#with the protagonists usually leaving home and journeying around the age of 10

[pawstickers]

Amy lives in an apartment all by herself, with no adult supervision even though she is only 12 years old. Someone should call child services for this poor neglected child.

i feel like maybe for mobians/furries/animal people (what. do we call this species now help) this sort of independence is seen as normal, which is why teenagers like espio can work at a detective agency as well

[court-of-pokemuses]

Every Bruno ship rated!

I’ve done this over on my main account @/pkmnsdarkqueen, and I think it’s kinda fun. It’s every ship on the muse from this page rated by my personal opinions. For this account I’ve been slowly working on it since January, and since this is a multimuse it took this long. I hope ya’ll enjoy!

Disclaimers directly below and the list under the cut!

strike through=my side commentary, trying to be funny, usually about ship names italicized=if asked I’d be down to rp it mostly just to see how/it it’d work bold=ship name and who in it to help you find a certain ship highlights=they are grouped up, again in case you want to find that one ship * by name=I just think it’s a wildly random ship

Took out category of Bruno and a protagonist/rival/or companion since they’re all children so it’s a hard no. A few other younger characters fit in the other categories though they’ve been judged no as well for the most part. Some shipped but ONLY in the context of the character being grown up.

Took out category of Bruno with pokemon because pokephelia. In multiship some of them have a pokemon and these have been dubbed as being one of the human’s part pokemon. 

Also ships where a human and one of Bruno’s pokemon have been taken out because again pokephilia. So many people are shipped specifically with his clefablee for some reason

ships on ‘never ending romance’ website. Before asked yes mun has other ships she likes that aren’t listed, but Im only focusing on those listed.

Bruno w/ a Villian:

Top rated ships: Iapetos, and Tortuga shipping

Bottom rated ships: Battalion, Indistinct, Krypton, and Reprobate shipping

BattalionShipping - Archer & Bruno 0/10 Everyone is shipped with Archer, everyone is shipped with Archer, everyone is shipped with Archer, why the F! Bruh naw I don’t see it. Bruno is too pure for Archer and if anything Archer would just manipulate the Frick out of him.

EquiusShipping - Bruno & Mars 3/10 Mars too! Like seriously she’s everywhere. Eh I mean they both have happy personalities and I could see it working a bit better, but still I dunno how smoothly they’d work together considering life directions. 

GroundworkShipping - Bruno & Giovanni 0/10 Giovanni gets around the most out of anyone though, and always has such a dope ship name. Also hahahaha, no, yeah no Bruno too fluffy. 

IapetosShipping - Bruno & Maxie 4/10 Ehhhhh, maaaaybe? I dunno I just they have some more compatibility as others but if they were together it’d be one of those grumpy lad with fluffy muscle boi. 

IndistinctShipping - Bruno & Petrel 0/10 Bruno why would you put Bruno with the trigger happy lad???? No no no danger!!!

KryptonShipping - Bruno & Proton 0/10 Proton is like that guy who wants to murder every npc in the d&d party, naw.

ReprobateShipping - Bruno & Ariana 0/10 Reprobate means someone without morals so Ariana would likely flirt, and Bruno would 100% not realize what’s going on until like they’re in the bedroom and then you’ve got Bruno breaking the door down to leave cause he’s panicking. 

TortugaShipping - Archie & Bruno 4/10 Heh 2 muscle bros? Ok kinda cute, but if anything I think it’d be even cuter as best bro friends that work out, just saying. friends 10/10

Bruno w/ a Champion:

IronRingShipping - Bruno & Steven Stone 6/10 Heh, ok could be cute. I mean Steven’s kinda a wholesome soul, but they’ve both got some shady stuff too it could be kinda cute. 

PotentialShipping - Bruno & Lance 5/10 The name is amazing for this. Eh potential maybe especially with Bruno’s whole mind being scrambled about thanks to Rocket and his early time with Lance getting also lost. But yeah idk maaaaybe?

Bruno w/ an elite:

Top rated ships: StrongestKnight, Control/StrikingIce, and Giant shipping

Bottom rated ships: Bauble, Despondency, and MuscleBurn shipping 

***BaubleShipping - Bruno & Agatha -50/10 Oh gosh plz no, Agatha is the one that made his brain all messed up. He forgives her but he’s not gonna romance her. Plus age gap much?

ControlShipping/StrikingIceShipping - Bruno & Lorelei 9/10 Heck yes please I think this one would be super cute. Again Bruno would kinda have all those memories gone, but at the same time maybe that’d be the sparking point for them talking again. 

DelilahShipping - Bruno & Karen 4/10 HEY THERE DELILAH WHAT’S IT LIKE IN NEW YORK CITY! I’M A THOUSAND MILES AWAY BUT GIRL TON- Anyway so now that’s out of my system, I think it works smoother than Karen and Koga but I still like the vibe of the four of them being like a family with each other. 

DespondencyShipping - Bruno & Will 1/10 I like this less than Delilah cause Karen connects with Koga, and Will connects with Bruno. It’s like they each have their own older mentor to help them with their specific things to adapt to civilian life. 

ForesightShipping - Bruno & Phoebe 3/10 Phoebe gotta go get shipped around with every other human too. Ehhh kinda cute? But there are others I can see her with better. 

GiantShipping - Bruno & Marshal 8/10 Big bois over here flexin! Yeah I think it could be cute. They’re very similar in personality Bruno is just a golden retriever and Marshal is a Rottweiler. I think it’s cute. 

*JourneyShipping - Bruno & Lucian 7/10 The journey they went on was how the frick to read good. Seriously poor Bruno watches this man whip through a book meanwhile he’s struggling cause he keeps forgetting words. I could see it tbh either with Lucian helping him read and they fall for each other, or just friends with one helping the other. 

LaeliaShipping - Bruno & Caitlin 3/10 Eh maybe? I don’t really feel how they'd really hit it off, but they likely would have some fun as friends though. 

MuscleBurnShipping - Bruno & Flint (elite) 2/10 They’re just gonna be 2 nerds screaming at each other and making bad decisions, but Bruno trying to stop Flint. Please let them be friends and make these mistakes.

ReturnShipping - Bruno & Koga 5/10 Yeah ok this swings between cute as flip to but their friendship is cuter! I’m down for either direction. 

StrongestKnightShipping - Bruno & Wikstrom 10/10 YES! This is cute as frick it’s currently being shipped and I love all of it. 2 wholesome bois who also happen to talk kinda odd, and are muscly. Also bless that ship name, get Bruno Armor please.

Bruno w/ a Gym leader:

Top rated ships: Toughie, Bancho, Ataraxia, and TarotSport shipping

Bottom rated ships: IsshinRyu, Kendo, Rurouni, and Zubon shipping

AtaraxiaShipping - Bruno & Gardenia 10/10 Ok when I first talked about who to ship Bruno with one of them was Gardenia and I still ship it. She has the same wholesome soul as Bruno, and energy but with that soft taking care of plants vibe and it’s cute.

BanchoShipping - Bruno & Jasmine 10/10 This is a Jasmine ship that I do enjoy alot more than others. Bruno does well with wholesome folks, and Jasmine really is top tier wholesome levels. Also she maybe small but home girl tough as nails. Watch her sit on his shoulder to see a concert play or other cute things with their size differences.

**BlackbeltShipping - Brock & Bruno 0/10 Don’t really get this one tbh. Like they both take really good care of their pokemon, and that’s about it....

DjinnShipping - Bruno & Roark 2/10 idk why but I’m just imagining Roark and Bruno in the underground Roark mentioning they’ll have to go around awhile to get this place, and Bruno just punches his way through walls to get there. I dunno I just want them as bros. 

DrillSergeantShipping - Bruno & Lt. Surge 2/10 ....Usually I can see Lt. Surge with a fair amount of people, and like they’ve both been through some trauma in their lives so like I should be able to see it but I just can’t???? idk here

**FrostHeaveShipping - Bruno & Brycen 4/10 Weirdly I kinda see it. Idk just let Bruno find out the other has a whole secret life as an actor and gush over trying to keep the secret. 

GestaltShipping - Bruno & Morty 1/10 The name baffles me. Like I’m just saying prt of a whole? What does that mean? Also naw Morty is too salty of a boi.

*GrasshopperShipping - Bruno & Bugsy 0/10 I need someone to confirm Bugsy’s age before I can feel comfortable shipping him with anyone. I’m just imagining Bruno training his young grasshopper, Bugsy, who is trying to get swol!

IsshinRyuShipping - Bruno & Janine -50/100 0_0 Koga would understandably kill him, and there is no way Bruno could see her like that.

KendoShipping - Bruno & Pryce 0/10 Even without the trauma he caused Will and Karen from the manga no. Like age gap wildly bad.

MikageShipping - Bruno & Clair 5/10 Eh could be cute. I see them bonding via beating each other up though in training. 

MontevideoShipping - Bruno & Volkner 2/10 I feel like Bruno would try to cheer him up and then it wouldn’t go over well, and yeah Volkner is just too broody. 

MuramasaShipping - Bruno & Maylene 6/10 Like him and Clair but Maylene is more wholesome so better chance.

RollerDojoShipping - Bruno & Korrina 4/10 Cute but I am more partial to other ships with Korrina so I don’t see it as much. 

RurouniShipping - Bruno & Roxanne 0/10 I still feel weird shipping Roxanne cause idk her age! F it her only ship is Bugsy fite me. Besides she has that know it all vibe and I just feel like Bruno would feel dwarfed cause of his voice tik.

SenseiShipping - Brawly & Bruno 2/10 Freaking Brawly getting around too. Ship name kinda says the dynamic with Bruno as a teacher and Brawly the student. If you’re into that dynamic then I can see it, but for me it’s ehhh. 

SitDownShipping - Bruno & Flannery 7/10 What is this name?! XD I kinda think it’s cute just Flannery screaming as she does to show confidence and Bruno screaming back cause he thinks it’s appropriate and them both being a general mess. 

TarotSportShipping - Bruno & Sabrina 10/10 Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. It’s cute Sabrina is broody like volkner ye but we’ve also seen she has a soft spot for people that make her laugh and Bruno is one of those guys who’s unintentionally pretty funny. Also this is just April and Andy from parks and rec.

TokyoRainShipping - Bruno & Erika 5/10 She’s super soft and wholesome, and I see it more than other ships with Erika. Ehhh idk on this. 

ToughieShipping - Bruno & Whitney 10/10 HOW OLD IS WHITNEY!? Also frick I really hope she’s an adult cause they have the vibe of, guy who looks like he can and would beat you up but his girl friend is the one who is 100% more willing to throw hands. 

VentifactShipping - Bruno & Falkner 0/10 Falkner and Janine tho. Anyways I don’t see what they’d connect on. 

*VestigeShipping - Bruno & Misty 0/10 Naw Misty is like too abrasive for me. And like I know that’s kinda why I like him and Whitney but the difference is that Whitney hides her savageness. 

YevonShipping - Bruno & Elesa 4/10 Kinda cute can see Elsa introducing him to new fashion and all. But there are other ships with Elsa I think would work better. 

ZubonShipping - Bruno & Chuck 0/10 Chuck has a wife and forgets her all the time. No hurting fluffy Bruno boi like that.

Bruno w/ Professor or prof assistant

HokkaidoShipping - Bruno & Celio 2/10 I......what would they have in common exactly?

***ContemplationShipping - Bruno & Professor Oak 0/10 Bruh Oak???? No yeah like c’mon really, no, just I can’t see them being anymore than friends.

GnosisShipping - Bill & Bruno 5/10 Idk maybe? Like Billy gets into shenanigans what with becoming a pokemon and Bruno trying to help with stuff only to end up with a fussy Bill. Kinda cute.

Bruno w/ Minor GAME npcs:

*PersevereShipping - Bruno & Zinnia 8/10 Please. Give me feral girl with confused boi who’s trying to figure out what her deal is. Also them both having small pink pokemon is cute. 

PilgrimageShipping - Bruno & Eusine 3/10 While I do want to see them on a journey/pilgrimage together I don’t see them coming out of it shipped too easily. 

*PowerHouseShipping - Bruno & Greta 1/10 Wild choice, and she reminds me of all the other punchy hit gals but on the same level of connections Korrina but alot less. 

Bruno w/ Minor ANIME npcs:

OsakaShipping - Bruno & Kathi Lee 2/10 Diantha’s manager huh? I mean they’d be cute but I don’t see it lasting long term with Bruno’s lazy habits here and there. 

*PlayFightShipping - Bruno & Duplica 0/10 I think they’d have a fun dynamic but as friends and nothing romance coming out of that. 

Bruno w/ Orre, or Ranger character

EngrishShipping - Bluno & Bruno 0/10 They are just shipped cause of the names, and I don’t see anything else. 

LoveMuscleShipping - Bruno & Lovrina 0/10 Guess what, bam bah bum, she’s a child! and always acts childish. 

Bruno and multiple people: (All are gonna be a no romantically because I don’t see Karen being poly, but I’ll give plot ideas)

Top rated ships: IndigoLeague, and SelfDefenceAgainstFruit shipping

Bottom rated ships: SecretTechniques, QuizzicalBlackbelt, and Ringside shipping

DawnguardShipping - Brawly, Bruno, Chuck, Marshal, Korrina & Maylene 10/10 This is just all the punch bois and gals together but with a cool name. Although tbh I am totally here for them all hanging out or all being guards in some au. 

*MayleneFatalFourwayShipping - Bruno, Byron, Crasher Wake & Marshal 9/10 The name gives me concern. Are these just all people shipped with Maylene? Ahhh idk I think they’d be good pals tho catch em all teaching each other Dif training techniques.  GachimuchiShipping - Bruno, Chuck & Crasher Wake 7/10 This is the crash and brash gang, and they will wreck everything mostly on accident. 

IndigoLeagueShipping - Bruno, Koga, Lance, Will & Karen 1000/10 YES! GOOD CREW! great buds, SUPER GREAT LOVE EM!

IndigoPlateauShipping - Bruno, Blue (game), Lance, Agatha & Lorelei 9/10 A good group except for the fact that Agatha traumatized the boi, and Blue can be a butt and wasn’t champion as long. Great group video game wise but story wise kinda hard to play with. 

ISMRSShipping - Bruno, Misty & Yellow (Special) 8/10 I can not figure out what the ISMRS means. I’m gonna see this group as feisty girl, big buff guy, and neutral girl  on an epic adventure! And yea I think it’d be fun. 

OriginalEliteFourShipping - Bruno, Lance, Agatha & Lorelei 10/10 Same thing and indigo plateau. It good but kinda limited, but if nothing else time when they’re all in Rocket you got cool story potential. 

***QuizzicalBlackbeltShipping - Brock, Bruno, Aria (anime) & Felicity 3/10 I wanna break this down for ya we got breeder/gym leader Brock boi, the swellest boi Bruno, a super contest lady, oh and someone who appears as TCG art for the lot game corner. This is a wild amalgamation of characters. 

RingsideShipping - Brawly, Bruno, Chuck, Crasher Wake & Maylene 5/10 They all train on the beach, that's it that’s the only thing I got for this ship. 

SecretTechniquesShipping - Bruno, Karuta & Koga 2/10 It’s trying to be focused on a ninja ship but I don’t think Bruno is much of a ninja so it feels forced.

*****SelfDefenceAgainstFruitShipping - Bruno, Cherubi, Tropius & berries 420/10 (for meme worthiness, and ship has nothing to do with weed just adding o the meme) I AM AWARE OF WHAT THE REFRENCE IS HERE AND HECK YEAAAAAAAAH, gosh this is a dumb ship the reference btw, it’s 3 minutes long: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnjYeHBWvKA 

ShitennouShipping - Aaron (elite), Bruno, Drake (Hoenn), Flint (elite), Grimsley, Koga, Lance, Lucian, Marshal, Sidney, Siebold, Wikstrom, Will, Agatha, Bertha, Caitlin, Drasna, Glacia, Karen, Lorelei, Malva, Phoebe & Shauntal (gen infinite) 10/10 All of the elites, all of them, in one room, and hanging out. Heck ye let em party it up. 

TripleThreatShipping - Bruno, Crasher Wake & Marshal 10/10 Idk why but they feel like the most cohesive punchy bois as a group. 

Bruno’s pokemon shipped w/ other pokemon:

HiddenLegendShipping - Clefable & Suicune (Bruno's & Misty's) 1/10 Did....did Misty get a suicune at some point??? Also hidden legend, are you telling me that clefable is like legendary quality rn. what is this cleanable and I’m confused! MaskFableShipping - Clefable & Yamask (Bruno's & James's) 1/10 I mean Yanmask has some fun personality and I think James and Bruno would have some good friendship but idk how to feel about a ship there. 

StrongFableShipping - Clefable & Snivy (Bruno's & Ash's) 1/10 Please explain to me a thing about why Snivy??? Anyway yeah also when is he gonna see Ash much?? StrongLoveShipping - Clefable & Golem (Bruno's & Bruno's) 10/10 See at least these two can actually see each other often. Also yeah I do think it cuter than most like I mean they can actually be with each other and fluff with big rock boi is cute.  WrestlingFableShipping - Clefable & Hawlucha (Bruno's & Ash's) 3/10 Again when they seeing each other? And I mean kinda like the wrestle bpi and fluffy girl but still how it gonna work?

Other Ships Mun likes 

BandagedknucklesShipping - Bruno & Cheryl 100/10 Look Cheryl is soft and cute. Bruno is soft and a sweet boi. They’d be adorable together I’m just saying. Also Cheryl getting into the chaos she gets into and Bruno being the muscle acting like a body guard to her when she needs it. Cute shiz ok!

[galadrieljones]

11 questions

tagged by @thevikingwoman. thank you!!

1. The most beautiful place you have been 

Ah, a tough one. To me, there is nothing more sublime than the big, wide open empty of the American West. Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Utah, and the weird hellscapes of northern Nevada. BUT, on our honeymoon, we went to France: flew into Bergerac and slowly drove north to Paris over the course of several days. The sunflower fields were in full bloom and it was really something else. I also have to say that, while I don’t always love where I live in Orange County, the sunsets in Laguna Beach really are the prettiest sunsets in the whole world.

2. Pick a super power. Why that one? 

Not no sleep, but just less sleep. I’d love it if I could subsist on just like four hours a night. I’d get so much more done that way!! Lol.

3. Do you have a comfort movie or show? What is it? 

Yes, I have several comfort shows. My most frequented are probably Gilmore Girls, Buffy, and Dawson’s Creek. Right now, on maternity leave, I’m also taking a GREAT deal of comfort in Beat Bobby Flay lol. Idk, I just really like him!!

4. A creation you’re really proud of?

All of my fanfic I’m very proud of. I feel it keeps getting better with every work. I’m very proud of having finished The Dead Season, but I feel like, in terms of writing and storytelling skill, A Funeral feels like my most honed creation so far. 

5. Something you are looking forward to in the next year or two?

Well, I just had a baby eight days ago, so I’m looking forward to getting back to normal!!

6. Top 5 video games?

The order here can tend to fluctuate based on where my emotional attachment lies on any given day, but I’ll be as “objective” as possible. Also I have six because the first two I consider to be a tie:

The Last of Us - This is one of my favorite games because it’s so tightly woven, as a story. The characters and their relationships, in combination with the setting and high stakes horrific atmosphere makes it feel both terrifying and desperate in almost EVERY moment. There is ALWAYS something to lose, and Joel’s longterm character development is both very unique and also extremely realistic, nuanced, and heartbreaking.

Red Dead Redemption 2 - This game, for me, succeeds on the strength of its protagonist. The game itself is beautiful, meandering, dynamic, and the story, while sprawling, is multi-faceted and really advanced in its usage of POV, symbolism, and ambiguity. It’s impossible for me to choose between RDR2 and TLoU because they’re such different games. There really is nothing like RDR2, and there is no protagonist like Arthur Morgan, but the narrative of TLoU is just so...perfect. Overall, I think protagonists like Joel and Arthur are sort of paving the way for games that are much more “adult” in scope. These are the first two games I’ve ever really played that feel exclusively BY adults and FOR adults. 

Skyrim - I can’t even really qualify my love for this game at this point in my life. It’s like comfort food. It’s like coming home.

Dragon Age: Inquisition - It’s an imperfect game, but it’s big and the characters are wonderful. I get lost in the banter, the background dynamics, the politics, and the wealth of opportunity for OC creation and fan works.

Horizon: Zero Dawn - Aloy is such a unique female protagonist, in that she is almost a Byronic Hero. Female Byronic heroes are really rare, and I think I love her for her secret romance, masked with a hefty layer of sarcasm, bitterness, and self-preservation. I love Aloy’s journey, because it begins with one quest (find the men who attacked the Proving and killed Rost) and then becomes a much more existential quest (Aloy’s discovery of her own origin story). The game itself is good, but I think if a sequel is made, it’s going to be fucking REALLY GOOD.

Bloodbourne - I’ve never actually played Bloodbourne lol but I’ve watched my husband play it twice. It is by far the weirdest game, aesthetically, I’ve ever encountered. The bizarre menstrual symbolism and hidden zones are entirely gnarly and beautiful. And I love the storytelling style of Hidetaka Miyazaki, how it’s all shown, or implied. There are no quest markers, no obvious objectives. Entire worlds can be missed through happenstance, or failing to fully investigate one small mystery to its painstaking conclusion. 

7. A recent favorite anything (food/entertainment/clothing/??)

As previously stated, I’m very into Beat Bobby Flay lately lol. Dude, Bobby Flay is entirely 100% the man. He is both calmly confident and entirely accomplished as a chef, but also extremely gracious toward his challengers and always willing to concede the loss (though he usually wins lol). That kind of humble confidence is...rare. He reminds me of that thing Solas says in DAI: “No real god need prove himself.”

8. Favorite board game?

I know it’s old school, but I really love Risk. I like playing with my husband, because he’s VERY good, but I learn a lot from him, and though I have only beat him maybe one time ever lol I usually take him by surprise a few times during the game, and that’s very fun lol.

9. Stealing this one: I know that lots of people have “dinosaur” or “ancient Egypt” interests as a child; what was something that you were super interested in as a child? I’d love to learn a new fact about that subject if you’re willing!

When I was a CHILD, I had a definite elves and fairies phase, as well as a metaphysical time travel/scifi phase. My favorite books, which I would read constantly over and over again were Afternoon of the Elves by Janet Taylor Lisle (which has no *actual* elves in it--the elves are like metaphors, honestly explains a lot about my tendency toward fabulism rather than actual fantasy) and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. Looking back, I still see these books and how they manifest in my preferences today. They really blur genre boundaries--between fantasy, science, and domestic realism. They’re about kids having regular kid problems and often experiencing catharsis via “fantasy” worlds. 

10. A strange thing you googled recently, if you’re willing to share. 

Well, I’ve googled a lot of strange things lately. When you have a new baby, you’re always googling strange things lol. But I’d say, in the past few months, the strangest thing I’ve had to google was basically male and female underwear from the late 1800s. What the fuck does Arthur wear under his pants?? What the fuck is Mary Beth hiding under that skirt?? The most alarming thing I discovered was that women typically wore crotchless drawers around this time. This way they could pee without having to completely remove their myriad of skirts lol 

11. You only put ten questions, so I’ll steal a simple one from the previous batch, ie: Five favorite books! I’ve been thinking about some of them lately, so I wanna share:

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Airships: Stories by Barry Hannah

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

I’ll tag @buttsonthebeach @morgan-arthur @ladylike-foxes @bearly-tolerable @wrenbee @lyrium-lovesong @ma-sulevin @a-shakespearean-in-paris @hidinginthehinterlands and @idrelle-miocovani

Questions:

Five favorite books?

Five favorite video games?

Favorite visual artist(s) (fan artists and/or traditional)?

Favorite video game protagonist (non-OC) and why?

What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten?

What’s your dream road trip? Or, if you don’t like road trips, what’s your dream vacation?

Do you like old movies? I’m talking OLD movies, like golden era, from the 1930s-1950s. Why or why not? Do you have a favorite?

What’s something unique and interesting about the place where you live and/or grew up?

If you were going to be transported into the setting of any video game, which would it be and why?

Regardless of where you actually live, would you prefer urban, suburban, small town, or rural living?

What is the most emotional you’ve ever gotten over a video game?

[junker-town]

The 30 best ‘NBA on NBC’ intros

Relive the glory of basketball nostalgia with these old ‘NBA on NBC’ intros.

The 12-year run of the NBA on NBC is mostly beloved for John Tesh’s iconic “Roundball Rock” musical intro, which just so happens to be my ringtone. But I will always cherish it because of the network’s soaring introduction monologues to its big games, which transmitted the viewer inside a piece of art with intense moods and high stakes.

Basketball wasn’t better in the ‘90s than it is today, not by a longshot. But I do think it was sold far more effectively, with the kind of visual and thematic care that made the key figures larger than life. I wish the league’s current television partners tried harder to mimic the scale and grandeur of NBC’s work.

Luckily, YouTube offers us the chance to look back on the days where playoff games really felt like epic dramas. I found more than 150 available on the internet and collected them in a playlist you can find here.

While you watch that, let me show you my 30 favorites. Let me know if you think I overranked, underranked, or missed any from this glorious era.

(All the titles were made up by me).

30. “First Round”

Timberwolves at Sonics 1998 First-Round Game 5 Bob Costas

I love the timing of this one. George Karl’s deep breath sets the mood before any narration is needed, and the multiple Gary Payton still shots capture the incredulousness of Seattle’s first-round demons. Costas’ closing line – “Maybe too often” – is delivered perfectly.

29. “Lil’ Penny is Ready”

Magic at Bulls 1996 East Finals Game 1 Chris Rock

No NBA on NBC list is complete without including this one, even if it’s gimmick’y and the narration doesn’t age well.

28. “Teacher and Pupil”

Heat at Knicks 1997 East Semifinals Game 3 Tom Hammond

This was the first of many NBC introductions for brutal Heat-Knicks playoff games, so it’s neat to look back and remember the larger context before it was obscured by all the fighting. Teacher vs. pupil framed the two teams beautifully, especially because the teacher-pupil relationship was flipped on the court. The music makes me feel like I’m at a graduation ceremony, and Hammond leans into the theme with his word choices — “protege,” “taught their former coach a lesson,” “school was out,” “pass the test.”

27. “The Second Season”

Pacers at Knicks 1994 East Finals Game 7 Bob Costas

The highest points of this intro rival anything NBC has put together. The rapid tone change before Game 5. The drumbeat as John Starks violently high-fives Spike Lee. The final line — “48 minutes from what they were merely expected to do.” Those moments give me chills. But I docked this one for all the fluff it took to reach those high beats. If NBC had an Achilles heel, it was the length of some of their intros. This one was nearly two minutes long, which is a bit much.

26. “Stalemate”

Blazers at Lakers 2000 West Finals Game 7 Bob Costas

As much as I love the openings that center around a specific theme, sometimes it’s better to simply run through the key protagonists and what’s at stake for each. Costas does so comprehensively in this one, illustrating the wide-ranging set of characters in what proved to be a memorable series.

25. “Something to savor”

Knicks at Bulls 1998 NBA Regular Season Bob Costas

Did I only include this one because of the early release of ESPN’s 10-part The Last Dance documentary. Yeah, probably.

24. “Not Like This”

Knicks at Bulls 1993 East Finals Game 6 Marv Albert

I loved two things about this video. One was the close-up picture of a hoop as Albert narrates Charles Smith’s three blown bunnies. Talk about vivid imagery. The second: the melancholy feel of the music, combined with Pat Riley stuttering with doubt as he tries to sell the public on this being the Knicks’ “defining moment.” It’s as if NBC knew New York would never be the same after Game 5.

23. “Right Now”

Bulls at Knicks 1993 East Finals Game 1 Marv Albert

Van Halen’s “Right Now” was (and still is) a popular song choice for a pump-up video, one NBC used a few times too over the years. But it works perfectly for this video because it fits the overall theme while simultaneously allowing NBC to visually speed up the entire season before reaching the climax we all knew was coming.

22. “Desperation”

Sonics at Rockets 1997 West Semifinals Game 7 Greg Gumbel

Gumbel deserved more chances to narrate these introduction videos. He had a way of putting his own spin on common themes, expertly using language that others wouldn’t. Seattle didn’t just fall behind Houston, they “teetered on the edge.” They didn’t just win all their elimination games, they “persevered.” The sentence structure that both conveys Houston’s history facing long deficits and their history against these Sonics. We’ll hear more from Gumbel later on in this countdown.

21. “Another Time And Place”

Pistons at Knicks 1992 East Quarterfinals Game 2 Marv Albert

Albert’s narration tended to be super serious and at times over the top, so I enjoyed the goofy change of pace. I’m not sure the second half of this intro was necessary, though it did give us Dennis Rodman picking up a stray dog that wandered onto the Madison Square Garden court.

20. “The Year Of Sir Charles”

Suns at Sonics 1993 West Finals Game 6 Dick Enberg

It’s the little touches that make this video work. The patriotic music choice before leading with his gold medal. The split screen of Barkley deep in thought on one side and his accomplishments flashing on the other. Enberg’s repeated use of Barkley’s full name. This intro underscores how much care was actually put into these introductions.

19. “I Wanna Take You On A Rollercoaster”

Pacers at Knicks 1999 East Finals Game 6 Tom Hammond

18. “The Ride of a Lifetime”

Magic at Rockets 1995 Finals Game 3 Marv Albert

These two videos show how NBC used the same theme — a rollercoaster ride — to convey very different emotional journeys. The Knicks’ rollercoaster was unplanned and filled with self-induced drama, so NBC chose Lunatic Calm’s “Leave You Far Behind,” a heart-pumping dance song that conveys raw, and at times misdirected, energy. Houston’s rollercoaster, on the other hand, was more of a fantasy story, so NBC chose a musical element that made the Rockets’ journey to the title seem like a quest. Both choices fit the teams perfectly and showed how the power of sports is that it provides singular variations of familiar story arcs.

17. “Michael vs. Sir Charles”

Bulls at Suns 1993 Finals Game 1 Bob Costas

This one’s on the list because NBC used the Jurassic Park theme song before the movie even came out. That is a baller move. But NBC also uses it brilliantly to paint the contrast between the classic success of Michael Jordan and the bumpier, rawer success of Barkley. Jordan’s section is narrated over the slower part of the song, while Barkley’s comes over the louder section. This was another example of NBC’s attention to detail.

16. “Big City vs. Small Town”

Jazz at Bulls 1997 NBA Finals Game 1 Marv Albert

In general, the 12 NBC openings for the two six-game Bulls-Jazz Finals series are a tad overrated in my book because they got a little too sappy. (I’m sure many of y’all like the post-Flu Game one, but it kinda makes me cringe). The best of the bunch is the first one because it wonderfully paints the contrast between the dominant incumbents from Chicago and the small-town underdogs from Utah.

15. “Big ‘Mo”

Blazers at Lakers 1991 West Finals Game 6 Dick Enberg

The music choice makes this entire video work. I feel like I’m in a murder mystery. Holy crap, this is tense.

14. “A Test of Faith”

Suns at Bulls 1993 Finals Game 4 Bob Costas

Sometimes, the less said the better. Game 3 of the 1993 NBA Finals — a triple-overtime thriller won by the visiting Suns, who had dropped the first two games at home — was such a weird event that it needed to be commemorated on its own. Costas knew he couldn’t say anything to properly sum it up. Thus, Bon Jovi’s “Keep The Faith” serves as the perfect backdrop.

13. “Little Brother”

Cavaliers at Bulls 1992 East Finals Game 5 Marv Albert

I’m not sure anyone really believed the Cavaliers would beat the Bulls in this series, even if they had knotted it up at two. It had the same feel that 2016’s Raptors-Cavaliers series had, where everyone knew who was going to win. But it was still noteworthy that the Cavaliers actually fought with pride, not unlike a boy who finally stood up to his big brother. Albert’s narration properly captures that sentiment while still conveying the reality that the Bulls were favored.

12. “Best Team Ever”

Bulls at Sonics 1996 Finals Game 4 Bob Costas

The glorification of Jordan’s jerk-ish leadership tendencies makes me a bit uncomfortable, but Costas rescues this with some of the most poetic narration of his great career. Everything after “they tower over all present competition” is right up there with the best any TV network has ever produced. (Imagine this wording, but with Kevin Durant’s switch to Golden State instead of Jordan’s return from retirement).

11. “Game 7”

Jazz at Sonics 1996 West Finals Game 7 Greg Gumbel

Gumble is his usual excellent self, but the music and camera work make this introduction feel epic. I love the musical contrast, which makes the small-market Jazz seem like underdogs and the fast-charging Sonics feel like they belong in a horror movie. The dissolves and fades to separate the different segments of the video underscore how each point is related to each other. Matching Gary Payton’s loud clap to the drum beat is a brilliant touch. All in all, this video provided real stakes to a matchup between two teams that nobody thought could beat the mighty Bulls.

10. “Vindication”

Magic at Rockets 1995 Finals Game 4 Bob Costas

If the Game 3 intro to these Finals felt like being taken on a fantasy quest, this one is the epilogue when Frodo and friends return to the Shire. In time, this has become the perfect appreciation of the Rockets’ mini-dynasty.

9. “The Tormenter”

Bulls vs. Knicks 1996 East Semifinals Game 3 Marv Albert

“The concept may be team. In reality, it’s the individual.” Whether intentional or not, Albert perfectly encapsulates decades of NBA marketing with those 10 words. From there, he made me feel so sorry for Patrick Ewing. How much must it suck for the official broadcast partner to promote a game by repeatedly dunking on you?

8. “One Game”

Pacers at Bulls 1998 East Finals Game 7 Bob Costas

Costas’ delivery here is perfect. The slow pacing. The repetition of “one game.” The mix between short sentences and longer ones. The twist at the end: Jordan’s section ends with “one game” instead of beginning with it, a clear signal to the viewer that he is the biggest story here. The script itself isn’t magical, but Costas’ voice makes it so. Chills.

7. “Agony”

Bulls at Magic 1996 East Finals Game 3 Marv Albert

Knowing what we know now, this feels a lot bigger than a video setting up a must-win Game 3 after losing two road games. Because of Shaquille O’Neal’s summer departure to the Lakers, it has become known as the last chance for Orlando to sustain a future dynasty. But the video also stands beautifully on its own, with well-executed music changes and a beautiful still of Penny Hardaway peering to his left as if he’s staring at a black-and-white image of Brian Hill’s final huddle of the previous year’s NBA Finals.

6. “Neither Right, Nor Fair”

Bulls at Blazers 1992 Finals Game 4 Bob Costas

Imagine this voiceover, but instead of it being about Clyde Drexler in 1992, it’s about Dirk Nowitzki in 2011. Same 2-1 deficit. Same history of postseason failures obscuring their greatness. Similar age range — Nowitzki was 32 and in his 13th season at the time. Similar caliber of competition: Drexler against Jordan, Nowitzki against James and Wade, though the former hadn’t won a title. It would have given any human the feels, especially knowing Nowitzki would persevere when Drexler didn’t. This was an incredibly powerful, yet empathetic way to convey the overwhelming pressure title-less all-time greats face before they win one.

5. “David vs. Goliath”

76ers at Lakers 2001 Finals Game 1 Marv Albert

I don’t know what’s better: the original version of this intro from the 2001 Finals or this brilliant remake for the first Curry-James, Warriors-Cavs Finals battle in 2015. Both are terrific, but I’m still partial to the original. David vs. Goliath fits the Iverson-O’Neal battle better, and there are a number of NBC’s typically brilliant little touches dotted through the video. For example, notice how the camera zooms to Iverson’s “The Answer” sleeve just after Albert’s “Who can stop this imposing force?” narration ends. What perfect timing.

4. “Worst Nightmare”

Bulls vs. Knicks 1993 East Finals Game 5 Marv Albert

Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap, holy crap. I feel like I’m about to start an apocalyptic movie where a supernatural demon has been set loose to torment the world. Jordan feels like Godzilla here after scoring 54 points to lead Chicago to a Game 4 win. My heart is still racing as I type this, even though I’ve already seen that video a thousand times. When does Game 5 start?

3. “Coronation”

Bulls at Suns 1993 Finals Game 6 Bob Costas

The 1993 Finals were really effin weird. The Suns entered as profound underdogs with one edge: They had home-court advantage. When they squandered that edge with two home losses, they looked done, but defied logic with a triple-overtime Game 3 victory. When Jordan dropped 55 on them in Game 4, they also looked done, but defied logic again by winning Game 5 on the road easily. It was inexplicable, a feeling Costas expertly captured in his opening monologue. There’s no way God actually was pulling the strings for the Suns … right? What other explanation existed? It was the ideal backdrop to a Game 6 that lived up to the billing with John Paxson’s last-second three.

2. “Two Dreams Collide”

Rockets at Suns 1995 West Semifinals Game 7 Greg Gumbel

Remember when I said that NBC’s only Achilles heel was that their introduction videos occasionally dragged on for too long? This one clocks in at a crisp 41 seconds, with no wasted words, images, or music. We have a saying at SB Nation: Sometimes, it’s just best to Say The Thing instead of getting cute. Gumbel says the damn thing bluntly — one dream will “die,” Barkley’s legacy is “hanging in the balance,” “the banner does not hang for Clyde Drexler.” In 41 seconds, I know exactly how big a game this really is. This is a nearly perfect piece of art.

1. “Being Mike”

Bulls at Lakers 1991 Finals Game 4 Michael Jordan

Twenty-nine years later, this reads like a poignant social commentary on the nature of celebrity, which has gripped our culture in new and unexpected ways. That it came before the release of Sam Smith’s landmark The Jordan Rules, before the burden of Being Mike led to Jordan retiring in his prime, before two returns to the fast life of basketball that consumed him, and before an awkward post-playing process that flipped his ruthlessness from a virtue to an anchor, is extraordinary. How the hell did Costas take one playoff performance and somehow capture the allure and pain of being a national icon like Jordan? It’s one of the most impressive feats I’ve ever seen.