ๆญฃๅœจๅŠ ่ฝฝ่ง†้ข‘...

่ง†้ข‘ๅŠ ่ฝฝๅคฑ่ดฅ

๐—š๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ ๐—–๐—ผ๐—น๐—น๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป Introducing Dainese Stripes leather race suit paired w/ Simpson CH3NO2 helmet, Nankai racing gloves and Dirtfreak Gear (DFG) MX boots. Another All-I-Bought-in-Japan gear head to toe ๐Ÿ˜.

16,371 ๆฌก่ง‚็œ‹ โ€ข 3 ไธชๆœˆๅ‰ โ€ขvia X (Twitter)

4 ๆก่ฏ„่ฎบ

Phil jones ็š„ๅคดๅƒ
Phil jones3 ไธชๆœˆๅ‰

I know exactly how sexy that suit is , I used to have one !

Tage Ainese ็š„ๅคดๅƒ
Tage Ainese3 ไธชๆœˆๅ‰

That snap of the helmet sealing shut. ๐Ÿ˜ป

Quamzin ็š„ๅคดๅƒ
Quamzin3 ไธชๆœˆๅ‰

@slumerbingweald That is so incredibly hot! At a loss for wordsโ€ฆ

Rexdy F (aka Guh eF) ็š„ๅคดๅƒ
Rexdy F (aka Guh eF)3 ไธชๆœˆๅ‰

Bro, your new helmet is insane! Reminds me of your Impact Nitro Helmet before. Gotta do a side by side comparison with the Simpson CH3NO2. Super curious about the concepts since both use respirators. Gives off major futuristic racing vibes ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿฅฐ thank you

็›ธๅ…ณ่ง†้ข‘

No secrets. After the Leadville 100 record, maybe being an open book about my experience can help us understand a bit more about what humans can do in ultras. If Iโ€™m running 15:26, there is someone out there right now who will run sub-14:45, and people who couldnโ€™t dream of 100 miles who will achieve a transcendent finish. Hereโ€™s a no-secrets rundown: Training: I stacked aerobic bricks for 18 years, and it took those years of hard work for some commentators who havenโ€™t been following on Strava to view me as an overnight success. This one is for the brick-stackers. Other training elements: lower volume for ultra, fast hill strides 3-4 times per week at end of runs (including day before race), uphill treadmill 20% for 10-15 min after most runs (not on Strava), big uphill TM threshold and Z2 sessions, building bike fitness via Zwift racing and outside Z2, steady/moderate running after speed/hill workouts (inspired by Mike Smith at NAU), downhill vert consolidated in final few weeks to harness the repeated bout effect, long runs with tempo Recovery: Vega protein shakes (aiming for 100+ g protein daily), tons of food, stretching, Roll Recovery, hot tub 3-5x per week for blood volume (including race week) Strength: Mountain Legs routine, squats (2 x 10 at 135lb) 2x per week, back extensions, โ€œCore Snackโ€ 2x per day Supplements: AG1 (yeah, I said it ๐Ÿ˜‚), First Endurance Multi-V 2x per week (single gene variant carrier for Hemochromatosis = some iron, but not too much), Momentous Ashwagandha and Omega 3s, Turmeric, post exercise Ketone IQ 3-5 times per week, sodium bicarb 12.5 before hard workouts (all NSF Safe For Sport) Fueling: 90-120 g/hr high carb on hard efforts (up to 150 on Zwift races) + caffeine, Precision 1000 tabs in all bottles, sometimes lower carb on easy training. Some Tylenol for raceโ€”please donโ€™t do this, just want to truly have no secrets (search GlobalDRO for all medications) Gear: double belt with Janji built-in belt liner + Naked belt to carry all calories/liquid without pack, Adidas ASU supershoes, Coros Arm Band HR, inadequate lubrication (donโ€™t ask), Chappel Roan playing in head (so hot to go) All questions welcome ๐Ÿงก THANK YOU ALL!

David Roche

99,303 ๆฌก่ง‚็œ‹ โ€ข 2 ๅนดๅ‰

Tim Walzโ€™s Hunting Gaffe Explained:๐Ÿงต Iโ€™ve done a lot of pheasant hunting. As a high schooler, I made extra $ assisting guides on pheasant hunts: getting the hunters in the field, flushing game for them to easily shoot, and making sure they are safe. And much more since those days. You learn to spot the guys who are a potential danger to themselves and others. Everything about them is new: the shotgun, the gear, the clothing. They look like theyโ€™ve just stepped out of an LL Bean catalog. This isnโ€™t meant as a criticism. But if youโ€™re leading the hunt itโ€™s a visual clue that heโ€™s probably new to this and, in his excitement, he went to his local hunting store bought all the gear in an effort to look like one of the guys. It tells you to keep an eye on him and to be ready to offer quiet instruction so as not to embarrass him. I donโ€™t fault Walz for clearly being inexperienced with firearms and hunting. Anyone who is proficient in either had to learn sometime. For most of us, I think, the scorn heaped upon him is due to the fraudulent nature of it all. What VP candidate takes a day off to go hunting? Well, they donโ€™t unless they see it as a photo op. Dems realize Americans think Walz is a beta male weirdo, so some campaign genius said, โ€œI got it! Heโ€™ll go hunting! Heโ€™ll look manly!โ€ With the exception of โ€œThe Natural,โ€ I generally hate sports movies because the lead actor usually looks like heโ€™s never played sports in his life. Watching Walz handle a shotgun is like watching Keanu Reeves throw a football in โ€œThe Replacements.โ€ Itโ€™s painful. (Robert Redford was believable as an aging baseball player because he clearly played the game as a boy. Same with Kevin Costner in โ€œFor the Love of the Game.โ€) In this video, Walz appears to be having difficulty loading his shotgun while on a pheasant hunt. He tells the reporter, whose questioning tone suggests sheโ€™s not buying any of this, that itโ€™s a Beretta A400. The A400 is a semi-auto shotgun. Many guides donโ€™t allow semi-autos on a hunt because they canโ€™t see at a distance that youโ€™re โ€œsafe.โ€ A break-action double-barrel is therefore preferred since they can tell when your gun cannot be fired (be it loaded or not). This is because the barrel is on a hinge that โ€œbreaksโ€ open to permit manual loading. And this is very important for safety. I would wager that most accidental shotgun deaths involve semi-autos. This is all the more important in pheasant hunting. Unlike, say, deer hunting where you might sit in a tree all day long by yourself, pheasant hunting is typically done in large groups where the hunters are arranged in a crescent and marched through a field toward โ€œblockers,โ€ that is, hunters who stand still in a line. The idea is to drive the birds into the blockers and force them to flight. Hunting in such close proximity with other hunters can be dangerous for a variety of reasons: the birds fly parallel to the ground at head level, excitable hunters start blasting away at everything that moves or donโ€™t wait for the birds to reach a safe height, accidental discharges, etc. A guide wants to see that your weapon is open and therefore inoperable in all but the hunt. The loading port on the A400 is beneath the weapon near the trigger guard. This type of loading is an acquired skill, and Walz doesnโ€™t have it. (Iโ€™ll add that Walz says he bought it for trap shooting. In this he is correct. I wouldnโ€™t want to use an A400 pheasant hunting. Itโ€™s not a field gun. Itโ€™s heavy. But itโ€™s excellent for clays.) He fumbles around and, sensing heโ€™s making a fool of himself, he appears to stop before heโ€™s managed to get it loaded. As you can see, this carefully choreographed hunt wasnโ€™t so carefully choreographed. Itโ€™s become Tim Walzโ€™s Michael Dukakis-in-the-tank moment. Itโ€™s also noteworthy that in this gaffe Democrats, for all their faux rage about โ€œtoxic masculinity,โ€ unwittingly pay homage to masculinity and its appeal. They do know what it is. They just donโ€™t know how to practice it.

Larry Alex Taunton

1,727,519 ๆฌก่ง‚็œ‹ โ€ข 2 ๅนดๅ‰

Another group of volunteers has departed from the Chechen Republic for the special military operation zone to carry out their assigned tasks. Before departure, the fighters gathered at Grozny International Airport, named after Hero of Russia Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov. The volunteers were seen off and given words of encouragement by their BROTHER, Chairman of the Government of the Chechen Republic and Head of the Regional Operational Headquarters for the SVO, Magomed Daudov @MDaudov_95. He wished the fighters resilience, success in their service, and the ะดะพัั‚ะพะนะฝะพะต completion of all tasks assigned by the command. The volunteers departed fully prepared. They completed the necessary training course at the Russian University of Special Forces named after President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin, where experienced instructors place particular emphasis on practical skills, tactical and firearms training, as well as actions in conditions ะผะฐะบัะธะผะฐะปัŒะฝะพ close to a real combat environment. As is traditionally the case, the entire range of measures to provide for the fighters was undertaken by the Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov Regional Public Foundation. The ROF provides volunteers with equipment, gear, accommodation, food, and everything necessary during the preparation and deployment stages. In the SVO zone, the fighters will join the ranks of the โ€œAKHMATโ€ special forces of the Russian Ministry of Defense and begin carrying out combat-service tasks. I sincerely join all the kind wishes expressed today to our warriors. I wish them strength of spirit, good luck, and a safe return home! For those wishing to join the ranks of the volunteers, the following phone numbers are available: +79256617777, +79253197777, +79253287777. Necessary assistance and support can also be obtained at the Grozny City Hall grozmerr.

Elisabeth Eliseeva ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บ SPUTNIK

12,077 ๆฌก่ง‚็œ‹ โ€ข 1 ไธชๆœˆๅ‰

Shiroko's "Are you having fun, Sensei?" from Blue Archive Fes 2026 If Shiroko was real I would definitely try to befriend her. I've always longed for someone who would encourage me to take working out more seriouslyโ€”particularly cycling. Right now, my biggest problem with cycling is that I don't have that many cool spots I can go to anymore after having moved cities. And like many people, I'm bad at aimlessly strolling around, even more so at going on a trip without a clear destination. But Shiroko could help with that. She's great at planning (as shown by planning out her tour around Kivotos in her Cycling alt bond story), and I'm sure she would be able to plan several routes of various lengths and change in altitude. And I would love to go with her, no matter what she plans. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's endurance, after all. Throw however many "light 100km trips" at me as she may want, I would definitely keep up. And exercising together would bring us closer, as sharing any enjoyable activity would. Her brain would associate the endorphins released during workout with me being around, as would mine with her. And eventually, we would start dating. Doesn't a joint bank robbery sound great for the first date? How about a simple outing to a familiar ramen place? Or a romantic bike trip to the far seaside, just in time to sit down and watch the sunset, with her head leaning on my shoulder... There's just so much I would love to do together. I wonder how smooth her hair is. I wonder how soft the fur on her ears is. I wonder how much muscle she has, and how much that influences how her body feels to the touch. I would check everything. But no matter what I would discover, I'm sure I would come to love everything about her. I mean, she's already this perfect for meโ€”she's cute, she's funny, and she even doesn't understand the appeal of electronic gear-shifting! In fact, I love her so much already, I'm worried I would mess the whole befriending part of the plan up. And even if I didn't, my feelings are bound to overflow at one point or another, and I can only imagine the things I would do when that happens. I would probably shower her in hugs, pats and kisses, and hope I won't get hated for that. Which I wouldn't if we were already dating, but then I feel like I would be on the receiving end of that kind of onslaught... That wouldn't be so bad though. In fact, I would let Shiroko assault me. I may have read too many Shiroko doujins, but she does strike me as the type to unleash her inner beast- er, I mean, unleash her emotions when faced with the man she loves. As just like with exercise, I would endure everything she would throw at me. I have gone a bit off-topic, but if Shiroko was real, I would be a healthier person. If Shiroko was real, I would be a better person. If Shiroko was real, I would be the best version of myself so that I could support her in all she does. I'm sure I could make it worth the time I would be stealing from her.

Minend

17,171 ๆฌก่ง‚็œ‹ โ€ข 8 ไธชๆœˆๅ‰

โ€ก The Pacific Classic Result It was unfortunate that Nysos was scratched, but the result was interesting, with Fierceness, the 1.6/1 second-favorite, comfortably handling Journalism, the (overbet) 2/5 choice. That the odds of the remaining five runners ranged between 22/1 and 72/1, underscored the yawning gap in quality between the top pair and the rest. So it was clearly no surprise that the "also-rans" toiled in their wake. What was surprising, at least at first glance, was how well Fierceness appeared to handle less than ideal conditions. But on closer inspection, his trip was actually far less challenging than the vast majority of post-race takes have suggested. His having ducked in soon after the start, almost making contact with the temporary extension rail, could have been a disaster, but it wasn't, and its importance has arguably been overblown. I say that because it was not similar to the trouble that he had encountered early in some of his previous races, in that he was in his own space, and was neither bumped, constricted, nor otherwise intimidated by other runners. This is an important distinction, because the mental weakness that he had previously displayed was related to close encounters with other horses, and his ducking-in after the break did not fall into that category. Inexperienced horses may suffer from that type of self-inflicted event, but given a mature, experienced runner, they are almost always forgotten quickly, which was clearly the case here. The fact that it was a long race also helped to mitigate the event, as there was no need for the rider to panic, or feel pressure to make up ground immediately. It is even possible that the early ground loss actually helped Fierceness, as had he been drawn closer to the pace early, it could have rendered him vulnerable in the late stages of the race. At the same time, due to the inside post, and how the race unfolded, Johnny Velasquez, who has done such a brilliant job keeping Fierceness outside and clear of his rivals in his previous wins, was forced to make the best of racing inside of horses. I understand why some are tempted to argue that Fierceness displayed a new dimension, as there were no obvious signs of him having been intimidated, despite the inside trip. But while I am willing to consider the possibility that he has gained confidence, I remain skeptical of any significant change, in part because it would be highly unusual for a horse to overcome that type of mental weakness midway through its four-year-old season, and/or in its 13th start. I also remain unconvinced for more subtle reasons. First, Fierceness was never bounced around, and with the possible exception of the first turn, he was never forced to race in especially tight quarters. Secondly, the rhythm of the race, after the initial duck-in, was actually smooth, and therefore beneficial to him. To understand why the above points are important, consider that Fierceness was never, so to speak, allergic to racing inside, but was more likely to face contact, be squeezed into a tight space, or have his rhythm thrown off when breaking from an inside post. In contrast, when breaking from an outside post, JV has invariably been able to place him clear of the pack, and in a comfortable, stalking rhythm. Fierceness is also essentially a free-runner, with a "light" mouth, and as such performs best when his rider allows him to dictate his own rhythm and pace. That is why, for example, Johnny V was not at all responsible for his loss in the Breeders' Cup Classic, as he is not the type of horse that a rider can take a strong hold of in order to restrain him further off of the pace, as that would discourage him. And to the great credit of both JV and Todd Pletcher, they picked up on this early on, and have done a superb job mitigating the colt's limitations, and maximizing his potential. In the Pacific Classic, despite racing on the inside, Johnny V remained cool and calm, and gave Fierceness another masterful ride. He and the colt's connections did benefit though, as none of his rivals, either intentionally or not, tightened things up significantly, or otherwise disrupted his rhythm. In fact, quite the opposite. Having tracked comfortably through much of the race, and with space around him, Fierceness displayed his trademark spurt on the final turn. And while the pan shot may suggest that he slipped though a tight opening, it was more like the red sea parting, as the embedded head-on view illustrates. If you are able to view the full head-on replay, you will find that despite racing inside, Fierceness actually enjoyed quite a comfortable trip, after the eventful few strides. A more subtle indication that we were watching the same horse as in his previous races comes :12-14 seconds into the embedded clip. When he was about to take the lead, he cocked his head to the right, as if he may have been worried about the horse outside of him. He was able to draw away from that one so quickly that it was ultimately of no practical consequence, but I would say that it implies that he hasn't suddenly developed the heart of a lion. *** Two qualities that have been crucial to Fierceness' success are his tactical speed, coupled with the separation that he produces on the final turn of his (two-turn) races. His ability to take command at that crucial stage has served him very well, particularly in his narrow win over Thorpedo Anna, and it was again on display in the Pacific Classic. A big part of the reason why that move has been such an important part of his arsenal is that it typically allows his him to take a "breather", before digging deep in an effort to fend off any late dangers. I encourage you to watch the (pan) replay of the Pacific Classic, and focus on Johnny V from around the 3/8th pole to the head of the stretch, as he was sitting like the proverbial statue. So for at least a furlong and a half, Fierceness was on cruise control, while Journalism, his only danger, was under pressure to make up ground, in an attempt to simply reach striking distance. But with all due credit to Fierceness and his rider for having produced fine efforts in the Pacific Classic, was this really an exceptionally outstanding performance, or was it at least partly a reflection of his only serious rival failing to run his best? I'm inclined to argue the latter. Despite Journalism having produced an unusually good 3yo campaign, capped by three Gr. I wins, including a Classic success in the Preakness, and never finishing worse than second, there have been some lingering questions. One of them is whether he is actually as well-suited to 10f. as he is to 8-9f. races. Yes, he was beaten in his two previous tries over 10f. by Sovereignty, a better horse. But in each race he was able to gain first-run on that one, an advantage that is typically difficult to overcome, yet lost ground late to the winner both times, and to Baeza as well, in the KY Derby. Some have suggested that he may have a tendency to loaf when in front, but I haven't seen any compelling evidence of that. And such horses typically dig in when passed, in efforts to re-engage, which we haven't seen, at least overtly, from Journalism. He also drew away from his rivals late in his first three wins. Alex Evers made this interesting comment about the kickback in the Pacific Classic: "I've photographed racing for 20 years, I've never seen kick back knock a jockeys goggles off like this." Here is a link to his supporting photos, which are typically excellent: Could that have discouraged Journalism? I suppose that it could have been an impediment, but he is such a tough and honest horse, that I would be surprised to learn that it was a meaningful factor. By contemporary standards, Journalism has also had a busy campaign, having raced a touch over once per month since March, all but one of which in Grade I events, and four times well away from his home base. So it is possible that he is beginning to feel the effects of those races, and travels. I have also noted that from a Beyer figure standpoint, he hasn't really moved forward, and it's worth noting that in contrast to Sovereignty and Baeza, both of which were late (May) foals, Journalism was a February foal, and may not have had quite as much room to improve. I don't know why he lagged so far behind in the early stages of the Pacific Classic, or if there was any tactical intention behind it. I had previously suggested that it might make sense to ride him more patiently, a tactic that is sometimes adopted when there are questions about a horse staying a trip. But I didn't notice any improved late kick, so it's difficult to interpret the performance. Fierceness earned a 107 Beyer figure for his victory, slower than his best three races last year, and merely equivalent to his comeback victory in the Gr. II Alysheba at Churchill Downs, in May. That doesn't suggest that it was a particularly outstanding performance. Journalism was given a 102, which implies that the return to his home court did not catalyze any notable forward move. *** I would say that there is one relevant pattern that has emerged, namely that Fierceness has an apparent affinity for the faster, high energy return track surfaces in California. He has now contested three races in CA (Beyer): 1st Breeders' Cup Juvenile (105) 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic (111) 1st Pacific Classic (107) It's also interesting to compare the colt's first and last half-mile fractions in his effort in last year's BCC, and the PC, both contested at Del Mar over 10f.: BCC โ€“ :45 1/5 โ€ข :51 3/5 PC โ€“ :46 1/5 โ€ข :50 2/5 Predictably, he finished better in the PC, thanks to more manageable early fractions. But would a repeat of that effort be nearly sufficient to win this year's Classic? Given the various points noted above, coupled with Sovereignty's continued improvement, and seemingly bottomless stamina, I would be inclined to say no. And that's before even factoring Sierra Leone, Mindframe, Forever Young, et al, into the conversation. But setting aside all of the fine parsing, I'm happy to congratulate Repole Stable, and Fierceness' other connections, for having shipped to California, and for being rewarded with an exciting, winning effort. Assuming that the colt makes it to the Breeders' Cup Classic in good order, he should minimally add spice to the race, and who knows, perhaps even provide a serious challenge to knock Sovereignty off of his current throne.

Tinky

10,516 ๆฌก่ง‚็œ‹ โ€ข 1 ๅนดๅ‰

From the Grozny International Airport named after Hero of Russia Akhmat-Haji Kadyrov, another group of volunteers @dobrovolci_chechnya has been sent to the SVO zone. These are real men, ready to defend the honor, freedom, and future of our great Motherland on the front lines with weapons in their hands. Each fighter is equipped to the highest standard and full of unwavering determination to continue the work of their brothers, crushing the Ukrainian Nazi gangs until their complete destruction. Before the flight, the volunteers underwent intensive combat training at the Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin Russian Special Forces University eleana. Under the guidance of the country's best instructors, they honed all the skills necessary for flawless task execution under the toughest conditions. The unit includes patriots not only from the Chechen Republic but also from various parts of Russia. Many already have combat experience proven in real battles and are eager to fight again for victory. A huge contribution to the training and support of the fighters was made by the Regional Public Fund named after Hero of Russia Akhmat-Haji Kadyrov @fond_kadyrova. Thanks to the Fund, the volunteers received the latest equipment, a full set of gear, transportation to Gudermes, accommodation, and all conditions for quality training. The brothers were seen off at the plane by the dear BROTHER โ€” Chairman of the Government of the Chechen Republic, head of the regional SVO headquarters Magomed Daudov @MDaudov_95. On behalf of all volunteers, he sincerely thanked the Fund named after Hero of Russia Akhmat-Haji Kadyrov for comprehensive assistance, care, and support, which gives the fighters confidence at the rear and strength for victory at the front. Magomed Daudov wished the brothers strength of spirit, precise task execution, and a speedy return home with the long-awaited victory. We wholeheartedly join these words! I remind you that anyone ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with the legendary "AKHMAT" Special Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and become a defender of the Fatherland can call the following numbers: ๐Ÿ“ž +7 925 661-77-77 ๐Ÿ“ž +7 925 319-77-77 ๐Ÿ“ž +7 925 328-77-77 or come in person to the Grozny city hall @grozmerr. Forward, brothers! For Russia! For victory!

Elisabeth Eliseeva ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บ AKHMAT

53,095 ๆฌก่ง‚็œ‹ โ€ข 11 ไธชๆœˆๅ‰

Michael Laws today warned us that Luxon is going to follow in John Keys footsteps which will be a disaster. Laws calls key โ€œvery stupidโ€ and a very โ€œbad PMโ€ who stuffed up race relations in NZ by acquiescing to the Mฤori Party and Signing us up to UNDRIP. Under Keys Govt they completely broke our education and Health systems and ran infrastructure into the ground. Luxon has a deep reverence for Key, colleagues of his at AirNZ said Luxonโ€™s deep admiration of Key bordered on an obsession. For example as soon as he found out Key had a house in Hawaii he promptly bought a holiday home near by. On realising Key was golf buddies with Obama he flew Obama to NZ for dinner with him at great cost to AirNZ (and the tax payer). Over the weekend at the Nat AGM, Key was the KEY speaker. He told the Nats to cool it on the โ€œindigenousโ€ issues and basically not to rock the boat. Sigh. Laws says that Key ensured that the Nats relationship with Winston Peters was in such a state that it cost them the 2017 election, all because of Keys hatred for WP. Judith Collins writes in her memoir that Key told her heโ€™s quitting politics because quote โ€œI canโ€™t deal with having to work with Petersโ€. Keys hatred of WP is because WP is an economic and civil Nationalist, and a conservative . Key, like Luxon and Seymour are neoliberal Globalists who find NZFirstโ€™s policies as anachronistic and as unfashionable as Winstonโ€™s pinstripes suits. All three fail to realise that principles like pinstripes never go out of fashion which is why next year will mark 50 years since WP started his Political career. Key sold off state owned assets even AFTER a national referendum resulted in 90% OPPOSING it. Key used mass immigration as the perfect ponzy scheme for his โ€˜rockstarโ€™ economy. It was all bullshit. He pandered up to the โ€œindigenousโ€ elite as a nod to the left to afford him to maintain his favourite place in Politics - standing for nothing apart from Political expediency. Itโ€™s worth listening to Laws explain why Luxon is going to be yet another failed PM and why between National and Labour this country has been sold out and treated like garbage year after year. At the conference Key smugly told the faithful โ€œI didnโ€™t think Winston Peters could work with David Seymour or Chris Luxon for that matter but itโ€™s going great!โ€ Why is it that we have to continue having ex politicians hanging around like a bad smell? I mean Helen Clark is literally the opposition leader at the moment and Ardern with all her millions in funding from leftist elite will continue to be the tumour that we canโ€™t quite cut out. John Key - the mentor no one needs, least of all one Christopher Luxon. The reason why National canโ€™t break 40% is precisely because of Teflon Johnโ€™s head in the sand guidance. This country needs leadership, pussyfooting will just delay the inevitable. Why Luxon continues to seek guidance from useful idiots is a mystery, when he has all the decades of experience and wisdom of the best political operator sitting to his left right there in the house.

Holyhekatuiteka

23,722 ๆฌก่ง‚็œ‹ โ€ข 2 ๅนดๅ‰

๐Ÿฆ˜๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บMy take on Ange Postecoglou. If you disagree, that's fine. Freedom of speech, your opinion might be listened to or not. Mine is, I know by who. That's what I care about. ๐ŸŒPostecoglou has coached every age group at national / international level on 3 continents. That's inspirational and commands respect, if he was to be found out, as he said, he'd have been a long time ago like these former pros who cry because they get a U19 team relegated (ask me the names). ๐Ÿค“From a footballing standpoint, he's not making up theoretical shit like all these nerds jumping up on the Pro License barely coaching a team; and scrambling to figure out the reality of the sport/people in Phase 2, 3 doing the polar opposite to what they told everyone they'd do. ๐Ÿง The football Postecoglou sets up has room for decision making within a structure which is an extraordinary achievement from a coaching standpoint, and what every coach in the world should aspire to do. Ajax or Netherlands 1974, Nantes 1995, Rijkaard's Barcelona, Wenger's Arsenal. If you like "good football" , this is good football. If you want to win, pay more and get the best players. The correlation is right there. ๐Ÿ”There's rotations everywhere (think triangles who tilt, carrier and two options short/long), and players have 2-3 options everytime. The right balance between combinations into feet and third man runs (third man runs are vital - and often forgotten when nerds coach teams and have a control kink) ๐ŸซกFor that, you need a club culture of empowered players caring about the common good ; and also good enough to act selflessly to what the game demands (and actually execute it). โš–๏ธThe challenge is that bang average off the mill pros do what they're told, can't do most things. And ones who can't do play the solo card - football is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport. ๐Ÿ‘€I can confidently second guess that the hesitation in collective movement suggest they're thinking in real time and not going "by the book" (which is microwave coaching). ๐Ÿ‘ฅHow often Postecoglou talks about culture, turning up together for a meal before games. Old school, but actually grounded. This isn't a startup or UberEats. ๐Ÿง˜โ€โ™‚๏ธThere's a handful of adults coaching Premier League teams. Slot maybe, Howe, Emery, Frank, Glasner, Moyes, McKenna who value the holistic composition of performance: squad chemistry, work ethic, managing people and treating them as adults. Coincidence or not, I rate all of them. Coincidence, they all overperfom with the resources they have. ๐ŸšฉDefensively, the idea to hold a high line can make sense on the occasion. Most of you don't work in football. People who do know the biggest paradox in the modern age is that lot of players are outstanding to think smart and execute fast in high pressure situations; yet are out of their depth when they have time and space to think. ๐ŸซฃChelsea 11v9 took half an hour to break down 9 fuckers on halfway line, and people know how badly it reflected on one of the worst assemblage of players ever seen pound for pound. And that's not Postecoglou's team. Then again, listen to who you want. I've done it too. 9v11 winning 5-2 from 2-1 down at National level whilst the other team was spamming diagonals out of play. ๐Ÿš‘The injury crisis is worrying, but it's also a vicious circle. Majority of clubs nowadays sign players to replace injured players. If you get one or two key players injured by the extreme random demands of the game (facing a Haaland, Jackson etc... stretches your CBs to the limit - Van de Ven got muscular in game injury like Rodri got injured like Fofana got injured). ๐Ÿš๐Ÿ’ฐI don't think the training methods are in question; not should they be questioned more than Pep or Maresca's who can actually afford to get replacement brought in (and still get injuries) - and never get questioned. Spurs play Gray at CB. Chelsea can afford to call Chaloback, or City sign another 40 million a piece CB. ๐Ÿ•ณ๏ธSpurs lost Kane and finished 5th, like nothing happened. That's outstanding. ๐Ÿ“ผโ›ณ๏ธTraining clip: possession box to create the moment to change gear and find a striker dropping off the front. What happens then is a "wave" 3v2, with decision making. Drive diagonally, straight pass for diagonal runs. Affordances (what players perceive they can play) and match realism. See the cut off corners to guarantee runs going towards goal. Can't be more modern, evidence based, empowering, enjoyable and football realistic. ๐ŸŸ๏ธ๐ŸŽž๏ธGame footage: look how they're using each pass as a timeline to allow a third man popping up in space. Good reaction on turnover. See another triangle being created, with players selflessly filling in the tips of the triangle even rotating. Matar Sarr gets sucked into the space, puts an outstanding goalmouth delivery with presence and bodies in the box - especially at the far post. Brennan who everyone called a flop. Tremendous, organic (= player led) output. What you can do = the team's outlook. โšฝ๏ธI'm talking football there, not theory, not pattern playbook, not fiscal optimisation. ๐Ÿ“ŠSpurs are working on relative budget. Don't budget CL football. Spend 40% turnover on wages, when Chelsea's etc... are 70% or Leicester 120%. ๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿ’‰It's like the only clean horse in a race when others are stuffed with red bull, cocaine and creatine. And some of you Peaky Blinders are looking everywhere - even if you saw the episode where they stuff the horse to make it win.

S.

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Ch. 14 of NITRO: The Inside Story of Hulk Hogan's heel turn - #OTD 30 Years Ago (7/7/96)! AS DAY BECAME NIGHT at the Sullivan home, Bollea deliberated his participation in the pay-per-view. โ€œEverybody was telling him that it was the wrong thing to do,โ€ Kevin Sullivan says. โ€œHe was getting booed out of the arena, but they were all saying, โ€˜this is gonna kill himโ€™.โ€ With no end to the discussion in sight, the wily booker casually suggested that Bollea and Young make use of his two guest rooms until the morning. โ€œI isolated [them],โ€ Sullivan admits. โ€œI was just afraid that at the last minute, he was going to use his creative control [clause] and pull out.โ€ If Sullivan could deliver Bollea to the arena by showtime, the finish of the match called for Hogan to star in the most dramatic of surprise endings. In a sequence devised by Kevin Nash, an unannounced Hulkster would shockingly interfere in the match, but only after the heels gained an unfair advantage through cheating. It would be a brilliant misdirection, Nash thought, as fans would instinctively believe Hoganโ€™s appearance to be in support of the babyface team. โ€œI knew there were gonna be 55 different ideas,โ€ Nash says, thinking back to the eve of the event, โ€œ[so] I actually put a lot of thought into it. I called Scott [Hall] two or three days before that, and said โ€˜what do you think about this?โ€™ โ€œWe had to make it a 2-on-2 match with Lex Luger getting injured [during the match] and going out. We would cheat to get Macho [Man] in trouble and all of a sudden Hulk comes down, which of course would mean โ€˜ok, here comes Hulk to make the saveโ€™. [Hall] said, โ€˜I love itโ€™.โ€ There was, however, the looming possibility that Bollea could reject his turn at the eleventh hour. Thinking ahead, Eric Bischoff developed a contingency plan in which Sting would play the role, ultimately revealing himself - despite not having prior experience with the WWF - as the โ€˜third manโ€™ instead. โ€œI remember Eric came in to the locker room,โ€ recalls Marcus 'Buff' Bagwell, โ€œand said [to Sting], โ€˜I wanna talk to you about somethingโ€™. I could hear them going over the idea, and then when they got done, Sting told me what they were talking about. He said that [Eric said], โ€˜there are only two guys that could turn heel where it would really matterโ€™. That would be Hogan and Sting.โ€ โ€œHe was offering Sting the job first, [as I recall], and Sting didnโ€™t wanna do it. He didnโ€™t really say it wouldnโ€™t work, but he just said, โ€˜it doesnโ€™t intrigue me. I donโ€™t wanna do itโ€™.โ€ According to Andre Freitas, a special effects artist who worked in costume design and character development for WCW, the proposed Sting swerve was to involve the use of a doppelganger - or โ€˜phonyโ€™ Sting - presumably in an effort to fool fans that the real character had switched sides. โ€œThat was their original plan,โ€ says Freitas. โ€œEric showed me a picture of Jeff Farmer (a lower-card wrestler) and said โ€˜can you make him Sting?โ€™ I told him that they have similar bodies...then we looked at Stingโ€™s hair and Jeffโ€™s hair...and talked about all that stuff. I did a head cast for [Farmer] and some prosthetic and test make-ups. But when they secured Hogan, we didnโ€™t do [the angle].โ€ ----------- Amazingly, even as Bash at the Beach began, Bischoff continued to consider Plan B. โ€œI remember walking by this perforated wall in the Ocean Center,โ€ divulges Nash, โ€œand Eric said to me, โ€˜Hulk is with Sullivan, and heโ€™s not sure heโ€™s gonna do it yetโ€™. It was up in the air.โ€ Meanwhile, viewers of the pay-per-view - and, for that matter, WCWโ€™s own production staff - speculated as to the identity of the third man. โ€œThey were trying to โ€˜workโ€™ everyone,โ€ asserts Jason Douglas, a WCW producer backstage at his first pay-per-view event. โ€œโ€˜Rocketโ€™ (staff member Rick Sancher) came up to me - they were kinda testing me because I was new on the road - and said โ€˜hey, I think itโ€™s gonna be [WWF wrestler] Bret Hartโ€™. I guess it was to see if I would leak something, and so I was just like โ€˜oh, cool, Bret Hartโ€™.โ€ In reality, aside from Bischoff, Bollea, Young, Hall, Nash and Sullivan, the turn would be concealed from everyone - even the announcers, according to orders from Bischoff - as to ensure their most realistic reactions. With less than an hour before the main event began, production staffer Woody Kearce discovered a revealing clue in the parking lot. A Hulk Hogan motorcycle had appeared mysteriously in one of the spaces, sparking another round of backstage conjecture. Finally, with what Sullivan recalls as โ€œthirty minutesโ€ and Bischoff remembers as โ€œforty-five to sixty minutesโ€ left on the air, Bollea belatedly arrived at the Ocean Center. The mood suddenly changed. Upon realizing that his star had been convinced, Bischoff began to relax. โ€œOnce he got to the building, I recall a sense of calm,โ€ he reveals. โ€œAll of the anxiety, all of the tension, all of the worry, all of the effort to make sure things stayed quiet...all of that just kind of dissipated. It was like fog lifting when the sun comes out - it all just went away. I was thinking, โ€˜it is what it is, thereโ€™s nothing more I can do...so letโ€™s just roll with itโ€™.โ€ To cement the turn, Bollea knew, he would have to deliver a monumental post-match promo to explain his actions. While typically, he enjoyed using Bischoff as a sounding board to rehearse interviews, the need for complete privacy - on this occasion - was unquestionably paramount. And so, away from prying eyes - and ears - the two met up in the most unglamorous of clandestine locations - a utility closet. In the midst of the run-through, Bischoff stopped to emphasize an important point: When you grab that microphone, I want you to say...โ€˜this is the beginning of the new...world...orderโ€™. The phrase - โ€˜new world orderโ€™ - lingered auspiciously in the air. Bischoff surprised himself with the utterance, realizing slowly that the term encapsulated everything that the invasion storyline could represent. In 1990, then-president George H.W. Bush famously utilized the same expression in a speech to Congress, although its origin could actually be traced back to the 28th President, Woodrow Wilson. But if Bischoff was unsure as to the source of his spontaneous inspiration, perhaps the answer could be found closer to home - on the preceding Nitro, just six days earlier, announcer Larry Zybysko serendipitously made the following proclamation: โ€œThis Sunday, I promise you, there will be a new world order of wrestlingโ€ฆโ€ Fans at the Ocean Center waited anxiously to see if Zybyskoโ€™s prophecy would materialize; for after all the hoopla, it was suddenly time for the main event. Before the opening bell, the audience was already on its feet for ring announcer@Michael_Bufferโ€™s pre-match introductions. As Hall and Nash sauntered to the ring for The Hostile Takeover match, Buffer set the scene with theatrical aplomb: โ€œLadies and gentleman, at this time, let me introduce the men whose plan and goal is to takeover the WCW with force and hostility. We were told there would be three of these interlopers, and I must apologize as I have been informed - as you can see - there are only two. Ladies and gentleman, introducing...the Outsiiiiiders!โ€ In a moment that played off perfectly on television, Stingโ€™s entrance music began - and quickly ended - as โ€˜Mean Geneโ€™ Okerlund traipsed cautiously into the ring. After exchanging quizzical looks with Buffer and referee Randy Anderson, Okerlund confronted the Outsiders to get some answers, an inspired plot device designed to build the tension even further. โ€œGentleman,โ€ began Okerlund, โ€œif I could have your attention...I donโ€™t have police protection with me at this time, but I wanna confront you in front of this full house here at the Ocean Center, and millions of others watching across the country and around the world. I donโ€™t see three men here tonight. Where is your partner?โ€ Responding in a manner consistent with their WWF characters, Hall and Nash assured Okerlund that the third man was present - and ready. โ€œLet me tell you something,โ€ announced a confident Nash, โ€œwe got enough to handle it right now, right here.โ€ Once more, Stingโ€™s entrance music blared from the arena speakers, this time preceding the man himself, accompanied by Luger and Savage. โ€œHere we go!โ€ screamed color commentator Bobby Heenan as the wrestlers passed an unusually large contingent of security personnel on the entrance way. โ€œThe war is on!โ€ Less than two minutes into the bout, Luger collapsed to the outside, a move in accordance with Nashโ€™s plan to even the sides before the climactic reveal. โ€œNow itโ€™s two against two!โ€ yelled Heenan. After a brief delay, the concerned crowd looked on as Luger left the arena on a stretcher, leaving Sting and Savage alone to fight valiantly for WCW. As the match progressed, the contemptible Outsiders used every trick to stall their opponentโ€™s momentum, until a revitalized Savage began a furious rally at the fifteen-and-a-half minute mark. The invaders were suddenly down, but not out - as with the referee distracted, Nash landed a low-blow to bring the Macho Man to his knees. All four men lay on the canvas, exhausted, as referee Anderson started a ten count. As Anderson yelled โ€˜ONEโ€™, several rows of spectators rose to their feet. Within seconds, the reaction diffused from section to section, the noise level increasing with each passing beat. On the live broadcast, viewers at home caught glimpse of a familiar figure making his way down the ramp. โ€œHulkamania!โ€ screamed Dusty Rhodes on commentary while Hogan walked methodically towards the ring. Noticeably, the Hulkster seemed oddly disaffected - even out-of-character - but after exchanging the briefest of glances with the crowd, he continued stride with the din reaching fever pitch. โ€œWhose side is he on?โ€ bellowed Heenan, a question that seemed inexplicable given the history of Hoganโ€™s on-screen persona. โ€œWhose side is he on?โ€ repeated Heenan, who as longtime fans could recall, had opposed Hogan for years as a manager in the WWF. For that reason, the comment flew over the heads of most (but not all) viewers; meanwhile, the live crowd was cheering as if their team had won the World Series. Nash and Hall retreated to the floor as Hogan tore off his shirt, an apparent signal that the archetypal good guy was here to save the day again. โ€œWhoโ€™s bad now boys?โ€ taunted play-by-play man Tony Schiavone on commentary, confident that WCWโ€™s honor was no longer in jeopardy. Savage lay prone on the mat as Hogan surveyed the scene. Above the cheapest of cheap seats, peeking through a curtain with palpable anticipation, was Eric Bischoff. โ€œI knew that something big was about to happen,โ€ he recalls. โ€œIt was either gonna be a big failure, or a big success.โ€ Seemingly out of nowhere, with his unsuspecting devotees enveloped in celebration, Hulk backed up to the corner. With the coldness of a serial killer, the once-honorable hero shockingly shoved referee Anderson, and executed his patented finishing move - the leg drop - to the helpless Macho Man below. The audience became completely, utterly unglued. โ€œI was standing back with the announcers,โ€ remembers Michelle Baines, newly hired as a production assistant. โ€œOne of the producers turned to me and said, โ€˜you need to go to the backโ€™. โ€œโ€˜I said, โ€˜what do you mean?โ€™ โ€œShe said, โ€˜itโ€™s gonna get ugly real quickโ€™.โ€ โ€œShe was right - the crowd turned ugly quick.โ€ In retrospect, it was clear that even as Hoganโ€™s body approached the canvas - contact with Savage just milliseconds away - the gravity of the assault started to hit home. โ€œWhat has he done?โ€ questioned a crestfallen Rhodes, โ€œis he the third man? What the hell is going on here?โ€ Heenan was even more direct - โ€œHulk Hogan has betrayed WCW! He is the third man in this picture!โ€ A breathless Schiavone could barely muster more than three words: Oh My God, he repeated. Oh My God, he continued, as Hogan high-fived a grinning Hall and Nash. The courageous Sting, stumbling to his feet to stop the injustice, was quickly dispatched, and in the coup de grace, Hogan tossed Anderson to the floor. Sardonically, he covered Savage for the pin, the contest now clearly a farce. โ€œI hope you love it,โ€ a disappointed Rhodes wailed on commentary. โ€œYou just sold your soul to the devil.โ€ The third man was a mystery no more, and Hall, Nash, and Hogan raised their hands in victory to a genuinely astonished audience. The immediate outrage, which first gave way to shock, was now inspiring unmitigated rage. Simultaneously, the evil trio continued to taunt, pose, and antagonize while the announcers lamented WCWโ€™s future. As Sting and Savage hobbled back to the locker room, a visibly distraught Okerlund returned to conduct an explanatory interview, based around the one Hogan and Bischoff had mapped out earlier. โ€œMean Gene,โ€ commanded Hogan, โ€œthe first thing you need to do is to tell these people to shut up if you wanna hear what I gotta say.โ€ For the next four minutes, Hogan rationalized his turn with remarkable clarity. โ€œThe first thing you gotta realize, brother, is this right here is the future of wrestling. You can call this the new...world...order of wrestling. These two men right here came from a great big organization up north, and everybody was wondering who the third man was. Well, who knows more about that organization than me, brother? I made that organization a monster. I made people rich up there. I made the people that ran that organization rich up there. And when it all came to pass, the name Hulk Hogan, the man Hulk Hogan, got bigger than the whole organization!โ€ Bischoff watched from his secretive seat in amazement - he had not seen, nor had anyone, this intensity of emotion on display at a wrestling show before. It was almost as if the assembled masses had lost themselves in the performance, perhaps even forgetting, if only for a moment, that they were witnesses to a pre-determined event. Hoganโ€™s actions had ostensibly interrupted their critical faculties; in other words, they had suspended their disbelief by reacting to the incident as if it were real. Moreover, the shock was manifesting in the most volatile ways imaginable, as in an incident edited out of future showings of the pay-per-view, a rather large man, likely intoxicated, ran into the ring before being knocked down by Hall and Nash. Concurrently, a stream of debris rained down from the stands, with one object hitting Okerlund, and the rest filling the ring in a stunningly unique visual. Hogan continued as the trash piled up around him, even referencing Ted Turner in his diatribe: โ€œBillionaire Ted promised me movies brother. Billionaire Ted promised me millions of dollars. And Billionaire Ted promised me world caliber matches. And as far as Billionaire Ted, Eric Bischoff, and the entire WCW goes, Iโ€™m bored brother! Thatโ€™s why I want these two guys here, these so-called Outsiders. These are the men I want as my friends. They are the new blood of professional wrestling, and not only are we going to take over the whole wrestling business...with Hulk Hogan, the new blood and the monsters with me, we will destroy everything in our path, Mean Gene.โ€ โ€œLook at all the crap in this ring,โ€ responded Okerlund. โ€œThis is whatโ€™s in the future for you if you want to hang around the likes of this man Hall, and this man Nash.โ€ Hogan raised his finger as if to stop the interviewer midstream, the perfect line instantly coming to mind. โ€œAs far as Iโ€™m concerned, all this crap in the ring represents these fans out here,โ€ he boomed defiantly. โ€œFor two years, I held my head high,โ€ ranted Hogan, alluding to his rather uninspired WCW tenure. โ€œI did everything for the charities. I did everything for the kids. And the reception I got when I came out here, you fans can stick it brother! Because if it wasnโ€™t for Hulk Hogan, you people wouldnโ€™t be here. If it wasnโ€™t for Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff would still be selling meat from a truck in Minneapolis. And if it wasnโ€™t for Hulk Hogan, all of these โ€˜Johnny come latelysโ€™ that you see out here wrestling wouldnโ€™t be here. I was selling the world out, brother, while they were bumming gas to put in their car to get to high school!โ€ In closing, Hogan foreshadowed the future state of affairs in WCW with a prophetic preview of coming storylines: โ€œWith Hulk Hogan and the new world organization of wrestling, brother...me and the new blood by my side...whatcha gonna do when the new world organization runs wild on you? Whatcha gonna do? What are you gonna do??โ€ Despite mistakenly bungling the โ€˜new world orderโ€™ phrase at the conclusion of his speech, Hogan still provided the perfect punctuation to a sensational heel turn. His promo, inarguably the most dynamic of his career, came across as strikingly authentic (โ€œit felt real, because it was realโ€™,โ€ offered a proud Eric Bischoff upon reflection years later). On commentary, Schiavone - who most inspiredly suggested that Hogan had planned to double-cross WCW all along, since his debut in 1994 no less - added to the realism with some mournful final comments: โ€œWe have seen the end of Hulkamania,โ€ he grieved. โ€œHulk Hogan, you can go to hell! Weโ€™re outta here. Straight to hell.โ€ ---- To the layman, there appeared an obvious explanation for the feverous crowd response that accompanied Hoganโ€™s turn. Clearly, the element of surprise - one of the key elements of Nitroโ€™s success - had been exploited to a masterful degree (โ€œnobody on earth thought that the third man was going to be Hulk Hogan,โ€ highlights Nash). To Kevin Sullivan, however, there were several layers of story at play. โ€œPeople thought that it was an invasion from the WWF,โ€ he begins, implying that the success of the angle could be correlated to its realism. โ€œThey really bought into it, and when Hogan turned heel...they were sure of it. โ€œSo while Hogan gets the credit for the reaction, it was [Nash and Hall] who set the whole thing up. Those guys built the foundation of heat, and when Hogan came down, it just blew up.โ€ โ€œWe were red hot coming off WWF television,โ€ agrees Nash, โ€œand then you had the biggest turn in the world on top of that. The biggest babyface of all-time finally turned heel!โ€ To the ever-meticulous Sullivan, always a keen observer of the nuances present in a wrestling angle, an often overlooked element was also noteworthy. โ€œHe did it to Randy [Savage],โ€ the booker emphasizes, speaking of Hoganโ€™s betrayal. โ€œPeople knew there was real-life heat there. That helped out too, but everyone played an intricate part. โ€œLightning...you canโ€™t catch it in a bottle but one time.โ€ The above is an excerpt from the book, NITRO: The Incredible Rise and Inevitable Collapse of Ted Turner's WCW. Amazon USA: Amazon UK: Amazon Canada: Amazon Australia: 17+ Hour Audiobook Available at Audible and Apple Books Audible USA: Audible UK: Audible Canada: Audible Australia: Apple Books: Ultimate NITRO Bundle: Deep Cuts - Wrestling Stories in 60 Seconds! David Penzer AdFreeShows.com 83 Weeks with Eric Bischoff On This Day in WWE Allan Conrad the Mortgage Guy IandrewDiceClay WCW Archive Because WCW WCW4Life แด€ส€แด…แด€ ร–แด„แด€สŸ 90s WWE Secrets of WCW Nitro #WCW #nWo #HulkHogan #BashattheBeach #HeelTurn #Wrestling #WrestlingBooks #OTD #WWE #WorldChampionshipWrestling #Nitro

WCWNitroBook

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