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tophatal · 7 years

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The Old Man And The Sea

Of late, with all of the political in-fighting , backbiting and basic nonsense that seems to encapsulate the landscape of American politics on the domestic and international front . I’ve begun to take a look at some of the asinine things now out in print within the various news’ formats and social media platforms. The latest piece de resistance would appear to be the issue of what is meant to be ‘ White Privilege’ . From my own perspective I simply believe it to be the social basis, whereby Caucasians will continue to cling to power , be it politically, socially and economically. The fact that in large part, they feel it is being perpetuated by minorities when in fact, minorities have never been seen or be treated as their equal is somewhat perplexing, but here we are at a point in the nation’s history, where a President can simply be bold enough to insult a panacea of ethnic groups and it’s seen as his right as freedom of speech , while he also claims to be uniting the country as a whole.

Last I looked , President Donald Trump had little understanding of the rule of law let alone the Constitution. Be that as it may, nine months into his Presidential reign , his supporters remain staunch in their support while his detractors continue to look for ways to take him down.

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Away from the political landscape , the World Series is now in progress and the two best teams in baseball are now providing the fans with what should be an exciting series. I believe this series could and should go to a full seven games given the abilities of the two teams, the AL’s Houston Astros and the NL’s Los Angles Dodgers . The Dodgers have the highest payroll in the game as well as being among the best supported teams in baseball. Dave Roberts and his Houston counterpart, AJ Hinch could be up for managerial honors in 2017 , given their achievements this season. As for the teams themselves, after the first two games , they’re now square at one game apiece with game-three set to take place on Friday night at Minute Maid Field in Houston , Texas. The opposing pitchers will be Yu Darvish of the Los Angeles Dodgers against Lance McCullers Jr of the Houston Astros.

Not to take away from the spectacle of the World Series , but the other big story within the game has been the New York Yankees making the decision not to renew the contract of team manager Joe Girard . His four-year contract was due to expire and it was thought the front office might well be leaning towards a renewal . It wasn’t to be and after ten years in charge , Girardi is out the door and no chance his making another $16-$20 million over the next four years. Luckily enough with vacancies now in Washington with the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Phillies, Girardi has his pick of two viable alternatives. Though I do expect there to be one or two more possible vacancies coming up within the next few weeks.

Joe Girardi was able to guide the New York Yankees to a World Series’ title in 2009 , but since then, their appearances in the postseason have often ended in failure before the Fall Classic itself. Brian Cashman general manager of the Yankees’ organization is also in the last season of his existing contract and the siblings controlling the ball-club, Hal Steinbrenner and Hank Steinbrenner have not expressed their sentiments in keeping Cashman in his current role. If changes are to be made concerning the roles of the manager and general manager then now would be the time to do it. Gary Denbo was allowed to leave the organization to join Derek Jeter within the front office of the Miami Marlins , where Jeter now serves in the role of Chief Executive Officer while Denbo serves in his capacity as Vice President, Player Development & Scouting .

In terms of a new manager, where the New York Yankees go from here is anyone’s guess , as they could promote from within to fill the vacancy left with the departure of Joe Girardi or they could go out and seek a more high-profiled name to succeed Girardi. One thing is certain , the core of this roster , where several of the younger players made their mark this season. It leaves this ball-club in a very healthy situation, though I do believe several of their highly overpaid veterans ought to be shown the door because of their lack of productivity. I don’t believe there can be any justification for the return of CC Sabathia , Matt Holliday , Jacoby Ellsbury , Michael Pineda and Aroldis Chapman . I know that the Yankees like to do things a certain way , but when you’re shelling out over $20 million a year and getting very little in return . Then , there comes a time when you have to rethink your strategy entirely.

Ideas above their station and the belief, they continue to remain relevant . It has been several years since the Florida Gators were striking fear into their opponents. This season , the only thing being struck are the players’ egos , as they realize they’re way in over their heads, while the coaching staff of Jim McElwain looks to take down not an opponent, but fans who have become sick and tired of the mediocrity shown by the team . After a recent game , McElwain could be seen berating a fan who called for the dismissal of the entire coaching staff. It’s funny , I was under the impression some college coaches were thick-skinned. Clearly, Jim McElwain’s skin is softer than a baby’s ass and is of a really delicate nature . The loss to Texas A&M brought about the capitulation of the Gators’ season and the end to their postseason hopes of a playoff berth. Up next for the Florida Gators will be a game against the number three-ranked Georgia (Bulldogs) to be played at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville , Florida on Saturday 28th October , 2017 .

Nick Saban will continue to rewrite the history books in terms of modern College Football . His legacy is there for all to bear witness to. With the number one ranked team in the nation , Saban has Alabama (8-0) firing on all cylinders as they look to have another unbeaten season. Their upset loss in the national title game to Clemson were what dreams are made off as Clemson in a game of cat-and-mouse , beat their more well-established opponent . The path to this season’s national title game will be a pleasant one for Alabama , as they have nothing else left to lose , other than their dignity. Dabo Sweeny and his fans knows that the program still has a great deal to live up to . In week nine Clemson will to face Georgia Tech . Alabama for its part will be looking to make it nine consecutive wins in a row when they take on LSU (Tigers) on the 4th November , 2017 .

The number of unbeaten teams in the NBA now stands at three , with the Los Angeles Clippers (3-0) , Portland Trailblazers (3-0) and the San Antonio Spurs (4-0) being the only franchises without a loss. Pretty much safe to say by the end of the season all of the teams will have suffered a defeat . On Thursday night there were five games taking place with the most interesting being the contest between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics . For the Bucks, Giannis Antetkounmpo has lived up to the expectations based on his performances of last season for the team . This season Antetkounmpou has proven to be equally effective alongside a considerably improved starting lineup. The next game for the Milwaukee Bucks will be a match-up against the Atlanta Hawks on the road at the Philips Arena in Atlanta , Georgia on October 29th .

At this moment in time I believe Giannis Antetkounmpo to be one of the top-ten centers in the league and among the best forwards now playing !

It will certainly be interesting to see what the Milwaukee Bucks are capable of achieving this season within their division as well as the league overall . I don’t see them a s fifty-win team, but they are certainly able to play themselves into contention, f we see the coaching acumen of Jason Kidd rise to the fore. He is by far in a way one of the most innovative coaches in the league today , though not yet on the plateau of Gregg Popovich , the five-time championship winning coach. Popovich has been able to coach All Stars , but he has also been able to groom and develop talent turning them into All Stars . Those claims cannot be made for the likes of Phil Jackson , Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra , because they were handed the keys to a Ferrari and then merely asked to take it for a spin before going on their respective journeys. Doubt my word , then simply look at the facts ?

Gregg Popovich continues to be a miracle worker and his record is remarkable. This season the San Antonio Spurs are without their best player , Kawhi Leonard , but somehow they remain in contention . Once Leonard is back in the starting lineup , then I expect to see this team really challenge the likes of the Golden State Warriors , Houston Rockets , Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder within the Western Conference . As contentious and competitive as that conference continues to be , by contrast the Eastern Conference will remain mediocre. Those who are on the know cannot deny that very fact. Popovich will lead the San Antonio Spurs out for their next game against the Orlando Magic , as he seeks to win the one thousand one hundred and fifty-fifth regular season of his professional coaching career.

Injuries we know tend to plague a season no matter what the professional sport and it is the case once again within the NBA. How the teams fare will be dependent upon what the coaches seek to do in rearranging their lineups from day to-day. Midway into month-three of the schedule , I believe the teams will have found their rhythm while playing some competitive basketball.

So all of the hoopla and hype cannot hide the fact of what we already know , the Miami Dolphins are not a very good team . Having lost Ryan Tannehill for the regular season , the front office saw fit to seek out the retired Jay Cutler , offer him a one-year $10 million deal . Adam Gase seemingly had no faith in Matt Moore who led the team to the postseason in 2016 , in one of the Dolphins’ most recent appearances. Cutler’s lack of consistency has derailed any hopes they may have had within the AFC East as well as obtaining a postseason berth within the AFC . The team’s defense cannot mask the fact they’re simply not that good to begin with. With Jay Cutler now suffering an injury , it would appear team owner Stephen Ross will continue to tow the league line by having nothing to do with Colin Kaepernick . This might well come from the fact in recent weeks under the advice of his legal counsel , Kaepernick has filed a grievance within the US Federal Courts with the charges of collusion by the NFL and team owners . There may well be grounds for the suit, but the preponderance of proof will be by that of the plaintiff and his being able to prove his case. However , what has been glaringly obvious team owners have paid this issue very little lip service , while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to hide behind a great deal of rhetoric while in the background. What also is astoundingly clear, the NFLPA leadership and their Executive Director DeMaurice Smith have shown very little support for Kaepernick.

The Baltimore Ravens played host to the Miami Dolphins in a Thursday night game played at London’s Wembley Stadium . This match-up proved to be eventful as Joe Flacco was lost the Ravens , even though they routed their opponents in a 40- 0 clubbing of Miami. Matt Moore’s performance itself was far from satisfactory and it should tell you something that prior to the start of the game , Miami had seen fit to sign David Fales to a contract. As I alluded to earlier , I do believe there are grounds for Colin Kaepernick to proceed with his suit against the NFL. Now his detractors are likely to suggest that Kaepernick is not that great a player if you base it on his play during 2016 , but I would suggest he is far from being the worst quarterback in the league last season and his statistics would be favorable over number of players in the league who have played two or more games in the league during this season . If we really want to make comparisons concerning the ability of Colin Kaepernick and how he measures up against Jay Cutler and Joe Flacco , perhaps we might take a look at their statistics .

As for understanding the reasons behind Colin Kaepernick’s stance , let’s just say when it comes to real activism by the NFL , it tends to favor their making money and placing what they believe to be a pristine image rather than actually taking a noticeable stance. As for the issue of privilege , be it Black or White , let’s just say that whole issue has never been addressed in the true sense of the word . Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones suggests that the players on the Cowboys’ roster are his property. Last I looked, in spite of their current mediocre record , the Cowboys wasn’t a plantation , but I am beginning to deduce Jones’ slave mentality approach is something that might be shared by several of his fellow owners .

Donald Trump’s idiotic rants calling for the NFL players to be fired from their teams for showing a lack of patriotism when the national anthem is played., indicates he has no concept as to the rule of law , let alone the issue of free speech ( freedom of expression) , yet he considers it appropriate to denigrate people of color and the families of fallen war veterans , using the language and tact you’d come to expect of a highly uneducated person. My bad , I forgot his education at Brown University and Wharton Business School actually allows him that privilege. Bigoted ‘white privilege ‘ run amok . Jerry Jones like Donald Trump , they don’t lack candor , but what they do lack, is respect for another person’s right to express themselves freely. What might be even more hypocritical about the owner , has been his willingness to support players on his team who’ve ran afoul of the law under suspicion for acts of battery , spousal abuse and even felonious assault. The reason behind his support , simply from the fact, it would lessen the chance of the Dallas Cowboys winning a game.

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Byron Scott, the now fired former coach of the Hornets. GM , Jeff Bower who has now assumeed the position of head coach on an interim basis. And assistant coach , Tim Floyd. It’s safe to assume that the reins may well be handed over to Floyd at some time in the future given the fact Bower has no experience as a coach of any kind with regard to the NBA . picture apears courtesy of nbae/ getty images / Richard Tyson …………..

Rays’ third baseman , Evan Longoria at the plate for team. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Vic Hallam

Carl Crawford’s three-run home run in the sixth inning highlighted Tampa Bay’s three-game sweep of the Angels. The Rays are five games over .500 for the first time in team history. photo appears courtesy of the Associated Press/ Mike Carlson ………….

Gatots’ player Tim Tebow (15) and his coach Urban Meyer discuss their options during a game. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Chris Dickson ……………….

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig’s steroids proposal, made to the union last month, calls for a 50-game ban for first offenders, a 100-game penalty for second offenders and a lifetime ban for a third positive test. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press / Adam Roundtree …….

Carolina Panthers’ Julius Peppers saluting fans as he walks off the field after the Panthers’ 23-10 win over the New Orleans Saints in an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers have decided the price is too steep to keep their all-time sacks leader. It means five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers is about to become one of the top prizes in free agency. Agent Carl Carey says the Panthers have told him they won’t place the restrictive franchise tag on Peppers for a second consecutive year at a cost of more than $20 million. The move Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, comes two days before the tag deadline. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Rick Havner ……

Mike Dunleavy (#17) of the Indiana Pacers goes up for the lay up against Brendan Haywood (#33) of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center on February 22, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Glenn James ……………….

University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman, left, and head football coach Rich Rodriguez, right, are shown at a news conference in Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010. The NCAA has found that Michigan’s storied football program was out of compliance with practice time rules under coach Rodriguez. Incoming athletic director David Brandon disclosed the finding Tuesday. He says there were no surprises in the NCAA findings. He also says Rodriguez remains the coach. Michigan has 90 days to respond and will appear at an NCAA hearing on infractions in August. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Paul Sancya ……

Los Angeles -January 13th 2010. New head coach of the USC Trojans Lane Kiffin shakes a hand as he makes his way to his press conference at Heritage Hall in Los Angeles, California. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Harry How ……………..

Duke’s Jon Scheyer collides with Virginia Tech’s Malcolm Delaney, left, during the first half. Scheyer scored 25 points and collected 10 rebounds in the win. The Blue Devils defeated Virginia Tech (Hokies) 67-55 in the game . photo appears courtesy of Associated Press / Sara Davis ……………..

Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts speaks to the media Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 at the Chicago Cubs spring training facility in Mesa, Ariz. photo appears Assoc. Press/ Matt York ….

Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, right, along with coaches Matt Sinatro, middle, and Lester Strode watch pitchers warm up during spring training baseball camp practice Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, in Mesa, Ariz. photo appears courtesy of Assoc. Press/ Ross D. Franklin ………..

Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Mauer swings in the batting cage at baseball spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/ Nati Harnik …….

Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, left, watches batting practice with Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez during spring training baseball Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, in Jupiter, Fla. With the smallest payroll in the majors last year, the Marlins won 87 games and finished six games behind eventual league champion Philadelphia in the NL East. Visiting spring training to watch the first full-squad workout, Loria said the 2009 Marlins underachieved. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/Jeff Roberson ……..

Israeli model Bar Refaeli seen here doing a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition phot-shoot.

Ray Allen (#20) of the Boston Celtics looks for a play against LeBron James (#23) of the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 25, 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Brian Babbineau …..

Floyd Mayweather, left, and current WBA welterweight super champion Shane Mosley exchange words during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, March 2, 2010. The press conference was to promote their May 1, 2010 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/ Seth Wenig ……..

Floyd Mayweather, left, and current WBA welterweight world champion Shane Mosley pose for a picture during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, March 2, 2010. The news conference was to promote their May 1, 2010 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press /Seth Wenig

Scott Boras, chided for bonus demands for amateur clients, says the Major League Baseball draft needs restructuring. “In this system, everybody thinks this is about money. No, this is about saving money. It allows for less mistakes,” he says. photo appears courtesy of USA Today Jason M. Millstein ………………..

Commissioner of Major League Baseball Bud Selig and actress Sarah-Jessica Parker take part in an on field presentation during the 79th MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on July 15, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images North America / Jim McIsaac ……………

Stacey Dash , actress , designer and entrepreneur .

Jennifer Aniston shows us that she’s more than willing to be your ‘friend’ ?

Model & Playboby playmate Naureen Zaim . Who wouldn’t mind teaching her a lesson or two on human anatomy ?

Cuban American actress & model Natalie Martinez

Martinez again looking good as only she possibly can !

Oh mon ami ! she possibly can ! Je t’aime !</strong

Who wouldn’t want to play with Natalie Martinez ?

Well hello there !

Model & actress Natalie Martinez ……….

Actress & model Natalie Martinez …….. Who wouldn’t want to get ahold of her rims ? I know I would !

New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez watches his fly-out in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, March 26, 2010, in Tampa, Fla. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press / Mike Carlson ….

Sarasoata , Fl ,. Infielder Adrian Beltre (29) of the Boston Red Sox throws over to first for an out against the Baltimore Orioles during a Grapefruit League Spring Training Game at Ed Smith Stadium on March 27, 2010 in Sarasota, Florida. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ J Meric ……….

St. Louis , Bobby Maze (3) of the Tennessee Volunteers looks to shoot the ball against Mike Kebler (20) and Draymond Green (23) both of the Michigan State Spartans during the midwest regional final of the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Edward Jones Dome on March 28, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. Michigan State beat Tennessee 70-69. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Dilip Vishwanat …

The Duke Blue Devils hold up the trophy after a 78-71 win over the Baylor Bears in the south regional final of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Sunday. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Ronald Martinez …

Butler’s Nick Rodgers hold up the West Regional trophy as the team returned home to Indianapolis amid a throng of fans after earning a spot in the Final Four with a victory over Kansas State Saturday. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ A J Mast ………..

West Virginia’s Da’Sean Butler and Joe Mazzulla hug after the game. Butler scored 18 points and Mazulla pitched in a career-high 17 to help West Virginia hold off the Wildcats. The Mountaineers would defeat the Kentucky Wildcats 73-66 to make their way the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Jim McIsaac ……….

Russian actress & model Anya Monzikova . Who wouldn’t want some of Monzikova alongside some fresh Beluga caviar ?

2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. The player is widely expected to be taken number one overall in the upcoming NFL Draft. The team with the first pick are the NFC’s St Louis Rams . photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Chris Rogers ………..

Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb. The player is said to want to remain with the Eagles but it’s becoming clear that he will be traded sooner rather than later. Eagles’ coach Andy Reid and team President Joe Banner are willing to listen to offers for the Pro Bowler. photo appears courtesy of US Presswire/ Jody Gomez ………….

Tebow (15) left is seen here alongside his former college coach Urban Meyer. The two proved to be very sucessfule as a team combining to win two national titles in four years. photo appears courtesy of boston.com/ articles …………

DeMaurice Smith Executive Director of the NFLPA. Smith who assumed the position after the death of his predecessor Gene Upshaw. He was elected to the position by the board members of the Players’ Association. Smith was a corporate litigation attorney for the DC law firm Patton Boggs. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Phillip Mitchell

Carlos Boozer #5 of the Utah Jazz has his shot challenged by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on April 2, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers would go on to defeat the Jazz 102-96 in the game . photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Andrew D Bernstein ………..

Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles. The player was traded to the Washington Redskins a divisional rival in the NFC East. It adds to the flavor this upcoming season when the player meets his ‘former team’ . photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Hugh Malcolm ………………..

Baylor’s Brittney Griner and U Conn’s Maya Moore are seen here during the women’s Final Four game between the two teams. Geno Auriemma’s Huskies would go on to defeat the Baylor Lady Bears 70-50 in the game played at the Alamodome in San Antonio , Texas , Sunday April 4th 2010. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Alicia Mack ………..

Cleveland Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers and his lawyer Patrick D’Angelo, center, talk to reporters after leaving Cleveland Police Headquarters where Rogers was charged with one felony count of carrying a concealed weapon on Friday, April 2, 2010, in Cleveland, Ohio. Rogers was arrested at Cleveland Hopkins International airport on Thursday after he tried to take a loaded handgun through airport security. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Jason Miller …..

Butler head coach Brad Stevens , left to right, Gordon Hayward and Ronald Nored smile during an interview session for the men’s NCAA Final Four college basketball championship Sunday, April 4, 2010, in Indianapolis. The Butler Bulldogs will face Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke Blue Devils in the championship game Monday night to be played at Lucas Oil Stadium , Indianapolis, Indiana. This in many ways will be very much a “home game” for the small and in-obtrusive college team from Indiana. The furor over over their improbable journey has resonated within the state and across the nation. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Mark J Terrill ……………

Los Angeles, April 4th 2010. Manu Ginobil (20) of the San Antonio Spurs goes to the basket against Luke Walton (4) of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Sunday. The San Antonio Spurs would go on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-81 in a game played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Noah Grahame …………….

Tiki Barber and his wife Gina Cha. Barber’s wife is six months pregnant with twins and is now in the midst of separating from the former NFL star. photo appears courtesy of Wire Image/ Duffie Marie Arnoult ………….

23 year old Traci Lynn Johnson an intern with NBC Universal and who works alongside Tiki Barber on the NBC morning show “The Today Show” . Barber and Johnson are romantically involved and the former NFL star has now separated from his wife of 11 years , Gina Cha. The couple have two children with twin now on the way in terms of Cha’s pregnancy. photo appears courtesy of Social Media SEO ……….

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2010/tracker#dt-tabs:dt-by-round/dt-by-round-input:1

Playboy Playmate Kayle Collins …………August 2008. Is there a need to proceed further concerning Kayle’s attributes ?

Jameer Nelson of the Orlando Magic goes for the layup in the Eastern Conference semi-final game played against the Atlanta Hawks. NBAE/ Getty Images/ Fernando Medina ………

Head Coach Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz fields questions from the media following his team’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NBAE Getty Images _ Andrew D Bernstein

Kobe Bryant (24) of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots against Deron Williams (8 )of the Utah Jazz in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NBAE Getty Images/ Noah D Bernstein

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 24: (L-R) Robert Vittek, Martin Skrtel and Radoslav Zabavnik of Slovakia celebrate victory after knocking Italy out of the competition during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images ……

Johannesburg , South Africa – June 24 th 2010. Kamil Kopunek of Slovakia celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images ……

Fabio Cannavaro, captain of Italy, leaves the field dejected after being knocked out of the competition by Slovakia during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images ………

In this Sept. 18, 2010, photo, Florida Marlins’ Dan Uggla bats in a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Miami. Uggla has been traded from the Marlins to the Atlanta Braves for infielder Omar Infante and left-hander Mike Dunn. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

This is a 2008 file photo of Dan Uggla of the Florida Marlins baseball team. Uggla and the Atlanta Braves have reached a preliminary agreement on a $62 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press Wednesday Jan. 5, 2011 on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet final. (AP Photo/Rob Carr, File)

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen (16), of Taiwan, comes into the dugout following the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

ST. PETERSBURG – AUGUST 04: Designated hitter Jeff Keppinger #7 of the Tampa Bay Rays fouls off a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the game at Tropicana Field on August 4, 2012 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

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Simply chime in with a comment as you see fit with regard to the points raised within this a rticle.

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Tophatal …….. 10/26/2017

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The Old Man And The Sea ……… The Old Man And The Sea Of late, with all of the political in-fighting , backbiting and basic nonsense that seems to encapsulate the landscape of American politics on the domestic and international front .

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dead-gay-bitxh · 7 years

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Unnamed Novel | Chapter 1

Yeah, I started another one. Oops. This one might seem a little weird at first, but trust me, it’ll make sense eventually.

New places, same faces, Gio thought as he slid the heavy textbooks into his locker. He'd had to move again, and while he hoped that maybe this place wouldn't be so bad since it was a private school, he knew better than to hope. As it was, he had to brace himself against the tide of uncaring students who shoved past him like he wasn't there. Suddenly, the wave stopped. Gio looked to his left, where students still stampeded by, and then to his right, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

His wave breaker was a bit of a mountain. ...Okay that was exaggerating a bit much, but the guy wasn't small by any means. He looked to be about Gio's age, a little taller, dreadlocked (or maybe not) hair pulled back, and his features seemed to be a strange mix of God only knew what. His complexion was fairly dark, but not black, maybe Indian, his eyes seemed to be a little small, so one could say he looked Asian. But that was a very -ish looking Asian. Gio hated that kind of talk, but he had no other way to describe the guy. His clothes made him stand out most of all, though. While everyone else in the private school was wearing name-brand tees and jeans, this one had on a tattered black hoodie and faded, worn jeans with a few holes here and there. Probably put there intentionally, not that Gio cared, but they looked a little grungy, too.

“Quit starin', weirdo.” Of course. Just because he liked to people-watch didn't mean it was good to do it at point-blank range. “Sorry. New kid. Getting used to the new faces. I'm Giovanni, but just call me Gio, if you don't mind.” The boy glanced over and rolled his eyes – it was hard to tell whather it was out of annoyance or empathy.

“Right. I'm Nik. Full name's Nikolai, but who the hell remembers that much in this place?” Gio risked laughing a bit.

“Isn't that the truth? Everyone else's mommy and daddy want the best for their little angels,” Gio made a little fluttering motion with his free hand, “so they can grow up happy and rich. While people like me work for it.” He noticed Nik slouching a bit and immediately felt guilty. “I'm not saying you didn't, I'm just saying – most of these kids are gonna grow up to be whores and basement-babies. You don't look half as bad.” That at least seemed to brighten him up. “What's your first?” Gio finally took notice of Nik's thick Brooklyn accent and made a mental note to ask later. “I've got Biology. You?”

“Same. I'll head over with ya if you want.”

“Sure. Can't leave without my water-breaker, can I?” That finally got a little chuckle out of him. Gio smiled as he tugged his violet flannel back over his shoulders. He knew he was nothing to look at, but the first day was the most important. He'd put on a good white shirt with a raven on the front, thrown on his purple flannel on top, grabbed some jeans, and gone with that. His face, though, couldn't be helped.

He'd been told before he wasn't bad looking, and when he felt narcissistic, Gio admitted to himself that he could definitely look worse. His whole body was lean, maybe a bit gangly, but his face was oddly adult, and not in a good way. The perfect little Caucasian face he had made all kinds of girls fall over for him, even though he always said no, and the only thing he actually liked about himself consistently was his hair. He'd never had it very short. It was always a decent length, and recently, he'd wanted it to grow out more, so it now fell back and rested between his shoulders, ending right in the middle of his upper back.

So pretty. He hated pretty. Even while he waited for Nikolai, girls walking past giggled and waved at him. Gio did his best not to smack each and every one of them. How hard was it to see, from his flannel to his long hair, that he was gay? He got mad because he had to say it so much. Nik finally pulled out the Biology textbook and stuck it under his arm. Maybe it'd start getting the message across to the girls, so Gio looped his arm around Nik's, which was easy since he'd stuffed his hands into his hoodie pocket, and sort of leaned on him as they walked toward the classroom. It sort of worked. The girls gave him odd looks, like he was an alien species. That was perfect.

“You-”

“Gay? Yes. Why do you think I'm doing this, hot stuff?” Gio flashed him a big, cheesy grin while leaning a bit more onto Nik. He didn't seem bothered by it in the least. Once they were a bit further away from the crowd, Gio lowered his voice and whispered, “I hate that girls are always tittering on about me like a new toy. I get so mad having to reiterate every time I move, and then every other week. I won't come onto you if you'd rather me not, but I just...” Gio searched for the right words, prodding the inside of his cheek with his tongue.

“Needed an out?” Nik offered. Giovanni nodded. “Yeah. Thanks, by the way. Now I owe you double, damn me.” They both laughed a bit, but Nik went deadly quiet as they passed a group of boys standing by the open door of a classroom. Gio looked up to ask what was wrong, but he saw that Nik had pulled his hood over his head and began dragging him along. “Slow down, Speed Racer! Jeez, I know I'm light, but c'mon.” Nik grumbled an apology as he walked past, keeping his head down. Gio understood as soon as he saw the letterman jackets.

“Jocks?”

“Yeah.”

“Trouble?”

“...Yeah.”

“Hm. I'll get at least one for you.” Nik glanced over and gave Gio a strained look. “N-no, not like that, I-”

“That's not what I meant either, silly. I clean up pretty nice as a girl, y'know.” They had gone around the corner, so Nik pulled his hood off and looked incredulously at Gio. “You-”

“Don't you dare say it out loud. But yes. I CD. That's how you keep it under the table, by the way. And it's not drag or anything, but I wouldn't mind doing it to get at those a-holes. You don't seem like such a bad guy. They wanna be little pains in your ass, just call me and tell me who they're dating.” Gio winked at his new friend as they walked through the door to the Biology classroom. “Mister Kamala. You're almost late. Need I remind you what happens should you be tardy once again?” Nik pulled his head down between his shoulders and shook his head, mumbling a quiet no while he turned to go sit at a table with a guy that looked remarkably similar. Probably a sibling.

The teacher – who Gio already didn't like, considering he'd been a little nasty towards the first nice kid he'd met – looked at Giovanni and assumed a happy smile. “Ah, you must be Giovanni. Pleased to meet you, I'm Mr. Farhill.” He extended his hand and Gio awkwardly shook. “Class, this is a new student of ours, his name is Giovanni Duvan. He's joined us a little after the start of the school year, but no need to waste time going over what we've learned so far – from what I've heard Giovanni, you scored superbly on the entrance exam.”

“Yep. Uh, Mr. Farhill? I'd prefer if you called me Gio. It's easier than just extending it out like I'm an 1800s Victorian nobleman.” Something told Gio that the reference went over the teacher's sparsely covered head, but he tried to keep the snarky comments back. “Alright then, Gio. I don't think there's much room anywhere else, so, much as I don't like to, you'll be sitting with Nikolai and Danté. I expect you'll not run into any trouble,” he turned an eagle's eye onto Nik and the boy sitting next to him, “correct?” He apparently didn't expect an answer because he dismissed them immediately and went straight to the whiteboard.

Gio walked over and sat next to Nik, since he didn't know the other. He leaned over while the teacher scribbled and yammered away about the first lesson of the year, what taxonomy was, all things Gio had done years ago. “Sorry if I got you into any trouble, Nik. Thanks for walking me here, by the way.” Nik opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes shifted to the kid next to him and instantly shut his mouth. Or maybe it'd been towards Mr. Farhill. He was looking expectantly at us. “Well? Nikolai, Danté, do either of you have any idea what taxonomy is? Perhaps Giov- pardon, Gio, can give you a hint?”

It was all a test. Gio knew it. Teachers always did that. They wanted to make sure they didn't get a slow one. So, he answered it without a second look. “Taxonomy is the study of classification, going in order of kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. And, surprisingly, it is definitely not as heartbreaking as actual taxes.” There was a rumble of laughter from the class. “Very good, Gio, very good. Someone give me an organism to use...Laura.”

A brunette in the back of the room had her hand raised. “Orgasms happen during sex.” That got more of a rise out of the class. While Mr. Farhill was redfaced and distracted, Gio scooted his chair closer to Nik. “Raise your hand after the monkeys are done. Tell him to use...caterpillar fungus.” Nik looked over at him, then glanced up to the teacher. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. For some reason, bio teachers love when people use mushrooms, especially cordyceps. Never fails.” As soon as the class quieted, Mr. Farhill asked again, this time enunciating the whole word. Nik tentatively raised his hand up. The teacher ignored him, so Gio cleared his throat. “Um, Mr. Farhill? I think Nik has a suggestion.” He gave Gio a withering look, as if he'd been doing what he could to avoid exactly that. But, he called on Nik anyway. “Uh...caterpillar fungus?” Most of the class snorted, but Mr. Farhill looked genuinely surprised. “Very good choice, Nikolai. You see, caterpillar fungus is, of course, a mushroom, of a very special genus of fungi known as cordyceps. In fact, they are known to...” Gio sat back and watched as Farhill droned on and on.

“What'd I tell you? Cordyceps. Never fails to impress.”

Biology was over and done with forty minutes later. Gio barely paid attention the whole time and still turned the homework assignment in before leaving. It was exceedingly simple. He'd watched Nik and his buddy as they did it. Nik had an okay time of it – it didn't seem to stump him, but he didn't breeze through it. Which was fine, in all honesty. Gio knew he was a super genius, so he never cared how slow others were when it came to school work. The other guy, though...Gio wasn't sure what to think.

He didn't think Nik would associate with the delinquent type, but that's what his friend looked like. But...way more buff than he should've been. His muscles were practically ripping out of his black shirt, decorated with a flaming skull and the words “Try Me” in red. His jeans seemed to be in the same state as Nik's, a little torn, a little ratty, but not awful. His hair was black and a little long, but not very much, just enough to tell when it'd been messed with or not. He wore black combat boots, probably thrift-store bought, but again, like Nik's pacing on his classwork, that didn't bother Gio. Most of his clothes came from thrift-stores anyway.

Something just seemed strange about him. Not like he was on drugs or anything, but just...the air he carried with him. Aloof, and yet a sense that he'd snap you in half if you so much as looked in his direction. Lovely...

Nik was nice enough to show Gio around after class, since they had the whole first half of the day in the same periods. After Biology was Geometry, then U.S. History, then English, which preceded lunch, when they'd not see each other until the last period of the day. Throughout the morning, Gio began to dislike the faculty more and more. They all reacted to Nik coming in like he was guilty for murder, all claiming that he was coming in late even though at least half the class arrived after us. Which Giovanni made sure to point out, if only to make the teachers look stupid. As if that were hard.

And the worst part, to Gio, was that Nik just accepted it, like a beaten puppy who wanted to lick its wounds. He wasn't amazing, especially after seeing his handed-back work, but Gio actually found questions that had been purposely marked wrong, consistently, on Nik's papers. He finally did something about it in third. He had the papers of Nik's from the last week on the first settlers in America from Britain and set them on the teacher's desk. She was a crotchety old woman, but those were always the teachers who liked him best. Joy.

“Mrs. Gooley, I think you need to recheck your scoring sheet,” Gio started, and when Mrs. Gooley opened her mouth to correct him, he quickly added “For Nik.” Her expression went instantly hard. “He got the score he deserved. Leave it at that, dear.” No way in hell, swamp hag, Gio thought. “No, he didn't. These questions here? He answered all of them right. You gave him a sixty-five, when he actually scored a ninety-five.”

“No, he didn't, honey, trust me, I-”

“Sorry, but you marked questions wrong that were answered right. Here -” Gio pointed to one of the questions, “It asks, 'How many colonies did Great Britain originally instate in America, and what historical evidence supports this?' He answered,” Gio now pointed to the messily scrawled handwriting, “'Thirteen, supported by the original American flag because of the thirteen stars, each representing a single colony.' That's exactly correct. There's absolutely no reason it should be wrong, aside from maybe, maybe, messy handwriting. And honestly, that's easy enough to get around. I can read it pretty well.” Mrs. Gooley set her jaw and looked up at Gio, trying to maintain her House On The Prairie-happy face. Failing miserably.

“Thank you, Gio. I'll...fix it right away.” Without even looking at it, she wrote '100%' at the top with a red pen. Which told Gio all he needed to know about this faculty's policies. She went through the stack, writing scores that all started with 8, 9, or 10. Nik was being told he got C's, D's, and F's when he was getting A's and B's. Gio inhaled deeply as he set Nik's papers back in front of him. What was this called? Hating the easily hated? Yeah. That's how it felt.

“Wait... No. No way. I don't get these numbers. Whatd'ja do to make her change 'em?” Gio glanced over and saw the red around Nik's eyes fade away. He...he had totally been about to cry. Typical. This was just another school ready to listen to the people with money, and ready to ignore everyone who didn't. Gio wasn't sure if he was surprised or not. He'd been in tons of these types of schools. He hated them.

They were stupid. School was about teaching. Not fucking with a kid's head because he wasn't rich. Gio was going to make a call. As soon as lunch started. He didn't care if he got kicked out for whatever BS was called on him. There was no way he would, anyway. He'd aced the entrance exam. Nobody else got close to his score. The closest to his 110% was an 89% that he'd seen at the top of the stack. So then it all came down to the literally-million-dollar question – 'How much will you pay for your precious little baby?'

Gio wanted to go shoot someone. Preferably the principal. “Nothing. That's what you got. She was just too much of a bitch too say to your face that your no-money is worth more then these ass' money.” Nik was very unsure for a few minutes until the bell rang and everyone gathered up their stuff. Gio followed Nik to his locker, where he read and reread, and re-reread his scores again and again. Gio almost didn't want to do anything. Embarrass the staff and faculty until they got the hint.

But he had his own issues to focus on. His files would come in any day now. Then they'd all see...probably treat him like poor Nik. An outcast, no matter how good his grades were. That's all he needed. But he wouldn't let Nik go. Not for a single second.

Gio thought that as he walked to fourth period, with Nik silently parting the waves of students in front of them. But then he wondered if he should. People were not usually things he kept close. People weren't like phones or watches. They moved on their own. They stayed when they wanted. Which is why Gio never really made friends. He hadn't even counted on making this one.

Maybe he wanted to think he was lonely. But that was stupid, right?

'Lonely' was jerking off to a homeless guy on acid. This wasn't lonely. This was just...whatever it was.

#writing #cheeto stuff #i did my best #and thats all that mnatters

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