#like the only thing they'd be good at is basketball since one good player can hard carry | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hoperays-song · 1 year

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What kind of sports that our moon characters should be into could be anything there could excel at❓

Thanks for the ask! Here's a list of characters I think would be good at sports and the sports they'd be good at. Hope you enjoy!

- <3 Gooseless

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Johnny is clearly really good at skateboarding, so he'd be a good competitive skateboarder or probably boxer (his dad likely taught him a fair bit of it). Though I think he might have run cross country or something in high school because he thought it would impress his dad.

Ash, no explanation here, would be amazing at archery. Like scarily good at archery with no previous experience.

Rosita was a varsity volleyball player in college so volleyball for her. But she also did track and field in high school. She's really competitive too so she tries to do the best at all sports she tries (she typically does too).

Ryan is clearly a talented dancer and would easily excel at competitive dance, though I think he would also be good at cheerleading (a lot of cheerleaders I knew trained in dance as well) or ice skating (a lot of skaters also train in dance so it wouldn't be much more training than he was already doing).

Porsha is a decent snowboarder due to her dad taking her on skiing trips a lot (he strikes me as a very expensive vacation guy). She's had lot of practice over the years at a lot of really good resorts.

Nooshy also would be good at competitive dance and ice skating, I cannot imagine her willingly doing cheer though so that's gonna be a no. I do think they did do hockey as a little kid though, no idea why, I can just see it.

Gunter is good at competitive dance and ice skating canonically, but I think he'd also be good at tennis. For no real reason, he just strikes me as someone who'd like tennis.

Marcus is canonically good at boxing so boxing plus MMA. He probably taught Johnny a fair bit of boxing as well and has been boxing since he was a kid.

Stan is the same as Marcus, boxing and MMA. He's also been practicing since he was a kid but much more formally than Marcus was.

Barry however was a cross country runner in secondary school, so he's actually a really good runner. He's decent at boxing but is much better at running.

Buster can surf. His dad taught him since it was one of his favourite things to do when he was little. It is the only sport Buster can actually do without hurting himself.

Clay played a bit of basketball in high school as well as ran a bit of cross country but only for a few years. He's still decent at both though.

Meena can somewhat play table tennis decently, but not to like a professional level. She does enjoy it though.

Mrs. Crawly was an amazing swimmer when she was younger and was one of the best in her school when she competed.

***Yes, both Nooshy and Johnny are at least decent at football (american soccer), due to Johnny playing with his uncles and his neighbors growing up, and Nooshy with their siblings. They don't really claim that however since it was more of a cultural thing for them.***

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female-buckets · 2 years

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I'm serious about the WNBA starting a celebrity game with NCAA stars. I think it would be hilarious. And I think it's the perfect thing to get NCAA fans to tune into the WNBA.

Also, I think it's great that the NBA celebrity game is co-ed. But if the WNBA has a celebrity game, it should be unique. So why not make it female-only?

NCAA stars can't be that busy, right? I mean, they're college kids and it's summer! Of course they want to come to the WNBA all-star weekend!

But it's tricky because they can't get paid to play. They'll have to be like unpaid basketball interns. But it would be a huge boost for NIL. They'd get to meet with marketing groups at All-Star weekend and maybe sign new NIL deals. The WNBA wouldn't be able to pay them for actually playing. But they could pay them for permission to use their name and image to promote the game. Kind of a shifty loophole but it might work.

So if they had a celebrity game this year, let's say they took a star from each final four team. And just tell them to relax lol. The game isn't a real game, just a reality show.

Aliyah Boston

Paige Bueckers

Hailey van Lith

Haley Jones

Then grab some stars from other NCAA sports. Maybe those superstar gymnasts. I'm sure they can manage if you give them a one-day hoops camp. Just tell them it's like cross training.

Suni Lee

Olivia Dunne

Jordan Chiles

Sarah Fuller, the first female player to score in power-5 college football. She's a Wasserman athlete anyway so why not

Then we need some retired legends. And there's no shortage of those. But they can't be so young that they'd still kill or so old that they can't play anymore. If you put Seimone and Maya in there, it's not really fair. They'd be too good and retirement probably still stings. So you have to find players who are a bit older and settled down.

Tamika Catchings

Swin Cash

Penny Taylor

Delisha Milton Jones

Then we need some celebrities. I don't know celebrities well lol so this list will be weird. I'm not really sure who hoops and who doesn't. I know Jenny Shimizu and Leslie Jones play basketball. And Saweetie I guess? But idk about the rest. They'll have to figure it out at the one-day hoops camp.

Jenny Shimizu

Leslie Jones

Saweetie

Natalia Dyer. Since the WNBA promotes Stranger Things anyway, why not?

Imani Lewis. Let's just commit to the WNBA/Netflix crossovers lmao. Screw Amazon prime!

Saoirse-Monica Jackson, the Derry Girl herself. Idk, why not lol. The Irish don't play much basketball but maybe they can learn.

And finally... coaches! I have no idea. Maybe the coaches should be broadcasters.

Robin Roberts

Holly Rowe

The league got 75 million to spend on promotion. What better way to promote the league than a crazy celebrity game?

#wnba #ncaa basketball #stranger things #derry girls #first kill #ncaa wbb #ncaa gymnastics

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siimjaeyun · 3 years

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01: Immortality

Synopsis: it is part of human nature to be flawed and imperfect, maybe even vengeful when things don't go their way, and when seven boys find themselves in power to show those who are wrong that actions come with consequences, will they choose to keep their immortality?

masterlist

tw: mentions of blood, stabbing, murder, death and slight choking

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"Wait let me get this straight. Your solution to the problem is for us to get killed over and over again instead of reporting them to the police?" Sunoo stood at the edge of the room, completely baffled by the older boy's plan.

"You don't get it Sunoo. This is part of the plan, it's always been. Why did you think we saved you?" Sunghoon took the glass of water from counter and gulped it down slowly before staring at Jungwon and Riki.

"Your immortality is precious and it's a form of power. This is your new job."

"What job? I don't want this job." Jay let a hefty sight escape from his lips before pulling the three minors closer to him.

"I get you don't want to be immortal. None of us chose to be here. Come." Jay went to the nearest drawer and pulled out a scrapbook.

"This is before we were eighteen." Jungwon furrowed his brows and didn't see a difference between them.

"But you look the same?"

"Immortality keeps you at this age. But we were normal teens too, we had dreams." Heeseung and Jake looked down, remembering the days from their own past as well.

"Then what happened?" Riki asked.

"We don't remember much of what happened. Memories fade eventually. It's been fifteen years since we entered this new world." Jake waited for a response but instead handed the three boys their belongings.

"Go on or you'll be late. We'll keep an eye on you from afar, but just go with your mind got it?" The three youngest didn't have much to stay and reluctantly accepted the very non-existent plan.

"Are we sure about this? What if this is a prank?" Jungwon and Sunoo stopped in their tracks and looked at Riki.

"I clearly remember being dead so might as well suck it up. Team?" Jungwon put forward his hand and the others followed shouting a cheer before entering the room.

"Sorry we're late, we got lost since we're not used to the campus grounds." Three heads instantly popped up at the sound of their voice. Impossible: it was impossible for them to be alive.

"You said they were dead!" One of them whispered, close to entering into a panic.

"They were! You saw they had no heartbeat." The other responded. Their legs began to shake left and right as well as up and down due to fear, nibbling on their nails and surrounding skin.

"No worries, just take a seat." As if a feeling inside his heart was about to over take him, Sunoo felt a need to take a seat next to one of the three boys. He plopped his backpack onto the desk and gave a smile wave to the tall boy.

This was the first trial.

-----

"Hey! You three come here." The basketball players waved their hands at them in a snapping manner and if on que, Heeseung smirks when he looks down at the time on his watch.

"Humans really are predictable aren't they?" Jake agrees and continues to listen into the conversation.

"We're having a party tonight, you should come." Again, right on time.

"Uhh, I'm not sure…" Jungwon elbowed Riki in the stomach before accepting the kind invitation.

"We'll be there!" Sunoo quickly answered before looking at Jungwon with confusion.

"What are you thinking! This is a trap to clearly kill us!" Riki states in a distressed manner.

"Something is telling me to do so, plus isn't that the plan?" Jay and Sunghoon were amused at Sunoo and Jungwon's quick adaptation to their life.

"Seems like they've got this, but remember to get the car anyway." Sunghoon slung his backpack lazily over his shoulder and led the way as they waited for the second trial.

-------

The night had fallen and almost as if the stars had aligned, Heeseung glanced at his watch once more as Sunoo, Jungwon and Riki stepped into the home where the so-called party was being held. It took half an hour for the three school boys dressed in jerseys to drag out three black bags, body shaped to be exact.

"Hurry the fuck up man, before we get caught!" The other two obeyed the orders and carried the bags into the trunk of the car with much speed. A small drive later and an empty lot awaited them.

"Throw them there." The sound of shovels digging surrounded the nearby area, and with the rhythm of the sand and dirt hitting the floor, the three bodies were finally covered.

"We take this until our death beds. This better get the job done." The car drove off; it allowed for Heeseung and Jay to approach the bodies underneath the ground.

"5..4..3..2..1" The supposed to be dead boys came from behind the trees dusting themselves off from the sand.

"That was even more terrible the second time. Drugging us and then stabbing us isn't exactly fun."

"You did great. You're almost there." Jake complimented only for anger to resound in Jungwon.

"Look no offense, but I don't know if we can continue this. I don't want to relive the trauma of being murdered over and over again." He loosened his tie and threw it onto the pavement.

"I'm with Jungwon. Is this really the only way to get the job done?"

"Yes, now let's go get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day." Sunghoon patted their backs and led them back.

Second trial was complete.

-------

"How are you boys holding up? Today's sort of the final trial." Jake walked into their room first thing in the morning, bearing food and other trinkets.

"To be honest, I cried myself to sleep. I'd rather be dead than be doing this. Why were we saved?" Riki asked with slight hesitancy.

"Heeseung and I asked ourselves that every single day since our murder. We were the new kids and well, these two boys weren't exactly fond of us so their plan was to kill us and they were successful. We woke up to this new life and even though I've never been able to come with a clear answer, you'll find out in time. This is a lot. I get it, but you've got each other. This job isn't fun, but you get used to it. The pain isn't even that bad." He left the room almost immediately and went with the others.

The same scenario repeated once more. Bewildered eyes met the three boys upon their entrance, and paranoia engulfed the three murderers. Heeseung went ahead and peered into the classroom. Shaky legs, check. Nail biting check. Sweat, check.

"This can't be happening. This isn't real. What if this is a prank?" Sunoo once more waved at them slightly before leaning in towards them.

"I had fun at the party last night, maybe we can do it again. Or maybe you'd like to rest since I'm sure digging and dragging must be hard work." With innocent eyes, he smiled slyly and gave a head nod to Jungwon and Riki.

"What's next? I doubt that they'd be willing to get caught up again." It was lunch time, which gave them time to decide on their next move.

"You go to them. After all, where else would you find your phone?" Riki began to feel into his pockets but found nothing.

"Damn it." Satisfied, the four left the three kids on their own.

The clock struck eight when Jungwon knocked on the familiar wooden door which was opened by the oldest school boy.

"Y-you guys. Why are you here?"

"We wanted to party like last night but I left my phone here." Jungwon went straight to the nearest bedroom and found his phone comfortably tucked away under a pillow with a recording.

"Well what do have here? A memory from last night." Sunoo pressed the small play button and let the audio run though.

"Hurry the hell up will you!"

"Did you bring your dad's car like I told you? Get on with it."

"I'm sad it had to come to this."

"Get them!" Their hands became tightly wrapped around their necks and before they knew it, they had experienced their third death.

They went back to the familiar lot, repeating the motions and excavating through the hard ground to create a burrow for the bodies.

"Dump the brown haired one first." When they managed to pat the dirt neatly and move on to the rest of the bodies, they were gone.

"Huh? Is this the end of the party? But I wanted to have more fun." Sunoo walked out first and showed a small pout while watching terror and horror overtake the players in their presence. Without a thought, the shovel was swung and he came down, falling unconscious.

"Boooo, all we wanted was to become friends. Is this really it?" Now Riki emerged from the trees, crossing his arms while glancing at Sunoo's body.

Another swing over took him, but it was time for the final show.

"Hi! I'm Jungwon and these are my friends Sunoo and Riki. Please treat us well." Jungwon tried to approach them but they instead fled towards the car, struggling to understand what was occurring.

"Get away you-you ahh!" Jungwon and Sunoo crept from behind while Riki dangled the car keys in front of them.

"Have a safe ride! Stay safe!" With the final shouts, Heeseung, Jake, Sunghoon and Jay finally left the shadows.

Jay let out a maniacal laughter, which caused confusion with the three youngest.

"Good job boys. Good job." Those were the final words he told them before going home.

As sleep entered their systems, they began to wonder about their actions and Sunghoon's words from two nights before.

Humans themselves were responsible for the consequences. They were complex creatures, sure, but driven by power and greed can betray the good of anyone. They never created the killer.

Like a cycle, they went at a similar time to the school in the morning only to cause the three boys to break down in tears.

-------

taglist: @the-moon-lost-in-joy @twntycm

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thistleandthorn-rpg · 3 years

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Admin J's new character, Remy Washington. Do the thing.

OOC INFORMATION:

Name/Alias: J

Preferred pronoun: She/her

Age: old

Timezone/Country: CST/US

RP Experience: I run this bitch

Activity Level: Meh

IC INFORMATION:

Name: Remington (Remy) Logan Washington

Designation: Former Switch, Officially a Dom

Age: 26

Claim: None (broken claim)

Faceclaim: Hero Fiennes Tiffin

Orientation: bisexual

Occupation: Gym Owner

Kinks: Denial, cuckolding, TPE, choking

Anti-Kinks: scat, vomit, gore, needles, knives, bonda

Key Points:

*Athletic/ Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball Player

* Hot-headed/ Short fuse

* His sub recently left him and he's not looking to get into anything committed yet.

* Thick skinned

*Quiet and distant at first, then opens up

BIO:

Remy would love to tell you that he never let is disability get him down, but that would be bullshit. It was hard growing up normal and then all of a sudden being so much different to everyone else around him. The incident, which took his left leg, did give him perspective however and his hot headed nature calmed some what, or rather became more focused. Instead of getting drunk and looking for trouble he was much more interested in keeping things calm, until he saw injustice. He was never going to sit back and watch a submissive get mistreated, not again. So while he rarely started fights these days, he was certainly good at ending them.

His submissive was his long time girlfriend who had been with him through his recovery and the many years since while he grew stronger and pursued his career in wheelchair sports. But the traveling and constant practice grew to be too much for her. "It's me or basketball, Remy, you can't have both. I won't sit here and -and be ignored for a -a bouncing rubber ball," she'd snapped at him one day. He knew it was more than that. They'd grown distant and he'd changed, a lot. He wasn't who she'd committed to all those years ago anymore. So, he let her walk away, telling himself that he was doing the self-less thing.

Now, retired, and with only a few years to find a new sub, he's starting his life over once again. Along with a guy he used to train with, they've started up a gym in town. He likes working with the at risk youth, trying to guide them toward the right path while instilling in them that they don't need to take life laying down and no obstacle is too big to over come.

BIO QUESTIONS :

Describe your occupational journey and how you got to where you are.

"My buddy and I started a gym in town. I retired from sports but I still want to stay active and I want to help other people, kids, the way that people helped me when I got hurt. I didn't have a lot of start up money, but Mr. Lodge liked our idea and was real supportive. He even chipped in to get us some seed money and deals on equipment. I think in a few years we could be one of the elite training spots in the state."

How would you describe yourself as a Dominant/submissive?

"Ah man, I duhno. I ain't got time for bullshit and games. Either you wanna sub for me or ya don't, I'm not gonna make you and I'm not gonna sit around and baby you. I've subbed before and I don't mind it. There's a time and place for it for sure, it can be relaxing with the right person. My thinking is to just do what makes me happy in the moment, fuck the world and what they think."

How do you feel about authority?

If it ain't crooked, then I'm fine with it, but most people in authority are either idiots, brainwashed or out for themselves. I'm not a "rules are meant to be broken" kind of guy at all, but I'm not above breaking a stupid rule for the sake of logic.

#accepted #admin j

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katedrakeohd · 5 years

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#Wacky Drabbles No. 11

Happy Birthday Drake

Prompt: " Did you have fun? "

Rated: (M 18+)

Pairing: Damien Nazario × Drake Walker

Tagging wacky drabblers:

@emceesynonymroll @jovialyouthmusic @sirbeepsalot @dcbbw @speedyoperarascalparty @bbrandy2002 @jessiembruno @brightpinkpeppercorn @mfackenthal @qween-corgis @gardeningourmet @pedudley

Word count: no idea, cuz I wrote it here.

____________

Drake woke up tangled in hotel sheets. Stretching out his limbs lazily with a sigh, the throbbing in his head reminded him of last night's drinking binge.

Rolling over toward his bed partner, he hugs the pillow against his stubbled cheek and gazes into a face with a pair of chocolatey brown eyes and a sleepy smile.

"Good morning Mr. Nazario." He drawls with a smirk.

Damien leans over placing his warm hand on Drake's rough cheek, bringing him in for a soft kiss. "Good morning to you too hot stuff."

Drake kicks off what's left of the sheet, sliding his foot over to nudge against Damien's shin. "Hot stuff huh?"

Tilting his head back to take in Drake's naked profile in the morning light, Damien swallows as his breath catches in his throat. Memories of the drunken night before come back to him in hot passionate flashes of skin on skin.

----

It had been Drake's Birthday, and they'd been at a bar. They were just two anonymous guys at first, nursing tumblers of whiskey and watching the room as they sat on barstools. As the evening wore on and sweaty drunken people wandered over from the dance floor to order mixed drinks full of more ice than alcohol, he and Drake had outlasted them all.

Drake was on his third double whiskey and feeling fairly buzzed and relaxed when he noticed the man at the other end of the bar watching him. Lifting his glass in greeting, he's met with a slight nod and a grin from the other guy.

Damien had been casually watching the tall handsome devil all evening. He'd seen busty drunk girls sidle up to him and flirt but get brushed off with a shake of his head or a sullen frown. He had found it odd that someone so desirable could be so unwilling to accept a date. When the younger man had finally lifted his glass and made eye contact, he'd felt a sizzle of attraction and couldn't help but smile back. It had been a while since Damien had shared the company of a man so attractive, and he decided to take the leap and introduce himself. After downing the rest of his whiskey he fished a handful of bills out of his wallet and placed them on the bar and set his glass on top.

Walking around the corner of the bar, he notices the other guy glance at him and then look away. When he nervously rubs the back of his neck and then shifts his gaze down to the floor, it makes Damien smile. He knows I'm coming over for him.

Damien stops a few feet away, putting a barstool between them and then catches the attention of the bartender. "Excuse me barkeep, what kind of payment does the pool table over there take?"

"It takes coins," Drake interrupts, tossing back the last of his whiskey.

"Wanna play?" Damien asks, with a grin.

Drake gives the man with the dark hair and soulful eyes a quick sweep with his gaze, trying to gauge if he was flirting or just bored. With the amount of alcohol thrumming through his veins at this point his inhibitions were pretty low and he didn't care either way.

"Okay, sure. It's my lucky day and I'm feeling generous so I'll buy the first game."

Damien nods, slapping down a few bills on the bar. "Ok, if you buy the game I'll buy the beers."

Pushing away from the bar, Drake smiles. "Works for me. I'm Drake by the way."

Damien picks up the bottles of beer and then jerks his head in the direction of the table. "Damien. Lead the way."

Taking a sip from the bottle, Damien followed Drake across the room, appreciating the way his straight leg jeans hugged his ass and thighs. That sizzle of attraction buzzed through his veins again, and he took another sip of beer to cool the heat crawling through his belly. Setting the bottles on a side table, Damien peels off his leather jacket and then unbuttons and rolls up his sleeves. He felt very warm and wished he'd opted to wear a tshirt like Drake had. Taking another swallow of beer, he opens the top button on his dress shirt.

Drake shoves his hand in the front pocket of his jeans searching for coins to pay for their game. Damien's eyes are drawn down to his groin and the way he adjusts himself slightly as he digs for coins. Sweet Jesus, the way he fills out his jeans. Or maybe it's just the layers of denim and zipper giving an illusion of more? Fuck, it's indecent the shape of what he's packing.

Drake catches him looking and clears his throat, sending Damien's gaze back up to focus on his face. "So I come to this place often but haven't seen you here before."

Damien leans against the table, crossing his arms across his chest. He hesitates a moment, wondering what to tell Drake about himself. "I'm not from here, just passing through between jobs."

Drake takes in the worn quality of Damien's clothing, the scuff on his boots, trying to decipher what he did for a living. There was a slight wrinkle to his cotton shirt as if it hadn't been folded up or seen a hanger for a while. Damien's style wasn't that much different than his own. Wash and wear, throw on the floor, then wear again.

Damien startles Drake out of his idle thoughts, the whiskey was evidently starting to make his mind fuzzy around the edges.

"So you said it was your lucky day. What's so special about today?"

Drake smiles as he puts coins in the pay slot of the pool table and releases the balls for play. "Oh yeah, I said that didn't I? It's my Birthday today."

After Drake straightens back up, Damien claps him hard on the shoulder, and smiles, "Really? Hey that's great man, Happy Birthday."

Drake nods, his shoulder tingling from the slap. He'd only been touched that way by his friends. And for some reason he felt excited about how Damien's slap made his skin tingle. Sucking in a deep breath, he grabs the ball frame and arranges the pool balls on the table for play. "Uh, Okay..Damien. Go grab a couple of cues and let's play."

What was it about this guy that made me want to do things I've never done before? Maybe it's the way he keeps looking at me like I'm a snack. He's so smooth and charming, and commanding but not in a rude or condescending sort of way like I'm used to hearing from the nobility. I kind of like it.

An hour, and three beers each later, Drake was up two games to one. Was Damien really that bad a player or was he just sloppy from the alcohol?

They'd joked about random stuff, talked about women and argued about whose favorite teams were better, ranging from football, baseball to basketball and beyond.

They hadn't realized how late it was until the bar was empty, and the lights went up. The bartender thumped his hand on the bar to get their attention, "Alright guys, it's closing time. You have a tab, now settle it. Call a taxi, stagger home, or whatever, I don't care. But you can't stay here."

Drake looked at Damien's grinning face, and the glassy luster of his eyes. He looked about as drunk as Drake felt. Shrugging into his leather jacket, Damien pulls his wallet out of his pocket and hands it to Drake. "Here, pay the man I gotta go take a piss."

Drake's mouth drops open, as he watches Damien shuffle his way to bathroom at the back of the bar. Glancing over at the collection of empty beer bottles on the table, he reluctantly opens the wallet and tries not to look at anything personal. Damien has an impressive wad of cash. There was a mixture of Euros, American and Canadian. Who was this guy?

Drake grabs a bunch of Euros and hands them to the bartender, stealing a glance at his ID before closing the wallet. Damien Nazario, New York City.

There was some other sort of identification card that Drake didn't get a good look at in time before he saw Damien returning from the bathroom.

"All paid up?" Damien asks as Drake nods and hands him back his wallet.

The bartender folds his arms across his chest, giving his head a jerk in the direction of the door. Time to get the fuck out.

Drake and Damien both wave goodbye to the bartender and follow eachother out into the cool evening air. Drake gasps involuntarily, the cool air sobering him up somewhat because he hadn't worn a jacket.

Damien glances up and down the deserted street, not seeing a taxi stand or bus stop in sight. Drake's shoulders are hunched and he has his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He looked cold. Damien bites his lip, considering their options. He didn't feel like going back to his hotel alone, and he didn't want to see Drake wander off cold and alone on his Birthday either.

Pulling off his jacket he offers it to Drake. "Here you can borrow this. I dunno if we're the same size, but at least you won't be so cold."

Drake looks at Damien, feeling unsure. Offering a jacket to your companion is usually a date night sort of thing. Was Damien suddenly his date? They had just spent the evening drinking and playing pool together, but just by chance. It wasn't a date.

Damien raises his eyebrows in question, "Well? You want it or not? You can walk me back to my hotel and then hand it back."

Drake shrugs, "Yeah, what the Hell. We're just two guys walking up the street together. Nothing unusual about that right?"

"Right."

Drake slides his arms into Damien's leather jacket. It smelled of his cologne, sweat and coffee. Things that were uniquely Damien. Drake liked how it smelled. It was a little tight in the shoulders so Drake didn't zip it up. He appreciated the kind gesture, and it was full of Damien's body heat, which was oddly exciting.

"Thanks." He says, falling into step next to Damien as they head up the sidewalk.

As they walk, Damien did up the buttons of his shirt and unrolled his sleeves to keep himself from getting cold. Although they had spent the past hour together, Damien was only now realizing how much taller Drake was than him. A couple of inches for sure. And in his jacket he came off as broader and bigger as well. This only made Damien want him more. If only for one night, to make Drake's Birthday one to remember.

They don't talk as they walk together. Both entertaining their own thoughts over where this night may be heading. As they approach the front doors of the Hotel, Damien stops walking and grabs Drake by the forearm and pulls him into the dark alley. Drake is off balance as Damien pulls him close and whispers in his ear. "Happy Birthday Drake, did you have fun tonight?"

Struck speechless by the heat of his breath in his ear, all Drake can do is nod.

Damien's voice is a low rumble as he says, "The fun doesn't have to stop yet."

continued...here

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junker-town · 7 years

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The NBA playoffs have been boring because we've known how they'd end the whole time

Warriors-Cavs might save it, but there’s no guarantee.

We’ve been talking a lot here at SB Nation about the narratives surrounding these NBA Playoffs. Have they been boring? Have they been a waste of time? Have they been worth it because they will inevitably culminate in the explosion of yet another Golden State-Cleveland matchup? Or will those Finals, which have been so built-up, disappoint?

Zito Madu and Charlotte Wilder are two writers who’ve been talking to each other about the narrative of the playoffs while they procrastinate writing stuff. So, instead of continuing to waste time with each other, they’re going to waste it with you by putting it on this website.

Come on in, the water’s fine.

Charlotte Wilder

Okay, so, here's the thing: Everyone is obsessed with whether these playoffs are objectively Good or Bad, right? If they're boring or not, and, if so, whether the boring is worth it because we're going to get such fireworks in the Finals ... allegedly.

Part of me thinks it'll be hilarious if the games just suck.

Zito Madu

That's the fear that's at the end of, "the Finals will be great so the playoffs don't matter," right? There's a lot of anxiety and hope riding on it. But under that is the fact that Golden State, with Kevin Durant, might just destroy the Cavs.

LeBron is great and Golden State is a superpower so logically, so it should be a great series. But the Warriors were up 3-1 last year ... before they added Kevin Durant

Charlotte

Ah yes, the old 3-1 lead. Heard of it.

But yeah, — they were the Bad Guys in a movie who get beaten, go back to their lair, and are like, "Hmmm what's the most powerful weapon we can add to our arsenal? Ah, how about the Heat-Seeking-Missile-with-a-Goatee Kevin Durant!"

So these Finals have been a forgone conclusion since the start of the season, and now it's here. You could argue that when we look back on this years from now, when the noise of the talking heads’ voices has quieted and the blog posts crumbled into internet dust, we’ll be left with a testament to the game of basketball being played at an incredible level.

I'm just not convinced it's as fun to watch a movie when you know the gist of the ending, you know?

Zito

So, I think that the whole argument that we should be happy just watching two of the best teams ever play basketball at the highest level is a very writerly/insider stance for people who see themselves as fans of the game and not fans of a team.

People watch basketball to see their teams beat other teams, and to at least have a chance at winning something. When the playoffs become ceremonial, it's no fun at all. Even if, say, the Wizards were always going to lose to the Celtics, the fun part is getting close to winning. To have the hope that your team can achieve something.

And I agree, it's not really fun when you know the ending. There's no surprise to it, you're just going through the emotions and having to force some sort of narrative to it

Charlotte

That's such a good point — the distinction between fans of the game and fans of a team. I think it's easy to take this historical, 10,000-foot view where you're like, "BUT THE BASKETBALL WAS GOOD!"

Sure, if all you care about is what will eventually become the Cannon of NBA History. But what it means is the suspense is taken out of a series like Celtics vs. Cavs. To me, a truly good sports game means having no idea what will happen and maintaining the tension during it. I love that there’s no way someone could leak the end of Wizards-Celts game because we just didn't know what it would be!

I'm a Celtics fan, and as soon as they beat the Wizards in that awesome series, it was deflating, because I was like, welp, we had a good run ... before the last lap even started. And that sucks!

Zito

Yup. I think people have readily admitted that they haven't been into these playoffs precisely because there's no tension or excitement. And at that point we might as well turn off the TV and go read a Jonathan Franzen novel.

Charlotte

Ew, Zito. I'd rather watch a fucking ... quidditch game than read a Franzen novel

Zito

Well that's what these playoffs have been.

Charlotte

Wait ... [*mind explodes with revelation*]

Zito

It's like someone telling you to enjoy how technically brilliant a novel is and how the author uses grammar perfectly, but it's a story about some boring middle class white dude and his struggle with finding himself. The promise of it is that it tells you some great thing about the human condition at the end. While it can, there's no fun in reading about an old man who's never really struggled beyond a brief moment when the girl who was too good for him left him.

Charlotte

I mean, I could talk for hours about how much I hate Jonathan Franzen. The only thing I'd push back on with this analogy is that we have had some great playoff moments, like Harden vs. Russ, and when the Bulls fell apart, and when Kelly Olynyk — KELLY OLYNYK — had 26 points off the bench. And sure, if these Finals are as good as we're hoping, then that'll be really fun. I can't deny that.

But while these playoff moments were fun, they were like little plot twists when you still know the general gist of the ending. And getting all your suspense from the Finals puts a lot of on the Finals: There were only a few games from last year that were super fun during Cavs-Warriors matchup. Game 7 gave us spectacular tension, but the other games were trash and uneven a lot of the time. So we're not guaranteed this spectacular product by any means.

Then the question becomes: even if it ends up being amazing, how many more years of this do we have? Until Steph eventually, maybe, perhaps goes to Charlotte? Like ... what's the point and when does it become anyone's game again?

Zito

Well, the argument there is that it's never been anyone's game. Just like life, the rich usually always come out on top, and the exceptions - like the Mavericks - are just that. People don't have a problem with giants or dynasties.

But we still like to see these teams actually tested. It's better for the league to have a small crop of great teams versus 30 average ones, but the crop of greats have to be close together in order for us to know just how exceptional the winners really are. The Spurs beating the Heat, or even the Heat winning over OKC, was great because those superteams were pushed before that. Look at how close the series before the Finals in 2012 were. Miami fell behind Indiana and Boston, while OKC lost the first two to San Antonio before rallying.

The greatness of that Miami team was much more apparent and fulfilling because they were challenged. They were pushed and had to adjust. They overcame Chris Bosh’s injury and eventually discovered that he should play center. We learned something about them on the way to the Finals. It wasn't just a boring trudge to what we hoped would be a great ending

Charlotte

Right.

I guess by anyone's game, I meant exactly what you just clarified: there are at least more than two title-worthy teams.

The idea of being pushed though — I agree that that's what makes a great team greater and impressive. You said earlier today when we were chatting that we haven’t learned anything about the Cavs or the Warriors that we didn't already know before the Playoffs started. I think that's partly why it's been easy for people to turn on the Warriors, because we haven't had to see them stretch or grow or struggle this year, They've just walked in and fly-swatted, and to me that can feel almost ... condescending?

Zito

It was funny when Draymond Green said that watching the Cavs was boring because the games were so lopsided, because it had a sense of projection and irony to it. Golden State’s games have been the same way. Durant recently said that fans could just not watch instead, which is hilarious because it would be the worst outcome for him and the league. (He later clarified those comments).

The Warriors are the Empire who lost one battle and decided to get a planet killer on top of the Death Star they already had. There's not much you can do against it, and we're banking on the hope that LeBron is the resistance that can topple them. That's really the only excitement here.

Charlotte

It's kind of like a Super Hero movie. LeBron is the guy who rips open his shirt and becomes this mutant, this beating heart of a man paired with superhuman strength.

Zito

Well, LeBron is the underdog against the Warriors right? Which is a hilarious thing because against anyone else, he's clearly the unstoppable object. But that's just how unfair this Golden State team is. A super team led by one of the best players to ever play the game is still the underdog.

Charlotte

Oh god what if LeBron gets hurt? The fact that if one player gets hurt it could make the thing we've waited for this whole time not that fun is kind of incredible.

I was originally someone who thought, “Super Teams are fun! Because it’s the pinnacle of the sport! And dynasties can be fun and then they fall and that’s dramatic too!” But also I’m a Patriots fan, so...

Zito

Yeah, there are about a million ways that it could go wrong for the Cavs. If LeBron isn't constantly superhuman, they will lose. They lost Game 3 against a Celtics team without Isaiah Thomas because LeBron had a bad game. Against the Warriors, not only is he not allowed to have a bad game, but he has to repeat what he did last year in leading almost all statistical categories. Even that might not be enough because Durant is right up there with him as the best players in the league

Charlotte

Ugh. Now I'm kind of depressed.

I'm still excited, I guess, but it's more of a, "Thank god it's finally here and we can get to the thing we've been waiting for” rather than a "THIS IS GOING TO ROCK NO MATTER WHAT!" It’s like your friends’ wedding where the wedding shower sucked and the bachelorette weekend mostly sucked except for that one weird night, so you’re hoping the actually wedding doesn’t blow.

Zito

It also depends on what side you're on.

If you're a fan of the Warriors, this is your petty vengeance. This is getting punched in the face and coming back with a tank. There's a good chance you'll crush the David that knocked down your Goliath a year ago and do so in the most dominating fashion. As a fan of pettiness, I can enjoy that.

But if you're on the other end, there's a lot of anxiety going into the Finals, and the Warriors have a lot of rest to boot. They're going into the Finals untested and in the best condition possible.

Charlotte

PLOT TWIST: Do you think Joe Lacob actually replaced the Warriors with robots and we just haven't realized it yet?

Zito

Well, they are light years ahead, so he could very well have replaced them with super robots from some distant planet. Can never rule anything out in this flat earth of ours.

Charlotte

I'm just waiting for the day all the basketballs roll off the edge and we can't play anymore because we lost them and also we have to go do our homework.

Anyway, I guess the moral of the story is that it's been interesting to watch so many people defend these teams and playoffs in the name of Good Basketball. I think it's actually okay to admit that this has kind of sucked.

Zito

Yeah, it's pretty much the posturing of higher intelligence. That others just don't get the high art of something that is boring as hell.

Charlotte

I'm here for low art. But not Franzen. This basketball blog brought to you by how much Franzen sucks.

Zito

R.I.P. Franzen

Charlotte

We hardly knew ye.

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