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For the week of 4 March 2019

Quick Bits:

A Walk Through Hell #8 gets creepier as Paul tells his story, raising huge questions of how deep a conspiracy may go to have covered up his brutal history. Garth Ennis, Goran Sudžuka, Ive Svorcina, and Rob Steen are delivering one hell of an atmospheric horror story with this series.

| Published by AfterShock

Amazing Spider-Man #16.HU is really another prelude to the “Hunted” event, but this one gets its branding and special interstitial “.HU” suffix, from Nick Spencer, Iban Coello, Edgar Delgado, and Joe Caramagna. This issue follows Black Cat as she is sent to free the Owl from Taskmaster and Black Ant to square things away with Hammerhead. It does a good bit to redeem Felicia’s behaviour of recent years, explaining exactly why she’s more or less been acting out of character as a hardened criminal kingpin.

| Published by Marvel

Astro Hustle #1 is a pretty good start to this space opera from Jai Nitz, Tom Reilly, Ursula Decay, and Crank! It reminds me a lot of Barbarella crossed with Sword of the Swashbucklers, mixing space and pirates with some oblique sociopolitical commentary. Also maybe a bit of The Incal. This issue largely introduces us to Chen Andalou (yeah, I’m not sure if there’s a significance to the Un Chien Andalou reference) and the band of pirates he falls in with and it’s rather entertaining. Reilly’s art reminds me a bit of Moritat, Goran Parlov, and Goran Sudžuka and it works very well for the story.

| Published by Dark Horse

Avengers #16 continues the war of the vampires. I really like the new design for Ghost Rider from David Marquez. It’s more in line with how Vengeance used to be portrayed and the flame and shadow from Marquez and Erick Arciniega really works for a harder edged version of the character.

| Published by Marvel

Avengers: No Road Home #4 sees Sean Izaakse and Marcio Menyz begin their three issues handling art duties and it’s gorgeous. Like Paco Medina, Juan Vlasco, and Jesus Aburtov for the first three issues, the artists are really giving this story their all and delivering some incredible artwork. Great layouts and panel compositions as we get to see Nyx’s own side of the story.

| Published by Marvel

Batman #66 resumes “Knightmares” with an issue of the Question trying to get to the bottom of Selina leaving Bruce at the proverbial altar. Illustrated by Jorge Fornés, with colours from Dave Stewart, it leans hard into Year One imagery to begin with, evoking David Mazzucchelli, and just goes through Selina’s history with Bruce from there.

| Published by DC Comics

Black Hammer ‘45 #1 expands the Black Hammer universe out further with the addition of a Blackhawks analogue, along with nods to Enemy Ace and Rocket Red, from Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes, Matt Kindt, Sharlene Kindt, and Marie Enger. There’s a compelling mystery set up across the present and the past regarding the Black Hammer Squadron’s final mission and the art from the Kindts is gorgeous.

| Published by Dark Horse

The Black Order #5 concludes the series focusing on Ebony Maw’s betrayal, the end of the Grandmaster’s game, and Carlos Magno, Scott Hanna, Jay David Ramos, and Dono Sánchez-Almara providing the artwork. This has been an interesting series, telling a relatively simple story of the Black Order executing a contract to topple the Sinnarian Emperor, but Derek Landy has been telling it through issues each largely from the viewpoint of each of one of the members of the Black Order. It’s been a good insight into what makes these villains tick.

| Published by Marvel

Blossoms 666 #2 continues to be an entertaining read from Cullen Bunn, Laura Braga, Matt Herms, and Jack Morelli. This chapter lightly deals with the fallout from the disappearance of Ethel and Reggie, while setting up Betty to investigate. The story is definitely taking a slow burn approach, but it’s quite compelling. The horror of a devil cult infiltrating a small town vibe going on is wonderful.

| Published by Archie

Champions #3 goes in a few directions as the new bigger team get some training in, an enemy from Sam’s past comes calling, Dust apparently didn’t get sucked into the Age of X-Man and is dealing with anti-mutant hysteria, and Miles is racked with guilt over his decision. I love the layers that Jim Zub is adding to the script and the art from Steven Cummings, Marcio Menyz, and Federico Blee captures the youthful action very well.

| Published by Marvel

Conan the Barbarian #4 might be my favourite issue of this series yet with glorious guest art from Gerardo Zaffino, evoking memories of his father’s work on Savage Sword, and presenting a gritty, visceral, and dark tale of King Conan alongside Jason Aaron, Matthew Wilson, and Travis Lanham. The idea of Conan becoming sick over peace is humorous and there’s a wonderful nod to the Punisher.

| Published by Marvel

The Curse of Brimstone #12 brings the series to an end with a final confrontation between Brimstone and a member of the “home office”, Infernal. The revelations about who Infernal is a twisted alternate version of is interesting, as well as their means of ingress into the regular DCU. The series also goes out with a bang with the very impressive artwork from Denys Cowan, John Stanisci, and Rain Beredo. Cowan is a legend and that shines through in this final arc. I do hope, though, that we see Brimstone and the effects of this series pop up somewhere else in the DCU in the future.

| Published by DC Comics

Deadly Class #37 continues “Never Go Back” with the spotlight shifted back to Quan and Kenji, bringing back Saya in a pretty big way. The action in Wes Craig’s artwork (with colours from Jordan Boyd) is pretty much peerless.

| Published by Image / Giant Generator

Deathstroke #41 serves as a prelude to the “Terminus Agenda” crossover with Teen Titans, with Slade a fugitive in Gotham, trying to figure out the reason behind one of his recent contracts, from Christopher Priest, Fernando Pasarin, Cam Smith, Sean Parsons, Jeromy Cox, Carrie Strachan, and Willie Schubert. There are some interesting mysteries being set up here, even as Slade is being targeted.

| Published by DC Comics

Die #4 is another brilliant issue from Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, and Clayton Cowles. The depth of the storytelling, character and world building, and overall narrative is staggering in this series. The amount of thought and attention to detail that seem to have gone into constructing the story is just amazing, as what feels like a fully-realized fantasy world cognizant of itself comes tumbling out.

| Published by Image

Eclipse #13 begins the final arc of the series, from Zack Kaplan, Giovanni Timpano, Flavio Dispenza, and Troy Peteri. If the spark lit in this issue is any indication, it looks as if the series is going to end in fire with a lot of death.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Giant Days #48 gives us that rare issue also illustrated by John Allison, I think for the first time since the original series, for a wedding. Very funny look at some of Susan’s hang-ups and Daisy confronted by possible feelings for Esther.

| Published by Boom Entertainment / BOOM! Box

The Girl in the Bay #2 gets weirder as the younger Kathy navigates, from her perspective, the future. Melting doppelgangers, creepy old guys that killed you, ghosts of rock and roll legends, and flat screen televisions stymie her as the mystery deepens. This is some intriguing stuff from JM DeMatteis, Corin Howell, James Devlin, and Clem Robins.

| Published by Dark Horse / Berger Books

The Green Lantern #5 is more glorious madness from Grant Morrison, Liam Sharp, Steve Oliff, and Tom Orzechowski. Easily one of my favourite things to read every month. This issue dives headlong into Hal’s test of recruitment to the Blackstars, a trial of having to survive a gauntlet across the vampire planet, Vorr. Though definitely part of a larger narrative, I’m still impressed by how this series is being constructed through largely satisfying, mostly self-contained stories. And, of course, the astounding artwork from Sharp and Oliff. There’s also some wonderful vampire Easter eggs in this one.

| Published by DC Comics

Immortal Hulk #14 is one hell of an issue, burying Thunderbolt Ross (again) and giving us the reunion of Bruce and Betty. All with glorious guest art from Kyle Hotz, delivering some of his best artwork pretty much ever. Dark, moody, and evocative. This is a big one, once again underlining how sick, twisted, and downright evil General Fortean and the forces hunting Bruce really are, even if they’re supposedly the “good guys”.

| Published by Marvel

Justice League #19 begins the “The Sixth Dimension” arc from Scott Snyder, Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez, and Tom Napolitano, as the League tries to get help from Mr. Mxyzptlk in regards to the broader problems with the Source Wall, Perpetua, and the nefarious plans of the Legion of Doom. Interesting bits of humour in this issue, especially since the end moments give us a rather dark turn.

| Published by DC Comics

Killmonger #5 concludes what has been an excellent series reintroducing a movie-influenced Killmonger back into the Marvel universe from Bryan Hill, Juan Ferreyra, and Joe Sabino. This finale shows just how brutal and calculating he can be when exacting revenge.

| Published by Marvel

Morning in America #1 is the debut of a new ‘80s teen horror drama from most of the Kim & Kim team of Magdalene Visaggio, Claudia Aguirre, and Zakk Saam, with Aguirre providing full illustrations on this series not just colours. It’s good, setting up our lead characters nicely and presenting a compelling mystery for the disappearances of the children.

| Published by Oni Press

Oberon #2 launches Bonnie on her quest, first testing her with a labyrinth, while Oberon and his man-servant deal with some complications. I’m loving the artwork from Miloš Slavković, who is proving equally as adept with fantasy as he does with the sci-fi of Lightstep.

| Published by AfterShock

Red Sonja #2 is a bit more traditional in its approach than the first issue subverting some of the conventions of sword and sorcery, but is no less entertaining as Sonja prepares to defend Hyrkania from the Zamoran invaders. Mirko Colak’s art makes it seem like he was born to draw this sort of adventure.

| Published by Dynamite

Ronin Island #1 is an entertaining debut from Greg Pak, Giannis Milonogiannis, Irma Kniivila, and Simon Bowland, featuring an island of survivors who think they’re the only remnants left from the collapse of the Japanese shogunate. Great art from Milonogiannis and Kniivila, along with a very interesting twist as a cliffhanger.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Self/Made #4 makes another turn as Rebecca manages to “fix” Amala’s data files and brings her programming online in the real world. I love what Mathew Groom, Eduardo Ferigato, Marcelo Costa, Mariana Calil, and Troy Peteri are doing with this series. It’s very good sci-fi, populated with some compelling characters, and raising some important questions about self-determination, creation, and the purpose of life.

| Published by Image

The Six Million Dollar Man #1 is a rather light-hearted take on the franchise from Christopher Hastings, David Hahn, Roshan Kurichiyanil, and Ariana Maher (with special thanks to Zack Davisson). Nice bits of humour in the start to this spy thriller.

| Published by Dynamite

Star Wars #62 begins “The Scourging of Shu-Torun” and what I believe is the final arc from Kieron Gillen. This issue is largely a gathering of the team, with Leia laying out the plan for the regular crew and then going on a recruitment drive of many of the faces that we’ve seen throughout Gillen’s run

| Published by Marvel

Star Wars: Age of Republic - Padmé Amidala #1 is another one-shot set during the Clone Wars, from Jody Houser, Cory Smith, Wilton Santos, Walden Wong, Marc Deering, Java Tartaglia, and Travis Lanham. It briefly touches on Padmé’s relationship with Anakin, but largely deals with attempting to secure a partnership with an unaligned world for the Republic. Things naturally don’t go as well as planned.

| Published by Marvel

Star Wars: Vader - Dark Visions #1 begins a mini-series written by Dennis Hallum and illustrated by different artists per issue, essentially giving us standalone stories from different perspectives on Darth Vader. This first one is from Paolo Villanelli and Arif Prianto, lettered by Joe Caramagna, and is told from the perspective of an inhabitant of an unnamed world that’s been ravaged by a kaiju. It’s a different take on Star Wars, but the art is wonderful.

| Published by Marvel

Vampirella vs. Reanimator #3 sees things get significantly worse for the planet as Herbert West enables Mictecacihuatl’s and Vampirella raises her husband to try to stop her. Things don’t exactly go to plan. I’m still loving the black and white art with spot colours from Blacky Shepherd, it really gives the series a unique visual feel.

| Published by Dynamite

Vindication #2 complicates thing a lot more, delving into Chip’s past and revealing that there’s definitely something shady about Turn, though there are hints that whatever problems he’s got himself in it might be due to protecting his criminal brother. MD Marie, Carlos Miko, Dema Jr., Thiago Goncalves, and Troy Peteri are doing a great job of creating a compelling crime story here, showing that pretty much no one in this story is squeaky clean.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Witchblade #12 closes out this arc, mostly, and sets up a new world as a spell to get them out of their predicament goes awry. Though this story continues to move at a relatively slow pace, Caitlin Kittredge, Roberta Ingranata, Bryan Valenza, and Troy Peteri are still delivering a compelling, engrossing story as they build Alex’s rapport with the Witchblade and throw some unique complication at her.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Young Justice #3 gives us a touching reunion of Impulse and Superboy, before explaining how Conner got to Gemworld. It still doesn’t explain anything about why these pre-Flashpoint variations (other than a possible hint that Superboy isn’t “our” Superboy, although it’s presented in such a way that it seems more like in-story misdirection), but it’s still entertaining. Brian Michael Bendis, Patrick Gleason, Viktor Bogdanovic, Jonathan Glapion, Alejandro Sanchez, Chris Sotomayor, Hi-Fi, Carlos M. Mangual, and Josh Reed continue to slowly tease out the main plot on Gemworld while giving character-specific flashbacks.

| Published by DC Comics / Wonder Comics

Other Highlights: Cemetery Beach #7, Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #5, The Dreaming #7, Female Furies #2, From Hell: Master Edition #4, Gasolina #16, GI Joe: A Real American Hero Yearbook 2019, Kill 6 Billion Demons - Volume 3, Meet the Skrulls #1, Night’s Dominion: Season 3 #4, Noble #16, Paper Girls #26, Unnatural #8

Recommended Collections: Avengers - Volume 2: World Tour, Curse Words - Volume 4: Queen Margaret, Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman, Fantastic Four - Volume 1: Fourever, Justice League Dark - Volume 1: The Last Age of Magic, The Last Siege, Polar - Volume 0: Black Kaiser, Star Wars: Ewoks, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl - Volume 10: Life is too Short, Squirrel Girl, The Wicked + The Divine - Volume 8: Old is the New New, Xerxes

d. emerson eddy has seen the rise and fall of kings.

#This Week in Comics

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comic-movieheroesranked · 7 years

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Cinematic Comic Characters Ranked! (Year 2003) Final Part

Seven comic book movies made their mark during the 2003 year. A big year for sequels as we got X2: X-Men United, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life. Making their debut to the big screen is Daredevil and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. And a first on our list, we got TWO sequels from one series: The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. With two previous champions (Wolverine in 2000 and Lara Croft in 2001) going up against a whole new group of contenders, this list was one of the more exciting ones to make! Here’s your TOP 20!

*SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ALL THE MOVIES HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE*

20. Raven Darkholme/Mystique (X2: X-Men United)

"Because we shouldn't have to."

Mystique is back and she's got one thing on her mind: Break Magneto out of prison. With her mutant and spy abilities, nothing much can stop her from reuniting with Magneto, which is honestly the best thing ever. Seriously if they weren't focused on destroying all humans, they would have one of the best talk shows ever! She has a weird moment where she tries to sleep with Wolverine and a missed opportunity when she has a one-on-one talk with Nightcrawler, who's her son in the comics. Still I think her five word pep talk definitely leads him in the right direction of accepting himself. Because Mystique is a lot of things, but she's also not ashamed of who she is.

19. Link (The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions)

"All I know is that the ship needs an operator. And right now that operator is me."

Link is the rookie in Morpheus's crew, taking over after his brother-in-laws died. Its a risky move. Almost no one believes Neo is the Chosen One and that Morpheus has gone crazy with his prophecies. I feel like he maybe doubted too until he saw Neo in action and finally decided to trust Morpheus as his leader. He proves to be a capable man behind the controls and helps his crew members get out of tight situations as they try and figure out how to save their world. When the war is over, he's finally reunited with Zee.

18. Jean Grey (X2: X-Men United) "But every few millennia evolution leaps forward."

Jean's powers are starting to develop at a rate that is starting to scare her. Not only that, but Wolverine also returns and tries to insert himself in her life even though she's dating Scott. Even though she admits to having an attraction towards him and even shares a steamy kiss, she ultimately chooses Scott in the end. When everyone tries escaping Alkali lake Jean Grey decides to sacrifice herself so that she can save everyone from being destroyed by the incoming rushing water. Before we see her disappear in the water, we see her powers reaching their truest potential and the final scene is a bright image 'taking flight' in the water.

17. Allan Quartermain (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)

"If you can't do it with one bullet don't do it at all."

Some would say he's the leader of the League thanks to his incredible experience when he was younger. Allan is known for being the best hunter in all of Europe before one particular mission results in his son's death. This seems to haunt him throughout the movie which is probably why he gets so attached to Sawyer. In the end he ends up getting stabbed by M just after he saves Sawyer but is able to watch the young man save the day before he finally dies.

16. Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Daredevil)

"Hell's Kitchen is my neighborhood."

Matt Murdock was a kid who's vision was stolen from him, but in return the rest of his senses rapidly heightened to help him create the super vigilante known as the Daredevil. Matt's quest for justice doesn't end once his night patrols are done as he continues his quest by representing the innocent as a lawyer with his best friend, Foggy, by his side. He's a likable guy. He makes jokes and is really trying to make his corrupt neighborhood a better place, he just seems to have really bad luck. In one night he watches his girlfriend get murdered (after being stabbed by said girlfriend) and ends up taking on her killer as well as his father's killer. He ends up sparing both of their lives because he won't stoop to their level and that's why I think his identity remains hidden even after Ben Urich discovers it's him behind the mask.

15. William Stryker (X2: X-Men United)

"My son is dead, just like the rest of you."

Despite being only human, Stryker will always be one of the biggest threats the X-Men will ever face simply because his hatred for mutantkind will never go away. He even neglects his own mutant son which ends up triggering a chain of events that leads to his wife's suicide. This is the final straw and William deals all his cards to take down Professor X and all his X-Men. It's also revealed that he's the one responsible for Logan's adamantium claws and could be the key to Logan remembering his forgotten past. He almost would've gotten away with his plan had he not tortured Magneto, the most dangerous mutant out there. He flips his plans on him and then leaves him trapped to the rushing waters of the Lake. He tries desperately to convince Logan to help him, but the other male walks away, letting the crushing waves take him away.

14. T-X (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines)

"I like your car."

This bitch is on a whole new level of crazy. Can robots be crazy? If so, she takes the cake hands down. I'm pretty sure she kills more people by herself than anyone else on the list and for whatever reason too. She likes your car? She kills you. She likes your gun? She kills you. You're apart of the resistance against Skynet? She EXTRA kills you. Every single time she goes up against Terminator an epic battle ensures. Every time they stop her she just keeps coming back until both her and Terminator are basically scrap metal and he blows them both up, saving John and Kate.

13. Yuriko Oyoma/Lady Deathstrike (X2: X-Men United)

*Kicks Wolverine’s ass*

In all the X-Men films, not counting Logan's solo films, no one really comes close to beating Wolverine in hand to hand combat except for this bad bitch right here. She wipes the floor with his ass. The entire time you're wondering what's her deal being Stryker's assistant until we see her make Cyclops her bitch with one kick to the face. I even feel sympathy for her because at the end of the day, she didn't do any of this willingly she was controller by Stryker. That scene with Professor X also shows that she was probably mind controlled when she got the adamantium claws as well. Still it was a little fun to see her kick Wolverine's ass all up and down that lab until he takes a cheap shot and stabs her with the adamantium pump. You can tell he also realizes she was being mind controlled by the look on his face just as the metal hardens her body, killing her instantly.

12. Niobe (The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions)

"Some things in this world never change."

Niobe proves that she's not just Morpheus's old flame but one of the most capable captains leading the resistance against the machines. She's a huge doubter of Morpheus's prophecies but that doesn't stop her from going with her gut whenever she has too. Because of this she's able to save Morpheus and his team a few times before they team up with Roland's team to head back to Zion. After deciding she believes in Neo, Niobe also proves she's the best pilot the resistance has, proving everyone wrong by flying the ship mechanically all by herself, something they all thought couldn't be done. It's because of her great pilot skills that Zion isn't destroyed during the first wave of sentinel attacks.

11. Tom Sawyer (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)

"That's the part he did wrong...he brought you together."

The wild card. Sawyer enters the mix as he tries to avenge the death of his partner at the hands of M. He manages to save the League and joins them as they try to stop him as well. His sharp shooting instantly makes him Allan's protege throughout the film, learning how to wait for the perfect shot and all, and he manages to make some gutsy moves that ends up saving the day. After Skinner and Allan both sacrifice heavily for him, he manages to take down M once and for all. Just before Allan dies, he sort of passes on the torch to Sawyer, making him the next great hunter.

10. Morpheus (The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions)

"I have imagined this moment for a long time. Is it real?"

Neo's strongest believer Morpheus barely has doubts on whether or not Neo is capable of saving his world from the machines and ending this war for good. He does have them, but in the end it's his faith and his hope that has him make these doubts disappear and lead his crew towards Zion's survival. Always calm and collected, Morpheus shows his strength inside and outside of the Matrix. Seeing his face when the war finally ends is one of the best things about this series, as we see the guy who was the only one to believe in Neo at first finally see his hopes become reality.

9. The Oracle (The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions)

"I expect what I've always expected, for you to make up your own damn mind."

Easily my favorite character in this whole trilogy. The Oracle is a program and her main purpose is keep things unbalanced. She's chaotic good in the fact that she gives her all-knowing advice in the form of choice. She never straight up tells Neo and the others what they should do just because she knows what they're going to do because THEY also know what they're going to do, they just don't know it at the time they're asking her. Obviously I was at my angriest when Agent Smith seemingly kills her. She's all-knowing not all-powerful and at that point there was nothing for her to do against that wack job. I'm so glad she's not really gone and returns back to normal when Neo saves the day.

8. Terminator (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines)

"You are terminated."

Our favorite machine from the future makes his debut on the comic ranking list. Terminator is back and he's got his sunglasses with him as he tries to protect John Connor's life for the third time! Seeing as this Terminator is a different model from the one in the other movies, we get him learning the ways of the present (his past) all over again ("Talk to the hand!"). His main job is to protect John and his future wife, Kate, from the Terminator-Terminating T-X. Since T-X is a superior model, Terminator has to get creative and literally slam tons of heavy transportation mobiles on her. Of course this doesn't stop her and the only thing that does is Terminator sacrificing himself, but not before he ensures the safety of John and Kate and therefore the survival of humanity.

7. Eric Lehnsher/Magneto (X2: X-Men United)

"The war has begun."

My favorite X-Men villain. After getting beat and mind controlled to reveal Cerebro's location to Stryker, Magneto gets the help he needs from Mystique to break out of his plastic prison. He proves just how dangerous he is by destroying he whole place with just three metal balls the size of marbles. He then surprisingly leads the X-Men in a plan to stop Stryker from having Professor X kill all the mutants. You think for a second, 'oh look, he still cares about his best friend.' Wrong! He ends up pulling the same dirty trick Stryker does except this time he has Professor X try to kill all the humans instead. Pleased with his work, Magento leaves with Mystique and newly recruited Pyro on a helicopter jet.

6. Mina Harker (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)

"Don't worry, I've had my fill of throats this evening."

Being the only woman on the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen means constantly being the butt of all the men's misogynistic comments/jokes (Allan, Skinner, Dorian) and denying to return the feelings of all the lonely and hero-complex guys as well (Jekyll/Hyde, Sawyer). Even her introduction to the group doesn't do her justice. A scientist? Really? Throughout the whole movie we don't see her do anything worthwhile with her knowledge of science, but you know what we do see? Her being A BADASS VAMPIRE. And a vampire sired by Dracula, himself, I might add. She kicks so much ass it's without question that she's the best member on the League. She's constantly saving the boys and when her ex Dorian betrays her she takes him down in an epic battle of Immortal vs. Vampire. She does all this in the most elegant clothing while still throwing shade at all the men that doubt her skill.

5. Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler (X2: X-Men United)

"I'm Kurt Wagner, but in the Munich circus, I was known as The Incredible Nightcrawler-"

Nightcrawler's attack on the president was straight up a cinematic masterpiece. Of course we learn that he was mind controlled by Stryker so he can begin his attack on mutants so we're quick to forgive him as he teams up with the X-men to make things right. He has a lot of insecurities due to his treatment when he worked at the circus and due to his appearance and religion. Because of this, he has some great heart to hearts with Storm, Rogue, and even Mystique. He was a fresh face that was accepted with open arms, it really does suck that we don't see him in future films (not counting the prequel/reboot, Apocalypse.)

4. Trinity (The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions)

"Kiss me, once more. Kiss me."

When everyone looks to Neo for strength, Neo looks to Trinity. She's his anchor, the one that fuels him with her love for him to continue on his journey. But that's not all she is. She's also one of the best soldiers to ever step foot in the matrix and has taken down every single person who tries to lay a finger on Neo. She even takes on a bunch of agents knowing she was going to die just so that Neo could finish his mission. Because even though she loves him, she knows that the bigger picture is more than just their relationship, but it's their relationship and their love that helps save the world. It sucks that she was brought back to life only to die again after her ship crashes in Machine City, but at least this time she was able to see the real sun and tell Neo how much she cares for him.

3. Logan/Wolverine (X2: X-Men United)

"If we die, you die."

The champion of our first list back in 2000, our favorite cigar-smoking, claw-slashing, mutant is back! This film is very much about Logan as an important person from his past, Stryker, returns to lead an attack on the people he's grown close to in the present. He ends up being responsible for Rogue all over again (with the addition of Pyro and Iceman) until they reunite with Jean, Storm, Nightcrawler, and eventually Magneto and Mystique. Returning to Alkali Lake, the birthplace of who he is today, Wolverine confronts Stryker and his past demons. Even though he doesn't get all the answers he's looking for, Logan finds peace with it and leaves Stryker to his demise. His moment of clarity is ruined, however, when Jean, the love of his life, sacrifices herself to save everyone. Heartbroken, Logan decides to stay with the X-Men permanently and work with Professor X.

2. Neo (The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions)

"It ends tonight."

The Chosen One. Neo's destiny to end the war with the machines comes full circle as he starts dealing with enemies left and right. From his conversations with the Oracle, to his arguments with the Architect. From the worship he receives from Zion's civilians, to the doubt and almost hate he gets from the rebel forces. He's able to handle it all with the help of Trinity and his crew. As his powers develop Neo's able to do incredible things like flying and bringing back people to life in the Matrix. In the final showdown between him and Agent Smith, Neo cracks a deal with the machines and gives his all, defeating Smith and ending the war with the machines once and for all.

1. Lara Croft (Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life)

"Some things aren't meant to be found."

Our champion from 2001 is back and she's once again taking the crown! Lara Croft returns to remind us all just how bad ass a woman can be with the right pair of pistols and a great sense of adventure. Just like the last time we saw her Lara ends up caught in a crisis after a power hungry man once again tries to steal credit for all the discoveries she's made and potentially end the world. And just like last time, she is never worried and single-handedly takes on everyone who tries to stop her from doing whats right. Again is was great seeing some scenes that looked like they came straight out of the video game and with this being Angelina Jolie's final performance as the iconic female, she did great bringing on the wit we all loved from the first film (movie wasn't the best, I'll admit, but Jolie slays as Lara Croft).

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placetobenation · 6 years

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Happy (sort of) Independence Day to all! As we discuss in this space every year, yours truly is a man of traditions and there is no tradition greater than crushing hot dogs all day and night during a summer cookout, meaning the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is as peak tradition as it gets. And I am here for you to review this epic event each and every year! As usual, we are coming to you live (via tape for me now, natch) from the home of the contest and the original Nathan’s Famous in Brooklyn on Coney Island. And this year, ESPN has moved the full replay of this event to ESPN+, so I had to sign up for the free trial of that grift just to do this. You’re welcome.

We open up our coverage with one of our usual epic intro packages, this one putting some focus on the greatest carnival barker of all time: George FUCKING Shea. I say it every year, but if you are to watch this thing for one reason, it should be for George, who we see high above the masses on a pulpit pitching his pitch for this contest of kings. That is followed by a look back at the key players and their history with the contest and their path to today. That includes the infamous 2015 battle where Matthew Stonie knocked off the GOAT Joey Chestnut, handing him his only loss over the past 11 years. And last year, Chestnut broke his own record with 72 dogs taken down. This recap tries hard to make us think Stonie and Carmen Cincotti have a shot today but time will tell.

Adam Amin and Rich Shea officially welcome us into Coney Island and narrate us through the arrival of the competitors. Amin is new to the show, replacing our old friend Paul Page. I assume Pauly must be in a hospital somewhere because I can’t imagine how that guy would miss this event. Page compares Chestnut to other sports legends and the titles they have won. We also check out the historical hot dogs eaten chart for the career of Chestnut.

We then visit with our intrepid sideline reporter Melanie Collins, who is back for year #4. And just in case you forgot what we are working with there, here you go…

Hi, Mel. Melanie chats with Chestnut, who is fired up and says he won’t be lazy today and is interested if Cincotti can break 70. Melanie breaks down the conditions for us and its possible affect on Joey. What a fucking pro. And while we talk about Matt Stonie’s YouTube success and dramatic drop off here in Brooklyn over the past two years, let’s just pay tribute to our favorite Nathan’s Famous sideline reporter of all time. The First Lady of Salty, Cobbled Together Meatlike Products Consumption Contests, the gorgeous Renee Herlocker.

Renee is gone. I’m pouring beer out for my shorty who ain’t here. Give it up for my shorty. Renee. We get more talk pushing the cases of Cincotti and others, as Adam and Rich think this is the dopest field we have seen in quite some time. I will believe it when I see it, boys.

After a break, we check out some clips from promotion work the competitors have done and it is really clear that Cincotti is getting the Jesus Push as the top contender yet again this year. It is a lot of pressure and the biggest story of the day may be whether or not he can hold up. That is followed up by a look hyping the women’s competition, focusing on our reigning champ Miki Sudo, who has won the last four Mustard Belts after dethroning Sonia Thomas. We transition right into brief highlights of the women’s battle, which featured very little drama. Sudo won it again, outpacing second place by nine dogs but also matching her second lowest total of her run. The heat certainly played a role there, I am sure.

Congrats, Miki! Hopefully they can find a legit challenger to her soon before she just keeps piling up these straps. We do find out that her family was in attendance for the first time today, so that is cool. Mel chats with Miki, who says she knew she had a strong lead and just kept pace enough to win. She joins Chestnut and Kobayashi as the only five time champions here in Brooklyn.

Melanie returns and walks us through a video profile on Cincotti, the local hero done well. Of course, fittingly he was born on the Fourth of July and has risen the ranks of competitive eating as the years have ticked along. We get words from his family, including his mom, who wasn’t happy that she funded his college tuition and then went into competitive hot dog eating, but she seems proud nonetheless. Today on his 25th birthday, he goes for the gold.

Upon returning from a break, we get a plug for American Cornhole League action and then get an in depth package on Mr. Chestnut himself, including talk about all his head-to-head wars with Kobayashi. That is immediately followed by a hype piece on Japanese import Max Suzuki, a YouTube sensation that prefers Ramen noodles as his gluttonous delicacy of choice. He qualified for this contest by knocking down 42 dogs in the Las Vegas qualifier and credits Kobayashi as his inspiration and hero.

And after a break it is now time for the competitors to enter… and as always, I implore you to watch this part for yourselves because no man can do the Immortal George Shea justice as he does his thing. The field:

Matt Hazzard: Qualified in Valdosta, GA by finishing off 22 dogs and buns

Derek Jacobs: A weightlifter that won a Kroeger Contest and for some reason, he is barefoot

Juan Neave: Won the San Antonio qualifier and has a multicolored mohawk

Adrian “The Rabbit” Morgan: #7 in the world; Acme Oyster eating champion, killed 42 dozen in eight minutes

Pablo Martinez: Wearing a Lucha mask for his entrance and is a paranormal investigator

Eric “The Red” Denmark: Habanero eating champion of the world; Won the Portland, OR qualifier

“Buffalo” Jim Reeves:”His good cholesterol is low, his bad cholesterol is high and his BMI is borderline Presidential”

Steve Hendry: #16 in the world; 28 dogs and buns in Viejo, CA; has eaten 144 chicken wings

Juan “More Bite” Rodriguez: #12 in the world; personal trainer and won the Des Moines qualifier

Ronnie Hartman: Debuted in 2013 while on leave from Army duty in Afghanistan; training to be a pro wrestler

George Chiger: A massive dude and a rookie who qualified on his fourth try

Nick Wehry: Odds on favorite for MLE Rookie of the Year; won the Citi Field qualifier

Gideon Oji: Ranked #6; Kale eating and green chili stew champion of the world

Eric “Badlands” Booker: The Fucking Man and he and Shea do an awesome combo freestyle rap

Rich “The Locust” LeFevre: #13 and 74 years old; Shea basically says is on his deathbed; Spam eating champion of the world and oldest competitor in 101 year history of the contest

Max Suzuki: #1 in Japan; Has eaten 20 pounds of Ramen

Geoffrey Esper: Pepperoni roll and pizza eating champion of the world

Darron Breeden; Uses the “Tallahassee Two Hand” method

Matt Stonie: #2 in the world; 2016 Nathan’s Champion; Shea is fucking amazing here too

Carmen Cincotti: “He was born on the Fourth of July but this day is a vessel of pain”

Joey Chestnut: The GOAT

This was all worth watching just for the Booker & Shea freestyle battle. What a fucking moment. We also get a neat scroll of all the records Chestnut holds. A true legend of space and time. And after this next break, the 101st Nathan’s Contest will kick off!

We return with one last hype video including a Badlands Booker rap and then it is officially time to light this candle. The clock winds up and away we go! Chestnut is burying processed meat off the bat as we learn that Joey has his own dedicated camera on ESPN3 like the fucking legend he is. Everyone is chugging along at a solid pace to start as usual, with Chestnut setting the pace as usual. The announcers discuss how relaxed Stonie was this week and that could come into play and toss out a potential comparison of Nick Foles beating Tom Brady. Stonie, Suzuki and Cincotti have all passed Chestnut but that is short lived, natch. Stonie is on fire here as we tick two minutes in. Some of these dudes have earbuds in, which is pretty cool. They should do a segment on what they prefer to listen to. Stonie and Chestnut are neck and neck now, and this is a nice bounce back for Matty after a weak showing a year ago.

As we duck below seven minutes, Cincotti is struggling, perhaps crumbling under all the hype and birthday expectations. Joey is at 27, averaging about 7.75 per minute. He has now opened up a six dog lead over Stonie, who is fading quickly. We are closing in on five minutes and this may already be over as Chestnut is leading Esper by seven with Stonie and Cincotti in sniffing distance. Halfway through, Chestnut is at 37 and Melanie tells us he is behind the pace he figured he needed to break the record. We get some insight on the humidity as Chestnut now leads by 11. Amin is rambling about Liv Tyler as this thing is all but over, leaving the record as the only point of question. Shea talks about Chestnut’s training and prep this week, which is more interesting than the contest. Chestnut is at 48 with three minutes to go so he will need to rally pump some meat down to take this record.

Stonie and Cincotti oscillate for second but are trailing by deep double digits now. Shea wonders how many eaters can hit 50 and reminds us that those beyond the winner also get prize money, so finishing high means more cash. We are under two minutes and Joey is sitting in the mid-50s, he has some legit work to do to get the record, but we can never count him out. Amin and Shea are all over the place as we hit the final minute. Chestnut is at 58 and leading by 19 with 60 seconds to go. “The esophagus of a champion, the stomach of a warlord” says Shea, and who can argue with him. Joey is destroying the field but is only at 62 with 15 seconds left so the record looks safe for this year. Time bleeds out and Chestnut locks up his 11th title with a 19 dog win. What a master of his craft. Cincotti finished second at least, so nice rally there.

We wrap things up with Mel chatting with Chestnut, who talks about battling the humidity and says the judges were a mess and couldn’t keep track but he fought through. We also now find out that Chestnut actually wrecked 74 hot dogs, which would be the record. Looks like that unofficial tracker was way off then. Chestnut celebrates while Amin and Shea wrap us up and we are out.

This was a lot of fun as always thanks to George Shea and the production but we need some legit threats to both belts at some point. Seeing Chestnut smash records is fun, but without a real foe the contests are anticlimactic. And we didn’t even get to enjoy the buzz of the record falling this year because of the judge and tracker issues. All that said, this is still one of my favorite events of the year and I am already prepping for 2019! All hail Joseph Chestnut, the once and future king of processed meats!

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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flauntpage · 7 years

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Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks

For our 2017-18 NBA Season Preview, we're doing deep dives on five teams who can beat the Warriors in the next five years—and the players who can push them over the top.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's transformation from gangly neophyte into menacing prophet has been stunning not just for its pace but also for its smoothness. His is the rare story of tantalizing potential fully redeemed, and then some. He has increased his production in all five major statistical categories each of his four seasons in the league, and he's just 22. He'll tell us when he's done.

What the 6'11" matchup catastrophe can already do—defend from the perimeter to the rim, gyro-step across continents, dunk everything in sight—sets up the Milwaukee Bucks to contend for years to come. But even Antetokounmpo, Destroyer of Worlds will need help to take down the Golden State Warriors. By 2021, a fully formed Thon Maker, a somehow wilier Malcolm Brogdon, and Khris Middleton playing baseline jazz will be enough to make it a series.

Whether the Bucks can win that series depends on the team's other 22-year-old star forward, Jabari Parker. The injuries that have so far derailed Parker's career put the linearity of Antetokounmpo's ascent in stark relief. An athletic marvel in his own right, Parker had as much offensive polish coming out of college as any player drafted this decade. Stretching his bruising game to the three-point line last season, the former Duke Blue Devil emerged as the ideal counterpunch to Antetokounmpo. Together, they made half-court sets a paint-stripping cyclone of drives, dives, and back-cuts.

But for the second time in three years, Parker's season ended prematurely with a torn left ACL. The short list of NBA players who have sustained this knee injury twice does not offer an especially promising outlook for Parker's recovery. Michael Redd was a shell of himself after a 14-month absence. Baron Davis never made it back. Tony Wroten fails to register.

Parker's second ACL tear. Photo by Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

And yet, everyone who knows Jabari Parker thinks his story will end differently. "Jabari believes he's supposed to be special," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "And he's willing to pay the price to be special. Road blocks like this, which are supposed to be big ones, are not going to deter him reaching that destination."

Parker has more than an army of believers supporting him in his recovery. He also has the steady march of science at his back, and one of the best ACL rehabbers in the world in his corner. And he's still just 22.

When an NBA player tears an anterior cruciate ligament, he usually hears a pop. It's the sound of his femur and tibia separating from each other as the rope connecting them frays and the cartilage surrounding the joint cuts loose. The surgery requires about a year's worth of rehab.

Why injuries of the anterior cruciate ligament have been on the rise over the past decade is anyone's guess. "It's the Nobel Prize–winning question," said Dr. David Altchek, who performed Parker's first ACL surgery. The sheer force being applied to knee joints by increasingly explosive athletes could be one liability; looking at the NBA specifically, Dr. Altchek blames the Eurostep.

The operation is fairly standard. The surgeon takes a graft, usually of the patellar tendon, and uses it to build a new ACL. If the new ACL fails—as Parker's did—a second graft will be taken for the revision, usually from the opposite knee, but the success rate of an ACL revision surgery is lower—about 75 percent, according to Dr. Robert LaPrade, who performed Parker's second surgery. "The biology of the whole healing response is not as precise," Altchek said.

That would seem to spell trouble for a player of Parker's intensity, and it does—no medical professional would deny the vulnerability of his left knee henceforth. But an avalanche of research and innovation in ACL injury prevention and recovery could swing his future.

One study, funded by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, investigates the effectiveness of HGH in rehabilitating the injury. Another explores the insertion of a synthetic brace around the ligament. Stem-cell injections and platelet-rich plasma treatments are already being performed in the United States to accelerate healing; though their effectiveness has not been empirically proven, it's not hard to imagine something along those lines becoming standard practice down the road.

Meanwhile, Parker has been seen dunking. He's only seven months removed from his surgery, and five months away from his slated return, but Parker's second comeback is already looking a lot like his first. Reporters who have seen him practicing the past few weeks say he's showing no ill effects in non-contact drills—pivoting and showing burst, elevating off of one foot and two.

He has plenty going for him his second time around. He was in peak physical condition when he went down, which he has said allowed his recovery to begin earlier. Age is on his side. And he has the resilience of a damn CAA intern. Look at what Parker told Sports Illustrated in a video posted online Thursday:

I see beauty in my scars. They tell my story. And when I'm able to uplift myself from those positions, I'm always going to backtrack and remind myself the grit, the pain, the disappointment that it's gonna take to be successful one day.

What the Bucks will not say—the team did not make anyone available for this story—is how he has gotten up to speed this quickly.

Occam's razor would suggest the guidance of Suki Hobson, the team's director of strength and conditioning who also oversaw Parker's first ACL comeback. Originally from England, Hobson honed her craft in Australia, which is famous for producing some of the world's top sports scientists (including several who work for NBA teams today). She rehabbed fallen rugby players, footballers, and BMX riders before joining the Bucks' staff about six months after Parker's first ACL injury.

Hobson's knowledge of knee function, one trainer told me, is considered industry-leading. And Parker's training program seemed fun, an American Ninja Warrior–esque gauntlet of trampolines, balance beams, and monkey bars. Now it includes dunking. If nothing else, it's a promising indicator of the player Hobson is trying to rebuild, and of his place in the offense Milwaukee wants to restore.

The funny thing is, the knock on Jabari Parker coming out of college was that he wasn't particularly athletic. That was a misconception, partly a function of context—he was picked immediately after YouTube demigod Andrew Wiggins—and also the result of a foot injury that sidelined him for much of his senior year of high school and limited him at Duke.

"We never got the 100 percent Jabari here," said Jeff Capel, a Duke assistant coach who remains close with Parker. "People forgot that he was this great athlete in high school [before] he hurt his foot." He came into the NBA at 19 years old, seemingly with baby fat still on his arms. His knee gave out only 25 games in.

It was not until Jabari 2.0, the goateed player coming off that first ACL tear in late 2015, that the NBA saw his tape-measure verticality, that Jamesian blend of power and agility. In handing the Golden State Warriors their first loss in a record-breaking 73-9 season, Parker poured in 19 points, showcasing the full package of transition scoring, off-ball creativity, and touch from the perimeter. Jabari 3.0, debuting in late February 2018, might somehow be even scarier.

2021 is a long way away, with everyone but Antetokounmpo and Maker up for new contracts between now and then. If the Bucks can't reach an extension with Parker before this season starts, he'll be a restricted free agent next summer. But teams with championship aspirations don't let great assets walk. He figures to be in Milwaukee for a few more playoff runs.

Time, luck, and science will tell how deep Parker can take them—how long he can last in the ring with Draymond Green, whether his lateral movement will ever fully return, what kind of player he will be. But Parker isn't feeling bad for himself. He'll be making up for lost time starting again in February.

"He has a way, man, which is weird, it's so different," Capel said. "He's had these two injuries. He was playing great and all of a sudden it happened. But right afterwards he's reassuring you—you're heartbroken and all those things, and he's the one picking you up. He's strong, he's resilient, and he came back better and more explosive. I think you're going to see the same thing from this injury."

Bouncing back from a second torn ACL on a 12-month timeline wouldn't be normal. A full recovery sustained through his athletic prime might be even more improbable. But maybe that makes it Parker's most likely outcome.

"I mean, he's a freak," Capel added with a chuckle. "Some guys are like that."

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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amtushinfosolutionspage · 7 years

Text

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s transformation from gangly neophyte into menacing prophet has been stunning not just for its pace but also for its smoothness. His is the rare story of tantalizing potential fully redeemed, and then some. He has increased his production in all five major statistical categories each of his four seasons in the league, and he’s just 22. He’ll tell us when he’s done.

What the 6’11” matchup catastrophe can already do—defend from the perimeter to the rim, gyro-step across continents, dunk everything in sight—sets up the Milwaukee Bucks to contend for years to come. But even Antetokounmpo, Destroyer of Worlds will need help to take down the Golden State Warriors. By 2021, a fully formed Thon Maker, a somehow wilier Malcolm Brogdon, and Khris Middleton playing baseline jazz will be enough to make it a series.

Whether the Bucks can win that series depends on the team’s other 22-year-old star forward, Jabari Parker. The injuries that have so far derailed Parker’s career put the linearity of Antetokounmpo’s ascent in stark relief. An athletic marvel in his own right, Parker had as much offensive polish coming out of college as any player drafted this decade. Stretching his bruising game to the three-point line last season, the former Duke Blue Devil emerged as the ideal counterpunch to Antetokounmpo. Together, they made half-court sets a paint-stripping cyclone of drives, dives, and back-cuts.

But for the second time in three years, Parker’s season ended prematurely with a torn left ACL. The short list of NBA players who have sustained this knee injury twice does not offer an especially promising outlook for Parker’s recovery. Michael Redd was a shell of himself after a 14-month absence. Baron Davis never made it back. Tony Wroten fails to register.

Parker’s second ACL tear. Photo by Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

And yet, everyone who knows Jabari Parker thinks his story will end differently. “Jabari believes he’s supposed to be special,” said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. “And he’s willing to pay the price to be special. Road blocks like this, which are supposed to be big ones, are not going to deter him reaching that destination.”

When an NBA player tears an anterior cruciate ligament, he usually hears a pop. It’s the sound of his femur and tibia separating from each other as the rope connecting them frays and the cartilage surrounding the joint cuts loose. The surgery requires about a year’s worth of rehab.

Why injuries of the anterior cruciate ligament have been on the rise over the past decade is anyone’s guess. “It’s the Nobel Prize–winning question,” said Dr. David Altchek, who performed Parker’s first ACL surgery. The sheer force being applied to knee joints by increasingly explosive athletes could be one liability; looking at the NBA specifically, Dr. Altchek blames the Eurostep.

The operation is fairly standard. The surgeon takes a graft, usually of the patellar tendon, and uses it to build a new ACL. If the new ACL fails—as Parker’s did—a second graft will be taken for the revision, usually from the opposite knee, but the success rate of an ACL revision surgery is lower—about 75 percent, according to Dr. Robert LaPrade, who performed Parker’s second surgery. “The biology of the whole healing response is not as precise,” Altchek said.

That would seem to spell trouble for a player of Parker’s intensity, and it does—no medical professional would deny the vulnerability of his left knee henceforth. But an avalanche of research and innovation in ACL injury prevention and recovery could swing his future.

One study, funded by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, investigates the effectiveness of HGH in rehabilitating the injury. Another explores the insertion of a synthetic brace around the ligament. Stem-cell injections and platelet-rich plasma treatments are already being performed in the United States to accelerate healing; though their effectiveness has not been empirically proven, it’s not hard to imagine something along those lines becoming standard practice down the road.

Meanwhile, Parker has been seen dunking. He’s only seven months removed from his surgery, and five months away from his slated return, but Parker’s second comeback is already looking a lot like his first. Reporters who have seen him practicing the past few weeks say he’s showing no ill effects in non-contact drills—pivoting and showing burst, elevating off of one foot and two.

I see beauty in my scars. They tell my story. And when I’m able to uplift myself from those positions, I’m always going to backtrack and remind myself the grit, the pain, the disappointment that it’s gonna take to be successful one day.

What the Bucks will not say—the team did not make anyone available for this story—is how he has gotten up to speed this quickly.

Occam’s razor would suggest the guidance of Suki Hobson, the team’s director of strength and conditioning who also oversaw Parker’s first ACL comeback. Originally from England, Hobson honed her craft in Australia, which is famous for producing some of the world’s top sports scientists (including several who work for NBA teams today). She rehabbed fallen rugby players, footballers, and BMX riders before joining the Bucks’ staff about six months after Parker’s first ACL injury.

Hobson’s knowledge of knee function, one trainer told me, is considered industry-leading. And Parker’s training program seemed fun, an American Ninja Warrior–esque gauntlet of trampolines, balance beams, and monkey bars. Now it includes dunking. If nothing else, it’s a promising indicator of the player Hobson is trying to rebuild, and of his place in the offense Milwaukee wants to restore.

The funny thing is, the knock on Jabari Parker coming out of college was that he wasn’t particularly athletic. That was a misconception, partly a function of context—he was picked immediately after YouTube demigod Andrew Wiggins—and also the result of a foot injury that sidelined him for much of his senior year of high school and limited him at Duke.

“We never got the 100 percent Jabari here,” said Jeff Caple, a Duke assistant coach who remains close with Parker. “People forgot that he was this great athlete in high school [before] he hurt his foot.” He came into the NBA at 19 years old, seemingly with baby fat still on his arms. His knee gave out only 25 games in.

2021 is a long way away, with everyone but Antetokounmpo and Maker up for new contracts between now and then. If the Bucks can’t reach an extension with Parker before this season starts, he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer. But teams with championship aspirations don’t let great assets walk. He figures to be in Milwaukee for a few more playoff runs.

Time, luck, and science will tell how deep Parker can take them—how long he can last in the ring with Draymond Green, whether his lateral movement will ever fully return, what kind of player he will be. But Parker isn’t feeling bad for himself. He’ll be making up for lost time starting again in February.

“He has a way, man, which is weird, it’s so different,” Caple said. “He’s had these two injuries. He was playing great and all of a sudden it happened. But right afterwards he’s reassuring you—you’re heartbroken and all those things, and he’s the one picking you up. He’s strong, he’s resilient, and he came back better and more explosive. I think you’re going to see the same thing from this injury.”

Bouncing back from a second torn ACL on a 12-month timeline wouldn’t be normal. A full recovery sustained through his athletic prime might be even more improbable. But maybe that makes it Parker’s most likely outcome.

“I mean, he’s a freak,” Caple added with a chuckle. “Some guys are like that.”

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks syndicated from http://ift.tt/2ug2Ns6

0 notes

flauntpage · 7 years

Text

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks

Parker's second ACL tear. Photo by Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

What the Bucks will not say—the team did not make anyone available for this story—is how he has gotten up to speed this quickly.

"I mean, he's a freak," Capel added with a chuckle. "Some guys are like that."

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

0 notes

flauntpage · 7 years

Text

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks

Parker's second ACL tear. Photo by Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

What the Bucks will not say—the team did not make anyone available for this story—is how he has gotten up to speed this quickly.

"We never got the 100 percent Jabari here," said Jeff Caple, a Duke assistant coach who remains close with Parker. "People forgot that he was this great athlete in high school [before] he hurt his foot." He came into the NBA at 19 years old, seemingly with baby fat still on his arms. His knee gave out only 25 games in.

"He has a way, man, which is weird, it's so different," Caple said. "He's had these two injuries. He was playing great and all of a sudden it happened. But right afterwards he's reassuring you—you're heartbroken and all those things, and he's the one picking you up. He's strong, he's resilient, and he came back better and more explosive. I think you're going to see the same thing from this injury."

"I mean, he's a freak," Caple added with a chuckle. "Some guys are like that."

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

0 notes

flauntpage · 7 years

Text

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks

Parker's second ACL tear. Photo by Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

What the Bucks will not say—the team did not make anyone available for this story—is how he has gotten up to speed this quickly.

"I mean, he's a freak," Caple added with a chuckle. "Some guys are like that."

Meet Your 2021 NBA Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

0 notes