to kick butt she did. I hope she can save her old Red Room mate.

 Spider-Man #15 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Szymon Kudranski (art) Justin Ponsor (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). It's time for Miles's mom to find out about his secret identity. She's not taking it as well as the Ultimate Universe Aunt May did when Peter's secret came out. Szymon's turn on the art for this book is okay but I wish he wouldn't copy panels so much. I feel like I'm not getting my money's worth when artists do that.

 Uncanny Avengers #22 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Pepe Larraz (art) David Curiel (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). The team de-powers the Red Skull of Professor X's super powers and Charles Xavier can now rest in peace. There's a page in this issue where Rogue is thinking about Professor X and the major decision that she made that Pepe and David did a beautiful job of expressing. I'm sure when Gerry wrote the scene he could not imagine how well rendered it would be.  That page choked me up and stopped me reading. I had to send Pepe a message right then to let him know that image is burned into my memory like John Romita Senior's Peter Parker walking away down an ally with Spider-Man's costume in a garbage can in the foreground. Some comic book art is unforgettable and their page qualifies. Geez Pepe, you outdid yourself.

 Spider-Man/Deadpool #16 - Joshua Corin (writer) Scott Koblish (art) Nick Filardi (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). I did not leave the best for last. This is a tie-in issue. "'Til Death Do Us…"  part 4's only interesting thing for me was seeing who Deadpool teams up with in his other book Deadpool & The Mercs for Money. This did not make me want to read that book nor the grand finale in Deadpool #29 to see what Wade and his monster queen wife Shiklah will wind up doing. I anticipate it will be the divorce from hell. I hope we get back to the silliness that I have come to expect from this book soon.

[circle111e-blog]

Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017

On the heels of a sports year that was chock full of surprises, Guardian US contributors make their bold predictions for the months to come

Here are our bold predictions for 2017. Please note the bold (or should that be bold?) in bold predictions these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few athletes are as prepared for a life after basketball than Kobe, a man of diverse interests and immense worldwide fame. Few athletes also are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of players. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare drop him on the same floor as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods will win again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone win, major championships was flawed even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs summit means Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such environments now.

Still, he can and will win lower grade PGA Tour events. Woods has a propensity to prevail on the same courses, as shown by his record. He retains more competitive ability than some of those who win once or twice on Tour in any given year. If fitness troubles really are behind Woods, he will return to the podium. Then? Cue more major discussion. EM

An American not named Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did win Wimbledon six months ago, so lets not put her in the ground just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 and theres no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was weakened during a year that saw the late-blooming Angelique Kerber win a pair of major titles to inherit the world No1 ranking on merit. The door has never been more open for the sports 90s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys will follow this year. The 21-year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the shots, and power on both wings. Look for her to put it all together and become the first American woman not named Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard team will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To win the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and beat three of the leagues top teams. That said, it has happened six times before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champions came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017s will as well. With no great, dominant team, the path is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Giants and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are looking hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the polls, but virtually no analysts predicted a repeat for a Villanova team that returned most of its title-winning 2016 team. Aside from a shaky performance against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been the best player in the country, Jalen Brunson generates offense at will when he has the ball and Villanova are hitting their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this team I like those odds. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best player in the history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has made himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS player. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will thrive as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and light of all of our lives, sufficiently failed during his stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats probably because of his measly slash line of .194/.296/.242 over 70 plate appearances. Tebow did not hit a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its probably safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so fast: Tebow was competing against some of the best prospects baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11-game stretch where he hit .281 and posted an OBP of.425. In 2017, the Mets defy all logic and expectations by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their sagging mid-week attendance. The Wilpons sell a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which promises at least one pinch-hit appearance per-game and private autograph sessions for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only survives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they win their first title since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady stays ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40-year old athlete in a contact sport will look his age doesnt seem especially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favorite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his career. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Maybe Brady stretches his youth a year or two beyond that pair, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one believes hes really retired, even if more than 15 months have passed since he last climbed through the ropes. Not when one more fight could lift him to the singular mark of 50-0, one better than Rocky Marcianos recognized paragon of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively name his own price as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders believe a rematch with Manny Pacquiao looms, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest fight in history. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an opponent who hardly deserves the opportunity but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar role of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he turned heel, trading in his polite and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime villain whom more fans pay to watch lose than watch win. But just because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt mean he doesnt care about people liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit the game as the cowboy in the white hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt qualify as a bold prediction, after all most of the other competitors have dropped out. But Los Angeles was once eliminated as a contender after the USOC chose Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to host the games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more appealing choices. And yet LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It could probably host the Games next year. For this reason Los Angeles will be the safe choice. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey doubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have speculated that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will enter the octagon in the first half of the new year, before Conor McGregor even books another fight, and get back to her winning ways. It wont be at 135lbs, however. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight division and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino (presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last ditch effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fight. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the Nationals did win the NL East by eight games in 2016, repeating in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the monster season that he had in 2016. Washington was also reportedly chasing some bigger names this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen, among others, but were unable to land them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a roster can make any team a playoff contender, there are questions surrounding their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power arms returning from injury, and other NL teams including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants making moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as gay

Michael Sam was the first openly gay player drafted in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual fans, will come out as gay. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive end who came out prior to the NFL draft and ended up never playing in a regular season game, looms over the league as a missed opportunity. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see repeated. Because of this, I fully expect the first out athlete in the league to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant experience dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro sports league will try to boost offense doesnt exactly sound like going out on a limb. Every league knows that scoring sells, and every league makes sure the rulebook encourages plenty of it. Its sports marketing 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The league has been talking about boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This year, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending equipment. Then, whoops, they didnt make the adjustments in time, so nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is packed with exciting young talent like we havent seen in a generation. Surely now is the time to let them shine. Surely now is when well finally get some forward thinking from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of plunging scoring rates while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we can. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, sadly, this qualifies. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will make the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolling your eyes through the computer. Real cute, but these predictions are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently only two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the bottom of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be demolished by the Warriors in four games this spring.

The Lakers were hovering around .500 before Thanksgiving, then lost 12 of 13 during a brutal road trip made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A healthy Laker team still cant play much defense, but they can score against anybody, as wins over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good a chance as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have true superstars, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite squads in the NBA. This is still a rough unit that is dragging a few ridiculous contracts down the court each night, but they have as good as chance as anyone right now. DS

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jan/02/bold-sports-predictions-for-2017

The post Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017 appeared first on Soccer Elite Group.

[circle111g-blog]

Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017

On the heels of a sports year that was chock full of surprises, Guardian US contributors make their bold predictions for the months to come

Here are our bold predictions for 2017. Please note the bold (or should that be bold?) in bold predictions these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few athletes are as prepared for a life after basketball than Kobe, a man of diverse interests and immense worldwide fame. Few athletes also are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of players. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare drop him on the same floor as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods will win again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone win, major championships was flawed even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs summit means Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such environments now.

Still, he can and will win lower grade PGA Tour events. Woods has a propensity to prevail on the same courses, as shown by his record. He retains more competitive ability than some of those who win once or twice on Tour in any given year. If fitness troubles really are behind Woods, he will return to the podium. Then? Cue more major discussion. EM

An American not named Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did win Wimbledon six months ago, so lets not put her in the ground just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 and theres no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was weakened during a year that saw the late-blooming Angelique Kerber win a pair of major titles to inherit the world No1 ranking on merit. The door has never been more open for the sports 90s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys will follow this year. The 21-year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the shots, and power on both wings. Look for her to put it all together and become the first American woman not named Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard team will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To win the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and beat three of the leagues top teams. That said, it has happened six times before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champions came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017s will as well. With no great, dominant team, the path is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Giants and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are looking hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the polls, but virtually no analysts predicted a repeat for a Villanova team that returned most of its title-winning 2016 team. Aside from a shaky performance against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been the best player in the country, Jalen Brunson generates offense at will when he has the ball and Villanova are hitting their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this team I like those odds. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best player in the history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has made himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS player. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will thrive as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and light of all of our lives, sufficiently failed during his stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats probably because of his measly slash line of .194/.296/.242 over 70 plate appearances. Tebow did not hit a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its probably safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so fast: Tebow was competing against some of the best prospects baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11-game stretch where he hit .281 and posted an OBP of.425. In 2017, the Mets defy all logic and expectations by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their sagging mid-week attendance. The Wilpons sell a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which promises at least one pinch-hit appearance per-game and private autograph sessions for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only survives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they win their first title since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady stays ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40-year old athlete in a contact sport will look his age doesnt seem especially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favorite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his career. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Maybe Brady stretches his youth a year or two beyond that pair, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one believes hes really retired, even if more than 15 months have passed since he last climbed through the ropes. Not when one more fight could lift him to the singular mark of 50-0, one better than Rocky Marcianos recognized paragon of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively name his own price as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders believe a rematch with Manny Pacquiao looms, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest fight in history. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an opponent who hardly deserves the opportunity but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar role of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he turned heel, trading in his polite and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime villain whom more fans pay to watch lose than watch win. But just because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt mean he doesnt care about people liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit the game as the cowboy in the white hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt qualify as a bold prediction, after all most of the other competitors have dropped out. But Los Angeles was once eliminated as a contender after the USOC chose Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to host the games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more appealing choices. And yet LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It could probably host the Games next year. For this reason Los Angeles will be the safe choice. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey doubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have speculated that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will enter the octagon in the first half of the new year, before Conor McGregor even books another fight, and get back to her winning ways. It wont be at 135lbs, however. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight division and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino (presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last ditch effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fight. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the Nationals did win the NL East by eight games in 2016, repeating in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the monster season that he had in 2016. Washington was also reportedly chasing some bigger names this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen, among others, but were unable to land them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a roster can make any team a playoff contender, there are questions surrounding their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power arms returning from injury, and other NL teams including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants making moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as gay

Michael Sam was the first openly gay player drafted in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual fans, will come out as gay. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive end who came out prior to the NFL draft and ended up never playing in a regular season game, looms over the league as a missed opportunity. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see repeated. Because of this, I fully expect the first out athlete in the league to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant experience dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro sports league will try to boost offense doesnt exactly sound like going out on a limb. Every league knows that scoring sells, and every league makes sure the rulebook encourages plenty of it. Its sports marketing 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The league has been talking about boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This year, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending equipment. Then, whoops, they didnt make the adjustments in time, so nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is packed with exciting young talent like we havent seen in a generation. Surely now is the time to let them shine. Surely now is when well finally get some forward thinking from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of plunging scoring rates while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we can. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, sadly, this qualifies. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will make the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolling your eyes through the computer. Real cute, but these predictions are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently only two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the bottom of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be demolished by the Warriors in four games this spring.

The Lakers were hovering around .500 before Thanksgiving, then lost 12 of 13 during a brutal road trip made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A healthy Laker team still cant play much defense, but they can score against anybody, as wins over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good a chance as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have true superstars, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite squads in the NBA. This is still a rough unit that is dragging a few ridiculous contracts down the court each night, but they have as good as chance as anyone right now. DS

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jan/02/bold-sports-predictions-for-2017

The post Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017 appeared first on Soccer Elite Group.

[apsbicepstraining]

Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017

On the heels of a boasts year that was chock full of amazes, Guardian US contributors make their bold prognosis for the months to come

Here are our daring projections for 2017. Please memo the daring ( or should that be bold ?) in bold prophecies these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few contestants are as prepared for their own lives after basketball than Kobe, a husband of diverse fascinates and prodigious worldwide prestige. Few athletes too are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last-place few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of participates. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare lower him on the same flooring as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods “re going to win” again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone prevail, major championships was shortcoming even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs conference represents Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such surroundings now.

Still, he can and will win lower tier PGA Tour events. Timbers has a inclination to prevail on the same tracks, as shows up his register. He holds more competitive ability than some of the individuals who win once or twice on Tour in any generated year. If fitness hassles certainly are behind Lumbers, he will return to the platform. Then? Cue more major consideration. EM

An American not appointed Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did acquire Wimbledon six months ago, so gives not make her in the soil just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 there are still no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was faded during a year that determined the late-blooming Angelique Kerber triumph a duo of major entitlements to inherit “the worlds” No1 grading on deserve. The door has never been more open for the boasts 90 s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys are as follows this year. The 21 -year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the fires, and power on both wings. Look for her to give it all together and become the first American woman not reputation Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard crew will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To prevail the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and thumped three of the conferences top teams. That said, it has happened six hours before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champs came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017 s will as well. With no great, dominant crew, the footpath is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Whale and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are gazing red-hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/ USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the canvas, but virtually no commentators predicted a recur for a Villanova team that rendered most of its title-winning 2016 crew. Aside from a shaky rendition against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been best available actor in the country, Jalen Brunson renders offense at will when he has the dance and Villanova are touching their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last-place season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this unit I like those curious. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best actor in its own history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has stimulated himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS actor. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will expand as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and sun of all of our lives, sufficiently flunked during the course of its stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats maybe because of his measly slash course of. 194/.296 /. 242 over 70 plateful illusions. Tebow did not punched a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its perhaps safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so quickly: Tebow was emulating against some of the best potentials baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11 -game stretch where he stumbled. 281 and posted an OBP of. 425. In 2017, the Mets elude all logic and hopes by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their droop mid-week attendance. The Wilpons exchange a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which predicts at the least one pinch-hit image per-game and private autograph conferences for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only lives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they acquire their first name since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady remains ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/ USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40 -year old athlete in a contact sport will appear his age doesnt seem specially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favourite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his vocation. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Perhaps Brady extends his youth a year or two beyond that duet, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one guesses hes genuinely retired, even if more than 15 months have legislated since he last clambered through the ropes. Not when one more contend could promote him to the singular differentiate of 50-0, one better than Bumpy Marcianos accepted epitome of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively identify his own toll as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders speculate a rematch with Manny Pacquiao towers, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest engage in biography. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an adversary who scarcely deserves the possibilities of but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar capacity of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he swerved heel, trading in his respectful and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime scoundrel whom more love pay to watch lose than watch win. But simply because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt signify he doesnt am worried about beings liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit video games as the cowboy in the white-hot hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt prepare as a bold prophecy, after all most of the other competitors have put out. But Los Angeles was formerly killed as a hopeful after the USOC opted Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to legion video games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more pleading choices. And hitherto LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It is likely to be host the Competition next year. For the foregoing reasons Los Angeles will be the safe option. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey redoubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have conjectured that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will penetrate the octagon during the first half of the brand-new year, before Conor McGregor even books another combat, and get back to her winning practices. It wont is currently under 135 lbs, nonetheless. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight department and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino( presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last trench effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fighting. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the National did triumph the NL East by eight competitions in 2016, reciting in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the demon season that he had in 2016. Washington was also apparently chasing some bigger reputations this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen , amongst other, but were unable to territory them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a listing can make any team a playoff hopeful, there are questions encircling their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power limbs rendering from trauma, and other NL units including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants becoming moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as homosexual

Michael Sam was the first openly lesbian musician drawn up in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/ USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual devotees, will come out as homosexual. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive goal who came out prior to the NFL sketch and discontinued up never playing in a regular season activity, looms over the conference as a missed opening. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see recited. Because of this, I amply expect the first out player in the conference to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant know dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro boasts tournament will try to boost offense doesnt exactly definitely sounds like going out on a limb. Every league knows that tallying exchanges, and every conference manufactures sure the rulebook helps abundance of it. Its plays sell 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The tournament has talks to boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This time, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending material. Then, shrieks, they didnt constitute such adjustments in time, so good-for-nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is parcelled with agitating young endowment like we havent considered to be in an entire generation. Surely now is the time to let them glisten. Surely now is when well lastly get some forwards fantasizing from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of throwing tallying charges while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we are in a position. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, unhappily, this prepares. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will construct the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolled your eyes through personal computers. Real cute, but these projections are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently exclusively two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the merits of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be razed by the Fighters in four tournaments this spring.

The Lakers were poising around. 500 before Thanksgiving, then misplaced 12 of 13 during a brutal superhighway journey made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A health Laker team still cant performance much protection, but they are unable score against anybody, as triumphs over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good an opportunity as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have genuine hotshots, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite forces in the NBA. This is still a bumpy gang that is dragging a few laughable contracts down special courts every night, but they have as good as possibility as anyone right now. DS

The post Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017 appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[apsbicepstraining]

Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017

On the heels of a boasts year that was chock full of amazes, Guardian US contributors make their bold prognosis for the months to come

Here are our daring projections for 2017. Please memo the daring ( or should that be bold ?) in bold prophecies these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few contestants are as prepared for their own lives after basketball than Kobe, a husband of diverse fascinates and prodigious worldwide prestige. Few athletes too are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last-place few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of participates. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare lower him on the same flooring as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods “re going to win” again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone prevail, major championships was shortcoming even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs conference represents Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such surroundings now.

Still, he can and will win lower tier PGA Tour events. Timbers has a inclination to prevail on the same tracks, as shows up his register. He holds more competitive ability than some of the individuals who win once or twice on Tour in any generated year. If fitness hassles certainly are behind Lumbers, he will return to the platform. Then? Cue more major consideration. EM

An American not appointed Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did acquire Wimbledon six months ago, so gives not make her in the soil just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 there are still no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was faded during a year that determined the late-blooming Angelique Kerber triumph a duo of major entitlements to inherit “the worlds” No1 grading on deserve. The door has never been more open for the boasts 90 s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys are as follows this year. The 21 -year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the fires, and power on both wings. Look for her to give it all together and become the first American woman not reputation Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard crew will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To prevail the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and thumped three of the conferences top teams. That said, it has happened six hours before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champs came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017 s will as well. With no great, dominant crew, the footpath is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Whale and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are gazing red-hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/ USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the canvas, but virtually no commentators predicted a recur for a Villanova team that rendered most of its title-winning 2016 crew. Aside from a shaky rendition against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been best available actor in the country, Jalen Brunson renders offense at will when he has the dance and Villanova are touching their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last-place season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this unit I like those curious. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best actor in its own history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has stimulated himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS actor. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will expand as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and sun of all of our lives, sufficiently flunked during the course of its stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats maybe because of his measly slash course of. 194/.296 /. 242 over 70 plateful illusions. Tebow did not punched a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its perhaps safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so quickly: Tebow was emulating against some of the best potentials baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11 -game stretch where he stumbled. 281 and posted an OBP of. 425. In 2017, the Mets elude all logic and hopes by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their droop mid-week attendance. The Wilpons exchange a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which predicts at the least one pinch-hit image per-game and private autograph conferences for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only lives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they acquire their first name since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady remains ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/ USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40 -year old athlete in a contact sport will appear his age doesnt seem specially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favourite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his vocation. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Perhaps Brady extends his youth a year or two beyond that duet, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one guesses hes genuinely retired, even if more than 15 months have legislated since he last clambered through the ropes. Not when one more contend could promote him to the singular differentiate of 50-0, one better than Bumpy Marcianos accepted epitome of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively identify his own toll as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders speculate a rematch with Manny Pacquiao towers, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest engage in biography. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an adversary who scarcely deserves the possibilities of but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar capacity of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he swerved heel, trading in his respectful and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime scoundrel whom more love pay to watch lose than watch win. But simply because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt signify he doesnt am worried about beings liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit video games as the cowboy in the white-hot hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt prepare as a bold prophecy, after all most of the other competitors have put out. But Los Angeles was formerly killed as a hopeful after the USOC opted Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to legion video games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more pleading choices. And hitherto LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It is likely to be host the Competition next year. For the foregoing reasons Los Angeles will be the safe option. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey redoubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have conjectured that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will penetrate the octagon during the first half of the brand-new year, before Conor McGregor even books another combat, and get back to her winning practices. It wont is currently under 135 lbs, nonetheless. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight department and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino( presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last trench effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fighting. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the National did triumph the NL East by eight competitions in 2016, reciting in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the demon season that he had in 2016. Washington was also apparently chasing some bigger reputations this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen , amongst other, but were unable to territory them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a listing can make any team a playoff hopeful, there are questions encircling their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power limbs rendering from trauma, and other NL units including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants becoming moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as homosexual

Michael Sam was the first openly lesbian musician drawn up in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/ USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual devotees, will come out as homosexual. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive goal who came out prior to the NFL sketch and discontinued up never playing in a regular season activity, looms over the conference as a missed opening. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see recited. Because of this, I amply expect the first out player in the conference to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant know dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro boasts tournament will try to boost offense doesnt exactly definitely sounds like going out on a limb. Every league knows that tallying exchanges, and every conference manufactures sure the rulebook helps abundance of it. Its plays sell 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The tournament has talks to boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This time, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending material. Then, shrieks, they didnt constitute such adjustments in time, so good-for-nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is parcelled with agitating young endowment like we havent considered to be in an entire generation. Surely now is the time to let them glisten. Surely now is when well lastly get some forwards fantasizing from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of throwing tallying charges while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we are in a position. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, unhappily, this prepares. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will construct the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolled your eyes through personal computers. Real cute, but these projections are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently exclusively two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the merits of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be razed by the Fighters in four tournaments this spring.

The Lakers were poising around. 500 before Thanksgiving, then misplaced 12 of 13 during a brutal superhighway journey made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A health Laker team still cant performance much protection, but they are unable score against anybody, as triumphs over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good an opportunity as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have genuine hotshots, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite forces in the NBA. This is still a bumpy gang that is dragging a few laughable contracts down special courts every night, but they have as good as possibility as anyone right now. DS

The post Kobe renders and Tebow thrives: our bold sports prophecies for 2017 appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[circle111e-blog]

Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017

On the heels of a sports year that was chock full of surprises, Guardian US contributors make their bold predictions for the months to come

Here are our bold predictions for 2017. Please note the bold (or should that be bold?) in bold predictions these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few athletes are as prepared for a life after basketball than Kobe, a man of diverse interests and immense worldwide fame. Few athletes also are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of players. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare drop him on the same floor as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods will win again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone win, major championships was flawed even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs summit means Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such environments now.

Still, he can and will win lower grade PGA Tour events. Woods has a propensity to prevail on the same courses, as shown by his record. He retains more competitive ability than some of those who win once or twice on Tour in any given year. If fitness troubles really are behind Woods, he will return to the podium. Then? Cue more major discussion. EM

An American not named Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did win Wimbledon six months ago, so lets not put her in the ground just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 and theres no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was weakened during a year that saw the late-blooming Angelique Kerber win a pair of major titles to inherit the world No1 ranking on merit. The door has never been more open for the sports 90s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys will follow this year. The 21-year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the shots, and power on both wings. Look for her to put it all together and become the first American woman not named Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard team will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To win the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and beat three of the leagues top teams. That said, it has happened six times before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champions came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017s will as well. With no great, dominant team, the path is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Giants and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are looking hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the polls, but virtually no analysts predicted a repeat for a Villanova team that returned most of its title-winning 2016 team. Aside from a shaky performance against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been the best player in the country, Jalen Brunson generates offense at will when he has the ball and Villanova are hitting their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this team I like those odds. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best player in the history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has made himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS player. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will thrive as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and light of all of our lives, sufficiently failed during his stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats probably because of his measly slash line of .194/.296/.242 over 70 plate appearances. Tebow did not hit a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its probably safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so fast: Tebow was competing against some of the best prospects baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11-game stretch where he hit .281 and posted an OBP of.425. In 2017, the Mets defy all logic and expectations by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their sagging mid-week attendance. The Wilpons sell a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which promises at least one pinch-hit appearance per-game and private autograph sessions for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only survives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they win their first title since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady stays ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40-year old athlete in a contact sport will look his age doesnt seem especially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favorite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his career. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Maybe Brady stretches his youth a year or two beyond that pair, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one believes hes really retired, even if more than 15 months have passed since he last climbed through the ropes. Not when one more fight could lift him to the singular mark of 50-0, one better than Rocky Marcianos recognized paragon of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively name his own price as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders believe a rematch with Manny Pacquiao looms, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest fight in history. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an opponent who hardly deserves the opportunity but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar role of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he turned heel, trading in his polite and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime villain whom more fans pay to watch lose than watch win. But just because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt mean he doesnt care about people liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit the game as the cowboy in the white hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt qualify as a bold prediction, after all most of the other competitors have dropped out. But Los Angeles was once eliminated as a contender after the USOC chose Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to host the games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more appealing choices. And yet LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It could probably host the Games next year. For this reason Los Angeles will be the safe choice. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey doubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have speculated that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will enter the octagon in the first half of the new year, before Conor McGregor even books another fight, and get back to her winning ways. It wont be at 135lbs, however. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight division and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino (presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last ditch effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fight. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the Nationals did win the NL East by eight games in 2016, repeating in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the monster season that he had in 2016. Washington was also reportedly chasing some bigger names this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen, among others, but were unable to land them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a roster can make any team a playoff contender, there are questions surrounding their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power arms returning from injury, and other NL teams including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants making moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as gay

Michael Sam was the first openly gay player drafted in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual fans, will come out as gay. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive end who came out prior to the NFL draft and ended up never playing in a regular season game, looms over the league as a missed opportunity. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see repeated. Because of this, I fully expect the first out athlete in the league to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant experience dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro sports league will try to boost offense doesnt exactly sound like going out on a limb. Every league knows that scoring sells, and every league makes sure the rulebook encourages plenty of it. Its sports marketing 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The league has been talking about boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This year, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending equipment. Then, whoops, they didnt make the adjustments in time, so nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is packed with exciting young talent like we havent seen in a generation. Surely now is the time to let them shine. Surely now is when well finally get some forward thinking from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of plunging scoring rates while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we can. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, sadly, this qualifies. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will make the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolling your eyes through the computer. Real cute, but these predictions are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently only two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the bottom of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be demolished by the Warriors in four games this spring.

The Lakers were hovering around .500 before Thanksgiving, then lost 12 of 13 during a brutal road trip made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A healthy Laker team still cant play much defense, but they can score against anybody, as wins over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good a chance as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have true superstars, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite squads in the NBA. This is still a rough unit that is dragging a few ridiculous contracts down the court each night, but they have as good as chance as anyone right now. DS

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jan/02/bold-sports-predictions-for-2017

The post Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017 appeared first on Hockey Elite Group.

[circle111g-blog]

Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017

On the heels of a sports year that was chock full of surprises, Guardian US contributors make their bold predictions for the months to come

Here are our bold predictions for 2017. Please note the bold (or should that be bold?) in bold predictions these are to be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially the Tebow one.

Kobe Bryant will return from retirement

Few athletes are as prepared for a life after basketball than Kobe, a man of diverse interests and immense worldwide fame. Few athletes also are as ill-suited for retirement than Kobe, who burns to be on the court. These last few months away have to be killing him. He will mount a comeback, though probably not with the Lakers, who are building around a gifted young core of players. Hes always wanted to play for the Knicks. Would Phil Jackson dare drop him on the same floor as Carmelo Anthony? LC

Tiger Woods will win again

The notion that Woods could challenge for, let alone win, major championships was flawed even before his last and lengthy absence through injury. The depth of talent at golfs summit means Woods will always be overawed and outplayed in such environments now.

Still, he can and will win lower grade PGA Tour events. Woods has a propensity to prevail on the same courses, as shown by his record. He retains more competitive ability than some of those who win once or twice on Tour in any given year. If fitness troubles really are behind Woods, he will return to the podium. Then? Cue more major discussion. EM

An American not named Serena will win a grand slam title

Serena Williams did win Wimbledon six months ago, so lets not put her in the ground just yet. But shes now closer to 40 than 30 and theres no question her stranglehold on the womens tour was weakened during a year that saw the late-blooming Angelique Kerber win a pair of major titles to inherit the world No1 ranking on merit. The door has never been more open for the sports 90s babies. Garbie Muguruza and Karolina Pliskova took advantage in 2016; Madison Keys will follow this year. The 21-year-old from Illinois, who has played into the second week at the last six majors, has all the shots, and power on both wings. Look for her to put it all together and become the first American woman not named Williams to capture a major singles title since Jennifer Capriati in 2002. BAG

A wildcard team will win Super Bowl LI

The NFL playoffs do not favor wildcard teams. To win the Super Bowl as a wildcard you have to win on the road three straight weeks and beat three of the leagues top teams. That said, it has happened six times before. Three of the last 11 Super Bowl champions came into the postseason as wildcards and 2017s will as well. With no great, dominant team, the path is wide open. The Lions stumbled late in the season but still have a potent offense and the Patriots would rather forget their Super Bowls against the Giants and Eli Manning. LC

Villanova will finish the regular season undefeated

Villanova are looking hot again this season. Photograph: Steven Branscombe/USA Today Sports

The Wildcats have moved to No1 in the polls, but virtually no analysts predicted a repeat for a Villanova team that returned most of its title-winning 2016 team. Aside from a shaky performance against DePaul late in 2016, the Wildcats have been stellar this season. Josh Hart has been the best player in the country, Jalen Brunson generates offense at will when he has the ball and Villanova are hitting their threes something they didnt do until the tournament last season. Ken Pomeroys stats say the Wildcats have less than a 2% chance to go undefeated in the regular season, but with this team I like those odds. DM

Sebastian Giovinco will return to Europe

Arguably the best player in the history of Major League Soccer, Sebastian Giovinco has made himself a superstar at Toronto FC. But his success has come at a cost. Italy manager Giampiero Ventura, just like Antonio Conte before him, says the playmaker has no international future as long as he is a MLS player. And so Giovinco could be tempted back to Europe, especially with the 2018 World Cup coming into view. GR

Tim Tebow will thrive as a baseball player

At first glance, it seems that New York Mets farmhand Tim Tebow, super-athlete and light of all of our lives, sufficiently failed during his stint in the Arizona Fall League, and thats probably because of his measly slash line of .194/.296/.242 over 70 plate appearances. Tebow did not hit a single home run, but he did help save a fan having a seizure, staying with him until the paramedics arrived, and so its probably safe to say that the outfielder is more Moonlight Graham than Babe Ruth, right? Not so fast: Tebow was competing against some of the best prospects baseball has to offer, and picked up steam as he went, finishing with an 11-game stretch where he hit .281 and posted an OBP of.425. In 2017, the Mets defy all logic and expectations by their May promotion of a surging Tebow to help with their sagging mid-week attendance. The Wilpons sell a package they call Tebow Tuesdays, which promises at least one pinch-hit appearance per-game and private autograph sessions for the first 50 to sign up. Tebow not only survives, but prospers, becoming a cornerstone in the Mets lineup as they win their first title since 1986. DL

Tom Brady will finally show signs of age

Tom Brady stays ahead of the youngsters … for now. Photograph: Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports

Tom Brady will turn 40 before the 2017 season. Saying a 40-year old athlete in a contact sport will look his age doesnt seem especially bold, but in Bradys case, it is. In his age 39 season this year, hes the favorite for league MVP and is having one of the best seasons of his career. But Peyton Mannings performance fell of a cliff from his age 38 to 39 seasons and Brett Favres did the same in the only season he opened as a 40 year-old. Maybe Brady stretches his youth a year or two beyond that pair, but the end is coming. Soon. Time, unlike the 2007 New England Patriots, is undefeated. DG

Floyd Mayweather makes a face turn

No one believes hes really retired, even if more than 15 months have passed since he last climbed through the ropes. Not when one more fight could lift him to the singular mark of 50-0, one better than Rocky Marcianos recognized paragon of fistic perfection. Not when he can effectively name his own price as a free agent, having fulfilled his six-fight contract with CBS and Showtime.

Many insiders believe a rematch with Manny Pacquiao looms, which, despite the tart aftertaste of their first installment, would still be the second-richest fight in history. But it says here Mayweather will instead opt to fight Adrien Broner, an opponent who hardly deserves the opportunity but one who would allow Floyd to take on the unfamiliar role of good guy in the promotion.

Eight-figure paydays werent the norm for Mayweather until he turned heel, trading in his polite and humble Pretty Boy Floyd persona for a pantomime villain whom more fans pay to watch lose than watch win. But just because he made the business decision to break bad doesnt mean he doesnt care about people liking him. By going against the one fighter in the world more disliked than himself, Mayweather will exit the game as the cowboy in the white hat. BAG

Los Angeles will be awarded the 2024 Olympics

Maybe this doesnt qualify as a bold prediction, after all most of the other competitors have dropped out. But Los Angeles was once eliminated as a contender after the USOC chose Boston as the American city to push. It has never seemed like LA was a favorite of anyone to host the games for a third time. The other competitors Paris and Budapest are more appealing choices. And yet LA might be the perfect Olympic city. The facilities are already in place. It could probably host the Games next year. For this reason Los Angeles will be the safe choice. Probably the only choice. LC

Ronda Rousey doubles down … and wins big

After being embarrassed by Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Friday, many have speculated that Ronda Rousey wont fight again. Shes noncommittal but we say she will enter the octagon in the first half of the new year, before Conor McGregor even books another fight, and get back to her winning ways. It wont be at 135lbs, however. Rousey will venture up to the featherweight division and chase down a fight with Cris Cyborg Justino (presuming she available after a PED tussle with Usada) in a last ditch effort to rebuild herself as a competitor and secure one more big-money fight. JG

The Washington Nationals will miss the playoffs

Although the Nationals did win the NL East by eight games in 2016, repeating in 2017 will be substantially more difficult. They should not expect Daniel Murphy to have the monster season that he had in 2016. Washington was also reportedly chasing some bigger names this offseason including starting pitcher Chris Sale and closer Kenley Jansen, among others, but were unable to land them. While having Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper on a roster can make any team a playoff contender, there are questions surrounding their role players including an oft-injured Ryan Zimmerman and an aging Jayson Werth. With the Mets power arms returning from injury, and other NL teams including the St Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants making moves this offseason, the Nationals will have a rockier road to October. EF

An NFL player will come out as gay

Michael Sam was the first openly gay player drafted in NFL history. Photograph: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports

An active NFL player, one known to casual fans, will come out as gay. As of now, the specter of Michael Sam, the defensive end who came out prior to the NFL draft and ended up never playing in a regular season game, looms over the league as a missed opportunity. Sams story isnt one that anyone wants to see repeated. Because of this, I fully expect the first out athlete in the league to be someone who is already established as an NFL-caliber player and has had significant experience dealing with the national media, two advantages that Sam never had. HF

The NHL takes actual steps to increase scoring

Yes, I know. This is supposed to be a bold prediction, and suggesting that a pro sports league will try to boost offense doesnt exactly sound like going out on a limb. Every league knows that scoring sells, and every league makes sure the rulebook encourages plenty of it. Its sports marketing 101.

But this is the NHL were talking about. The league has been talking about boosting offense for over two decades literally but they never actually do it. This year, the decided theyd tweak the goaltending equipment. Then, whoops, they didnt make the adjustments in time, so nothing changed. Thats just how things go in the NHL.

But I think this year could be different. Maybe its wishful thinking, but todays NHL is packed with exciting young talent like we havent seen in a generation. Surely now is the time to let them shine. Surely now is when well finally get some forward thinking from a league addicted to its past. Surely we cant do three straight decades of plunging scoring rates while the powers that be twiddle their thumbs and wonder why ratings are down.

Or maybe we can. But you asked for something bold. In the NHL, sadly, this qualifies. SM

The Los Angeles Lakers will make the NBA playoffs

I can hear you rolling your eyes through the computer. Real cute, but these predictions are supposed to be bold, right? The Lakers are currently only two games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Granted, they are also only three games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Phoenix Suns, but that just goes to show you how mushy and undefined the bottom of the West is right now. Anyone could catch fire for a few weeks and find themselves volunteering to be demolished by the Warriors in four games this spring.

The Lakers were hovering around .500 before Thanksgiving, then lost 12 of 13 during a brutal road trip made worse by injuries to Julius Randle, DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, and Larry Nance Jr. A healthy Laker team still cant play much defense, but they can score against anybody, as wins over the Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and a short-handed Clippers team proves. Most importantly, they have as good a chance as anyone in the West basement. The Kings, Pelicans, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Blazers all have true superstars, but what the Lakers can offer is something close to the team cohesion that defines the elite squads in the NBA. This is still a rough unit that is dragging a few ridiculous contracts down the court each night, but they have as good as chance as anyone right now. DS

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jan/02/bold-sports-predictions-for-2017

The post Kobe returns and Tebow thrives: our bold sports predictions for 2017 appeared first on Hockey Elite Group.