#team mexico softball

[samantitheos]

Weekly Tag Wednesday

Thanks for the tags @deedala and @jrooc. 🖤

Name: Sam.

Age: Older than Cam, younger than Noel.

First Pet? Buck, a black, long-haired cat who lived to be 23. 🐈‍⬛

First Word? I just tried to ask my parents...

First Celebrity Crush? So JTT seems like a common denominator among a bunch of us... Also Devon Sawa (I basically wore out the VHS of Wild America at my grandparents' house) and AJ from the Backstreet Boys.

First IRL Crush? Calin, my grade 4 "boyfriend." Also still randomly have dreams about him once in a while despite not having seen him in like 20+ years. What does it meeeean???

First kiss? This is so sad, but I actually don't remember. Probably one of my friends during Truth or Dare.

First Car? I spent my hard-earned cash working at A&W on this monstrosity my friends nicknamed "Hot Thunder." Smh. All I know is shame.

First apartment/house/dorm/whatever away from your parents? This tiny little house we rented that had bright orange 70s-era flower power wallpaper in one of the rooms. I'll spare you the picture, but nightmare inducing.

First time on a plane? Going to Cancun with my parents when I was 3.

First cellphone? Nokia 3310, I think. I just remember playing the snake game. 🐍

First concert? Rod Stewart. Thanks, mom. Lol.

First Foreign country you visited? Probably the US, but definitely Mexico when I was 3.

First sport you ever played? First team sport was softball, but I did a bunch of other shit even before that (ballet, swimming, figure skating). I was so athletic, I have no idea what happened lol.

First career aspiration? I went through a weird marine biology phase before I probably even understood what a biologist was.

And finally… tell me about the first time you wrote/drew/created/whatever something that made you think "wow": Feeling pride in my own work? Ew. But I guess my MA dissertation if only because it was 5 times as long as anything I had ever written before, and I didn't think I could do that.

Giving a little boopity boop to some homies. @gallapiech @lingy910y @krysmiss @mickittotheman @energievie @whaticameherefor @wehangout @callivich @camnoelgallavich @depressedstressedlemonzest @sam-loves-seb @sluttymickey

EDIT: My mom just texted to say she thinks "Buck" was my first word. 🥺🥺 But also that I couldn't always pronounce it right, so maybe my dad wasn't too far off with "fuck." 🤣

#tag game #weekly tag wednesday

[queenmynx]

Government Health Initiative: you should join an aerobics program.

Yaxunah women: i'm good thanks.

Government Health Initiative: so what will you be doing instead?

Yaxunah women: *creates all women softball team, becomes extremely successful, withstands crowds jeering at them for playing in huipil and barefoot, defies gender roles and indigenous stereotypes, inspires creation of League of Change, makes it to nationwide inagural tournament, and makes their ancestors and country proud*

that.

#good news #native women #native american #maya #yucatec maya #sports #softball #for the world✊ #indigenous #indigenas

[whipplefilter]

NASCAR: Full Speed

It's Daytona weekend! Which naturally means it's time to rain for 48 hours in Daytona, because heaven forbid we forget the wrath of rain delays. But at least the storm cell stretched clear to Mexico City, so there were really no doubts. We've now watched the entire NASCAR Netflix documentary series (five 1-hour episodes).

I'd heard that it was "good" and "didn't shy away from things"--and this from people who know a lot about the "things," as long-time NASCAR journalists. I'd also heard that it was a huge step up from NASCAR's various made-for-TV documentaries.

Was it good?

It was entertaining! It was good at selecting a set of narratives to follow out of the sprawl of all that could be, and not trying to overburden the five episodes with too much. It picks up right before the 2023 playoffs, and primarily follows Denny as driver+co-owner of 23XI, 23XI, and a selection of the other playoff drivers (namely those who could be considered "up-and-coming" and those who make it to the Round of 8). Some might say "too much Denny" but they found a narrative thread and followed it, and I think it was a smart use of the space they had to tell a story.

Was it a huge step up from NASCAR's various made-for-TV documentaries?

I mean, from our literal "we made this so we'd have rain delay footage to roll" pieces? ...Yes???? But I'd say it's about at the level of Dirt: The Last Great American Sport. Sure, Dirt isn't specifically NASCAR-affiliated, but it's of the genre. It's peer programming. And I say this having enjoyed Dirt! But I don't necessarily think that either of these programs would be desirable watch material for people who weren't already in this foxhole, which I think NASCAR was hoping it would be (i.e. to follow in the footsteps of F1's Drive to Survive.)

Did it shy way from things?

This is where I think Full Speed loses out to Drive to Survive. I say this as an outsider to F1--I've only ever watched one race, and I only know things through racing osmosis/following racing news in general. But I think Drive to Survive was more willing to show its raw edges as part of its story: the extreme budget disparities across teams, the Red Bull/Renault sniping, contract and sponsorship bullshit, teammates absolutely hating each other, racing and its adjacency to some absolutely wild pyramid scheme/money laundering/business nonsense.

Full Speed largely kept all of that behind closed doors. The drivers sometimes levied light critique at each other, or yelled on the radio, but it wasn't anything they wouldn't also say on broadcast TV. I think part of this is the nature of the narrative they chose: By the time the playoffs roll around, the teams involved are racing with relative budget parity; their sponsorship ducks are more or less in a row; no one had open contracts; Hendrick, for once in its life, did not have its engine curse on display. And the guys who happened to make it to the end of the playoffs all tend to be more low-key guys, outside the heat of actively racing. Like, I think you'd have to do some real, hardcore documentary work to peel back and find something really raw in... Christopher Bell, William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Ryan Blaney. Even bringing Ross Chastain in was fairly softball. The series definitely does the best with Denny. Denny is nuts and organically has a lot to offer a character profile! Series highlight: Absolutely Denny Hamlin, and his opening self-introduction in Episode 1. (Even though even Denny as more to offer than was given in the docu. Are we not going to talk about the fact that he has a race car parked in his living room?)

Overall though, in terms of driver personalities and team dynamics/business, it was a bit softball. I think part of this is just my own familiarity with the material, and knowing that there's actually more out there than made it into the documentary, which made it feel less like an investigative, character/industry-probing deep dive.

But honestly? I think a huge part of it is financial. The series felt like NASCAR was afraid to get too in the weeds because they didn't want anything in the documentary that would upset current sponsors, or seed doubt in the minds of any new ones. Like it needed to present a level of cohesion and viability in order to reassure the money. And from a storytelling perspective I think that's really unfortunate.

Verdict

I think Full Speed works best as *a* version of a NASCAR story, but not *the* NASCAR story. I'd love to see the series branch out, less so chronologically (e.g. covering the 2024 playoffs), but into different facets of the storylines that make up the sport.

My ideal branch? A "tale of two cities" approach where we follow, say, Penske, cut against a backmarker team, and the parallel narratives dive into how different running a NASCAR team can look at opposite ends of the money spectrum; how the goalposts change, the culture shifts, how different the off-track lives of those involved are.

I say "Penske" mostly because they're the current defending champions, but let it be known that in my heart I'd rather we just followed Denny again, LOL.

#nascar #nascar: full speed #real racing

[typingtess]

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 13 Rewatch:  “Indentured”

The basics:  A case with an arms dealer has Sam and the Admiral at odds, Kensi and Fatima in rehab.

Written by:  Frank Military wrote or co-wrote “Little Angels”, “Deliverance”, “Lockup”, “The Job”, “Greed”, “Betrayal”, “Crimeleon”, “Vengeance”, “Out of the Past” Part One, “Rude Awakenings” Part Two, season four’s finale “Descent”, season five’s premiere “Ascension”, “Allegiance”, “Spoils of War”, “Black Budget”, SEAL Hunter", “Rage”, “Unspoken”, “Unlocked Mind”, “Revenge Deferred”, “The Seventh Child”, “Crazy Train”, “Uncaged”, “The Silo”, “Monster”, “Line in the Sand”, season ten opener “To Live and Die in Mexico”, “The Patton Project”, “Better Angels”,  season 10 finale “False Flag”, “A Bloody Brilliant Plan”, season 11 finale “Code of Conduct”, “Raising the Dead” and “Through the Looking Glass”.

Directed by:  Eric A. Pot directed “Resurrection”, “Windfall”, “Traitor”, “Internal Affairs”, “Home is Where the Heart Is”, “Forasteira”, “Reentry”, “Hit List”, “The One Who Got Away”, “Kill Beale Vol 1”, “Fortune Favors the Bold”, “A Fait Accompli” and “Imposter Syndrome”.

Guest stars of note:  Michael O'Neill as Retired U.S. Army General Richard Collins, Charles Ambrose as Lukas Meyer, Lex King as Mia Hahn, Stephanie Erb as Tranquility Villa Staff Member Psychologist Vicky Weber, Ju'an Monsalvez as ATF Special Agent Francisco Reyes

Our heroes:   Have some issues.

What important things did we learn about:

Callen:   Not invited to see General Collins.   Sam:   Trust is earned, not assumed. Kensi:    Predator, not prey but worried about Deeks and Kessler. Deeks:   Has bad thoughts about Kessler. Fatima:   Working on not blaming herself for a friend’s addiction issues. Rountree:  Taking down Ops to have a private talk with Callen and Sam. Kilbride:  Officially running the OSP while earning trust.

What not so important things did we learn about:

Callen:  Still asking about Hetty.   Sam:  Fair and discreet. Kensi:  Megan Sinclair and a velociraptor.   Deeks:  Coming up with undercover legends that include blonde pool boys. Fatima:  Layla. Rountree:  Not around much in this episode. Kilbride:  Still believes in elections, old fashion that way.

Where in the world is Henrietta Lange?   Out of touch and likely somewhere dangerous.

Who's down with OTP:   Kensi and Deeks have some tense moments about the return of David Kessler.  Well, he’s tense, she’s not feeling great about it but seems more worried about him.  They are very much on the same page at the end of the episode about Mia’s actions.

Who's down with BrOTP:  The BrOTP issues here are between the Admiral and Sam who more often than not are on the same page.  Thought it was out of character really for both men.  Both know the other will almost always do the right thing for the team, for NCIS and for the country.  I can see the usual having issues with authority coming up with Callen but Sam and the Admiral should be in a better place – friendship with Collins or not.  Sam surely understands the political sensitivity of this case and how NCIS could have a Senator with a lot of malice in his heart toward the agency.  The trust conversation at the end was foolish.  Kilbride has proven himself a worthy leader in the past, Sam is the model agent in the bunch.  This was drama for dram’s sake.  Feh.

Kensi and Fatima had a nice moment as Kensi’s Megan checked into rehab.  Then they put on a show for Mia Hahn.

Fashion review:   Callen is wearing a white and pale blue plaid button-down shirt.  Black long-sleeve tee for Sam.  Kensi is in a white tank top with a pattern of three red vertical stripes.  Deeks is in a softball shirt with black sleeves and a grey body.  Grey, black and white long-sleeve button down shirt for Fatima over a black turtleneck.  White tee-shirt for Rountree under a blue and white plaid jacket.  Blue three-piece for the Admiral with a pale blue dress shirt and a blue plaid tie.

Undercover, Kensi is in jean shorts, a white-tee and blue denim shirt unbuttoned over the tee.  Later she is in a green sweatshirt.  Fatima is wearing a white tank top and black pants.  

The following day, medium blue tee-shirt of Callen.  Charcoal-grey long-sleeve tee for Sam.  Kensi is in a pale purple tee-shirt and peach zip-up hoodie in rehab.  Deeks is wearing a white pocket tee-shirt.  A cornflower blue pullover sweater for Fatima. White tee for Rountree again. Very dark blue three-piece suit for the Admiral with a crisp white dress shirt and a blue pattern tie.  In bed, Kensi is in a medium blue tank top, Deeks is in a grey one.

Music:   None.

Any notable cut scene:   None.

Quote:  Sam:  “Why didn't you tell us you knew Collins still had the weapons?” Kilbride:  “'Cause I got damn tired of fighting with my partner. That's right, I said partner, and that's what you were on this case.  Why didn't you call me when you figured out where the weapons were? You know why.” Kilbride and Sam simultaneously:  “Trust.” “Kilbride:  “Something that is not assumed by men like you and me. It has to be earned. Well... I hope I earned a little from you today.” Sam:  “Little bit.”

Anything else: There is a big shootout at a warehouse in Los Angeles.   ATF is on the wrong side of the shooting.  ATF Agent Reyes is looking for help – he has a man down.  Callen and Sam are racing to their location.  “Callen, please come quick.”  LAPD is eight minutes out.  Callen and Sam are the ATF’s best hope.

As the shooting continues, the doors behind the ATF open.  Gunmen enter and start shooting the ATF agents.  As Reyes tries to comfort one of his dying agents, she passes him her gun.  She sees the gunmen standing behind Reyes.  “Please, I have kids,” Reyes says while taking his injured agent’s weapon.  “And now they are orphans,” replies one of the gunmen.  Reyes turns around and fires.

Callen and Sam enter the warehouse but can’t find anyone.  Both are concerned that it is “too quiet”.  Sam finds the undercover agent and the man was tortured to death.  Callen and Sam see Reyes dead in a pool in blood.  Sam calls Fatima saying they found the ATF Agents.  She is sending an ambulance but Callen tells her they don’t need one.  “Send the coroner.”

At the office, Kensi offers her condolences to Callen and Sam.  Callen wants Kensi and Deeks to “just keep digging” as he and Sam go to see the Admiral.  Demanding to know what happened, Callen explains to Kilbride that this was a long-term joint taskforce with the ATF to arrest a team of German arms dealers.   ATF placed an agent undercover with the arms dealers.  A large shipment of AK-47s and other small arms were being sold.  NCIS was going to make arrests at a planned sale of the weapons.  Reyes called that morning to say his man inside was made.  ATF had to go in to rescue their man.  Everyone is dead.  “Some of them were friends,” Sam laments.

The main arms dealer is a former German Naval Commander Lukas Meyer.  He is associated with extremist groups in Germany, dealing illegal arms in the last five years.  Sam wants the arms dealers – “they killed our brothers and sisters.”  The Admiral is all in, wanting to speak to his counterpart at ATF.

Before Kensi and Deeks can help, Deeks has news of a badly decomposed body found off the coast of Florida.  Michelle Boucher, the girlfriend of Kensi’s nemesis David Kessler, was the body.  Kessler had homes in Palm Beach and the Bahamas so it makes sense to Deeks that he would return to someplace he knew.  

Since there is no proof that Kessler killed Boucher, Kensi tells Deeks that Kessler could walk into their office and there would be nothing NCIS could do.  Deeks would like to see Kessler do that – it would be the last thing Kessler ever did.  Kensi is worried Deeks.  “He’s not getting a second chance, not with you,” Deeks tells her, not exactly calming her fears.

In Ops, Fatima has security cam video from the warehouse.  Callen and Sam missed Meyers and his assassins by two-minutes.  The team is sure the vehicles the assassins used were dumped but Fatima will track the plates to see where they were before the shootout.  Fatima has information about Mia Hahn, Meyer’s longtime girlfriend.  Hahn has a criminal record and a history of drug issues.  In fact, she’s in rehab in Malibu.  Kensi suggests going in undercover as an addict to get close to Hahn.  Sam likes the idea so Fatima starts building a backstory.  Before Fatima can start working, she has a message from Kilbride, who wants to speak privately to Callen and Sam in his office.

ATF tells Kilbride the buyer was a former US General, Richard Collins.  Collins is a right-wing “influencer” with a large militia group in southern Arizona – “Sons of Our Fathers”.  They are election-deniers and anti-immigrant.  Guns in their hands could be a real problem.  Kilbride arranged a meeting with Collins but it is only Kilbride and Sam.  Feeling left out, Callen wants to know why he wasn’t invited.  Kilbride believes Collins would be more comfortable with former military men.  Callen does not seem thrilled that the Collins being comfortable is a priority.  Dealing with a highly decorated officer, Collins is going to be handled as the Admiral wants.  Callen is off to work with Rountree.

Kilbride reiterates that Collins is well-connected and powerful in his own right.  They both could lose their careers if this goes badly.  Fatima calls in through a never before seen (or heard) intercom system.  Arizona’s Governor Case wants to speak to Kilbride about the case, especially the nature and scope of the investigation into General Collins.  Sam gives Kilbride the room.

After the call, Kilbride tells Sam they are still on to interview Collins though the Governor would like NCIS to treat this with great sensitivity.  Sam notes another person is concerned with Collins’s level of comfort.  Kilbride tells Sam that Collins is making it known to political insiders that he is interested in running for Senate.

At what looks like a generic government sedan, Sam wonders if he should find a “Make Arizona Great Again” hat.  The Admiral does not want NCIS impacting any future election – elections the Admiral truly believes in “but maybe I’m just old-fashion that way.”   Sam assured Kilbride he is “fair and discreet” but there are seven dead ATF agents and they are wasting time “tiptoeing” around Collins.  Kilbride makes it clear he wants the same thing Sam does but how the investigation goes forward is up to Kilbride.  “Oh, that’s good to know, Admiral.”

Deeks is helping Kensi come up with her back story – lonely housewife with an Oxy addiction who is interested in the pool boy.  Kensi wants to know more about the pool boy.  Kensi screws up her manicure to look like it has been a while since she got her nails done.  Deeks’s pool boy is blonde with his own addiction – having sex with lonely housewives.  Deeks thinks they can both clean up their act, take up carpentry and open a CBD store.  Fatima arrives with more background on Mia Hahn.  Hahn attended Berling Univery of Techincal for two-years – studying abstract algebra and number theory.  That probably doesn’t work with Deeks’s background for Kensi.

Megan Sinclair is Kensi’s undercover name.  Megan has a DUI and a conviction for doctor shopping Oxy prescriptions.  Fatima will be joining Kensi and Hahn in rehab as Layla.  Before Kensi leaves, Deeks asks Kensi how she is feeling about Kessler.  She’s not feeling great but at least they found Kessler before Kessler found them.  Kensi sees herself as “predator, not prey.”  Deeks makes a joke that Kensi is a velociraptor.  Kensi isn’t joking - she also doesn’t want Kessler to make her or Deeks “do something stupid.”  Almost not able to look at Kensi, Deeks tells her “life is far too good to let him screw it up.”  Kensi does not look happy.

The Admiral is greeted by his first name by “General” Collins.  Sam is introduced as “retired Special Warfare Operator, Senior Chief Sam Hanna.”  Sam brings up he’s really NCIS Agent Sam Hanna.  The General is not holding Sam’s NCIS job against him.  Kilbride tells Collins about the ATF killings and Lukas Meyer’s involvement.  The General seems surprised.  Finding the whole thing terrible, Collins wants to know what he can do to help.  Kilbride explains that they know Collins was planning to buy weapons from Collins, weapons brought into the country illegally.  Collins is relieved that he didn’t buy the weapons – that would have been a hell of a mess.  

Sam brings up the purchase was for over 200 AK-47’s.  What did the General have planned with that kind of firepower?  Collins claims as a token of his appreciation, he was going to give the guns to a group of patriots he supports.  These patriots were protecting the border and giving a lot of their time to the country.  Collins continues to talk about a “well-regulated militia” and “the security of a free state.”   Quoting the Second Amendment, which Sam is very familiar with, Collins tells them he is supporting a militia which is his right, it is as American as…Sam cuts him off with “free and fair elections.”  Chuckling but not in a good way, Collins agrees.  Kilbride is not pleased.  Ending the interview Kilbride asks Collins to contact them if he hears from Lukas Meyer.  Collins agrees and promises Sam that he has an “open door policy” when it comes to NCIS.  

In the parking lot, the Admiral wants Sam to back off.  Sam can’t – there is no way that Collins was surprised that the guns were brought in illegally.  Kilbride agrees but if Collins lawyers up, they have no chance of cooperation.  While Sam sees the gun gifts as a purely political move, the Admiral only wants to solve the case, which has nothing to do with Collins’s politics.  Sam disagrees.  The gift is of illegal guns – the heart of this case.  Kilbride understands Sam’s point of view but he is running the case in a manner he sees fit.  Sam knows the first job of an agent is to follow the facts.  Kilbride doesn’t appreciate being told that.  Sam asks if Kilbride is willing to follow the facts.  The Admiral gets into the car.

At Tranquility Villa rehab, Kensi is checked in by a kind staffer.  Fatima is already unpacking in her room.  Kensi asks if Fatima has seen Mia – she has.  Mia has been visiting the restroom regularly with another woman.  They are probably either drinking or using drugs.  Or both.  Fatima talks about a friend she wanted to get into rehab but she didn’t understand how brutal addiction really is.  Kensi is sympathetic.  As Mia goes to the restroom, Fatima follows.  The kind staffer takes Kensi to her room.

Sam joins Callen and Rountree in Ops.  Rountree has been tracking Meyer’s credit cards.  He is staying in a downtown hotel and partying in downtown nightclubs.  Sam sees the area where Meyers is travelling has a number of big warehouses that could easily store the weapons.  Rountree announces the system crashed so he starts a reboot.  The reboot allows Callen, Sam and Rountree to talk without Kilbride hearing.  

Rountree has photos of Collins and Kilbride serving on several DoD advisory committees over the last 15-years.  That makes sense to Callen – both are high-ranking, career military men.  There was also a picture of the two men fishing in 2008.  “He didn’t just know him, they’re friends,” Callen notes.  Sam is worried that Kilbride is protecting a friend.

At the rehab center, Kensi, Fatima and Mia Hahn are in a group session.  Kensi’s Megan and Fatima’s Layla disagree in the group.  Hahn talks about the pain in her life – abuse from a loved one.  She’s got a bruise on her cheek and lies about how she got it.  

Pulling Deeks into the armory’s back room (where the vests and helmets are stored), Sam tells Deeks there are no mics in that area.  Giving a debrief, Sam updates Deeks about the Kilbride-Collins background.  Deeks is going to tail Collins since Collins likely knows NCIS is on to him.  

In Ops, Rountree has followed all the places Meyers and his team go.  One building in the area is owned by a German company.  Rountree is checking to see if Meyers is involved with the company but the building is large and has been empty for a year.  Callen wants a search warrant – “push the judge, we need this fast.”

Deeks tails Collins to an industrial location.  With his long lens camera, Deeks photographs Collins meeting with a beefy fellow.  Sending the photo to Ops, Rountree confirms it is Devin Walker, leader of the Sons of Our Fathers militia group.  Sam offers the idea that Collins is telling Walker the gun deal fell through but based on Walker’s reaction, Deeks doesn’t think there is much disappointment in their conversation.  The three men wonder if Collins is stupid or ambitious trying to complete the sale.  Sam wants to tap Collins’s phone.

At the rehab, Mia Hahn is drinking in the trash area when Fatima arrives.  Hahn offers a sip but Fatima wants the whole bottle.  Fatima attacks Hahn, stealing the bottle and demanding Hahn’s Oxy.   When Hahn denies having oxy, Fatima gets more aggressive until Kensi tackles her.  The two fight as Fatima takes a fake beating, complete with fake blood.  

After Kensi offers to help Hahn up, the two talk.  In college, Hahn was approached to model.  She was successful, making good money.  While modeling, she met Lukas Meyer.  There was clubs, drinking and drugs.  Hahn is drinking straight from the bottle as she tells this story.  Nursing her drink, Kensi asks if Lukas beats Hahn.  It is so much worse, according to Hahn.  Meyer controls all that she does – what to wear, when to sleep, what and how much to eat.  

When Hahn wanted to go back to modeling – a swimsuit shoot in the Caribbean - Meyer held a knife over their stove, heated it up and pressed it into her back.  Kensi is horrified.  Weeping, Hahn repeats what Meyers told her – “You’re not going to be a swimwear model anymore.”  Kensi tells Hahn she has to get away from him.  Hahn explains that will never happen.  She’s been handling Meyers books for years – laundering his gunrunning money.  “He’s never going to let me walk away.”  Kensi tells Hahn to talk to the police.  She can’t.  Meyers knows where her parents live.  He’d have them killed.  Kensi tells Hahn she’s so sorry.  

The following morning, with the REACT team, Callen and Rountree get into the German-owned building.  It is empty.  

Kensi calls Deeks from rehab.  Explaining that Hahn can’t flip on Meyer, Deeks updates Kensi on the raid.  The longer this takes, the easier it will be for Meyer to leave the country.  Kensi think they should force the issue.

In her room, Hahn is grounding pills into her alcohol.  With only two pills left, Hahn tells an arriving Kensi she can’t tolerate withdrawal right now.  Kensi has a plan - a friend with a violent, abusive boyfriend had a plan.   As a criminal, Meyer has enemies.  If he was found shot dead in his apartment, there would be lots of suspects.  Since Kensi helped her friend solve her problem, she would be willing to help Mia solve the same problem.  “It’s a lot easier than you think.”  

As Sam walks into the office, the Admiral wants a word  - why was the wiretap of Collins ordered without checking first?  Sam admits he had Collins followed – “Also without my knowledge,” the Admiral notes – and Collins met with the head of the militia.  Kilbride understands why Sam ordered the wiretap, just not why he wasn’t told.  Bringing up their past, Sam thinks Kilbride may be too close to Collins.  

Kilbride canceled the wiretap – Collins is too well-connected not to be told before the paperwork was approved.  If Collins shuts down the wheel, the weapons will not be recovered and the whole case goes away.  Sam doesn’t quite believe Kilbride.  Kilbride wants to know if there is anything else Sam is keeping from him.  The German company that owns the building downtown is a subsidiary of one of Meyer’s other companies.  Kilbride wants the building staked-out.  The weapons will wind up there.

Kensi and Hahn are walking on the beach.  Kensi assures Hahn that she isn’t doing this for the money.  Hahn doesn’t believe Kensi or her story about the friend.  Kensi adjusts the story – she is the friend who was raped by her boyfriend.  Hahn believes her.  The two break out of rehab.

Taking Rountree to the mic-less back area of the armory, Sam wants Rountree on the stakeout of Meyer’s building.  He also tells Rountree about the wiretap being killed.  Sam wants Rountree to get a tap on Devon Walker’s phone – hear the other end of the conversation. But the Admiral is to be kept out of the loop so the warrant request he is to go straight to the judge and not through Ops.

At a park, Kensi and Hahn are drinking shakes, though Hahn needs something stronger really soon. Hahn texts her connection to get some drugs.  Kensi asks if Hahn thinks she could do rehab without fear of Meyers.  She does.  The two discuss the weapon to kill Meyers – Hahn knows a lot about the illegal gun trade.  Kensi has a guy.  She needs an address.  Hahn’s dealer contacts her.  They’re off to get some money for drugs.

Deeks pulls up outside the bank.  He is introduced as Max to Hahn.  He’ll need $3,000 for the gun but he knows Megan is good for it.  Hahn is not interested in being indebted to a man.  Deeks gives a full rundown on the gun – barrel was re-honed, cleaned with bleach, no way to trace it.  Kensi sees how much money Hahn has.  “I need a lot of Oxy.”  But some of the money is for Kensi – it is a payment not for killing Meyers, it is a payment for getting her away from him alive.  Hahn gives Kensi the address where Meyers is staying in Long Beach and instructions in how to get into the home.  Hahn is leaving – she knows Megan can get cleaned up.  She knows there is a strong person inside of Megan.  The two hug before Hahn leaves.

Fatima has the REACT team going to Long Beach.  Kensi and Deeks will join them.  Lukas Meyers is considered armed and very dangerous.

The wiretap conversations between Walker and Collins sound like code to Sam.  Chats about the grandkids, family deciding not to move.  It sounds like a “stick to the plan” talk to both Callen and Fatima.  None of this makes sense unless Collins already has the guns and has had them since before the ATF agents were killed.  It would explain the empty warehouse.  It would also explain why Collins wants to stick with the plan.  Walker’s cellphone is traced to a storage facility Sylmar.  Callen and Sam are going to meet Rountree at the facility.    

Kensi leads her REACT team into the front of Lukas Meyer’s home.  Deeks is coming through the back.  Inside the home are an older couple – not Lukas Meyer.  Hahn provided a fake address.

Callen and Sam pull up to see the ATF and Rountree outside the storage facility taking on fire.  ATF was a surprise.  Devon Walker surrenders and it looks to ATF that all the weapons have been retrieved.  The final suspect is lead out – it is General Collins and he’s in Admiral Kilbride’s custody.  Complete with the terrible NCIS vests that will get you shot under your armpit.  “A little late gentlemen,” he says as he walks past Callen, Sam and Rountree.

Kensi and Deeks walk into the armory – they’re ready to go home.  Fatima pops up on the plasma – Lukas Meyer was found dead in his Hollywood apartment.  LAPD ordered a tox screen but there is evidence on-site that Meyer OD’d on Oxycodone – they think he drank a lot of it.  Deeks is stunned.  Grainy security footage near the apartment shows a woman leaving – it might be Hahn.  Deeks tells Fatima to tell ATF Meyer is dead – their agents were killed because of Meyer.  Fatima has news that Hahn transferred $200,000 to an offshore account.  NCIS is looking of it.  Kensi doesn’t think they’ll ever find it – Hahn was too smart.

Deeks asks Kensi if Hahn played her.  She didn’t, according to Kensi.  Hahn did it all on her own.  Deeks wonders if Kensi gave Hahn the idea or maybe the courage to do it.  

Explaining that there are many things he and Hetty do not agree on, “the joy of a 16-year old single malt scotch” has always been their “common ground.” Kilbride shares two glasses with Callen and Sam before pouring one for himself.  Callen asks if Kilbride has heard from Hetty.  “Haven’t” is his reply.  He doesn’t expect to for a while.  When Callen asks if Hetty is safe, he and the Admiral agree – probably not.

Looking at Sam, Kilbride says “Agent Hanna.”  Sam asks why he wasn’t kept in the loop about where Kilbride was in the investigation.  Kilbride said he was tired of arguing with his partner and yes, he considered Sam a partner in this case.   A partner who didn’t call when the team figured out the weapons were in the facility in Sylmar.  Both agree it had to do with trust – “something that is not assumed with men like you and me,” the Admiral states.  Sam agrees, “it has to be earned.”  The Admiral hopes he earned some of Sam’s trust, especially since he’s official in charge of the OSP.  Both Callen and Sam could have been in charge but both turned it down.  The Admiral thinks that is a good thing since they are far more valuable in the field.  The three share a toast to making the team the best they can be.

In bed, Kensi is wide awake, Deeks is sleeping.  He cellphone rings.  Deeks thinks it is his Mom.  It is Hahn, the call forwarded from Megan’s phone.  Hahn apologizes about the wrong address – she didn’t want Megan to screw up her life after all Megan did for her in rehab.  The call was on a delay – Hahn is throwing it into the ocean.  After Hahn says her goodbyes, Deeks thinks they should call Fatima, see if the phone hasn’t been tossed.  Kensi is in no hurry, they can do it in the morning.  IN the morning, Deeks notes, Hahn will be long gone, “and that’s a good thing.” As Kensi drifts off to sleep,  Deeks wishes her “sweet dreams, my beautiful little velociraptor.”

What head canon can be formed from here:    Back to the troubles between Kilbride and Sam – this isn’t the first time the team had a political sensitive case.  It may be the first time the Admiral was in charge for it but again, I think this was just conflict for conflict’s sake.  The end showed that everyone was on the same side so I don’t know what they were doing.

Said this at the time of the episode but the death of Michelle Boucher was disappointing.   In “Raising the Dead”, Kessler was said to be barely literate, just filled with rage.  But he’s brilliant enough to escape from prison, cozy up to the President and get out of prison once again.  Always thought the more interesting story would have been Boucher as the mastermind to all the crime and Kessler the front man/sociopath/psychopath.  

Equally disappointing will be if the NCIS fellas have to save Kensi from Kessler.  She got him once, as a young, up and coming agent.  Kensi must remain the predator in this awful storyline.

For an episode about gunrunning and militias, this was an oddly talky hour.

Episode number:   Episode three of season 13, episode 283 overall.  

#NCIS: Los Angeles Rewatch #NCIS: Los Angeles #NCIS: LA #NCIS Los Angeles #ncis la

[pressnewsagencyllc]

Lefty Jack Besgrove highlights Australian roster to start Men's Softball World Cup title defence - World Baseball Softball Confederation

Softball Australia announced the 2024 Aussie Steelers team to start their world championship defence at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Group A in Hermosillo, Mexico. The group will take place from 12 to 16 June at Fernando Ortiz Stadium and Mundialistas Hermosillenses Stadium. Australia, ranked No. 1 in the world, included 10 world champions in their roster, including ace Jack Besgrove. This…

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[loldrita]

Shortstop in softball

#Shortstop in softball full#

“It’s been a nightmare trying to find stories to write about, especially when everyone was home with Zoom classes,’’ Garcia said. In college, she would like to major in a science or continue her writing career that includes being a news editor on the school newspaper, the Iliad. Garcia may be trying to return the luster to Poway softball right now, but she is also keeping her eyes focused on the future. “Fortunately, no one has a video of that,’’ Garcia said, chuckling about the play. She rolled her ankle on the bag and summersaulted past the bag into the outfield. Her final step to the bag, though, was not normal. Even her funniest softball moment was like that.Īs a 12-year-old playing in a travel ball game in Utah, Garcia hit a ground ball to shortstop and took off running to first base. Garcia can just move on from disappointment to the next play. “I can confirm that most teams we played last year knew we were down and a lot of teams this year assumed we are still down.’’ “We went right back and are playing teams that humbled us last year. “I couldn’t have taken another year last year,’’ Garcia said. Not even having a losing season like last year. “When I told her about the move, she took a ton of grounders from her club coach after practices and her dad did the same thing. “Miah was tremendous at third base considering she played second the year before and outfield for her travel team,’’ Bennet said. Moving Garcia to shortstop last summer was just one of the steps Poway coach Jim Bennet took hoping to return to the Titans’ winning ways. Thus far this season, the Titans already have more wins at 9-2-1 overall. We hit rock bottom, but we came into this season looking to return to normal.’’ “Just going to practice was difficult because we knew couldn’t compete with most other teams. Poway finished 2-8 in the Palomar League and 5-24 overall.

#Shortstop in softball full#

In 2021, the Titans played a full season again, but with 10 seniors graduating during the COVID-shortened season there was not much leadership left.Īnd because of Poway’s always difficult schedule, the outcome was predictable. Shortstop is a magnet for the ball, you have to communicate and you have to be loud because everyone is looking at you.’’ “Moving from third to short is a big deal because everything is different as the shortstop. “I liked playing third because I had my own base to own. 400 with five extra base hits and 12 RBIs. “Poway High is known for producing (Division I college) shortstops,’’ said Garcia, who is hitting. You only get to do this once, and I won’t be taking it for granted.”īe sure to follow along as Anissa heads to Tokyo by following her Instagram You can design your very own custom just like Anissa over at understands what it means to play shortstop at Poway. I want my legacy to be that I gave it everything I had, 100% fully buying into the system and to my teammates. “The only time you have is now, so you have to fully embrace where you’re at. When the first pitch is thrown, Niss will embrace the moment and be ready to leave her mark. I’m lucky to have two guardian angels watching over me!” She’s a big reason why I love representing Mexico. My grandma is my Mexican blood she was the leader of the pack, bringing her children to the states for a better life. He was like a second dad – supportive, funny, loving and sassy. Urtez lost her grandparents in the past year leading up to the games, but she still keeps them with her in everything she does. That courage and resilience came from a strong tie to family, a legacy that’s been passed down from her father’s parents, both of whom were of Mexican descent.

#Shortstop in softball

[don-lichterman]

Guam U15 baseball team stuns South Africa, at WBSC World Cup in Mexico | Guam Sports

Guam U15 baseball team stuns South Africa, at WBSC World Cup in Mexico | Guam Sports

The Guam Boys U15 National Baseball team stunned the world on Sunday, winning its first game at the World Baseball Softball Confederation U-15 Baseball World Cup in Hermosillo, State of Sonora, Mexico. After scoring five runs in the first and fourth innings, in a Group C slugfest, Guam held on to beat Republic of South Africa 10-8. Although South Africa scored seven unanswered runs, Guam’s…

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[rivaltimes]

U-15 baseball team starts the World Cup with a shutout over Venezuela

U-15 baseball team starts the World Cup with a shutout over Venezuela

The Puerto Rican National Team started the U-15 World Cup triumphantly on Friday by beating the Venezuelan team 7-0 this Friday on the first day of the tournament, which is based in the city of Hermosillo, Mexico. The victory marked the debut of a Puerto Rican representation in a world tournament under 15 of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). It was a match that was shortened to…

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[streetcarnivalshow]

Street Carnival CAM - Inaugurando y celebrando al ritmo de nuestros tambores la gran apertura del torneo de Softball y otros más 🥁💃🥳 #streetcarnival #followforfollow #followback #followme #friends #batucada #cool #music #musica #drums #percussion #percussao #tanquedeideas #instadaily #campeche #playing #drumstagram #cultura #photooftheday #party #instagood #brasil #mexico #play #team #insta #soundcloud #calle #softball #street (en Estadio Ferrocarrilero) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChgKt1ssUCZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#streetcarnival #followforfollow #followback #followme #friends #batucada #cool #music #musica #drums #percussion #percussao #tanquedeideas #instadaily #campeche #playing #drumstagram #cultura #photooftheday #party #instagood #brasil #mexico #play #team #insta #soundcloud #calle #softball #street

[angela-anaconda-was-a-lesbian]

THEM <3

#amanda chidester #anissa urtez #softball #athletes unlimited #lesbian athletes #female athletes #usa softball #team mexico softball

[leatherpearlslace]

Anissa Urtez hit the first home run by Team Mexico in Olympic history, July 22, 2021.

#Anissa Urtez #home run #softball #Team Mexico #2021 Summer Olympics #2021 Olympics #Summer Olympics #2021 Summer Olympian #Olympics #Olympian #2021 Olympian #Summer Olympian

[luisjuanmilton]

Hi yes I would die for them.

#the gays stay winning #look at them!!! #in love with their love #olympics #olympic games #softball #team mexico #team usa #amanda chidester #anissa urtez #lgbt #wlw

[thegoodmexican]

#yucatan peninsula (mexico) #Softball #mexico #Indigenous Women’s Softball Team #mayan

[skopurp]

the mexican softball jerseys are 🔥🔥🔥

#softball #tokyo olympics #team mexico

[drashleighreid]

if you want to talk to me about anything that isn’t the two female Olympic softball players on team Mexico and team USA who are engaged to each other but had to vers each other’s teams at the Olympics like some kind of FANFIC ,,, then just don’t

#ILL NEVER recover from learning this #Olympics #softball #sapphic

[kirsteninthesun]

If the Historicals were GOTYs

Trying to keep in line with their personality and have them be born in the same financial/regional locus.

Kaya: When a wildfire burns through the reservation, Kaya is determined to make the best of a bad situation. She likes having all of her cousins staying with her while they find a new place to live, but her sister Speaking Rain feels left out because she’s blind, and can’t keep up with a lot of their games. After a long week of Kaya leaving Speaking Rain out, Speaking Rain confronts her, and Kaya realizes she’s hurt her sister’s feelings. Kaya must learn to see the positive, which comes naturally, while still empathizing with people who might not be feeling quite so optimistic. Also, horse girl and powwow dancing plots?

Felicity: Felicity loves horses, but when she moves from rural Virginia to urban DC, she has to make new hobbies and friends who are very different than her. She’s bullied for her interests and her accent, before making friends with Elizabeth, who despite being different than her is a lot of fun. She learns to make time for her interests in other ways, like volunteering at an animal shelter and walking dogs with Elizabeth in rich neighborhoods to make money.

Caroline: Caroline helps her dad at the shipyard. She wants to be a shipbuilder too, not a fisherman like her brother. Swordfishing is dangerous, and her dad doesn’t like her brother being out on the water. The boat he’s on sinks, and he has to be airlifted out of a stormy sea. Caroline is afraid for him, but he comes home safe.

Josefina: Josefina loves piano. Her aunt is a piano teacher, and Josefina decides to help her aunt run music camp in the summer. They prepare everything together, help sign kids up, and come up with lesson plans. When Josefina’s maternal grandmother dies in Mexico, she has to take off time to go help her grandfather, and she learns that piano can help heal sadness, too.

Addy: Addy has always been quiet and thoughtful, and her parents trust her to take care of herself and her little siblings. Lately, though, she feels like too much is being expected of her, and she wants to have more of a unique self of self. She tries everything from softball to ballet to make herself unique. Eventually she gives up, until Esther’s birthday cake is ruined at the last minute, by their dog, with Mom and Dad gone, and she finds a new passion- baking- that fuses her skill at taking care of others with something that’s fun, too.

Kirsten: Growing up, Kirsten played hockey as much as she could, and she’s highly competitive and good at it. When she moves to her grandparents’ farm, she has to try out for an entirely new team, all of whom have more time on the ice and experience. She makes the team but feels pressured to keep up, until Singing Bird, another girl new to school, joins. Now Kirsten’s not the newest, and she’s initially grateful, but she feels guilty, too, and she and Singing Bird become practice partners, learning that the most important thing is having fun and working together.

Cecile and Marie Grace: Marie Grace is new to the big city, and shy. Cecile is popular, excitable, and ready to try anything. When they’re assigned to work on a service project together for a fifth grade capstone, they decide to help adopt out animals for a shelter. It’s a lot of work, and when Cecile’s mom is diagnosed with cancer, they have to change their plans. They settle on a new project: bringing adoptable, friendly animals to the hospital to cheer people up.

Samantha: Samantha’s adoptive aunt and uncle decide to take in foster kids. At first Samantha is excited and happy to have a friend living with her, and when she finds out Nellie is her exact age, she’s even happier. But Nellie isn’t the comrade in arms she was expecting- she’s shy, protective, and practical. On a vacation to Coney Island, the girls get into a fight, and Nellie runs away to the seashore. Samantha finds her, and they talk it out. Sam learns that Nellie feels left out, and they brainstorm ways to connect. The second book is heavily focused on the positive in some way.

Rebecca: Rebecca loves theater, and she’s thrilled to join an adult production, acting as the child character. The play is more than she was expecting to take on- her friends in the childrens group are busy with their own play, and her schoolwork is suffering. When she fails a test, she has to work out her schedule, but eventually she finds a happy balance.

Kit: Kit’s actual story adapts quite well to GOTY form. But let’s say she starts a newspaper at her school, and the big project is fun, exciting, and a little dangerous. She publishes a story about the school cafeteria dumping the recycling into the trash, and gets in trouble for sneaking into the kitchen.

Molly: Molly’s dad is in Afghanistan as a doctor at the height of the war. She wants to learn about the country, so she gets a penpal from Kabul (aka not!Emily) and they write back and forth over email. Molly learns about what it’s like to live during a war. She and her friend send each other packages of candy, pictures of their cats and houses, and talk about what they want to do- they both want to be actresses. When Molly doesn’t hear from not!Emily for two weeks, she’s afraid her friend has been hurt. It turns out that she was visiting family in the countryside and they were unable to get back to the city due to a blockade of the road. The story ends with the girls promising to meet one day in Paris when they’re film stars.

Nanea: Nanea is a great help at the family store. She makes signs, advertisements, and helps stock shelves. She and her mother decide to open a lunch counter, and Nanea is in charge of the menu. She and her school friends come up with lots of great ideas and promote it all around Honolulu.

Maryellen: Maryellen survived leukemia a year or so before the story takes place, and she’s ready to jump back into school. Her mom is worried about her health- she’s smaller and weaker than the other kids- and she feels too coddled. She pushes herself to keep up and distances herself from her family, striving to be independent. She joins the science club and excels. Before a big competition, she realizes just how much she’s been pushing herself, and her mom helps her relax her responsibilities.

Melody: Melody plays trumpet in the school band and sings in choir. She decides to audition for the childrens choir in Detroit, and makes it in- but this is a huge new commitment, and she’s not getting star solos anymore. Everyone is proud of her, but Melody feels intimidated. She confesses this to her brother, who’s a star football player looking at colleges. He helps her overcome her fears by teaching her grounding techniques and relaxation. When one of the older girls gets nervous before a performance, Melody teaches these techniques to her.

I didn’t add Julie and Courtney because those stories are so close to GOTY that they could be identical, but if you have ideas add them.