#Maybe it's the 'Greatest Rivals' season | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

primaviva · 5 months

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PUCK YOU

featuring. hockey!ellie williams x fem!reader synopsis. after winning the final game of the season, ellie wants you to join her in celebrating in the locker room. warnings. descriptions of the female body, suggestive content, hardcore making out ( i. e. breast play, grinding, hair pulling…) read at your own discretion

eighty six—the number that defined your girlfriend's prowess on the ice.

it was the number you witnessed gliding effortlessly across the frozen surface, scoring goals with a mighty grip on the hockey stick. it was the number you saw when her frustration reached its peak, her helmet flying across the room, marked unmistakably with that bold eighty six.

and now, as you watched the game unfold, you proudly donned the same number on your back. the vibrant red jersey draped your frame in a comfortably oversized, boyfriend-style fit. originally ellie's, she had lovingly given it to you, fully aware of your affinity for wearing her clothes, with the added sentiment that it’s her team jersey adorning your figure as you cheered her on during games.

in the highly anticipated matchup against the seattle krakens, ellie found herself facing off against her arch-nemesis, abby anderson, who always seemed to harbor an unspoken animosity towards her. perhaps it stemmed from abby's envy of ellie's successes in the industry, or maybe it was fueled by a longing to occupy the same position. whatever the reason, their encounters invariably generated newsworthy headlines.

ellie was well aware of the power of making headlines, understanding that the public loved a good rivalry. the crowd, amused by the tension between ellie and abby, eagerly absorbed every moment of them clashing on the monitors. well, everyone but you. unlike the spectators, you knew the toll it took on ellie. while you delighted in witnessing the furrow of ellie's brows and the intensity in her evergreen gaze, you understood the weight of her anger, knowing how overwhelming those emotions could be for her during gameplay. ellie also just didn’t like getting angry, as she knew how terrible she could get when succumbing to the emotion.

as the game against the seattle krakens reached its exhilarating climax, the scoreboard displayed a tense deadlock. "ellie" and "abby" reverberated through the arena, transforming into a fierce battle of vocal support among the spectators. the names echoed through the crowd, each fan fervently chanting for their favorite player to emerge victorious.

you leaned forward, leaning over the barrier that separated the passionate crowd from the icy battleground. eager to catch a glimpse of the unfolding spectacle, you yearned for a front-row view of the action.

"kick her ass!" your voice rang out, carried by a surge of adrenaline as you fervently waved your hands in the air, willing ellie to triumph with every fiber of your being.

with each stride, ellie's instincts took over. in a swift, fluid motion, ellie seized control of the puck, effortlessly maneuvering past defenders with her unmatched skill. among the sea of opponents, her eyes locked onto abby, her greatest rival, who relentlessly pursued her, driven by a desire to strip ellie of the puck. with precision and agility, ellie danced around abby's relentless advances, her stickwork a symphony of finesse. the crowd watched in awe as the two players engaged in a thrilling duel, but with a burst of speed, your girlfriend left abby in her wake, weaving through the defense.the crowd held their breath, captivated by the scene before them.

the ice seemed to tremble beneath her skates as she closed in on the goal, her heart pounding in her chest. time seemed to stand still as she unleashed a powerful shot, puck sailing through the air and evading the outstretched glove of the goaltender, finding the back of the net. satisfying, it reverberated with a resounding thud as the puck found its mark, securing victory for ellie's team. the arena erupted in a chorus of thunderous cheers, the crowd's jubilation mirroring the euphoria in ellie's own heart.

as the final buzzer echoed through the arena, signaling the end of the intense match, the spectators began to disperse, their cheers fading into the background. ellie along with her team members, elated by their hard-fought victory, eagerly made their way to the locker room to celebrate.

that was the routine of those games. the teams would go to the locker rooms to change out of their gear until they come back out to wait for their bus which left a little later as the coaches made sure the media got some press with the stars of the teams. you would wait for ellie outside of the lockers to greet her with a well deserved kiss and hug before it was time to hit the road.

however, what wasn’t apart of the routine was ellie taking much longer than her teammates, to the point where everyone had left the lockers to go outside and get some fresh air in the dark night sky. usually ellie was eager to get out of her sweaty uniform and lay flat on the floor in relief that it was over, one time she had practically taken her shirt off before leaving the rink.

as you contemplated walking inside, dina, one of ellie's teammates, approached you with a knowing look.

"dina, where's ellie?" you inquired, crossing your arms over your chest as you eagerly awaited her answer.

the raven-head sighed softly, her eyes conveying a sense of understanding to your anxious state. "she's still in the locker room," dina replied, voice laced with empathy. "she needed a moment to calm down. it got pretty intense out there."

your heart skipped a beat as you took in dina's words. you knew all too well how overwhelming emotions could be for ellie, especially in the aftermath of a fiercely contested game like this one. without a second thought, you made your way towards the locker room.

as you entered the dimly lit space, the air was heavy with exhaustion. and there, in the corner, you spotted ellie, her figure slumped on a bench, her equipment scattered haphazardly around her. the sweat glistening on her forehead and the lingering fire in her eyes showed you all you needed to know.

her distant expression revealed a mind lost in deep contemplation, seemingly oblivious to the world around her, including your presence at the doorway.

"ellie," you softly called out, breaking the spell of her introspection.

in an instant, her head snapped up, the fog of her thoughts dissipating as a radiant, toothy smile graced her face. it was the kind of infectious grin that only ellie, with her unique brand of endearing quirkiness, could effortlessly rock. rising from the bench, standing tall as she strode purposefully towards you.

closing the distance between you, ellie enveloped you in her strong arms, lifting you up effortlessly off the ground. her face nestled into the crook of your neck, her warm breath sending gentle shivers down your spine.

the world outside the locker room faded away—as she held you, you could feel the weight of the game lifting from alongside her.

"there you are," she murmured against your neck, her voice muffled but happy nonetheless.

amidst stifled laughter, you attempted to speak. "did you hear me cheering?" you managed to ask.

"how could i not hear you, baby? you were the loudest one out there," ellie retorted, another smile gracing her face. she loved how supportive you always were of her. "thank you for always being there for my games. it means a lot to me, having my beautiful girl cheering me on."

tenderly, she tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear, her pale green eyes brimming with warmth and love. on the field, ellie exuded toughness and fierceness, but with you, her armor melted away, revealing a softer, caring side that you brought out in her.

you couldn't help but chuckle at her remark about being the loudest, preferring to describe her as passionate. "you good?" you asked, your gaze fixed on her as your vision readjusted from being taken to the ground. "i know how much it gets to you when abby tries to rile you up during games."

ellie let out a sigh at the mention of abby. "i'm fine, don't worry about her," she replied, her voice laced with frustration, her hand absentmindedly rubbing the back of her neck.

but you could see the tension in her jaw, the way her body seemed to hold onto the irritation caused by abby's actions.

"thanks for checking on me," she expressed, her voice softer now. ellie leaned down, resting her forehead against yours, and released a deep sigh. it felt as if she were fully surrendering her body weight onto you, relying on your support. she was exhausted, both mentally and physically.

you weren’t buying tickets to her act.

as you studied her face, you noticed her tightly shut eyes and the creases forming around them. "i find it hard to believe you're okay. you look exhausted. sit," you firmly stated, placing your hands on her shoulders and gently guiding her back down onto the bench, encouraging her to rest.

ellie sighed and didn't resist as you made her sit back down on the bench. as tough as she was, she knew better than to argue with you when you used that tone.

"you know me too well,” ellie noted as she relaxed her shoulders and leaned back, closing her eyes. you always seemed to see right through her facade of being fine. the game had taken more out of her than she cared to admit.

you sat there, quietly observing her presence. the sheen of sweat adorned her forehead, causing strands of stray hair to cling to the sides. her skin appeared moist, a clear indication that she had recently stepped off the rink. your eyes remained fixed on her, capturing the gentle rise and fall of her chest with each inhale and exhale, a rhythmic cadence that grew slower and more deliberate. as you watched, your mind couldn't help but wander, envisioning the strength and definition of her abs concealed beneath her jersey. surely, the intensity of her performance left her core muscles taut and sculpted.

"will you sit with me for a bit?" she questioned, opening one eye to look at you hopefully. ellie just wanted a few quiet moments with you before the crowds dispersed. your presence alone seemed to ease her fatigue.

you nodded silently, a wordless affirmation of your unwavering support, before settling down beside her. her eyes attentively followed your every movement, capturing each subtle motion as you took your place next to her. she kept her gaze fixed on you, her emerald eyes shimmering in the softly lit room, as if trying to memorize every detail before finally closing them, her head finding solace against the wall.

"i really do appreciate you," she spoke amongst the silence. reaching for your hand, she brought it to her lips, pressing a gentle kiss upon it.

ellie, the dominant force on the field, always had a calm vulnerability in your presence. you provided the equilibrium she needed, a balance that no one else could offer.

you couldn't help but giggle at the sensations elicited by her tender kiss on your hand. "don't thank me," you playfully responded, a mischievous glimmer in your eyes. "come on, let me help you get undressed." as you rose from your seat, you noticed a devilish smirk on her face. "i didn't mean it like that, so don't even think about it," you emphasized, walking between her open legs as she sat, firmly grasping the bottom of her jersey.

she teasingly placed her hands behind your thighs, as if mockingly trying to keep you in place, before finally relenting and allowing you to proceed with removing her from her sweaty uniform.

"you know i can’t help myself around you," ellie playfully remarked, punctuating her words with a wink. however, as you tended to her, ellie surrendered herself to your caring touch, feeling the tightness in her muscles melt away.

she raised her arms, a silent invitation for you to remove her jersey. with gentle and skillful movements, you carefully pulled the fabric over her head, revealing the glistening sheen of perspiration on her skin. moving on, you deftly unfastened her shoulder pads, followed by her elbow pads. the expression on her face spoke volumes, a mixture of relief and gratitude as the weight of the protective gear was lifted from her.

ellie grinned up at you, thoroughly enjoying teasing you even when exhausted. you were just so cute when you got flustered. but she resisted making any other suggestive comments as you helped remove her pads and gear. she could tell you were going into protective girlfriend mode to take care of her.

as the last piece came off, ellie sighed in relief. "god, that’s so much better, thank you. i feel lighter already." she pulled you closer between her legs so your bodies were pressed together, though mindful not to squeeze you too tightly in her tired state. the tension began to ease from her muscles.

you just had that calming presence which soothed ellie's nerves. just being close to you helped her unwind after the stress of competition. she leaned back and closed her eyes contentedly.

"come here," ellie beckoned, extending her arm towards you, her desire for your closeness evident. "i just want to hold my girl before having to sit through a three-hour bus ride," she joked, a bit of truth in her statement.

with hesitation and curiosity, you placed your hand in hers, uncertain of what she had in mind. but before you could fully anticipate her next move, ellie swiftly pulled you into her lap, enveloping you in her embrace.

the suddenness of the action surprised you, but as you settled into her lap, you felt a wave of warmth and security wash over you. nestled against her, you could hear the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.

ellie wrapped her strong arms securely around your waist as you settled into her lap. she rested her chin on your shoulder and breathed you in deeply.

"mmm, there's my girl,” she whispered. holding you always made ellie feel centered. like the rest of the world faded away and it was just the two of you. she nuzzled softly against your neck, placing gentle kisses along your skin. "i love you so much," she spoke while holding you tighter, hoping you knew how much you meant to her.

ellie's tired muscles relaxed further as she embraced you. your presence alone seemed to ease the strain from her body. she rocked you gently in her arms, enjoying this quiet moment of intimacy.

"i love you too," you whispered in response, your words filled with nothing less of love. ellie's gaze locked onto yours, her pupils dilating as she immersed herself in the depths of your eyes. in that intimate exchange, she sought to discover every shade, every intricate detail that made your eyes uniquely yours.

her hand, which had secured your waist, embarked on a slow and agonizing path up your back, sending a tantalizing shiver along your spine. it finally settled at the nape of your neck, her touch both gentle and possessive. with a firm grasp, she guided your head towards hers, closing the distance between your lips.

ellie kissed you softly yet deeply, savoring the feeling of your lips against hers. all the anxiety and frustration from the game seemed to melt away in your affectionate embrace.

she gently traced her tongue along your bottom lip, asking for entrance in a way that was loving yet dominant. her hand cradled the back of your head tenderly even as she pulled you in closer.

kissing you always made ellie feel possessive yet protective at the same time. like she never wanted to let you go. she loved you so fiercely it sometimes scared her. but she knew you were the only one who truly saw her for who she was—not just an athlete but a person.

as your lips moved in perfect harmony, a sensuous dance of desire, you became lost in the intoxicating rhythm. the magnetic pull between you seemed irresistible, drawing you into a world where nothing else mattered but her body. the wetness of her mouth and the mingling of saliva heightened the intensity, an unspoken language shared between you both.

when you reluctantly parted to catch your breath, a thin strand of saliva lingered, connecting you both momentarily. ellie leaned her forehead against yours, her breaths heavy and labored. her pale green eyes bore into yours, radiating warmth and unbridled desire. “i need you,” she expressed with a raw simplicity, her voice husky and filled with need. in your embrace, ellie found solace, the only place where true tranquility resided.

ellie craved an outlet, a means to divert her frustrations and escape the overwhelming demands of the game. and in that moment, there was no better distraction than being consumed by thoughts of you, her mind freed from pucks and goalies.

with a swift gesture, she wiped away the saliva from her chin before firmly gripping your jaw, drawing your lips back to hers. the kiss intensified, akin to the crashing of rough waves against a sailor's vessel. each crash left an imprint, and you could sense the tender fullness of your lips bruising under the passionate onslaught.

a deep, resonant moan escaped your throat, merging with the union of your mouths. your hands found purchase on her shoulders as you adjusted yourself, straddling her waist with a sense of urgency.

ellie growled low in her throat at your moan, arousal spiking through her body in an instant. she gripped your hips tighter, grinding you against her as your movements stirred her growing need.

kissing you deeper, ellie dominated your mouth with her tongue, possessing you completely. one hand slid up your back, fingers clutching possessively. the other tangled in your hair to hold you right where she wanted.

she kissed like she played—with a fiery intensity and competitive drive to claim victory. ellie poured all her pent up passion and longing into the kiss, asserting her dominance yet caring for you completely.

when you finally broke apart again, panting heavily, ellie gazed at you with lust-darkened eyes. "fuck, baby, you're so hot,” she groaned, nipping along your jaw and down your neck, leaving her mark.

ellie was throbbing with want, craving the intimate release only you could give her after a game.

"ellie, did you forget we're in the locker room?" you began to protest, but ellie's touch interrupted your words, cupping your clothed boobs and giving them a slow yet tender squeeze. you hated how flustered she got you, especially when there were other people around. “cut the shit," you pleaded, but deep down, you knew that you were just as eager to help ellie find release from her stress.

ellie chuckled low in her throat at how easily she could rile you up. your flushed cheeks and dilated pupils told her exactly how turned on you were despite your words.

with a mischievous grin, ellie met your plea while giving your breasts another b squeeze. "aw, come on, baby, don't pretend you don't love it when i get you all hot and bothered," she teased, her voice low and seductive.

ellie lived for the challenge of pushing your buttons and claiming your body as her own, even with others so close. the thrill of potentially getting caught only served to heighten her arousal.

she leaned in to nibble your earlobe sensually, "bet i can make you cum before we even leave this room." ellie's hand slid down your stomach to cup your clit through your jeans.

"what do you say? want to put on a little after show for me?" she gripped your ass firmly with her other hand, grinding you down against her. ellie knew all your secrets and weaknesses, and was more than willing to exploit them.

you couldn't help but mumble, "fuck," as your hands gripped on her hair. you moved in for another kiss without thinking twice as you were too needy to keep her mouth to yourself.

ellie kissed you hungrily, all her earlier arousal igniting into an inferno. she moaned against your mouth at the feel of your hands gripping her hair firmly. oh, how the girl loved it when you took charge and matched her dominance with your own.

it was as if she was starving for you, devouring your mouth possessively. she grounded up against your core, feeling how wet you were already through your jeans. ellie delighted in unraveling your composure and leaving you a panting, wanting mess.

her hands roamed your body possessively, gripping your ass to grind you down harder. ellie sucked your bottom lip between her teeth, nipping teasingly. she wanted you aching and desperate for her. your girlfriend loved how responsive your body was to her touch, how you melted under her.

breaking the kiss momentarily, ellie gazed up at you with eyes dark with lust. "god, you're so fucking hot. think anyone would notice if i made you come right here?"

she traced delicate patterns on your warm skin, teasing ever closer to your core. ellie lived to unravel you, reduce you to a flushed, quivering mess before claiming your pleasure as her own. she rolled her hips up in a slow, deep circle, applying delicious friction directly against your clit now. ellie was determined to push you over the edge before letting you leave this locker room.

ellie groaned at your nails scraping across her scalp, spurring her desire higher. she kissed you back fervently, delving her tongue between your lips to tangle with your own.

your desperate little noises only served to spur her on. ellie was going to thoroughly ravish you right here, right now, and to hell with anyone who might catch them. you were hers.

"you're gonna make a mess of your uniform," you managed to gasp out, your words challenged by hushed breaths and the rapid beating of your heart. in the grand scheme of things, her uniform should have been the least of your concerns, but your mind was clouded, rendering you unable to think clearly.

ellie chuckled low in her throat as you panted and squirmed in her lap. you were always so cute when she had you this worked up.

"that's what the showers are for, baby." she rolled her hips up in another slow, deep grind against your clit. ellie nibbled along your neck hungrily, branding you with love bites. "don't care about the uniform, i just want you,” she declared while kissing you hard, refusing to break eye contact as her hand slid under your low waisted jeans.

ellie knew exactly how to unravel you, where to touch to draw out your pleasure. she could feel your arousal soaking through your underwear as you ground yourself down against her hand. your girlfriend swallowed your soft moans, owning your mouth completely as your hips began to ride her expert fingers.

her hands slid under the famous eighty six jersey she lent you to caress and squeeze your breasts skin on skin. ellie tweaked your nipples between her fingertips, rubbing them into stiff peaks.

"bet you’re close already," ellie muttered. she kissed you fiercely, tongue plunging into your mouth in time with her grinding hips.

ellie was throbbing with her own needs but lived for your pleasure above her own. she would push you over the edge a thousand times just to see your blissful expression.

the hockey player took such pride and satisfaction in reducing you to a quivering mess so quickly. and she hadn't even fucked you properly yet. by the time she was through, you'd be putty in her hands.

she smirked, loving how close she had you already. you began subconsciously grinding yourself on her through, back and forth as you sucked her tongue in your mouth. your moans of pleasure were like music to her ears.

"that's it baby, ride my thigh. feel how wet you're making me?" she continued to talk you through, emphasizing her words by grinding up against your core once more.

ellie captivated your lips in another searing kiss, swallowing your cries of ecstasy. her hands gripped your ass possessively, helping lift and lower your hips.

“ellie,” you mumbled, the intensity of the moment consuming you, as rational thoughts and the ability to express them struggled to break through the haze of desire.

the brunette's head quipped up as soon as she saw your beautiful visage. it was one of her favorite things to do at these times, to simply observe the obscene looks on your face that she made herself, tight with pleasure.

ellie took such pride and satisfaction in reducing you to a quivering mess so quickly. and she hadn't even fucked you properly yet. by the time she was through, you'd be putty in her hands.

“yeah? if you have something to say, you gotta use your words (y/n). so if you want it, then tell me you want to cum all over my hand while i fuck you right here,” ellie taunted, now nipping at your bottom lip, her husky voice dripping dominance and desire.

the words that escaped her lips left you stunned, rendering you momentarily speechless. your eyes watched her intently as she adjusted her stance against the wall. her every movement seemed deliberate, commanding your attention.

with trembling hands, you reached out to steady yourself against a nearby surface, the weight of her words sinking in as you opted for the wall behind ellie. as she moved her arm once more, your gaze followed. her strong fingers dipped past the fabric to tease your entrance eagerly. "come on baby, don't leave me hanging,” ellie ordered gruffly, knowing the sound of her voice could send you over the edge.

she held you flush against her body, grinding up to meet your every roll of hips. you swallowed each other's moans with deep kisses, tongues tangling erotically. ellie was determined to push you over the edge right here in this very locker room.

all of a sudden, a disruptive knocking sound echoed through the locker room door, shattering the fragile bubble of intimacy that had enveloped you both. a voice, belonging to joel, ellie's hockey coach, seeped through the other side, brimming with impatience.

"ellie, hurry up! the bus is outside, and our asses will leave you here to hitchhike if you don't come out in the next five minutes," joel's voice boomed, giving his last warning to your girlfriend.

you exchanged a knowing glance, the disappointment and longing apparent in your eyes. ellie growled in frustration as joel's voice interrupted your intense moment. of course, right when she was finally forgetting her problems, the problem came knocking on the door.

"shit," she muttered under her breath. ellie rested her forehead against yours as you both panted from being out of breath, the rhythm of your heartbeats gradually slowing, but the desire within you remaining unquenched.

"we're not done here," ellie whispered huskily, giving your ass a possessive squeeze.

louder so joel could hear, she called out, "yeah yeah, we're coming!" you tried not to laugh, but ellie giggled to herself, a sly smile on her face at the double meaning which caused you to roll your eyes.

ellie's lips pressed against yours for one final, ravenous kiss, a bittersweet taste that left you yearning for more. "we’re gonna finish this later, i promise,” she declared in a hushed tone, fueling what already thrummed between you.

with a playful slap on your ass whilst she got off the bench, ellie teased you, her touch electric against your skin. time was of the essence as you swiftly assisted her in changing out of her hockey gear and into more comfortable clothes.

the weight of disappointment settled upon both of you, and with mutual understanding, you tenderly brushed each other's disheveled hair back into place. gently, you attempted to wipe the sweat from each other's faces, trying to look as unsuspecting as possible. Not to mention, it was also severely embarrassing.

leaving the confines of the locker room, you stepped outside and joined ellie's teammates on the bus. taking your places among them, you immersed yourself in the multiple topics that would usually take place, ranging from animated discussions about the game to reflections on personal improvement and snippets of their everyday lives. or, they simply just talked shit about the other team and how stupid their name was—it could even go as far as saying how ugly and mismatched the team colors would be.

ellie knew you'd be aching for her touch until then. it would be a long, frustrating bus ride for both of you back to jackson. but the anticipation would make the payoff so much sweeter.

she knew she would get her after-game reward.

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maxarchive · 2 months

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Fear, faith, friendship: Inside F1’s most precious relationship

[...]

When now-triple world champion Max Verstappen was first promoted to the Red Bull team mid-season in 2016, race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was tasked with moulding an 18-year-old possessing both supreme talent and a frank demeanour with only a few days' notice.

"I had experience working with multiple drivers before Max, and that was one of the biggest helps in terms of hitting the ground running with him. I think if I would have been a newbie to my role - I won't quite say he would have eaten me alive, but I'm not sure he would have had that respect for a junior engineer."

Their relationship was an immediate success. Verstappen became the youngest race winner in F1 history, finishing first on his debut at the Spanish Grand Prix. But, generally, the first few years of Lambiase and Verstappen's partnership were spent chasing perennial frontrunners Mercedes.

"Max learned some really harsh lessons in the two or three years before 2021. His racecraft really was something that we focused on, making sure we were just picking up points when it wasn't possible to win a race. We were concentrating on building his consistency, needing to be finishing every race, maybe not putting himself in a situation where he can end up in a 50/50 accident with another driver."

[...]

Sometimes, though, tension between driver and race engineer can spill over in the most high-pressure moments.

Now in his ninth season working with Verstappen, having won the championship in each of the past three seasons, Lambiase's voice is a staple of every F1 broadcast and has become recognisable to fans all around the world.

The pair's success does not mean their communications are entirely straightforward.

"I think it is inevitable in any relationship that there are disagreements. The first port of call is acceptance of that. Secondly, you need to have faith in each other that it is for the greater good rather than there being any kind of malicious undertone. That is at the core of the relationship. As an engineer, I need to understand that ultimately Max is in the hot seat, not me. So while we are all working in a pressurised environment, the driver is at a level well beyond that. As an older citizen I would like to think I am mature enough to step back and let him vent when necessary, but to also make him understand why decisions are being made. If I was a yes man, I would have been gone long ago. We have just got that honesty in the relationship between us that we can be blunt and straight-talking when needed."

As well as coping with adrenaline themselves, race engineers must manage the pressure on their racers.

The 2021 campaign was arguably the most intense in F1's 74-year history. After an acrimonious year marked by heavy collisions between the pair on track and serial sparring between their respective team principals in the paddock, Verstappen and rival Lewis Hamilton's title fight came down to the wire at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

"I wouldn't want to repeat 2021 in a hurry. It was incredibly competitive on and off the track [but] sometimes I think it went beyond the realms of sport. In terms of taking that pressure away from Max, I tried to stress with everybody here that we continued as normal. We treated every race as a single event rather than trying to look too far down the line at what could be."

[...]

In some cases though, the idea of starting afresh following the end of such a deep connection doesn't appeal any more.

"I honestly see Max as a younger brother. We can talk about anything and anyone at any time. We're at the point where we just felt completely relaxed and at ease with each other. Maybe I am speaking out of turn, but I don't think I would have any interest in working with another driver now. Having had the success that we have enjoyed together with Max, working with one of the greatest talents that the sport has ever seen, I don't think it would be fair on another driver, from their perspective or mine, to try and replicate what we have achieved with Max."

In Formula 1, as in all our lives, the magic of the most special relationships will always remain utterly unique.

#max verstappen #gianpiero lambiase #f1 #2024

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lolbital · 3 months

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My hazbin hotel ship opinions!

• staticradio: my favorite, my obsession, my life. It is very obvious in the show that Vox is obsessed with Alastor. The most common opinion in the community is that it’s one-sided, but I like to think Alastor pulled away because he was afraid of his reciprocated feelings towards Vox.

•radiorose: This is my second favorite Alastor ship. They are super cute and they’re quite perfect for eachother. I just enjoy their friendship too much to actively ship them.

•radioapple: I only understand this ship because it seems like they have existing tension, but otherwise I don’t enjoy it. Alastor and Lucifer’s relationship was never expanded on beyond their immediate rivalry. Maybe if season 2 gives them more interactions or a backstory I will be able to get behind this ship a little more, but I really can’t see this as anything more than a boring rivals to lovers trope.

•staticmoth: It’s okay, but I don’t see them as much more than a sexual relationship. I don’t think Valentino is capable of genuine love.

•polyvees: I see Velvette as more of a younger sister to the other vees. To me the idea of her having two boomer older brothers is just funny. I don’t think this ship is necessarily bad it’s just not my thing.

•bombsnake: I think they’re cute. Unfortunately I don’t think Cherri really has returned feelings for Pentious. Based on their interactions she just seems interested in experimenting sexually with him because of his anatomy. I could be wrong though, so I’m very open to this ship!

•Charlastor: I see Alastor as a father figure or older brother to Charlie. Especially after the Hell’s greatest dad song, I just can’t ever see them in a romantic situation. I am not against the ship, but I personally don’t like it.

•Chaggie: I have nothing bad to say about them! Their relationship is healthy and I think they’re perfect for eachother. I particularly enjoy the fact that Vaggie was an ex-exterminator because it truly promotes Charlie’s idea of redemption. I am going to be extremely upset if Vaggie gets redeemed and gets seperated from her gf.

•radiodust: most people who ship this probably still have the pilot in mind. They don’t interact a whole lot in the show, and I see this as more of a crackship than anything.

•huskerdust: It looks like they’re going to be getting a slow burn relationship and I’m so happy about that. I like to think that Husk is refusing Angel’s advances because he knows he’s only doing it because of hypersexuality at first. I’m 99% sure that is what is canon too. I want to see their relationship grow.

•radiohusk: I am sorry but I can’t get behind this whatsoever. Husk absolutely hates Al, and Al owns him. There is no equality in this relationship, and it would get toxic very quickly.

•radiomaid: I love their dynamic but only as friends. I know Nifty is an adult, but she acts so childish and Alastor still owns her. I don’t like the power imbalance and maturity gap.

•alastor/lilith: if the theory that Lilith owns Alastor is true, then I am interested to see if we get a backstory about them, or what they might’ve been doing for 7 years. As of now I am neutral.

•guitarspear: these two menaces belong together. It seems like Lute really cares about Adam too which is an added bonus.

•Adamsapple: definitely a crackship. I don’t know what to say other than I find it amusing.

•valdust: I despise this ship. There is a very abusive power imbalance and it is proven that Anthony is nothing more than an object in Val’s eyes. There is no love here, just manipulation.

•royalhalo: cute, but even better if It’s poly with Vaggie. If emily becomes a fallen angel, Charlie could have two gfs and I stand behind that.

•lucilith: I hope they get back together. Lilith better have a good reason for leaving.

•Vaggie/Angeldust: most probably ship this because they were likely a longtime viv follower. I’m not against this ship necessarily, but I could never get behind it. Maybe I just adore chaggie and huskerdust too much.

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trulyhblue · 4 months

Text

My Girl

Hayley Raso x Barcelona! Reader

Warnings: fluff, established relationship, drinking, sport rivals, coarse language.

A/N — this photo of her after the Chelsea vs RMA CL game has me in a chokehold. A short but sweet one <3

_______________________

You met Hayley in a drunken embrace, breathing in the earthy chill that contrasted the firey ambience of the club.

You hadn't been starting for your Childhood team for a couple of weeks now, only just making the starting eleven today you went above and beyond in training. Barcelona was your home. You grew up in the city, raised with a football by your feet, and had been a part of the club for as long as you could remember. You were one of the many girls among the team who had never experienced life outside of the Spanish League, with no eminent efforts of changing that anytime soon. You had made your debut at seventeen, and over these past few years, you were lucky enough to see the team expand into one of the greatest women’s team in the world — arguably even the best.

While this came with certain bragging rights, and of course the utmost pride for the club, the safety and security that came with your position on the team were always at stake. Unlike other teams, Barcelona were ongoing in their endeavours to keep their players on their toes in regard to their contracts. This was most apparent in girls like you, who had been at Barca your whole life.

It was a constant battle to the top, but maintaining your status there was harder. You loved football. It was your passion, your dream, but it was also your career — a very demanding one, at that.

You had met Hayley in England when you were visiting Manchester to catch up with your close friend Ona. Ona was at United, thriving at the club in streaks, but her contract was ending with the reds. You were one of the first to know about the girl’s transfer to your club. You were so, so excited.

It was nearing the end of the season, the Manchester Derby being the game you watched, but you couldn't help but catch the eye of one of the girls on the opposite team.

Her name was Hayley, you knew that from the ribbon in her hair and the curls that fell from her flimsy bun. You watched her intently throughout the game, unable to peel your eyes off the woman as she threaded the ball in and out of her position on the wing. As a Winger yourself, you were able to easily admire her skill, despite the fact that you were in fact rooting for the other team. You were quick to make yourself known to her after the game, and everything sort of hit it off from there.

Hayley was kind. Her heart was full of gold, and her precious person was something you fell in utter love with. She made you laugh like no one else. She had a way of making you feel seen, heard, and thought of even if there were a million different things going on around you that looked to be more important. The two of you didn't even think about the physical distance that you’d have to face. The instant connecting made it impossible to break the bond you immediately had.

After a couple of weeks of talking back and forth, you had found yourself hopelessly enamoured with the Australian.

Ona announced her move to Barca in June, and your national team was preparing for the long and apprehensive task of the World Cup. Before, you thought yourself very lucky to be playing in such an important tournament with such talented played. You still think this now, but after meeting Hayley, all thoughts turned to the idea of being in the same country for a whole month together.

Obviously, you did not have much time to spend. Winning the World Cup was a dream come true. It was everything you had ever dreamed of. But your heart was yearning for only one thing.

Hayley had asked you to be your girlfriend on the day you were due back to Spain. Her surprising announcement to Real Madrid just before the Cup was nothing of a shock to you. While you played for the rival team — and maybe, sort of tried to convince the girl to try for Barca — you were over the moon that she was so much closer to you.

Now, months later, you were spending your evening in a bar with Aitana and Keira slung to your hip, slurring your words as you searched for your phone. The Barca girls were in Madrid after a critical match against Atletico Madrid, meaning the next few days were going to be by your Australian’s side.

“Ugh, calling the enemy, I see.” Keira quipped, rolling her eyes. Aitana giggled from beside her, watching your sluggish motions with a smug countenance.

You ignored their antics, ignoring their jokes and finding your girlfriend's contact on your phone. You didn't even register how it took a few seconds for her to pick up, but you realised she had been waiting by the sound of her keys.

“Heyyyyy, Hay.” You splattered, pulling down an inch of your heightening skirt. “Miss you so much, Babyyy.”

“Hello, darling.” You heard your girlfriend chuckle. “Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?” You asked. You flipped Keira off when she mocked your whines.

“For me to pick you up, Darling.” Hayley replied.

“Hm,” You pondered for a moment, trying to remember why you wanted to call Hayley in the first place. “I'm in a bar, Hay.”

“I know. I can hear it in your voice.”

“Nooo, I've had no drinks.” You whined, pulling yourself up from the secluded corner you and the girls were nurturing. “Why are you calling?”

If you were shit-faced drunk right now, you would've caught onto the Aussie’s continuous patience, and the endearment in her tone as she talked to you.

“You called me, Babygirl.” She spoke, her side of the phone quiet in contrast to the blaring music you were surrounded by. “Maybe it's time for me to pick you up?”

“You can't pick me up, Ribbon.” you giggled, the fond nickname rolling off your tongue in second nature. “You're at home. I'm at a club.”

“Oh, yes, my mistake, Darling,” she responded quickly. Hayley was already driving to your location having been waiting for this call all night. You didn't know this, but she was slightly envious of your team taking you away. While you both lived in the same country now, it was still at least a five-hour drive between Madrid and Barcelona. Furthermore, it wasn't often that teams would stay after away games, so it frustrated her knowing you were spending time with a team you spent every day with when you could be with her.

“I'm on my way now, okay?” She said to the phone, knowing that despite the silence you were waiting for her to guide the conversation. “Do any of the girls need a lift?”

You gave a quick glance over to the group you were with. Alexia was scolding Mapi downing shots. Ona was trying to force water down Aitana’s throat, and Keira was just singing at the top of her lungs, swaying to the beat of the music.

“No, Alexia is here.” You put it simply. Everyone knew that if Alexia was near, everyone would be getting home safe.

Hayley must've heard you from over the music since she hummed back. “Alright then,” She answered, turning the corner towards the club. “I want you to go tell Keira or someone that you're leaving so they know you're going.”

You ran a hand through your hair, crossing your arms over your chest in silent rebuttal. “Keira’s drunk, Hayley.”

“Okay, then don't tell her, tell Aitana.”

“Oh, erm— she's drunk too.”

You could hear the girl’s sigh. “Put Alexia on the phone please, Baby.”

You did as you were told, handing the phone to your captain without managing to explain why you did so. The older woman shared a solemn conversation with your girlfriend before hanging up the call and turning to Ingrid.

With Keira and Aitana yelling out goodbyes, the Norwegian woman held the small of your back, leading you out of the club to make sure you did so without error.

“Love you, Ingrid.” You muttered, holding the back of the girl’s top as she led the two of you out.

“Love you too, Precioso.” She replied, smiling at your dazed expression before finding Hayley’s car pull up beside you. You watched your girlfriend walk out towards you, giving your teammate a slightly awkward, but grateful nod as you breathed in her familiar scent.

“Hey, Hay.” You gasped, grasping onto Hayley’s sweater in replacement of Ingrid.

“Hey, sweet girl.” She uttered, opening the passenger door, aiding your balance as you trampled in.

You made sure to give one last look at Ingrid, smiling as big as you could. “Love you, Ingrid. Miss you so so so so much.”

“Miss you too, y/n/n. See you soon.”

You found yourself relaxing in the passenger seat as Hayley drove off. Her hand sat comfortably on your thigh, drawing small, wistful circles as you hummed a quiet tune.

When you finally arrived home, Hayley helped you take off your makeup, taking off your shoes, and slotting her Matildas trackies and one of her old Portland Thorns shirts over the top of you. You were like putty in her grip, letting her lead you to the bed without a second to protest, engulfing the cool climate of the sheets.

“I'm ‘gonna go get some water and paracetamol for you, Darling. Do you want anything else?”

Your girlfriend held out her hand, lightly stroking the baby hairs that had fallen from her pony and onto her face.

“Do we have any food?” you asked, knowing the answer already but feeling the need to ask anyway.

The Australian nodded and walked out of her bedroom, taking a few minutes to collect everything she needed. When coming back, she noticed the furrow in between your eyebrows. The drunken endeavours of the night were inevitably going to catch up to you and Hayley knew you were starting to release that when you happily accepted the water and medicine in a few gulps.

Once the two of you had settled back into bed, with Hayley changing into her pyjamas, you had almost forgotten about your prior request when you heard the ruffle of a packet sound from beside you.

Your head shot up, eyes darting to the yellow cardboard box and concealed package within it. Hayley’s arm had found its way across your waist, pulling you into her side as she let the scent of the food waft into the space.

You laughed at Hayley’s look of delight — two Cheddar Shapes already popping into the girl’s mouth.

“Where did you get these?” You asked, watching Hayley’s devious smile widen.

“Fan gave them to me.” She replied, shoving three more into her mouth.

You two shared a still and silence as you cracked away at the biscuits one at a time. Madrid had fallen into a quiet city — no longer filled with the connotations of noise and light, the wholesome bubble of your bedroom filling the enmity of home for the night.

“You're so cute, ribbon.” you quipped, glancing over the blush that had dusted your girlfriend’s cheeks. Hayley pulled you closer, the box of the Aussie snack hushed off the bed.

You felt the warmth of her embrace overwhelm you into fatigue, the combination of one another's love steering you two into an eternity of solitude.

“You are too, my girl.”

___________________________

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liulith · 27 days

Text

Another rec list but this time it's only Radiostatic animatics

(romantic, platonic and one-sided)

Aishite Aishite Aishite 🎵 by I.V.Y

Alastor discovers feelings by @nomifae

Alastor finally gets defeated by @nyipi

Alastor really REALLY hates Vox by Darkcatziward | reverse by @pinksartdump

Alastor rejects Vox by aud

Alastor vs compliments by @kiribiribi

All you wanna do 🎵 by josephbaby20

bad word 🎵 大倭瓜只会来南极养生

Be nice to me 🎵 by Ashed Wings

Bigger than love 🎵 by LEMONCATYU

Bittersweet 🎵 by gatormurky

Bokusatsu tenshi Dokuro-chan opening 🎵 by @kiribiribi

(BUT) 🎵 by LEMONCATYU

Butcher Vanity 🎵 by 散文幻

Come and dance with me 🎵by spoonyspine

Cure 🎵 by @pinksartdump

Erase me 🎵 by everlasting hiraeth

Fang Zhen (anyway) by 阿波罗落萝洛啰 | voxal的反正 (Anyway) 🎵 by 麦田怪犬

Fear by heyguysitsmekitty

Forget him 🎵 by Chen

Greatest Enemy by Alektoonie

He wants Alastor's attention by @lucdoodle

Hito Mania 人狂热症/人マニア 🎵 by Letranger

Horny angry tango 🎵 by Ratacuache | by zx窒息zx

House of memories 🎵 by Azumi Taragashi

I bet you can't by miruki_tii

I Can't Decide 🎵 by Yi Meng (YT link)

I can't stand you by @kiribiribi

Idol 🎵 by LEMONCATYU

If you win this one I'll give you a kiss by palabokay

I'M HIGH 🎵 by defunoki

is it gay to drunk dial your rival to say you love them? 🎵 by gatormurky

isn't that reason enough? by @yksuna

I won't say I'm in love 🎵 by @pinksartdump

JENNY 🎵 by @angyluffy

Jordan River 🎵 by @flavarrshop

Kamippoi na (God-ish) 🎵 by sm43633294

LOVE LIKE YOU 🎵 by Mikiishui

Mama's Gun 🎵 by 乳制品狂热

Masochism Tango 🎵 by halchui | Masochism Tango by una chamba es vital

"Maybe in another universe" by @flavarrshop part 2

Meant to be yours 🎵 by Phillberry | Meant to be yours by M Shiro | by pinksartdump

Megamind by Sashka

Miseen 🎵 by 炽能果甘 | Miseen by len

Miss you by @kiribiribi

Murder on the dancefloor 🎵 by Morgggart

mutually sadomaso my palabokay

Never getting rid of me 🎵 by palabokay

No I'm hitting on you by palabokay

Obsessed with you by @lucdoodle

Other side 🎵 by cryptidslight | by spaeceymuse | by Crashite

Possibly in Michigan 🎵 by Ram

Punishment Game / Kuru Ringo-sama 🎵 by Yoshida

Rabbit 🎵 by 乌木芥芥次次饭

Red flags (human centipede) 🎵 by @sicgtiti

season 2 leak by @trippyciphs

she wants revenge by @thatoneweasel

SHINY 🎵 by spoonyspine

Shunran 的春岚 🎵 by 兼

Somethin' stupid 🎵 by Mikiishui | Somethin' stupid by Archivisté

STAYED GONE 🎵 by aud

Sweet Talk 🎵 by @mvabank

Target by @colonelcheru

Ten things I hate about you by palabokay

The day after by mallowtownmouse

The Pitiful Children 🎵 by Ratacuache

This guy is in love with you 🎵 by @thatoneweasel

Thrill of First Love 🎵 by Neal

Tongues and Teeth 🎵 by spoonyspine | by Ebonisa

Touch by Mvabank

TWIST THE KNIFE by sheaburger555

Two birds on a wire 🎵 by I.V.Y

USING YOU 🎵 by zar

Vox after he learned Alastor was back by I.V.Y

Vox and Alastor storytime by Maria Quevedo

Vox pranks Alastor by Crashite

"Vox we need to have a talk" by @flavarrshop

Wet 🎵 by Hemiko

"What am I really to you?" by @flavarrshop

What if they became friends? by @cynthesia07

...Which is never enough by Luary

You could call it a rivalry by Lou's dubs, @artofrhues

Your obedient servant 🎵 by momeshi

Your smile is different now 🎵 by palabokay

Zettai Tekitai Mecha Kirai yaa (Absolute Hostility, I Hate You So Much) 🎵 by 禀偶秉也可以是饼干狗 | by Iris | MMD by Futaba Ryo

#hazbin hotel alastor #hazbin hotel vox #radiostatic #staticradio #voxal #hazbin hotel #animatics #liu's recs #I would add more links but tumblr won't let me #100 is the limit

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nabwastaken · 5 months

Text

Nab's Nightmare Time 4 lineup!

Helloooo everyoneeee! A while ago on the Halloween livestream, Nick revealed the episode listing for Nightmare Time 3! And he said that eeeevvvvveeeerryyyyonneeeee must go give NMT2 a watch if we could even dream about getting these amazing episodes! So that got me thinking... what if I write my own NMT concepts for if season 3 does well and we might get a season 4? And here's what I got based off of all sorts of other posts and inspiration I got from none other then you guys!

P.E.I.P.S (an extra long stand alone for the pilot, around the same length as Honey Queen)

Being two of PEIP’S top undercover field agents is hard work for Dan Reynolds and Donna Daggit. Especially when you live in none other then Hatchetfield, Michigan. The two under cover news anchors were both sent to investigate all the strange happenings in the small town, and when they suddenly discover something off about a certain pocket squirrel they were reporting on and it's owner.. well, it's time for the two of them to step back into action, to save the entire town and possibly even the world.

(Note: I may or may not be writing a fanfic about this one)

2. Fuck Clivesdale! and Spankoffskis Through Time (2 separate segmented episodes)

GO NIGHTHAWKS! Everyone in Hatchetfield hates Clivesdale to the very core, especially none other then Paul Matthews, average office worker at CCRP's Hatchetfield branch. But when him and his coworkers (all except Ted, that lucky bastard) are sent to none other then Hatchetfield's rival town on a business, Paul's coworkers start getting more and more... indoctrinated into Clivesdale's odd ideology, and now he has to figure out why... and not go insane in the process.

Peter Spankoffski is a nerd. And Theodore 'Ted' Spankoffski is a horny bastard. Pete never thought highly of his brother, but when he, due to a slip of speech, suddenly discovers a time machine in his locker, he's thrown back to none other then Hatchetfield, 2002.. also known as his dear brother's senior year at Hatchetfield High School. And now, Pete and his nerdy older brother must figure out how to get the younger Spankoffski home.. or else he's trapped in 2002.

3. Spectre Sweetly and Problem Cops (2 separate segmented episodes)

Charlotte Sweetly hasn't admitted it yet, but her husband is a real scumbag. Sam never comes home, never does any chores when he is, and doesn't even bother to cuddle her! But when Charlotte discovers Sam's infidelity (and is still recovering from a rather traumatic business trip).. Well, she can't control herself anymore. After burying the body in the Witchwood, Charlotte starts having a lot more.. assistance from a mysterious force.. but it can't be who she thinks she is? Right?

Officer William Bailey and Detective Bryce Shapiro have a problem on their hands... Hatchetfield's been real messed up lately! Way more then usual! With the recent disappearances of Peter Spankoffski, Peanuts the Hatchetfield Pocket Squirrel, his Proud Papa Ed, Paul Matthews and now their police sargent Sweetly, Hatchetfield's best really had their work cut out for them! But when they're approached by couple of certain news anchors, maybe their questions will be solved after all...

And our finale...

4. Idk what to name this one you guys (full length finale)

After almost dying at the paws of a squirrel, Dan and Donna need to work fast. Hatchetfield is in big, big, trouble. Bigger then it has been before. With Bailey and Shapiro gone, the two of them are now on their own. But when Peanuts's plans also happen to be discovered by a certain school counseler.. huh, maybe they can stop him after all. So together with Ms. Holloway, the news duo now face down Hatchetfield's greatest horrors until they reach the strongest one: Peanuts the Hatchetfield Pocket Squirrel.

As you can see, the episodes are pretty intertwined! Similarly to NMT2, all of my hypothetical NMT4 will take place in the same universe. The chronological order is the release order, and I tried to be semi-canon compliant and gave this season less of a focus on the LiB and more on Hatchetfield's greater mysteries (Don't worry. They're still there... lurking).

So! What do you guys think? Let me know!

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darklinaforever · 2 years

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DAEMON AS FATHER (Again yes)

Hello, we meet again for an article concerning the paternity of Daemon Targaryen. And yes, this subject will never cease to be debated. A subject that would not even have taken place if the writers had kept the scenes of affection between Daemon and his daughters. But what do you want, things go by the wayside in the editing room and nothing can be done about it. The only things we can hope for is to find some of these deleted scenes in the dvd, and that they won't do the same bullshit for season 2.

To be clear, this article is not intended to prove that Daemon is the best father in the world, or even more specifically a good father. I remember that no father so far in HOTD is an example. Aside from Daemon, we have Otto, horrible but who clearly loves his daughter in his twisted way, and Viserys who has, let's just say, fucked up for a while, but has tried his best to make up for it, albeit not always with a great achievement, and loving his daughter unconditionally. Maybe even a little too much, going so far as to call her his "only child".

This article is mostly there to dismantle the criticisms that Daemon doesn't care about his children, ignores them, and doesn't love them in a BROAD sense. I'll address Rhaena's case at the end more specifically, but she'll still be present in my examples dismantling the initial criticism. Know that there will probably be repetitions in my words between this part and Rhaena's part as well.

With that, let's go! Well, let's be clear and realistic, if Daemon doesn't care about his children, ignores them and doesn't love them in the broad sense of those terms, here's what he will NOT do:

Learn High Valyrian in Baela.

Lean forward to receive Baela's goodnight kiss.

Pay attention to Laena and Rhaenyra's Baby Bump. (caress, kiss)

Would not have himself announced the death of Laena to his daughters. Because yes, it's very clear that he did in that rooftop scene, showing that he cares about them, Rhaena included. If Daemon didn't care, he could have let anyone else among the servants break the news to them, or if he only cared about Baela, take her aside, which he didn't do. Also, more broadly, he wouldn't look sad for his daughters over Laena's death, wishing he could console them but not knowing what to do, as evidenced by his nervous hand movement. Daemon doesn't look indifferent in this scene. He mostly looks sad and annoying not knowing what to do with this situation. (although we know that normally the scene should have ended with a hug…)

To worry about his daughters about the idea of leaving Pentos, the place where they have always lived.

He wouldn't be so happy that Syrax laid 3 eggs for his children with Rhaenyra. (Seriously, this must be the moment when Daemon is the happiest in the series, so much so that this moment shocked a lot of people, including me)

He will not stroke Viserys II's hair, nor try to comfort him when he starts crying.

He won't defend his stepsons.

He wouldn't particularly welcome his children getting married. Seriously, he raises his glass with a grin, which again, isn't necessary, and doesn't make sense to Daemon unless he really means it. Indeed, Daemon was never shown as a hypocritical character.

He wouldn't stop the fight between his stepsons and Aemond, and then more particularly put himself between the latter and ALL his family! Because yes, it's not just Jace and Luke behind Daemon at that moment finally. There is also Rhaenyra, Baela and Rhaena. It is a very symbolic scene as for the future relationship of Daemon and Aemond, future rivals / enemies and the greatest respective asset in their family that they will represent and defend respectively until death. Daemon is therefore represented in this scene as being the defender of his family, this family therefore including Baela and Rhaena.

He wouldn't be devastated when baby Visenya died.

Wouldn't look in the direction of his daughters at baby Visenya's funeral, shortly after the knight swears to them that he will never have children. I don't know if you realize the symbolic power of this scene. Daemon has just lost a child, more specifically a girl, and when the knight swears he will NEVER have children, soon after Daemon looks up and the next shot shows us that specific part of the crowd where prominently finds Rhaena and Baela. It may seem trivial at first, but when you know that after this event Daemon will indeed never have children again, it is particularly impactful. Not only is this a harbinger of the future, but it shows us that Daemon cares for his daughters in his own way.

He wouldn't be sad if Lucerys died.

Good ! Now that all these points have been stated, let's talk more specifically about Rhaena.

In episode 6, we meet Rhaena, Daemon's second daughter, who unlike her sister has still not seen her dragon egg hatch. The little one therefore seems full of uncertainty, even going so far as to place herself below the other members of her family, judging herself less important because she has no dragon. In that same scene, she also states that Daemon is ignoring her. However, before taking Rhaena's words at face value, it's important to remember that it's very common for a child this age to feel ignored by a parent, or to think they're less loved than their siblings, especially if the child in question has a particular insecurity. Which, here, is the case for Rhaena.

Another important detail, Laena defends Daemon to her daughter, saying that he does his best.

Right after, we witness a conversation between Laena and Daemon, finally letting us understand as a spectator the extent of the state of our rogue prince, who is actually in a very bad state. Here Daemon is self-exiled, brooding, burying himself in books, booze, barely sleeping, trying to be content with his current life and family, but missing Viserys and especially Rhaenyra, which throws him in a deep depression.

I don't think he dislikes Rhaena because she doesn't have a dragon. It's stupid to say that. Mainly for two reasons. First, Daemon himself had not yet claimed a dragon at the age of Rhaena, and then Viserys himself, I remind you, does not have a dragon, and yet we all know that Daemon undeniably and unconditionally loves his great brother.

Also, Viserys, in addition to being his older brother, was also his father figure for much of his life. It is therefore normal that Daemon particularly likes him. Even if it can also explain Daemon's difficulties in being a father, in addition to his depression, in view of his model. Let's not forget after all that Viserys made mistakes, and wasn't the best father or brother in the world.

As for Daemon, let's be clear, he's always been a chaotic being, having trouble expressing his emotions properly. But with its current state, it must be even worse. We also know that Daemon clearly has trouble managing (or even not at all) what he can't control, and or what gives him an emotional overflow. So, I think Daemon probably doesn't really know how to comfort Rhaena about her lack of a dragon, or even how to properly broach this topic with her. That's why when Laena finds the right words to comfort Rhaena, she automatically tells her that's what Daemon would tell her as well.

The fact that Baela's egg has hatched presumably allows Daemon to facilitate a connection with his daughter. From what we've seen in the series so far, I think Baela's impulsiveness is the one who looks the most like Daemon, which must have helped a lot in their relationship as well.

But to say that he loves Rhaena less than Baela, ignores her or mistreats her worse (according to some) because we haven't seen direct scenes between them is ridiculous.

In episode 8 we see Daemon being affectionate with his son Viserys II, but not really with Aegon III when he introduces them to his brother along with Rhaenyra. Does that mean Daemon likes Aegon III less than Viserys II? Don't care about him, ignore him, or mistreat him? I do not think so.

Also, I remind you, Daemon himself announced the death of Laena to his daughters. Even if he clearly did not handle this announcement in the best way, it nevertheless shows that he cares as much for Rhaena as for Baela. If that hadn't been the case, he could easily have, because nothing was stopping him, put Rhaena away and only cared about Baela, which he didn't.

Again, in episode 7, when Viserys offers Daemon to return to King's Landing, the latter replies that Pentos is his house and that of his children, thus including once again Rhaena, emphasizing that he worries about his daughters' possible feelings about being uprooted from the place where they have always lived. Again, if Daemon was only driven by a selfish desire to go back to hiding in Pentos (and I mean only, because there's probably a bit of that involved), he wouldn't have included his daughters in his refusal to return to King's Landing. It wasn't necessary. Not to mention that Daemon has never been characterized as a hypocritical character, on the contrary. He is a character who says what he thinks bluntly, and above all who never seeks excuses for his actions.

As for episode 8, it's true that we don't see much of Rhaena in the episode, but from the little we saw of her, she seemed quite happy and content with her life, with no apparent grudge against her father. She even sits next to Daemon at dinner. An interesting detail in my opinion, since she was not in episode 6, where she felt she was precisely ignored by the latter.

During dinner, Daemon also shows his approval and joy for the weddings between his daughters and stepsons, Jace and Luke. (Rhaena is therefore always included)

Then (for the umpteenth time) we have Daemon coming between Aemond and ALL of his family. Because yes, even if he basically intervened to prevent yet another fight between Lucerys, Jacaerys and Aemond, in the end he is still between Aemond and ALL his family. Not just boys. It's not just Lucerys and Jacaerys behind Daemon, but also Rhaenyra, Rhaena, and Baela. This is important to note, knowing that Aemond becomes the strongest enemy of the opposing camp later and it is Daemon who will face him. So here we have Daemon, placed (as always) as protector of his family, Rhaena included. I like this scene all the more that Rhaenyra, while Daemon serves as a shield against Aemond, sends all the children back to their rooms. In short, it is a strong parental moment for Daemyra.

Besides, it's also interesting to see how the children of Daemon and Rhaenyra are different from those of Alicent. We see that all their children seem quite happy and fulfilled, unlike those of Alicent who are all in a rather deplorable mental state. This element alone proves that they were good parents, their family seeming to be united in the best possible way.

As for episode 10, I saw some say that Rhaena was forced into being a cupbearer, therefore in a position of servitude, by Daemon. And that's stupid. There is no evidence that Daemon forced his daughter to be a cupbearer, especially since Rhaena doesn't seem to have a problem being one. She isn't ignored either as Rhaenyra invites her with her to the council table, as does Baela, and Daemon doesn't seem to have any disapproval about it. And given his behavior throughout the episode, if Daemon had had anything to say about including his daughters at the council table, he would have done so, or at least made his disapproval felt, which is another times, was not the case. It's also worth noting the double standard here, as Viserys also named Rhaenyra cupbearer and I doubt it was for lack of love, it just had nothing to do with it. And Viserys, unlike Daemon, has already made his daughter, whom he named as his heir, feel that her active word/presence, other than serving as a cupbearer to the council, was not really desired. And at least Daemon broke the news of Laena's death to his daughters himself. Unlike Viserys with Rhaenyra who learned it from the staff and got ignored days after that.

Also, I want to recall this wonderful scene or Daemon, at baby Visenya's funeral, shortly after the knight swears he will never have a child, looks up in one direction, and the camera pans out automatically on a specific part of the crowd where his daughters are, Rhaena included again. When you know the book, the symbolic power of this scene is quite crazy. As Daemon has just lost a baby, more specifically a girl, and as the knight swears never to have children, Daemon's gaze finally falls on Rhanea and Baela. It may seem trivial at first, but when you know that after this event Daemon will indeed never have children again, well, yes, it is powerful. Not only does this subtly foreshadow the future, but it shows us that Daemon really cares about his daughters in his own way. He has just lost his last child, his only daughter with Rhaenyra, but look at the first ones he had, those that made him a father.

Then, to those who say Daemon is a bad father for not discussing Drifmark with Baela is nonsense. Drifmark never belonged to Baela, Corlys never named her heiress, nothing was stolen from her. Daemon was going to do what? To oppose the legitimate succession when it was not his right? Refuse his son-in-law to obtain his inheritance granted since long before his birth? Also, I'm sure if Daemon had done it, others would have used it to support this stupid opinion that Daemon is a blood supremacist. Then small detail are very important, Baela does not care about Drifmark, it is even she who wrote to Daemon to warn him of Vaemond's plans. Especially since she loses nothing in the affair since she becomes the future queen of the seven crowns.

So for the thousandth time, yes I am sure that Daemon loves and cares about his children, his daughters included, otherwise he wouldn't say and do everything I listed earlier. Sincerely hoping that the relationship between Daemon and his daughters will be more developed in the future, without being cut in the editing this time, as well as simply the characters of Baela and Rhaena, whose scenes outside of Daemon have also been cut during editing, which particularly horrifies me.

#house of the dragon #daemon x rhaenyra #daemyra #daemon targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #baela targaryen #rhaena targaryen #jacaerys velaryon #lucerys velaryon #house targaryen #daemon as father

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thetarttfuldickhead · 1 year

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Zava retired, but they didn't say anything about paying out his contract (and freeing him from his obligations to Richmond that way), right? He left, but he'd still be their player if he did return to football...

... Unless he expressed an interest in returning and was, say, ioaned to West Ham, in exchange for them covering the cost of his contract, a la Jamie in Season 1 getting loaned to Richmond...

Hiya, nonny!

I am very much not an expert on these matters, but from what little digging around I’ve done, it seems unlikely that Zava would have any obligations to Richmond at this point. Either he terminated his contract early and paid compensation for it, or he and Richmond reached an agreement and tore up the contract on the understanding that Zava would leave the sport entirely. The latter seems unlikely, given that he just disappeared and the club only learned of his retirement via social media, but maybe something was agreed upon afterwards. Or maybe Zava exploited the fact that the contract wasn’t signed with his name but with “you’re welcome”… or maybe there was always a very special “free to leave at will” clause in Zava’s contract, because he had the leverage to push for that? Either way, I think it’s reasonable to assume that Zava has no obligations to Richmond at this point. (I might be utterly mistaken, though.)

That being said, I am hugely invested in him making a return for the final match against West Ham! That, I think, is actually made easier if Zava’s completely free of Richmond because I’m not sure they’d agree to loan him out to their greatest rival – I mean, this is not some young player needing a bit more time on the pitch than his mother club can offer him at this point, this is a superstar! One who might admittedly have performed underwhelmingly in the end, but still not the sort of player you just want to give away to someone else? And when that someone else is Rupert… yeah, I don’t see Rebecca going for it (unless they have a secret hope that Zava’s diva antics will wreak havoc with the West Ham team? That strikes me as a bit far-fetched, but who knows). But if Zava is free of his Richmond obligations, he could choose to join West Ham and, well. Then we’ll have the Zava versus Jamie showdown some of us are bloody well dying for.

Just. The team will be shocked when the hear the news, of course. (God, I cannot even begin to imagine Dani’s reaction. That poor boy.) Probably also rather dejected – how the fuck are they going to win now?

Then imagine Jamie’s face… How he’s maybe a bit thrown but he is determined and he’s a bit put out because fucking Zava again and why the fuck is the team going crazy over that idiot again but maybe he’s also a little tiny bit eager because he knows how much he has improved and he wants to beat that arrogant prick… and he’s a little nervous, too, because what if he can’t? You know Phil Dunster would fucking slay at subtly portraying all these emotions as Jamie sits quietly in the chaos erupting around him.

And then there’s an “Oi!” cutting through the din and that’s Roy Kent now, looking as annoyed as ever: “So they got Zava? So fucking what? We’ve got Jamie fucking Tartt.”

And so they do. And so they win. Regardless of what we actually get on the screen (which certainly isn’t guaranteed to involve Zava or a final game against West Ham) there’ll forever be a moment in my mind, of Zava gearing up for another insane goal, except Jamie’s there and steals the ball and outruns, outdribbles and outplays every single opponent until he’s in the perfect position to score a perfect goal. And after that Zava comes after him again and again but he can’t touch him; Jamie is (to steal a quote from Good Omens) finally and forever on his own ground, and while Zava plays only for himself, Jamie plays for a team now, and after his intial goal keeps setting his teammates up for opportunity and opportunity and Ted's total football and teamwork saves the day. (And Jamie. Jamie also saves the day.)

(I’m also fond of a scenario where instead of Roy mentioning Jamie before the game begins, Richmond is down after the first half, and Roy declares something along the lines of: “We need to start challenge Zava heads-on or we’ll be fucking slaughtered. Jamie, you need to go out there and be an utter fucking prick. Be the most Jamie Tartt you’ve ever fucking been.” Or Jamie asks for it, recognizing that the time to be a prick has very much arrived, and Ted looks at Roy, maybe a little concerned that this is a step away from their carefully cultivated total football approach, but Roy just nods, and Ted gives the go-ahead.)

(As I’ve stated previously, I don’t actually want Richmond to win the Premier League, but maybe they can still win the final game. Some other match ends in a way that has them coming in second rather than first in spite of beating West Ham, or some such.)

(It’s interesting to note, though, that if a player terminates his contract without just cause during the protected period, sporting bans might be imposed on them, which would ban Zava from playing for four or even six month after he left Richmond. Ted Lasso might not care about that, or might claim that the four months have passed by the time he joins West Ham.)

Too many parentheses there. Oh, well.

I’ll take the liberty of tagging @sabra-n and @itsalinh here, as they have been generous with their football expertise in the past. Maybe they can shed some lights on the ins and outs of terminating contracts early?

#jamie tartt #zava #speculation #season 3 #asks

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vicsy · 1 year

Text

hold down, rewind

2,6k, mature, Daniel/Max. read on AO3.

I want to say huuuuuuge thanks to @leclerctops for putting up with me, reading through this mess and reassuring me that all of this makes sense. 💕 As usual, shout out to the Bread server, I love you all so much for inspiring me to write again.

Daniel processes his journey back home, curses time for its existence and kisses Max like a deja vu.

Time is a flat circle or whatever shit people keep saying on the internet; Daniel doesn't really keep up with the buzz, can't grasp the full meaning of it even if he tried amidst the turmoil of his homecoming. And yeah, everyone keeps calling it that.

For all Daniel knows, time is not some fucking circle; it's something he's constantly running out of. Time is never on his side.

Daniel wouldn't, by all means, call himself a believer in fate or a higher power but he'd send a thank you card to the universe if a chance ever presents itself. Or if he goes completely off the rails. His journey back home – and, yeah, he's calling it home now, he's rolling with the punches – to him reads more like returning from a failed conquest, dragging his battered body to where he can lick his wounds in peace; to somewhere he feels safe enough to admit to the failures that befell him.

Time, that bitch, would never be kind enough to him so he stops treating it like a commodity. Slaps a handle with care sticker on the whole thing and keeps on living. Without an ounce of regret, though, just with a bunch of lessons learned, a bruised ego, thicker skin and a face card that never declines.

Maybe something is wrong with time. Maybe Daniel has some screws loose in his head, not a surprise after the year he's had. Reality feels off, warped, tilted on its axis as he signs the dotted line and jokes around with Christian; poses for some photographs and records a couple of videos for good PR; greets the mechanics and Red Bull staff, who still consider Daniel one of their own more than a driver for a rival team. Frankly, he always kind of hated the taste of papaya.

It doesn't truly hit him until he's clad in dark-blue colors for the first time in what seems like forever. In what seems like lost time. It's then that he feels something catching up to him, scratching the back of his neck; asking him to turn around and witness the chances he's missed. Daniel won't look back, no way in hell. Only forward now, where the future is still uncertain but ignorance offers familiar comfort.

They say that the greatest and most impactful historical events tend to circle back and repeat themselves, like a curse of a lifetime. In Daniel's case, this for sure isn't that, barely an event. Those words are too big for an Australian boy with braces who just wanted to race all around the world, lost his way in the process, and defied all odds for a second chance.

This time, the whole Red Bull shebang would not be the same. Daniel isn't an active part of the grid but he wanted it that way, even if some fuckers on the internet call him a show pony now. He feels indebted to the team, all the squabbles laid to rest in the past where they belong. He'll put the work in now, he'll prove his weight in gold. A time comes when Daniel would get back into a race car under his own number or abandon it altogether, douse his life in gasoline and light up a match. In his wreckage of a mind, the decision is still up for grabs.

Daniel is not always there, at the Red Bull garage. He kicks back and lets time slip through his fingers like sand in the hourglass. Stays in Perth for so long he forgets where his passport is. Makes up for years of lost time with his family, fools around on their farm like a kid; goes on elaborate adventures with his friends, indulges in his every insane whim and finally laughs, unburdened. Time, ever the killjoy, only feeds his hunger.

He gets the itch under his skin the moment a new season actually starts, an alarm going off in his head, shrieking you should be racing, you should be training, you should be driving. And Daniel isn't in that place, doesn't miss it, he doesn't– except he fucking does. Has to google what FOMO is because Scotty won't stop bothering him, saying he has it like some kind of disease. Daniel promptly tells him to fuck off. Time's still not right.

Thing is, he fucking hates his friends for being right. And it's not like Daniel is… absent or something. He went to pre-season testing, all smiley and full of joy, fresh off vacation. At the track, Daniel didn't stay still for a single second. He chatted with Red Bull mechanics about the changes in the car, grilled them for all the details; distracted Max by telling him the most annoying jokes he knows, like Max hasn’t heard more of them during the short time they spent together off-season — tucked away safely on Daniel's farm, a secret to the outside world. He even got on well with Checo, not minding some tension. It was all fine. Daniel didn't feel out of place, sticking out like a sore thumb. It was fine.

When the lights go out in Bahrain, Daniel is not fine. Sitting in front of the TV in his Monaco apartment, not fine. He wants to curse the natural passage of time for the fact that his life is playing out on the screen while he's on the fucking sidelines. By choice, he has to remind himself, and yet he yearns to feel the fire ignite inside of him, but there is a dull ache in its stead. Daniel stares at his phone, at the thumbs-up emoji Max sent him as a response to his good luck message. On the screen, they're five laps in.

Daniel spent a month leading up to the season giving out interviews, repeating word for word, it's a new exciting chapter of my life and Red Bull does feel like home to me, like coming back to family and people have different, uh, reactions to me joining the team as a third driver and I'm focusing on doing what would be best for me in the long run. This and so many other rehashed sentences that Daniel treats like a doctrine, like the only true testament to exist in the world — the one he desperately wants to believe in. But all of it is pure bullshit. People telling him he came back to Red Bull because it’s easy and he’s washed is bullshit; trying and failing to accept that he’s back at square one, not even a real driver, is bullshit. Time is unfair and cruel to Daniel and he has no one to place the blame on, wandering like an exile in a world that was once at his feet.

He wishes for many things, honestly. To rebuild his career brick by brick; get back on the grid; not read dumb comments about his life on the internet; quit racing for good if it keeps hurting him. Stop worrying about time. But whatever Daniel wants to build from scratch is already there, waiting, after he willingly let it slip away. A couple of years ago, Daniel would have laughed at the prospect of crawling back to his old stomping grounds. You can’t go back in time, you can’t come back home and find it as it was. Right? Right.

As the Daniel Ricciardo he is today, he couldn't not appreciate the irony.

Time is a weird fucking concept, an indomitable force of the universe, but Daniel wouldn’t mind taking control of it, mould it to his liking, do some minor time travel while he’s at it. If he’s not behind the wheel of a Red Bull car, maybe a Delorean will do; he’ll take it for a spin, blissfully ignore Doc Brown’s lessons on messing up a timeline — it’ll do shit to whatever he wants fixed.

At the back of his mind, Daniel knows the universe is teaching him a lesson, but he's never been good at those, so he wishes he could skip this part straight to the one where he finds atonement.

“I missed you in this, in– blue,” Max blurts out, shy, cheeks flushed a lovely pink and Daniel doesn’t need a fictional car to fling himself into the past anymore.

On the dingy couch in his driver’s room, sitting an arm’s length from Daniel, Max looks too young again, eighteen again, with a puppy crush written all over his face. Daniel does an honest to god double take and his memory hits him with a flashback, the same setting about six years ago. Maybe he is wrong in the head. Or maybe he's just been blind and busy trying to grasp the concept of forces beyond his comprehension to see how Max was always the one who stayed, an unchanged constant of Daniel's otherwise turbulent being. A lifeline he's been clinging to as if he was drowning.

"Aw, Maxy, you're gonna make me blush," he jokes in self-defense, throat tight, and– it's weird since Daniel's been wearing Red Bull colors for a couple of months now. He gets it a beat later — missed you at the races, Max means. Daniel missed himself that way, too.

Max looks soft and happy, not wearing a cap for once, and Daniel reaches out to him with a quiet come here, sweetheart, forever unable to resist. Max climbs into his lap eagerly, with practiced ease, and loops his hands behind Daniel's neck. He can’t help but stare with warmth in his eyes before tilting his own head back and bringing Max down.

It’s a gentle press of lips to lips at first, a quiet hello between them, an I missed you that they won’t say enough times. It doesn’t take long for Daniel to turn things around, slip his tongue past Max’s plush lips, tug at the hair behind his ear and make it dirty. Daniel deepens the kiss, swallows a whimper Max lets out, the inside of his mouth smooth and hot. It makes them both dizzy. Daniel strokes Max’s side up and down, draws circles on his hip, squeezes his thigh before slipping his hand underneath the hem of the tiny shorts Max is wearing, palm flat against supple skin. He gasps at the teasing touch and Daniel reminds himself not to get carried away now.

Their first time back together in the same time zone, Daniel locked the flimsy door of the room shut, spread Max naked on that same couch, screwed two fingers inside of him and told him to keep quiet, the thrill of getting caught hanging heavy in the air. And certainly, Max couldn’t, not later when Daniel started fucking him in earnest, messy and fast, little ahs echoing in the small space they shared. Daniel moved forward with a harsh thrust and clamped his palm over Max’s mouth mid-shout. Kept fucking him shallow, eyes locked on his, waiting for a reaction, a sign. Max nodded against the stiff cushion, chest heaving with rabbiting breaths. Daniel got them both off like that. Came into the tight heat of Max with a hard gasp, pushing his head into the couch, feeling his mouth try to move under Daniel’s palm with a stifled moan; watched Max come undone beneath him, his stomach sticky with come and sweat, legs trembling at Daniel’s sides.

Today is race day, so anything beyond would be a no-go, but there’s less rush. Daniel is in the paddock for the first time as a Red Bull driver and on his home soil, too. It feels special and nerve-wracking. Daniel forces himself not to think about it, dials it down a bit, and chooses to focus on mapping Max’s back with his hands, moving to place them on the curve of his ass. Slick sounds of kissing ring loudly in the silence around them. Max cards through his hair messily and Daniel grips him by the jaw, fingers pressed firmly into the bone there, feeling it move as they kiss, losing the sense of time.

Max is a changed man now, too. Bigger, a new broadness to his shoulders, and so much bolder, unashamed to arch his body into Daniel’s with a lazy roll of his hips. It makes Daniel desperately want to crawl back into his own skin from years ago, dig that part of himself up and dust it off. With time, perhaps, he’ll come around. Until then he’ll just lick into Max’s mouth with renewed vigor, his weight solid and grounding on Daniel, wring ungodly sounds out of Max and relish in the thought of things suddenly falling back into place.

Max chuckles into the kiss, inadvertently breaking it. His eyes get all crinkly, in that special, endearing way that makes Daniel think about finally letting the words he’s been keeping on the tip of his tongue free.

"What?" he simply asks, lips stretched into an easy smile, something unspoken sticking to the back of his teeth.

"Nothing, it is just," Max ducks his head, rubbing his thumb against a pulse point on Daniel's neck. "It is funny how we are doing the same here again. Do you remember?"

Daniel remembers, too much sometimes, to the point where he wants to scrub his memory clean and hit rewind on the banged-up cassette player inside his brain, relive it over and over again, until the record jams and breaks for good. But time, he learned, won't let him do that, not even in exchange for the most precious riches of the world. Daniel wouldn't wish for it, though, not anymore. He's hit with an overwhelming clarity that he’s not alone at ground zero; that Max might just be the catalyst he’s been missing — a pleasant handful in his lap, the reason his heart always beats out of sync.

He still won't believe in fate, but the universe just might be his gal. She relented, guiding Daniel to the right place at the right time, rewarding him a Red Bull contract, his name written in blood on paper. Took matters into her own hands to bring him back where he belongs or whatever. Gave up on the torture and let Daniel circle back to the beginning, give it another go with some knowledge to back him up this time around. He probably needs to throw some of his old convictions in the trash, but it's not the worst he's ever had to do.

For now, Daniel needs a place to start anew; Max tethers him to it, illuminating the path home like a lighthouse.

"'Course I remember, Maxy," he manages, voice hoarse as he traces Max’s kiss-swollen lips with an index finger, touches a freckle there. “I seduced you with my wild charms and weird noises, yeah? You never stood a chance.”

Max punches him playfully on the shoulder as Daniel laughs unabashedly, his heart ten times lighter. Of course, it’s a lie. He was gone for Max from the start, his gangly limbs and all that blunt demeanor — hook, line and sinker. Took them some time to figure each other out, but here they are, signed to the same team again, sneaking away to make out on the couch like teenagers.

To hell with time and its tricks, then.

"It is a little bit weird, but of course in a good way," Max concludes, grinning crookedly, pressing his chest closer to Daniel. He feels Max’s heartbeat mingle with his, nothing but a layer of navy-blue fabric between them. "How we end up in the same position like years before. And you are back on the team now. It is almost the same."

Daniel thinks back to the string of events leading up to this, like he’s some hero in search of redemption with a chip on his shoulder the size of Australia.

“You know how some folks out there say,” he drawls, tugging Max down to kiss him stupid. “Time is a flat circle, baby.”

#maxiel #max/daniel #daniel ricciardo #max verstappen #vicsy writes #this is just me processing daniel's homecoming through 2k+ words #this started as me wanting to write about Daniel and Max making out on the couch #but my brain said ELABORATE #so here we are #daniel/max

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lewisinho · 9 months

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Love Sewis but I don't think they are one of the greatest rivalry. Regardless of what they say they liked the most this is not what makes a rivalry. When Seb was at RBR he was dominating completely. Lewis at Mercedes and Seb at Ferrari and Lewis was dominating. It's not comparable with the Nico/Lewis or even Lewis/Verstappen of racing. I understand we all love Sewis but... let's be honest.

this is long so under the cut

‘dominance’ i think is a word that is thrown out too brazenly in my opinion; ‘dominance’ can be attributed to a few of seb’s rb seasons (but not all), to a few of lewis’ (2020 comes to mind) or max’s 2023 season; it’s rather more apt to use it for certain teams across a period, rb comes to mind in the 2010-13 run, and mercedes’ 2014-16 and 19/20; that’s dominance. it requires a sense of predictability before nearly every race…it’s like people would know who is going to win in 2020 bar any bad luck, and how people know max is going to win before every race now; that is dominance, and it’s characterised quite simply, by a lack of rivalry. Your only rival is yourself. End of.

i don’t like when people shove the 2017/18 seasons into the mercedes years of ‘dominance’; it’s diluting and it promotes a false narrative that it was an absolute cake walk; it also completely ignores seb’s triumphs, and his ambition and determination of achieving his dream of winning a championship with ferrari; the fact that it was a realistic possibility is what makes it so bittersweet; ferrari had a car that was capable of fighting for a championship, seb was leading the championship going into the summer break, the merc and ferrari cars both had their strengths and weaknesses that were track specific; point is, there was no one dominant car;

i’m not saying their rivalry was on par with nico and lewis’ and max and lewis’ because fact of the matter is that the 2014, 2016 and 2021 seasons went down to the wire; seb’s and lewis’ didn’t, that’s true; we can analyse why (for example ferrari’s inability to properly develop a car over a season which as we can see is an issue still today), but point is just because it wasn’t as intense, and that it didn’t go to the very last race should not take away from the ‘rivalry’ that did exist; it’s quite diluting i should think…

and judging the greatness of a rivalry, at the end of the day, i think it’s quite subjective, don’t you think? we all have different metrics; maybe it wasn’t the most intense and dramatic, and therefore some may say not as great, but it shaped something you know, ‘the fight for five’, it was important and made important by the two great racing drivers and individuals, surely there’s something great in that, no?

#anon #sorry i’m only replying now i went to sleep lmao #lewis hamilton #sebastian vettel

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my-opinions · 2 years

Text

Max vs Charles: A Long unnecessary essay, it is entertaining though

Right now, the only thing that could stop Max is a shitty car, which is likely not going to happen. The only people who are capable of such, is Lewis (who is driving a tractor) and Charles (whose team is Ferrari). For the sake of the argument, and not trying to bore you, I’ll look at just Charles.

For the next couple of years, possibly until the regulation change in 2026, I think Max will be winning,or at bare minimum fighting, for the title every year. Unless some junior comes up the ranks ridiculously fast and is amazing (Oscar Piastri has got an almost flawless junior career, Kimi Antonelli looks to be the next big thing, we have yet to see Lando in a competitive car) there is simply no one I see beating Max.

But back onto Charles vs Max. I think at the core of it, Max is generational while Charles is just really good. Because there will be times where Charles is better and makes less mistakes and will be quicker. (In my personal opinion, Charles is the best qualifier on the grid, not just this year but the man managed to get two poles in the absolute disaster of a car last year, I think this is an area where Charles is better, tbh if he keeps this up he’ll probably go down as one of the greatest qualifiers in history)

But it is also unfair of me to say straight away that Max is better than Charles simply based on the limited racing we’ve seen with them. The only half fare (as in similar cars, because Cota, Hungary, etc. was barely a ‘fight’ and you know it) racing we’ve see between them was Austria and Saudi. There was the 2019 season but that was still only Charles’ second year in formula 1 while Max reached his 100 race mark that year (something Charles only did this year), so I feel it would be doing a disservice to him. So maybe this whole pinning them as these rivals who have hated each other since karting needs to wait until we’ve seen a season long battle between the two where they’re fighting it out every race.

But I feel like that is the problem. The media love a good story. If this whole rivalry thing between them does “work out” and they become the next Schumacher and Hakkinen or Prost and Senna, then God will it be a good story. Charles already has (overly romanticized) lore surrounding him with Jules and his father and his whole il predestinato thing he has going. The red prince, all that jazz. And Max is so good, he’s already hated. The anti-hero if you will (swifties you get me) I saw on another post that Charles and Max are living embodiment of their teams and I couldn’t agree more. Max exists as a fuck you towards the world, a nepotism baby who is better than their father. Someone who doesn’t care how he’s perceived as long as he’s winning. On the other hand, you have Charles, whose blood runs Ferrari red. Maybe cares too much but has that passion that so few have after they’ve been torn down so many times. The fact that they were born barley two weeks apart then competed at karting. It’s a rivalry that’s written in the stars (can you tell I just want a proper Charles/Max championship fight)

Back to the original idea of Max vs Charles (sorry I got distracted), I think it will be VERY difficult for anyone to beat Max and Redbull in their current form, BUT I feel Charles will definitely make it difficult to him. He’s the only one who is near Max (sans Lewis) and will be a pain is his ass. IF (very big IF) Ferrari get their act together, it will become a serious problem for both Redbull and Max. Even if Max is the better driver (and he is, a lot of the time), Ferrari and Charles will be there to wreck absolute havoc and I cannot wait.

Max may be the best but I would never discount Charles.

#Lewis though is still amazing and i love him #it was just a lot of effort to combine all three of them #let’s be clear: Lewis must still win his eighth #also I’ve realised I’ve got way to much Max prop on my blog considering he’s not even in my top 5 #can you see I love Charles though #sorry this is so long I just love it when other people write essays about formula 1 #in an informal way cuz it just makes it so much better #like yes I want to hear your opinion sharlissexc69 tell me more #f1 #formula 1 #charles leclerc #max verstappen #brazilian gp 2022 #lewis hamilton #ferrari #red bull racing #scuderia ferrari

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formulinos · 2 years

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as Fernando Alonso and my tiger parents all said, "if you're not first then you're not winning" and boy, we have a lot of losers to pick out from this historic silly season. although it's fair to say that this was a W for entertainment, no one in the paddock has left the piasco unscathed, but some had it worse than the other. who, ultimately took the L in this situation? let's take a look at the contestants:

- daniel ricciardo: lost his seat at mclaren after repeatedly stating he was committed to them and humiliatingly making a state of the union at the mtc; reputation as a driver is hanging by a thread due to incompatibilities with the papaya chassis; could be either out of a seat or having to drive for alpine/haas which is lowkey the same thing; still the people's princess somehow and bagged a lotta money in the process tho.

- oscar piastri: invented a copypasta that will remain a staple of the community for years; not only burned all bridges with alpine but also with tons of other ppl in f1 who are now suspicious of him; got called out with peace and love by jenson button on sky sports; still has mark webber as a manager; did manage to get the seat at mclaren (historically an ok to good move for rookies) and is the new Australian Supreme apparently.

- fernando alonso: honestly he wasn't even the architect of the behind the scenes drama but he took advantage of the whole situation in front of him to commit the most hilarious acts of shithousery. only reason he is in here is because he will drive for aston martin next year.

- sebastian vettel: also not directly related to this but his retirement created the environment for the whole chain of shithousery that enabled fernando to have the best time ever. a possible L if AM does well next year but even if they do i think he checked out anyway.

- otmar szafnauer: moved from aston martin to alpine in hopes to have a more serious team, faced with the french admin instead; last one to know about everything that happens there; got ego murdered by fernando multiple times throughout the ordeal; has to be the spokesperson and call piastri out for his lack of integrality while everyone is laughing at him bc the rookie got em. - andreas seidl: has to be mclaren's spokesperson while zak brown is in hiding trying to lure more drivers to the mclaren roster; just wants to be an engineer in peace but is doomed to work for mclaren. - zak brown: american; collecting drivers like infinity stones; while you were reading this he created a mclaren team for the north macedonia f5 championship; will be the person everyone will point at if the piastri/norris link up flops; enemy no1 of the daniel ricciardo nation of fans.

- mclaren's 100 drivers except pato: all believed they could have daniel's seat; highlight for alex palou that lied for this, died for this, sucked and fucked some guy for this. - mick schumacher: somehow in all of the scenarios that doctor strange saw he is out of a seat. literally isn't involved with any of this and out of a seat if haas won't renew him; potentially out of the FDA which is the greatest Ls of them all in my humble yet correct opinion.

- esteban ocon: ignored by the alpine admin when it comes to his preference of nando replacement; potentially forced to drive with his rival (who is also his fathers' archnemesis' son); still in a stable contract though and in ok form so maybe not that bad; also managed to survive through a partnership with fernando alonso after all. - pierre gasly: potentially forced to drive his rival (who is also his fathers' archnemesis' son); might get to leave the red bull mass incarceration complex and catapult himself into french motorsports history for good which is as much as he might get in his career tbh.

- alpine: french; as a whole institution is in shambles; remains intact as an icon of the midfield anyway. - netflicks: might be out of their no1 source of content if daniel doesn't manage to get a seat for 2023; will def see little to no content from piastri's side; zak brown will hand them the script for mclaren's POV episode and it will be very Corporate Cool; might get to do a French Alpine episode in 2023 though which might work for them; - danielrinas: had to endure a year and a half of this shenanigans; didn't get to enjoy the summer break; are living from daniel's monza win; falling to their knees at walmart.

who do you think took the L? vote here

#long post #we need to get to the bottom of this #piasco

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clarktooncrossing · 5 months

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Giraffe's Eye View: Christmas Specials Special (2023) | From All Of Us to All Of You

Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost is nipping at your nose. Mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again. All the dogs in the neighborhood somehow learned to bark Jingle Bells in sync. Yet retail workers are still more annoyed with Mariah Carey. Snow is getting shoveled, tossed, and formed into sentient beings leading parades without permits. It makes for an excellent distraction as the Krampus abducts children for bad behavior. Fruitcake is exchanged only to find its permanent home in the garbage. Terrorists have hijacked the Holiday office party right before your boss can give you a Jelly of the Month Club membership as your bonus. And of course, the Turducken has returned to wreak its fiery vengeance upon an unsuspecting world! If all this doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit, perhaps these following Holiday specials will!

Greetings people of today and robots of tomorrow! It is I, Santa Clark, your geeky giraffe friend with a deep love of Christmas! My obsession for the yuletide is rivaled only by Maleficent’s hatred for it, which is saying a lot considering she once teamed up with Mad Madam Mim to kidnap the literal Spirit of Christmas. Yes, that really happened. I know this due to my annual pilgrimage to the Island of Misfit Specials, home to obscure or nerdy festive media ranging from movies, TV episodes, and comics. It’s no easy journey. Constantly I find myself confronted by sinister snowmen, genocidal gingerbread men, and worst of all, crappy commercials. Getting stabbed in the foot by a candy-cane wielding cookie is one thing, but I swear I’ve seen that ad for Wilbur’s White Elephant Gift Emporium more times than I’ve seen Miracle on 34th Street! Sometimes at night I catch myself reciting that jingle. Wilbur’s White Elephant Gift Emporium: Where Christmas meets Convenience! Huh, maybe Maleficent had a point.

Nah, my deep-rooted appreciation for this time of year can weather even the most moronic marketing! It helps that most of the merry media I’ve seen have put me in the perfect Holiday mood! Examples include the time a Ninja Turtle found himself trapped in a truck full of stollen toys, a drunk department store Santa stumbling onto a wish-granting magic bag, Big Bird nearly becoming a popsicle, Gwenpool waking up in a world where Galactus took the place of jolly ol’ Saint Nicholas, a terrifying tree stump trying to slaughter some saps over a stupid ship war, and the year when Death gave the Little Match Girl the greatest gift of all. Needless to say, I thought I had seen it all. That is, until I took my friends on a trip to the Island, tasking them to find me new, strange, seasonal specials to review! Some of them were fair, finding me festive favorites as comforting as coco in front of the fireplace. Others were fiendish, wanting to feed off my misery like Gremlins after midnight. Regardless of how naughty or nice my companions were, I’ve compiled all of their suggestions into a makeshift advent calendar! So stay tuned everyday until Christmas to see how badly my buddies can shred what little sanity I have left.

On the thirteenth day of Christmas, my buddies gave to me...

Being a Disney fan today is hard. The parks have been ravaged, their films flop on arrival, their continued downplaying of animation is annoying, and don’t even get me started on how they handled this year’s Writer / Actor Strike. Not to say there’s no diamonds hidden in the rough every now and again, but for the most part the buzzards running the Mouse House believe in profits not pixie dust. Worse, they have forgotten the most crucial ingredient to any creative undertaking: risk. Go big or go home, make a splash or stay dry, spending money makes money. Perhaps no one knew this better than Walt Disney himself. The man mortgaged his home to finance Snow White, nearly drove his company to bankruptcy to build Disneyland, and embraced television when the rest of Hollywood cowered in fear of it. He understood that television could be a powerful marketing tool that could help his brand grow in the long haul. Ironic, innit? Uncle Walt became a beloved figure through the small screen, hosting the Disneyland series and making a brief appearance at the opening from From All Of Us to All Of You. Premiering in 1958, the seasonal special proved so popular that it airs along with a sampling of various shorts to this day in other countries. Including Sweden, home to the rambunctious robotroll SIM-N (Finjix), himself having fond memories of watching it with his family. Being a classic Disney fan myself, I was actually eager to see if the hype the malicious machine was peddling was valid.

A pity it’s not on Disney+! First the Star Wars Holiday special, then Snowed in at the House of Mouse, and now this!? You advertised everything would be on there, Bobby Boi. What gives!? Thankfully where you fail, the Internet succeeds! Let’s just say I found a copy well archived on a specific site. It also had One Hour in Wonderland, Walt’s original Holiday offering from 1950. Sadly it was nothing special, just the Magic Mirror from Snow White showing clips from several projects to Kathryn Beaumont, Bobby Driscoll, Edgar Burgen and his iconic puppet pals. Aside from Walt’s daughters Diane and Sharon making a brief cameo, this trip to Wonderland is only notable for how many times it promotes Coca Cola. Man, is anybody else thirsty for a Sunkist?

Let’s pop a cold one and we can check out From All Of Us together!

Walt, now the same size as Tinkerbell, welcomes us to the program. He wishes everyone at home a Merry Christmas before turning things over to the real musical Masters of Ceremony; Jiminy Cricket (Cliff Edwards) and Mickey Mouse. Together on piano the cartoon celebrities sing a rousing rendition of The Little Drummer Boy mixed with Peace on Earth! Or rather Jiminy just shows off his collection of Christmas cards. Each card cues up a segment from a beloved animated feature that’ll already has or will be unnecessarily rebooted in live-action. Which features depend on the version you're watching, this recreation including Bambi, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, along with two additional short films, Toy Tinkerers and Santa’s Workshop. The former features famous foul Donald Duck (Clarence Nash) comically dueling against Chip and Dale in toy warfare, the latter showing Santa prepping at the Pole for his annual sleigh ride. It also features an unfortunate bit of blackface, something I hope is cut from reruns. At least they didn’t show an entire segment from Song of the South like One Hour did. Remember folks, Disney’s most controversial film was once endorsed by Coca-Cola!

Overall, From All Of Us is decent blend of Holiday warmth and Disney magic, a warm cup of cocoa laced with a pleasant amount of pixie dust. However, I feel like it’s unnecessary in this modern age. Call me crazy, but why watch this clip show when I’ve seen these movies in their entirety via VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, or streaming? For SIM-N, the answer is comforting nostalgia. While I might see it as regifted film scenes with barely any new material, SIM-N sees it as an excuse to get together with his family and watch the moments that made us realize magic was real. Knowing that makes this special a yuletide treasure in my book. Still, if you want some comforting Christmas capers centered around Mickey Mouse, I can do you one better. Or should I say three better?

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catzy88 · 2 years

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Is the Connor McDavid vs. Jack Eichel rivalry finally about to become reality?

Rogers Place in Edmonton is the stage for Connor McDavid versus Jack Eichel, as division rivals, when the Golden Knights visit the Oilers on Saturday night.

The star centers were drafted No. 1 and No. 2 in 2015, heralded as one of the most talented duos atop the draft in some time. They began their NHL careers eight years ago in opposite conferences, but Vegas’ trade to acquire Eichel last November brought the two competitors closer.

They’ve both had plenty of success on an individual level, with McDavid and his two Hart Trophy wins far outweighing Eichel’s accolades to this point. But neither has won at the level they desire. At least not yet.

Now that they’re both on teams with Stanley Cup aspirations, they’re standing directly in each other’s path as divisional foes.

This has the potential to become the NHL’s next great individual rivalry.

“Any time they play, that’s going to be watched by a lot of people — and should be,” said Mark Seidel, chief scout of North American Central Scouting, who has watched the two develop since their pre-NHL days.

“They’re the best players on both teams. It’s not that different than (Sidney) Crosby and (Alex) Ovechkin, how they used to be when they went head to head. It’s the next step of that rivalry. I think it’ll be that way for a long time to come.”

McDavid and Eichel have played against each other only once in the last 1,000 days. They’re certainly further along in their careers than Crosby and Ovechkin were when their rivalry began, but in leading two of the most talented teams in the Western Conference, they could see a lot of each other moving forward.

“You’ve got two highly competitive guys,” Seidel said. “Connor is legendary. I don’t like how Jack gets portrayed as a sulking superstar. He wants to win something fierce.”

There’s no question that McDavid has been the better player to this point — and that’s no surprise.

McDavid was seen as hockey’s next can’t-miss star before he was even a teenager. He was always the youngest player on his minor hockey teams and always the best. He entered the Ontario Hockey League and dominated that league for three seasons. All he’s done in the NHL is produce. In his six post-rookie campaigns, he’s been the scoring champion four times and finished in the runner-up spot twice. He paces the NHL in goals (15) and points (32) this season in just 17 games.

“I don’t think anyone should compare themselves to him,” Eichel said of McDavid. “I think with what he’s doing, and the way that he plays, he’s just on a level of his own. I don’t try to compare myself to anyone. I just try to be the best version of me.”

McDavid has 729 points in 504 NHL games. He doesn’t turn 26 until January, but his place as a hockey immortal is already secured.

The difference between McDavid and Eichel is vast, which is more a credit to the former than a slight against the latter.

“Connor McDavid is one of the top 10 greatest players ever, maybe top five, and Jack Eichel is a superstar,” Seidel said. “There are 20 superstars in the NHL today. In all ways, Connor has certainly been better.

“It’s unfair to Jack because you’re talking about a generational, top-10 forever player.”

Eichel’s been no slouch, though, with 401 points in 427 career games despite playing the vast majority of them on a struggling Sabres squad. Finally back to full strength after neck surgery and surrounded by a talented cast in Vegas, Eichel is hitting his stride.

He’s nearing a 100-point pace for the first time in his career, leading the Golden Knights in goals (10) and points (21) as they’ve built up the best record in the Western Conference. Perhaps more impressively, he’s taken over all three zones. Eichel has used his unique combination of speed and strength to muscle the puck away from the opposition and convert those takeaways into immediate offense.

“He’s big and he’s a power skater,” McDavid said. “He’s a great player.”

Vegas’ top line of Eichel, Mark Stone and Chandler Stephenson is tops in the league in expected goal share, and Eichel has been on the ice for 13 goals for and only four against at even strength.

This stat visualization from WaveIntel shows McDavid’s individual stats are otherworldly, but whether it’s the result of playing on a stronger overall team or his own defensive improvements, Eichel’s on-ice metrics are vastly superior this season, especially defensively.

“They’re both world-class players,” said Sharks forward Timo Meier, who was selected at No. 9 in that draft by San Jose. “McDavid is no doubt the best right now, but Jack has shown that he’s up there, too, and he’s a player that’s very hard to play against.

“Seeing them play against each other, and competing, is fun for the fans. Obviously two really hard players to defend and play against. The skill sets they have. The way they can beat you in multiple ways. Both have unbelievable speed, so they are two of the top superstars in the league.”

McDavid had been viewed as the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft for years. There were times when Eichel got his name in the conversation during the 2014-15 season — even if it was just whispers — but McDavid was the wire-to-wire leader.

“He was a good player (that season),” McDavid said. “He was playing in college and our paths never really crossed. He’s a guy I’ve gotten to know a little bit around the draft stuff. He’s a guy I quite like.”

Meier is from Switzerland but played his draft season for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Halifax Mooseheads, so he heard plenty of McDavid-Eichel scuttlebutt.

“You could definitely tell how big the hype was around these two guys,” Meier said. “You see these guys and you compare yourself. You always want to be the best.”

The 2015 draft lottery was a made-for-TV special, designed so everyone could find out which team got the right to draft McDavid. Eichel, who was unable to attend the event in Toronto, was merely an afterthought.

“They really weren’t that close,” Seidel said. “The term ‘generational talent’ gets thrown around way too much, but Connor truly was that. The difference was his skating.

“You just knew his skating was going to be that much better than everybody else’s.”

Never was that afterthought status surrounding Eichel more obvious than when then-Sabres GM Tim Murray, whose team had the best odds to land the No. 1 pick, compared the slide down to a player getting the call that he’d been cut from the Canadian world junior team. He added that he felt bad for Sabres fans.

“From our standpoint, you’re talking about a guy who we felt — and it hasn’t changed — was so much different than any other prospect that we’ve seen in so long, probably since Crosby,” Seidel said of McDavid.

“Jack was a really, really good prospect — certainly, a high-end prospect — and the second-best prospect that year. But the gap was significant. There was no team that was going to try to trade up to (No.) 1 and take Eichel over McDavid.”

Eichel didn’t let the noise get to him. Quite the opposite, in fact. He reportedly told teams in his draft interviews that he’d be better than McDavid. That clearly hasn’t come to fruition, but he’s done just fine in his NHL career.

Eichel has now joined McDavid as the best player on one of the Pacific Division’s best teams.

In the Oilers’ case, that descriptor is more projection than reality at this point. After reaching the final four last season, they’re a middling 9-8 so far with below average underlying numbers.

McDavid has been one of the few standout performers. In addition to his remarkable counting stats, he’s the only Oiler to be at least even in goals for, shots for and Corsi for percentages at five-on-five — per Natural Stat Trick. He drives the bus; most others hop aboard when they can.

The way things have gone for the Oilers, it might take a gargantuan effort from McDavid on Saturday for them to beat Eichel’s Golden Knights in the first matchup in the new head-to-head battle.

“I can see how people want to make that a story, but it’s so long ago now,” McDavid said. “I don’t think people are talking about the Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin (draft) year. Time kind of fades (things). He’s a great player. Vegas and himself are off to a great start.”

There’s obviously no rivalry at the moment. The two have only played against each other nine times.

“Honestly I don’t really look at it like (a rivalry),” Eichel said. “The draft is so long ago, and it’s one or two days and you’re past it. You might use that hype for one season, and you get past the draft and all that comes with it pretty quickly. At the end of the day, you’re going out there with your group, competing against another group, and that’s really just the mindset for everyone.”

In the nine regular season meetings, Eichel has a slight edge with five wins. Eichel has five goals and five assists, including two game-winners, while McDavid has three goals and five assists. The games themselves, however, were little more than a novelty since the Sabres were awful and the Oilers often weren’t much better. Now, the circumstances have changed.

Edmonton advanced to the Western Conference finals last season, and Vegas has gone at least that far in three of its five seasons. After an injury-riddled 2021-22, the Golden Knights appear to have returned to a familiar perch atop the Pacific Division. As each team’s top player, McDavid and Eichel will play major roles in that race — starting on Saturday.

“You always like challenges, as a group and as an individual,” Eichel said. “That’s a big game for us. They’re a team that we want to establish ourselves as competitive with.”

There’s a mutual admiration between the two players as they embark on battles as divisional opponents. It extends beyond the respect they have for each other’s abilities on the ice.

Both players have endured serious injuries that had the potential to drastically alter their career trajectories.

McDavid suffered a torn-in-half PCL, torn knee joint and cracked front tibia when he went crashing into the goalpost in the final game of the 2018-19 season. He returned in time for the next campaign after a grueling summer of rehab work.

Eichel suffered a herniated disc in his neck as a result of a hit in March 2021. The Sabres organization urged the star forward to undergo disc fusion surgery, but after discussions with several doctors, Eichel decided on artificial disc replacement surgery — a procedure that had never been performed on an NHL player at that time.

After months of dispute, Buffalo eventually dealt Eichel to Vegas. He had the surgery performed shortly after, in November 2021, and returned to NHL action three months later. Eichel was in a difficult situation based on the rules written in the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA — which place some control over medical decisions in the hands of the teams — but he remained steadfast on his decision and eventually had his preferred surgery.

“As athletes, as hockey players, I think everybody understands injuries are part of it, and it’s a scary thing,” McDavid said. “Just to see him go through that situation was troubling.

“Players should have a say in what happens to their own body. We’re the ones that have to live in that body for the rest of our lives. I thought he did a good job of standing up for what he thought was right and getting the procedure that he thought was right. It’s good to see him back on his feet.”

The two aren’t close friends, but have followed each other’s careers after sharing draft day in 2015.

“I’ve known him for a while now,” Eichel said of McDavid. “I’m friendly with him if I see him in the summer. If we’re at the BioSteel (offseason camp), or whatever. I wouldn’t say we’re calling each other and seeing how we’re doing, but when I’m around him we converse, catch up and things are good.”

Eichel finished ninth in Hart Trophy voting in 2019-20, his last full season. He’s back to that level now. Of course, McDavid has consistently been on the shortlist of the league’s best players for years.

Eichel’s early work and recent resurgence, coupled with McDavid’s dominance through seven-plus seasons, has already established the two as one of the best 1-2 draft combinations in NHL history.

The standard-bearer remains Hockey Hall of Famers Guy Lafleur and Marcel Dionne, who were selected with the first two picks in 1971. Seidel already has McDavid and Eichel ahead of the 2009 pairing of John Tavares and Victor Hedman. He ranks them as the best duo since the 2004’s Nos. 1 and 2, Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin — two more surefire Hall of Famers.

“The top of that (2015) draft is as good as we’ve seen in a long time,” Seidel said.

Winning will only heighten the legacy of the player who does so.

A playoff matchup or two during the next few springs will no doubt kick a nascent rivalry into overdrive, as it did with Ovechkin and Crosby’s battles.

Ovechkin and Crosby have 63 head-to-head meetings in the regular season and have faced each other in the playoffs four times.

Considering McDavid and Eichel’s ages, and the current landscape of the Pacific Division, a playoff series or two between them isn’t hard to imagine.

“(For Eichel) to go head to head with McDavid, that would be a seven-game series that I would certainly pay to watch,” Seidel said. “Fans want to see the best players on the ice and those are two of the best in the league.”

(Photo: Andy Devlin / NHLI via Getty Images)

Source: Is the Connor McDavid vs. Jack Eichel rivalry finally about to become reality? via The Athletic

#mceichel #connor mcdavid #edmonton oilers #jack eichel #vegas golden knights #nhl #ice hockey #i haven't seen the whole article posted here yet #so i decided to do just that because it's behind a paywall #and therefore everyone may not have access to it #i also wanted to do my share of bringing back mceichel #which is one of my hockey rpf otps 💞#i squealed like a teenage girl reading these two gushing about each other #like please connor tell us more about how BIG you think jack is #that reminds of that one fic with connor awkwardly trying to flirt with jack #and he actually says smth like ''you're really big'' in the fic - i love it 😂

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