#wherever he finishes in the race for me this weekend was a success

[rickybaby]

A little bit of comfort for Ric nation

[ledenews]

Ohio’s Hall Calls for Steubenville Big Red’s Reno Saccoccia

His on-field achievements made his induction into Ohio’s High School Football Hall of Fame an absolute no-brainer. He’s recorded more victories than any other head coach in Ohio’s high school football history. He possesses a 423 career wins as Steubenville’s head football coach. He’s guided them to 32 postseasons in 39 years. He’s captured four state championships and five runner-up finishes. That’s Reno Saccoccia’s coaching career on stat sheet, and it’s impressive, but one of his long-time colleagues insists the Steubenville native has had just as important an impact off the field as he has on it. Saccoccia will be one of several inductees come the first weekend in June in Canton, Ohio, and while a few others will include Joe Namath, Eric Dickerson, and Deion Sanders, another will be legendary Wheeling Central Catholic head coach Mike Young. “Reno Saccoccia is a great guy. A terrific man. Just super,” he said. “Reno and I have been friends for a very long time, and I’ve always enjoyed our football conversations because we think a lot alike when it comes to the games and to our players. “I know Reno comes across being all gruff and rough and things like that, and he is a very stern type of individual, but the man has a lot of love and compassion for his players and for this community,” Young revealed. “He cares about them so much, and that may be something people don’t see. He has relationships with each of them no matter where they come from and who their parents are. Reno is a very giving person and I have a feeling a lot of people don’t know that about him.” Young and Saccoccia have been friends for decades, meeting soon after each began their respective coaching careers close to 55 years ago, and Young has compiled impressive stats, too. The Hall of Famer’s career mark at CCHS and St. Clairsville is 232-96, and 17 of his Maroon Knights teams have appeared in the West Virginia postseason with eight winning Class A state titles. “Our friendship goes back a long ways, and I’m proud to be getting inducted in the same class as him,” Young said. “I proud of Reno for all of the success he’s has had on and off the field, too. A lot of people – most people – only care about the wins on the field, but when you’re a high school coach, you deal with so much more than just designing offenses and defenses. These young men bring their lives to you every day. “But Reno has been there for his players and his community every time and that’s one of many reasons why I’m proud to be going into the Hall of Fame with him. He is so very deserving,” Young said. “He’s always stood tall for his community and his family, and he’s consistently put a quality football team on the field every single year. That’s a Hall of Famer right there.” "Hold your strength till the barriers fly,then close with the leaders eye to eye.Thundering hooves and the mad jammed race,blood in the nostrils, sweat in the face.And Big Red, remember wherever you are,you carry the blood of Man o' War. " There’s not a seat to be found in Harding Stadium when a Steubenville football game is taking place because, in this old, former steel city that’s lost 8,000 residents over the past 40 years, “Roll Red Roll” is more than a crowd chant. “Roll Red Roll” is a way of life, and it begins at the youth football level. “I have had parents come to me and tell me their sons want to play for me, and Reno has that happen to him probably every day. That’s how much that Big Red program means to his community and the people in it. Big Red football is something very special, and he’s made it that way since he became the head coach back in the mid-1980s,” Young said. “There are kids at their games who want the players’ chin straps and their towels and gloves because that’s what they want to do when they grow up. It’s the best compliment, it really is. The Hall of Fame organization produced these online "player cards" for each of the inductees. “Those kids hear ‘Roll Red Roll’ and they want to be a part of it. They want to be winners like Coach Reno and his teams are year in and year out. That’s how a program works,” he added. “It’s the same thing we hear here – ‘Once a Knight, Always a Knight’ – and it’s special, and it’s because that’s what Reno has built.” Young doubts many people know how much off-field contributions Saccoccia makes to the Upper Ohio Valley community, including the annual recruiting fair held each winter by members of the local Football Coaches Association. “A lot of our coaches in the OVAC participate so we can bring in coaches from college programs in the region, and Reno does a lot of work to get the valley’s players looked at so they have a chance for scholarship dollars to continue their education,” the Central Catholic coach said. “We see a lot of Division I scouts come into the valley, but the smaller colleges don’t have the budgets for that, so we work to get their attention. “Reno and his program are two big reasons for those coaches return his phone calls,” he said. “And that’s just one of many examples I could give you. He’s a good man.” Young coached several seasons fr the St. Clairsville Red Devils before returning to his alma mater to coach in 1997. https://ledenews.com/a-hall-of-famer-family-before-football-a-constant-with-mike-young/ Read the full article

[f1]

Ed Carpenter Racing to make driver change as Daly is dropped | IndyCar

Ed Carpenter Racing has parted ways with Conor Daly with more than half of the IndyCar season still remaining. The team announced it had “mutually” agreed the split with its driver, who lies 20th in the IndyCar championship standings after the first seven races. The number 20 car that was driven by Daly will continue to be entered in the championship for the remaining ten races of the season. ECR said it will confirm details of his replacement for next week’s race at Road America and beyond “in due course”. Daly drove team owner Ed Carpenter’s car for the road and steet course races through 2020 and ’21, and since last year has been racing full-time for the team as it expanded to three cars. He came 15th in last weekend’s race in Detroit, and one week before that finished eighth in the series’ blue riband event, the Indianapolis 500. The team said its other two cars – the full-time entry driven by Rinus VeeKay, and Carpenter’s part-time oval-only entry – are not affected by the decision to drop Daly. No reason for the split was given by the team. However Carpenter described it as “the most difficult decision I have made as a team owner because I respect Conor and know what he means to IndyCar and its fans”. “Our team has not been performing at the level we are capable of this year, and despite making technical changes and investments in the off-season, 2023 has been extremely challenging,” Carpenter continued. “I have put a great deal of consideration into the current state of our team and realise it is my obligation to our employees, partners, and supporters to do whatever is necessary to elevate our team’s competitiveness. “We sincerely wish Conor continued success and will cheer him on wherever he goes next.” Daly said: “I’d like to thank ECR for the past three-and-a-half seasons. “I’m grateful to everyone who has supported me – past, present and into the future. I look forward to taking on the next opportunities that await, and I want to thank the fans for being with me on this ride.” Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free IndyCar Browse all IndyCar articles via RaceFans - Independent Motorsport Coverage https://www.racefans.net/

[alltoolewis]

Stand By You- Lewis Hamilton 🤍

Request- Heyyy Bestieeee!! Can you make one with Lewis where you are non public but working as Toto’s right hand, and the only ones who knows about you are your closest friends in the team, Toto, Angela, Bono, George… in one race journalists find about you two and they’re saying you’ve got your work because of him, soy your team stands by you and defend you 🙏🏼

Thank you for requesting bb! 🖤

(Not Proofread!)

It was never your intention when you started working alongside Toto Wolff to fall in love with his top & most successful driver!! Hearing of his playboy nature, you promised yourself to stay as far away as possible from him, however, with being the boss's assistant, that task was easier said than done. It was like an invisible magnet drawn you two together, wherever you were... he was and vice versa & as the season progressed so did your relationship... Much to your team's approval, you went from strangers to friends, to friends to lovers in a blink of an eye!

"Hello stranger...!" Lewis smiled as he popped his head in Toto's make shift office for this weeks race day, finding you perched up on the desk, stacks of paper grasping in your hand as your eyes locked with his hazel orbs. He didn't know how lucky he was to find someone as beautiful & smart as you, finding it fascinating how you knew the answers to all his questions... and the fact that you were an independent woman in a male dominated sport made his heart burst with pride.

"What are you doing here...?" You whispered, eyes looking around to make sure no lurking cameras could see the interaction. Grabbing your hand, he pulled you into his chest causing the papers to layer the floor around you "Lewis... someone could see us!"

"No one around baby... It's just us!" He knew how paranoid you got in public, not wanting outsiders to burst the bubble you two surrounded yourselves with. You weren't stupid... you knew how the media portrays people in the limelight... trying to make them out to be something they aren't. Take Lewis for example... the media loves to write him as a man whore with enough money to buy any he choices heart. But in reality... he stole yours without a dime being spent!

"I missed you..." You sighed, giving in to his touch when the coast was clear. The last two nights being a nightmare without being in each other's arms, something that still feels familiar after being wrapped in his arms for nights on end. Chuckling softly in your hair as he smiled "Y'know you can come to see me at any time... all the team knows about us! God, I think Angela would love it if you spent more time with us on race weekends..."

"I don't want to make it obvious Lew..." You sighed, wishing nothing more than being able to spend the race weekend by his side like all the other girlfriends in the paddock... however in your reality that wasn't possible! Not without how big of a topic his love life is in the public eye...

Your eyes began to tear as you thought of what it could be like without lingering eyes. "Hey... hey... look at me..." Lewis cooed as he lifted your face to look at him, kissing your lips softly as he whispered into your mouth "It's just you & me... no one else!"

"Lewis... there you are! There asking for you at the tra-!" George interrupts stopping in his tracks once he saw you stood next to his teammate "Oh shit! Sorry... I didn't know you were both in here..." Stumbling over his words as Lewis continued to give him the daggers "Hi (y/n)..." He sighed nervously causing you to let out a giggle "Hi George..."

Turning his gaze back on you, he sighed "You going to be okay darling...?" Hating the thought of leaving you when your upset! Nodding your head, you leave a gentle kiss on his cheek, letting go of him with a smile "I'll be fine... I promise! I just need to finish this work & then I'll come see you later!"

Leaving a final peck on your lips he turned back towards giving you one last flash of his signature smile before he disappeared into the soft Spanish sunlight! Leaving you with nothing but your thoughts of 'what ifs'!

-----

The next day your worst fears came true as your pinging phone woke you up from your deep sleep. With tired eyes you gazed upon the screen, horrified as you seen the thousands of tags under your name, all with the same story hung to them....

'Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff's personal assistant (y/fn) share are a cheeky exchange before the Spanish grand prix...' 'Who is (y/fn)? & how one lucky meeting with the British world champ landed her dream job?'

Your eyes stung as you clicked open the article, pictures of you and Lewis yesterday plastered over the screen. Instantly hit with abuse as a complete stranger to you wrote about your 'life'! From your age to where you studied, your parents names to your first boyfriend they knew it all! However the one thing that hurt you the most was a sentence you wished you never had to the see, the one thing you never wanted to see....

'(Y/fn), Lewis Hamilton's new girlfriend, handed the role of Toto's personal assistant due to her booming romance with the Mercedes star!'

All your life you worked hard for yourself, never relying on anyone but yourself to make things happen. Using every single dime you earned to treat yourself, your own knowledge to get you places & your own determination and credibility to land you your dream job. Anger boiled in your blood at the thought of being handed something so special due to the person you loved...! Your head lifted up in fear as your phone violently rang, the name you wasn't expecting at all flashing on your screen..

"Toto?..."

"I guess you've already seen the news..." He sighed, noticing your voice trembling over the line "I don't know what to do Toto.." You cried, peeking your head out of the hotel to notice paparazzi flashes already lit up as they waited for yours and Lewis's arrival "My phones constantly buzzing, there already waiting outside... there bashing my career... I just... I need Lewis...!"

"(y/n)... You're going to be okay, alright?.." He calmly spoke as if he was giving you a race day speech "Lewis is already here & I think it's best for the time being if we keep you apart until all of this calms down..."

"But..."

"(y/n), I know you need him right now more than anything but please just try and stay apart... just for now... Promise?"

Letting out a nervous sigh you nodded, croaking out a teary "Promise" as you realised he couldn't see you. "Thank you... Now I cancelled all your duties for the rest of the weekend, and got some of my security to stay put on your level until the coast is clear for you to safely leave..."

"Thank you Toto..." You sniffled, throwing yourself down on the sofa as you blankly stared ahead "I owe you one..." "Your going to be okay (y/n)... We've got you..."

Once he hung up your sobs grew louder. Wanting nothing more than the floor to swallow you up as your phone became unbearably loud. Throwing against the wall you sunk down on the coach, switching on the TV to drown out the noise of your cries. However they all stopped as you looked up, noticing Lewis's press conference!

"A question for Lewis..." A journalist spoke proudly, standing up as he looked at the clearly agitated 7 time world champion. "This morning it was brought to light that you now have someone very special in your life in the name of Mercedes assistant (y/fn)..."

"No..no...no..." You muttered quietly turning the volume up in eagerness as you listened along... "Aren't we supposed to be talking about this week's race instea of my love life..." Lewis spat through gritted teeth, glaring at the reporter as they didn't back down "But Lewis... Getting in a relationship with your bosses assistant isn't very professional on both of you parts... what does Toto think about this romance?"

Chuckling sarcastically, Lewis responded "& Isn't it unprofessional to invade someone's personal life when you're paid to ask about moto racing?... and just to make it clear, Toto and the rest of the Mercedes crew are supportive of our relationship... something that you guys should be now"

"But isn't it true she only got the job due to being with you?" Just as tears was about to fall, a British voice stopped you... but not the one of your boyfriend....

"Let me answer that..." George interrupted, just like he did yesterday. A look of disapproval plastered on his face as they looked directly at the camera "(y/n) is one of smartest, generous, caring person I have ever met & am privileged to get the opportunity to work alongside her. She got her position from herself alone... not Lewis! Just her! Next time you'd like to shoot down successful, innocent woman do some solid research first instead of trying to embarrass them on national television..."

Lewis muttered a quite thank you to George as the news reporters quickly moved on from the topic of you... An hour late, a knock interrupted your sleep as you crept towards the door. Remembering Toto's advice you peaked through the door hole, revealing the 5 faces you adored so much.... Lewis, George, Toto, Bono & Angela all stood there with flowers & chocolates in hand.

Flinging the door open you immediately jumped in your boyfriends arms, taking him off-guard as you wrapped your legs across his waist "We are all so lucky to have you in our lives baby..." Lewis whispered in your ear "Never let anyone tear you down okay..."

"I love you so much..." You whispered, jumping off him as you crled in his chest. The rest of the guys joining your embrace as they covered you in hugs "I love you all so much!"

"We love you too (y/n)..." George proudly stated...

"But not as much as I do...."

[mysticalnightenthusiast]

S.N.A.F.U CH-61 ‘Two to Go’

A/N1:  Just a warning, this chapter contains some VERY NSFW content.  If you’re a minor go elsewhere!

************************************************************************ 

The 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was vastly more successful for Daniel than his previous two races, he qualified eleventh and finished the race itself in fifth finishing five places ahead of Lando and collecting ten points for the Driver’s championship.  As promised he went straight from the Jeddah Corniche circuit and took the first available flight back to the U.K. 

Back in London Eadaoin left the house early, before the sun began rising and made her way to Heathrow, despite the early time of day it took her twenty minutes to find a park then a further fifteen minutes to make her way into the arrivals terminal.  Out of habit she purchased a steaming cup of coffee then pushed through the crowd and made her way to the area of the airport where the public could wait for their loved ones, adjusting her face mask to fit more securely over her nose.  Eadaoin found a spot to sit on and played around on her phone til just after quarter past six when a wave of passengers began coming through from passport control and Immigration.  Alerted by the sudden increase of noise Eadaoin looked up and got to her feet eagerly looking out for Daniel, she spied the curly haired Australian clad in his own Enchante merch and pushing a trolley with his luggage on it looking around to find her.

“Danny!” she called her voice barely discernable over the crown hubbub “Over here!”

Eadaoin waved and hurriedly made her way over to Danny meeting him just outside the barriers that separated arriving passengers from the public, he lit up and abandoned the trolley engulfing her in a crushing hug, lifting her up and spinning her around in a circle joyfully.

“Fuck I’ve missed you!” he exclaimed his voice muffled by the warm skin of her neck.

Eadaoin pulled down her mask and captured Daniel’s lips with hers, he responded enthusiastically holding her face in his hands and probing her mouth with his tongue, and they kissed til they became breathless and began attracting sniggers from other people.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we need to stop kissing like that in public or we’ll get in trouble,” Daniel murmured once they parted.

“Fuck that shit, I haven’t seen you for three weeks I’ll kiss you however and wherever I damn well like,” Eadaoin replied with a grin as she embraced his again “how was your flight?”

Daniel smiled tiredly.

“Long and boring,” he said as they began heading toward the exit “I’m glad to be home though, I need a week of relaxing at home doing anything but work stuff.”

“Well I’m working half days all this week so how about with the spare time we start moving into the Manor house then Friday head to Monaco for the weekend?” Eadaoin suggested “I haven’t been there yet.  When d’you have to be in Doha?”

“The latest Wednesday,” Daniel replied “What d’you mean you haven’t been to the manor house yet?  I gave you keys back in Austin a month ago!”

“I know but I didn’t want to go there until you were with me,” Eadaoin replied in a low voice “it’s going to be our home together and I wanted to go there for the first time together.”

Daniel visibly melted in front of her.

“Are you working today?” he asked.

“Yeah, as soon as I’ve got you home I have to head off,” Eadaoin replied her face twisting into a scowl “I have a zoom meeting ten then a face to face meeting at eleven thirty, I should be home by half one, the if you’re not feeling too jetlagged maybe we could go to the new place and you can show me around?”

Daniel grinned.

“Sounds like a plan,” he said cheerfully “it’s entirely likely I’ll still be asleep when you get home though.”

“That’s alright I have a few tricks up my sleeve that’ll get you to wake up”

“I look forward to seeing what they are.”

As usual Daniel was stopped by a few fans during his during his walk back to Eadaoin’s new car.  He posed for selfies and signed several autographs before he and Eadaoin arrived back at her car.

“Wow this is your new bus?” he exclaimed casting his eyes over the gleaming black Range Rover.

“Yep and I frickin’ love it!” Eadaoin exclaimed popping open the rear hatch and hauling one of his suitcases into the back “it drives like a dream and the sound is to die for.”

“Have you souped it up at all?” Daniel asked hauling his other suitcase into the car placing it next to his other one.

“Yup I have custom rims and tyres as well as a set of custom off road tyres at home, a roof rack, a fridge that can fit a six pack of beer and I replaced the factory sound and speaker system and put in a custom fit system,” Eadaoin replied with a grin “now everyone can hear me coming.”

Daniel met her gaze and let out a snort of laughter.

“So nothing out of the ordinary then?” he said climbing into the passenger seat.

Eadaoin blushed fiercely and rolled her eyes.

“Not like that you degenerate!” she said dryly sliding into her own seat and fastening her seatbelt “you need to get laid.”

“Mmmhmm you’re right I do,” Daniel replied with a grin.

“Idiot.”

Within half an hour Daniel and Eadaoin were back home.  As soon as they pulled into the driveway Daniel sighed, a content smile forming upon his lips.

“It’s good to be home,” he said happily as she cut the engine “fuck I’m tired.”

“Go to bed as soon as you get inside and rest up,” Eadaoin suggested “then tonight we can have a spa and I’ll give you a massage....yes one with a happy ending you horn dog.”

Daniel raised his eyebrows.

“I didn’t say a word!” he exclaimed with a snort “you assume a lot.”

“If I rolled my eyes every time you said something stupid I wouldn’t be able to see straight,” Eadaoin said dryly as they hauled his bags out of the back of the car.

The pair made their way into the house just as Cahir skipped down the stairs to begin his day.

“Honey Badger!” he exclaimed cheerfully fist bumping the exhausted driver “how was your flight man?”

“Long, b-boring, exhausting,” Daniel replied stuttering through a yawn “you starting your day?”

“Yeah just making a cuppa then heading out, my Uber is ten minutes away, how long you home for?”

“Eight days but we’re heading to Monaco Friday afternoon,” Daniel replied “I want to take every opportunity to relax seeing as all this week we’re starting to organise to move into the Manor house.”

“Good luck, moving house is a massive pain in the arse,” Cahir declared “unpacking everything and figuring out where to put everything is good fun though.  If you need a hand let me know I’m good at heavy lifting.”

“Thanks.”

Cahir swiftly made his morning coffee then exited the house leaving Daniel and Eadaoin alone, they made their way upstairs and Daniel immediately began unpacking his belongings.

“D'you want me to get anything in town whilst I’m out?” Eadaoin asked swapping her slip ons for a pair of heels and pulling on her wool jacket.

“Nah I’m all good I have everything I need,” Daniel replied tiredly pushing an empty suitcase into the wardrobe then dropping down onto the bed “fuck I’m tired.”

“Go to bed we can deal with your gear when I get home,” Eadaoin urged running her fingers through his messy hair and dropping a chaste kiss on his lips.

Daniel closed his eyes momentarily and smiled mid-kiss.

“Sure I can’t convince you to bum a day off work and stay home to spoon?” he asked.

“I don’t nee convincing but my 10am appointment might,” Eadaoin replied in amusement “we can spoon when I get home, you need to rest, you get grumpy when you’re tired and I don’t want to deal with Mr Grumpy Pants if you don’t rest enough.”

Daniel grinned.

“Can I have a tuck in and a lullaby before you go?” he joked.

Eadaoin rolled her eyes.

“No you’re big enough and ugly enough to get yourself in bed and off to sleepy land without my help,” she said stepping back so he could strip off “we can snog for a bit before I go though, happy?”

“That’ll do me.”

Daniel stripped down to his boxers and shirt then climbed under the covers, covering a huge yawn as Eadaoin sat down beside him.

“It’s good to have you home, even if it’s only for a week,” she said leaning down and kissing him soundly on the lips.

“It’s good to be home,” Daniel replied returning the kiss enthusiastically “see you in a few hours?”

“You got it Driver Man.”

*******************************************************************************************

Shortly after one thirty in the afternoon Eadaoin returned home to a totally silent house.  The lack of activity indicated Daniel was still in bed and that’s what she found when she ascended the stairs and quietly entered their bedroom.  The curly haired driver was sprawled out across the bed the covers of the bed gathered around his hips.  His face was smushed into a pillow and his mouth was open a occasional snore escaping his lips.  Eadaoin quickly and quietly kicked off her heels and changed into more casual attire before padding barefoot over to the bed and sitting on Daniel’s side of the bed, she watched him for a few minutes then reached down and carded her fingers though his tousled curls, the affectionate gesture roused him and he rolled onto his back with a sleepy groan.

“Hey sleepyhead,” Eadaoin said quietly as he stretched and slowly opened his eyes “good sleep?”

“Mmm it was,” Daniel replied croakily “been home long?”

“Ten minutes maybe, you still want to head out and check out our new place today?”

Daniel yawned again.

“Definitely,” he said “god you’re good looking.”

Eadaoin smiled

“You’re pretty attractive yourself,” she said leaning down and pressing her lips to his “even when your hair looks like a bird’s nest and you have arse breath.”

“I have arse breath?” Daniel asked with a snort of laughter “I could have pussy breath if you sat on my face.”

“Oh Daniel Joseph Ricciardo you pervert!” Eadaoin exclaimed as Daniel rolled around the bed roaring with laughter “go and have a shower you absolute degenerate!”

Daniel sat up and pressed a kiss to her temple.

“I loo-oove yooooou!” he said in a sing song voice as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

“I’ll go make us lunch, see you downstairs,” Eadaoin informed him patting his backside as he stood up “hungry?”

“Yeah for you beautiful.”

“Oh brother.”

Daniel disappeared into the bathroom and Eadaoin made her way downstairs where she started making some chicken wraps.  She was totally lost in her task and had lost track of time when a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her slender waist and a pair of lips were press to her neck.

“AHHH!” she yelped, turning around to see Daniel standing behind her “you startled me you shit.”

Daniel pulled Eadaoin close and kissed her deeply, she ran her hands up his chest and linked her fingers behind his neck responding equally as enthusiastically.

“Mmmmmm I missed this,” he murmured once they had parted.

“I’ll do more than kiss you later tonight if you’re a good boy,” Eadaoin purred in his ear.

Daniel pushed Eadaoin up against the kitchen bench and pressed his groin into her.

“How about now?” he whispered in her ear as he dipped his fingers below the elastic waistband of her pants.

“We need to eat f-first,” Eadaoin breathed feeling her core flood with need “or we can explore that line of entertainment at the new place?”

“I’m down with that idea,” Daniel replied with a deep chuckle “you pick the spot and I’m ready darling.”

“Have you always been this randy?” Eadaoin asked leaning back into his embrace and tipping her neck to the side to allow him to press his lips against the skin there “I swear you have the libido of a brumby stallion.”

“With you Darling I always am,” Daniel confessed pulling aside the shoulder of her t-shirt and kissing along the line of her collarbone “especially after such a long time without you.”

“It hasn’t been that long, just three weeks....”

“Long enough, especially considering what we got up to every-damn-day for the week before and the week after Austin,” Daniel replied “I got used to waking up to you every day for two whole weeks.”

“Two more to go then we can do that for more than two weeks straight,” Eadaoin promised “I promise as soon as post season testing is done I’ll lay back on the bed with my legs in the air just for you.”

Daniel threw back his head and laughed loudly.

“But what if I want you on your front with your arse in the air?” he asked in amusement “or on your side or we could try The Pretzel Dip aga-”

Eadaoin rolled her eyes

“You’re a dickhead,” she said affectionately making her way to the fridge and retrieving the wraps she had made “yes we can do all of that and more but now eat these then we can head to the manor house.”

The pair ate their lunch in the conservatory then headed outside to Eadaoin’s car.  The sky had darkened since Eadaoin had arrived home and a distinct and obvious chill had crept into the air.

“Geez it’d be nice to be back home in Australia right now,” Daniel announced as Eadaoin started the engine and turned the heater on “I’ll take a blazing hot summer over an English winter any day.”

“Have you got the electricity on at this place yet?” Eadaoin asked as she slowly backed out of the driveway.

“Yeah that was the first thing I did after buying the house, the tradies working on it needed power,” Daniel replied reaching across the center console and placing a hand on the inside of her thigh “I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product.”

“What was the final job done?” Eadaoin asked.

“The ground floor walls were painted” Daniel replied “wait til you see this place darling, hardwood floors, wood heaters in all the common areas a deck out the back that is a replica of the one Mum and Dad have on the homestead back on the farm.  I had a sauna put in right next to the gym room and the doors can open into the backyard in nice weather.”

“You sound like a little kid in a lolly shop,” Eadaoin said with a giggle.

“I feel like a little kid in a lolly shop,” Daniel replied happily “but mainly because this place is going to be ours somewhere we can be us and don’t have to worry about being bothered by random fans or psycho exes that has a little more space than the apartment in Monaco.”

“How did you find it?” Eadaoin asked in interest.

“The guy that manages my real-estate portfolio heard from a contact that this place was going on the market and he rang me a few days after I knocked you flat in front of Whelan’s and asked if I was interesting in having a look.  I was and had the time to go and look in person seeing as the beginning of the season was off and I fell in love with it even before I got inside.  No one had lived in it for five years and the décor was revolting.  It was full of pre-war broken furniture and had a cast iron stove in the kitchen that looked like it had been there since the First World War.  All the wallpaper was peeling off and cobwebs hung off every corner.  The floors had the most revolting poo brown carpet on them and a support beam across the main entrance way was broken clean in half.  I got a building inspection done then put an offer in and tah dah a week later it was mine.”

“Have you done anywork on it yourself?” Eadaoin asked.

“Nah I left all the heavy stuff to the experts,” Daniel replied “but Michael, Blake and I did help the various furniture delivery guys unload and place the few bits of furniture I have bought there’s an outdoor setting on the deck a sleigh bed in each spare room and a sofa that is so comfy you could legit sleep on it.”

“Is it comfy enough to get funky on?” Eadaoin asked with a grin.

“Definitely.”

A short time later Eadaoin turned down a long tree lined road and turned into a drive pausing in front of a set of enormous cast iron gates. Daniel fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a fob, pointing it at the gates he pressed a button and with a whir the gates began sliding back.  Eadaoin looked ahead, beyond the gates and saw an enormous limestone manor house with shutters on each window, jasmine vines growing up the walls and a terracotta coloured roof an image straight out of an edition of Town and Country Magazine.”

“Oh wow its gorgeous!” she exclaimed “it looks like a picture right out of Town and Country Magazine.”

“I know right?  Mum said the same when I sent her some pictures,” Daniel relied with a grin “the garden needs some work but that’s not my area of expertise, you’re the arty one of the pair of us so I thought that could be where you put your stamp.”

Eadaoin lit up.

“So I have a free hand?” she asked excitedly.

“Yup, and no budget, go to town,” Daniel said with a grin as they made their way down the driveway “you want one of those wanky glass conservatories? Consider it done; you want to have a market garden?  Plant as many carrots as you damn well like.  Its all on my dime.”

The pair made their way down the driveway and parked in front of the house, they got out then made their way up the stairs and into the front porch.

“You do the honours, this place is going to be your home just as much as mine,” Daniel informed Eadaoin as she pulled her keys out of her pocket and paused.

“You sure?”

“Of course.”

Eadaoin stepped forward and poked the key into the lock, she twisted it and pushed the double doors open, immediately her jaw fell open as she took in their new home.

The floor of the foyer was a deep burnished brown hardwood with a singular cream carpeted staircase leading to the second floor, to the left was a parlor room with a pale cream paint on the walls and a wood fire heater at one end with a huge three part bay window facing out to the front garden, to the right was a larger similar room with another bay window facing the front of the property and a cream coloured sofa under a huge plastic sheet.  Moving forward into the house was a huge open living area with a kitchen on one side and a dining room/informal dining area. Further on from that was an elaborate conservatory that looked out into a huge hedge lined rear yard.

“Oh babe,” she breathed making her way into the kitchen and running her fingers over the black marble bench tops of the kitchen “oh wow this place is beautiful!”

“So you like it then?” Daniel asked happily.

“I love it!” Eadaoin exclaimed “needs loads of furniture though.”

“Yeah well I figured we could fix that issue whilst I’m in town,” Daniel said smiling as he watched her wander around inspecting their new home “depending when everything is delivered I might not be here to help open this place up so that’ll have to be up to you and Cahir until after Abu Dhabi.”

“That’s alright, work knows I’ll be moving within the month and said I could have the time off to do what’s necessary,” Eadaoin replied pausing in the middle of the conservatory “oh wow, we’re going to have loads of fun in this place.”

“What sort of fun?” Daniel murmured wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing a kiss to her neck.

Eadaoin sank into Daniel’s embrace momentarily then turned around and slung her arms around his waist

“You know what sort of fun, don’t be smart,” she said resting her forehead against his and kissing him chastely “wait til we’ve got a bit more furniture before you start thinking with this huh?”

Eadaoin reached down and grabbed Daniel’s crotch

“We don’t need furniture really,” Daniel pointed out with a grin “look at the benches in the kitchen, it’s just the right height for me to ea-”

Eadaoin opened her mouth to respond but was cut off when Daniel picked her up and dropped her down onto the kitchen bench.

“What are you doing?” she yelped.

“Starting to show you a good time,” Daniel growled yanking down her yoga pants “fuck it’s been too long.”

“I could have taken them off for you you know,” Eadaoin breathed as he kissed her neck and dipped his fingers inside her knickers.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Daniel asked working her knickers over her hips and down her slender legs “fuuuuuuck.”

Daniel dropped to his knees and immediately buried his head between Eadaoin’s thighs.  He spread her folds wide open and after gazing upon her for a while lowered his mouth and licked her from bottom to top.  The redhead supported her weight with one hand and carded her fingers through his messed up curls with the other.

“Mmm that feels goooood!” she whispered closing her eyes and rolling her hips into his tongue “fuck you always make me feel good.”

“I’ve missed this,” Daniel murmured his voice muffled by her soaked center as he brought one hand up and slipped two fingers into her heat “fuck your pussy tastes out of this world.”

And with that Daniel dove in and began eating Eadaoin out in earnest.  He sucked each of her outer labia into his mouth then spread them out with the fingers of one hand before flattening his tongue and dragging it roughly across her painfully swollen clit.

“Oh fuck!” Eadaoin whined as Daniel furiously worked to bring her to climax “oh God Dan I’m gonna come quick SHIT!”

“I wanna make you cum baby,” Daniel breathed as he felt himself edge toward completion “I’ve thought about this all day.  Come for me, scream for me, there’s no one around.”

The curly haired Australian scissored his fingers inside Eadaoin’s heat then hooked them sharply and took a long sustained suck on her clit and that was enough for her to clamp her legs around his head and let out an ear piercing scream as she came, her release gushing out of her and all over Daniel’s face. He grinned and forced her legs apart with his hands before beginning to clean her up which only succeeded in ripping another violent climax out of her.

“Noooooootoooooooomuuuuuuuuuuch!” Eadaoin screeched as Daniel stood up and with keeping the fingers of one hand deep inside her awkwardly undid his belt and drop his jeans to his knees.

“Fuck I need you so much baby,” Daniel groaned burying his face in her neck and pulling himself out of his underpants “I’ve missed you so much!”

Eadaoin reached down between their heaving bodies and wrapped her fingers around his straining length.

“Fuck me,” she moaned pressing her lips against his “we can take time later.”

Daniel pulled his fingers out of her heat, grabbed her backside, pulling her closer to him and thrust into her depths.  Eadaoin threw her head back and let out a gurgling moan as Daniel began fucking her, lifting her up and down on his cock his thickness deliciously stretching her out over and over and over.

“Fuck me like a whore,” she snarled in his ear as he ploughed into her “I’m your whore Babe use me.”

Wordlessly Daniel pulled Eadaoin’s hair into a messy ponytail and yanked it so she was forced to look him in the eyes.

“You wanna be my whore huh?” he growled “Where d'you want it?” 

“On my f-ace,” Eadaoin squealed as he gave a particularly hard thrust “I wanna be your whore, finish on my face Babe.”

“I’m really fucking close,” Daniel groaned slamming her into the bench “oh FUCK!”

At he moment Daniel pulled out of Eadaoin she jumped off the kitchen bench and fell to her knees, she reached for his testicles and massaged them as he furiously stroked himself to completion over her poked out tongue, face and breasts.

“FUUUUUUUUUUCK!” he bellowed “ARRRRRGH!”

“H-holy shit!” Eadaoin exclaimed after several long moments of post orgasmic bliss “that was hot.”

Daniel grinned.

“Can I take a pic of your face?” he asked with a grin, twitching slightly as she licked him clean “I want to remember the first time you let me come on your face.”

Eadaoin drew a finger across her face and sucked it clean.

“So you can save it for later?” she asked cheekily “sure.”

Daniel fetched his mobile phone from his jeans and snapped a pic of Eadaoin before helping her to her feet.

“Did we just act in our own porn scene?” he asked in amusement.

“Yeah and it was hot as hell,” Eadaoin replied “but oh god I needed that.”

Daniel grabbed her backside and massaged it as she leaned over the sink and washed her face.

“We made a bit of a mess didn’t we?” he said sheepishly.

Eadaoin made sure her face was cleaned then turned around and kissed him.

“We did,” she replied with a grin “but it was great and I wouldn’t object to doing it again.”

Daniel lit up.

“Really?” he said happily.

“Yeah but it’s got to be spontaneous,” Eadaoin told him “it won’t be any fun otherwise.”

Daniel scrunched his eyes shut and let out a frustrated groan.

“I’m never wished for the end of a season more than I have right now,” he complained “all I want to do is stay home and fuck your brains out and in just over a week I have to jet off again.”

Eadaoin affectionately carded her fingers through his curls.

“The end of the season isn’t that far away,” she said “only two to go and I’ll be with you for the last race.”

“And every minute I’m not doing work stuff I want you nude and in our bed!” Daniel exclaimed slapping her backside playfully “we’re going to do that and I’m going to-”

“Yeah alright boyo let’s see the rest of his place before you get too carried away,” Eadaoin replied rolling her eyes “c’mon show me the rest of this place, you didn’t bring me here just to fuck my brains out did you?”

[auburnfamilynews]

14 days until the 2019 recruiting cycle comes to an end so let’s take a look at who Auburn is chasing and where they might stand with each remaining target.

There have been so many names discussed or mentioned in the past few weeks that it’s probably easy to get lost in the recruiting madness. So with National Signing Day only 2 weeks away, I figured it might be helpful to put all the targets known to currently be left on the board in one place and evaluate where things stand with each of them. I plan to do the same next week which will hopefully allow for a little more certainty on what to expect February 6th.

For the record, I am not an insider. I don’t have super well connected sources feeding me super secret info like Gus is gonna voluntarily accept a reduced buyout or Bob Stoops will be at Auburn next year. What I do possess is the unfortunate habit of spending too much free time reading/writing about recruiting and feel qualified enough to take some educated guesses on where things stand in these recruitments. I’ve put a confidence percentage by my picks because that’s apparently a thing you are supposed to do in this business. The higher the number the more confident I am on the prediction, so feel free to roast me when I miss wildly with my 85% confidence prediction.

Let’s do this.

5* WR George Pickens | 6’4” | 190 lbs | Hoover, AL | Auburn Commit

Top Teams: Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee

I included Pickens because while he is committed to Auburn, he’s still taking plenty of visits and generating plenty of buzz nationally. He recently changed his Twitter background picture to him in an UGA uniform if you are into keeping track of that sort of thing. You will undoubtedly hear all the way up to his signing that he is a flip risk. What do I think? Well until Pickens proves to be a liar, I’ll trust he’s all AU. People forget he was Auburn’s first commitment in the 2019 class. I think his relationships with Gus and Nix prove too much for anyone else.

Prediction: Auburn (90%)

4* DL Charles Moore | 6’4” | 268 lbs | Louisville, MS

Top Teams: Auburn, Florida

I was probably 90% confident a few weeks ago but that Florida official visit has me sweating. He committed to Mullen when he was still at Mississippi State so there is a long established relationship there. There have been some rumors he almost pulled the trigger for the Gators while on that OV. But Auburn has done an outstanding job of not only recruiting him but his family. I think that relationship with Jaren Handy will prove to be huge in this recruitment and I wouldn’t be shocked if he ended up back on campus for an unofficial visit before signing day. Gimme the Tigers with a slight edge over the Gators at this point in time.

Prediction: Auburn (55%)

4* RB Mark-Antony Richards | 6’1” | 195 lbs | West Palm Beach, FL

Top Teams: Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Miami

A week ago this was another Auburn/Florida battle that I felt good about the Tigers winning. Now it’s a four team battle that now includes UGA who has annoying success swooping in and taking Auburn’s top targets under Kirby and Miami where his older brother played. My hunch is Auburn is still the team to beat here but the Dawgs have become a legit threat and the Canes under Diaz have made him a priority again. This will be a nail biter to the finish.

Prediction: Auburn (60%)

4* CB Maurice Hampton | 6’0” | 205 lbs | Memphis, TN | LSU Commit

Top Teams: Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss

While it would be awesome to flip not only an elite football prospect but an elite baseball prospect as well, I just don’t see it happening. Honestly, I think the MLB is the real threat in this race and probably the “team” that wins. With that said, I feel pretty confident Hampton sticks with the Bayou Bengals before signing with an MLB team in July.

Prediction: LSU (80%)

4* DL Quashon Fuller | 6’4” | 270 lbs | Lehigh Acres, FL | Florida State Commit

Top Teams: Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Louisville

If I’m honest, I think if the Tide want him they will get him. I’m just not sure they will have the space. Maybe if Khris Bogle flips it happens but for now I think the Seminoles hang onto the talented DL. The Tigers are a threat but probably have better odds elsewhere and that’s where they focus in the final days.

Prediction: Florida State (10%)

4* ATH John Rhys Plumlee | 6’1” | 185 lbs | Hattiesburg, MS

Top Teams: Auburn, Florida State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss

Plumlee is an intriguing target because despite Auburn wanting him at QB, he’s got the skillset to slide to WR or S if that doesn’t work out. But I have a hard time seeing him join the same class as Bo Nix who will be in for the spring while he won’t be on campus until the summer. Unless he’s drawn by the idea of playing baseball over football and decides to play for Butch, I think the Rebels win this one. Why? Because Rich Rod is gonna sell him on being a perfect fit for that offense.

Prediction: Ole Miss (5%)

4* RB Jamious Griffin | 5’10” | 205 lbs | Rome, GA

Top Teams: Auburn, Georgia Tech, NC State

I’m a huge Griffin fan. If you pay any attention to high school football in the state of Georgia you probably know his name and have watched him wreck defenses while running for 2 state championships for the Rome Wolves. He’s a great fit for Auburn’s system but sadly, I think he’s gonna be one of the early big wins for the new Geoff Collins regime in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets are looking to join the modern era of offensive football and Griffin is a solid bellcow to build around.

Prediction: Georgia Tech (55%)

3* DB Jammie Robinson | 5’11” | 200 lbs | Leesburg, GA

Top Teams: Auburn, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee

This one’s tough because I do think Robinson is torn at the moment. South Carolina has long been the favorite and he’s close with DB coach Travaris Robinson. But Auburn and Tennessee have both turned up the heat and I get the impression he really likes both staffs. However, I have a hard time picking against Champ or T-Rob when they’ve been on a DB for a long time. Wherever he signs, I expect Robinson to have an impact early.

Prediction: South Carolina (5%)

3* DL Jamond Gordon | 6’4” | 268 lbs | Meridian, MS

Top Teams: Auburn, Ole Miss

The former Ole Miss commit turned Auburn commit turned nobody commit appears still to be coveted by the Auburn coaching staff. I know Garner has always been high on his skillset but it appears the young man truly is torn. He’s been committed to both schools and barring a shocking late twist, he will end up hooking back up with one of those programs. The Rebels are probably the team to beat but I think Auburn has made this real interesting after his official visit. We will see if the Rebels close the deal this weekend.

Prediction: Ole Miss (60%)

3* DT LeDarrius Cox | 6’5 | 300 lbs | Mobile, AL | Tennessee Commit

Top Teams: Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee

This has been a confusing recruitment despite nothing publicly happening. Everyone has been waiting on him to flip to Auburn for some time that at this point it feels like if it was going to happen then he would have done it already. However, he still decided to take his official visits to Auburn and Ole Miss even after visiting Tennessee two weekends ago. Buzz has picked up again that Auburn could pull this off. But this kid has been saying for months he’s solid and considering he’s still Vol, I think he ends up that way too.

Prediction: Tennessee (40%)

3* OG Kamaar Bell | 6’3” | 320 lbs | Moultrie, GA

Top Teams: Auburn, Florida State, Louisville

Bell is an incredibly important target for the Tigers after missing on 5* Clay Webb and 4* William Putnam. Auburn has long been after Bell though the two sides at times have appeared to grow apart. But that’s not the case right now. After his official visit two weekends ago he named Auburn his top team and that didn’t change after a trip to Louisville. His FSU visit this weekend looms large. However, I think the Tigers survive it and pick up another mauling interior player to pair with 4* Keiondre Jones.

Prediction: Auburn (65%)

3* OT Ira Henry | 6’5” | 320 lbs | St. Louis, MO

Top Teams: Auburn, Florida, Florida State

Things have escalated quickly in this recruitment. Henry landed an Auburn offer a short while ago, took his first visit to the Plains this past weekend and now has the Tigers #1 on his list. Auburn’s OT recruiting struggles have been well documented and only signing one OT underclassmen in this 2019 class would be a major failure. That makes Henry arguably the most important target left on the board. My confidence isn’t high though on this pick because he still has an official visit to his dream school in Florida State. I have a feeling there is still some drama to unfold in this recruitment.

Prediction: Auburn (10%)

3* LB Octavius Brothers | 6’2 | 210 lbs | Southwest Brevard County, FL

Top Teams: Auburn, Georgia Tech, Miami

Auburn snagged a commitment from 2* linebacker Kameron Brown yesterday. They are hoping to add one more tot his class in Octavius Brothers. I know it’s cliche, especially when it comes 3* kids that your school wants but this kid is insanely underrated. Just throw on his tape and you can see for yourself. The Tigers want him badly but will have to fend off his childhood favorite Miami Hurricanes in the coming weeks. I think T-WILL gets the job done and Auburn finishes with a solid LB class in 2019.

Prediction: Auburn (85%)

War Eagle!

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/1/23/18192516/reviewing-auburns-remaining-2019-targets

[ultrasfcb-blog]

Lewis Hamilton is as soon as once more benefitting from Sebastian Vettel marginal errors

Lewis Hamilton is as soon as once more benefitting from Sebastian Vettel marginal errors

Lewis Hamilton is as soon as once more benefitting from Sebastian Vettel marginal errors

Lewis Hamilton leads the drivers’ championship by 14 factors from Sebastian Vettel

Was the French Grand Prix the race at which the 2018 Components 1 drivers’ championship took a decisive flip?

Lewis Hamilton left the Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday – probably discovering some technique to keep away from the visitors jams that blighted the observe’s return to the calendar for the primary time in 28 years – with a 14-point championship lead, and after about as dominant a efficiency as has been seen on this extremely shut season.

The title battle between the Mercedes driver and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel will, as Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff stated after the race, presumably proceed to swing because the season develops.

However in such a decent battle, drivers must maximise their outcomes as a lot as doable. And Vettel was responsible in France – not for the primary time this yr, or final – of giving factors away needlessly. Will it come again to hang-out him by the top of the yr?

Vettel’s important error

Vettel was all the time more likely to lose factors to Hamilton at this race; the Mercedes was simply too fast to count on the rest, particularly as soon as the Briton had put it on pole.

However Vettel nonetheless would have completed on the rostrum had it not been for the incident on the primary lap that outlined the race.

The German, as so usually, received an ideal begin from third on the grid, and was rapidly tucked up proper behind Hamilton, and alongside the sister Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, on the run to the primary nook. After which all of it went unsuitable.

Though in a robust place, and briefly into second forward of Bottas, Vettel realised that he was trapped, and tried to again out of it. However he misplaced management and spun into the Finn’s automobile, damaging each, forcing them into the pits and consigning them to a battle again by the sphere.

“It was my mistake,” Vettel stated. “I attempted to brake early and get out of it as a result of I had nowhere to go, however I had no room. When you’re so near a automobile forward and in addition the automobile subsequent to you, you lose… it felt like all of the grip.

Regardless of being caught up within the mayhem, Valtteri Bottas recorded the quickest lap of the race – 1:34.225 on Lap 41

“With hindsight, I want to have had a worse begin as a result of then it’s clear for Flip One. However I used to be a bit squeezed, could not actually go wherever, misplaced the automobile, it snapped and I needed to make contact with Valtteri, which is a disgrace for him, he did nothing unsuitable.

“It was a sequence response. At the least we each might proceed however it was not the race we wished.”

Vettel produced a stirring fightback drive and, regardless of a five-second penalty for inflicting a collision, nonetheless managed to complete forward of Bottas, who clawed his manner again to seventh in a automobile with a badly broken diffuser, affecting grip and steadiness.

At Mercedes, they felt the penalty was not sufficient, contemplating the impact Vettel had on Bottas’ race.

Hamilton, watching the incident within the inexperienced room after the race, stated: “Oh, man, that is loopy.”

Later, he added: “You should not be capable to take somebody out after which end forward of them and form of get away with it. If it was me, if I used to be Sebastian, I might really feel: ‘Jeez, I received away with that.’ And if I used to be Valtteri, I might be very sad proper now.”

Bottas was sad – he actually shouldn’t be having the rub of the inexperienced to this point this season.

As for Hamilton, maybe his feedback have been colored by final yr’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when Vettel had his notorious ‘red-mist’ second and intentionally drove into Hamilton in response to erroneously pondering the Briton had ‘brake-tested’ him.

Vettel was given a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for that. Hamilton ought to have gained, however as a result of his headrest got here unfastened and he needed to pit to have it secured, he ended up a spot behind Vettel.

The small issues matter

That Baku incident was considered one of two final yr through which misjudgements price Vettel dearly – the second being his over-aggressive defensive move at first in Singapore.

It is questionable whether or not they price him the championship – as a result of the 2 engine issues that hit him in Malaysia and Japan have been additionally enormously damaging. However they actually did not assist, and now he has made two this yr, as effectively.

The primary was, once more, in Azerbaijan – like France, a small error, however with massive penalties.

In Baku, Vettel locked up, broken a entrance tyre and ran huge making an attempt to go Bottas for the lead at a re-start after a security automobile interval. Had he not, he would in all probability have gained – Bottas retired with a puncture brought on by working over particles shortly afterwards – and would definitely have gained factors on Hamilton.

Because it was, he misplaced floor to Hamilton, who had been behind Vettel on the re-start, however handed him after his error, after which went on to win whereas the Ferrari dropped right down to fourth.

So, too, in France, what would possible have been second or third was fifth.

Vettel noticed his title hopes slip away after a misjudged defensive transfer in Singapore final season

Prior to now, Hamilton has not been shy about declaring the errors Vettel generally makes underneath strain. This time, although, he was not about to rub it in.

“It’s actually a racing incident in Flip One and people issues can occur,” he stated. “We’re all going into that first nook at nice speeds, it is not all the time straightforward to… I imply I went deep and huge as a result of I noticed them actually near me so I believed I used to be going to get rear-ended, to be sincere, so I went fairly deep.

“No, I do not really feel that he is notably made extra errors than (others). We’re all on the sting, we’re preventing for the world championships. We’re not pootling round. We’re on the market placing our lives on the road.

“We’re on the market placing the vehicles as far past the sting as we are able to within the most secure method. It is not like a prepare observe, you do not simply keep on the rails. Generally you may go off. We’re solely human.”

He has a degree. However, as Hamilton is aware of solely too effectively, championships are generally as a lot about making fewer errors than your rival as they’re about successful essentially the most races. And Vettel has already used up his justifiable share.

Verstappen again to his finest

An incident-free weekend for Verstappen ended with a second place podium end

The dialog within the post-race information convention about Vettel’s error introduced a pointed response from Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen, who completed second behind Hamilton and has now produced two flawless race weekends to finish the run of errors that blighted his begin to the season.

“Subsequent time you see Seb it’s best to ask him to alter his model, y’know?” Verstappen stated, in a sarcastic reference to lots of the questions which were directed at him this season. “As a result of, truthfully, it is not acceptable.

“That is what they stated to me originally of the season, so I believe they need to do the identical! After which, after all, Seb should not do something, and simply drive once more and study from this and go on. That is my recommendation to everybody on this room.”

His level was clear, and it’s not onerous to know the place he was coming from, or why he would say it. However the reality stays that not less than one incident each single race for six weekends in a row is one thing a driver must attend to, even when he doesn’t wish to admit it.

He additionally appears to be conveniently forgetting that each his crew bosses stated he wanted to make adjustments to chop the errors out.

As was all the time more likely to be the case in the end, Verstappen is now producing the kinds of races everybody all the time knew he was able to, and appears to have put the errors behind him. However, if he has a nasty patch like that, it is naive to suppose he isn’t going to get requested about it. Whether or not he likes to be reminded of it, or felt his remedy was honest, or not.

Mercedes type – a blip or a pattern?

Hamilton takes a 14-point championship result in Austria

One other function of the weekend in France was the return to type of Mercedes, after two barely off-colour weekends in Monaco and Canada.

Hamilton’s dominant efficiency in France was not dissimilar to that in Spain originally of Could, and it raised some attention-grabbing questions in regards to the causes of it.

The Circuit Paul Ricard has precisely the identical asphalt because the Circuit de Catalunya, and in consequence, Pirelli took to France the thinner-gauge tyres which have been additionally utilized in Barcelona, to keep away from issues with overheating and blistering. Do these go well with the Mercedes greater than the Ferrari, individuals marvel?

However Mercedes additionally launched an upgraded engine in France, after reliability issues delayed its scheduled debut in Canada, the place all three rival producers had enhancements. Because it turned out, Mercedes stated the two-week delay had allowed them to make the engine that ultimately launched even higher than it might have been had it made its debut when supposed.

Or was it the circuit traits? Ricard abounds with lengthy corners, identical to Spain, and maybe the Mercedes fits these varieties of bends greater than the shorter-radius corners on different tracks, like Monaco and Montreal.

Nearly actually, all three components performed a task. Within the meantime, the results of it led to a different attention-grabbing shift within the sample of the season.

After France, Mercedes can, for the primary time this yr, declare to have the quickest automobile, when judged on a mean of the quickest lap every automobile achieved over a weekend.

Till now, that honour had been Ferrari’s – by about 0.05secs. Now, it’s Mercedes. By 0.001secs. Which is a sign of simply how shut this title battle is, and the way races – and in the end the title – will swing on the smallest of things.

“The battle goes to proceed to the top of the season,” Wolff stated. “Marginal good points matter.”

Marginal errors, too.

BBC Sport – Formula 1 ultras_FC_Barcelona

ultras FC Barcelona - https://ultrasfcb.com/formula1/7256/

#Barcelona

[rodrigohyde]

How obstacle course speed demon Hunter McIntyre gets (and stays) as jacked as possible

Hunter McIntyre doesn’t give a damn about your research-backed macronutrient ratios, or your categorical aversion to carbohydrates. And he certainly doesn’t share your fear that an extra pint of lager is gonna blur your six-pack. He stands as a living monument to how the road less traveled can pay big dividends for the physique-minded. He is—and, to some extent, always has been—a nonconformist whose fitness and fueling philosophies have catapulted him into the top echelon of all endurance athletes alive today, all while keeping his V-taper on point and his body fat at a very Olympia-like 6%.

[RELATED1]

McIntyre’s secret?

“I wake up every day and beat the crap out of myself,” he says.

Mud on McIntyre

One of the world’s most accomplished and active endurance athletes, 28-year-old McIntyre is best known for his prowess on the Obstacle Course Racing circuit, thanks in part to NBC’s televised broadcasts of Spartan races that brought mud, sweat, and spears into living rooms everywhere. From Spartan to Tough Mudder and everything in-between, McIntyre has shown himself to be highly adept at running, jumping, swimming, crawling, climbing, throwing, diving, scaling, pulling, pushing, and carrying things. You know…all the stuff the human body was built to do.

[PQ]

Yet, he still ends up looking like a guy who snuck in to the course. The physique antithesis to wispy runners, McIntyre doesn’t fit the endurance mold—physically, that is—and he knows it. In fact, he loves it.

“Endurance sports encourage being more of a slightly built man," he says. "I stand 6’2”, 215-lbs in the off-season, and I’m 190 in-season. I’m constantly fighting a battle of what training will keep me looking, feeling, and performing like a man. I train to win and train to look good, and that takes balance.”

[RELATED8]

After winning a race a few years back, he coined a phrase that surely drove the gel-swilling, shin-splint-afflicted masses insane: “Biceps win races”.

“I had just won a big race against a guy I’d been chasing for years,” he says. “I won it on the hoist and pummeled it. It was my biceps that got that thing up. When I got across the finish line I flexed this big, front double biceps pose and thought, ‘My biceps won that race.’”

Vanity used to be a full-time pursuit for McIntyre, who spent time as a male model before growing dismayed at how shady the industry can be.

“I grew up reading these magazines,” he recalls. “I used to take these cutouts of Greg Plitt from the magazines and use them as inspiration. I used to contact all the cover models and say, ‘What do you do? How do you do what you do?’ No one wanted to share their story, and I said f--k it. I get how some people don’t want to associate themselves with a certain kind of magazine or whatever. But I obsess over it. In a way, it got me where I am today.”

Competition addict

You might never share the same race space as McIntyre, but if you ever spoke to him you would know what it’s like to struggle to keep pace with him. Without taking a breath, McIntyre can go from talking about this morning’s workout to the contents of his 700g carbohydrate breakfast to his “side job” of coaching lacrosse at Pepperdine. He is three scoops of pre-workout, personified.

Not a minute is wasted in McIntyre’s training day. Here’s how he manages to get it done.

“My natural clock wakes me up around 5 or 6 in the morning. I try to wake up, eat, and get my first workout going between 7 and 9, then I go at it again at 3 or 4 in the afternoon. I always get in two two-hour workouts a day. If I add a third, it’s just wherever it falls. But I think you need to wake up and get moving. Time is always against you. The more people who are awake, the more people there are standing between you and what you want to get done.”

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On the weekends, McIntyre tackles SealFit’s Kokoro, an elective, 50-hour gantlet of physical and mental strain in which nearly half of its participants wash out or get injured or both. He sees workouts as things to be “smashed” or “pummeled” or “crushed,” and aims to do just that each time he hits the iron or unracks his road bike.

In the weeks that followed this interview, he was slated to tackle five grueling races in six weeks, including the Spartan World Championships. He's particularly excited about a new event on the calendar, Tough Mudder X, which is touted as the world’s toughest mile: “1 mile. 10 obstacles. 10 workouts. $25,000.”

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“I am the reigning champion from 2017, so in 2018 I'll have a huge target on my back,” he says. “It brings together huge cash prizes and great athletes from American Ninja Warrior, Olympians, high-level OCR athletes—it’s not an easy day.”

But every action has an equal and opposite reaction. And for McIntyre, that means an off-season during which his 12-workout weeks and competition-heavy calendar give way to an intentionally indulgent lifestyle.

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“I have a very exciting off-season of drinking, traveling, and having a ball,” he says, joyfully. “Then I get to enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas, then it’s back to focusing. I’m not trying to encourage anyone to be hooligans or anything, but it’s important for hard-training athletes to go off and have vacations and drink beer and eat ice cream sundaes. I do it for a few weeks, then I look at myself and say ‘Hunter, you’re disgusting’ and I get right back to it. I need that slingshot effect where I go really far, then whip it back. I need to be ashamed of myself at times.”

Maybe there's something to the McIntyre Method: train with purpose, eat with pleasure, play like you mean it. Leave the weakness, gimmicks, and excuses where they belong.

In the mud.

Eat, run, play: McIntyre's unconventional approach to sports nutrition

On calories: "I’m not trying to give the world cavities and diabetes, but if you’re training hard you need to be crushing calories. You can’t eat a bunch of red meat when you train like this, so I would save it for the end of the day."

On carb shaming: "On any given day, I’m taking down half to a full loaf of bread, a lot of honey, a lot of jam. I probably drink 50oz of juice a day. There’s probably 500-700g of carbs there."

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On dessert: "I’m eating ice cream and all that stuff, and I’m around 6-7% body fat. I have to eat this kind of food. Here’s the reality: The world’s best marathoners are eating Twinkies. I was eating asparagus and sweet potato. So I changed it up and haven’t looked back."

On fats: "Fat's gotta be in your diet, too. I don’t do a bodybuilding diet. I’m high in everything. I take down about a jar of peanut butter a day. I try to eat coconut oil—I spread it on my toast. I eat a lot of ghee."

His secret weapon: "Goat’s milk. I’ll drink a liter of raw goat’s milk with dark chocolate and honey. Raw goat’s milk, if you’re trying to gain weight, that’s the ticket. It’s smoother than any milk you’ve ever tried. It’s delicious. It’s almost sweeter than regular milk, it’s just a different smell than regular milk. Before bed, I’ll take down a whole liter. I’ll look lean and mean the next morning, too."

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Bottom line: "I’ll eat this way, I’ll look great, and I’m bending barbells. If you’re heavy-hitting, hard-working, and wanna make big gains, then this is for you. If the fire’s hot enough, it’ll burn anything."

McIntyre's sample upper-body workout

McIntyre uses a combined strength and conditioning approach on his upper-body weight-training days. All workouts should be “smashed,” taking an hour or less.

1. Front-Carry Sandbag Sprints Sets: 5 Reps: McIntyre will vary the length of his sprints but always goes for max speed. Rest: As long as necessary to ensure maximum recovery.

2A. Bench Press Sets: 3 Reps: 8 -superset with- 2B. Chinup Sets: 3 Reps: 8 McIntyre works up to max weight on each successive set, aiming to reach failure on the eighth rep.

3A. Double Kettlebell Clean Sets: 5 Reps: 10 - superset with - 3B. Double Kettlebell Row Sets: 5 Reps: 10 *** McIntyre uses the same weight for both exercises.

4A. Dumbbell Pullover Sets: 4 Reps: 15 -superset with- 4B. Dip Sets: 4 Reps: 15

5A. TRX Atomic Pushup Sets: 4 Reps:15 -superset with- 5B. Abs Roller Sets: 4 Reps:15 **** McIntyre incorporates isometric holds as desired on his abs roller sets.

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Interviews

from Men's Fitness https://www.mensfitness.com/life/outdoor/how-obstacle-course-speed-demon-hunter-mcintyre-gets-and-stays-jacked-possible

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Chris Thoburn: Running for a Reason

When you meet Chris Thoburn, you discover two things about him quite quickly. One, he’s a big fan of sports. His extensive and varied resume in the industry can attest to that. But two, and more importantly, Thoburn is a lover of people, not just in their stories, but in how his life can affect theirs in a positive way. That’s why he’s spent the majority of his adult life giving back and doing for others as much as he does for himself. His career in the sports industry has gone from sales and broadcasting, to sports information duties, play-by-play announcing, and a bit of writing. He knows the importance sports play in people’s lives, and he’s happy to be a small part of it. But away from his profession is where Thoburn really shines. He’s a volunteer fireman for the Colerain Fire Department. He’s a youth leader at his church, and he coaches youth sports, helping to start the indoor roller hockey league in St. Clairsville. What drives him the most however is distance running, specifically, running for others. Thoburn runs to promote two causes that are near and dear to his heart, and he admits that if not for that purpose, he’d hang up his running shoes and call it a day. Those types of people are rare, ones who put others before themselves and lead by example. The trick is to follow them.

Your post-graduate life is full of careers in sports, from broadcasting and play-by-play to sports information, even the sales side of the industry. What got you into it, and is there one aspect you enjoy more than others?  

When I was doing my internship with the Wheeling Nailers, Craig Bommer told me, “To be successful in sports broadcasting, it's always a plus to have a sales background.” So, during my internships, I learned a lot about building relationships. I actually don’t like the word “sale.” I consider it relationship building and helping companies further business with our products. I’m also forever thankful for all the staff at Wheeling Jesuit when I was there. They let me do so much in Sports Information and helped me land my first full-time job at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys were coming off the Big 12 Championship in football and just recruited Marcus Smart for basketball, so excitement was high all around the area. The cross-country team also won a National Championship while I was there, and being a runner, that meant a lot to me. I enjoy the broadcasting the most. I’d sit there at a very young age, turn the TV on mute, and commentate the games on my own. Even at times during my internships with the Nailers, Tulsa Oilers, Oklahoma City Barons, and Washington Wild Things, I’d bring out my recorder and call a period or inning for my resume tapes. It brought me to where I am today. I absolutely love high school and college football. Being able to broadcast local high schools is a dream come true. People keep saying, "We want to see you on ESPN," and I said I’m fine just where I am. In my hometown, calling games for our hometown teams. If the opportunity presented itself at ESPN, of course, I’d consider it, but I’m so blessed to be back home. Broadcasting is my definite number one.

You grew up in the Upper Ohio Valley and worked a bit here before your time in Stillwater at Oklahoma State. What brought about that change and then what ultimately brought you back home?

I started applying for jobs in January before I graduated from West Liberty, and nothing ever came about. I started working at UPS and then over at Wheeling Jesuit. Finally, after applying for two years after graduation, I got one of the greatest phone calls of my life from Adam Hauka, and I owe so much to him. We chatted, and he gave me my big shot, my chance. and of course I was going to go. It’s just so funny it came a few months after I was sitting there rooting on Oklahoma State to beat Andrew Luck and Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl. My main job was customer service and retention for Football, Baseball, Softball and Women’s Basketball. However, I had so many opportunities in Sports Information, PA announcing, broadcasting, and other duties. We’d be here all day if I listed all of those, but I’m forever blessed for that opportunity, and those were some of the best times of my life. Unfortunately, while I was there, I also received one of the worst phone calls of my life when my mom told me her cancer returned, and it was Stage 4. I didn’t know how long she had left, and she’s the most amazing woman ever, so I actually called Craig Bommer again, and a few months later I was able to return home and work with the Nailers while spending four more years with my mom and reconnected with a longtime friend and eventually married her. She’s the love of my life, and everything happens for a reason. Momma Thoburn was at the wedding too, and we got to do the Mother/Groom dance and just had a great night of celebration.

A few years ago, you began training to be a paramedic. You also volunteer as a youth coach and youth leader at your church. Have you always felt compelled to give back, and what specifically appealed to you about these different rolls?

I wanted to give back wherever I could to my community. Unfortunately, the paramedic path didn’t work out for me. I do hold a Firefighter card, but I was in a rough place after losing my mom and some other mental health problems I was having. There’s no excuse; I just failed, and I let a lot of people down. I help where I can on fire calls. My home church gave me so much and supported me so much throughout my high school years and even when I moved away. When I moved back, I met someone who became the best man in my wedding. Working next to him for those years was the best. It broke my heart when he and his family moved back to Alabama, but his wonderful wife is proudly serving in our U.S. Military, and when duty calls, they have to go. The roller hockey coaching is awesome! Believe it or not I only played roller hockey one year and was terrible at it because I was on ice so much. The St. Clairsville Rec Center called me about starting up a developmental league, and of course if anything can grow the game of hockey I wanted to volunteer. I’ve met some amazing people through that league, and it means a lot to me. Being a former hockey player and growing up in my church youth group really made me want to give back to people who gave so much to me. Because of the COVID-19, the roller hockey league was canceled this year, so I’m hoping we can pick back up next year. 

Chris and young Milana Zatolochenko pose for a picture at Thoburn's office. When Thoburn runs, he wears his #TeamMila shirt to raise funds and awareness for the girl he calls his "hero."

You’ve gotten into distance running, representing both Team RWB and #TeamMila. What got you involved with both of these groups and what way can others help out? 

Distance running is in my blood. I ran my first 5k at 10 years old and my dad ran for WVU, so it was something I was destined to do. I got out of running for a while and was in a very bad place health wise. After a scare that landed me in the emergency room, I decided to change my life around, but I vowed to use my running to help others too. I met Milana, nicknamed Mila, during my time with the Nailers and found out she had a severe motility disorder, the same disorder as the little girl from Miracles From Heaven movie. So, I started Team Mila to raise funds for her. It started as just local races, but then expanded into other states including the Team USA Olympic Trials in Atlanta this past March. Running for someone renewed my passion for not only running but for life in general. She saved my life. Her parents Maggie and Stephen are some of the strongest folks I know. I’m a better person because of them. I found out about Team RWB while at races. Of course, I’m a huge supporter of our current military and our veterans. When I learned that it was a civilian/veteran organization I really wanted to do my part in helping our local veterans. We do monthly socials, weekly rucks, and runs. We also fly the Eagle on our shirts at races. Usually how I’ll do it so I can support both, I’ll run with my Team Mila jersey and then during post-race will throw on the Eagle. The day that running becomes about me, is the day I hang up the shoes. It’s all about Milana and our veterans.   

Chris met the love of his life Jennifer after he returned from Stillwater, Oklahoma. They married in 2015 and Thoburn credits his wife with allowing him the time to train to keep up his race regiment.

Speaking of running, despite the pandemic cancellation, you still completed both the Ogden Newspapers 5K run and Half Marathon on Memorial Day Weekend? Was it important to you to keep with tradition? Or was it a good day to train without an official race, so why not participate on the course you originally planned to? 

Last year, I had my first ever DNF (Did not finish) in a race and it’s haunted me so bad. So, after the cancellation, I was still more motivated than ever to get back out there and run that course. Now, yes, partially this one was for me, but also for my superhero Milana. I badly sprained my ankle on mile 7 last year, but I was so discouraged and upset that I couldn’t get up and finish, but mostly that I let my superhero down. This year wasn’t about a medal. It wasn’t about a time. It wasn’t about tradition. It was about redemption and it felt great. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of me.  It’s been extremely weird during training. I honestly don’t know when my next race will be. I’ve shifted my focus to Atlanta and Myrtle Beach in 2021. They are back to back weekends and I’m up for the challenge. I’ve completed numerous half marathons and nine full marathons. My goal for 2021 is to complete one more full marathon and my first Ultra Marathon. I will never settle for where I am. I want to get better each and every day. My favorite quote is “Success is never owned, it is rented, and the rent is due every day.” This is more than me, it’s for a little girl that needs our help. I want to thank Mila’s family for letting me run for her, my wife Jennifer for allowing me the time to be out on the course or track training, all my training partners, and of course all the supporters of Team Mila.  Read the full article

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William Wegman Is More Than His Weimaraners

Dressed in wigs and elaborate costumes, or absurdly anthropomorphized with human hands and feet, William Wegman’s Weimaraners—some 30 in all across several generations—have been fascinating, delighting, and perplexing us for more than four decades.

The popularity of Wegman’s prodigious canine-related oeuvre reaches far beyond art galleries and museums, and includes videos for both Saturday Night Live and Sesame Street, calendars, toys, kitchen magnets, and books, including the best-selling Puppies and a new collection of never-before-seen 20x24 Polaroid portraits, Being Human. His dogs have graced the covers of The New Yorker and Wallpaper, and made numerous appearances on Late Night with David Letterman and The Tonight Show.

Dogs have brought fortune and fame to Wegman, now 73. And, indeed, his two current Weimaraner collaborators, Flo and Topper, are ever-present grey shadows following him wherever he walks through the warren of studios, offices, and domestic spaces that constitute the 5,300-square-foot converted nursery school where he lives in New York’s Chelsea district. “We did a shoot for French Vogue last weekend,” he tells me, pointing to a wall of large photographs of Flo and Topper decked out in an array of clothing styles. “They brought the latest fashions from Paris, and the dogs modeled them.”

Portrait of William Wegman in his New York home and studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

Most everyone recognizes Wegman’s dog portraits (even if they might not always know the name of the man who made them). But fewer remember that he was a pioneering conceptual artist in the 1960s and ’70s, part of a movement founded on the belief that the idea behind a work of art is more important than its execution. Yet Wegman’s “conceptual mindset” has been center stage throughout all aspects of his practice, comments his dealer, Angela Westwater of Sperone Westwater. “Everyone loves the dogs. But the sensibility, the droll, not-quite-serious whimsy that made the dogs so popular, that was already there in those quirky but extremely inventive photographs and videos he was making.”

In recent years, Wegman has also been focused on painting. With Flo and Topper at his heels, he leads the way into a large, brightly lit studio, past a work table overflowing with hundreds of postcards. Several of his large “Postcard Paintings,” in various stages of completion, are propped against walls amid tubes of paint and brushes. Each begins with a single postcard, usually placed in the center. Wegman then works outward, using the found composition as a prompt to create vast surreal landscapes or acutely angled modernistic interiors. “They’re easy to start,” he says, “but almost impossible to finish.”

Detail of William Wegman’s New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

So how did he get here, to the kind of success most artists only dream of, spending most of his summers up in Maine, and the rest of the time in this charming and sprawling urban complex—a place big enough to fit an MG sports car in the living room? (The automobile belongs to his son, Atlas, a tech whiz and aspiring designer, who lives here with Wegman and his wife, the book publisher Christine Burgin. Their daughter, Lola, is away at college.)

Born in 1943, Wegman grew up in the town of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, where he spent his boyhood trekking through the woods in back of his family’s house. Wegman’s precocious draftsmanship talent was evident at an early age; a self-portrait done when he was nine years old romantically depicts him holding an axe, walking with his dog through a snowy forest.

The artist was a teenager in 1950s America, and that cultural moment continues to permeate his work: Radio comedy shows, advertisements, and Hopalong Cassidy serials at the local Congregational Church (which doubled as the town’s cinema) all stewed into what the critic Joan Simon has described as the “purity and perfect strangeness” of Wegman’s art.

Detail of William Wegman’s New York home and studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

Portrait of William Wegman by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

He majored in painting at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, but temporarily abandoned conventional mediums in the late 1960s while working on his MFA at the University of Illinois in Urbana, where the composer John Cage and the dancer Merce Cunningham were then in residence. “Astronauts were about to land on the moon,” Wegman reflects, explaining his change of heart. “I thought you shouldn’t be painting pictures, or even just splashing paint on a canvas.”

Instead, for his thesis project, he constructed a 20-foot-long bubble structure he dubbed BODOH. It was located in the lobby of the Arts Building, where visitors were assaulted by deafening machine noises, bright swirling lights, and absurdist gadgetry, such as a soda machine that only dispensed empty cups. “My Uncle Everett worked for Westinghouse, and invented the mechanism for Coke machines, where the cup drops down and ice and soda go into it,” Wegman says. “Mine did the same, but without the ice and soda.”

The BODOH installation was only up for half a day before the fire department condemned it, he tells me. “Rightfully so. It was a fire hazard, really badly wired and made of very flammable polyethylene.”

Detail of William Wegman’s New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

Although his work at the time might have had a lot in common with ’60s Happenings and psychedelic light shows, Wegman says he never experimented with psychedelic drugs—at least not intentionally. “The only time I did LSD,” he says, “was in the late ’60s, when I was teaching at the University of Wisconsin. One of my students laced my Coke with acid. He thought he was doing me a favor, to enlighten me or something.”

In 1968, with the Vietnam War raging, Wegman was drafted, but he was rejected at the induction center. “I channeled Borges and the Bible into my personality,” he tells me with a sly smile. “I kept fiddling obsessively with a hole in my sweater, and I kept wandering into the wrong line no matter how many times they told me where to go. I had a pretty good crazy thing going, and they didn’t take me.”

The University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he was teaching in 1969, was a hotbed of the anti-war movement. Wegman remembers tear-gas wafting through a classroom where he was trying to teach conceptual art to sculpture students.  But for whatever reason, the artist has always steered clear of politics in his own art. “I don’t like hot subjects, like war, or sex, or politics,” he says. “I thought that was cheating. I wanted something droll and clean and clear.”

Detail of William Wegman’s New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

Detail of William Wegman’s New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

That aesthetic was evident in his 1970 photograph Cotto, a turning point for Wegman, and perhaps an insightful peek into how his brain works. “I was talking on the phone and making doodles on my hand,” he says. “I had a ring with a ruby and two diamonds, and I drew those shapes on my fingers. Later that night, I went to a party, and picked up a piece of cotto salami at the snack table. I saw that the little peppercorns in it looked just like the doodles I’d made on my hand. I raced home and took a picture of my hand next to some slices of cotto salami, developed it—and eureka!”

Wegman realized that the power and allure of photographs, for him, resided in their ease of distribution. “My idea was that a photograph should be a size that could be easily reproduced in magazines or books,” he says, “so that thousands of people could see it.”

He still regards Cotto as his best photograph in certain ways. “The work I did after that was less photographically appealing but more powerful conceptually. After that, it was not about how it looked, but what I was saying.”

Portrait of William Wegman in his New York home and studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

From Wisconsin, Wegman moved to California, settling in San Pedro, near Los Angeles, in 1971, where he joined a coterie of influential conceptual artists, including Ed Ruscha, John Baldessari, and Bruce Nauman. The beach was a block away and the light was beautiful, but Wegman struggled to make ends meet. “I couldn’t get a teaching job,” he says. “I had a painting degree but I wasn’t painting. I was doing photos but I had no training in photography. Ed Ruscha bought 50 of my photographs for $4,500 and I lived on that for a year. I was getting food stamps. So, I could squeak by. My expenses were low. A roll of film cost 90 cents. A bottle of beer now and then. That was it.”

In contrast to the large, bold, brightly colored images and text employed by Baldessari and Ruscha, Wegman’s videos and photos were understated, black and white, and often relied on subtle visual puns and for their impact. One of his personal favorites, a self-portrait called Madam I’m Adam (1970), mirrors the palindrome in its title with a pair of seemingly identical images, which he made by flipping the negative in the darkroom. “It’s like those Spot the Differences games that you see in magazines. The only clue that they’re different is my watch,” he says. “If you look closely, the numbers are backwards.”

It was while he was living in San Pedro that Wegman bought his first Weimaraner, a puppy he named after the Dada artist Man Ray. The animal would change his life forever. When he was taking pictures or experimenting with his camera, Wegman recalls, Man Ray would act very interested in what was happening. So, “very cautiously,” the artist began incorporating the dog into his work.

Portrait of William Wegman with dogs Flo and Topper in his New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

In one of the first resulting videos, Milk/Floor (1970–71), we see Wegman crawling on all fours away from the camera, dribbling milk in a straight white line on the floor. Man Ray then enters and laps up the milk. In the Spelling Lesson (1973–74), Man Ray sits looking quizzical, while Wegman, deadpan, reviews the results of the dog’s spelling test. The result of these unique man-and-dog collaborations, in the words of Guardian critic Jason Farago, were “artworks in which the rigors of conceptualism got wrecked on the shoals of canine indifference.”

Wegman’s reputation as a quirky conceptualist was growing in California, but his career didn’t take off until 1972, when he moved to New York and was quickly picked up by the prestigious Sonnabend Gallery. Yet, despite his newfound art world success, he admits that he wasn’t happy, and often thought about returning to Los Angeles. “I didn’t love New York when I came here,” he told me. “The scene nearly did me in. I was hanging out at Max’s Kansas City, there was a lot of alcohol and coke. L.A. was healthier for me. It took me a long time to tolerate New York.”

By the end of the 1970s, Wegman had stopped making photographs and videos, frustrated and dissatisfied with the results when he tried to transition from black and white to color. But his next step became clear in 1979, when he traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to try out a large-format Polaroid camera.  “The company had only made five of the cameras. They were designed to take actual size, 24-inch by 20-inch portraits, instantly, the same way small Polaroid cameras did. They kept asking me to come and try it. I finally did, and I fell in love with it.”

Detail of William Wegman’s New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

Many of Wegman’s most memorable pictures of Man Ray and his successors were taken with the large-format Polaroid, including Wegman’s favorite, Dusted (1988), showing Man Ray in a shower of flour that envelops him like a white spotlight.  

All along, Wegman had also been a fervent maker of cartoon-style drawings, loaded with puns and wordplay.  In a classic 1984 drawing that is still sadly topical, a few small figures on a boat wave and yell hello to the Statue of Liberty. “NO ANSWER,” the caption reads. Another, from 1976, makes a strange prophecy: “Some day you will be able to drive by telephone.”

Then, Wegman’s interest in painting was rekindled in the 1980s by a series of recurrent dreams in which he was wielding a brush again. The inspiration carried over into his waking life. “I started drawing on walls, painting on stairs, painting on anything but canvas,” he remembers.

Detail of William Wegman’s New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

Detail of William Wegman’s New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

With Neo-Expressionists like Julian Schnabel, Francesco Clemente, and David Salle spearheading a painting revival, Wegman at first hesitated to begin painting himself. “Painting had suddenly become a big thing in New York, and he didn’t want to appear just to be jumping aboard the bus,” says artist and dealer David Deutsch, now one of the directors of Magenta Plains, a downtown New York gallery that has shown and supported Wegman’s earlier work.

Encouraged by Deutsch, Wegman finally took the plunge. “I just said, ‘I’m middle-aged, I’m famous enough, just do it.’ But it was harder than I thought it would be,” he recalls. “I hadn’t painted in years. I had to relearn how to do it.” Self-conscious, he made his first awkward painting on the back of a stretcher, so that he could quickly hide it if anyone came into the room.

The experience was humbling but liberating, he says. Paintings like Hope and Museum of Beer, both from 1985, echoed childhood memories: images of old cars, roadside attractions, magazine advertising, and American Indians. “I thought they were amazing, but not everyone agreed,” he laughs. “One critic said it looked like I’d put art history in a blender.”

Wegman began making his “Postcard Paintings” in 1996. The style has dominated his work to the present day, and has been the subject of several shows at Sperone Westwater. (The gallery’s current show of his work is up through October 28th.) Throughout, of course, he’s kept photographing his dogs, a commercially successful parallel practice that, by the mid-1990s, had some people referring to him as Wegman Inc.

Portrait of one of William Wegman’s Weimaraners by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

Now, fully settled into his reputation, the artist is relaxed. He divides his time between making new work and some wholly unrelated passions—fly-fishing, as well as ice hockey, a sport he’s played since he was a teenager, and which he still indulges in four times a week at nearby Chelsea Piers. Wegman wears his good fortune with an easygoing lack of pretension, and still sometimes seems surprised by his phenomenal, unconventional success.

“When I was first starting, it was a surprise if someone that I didn’t know—or who wasn’t my girlfriend—liked what I was doing,” he reflects, scratching Flo behind her ears. “Just to have an audience is so amazing.”

—Jeff Goldberg

Cover image: Portrait of William Wegman in his New York studio by Daniel Dorsa for Artsy.

from Artsy News